Month: April 2010

BJP wins Bangalore civic polls, Cong 2nd

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Bangalore, April 05: The Bharatiya Janata Party created history in Bangalore on Monday winning the civic elections for the first time in 54 years.

The BJP won 103 seats out of 198 in the Greater Bangalore City Corporation beating the Congress.

The Congress came a distant second winning 60 wards and the Janata Dal (Secular) 12. The remaining six wards were won by Independents.

It is the first time that the BJP has come to power in the civic body since Independence, ending five decades of Congress dominance.

Rathore’s bail plea hearing adjourned

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Chandigarh, April 05: In the wake of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking more time to investigate fresh cases registered against tainted Haryana police officer SPS Rathore, the Punjab and Haryana High Court Monday adjourned his anticipatory bail plea hearing till July 19.

Rathore has been convicted of molesting teenager Ruchika Girhotra, leading her to commit suicide.

However, the interim bail granted to Rathore by the high court in the two fresh cases will continue till July 19.

China issues stamped visa to Kashmiri; India not impressed

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New Delhi, April 05: Ahead of external affairs minister SM Krishna’s visit to Beijing on Monday, China issued a stamped visa to Kashmiri professor M Ahmed. Earlier, its embassy had been issuing stapled visas to Kashmiris, signalling that Kashmir was not part of India.

Would the wedding be postponed?

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Hyderabad, April 05: Insiders say bad press surrounding tennis sensation’s Pakistani husband-to-be and case of cheating lodged against him yesterday have left the Mirzas shaken

The controversies surrounding Shoaib Malik are getting to his bride-to-be Sania Mirza’s family.

To make matters worse, Ayesha Siddiqui, who has publicly claimed to be Malik’s wife and asked him to divorce her before he marries Sania, filed a case of cheating against him at the Banjara Hills police station in Hyderabad yesterday.

This has added to the family’s worries.

China’s yuan casts shadow over US-India talks

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New Delhi, April 05: US treasury secretary Timothy Geithner will try to strengthen bilateral ties with India during talks in New Delhi this week, but his visit may be overshadowed by Washington’s tense relationship with China.

Both the United States and India will be simultaneously pushing trade and foreign exchange agendas with China, as they discuss cooperation on infrastructure development and financial markets.

Blast in Pakistan’s northwest

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Islamabad, April 05: A powerful explosion tore through a political rally in Pakistan’s restive northwest Monday, a media report said.

The blast took place in Timer Girah sub-district of Lower Dir in the North West Frontier Province.

Sources told Geo News that the blast occurred during a public gathering of the Awami National Party.

—–IANS

United States’ multi-billion dollar aid package to Pakistan

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Washington, April 05: United States’ multi-billion dollar aid package to Pakistan will be supplemented with a series of powerful new weapons. According to the official reports, the United States will supplement its multi-billion dollar aid package to Pakistan with a series of powerful new weapons, including smart bombs, to help Islamabad crackdown on its growing militant groups.

‘Pakistan hub of fake Indian currency network’

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Kathmandu, April 05: Two Pakistani cities are the major manufacturers of fake Indian currency and Pakistanis are the main couriers spreading the counterfeit currency notes to India through Nepal, say Nepal police.

On Saturday, Nepal police arrested yet another Pakistani, Mohammad Hamid, from a hotel in the capital, acting on a tip-off that he was a new courier.

Hamid, police said, was carrying nearly Rs.9 million in fake Indian currency that had been given to him by an associate, identified only as Javed, a resident of Pakistan’s Lahore city.

“Sometimes, a friend must also reciprocate” – Dia Mirza

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Mumbai, April 05: Dia Mirza is hurt; she is definitely not showing it. She had put a lot of faith in ‘Hum Tum Aur Ghost’ but unfortunately, the film bombed at the box office. It was after ages that she had got an opportunity to be a solo lead in a major film with a good role to boast as well but audience completely cold shouldered it in spite of decent merits that it carried. No wonder Dia is looking back at the years gone by and reflecting on the help that she had extended for her friends film after film.

Two lecturers killed in accident

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Dehra Dun, April 05Two lecturers of a private engineering college were killed when a motorcycle on which they were riding was hit by an overspeeding truck at Sahaspur area near here, police today said.

The incident occurred last evening when Neeraj Kumar, a resident of Bijnor, and Deepak Karnwal, hailing from Dehra Dun, were going to attend a marriage in Sahaspur area, they said, adding the duo died on the spot.

The two were lecturers at a private engineering college in Dhulkot area of Sahaspur.

—–PTI

100-plus trapped miners freed in China ‘miracle’

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Beijing, April 05: More than 100 Chinese miners were pulled out alive Monday after being trapped for more than a week in a flooded coal mine, sparking cheers among the hundreds of rescue workers who had raced to save them and almost given up hope.

A live state television broadcast counted off the number of survivors brought above ground — 114 as of 2:15 p.m. local time (0615 GMT; 2:15 a.m. EDT) — as miners wrapped in blankets were hurried to waiting ambulances that sped wailing to nearby hospitals.

Earlier to bed, the healthier the head

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London, April 05: Teens allowed to go to bed after midnight were almost a quarter – 24 per cent – more likely to suffer from depression and a fifth more likely to think about self harm than those who were set bedtimes of 10pm or earlier, British Daily Telegraph said in study carried out by an American university.

Dr James Gangwisch, lead author and a professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, said: “Our results are consistent with the theory that inadequate sleep is a risk factor for depression.”

