Month: June 2013

US spy agencies mined internet data: Reports

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Amid a furore over reports of a leading phone company sharing its records with the government, a media report said US intelligence agencies operated a much broader data-mining programme.

The programme extracted e-mail, photographs and other private communications from some of the biggest Internet companies, according to the Washington Post.

The agencies got access to the central servers of nine major firms, including Microsoft, Apple, Google, Yahoo and Facebook, the newspaper reported Thursday, citing a detailed briefing presentation document on the programme, called PRISM.

19th-century British ship wreck found off Mexico

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Mexican marine archaeologists have located the wreck of the 19th-century British ship HMS Forth, which sank off the Yucatan Peninsula 164 years ago, the National Anthropology and History Institute, or INAH, said.

The ship, which belonged to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, sank after hitting the Alacranes reef.

HMS Forth went down on the night of Jan 14, 1849, while sailing to Bermuda.

The ship’s crew made it to a nearby island, was rescued by a steam ship and reached Havana.

Rape accused cop should be dismissed: Mooshahary

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The police officer accused of raping two minor sisters should be dismissed from service, said Meghalaya Governor R.S. Mooshahary.

Nurul Islam, who was in charge of the Ampati police station, was arrested June 1 on charges of raping two sisters. The next day, Islam escaped from police custody from Tura, the district headquarters town of West Garo Hills.

Ampati, the assembly constituency of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, is about 375 km from the state capital.

Eight die as bus rolls into gorge in Himachal

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At least eight people were killed Friday when a private bus carrying more than 35 passengers skidded off the road and fell into a 500-metre-deep gorge in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district, police said.

Eight bodies have been recovered, Superintendent of Police Sumedha Diwedi told IANS on phone.

She said the bus, ferrying passengers from Punardhar to Solan town, met with the accident just five km into its journey from the starting point.

Official sources said the toll could be higher.

The accident spot in Sangrah tehsil is some 130 km from district headquarters Nahan.

Bahrainis jailed for attacking Indian tailors

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A court in Bahrain has sentenced three Bahraini nationals to two years in jail for assaulting two Indian tailors in that country in a case dating back to 2011.

A lower criminal court Wednesday convicted the trio for attacking the Indians in August 2011 after anti-government riots had broken out Feb 14 the same year in that Gulf nation, the Gulf Daily News reported Thursday.

According to the victims, the five Bahrainis had entered their shop at Daih in north Bahrain and started attacking them.

Justin Bieber reaches 40 million Twitter followers

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Pop star Justin Bieber has become the first person to get 40 million Twitter followers.

The “Beauty And A Beat” hitmaker, who joined the micro-blogging site in 2009, has beaten other stars, including Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, to the milestone with his @justinbieber account, reports contactmusic.com.

He wrote on his Twitter account “40 million strong” and later added “40 million Beliebers – thank you. I love u. grateful (sic)”.

84-Year-old woman wins $374 MILLION US lottery prize

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The winner of the largest lottery prize ever awarded to a single person in the US is a 84-year-old Florida woman, who showed up to cash in her Powerball ticket and collected some $370.8 million, before taxes.

Gloria C. Mackenzie’s ticket was the only one sold that matched all six numbers in the May 18 Powerball lottery drawing, which at the time had accumulated over the previous two months a record jackpot worth $590.5 million.

Use ballot to realise separate Telangana state: TRS chief

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Buoyed by the arrival of a trio of leaders who left Congress to join his Telangana Rashtra Samithi, party president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday said that a good showing in elections would help them realise their separate statehood goal.

“We have to use the ballot for achieving a separate state (of Telangana),” Rao said at a party meet in Manthani, about 70-km from here. Assembly Elections in Andhra Pradesh are due next year.

K Keshava Rao, Manda Jagannatham and G Vivek, the three former Congress leaders who earlier this week joined TRS, were present on the occasion.

Ranveer is hyper, I am calm, says Sonakshi Sinha

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Actress Sonakshi Sinha, who has teamed up with Ranveer Singh in ‘Lootera’, says both of them have different working styles.

‘Lootera’ is a period romance drama set in Bengal of 1950s and it has Ranveer Singh romancing Sonakshi Sinha for the first time on screen.

