Month: March 2013

Military-style drones to fly over New York City: B

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Not many New Yorkers have bought into New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s idea that military-style drones will soon be patrolling the skies above the city.

Bloomberg added that face-recognition software will also monitor each and every move of the denizens in the style of the 2002 Tom Cruise starrer Minority Report.

Putting the timeframe for an all-seeing society at about five years with cameras situated at every place, Bloomberg said that the city is going to have more visibility although the residents have to pay for an increase in security with a lack of privacy.

Fidayeen attack kills 17 Pak security personnel

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At least 17 Pakistani soldiers were killed when a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden water tanker into a check post in the restive North Waziristan tribal region of the country.

Six security personnel were killed instantly when the attacker last night rammed the tanker into Esha check post near Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan Agency.

Musharraf returns from exile for polls, vows to save Pakistan

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Former military dictator Pervez Musharraf on Sunday ended nearly four years in self-exile defying threats of arrest and assassination by Taliban, saying that he returned home to “save” Pakistan and would face all “challenges” that lay ahead.

69-year-old Musharraf along with a delegation of around 150 people, including supporters from his All Pakistan Muslim League and journalists, landed at Jinnah International airport here by a chartered Emirates flight from Dubai.

US to hand prison over to Afghans

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The US military is handing over to the Afghan government the only detention facility in the country that was under American control. The transfer comes a year after the two sides initially agreed on the handover.

A transfer ceremony was scheduled for on Monday at the Parwan Detention Facility, which is next to the US-run Bagram military base north of Kabul.

The US was supposed to fully hand over the facility last September after signing an agreement to do so a year ago.

GHMC to be slum free

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Municipal Administration Minister M Maheedhar Reddy on Monday informed the State Legislative Assembly that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has prepared Slum Free City Plan of Action and prioritised the slums based on social status and deficiencies in infrastructure facilities.

Assembly begins debate on energy crisis

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Following strong protest from the Opposition parties, the State Legislative Assembly on Monday began debate on the power crisis.

Initiating the debate, TDP MLA P Keshav alleged that the State was reeling under severe power crisis. He said that the situation was so worse that some emergency operations were performed under candle lights. He said farmers, industries and students were badly hit due to the power crisis. He also accused the government of harassing those who are protesting against the power crisis.

Speaker disallows adjournment motions on Monday.

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Speaker Nadendla Manohar on Monday disallowed four adjournment motion notices given by different parties.

As soon as the House met on Monday, TDP gave adjournment motion notice on law and order issue, YSR Congress party on drinking water crisis, TRS, CPI, CPI (M) and Nagam Janardhan Reddy on power crisis and BJP gave adjournment motion notice demanding resolution on Telangana.

Khoso sworn in as Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister

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Mir Hazar Khan Khoso was on Monday sworn in as Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister by President Asif Ali Zardari during a ceremony held at the presidency.

The ceremony was attended by former premiers Raja Pervez Ashraf and Yousuf Raza Gilani, leaders of political parties, top military officials, bureaucrats and diplomats.

Khoso sat on the dais alongside Zardari and Ashraf during the brief ceremony held a day after the 84-year-old former judge was chosen by the Election Commission as the caretaker Prime Minister to conduct the general election scheduled for May 11.

Cyprus secures bailout deal; avoids bankruptcy

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Eurozone finance ministers had approved a new bailout plan for Cyprus, putting an end to uncertainties over the fate of the Mediterranean island country in the euro area, the Eurogroup head said early Monday.

“Eurogroup has reached political agreement with the Cypriot authorities on a financial assistance program,” Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem said at a press conference after hours of tough negotiations.

Buddhist-Muslim violence spreads in Myanmar

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Anti-Muslim mobs rampaged through three more towns in Myanmar’s predominantly Buddhist heartland over the weekend, destroying mosques and burning dozens of homes despite government efforts to stop the nation’s latest outbreak of sectarian violence from spreading.

Delhi gang-rape accused Mukesh hospitalised

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Proceedings in the Delhi gang-rape case was Monday adjourned for an hour when one of the accused could not be brought to the fast track court hearing the matter as as he was admitted to Safdarjung Hospital for chest pain.

Mukesh, brother of deceased accused Ram Singh, was rushed to Safdurjung hospital after he complained of chest pain during the transit from Tihar jail to Saket court complex, special public prosecutor Dayan Krishnan informed Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna.

Council pays homage to Yadagiri

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The state legislative council paid homage to sitting member P Yadagiri who died on Saturday.

Yadagiri (TDP) was suffering due to illness for some time and passed away at his Tirumalgiri residence. The house condoled his death and was adjourned for the day. (INN)

TDP ,YSRCP express solidarity with Left parties

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About 20 TDP MLAs called upon the Left Parties leaders who are on indefinite strike at Indira park in protest against the power charges. They expressed solidarity with them.

M Narsimhulu alleged that YSR has spoiled the power structure of the state. Projects were given to private parties and had seen to it that his son could power projects at other places in the country. Congress and YSRCP are responsible for the power crisis in the state, he said.

