Month: September 2014

A new research has revealed that malaria parasites react to mosquitoes biting their hosts in order to increase transmission.

Researchers from the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) found that when the vectors (transmitting insects) are present only some of the time, “plastic” transmission strategies that depend on the ability to sense and respond to vector availability, can outcompete constant strategies, even when evolution of the former is associated with some costs to parasite fitness.

A new study has observed that people who consume high protein diets are less likely to have high blood pressure (HBP).

The study conducted by Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), found that participants consuming the highest amount of protein (an average of 100 g protein/day) had a 40 percent lower risk of having high blood pressure compared to the lowest intake level.

The researchers analyzed the protein intakes of healthy participants from the Framingham Offspring Study and followed them for development of high blood pressure over an 11-year period.

A 24-year-old man from West Bengalhas been arrested for alleged possession of fake Indian currency notes with a total face value of Rs 88,000, police said today.

Partha Pathru was arrested yesterday when he tried to buy a pack of cigarettes, trying to exchange a Rs 1,000 fake note, they said.

The shopkeeper grew suspicious and alerted a local beat constable who managed to detain him, police said in a release, adding, a police team later arrested him.

Police seized the fake notes and three mobile phones from him.

Sleuths of the Anti-Corruption Bureau today caught red-handed a Office Superintendent in Nandurbar district accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a cook working at Hatjoi Ashram school.

Accused Ramesh Padvi, working on integrity Adivasi Development Project at Taloda was caught receiving the sum in his office in lieu of issuing a relieving letter to the complainant, a ACB press release said today.

The cook had given exams for the post of junior clerk in civil court conducted by Jalgaon court and was selected to join the Chalisgaon civil court for which he required the order from Padvi.

Actor Arjun Kapoor, who was set to visit his college, cancelled the trip at the last minute due to security concerns.

The 29-year-old actor wanted to promote his latest release ‘Finding Fanny’ in Mithibai College, but more than 7000 students gathered to meet the star, forcing him to scrap the trip.

“Bummed out… Was looking forward to going back to my college… Was told security is a major issue… Hope to be back there someday though,” Arjun posted on Twitter.

Openly expressing his desire to become the Chief Minister for the first time from a public platform, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asked the electors to give him a chance and assured they would not regret.

Uddhav, whose relation with BJP is under strain over seat-sharing for the assembly poll, also sought to assert the pre-eminence of Shiv Sena in Maharashtra politics vis-a-vis its ally, saying the “face” that will rule the state in the event of the saffron alliance coming to power will be from “Shiv Sena only”.

Supreme Court Judge,Justice S J Mukhopadhaya today called upon lawyers, medical personnel, students and other sections of society to acquaint themselves with provisions of various legislations and then generate legal awareness among people for whom the laws were meant to ensure their protection and to promote their welfare.

The state BJP suspended BJP Women Wing’s state executive member Vandana Dwivedi after she was arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) in connection with her alleged involvement in the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) recruitment scam.

She was sent to jail under judicial custody by the Chief Judicial Magistrate Pankaj Singh Maheshwari yesterday.

The investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 is now focused on the 25 pieces of metal, recovered from bodies and debris from the ill-fated plane, to identify the missile that blew the plane apart.

According to the BBC, Dutch officials heading the inquiry say they want to establish whether the iron fragments could prove the theory that a ground-to-air missile struck the plane.

England cricket star Moeen Ali has urged young British Muslims not to join the extremist group Islamic State (IS).

Ali said it was “worrying” that hundreds of Britons had joined the brutal group abroad, Express.co.uk reports.

The 27 year old devout Muslim said that the IS’ actions were not reflective of Islam and condemned the group for killing members of other religions.

Earlier, Ali had a tough time dealing with authorities after he was questioned for flaunting “Save Gaza” and “Free Palestine” wristbands during the Third Test against India.

Three children of a family today died under mysterious circumstances at Assi in Banka district of Bihar, police said.

Three siblings, identified as Malti Kumari (7), Keshav Kumar (9) and Krishna Kumar (14), started vomiting during the wee hours and died afterwards, they said.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem.

Air India has always lived up to its obligation as a national carrier in fulfilling the social responsibility during calamities and natural disasters. It has once again stood up to the occasion and is ferrying stranded passengers from Srinagar to Delhi free of cost.

To facilitate the carriage of relief material to Srinagar by various state governments and NGOs through Delhi , Air India has opened a dedicated round the clock control desk at its Cargo Terminal , Old Haj terminal at IGI Airport. New Delhi 110037 having following telephone numbers-

Landline : 011 25652635

Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav today expressed profound grief over the demise of former MP Mahant Avaidyanath here.

In his condolence message, the Governor termed Mahant Avaidyanath as an old friend who had worked with him in the Lok Sabha.

