Month: April 2013

Will try to get Rajya Sabha nod for Lokpal bill: Narayanasamy

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The government will take steps to get the Lokpal bill passed in the Rajya Sabha soon, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions V. Narayanasamy said Saturday, seeking public help to weed out corruption.

Addressing the gathering at the 14th D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture organised by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here, Narayanasamy said corruption could be curbed by enhancing citizen participation in governance and promoting transparency.

TV new torchbearer in India: Mahesh Bhatt

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Supporting the government’s decision to filter TV content, leading filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt feels that “television is promising to be the new torchbearer”.

“Television in India is promising to be the new torchbearer. I interacted recently with the creative head of a TV network and in that discussion, I discovered that ideas that we were throwing up, the depths that we were exploring were so refreshing. And cinema was not giving me the space because huge amounts of money are invested in a movie,” Bhatt said at an interaction organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce here Friday.

Government plans to give LPG subsidy in cash to beneficiaries

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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 Saturday.

Addressing a media conference here, 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).

“We want to quickly move the LPG subsidy to direct benefit transfer scheme. The decision will be taken in a next few days when Moily and I meet,” he said.

Norway schools change exam schedule as Bieber performs

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Five schools in Norway have been forced to alter their exam dates out of fear that students won’t be able to focus when Justin Bieber comes to town to perform.

The Canadian singer will be in Norway performing for his Believe tour on April 16 and 17.

Secondary schools in western Norway have altered their spring exam schedule fearing their students will be too hysterical to focus, reported Contactmusic.

Sehwag, Harbhajan axed from India’s Champions Trophy probales list

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Senior cricketers Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh were omitted while Jammu and Kashmir all-rounder Parveez Rasool was today named in India’s 30-member probables list for the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in England in June this year.

Apart from the struggling Sehwag and Harbhajan, paceman Zaheer Khan, batsman Cheteswar Pujara and spinner Pragyan Ojha were also left out from the list of probables announced by BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale.

Urdu, Sanskrit are India’s culture, says Katju

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Press Council of India (PCI) chairman Markandey Katju Saturday said Urdu and Sanskrit are India’s culture, which unite the country, and called for making the two languages compulsory from Class 3 to 7.

Addressing a conference on ‘Urdu in changing times’ here, he also called for clearing the misconception that Urdu is a language of Muslims. He said Urdu and Sanskrit were born from the interaction among “our forefathers who came to the country from outside”.

Woman sets herself ablaze along with child in Bangalore

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Dejected with life, a 22-year-old woman set herself ablaze along with her one-year old daughter at her brother’s residence here today, police said.

According to police, frightened by her mother’s screams, the child ran to her and embraced her tightly resulting in her being burnt along with the mother.

Having separated from her husband recently, the deceased was staying with her brother.
Unable to take taunts of her neighbours for having separated from her husband, she was very depressed, police said.

Obama says sorry to ‘best-looking attorney general’

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A day after causing a stir by calling Indian-American Kamala Harris as “by far the best-looking attorney general”, President Barack Obama apologised to her for remarks that some branded sexist.

Obama spoke to California’s top law officer Thursday night after he came back from his trip to the state where he made the “offending” remark at a fundraiser for his Democratic Party Thursday.

British woman murdered in Srinagar houseboat, Dutchman held

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A 24-year-old British woman was found murdered Saturday in a houseboat on Dal Lake in Srinagar. A Dutch national who had also been living in the same houseboat has been arrested, police said.

The Dutchman had fled the houseboat early Saturday morning, but police found him at south Kashmir’s Qazigund town.

“A general alert was sounded across the Valley for the arrest of De-wit Richard, who had left the houseboat in the wee hours Saturday. He was arrested at Qazigund,” said Syed Afadul Mujtaba, deputy inspector general of police (DIG) central Kashmir range.

Naidu, wife take part in signature campaign

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TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu, his wife Bhuvaneswari and brother-in-law N Balakrishna participated in the signature campaign of TDP against the hike in power charges.

While Naidu signed East Godavari district, Bhuvaneswari came to party headquarters NTR Trust Bahvan to express her displeasure over the Government in handling the power situation. She signed at the party headquarters. N Balakrishana, who is on a tour, signed at Vijayawada to express his dissent.

Vijender dropped from Cyprus, Cuba boxing events

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Olympic bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh, who has been accused of consuming drugs, was Saturday dropped from the India squad which is to tour Cyprus and Cuba.

The 27-year-old had skipped the selection trials at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala Friday and Saturday. Earlier, the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) vice-president Nivaran Mukherjee had said that if Vijender missed the trials, he would not be considered for the two events.

Aarogyasri review meet held

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Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Saturday reviewed the implementation of the Aarogyasri scheme in the State.

Minister Kondru Murali and concerned officials participated in the meeting. While the government wanted to expand the scope of the scheme, private hospitals have threatened to pull out from the scheme if the tariff is not increased by May 3.

CM pays Tributes to Dr Anji Reddy

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Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy paid floral tributes to late Dr K Anji Reddy, Founder and Chairman of Dr Reddy Laboratories. A condolence meeting was held here on Saturday morning at Park Hyatt, Banjara Hills.

