Month: January 2015

Kejriwal alleges conspiracy to defame candidates, to move EC

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Arvind Kejriwal today accused a “senior leader” of a rival party of conspiring to plant fake stories against some AAP candidates in the media and said they would lodge a complaint with the Election Commission.

Terming it as a “desperate attempt” by the opposition, the AAP chief claimed that such attempts were made in the past as well.

“Last yr, farzi (fake) stings were shown against 6 of our candidates a few days before elections to defame us (sic),” Kejriwal said in a series of tweets.

Housing sales may not recover in 2015-16 fiscal: India Ratings

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Housing sales are unlikely to recover in the next fiscal as high property prices have made residential units unaffordable for end-users, India Ratings & Research said while maintaining a negative to stable outlook on the real estate sector.

The agency said credit metrics of real estate companies would continue to deteriorate next fiscal year, as demand would remain subdued amid high property prices even as inventory was being built-up using bank funding.

Sunanda Pushkar case: Delhi Police questions Amar Singh

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After senior journalist Nalini Singh, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Amar Singh was on Wednesday called by the Delhi Police in connection with the murder case of Sunanda Pushkar, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s wife.

A news website, meanwhile, has quoted Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi as saying that Amar Singh had earlier claimed having some information about the case.

Tata Motors to raise Rs 7,500 crore via rights issue

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Auto major Tata Motors plans to raise up to Rs 7,500 crore via rights issue which will be used to invest in business expansion and reduce debt.

The company’s board has approved seeking shareholders’ approval through a postal ballot for raising funds up to Rs 7,500 crore through a rights issue of ordinary shares for meeting the company’s growth plans as well as for reducing the debt on its balance sheet, Tata Motors said in a statement.

The quantum, pricing and timing of the issue will be decided later, depending on market conditions post the shareholders’ and other approvals, it added.

Time not right for repatriating Tamil refugees: Panneerselvam

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam Wednesday said discussions on voluntary repatriation of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees should be deferred as it is premature to deliberate the matter now.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the text of which was released to the media here, Panneerselvam said: “The process of voluntary repatriation could be considered only after concrete and credible measures are taken by the Sri Lankan government and the Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu are given adequate verifiable assurances and gain the requisite confidence to return to their native land.”

Ranbaxy Q3 net loss widens to Rs 1,029.72 cr

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Drug major Ranbaxy Laboratories on Wednesday reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 1,029.72 crore for the third quarter ended December 31, 2014-15.

The company had posted a net loss of Rs 158.94 crore during the October-December period of previous fiscal.

Net sales of the company declined to Rs 2,587.59 crore, as compared to Rs 2,858.96 crore during the same period of 2013-14, Ranbaxy Laboratories said in a statement.

Ranbaxy shares were trading at Rs 686.60 apiece, down 2.87 per cent, on the BSE.

PTI

SBI to raise Rs 15,000 crore through public issue

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State Bank of India (SBI) will raise Rs 15,000 crore through a public offer including rights issue to fund business and meet global capital adequacy norms.

“The committee of the Directors for capital raising has decided to seek government or RBI approval for raising capital up to Rs 15,000 crore by way public issue…,” SBI said in a statement.

The bank requires adequate capital to match the anticipated growth in asset and comply with stipulated level of capital adequacy, it said.

160 fall sick after having ‘prasad’ in religious fair in WB

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About 160 people were hospitalised with symptoms of food poisoning after consuming ‘khichdi’ as prasad at a religious fair at Arambagh in Hooghly district.

The devotees had consumed ‘khichdi’ as prasad at the ‘Pir Mela’ and started complaining of stomach ache and vomiting, Arambagh Municipality Chairman Swapan Nandy said.

He said the pulses used in the khichdi were suspected to be adulterated and sent for test.

The ailing persons are now out of danger, he said, adding they will be discharged soon.

A district health officer said a medical team has been sent to the area.

