Month: March 2011

Gill promises Centre’s help in promoting R&D

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Hyderabad, March 29: Union Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation M.S. Gill has promised that the Centre will do everything required to promote research and development in statistics, mathematics and computer sciences.

He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Mathematical Sciences block in ‘Ramanujan’, the new building of the C.R. Rao Advanced Institute of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Sciences (AIMSCS), at the University of Hyderabad (UoH), here on Monday.

Great respect

WWW meet to focus on making web all-inclusive

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Hyderabad, March 29: The 20 {+t} {+h} international World Wide Web conference began here on Monday bringing together researchers, technologists, practitioners, and other experts from 50 countries. With the theme ‘Web for all’, the conference would discuss the web’s future direction and help it become all-inclusive.

Being jointly hosted by the International Institutes of Information Technology Bangalore and Hyderabad and the Institute of Information Technology, Mumbai, over 700 delegates were attending the five-day event.

Impersonation: police seek original answer sheet from SSC Board

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Nellore, March 29: Lack of coordination between the officials of the Education Department and the Police Department has led to the latter writing to the SSC Board officials seeking the original answer script in connection with the investigation pertaining to a case of impersonation in the class X public examination.

Chief invigilator Y. Narasimha Raju Sharma of Government Veda and Sanskrit High School, Mulapeta, had caught a second year engineering student Md. Yaseen Nazam while he was writing the SSC Telugu Paper-I on behalf of the original student, Shaik Kaleem, on March 24.

Stigma against fat people becoming global

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Washington, March 29: Unlike in the US, fat people have not necessarily been seen in poor light in other parts of the world. But now the stigma against overweight people is becoming a cultural norm around the world, even in places where larger bodies have traditionally been valued.

Researchers surveyed people in nine diverse locations around the world and found negative attitudes toward fat bodies in everyone.

Plenty at stake as arch-rivals India and Pak clash

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Mohali, March 29: Billed as the ‘mother of all clashes’, bitter rivals India and Pakistan go into the high-voltage World Cup semi-final battle here tomorrow in what promises to be an epic tussle of nerves and skills between two teams desperately seeking to regain the coveted trophy.

When the two captains walk out for the toss, two estranged nations who have fought wars in the past but have a common passion for cricket, will virtually come to a standstill with millions glued to the television sets to watch the blockbuster unfold.

Reprehensible action: Naidu

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Hyderabad, March 29: Leader of the Opposition in Assembly N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said he had never seen during his 32-year- long political career a Minister, who is also the leader of the Legislative Council, assaulting members in the House.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Naidu said the Minister Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy, by his behaviour, has plunged the Andhra Pradesh Assembly’s record to a new low. Even States that have witnessed violent scenes such as Bihar, Karnataka and Orissa look much better than Andhra Pradesh now. What is this rowdyism, he sought to know.

Now, a social networking site on cricket

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Mumbai, March 29: When India takes on arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-voltage clash at the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday, not all cricket buffs would be hooked solely to their television sets this time.

Many of them would be simultaneously glued to their computer screens discussing ball-by-ball updates with fellow netizens on ‘soch.la’, which advertises itself as the world’s first social cricket platform.

Damage control by Congress pays off

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Hyderabad, March 29: Agriculture Minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy and Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy expressed regret over the developments that rocked the Assembly on Monday resulting in a scuffle between the Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members on the floor of the House.

Fake Indian-origin dentist jailed in UK

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London, March 29: An Indian-origin woman who worked as a dentist in Britain”s National Health Service after falsely claiming to possess dentistry degree from an institute in Amritsar, has been jailed for three years.Vinisha Sharma, 37, had pleaded guilty in September to seven counts of forgery and fraud, and has now been sentenced at the Wolverhampton Crown Court to three years” imprisonment.

Plutonium found in soil at stricken Japanese n-plant

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Tokyo, March 29: Plutonium was detected in soil at five locations on the grounds of an earthquake- and tsunami-damaged nuclear power plant, heightening fears about radiation contamination from Japan’s worst nuclear crisis, news reports said Tuesday.

The levels of the radioactive substances from soil taken at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station a week ago do not pose a human health risk, said the operator of the plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO). They were equivalent to those that fell on Japan after past nuclear weapons test by other countries, the company said.

Father, son arrested for kidnapping minor boy

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Bijnor (UP), March 29: A father and his son were arrested for allegedly kidnapping a four-year-old boy from Nagina area, police said here today.

Gautam, was kidnapped by unidentified persons from Nagina on March 26, while he was playing near his house, they said.

Two persons Nanhe (70) and his son Babloo (40) were arrested yesterday from Afzalgarh area and Gautam was rescued from their possession, police said.

During interrogation, the accused told the police that they had kidnapped the boy with an intention of forcing him into begging.

-Agencies

CBI investigation in two murder cases

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Imphal, March 29: The Manipur government has decided to hand over two murder cases, including the one where the son of a senior minister is an accused, to the CBI, official sources said today.This decision in the case of the killing of Irom Roger (20) allegedly by N Ajay Meitei (27) on March 20 and the killing of the then chairman of the state board of secondary education N Kunjabihari in his office on January 11 was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh last evening.

Malaysia to purchase, re-sell US weapons

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Kuala Lumpur, March 29: Malaysia has sealed a deal for American weapons that will come with rights to produce locally and to re-sell them to other Southeast Asian neighbours.

The defence ministry has inked a RM700 million ($231 million) deal with the US to purchase 130,000 new weapons for the armed forces and police, Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced.

