Month: February 2015

Togadia prohibited from visiting Kandhamal

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The district administration has prohibited the entry of VHP leader Praveen Togadia to sensitive Kandhamal in Odisha tomorrow fearing trouble.

Togadia was scheduled to address a public meeting at the district headquarters town of Phulbani here to mark the golden jubilee celebrations of VHP tomorrow.

“After thorough assessment of the report on law and order situation in the sensitive district, the administration has decided to ban Togadia’s entry to the district,” Kandhamal Superintendent of Police K B Singh said today.

Indian yoga guru accused of sex assault, rape in US

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A 69-year-old prominent Indian-American yoga guru who founded an exercise routine practiced in hot rooms is facing six lawsuits filed by women, accusing him of sexual assault or rape at various locations, including in India.

Bikram Choudhury the founder of Bikram’s Yoga College of India, is facing the lawsuits filed by six women with the latest case being filed in the Los Angeles Supreme Court this month by a woman identified as Jill Lawler, a Canadian.

In the suit, she is described as a bright, driven woman who fell in love with Bikram Yoga almost from her first class.

McCullum in ‘awe’ of Clarke after Hughes tragedy

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New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said he was in awe of Michael Clarke for the manner in which the Australian skipper coped with the tragic death of team-mate and close friend Phillip Hughes.

Hughes died on November 27 last year, two days after being hit by a Sean Abbott bouncer in a first-class match in Sydney, leaving the whole cricket world in mourning.

Drinking coffee may lower multiple sclerosis risk

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People who drink four to six cups of coffee daily may have a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), a new research has claimed.

“Caffeine intake has been associated with a reduced risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, and our study shows that coffee intake may also protect against MS, supporting the idea that the drug may have protective effects for the brain,” said study author Ellen Mowry, with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.

We will treat India match like any other game: UAE captain

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Refusing to be intimidated by the star-studded Indian cricket team, United Arab Emirates skipper Mohammad Tauqir said his side will treat the World Cup clash against the defending champions as “just another game”.

“We know they are big stars, but we will take this game like the last previous two games. The intensity is going to be the same, and we’ll take it like just another game. We will not be intimidated by their names or their status,” Tauqir said at the pre-match media conference here today.

Working on ‘Fan’ like going back to school: Shah Rukh Khan

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Shah Rukh Khan is enjoying shooting for Maneesh Sharma’s “Fan” as the director, who has lived with the project for eight years, keeps challenging the Bollywood superstar to come up with a different approach.

Shah Rukh says he is in a way reinventing himself as despite the highest regard, “Band Baaja Baaraat” helmer Maneesh does not hesitate to tell him when he slips into familiar zones.

Implement AP Reorg Act, speed up development of state: Cong

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A Congress member today urged the government to implement the provisions of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act and sought special category status to the state to speed up its development.

Raising the issue in Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour, Jesudas Seelam (Cong) said the announcements for development of the state were not being implemented despite assurances by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu.

Educated people indulging in terror activities: Rajnath

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Home Minister Rajnath Singh today expressed concern over educated people indulging in terror activities saying it was happening due to the absence of cultural values and morality.

“There are certain well qualified individuals who indulge in terrorist and anti national activities in absence of cultural values and morality,” he said at the convocation of Sharda University here.

Singh appealed to the students to indulge in the process of nation building and contribute in making the country a developed country in the world.

Keeping calm under pressure is key to success: Dhawan

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Attributing his brilliant World Cup form to a calm mind and hard work, Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan today said he managed to come out of a lean patch by sticking to his strong work ethic.

Dhawan scored 77 and 137 against Pakistan and South Africa respectively, after poor run of form in the Test and ODI tri-series Down Under.

Asked about what’s that changed for him at the start of World Cup, the affable opener replied with a smile, “Just staying calm and working hard and keeping my work ethic strong.”

US says China ‘aggressively’ expanding presence into South China Sea

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China is reportedly expanding its presence in the South China Sea in order to include stationing for ships and potential airfields as part of its “aggressive efforts to exert sovereignty,” the U.S. intelligence chief said.

While addressing a Senate Armed Services Committee on worldwide threats, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper underlined U.S.’ concerns over “land reclamation activities” in the South China Sea that could escalate tension between China and its neighbours, The Guardian reported.

Hong Kong woman gets six years for abusing maid

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A Hong Kong woman was on Friday sentenced to six years in prison and fined HK$15,000 (about $1,932.99) for abusing her Indonesian domestic.

Earlier this month, the woman, Law Wan-tung, 44, was found guilty of 18 of 20 charges including grievous bodily harm, criminal intimidation and failure to pay wages or give time off work to her domestic worker Erwiana Sulistyaningsih.

Handling down the sentence, district court Judge Amanda Woodcock said Law’s attitude and behaviour were contemptible, and she had shown no compassion to her domestic helpers, Xinhua reported.

Fire Pakistan government over vote fraud: Musharraf

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Former Pakistan military ruler Pervez Musharraf has asked the apex court to “demolish” the government for rigging polls, media reported Friday.

“The Supreme Court of Pakistan should send this government home following the doctrine of necessity as the sitting premier Nawaz Sharif is not capable of running the affairs of this country,” Musharraf said in a TV interview, according to Pakistan Today.

Musharraf claimed that Sharif was living under the false impression that Pakistan was progressing under his leadership.