—PTI

Fatwa against selfie, cleric terms women as ‘shameless’

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A well-known Indonesian cleric Felix Siauw has declared selfies sinful and urged people to avoid taking them, especially women, Quartz reported.

The cleric posted series of tweets claiming that those who take them are succumbing to pride, ostentation and arrogance.

Referring to women, he said that women who indulged in taking selfies were ‘shameless’ and ‘unpure’.

‘Appetite hormone’ may increase sex drive too

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A stomach hormone involved in the stimulation of our appetite by activating the brain’s reward system may also enhance sex drive, a first-of-its-kind study has documented.

Ghrelin is a gastro-intestinal hormone that is released from the stomach.

Since the brain’s reward system also motivates us to seek a partner and to have sex, Swedish researchers found that mice that received a supplement of the “appetite hormone” increased their sexual activity.

It is already known that ghrelin affects the reward mechanisms that are triggered by food, alcohol and other addictive drugs.

Kim K believes football scandal Deflategate to be nothing but a ‘hype’

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Kim Kardashian has admitted that she thinks the latest football scandal, Deflategate , was just a hype.

The American TV star told a news portal that the players worked really hard for the win though they deserved the victory, E! Online reported.

The sexy booty star later added that regardless of the reality she always feel excited to watch the game.

The 34-year-old reality star referred to her ex-boyfriend and NFL star, Reggie Bush, and said that she had been to many football games, and still feels football to be a fun and interesting game.

Desperate woman drowns puppy in airport toilet to board plane

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A 56-year-old woman from Florida is suspected of drowning a Doberman puppy in a US airport toilet after authorities did not allow her to fly with three “too young” puppies.

Cynthia Anderson arrived at a Nebraska airport on Friday with three puppies and two dogs but grew desperate when she was told she could not fly with the pups because they were too young.

Then Volusia County resident allegedly drowned one of the puppies a Doberman in an airport bathroom after trying to conceal the pooch in her carry-on luggage, according to the Grand Island Police.

Want to resolve all issues with China honestly: Rajnath

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India on Wednesday said it has “honest intentions” for an amicable resolution of the border dispute with China and has asked it to come forward to end the differences.

“There is a perceptional difference along the Sino-Indian border. China says here is the border. We say no, here is the border. We have been trying to resolve the border problem. China should come forward. India wants a peaceful resolution of all disputes,” Home Minister Rajnath Singh said here after inaugurating a battalion camp of border guarding force ITBP here.

Murray tips Berdych ‘slight favourite’ ahead of Oz Open semifinal clash

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Britain number one Andy Murray has tipped Tomas Berdych as slight favourite ahead of their Australian Open semifinal clash on Thursday, saying that the Czech has been trained under his former coach Dani Vallverdu .

Murray, who is seeded sixth, parted ways with Vallverdu in November, which subsequently led his former coach to collaborate with Berdych.

Two-time grand slam champion Murray said that Dani knew his game inside out and he would come up with a great game plan, adding that his former coach knew his game probably better than anyone, the BBC reported.

Pakistan teachers get gun training after Peshawar massacre

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Teachers in northwest Pakistan are being given firearms training and will be allowed to take guns into the classroom in a bid to strengthen security following a Taliban massacre at a school last month.

Heavily armed militants killed 150 people, 132 of them children, in a bloody December 16 attack on an army-run school in Peshawar, the main town in Pakistan’s northwest.

National conference of CPI(M) at Vizag from April 14

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A national conference of the CPI(M) will be held in Visakhapatnam from April 14, a party leader said on Wednesday.

The agenda of the six-day national conference and two resolutions to be discussed at the meet have already been finalised, CPI(M) politburo member BV Raghavulu told reporters here.

The two resolutions will be discussed at the national politburo in the first week of February and later would be released for public discussion and to receive suggestions, he said.

Bouchard will focus on ‘adjusting’ coaching arrangements post Oz Open quarters exit

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Canadian tennis ace Eugenie Bouchard has claimed that she would now focus on sorting out her coaching arrangements after she was knocked out of the Australian Open in the quarterfinals by former world number one Maria Sharapova on Tuesday.

