Attack on Rita Bahuguna’s house: Police call records to be checked

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Lucknow, August 08: As part of the probe into the arson attack on Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s house, the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) will collect call details of several senior policemen, officials here said on Saturday.

“By analysing the call records we will be able to assess the locations of the policemen at the time of the arson incident,” a senior CB-CID official told IANS on condition of anonymity.

India not serious about 26/11 probe, says Pak

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Islamabad, August 08: Pakistan on Saturday insisted that the information provided by India on the Mumbai attacks is “not sufficient” for it to take appropriate measures to bring those responsible for the 26/11 carnage to justice and accused New Delhi of adopting a “non-serious” attitude.

The information provided by India so far is “not sufficient,” Interior Minister Rehman Malik was quoted as saying by the “Express 24/7” news channel.

He also said that India has not given some of the information sought by Pakistan last month.

141 districts drought-hit, says Manmohan

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New Delhi, August 08: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said there was drought in 141 districts in the country and that people must be prepared for a further rise in the prices of essential commodities as there was a shortfall of six million hectares in the area under paddy crop this kharif owing to deficient southwest monsoon. This is the first time that the government has admitted to drought, price rise and specific shortfall in kharif sowing operations.

Senior militant killed in Indonesia shootout

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Jatiasih, August 08: One of Asia’s most-wanted men, Islamic militant Noordin Mohammed Top, was killed after 18 hours of armed standoff with Indonesian anti-terrorism police in Central Java Saturday, local television reported.

Police believe Malaysian-born Noordin was the mastermind behind bomb attacks on two Jakarta luxury hotels last month, which killed nine people including two suicide bombers.

TV One channel, citing police sources at the scene, said Noordin was killed in a raid on a house in a remote village in Temanggung district after a siege that lasted 18 hours.

Air Canada posts $155 mn profit

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Toronto, August 08: Air Canada, the world’s ninth largest airline, has reported a second quarter profit of USD 155 million — 27 percent up from the same period last year.

During this period, the airline also reported foreign exchange gains of USD 355 million as against USD 48 million during the same period last year.

However, the struggling national carrier, which was on the verge of seeking second bankruptcy protection in six years, still posted an operating loss of USD 113 million as against a profit of USD 7 million during the same period last year.

Indian firm to build eye care centre in Addis Ababa

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Addis Ababa, August 08: Indian project development firm Overseas Infrastructure Alliance (OIA), involved in diverse projects in Africa’s second-most populous nation, will build an eye care centre in the premises of the Zewditu Memorial Hospital here as part of its community partnership programme. The project has been lauded by Ethiopia’s President Girma Woldegiorgis.

Iran puts more moderates on trial

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Tehran, August 08: Iran put more prominent moderates on trial on Saturday in connection with the unrest that erupted after the country’s disputed June presidential election, Iranian media reported.

“The trial session of the second group of those accused of being involved in post-election unrest started this morning,” said Fars news agency.

—-Agencies

Nepal talks fail, peace process in danger

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Kathmandu, August 08: As negotiations between Nepal’s Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda failed Saturday, the former guerrillas vowed to keep up their siege on parliament — a move that could derail the promulgation of a new constitution next summer.

‘We are ready to call off our protest if the prime minister agrees to create a conducive atmosphere in parliament for a debate,’ former premier Prachanda told the media before departing on a 10-day trip to Britain.

However, he said it would not be possible.

Fighting kills at least 17 in Somali pirate port

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Somalia, August 08: Gunbattles between clan militiamen killed at least 17 people and wounded 30 on Saturday at a pirate stronghold on the coast of Somalia, witnesses said.

Local man Farah Aden told Reuters by satellite telephone that the fighting began overnight and became heavier in the morning, forcing most residents to flee Haradheere.

“The two clans are fighting over land and a girl who was raped in the forest. Unfortunately, the battles spread into town … Fighting is going on fiercely,” he said.

Blueberry leaves can halt hepatitis C virus

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Washington, August 08: A chemical in blueberry leaves halts reproduction of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), which infects 200 million people worldwide and can eventually lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Currently, there is no vaccine for HCV, and though a combination drug regimen can clear HCV infection, this treatment is only about 60 percent effective and poses risks of severe side effects.

Teenager Umar inspires Pak to a 146-run win

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Colombo, August 08: Teenager Umar Akmal smashed an unbeaten 102 off 72 balls as Pakistan won the fourth one-dayer by 146 runs on Friday to record their first win on a dismal tour of Sri Lanka.

Umar’s maiden international century and a dogged 89 from skipper Younis Khan lifted Pakistan to 321-5 after the tourists elected to bat in the day-night match at the Premadasa stadium.

Seamer Rao Iftikhar then grabbed 5-30 as Sri Lanka were shot out for 175 in 36.1 overs, handing Pakistan a badly-needed win after they were beaten 2-0 in the Test series and lost the first three one-dayers.

World Badminton meet will go on under full security: Chidambaram

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New Delhi, August 08: Home Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said there is no no specific information of a threat to the World Badminton Championship in Hyderabad beginning on Monday and the event would be held under complete security.

“I am satisfied that the World Badminton Championship will take place in complete security. No one need to have any apprehensions on this score,” he said responding to a question on reports of a terror threat to the championship to be held between August 10 and 16.

India, Russia close to final testing of air-launched BrahMos

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Moscow, August 08: Indian and Russian scientists are close to final development and testing of the air-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.

A top Russian defence official said a new take-off engine for launching of the missile in air and at extreme high altitudes had been developed.

