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Saina’s achievement bigger than Sania’s: Padukone

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Mumbai, June 30: The hype around tennis ace Sania Mirza may be bigger but ace shuttler Saina Nehwal clearly has the edge in terms of performance, feels badminton legend Prakash Padukone.

Comparing both the Hyderabadis’s achievements, Padukone said the fact that Saina has beaten more higher ranked players than Sania tilts the balance in the shuttler’s favour.

“I don’t go by the rankings which can be achieved by picking and choosing the tournaments one wants to play. But Saina has beaten more top-rated players than Sania and I would rate her performance higher,” the former shuttler said.

Maharashtra govt to increase VAT on mobile phones to 12.5 pc

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New Delhi, June 30: Prices of mobile handsets are likely to increase in Maharastra from tomorrow as the state government has hiked the sales tax on devices to 12.5 per cent from four per cent now.

The hike in value added tax (VAT), a kind of sales tax, on mobile phones to 12.5 per cent will come into effect from tomorrow.

According to analysts, the tax increase would push up the cost of a Rs 3,000 mobile handset by Rs 250.

Airlines to assess ATF price hike before raising fares

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New Delhi, June 30: With jet fuel prices being hiked by six per cent, domestic air carriers today said that they would study its impact on their operational costs before taking any decision to increase airfares.

“We will examine the impact of the latest hike and take a call,” Kingfisher Airlines spokesperson said.

Similar views were expressed by officials of other air carriers like Jet Airways and SpiceJet.

Fuel costs amount to almost 40-45 per cent of the total operational cost of the airlines in India.

LPG cylinder booking through SMS now

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New Delhi, June 30: Booking domestic LPG cylinder refill may be just a text message on mobile phone away.

Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, at the inauguration of Indian Oil Corp’s Golden Jubilee celebration, said LPG booking can soon be done through SMS.

“Recently, we have formulated Vision 2015 in the area of marketing. The LPG coverage is available to about 50 per cent of our population currently. Under the Vision, it is to be extended to 75 per cent by 2015,” he said.

For this, the existing scheme of LPG distributorship will be supplemented by a new Scheme of LPG Gramin Vitrak.

Roadies fame Tamanna’s sex video leaked out

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Mumbai, June 30:A leading Mumbai tabloid has claimed that they have a clip that features MTV Roadies fame Tamanna indulging in sexually explicit activities. The roadies star has, however, slammed the reports and lashed out at the reporter responsible for the story.
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MTV ROADIES Hell Down Under contestant, Tamanna has once again hit the headlines but this time for a supposed sex video that is doing rounds throughout the country. A leading Mumbai tabloid has claimed that they have a clip that features Tamanna indulging in sexually explicit activities.

India welcomes Obama’s call for waiving penalty for non-acceptance of emission target

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New Delhi, June 30: India today welcomed US President Barack Obama’s call to the US Senate to reject the penalty proposed in a bill passed by the House of Representatives for countries which do not take binding greenhouse gase emission targets.

“We welcome Obama’s call to the US Senate to reject the part of the bill that seeks to impose trade penalities on the countries which do not take binding emission targets. The Bill is anaemic,” Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said at a press conference here.

Police in mega cities to get helicopters: Chidambaram

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Mumbai, June 30: Police forces in mega cities will be provided with helicopters like in New York and London and other big cities of the world, Home Minister P Chidambaram said here today.

“There are plans to provide helicopters for the mega city policing. So when mega city policing project is complete, mega cities will have helicopters,” Chidambaram told reporters after inaugurating the first of the four hubs of elite National Security Guard commandoes here.

“That is the way policing is done in cities like New York and London and other big cities,” he said.

Bandra-Worli Sea Link named Rajiv Gandhi Setu

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Mumbai, June 30: The Bandra-Worli Sea Link, which was inaugurated by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi here today, will be named as ‘Rajiv Gandhi Setu’.

The proposal for the same was mooted by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar after the formal inauguration and immediately accepted by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.

