News4u – News Desk : Even as he signed into law the toughest sanctions against ever passed by the US Congress at the White House, US President Barack Obama said the doors of diplomacy are still open for the regime in Tehran.

Iran Sanctions Act affects the gasoline, financial, insurance and shipping sectors, among others, as it seeks to impose a heavy economic cost on Iranfor continuing with its nuclear programme.

The sanctions bar foreign countries from exporting refined petroleum to Iran, as well as restrict access to US financial institutions for any entities that help Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Also, it prevents investment, transfer of technology and development of Iran’s energy sector, and makes it easier for states and localities to divest from companies that do business with Iran. The Senate approved the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act of 2010 on 24^th June in a 99-0 vote, and the House of Representatives passed it 408-8 later the same day.
“With these sanctions, along with others, we are striking at the heart of the Iranian government’s ability to fund and develop its nuclear programme. We are showing the Iranian government that its actions have consequences,” Obama said in his remarks.
“And if it persists, the pressure will continue to mount, and its isolation will continue to deepen. There should be no doubt – the US and the international community; both are determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.”

At the same time, the President said the Iranian government still has a choice. “The door to diplomacy remains open. Irancan prove that its intentions are peaceful. It can meet its obligations under the NPT and achieve the security and prosperity worthy of a great nation,” he said.

Consistent with the Security Council mandate, this legislation strengthens existing sanctions and authorises new ones and supports our multilateral diplomatic strategy to address Iran’s nuclear program, he said.
“It makes it harder for the Iranian government to purchase refined petroleum and the goods, services and materials to modernise Iran’s oil and natural gas sector. It makes it harder for the Revolutionary Guards and banks that support Iran’s nuclear programs and terrorism to engage in international finance,” Obama said.
“It says to companies seeking procurement contracts with theUS government if you want to do business with us, you first have to certify that you’re not doing prohibited business withIran,” he added.

The President said “even as we increase pressure on the Iranian government, we are sending an unmistakable message that the US stands with the Iranian people as they seek to exercise their universal rights.”

The legislation also imposes sanctions on individuals who commit serious human rights abuses. And it exempts from our trade embargo technologies that allow the Iranian people to access information and communicate freely.

In Iran and around the world, the United States would continue to stand with those who seek justice and progress and the human rights and dignity of all people, he said.
Obama said since taking office, he made it clear that the USwas prepared to begin a new chapter of engagement with the Islamic Republic of Iran. “We offered the Iranian government a clear choice. It could fulfill its international obligations and realise greater security, deeper economic and political integration with the world, and a better future for all Iranians. Or it could continue to flout its responsibilities and face even more pressure and isolation,” he said.
“To date, Iran has chosen the path of defiance. That’s why we have steadily built a broader and deeper coalition of nations to pressure the Iranian government. Last month, we joined with our partners at the UN Security Council to pass the toughest and most comprehensive multilateral sanctions that the Iranian government has ever faced,” Obama said.
While signing the bill, US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the President and the Congress have set forth a new and effective means of applying financial pressure against Iran’s continued pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability and its support for terrorists.
“The law provides Treasury with powerful new authorities to impose mandatory sanctions against foreign banks that knowingly provide financial services related to such conduct by Iran, or to the IRGC and its affiliates. These authorities strengthen Treasury’s ongoing efforts to protect the international financial system from abuse,” he said.
Republican Congresswoman, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said to protect American people, these sanctions must be fully implemented and enforced now, before it is too late.
“This bipartisan bill, overwhelmingly passed by Congress, was designed to impose crippling sanctions on the Iranian regime to force it to abandon its illicit nuclear weapons program and other dangerous activities. But its impact depends entirely on its implementation by the President,” she said, adding “by targeting Iran’s energy sector, we can strike at the regime’s jugular.”

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News4u – News Desk : Sensing trouble ahead of a proposed march by separatists, authorities on Friday brought the entire Srinagar district under curfew even as they gave no relaxation in curfew-hit areas of south Kashmir.

