Month: February 2013

Dharmana Prasad attends CBI Court

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Roads and Buildings Minister B Dharmana Prasada Rao on Wednesday appeared before the CBI court.

Dharmana has resigned after being named by CBI in the Vanpic and other cases but the cabinet did not approve his resignation and passed a resolution not to allow his prosecution. Governor ESL Narasimhan has returned the cabinet decision to seek legal opinion.

The CBI, meanwhile, contended that it need not take any permission for prosecuting Dharmana. The minister, however, is attending office.

Etihad pays USD 70 million to Jet for three Heathrow slots

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In what is seen as a step towards closing its proposed investment plans in Jet Airways, Etihad Airways today said it has paid USD 70 million to buy three slots of the Naresh Goyal-promoted airline at Heathrow airport in London.

Etihad Airways can confirm that it has concluded a transaction with Jet to purchase Jet’s three pairs of Heathrow
slots for USD 70 million. The purchase is part of a sale and lease back agreement signed yesterday,” Etihad said in a statement.

The statement further said Jet will continue to operate flights to London utilising these slots.

Nimmagadda Prasad applies for bail

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Industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad has moved the Supreme Court for bail.

Prasad is an accused in YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s alleged disproportionate assets case and is in Chanchalguda jail. He filed a petition seeking bail. (INN)

Policeman killed, scores injured in Myanmar land clash

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A policeman was killed and more than a dozen farmers wounded — some by gunfire — in clashes during a protest over land ownership in Myanmar’s Delta region, activists and police said today.

A further 26 police were injured during yesterday night’s demonstration, where farmers demanded the return of 500 acres (200 hectares) of land in the Irrawaddy Delta which they say was seized by the military government in 1996.

Around 300 farmers have been protesting the alleged land-grab since last week.

Police probing IM threat letter to Mukesh Ambani

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Police have launched a probe after a letter purportedly sent by terror outfit Indian Mujahideen was delivered to the office of RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani, threatening to harm him for supporting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and investing in the state, sources said today.

The letter, delivered by an unidentified person to Ambani’s personal staff in a sealed envelope at his Maker
Chambers office on February 24, also said IM would damage his 27-storey mansion ‘Antilia’ on Altamount Road, a police officer said on condition of anonymity.

Suicide bomber attacks Afghan army bus; 10 wounded

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A Taliban suicide bomber in a black overcoat and carrying an umbrella as a shelter against the heavy snow crossed a street in Kabul today toward a bus filled with Afghan soldiers, where he laid down and slithered underneath.

A witness said the attacker then detonated his explosives, engulfing the undercarriage of the bus in flames.

The bomber was killed, and at least 10 people six soldiers and four civilians were wounded, according to the Kabul police chief’s office.

The bombing the second attempted strike in the capital this week was a reminder of the Taliban insurgency’s ability

SDPI terms Rail Budget anti-people; fare hike thru’ backdoor not fair

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(Pervez Bari): The Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI), has termed the 2013-14 Railway Budget as anti-people which is neither very good nor very bad. Though Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal has apparently not hiked fare but indirectly the proposed budget would punch holes in the passengers pockets due to increase in supplementary charge for superfast trains, reservation fee, clerkage charge, cancellation charge and tatkal charge. This is not fair.

Liver transplant: Appeal for monetary aid

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32 year old Shaik Asghar, a resident of Nizamabad, is admitted in Global Hospital Hyderabad and is shortly to be operated upon for his liver transplant but due to the lack of sufficient fund, he is appealing to the generous donors to come forward and help him monetarily to meet the cost of the operation estimated to Rs.30 lakhs.

His lever got damaged due to jaundice and under treatment since years. Married 8 years ago, he is survived by his wife and two children.

Syria group claims credit for hacking AFP Twitter account

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Online activists backing the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad claimed responsibility on Tuesday for hacking an AFP Twitter account.

The account, @AFPphoto, was hacked on Tuesday at around 1645 GMT. Images posted until the account was suspended more than an hour later did not come from the agency, AFP’s management said in a statement.

Most of the images posted after the site was hacked were related to the conflict in Syria.

In a tweet, an online group known as the Syrian Electronic Army claimed responsiblity for hacking the AFP account.

US describes India as ‘economic linchpin’ for Afghanistan

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Amid Chuck Hagel’s controversial remarks on India’s role in Afghanistan, a top US official has termed New Delhi as the “economic linchpin” for the war-torn country’s future after the withdrawal of American troops.

Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake yesterday termed India as one of the most trusted and valuable partners of the US in the region, noting that “any discussion of South Asia has to start with India.”

Three farmers killed in road mishap

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Three farmers were killed and four others critically injured in a road mishap in Kanpur Dehat here, the police said Wednesday.

The mishap occurred yesterday when some farmers were going to Chakarpur Mandi to sell their agricultural produce. A truck ahead of the matador in which the victims were travelling suddenly applied breaks and collided with the front of the vehicle, they said.

Rains lash Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh

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Rains on Wednesday lashed various parts of Punjab and Haryana even as minimum temperature rose by a few notches above normal in most parts of both the states.

UT Chandigarh recorded low of 14.9 deg C, up by five notches, while it received rainfall of 7.8 mm, the MeT office said here today.

In Punjab, Amritsar witnessed rainfall of 7.6 mm and it had a low of 12 deg C, up by 4 degrees above normal.

Ludhiana and Patiala received rainfall of 3.7 mm and 12 mm and the minimum temperatures were recorded at 11.4 deg C and 10.6 deg C respectively.

