Month: March 2010

Muslims, Christians join Hindus to celebrate Holi in Orissa

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Bhubaneswar, March 01: The Christian community in Orissa’s Kandhamal district, which was hit by communal violence two years ago, joined their Hindu brethren Monday to celebrate Holi with much enthusiasm and bonding.

“They buried their differences and smeared colour on each other, distributed sweets and danced to the tune of drum beats at several places,” a district police officer told IANS.

Thirty-eight people had been killed during the riots in Kandhamal.

IIT student in police remand for murder

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Shimla, March 01: A student of the Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee was sent to police remand till March 6 for allegedly murdering a female IIT-Delhi student at a hotel here, police said Monday.

‘The accused, Gaurav Verma, a third-year architecture student of IIT-Roorkee, who was arrested from Haryana for murdering Pragati, was sent to police remand till March 6,’ Shimla Superintendent of Police R.M. Sharma told IANS.

He said Gaurav was produced at a court here Sunday evening.

Obama is rethinking the US nuclear policy: Report

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New York, March 01: President Barack Obama is rethinking the US nuclear policy and is considering reducing the nation’s arsenal by thousands of weapons, according to senior aides in the White House.

The New York Times reported that Obama would set out his new policy in a document the Nuclear Posture Review.

The new strategy entails that the US develop no further nuclear weapons. Aides told the daily that Obama would be resolving these questions in the coming week.

India ready to walk extra mile if Pak acts against terror: PM

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Riyadh, March 01: India is willing to walk the “extra mile” to open a new chapter in relations with Pakistan but it must act decisively against terrorism, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserted Monday.

Addressing the Majlis-al-Shura or the Saudi Consultative Council here, he said India seeks a cooperative relationship with Pakistan for permanent peace as both countries are bound together by a shared future.

Indian to lead filmmakers on 3D cinema project

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Toronto, March 01:Delhi-born documentary filmmaker Ali Kazimi, an associate professor in the department of film production at York University here, will lead a team of filmmakers for research in 3D (three-dimensional) cinema.

The filmmakers will work with vision scientists, and psychologists in the two-year research project – called the 3D Film Innovation Consortium (3D FLIC) – about the future of 3D film production.

Charlesworth to watch footage of India-Pakistan clash

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New Delhi, March 01:Australian coach Ric Charlesworth says he will watch the footage of Sunday’s India-Pakistan clash to chalk out his team’s gameplan against the hosts in their second group B clash of the Hockey World Cup here Tuesday.

The 58-year-old multi-faceted Western Australian, who came close to becoming the Indian coach before Spain’s Jose Brasa, was diplomatic about his team’s chances against India.

“I can’t say. We haven’t played them in a while,” he said after his team’s shocking 2-3 loss to England in their group opener at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.

Gold is a safe option

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New Delhi, March 01: HOW safe is safe? For years, gold has been touted as the safest hedge against uncertainty, be it inflation or bear markets.

This explains why gold delivered attractive returns in 2008 when the global equity markets were in turmoil. During this year, the Sensex fell 52 per cent, but gold prices rose 30 per cent; it was the only asset class that held its ground.

But is it finally beginning to lose its sheen? After soaring to a high of Rs 18,267 per 10 grams in December 2009, gold is currently trading in the range of Rs 16,500, with heightened volatility to boot.

IIT student in police remand for murder

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Shimla, March 01:A student of the Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee was sent to police remand till March 6 for allegedly murdering a female IIT-Delhi student at a hotel here, police said Monday.

“The accused, Gaurav Verma, a third-year architecture student of IIT-Roorkee, who was arrested from Haryana for murdering Pragati, was sent to police remand till March 6,” Shimla Superintendent of Police R.M. Sharma told IANS.

He said Gaurav was produced at a court here Sunday evening.

Global warming likely to impact rainfall patterns

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Washington, March 01:Climate models project that the global average temperature will rise about 1 degree C by mid-century, if we continue with business as usual and emit greenhouse gases.

The global average, though, does not tell us anything about what will happen to regional climates.

India ready to walk extra mile if Pak acts against terror: PM

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Riyadh, March 01: India is willing to walk the “extra mile” to open a new chapter in relations with Pakistan but it must act decisively against terrorism, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserted Monday.

Addressing the Majlis-al-Shura or the Saudi Consultative Council here, he said India seeks a cooperative relationship with Pakistan for permanent peace as both countries are bound together by a shared future.

India ready to walk extra mile if Pak acts against terror’

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Riyadh, March 01: India is willing to walk the “extra mile” to open a new chapter in relations with Pakistan but it must act decisively against terrorism, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserted Monday.

Addressing the Majlis-al-Shura or the Saudi Consultative Council here, he said India seeks a cooperative relationship with Pakistan for permanent peace as both countries are bound together by a shared future.

Oman to launch summer campaign to attract tourists

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Muscat, March 01: The government of Oman in partnership with the tourism and hospitality industry of the Sultanate has devised a new strategic promotional campaign to attract tourists during the summer.

The new summer campaign which offers highly competitive 6 and 7 day holiday packages, return air fares and accommodation will run from April 12th to October 1st, 2010 and will be officially launched at ITB Berlin, Europe’s largest travel show from 10-12 March.

Delhi police to invoke MCOCA against godman

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New Delhi, March 01: Delhi Police is likely to invoke provisions of MCOCA against a 39-year-old self-styled godman who was arrested for allegedly running a multi-crore sex racket in the national capital.

Shiv Murat Dwivedi (39) alias Ichchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot Wale, who had set up a ‘temple’ in south Delhi’s Khanpur, was arrested with a man and six women, including two air hostesses, last week on charges of prostitution.

