Month: March 2012

Three students among 9 killed in AP road mishaps

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Nine persons, including students and women, were on Thursday killed in separate road accidents in Khammam and Anantapur districts of Andhra Pradesh, police said.

Five women and a youth were killed on the spot when the autorickshaw they were travelling in collided with a lorry near Kollugudem village in Khammam district at around 2.30 pm, they said.

Three students (aged around 16), who were on their way to attend SSC examinations, died after the bike on which they were travelling was hit by an unidentified vehicle at Kutagulla village in Anantapur district, police said.

Assembly worked for just 88 hours in 29 days

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The budget session of the State Legislative Assembly which started on February 13 concluded on Thursday with the State Government passing the Appropriation Bill without debate.

According to the statistics, the Assembly functioned for 29 days and worked for 88 hours and 14 minutes. However, on an average, the assembly worked for a little over three hours on each working day to discuss and pass a budget of Rs 1.45 lakh crore.

Construction of new Haj House to begin soon

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Minorities Welfare Minister Syed Mohammad Ahmedullah on Thursday informed the State Legislative Assembly that the identification of land for construction of a new Haj House is under process.

Replying to a question raised by Congress MLA Shaik Mastan Vali, the minister said that after finalisation of land, construction for the new Haj House building would start immediately. The estimated cost is Rs 12.50 crore. He said the proposal start Muslim Minority Study Circle in the State was also under consideration.

–Agendies

TRS blames Speaker for not allowing ‘T’ discussion

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TRS Floor Leader Etala Rajender on Thursday accused the State Government of not taking any measures to discuss suicide of students and resolution on Telangana in the House.

Talking to media persons at Assembly Media Point, he said that though the budget session of the Legislative Assembly was conducted for 29 days, the House failed to discuss students’ suicides and resolution on Telangana on any single day.
“This clearly indicates that the House belongs to Seemandhra leaders,” he said.

CAG exposes multi-crore land scam in AP

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The Comptroller and Auditor General of India on Thursday exposed a multi-crore land allotment scam in Andhra Pradesh.

In its report, tabled in the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday, on land allotments, the CAG has pointed out several irregularities relating to allotment of land by the State Government. The CAG has conducted a performance audit of ‘land allotment’ covering the allotments made by the State Government during the five year period from 2006 to 2011.

Bring on more comedy, says Asin

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After Ready and the forthcoming Housefull 2, Asin Thottumkal will be seen in yet another comedy Bol Bachchan. The actress is enjoying the genre.

“I like all sorts of film genres. Its sheer co-incidence that three of my films are comedies. But they have been a lot of fun… they have had a good set of actors, good directors… I like comedies, and I don’t mind doing more,” Asin said.

“I just take what comes my way and if I like it. I hope Housefull 2 is well-received,” she added.

Housefull 2, directed by Sajid Khan, will release April 5.

-ndtvmovies

Swine flu shot side effects

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Children vaccinated with the pandemic H1N1 swine flu shot were 13 times more likely to develop narcolepsy, a condition characterised by excessive sleepiness, even during daytime.

Finnish researchers found that between 2002 and 2009, before the swine flu pandemic struck, the rate of narcolepsy in children under 17 years was 0.31 per 100,000.

In 2010 this was about 17 times higher at 5.3 per 100,000 while the narcolepsy rate remained the same in adults, the journal Public Library of Sciences One reports.

Nagam to move Privilege Motion against government

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Nagarkurnool MLA Nagam Janardhan reddy on Thursday said that he would move a privilege motion against the State Government for the alleged violation of MLAs’ rights.

Talking to media persons at Assembly Media Point, he criticized the government for not coming forward to discuss the suicides of students and resolution on Telangana in the House. Despite moving adjournment motions, the government forced the Speaker to adjourn the House and gagged the voice of Telangana leaders, he said.

Rape rise due to teen drinking and porn

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RAPE campaigners have blamed the rise in sexual violence on excessive drinking and over- exposure to pornography among teenagers.

The Rape Crisis Network of Ireland (RCNI) said young people were being exposed to much more porn than is realised.

The comments were made at the launch of a DVD aimed at encouraging victims aged 55 and over to attend counselling services.

The DVD was co-produced by the Older Women’s Network (OWN).

Executive director of the RCNI Fiona Neary said: “Addressing sexual violence can have a very positive effect on your life now and on your future.

Andhra fire kills four

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A shopkeeper and three employees were killed in a blaze in Andhra Pradesh’s Eluru town Thursday, police said.

The fire engulfed Ramakrishna Khadi Bhandar, a textile shop, in Eluru in West Godavari district, 350 km from here.

The fire, blamed on an electrical short-circuit, destroyed goods worth Rs.10 lakh.

My grandfather was biased towards Karisma: Kareena

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Actress Kareena Kapoor, who Wednesday unveiled her grandfather Raj Kapoor’s specially designed brass statue, said he was biased towards her elder sister Karisma Kapoor.

“My grandfather Raj Kapoor was biased towards Karisma because both of them had blue eyes. I have green eyes as that of my father,” Kareena told reporters.

“During summer seasons he would give two mangoes to Karisma and I would end up getting just one. I had to work hard to please him,” she added.

The statue was unveiled at the inauguration of UTV Stars’ property Walk of the Stars at the Bandra Bandstand Promenade.

Fear-mongering Stops Aussie Islamic School

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Plans to establish a new Islamic school in Mernda, a suburb in Australia’s south-eastern state of Victoria, have received a knockout for reasons seen as resulting from the growing anti-Islam sentiments in the society.

