Egypt army chief warns of collapse of state

CAIRO: Egypt's army chief warned on Tuesday of the "the collapse of the state" if the political BANGALORE: As many as 13 BJP MLAs owing allegiance to former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa resigned from the assembly membership here on Tuesday, but Karnataka legislative assembly speaker KG Bopaiah declined to immediately accept their resignation letters with the exception of one member.

Even as he commenced a one-on-one discussions with the members who had resigned to find out whether it was on their violition or under duress, Bopaiah said he had sought opinion from Lok Sabha speaker's office. This because BJP MLA Belur Goplakrishna has petitioned the speaker to disqualify these rebel MLAs with the exception of Challakere (Chitradurga district) constituency MLA Thippeswamy for anti-party activities. The 13 MLAs who resigned included two former ministers Shobha Karandlaje and CM Udasi.

It was a day of developments with Bopaiah , who had come under fire by the rebel MLAs for not being available to them last week to resign, being present in his office in Vidhana soudha at 11 am. The 13 MLAs after holding a meeting in Udasi's residence came to the speaker's office and handed over their resignation letters. An hour later, Gopalakrishna petitioned the speaker to disqualify 12 MLAs for anti-party activities such as issuing statements against Shettar in the last couple of days.

Apart from the 12 MLAs, a petition to seek disqualification of MLCs B J Puttaswamy, Mumtaz Ali Khan, Mohan Limbikayi, Bharathi Shetty and Shivaraj Sajjan was also submitted to council secretary. Similar petitions against Yeddyurappa's son who is an MP from Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency BY Raghavendra, Shivakumar C Udasi and G S Basavaraj would be submitted to Lok Sabha speaker in a week's time, Gopalakrishna said.

Shah Rukh Khan: Controversy over my article is nonsense

MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan on Tuesday termed the controversy kicked up Pakistan's interior minister as "nonsense".

"To address this whole issue with regards to my article that has taken an unwarranted twist, I do not even understand the basis of this controversy. This is what can only be called nonsense. It is deja vu again," he told reporters at an event here late Tuesday.

Speaking about the article that was at the centre of the controversy, Khan said: "The article I wrote was actually meant to reiterate that on some occasions my being an Indian Muslim film star is misused by bigots and narrow minded people who have misplaced religious ideologies for small gains. And ironically, the same has happened through this article, once again," said a dejected Khan.

Pakistan's interior minister Rehman Malik had on Monday said that India should provide security to Shah Rukh Khan, wading into a controversy triggered by Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed stating that the star could move to Pakistan following his comments on being a Muslim.

Saeed had said Khan could move to Pakistan if he does not feel safe in India after the superstar gave a first person account for Outlook Turning Points magazine, published in association with The New York Times newspaper.

Khan said that the primary reason why people reacted to his article was because they did not read it.

"I think some of the people have not even read it and are reacting to comments of people, who in turn have also not read it," he said.

"I implore everyone here to read the article and convey through your respective mediums of communications all the good things that it expresses to youngsters and my fellow Indians," he added.

Khan said that the feelings expressed in the article are heartfelt and are extremely important aspect of his life.

"The article is an appreciation of love that all of you have bestowed upon me and also a point of view from my being a father of two young children," he said.

LED Lighting Manufacturer

NEW DELHI: Faced with a China that is aggressively pursuing its territorial interests in the South and East China Seas, Japan and India on Tuesday decided to coordinate moves and exercises in the first ever maritime dialogue held here.

The India-Japan maritime dialogue was decided during a meeting of foreign ministers last April. Interestingly, India decided to hold a maritime dialogue with China over a month before the India-Japan decision. The Indian move to start talks with Japan ahead of the dialogue with Beijing points to a stress on New Delhi's security priorities.

The Indian side was led by D B Venkatesh Varma, who leads the division on disarmament and international security in the ministry of external affairs (MEA), and included officials from ministries of defence, coast guard, shipping and earth sciences. The Japanese side was led by Kazuyuki Yamazaki, from their foreign office and comprised officials from ministries of shipping, economy, Coast Guard, etc.

Justice for 26/11 still a top priority for US: Hillary Clinton

WASHINGTON: The US on Tuesday said bringing to justice the perpetrators of 26/11 was still an "unfinished business" high on its priority, days after Pakistani American LeT terrorist David Headley was sent to 35 years in prison by a Chicago court, a sentence that has left India disappointed.

Defending the 'lenient' sentence, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said Headley had yielded significant information to help India and the US prevent Mumbai-like attacks in future.

"I think it is unfinished business that we are not in any way walking away from. I'm leaving office, but I can assure you and the Indian people this remains one of our very highest priorities," Clinton said when asked if she was satisfied with the success that she had in bringing the perpetrators of 26/11 to justice during her tenure.

Clinton, 65, who is set to leave the State Department on February 1, was interacting with global audiences at a farewell talk through a satellite link.

"A lot of useful information was obtained. And I think that this sentence represents both the punishment that he (Headley) richly deserves for his participation but also a recognition of the role that he has played and is expected to continue to play in supporting Indian and American efforts to prevent the kind of horrific attack that occurred in Mumbai," she said while responding to an Indian journalist's query on bringing to justice the perpetrators of 26/11.

The sentence for Headley for his role in plotting the Mumbai attack of 2008 left India majorly disappointed.

Under the plea bargain agreement Headley reached with the US government, he could have been sentenced to a life in prison, but the prosecutors only sought a maximum of 35 years for the rogue DEA agent, leaving a slight possibility that the 52-year-old might walk out of prison.

India had pressed for extradition of Headley but that too was ruled out after the LeT operative agreed to cooperate with the US agencies.

Relief for Kamal Haasan, Madras HC lifts ban on 'Vishwaroopam'

CHENNAI: In a major relief to actor Kamal Haasan, the Madras high court on Tuesdaylifted the ban imposed on his movie 'Vishwaroopam' by the Tamil Nadu government after it courted controversy over its alleged anti-Muslim content. 

After a day-long hearing, Justice K Venkataraman passed the orders, paving the way for the screening of the movie reportedly made with a budget of nearly Rs 100 crore amid indications that the state government may prefer an appeal. 

The court also kept in abeyance prohibitory orders imposed by the District Collectors across the state under section 144 of the CrPC. 

The tech-savvy actor was not available for comment. During the hearing, Tamil Nadu government questioned the 'UA' certificate issued for the film and alleged that the certification of films itself was a "very big scam" and sought a probe into it by a law enforcing agency. 

Advocate General A Navaneethakrishnan said the "UA" certificate to 'Vishwaroopam' was not issued by the Censor Board, but only by an Examining Committee not mandated by provisions of the Constitution.

Rejecting the charge, Additional Solicitor General Wilson said the certification was done by procedure. The application for certification came to the Censor Board on Oct 4, 2012, the film was viewed on Oct 8 and a show cause notice to cut certain scenes sent on October 10, he said.