Month: February 2010

Top institutes may turn ‘Innovation Universities’

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New delhi, February 02: Top educational institutes in the country could soon be converted to ‘Innovation Universities’ – complete with huge funds, unbridled academic freedom and linkages with foreign institutes.

Revising its views on the much-discussed 14 Innovation Universities and keeping in mind the long inception period involved in setting them up, the HRD Ministry has decided that it will alongside upgrade worthy institutes to Innovation varsities. The plan is said to have found PMO’s approval.

‘US and China cannot afford to walk away from other’

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Washington, February 02: Despite differences over some issues between the United States and China which often spill out in the public, neither of the two countries can “afford to walk away from the other”, the White House has said.

“I don’t think that either country can afford to simply walk away from the other. That’s not what we would do, and I don’t think that’s what anybody expects them to do either,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters yesterday.

Talks with Pak if I do go for SAARC meet: Chidambaram

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New delhi, February 02: Maintaining that no decision had yet been taken on whether he would visit Pakistan for the SAARC Interior Ministers’ Conference, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Monday said bilateral talks with Pakistan may happen if he were to go to Islamabad and an opportunity presented itself.

“I presume if I go to Pakistan, I presume we will hold bilateral talks if there is an opportunity. But remember SAARC is a multilateral forum,” Chidambaram said after presenting the monthly report card of his Ministry.

Saudi couple forced to divorce can stay married

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Riyadh, February 02: Saudi couple forced to divorce on the grounds they were not from equal tribal backgrounds has been reunited by a new court created as part of judicial reforms.

The marriage of Mansour al-Timani and his wife Fatima Azzaz was annulled after Azzaz’s half brothers persuaded judges at a first instance court in 2006 that Timani’s tribal background was not prestigious enough for his wife’s family.

Rahul takes on Shiv Sena, says India belongs to every Indian

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Patna, February 02: A day after lashing out at the Shiv Sena and the MNS for attacking north Indian migrants in Maharashtra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said he would not remain silent if Indians are attacked anywhere in their own country.

“I am not interested in what Thackerays say; I’m interested in only one concept. That India belongs to every Indian, that every part of India belongs to every Indian,” Rahul, who is on a two-day visit to Bihar, told a press conference.

Benefits of welfare plans not reaching end-users

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Patna, February 02: Slamming the Bihar government for its alleged failure to implement central government-sponsored development schemes, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said benefits of welfare plans were not reaching end-users in the state.

‘The Bihar government has failed in implementing these schemes. It is not a question of intention. I am talking of implementation. The benefits are not reaching the end- users, everybody knows it. (Bihar chief minister) Nitish Kumar knows it.’

Legalise Ball Tampering, Says Shamed Shahid Afridi

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New Delhi, February 02: Madness and Shahid Afridi are usually inseparable, but could it be that the now-banned Pakistan skipper’s byte is worse than his bite.

Adding a new chapter to the team’s long tryst with the volatile ball-tampering issue, Afridi – in what is arguably the daftest act ever on a cricket field – was repeatedly caught on camera biting the red cherry during the final ODI against Australia in Perth.

Banned for two T20 games for the offence, under article 2.2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct, it seemed the maverick all-rounder would return somewhat chastised.

Property of absconding Samajwadi Party legislator to be attached

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Lucknow, February 02: The process to attach the property of Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator Sultan Beg, who has been absconding after being booked for allegedly running a truck-lifters’ gang, has been initiated, police Tuesday said.

Beg is a legislator from Kanwar assembly constituency in Bareilly district, some 200 km from state capital Lucknow.

“Following the directives of the district court that Monday declared the MLA an absconder, we initiated the process for attachment of his movable and immovable property,” Bareilly Superintendent of Police (Rural) Vijay Gautam told reporters.

GHMC meet on Feb 8 to elect 3 co-opted members

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Hyderabad, February 02: The third special meeting of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will be held on February 8 at 11 am in the Council Hall of the head office to elect three co-opted members having special knowledge or experience in municipal administration. One of them should be a member of the Corporation.

Two co-opted members from minorities were elected recently.

Rahul has insulted martyrs of 26/11: Uddhav

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Mumbai, February 02: Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray today criticised Rahul Gandhi’s statement that NSG men from North India were involved in vanquishing terrorists during 26/11, saying his remarks were an “insult” to martyrs who sacrificed their life while defending Mumbai.

“Rahul Gandhi has insulted the bravery of martyrs like Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar, Tukaram Omble, all daring Marathi policemen, and NSG Major Sandeep Unnikrishan,” the Shiv Sena Executive President said.

China warns Obama not to meet Dalai Lama

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Beijing, February 02: China said on Tuesday that a possible meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama would hurt trust between the two countries, already at odds over Washington’s arms sales to Taiwan.

Zhu Weiqun, a Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department of China’s ruling Communist Party, told a news conference that his government would vehemently oppose any meeting between Obama and the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan leader who Beijing deems a dangerous separatist.

Mumbai belongs to all Indians: PC

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New Delhi, February 02: Taking a tough official stand for the first time against the divisive politics of the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Union Home Minister P Chidambaram labelled it as a “pernicious thesis” and asserted that the financial capital belonged to all Indians who are free to live and work there.

“As a matter of policy we reject the theses of the Shiv Sena and the MNS. These are pernicious theses and have to be rejected… Mumbai belongs to all of India and all Indians are free to live and work in Mumbai,” Chidambaram said.

The laws of science against Aafia Siddiqui

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Islamabad, February 02: Aafia Siddiqui’s lawyer says the laws of science do not apply in the case against the Pakistani woman who is charged with attempting to murder US soldiers and FBI agents.

