Month: June 2013

UK phone hacking: Rebekah Brooks denies hacking charges

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Rebekah Brooks, the former chief executive of the Rupert Murdoch-owned News International, on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to all charges related to phone hacking that led to the closure of News of the World tabloid.

“Not guilty,” the 45-year-old former close aide of Murdoch said as she appeared at Southwark Crown Court.

Several other former ‘News of the World’ (NoW) journalists, part of Rupert Murdoch’s now-defunct Sunday tabloid in Britain, also appeared in the court.

Brooks also denied conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office and to pervert the course of justice.

Himachal man with earphones on run over by train

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In a freak accident, a man lost his life when he was hit by a train near here as he had his earphones on and couldn’t hear an approaching train, police said Wednesday.

Sanjay Sharma, 20, was killed near Shogi, some 10 km from Shimla, when he was run over by a train on the Shimla-Kalka heritage rail line Tuesday evening, a police officer told IANS.

Sharma, while returning home from Industrial Training Institute, was listening to music and didn’t hear the approaching train, police said.

—IANS

11 people hospitalized after Moscow subway fire

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A rush-hour fire in Moscow’s subway today injured dozens of people, forced the evacuation of thousands of commuters and closed parts of the network, authorities said.

The fire started after a power cable caught fire in a tunnel leading to the Okhotny Ryad station adjacent to Red Square, the Emergencies Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said nearly 60 people sought medical help and 11 were hospitalized. Most of them suffered from smoke inhalation. Thousands were evacuated.

Susan Rice to be Obama’s new National Security Advisor

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Susan Rice, the tough-talking US Ambassador to the UN, will be President Barack Obama’s new National Security Advisor, in a significant shakeup to the White House foreign policy team.

She would replace Tom Donilon, who will be resigning from the post. Obama, is expected to make a formal announcement in this regard later in the day.

58-year-old Donilon will be departing as National Security Advisor in early July, a White House official said.

Karnataka against ‘unbridled powers’ to NCTC

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The Congress-ruled Karnataka Wednesday cautioned the party-led central government against “unbridled powers” to the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).

“Some safeguards are necessary before setting up the NCTC so that it is not given unbridled powers to encroach upon states’ domain,” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said in his address to the chief minister’s meet on internal security here.

The meet was convened by the central home ministry with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presiding.

Regional parties will do well in 2014: Mamata

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Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee Wednesday said regional parties will perform well in the 2014 general election and parried a query on whether her party would be at the forefront of any non-Congress and non-BJP coalition.

“I think the regional parties would come up with a good show in the next general election,” Banerjee, also West Bengal chief minister, told mediapersons at the state secretariat.

She said she would be happy if the regional parties joined hands.

BJP sweeps, Congress weeps in Gujarat by-polls

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wedneaday wrested two Lok Sabha and four assembly seats from the Congress in the by-elections held in Gujarat.

The BJP strength in the assembly has now risen from 115 to 119 and its Lok Sabha tally from Gujarat from 15 to 17.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi said the people had rejected the Congress wholesale.

“Heartfelt gratitude to the people of Gujarat for reposing faith in the BJP yet again. These victories clearly show (that) people are fed up with Congress,” he tweeted.

EAMCET 2013 results declared

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Andhra Pradesh EAMCET 2013 results have been declared by the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) today on June 5.

The EAMCET 2013 results are now available on the official website of Engineering, Agriculture and Medical Common Entrance test (EAMCET) at http://www.apeamcet.org/. The counseling for admission will be held on June 6 and June 7.

China to host UN meet on Israel-Palestine

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China will host an international meeting of the United Nations aimed at reviving the stalled peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine here later this month.

The United Nations International Meeting in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace will to be held from June 18-19 at the request of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said today.

Man attacks wife, her family with acid in Pak’s Punjab

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A man allegedly attacked his wife, her mother and her two minor sisters with acid after a quarrel in Pakistan’s Punjab province on Wednesday, police said.

The incident occurred in Okara district, 100 km from Lahore, police officials said.

According to an FIR, Muhammad Shahid and Iqra Bibi got married a few months ago but she left him and returned to her parent’s house after developing differences with him.

She also filed a suite in court for dissolution of the marriage.

Bangladeshi tribunal wraps up trial of key 1971 war crimes accused

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A special Bangladeshi tribunal on Wednesday wrapped up the high-profile trial of top fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami leader and former minister Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, a key accused in the 1971 war crimes case.

“The case is being kept as CAV (curia advisari vult),” said chairman of the second International Crimes Tribunal Justice Obaidul Haque citing a Latin term meaning the court now could pronounce the verdict any day as the proceedings of the case were wrapped up.

Pay cops to get money back- happens only in Pak!

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The Lahore police is offering a new service to the citizens – it will retrieve people’s missing money in exchange for a 50 percent commission on the amount.

The latest police antics seem to have contributed towards a rise in kidnapping for ransom, vehicle snatching, land grabbing, fake police reports and intimidation of ordinary citizens, in a bid to mint money out of them, reports the Daily Times.

Complaints against policemen are on the rise with FIRs registered against a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and nine constables at various police stations across the city.

