Month: December 2014

Why should I ask Dhoni to resign: Srinivasan

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Refusing to talk about Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s role in his company India Cements, BCCI’s President-in-exile N Srinivasan today made it clear that the Indian captain would not be asked to resign despite questions about conflict of interest being raised against him.

Srinivasan, who is also the ICC Chairman, declined comments on the IPL spot-fixing scandal, which is being heard in the Supreme Court right now after Justice Mudgal Committee submitted its investigative report on the matter.

RBI likely to keep rates unchanged Tuesday

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With inflation cooling, expectations are high on a rate cut by the Reserve Bank of India, but it is a measure of the monetarist reputation of RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan that most analysts feel the central bank will maintain status quo on policy rates in its policy review Tuesday.

Morgan Stanley said in a report: “We believe that RBI is likely to keep policy rates on hold on Dec 2. We assign a very low probability to a rate cut in that meeting.”

Amit Shah’s name in Sahara’s diary: Trinamool

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The Trinamool Congress Monday staged a protest at the gate of the parliament building demanding BJP president Amit Shah should be named in the Sahara scam and also raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha.
Trinamool Congress members alleged that a red diary recovered from Sahara chief Subrata Roy names Amit Shah.Roy was arrested Feb 28 and is still behind bars.

Raising the issue in the upper house as soon as it met for the day, Trinamool member Derek O’Brien demanded a discussion over the Central Bureau of Investigation’s investigation against Amit Shah in the Sahara scam.

Pakistan Air Force jet crashes, no casualty reported

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A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Mirage fighter jet crashed today in Punjab province due to a technical snag but no casualty was reported.

The Mirage-5 aircraft went down in Athara Hazari area of Jhang district during a routine training mission.

PAF spokesperson Air Commodore Tariq Mehmood said that technical malfunction seems to be the apparent cause behind the mishap.

He said the pilot managed to come out safely from the aircraft and no loss of civilian life and property has been reported on ground.

Secrets behind Dragonflies’ dizzying zig-zag flight revealed

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In a new study, scientists have revealed how dragonflies control each of their four wings individually and manipulate fluid dynamics to fly.

Researchers from Cornell University have recorded high-speed video footage of dragonflies in flight and integrating the data into computer models, and explain that what made Dragonflies unpredictable was their ability to make a quick, sharp turn. They rarely stayed right in front of the camera for them to contemplate on, explained lead researcher Jane Wang.

Murli Manohar Joshi invited to inaugurate madrasa in Kanpur

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Senior BJP leader and Kanpur MP Murli Mahohar Joshi has received an invitation to inaugurate an upgraded madrasa in Kanpur and address its students.

According to madrasa Principal Mohammad Mehraj, “we had contacted local BJP leaders a month ago expressing our desire to get the madrasa’ inaugurated by Joshi, to which he had agreed.”

However, a controversy has broken out in this regard with the local BJP leaders receiving reports that the madrasa has already been inaugurated.

Japanese firms take lead in electronics and transportation technology

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A Japanese multinational provider of IT services and products, NEC, hosted the C and C User Forum and iEXPO 2014 at Tokyo International Forum recently.

The two-day expo was attended by some 24,000 visitors.

Under a new brand message “Orchestrating a brighter world” the annual event is designed for a deeper understanding of NEC’s solutions for society.

Modi should go to people with confidence building measures:PDP

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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today said that instead of displaying political might, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should reach out to the people of Jammu and Kashmir with tangible confidence building measures for providing a healing touch to their sufferings.

“Instead of creating an impression that BJP is trying to conquer Jammu and Kashmir through political might, Modi should reach out to the people of the State with tangible confidence building measures to provide a healing touch to their sufferings,” PDP’s Lok Sabha member Tariq Hamid Karra said.

ICC announces new partnership with MRF Tyres extending to Cricket WC 2015

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced an exciting new partnership with MRF Tyres of India that extends to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of tyres and allied rubber products, MRF has a long-standing association with the game. MRF’s ‘Pace Foundation’ has earned itself the reputation of being a leading institution for developing fast bowling skills across all Test playing countries.

Why should I ask Dhoni to resign, asks Srinivasan

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Refusing to talk about Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s role in his company India Cements, BCCI’s President-in-exile N Srinivasan today made it clear that the Indian captain would not be asked to resign despite questions about conflict of interest being raised against him.

Srinivasan, who is also the ICC Chairman, declined comments on the IPL spot-fixing scandal, which is being heard in the Supreme Court right now after Justice Mudgal Committee submitted its investigative report on the matter.

Former Arunachal CM Gamlin passes away

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Former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Jarbom Gamlin breathed his last at a hospital in Gurgaon last night.

Gamlin, 53, was suffering from liver thrombosis.

Gamlin was the chief minister of Arunanchal Pradesh from May 5, 2011 to October 31, 2011, following the death of then incumbent chief minister Dorjee Khandu.

Before becoming the chief minister, Gamlin had also served as Home Minister in the Gegong Apang-led government and Power Minister in the Dorjee Khandu-led government.

He was also a member of the Lok Sabha between 1999-2004. (ANI)

Anoop Mishra named Lok Sabha Secretary General, Congress protests appointment

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Senior bureaucrat Anoop Mishra was named Lok Sabha Secretary General by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Monday, even as the Congress protested against the move, alleging that it was not consulted over the appointment.

According to reports, Leader of the Congress Party in the House Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that due procedure of consulting the opposition was not followed during Mishra’s appointment.

However, Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu denied Kharge’s allegations, adding that Mahajan was within her rights to appoint Mishra.

Anna Hazare criticizes BJP over black money issue

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Veteran social activist Anna Hazare on Monday criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) at the Centre for making false assurances to the nation that they would bring back the black money stashed abroad within 100 days.