Police busy gathering information about students staying in rooms attached to masajid

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In the wake of Dilsukhnagar twin blasts police is heading towards the masajid where students stay in the rooms attached to them. This action taken by the police has created apprehensions among the students’ parents who reside in districts. The police in plain clothes are approaching the masajid and are asking various questions to the students as well as Masjid authorities. They are gathering the information regarding their family background, their native place, name of the college, identity card, ration card etc.

Crime In Hyderabad (27.2.2013)

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Murder attempt on colleague’s wife
(Siasat News): A suspended constable attacked the wife of another constable in order to get the amount of chit and severely injured her.

Subba Rao had attacked one Sharada with a knife. Her condition is said to be critical. As per the details, Subba Rao is the suspended constable of the 8th batallion in Kondapur.

He was associated with his colleague Srinivas Rao’s wife Sharada in chit fund business. As his turn had already come but Sharada was not paying the money on time.

Indian, Australian teams reach Hyderabad

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Indian and Australian cricket teams arrived here Wednesday for the second cricket Test match from March 2.

Both teams flew in from Chennai where India won the first Test. After landing at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, the teams drove to the hotel.

After a day’s rest, both teams would practice Thursday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Uppal.

Meanwhile, unprecedented security arrangements are being made at the stadium in the wake of Feb 21 terror attack here that killed 16 people and injured 117.

Police focus attention on SIM cards and tenants

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City police and other investigative agencies have intensified probe into the Dilsukhnagar twin blast. Police have now focused their attention towards SIM card recharge centres and are reaching the houses to scrutinize tenants.

According to reliable sources 10 teams comprising of officials of Central Crime Station and Special Investigation Team are reaching the houses at specific areas in plain clothes and gathering information from the house owners regarding their tenants.

Explosive seized from I S Sadan, two held

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During the search operation in the wake of Dilsukhnagar twin blast, police apprehended two persons and seized explosive material from their possession. It is said that South Zone Task Force team arrested B.Suresh of I.S. Sadan and D.Srinivas of Vanasthalipuram and seized 50 gelatin sticks and two cell phones from their possession. The incident has created panic among the residents. However the police clarified that Suresh and Srinivas used to sell the explosive to the contractors of granite for breaking the granite stones with the help of blasting material.

Vital clues still elude police in Dilsukhnagar blast

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Police could not find any vital clue in Dilsukhnagar twin blasts so far. Police and security agencies are leaving no stone unturned to hunt down the culprits and investigations are underway with all angles.

Director General Police Mr. V Dinesh Reddy convened a 2-hour long top level meeting on Tuesday to take stock of the proceedings in twin blasts. Officials of Hyderabad city police, Cyberabad ID and Counter Intelligence cell were present in the meeting.

TDP takes out peace rally from Charminar to Gulzar Houz

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Greater Hyderabad Telugu Desam party took out peace rally from Charminar to Gulzar Houz on Tuesday.

Mr. Zahed Ali Khan politburo member TDP, Mr. Ali Masqati, Mr. Shahbaz Ahmed Khan, Mr. Ali bin Sayeed Alkatmi besides president greater Hyderabad Telugu Desam Party Mr. T Srinivas Yadav, Mr. M N Srinivas, Mr. Khalid Masqati, Mr. Raheemullah Khan Niazi and other TDP leaders and activists took part in the rally.

UFO spotted in US after Russian meteor strike

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After the recent meteor strike in Russia, two Grants Pass residents have revealed that they witnessed an unidentified flying object hovering over the Southern Oregon night sky.

Heather Scherffius and Gregory Soldner recorded the UFO sighting on camera and claimed what they saw was not an asteroid or a meteor.

According to the two witnesses, they just happened to be outside of their home at about 10:30 pm when the UFO appeared, International Business Times reported.

India, Australia teams arrive for 2nd Test in hyderabad

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The cricket teams of India and Australia arrived here amid tight security today for the second Test to be played from March 2.

The teams would start their practice tomorrow.

India won the opening Test in Chennai by eight wickets with skipper M S Dhoni scoring a historic 224.

Meanwhile, tight security arrangements are being put in place in the wake of the twin bomb blasts that rocked Hyderabad last week.

–PTi

Robot built from dead bird helps study swamp sparrows

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US biologists have studied the behaviour in the swamp sparrow species by creating a robot from a dead bird.

Scientists at Duke University in North Carolina worked with engineering students and a taxidermist to operate the wings of a deceased swamp sparrow.

They programmed simple Picaxe computer chips, and built a tiny linear motor to fit inside the cavity of the bird they named Robosparrow.

They were studying male aggressive behaviour among the species.

Indian IT students design apps for Windows 8

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Over 10,000 students across India joined forces Tuesday to unleash their creativity at the Microsoft Student AppFest, a unique coding event enabling students from colleges to develop their ‘dream app’ ideas alongside professionals using the latest Microsoft technologies.

The AppFest, an initiative by Microsoft India, was a platform for college students to design applications for Windows 8 operating system. For the students it was an opportunity to apprise themselves of the know-how of applications designing and also find a place to share their ideas with others.

Extreme weather due to man-made climate changes

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Man-made climate changes may be behind extreme weather patterns that ravage the world such as the US and Russian heat waves in 2011 and 2010 and the unprecedented floods in Pakistan.

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) scientists from Germany have revealed how man-made climate change upsets the patterns of atmospheric flow around the Northern Hemisphere.