Month: February 2014

Pak Sunni leaders call for Taliban ceasefire during talks

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Leading Sunni scholars and religious leaders today called on the Pakistani Taliban to announce a ceasefire to make the peace talks with the government a success.

A group of 15 leading scholars and religious leaders led by Maulana Rafi Usmani and Taqi Usmani met in Karachi.

“The scholars believe to make the peace process a success the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan must announce a ceasefire to their operations immediately,” Maulana Rafi Usmani said.

Telangana Activities shifted to Delhi

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It is expected that A.P. Reorganization Bill 2013 is expected to be sent to President of India along with the Assembly report today. Leaders of Telangana and Seema Andhra have decided to shift their activities to New Delhi where they will formulate their strategies in case the bill is presented in Parliament. Legal experts have also come into action. Leaders of both the region have approached legal experts to seek their opinions. President of India is left two choices: Either the bill is sent to Central Cabinet or refers to Supreme Court for seeking its opinion. Mr.

A.P.NGOs finalize strategy tomorrow

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A.P. NGOs have decided to finalize their strategy on 3rd February to keep the State united. Mr. Ashok Babu, President told that it is seriously considering to stage protest dharna program at Jantar Mantar New Delhi.

–Siasat News

Telangana Pensioners’ Forum monthly meeting

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A monthly meeting of Telangana Pensioners’ Forum will be held at 11 a.m. today at Azam Function Hall, Azampura under the Chairmanship of its President, Mr. Mohammed Jamaluddin. Issues pending with the Govt. will be discussed. Attention of the Govt. will be invited for issuing Health cards to pensioners as early as possible. Mr. A. Raja Reddy, General Secretary, Mr. N. Ramaswami, M.P. Narayana, Mr. M.A. Hameed (Medak), Mr. Mohiuddin Ahmed, Rtd. Dy. Director of Education, Mr. A. Mannan and Syed Ibrahim will address the gathering.

–Siasat News

Urdu Academy Jeddah felicitates SSC toppers and teachers

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Urdu Academy Jeddah awards 5 Urdu medium topper students, 5 girl students and a blind girl student and a non-Muslim student who passed through Urdu medium in 2012-13 SSC examination. In addition to this 6 subject teacher and 3 best Head Masters will also be given cash awards and merit certificates.

Mr. Ghulam Asif Samdani, Chief Patron and Mr. Syed Jamalullah Quadri, President Urdu Academy Jeddah told that a function will be held at 10 a.m. today at Salarjung Museum Auditorium to give these awards.

Tragic tale of a youth deprived of two legs and a hand before marriage

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Mohammed Abdul Hafeez, a native of Maripeda in Warangal district was a welder earning Rs. 3000 per month, his marriage was fixed on 6th May 2012 but a day before his marriage he met with an accident. Due to electrocution, his two legs and a hand were burned which were amputated on medical advice. His mother Haleema Begum does all his work. Doctors in Hyderabad advised him to get PROSTHETIC LIMBS for which 4 lakh have to be paid. Philanthropists may help him. His contact number is 9989663250.

–Siasat News

BJP begins ‘Bijli Andolan’ against power tariff hike

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Slamming the decision of Delhi’s power regulator to increase power tariff by up to 8 per cent, BJP today launched a ‘bijli agitation’, demanding immediate roll back of the hike.

Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel also attacked the AAP government on the issue and asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal why the tariff was hiked when his party had promised a reduction of 50 per cent in the rates for all consumers.

–PTI

Jump off sinking ship Congress: Ramdev to Farooq

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Yoga guru Ramdev today asked National Conference patriach Farooq Abdullah to part ways with Congress which, he alleged, has becoming a sinking ship.

“Congress is a sinking ship.If Farooq Abdullah continues to remain on this ship, he will also sink,” he told reporters here.

“The sooner he will jump off this ship, the better it is. If he boards Narendra Modi’s ship, he and his party apart from the people of Jammu and Kashmir will be benefited,” he said.

