Month: January 2012

Chennai, January 31: A Trainer aircraft – Kiran crashed near Chennai, Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, Jan 30. However, the pilot of the plane ejected himself safely from the plane.

More details awaited

Tehran, January 31: A senior Iranian lawmaker says Majlis is bent on passing a bill which will stop the country’s oil exports to European Union member states in response to the EU oil ban on Iran.

Member of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Esmail Kowsari said Monday that stopping oil exports to the EU will deal a heavy blow to hundreds of European refineries.

“The US, UK, and the Zionist regime [of Israel] have behaved in such a way in recent months that leaves no room for tolerance on our part,” he added.

Kuwait, January 31: Kuwait has reportedly provided the US Army with 10 hectares of its Failaka Island to be used for US military bases.

According to Kuwaiti media, the United States has stationed about 15,000 new troops in its military bases in Kuwait. The troops have been relocated to Kuwait from Iraq.

The United States has also installed radar and missile systems in the Kuwaiti seaport region of Shuaiba, the report said.

The report comes despite Kuwait’s denial in November 2011 that the country would host more US troops.

Washington, January 31: US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has once again threatened Iran with a military strike against the country’s nuclear facilities despite the IAEA inspectors visiting Iran.

“There are no options that are off the table,” he made the comment on the CBS when asked if military action was being contemplated about Iran.

The war rhetoric by the Pentagon chief comes as a delegation of the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived in Tehran on Sunday to visit Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Kolkata, January 31: Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan feels that iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar should have retired after the “ultimate high” of India wining the World Cup last year.

“We all want to go with a big bang but you always don`t get it right. For Sachin the ultimate time to go was after that World Cup win. He had such a great World Cup. He is a great player and there is not replacement for him,” Imran said.

Hyderabad, January 31: Andhra Pradesh Cabinet on Monday approved enhancement of dearness allowance (DA) to state government employees by 5.99 percent with retrospective effect from July 1, 2011.

The Cabinet met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy after a gap of more than two months and discussed various issues.

Consequent to the decision, the DA component for the employees will increase from the present 29.96 percent to 35.95 percent, according to Information and Public Relations Minister DK Aruna said.

Hyderabad, January 31: The state-wide bandh called by Dalit groups to protest the desecration of BR Ambedkar statues in Andhra Pradesh on Monday evoked a mixed response.

Barring a few incidents of violence, the shutdown was by and large peaceful. Unidentified persons set on fire a private bus at Chilakalguda here this morning.

Police had stepped up security at all vulnerable places, especially in Telangana. The Osmania University Students Joint Action Committee supported the bandh.

Kolkata, January 31: Pakistani politician Imran Khan today said that Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption would be more effective if the Gandhian joins politics.

“If Anna Hazare forms a party and captures power, then he will be far more effective in fighting corruption,” Khan said here.

“You can be the most powerful pressure group, but if the government doesn’t have the political will to fight corruption, then you can have any legislation you want to but eventually they will be implemented by the government.”

Cairo, January 31: Seeking to change usual concepts relating fashion to nudity, a Turkish magazine is helping Muslim women follow latest fashion styles while keeping their Islamic teachings.

“Cosmopolitan, Elle, Vogue, Marie Claire, it’s all about sex and naked skin,” Ibrahim Burak Birer, 31, who started the magazine told the Daily Mail.

“But we, and millions of women around the world, believe that fashion can also be different.”

Nagpur, January 31: Two labourers were killed and at least nine injured when a four-storied industrial building collapsed in Chikhli industrial area here, police said Tuesday.

The under-construction building housed a cold storage plant which collapsed late Monday, trapping the labourers working there.

The body of 50-year-old Samtaram Bharati was removed from the debris early Tuesday. Dilip Walde, 49, succumbed to his injuries later in Mayo General Hospital, a police official said.

Among the injured are two women and two minors who are being treated at the same hospital.

Hyderabad, January 31: On behalf of ‘Germany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities’, the Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad is organising the ‘Hyderabad Heritage – Pictorial Essay 1975-2011’.

The exhibition which will be from February 4 to 22 at the Salar Jung Museum, will be a visual representation of the evolution of the Nawabi city between the years 1975 to 2011.

Hyderabad, January 31: It was a dish synonymous with the common Hyderabadi’s palate for the last two centuries — soft baked maida with an earthen smell of the tandoor, best accompanied with gracious servings of lamb chops and rich gravy. Any wonder then that 150 years on, the makers of Mughal Naan continue to do brisk business.

