Month: December 2013

Croatia rejects gay marriage in referendum: partial results

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A strong majority in staunchly Catholic Croatia voted today to outlaw same-sex marriage in a referendum sought by a Church-backed group but strongly opposed by rights groups, partial results showed.

A total of 64.84 per cent of voters said “yes” to the question of whether they wanted to amend the constitution to include a definition of marriage as a “union between a woman and a man”, according to partial results from around one-third of polling stations released by the electoral commission.

Croatia’s current constitution does not define marriage.

Media only showing Modi’s rallies, ignoring Congress CMs: Shakeel Ahmed

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Congress today rubbished BJP’s claim that senior leaders of the ruling party at the Centre were cancelling rallies in the national capital as these were not fetching crowds like those addressed by Narendra Modi.

AICC General Secretary Shakeel Ahmed rued that the meeting of “only one Chief Minister Narendra Modi of BJP” was being covered by media, while five Chief Ministers of Congress were addressing rallies here.

Two commit suicide in Hyderabad

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(Siasat News): Two persons committed suicide in two different incidents occurred in Rajendranagar and Kundkur police station limits.

According to Rajendranagar police, N Sudhakar, 40, was an auto driver and has been living at Premavathi colony. He got married 20 years ago and had three children.

He had purchased an autorickshaw on auto finance and has been facing difficulties in paying the instalments. When he was not in a position to do so, he took the extreme step of ending his life by hanging.

Housing demand picks up in NCR, sales up 18 per cent in Jan-Jun

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Housing sales have risen by 18 per cent in Delhi-NCR during the first half of this year at 35,000 units, showing signs of improvement in the property market that has been facing slowdown in demand.

“During H1 2013, the NCR residential market witnessed a total absorption of 35,000 units showing an increase of 18 per cent from H1 2012. This increase in sales can be ascribed to the high number of project launches in the affordable category,” property consultant Knight Frank India said.

Embrace low cost techniques for affordable housing: ASSOCHAM

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A top industry body Saturday underlined the need for developing and embracing low cost technologies to cater to the growing demand for affordable housing, especially for the lower and middle income groups in the country.

India is currently facing a shortage of around 18.78 million homes and the main reason behind falling sales is the mismatch between the price range of the housing offered and the type and costs of units demanded, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry ( ASSOCHAM) President Rana Kapoor said.

Final guidelines on REITs to be issued shortly: Arvind Mayaram

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The final guidelines on the proposed real estate investment trusts (REITS), which help the fund- starved realty sector with long-term funds, will be issued soon, Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram said today.

“We are very actively looking at announcing the final guidelines for REITs…there is now a concerted effort on the part of the government and the regulators on this and we believe that in this rapidly changing environment, credit rating agencies will have to play an important role,” Mayaram told an corporate bond market summit organised by Crisil here.

Global realty Major RE/MAX enters rest of Tamil Nadu market

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The US based real estate major RE/MAX is now making inroads in Tamil Nadu and as a first step appointed an Indian Businessman, as the Regional Franchse Owner of RE/Max in Rest of Tamil Nadu.

RE/MAX India, a division of RE/MAX International Property Group, appointed Raj Koneru, as the Regional Franchisee Owner Rest of Tamil Nadu as part of identifying franchisess and agents all over Tamil Nadu that would operate in the local, national and International Network of RE/MAX.

Woman researcher files complaint against guide for harassment

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A female research scholar who worked at the Gwalior-based Defence Research and Development Establishment (DRDE) has filed a complaint of “harassment” against a male scientist of the institution.

An FIR has been registered against the scientist yesterday, Gwalior Range Inspector General (IG) Adarsh Katiyar told PTI.

The woman pursued research under DRDE scientist Prabhat Garg in 2010-11, but left her job, after she got married and also because of the “uncomfortable” situation she faced at the hands of her male guide, the police said.

AAP claims to win 38-50 seats in Delhi elections

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Despite being hit by a sting operation on some of its leaders by a news portal, the Aam Aadmi Party today claimed that it will win 38 to 50 seats in the Delhi Assembly polls, scheduled for December 4.

AAP leader Yogendra Yadav, while releasing the fourth and fifth round of its survey results, said that even as the party was hit by the sting operation, it estimates to secure 35.6 per cent vote share and get 38 to 50 seats in the polls.

I have not been consulted in team selection: Hafeez

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Pakistan Twenty20 captain Muhammad Hafeez today said he was neither consulted nor aware of the national squad announced for the three T20 matches against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in the UAE this month.

Hafeez, who returned from South Africa tonight, was candid in telling reporters at the airport that he did not know who were the members of the squad announced for the upcoming matches.

“I don’t know because I was on a flight and no one consulted me about it,” he said.

“I don’t know what the squad is and will now see who is in,” he added.

‘Bitcoin’ becoming a bit too big;regulators scramble for norms

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As Bitcoin becomes more popular day by day, regulators are getting worried about potential money laundering risks associated with this digital currency and its possible misuse by fraudsters to lure gullible investors into ‘e-ponzi’ schemes.

Adding to the challenges posed by Bitcoin before the regulators, this e-currency is already being accepted by some online retailers in countries like the US, China and a few others, for various purposes including pizza delivery.

Mahila Bank targets business mix of Rs 60,000 cr by 2020

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Bharatiya Mahila Bank, the first all-women bank inaugurated last month, expects its business to touch Rs 60,000 crore in the next seven years.

“We are aiming to achieve business mix (total deposit and advances) of Rs 60,000 crore by 2020,” Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) Chairperson and Managing Director Usha Ananthasubramanian told PTI.

The bank has launched a few women specific products and is in process of launching few more, she said.