Pak government to extend all possible assistance to Shoaib Malik

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Islamabad, April 05: Pakistan today said it will extend all assistance to former cricket captain Shoaib Malik, who has been slapped with cheating and harassment charges in India by Ayesha Siddiqui who claims to be his wife, days ahead of his planned wedding to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.
Ahmed Siddiqui, claiming to be Shoaib’s father-in-law, warns of suing him

The Pakistan government said it was in touch with Indian authorities in connection with the police complaint filed against Malik by the Indian woman.

Many women unaware of heart disease signs

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London, April 05: More than 430,000 U.S. women die each year of heart disease, but many women are unfamiliar with signs, U.S. researchers say.

To better spot cardiovascular disease Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas began a new Heart & Vascular Wellness Program for women including a detailed heart health history, blood pressure check, HbA1C and C-reactive protein blood test, cholesterol and diabetes screenings, and one-on-one discussions with a medical provider

England fast bowler Bedser dead

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London, April 05: Legendary England cricketer Alec Bedser has died at the age of 91 after a brief illness, reports said today.

Bedser, regarded as one of the finest bowlers of the post-war era, passed away on Sunday in hospital, said news agency.

“Alec Bedser deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest England bowlers of all time, a master of the craft of seam bowling and a true legend of the game,” said Giles Clarke, chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Chocolate ‘can help prevent stroke’

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London, April 05: As if people needed any more reason to eat chocolate – now scientists find a bar a week could stop you from having a stroke.

A study of nearly 50,000 people found that those eating chocolate were 22 per cent less likely to suffer a stroke than those that didn’t.

And those who did suffer a stroke but had indulged in chocolate were 46 per cent less likely to die as a result.

The reason is believed to be that the food is rich in flavanoids, a healthy anti-oxidant, although researchers at the University of Toronto are keen to carry out extra studies.

Sania rises in WTA rankings

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New Delhi, April 05: Out of action owing to a wrist injury, tennis ace Sania Mirza has risen a couple of rungs to 90th in the latest WTA singles rankings issued today.

Sania, who is currently busy gearing up for her marriage with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik on April 15, has 740 points in the list.

Sania, however, slipped in the doubles chart and was down to 44th from last week’s 36th with 1875 points.

Meanwhile, Leander Paes, who clinched his maiden doubles’ title of the season with Czech Lukas Dlouhy in Miami Masters, remained static at sixth in the ATP list with 6,520 points.

HC adjourns hearing on Rathore’s plea in Ruchika case

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Chandigarh, April 05: The Punjab and Haryana High Court today adjourned till July 19 the hearing on two FIRs filed against former DGP SPS Rathore in the Ruchika molestation case after the CBI sought more time to conduct the probe.

Justice Sabina adjourned the case after the CBI counsel told the court that the agency needed four weeks time to file the status report.

International Campaign to break siege on Gaza

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Istanbul, April 05: Supervisors of International campaign to break siege on Gaza said Friday that the campaign seeks to end Gaza tragic human problem through donators from all over the world who have free conscience.

Al-Jazeera TV station quoted the representative of Turkish “Waqf” movement on human rights as saying at a press conference “the campaign faces a lot of difficulties and problems, but what is important is to help the Palestinian people overcome the Israeli inhuman practices that violate the human rights.”

Explosives seized in Bihar

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Sasaram, April 05: A huge cache of explosives was today seized and a man, suspected to be a naxalite, was arrested from Dayalbigha village in Bihar’s Rohtas district, a senior police official said.

Acting on a tip-off, police searched a house and seized 242 power gelatins, 112 detonators, 30 kg of ammonium nitrate and three bundles of fuse wires, Deputy Superintendent of Police R K Mall said.

—-PTI

Israel to lift siege on Palestinian territories Wednesday

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Ramallah, April 05: Israel to lift Wednesday the siege imposed on Palestinian territories, Radio Israel said Monday.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak issued his orders last week to impose a curfew and prevent Palestinians from entering Israel during Easter at the time that Jewish bigots were planning on placing the cornerstone of Solomon’s Temple in Al-Aqsa mosque.

Karunakaran hospitalised

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Thiruvananthapuram, April 05: Veteran Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister K. Karunakaran was admitted to a private hospital here after he complained of breathing problems.

The condition of the nonagenarian leader, admitted on Sunday night, is stable, hospital sources said.

Karunakaran, 91, will have to spend two days in hospital, they said.

—-PTI

Bangladesh Islamist leaders denied bail, told to surrender

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Dhaka, April 05: The Dhaka High Court has rejected the bail pleas of five Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) leaders, including its chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, in two cases filed against them for hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims. They were also directed to surrender before the trial court within nine weeks.

Nizami and four others face trial for allegedly seeking to compare Nizami with Prophet Muhammad.

A criminal case was filed at a Dhaka court in March against five JeI leaders, including Nizami and secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed.

Chilli futures up on spot demand

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New Delhi, April 05: Chilli futures prices rose by Rs 37 to Rs 4,960 per quintal today as traders enlarged their positions on hopes of a pick up in demand. Restricted arrivals from producing regions also influenced the trading sentiment.

At the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange, chilli for June month contract rose by Rs 37 or 0.75 per cent to Rs 4,960 per quintal with an open interest of 1,825 lots. The spice for delivery in April month contract also gained Rs 15 or 0.32 per cent to Rs 4,675 per quintal in a turnover of 5,715 lots.

Qatar eyes Indian power sector

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Doha, April 05: Qatar has evinced interest to invest in the Indian infrastructure sector, especially the power segment, and both countries will look at collaborations in the area, a newspaper report has said.

According to the report, a delegation from India will soon visit Qatar to discuss prospects for investment.

“There are Qatari interests in India’s power sector and very soon we will be able to see (announcements),” India’s Ambassador to Qatar Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa said, while addressing a meeting of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Doha chapter.