Month: March 2015

’25 killed in Election Day attack by Boko Haram in Nigeria’

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At least 25 people were killed in an attack suspected to be a perpetration of Boko Haram on a community in Nigeria’s northeastern state of Borno early Saturday, the same day a crucial presidential election was held, an official of the West African country said.

Five persons sustained injuries in the same attack at Buratai community, located in the southern part of Borno, state governor Kashim Shettima told Xinhua in Maiduguri, capital of the province.

“I received report of the attack this morning. This attack is callous, wicked and cowardly,” Shettima said after voting in Maiduguri.

Only Kejriwal’s writ runs in AAP, says Digvijay

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Taking a dig at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over its current turmoil, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh today said only its Convener Arvind Kejriwal’s writ runs in the outfit, which has shown the doors to “moderate and secular” leaders.

“Mein to pahle se hi kahta tha ki na khata na bahi, jo Kejriwal kahe wahi sahi (there is no system in AAP and whatever Kejriwal says is right),” he said en-route to Delhi after staying for four days at his ancestral home in Raghogarh in Guna district.

Facebook tests laser drones in British skies

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If Facebook has its way, there would soon be huge solar-powered drones — with the wingspan of a commercial airliner — beaming down internet in the remotest of areas.

Facebook has been testing such drones in the skies over England, according to its CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The drones use lasers to beam internet access down to the ground, designed to provide connections to rural and internet-free zones, reported The Guardian.

Multi-object tracking radar ready for trials

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he indigenously designed Rs.245 crore multi-object tracking radar (MOTR) is ready to undergo trials, said a senior space scientist here on Saturday.

“The multi-object tracking radar has been installed. It has to undergo trials. Once the trials are satisfactory then it will be ready for use,” M.Y.S. Prasad, director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, told reporters.

According to him, the radar can track around 10 objects simultaneously.

He said the radar can track space debris so that a satellite’s direction could be altered to avoid collision.

Can’t give any advice to AAP leaders, says Hazare

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Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare today termed the tussle in the AAP as the party’s “internal matter” and said he was in no position to offer any advice to its warring leaders.

Asked about the expulsion of dissident leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from AAP’s National Executive and turmoil in the party, he said it was an “internal matter” of the outfit which posted a stunning victory in Delhi Assembly polls last month.

Unbelievable to be World No.1: Saina

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(IANS) After being assured of the World No.1 spot, Olympic bronze medal winning shuttler Saina Nehwal said on Saturday that she can’t believe she has reached the summit.

“It is still unbelievable. Let me pinch myself! It will probably sink in only when I see my name on the top of the ranking list,” an overjoyed Saina said here.

Come Thursday when Badminton World Federation (BWF) revises its rankings, the Hyderabadi will become the first Indian woman to be ranked No.1.

Three-nation visit to focus on economic agenda, job creation: Modi (

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his tour to France, Germany and Canada from April 10-16 would be focused on supporting India’s national economic agenda through programmes like Make in India in order to create jobs for the youth.

In a series of tweets, linked to his Facebook post, Modi spoke about his upcoming three-nation tour – his second overseas visit this year after to the Indian Ocean countries of Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka earlier in March.

Czechs kidnapped in Pakistan freed

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Two Czech tourists who were abducted by gunmen two years ago as they were traveling on a bus through southwestern Pakistan have been released, the Czech government said on Saturday.

“I am really glad to confirm that Hana Humpalova and Antonie Chrastecka … returned back to the Czech Republic today in the morning,” Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said in a statement.

Sobotka said their release was negotiated by Turkish non-governmental humanitarian organization IHH.

Sports ministers congratulates Saina Nehwal for becoming number one

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Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday congratulated ace shuttler Saina Nehwal for becoming first Indian woman to be world no. 1.

“Heartiest congratulations to Saina for becoming world number one.She deserve it,” said Sarbananda Sonowal told ANI here.

“People of India are proud of her achievement and Saina will definitely bring medal for our country in RIO Olympic,’ he added.

The ace badminton player achieved the number one rank after defeating Spain’s Carolina Marin.

However, the official rankings will be out only on Thursday next week. (ANI)

80 Indians flying out of Yemen capital: MEA

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Eighty Indian nationals are being evacuated from unrest-hit Yemen by air to Djibouti, the government said on Saturday.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweeted: “Leaving Yemen. 80 Indians on Yemenia Airways 1st flight from Sanaa today. Head to Djibouti. Indian Mission will assist in their journey home.”

He said there are around 3,500-4,000 Indian nationals currently in Yemen.

Gurgaon girl Aditi Arya crowned Miss India

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Gurgaon girl Aditi Arya was crowned Femina Miss India 2015 at the 52nd edition of the beauty pageant here at Yash Raj Studio.

Reigning Miss India Koyal Rana, on Saturday, enthroned her successor Aditi with the crown made by PC Jewellers. The first and second runners-up were Aafreen Rachel Vaz and Vartika Singh respectively.

The trio was selected from the top five finalists of the fbb Femina Miss India 2015 that also included Tanya Hope and Deeksha Kaushal.

This year, 21 contestants from across the country participated in the beauty contest.

Saudi says first phase of anti-Houthi operation successful

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Saudi Arabia has said the first phase of air campaign against Yemen’s Shiite Houthi group was successful, and has destroyed all of its airplanes and communication centers.

Brigadier Ahmed Al Asiri, spokesperson for the Saudi-led Decisive Storm operation, on Saturday told that the first stage of the air raids has succeeded, while the coalition might opt for group offensive if required, Xinhua reported citing Al Arabiya News reported.

