Month: July 2012

Goa, Israel come together to promote rural tourism

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Goa plans to learn from Israel in order to promote and pursue its model of rural tourism, which is a hit in that country.

According to Goa Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar, the Goa government has given its “full support to start this new chapter in ties with Israel”. Goa has stepped up efforts to improve the landscape of its villages, so as to make it more attractive for the tourists.

The state government has already tied up with the Mumbai-based National Israeli Tourism Office (NITO) for the exercise.

US seizes 20 $ stolen statues from Indian art dealer

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(IANS) US authorities have seized several stolen sandstone and bronze statues and other cultural artefacts with an estimated value of more than $20 million from a storage facility allegedly belonging to an Indian art dealer.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has also issued an arrest warrant for Subhash Kapoor, the owner of Art of the Past Gallery for alleged possession of stolen property, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) said in a statement.

‘Pakistan not cooperating in return of Kashmiri youths’

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Pakistan’s “non-cooperation” was the only road block in return of the Kashmiri youths who were stranded in training camps in Pakistan-administered Kashmir or were living outside of it in miserable conditions, officials here said.

The state government, under a rehabilitation policy of 2009, had announced that the youths who had crossed the Line of Control (LOC) for militant training but were “willing to shun violence can come back (to Jammu and Kashmir)”.

China’s ’empty-nest families’ on rise

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In China, the number of people aged above 60 and left to live on their own by their children for studies or employment is witnessing a surge. The trend is anticipated to increase strain on the care services meant for the elderly.

Such families are sometimes described as “empty-nest” families in the country, reported China Daily.

According to the Economic Information Daily, statistics showed that at the end of 2010, there were 38,060 care service institutions for the elderly in the country.

Three Ambedkar statues vandalised in UP

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Two days after a statue of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati was vandalised here, three statues of Dalit icon B.R. Ambedkar were damaged in Azamgarh district, police said Saturday.

Broken pieces of a statue were found in the morning in a field at Katat-Chakkatat village in Azamgarh, some 270 km from here, police said.

Two other Ambedkar statues were vandalised and thrown in the fields of the Nayi Palia and Jiyasath villages, said Superintendent of Police (SP) Mirza Manzar Beg.

Rapist jailed in failed attempt to abduct girl

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An Irish man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for trying to kidnap a teenager and young woman on the same day.

Rapist Dermot Murphy, from Irish county of Co Waterford, was described as a dangerous repeat offender with a serious perversion when he was ordered locked up for 13 years, The Sun reported.

The incident occurred last July when the 43-year-old tried to pull a 13-year-old girl into the back of his van after stopping to ask her for directions on a rural Midlands road.

Hepatitis awareness programme launched for Mumbai slums

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Marking World Hepatitis Day, National Liver Foundation Saturday launched an awareness and medical care programme on hepatitis-B in the city’s slums.

The voluntary organisation’s pilot project named ‘Pahal’ will aim at disease eradication through screening, immunisation, medical care and interventions targeting pregnant women.

Missing woman traces out family after 34 years!

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A woman, long believed to be dead, has stunned her family by tracing it out after 34 years with the help of Facebook!

Susan Ardron emigrated to South Africa in 1975 where she suffered severe amnesia following a car crash in 1978. It is claimed she had a stormy relationship with her husband Sid who callously left her at the roadside with no ID and not knowing her own name, The Sun reported.

In democracy all have the right to speak: BJP

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With Team Anna continuing its attack on Parliamentarians on the issue of corruption, the BJP on Saturday said everyone has the right to speak in a democracy but no one should cross the limit.

“In a democracy everyone has the right to speak. Civil society and the government also have the right to speak. They are using their right. But no one should cross the limit,” BJP Spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

Rahul will do “very well” in govt or Cong: PC

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Amid clamour for a larger role for Rahul Gandhi, Home Minister P Chidambaram has said that the young leader will do “very well” in government as well as the Congress.

“Why not? Gandhi can accept an office in government or in the party or in the House. I am sure that he will do very well in any of these places”, Chidambaram told a Malayalam news channel.

He was asked for his reaction on demand of several Congress MPs that Rahul be made the Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha.

Short skirts cause women harassment: Trinamool lawmaker

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Bengali actor and Trinamool Congress legislator Chiranjeet aka Dipak Chakraborty Saturday contended that short dresses worn by women were one of the main reasons behind the increase in incidents of harassment of women in his constituency in the North 24 Parganas district.

“Eve-teasing is a very old thing. It has been going on for ages. One of the reasons behind the increase in incidents of eve-teasing is short dresses and short skirts worn by women. This in turn instigates young men,” said Chakraborty, who represents Barasat.

LeT financed Abu Jundal’s stay, operations in Saudi Arabia: Police

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Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba financed the procurement of work permits by Mumbai terror attacks suspect Abu Jundal for the ‘recruited’ Indian youths in Saudi Arabia, according to investigators.

“Jundal’s main job was to recruit Indians in Saudi Arabia and he got work permits for them as soon as they were indoctrinated,” said a police officer privy to the ongoing interrogation of Jundal by Mumbai crime branch today.

The work-permits helped the youths to avoid coming under the scanner of Saudi authorities, the officer said.

Effect of Siasat’s news about Agricultural University mosque – letter written to Collector

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A detailed report of the uninhabited mosque situated within the campus of the Agricultural University at Rajenderanagar was published in Siasat on 14th July.

