Month: July 2013

Farmer dies of heart attack after news about Telangana

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A farmer from Kadapa district today died of heart attack apparently after watching news about the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh on television.

Mahaboob Basha (48), a resident of Rayalapantula Gari Palli near Alankanupalli died of a heart attack soon after watching news of the state’s bifurcation, his family members said.

The family said that Mahaboob Basha, after completing work in his farm near the Kurnool-Kadapa canal, came home and began watching news on television.

North India has more doctors than South

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North Indian cities account for 31 per cent of doctors in the country, but only 28 per cent of the country’s population resides there, highlighting the extent to which these cities are over-served by the healthcare system, a report said.

On the contrary, East and South India have a significantly lower density of GPs (non-MBBS) compared to the Indian average, the IMS Health Physician and Chemist Census report said here.

Girl choses to go with parents after being with another girl

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A 22-year-old girl, whose father had approached the Kerala High Court alleging she had been “abducted” by another girl with the help of a Bangalore-based lesbian rights group, was today permitted by the court to go with her parents.

The direction was issued by a division bench comprising Justices Antony Dominic and P D Rajan while disposing of a Habeas corpus petition filed by the girl’s father.

India-born Mamnoon Hussain elected as Pakistan’s 12th Prez

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India-born Mamnoon Hussain, a close aide of Prime Minister Nawqaz Sharif, was today elected as the 12 President of Pakistan and will replace the incumbent Asif Ali Zardari in September.

Hussain emerged as a clear winner in the one-sided contest with with ex-judge Wajihuddin Ahmad of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party, state media reported.

Pakistan People’s Party withdrew its candidate Raza Rabbani and boycotted the election held today in protest to the date of polls being changed.

The polling started at 10.00 AM amidst tight security arrangements.

Drugs found in Justin Bieber’s tour bus

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Marijuana and paraphernalia drugs were seized from teen pop star Justin Bieber’s tour bus as it passed the Michigan-Canada border.

A drug-sniffing dog was able to detect the presence of drugs on board, reported Aceshowbiz.

According to Chief Customs and Border Protection Officer Ken Hammond, weed and drug paraphernalia were subsequently uncovered from the search. After the items were seized, the driver was issued a citation and the passengers, who did not include Bieber, were eventually released.

Men in my family are completely against marriage: Sonam Kapoor

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Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor says men in her family, including her father Anil Kapoor, do not believe in marriage and are completely against it.

“My father doesn’t believe in marriage, he thinks that it’s a very old-fashioned concept. The men in my family are completely against marriage. So whoever has to marry me has to go through like six brothers and a father,” she told reporters here at the cover-launch of the latest Stardust issue, in which she is featured with actor Imran Khan.

Andhra Pradesh – End of an era

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Andhra Pradesh, in the shape it existed for nearly 57 years, will now be cast into history with the centre Tuesday deciding to carve out Telangana state.

The state came into being on Nov 1, 1956, with the merger of Hyderabad State, as Telangana was then known, with Andhra State, which was the first Indian state to be formed on linguistic basis.

Telangana, a part of erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad, is inhabited by Telugu-speaking people.

55 laptops, Rs 1.45 lakh looted from computer showroom

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Fifty-five laptops, some computer accessories and Rs 1.45 lakh cash were stolen from a computer showroom in Kavinagar area here, police said today.

Anuj Kumar Singh, the owner of ‘Computer Gallery’ in Mariwada Chowk, found the showroom ransacked this morning.

“Anuj got to know about loot on Tuesday morning when other shopkeepers told him about it over the phone. He told police that 55 laptops, some computer accessories and Rs 1.45 lakh had been looted by the unidentified burglers,” a senior police officer said.

Modi for Telangana, says Cong move has political overtones

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Attributing Congress’ nod for creation of separate Telangana state to the “sustained struggle by people”, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today alleged Congress had dithered on the issue for long and conceded it only ahead of elections.

While welcoming any forward movement on Telangana, Modi also raised doubts over the “intent” of Congress-led UPA government over sticking to its stand on the issue this time around, citing repeated “dilly-dallying” in the past.

Possible White House rivals Clinton, Biden have breakfast

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US Vice President Joe Biden and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, both possible 2016 presidential candidates, had breakfast together today, Biden’s office said.

The meeting in Washington came a day after Clinton shared a closed-door lunch with President Barack Obama, who defeated her in a hard-fought 2008 primary before recruiting her to be the top US diplomat.

Clinton, who has yet to say whether she will seek the presidency again, is already widely viewed as a frontrunner for the Democratic nomination.

Vijayawada peaceful after Telangana decision: police

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The law and order situation in both Vijayawada city as well as Krishna district after the announcement of a separate Telangana state decision today is peaceful and under control, the police said.

Vijayawada Police Commissioner B Srinivasulu told PTI that there has been no untoward incident so far. The police are continuously monitoring the situation and patrolling has been intensified, he said.

Police pickets have been posted at all important places to check movements of anti-social elements. Additional central forces have also arrived to support the local police, he said.

Dy CM promises protection for Seemandhra people

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Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha on Tuesday thanked Congress President Sonia Gandhi and other leaders for taking a favourable decision on Telangana.

Addressing a press conference here, the Deputy Chief Minister assured the people of Andhra and Rayalaseema settled in Hyderabad that their lives and properties were safe in Telangana. “We are brothers. We speak the same language, but with a different accent. As a citizen of India, you have every right to live wherever you wish you. Therefore, there is no need to fear about anything,” he said.

TRS to consider merger with Congress after Telangana bill passed

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Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao Tuesday said the party would take a decision on merger with Congress after a bill was passed in the parliament for formation of Telangana state.

