Month: November 2013

Never opposed them, but opinion polls doubtful: Congress

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The Congress Monday defended its view that opinion polls should be restricted during election time but asserted that it never opposed them.

“We have never opposed opinion polls… but the party has maintained that they are doubtful… we don’t trust them,” Congress spokesperson Meem Afzal told reporters when asked about his party’s response to the Election Commission (EC).

In its Oct 30 response to the EC, the Congress supported the commission’s view that opinion polls should be restricted during election time.

Ensure no water body is allotted to private person: HC to Delhi

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The Delhi High Court has directed the city government to ensure that no water body is encroached or allotted to any private person, saying these bodies help in improving the environment and the authorities are duty bound to protect them.

Accepting a PIL filed by a Residents Welfare Association (RWA), the bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Manmohan directed the revenue department of Delhi government to take back such water bodies, if they were allotted to individuals in past, after giving them alternative land.

PlanComm convenes meeting to discuss mining issues

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Planning Commission has convened a high level meeting of concerned ministries on Thursday to discuss issues related to mining, including the ban on such activities in some states, to boost output.

A high-level meeting of the ministries concerned is scheduled on November 7, for discussing the issues related to mining sector, a source said.

Planning Minister Rajeev Shukla had earlier said a meeting of secretaries of concerned ministries has been called to deliberate the issues related to mining sector particularly the ban on such activities in some states.

Two more ministers want PM not to travel to Lanka for CHOGM

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Voices within the Cabinet grew louder against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visiting Sri Lanka with two more ministers saying on Monday that he should not attend Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in view of alleged atrocities against ethnic Tamils.

Minister of State in the PMO V Narayanasamy and Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan came out openly to oppose the Prime Minister’s visit, joining their Cabinet colleague GK Vasan.

“I have conveyed my opinion to the Prime Minister that he should not visit Sri Lanka,” Narayanasamy said.

Apple iOS Chief Henri Lamiraux quits company

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Apple iOS engineering Vice President Henri Lamiraux has reportedly resigned from his post after serving for 23 years at the tech giant.

Lamiraux revealed that he retired from Apple with the last couple of weeks, having decided that iOS 7 would be his final release.

According to Cnet, as a top overseer of iOS operations at Apple, Lamiraux had a hand in many areas and was in charge of developing the applications that come with iOS.

Anti-aging strategies can boost self-esteem

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Anti-aging strategies like using creams and skin-improvement methods can improve appearance and boost self esteem, say experts.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) offers advice on how to slow aging and boost self-esteem.

“Photoaging or the changes induced by chronic UV exposure is responsible for accelerating the skin’s aging process,” said Marian Northington, M.D, director of UAB Cosmetic Dermatology.

“The No. 1 way people can prevent photoaging is wearing a 30-plus SPF sunscreen, one that contains zinc oxide, every day,” Northington said.

Egypt court suspends Morsi’s trial

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A Cairo court Monday suspended the trial of Egypt’s deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi after the Muslim Brotherhood defendants chanted slogans against the army for the July “military coup”.

Morsi arrived in the courthouse in his private clothes having refused to wear the uniform worn by those in preventive detention, reports Xinhua.

Sources inside the courthouse said the presiding judge asked Morsi to wear the uniform, but he refused.

eBay apologises for putting up Holocaust memorabilia on sale

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eBay has reportedly apologized for putting up Holocaust memorabilia, including the clothes of concentration camp victims, for sale on its site.

A UK newspaper had claimed that the items on sale included shoes and a suitcase from concentration camp prisoners, Star of David armbands that Jews were forced to wear and the alleged uniform of a Polish baker who died in Auschwitz, CBS News reports.

According to the report, the online auction site has said that it had removed 30 items from the site and donated 40,000 dollars to a suitable charity.

Morsi not to appear at trial

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The Egyptian government has reportedly announced that ousted former President Mohammed Morsi will not be attending the opening of his trial since his ouster by the army in July.

Morsi and 14 members of the Muslim Brotherhood party have been allegedly charged with inciting violence during clashes late last year outside the presidential palace, in which 10 people died, leading to nationwide unrest.

According to news.com.au, the announcement has raised fears among Morsi’s supporters about his health and how he has been treated during his detention.

BJP leader faces women ire over ‘dehati aurat’ remarks

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Bihar BJP leader Giriraj Singh today faced protest from a group of rural women for his comments that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was quarrelling with Narendra Modi like a “dehati aurat” (rural woman) The agitating women, who were carrying bangles and ‘bindi’, raised slogans outside Giriraj Singh’s residence here.The BJP leader was not at his residence at that time.

Later, Giriraj Singh, who served as Minister for Animal Husbandry in the Nitish Kumar government before BJP ministers
were dropped by Kumar after split in NDA, expressed regret for his comments against women.

Opposition strike sparks violence in Bangladesh

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A protester was shot dead and a dozen people, including policemen, were injured in stray incidents of violence as Bangladesh’s opposition enforced a countrywide 60-hour non-stop strike Monday.

Nasir Uddin, 24, a leader of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was killed when police opened fire at clashing activists of the ruling and the opposition parties in Patgram, a sub-district of Lalmonirhat, 343 km from here, reported Xinhua.

