Smita Sharma

Smita's Space |

A journalist visa is a good barometer to measure the Indo-Pak warmth or the 'heat'. If the visa comes through smoothly, know relations are hunky ...
10:28 AM, May 20, 2013

Pakistan: Imran's supporters stage protest over killing of PTI leader

Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party led by Imran Khan, gathered in the Clifton district of southern Karachi on Sunday to protest against the killing of senior party member Zahra Shahid. ...
10:05 AM, May 20, 2013

Sensex ends lower; pharma stocks take a hit Mumbai: Indian shares took a breather on Monday and closed marginally in red on profit booking after hitting fresh 2.5 year highs. Pharma companies dragged key equity benchmarks lower while major auto stocks ended in green. The Sensex closed at 20223.98, down 62 points or 0.31 per cent and the Nifty ended at 6156.90 down 30 points or 0.49 percent. About 1107 shares advanced, 1298 shares declined, and 141 shares...  
09:30 AM, May 20, 2013

Is Amit Shah's appointment as UP BJP in-charge a boost for Modi? New Delhi: In a move that is being seen as Narendra Modi's clout growing within the BJP, the party president Rajnath Singh appointed the Gujarat Chief Minister's aide Amit Shah as general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh for 2014 elections. The indications are loud and clear as Uttar Pradesh with 80 Lok Sabha seats will be critical to the BJP's preparations for 2014 elections. The BJP in its prime has...  
09:12 AM, May 20, 2013

Li's visit: Chinese embassy, hotel turn into fortresses
by IANS
New Delhi: The Chinese embassy was on Sunday turned into a fortress as Premier Li Keqiang arrived on a state visit while a tight security ring was thrown around the Taj Palace Hotel where he is staying. Delhi Police have deployed more personnel and shut down certain roads, including those near the Chinese embassy, as a precautionary measure. All the inner roads leading to the hotel have been barricaded and...  
05:43 AM, May 20, 2013

Advanced breast cancer detecting machine comes to India
by IANS
New Delhi: An advanced digital breast cancer detecting machine with the capability to see the lesions in breasts with much more clarity than ever before was unveiled in the national capital on Sunday. The mammography machine 'Amulet' by Fuji films is claimed to be India's first low dose resolution system. Speaking at the launch, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushma Swaraj said: "Every woman should be aware about ever growing breast...  
05:33 AM, May 20, 2013

Before his death, inspector filed FIR on spot-fixing
by IANS
New Delhi: A day before he was found dead under mysteriouos circumstances last week, Delhi Police Inspector Badrish Dutt had filed a police complaint that spot fixing was to take place in the multi-crore IPL tournament and players would under-perform during agreed upon overs in exchange for huge amounts. Dutt filed the First Information Report(FIR) in the case just a day before his and his live-in-partner's bodies were discovered in...  
04:27 AM, May 20, 2013

Karnataka CM allots portfolios, retains key departments
by IANS
Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday allocated portfolios to his new 28-member ministry, keeping key posts such as finance, energy, industries, IT and Bangalore city with himself. According to a Raj Bhavan communique, Governor HR Bhardwaj allocated the various portfolios on the advice of the chief minister to 20 cabinet ministers and eight ministers of state. Besides the key portfolios, the chief minister will also be in-charge of five...  
04:08 AM, May 20, 2013

HP Cong chief asks party workers to prepare for LS polls Dharamsala: Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Sukhvinder Singh on Sunday asked party workers to start preparations for 2014 Lok Sabha elections, saying they should reach out to people and help solve their grievances. The Congress state chief told party members to work as a unified unit to help achieve desired results in the next Lok Sabha polls. Singh presided over the first meeting of Kangra District Congress Committe in Dharamsala to...  
03:41 AM, May 20, 2013

Imran to lead protests against party leaders's killing Karachi/Lahore: Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan will lead protests in Pakistan's largest city of Karachi against the killing of a senior leader of his party for which he has directly blamed MQM chief Altaf Hussain. In a video message released on Sunday, Khan, who is under treatment at the Shaukat Khanum hospital in Lahore after an accident during the election campaign, said as soon as he was well he would himself lead...  
01:43 AM, May 20, 2013

