Egyptian experts to conserve mummy in Hyderabad museum
By IANS,
Hyderabad: Expert assistance from Egypt is finally on its way to conserve an Egyptian mummy dating back to 2500 BC at a museum here.
The mummy, believed to be of Nasihu, daughter of the sixth Pharaoh of Egypt, is on display at the Andhra Pradesh State Archaeological Museum here since 1930 but is now decaying.
A two member team from the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Egypt will visit Hyderabad for conservation of the mummy, believed to be over 4,500 years old.
15 shows, 40 exhibitors at India’s first men’s fashion week
By IANS,
New Delhi: Designers are queueing up to participate in the first Van Heusen India Men's Week (VHIMW) here in September that will feature as many as 15 shows and 40 stalls to display fashion wear and accessories under one roof, it was announced here Wednesday.
"As of now, we haven't decided on the designers, but all those who want to participate should send in their applications and the jury will decide who all will showcase and who will be given stalls to exhibit their work," event organiser Fashion Design Council of India's (FDCI) president Sunil Sethi told IANS here.
Surprise! No Indians in Man Booker long list
BY IANS,
London: The much awaited long list for the Man Booker Prize was announced here Wednesday with heavyweights J.M. Coetzee and A.S. Byatt leading the pack of 13 - and there are no Indian novelists in contention this time.
Coetzee, who has won the prize twice, is competing this time with his semi-autobiographical work "Summertime", while Byatt has "The Children's Book" in the list.
Indian authors have monopolised short lists in recent years - Aravid Adiga won the prize last year for "The White Tiger" - there are no authors from the country in the long list.
Truth can’t harm, court says; dismisses plea against ‘Sach Ka Saamna’
By IANS,
New Delhi: Citing India's "high ethos" and "rich heritage" and quoting Mahatma Gandhi, the Delhi High Court Wednesday dismissed the plea against the controversial reality TV show "Sach ka Saamna" and stated that no one should have any problem if people are telling the truth in open.
A division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice Manmohan said, "India is a land of rich heritage and high ethos and speaking truth is not harmful at all..... If someone wants to speak truth in public let him do so..."
Violence in Uttar Pradesh town after truck mows down three
By IANS,
Lucknow: A mob torched two police posts, a post office and several vehicles after a truck crushed three people to death and injured two dozen more in the main market of Mau town in Uttar Pradesh Wednesday, police said.
Although officials have confirmed only three deaths, eyewitnesses claim that over a dozen people were killed by the truck allegedly driven by a drunk driver.
The incident took place at around 2 p.m. when the truck entered the main Sadar market of the town.
Law ministry vetting bill on HIV/AIDS patients’ rights
By IANS,
New Delhi: A bill, which aims to ensure equal rights for HIV positive people in the country so that they don't face discrimination at work and at health care centres, is being vetted by the Law Ministry, Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told the Lok Sabha Wednesday.
"The bill on HIV/AIDS is at present under process with the ministry of law," the minister said.
The bill is pending since 2006 and addresses issues of discrimination in employment, health care, education and other settings.
No dilution in stand but engagement with Pakistan must continue: PM
By IANS,
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday asserted there was no dilution in India's stand on cross-border terrorism but argued there was no alternative to engagement with neighbours.
"We can have a meaningful dialogue with Pakistan only if they fulfil their commitments in letter and spirit not to allow their territory to be used for terrorist attacks against India," Manmohan Singh told parliament in his response to the debate on the July 16 India-Pakistan joint statement issued after a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in Sharm-el-Sheikh.
Delhi Metro begins trial runs on new standard gauge line
By IANS,
New Delhi: Trial runs were carried out Wednesday on Delhi Metro's first standard gauge line connecting north and north-west parts of the national capital.
Standard gauge lines are lesser in width compared to the Metro's existing broad gauge lines and are being introduced in the capital to fit international standards.
"The Delhi Metro started trial run of India's first standard gauge Metro train on the under-construction 15.15 km long Inderlok-Mundka line," Delhi Metro Rail Corporation spokesperson Anuj Dayal said.
Number of rape cases rising in India
By IANS,
New Delhi: India has recorded a rise in the number of rape cases during the past five years with states like Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal accounting for a large number of them, parliament was informed Wednesday.
According to the data compiled by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), a total of 20,737 rape cases were registered in 2007 against 19,384 in 2006, while the figure was 18,359 in 2005 and 18,233 in 2004 against 15,847 in 2003.
The data tabled in parliament pointed out that the maximum number of cases were registered in Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
End-use monitoring pact will not compromise sovereignty: PM
By IANS,
New Delhi: The end-use monitoring pact with the US "does not compromise our sovereignty" and will not allow American inspectors to visit Indian military installations, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh maintained Wednesday.
"You can be assured that our government has taken all precautions to ensure an outcome to guarantee (our) national security and interests. Nothing comprises our sovereignty," Manmohan Singh said in the Lok Sabha while replying to a debate on the government's recent foreign policy initiatives.
PWC predicts double digit growth for entertainment and media industry
By IANS,
New Delhi: The Rs.584 billion Indian Entertainment and Media industry is projected to grow by 8.3 percent in 2009 as compared to 10.3 percent in 2008 and 16.7 percent in 2007. But it is expected to return to double digit growth in 2010, says a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).
On poll-eve, Maharashtra regularizes Mumbai slums
By IANS,
Mumbai: In a major poll-eve bonanza for slum-dwellers, the Maharashtra government Wednesday decided to accord recognition to all slums that have come up till early 2000.
The decision was announced by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan following a meeting of the state cabinet.
All slums that have come up between 1995 and 2000 shall be considered as legal and hence eligible for all development, re-development and other schemes of the state government.
Punjab offers house, pension to Jallianwala Bagh hero’s son
By IANS,
Chandigarh: Embarrassed by recent events which forced Taufique Kitchlew, son of freedom fighter Saifudin Kitchlew, to leave Amritsar city for want of adequate accommodation, the Punjab government Wednesday offered government accommodation and a pension to him.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal made the offer for free government accommodation to Taufique, the only surviving son of Saifudin Kitchlew, legendary hero of Jallianwala Bagh massacre, if he intended to settle down in Amritsar, a government spokesman said here Wednesday.
India’s IT, outsourcing revenues seen at $63 bn this fiscal
By IANS,
New Delhi: India's information technology and outsourcing industry is expected to grow over 7 percent this fiscal to log revenues of $64 billion with much faster expansion within the domestic market, a leading industry group said Wednesday.
The National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) has forecast in its latest study that the software and outsourcing industry will log an export growth of 4-7 percent this fiscal to log $48-50 billion in revenues.
Government to attract talent in scientific research: Chavan
BY IANS,
New Delhi: The central government has approved a programme called Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (Inspire) to promote science and attract talent for pursuing career in research, Minister of State for Science and Technology Prithviraj Chavan said Wednesday.
Chavan, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, said the scheme was launched by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in December last year with an objective to attract talent and motivate them for studying science from an early age and pursuing career in research.
India has 53,000 HIV positive children: Azad
By IANS,
New Delhi : Nearly 53,000 children in the country are HIV positive, with Tamil Nadu topping the list with new 2,650 cases, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told the Lok Sabha Wednesday.
The minister said in 2006, about 2,253 cases were reported, while the following year 24,977 were registered. In November 2008, the figure touched 19,116.
"The cumulative total among children now stands at 52,973 in May 2009," Azad said.
India has 2.5 million HIV/AIDS cases.
Delhi doctors to get trained to fight ‘dirty bombs’
By IANS,
New Delhi : Hundreds of doctors in the national capital will be trained to handle chemical disaster before the Commonwealth Games next year.
A three-day special training programme was launched Wednesday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) as a beginning to get prepared for "dirty bomb attacks during Commonwealth Games". There will be longer programmes soon.
"We may face tough time in near future, and the effort is part of the preparedness to face any chemical during the mega sporting event," said M.C. Mishra, head of the AIIMS trauma centre.
