Month: June 2010

Austria urges Israel to end Gaza siege

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Vienna, June 25: Austria has urged Israel to put an end to a three-year-long blockade of the Gaza Strip, calling for improvement of living conditions in the coastal sliver.

“We want Israel to end the embargo of the Gaza Strip,” Austria’s Chancellor Werner Faymann said in a joint news conference with Israeli President Shimon Peres on Thursday.

“We have to improve the situation, the living situation of people in Gaza Strip. To support people in the Gaza Strip and improve their living conditions it’s necessary to end the blockade,” Reuters quoted the Austrian chancellor as saying.

China warns against US protectionism

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Beijing, June 25: Beijing has cautioned against “protectionist” retaliation over its currency policy as Washington lawmakers contemplate ways to punish Beijing for its weak Yuan policy.

On Thursday, Chinese Foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang rejected the calls for China to let the Yuan appreciate, saying it would not solve the controversial Chinese trade surplus with the United States, AFP reported.

“We believe the appreciation of the Yuan cannot bring balanced trade and cannot help the US solve its problems of unemployment, overconsumption and low savings,” he told journalists.

Yellow and red cards at World Cup

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Johannesburg, June 25: List of yellow and red cards issued at the 2010 World Cup by the end of Thursday (44 of 64 games):

Red cards (6)

Australia (2):

Tim Cahill

Harry Kewell

France (1):

Yoann Gourcuff

Nigeria (1)

Sani Kaita

South Africa (1):

Itumeleng Khune

Switzerland (1):

Valon Behrami

Yellow-red cards (6):

Algeria (2):

Abdelkader Ghezzal, Antar Yahia

Brazil (1):

Kaka

Germany (1):

Miroslav Klose

Serbia (1):

Aleksandar Lukovic

Uruguay (1):

Nicolas Lodeiro

Yellow cards (162):

Slovenia (9):

N Korea says US must pay $65tr

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Seoul, June 25: North Korea has demanded the United States to pay almost USD 65 trillion in compensation for what it calls damage caused by six decades of US hostility.

The cost of the damage done by the United States since the peninsula was divided in 1945 is estimated at USD 64.96 trillion, AFP reported citing the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Thursday.

The compensation amount was calculated on the basis of the number of North Korean civilian casualties during the 1950-53 Korean War, other losses related to the conflict and US sanctions.

72 people found at WTC site from Debris

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New York, June 25: New York City officials say a renewed search this year of debris in and around the World Trade Center site has led to the recovery of 72 human remains.

The sifting of more than 800 cubic yards (612 cubic metres) of debris recovered from ground zero and underneath roads around the lower Manhattan site began in April and ended last week.

The greatest number of remains — 37 — was found from material underneath West Street, a highway on the west side of ground zero. The city began a renewed search for human remains in 2006. More than 1,800 remains have been found.

Degrees on sale! Rs 55,000 for MBA

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Banglore, June 25: Cops have busted a major fake certificate racket; claim that many have used them to get jobs

With the arrest of Naresh Kumar (40), the Jayanagar police claim to have busted a major fake certificate racket, which was spread across India and abroad.

The accused used to sell fake degree certificates, mark sheets, and transfer certificates of various universities to failed students.

With the help of these mark sheets, many are employed with some of the reputed multi-national companies (MNCs) in India and abroad.

Dog unites Shahid with mom !

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Mumbai, June 25: Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor, who has been staying away from his estranged mother Neelima for many years, has patched up with her.

The reason is Shahid’s dog , Kaizer, sounds very weird! Isn’t it? It is reported that the actor was not even on talking terms with his mother. Recently, when Shahid had to leave for Scotland to shoot for his father Pankaj Kapoor’s film Mausam, he had asked his mother to look after his pet, Kaizer. Now, the pooch is living with Neelima and she is taking good care of it.

Republicans exploit sacking to challenge Afghan strategy

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Washington, June 25: The revolving door spectacle at the top of America’s military brass may have been executed with swift efficiency by Barack Obama but the fallout may just be beginning as Republicans prepare again to challenge his plans to begin a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan next year.