Hindus in Pakistan celebrate Diwali

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Pakistan’s small Hindu community celebrated Diwali by adorning their homes with glowing lanterns and sparklers and offering prayers for the well being of the country.

“Diwali was celebrated across Pakistan. We held prayers for the safety and well being of Pakistan as this is our
land,” Jethanand Kohistani, President of Pakistan Hindu Council told PTI.

Sindh is home to most of Pakistan’s small Hindu community, which numbers about two million among a population of roughly 180 million.

Kashmir must cement India-Pakistan friendship: Mehbooba

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Jammu and “should become the bridge for friendship between India and Pakistan and not their battlefield”, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said Monday.

At a peace rally here, Mehbooba Mufti told reporters: “This rally is for peace. For one and a half months there have been tensions on the (Kashmir) border due to shelling and firing.

“Whenever such incidents occur, it is the people of Kashmir who get killed on both two sides of the border.

BJP leader Samarpal Singh killed in road accident

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BJP leader and former legislator from Uttar Pradesh Samarpal Singh today died in a road accident in Meerut.

The accident occurred near Chota Hassanpur in Meerut early this morning when his car rammed into a truck, killing
54-year-old Samarpal on the spot, police said.

Samarpal was elected from Lok Dal ticket from Barnawa seat in Meerut in 2002 Assembly elections. He switched over to
BJP during the last Assembly elections and contested from Shivalkhas assembly seat but lost.

He was a member of the state executive of the party and had been two time MLA and MLC.

Three Indians jailed in Dubai for bribery

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A Dubai court has jailed three Indian barbers for a year each for offering 1500 dirhams (around $400) to a Dubai Municipality health inspector to get a health card illegally.

The Indian trio, identified by their initials as IM, AK and MS, were said to have offered a municipality inspector the bribe in June to get a health card for AK, who was suffering from hepatitis B, the Gulf News reported.

The Dubai Court of First Instance Sunday found them guilty of offering a bribe despite the defendants pleading not guilty.

Cong leaders should speak in one tone on Telangana

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Congress senior leader and former minister Mohammad Ali Shabbir on Monday said that the party leaders should speak in one tone over the issue of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking to media persons after attending the meeting called by PCC President Botsa Satyanarayana here, Shabbir Ali said that the personal opinions hold no value after the announcement of its judgment on Telangana issue by the Congress High Command. He said that the Congress Working Committee took a decision in favour of formation of Telangana State and all the Congress leaders should abide by it.

TDP not to respond to letter on GoM

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The Telugu Desam Party has decided not to respond to the letter sent by the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking suggestions of political parties on the Terms of Reference of Group of Ministers (GoM) on Telangana.

UK scraps visa bond scheme ahead of Cameron’s visit to India

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In a major relief for travellers from Asia and Africa, the UK has scrapped its controversial 3,000-pound “security bond” for some “high-risk” foreign visitors, including those from India.

“The Government has been considering whether we pilot a bond scheme that would deter people from overstaying the visa. We have decided not to proceed,” a spokesperson for the British Home Office said yesterday.

The move comes ahead of Prime Minister David Cameron’s third visit to India in last two years on November 14.

Kolkata hotel names menu after Tendulkar

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Dig into savouries, sandwiches and continental fare named after batting great Sachin Tendulkar, courtesy a special menu dedicated to him here.

While you stay glued to the screens to catch the master blaster weave magic on field at the Eden Gardens during the 199th Test from Nov 6-10, be sure to sample the ‘Cover Drive in the Legend’s Style’ menu at the Taj Bengal – home to both the Indian and West Indies teams during their stay here.

No peace talks with Pakistan government: Taliban

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Blaming the Pakistan government for the death of their chief Hakimullah Mehsud in a US drone attack Friday, the Pakistan Taliban said they would not hold any peace talks with the “puppet government”.

“After consultation with all the factions it has been unanimously decided that we will not hold any peace talks with the government. It’s a puppet government of the US and it deceived us in the name of peace talks,” Geo News quoted Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Shahidullah Shahid as saying Sunday.

PCB misses out on USD 1.5 million after SA tour cancelled

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The legal wrangles of the Pakistan Cricket Board has led to the cancellation of the short limited over series in South Africa this month, which could have earned PCB at least USD 1.5 million.

An official in the Pakistan board told PTI that both countries had discussed Pakistan going to South Africa directly from the UAE this month to play three one-dayers and couple of T20 matches.

“The South Africans were also keen on the short tour because of the fact that India has shortened its tour this December,” he explained.

Minor girl gangraped in Mumbai; assaulters absconding

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A 16-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped in suburban Goregaon here by four of her friends, police said today.

According to police, six boys from Santosh Nagar area in Goregaon had on Friday asked the victim to join them for Diwali celebrations.

As she knew the boys, she went with them. The boys took her to an isolated place before offering her a spiked soft drink. While she lost consciousness, four of the six boys–all of them in their 20s –took turns to rape her.

There is no Modi wave in India: Omar Abdullah

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Monday that there may be a Modi effect vis-a-vis the BJP but there was no Modi wave in the country.

Addressing the media here, Abdullah said the Modi effect would not enthuse the average voter but it may galvanize the Bharatiya Janata Party cadres.

He said the National Conference was a committed ally of of the Congress and remains firmly with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the national level.