The yoga guru was replying to a question about the Union minister reportedly trying to change political turf.

Shinde targets Kejriwal over his NGO’s funding

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A day after his name figured on Arvind Kejriwal’s list of “corrupt” politicians, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde hit back, saying the Delhi Chief Minister himself was facing charges of misappropriation of funds received for his NGO.

“There are charges of misappropriation of funds against Kejriwal that he is hiding. The funds pouring in for his NGO is used by him to gain political mileage. The High court has directed Kejriwal to clarify on many issues, which he has not done,” Shinde alleged.

Sibal, Ananth Kumar challenge Kejriwal’s ‘corrupt’ list

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s list of “corrupt” politicians Saturday evoked sharp reactions, with BJP leader Ananth Kumar sending him a legal notice and Congress leader Kapil Sibal challenging him to prove his allegations.

Law Minister Sibal said Kejriwal should prove his allegations or resign.

He said he was giving Kejriwal two days to give proof of the alleged corruption. Otherwise, the chief minister should resign from his position.

12 Indian sailors missing as ship sinks off Yemen

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A total of 12 Indian sailors have been missing since their cargo ship sank off the coast of Yemen’s Hadramout province, authorities said Saturday.

The cargo ship, registered in Hadramout, sank off the coastal City of Shehr, leaving 12 Indian sailors missing, Xinhua quoted Yemen’s centre of security media as stating on its website.

According to a local government official, “merchant ship No. 1626 owned by a Yemeni businessman fell while transporting trade materials and commercial goods near Hadramout’s coast”.

733 killed in Iraq violence in January: UN

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A total of 733 people were killed in violent attacks in Iraq in January, the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has revealed.

A total of 618 civilians and 115 members of the security forces were killed and 1,229 were wounded in terrorist and violent acts in January across Iraq, Xinhua quoted UNAMI as saying in a statement Saturday.

It excluded the casualties in Anbar province where fierce clashes flared up after Iraqi police dismantled an anti-government protest site outside Ramadi in late December last year.

Five killed in Lebanon suicide bombing

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At least five people were killed and 18 injured in a suicide car bombing attack in a Lebanese town Saturday.

The attack occurred in the evening when the bombing hit a gas station in Bekaa town of Lebanon’s Beqaa governorate. Al Qaeda linked Al Nusra Front claimed responsibility for the Saturday’s attack along with a number of other recent attacks which targeted Shiite populated areas, Xinhua reported

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the bombing and called for “national unity to protect our country and our people”.

–IANS

‘Kejriwal’s candidates will lose security deposit in J&K’

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Saturday if Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party fields candidates from the state for the general elections, they would lose their security deposits.

Answering a question at a media conference in the winter capital Jammu about Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal’s allegation about his father and union minister Farooq Abdullah being “a tainted politician”, Omar said he would not speak on Kejriwal’s list of tainted politicians.

Honda Cars sales up three-fold in January at 15,714 units

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Honda Cars India Ltd posted nearly three-fold rise in its domestic sales at 15,714 units in January, 2014.

The company had sold 5,451 units in the same month of the previous year, HCIL said today in a statement.

During January, the company sold 1,015 units of its small car Brio, 7,398 units of its latest sedan Amaze and 7,184 units of the premium sedan City.

Besides the company sold 117 units of sports utility vehicle CRV. In addition, the company exported a total of 88 units during the month.

Mahindra’s tractor arm sales up by 15 per cent in January

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Mahindra Group’s tractor arm today reported a 15 per cent growth in sales at 20,109 units in January, driven by a robust Khareef crop and an expected good rabi crop.

The company had sold 17,473 units in January 2013, a company release said here. The domestic sales stood at 19,389 units, a growth of 18 per cent over January 2013, it said.

Maruti, Hyundai’s January sales dip as market remains subdued

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Leading car makers Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai Motor India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor and Tata Motors reported decline in domestic sales in January, as the Indian auto market continued to reel under a prolonged slump.

