Month: February 2015

Uday Kotak sees repo rate at 7-7.25% by Dec

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Veteran banker Uday Kotak today said he expects the RBI to bring down repo rate to 7-7.25 per cent by December.

Welcoming the status quo policy stance of the Reserve Bank at the monetary policy review yesterday, the Kotak Mahindra Group Executive Chairman and Managing Director said the apex bank has laid out a clear roadmap on the rate regime.

“Governor Raghuram Rajan has laid out the roadmap clearly. He is assuming around 6 per cent inflation by January 2016. He has also laid down 1.5-2 per cent is what he expects the real interest rate to be.

Winston Churchill’s biographer, Martin Gilbert, dies

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Martin Gilbert, Winston Churchill’s official biographer and a leading historian of the Holocaust, has died following a lengthy illness. He was 78.

Gilbert died yesterday, senior civil servant John Chilcot told a British parliamentary committee today. Gilbert was a member of Chilcot’s panel conducting an official investigation into Britain’s role in the Iraq war.

Lung cancer now top cancer killer for women in rich nations

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For the first time, lung cancer has passed breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths for women in rich countries.

The reason is smoking, which peaked years later for women than it did for men. Lung cancer has been the top cancer killer for men for decades.

“We’re seeing the deaths now” from lung cancer due to a rise in smoking by women three decades ago, said Lindsey Torre of the American Cancer Society. The society released a report Wednesday, based on new numbers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Kejriwal’s EVM tampering claims ‘incorrect, unacceptable’: EC

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The Election Commission tonight rejected Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal’s claim that electronic voting machines (EVMs) can be tampered to favour BJP in the Delhi Assembly polls and said such allegations are “totally incorrect and unacceptable”.

In a letter to Kejriwal tonight, EC said, “Your comments about tampering of 4 EVMs in 38-Delhi Cantt Assembly Constituency is totally incorrect and unacceptable. The Commission expected you to ascertain the correct facts on EVMs before making the comment on social media.”

Russian nuke scientist charged with disclosing state secrets

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A Russian nuclear scientist has been charged with disclosing state secrets and faces up to four years in prison over an article he published in a Czech journal, his lawyer said today.

Vladimir Golubev, a former employee of the country’s top nuclear weapons research and development centre, is accused by the security services of disclosing state secrets after publishing an article about explosives in a Czech journal, his lawyer told AFP.

The article was based on a report he gave at an international conference in the Czech Republic in 2013.

Crashed Taiwan plane hoisted from river; 26 confirmed dead

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Rescuers used a crane to hoist the fuselage of a wrecked TransAsia Airways plane from a shallow river in Taiwan’s capital late today as they searched into the night for 17 people missing in a crash that killed at least 26 others.

Flight 235 with 58 people aboard, most of them travellers from China, banked sharply on its side shortly after takeoff from Taipei, clipped a highway bridge and then careened into the Keelung River.

Those who take black money will only do ‘black’ politics: Shah

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BJP President Amit Shah today attacked Aam Aadmi Party over allegations of dubious funding, saying the party which takes black money will only do ‘black’ politics.

“Kali raat me kala dhan lene wali party kali rajneeti hi kar sakti hai (Party which takes black money in the darkness of the night can only indulge in black politics). They had promised that they will recover the blackmoney and now they have been found indulging in similar things,” Shah said addressing a rally in South Delhi’s Jangpura area here.

CBI’s joint workshop with US Justice Department begins

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With 28 extradition requests of CBI pending with the US, the agency has organised a three-day joint workshop with the US Department of Justice on ‘Mutual Legal Assistance and Extradition’ here, underlining the increased use of Internet by terror groups like ISIS to recruit and influence youths.

CBI sources said as many as 28 extradition requests are pending with the US and the agency faces difficulties in collecting evidence in the USA, especially when it comes to private companies holding Internet data.

Nominee for Pentagon chief open to arming Ukraine

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President Barack Obama’s nominee for defense secretary said today he was “inclined” toward providing weapons to Ukraine to help the Kiev government in its fight with pro-Russian separatists.

