Month: August 2013

Syrian hackers threaten response to U.S. military strike

by

The Syrian Electronic Army, a pro-Assad hacking collective, may retaliate against a U.S. military strike with their own cyber assaults against the U.S. economy, a computer user claiming to be a leading member of the group has warned. The group has taken responsibility for a number of high-profile attacks on major American media organizations. The group had attacked the Washington Post and The New York Times that brought down the historic newspaper”s website for hours earlier this week.

Aditi Rao Hydari happy with response to ‘Boss’ trailer

by

Bollywood actress Aditi Rao Hydari is elated at the response the trailer of her forthcoming movie `Boss` has received.

The trailer was released Aug 27.

“The `Boss` trailer has crossed 1.4 million views in 58 hours. Thank you from the girl in the pink bikini (this is the first time that the actress has worn a bikini in her film),” Aditi posted on Twitter.

Directed by Anthony D`Souza, the film also stars Akshay Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty, Shiv Pandit, Danny Denzongpa, Ronit Roy and Johnny Lever.

Industry hasn’t tapped my full potential: Manoj Bajpayee

by

He has proven his versatility time and again but actor Manoj Bajpayee, who has been a part of the Hindi film industry for around 20 years, says showbiz has not utilised even 20 per cent of his potential.

“I have no resentment towards the industry but at the same time I would say the industry has not utilised even 20 per cent of my potential. I like to work with like-minded people and right now I am enjoying what I am doing. I am in a very happy space,” said Manoj.

Surgeons use Google Glass to live stream operation

by

Google Glass has recently been used to assist surgeons and medical students at the Ohio State University, and has been said to give an experience to surgeons that they never had before.

According to ABC News, Christopher Kaeding, an orthopaedic surgeon at OSU, accepted the wearable computer for a standard surgical procedure, repairing a torn ACL.

In this particular procedure, Glass’s sole aim was to allow Kaeding to join a Google Hangout, Google’s video conferencing service, the report said.

Trojan asteroid shares orbit with Uranus

by

UBC astronomers have discovered the first Trojan asteroid sharing the orbit of Uranus.

It is believed 2011 QF99 is part of a larger-than-expected population of transient objects temporarily trapped by the gravitational pull of the Solar System’s giant planets.

Trojans are asteroids that share the orbit of a planet, occupying stable positions known as Lagrangian points.

Astronomers considered their presence at Uranus unlikely because the gravitational pull of larger neighbouring planets would destabilize and expel any Uranian Trojans over the age of the Solar System.

Pope says dialogue only way to end Syrian conflict

by

Pope Francis and Jordan’s king have said only dialogue and negotiations can end Syria”s civil war, the Vatican said. Days earlier, the Pope had said that the use of arms would not resolve the civil war in Syria, where so far over 100 000 people have been killed. According to news24, the United States and its allies are considering a military intervention in response to the Syrian regime”s alleged use of chemical weapons in a rebel-held Damascus suburb on 21 August, where hundreds died.

Antarctic ice sheet more vulnerable to climate change than believed

by

A new research has claimed that East Antarctic Ice Sheet could be at a higher risk to the effects of climate change than previously believed.

A team from Durham University’s Department of Geography used declassified spy satellite imagery to create the first long-term record of changes in the terminus of outlet glaciers – where they meet the sea – along 5,400km of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet’s coastline.

The imagery covered almost half a century from 1963 to 2012.

Videocon Industries Q1 Net down 79% to Rs 10.63 crore

by

Videocon Industries on Friday reported 78.78 percent decline in standalone net profit at Rs 10.63 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2013, mainly on the account of sharp increase in finance cost.

The company had reported standalone net profit of Rs 50.11 crore for the same quarter a year ago.

Videocon Industries’ finance cost increased by 54.54 percent to Rs 602.84 crore in the quarter under review as against Rs 390.08 crore in the corresponding quarter last year, the company said in a BSE filing.

Food Security Bill credit negative for India: Moody’s

by

Giving a thumbs down to the Food Security Bill, rating agency Moody’s on Thursday said the measure is credit negative as it will weaken government finances and deteriorate macroeconomic situation.