Alexander Leonov, Director of the Russian Machine Building Research and Production Center, said: “we are ready for test launches.”

Ashes: Australia take control of fourth Test

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Leeds, August 08: Peter Siddle took his Test-best figures and Stuart Clark marked his return to international cricket with three wickets as Australia bowled out England for just 102 at Headingley on Friday.

England, who won the toss, were routed on the first day of the fourth Ashes Test with Siddle taking five wickets for 21 runs in 9.5 overs and Clark three for 18 in 10 as Australia looked to level the five-match series at 1-1.

Sania in semi-finals of Vancouver tennis tournament

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New Delhi, August 08: India’s Sania Mirza faced a tough fight from Canada’s Rebecca Marino befiore winning the quarter-final match of the $75,000 International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament in Vancouver.

According to information received here, top seed Sania won 7-6 (2), 6-7 (3), 6-4 against the 18-year-old Marino in the Canadian city Friday night.

In the semi-final, Sania will meet the winner of the all-Canadian match between Sharon Fichman and wild-card holder Marie-Eve Pelletier.
–IANS

Cop fires in air, bullet hits young cricketer

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Chandigarh, August 08: Angry over the fare charged from him, a policeman quarrelled with a bus conductor, then pulled out his service revolver and fired in the air to frighten him, but the bullet hit a young cricketer in the head, police said Saturday.

The incident took place here Friday evening, when Jitender Singh from the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) fired a shot in the air inside a bus bound for Jalandhar. The bullet hit 20-year-old Rahul Kumar, a co-passenger. He was taken to hospital in a serious condition.

Door still not closed for Akthar

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Karachi, August 08: Newly appointed Pakistan Chief Selector Iqbal Qasim feels controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, though left out of the Champions Trophy probables, still has a future in international cricket if he proves his fitness.

“The door is not closed on Shoaib Akhtar, he can still play cricket for Pakistan in future, however what he needs to do is to prove to the selection

committee that he is fit enough for international cricket,” Qasim said.

‘India’s Asian Games participation in jeopardy’

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New Delhi, August 08: Indian cricketers` refusal to sign the WADA anti-doping code has cast a shadow over their participation in next year`s Asian Games, admits IOA General Secretary Randhir Singh.

“If you don`t comply (with the WADA) as far as the rules and regulations are concerned you cannot participate in the Asian Games,” said Randhir.

Indian cricketers, backed by the BCCI, are not ready to sign the whereabout clause of the code, which makes it mandatory for players to reveal three-months in advance their location for out of competition dope test.

Titan’s surface similar to that of Earth

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Washington, August 08: A new research indicates that Saturn’s haze-enshrouded moon Titan turns out to have much in common with Earth in the way that weather and geology shape its terrain.

Wind, rain, volcanoes, tectonics and other Earth-like processes all sculpt features on Titan’s complex and varied surface in an environment more than 100 degrees Celsius colder on average than Antarctica.

“It is really surprising how closely Titan’s surface resembles Earth’s,” said Rosaly Lopes, a planetary geologist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.

NASA’s Cassini reveals 3D objects in Saturn’s rings

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Washington, August 08: Recent images captured by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft are revealing new three-dimensional objects and structures in Saturn’s otherwise flat rings, thanks to the planet approaching equinox on August 11th.

Through the detections of shadows cast upon the rings, a moonlet has been spotted for the first time in Saturn’s dense B ring and narrow vertical structures are seen soaring upward from Saturn’s intricate F ring.

Particle collider: Black hole or crucial machine?

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Geneva, August 08: When launched to great fanfare nearly a year ago, some feared the Large Hadron Collider would create a black hole that would suck in the world. It turns out the Hadron may be the black hole.

The world’s largest scientific machine has cost USD 10 billion, has worked only nine days and has yet to smash an atom. The unique equipment in a 17-mile (27-kilometer) circular tunnel with cathedral-sized detectors deep beneath the Swiss-French border has been assembled by specialists in many countries, with 8,970 physicists eagerly awaiting the startup.

Australian angle: Ponting proves a true leader of men

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Sydney, August 08: Australia stormed back into the series with a sharp and aggressive performance that exposed the weaknesses of an unsettled home side.

Ricky Ponting deserves credit for holding himself and his side together in hard times and his reward came as his players produced their tightest, toughest cricket of the campaign. Not that the match is over: Leeds Tests move along in fits and starts.

Why Pakistan is obsessed with Kashmir

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New Delhi, August 08: If Pakistan cannot envisage “long-lasting peace” with India unless the Kashmir problem is solved, as the country’s Foreign Secretary Abdul Basit has said, the reason has less to do with its concern for the “wishes of the (Kashmiri) people” than with the question of Pakistan’s own survival as a nation.

Men who do housework are better at attracting women

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Washington, August 08: Women have a thing for men who are prepared to ‘chip in’ around the house, according to a new study.

The Oxford University study looked at relationships in 13 countries to reach the conclusion.

Researchers quizzed 13,500 men and women aged between 20 and 45 from each country about gender, housework and childcare responsibilities.

The research ranked British men as the third most likely to win women’s hearts through their devotion to domestic life.

They find suitable boys for poor girls

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Lucknow, August 08: Simply put, they fix matches. They also organize mass weddings. Sounds like any old marriage bureau? Wait, they only arrange marriages for impoverished families, don’t charge a rupee and make sure the groom doesn’t either.

A group of youths in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district, some 110 km from Lucknow, is running an organisation that offers matrimonial services aimed at arranging dowry-free marriages of poor girls.