Month: July 2014

A new study has found the traces of history behind volcanic eruptions over the last 2,000 years with the help of sulphate dust deposits which were drilled deep into the West Antarctic ice sheet.

BAE Systems have claimed that with the help of futuristic technology like 3D printers they could create small drones by 2040.

It was suggested by the defence firm’s scientists and engineers that these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) could potentially be used as a group of wide-winged aircraft for protracted or enduring surveillance or as rotary-winged UAVs to rescue single civilians or soldiers from dangerous situations, the Guardian reported.

Indian smartphone manufacturing firm Lava on Monday unveiled its new ‘sleek and portable’ phablet, Magnum X604 for Rs. 11,999.

The Magnum X604 sports an 8MP auto-focus primary camera with BSI sensor and flash, which supports Full HD video recording, and a 2MP front camera. It runs on Android 4.2.2 KitKat and sports a 6-inch IPS display with 1280×720 pixels resolution, 1GB of RAM, 8GB storage, and a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor.

In a major decision, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) decided to depute its spokesperson and member of its Akhil Bhartiya Karyakari Mandal Ram Madhav to the BJP.

The decision was taken by top RSS leaders during its ongoing brainstorming session, at the Jain pilgrimage centre of Mohankheda in Dhar district.

Madhav confirmed that he would join BJP formally next week and serve the party.

Top RSS leaders including Mohan Bhaghwat, Bhaiyaji Joshi, Suresh Soni, Dattatray Hosabale and Krishna Gopal were huddled in Mohankheda to deliberate on its future strategies.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women globally. But, if the disease can be detected at early stage, the cure is possible.

The consultation rate of breast cancer screening in Japan is 20-30%, which is low as compared to the U.S and Europe. Many countries are promoting initiatives aimed at increasing the numbers of the breast cancer screening rate.

A mammography device by Fujifilm provides easy screening and high resolution image to detect the disease.

Leader of the Opposition in Gujarat assembly and senior Congress leader Shankarsinh Vaghela today termed the transfer of Governor Kamla Beniwal as a “vindictive” step.

A new Italian study has found out that people with artery diseases can improve their walking ability by eating dark chocolates.

People with peripheral artery disease (PAD) who ate a dark chocolate bar were able to slightly increase the time and distance they walked a couple of hours later, compared to people who ate milk chocolate, Fox News reported.

Scientists have come up with a ‘juice’ made of nanoparticles which would help the doctors in examining the gut.

University at Buffalo researchers are developing a new imaging technique involving nanoparticles suspended in liquid to form ‘nanojuice’, which, after reaching the small intestine, doctors would strike the nanoparticles with a harmless laser light, providing an unparalleled, non-invasive, real-time view of the organ.

A new study has shown that one in ten people lie to their partners about their earnings.

According to a new research by insurer Budget Direct, one in three people admitted to checking their partner’s credit card statements, with nearly 40 percent of women admitting to checking their partner’s plastic spending habits compared with 30 percent of men, News.com.au reported.

A recent study has shown that though the use of cigarette has declined sharply among the youth in the US, 18 percent of high school seniors have taken up to smoking hookah.

Researchers affiliated with New York University’s Center for Drug Use and HIV Research (CDUHR) have identified how prevalent Hookah use is and which teens are most likely to be using it. The study used data from Monitoring the Future (MTF), a nation-wide ongoing annual study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American secondary school students.

Kanye West was booed by the audience for comparing having his pictures taken to rape while ranting on-stage during his performance at London festival Wireless.

The husband of reality TV star Kim Kardashian reportedly moaned about being followed by the paparazzi and said that it was a “violation” and “rape” as it becomes difficult for him to take his family out, the Mirror reported.

He was blasted by his fans on Twitter with some users calling him “mad” and others asking him to stop as it’s “nothing compared to rape”.

Former Olympian swimmer Ian Thorpe got all emotional as he opened up about his personal life during an interview with legendary British talk show host Sir Michael Parkinson recently.

According to News.com.au, the 79-year-old interviewer said that the Australian sporting legend’s intriguing fight against depression shows the darker side of success, adding that he was fascinated by the fact that Thorpe never seemed to enjoy his success apart from the beginning of his career as a boy who conquered the world and then gave it all away.

The Bangladesh Government has proposed a law that would impose draconian restrictions on already beleaguered nongovernmental organizations, Human Rights Watch said today.

Air New Zealand has pulled their latest in-flight safety video due to an online backlash that featured Sports Illustrated supermodels sharing the airline’s safety messages.