His contribution in development of Gorakhpur and efforts to preserve Indian culture will be remembered always, the Governor said.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also prayed for peace for the departed soul and extended his heart-felt sympathies to his followers.

Around 33.9 per cent votes were polled in the by-elections to 11 Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh till 1.00 pm today amid elaborate security arrangements.

Around 35.60 per cent votes were polled in Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat where Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his MP wife Dimple Yadav also cast their votes this morning, while 33.73 per cent votes were polled in by-polls to 11 assembly seats.

A new generation of superfoods that tackle heart disease and diabetes could be developed, thanks to research into a protein that helps keep cells in our bodies healthy.

Researchers at the University of Warwick found that the protein, called Nrf2, continually moves in and out of the nuclei of human cells to sense the cell’s health and vitality.

When Nrf2 is exposed to threats to the cell’s health it oscillates faster and activates an increase in the cell’s defence mechanism, including raising the levels of antioxidant.

US President Barack Obama has pointed to a “silver lining” in the violence wrought by the Islamic State, saying it has brought “clarity” in the Muslim world in a long time about the need to snuff out this “brand of Islamic extremism”.

At a Democratic Party fund-raiser, Obama said the militant group ISIS, poses the most prominent threat in the Middle East when it comes to terrorism. ISIS, he said has not only taken over large swathes of Iraq and Syria but displayed the kind of brutality that even by the standards of terrorists is extraordinary.

Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah today donated Rs 10,000 towards the Flag Day fund on the occasion of Air Force Association Flag Day.

Rosaiah donated the fund to Air Force Association, Secretary, Group Captain (retd) A Sambasiva Rao, who called on him and pinned up the flag on the occasion, a Raj Bhavan press release said.

Stating that the Narendra Modi government has taken some wise steps in foreign policy matters, Vice President Hamid Ansari today said India is continuing its process of engagement with the world.

“Foreign policy is a continuity. It cannot be abrupt. The new government has taken wise steps. It is being welcomed by everyone. The government has continued the process of engaging with the world,” Ansari said at an interactive session of the Ladies Study Group on emerging trends and challenges in India.

One of the two anti-government protest leaders in Pakistan today said that he has suspended talks with the PML-N government following a crackdown here on demonstrators demanding ouster of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“We have suspended the talks as the government has begun arresting my workers in Islamabad and around the country,” Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief and populist cleric Tahir-ul Qadri said, deepening the month-long political impasse in the country.

Even as the men in uniform continue their relentless efforts to provide succour to flood victims in the Kashmir Valley, their aircraft and boats are being targeted by stone pelters.

Some of the 80 IAF aircraft involved in relief and rescue operations across the flooded Srinagar city have suffered minor damage after they were targeted by stone pelters but the security personnel say they “won’t give up” till help reaches all.

A rotary wing plane of the air force suffered damage during stonepelting during one of its sorties to undertake rescue operation in the city.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has won the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections 2014.

The result of the DUSU polls, which were dominated by issues like right to accommodation and women security among others, was announced on Saturday.

The ABVP, which is affiliated to the Bharatiya Janata Party, emerged victorious in all the four seats.

“This is due to the hard work done by the members of ABVP in Delhi University (DU). This is the victory of ABVP and not just mine,” said one of the winning candidates.

A 17-year-old girl had allegedly eloped with her lover, who belongs to a different community, following which tension prevailed in the district, police said.

The minor had eloped with one Sanjiv Kumar on September 8 from Ladhawala locality here, police said, adding, the couple along with the help of some BJP activists met the Inspector General of Police (IG) Alok Sharma and sought protection.

However, the girl’s family members lodged a complaint on September 9 against Sanjiv and three others for abducting their daughter and threatening their family, SP city Sarvan Kumar said.

On Friday, a college student was detained for sending lewd messages on Facebook to his class-fellow. The accused, Uday Kumar, 20, asecond year graduation student from a private college in Abids, sent SMSes to a girl.

Based on the girl’s complaint, a case was registered by Sultan Bazaar police against Uday .

Gaia has recently discovered its first ever stellar explosion in another galaxy while scanning the space .

This powerful event, now named Gaia14aaa, took place in a distant galaxy some 500 million light-years away, and was revealed via a sudden rise in the galaxy’s brightness between two Gaia observations separated by one month.

Gaia, which began its scientific work on 25 July, repeatedly scans the entire sky, so that each of the roughly one billion stars in the final catalogue would be examined an average of 70 times over the next five years.

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has denied any interest in the social networking area and said that Facebook and Twitter are like partners rather than competitors.

According to CNET, Cook also denied rumours that the company was looking forward to buy the social networking site Path.

Path provides photo sharing and messaging service to more than five million users, according to the company’s CEO Dave Morin.

Morin refused to comment on what he called speculation about Apple’s acquisition of his company.