Month: July 2015

HAL to impart aerospace training

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State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) will impart aerospace and aviation skills to 520,000 trainees and groom 6,000 trainers to create human capital for the burgeoning sector across the country over the next 10 years.

“We have signed an agreement with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to train and certify 520,000 youth and groom 6,000 trainers in the aerospace field over a decade through the sector skill council,” HAL chairman and managing director T. Suvarna Raju said in a statement here on Wednesday.

Security forces bust guerrilla hideout in Jammu

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Security forces on Wednesday busted a guerrilla hideout in Jammu region’s hilly Kishtwar district, and a large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered, an official said.

which could have been used to abet terrorist activity were recovered.

“We unearthed a cache of weapons and ammunition from a hideout near the remote area of Kasiyan in Kishtwar district today (Wednesday),” defence spokesman Colonel Manish Mehta told IANS here.

Mitchell Starc sceptical over controversial pink ball in day-night Test

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Australian pace bowler Mitchell Starc has raised concerns over the decision to use pink balls in the first day-night Test match scheduled later this year, stating that it reacts ‘ very differently’ to the usual red ball.

The 25-year-old paceman, who played a round of Sheffield Shield day-night trial matches in Australia, insisted that the pink ball doesn’t react anything like the red ball in terms of swing and hardness, the Guardian reported.

Sunny Leone slams Rakhi, Celina’s ‘useless’ comments

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Sunny Leone finds it “unprofessional” on the part of item girl Rakhi Sawant and actress Celina Jaitley to make “baseless” comments about her in public. The Indo-Canadian adult film star, who has carved a niche in Bollywood over the years, however, doesn’t care.

At the launch of “MTV Splitsvilla 8”, Sunny was asked about her reaction to the duo’s remarks.

Males could help develop offspring’s brains before pregnancy

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A new study has shown that males could positively influence development of offspring’s brains before pregnancy.

Sachiko Koyama, an associate research scientist at Indiana University and lead researcher said that in the first of kind study, they found that male pheromones seem to influence the nutritional environment following birth, resulting in changes to the brain that could extend to future generations.

Fresh talks on new Greece bailout

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Eurozone ministers are scheduled to discuss a Greek request for a new bailout on Wednesday after Athens missed the deadline for a $1.7-billion payment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

On Tuesday, eurozone finance ministers refused to extend the previous bailout following the collapse of talks.

As a result, Greece became the first European Union (EU) country to fail to repay an IMF loan and is now in arrears, BBC reported.

Chelsea Clinton charges USD 65,000 for 10-minute speech at University of Missouri

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Chelsea Clinton proved to be a better and more affordable option at the University of Missouri at Kansas City when the institute could not afford her mother Hillary Clinton’s appearance at its gala luncheon.

The US presidential candidate’s fees ranged between USD 370,000 and 800,000 as compared to her daughter’s USD 65,000, Sputnik news agency reported.

Chelsea is reportedly helping her mother appeal to young voters for her 2016 presidential campaign.

She agreed for a 10-minute speech and participated in a 20-minute question-and-answer session. (ANI)

Just feel emotions and I’ll know it: Mark Zuckerberg

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Is it possible for us to be able to directly share emotions, thoughts and sensory feedback with each other, just as we currently share text, photos, and videos through social networks? Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg believes it is possible.

In other words, if you just feel love or repulsion for a person at the other end, the person would know it without your texting it.

“You’ll be able to think of something and your friends will immediately be able to experience it too,” the Facebook CEO commented as part of a lengthy Q&A session hosted on the wall of his own Facebook profile.

Congress dismisses reports of deal on GST Bill

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The Congress on Wednesday dismissed reports that it offered to ensure smooth passage of Goods and Services Tax Bill in parliament if the government removed External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

“Question of quid pro quo on the all-pervading issue of morality and constitutional accountability does not arise,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told the media here.

Demanding the resignations or sacking of BJP ministers were issues of “righteousness”, he said.

Frost & Sullivan assesses factors fuelling retail growth in Saudi Arabia

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Saudi Arabia is the second largest retail market in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with estimated sales of USD 98 billion in 2011. The major factors fuelling the growth of the retail industry in the Islamic kingdom are the increasing consumers’ disposable income, high marginal propensity to consume, increasing growth rate of the GDP, and Government spending. In addition, the country’s favourable demographic attributes make it one of the youngest and fastest expanding consumer groups in the world.

Sonam Kapoor inaugurates Style Loft for Delhi fashionistas

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With a high dose of fashion, style and a tad of Bollywood glamour, actress and fashion icon Sonam Kapoor inaugurated Style Loft by Ambika Pillai, housing collections by designers like Pia Pauro and Malini Ramani, here.

Style Loft is a multi-brand outlet comprising of exclusive designer apparel and jewellery.

The store, which is located in the capital’s South Extension area, was inaugurated on Tuesday. It also has collection of Pankaj and Nidhi and AM:PM, among others, read a statement.

Strong performances help Santner, Elliott earn NZ central contract

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Rookie all-rounder Mitchell Santner and veteran Grant Elliott have been awarded a place in New Zealand’s list of centrally contracted players on Wednesday on the back of their recent strong performances.

Santner, who made his debut during the recently concluded series against England, produced an impressive performance with his left arm-spin and lower-order batting in the limited-over series.

Describing Santner as a ‘genuine all-rounder’, coach Mike Hesson said that his appearance on the list is recognition of his skills in all three forms of the game, Sport24 reported.

