Month: June 2013

Power vests in Pakistan PM”s office, say experts

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Constitutional law experts in Pakistan have declared an end to the virtually presidential form of government, in vogue in the country for the past 14 years, following Nawaz Sharif”s election as prime minister. Constitutional law experts, former Supreme Court justices Wajihuddin Ahmed and Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui, along with former interim law minister Ahmer Bilal Soofi agree with the view that the country has once again firmly turned towards a parliamentary form of government, reports The Express Tribune.

Nawaz Sharif outlines govt”s foreign policy priorities

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Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has outlined his government”s foreign policy priorities of pursuing aggressive ”economic diplomacy” and favouring a ”peaceful neighbourhood”. According to the foreign ministry, Sharif provided an outline of the priorities of the government on foreign policy to serve as basic guidelines for embassies/missions abroad, reports The Express Tribune.

Assange”s case doesn”t affect Australian interests: Bob Carr

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The Australian government has said it would make no more representations to the US on WikiLeaks Julian Assange”s circumstances because his case ””doesn”t affect Australian interests””. This comes as prosecutors at the trial of US soldier Bradley Manning have openly targeted the WikiLeaks publisher as a conspirator engaged in espionage, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

I hate dancing, says Emraan Hashmi

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Actor Emraan Hashmi, who recently grooved to the tunes of a qawwali number “Allah meherbaan” for his forthcoming release “Ghanchakkar”, hates dancing.

The music of the film is composed by Amit Trivedi and it has four tracks and a remix number.

“I hate it. I try to wriggle out of it every time, but this time they kind of dragged me out of the van and caught me on gun point because the film is releasing. It took a lot of convincing,” said the actor on the sets while shooting for the song here.

Coming out June 28, the film will see Emraan with Vidya Balan.

Marriage does not have bearing on my work, says Vidya Balan

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“I am enjoying being married,” says Vidya Balan, adding that marriage neither put the brakes on her prizewinning acting career nor does it have any bearing on the kind of roles she would choose in future.

Work-life balance is possible for the actress because the “Parineeta” girl has found a supportive husband in Siddharth Roy Kapur, managing director of Studios, Disney UTV, with whom she tied the knot at a private ceremony in December last year.

Family members meet Jagan

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Amidst high drama, family members could meet YS Jagan Mohan Reddy with the intervention of the court.

Earlier, police did not allow family members inside the court but after much scuffle they made it to the court hall. When CBI took objection, barring YS Vijayamma all others left the court hall.

The judge granted permission for Jagan to meet his family after the counsel had requested him. The family members met Jagan in the court for over one hour. (INN)

Dalmia case adjourned to June 21

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The CBI special court has adjourned the Dalmia charge sheet case in Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Disproportionate Assets (DA) issue to June 21.

There was high drama at the Nampally courts where the designated court also functions and traffic was regulated with YS Jagan Mohan Reddy being produced before the judge.

Former Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy appeared before the court. Senior IAS officer Sri Lakshmi, Vijaysai Reddy and other also appeared before the court. (INN)

Gali bail plea adjourned to June 12

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The CBI special court has adjourned the bail petition case of Gali Janardhan Reddy to June 12 in the Obulapuram Mining Company’s alleged illegal mining case.

The bail petition of former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy and Srinivasul Reddy, accused in OMC case, was put off to June 12. The CBI will present its views on the same day. (INN)
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Myth busted! You do not catch flu if you use public transport

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Doctors suggest that, in spite of popular belief, people who use public transport are no more likely to catch flu than those who drive or cycle.

In fact, people who do not take public transport are slightly more likely to catch it than the poor souls who cram themselves into trains and buses every morning, according to a research.

Murders rise in Guatemala

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The 2,597 homicides committed in Guatemala in the first five months of the year represent an increase of 9 percent over the same period in 2012, the Mutual Support Group, or GAM, said.

The overall increase includes an even bigger rise of 19 percent in the number of women slain compared with January-May last year, GAM director Mario Polanco said Thursday.

Murders of minors grew from 57 in the first five months of 2012 to 70 this year, he said.

25% of men under 40 suffer from newly-diagnosed ED

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A new study has found that one in four men seeking medical help for newly-developed erectile dysfunction (ED) was younger than 40 years, and nearly half of young men with the condition had severe ED.

While larger population-based studies are needed, the findings suggest that erectile dysfunction in young men may be more prevalent and more serious than previously thought.

Erectile dysfunction is a common complaint in men over 40 years of age.

Prevalence increases with age, but the prevalence and risk factors of erectile dysfunction among younger men have been scantly analyzed.

Don’t read too much in Advani’s absence from BJP meet: Naidu

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Senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu today said the media should not read too much into party veteran L K Advani’s absence from the office-bearers’ meeting in Goa.

“Don’t try to read too much into his absence for today,” Naidu said while responding to questions by reporters.

Advani would arrive in Goa tomorrow and will stay here for two days to attend National Executive meeting, Naidu told mediapersons at the meeting venue here.

He said Advani could not make it today because of the health problems.

Heavy TV viewing linked to more junk food intake in kids

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Commercial TV viewing in the home was found to be related to greater junk food consumption among children, according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Michigan.

The researchers at the University of Michigan interviewed over 100 parents about a wide variety of home and family characteristics, including child and parent media exposure, and child dietary intake.

