News

Recruitment begins for London Olympics volunteers

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London, September 15: Organisers for the 2012 London Olympic Games Wednesday have started the recruitment process for 70,000 volunteers.
The application process will close Oct 27 and people who are interested can log on to www.london2012.com/volunteering for more information.

Two-thirds of volunteers will serve in general roles such as welcome desk staff, ticket checkers, drivers and stewards.

The initial volunteer programme, launched July 27, was for “specialist” volunteers in sports, medical, anti-doping and press operations.

Massive amounts of oil at bottom of Gulf of Mexico

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Washington, September 15: There is new evidence that massive amounts of crude oil are sitting at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, a finding that could further undermine the US government’s insistence that most of the BP Plc oil spill has been cleaned up or evaporated.

Samantha Joye of the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Georgia told ABC News that her research team was “finding it everywhere that we’ve looked”.

“The oil is not gone. It’s in places where nobody has looked for it,” she said this week.

India needs to improve implementation of social schemes

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New Delhi, September 15: India has done well in eradicating poverty, improving healthcare and primary education, but lax implementation of programmes has been the main hurdle in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), says a United Nations official, ahead of a high-level summit next week.

“It is a mixed bag,” Minar Pimple, MDG Asia-Pacific Regional Director, told IANS in an interview.

A younger generation of Afghan politicians bucks tradition

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Kabul, September 15: On the billboards dotting war-ravaged Kabul ahead of Saturday’s parliamentary elections, photographs of young candidates outnumber those of the elders who have traditionally dominated the country’s political scene.

Although there is no official breakdown of the candidates’ ages, election officials said more than half of the 2,556 candidates running for the 249 seats of the Wolesi Jirga, or lower house of parliament, are under 30.

US drone attacks kill 12 in Pak

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Islamabad, September 15: Twelve militants were killed Wednesday in US drone attacks in northwest Pakistan, a media report said.

The pre-dawn attacks targeted the Haqqani terror network in Dargah Mandi village. The village is located on the outskirts of Miranshah town in the troubled North Waziristan tribal region, Geo TV reported.

“US drones fired seven missiles at two militant compounds early this morning, killing at least twelve militants,” a senior security official said.

Local residents said there was panic in the village after the noise of drones was heard just before dawn.

Alliance should be formed with dignity: Rahul

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Kolkata, September 14: With West Bengal bracing for political change, AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi today said he favoured an alliance with the Trinamool Congress in the coming Assembly polls in the state, but not without dignity.

“Congress has a partnership with Trinamool Congress.

We have to walk together. If there is partnership it should be with dignity (meri soch yehi hai, agar partnership ho, to usme izzat bhi ho),” Gandhi told a minority convention organised by the party at Garden Reach area near here.

Ambika Soni against 3G-like auction for FM

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New Delhi, September 14: Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni Tuesday said she was not in favour of a 3G spectrum-like auction for phase three of FM radio bands, apprehending it may lead to corporates cornering all the frequencies.

“If you ask for my personal view I am not in favor of an auction on the pattern of 3-G spectrum. This will lead to five or six corporate houses getting the frequencies making it their monopoly,” Soni said on the sidelines of a function here.

Test cricket is still exciting: Sehwag

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New Delhi, September 14: Test cricket may be losing popularity with Twenty20 catching the imagination of the younger generation, but swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag says the longer version of the game has never been more exciting than it is today.

“There used to be so many draws in Test matches that would keep the crowds away but things have changed. We are getting more and more results in Test cricket and even a target of 350 can be chased in a day in a Test match.

We are keen to regularise betting: ICC chief executive

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Cape Town, September 14: International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat Tuesday said he is keen to speak to governments of various cricket playing countries to consider the regulation of betting and also discuss the issue of verifying cricketer’s agents.

Lorgat, present during the ICC’s chief executives committee (CEC) meeting, said ICC must not and would not be complacent when it comes to tackling corruption.

Welfare of child paramount in deciding custody: Apex court

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New Delhi, September 14: The Supreme Court Tuesday held that the “welfare of the minor” and not the statutory rights of the parents or the relatives was paramount in deciding the custody of the child.

The welfare of the child must be taken in its widest sense, said an apex court bench of Justice P. Sathasivam and Justice B.S.Chauhan in their judgment granting custody of Vishwajeet to his maternal grandfather Shyamrao Maroti Korwate.

Obama pens children’s book

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New York, September 14: He may have the weight of the world on his shoulders, but Barack Obama still has time to jot down a few musings for younger citizens.

The US president will Nov 16 release an illustrated children’s book called “Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters”, publisher Random House said Tuesday.

The 40-page book features tributes to 13 inspiring US figures, from painter Georgia O’Keefe to baseball player Jackie Robinson wo have shaped American culture.

Government capitulating to secessionists in Kashmir: Advani

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New Delhi, September 14: Terming the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government as “totally clueless and spineless” on tackling Kashmir, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Tuesday accused the government of “bending over backwards” to placate secessionists in the Valley.

Speaking at the concluding session of a two-day workshop for spokespersons and media cell convenors of the BJP, Advani slammed the government over the deteriorating situation in Kashmir where 88 people have lost their lives in violence since June 11.

Gehlot stresses on science education promotion

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Jaipur, September 14: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said today more researches, inventions and development activities in science and technology should be promoted so that its advantage could reach to common men.

