Month: August 2010

6.5 crore diamond heist at international jewellery show

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Mumbai, August 24: In a crime that seems to be straight out of a Bollywood movie, diamonds weighing 88,999 carats and worth over Rs.6.5 crore were stolen from a stall at the India International Jewellery Show that concluded here Monday evening, a top police official said.

According to Additional Police Commissioner (north region) Ramrao Pawar, the incident came to light when the stall exhibitors were packing up after the five-day expo ended here around 6 p.m. Monday.

Man shot dead after killing son, nephew in US

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Washington, August 24: A 52-year-old man killed his son and nephew before being shot dead in US state of Virginia, police said Monday.

The shooting took place in Louisa County in central Virginia Sunday afternoon. County Sheriff Investigator Major Donald Lowe identified the gunman as Charles P. Steadman Sponaugle Sr, Xinhua reported.

Lowe said Sponaugle shot dead his own son and a nephew and wounded four relatives including his wife.

State police believe the deadly dispute happened because of an argument over rights to a piece of property worth some $25,000.

Tiger Woods officially divorced

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Los Angeles, August 24: Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren are officially divorced, according to a statement posted by their lawyers on the golfer’s website Monday.

The statement said the judgement posted in a Bay County, Florida court provided for shared parenting of their two children.

“We are sad that our marriage is over and we wish each other the very best for the future,” the former couple said in the statement, which said that the children’s well being had been the “primary focus of our amicable discussions”.

Working with beau was unique: Barrymore

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London, August 24: Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore says working with her boyfriend Justin Long on the couple’s new movie “Going the Distance” was a unique experience.

Barrymore and Long play a couple, who enjoy a summer fling in New York in the romantic comedy, and the star of “50 First Dates” insists the pair’s real-life relationship helped in the making of the movie, reports thetelegraph.co.uk.

China to cut number of crimes punishable by death

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Beijing, August 24: China is reviewing a law related to death penalty in an effort to reduce number of crimes punishable by death, a media report said.

The revision, if passed, will cut the existing 68 death charges in criminal law by one fifth to 55, and it will be the first major amendment of the law since 1997, China Daily reported Monday.

Among the 13 death charges (which would see execution removed as punishment), most are seldom applied in recent years, including crime of smuggling relics.

Judge Blocks Obama Stem Cell Regulations

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Washington, August 24: A US federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction stopping expanded federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research, which was part of a new policy outlined by the Obama administration last year.

US District Judge Royce Lamberth Monday issued an order barring the Health and Human Services Department and the National Institutes for Health (NIH) from conducting studies on new human embryonic cell lines.

Iran’s self-defense options ‘limitless’

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Tehran, August 24: “Iran is not concerned by a prospective military attack by any country, although it is always prepared to defend itself,” Ahmadinejad said in an interview with Qatar’s al-Sharq and the Peninsula newspapers on Monday.

“Enemies know well that Iran is an invincible fortress and I do not believe the US masters of the Zionists will allow the regime [in Tel Aviv] to take any measures against Iran,” noted the Iranian chief executive.

Asked about Iran’s options in the case it is attacked, Ahmadinejad said, “Iran has limitless options which extends to all parts of the world.”

‘Pakistan needs 3 years to recover’

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Islamabad, August 24: “Your guess is as good as mine, but three years is a minimum,” Zardari told reporters Monday when asked how long it would take Pakistan to go through relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation after the floods.

He warned that his impoverished and volatile country is facing drastic problems.

“I don’t think Pakistan will ever fully recover but we will move on,” Zardari said, adding that the government was working to protect people from potential future flooding.

‘UAE congratulates Iran on N-fueling’

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Dubai, August 24: The UAE’s top diplomat said that the fueling of Iran’s nuclear plant in the southern city of Bushehr will also help “decrease the environmental pollution in the region,” Fars news agency reported him as saying on Monday.

The Emirati minister made the comments in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi upon receiving the credentials of the new Iranian ambassador to the Persian Gulf state, Mohammad Reza Fayyaz.

Iran began loading the Bushehr plant with fuel on Saturday in an effort to provide the country with nuclear-generated electricity.

Ex city chief Gunnunatha Rao passes away

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Hyderabad, August 24: The former Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad and additional DGP (Law and order), Mr G. Gurunatha Rao, IPS (Retd), passed away in the early hours of Sunday.

He is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters.

Mr Gutunatha Rao held many important positions like Commissioner of City Police, Additional DG (L&O), very first Superintendent of Police of the vigilance cell and so on.

HC rejects satyam Babu’s plea to transfer case

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Hyderabad, August 24: The High Court on Monday rejected the plea of Satyam Babu, prime accused in the ghastly rape and murder case of Ayesha Meera, to transfer his case to Hyderabad from Vijayawada.

The High Court also directed the trial court to complete examination of all the witnesses within a week.

——-NSS

Indian Muslims want ‘Ground Zero Mosque’ relocated

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Washington, August 24: The Washington-based Association of Indian Muslims of America asked the Cordoba Institute and other promoters of the Islamic Center termed as the ‘Ground Zero Mosque’ to relocate it in the interest of the larger good of the community.

A statement issued by Kaleem Kawaja, a leader of the association noted that the initiative of a set of New York City Muslims to build the center, a couple of blocks from the site of the Twin Towers has generated a super-heated controversy and much tension in US. In this tense situation a national debate is raging across America.

CM recalls Prakasam’s services

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Hyderabad, August 24: Chief Minister K Rosaiah on Monday paid rich tributes to freedom fighter and former chief minister Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu on the occasion of his 139th birth anniversary.

Garlanding a statue of late Prakasam Pantulu near the Assembly building, Rosaiah recalled the services of the leader to the freedom struggle and to the state.

