Month: February 2011

India have the potential to lift the World Cup: Chopra

by

New Delhi, February 02: Former Test opener Aakash Chopra feels India have a great chance of lifting the Cricket World Cup for the second time during the forthcoming mega-event, starting from February 19 to be played in the sub-continent.

“I am an optimist and I believe India have the potential to win the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011,” said Chopra on the sidelines of a book release `The IPL story: Cricket, Glamour and Big Money` penned by Abhishek Dubey, here today.

The batsman, however, said that the entire team and not just particular individuals will make the difference.

Stronghold of Muslim Brotherhood

by

Cairo, February 02: “Mubarak wake up!” chanted the crowd, thousands of voices rising up in this ancient city founded by Alexander the Great, reports CBS News chief foreign correspondent Lara Logan.

Today, Alexandria is the stronghold of Egypt’s extremist Muslim Brotherhood.

And scene of some of the largest — and most violent — demonstrations over the past week.

But even here, this revolution belongs to the people — not to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Jagan to undertake march for clearance of Polavaram project

by

Hyderabad, February 02: Former Congress MP Jagan Mohan Reddy would undertake a three-day march beginning on February 7 to demand clearance of an ambitious irrigation project at Polavaram in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.

Jagan would traverse a distance of 70 km during the yatra in East and West Godavari districts in the coastal region, his aide Congress MLA P Subhash Chandra Bose said.

World Cup will reverse poor perception of 50-over cricket: ICC

by

New Delhi, February 02: ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat believes the cricket World Cup will dismiss fears of the demise of the 50-over format of the game and prove that all three formats can co-exist.

“I think the talk of poor interest in 50-over cricket is overstated. I firmly believe that all three forms of the game (Test, ODI and T20I) will co-exist and in fact thrive at the international level,” Lorgat said.

Vettori scathing of New Zealand performance

by

Napier, February 02: New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has issued a scathing critique of his side’s top order, describing their performance as “unacceptable” in their latest defeat by Pakistan.

Pakistan lead the six-match series 2-1, with one game washed out, after winning the third encounter by two wickets with an over to spare on Tuesday.

In a series being used to fine-tune for the World Cup, New Zealand have gone downhill since romping to a nine-wicket win in the first game, and the second was washed out.

S. Africa quick Parnell joins Sussex

by

London, February 02: South Africa bowler Wayne Parnell has agreed to join English county Sussex for the second half of next season.

Parnell will take over from Pakistan paceman Rana Naved-ul-Hasan as the county’s overseas player from June, pending approval from Cricket South Africa.

The 21-year-old left-arm seamer has represented South Africa in all three formats of the game and played in England for Kent in 2009.

Parnell, who is in the South Africa squad for the forthcoming World Cup, said: “I’m very excited about the prospect of playing for Sussex.

Mubarak to step down but only in Sep

by

Cairo, February 02: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said on Tuesday he would surrender power in September, angering protesters who want an immediate end to his 30-year-rule.

The United States called for the transition of power to begin straight away, stopping short of endorsing Mubarak’s plan to stay in office for another six months.

“What is clear and what I indicated tonight to President Mubarak is my belief that an orderly transition must be meaningful, it must be peaceful and it must begin now,” President Barack Obama said after speaking to him by phone.

Unpopular Clarke will win back fans: CA

by

Melbourne, February 02: Cricket Australia is not too concerned about the boos Michael Clarke got during an one-dayer against England and has backed the embattled skipper to reclaim the fan-base with solid batting performances.

Dismissing the booing fans at the Gabba one-dayer against England as a “small minority”, CA said they would be back to supporting the batsman once he gets back in form, signs of which he showed during his knock of 54 in the match that Australia won by 51 runs on Sunday.

Playing on guilt can lead to criminals confessing

by

Toronto, February 02: Even the most horrible criminals feel guilt, and playing on that sentiment might be a good way to extract a confession.

Michel St-Yves, forensic psychologist and lead author Nadine Deslauriers-Varin, both from the University of Montreal’s School of Criminology, worked with 221 prisoners, analysing the conditions under which they did or didn’t confess.

The findings highlighted the predominant role of police evidence over and above other factors the researchers considered, reports the journal Justice Quarterly.

11Year Old Repeatedly Raped for a Month

by

New Delhi, February 02: In yet another shocking case of sexual abuse of a minor, an 11-year-old girl was repeatedly raped allegedly by her two neighbours for about a month in the Capital.

The incident involving the class IV student of a government school in Central Delhi’s Patel Nagar comes close on the heels of an eight-year-old boy, who had undergone surgery for a brain tumour, being sexually assaulted by a junior doctor at AIIMS.

CWC member Venkat Swamy demands Sonia Gandhi’s resignation

by

Hyderabad, February 02: Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and senior party leaders G.Venkat Swamy Tuesday demanded resignation of Sonia Gandhi as party president, blaming her for the mushrooming corruption scandals and poll reverses of the party in several states.

In his attack on the party chief, which came as a surprise for political observors, the veteran Andhra leader said Sonia Gandhi should step down and give chance to a new leader. Raising the issue of her foreign origin, he said the party needs a leader born in India.

Indian-American Doctor Gets 15 Yrs for Fraud

by

Washington, February 02: An Indian-American doctor has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by a US court for committing health care fraud with his wife and has been ordered to forfeit over USD 43 million in cash and property gained through the fraud.

Arun Sharma, 56, conspired with his wife Kiran Sharma and committed a health care fraud over a 10-year-period in Texas, United States Attorney Jose Angel Moreno said today.

