Month: February 2015

Six Indians among Forbes’ 50 ‘Power Businesswomen’

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Six Indian women CEOs and Managing Directors, including State Bank of India head Arundhati Bhattacharya and ICICI CEO Chanda Kochchar, have been named by Forbes magazine in its 50 ‘Power Businesswomen’ from Asia who are “knocking down” walls in the traditional male bastions.

The Asia’s 50 Power Businesswomen list showcases a year of accomplishments by the region’s female entrepreneurs and executives, punctuated by the midas touch of China’s Alibaba and newcomers from two rapidly growing economies where women are starting to find a toehold in business, the magazine said.

Sri Lanka hammer hapless Bangladesh with 332/1

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Powered by centuries from Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka reached a mammoth total of 332 for the loss of only one wicket in a World Cup Pool A clash against Bangladesh at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here Thursday.

Will oppose Land Acquisition Bill at any cost, says Shiv Sena

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Stepping up its resistance against the land acquisition law, the Shiv Sena today said it will fiercely oppose the bill and not commit the sin of “damaging” the interest of farmers at the cost of being in power.

Calling it as a “draconian” law that will finish off the very existence of farmers, the BJP-ally in Maharashtra said the Government cannot budge an inch forward by “insulting” the struggle of farmers assembled at Jantar Mantar in Delhi under activist Anna Hazare’s leadership.

Shenwari leads Afghanistan to historic World Cup win

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Top-order batsman Samiullah Shenwari struck a gritty 96 to pave the way for Afghanistan’s historic one-wicket win against Scotland in a nail-bitting Pool A match of the cricket World Cup, here today.

Chasing 211 for a win at the University Oval, Afghanistan were in dire straits at 97 for seven, before Shenwari played the innings of his life to help the Mohammad Nabi-led side post their first World Cup victory in their maiden appearance with three balls to spare.

Prabhu promises India modern rail network with no fare hike

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Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu today spared passengers from any hike in fares but made changes in freight rates to rake in more money while ruling out privatisation.

Presenting the first full-fledged Rail Budget of the Modi government for 2015-16, he made adjustments in freight rates that exempted salt but would hike rates on carriage of cement, coal and coke, iron or steel and petroleum products.

The Budget also revised the commodity classification and distance slabs for carriage of commodities that can raise freight rates upto 10 per cent in some of the items.

Woman raped at gunpoint in UP’s Shamli

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A 30-year-old woman was allegedly raped at gunpoint by her neighbour at Hasanpur village in neighbouring Shamli district, police said on Thursday.

The incident took place yesterday when the woman was sleeping in her house and the accused identified as Suraj Kumar entered her house, police said.

He then raped the woman at pistol-point and threatened her, they said.

A case has been registered against the accused, police said, adding that further investigation is on.

—PTI

Rickshaw puller Jamal Baig prefers to work hard instead of begging

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70-year-old Jamal Baig is one among those who persistently combat with poverty and destituteness since their childhood. He hails from Udgir district of Karnataka state. He had arrived Hyderabad 30-year-ago and has been residing in Jhirra Karwan since then. Jamal Baig has been pulling Rickshaw for 20 years. He is becoming weaker day by day but is compelled to work otherwise it would be difficult to make both ends meet. He has 4 daughters and a son. Sadly two of his daughters have become widow and he has to shoulder their responsibility too.

I respect Opposition, says Venkaiah Naidu after protest in Parliament

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Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday clarified in Lok Sabha that he had not used unparliamentary language in the House.

Following Opposition uproar in the Lok Sabha, Naidu said, “I respect the Opposition. I have never used unparliamentary language.”

“I had no intention to hurt anybody, had no party or individual in mind when I made the statement,” the Urban Development Minister added.

The clarification came after Opposition threatened to disrupt proceedings in Parliament over Naidu’s remarks.

The minister had reportedly said, “Minority cannot trample majority.”

PE investments rise 55% to USD 4.35 bn in Dec qtr: PwC

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Private equity investments in the country witnessed a stellar fourth quarter in 2014 with deals worth USD 4.35 billion, registering the best quarterly performance since the December quarter of 2007, says a report.

According to the PwC MoneyTree India report, a quarterly study of private equity investment activity, deals in the December quarter of 2014 totalled USD 4.35 billion in value terms across 107 such transactions.

Windies aim to buck recent history against South Africa

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A buoyant West Indies will try to defy a recent run of poor results and extend their winning streak when they take on South Africa in a crucial cricket World Cup Pool B match here Friday.

Only last month, the Caribbean side was completely outplayed by the Proteas on African soil, battered 1-4 in a five-match One-Day International (ODI) series where it appeared out of its depth at times, reports CMC.

And the stats make for dire reading. The one-wicket win in Port Elizabeth last month was the first time the West Indies had beaten South Africa in an ODI in nine years.

Environment ministry, UPSC staffers held in document leak case

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Two officials from the environment ministry and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) were arrested in connection with the official documents leak, police said Thursday.

Delhi Police have arrested Jatinder Nagpal, who is personal assistant to the joint secretary in the ministry of environment, forests and climate change.

Nagpal was arrested Wednesday night along with Vipan Kumar, who is personal assistant to a member of the UPSC.

Air India plane’s tyre bursts on landing at Kochi

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All 161 passengers on board an Air India aircraft, on a Delhi-Kochi flight, had a narrow escape when a tyre of their plane burst on landing at the airport here Thursday, said an airport official.

A.C.K. Nair, a top official at the Cochin International Airport Limited, told IANS that the incident occurred at 9.15 a.m. soon after the aircraft touched the ground.

