New Delhi
SC Refuses to Hear Plea for Cancelling Salman’s Bail
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking cancellation of bail granted to Bollywood superstar Salman Khan by the Bombay High Court in the 2002 hit-and-run case. “The order of Bombay High Court does not require interference,” a Bench comprising Justice FMI Kalifulla and Justice Amitava Roy said. The Bench was hearing a plea filed by Sushila Bai Patil, mother of Ravindra Patil, the police bodyguard of Khan and a key witness in the 2002 hit-and-run case, who died under mysterious circumstances. The plea also sought a probe into Patil’s death. Earlier on August 31, the apex court had refused to entertain a similar plea filed by Patil. On May 6, the actor was convicted of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Adventure Sports Course to Teach Babus ‘Risk Taking’
The government wants Babus working in the various ministries to take risk and in order to fulfil this ‘Governance Mantra’, Ministry of personnel has decided to sponsor Skiing, Surfing, Para gliding, which comes under the adventure sports, to Babus working in the Central Ministries and departments. In a letter to all the Ministries, Department of Personnel and Training said that adventure sports will “create and foster spirit of risk-taking, cooperative team work, capacity of readiness, vital response to challenging situations, endurance and environmental awareness.” “The scheme would tackle the alarming situation of stress and impact of sedentary life on government servants as highlighted in several studies conducted so far...it would provide a creative outlet to central government employees,” the letter said. The DoPT said that adventure sports would make the Babus prepare for better disaster management. The programme will have components of environmental awareness, disaster management, team spirit, capacity building and Swachh Bharat Campaign.
IGNOU to Roll out ‘Overseas Study Centres’
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has rolled out a programme to redevelop the partner institutes abroad as‘overseas study centres’, an MoU of which was signed here on Friday. The centres would be developed in Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Oman, Maurius, Nepal, Ethiopia, Kenya and Ivory Coast. The centres will offer IGNOU’s academic programmes such as Masters, Bachelors, PG Diploma, Diploma and Certificate programme. The fresh admissions (January 2016 session) from these OSCs will commence from December 10 and the last date of admissions will be January 31 next year.
PIB Apologises for Prime Minister’s ‘Photoshopped’ Aerial Survey Picture
Facing embarrassment over posting a “photoshopped” photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking an aerial survey from a helicopter, PIB expressed regret saying the incident happened due to an “error of judgment”. In the picture posted by Press Information Bureau (PIB) on its website and Twitter on Thursday, image of houses and water were superimposed on the window of the helicopter. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was looking out of window in the picture. The photo was soon removed after questions were raised in social media about its authenticity. The original picture did not have a clear view of the outside as PM was looking at it. In a clarification issued here, the PIB said, “Out of the seven pictures released, one picture used the technique of merging two pictures. This is being referred to as ‘photoshopping’ in sections of media. “This happened due to error of judgment and the picture was subsequently deleted. Press Information Bureau regrets the release of the above mentioned picture and inconvenience caused is regretted,” it said in the statement. The Prime Minister had made an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas of Chennai, its suburbs and Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts on Thursday. ENS
Chandigarh
SAD Plans Sadbhavna Rally on December 15
Insistent on setting up a one-on-one competition with the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday announced it would hold its Sadbhavna Rally in Patiala on December 15. The declaration followed Thursday’s decision of the Congress to postpone its rally in Bathinda from December 13 to 15. SAD President and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who made the announcement at the fourth Sadbhavna Rally of the party at Nakodar, sought to woo NRIs by promising a comfortable stay in Punjab, claiming that power cuts were now a thing of the past
Srinagar
National Conference Flays Arrest of Cleric
National Conference, the main opposition party of Jammu and Kashmir, has slammed the PDP-BJP coalition government in the State for arresting an Imam (cleric), who led funeral prayers of slain Kashmir chief of Lashkar-e-Toiba Abu Qasim in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district in October. NC on Friday expressed anger over the governments’ policy of invoking PSA against the religious figure. “PDP-BJP government has taken oppression of the state subjects to new heights. Invoking of the PSA against Cleric Fayaz Ahmad Rather is to say the least, tragic,” NC provincial spokesperson said.
Two Ultras, Jawan Killed in Encounter
Two militants and an Army man were killed in an encounter in Handwara area of border district of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday while large a large cache of ammunition and eatable items have been recovered from the three militants killed by army near LoC in Poonch sector on Thursday. “Army and SOG personnel of Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a joint combing operation in Boban Watsar forest, Handwara in Kupwara district this morning after receiving information about presence of militants there,” defence spokesman in Srinagar.
Patna
Nitish Targets BJP Leaders for Making False Claim
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday once again targeted BJP leaders for making false claim regarding lack of development in the concluded Assembly election by referring the latest NITI Ayog report showing Bihar as the fastest growing state in terms of gross state domestic product (GSDP) with a growth rate of 17.06 per cent in 2014-15. “Our rivals blamed us for slowing the pace of development in the state.