Month: September 2012

Scooter blast in Imphal

by

Two Assam Rifles jawans were injured when a bomb planted on a scooter blasted in Keisampat in Imphal on Wednesday morning.

The blast took place at 9.00 am when the bomb planted in a two-wheeler, exploded at a crowded bus terminal, injuring two Assam Rifles jawans, who were patrolling the area.

The blast is said to be a powerful one as per initial reports.

What minimised the damage was the morning hour when they are fewer people on the streets.

The injured jawans were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The condition of one of them was stated to be serious, sources said.

Petrol prices may be hiked by Rs 5 today

by

The unremitting losses incurred by the State-run oil marketing companies (OMC) may compel them to hike the prices of petrol by another Rs 5 on Friday, a news channel has reported.

Under-recoveries on account of higher crude prices in the global markets resulted in huge losses, say the OMCs.

Heavy rains lash Gujarat; train, vehicular traffic

by

Heavy rains lashed many parts of Gujarat Thursday, disrupting rail and vehicular traffic at several places.

Eight trains, majority of running between Delhi and Mumbai, were stuck up at various locations in Gujarat as the tracks at Jekot railway station near Dahod district were submerged in water after incessant rains, railway officials said.

“Four local trains have been cancelled.

Eight trains have been held up at various locations as the tracks at Jekot station have been submerged,” Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Vadodara, Udai Shankar Jha said.

Russian faces jail for taking money from beggar

by

A man in south Russia’s Astrakhan region faces up to 10 years in prison for allegedly taking 46 rubles ($2) from a beggar, RIA Novosti reported.

According to the local interior ministry, the suspect threatened his victim with a knife and immediately left the scene, but the victim informed the police.

The man was detained by a police patrol shortly after, and was found to possess both the knife and the money.

The 28-year-old suspect initially denied involvement, saying he borrowed the money to buy a bottle of vodka. However, he admitted robbery after witnesses testified against him.

Gujarat adopted adversarial attitude in Sohrabuddin case: SC

by

The Supreme Court on Thursday told the Gujarat government that it has been adopting “adversarial attitude” in the proceedings relating to the case of fake encounter killing of gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh in which its former minister Amit Shah is one of the accused.

“Don’t forget (that) the state has been taking adversarial attitude and sometime adversarial attitude turns into hostile attitude. Here is a prima facie case in which three persons were killed in cold blood and the matter needs to be investigated.

260 injured in Odisha coalgate protests

by

Thousands of Congress workers clashed with the police on Thursday when they tried to gherao the Odisha Assembly building demanding resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the coalgate row leaving around 260 people including 60 police personnel injured.

A woman police constable, who was allegedly thrashed and dragged by the Congress protesters, and another policeman were among the injured and they are in a critical condition, official sources said.

Anna Hazare announces new action plan

by

Following Team Anna’s dissolution, anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Thursday announced a new action plan, which includes appealing people to vote for the “right” candidates, instead of forming a political party.

In a statement issued today, Hazare also appealed the youth to ensure a 90-plus percent voting in the elections.

In the appeal, aimed mainly at anti-corruption activists in Maharashtra, Hazare said, “There is no need to form any party or to contest elections, but to provide an alternative to the people.

Nepal Maoists taken off US terror list

by

The US State Department has removed the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) from its list of terrorist organisations, RIA Novosti reported.

“The (State) Department has determined that the CPN(M) is no longer engaged in terrorist activity that threatens the security of US nationals or US foreign policy,” a State Department press release said.

Recession-hit Italian hotels report fewer guests in 2012

by

The number of guests in hotels in recession-hit Italy fell during the first eight months of this year, according to a study.

Between January and August, the number of people staying in hotels dipped 2.6 percent. It also shrank 5.6 percent from the same period in 2011, the Fedalberghi association reported Thursday.

Foreign tourists increased by 1.2 percent compared to the same period last year.

Italian hotel guests plunged nearly nine percent in July – Italy’s hottest month – although foreigners nudged up 0.2 percent.

Lufthansa to cancel 1,200 flights Friday

by

Germany’s largest air carrier Lufthansa has cancelled 1,200 flights planned for Friday, when its flights attendants are staging a walkout, The Local news portal reported.

The strike will be held in the country’s major airports in Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Dusseldorf and Stuttgart.

“We still hope that it’s possible to avoid a strike and return to the negotiating table. We are cancelling two-thirds of flights. It is important that we provide notification in advance,” Lufthansa spokesman Michael Lamberty said.

Five Indian firms among world’s most innovative

by

Five Indian companies including Larsen & Toubro, Hindustan Unilever and Infosys are ranked on Forbes magazine’s list of “The World’s Most Innovative Companies” topped by four US companies.

Larsen & Toubro with an annual sales growth of 19 percent is ranked ninth in the world followed by Hindustan Unilever (12) with 11.4 percent. Infosys (19) comes third with 12.7 percent growth thanks to what the US business magazine called a lower “innovation premium.”

Deccan Chargers invite bids from prospective buyers

by

The Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited (DCHL) today issued a tender notice inviting bids from prospective buyers for its IPL franchisee Deccan Chargers, which is currently in a financial mess.

The Indian cricket board’s (BCCI) working committee on Monday decided to allow DCHL to go ahead and issue tender notice in the leading national dailies.

PMO protests against Washington Post over PM story

by

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has lodged a formal protest with Washington Post newspaper for an article critical of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying that the journalist’s conduct was “unethical and unprofessional”.

