Month: May 2014

‘Jhalak…’ helped me overcome bad phase in my life: Sreesanth

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Despite “six surgeries both in left and right toes”, banned Indian cricketer S. Sreesanth has put on his dancing shoes to rock the dance floor of “Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 7”. He says that the show was like a therapy for him.

He may be passionate about dancing, but Sreesanth had apprehensions while signing on the dotted line for “Jhalak…”

“I was a little confused in the beginning, whether to sign up for the show or not since it’s a reality show and it involves voting. But my family, and especially my wife supported me, and I grabbed the opportunity,” he said.

‘Police had no intention to arrest youth for anti-Modi post’

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Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today said that police had no intention to arrest the 33-year-old engineer who was booked for posting comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Facebook, while indicating that he may be let off after inquiry.

“There was no intention to arrest the youth (Devu Chodankar). He was issued two summons after which he did not appear before police, and his lawyer went for anticipatory bail…Police opposed the bail as a regular process,” Parrikar told reporters.

He said that the state government had no role to play in the entire episode.

Congress dissolves Haryana unit executive body

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The Congress Wednesday dissolved its Haryana unit’s executive committee, along with all the district and block level committees in the state.

“The All India Congress Committee has approved dissolution of the pradesh executive committee, all the district and block Congress committees and cells and departments of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect,” said a party statement.

The Congress won only one out of the total 10 parliamentary seats in the recently concluded general election.
(IANS)

Ukraine confirms partial Russian pullout from border

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Ukraine’s State Border Service (SBS) Wednesday reported a partial withdrawal of Russian troops from the border.

“According to our information, the pullout of troops from our borders is under way. However, intelligence units, radio units, electronic reconnaissance units as well as logistic infrastructure are staying where they were,” SBS Chairman Mykola Lytvyn told a press conference here.

Hike tax on tobacco products to curb consumption: WHO

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) Wednesday asked governments to raise taxes on tobacco products to curb their consumption.

“Research shows that higher taxes are especially effective in reducing tobacco use among lower-income groups and in preventing young people from starting to smoke.

“A tax increase that increases tobacco prices by 10 percent decreases tobacco consumption by about four percent in high-income countries and by up to eight percent in most low and middle-income countries,” the WHO said in a release.

Westland ropes in ‘The Mahabharata Secret’ author for thriller trilogy

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Westland Publishers have signed Christopher C. Doyle, author of “The Mahabharata Secret”, for a thriller trilogy, the publishers said Wednesday.

“He has moved from Om Publishers to Westland which will publish the first of the trilogy that he has planned. The trilogy is yet again based on another story from Mahabharata with a science angle to it. The title of the book is yet to be decided and the book is still in the works,” said a statement from the publishers.

Kolkata Knight Riders set 164-run target for Kings XI

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Kolkata Knight Riders made a competitive 163 for eight in 20 overs against Kings XI Punjab in the Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Eden Gardens here Wednesday.

Robin Uthappa top scored with 42 while Manish Pandey (21), Yusuf Pathan (20) and Suryakumar Yadav (20) made valuable contributions.

For Kings XI, Karanveer Singh picked up three for 40 while Akshar Patel and Mitchell Johnson got two wickets each.

Anti-Modi comment case doesn’t warrant arrest: Parrikar

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Even as state police continue to gun for 31-year-old Devu Chodankar for making anti-Narendra Modi comments on Facebook, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Wednesday said such a case did not warrant arrest.

Addressing a press conference at the State Secretariat, Parrikar hit out at the Congress for sensationalising the issue, and mentioned instances of how social media users were arrested in Congress-ruled states for making unsavoury remarks against party leaders.

Parrikar claimed the police complaint against Chodankar was filed solely on the basis of Supreme Court guidelines.

Telangana CM-designate calls for shutdown Thursday

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Telangana’s chief minister-designate K. Chandrasekhara Rao called for a shutdown Thursday to protest a central ordinance to transfer over 200 villages of Khammam district to Andhra Pradesh.

