Month: May 2010

World’s biggest cargo airport constructed in Dubai

by

Dubai, May 05: Dubai’s second airport which is designed to be the world’s largest is set to start operations from June 27 for cargo only.

According to Dubai Airports chief executive officer Paul Griffiths, the Al-Maktoum International Airport, which is designed to be the world’s largest when completed, plans to receive passengers next year.

He said that the passenger terminal is scheduled to be ready by the end of this year and that it will enter service at the beginning of the summer season in 2011, towards the end of March.

Kalmadi, NSFs meet PM over Sports Ministry’s guidelines

by

New Delhi, May 05: A group of top officials of the National Sports Federations (NSFs), led by IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek his intervention over the Sports Ministry’s guidelines to limit the tenures of the various sports administrators.

Kalmadi said the delegation informed Dr Singh about the timing of the directives and claimed the Prime Minister endorsed their view that the Sports Ministry should have waited for the Commonwealth Games to get over before issuing the guidelines.

Weather forecasts to get more accurate, courtesy Chinese radars

by

Agartala, May 05: Weather forecasting in India is all set to get more accurate with the met office setting up Chinese made Doppler radars across the country that can track and predict fast- evolving weather systems such as thunderstorms, cyclones and cloudbursts.

The radars, which have been procured from Beijing Metstar Radar Company, will be installed at a height of 16 metres on top of buildings.

‘The Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) would provide short-range accurate weather prediction in a nearly 500 km radius,’ Indian Meteorological Department’s (IMD) director Dilip Saha told IANS here.

Mayawati’s claim of ousting criminals an eyewash: Congress

by

Lucknow, May 05: The Congress Wednesday termed as mere “eyewash” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s claim about expelling 500 partymen with criminal antecedents and challenged her to “first throw out outlaws holding the status of minister in her government”.

In a statement here, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said: “The fact is that despite her repeated declarations over the past few days, her party is yet to release the list of names of expelled partymen.

“Let her declare the names and positions they were occupying in the party,” he said.

Eight Taliban bombers attack Afghan government buildings

by

Kabul, May 05: Eight Taliban fighters equipped with suicide vests and automatic weapons attacked government buildings in western Afghanistan Wednesday morning, officials said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Zamarai Bashary said seven attackers were killed by Afghan forces in Zaranj, the capital of the western province of Nimruz.

“Seven of the bombers were killed in their own explosions or by our forces,” General Jabar Purdeli, provincial police chief, told DPA. He said the last militant was holed up inside a government building and the fighting continued.

Pakistan arrests suspects linked to Times Square bomber

by

Islamabad, May 05: Pakistani authorities have arrested several suspects reportedly linked to the failed car bombing in New York.

Faisal Shahzad, a naturalized US citizen of Pakistani origin, was arrested in the US Monday over the failed attack.

Shahzad’s friend Tausef and father-in-law Iftikhar Mian were picked up by intelligence personnel from a house in the southern city of Karachi, Xinhua reported Wednesday quoting the Dawn newspaper.

According to the report, Faisal’s wife Huma Mian and two children are in Pakistan but it could not be confirmed if his wife had also been detained.

Two passengers detained after flight makes priority landing

by

Kolkata, May 05: Two passengers of a Spicejet flight were detained for suspicious activities after it made a ’priority landing’ here today, airport sources said.

The pilot of the New Delhi—Kolkata Spicejet flight 203 radioed the ATC at the N S C Bose International Airport about the suspicious activities and was immediately allowed to make a priority landing, the sources said.

The aircraft landed here at around noon and was immediately cordoned off on the runway by CSIF, bomb squad, fire brigade and police.

The number of passengers and crew on board are yet to be ascertained.

Indian origin appointed as Dean of Harvard Business School

by

New Delhi, May 05: Indian-American Nitin Nohria has been appointed as the 10th Dean of Harvard Business School. He is the first person of Indian origin to occupy this prestigious and high-profile post.

