Month: May 2013

Fate of Ashwini Kumar and Pawan Kumar Bansal uncertain

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New Delhi, May 5 (ANI): The core committee of the Congress party is meeting in the national capital to discuss various issues including the future of Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Law Minister Ashwani Kumar following the demands for their resignation. The meeting is being held at Prime Minister”s Manmohan Singh”s residence. Amid mounting demand for removal of Railway minister PK Bansal from the Union Cabinet, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday held consultations with defence minister AK Antony on the issue.

Over 68 percent voting reported in Karnataka elections, polling peaceful: EC

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Bangalore, May 5 (ANI): Over 68 percent of the people eligible to exercise their franchise, voted in Sunday’s single-phase assembly elections in Karnataka on Sunday, the state’s chief electoral officer said. Declaring that the voting process was by and large peaceful, the CEO said this evening that initially there was a lukewarm response, but polling picked up after 3 p.m. He admitted that there were reports of a few minor untoward incidents, but added that polling went off peacefully.

Julian Assange likely to languish longer in Ecuador embassy: Lawyer

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Sydney, May 5 (ANI): Wikileaks founder Julian Assange could still be languishing in the Ecuadorean embassy in London in six months, according to his lawyer. Speaking ahead of the TEDx conference, human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson said she last saw Assange before flying to Australia last week, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. Robinson said Assange is coping as well as anyone can be expected to cope when they have been confined effectively to a room with no natural light for almost a year.

Gupta family apologises for ”scandalous” wedding in S Africa, but probe to continue

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Johannesburg, May 5 (ANI): The wealthy Gupta family has apologized for the scandalous family wedding in South Africa, but the apology might have come a little too late since several officials, including a top diplomat, were suspended for their parts in the controversy. The Gupta family, which owns The New Age newspaper and Sahara Computers, was celebrating the wedding of Vega Gupta, 23, to Indian-born Aaskash Jahajgarhia at Sun City in North West, reports News24.

”Smartphone chat apps taking over text messaging” Home

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Wellington, May 5 (ANI): Chat apps and free messaging services designed for smartphones are slowly killing text messaging with businesses and teenagers shifting their way of communication. Teenagers like 16-year-old James McMinn from North Auckland are now turning to Apple”s iMessage and chatting on Facebook despite being on a mobile phone plan which offers him “unlimited texts”, reports Stuff.co.nz.

Opposition parties aggressively demand removal of Bansal

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New Delhi/ Patna/ Moradabad, May 5 (ANI): The demand for the dismissal of Railway Minister, Pawan Kumar Bansal intensified on Sunday as protesters burned his effigies in Moradabad shouting slogans against the Rail Minister and the Government. Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, Nilotpal Basu said that although Bansal was not directly involved in this case, he must step down from his post as a minister, as it would hinder the investigation process.

Nawaz Sharif promises to launch probe into Kargil conflict if party comes to power

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Lahore, May 5 (ANI): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif has said that if voted to power, he would constitute a commission to probe Kargil conflict and its investigation report would be made public. Sharif said that no issue can be resolved at gunpoint, adding that all options including dialogue should be used to resolve the issue of terrorism, reports The News. Sharif further said that if he comes to power, he would ensure the Army doesn”t interfere in the affairs of the civilian government. (ANI)

Toxic waste sites in India cause `healthy years of life lost`

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Washington, May 5 (ANI): A study by a Mount Sinai researcher has revealed that toxic waste sites with elevated levels of lead and chromium cause a high number of “healthy years of life lost” in individuals living near 373 sites located in India, Philippines and Indonesia.

The study leader, Kevin Chatham-Stephens, MD, Pediatric Environmental Health Fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, presented the findings at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC.

6 steps to prevent skin cancer

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Washington, May 5 (ANI): In observance of May`s Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) has provided tips for prevention and early detection.

When left untreated, melanoma is the most dangerous and aggressive form of skin cancer, accounting for more than 9,000 of the 12,000-plus skin cancer deaths each year.

Exercise may help prevent kidney stones in older women

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New York, May 5 (ANI): Just a couple hours of exercise a week, of any intensity, can help prevent kidney stones from forming, a large study on women aged over 50 has found.

The study noted that even walking for a couple hours a week could cut the risk of developing this painful and common problem by about one-third, the New York Daily News reported.

Dr. Mathew Sorensen of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, who led the study, said that just getting a minimum amount of exercise could help.

Stoning not supported by Islamic law, says Qatar scholar

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Doha, May 5 (ANI): An article in a Qatari magazine that the stoning of adulterous married husbands or wives was not supported by Islamic law is set to ignite a heated debate in the country. Shaikh Isam Talimah, in an interview published by magazine Al Dana in the Qatari capital Doha, said that stoning was a Jewish tradition that was initially taken up by Muslims, but insisted that it was later replaced with lashing, reports Gulf News.

Pak hardliner party issues fatwa against voting for ”haram” Imran Khan

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Islamabad, May 5 (ANI): Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman has issued a decree (fatwa) against Imran Khan, saying that vote to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief is ”haram”. The Daily Times quoted Fazl as saying that Imran was an agent of ”Ahmedi” and Zionist lobbies. Fazl also reminded that Imran gave a fake decree with the reference of Maulana Saeed Ahmad Usmani, who had passed away in 2010. A few days ago, the JUI-F leader had accused Imran of being supported and funded by Ahmedis, saying that the PTI chief had promised to benefit the lobby if voted to power.

