Month: May 2014

Registration deadline for MANUU’s Follow On courses extended

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The Moulana Azad National Urdu University on Friday informed all the students of follow on courses that the University has given permission for registration into B.A./B.Com/B.Sc. 2nd and 3rd year and M.A. (English/Urdu/History) 2nd year for the year 2013-14 from 31st May to 30th June, 2014.

Such of those students who could not register on or before 31st December, 2013 may now submit their registration forms for follow on courses with prescribed fee along with a fine of Rs. 300/- at the concerned Study Centre or Regional Centre, between 31st May to 30th June 2014. (INN)

Indian-American wins in spelling contest stirs racial comments

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As two youngsters of Indian descent spelled history by jointly winning the coveted Scripps National Spelling Bee for a record seventh year in a row, they also stirred storm of racially charged comments in the US.

The fact that Sriram Hathwar and Ansun Sujoe Thursday night kept up the victory run of Indian-Americans that began in 1999 producing a dozen champions in the last 16 years, proved too much for some of them.

Ajit Doval appointed National Security Advisor

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Former Intelligence Bureau chief Ajit Doval was Friday appointed the National Security Advisor.

Doval’s appointment comes after his name was cleared by the appointments committee of the cabinet (ACC), according to the Press Information Bureau’s Twitter handle.

Doval, who was Intelligence Bureau chief 2004-05, was director of the Vivekananda International Foundation, a think tank.

Considered close to senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L.K. Advani, Doval’s name had been doing the rounds for the post of the NSA.

Films bind, not divide: Big B on ‘Filmistaan’

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Debutant director Nitin Kakkar has received wide acclaim at international film festivals for “Filmistaan” that explores India-Pakistan relationships. Now megastar Amitabh Bachchan too has complimented him on his endeavours.

“‘Filmistaan’…the film on release. Cinema in its bountiful glory. Just saw it…films bind, they do not divide. Love is power,” Big B posted on his Twitter page Friday.

CS orders Telangana Formation Day celebrations on June 2

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Chief Secretary Dr PK Mohanty directed the Collectors of all districts of Telangana to officially celebrate the formation of Telangana State on June 2.

The official function will be held at 8.45 AM on June 2 at all district headquarters where the District Collectors would hoist the national flag. The main celebrations will be organised at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad at 10.45 AM. After taking oath as the first Chief Minister of Telangana at Raj Bhavan at 8.15 AM, K Chandrasekhar Rao will take the salute of official parade at Parade Grounds.

Report on Bengal poll violence to be submitted to Rajnath

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A five-member BJP central team will Saturday visit West Bengal to probe attacks on party activists allegedly by the ruling Trinamool Congress and submit a report to party president and Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The team, comprising party vice presidents S.S. Ahluwalia and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and state co-in charge Siddharth Nath Singh, among others, will visit Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district where 26 of the party activists were injured after being attacked by “Trinamool goons”.

Experts call for strengthened services for mentally ill

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Health experts, NGOs and members of various technical organisations Friday stressed the need for strengthened mental health services in the country and called for accessible, affordable and quality services for those affected.

“Seven percent of the Indian population suffers from one or the other kind of mental illness and a staggering 90 percent of the same remain untreated. There is also a huge substantial inadequacy of efficient human manpower,” said Ved Prakash Mishra, member, Medical Council of India.

Indian man jailed for molesting passenger in Dubai

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An Indian bus driver in the UAE has been sentenced to six months in jail and deportation for inappropriately touching a woman passenger.

The Court of First Instance found the defendant guilty of molestation charge, the Khaleej Times reported Thursday.

The driver earlier denied the charge saying that he did not intend to touch the woman but it happened by accident.

The incident allegedly happened May 3 last year in Al Muraqqabat area, the report said.

The 38-year-old Egyptian complainant said the accused told her to stand next to him as there were no vacant seats in the bus.

