Month: February 2013

Mediterranean diet cuts heart attack risk: Study

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A diet rich in olive oil, nuts and other Mediterranean foods reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke or death from heart disease by up to 30 percent, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

“We observed that an energy-unrestricted Mediterranean diet, supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts, resulted in a substantial reduction in the risk of major cardiovascular events among high-risk persons,” the study stated.

Apophis asteroid may strike Earth in 2068

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The 325-metre asteroid 99942 Apophis, that will safely fly by the Earth in 2029 and 2036, may strike the planet in 2068, says an article published on the NASA website.

The chances of it striking Earth are slim, however, with impact odds being about 2.3 in a million.

The asteroid has been the focus of considerable attention after it was discovered in December 2004 to have a significant probability of Earth impact in April 2029.

AK-56 assault rifle, carbine seized in Mizoram

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An AK-56 assault rifle and a carbine were seized by security personnel from the jungles near Hrangchalkawn village in south Mizoram’s Lunglei district, police said today.

The weapons were seized by security personnel of the state police and Assam Rifles during a combing operation yesterday, they said.

A search operation has been launched to nab arms traffickers who had hidden the weapons in the dense wooded area.

——PTI

Teenager killed by classmates over mobile phone in Haryana

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A Class 8 student of a private school in Haryana’s Sonepat was killed allegedly by two of his classmates, after he had asked one of them to return his cellphone, police said today.

Shubham (14) had lent his cellphone to one of the suspects a week ago and when he insisted on getting it back, he was asked to come to the school’s backyard on Friday to collect it, Sonepat’s Superintendent of Police Arun Nehra said.

“On reaching the spot, Shubham was strangled to death by the suspects. His body was dumped in the bushes near the school’s boundary wall by the duo,” Nehra said.

Dhoni breaks Sachin’s record of highest score by Indian skipper

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Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s record of highest individual Test score by an Indian captain en route his majestic 224 against Australia in the first Test.

Dhoni, who reached his maiden double century on Sunday went past Tendulkar’s 217 scored against New Zealand in 1999-00 at Ahmedabad.

Dhoni reached the feat in the 144th over when he first hit a flat six off Nathan Lyon to reach 217 and then took a single to surpass Tendulkar’s score.

India on threshold of big victory as Henriques fights on

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India inched closer towards a comprehensive victory in the first cricket Test against Australia but debutant Moises Henriques delayed the inevitable with a fighting undefeated 75 on a difficult track to take the match into the fifth and final day.

Henriques followed up his first innings half century with another gutsy effort as he added 57 runs for the final wicket with No 11 Nathan Lyon (8 batting) to prevent India from wrapping up the match with a day to spare.

Woman molested during scuffle between two families

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A 22-year old woman was allegedly molested during a scuffle between two families, at Kulberia in Barasat police station area of North 24 Parganas district tonight, police said. Police said the woman lodged a complaint alleging she was molested by some men during the scuffle at Kulberia Bamangachi area. Two men were also injured during the scuffle and were treated at local health centre, they said.

Karnataka High Court quashes two FIRs against Nithyananda

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The Karnataka High Court on Monday quashed two FIRs filed against self-styled godman Nithyananda, one pertaining to his activities at the ashram and the other over alleged assault on a pro-Kannada leader.

Justice KN Keshavanarayana allowed a criminal petition filed by Nithyananda seeking quashing of an FIR filed by police at Bidadi in June 2012 that his activities at his ashram at Dhyanapeetam disturbed public peace.

Nithyananda was also in judicial custody for a few days following his arrest in this case.

Indians don’t need to go to Oscars: Sunny Deol

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At a time when Hindi films like ‘Lagaan’ and ‘Barfi!’ have vied for Hollywood’s top honour, the Academy awards, Bollywood actor Sunny Deol says he does not believe in them. “As Indians, our aim should be to entertain audience here,” Deol says. “I don’t think we Indians need to go to the Oscars. What is the need for Indians to go to Oscars… aren’t we happy over here. I don’t understand Oscars,” Sunny told reporters here during the press conference of his film ‘I Love New Year’. “I think we have to entertain our audience here first.

President seeks report about Tagore sites in Shillong

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President Pranab Mukherjee has sought report from the Meghalaya government with regards to renovating historic sites associated with Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore during his stay in this North East city in the 1920s. In a letter to the Meghalaya Chief Secretary P Barkos Warjri, the President’s office has sought an action taken report from the state government on renovations of Tagore’s bungalows in Shillong seeking “appropriate attention” in this regard.

Nearly 40 people questioned in Hyderabad blasts case

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With investigators trying to put together pieces of evidence, nearly 40 people have been questioned by police and central probe agencies for their suspected role in the twin blasts in Hyderabad. Official sources said 30 to 40 people have been interrogated by sleuths of Andhra Pradesh Police, National Investigation Agency and other central security agencies in connection with the Thursday’s blasts which claimed 16 lives and injured over 100.

Salman Khan promotes Car Free Day

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It is well known that Dabangg Salman Khan loves riding cycle and the superstar has often been spotted cycling from his home to the studios or vice-versa.

On Sunday, in a bid to celebrate car-free day, many people left their cars at home and turned out on foot, on cycle or even on skateboards. Among them, Salman was the one, who was seen cycling his way through the busy Carter Road.

Soon after people saw Salman, they approached the superstar for a handshake or a hello.

I want to do an item number next: Aditi Rao Hydari

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After trying her hand at singing for her film London, Paris, New York, actress Aditi Rao Hydari says she is keen to do an item song in her next project.

The Murder 3 star, who is a trained classical dancer and began her career with dance-based Tamil film Sringaram, feels she is fit for raunchy dance numbers.

