Month: August 2009

6 months into probe, ACB yet to arrest ‘corrupt’ policemen

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New Delhi, August 01: Almost six months into their hunt, the Delhi government’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) is yet to trace an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of the Special Staff who is facing a case of alleged corruption and illegal detention.

This, despite the ACB’s “thorough” probe since an FIR was lodged against ACP Chanderhas back in February.

Significantly, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of ACB I D Shukla told Newsline that it was not “extraordinary” that they have not yet arrested ACP Chanderhas.

Kamal Haasan: 50 years of Indian Cinema

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Mumbai, August 01: In a strange coincidence while his daughter Shruti Hassan makes her debut with LUCK her father Kamal Hassan has completed fifty years of his association with the motion pictures in India, and like an old war horse he still carries on.

China summons Aussie ambassador over Uighur visit

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Beijing, August 01: China summoned the Australian ambassador to protest a proposed visit to his country by an exiled Uighur leader whom Beijing accuses of instigating recent ethnic riots that killed nearly 200 people, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun called the meeting with Geoff Raby because of the trip to Australia next week by U.S.-based Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer, a ministry statement said.

China — one of Australia’s most important trading partners — has made repeated requests to the Australian government to refuse her a visa.

Car made by Indian students wins first prize in US

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Chandigarh, August 01: A car designed and built by engineering students from a Punjab town has won first prize in the perseverance category at an international competition, held in the US.

The car won first prize at the ‘International Car Fiesta Shell Eco Marathon’ held at Fontana, California April 15-18.

Ankit Khurana, team leader of the project, said here Friday: ‘Around 32 teams from different countries participated in this competition. We were the only team from Asia. We named our car Stealth and christened ourselves Team Stealth.’

Ex-RJD MP convicted in fodder scam

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Ranchi, August 01: A special CBI court on Friday convicted former RJD MP R K Rana and thirteen other fodder scam accused for fraudulently withdrawing Rs 28.26 lakh from the government treasury.

Rana was posted as a veterinary doctor with the Animal Husbandry Department when he was made an accused in the case for illegally withdrawing money from the treasury by producing fake invoices in connivance with other officials and fodder suppliers between January 1, 1992 and 30 June 1992.

Rana had resigned from his government post in 1994 and became MP the following year.

Women porters’ test: Centre seeks report

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Allahabad, August 01: Reacting to a report on women undergoing physical endurance tests for the job of porters in Allahabad, Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath said the Railway authorities have been told to file a “detailed report” on the matter.

“I am seeking details from the zonal Railway authorities about the procedure of appointment of porters, including pregnant women. I have asked the authorities to send a detailed report on the procedure,” she said.

Over six lakh Swat refugees return home: UN

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United Nations, August 01: More than six lakhs Swat refugees, displaced due to the Pak military action against the Taliban in the region, have now returned home, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

That leaves some 1.6 million people who have not yet returned from displacement and who will continue to require humanitarian assistance, UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York.

Maya-Rahul face-off over Bundelkhand Authority

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New Delhi, August 01: UP Chief Minister Mayawati and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi seem set to clash over the creation of a Bundelkhand Development Authority (BDA). While Mayawati shot off another letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday, her second in 24 hours, Rahul asserted that the Congress was determined to “do something” for the people of Bundelkhand, “whatever be the objections”.

Pvt airlines threaten strike on Aug 18

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New Delhi, August 01: Desperate for funds, major Indian private airlines have threatened to strike work if the government does not provide them a bailout in the form of measures like ATF tax cut etc.

In a press conference organised by Federation of Indian Aviation, the private owners like Jet Airway’s Naresh Goyal, Kingfisher’s Vijay Mallya expressed their disillusionment with the Government in not extending help to the grieving sector.

Total cure for fungal infections found

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Toronto, August 01: Fungal infections can be deadly as fungus germs have developed resistance to drug treatment. But now researchers have found a way to make drugs more effective in clearing all fungal infections.

Led by Toronto University professor Leah Cowen, an international team has discovered that the fungal pathogen or germ called Candida albicans, resists drug treatment because of an associated protein called heat shock protein 90 or Hsp90.

Candida albicans can cause from superficial infections such as yeast infections to life-threatening infections in the bloodstream.

Ban on today, autos gear up for tussle with govt

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Kolkata, August 01: With the state government keen to implement the ban on polluting vehicles from August 1, the auto unions have decided not to go on a strike against the order.

“We will run our autos tomorrow and face the consequences. If the police wants to confiscate our vehicles, we will request them not to do so,” said Bitan Haldar, secretary, Trinamool’s auto union. The auto drivers will also hold demonstrations at various places on Saturday.

Pvt airlines threaten strike on Aug 18

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New Delhi, August 01: Desperate for funds, major Indian private airlines have threatened to strike work if the government does not provide them a bailout in the form of measures like ATF tax cut etc.

In a press conference organised by Federation of Indian Aviation, the private owners like Jet Airway’s Naresh Goyal, Kingfisher’s Vijay Mallya expressed their disillusionment with the Government in not extending help to the grieving sector.

Nirupama Rao is India’s new foreign secretary

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New Delhi, August 01: Nirupama Rao took charge as India’s foreign secretary Saturday morning, the second woman to head India’s foreign service.

