Month: August 2011

Hyderabad, August 04: The leaders of Telangana Joint Action Committee of employees have been urged to desist from going ahead with their strike call in order not to inconvenience the people who were already faced with frequent bandhs that have left life paralysed.

The Group of Ministers who met at the at the Lake View Guest House on Wednesday held discussions threadbare and came to a conclusion to invite the TJAC Empoyees’ leaders for talks on August 5. The TJAC is representing over 20 unions who are firm on their demand for a separate Telangana state.

Hyderabad, August 04: As against the Centre’s latest adamant stand ruling out deletion of Clause 14 F from the Presidential Order until Andhra Pradesh passes a fresh resolution to this effect, Minister from Telangana region Danam Nagender on Wednesday expressed confidence that by August 13 or 14, the ‘deletion’ will take a positive effect.

Hyderabad, August 04: Condemning the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Telangana Political Joint Action Committee for threaten the Legislators with dire consequences if they fail to resubmit their resignations before August 6, Congress MLA from Telangana S Satyanarayana on Wednesday emphasised that the Congress leaders from Telangana had submitted their resignations voluntarily for the cause of separate statehood and not due to pressure mounted by others.

“The TRS and TPJAC have no right to issue ultimatums,” Mr Satyanarayana told media persons on the Assembly premises.

Hyderabad, August 04: Congress MLA from Warangal Rajaiah on Wednesday stated that the Congress MLAs from Telangana will chalk out their future course on the resubmission of resignations after the arrival of Speaker Nadendla Manohar from United Kingdom on August 6.

Talking to media persons on Assembly premises, Mr Rajaiah denied the rumours which appeared in a section of the media that Congress leaders are bowing down to pressure tactics of High Command and were contemplating to go back on their decision.

Washington, August 04: AP/Carolyn KasterFor months, polls have reported that reducing unemployment is Americans’ top political priority — and certainly a much bigger priority than reducing the deficit. This makes economic sense because of the connection between the two issues. As any Economics 101 course shows, creating new jobs is one of the best ways to reduce a nation’s long-term deficits, because creating jobs generates tax revenues and grows an overall economy, thus shrinking debt both in real terms and as a percentage of GDP.

Chennai, August 04: A top Indian scientist on Wednesday said “America is not at all good for education”, even as more Indian students are taking wings to the US for higher studies.

“Everything in (the) US is no good. They are (Indian students) going to some second rate institutions. Just because you go abroad, doesn’t mean that you get good education. Now, there are excellent institutions in India doing research,” C N R Rao, Chairman of Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, said here after delivering a oration.

The latest allegation in the Dominique Strauss-Kahn saga has sex educators worried. Some fear it delivers a dangerous message about rough sex and consent.

The French weekly L’Express reports that Anne Mansouret — the mother of Tristane Banon, the journalist accusing the former IMF chief of attempted rape — told Parisian investigators that she had sex with DSK three years before the alleged incident with her daughter. (Cue classy quips about how IMF really “stands for International Mother F—er.”)

A child support case brings to light a man’s rape accusation against his high school girlfriend
By Tracy Clark-Flory

iStockphotoCan a man be raped by a woman? That’s the question that popped up in my Twitter feed in response to a news story about a man in Florida who is fighting child support payments by claiming that his 4-year-old son was conceived when his then-girlfriend forced herself on him. That the question even has to be asked shows how limited our understanding is of sexual assault.

New Delhi, August 04: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said security forces should deal with right-wing terror groups “sternly and fearlessly” as they were enemies of the country as much as Indian Mujahideen and SIMI.

“…the right wing extremist terrorist groups. That also deserves to be researched and studied. They are radicalising right wing youths in the same manner that SIMI and IM have been radicalised,” Chidambaram said while releasing a book “Indian Mujahideen: The Enemy Within” written by journalist Shishir Gupta.

London, August 04: The Duchess of Cambridge is reportedly on a Special Air Service (SAS)-run course to protect herself from potential kidnappers.

Kate, 29, has attracted millions of fans since her wedding to Prince William in April 2011, but is now at an increased risk of being targeted by terrorists and abductors.

“The Palace want to ensure Kate’s new status doesn’t make her vulnerable to attack,” the Sun quoted a source as saying.

Moscow, August 04: Italian lawmakers suggest that a criminal responsibility should be introduced for wearing the Islamic headscarf (hijab) in public places. The relevant bill has already been prepared and submitted to Parliament. Should it be approved, the Muslim women living in Italy will lose their right to wear the Islamic headscarf. Besides, any man forcing a Muslim woman to wear the Islamic veil will be fined 30,000 euros or will be imprisoned for one year.

London, August 04: Unsurprisingly, the horrific attacks of Anders Behring Breivik, the far-right Christian extremist in Norway, have stirred powerful debate among the estimated 44.1 million Muslims in Europe.

Although most of his 76 victims were at a Labor Party youth camp, Mr. Breivik made clear that his real targets were Muslims, and what he sees as their insidious infiltration of a Christian continent.