“They had assured the nation during the elections that they will bring back the black money stashed abroad within 100 days and deposit Rs. 15 lakhs in every citizen’s bank account. The people voted for them thinking that they will get Rs. 15 lakhs. It has been six months now, forget Rs. 15 lakhs even 15 rupees has not come yet,” Anna told ANI here.

Jaitley urges encouragement of mergers and acquisitions of domestic companies

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Union Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday urged the encouragement of mergers and acquisitions of domestic companies, adding that the emergence of competition law in India is a reason to cheer.

“People learn from global experience. When our own corporates are of moderate size, mergers, acquisitions and consolidation need to be encouraged to promote size,” Jaitley said, while speaking at the International Competition Network (ICN) Merger workshop in the national capital.

TMC ‘disturbed’, its conduct unparliamentary: Naidu

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BJP today slammed as “unparliamentary” the conduct of Trinamool Congress MPs who waved ‘red diaries’ in both houses while seeking to target Amit Shah and said Mamata Banerjee’s party was “disturbed and perturbed” by the response Shah’s rally got in Kolkata.

“They are very worried. They are disturbed and perturbed about the massive response our party president got in Kolkata yesterday. That’s the reason for this reaction,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu told reporters.

MH370 lawyers granted two-week extension to file defence

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The beleaguered Malaysia Airlines (MAS) was today given a two-week extension to file their defence over a lawsuit filed by two boys, who lost their father in the mysterious disappearance of Flight MH370 nearly nine months ago.

Malaysian High Court deputy registrar K Pavani ordered all defendants to file their defence before December 15.

Pavani has set January 12 for the matter to be heard before a trial judge, said the childrens’ lead counsel Datuk Dr Arunan Selvaraj, the Star reported.

Selvaraj said they were now in the midst of identifying witnesses.

Personalized cancer vaccines come one step closer to reality

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A new study has brought personalized cancer vaccine approach one step closer to reality.

Research led by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that in the near future, physicians might treat some cancer patients with personalized vaccines that spur their immune systems to attack malignant tumors.

Joan Collins was raped by husband Maxwell Reed

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British actress Joan Collins has opened up about her horrific ordeal of being raped by her future husband Maxwell Reed when she only a teenager in a documentary called ‘Brave New World.’

The 81 year-old actress, who wrote about the incident in her autobiography, spoke candidly about it in the upcoming documentary, revealing she “was raped when I was 17,” reported New York Daily News.

Collins recalled how she was drugged and raped by Reed. During this time, the ‘Dynasty’ star was an up and coming actress signed to Rank film studios in England.

‘Terrorists’ behead off-duty Tunisia policeman: reports

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“Terrorists” in Tunisia have abducted and decapitated an off-duty policeman, media reports today cited the interior ministry as saying.

The officer and his brother were in a car in the Kef area of the northwest when gunmen seeking to rob them immobilised the vehicle.

During the robbery, the attackers discovered that the man was in the police and they kidnapped and later killed him, radio stations Mosaique and Express-FM quoted a ministry spokesman as saying.

The man’s brother was not harmed in the attack which happened on Thursday but has only just been reported.

Haryana to honour braveheart sisters; accused sent to jail

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Even as the Haryana government Monday said it will honour the two sisters of Rohtak who took on their molesters in a bus, a court sent the accused to judicial custody for five days.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced that the sisters, Pooja and Aarti, would be presented cash awards on the occasion of Republic Day.

The girls displayed courage by attacking three youths who tried to molest them in a moving bus of Haryana Roadways in Rohtak Friday.

No reports of infiltration from Bangladesh in Cachar: IG BSF

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There have been no reports of infiltration from Bangladesh or ‘jihadi’ activities in Assam’s Cachar district, BSF Inspector General (Cachar and Mizoram Frontier) D K Upadhayaya said today.

“There has been no report of any ‘Jihadi’ activity or infiltration from the neighbouring country in Cachar or its surrounding areas in the recent past,” Upadhay said here.

Cachar has 128-km and Mizoram 336-km border with Bangladesh and though there has been no such reports but BSF was keeping a strict vigil along the border, the IG BSF said.

NASA to study climate change from the sky

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Starting 2015, NASA will send five new airborne field campaigns to the skies to investigate how long-range air pollution, warming ocean waters and fires in Africa affect our climate.

This is NASA`s second series of “Earth Venture” sub-orbital investigations, as NASA began soliciting bids for these projects in 2007 at the behest of the National Research Council.

The first series of five projects was selected in 2010.

SAIL studying feasibility of steel plant in Telangana

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State-run steel producer SAIL is preparing a feasibility report for setting up an integrated plant in Telangana.

“SAIL was asked to examine the feasibility of establishing integrated steel plant in Khammam district (of Telangana) and submit the feasibility report within the appointed date. Accordingly, a feasibility report is being prepared by SAIL,” Minister of State for Steel and Mines Vishnu Deo Sai said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

NDA doing ‘politics’ over special status to Bihar: Manjhi

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With Union minister Ramvilas Paswan saying that special status to Bihar would be accorded only after NDA comes to power in the state, Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi today charged the Centre with being “insincere” and only indulging in “politics” over the matter.

“If it is so then why did Narendra Modi promise during his Parliamentary poll campaign in the state that if his government comes to power it will provide Bihar special status, special package as well special attention?” Manjhi asked reporters.

Indians hooked to internet every hour: Study

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Fifty-three per cent of Indians are connected to the internet every waking hour which is higher than the global average of 51 per cent, a new international study has found.

“The continuous online connectivity is becoming a phenomenon in India with 53 per cent of respondents in the country saying they are connected to the internet every waking hour,” said the study conducted by a leading global management consulting firm, the London-based AT Kearney Global Research.