Addressing a function organized by a science newspaper, here, Gehlot said educational institutions should make special efforts to create interest and perspective for science.

He said state government has provided scholarship of Rs 20 crore to 35,000 students ranging from 6th to 11th standard with the aim of creating interest for science education.

Arjun Munda wins trust vote in Jharkhand Assembly

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Ranchi, September 14: Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda today won the floor test by 15 votes in the 81-member Assembly, a week after he staked claim to head a BJP-led four-party alliance.

Munda received 45 votes in support and 30 against, while five MLAs abstained at a specially convened one day session of the House at the direction of Governor M O H Farook.

Five MLAs — Enos Ekka (Jharkhand Party), Harinarain Rai (IND), Bandhu Tirkey (Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch), Arup Chatterjee (Marxist Coordination Committee) and Yogendra Sao (Congress) — abstained from the voting.

Modi avoids reply to a question on campaigning in Bihar

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Vadodara, September 14: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi tonight avoided a question if he would campaign in Bihar assembly poll.

When a mediaperson asked Modi, whose proposed campaign in Bihar has opposed by BJP’s ruling alliance partner JD (U) in the state, whether he would take part in campaigning, he did not reply and left for the airport on his way back to Gandhinagar.

The appearance of Modi’s photo along with that of Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar in an advertisement had pushed the alliance between the two parties to the brink some months ago.

Attempted to gun down Azam Khan, a prime witness in Sohrabuddin fake encounter case

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Udaipur,September 14:Unknown assailants attempted to gun down Azam Khan, a prime witness in the Sohrabuddin encounter case on Tuesday in Udaipur.

Khan was rushed to the government hospital in Udaipur, where according to police his condition was stable.

Udaipur superintendent of police (SP) S K Narzari, told media that two motorcycle borne men, wielding a gun, fired at Khan and immediately escaped the area.

“Azam Khan was injured on his hand and has been admitted to the hospital. The police have already put up road check posts in the area,” Narzari said.

Curfew imposed across entire Valley, stray violence reported (Lead)

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Srinagar, September 14: Stray incidents of stone-pelting were reported in some parts of the Kashmir Valley Tuesday as indefinite curfew — imposed after 18 people were killed Monday in the worst-ever day of violence in the current spell of unrest — continued and all air services were cancelled for three days.

“No major untoward incident has been reported from anywhere in the Valley today (Tuesday). Miscreants defied curfew in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town and at Zainakote on the outskirts of Srinagar city.”

No Namaz-e-Eid-ul-Fitr at 48 Eidgahs in MP

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Bhopal, September 14 (Pervez Bari): The usual festivities associated with Eid-ul-Fitr, at the culmination of month-long Ramzan, in Madhya Pradesh were subdued as Muslims protesting the atrocities of police on them in Ratlam town, about 280 kms. from Bhopal, did not celebrate it but rather “observed” it. There was no feasting after fasting for a month in the day-light hours.

Kerala tribals meet PM, Sonia to reclaim their land

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New Delhi, September 14: A group of tribals from a Kerala hamlet have knocked the doors of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi seeking their help in reclaiming their land which have been “fraudulently” acquired by a company.

Led by Congress MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, the tribals from Attapady in Idukki district met Singh and Sonia this morning and Rahul last evening claiming that Suzlon company had acquired huge tracts of land belonging to adivasis which could not be transferred to a non-tribal as per law.

CBI supports Amin’s approver plea in court

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Gandhinagar, September 14: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Tuesday strongly supported suspended police officer and accused N.K. Amin’s plea to turn approver in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh staged shoot-out case seeking the high court’s nod for tendering pardon to him for “successful conviction of the other accused and to strengthen its case”.

Decision on AFSPA after all-party meeting: Antony

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New Delhi, September 14: Defence Minister A.K. Antony Tuesday said the government will take a final decision on a Kashmir package, including withdrawal of the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), at an all-party meeting called Wednesday.

“Before we take a final decision, it is better to involve everyone,” Antony told reporters a day after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met to review the situation in violence-hit Kashmir, including lifting of the AFSPA from parts of the state.

Response to Ayodhya suit verdict will be within law: Bhagwat

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New Delhi, September 14: The RSS on Tuesday said its response to the Ayodhya title suit verdict will be within ‘law and Constitution’ and indicated that further legal options can be availed of if the ruling is not upto its expectation.

“Of course, the aspirations of the Hindu society is that there should be a temple at Ram Janmabhoomi. Our response to the verdict will be according to that wishes. We will try to ensure that Ram temple is constructed there,” RSS chief Mohan Bahgwat said at an interaction with women scribes here.

No differences on AFSPA: Ambika Soni

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New Delhi, September 14: There are no differences in the cabinet on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said Tuesday.

“There are no differences. The situation is serious in Kashmir. Discussions are needed before a decision can be taken (on the demand for repealing or diluting the act in the state,” Soni said on the sidelines of a conference.

US still has edge but others catching up: Obama

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Washington, September 14: Despite other countries and the regions fast catching up, the United States still has a huge competitive edge over the rest, President Barack Obama has said.

“I’ve travelled all around the world and I’ve looked at all the economic data. If you had a choice of which country you’d want to be, you still want to be the United States of America,” Obama said in his remarks on economy in Fairfax in Virginia.