Month: August 2013

Iran ready for serious n-talks: Rouhani

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Iran’s newly-elected President Hassan Rouhani Tuesday said his country was ready for “serious talks” on its nuclear programme “without losing time”.

“The nuclear rights of the Iranian nation will be on the agenda of this government and we will not slacken over the nation’s rights,” Xinhua quoted Rouhani as saying at a press conference.

He, however, added: “We are ready to enter negotiations seriously and without losing time.”

The Iranian president said that he was “sure that both sides’ concerns will be solved in a short time”.

–IANS

Telangana centerpiece of Congress’ vote bank politics: Shahnawaz Hussain

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain on Tuesday said the Congress is indulging in vote bank politics in working towards the creation of a new state of Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh, and accused the ruling party of not having the best interests of the country in mind when taking the decision.

Oz woman accused of racial rant against Asian schoolboy escapes conviction

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The Australian woman who was accused of racially abusing an Asian schoolboy Sydney bus earlier this year has reportedly escaped a conviction although she had pleaded guilty to the offence.

According to News.com.au, Susan Bernobich from Sydney had pleaded guilty to one charge of using offensive language in or near a public place or school and has apologised for her actions outside the court.

Pakistan denies attack on Indian soldiers, says no firing from its side

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Pakistan on Tuesday denied that it fired upon Indian Army soldiers and killed five of them in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

“There was no indiscriminate firing from our side,” a security official was quoted, as saying. He also rejected alleged reports of a cease-fire violation in the Ramgarh Sector of Jammu and Kashmir”s Samba District on Monday.

Another official, speaking on condition of anonymity, denied reports of an exchange of fire on the border between troops of the two countries.

Microsoft’s Surface tablets struggling to keep up with Apple’s iPad despite price fall

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Microsoft’s launch of Surface tablets intended to compete with competitors like Apple’s iPad has reportedly failed to garner success even when the company has dropped the prices to boost sales.

According to ABC News, Microsoft dropped the price of its Surface RT to 350 dollars from 499 dollars a few weeks ago and it has announced a similar change for 64GB Surface Pro tablet to 799 dollars down by a hundred dollar.

Pak should know if they want to get rid of terror they need India”s help: Farooq Abdullah

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Reacting to the killing of five Indian soldiers along the Line of Control in Poonch, Union Minister for Non-Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said Pakistan should know that if they want to get rid of terror, they need India”s help.

“They (Pakistan) have to stop all this incursion and killing of our jawans. Pakistan should know that if they want to get rid of terror, they need India”s help,” Abdullah told media here.

“Can India just take it lying down? No. This killing, infiltrations, should stop but talks must continue,” he added.

Aam Aadmi Party volunteers protest globally against planned RTI amendments

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Volunteers and Friends of Aam Aadmi Party in the United States, Singapore and Australia organised protests during the weekend against the planned amendment to the Right to Information (RTI) Act in the upcoming parliament session.

The protests were planned to show the strong public demand for transparency in political parties as well as the anger against the any amendments to the act by vested interests.

3 shot dead at US town meeting; shooter tackled

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A gunman blasted shots through the wall of a municipal building in northeastern Pennsylvania during a meeting and then barged into the room and continued firing, killing three people, before he was tackled by a local official and shot with his own gun, a witness said.

The shooting, which injured at least two other people, happened shortly before 7:30 p m during Ross Township’s
monthly meeting, Monroe County emergency management director Guy Miller said. The gunman, who appeared to be “shooting randomly,” was captured and was treated at a hospital, he said.

Terror attacks increased in J-K after Afzal hanging: govt

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Government today said incidents of terrorist attacks on armed forces have increased in Jammu and Kashmir in the aftermath of the hanging of Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru.

The reason for increase in terror attacks is due to stepping up of the attack on security forces planned by the
militant groups in the aftermath of Afzal Guru’s execution in February, 2013,” Minister of State for Home R P N Singh told Lok Sabha in a written reply.

APNGOs to go on strike from Aug 12,

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The Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers’ Association on Tuesday served a notice to the State Government announcing that all employees would go on strike from August 12 in protest against the proposed division of Andhra Pradesh.

Jana Reddy advises employees against regional divide

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Panchayat Raj Minister K Jana Reddy on Tuesday asked the State Government employees not to widen the regional differences among themselves.