Based on this report, Anjuman Tahaffuz-e-Masajid and Quboor has reacted immediately and wrote a letter to Collector Ranga Reddy District. In addition to two mosques, there is another mosque and a Dargah of a Muslim Saint located within the area of Agricultural University Campus which the University authorities tried to conceal.

Yam Times (English) Daily celebrates its 14th Anniversary on 31st July

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English Daily Yam Times published from Hyderabad is celebrating its 14th annual funtion at 5 PM on 31st July at Mahboob Hussain Jigar Hall, Siasat compound. Mr. Zahid Ali Khan Editor, Siasat will preside over the function. Mr. Vinay Veer, Editor, Hindi Milap will be the Chief Guest. Mr. A. Lakshman, Member, Press Council of India, Justice E. Ismail, former member of AP State Human Rights Commission, Mr. Zia Quadri, Printer, Publisher, Rashtriya Sahara, Prof. S.A. Shukoor, Secretary, Urdu Academy, Mr. Ajaz Farukh and Mr. Kabeer Siddiqui, Present, Alami Urdu Conference will be guests of honour.

Central and State Governments failed to stop communal riots in Assam and Barailey – Muslim Sunni Board

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Maulana Syed Hamid Husain Shuttari, Spokeman, Maulana Mohammed Khaleelullah Quraishi, Dr. Syed Kazim Hussain, Mr. Mohammed Farooq Ali Khan and Maulana Abdul Wasay, President of Muslim Sunni Ulema Board in a press statement issued yesterday stated that both the Central and State Governments have failed to control communal riots in Assam and Baraily. They said that Ramazan is a pious month in which the Muslims offer prayers and observe fasting.

Beware of cameras while smoking in Shanghai

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In a bid to make people abide by the ‘no smoking’ rule at public places, police in China’s Shanghai city have increased the number of surveillance cameras to catch lawbreakers.

The step has shown good results with more smokers inside internet cafes being caught and fined in the second quarter (April to June) of this year compared with the previous quarter, Shanghai Daily reported.

Four Nigerians arrested for cheating

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Four Nigerians were today arrested here for allegedly duping the public of several lakhs of rupees by informing them through e-mail that they had won an e-lottery worth five lakh pounds.

Boma Bobmanuel Awantaye, Courage Ikponmwoba, Osayande Kelvin Okungbow and Roland Agbode Oboh were arrested in Banaswadi area in the city, police said.

–PTi

Mamata warns against politics over Assamese refugees

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Wishing that peace returns to riot-torn Assam, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday warned those who were trying to play politics over the influx of refugees into the state.

“They (refugees from Assam) are my brothers and sisters, it is our duty to give them shelter and provide them with food and other necessities. I strongly condemn and warn those who are trying to play politics at the cost of those who have taken refuge in Bengal,” Banerjee said at a railways’ function in Burdwan district.

Girl accuses employer of raping her

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An arab man is standing trial in Ras Al khaimah on charges of abducting and raping a Moroccan female hair dresser on his sponsorship.

But he denied the accusations and his argument was supported by a hospital report.

The 27-year-old girl told court her sponsor, 57, kidnapped her and raped her following a dispute while he said she had made such accusations because he sacked her.

The defence lawyer argued that the girl reported the man nearly two months after the presumed rape while a medical report showed there were no signs of rape as the girl had lost her virginity a long time ago.

Organised public transport a must, says AP speaker

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A safe and organised public transport system would help in tackling the problem of traffic congestion, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar said here today.

“Traffic congestion has become a menace. Eighty-eight per cent of vehicles plying on city roads are four- and two- wheelers, which is nothing but a failure of public transport,” the Speaker said.

Manohar inaugurated a conference on ‘Sustainable Solutions to Tackle Congestion for Better Livable City’ here, organised by Institute of Town Planners India (ITPI).

This is a time for healing, PM tells Assam violence victims

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Assuring that causes of the ethnic violence in lower Assam will be addressed, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday announced a Rs300 crore relief package for the affected districts.

“Yes, a proper enquiry will be held into the tragic circumstances…we will address the causes of the conflict. If it is instigated, the guilty will be punished,” Singh said after visiting the violence-hit areas and meeting the affected people taking shelter in relief camps.

He also said, “the ethnic conflict is unacceptable and must come to a stop.”

Al Hamad becomes first female Qatar Olympian

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Two points away from reaching the women’s 10m air rifle final, Bahya Mansour Al Hamad still made history by becoming the first female Olympian of Qatar.

The 20-year-old, dressed in headscarf, who carried the flag of Qatar in the opening ceremony, continued to steal the limelight in the first Olympics medal awarding event, reports Xinhua.

Al Hamad struck a nine to start her competition and scored 395 points to miss the chance for the final eight spot.

Three Ambedkar statues vandalised in UP

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Two days after a statue of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati was vandalised here, three statues of Dalit icon B.R. Ambedkar were damaged in Azamgarh district, police said Saturday.

Broken pieces of a statue were found in the morning in a field at Katat-Chakkatat village in Azamgarh, some 270 km from here, police said.

Two other Ambedkar statues were vandalised and thrown in the fields of the Nayi Palia and Jiyasath villages, said Superintendent of Police (SP) Mirza Manzar Beg.