New Delhi, July 02: Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has questioned the logic behind Indian cricket team’s on-going four-match one-day series in the Caribbean and said with an already crammed international schedule in place, such tours only add to the players’ exhaustion.
India flew straight to the West Indies after their disappointing ouster in the Super Eight stage of the Twenty20 World Cup in England.
New Delhi, July 02: The BJP today accused the UPA government of basking in the “arrogance of power” and asked it to shed such attitude.
To drive home its point, the party cited increase in petroleum prices, a Congress MP slapping a bank manager and a union minister’s attempt to influence a judge as examples.
“I see a common thread in the developments of the last three days where arrogance of power has been shown vehemently by the government. And it has influenced all three organs of the government,” Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj told reporters.
New Delhi, July 02: Certain religious leaders today strongly disapproved of the Delhi High Court judgement which legalised gay sex among consenting adults.
“This is absolutely wrong to legalise homosexuality. We will not accept any such law,” Jama Masjid Imam Ahmed Bukhari told PTI.
He also critcised the government for trying to amend the Indian Penal Code to scrap section 377 that criminalises homosexuality.
“If the government makes such attempt to scrap the Section 377, we will oppose it strongly,” Bukhari said.
Toronto, July 02: An internationally recognised Indian Canadian neurosurgeon is among 60 people honoured with the Order of Canada this year.
The top civilian awards were announced Wednesday to mark Canada Day, which celebrates the birth of the country as a confederation in 1867.
Regina-based neurosurgeon Krishna Kumar, who is internationally known for his research in treating chronic pain, was given the honour for his pioneering work in medical sciences.
New Delhi, July 02: There has been an improvement in the health sector but India faces a shortage of over 28,000 health centres, the Economic Survey 2008-09 said Thursday.
“There is a shortage of 20,855 sub centres, 4,833 primary health centres (PHCs) and 2,525 community health centres (CHCs) as per the 2001 population norm,” the survey said.
Washington, July 02: The pursuit of human happiness can be tripped by stress, financial trouble or chronic illness. Now, a researcher is trying to find the happiness gene, which may be partially responsible for a positive outlook.
Yoram Barak, a Tel Aviv University (TAU) researcher, is engaged in the “attempt to find the happiness gene, the genetic component of happiness”, which may be 50 percent responsible for an optimistic outlook.
New Delhi, July 02: National carrier Air India has been asked to present its restructuring plan within a month, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said Thursday and reiterated that the airline cannot take the government for granted.
“The government wants to know what is needed to be implemented in coming weeks and years. The management and the employees have to come out with a proper restructuring plan. They have to respond quickly,” the minister told reporters outside parliament.
Patel said Air India would appoint investment bank SBI Caps for the financial restructuring.
Chennai, July 02: While Madras High Court Judge R. Reghupathi has refused to name the minister who allegedly threatened and pressurised him, Tamil Nadu’s Leader of Opposition J. Jayalalitha Thursday said Minister for IT and Communication A. Raja was the culprit.
“Though the honourable judge refrained from naming the union minister, it does not require any super-human intelligence to conclude that it was none other than the telecom scam-tainted A. Raja,” the AIADMK general secretary said in a staement.
Hyderabad, July 02: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu Wednesday wanted an unconditional apology from Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy for slapping `false cases’ against TDP MLA from Kovvur TV Ramarao.
Naidu Wednesday called on Ramarao, who was shifted to a private hospital Tuesday night after police foiled his indefinite fast opposing cases against him. However, Ramarao’s wife, daughter and some students of his nursing college were continuing the fast at Indira Park demanding dropping of `rape and murder’ cases against the MLA.
Mumbai, July 02: The government has approved a proposal to revive or restructure 15 loss-making public sector enterprises (PSEs), Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said here Thursday.
“Based on recommendations of the Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises (BRPSE), the government has approved implementation of revival or restructuring packages in case of 15 PSEs,” Deshmukh told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.
A decision on revival of the now defunct Mining and Allied Machinery Corp (MAMC) will also be taken soon, Deshmukh said.
Kolkata, July 02: State-owned Power Finance Corp Ltd (PFC) may cut its lending rate by 25 basis points to 11.5 percent keeping in view the fall of interest rates, a company official said here Thursday.
“We may reduce our rates and align it with present market levels,” said M.K. Goel, director PFC (institution development and administration). He was speaking on the sidelines of an energy conference organised by an industry body.
At present, the lending rate of PFC is 11.75 percent. However, Goel did not divulge when this rate cut is likely to happen.
New Delhi: Even though India is the largest supplier of vaccines to the world, its domestic market is completely paralyzed, risking the health of millions of children, especially newborns, says a report.
“India is the largest supplier of vaccines to the world yet its domestic market of vaccines stands completely crippled, endangering the health and future of millions of its children, especially newborns,” according to a report in Down To Earth (DTE), a fortnightly magazine of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
Washington, July 02: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Thursday garlanded a recently installed statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the city of Leicester. Brown surprised shoppers in Belgrave Road, a popular Indian shopping area of Leicester, when he dropped by to view the statue – believed to be only the second of Gandhi in Europe.
The British leader also became the first person to sign the new visitors’ book at the imposing statue, which was sculpted by Gautam Pal and shipped from Kolkata before being unveiled by British home minister Alan Johnson June 26.
