Month: July 2014

Teams aboard the US vessel, MV Cape Ray, have begun neutralising Syrian chemical materials, a Pentagon spokesperson said Monday.

US military and civilian specialists aboard the ship, which has been outfitted with two field-deployable hydrolysis systems designed to neutralise chemical weapons in Syria’s arsenal, are neutralising the chemical materials in international waters, Xinhua quoted Steve Warren telling reporters at a Pentagon press briefing.

According to the spokesperson of US Defence Department, the ship left Gioia Tauro, Italy, with 600 metric tonnes of chemicals.

Mr. Raja Krishna Chowhan, Additional Junior Civil judge of Nizamabad while addressing the inaugural function of Quran Mela organized by Jamat-e-Islami at Nizamabad told that people should study the teachings of every religion and work for the benefit of Humanity. He further told that the Telugu translation of the Quran has benefited lakhs of people. He applauded the effort of Jamat-e-Islami for publishing Islamic Literature in Telugu also.

–Siasat News

Mr. K. Chandrasekhara Rao during Telangana Movement had promised that the name of Kasu Brahmananda Garden at Banjara Hills would be changed in Telangana State. It may be noted that Govt. has taken over more than 200 acres land belonging to Prince Mukarram Jah under Urban Land Ceiling Act. Now that separate Telangana State has been formed, Mr. KCR should fulfill his promise and rename it as Cherian Garden or any name which is appropriate to the name of the prince.

In the same manner Vishaka Cricket Ground in Uppal should also be renamed after any appropriate leader of Telangana.

Many students have complained that from the academic year 2014-15 the Govt. has made it compulsory to secure 35% marks in Telugu (Second Language) for Urdu and English Medium students. Earlier, it was only 20%. Students have requested the Govt. to continue the previous practice.

–Siasat News

Many Telangana Govt. employees have requested CM and Dy. CM to enhance the Age of Superannuation from 58 to 60 years. This year more than 2 lakh Telangana Govt. employees are retiring. Mr. Naidu has increased the Age of Superannuation from 58 to 60 years for A.P. Govt. employees. The same should be implemented in Telangana State also. Mr. Mohammed Mahmood Ali, Dy. CM should take special interest and request the CM to enhance the Age of Superannuation. It may be noted that previous Congress Govt.

The government plans to increase foreign direct investment in the insurance sector to 49 per cent with a rider that voting right of overseas partner will remain capped at 26 per cent.

The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2008 proposes an increase in foreign holding in insurance joint ventures to 49 per cent from the existing 26 per cent with corresponding voting rights.

Rajya Sabha M.P. of BJP Mr. Muqtar Abbas Naqvi sarcastically remarked in Parliament (RS) that Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh wanted to do many things but many super Prime Ministers stop him from doing so.

Congress today threatened to launch an agitation if the toll hike for commercial vehicles entering Delhi was not rolled back immediately and a fresh tender for selecting concessionaire was not issued within next 15 days.

The 36.4 per cent hike in the toll tax came into effect from July 1, said leader of the Opposition in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation Mukesh Goel, claiming that despite the hike, the three civic bodies are incurring “huge losses”.

With Congress raising the pitch on the issue of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today said she was ready to discuss the issue with the party if approached.

“If somebody comes to me and talks to me, be it Congress or any other party, I will definitely talk to them,” Mahajan told reporters.

This comes after Congress president Sonia Gandhi asserted that her party was entitled to the post.

The BJP Monday got a taste of its own medicine as the budget session of parliament got off to a stormy start over the issue of price rise, forcing adjournments in the Lok Sabha and a heated debate in the Rajya Sabha.

A combative Congress party, though truncated, managed to bring the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to its knees in the Lok Sabha as it demanded a discussion under an adjournment motion over the price rise issue.

A discussion on the adjournment motion requires voting and amounts to censure of the government if it is passed.

A specialty centre for giving relief from chronic pain affecting any part of the body was opened here Monday.

“The Reliv centre for chronic pain management specialises in treating all types of pain affecting any part of the body,” HCG group of hospitals founder-chairman B.S. Ajai Kumar said on the occasion.

With the latest medical equipment and qualified physicians, the centre will treat any chronic pain, including back pain, neck pain, joint pain, cancer pain, headache and pain conditions such as reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

Legendary Argentinian football player Alfredo Di Stefano, who was also the honorary Real Madrid president, passed away in Spain Monday evening following a heart attack, a media report said. He was 88.

He suffered a heart attack Saturday and was being kept in an induced coma in the coronary unit at the General Universitario Gregorio Maranon Hospital in Madrid, the Independent reported.

