Month: November 2009

Chidambaram, Swami Ramdev should apologise: Vinay Katiyar

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Lucknow, November 07: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Vinay Katiyar Saturday asked union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and renowned yoga guru Swami Ramdev to ‘apologise to the country for hurting the sentiments’ of people.

Lucknow, Nov 7 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Vinay Katiyar Saturday asked union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and renowned yoga guru Swami Ramdev to ‘apologise to the country for hurting the sentiments’ of people.

Ranbir and Imtiaz eager to work with each other

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Mumbai, November 07: Ranbir Kapoor There have been rumours for quite some time now about Ranbir Kapoor and Imtiaz Ali working together on a film together. However Ranbir denies signing any film with Imtiaz. He says he is very keen to work with the director but hasn’t got an offer yet, even though Imtiaz has expressed a desire to work with him as well.

‘New Moon’ to release in India on December 4

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New Delhi, November 07: Robert Pattinson and Kirsten Stewart starrer ‘New Moon’, the much-awaited sequel to the vampire love-story ‘Twilight’, will be released on December 4 in India.

The film, which will release internationally on November 20, will be brought to India next month by PVR pictures who has bagged the Indian distribution rights of the film under Summit Entertainment.

“By joining hands with Summit Entertainment, we have yet again given an impetus to raising the bar to provide world class entertainment to India,” said Sanjeev K Bijli, Joint Managing Director, PVR Ltd.

Cong-NCP ministry in Maha to be sworn in today

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New Delhi, November 07: The swearing in of the new Congress -NCP ministry in Maharashtra will take place on Saturday with the end of the fortnight-long deadlock over govt formation in the state after the assembly elections brought the two parties to power for the third time in a row.

The Congress will have 23 ministers and NCP 20. While all NCP ministers are expected to take oath on Saturday, the Congress ministers would be sworn in two phases.

Protests in Srinagar after civilian found dead

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Srinagar, November 07: Protests in Srinagar after civilian found deadSrinagar, Nov 7 : Tension gripped Srinagar’s Lal Chowk and adjacent areas as stone-throwing protesters clashed with police after the dead body of a civilian was recovered Saturday.

A senior police officer said the body of Muhammad Maqbool Ganai, son of Gulam Muhammad Ganai, and resident of the Sarai Bala area in the city was discovered in Gaw Kadal area, 500 metres from the Lal Chowk Saturday morning.

India has a seat at table of global influence: US official

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Washington, November 07: With new players like India and Brazil taking a seat at the table of global influence, the international system that emerged at the end of World War-II is being transformed, according to the top US intelligence official.

“We have some new players – Brazil and India – that now have a seat at the table of global influence,” Director of National Intelligence Dennis C Blair, who serves as the head of 16 top US intelligence agencies, said Friday.

Heavy rain continues to lash Tamil Nadu

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Chennai, Nov 07: Heavy rains continued to lash most parts of Tamil Nadu, even as the Regional Meteorological Centre here said the north-east monsoon, which brings bulk of rainfall to the state, has been “active over the state.”

Red Hills near here recorded a maximum of 15 cm rainfall during the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am today, Met officials said adding that Cuddalore recorded 11 cm.

The observatory at Nungambakkam in the city recorded 10 cm rainfall during the period, officials said.

SBI extends low home loan rate till March 2010

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Mumbai, Nov 07: State Bank of India has decided to extend the availability of ‘My Home Campaign’ till March 31, 2010. Three popular products are offered under this banner.

For loans up to Rs. 5 lakh with a maximum tenor of ten years, SBI Hi-Five Home Loan carries a fixed rate of 8 per cent for five years

India eye victory to remain alive in series

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Guwahati,Nov 07: It will be a litmus test for India’s resilience as they take on Australia in the do-or-die sixth cricket one-dayer here tomorrow, fully aware that any slip-up in the game would allow the visitors to clinch the series.

With the seven-match series tantalisingly poised 2-3 in favour of the visitors, India has no other option but to win both tomorrow’s and the last rubber in Mumbai against the spirited but depleted Australia if they desire to stamp their authority in world cricket.

Haryana Cabinet expanded

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Chandigarh,Nov 07: Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia Saturday administered the oath of office to six Cabinet ministers and three ministers of state here.

Five of the Cabinet ministers in the Bhupinder Singh Hooda ministry are: Capitan Ajay Singh, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Mahendra Pratap Singh, Param Vir Singh and Geeta Bukkal and Om Prakash Jain. Barring Mr. Jain, who is an independent, all the others are from the Congress.

The three ministers of state are Shiv Charan Sharma, Gopal Kanda and Sukhbir Kataria.

–IANS

26/11 accused moves Bombay HC for re-trial

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Mumbai, Nov 07: In a new twist to the 26/11 terror attack case, Faheem Ansari, accused of facilitating the crime perpetrated by terrorists, has moved the Bombay High Court seeking re-trial on the ground that he had no confidence in the judge.

Hearing Faheem’s petition sent through the jail authorities, Justice J N Patel and Justice Amjad Sayed yesterday directed additional public prosecutor Rajesh More to file a reply within two weeks.

The High Court has also ordered appointment of a lawyer from the legal aid cell to argue the case on Faheem’s behalf.

Folic acid intake in late pregnancy leads to asthma in child

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New York, Nov 07: Children whose mothers have taken folic acid supplements in late pregnancy are at greater risk of developing allergic asthma, researchers said.

According to a recent study by University of Adelaide’s Robinson Institute, supplemental folic acid in late pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of asthma in children at the age of 3 to 5 years.

Seven Delhi students hurt as school van hit by mini truck

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New Delhi, Nov 07: Seven students were injured, two of them seriously, when their school van was hit by a mini truck near Kashmere Gate in Delhi on Saturday morning.

