Month: September 2009

Novartis: Swine flu vaccine tests ‘encouraging’

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Geneva, September 03: Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis reported Thursday progress in clinical trials on a vaccine for swine flu saying one dose had led to successful immunization in 80 per cent of subjects.

Tests done on 100 healthy volunteers also reveled that 90 per cent became immune to swine flu if they were given two doses.

Novartis’ vaccine for the pandemic A(H1N1) virus, as swine flu is technically known, would be called Celtura, the company said in a statement.

Summons to Bihar chief minister in 1991 case

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Patna, September 03: A Bihar court has issued summons to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in a case relating to firing at an election booth during the 1991 Lok Sabha elections.

The Barh sub divisional judicial magistrate’s court issued the summons to Nitish Kumar Wednesday, as he was an ‘accused’ along with three others in the case, official sources said.

Nitish Kumar was a candidate from Barh Lok Sabha seat in the 1991 parliamentary elections.

One man was killed in the firing at an election booth.

–IANS

Agonising wait for YSR’s family

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Hyderabad, September 03: It is an agonising wait for the family of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who remained untraced nearly 24 hours after the chopper carrying him and four others went missing in the dense Nallamalla forests.

The chief minister’s wife Vijayalaxmi and other family members remain confined at the chief minister’s camp office in Begumpet area here, praying for his safe return while his son and Member of Parliament Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy has reached Atmakur in Kurnool district, where the authorities are coordinating search operations.

Sensex slips into red after positive start

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Mumbai, September 03: A key index of the Indian equities markets slipped into the red soon after opening positive today, and was 33 points lower than its previous close about half an hour after start of trade.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened higher at 15,539.34 points, slipped to 15,433.76 points, 33.7 points or 0.22 percent lower than its previous close, about 30 minutes into trade. It had closed on Wednesday at 15,467.46 points.

Uncertainty looms over fate of AP CM

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Hyderabad, September 03: Uncertainty loomed large over the fate of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy 24 hours after the chopper carrying him went missing even as ground operations continued in the dense Nallamalai forest through the night and helicopters resumed search operations this morning.

A low-flying aircraft of ISRO scoured the area and took 41 imagery photos of the area last evening, but State Chief Secretary Ramakant Reddy said the photos don’t show either the missing helicopter or its debris.

Indian Revenue beat ITC by six runs in Corporate Cup

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Mohali, September 03: Indian Revenue beat ITC by six runs in a close match of the Sahara Corporate Cup tournament played at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium here on Wednesday.

Indian Revenue skipper Amay Khurasia won the toss and elected to bat. His team managed to score 255 runs for the loss of eight wickets in 50 overs.

However, decision of batting first did not prove right as at one stage Indian Revenue lost four wickets for just 53 runs. But Avik Chowdhary and Amit Belaskar consolidated the innings with a 86-run partnership.

America is a nation at war: CIA Director

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Washington, September 03: A top American intelligence official has said that the United States is a nation at war which is facing threat from al-Qaeda terrorists in Pakistan.

“We are a nation at war. We are confronting a war in Afghanistan and a war in Iraq. We are confronting al-Qaeda and other terrorists in Pakistan,” CIA Director Leon Panetta said at the Nationally Black Colleges and Universities Week Conference on Tuesday.

Panetta said his agency’s first responsibility is to protect the safety of the US.

Federer advances to face Hewitt while Nadal cruises

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New York, September 03: Five-time defending champion Roger Federer booked a third-round US Open date with former world number one Lleyton Hewitt while six-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal cruised in his opener.

World number one Federer, seeking his 16th career Grand Slam title, ousted Germany’s Simon Greul 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 yesterday while Nadal’s bid to complete a career Slam began with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

YSR: A doctor with a finger on the public pulse (Obituary)

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Hyderabad, September 03: A doctor by training, Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy, or YSR as he was popularly known, was known for his strong administrative skills and whose second stint as chief minister of Andhra Pradesh this year broke a 53-year-old jinx for the Congress party.

This May he became the first Congress chief minister since the state was formed in 1956 to complete a full five-year term and retain power in elections. The only other chief minister who achieved the fate was N.T. Rama Rao of Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

‘Iron woman’ seeks senior Malaysian Indian Congress post

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Kuala Lumpur, September 03: P. Mariayee, called the “Iron woman of Jelebu”, will be seeking the vice president’s post in the male-dominated Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) at the party’s plenary next week.

Heading the party’s Jelebu division for the past 15 years, she is the only woman MIC divisional leader from Seremben, Negri Sembilan state.

Mariayee, 59, has said that she had decided to go for the post as there was a dearth of women at the top in the party.

Israeli moves give Blair hope of rebuilding political trust

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Jerusalem, September 03: Tony Blair expressed optimism yesterday that Israel and the US would agree on a settlement moratorium sufficient to pave the way for the first political negotiations between Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and the moderate Palestinian leadership.

The international community’s Middle East envoy was speaking after three days of talks with Israeli leaders including Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Taliban sends suicide bomber to kill Karzai’s security adviser

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Kabul, September 03: One of the most senior and heavily guarded security officials in Afghanistan was killed yesterday in a suicide bombing. The blast at a mosque near Laghman east of the Afghan capital Kabul, also killed 23 others including women and children and injured 36 others.

The target of the lone bomber was a group of VIPs who had gathered at the entrance of the mosque in Laghman. In what will be seen as a major propaganda coup for the Taliban, the blast claimed the life of Abdullah Laghmani, the highly influential deputy head of Afghanistan’s intelligence service.

