Month: April 2014

Britain wants more global support for CAR crisis

by

Britain Tuesday urged the international community to commit more support to help alleviate the crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR), ahead of an incoming EU-Africa Summit in Brussels to discuss the conflict.

Describing the situation in the CAR as “ever more desperate”, British International Development Minister Lynne Featherstone urged that “the international community must do more to help the men, women and children affected”, Xinhua reported.

Cartel boss shot dead in Mexico

by

One of the top leaders of Mexico’s Caballeros Templarios drug cartel was killed in a shootout with the security forces, an official said.

Enrique Plancarte Solis was killed in a gunfight Monday in the central state of Queretaro, the official said while requesting anonymity.

Known as “Kike” and “La Chiva”, Plancarte Solis was considered the cartel’s No. 2 leader following the Jan 27 arrest of Dionicio Loya Plancarte.

“The identity of Enrique Plancarte, presumably killed in a shootout with the Navy Secretariat, is being verified,” the Government Secretariat said in a Twitter post.

Palestine to pursue more UN recognition

by

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday that he will sign a request to join 15 UN agencies and international treaties in response to Israel’s delay to release the final group of Palestinian long-term prisoners.

Abbas made the remarks while meeting members of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank city of Ramallah. He signed one of the treaties during his televised speech, Xinhua reported.

The decision came after the US failed to convince Israel to release the remaining 26 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

Suspected FARC rebels blow up highway in Colombia

by

Suspected FARC guerrillas used 100 kilos of dynamite to blast a hole in a stretch of the Panamericana highway in southwestern Colombia, authorities said Tuesday.

The attack targetted a part of the road between the municipalities of Santander de Quilichao and Mondomo in Cauca province, officials said, blaming the explosion on the Jacobo Arenas Front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Sleeping pills and anti-anxiety drugs up risk of death

by

A new study has found that anti-anxiety drugs and sleeping pills could increase risk of death.

The study from the University of Warwick shows that several anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) drugs or hypnotic drugs (sleeping pills) are associated with a doubling in the risk of mortality.

Although these findings are based on routine data and need to be interpreted cautiously, the researchers recommended that a greater understanding of their impact is essential.

HC summons remand home head on habeas corpus plea of minor girl

by

Hearing a Habeas Corpus petition, the Bombay High Court today issued summons to the superintendent of Dongri children’s remand home, asking him to remain present tomorrow along with papers pertaining to a minor girl who was lodged there.

The order was given by a bench headed by Justice Naresh Patil on a petition filed by 45-year-old Mohammed
Sadique Mohammed Zuber Shaikh whose daughter was sent to the remand home by police.

Shaikh alleged that Govandi police had registered a false case against him contending that his wife and daughter

Sarah Palin voter’s second choice to Hillary Clinton, says poll

by

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin is reportedly the second choice of Americans after Hillary Clinton when it comes to seeing their favorite female candidate running for the high office, a new poll has found. The poll, conducted by the Economist/YouGov, asked participants as to which female candidate, other than Hillary Clinton, would they like to see run for the high office. While Palin won 9 percent of the vote, she was followed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice, at 8 percent each, the Washington Times reported.

Kejriwal flays Congress, BJP over fuel and gas price hike

by

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief, Arvind Kejriwal, on Tuesday flayed Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over inflation, water and electricity price hike, alleging the parties are controlled by gas and electricity companies. Kicking off a massive seven-day road show in New Delhi ahead of general elections, Kejriwal wooed voters as he embarked on his tour from Chandni Chowk area in the capital. “We slashed the bill for water and electricity during my rule in Delhi. People were very happy. Today is April 1st, the water and electricity tariff has again gone up in Delhi from today.

Rahul lists UPA’s achievements, stresses need to lift standard of working class

by

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday detailed the achievements of the Congress-led UPA government in improving the standards of poor people during its ten-year rule at the Centre and stated that he aims to get the 70 crore-strong working class who are working in the unorganised sector lifted upwards. “There are about 70 crore people in India, who are employed in a variety of jobs including as electricians and security guards. We want to uplift them,” Rahul said while addressing a rally in Bihar’s Aurangabad.

CIA misled Congress over interrogation program: report

by

A damning Senate report concluded that the CIA misled Congress and the American public by downplaying the severity of its interrogations and overstating intelligence gleaned from the sessions, a media report said.

Several officials familiar with the classified 6,300-page document, years in the making, said it detailed the brutality of an enhanced interrogation program that yielded little actionable intelligence beyond what was already obtained from detainees before they were subjected to the objectionable techniques.

Govt. has not spent a penny out of ‘Nirbhaya fund’: Modi

by

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Tuesday alleged that the Congress-led UPA government has not properly utilized the money in ‘Nirbhaya Fund’, and added that incidents of rapes are becoming a day-to-day affair in Delhi. Addressing a rally here, Modi said in the last ten years the country has lost so much, and added that unemployment, poverty, corruption and farmers suicide are very much prevalent. “Today, rapes are happening on the day-to-day basis. But this government is fooling people.

Jayalalithaa questions Karunanidhi’s motive behind extending support to Congress

by

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief Jayalalithaa on Tuesday criticized DMK supremo M Karunanidhi saying that his recent support to ruling Congress was with a motive to save the party”s name from scam allegations. Addressing a rally in Coimbatore, Jayalalithaa, said that DMK chief was betraying Tamils by extending support to Congress party. “Currently Karunanidhi maintains that his party is ready to support Congress party of it is ready to step back to its secular stance.