End drone strikes: Nawaz Sharif to Barack Obama

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Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday sought an end to the controversial US drone attacks targeting al Qaeda and Taliban militants in safe havens in the country’s lawless tribal belts.

“We respect the sovereignty of others and they should respect our sovereignty and independence. This campaign must come to an end,” Sharif told MPs in his first address since being re-elected to the top post.

He told MPs that it was necessary to work out a joint strategy to stop the CIA-operated drone strikes in Pakistan’s unruly tribal areas.

Jiah Khan’s funeral: Sidhartha Mallya, Suraj Pancholi, Riteish Deshmukh pay their last respects

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The Bollywood actor who committed suicide on Monday night was laid to rest this afternoon
Actor Jiah Khan, who committed suicide by hanging herself at her Juhu residence, was laid to rest at Santacruz graveyard in Mumbai. Her funeral was held this afternoon. Jiah’s sister and her mother Rabia Amin were inconsolable. Her boyfriend, Suraj Pancholi, was in tears too. He came along with his father and actor Aditya Pancholi to bid Jiah a final farewell.

Growth can rebound to 7% in 2 years: Montek

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The economic growth can rebound to 7 percent in two years if corrective steps that are needed be taken, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said Tuesday.

While addressing at the 30th anniversary lecture of CUTS, Ahluwalia said, “If we take the corrective steps whatever necessary, we will get back to 7 percent (economic growth rate). I don’t say this will happen this year but it can happen in two years period.”

Meda denies acquisition talks with Sun Pharma

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Swedish drug firm Meda AB, which has been reported to be in discussions with Sun Pharmaceutical Industries for a USD 5 billion stake sale, on Wednesday denied that it was in talks with any potential buyer.

“Due to the recent speculation in the press and news media concerning Meda merging with another pharmaceutical company, we have decided to inform the market that there are currently no such discussions,” Meda said in a statement.

‘Foreign banks local incorporation norms after sorting out issues’

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Governor Duvvuri Subbarao on Wednesday said the Reserve Bank will take a call on final guidelines for foreign banks’ subsidiarisation after government resolves pending legal and taxation issues, which he expected in the next few months.

He also said the RBI will nudge the existing foreign banks to get incorporated locally.

State plans 5,000 CCTVs cameras for Hyderabad

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Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Wednesday informed that the State Government plans to install about 5,000 CCTV cameras in vulnerable public places throughout Hyderabad City as a part of Safe City Project.

Too much being read into Advani’s praise for Chouhan: Venkaiah

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As L K Advani’s comments appreciating the leadership of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan caused a flutter, senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu today said too much is being read into the comments of the party’s patriarch.

Some people are trying to read too much into Advaniji’s statement in Gwalior. I do not understand where is the
controversy. Advaniji praised Narendra Modi, Advaniji has praised Shivraj Singh Chouhan and when he goes to Chattisgarh,he praises Raman Singh,” Naidu told reporters here.

Samsung India launches medical equipment under ‘GEO’ brand

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Samsung India on Wednesday said it has strengthened its recently established health and medical equipment business in the country with the launch of digital radiology and in-vitro diagnostics equipment.

The company has launched the new range of equipment under ‘GEO’ brand, Samsung India said in a statement.

“We are leveraging our strengths in technology and R&D to offer medical products that offer fast, easy and accurate diagnosis to both doctors and patients,” Samsung Electronics Vice President, Health & Medical Equipment Business Dinesh Lodha said.

Goa govt likely to make garbage mgmt part of school curriculum

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The Goa government is contemplating introduction of study of garbage segregation and management as a part of curriculum for school students.

We are awaiting the decision from state education boardwhether awareness and teaching on garbage segregation and
management can be a part of school project,” state environment minister Alina Saldanha told reporters here today.

Teachers from 129 schools have been educated on the garbage management so that they can teach it to the pupils,
she said.

Cubans say prices too high at new Internet centers

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Cubans had their first experience Tuesday of the island’s new web browsing services with the opening of 118 new Internet centers nationwide, though the price of being online was still too expensive for most citizens.

That was the chief complaint that several users expressed to EFE after trying out the new services at centers in Havana.

An hour online costs the equivalent of $4.50.

“You can surf the web fine, but it’s pretty expensive,” said Roy, a young computer technician who accessed his page on Facebook at a downtown center in Old Havana.

Remote controlled helicopter flown with the power of thought

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A remote controlled helicopter was flown through a series of hoops around a college gymnasium in Minnesota, using just the power of thought.

The experiments have been performed by researchers hoping to develop future robots that can help restore the autonomy of paralysed victims or those suffering from neurodegenerative disorders.

There were five subjects (three female, two male) who took part in the study and each one was able to successfully control the four-blade helicopter, also known as a quadcopter, quickly and accurately for a sustained amount of time.

Scientists warn big business ruining Great Barrier Reef dramatically

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Big business is ruining the Great Barrier Reef, scientists have warned ahead of UNSECO World Heritage meeting.

The scientists said that more protection measures must be introduced to halt the reef’s dramatic decline.

According to the Courier Mail, more than 150 scientists have joined forces to warn of the industrialisation of the reef ahead of the meeting in 12 days.

Led by University of Queensland ‘s Professor Hugh Possingham, the scientists said science is being ignored as big business develops reef waters.