Month: July 2014

Pub culture will not be promoted and must be controlled because it often leads to “unwanted things”, Union Minister of State for Tourism (independent charge) Shripad Naik said Saturday.

Naik was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a tourism-related event on the outskirts of Panaji.

“Pub culture will not be promoted,” Naik said, when asked to comment on a controversy last week after a Goa cabinet minister demanded a ban on mini-skirts, saying revealing clothes and pub-culture were against Indian traditions.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh was Saturday named deputy leader of the BJP in the Lok Sabha while Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was made deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads the parliamentary party.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday reconstituted its parliamentary party executive committee and named different chief whips for the party and the government.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Vekaiah Naidu was named the ‘government chief whip’.

Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha national president and MP Anurag Thakur Saturday wrote to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj about 28 Indians stranded in a company in Iraq.

Out of these 28 people, six belong to Himachal Pradesh, Thakur’s home state.

“In response to his (Thakur’s) letter, Sushma Swaraj wrote back to him giving the details of efforts made by the external affairs ministry to facilitate Indians returning home,” Thakur’s office said in a statement.

In her letter, the external affairs minister said the ministry has opened three camp offices in Najaf, Karbala and Basra.

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The app, developed by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Ontario, Canada, helps users identify drinking behaviour, set personal goals and track their progress when it comes to drinking.

“This is a way of helping people set their goals and give them feedback,” Wayne Skinner, deputy clinical director of the centre, was quoted as saying in the Toronto Sun.

Amid the impasse in the Afghan presidential election, India Saturday said the process “should become a source of unity, not of discord” and that New Delhi counts on the wisdom of the Afghan people and the candidates “to find an amicable solution” in the country’s larger interests.

Answering a query on the Afghan election, external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said India has consistently stood with the Afghan people in their quest to build a peaceful, stable, united, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan.

Former minister S Sailajanath on Saturday demanded that the Andhra Pradesh Government set up AIIMS in Anantapur district.

Dalia Grybauskaite Saturday took oath of office for a second five-year term as president of Lithuania.

Grybauskaite, who successfully defended her presidency during the election in May, attended the solemn ceremony held in the Seimas, Lithuania’s parliament, Xinhua reported.

“By placing a special focus on transparency in civil service and keeping a close eye on the use of the EU’s support funds, we will make sure that corrupt groupings do not get rich at the expense of the Lithuanian people,” Grybauskaite said.

Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir Saturday called upon judicial officers to render speedy justice in cases relating to juveniles and cyber crimes.

Speaking at a conference on cyber laws and juvenile justice, organised by the Himachal Pradesh Judicial Academy here, he emphasised on the need for continuous education to understand the complex nature of cyber crime.

England took a lead of 28 runs as they went into lunch on Day 4 while batting at 485/9 in the first Test against India at Trent Bridge here Saturday.

Resuming the day at 352/9, the hosts piled on 133 runs in 34 overs in the morning session to go well past India’s first innings total of 457.

Joe Root is unbeaten on 143 while No.11 James Anderson is batting on 81 not out.

The following is the scoreboard at lunch on Day 4 of the first Test between India and England being played at Trent Bridge here Saturday:

India (first innings) 457

England (first innings, overnight 352/9)

The Australian government has urged its nationals currently in the Gaza Strip to make arrangements to depart immediately.

The Australian embassy in Tel Aviv is arranging a one-off assisted departure of Australians from the Gaza Strip, Xinhua reported citing a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

The ministry said Australians wishing to depart should contact DFAT’s 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre or the Australian embassy for information and advice on options.

Nearly 1,000 farmers, including many women, staged a day’s hunger strike and sit-in protest demanding minimum support price for cotton and waiver of farm loans in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, an NGO leader said here Saturday.

The protest at Yavatmal came in the wake of rains eluding the Vidarbha region where farmers had sowed cotton and soyabean twice and many were now resorting to a third sowing, incurring heavy debts.

Asking Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to start fulfilling his promises, noted baladeer Gadar said that the people of Telangana was more interested in getting basic facilities than waiting for golden Telangana.

Brazilian football star Neymar Jr. criticised his agent Wagner Ribeiro for a verbal attack on coach Luiz Felipe Scolari after the host nation’s humiliating 1-7 loss to Germany in the World Cup semi-finals.

Neymar said that Ribeiro’s outburst represents his views only and he does not agree with what his manager said, reports Efe.

Ribeiro had attacked Scolari through Twitter, describing him as an “old jerk, arrogant, repulsive, conceited and ridiculous”.