South Korean national molested in city

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A South Korean national was allegedly molested while boarding a bus in the city’s Thakurpukur area this morning.

The accused was arrested after the victim lodged a compliant at the Burrabazar police station, Deputy Commissioner of police (central) D P Singh said.

The accused was arrested under section 354 of the IPC (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and will be produced in court today, he added.

–_PTI

RTC losses on the slide

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RTC Managing Director AK Khan has said that the Corporation losses have decreased when compared to previous year.

AK Khan, who flagged off the Miyapur RTC Super bus here on Monday, said that in the next financial year the RTC will introduce a fleet of 2,000 new buses. He said that they were unable to run the CNG buses due to shortage of gas supply.

When asked about the hike in student bus pass fare, he said there was no hike for student bus pass fare for the past 20 years. (INN)

CM calls on Shankar Rao

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Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday called on former minister Dr P Shankar Rao who is not keeping well.

It is understood that Shankar Rao has asked the Chief Minister to constitute a House Committee to probe into the circumstances leading to his arrest. Shankar Rao was sitting in Speaker Nadendla Manohar’s chambers when the Chief Minister met him.

Pakistan military demands foolproof security for Musharraf

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Pakistan’s security establishment has demanded foolproof security for ex-military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who is facing a Taliban death threat following his return to the country from self-exile, a media report said.

The General Headquarters wrote a letter to the Defence Ministry seeking security for Musharraf, who flew into Karachi from Dubai yesterday, The Express Tribune reported on Monday.

The Defence Ministry forwarded the request to the Interior Ministry, which will ensure proper security for the former President, the paper quoted a defence source as saying.

Congress takes on Mulayam over concept of third front, others offer mixed views

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Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh on Monday denounced Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav”s concept of third front forming the government after 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

“Some regional and political parties are such that for them only power matters. That is why when their circumstances change, people work according to the change. So, whatever he has said is nothing new,” he said.

Congress leader Rashid Masood said that coalition government would be formed, but added that the third front had no identity.

Palestinian Authority says key to resuming peace talks in ‘hands of Israel’

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The Palestinian Authority has said that the key to resuming the stalled peace talks was in the hands of Israel.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat reiterated its opposition to resuming peace talks with Israel without a full cessation of settlement construction and the release of prisoners.

According to the Jerusalem Post, the remarks came after a meeting between PA President Mahmoud Abbas and US Secretary of State John Kerry in Amman on Saturday.

DMK not to provide outside support to UPA

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The DMK would not provide outside support to the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), a party leader said Monday.

“We are clear… we will not offer any outside support to the UPA government,” DMK leader Tiruchi Siva told IANS.

Dodging questions on a rift within the party, he said former union minister M.K. Alagiri did not attend the party executive meeting as “he was not well”.

The DMK withdrew from the UPA government over the UN resolution on Sri Lanka. It had demanded that India adopt a strongly worded resolution against Sri Lanka, incorporating the word “genocide”.

Special court to try Italian marines

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The Delhi High Court has set up a special court for trial of the two Italian marines accused of killing two Kerala fishermen.

The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) of Patiala House court will hold trial of the two Italian marines, Massimilano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, high court sources said Monday.

Following a Jan 18 direction from the Supreme Court, the union government had March 23 asked the high court to constitute a special court in the case.

Court acquits man accused of raping estranged wife

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A man accused of detaining and repeatedly raping his estranged wife after their divorce, has been acquitted by a Delhi court which said that the woman’s statement was not “reliable and trustworthy”.

The special fast track court freed Delhi resident Rupesh Kumar who was arrested on a complaint by his estranged wife alleging that he had obtained divorce by “playing fraud” on her and repeatedly raped her by keeping her in his house.

Kayani, John Kerry discuss Afghanistan

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Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has met US Secretary of State John Kerry in Jordan and held discussion over the reconciliation process in Afghanistan, Geo News reported Monday.

The two sides also talked about security issues concerning the South Asia region during their meet held Sunday.

As international forces led by the US prepare to draw down from Afghanistan, India earlier warned that Kabul was still facing an existential threat from terrorist groups ranging from Al Qaeda to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Skype exposing users’ IP addresses

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Online call service Skype is constantly exposes users’ Internet addresses to the entire world, giving criminals chance to better target cyber attacks and rivals to locate people.

The Wall Street Journal and other news outlets had warned about research that showed it was possible to coax Skype into revealing the IP addresses of individual Skype users.

Since then a number of services have emerged to help snoops exploit this vulnerability to track and harass others online.

Comet, not asteroid, wiped out dinosaurs

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A speeding comet, rather than an asteroid, slammed into the Earth 65 million years ago and sparked the extinction of the dinosaurs, scientists claim.

Many scientists believe the 180 km Chicxulub crater in Mexico was made by the impact that caused the extinction of dinosaurs and about 70 percent of all species on Earth.

The crater was probably blasted out by a faster, smaller object than previously thought, according to the new study presented at the 44th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in The Woodlands, Texas.