Month: April 2013

Abu Dhabi police warn against over-speeding

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The Abu Dhabi Police has warned against the dangers of over-speeding on roads in the UAE.

A lecture organised by the Al Ain Traffic Institute under the title “Reduce Speed” was attended by 227 new recruits.

The lecture delivered by Captain Salem Ali Al Kutbi, director of training affairs at the institute, included a video showcasing the most common mistakes by motorists, which put them and other road users at risk.

It included videos on reckless driving that accounted for 96 percent of serious accidents in the UAE.

Russia contributes $1 mn to Red Cross mission in Syria

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Russia has contributed $1 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to finance its humanitarian operation in Syria, Russia’s foreign ministry said.

“During the entire crisis in Syria, Russia has been supporting the ICRC’s active efforts in providing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population,” the ministry said in a statement.

About 70,000 people have died in Syria since the start of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, according to UN estimates.

Russian officer jailed for $1.5 mn fraud

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A former Russian Federal Security Service (or FSB) officer has been sentenced by a Moscow court to two years in prison in a $1.5 million fraud case, the interior ministry said.

Andrei Ponkin and his accomplice Telman Aleskerov, posing as finance ministry officials, offered to help get embezzlement charges against an unnamed former bank official dropped for $1.5 million in November 2012.

They were detained after accepting an advance payment of 1.5 million rubles (about $50,000).

Both men admitted their guilt.

Aleskerov was also sentenced to two years in prison.

Putin to take up literature, sports after quitting politics

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Literature, sports, jurisprudence and public projects will top the list of Vladimir Putin’s interests when he decides to quit politics, the Russian president said.

“I do expect that after my retirement from political life and public service I will have an opportunity to busy myself with other things and challenges,” Putin said.

Moscow has world’s worst traffic

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With its notorious traffic jams, the Russian capital has topped a “congestion index” among 161 cities with a population of more than 800,000.

The 2012 Congestion Index was released by Dutch company TomTom, which specialises in GPS navigation technology.

Traffic in the capital makes an average journey 66 percent longer than during off-peak hours. The figure reaches 106 percent during morning rush hour and 138 percent in the evening, according to TomTom’s annual report.

On average, Moscow drivers spent 127 hours in traffic jams in 2012.

WWII arsenal found in Russian apartment

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An arsenal of World War II firearms have been discovered in Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad in an apartment belonging to a local resident.

An MG 34 machine gun, MP 38 and MP 40 sub-machine guns, a PPSh sub-machine gun and also five bolts, three pistol grips with trigger mechanisms, and six gun barrels from an unidentified model were found, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said.

In addition, there were also 220 rounds of ammunition in the apartment.

The weaponry is being examined by experts.

–IANS

Advanced Sukhoi to be unveiled in Paris show

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Russia will unveil its most advanced aircraft, the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker fighter jet and the Ka-52 Alligator helicopter gunship, at the Paris air show in June.

United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) spokesman Boris Krylov said the company will also display the Yak-130 Mitten combat jet trainer.

The Su-35 multirole fighter, powered by two 117S engines with thrust vectoring, combines high manoeuverability and the capability to engage several air targets simultaneously using both guided and unguided missiles and weapon systems.

Missing answer sheets: Students to get pass marks

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Saving sections of class X students of two schools from the ordeal of a re-exam after their answer sheets of the ongoing board exams were lost or damaged in transit, Tamil Nadu Government today announced they would be given at least pass marks. Replying to a special call attention by members of various parties, state Minister for School Education, Sports and Youth Affairs Vaigai Selvan said two bundles accidentally fell off a train near Vridhachalam in Cuddalore District on March 29 while being taken to the valuation centre.

Steyn takes 3 wkts in an over in Sunrisers’ win over Warriors

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Tearaway pacer Dale Steyn grabbed three wickets in a sensational over as Sunrisers Hyderabad spanked Pune Warriors by 22 runs in a low-scoring Pepsi IPL match here today. Playing in their first match of the IPL under a new name, the Sunrisers defended a small total of 126 for six with their bowlers producing a disciplined show to bundle out the Warriors for 104 in 18.5 overs at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. Steyn dismissed tailenders Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3), Rahul Sharma (0) and Ashok Dinda (0) in the space of four balls in the 19th over to end the Warriors’ innings.

Assault on govt clerk: AP minister booked

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A day after a government clerk working with anti-naxalite force Greyhounds was allegedly beaten up, a case was filed against Andhra Pradesh Minister for Labour Danam Nagender and three others in connection with the assault. Nagender allegedly instructed his associates to thrash Sambasiva Rao, a camp clerk working with Additional Director General (Greyhounds), yesterday after he had lodged a complaint against two youths believed to be supporters of the minister who had earlier beaten him near a traffic signal in the posh Banjara Hills area, sources said.

