Month: August 2012

People with sense of humour more attractive

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People with a good sense of humour are “more attractive” and have a better chance of finding a partner, a study has found.

Many people deploy a strategy and show off one’s playful side in a bid to make themselves more appealing to potential mates, the Telegraph reported.

A team of US researchers surveyed 250 undergraduate students and found that both sexes list “sense of humour”, “fun loving” and “playful” among the most important characteristics they look for in a potential long-term partner.

Syrian state TV station bombed in Damascus, PM fired

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The Syrian state television and radio building in Damascus was Monday rocked by a powerful bomb blast, even as Prime Minister Riyad Hijab was dismissed after just two months in the post.

An improvised explosive device went off on the third floor of the building in central Damascus, injuring a number of people. The office of the Syrian information minister is located in the same building.

Chidambaram hints at modifying tax norms, cut deficit

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Finance Minister P. Chidambaram Monday said the government will fine-tune policies to meet investor expectations, cut fiscal deficit and revive growth.

“Our policies have to be modified or fine-tuned in order to meet the expectations of different stakeholders,” Chidambaram said during his first media interaction after assuming the charge of finance portfolio.

Chidambaram unveiled a roadmap to revive growth by boosting investment.

Gurdwara shooting: Badal writes to PM

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In the wake of the shooting incident at a gurdwara in the US, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take up with the Obama administration the issue of safety and security of Sikhs living in America.

Badal also called for a comprehensive administrative and social campaign to eliminate the possibility of recurrence of such tragic incidents.

Was the gurdwara shooter a white supremacist?

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As FBI looked for a motive for Sunday’s attack on a Sikh gurdwara in Wisconsin, media reports suggested the gunman, a bald man with a 9/11 tattoo on one arm, may have been a white supremacist.

More details about the shooter, who shot six worshippers to death and wounded three at the gurdwara in a Milwaukee suburb before he himself was killed by police, may emerge at a press conference later Monday, CNN said citing a law enforcement source.

Info on UPA’s major decisions not reaching people: Sibal

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The UPA-led government has taken “very big decisions” and brought “path breaking reforms” but information regarding these decisions and reforms is not reaching the people, Communications and IT Minister Kapil Sibal said on Monday.

He also accused electronic media of presenting the Centre’s performance in “poor light” by not sharing any information with regard to government’s decisions.

India objects to cancellation of NAM meeting on Palestine

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Strongly objecting to cancellation of the NAM panel meeting in Ramallah, India on Monday said the move strengthened its resolve to assist Palestinian people in their legitimate quest to dignity and right to statehood.

“We have taken strong objection to the fact that we were unable to express solidarity with the Palestinian people by holding this meeting in Ramallah,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told reporters here.

Gurdwara shooting goes against proclaimed US policies: Krishna

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External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Monday condemned the shooting incident at a gurdwara in Wisconsin, saying it was not in sync with the proclaimed policies of the US.

“I condemn this incident and every right thinking person has to condemn this. This is an attitude which does not fit into the proclaimed policies of the US,” Krishna told reporters here.

He said he was trying to get in touch with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is on a tour of Africa.

Eyes tell whether straight or gay

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The pupil in the eye shoots open when people become aroused, which leads others to know whether one is gay or straight, scientists have said.

A sex study conducted by Ritch Savin-Williams and Gerulf Rieger of Cornell University, monitored 165 men and 160 women, including gay, straight and bisexual participants, the Daily Mail reported.

The subjects were shown one-minute videos of a man masturbating, a woman masturbating and neutral landscape scenes, and their pupils were studied.

India objects to cancellation of NAM meet on Palestine

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India Monday said it has strongly objected to the cancellation of a Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) meeting on Palestine that was to be held at Ramallah and this only strengthened its resolve to assist the Palestinians to their “inalienable right” to statehood.

The NAM meeting, to be hosted by the the Palestine Authority on Sunday, could not be held although it was decided in May to have the meeting.

Al Qaeda planned to attack Gibraltar during Olympics

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Three suspected Al Qaeda terrorists arrested in Spain were reportedly planning to launch a devastating attack from the air on a busy shopping centre in British colony Gibraltar during the Olympics.

Spanish officials said two of the suspects are Chechen Russians and one is a Turk, the Daily Mail reported.

The El Pais newspaper said the Turkish engineer, Cengiz Yalcin, was a paraglider and model aeroplane enthusiast and was learning how to fly.

Anna disbands Team Anna, leaders perplexed

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Team Anna has been disbanded and the work that had started in its name has ended, its leader Anna Hazare announced Monday, three days after the group announced that it would join the political mainstream to further its fight against corruption.

Hazare, whose declaration through his blog appeared to take even senior leaders of Team Anna by surprise, added that the anti-corruption movement would remain alive and he would work to provide a “political alternative” to serve the people.

Indians will be proud of Mary Kom, says husband

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Indian boxer M.C. Mary Kom’s husband Onler Kom said Monday that the pugilist made the country proud after assuring the country its fourth Olympic medal from the 2012 London Games.

“Every Indian will be proud of her. She was quite determined that she would do well and she has done that. She has won the medal she always wanted at last. She has always done well for her country,” Onler Kom told TV channels.

Onler Kom also said that he spoke to his wife before the bout and told her to be careful.

