Month: July 2013

Pope shows off spiritual side with solemn rite

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Pope Francis presided over one of the most solemn rites of the Catholic Church a procession re-enacting Christ’s crucifixion in the improbable location of Rio’s hedonistic Copacabana beach, as he headed into the home stretch of his first international trip for World Youth Day.

The evening procession on yesterday, highlighted Francis’ deep spiritual side a day after he showed off his rebel streak by calling on young Catholics to shake things up in their parishes and make a “mess” by going out to the streets to spread their faith.

US convict who was ‘too fat to execute’ dies in jail

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A 220-kilogram convicted murderer who escaped execution after his lawyers argued he was too fat to be put to death has died in prison, authorities in Ohio confirmed.

Ronald Post, who spent 28 years on death row for the 1983 killing of a hotel worker, had been due to die by lethal injection in January.

But he won a reprieve in December last year after his lawyers filed a motion arguing that a lethal injection would be “torturous and lingering” due to his enormous size.

Post’s lawyers had argued that such an injection could take up to 16 hours to work.

Snowden’s father: Son better off now in Russia

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The father of National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden has said that his son has been so vilified by the Obama administration and members of Congress that he is now better off staying in Russia.

Lon Snowden of Allentown, Pennsylvania, had been working behind the scenes with lawyers to try to find a way his son could get a fair trial in the US Edward Snowden has been charged in federal court with violating the Espionage Act by leaking details of NSA surveillance.

SDPI dismayed at Batla House shootout verdict, still demands judicial probe

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(Pervez Bari): The Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI), has expressed deep shock and dismay over the Batla House shootout case verdict wherein a Delhi court has found accused Shahzad Ahmad guilty on charges of murder of Inspector MC Sharma, who led a raid on a flat in the area where terror suspects were present. The SDPI reiterated its stand that the Batla House encounter was fake and still demanded for a high level judicial enquiry into the incident.

Veerappa Moily justifies gas price hike

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Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dr. M. Veerappa Moily on Friday justified the recent Cabinet decision to hike the gas price, saying it will make exploration of natural gas commercially viable.

Dr. Moily, who was speaking at the National Convention on Oil and Gas 2013 here, called for higher investments in the oil and gas sector to boost self sufficiency.

Bieber drops saliva bomb on fans

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Singer Justin Bieber was reportedly caught spitting from his balcony while his fans waited below to catch a glimpse of him.

Bieber was here when a large number of fans gathered below his building only to see him drop a saliva bomb on them, reports tmz.com.

He also took to Instagram to post a picture of hundreds of his fans looking up at his balcony.

This is not the first time that the singer has been spotted spitting on people. The 19-year-old was caught in trouble in May when he allegedly spat on his neighbours and a police complaint was filed against him.

Miley Cyrus wants ‘Chris Brown’ tattoo

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Singer Miley Cyrus wants a tattoo of singer Chris Brown on her face.

Cyrus believes the tattoo will be good for her career, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“Didn’t one girl get ‘Drake’ across her forehead? That’s crazy! That’s a dedicated fan. I was thinking about getting ‘Chris Brown’ across this cheek,” German website promiflash.de quoted the 20-year-old as saying.

——IANS

Kris’ smart return gift plan for Kylie’s b’day

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Socialite and reality TV star Kris Jenner has a smart way of giving out fancy return gifts to guests of her daughter Kylie’s 16th birthday party.

Kris, who is Kylie’s manager too, has been canvassing companies to donate gifts and products for the event in return for publicity, as the party is being filmed for their reality show “Keeping Up With The Kardashians”, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

According to the New York Daily News newspaper’s Confidential section, Kris has instructed her staff to contact Brand Placement L.A. to request as many free items as possible.

Gomez doesn’t fancy buying expensive gowns

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Singer Selena Gomez says she does not wish to know the real price of the designer gowns that she flaunts at red carpet events, and she would only spend so much for a dress for her wedding day.

The 21-year-old feels she would only buy elaborate gowns only if it is her wedding dress.

“I don’t even want to know how much they usually cost, but it’s been really fun for me to dress up and get to meet different designers. I don’t think I could ever actually purchase a huge gown unless it’s my wedding dress,” People magazine quoted Gomez as saying.

Pakistan calls for Mohammed Morsi’s release

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Pakistan Friday called for immediate release of Egypt’s former president Mohammed Morsi who was ousted from office earlier this month following days of protests by millions of people against his Islamist rule.

Morsi is in detention, accused of conspiring with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Pakistan has described the ouster of Morsi as “a major setback for Egypt’s return to democracy and to the achievements of aims and objectives of January 11 revolution”, reported Geo News citing the Pakistan foreign ministry in a statement.

Sarah Jessica Parker throws b’day bash for mother

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Actress Sarah Jessica Parker threw a lavish party for her mother Barbara’s 75th birthday earlier this week.

Barbara turned 75 Wednesday. Parker took her beloved mother to a posh restaurant and hired a private space for almost 30 guests at a trendy French eatery named Le Charlot here, reports nypost.com.

The actress’ husband Matthew Broderick, son James, 10, and four-year-old twin daughters Marion and Tabitha were also present for the special celebrations.

——IANS

UPPSC scraps its controversial reservation policy

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The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission is understood to have scrapped its controversial reservation policy whereby caste-based quotas were introduced in competitive examinations at the preliminary stage itself, informed sources said tonight. They said a public announcement in this regard is likely to be made tomorrow.