New options found for treating pancreatic cancer

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Sufferers of pancreatic cancer, a disease hard to find and even harder to treat, will have new medical options thanks to genomic sequencing, Australian researchers announced Friday.

The Australian Pancreatic Genome Initiative, assisted by researchers from the University of Western Australia, led an international programme determined to understand the cancer better and increase the five-year survival rate that currently is just five percent.

Issues important, not names: Modi

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said that names for social sector schemes like Clean India campaign are not important, only the issues are.

Taking on the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Modi said: “Names are not important. What is important is the issue.”

Opposition parties including Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP), had claimed that most of the schemes launched by Modi were “repackaged”.

Modi was replying to a discussion on the motion of thanks to the president’s address.

The prime minister also said that cleanliness is linked to the dignity of women.

Urine test can lead to better bladder cancer treatment

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A simple urine test could help clinicians identify the level of bladder cancer aggressiveness in patients, says a study.

Validated in over 400 clinical samples, two urinary biomarkers — epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and a protein, epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) – were found to be independent predictors of bladder cancer.

Higher levels of the biomarkers correlated with more aggressive cases of cancer and those with poor survival.

Missing boy’s body found hanging on tree

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Mysterious death of a minor boy occurred at Bhavani Nagar, old city. 14-year-old, Mirza Ahmed Ali Baig, student of 9th class was missing from Wednesday night. His body was found hanging on the tree at Mohammed Nagar.

Mirza Ahmed Ali Baig was son of Mirza Mohammed Ali Baig, R/O Raju Nagar, Bhavani Nagar. Inspector Bhavani Nagar Mr. B Srinivas Rao told that police had registered a case on the complaint of the parents. However after primary investigations police told that the boy took the extreme step on alleged resentment of the parents. He allegedly hanged himself to death.

Television more popular than films: Huma Qureshi

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Actress Huma Qureshi, who has proved her mettle in films like “Gangs of Wasseypur”, “Ek Thi Daayan”, “Dedh Ishqiya” and recently released “Badlapur”, is keen to explore the world of television.

She already has one project up her sleeve. The 28-year-old will host a TV special, “Anmol Hai Tu – Nayi Soch Ko Salaam”, which will felicitate women who have endured a hard life, risen from the ashes and made an impact on society.

Asked if she’d do more work on TV, she said: “Of course (I would love to do television)… as an actor, you’re always looking for something exciting to do.

Pakistani province unable to protect Chinese workers

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Police in Pakistan’s Punjab province are considering withdrawal of security from Chinese people working on private projects apparently due to shortage of forces and excessive engagements in other security and law and order duties.

The authorities are planning to advise Chinese workers to hire private security guards before withdrawing police personnel, Dawn reported Friday.

The decision to review the security arrangements of Chinese nationals working at private projects was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by the provincial home minister Feb 2.

US must rectify wrong approach to n-talks: Iranian president

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The US should rectify its wrong approach vis-a-vis negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear programme, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said.

“It is the Americans that should try to rectify the wrong steps that they have taken (towards the Iranian nuclear issue),” Rouhani said in the holy city of Qom Thursday, Press TV reported.

The US was behind the dispute over Tehran’s nuclear work as it prevented Iran and the three European countries — Britain, France and Germany — from reaching a nuclear agreement at the end of 2004, Rouhani said.

Campbell backs Zimbabwe to cause upset against India or Pakistan

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Former Zimbabwe skipper Alistair Campbell believes that the Elton Chigumbura-led side has the potential to produce an upset against Pakistan or India, which would pave their way to the World Cup knock-out stages.

Zimbabwe produced a prolific batting display during their World Cup ties so far, as they lost the tournament opener by just 62 runs while chasing South Africa’s mammoth 339, and losing the contest against the West Indies by 73 runs while chasing gigantic target of 362.

Zimbabwe earned crucial two points by claiming a four-wicket win over the United Arab Emirates last week.

Details of J-K coalition govt. will emerge on Mar. 1: Mehbooba Mufti

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Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said the details of her party’s common minimum programme in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party would emerge on March 1, the day party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s takes oath as the chief minister of the state.

“Our agenda for alliance talks of development, economic growth and so on, besides political issues. Please wait till March 1, everything will be clear then,” Mehbooba told reporters here.

‘India has turned carbon subsidy regime into carbon taxation’

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India has managed to turn a carbon subsidy regime into a carbon taxation one by cutting subsidies and increasing taxes on fossil fuels such as petrol and diesel, the Economic Survey for 2014-15 said Friday.

This has significantly increased petrol and diesel prices while serving as a price signal to reduce fuel burnt and hence CO2 emissions, the survey, which was tabled in parliament by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, said.

Student attacked after argument over Facebook post; three held

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A 17-year-old student in Hyderabad was injured after his friends allegedly attacked him with a knife following an argument over a post on a social networking site, police said on Friday. Three youths have been arrested in this connection, they said.

One of the accused, identified as Obaibuddin, had allegedly posted some abusive comments on Facebook against his friend Irfan, police said.

Mexico, US bust human trafficking network

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The Mexican Attorney General’s Office and US immigration authorities have busted a network that smuggled Latin Americans into the US, arresting 42 people.

The US embassy in Mexico Thursday said that the 42 people arrested were charged with human trafficking, rape of a minor, sexually abusing migrants, illegal deprivation of freedom and other crimes.