Month: December 2014

Terrorism, communalism major security concerns: President

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Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said terrorism, indigenous secessionist movements, Left-wing extremism and communalism were the major security concerns for India.

Addressing a group of students from Sardar Patel University of Police, Security and Criminal Justice in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, who called on him at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Mukherjee said India must develop the capability to deal with cyber crime too.

“They pose a great threat to the integrity and unity of the country,” he said.

Crime against women, children and elderly citizens have also increased in recent years, the president said.

World’s tallest, floating Christmas tree on display

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The world’s tallest floating Christmas tree has been put on display in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro.

The 85-metre tree, which weighs 542-tonnes, is illuminated with 3.1 million lights on the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon.

Thousands of people participated in the lighting ceremony, one of the traditional Christmas attractions in the city.

This year’s theme “A Christmas of Lights”, takes visitors through the history of light, starting with the glow of the stars and culminating with Christmas lights.

Mushirul Hasan critical, on ventilator

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The condition of former vice chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia University Mushirul Hasan, who met with an accident, continues to be critical.

“He is still critical and on ventilatory support. He is under constant observation and monitoring by our team of experts,” a statement issued by Apollo Hospital, where he is admitted, said on Monday evening.

65-year-old Hasan had met with an accident on Nov 29 while he was on his way to Mewat from Delhi.

The accident occurred when the vehicle in which he was travelling to Mewat reportedly collided head on with a dumper.

Pakistan facing more security threats from non-state actors: Nawaz Sharif

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Pakistan opened its biggest arms exhibition today with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif saying that the threat to national security had multiplied with the emergence of non-state actors, including terrorists and computer hackers.

Inaugurating the four-day biennial International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) 2014 here, Sharif said that a modern, well-equipped and properly trained military is a necessary requirement for defending Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and combating terrorism.

Six killed in road accidents in separate cases

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In separate cases, six people were killed in road accidents at different places in the city and its outskirts.

In Shamshabad police limits, an 18-year-old boy, Md Altaf, suffered grievous injuries when the bike he was riding skidded near Padda Shapur on Sunday night. He died while being shifted to a nearby hospital. His friend and pillion Sheikh also sustained injuries. They met with the accident while returning from Dargah Jahangir Peeran. Altaf was a resident of Nawab Sahab Kunta in Falaknuma.

Congress Lok Sabha leader in CBI chief selection panel; President gives nod

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Decks have been cleared for appointment of the new CBI Director with President Pranab Mukherjee giving his nod to the amended procedure under which leader of the single-largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha will be included in the selection panel.

With tenure of CBI Director Ranjit Sinha ending on Tuesday, the selection panel, which will now have Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leader of single largest opposition party

Elderly man among five commits suicide

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An 87-year-old man committed suicide by consuming some unknown poison.

According to Saroornagar police, the deceased, D Ranga Reddy, took the extreme step at his residence in Karmanghat on November 27 and died at the Gandhi Hospital on Sunday night. Ill-health is suspected to be the reason that led him to suicide.

In another case, 40-year-old P Krishna committed suicide by hanging to the ceiling at his residence in Gujarati Galli on Sunday night. According to Sultan Bazar police, Krishna was habituated to drinking liquor and took the extreme step in inebriated condition.

Modi government a ‘U-turn sarkar’: Congress

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Dubbing the Narendra Modi dispensation as a “U-turn sarkar”, Congress today released a booklet projecting it as a “farce” in the name of government while accusing it of “umpteen somersaults” on a range of promises from black money to incursions.

In a 30-page booklet titled “chhe mahine paar, U-turn sarkar” (Six months after,a U-turn sarkar), it said the Prime Minister and his government have gone back on virtually each and every poll pitch “with a U-turn every week”.

Second phase of polls in J-K, Jharkhand tomorrow

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Stage is set for second phase of elections in 18 seats in Jammu and Kashmir and 20 spread across seven Maoist-hit tribal districts of Jharkhand tomorrow which will seal the fate of several high-profile candidates including two former chief ministers, seven state ministers and a former separatist.

Security has been stepped up to foil any attempts by militants to disrupt the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir, which has witnessed the killing of a sarpanch in Shopian district last night.

No medical urgency to grant bail to Asaram: SC

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New Delhi: There is no medical urgency to grant bail to self-styled ‘godman’ Asaram Bapu and he cannot be given special treatment, the Supreme Court today said and asked him to undergo medical test at AIIMS.

A bench headed by Justice T S Thakur refused to pass any order on how 76-year-old Asaram is to be brought from Jodhpur jail to the national capital, saying that it is for the state government to decide on it.

Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma, 13 CRPF troopers killed

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In yet another daring attack by the Naxals, the banned Maoist ultras on Monday killed at least 13 CRPF personnel and injured several others in south Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district.

According to reports, a large number of heavily armed Naxal rebels laid a trap in Chintagufa area of Sukma district where an anti-Naxal operation was on since last ten days. The Naxals reportedly used villagers as human shield against the CRPF fire that restricted the force to retaliate.

50yr old Housewife succumb to burn injuries

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A 50-year-old woman succumbed to the burn injuries which she suffered while preparing food.