Congress leader foresees party-led third front in TN Pudukottai: With the break-up of UPA in Tamil Nadu, Congress leader and former Union minister EVKS Elangovan on Sunday said there was a possibility of his party heading a new alliance sans the two major Dravidian parties - DMK and AIADMK - for the next Lok Sabha elections. Rejecting the charges against Congress over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, he said people were not aware of the party's good work...  
01:27 AM, May 20, 2013

Amit Shah made in charge of UP BJP, Varun Gandhi to lead party in WB New Delhi: In a run up to the Lok Sabha elections, BJP President Rajnath Singh on Sunday reorganised the party's poll machinery. Rajnath made Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's close aide Amit Shah in charge of the party's affairs in key state Uttar Pradesh. Shah will be assisted by party members Trivendra Singh Rawat, Rameshwer Chaurasiya and Satyendra Kushwaha. The BJP President also made Varun Gandhi in charge of the...  
07:41 PM, May 19, 2013

Sharif's party gets majority in Pak Parliament Lahore: Nawaz Sharif's PML-N has attained a majority in Pakistan's National Assembly after 18 independent candidates joined the party, placing it in a position to form government at the centre without striking an alliance with any other party. Several independent candidates belonging to influential political families of Punjab and Sindh provinces are among those who have joined the PML-N, which emerged the single largest party in the May 11 general...  
07:31 PM, May 19, 2013

Walmart lobbying case 'closed' due to lack of evidence: Sources New Delhi: Investigation into whether US giant Walmart may have bribed Indian officials to gain wider access to the country's vast market has been closed due to lack of evidence, sources said on Sunday. Corporate Affairs Ministry has confirmed and said no evidence of lobbying was found. The one-man committee of Former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Mukul Mudgal probing the matter had submitted a report to...  
05:59 PM, May 19, 2013

UP: CBI to probe terror suspect Khalid Mujahid's death Lucknow: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will probe how Khalid Mujahid, an accused in the serial blasts in Uttar Pradesh in 2007, died while being taken to a prison in Lucknow from Barabanki on Saturday. Forty-two policemen, including senior officers, have been booked for the alleged murder of Khalid. Among the police officers booked are former Uttar Pradesh DGP Vikram Singh and DGP (Training) Brij Lal. Police claim Khalid,...  
04:24 PM, May 19, 2013

CRPF red flags Home Ministry on Ambani VIP security New Delhi: The CRPF, which recently took over the duties of guarding RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani, has raised concerns in ensuring a 'fool proof' Z category security to the business tycoon in the absence of local logistical support to its squad. The para-military force has written to the Union Home ministry alerting it about possible limitations its personnel may face in the event of an attack on Ambani who has...  
02:02 PM, May 19, 2013

'Fukrey' Music Review: It's a young and vibrant album
by IANS
Music Director: Ram Sampath Singers: Amjad Bagadwa, Ram Sampath, Yash Divecha, Vrashal Chavan, Mika Singh, Tarannum Malik Rating: 3 out of 5 The music album of director Mrighdeep Singh Lamba's 'Fukrey' has six tracks. Simple and sweet, the tracks are high on fun and entertainment quotient. Ithas its setbacks, but does not disappoint. In the film's title track, 'Fuk fuk fukrey', debutant singer Amjad Bagadwa's voice sounds a little offbeat...  
01:56 PM, May 19, 2013

PM to present Report Card of UPA-II on May 22 New Delhi: With the image of his government in tatters, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will present the last Report Card of UPA-II on May 22 in which he is expected to list the positives such as Direct Benefit Transfer and FDI in retail in a bid to boost the sagging morale of Congressmen with elections less than a year away. Battered by series of scams and the recent sacking of...  
12:58 PM, May 19, 2013

Weakened Congress wondering if early elections will help Mumbai: The Congress party is debating holding a General Election in November, six months ahead of schedule, senior party leaders said, reflecting an internal discussion over whether to pull the plug on the shaky ruling coalition or have it serve a full term. Officially, the Congress party says the government - which has been battered by a series of corruption scandals and now governs as a minority after two allies...  
11:45 AM, May 19, 2013

'Indians more willing to share personal info than others' Mumbai: Even as cases of financial fraud are dotting cyber space across the world, Indians seem more forthcoming in giving out their personal information for personalised services and simplification of finance management than their global counterparts, a study by Cisco has said. According to the Cisco report, 72 per cent of respondents from India said they would provide more personal information to simplify management of finances compared to 56 per...  
11:23 AM, May 19, 2013