Helicopter traced, YSR’s fate uncertain

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Hyderbad, September 03: The helicopter carrying Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has been traced in Nallamalla forests in Kurnool district Thursday morning, a defence official said around 24 hours after it went missing. However, the fate of the chief minister and four others still remain uncertain. Unconfirmed reports said the helicopter was mangled.

“We have located the helicopter. It is on top of a hill 40 nautical miles east of Kurnool. We are trying to find out if there are survivors,” the official told reporters in Kurnool, in southern Andhra Pradesh.

YSR body reaches Hyderabad: Updated

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Hyderabad, September 03: The chief minister’s body has arrived at Hyderabad. It will be taken to his official residence. From 9 am to 1 pm tomorrow, YSR’s body will be at Lal Bahadur Stadium for public viewing. He will then be taken to his village, Pulivendula, for last rites.

Muslim woman furious at courtroom ban

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Wellington, September 03: A Hastings Muslim woman who was barred from entering a courtroom because she refused to take off her headscarf is going to lodge a complaint with the Human Rights Commission.

Yasmeen Ali said she had gone to Hastings District Court yesterday morning to support her brother, also a Muslim, who was being sentenced, Hawke’s Bay Today reported.

When she arrived she was allowed to stay in the courtroom for a short time, despite being asked to remove the scarf, or Hajib, by a court officer.

Witnesses depose in Parle taxi blast

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Mumbai, September 03: Witnesses for the Vile Parle taxi bomb blast of November 26, 2008, allegedly orchestrated by Pakistani gunmen, Mohammed Ajmal Kasab and his slain accomplice, Abu Ismail, were deposed before the court on Wednesday.

Mohan Welankar, a businessman, who was at the spot deposed that the blast took place opposite City Swan Club in Vile Parle.

As per the prosecution case, after Kasab and Ismail got off Badhwar park with their eight accomplices, they boarded a taxi to proceed to CST railway station.

Man held for ‘raping’ 20-year-old

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Mumbai, September 03: Kandivli police on Tuesday arrested a 35-year-old man who had gone missing after getting a 20-year-old pregnant by luring her with the promise of marriage. The accused, Prakash Baburao Chabukswar, hails from Aurangbad.

According to police, the victim had registered a complaint with the police against Chabukswar a few months ago, alleging that he didn’t fulfill the commitment of marrying her, based on which she had entered into a relationship with him, said senior police inspector Surendra Jaiswal.

IAF helicopters resume search for YSR

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Hyderabad, September 03: Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters Thursday resumed search operations for the helicopter carrying Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, nearly 24 hours after it went missing in the dense Nallamalla forests.

At the day break, at least five IAF helicopters resumed search operations while the army and police intensified the biggest-ever search operation, which has now narrowed down to five kilometres radius in Kurnool district where the chopper was last seen by some villagers.

Women are stronger than men: Akhsay Kumar

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Mumbai, September 03: Akshay Kumar maintains that women are stronger than men when it comes to mental strength and says he chose Twinkle as his life partner because she has the courage to “kick” people in the “butt”.

Organ Theft Affair: Israelis Boycotting IKEA

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Swedish photojournalist Donald Boström has really infuriated the Israelis and its supporters. On August 17, Sweden’s most widely circulated newspaper, Aftonbaldet, carried an article by Boström entitled ‘Our sons plundered for their organs.’

Palestinian woman speaks of jailhouse abuse

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Jerusalem, September 03: One of the many Palestinian women languishing in Israeli prisons. A female Palestinian detainee has recounted how she was under continuous interrogation, intimidation, and abuse for 14 days by Israeli soldiers and interrogators.

Najwa Awni Abdul-Ghani told a Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) lawyer that on July 21, 2009, Israeli soldiers searched her family’s home for three hours. They caused damage to property, terrorized the family, and kidnapped her and her brother Salah.

Saudi to Cut Jail Term of Well-behaved Prisoners

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Jeddah, September 03: The Interior Minister of Saudi Arabia can waive 15 per cent of a convicted prisoners’ jail term in addition to previous concessions if they have completed an educational and vocational training programme inside prison and does not pose a security threat 
on release.

The previous law allowed the minister to release prisoners once they completed three quarters of their punishment on condition that their conduct is good and the release does not pose a threat to public security.

4 Iraqi security personnel to hang for bank heist

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Baghdad, September 03: Four members of Iraq’s security forces were convicted Wednesday of robbing a Baghdad bank and killing eight guards and were sentenced to hang in a trial that could leave behind considerable political fallout.

Critics of the swift judgment in the case say the government is seeking to wrap up the trial quickly to avert political damage from links between at least one of the suspects and one of Iraq’s two vice presidents.

Family of organ-theft victim wants probe

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Gaza, September 03: The family of a Palestinian at the center of the organ-theft story in the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet has called for a probe into the death of their son.

The family of Bilal Ahmed Ghanem–the 19-year-old Palestinian killed by Israeli soldiers in1992- called on legal and human rights groups to form an independent inquiry panel to investigate the killing of their son and his missing internal organs, Xinhua reported on Wednesday.

New image for The Enfant Terrible… Salman Khan

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Mumbai, September 03: Trust Salman Khan to always court extremes. So far he has done not one short film on a public issue. Now starting next month we’ll see him in as many as 30 of these films on television one after another, all for a cause.

Salman Khan has never done so much media coverage before, and there’s a good reason for it.

Almost all the marketing for Wanted will benefit Salman’s new charity concern Being Human in one way or another.