He cautioned that the Houthis might have stored weapons and ammunition though their airplanes and communication facilities were destroyed.

BCCI headache ‘Mauka Mauka’ :Phone line disconnected after hundereds of calls

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) bore the brunt of Star Sport’s ‘Mauka Mauka’ advertisement as Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket fans called them as many as ‘200 times’ to poke fun at India’s exit and sing the now famous jingle India crashed out of the World Cup as Australia secured an emphatic 95-run victory over them at the semifinals.

High school seniors increasingly getting hooked onto ‘Hookahs’

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(ANI): Though there may be a decline in cigarette smoking, a new study had claimed that now hookah has become a popular trend amongst high school seniors.

The study by University of Waterloo found that almost one in four high school seniors try smoking hookah, and as per the estimates, over 78,200 youth are current water pipe users.

Leia Minaker, who conducted the study, said that while we can celebrate a continued slow decline in cigarette use across the country, water pipes are bucking the trend.

Land disputes hitting poor badly: SC Judge

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Hyderabad, March 28 (NSS): Supreme Court judge Anil Ramesh Dhawe has stated that the poor and tribal people were meeting huge losses due to land disputes across the nation.

Speaking at a national seminar held at NALSAR Law University here on Saturday, Dhawe bemoaned that the land laws were very complex resulting in piling up of cases like a mountain.

State High Court Chief Justice Kalyan Jyothy Sen Guptha opined that the common man was facing severe problems with land, water and family disputes. “Their lives will improve only when they get quick justice in this regard”. He also

CPI urges Centre to implement AP Reorganization Act for development of Telangana

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(NSS): The 22nd Congress of Communist Party of India (CPI) being held since March 25 adopted the following resolution proposed by CPI Telangana State secretary Chada Venkat Reddy.

The resolution states, “The promises made in the AP Re-organisation Act, 2014 for development of newly carved Telangana State have not been fulfilled so far. While, forming the Telangana State, everybody expected that Telangana State would face serious power crisis. To overcome the crisis, the Government of India has promised to establish an Ultra Mega Power Project in the State.

Telangana will be power surplus State by 2017: KCR

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INN): Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday reiterated that Telangana

would be a power surplus State by the year 2017.

Speaking after laying the foundation stone of Bhadradri Thermal Power Generation Project at Manugur

here, the Chief Minister said that efforts were being made to make Telangana State free from power

crisis. He said that the Bhadradri project, being constructed at a cost of Rs 5,144 crore, would generate

1080 MW power in the next three years. He said that the government was ensuring generation of nearly

Amitabh Bachchan congratulates Saina Nehwal on Twitter

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Saina Nehwal, who has been leading the women brigade in the Indian badminton circuit climbed to the pinnacle of world badminton ranking on Saturday. After creating history by being the first Indian woman shuttler to achieve the feat, congratulatory messages have not stopped for the sportswoman. One of them seems to be the most special- one from Amitabh Bachchan.

Big B, who has always shared how proud he feels, seeing Saina grow in the world of badminton, immediately tweeted back, congratulating Saina.

Can’t give any advice to AAP leaders, says Anna Hazare

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Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare on Saturday termed the tussle in the AAP as the party’s “internal matter” and said he was in no position to offer any advice to its warring leaders.

Asked about the expulsion of dissident leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from AAP’s National Executive and turmoil in the party, he said it was an “internal matter” of the outfit which posted a stunning victory in Delhi Assembly polls last month.

India launches IRNSS-1D; set to operationalise navigational system

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India is set to operationalise its own navigational system with the succesful launch of IRNSS-1D, the fourth in the series of seven navigational satellites, onboard PSLV-C27 from here today.

At the end of the 59.5 hour countdown, PSLV-C27, the time-tested launch vehicle of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here at 5.19 pm and injected the satellite into orbit about 21 minutes later.

Modi misleading farmers on Land Bill: Jairam Ramesh

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Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misleading farmers about 13 aspects of the new Land Acquisition Bill, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said they were part of the 2013 law passed by his party and that Modi was taking credit for it.

“The Prime Minister took credit for the 13 aspects. But the fact is that it was part of mandatory provision of the Land Acquisition Act 2013. Modi lied in Mann Ki Baat,” Ramesh said at a press conference here referring to the Prime Minister’s talk on radio.

Mizoram sees end of sixth Governor in nine months

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With the sacking of Aziz Qureshi, the tiny northeastern state of Mizoram is turning out to be a waterloo for Governors after the Narendra Modi government assumed office with six of them exiting in just nine months.

74-year-old Qureshi, who has dragged the Centre to Supreme Court over the issue of removal of Governors, was sacked on Saturday by President Pranab Mukherjee. Qureshi had taken over as the Governor of Mizoram in January after being transferred from Uttarakhand and had a tenure upto May 2017.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat calls for building classless society

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Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said the country remained firm over the centuries in the face of adversities because of its rich heritage and called for building a classless society.

“India remained firm in the face of adversities because of its rich heritage and now the task was to make the country a world leader,” Bhagwat said at a function in Rohtak.

“We are known for our rich heritage and pluralism,” he said, adding that in various fields, be it agriculture, science or spiritual field, India is ahead.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar receives three threat letters from Islamic State

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Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has reportedly received threats from dreaded militant group Islamic State (ISIS).

According to reports, Shankar got threat letters during his visit to Malaysia., which was sent to him through a courier.

Art of Living spokesperson Nakul Dhawa said that the letter was received few days ago in Malaysia, but Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was in Cambodia at that time. “Authorities were notified immediately including Indian Embassy. Three letters were sent claimed to be from ISIS,” ANI quoted him as saying.