EC gives go ahead to RBI for issuing new banking licences

by

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday gave its consent to the Reserve Bank of India in issuing new bank licenses for setting up of new banks. “The commission has considered your request seeking guidance of the commission whether it would be appropriate for you to go ahead with the announcement of in-principle approvals for banking licenses in view of the current enforcement of the Model code of conduct,” said the EC.

Gavaskar wants feedback on IPL COO from team owners

by

Interim BCCI chief for IPL, Sunil Gavaskar has reached out to the team owners to take their feedback on whether to continue with the services of Sundar Raman, the Chief Operating Officer of the T20 league.

While the Supreme Court ordered removal of all India Cements employees, except the players and commentators, from the BCCI, it left the decision on keeping Raman in the job to Gavaskar, who was made the interim President of the Board for conducting the upcoming IPL.

Gavaskar yesterday had a meeting with the franchise owners and briefed them about the preparations.

NDA gas balloon will burst again like 2004, 2009: Rahul

by

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said like 2004 and 2009, the NDA’s “gas balloon” would burst again while claiming that the UPA government did remarkably well, as the BJP talked divisive politics.

“Their balloon of India Shining burst in 2004 as well in 2009… This time they are also filling a similar balloon with a gas cylinder which will also burst like in the past,” Gandhi told an election meeting at Aurangabad in Bihar.

West Indies smash Pakistan to make World T20 semis

by

Defending champions West Indies crushed Pakistan by 84 runs in their final preliminary game to reach the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 Championship here Tuesday.

West Indies will now face Sri Lanka in the first semi-final Thursday.

Opting to bat first in the must-win encounter at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, West Indies recovered from a sluggish start to post a challenging 166 for six off their 20 overs.

The Caribbean side then produced an imperious bowling display to bundle Pakistan out for 82 off 17.5 overs, to record their biggest ever win in T20 Internationals, reports CMC.

EC not happy with Pawar’s explanation on voting

by

The Election Commission Tuesday said it was not satisfied with NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s explanation over his controversial statement asking people to vote from more than one place, but said it would not pursue the matter further.

“The commission has considered that you have overlooked the provisions of section 171D of the Indian Penal Code,” the poll panel said.

“The commission is not satisfied with your explanation, but having regard to the expressions of regret in your reply, has decided not to pursue the matter further,” it said.

637 weapons, 975 cartridges seized in WB ahead of polls

by

In a state-wide drive against illegal arms and ammunitions ahead of Lok Sabha elections, altogether 637 weapons and 975 cartridges were seized so far, the Election Commission sources said here today.

The OSD-in-charge of Expenditure in CEO’s office Amit Roy Chowdhury said the list of seizures also included 32.7 kg of explosive materials and 3,372 bombs.

Altogether 14,662 licenced arms have so far been surrendered by the owners, while 2,287 undeclared arms have been impounded, besides cancellation of 145 arms, by the administration.

Will win Amethi battle: Smriti Irani

by

Actor-turned-politician Smriti Irani, who has been named the BJP candidate against Rahul Gandhi from Amethi Lok Sabha seat, today expressed confidence that she will win the “challenge”.

“The party has trusted on my merit and capacity to field me as a candidate from Amethi for the next parliamentary polls and I accept this challenge humbly,” the BJP national national vice-president told PTI here.

May have been flaws in reaching out to Muslims: Rajnath

by

BJP president Rajnath Singh today said it hurts him when opponents describe the party as communal but admitted that there may have been some flaws on their part in reaching out to Muslims.

“We don’t do politics on the basis of caste, language and religion. For us it is humanism and cultural nationalism,” Singh said, addressing a meeting here.

“We believe in ‘Vasudevaka-kutumbakam’ (Universal brotherhood). However, I admit there might have been some flaws on our part by failing to reach out to Muslims,” the BJP president said.

RPI names 4 candidates for LS and 20 for Assembly seats

by

Andhra Pradesh unit of Republic Party of India (A) here on Tuesday announced its candidates for four Lok Sabha and 20 Assembly constituencies.
Party State president Bojja Tharakam released the list of party candidates for the 2014 general elections.
The Lok Sabha candidates are: B. Narendar for Bhongir (Nalgonda district); Marri Durgesh for Zaheerabad and K. Prabhudas for Medak (Medak district) and K. Vijay for Peddapalli (Karimnagar district).

Unable to find a match, man commits suicide

by

A 24 year old Agriculturist committed suicide by consumed unknown poison at his residence on March 28 in Shabd police limits.

According to Shabad Police, Kummari Mallesh (24) an Agriculturist S/o Bala Kishtaiah R/o Nandar Khanpet Shabad of Ranga Reddy District committed suicide by consumed unknown poison at his residence on March 28, immediately rushed to OGH for treatment where undergoing treatment he died on Tuesday morning hours.

Financial problem drives Wall Painter to suicide

by

A 27 year old Wall Painter committed suicide by hanging at his residence on Monday night in Dundigal police limits.

According to Police, Deceased B Punesh (27) a wall painter S/o Ellam R/o Suraram Colony of Dundigal committed suicide by hanging at his residence on Monday night hours.

The family members of the man told the police that he slipped into depression due to financial problems and might have ended his life over it.