Month: April 2015

National executive meet: Gowda hints at discussion on Giriraj’s racist remark

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Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda on Thursday said that his party colleague Giriraj Singh’s racist remark against Congress president Sonia Gandhi might be discussed in the BJP’s national executive meet in Bengaluru.

“The national executive meeting is going on… if this is indiscipline then we might as well discuss this matter,” he said.

The BJP, however, earlier in the day sought to play down Giriraj Singh’s controversial statement against the Congress president.

Sania and Saina symbols of woman power

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Saina Nehwal has officially been anointed the No.1 woman player in world badminton. Sania Mirza is on the cusp of becoming the top-most in tennis doubles – she is No.3 right now. The two Hyderabadis are the best role models for young Indian women trying to make a mark in today’s highly competitive world of sport.

Urdu will help India, Pakistan come closer: Abdul Basit

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Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Thursday said that Urdu language can help in building a special bond between New Delhi and Islamabad, adding that cultural activities like ‘shayari’ can help both sides come closer.

“Urdu can be a good binder since this language is popular in both countries,” Basit said after attending a lecture series.

“In the coming days, we hope to see more such activities wherein Urdu will help both India and Pakistan come closer,” he added.

Modi reaches Bengaluru for BJP national executive meet

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Thursday on a three-day visit to attend the BJP’s national executive meeting, which got underway at a hotel in the city earlier in the day.

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Bharatiya Janata Party’s national vice president B.S. Yeddyurappa and state unit president Prahlad Joshi received Modi after he landed at the HAL airport.

Villagers in Jharkhand suffer as Maoists blow up health centre

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The people of a remote village in Jharkhand’s Latehar district continue to suffer due to lack of primary medical facilities since the Maoists blew up a health centre in the area about two years ago.

The government efforts to rebuild the health centre have met with little success in the wake of threats from the ultras.

Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) of Latehar, S.K. Agrahari, on Wednesday said that the people of Serengdag village were facing hardships as the nearest health centre is at Heranj at a distance of 60 kilometres.

Scientists develop device that improves human walk

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In a world’s first, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and North Carolina State University have developed an unpowered ankle exoskeleton that reduces the metabolic cost of walking by approximately seven percent – thus helping individuals walk using less energy.

The results are roughly the equivalent of taking off a 10-pound backpack and are equivalent to savings from exoskeletons that use electrically-powered devices.

‘Perky’ Alia to endorse Cadbury Perk

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Lively and youthful Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt has been roped in to endorse chocolate brand Cadbury Perk. She says it’s new campaign ‘Jiyo Lightum Light’, reflecting her own philosophy of “enjoying the lighter moments of life”.

Mondelez India Foods Private Limited (formerly Cadbury India Ltd.) announced Alia’s appointment as brand ambassador in a statement on Thursday.

In the commercial, the “Highway” actress will be seen in a playful and a mischievous avatar, bringing to life the ‘Jiyo Lightum Light’ campaign.

Benedict Cumberbatch replicated in choco statue

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A life-sized chocolate statue of “The Imitation Game” star Benedict Cumberbatch has been crafted out of cocoa to celebrate the fact that he has been voted the dishiest dramatic actor on UKTV.

With the launch of the new drama channel on UKTV’s on-demand service, uktvplay, 2,000 women were asked to name the man they find the tastiest in TV drama, reports telegraph.co.uk.

Men, not women responsible for bringing the bread home: Turkish president daughter on equality

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Sümeyye Erdoğan while giving lecture on “the perception of Muslim women around the world and the fight for the equality,” said that the topic of inheritance distribution in Islam was among the most discussed in terms of equality.

The daughter of Turkish president explained that “Women receiving a lower share of inheritance than men is normal, considering men’s responsibilities according to Islam.

Metro Rail works to hit train services on four days this month

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The South Central Railway has revised the dates of Traffic / Power Block being imposed between Bharatnagar and Sanathnagar stations on Secunderabad-Wadi section of Secunderabad Division of SCR for carrying out Metro rail crossing works during the month of April.

Accordingly, the traffic block will be imposed on 4th (Saturday), 7th (Tuesday), 21st (Tuesday) and 25th (Saturday) April. There is no change in the block duration i.e., for three hours (from 12:15 hrs to 15:15 hrs).

GHMC to expedite land acquisition for Metro Rail works

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GHMC Commissioner and Special Officer Somesh Kumar has directed the officials to expedite the process of land acquisition to widen the roads which are affected due to Metro Rail works. He said cheques to the affected property owners should be issued on priority basis.

Somesh Kumar, along with Hyderabad Collector Nirmala, Ranga Reddy Collector Raghunandan Rao, HMR MD NVS Reddy and other senior officials held a review meeting on HMR Land Acquisition properties at GHMC Head Office on Thursday.

Water Board collects record Rs 1213 crore in FY 2014-15

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The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has collected a record amount of Rs 1,213 crores during the Financial Year 2014-15

When compared to 2013-14, Rs 300 crores more water tariff and connection charges have been collected. In the month of March 2015, a record Rs 145 crores was collected against an average of Rs 95 crores per month. There has been substantial increase in the paid CANs from April 2014 to March 2015. During April 2014, it was 55% which has risen to 59% during the month of March 2015.

