GHMC to demolish 79 unauthorised bus shelters

Hyderabad, March 28: The GHMC will be removing 79 unauthorised bus shelters built by agencies for advertisement purposes and not at all useful for commuters, in 10 days.

Additional Commissioner (Development Planning) K. Dhananjaya Reddy informed that already four such shelters were demolished at KBR Park, Banjara Hills (Road No.1), Opposite Cinemax and GVK Mall,

Muralitharan racing against time to be fit for semifinal

Colombo, March 28: Sri Lanka’s spin king Muttiah Muralitharan is racing against time to get fit for Tuesday’s World Cup semifinal clash against New Zealand which would be his last appearance at home.

Muralitharan, who will bid farewell to international cricket after the World Cup, pulled his hamstring during the quarterfinal match against England here Saturday. The off-spinner earlier battled a knee injury in a group game against New Zealand but bowled well to take four wickets.

No screening of people coming from Japan: Regulator

Mumbai, March 28: The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) said Monday that it has not insisted on screening people coming from Japan for radioactive contamination in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in that country.

However, it has identified three institutions in India to detect radioactive contamination in food samples, a statement said.

The AERB has also set up an in-house monitoring cell to follow and monitor the developments at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Benefit from Indian IT expertise, Sachin Pilot tells Africa

New Delhi, March 28: African countries can benefit by availing of Indian consultancy services in the software and technology solutions space as the South Asian economic giant has successfully implemented many such cost-effective solutions in the country amid conditions similar to those in Africa, an Indian minister said Monday.

Fashion event to help terminally ill children

Hyderabad, March 28: Fashion designers from places such as Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Pune, Hyderabad and Kashmir came together for a high-profile fashion event, ‘Celebrations’, organised by city-based philanthropists for a cause here on Sunday.

Organised by three socialites, Poonam Choudhari, Sarah Alam Khan and Sonali Sharma, the event kicked off at Hotel Taj Krishna, and had Russian dancer Irvina Rudakova and Bollywood dancer and choreographer Rajeev Khinchi performing ‘Sway’, a Salsa-Cha-Cha-Cha dance number.

Egypt to hold parliamentary elections in September

Cairo, March 28: Egypt’s parliamentary elections are to take place in September, the ruling Higher Council of the Egyptian Armed Forces confirmed Monday.

However, a presidential election has not been scheduled, the Armed Forces said in a press conference.

The parliamentary elections had already been scheduled for September prior to last month’s toppling of former president Hosni Mubarak.

5 arrested for ‘role’ in in cricket betting

Hyderabad, March 28:: The police on Sunday arrested five persons, including four bookies, in two separate cases for allegedly indulging in cricket betting. While four bookies were nabbed by the Banjara Hills police, a 26-year-old man was arrested by the Shahinayathgunj police.

2,000 more nutritional food centres soon

Hyderabad, March 28: The Women Development and Child Welfare Department has decided to increase the nutritional food centres to 4,000 by July this year from the existing 2,065. Enrolment of women and children into the centre has already commenced on experimental basis in 123 centres across the State.

When Aniston rejected Kutcher’s date offer

Los Angeles, March 28: Hollywood actor Ashton Kutcher says hew was disappointed when Jennifer Aniston refused to go on a date with him.

In an interview on The Graham Norton Show, Kutcher revealed that he had been a huge admirer of Aniston since the time she was a part of hit TV sitcom “Friends” and had even made a bet in the high school that one day he would go on a date with her, said a press statement.

After becoming an actor, he got a chance to meet her while Aniston was married to Brad Pitt.

Traders oppose staggered holidays

Hyderabad, March 28: Merchants representing different trades strongly opposed the government’s move to implement staggered weekly holidays in lieu of Sunday for shops and establishments in the twin cities.

At a meeting convened here on Sunday by the Federation of A.P. Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI), they resolved to fight till the GO was withdrawn.

They would not settle for anything but Sunday as the holiday for all shops.

IPS officer swims Palk Strait in record time

Hyderabad, March 28: Senior IPS officer Rajiv Trivedi has created history by becoming the most senior and the fastest man to swim across the Palk Strait. The 50-year old Additional Director General of Police from the State achieved the feat when he swam across the Palk Strait from Sri Lanka to India along with a DSP from Mumbai, Balasaheb Ramchandra Ghadge, on March 25.

Kamal wants film industry to embrace digital technology

Chennai, March 28: Popular film icon Kamal Hassan today said that film industry should move on to the latest digital technology to keep up with the international film world.