Ashton Carter, expected to be confirmed soon by lawmakers as the next Pentagon chief, made the comment before the Senate Armed Services Committee amid signals from the Obama administration it was leaning towards providing arms to Ukraine.

Ebola-hit Sierra Leone’s schools to reopen on March 30

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Sierra Leone said today it would reopen the country’s schools on March 30, after a seven-month shutdown to limit the spread of the Ebola virus.

Classrooms have been empty since the government announced a state of emergency in July in response to an outbreak which has killed almost 9,000 people in the region, more than 3,000 of them in Sierra Leone.

President Ernest Bai Koroma’s office said he had granted permission for work to start on “water and sanitation issues, Ebola screenings and psychosocial support”, ahead of the reopening.

Couple held for trying to smuggle ganja

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A couple was arrested near Pathaveedhi area in the district today for allegedly trying to smuggle 36 kg of dry ganja to Hyderabad.

Police also seized Rs one lakh in cash from S Dayanand (55) and his wife S Yadamma (45) who hailed from Ziagudda area in Hyderabad.

GK Veedhi sub-inspector PN Murthy said the duo procured the contraband from some remote areas and were trying to smuggle it out to Hyderabad through Narsipatnam route.

They were nabbed while trying to board a state transport bus headed towards Narispatnam, he said.

Police took swift action in most cases of crimes: Akhilesh

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Under attack from opposition parties on law and order front, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said police have taken swift action in most of the incident of crimes and a big chunk of the cases were of personal disputes.

“In maximum cases of crime swift action has been taken. In a number of cases there are family and personal disputes due to which incidents happened,” Akhilesh told reporters after the state cabinet meeting.

“What can the government do in such cases. When you go in the reality in many cases close ones are involved,” he added.

13 Maoist militia members surrender in Visakhapatnam

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Thirteen militia members of Korukonda area committee of the Maoists surrendered before the police in the district today.

The surrendered militia members were identified as Tambelu Nageswara Rao (40), Vanthala Mangaraju (35), Tambelu Nookaraju (32), Tambelu Chinnarao (35), Vanthala Kameswara Rao (44), Tambelu Shivrao (35), Tambelu Krishna Rao (28), Tambelu Subbarao (28), Gammeli Bhaskar Rao (25), Pangi Dasubabu (19), Pangi Chinna Rao (20), Gammeli Venkat Rao (23) and Gammeli Kalibabu (25).

All of them are from Madathakodna village under G Madugula mandal.

GVK seeks regulatory clarity on Navi Mumbai airport

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The GVK Group-run Mumbai International Airport (MIAL), which is among those shortlisted to build the airport in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, today said there is a need for regulatory clarity.

“The government should give us a regulatory clarification for airports that are getting privatised and for greenfield airports…Investors would want clarity before bidding,” MIAL chief executive Rajeev Jain said on the sidelines of CAPA summit.

Jain said MIAL will be selectively bidding for new projects, subject to the regulatory clarity.

Team India Manager Arshad Ayub felicitated

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Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) President Arshad Ayub was felicitated today on being appointed Manager of the Indian team for the World Cup.

The former cricketer was felicitated by the HCA functionaries at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium at Uppal here this evening.

Turkey arrests ‘first Turkish IS suspect’

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Authorities in Turkey arrested a man suspected of working for the Islamic State (IS), in what local media said was the first arrest of a Turkish citizen linked to the jihadist group.

The man, identified as Musa Goktas from Ankara, illegally crossed into Syria in October with his 15-year-old twin sons to join the jihadist group, the online newspaper Radikal said today.

He was arrested on his way back to Ankara in late January, during a police search of a bus in the southeastern province of Gaziantep, near the border with Syria.

Petrobras CEO, top brass resign in Brazil amid scandal

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The chief executive of Brazilian oil giant Petrobras, Graca Foster, resigned today along with the entire board of directors as the company reels from a massive corruption scandal.

Petrobras, the largest company in the world’s seventh- largest economy, said in a statement that “its board of directors will meet Friday to elect a new leadership after the resignation of the CEO and five directors.”

Carter says he may reconsider Afghan troop withdrawal plan

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President Barack Obama’s nominee for defence secretary today said he would consider changing the current plans for withdrawing all US troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year if security conditions worsen in the war-torn country.