“They were afraid there was going to be a mosque there or noise from call to prayers or whatever,” Councilor John Fry, who supported the plan, told the Herald Sun newspaper on Tuesday, March 27.

“There didn’t seem to be an understanding of what the actual proposal was.”

I’m still single: Nargis Fakhri

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Pakistani-American actress Nargis Fakhri rubbishes rumours of a romantic link-up with Shahid Kapoor and says she is still single.

“That was pretty interesting because I woke up in the morning and didn’t even know that I had moved into somebody’s house… Everything is a rumour. I am still single, unfortunately because I would love to meet someone lovely,” the 32-year-old said.

Nargis attended Shahid’s birthday celebrations in Goa, supposedly sparking off the rumours.

France Bans Four Muslim Scholars

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The French government on Thursday, March 29, banned four Muslim scholars from entering the country to attend a major Islamic conference next week.

“These people’s positions and statements calling for hatred and violence seriously damage republican principles and, in the current context, represent a serious threat to public order,” Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and Interior Minister Claude Gueant said in a statement cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Need national view on Telangana: Congress

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The issue of separate statehood to Telangana needed a “national view”, the Congress said Thursday as the Lok Sabha continued to be disrupted for the fourth consecutive day on the matter.

“It is a sensitive issue… we are a national party and the issue needs a national view,” Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdary told reporters.

“Sentiments are divided over the issue and both sides need to be looked into,” said Chowdary, who belongs to the Telangana region.

TDP turns 30

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Telugu Desam Party is turning 30 today. Founded by Dr N T Rama Rao on March 29, 1982, TDP came into existence with the only mission of being the voice of ‘Telugu Atma Gowrawam’ and also resplendent with the yellow color- considered good omen by the entire Telugu community.

The TDP plans to felicitate prominent party workers one from each district on the occasion today at a colorful event in the state party office, a Party statement said.

Muslim Sangarsha Samithi demands removal of Wakf Board Chairman

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Karnataka Muslim Sangharsha Samithi President M J Ali today demanded the Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to immediately remove State Board of Wakfs Chairman R Abdul Riyaz Khan for his alleged involvement in an illegal Wakf land deals in the city.

In a release here, he said the Samithi Executive Committee, which met on March 27, has passed a resolution to this effect since Mr Khan was involved in an illegal deal of Wakf land near Lal Bagh (HOPCOM) belonging to the Dargah Hazarth Ataulla and Nabi Shah (Bada Mackan) in the city.

IAS officer surrenders in Emaar township case

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Two days after the Andhra Pradesh High Court cancelled his bail, senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer B.P. Acharya Thursday surrendered before the special CBI court for allegedly misusing his official position in the Emaar-APIIC case related to corruption in development of the township.

Acharya gave himself up before the CBI court at Nampally Criminal Court complex.

The high court had Tuesday cancelled Acharya’s bail and had directed him to surrender before the CBI court.

The high court struck down the CBI court’s March 16 order granting bail to the top bureaucrat.

Meditation `improves emotional behaviour in teachers`

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Teachers who practice meditation in a short yet intensive program are more calm and compassionate, a new study has found.

According to the study, conducted by UCSF Scientists, schoolteachers who underwent a short but intensive program of meditation were less depressed, anxious or stressed – and more compassionate and aware of others’ feelings.

A core feature of many religions, meditation is practiced by tens of millions around the world as part of their spiritual beliefs as well as to alleviate psychological problems, improve self-awareness and to clear the mind.

How zero-calorie beverages and overall diet interact to impact our health

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Researchers have shed light on the affect that diet beverages may have on health, particularly in the context of a person’s overall dietary habits.

A number of studies have implicated diet beverage consumption as a cause of cardiovascular disease. However, others have suggested such drinks may be a viable tactic for people who are trying to lose or control their weight.

Lok Sabha adjourned

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The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day Thursday following demands for a separate Telangana state as well as protests over the Sethusamudram project and the Cauvery river water dispute.

In the morning, the lower house was adjourned till noon and later till 2 p.m. amid the din as Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) members from Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh raised the issue of a separate Telangana state for the fourth day.

When the house reconvened it witnessed similar scenes and had to be adjourned till Friday.

Jeera Aloo

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Easy to make, this dish can be had even when you are fasting.

Ingredients

3 Potatotes (boiled, peeled and chopped)
2 Green Chillies (finely chopped )
1 tbsp Coriander Leaves (finely chopped)
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil

I wrote to PM, Antony, not army chief: Trinamool MP

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New Delhi, March 29: Trinamool Congress MP Ambika Banerjee Thursday said he had shot off letters to the prime minister and the defence minister on disputed deals, and not to the army chief who is demanding a probe against a top lieutenant general on the basis of this missive.

“I did not give a letter to the army chief,” Banerjee said after the army chief sent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) a May 2011 letter purportedly from the Banerjee, complaining against Lt. Gen.

Dalbir Singh Suhag, who commands the Dimapur-based 3 Corps.

Supreme Court warns Gilani of another contempt notice

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Pakistan’s Supreme Court has threatened Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with another contempt notice for not complying with its orders on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan of the seven-member bench remarked Thursday that the court’s orders should be implemented and another contempt notice would be issued against Gilani if he did not do so.

At the last hearing, Attorney General Anwarul Haq informed the Bench that he had received instructions from the authorities and a report would be submitted to the registrar’s office.