Month: May 2012

‘Subway’ to open 1,000 stores in India by 2015

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Quick service restaurant chain Subway today said it plans to operate 1,000 stores in India by 2015 through franchise route, which will entail an investment of USD 58 million (over Rs 300 crore).

The Connecticut-headquartered brand is present in 50 Indian cities with 263 franchisee-run restaurants across the country.

Commenting on the potential of the market, Subway President and Co-founder Fred DeLuca said: “India is a promising business destination with a young, educated population having growing disposable income.”

Kareena keen on doing song in ‘Dabangg 2’: Arbaaz Khan

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Actor-filmmaker Arbaaz Khan says Kareena Kapoor has shown keen interest in doing a song in his upcoming film, ‘Dabangg 2’.

With ‘Dabangg 2’ Arbaaz is making his debut as a director.

In ‘Dabangg’, Malaika Arora Khan gyrated to ‘Munni Badnam Hui’ which became a superhit item number in recent
times.

“We do have a song in ‘Dabangg 2’ but it is too premature to talk about it. We would like to call it a popular
song rather than an item song. Once we have recorded the song then we can take a decision accordingly about it,” Arbaaz told PTI.

New Mayor for east Delhi civic agency

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New Delhi, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Annapurna Mishra Tuesday took charge of the newly-created east Delhi municipal corporation as its first Mayor after she was elected unopposed from among the 64 councillors. The deputy mayor’s post also went to the BJP.

Mishra, a two-time councillor, said: “Unlike other corporations, east Delhi requires economic support as it has fewer revenue sources. We need more economic support to make the east Delhi civic body the best corporation.”
Mishra’s party colleague Usha Shastri became the deputy mayor.

Army jawan arrested for raping woman

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An Army jawan was arrested for allegedly raping a woman at Alwar railway junction’s waiting room, GRP said today.

The accused Rajesh Kumar (32), posted in Alwar, was held at the station soon after the incident took place yesterday.

The 25-year-old victim along with her one-year-old child arrived at the junction from Jaipur yesterday, whereas the
Army jawan had gone there for some work”, In charge of GRP Alwar station J C Ram said.

After the woman asked the jawan the way to a bathroom, Ram said,Kumar followed her to the bathroom of the waiting

Iran’s plot to kill Saudi envoy in Cairo foiled: Reports

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Egyptian security services foiled an Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Cairo several months ago, the legal advisor of the kingdom’s embassy Sami Jamal said in local dailies on Tuesday.

Egypt “arrested three Iranians planning to assassinate the ambassador, Ahmed Qattan,” Al-Hayat quoted Sami Jamal as saying.

“Egyptian authorities informed concerned parties at the Saudi foreign ministry of the details of the plot, but the Saudi side opted to keep silent on the matter,” Jamal said. The arrests were made three months ago.

Drone strikes are legal and ethical: US

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The White House has categorically dismissed Pakistan’s concerns on the drone strikes, as a top Obama aid describing it as a both “legal” and “ethical” tool to get dreaded terrorists.

“As a matter of international law, the United States is in an armed conflict with al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and associated forces, in response to the 9/11 attacks, and we may also use force consistent with our inherent right of national self-defence,” John Brennan, Assistant to the US President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism said yesterday.

SC asks Tiwari to undergo DNA test in a paternity suit

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Refusing to give any relief to Congress leader N D Tiwari, the Supreme Court today directed him to give his blood sample for DNA test on a paternity suit against him, saying “enough is enough”.

“Enough is enough, you were not present on earlier occasions. Having regard to your age, we told you to give
sample in a sealed cover. We gave you protection under Article 21, but enough is enough,” said a bench of justices Aftab Alam and C K Prasad.

The direction was given on a paternity suit filed by Rohit Shekhar, who claims himself to be the biological son of
86-year-old Tiwari.