Nitin Nohria is currently working as the Richard P Chapman Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School (HBS). He will take over as the Dean on July 1, 2010.

Nohria received his B.Tech degree in Chemical Engineering from the IIT Mumbai in 1984. He then received his Ph.D. in Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management in 1988.

Delhi govt launches park and ride bus service

by

New Delhi, May 05: The Delhi government today launched a “park and ride” bus service from India Gate to and from various central government buildings located on either side of Rajpath in the city.

“Everyday a large number of public throng the central government offices at the Rajpath area in their vehicles, causing traffic chaos.

“But now they can park their vehicles at C—Hexagon at India Gate and hop on the bus to reach the government offices comfortably,” Jaipal Reddy, Urban Development Minister said after launching the facility here.

Bihar rights panel moved over illegal cremation

by

Patna, May 05: Families of three youths allegedly cremated in an illegal manner by police here have moved Bihar’s human rights commission for registration of criminal cases against policemen and officials of a hospital, commission sources said Wednesday.

A commission official said that family members of the youths killed last month by unidentified criminals alleged that the police carried out the cremation without informing them.

Smoking bag prompts US airport scare

by

Houston, May 05: The US police and bomb squad have cordoned off parts of Houston’s international airport, after a ruptured, smoking suitcase triggered a bomb scare.

The suspect luggage was found aboard a KLM flight from Amsterdam on Tuesday following its landing at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

A baggage handler carried the fuming suitcase away from the plane to the terminal and called the emergency services.

Bomb squad officials and police arrived at the scene minutes later, shutting-off parts of the airport to examine the remains of the baggage.

Gayatri Projects bags Rs 2,200 cr order from Andhra

by

Mumbai, May 05: Construction firm Gayatri Projects today said it has bagged an order worth Rs 2,200 crore from the Andhra Pradesh government for construction related works.

The company has secured the order from Andhra Pradesh Road Development Corporation, Gayatri Projects said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

The scope of work includes designing, construction and maintenance of roads on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis, the filing added.

Shares of Gayatri Projects were trading at Rs 410.50 on the BSE, up 0.04 per cent from previous close.
–PTI

Zia Ul Haq Detention Fake Adilabad Residents in Panic

by

Hyderabad, May 05: (Siasat News) Zia-Ul-Haq apprehension in connection with the bombing of Odeon theatre has sent a wage of fear and panic among the people of his birth place adilabad.

While his arrest has baffled some people, other people think. The detention is fake zia-ul-haq has shifted to hyderabad 15 years ago but his two sisters are still living in Adilabad.

Government not in favour of population control legislation

by

New Delhi, May 05: The Government is not in favour of any legislation to ensure population control, but would make people aware of available means of family planning, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Wednesday.

“Let me make it clear that we are not in favour of controlling population growth through any kind of legislation.

But by way of generating awareness and persuading people to have small family size for betterment of the health of the mother and child,” he said.

Hooch claims three lives in UP

by

Pratapgarh (UP), May 05: Three persons, including two of a family, were killed and another taken seriously ill after consuming spurious country liquor in Muraini village of the district here last night, police said today.

They said the victims, all dalit labourers, were taken seriously ill after consuming adulterated liquor and one of them died on the spot.

Two others succumbed in a nearby government hospital where one more was still struggling for life, police said.

The liquor supplier identified as Chauhan Koshi has been arrested, they said.

Maoists kill Congress leader, 2 CPI-M workers

by

Jhargram, May 05: Bodies of a Congress leader and two CPI(M) workers killed by suspected Maoists were found today near Lalgarh in West Midnapore district.

Bikash Mahato (40), working President of Jhargram Block Congress, was shot dead by Maoists this morning and his body was found near roadside at Baghmuri village, police said.

Mr. Mahato was picked up by armed Maoists from his residence last afternoon. Maoists suspected him to be working as police informer.