Hyderabad, January 31: On the orders of the AP High Court following a petition filed by Congress MLA P Shankar Rao, the CBI filed an FIR on August 17, 2011, against BP Acharya, directors of Emaar Properties, Dubai, Emaar Hills Township Pvt Ltd, Emaar-MGF Land Pvt Ltd, directors of Stylish Homes real Estate Pvt Ltd, unknown public servants of AP government, and others and charged them with criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, showing forged documents as genuine under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

New Delhi, January 31: The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing on an appeal by Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab against the death sentence slapped on him for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

The apex court as of now has not set any date for hearing the appeal.

Tehran, January 31: A prominent British journalist says the West is selling the possibility of confrontation with Iran by exaggerating the threat of Tehran’s nuclear program through media manipulation.

“Manipulation of the media and public opinion through systematic threat exaggeration through which the growing confrontation with Iran is being sold by the US, Israel and West European leaders is deeply dishonest,” wrote Patrick Cockburn in an article published in The Independent on Sunday.

New Delhi, January 31: he Supreme Court adjourned an appeal hearing on Tuesday into the death sentence handed down to Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman from the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Kasab, one of 10 gunmen who laid siege to Mumbai in attacks which lasted nearly three days and killed 166 people,

has appealed for his sentence to be overturned after he was convicted in May 2010.
The 24-year-old Pakistani was found guilty of a series of crimes, including waging war against India, murder and terror acts.

New Delhi, January 31: The two-year-old baby girl Falak, who was admitted to the All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Trauma Centre here in a battered condition on January 18, continues to battle for her life.

The doctors at AIIMS performed a second life-saving surgery on the baby on Monday but her condition remains critical and the chances of survival continue to be slim.

Dubai, January 31: Nearly 70 per cent of frauds in the Middle East companies were perpetrated by insiders who have been with the company for three to five years, according the latest survey on economic crimes in the region.

Hyderabad, January 31 (INN): The Standing Committee of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation on Monday gave nod for corporation’s Rs 3600 crore budget for the year 2012-13.

Briefing the media persons after the Standing Committee’s met here, GHMC Mayor Mohammad Majid Hussain said that the Standing Committee has approved the budget and the same would be presented in the general council for final approval. Further, the Standing Committee has also decided not to share the works for the Hyderabad Metro Rail Projects. He said the HMRL would be asked to carry out all works on its own.

Hyderabad, January 31 (INN): YSR Congress Party leader Bajireddy Govardhan Reddy on Monday said that Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu’s statement that if he came to power his party would destroy all statues of the late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy might have provoked the desecration of Dr B R Ambedkar’s statues.

Talking to media persons at YSR Congress party office here, Mr Govardhan Reddy condemned the desecration of statues and demanded that the government nab the perpetrators instead of leveling charges against commoners.

Kolkata, January 31: Describing the writings of Salman Rushdie as “painful” for the Muslim community, Pakistani politician and former cricket captain Imran Khan on Monday said no one had a right to humiliate someone’s belief.

“First of all what is painful for a human community only the human community should decide, the issue is not what Rushdie wrote (in his novel ‘The Satanic Verses’). The real issue is that nobody has the right to inflict pain on a society,” Khan said during an interactive session at the Kolkata Book Fair.

Hyderabad, January 31: The Question Bank for SSC students prepared by Bahadurpura Zone will be released at 4 pm tomorrow at Mahboob Hussain Jigar Hall, Siasat compound.

Mr. Zahid Ali Khan, Editor, Siasat will inaugurate the Question Bank of English Medium SSC for 2012.

Regional Joint Director of Education, Govt. of A.P. Mr. P.Lakshma Reddy will be the Chief Guest and Mr. P.Susender Rao, Dy. Education Officer, Bahadurpura Zone will be the guest of honour.

Hyderabad, January 31 (INN): Law Minister Erasu Pratap Reddy on Monday announced that the State Government would set up courts in 136 villages across the State.

However, the minister did not disclose further details as to when the process would be completed. Talking to reporters at his chambers in the State Secretariat, Pratap Reddy said that Rs 10 crore has been sanctioned for carrying out repairs of court buildings across the State.

Bhopal, January 31 (Pervez Bari): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan will undertake Padyatra (foot-march) in the rural areas of the state from February 1 with a view to have firsthand knowledge of ground realities of the schemes’ implementation.

Hyderabad, January 31 (INN): Telugu Desam Party MLC YV Rajendra Prasad has accused the State Government of pressuring the farmers for payment of electricity bills.