With overnight protests in the city and an abortive attempt by activists of a woman separatist outfit to take out a march to Pather Masjid in defiance of curfew on Thursday,  District Magistrate,Srinagar, Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo announced imposition of curfew in the entire Srinagar district Friday morning in a television address.
Curfew was imposed in seven police station areas of old city on 28th June  following violent protests over the killing of youths in alleged firing by security forces.
The step to extend curfew was taken ahead of the separatists’ plan to organise a march to Eidgah martyrs’ graveyard, police said.

The march call has been given by hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference headed by jailed leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

There was no relaxation in curfew in Sopore, Baramulla, Mattan, Bijbehara, Dooru, Kokernag, Achhabal in Anantnag, Qaimoh in Kulgam and Pulwama districts of south Kashmir.

In Srinagar, additional contingents of police and paramilitary forces have been deployed to strictly enforce the curfew.

The Eidgah ground has been sealed by police and paramilitary forces with barbed wires.

Armoured vehicles have been placed around it to prevent people from assembling there.

Meanwhile, life remained crippled for the seventh successive day in Kashmir Valley due to the curfew restrictions and strike called by separatists since 26th June.
Government offices, educational institutions, banks, semi government offices, shops and business markets remained closed and transport, both public and private, off the roads.

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Divided over whether caste should be included in census, a Group of Ministers (GoM) on Thursday failed to reach a conclusion on the politically-sensitive issue and decided that the government would seek views of political parties on the matter.

The parties will be asked to respond within four weeks, the GoM, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, decided.

The Ministerial body discussed the controversial issue in detail for about 90 minutes, deliberating on pros and cons of including caste in census, sources said.

Some members of the GoM favoured inclusion of caste while others were opposed, contending that it could harm the social fabric of the country, they said.

“The Group of Ministers discussed threadbare issues before it and decided to meet again… We will meet soon,” HRD Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters after the meeting.

Government had last month decided to set up the GoM on the controversial issue after consensus eluded at two meetings of the Union Cabinet.

Parties like SP, RJD and JD(U) are strongly in favour of including caste in census and disrupted proceedings of Parliament in the last Budget Session by pressing their demands.

They are likely to raise the issue during Monsoon Session of Parliament expected to commence in the third week of this month.

There are divisions even within Congress over the issue.

Caste census was last conducted in the country in 1931.

Besides Mukherjee, the GoM includes Home Minister P Chidambaram, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee and Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran.

Of them, Moily, who has been the most vocal supporter of including caste in census, left soon after the meeting began.

Abdullah, Pawar and Banerjee also did not attend meeting.

The issue of inclusion of caste in census has triggered a debate with a section opposing it saying that it would divide the society on caste lines while others advocate that it would ensure fairer distribution of resources to the backward and downtrodden sections of the society.

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News4u – News Desk : The month-long Monsoon Session of Parliament is likely to begin from 26th July as the recommendation to this effect was made by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs

The recommendation to this effect was made by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs which met in New Delhi on Friday.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal told reporters that subject to approval by the President, the Budget session would commence on 26^th July and continue till 27^th August.

The Nuclear Liability Bill, the Women’s Reservation Bill and a legislation on Direct Tax Code are likely to figure in the Monsoon Session.

The Opposition is expected to raise the issue of price rise and demand a rollback of the fuel prices.

The law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir and attack on security forces by Naxalites is also likely to be raised by the opposition parties.

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News4u – News Desk : The Uttar Pradesh government Thursday created a new district called Chattrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar which would include Amethi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha constituency.

“The state cabinet in its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mayawati has decided to restore district status to Chattrapati Sahuji Maharaj Nagar. It also decided to rename Kanpur Dehat as Ramabai Nagar district,” an official spokesman said in Lucknow.
The then BSP government had on 17^th December, 2002, accorded district status to Amethi Lok Sabha constituency, then represented by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, and renamed it as Chatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Nagar.
The Chattrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar district had been carved out of Sultanpur district. However, the decision was scrapped during the Samajwadi Party’s regime.