Talking to reporters here, Jana Reddy said that the Congress government would never differentiate among the employees of Seemandhra and Telangana regions. He said the rights of no employee would be violated by the government. He said that the employees should shed all fears and apprehensions.

Sale of Rakhi envelopes through post offices

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The India Post will sell Rakhi Envelopes through selected post offices in Andhra Pradesh Circle for the festival of Rakshabandhan which will be celebrated on August 20.

India Post is selling tamper proof, sturdy and self-adhesive Envelopes for sending Rakhi which are specially designed with water proof packaging. The price for each Rakhi Envelope is Rs 7. Rakhi Envelopes of four different designs of size 11cm and 22 cm are available at selected post offices, Assistant Postmaster General said in a press release here. (INN)

Nimmagadda gets two day interim bail

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Industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad was granted interim bail for two days by the Special Court on Tuesday in the Vanpic Land Allotment case.

The CBI Special Court granted interim bail to Prasad on August 9 and 10th.

Meanwhile, the CBI court adjourned the hearing to August 12 on the bail petition of former Minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao in the disproportionate assets case of YSR Congress president Jagan Mohan Reddy. Mopidevi’s lawyers sought bail on health grounds. After hearing the petition, the court directed the Health Board to study Mopidevi’s health status. (INN)

Dont Compare Hyderabad with Pakistan

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Government Whip Anil Kumar on Tuesday condemned YSR Congress party leader Sharmila for comparing Hyderabad with Pakistan.

Talking to reporters at the Congress Legislature Party office here, Anil Kumar said that Sharmila failed to understand Hyderabad although she was born and brought up in this historic city. Instead, he alleged that Sharmila was “looting” the same city where she was brought up.

Anil Kumar said that people have understood what YSR Congress party stands for and therefore, they would reject the party in next elections.

Amazon founder buys Washington Post for $250million

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Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has reportedly acquired The Washington Post inclusive of its assets and its flagship daily newspaper for 250 million US dollars.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Bezos has purchased the company as an individual and Amazon is not involved.

Washington Post chairman and chief executive Donald Graham whose family owns the paper said that he along with the board of directors have decided to sell the paper after years of familiar newspaper-industry challenges.

Samsung might unveil next Galaxy Note on Sept. 4

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Mobile manufacturer Samsung is likely to unveil its latest version of the flagship Galaxy Note on September 4 at the IFA technology conference in Berlin.

The company called the event ‘Samsung Unpacked 2013’ which will be live streamed via the web, and it will host a press event at the same time in New York City”s Times Square for people to watch and get hands-on time with the devices, the CNN reports.

Breastfeeding reduces Alzheimer’s risk in women

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Mothers who breastfeed run a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s, with longer periods of breastfeeding further reducing the risk, a new study suggests.

The report suggests that the link may be to do with certain biological effects of breastfeeding.

For example, breastfeeding restores insulin tolerance which is significantly reduced during pregnancy, and Alzheimer’s is characterised by insulin resistance in the brain.

Britain withdraws embassy staff from Yemen

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Britain has withdrawn all diplomatic staff from its embassy in Yemen after the US ordered its citizens to leave the country in the wake of a worldwide terror alert.

Due to increased security concerns, all staff in our Yemen embassy have been temporarily withdrawn, and the embassy will remain closed until staff are able to return,” an FCO statement said today.

The British government flew the embassy staff back to the UK overnight.

J-K govt orders probe into custodial death

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Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered a magisterial probe into the custodial death of a man detained in connection with the mysterious death of his wife in Udhampur district, police said today.

Subash Chander allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in the lockup at a police station in Ramnagar tehsil of Udhampur district yesterday.

Police said Chander tore the silk cloth attached to the side of a blanket, used it as a rope and hanged himself.

3 arrested for murder

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Three persons have been arrested from Punjab for allegedly murdering a Kashmiri Pandit in Jagti town
on the outskirts of Jammu city, police said today.

We have arrested three accused from Ludhiana in Punjab late last night for their involvement in the murder of a
Kashmiri Pandit,” Jammu SSP Atul Goel said.

The accused have been identified as Summit Singh, Naresh Sharma and Gaurav alias Shanky.

The three on Sunday barged into the house of one Ankur Talashi and tried to abduct him. His father Tej Krishen