Month: December 2013

Protein resistant to superbugs discovered

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In the war against superbugs, researchers have discovered a protein that can kill bacteria and can serve as a powerful antibiotic in the future.

The isolation of this protein, produced by a virus that attacks bacteria, is a major step toward developing a substitute for conventional antibiotics.

Bacteriophages, often referred to as “phages,” are viruses that infect and replicate in bacteria. Because they coevolved with bacteria, they are optimized to kill them. As proof of their endurance, phages are the most common life form on earth, outnumbering bacteria 10 to one

India ranked `less corrupt` than Pakistan in Corruption Perceptions Index 2013

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India has been reportedly ranked lower in corruption than neighbouring Pakistan in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2013.

The Index scores 177 countries and territories on a scale from 0 -highly corrupt to 100-very clean based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be.

India has been ranked 94, while Pakistan, improving on its last year’s status by 12 places has been scored 127 on the 2013 index.

Handwara encounter with militants ends, all three killed

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All three militants have been killed in an encounter with security forces, which started on Monday afternoon in the Handwara area of North Kashmir. The Superintendent of Police for Handwara, Mohammad Aslam Chaudhry said that after receiving a tipoff about the whereabouts of the militants, personnel of the Special Operations Group (SOG), and Rashtrya Rifles 21 and 30 cordoned off the area in Haremohalla and Rajpoura in Handwara in Kupwara District, resulting in the encounter.

Apple buys Twitter data tracking firm Topsy Labs for estimated $200mn

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Apple has reportedly acquired social media data analytics firm Topsy Labs that specialized in using data from Twitter to track customer sentiment.

The amount of the deal is undisclosed but it is estimated to be around 200 million dollars.

According to the BBC, Topsy is one of the few firms to have access to Twitter’s entire data stream.

Topsy’s job is to figure out who is influential on Twitter, what terms are trending, and the impact of specific Twitter campaigns.

Botcha Indisposed, Admitted to Care Hospital

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APCC president and Transport Minister Botcha Satyanarayana has been hospitalized in Care Hospital following illness.
Doctors attending on him said Botcha was suffering from hypertension and severe headache. He was rushed to Care hospital in Banjara Hills following a complaint of feeling ill and his health was being monitored by a team of doctors. (NSS)

Facebook posts can reveal if you are a `psychopath`

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Facebook posts can be used to predict whether a user has a range of ‘dark’ personality traits, Swedish researchers have revealed.

Researchers at Sweden’s Sahlgrenska Academy and Lund University analysed Facebook status updates by 300 Americans, to measure the significance of words and tested the users for a number of personality traits from extrovert to psychopathic or neurotic.

RT move: CPI warns centre of dire consequences

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State CPI secretary Dr K. Narayana today warned the Congress party that it would have to face dire consequences if it tried to bifurcate the State haphazardly for its political fortunes.

Speaking to the media here on Tuesday, the CPI leader demanded that the Congress drop its ill-conceived plan of Rayala Telangana and grant pure Telangana State with its ten districts and Hyderabad as its capital. He also made it clear that the Congress that it would have to bear the Cross and political crisis if it tried to be smart and escape from its responsibility. (NSS)

Star Wars goes official on Instagram with Darth Vader `selfie`

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Star Wars has reportedly launched its official account on the photo sharing site, Instagram, with a first sefie of Darth Vader.

The Star Wars: Episode VII is still two years away to hit the theaters and the shooting isn’t scheduled to begin until next spring.

However, Disney is putting in all efforts to ramp up marketing for the anticipated film, The Verge reports.

The selfie isn’t a photo from the film”s set but the Instagram account is a fun taste of Disney’s plans to introduce the Star Wars universe to the new generation of movie goes, the report added. (ANI)

Jagan slams Naidu for not filing counter when SC set aside AP claim over krishna surplus water

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Launching a scathing attack on TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu, YSRC chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy blamed the former for not filing a counter petition when Supreme Court set aside the rights of Andhra Pradesh State on surplus water of Krishna river.

Addressing a press conference at his Lotus Pond residence, Jagan alleged that Chandrababu Naidu had failed to implement the Bachawat Tribulal verdict. As per the Bachwat Tribunal judgment in 1973, the State has every right on surplus water of Krishna river.

GoM to finalise cabinet note on Andhra Pradesh bifurcation

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The Group of Ministers (GoM) will be finalising the Cabinet Note on the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh at its meeting here today. Attempts have been made to fine tune the contours of creating a new state of Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh after wide ranging consultations with parties whose interests are going to be affected.

29th anniversary of Bhopal Gas tragedy observed

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Bhopal was observing the 29th anniversary of the 1984 gas tragedy on Tuesday. On the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984, several hundred people were killed and scores of people were maimed for life when MIC gas was leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide plant. Several programmes are being organized to mark the occasion, including an all religion prayer meeting at the Barkatullah Bhawan to pay homage to the victims of one of the country’s worst industrial disasters. Non government organizations will take out rallies to bolster their struggle for justice to gas victims.

