Month: July 2013

Snowden”s father writes letter to Obama criticizing `zeal to punish` son

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The father of fugitive US spy agency contractor Edward Snowden has sent a letter to President Barack Obama defending his son”s actions as similar to acts of civil disobedience and criticized Congress for failing to rein in a sweeping surveillance program made public by his son.

According to stuff.co.nz, Lonnie Snowden accused the Obama administration of pursuing him with zeal to punish and said in the letter that he was appalled at the administration”s scorn for due process and the rule of law.

Egypt police shoot 23 Morsi supporters dead: Islamists

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Egyptian police shot dead 23 supporters of Egypt’s ousted president Mohamed Morsi and wounded hundreds more in Cairo early today, a Muslim Brotherhood leader said.

The Brotherhood’s Murad Mohammed Ali told AFP police had fired live rounds at the Islamist demonstrators but the state MENA news agency cited a security official it did not identify as denying any live fire by police.

Mohammed Ali said more than 600 people had been wounded.

There was no immediate word from the emergency services or the health ministry.

Dumped mistresses expose Chinese officials” corruption Home

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An unlikely group of self-styled whistleblowers has emerged to expose Chinese officials” corruption as President Xi Jinping pledges to clean up government corruption in China, with a 26-year old woman named Ji Yingnan claiming that her fiancé, a powerful official in Beijing, had been married with a teenage son the entire time they were together.

Non-Telangana ministers, MPs oppose AP division

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As Congress and UPA government appear to be veering towards formation of a separate Telangana state, ministers and MPs from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh opposing any division of Andhra Pradesh.

Union Ministers M M Pallam Raju, K S Rao, Chiranjeevi and D Purandeshwari (all hailing from coastal Andhra) and MPs Bapiraju and Anantarami Reddy met Singh in a delegation and favoured maintaining a united Andhra Pradesh.

Digvijay joins criticism on plan panel’s poverty criteria

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Amid mounting criticism of poverty reduction estimates by the Planning Commission, Congress leader Digvijay Singh today joined Union Minister Kapil Sibal in questioning the criteria for fixing poverty line.

Singh felt that malnourishment in members of family should be the criteria and that the existing method was too abstract and can’t be same for all areas.

“I have always failed to understand the Planning Commission criteria for fixing poverty line. It is too abstract can’t be same for all areas,” the Congress general secretary said on the microblogging site twitter.

If Tendulkar wants people”s respect, he must score runs: Bedi

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Former left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi hassaid that Sachin Tendulkar should be aware of his prolonged lean patch, and must score during India”s Test series against South Africa, if he wanted to retain the respect of the cricket loving public in India and in other parts of the world.

“It”s high time that he (Tendulkar) should get back to runs to get people”s respect,” Bedi was quoted, as saying by Times Now.

Bedi said getting 10 wickets in a Test match is like scoring hundreds in each innings.

Mayawati tells SP to look after law and order, stop laptop distribution

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Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati today criticized Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) in the state for distributing laptops to students which, she said, is a political gimmick to divert the attention of the people from the deteriorating law and order condition. “People of Uttar Pradesh are very unhappy with the law and order situation and lack of development activities. Law and order situation in UP is worse that what media reports, especially women are really suffering,” she told media here today.

PoK PM’s no-confidence motion fails in legislative assembly

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The no-confidence motion moved against Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed was taken back on Friday as none of the 30 MLSs present in the Legislative Assembly has voted in its favour.

According to the Dawn News, the move comes after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif asked Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz’s (PML-N) members to stay impartial on the issue.

Earlier, two ruling Peoples Party (PPP) members, Abdul Majid Khan and Muhammad Hussain Sargala, had submitted the resolution in the Legislative Assembly on July 22 in an attempt to bring an in-house change.

Pak claims waiting for India’s nod over request to resume bilateral dialogue

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Pakistan government has reportedly approached India for resuming talks on composite dialogue process aimed at normalisation of bilateral relations between the two countries.

According to the Nation, the dates were conveyed to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs by the Pakistan Foreign Office about 10 days back.

However, a response from India is still awaited.

The third round of bilateral composite dialogue is expected to start with the water and power secretary-level meeting to discuss the Wullar Barrage issue.

Facebook encourages more meaningful discussion on interesting products than oral chats

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A recent study has revealed that Facebook and similar social networking channels might be leading consumers to discuss more interesting products by giving them more time to think and express their views.

The authors of the Journal of Consumer Research have found out that more interesting products and brands are discussed than mundane products in online communication.

Wharton School authors of the University of Pennsylvania, Jonah Berger and Raghuram Iyengar, said that written conversations tend to have longer gaps, whereas oral communication tends to be instantaneous.

Pak violates ceasefire for fifth time in July, heavy firing continues

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Pakistan violated the cease-fire for the fifth time this month, with its troops still indulging in heavy firing on an Indian post in Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

According to army sources, Pakistani troops were using mortars and RPG to fire on an Indian post in the Kerni area of the Poonch sector near the Line of Control (LoC).

