MIM heckles, drives out minister

The civil supplies minister, Mr K. Venkata Krishna Reddy, was literally driven out of the old city by workers of the Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen on Wednesday and was arrogantly snubbed by its leaders. The shaken minister was left apologising to the Owaisis.

Mr Krishna Reddy's embarrassing experience made it evident that the MIM's writ runs in the old city and the ruling party can do nothing about it.

The minister had reached the old city to conduct surprise checks on fair price shops.

However, as soon as he stepped into Talabkatta along with the legal meteorology controller, Ms Tejdeep Kaur, other officials and mediapersons, he was surrounded by fair price shop dealers and local MIM workers.

The MIM workers obstructed the convoy and started pushing the minister back, raising slogans against him.

They told him that he could not visit the locality without prior permission from the local legislator, Mr Akbaruddin Owaisi.

Though Mr Krishna Reddy tried to explain the reason for his visit, the mob was not willing to listen and asked him to leave the place.

The minister then called up Mr Owaisi. It was evident that the MLA blasted him over the phone since all that the minister could say in reply was: "yes..., sorry..., sorry...."

Then Mr Krishna Reddy turned his convoy to Darussalam, the MIM headquarters,

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International Cricket Council appeals commissioner Justice John Hansen on Tuesday gave a stinging rebuke to match referee Mike Procter by dropping the punishment on a charge of racist abuse levelled against Harbhajan Singh.

Justice Hansen of the New Zealand high court set aside the three Test ban imposed on the off-spinner by Procter following complaints that Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds had been called a "monkey" during the third day of the Sydney Test early this month.

The charge against Harbhajan was downgraded from a level 3.3 breach of the ICC's code of conduct to level 2.8, use of abusive language, and he has been fined half his match fees.

In all, Justice Hansen heard about five hours of evidence at the Federal Court here from Harbhajan, Sachin

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Kids hurt in Masjid blast wait for aid, operation

Two children carrying splinter wounds from the Mecca Masjid blast are still waiting for compensation promised by the Centre.

On May 18, 2007, 10-year old Shahbaz Khan and his brother Altaf Khan, 8, went to Mecca Masjid to offer namaz. They sat close to the Chhabutara (platform) under which an improvised explosive device was planted. When the bomb went off, they were thrown in the air and fragments from the explosion pierced them in the face, abdomen and legs.

"Shahbaz wanted to return home as he was feeling hungry but Altaf insisted that they do so only after offering namaz. Shahbaz relented and they stayed back and bore the brunt of the blast," recalled their mother, Mumtaz Bano. Her husband, Mehfooz Khan, earns a living making school bags in a small outlet in...

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Article taken from the issue: 28 Jan 2008

Court stays legalisation of crooked construction

The much-maligned Building Penalisation Scheme has suffered one more jolt with the Andhra Pradesh High Court staying the issuance of regularisation certificates to building owners for the time being.

The bench gave these directions while dealing with a petition filed by Mr K.H.V. Prasad, a resident of Kakatiyanagar, who argued that the government does not have the power to approve irregular constructions.

Already, BPS has been pilloried by citizens and political parties for charging high penalisation rates and for selectively targeting building owners, while steering clear of builders and culpable officials.

The scheme is meant to regularise deviations from the original design of buildings.

The HC directive also comes at a time when the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, has called a meeting of officials to discuss the possibility of reducing the penalisation rates to stave off public rage.

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Article taken from the issue: 25 Jan 2008

Girls feel unsafe at subway shops

The second-hand book market of the city has lost much of its student customers after being hurriedly shifted from the pavements of Kothi to the dark subway. Earlier, the market, the second biggest in South India, used to sell text books, guides and model question papers at throwaway prices but now girl students are even afraid to step into the subway to pick up old books.

It was the unholy haste of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation which landed the second-hand book sellers in dire straits. Curiously enough, after speedily removing the book sellers from the pavements, the GHMC ended the eviction drive. The pavements have again become the haunts of hawkers and rag pickers.

Meanwhile, the book sellers, who were doing good business from their pavement stalls, are struggling to make ends meet at the subway. The GHMC had accommodated about 70 shops in the subway and shifted another 50 to the MCH complex at Sultan Bazar.

Traders who shifted to the subway are suffering the most. They hardly get any customers and while away their time in small talk. Those who shifted to Sultan Bazar are faring slightly better since they can stand on the road and solicit customers. When it rains, water rushes into the subway and it is a struggle to keep the books from getting sodden.

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Article taken from the issue: 24 Jan 2008

Salman faces a fatwa

Actor Salman Khan is once again in trouble with the Muslim clergy in Deoband, who have issued a second fatwa against the actor.

The Darul-Ifta in Deoband has termed Salman Khan's wax statue at Madame Tussauds Museum as "haram (unlawful)" according to the Sharia.