India to launch US-made satellites on commercial terms
By IANS,
Bangalore : The technology safeguard agreement (TSA) signed recently paves the way for India to launch US-made satellites from its spaceport at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, a top space agency official said Wednesday.
"Space cooperation with the US has been high on the government agenda. We have negotiated and signed the TSA with the US State Department to enable us launch US-made satellites and satellites carrying US components on commercial terms," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman G. Madhavan Nair told IANS here.
UPA government needs no lessons on Pakistan from NDA: PM
By IANS,
New Delhi : The dossier submitted by Pakistan on the Mumbai terror attack was the first time it had "formally briefed" India on the results of an investigation into a terror attack, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Wednesday and added that his government needed no lessons from the NDA.
The dossier was a 34-page document containing details of the planning and the sequence of events, photographs, a copy of the first information report (FIR) and the communication methods used, the prime minister said in parliament.
Union opposes British Council plan to outsource jobs to India
By IANS,
London : Britain's civil service union has opposed plans to outsource more than 100 finance and IT British Council jobs to India, fearing it could set a precedent in government departments, a newspaper reported Wednesday.
The Times said 500 of the 1,300 jobs at the British Council, the quasi-government department that promotes British culture and language abroad, "would have to go" in the next 18 months to save 45 million pounds.
Chandigarh-Ludhiana rail link to open by 2011
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Nearly a decade after starting work on a 110-km rail link between the industrial hub of Ludhiana with this Punjab capital, a railway official Wednesday said the link will be operational by 2011.
"If the work goes as planned then the Chandigarh-Ludhiana railway link will become operational by 2011. Seeing a heavy rush of passengers and commodity traffic on this route this link is very important for the railways," H.K. Jaggi, divisional railway manager (Ambala division), told reporters.
No moral policing: Court dismisses plea against ‘Sach Ka Saamna’
By IANS,
New Delhi : Stating that courts have more important things to do than moral policing, the Delhi High Court Wednesday dismissed a plea to stop the telecast of the controversial reality TV show "Sach ka Saamna".
A division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice Manmohan said, "It is for the government to decide whether the programme should be banned or not. It is not the function of the court... There are far more serious problems in this country which we have to settle."
PM’s council on climate change to meet after over a year
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change is scheduled to meet here Aug 3, a member of the council said here Wednesday. The council is meeting after more than 13 months.
The high-powered council is expected to discuss at least two of the missions announced in India's National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) last year, according to officials in the Ministry of Environment and Forests. The missions are on boosting solar energy development and energy efficiency.
Seven seas will not wash shame at Sharm el-Sheikh: BJP
By IANS,
New Delhi : The BJP Wednesday launched a frontal assault on the government for compromising on India's stated position on Pakistan in the Sharm-el-Sheikh joint statement and said the "waters of the seven seas will not be able to wash the shame" brought on the country through this flawed initiative.
Need medical assistance? Dial new health line
By IANS,
New Delhi : Here comes a medical helpline on the lines of the emergency 911 service in the US. Residents of south Delhi -- particularly the elderly -- will soon be able to dial and get medical services right at their doorstep.
Peace of Mind is an initiative of the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) and is especially meant for senior citizens who may need medical help at any time of the day or night -- and not necessarily for an emergency. The health line number is 011-42255295. It will be operational in south Delhi in another 10 days.
Day-long workshop in Kerala to fight cyber crimes against women
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : The Kerala government will host a day-long workshop Aug 1 to find ways and means to tackle cyber crimes against women, state Social Welfare Minister P.K. Sreemathi said here Wednesday.
"Even though the police department does not maintain separate registers on cyber crimes against women, it is now common knowledge that women, especially school and college girls and young women, are falling prey to this crime," Sreemathi said.
India looking forward to hosting September trade talks: Anand Sharma
By IANS,
New Delhi : Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said he was looking forward to hosting the September meeting among global trade ministers to put the derailed global trade talks back on track.
India had proposed to host the mini-ministerial meeting of the 153-member World Trade Organisation (WTO) at the G20 Summit in London, which was attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, where leaders agreed to give a political push to trade talks.
Seven more Jharkhand districts declared drought hit
By IANS,
Ranchi : Jharkhand Wednesday declared seven more districts as drought hit after scanty rainfall affected paddy crop in the state.
Earlier, four of Jharkhand's 24 districts were declared drought hit.
An official spokesman said the seven districts declared drought-hit have been receiving less than normal rainfall. The districts are Dumka, Deoghar, Pakur, Saheganj, Jamtara, Godda and Giridih.
Palamau, Chatra, Latehar and Garwah districts were declared drought hit July 7.
In Jharkhand, only 20 to 22 percent paddy sowing took place due to scanty rainfall.
Gayatri Devi, former Jaipur queen, is dead
By IANS,
Jaipur : Gayatri Devi, the elegant former princess of Cooch Behar who became the maharani of Jaipur and was once considered among the world's most beautiful women, died here Wednesday, an official said. She was 90.
She was admitted to the Santokba Durlabhji Memorial Hospital (SDMH) here on July 17.
"She developed gastric problems in London and was admitted to a hospital there. She expressed her desire to return and was flown in an air ambulance to Jaipur. She was in SDMH since then," an administrative officer of SDMH said.
Striking Gujarat doctors face sacking threat
By IANS,
Gandhinagar : The Gujarat government Wednesday warned 600 resident doctors in government hospitals that their services would be terminated if they continued their strike to demand higher stipend.
The 600 doctors in state-run hospitals across the state are yet to resume their duties despite several warnings since July 23 while an equal number of doctors have decided to return to work, a senior health department official said here.
Eight Chinese firms to participate in Chennai exhibition
By IANS,
Chennai : Eight Chinese hospital equipment makers will showcase their products in the "Medicall" hospital equipment exhibition, which will start here Friday, organisers of the event said.
The fourth edition of the event is expected to attract around 4,500 visitors comprising hospital owners, doctors and medical equipment and consumables dealers this year, organisers said.
Two Trinamool activists killed in West Bengal
By IANS,
Kolkata : At least two Trinamool Congress activists were killed and four others critically injured in West Bengal's Burdwan district Wednesday, police said.
"No one has been arrested so far in connection with the incident. We're carrying out raids in the district to nab the perpetrators," a senior district police officer said.
According to officials, the incident took place in Natungram area of Burdwan Wednesday. Sheikh Samsur Rahman and Sheikh Zafar Ali were killed in the attack.
Need medical assistance? Just dial the 24/7 health line
By IANS,
New Delhi : Much like the emergency 911 services in the US, in another 10 days residents of south Delhi will be able to dial a helpline set up by the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) and get medical services right at their doorstep -- any time of the day.
Peace of Mind, as the initiative is called, is especially meant for senior citizens who may need medical help any time of the day of night, but not necessarily in an emergency.
TERI University launches two new courses on 10th anniversary
By IANS,
New Delhi : TERI University, associated with the think tank The Energy and Resources Institute, is starting two new courses this academic year, its tenth since getting deemed university status.
The university, located here, is starting a specialised MBA programme on business sustainability, which will produce people able to manage businesses in such a way that natural resources do not get used up, chancellor R.K. Pachauri announced here Wednesday.
CBI raids Tripura University, officials unaware
By IANS,
Agartala : A team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted raids at the Tripura University, a central institute, here following complaints of financial irregularities, an official said Wednesday.
"A CBI team led by deputy superintendent of police Biswajit Das conducted raids and interrogated university officials Tuesday and Wednesday following complaints of financial irregularities," a university official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
Madhya Pradesh teacher held for molesting minor students
By IANS,
Bhopal : A teacher accused of molesting tribal girl students of Class 3 and 5 was arrested Wednesday in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh, police said.
Sanjeev Sharma, posted in a school run under the Shiksha Guarantee Scheme in tribal-dominated Nupur Tapra village, had July 24 stripped girls in a closed room under the pretext of taking measurement for their school uniform.
Vidisha is the home district of the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Manmohan Singh denies Balochistan dossier from Pakistan
By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday told parliament that Pakistan did not give any dossier to India on Balochistan when he met his Pakistani counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani in Egypt July 16.
