A S Kashyap

Entrants for Khushwant Singh prize for poetry announced

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Five poetry books have been shortlisted for the inaugural Khushwant Singh Memorial Prize for poetry, to promote the genre across all Indian languages, organisers said Monday.

Adman and actor Suhel Seth had earlier this year announced this award in memory of Khushwant Singh who died last year.

The award, worth Rs.2,00,000, is open to Indian poets writing in English or regional works translated to English.

The shortlisted poetry books were announced at the ongoing Kasauli Literature Festival.

Hong Kong police begin to dismantle protest barricades

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Hong Kong police Monday began to remove barricades raised by pro-democracy protesters in some areas of the city occupied during demonstrations that began more than two weeks ago.

According to a police statement, the operation to remove the barricades began in the districts of Admiralty and Mong Kok in order to relieve traffic congestion.

The police said that their operations were not an attempt to clear the protest sites.

NIA probe to throw up uncomfortable facts for Trinamool: Ex-judge

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Alleging that the Mamata Banerjee government did nothing to unravel the truth behind the Oct 2 blast in West Bengal, former Supreme Court Judge A.K. Ganguly said the NIA probe would throw up “uncomfortable” facts for the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress.

The explosion at a house in Burdwan district’s Khagragarh killed two suspected Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen militants and injured another.

Two killed in Afghan suicide car bombing

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At least two people were killed and three injured Monday in a suicide car bombing which targeted a convoy of the US-led international security forces in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul.

The explosion occurred on Jalalabad Road in eastern Kabul, a police official told Xinhua.

Three foreigners in the convoy were injured in the attack while the dead comprised the suicide bomber and a civilian.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Mental stress affects male and female heart differently

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Impact of mental stress on heart varies for men and women, says a study.

While men have more changes in blood pressure and heart rate in response to mental stress, more women experience myocardial ischemia – decreased blood flow to the heart, it found.

For the results, researchers from the Duke Heart Centre at Duke University looked at 56 women and 254 men diagnosed with heart disease induced by mental stress.

US can use Turkish military bases to attack IS

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Turkey will allow the US-led international coalition the use of its military bases for carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic State terrorist group in Iraq and Syria, US President Barack Obama’s chief security advisor has said.

“It is a new commitment and we welcome it with great satisfaction,” Susan Rice, Obama’s national security advisor, told the NBC network Sunday.

According to Rice, the coalition forces may also use Turkish territory to train rebel groups of the moderate Syrian opposition.

Maharashtra votes Wednesday after bitter campaign (Curtain Raiser)

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One of the most bitter, high-profile and mega-stakes campaign for coming to power in 13th Maharashtra assembly elections drew to a close Monday. The state votes Wednesday.

For the first time in decades, five mainstream parties were in the fray, besides many smaller parties and hordes of independents, all hoping to cash in on the voter sentiments.

The campaign ends Monday evening. Voting is scheduled Oct 15, between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., and counting will be taken up Oct 19 from 8 a.m. onwards, with the results expected by noon.

Shashi Tharoor sacked as Congress spokesperson

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Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor was Monday sacked from the post of Congress spokesperson, a statement from the party said here.

“Congress President Sonia Gandhi has accepted recommendation of AICC (All India Congress Committee) disciplinary committee to remove Shashi Tharoor from the list of spokespersons of the AICC with immediate effect,” it said.

Tharoor, a Lok Sabha member from Thiruvananthapuram constituency, was a union minister in the erstwhile Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government.

IANS

Tamil Nadu to give Rs.5 crore to Andhra

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam Monday announced Rs.5 crore financial assistance to Andhra Pradesh that was battered by cyclonic storm Hudhud on Sunday.

As a measure of solidarity with Andhra Pradesh that suffered damages due to Hudhud, Rs.5 crore will be released by the Tamil Nadu government, said Panneerselvam in a statement issued here.

He said on the request of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to set right the power distribution infrastructure, equipment like poles and transformers will be supplied to the state.

Ukraine’s Donetsk Republic offers support to MH17 investigation

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Eastern Ukraine’s self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic’s prime minister Alexander Zakharchenko Monday said that he and his people are ready to offer support to international teams investigating the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

MH17, enroute to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam, was shot down near eastern Ukraine July 17 killing all 298 passengers and crew on-board.

Hudhud aftermath: Indian Navy repairs its Vishakhapatnam base

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The Indian Navy is assessing and repairing its base here damaged by cyclonic storm Hudhud, an official said Monday.

Vishakhapatnam is the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command and a key navy base.

The official said nearly 60 percent of the trees at the base have been uprooted and almost all roads are blocked.

“The officers and men of the naval base at Vishakhapatnam are working to get the base back to its operational status at the earliest,” the official said.

BJP MP stages sit-in to help youths flouting traffic rules

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In a development that could leave the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) red-faced, its Member of Parliament (MP) from Saharanpur staged an 18-hour dharna to get off the hook three errant youths who had been booked for triple riding and carrying no relevant papers.

The MP, Raghav Lakhanpal, was irked that the trio, apparently his supporters, were booked by a sub-inspector (SI) in Sadar Bazaar area here Sunday.

India readies for navigation satellite launch

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The 67-hour countdown for the Oct 16 launch of India’s third navigation satellite is underway at the Sriharikota rocketport in Andhra Pradesh, space agency ISRO said Monday.

