Month: April 2013

Rajnath takes on Cong for calling Modi `Yamaraj’

by

BJP president Rajnath Singh on Saturday described Narendra Modi as the “most popular” leader and said his party has decided to leave it to the people to give befitting reply to Congress for comparing the Gujarat chief minister to `Yamaraj’.

Singh, the only prominent national leader present at the Gujarat BJP’s function in Ahmedabad to celebrate party’s foundation day, was felicitated on the occasion.

Singh also praised Modi and compared him to Sardar Patel and Mahatma Gandhi, both from Gujarat.

Obama apologises to Kamla Harris for his sexist remarks: WH

by

US President Barack Obama has apologised to Kamla Harris, the California Attorney General, for his comment in which he described the Indian-American as the best-looking attorney general of America – which many here alleged was a sexist remark.
Obama called Harris last night to “apologise” for both his “remarks” and the “distraction” that it caused for one of the brilliant attorney generals of the country, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters.

Law to let IIMs award degrees under consideration: IIM-C director

by

The union human resource development ministry is considering introduction of a legislation empowering Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) to award degrees instead of diplomas, IIM-Calcutta’s outgoing director Sekhar Chaudhuri said here Saturday.

“A legislation on this is under serious consideration of the HRD ministry,’ said Chaudhuri while addressing the 48th annual convocation of the institute.

“The authority to award degrees will provide tremendous academic flexibility to the IIMs to develop a variety of programmes that are not feasible today,” he said.

IPL: Mumbai clinch humdinger against Chennai

by

Mumbai Indians defeated the formidable Chennai Super Kings in their own backyard for their first win in the Indian Premier League here Saturday.

The visitors pulled off a stunning win after Chennai fell short of their 148 for six by nine runs. Kieron Pollard starred for Mumbai by smashing 57 off 38 balls and led their recovery from 83 for six in 12 overs.

Rani Kumudini heads to agricultural ministry as JS

by

Principal secretary Minority Welfare IAS AP:1988 has been appointed as joint secretary in the Union Ministry of Agriculture. Chief secretary Minnie Mathew issued GO RT 1548 in this connection. Earlier the government accepted leave application submitted by Rani Kumudini. The government has given additional charge of Minority Welfare to Principal Secretary Social Welfare Raymond Peter. Rani Kumudini will take over as the new Joint Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation from May 1.

Abu Dhabi water park to start ‘ladies night’

by

In a move necessitated by popular demand, the Yas Waterworld park in Abu Dhabi will launch a special “Ladies Night” every week, when men will not be admitted to the park.

Starting April 18, from 8 p.m. until midnight every Thursday in the months of April and May, the park will be open only for female visitors, while in June the timings will be from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m..

However, boys under eight years will be allowed access along with their female relatives on production of a valid photo ID or birth certificate as proof of age.

Mobile users in Middle East victims of cyber crime: Study

by

Lack of precaution by mobile users can have unfortunate consequences. Close to two in five mobile users in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have fallen victims to mobile cyber crime, says a new study.

The study by Norton anti-virus producer Symantec showed that nearly nine out of 10 online adults (87 percent) in the MENA are mobile device users, of which a large majority (78 percent) use them to access the internet.

The study revealed that few people take necessary precautions to keep their devices and content safe and secure.

Iran n-talks: No breakthrough, but step forward

by

The latest round of talks between six world powers and Iran on its nuclear programme has been “definitely a step forward”, although it ended with no clear breakthrough, Russia’s top negotiator on Iran said.

“Definitely, it is a step forward. There is no doubt in this,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said at the end of the two-day talks in Almaty.

He said the talks were “detailed” although the sides failed to “reach common ground”.

“At this time again, we have failed to embark on a true search for a compromise,” the negotiator said.

120 tonnes of radioactive water leak from Fukushima

by

About 120 tonnes of radioactive water has leaked from the disaster-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, the plant’s operator said.

The water came from one of the seven underground reservoir tanks storing water for cooling Fukushima’s reactors, the Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) said in a statement.

TEPCO did not say what caused the leak or when did it appear, but said it assumed “that there is no leakage to the ocean since there is no drainage ditch near the reservoir”.

The tank is located abtout 800 metres from the sea.

Four Italian journalists abducted in Syria

by

Four Italian journalists have been abducted in northern Syria, Italy’s ANSA news agency reported.

A foreign ministry statement said a crisis response team has been set up to handle the issue.

Italian authorities called the media to be as careful as possible in their reports, citing the safety of the journalists.

“The safety of our compatriots remains our foremost priority,” ANSA quoted the statement as saying.

The news came shortly after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad signed a decree to toughen punishment for kidnapping charges.

ICET-2013: free coaching for minorities

by

According to Dr. S A Shukoor Director CEDM, Centre for Educational development for Minority communities under the aegis of Andhra Pradesh Minority Welfare Department, is conducting free coaching for minority candidates (Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi) appearing for ICET-2013, from 22-4-2013 to 15-5-2013 at following centres:

MFC scam: report to be submitted tomorrow

by

The team of officials investigating into Minority Finance Corporation scam has completed its probe and it is likely to submit the report to the government on Monday. The Rs 57.55 crore AP State Minorities Finance Corporation (APSMFC) scam broke out in October last year following which the government suspended three officials of the corporation including managing director. An investigative committee was formed to investigate into the scam led by Parveen Baig the then joint secretary Minority Welfare and Mr. M A Ghafoor officer on special duty AP Warehousing Corporation was made the convenor.

Delhi gangrape case: Accused pleads not to be sent back to Tihar Jail

by

One of the accused in the December 16 gangrape on Saturday again pleaded the special court hearing the case not to send him back to Tihar, alleging that he was assaulted by prison security personnel who have threatened to kill him, a charge denied by the jail authorities. Accused Vinay Sharma, who suffered a hand fracture on Friday, requested Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna not to send him to Tihar alleging that jail officials have threatened to kill him by hanging him in his cell on Sunday.

