Month: July 2014

The Andhra Pradesh government Tuesday announced Rs.5 lakh cash award for Matsa Santoshi, who bagged a bronze medal in the 53kg weight lifting event at the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow.

Sports Minister K. Atchannaidu announced the award to the weightlifter for bringing glory to the country and the state.

He lauded the grit and determination of Santoshi, who hails from Kondavelagada village of Nellimarla mandal of Vizianagaram district. She strived from early age to train herself and topped in the national selections for the Commonwealth Games.

A study has revealed that more physical activity and lesser idle-sitting may reduce the risk of long term obesity. This research by UCL (University College London) suggested that physical activity and sitting time (or ‘sedentariness’) were two common lifestyle-related behaviours that are associated with obesity and metabolic health, as well as with chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and with all-cause mortality.

A youth was today booked for allegedly molesting a girl while she was asleep on the terrace of her house here, police said today.

A case was registered against the accused, identified as Salman, on a complaint filed by the girl’s father, they said.

According to the complaint, the girl was sleeping alone on the terrace of her house yesterday when Salman reached
there and started molesting her.

The girl woke up and cried out for help, following which the boy fled from the spot, police said.

A search for the youth has been initiated.

—————-PTI

Washington has imposed new sanctions on Russia’s energy, arms and financial sectors over the Ukraine crisis, US President Barack Obama said Tuesday.

Building on measures unveiled two weeks ago, the US expanded its sanctions to more Russian banks and defence companies, and blocked the exports of specific goods and technology to Russia’s energy sector, Xinhua quoted Obama telling reporters at the White House.

He said the US is formally suspending credit that encourages exports to Russia and financing for economic development projects in Russia.

Pakistan Army chief Raheel Sharif Tuesday said the “terrorists will not be allowed” to return to the North Waziristan tribal region where a major offensive against militants continues.

Gen. Sharif was addressing the Pakistani forces involved in operations against the Pakistani Taliban and foreign militants in the region bordering Afghanistan after peace talks collapsed and the militants launched major attacks on major cities in the country, Xinhua reported.

According to the army, 570 terrorists have been killed since operation “Zarb-e-Azb” began June 15.

The Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 reportedly crashed due to an explosive loss of pressure, after being hit by shrapnel that came from a missile, security officials in Ukraine said.

According to the BBC, officials said the information came from the plane”s flight data recorders, which are being analyzed by British experts.

Meanwhile, Dutch and Australian experts have given up on gaining access to the Malaysian airlines MH17 crash site after hearing explosions and being warned of extreme violence in the area on Monday.

US President Barack Obama has written to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over Moscow’s breach of a 1987 missile treaty, the White House said Tuesday.

The treaty bans ground-launched ballistic or cruise missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 km.

The letter about US findings over Russia’s testing of cruise missiles in violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was sent late Monday, and lists steps for Russia to take to return to its compliance, Xinhua quoted media reports.

Russian military forces continue to gather on Ukraine’s southeast border, and Moscow continues to funnel heavy equipment to Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine, a Pentagon spokesperson said Tuesday.

Over 10,000 Russian soldiers in combined arms battalion tactical units are massed at the border, Xinhua quoted Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby as saying in a press conference.

These battalion groups consist of infantry, armour and artillery, and also have organic air defence capabilities, the admiral said. “They are capable across a wide spectrum of military operations.”

Unidentified gunmen Tuesday kidnapped Libya’s former deputy prime minister Mustafa Abu Shagor, a parliamentarian confirmed.

The gunmen forced Abu Shagor into a car near his house in Tripoli’s al-Andalus region during afternoon and took him to an unknown location, Xinhua quoted lawmaker Essam al- Naasse as saying.

Shortly before the gunmen arrived, Abu Shagor had received an anonymous call asking him to leave the house. But he refused, Naasse said. It could not be immediately known who was behind the kidnapping.

Senior Israeli officials Tuesday denied US Secretary of State John Kerry’s claim that Israel had requested the US to extend a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

“Kerry was the one who brought up the option of a ceasefire to (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu, and not the other way around,” Xinhua quoted unnamed officials as saying.

Trigger happy Indian shooters had a gala outing at the Commonwealth Games here Tuesday as they brought in five more medals — two silvers and three bronzes — from their respective events with the gold remaining elusive.

While Harpreet Singh and Sanjeev Rajput clinched silvers in the men’s 25 metre rapid fire pistol and men’s 50m rifle 3 positions events, Manavjit Sandhu (men’s trap), Gagan Narang (men’s 50m rifle 3 positions) and Lajja Gauswami (women’s 50m rifle 3 positions) brought in the bronzes.

A 39-year-old Maoist, fed up with violence associated with the Naxal movement, today surrendered before the police.

Mari Arjun, a native of Budaralla village in Koyyuru mandal, turned himself in before Narsipatnam Assistant Superintendent of Police Vishal Gunni, police said.

Arjun joined the armed movement in 2002 and actively participated in a few bomb blasts and raids, they said.

He was a key member of the Naxal logistic support group and played a role in mobilising villagers for Maoist meetings, police said.