Credit to down Australia goes to everyone: Jadeja

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The Australian by nature play aggressive cricket and the credit to humble them goes to the whole team, India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja said today. Australia are on the verge of losing the series-opener as they have a mere 40-run lead with just one wicket in hand, going into the last day of the match. Asked to compare the batting of England, who defeated India in the last home series, and Australians, Jadeja said the tourists play with much positively. “Australian have this ego…they try to play more positive.

Police may send Hyderabad blasts footage to Mumbai labs

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With the footage obtained from a CCTV camera near the site of twin bomb blasts apparently not yielding any credible clues, the Andhra Pradesh police are now mulling to rope in advanced film processing labs in Mumbai in a bid to harvest the images of suspected bombers. 16 persons were killed and 117 injured when two explosions, separated by minutes, rocked Dilsukh Nagar area in the city last Thursday.

May have used ‘wrong’ words, says Dikshit after drawing flak

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After drawing strong criticism for asking Delhiites to cut use of power if they cannot pay high electricity bill, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit was in a damage control mode today as she said her comments were taken out of context. “My comments were wrongly interpreted. May be I have used the wrong words. But I was trying to talk about power conservation.

Ayodhya: SC nod for tarpaulin change, don’t disturb status quo

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The Supreme Court on Monday permitted the authorities to change the tarpaulin and ropes at Lord Rama’s make-shift temple in Ayodhya without disturbing the status quo on the 67 acre land adjacent to the disputed site.

A Bench comprising justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai said the tarpaulin sheet and ropes of the same size as placed presently could be changed with new ones at the site of make-shift temple under the supervision of the two observers.

Complaint against Shinde: Police say min has already regretted

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Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde did not make the “Hindu terror” remark with any malicious intention and has already expressed regret for it, Delhi Police told a court here today. Police made the submission in its status report filed in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Viplav Dabas, who is hearing a plea seeking registration of FIR against Shinde for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion by his remark. The court has now reserved its order on the complaint made by RTI activist Vivek Garg for February 27.

India succesfully launches Indo-French, 6 foreign satellites

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India’s Polar rocket PSLV today successfully put into orbit seven satellites in the space of four minutes including a Indo-French oceanographic spacecraft that will study changes in the environment, completing ts 22nd consecutive flawless launch. After a textbook launch witnessed by President Pranab Mukherjee here, Indian Space Research Organisation’s workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle(PSLV) placed into orbit in one single mission all the seven spacecraft–Indo-French oceanographic study satellite ‘SARAL’ and six foreign mini and micro satellites.

Youth sent to 7-day police custody for shooting woman dead

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A youth, who had shot dead an alleged sex worker as she was an obstacle in his love life with another sex worker, was today sent to seven days’ police custody by a Delhi court. Metropolitan Magistrate Namrita Aggarwal remanded accused Munshi Ram, 25, to Delhi Police custody till March 4 for taking him to Saharsa in Bihar to find out source of the weapon used in the crime. Police sought Ram’s custody saying he had bought a country-made pistol from Bihar to kill the deceased woman whom he shot twice last night near Sarai Kale Khan close to the busy Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) and a PCR van.

ISI spy caught in Pokhran

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An alleged ISI spy has been arrested for passing information to an officer of the Pakistani intelligence agency about the just-concluded IAF exercise ‘Iron Fist’ in Pokhran. Sumaar Khan, a computer expert who is around 35 years of age, was taken into custody by a team of Rajasthan police from his house in Pokhran area in Jaisalmer district yesterday after he was caught spying for Inter-Services Intelligence, Additional DGP (Intelligence)-Raj, Dalpat Singh Dinkar, said in Jaipur. “He was sharing information with an officer of a unit of ISI in a coded language.

US special forces told to leave key Afghan province

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Afghanistan’s president has ordered US special forces to leave a strategic province as he seeks tighter control over Afghan militia, exacerbating tensions before the 2014 withdrawal of NATO troops. Hamid Karzai yesterday gave American special forces two weeks to pull out of Wardak, a hotbed of Taliban activity on the doorstep of Kabul, accusing Afghans they work with of torture and murder that has incited local hatred. NATO and the US military has said it will discuss the issue with Afghan officials and takes all allegations of misconduct seriously.

AP cops may seek FBI help to analyse twin blasts CCTV footage

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The Andhra Pradesh police may consider seeking the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation’s help to analyse and harvest images of suspected bombers from a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera near the twin blast site here, sources said here today. The footage obtained from the camera near the twin bomb blast site have not yielded any credible clues so far, as images of three persons lurking near a bicycle, believed to be strapped with explosives, is not clear enough, sources said. 16 people were killed and 117 injured in the twin bomb blast at Dilshuknagar here on Thursday.

Recruitments in Hyd-Karnataka region suspended

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Karnataka government today suspended recruitments in Hyderabad-Karnataka region till it finalises quantum of reservation to locals in jobs in accordance with the recent Constitution Amendment, granting special status to the region. An official circular here today said there was a need to earmark reservation for various posts in government departments, Boards, Corporations and Universities for direct recruitment and promotions in accordance with the Constitution amendment to Article 371(J)(2)(B). Till the issue of reservation was finalised, all recruitments stand suspended, it said. PTI

Iran wants to expand business ties with India

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Iran today said it is keen to expand business ties with India in areas like energy resources and industries and increase bilateral trade volume from the current levels of USD 15 billion. Ali Ardashir Larijani, Speaker of Iranian Parliament (Majlis), said his country’s business leaders want to boost ties with India and expressed the hope New Delhi will provide them ample opportunity to do so and realise their potential.