Month: July 2009

India has 74,000 newspapers, Uttar Pradesh leads

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New Delhi, July 28: Bucking the global recessionary trends in the media, India, the world’s most populous democracy, boasts of 74,000 newspapers – with Uttar Pradesh leading the rest of the country in promoting a diversity of views.

“More than 74,000 newspapers are registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI),” Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Mohan Jatua said in a written reply during question hour in the Lok Sabha Tuesday.

Australian college dupes Indian students pursuing aviation course

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Melbourne, July 28: Fate of several Indian students enrolled in a Sydney-based aviation college have been left in limbo after their dreams of acquiring
commercial pilot license remained unfulfilled even after paying thousands of dollars.

In a latest scam which came to light after ABC TV channel programme ‘Four Corners’ exposed migration and education agents duping Indian students, Aerospace Aviation college that provides commercial pilot training, it was alleged, exploited international students besides ill treating Indian students.

Dalai Lama praises Polish uprising in World War II Text

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Warsaw, July 28: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Tuesday visited the Warsaw Uprising museum and praised Poles’ love of freedom in their fight against the Nazi German occupation during World War II.

In a visit coming just ahead of the 65th anniversary of the start of the uprising on Aug 1, 1944, the Dalai Lama said the museum exhibition showed how bitter the fighting had been.

During the Warsaw Uprising, some 200,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the fighting between Aug 1 and early October 1944.

CPI-M mourns its victims of Andhra police firing

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Hyderabad, July 28: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar Tuesday paid tributes to the workers of his Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) who were killed in police firing in Andhra Pradesh’s Khammam district two years ago.

It was on this day in 2007 that seven CPI-M workers were killed and dozens of other were injured when police opened fire during an agitation by the party to press its demand for distributing government land among the landless poor.

Bank of America to cut 10 percent of branches

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New York, July 28: Bank of America Corp, the largest US bank, plans to shrink its network of 6,100 branches by 10 percent, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

CEO Kenneth Lewis announced the news to investors last week at a meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the company is based, the report said. The cuts follow two decades of expansion.

“We don’t have a final plan for the ultimate number of branches,” James Mahoney, head of corporate communications for the company,” said.

“Our vision is the network will be managed downward over time.”

–IANS

Chand again Chander Mohan, returns to Hinduism

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Chandigarh, July 28: The much talked about Chand-Fiza love saga took a fresh twist Tuesday with the former Haryana deputy chief minister returning to both Hinduism and his original name of Chander Mohan. This raised a question mark over the status of his second wife, Anuradha Bali, who had changed her name to Fiza before their marriage.

Chander Mohan visited a temple in the Haryana’s Hisar town, some 275 km from here, and returned to Hinduism in the presence of religious leaders.

Five arrested for marketing expired drugs in Noida

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Noida, July 28: Five people were arrested here Tuesday for allegedly marketing expired medicines worth Rs.3 million, police said.

During a check, a tempo carrying expired drugs was seized from Phase II Noida. The seized medicines had expired in 2007.

Five people — Kunal Sharma, Anil Kumar Yadav, Jahid Ali, Ikramuddin and Abdul Hakim — were arrested and several expired drugs were recovered from their possession, a police officer said.

Hockey India acting in undemocratic manner: Roy to Negre

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New Delhi, July 28: Bengal Hockey Association (BHA) president J.B. Roy met International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Leandro Negre and asked him to restrain Hockey India from adopting ‘undemocratic’ ways in its bid to set up an elected body to run the sport in the country.

Roy and disbanded Indian Women’s Hockey Federation (IWHF) secretary Amrit Bose jointly made an appeal to the FIH chief.

‘Roy and Bose informed Negre of the autocratic manner in which the Indian Olympic Association was administering the game,’ BHA said in a statement.

Metro projects will be completed before Games: Sreedharan

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New Delhi, July 28: Delhi Metro chief E. Sreedharan Tuesday said all their projects would be completed before the Commonwealth Games next year despite a major accident this month and the discovery of cracks in pillars.

‘The mishap and the cracks seen in the pillars will not have any delay whatsoever on the overall completion of the Delhi Metro projects. We will be able to complete the work on all sections comfortably before the Commonwealth Games in 2010,’ Sreedharan said at a press conference.

Kids forced to leave exams, stand outside school in Jharkhand

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Kids forced to leave exams, stand outside school in Jharkhand
Ranchi, July 28: Around 30 students were forced to stand outside their school in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand even as their examination was underway Tuesday because their parents had failed to pay the monthly fees, an official said.

The students of Holy Cross school were forced to leave the exam room as their parents had not paid the school fees for the month of July. Most of the students were aged below 10 years.

Midday meals unsuccessful in Madhya Pradesh, says CAG

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Bhopal, July 28: One would expect the enrolment of children in primary schools to increase with the implementation of the midday meal scheme. This, however, has not been the case in Madhya Pradesh. In fact, a drop in students has been recorded, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report for 2007-08.

Jayram to lead Indian basketball team

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New Delhi, July 28: Jayram Jat of Services will lead the Indian senior men’s basketball team for the Asian Basketball Festival ‘Great Ball of China Tournament’ to be held at Beijing July 31-Aug 3.

The team, which has been training in Bangalore since the last month and a half, will then head for the 25th FIBA Asia Basketball Championship to be held at Tianjin City, China Aug 6-16.

The team:

Gujarat passes GUJCOC Bill without changes

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Ahmedabad, July 28: The Gujarat State Assembly on Tuesday passed the Gujarat Control of Organised Crime (GUJCOC) Bill without any changes as suggested by President Pratibha Patil, setting the stage for another face-off between the Centre and the state government.