Chandrasekhara Rao, also the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief, gave the shutdown call after the central government reportedly sent to President Pranab Mukherjee an ordinance to merge the villages with Andhra Pradesh.

The TRS, which came to power in Telangana in the recently-held elections, has asked its units in all 10 districts including Hyderabad to make the shutdown a success.

Sri Lankan film ‘With You, Without You’ to release in India

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Acclaimed Sri Lankan director Prasanna Vithanage’s film “Oba Nathuwa Oba Ekka (With You, Without You)”, starring National Film Award-winning actress Anjali Patil, will release in Indian theatres June 13.

Originally a Sinhala and Tamil-language film, “With You, Without You” will have a limited release with English subtitles in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Pune and Hyderabad, courtesy PVR Director’s Rare.

Adapted from Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s “The Meek One”, the film also features Sri Lankan actor Shyam Fernando in the lead.

India-born doctor receives top Australian honour

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A prominent India-born doctor based in Australia has been conferred with a prestigious award by a top medical body here in recognition of his outstanding service to the medical profession and the community, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) said.

Mukesh Haikerwal, 54, a general practitioner and former AMA president, was presented the AMA Gold Medal, the association’s highest honour, at the AMA National Conference Gala Dinner earlier this month, the medical association said in a statement.

Police draw court’s flak for not probing properly Tunda case

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A city court on Wednesday disapproved of the Delhi Police’s handling of a case lodged in 1996 relating to recovery of explosives against Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) bomb expert Abdul Karim Tunda, saying there was no proper investigation.

Additional Sessions Judge Bharat Parashar directed the Special Cell of Delhi Police to file their written submissions on framing of charges against the accused by June 30, the next date of hearing.

IPL’s ‘Veer-Zaara’ match enthuses fans

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It was “Veer-Zaara” all over again at the Eden Gardens here Wednesday with Bollywood superstars Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta, owners of Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings X1 Punjab, cheering their teams on as they battled it in the Qualifier 1 of the seventh edition of Indian Premier League (IPL).

Ecstatic to see their home team take on the Punjab squad, fans of the Knights went wild to see the popular onscreen star-pair of the 2004 romantic drama “Veer-Zaara” cheer their respective teams on.

Amarinder opposes ‘wanton slaughter’ of trees in Amritsar

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Amritsar’s newly-elected MP Amarinder Singh Wednesday warned against the indiscriminate cutting of trees in the Punjab city in the name of road-widening and setting up of the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS), saying he would move court if this was not stopped.

“I am not against the development and widening of roads, but I am definitely not going to allow the indiscriminate slaughter of trees in Amritsar, some of which are as old as 200 years,” he said in a statement here while referring to the cutting down of trees in the city.

Woman strangulates husband to death with help of her illicit partner

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A woman allegedly killed her husband with the help of paramour in Sirsaganj area in Firozabad, police said on Wednesday.

Murarilal (37) was strangulated by his wife Seema and her paramour Abran Singh in Budha Bharthara village on Tuesday night, they said. While Seema has been arrested, Singh is absconding. The murder was carried out due to the illicit relationship. An FIR has been registered in this regard against the two, police said.

—PTI

DU launches mobile app for undergraduate admission

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Delhi University Wednesday released an indigenous android-based mobile application for undergraduate admission assistance which allows one to fill forms and send queries.

The app – called the “DU UG admissions” – was developed by a DU professor along with some university students.

“Information ranging from admission procedures, schedule, college directory, courses, university information centre and a whole variety of things will be easily available with this app,” Gurpreet Singh Tuteja, DU deputy dean students welfare (DSW) and developer of the app, said at a press conference here.

Observers at DU to oversee admission process

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Delhi University will appoint ‘university observers’ so that the undergraduate admission process is carried out without any hindrance, officials said Wednesday.