“Ranveer and I are opposites. As hyper as he is, I am calm. Even as actors, our styles of working are different. He likes to prepare whereas I don’t switch on until the camera comes on,” Sonakshi said in a statement here.

Sonakshi is happy the way the film has come out and finds it magical.

UAE favours Arab states’ right to safe water

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has stressed on the right of Arab states to access safe and clean water as a human right.

Speaking at the conclusion of the Fifth meeting of the Arab Water Ministers Council, the UAE’s Minister for Environment and Water, Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, emphasised on this issue.

Egypt and Sudan are able to resolve the crisis arising from plans by Ethiopia to build the Renaissance dam across the Blue Nile, said Bin Fahad, in a press conference at the League of Arab States’ headquarters following a pan-Arab ministerial meeting.

TDP finalizes strategy to contact people

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In order to get success for TDP candidates in 2014 elections, a meeting of party observers of various Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies is in progress for the past two days at NTR Trust Bhavan in Banjara Hills. Mr. Chandrababu Naidu is presiding over this meeting. He is eliciting information from each constituency from party cadre. TDP observers are being given training to create awareness among the people and also to prepare the schedule for the next election. Mr. Naidu advised the observers to bridge the gap between the party candidates and the people.

Muslim intellectuals deliberates on common issues

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Noted Social Activists and Chairman of A.P. State Minorities Commission, Mr. Abid Rasool Khan invited 30 Muslim intellectuals to dinner on 4th June in Hyderabad. The purpose of this meeting to discuss a strategy to get the issues of the Muslims resolved by political parties making use of the occasion of General Elections to be held in 2014. Maulana Syed Jalal Uddin Umari, Ameer Jamat-e- Islami of India and Vice President of Muslim Personal Law Board participated in the meeting as the guest of honour. Mr. Mahmood Ali, MLC of TRS was also present in the meeting.

Dr. Mohd Niyaz Ahmed Khan nominated to Advisory Committee of OU Center for International Programs

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Dr. Mohd Niyaz Ahmed Khan, Managing Director of SAAP medicals Pvt. Ltd. has been nominated as member of the Osmania University Advisory Committee for its center for international programs (formerly American Studies Research Center).

Prof. S.Satyanarayana, Vice Chancellor of Osmania University is the Chairman of the Advisory committee, which consists of 20 members.

–Siasat News

Dr. Mujeeb Athar award Asia Pacific International

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An International Science Summit was held in Bangkok (Thailand). It was organized by Global Achievers’ Foundation India. Dr. Mujeeb Athar, Assistant Director(Pathology) of Veterinary Biological Research Institute Hyderabad was awarded Asia Pacific International Award which consists of a trophy and a citation. Dr. Anil Wadha, Ambassador of India in Thailand and other dignitaries were present in the conference. Dr. Mujeeb Athar has bagged various awards at State and All India levels. He got seven Gold medals and various prizes.

Secretariat turned into business center-Anand Kumar Goud

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TDP Spokesman of Greater Hyderabad Mr. Anand Kumar Goud told that there is no need to publicize the developmental works done by Congress Govt. in the past 9 years. People know the fake schemes and notifications. Instead of becoming an exemplary State, it is becoming an infamous State. We feel ashamed of telling that officers are involved in corruptions and scams. People’s representatives who make lofty claims are also involved in various scams. In this manner Secretariat has become a business center. Mr. N.Kiran Kumar Reddy is also accountable for the scams of his colleagues. Mr.

Important meeting of A.P. Cabinet today

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An important meeting of A.P. Cabinet is being held today to consider the strategy for the ensuing budget session of the Assembly starting on 10th June. Mr. N.Kiran Kumar Reddy, C.M. of A.P. will preside over the meeting. It is expected that the supporters of Dr. D.L. Ravindra Reddy, former Health Minister will raise objections in the meeting for his sudden dismissal form the cabinet. There are differences in the cabinet about according approval to Bangaru Talli scheme because C.M. introduced it with out consulting his colleagues.

Russia busts anti-NATO terror group

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Russia’s security services have shut down a terrorist group which has been active in Afghanistan against NATO coalition forces, Russian anti-terrorism authorities said Thursday in a statement.