No such dossier was given, Manmohan Singh said while intervening in a debate in Lok Sabha on the July 16 India-Pakistan joint statement at Sharm-el-Sheikh that delinked Islamabad's action on terror from the composite dialogue process.
Security drill off Orissa coast started
By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : A two-day drill spearheaded by the Indian Navy started off the Orissa coast Wednesday to assess the effectiveness of coastal security, an official said.
The state police, Central Industrial Security Force, port, custom and fisheries officials and private security agencies posted at the ports and industrial establishments are also taking part in the drill.
"It is a simulated drill, wherein the entire security team would be divided into two groups. One is the intruder group and the other one will thwart the attack," said Commander P.J. Singh of Indian Navy.
Kidnapped Delhi schoolboy’s body found
By IANS,
New Delhi : A day after a 16-year-old boy was kidnapped from near his school in west Delhi for a ransom of Rs.2 million, police Wednesday found his body in another part of the capital.
Ribhu Chawla, student of K.R. Manglam School in Vikaspuri, was returning home after school when he was pushed into a car by some unidentified men. The kidnappers then sped away. Chawla lived with his parents in the same area.
Police said some witnesses called up the police control room at 3.17 p.m. to inform about the kidnap.
Airlines urged to follow Indian rules for security checks
By IANS,
New Delhi : Airlines should follow the law of the land while frisking passengers in India, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said Wednesday.
Referring to the recent controversy over former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam having been frisked at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport by Continental Airlines, the minister said: "The rules of BCAS (Bureau of Civil Aviation Security) should be followed in India."
The US airline frisked Kalam when he was going on a visit to the US this April.
New contract for Admiral Gorshkov not finalised: Antony
By IANS,
New Delhi : India and Russia are yet to conclude negotiations on the "substantial increase" in price that Moscow has demanded for the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, and the criticism expressed over the ship's viability will be kept in mind before signing the final contract, parliament was informed Wednesday.
Senators welcome Indian envoy on Capitol Hill
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : About two dozen leading senators cutting across the political divide rubbed shoulders with leading Indian Americans from across the US to welcome Indian Ambassador Meera Shankar on Capitol Hill in a gesture that reflected the growing political and strategic importance of the bilateral relatioship.
Shankar, who took over as ambassador in May, was making her first visit to the seat of the US Congress.
Assam to ban corporal punishment in schools
By IANS,
Guwahati : The Assam government will soon introduce legislation banning corporal punishment in schools after a Unicef report said the state topped the list of Indian schools where corporal punishment and humiliation of students was rampant.
"We shall very soon ban corporal punishment in schools as such a system to rein in students has become obsolete and often leads to adverse impact on the students' mental well being and trauma," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told IANS.
A Unicef study said 99.56 percent of students in Assam schools were victims of corporal punishment.
SP legislator’s property to be attached
By IANS,
Lucknow : A court in Varanasi Wednesday issued orders to attach the property of Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator Abdul Samad Ansari, who is absconding after being accused of having assaulted an additional district magistrate (ADM), police said.
On Tuesday, the Varanasi police procured arrest warrants for Ansari, legislator from Varanasi (North), and party corporator Manoj Rai who, along with over a dozen other people, allegedly assaulted ADM (Protocol) R.K. Singh in his office Monday.
Young Hyderabad-based designer creates festival bling with mirrors
By IANS,
New Delhi : Mirrors are making a statement in high-end Indian pret clothes this Raksha Bandhan, thanks to young Hyderabad-based designer Anand Kabra whose fall/winter collection was unveiled in the capital.
Kabra's mirror line, 'And the Mirror Crack'd' was showcased at the Crescent in the Qutab Monday. It was part of his Lakme India Fashion Week's ready-to-wear collection this year.
Apex court convicts senior lawyer R.K. Anand for contempt
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Supreme Court Wednesday upheld a Delhi High Court ruling convicting senior lawyer R.K. Anand for contempt to court in trying to forge a nexus with defence counsel I.U. Khan to shield main culprit Sanjeev Nanda in the BMW hit-and-run case.
The Supreme Court, however, acquitted prosecution counsel I.U. Khan of the contempt to court charges after partially questioning his conduct.
While upholding the high court ruling, a bench of Justice B.N. Agrawal also issued notice to Anand seeking his explanation as to why his punishment should not be enhanced.
Attacker seemed Indian, says reporter assaulted in Australia
By IANS,
Sydney : An Indian journalist, who was working undercover in Australia to expose an education and migration scam and was assaulted over the weekend, has said her attacker "looked like an Indian person".
The reporter, a 28-year-old long-time resident of Australia, told The Australian Wednesday: "My attacker looked like an Indian person and I was threatened in Hindi."
She was attacked in an inner-city Sydney street Saturday afternoon when a man wearing a turban came at her with an "almighty elbow to the right shoulder", the report said.
Gauri Advani of Eversheds joins UKIBC board
By IANS,
London : Gauri Advani, head of India Group at the law firm Eversheds, has joined the board of the UK India Business Council (UKIBC).
The council announced Wednesday that Advani is among seven new entrants in its 25-member board following the appointment of former cabinet minister Patricia Hewitt, MP, as the new chair of the UKIBC - the lead British agency promoting bilateral trade, business and investment between India and Britain.
Maoists kill panchayat head in Bihar
By IANS,
Patna : Suspected Maoist guerrillas Wednesday shot dead a panchayat head in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar as he refused to pay levy to the rebels, police said.
Premchand, head of Paigampur panchayat in Muzaffarpur, was killed outside his residence by a group of armed Maoist rebels at Dera Chowk in Minapur block, a police officer said.
The village head had been demanding security from the state government fearing a threat to his life. He also sought help from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar by appealing in the local dailies a few months ago.
US lawmakers warming up to rising India
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Reflecting the growing importance of India-US ties, some two dozen senators across the political divide rubbed shoulders with Indian Americans from across the US to welcome Indian Ambassador Meera Shankar on the Capitol Hill.
Senate majority leader Harry Reed, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman John Kerry, former Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman were among those who dropped by as Senate India Caucus leaders dilated on the importance of the relationship between the two great countries at the event Tuesday.
Catholics want law to govern church properties
By IANS,
Panaji : Amidst increasing clamour among the Catholic laity over the lack of transparency in the management of assets owned by the church, intellectuals from across the country have now begun demanding a law to govern properties owned and managed by the church.
Risky sexual behaviour among Jharkhand youths: Study
By Nityanand Shukla, IANS,
Ranchi : The incidence of premarital sex among Jharkhand youths, particularly in tribal areas, is higher than the national average, says a study that also points to low condom use and little awareness of AIDS in this section.
According to the survey, 17 percent of young men and seven percent of young women indulge in pre-marital sex while the national average is around 15 percent and three percent respectively.
Pushing TRPs up for the girl child
By Anjali Singh, CNS,
Lucknow: She epitomises the plight of girl children in India to the neglected, rejected, abused and sold off like property, "Laali", the character that Ratan Rajput plays in the popular tele serial "Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi kijo", has become an instant hit with viewers all over . No prizes for guessing why.
Muthalik granted bail
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Sri Rama Sene chief Pramod Muthalik, arrested on charges of making inflammatory speeches during communal riots in Mysore in the beginning of this month and lodged in Belgaum jail, was granted conditional bail on Tuesday by the Judicial Magistrate First Court in Mysore.
Tribal women protestors in Lalgarh teargassed
By IANS,
Lalgarh (West Bengal): A Trinamool Congress team, including two junior central ministers, visited this trouble-torn belt Tuesday and demanded the withdrawal of the ongoing security operations before police staged a baton charge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse a group of agitating tribal women.
Heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh
By IANS,
Shimla: Heavy rains lashed parts of Himachal Pradesh as south-west monsoon brought cheer to the people in the hill state, a weather official here said.
"Most areas of the hill state received heavy rain throughout the day," Meteorological Office director Manmohan Singh told IANS.
He said the temperature plummeted sharply following the rains.
