Currentaffairs 9aug2013

 9AUG2013 

New Delhi Put On High Alert After Terror Threat

New Delhi, August 09 (QNA) - India was placed on high alert Friday after intelligence officials warned of a possible terrorist attack in the Indian capital, local media reported Friday.
The alert came ahead of the Independence Day on Aug. 15, the report quoted a senior Delhi Police officer as saying, according to the newindianexpress.com
The information was shared with Delhi Police which immediately beefed up the security in market places and important government and private buildings.
"We have received a letter from IB about a threat from a terrorist outfit ahead of August 15," Special Commissioner of Police SN Srivastava told.
"Delhi has been put on high alert and security has been beefed up in markets, crowded places, high rise buildings and government offices following the alert," he said.  (QNA)

India celebrates Eid with fervour, prayers

A festive spirit gripped India on Eid on Friday with millions of Muslims offering special prayers at mosques and idgahs, exchanging greetings and gifts along with warm embraces and taking part in feasts with friends and family.
In New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur drove to the residence of Vice President Hamid Ansari to greet him on the festival, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramzan.

RBS sells part of India business to Ratnakar

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has agreed to sell its business banking, credit cards business and mortgage portfolio to Kolhapur-basedRatnakar Bank, one of the smallest private lenders in India. The deal will result in 1.2 lakh customers of RBS, one of the world's largest banking groups till 2008, moving to Ratnakar Bank, which until recently had customers largely in and around Western Maharashtra
The companies didn't disclose the valuation of the deal.
Employees of RBS associated with these businesses are proposed to be absorbed by Ratnakar Bank. The transaction, which is subject to approval from the Competition Commission of India, is part of RBS's three-year-old plan to exit from its retail and commercial business.

Pakistan asks India to protect high commission staff in Delhi

The Pakistani government on Thursday asked India to provide extra security to its high commission staff in New Delhi after a demonstration was held outside the Pakistan High Commission a day ago.

Relations between India and Pakistan have nose-dived follwing the killing of five Indian soldiers by specialist troops of the Pakistani Army on the LoC on August 6.

The Pakistani Foreign Office made the request to the Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, said the Dawn newspaper.

"We summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner to the Foreign Office to stress that protection of the Pakistan High Commission and Pakistan House is the responsibility of the Indian government," Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry was quoted as saying.

"We called for strengthening security of Pakistan representation in New Delhi."

On Tuesday, hours after the attack, India's Ministyry of External Affairs had summoned Pakistani Deputy High Commissioner Mansoor Ahmed Khan.

Aizaz Chaudhry said his country was committed to the ceasefire agreement of 2003.

The same report, Pakistan's new Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan questioned India's claim that Pakistan troops had killed the Indian soldiers and said allegations of the Indian media would undermine the peace process.

'Chennai Express' earns Rs 6.75 crore in paid previews, breaks records

Filmmaker Rohit Shetty's much-awaited 'Chennai Express' has kicked off in the most impressive way possible. If the paid previews collection is anything to go by, Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone starrer has been a hit with the movie buffs. In India, the film has collected Rs 6.75 crore, which is the biggest paid preview collection by any Bollywood film till date.
In UK too, the film received an unprecedented response. Even though the film had only night show previews on Thursday, it collected £142,220, beating the record of Bollywood films 'My Name Is Khan', 'Kabhie Alvida Na Kehna', '3 Idiots' and 'Ek Tha Tiger'.