Month: November 2009

Kanchi Seer’s call to promote Hindu Dharma

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Tirupati, November 07: Kanchi Kamakoti Peethadhipati Sri Jayendra Saraswati Swamy today called upon people to strive to uphold Hindu Dharma.

Speaking after releasing a book on Hindu temples in Cambodia written by former MLA and BJP leader NP Venkateswara Choudary, the Kanchi seer said Hinduism was a universal religion.

Promoting the essence of Hinduism all over the globe is the bounden responsibility of every Hindu as it is the only faith that emphasises tolerance and respect to other religions, he said.

Fearing trouble, PCC keeps 2nd list a secret

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Hyderabad, November 07: Sensing trouble from disappointed party ticket aspirants and their supporters, the Pradesh Congress Committee decided not to release names of candidates to the media for remaining 20 municipal divisions, but directed the selected party candidates over phone to file their nomination papers immediately as today was the last day for filing of nominations for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections.

CPI urges CM to settle row with unions

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Hyderabad, November 07: CPI State Committee secretary K Narayana has urged Chief Minister K Rosaiah to resolve the `incentive bonus’ issue amicably by holding talks with representatives of the recognised trade union of Singareni Collieries.

The CPI leader took strong objection to the collieries management’s decision to give 10 per cent incentive bonus to the workers and employees against the usual 16 per cent bonus.

Traffic jam kills TD’s mayoral hopes

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Hyderabad, November 07: He vowed to solve civic issues after becoming first mayor of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). But he ended up as a victim of Traffic, the biggest problem in the city.

He is none other than Telugu Desam Party’s mayoral candidate Rambhotla Sudheesh. As TDP leadership considered his name for mayor post, he wanted to file his nomination papers along with B-form to contest as a corporator from Hydernagar division in Kukatpally circle. On his way, he was stuck in the traffic jam and could not reach Kukatpally GHMC Circle office.

KCR submits memoranda to Governor, CM

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Hyderabad, November 07: Telanga na Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhara Rao met Governor ND Tiwari and Chief Minister K Rosaiah today separately and submitted memoranda on the need for formation of a separate Telangana State. The TRS chief in his memorandum said that if the Central and State governments did not solve the Telangana issue the party would have no choice but to launch indefinite fast in the last week of November.

The TRS leader urged the Chief Minister to introduce a resolution in the Assembly in support of Telangana State.

Wake up and smell the artistic coffee

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Hyderabad, November 07: Swirls of paint, marry on canvas to form myriad colours and tell a story that lies in the eyes of the beholder. The abstract art themed ‘Coffee and Colours’, on display at the Cyber Tower, wowed visitors and art enthusiasts, with its colourful compositions. The combined show was an effort by two city-based painters, Saira Hakim and Niveditha S, and showcased the use of materials like acrylic, oil and even coffee on canvas.

Children find glory in road less travelled

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Hyderabad, November 07: Two teenagers from Andhra Pradesh have brought acclaim to the State with their unparallel talent and achievements.

14-year-old Rishi Tej, an artist and 13-yearold Vennam Jyothi Surekha a professional archer have represented India on various international platforms and won laurels for the country.

Rishi Tej, who is from Hyderabad has won awards in the International Child Art Exhibition, Child Art Centre at Skopjee and 6th International Competition in Moscow.

99 IPS probationers pass out of NPA

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Hyderabad, November 07: Ninety-nine Indian Police Services (IPS) probationary officers of the 61 RR batch stepped out of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) today after 46-week basic institutional training. Those who passed out include 23 women officers and eight each from the Royal Bhutan Police Service and the Maldives Police Service.

CCTVs at traffic signals fail to materialise

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Hyderabad, November 07: The much-hyped plan to install CCTVs at various junctions across the Twin Cities to track down traffic violators still remains on paper, two years after it was proposed. Though the project came up for discussion during the Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) meeting recently, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) kept the project on hold reportedly citing lack of funds as the reason.

Inter exams from March 3

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Hyderabad, November 07: G Balaramaiah, Secretary, Board of Intermediate Education, announced the schedule for Intermediate examinations here today. Practical exams will be held from Feb 3 to 22 while theory examinations are scheduled from March 3 to 22. However, environmental education examination would be held on January 30 from 10 a.m.

to 1 p.m, he said in a press release. The theory exams will be held from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. The tentative timetable for the exams for both first and second year are as follows.

Andhra CM Rosaiah meets PM, Sonia

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New Delhi, November 07: On his maiden visit to the national capital after taking over as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, K Rosaiah on Saturday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and is understood to have discussed political developments in the state, particularly the convening of Congress Legislature Party meeting.

Rosaiah, who arrived here last night, met Singh at his 7, Race Course Road residence and is believed to have discussed issues related to flood relief in the state.

Cockroach in prasadam at Kanipakam temple!

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Chittoor, November 07: A Devotee, who visited the Varasiddhivinayaka temple at Kanipakam, near here, for darshan today was surprised to find a dead cockroach in the laddu prasadam.

The devotee, M Ramamurthy, from Goolingspet here, went to the temple along with his wife and children. After darshan they purchased six laddus. He found the cockroach in the laddu which he distributed among his children.

He reported the incident to temple supervisor Ramamurthy, who promised to take the matter to the notice of higher officials for conducting an inquiry.

Vaccination against H1N1 begins today

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Riyadh, November 07: Swine flu vaccinations will be administered from today (Saturday) across the Kingdom after an official 10 A.M. launching by the Minister of Health in Riyadh.

The first to receive the vaccine, which has been declared safe by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, the European Medicine Agency and 17 European countries, are persons in Haj-related employment and pilgrims from within the Kingdom.

Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeah conducted a Makkah tour on Thursday of the ministry’s health facilities at Arafat, Mount Al-Rahma, and Mina.

–Agencies

Body found floating on Arbaeen Lake

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Jeddah, November 07: The body of an unidentified male was recovered from Al-Arbaeen Lake in Jeddah Friday after being spotted floating on the surface of the water by a member of the public.

A police spokesman said that the body had been taken away by forensic experts. Police sources said that no reports of missing persons had been received prior to the discovery of the body.

–Agencies

Two women professors arrested for driving

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Jeddah, november 07: Police detained two women professors from King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah on Friday for violating the country’s ban on women driving. The two women, whose nationalities and names were not released, were driving to a shopping mall, north of Jeddah, when they were pulled over and detained.

A police source said that the two women were excited about driving despite the ban. “But their need to be behind the wheel sped up their arrest,” the police official said.

Fatwa against singing of national song condemned

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Adilabad, november 07: The BJYM and the BJP on Friday demanded banning of Jamate Ulema-e-Hind for issuing a fatwa against singing of Vande Mataram by Muslims, the national song.

Leaders of BJYM and BJP also demanded booking of cases for treason against the clerics of a UP Deoband who issued the fatwa in question.

At a press conference, here BJP district general secretary Praful Vaze, BJYM district president N. Nagesh, senior leader Dinesh Matolia and others urged political parties not to give the issue communal overtones.

–Agencies

World’s largest airplane in Dammam

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Dammam, November 07: The giant Ukrainian Antonov 225 cargo airplane landed at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam Thursday night before departing on a six-hour flight to Tanzania Friday morning.

The plane took off loaded with 123 tons of oil drilling equipment worth SR 3.75 million for a private Tanzanian oil company.

In a month, Koda put Rs 61cr in Mumbai bank

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New Delhi, November 07: The ingenuity of Madhu Koda and his associates continue to surprise investigators probing what is being referred to as the Great Jharkhand Robbery.

For all his claim to be a humble tribal, Koda and his men not only had the smarts to acquire mines in Liberia and Thailand, they also knew how to spirit away the money they allegedly made by handing over mining leases to different corporates to banks in Switzerland. ( Watch Video )

President’s Punjab visit postponed

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Chandigarh, November 07: President Pratibha Patil Saturday postponed her proposed visit to Amritsar in Punjab scheduled for Monday, officials said.
“This visit has been postponed on the request of member of parliament from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal following her illness and hospitalisation,” said a state government spokesperson.

“The visit was scheduled at the request of Badal to promote the environmental cause and the movement against female foeticide. A new date for the president’s visit will be announced later,” he said.

Amritsar is around 250 km from here.

—IANS

Madina pilgrims up by 18 percent

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Madina, November 07: A study reveals an increase of 18 percent in the number of pilgrims who have visited Madina compared to the same time last year.

Statistics from the Haj Committee show that 310,382 pilgrims have arrived in Madina, with 109,834 of them having already left for Makkah.

Indonesians head the list at 59,941 pilgrims, followed by 34,636 Nigerians, 30,650 Indians and 26,158 Turks.

BSF recovers counterfeit currency in Punjab

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Punjab, November 07: Sleuths of the Border Security Force (BSF) recovered counterfeit currency notes with a nominal value of Rs.900,000 in Punjab’s Ferozepur district, officials said Saturday.
The fake currency was recovered from the Pakori Joginder border checkpost in Mamdot sector of this district late Friday night, officials added.

BSF’s Punjab Frontier, Deputy Inspector General, Jagir Singh, told IANS Saturday: “During the late night search operation, our officials recovered fake currency notes in 17 packets.”

Palestinians leave for Haj

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Rafah, November 07: Hamas said Friday it is allowing Muslims to leave the Gaza Strip on the annual pilgrimage to Makkah after blocking them last year because of a Palestinian political dispute.

“The first wave of around 1,000 Haj pilgrims from the Gaza Strip is now traveling to Egypt through the Rafah border crossing,” Hamas Religious Affairs Minister Taleb Abu Shaar told AFP.

“We are coordinating with our brothers in the (West Bank political capital of) Ramallah to allow 4,500 pilgrims from Gaza to make the pilgrimage this year,” he added.

10 arrested for killing police chief in Mexico

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Mexico, November 07: Ten people have been arrested for killing a police chief in northern Mexico, officials said.

Arturo Esparza Garcia and his four bodyguards were killed Wednesday in Garcia town when they rushed to the house of Mayor Jaime Rodriguez Calderon to protect him from gunmen who barged into his house.

Calderon said about 30 gunmen came to his house to force him into cooperating with organised crime. The gunmen opened fire at the police team when they reached Calderon’s house.

Garcia, 63, had served as brigadier general in the army before joining the police force.

Just A Minute With: Ranbir Kapoor

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Mumbai, November 07: If Ranbir Kapoor is bearing the weight of expectations as a member of Bollywood’s first family, he’s not showing it.

Just four films old in the industry, the 27-year-old grandson of Raj Kapoor has already made a name as one of the most successful new faces in Bollywood.

After a hectic day promoting his latest film “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani”, Kapoor spoke to Reuters about discovering his comic timing and why he doesn’t read the newspapers every day.

Q: You’ve done a lot of talking today. Is there anything that you havent been asked?

UK foreign secretary: Obama critics miss the point

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London, November 07: British Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Saturday accused critics of U.S. President Barack Obama of foolishly expecting him to fix the world’s woes single-handedly.

In a speech to London’s Fabian Society think tank, Miliband said those sniping at Obama failed to understand the scale of challenges facing the international community, or the shifting power centers of global politics.