RBI may allow up to 74% FDI in credit info cos

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The RBI may allow up to 74 per cent foreign direct investment in credit information companies.

“The Reserve Bank may consider allowing higher FDI (foreign direct investment) limits to entities which have an established track record of running a credit information bureau in a well-regulated environment,” RBI said in a notification.

The limit can be allowed to be increased up to 49 per cent if their ownership is not well-diversified, which means if one or more shareholders each hold more than 10 per cent voting rights in the company.

People cut down expenditure on basic commodities by 40%: Study

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Rising retail inflation has pushed homemakers to cut down their kitchen budgets and reduce consumption of essential commodities, including vegetables, fruits and pulses, by almost 40 per cent in the last three years, says an Assocham study.

High prices have forced households to compromise on nutrient-rich food, it said.

“Nearly 72 per cent of lower-middle class families, covered in the survey, said they have been forced to squeeze their budgets for fruits, vegetables and milk by about 40 per cent because of consistent high retail prices,” it said.

Yoga improves men’s sex life.

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Yoga not only improves lung capacity, stronger bones and lower risk of heart disease, but it also helps men have better sex, it has been revealed.

During a Huffington Post Live discussion with men who love yoga, host Caitlyn Becker got the scoop on how the practice benefits them in the bedroom.

Life coach Joseph Robinson pointed out that during great sex, “you want to be in your body, you want to be really present,” and that sensation comes with yoga.

Plain cigarette packaging ‘ineffective’ in cutting smoking rates

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A new study has found that plain packaging of cigarettes in Australia has been unsuccessful in reducing smoking rates and has instead increased sales of illicit tobacco.

The study was conducted by leading auditors KPMG for 3 major cigarette manufacturers, British American Tobacco Australia, Imperial Tobacco Australia and Philip Morris, to review the impact of plain packaging , the Daily Express reported.

The study found that the country’s illegal tobacco trade has escalated to a record 13 percent over the last year, and not reduced, the first time since 2009.

Welsh men more `active in bed` than Britons

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Welshmen have more sex than other Britons, it has been revealed. According to a study conducted on fruit flies , which lived longer if they were not sexually frustrated, is the first evidence that ageing and physiology are influenced by how the brain processes expectations and rewards, the Daily Star reported.

Also, those with an active sex life are more likely to stay fit and defy the ageing process. (ANI)

61-yr-old man holds world record for most pull-ups, chin-ups

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A 61-year-old man currently holds the world record for doing the most pull-ups and chin-ups.

Stephen Hyland holds the record with most chin-ups in 30 minutes, six, 12 and 24 hours and most pull-ups – chin-ups with palms reversed in 30 minutes, one, six and 12 hours.

Hyland of Stoneleigh, Surrey holds eight global records for in set times and plans to break a world record on his 70th birthday, the Daily Star reported.

Hyland has raised the bar from 993 in 60 minutes to 1,019, which amounts to an impressive 17 chin-ups every minute.

New York train derails, 4 killed, 63 injured,11 critical

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A metro sub urban New York train derailed on Sunday early morning at 7:20 Am on a curved section of track in the Bronx killing at least four people and injuring 63, including 11 severely critical officials said.
The crash occured just few meters before the water front Spuyten Duyvil station.

According to a passenger the train was going much faster than its normal speed.Many passengers were seen holding ice packs on their injuries.

Modi attacks Congress on graft, security of women

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Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Sunday attacked the Congress on issues of corruption and security of women in the national capital.

He said people of Delhi should remember “Nirbhaya” while going to vote for the assembly polls Dec 4.

Addressing a rally at Ambedkar Nagar here, Modi asked people not to forget the “rape capital” tag associated with the national capital when they vote.

“It (Delhi) has earned bad name as rape capital. When you vote, do not forget this. Remember Nirbhaya for a while,” Modi said.

Khan, Damani post wins in World Snooker

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Shahbaz Adil Khan and Brijesh Damani got back to winning ways as both chalked up fluent 4-0 victories in their respective group matches in the ongoing IBSF World Snooker Championship here.

Khan beat Jacobus Petrus Van Jaarsveld (South Africa) 4-0 with breaks of 60 and 56 in the second and third frames while Damani overcame Ivan Kakovsky (Russia) 4-0 to also record his second win in three outings.

Man shot at outside Delhi Police HQ

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A taxi driver was injured after he was shot at by two motorcycle-borne attackers outside the Delhi Police headquarters here Sunday, police said. His condition was now stable.

Tammi, 28, resident of Ghaziabad in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, was shot in his arm in New Delhi’s Indraprastha Estate area near the Delhi Police Headquarters around 1 p.m.

“He was taken to a hospital where his condition is stated to be stable. A case of attempt to murder has been registered,” said a police officer.

NIA to seize IM operative Tahseen Akhtar’s property

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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is set to seize the property of alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Tahseen Akhtar alias Monu, accused of involvement in bomb blasts, after he failed to surrender within the stipulated deadline, police said Sunday.

Akhtar, considered the mastermind of several bomb blasts, including in Delhi, Mumbai, Patna and Bodh Gaya, is a resident of Maniyarpur village in Samastipur district.

Rajasthan polls witnesses record turnout of 74.38 percent

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The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday said that polls in Rajasthan witnessed a voter turnout of 74.38 percent in 199 constituencies, and added that the voter turnout was much higher than the previous historic high during 2003 assembly elections.

“As per the latest reports that we have, voter turnout has been 74.38 percent as of 5 pm. Reports from some districts are still awaited; the figure is likely to go up. This is much higher than the previous historic high, which is 2003 assembly elections, when voter turnout was 67.18 percent.