“The admission assistance and monitoring committee has decided to appoint university observers who will visit various colleges during admission and oversee the process,” said Malay Neerav, the university’s dean of students’ welfare and media coordinator.

The observers will be university teachers who will also supervise the admission process.

Admissions to the university’s four-year undergraduate courses begins June 2.
(IANS)

Interest rates on home loans will be cut: Naidu

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Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu Wednesday said that housing for all and reduction in interest rates on home loans will be his top priorites.

Soon after taking charge of the ministry, Naidu said that interest rate reduction is necessary if housing for all has to be achieved.

“Housing is for all by 2020 is our top priority area and I will be taking up this matter with my colleague (Arun Jaitley) who is the finance minister,” he told reporters.

“We will intervene and bring down the interest rates for housing a little. That will be my priority.”

Curfew in Thailand’s tourist hotspots may be lifted

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The Thai military junta is considering lifting curfew in some tourism hotspots like Phuket and Pattaya to avoid inconvenience for tourists and the business sector.

The night curfew may be lifted in localities where there are no protests or anti-coup movements, Xinhua reported, citing the Bangkok Post which quoted Nathawat Chancharoen, deputy spokesman of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), on Wednesday.

NRIs Buying Life Insurance in India

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(By Suresh Agarwal ) Life Insurance is undoubtedly the most attractive long term savings and protection option today. While Life Insurance has traditionally been among the favorite investment options in India for NRIs, high economic growth in India combined with customer friendly regulatory atmosphere in the insurance space have significantly upped the ante.

TRS calls for bandh in Telangana tomorrow

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TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister-elect K Chandrasekhar Rao has called for a shutdown in the region tomorrow in protest against the Centre’s reported move to issue an ordinance merging certain villages in Khammam district into residuary Andhra Pradesh.

The villages in seven mandals in Khammam district allegedly face submergence due to Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project.

“The Centre’s move is undemocratic and amounts to betrayal of Telangana,” the TRS president said, adding that the President should not accept the ordinance.

INS Vikrant berthed in scrapyard ahead of monsoon

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Amid protests by the Shiv Sena, decommissioned warship INS Vikrant was Wednesday shifted by a tugboat from the Naval Docks to a ship-breaking yard here, officials said.

The towing started around 9.45 a.m. and the ship reached its destination around 2.30 p.m. where it will remain till a petition in the Supreme Court is finally disposed of.

The once-majestic aircraft carrier will not be destroyed or scrapped till the outcome of the court petition as the petitioners want it to be converted into a permanent floating maritime museum.

Tata Power Solar ups production capacity to 200 MW

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Tata Power Solar Systems increased its manufacturing capacity to 200 MW from 125 MW to offer solar modules to domestic and overseas markets, a top official said Wednesday.

“The 60 percent capacity expansion will enable us to provide solar modules for increasing the share of renewable energy in the power sector and meet the increase in demand, thanks to pro-active policy steps such as domestic content requirement and anti-dumping duties,” Tata Power Solar chief executive Ajay Goel told reporters here.

Countdown begins for formation of separate Telangana

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With the ‘Appointed Day’ (June 2) when Telangana and (new) Andhra Pradesh would come into existence drawing closer, the countdown has begun for the formal bifurcation of AP.

As the mammoth task of dividing assets, liabilities and employees is underway, the bitterness that was witnessed in the run-up to the passage of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill in Parliament still continues.

The bifurcation has saddened some Seemandhra employees who face the prospect of moving to the residuary Andhra Pradesh as they have established themselves in Hyderabad.

2008 blasts: Suspected IM operative sent to PC till June 2

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Suspected Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Faizan Ahmed Sultan, who was arrested early this month after being deported from Sharjah, was today remanded in police custody till June 2 by a court here in connection with a 2008 Delhi serial blasts case.

Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash sent Sultan to police custody for five days after the special cell of Delhi Police said he was required to be interrogated in connection with the serial blasts case.