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UK govt should not interfere in Kashmir matters: BJP

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Srinagar, July 10: Condemning the recent statement of British Foreign Minister David Miliband that Kashmir people should be taken into confidence by India and Pakistan, while settling Kashmir dispute, state BJP on Friday asked the British government not to interfere in Kashmir affairs.

Speaking to reporters here, “This type of stand by British government amounts to interference in the sovereignty of another country and BJP wants to make it clear to United Kingdom that we are a super power country and self-sufficient to tackle any situation.”

Situation serious in rain-deficient North India: Pawar

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New Delhi, July 10: Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar warned on Friday that North India was facing drought-like situation. The minister said deficient rains across the region have created serious problems for states like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, including national capital New Delhi.

He however added that his ministry has prepared two contingency plans for the region to counter rain deficiency.

The minister had said yesterday also that rainfall will be subdued over Punjab, Haryana, and parts of western UP and Bihar.

Indian railways has over 1.7 lakh vacancies Mamata say’s

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New Delhi, July 10: Indian Railways has over 1.7 lakh vacancies which will be filled after the current recruitment process is reviewed, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Replying to questions, she said the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) is being reviewed. “We have to examine (the recruitment process) and address lacunae. We will come back once we have done the review.”

She said there were issues of regional aspirations and problems in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Guwahati over RRB exams. “We are reviewing the entire process.”

Fighting Aussies strike back

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Melbourne, July 10: Australia captain Ricky Ponting and opener Simon Katich scored unbeaten centuries during their second-wicket partnership of 189 on the second day of the first Ashes Test against England on Thursday. At close of play, Australia had reached 249 for one in reply to England’s 435 with Ponting on 100 and Katich on 104.

Ponting, who became the fourth man to score 11,000 Test runs, scrambled a single to reach his 38th Test hundred off the penultimate ball of the day. Meanwhile, Katich’s painstaking innings, his eighth Test century, lasted nearly four and a half hours.

Strike in hospitals today, jr colleges tomorrow?

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Mumbai, July 10: Kusum Singh (45) died of tuberculosis at Sion Hospital, with doctors on strike. “There was no one to attend to her last night,” said her husband, Krishnalal Singh.

At Oshiwara Maternity Home, Nikhat Sheikh (24) was discharged while undergoing labour pains. She had been admitted on Wednesday evening but was asked to leave.

Four-year-old Bhumi Kharwa, accidentally poked in the eye by her brother, was refused admission to R N Cooper Hospital. Her father, who does waterproofing work, could not afford even an X-ray at a private hospital.

Rainmaker to start work in eight days

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Mumbai, July 10: The lakes that feed Mumbai will bank once again on an experiment that helped induce rain 17 years ago. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will carry out cloud seeding in the next eight days, hoping to bring artificial rain in its catchment areas, lakes in Thane and Shahapur district, which have had little or no rainfall for nearly a month.

In the meantime, it has disconnected water to 171 locations, including seven swimming pools and 84 sites under construction sites.

Wife suspect in Rajouri businessman’s murder

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New Delhi, July 10: A 32-year-old businessman was murdered by four unidentified assailants in front of his wife at his Rajouri Garden home in West Delhi.

Police officers said the attack took place in the early hours of Thursday and the assailants stabbed him over 15 times.

The victim, Jagmohan Singh Kohli, was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead. The body was transferred to the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya hospital for postmortem.

Air strikes kill 39 Taliban militants in Orakzai tribal region

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Islamabad, July 10: At least 39 militants were killed when Pakistani jets and helicopter gunships pounded positions of Taliban insurgents who had taken over homes of the minority Sikh community in the restive Orakzai tribal region.

Reports said 14 militant camps were destroyed during the air strikes in Chapri Ferozekhel and Ghiljo areas of Orakzai Agency yesterday. At least 39 militants were killed in the air strikes, the Dawn newspaper reported today.

Muhammad, a spokesman for Taliban commander Tariq Afridi, said 18 militants were killed in the air attack in Ferozekhel.