Kin of Indian prisoner of war hopes safety in Pakistan prison

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Dharamsala, May 5 (ANI): In the wake of recent brutal assault and death of Sarabjit Singh, kin of Indian prisoner of war in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday hoped for the safety of their relative reportedly languishing in a Pakistan jail. Sarabjit Singh”s tragic ordeal has shaken the family of missing Indian Army Captain K.C Sharma living in the hilly town of Dharamsala.

Porn sites attract more visitors than Netflix, Amazon and Twitter combined

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Washington, May 05 (ANI): Porn web site visitors dominate that of Netflix, Amazon and Twitter combined, a new survey has revealed.

According to the infographic by new porn website Paint Bottle, around 30 percent of all data transferred across the Internet is porn, the Huffington Post reported.

It was found that YouPorn, one of the larger video porn sites, streams six times the bandwidth as Hulu.

The infographic suggested that 70 percent men watches porn, while only 30 percent women watch it.

Imran Khan vows to abandon ”American war” in Pakistan, if voted to power

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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has promised that his party would abandon the war on terror as “it was an American war being fought on Pakistan”s soil”, if his party is voted to power. The Daily Times quoted Khan, as saying that he would also order the army to shoot down US drones if it crosses the Pakistani border.

What makes a man love his woman more

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Washington, May 5 (ANI): Women might think they are most desirable when they are all dolled up and looking elegant, but men beg to differ.

It’s at 6 o’clock on a weekday, when you’re just back from the gym in an old gray tank top and a sports bra, devoid of makeup and perfume-when you are nothing but raw, that men might like, according to Fox News.

When she cross-dresses. The sight of you gliding by in one of his shirts or boxers bring men crazy-wild happiness.

Maybe it’s some primal, chimp-like possessiveness, as in: She’s mine.

Karzai says CIA promised to continue cash payments to Afghan govt. offices

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Washington, May 5 , Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said he has received assurances from the US Central Intelligence Agency”s station chief in Kabul that it will continue delivering cash to his offices. Karzai said they have been receiving cash from the CIA for the past 10 years. He said it was useful, adding that he was thankful the CIA for the aid, reports the CNN. Karzai said he has requested CIA”s chief in Kabul for their continued help, to which he responded positively.

46,000 hospitals being built in the country: Azad

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As many as 46,000 government hospitals are being built all over the country, Union Health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said here today.

Azad, who visited the AIIMS being built here, said it was even better than the AIIMS in New Delhi.

He said AIIMS in New Delhi had taken 10 years to be built while the one here would come up in less than three years.

On providing medical facilities across the country, he said a total of 46,000 government hospitals were being built at present in different parts of the country. However, he did not elaborate.

Have taken steps on fake bomb detectors: Iraq PM

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Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki today said the government took the necessary steps “a long time ago” on fake bomb detectors, despite the fact that they are still in widespread use in the country.

“We took the necessary measures in a timely manner on this file, a long time ago,” Maliki said regarding the devices that Iraq had bought from a British businessman, according to a statement on his website.

Sarbjit’s ashes immersed in Beas River

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Ashes of Sarabjit Singh, who died after being brutally assaulted in a Pakistani jail, were today immersed in the Beas river at Goindwal Sahib in the neighbouring Tarn Taran district, as hundreds of people bade adieu to him with tearful eyes.

Dalbir Kaur, the sister of Sarabjit, confirming the submersion of ashes, said that almost the entire residents of Bikhiwind village, besides Chief Parliament Secretary of Punjab Government Virsa Singh Valtoha paid their last tributes to the departed soul.

Ahmedabad serial blast accused sent to 9-day police custody

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The prime accused in the Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts case of 2008, Mohammad Shahid Nagori, was remanded in nine days police custody by a local court today.

Nagori, a member of Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and an alleged Indian Mujahedeen (IM) operative, was arrested by Madhya Pradesh police on May 3 from Ujjain and handed over to the Gujarat police team lead by DCP Crime Branch Himanshu Shukla on transit remand.

It was a wake up call for our players: Fleming

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Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming termed the 6–run defeat of his team against Mumbai Indians today as a wake-up call before they proceed towards the business end of the tournament.

“Striving to get to 8-10 (victories) was what we aimed for. The nature of the competition is such that it has not been done before. There is a reason for that because getting up every day, performing well and being consistent is tough work. Today we were not just good enough to do that,” Fleming told reporters today.

One more arrested in Railway bribery case, total 9 in custody

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The CBI today arrested one more accused in the Railway bribery scandal involving Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal’s nephew and a board member, taking the total number of those apprehended to nine.

Sunil Dagga was apprehended by a CBI team in the capital, a CBI official said. The investigators are also on the look out for Ajay Garg, an alleged middle-man.

Meanwhile, three persons, arrested for their alleged role in the bribery case, were remanded in CBI custody till May 7 by a Delhi court.

Grenade attack near Imran Khan’s party gathering, 3 injured

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At least three people were injured when a hand grenade attack on a meeting of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party in a northwestern province today, police said.

Police sources said the miscreants, riding a motorcycle hurled a grenade at the corner meeting in Mardan district, some 50 kilometres from Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The miscreants fled after the attack.

Tehreek-i-Insaf said nearly 30 people were present at the meeting.

No group claimed responsibility.

Will come out clean in Sohrabuddhin case: Amit Shah

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BJP leader and former Gujarat home minister Amit Shah, an accused in the Sohrabuddhin Sheikh staged shootout case, Sunday said he had been falsely implicated as a result of political vendetta.

Shah, who has been appointed national general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said he would come out clean in the criminal proceedings initiated against him in the fake encounter case in court.