Adopting a confrontationist attitude the Narendra Modi-led BJP government in the state had decided to reintroduce the GUJCOC Bill without any changes in the current session of the state Assembly.

Teacher slapped Class 3 boy, finds magistrate

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Chandigarh, July 28: A teacher who was accused of slapping a Class 3 boy several times at the prestigious St. John’s High School here has been held guilty by a magistrate, an official said Tuesday.

Sub-divisional magistrate Niharika Rai, who was probing the case of corporal punishment at the boys’ school, submitted her report late Monday.

‘I have got the final report. Now we are seeking legal opinion in this case and also told the school authorities to take appropriate action against the guilty teacher (Reema Talwar)’, Education-cum-Home Secretary Ram Niwas told IANS.

Prophet’s picture in textbook stirs row in Uttar Pradesh

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Lucknow, July 28: Taking serious note of a picture of Prophet Mohammed published in an officially prescribed textbook, the Uttar Pradesh Minorities Commission Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to the state government.

This followed an uproar among Islamic scholars and the clergy, who consider publication of the Prophet’s picture ‘blasphemy’.

We Won’t Take off Hijab

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After a sequence of brutal accidents that targeted some of the Muslim communities all over Europe ending with the murder of Marwa Al-Shirbini in Germany, IslamOnline.net (IOL)’s European Muslims Page launched the “Islamophobia in Europe” poll asking its readers whether a Muslim woman living in Europe would take off her hijab (Islamic veil) for any reason or not.

It was really unexpected to find most of the voters (67.86%) rejecting the idea of giving up hijab for any reason, while a minor number of voters (32.14%) agreed to take it off.

Watchphone S9110 announced by Samsung

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Mumbai, July 28: The launch of the S9110 was today announced by Samsung. The new device is a cutting-edge watchphone which boasts a full touch screen. Reportedly, the Samsung S9110 is the slimmest watchphone device in the market, as it is 0.47 inches only.

The S9110 seems to be perfect for users who want an exceptional fashion item that keeps them connected on the go. The new set also features a 1.76″ full touch screen customized for the wrist-watch form factor. Apart from this, the device also enables the users to check their e-mail seamlessly through Outlook.

RIP: Jackson fans seek Nobel peace prize for star

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Los Angeles, July 28: Fans of the late pop star Michael Jackson have launched an Internet campaign to have their idol nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Two online petitions have already collected more than 12,000 signatures in support of nominating the singer, who died of cardiac arrest on June 25, for one of the world’s most prestigious awards.

“Michael’s message for humankind has always been rooted in compassion, and kindness. He has succeeded a lifelong dedication to the well being of humanity,” one of the petitions said.

King Khan may be seen in new avatar in Tamil film

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Mumbai, July 28: According to reports, Shahrukh Khan will be seen in a new avatar in a Tamil film. Presently, he is shooting for Karan Johar’s ‘My Name is Khan’.

The makers of Tamil film ‘Asal’ are leaving no stone unturned to contact King Khan and get his approval for a cameo appearance in ‘Asal’. The movie is being produced by Sivaji Productions.

Bollywood beauty Sameera Reddy, along with Ajith, will be the lead couple in the movie. Ajith played the role of SRK’s younger brother in ‘Asoka’.

Desperate to become ‘artificial’ parents

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Karimnagar, July 28: They met in jail, fell in love and got married. Chandu is as possessive about Swapna as any other husband would be. Just like an ideal couple, both are often spotted together on a two-wheeler, while passers-by simply stare at them. Across the country, the debate over legalising gay sex may have just begun, but this lesbian couple — Chandraleela alias Chandu and Swapna, both from Karimnagar district, had decided to stay together more than two-and-a-half years ago.

Babu unhappy at Chiru equating Congress, TDP

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Hyderabad, July 28: Taking objection to Praja Rajyam party (PRP) president Chiranjeevi’s remarks in the State Legislative Assembly, Telugu Desam party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu today urged the former not to equate the TDP with the Congress.

Britain to withdraw remaining forces from Iraq

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Baghdad, July 28: Britain will withdraw its remaining forces from Iraq to Kuwait by the end of the month because the Iraqi parliament failed to pass a deal allowing them to stay to protect oil platforms and provide training, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Britain already has withdrawn its combat forces according to a previous agreement. The British Ministry of Defense said the new announcement related to between 100 and 150 mostly navy personnel left to train the Iraqi navy. U.S. troops would be standing in for the British while they were out of the country, according to the ministry.

Medical clearance not mandatory for residents

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London, July 28: The National Supervisory Committee for Combating Swine Flu (H1N1 virus) has not issued any resolution demanding resident expatriates to produce a medical clearance certificate that proves they are not infected with H1N1 virus upon returning to the country, a senior health official affirmed today.

“The news about this issue is completely untrue,” Dr. Ali bin Shuker, Director of the Ministry of Health and Chairman of the Technical Health Committee for Combating Swine Flu, emphasised.

AP marches past others with 2 lakh engg seats!

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Hyderabad, July 28: Andhra Pradesh is marching ahead of other States in technical education, at least quantitatively. With an additional intake of 35,000 seats in enginering colleges for the academic year 2009-10, the total number of seats to be filled under the convener quota rose to nearly 2 lakh (1,93,275 precisely).

With the latest intake, the State has surpassed its neighbours, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, which are also known for a high number of engineering colleges, by thousands of seats.

Militant killed in encounter

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Srinagar, July 28: An unidentified militant was killed in a gunbattle with security forces in Shopian district of South Kashmir today, making it the first encounter in the area after weeks of unrest following rape and murder of two women there. Official sources said police and Rashtriya Rifles launched a joint operation to flush out hiding militants at Matribugh village, 67 kms from here.