Congressional resolution mourns loss of life in Uttarakhand

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A resolution introduced in the US House of Representatives has expressed heartfelt condolences and support to all those affected in the aftermath of the deadly flash floods and landslides in Uttarakhand. The resolution introduced in the House by Congressmen Joe Crowley and Peter Roskam, who are Co-Chairs of Congressional India Caucus, urges the US Government to stand with the government and the people of India during recovery and reconstruction efforts.

Osama’s AK-47 on display at ultra-secret CIA Museum

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Osama bin Laden’s AK-47 rifle, found next to his body after he was killed in a daring midnight raid by US Navy SEALs in Pakistan, is on display at an ultra-secret CIA museum. The AK-47 is a recent addition to a collection housed at a museum inside the CIA headquarters in Langley,

Virginia. The museum displays the gadgets, artifacts and trophies of 70 years of spycraft, from World War II through to the War on Terror.
The museum is closed to the public and is only visited by employees and invited guests.

Keep candidates with criminal record out: Rahul

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Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday directed party leaders of five election-bound states to keep candidates with criminal background out and ensure that blocks have a say in their selection.

Rahul, who met AICC general secretary secretaries in-charge and the chairmen of the screening committees for Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram, discussed the party strategy for the Assembly polls in these states which are due this year.

Leading scientist Obaid Siddiqui dead

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Obaid Siddiqi, National Research Professor at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) died here following a road accident on July 21, which caused him severe brain injuries.

“He breathed his last in a city hospital,” National Centre for Biological Sciences-TIFR official Avinash Chinchure told.

Siddiqi is survived by his wife Asiya, sons Imran and Kaleem, and daughters Yumna and Diba, National Centre for Biological Sciences-TIFR, said in a statement.

BJP workers protest outside Raj Babbar’s house over meal remark

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Around 30 BJP activists were detained for allegedly protesting outside Congress spokesman Raj Babbar’s residence in suburban Juhu here on Friday over his controversial remark on meals being available for Rs 12, police said.

The BJP activists demonstrated outside Babbar’s residence on Gulmohar Road at JVPD scheme area, slamming the film actor-turned-politician for his recent remarks.

Babbar had said that a hearty meal in Mumbai can be bought for Rs 12, while his party colleague Rasheed Masood had claimed that a mere Rs 5 was sufficient for a meal in Delhi.

India won’t harm Bangladesh’s interests: PM to Moni

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday assured Bangladesh that India would do nothing inimical to its interests on the issue of waters and said he intends to take the Indo-Bangla Land Boundary Agreement to Parliament for ratification.

Singh, who met Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, told her that the government is seeking a national consensus on the Teesta river water-sharing issue.

Tendulkar bats for green energy

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Legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar Friday advised his fans not to waste natural resources and double up efforts to save the environment.

Tendulkar was in the city to launch Toshiba’s environment conservation initiative ‘Bat for the Planet’.

ISI operative held in Lucknow with fake currency

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A Nepali national, working for Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police’s Anti-Terror Squad Friday and fake Indian currency with face value of Rs.5 lakh seized from him, officials said.

The operative, identified as Ahmed Teli, was nabbed by the ATS at the Qaiserbagh bus station when he was about to board a bus.

Officials said Teli was a middle rung operative and was the conduit between the agency and the terror groups spread elsewhere.

One arrested for killing of Maruti Manesar plant GM

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A 23-year-old man was arrested in connection with the murder of the general manager of Maruti Suzuki plant in Gurgaon district’s Manesar July last year, police said Friday.

Pradeep Kumar, a resident of Haryana, was arrested from Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh area Thursday.

He disclosed that he was working in Maruti Suzuki Manesar plant as a welder for the last five years.

Rahul to discuss food ordinance with state Congress leaders

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Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will meet state party leaders to discuss the food security ordinance July 27, party sources said Friday.

According to the sources, Gandhi will meet the state unit chiefs of the party-ruled states and the legislative party leaders of states where the party is in opposition, to push the food ordinance, expected to be a “game changer” ahead of the five assembly polls this year and the 2014 general elections.

Food Minister K.V. Thomas is also expected to attend the meeting.

7,000 theses seized from controversial Meghalaya varsity

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Over 7,000 Ph.D theses were seized from Meghalaya’s private controversial CMJ University, accused of fraud and selling fake degrees, police said Friday.

The Meghalaya governor’s secretariat had lodged a first information report (FIR) with police against the CMJ University and its chancellor Chandra Mohan Jha for alleged lapses and fraud.

“We have seized over 7,000 PhD thesis from two different CMJ university campuses located in Shillong and Jorabat,” a CID official told IANS.

Jamunia radio serial launched on AIR to highlight development

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All India Radio Friday launched its new weekly radio serial “Jamunia” on its national network.

The half-hour weekly radio serial will be broadcast every Friday at 9.30 p.m. on All India Radio’s Indraprastha channel.

Jamunia is the story of a poor but highly-motivated woman, who through her courage and commitment, gives voice to her fellow villagers and makes them aware of various schemes and programmes of the government.

The villagers start looking up to her and this generates a new awakening amongst them, said a statement.

Duplicate medical equipment factory busted in Delhi

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A factory manufacturing duplicate life-saving medical equipment was busted here and two people running it arrested, police said Friday.

The factory, in west Delhi’s Madipur village, was preparing equipment used in dialysis, angiography and sugar testing.

Accused Gulshan Kumar Sharma, 33, was arrested Thursday on a tip-off near Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital when he was going to deliver a consignment of such products.

During interrogation, he disclosed that he was running a factory manufacturing duplicate medical equipment of foreign companies.