“The measure (Food Bill) is credit negative for the Indian government because it will raise government spending on food subsidies to about 1.2 percent of GDP per year from an estimated 0.8 percent currently, exacerbating the government’s weak finances,” Moody’s said in a statement.

PEARLS OF ISLAMIC WISDOM

by

Luqman was a wise person known to be from Jerusalem. It is said that he was a judge during Prophet Dawud’s (a.s.) (David’s) time. According to Ibn ‘Abbas (RadiyAllahu Anhu), he was an Ethiopian slave who worked as a carpenter.

Luqman’s wisdom is mentioned in the Quran in Surah Luqman. A glimpse of his wisdom is recorded below.

In his book “Stories of the Quran
”, Ibn Kathir has included more of his wisdom as narrated by others. Some of his wise sayings as he preached to people are covered below.

Falling rupee poses challenges, opportunities for India: IMF

by

The unprecedented slide of rupees poses both challenges and opportunities for India, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said.

“The current situation presents a challenge, obviously, to the government of India, but also an opportunity for the government to continue in its policy efforts on a variety of fronts,” IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said yesterday.

“I wouldn’t want to speculate on any support or program needs,” he said when asked on the speculation about India coming to the IMF, possibly selling its gold reserves to the IMF to prop up its currency.

No reversal of economic reforms, says Prime Minister

by

Notwithstanding concerns over sliding rupee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday ruled out reversal of reforms or resorting to capital controls to rescue the currency which he said fell on account of domestic as well as global factors.

Making a statement on the state of the economy in Parliament amid concerns over rapid depreciation of rupee, Singh said the country has to be ready for short-term shocks but the government will ensure that the fundamentals of economy remain strong.

PPP appoints lawyer for Benazir Bhutto murder case

by

The opposition Pakistan People’s Party on Thursday appointed former Punjab Governor and leading lawyer Latif Khan Khosa as its advocate in the Benazir Bhutto murder case.

Khosa submitted his advocacy license and contacted the anti-terrorism court hearing the case for copies of previous proceedings.

The formal trial of former President Pervez?Musharraf on the charge of involvement in the 2007 assassination of Bhutto began on August 27.

One witness, police constable Kashif Bashir, recorded his statement in the anti-terrorism court of Judge Chaudhry Habib-ur-Rehman.

Sri Lanka complaints of unfair UN rights body treatment

by

Sri Lanka, under attack for human rights abuses, on Thursday complained of a lack of “fairness” by the UNHRC, as the country’s External Affairs Minister met UN rights chief Navi Pillay who is here on a fact-finding mission on war crimes.

“There is a perception in the country about the lack of objectivity and fairness in the treatment meted out to Sri Lanka,” G L Peiris told Pillay, who is here on a week-long visit.

SRK urges men to respect women, elders

by

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan has urged men to respect women and elderly people, saying those who do so will be blessed.

“Respect the girls and women in your home, there is nothing bigger than that. I want every young man to remember that you will be blessed only if you respect your parents, care for them and look upon girls in your family and outside with respect,” the 47-year-old said during the dahi handi celebrations in suburban Ghatkopar on Janamashtmi on Thursday.

BJP meets Pranab, seeks early elections

by

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday called for early parliamentary elections to end what it said was the present atmosphere of “uncertainty” in the country.

BJP leader L.K. Advani said the request was made to President Pranab Mukherjee.

“The way to end the present scenario of uncertainty in the country is that the Lok Sabha election, scheduled to be held in 2014, should be held in 2013 itself along with assembly elections,” Advani told the media.

Advani submitted a memorandum to the president on behalf of BJP MPs “on the unprecedented crisis facing the Indian economy”.

Ex-police officer shot dead in Quetta

by

Unidentified persons shot dead a former police officer, an accused in the killing of five Chechen nationals in 2011, in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province’s capital Quetta.

Police officials said two armed militants riding on a motorcycle opened fire at the vehicle of Raza Khan, former police assistant sub inspector in Kharotabad area of Quetta.

