Month: July 2012

Syrian parties should end bloodshed, urges UN chief

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United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has again appealed to all parties in Syrian conflict to immediately end the ongoing armed violence in order to prevent further bloodletting.
It has been estimated that two million people have been affected by the ongoing conflict in that middle eastern Arab nation.

”More fighting is not the answer. Further, militarization of this conflict will only perpetuate the devastation and prolong the suffering. A sectarian civil war would also gravely imperil Syria’s neighbours,” the UN chief told reporters yesterday in New York.

Hafiz Saeed wants Pak to talk water with India

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Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed has called on the Pakistan government to hold “serious talks” with India over the issue of sharing of river water.

He made the remarks while addressing a meeting of JuD activists in the border city of Sialkot, 70 km from Lahore, on Monday.

“Islamabad should hold a serious dialogue with New Delhi on this crucial issue, which will damage the agriculture-based economy of Pakistan,” he claimed.

“India is trying to render our country barren by stopping water coming here,” he further claimed.

I achieved what I came here to do: Narang

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Shooter Gagan Narang, who won India’s first medal at the London Olympics, a bronze in 10-metre air rifle, said Monday that he had achieved what he came for.

The gold went to Romanian Alin George Moldoveanu with a total score of 702.1 (599 qualifying, 103.1 final) and Italian Niccolo Campriani bagged the silver with 701.5 (599 qualifying, 102.5 final).

Narang, who is participating in his third Games, had a total score of 701.1 (598 qualifying, 103.1 final). Going into the final round, Narang was third.

BC Welfare Is Supreme For TD: Naidu

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TDP Chief N. Chandrababu Naidu has said that his party would wage a relentless fight for resolving the problems faced by the backward classes.

Naidu was felicitated by organizations and leaders of several BC organizations of West Godavari district under the leadership of the State party secretary Killadi Prasada Rao at NTR Trust Bhavan here on Monday, for his party’s BC Declaration.

Bring Lokpal or go, Anna tells UPA

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As his team’s indefinite protest against corruption entered its sixth day, Anna Hazare Monday asked the UPA government to bring a stringent Lokpal bill or be swept out of power. The government, however, hit out at Team Anna, questioning its methods of struggle.

Team Anna stuck to its demand of bringing a strong anti-corruption bill on a fast track even as the septuagenarian activist entered day two of his indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.

Dikshit announces job scheme for poor

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Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Monday announced a self-employment scheme for people from the weaker sections of society.

After a cabinet meeting, Dikshit said the Dilli Swarozgar Yojna would “provide a helping hand to the vulnerable sections of society such as the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and the minorities”.

“The beneficiaries will now be eligible for a loan of up to Rs.500,000 as against the existing loan of Rs.100,000 for starting income generating activity under an earlier scheme called the composite loan scheme,” she added.

–IANS–

Afghan police kill 17 Taliban militants

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Afghan police killed 17 Taliban militants and wounded five others across the country since Sunday, said Interior Ministry in a statement Monday.

“Afghan National Police backed by army and the NATO-led coalition forces launched seven operations in Nangarhar, Kandahar, Logar, Khost and Helmand provinces over the past 24 hours during which 17 Taliban were killed, five wounded and two others were arrested,” said the statement, reported Xinhua

–IANS–

Strong Lokpal Alone Can Check Corruption: Kalam

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Former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam has advised those, who were fighting against corruption, to start anti-corruption agitation from their home State. Stating that the country has crossed 100 crore population, Dr Kalam said that houses were three times higher than the country’s population. He observed that 30 per cent of houses were constructed with illegal money.

Nitish Kumar opposes FDI in retail

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday said that he was not in favour of foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail in the state and virtually made it clear that he was with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in opposing it.

“I am not in favour of FDI in retail and there is no question to accept it in Bihar,” Nitish Kumar told reporters here.

Nearly a week after Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi of the (BJP) ruled out FDI in retail in the state, the chief minister said that it will badly hit local small retailers.

Make 15-Crore Kids Plant 10 Saplings Each: Dr Kalam

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Former President Dr Abdul Kalam today said the country would become green if the 15-crore children planted ten saplings each in the country.

Dr Kalam was speaking as the chief guest at the ‘Best Environment Protection Awards’ function organized by the Centre for Environment here on Monday.

Coach Burning Very Unfortunate: Sabita

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Describing the train bogie burning incident in Nellore as most unfortunate, Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy has said that the State government directed the officials concerned to act immediately.

Speaking to mediapersons after laying foundation stones to several developmental activities in Rajendra Nagar here on Monday, Sabita said the local MLA and a Minister were at the train accident spot trying to identify the bodies. (NSS)

Emirati business woman wins international award

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Emirati woman entreprenuer Faiza Al Sayed has been named as a recipient of The International Alliance for Women (TIAW) World of Difference 100 Awards.

Al Sayed, vice president of Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC), has won the reward in recognition of her efforts to support women’s economic empowerment and advancement in society and business.

The award will be handed out to her during the World of Difference Awards Dinner to be held as part of the TIAW Global Forum at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC, said a release.

