Month: March 2013

IPL matches in Chennai on schedule: Shukla

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Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Rajeev Shukla Tuesday asserted that IPL matches in Chennai will go ahead as scheduled despite growing unrest in the city over the participation of Sri Lankan cricketers in the cash-rich Twenty20 league.

Shukla’s comments came in reply to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying that the state government will permit IPL matches only if the organisers promise that no Sri Lankan players, umpires, officials or support staff will participate.

Four cops injured as grenade accidentally explodes

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Four policemen were injured Tuesday when a grenade exploded accidentally in the premises of a police station here while a bomb disposal squad was inspecting some seized ammunition and explosives.

The four policemen, including two members of the bomb disposal squad, suffered splinter injuries when the grenade exploded in the premises of the Parimpora police station on Srinagar-Baramulla national highway, Station House Officer of the police station Ghulam Mohiuddin said.

Amitabh Bachchan appeals for dry Holi

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Amitabh Bachchan, the star of many hit holi numbers like `Rang barse` and `Holi ke din sab mil jaate hai`, wants his fans to save water this festival of colours as Maharastra faces water shortage.

The 70-year-old actor took to his Twitter to request his millions of followers to play dry Holi as the state is experiencing one of its worst droughts in the last 40 years.

“Water shortage in Maharashtra… And its only March. What will happen in Summer? Save water! Play a dry Holi,” Bachchan tweeted.

Similar sentiments were echoed by actors like Hrithik Roshan and Riteish Deshmukh.

Made `Bombay Talkies` under pressure on tight budget, says Karan Johar

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Filmmaker Karan Johar, who is known to have lavish sets and larger than life and expensive films, says he was under pressure when he was asked to make the film ‘Bombay Talkies’ on a tight budget.

“We have our own style of film making but we didn`t have much budget. First of all nobody gives me a budget because I have always made larger than life films. This is for the first time I have to work under a budget and it was difficult to make a film under a budget.

New chemo drug gentler on fertility, tougher on cancer

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Scientists, for the first time, have developed a new chemotherapy drug in the form of nanoparticles that is less toxic to a young woman`s fertility but extra tough on cancer.

This is the first cancer drug tested while in development for its effect on fertility using a novel in vitro test.

The scientists designed a quick new in vitro test that predicts the toxicity of a chemotherapy drug to fertility and can be easily used to test other cancer drugs in development as well as existing ones.

Court directs woman to fulfill matrimonial duties

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A woman, who had deserted her husband, has been asked by a Delhi court to rejoin him at her matrimonial home on the ground that she has failed to fulfil her “marital obligations”.

The court’s direction came while granting a decree of restitution of conjugal rights under the Muslim Law in the favour of the husband. The woman, who had earlier filed her reply in the court, stopped contesting the case and was proceeded ex-parte.

Listening to bee`s buzz can help detect diseases

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Eavesdropping on the buzzing of honey bees in their hives can reveal whether they are suffering from disease, scientists have claimed.

Researchers have found that they can detect subtle changes in the vibrations honey bees use to communicate with each other that indicate how healthy the insects are, the Telegraph reported.

Growing levels of disease, including a deadly parasite known as verroa mite, have taken a devastating toll on honey bee colonies, causing numbers of the insects in Britain to more than halve in the past 25 years.

Sleeping on back during pregnancy ups risk of stillbirth

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Pregnant women in Ghana who slept on their back (supine sleep) were at an increased risk of stillbirth compared to women who did not sleep on their back, a new study has revealed.

In the study, researchers from University of Michigan found that supine sleep increased the risk of low birth weight by a factor of 5 and that it was the low birth weight that explained the high risk for stillbirth in these women.

Student leader jailed for abetting suicide

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A local court here Tuesday sentenced a former student union leader to four years rigorous imprisonment for abetting the suicide of a college student and member of his student wing.

Prasad Kumar Roy, the judicial magistrate of Bishnupur Fast Track Court, sentenced former Bankura district secretary of Students Federation of India (SFI) Arka Poddar to four years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10000.

He was convicted for abetting the suicide of Debjani Nandi, a former student leader of the district.

Nandi’s body was found lying by the side of a railway tracks in 2008.

–PTI

Temporary tattoos can cause long-lasting allergic reaction

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Even temporary tattoos can cause some serious health problems, US health agency the Food and Drug Administration has warned.

MedWatch, which oversees FDA`s safety information and adverse event reporting program, has received reports of negative and long-lasting reactions to temporary tattoos, CBS News reported.

“Just because a tattoo is temporary it doesn`t mean that it is risk free,” said Dr. Linda Katz, director of FDA`s Office of Cosmetics and Colors, in a press release.

Petition to disqualify Akbar

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A petition was filed in the AP High Court, praying that the Chandrayanagutta MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi should be disqualified as a member of the legislature, for the controversial remarks he made recently.

 

Janardana Goud, a lawyer who filed the petition contended that the remarks of Akbaruddin were against law and hence he should be disqualified.

