Month: June 2011

Tehran, June 28: Iran plans to send a monkey into space in August, the chief of the country’s space agency said Monday.

The Iranian Space Agency (ISA) would send the monkey onboard a rocket called Kavoshgar-5, ISA chief Hamid Fazeli told Mehr news agency.

The space capsule was unveiled by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in February.

“The Kavoshgar-5 rocket will be launched during the month of Mordad (July 23 to August 23) with a 285-kg capsule carrying a monkey to an altitude of 120 km,” Fazeli said.

–IANS–

London, June 28: Actress Helen Mirren has revealed she visited nudist beaches three times in her life and has found the experience comforting.

The 65-year-old actress thinks being nude in public is very liberating, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“I have been on a nudist beach about three times in my life and found it very comforting. It is a natural experience and instantly changes the way you think about nudity and sexuality,” she said.

Despite having bared her body for several film roles, Mirren insists she is insecure about her figure just like most women.

–IANS–

Washington, June 28: Assuring American investors that India was firmly set on a continuous reform path, Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjeee has said that with recent “major steps” India is back on its high 8.5 plus percent growth path.

“That does not mean that we are returning to growth path without problems,” he told a India-US business forum Monday with US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner ahead of the second round of Economic and Financial Partnership talks here Tuesday.

California, June 28: A US Muslim woman sued Abercrombie & Fitch, accusing the clothing retailer of firing her for refusing to remove her religious head scarf, a Muslim advocacy group said.

Hani Khan of San Mateo, California, alleged that store managers had told her to remove her hijab as part of the clothing chain’s “Look Policy”, the Council of American-Islamic Relation (CAIR) said in a statement.

Hyderabad, June 28: Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Civil Services Examination Coaching Academy has been established by MHRD to provide coaching for CSE and other Services for students from Minority groups.

Tripoli, June 28: A UN Security Council sanctions committee has banned Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s wife from traveling outside Libya and ordered all her foreign assets seized.

Although Gaddafi and other members of his family have been on a UN blacklist since February, for months Russia had blocked the inclusion of Gaddafi’s wife Safia and Planning and Finance Minister Abdulhafid Zlitni on the list of individuals facing a travel ban and asset freeze until last week.

Washington, June 28: US President Barack Obama is making a last-ditch effort to get a bipartisan congressional consensus to raise the country’s debt ceiling.

The White House said on Monday that the president is confident that both Democrats and Republicans could make compromises to lift the debt limit to avoid a default, Reuters reported.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said, “The president told me that everyone in the room believes a significant deal remains possible.” He made the remarks after Obama held a discussion with Sen. Harry Reid, the leader of the Democrats in the Senate.

Tehran, June 28: Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which is located on the Persian Gulf coast, will come on stream by the end of August.

Salehi announced that the plant will reach 40 percent of its full capacity around mid-August and will be connected to the national power grid by the end of the month, the Mehr news agency reported on Monday.

Sirsa, June 28 RSS leader Indresh Kumar today accused the Congress-led UPA government of pursuing communal agenda and using government agencies like the National Investigating Agency to malign nationalist forces.”It is at the behest of those sitting at the highest posts in Congress that the NIA has given a clean chit to Pakistani terror groups in this case (Samjhauta Express blast),” Kumar told a RSS gathering here.

Hyderabad, June 28: MLC and YSR Congress Party leader Jupudi Prabhakar Rao on Monday alleged that the state government has effectively made the Departments have the power to implement the welfare schemes and programmes launched by former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy by not releasing adequate funds to them.

Mr Prabhakar Rao told media persons at the Assembly Media Point that the state government’s failure to release adequate funds for these Departments was in line with its negligent attitude towards Dr YSR’s schemes.

Hyderabad June 28: Former minister and senior Congress leader Jeevan Reddy on Monday accused the state and Central government of attempting to divert attention from the separate Telangana demand by conducting recruitment examinations for the posts of Sub-Inspectors of Police without deleting the controversial Clause 14 (F) from the Presidential Order.

Talking to media persons at the Assembly Media Point, Mr Jeevan Reddy pointed out that the state Assembly had passed a resolution, demanding that the Centre delete the controversial Clause from the Presidential Order.

Hyderabad, June 28: Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday said that Andhra Pradesh is happy to be the campaign State for National-level Mission for Employment generation.

He said the State would dovetail the National Mission and would integrate all departments concerned to achieve an ambitious goal of creating 5 lakh jobs per year.

Advisor to the Prime Minister, Mr Rama Dorai positively responded to the request and explained to the Chief Minister the National level efforts in this regard.

Hyderabad, June 28: Home Minister P Sabitha Reddy on Monday promised that no injustice would be done to any region in the state in the recruitment of Sub-Inspectors of police, shortly after she met Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and discussed the recruitment test.