Dipda Darwaza riot case: SIT files appeal in Gujarat HC

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A Special Investigation Team (SIT) today moved the Gujarat High Court against a special court’s judgement in a 2002 riot case in which 11 members of a family, nine of them women and children, were killed. The judgement in the Deepda Darwaza riot case was delivered on July 30, 2012. Designated Judge S C Srivastava had awarded life imprisonment to 21 people, a year in jail to a retired police officer and acquitted 61 other accused. “We have, in our appeal, challenged the acquittal of 61 by the Special Court as well as conviction of 21 accused under IPC Section 307 (attempt to murder).

Ishrat case: Arrested Gujarat police officer alleges torture by CBI

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Suspended Gujarat police officer N K Amin, arrested by CBI in the alleged fake encounter of Mumbai girl Ishrat Jahan and three others near Ahmedabad in 2004, on Friday told a court that he was tortured by the investigation agency. Amin, a suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police, was arrested on Thursday.

Facebook post sparks tension in Meerut, 12 injured

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An inflamatory post on social networking site Facebook resulted in communal tension in Meerut on Friday as angry members of a community stoned a mini-truck and a bus carrying a marriage party, police said. Soon after the post lampooning a specific religion was noticed, mobs took to the streets raising slogans and pelting stones.

BJP leader’s assault: Police say no case was lodged by Vani Tripathi

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A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader has alleged that she was assaulted by a gang of drunk men in Delhi late on Thursday. Police, however, said the politician had “arrived at a compromise with the other party” and that none of the men were drunk.

“No action has been taken as she (the BJP leader) did not register a complaint and arrived at a compromise with the other party,” a police officer told IANS.

Pope Francis urges decisive action against sex abuse

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Pope Francis wants the Catholic Church to “act decisively” to root out sexual abuse of children by priests and ensure the perpetrators are punished, the Vatican said on Friday.

Francis, in a meeting with the Holy See’s doctrinal chief, Archbishop Gerhard Mueller, had declared that combating sexual abuse was important “for the Church and its credibility”, a statement said.

SRK, Gauri, Priyanka to attend award show in Vancouver

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Actress Neha Dhupia, who was hosting the event, began with a question for the audience Kaun Banega Neha Dhupia Ka Pati?.

The 32-year-old told the crowd that since her mother keeps nagging her to get married, she would find a suitable Punjabi munda for herself from among the audience.

The actress even selected some and gave them a chance to show off their talent by dancing on ‘item numbers’ like Fevicol Se and Sheila Ki Jawaani.

Hope Narendra Modi does not repay debt to Mother India like in Gujarat riots: Congress

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Union Minister Manish Tewari reacted to a question on Narendra Modi’s statements that time had come to repay India’s debts by saying, “As someone who believes in the idea of India, who believes in the plurality of Indian ethos, who is committed to the founding values of the Indian Constitution, I often worry about the statements of the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. I hope he doesn’t want to do in the rest of India what he did in Gujarat in 2002.”

We have empowered enforcers, says Rahul Dravid

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Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid today said that he wants his pace bowlers to be the enforcers when they take on Delhi Daredevils in their opening match of IPL 6, here tomorrow.

“We want to use our quick bowlers as enforcers and want them to bowl really quick. There is a shock value attached to a pace bowler and we want to utilise that,” Dravid told reporters at the pre-match interaction here.

“I feel a bowler needs variation in pace or should be really quick to succeed in this format. That is why the quick bowlers are one of the sought after commodity in an auction, he added.

No change in Narendra Modi’s visa issue: US

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The US on Friday made it clear that there was “no change” in its stand of not granting visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, but said he was welcome to apply and the case would be reviewed on merits.

“There is no change (in US policy)… he (Modi) is welcome to apply. All visa decisions are made on a case by case basis, and I’m not going to prejudge it here,” State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters here.

Responding to questions on the invitation extended to Modi by a delegation of US lawmakers last week, Nuland said there is no change in US policy.

Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Pune warriors by 22 runs

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Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Pune Warriors by 22 runs in their first match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here Friday.

Chasing a a target of 127 runs, Pune Warriors were bowled out for 104 runs with seven balls to spare.

Woman stabbed to death inside house

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A 55-year-old woman was found stabbed to death inside her residence here Friday evening, police said.

The incident was reported around 5.30 p.m. from east Delhi’s Gokalpuri.

“Sansarwati was stabbed in her stomach by any unidentified person. She was found in a pool of blood at her ground floor bedroom and taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared her dead,” said a police officer.

A case has been registered, but police is yet to ascertain the reason behind the murder.

The murder weapon is also missing from the spot, said the officer.

Jagan group MLAs want to be Disqualified

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JAGAN GROUP MLAS WANT TO BE DISQUALIFIED
Hyderabad, April 5 (NSS): Thirteen MLAs belonging to the Y S Jaganmohan Reddy’s group, who had voted against the government during the recent no-confidence motion, wrote to Speaker Nadendla Manohar to disqualify them immediately.
In the open letter, they stated that they should be disqualified and by-elections held immediately.

No need to reply to baseless charges: Komati reddy

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Nalgonda, April 5 (NSS): Former minister and Nalgonda MLA Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has said there was no need to respond to the baseless allegations leveled by his party leaders at the Bhongir meeting held a few days ago.