A fatwa issued by Mufti Salim Ahmad Qasmi said that setting up statues was prohibited in Islam, particularly of living things. "Salman Khan is a living being and his statue at Madame Tussauds is

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India puts in space Israeli spy satellite

Israel on Monday used an Indian space vehicle to place its radar imaging satellite TecSar, which some have interpreted as a spy satellite, into a predetermined orbit from the launch pad at the SHAR centre in Sriharikota, about 80 km north of Chennai.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C10, with its precious 300-kg payload, lifted off from the first launch pad at SHAR at 9.15 am and placed TecSar, a "synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology satellite", 1,185 seconds later in the intended orbit with a perigee (nearest point to earth) of 450 km and apogee (farthest point from earth) of 580 km with an orbital inclination of 41 degrees with respect to the equator.

[Israeli defence officials were quoted by AP in a report from Jerusalem as saying that Tel Aviv's spy satellite will be able to track goings-on in Iranian territory even at night and in cloudy...

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Article taken from the issue: 22 Jan 2008

Light up your eyes

Tired of looking haggard with those dark under eye circles? It's one of the most common cosmetic complaints affecting nine out of ten people. But fret not. Here's how you can bring out the brightness in your eyes. Why the darkness?

You could be born with a sharp nose (high nose bridge) and deep-set eyes so naturally your eye circles appear dark. You will need plastic surgery to flatten the nose bridge, and push up the eye sockets to make the dark circles disappear.

Some people are born to have genuine dark circles. They would need a lighter shade of foundation to conceal them.

Some suffer from insomnia lack of adequate rest and sleep. Medical/psychiatric treatment has to be sought to treat the insomnia. Once this person gets to sleep normally, his/her dark circles will automatically go.

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Article taken from the issue: 21 Jan 2008

MIM men set to start a new bangle bazaar

Jan. 17: One more bangle market is coming up in the Charminar area which already boasts the historic Laad Bazaar.

The new market, which may be named Laad Bazaar-II, will be set up in the PunchmohallaMoti Gali Road on the south of the Mecca Masjid.

Speedy work is going on in the area to create necessary infrastructure including roads and parking lots.

Most of the properties in this lane reportedly belong to leaders of the MIM and an influential business family.

It is alleged that the few others who own properties along the road are not being allowed to sell it to outsiders.

The plan is to have about 100 shops which would sell bangles of all varieties. They will come up all along the lane.

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Article taken from the issue: 18 Dec 2008

Vatican: Potter a danger to children

The Vatican City has slammed J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter as "the wrong kind of hero" who poses a danger to children across the world.

In a damning article, the Vatican's official newspaper L'Osservatore Romano has condemned the popular teenage boy wizard for promoting witchcraft and occult, the Church's latest view on the Potter series.
Under the headline The Double Face of Harry Potter, the article by an expert in English literature says: "Despite the values that we come across in the narration, at the base of this story, witchcraft is proposed as a positive ideal. The violent manipulation of things and people comes thanks to...

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Article taken from the issue: 17 Jan 2008

A kiss on the cheek better than handshake

The next time you greet a person, avoid shaking hands. Instead, give a peck on his or her cheek. It's healthier for you.

A team of international researchers has carried out a study and found that people who greet with handshakes are much more likely to pass on germs such as flu and stomach bugs, than those who settle for a kiss.

"The hands are critical in the chain of infection as they transmit infections from surfaces to people and between people," said lead researcher Prof. Sally Bloomfield.

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Article taken from the issue: 14 Jan 2008

Rs 1 lakh drink to get your Valentine high

With Valentine season just round the corner, youngsters are saving up to woo their better halves this winter. But for all those with extra cash, the season offers an alternative. Either one can now go in for the newly launched "People's car" costing just Rs 1 lakh or buy a drink for your lady for the same amount.

Yes, a drink worth Rs 1 lakh. Called the "Cupid's Love Punch", it is probably the most exclusive and expensive wine cocktail available for the Delhiites launched by a leading Indian wine maker.

The speciality of this drink apart from its key ingredient, Sauvignon Blanc and Peach Schnapps (Italian sweet liquor) along with orange juice and aerated drink is a diamond ring at the bottom of the drink served in an Italian crystal glass.

According to ND Wines, which has launched the cocktail, it is solely made for the people who are deeply in love and want to propose in a unique way.

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Article taken from the issue: 10 Dec 2008

Bhajji and tour are safe, Bucknor is out

India may not have won the war yet, but they did get the better of a significant battle with controversial umpire Steve Bucknor moved out of his assignment in the third Test at Perth.

Also, the International Cricket Council, in a bid to defuse brewing tensions between the Indians and the hosts, decided to fly in the head of the match referees' panel, Mr Ranjan Madugalle, in time for the third Test.

In effect, this will supersede the authority of current match referee Mike Procter. It was the South African's decision to hand a three-match ban to Harbhajan Singh on a Level 3.3 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct relating to racism that almost directly led to the current impasse.

The BCCI, after a late night working committee meeting, announced that the series Down Under would "continue for the present". The board, however, made it clear that the ban against Harbhajan Singh was "totally unacceptable". Mr Sharad Pawar has been authorised to use every resource to clear the off-spinner of the "obnoxious and baseless" charge. "The working committee of BCCI took note of relevant circumstances and developments and decided

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Noted Tolly wood director Shoban died of a heart attack while narrating a film story.