On 7th October , 2003, the state cabinet had revoked the earlier notification regarding renaming of Amethi as Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Nagar.

The spokesman also said the state cabinet decided that the monsoon session of both Houses of UP legislature will commence from 6^th August.

Cong: Amethi will always remain connected to Nehru-Gandhis

Dubbing the move of the Uttar Pradesh Government to create a new district carved out of Rahul Gandhi’s constituency as “unacceptable”, Congress Thursday said Amethi will always remain intrinsically connected to the Nehru-Gandhi family.

“Kar diya, to apna bhi naam badal diya hota (while changing the name of Amethi, they should have changed their name also),” Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said in a sarcastic manner.
He said some names in the country were symbolic “and Amethi is one of them.”
Khurshid termed the move as “unfair, unnecessary and unacceptable”.
Party spokesperson Manish Tewari said notwithstanding what the UP government does, “Amethi was, it is and will always remain intrinsically connected to the contributions of the Nehru-Gandhi family.”
Spread over 3,070 sq km area, the new district named Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj will have five tehsils — Amethi, Gauriganj, Musafirkhana of Sultanpur district and Salon and Tiloi of Rae Bareli district — 16 development blocks and 17 police stations.
All these tehsils fall within the Amethi parliamentary constituency, represented by Rahul Gandhi who had drawn Mayawati’s ire for his campaign to woo the Dalits in the state.

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News4u – News Desk : In a blow to the Maoists, one of their top leaders and spokesperson was killed in an encounter with the Andhra Pradesh police in Adilabad district in the wee hours on Friday.

Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad, a member of the CPI (Maoists) Central Committee, was killed in an encounter in the forest area at Vankhidi, police said.

He was said to be in 50s. Acting on information that some Maoists were coming to Andhra Pradesh from Maharashtra, a police team was conducting checks in Vankhidi area on Thursday night and they came across the ultras at around 2300 hours, they said.

The Maoists fired at the police, which retaliated, and the exchange of fire continued till 0200 hours, they said adding two bodies have been recovered.

Some surrendered Maoists have identified one of the deceased as Azad and the other body was yet to be identified, police said.

Meanwhile, Maoist sympathiser and revolutionary poet Varavara Rao said that he along with Azad’s mother would file a petition in the High Court seeking that the body be shifted to Hyderabad.

“Azad belonged to Krishna district and did M.Tech before joining the Naxal movement in the 1970s,” Rao said.

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News4u-Entertainment Desk-courtsey TOI– Jay Dhingra (Imran Khan) is an aaj ka chokra. He turns up his nose at anything that remotely resembles soppy sentimentality, even though he works as an assistant to a film maker (Samir Soni) who peddles the most improbable mush on screen.

Enter, the new art director, Simran Sharma (Sonam Kapoor) who eats, sleeps and is drunk heady on ishq-vishq and all that goes with it. A diehard romantic, she even has a perfect boyfriend called Raj (Samir Dattani) who gifts her a white chrysanthemum, each time he meets her. But will the pristine white flowers score over Jay’s crazy red roses, and crazier ways? Keep guessing….

Movie Review: First things first. Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor make an interesting pair. After the Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif coupling, this seems to be the most refreshing jodi that’s jaunting and jiving on screen. Nice chemistry. Nice tu-tu-main-main (sparring). Nice physical compatibility. And a well-balanced emotional quotient. Kudos to the two of them to carry forth a film which once again doesn’t really have anything to boast about in the `storys’ department.

Thematically, I Hate Luv Storys, is extremely simplistic, uni-layered and terribly predictable. Imran and Sonam do begin on the we-hate-each-other note, with Imran squirming at any and everything that’s filmy while Sonam swears by it all: pink teddys, bunches of blooms, candle-light dinners, Karan Johar films, cuddly Cupid’s bows, shooting stars, soppy dialogues and all that made-for-each-other mush. But we all know the way the wind blows, from the word go. Mush shall rule, and how! For all the digs that producer Karan Johar allows on himself (filmmaker Samir Soni is actually a spoof on KJo), we know the film’s going to end up reiterating KJo — and all he translates into onscreen — as king.