Ms Indra Reddy’s meeting with the Chief Minister comes in the backdrop of the Telangana JAC insisted on not conducting the said test until the controversial Clause 14 F was scrapped, while the United Andhra JAC demanding that the test goes ahead as announced.

Hyderabad, June 28: Praja Rajyam MLA from Peddapuram in East Godavari district Pantham Gandhi Mohan on Monday lodged a written complaint with Speaker Nadendla Monohar over the violation of protocol by Telugu Desam Party MLC B Bhaskar Ramana in his constituency.

According to sources, the MLA has planned to inaugurate a school constructed with a cost of Rs 31.31 lakh at Vetlapalem in East Godavari district on June 23 at 9.30 AM.

Hyderabad, June 28: Pointing out that as many as 2324 promises made by elected representatives to the people remained unfulfilled, Chairman of AP Assembly Assurances Committee Adala Prabhakara Reddy on Monday blamed the laid-back attitude of the officials to be the reason.

Talking to media persons at Congress Legislature Party office after submitting a report to Speaker Nadendla Manohar in his Chambers, Mr Prabhakara Reddy said that 2324 promises were pending from 1985 till date.

Hyderabad, June 28: The police on Monday arrested four persons in connection with the sensational murder of a man at in front of the Axis Bank ATM on the Kachiguda Station Road on the evening of June 24.

The Kachiguda police said that the then unidentified men had waylaid and attacked Shamshuddin alias Obaid, with an axe and butcher knife on head and left hand while he was going on motor cycle resulting in his instantaneous death.

During investigations the police found out that Obaid had married one Omera in 2008. This marriage later ended in divorce.

Hyderabad, June 28: The state government has, on all accounts, put off taking a decision on whether to increase bus fares of APSRTC.

A Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting is underway on whether to increase the bus fares, at the time of filing this report.

A decision is expected to be announced shortly as the government is undecided about it.

New Delhi, June 28: The Krishna Water Disputes tribunal on Monday adjourned hearing in the sharing of water between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh to August 16.

The tribunal on Monday adjourned further hearing after the counsel representing Karnataka’s interest put forth its arguments.

The Karnataka counsel argued over the rationale behind in reviewing its verdict and presented its views.

Hyderabad, June 28: Telangana Political Joint Action Committee chairman Kodandaram on Monday stated that JAC executive meeting will be held on July 2 to discuss how to push the elected representatives from Telangana to resign.

Talking to media persons after participating in a memorial programme for Telangana ideologue K Jayashankar at Osmania University Library hall, Prof Kodandaram stated that the deadline set for Telangana elected representatives to resign had ended on June 25.

Hyderabad, June 28: Congress in-charge of Hyderabad district and Minister for Heavy Industries J Geetha Reddy on Monday said that the state government will take legal opinion based on the High Court’s Judgment before issuing a notification for the GHMC’s ban on plastic bags in the city limits.

Dr Geetha Reddy was addressing the Hyderabad District Review Committee meeting at Jubilee Hall where she said that a notification would be issued soon. The ban comes into effect from July 1.

Hyderabad, June 28: The Criminal Investigation Court in Nampally on Monday remanded film producer Singanamala Ramesh to Crime Investigation Department custody till July 11 in connection with cheating and on charges of threatening a film financier Jayanth Reddy.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) had earlier produced Singanamala Ramesh before the Court which remanded him to CID custody to complete the probe.

New Delhi, June 28: Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal on Monday said that Hyderabad would become a state capital for Telangana region in the event of division of state.

Talking to media persons after meeting Congress in-charge for Andhra Pradesh Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad, he expressed confidence that the High Command would take a decision on the division of the state soon.

In the event of division of the state, Mr Rajagopal said state capital Hyderabad would become capital for the Telangana region.

New Delhi, June 28: Lending teeth to the multi-pronged attack hoisted by the JD(S) to unseat the State Chief Minister (CM), B S Yeddyurappa, former Prime Minister, H D Deve Gowda, began his dharna in front of the CM’s residence on Monday June 27 morning, as announced earlier. Gowda has been accusing the CM of deliberately neglecting the progress and welfare of Hassan district.

Hyderabad, June 28: Describing its targeting as ‘heinous’, Sri Satya Sai Seva organizations state president SG Chalam on Monday expressed serious concern that such a malicious campaign would affect the philanthropic activities of the Trust.

In a media statement, Mr Chalam alleged that some vested elements, particularly a section of the media, is intentionally targeting the Satya Sai organizations and slinging mud to destabilize and defame the organization.

Chennai, June 28: Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa has said she was against bringing the Prime Minister under the Lokpal’s ambit as it would undermine his authority and pave way for a parallel government.

“The Prime Minister should be excluded from the purview of the bill as he is already covered under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the CBI can investigate,” she said on Times Now.