The purchase includes the 5.56mm Colt M4 carbine, which can accommodate the M203 grenade launcher, to replace the Austrian-made Steyr AUG assault rifle.

Chhattisgarh power firm rapped for delayed projects

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Raipur, March 29: State-run Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company Limited (CSPGCL) failed to complete four projects in the state in time, resulting in generation losses of Rs.1,245.19 crore, a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said Tuesday.

“The four power projects of the company could not be completed in time and there was delays ranging from eight to 36 months,” Purna Chandra Majhi, accountant general (audit), Chhattisgarh, said while releasing the report.

Libya revolutionaries proceed to Tripoli

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Tripoli, March 29: Libyan revolutionary forces have vowed to take the capital Tripoli amid further protest rallies in the North African country’s second largest city of Benghazi in support of the revolutionaries.

The demonstrators marched toward the eastern city of Bengahzi’s Central Square as the revolutionary forces continued to advance westwards towards Tripoli, a Media correspondent reported on Tuesday.

Benghazi is known as the center of Libya’s revolution and home to the country’s National Transitional Council.

UN keeps eye on Libya sanctions

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Tripoli, March 29: The Libya Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council will monitor a resolution that implements heavy economic sanctions on the crisis-hit African nation.

Portuguese Ambassador José Filipe Moraes Cabral, who is in charge of the UNSC Resolution 1970 Sanctions Committee, said the sanctions are as strong as the member states enforcing them, a Media correspondent in New York reported Monday.

‘Israel liable for Hamas leader’s life’

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Gaza, March 29: The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has held Israel responsible for the desperate plight of one of its leaders currently on hunger strike in an Israeli prison.

On Monday, Hamas expressed concerns over the health condition of Abbas al-Sayyed, who is still continuing his hunger strike after twenty days. The Palestinian movement announced that Sayyed has recently been shifted to hospital and his health has seriously deteriorated, Palestinian Information Center reported.

Urdu Dani results announced

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Hyderabad, March 29: Mr. Zaheer Uddin Ali Khan secretary Abid Ali Khan Educational Trust has announced the results of Urdu Dani, Urdu Zaban Dani and Insha exams conducted by Siasat daily, on January 30, 2011.

The centres’ authorities are requested to obtain certificates from the Trust between 11 to 5.

The next exams will be held in July 2011. The administrations are advised to register their respective centres and obtain books. For more details contact phone numbers 24744180 ext. 225 and 9290680532.

Siasat news

Chartered flight’s tyre bursts

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Shamsabad, March 29: The front tyre of a chartered flight burst while landing at Rajiv Gandhi international airport yesterday morning.

According to details the Chartered flight VILTS which reached Hyderabad from Vidyanagar airport crashed during landing due to tyre burst and the plane caught fire.

There were 5 persons in the plane who are all safe.

No flight was permitted to land or takeoff for almost one hour after the accident.

Siasat news

‘US intervenes in Libyan civil war’

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Tripoli, March 29: Invasion of Libya is a violation of international laws because the US-led forces are intervening and taking sides in the country’s civil war, an international lawyer says.

“It is illegal under the American constitution and it is illegitimate under the UN charter,” Franklin Lamb told Media.

“It looks like we have joined one side and joining one side is a direct violation of article 27 of the UN charter that says that the UN cannot intervene and interfere in the internal affairs and politics of a country,” he argued.

Iran offers help with Algeria projects

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Tehran, March 29: Iran has expressed readiness to enhance economic cooperation with Algeria and participate in the industrial and development projects of the North African state.

In a Monday meeting with Algerian Minister of State for North African and African Affairs Abdelkader Messahel, Iran’s Ambassador to Algeria Mahmoud Mohammadi announced Tehran’s readiness to provide Algiers with technical knowhow and expertise and to take part in the country’s technical and development projects, IRNA reported.

Rythu Bazars taken over!

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Hyderabad, March 29: If Rythu Bazars are the place where one can get vegetables and other food items for cheap, then its time to do a reality check. People visiting Rythu Bazars in the twin cities are finding that food items are being sold for much higher than listed prices.

A case in point is the Mehdipatnam Rythu Bazar, where it was found that middlemen and not ryots, occupy more than 75 percent space. Many customers have been complaining that vendors are demanding more than what is quoted on the price list.

WikiLeaks expose: Congress lashes out at Jaitley

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New Delhi, March 29: In a rhetoric suggesting “we told you so,” the Congress on Monday lashed out at the BJP for its “chaal, charitra and chehra,” in the wake of the WikiLeaks expose where Leader of the Opposition in RS Arun Jaitley is supposed to have told the US official that Hindu nationalism is an opportunistic issue.

India-Pakistan duel: Tricolour makes brisk sales

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Chandigarh, March 29: To be waved across the stadium on each brilliant shot and every catch Indian players make, the tricolour is the cricket enthusiasts’ best buy as the cricket fever reaches its zenith for the India-Pakistan duel in the 2011 World Cup semi-final.

In all the excitement of the roaring crowds, the Indian flag will dominate the proceedings – if the sale of flags in and around Chandigarh and Mohali is any indicator.

Advani offers no clear-cut apology for the 2002 Gujarat riots

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Mumbai, March 29: B.J.P leader L.K. Advani on Monday offered no clear-cut apology for the 2002 Gujarat riots, but said communal riots cannot be justified under any circumstances. On whether the BJP regrets the riots and is willing to apologise, he said there have been many riots in the country and the situations were often mishandled. “There is no question of apology. Riots are a sad matter,” he said.