Digvijay Singh asks cadre to gear up for GHMC polls

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AICC Secretary Digvijay Singh on Thursday asked the Congress workers to focus on winning the forthcoming GHMC elections.

According to sources, Digvijay Singh reviewed the party’s preparation for by-elections to Warangal Lok Sabha and Sanathnagar Assembly seat. He also discussed preparations for elections in three municipal corporations including the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. Describing the GHMC polls as quite prestigious for the party, he directed the leaders and cadre to concentrate on winning these elections.

Works on new Secretariat will begin soon: Tummala

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Roads & Buildings Minister Tummala Nageshwara Rao on Thursday informed that the design of the new Secretariat building is being prepared and works will begin soon.

Addressing a press conference at the State Secretariat here, the minister said that the R&B Department was assigned the job of preparation of design for the new Secretariat and same would be presented to Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for final approval. He informed that the State Government has already sanctioned Rs 150 crore for the new Secretariat building.

Blood test can reveal peanut and seafood allergy

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A simple blood test can predict who can have severe allergic reactions to peanuts and seafood, researchers from Mount Sinai Hospital have reported.

To detect food allergies, physicians typically use skin prick tests or blood tests that measure levels of allergen-specific IgE (sIgE), a protein made by the immune system.

However, these tests cannot predict the severity of allergic reactions. A simple, safe blood test can now accurately predict the severity of each person’s allergic reaction to foods.

Will Rahul Gandhi return, asks BJP

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The BJP on Thursday took a jibe at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, wondering if he was really set to return and attend an April 19 rally against the land acquisition legislation.

Asked about Gandhi, who is expected to come back from his sabbatical and address a rally against the government’s land acquisition bill, party spokesman Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said: “Are you serious? Is he coming back?”

“We do not know if reports about the date are true. No Congress spokesperson has made any statement to this effect, this is what you (media) are saying,” he said.

Musharraf faces arrest warrant for cleric’s killing

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An Islamabad court on Thursday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Pakistan’s former president Pervez Musharraf over the murder of former Lal Masjid cleric Ghazi Abdul Rasheed.

During the proceedings, counsel for the former president moved an application in the court requesting complete exemption for Musharraf from appearing in the court as he was not well, Dawn online reported.

In 2013, police registered a case against Musharraf over the alleged murder of cleric Ghazi Abdul Rasheed and his wife during the Lal Masjid military operation.

Bihar court orders FIR against Giriraj, narrow mindset: Sonia on remark

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A Bihar court today ordered police to file an FIR against Union Minister Giriraj Singh for his controversial remarks on Sonia Gandhi who ignored the racist comment saying she won’t respond to people with “narrow mindset”.

The Congress also took to streets stepping up its demand for sacking of Singh staging protests in Delhi and also in Bengaluru where BJP leaders have gathered for its National Executive meet.

The BJP on its part sought to bring closure to the raging controversy, saying it considers the matter closed as the minister has expressed his regret.

50 school girls allege sexual harassment; two teachers booked

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More than 50 girl students of the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya at Akola in Maharashtra have alleged that they were subjected to vulgar talks and sexual advances by two of their male teachers.

The students in an unsigned complaint written to State Commission for Women member Dr Asha Mirge on March 27 alleged that for the last four years these two men were saying and doing things that were inapt for a teacher.

Around 50 students studying in standards 9 to 12 complained to Mirge about the two teachers identified as Shailesh Ramteke (49) and Rajan Gajbhiye (42).

Tackle summer skin problems with extra care

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When the sun scorches nice and bright, it’s advisable to pay special attention to your skin. Keep yourself hydrated and use sunscreen among other things to save your skin from damage, says an expert.

Some major skin problems that occur due to over-exposure to the sun include fine and coarse wrinkles, benign tumours, age spots, discoloured areas of the skin called mottled pigmentation; Sallowness -a yellow discoloration of the skin; Telangiectasias – the dilation of small blood vessels under the skin; and Elastosis – the destruction of the elastic tissue causing lines and wrinkles.

Beware! Eyeliners may hamper vision

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The next time you pick up a pencil eyeliner, please consider that its particles can move into the eye and cause vision trouble.

The findings published in the journal Eye and Contact Lens Science and Clinical Practice emphasised that eyeliner can alter the tear film — the thin coating protecting the eye — and add to discomfort.

“We noticed that the makeup migration happened quicker and was greater when eyeliner was put on the inner lid margin,” said Alison Ng from the University of Waterloo in Candada.

AAP pulls up Congress, BJP over Khemka’s transfer

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With whistleblower IAS officer Ashok Khemka being transferred yet again in his 23-year-old career, the Aam Aadmi (common man) Party (AAP) on Thursday alleged that the Congress and BJP were two sides of same coin and do not intend to fight corruption.

“This proves the point that the BJP and the Congress are two sides of the same coin. They don’t want to fight corruption; rather they can’t tolerate a single honest person,” said AAP spokesperson Ashutosh.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed refused to comment on the issue.

‘Double standard’ BJP wrong to demand more time on tobacco consumption decision: Sibal

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Questioning the NDA Government’s move to hold off on a decision to increase the size of pictorial warnings on tobacco products, Congress leader Kapil Sibal said on Thursday that it reflected the BJP’s double standards.

“They have (Charan) their own ‘beedi business’ and obviously the sale of beedi will have to be increased. And, Modi ji will continue with his silence,” he said.