Month: August 2011

Srinagar, August 06: For the past week, dozens of contractual college teachers in Kashmir Valley have been on an indefinite fast in Srinagar demanding a wage hike. But theirs could be a lost cause at a time when most locals are busy fasting for entirely different reasons.

The teachers’ agitation seems to have gone unnoticed as in Mumlim-dominated Jammu and Kashmir, most people are observing a dawn-to-dusk fast during the holy month of Ramzan that began Tuesday.

Hyderabad, August 06: Another Somalian national was caught when she tried to travel to Nairobi with a fake visa and passport from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.

Mariya Emli (24), was detained by airport immigration officials while she submitted her fake visa and passport, police said.

RGIA SI Kiran Kumar said that Mariya came to the city three months back on a tourist visa issued by Indian embassy at Nairobi.

-Agencies

May be the Hyderabadis took pride in reciting this couplet until a few decades ago. But no more. Not any longer in the Old City, the asli Hyderabad.

Madurai, August 06:The government has decided to issue birth and death certificates online. The initiative will come into effect in September, before which a government order will be issued. District-level training programmes are under way for health inspectors of Primary Health Centres.

R.T. Porkai Pandian, Director of Public Health, has written to the Deputy Directors of Health Services of all districts to complete the PHC staff training programme in a week.

Hyderabad, August 06: Telugu Desam party president N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday called upon youth to play active and responsible role in eradicating rampant corruption in the society.

Talking to media persons after releasing a poster against corruption prepared by wisdomjob.com, at TDP Bhavan, Chandrababu Naidu said that youth should play constructive role to build nation by eradicating graft.

Hyderabad, August 06: Ramzan, the holy month of the Islamic calender, intends to foster patience, spirituality and humility, but the city has a unique way of instilling values in all. It is in the month of Ramzan that the true cosmopolitan and compassionate nature of Hyderabadis shines through as drastic changes in culture and lifestyle seep in. And more than anything, the youngsters in the city are enjoying a unique and exclusive night life.

Hyderabad, August 06: Home Minister P.Chidambaram replying to the debate on Telangana issue that takes place in Lok Sabha yesterday, has made it clear that, neither he nor the Union Government can do any thing about the issue until the people of the state decide whether to stay united or divide into two states.

New Delhi, August 06: The silence on the illness of Congress president Sonia Gandhi has triggered speculation about her disease and a debate if political figures should hide their medical condition.

Congress spokesperson Janardan Dwivedi said Friday that the operation performed on Gandhi was successful but did not disclose the condition that led to her surgery in the US.

“The surgery (Thusday) is over… The surgeon has indicated that the operation was successful,” Dwivedi said.

Mumbai, August 06: Sridevi is not just back to acting. She will now own a team in the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL). CCL initially involved only stars from the South Indian film industry.

However, last year Sohail Khan bought the Mumbai franchise and formed his team Mumbai Heroes. And this has apparently inspired Boney Kapoor and his wife. “Boney Kapoor and Sridevi have together bought the Bangla franchise,” revealed a source.

“In the meantime Priyadarshan along with his wife has bought the Malayalam club,” added the source.

London, August 06: One of the most familiar faces on television, Rowan Atkinson or Mr Bean, has been injured after his McLaren F1 supercar spiralled off the road, hit a tree and burst into flames.

Fortunately, the Blackadder star was relatively unscathed by the incident and was able to climb out of the vehicle and wait for the ambulance in the company of a motorist who had stopped to offer assistance.

The satirist is believed to have been at the wheel of the £650,000 supercar when it spun off the road, clipping a tree before catching fire.

Washington, August 06: World’s leading nation is facing severe social and economic crisis back home. A latest government figure showed that one in seven Americans (around 15 percent population), are surviving on government-provided food stamps.

Nearly 46 million Americans receive food stamps out of a population of some 311 million people, the US Department of Agriculture, which administers what’s officially called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme reported Thursday.

Washington, August 06: : Influential Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone has introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives, condemning violence against the Kashmiri Pandits. The resolution takes note of militancy, lack of religious freedom, and human rights violations in the valley. It also insists that terrorist infrastructure in the region must be dismantled and ultras should be held accountable for their action.

SC partially lifts ban on iron ore mining in bellary

Ahmedabad, August 06: IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt, who has accused Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi of misusing state machinery during 2002 post-Godhra riots, has alleged that SIT probe details on riot cases were leaked to a top law officer of the State government.

Mr. Bhatt, in his 19-page supplementary affidavit filed before the Supreme Court last week, alleged that someone from within the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was leaking sensitive and confidential details related to investigations conducted by it to Additional Advocate General Tushar Mehta.

New Delhi, August 06: Moved by the reports of Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s surgery in the US, over a dozen Telangana Congress MPs have decided to dilute their decision to boycott the Parliament proceedings. Starting Monday, they will attend the sessions whenever there is a requirement of headcount or voting.