Karachi, July 02: Pakistani cricket authorities on Thursday fined Mohammad Asif one million rupees (12,500 dollars) over the fast bowler’s 19-day detention at Dubai airport for alleged drug possession.
Asif, 26, was detained last June on his way back home after playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
A three-member Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) committee headed by former captain and PCB director Wasim Bari investigated the matter.
“On recommendation of the committee we have fined Asif one million rupees,” the PCB said in a press release.
Baghdad, July 02: A roadside bomb blew up as an Iraqi army patrol passed by in Baghdad on Thursday, killing one soldier and wounding 10 two days after U.S. troops pulled out of cities and handed security to their local counterparts, police said.
The bomb was the first in Baghdad, police said, since Tuesday’s partial U.S. withdrawal, a day labeled “National Sovereignty Day” by Iraqi authorities elated at what they see as a major step to shaking off a foreign occupation.
Berlin, July 02: Germany’s parliament met Thursday to approve the deployment of up to 300 troops to assist in airborne surveillance operations in Afghanistan.
The soldiers will crew and provide maintenance for NATO airborne warning and control system (AWACS) planes when they are deployed in the landlocked Asian nation.
The aircraft, with mushroom-shaped radar structures on their backs, will mainly supervise military air traffic.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet sanctioned the deployment on June 17, but approval from the lower house is needed before it can go ahead.
Mysore, July 02: Three people were killed Thursday in clashes over the desecration of a mosque in this Karnataka city.
The three – Zubaiullah (15), Yasir (35) and Tirupati (40) – died of stab wounds following the clash in the Udayagiri suburb of Mysore, about 140 km from the state capital Bangalore.
Tensions erupted over the desecration of the Alima mosque in Kyathamaranahalli locality when worshippers found the carcass of a swine, according to police.
‘The situation is tense but under control,’ Udayagiri sub-inspector M. Srikanth told IANS by phone.
Rawalpindi, July 02: At least six people have been killed and two dozen others have been injured by a suicide bomber near a congested junction in Pakistan’s garrison city of Rawalpindi.
The blast happened Thursday on the main Peshawar road in Rawalpindi where the Pakistani military is headquartered.
Sources said the attack appeared to have been a suicide bombing and that the bomber’s body parts had been recovered by police.
Rescue teams rushed the injured to the nearby hospitals.
The death toll is expected to rise as some of the injured are said to be in critical condition.
New Delhi, July 02: Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan has rejected demands that judges reveal details about their wealth and fears they will face “frivolous complaints” if they are made to do so.
Balakrishnan told CNN-IBN’s Bhupendra Chaubey that judges of the higher judiciary already give details of their assets to court registrars. “We are disclosing assets–all the judges of the Supreme Court have done that. But we are not giving (the details) to the public. All official acts are with the registrar,” he said.
Lucknow, July 02:Samsung Electronic Company Ltd, one of the leading mobile phone providers, today launched its first outdoor mobile phone ‘Samsung Marine B 2100’, priced at Rupees 7.030.
Speaking at the launch of the new mobile phone, Sunil Dutt, company Country Head told reporters that the company is seeking to create a new segment in the country’s mobile phone market with this launch.
The ‘Samsung Marine B2100’ mobile phone being the water-proof, shock-proof, dust-proof and bump-proof will be the perfect outdoor mobile experience for the consumers, claimed Mr Dutt.
New Delhi, July 02: India’s second largest two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto Thursday said its sales dipped 5 percent last month to 168,471 units, comparing to 177,112 units sold in June 2008.
However, the company’s three-wheeler sales rose 26 percent to 24,731 units last month from 19,629 units in the like period last year.
“Domestic commercial vehicle sales have begun to grow on the back of marketing initiatives focused on the in-city segment,” a company statement said.
Dubai, July 02: FlyDubai, Dubai’s low-budget carrier, announced yesterday that it has secured a deal to finance four Boeing 737-800 aircraft worth $320 million with GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS).
The sale and leaseback agreement covers the aircraft due to be delivered this year, with two expected in July, one in October and one in December.
New Delhi, July 02: Reacting to the hike in petrol and diesel prices, RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Thursday said it was an injustice to the poor people.
“It is an injustice to the poor people of the country. Prices of diesel should rather have been decreased,” Prasad told reporters outside Parliament House.
The government on Wednesday hiked petrol and diesel prices by Rs 4 and Rs 2 per litre respectively.
–Agencies
Islamabad, July 02: The United Nations formally began a six-month investigation yesterday into the slaying of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, a process that the government hopes will lead to her killers being brought to justice.
The three-member UN commission is being led by Chile’s UN Ambassador Heraldo Munoz, a dissident during the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. It began its work yesterday, said UN spokeswoman in Pakistan Ishrat Rizvi.
Vienna, July 02: The UN atomic watchdog on Thursday met to elect a successor to Mohamed ElBaradei who is stepping down after 12 years as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The IAEA’s 35-member board of governors was to begin a special closed-door session at 10:30 am (0830 GMT) to choose between candidates from Japan, South Africa and Spain.
Initially, there were five candidates for the influential post. But Belgian Jean-Pol Poncelet and Slovenian candidate Ernest Petric pulled out of the race after getting indications that they had no support.