Month: December 2013

CEO John Chen claims BlackBerry’s `death reports` exaggerated

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BlackBerry’s interim CEO John Chen has reportedly dismissed claims about the smartphone company struggling hard to survive, saying that such reports are greatly exaggerated.

The Canadian-based smartphone manufacturing company has seen its market share fall sharply owing revenue loss in front of tech rivals like Apple, Google and Samsung who currently rule the tech sphere.

However, Chen said that BlackBerry is returning to its roots, refocusing on delivering devices and services to business users, News24 reports.

Obama launches $100 mn HIV cure initiative

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President Barack Obama announced Monday the US will shift $100 million into research efforts in the next three years aimed at curing HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).

Obama launched the HIV Cure Initiative at a White House event to mark the World AIDS Day, which was observed Sunday, Xinhua reported.

“Today I’m pleased to announce a new initiative at the National Institutes of Health to advance research into an HIV cure. We’re going to redirect 100 million dollars into this project to develop a new generation of therapies,” Obama said.

Three militants killed in Kashmir firing

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Three militants were killed in a night-long exchange of gunfire with the security forces in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, an officer said Tuesday.

Inspector General of Police Abdul Ghani Mir told IANS that security forces had killed three guerrillas in Shetpora (Rajwar) village in Kupwara district, 135 km from here, where the gunfight started Monday evening.

The bodies of the slain militants were recovered from the debris of the house which was destroyed in the heavy exchange of gunfire.

Facebook updates News Feed to show more `high quality content`

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Facebook has reportedly updated its News Feed to show more high quality content to its users, including news articles and current events.

Analysts Varun Kacholia and Minwen Ji pointed that the updated algorithm would mean that users can expect more news and story links to appear in News Feeds, especially on mobile.

According to Mashable, the update would push those posts on top of the feed where a user’s friends have commented so as to create more conversation around articles in the comments.

Government polarising voters on communal lines: Jaitley

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Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley Tuesday accused the central government of polarising the country on communal lines ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections by circulating to states the revised draft of a bill on preventing communal violence.

“It appears that ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, in order to polarize the country on communal lines, the ministry of home affairs has again written a letter to the state governments enclosing therewith revised draft of the bill,” Jaitley wrote on his blog.

Rapists should be ‘hanged till death’, says Jaya Prada

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Rapists should be “hanged till death”, according to Lok Sabha MP Jaya Prada. She also said that people in Uttar Pradesh have started to believe that corruption is better than crime as they “are scared for their lives”.

She was speaking to IANS Monday in Panaji on the sidelines of her visit to Goa, where a film produced by her is being shot.

Asked to comment on the controversy and outrage caused by the alleged rape of a former junior employee of newsweekly Tehelka by editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal, she said that rapists should be “hanged and punished till death”.

Afghan Taliban urges Karzai to reject US security deal

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The Taliban has urged Afghan President Hamid Karzai to reject US security deal. The Taliban urged Karzai to delay in signing a long-term security deal with the United States into outright rejection. The move from the terror outfit is an unusually polite statement directed at a leader the insurgents have repeatedly denounced as a US puppet, Guardian reports. According to the report, last month Karzai called a national assembly to vote on the bilateral security agreement (BSA) and then ignored the advice of some top advisors that he should sign the deal as soon as possible.

Sexual harassment case: Pressure mounting on Justice Ganguly to quit WB HRC

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Pressure is reportedly mounting on retired Supreme Court Justice A.K. Ganguly to quit as the head of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) over his alleged role in a sexual harassment case.

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said in her tweet on Tuesday:”I strongly feel that Justice A.K. Ganguly should resign as Chairman of WB Human Rights Commission.”

A silent protest was held outside the Commission headquarters in Kolkata on Monday demanding the resignation of Justice Ganguly.

Jailed Pakistani walks free after 14 years

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A Pakistani lodged in the Guwahati Central jail for the last 14 years after being arrested as a suspected ISI agent was released Monday and is all set to return home later this week.

Syed Fasiullah Hussayni was taken to New Delhi, from where he would be deported to Pakistan.

“We received instruction from the Ministry of Home Affairs last week and prepared for Fasiullah’s deportation. He (Fasiullah) would be deported through the India-Pakistan border at Wagah Dec 6,” said Assam Home Secretary G.D. Tripathy Tuesday.

Delhi Lt. Governor declares public holiday on poll day

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Delhi’s Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung has declared December 4 as a public holiday in view of the assembly polls to be held in the national capital.

In a notification, Jung said all government offices, local bodies, autonomous bodies and public sector undertakings under the government of National Capital Territory of Delhi will observe a public holiday on account of the election to the legislative assembly of Delhi. (ANI)

Unfair to blame lead pair for film’s failure: Imran Khan

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Imran Khan teamed for the second time with Kareena Kapoor for “Gori Tere Pyaar Mein”, which failed to entice the box office. The actor says instead of blaming just the lead pair, everyone should analyse where the problem lay.

There were reports that it didn’t work because Kareena-Imran ‘jodi’, earlier seen in “Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu”, didn’t go down well with the viewers.

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.

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh held consultations with the secretaries who assisted the GoM.

Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde also attended a meeting that went into the finer details.

AIIMS suspends top security officer

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AIIMS has suspended and shunted out its Deputy Chief Security Officer Rajiv Lochan, booked by CBI for alleged irregularities in awarding contract related to installation of security equipment at the institute.

