Month: May 2011

Gaddafi hit by major military defections

by

Tripoli, May 31: Eight senior Libyan officers, including five generals, have deserted Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s army and fled to Italy, amidst a rise of international pressure on the embattled leader.

During a press conference with Italian Foreign Ministry officials in Rome, the high ranking military officers that included five generals, two colonels and a major, urged their fellow officers to abandon Gaddafi and join revolutionary forces, the Associated Press reported on Monday.

My assets are over Rs.1,000 crore

by

Bangalore, May 31: Mining baron and Karnataka Tourism Minister Gali Janardhana Reddy once boasted that his assets are worth more than Rs.1,000 crore.

He had taken exception to an opposition member’s comment that he and his two brothers – Revenue Minister G. Karunakara Reddy and assembly member G. Somashekara Reddy – are worth only over Rs.100 crore.

That is typical Janardhana Reddy – aggressive and ambitious, exercising cross-border clout across Karnataka and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh where their father Chenga Reddy served as a police constable.

Hasina for Islam as Bangladesh’s state religion

by

Dhaka, May 31: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed herself in favour of retaining Islam as the state religion, moving away from the secular provisions in the constitution that were incorporated when country became free in 1971.

Hasina told a special parliamentary committee formed to study changes in the constitution in the light of Supreme Court verdicts delivered in the last one year that her government would like “Bismillah Rahman-ur-Rahim” retained.

Boy, 19, attempted rape on teacher

by

Agona, May 31: A 19-year old school dropout of the Agona District Assembly Junior High School at Agona Duota has been arrested for allegedly attempting to rape a teacher at her quarters.

Phillip Acquah was arrested by some members of the watchdog committee who received a text message from the teacher when he tried to force her door open.

Syeda Sadaf tops Andhra Pradesh PMT

by

Hyderabad, May 31: Meet Syeda Sadaf, a student of Jawaharlal Nehru Government Polytechnic College, Hyderabad.

She is famous among her peers as an activist of anti-ragging campaign who has protected many juniors from the clutches of the ragging group. But recently she added another feather in her cap.

Sadaf, who is also the topper at her polytechnic college, secured 4th rank in the Andhra Pradesh Common Engineering Entrance Test. She has secured 117 marks out of 200. She is the daughter of Dr. Rafat Seema, general secretary of Nisa Research and Resource Centre for Women, Hyderabad.

Muslim teen stoned to death for entering beauty contest

by

Ukraine, May 31: Muslim teenager Katya Koren was murdered because she took part in a beauty contest.

Terrified Katya, 19, was stoned to death and murder police are investigating claims that three youths killed her before claiming her death was justified under Islamic law.

One of the three, named as Bihal Gaziev, told police that she had “violated the laws of Sharia”.

Gaziev, 16, who is now under arrest, allegedly added that he had no regrets about Katya being killed.

She was found murdered in a village near where she had lived in the Crimea region of Ukraine.

What The Admiral’s Daughter Found

by

(Many women who sought Gandhi out as inspiration crowd these pages, but his feminised soul is unexplored )

Satyagraha, ashram life, constructive programmes and institutions that nurture these three have been Gandhi’s enduring legacy. But it is the Gandhi of satyagraha that has been the focus of most studies on the Mahatma.

We have no histories of the ashrams, his constructive programmes have mostly been reduced to khadi and village industries, and none of the institutions that Gandhi established or helped nurture have merited a scholarly account.

Sonu Niigam’s email hacked

by

Mumbai, May 31: Singer Sonu Niigam’s email was hacked but he was quick to secure it, said his manager Tuesday morning.

“His email ID was hacked but he has secured it by changing his password,” Sonu’s manager told IANS.

Sonu was unavailable for comment as he was busy shooting.

The singer hasn’t lodged any complaint, said his manager.

–IANS

Naidu caught between son, NTR family

by

Hyderabad, May 31: Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, who tries hard to maintain cordial relations with the family of TDP founder N T Rama Rao, is on slippery ground again with his decision to introduce his son N Lokesh into politics antagonising the members of the NTR family.

One of the senior most members of NTR family, N Harikrishna, walked out of a meeting in a huff when he found that TDP leaders were urging Naidu to induct Lokesh into the party formally. Harikrishna wants his son, NTR Junior, an actor, to be given more prominence in the party.

SC rejects Chiru son-in-law’s bail

by

New Delhi, May 31: The Supreme Court rejected on Monday, the anticipatory bail plea of G R Sirish Bharadwaj, estranged son-in-law of Telugu film actor Chiranjeevi, in a dowry harassment case.

Bharadwaj’s runaway-marriage with Chiru’s younger daughter Srija had hit the headlines in 2007 after the couple appeared before the Delhi High Court and sought police protection for marrying against the wishes of the star’s family.

Inclusion of Farooq Husain in the cabinet appealed

by

Hyderabad, May 31: Mr. Jaber Patel secretary Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee congratulated Mr. Farooq Hussain on being elected as MLC and appealed the government to include him in the cabinet and give him any important portfolio.

He had been the councilor of Siddipet from 1981 to 1991. He fought assembly election in 1994. In 1989 he was abducted by the naxalites later he was released.

He served in Railway advisory board and Food advisory board. He had been the president of Minority Finance Corporation during 2006 and 2007.

Siasat news

Cleaner, greener, safer city

by

Hyderabad, May 31: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will provide glowing danger sign boards in different parts of Greater Hyderabad to caution the public about the threat prone areas.

