Month: December 2013

Will target news outlets over false report on Tendulkar: Pak Taliban

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The Pakistani Taliban has said it will target journalists and media organisations for “fabricating” the statement of its spokesperson asking news outlets not to pay tribute to cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on his retirement.

The shura council of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, headed by its new chief Mullah Fazlullah, decided to attack the journalists and media organisations which had carried statement of their spokesman Shahidullah Shahid regarding Tendulkar and Pakistani cricket team captain Misbahul Haq.

Indian troops damaging Siachen’s virgin snow, says Pak

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Pakistan today asked India to withdraw its troops from Siachen, claiming their presence on the glacier was damaging the environment and polluting one of the country’s main sources of water supplies.

Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs, claimed Indian forces on Siachen posed a “serious threat” to Pakistan’s environment.

Delhi Assembly Polls: Gandhi family casts their votes

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Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday cast his vote at the Aurangzeb Lane polling booth.

The Nehru-Gandhi scion, accompanied by his security guards, came to the booth and joined people standing in the queue to cast their votes.

Earlier, Priyanka Vadra who was accompanied by husband Robert Vadra, cast their votes at a polling booth in the Lodhi Estate area.

National capital Delhi went to polls early this morning amidst tight security to prevent any untoward incident.

Delhi Assembly Polls: Vijay Goel casts vote, says confident of BJP victory

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Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Vijay Goel on Wednesday cast his vote, and said he has full confidence in the BJP getting an absolute majority in the Delhi Assembly elections.

“I see public, and, can sense that they definitely want a change in New Delhi. They are fed up with Congress Government’s misrule in the city,” Goel said after he cast his vote

“We are sure to form to the government in Delhi, as we are confident that the BJP will be getting absolute majority in these elections,” he added.

US cooperating with India on Headley issue: Shinde

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Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Wednesday said United States is cooperating with India in investigations related to 26/11 Attacks accused David Headley.

“On my last visit to the U.S., I had met officials from Homeland Security and had discussed about Headley’s arrest in the U.S. We have requested for more information on Headley and they are cooperating with us,” Shinde told media here after addressing Indo-U.S. police chiefs conference.

Delhi assembly polls: ‘People will remove the corrupt’, says Kejriwal

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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday expressed confidence that people will root out corrupt forces from Delhi by exercising their franchise.

“Today is a very crucial day for Delhi and its people. Today, the people will root out corrupt forces from the state by exercising their franchise,” Kejriwal told media here.

“The politics of the country will change now. I urge everyone to vote, “he added.

Delhi went to polls early this morning amidst tight security to prevent any untoward incident.

Egg Salad

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Ingredients

7 large eggs
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced pickle
2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Procedure

Boil about 3 quarts water in a medium sized pot. When the water is at a full boil place the eggs in the pot and cook at a full boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand in the hot water for 12 minutes. Remove from pot and place in cold water. Peel eggs.
Slice eggs in half and reserve 4 of the yolks for another use.

Centre working for conclusion on Telangana issue: Ghulam Nabi Azad

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Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said the Telangana Bill is at an advanced stage, and added that the government is working towards bringing it to a conclusion as early as possible.

“We cannot say if Telangana bill will come in this Winter Session or not. The preparations for Telangana bill are in an advanced stage. Group of Ministers (GoM) met yesterday, and they are meeting today as well. The Government is working to bring a conclusion as early as possible,” he told media here today.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

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Healthy to eat and easy to make!

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8.75 ounce) can sweet corn, drained

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar, oil, salt, sugar, black pepper, cumin, and chili powder.

Terror attacks often launched from across borders: Shinde

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Terror attacks are often launched from across sovereign borders to disrupt peace and typically target large and densely populated urban areas, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said here Wednesday.

Inaugurating the India-US police chiefs’ conference, Shinde called for improving internal security through strategic partnership between India and the US.

The two-day conference will discuss cyber security and use of forensic science to determine accuracy of criminal investigations.

Shinde said the two countries were at the forefront in countering terrorism and international crime.

Law would take its course if Ganguly found guilty: Meira Kumar

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Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar today said there are laws in the country to deal with cases of sexual harassment and law would take its course if the accused was found guilty.

“There are laws in the country to deal with such cases. If found guilty, the law will take its course against the accused,” she told reporters here when asked to comment on the alleged sexual harassment case against former Supreme Court judge Justice Ashok Ganguly, also the chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission.

Institute for Indian studies set up in South Korea

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An Institute for Indian Studies Korea (IISK) was inaugurated here Wednesday to help South Koreans understand India better as the country becomes a major magnet for Korean businesses.

The event was inaugurated by Sangbong Oh, president, International Institute of Trade of the Korea International Trade Association. In his address, Sangbong Oh said the Indian market would become the biggest in the world by 2030 followed by China and the US. By 2025, the Indian middle class was expected to cross 580 million.

Reality shows have reduced hand-to-mouth situation: Sonu Nigam

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Versatile singer Sonu Nigam, who has anchored as well as judged quite a few music reality shows on the small screen, says platforms such as these have reduced hardships faced by aspirants in the country’s entertainment capital.

Recalling his early days in Mumbai, Sonu said here Tuesday at the India Today Group’s conclave Agenda Aaj Tak: “When we came to Mumbai, we used to worry about money for our living. We used to stand for hours outside composers’ homes and offices in search of work.”

Reality shows, he said, have changed that scenario to some extent.

