Month: February 2011

Hindu terrorists trying to create communal tension in AP: CM

by

Hyderabad,Febrauary 03: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Wednesday alleged “Hindu militants” were trying to create communal tension in the city.

He announced the cases registered against Muslim youths after the Mecca Masjid blast would be withdrawn and a compensation package given for their rehabilitation.

Addressing a public meeting in the old city area this afternoon, Reddy referred to the bomb blast in Mecca Masjid in May 2007 and charged it was the handiwork of “Hindu militants.”

Terror suspects to receive fair trials

by

Riyadh, February 02: Terrorism is one of the major enemies of Saudi Arabia, said Justice Minister Muhammad Al-Eissa on Tuesday while meeting with a delegation from the American Commission for Religious Freedom.

He said suspected terrorists receive a fair trial in the Kingdom’s court and that a special anti-terror court in Riyadh has so far issued preliminary verdicts on 442 cases involving 765 Al-Qaeda militants.

Premature marriages to blame for divorces

by

Riyadh, February 02: In the past, divorces were infrequent and only happened for fundamental reasons that made married life impossible.

It never happened during the early years of marriage, out of fear for the potential damage to the wife’s reputation.

For this reason, married life used to continue for several years before it broke down, if at all. In most cases, divorce would only come after 10 years of marriage at least.

There is a new trend emerging where divorces occur earlier to the extent that some marriages do not last more than a year!

International performers keep people spellbound

by

Dubai, February 02: Traditions, culture and the lives of people across the world are woven together into a series of dances, songs and acrobatic stunt performances at the World Culture Stage of the Global Village.
The month-long international shows are demonstrating once again that the Global Village is definitely the place “where the world comes together.”

One held with fake $804,000 at airport

by

Dubai, February 02: The Dubai Customs has recently foiled a bid to smuggle in fake $100 notes of $804,000 (Dh2.9 million) at the Dubai International Airport.

Ali Al Mugahwi, Director of the Passengers Operations Department, said on Tuesday that the counterfeit notes were found from a European tourist last Wednesday.

“The suspect, who was arrested at Terminal 3, came to the country on a tourist visa and his passport showed he was a businessman.”

82% of students in UAE start smoking before 14

by

Dubai, February 02: A considerable number of UAE school students would already have tried their first cigarette before the age of 14, according to the data from a recent global survey.
Tobacco use among school students at an early age remains a concern for health authorities as new data shows a quantum leap in the number of student smokers over the past five years.

Robbers strike bank officer’s house, loot Rs.8 lakh

by

New Delhi, February 02: Thieves struck at the house of a bank officer in west Delhi Wednesday and decamped with Rs.8 lakh in cash while his wife and child were asleep, police said.The robbery took place at the Jankapuri home of Bhupinder Singh, a relation manager working with Kotak Mahindra, who stays with his wife Paramjeet and a nine-month old baby.

Delhi house robbed while family was away

by

New Delhi, February 02: Burglars broke into a house in northwest Delhi and decamped with cash and jewellery worth lakhs when the family was away for a few days, police said Wednesday.The burglary took place in the house of Ajay Chaudhry in Keshavpuram area and it came to light when he returned home late Tuesday from Haryana, a police official said.

“Ajay works with Apollo Hospital in Gurgaon and had gone with his family to his in-laws staying in Haryana. He went on Saturday and returned home Tuesday to find the house burgled,” the officer said.

Egypt’s transition must begin now: Obama

by

Washington, February 02: US President Barack Obama challenged Egypt’s embattled ruler, a staunch US ally, to immediately begin the process of transitioning the country to new leadership, a signal that there should be no drawn-out goodbye.

Earlier Tuesday, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak had announced he would not seek another term in office but also would not yield to growing demands to step down now. After a huddle at the White House, Obama went on television to respond.

barricades are up again at Posco site

by

Bhubaneswar, February 02: The activists of an anti-displacement group Wednesday re-erected wooden gates and barricades in Orissa to prevent officials from entering into the proposed site of South Korean steel-maker Posco, a protest leader said.The members of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), which has been spearheading the movement against Posco project in the coastal district of Jagatsinghpur, had earlier erected gates and barricades in about eight places after the Orissa government signed a deal with Posco for the project in 2005.

Maoists kill Salwa Judum leader, eight rebels arrested

by

Raipur, February 02: Maoists Wednesday shot dead a senior member of the anti-Maoists civil militia movement, Salwa Judum, in Chhattisgarh, police said.Police also arrested eight Maoists involved in several attacks.

The killing took place near a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Bastar region’s Bijapur district, some 420 km from state capital Raipur.

“Maoists opened fire on Salwa Judum leader Nohar Singh in a forested stretch. When he fell down, they attacked him with sharp-edged weapons. He died on the spot,” a police officer told IANS.

713 schemes for Delhi’s rural areas approved

by

New Delhi, February 02: To ensure development in villages in the capital, the Delhi Government today gave clearance to 713 schemes, including for improving roads, to be implemented in the areas at a cost of Rs 543 crore.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Rural Development Board after which Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan said the government is taking all necessary steps to improve the condition of roads, parks, small drains and multipurpose community halls as well to ensure supply of water and electricity in all rural areas.

Dubai Customs seises 9kg of Opium shipment

by

Dubai, February 02: In three separate operations, Dubai Customs inspectors have seised 9kg of opium cleverly hidden in wooden toys within three cargos at the Cargo Village coming from some Asian country heading on their way to three Western countries via Dubai.