The European Union (EU) said Monday the EU institutions, member states, the Ukrainian government and international donors will hold a high-level meeting Tuesday here to discuss key priorities and support for Ukraine.

“The EU has been providing wide-ranging political, financial and technical assistance to Ukraine’s domestic reform process. Other international donors have also been very active,” Xinhua quoted European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso as saying.

China and Greece Monday decided to enhance cooperation between their armed forces, Xinhua reported.

China is willing to work with Greece to promote the development of military-to-military ties in multiple areas and levels, said Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission Fan Changlong while meeting Mikhail Kostarakos, the chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, Greece.

The two sides also spoke highly of the 42-year-old diplomatic relations between their nations, saying that the military cooperation has achieved a lot.

Three Chinese general aviation operators Monday signed deals with Airbus Helicopters for purchasing 123 helicopters for general aviation purposes.

The contracts were signed with Fujian Xinmei General Aviation Co. (GAC), Guangdong Baiyun GAC and Yunnan Fengxiang GAC, Xinhua quoted Airbus Helicopters, the global helicopter manufacturing and support company, as saying in a statement.

“The total fleet of 123 helicopters comprises mainly light single-engine helicopters from Airbus Helicopters’ Ecureuil family, as well as the light twin-engine EC135.”

The South Stream gas pipeline should be built as scheduled, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said here Monday, urging the European Commission to implement a reasonable approach.

He made the statement at a joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart Kristian Vigenin, after holding talks for the expansion of bilateral cooperation and the construction of a Bulgarian section of South Stream gas pipeline, Xinhua reported.

A powerful quake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale hit Guatemala Monday, leaving at least two people, including an infant, killed and 32 injured, President Otto Perez Molina confirmed.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the 6.9- magnitude quake hit near the border between Guatemala and Mexico, two kilometre northeast of Puerto Madero, Mexico, 22 km southwest of Tapachula, Mexico, and 204 km west of Guatemala City.

Bahrain has ordered a top US diplomat to immediately leave the country due to meddling in the country’s internal affairs, the foreign ministry said in a statement Monday.

A US ally in the Middle East, Bahrain provides a base for US Navy’s fifth fleet.

US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour Tom Malinowski is not welcome and should leave immediately, Xinhua quoted the ministry as saying.

“His activities included holding meetings with one party, leaving out others who represent different parts of society.”

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) struck targets in the Gaza Strip Monday afternoon as Palestinian militants in the coastal enclave continued lobbing rockets into southern Israel throughout the day, Xinhua reported.

IAF aircraft struck three underground rocket launchers in northern Gaza in response to heavy barrages of 40 rockets and mortars that had been fired since the morning, with one Grad rocket landing near the city of Beersheba, 50 km from the Gaza border, the military said in a statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly keeping an eye on golfers within the bureaucracy, the turnout at golf clubs in the Capital has become considerably thin.

The PM had asked for a list for officers who are golf regulars as he feels many shirk work while pursuing their sporting passion. A list of over 250 officers has reportedly reached the PMO.

A 23- year- old school teacher was allegedly abducted and raped in Balwakheri village of Muzaffarnagar district on Saturday evening by a youth while two others videographed the incident on their mobile phones.

The victim was returning home after giving tuition when one of them abducted her.

3,000 cases last year, 2014 set for more Few convictions point to misuse of law

TIHAR insiders call it the ‘ Saas- Nanand’ barrack. It’s a part of Central Jail Number 6 in Delhi’s infamous prison that holds only women accused in dowry harassment cases, almost always the mother- in- law and her daughters. One fifth of all women prisoners in Tihar are accused in dowry cases under sections 498A and 406 of the Indian Penal Code ( IPC).

Reacting to the issue of Leader of Opposition (LoP), Congress leader Digvijay Singh said here on Monday that the Congress should definitely get the position of LoP and the government should take the initiative on this. He also criticised Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for purposely wanting the LoP position to remain vacant. “BJP and Prime Minster Narendra Modi want LoP position vacant so that they can form Lokpal with their own choice,” said Singh.

The Lok Sabha was on Monday adjourned for the day after the government was cornered on the issue of price rise by the opposition parties. Earlier, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 p.m. following a ruckus in the parliament. As soon as the Lok Sabha met for the day, several opposition members raised slogans against the price rise and the government”s failure to control it. Amidst the chaos, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till noon. Similar scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha. The 42-day-long Budget Session of Parliament began on Monday and will have 28 sittings.

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.