Month: August 2013

India eases FDI policy for retail, telecom

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India Thursday decided to hike the foreign direct investment limits in a host of sectors, notably telecom, oil refineries, commodity bourses, power exchanges and stock exchanges and relaxed the policy for retail, giving clear signal to overseas investors that the economic reforms were on track.

The decisions were taken by the federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The foreign direct investment (FDI) limit for telecom sector has been increased from 74 percent to 100 percent.

Kerry opens talks in Pakistan

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Visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry Thursday opened talks on cooperation with Pakistan to effectively fight terrorism.

The talks also focused on the controversial drone strikes, enhancing economic cooperation and the role the two sides play in elusive Afghan peace, Xinhua quoted officials as saying.

Kerry, the first senior American official to visit Pakistan since a new government assumed office in June, arrived here late Wednesday to review prospects for future relationship with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Delhi Police officer succumbs to bullet injury

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A Delhi Police assistant sub-inspector, who had apparently shot himself Wednesday evening, has died of bullet injury, an official said.

Padma Ram, 50, was spotted lying in a pool of blood by a colleague at the security police line in Chankyapuri area of Delhi Wednesday evening.

He was taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital where he succumbed to the bullet injury late Wednesday night.

NRIs complain slain BSP leader, kin duped them over land

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Two non-resident Indians (NRIs) have filed a complaint against slain business tycoon Deepak Bhardwaj and his family alleging they he duped them by illegally selling their land valued at crores of rupees, said police Thursday.

Both the US-based NRI’s Amarjeet Singh and K.K. Ratan registered their complaint with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of police Wednesday.

“The NRIs had given the authority to Bhardwaj to take care of their lands. But, Bhardwaj sold their land by using fake papers,” said a police officer quoting the complaint.

Cabinet approves keeping parties out of RTI ambit

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The union cabinet Thursday approved an amendment to the Right to Information (RTI) Act which aims at keeping the political parties out of its ambit, said informed sources.

The issue has been in the news after a recent central information commission (CIC) order which had stated that six political parties were public authorities and hence were liable to declare their accounts under the RTI Act.

Most parties were opposed to the order saying they were not public authorities.

Many activists had Wednesday urged the government not to amend the RTI act on the issue.

BJP must be in fantasy land in projecting Modi as India”s next PM: Rajeev Shukla

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Congress leader Rajeev Shukla said that his party is confident and prepared to fight the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, irrespective of who the opposition’s Prime Ministerial candidate would be. Earlier today, BJP leader Yashwant Sinha told media persons in Rajgarh “I am saying with full confidence that Narendra Modi will be the country”s next Prime Minister.” Commenting on the BJP’s statement, Shukla said: “Everybody has the right to live in their fantasy land, so let them.

All concerns of people of Seemandhra will be addressed: Digvijay Singh

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Expressing concern over the issue of widespread protests in Andhra Pradesh, Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh on Thursday appealed to all the people to maintain peace in the state, and added that all concerns of the people of Seemandhra would be addressed. “We would appeal to all the concerned people to have patience, maintain peace and harmony and all issues, which concern the people of coastal Andhra and Rayalseema would be addressed,” he told media here today.

‘My fight for justice will continue’, says DSP Zia-ul-Haq’s wife

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Slain Kunda Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Zia-ul-Haq’s wife Parveen Azad on Thursday dismissed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report that gave a clean chit to former Uttar Pradesh Minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, and said that she will fight till her husband’s killers are put behind bars. “I don’t agree with the report of the CBI.

Five Haryana Police officials sentenced to rigorous imprisonment in rape case

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Five Haryana Police officials have been found guilty and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment in connection with a rape case.

The Special Judge for CBI cases, Ambala (Haryana) has sentenced Balraj, then Head Constable and Silak Ram, then Constable to undergo ten years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.40, 000 each and other three then Head Constable Ramphal, Randhir Singh and Ram Dhari to undergo one year rigorous imprisonment with fine of Rs. 5,000 each in a case related to rape of a resident of Rohtak (Haryana).

US economy grows by 1.7% in Q2

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The US Commerce Department has said that the country’s economy has grown at an annualised pace of 1.7 percent in the second quarter of the year.

According to the BBC, the economy has grown at a faster pace than expected by economists and also higher from the growth rate for the first three months of 2013.

A slowdown was widely expected due to the impact of federal spending cuts and continuing weakness in the global economy, the report added.

The Q2 growth rate was better than expected, but that was offset by a downward revision for the first three months of the year.

Dera Ismail Khan prisoners were aware of attack on jail in advance

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Prisoners were well aware in advance militants would carry out an assault in the central jail in Dera Ismail Khan, and geared up for escape immediately after hearing the first gunshot. Reports suggest that the attackers stayed for over three hours inside the jail before attempting escape.

US admits to four-year tumultuous relationship with Pak

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US Secretary of State John Kerry began talks with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday after arriving late on Wednesday during a long-anticipated visit to Pakistan. The talks are likely to be dominated by the fight against militants as US troops withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014.