Iraq’s ex-US favourite rising again ahead of vote

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Baghdad, March 01: Ahmad Chalabi — a one-time Pentagon favourite whose faulty intelligence about weapons of mass destruction helped pave the way for the Iraq war — was a secular politician groomed by his U.S. backers to replace Saddam Hussein.

After falling out with the Americans, the MIT graduate has reinvented himself — again. He is now a top candidate in an alliance led by an Iranian-backed Shia religious party.

One Fined, Two Cleared in Low Flying Case

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Dubai, March 01: A British pilot who was intercepted by a Dubai Police patrol while flying over the Dubai Police chief’s house in Jumeirah last month was fined Dh3,000 by a Misdemeanors Court on Sunday.

He was accused of flying illegally an ultra-light plane without obtaining a proper permit from the authorities concerned.

A British professor and a Hungarian salesman were acquitted of forging and using that flying permit issued from Emirates Aviation Association (EAA).

Chileans in UAE Unable to Contact Relatives, Friends

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Abu Dhabi, March 01: Chileans residing in the UAE have not suffered any loss of relatives as a result of the earthquake and tsunami that hit the country on Saturday, the Chilean envoy to the UAE said on Sunday.

“There were no UAE nationals in Chile at the time of the disaster, as per the government immigration files,” Chilean ambassador Jean Paul Tarud-Kuborn told Khaleej Times.

“Some of the Chileans have not yet been able to contact their relatives back home, especially in the rural areas, due to disrupted communications, but we hope that they are all safe,” he said.

Ras Al Khaimah police urge caution

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Ras Al Khaimah, March 01: The Ras Al Khaimah Police have asked residents to be cautious as more unstable weather is expected in the emirate during the coming days. This followed the heavy rains accompanied by strong winds, heavy thunderstorms and lightning, which lashed most parts of the emirate on Saturday night.

PM invites Saudis to invest in India

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Riyadh, March 01: PRIME MINISTER Manmohan Singh on Sunday said conditions were ripe for India and Saudi Arabia to enter into a comprehensive energy partnership and go beyond the purely buyer- seller relationship in crude oil.

One dead in Global village accident

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Dubai, March 01: Dubai Police recorded 170 traffic accidents during the rains in Dubai yesterday, according to Colonel Omer Abdulla Al Shamsi, Director of the Command Room. He said that 133 accidents were minor, 16 moderate and 21 serious. Also, the Operations Room received 3,415 phone calls during the rain.

He said a woman died due to an accident at the India Pavilion in Global Village. Thirteen others were injured, with four sustaining moderate injuries and eight with minor injuries

Urdu’s sweetness reached 107 countries: Zahid Ali Khan

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Hyderabad, March 01 (Siasat News): The 11th Urdu Book Fair was inaugurated by Justice Ghulam Mohammed at Quli Qutubshah Stadium sponsored by NCPUL.

Present as chief guests on the occasion were M/s Zahid Ali Khan, editor Siasat Daily, Asaduddin Owaisi, MIM MP, Jaleel Pasha and shah Noorul Haque Quadri.

This inaugural function was presided over by Dr. Hameedullah Bhatt, director NCPUL. In his address, Justice Ghulam Ahmed said that Urdu medium education could not be a hindrance in the way of progress as he himself has reached to this place after getting educated from Urdu medium.

Chaos, accidents, tailbacks and flooded roads

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Dubai, March 01: Dubai Municipality activated its emergency rain response system and deployed several teams to manage the aftermath of the downpour on Saturday night.

Around 275 civic staff and more than 25 tankers with different capacities were involved in the operations, according to Abdul Latif Ali Al Jallaf, Head of Operations with Irrigation Maintenance Network Section of the Municipality.

“Many of our workers started the operations since last night. We have split them into two shifts so that we can offer round-the-clock services,” Al Jallaf told Khaleej Times.

Rescuers dig for Chile quake survivors, 400 dead Mario Naranjo

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Chile, March 01: Chilean rescue teams used shovels and sledgehammers on Sunday to find the survivors and victims of a huge earthquake that unleashed a Pacific tsunami and triggered looting by desperate residents.

Emergency officials said the death toll from Saturday’s quake, one of the world’s most powerful in a century, rose to more than 400 people.

Hundreds of thousands of homes and some highways across central Chile were seriously damaged, dealing a heavy blow to infrastructure in the world’s No. 1 copper producer and one of Latin America’s most stable economies.

Atom smasher restarts to prepare for new work

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Geneva, March 01: Operators of the world’s largest atom smasher say they have restarted their massive machine near Geneva in a preparation for experiments probing secrets of the universe.

Spokeswoman Christine Sutton says low energy beams of protons were sent in both directions around the 17-mile (27-kilometer) tunnel housing the Large Hadron Collider.

Sutton said Sunday the European Organization for Nuclear Research plans a cautious trial period of two to four weeks on the machine under the Swiss-French border.

Death toll hits 52 as storms lash Europe

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Paris, March 01: Hurricane-force winds, surging seas and driving rain lashed western Europe on Sunday, leaving at least 52 people dead and more than a million households without power.

Dubbed “Xynthia”, the Atlantic storm crashed against the western coasts of France and Spain overnight, bringing with it a band of foul weather stretching from Portugal to the Netherlands and inland as far as Germany.

Marines, Afghan troops to stay months in Marjah

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Marjah, March 01:- More than 2,000 U.S. Marines and about 1,000 Afghan troops who stormed the Taliban town of Marjah as part of a major NATO offensive against a resurgent Taliban will stay several months to ensure insurgents don’t return, Marine commanders said Sunday.