News

9 Telangana districts in Centre’s backward list

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New Delhi, August 10: Nine of 10 districts in Telangana, three of four districts in Rayalaseema and one in Andhra region figured in the list of backward districts in the country. Vizianagaram is the only district identified as backward in Coastal AP.

The Ministry of Rural Development has identified 250 backward districts across the country where the Central government has initiated the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) to specifically address the problem of regional imbalances in the country. Of the 23 districts in the State, 13 have been identified as backward.

KCR sees likelihood of mid-term poll

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Hyderabad, August 10: As a queasy feeling grips the Congress that mid-term elections might take place in the event of Jagan Mohan Reddy walking away from the party with his MLAs, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhara Rao on Monday cautioned his party colleagues and workers to be prepared for sudden polls.

CPM mum on leadership change

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Vijayawada, August 10: Will the CPM leadership project leaders other than the incumbents as chief ministerial candidates in Kerala and West Bengal in the forthcoming elections? Though there were rumours that VS Atchuthanandan will be replaced by another leader in Kerala, CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury evaded a direct reply on the issue and swiftly moved to answer another query at a press briefing here on Monday.

‘I take onus for PRP’s poor poll show in 2009

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‘I take onus for PRP’s poor poll show in 2009’

Express News Service
First Published : 10 Aug 2010 03:57:43 AM IST
Last Updated : 10 Aug 2010 12:33:31 PM IST

NELLORE: Praja Rajyam president K Chiranjeevi has said he takes the responsibility for the party’s poor performance in its maiden electoral battle, the Assembly elections, last year.

Arogyasri hindering doctors’ work

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Hyderabad, August 10: The state’s coveted healthcare scheme Arogyasri is interfering with the day-to-day work of the hospitals, delegates at a workshop held here on Monday morning said.

Arogyasri hindering doctors’ work

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Hyderabad, August 10: The state’s coveted healthcare scheme Arogyasri is interfering with the day-to-day work of the hospitals, delegates at a workshop held here on Monday morning said.

Government blamed for Kashmir violence

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Hyderabad, August 10: Blaming the government for the unabated violence in Kashmir valley, human rights activists, a group of citizens belonging to NGOs and civil liberty groups staged a dharna on Tank Bund on Sunday.

The members demanded that the government withdraw armed forces from Kashmir and repeal the Armed forces special powers act and initiate political process immediately.

The members also felt that the rest of the citizens should also join the protest and bring pressure upon the government to accept the demands.

–Agencies

Yechury tries to woo Muslims

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Vijayawada, August 10: While opposing the entry of Church into politics in Kerala, CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury on Monday tried to woo Muslims in West Bengal saying that the West Bengal government had recently decided to implement the recommendations of the Ranganath Mishra Commission Report, including granting 10 per cent reservations to them in jobs.

Speaking to reporters after releasing the party’s resolution on the forthcoming elections in Kerala and Bengal, Yechury opposed the entry of the church into politics.

Government to plant 30 crore saplings

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Hyderabad, August 10: The government has decided to plant 30 crore saplings in the state during the monsoon season, a record of sorts in the country. Out of this 3.87 crore saplings would be planted by the forest department.

This decision was taken at a meeting held by chief minister K Rosaiah with chief secretary SV Prasad and forest department minister P Ramachandra Reddy here today.

The chief minister expressed his happiness over planting of 24 lakh saplings on a single day on July 16.

Congress plans to woo women voters

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Hyderabad, August 10: In a bid to attract women voters in the State in the municipal elections, the ruling Congress is contemplating providing 50 per cent reservation for them.

The elections, however, may not be held on schedule (September) but in in March or April next year. The informal two ministers’ committee comprising B Satyanarayana (panchayat raj) and A Ramanarayana Reddy (municipal administration and urban development), is going to make a proposal to chief minister K Rosaiah in this regard.

Medical Health Journal ‘New Life Era’ Launched from Bhopal

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Bhopal, August 10 (Pervez Bari): A monthly bilingual medical health journal christened as “New Life Era” has come into existence in the world of print journalism. The “New Life Era” medical health journal was jointly released by Bhopal Shahar Qazi Maulana Syed Mohammad Fazil Qasmi and Madhya Pradesh’s Culture and Public Relations Minister Laxmikant Sharma here at Samanvay Bhavan in a glittering but simple function.

T issue: Rift among Congress leaders deepens

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Hyderabad, August 10: The divide in ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana issue deepened today with leaders from Telangana region demanding an unconditional apology from ministers hailing from other regions for their alleged comments on the separate statehood demand.

Joining the chorus of criticism from TRS and Telugu Desam, Telangana Congress leaders slammed the ministers for their alleged comments before Sri Krishna committee that those seeking separate state are traitors of the nation.

52 AP projects need final clearances

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Hyderabad, August 10: A Group of Ministers (GoM) led by environment and forest minister P Ramachandra Reddy will meet Union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh in New Delhi on Aug 11 to request him to expedite the environment clearances for various projects in the state.

Besides Ramachandra Reddy, three other members P Laxmaiah (major irrigation) DK Aruna (small scale industries) and D Sridharbabu (higher education) met here today and decided to meet the Union minister.

Text of PM’s speech on Kashmir

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New Delhi, August 10: The following is the text of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s speech on Jammu and Kashmir:

‘I welcome you today with grief in my heart, but hope in my mind.

I grieve for all those who have lost their near and dear ones in Kashmir and in the Ladakh region.

I propose that we rise to observe a minute’s silence to pray for the departed.