Heavy rainfall in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh
By IANS,
Chandigarh: Heavy rains lashed Chandigarh and neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana Tuesday, ending days of dry weather in the region.
"There has been heavy rainfall in different parts of Punjab and Haryana. Specifically central Punjab, including the towns of Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Patiala and Hoshiarpur," director of the Met Department Chatar Singh Malik told IANS.
Malik said the monsoon was still weak in the southern and western parts of the region.
"We are expecting similar rainfall to prevail in the region for at least another two days," he added.
Thriller writer held for duping people in Delhi
By IANS,
New Delhi: A 42-year-old author who has penned 16 detective novels in Hindi has been arrested here for duping several people by promising them contracts for erecting cell phone towers, police said Tuesday.
Anil Saxena, the writer of novels like "Khaki Vardi Vala Kala Coat", "Khuddar", "Eent Ka Jawab Goli", "Sisakte Halat" and "Begunah Mujrim" that were published by Kavita Pocket Books of Meerut, was arrested from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh Monday.
Jeweller’s house burgled as family, guards sleep on
By IANS,
Agra: Burglars broke into the house of a jeweller here early Tuesday morning and escaped with five quintals of silver, worth Rs.one crore, as the family members slept on unaware in their rooms, police said.
Two armed guards at the colony were also sleeping at the time, according to the residents.
The jeweller, Rajvir Singh, a resident of Khandelwal Colony in Vijay Nagar area, runs a factory in his house, producing silverware, bracelets and also carrying out job work for others. Police suspect an employee or an ex-employee of Singh could be involved in the crime.
Mining in Western Ghats will be stopped, says Goa chief minister
By IANS,
Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Tuesday said the ecologically crucial Western Ghats would not be allowed to be mined.
The assurance from Kamat, who is also the minister for mines, came after sustained protests against illegal mining from the opposition members throughout the monsoon session of the state assembly.
"My government will see that there is no mining activity in the belt of Western Ghats," Kamat told the state assembly Tuesday evening.
Chand again Chander Mohan, returns to Hinduism
By IANS,
Chandigarh: The much talked about Chand-Fiza love saga took a fresh twist Tuesday with the former Haryana deputy chief minister returning to both Hinduism and his original name of Chander Mohan. This raised a question mark over the status of his second wife, Anuradha Bali, who had changed her name to Fiza before their marriage.
Chander Mohan visited a temple in the Haryana's Hisar town, some 275 km from here, and returned to Hinduism in the presence of religious leaders.
Nine firms in race for lifting coal from abandoned mines
By IANS,
Kolkata: Nine private players are in the race for extracting coal from 18 abandoned underground mines belonging to three subsidiaries of the state-run Coal India Ltd (CIL), according to a top official.
CIL had received expressions of interest from 17 companies for developing the mines, which have a total reserve of around 1,647 million tonnes. Later, the country's largest coal miner shortlisted 10 parties.
Civic body not to blame for chaos after rains, says Delhi mayor
By IANS,
New Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which was blamed by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Tuesday for the chaos in the national capital after heavy rains Monday, sought to pass the responsibility to other agencies.
"Unfortunately, time and again, we are being blamed even for the problems that are happening in Public Work Department (PWD) and New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) areas and roads although we have no control over them," Delhi Mayor Kanwar Sain said in a letter to the chief minister.
No need to panic over inadequate rain, says Pawar
By IANS,
New Delhi: There is no reason to panic over the inadequate rains in the country for the meteorological department has predicted good monsoon in August, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said Saturday.
Replying to a special discussion on drought conditions in the country in the Lok Sabha, Pawar said except paddy crop, whose area of cultivation had fallen drastically, the figures for rest of the major crops in the country were comparable to the corresponding period last year.
He said wheat cultivation of 252 lakh tonnes this year had crossed all-time records.
IT, tourism to be promoted in Himachal
By IANS,
Shimla: Agro-processing, tourism and information technology are three core areas which the central government and the Himachal Pradesh government are working to promote in the hill state, a top official said here Tuesday.
"We are exploring possibilities of new industry in the fields of agro-processing, tourism and information technology in the hill state," Secretary (Industrial Policy and Promotion) in the central industry ministry Ajay Shankar told reporters.
Delhi Metro cracks down on consultants, won’t miss deadline
By IANS,
New Delhi: Delhi Metro Tuesday cracked down on two design consultant companies, few engineers and a US expert for not doing their job properly leading to the collapse of an under construction elevated section that killed six people. But the deadline to complete all works before the Commonwealth Games next year will be met.
"Let me tell, there is no hurry at all. We will finish the works before deadline," Delhi Metro chief E. Sreedharan told reporters.
Tension erupts after Dera follower’s killing in Punjab
By IANS,
Chandigarh: A follower of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect was shot dead in a Punjab village Tuesday, police said. Tension was reported in the area and other towns of the state following the murder.
According to police, Lilly Kumar, who was in his late thirties, was shot dead near the sect's office in Alampur Mandra village in Punjab's Mansa district, around 200 km from here.
Jayram to lead Indian basketball team
By IANS,
New Delhi: Jayram Jat of Services will lead the Indian senior men's basketball team for the Asian Basketball Festival "Great Ball of China Tournament" to be held at Beijing July 31-Aug 3.
The team, which has been training in Bangalore since the last month and a half, will then head for the 25th FIBA Asia Basketball Championship to be held at Tianjin City, China Aug 6-16.
The team:
Birla Corp net up 69 percent
By IANS,
Kolkata: Birla Corp, the flagship company of the MP Birla Group, Tuesday reported a 69 percent jump in its profit after tax at Rs.155.34 crore in the quarter ended June 30.
"Higher realisation in cement business and sustained demand on account of stimulus announced by the government helped the company in achieving better results," it said in a statement.
Hockey India acting in undemocratic manner: Roy to Negre
By IANS,
New Delhi: Bengal Hockey Association (BHA) president J.B. Roy met International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Leandro Negre and asked him to restrain Hockey India from adopting "undemocratic" ways in its bid to set up an elected body to run the sport in the country.
Roy and disbanded Indian Women's Hockey Federation (IWHF) secretary Amrit Bose jointly made an appeal to the FIH chief.
"Roy and Bose informed Negre of the autocratic manner in which the Indian Olympic Association was administering the game," BHA said in a statement.
Chandrayaan beams moon’s shadow during solar eclipse
BY IANS,
Bangalore: India's first lunar mission Chandrayaan-1 captured the shadow of the moon on the earth's surface during the July 22 total solar eclipse, an Indian space agency official said Tuesday.
The images were captured by the terrain mapping camera (TMC) on board the 514-kg spacecraft, which is orbiting at 200 km above the lunar surface.
Global warming will affect India’s wheat bowls: Sharad Pawar
BY IANS,
New Delhi: Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Tuesday said global warming would have an adverse impact on India's wheat bowl in four northern states and that the Prime Minister's Office was overseeing attempts to counter it.
"Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and parts of Bihar, which are our wheat bowls, will be adversely affected by global warming," Pawar said in the Lok Sabha during his reply to a special discussion on the drought situation and floods in several states.
Special armed forces act to be more humane, says official
By IANS,
New Delhi: The stringent Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern states is being reviewed but cannot be repealed, the highest ranking home ministry official said Tuesday.
"The AFSPA is required to fight with insurgents, so it cannot be repealed. However, it is being reviewed and it will be made more humane by doing away with provisions like shooting at sight," Home Secretary Gopal Pillai told IANS.
Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award prize money increased
BY IANS,
New Delhi: The prize money for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dronacharya and Dhyanchand Awards have been increased.
Junior sports minister Pratik Prakashbapu Patil informed the Lok Sabha Tuesday that Khel Ratna prize money has been increased from Rs.500,000 to Rs.750,000 while Arjuna, Dronacharya and Dhyanchand Awards prize money has been increased from Rs.300,000 to Rs.500,000.
Father of slain terrorist moves Delhi High Court
By IANS,
New Delhi: Claiming that his son was an innocent, the father of a suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorist, who was killed in a Delhi shootout last year, has written to Delhi High Court seeking criminal proceeding against the policemen involved in the gun battle.