Neymar added that sacking coaches is not always the right decision to solve problems.
(IANS/EFE)

German football legend Franz Beckenbauer said the FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Germany could end up being a “clasico” because of terrific players who will play in good atmosphere and conditions at the Maracana Stadium here Sunday.

The Bayern Munich honourary president said that Argentine great Diego Maradona was a more exceptional player than current FC Barcelona striker Lionel Messi, reports Efe.

Bhagyashree, best known for playing the love interest of Salman Khan in the movie “Maine Pyar Kiya”, started her career with TV show “Kachchi Dhoop” and now she’s returning to her roots with “Laut Aao Trisha”. The actress is not ready to call it a “comeback” as she feels she’s always been in her fans’ hearts.

“I have never felt that I went away from my fans. I have always been in their heart and so I don’t like the word comeback,” Bhagyashree told reporters here while she was in the capital for the promotion of her forthcoming show, to be aired on Life OK starting July 21.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr T Rajaiah on Saturday informed that the Medical Council of India has resorted 200 medical seats of Telangana colleges.

Speaking to media persons here, Rajaiah thanked the Centre for restoring the medical seats and also demanded that it approves 100 seats for RIMS at Nizamabad. He also announced that the State Government was planning to extend Arogyasri scheme at the PHC level. He said that a 30-bed hospital would be set up in all revenue divisions and it would have four doctors and para-medical and nursing staff.

Model Eliana Guercio, wife of Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Romero, said that she is ready to loan her husband for one week to American pop star Rihanna if Argentina lift the World Cup trophy Sunday.

Guercio tweeted that she is ready to leave her husband for Rihanna for a week if Romero manages to win the World Cup, reports Efe.

This came after Rihanna tweeted that she admires the keeper who defended his goal against two penalties in the semi-final against the Netherlands which saw Argentina qualify for the final.

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister KE Krishna Murthy on Saturday alleged that Telangana people have hatred towards the Andhra people.

Speaking at his felicitation ceremony organized by APNGOs here, he said, “Telangana people have been eagerly waiting to throw us out of Hyderabad.” He said that even Telangana ministers were criticising the Seemandhra leaders, sometimes using unparliamentary language, without realising that they are ministers.

Telangana Political Joint Action Committee chairman Prof. M Kodandaram has accused the BJP-led Central Government of creating a rift among Telangana and Andhra Pradesh States over the Polavaram Project issue.

The Telangana bandh, called by TPJACC and Left parties and supported by ruling TRS, evoked mixed response across the State on Saturday.

The Telangana Advocates Joint Action Committee (TAJAC) has unanimously resolved to go on relay hunger strikes from July 15 to 30 demanding bifurcation of High Court and constitute a separate High Court for the Andhra Pradesh State.

According a press note here today, M. Rajender Reddy, TAJAC Chairman requested all advocates to participate in relay hunger strike in a large number in front of the High Court Bar Council gate (Gate-6).

He also requested all the District courts advocates to launch relay hunger strikes in their respective Courts from July 15 to 30.

Telangana Political JAC convener Prof. Kodandaram has alleged that the Centre was rendering injustice to both the tates – Telangana and Andhra Pradesh with its unscientific decision on Polavaram issue.

Prof. Kodandaram today participated in a protest organized at the RTC crossroads and strongly opposed the Polavaram Ordinance Bill (AP Reorganization (Amendment) Bill) which was adopted by Parliament.

Telangana bandh called by Telangana Political JAC and backed by the ruling TRS and other Telangana groups today evoked total response in the districts while it was partial in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
The Telangana groups on Friday called for bandh in in Telangana in protest against the passage of Polavaram Bill in the Lok Sabha transferring 211 villages under seven mandals in Khammam district to the residual Andhra Pradesh State to facilitate construction of Polavaram project.

Seven infants have died in the past 24 hours at West Bengal’s Malda Medical College and Hospital.

The children were all below one year of age.

The primary cause behind the deaths was septicemia, low weight and respiratory problems as informed by medical superintendent Jotish Kumar Sarkar.

“More than 32 infants died with above mentioned problems within this year in the hospital,” said an unofficial source. (ANI)

Patna Police questioned Bihar Member of Parliament Giriraj Singh on Saturday in connection with the recovery of Rs 1.14 crore in cash, jewellery and 600 dollars that were reportedly stolen from his house earlier this week.

The Janata Dal-United, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress have demanded Singh’s arrest and sought the termination of his Parliament membership, alleging the recovered amount was “black money”.

On July 9, MLAs of the JD-U, RJD and Congress raiseda ruckus in the Bihar Legislative Assembly over their demand for strict action to be taken against Singh.