Month: October 2009

‘Change of guard not priority’

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New Delhi, October 31: Just when the Congress high command felt they have managed to cap the rebellion in AP Congress, Women and Child Welfare Minister Konda Surekha took both Delhi and Hyderabad by surprise by submitting her resignation directly to Governor ND Tiwari sticking to her earlier stand of quitting the government unless YS Jaganmohan Reddy was made chief minister.

What has put the Congress top-brass in a spot of bother was her claim that she was forced to resign to honour the sentiments of the people of AP.

Typhoon smashes storm-weary Philippines

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Philippines, October 31: Typhoon Mirinae has smashed through the Philippines, killing 11 people and worsening floods in areas that were struggling to recover from recent deadly storms, officials say.

The typhoon, packing winds of up to 185km/h, is the third major storm to hit the Philippines’ main island of Luzon in just five weeks, with the previous two claiming more than 1100 lives.

GE and its volunteering efforts

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Hyderabad, October 31: GE volunteers has been working for societal benefit since a long time. Working for infrastructure reconstruction for the flood-affected, GE Volunteers has also provided various basic amenities like blankets and other requirements. “All the GE employees are by default a part of GE Volunteers and we try and make sure that we actually work with people and don’t just give money,” said Sanjeev Jain, India leader of GE Volunteers.

Afghan vote boycott ‘won’t affect poll’

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Wahington, October 31: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says a boycott of the run-off election in Afghanistan by runner-up Abdullah Abdullah won’t de-legitimise the poll.

Mrs Clinton, who was asked whether the outcome of a run-off with only one candidate would result in a legitimate government, said such situations are “not unprecedented” and occur in the United States and other countries.

Architect posing as IRS officer held

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Hyderabad, October 31: A BSc graduate, who worked as an architect in Guntur, posed as an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer and cheated several persons under the pretext of sanctioning them government projects and works.

The 33-year-old graduate, K Venkata Ratna Reddy alias Ratna Reddy alias K V R Reddy, is a native of Guntur district. After his degree, he took up the job of a building elevation designer. Then Ratna Reddy met with an accident and the doctors asked him to stay away from hard physical work.

International Children’s Film Festival in city

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Hyderabad, October 31: A virtual celluloid feast will be offered to cinema lovers in Hyderabad when the International Children’s Film Festival begins on November 14. The fest coincides with Children’s Day and will showcase over 60 films from across the globe.

The Golden Elephant – 16 has many interesting sections such as International Competition, Asian Panorama and Children’s World.

Brett Lee out of India series, returns to Australia

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New Delhi, October 31: Injury-ravaged Australia’s campaign in the ongoing one-day series against India received a body blow today with pace spearhead Brett Lee ruled out of the remainder of the series because of an elbow injury.

The 32-year-old would return home midway through the series to consult specialists, the team management said in a statement.

Lee was unable to complete his 10-over spell during the first ODI against India in Baroda and was not available for selection in the second match of the series in Nagpur.

Police alert on Maoist movement

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Vizianagaram,October 31: Police sounded an alert in the district, especially in the fort town, following information that deputy commander and action team member of Srikakulam-Koraput joint divisional committee of the CPI (Maoist) Chedda Bhushanam alias doctor alias Katro alias Nagaraju was in the town with a motive to attack his targets.

Rosaiah asks Governor to accept minister’s resignation

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Hyderabad, October 31: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah on Friday asked Governor ND Tiwari to accept the resignation of Women Development and Child Welfare Minister Konda Surekha.

Unhappy over the Congress party’s decision not to make YS Jaganmohan Reddy the chief minister, the minister had resigned from the Cabinet Thursday night.

According to sources in the Chief Minister’s office, Rosaiah sent a letter to the Governor recommending that her resignation be accepted.

Typhoon lashes Philippines; 7 killed

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Manila,October 31: The fourth typhoon to whip the Philippines in a month lashed the capital and nearby provinces Saturday, leaving fresh floods and new misery before blowing out of the country. At least seven people were killed and several were missing.

Typhoon Mirinae, with winds of 93 miles (150 kilometers) per hour and gusts of up to 115 mph (185 kph), slammed into Quezon province northeast of Manila around midnight Friday. It quickly swept westward out to sea south of the capital and weakened into a tropical storm Saturday afternoon.

Global swine flu toll rises to over 5,700: WHO

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Geneva, October 31: More than 700 people have died of swine flu this week raising the number of fatalities from the viral disease to 5,712 worldwide, Xinhua reported citing the UN health agency Friday.

Of all the deaths, 4,175 occurred in the Americas, 605 occurred in South-East Asia and 465 occurred in the West Pacific. Europe, East Mediterranean and Africa reported 281, 111 and 75 deaths respectively, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a latest update Friday.

Jehadi footprint in NE in elementary stage: IB

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Shillong, October 31: The jehadi ‘footprint’ in the North East was in the elementary stage, but it could mature in future, a top IB official said on Saturday.

“There are no major footprints of jehadi terrorism in the Northeastern region,” Additional Director of Intelligence Bureau R N Ravi said.

“You have radical elements in the neighbourhood. Again, you have some people in the North East who are disgruntled against the state and the system. There is a convergence between the two,” Ravi told reporters after the conclusion of the North East DGPs conference here.

Goa police arrests two in Margao blast case

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Panaji, October 31: Two persons were arrested on Saturday in connection with the blast in which two members of a right-wing Hindu group were killed in the commercial town of Margao in Goa on October 16.

“We have arrested two persons in connection with the blast. Both are locals,” Deputy Inspector General of Police Ravindra Yadav said in Panaji.

However, the official did not reveal the names of those arrested. Police sources said that the arrests were made on basis of clues received from the mobile phone used by Malgonda Patil, one of the two victims who was later named an accused.

