Month: May 2014

Indian national admits stealing trade secrets in US

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An Indian engineer in the US has admitted to stealing trade secrets from two medical technology companies, media reported Thursday.

Ketankumar Maniar, 37, an Indian national, was arrested during a search operation by the FBI agents in June 20, 2013. A hard drive containing trade secrets of Bard and Becton companies was recovered from his hotel room in New Jersey state in north-eastern America, the Star-Ledger reported.

Maniar Wednesday pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and attempted theft of trade secrets, US Attorney Paul J. Fishman said.

Modi’s guidelines to ministers

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given guidelines to his ministers to improve governance.

These are:
– Prepare a time-table for the first 100 days spelling out priorities.

– The main issue is good governance.

– Attention to efficiency in work and to delivery and implementation of programmes.

– Quick response to representations sent by states. State proposals should not be pending for long.

– Early resolution of issues raised by parliamentarians.

– Issues kept pending by the previous government should be implemented on priority basis.

Delhi LG meets home minister

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Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung met Home Minister Rajnath Singh here Thursday, a day after his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ministry officials described it as a “courtesy meeting”.

“Since the home minister joined today (Thursday), the lt. governor came to convey his best wishes,” a home ministry official told IANS.

Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung met Home Minister Rajnath Singh here Thursday, a day after his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ministry officials described it as a “courtesy meeting”.

Man held for sodomising two minors in Gurgaon

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A 25-year-old man from West Bengal has been arrested and sent to judicial custody for sodomising two minor boys while they were returning home from school, police said Thursday.

The two 10-year-old boys were assaulted Wednesday when they were returning to their house in a slum area near Sikanderpur.

Police said the accused Shamim Sheikh, who has a criminal history of theft, was once a neighbour of the boys. Another accused is yet to be arrested.

A case under section 377 of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered.

Govt to install CCTVs in all shelter homes

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After shocking incidents of rape and torture of children at an illegally-run shelter home came to light in Maharashtra, the Women and Child Development Ministry today decided to install CCTVs in all shelter homes in the country.

“Taking note of the horrifying incident in a children’s shelter home in Raigad district of Maharashtra where minor
children are stated to be sexually abused, it has been decided that CCTVs need to be installed in every shelter home,” said a statement by the ministry, headed by Maneka Gandhi.

Non-bailable arrest warrants issued against Gilani, ex-minister

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An anti-corruption court in Pakistan Thursday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in a case relating to financial irregularities in the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

Another senior Pakistani politician, Makhdoom Amin Faheem from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), was also served with the warrant by the Federal Anti-Corruption Court in Karachi, Dawn online reported Thursday.

The court adjourned the hearing to June 17.

Kareena amazingly sporty: Saif on gender-bending role

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Saif Ali Khan’s funny side will be on show in “Humshakals” as he has donned the garb of a woman for the comedy. He says his wife and actress Kareena is taking his experiment “sportingly”, but he would have reacted differently to such a weird look.

When asked what was Kareena’s reaction to his look, he said: “Kareena is amazingly sporty… she laughed looking at me. Had I been in her place I would have filed for divorce. She found my chest too large (laughs).”

Mobile number portability touches 100-mn mark: TRAI

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The number of subscribers who have availed mobile number portability (MNP) has reached the 100 million-mark, data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Thursday said.

MNP was introduced Jan 20, 2011 in the country allowing mobile phone users to retain their mobile number even when moving from one service provider to another in the same service area irrespective of the mobile technology.

Sri Lanka confident of good ties with India

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The Sri Lankan government Thursday dismissed fears that the new Indian government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi could work against Colombo’s interests.

Government minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said Tuesday’s meeting Modi and President Mahinda Rajapaksa had further strengthened the ties between the two countries.

“There were reports that we will face issues with a BJP government,” Xinhua quoted the minister as saying.

Malaysia Airlines union urges CEO to resign

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Malaysia Airlines’ workers’ union today called for the struggling carrier’s top managers to step down, adding to pressure with the fate of Flight MH370 still unknown almost three months on. The union will urge the government not to renew the contract of MAS chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, believed to be expiring in September, said the union’s executive secretary Jabbarullah Kadir.

Two other senior managers should also resign to revive the loss-making state-controlled national carrier’s fortunes,

Mirza-Black in Roland Garros Round 2

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Indian tennis player Sania Mirza along with partner Cara Black of Zimbabwe progressed to Round 2 of women’s doubles at Roland Garros here Thursday.

The fifth seeds needed only an hour and nine minutes to beat Slovak-Israeli pair Daniela Hantuchova and Shahar Peer 6-3, 6-3 on Court No.11.

Service games were broken regularly by both combinations throughout the match but Sania and Cara made sure they broke their opponents more number of times, ensuring a straight sets win.

They will next take on Canadian-Polish pairing of Gabriela Dabrowski and Alicja Rosolska in the second round.

Payment delays in MGNREGA will be made punishable: Munde

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Any delay in the payment of wages under the MGNREGA will be made punishable, Rural Development Minister Gopinath Munde said here Thursday.

A provision will be added to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, making delays in payment of wages to rural job seekers punishable, he told reporters.