So, Jay Dhingra, who likes girls, but hates girly stuff, is gonna end up crying like a girl very soon. Of course, first he must ridicule Simran for all her `stoopid’ misconceptions about lurrrv, including her boyfriend Raj who besides being a frumpish bore, wears `fugly’ shirts too. But it doesn’t take long for the tables to be turned, twice over. On the one hand, Simran discovers her penchant for Mr Wrong (quirky, irreverent Imran), rather than Mr Right (politically correct Samir). And on the other hand, sceptic Imran succumbs to the love bug, red roses, rain-drenched songs, airport encounters, et all. Only, their turn-overs are mistimed. So that, when Simran says `haan’, jokey Jay says `nah!’ and when Jay wanna say `yes, yes, yes!’, it’s a punctilious let’s-be-just-friends from the sobered Simran.

Kya khali-peeli confusion, all this babalog blah. But hey, blah can be timepass too. Specially when it has loads of icing on it. Debutant director Punit Malhotra layers his first film with oodles of sugar coating: great locales, mast music (Vishal-Shekhar), a yummy ‘n yuppy lead pair, some laugh-out-loud moments and a lot of laugh-on-ourself sequences that ridicule the romcoms that roll out of the Bollywood factory (there are jibes on almost all of Karan Johar films), only to finally reiterate them as pills the public wants. On the performance front, watch out for Imran’s endless emoticons (eyebrow lifts, smirks, smileys) and his pronounced pout. And for Sonam’s svelte form and pleasant screen presence.
Candy floss floats. Popcorn rules. Go, chew on it.

A word about:
Performances: Cool. Nothing to boast about, but quite watchable, both Sonam and Imran. Together, they share a lively chemistry that keeps the fun rolling. Samir Soni’s spoof on Karan Johar-Sanjay Leela Bhansali is cute. Samir Dattani is suitably stiff. He’s supposed to be a bore, no.

Story: Punit Malhotra’s story is ekdum simple and predictable. But then, when was romance supposed to be rocket science!

Dialogues: Very ordinary. Sometimes corny.

Cinematography: Ayananka Bose creates a visually pretty film.

Music: Vishal-Shekhar create a peppy score that goes well with the pop tenor of the film. Watch out for the title track, Bin Tere and Bahara.

Styling: Manish Malhotra’s costumes are the high point: uber cool and urban chic. Lot’s of `fugly’ shirts juxtaposed against fundoo Tees, with crazy graffiti.

Inspiration: All of Karan Johar films!

I HATE LUV STORYS

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News4u-News Desk-

Three suicide bombers struck in quick succession at a famous Sufi shrine in Lahorelate last night, killing 41 people and injuring almost 175 others.

One attacker blew himself up at the crowded entrance to the shrine and the second in the basement, where people perform ablutions before entering the complex.
The third bomber detonated his explosive vest in a part of the shrine adjoining a busy market.
41 people were killed and almost 175 injured in the blasts, Lahore Commissioner Khusro Pervez told reporters.
Twenty-five of the injured were in a serious condition, told he.

District administration Chief Sajjad Bhutta said all three blasts were carried out by suicide bombers.
Several women and children were among the dead and injured in the blasts.
The explosions, which occurred within minutes of each other shortly after 11:00 pm, created panic among thousands of worshippers, who ran helter-skelter.
The shrine attracts large crowds every Thursday night with people visiting the complex to offer special prayers.
Police cordoned off the area as rescue workers ferried the bodies and injured to nearby hospitals.
Footage on television showed debris, shoes and blood strewn across the floor of the shrine.
Some shocked worshippers wept and consoled each other while others stood in the courtyard of the shrine and offered prayers.
The blast in the basement caused the most damage as the shock waves were intensified by the confined space.
The explosion completely smashed the ceiling and ripped through a large number of people who were performing ablutions in the basement.
Police found the heads and body parts of two bombers and sent them for forensic tests.
Officials said the suicide vests were packed with over 10 kg of explosives and ball bearings.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the Taliban have opposed the practice of people visiting the shrines of Sufi saints.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the blasts at the Data Darbar shrine.
In a message Zardari said such acts of terrorism cannot dent the government’s resolve to fight the menace of terrorism and militancy to the end.