Mohammed Sajid's father Ansarul Hassan, of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, wrote to Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah pleading that an FIR should be filed against the police personnel.
Dikshit, Mayor apologise for monsoon chaos, two dead
By IANS,
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Mayor Kanwar Sain Tuesday offered public apologies after the season's heaviest monsoon downpour a day earlier left two people dead and exposed the poor civic facilities of a city bracing for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Authorities blamed each other for the stinking mess following some seven hours of heavy rains that flooded low-lying areas and numerous roads because of choking drains, causing massive traffic jams across Delhi that continued for the better part of Tuesday.
Indo-Tibetan force dispatches fourth batch to Congo
By IANS,
New Delhi: Central paramilitary Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Force has sent a replacement batch of 124 personnel to war-torn D.R. Congo as part of UN mission after its third batch returned to India Tuesday, an official said.
The fourth batch was led by Commandant G.C. Upadhayay.
Uphaar case: CBI seeks more time to file reply
By IANS,
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Tuesday sought more time from a city court to file its reply on a plea of the families of the Uphaar cinema fire victims, challenging its clean chit to former police officer Amod Kanth who allegedly allowed extra seats in the theatre.
District and Sessions Judge S.P. Garg allowed the plea and slated the matter for hearing on Aug 29.
India has 74,000 newspapers, Uttar Pradesh leads
By IANS,
New Delhi: Bucking the global recessionary trends in the media, India, the world's most populous democracy, boasts of 74,000 newspapers - with Uttar Pradesh leading the rest of the country in promoting a diversity of views.
"More than 74,000 newspapers are registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI)," Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Mohan Jatua said in a written reply during question hour in the Lok Sabha Tuesday.
Top French official praises Indian elections
By IANS,
New Delhi: A top French official has praised India for the successful conduct of the Lok Sabha elections saying it was a "fresh and dazzling demonstration of the vitality of the Indian democracy".
President of the Constitutional Council of France Jean-Louis Debre congratulated India's Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla for the smooth conduct of the month-long elections that were held in five phases beginning April.
Chawla visited France and met the head of that country's highest constitutional court last week.
Historians urge PM to save ancient monuments from misuse
BY IANS,
New Delhi: A group of historians, writers and intellectuals, including Irfan Habib, Sohail Hashmi and Ram Rahman, Tuesday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to protect monuments that were being misused by the people on the pretext of praying.
In association with the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust, they said this is in clear violation of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
Hyundai workers end strike after reaching deal with management
By IANS,
Chennai: The six-day workers' strike at the Hyundai Motor plant near here came to an end Tuesday following an agreement between employees and the company management.
The agreement has been signed in the presence of Labour Minister T.M. Anbarasan at the state secretariat, a company official said.
"The agreement between the union representatives and the management was signed this evening. We have agreed to bring back here the nine transferred workers," Rajiv Mitra, head of corporate communications, told IANS.
Uttar Pradesh’s stand sought on rights panel member’s ouster
By IANS,
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday asked the Uttar Pradesh government for its stand on a lawsuit by a judicial officer challenging his ouster from the state's rights panel.
A bench of Chief Justice K.G.Balakrishnan, Justice P.Sathasivam and Justice B.S.Chauhan issued the notice on the plea of J.S.Yadav, who was removed from the panel after Mayawati came to power in May 2007.
Yadav, who is from the state's subordinate judiciary, said he was appointed member of the Uttar Pradesh Human Rights Commission in 2006, during the regime of Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Omar Abdullah does not figure in CBI probe: Chidambaram
By IANS,
New Delhi: Home Minister P. Chidambaram Tuesday categorically said that Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's name did not figure in the probe into a sex scandal that had rocked the state in 2006.
"The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) has concluded the case and his (Abdullah) name does not figure in the list of the 17 accused chargesheeted," Chidambaram told reporters outside the ministry's North Block headquarters.
According to sources in the CBI, a status report on the investigation has been sent to the home ministry.
Haryana health minister in hospital after illness
By IANS,
Chandigarh: Haryana's Health Minister Kartar Devi was Tuesday admitted to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here following illness.
A senior Haryana government official said the health minister was suffering from acute asthma and her condition worsened in recent days. She is presently on ventilator support.
Delhi government to sell pulses at subsidised rates
By IANS,
New Delhi: Delhiites, hit by a sudden rise in prices of pulses, can heave a sigh of relief with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Tuesday launching 80 retail outlets across the capital where pulses will be sold at subsidised rates.
Dikshit said Chana Dal in 1 kg packet would be available at Rs.34, Moong Dhuli at Rs.58, Urad Dhuli at Rs.49 and Arhar at Rs.75 against the market prices of Rs.36, Rs.68, Rs.65 and Rs.83 respectively.
‘Farmers’ sons’ skip drought debate
By IANS,
New Delhi : A day-long debate in the Lok Sabha Tuesday on the drought conditions in several parts of the country had several "Kisan ke bete (Sons of farmers)" missing while they otherwise wax eloquent on issues concerning agriculture.
Most of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members were missing. So were the champions of the cause of the Hindi heartland like Lalu Prasad, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Sharad Yadav, who variously describe themselves as "Kisan ke bete" -- all could not be seen for the most part of the debate.
India, global aviation body sign pact on skill development
By IANS,
New Delhi : The government Tuesday signed a pact with International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents some 230 airlines comprising over 90 percent of scheduled air traffic globally, on skill development in the aviation sector.
Under the pact signed in Geneva, IATA will help Indian aviation industry personnel enhance skills to help them match global standards, the government said Tuesday.
Gujarat threatens to sack all striking doctors
By IANS,
Gandhinagar : The Gujarat government Tuesday threatened to sack all striking doctors of government hospitals if they did not return to work. Ninety-five resident doctors have already been dismissed.
A total of 1,200 doctors went on strike July 23 demanding higher stipend. Those who have been sacked had refused to return to duty despite repeated warnings.
"If other doctors continue to be on strike, more terminations would be ordered," a health department official said in a statement.
Street vendors will have permanent space: Sheila Dikshit
By IANS,
New Delhi : Now street vendors will have a permanent space to sell their wares, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said here Tuesday.
"We have plans for providing the street vendors of the city with permanent platforms, proper roofs and water connections," Dikshit said while addressing hundreds of street vendors who had come from all over the country to attend the National conference on Integrating Vendors in Urban India.
Bangalore ‘dowry court’ hears harrowing stories, demands stringent law
By IANS,
Bangalore : As 25 women poured out their stories of pain, suffering and survival -- after being brutally harassed by their husbands and in-laws for dowry -- at a unique "court" here Tuesday, activists demanded a stringent law to end the social menace.
Vimochana, the Asian Women's Rights Council (AWRC) and 40 other women's organisations came together to hold the India Court of Women on Dowry, called "Daughters of Fire".
Over 75 networking portals for farmers developed
By IANS,
New Delhi : The government has developed over 75 portals dedicated to the farm sector in a bid to make farmers aware of developments in technology and connect them better to the market, it said here Tuesday.
"For agricultural growth, it is very important to equip farmers with the latest technology. Mobile technology can bring about the much-needed interface with farmers," said Sanjeev Gupta, joint secretary in the department of agriculture and cooperation.
A new era of samosa diplomacy at the White House
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Chicken samosas were among the fare served at a White House reception hosted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for ambassadors including Indian envoy Meera Shankar.
Besides the Indian delicacy, waiters bore trays of tequila smoked salmon on crisps, leek tartlets, petit filet mignon sandwiches, cream brulee and blueberry vanilla tartlettes as Obama pledged renewed US engagement with the world at the reception Monday.
Number of swine flu cases in Maharashtra crosses 100
By IANS,
Pune : The number of swine flu cases in Maharashtra Tuesday touched 101, with the maximum cases (66) reported from Pune, a senior health official said.
In the hillstation of Panchgani, the health authorities have launched a "combing operation" in all the 16 top residential public schools to detect swine flu cases after 16 students tested positive Monday.