Rao succeeded Shivshankar Menon at a brief ceremony in South Block. Chokila Iyer was the first woman to serve as India’s foreign secretary in 2001.

A topper of the 1973 Indian Foreign Service batch, Rao also became the first woman spokesperson of the external affairs ministry in 2001. She then went on become the Indian envoy to Sri Lanka and then China before returning to New Delhi.

Average summer bonus see a record 17.15 percent decline

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Tokyo, August 01: Summer bonuses at Japan’s leading companies saw the largest year-on-year fall this fiscal with a record 17.15 percent decline from a year ago, according to Japan Business Federation.

The current drop is the sharpest on record for both summer and winter bonuses since 1959 when the nation’s most influential business lobby known as Nippon Keidanren began compiling relevant data.

As per Keidanren’s survey, the average summer bonus declined for the second straight year amid the global economic downturn.

Priyanka Chopra refused to kiss supposed beau Shahid

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Mumbai, August 01: Priyanka and Shahid might share an awesome off screen chemistry but when according to the latest B-town buzz, the actress was quite wary of kissing her ‘Kaminey’ co-star during the shoot of the film.

News has it that Piggy Chops is not a huge fan of on-screen love scenes and blankly refused to lock lips with Shahid during the making of ‘Kaminey.’ However, director Vishal Bharadwaj tried to convince the diva for two months in order to think over it.

Purdy: ‘Now let me die in Britain’

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London, August 01: The right to end your life on the NHS will be available within a few years, campaigners forecast yesterday, as they stepped up their battle to change Britain’s suicide laws.

Buoyed by the law lords’ ruling in the case of Debbie Purdy, who has multiple sclerosis, they have vowed to renew their efforts to change the law. Mrs Purdy stressed yesterday that she would rather be able to die at home when she chooses, than go to Switzerland, where the laws on assisted suicide are less restrictive than in the UK.
–Agencies

An undated photo of Farhan Haq. He said civilian killings have risen in Afghanistan.

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United Nations, August 01: Noting that there is no decline in civilian casualties in Afghanistan, a UN report has said there has been a record 24 per cent increase in death of civilians in the country in the first six months of the current year as compared to the previous year, during the same period.

As the conflict in Afghanistan intensifies and spreads, it is taking an increasingly heavy toll on civilians, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a mid-year report on the situation of civilians in armed conflict, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said yesterday.

Obama to travel to India at some point

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Washington, August 01: US President Barack Obama would visit India in the near future, but not in the next three months, the White House said.

“I know the President at some point will travel to India,” the White House Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, told reporters at his daily press briefing Friday.

“I do not have anything on the schedule for the next three months,” Gibbs said in response to a question.

The Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, is visiting the United States in November later this year on a state visit.

–Agencies

Over six lakh Swat refugees return home: UN

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United Nations, August 01: More than six lakhs Swat refugees, displaced due to the Pak military action against the Taliban in the region, have now returned home, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

That leaves some 1.6 million people who have not yet returned from displacement and who will continue to require humanitarian assistance, UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York.

Gaza in A Jar?

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During the Nuremberg Trials, there is a story of a disturbing incident that occurred. The prosecution was finding it difficult to convict those accused of committing crimes against humanity. The suspected war criminals were either justifying their mass murder as acts of self-defense, or claiming to be helpless statesmen and soldiers only obeying orders. Someone then brought in the head of a Jewish victim preserved in a jar.

CBI to question Buta Singh in bribery scam

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New Delhi, August 01: The noose around the Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe, Buta Singh tightened further on Saturday with the CBI looking all set to question the former Union minister following the reported confession of his son Sarabjot Singh in the Rs 1 crore bribery case.

According to reports, Sarabjot, the prime accused in the bribery scam which came to light on Thursday, has confessed before CBI investigators that his father knew about the bribe.

Gujarat Governor designate DN Dwivedi passes away

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New Delhi, August 01: Gujarat Governor designate DN Dwivedi, who was admitted to a hospital here due to liver problems, died early Saturday morning. He was 74.

Dwivedi, who was suffering from liver problems, was admitted to Intensive Care Unit of Gastroenterology department in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on July 23, hospital sources said.

He was to undergo a liver transplant, but died at 4.00 am today, they said.

Dwivedi was appointed to succeed Nawal Kishore Sharma, whose five-year-term got over on July 24 this month.

SKorea awaits word on fishermen seized by North

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Seoul, August 01: Investigations into four South Korean fishermen who were seized after illegally entering North Korean waters continued for a third day Saturday, North Korea said.

South Korea has urged their quick release, saying their boat accidentally strayed across the sea border.

The 29-ton boat drifted north Thursday after its satellite navigation system apparently malfunctioned. North Korean soldiers towed the vessel to the eastern port of Jangjon, just north of the border, South Korean officials said.

Philippine democracy icon Aquino passes away

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Manila, August 01: Philippine democracy icon and former President Corazon Aquino died Saturday after battling colon cancer for more than a year, her family said. She was 76.

Cory, as people fondly called her, had been hospitalized in the Makati Medical Centre in Manila since late June after her health deteriorated and the cancer spread to other parts of her body.

“Our mother peacefully passed away at 3.18 a.m. Augt 1, 2009, of cardio-respiratory arrest,” Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III said.