Delhi HC slams AAP govt for declaring farmer Gajendra Singh as martyr

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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday slammed the Aam Aadmi Party Government for declaring farmer Gajendra Singh as a martyr.

The High Court has sought reply from the Delhi Government on how was Gajendra declared a martyr.

The notice is to be replied in four weeks.

Singh had hanged himself from a tree during an Aam Aadmi Party rally at Jantar Mantar against the Land Acquisition Bill, in April.

SelfieWithDaughter: Can India save 23 million girls?

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India’s child sex-ratio (below six years) is now the worst in 70 years, possibly the worst ever. The latest decline was from 927 (girls per 1,000 boys) in 2001 to 918 in 2011.

The child sex-ratio, if it does not improve, will lead to a deficit of 23 million women in the 20-49 age group by 2040.

Urbanisation is worsening the child sex-ratio: it is 905 in towns and cities, 923 in rural areas.

Three of five states with the worst child sex-ratio have higher per capita income than the national average, but the link with prosperity is less clear.

SC turns down gas tariff regulation plea

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Companies supplying gas are now free to fix their own tariff with the Supreme Court on Wednesday turning down a plea by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) seeking power to regulate prices of intra-city supplies.

An apex court bench, headed by Justice Dipak Misra, dismissed a PNGRB plea seeking control over the supply of gas by different companies, including Indraprastha Gas Limited, within cities.

Environmenatlists oppose move to shrink eco-zone near Taj

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Local environmentalists on Wednesday again voiced their opposition to the Uttar Pradesh government’s move to reduce the eco-sensitive zone limit around Sur Sarovar or Keetham Lake from ten km to just 250 metres.

In an unanimous resolution passed at a conference held at Youth Hostel Hall in the city, the green brigade warned of dangerous consequences of what it called a suicidal step.

Woman suspiciously died after falling from height

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A woman suspiciously died after falling from height in Kukatpally area. According to Kukatpally Housing Board Police, 35-year-old Vedaiah, W/O Shankar Chari, R/O Nizampet area suspiciously fell from 4th floor of a building. She died on the spot. PHB police is investigating the case.

Siasat news

Royal Mint unveils Princess Charlotte’s christening coin’s design

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Designed by Engraver John Bergdahl, the design for Princess Charlotte’s christening coin has been recently unveiled by the Royal Mint.

The coin, which is surrounded by harp-playing cherubs, features an inscription, “To celebrate the christening of Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge 2015” in the centre, reported E! Online.

As per reports, the inspiration for the design was drawn from the lily font that has been used in the baptism of royal babies since Queen Victoria’s era.

Sensex up 249 points; capital goods stocks gain

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A slew of positive macro economic data coupled with factoring-in of the Greek loan default led Indian equity markets to make healthy gains during the late-afternoon trading session on Wednesday.

A barometer of the Indian equity markets, the sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) gained by 249 points in the late-afternoon trade session.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also made healthy gains. It edged up 93.40 points or 1.12 percent at 8,461.90 points.

Bill Clinton’s foundation marks 10yrs of fighting childhood obesity

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Bill Clinton’s foundation collaborated with American Heart Association 10 years ago to empower next generation to have a healthier relationship with food and fitness and to fight childhood obesity.

Clinton Foundation with American Heart Association has been slowly and steadily achieving its goal, as the number of calories that American children take in each day has been going down every day, childhood obesity rates have decreased, schools are serving more nutritious food to kids who have also reduced consumption of processed food and sugar-sweetened beverages, the CNN reported.

Apple’s first radio venture ‘Apple’s Beats 1’ launched

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Apple’s Beats 1 radio station, which is the tech giant’s first venture in radio, has recently launched its first show from Los Angeles with host Zane Lowe.

The former Radio 1 DJ premiered singer Pharrell William’s track ‘Freedom’ during the show and played hit ‘City’ by the Manchester band Spring King as the show’s first song, reported the BBC.

Moreover, rapper Drake, Pharrell William and Sir Elton John are also lined up to host shows alongside Dr. Dre, St. Vincent and Josh Homme.

Militants kill 30 soldiers in Egypt’s restive Sinai Peninsula

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At least 30 soldiers have been killed in a fresh spate of simultaneous attacks by suspected Islamist militants on Egyptian army checkpoints in the restive Sinai Peninsula, security officials said.

The attack targeted at least six checkpoints south of the town of Sheikh Zuweid. The assailants also took soldiers captive and seized several armoured vehicles, reported The Washington Times.

US State Department releases new trove of Hillary Clinton’s emails

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The US State Department has released a trove of emails from United States Democratic Party front-runner Hillary Clinton’s first year as the Secretary of State as she mounts her second campaign for the White House.

According to the New York Times, many messages include simple scheduling and logistics where Clinton is confirming meetings at the White House.

The new trove of emails released by the State Department does not concern the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, that has been the subject of a Republican-led congressional inquiry.

Indofil CMD says Swaraj Kaushal never considered for director

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Indofil chairman and managing director Krishan Kumar Modi on Wednesday said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s husband, Swaraj Kaushal’s name was never considered for the post of director, adding that the appointment was a mere suggestion by Lalit Modi.

“Lalit Modi had proposed that Swaraj Kaushal be given the post of an alternate director, a proposal that he later withdrew. Thus the board of directors never considered his name. We have never had any discussions with Kaushal over the same,” KK Modi told ANI.

Detailed story to follow. (ANI)