(one minute silence)

Tennis teams for CWG, Davis Cup to be selected Friday

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New Delhi, August 10: The teams for the Davis Cup World Group tie and the Commonwealth Games will be picked Friday by the selection committee and executive committee of All India Tennis Association (AITA).

The selection committee will also decide the probables for the November Asian Games.

India will be playing the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie against Brazil in Chennai Sep 17-19 before the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games here.

Gill ‘ready to face any inquiry’, angry BJP walks out

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New Delhi, August 10: The government was ready for ‘any kind of inquiry’ into preparations for the Commonwealth Games (CWG), Sports Minister M.S. Gill said in the Lok Sabha Tuesday as a furious BJP walked out of the house claiming he had dishonoured parliament with his comments on the right to information (RTI).

‘We have nothing to hide. We are ready for any kind of inquiry,’ Gill said in a statement on the Commonwealth Games to be held from Oct 3-14.

Pregnant widow flogged and executed by the Taliban

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Kabul, August 10: The Afghan woman publicly executed by Taliban militants for alleged adultery was pregnant, it emerged today.

The victim, 48-year-old Bibi Sanubar, was flogged up to 200 times before being shot on Sunday in the head and chest in the remote Qades district. Her alleged lover managed to escape.

Abdul Jabbar Khan, security chief in the Taliban-controlled area, said the killing was ordered after the woman allegedly killed her newborn child to conceal illicit sex.

Gandhi Hospital doctors admitted with swine flu symptoms

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Hyderabad, August 10: In spite of the best efforts of the administration to control the spread of swine flu, the dreaded disease is gradually creating a sense of fear, even in the medical community.

According to reports coming in, three house surgeons working at Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad on Tuesday displayed symptoms of the dreaded disease.

They were admitted to the hospital while their blood smears sent to Erragadda Chest Hospital for confirmation.

Senior doctors treating them at the hospital stated their condition is stable and there is no cause of worry.

Police recover Geetha Reddy’s necklace

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Hyderabad, August 10: The personal efforts of Anantapur Superintendent of Police ensured that Information and Public Relations Minister J Geetha Reddy’s necklace being found within four hours after she had misplaced it.

Ms Geetha Reddy had reportedly lost her pearl necklace while on a visit to Anantapur district to participate in the concluding ceremony of 500th coronation of Vijayanagaram Emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya last Sunday. After the ceremony, Ms Geetha Reddy had visited Prashanti Nilayam to seek the blessing of Satya Sai Baba.

Teacher wins fight against burqa diktat

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Kolkata, August 10: A teacher at West Bengal’s first Muslim University, who was not allowed to hold classes after she defied the students’ union diktat to wear a burqa, has finally won her battle following the intervention of a state minister.

Sirin Middya, 24, was assigned to library duty at the Aliah University on the insistence of the students’ union which objected to Sirin’s refusal to wear a burqa in class, university sources said.

The union had issued a directive in April that the eight women teachers must wear a burqa to class.

NY ad showing mosque, burning WTC okayed

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New York, August 10: New York City’s transit agency has approved a bus advertisement that depicts a plane flying toward the World Trade Center’s towers as they burn along with a rendering of a proposed mosque near ground zero.

The ad was paid for by the American Freedom Defence Initiative, an organisation that opposes radical Islamic influence in the United States. The group’s executive director says she doesn’t find the ad offensive.

The group sued the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to demand it accept the ad, which was approved Monday.

China orders probe after babies develop breasts

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Beijing, August 10: China’s health ministry said on Tuesday it had ordered food safety authorities in central Hubei province to investigate claims that milk powder has caused infant girls to grow breasts.

Officials had already begun tests on the baby formula after parents and doctors expressed fears that hormones in the milk powder made by NASDAQ-listed Synutra had caused babies to develop breasts prematurely.

“The Ministry of Health had attached great importance to this issue,” spokesman Deng Haihua told a news conference, according to a transcript.

Former Gujarat police chief Pandey, Johri seek more time from CBI

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Gandhinagar, August 10: Summoned by the CBI for questioning in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh staged shootout case, both retired director general of Gujarat Police P.C. Pande and Rajkot police commissioner Geetha Johri have asked for more time.

Pande is on a trip to Kailash Mansarovar and has made it known that he would be back only Aug 18, while Johri has just returned from a training stint in London. The CBI had summoned Johri to appear on Tuesday and Pande a day later. The CBI will now fix revised dates, sources said.

States alerted as Swine flu claims 341 lives

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New Delhi, Aug 10 (UNI) The swine flu H1N1 virus has claimed 314 lives between May and August 8 with Maharashtra alone accounting for 176 deaths, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Answering Questions of Prof P J Kurien and Mr Ramachandra Khuntia, Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi said in a written reply that Kerala suffered second highest casualties with 76 deaths followed by Karnataka 21, Andhra Pradesh 15 and Gujarat 14. The fatalities in Delhi, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh,Madhya Pradesh and Orissa were in single digit, he said.

Indo-American Found Guilty Of Selling Defence Info To China

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Washington, August 10: Indian-American Noshir S Gowadia, a former B-52 stealth bomber engineer, faces life imprisonment after a US federal jury convicted him of selling sensitive cruise missile technology and other classified informations to China.

The sentencing is scheduled for November 22, 2010.

“Gowadia provided some of our country’s most sensitive weapons-related designs to the Chinese government for money. Today, he is being held accountable for his actions,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security, David Kris said. Gowadia, 66, now faces life imprisonment.