“Targeting the sacred shrine which has sentimental value for Muslims all over the country clearly reflects that terrorists have no consideration for any religion, faith or belief.
“These terrorists neither respect human values nor care for human lives, and their brutal act is a manifestation of their evil designs,” Gilani said in a message.
Gilani said his government is committed to eradicate terrorism at all costs.
Such cowardly acts indicate that terrorists, after their defeat in other areas, are resorting to attacks on innocent citizens in cities, he said.

Data Darbar is the shrine of Syed Abul Hassan bin Usman bin Ali al-Hajweri, who is considered the patron saint of Lahore.

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News4u – News Desk :

The National Advisory Council (NAC) on Thursday debated universal entitlement of foodgrains under the govt’s ambitious Food Security Bill, with a special focus on reaching out to the poorest of the poor.

The Council, headed by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, also asked the working group on National Food Security Bill to hold consultations with all stakeholders and submit their recommendations in the next meeting.

The bill seeks to provide legal right to poor to get rice or wheat at Rs 3 per kg.

A panel of Ministers had favoured that every household would be entitled to 25 kg of foodgrains every month, a suggestion that drew widespread criticism.

Critics of the bill have been demanding universal entitlement by ensuring coverage of every adult under the public distribution system.

They contended that under the scheme for BPL families, every household was entitled to 35 kg of foodgrains.

M S Swaminathan and Harsh Mander made presentations before the Council highlighting the need for moving for universal entitlement under the National Food Security Act.

They also focussed on making efforts towards increasing overall availability of foodgrains through stepping up agriculture output and procuring more foodgrains.

The working group on the bill had held discussions with senior officials of the Departments of Food and Public Distribution, School Education and Planning Commission to discuss in depth the scope of the proposed bill, the entitlements to be provided, the target group and the implementation issues.

“The NAC members also met with the Right to Food Campaign group to take input from civil society groups working on food and nutrition security,” a statement issued by the NAC said.

Besides, the meeting also deliberated on the much-delayed Communal Violence Bill.

A working group on the subject had held consultations with senior officials of Home Ministry of the Department of Legislative Affairs, and representatives of anti-communal violence groups.

A sub-group on procedures also met to chart out ways and means to be adopted for consultations with various ministries as also for drawing up the agenda for the Council meetings.

The 14-member NAC, headed by Gandhi, was constituted on 1st June and is expected to advise the government on various social programmes like food security and rural development.

Gandhi also launched the website of the Council.

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News4u-Entertainment Desk-Courtsey TOI- Detective Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) tries to solve the murder of his daughter, Emma and ends up lifting the wraps off a complicated case of corporate corruption that may just claim a few more lives before curtain call.

Movie Review: Mel Gibson returns after a hiatus in this black, edgy thriller and brings back memory of his glorious performances. He still retains the gaunt, haunted look of the Mad Max series, despite the growing furrows on his face.

This time, he combines the agility of an aging detective with the pain of a father who must cope with his grief, even as he tries to remain objective while resolving a complicated case that involves corruption in high places. In question is a dubious nuclear facility, which ostensibly conducts harmless research to ensure the nuclear stockpile is always ready for the Prez to put into use. But behind the veneer, there is some sordid R&D activity going on. Gibson’s daughter, who worked there, wanted to turn whistleblower and ended up dead. But Braveheart Gibson doesn’t easily forget.

A gritty thriller that keeps you on the brink most of the time, Edge of Darkness makes for interesting viewing.

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