Man uses Barack Obama’s photo to get new mobile phone connection

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If the records of a private telecom operator are to be believed, then US President Barack Obama is a 21-year-old resident of Nalgonda in Andhra Pradesh. In a telling laxity of the telecom service providers in granting telephone connections to all and sundry without proper verification, a Nalgonda resident by the name of M Prasad secured a cellphone connection with the number 9177523297 by passing off the photograph of the US President as his.

India, Afghanistan set in motion strategic partnership pact

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India today assured that its assistance was neither “transitory” nor in “transition” to Afghanistan, which said it was looking forward to increasing training and capacity building of its security forces apart from equipping them with Indian help.

The two countries also set in motion the implementation of the Strategic Partnership Agreement, inked last year during Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s visit here, by launching the Partnership Council, co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his Afghan counterpart Zalmai Rassoul.

Six killed in road accident in Sonebhadra

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Six members of a marriage party were killed and 15 injured when the vehicle in which they were travelling collided with a tractor near Kekrahi village.

The vehicle coming from Obra collided with the tractor-trolley while trying to overtake it late last night,
police said today.

Five persons were killed on the spot, they said, while another succumbed to injuries at the hospital.

The injured were admitted to the district hospital.

—————————- PTI

Abu Azmi blames Cong govt for case against him

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Samajwadi Party president Abu Asim Azmi, convicted for a provocative speech, today blamed the Congress-NCP government for letting police file chargesheet even when there was no case made out against him.

Addressing a press conference, Azmi rejected the charge that he had spoken of a second partition in the
country.

“I have never spoken against my country nor have I said that the country will be split into pieces,” the SP MLA
from Govandi said.

Azmi faces two years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 11,000 along with four others. He said he will appeal against

IPS officer A K Jain to be tried in Dara fake encounter case

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Decks were today cleared for the trial of suspended IPS officer A K Jain in the 2006 Dara Singh fake encounter killing case, with a Rajasthan court framing charges against him for offences of murder, kidnapping, criminal
conspiracy among others.

District and Sessions Judge P C Jain read the charges to A K Jain who pleaded not guilty and sought trial.

59-year-old Jain, who was absconding since the CBI filed a charge sheet against him last June accusing him of
masterminding the fake encounter killing of liquor smuggler Dara Singh, had surrendered on February 27.

Fourteen killed in two separate road mishaps

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Fourteen persons, including four women and two children were killed and two others were injured in two separate road accidents in Andhra Pradesh today, police said.

As many as 10 persons, including four women and two children, who were on a pilgrimage from Bangalore, were killed
when their Toyota Qualis collided head-on with a lorry between Atmakur and Velgodu villages in Kurnool district at around 3.45 pm, they said.

The deceased were identified as Prema, Renuka, Chandana, Pallavi, Navya and Hamsa (both children) and

IPL 5 Live Score: Deccan Chargers vs Pune Warriors

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7:42 pm Over 19: Out! Robin Uthappa had already hit Ashish Reddy for a six over long-off plus two couples. However, he was caught at deep midwicket by Daniel Harris off the fifth delivery. Steven Smith hit the last ball straight over bowlers’ head for a six. 17 runs and a wicket from the over.

Live Score » I Live commentary »

7:38 pm Over 18: Steven Smith began the over with a boundary towards fine leg off a no ball from Dale Steyn. The next five produced just 7 runs. Score: 147/3

Residents for statue of peace at the site of Osama’s compound

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Residents of Bilal town in the Pakistani garrison city of Abbottabad where Osama Bin Laden was killed last year have asked the government to build a “statue of peace” or a beautiful monument at the site of his compound to remind the world that there is no place for such a terrorist mastermind.

Ahead of the first anniversary of the death of the al-Qaeda chief on May 2, security forces have been put on high
alert across Pakistan to counter any possible terrorist attacks.

“We have written to the Pakistan government to build either a statue of peace or a beautiful monument at the site

Democracy will survive in Pakistan: top ECP official

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“Democracy is there in Pakistan. Democracy will survive in Pakistan”– this was the response of member of Election Commission of Pakistan Justice (R) Muhammad Roshan Essani on speculation about his country’s political future as it grapples with instability.