They said Khan died on the spot and the attackers drove off after the attack last evening.

Khan was an accused in the murder of five Chechen nationals, including two women, in Kharotabad.

Google co-founder Brin’s girlfriend transferred in wake of ‘office-love quadrangle’

by

The girlfriend of Google billionaire Sergey Brin has been transferred after revelations of their extra-martial affair. Internet side dish Amanda Rosenberg, a UK Googler who recently moved to the San Francisco corporate offices to work for Google Glass, a pet Brin project, has been moved to another post there ‘to be even further from Sergei in the chain of command’. According to the New York Post, Brin’s affair with Rosenberg was revealed after tech blog AllThingsD reported the search engine co-founder had split with his wife of six years.

Rape-murder of dalit girl: Accused are minors, claims activist

by

The controversy over the age of two accused in the alleged rape and murder of a Dalit girl in Odisha’s Kendrapara district has come under judicial scrutiny.

The matter was heard by the district and sessions judge here yesterday on a complaint lodged by a human rights activist who claimed that the offenders were minor.

The court while admitting the petition has called for admission registers of the school where the accused had been enrolled as students in the past. The school authorities who were earlier summoned submitted the admission registers in connection with the litigation.

Saina-led Hotshots take on Sindhu’s Warriors in title contest

by

Spearheaded by women’s world no. 4 Saina Nehwal, Hyderabad Hotshots would be determined to stamp their authority once again on the world no. 10 P V Sindhu-led Awadhe Warriors in what promises to be a rip-roaring Indian Badminton League (IBL) finals here tomorrow.

At stake are not only reputations and the overall championship, but also a big prize fund in the USD 1 million league that reaches its climax at the NSCI’s newly built air-conditioned indoor stadium.

Asaram not to surrender before Jodhpur police today: Son

by

Keeping the police waiting, self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who was summoned by Jodhpur police to appear before it in a sexual assault case, on Friday did not surrender, with his son claiming that he was taken ill even as the Rajasthan police decided to send a team to Madhya Pradesh to interrogate him.

Asaram’s son Narayan Sai claimed that his father had booked his tickets for a flight to New Delhi on Friday morning but his health suddenly deteriorated because of which the air tickets had to be cancelled.

Muslim cleric arrested for abducting 11-year-old girl

by

A Muslim cleric has been arrested for allegedly abducting an 11-year-old girl in Budhana town of the district.

Abdul Rahim, the imam of a Mosque, was arrested yesterday after the girl, who was missing since August 21 was found in Budhana when police questioned Abdul.

The child’s family had filed a missing complaint and during investigation police had nabbed the cleric.

The cleric was today produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate K P Singh who sent him to 14-day judicial custody.

–PTI

Minor girl gangraped, 7 arrested

by

A minor girl was allegedly gang-raped by seven persons who were arrested within 12 hours of the crime near Bundu area, about 40km from here, police said on Thursday.

The girl, her “boyfriend” Rajesh, and his friend had set out for Jamshedpur to board a train for Pune on the intervening night of August 27 and 28 when the alleged incident occurred, said SP Saket Kumar Singh.

The girl, a student of class IX, who belongs to Bundu, and the two boys chose to drop in at the residence of her “boyfriend’s” uncle near Bundu for a night halt.

Don’t bomb chemical weapon sites in Syria: Experts

by

You simply can’t safely bomb a chemical weapon storehouse into oblivion, experts say. That’s why they say the United States is probably targeting something other than Syria’s nerve agents.

But now there is concern that bombing other sites could accidentally release dangerous chemical weapons that the US military didn’t know were there because they’ve lost track of some of the suspected nerve agents.

Angry PM attacks BJP for disrupting parliament

by

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday took on the BJP, saying it should allow parliament to function if it was worried about the country’s economy.

“Parliament is the supreme body in the country and is not allowed to function session after session,” Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha.

“I am glad the principal opposition recognises the need for consensus in the house. But building consensus is the responsibility of both the government and the principal opposition. But their conduct in the house is otherwise,” he said.