Jagan Aide Slams Chiranjeevi

by

Guntur, February 02: A close aide of former Congress MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy today slammed actor- politician Chiranjeevi over his party’s proposed alliance with the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh.

“The Telugu matinee idol has dashed the hopes of lakhs of people. They reposed immense faiths in him. The actor owes an explanation to them,” Ambati Rambabu told reporters here.

Congress leader and Defence Minister A K Antony held a meeting with Chiranjeevi in Hyderabad yesterday and extended an invitation to him to go to Delhi for a meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

TDP asks CBI to reopen Paritala Ravi murder case

by

Hyderabad, February 02: Andhra Pradesh’s main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Monday urged the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to reopen the case relating to the murder of its leader and former minister Paritala Ravi in view of recent ‘revelations’ by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.

A delegation of TDP leaders met CBI Deputy Inspector General (DIG) V.V. Lakshminarayana to demand that the agency question Kiran Kumar Reddy for stating that he had ‘shielded’ former Congress MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy in the murder case.

City police threaten college students with criminal charges

by

Hyderabad, February 02: Finally, the city police decided to crack a whip on the students indulge in gang wars creating law and order problem and panic in the city, most importantly in colleges.

The police officials are furious over the recent law and order breaking incident in which 15 students engaged in a gang war in Enikepadu damaging vehicles on the national highway and beating each other with lethal weapons.

Bush Daughter Backs Same-Sex Marriage

by

Washington, February 02: Former first daughter Barbara Bush is taking a very public stand in support of same-sex marriage.

Bush added her voice to a campaign called “New Yorkers for Marriage Equality,” which is sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign.

In a video on the group’s website, Bush says, “I’m Barbara Bush, and I’m a New Yorker for marriage equality. New York is about fairness and equality. And everyone should have the right to marry the person that they love. Join us.”

She lives in Manhattan.

13 prisoners booked for attacking jail staff

by

Hyderabad, February 02 :A case has been registered against 13 prisoners of Cherlapalli Central Jail for allegedly attacking prison staff inside the jail premises, officials said on Tuesday.

While three Prison Officers, including a Deputy Superintendent sustained serious injuries, eight others received minor injuries when a group of 22 prisoners having alleged links with the ISI, attacked the jail staff on Monday, Jail Superintendent K L Srinivas Rao told PTI here.

A K Antony meets Chiranjeevi

by

Hyderabad, February 02: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday sent her trusted lieutenant A K Antony as an emissary to Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) president K Chiranjeevi in a move to make a friend of the actor-politician so that she can fight her enemy Jagan Mohan Reddy from firmer ground.

I’m Muslim, so my account was shut

by

Delhi, February 02: He went to find out why his ATM card was not working. He came back insulted and abused. His fault? He was a Muslim. Khalid Ali Abbasi, an 18-year-old Political Science student of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, had gone to Syndicate Bank’s Yamuna Vihar branch on January 22 to enquire why his ATM card was not working.

Do you gesture while talking? It helps

by

London, February 02: Talking with your hands can trigger images that help solve complex problems bearing on spatial visualisation, an important skill for both students and professionals.

Spatial visualisation is the ability to mentally rotate or move an object to a different position or view. An air traffic controller uses spatial visualisation to mentally track planes in the air based only on a two-dimensional radar screen, reports the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.

Resignation of Hindu lawmaker alarming

by

Islamabad, February 02: The resignation of a Hindu lawmaker who had received threats is “alarming”, said a Pakistani daily, adding that “no minority, irrespective of caste, creed or religious beliefs, is safe” in the country.

An editorial in the Daily Times Wednesday said: “On Saturday the resignation of a Hindu member of the Sindh Assembly, Ram Singh Sodho, after reportedly receiving threats is alarming.”

Govt High school students demolish wall

by

Hyderabad, February 02: Students of a government high school at Moosrambagh demolished a wall built on the school premises by certain private individuals and staged a protest raising slogans against the Chief Minister, collector and the MRO.

According to the teachers, last Sunday, some private parties had demolished the school toilets and rebuilt them elsewhere to make way to the vacant plot behind the school. Showing court papers, the private parties claimed that the land behind the school, currently being used as a playground, was theirs.

Nityananda blackmailed for 100 crore by 2 persons

by

New Delhi, February 02: He has broken his silence for the fist time after the controversial tapes were aired last March. Making a startling revelation, Swami Nityananda said he was blackmailed by two persons in power for Rs 100 crore, before the tapes allegedly involving him and actress Ranjita were aired on television.

However, the head of the Dhayanapeetam Ashram refused to name the blackmailers saying he still faces threat from them.

Couple tries to sell Baby for just 100

by

Hyderabad, February 02: A ragpicker couple on Tuesday evening made a vain bid to “sell” their 8-month-old daughter at Mangalam village.

The locals saw a frail woman pleading with people to buy the infant fore just `100. The villagers said the couple was ready to give away their child even for free. They said they were both suffering from ill-health and didn’t want their child to become a ragpicker.

Locals informed the police, media and a voluntary organisation. However, by the time, the police reached the spot, the couple had left.

–Source: Flashnewstoday

AP High Court admonishes petitioner for wasting the court’s time

by

Hyderabad, February 02: Chief Justice Nisar Ahmad Kakru of the AP High Court on Tuesday admonished a petitioner for wasting the court’s time by misrepresenting facts.

It may be mentioned that a division bench comprising the Chief Justice and Justice Vilas V. Afzulpurkar on Monday directed Mr P. Sunand, a resident of the city to be present before the bench.

Mr Sunand had sent a letter to the High Court seeking its intervention into alleged irregularities in recruitment of Group I and Group II Services (year 2006) by the AP Public Service Commission.