Month: July 2012

Night shifts raise heart attack risk

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Shift work can dramatically increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, warn researchers.

A study of two million people found shift workers are almost 25 percent more likely to suffer, the Daily Mail reported Friday.

Night shift workers run the highest risk of 41 percent, says a study published on the British Medical Journal website bmj.com.

People working shifts also have higher levels of unhealthy behaviours such as eating junk food, sleeping badly and not exercising, which are linked to heart problems.

Former Andhra minister and NTR astrologer Mohan Reddy dies

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Former Andhra Pradesh minister and senior Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader B.V. Mohan Reddy died here Friday, following a brief illness. He was 67.

Mohan Reddy, whose condition deteriorated Friday morning, breathed his last at Asian Institute of Gastroenterology.

Mohan Reddy who served as a minister in the cabinets of both N.T. Rama Rao and N. Chandrababu Naidu, was suffering from cancer. He is survived by a son.

He took ill during the last month’s by-election campaign in Yemmiganur assembly constituency in Kurnool district. He lost the by-poll.

Russian warships not to enter Syria port, says Navy chief

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A flotilla of Russian warships off the coast of Syria will not dock at a port leased by Moscow in the violence-stricken Middle East country, Russia’s navy chief has said.

“The joint fleet flotilla will not enter the port of Tartus,” Vice Admiral Viktor Chirkov said. “It is carrying out military drills in the Mediterranean.”

The flotilla comprises 10 warships, plus escort vessels. Chirkov also said the flotilla was carrying marines.

Pak ‘global leader’ in visa, passport forgery: British envoy

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Dubbing Pakistan as a “global leader” in visa and passport forgery, Britain’s envoy here has said that visa fraud is a deep-rooted industry in this country.

About 4,000 people were caught last year while trying to acquire British passports using fake documents, the UK’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Adam Thomson, said.

Pakistan was a “global leader” vis-a-vis fake passports and visas, he told reporters at the National Press Club yesterday.

Thomson said it was unfortunate that Pakistan had been rated a world leader in visa fraud.

Not launching political party: Anna Hazare

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Anna Hazare Friday said he is neither joining politics nor launching a political party but will support “honest” and “good candidates” nominated by people in the 2014 general elections.

The 75-year-old anti-corruption crusader said several people have been asking him to come out with an “alternative” against corrupt politicians.

“I don’t think I should launch a political party or stand in general elections… My heart does not go with it. But I will give an alternative to people,” Hazare told IANS in an interview at the Maharashtra Sadan where he is staying.

Bada faayda

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Husband: Tumse shaadi karke mujhe ek bahut bada faayda hua hai!

Wife: Woh kya?

Husband: Mujhe mere gunaaho ki saza jeete jee hi mil gayi!

Liver transplant in India saves Yemeni boy

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The Malek family from Yemen had lost all hope when nine-year-old Abdul was diagnosed with the same liver disease that had killed his two siblings.

But the boy has got a new lease of life after doctors from the national capital region did a complicated liver surgery on him, transplanting a portion of his father’s liver into his.

ND Tiwari’s DNA test confirms Rohit Shekhar is his son

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Veteran Congress politician N.D. Tiwari is the biological father of Rohit Shekhar, the Delhi High Court ruled Friday. The ruling came on the basis of a DNA test sought by Shekhar and resisted by Tiwari.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court today Tiwar’s plea not to open his DNA report before a single judge bench, adjudicating the paternity suit of a city youth, who claims to be his son.

New drug limits brain damage in stroke

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Anakinra, a drug already used for rheumatoid arthritis, has shown promising results in stroke patients by dramatically limiting the amount of brain damage, according to a study.

Dame Nancy Rothwell and Stuart Allan, both professors at the University of Manchester and their team have spent the last 20 years investigating how to reduce damage to the brain following a stroke and testing the effectiveness of Anakinra (IL-1Ra).

Sensex closes 214 points up

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A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Friday closed 214 points up.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,860.16 points, closed 16,854.46 points (provisional), 1.29 percent or 214.64 points up from its previous day’s close at 16,639.82 points.

The BSE metal index was up 222.71 points, followed by FMCG index up 69.82 points, and IT up 71.39 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 1.30 percent up at 5,108.45 points.

I will give people a political alternative: Anna Hazare

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Activist Anna Hazare on Friday again accused the government of trying to break the unity of Team Anna by holding secret talks with him.

Talking to reporters here, Anna Hazare said: “V Narayanasamy wrote a letter to me and gave it to my team so that they feel Anna is talking with government. They are trying to break our team.”

“It was their conspiracy to stop me from attending this agitation,” he said.

V Narayanasamy, who is minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office, however, hit back saying he wrote only in response to Anna Hazare’s letter.

Farah wants Sunita Williams to watch ‘Joker’ – in space!

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Filmmaker Farah Khan is going out of her way, literally, to promote her home production “Joker” in a unique way. She wants to make it possible for Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams to watch the movie, based on aliens, while in space.

Farah Khan poses for a photo with performers dressed as aliens during a promotion for the Hindi film “Joker” directed by Shirish Kunder in Mumbai on July 26, 2012. AFP The “Joker” team seems too ambitious about it.

ICICI Bank Q1net up 25% to Rs 2,077 crore

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Private sector lender ICICI Bank Friday reported 25 percent jump in its consolidated net profit for the quarter ended June 30 at Rs 2,077 crore buoyed by increase in advances and higher net interest income (NII).

