Month: April 2012

Helmets to be made mandatory for women

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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to make helmet wearing compulsory for pillion riders irrespective of their gender and religion, after the city government informed it that motor vehicle rules would be amended to make it compulsory for women to wear helmets.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice AK Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw granted two months’ time to the government for making necessary amendments in the Delhi Motor Vehicle Rules 1993.

Our position on Narendra Modi’s visa policy has not changed: US

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The US has has said there is no change in its visa policy with regard to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

“Our position on the visa issue hasn’t changed at all,” State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters at her daily news conference on Wednesday.

Nuland was responding to questions on the letter written by Congressman Joe Walsh to the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, that the US government reverse its 2005 decision not to issue US visa to Modi.

The letter by Walsh was written about a fortnight ago.

Results of Essay Competition declared, prize distribution in May

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The results of Essay Competition for Non-Muslims jointly organized by All India Message of Humanity Forum Hyderabad Unit and The Siasat Daily on the Topic “MESSAGE OF PEACE IN THE TEACHINGS OF PROPHET MOHAMMED SAL’LAL LA HU ALAI HI WA SALLAM” has declared and the prize distribution function will be held in May 2012, cash prizes worth Rs. 1 lakh will be distributed among 15 winners in the function. 1st Prize will be Rs. 50,000/-, 2nd Prize Rs.25,000/-, 3rd Prize Rs.15,000/- And 12 special prizes will be distributed.

Congress, TDP scared of Jagan: YSRC

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Unable to take on YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s growing popularity, ruling Congress and main opposition TDP have been levelling baseless allegations against him to gain political mileage but the move will bounce back as they are contradicting themselves with every subsequent statement, YSR Congress has said.

“The two parties are levelling baseless charges and are trying to drag YS Jagan’s name into every case that is popping up of late,” YSR Congress Party spokesperson Gattu Ramachandra Rao told reporters here on Wednesday.

Twin quakes hit Nicobar

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Two moderate intensity earthquakes hit the Nicobar Islands on Wednesday, however there is no threat of a Tsunami, initial reports said.

The first earthquake measured 5.2 on the Richter Scale and was recorded at 01:23:21 PM at epicentre located at 8.973°N, 93.963°E, 326 km South South East of Port Blair and 1562 km East South East of Chennai.

The first quake was immediately followed by a 5.7 magnitude earthquake in the same region 9.042°N, 94.097°E at 1.42.24 PM at a depth of 13.8 km.

No change in visa policy on Narendra Modi: US

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The US has said there is no change in its visa policy with regard to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

“Our position on the visa issue hasn’t changed at all,” State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters at her daily news conference yesterday.

Nuland was responding to questions on the letter written by Congressman Joe Walsh to the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, that the US Government reverse its 2005 decision not to issue US visa to Modi.

The letter by Walsh was written about a fortnight ago.

19th century painting sells for record $5.2 mn

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Ivan Aivazovsky’s painting “View of Constantinople and the Bosphorus”, painted in 1856, has sold at an auction in London for a record $5.2 million.

The painting was part of the Orientalist Sale at Sotheby’s.

The work by the Russian painter was sold to an unknown buyer over the phone after tense auctioning.

One more US state abolishes death penalty

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The US state of Connecticut Wednesday became the 17th state in the country to abolish the capital punishment.

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy Wednesday signed the state’s death penalty repeal bill into law, Xinhua reported.

“This afternoon I signed legislation that will, effective today, replace the death penalty with life in prison without the possibility of release as the highest form of legal punishment in Connecticut,” Malloy said in a statement.

The new law replaces the death penalty with a sentence of life without parole. It abolished the death penalty for future cases.

China probes preserved fruit additives

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China’s quality watchdog Wednesday ordered an inspection of the country’s major fruit processing units after they were found to use excessive additives in their products.

Several firms in eastern China’s Hangzhou city, including Lingjin, Meiyuan and Chaoda have violated safety standards and used excessive additives in the processing of fruits.

These products found their way to several native big-brand stores, including snack chains Laiyifen and Baiweilin, and some global retailers like Walmart.

Naked woman’s body found in Delhi hospital premises

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An naked body of an unidentified woman was recovered near the doctors’ hostel inside Lok Nayak Hospital in the capital, police said Wednesday.

The body has extreme burn injuries and was recovered around 1.30 p.m. Wednesday in a highly decomposed condition.

Police are yet to identify the body.

“A passerby discovered the incident and called the PCR. The body has been sent to the mortuary for the postmortem. Nothing was recovered from her possession,” said a police official.

Baywatch in Goa? Little hope for now

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One may just have to wait for a few more years until Goa’s beaches have their own avatars of Pamela Anderson-like women lifeguards.

Tourism officials as well as lifeguard service providers rue that virtually no women have come forth to enroll as lifeguards ever since the Goa government privatised beach management services in 2008.