The PMO, in its reaction posted on the US-based newspaper’s website, has said the story was “totally one-sided” as the journalist “never” got in touch with the PMO for its version.

Gold zooms above 32k-level on marriage season demand

by

Gold today crossed the coveted Rs 32,000-mark for the first time in the national capital, driven by increased buying by stockists ahead of the marriage season amid a firming global trend.

The precious metal gained Rs 320 to Rs 32,300 per 10 grams. It has gained by Rs 1,555 per 10 grams in the last two weeks.

China terms Defence Minister’s India visit a success

by

Terming Chinese Defence Minister Gen Liang Guanglie’s visit to India a success, China today said the two countries had agreed to push forwards relations and step up military to military exchanges.

Gen Liang, the first Chinese Defence Minister to visit India in eight years, held talks with his Indian counterpart AK Antony, during his five-day visit to India.

Hong Lie told a media briefing here today that the visit was successful, though he declined to react to the controversy over the cash gift to two Indian Airforce pilots who flew the Gen Liang from Mumbai to New Delhi.

Teachers looted on gunpoint in Gurgaon

by

Seven women teachers travelling in a Maruti van were Thursday looted of cash and jewelry worth lakhs of rupees at gunpoint in daylight in a posh area of the city, police said.

The teachers, serving in senior secondary schools of Delhi’s Chhattarpur and Ghitorni were returning to their homes in sector 56 and 57 area.

Two people riding a motorcycle forced the Maruti van carrying them to stop when it reached near the DLF golf course road. They fired a few rounds in the air and asked the teachers to hand over their valuables, cash and ornaments, a police officer said.

SC reserves verdict on petition of Amit Shah

by

The Supreme Court today reserved its verdict on an application filed by former Gujarat Minister of State for Home Amit Shah, an accused in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case, seeking permission to visit Gujarat for campaiging in the coming Assembly elections. A bench headed by Justice Aftab Alam reserved the verdict after hearing senior Counsel Ram Jethmalani appearing for Amit Shah and CBI Counsel.

AP spends Rs 3,375 CR tops NREGS

by

Andhra Pradesh Government has spent Rs 3,375 crores, ‘the highest amount in the country’, towards implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme(NREGS). Talking to reporters at the State Secretariat during the Prajahitham programme here, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Rural development and NREGS Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad said that Rs 22,512 crore expenditure has been incurred since the inception of NREGS benefiting 93 lakh households. He said that 179 crore mandays were provided to rural households at an average wage rate of Rs 93 amounting to total Rs 16,736 crores wages.

Sachin’s body naturally slowing down; but he can fix it: Martin Crowe

by

As the debate surrounding master blaster Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement continues, former New Zealand skipper Martin Crowe feels that the little master was ‘naturally slowing down’ due to age but ‘he can fix’ the problems. ‘Hand-eye reaction is not Tendulkar’s problem; he probably is better and faster with his hands than he was in 1992. But the one thing that he can’t escape from is that the body is naturally slowing down,’ Crowe wrote in his column for ‘Cricinfo’. ‘Firstly, the back and hamstrings are probably 10 per cent less flexible and his agility and speed down by 10 per cent too.

Tension in Assam’s Udalguri after youth’s body found

by

Tension gripped the Udalguri district in troubled Bodo areas of Assam Thursday after police recovered the body of a youth missing since last month.

Police also had to fire blanks to to disperse an angry mob, which pelted stones on them.

Police said that the incident took place after the body of a youth was exhumed from Jhargaon area.

The body was identified as of Krishna Boro, who had been missing since Aug 28, the day when the several minority organisations of Assam had called for a shutdown, which led to large scale violence across the state.

HR commission seeks report from Home over ragging in NIT

by

Andhra Pradesh State Human Rights commission today directed the Home and police department to submit a detailed report on ragging at National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Warangal in Andhra Pradesh on or before October 10. Based on the complaint lodged by the TNNF students assocaition here, the commission also directed the Chief Secretary to submit a report over it besides issuing a notice to the institute. In the complaint, students association demanded the commision to punish the seniors, who ragging the juniors in the institute.

Rao explains wave theory of light at JNTUK

by

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General B Prasada Rao said that light fascinated civilization from time immemorial and transits disciplines of technology. Delivering a lecture on ‘wave theory of light interference and diffraction – a new hypothesis’ at the Jawaharlal Nehru technological University Kakinada (JNTUK) here today, he explained in detail the interference diffraction and its new hypothesis and illustrated how fringe pattern are formed by fluid film naturally adhering to the surface of the glass plate, lens, cellophane tape and polythene sheets.

BHEL assures AP for timely supply of equipment to projects

by

Chairaman and Managing Director, Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL), New Delhi B P Rao today assured APGENCO that BHEL will supply all the required equipment, material, accessories, well ahead of scheduled delivery dates by overcoming all the bottlenecks for completion of ongoing thermal projects in state.

Crowds await ‘Dhoni spectacular’

by

Set on fire by a rookie Wicketkeeper-Batsman from Ranchi Mahendra Singh Dhoni announced his arrival on big stage at this particular venue with a magnificent 148 against Pakistan back in 2005 and the pitch at the Dr YSR Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium again promises of run-feast when India take on New Zealand in the first T20 International on September 8. Dhoni, who displayed a New generation of audacious Strokeplay in tandem with the prince of Najafgarh Virendra Sehwag, said, “We have the best outfield in the country. The pitch is full of runs and is prepared keeping the format in mind.