Recalling his association with the great leader, Rosaiah said though he was a follower of NG Ranga, he still had association with Prakasam Pantulu.

DS meets Sonia to discuss organisational polls

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New Delhi, August 24: Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas and the AICC general secretary and in-charge of AP Congress affairs Veerappa Moily on Monday met All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi at New Delhi.

Talking to reporters, Srinivas said that they had discussed latest political situation prevailed in the state and party matters.

According to sources, the meeting also focused on conducting of organizational elections.
However, the PCC chief did not make any comments on Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy’s ‘Odarpu Yatra’.

———INN

Six-member panel to probe Chiru blood bank

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Hyderabad, August 24: The state government has appointed a six-member committee to look into the allegations leveled by film actor Dr Rajasekhar and his wife Jeevitha against the functioning of the Chiranjeevi Blood Bank.

The government appointed the committee in the wake of allegations that the Blood Bank was selling blood collected from Chiru fans, in violation of rules and regulations.

The committee would submit its report to the government by September 20, stated Andhra Pradesh Aids control society Director Chandravadan.

Rajagopuram reconstructed work from Aug 30, to finish by 2012: Gade

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Hyderabad, August 24: Endowment Minister Gade Venkata Reddy on Monday stated the state government would reconstruct the Rajagopuram of Srikalahasteshwara Swamy temple in Chittoor district by 2012.

The Rajagopuram had collapsed earlier this year in May after cracks had appeared in it.

Speaking to media after the review meeting convened under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister over the collapsed Rajagopuram, Mr Venkata Reddy said the foundation stone for reconstruction of the Gopuram would be laid on August 30.

We are High Command’s watchdogs: Shankar Rao

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Hyderabad, August 24: “We are watch dogs of High Command. Whoever speaks against the High Command, we will bark against them and kill them mercilessly,” state Secunderabad Cantonment MLA P Shankar Rao on Monday.

Talking to media persons at CLP office, Mr Shankar Rao stated that those who are making statements against the High Command have no standing in public life and have been rejected by the people at the hustings.

HC will take action against those participating in O Yatra: Yaskhi

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Hyderabad, August 24: The Congress High Command would initiate action against those who violate party discipline and participate in Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s Odarpu Yatra warned Nizamabad MP Madhu Yaskhi on Monday.

Mr Yaskhi told media persons at his residence on Monday, that he has asked the leaders not to test the patience of High Command on Odarpu yatra.

The MP said that the High Command’s decision is supreme and workers should not treat it as ‘inactive’ body.

Growing clamour in Congress painful: Uppunutala

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Hyderabad, August 24: Former minister Uppunutala Purushottam Reddy on Monday expressed regrets at the growing clamour in the Congress party over the Chief Minister’s and pleaded with party leaders not to belittle it by staking claims on it.

Mr Purshottam Reddy said that the situation has deteriorated in the party to such an extent that every leader, big and small is eyeing the Chief Minister’s post and making public comments.

No state can have two Formation Days: JC

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Hyderabad, August 24: Congress MLA and former minister JC Diwakar Reddy on Monday registered his opposition to the growing clamour to celebrate Telangana Liberation Day officially on September 17 by saying that there cannot be two Formation Days in one state.

The former minister told media persons that the calls from leaders of almost all political parties also expressed his fear that if the Telangana Liberation Day is celebrated officially, then separate statehood protagonists would get more support.

Celebrate Telangana Liberation Day: LSP

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Hyderabad, August 24: The Lok Satta Party on Thursday demanded that the Government celebrate Telangana Liberation Day officially on September 17 since integration of Telangana with the Indian Union was a continuation of the country’s freedom movement.

Terror attacks grip Pak again; 38 killed, 50 hurt

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Islamabad, August 24: At least 38 people, including a former parliamentarian, were killed and nearly 50 others injured in a suicide attack on a mosque and two bombings across northwest Pakistan on Monday, marking a spurt in militant violence after a relative lull over the past few weeks.

Former lawmaker Maulana Noor Muhammad was among 26 people killed when a suicide bomber targeted a mosque in the volatile South Waziristan Agency. Local residents said he had differences with the Taliban.

TDP’s diagnosis of Congress health faulty: Nagender

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Hyderabad, August 24: Health Minister Danam Nagender on Monday scoffed at the Telugu Desam Party’s diagnosis of the Congress party’s health in the state and said that his party is hale, hearty and thriving.

Responding to Telugu Desam Party spokesperson P Chandrasekhar’s ‘observations’ made on Sunday, Mr Nagender said that the diagnosis by the TDP was wrong since it itself was fighting for political survival and was on the verge of political obscurity.

Water released from Tungabhadra, Jurala

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Kurnool, August 24: With the catchment areas in Tunga and Bhadra witnessing heavy rains in Karnataka, the Tungabhadra river is receiving massive inflow of flood waters at Hospet dam.

Following heavy flow of water, the irrigation officials at Hospet have lifted 22 flood gates and discharged 66,000 cusecs of water downstream on Monday.

In the wake of Tungabhadra River being in spate, Kurnool Collector Ram Shankar Nayak on Monday convened a review meeting with irrigation officials of dam and discussed the flood threat to the district.

Fire ravages electric two-wheeler showroom, 15 bikes destroyed

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Eluru, August 24: Fire swept through a two-wheeler showroom, destroying 15 electric two-wheelers at Elluru in West Godavari district on Monday.

According to sources, the fire was first noticed in the wee hours of Monday. Residents of the area tried to put off the fire before the arrival of the firefighting personnel on the scene.

By the time it was brought under control, the fire had turned over 15 electric two-wheelers and other accessories to ashes.

No casualty was reported due to the blaze.