Hyderabad, August 03: The Telangana students’ Joint Action Committee (JAC) has postponed the Telangana shutdown to Aug 8 to demand deletion of clause 14(F) from Presidential Order.

JAC, which is spearheading the movement for a Telangana state, Wednesday called the shutdown Aug 8 instead of Aug 5 as announced earlier.

JAC is demanding the government not to conduct exam for recruitment of sub-inspectors of police till clause 14(F) is deleted from the Presidential Order of 1975 which treats Hyderabad as a free zone for police recruitment.

New Delhi, August 03: The Delhi government Wednesday came out in defence of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit saying she was not involved in any irregularities related to the Commonwealth Games.

Delhi chief secretary P.K. Tripathi said media reports quoting a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report indicting Dikshit of involvement in irregularities in contracts related to CWG are based on incorrect facts.

Hyderabad, August 03: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has adjourned to Thursday its hearing on petitions alleging that YSR Congress Party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy had amassed illegal wealth.

The division bench comprising Chief Justice Nisar Ahmad Kakru and Justice Vilas V. Afzulpurkar Wednesday heard the arguments on petitions of three leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and posted to Thursday the hearing on the petition of K.K. Sherwani, a lawyer from Kadapa.

New Delhi, August 03: Stung by the allegations of serious irregularities in awarding contract for street-lighting to a disqualified firm called Space Age during last year’s Commonwealth Games (CWG), the Delhi government on Wednesday said that at no stage the Sheila Dikshit government gave approval for Space Age.

New Delhi, August 03: The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on the validity of provisions of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act which make it mandatory for private schools to reserve of 25 per cent seats for children of economically backward sections.

A bench comprising Chief Justice S H Kapadia and justices K S Radhakrishnan and Swantanter Kumar concluded the marathon hearings which began on February 17 to examine certain provisions of the law which made right to education a fundamental right of children in the age group of 6-14 years.

New Delhi, August 03: The Opposition on Wednesday slammed the government for the rising terror incidents alleging that its “weak” and “non-serious” approach had “emboldened” the terrorists to strike at will.

Congress, however, countered the attack by referring to right-wing terrorism, triggering an uproar in the Rajya Sabha during a short duration discussion on growing incidents of terrorism.

The country is living under the “constant shadow of fear” while little is done to restore the public confidence, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

New Delhi, August 03: In a change of strategy in Parliament during the ongoing Monsoon Session, the opposition BJP has decided not to indulge in frequent disruptions in the proceedings and instead take on the government on vital issues through debates and censure motions.

“It has been our intention from day one of this session not to disrupt the proceedings. If you noticed, we did not disrupt the House yesterday or today. BSP members had forced an adjournment yesterday while our members remained seated (during the Question Hour),” senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha told reporters.

Washington, August 03: US Muslims are more optimistic about the future than other faith groups, but while they overwhelmingly reject terrorism, nearly half report discrimination, a poll found Tuesday.

The survey was carried out ahead of the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and looked at how well integrated the 2.6 million Muslims living in the United States are in the wake of the “war on terror” launched by former president George W. Bush after the deadly plane hijackings.

In a historic trial, an ailing, 83-year-old Hosni Mubarak, lying ashen-faced on a hospital bed inside a metal defendants’ cage with his two sons beside him in white prison uniforms, denied charges of complicity in the killings of protestors and of corruption.

The spectacle, aired live on state television, was the biggest humiliation for Egypt’s former president since his ouster nearly six months ago. But it went a long way to satisfy one of the key demands that has united protesters since Feb. 11, the day the regime was toppled.

Tirupati, August 03: Police have registered cases against three persons for sexually harassing a student in the Vedic school here, on Wednesday.

Police said cases were registered against them under section 377 for harassing student Murali Krishna sexually. They have also registered cases against Sai Teja and S Sudarshan under section 4 for ragging other students.

–Agencies

Adilabad, August 03: A wife has axed his drunkard husband as she was unable to bear the harassment she was being subjected to every day.

According to information, the incident occurred in Gopalaraopet village under Tanduru mandal of the district on Wednesday. Police said the woman’s husband used to beat her every day in an inebriated condition. She finally lost her patience and hacked him to death.

–Agencies

Hyderabad, August 03: Airtel has launched a facility LiveWell Ramzan for its mobile customers in Andhra Pradesh. The package offered at a subscription charge of Rs. 2 per day provides daily message alerts to inform and assist them in observing fast during the holy month of Ramzan. To subscribe, customers could send an SMS ‘Ramzan’ or ‘RMD’ respectively to 54444.

–Agencies

New Delhi, August 04: In the Opposition line of fire over the price rise issue, it will be chief Congress troubleshooter finance minister Pranab Mukherjee who will field the government’s response in Parliament on Thursday.

The senior Congress leader came under a flurry of attacks when former finance minister Yashwant Sinha warned the government that it would be forced to tell it to “go, for God’s sake”, if it failed to check the price rise spiral at the earliest.