Month: January 2010

European nations sell surplus swine flu vaccines

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Europe, January 03: France has joined other European countries in selling millions of emergency swine flu vaccines after buying far more than it needed to fight the outbreak, its government said.

France decided to sell some of its vaccine cache after European medical authorities said a single vaccination was enough to protect against the virus.

“We started with a plan for two-dose vaccinations but since one dose is sufficient we can start to resell part of the stock,” a French health ministry official said.

Ghoulish bid to slap tax on Twin Towers

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Washington, January 03: One of the weirdest developments in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attack is being played out in an astounding tax court battle.

More than eight years after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, New York City authorities are demanding that developer Larry Silverstein fork over almost $35m in commercial rent taxes on the Twin Towers and two other buildings that no longer exist.

The city’s reasoning is that Silverstein continued to pay rent to the Port Authority after the towers fell.

Ban on prepaid mobiles in JK likely to go by Jan 15

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New Delhi, January 03: The ban on prepaid mobile phone service in Jammu and Kashmir is likely to be lifted by January 15.

The Centre is finalizing a “fool-proof” plan to ensure proper verification of nearly 38 million cell phone subscribers in the state, official sources said here today.

The Department of Telecom will file an affidavit this week in the Supreme Court about the measures being implemented by the government to ensure effective verification of the customer who purchases a pre-paid mobile number in the state, the sources said.

20 picnickers injured in road mishap

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Kakdwip (WB), January 03: At least 20 picnickers were injured when a mini truck overturned here in South 24 Parganas district this evening.

Police said the picnic party was returning from sea side resort Bakkhali to Jaynagar area in the district when suddenly the driver lost control over the wheels.

The injured, including women and children, had been admitted to Kakdwip hospital.

–Agencies

‘Sunnis ignored by government’

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Moradabad (UP), January 03: The All India Ulema and Mashaikh Board today alleged that Sunnis were being ignored by the state and central governments.

Addressing a Sunni conference at Company Bagh here, the Board President Syed Mahmood Ashraf said that they were being ignored by the Centre and state government at every level of development.

All the benefits meant for them (Sunnis) were being “hijacked” by the Wahhabis, Ashraf claimed.

He rejected the proposal that a meeting between Sunnis and Wahhabis be organised to overcome the rift.

US, Britain widen anti-terror front in Yemen

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London, January 03: The United States and Britain have agreed to finance a special counterterrorism unit in Yemen as US President Barack Obama for the first time blamed an Al-Qaeda branch in that Arab country for attacking a US airliner.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Obama also want to see a bigger peacekeeping force in Somalia to tackle violent radicalism in the region.

Susan Boyle on boyfriend hunt in 2010

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London, January 03: Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle has said she will dedicate 2010 to finding herself a boyfriend.

The 48-year-old single, who claims never to have been kissed, shot to fame last year and subsequently turned down the chance to look for love on a TV dating show, following a string of offers from producers.

News of the world reports, Boyle now admits she’s determined to fill the New Year with romance, and will spend her time searching for a perfect companion.

Israel FM: Does Abbas represent all Palestinians?

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Jerusalem, January 03: Israel’s ultra-nationalist Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Sunday questioned whether president Mahmoud Abbas represents all Palestinians, given his lack of authority in the Gaza Strip.

“Our Palestinian partner Abu Mazen (Abbas) is problematic. Does he represent all of the Palestinian people? It is clear that he does not represent Gaza and that his legitimacy in the West Bank is in doubt,” Lieberman told public radio.

“To sign an accord with Abu Mazen would be to sign a deal with the leader of Fatah,” the Palestinian president’s political party, he added.

TRS chief in Delhi, to drum up support for Telangana

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New Delhi, January 03: Arriving here to attend an all-party meeting convened by the Centre on Tuesday, TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao today said he will meet leaders of national and other regional parties in a bid to enlist their support for Telangana statehood.

Rao, who arrived here along with party ideologue K Jayshankar, said he was optimistic that a separate state of Telangana will be formed.

“I am optimistic (about the creation of a separate state of Telangana),” he told reporters here in reply to a specific query.

Dubai to open world’s tallest skyscraper

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Dubai, January 03: Once-bustling Dubai will open the world’s tallest skyscraper on Monday, boasting new limits in design and construction, hopeful of polishing an image tarnished by the debt woes afflicting the Gulf emirate.

Emaar, the giant property firm part-owned by the government and which developed the needle-shaped concrete, steel and glass structure, has declined to reveal Burj Dubai’s exact height.

Man uses internet to ‘marry’ six women; arrested

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Theni (TN), January 03: A man, who used the internet to allegedly deceive six women into marriage and later cheated them of cash and jewellery, was arrested here today, police said.

The man was arrested following a complaint from a woman that he had married her in Tirupati recently, claiming he was an MBA graduate and working in the US. She also claimed that she had given him 150 sovereigns of jewellery and Rs 47 lakh as dowry, they said.

Italy: EU must not isolate Iran over human rights

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Rome, January 03: The European Union must press Iran to respect human rights but without burning all bridges with the country, Italy’s foreign minister said Saturday, stressing Tehran’s role in negotiating world conflicts.

“When a regime shoots at its own people, it sinks to the lowest possible level”, Franco Frattini told the newspaper Corriere della Sera in an interview.

City receives 1.6mm rainfall, mercury dips

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New Delhi, January 03: Light rains lashed the national capital today and brought the mercury down giving a respite to Delhiites from foggy weather.

The city witnessed about 1.6 mm of rainfall, as a result of which the maximum temperature dipped to 15.3 degrees Celsius, seven degrees below average, the MeT department said.

The minimum remained at 9.5 degrees Celsius, two notch above average for this time of the season. Yesterday, the minimum was recorded at 8.4 degrees Celsius.