At 1.32 a.m. Thursday, Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) will carry the 1,425 kg third navigational satellite badged as Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System-1C (IRNSS-1C).

On Oct 12, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) gave its nod. The countdown began Monday morning.

Stem cell therapy could create new blood vessels

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Diseases that occur due to blood flow problems could soon become a lot easier to treat as researchers have developed a technique to jump-start the body’s system for creating blood vessels.

The research could lead to new therapies for illnesses such as peripheral artery disease – a painful leg condition caused by poor blood circulation which can lead to skin problems, gangrene and even amputation.

Regular fruit juice drinking could lead to high BP

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A glass of fruit juice a day may not be as ‘healthy’ as previously thought as researchers found that those who regularly drink fruit juice have significantly higher blood pressure than those who have it occasionally.

With high amounts of sugar with negligible fibre, a daily glass of fruit juice could lead to high blood pressure and cardio-vascular disease, the researchers explained.

A daily glass of fruit juice leads to people having significantly higher central blood pressure – which can increase the risk of problems such as a heart attack or angina, the findings showed.

Sahara eyes hedge fund support to secure Roy’s release: Report

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Sahara group is believed to be working on an over USD 1 billion debt refinancing deal with two American hedge funds for raising funds to secure release of its jailed chief Subrata Roy, a media report said today.

The two funds would become financiers for over USD 1 billion (Rs 6,000 crore) of debt against the group’s three overseas hotels, including the iconic Grosvenor House in London and two hotels in New York (the Plaza and Dream Downtown), the Sunday Times reported.

Hudhud: 90,000 people moved to relief camps in four districts

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Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister N Chinarajappa said today that nearly 90,000 people have been shifted to relief camps in four cyclone Hudhud-hit districts.

Chinarajappa, from the cyclone control room set up at the Kakinada collectorate said that so far, 90,000 people from Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and East Godavari districts have been moved to relief camps.

Nobel laureate Malala worries about exams

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Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai may have won the world’s most coveted award but her main preoccupation remains her forthcoming school exams.

The Pakistani teenager, who became an international celebrity after surviving a gun attack by Taliban in 2012 for advocating education for girls, said she is worried about the lessons she will miss to collect the award.

The 17-year-old spent her first evening as the youngest Nobel laureate at home in Birmingham with her parents watching Pakistani television.

Hudhud’s intensity to prevail for 6 hours after landfall: IMD

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Even after landfall of cyclone Hudhud, the system will maintain the intensity of very severe cyclonic storm for 6 hours and gradually weaken into cyclonic storm in subsequent six hours while moving northwestwards across south interior Odisha and Chhattisgarh, an IMD bulletin said.

Under its influence, rainfall in most places with heavy falls in some places will occur in south Chhattisgarh, adjoining Telangana and south Odisha and isolated heavy to very heavy falls in north Chhattisgarh and north Odisha, it said.

PM assures Andhra Pradesh CM of all support as Hudhud strikes

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today promised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu all possible assistance as Cyclone Hudhud made landfall leaving five persons dead in the state and neighbouring Odisha.

The Prime Minister, who had yesterday held an emergency high-level meeting to review preparedness for the cyclone , today spoke to Naidu and discussed relief and rescue measures.

He had yesterday asked officials to ensure that rescue and relief operations proceed smoothly and people are informed about the cyclone on a real-time basis.

Vikram putting extra effort for Hindi dubbing of ‘I’

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Actor Vikram, who has been dubbing for his upcoming Tamil film ‘I’ in Hindi over the last few days, is said to be putting in extra effort to get his lines right. He’s apparently spending hours to prepare and dub in Hindi without an accent.

“Vikram sir wants to get the Hindi lines right. Therefore, he’s spending a lot of time in dubbing to ensure he’s mouthing the dialogues without an accent,” a source from the film’s unit told IANS.

“Since the makers want to promote ‘I’ as a straight Hindi film, Vikram sir is pushing himself to get everything right,” he added.

Introducing ‘lawnmower parents’ who pre-empt child’s possible problems

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A new breed of over involved role models is “lawnmower parents,” who clear a path for their child before they even take a step by mowing down obstacles in their child’s way.

Behaviour experts and authors of ‘Selfish, Scared and Stupid’ Kieran Flanagan and Dan Gregory said that lawnmower mums and dad are out there smoothing the way for their kids, giving them a soft, even surface to move forward on.

Now, Etihad’s ‘Flying Nanny’ for easier air-travel experience with kids

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Etihad Airways has introduced “Flying Nanny” for easier air-travel experience with children.

Etihad’s vice president of guest services, Aubrey Tiedt, said that the Flying Nanny role demonstrates their understanding of their guests’ needs and their commitment to making the journey as relaxing and comfortable as possible, News.com.au reported.

Evelyn Sharma to produce reality show

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Actress Evelyn Sharma, who is currently shooting in Thailand for “Life Mein Ek Baar”, is happy to be part of the travel show. She is also set to produce a show of her own.

“Life is so amazing! I would love to be part of more adventurous shows like ‘Life Mein Ek Baar’. My favourite part about the show is that it so positive and full of happiness,” Evelyn said in a statement.

And if all works out, then the “Yaariyan” actress will be soon seen on the small screen again.