I took advantage of Belaetrix’s slow movements: Saina

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Satisfied to have crossed the first-round hurdle comfortably, Saina Nehwal on Wednesday said she took advantage of her opponent Belaetrix Manuputi`s slow movements in the India Open Super Series here.

Saina said while Manuputi had good strokes but the slow court coverage gave her an upper hand.

“She is a very talented player and has good strokes. She could be really tricky at times but has good court coverage also. But she was very slow on the court so that gave me enough time to get ready to play the cross court shots,” she explained.

“Untouchability” continuing in politics: Modi

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Apparently alluding to the protest by CPI(M) and resentment by Congress over his visit to Sree Narayana Mutt at nearby Sivagiri, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday regretted “untouchability” was increasing in politics.

“Political untouchability is increasing in society though this great evil had been eradicated in social life to a great extent by works of spiritual leaders and reformers,” Modi said inaugurating the golden Jubilee of Sree Narayana Dharma Meemamsa Parishad at Sivagiri Mutt at Varkala,30 km from here.

MI beat KKR by five wickets in a thrilling contest

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Mumbai Indians held their nerves during the death overs as they beat defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets in a thrilling contest in the Pepsi Indian Premier League, here on Wednesday.

It couldn`t have been a better 40th birthday gift for Sachin Tendulkar as MI chased down a 160-run target with a ball to spare as they got back to winning ways after back-to-back defeats against Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils.

Two arrested for raping teenager

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Two youths were arrested for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl, police said today.

The girl was forcibly taken away from Gurudwara road here allegedly by her landlord’s son Umar and two others over two months back. She was returning home from the house of her maternal grandfather in Solenagar village of Meerut at the time, they said.

–_PTI

PM should appear before JPC: Yashwant Sinha

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In the backdrop of former telecom minister A Raja telling the JPC that he took major decisions after consulting the Prime Minister, BJP leader Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday asked Manmohan Singh to appear before the panel, saying his silence will “confirm” his involvement in the 2G scam.

“Is it not time Mr Prime Minister that you speak on these issues by appearing before the JPC?” Sinha, a member of the joint parliamentary committee probing the 2G issue, said in his latest letter to the Prime Minister.

Manmohan Singh condoles passing away of Shamshad Begum

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The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, on Wednesday expressed sadness over the demise of legendary singer Shamshad Begum.

In his condolence message, Dr. Singh said that Shamshad Begum was among the most popular singers of our country for over three decades and captured the hearts of music lovers with her enchanting voice and unique tonal rendition.

“She was an artist of extraordinary talent and abilities, and the songs she has left behind in her long career, which she started with AIR in 1947, will continue to enthrall music lovers,” he added.

Mamata Banerjee announces 500 crore relief for chit-fund victims

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With the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Government in West Bengal drawing sharp criticism from the opposition parties over the alleged fraud by collapsed chit fund company Saradha Group, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced Rs. 5,000 crore relief for the victims.

“Some people trying to defame me and my government. Action be taken against TMC MPs if found guilty,” said Banerjee, and added that she is ready to call a special assembly session to enact a special law on chit-funds.

“Why didn”t RBI and other central agencies act?” she asked.

Abdul Hamid sworn in Bangladesh’s new president

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Elected unopposed, Abudl Hamid was sworn in as Bangladesh’s new president Wednesday evening at the Bangabhaban presidential palace.

The 69-year-old was elected unopposed Monday as he was the lone candidate, Xinhua reported.

The veteran politician was sworn in by acting Speaker Swakat Ali, the post Hamid vacated in the absence of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP) led by former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

A lawyer by profession, Hamid became the acting president March 14 after late president Zillur Rahman fell sick and was flown to Singapore for treatment.

Omar for clear cut message to China

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Wednesday wondered what New Delhi’s response would have been had Pakistan intruded into Indian territory, and asked for a clear cut message to China.

He was referring to the situation that has arisen in Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) area in Ladakh, where the Chinese troops have set up their tented posts since April 15.

“Had Pakistan intruded into the Indian territory 10-15 km, the whole nation would have been staging protests and expressing outrage,” Abdullah told a public meeting at Kathua district, some 300 km from Jammu.

Inter-state car lifter gang busted in Gurgaon

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A gang of car lifters active in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh was busted here, police said Wednesday.

Yogesh and Nitin from Sirsa district were arrested by Crime Branch, Palam Vihar, while trying to sell a stolen car near Kherki Daula in Gurgaon April 15, 2013.

“During interrogation, they confessed to their involvement in several cases of car thefts in Delhi, NCR and other states,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rajesh Duggal said.

Man gets 10 years jail for raping minor

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A Delhi court has sentenced a man for 10 years jail for raping the minor daughter of his friend after entering his house, when her parents were not there and she was sleeping.

A fast-track court of Additional Sessions Judge M.C. Gupta recently awarded jail term to 28-year-old Krishna, a resident of Daulatpur in west Delhi.

The court also imposed Rs.16,000 fine on him for raping the 13-year-old girl two years ago, when her parents were not at home.

IPL Scoreboard: KKR vs Mumbai Indians

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The scoreboard of the Indian Premier League match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians here Wednesday.

Kolkata Knight Riders innings:

Yusuf Pathan c Harbhajan Singh b Johnson 19
Gautam Gambhir c Harbhajan Singh b Ojha 26
Jacques Kallis c Sharma b Ojha 37
Manoj Tiwary b Malinga 33
Eoin Morgan c Sharma b Johnson 31
Debabrata Das b Malinga 6
Rajat Bhatia not out 1

Extras (b 1, lb 3, w 1, nb 1) 6

Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Pathan, 1.1 overs), 2-68 (Gambhir, 7.6), 3-92 (Kallis, 11.4), 4-146 (Morgan, 17.6), 5-158 (Tiwary, 19.4), 6-159 (Das, 19.6)

Bowling:

10,000 trees planted in UAE’s Ras Al Khaimah

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A total of 10,000 trees have been planted by ceramics company in Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE since 2010, an official said.