“I think we were sleeping on millions. It is high time (we moved on to digital technology)”, Kamal said, quoting the recent statements of James Murdoch, the Chairman and Chief Executive of News Corporation and the son of media moghul Rupert Murdoch.

New airport tariff structure by August

Hyderabad, March 28: Come August, the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) is set to roll out a new tariff structure for airports across the country.

AERA Chairman Yashwant Bhave said that the authority was in the process of initiating a consultation process to put the new structure in place.

The regulator would follow the capital-asset pricing method to determine tariff, which will be different for each airport, he said, on the sidelines of the Aviation Security Summit here.

Highest UDF

Indo-Pak Home Secretary-level talks ‘positive’

New Delhi, March 28: Home Secretaries of India and Pakistan held talks for over five hours today termed by both sides as “extremely positive” and moving in the “right direction”.

“Talks are extremely positive. Progress made in certain direction, in the right direction,” Home Secretary G K Pillai told reporters at the end of the first day of the two-day talks with his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhary Qamar Zaman.

Coca-Cola launches Minute Maid juice range

Mumbai, March 28: Global food and beverages major Coca-Cola’s Indian subsidiary Monday launched its premium Minute Maid range of juice products.

The products are priced Rs.20 and Rs.85 for 200 ml and one litre pack respectively.

“Having established our juice credentials with the successful launch of Minute Maid Pulpy Orange and Nimbu Fresh juice drinks, we are now launching the premium Minute Maid 100 percent juice range,” said Atul Singh, president and chief executive of Coca-Cola India and South West Asia.

Radiation detected in US rainwater

Washington, March 28: Traces of radioactive iodine linked to quake-hit Japan’s nuclear power plant have been found in rainwater samples taken last week in Massachusetts, US

The low level of radioiodine-131detected in Massachusetts rainwater samples is comparable to the amounts found in California, Washington and Pennsylvania.

However, public health officials say the pollution poses no threat to drinking supplies,

Walnuts richest in antioxidants

Nature’s perfectly packaged nuts—walnuts—have the highest levels of antioxidants in the nut family and should be consumed as part of a healthy diet.

Walnuts help you fight stress, lower BP

Walnuts, the brain shaped nuts, cut down cholesterol and may also help fight stress and reduce blood pressure.

Those with high levels of bad cholesterol had lower blood pressure during stressful moments after following a diet rich in walnuts for three weeks.

House sites for rural poor in Medak

Sangareddy, March 28: The district administration is making arrangements to provide space for housing to the rural poor, unable to find vacant place in those areas. Being nearer to the State capital has become a hurdle in providing space for housing in areas like Patancheru and Ramachandrapuram.

Healthcare unit ties up with Vaatsalya Hospitals

Vizianagaram, March 28: Venkata Padma Healthcare has tied up with Vaatsalya Hospitals, Bangalore, to extend quality healthcare to women and children in addition to paediatric surgeries, its Medical Director M. Venkateswara Rao has said. Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Dr. Venkateswara Rao said that Venkata Padma Healthcare would hereafter be called Vaatsalya Hospitals, which is the first corporate multi-specialty hospital for women and children in this region.

Water leaks from NTTPS fly ash pipeline

Vijaywada, March 28: A pipeline carrying fly ash along with water from the cooling tower to the ash pond of the Narla Tatarao Thermal Power Station here burst on Sunday night leading to the flooding of several roads in the locality, including a school.

Telangana Advocates boycott courts over Ashok Reddy murder

Hyderabad, March 28: The Telangana advocates boycotted the courts on Monday in protest against the daylight murder of advocate Ashok Reddy at Serilingampally MRO office on Saturday.

The advocates have also decided not to defend the killers of Ashok Reddy. The advocates abstained from the High Court, Nampally criminal courts and Ranga Reddy district court.

Chhattisgarh assembly paralysed over Dantewada rampage

Raipur, March 28: The opposition Congress legislators paralysed the Chhattisgarh assembly proceedings Monday over the alleged police rampage in Dantewada district, claiming that “Chhattisgarh is under jungle raj (rule of the jungle), not under (chief minister) Raman raj.”

Soon after the question hour, Congress members were on their feet, raising slogans and demanding a discussion on the issue under an adjournment motion.

Gulf council supports Qatar position on Libya rebels

Qatar, March 28: Qatar’s support for the rebel Libyan National Council shows the group is the only legitimate representative of the Libyan people, the GCC secretary general said on Monday.

Qatar became the first Arab country to recognise Libya’s rebels, according to report on Monday by the Qatari state news agency, a day after a senior Libyan rebel officials said Qatar had agreed to market crude oil produced from east Libyan fields that Muammar Gaddafi no longer controls.