Pune, already declared a pandemic city, Tuesday recorded six more cases, taking its total to 66, of which 48 are children, state Swine Flu Control Room head Pradeep Awatre told IANS.
McLeod Russel eyeing tea plantations in Africa
By IANS,
Kolkata : The world's largest tea producer, McLeod Russel India is eyeing plantations in Africa, a top company official said here Tuesday.
"Logically, I would love to go to Africa because it is god's country for tea. The first focus will be Kenya. Once we go there, we will start looking for opportunities," said company managing director Aditya Khaitan.
The acquisitions will add around 5-10 million kg to McLeod Russel's total production, Khaitan told reporters on the sidelines of the company's annual general meeting.
Gujarat threatens to sack all striking doctors
By IANS,
Gandhinagar : The Gujarat government Tuesday threatened to sack all the striking doctors of state government hospitals if they carry on their agitation for an increase in their stipend and do not return to duty.
The Gujarat government has already sacked 95 resident doctors in government hospitals by Monday evening, who had refused to return to duty despite repeated warnings and a notice served to them.
Rains leave two dead in Delhi
By IANS,
New Delhi : An eight-year-old girl drowned and a 36-year-old man was electrocuted to death when rains lashed the national capital Monday evening, officials said Tuesday.
Sapna's body was found Tuesday when the water receded from her house in Devli, south Delhi.
According to officials, personnel of Delhi Fire Service were pressed into action around 12.15 a.m. following information that a house had been flooded with water after heavy rain.
"The girl was found unconscious in the house when we drained the water," said an official of Delhi Fire Service.
Uttar Pradesh welcomes widespread rain
By IANS,
Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh received heavy rainfall within 24 hours of the state government's declaration that 47 of its 70 districts were "drought-hit".
"It is a delayed monsoon", said a senior official at the state meteorological department, as 57 cm of rain fell Monday.
"We were always of the view that this year's monsoon was going to get delayed; and you can see the heavy downpour that large parts of the state have received over the past 24 hours," he said.
He was confident that the rain would continue.
Kids forced to leave exams, stand outside school in Jharkhand
By IANS,
Ranchi : Around 30 students were forced to stand outside their school in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand even as their examination was underway Tuesday because their parents had failed to pay the monthly fees, an official said.
The students of Holy Cross school were forced to leave the exam room as their parents had not paid the school fees for the month of July. Most of the students were aged below 10 years.
Accept marginalised communities for successful HIV projects: NGO
By IANS,
New Delhi : Members of the Tamil Nadu AIDS Initiative (TAI) project Tuesday said that welfare provisions such as a transgender welfare board and a separate budgetary allocation for the community, would go a long way in successful implementation of the programme amongst the marginalised community.
At a conference to discuss their successes, Lakshmi Bai, project director of TAI, said that for effective implementation of a project amongst marginalised communities like sex workers and transgenders, it is important to address their socio-economic concerns.
Chandrayaan sends photos of total lunar eclipse
By Fakir Balaji, IANS,
Bangalore : India's first lunar mission Chandrayaan-1 has captured the shadow of the moon on the earth's surface during the July 22 total solar eclipse, an Indian space agency official said Tuesday.
The images were captured by the special terrain mapping camera (TMC) on board the spacecraft.
Honour killings a shame on India: Chidambaram
By IANS,
New Delhi : The vilest crimes are committed in the name of defending the honour of a family or a woman and "we should hang our heads in shame" when such incidents take place in India in the 21st century, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Tuesday.
Double checks for Delhi Metro designs: Sreedharan
By IANS,
New Delhi : Designs of the Delhi Metro will be checked twice before being adopted from now on, its chief E. Sreedharan said Tuesday after a probe panel faulted the design and construction material for an accident that killed six people July 12.
At a press conference in the capital, Sreedharan said among the side measures taken by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to avoid any such accidents in future will be a design double-check by an independent design office.
Despite three runways at Delhi airport, flights getting delayed
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital boasts of three well-equipped runways, but flights, including those on international routes, continue to be delayed, especially at night.
Most international flights that operate during peak hours at night are generally delayed ever since the Delhi High Court restricted the use of the third runway (No.29) after 10 p.m.
Andhra high court’s verdict in Congress MP’s murder upheld
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Supreme Court has upheld an Andhra Pradesh High Court verdict, which convicted one of the two accused while acquitting the other for their alleged roles in the 1995 killing of Magunta Subbarami Reddy, Congress MP from Ongole.
A bench of Justice S.B. Sinha and Justice Cyriac Joseph upheld the 2004 ruling of the high court, which had convicted Pantanagi Balarama Venkata Ganesh for gunning down Subbarami Reddy on Dec 1, 1995 at Ongole and had sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Metro projects will be completed before Games: Sreedharan
By IANS,
New Delhi : Delhi Metro chief E. Sreedharan Tuesday said all their projects would be completed before the Commonwealth Games next year despite a major accident this month and the discovery of cracks in pillars.
"The mishap and the cracks seen in the pillars will not have any delay whatsoever on the overall completion of the Delhi Metro projects. We will be able to complete the work on all sections comfortably before the Commonwealth Games in 2010," Sreedharan said at a press conference.
Midday meals unsuccessful in Madhya Pradesh, says CAG
By IANS,
Bhopal : One would expect the enrolment of children in primary schools to increase with the implementation of the midday meal scheme. This, however, has not been the case in Madhya Pradesh. In fact, a drop in students has been recorded, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report for 2007-08.
Farmer robbed of Rs.10 mn in Greater Noida
By IANS,
Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) : A farmer was robbed of Rs.10 million (Rs.1 crore) here Tuesday while he was on his way to execute a sale deed of a property, police said.
The robbery took place in the Dankaur town of Greater Noida around 12 noon when Chhatar Singh was going in a Scorpio jeep with his family members to execute a registered sale deed at the district headquarters of Surajpur.
Gujarat assembly passes bill to tackle organised crime
By IANS,
Gandhinagar : The Gujarat assembly Tuesday passed the Gujarat Control of Organised Crime (GUJCOC) bill, which had been returned three times by the central government.
The GUJCOC bill was passed with only a minor amendment, of adding the word "terrorism" instead of "organised crime" throughout the bill as the Gujarat government does not have a single law exclusively to deal with terrorist activities.
The GUJCOC bill was first passed in the assembly in 2003 and had been subsequently rejected by the central government.
Tharoor takes lead for twinning Thiruvananthapuram, Barcelona
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor said Tuesday that a delegation from Barcelona would soon arrive here for talks on making the Spanish city and the Kerala capital twin cities.
Tharoor told reporters here that he has already discussed the proposal with the mayor of Barcelona, who has agreed to send two separate delegations to begin exploratory talks with the mayor of Thiruvananthapuram.
Special armed forces act to be more humane: official
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern states is being reviewed but cannot be repealed, a top home ministry official said Tuesday.
"AFSPA is required to fight with insurgents, so it cannot be repealed. However, it is being reviewed and it will be made more humane by doing away with provisions like shoot at sight," Home Secretary Gopal Pillai told IANS.
Blame game begins over Delhi’s monsoon blues
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Delhi government's claims of making the national capital a world class city before Commonwealth Games 2010 lay hollow as thousands of commuters struggled late Monday amid the heavy downpour leading to water logging and huge traffic snarls. However, as before, various government departments blamed one another.
Bangladesh seeks joint study on India’s Tipaimukh dam
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh will insist on a joint study to determine any adverse impact on its ecology that a dam India proposes to build near its border, a senior politician said Tuesday.
A day before a Bangladesh team's departure for New Delhi, former Water Resource Minister Abdur Razzak was quoted by bdnews24.com as saying that pending such a study, he would seek a assurance that India will not go ahead with the project, nor divert water from the river that is common to both neighbours.
Can hospitals cope with a large-scale bio-terror attack?
By IANS,
New Delhi : Can hospitals in a big metropolis such as Delhi cope with the outcome of a covert anthrax attack, in spite of an effective public health response which could be tripped by delays in detecting the attack and initiating a response?