On the other hand, riding on the success of their new launches, Ford India and Honda Cars India posted double digit growth during the month.

Two wheeler makers Yamaha Motor India and TVS Motor Company posted single digit growth last month.

Supreme Court verdict on private forest to pave way for real estate development: Credai

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The Supreme Court’s direction to the Maharashtra government to remove “private forest” tag attached to huge land parcels across the state is likely to give a push to development of real estate in such vacant areas, according to real estate developers’ body Credai.

“We are happy to hear this judgement as it will finally pave the way for development of forest land which has been lying vacant for years and most importantly regularise the homes of people living there,” Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (Credai) Chairman Lalit Kumar Jain said in a statement here.

Pakistan issues fresh arrest warrant against Musharraf

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A Pakistani court has reportedly issued a fresh arrest warrant against former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, rejecting his plea to go abroad for medical treatment.

The former dictator suffered chest pain while on the way to his treason trial on January 2, derailing the scheduled hearings.

According to the BBC, prosecutors have argued that his medical condition was not serious enough for him to avoid appearing before judges.

Syrian opposition coalition ready for political solution

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The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (NCSROF) is ready to look for a political solution to the Syrian crisis and will take part in the second round of intra-Syrian talks, NCSROF leader Ahmad Jarba said.

“After the completion of the first round of talks, I said on behalf of the NCSROF that we will take part in the second round to be held Feb 10 in any case,” Jarba said Friday at the 50th Munich Security Conference currently underway in the Bavarian capital.

Keep Syrian peace talks going: UN chief

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UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged parties to the Syrian peace talks to ensure that the next round proceeds as scheduled this month.

Speaking at the 50th Munich Security Conference here Saturday, Ban expressed his concerns about cyber security, nuclear weapons and the Syrian crisis in his speech.

“I urge leaders to use their influence to ensure talks proceed as scheduled Feb 10,” Xinhua quoted Ban as saying.

“The parties may still be fighting. But talking is the only hope of a political solution,” he said.

SRK arranged special screening of Salman Khan’s ‘Jai Ho’?

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After the `much-hyped` hug shared between the the two Khans of Bollywood made the headlines, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan relation has once again come under the limelight – all thanks to the `Chennai Express` star who reportedly held a special screening for the latter`s recent movie.

According to a leading daily, SRK, who previously had a private screening of `Dabangg` at his residence, has once again done the same. But this time, it was a fan who arranged for an exclusive screening for Salman`s `Jai Ho` at SRK`s Mannat.

Partially sighted girl raped by auto-rickshaw driver in Kerala

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An 18-year-old partially sighted girl was on Saturday raped allegedly by an auto-rickshaw driver, who has been arrested, police said.

The girl, a plus-two student and an orphan living in a charity home, was raped by the 48-year-old auto-rickshaw driver Harikrishnan. She had boarded the auto-rickshaw for a short journey from near Thampanoor bus stand to the East Fort, they said.

Realising that the girl was partially sighted, the auto driver took her to an isolated place instead of to East Fort area in the heart of the city where she wanted to go.

Brahimi wants resumption of Syria talks Feb 10

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The UN mediator for talks between the Syrian government and the opposition Friday called for a resumption of talks Feb 10.

Speaking at the 50th Munich Security Conference here, UN-Arab League Special Envoy to Syria Brahimi called for a resumption of talks in the Swiss city of Geneva Feb 10, Xinhua reported. “That’s not 100 percent certain, but I hope it will happen.”

He called for those who have influence on the Syrian government and the opposition to do their best to make sure people will come back for talks.

Breakthrough in lung cancer therapy

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A new study shows that a combination of drugs can be used in targeted therapy against a common type of lung cancer.

Lung adenocarcinomas, the most common genetic subtype of lung cancer which has long defied treatment with targeted therapies, has had its growth halted by a combination of two already-in-use drugs in laboratory and animal studies, setting the stage for clinical trials of the drugs on patients, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts and other scientists report in a new study.