Qayam Ali

Burdwan blast: NIA arrests four suspects, including alleged main recruiter

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National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested four more persons in connection with the Burdwan blast, as per news reports on Wednesday.

One of the accused arrested is alleged to be the main recruiter.

The arrests comes shortly after a city court extended the remand of four accused including Rezaul Karim, an alleged operative of banned Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terror outfit.

Other accused were Sahanur Alam, Safiqul Islam and Rafiqul Islam.

Ancient Star With Five Earth-Size Planets Discovered

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After analysing over four years of data from NASA’s Kepler spacecraft, a team of astronomers has discovered a star that is 11.2 billion years old and has at least five Earth-size planets.

“The findings show that Earth-size planets have formed throughout most of the universe’s 13.8-billion-year history, leaving open the possibility for the existence of ancient life in the galaxy,” said Tiago Campante, research fellow at the University of Birmingham who led the research project.

Sensex off record-high; falls 58 points in early trade

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Snapping its bull-run for eight consecutive sessions, the benchmark BSE Sensex fell over 58 points in early trade on Wednesday as participants locked-in gains at current levels amid a weak trend overseas.

Besides, profit-booking in stocks of realty, auto, metal, banking, capital goods and oil & gas sectors, negatively impacted trading sentiments.

The 30-share barometer fell by 58.56 points, or 0.19 per cent, to 29,512.48. The gauge had rallied by 2,224.22 points in the previous eight straight sessions on the back of sustained foreign fund inflows.

SAARC Literature Festival in Agra from Feb 13

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A three-day SAARC literature festival will begin in the Taj city Feb 13.Literary luminaries from the neighbouring SAARC countries will interact, debate latest literary trends and present their literary pieces for analytical comments during the event.

The evenings will be enlivened by performances by Sufis and Darveshes. The regional Braj culture and literature will also be on display.

Ajeet Cour, chairperson of Foundation of SAARC writers and literature (FOSWAL) told IANS: “Events like these help bridge the communication gaps and lead to better understanding of humanity.”

burglars Strike at Gated Community

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A gang of masked burglars target two houses in West End Colony in Hydershah kote, Bandlaguda during the wee hours on Monday. The burglars flee with ornaments worth 1 lakh, and a car.

According to police, Using a gas cutter, a gang of about five to six men, wearing masks, entered the housing complex at about 3 am, after cutting the defunct ‘solar fencing’. They managed to tie the night watchman of the West End Colony and entered a house on Plot 3, which was locked. They could fly with gathered silver ornaments weighing 6 tolas.

Jagdesh Market under CCTV camera

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DCP VB Kamalasan Reddy on Monday inaugurated 31 Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras to be installed by the Association of Jagdish Market Shopping Centre, Abids. The DCP appreciated the efforts of the association in securing the commercial area with the cameras.

KCR left in middle of the R-Day function

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Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao grabbed the attention of people by walking away from the Parade Grounds where the Republic Day celebrations were held on Monday before the completion of the function.

Kiran Bedi sends legal notice to AAP chief Kejriwal

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BJP’s chief ministerial nominee Kiran Bedi on Tuesday sent a legal notice to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for using her photograph in the party’s poster campaign without her permission.

“Yes, she has sent a notice to Kejriwal. He has been asked to ensure that the posters are removed,” Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) media convener Praveen Shankar Kapoor told IANS.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has recently put up posters on numerous auto-rickshaws plying in the national capital, asking the people of Delhi to choose between Kejriwal and Bedi for the post of chief minister.

Maruti Suzuki Q3 net profit rises 18% at Rs 802 crore

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The country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday reported 17.8 per cent increase in net profit at Rs 802.2 crore for the third quarter ended December 31, 2014.

The company had posted a net profit of Rs 681.15 crore in the same period last fiscal, Maruti Suzuki India said in a statement.

Fiscal targets likely to be met: FM Arun Jaitley

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Finance minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said fiscal deficit targets for current year are likely to be met and manufacturing sector is showing turnaround signs.

“Even though the revenues have been challenging due to slow manufacturing industry, now, it is turning around and it looks like we will be able to meet our fiscal targets,” Jaitley said here.

The government has pegged fiscal deficit target at 4.1 per cent of the GDP for the current year.

—PTI

Gold Futures Fall Rs 264 on Weak Global Cues, Profit-Booking

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Gold prices fell sharply by Rs 264 to Rs 27,600 per tens in futures trade today amid a weak trend overseas and profit-booking by speculators.

At the Multi Commodity Exchange, gold for delivery in February fell by Rs 264, or 0.95 per cent, to Rs 27,600 per 10 grams in a business turnover of 497 lots.

Likewise, the metal for delivery in far-month April was down by Rs 237, or 0.85 per cent, to Rs 27,764 per 10 grams in 42 lots.

‘Palestinians Should Learn From India’s Peaceful Resistance’

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In a rare gesture, Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah participated in a reception here to celebrate India’s Republic Day and told his people to learn from the Indian example of peaceful resistance.

Accompanied by four senior ministers, four Governors, top officials and several other Palestinian dignitaries, Hamdallah joined a gathering of around 250 people assembled to celebrate India’s 66th Republic Day in West Bank city of Ramallah.

Rupee Trades 61.42 Vs USD in Late Morning Deals

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The rupee were quoting at 61.42 against the US currency in late morning deals today amid volatile trading on the back of higher dollar overseas.

Earlier, the rupee resumed lower at 61.50 per dollar as against last Friday’s close of 61.42 at the Interbank Foreign Exchange market.