The Chief Minister said Dr. Reddy’s demise was a big loss to the State, particularly to the Pharma sector and said Dr Reddy was a trend setter in Pharma sector and recalled his outstanding contributions. He stated that Dr Reddy came from a very rural background and had a humble beginning and came up the hard way and reached an unenviable top position in the pharma sector.

Narendra Modi to campaign in five districts in K’taka: Shettar

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Narendra Modi will campaign in five districts for Karnataka assembly elections, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said today amid speculation on the extent of the Gujarat Chief Minister’s role in the canvassing.

“The party will utilise Modi’s services…,” Shettar told reporters after the party’s foundation day celebrations here. Modi will campaign in five districts, the Chief Minister said without elaborating. There are 30 districts in the state.

20 killed, 54 wounded in Iraq suicide bombing

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As many as 20 people were killed and 54 wounded on Saturday when a suicide bombing tore through an election rally in the city of Baquba, the capital of Diyala province in eastern Iraq.

The attack occurred around noon when a suicide bomber blew up his explosive vest at a rally of the election campaign of Muthanna al-Jourani, a candidate for the secular bloc of Iraqia, in Baquba, some 65 km northeast of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, a provincial police source told Xinhua.

“Our reports said that 20 people were killed and 54 wounded by the attack,” said the source.

LACK OF SINCERITY IN WORSHIP/WEAKNESS OF FAITH (EEMAAN)

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Weakness of faith (eeman) is a common complaint among many Muslims. Those who are aware and conscious of it struggle to find ways to overcome it. Faith, as we know, is directly connected with the heart.Allah (SWT) has warned us against the heart that is hardened, closed, sick, blind and sealed. The spiritual health of our hearts determines the strength of our faith. When our faith is weak, we can see it in our actions.

When our faith is weak, we are more likely to fall into sins until we completely get desensitized to their ghastly nature.

YSRCP to intensify agitation

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YSR Congress will further intensify the agitation against hike in power charges as the State government has failed to respond to the power crisis issue in the required manner.

The party has given a call to the cadre to picket all electricity sub-stations besides holding dharnas and taking out rallies at all district headquarters to express solidarity with the party leaders who are on indefinite fast here.

Rajagopal appears before CBI

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Former CMD of State Mineral Development Corporation (APSMDC) VD Rajagopal on Saturday appeared before the CBI.

Rajagopal appeared before CBI in connection with the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy Disproportionate Assets (DA) case. He was questioned about the allotment of limestone mines to cement companies.

Rajgopal is accused in the OMC illegal mining case along with IAS officer Sri Lakshmi and others. (INN)

Naidu will be CM, says Balakrishna

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Putting at rest all speculation of power tussle within the NTR family, Nandamuri Balakrishna today said that TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu will be the chief minister when the party comes to power.

There were wild speculations about who will be the next chief minister and with Balakrishna asserting that he will contest for the assembly, the speculation gained some currency. However, the film star said it will be his brother-in-law Chandrababu Naidu who will be the chief Minister. Balakrishna’s daughter Brahmini is married to Naidu’s son Lokesh.

Katju submitted a letter to CM Kiran urging him to pardon Abdul Qadeer

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Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju Saturday appealed to Andhra Pradesh government to release Abdul Qadeer, a former police constable who is in jail for last 22 years for gunning down a police officer.

Katju submitted a letter to Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy urging him to pardon the 51-year-old former constable on humanitarian grounds. Katju pointed out that Abdul Qadeer has already spent 22 years in jail and one of his legs was amputated due to diabetes.

Padma Shri Prof. Akhtarul Wasey

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Prof. Akhtarul Wasey is recognized as a distinguished academic specializing in multidisciplinary study of Islam and Indian Muslims. He is an able administrator of many institutions concerned with socio-cultural affairs of the Indian Muslims; Editor of four Journals of repute in English, Hindi and Urdu widely respected in the academic/ intellectual circles the world over about myriad aspects of Islamic thought and history.

Two children killed in house roof collapse

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Two minor girls were killed and another was injured when a roof of their house collapsed in Bhadasa village, police said today.

Sanjana (7), Priya (5) and Roshni were having their food when the house roof suddenly collapsed on them in Kanpur yesterday, police said.

On hearing their cries, the locals ran and took the girls out of the debris. Sanjana and Roshni died on the spot while Priya was admitted to a hospital in Sarsaul in critical condition.

She was later taken to Kanpur for treatment where her condition is still serious. Investigations are on in the matter, police said.

Benefits of drinking milk revealed

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Animal and dairy scientists have revealed that drinking milk at an early age can help mammals throughout their lives.

But understanding exactly how milk affects the body is a complicated story of hormones, antibodies and proteins, as well as other cells and compounds researchers have not yet identified.

Learning how milk affects offspring was the subject of the Lactation Biology Symposium, held as part of the 2012 Joint Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.

Bombs planted to attack security personnel recovered

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Two powerful bombs, allegedly planted by insurgents to attack security personnel, have been recovered from two places in Manipur’s Imphal West and Ukhrul districts, official sources said on Friday.

Sources said a bomb, weighing about two kg, was detected by a patrolling party of 18th Sikh Regiment at the end of culvert at Merakhong area under Patsoi police station in Imphal West district last evening.