The minister said zero tolerance to corruption and timely payment of wages are the twin mantras he will work on in the coming days.

Apart from strictly monitoring the scheme, there will be monthly assessment reports to ensure transparent implementation of the rural job act.

Israeli envoy meets HRD minister Irani

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Israeli Ambassador Alon Ushpiz Thursday met Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani to discuss ways to “strengthen educational relations” between the two countries.

During the discussion, the new joint research programme was taken up in which both countries have pledged to take up research amounting up to $5 million per year.

In the first round, 66 joint research proposals were received and evaluation by experts from both sides that began Thursday will be completed by June, said a statement from the ministry.

UAE bank deploys Infosys solution

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Al Hilal Bank, six-year-old new generation bank in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has deployed the award-winning Finacle e-banking solution of Indian IT bellwether Infosys to provide Internet banking services to its corporate customers.

“Our Finacle solution will allow the bank to roll out new functionalities and build upon existing products to offer an enhanced banking experience in an intelligent and seamless manner without compromising security,” the global software major said in a statement here Thursday.

Thank god ‘Himmatwala’ flopped: Sajid Khan

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Director Sajid Khan’s “Himmatwala” remake was a flop and now he blames the film’s failure on his arrogance.

“I am a changed man now. I was very arrogant then and I was talking anything to get attention and make statement. Now I am back on track and thank god ‘Himmatwala’ flopped. In the middle, I lost it completely,” Sajid told reporters during the press conference of his next “Humshakals”.

“I wanted people to respect me as a filmmaker. ‘Heyy Babyy’ did well, then ‘Housefull’ did well, so I wanted people to take me seriously. I am glad ‘Himmatwala’ didn’t work,” he added.

Hockey India downgrades Hockey Kerala

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Hockey India (HI) has relegated Hockey Kerala to an associate member for irregularities in its functioning.

HI’s Disciplinary Committee met Wednesday to discuss governance and operations of Hockey Kerala and investigate alleged irregularities in its functioning.

The committee members reviewed the report and the documentation provided by Hockey Kerala and found irregularities in its functioning. The state association was immediately relegated to an associate member category of HI.

Avoid lethal measures to control mobs: Assam CM

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Firing should be avoided as far as practicable while controlling mob violence, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has said.

Gogoi advocated measures to avoid civilian deaths during a law and order review meeting with top police and civil administration officials at his office Wednesday evening.

“We need to deal with public agitation with non-lethal, yet effective and focused measures,” Gogoi said during the meeting.

The chief minister said police must tackle violent mobs without using excessive force.

Pak court issues non-bailable arrest warrant for ex-PM Gilani

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A non-bailable arrest warrant was issued today for former Pakistan prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and an ex-minister for their alleged involvement in a Rs seven billion corruption scandal. The Karachi-based anti-corruption court issued warrants after Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) reportedly found evidence that Gilani and his minister Faheem were involved in the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) corruption scandal.

Poroshenko wins Ukrainian presidential election

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Ukraine’s chocolate king Petro Poroshenko has won the presidential election in the first round with 54.7 percent of the vote, the country’s Central Electoral Commission (CEC) announced Thursday.

The CEC will declare Poroshenko president-elect by June 4, when the original protocols from district election commissions with wet seals will be received, Xinhua reported.

Poroshenko is expected to be sworn-in between June 8 and 10.

Dell shuts shop in Mohali, future of 1,000 staffers uncertain

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The Punjab government’s recent moves to secure investments for the state, especially in the information technology and software sectors, suffered a setback with US-headquartered Dell Corporation announcing the shutting down of its facility in Mohali, adjoining Chandigarh.

The sudden announcement by top company officials Wednesday night has rendered uncertain the future of nearly 1,000 staffers of the IT major.

The company has asked its staffers to either opt for its facilities in Bangalore and Hyderabad or quit.

Jung meets Rajnath

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Lt Governor Najeeb Jung today met Home Minister Rajnath Singh and is understood to have discussed the political situation in the national capital. The meeting came a day after Jung called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sources said the political situation in Delhi figured in the meeting between Jung and Singh. Officials, however, described the meeting as a “courtesy call”. Central rule was imposed in Delhi on February 17 and the Legislative Assembly was kept in suspended animation after AAP government had resigned.

Kerry, host of counterparts call Sushma to congratulate

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It was a day of ‘telephone diplomacy’ today for External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who received congratulatory calls from US Secretary of State John Kerry and her other counterparts from Australia, Canada, Israel, UAE, UK, South Africa. Kerry, who called late last night, was the first one to call Swaraj after she took over the External Affairs Ministry and discussed re-energising of the Indo-US ties. During the call with Kerry, the focus was on enhancing
trade and economic ties to USD 500 billion from current USD 100 billion, the Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said.

Modi bullied Sharif over terrorism?

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi “bullied” his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif over terrorism at their first meeting, a writer in a Pakistani newspaper said Thursday.

Jalees Hazir said in The Nation that Modi not “only bullied him over terrorism and (the) Mumbai attack but also showed him the way forward … brushing issues of importance to Pakistan … under the carpet.

“The irony is that though he might not be able to say it in so many words, this also seems to be our prime minister’s lopsided blueprint for peace with India,” said Hazir, a freelance columnist.