Bouchard was unable to match her semifinal appearance from her maiden Australian Open last year, and after her prospect was served another dose of Grand Slam heartbreak by the powerful Russian, she headed quickly for the exit at Rod Laver Arena after losing 6-3, 6-2 in a thoroughly one-sided quarterfinal.

Headmistress suspended as student delivers baby in hostel

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A Class X girl student delivered a baby in a residential school hostel in Kandhamal district following which its headmistress was suspended and two contractual teachers disengaged for alleged negligence, officials said on Wednesday.

The Class X student of the school had delivered a baby in the hostel on Friday night, they said.

Following the incident, the Kandhamal district administration suspended headmistress of Lingagada Residential Girls High School Ashalata Pati and disengaged contractual teachers, Sasmita Parida and Namita Pradhan yesterday, they said.

Smith claims ‘experienced’ Michael Di Venuto behind his ‘smooth sailing’

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Steven Smith has revealed that his rise from ‘potential’ to a superstar batsman of the game has been due to the influence of ‘experienced’ Italian-decent former Australia cricketer Michael Di Venuto.

Di Venuto, who played nine ODIs for Australia and 336 first-class matches for Tasmania, Durham, Derbyshire and Sussex, now plays for Italy and has been Australia’s batting coach for the past two years.

Under De Venuto’s direct tutelage, Smith and David Warner have risen to become genuine superstars of cricket, News.com.au reported.

PM Modi dedicates 66th Republic Day parade to women empowerment

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed his delight on witnessing the participation of a large number of women in the festivities on January 26, stating that this year’s Republic Day parade was dedicated to women empowerment.

“On January 26, all of you enhanced the pride of India. We are seeing girl cadets in large numbers. The parade on that day was dedicated to ‘Stree Shakti’ ( women empowerment ),” said Prime Minister Modi, while addressing the Culmination Parade of this year’s National Cadet Corps (NCC) Republic Day camp.

Hozier tops ‘best fantasy sex partner’ list

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Hozier has beat Harry Styles, Bruno Mars and Mick Jagger to be crowned the best fantasy sex partner.

The survey, carried out by a dating site Illicit Encounters, found that musicians topped the ‘Best In Bed’ list with 39 percent votes, followed by beating personal trainers with 18 percent, models with 11 percent, lawyers with 7 percent and bankers with 0.5 percent votes, the Daily Star reported.

Claire Page, spokesperson for Illicit Encounters, said that it’s very obvious and quite simple why musicians top the Best in Bed poll as talent and creativity are extremely attractive.

Communalism on its peak during BJP reign

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Vice President Telangana Congress Mohammad Ali Shabbir blamed Hindutva forces including BJP of saffronising the country. Addressing a press conference he claimed that RSS and Vishwa Hindu Parishad were emboldened during BJP government and Hindutva forces were working on their secret agenda. However Congress would not let them succeed in their nefarious plans, he said.

Vinnie Jones wows co-stars on his new telly-show with ‘ballet skills’

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Footy hardman Vinnie Jones has amazed co-stars with his ballet skills in new drama ‘Galavant.’

Actress Karen David said that to see the 50-year-old former footballer singing and dancing is really something special as people don’t see him do that every day so it’s a real treat, the Daily Star reported.

The 35-year-old actress added that they’re so used to Jones the big football star, who found fame as a tough midfielder for Wimbledon FC in the mid-80s, and now they’re seeing him doing a bit of twerk.

No doubt that India is under terrorist threat: Lt. Gen. Raj Kadyan

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Reacting to a letter delivered to a Tamil daily, threatening to launch an attack somewhere in India similar to that launched on the Paris-based satire magazine Charlie Hebdo, defence expert and former deputy chief of army staff, Lieutenant General (retired) Raj Kadyan, said on Wednesday that there was no doubt in his mid that the country faces threats from terror outfits.