India need to punch above their weight in FIH World Cup

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India will have to punch above its weight for a respectable show against the giants, like tournament favourites the Netherlands, Germany and Australia, in the 12-team FIH Hockey World Cup that starts here Saturday.

Four years ago at home, India finished eighth and it was been 39 years since eight-time Olympic champions India won their only hockey World Cup. After that they never came anywhere near a podium finish, let alone winning.

This time the Indians are realistic. For coach Terry Walsh a respectable finish among the top-eight would be a good show by World No.8 India.

Try navy in office to stay stylish in summer

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Looking stylish and smart at work in summer can be a struggle. If you want to keep cool and be stylish, navy is the answer to your problems.

Softer than black and a lot less predictable than grey, navy colour for office is perfect for spring-summer as it can be paired with brighter hues like pink, red, yellow, orange, green etc. for a more season-appropriate look, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Even a navy Breton striped top will work well for the office. One can pair it with some navy cropped trousers, a pair of ballet flats and a bright tote for a look that’s smart but still stylish.

King Richard III wasn’t a hunchback: Scans reveal

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The skeletal deformity of King Richard III, who ruled England from 1483 until his death in 1485, was mightily exaggerated by Shakespeare, says a recent study.

Scans of the last Plantagenet king of England’s skeleton show that he only had a slight deformity that would have barely affected his appearance or prowess on the battle field, Daily Mail quoted researchers as saying.

A 3D reconstruction of the king’s spine shows 65-85 degrees of ‘scoliosis’, or sideways bending of his spine to the right, which means he was very far from being a hunchback, according to experts.

Malaysian PM vows to brief MH370 families

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Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak Friday said his country will give an account of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 to the families of the passengers as soon as possible.

Najib made the remarks in a meeting here with top Chinese legislator Zhang Dejiang at the Great Hall of the People Friday afternoon, Xinhua reported citing the foreign ministry.

He also expressed deep condolence for the families.

Calls, flowers, sweets flood Gujarat Bhavan, PMO

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Gujarat Bhavan, which presently serves as the temporary residence of Narendra Modi, has been receiving a record number of calls, bouquets, sweets, fruits and other gifts ever since the prime minister moved in here eight days ago.

While some gifts do reach the man, who rose from humble roots to India’s top executive post, most of these, including a 25 kg cake, are distributed among the staff.

Officers make beeline for plum postings

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Barely has the new BJP-led government assumed office that civil servants and police officers have started making their rounds of calls, with some even making a beeline for the BJP headquarters and the offices of ministers to seek favourable postings or stall the unfavourable ones, party sources said.

Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party told IANS that the officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Delhi Police and Indian Administrative Service (IAS) have begun visiting offices of ministers and senior party officials to lobby for themselves or their relatives and friends.

Ayhika wins Polish Junior and Cadet Open

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Ayhika Mukherjee, the Slovak Open winner last week, collected her second successive ITTF Junior Circuit girls’ singles title when she defeated Germany’s Alena Lemmer, the No.6 seed, 4-2 (10-12, 12-10, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 16-14) at the Polish Junior and Cadet Open.

The 16-year-old who was seeded 10 here at Wladyslawowo (Poland), emerged as a surprise winner Thursday night in an event that was littered with upsets.

Though Ayhika did not cause major upsets during the tournament, the Kolkatan did benefit from those who had caused the surprises.

ED opposes bail to Raja, others in 2G money laundering case

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The enforcement directorate, opposing the bail applications of former communication minister A. Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and others, told a court here Friday that there exists a strong case against the accused which, in all probability, will result in conviction.

“With supporting documentary and material evidence, there exists a prima facie case against the accused, which, in all probability, will result in conviction,” ED told Central Bureau of Investigation Special Judge O.P. Saini.

Why some crickets don’t chirp any more

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If going to bed to the chirping of crickets is what you fantasize about during your vacation, then heading to the Hawaiian islands Kauai and Oahu may not be a good idea. Male crickets in these two islands have lost their ability to chirp.