“One tyre at the rear burst, but everything after that was smooth and all the passengers were safely evacuated. The engineers are now inspecting the aircraft,” said Nair.

Afghan suicide attacker targets Turkish embassy vehicle

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At least two people were killed and several others injured when a suicide bomber, driving a car packed with explosives, targeted a vehicle of the Turkish embassy in the Afghan capital of Kabul Thursday.

“A suicide car bomber targeted a two-vehicle convoy of the Turkish embassy. The driver of a Turkish vehicle was killed in addition to the suicide attacker,” Deputy Interior Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Ayoub Salangi said.

The Turkish and Iranian embassies are adjacent in the centre of Kabul, Xinhua reported.

South Korea rules anti-adultery law unconstitutional

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A South Korean court Thursday ruled that cheating in marriage should no longer be banned, reflecting a growing importance of personal choice over marital order in a traditionally group-oriented society.

Under the ruling, those indicted or convicted of adultery after Oct 30, 2008, a day after the last constitutional ruling, may ask for a suspension of indictment or a retrial, Yonhap News Agency reported.

South Korea — next to North Korea and Taiwan — was one of the few remaining countries in Asia that prohibit infidelity.

Netanyahu condemned for opposing Iran’s n-talks

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US Secretary of State John Kerry has said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was wrong in opposing the ongoing nuclear talks between Iran and the world powers.

Netanyahu Wednesday intensified his criticism of the US-led nuclear talks with Iran, accusing the world powers of “giving up on their commitment” to stop Tehran from getting nuclear weapons, Xinhua reported.

Felicitation function for Urdu servants

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Social leader and veteran servant of Urdu Mr. Mohammed Ismail-ur-Rab Ansari (better known as Urdu Ansari) will be presented Mujahed-e-Urdu award and Abid Ali Khan Awards by Human Rights Protection Association. Telangana Urdu Forum women’s wing, Madrasa Sirajul Mominat and Unique Welfare Association will jointly hold a grand felicitation function on February 26, at 2 pm, at Maulana Abul Kalam Oriental Research Institute, Public Garden, Nampally.

US making mistake of not able to retain talented people: Obama

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President Barack Obama has rued the US is not able to retain the global talent it trains them at its universities because of a broken immigration system and made a passionate push for a comprehensive immigration reform.

“It’s wonderful to see people, young people, talented, from all across the globe coming to stay in the United States. If you look at the history of the founders of Intel and Google and so many of our iconic companies, people like Albert Einstein, Alexander Graham Bell, they were immigrants,” Obama said in his address at the Florida University in Miami.

Afghan’s Hassan in Wall Street Journal for somersault antics

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Afghanistan’s latest cricket sensation Hamid Hassan found his way into the pages of the popular US daily the ‘Wall Street Journal’ after his somersaulting antics post Kumar Sangakkara’s wicket in their match against Sri Lanka caught the attention of one and all.

With a bandana and a war paint on both cheeks, Hassan, in his Rambo-like appearance, is not only a hit with fans and the photographers but also with his World Cup opponents, who are wary of his wicket-taking abilities.

Couple killed while boarding train in UP

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A couple was killed after they slipped on railway tracks while boarding a train at Nagina railway station here, police said today.

The incident took place last night when Jogendra Singh (35) and his wife Renu (30) were boarding a crowded compartment of Jammu Tavi-Sealdah Express train.

The couple slipped on the tracks and were struck by the moving train, they said.

Their children, Kartik (12) and Krishna (6) were still at the platform when the train moved.

The victims were going to Roorkee when the mishap took place.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem.

–PTI

Two hours of TV puts your kids at high BP risk

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Parents must watch out as kids, who spend more than two hours watching television, computers or video consoles in a day run a 30 percent greater risk of developing high blood pressure, says new research.

Doing no daily physical activity or an activity which is less than an hour a day makes one more prone to risk by 50 percent, said researchers from University of Sao Paulo, in Brazil.

PIO victim’s son helps 9/11 plotter’s lawyer live

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In an unusual inflight rescue, a 21-year-old Indian-American student who lost his father in the 911 attack here has come to the aid of a stricken attorney of the alleged Pakistani planner of the world’s deadliest terror strike.

Tufts University senior Robert Mathai provided firstresponder service aboard a flight from Camp Justice at Guantanamo Bay to army captain Brian Nicholson, an army lawyer for mastermind of the 911 attacks Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Inteqal (25.2.2015)

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Mohtarma Aliya Begum Sahiba, retired teacher (Urdu Pandit) Govt. Girls High School, Moghalpura, resident of Wahed Nagar, Old Malakpet and wife of Janab Abdul Raoof Khan, died on February 25.

To get information for namaz-e-Janaza and burial call on 9394758146 & 9949365289.

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Wife of Al-Haj Mohd. Ghousuddin (Ghousebhai) died on February 25 after brief illness.

Tension in Waqf Board office

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Tension sparked at Waqf Board office on Wednesday when the hearing of investigations regarding a Dargah in Pargi was scheduled. When enquiry Officer Mohammed Ahmed Ali began hearing the investigations he postponed the hearing because complainant was absent. On this it was tried to allegedly make an attack on enquiry officer and the office was vandalised. Seeing that the situation was becoming worse, Waqf Board called police. Police arrested the attackers.

Masjid in Ayodhya is like a temple in Makkah, Vatican city: Yogi Adityanath

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BJP’s MP Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday refused to accept the proposal of an out-of-court settlement concerning the Ayodhya issue.

The BJP’s MP reacted to the suggestion between Hashim Ansari, main litigant in the case, and Mahant Gyan Das, Akhara Parishad Head and pooh-poohed the proposal of constructing both a mosque and a temple in the disputed site.