Katrina Kaif to learn deep-sea diving

by

Mumbai, May 05: Katrina Kaif is going all out to prepare for Zoya Akhtar’s next film Running With The Bulls with Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol. Currently the actress is learning dirt bike riding after which she will learn deep-sea diving.

The actress confirms from London, “Zoya’s film is a very contemporary one and I play a very outdoorsy character. I am not an action girl but I get to do stuff like dirt bike riding and deep sea diving, so it’s better than I learn these skills before we start shooting.”

Spanish shoot

Key mechanism in breast cancer ‘identified’

by

London, May 05: In a major breakthrough, scientists claim to have identified a key molecular mechanism in breast cancer that enables tumour cells to spread to either adjacent or distant parts of the body through metastasis.

An international team, led by Prof Peter Zhou of the University of Kentucky, has achieved the breakthrough which it says will pave the way to new lines of research aimed at developing treatments for metastatic breast cancer.

India to start Azlan Shah title defence from tomorrow

by

Ipoh (Malaysia), May 05: With almost all the teams bringing in new-look squads, India would target their fifth Sultan Azlan Shah trophy but will have to overcome some stiff resistance from world champions Australia and Asian champions South Korea on the way.

India, the defending champions and four time winners, will play China in their campaign opener tomorrow and will clash with traditional rival Pakistan here on Friday.

England qualify for Super Eight following a washout

by

Providence (Guyana), May 05: England entered the Super Eight stage of the Twenty20 cricket World Cup after heavy downpour washed out their crucial Group D match against Ireland here.

With each team getting one point, England qualified for the Super Eight stage, thanks to their superior net run-rate.

England have a net run-rate of -0.452, better than Ireland’s -3.500 after the two group matches.

Hosts West Indies have already qualified as the top team from the Group D.

“I Think It Is Very Cheap To Link Me with Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer” – Anushka Sharma

by

Mumbai, May 05: Anushka Sharma, who saunters in an hour and a half late for the interview tells Jyothi Venkatesh that she was not on back-slapping terms with Shah Rukh Khan as a buddy, because unlike Shahid Kapoor and Rannveer who are closer to her age, Shah Rukh Khan is older

Is the Anushka Sharma of Badmaash Company a far cry from the Anushka Sharma of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi?

Bollywood welcomes Sachin Tendulkar on Twitter

by

New Delhi, May 05: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has joined Twitter, and film personalities went all out to welcome the ace cricketer on the micro blogging site.

One of Sachin’s early tweets were: “By the way this time its real me. No more wrong information…”

Soon after, many actors posted messages on their Twitter pages welcoming him.

“The original rock star is here. Welcome Sachin Tendulkar. He is here. Give him all the love he deserves,” posted Arjun Rampal.

Three arrested, 320 wheat bags recovered

by

Moga, May 05: Three persons were arrested and 320 stolen wheat bags were recovered from their possession from a truck at Zira road here, police said today.

Driver Bhinder Singh and two others were arrested last evening and the wheat bags were also recovered from them, SSP Moga Sneh Deep Sharma said.

The trio stole 350 wheat bags from Food Corporation of India office near Bhag Cinema at G T Road on April 29.

—PTI

RBI raises forex cap for overseas travellers to $3000

by

Mumbai, May 05: People going abroad have reasons to cheer as now they will be entitled to get foreign exchange up to USD 3,000 against the existing limit of USD 2,000. Following changes in the forex rules, travellers going abroad can get up to USD 3,000 or its equivalent amount in other currencies from forex dealers without prior permission of the Reserve Bank.

Injured Pakistani pacer Gul advised three weeks rest

by

Karachi, May 05: Pakistani pacer Umar Gul, who was ruled out of the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies due to shoulder injury, has been advised complete rest for three weeks.

“The doctors have given me three weeks complete bed rest so I am not playing cricket at all. But I am definitely following the progress of my team in the World Cup,” Gul said.

He had picked up the injury during team’s training camp in Lahore for World Cup preparations.