They have developed flatwings as a result of separate, but simultaneous, evolutionary adaptation that started as a response to infestation by a deadly parasitic fly, says a new study.

The changes which allow the insects to avoid attracting a parasitic fly occurred independently over just 20 generations and are visible to the human eye.

Pune FC part ways with coach Mike Snoei

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Pune Football Club and coach Mike Snoei Friday announced they had mutually agreed to part ways.

“The club would like to thank Mike for the integrity with which he has worked at the club and would like to wish him best for the future,” Pune FC said in a media statement.

The management will appoint a new coach shortly.
(IANS)

AIDWA condemns UP girls’ gang rape

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The AIDWA Friday condemned the gang rape and murder of two girls in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun district a day earlier and demanded speedy investigation of the crime and setting up of a fast-track court to try the culprits.

The two girls were found hanging from a tree.

“While the perpetrators of this crime have been arrested, and some action has been initiated against the erring police personnel, AIDWA (All India Democratic Women’s Association) demands speedy investigation,” the association said in a statement released here.

Air India defends concessional tickets for employees

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National passenger carrier Air India Friday defended giving promotional tickets to its employees, saying that it is obliged to do so under an International Air Transport Association (IATA) resolution.

“Air India wishes to clarify that Air India’s employees passage scheme is in tune with the IATA resolution 788 which provides for giving free and reduced fare transportation to an employee of an air carrier or to the employee’s immediate family members,” the airline said in a statement.

FBI spied on Nelson Mandela, show records

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) spied on Nelson Mandela during his historic visit to the US after his release from prison in 1990, a leading British daily reported Friday citing newly released files.

When the South African leader arrived in the US, his party – the African National Congress – was still designated as a terrorist organisation by the US government, The Independent reported, adding that the agency already had tabs on Mandela’s movements from an informant close to his entourage.

SC notice to Delhi LG on four parents’ plea on nursery admissions

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The Supreme Court Friday issued notice to Delhi lt. governor and the education department on a petition by four parents seeking admission of their wards in nursery class under inter-state category on the basis of the court’s verdict that admission criteria could not be altered after the process has started.

A bench of Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice C. Nagappan issued notice after it was told that the parents of four kids had applied for admission under inter-state category in pursuance to a Dec 18, 2013 notification by the lt. governor.

Maya seeks central rule in UP after girls’ rape, murder

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Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati Friday demanded imposition of president’s rule in Uttar Pradesh following the rape and murder of two sisters in a Budaun village Thursday.

Addressing a press conference here, the former chief minister said the law and order machinery in the state had collapsed and demanded immediate intervention from the BJP-led central government.

The Dalit leader said criminals were having a free run in the state and the Samajwadi Party (SP) government had no control over the police machinery.

Notice to government, AIIMS on Afghan Sikh’s plea for free treatment

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The Delhi High Court Friday issued notice to the central and Delhi governments and AIIMS on a plea filed by Afghan refugee parents of a four-year-old boy suffering from aplastic anaemia, a life-threatening disorder.

Justice Manmohan sought response from the governments and hospital July 24.

The kid, Kulraj is in dire and immediate need of bone-marrow transplant to save his life, which would cost around Rs.10 lakh, as per the estimate given by AIIMS, advocate Ashok Agarwal appearing for the parents told the court.

Would love to play heroine in a Yash Raj film: Alia Bhatt

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Actress Alia Bhatt says playing the female lead in a Yash Raj film is on her wish list.

“Everybody aspires to be a Yash Raj heroine. I would love to be Yash Raj heroine… I haven’t reached there but hopefully one day I will,” Alia, 21, said at the store launch of Diva’ni, the first Bollywood inspired fashion line by Yash Raj Films, last night.

“The whole point of this collection was how Yashji would display all his heroines so it has fusion of romance, elegance, glamour and all of that. Whatever outfit I like I will pick that up,” she added.