“I understand we have a plan. The President has a plan (on Afghanistan). I support that plan (on drawdown of troops). At the same time, it’s a plan. If I’m confirmed, and I ascertain as the years go by that we need to change that plan, I will recommend those changes to the President,” Carter told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

US man convicted of operating underground website Silk Road

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A San Francisco man was swiftly convicted on charges he created a multimillion-dollar marketplace for illegal drugs and other contraband on the Internet by promising buyers and sellers anonymity through use of encryption and bitcoins.

Ross William Ulbricht was convicted of seven drug and conspiracy counts yesterday. The Manhattan federal court jury’s verdict came after just over three hours of deliberations and one day after prosecutors urged jurors to follow Ulbricht’s “digital fingerprints” as the mastermind of a website known as Silk Road.

Texas executes ‘Texas 7’ prison escapee for officer’s death

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A three-time convicted robber who helped engineer the biggest prison break in Texas history was executed yesterday evening for killing a suburban Dallas police officer while the notorious gang was on the run.

Donald Newbury, 52, became the third member of the group known as the “Texas 7” executed for the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Aubrey Hawkins, a police officer who interrupted the fugitives’ robbery of a sporting goods store on Christmas Eve in 2000.

The slaying occurred 11 days after the convicts escaped. The gang was captured a month later in Colorado.

Australia PM done all he can for Indonesia death row inmates

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Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he had done all he could to save the lives of two of his citizens facing imminent execution in Indonesia today, as their lawyers admitted the situation was “bleak”.

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, ringleaders of the so-called “Bali Nine” drug smuggling gang, lost a legal bid in the Balinese capital Denpasar to have their cases reviewed yesterday, dashing their final hope of avoiding the firing squad.

They were arrested in 2005 and sentenced to death the following year for attempting to smuggle heroin out of Indonesia.

Kylie Jenner goes blonde for magazine photshoot

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Reality TV star Kylie Jenner has coloured her hair blonde for a photoshoot for British style magazine.

The photo, taken by Steven Klein, shows Jenner, 17, lying on a bed. She looks unrecognisable as she sports blonde hair, which is styled wavy in a shoulder-length bob.

Katie Grand, chief editor of the magazine, shared on her Instagram the picture, reported Aceshowbiz.

She captioned the photo, “Kylie Jenner wearing miumiu and prada photographed by Steven Klein stevenkleinstudio styling by simonrobins1000 for love13.”

‘Legion of Superheroes’ movie in works?

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Warner Bros studio is reportedly planning to make a new superhero movie, titled ‘Legion of Superheroes’, on the lines of Avengers-meets-Guardians of the Galaxy.

The tone of the movie is said to be lighter compared to other DC movies, reported Aceshowbiz.

The project is reportedly yet to receive the greenlight but is currently in ‘serious development’.

Set in far future, the ‘Legion of Superheroes’ was first featured in ‘Adventure Comics’ #247 which was published in 1958.

Lady Gaga to collaborate with Paul McCartney

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Pop star Lady Gaga has confirmed her upcoming collaboration with Paul McCartney by posting a couple of photos with him from the studio.

The first picture shows her and McCartney, 72, surrounded by a number of instrumentalists including Pearl Jam’s guitarist Mike McCready, reported Aceshowbiz.

“Working on one of his many secret projects! Killer musicians, vibe, and lots of laughs,” she wrote.

She and McCartney pose next to a drum kit in the second snap.

Kaley Cuoco, John Krasinki join cast of ‘Animal Crackers’

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Actors Kaley Cuoco and John Krasinski have been added to the voice cast of the upcoming animated film, ‘Animal Crackers’.

The movie includes big names likes Ian McKellen, Danny DeVito, Sylvester Stallone, Patrick Warburton, Gilbert Gottfried, Raven-Symone and Harvey Fierstei, reported Aceshowbiz.

While Cuoco, 29, will voice the character of Zoe Huntington, Krasinski, 35, will lend his vocals to Owen.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to see John and Kaley portray Owen and Zoe Huntington in ‘Animal Crackers’.