The accident took place around 7:30 am when the children of DPS Mathura Road were going to school in the van carrying 12 students, police said.

The seriously injured students have been rushed to Bara Hindu Road Hospital.

—Agencies

Gene therapy can cure brain disease: Scientists

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London, Nov 07: In what could raise hopes of thousands of families, scientists have managed to halt a rare brain disease that kills boys by the time of adolescence through an experimental gene therapy.

During the treatment, the team of doctors used a virus known as a lentivirus — a disabled form of HIV — to deliver working genes into two Spanish boys suffering from X-linked drenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a common form of brain disease that affects boys at an early age of six.

Moderate to brisk voting in Assam by-polls

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Guwahati, November 07: Moderate to brisk polling was recorded till Saturday afternoon in two Assam assembly constituencies, officials said.

‘More than 50 percent polling as been recorded in both the constituencies,’ an election official said. Voting for the Dhekiajuli and South Salmara seats ends at 4 p.m.

The by-elections were necessitated after incumbent legislators Joseph Toppo from the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Badruddin Ajmal of the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) were elected to the Lok Sabha in May.

US official: Troop increase under new Afghan plan

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Brussels, Nov 07: A top Pentagon official says President Obama’s new plan for Afghanistan will certainly involve an increase in the number of international troops.

Undersecretary of Defense Michele Flournoy says a strategy decision will be announced within the next “couple or maybe a few weeks.”

Flournoy, the Pentagon’s policy chief, headed a high-ranking U.S. delegation that briefed NATO ambassadors on Thursday on the progress of the administration’s review of the Afghan war. A transcript of her remarks was received on Saturday.

Police fire in air to disperse mob in Srinagar

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Srinagar, Nov 07: Police fired in the air and burst teargas shells to disperse demonstrators protesting in the civil lines near here against the murder of a youth.

Shops and other activities came to halt in the Civil Lines, including Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the city, busy Budshah Chowk, Amira Kadal, Gaw Kadal, Maisuma, Red Cross road and Madina Chowk after body of a youth was found this morning.

Later people, mostly youths, took to streets and pelted stones on passing vehicles, in which 12 people, including two cameramen, were injured.

Sari over jeans, belt over sari – new fashion fads in India

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New Delhi, November 07:India’s traditional six-yard wonder is igniting imaginations anew. The sari, say fashion designers, can be worn over a pair of jeans or jazzed up with a sexy slim belt for a trendy look.

Designers like Tarun Tahiliani and Nida Mahmood showcased the sari in new avatars at the recently concluded Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) here. What’s more, young girls are all for these innovative styles.

GM in talks to bring Chinese cars to India: report

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New Delhi, November 07: US auto giant General Motors is in advanced talks with its Chinese partners on a proposal to bring their vehicles to India, the Press Trust of India reported Saturday.

GM began talks with its partners Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (SAIC) and Wuling eight months ago to explore possibilities of bringing their light commercial vehicles to India.

“Now we know what can work in India and what cannot,” Karl Slym, the president of General Motors India, was quoted as saying by the news agency.

Maoists blast school building in Chhattisgarh

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Raipur, November 07:Steeping up attacks on government buildings, Maoist guerrillas blew up a primary school building in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, police said Saturday.

Some 80-100 Maoists set explosives inside a primary school building in Phulpar village Friday night and destroyed a major portion, officials at the police headquarters here told IANS.

The school is around 400 km from state capital Raipur.

Minor incidents of violence mar West Bengal elections

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Kolkata, November 07:Sporadic incidents of violence marred voting Saturday for the 10 assembly seats in West Bengal whose outcome will have long-term consequences for the ruling Left Front.

About 35 percent voters had exercised their franchise till 1 p.m., an official said.

State chief electoral officer Debasish Sen told IANS: “Polling was peaceful and smooth. There was no major incident of law and order. Only some minor incidents were reported.”

Brisk voting in Himachal by-elections

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Shimla, November 07:Brisk voting was reported Saturday in the two Himachal Pradesh assembly constituencies of Jawali and Rohru, an election official said.

Till 1 p.m., around 35 percent of the 145,957 electorate in the two constituencies had voted. The state’s chief electoral officer Anil Khachi told IANS that the voter turnout was “good”.

The main contest is between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.

Dissidents insist on Yeddyurappa’s removal

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Bangalore/New Delhi, November 07:Karnataka Tourism Minister G. Janardhana Reddy, who leads the campaign for the removal of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, Saturday rubbished reports of a compromise between the warring groups and said there was no change in his stand on the leadership issue.

“From the beginning I am saying that in the interest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Karnataka, there should be a better leadership. I stand by it,” he told a crowded press meet here after talks with his elder brother and Revenue Minister G. Karunakara Reddy and Health Minister B. Sriramalu.

Three killed in road accident

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Sonepat, November 07: Three members of a family were killed and two others seriously injured when a three-wheeler on which they were travelling was hit by a truck on the Sonepat-Meerut road near Khewra village, about 13-km from here. The incident occurred yesterday, police said, adding the deceased have been identified as Qasim (17), Sohib (6) and Sahibia (2).

Both the injured — Sajjid and Shabib– were immediately rushed to a hospital where their condition was stated to be serious, they said.

—-PTI–

Pakistan: 11 militants killed in strongholds

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Parachinar, November 07: Pakistani soldiers killed at least 11 militants during overnight gunbattles in three Taliban strongholds, intelligence officials said Saturday.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak with the media, said that while the Pakistan military has taken control of two of the strongholds — Sararogha and Ladha — there were still occasional clashes with militants. The army was still battling for full control of Makeen, which they call the “nerve center” of the Pakistani Taliban.