The MPs want to wait till Sonia returns to India hale and hearty

Mumbai, August 06: An Antop Hill resident got a shock of his life when BEST sent him an electricity bill of Rs 2.41 lakh for April. Advertising executive Frank Baker resides in a one-storey house with his wife and daughter.

On an average, the family uses electricity worth Rs 600 a month. Baker realised he had joined the long list of Mumbaikars who are victims of inflated electricity bills.

For the past few days, Baker and his wife are doing the rounds of BEST offices. On July 27, they filed a complaint at Dadar office, and got no response.

Mumbai, August 06: In a protest here on Friday, members of various organisations and volunteers of India Against Corruption, burnt a copy of the Lokpal Bill presented in Parliament.

“We will burn this false Bill in every corner of the country now. We are not fools. We have elected a government which has to respect our opinion,” IAC’s Mumbai coordinator Mayank Gandhi told a public meeting here.

London, August 06: India’s opening batsman Virender Sehwag made a secret visit to London before the Lord’s Test last month to meet his surgeon Andrew Wallace for a shot of injection on his injured shoulder.

The Daily Telegraph revealed that Sehwag, who cut short his Indian Premier League (IPL) stint in May to have a torn shoulder blade operated on by Wallace, wanted to get fit for the third Test.

After his last month’s secret trip, Sehwag returned to Bangalore’s National Cricket Academy where he was undergoing rehabilitation over the past fortnight.

Beijing, August 06: This 12-year-old Chinese boy has been chained up by his uncle for the past two years.

It’s claimed that this is for his own safety because he’s mentally handicapped – but most people will find these images truly shocking.

Cai Changqing, from Erlongshan village in Harbin, north-east China’s Heilongjiang Province, is shackled each day to a shabby shelter outside his uncle’s home.

Mumbai, August 06: The police inspector who was arrested in connection with raid on a rave party in Raigad in June has tested positive for drug consumption.

The Raigad police had arrested inspector Anil Jadhav of Mumbai’s Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) for allegedly providing drugs to the youths at the party.

“Jadhav has tested positive for drug consumption”, Raigad Superintendent of Police R Shinde said adding that the section which pertains to consumption of drugs under the NDPS act would now be applied to him.

New Delhi, August 06: Pointing a direct finger towards the involvement of Prime Minister’s Office in the Commonwealth Games scam probe, the Controller and Accounting General of India, Vinod Rai on Friday said the Suresh Kalmadi was appointed the chairman of the CWG Organising Committee on PMO’s recommendation.

Speaking at a press conference after the tabling of its report on CWG scam in the Parliament, CAG said, “Suresh Kalmadi was appointed CWG OC Chairman on PMO recommendation of December 2004 despite objections from then Sports Minister.”

The Cultural Committee of Dibba Fujairah Culture, Arts and Theatre Society organised a lecture on the holy month of Ramadan, in coordination with the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments’ office in Fujairah.

Shaikh Abu Bakr Omer Mohammed, who delivered the lecture, said that the righteous Muslim ancestors used to supplicate to the God Almighty for six months after the end of Ramadan so that He might accept their fasting and voluntary night prayers. They also used to pray to Allah for the remaining six months so that Allah may let them reach the following Ramadan.

Mumbai, August 06: Extending support to social activist Anna Hazare over the Lokpal Bill issue, Mumbai’s famous dabbawallas (lunch-box carriers) on Friday said there would be no service on August 16, the day he proposed to start his hunger strike.

About 4,500-5,000 dabbawallas transport some 2,00,000 homemade lunch packs every day at a very low fee and with surprising punctuality. But not on August 16.

London, August 06: British comedy actor Rowan Atkinson, best known for playing the character Mr. Bean, suffered a minor injury after the supercar he was driving crashed and caught fire, emergency services said Friday.

Car enthusiast Atkinson needed hospital treatment Thursday after the McLaren F1 car he was driving spun off the road near the village of Haddon, eastern England, before crashing into a tree and a lamppost.

The 56-year-old walked away from the accident before firefighters arrived and put out the blaze.

Riyadh, August 09: Children fasting for the first time during Ramadan can do so provided they are taking a balanced diet and adequate sleep, advise doctors.

Likewise, nursing mothers’ needs for energy and nutrients are far more critical than those of the women who are healthy.

“Once children can fast (usually above 12 years) they should be careful about taking a balanced diet, drinking adequate fluids, getting adequate sleep and indulging in light exercises,” said Dr Shoaib Shahzad Khan, Head of the Department of Paediatrics and Neonatology at Canadian Specialist Hospital.

Hyderabad, August 06: Andhra Pradesh Congress president Botsa Satyanarayana today favoured giving a temporary break to the ongoing agitations in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana issue in view of the ill-health of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

“Yes, I agree with that. Sonia Gandhiji will have to take the decision. So, that will take time. Secondly, I have earlier said the issue can only be resolved through talks.

Accordingly, Congress is holding talks with its leaders from various regions,” he told reporters here.