 

 

Andhraheadlines

Govt schools to get toilets, drinking waters facilities

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Primary Education Minister S Sailajanath informed the State Legislative Assembly that as many as 6,075 government schools need toilet facility.

While replying to a question raised by MLA M Venkateshwara Rao and others, Sailajanath said to provide toilet facility to 6,075 schools, the government has sanctioned an amount of Rs 42.52 crore to construct 12,150 toilet units on January 21 this year.

Rajiv Swagruha Corporation in financial crisis

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Housing Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday admitted that the Rajiv Swagruha Corporation was in financial crisis.

Replying to a question raised by MLA Bojjala Gopala Krishna Reddy and others during Question Hour in the State Legislative Assembly, the minister said that 6,490 houses were constructed and 1,771 houses are handed over to the allottees by the corporation. The minister informed that the government has constituted a Group of Ministers to recommend measures to be taken to overcome the financial crisis in the corporation and to complete the ongoing works.

Power crisis will deepen, JP

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The power crisis would worsen in the days to come if this situation continues, Los Satta leader Jai Prakash Narayan told the state legislative assembly.

Though the government had spent thousands of crores of rupees in the employment guarantee scheme it could not improve the water table by an inch, he said.

There is every need to separate the feeders for farmers and fix separate meters for them. This will enable the smooth functioning of the power distribution, he said.

Opposition hogs limelight on power scarcity

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Though power crisis has been the main subject that came up for discussion and the entire opposition slammed the ruling party, some parties did hog the limelight with their novel protests.

Today it was the turn of YSRCP. The MLAs entered the house with torch lights to protest against the government policies that has pushed the state into darkness. Their torch light entry hogged the lime light.

Earlier, it was lanterns by one party, empty pots to highlight the failure of government in providing drinking water.

IPL matches in TN only if no SL players, umpires, officials

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As protests in support of the Sri Lankan Tamils continued, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today said IPL matches would be permitted in the state only if there were no Sri Lankan players, umpires, officials or support staff in these matches.

“In view of the popular antipathy and anger in Tamil Nadu against the actions of the Government of Sri Lanka, the Government of Tamil Nadu is of the view that IPL matches involving Sri Lankan players, umpires and other officials should not be played in Tamil Nadu”, she said.

Mohammed Idrees awarded doctorate degree in Chemistry

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According to the press note issued by Additional Controller of Examination (Confidential) Osmania University, Mr. Mohammed Idrees, son of, Mr. Mohammed Ghouse has been awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D.) in chemistry for the thesis submitted by him.

He has presented his thesis under the supervision of Dr. S K Shukla, director Central Forensic Science Lab, Chandigarh on which he was awarded the doctorate degree by the university.

Siasat news

Change in school timings of SSC exam centres demanded

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Leaders of State Urdu Teachers Association Andhra Pradesh (SOTAA), Mohammed Abdul Nayeem, Mohammed Khursheed Ali, Mohammed Anwarul Baqi, Mohammed Abdul Jabbar, Afroz, Mohammed Khaja Moinuddin, Mohammed Abdul Qadeer Siddiqui, Nooruddin Quadri, Sajid Mohiuddin, Mohammed Siddique Ahmed, Mohammed Yousuf and Khaja Farooquddin Wahaj in a joint statement said that the department of education has fixed the school timings of the examination centres from 1 to 5 pm which causes inconvenience to the students.

Shiv Sena demands a ban on MIM

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Demanding that the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) should be banned throughout Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena said today that incidents which took place in the recent past have demoralised the police.

Raising the issue in the State Legislative Council during a debate on law and order in the state, Shiv Sena MLC Diwakar Raote said, “MIM was banned by the British. MIM chief Assaduddin Owaisi has been banned in Aurangabad, but his party should be banned in throughout Maharashtra”.

Bill Gates offers $1 mn for a ‘better’ condom

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Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft founder Bill Gates has set his sights and his vast wealth on a new way to improve the world – offering up to $1 million to anyone who can invent a “better” condom.

“We are looking for a ‘Next Generation Condom’ that significantly preserves or enhances pleasure, in order to improve uptake and regular use,” the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said on its “Grand Challenges in Global Health” website.

Gates is offering $100,000 in start-up funds and up to $1 million in additional money if the project is deemed promising.

Musharraf’s political future uncertain

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Former president Pervez Musharraf, who has ended four years of self exiles, says he wants to “save Pakistan” but his political future remains uncertain.

Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008, had lived in exile in Britain and the United Arab Emirates since he had resigned in August 2008, Xinhua reoported.

He launched the All Pakistan Muslim League during exile and will lead the campaign for his party and himself amid serious security threats by the Taliban militants.

Govt to introduce `National Policy on Drug Abuse`

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Seeking to check the alarming rise of drug abuse in various parts of the country, government will soon introduce a `National Policy on Drug Abuse` and has formed an expert committee to suggest guidelines for it.

The need to have a National Policy on Drug Abuse was felt for a long time. The Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry recently took the decision in this regard and an expert committee has been formed to study nation-wide scenario of drug and substance abuse, sources said here.