As per the suspension order dated November 29, Lochan has also been transferred to the Comprehensive Rural Health Services Project(CRHS) in Ballabhgarh and directed not to leave the headquarters without obtaining the permission of the competent authority.

Altaf Mohammed Khan appointed as secretary PCC

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President Pradesh Congress Committee Mr. B Satyanarayana appointed Mr. Altaf Mohammed Khan as secretary Pradesh Congress Committee. Orders have been issued in this regard. PCC president expressed hope that Mr. Altaf Mohammed Khan will rightly utilize his new post and will become the source of strength for All India Congress Committee president Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and vice president All India Congress committee Rahul Gandhi.

Siasat news

FIFA World Cup’s opening venue construction resumes

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Work resumed in the stadium here that will host the first match of the 2014 World Cup after the accidental death of two workers last week leading to a suspension in construction activity.

Building firm Odebrecht said in a statement Monday that work on Sao Paulo’s Corinthians Arena was progressing at 95 percent capacity after Wednesday’s incident in which two workers were killed by a collapsed roof, reports Xinhua.

1984 riots: SC dismisses Sajjan Kumar’s plea

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The Supreme Court Tuesday declined a plea by Congress leader Sajjan Kumar for quashing the charges against him in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

An apex court bench headed by Justice R.M. Lodha declined the appeal even as senior counsel Mukul Rohtagi told the court that Sajjan Kumar could not be charged under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code as there is no direct allegation of killing against him.

Opposing the plea, senior counsel Dushyant Dave, appearing for the riot victims, said that the rioting in the Sultanpuri area of the national capital was at Sajjan Kumar’s behest.

Dhoni wins ICC People’s Choice Award

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Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has won the 2013 ICC People’s Choice Award.

Dhoni is only the third cricketer to win the award after Sachin Tendulkar in 2010 and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara in 2011 and 2012.

Dhoni, Pujara in ICC Test team

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Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Cheteshwar Pujara have been picked for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test team of the Year.

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was named as the 12th man in the side announced here Tuesday.

England captain Alastair Cook leads the ICC team, in which he features for the third straight year.

South Africa’s Dale Steyn has earned a place in the team for the sixth successive year. Australia’s Michael Hussey made the cut though he retired from international cricket in January.

No rethink on immigration reforms, H-1B visas, says US

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Ignoring India’s concerns, the Obama administration has thrown its full weight behind the comprehensive immigration reform bill passed by the US Senate, arguing that it would benefit immigrants from countries like India and China.

The White House made its position clear on the contentious H-1B provisions of Senate version of the immigration bill in a fact sheet prepared for the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community (AAPI), which includes the influential Indian American community.

‘Brahmaputra Cruises’ among World Top 10 Adventurous Cruises

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‘Brahmaputra Cruises’ by Assam Bengal Navigation Company has been recognised by CNN International as one of the top 10 Most Adventurous Cruises in the World for 2013.

The ‘Brahmaputra Cruises (Jungle Book Tour/India)’ has been ranked sixth among the cruises including the Amazon, the Antartica, the North Pole, Australia and Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, Managing Director of Assam Bengal Navigation Company, Ashish Phookan, told PTI.

Crime In Hyderabad (3.12.2013)

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Fake DVD and CD makers arrested
(Siasat News): Commissioner Task force has arrested two persons for making fake CDs and DVDs of films illegally and seized hundreds of such DVDs from their possession.

In the meantime, additional deputy commissioner of police, task force Mr. B Limba Reddy said Mohd. Jameel Pasha, 33, resident of Santosh Nagar along with his friend Mohd. Rafiq, 30, resident of Shalibanda were involved in making fake CDs and DVDs of recently released Bollywood films and were selling them on a subsidized rate.

TJAC will oppose any proposal other than Telangana

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A delegation of Telangana Political Joint Action Committee called on Union minister for Science and technology S Jaipal Reddy in New Delhi on Monday. The JAC delegation led by JAC chairman Prof. Kodanda Ram discussed the matter of state bifurcation and the new proposal of Rayal Telangana. JAC wanted to know the stand of Congress high command and made it clear that JAC will strongly oppose formation of Rayal Telangana state.

Minority Institutions’ performance unsatisfactory

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Government released Rs 1027 crore for minority welfare for the fiscal year 2013-14. However the performance of minority institutions remained unsatisfactory till the third quarter. Now that only 4 months have remained for the conclusion of financial year how can the minority institutions spend the whole budget?

Hrithik will undergo test for headaches: Rakesh Roshan

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Filmmaker Rakesh Roshan says his actor son Hrithik will get a test done for his recurring headaches but will not undergo any surgery.

Hrithik was suffering from subdural hematoma, caused in the brain as a result of a head injury while performing stunts for his upcoming film ‘Bang Bang’ earlier this year.

He successfully underwent a brain surgery in July this year to remove a two-month-old clot.

The actor is still recovering because of which the shooting schedules of his films ‘Bang Bang’ and ‘Shuddhi’ were pushed ahead.

Tejpal wants a fan in Jail cell

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He has been accused by the victim of molesting her twice, on November 7 and November 8, during ThinkFest, a Tehelka affiliated event also attended by Hollywood actor Robert De Niro.
Tarun Tejpal spent the second day remand taking sexual potency examination.It is mandatory for a person accused of sexual assault to undergo this test. Around 10 am, after Tejpal spent the night with a new group of inmates, Polcemen took the journalist to the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Panaji, where, apart from the potency test, he also underwent a blood test.

potency test positive