Essani, who is the senior-most official in Pakistan’s Election Commission (ECP) as there is no Chief Election
Commissioner there at present, is here to attend the 3rd conference of heads of election management bodies of SAARC
countries.

I’m a sportsman, not a politician: Sachin Tendulkar

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“It’s a bouncer,” quipped Sachin Tendulkar on being asked what prompted him to accept Rajya Sabha nomination. Speaking at a felicitation ceremony in Pune for completing 23 years in cricket, Tendulkar said, “When honourable President nominates your name (for Rajya Sabha) to a list which had many big names prior to mine like Lata didi and Prithviraj Kapoor – it is an honour.”

EPL: Manchester City beat Manchester United to go top

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Manchester City finished a sweep of its local rivals Monday when Vincent Kompany`s powerful header lifted it past Manchester United 1-0 to take the Premier League lead with two games remaining.

In what had been billed as the biggest Manchester derby ever, Kompany connected off David Silva`s corner kick for the only goal in first-half stoppage time at the Etihad Stadium. City then held on for a potentially title-deciding victory; it leads United on goal difference and once again has matters in its own hands, having erased an eight-point deficit in three weeks.

IPL 5 live score: Delhi Daredevils vs Rajasthan Royals

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A low-on-morale Rajasthan Royals will be looking to make amends when they take on the formidable Delhi Daredevils just 48 hours after losing a close away game, in their Indian Premier League match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here on Tuesday.

Rajasthan would be eager to put behind the disappointment of last night`s defeat when the Daredevils pulled off a dramatic one-run win from the jaws of defeat.

Clues to avoid getting ‘unfriended’ on Facebook found

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Want to avoid being “unfriended” by your friends on Facebook? Then, just start responding to posts on your wall, researchers say.

Researchers at Arizona State University in the US found that following some simple but unspoken rules — such as responding to messages, avoiding disrespecting people and not posting controversial pictures, can help one stay in friends’ good graces always on social networking sites.

Revenue, Irrigation and Police officials inspect Wakf land

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The officials of Revenue, Irrigation and Police departments inspected the Wakf land belonging to Dargah Hazrath Aziz Mulk and Firangi Naala situated at Narkhoda village of Shamshabad Mandal of Ranga Reddy District. The officials elicited the details of Wakf land from the local residents.

According to Mr. Abdul Muqeet Patel, Mr. Venkata Reddy, MRO promised that he would take necessary action against Mr. Ravinder Reddy after getting the details.

Himalayan glacial lakes’ size growing: Study

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The number of glacial lakes in the Himalayas has reduced in recent years, but their total area has increased, a research revealed here on Tuesday.

Wang Xin is heading a 30-year study on the subject organized by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Hunan University of Science and Technology.

Wang said glacial lakes were formed by melted glaciers. Therefore, the study might help scientists better understand relations among glaciers, glacial lakes and weather conditions at high altitudes, as well as dangers of lakes bursting their banks.

Rogue stars ejected from Milky Way found in intergalactic space

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Researchers have identified a group of more than 675 stars on the outskirts of the Milky Way that they argue are hypervelocity stars that have been ejected from the galactic core.

It’s very difficult to kick a star out of the galaxy.

In fact, the primary mechanism that astronomers have come up with that can give a star the two-million-plus mile-per-hour kick it takes requires a close encounter with the supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s core.

Sarkozy says France has too many immigrants

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy, seeking support from the far right as he fights an uphill battle for a second term, said Tuesday that his country has too many immigrants and is failing to integrate them.

So far, all polls point to a victory in Sunday’s presidential runoff election by Sarkozy’s challenger, Socialist Francois Hollande.

The conservative Sarkozy is hoping to win over the more than 6 million voters who supported far right leader Marine Le Pen in the first round of France’s presidential elections April 22.