Recalling the late Prime Minister’s contribution in India’s progress as an Information Technology giant, Pawar said it was Rajiv who infused scientific temper in the new generation.

I’m ready to own Babri masjid demolition: Uma

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Bhopal, June 30: Bhartiya Janshakti Party President Uma Bharti here today said she is ready to own responsibility for the demolition of the disputed Babri mosque at Ayodhya and has no problem even if she is hanged on the issue.

Reacting to the submission of the Liberahan Commission report on the demolition of the mosque, Bharti told reporters at her residence “like a good commander, I am ready to own the responsibility of the Babri masjid’s demolition and I have no problem even if I will be hanged on the issue.”

Jackson’s will: Mother, children named estate custodians

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Washington, June 30: A 2002 will of Michael Jackson grants the custody of his estate to his mother, Katherine and his three children but excludes his father, according to the Wall Street Journal.

However, pop star’s family has not seen the document, the Journal said quoting family lawyer L Londell McMillan.

“No will has been presented to family or us. We will review any will when we see it,” McMillan said.

GJM president granted bail for election offence

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Siliguri, June 30: Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) president, Bimal Gurung was granted bail on a bond and surety of Rs 500 for allegedly threatening the electorate during the Lok Sabha elections in Darjeeling.

Gurung surrendered in the court of District Judicial Magistrate Debjyoti Mukherjee yesterday in Darjeeling where he was granted bail. The next date of hearing is August 24.

Cong, BJP spar over Liberhan report

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New Delhi, June 30: The Liberhan Commission report on Babri Masjid demolition today gave a handle to Congress to attack BJP which responded by alleging that the ruling party at the Centre has “begun its conspiracy”.

Non-Congress parties and Muslim groups voiced criticism over delay in preparation of the report and demanded tabling the report in Parliament at the earliest and action taken against those found guilty by the Commission.

Terence Blacker: But what about her second serve?

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London, June 30: In the glory days of L!ve TV, the red top-inspired television channel, a show called Topless Darts attracted a certain amount of attention. Its concept, half-naked women paying darts, was based on the simple idea that a combination of sport and sexual titillation would be a ratings winner.

Topless Darts disappeared from the screens in 1999 but, 10 years on, there is a new and profitable version of the same basic formula. It is called the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.

Police say they’re face tough time in West Midnapore

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Lalgarh, June 30: Police personnel engaged in operations in West Midnapore district to reclaim areas from Maoists have complained that they are apparently having to sweat it out more than the central forces.

According to them, the security forces have established bases in school buildings at Lalgarh, Bhimpur, Ramgarh, Kantapahari and Pirakata, while they were spending nights sleeping even on verandahs of BDO offices since operations began on June 19.

Their meals consist of rice, dal and vegetables which they had to eat sitting on roads.

China’s internet porn filter – no Garfield please

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Bejing, June 30: What do Johnny Depp, Garfield, Paris Hilton and roast pork have in common? In China, the answer is that a new government-mandated internet filter rates some pictures of all four of them as bad for your moral health.

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Beijing has ordered all personal computers sold in China from 1 July to be preinstalled with the Green Dam software, which it says is designed to block pornographic and violent images, and which critics fear will be used to extend censorship.

Alert in Maharashtra after IB input on terror threat

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Mumbai, June 30: Maharashtra Police has sounded an alert after Intelligence Bureau informed them about terror threat to the state, Director General of Police S S Virk said here today.

“Intelligence Bureau has given a fresh alert about the threat, two to three days back. I had instructed my men to be alert,” Virk told PTI.

Virk, however, did not give details of the threat mentioned by IB.

Mumbai Police Commissioner D Sivanandan also had recently said that city was facing terror threat and that this threat could be from anywhere – road, air or sea.
–PTI

10 athletes to represent India in Youth World C’ships

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New Delhi, June 30: Prabhjot Singh and G Mounica will spearhead the Indian challenge in the boys and girls sections respectively in the 6th IAAF World Youth Athletics Championships to be held in Bressanone, Italy from July 8-12.