The National Anti-terrorism Committee’s (NAK) in its statement gave details of a “special operation to neutralise” a “particularly dangerous” group that it said was actively planning terror attacks in Moscow around the time of the Victory Celebrations in May.

Haj Committee downgrades 12,000 pilgrims to Aziziya Category

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The Haj Committee of India Mumbai has decided to down-grade nearly 12,000 Pilgrims from Green to Aziziya Category for Haj-2013.

The decision was taken following large scale demolitions that took place near Haram Sharif in Makkah Mukarramah in the areas which were traditionally occupied by the Indian Pilgrims. Therefore, only 40,000 Green accommodation units are available in Makkah Mukarramah for the Pilgrims of Haj-2013. However, around 52,000 selected Pilgrims have opted for Green Category accommodation.

FBI collecting phone records of millions of Americans: report

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The Obama administration has obtained telephone records of millions of Americans in bulk on an “ongoing daily basis” from Verizon, a leading British newspaper reported today, provoking angry reactions from rights groups over FBI’s sweeping domestic spying powers.

The National Security Agency is currently collecting the telephone records of millions of US customers of Verizon, one of America’s largest telecoms providers, under a top secret court order issued in April,” The Guardian reported.

NHRC seeks report from UP govt on thrashing of woman by cops

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The NHRC today sought a report from the Uttar Pradesh government on the alleged thrashing of a woman inside a police station when she went there to inquire about her son, who was kept in the lock-up.

The notice was issued to Chief Secretary and DGP of Uttar Pradesh calling for a report within four weeks.

The NHRC action came following a media report that the mother of a 9-year-old boy was thrashed by police personnel
and pushed out of the Quarsi Police Station, Aligarh, UP, when she went to inquire about her son who was kept in the police lock-up.

Child killed after kidnap

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The three-year-old boy of a timber trader was kidnapped and killed today when his parentsfailed to meet the ransom demand at Bethuadahari in Nadia district.

The police said that the body of Soumendranath Bal was found in a sack, dumped at a secluded place near Bethuadahari
station.

Family sources said that Soumendranath went missing on Tuesday morning from a place near their home.

He went out to play with other children in a field near rail station, family members said.

Mamata felicitates successful Madrasa students

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today felicitated 34 Madrasa students who have passed with distinction in various examinations under Madrasa Board this year.

The Chief minister expressed hope that these students would be established one day in various disciplines to benefit the society.

Apart from her blessing for the students, the chief minister gave the students her advise to improve in future.

The students were gifted with laptops, citations, sweets and bouquet, while the CM assured them of all
cooperation for higher studies.

————————–PTI

Dhoni ranked 16th on Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes

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India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni,with earnings of USD 31.5 million, has been ranked at 16th place on Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes, which has been topped by golfer Tiger Woods.

The magazine said 31-year-old Dhoni moved up 15 positions this year. In 2012, he was placed at 31st position.

The influential business magazine estimated that Dhoni made USD 31.5 million over the last year from prize money and endorsements.

37-year-old Woods made USD 78.1 million followed by Tennis star Roger Federer at USD 71.5 million. Kobe Bryant,

US names ‘senior Qaeda bombmaker’ for sanctions

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The US Treasury has identified a Libyan electronics and explosives specialist as a top bomb maker for Al-Qaeda in Pakistan and singled him out for anti-terror sanctions.

The Treasury yesterday said Abd al-Hamid al-Masli, also known as Hamza al-Darnawi, runs a Qaeda workshop in Pakistan that provides improvised explosive devices and components for Qaeda to be used in Afghanistan.

The 37-year-old Libyan-born Masli works in Waziristan on Pakistan’s northwest border, where he also has instructed Qaeda recruits on making detonators.

Ex-US college staffer sentenced for secret videos

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The Syracuse University athletic department’s former media director has been sentenced to five years of probation for secretly videotaping male athletes in locker rooms.

Local media outlets report that the judge who sentenced Roger Springfield today called his actions “strange, bizarre and colossally stupid.”

The 57-year-old former local television sportscaster pleaded guilty in March to a felony count of unlawful
surveillance. Onondaga County prosecutors say they found more than 100 identifiable victims on recordings he kept on his computer.