It will also engage adequate manpower at water stagnation points to clear garbage and ensure water recedes in minimum possible time so that movement of vehicles do not get disturbed during ensuing monsoon season, said GHMC Mayor, Banda Kartika Reddy. She instructed officers to get sanctions at Zonal level itself for above mentioned works.?? ?

Rana trial to resume on June 1

by

Chicago, May 31: The trial of Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Husssain Rana, which led to several revelations of nexus between ISI and LeT in carrying out the Mumbai terror attacks, will resume on June 1 with the testimony of co-conspirator David Coleman Headley. In perhaps the most important terrorism trial ever to beheld, it is still expected that some new information regarding the nexus between al Qaeda, ISI and LeT might emerge.

Can’t Dance Like Hrithik, Don’t Have A Six-Pack, Says Madhavan

by

New Delhi, May 31: He has a decade old career in Bollywood and an equally good run down south but actor R Madhavan says he doesn’t sit back and relax with offers just pouring in.

The actor, who has given hits like ‘3 idiots’, ‘Rang De Basanti’ and ‘Tanu Weds Manu’, says that his choice is limited to a good scripts and his USP is his acting as he doesn’t have the added advantage of dancing skills or a hot body.

Congress sends its list of Ministers to CM

by

Kolkata, May 31: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has finalised the names of party MLAs to be included in West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Council of Ministers as Ministers of State.

TRS takes a strong view of TDP stand on Telangana

by

Hyderabad, May 31: The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) has taken a strong view of Telugu Desam’s position on separate Telangana at the Mahanadu and blamed the latter for washing its hands off the issue by turning the focus on Central government.

By stating that it was left to the Centre to take a decision, the TDP conveniently tried to absolve itself of the responsibility to achieve Statehood for the region, TRS legislator Koppula Eashwar told a press conference on Sunday.

Prisoners beat doctor to death

by

Patna, May 31: A 60-year-old doctor was beaten to death by seven prisoners at the Gopalganj jail on Sunday for reportedly refusing to issue false medical certificates.

The seven accused, all members of a local gang, were convicted last week in a kidnapping case. They had been sentenced to life imprisonment.

The victim, Dr Bhudev Singh, brother of former Janata Party MP from Chhapra Satyadeo Singh, was due to retire in another four months.

PCB to discuss Waqar-Afridi spat in details

by

Lahore, May 31: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has been told to return to the country with the national team instead of going to Australia as the PCB wants to discuss his reported dispute with sacked one-day captain, Shahid Afridi, in the West Indies.

The chief operating officer of the Pakistan board, Subhan Ahmed, said that Waqar was scheduled to fly straight to Sydney from Ireland, where the team is currently playing the one-day series.

Sri Lanka to introduce online visa for visitors in two months

by

Panaji, May 31: Sri Lanka will be introducing online visas for tourists visiting the island country within next two months on a trial basis, a senior diplomat said here.

Prasad Kariyawasam, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in India, said that the online visa would be an alternative to the visa-on-arrival, which has been currently discontinued in the South Asian nation.

Kariyawasam claimed that the online visa would be ”much simpler than visa on arrival” and also it will address all the security concerns of the country.

Actress Emma Watson says no to skinny

by

London, May 31: Actress Emma Watson does not “aspire” to a size zero figure and says that the Hollywood trend pressures teenage girls to starve themselves.

The 21-year-old `Harry Potter` star is a teen idol and says that she works out to stay healthy, not slim, reported Daily Mail online.

“It`s just not something that I aspire to, to be skinny. It`s not inspirational at all for me. I`m lucky that I`m this size naturally. I don`t diet, I love chocolate and pasta and I love baking,” Watson said.

No competition with Anna Hazare: Baba Ramdev

by

In this Walk the Talk with The Indian Express Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta on NDTV’s 24/7 yoga guru Baba Ramdev talks about his crusade against corruption, getting black money back and capital punishment for corrupt officials.

My guest today is the rockstar of yoga, Baba Ramdev. Only you could have got me up this early. You wake up very early—3 o’clock in the morning?

IOC may hike petrol prices soon

by

New Delhi, May 31: State-owned Indian Oil Corp, the nation’s largest fuel retailer, on Monday said it may hike petrol price next month as the steep hike of Rs 5 per litre of May 15 was not enough to cover for the cost of crude oil.

“Even after the hike, we are today losing Rs 4.58 per litre. After including VAT, the desired increase at retail level comes to Rs 5.50 a litre,” IOC Chairman R S Butola told reporters here.

Berlusconi suffers major loss in polls

by

Rome, May 31: The government of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has suffered another blow following a stinging defeat in local election runoffs.

Berlusconi’s center-right coalition suffered a humiliating defeat in mayoral elections in the cities of Milan and Naples on Monday, casting doubt over the legally embattled Italian leader’s future political life, AFP reported.

In Milan, which has been ruled by Berlusconi’s coalition for some two decades, center-left challenger Giuliano Pisapia captured around 55 percent of the ballots.

Afghan no longer source of terrorism: Canada PM

by

Ottawa, May 31: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Afghanistan “is no longer a source of global terrorism” during a surprise visit to the war-torn country, but still urged vigilance on the threat.

His office announced the one-day trip after his jet was wheels-up. It comes as Canada prepares to transition to a training mission after nine years of combat in Afghanistan.

“This country does not represent a geostrategic risk to the world,” Canada’s public broadcaster CBC quoted Harper as saying in a speech. “It is no longer a source of global terrorism.”