Natural teak forests declining worldwide: UN

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Natural teak forests are in decline worldwide, almost half of which grow in Myanmar, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization has said. Such forests grow only in three other countries today — India, Laos and Thailand.

Asia holds over 90 percent of the world’s teak resources, and India alone manages 38 percent of the world’s planted teak forests.

FAO’s global Teak Resources and Market Assessment report estimated that in 2010, the combined area of natural teak forest was about 29 million hectares, and almost half of which is in Myanmar.

Food prices rise on costlier oil: World Bank

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Global food prices rose by eight percent in the first three months of 2012 due to higher oil prices, adverse weather and strong demand in Asia, the World Bank said in its latest Food Price Watch report Wednesday.

“The World Bank’s Global Food Price Index was only 1 percent below a year ago and 6 percent below the February 2011 historic peak. If the current forecasts for increased food production do not materialize, global food prices could reach higher levels, underscoring the need to remain very vigilant,” the Bank said in a statement.

TDP demands CBI probe into Mangali’s links with Jagan

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The Telugu Desam Party on Wednesday demanded that the State Government order a CBI probe into the activities of YSR Congress leader Mangali Krishna, who has been convicted by an Anantapur court for his involvement in an attempt to murder TDP leader Paritala Ravi.

GHMC begins underground cabling works

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The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has decided to lay underground cables on four roads in the city on pilot basis.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, GHMC Mayor Mohammad Majid Hussain and Commissioner MT Krishna Babu said that all cables belonging to MSOs, telephone operators, internet service providers and links would be laid underground under a common duct.

Travel distance under Izzat scheme increased to 150 Km

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As announced in the Railway Budget 2012-13, the travel distance under “IZZAT” Monthly Season Ticket Scheme will be increased from 100 Km to 150 Km with effect from June 1.

The increase in travel distance will be admissible on tickets purchased on and after June 1. In case of tickets issued before June 1st, the increase in travel distance will not be admissible, the South Central Railway said on Wednesday in a press release.

Maoists to release Odisha MLA Jhina Hikaka today

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Over a month after being in Naxal captivity, Odisha MLA Jhina Hikaka is all set to be released on Thursday.

The decision to release Hikaka was taken at the people’s court on Wednesday after he gave an undertaking that he will resign from the state assembly and also try and get the Naxals’ demands fulfilled.

Hikaka was abducted from Koraput district on March 24. In exchange Naxals made several demands including the release of 29 of their cadres. The government agreed to release 25.

India sends more Hajis on subsidized airfare while Haj applications decline

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While Haj applications are declining every year the Government of India are sending more Hajis on state subsidy. When more people were applying for Haj, fewer applications were selected by the government. In 2009, over 3.5 lakh people had applied for Haj but only 1.20 lakh people were sent for Haj on government subsidy. In 2011, about 3 lakh people applied but 1.25 lakh applications were accepted.

Suspended T- Cong MPs stage silent protest

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Eight Congress MPs from the Telangana region, who were suspended from the Lok Sabha for four days, on Wednesday staged a silent protest before the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Parliament premises.

City to host prestigious World Agriculture Congress in Nov

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The city will host the prestigious World Agriculture Congress in November this year.

In a press release, the Chief Minister’s office (CMO) claimed that as per the invitation of N Kiran Kumar Reddy and unstinted efforts of the State Government officials, the World Congress Forum has decided to host the mega global event of World Agriculture Congress (WAC-2013 at Hyderabad in November.

This was in response to a proposal from the Chairman of World Agricultural Forum’s Board, James. B. Bolger, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, who himself was a farmer.

No grace marks for Physics-II paper: Parathasarathy

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Secondary Education Minister K Parthasarathy on Wednesday made it clear that the government would not give any grace marks for physics paper of second year intermediate examination, in which approximately two lakh students failed this year.

Manikya Varaprasad describes YSR was the best CM

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Minister for Rural Development and NREGS D Manikya Varaprasad on Wednesday described Y S Rajasekhara Reddy as the `Best Chief Minister’ the State has ever had.

Talking to media persons, Manikya Varaprasad said that YSR was one among the best Chief Ministers the State had so far in the various governments. He said that the state has witnessed all-round development during the stint of YSR and his cabinet handled all problems collectively.

Three killed in quarry mishap, CM orders probe

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Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Wednesday directed the Visakhapatnam District Collector to order probe into the mishap at a quarry in Singanapalli in which three persons were killed and eight others sustained injuries.

The Chief Minister directed the District Collector to monitor all rescue and relief operations at the quarry of colour stones and provide better medical facilities to all the injured in the hospitals. He also directed the District Collector to order a probe into the mishap and submit a report to him.

Krishnam Raju to re-join active politics

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Veteran cine actor and former Union minister Krishnam Raju on Wednesday announced that he would re-join active politics soon.

Talking to media persons at his residence in Mogaltur in West Godavari district, Krishnam Raju said that he has decided to join politics after seeing the problems of people in the state. He announced that he has also decided to contest the general elections in 2014.