Prabhjot had won the discus event with a national record throw of 59.62m in the National Youth Championships in Madurai last month.

Andhra Pradesh girl Monika had won the 200m race with a national record timing of 24.88secs in Madurai.

Nitish for raising colleges/universities’ teachers age

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Patna, June 30: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said his government is doing the needful for enhancing the superannuation age of teachers of colleges and universities from 62 to 65.

He told the legislative council after some members, cutting across the party lines, raised the issue for the second day while seeking early implementation of the revised UGC pay-scale.

Raising the issue during zero-hour, Kedar Nath Singh and Narendra Singh wanted to know the fate of the recommendations of the UGC for revised pay-scale and raising the retirement age limit from 62 to 65.

Irrigation scheme christened after Andhra CM renamed

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Hyderabad, June 30: Andhra Pradesh government has renamed the ‘YSR Lift Irrigation Scheme’ on river Krishna, named after Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, as the Mahankaligudem Lift Irrigation Scheme, official sources said today.

The state government had on June 24 named the proposed lift irrigation scheme at Mahankaligudem village in Nalgonda district after the Chief Minister.

Naming a government scheme after an incumbent Chief Minister was unprecedented in the state and the move invited widespread criticism from various quarters.

Lee doesn’t merit place in main Ashes team: Davidson

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Melbourne, June 30: Brett Lee does not merit a place in Australia’s main Ashes squad and his role should be confined to mentoring the bowlers, said former Aussie pacer Alan Davidson.

Ashes specialist Davidson, who tormented England in the 1953 and 1961 Ashes tours, said Australia should stick to the successful pace battery that delivered the goods in South Africa this year.

“I think Brett Lee should just do an educational thing for the other bowlers and make that his responsibility,” Davidson told ‘The Australian’.

Sikh student becomes 20th Indian victim in Australia

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Melbourne, June 30: In yet another racial attack on Indian students in Australia, a 22-year-old Sikh youth was assaulted by a group of six teenagers, who tried to remove his turban and cut the hair.

Resham Singh, a student of hospitality course who came from Punjab six months ago, became the 20th victim within a month when he was attacked yesterday at Dandenong Station here.

Liberhan Commission submits report to PM

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New Delhi, June 30: Seventeen years after it was set up, the Liberhan Commission probing the 1992 demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya today submitted its report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Commission, which had got 48 extensions, submitted the report to the Prime Minister by Retd Justice M S Liberhan in presence of Home Minister P Chidambaram.

The contents of the report were not immediately known.

Oil cos raise ATF prices by 6 pc

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New Delhi, June 30: For the fourth time in two months, state-run oil firms today hiked jet fuel or ATF price by more than 6 per cent on firming international oil prices.

Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum raised aviation turbine fuel (ATF) price by Rs 2,306 to Rs 38,558 per kilolitre in Delhi effective midnight tonight, an IOC official said.

The hike comes on back of over 12 per cent hike on June 15. ATF price on that day were raised by Rs 3,949 to Rs 36,252 per kilolitre in Delhi.

Cong MP slaps bank manager in AP

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Hyderabad, June 30: Congress MP from Nagarkurnool in Andhra Pradesh M Jagannath has allegedly slapped a bank manager in Mahabubnagar district for not releasing loans to SC/ST beneficiaries.

At a meeting of Uppununtala mandal officials and public representatives yesterday, Jagannath was told that Ravinder Reddy, manager of a local branch of Andhra Pradesh Grameen Vikas Bank, was not releasing the loan amount to SC/ST beneficiaries, official sources said.

Soren flays WB govt over Lalgarh issue

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New Delhi, June 30: Criticising the CPI-M led government in West Bengal for its handling of the Maoist problem in Lalgarh, JMM leader Shibu Soren today termed the operations as a “plan to kill innocent tribals.”

The tribal leader, whose party is an ally of the ruling UPA at Centre, also felt that the Central government’s decision to ban CPI-Maoist and declare it a terrorist outfit would not serve any purpose.