Washington, August 24: An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale has struck the United States’ east coast and Canada, shutting down two nuclear reactors in Louisiana, shaking many cities and delaying flights.
Safety systems automatically shut down two nuclear reactors at the North Anna Power Station in Louisiana when the earthquake happened, said Roger Hannah, a spokesman for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Associated Press reported.
Tripoli, August 24: A leading member of Libya’s Transitional National Council (TNC) says he hopes that Muammar Gaddafi will not resort to using chemical weapons against his own people.
Mahmoud Jibril, a revolutionary leader, was speaking at a news conference in the Qatari capital city of Doha on Tuesday.
Jibril also warned that the war against Gaddafi is not over yet, expressing hope that parts of southern Libya which are still in the hands of pro-Gaddafi forces will be liberated in the coming days.
London, August 24: Dogs are a woman’s best friend also — one in five women spend more time talking to their pets than their male partners, a survey has revealed.
The survey of 2,000 women dog owners found 18 per cent chat to their dogs more frequently than their husbands; they also take time off work to look after their poorly canines and even leave the radio or television on for them.
In fact, 42 per cent have taken time off from work to nurse sick animals and 34 per cent leave the radio or television set on to keep their pets company, leading newspaper the ‘Daily Mail’ reported.
Hyderabad, August 24: The City Police on Tuesday arrested two persons who used to cheat by trying to sell them fake gold biscuits.
According to Asifnagar ACP L T Chandrasekhar, during routine vehicle checking, the Langar Houz DSI K Gopal along with his staff apprehended Mohammed Jameel and Nayeem Shaik, both natives of north India, while they were moving on a black Pulsal bike without number plate near Megha Susheel Apartments at Sapatagiri Colony in Langer House.
Lucknow, August 24: The students of government-run primary schools in Madhya Pradesh are now compulsorily reading what their counterparts in the RSS-run Saraswati Shishu Mandirs have been doing for a long time. The first copies of Devputra, a children’s magazine published by Indore-based Saraswati Bal Kalyan Nyas, have reached over 83,400 primary schools across the state.
Hyderabad, August 24: The Central Bureau of Investigation officials on Tuesday submitted the documentary evidence that it collected in the case disproportionate assets case of Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to the AP High Court.
Visakhapatnam, August 24: Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday called upon youth to participate in large number in the anti-corruption movement launched by civil activist Anna Hazare.
Islamabad, August 24: – Nafees Foundation and Private School Network jointly held a Naat competition here on Tuesday at National Library of Pakistan.
Around 21 schools of the twin cities participated in the competition with a great number of adjourned areas. Members National Assembly Dr. Tariq fazal Chaudhry and Tahira Orangzeb were the chief guest of the competition whereas President Private School Network Sajjad chishti chaired the occasion.
Gandhinagar, August 24: Breaking ranks with his party’s stand, Gujarat Law Minister Dilip Sanghani Tuesday expressed his opposition to the way pressure is being brought to bear to get Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal bill passed by parliament.
“Mobocracy can not be a substitute for democracy,” Sanghani told media persons here.
He made it plain that while he welcomed Hazare’s stir against corruption, he felt it was not right to demand that parliament pass only his (Hazare’s) “Jan Lokpal bill”.
Idupulapaya, August 24: Pro-Jagan Congress MLAs who resigned from the post are planning to launch a ‘bus yatra’ to protest against the inclusion of former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s name in the CBI’s FIR in a disproportionate assets case filed against his son Jaganmohan Reddy.
After paying tributes at YSR Samadhi in Idupulapaya in Kadapa district on Tuesday, the 26 legislators of the ruling party have decided to conduct bus yatra across the state to create awareness among people over humiliation being meted out to YSR and his family members.
Amalapuram, August 24: Senior BJP leader and former Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday assured the distressed farmers that the BJP would provide interest-free loans to farmers if voted to power.
Addressing a gathering of farmers at Pedapudi near Amalapuram in East Godavari district, Rajnath Singh slammed the state government for its failure to provide relief measures to farmers, who declared ‘Crop Holiday’ to highlight government’s failure in giving remunerative price for their crop produce.
London, August 24: Dozens of half-naked women took to the streets in the US to celebrate national Go Topless Day, a media report said Tuesday.
They were agitating for the right to legally go bare-chested in public — just like men can, The Sun reported.
Women and men stripped off for rallies in 12 states, including New York, North Carolina and California Monday.
It’s the fourth year of the event, organised by a British website GoTopless.org, the newspaper said.