Afghan civilian casualties increased by 23 pc in first six months of year: UN

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The United Nations said Wednesday that civilian deaths and injuries increased by 23 per cent in Afghanistan during the first six months of this year. According to CNN, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan in its report said that the increase in deaths and injuries this year was mainly driven by the increased use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

SIT manipulated NHRC,CEC reports on 2002 riots: Zakia’s lawyer

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The lawyer of Zakia Jafri on Thursday alleged before the magistrate’s court here that Special Investigation Team probing the 2002 Gujarat riots cases “ignored and manipulated” conclusions of National Human Rights Commission and Chief Election Commissioner.

“SIT has wilfully ignored and manipulated conclusions of National Human Rights Commission and Chief Election Commissioner on the attitude of the state machinery and ground realities during and after 2002 riots, to shield the real culprits,” said Advocate Aparna Bhatt.

Microsoft tab sales rounds up to $853 mn hit by promotion costs

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Microsoft Surface tablets sales in their first eight months has

totalled on 853 million dollars, revealing the struggle for the company to make a profit

out of the product.

According to the BBC, company’s latest financial filing also revealed that its

advertising budget has swelled for promoting the tablets.

The RT designation refers to the fact that the tablets are powered by an ARM-based chip

and offer a limited version of the Windows 8 experience.

Users are restricted to running built-in apps or ones downloaded from the firm”s own

Ministers, MLAs not in favour of Telangana likely to resign

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A number of Congress Ministers and MLAs’ from outside the Telangana region are likely to resign by Thursday evening in the wake of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) giving its approval to the creation of a separate state of Telangana by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh.

Indian Newspaper Society gives nod to 49 percent FDI in print media

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The executive committee of the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) has passed a proposal to increase Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in print media from 26 percent to 49 percent.

The INS will recommend of 49 percent FDI in print through the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) route to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

The government will now need the nod of the Press Council of India to give its go-ahead.

The print media business in India has grown exponentially in the last few decades and the prospects of further growth in the coming years are enormous.

iPatched help Internet users prevent privacy intrusion on webcam

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iPatched, a simple and inexpensive technology, has been

developed as a solution to camera intrusions that is increasingly used to access the

privacy of citizens, mostly women.

The Washington Times reports that iPatched fix is a vinyl circle that clings to the

surface of webcams and smart phones preventing the hackers from intervening anybody’s

privacy.

Earlier, the perpetrators could tap into a victim’s computer using Remote Administration

Tools (RAT), and hack the web cam, which can be turned on and off at their pleasure.

Egyptian Islamic cleric says ‘beating wife okay, as long as it’s not on face’

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An Egyptian cleric has said on a religious television show that it’s okay for Muslim husbands to beat wives, so long as they didn’t hit them on their faces.

The Washington Times reports that cleric Mahmoud Al-Denawy responded to a question from a woman of Norway during a June 17 show on African Iqra TV that asked ‘What’s the Islamic view on the beating of wives?’

According to the reports the cleric also said that non-believers of Islam often use that issue as a point of criticism.

When British govt. planned to flood Kent, Essex to save London

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A secret document has revealed that the British government had planned to flood low-lying areas decades ago to protect London from mass destruction.

According to the Daily Express News, the Home Affairs Department said that the plans to flood Kent and Essex could cause hundreds of casualties and an estimated loss of more than 250 million pounds.

The emergency arrived because the work was stalled at the Thames barrier following a dock strike in Teesside.

Lt Gen Brar’s London Sikh gang attackers convicted over ‘intent of revenge’

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A Sikh gang of four has been convicted of slashing the throat of Lieutenant-General Kuldeep Singh Brar in a revenge attack on 30 September last year.

According to the BBC, Mandeep Singh Sandhu, Dilbag Singh, Barjinder Singh Sangha and Harjit Kaur of London were convicted at Southwark Crown Court on charges of wounding with intent.

Lt Gen Brar and his wife Meena were on their way to their hotel on Old Quebec Street in central London when the group attacked.

Brar had suffered a 12-inch cut running across his neck and jaw and another three-inch cut to the jaw, the report further added.

Yahoo acquires start-up venture owned by Indian ex-employee

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Internet Corporation Yahoo, continuing with its acquisition spree has reportedly bought e-commerce platform founded by one of its ex-employee.

According to Stuff.co.nz, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer purchased four-year-old start-up Lexity, founded by Amit Kumar for an undisclosed amount.

The company specializes in software applications that help small businesses attract and service customers and boasts of boasts tens of thousands of clients spread across 114 countries.

Google Glass set for growth following ‘invite-a-friend’ feature

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Google after inviting more than 6,000 people to buy and try its controversial wearable computing device Google Glass in its Explorer program has reportedly allowed some of the owners to invite their friends to become part of the program.

According to ABC News, the Google Glass explorers who bought the glasses received emails from the search engine giant to invite a friend to the program.

Google said that it is always experimenting with new ways to expand its Explorer program but did not comment upon the number of users it will be adding to the program.