Scientists in the US have recommended counter-measures to minimize a hospital surge resulting from anthrax-related illness and a response in the first two days after a major bio-terrorism attack.
Gujarat assembly passes bill proposing death for bootleggers
By IANS,
Gandhinagar : The Gujarat assembly Tuesday unanimously passed the Bombay Prohibition (Gujarat Amendment Act) 2009 bill that proposes death sentence or life imprisonment for those found guilty of manufacturing and selling illicit liquor in case of death of those who consume the brew in the state.
The new bill follows the death of 136 people after consuming illicit brew in Ahmedabad since July 5.
Pro-LTTE activists hold up Sri Lankan envoy
By NNN-PTI,
Chennai : A group of pro-LTTE activists blocked the way of outgoing Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai P M Amza as he was leaving after attending a felicitation function here.
Amza was being escorted to his car after the felicitation by the Andhra Chamber of Commerce late last evening when the Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (PDK) activists assembled in front of the vehicle and started shouted slogans against him, police said today.
The group blocked his way for about 20 minutes before police and organisers stepped in and made way for Amza's exit.
Uttar Pradesh tour guides to get crash course in foreign languages
By NNN-PTI,
Lucknow : For tourist guides in Uttar Pradesh, it's time to get a crash course in foreign languages and history besides learning some etiquettes.
In a bid to improve brand Uttar Pradesh and assist foreign tourists visiting the state, the government has decided to launch a special short term training programme for tourist guides.
"We are in the process of launching a special training course for the tour guides in the state for which applications have been invited," Director General Tourism, Avneesh Awasthi told PTI.
Prohibition law made stringent in Gujarat
By NNN-PTI,
Ahmedabad : In the backdrop of the recent hooch tragedy in the state that claimed over 130 lives, the Gujarat assembly Tuesday passed a bill proposing stringent punishment upto death penalty to deal with illicit liquor trade.
The Bombay Prohibition (Gujarat Amendment) Bill 2009 was passed with a majority vote in the House.
Indian Army keeps hawk-eye vigil over snow-covered peaks
By NNN-PTI,
Batalik (Kargil) : Braving bone-chilling cold and high velocity winds, an entire division of the Indian army is keeping a hawk-eye vigil over the high-altitude mountain clips in Kargil and Drass sector and not vacating them even during unbearable winter.
The army stopped its winter withdrawals from the scores of high-altitude areas after Pakistani forces took them by surprise in 1999.
NDA MPs meet president, slam India-Pakistan joint statement
By IANS,
New Delhi : The India-Pakistan joint statement signed in Egypt was against the "national consensus" that there should be no talks until Pakistan takes concrete action against terrorism, BJP leader L.K. Advani said Tuesday after meeting President Pratibha Patil along with NDA parliamentarians.
Gandhi’s South Africa home for sale, `response phenomenal’
By Fakir Hassen, IANS,
Johannesburg : The thatch-roofed house in which Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi stayed here as a young lawyer is up for sale and its owner says the response following global publicity was "absolutely phenomenal".
"I'm an optimist, and the interest being shown by local and international potential buyers following publicity makes me confident that a new buyer will also retain it in the same state that it has been for so long," Nancy Ball told IANS.
She described the response to the proposed sale as "absolutely phenomenal!"
New Uttar Pradesh governor to throw open Raj Bhavan doors
By IANS,
Lucknow : B.L. Joshi, who was Tuesday sworn in as the new governor of Uttar Pradesh, said he would throw open the doors of the Raj Bhavan to the public.
Joshi succeeds T.V. Rajeshwar, who bid farewell to Lucknow's Raj Bhavan Monday after completing a full-term here. He has earlier been governor of Uttarakhand and Meghalaya and the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.
The oath of office was administered by Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Chandra Mauli Kumar Prasad at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan.
Infopark Kochi doubles IT exports
By IANS,
Kochi : Infopark Kochi, an IT park promoted by the Kerala government, Tuesday said its exports almost doubled last fiscal to touch Rs.600 crore ($124.5 million).
It said in a statement that the companies based in the Infopark campus have hired 2,500 IT professionals in 2007-08, taking their total head count to 9,000.
Infopark houses 51 IT companies.
Kerala's total IT exports last year stood at Rs.4,000 crore.
"What the work environment in Kerala offers is a growth opportunity for both employers and employees," Kerala's IT Secretary Ajay Kumar said.
Gammon India may get blacklisted for two years
By IANS,
New Delhi : Construction major Gammon India may get blacklisted for a period of two years for the Delhi Metro mishap that killed six people July 12, Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy informed parliament Tuesday after a probe panel found fault with the design and materials used in the construction.
Reddy said the probe panel, headed by IIT-Delhi professor A.K. Nagpal, found "serious deficiency in the design of the cantilever arm and the concrete (used in the construction) not having the adequate strength".
Maoists kill CPI-M activist in West Bengal
By IANS,
Kolkata : Suspected Maoist guerrillas Tuesday killed a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) activist at Tantidoba in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district, police said.
State Inspector General of Police (North Bengal) Kundan Lal Tamta told IANS on phone that the Maoist rebels had called a shutdown in Jalpaiguri to observe the death anniversary of Charu Mazumdar -- one of the founding fathers of the movement in India.
Four of family killed as house caves in MP town
By IANS,
Bhopal : Four members of a family including two children were killed when the house in which they were living in a Madhya Pradesh town caved in following incessant rains, police said Tuesday.
"The incident occurred late Monday when the roof a house in Jaora town of Ratlam district fell and the side walls of the house also caved in killing all the four members of the family instantly," a police official from Ratlam police control room told IANS on phone.
"After the rescue operations, the police found four dead bodies. Further investigations are on", he said.
Vedanta to go ahead with mining sacred Orissa hill
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : British mining giant Vedanta said Tuesday it is going ahead with plans to mine a bauxite-rich hillside in Orissa considered sacred land by local tribals, and urged two international NGOs to give up their protest campaign.
"We are proceeding with the mining plans but there are still a few permissions that need to be granted," Zoe Watt, a spokeswoman for Vedanta Resources, told IANS after a high-profile protest at the Annual General Meeting of shareholders in London Monday.
Baig says Farooq Abdullah also linked to sex scandal
By IANS,
Srinagar : Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig Tuesday demanded an investigation into the alleged involvement of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in a sex scandal and added that his father Farooq Abdullah was also linked to the scam.
India’s central bank holds key rates amid caution on inflation
By IANS,
Mumbai : As parliament was witnessing some angry protests over rising food prices Tuesday, India's central bank cautioned that inflation rate can soon balloon to 5 percent, terming the current negative rate a "statistical" effect. It, accordingly, kept key rates unchanged in the quarterly update of its monetary policy for this fiscal.
Actress Leela Naidu is dead
By IANS,
Mumbai : Known as much for her roles in classics like "Anuradha" and "The Householder" as for her ageless elegance, Leela Naidu died here Tuesday after a prolonged illness. She was 69.
Born to an Irish mother and an Indian father, Leela Naidu was crowned Miss India in 1954. Vogue had also named her as one of the 10 most beautiful women in the world along with Maharani Gayatri Devi.
I am in race to become governor: Indian American woman
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : Yet another Indian American, this time a woman born to Sikh parents from Amritsar, is in the race to become governor of a US state.
Nikki Randhawa Haley, 37, who is in the fray for the post of governor of South Carolina in the US, says she is in the race to win. If she gets elected, Nikki will be the first Indian American woman to become governor in the US, and the second Indian after Bobby Jindal of Louisiana state.
Indian military acquisitions threaten peace: Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistan has accused India of threatening peace in South Asia by expanding its military arsenal.
"Continued induction of new lethal weapon systems by India is detrimental to regional peace and stability," Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late Monday.
The statement came a day after arch-rival India launched its first nuclear-powered submarine for sea trials.
India, Afghanistan set up partnership council, to combat terror
By IANS,
New Delhi : India and Afghanistan Tuesday underlined terrorism as "the most important security threat facing the region" and resolved to intensify cooperation in combating it. They will also set up a partnership council to enhance developmental ties.