EIDA shuts down 67 typing offices countrywide

by

Abu Dhabi, February 02: The Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) has decided to shut down 67 typing centres across the UAE.

EIDA’s Senior Management Committee, at a meeting chaired by Director General Dr Ali Mohammed Al Khouri, took the decision based on non-compliance of some of the offices to agreements on quality, making mistakes in customers’ data as well as their collection of extra fees.

The decision is part of EIDA’s continuous evaluation of the performance of typing offices.

EIDA also gave directives for speeding up the delivery of IDs to customers.

–Agencies–

Emirates Airlines launches service to Iraq

by

Dubai, February 02: Dubai’s Emirates Airlines said on Wednesday it launched service to Basra in southern Iraq, its first destination in the war-torn country.

“Emirates has marked its 110th international destination today with its inaugural flight to Basra, the airline’s first service into Iraq,” a statement said.

Comments on Sonia: Venkataswamy may face action

by

Hyderabad, february 02: Taking strong exception to comments by senior party leader from Andhra Pradesh G Venkataswamy against Sonia Gandhi, Congress on Wednesday said he has “lost his mental balance”” and that “appropriate action” will be taken against him.

“He seems to have lost his mental balance,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters adding, “appropriate action will be taken against him at the appropriate time”.

‘Worst ever’ monster cyclone hits Australia

by

Melbourne, February 02: A terrifying top-strength cyclone slammed into Australia’s populous northeast coast on Thursday, which could be one of the most lethal storms in the nation’s history.
Howling winds whipped up by Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi with speeds of up to 290 kilometres (181 miles) per hour ripped off roofs, felled trees and cut power supplies as the storm crossed the Queensland coast.

Allegations of forcible land acquisition false: Railways

by

Kolkata, February 02:The allegations of forcible land acquisition for several railway projects are “distorted and devoid of truth”, the railway ministry Wednesday said in a release.”The factual positions on the ground are in total variance from the allegations. Land acquisition is a process where there are significant overtones of resentment and alienation among land losers,” it said.

Jet Airway’s Q3 net profit up 11 percent

by

New Delhi, February 02: Private airline Jet Airways Wednesday reported a net profit of Rs.118.23 crore for the third quarter of the current fiscal as against Rs.105.80 crore in the like period of last fiscal, thereby registering an increase of 11 percent, the company said in a regulatory filing.”The company has posted a net profit of Rs.1,182.3 million for the quarter ended Dec 31, 2010, as compared to Rs.1,058 million for the quarter ended Dec 31, 2009,” it said.

Raja second ex-minister to be arrested in 15 years

by

New Delhi, February 02: Disgraced former communications minister A. Raja is the second central ex-minister, after Sukh Ram, to be arrested in the past 15 years. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Shibu Soren was the only serving minister to be held during this period.Raja, who quit as communications minister Nov 14 last year, was arrested Wednesday for corruption in the 2008 2G spectrum auction, which caused a notional loss of several billion rupees to the government.

Expedite Mumbai harbour channel widening: Centre

by

Mumbai, February 02: Following the collision of two vessels in August 2010 and early this month, the union government Wednesday asked the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and Mumbai Port Trust to expedite the proposed widening of the existing shipping navigation channel and pilot boarding area in Mumbai harbour.In a series of guidelines for strict compliance to all major ports, with specific references to Mumbai, the ministry of shipping has also directed the installation of additional navigational aids like fairway buoys, transit lights, navigational buoys with racons at every turn of the navigati

Hitachi eyes 10 pc market share in AC segment in 2011

by

Kolkata, February 02: Air-conditioner maker Hitachi Home and Life Solutions (India) Ltd (HHLI) is eyeing 10 percent market share in volume in the country this year, a top company executive said here Wednesday.”We are aiming to capture 10 percent market share in air-conditioner segment in India in volume terms this year. That will translate into 12 percent market share in value terms,” HHLI managing director Motoo Morimoto told reporters here.

Currently, the company’s market share is about seven percent in volume terms.

Gujarat questioned on relief for accident victims

by

Gandhinagar, February 02: The Gujarat High Court has questioned the state government on allegations that the state’s bus transport corporation was harassing accident victims and their kin for payment of compensation. Petitioner Neeta Chaudhari claimed that the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) had failed to compensate the victims as per the awards passed by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunals.

Youngsters take to books on Gandhi big-time!

by

Mumbai, February 02: Youngsters thronged the exhibition-cum-sale of books organised to commemorate the 63rd death anniversary of the Ffather of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Over 12,000 books were sold at the six-day exhibition, an official said.The Jan 27-Feb 1 exhibition was jointly organised by the Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal and the Gandhi Book Centre.

“There was an overwhelming response to the exhibition. About 12,500 books on Gandhi worth Rs.360,000 were sold at the exhibition that concluded yesterday (Tuesday),” said a member of the Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal.

‘Dhoom’ great franchise to be part of, says ‘villain’ Aamir

by

Mumbai, February 02: Aamir Khan is excited to play villain in “Dhoom 3″. The superstar Wednesday said “Dhoom” was a great franchise to work in even though he initially didn’t think he would fit in.”I have recently signed ‘Dhoom 3′. I liked the script very much. When I had watched ‘Dhoom’, I liked it a lot. I enjoyed the music and the whole attitude. It’s a very fun film. I really liked it. I never thought I would fit in this kind of film,” Aamir told reporters at a press meet here.