Siddiqui is accused of grabbing a US warrant officer’s M-4 rifle in a police station in Ghazni, Afghanistan and firing two shots at FBI agents and military personnel when being interrogated for her alleged possession of documents detailing a ‘terrorist’ plan.

Kidnapped Vijayawada girl found murdered

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Guntur, February 02: In what has come as a rude shock to her family members, the charred body of eight-year-old Naga Vaishnavi, who was kidnapped 60 hours ago from Vijayawada, was found in a boiler at a Nuts and Bolts Manufacturing Unit -Sarada Industries – in Auto Nagar here on Monday.

The most disconcerting aspect of the brutal murder was that it was allegedly masterminded by Vaishnavi’s father Prabhakar Rao’s first wife Venkatramanamma’s nephew Srinivas Rao who owns the Sarada Industries.

Sensex opens higher by 170 points on firm global cues

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Mumbai, February 02: The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex surged by 170 points in opening trade today on fresh buying by funds, driven by rally on the global bourses. The 30-share index rose by 169.95 points to 16,525.98 points in the first five minutes of trade.

Brokers said that firming trend in Asian markets triggered buying in IT, metal and teck stocks. The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty gained 51.45 points at 4,951.15 points.

Obama proposes substantial jump in aid to Pakistan

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Washington, February 02: US President Barack Obama has proposed a USD 3.2 billion assistance for Pakistan for fiscal 2011, a substantial jump in American aid to that country.

Noting that Pakistan is a key country in the war against extremism, the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Jacob Lew, said the budget focuses on improving basic infrastructure which will enable civilian government to provide better services to the people of Pakistan.

Rahul hits out at Shiv Sena, says India is for Indians

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Patna, February 02: Unfazed by Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s attack on him, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today maintained that India is for Indians and hailed the sacrifice of NSG commandoes including those from Maharashtra in 26/11 attacks.

“In Mumbai (during the terror attacks), men in the NSG were from Bihar, UP, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra. At that time they (Sena) did not say that those from Bihar and UP should be taken out. India has to move forward and all have to be taken forward,” he said addressing a press conference here.

Rahul hits out at Shiv Sena, says India is for Indians

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Patna, February 02: Unfazed by Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray”s attack on him, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today maintained that India is for Indians and hailed the sacrifice of NSG commandoes including those from Maharashtra in 26/11 attacks. “In Mumbai (during the terror attacks), men in the NSG were from Bihar, UP, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra.

At that time they (Sena) did not say that those from Bihar and UP should be taken out. India has to move forward and all have to be taken forward,” he said addressing a press conference here.

News paper hacked hundred of mobiles

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London, February 02: The row over mobile phone voicemail intercepts by the News of the World is likely to flare up again with a claim today that well over 100 people have had their private accounts hacked.

Mobile phone companies have apparently identified at least 120 customers who have had their voicemails intercepted by a reporter and a private investigator from the newspaper, according to a report in The Guardian today.

Chavan warns Sena, MNS against anti-north Indian campaign

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Bangalore, January 02: Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Monday came down heavily upon the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), warning them of action if they pursue their attacks on north Indians in Mumbai. “We will not sit quiet, we will show by our action,” Chavan told reporters here. Pointing out that the ‘Mumbai for Marathis’ slogan by the MNS and the Shiv Sena is for political gains, Chavan said: “We will not allow these things to happen. Anyone can live anywhere in India. The constitution guarantees this.”

Exports record 9.3 % growth in December

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New Delhi, February 02: Continuing with a rising trend for the second consecutive month, exports registered a 9.3 per cent in December 2009 while imports also turned positive after positing negative growth for 11 months.

Imports registered an impressive growth of 27.2 per cent in December.

After falling for 13 straight months, exports in November 2009 grew by 18.2 per cent — for the first time since the global financial meltdown engulfed the world.

After RSS, Rahul targets Sena’s Marathi agenda

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New Delhi, February 02: The war of words between the Congress and the Shiv Sena over North Indians being targeted in Mumbai has intensified.

In one of the strongest attack on the Shiv Sena, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi said that the commandos who saved Mumbai during 26/11 terror attacks were North Indians.

The daring rescue operations during the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 were carried out by National Security Guard (NSG) commandos from different parts of the country.

SRK ke naam pe de de baba

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Mumbai, February 02: Thanks to the Shiv Sena’s ongoing protests against actor Shah Rukh Khan’s statement supporting the inclusion of Pakistani players in the Indian Premier League matches, multiplex owners in Pune are not sure if they should screen his latest film My Name is Khan in the city, which is scheduled to release on February 12.

First Indian head for Amnesty International

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London, February 02: Amnesty International has appointed Salil Shetty, an Indian who headed the UN Millennium Campaign, as its next secretary general.

Shetty takes over the job in June 2010, succeeding Irene Khan who stepped down after eight years as Amnesty Secretary General Dec 31, 2009.

Amnesty – the global human rights watchdog – said Shetty, with a strong track record in the non-government and inter-government sectors, will lead its 50th anniversary expansion plans.

India Inc plans to reward employees with double-digit increments

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New Delhi, February 02: Salaries across India Inc are expected to rise at a healthy pace this year as a draught of strong economic growth lifts consumer sentiment and spurs corporate boards into rewarding key people and hire exciting talent.

Initial indications are that employees across sectors may get moderate-to-fat increments and salary hikes in the 9-18% range this year around. No more gloomy messages of pay-cuts, layoffs and heightened austerity measures; instead there is a buzz of promising bonuses, although this may not match the 2007-08 euphoria levels.