Welcoming the Congress’ decision to carve out Telangana state, he said he would not celebrate till the bill is passed.

Addressing a news conference Tuesday night, he demanded the Congress clarify on what it means by common capital. “There is a need for clarification as to what this arrangement will be,” he said on Congress’ decision to make Hyderabad a common capital for 10 years.

Congress reaches out to TRS, reminds of merger promise

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Making overtures to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) following its decision favouring statehood to Telangana, the Congress Tuesday reminded it of its promise of a merger if the demand for a separate state was conceded.

Replying to queries from media persons after announcing the decision on Telangana, party general secretary Digvijaya Singh recalled that TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao had earlier said he would merge his party with the Congress if Telangana was given.

TRS chief welcomes Telangana announcement

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Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao Tuesday welcomed the Congress’ decision to carve out Telangana state but said he would not celebrate till the relevant bill is passed in parliament.

Soon after Congress announced its decision to carve out separate Telangana state, Rao reached the party headquarters Telangana Bhavan to a warm welcome by his hundreds of supporters.

Flashing victory sign, KCR, as Rao is popularly known, garlanded the statues of ‘Telugu Talli’ and TRS ideologue, the late Jayashankar.

Telangana will take 4-5 months: Digvijaya

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The creation of Telangana, India’s 29th state, will take around four to five months, Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh said Tuesday after the Congress Working Committee passed a resolution for the new state to be carved out of Andhra Pradesh.

“The entire processs should take around four to five months,” he told reporters after the CWC decision.

According to Digvijaya Singh, the CWC resolution, likely to be taken by the union cabinet Wednesday, will be sent to the Andhra Pradesh assembly, which will have to approve it.

Hyderabad to be common capital for 10 years; UPA endorse Telangana state

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Brushing aside opposition after dithering for nearly four years, the Congress and the UPA coalition today unanimously endorsed creation of a separate Telangana state from out of Andhra Pradesh.

Creation of the new Telangana state will take close to six months that involve a number of steps, including adoption of state Re-organisation bill by Parliament by a simple majority.

Celebrations begin in Telangana

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Hundreds of pro-Telangana activists stormed the streets of Hyderabad to celebrate the Congress High Command’s announcement of formation of Telangana.

Hundreds of TRS workers, who gathered at the Telangana Bhavan, started celebrations immediately after getting news that the UPA Coordination Committee has passed a unanimous resolution in favour of Telangana. Sweets were distributes and the TRS workers shouted slogans praising their party president K Chandrasekhar Rao. They claimed that Telangana is now a reality due to the continuous struggle of KCR.

US returns stolen Saddam Hussein sword to Iraq

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A gold-laden sword looted from ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s personal office in the aftermath of the US invasion of Iraq has been returned to Iraqi authorities.

The Homeland Security Department yesterday returned the 43-inch sword with an embellished blade and sheath with gold inlaid Arabic writing to the Iraqi ambassador.

The sword was seized by the US government in January 2012 after it was found for sale at an auction in Manchester, New Hampshire.

After Telangana, Cong leaders demands Vidarbha, Omar says separate state after agitations dangerous

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As the Congress moved closer to a decision on Telangana issue, UPA ally and Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday cautioned it was “dangerous” to carve out new states after agitations amid fresh statehood demands in other parts of the country.

In a ripple effect of Telangana, senior Congress leader Vilas Muttemwar pressed for creation of Vidarbha state out of Maharashtra and wrote to party president Sonia Gandhi, saying this demand was “older and stronger” than that for carving out Telangana from Andhra Pradesh.

Apologise on Batla House comments, BJP tells Congress

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Welcoming the life sentence given to Batla House convict Shahzad Ahmed, the BJP Tuesday said the Congress should “apologise” for calling the shootout fake.

“The BJP welcomes the court verdict in the Batla House shootout case. If we have to win the war against terror, then strong punishment will have to be given to terrorists,” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said Tuesday.

He slammed Congress leaders, including Digvijaya Singh and Salman Khurshid, who had expressed doubts if the shootout was real or staged.

Got some cooperation from Mamata government: Bengal poll panel

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It may have been at loggerheads with the Mamata Banerjee regime, but the West Bengal State Election Commission Tuesday said it got cooperation from the state government in conducting the panchayat polls.

“No election can be conducted without the cooperation of the state government and we did get cooperation to some extent. I can say we received cooperation from the state government. Beyond that I won’t comment any further on that,” State Election Commissioner Mira Pande told media persons here.

Katy Perry opens up about Pattinson-Stewart

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Singer Katy Perry has broken her silence of the alleged link up with actor Robert Pattinson and says she even tried to clarify things with his ex-girlfriend Kristen Stewart.

Pattinson was heartbroken after Stewart was caught cheating on him with director Rupert Sanders in July last year. Even though the couple reconciled, they parted ways for the final time this year.

Perry was spotted with Pattinson on a number of occasions post his breakup, fuelling rumours of romance between them.

Telangana issue: Kiran is party’s obedient soldier: Congress

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Denying reports of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy’s resignation, Congress today said he was an “obedient soldier” of the party.

Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary said: “This wild, distorted news is being put out without substantiating… He (Reddy) is a very obedient soldier of the party.”

“The rumour is being spread to affect local elections in the state,” she said.

Live: How decision on Telangana was taken

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Congress General Secretary and Andhra Pradesh in-charge Digvijaya Singh said that decision has been made keeping in mind a long standing demand of the people of Telangana. “We have kept in mind security, water issues, liabilities, etc. All this will be considered while drafting the Bill. Modalities will be worked out for division of assets, liabilities and water resources..