It declined further at 61.51 on month-end dollar demand by importers, before recovering at Rs 61.39 on bouts of dollar selling by banks and exporters and was quoting at last Friday’s same level of Rs 61.42 at 1100 hrs.

It hovered in the range of 61.51-61.39 per dollar during the morning trade.

Obama, Modi to address CEOs on Monday

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Trade and economic issues, including visa, totalisation pact and impediments hampering investments, are likely to figure at Monday’s US-India CEO Forum meeting, which will be jointly addressed by visiting US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are also expected to attend the meeting, which among other things is likely to focus on Make In India campaign and ease of doing business.

Truck bombing in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul, wounds two

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A Taliban truck bomb exploded in the Afghan capital today, wounding two people in the first attack targeting Kabul in almost three weeks, officials said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi suggested the blast, which happened just before 6 a.M. (local time) at a gas station near Kabul’s military airport, might have been a premature suicide attack. The bombing wounded two civilians, Sediqqi said.

Farid Afzeli, the head of the criminal investigation division of Kabul police, said that the truck was attempting to enter downtown Kabul when it blew up.

Is Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend planning to rekindle with royal?

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Prince Harry ‘s ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy is single again and is reportedly trying to get together with him and is reportedly trying to get together with him.

A pal said that Davy and Charles Goode broke up and it is sad but it was all very amicable, the Daily Star reported.

A source said Harry’s ex-girlfriend was often thought of as the love of his life and now they’re both single again but there are always a lot of rumours of will they back together or not.

Soha Ali Khan ties the knot with Kunal Khemu

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36-year-old Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan today tied the knot with actor Kunal Khemu in an intimate wedding held in Mumbai

The wedding took place at their Khar residence in the presence of a registrar and family members like brother Saif Ali Khan, sister-in-law Kareena Kapoor and mother Sharmila Tagore.

Soha had earlier shared that the ceremony would be a “small wedding in the presence of our family members”.

MS Dhoni speaks on IPL scam, doesn’t expect speculation to stop

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Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni finally broke his stoic silence over the IPL spot-fixing scandal, saying that he does not expect the speculation around his name to stop anytime soon despite nothing concrete coming up against him.

Dhoni, who captains Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, has been remarkably calm in the last couple of years despite his name regularly cropping up in cases pertaining to conflict of interest.

BPA exposure worse for female hearts than males

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, Jan 25 (ANI): A new study has revealed that bisphenol A (BPA) exposure may put females at greater risk of damage from stress as compared to males.

The study from a University of Cincinnati (UC) found that heart function and blood pressure in mice exposed to BPA from birth though young adulthood are affected differently in males and females.

Researchers found that in young BPA exposed female mice, the heart is more sensitive to stress-induced ischemic damage in a way not observed in untreated female mice.

Bhopal survivors urge PM Modi, Obama to undertake course correction on gas disaster

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On the occasion of Mr. Obama visit to India, the survivors of Bhopal Gas disaster asked both leaders to stop protecting corporate interests over the lives and health of ordinary people and sought reflection and course correction for ending the Bhopal disaster.

In December, survivor organisations had written a letter to President Obama to acknowledge the central role played by the United Sates government in the creation of the disaster in Bhopal and in the denial of justice to the victims.

Childhood bullying has long-term affects

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The negative impact of being bullied in childhood remains persistent and pervasive, and lasts nearly 40 years later as well, it has been revealed.

According to the study by King’s College London, the findings come from the British National Child Development Study which includes data on all 7,771 children born in England, Scotland and Wales during one week in 1958.

The parents of the children provided information on their child’s exposure to bullying when they were aged 7 and 11. The children were then followed up until the age of 50.

Republic day special offer: Air Costa

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Air Costa, launched the Republic Day special offer for its customers on Saturday.

Capt. C K Babu, chief executive officer of Air Costa formally launched the special discount offers. Speaking on the occasion, Capt. Babu said the tickets were priced at Rs 1,950 for one way trip for one person. The travelers can book their tickets from January 24 to 31 to avail the offer, he added.

The tickets booked in these days can be valid from February 15 to April 15, for travel said chief.

Soon, autonomous helicopter drone for Martian exploration

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NASA has revealed that it is working on a small helicopter that could fly ahead of future Mars rovers to improve surveillance and navigation abilities on the alien planet.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has proposed the idea of Mars Helicopter, an autonomous drone that could triple the distances that Mars rovers can drive in a Martian day, as the alien surface is uneven, and ridges and valleys make navigating the terrain difficult, the Verge reported.

R-Day celebrations: Arvind Kejriwal not invited, wants to attend

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The chief ministerial candidate of the AAP and former Delhi chief minister Saturday said he has not been invited to attend the Republic Day parade Jan 26, where the US President Barack Obama will be the chief guest.

The AAP chief said he has not been invited, though he wants to attend the celebrations.

Kejriwal said: “I am not invited to attend the Republic Day celebrations, I don`t know why I wasn`t invited. Though I want to attend.”

All Jan Dhan bank accounts be linked to Aadhaar: PM Modi

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All Jan Dhan bank accounts should be linked to Aadhaar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Saturday while asking bankers to speed up this process and redouble efforts on financial literacy.

He wrote an email to all bankers to appreciate their “exceptional work” done to implement the Jan Dhan Yojana and said 99.74 per cent of all households in the country have been covered, surpassing the target.

The government will ensure that many more schemes utilise the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) platform, he said.