Kristen Harrison and Mericarmen Peralta, conducted separate interviews with children in preschools to get a sense of what children thought made up a healthy meal.

Origin of wide range of brain disorders pinpointed

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Scientists have discovered a mechanism that guides the exquisite wiring of neural circuits in a developing brain-gaining unprecedented insight into the faulty circuits that may lead to brain disorders ranging from autism to mental retardation.

IVUS technology gaining popularity

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Intravascular ultrasound, an advanced imaging technique mostly used in Japan, has become popular in India in dealing with quite a high volume of complex angioplasties.

“In India, the use of Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is steadily gaining acceptance and is clearly likely to rise in coming years,” Debdatta Bhattacharya, consultant cardiologist and chief of Cath Lab services, Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences, here told PTI.

Heart ailments, diabetes lead to diseased brain

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A recent study has shown that people suffering from type 2 diabetes and heart disease are at an increased risk of dementia and other cognitive diseases.

Lead author Christina E. Hugenschmidt, PhD, an instructor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest Baptist, said the results from the Diabetes Heart Study-Mind (DHS-Mind) suggest that cardiovascular disease (CVD) plays an important role in the development of cognition problems, and these may take time before becoming clinically apparent. A report of the study appeared in Science Daily.

UP DSP murder case: CBI files chargesheet, Raja Bhaiya not named

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The CBI on Friday filed a chargesheet before the special court in the murder of Kunda DSP Zia-ul Haq without naming former minister Raja Bhaiya, who was an accused in the FIR filed by the officer’s wife.

CBI sources, however, clarified that probe into the alleged role of Raja Bhaiya is still open and the agency might file a supplementary chargesheet if his role surfaces at a later stage.

10 STEPS TO DRAW CLOSER TO ALLAH – (Part – III)

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[Continued..]

7. HAVING FEAR AND HOPE IN ALLAH

“Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.”(Surah Yusuf 12:87)

One must be hopeful of Allahs mercy and forgiveness and fearful of His punishment. It is this fear that should lead one to seek Allahs forgiveness with hope. Allah says:

“Know that Allah is severe in punishment and that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”
(5:98)

A fairy-tale wedding: Sweden’s princess to wed commoner

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Sweden’s Princess Madeleine will wed Saturday a commoner who is a US business school graduate. The marriage will have one of largest gatherings of kings and queens that Europe has seen for years.

Amidst great pomp and pageantry, Her Royal Highness Princess Madeleine Therese Amelie Josephine Bernadote of Sweden, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland, will wed Anglo-Irish commoner Christopher O’Neil Saturday.

The wedding will be officiated by Swedish bishop emeritus Lars-Göran Lönnermark, in the Royal Palace Church, Slottskyrkan, in scenic Stockholm’s old town, Gamla Stan.

Universities for minorities: Eye on Muslim vote?

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The central government has announced its plan to set up five Central Universities where 50 per cent seats will be reserved for students from the minority communities.

Not too long ago, the government’s move to reserve 4.5 per cent seats in the OBC category for Muslims first got a thumbs down from the Election Commission just ahead of the UP elections, and then the Supreme Court said there can’t be reservations on the basis of religion.

While the Centre tries to convince the top court on the issue of reservation, the political significance of both these attempts are not lost on anyone.

West Indies elect to bowl against Pakistan

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West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo won the toss and elected to bowl against Pakistan in the second match of the Champions Trophy at the Kennington Oval here Friday.

Squad:

West Indies: Dwayne Bravo (captain), Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Dinesh Ramdin, Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach

Pakistan: Imran Farhat, Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Saeed Ajmal, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan

Myanmar assures India fair bidding for telecom contracts

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India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, on a visit to Myanmar, Friday met the Southeast Asian nation’s communications Minister U Myat Hein and enquired about the selection process for companies bidding for telecom contracts in the country.

During the meeting in capital Nay Pyi Taw, Sharma said the bids of shortlisted Indian companies may seriously be considered, keeping in mind the geographical contiguity and strategic interest of the two countries.

Ranbir Kapoor has been very special for me, says Deepika Padukone

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They were a couple who parted ways but mended their relationship and reunited as friends. No one really knows what exactly happened between them but Deepika Padukone candidly admits that her ex-boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor has always been very special to her.

The two have reunited in real life and reel life after five years and, interestingly, their second film together, “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani” (YJHD), is reaping gold at the box office and audiences are loving their on-screen chemistry too.

Mobile helpline counters for Indians in Saudi Arabia

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India will start mobile helpline counters in Saudi Arabia from tomorrow to provide assistance to its citizens living in the Gulf Kingdom.

A team of Arabic-speaking officials and volunteers led by a diplomatic officer from the Embassy will station at the Shumeshi Tarheel and and Riyadh International Airport 24×7 to provide help, according to the Indian embassy in Riyadh.

This is in addition to the 24×7 helpline currently available at the Indian mission.

Muslim envoy asks Pope Francis to take ‘step forward’

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An envoy from Sunni Islam’s highest seat of learning, Al-Azhar in Cairo, raised the prospect of restoring ties with the Vatican today but called on Pope Francis to take “a step forward” by declaring that Islam is a peaceful religion.

“The problems that we had were not with the Vatican but with the former pope. Now the doors of Al-Azhar are open,” Mahmoud Abdel Gawad, diplomatic envoy to the grand imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayyeb, told Italian daily Il Messaggero in Cairo.