Gang of burglars busted in Delhi

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New Delhi, January 03: Delhi Police Sunday said they busted a gang of burglars and arrested members of a gang who allegedly committed thefts at the houses of a bureaucrat, an army officer and a former judicial officer in southwest Delhi recently.

About a complaint of theft at the house of a former judicial officer in Moti Bagh area Dec 20, a senior police officer said: “When we reached the spot, we found that the house was ransacked and the thieves had gained entry from the back.”

Fed Cup experience will help us to improve: Rosario

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Shillong, January 03: After losing a keenly contested summit clash to Kolkata giant East Bengal 0-3 in the penalty shootout, Lajong FC coach Stanley Rosario reckoned that the Federation Cup experience would help his boys improve their game in the days to come.

Lajong, who had shocked I-League champions Churchill Brothers 1-0 to book their maiden final berth in the event, today put up a brave show and held East Bengal goalless during the stipulated 90 minutes as well as the extra-time, but lost the plot in penalty stage.

3 day annual conference of INSAC from tomorrow

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Chennai, January 03: The 20th Annual Conference of Indian Nuclear Society (INSAC-2009) will be held here from tomorrow at the Chennai Trade Centre.

The three-day conference is being jointly organised by INSAC and Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) with the theme: Materials and Manufacturing in the Nuclear Industry.

The conference comes at an appropriate time when in India and the world over, there are plans for major expansion programs in nuclear energy,” a press release from IGCAR said.

Orissa records season’s lowest temperature

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Bhubaneswar, January 03: Cold wave continued to sweep parts of Orissa on Sunday with Phulbani town in Kandhamal district recording a minimum temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the state this winter, an official said.

“The low temperatures were recorded mostly in places located in western parts of the state. The coastal belt, however, remained warmer,” an official of the Bhubaneswar meteorological centre told.

US embassy in Yemen closes, citing Al Qaeda ‘threats’

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Sana’a, January 03: The US embassy in Sana’a was closed on Sunday because of “threats” from Al Qaeda, according to a note on its website.

“The US embassy in Sana’a is closed today, January 3, 2010, in response to ongoing threats by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) to attack American interests in Yemen,” the embassy said.

It did not say when it would reopen and officials could not be reached for comment.

AQAP has taken responsibility for the attempt to blow up a plane over Detroit on Christmas Day and US President Barack Obama has also placed the blame on the group.

Telangana students plan road, rail blockade Tuesday

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Hyderabad, January 03: Two days ahead of the all-party meet called by the central government on Telangana issue, a mammoth meeting of students at the Osmania University here Sunday threatened to demolish offices of the parties opposing statehood to the region.

Asking the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to spell out their stand, student leaders threatened to “throw out” of Telangana region the parties who oppose a separate Telangana state at the Jan 5 all-party meeting.

Kate Hudson jealous of Madonna, breaks up with Rodriguez

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London, January 03: Actress Kate Hudson broke up with Alex Rodriguez because he still has feelings for Madonna, reports have said.

Imdb.com reports that Hudson and Rodriguez reportedly split up last month after the “New York Yankees” star was spotted partying. However, OK! claims that the real reason for the split was Rodriguez’s attraction to Madonna.

Madonna and Rodriguez reportedly dated shortly after the singer’s marriage to Guy Ritchie ended but split up at the beginning of last year.

Blanchett extends contract with Sydney theatre

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London, January 03: Actress Cate Blanchett and her husband Andrew Upton have agreed to stay at the Sydney Theatre Company till 2013.

The couple became the company’s artistic directors in 2008 on a three-year contract, but they will now stay on until 2013.

The company’s owner Ian Darling praised their work, claiming that they have “transformed the company and the way many people feel about it”.

“I’m pleased they will stay to build on what they have already achieved in terms of quality and diversity of productions, artform development and education,” added Darling.

Howard Stern’s sidekick Artie Lange hospitalised

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New York, January 03: Comedian Artie Lange, one of radio icon Howard Stern’s on-air sidekicks, has been hospitalised.

“We can confirm that Artie is in the hospital,” imdb.com quoted a rep for Lange as saying. “Artie has chosen to keep all information on this matter between him and his doctor. There will be no further comment.”

Imdb.com reports that Lange, who has a history of substance-abuse issues, had been MIA from Stern’s satellite radio show since early December and cancelled several stand-up gigs in recent weeks, including a New Year’s Eve engagement.

Police offer cash for capture of Pakistani terrorists

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New Delhi, January 03: Delhi Police on Sunday released photographs of the three Pakistani terrorists who escaped from a city hospital and announced a cash reward of Rs.50,000 each for information leading to their arrest.

“Any clue pertaining to their location can be given to the ACP (assistant commissioner of police) Special Cell. A reward of Rs.50,000 each will be given on their arrest,” a police official said.

Body of an infant found near GTB hospital

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New Delhi, January 03: The body of a new-born baby was found from near a drain close to a hospital in north east Delhi today.

“The body of the infant was lying near a drain close to Guru Teg Bahadur hospital in M S Park locality,” a police official said.

A passer-by spotted the abandoned infant this morning and informed the police.

“Although the baby did not appear to be alive, police immediately took her to hospital where doctors declared her brought dead,” he said, adding the matter was being investigated.

Software pro from Jharkhand killed in fall from hills

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Bangalore, January 03: A 27-year-old software professional hailing from Jharkhand was killed after a fall from Nandi hills in the neighbouring Chikkaballapura district today, police said.

A police official from Chikkaballapura Rural police station said that Vimal Kishore was working in Samsung in Bangalore.

Along with three of his friends Vijay Yadav, Akhil Gupta and Sumit Chatterjee, he visited the picturesque Nandi hills, a favourite tourist spot near India’s technology hub, to watch sunrise.