The bank had clocked Rs 1,667 crore net profit during the April-June quarter of the last fiscal, it said in a BSE filing.

Total income of the bank rose to Rs 16,640 crore during the reporting quarter from Rs 14,750 crore a year ago, riding on higher advances.

India vs Sri Lanka 3rd ODI: Preview

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The Indian cricket team will aim to pick up the pieces after a disastrous performance in the last match and get their campaign back on track when they take on hosts Sri Lanka in the third ODI to be held on Saturday.

After a couple of contrasting performances in the two matches at Hambantota where Men in Blue first won comfortably by 21 runs before being soundly thrashed by nine wickets, the action moves to the familiar territory of Premadasa Stadium here.

Congress High Command is serious about conviction of Education Minister

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Congress High command is seriously reviewing the situation arising out of the conviction of State Education Minister Mr. Parthasarathy. Mr. Ahmed Patel, Political Advisor to Ms. Sonia Ganthi had a telephonic conversation with Mr. Botsa Satyanarayana, State Congress President on this issue. Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Health Minister and Incharge of Andhra Pradesh affairs had declared that he would take a decision after consulting Mr. N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, CM of AP.

Four IAS officers reshuffled in AP

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The Andhra Pradesh government today changed collectors of three districts in a bureaucratic reshuffle involving four IAS officers.

Syed Ali Murtaza Rizvi has been posted as Collector and District Magistrate of Hyderabad in place of his batchmate Natarajan Gulzar who is proceeding on a two-year study leave to the US.

Christana Z Chongthu has been posted as Collector of Nizamabad district, while incumbent D Vara Prasad has been transferred as Managing Director of A P State Civil Supplies Corporation.

Suspended Jail SP kills wife, commits suicide

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A suspended Jail Superintendent on Friday allegedly committed suicide after shooting his wife dead in Vijay Nagar locality in Krishna Nagar area here, police said.

RK Kesarwani, recently suspended from the post of Jail Superintendent, Meerut, for alleged irregularities, shot himself after shooting his wife this afternoon, police said.

Both of them were rushed to the trauma centre, where they were declared brought dead.

The cause behind taking the extreme step could not be ascertained, they said, adding a probe was on in the matter.

–PTI

India to take ‘political call’ on FDI in retail: Sharma

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The Indian government will soon take a “political call” on the contentious issue of FDI in multi-brand retail as it cannot wait indefinitely, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma has said.

Speaking to reporters here last evening, Sharma, who is here to attend the Global Investment Conference and meet senior ministers in the David Cameron government, said the government is seeking to arrive at a consensus not only among political parties but also among all stakeholders, such as farmers, SMEs and community groups.

Tata Power pays Rs 68.4 lakh remuneration to Ratan Tata

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Tata Power has paid its Chairman Ratan Tata a total remuneration of Rs 68.4 lakh in the last fiscal, marking an increase of about Rs 6 lakh from the previous year.

As Chairman and non-executive director of the country’s largest private sector electricity producer, Tata’s remuneration in the year ended March 31, 2012 included sitting fees and commission for the previous year 2010-11 fiscal.

Government trying to break Team Anna, says Hazare

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Activist Anna Hazare Friday again accused the government of trying to break the unity of Team Anna by holding secret talks with him.

Talking to reporters here, Anna Hazare said: “V. Narayanasamy wrote a letter to me and gave it to my team so that they feel Anna is talking with government. They are trying to break our team.”

“It was their conspiracy to stop me from attending this agitation,” he said.

V. Narayanasamy, who is Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, however, hit back saying he wrote only in response to Anna Hazare’s letter.

Minor fire in Shastri Bhawan, all safe

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A minor fire broke out in the third floor of Shastri Bhawan, housing several ministries, this Friday but no one was injured, fire brigade officials said.

The blaze was reported from the third floor of the multi- storeyed building at 11:50 AM and five fire tenders were rushed to the spot which doused the fire in minutes.

“The fire broke out in the electric cable apparently due to short circuit. No one was injured. It was a minor fire,” officials said.

–PTI

Hina Rabbani Khar to visit Sri Lanka in August

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Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar will visit Sri Lanka during August 1-3 to review progress in bilateral ties and to identify areas for strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

Khar will visit Sri Lanka at the invitation of Foreign Minister GL Peiris.

“During the visit, the two sides will review progress in bilateral relations and identify areas for further strengthening bilateral cooperation in a comprehensive manner,” the Foreign Office said in a statement issued today.

ICICI Bank quarterly net profit rises 36 percent

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ICICI Bank Friday posted a 36 percent rise in net profit at Rs.1,815 crore for the quarter ended June 30 on strong loan growth and improving asset quality.

The country’s largest private lender had posted a net profit of Rs.1,332 crore during the like period of the previous financial year, the bank said in a statement.

The total income stood at Rs.11,425.6 crore during the quarter under review against Rs.9,261.4 crore during the year-ago period, it added.

The bank’s net non-performing asset ratio decreased to 0.61 percent at June 30, 2012 from 0.91 percent at June 30, 2011.

‘Afghan commandos conduct first successful night operation’

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The Afghan Special Forces have conducted their first successful night operation, the Pentagon said, adding that this reflects the growing strength and independence of the war-ravaged nation’s security agencies.

“Last night in Afghanistan, US special operations joined Afghan commandos from the first special operations battalion in a full mission exercise demonstrating a night air assault. This was an Afghan plan, an Afghan-led mission,” Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters.