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IIT Gandhinagar to prepare national fire registry

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New Delhi, October 06:The one-year-old Indian Institute of Technology-Gandhinagar (IIT-G) will develop a national fire accident registry to provide better data and develop protection solutions for firefighters across the country, it was announced here Tuesday.

Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a leading US firm on product safety testing and certification, has agreed to a tie-up with the new IIT for this work.

“Yes, it was mooted during a lecture by a top UL official,” Maj.Gen. (retd.) Vijay Aga, the officer on speccial duty at IIT-G, told IANS.

Teacher is raped, cops squabble

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New Delhi, October 06:A 20-year-old computer teacher was raped in the Indian capital by six men but police investigation was delayed following a row between two police stations over the jurisdiction of the case.

The incident took place around 8 p.m. Monday near a computer institute in Sultanpuri in west Delhi when the victim was returning home with a male friend.

Near the Sultanpuri railway crossing, the accused thrashed the friend and dragged away the woman, a police officer said. After she was raped, she was dumped near the railway track.

Rohit Bal to do WIFW grand finale in flamboyant style

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New Delhi, October 06: He is known as the master of fabric and fantasy. Given this, flamboyant designer Rohit Bal is all set to present his opulent collection at the grand finale of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) here Oct 28.

This is the second time Bal has been chosen as the grand finale designer of WIFW that is organised by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI).

British minister in Sri Lanka to assess refugee resettlement

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Colombo, October 06:A British cabinet minister began a two-day visit to Sri Lanka Tuesday to assess the government’s resettlement plans for an estimated 250,000 people displaced by the country’s civil war, officials said.

Mike Foster, British Parliamentary under secretary of state for international development, was scheduled to visit refugee camps in the north, a British-funded child soldier rehabilitation centre in Vavuniya and a demining programme also backed by Britain.

Sonia slams Sena-BJP for ‘using’ Shivaji for votes

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Nashik, October 06:Congress president Sonia Gandhi Tuesday slammed the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (SS-BJP) alliance for ‘using’ the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji to garner votes.

“They (SS-BJP) do not have any concrete agenda for the common man. They are merely playing with the sentiments of the voters,” she told a mammoth election rally in the heart of this wine country in the afternoon.

Woman killed, 12 injured in mudslide

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Noida, October 06:A 25-year-old woman labourer was killed and 12 workers were injured when tonnes of mud fell on them at a construction site here Tuesday, police said.

Over a dozen workers were digging away in Sector 63 in Noida when the mudslide occurred, trapping them.

Twelve workers were rescued and taken to a hospital. The dead woman was identified as Lakshmi. The condition of four injured workers was critical, police said.

Bharti Airtel partners with US firm

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New Delhi, October 06: Telecom major Bharti Airtel has partnered with US-based network equipment maker Cisco Systems to offer services for small, medium and large enterprises.

The alliance will use Cisco’s Internet Protocol (IP) technologies and expertise to create and sell a set of unique products and services, including managed data services, hosted unified communications, connected branch services and Cisco TelePresence, Bharti said Tuesday.

Saudis deny secret meetings to end dollar as oil currency

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London/Dubai, October 06:The director of Saudi Arabia’s central bank Tuesday denied press reports suggesting that Gulf states had held secret talks to replace the dollar as the prime currency on world oil markets.

“There is absolutely no truth to this report,” Mohammed al-Jasser, head of the Saudi central bank, told the satellite news network al-Arabiya.

Maoists made no swap demand before killing cop: Chidambaram

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New Delhi, October 06:Terming the killing of a Jharkhand police officer by Maoists as “cold blooded”, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Tuesday that no demand was being made for a swap of prisoners.

“The DGP (Director General of Police) has told me that there was no demand for a swap of prisoners. Besides, we are governed by the rule of the law. Prisoners are under the custody of the court, we cannot swap prisoners with those who are outside the law, who take the law into their own hands. There is no question of swap of prisoners,” Chidambaram said.

Gaurav, Naresh qualify for main draw of PSA Indian Challenger

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Chennai, October 06:India’s Gaurav Nandrajog and Naresh Kumar qualified for the main draw of the PSA Indian Challenger-4 squash tournament here Tuesday.

Anaka Alankamony and Aparajitha Balamurukan made it to the main draw of the WISPA Challenger-2 tournament.

Nandrajog beat compatriot Ravi Dixit 11-8, 12-10, 11-6, and Naresh Kumar accounted for Vikas Jangra 6-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-9.

In the main draw, Nandrajog faces seventh seeded Mazen Gamal of Egypt, while Naresh meets Pakistan’s Shamsul Islam Khan.

Dawood’s sister can’t get passport: Government

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New Delhi,October 06: The centre told the Delhi High Court Tuesday that Mumbai underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s sister Haseena Ibrahim Parker cannot be issued a fresh passport as she might “misuse” it.

In an affidavit filed on behalf of the central government, lawyer Sanjiv Kumar Dubey said Haseena might misuse the passport for helping her brother’s criminal activities.

Delhi Police conduct security drill in capital

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New Delhi, October 06:Delhi Police Tuesday conducted a security drill at a cinema hall and two markets to measure the preparedness level of various authorities in case of any emergency.

“A security drill was conducted at Vishal Cinema in Rajouri Garden and at Central Market in Lajpat Nagar and in Najafgarh area,” Delhi Police’s public relations officer Rajan Bhagat told IANS.

“The drill was carried out in the (Tuesday) afternoon to check preparedness of various agencies involved in rescue work in case of any emergency such as bomb blasts,” a senior police official said.

Delhi Metro to recover Phase-I cost by 2011

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New Delhi, October 06:Delhi Metro announced Tuesday that it would recover the Rs.105.71 billion (Rs.10,571 crore) spent on its presently operational network by 2011, two years ahead of target.

Delhi Metro Rail Corp (DMRC) spokesperson Anuj Dayal said the rising footfall of commuters was the reason for the early cost recovery.

A Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) study in 2007, when the number of daily commuters was 500,535, indicated that the break-even cost of the phase I construction of Delhi Metro would be recovered by 2013.

Two killed in blast near Madurai

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Chennai, October 06:At least two people were killed and four injured when an explosion rocked the Cholavanthan railway station near Madurai Tuesday evening, police said, adding that the nature of the blast was under investigation.

The explosion occured just as the Myladuthurai-Tirunellvelli passenger train was entering the station at about 6 p.m., the Madurai police said.

The blast was so severe that the roof of the platform was also damaged as passengers ran for cover.

High hopes for Chopra in Hero Honda Indian Open

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New Delhi, October 06:Sweden’s Daniel Chopra will bid to win one of the few trophies missing from his cabinet when he tees-off Thursday in the Hero Honda Indian Open at the DLF Golf and Country Club.

Fresh from a strong season on the US PGA Tour, the 35-year-old is one of the favourites to take the title, which boasts total prize money of $1.25 million and is the most lucrative full-field event on the Asian Tour.

Other fancied runners include two former winners – India’s Arjun Atwal and Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant – who triumphed in 1999 and 2005 respectively.

Domestic players will play a crucial role, says Gambhir

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New Delhi, October 06: Delhi Daredevils captain Gautam Gambhir feels domestic players will play a major role in the Champions League Twenty20, beginning Thursday.

“It is a good opportunity for the local players to prove themselves. The domestic players are going to prove useful in the Indian conditions,” Gambhir said in an open media session of Delhi Daredevils Tuesday.

“Daredevils have been the most consistent team. Reaching semifinals twice in Indian Premier League (IPL) is a big thing. Hope we can improve in the Champions League.”

Flood situation eases in Andhra Pradesh, 52 dead

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Hyderabad, October 06:The flood situation in Andhra Pradesh improved Tuesday after killing 52 people, with water inflows coming down at the Prakasam barrage across the Krishna river and providing some respite to Vijayawada city and over 200 villages inundated downstream.