India dominates South Asian Shooting, wins six more gold

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New Delhi, July 10: Favourites India continued their domination to secure six of the eight gold on the fourth day of the South Asian Shooting championships in Bangladesh to stay atop the medals tally with figures of 20-10-5.

Pakistan stayed in second place with two gold, five silver and four bronze medals.

Bangladesh bagged two silver and three bronze to raise their medals tally to five silver and as many bronze while Sri Lanka earned two silver and four bronze medals to be in fourth position.

Universe’s first stars ‘may have been born in twins’

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Washington, July 10: Not much is known about the universe’s first stars. But, a new study has now claimed that up to half of the ancient beacons may have been born in pairs.

And, according to planetary scientists, born together in clouds of gas, many of these stars might have been smaller than previously thought, which may resolve why so far no proof has been found for exotic physical processes thought to occur in super-heavy stars from the early universe.

Saline drips come to rescue of soldiers with blocked noses

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New Delhi, July 10: Having nasal problems at high altitudes? Try some drops of saline.

The saline has come to the rescue of many soldiers deployed in higher altitudes who complained of blocked nose and bleeding.

“We found that the use of normal saline drops is a simple and effective method to clear the nasal path,” Lt Col R Datta, ENT specialist with the Armed Forces Medical Services said.

Mouth turning dry? Blame multiple medications

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Washington, July 10: More than 90 percent of dentists are of the view that patients complaining of dry mouth take multiple medications, says a nationwide survey conducted by the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).

Dry mouth, or xerostomia, is caused by a decrease in salivary function. It affects approximately one in four Americans, placing more than 25 percent of people at risk for tooth decay.

“The number of xerostomia cases has increased greatly over time because people are taking more and more medications,” said Cindy Kleinman, member, AGD.

Ultra low calorie diet ‘is the secret to a long life’

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London, July 10: The march of old age is unstoppable, but a new study has revealed that the secret to a long life lies in the ultra low calorie diet.

An international team has found that substantially cutting calories — by as much as 30 per cent — from a normal diet could slow the ageing process and thereby increase life expectancy.

In fact, researchers have found that reducing calories just above malnutrition levels can reduce risks of developing heart disease or cancer by almost half and increase lifetimes by nearly a third.

Bangladesh at 42-0 between the showers

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Kingstown, July 10: Persistent showers restricted Bangladesh and a new-look West Indies to just over an hour’s play on the first day of the first cricket Test at Arnos Vale on Thursday.

Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes gave Bangladesh a solid platform with an unbroken stand of 42 in between the showers.

Imrul struck three fours in an unbeaten 26 while fellow left-hander Tamim hit one boundary in 14 not out.

The morning session was lost to the weather and play began only after lunch after new Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss and chose to bat.

Markets sluggish, Sensex slips into red

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Mumbai, July 10: Indian equities markets were sluggish during morning trade Friday, with a key index ruling 23 points below its last closing figure a little before noon.

Around 11.35 p.m., the 30-scrip benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the Sensex, which opened higher at 13,803.12 points, was at 13,733.99 points – 23.47 points or 0.17 percent below Wednesday’s closing figure.

Around the same time, the S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), too, was ruling in the negative terrain, 0.09 percent down at 4,077.35 points.

Infosys employee strength down by 945 in Q1

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Mumbai, July 10: IT major Infosys Technlogies on Friday said the number of its employees declined by 945 in the first quarter of this fiscal.

The company had hired close to 3,538 employees in the June quarter, but after taking into account attrition and other factors its total strength has actually lowered.

“During the quarter, Infosys and its subsidiaries added 3,538 employees (gross). The net decline during the quarter was 945,” the company statement said.

As on June 30, 2009, Infosys and its subsidiaries have a total of 1,03,905 employees on board, it added.

Scottish university honours Bhopal gas activist

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London, July 10: Satinath Sarangi, who campaigned for justice for the survivors of the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster, has been awarded a honorary doctorate by the Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh.

Mr. Sarangi, the managing trustee of the Sambhavna Clinic, has been recognised by the university for his contribution to social justice.