The video, entitled ‘Safety in Paradise’, features Australia’s Jessica Gomes along with Christie Brinkley, Chrissy Teigen, Hannah Davis and Ariel Meredith running through the routine aeroplane safety pointers while looking glamorous in their bikinis on the shores of the Cook Islands, News.com.au reported.

Activists in large numbers staged a protest against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Tapas Pal over his recent anti-women remarks outside the parliament on Monday.

Supporters of All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), women’s wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), condemned Tapas Pal’s insensitive anti-women remark, in which he had threatened to kill Communist party workers and have their women raped.

Chinese and German companies have reportedly agreed on deals which include buying helicopters from Germany and setting up a new car manufacturing base in China.

China has signed a deal with German airline Lufthansa, while Germany wants to establish manufacturing base for FAW-Volkswagen Automotive Co. Ltd, Xinhua reports.

Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and German Chancellor Angela Merkel sign ed several contracts after their official talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

India continues to battle poverty, child and maternal deaths, according to a United Nations report on the Millennium Development Goals that said while several key global targets have been met, more sustained effort is needed to cover disparities by the 2015 deadline.

The ‘Millennium Development Goals Report 2014’, launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon here yesterday, said many global MDG targets on reducing poverty, increasing access to improved drinking water sources, improving the lives of slum dwellers and achieving gender parity in primary schools have already been met.

Former Economic Advisor to Prime Minister C.Rangarajan on Monday said that the new poverty line for rural areas and urban areas is 19 percent and 40 percent higher than the one set by Tendulkar committee.

“This is 19% higher than the poverty line fixed by Tendulkar report for rural areas and 40% higher for urban areas,” said Rangarajan.

He said that the committee had come to the conclusion that the minimum consumption expenditure for any person in the rural areas should be Rs. 972 and in the urban areas Rs. 1407.

The Law Commission of India on Monday submitted its report “Manpower Planning in Judiciary: A Blue Print” to Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad .

Speaking on the occasion, Prasad said that the report will guide the Government in overcoming the shortage of judges in the judiciary.

Congress leader Anand Sharma on Monday said that the party and its allies will be writing to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asking for a quick decision in the issue of the Leader of Opposition.

He said that the Congress will exercise all options to get a democratically correct and logical conclusion to the issue.

“There is no doubt about that. No ruling of the Speaker can substitute or override an Act of Parliament. Anybody saying so lacks elementary understanding of the law and the statute,” contended Sharma.

The National Human Rights Commission has asked the Uttar Pradesh Government to pay Rs.3 lakh to Sanjay Sharma, who was wrongfully confined to prison by an erring police officer in District Ferozabad.

It has asked the Chief Secretary of the state to submit a compliance report along with proof of payment within six weeks. He has also been directed to submit the action taken report against the then Station Officer (SO) against whom the departmental proceedings of ‘Censure’ were held by the Commission to be too inadequate.

Railways Minister Sadananda Gowda on Monday launched Social Media Platform for the Indian Railways which includes launching of both Twitter and Facebook.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Gowda said that the Rail Ministry is connecting today its presence on the social media as well as a call in number to listen to important announcement starting with the budget.

“This unique 360 degree platform will help Indian Railways to listen, and gauge valuable feedback from its fellow travelers,” said Gowda.

Justice Vilas Afzulpurkar of A.P. High Court directed the Govt. of Telangana to maintain Status-quo in the land allotment case of A.P. NGOs Mutually Aided Cooperative Housing Society Ltd. Govt. had allotted 189 acres of land in 2009 to the said society for construction of houses for A.P. Employees. The society had invested Rs. 3 crore for the this land. Plots were not allotted to the employees since there was litigation about the ownership of 90 acres of land. 644 employees were allotted lands belonging to undisputed area. Govt. pleader had issued notice in 2013 for back the allotted land.

Commenting on the C. Rangarajan Committee report on new poverty lines, Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) leader M.J. Akbar on Monday said that it is a matter of shame that even after six decades of independence, the country is still debating on poverty.

“The debate over the number can continue, but what saddens me is that even after six decades since achieving freedom, we are still discussing poverty. It is a shame,” said Akbar.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will discuss preparations for this September’s Summit in Wales and the implications of Russia’s actions in Ukraine on Allied security with US President Barack Obama during three-day US visit starting Monday.

At the Wales Summit NATO will reaffirm its commitment to collective defence and take further steps to ensure that the Alliance is prepared to face any threat, with the right resources, capabilities and training, Xinhua quoted NATO as saying in a statement.

The topic of NATO mission in Afghanistan will also be included.