Indian and Pakistani soldiers Tuesday greeted each other on Eid and exchanged sweets at Aman Setu and in Tangdhar sectors of the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, a defence official said.

“Indian and Pakistani troops deployed at Kaman Aman Setu and Tithwal celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr by exchanging sweets,” defence spokesman Lt Col. N.N. Joshi said here.

Indian two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar took just 107 seconds to beat Pakistan’s Qamar Abbas to win the gold medal in the men’s freestyle 74kg category wrestling final in the 2014 Commonwealth Games at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) here Tuesday.

Sushil was leading 6-2 in the first period when the referee V. Keelan decided to give it in favour of the Indian, who managed to pin down Abbas.

It was the third gold for India after Amit Kumar and Vinesh Phogat’s triumph in their respective categories.

A 23-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing his 40-year-old uncle when the latter asked him to repay a loan of Rs 1,55,000.

Police said that the arrested has been identified as Deepak, a resident of Sonipat district of Haryana. They said a gold chain with locket and a car have been recovered on his instance.

“Deepak had taken around Rs 1,55,000 as loan from his uncle Samunder Daiya and was unable to repay him. Deepak was heavily into betting and owed many persons in the ‘satta’ market a huge sum of money,” said a senior police officer.

The Islamic State group today defended its destruction of religious sites in the Iraqi city of Mosul on the grounds that the use of mosques built on graves amounted to idolatry.

“The demolition of structures erected above graves is a matter of great religious clarity,” the jihadist group said in a statement posted on one of its main websites.

“Our pious predecessors have done so… There is no debate on the legitimacy of demolishing or removing those graves and shrines,” the Islamic State (IS) said.

Veteran pacer Zaheer Khan today said it was disappointing to miss the England series due to the injury as he had undergone rigorous training sessions to be part of the squad.

“I am missing playing cricket. I was preparing for English tour for a long time and that was one of the reasons why I went through all those regimes before but when things happen, you don’t have any control over it,” Zaheer said at the launch of his fitness and physiotherapy services based company ProSport.

Allowing FDI in Defence sector would be a serious threat to India’s security, CPI Taml Nadu Secretary, D Pandian said today.

FDI can be allowed in the manufacturing sector, by which there would be more production and employment opportunities, but in the defence sector, it would prove to be a serious threat on the Nation, Pandian told reporters here.

Delaying efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could cost the US USD 150 billion per year, the White House warned today in a report on the economic consequences of inaction on climate change.

“Although delaying action can reduce costs in the short run, on net, delaying action to limit the effects of climate change is costly,” the report said.

“A delay that results in warming of 3 degrees C (5.4 degrees F) above preindustrial levels, instead of 2 degrees, could increase economic damages by approximately 0.9 per cent of global output,” the report said.

Ahead of the visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held a meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to discuss various aspects that are expected to figure in his talks here.

The status of the Indo-US relations was among the issues that figured in the meeting, sources said.

The meeting is understood to have deliberated upon the issues that are expected to come up during the Strategic Dialogue on Thursday to be co-chaired by Kerry and Swaraj.

Thousands of Muslims protest against Israelis after the Eid Ul Fitar Prayers at Makkah Masjid in Hyderabad on Tuesday, They all appeal to boycott of Israeli products and companies to protest the Israeli offensive against Palestinians in gaza.

“The boycott of Israeli products and companies supporting Israel is a peaceful means of putting pressure on apartheid Israel. Help end Palestinian suffering by boycotting Israel today,

India’s largest e-commerce market player Flipkart Tuesday announced it had raised a whopping $1 billion (Rs.6,015 crore) in fresh capital from global venture funds.

“We will use the fresh funds for long-term strategic investments in the country, especially in mobile technology,” the city-based company said in a statement here.

The latest round of funding was co-led by the company’s investors Tiger Global Management and Naspers.

England made further inroads into the Indian batting line-up reducing the visitors, who are still 355 runs behind, to 214 for five in the first innings at tea on day three of the third cricket Test at The Rose Bowl here Tuesday.

India, who were 108 for three at lunch, looked to be clawing their way back into the match but two timely wickets of Virat Kohli (39) and Rohit Sharma (28) once again put the hosts in total control.

Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s innings were emblematic of the Indian batsmen’s inability to make their good start count.

Andhra Pradesh government today announced a cash reward of Rs five lakh to Matsa Santoshi, who won bronze medal in weightlifting in the Commonwealth Games.

The announcement was made on the directions of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, an official release said here quoting state Sports Minister K Atchannaidu.

Santoshi, who hails from Vizianagaram district, won bronze medal in the 53 kg category in weightlifting.

Heavy rains lashed many parts of Gujarat with Valsad district facing a flood-like situation due to continuous downpour.

“Valsad city has received 18 inches of rainfall during last 24 hours. Kaprada, Dharampur Pardi, Umergam and Vapi towns in the district are the worst-hit with continuous rains lashing them since yesterday,” Valsad Collector Vikrant Pandey said.

Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been rushed to the district, he said.

According to a statement from the Valsad collectorate, Auranga and Vanki rivers in the district are in full spate.