Fresh and possibly unfriendly scrutiny of President Obama’s war strategy will come as the Senate Armed Services Committee prepares to hold hearings to confirm the appointment of General David Petraeus to replace General Stanley McChrystal who was given his marching orders on Wednesday.

For Sale: A New Zealand village

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Wellington, June 25: Want to own an entire village? Well, here’s your chance. A tiny village, complete with a school and a fire station, is up for sale in New Zealand for $1 million.

Bill and Christine Hennah had bought Otira in 1998 after passing through and “feeling sorry for it”. They paid $80,000 for a hotel, school, fire station and 18 houses.

Now, the couple, who are in their 60s, no longer have the energy to run the hotel while maintaining the village that has 40 residents.

They have put up the hotel for sale at $350,000. The entire village will cost $1 million.

Cong protest against UP decisions on local bodies poll

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Lucknow, June 25: The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee yesterday observed black day to protest against the state government’s reported decision to conduct local bodies election on non-political basis.

“As a part of the protest the party workers staged demonstrations and dharnas across the state and burnt copies of a notification issued by the state government,” a party spokesman said here.

He said that UPCC president Reeta Bahuguna Joshi led the agitation in Allahabad, where a demonstration was held at district collectorate.

US visas pose ‘appallingly pervasive problem’

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Washington, June 25: A day after India raised the issue of visas for Indian professionals and skilled workers, a senior US official acknowledged that visas posed an “appallingly pervasive problem” in science and technology cooperation.

“Visas have been an appallingly pervasive problem in science and technology cooperation,” said Dr John P Holdren, advisor to the US president on science and technology, Thursday.

Police bust prostitution racket

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Hyderabad, June 25: Task Force officials in Hyderabad rescued 17 sex workers including one foreign national and arrested 16 pimps after busting a prostitution racket.

As part of a special drive to curb the menace of prostitution, Task Force sleuths conducted raids under the limits of S R Nagar, Panjagutta, Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills police stations and some hotels and registered 15 cases, Task Force DCP V B Kamalasan Reddy said.

17 sex workers rescued in AP

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Hyderabad, June 25: At least 17 sex workers, including a foreign national, were rescued and 16 suspected pimps were arrested today after Task Force officials busted a prostitution gang here, a senior police officer said.

As part of a special drive to curb the menace, searches were conducted in various parts of the city and 15 cases were registered, Task Force DCP V B Kamalasan Reddy said.

Nod to .xxx porn sites by U.S. govt.

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Brussesls, June 25: The company that oversees Web addresses is expected to give the go-ahead on Friday for the creation of a .xxx suffix for websites with pornographic content, company officials indicated.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which oversees the Internet on behalf of the U.S. government, has in the past resisted creating a .xxx generic domain name system akin to those for .com and .net.

It has in recent years repeatedly rejected a request by U.S. company ICM Registry Inc. to sign off on the .xxx domain.

Ashes on our mind-Says Ponting

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Sydney, June 25: The Australian captain Ricky Ponting has said that the team is only thinking of winning the Ashes on home soil. Last year, England has registered an empathic Ashes series win over the Australian team. That was second time in Ponting’s career that Australia has encountered an Ashes series defeat.

In 2006-07 season, Australia has posted a 5-0 whitewash of the Ashes series. Now the Australia skipper is anticipating repeating the same in this season.

But this time it has become a tough task for him. Because the English team is quite confident and much composed.

Morgan’s ton leads England to win over Aussies in first ODI

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London, June 25: A very well compiled unbeaten century from the Irish player Eoin Morgan has propelled England to register a four-wicket victory over the Aussies in the first one-day international of the Natwest Series at Rose Bowl. Australia opted to bat first and managed to score 267-7 with a nice contribution from Michael Clarke of 87 from 97 balls. Except him no other batsman in the Australian team has clicked.