The 38-year-old actor-turned director had gone to the residence of Telugu heroine Bhumika Chawla in Madhapur on Monday evening to talk about an upcoming project.

However, while narrating the story of the film, Shoban complained of chest pain and collapsed. Bhumika and her husband, Bharat Thakur, immediately rushed him to the Image Hospital in Madhapur. But doctors could not save his life.

"As we were talking, he just fainted," said a shocked Bhumika. "My husband asked me to call the doctor immediately. But by the time the doctor arrived, Shoban's pulse had stopped. We took him to the hospital where he was declared dead."

Shoban was a protégé of well known filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma. He had learned his trade under the ace director and also acted in one of his super hits films, Kshana Kshanam.

As an actor, he will be

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Student shot dead at Santiniketan

A campus killing rocked Rabindranath Tagore's Santiniketan as a 24-year-old youth shot dead a third-year undergraduate girl student of Viswabharati University, Saswati Pal. The assailant, Amaresh Kundu, later turned the gun on himself inside the girls' hostel, Ananda Sadan, in Sangeet Bhavan.

The shooting, which sent shockwaves across the campus, took place around 12.35 pm on Sunday when Saswati rushed into her hostel room following an argument with Amaresh, whom city police commissioner Goutam Chakraborty confirmed to be a part-time driver at the Tollygunge police station in Kolkata.

Preliminary investigations suggested that Amaresh and Saswati were in a relationship. Disclosing their affair, a classmate of Saswati, Ms Payel Maitra, said

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All parties look to limit leaders

The ruling Congress is pinning its hopes on "delimitation" to beat any anti-incumbency factor in the next Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.

Since many constituencies have been redrawn by the delimitation commission, the party will have to field new faces in 60 places, thus deflecting any bad vibes against the present crop of MLAs and MPs.

Not just the Congress, all political parties in the state are looking forward to delimitation of constituencies after initial misgivings.

The main Opposition Telugu Desam sees it as a golden opportunity to cut some leaders to size.

In all, 63 constituencies are going to be reshaped with the implementation of delimitation.

Around 40 senior Congress leaders from the Union minister, Mr S. Jaipal Reddy, who was elected from Miryalaguda, to the chief whip, Mr N. Kirankumar Reddy, who represents Wayalpadu, may have to search for new perches. As many as 17 state ministers will become "refugees".

"It is a blessing in disguise," said a senior Congress leader. "Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy was upset by the intelligence report that more than 60 sitting MLAs may face trouble in the next polls. Now he can go for new faces."

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Article taken from the issue: 5 Jan 2008

Ford prefers bid by Tata

Ford Motor Company on Thursday named Tata Motors as the preferred bidder for its Jaguar and Land Rover luxury car brands, but made it clear that a final decision for the sale was yet to be taken.

"Ford is committed to focused negotiations at a more detailed level with Tata Motors concerning the potential sale of the combined Jaguar Land Rover business," Mr Lewis Booth, executive vice-president, Premier Automotive Group and Ford of Europe, said.

The company has confirmed its commitment to focus on negotiations with Tata Motors. "There is still a

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Plunder of J and K forest wealth unabated

Forest fires, encroachments and illegal extraction of timber from the forests of the state have cumulatively inflicted a heavy damage on the forest resources of the state over the last many years. Apart from the loss of forest resources worth thousands of crores of Rupees, the damage inflicted on the forests has also resulted into a considerable devastation of other resources like water bodies.

The forest department has not worked out the total damage suffered by the forests in terms of money.

However, the other statistics in the forest department, which Kashmir Times gained access to, indicate that the forests have suffered an overwhelming devastation owing to the encroachment of forest land, forest fires and illegal extraction of timber and pilferage of other products from forests.

In addition to the direct economic loss, the damage caused to the forest resources by way of encroachments, forest fires and illegal deforestation, has also led to soil erosion on a large scale. According to the figures available with the department 9406.79 hectares of land was found to be encroached upon in the state in year 2002 with 6063.00 hectares of land encroached upon in Kashmir division and 3343.79 hectares in Jammu region.

In 2003, the figure rose upto 9697.53 hectares for the entire J & K and in 2004, it further rose to a whopping 12654.90 hectares. The figures of last two years are being worked out, said an official in the Forest Department.

Similarly the increasing forest fires and illegal extraction of timber from forests have also laid their impact on the river apart from resulting into loss of green gold worth thousands of crores of rupees. As per the figures available in the department forest resources spread over 873.10 hectares of forest land were burnt down during 117 fire incidents in forest areas in year 2001-2002. In year 2002-2003, forest resources on 3192.20 hectares of land got reduced to ashes during 432 fire incidents; in the 2003-04, the resources on 1116.61 hectares of land in 104 fire incidents got burnt down; in year 200405 the fire engulfed resources on 10288.60 hectares of land inflicting heavy damage.

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Article taken from the issue: 2 Jan 2008