The two countries issued a joint statement Tuesday after wide-ranging talks between Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and his Afghan counterpart Rangin Dadfar Spanta Monday evening.
Educationist shot dead in Ghaziabad
By IANS,
Ghaziabad : An educationist who ran a college was shot dead Tuesday morning at his residence in Modi Nagar town in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad district.
The police said Shyam Sunder Goel, who runs Astha Institute at Sikri-Kalan, was alone in his Krishna Nagar house when the assailants barged in and shot him dead. He sustained two gunshot injuries on his chest.
The incident came to light when his wife returned from her brother-in-law's house at 9.30 a.m. and found Goel lying in a pool of blood. She informed the police who have sent the body for autopsy.
We won’t tolerate cheating of foreign students: Australian minister
By IANS,
Sydney : Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has said the government "won't tolerate" any education and migration scam affecting foreign students, after such a scam was exposed by an undercover Indian reporter who was assaulted over the weekend.
Army attempting to locate 1968 Himachal crash victims’ bodies
By IANS,
Shimla : The Indian Army has embarked on another expedition to locate the bodies of 98 defence personnel who died 41 years ago when the aircraft they were travelling in crashed Feb 7, 1968 in the rugged, cold and inhospitable Himalayan terrain of Himachal Pradesh.
A total of 102 defence personnel, including six crew members, were travelling by the Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-12 aircraft that was flying from Chandigarh to Leh. It crashed on the 17,400 foot high Dakka Glacier in the Chanderbhaga ranges in Lahaul and Spiti district. Only four bodies have so far been found.
Delhi Metro cracks down on design consultants, officials
By IANS,
New Delhi : With the Delhi Metro probe panel finding serious fault with the design and material that led to a major accident at a construction site July 12, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has decided to blacklist its design consultants and crack down on some senior officials, Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy informed the Lok Sabha Tuesday.
"The DMRC has taken 10 steps in the wake of the Metro mishap and to ensure that such incidents don't re-occur," Reddy said.
Cryobanks International to expand network in Bihar
By IANS,
Patna : Cryobanks International India, a cord blood stem cell banker, is eying to expand its network in Bihar where awareness of stem cell banking is still very low, a company official said.
"We will expand our network across the state to create more awareness among people to come forward for stem cell banking," company's marketing head Ashim Ghazi said.
He said till now 18 to 20 umbilical cord blood stem cells were collected from Bihar on an average per month. "So far about 200 parents have stored samples of umbilical cord blood stem cells."
Pact with US to boost India’s space launch industry
By Venkatachari Jagannathan, IANS,
Chennai : A technology safeguards agreement (TSA) signed with the US last week will open up fresh opportunities for India in the field of space launches, say officials.
The agreement, signed July 20 in New Delhi, will facilitate the launch of non-commercial US satellites and satellites with US components on Indian launch vehicles.
Indian drug peddler jailed for life in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : An Indian drug peddler found in possession of heroin has been jailed for life along with two Bangladeshis by a court in Khulna, a town in the west of the country.
A kg of the drug was seized from Indian national Tarak Debnath and his hosts, Alamgir Hossain and Jahangir Alam, in March last year, The Daily Star said Tuesday.
Debnath, who carried the heroin from India, was picked up from Alamgir's house.
Illegal drugs are one of the more lucrative items smuggled across the 4,300 km border between Bangladesh and India.
Goa church lobbies against garbage dump near heritage complex
By IANS,
Panaji : The Roman Catholic church in Goa is drumming up support amongst its followers and politicians against the state government's decision to develop a garbage dumping site near the historic Old Goa church complex.
The Old Goa complex, located nearly 10 km from here, served as the capital of Portuguese India in the 16th Century and has the remains of Spanish missionary saint Francis Xavier. It is of immense religious and tourist significance to Goa and draws millions of visitors each year.
Children ill after lizard-infested meal in Bihar school
By IANS,
Patna : At least 21 students of a school at Khemanbigha in Nalanda district fell ill soon after having their mid-day meal, officials said Tuesday. Their parents told police that a lizard was found in the food.
"They are suffering from food poisoning but after initial treatment they are out of danger," said a doctor at the hospital where the children have been admitted after their meal Monday.
Various such cases have been reported in Bihar in the last one month.
Teacher slapped Class 3 boy, finds magistrate
By IANS,
Chandigarh : A teacher who was accused of slapping a Class 3 boy several times at the prestigious St. John's High School here has been held guilty by a magistrate, an official said Tuesday.
Sub-divisional magistrate Niharika Rai, who was probing the case of corporal punishment at the boys' school, submitted her report late Monday.
"I have got the final report. Now we are seeking legal opinion in this case and also told the school authorities to take appropriate action against the guilty teacher (Reema Talwar)", Education-cum-Home Secretary Ram Niwas told IANS.
Pandit’s Citi to keep expanding in India, China
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Citigroup Inc's Indian American chief executive Vikram Pandit says he hopes to continue expanding the bank's business in the two biggest engines of growth in Asia, China and India, despite tough local restrictions.
The bank wouldn't retreat from fast-growing Asian businesses even as the financial crisis has forced it to shrink its balance sheet by about 25 percent, he told Wall Street Journal in an interview at Citigroup's Hong Kong headquarters Monday.
Flood fears return to haunt Bihar
By IANS,
Patna : A record water discharge into the Kosi river from Nepal has revived fears of a repeat of last year's devastating floods in Bihar. The state government has sounded a high alert as the increasing water levels pose a threat to the river's embankment, officials said Tuesday.
The state government has alerted top officials, including engineers, to keep a close watch on the newly repaired structures on the river banks, an official of the water resources department said.
Student commits suicide in Ghaziabad
By IANS,
Ghaziabad : Sandeep Tyagi, a first year student in an engineering college, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself at his residence in Surajmal Enclave here after he failed in some subjects.
The case came to light Monday night, police said.
According to the police, Tyagi, 20, was found hanging at his residence after he failed to clear some of his subject papers at HR Institute of Technology in Ghaziabad.
Highlights of India’s monetary policy update
By IANS,
Mumbai : Following are the highlights of the first quarterly update of India's monetary policy for this fiscal, unveiled by Reserve Bank of India Governor D. Subbarao here Tuesday:
* Bank rate retained at 6 percent
* Repo rate unchanged at 4.75 percent
* Reverse repo rate unchanged at 3.25 percent
* Cash reserve ratio unchanged at 5 percent
* Statutory liquidity ratio unchanged at 24 percent
* Inflation forecast hiked to 5 percent from 4 percent
* Negative inflation only a statistical phenomenon
Lok Sabha adjourned after protests over price rise
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Lok Sabha was adjourned for half-an-hour Tuesday as opposition MPs demanded a discussion on the rise in prices of essential commodities. They had earlier held a sit-in outside parliament on the same issue.
The lower house was adjourned till 11.30 a.m. soon after it assembled, as members of the Left parties, Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), AIADMK and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) demanded that the Question Hour be suspended and the price rise be discussed.
11 dead, 10 injured as wall collapses in Noida
By IANS,
Noida : Eleven people died and 10 more were injured when a wall collapsed on their slums in Noida due to heavy rain, police said.
The incident occurred at 11.00 p.m. Monday in Bishanpura locality.
The police said Raghuraj Chauhan, the owner of the wall, had raised it up to 12 feet to shut out the slums which were visible from his residence. On Monday night when it was raining, the wall collapsed on the slums.
Himachal farmers spraying chemicals to ripen apples
By IANS,
Shimla : An apple a day may not keep the doctor away. Desperate farmers in Himachal Pradesh are resorting to ripening the juicy fruit with an overdose of chemicals that could harm the human body.
"Most farmers in apple-growing states are under pressure from middlemen to ensure regular supply of apple much before its due time as early arrival is highly remunerative. For this, they start ripening the fruit well in advance by using certain chemicals," S.P. Bhardwaj, joint director at the Solan-based Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, told IANS.