Sectarian clashes kill five north of Cairo: security

by

Sectarian violence that erupted overnight north of Cairo killed five people, including four Christians, and left six other people wounded, an Egyptian security source said today.

The clashes, which saw the use of firearms, flared yesterday night in Al-Khusus, a poor area in Qalyubia
governorate, after a Muslim in his 50s objected to children drawing a swastika on a religious institute, the source told AFP.

Justice Katju’s remarks on T uncalled for: TRS

by

Telangana Rashtra Samithi has strongly reacted against Press Council of India (PCI) Chairman Justice Markandey Katju’s remarks over separate Telangana statehood. Party’s former MP Vinod Kumar and party spokesman Dr. Shrawan told to media persons that the remarks that, there was no merit in the demand for separate Telangana state and if Telangana state was given, then every district would claim separate statehood, are uncalled for.

Government plans to give LPG subsidy in cash

by

The government is planning to start transferring the subsidy for cooking gas in cash under the direct benefit transfer scheme, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said on Saturday. Addressing a media conference in Delhi, Chidambaram said he would soon meet Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily and sort out the issues related to the direct cash transfer for liquified petroleum gas (LPG).

Will take appropriate decision on N Korean advisory: Indian

by

India today said it has taken note of a North Korean evacuation advisory to foreign missions in Pyong Yang amidst global concerns that the isolated state was preparing a missile launch at a time of heightened nuclear tensions.

India has taken note of it and is in touch with our mission. We will take an appropriate decision in time,”
official spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Syed Akbaruddin said.

North Korea had warned yesterday that it could not guarantee the safety of diplomats after next Wednesday and
asked embassies to consider moving staff out of the country.

Jodhpur civil airport judged best in customer satisfaction

by

The Jodhpur civil airport has been adjudged by an independent survey as the best airport in country in terms of customer satisfaction.

Conducted by an independent agency, the survey gave the airport maximum points on the customer satisfaction index out
of country’s 52 airports spread over five regions, Director S N Borkar said at a press conference here.

Borkar received the award from Minister of State for Civil Aviation K C Venugopal at a function in Delhi on April 1 on the foundation day of Airport Authority of India.

Girlfriend of PLFI leader among four arrested after encounter

by

A top “commander” of People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) managed to escape but his “girl friend” was among the four extremists arrested following an encounter at Devgai situated on the outskirts of Ranchi today.

“Four PLFI members, including the girl friend of PLFI commander Tulsi Pahan, were arrested near Tupudana after an
exchange of gunfire,” Senior Superintendent of Police Saket Kumar Singh said here.

Pahan, however, managed to escape, he said.

The police fired ten rounds before the ultras retreated after raids led by officers-in-charge of Angara and

Woman accused consumes cleaning liquid in police station, dies

by

A 37-year-old woman arrested in connection with a theft case allegedly committed suicide by drinking a toilet cleaning solution inside a police station in suburban Kandivali today, police said.

“Radha Hiwale was brought to the police station after she was apprehended around 9:20 AM from her residence in Damu Nagar slums in Kandivali, for allegedly stealing gold ornaments worth Rs 44,000 from a house where she was employed as a domestic help,” senior inspector at Samata Nagar police station, Nana Kamble, said.

Pak may use LeT for proxy war in Kashmir: US report

by

Raising the spectre of a renewed conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, a US study has warned that Islamabad may well turn to trusted Pakistani militant groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), to do its bidding.

For the past two decades LeT, the group behind the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that killed 166 people, has steadily emerged as one of Pakistan’s most lethal and capable militant proxy groups, according to the study.

Ishrat case: Guj police officer Amin sent to CBI custody

by

The special CBI court here today remanded suspended Gujarat police officer Narendra Amin in six-day (till April 12) CBI custody in college student Ishrat Jahan fake encounter killing case.

CBI had sought 14 days’ custody. Amin, a suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police, was arrested by the agency on
Thursday from a hospital here.

The order on CBI’s remand application had been reserved by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate H S Khutwad yesterday after Amin alleged torture. “I was severely beaten up and also verbally abused by the CBI officers in custody,” he had said.

Authorities: 11 killed in northeast Nigeria attack

by

Authorities in northeast Nigeria say at least 11 people were killed in a gun and machete attack carried out by radical Islamic extremists in a northeast Nigeria village.

Adamawa state police spokesman Mohammed Ibrahim said the attacker hit the village of Midlu early today, targeting the house of the state’s deputy governor during their assault.

Ibrahim said victims had their throats slit. Villagers living there said the attackers called out some of their
victims by name, suggesting that the assailants had particular people they wanted dead.

YSR Congress to intensify agitation over power tariff hike

by

YSR Congress on Saturday said with the Congress-led Andhra Pradesh government not responding adequately to the issue of power tariff hike, it would intensify its agitation demanding roll-back in the increase.

The party has asked its cadre to “picket all electricity sub-stations besides holding dharnas and taking out rallies in all district headquarters to express solidarity with the party leaders who are on an indefinite fast here”.

Two AAU students found dead under mysterious condition in Assam

by

Bodies of two students of Assam Agriculture University (AAU) here were recovered from separate places under mysterious conditions on Saturday, official sources said.

An MSC student of the Department of Haematology identified as Kusum Tripura hailing from Tripura did not open his hostel door after knocking by his friends for two hours.

The door of the room was then broken open and he was rushed to the Jorhat Medical College Hospital where he was declared brought dead, the sources said.

The body of Tripura was sent for postmortem.