The effort reflects the commitment of the RAK Ceramics company to environment-related corporate social responsibility as trees help clean the air, produce oxygen, reduce carbon-dioxide emission and help clean the soil and provide natural habitat to a large number of species, said Abdullah Mas’ad, chief executive officer of RAK Ceramics.

He said the tree-planting initiative also helps educate employees and raise their awareness about the environment.

—IANS

Goa bans drinking alcohol on beaches

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Goa government has banned drinking liquor on beaches in a bid to curb littering and nuisance caused to women tourists.

However, one can continue to enjoy drinks at designated places like beach shacks, Goa Tourism Director Nikhil Desai told PTI.

“The ban has been imposed under Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Act which gives the right to the state government to ban things which create nuisance in the tourism zones. The act envisages to protect and maintain the tourist places from deterioration and erosion and preserve the tourism potential”, he said.

Hubble captures possible ‘comet of the century’

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NASA’s iconic Hubble Space Telescope has captured the clearest view yet of Comet ISON, which experts believe could become one of the brightest comets ever seen when it lights up the sky later this year.

Comet ISON was discovered in September 2012 by Russian amateur astronomers Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok.

The new photos were snapped on April 10, when the comet was slightly closer than Jupiter. At the time the icy wanderer was about 621 million kilometers from the Sun and 634 million km from the Earth.

CM Chouhan gives number of gifts to leather crafts-persons

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(Pervez Bari): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that suitable spaces will be earmarked for commercial activities of leather crafts-persons in urban bodies. Better training will be imparted to them. Apart from training expenses, allowance will also be provided to trainee leather crafts-persons. Social security scheme will be chalked out under which they will be registered and provided identity cards, scholarships will be given to their children and assistance for maternity, treatment and marriage. Assistance will also be provided in case of death of family head.

India Open: Saina in second round of women’s singles

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Olympic broze medallist and top seed Saina Nehwal advanced to the second round of the women’s singles event at the $200,000 India Open Super Series badminton here Wednesday.

The World No.2 beat Belaetrix Manuputi of Indonesia 21-12, 21-15 in 33 minutes at the Siri Fort Sports Complex to improve her career head-to-head to 2-0. She had earlier beaten the Indonesian at the All England Open in March.

Beware of bank account and password stealing Internet virus

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A new virus has been found to be “spreading widely” in the Indian cyberspace which cleverly steals bank account details and passwords of the user once it is clicked.

Country’s cyber security sleuths have alerted Internet users in the country about the new and suspected variant of malware family called ‘Win32/Ramnit’.

Over 100 killed as building collapses in Dhaka

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More than 100 people were killed and over 600 injured Wednesday when an eight-storeyed building crumbled on the outskirts of capital Dhaka. Rescued workers complained they were forced to get back to work though the building was evacuated just a day earlier after cracks appeared.

Those trapped under the rubble screamed for help as rescuers scrambled to get them out.
The building, “Rana Plaza”, collapsed around 8:45 a.m. It housed a market, several garment factories and a bank branch.

Promises galore in Congress manifesto for Karnataka polls

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Opposition Congress Wednesday released its manifesto for the May 5 Karnataka assembly elections, promising 30 kg of rice for Re.1 per kg to BPL families, loan waiver to farmers and laptops for college students.

Admitting that the party was late in releasing its manifesto, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D. Parameshwara said the Congress was committed to implementing the promises if elected to power in the 225-seat assembly, to which one member is nominated by the governor as a representative of the Anglo-Indian community.

Six-year-old sexually assaulted in AP

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A six-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a teenage boy in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh.

The alleged incident occurred at Pakala Pallepalam on Monday. The girl, who complained of stomach pain last night, was shifted to a hospital; her condition was stable, police said.

The girl used to watch TV at the accused’s house. On Monday, he raped her when there was nobody else in the house, police said.

The victim’s mother alleged that the boy’s relatives warned her against going to the police.

Minaret of landmark mosque in Syria destroyed

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Syrian state media and anti-government activists say the minaret of the famed Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo has been destroyed.

But the two sides offered different explanations for what brought it down today.

The state news agency says rebels from the al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra group blew it up.

Aleppo-based activist Mohammed al-Khatib says a Syrian army tank fired a shell that “totally destroyed” the minaret.

–Agencies

Don’t put me in Ajmal Kasab’s cell, pleads Abu Jundal

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Abu Jundal, an alleged operative of terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba and a key handler during the Mumbai attack (26/11), has approached Bombay High Court seeking that he should not be kept in solitary confinement in the same cell where Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab once stayed.

Jundal has been lodged in Arthur Road prison in central Mumbai. His cell was earlier occupied by Kasab, the lone arrested terrorist of 26/11 attacks, before he was executed at Pune’s Yerawada jail.

Fire in books godown in Abids

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Fire broke out in a four-storeyed building in the Boggulakunta area of Abids in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
As there is a books godown in the building it took over four hours for the fire services personnel to bring the fire into control. Fire spread to four floors of the building.

Though fire is extinguished, authorities are fearing that the building might collapse.

–Agencies

Kishen Reddy to fast on Home guards problems

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State BJP chief and state Home Guards welfare Association President G Kishan Reddy said he would sit in fast for one day along with the family members of home guards at Indira Park at 9 am on April 26.

In a statement here on Wednesday, he said though home guards were working day and night on par with the police, they were poorly paid. He lamented that the home guards organization was created 50 years ago, their conditions had not improved. He said though they were working day and night, their families were living in abject poverty.