Asked if the honour was important, he said: “definitely, First of all, in very practical terms, it helps when facing the police, who will may be think twice before arresting a doctor.

Brief shower brings down mercury in Delhi

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New Delhi, July 10: For a long time the monsoon showers had been eluding the capital, but Friday morning residents woke up to a brief spell of rain making the weather more pleasant.

Morning commuters were caught unawares as it started raining in some parts of the capital.

“It was a pleasant surprise. It rained for some time but I wish it had poured. The summers are getting unbearable,” said 19-year-old college student Vineeta.

Scores of motorcyclists were seen standing underneath trees and at bus shelters during the rain.

Indian-American appointed Governor of Rotary International

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Washington, July 10: Indian-American philanthropist Ravishankar Bhooplapur has been appointed as the Governor of Rotary International in New York.

Founder and chairman of Gift of Life India, Mr. Bhooplapur is the first Indian-American to have been appointed for this position. A non-profit organisation, Gift of Life India has been instrumental in saving 1,400 children by assisting them with life-saving operations and surgeries in India.

Threat to bomb Indian, Islamic centres in Belfast

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London,july 10: The Indian Community Centre in Belfast has received a threat letter from Protestant extremists asking immigrants to leave Northern ireland or face bomb attacks.

Besides the Indian centre, the threat letter has been sent to the Belfast Islamic Centre and the Polish Association, reports from Belfast said.

The letter, threatening of racist violence, from the youth wing of the Ulster Defence Association warned: “No sympathy for foreigners, get out of our Queen’s country before our bonfire night (July 11) and parade day (July 12).

LeT militant arrested with havala money in J&K

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Banihal,July 10: Police arrested a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant and recovered Rs 2.9 lakh of havala money from him here on Thursday night, police said.

Acting on a tip off, police intercepted a Tata sumo on Jammu-Srinagar national highway and arrested LeT militant and recovered from him Rs 2.9 lakh havala money at Banihal in Ramban district, they said.

The arrested militant was identified as Roshan Din, police said adding that a case has been registered against him and further investigation was on to ascertain the vital clues about the militants.

Kidnapped son of transporter rescued in Hathras

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Hathras, July 10 : Police have recovered the son of a transporter here today who was abducted last evening under the Kotwali police station area.

Three people have been arrested and the boy, Tirathraj, was recovered.

Police said three people forcibly abducted the boy and took him in their vehicle to an unknown place last evening.

The driver of the vehicle Umesh was arrested last night while two others-Luv and Kush — were nabbed this morning and the boy was resuved from them.

A rivalry between two families wes said to be the reason behind the kidnapping.

—Agencies

1 in 3 breast cancer patients overtreated

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London, July 1o: One in three breast cancer patients identified in public screening programs may be treated unnecessarily, a new study says. Karsten Jorgensen and Peter Gotzsche of the Nordic Cochrane Centre in Copenhagen analyzed breast cancer trends at least seven years before and after government-run screening programs for breast cancer started in parts of Australia, Britain, Canada, Norway and Sweden.

The research was published Friday in the BMJ, formerly known as the British Medical Journal. Jorgensen and Gotzsche did not cite any funding for their study.

Worst violence since US pullback hits Iraq

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Baghdad, July 10: Bombs killed nearly 60 people in Iraq on Thursday in the worst violence since U.S. combat troops withdrew from urban areas last week, and American forces released five Iranian officials suspected of aiding Shiite insurgents.

U.S. officials said they believe the Iranians, detained in northern Iraq in January 2007, had facilitated attacks on American-led forces but handed them over to the Iraqi government at its request because they were obliged to do so under a U.S.-Iraqi security agreement.

Religious leaders criticise Delhi High Court order

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New Delhi, July 10: Leaders of various religious groups on Thursday described as “shocking, deplorable and unfortunate” the recent Delhi High Court judgment that decriminalised homosexuality.

At a joint press conference, they said that in the wake of the judgment there were attempts by various quarters to encourage and popularise “unnatural” sexual behaviour and “perversion.” “Such unhealthy attempts are totally unacceptable in a country which has rich cultural and ethical traditions,” they said.