On the other hand, Morgan has made a nice partnership of 95 with Luke Write, who has scored 36. Later, Morgan has shared stands of 71 with Tim Bresnan, who has scored 27 runs.

Kids under online sex, violence threat

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Bangalore, June 24: Seven out of 10 Indian kids have been exposed to nudity and violence, or have been asked by a stranger to meet them in person when they are online, security software-maker Symantec said.

According to Symantec’s Norton Online Family Report 2010, 77 per cent of Indian kids have experienced some ‘negative’ situation online, while only half of the Indian parents interviewed thought their children had such an experience.

Self-employment scheme to become livelihood mission

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New Delhi, June 25: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) Thursday approved the restructuring of a centrally-sponsored rural self-emeployment scheme as a National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) given past experiences, shortcomings pointed out by research studies and recommendations by various committees.

Al Qaeda ‘building bunkers’ in the Sahara

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Mali, June 25: Militants linked to Al Qaeda are building fortified bunkers in the Algeria and Mali areas of the Sahara desert to shelter militants from air attacks, security experts claim.

The members of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb have hidden themselves in the desert without any notion of national boundaries, according to the experts.

Sonu Nigam to soon release MJ tribute

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Mumbai, June 25: Bollywood playback singer Sonu Niigam, who is a huge fan of late pop legend Michael Jackson, said he is working on a tribute for Jackson with his brother Jermaine Jackson.

“I am working on a song which will be my tribute to Michael Jackson. This will be the first tribute song to the singer with one of his family members. After the song is recorded, I will work on a music video and release it soon,” Niigam told reporters here

“I am very happy that Jermaine agreed to work on the song with me,” he added.

Court orders arrest of accused in 1999 rape case

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Bhubaneswar, June 25: The Orissa High Court Thursday asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to arrest, within three months, the absconding accused in a more than 11-year-old rape case, a lawyer said.

A division bench of Justice A.S.Naidu and Justice S.C Parija sought the arrest of Biban Biswal, while dismissing the appeal filed by two other convicts – Padia Sahu and Tunia Mohanty – defence lawyer A.K.Budhia told IANS.

Weapon-laden car held near G20 venue

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Toronto, June 25: Police arrested a man Thursday after he attempted to drive a car containing weapons near the G20 summit area in downtown Toronto.

The car reportedly contained sticks, an axe handle and fuel, Toronto police chief Bill Blair told CBC News. Other local media reports said the car also had a chainsaw and a crossbow.

“I’m advised he came to the attention of the police,” Blair said. “Upon checking, they found he was in possession of these items, and was apprehended and arrested as a result.”

Too much TV increases heart risk

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London, June 25: Every hour spent in front of television increases the risk of dying from heart disease by 7 percent, a study has revealed.

Those looking at their favourite progammes for four hours a day face a 28 percent rise in the risk. The research led by Medical Research Council shows that changes in lifestyle could stem the toll from heart disease.

For almost a decade, researchers from the MRC Epidemiology Unit studied 13,197 middle-aged, healthy men and women in Norfolk. It showed that 373 of the participants died from heart disease.

15 dead in Bolivia accidents

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La Paz, June 25: At least 15 people were killed and 33 injured in two accidents in western and central Bolivia, police said.

A bus carrying over 50 people went into a ravine near Bombeo, a town in the central province of Cochabamba, killing 12 people, police said Thursday. Thirty people were injured in the accident, they said.

The other accident happened when a vehicle plunged into a ravine in Yungas de La Paz, an area near the town of Asunta, killing three people and injuring three others, a media report said.

–IANS–

Air France to cut 4,400 jobs by 2013

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Paris, June 25: Air France will lay off its 4,391 employees by March 2013, French business daily La Tribune reported Thursday.

Based on a work committee report of the company, jobs would be reduced in three phases – 2,436 jobs will be cut in 2010-2011, 834 in 2011-2012 and 1,121 staff will be laid off in 2012-2013, Xinhua reported citing the daily.

The cut will reduce the workforce of the airliner by 16.3 percent as compared the number of employees in March 2008 before the global economic crisis.