Though the river breached its embankment at two places in Krishna and Guntur districts flooding about 30 villages, officials said there was no major threat to the embankment.

Leaving Afghanistan not an option: White House

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Washington, October 06:Withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan is not among the options under consideration by US President Barack Obama as he outlines a new strategy for the conflict.

“I don’t think we have the option to leave,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Monday. “I think that’s quite clear.”

Obama is in the middle of a strategic review and assessing various possibilities for the war in Afghanistan that is entering its ninth year. The top US commander there, General Stanley McChrystal, is reportedly seeking an additional 40,000 troops.

Telugu physicians in US announce aid for flood relief

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Hyderabad, October 05: Physicians from Andhra Pradesh practising in North America have announced an aid of $10,000 for relief operations in the flood-hit areas in the state.

Andhra Physicians of North America (APNA) has announced the aid for flood relief, according to state Minister for Roads and Buildings G.Aruna Kumari, who is currently visiting the United States.

APNA responded to the minister’s appeal to Indian Americans hailing from Andhra Pradesh to contribute generously for flood relief, a statement issued here said.

27-year-old woman becomes Delhi’s 15th swine flu victim

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New Delhi, October 05:A 27-year-old woman succumbed to influenza A (H1N1) Monday taking the toll in Delhi to 15, the state Health Minister Kiran Walia said.

The patient died at the Safdarjung Hospital. She was suffering from rheumatic heart diseases and had undergone treatment at the Escort Heart Institute before being shifted to the Safdarjung Hospital.

Besides, the capital city reported 27 fresh cases taking the total number of infections so far to 2,920. However, around 90 percent of them have been cured completely. Of the fresh cases, 15 are children.

Lost bag at airport? Log on

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New Delhi, October 05: Lost your luggage at the airport? Don’t fret. In a “first of a kind” initiative that will come as a relief to all such harried travellers, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Monday launched a ‘lost and found’ section on its website that will help one trace missing baggage.

The initiative, a brainchild of the CISF’s director general, is certain to come as a relief to many. The CISF handles security of 57 airports in India. Its website is www.cisf.gov.in

Kadapa is now Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy district

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Hyderabad, October 05:The Andhra Pradesh government has renamed Kadapa district as Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy district in memory of the former chief minister who died in a helicopter crash last month.

The government Monday issued the order renaming Kadapa, the native district of Rajasekhara Reddy.

YSR, as the late chief minister was popularly known, died in a helicopter crash in the dense forests in Kurnool district on Sep 2 while he was on his way to Chittoor district to launch a government programme.

Women’s panel to probe Air India air hostess’ charges

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New Delhi, Oct 5 (IANS) The National Commission for Women (NCW) Monday formed a panel to probe the charges of assault levelled by an Air India air hostess against two pilots who were allegedly involved in a mid-air scuffle with her during a flight.

The air hostess had filed a formal complaint with the women’s panel.

Sex for certificate racket: Opposition accuse BSP of protecting accused

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Lucknow,October 05:The opposition Congress and Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh Monday charged the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) of shielding officials of a private hospital who are accused of forcibly taking sexual favours from students to award them certificates.

Students of a private hospital in Lucknow Sunday lodged an FIR against the administration of K.K. Hospital, accusing them of forcibly taking sexual favours from students to award them certificates.

US pullout from Afghanistan would be ‘disastrous’: Musharraf

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Washington, October 05: Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf says it would be “disastrous” for the United States to pull out of Afghanistan now, according to a media report.

The Americans need to prepare for the likelihood that more US troops will be needed in Afghanistan and that they will be there many years, he told Des Moines Register in Iowa.

If the Taliban are allowed to return to power, he said, they surely would allow Al Qaida terrorists to rebuild strength in Afghanistan, destabilising the region and posing a major threat to the US.