New Delhi, August 24: Anna Hazare Tuesday night refused to be given saline drips and asked his supporters at the Ramlila ground to prevent the government from forcibly shifting him to a hospital.
Looking weak compared to earlier days, Hazare also said — on the eighth day of his fast in support of a strong Lokpal bill — that he was not afraid of dying.
Speaking in feeble voice, the 74-year-old said that he had been told that his kidneys showed signs of weakening and that he needed drips.
Hyderabad, August 24: GHMC Commissioner M.T. Krishna Babu on Tuesday informed that the GHMC would start the process of restoration work of major drain slab near Fever Hospital, which collapsed due to heavy rains, within 10 days.
The GHMC Commissioner along with Central Zone Commissioner Ilambarithi, Chief Engineer R. Dhan Singh and Deputy Municipal Commissioner Raghu Prasad visited the area on receipt of reports of collapse of drain slab. He issued instructions for immediate safety measures. A barricading arrangement has been made to mitigate public endanger.
Hyderabad, August 24: The Kiran Kumar Reddy Government appears to be in no mood to appoint a new chairman and members of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board despite pressure from several aspirants within the ruling party.
The term of the present TTD’s specified authority will end on Wednesday and a GO is likely to be issued to further extend the term of the same body. However, the TTD rules do not allow the continuance of any authority beyond one year.
Hyderabad, August 24: Telangana Rashtra Samiti MLA T Harish Rao on Tuesday challenged Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu to introduce no confidence motion against Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy government.
Talking to media persons at TRS Bhavan, Harish Rao stated that Chandrabbu Naidu has confined himself to issuing press statements and did not honour his words of introducing No Trust Motion on farmers’ problems last time. He demanded Chandrababu Naidu prove his commitment and sincerity by introducing No Trust vote against the government.
Hyderabad, August 24: Congress MLA Anam Vivekananda Reddy on Tuesday alleged that the Congress MLAs, having allegiance to YSR Congress party, were resorting to blackmail tactics to stop the Central Bureau of Investigation probe against Jagan Mohan Reddy’s alleged illegal wealth.
Talking to media persons at Assembly premises, Anam said that the MLAs have resigned to play a political drama and settle financial issues with Jagan. Instead of protecting the name of YSR from being tarnished, those MLAs themselves are defaming YSR, he said.
Hyderabad, August 24: Based on intelligence reports that as many as 18 legislators were sitting on the fence, an alert Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has begun the ‘counseling’ operations in right earnest with the Congress legislators at his camp office here on Tuesday.
New Delhi, August 24: Congress leader and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Tuesday night that the government was hopeful of resolving the Lokpal bill logjam.
“I am hopeful we will be able to work out a solution,” Mukherjee told reporters after talks with Anna Hazare aides Prashant Bhushan, Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal.
The minister said the fasting Hazare’s life was “too precious”.
He said discussions had started with Hazare’s representatives.
New Delhi, August 24: There were three sticking points with the government including inclusion of lower bureaucracy in ambit of Lokpal, Team Hazare said Tuesday as they insisted on passage of anti-corruption legislation in the ongoing monsoon session of parliament.
London, August 24: Anne Hathaway has admitted it was easier for her to shoot the nude scenes than mastering British accent for her role in “One Day”.
The 28-year old plays a Yorkshire girl Emma in the movie and insists she was more comfortable stripping off for a dipping scene with her co-star Jim Sturgess than speaking in her character’s regional dialect, reports contactmusic.com.
Hyderabad, August 24: AICC secretary and MLC Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy on Tuesday took serious note on YSR Congress party official spokesperson Ambati Rambabu’s remark that Praja Rajyam president K Chiranjeevi allegedly took Rs 300 crore to merger his party into the Congress.
Idupulapaya, August 24: A day after submitting resignations, the Congress MLAs owing allegiance to YSR Congress party, on Tuesday went to YSR’s Samadhi at Idupulapaya in Kadapa district and paid rich tributes to him.
Hyderabad, August 24: Tourism Minister Vatti Vasanth Kumar on Tuesday stated that YSR Congress party president Jagan Mohan Reddy was himself responsible for figuring of former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s name in the First Information Report of the Central Bureau of Investigation case against him.
Kurnool, August 24: Irrigation Minister T G Venkatesh on Tuesday stated that the resignation of 26 Congress MLAs in favour of YSR Congress party president Jaganmohan Reddy, was a publicity stunt and they just wanted to attract media attention.