Asian students surpass American peers in science, math tests: Report

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Asian students have far surpassed their American counterparts in science and math, according to a report. The report by the Program for International Student Assessment showed scores among high school students in many Asian countries are rising as compared to Americans whose performance was poor. According to the Washington Times, the report said that among the 34 [Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development] countries, the United States performed below average in mathematics in 2012 and was ranked 26th.

Nitin Gadkari sings with Sonu Nigam on polling day

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Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitin Gadkari was caught in a jolly mood in the capital Wednesday, a day the city-state is voting for the Delhi assembly elections. He let his hair down and matched ace playback singer Sonu Nigam’s impeccable vocal chords at a conclave here.

Together, they sang “Tujhse naraaz nahin zindagi, hairaan hoon main” from the 1983 film “Masoom”.

Sonu was here to speak at the India Today Group’s conclave Agenda Aaj Tak as part of the first session “Sonu Ki Sargam”, and Gadkari was slated to talk during the second session.

US company launches first commercial satellite

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US space company SpaceX launched their first commercial satellite from Florida, in a mission that will usher in a newcomer in the global launch services industry.

The Falcon 9 rocket launched the commercial SES-8 telecommunications satellite for satellite services provider SES from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida Tuesday, reported Xinhua citing the California-based company’s live webcast.

The launch was originally set to take place last week, but was delayed twice due to technical and engine problems.

Scientists call for climate change warning mechanisms

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With climate change impacting human infrastructure and ecosystems, scientists are stressing on early warning systems to prepare for sudden changes.

Climate change has increased concern over possible large and rapid changes in the physical climate system, which includes Earth’s atmosphere, land surfaces, and oceans.

Some of these changes could occur within a few decades or even years, leaving little time for society and ecosystems to adapt.

US-Afghanistan pact to have repercussions for region: Iran

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Iranian foreign ministry said Tuesday that if the proposed security pact between the US and Afghanistan is signed it will have negative consequences for the region.

“Iran does not believe that the security agreement will be in the interests of the people and government of Afghanistan in the long run,” Xinhua quoted foreign ministry’s spokesperson Marzieh Afkham as saying in a press conference here.

“We hope that any decision will have long-term benefits for the Afghans,” she said.

Five Taliban militants killed in Afghanistan drone strike

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Five Taliban militants, including a senior commander, were killed Tuesday in a US drone strike in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Kunar, an official said.

The drone attacked at dawn in the mountainous Tantil area, provincial government spokesman Abdul Ghani said.

The high-ranking Taliban leader killed in the attack was Maulvi Attaullah, successor to Haji Dawran Safi, who was killed in a similar attack in October, Afghan news agency AIP said.

12 killed in Karachi sectarian violence

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At least 12 people, including a leader of the Majlis-i-Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) and his security guard, were killed Tuesday in the latest wave of sectarian violence in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi, a leading Pakistani daily reported.

Deputy Secretary General of MWM Allama Deedar Ali Jalbani and his guard were gunned down by unidentified gunmen near NED university in the eastern neighbourhood of Gulshan-e-Iqbal, The Dawn said in a report.

Delhi Assembly Polls: Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung casts his vote

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The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung, cast his vote on Wednesday, and said the high turnout in elections is proof of India’s democratic nature.

“After every five years, we get to exercise our electoral right, and this proves that people are living in a democracy. The voter turnout percentage in other state elections shows us that India is a successful democracy,” he said after he cast his vote.

Responding to low voter turnout in past election in Delhi, he said Delhi being the National Capital, should vote in good numbers.

Congress, AAP contesting for second spot: Harsh Vardhan

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief ministerial candidate for Delhi Harsh Vardhan said Wednesday his party was ahead of both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and those parties were only contesting for the second spot.

“BJP is far ahead of the Congress and the AAP. It is the Congress and the AAP who are contesting for the second position. Nobody can make a dent in our vote bank,” Harsh Vardhan told reporters after casting his vote in the Krishna Nagar constituency.

Mumbai safe? 229 rapes, 8 gangrapes recorded in 8 months

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Mumbai city has witnessed 237 rapes, including eight gangrapes till August this year, with police saying that in most cases, the victims knew the accused, majority of whom were either “friends and lovers” or neighbours.

As per the information procured under Right to Information Act (RTI) by social worker Anil Galgali, as many as 229 rape cases and eight gangrape cases, including two Shakti Mills gangrapes that jolted the nation, were reported till August this year.

FIFA announces draw pots, procedures for 2014 World Cup

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FIFA has announced the pots and approved the procedures of Friday’s draw for the 2014 World Cup finals to be held in Brazil.

As already announced, the seeded teams have been selected on the basis of the October edition of the World Ranking and will be placed into Pot 1, where each one will be drawn into Groups from A to H, reports Xinhua.

The remaining teams from each pot will be drawn into one of the eight four-side groups.

As the host, Brazil has been automatically allocated the A1 position in the draw.

AAP, Congress workers scuffle over Gandhi caps

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A minor scuffle occurred at the Mandir Marg polling station in New Delhi constituency during Delhi assembly polls Wednesday as Congress workers objected to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporters wearing white Gandhi caps.

The white Gandhi caps, once associated with the Father of the Nation, have now become a trademark sign of those supporting the AAP.

Usually, AAP supporters have ‘Main aam admi hoon’ (I am a common man) written on the caps. On Wednesday, though, the AAP supporters wore plain caps.