According to SR Nagar police, the deceased, Khairunnisa Begum, accidentally caught fire on Sunday evening while cooking food at her residence in Banjara Nagar of Borabanda. She was immediately rushed to Gandhi Hospital where she died on Monday morning. (INN)

Driver found dead under suspicious circumstances

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The Bowepally police began investigation into the death of a driver who was found dead at his residence.

The deceased, K Shankar, was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his residence in Bowenpally on Sunday night. On information police reached the spot and shifted the body to the Gandhi Hospital mortuary for post-mortem. The cause of death would be known only after receipt of post-mortem report, police said. (INN)

Scientists discover China’s oldest adhesive in the form of gelatin

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A team of Chinese scientists has discovered a translucent yellow adhesive, gelatin in a tomb which is well known for its mummies preserved in ship-shaped coffins in Xinjiang, northwest China.

Scientists found out gelatin by their oldest method and kept a wooden staff inlaid with bone sculpture in the Xiaohe Cemetery in Taklamakan Desert.

J-K, Jharkhand geared for second round of polling

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All the arrangements for the second phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand were finalised on Monday. Twenty one assembly seats in including 18 in Kashmir and three in Jammu and 20 assembly seats in Jharkhand are scheduled to go to polls on December 2.

According to reports, Director General of Police (DGP) of J-K Police K. Rajendra Kumar reiterated that the police will ensure that the Assembly Elections will be carried out in a peaceful manner.

2-month pension disbursal by Dec. 15: KTR

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Panchayat Raj and IT Minister K Taraka Ramarao today clarified that pensions and Food Security Cards will be distributed to all the eligible people in all the 10 Telangana districts. He directed the district Collectors to distribute two months’ pensions of October and November to the beneficiaries from December 10 to 15.

TDP women’s wing secy joins YSRCP

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TDP women’s wing State general secretary Usha Sri Charan today joined the YSR Congress Party in the presence of party supremo Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy at the Lotus Pond party office.
Speaking on the occasion, Usha Sri said she was impressed with Jagan’s fight for the people’s welfare and joined the YSRCP. She criticized TDP president and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for his failure to implement even one of his many poll promises.
Usha Sri, who hails from Kalyanadurgam in Anantapur district, was accompanied by her family members and several YSRCP leaders. (NSS)

LPG cylinder rates slashed

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The slumping of international oil rates resulted in a steep cut in the price of non-subsidised cooking gas (LPG) on Monday, with the cost of each cylinder being slashed by Rs 113.

According to reports, a 14.2 kilogram cylinder of non-subsidised LPG will now cost Rs 752, down from Rs 865 in the national capital.

The slump has also affected jet fuel (ATF) costs, which are now down by 4.1 percent.

This is the fifth reduction of the rate of non-subsidised LPG cylinders since August.

—-ANI

Congress to storm Hyd Airport against NTR name

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TPCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah today exhorted party men to take up a massive enrolment drive in a big way to strengthen the party by visiting every household in the City with a focus on elections for GHMC and Cantonment. The membership drive should be completed by the time “we celebrate AICC Chief Sonia Gandhi’s birthday”, he said at a meeting in Gandhi Bhavan on membership drive.

One dead, 52 missing as South Korean fishing ship sinks

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A South Korean fishing ship sank in the Bering Sea Monday, with at least one person dead and 52 missing, media reported citing the fisheries ministry.

The 1,753-ton fishing vessel, owned by the South Korean deep-sea fishery company Sajo Industries, sank in the western part of the Bering Sea near Russia around 5.20 a.m. GMT, Xinhua cited Yonhap news agency as quoting the fisheries and oceans ministry.

The crew on board the ship, which was catching pollack in the waters, included 11 South Koreans, 35 Indonesians, 13 Filipinos and one Russian inspector, according to the ministry.

AP Assembly Session in city from Dec 18 :Kodela

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The winter session of Andhra Pradesh Assembly will begin from December 18, said Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao.
Speaking to mediapersons after having a darshan of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala, the Speaker said the Assembly session will be conducted at Hyderabad instead of Nagarjuna University in Guntur as planned earlier. “Though we thought of conducting the Assembly session in Guntur, the Government later decided to change the venue to Hyderabad”, he said.
The State Government has asked the officials to make all arrangements for the Assembly session, Kodela said. (NSS)

DCP order against Ayyappa Deeksha: VHP, Bajrang Dal stage dharna

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Bajrang Dal and Viswa Hindu Parishad of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh units today staged a dharna at Abids demanding withdrawal of a memo issued by central zone Deputy Commissioner of Police restricting his subordinates not to take up “Sabarimala” deeksha.
Condemning the DCP’s memo, Bajrang Dal alleged that the police officer’s action amounts to interference in Hindu religion affairs and injuring sentiments of the majority community. VHP and Bajarang Dal today organized protests across Telangana State against the memo issued by the DCP on November 25.

Chhattisgarh: 13 CRPF personnel killed in Maoist attack

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An attack by Maoist forces on Monday left 13 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel of paramilitary unit dead, including two officers in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

According to reports, the Maoist forces are also understood to have used local villagers as a human shield against retaliatory fire.

“We have many operations in that area. Among those killed were a deputy commandant and an assistant commandant. The firing has now stopped in that area,” CRPF ADG ( Maoist Operations) RK Vij told the media.Further details are awaited.

—-ANI