Rising Pak batsman Sharjeel vows to `keep batting aggressively` in T2OIs

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Pakistani batsman Sharjeel Khan has vowed to continue his aggressive batting if got a chance to represent his nation in the playing eleven in T20s against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka at United Arab Emirates (UAE) later this month.

According to the Dawn, the left-handed opener while talking to Pakpassion.net said that he has always promised myself that if he gets the chance to play for his country, he will play in the same aggressive way that he always has from junior cricket to First Class.

Delhi to host India, U.S. police chiefs conference

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Police chiefs of India and the United States will be attending a conference on December 4 and 5 here. Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde will inaugurate the conference, which will be attended by U.S. delegation consisting of police chiefs from major cities and their technology partners.

Shinde says GOM report is final, Unaware of UT or RT

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The Group of Ministers, which is giving final touches to Telangana Bill, is all set to finalize its report on bifurcation and will submit it to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow. The final report with or without Rayala Telanagana proposal will be put before the Union Cabinet on December 5 instead of a day earlier.

Pope Francis was once a bouncer at nightclub

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Pope Francis has revealed he once made money by kicking people out of clubs as a bouncer. During a visit to a parish church in Rome at the weekend, Pope Francis got chatty about his credentials.

According to news.com.au, the Vatican newspaper, L”Osservatore Romano, reported that the pope told a group of parishioners at the church of San Cirillo Alessandrino about his earlier jobs. The pope”s earlier days jobs also included sweeping floors and running laboratory tests, according to a report from the Catholic News Service.

SCR to run eight Spl Trains between Vijayawada-Secunderabad

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The South Central Railway will run eight special trains between Vijayawada and Secunderabad via., Guntur and Nalgonda to clear the extra rush of passengers.

Accordingly, Train No. 07207 Vijayawada – Secunderabad special train will depart Vijayawada at 23 00 hrs on 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th December (Thursdays) and arrive Secunderabad at 05 40 hrs on the next day. In the return direction, Train No. 07208 Secunderabad – Vijayawada special train will depart Secunderabad at 23 15 hrs on 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th December (Fridays) and arrive Vijayawada at 05 45 hrs on the next day.

U.S. Navy sends six submarine-hunting jets to East China Sea post

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The United States has dispatched six top-tech submarine-hunting jets to its Okinawa post near the disputed East China Sea.

The move will definitely increase tensions between China and the United States. According to the Washington Times, the Navy plans to send a total of six P-8 Poseidon patrol craft. The move is aimed at bolstering the United States” ability to root out submarines in the area. The deployment of the submarines was planned months ago, but comes as China declared an air defense zone above islands that it”s fighting Japan to control, the report said.

Vijayamma to stage dharna from Dec 4

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Upping its ante against the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal verdict, YSR Congress would launch dharnas in all the three regions demanding the State Government to move the Supreme Court to bring a stay against the decision and slammed the TDP for blaming YSR for the crisis and also sought an all party meet with irrigation experts to discuss the issue threadbare from the pre- independence days.

“We will undertake dharnas under the leadership of our Party Honarary President YS Vijayamma in all the three regions of the State to create awareness among people on the issue in chronological order.

JC welcomes GoM’s move on Rayala Telangana

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Former minister and senior Congress leader JC Diwakar Reddy has welcomed the reported move of Group of Ministers (GoM) to form Rayala Telangana.

Speaking to media persons in the Assembly premises here on Tuesday, Diwakar Reddy said that the Anantapur and Kurnool districts would benefit if they were made part of Telangana State. He praised the GoM for considering the proposal and informed that he would visit New Delhi on Wednesday to thank Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the same.

`Boom Boom` Afridi urges critics to back Pak players during `tough times`

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Pakistan cricket player Shahid Afridi has said that he believes critics should back the cricket team more during tough times.

According to The Express Tribune, the players returned home in groups on Monday after a successful tour of South Africa, where they levelled the Twenty20 series 1-1 before claiming their first ODI series [2-1] win against the Proteas.

Misbah says Pak needs batting coach to solve `top-order problems`

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Batsman Misbahul Haq has said that Pakistan needs a batting coach to solve the team”s top-order batting problems at the crease in international matches. According to the Daily Times, Misbah returned home on Monday after leading Pakistan to their first ever one-day series victory against South Africa, a 2-1 win.

People will not accept Rayala Telangana: Shankar Rao

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Former minister Dr P Shankar Rao on Tuesday said that the people of region would not accept the Rayala Telangana.

Speaking to media persons at the Congress Legislature Party office here, Shankar Rao said that the Rayala Telangana proposal was not practical and it was being mooted to slow down the process of Telangana formation. He said that the people of Telangana would not accept any thing less or more than a State with 10 districts with Hyderabad as its capital. He said that the Centre should implement the Congress Working Committee’s resolution in letter and spirit.