Fiza dies in mysterious circumstances

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Fiza Mohammed, aka Anuradha Bali, who married former Haryana deputy chief minister Chander Mohan and was later divorced, has died in mysterious circumstances, police said Monday.

Fiza’s highly decomposed body was found Monday in her house in Sector 48 of Mohali town in Punjab, adjoining Chandigarh. A liquor bottle and a pack of cigarettes was found near her body, a police officer said.

“we are investigating the matter. We cannot say anything at this stage,” Mohali district police chief Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said. Police had initially described Fiza’s death as a suicide.

UK couple jailed for punching daughter for dating black man

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A British couple has been jailed for punching their daughter while screaming racist insults because they said she had brought shame on their family by dating a black man.

David and Frances Champion assaulted their 17-year-old daughter Jane and her boyfriend Aflonce Ncube in two attacks in St. Thomas, Swansea, the Daily Mail reported.

Jane was repeatedly punched in the face, grabbed round the throat and had her hair pulled which left her with lumps and bruises.

Ncube was kicked in the legs, and abused over his skin colour.

Four injured in cracker blast near Gosha Mahal

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A cracker blast in Balaya Bada located near Tope Khana Masjid, Gosha Mahal, Begum Bazaar.

Four men sustained minor injuries while they were passing through the area when the explosion occurred.

However, no reports of casualties as it was a low intensity cracker blast.

The initial reports say at least four people were injured on Monday.

Haji 23, Afzal 24, Abbu 25 and A 78-year-old Narsaiah are among the injured.

It further said that the blast took place in a fire work shop accidentally when the reports last came in. Further details are awaited.

Thackeray takes potshots at Team Anna’s political provision

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Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Monday welcomed the decision of Team Anna to form a new political outfit and wondered what brought about this “miracle”.

“Some intellectuals say politics is the last resort of scoundrels. Team Anna is welcome here…But how did this miracle happen?,” the 86-year-old Sena patriarch said in an edit in party mouthpiece “Saamana”.

Thackeray said he was expecting some kind of turnaround from Team Anna after its “fast” agitation did not excite people.

Obama aide accepted fee from company with Iran links

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As the American Presidential elections entered its most heated phase, a senior White House adviser, who managed Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, was found to have accepted a USD 100,000 speaking fee in 2010 from an affiliate of a company doing business with Iran.

David Plouffe was paid for two speeches he made in Nigeria in December 2010, about a month before he joined the White House staff, by a subsidiary of MTN Group, a South Africa-based telecommunications company, The Washington Post reported.

Pak’s young can change political landscape: Daily

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A staggering 40 million of Pakistan’s 84.3 million voters are aged between 18 and 35 and have the “potential to change the country’s political landscape”, said a leading daily.

An editorial in the Dawn Monday cited Election Commission’s data that showed in the upcoming elections, “the votes of the young will matter and will have the potential to change the country’s political landscape”.

That is, of course, if the youth go out and vote, it added.

Pak govt to seek review of contempt law annulment

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The Pakistan government has decided to file petitions in the Supreme Court seeking a review of the annulment of a new law aimed at preventing the premier’s disqualification and another order on reopening graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar confirmed that the government will file a petition seeking a review of the apex court’s order that struck down the Contempt of Court Act of 2012.

“We will file a review petition in the court against this decision,” he said.

RIL surges about 6 %; pushes up Sensex by 223 pts

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RIL shares surged about 6 percent on Monday to over 4-month high, pushing up the Sensex by over 223 points amid reports that a government panel has convened a meeting on clearing the company’s KG-D6 annual investment plans that have been pending for two years.

RIL’s counter opened on a bullish note and as the trade progressed it rallied 5.66 percent to an over 4-month high of Rs 785 on the BSE.

At the NSE, the stock soared 5.85 percent to Rs 786.

In terms of volume, 6.94 lakh shares of RIL were traded on the BSE, while more than 43 lakh shares changed hands on the NSE.

‘Real estate, election campaigns routing black money’

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Money generated through illegal means is laundered through various means, including real estate and election campaigns, in India, a report of the US State Department has said.

“High-level corruption both generates and conceals criminal proceeds. Illicit funds are often laundered through real estate, educational programs, charities, and election campaigns. Companies use trade-based money laundering to evade capital controls,” the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report 2012 has said.

London Olympics 2012, India Round-Up: Mary Kom, Vijender a win away from medal

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Indian boxers M.C. Mary Kom and Vijender Singh will be in action Monday with a win in their respective quarterfinal bouts assuring them of at least a bronze medal.

Mary Kom Sunday overcame a tough battle against Poland`s Karolina Michalczuk in the opening round of the women`s boxing, which is making its Olympic debut in London. The Indian faces Maroua Rahali of Tunisia in the 51 kg class later in the day.

Vijender will repeat his bronze medal show from Beijing if he gets the better of Uzbekistan`s Abbos Atoev in the 75 kg quarterfinals. Atoev is a former world champion.

I’m safely on Mars, says rover tweet

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A string of tweets on behalf of US space agency Nasa’s rover Curiosity tracks the tense moments before the spacecraft landed on Mars.

“I’m safely on the surface of Mars. GALE CRATER I AM IN YOU!!!,” said an ecstatic tweet after the rover landed safely on Mars.

Moments earlier, another tweet said: “Backshell separation. It’s just you & me now, descent stage. Engage all retrorockets!”

The critical tweets began with the one saying: “Guided entry is begun. Here I go!”.