This comes five days after the Pakistani troops opened small arms firing at Indian posts in forward area along the LoC in Poonch district on Monday night.

Rajeev Shukla says “Poverty line not fixed by government, but by Tendulkar Committee’

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Clarifying the recent controversy on the poverty line figures, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla said here today that the Government has not fixed any poverty line, and it was a report of the Tendulkar Committee put forward by the Planning Commission. “I want to demolish this myth that the poverty line has been fixed by the government. Government has not fixed any poverty line. This recommendation has been made by an expert panel headed by Mr. Tendulkar. This is a report of the Tendulkar Committee which has been put forward by the Planning Commission.

Andhra Pradesh ministers, MPs meet PM, oppose Telangana

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As Congress and UPA government appear to be veering towards formation of a separate Telangana state, ministers and MPs from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions on Saturday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh opposing any division of Andhra Pradesh.

Union ministers M M Pallam Raju, K S Rao, Chiranjeevi and D Purandeshwari (all hailing from coastal Andhra) and MPs Bapiraju and Anantarami Reddy met Singh in a delegation and favoured maintaining a united Andhra Pradesh.

Shahid plays Salman Khan fan in ‘Phata Poster Nikla Hero’

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Actor Shahid Kapoor says his character in the forthcoming film “Phata Poster Nikla Hero” is a fan of Bollywood star Salman Khan, who has also done a cameo in the movie.

“There’s a little scene in the film where Salman sir is there…Salman sir was kind enough to do a special appearance in the film,” the 32-year-old said here Friday at a press meet for the film.

“Phata Poster Nikla Hero” is directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, who had earlier roped in Salman for a special appearance in his film “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani” as well.

`Acid’ bottles found near Manish Tewari’s Chandigarh home

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Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari has claimed a conspiracy to attack him after a few bottles suspected to be containing acid were found near his family house here Saturday.

Chandigarh Police officials said that they were investigating the matter even though they ruled out a conspiracy of an attack on the union minister.

“We have sent the bottles for examination to know what they contained,” a police official said.

Pooja Bedi set to host a reality show

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She has hosted talk shows and participated in various non-fiction TV shows like “Khatron Ke Khiladi” and “Bigg Boss”, but now Pooja Bedi is in talks to anchor a reality show.

“Now it’s time to get back on TV. There is a reality show which I might host, I am in talks right now,” the 43-year-old said here Friday at the inauguration of Kiran Sippy’s foundation Respond.

Pooja, who has also been a part of dance-based shows like “Nach Baliye” and “Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa”, also has an offer from a business channel.

Actresses not just pretty faces anymore: Chitrangada

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The role of actresses has evolved a great deal in the Indian film industry, believes Chitrangada Singh, who says they’ve come a long way from being just “pretty faces on screen” once upon a time.

“Indian cinema has really evolved in the recent years and the role of actresses as well. They are not just pretty faces on screen, rather there is huge potential and opportunity to grow as an actor,” Chitrangada told IANS in an exclusive interview.

Modi’s chances do not look all that rosy

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When Narendra Modi muscled his way to the top echelons of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with his usual chutzpah, he must have presumed that it was only a question of time before he was chosen the party’s prime ministerial candidate.

Sonam Nair scripting film adaptation of ‘The Zoya Factor’

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Director Sonam Nair of “Gippi” fame is now writing a script, which is an adaptation of the novel “The Zoya Factor”.

“Post ‘Gippi’, I’m writing a script which will be directed by some other director. The script that I am writing it’s an adaptation of the novel ‘The Zoya Factor’,” Nair told IANS.

“Gippi” was backed by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, but Nair says her next movie will be produced under a different banner. She was guarded about other details.

“Right now I can’t name the director who will be directing it,” she said.

“The Zoya Factor” is a 2008 novel by Anuja Chauhan.

Mayawati supports UPA’s Food Security Bill, in principle

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Lending indirect support to the Food Security Bill, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said on Saturday that she supports the legislation in ‘principle’, but is not in favour of the Centre’s decision of bringing the scheme into effect through an ordinance.

Advani pulls up Congress, says ‘BJP will break all records in 2014’

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Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani on Saturday said his party will achieve a record victory in the 2014 general elections.

Advani urged his party workers to be ready and begin preparations for the polls.

“Elections in the six states of the country and the Lok Sabha polls will take place before April, may be till May. But everybody is of the opinion that the Election Commission will itself want that the polls take place earlier whether the government wants it or not,” he said.

Advani also used the occasion to target the Congress Party.

TET: last date July 31

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Teachers Eligibility Test APTET is scheduled on September 1. D.Ed candidates are eligible for Paper I while B.Ed candidates are eligible for Paper II. The last date to pay the fee on aponline is July 31 while the last date to submit the form online is August 1.

Candidates who qualify the test will be eligible for the post of DSC School assistant/SGT.

Test material and guide for Urdu/English medium are available at Siasat office opposite Ramkrishna Theatre, Abids.

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