‘Katrina is one of the most beautiful women in the world’

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Mumbai, October 31:Method actor Neil Nitin Mukesh has always believed in taking the path less traveled. Although, he belongs to the illustrious family of legendary singer Mukesh, the hunk chose to take up acting as a career rather than music. And he began with an eclectic mix of films like ‘Johnny Gaddar’, ‘New York’ and now, ‘Jail’. Talking to Swati Chaturvedi of Spicezee.com in the show, ‘Kahiye Janab’, the actor spoke about his sweetheart Katrina, a mysterious girlfriend and more.

Indian spinners restrict Australia to 229 for five

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New Delhi, October 31: Indian spinners got good purchase from the slow track at the Ferozeshah Kotla to restrict Australia to 229 for five in 50 overs in the third one-day international here Saturday.

Michael Hussey struck 81 off 82 balls with three fours and a six, while skipper Ricky Ponting, opening the innings for the second time in his career, took 92 balls for his 59.

Pamela Anderson not pregnant: Richie Rich

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London, October 31: Former “Baywatch” star Pamela Anderson’s designer friend Richie Rich has dismissed reports that the actress is pregnant with her third child.

Earlier this week Anderson had sparked these speculation when she was spotted looking curvier than usual, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“She is not pregnant… just happy. She doesn’t have to say anything because they (rumours) are not true. She actually gets upset because her kids go to school. After all she is a human being. We all are humans,” said Richie Rich.

—IANS

Big B ready to do another film with Sujoy Ghosh

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Mumbai, October 31: Director Sujoy Ghosh, whose “Aladin” has been slammed by critics, got the surprise of his life when Amitabh Bachchan, who plays the genie in it, offered him much-needed tonic.

On seeing how nervous and depressed Ghosh was, Big B impulsively told him: “Okay, go ahead announce your next film with me.”

Mallika Sherawat gets new look!

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Mumbai, October 31: Everyone thinks that Bollywood hottie Mallika Sherawat is a hot property of film industry and looks sexy. It seems that she doesn’t believe it.

Sherawat, who has been living in New York for sometime past, has undergone knife to get new look. Grapevine is that Mallika got surgery done on her lips to make them perfect.

A source said that Sherawat has to work in a Hollywood project. So the actress underwent surgery to attain new look that her role in the upcoming flick demands.

Well Mallika, audience are eager to have a glimpse of your new look.

—IANS7

Visit China to know plight of Tibetans: Dalai Lama

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Dharamsala, October 31: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Saturday asked the international community to visit Tibet to know the plight of the Tibetans.

“I strongly appeal to the international community, especially to the media, to go to China and Tibet and investigate the reality of the situation,” the spiritual leader told reporters in Japan, according to a post on the website of the Tibetan government-in-exile here.

He had started his nine-day visit to Japan Friday at the invitation of Shikoku Buddhist Association and Okinawa Mahabodhi Association.

UN workers in Kabul attacked hour before security ready

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Kabul, October 31: The Afghan authorities had advanced information about this week’s Taliban attack against UN workers in Kabul and moved to avert it, but the insurgents struck one hour before the extra security measures were in place, an intelligence chief admitted Saturday.

Three Taliban fighters, wearing suicide vests and carrying automatic rifles attacked a UN guesthouse in downtown Kabul before 6 a.m. Wednesday, killing five international UN staff, two security guards and a civilian. The attackers were also killed in the incident.

UAE’s Saed company gets ISO certification

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Abu Dhabi, October 31: Prince Philip, the Crown Prince of Belgium, has awarded the ISO 9001-2008 certification to Saed Company For Traffic Systems for its quality system standards at a ceremony held here.

Chairman of Vin Cotte International Middle East, which provides the ISO certification, handed the certificate to Director General Saed Ibrahim Yusouf in the presence of Anick Van Calster, the Belgian ambassador to the UAE and Hussein Al-Harethi, Saed chairman, a WAM news agency report said.

—IANS

‘Terror in Pakistan may spill over to India’

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Udhampur, October 31: The spate of terror strikes and the resultant turmoil in Pakistan may spill over to India, top central government and army officials said Saturday.

“I think we can expect some of the terror strikes in Pakistan to spill over to India. As Pakistan is in turmoil, we have to be vigilant and fully prepared to thwart any attack on us,” union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said in Banglaore during an interaction with the alumni of Bishop Cotton Boys School, where he was a student in the early 1960s.

Lady Hardinge nursing student commits suicide

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New Delhi, October 31: Snubbed by her boyfriend, a 21-year-old nursing student of the Lady Hardinge Medical College Saturday committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan of her hostel room, police said.
The victim, identified as Mercedes Kohmdram, from Manipur, hanged herself in her hostel room at around 8.30 a.m. She was a third year student and stayed alone in the room.

Sri Lankan president prays at Tirupathi

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Hyderabad, October 31: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa Saturday offered prayers at the famous Lord Venkateshwara temple at Tirupathi in Andhra Pradesh.

Rajapaksa arrived in a special aircraft from Nepal, where he was on a pilgrimage, and after a ‘darshan’ at the temple atop Tirumala Hills left for Sri Lanka, officials said.

Accompanied by his wife and some officials, the Sri Lankan president landed at Renigunta airport near Tirupathi and drove straight to the world’s richest Hindu temple.

Aligarh Muslim University students continue hunger strike

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Aligarh, October 31: A day after the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) was temporarily closed following prolonged student unrest over a murder, some students on a hunger strike Saturday refused to withdraw their agitation till the vice chancellor is removed.

Meanwhile, the administration Saturday claimed that students were leaving the campus for their home towns.

But there was simmering discontent among a section of students, many of whom said the closure was “a clear sign of helplessness and lack of will to arrest the rot in the academia”.