–IANS–

CM to visit Nellore to console victims

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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy will leave for Nellore by 1245 hrs flight via Tirupati to console the victims of the ghastly fire accident in the New Delhi-Chennai Tamil Nadu Express near Nellore Railway Station today.

Palak Puri

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Palak puris are nutritious and yummy to taste.

Ingredients:

Wheat flour – 2cups
Palak/Spinach – 1bunch
Salt – to taste
Ginger – a small piece
Green chili – 3-4
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tps
Oil – for frying

Method:

Clean the palak and blanch it in boiling water for 5 minuted along with ginger and green chilies.
Make a fine paste of blanched palak and add cumin seeds and water (if need be).
Make dough with wheat flour, salt and palak paste.
Make small balls of the dough and roll into puri
Fry the puris in oil.
Yummy palak puris are ready to be served!

I need better written roles, says Asin

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South import Asin, who has carved a place for herself in Bollywood, still craves for better roles that are written well.

After making a successful debut opposite Aamir Khan in 2008 blockbuster ‘Ghajini’, she followed it up with films like ‘Ready’, ‘Housefull 2’ and ‘Bol Bachchan’. But she feels more is yet to come.

‘Imran Khan’s party has nine million members’

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Some nine million people have become members of cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, a party leader claimed on Monday.

“People are showing great interest in the membership campaign and so far, about nine million people across the country have become Tehrik-e-Insaf members,” party spokeswoman Andleeb Abbas told a news agency.

She said: “The membership campaign will continue till next month and we expect another half a million more people to join the party.”

The party has also decided to hold its internal elections in September.

Woman rescued from human trafficking gang in Rajasthan

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A 30-year old woman was sent to a shelter home in Rajasthan’s Dholpur Monday after she was rescued from a human trafficking gang which had sold her to four different men over the past one year, police said.

A case of rape has been registered against at least six men, they added.

“The woman was rescued from Basaidaang area of Dholpur district Sunday. We had acted on a tip-off. No one could be arrested from the house as its occupants had fled at the time of the raid,” a police officer told IANS.

Obama confident of winning Prez polls

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US President Barack Obama has exuded confidence to win against his Republican rival Mitt Romney in upcoming Presidential polls, though conceding that it be a closely contested one.

“If the election were held today, I think it would be close but I think we’d win. And we now have 99 days left. If I can say that every single day for the next 99 days, then we will be able to embark on the next phase of this journey,” Obama said at a campaign event in New York on Monday.

Seeking his re-election, Obama said he has to complete his unfinished agenda in the second term.

Religious freedom worsens in China, Indonesia: US

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The US says protection of religious freedom has deteriorated in Indonesia and the Maldives, and China has intensified repression of Tibetan Buddhists, contributing to a series of self-immolations.

The State Department also criticised China’s “severe” repression of Muslims in the far western region of Xinjiang.

The assessments were made in the department’s annual report on international religious freedom released on Monday.

Media persons manhandled at Hazare protest venue

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Around 150-200 people present at Jantar Mantar, the venue of the protest by Anna Hazare, allegedly broke down barricades and manhandled media persons late Monday, according to a reporter present at the spot.

The incident occurred after Team Anna member Shanti Bhushan claimed that media was not giving proper coverage to the protest, said the reporter who did not want to be identified.

IAC members Manish Sisodia, who is on fast at the venue, and Kumar Vishwas later tried to pacify the crowd.

No police case has been registered.

–IANS–

Gunmen attack Vice Prez’s home, kill 1in Nigeria

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Gunmen on Monday attacked the family home of Nigeria’s Vice President Namadi Sambo in the Kaduna state, killing a cobbler and wounding a policeman.

A spokesman for the vice president, Sani Umars said the gunmen came to the Baba Ahmad Road in Tudun Wada, Zaria, where the family house of the Vice President is located and started shooting sporadically.

Make Rahul Gandhi PM, demands Shankar Rao

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Former minister Dr P Shankar Rao on Monday appealed to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to pass a resolution in the Congress Legislature Party meeting demanding that AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi be made the Prime Minister of our country.

Inter first year’s admissions to end on Aug 14

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The Board of Intermediate Education on Monday informed that the last date of the second phase of admissions into first year intermediate for the academic year 2012-13 would be August 14.

The board has asked the Principals of all colleges, who are offering two-year intermediate course, to avail the opportunity and submit forms of their students as per the schedule. (INN)

Telangana issue is at crucial phase: Ponguleti

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AICC secretary and MLC Ponguleti Sudharkar Reddy on Monday condemned the efforts being made by ‘some politicians’ who are trying to divert the attention of the Centre over the Telangana issue, which he said, has reached crucial phase.

Talking to media persons at Assembly premises, Ponguleti Sudharkar Reddy said that the leaders instead of making efforts to resolve the Telangana issue were complicating the issue by issuing provocative statements. He appealed to all party leaders to work above politics to resolve the statehood issue.

AIMS to organise National Management Week from Aug 1

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The Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS) will organise ‘National Management Week’ from August 1- 7 every year, starting this year.

During this program the faculty and students of the management schools across the country will meet various sections of the society like farmers, traders, entrepreneurs, visit hospitals, old age homes and prisons to indulge in some social service activities to benefit directly the society and help indirectly the country as a whole.