Aadhar to be made lone proof for APL ration cards

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]
Thiruvananthapuram: The government is planning to accept only the Aadhar number as proof along with application for the renewal of ration cards from the consumers falling in APL category.

Application form for new ration cards will be issued from first week of February onwards.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy informed this decision soon after the cabinet meeting which was held on Thursday.

A final decision in this regard has not taken yet. But BPL cardholders are required to submit all the other necessary documents apart from Aadhar number.

The Cabinet meeting has also discussed the allegations levelled against the renewal procedures of the ration card.

'More camera units will be installed in the camps and drinking water facility too will be made available for those who wait for the photo session. Any complaints reported will be resolved on the spot itself. More officials will be deployed for the smooth functioning of the camps,' the CM said.

'If the senior most woman member of the family is unable to reach the camp owing to any physical disability, the next senior female member of the family can take part in the camp with a consent letter signed by the former. In case of absence of a female member aged above 18 years, cards will be issued in name of the male member of the family,' he said.

'It is planned to conclude the camps by March. However, opportunity will be given to all eligible members. Once the renewal procedures are completed, the scheme of 1 kgof rice at Re.1could be extended to 54 lakh more consumers,' he added
 

Swine flu: 19 die in Telangana, state seeks Centre's help

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]

 Hyderabad: With 19 people succumbing to swine flu in Telangana so far this year, the state government on Wednesday sought Centre's help and announced several measures to check the spread of the deadly virus.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister J P Nadda in the morning and requested them to send a team of officials to the state, among other things.

Rao reviewed the situation with government doctors, officials, and also private hospital managements and announced that a team of officials would monitor the situation in Hyderabad, and an IAS officer would act as nodal officer for every district.

Rao told reporters that 19 people had died due to the swine flu virus infection so far in the state and another 20-30 people are undergoing treatment. He said that medicines had been made available, community hygiene would be taken care of and swine flu would be covered under the state's 'Arogya Sri' health insurance scheme for the poor.

The patients would be put in sterilised rooms and released after the completion of the medicine course, he said.

Homes of affected persons would be sterilised by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation staff in Hyderabad. 'It is not an epidemic situation (in Telangana). It spreads from person to person. We have to prevent that,' he said.

Asked why community hygiene was not addressed properly earlier, he said certain measures were taken and there would be 'an integrated approach'.

'The health fraternity of Telangana is ready to fight this battle. Nothing to be worried,' he assured.

The patients would be carried to Hyderabad free in the '108' emergency vehicles if needed, he said.

PTI

Sunanda was taking fistful of medicines'

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]

New Delhi: In a new twist to the Sunanda Pushkar mysterious death case, one of her close friends on Wednesday claimed that she was taking 'fistful of medicines' and had fainted twice weeks before her death when he had hosted her and Shashi Tharoor at his Goa home.

Tej Saraf (77), who had hosted the couple in December 2013, told NDTV that Sunanda wasn't eating well; she wasn't sleeping well; and was in a 'distraught' condition.

'Sunanda was taking fistful of medicines and I asked her 'what are these for', and she said 'I don't sleep very well and I haven't slept for years and so I have Alprax and various painkillers'. In fact we did tell her that this was dangerous,' said Saraf.

Asked as to why he broke his silence a year after Sunanda was found dead at a five star hotel in Delhi, he said, 'I was appalled over the last few weeks by statements being made by various people particularly that Lupus( a skin disorder) was a red herring. I decided to break my silence and tell you what happened during her stay with us over the New Year.'

Saraf also said that he was ready to give his statement to police.

Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi, when asked about the claims being made by Saraf, said that the police would like 'to talk to this gentleman'.

(PTI and agencies)

Watch out! Your smartphone may be harbouring bacteria

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]

 

London: A group of students from University of Surrey in Britain has revealed that the home button on your smartphone may be harbouring millions of bacteria - some even harmful.

They found that it is not just your own germs that can be found on your phone.

The devices also carry bacteria you have picked up from other people, news.com.au reported.

For the study, the team dipped phones into Petri dishes and watched the growths of bacteria flourish.

According to Simon Park, the lecturer behind the university's annual study, phones store a record of our personal touch as well, especially on the home button.

'It is unusual but very effective way of engaging our students with the often overlooked microbiology of everyday life,' Park was quoted as saying.

Most of the bacteria is harmless but some disease-carrying bacteria such as the Staphylococcus aureus were also seen during the experiment.

IANS

Five-year-old boy fatally shoots his brother in US

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]

 

New York: A five-year-old boy accidentally shot dead his nine-month-old baby brother in US' Missouri after he found a gun lying around the bed, media reported Wednesday.

A woman called the police to say her five-year-old son shot his baby brother with a paintball gun, CNN reported.

'But it wasn't a paintball gun. It was a .22-caliber Magnum revolver,' said sheriff Darren White.

Authorities are trying to figure out what led to Monday's shooting in Elmo.

'At this point foul play is not suspected, and it appears that the shooting was accidental,' the Nodaway County Sheriff's Office said.

Authorities say the gun belongs to a relative, but not the mother. Police are investigating the gun's ownership.

IANS

Bar bribe row: bar owners reject Biju Ramesh's claim

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]
 

Thiruvananthapuram: Bar owner Elegance Binoy and Bar Hotel Owners Association Thiruvananthapuram district president Sunil have come out rejecting the evidences presented by Bar Association working president Biju Ramesh that they handed over bribe to Mani.

Binoy said he never talked to Mani so far and added that he did not hand him over Rs 2 crore at Nedumbassery.

He added that the tape released by Biju carries the conversations of some unidentified persons.

Echoing Binoy's opinion, Sunil also said the revelations made by Biju Ramesh are not true.

'As claimed by Biju, a steering committee of bar owners was not conducted. Also, no such conversations were made with Animon,' he said.

On Monday, a tape allegedly carrying the conversations of bar owners was out. From the conversations, the bar owners were heard saying that they handed over Rs 7 crore to Mani in addition to the Rs 1 crore.

At a meeting of bar owners, a functionary Animon is allegedly heard explaining his colleagues that he handed over Rs 7 crore to Mani.

Coal block allocation: CBI team examines Manmohan Singh

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]

 

New Delhi:Former Prime MinisterManmohan Singhis said to have been examined by CBI in the coal block allocation case relating to Hindalco but neither he nor the agency was willing to confirm it.

According to informed sources, a team of CBI officials 'examined' the former Prime Minister at his residence two days ago ahead of the filing of status report before a special CBI court by 27 January.

Singh's examination was in connection with a coal scam case relating to allocation of Talabira II block to Hindalco when he was also holding the portfolio of Coal and in pursuance of the court's 16 December order.

When contacted, CBI spokesperson Kanchan Prasad refused to confirm or deny the development while an aide of the former Prime Minister denied it.

The sources said Singh was examined about the developments which took place in the Ministry of Coal as well as the PMO after industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla had written two letters dated 7 May, 2005 and 17 June, 2005 to the then PM requesting for allocation of Talabira-II coal block to Hindalco.

CBI had received a wrap on its knuckles as Special Judge Bharat Parashar had refused to accept the closure report in the case observing that it would be 'appropriate' that the then Coal Minister (Singh) be 'first examined' regarding various aspects of the matter.

PTI

Kochi's Infopark gets fresh IT investments worth Rs 320 crore

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]

 

Kochi: The phase II development of Infopark here has received a shot in the arm with a pact being inked for fresh investments worth Rs 320 crore under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) route.

'This financial year, Kerala is emerging as the best IT investment destination in the country. Infopark has been at the forefront in attracting IT investment to the state and there will be a few more deals ready to be inked this year,' an Infopark statement said on Monday.

Kochi-based infrastructure developer Padiyath Innovation has signed a deal with Infopark to invest Rs 320 crore for the construction of one million sqft of intelligent IT infrastructure in multiple phases, it added.

The Padiyath Innovation is a joint venture between Harry & More Consulting Private Limited and its sister concern Sunrise Institute of Medical Sciences. The new facility will provide direct employment to 7,000 IT professionals and to nearly 3,000 people in facility management and other support services.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the same was signed between Infopark Chief Executive Officer Hrishikesh Nair and Padiyath Innovation World Private Limited Chairman Shri Harish Rahman Padiyath in the presence of Industries & IT minister, P K Kunhalikutty.

The 'world-class, environment-friendly' infrastructure facility will come up on nearly 4.11 acres of land and it will be certified under the LEED 2011 Shell and Core Certification, the statement said.

It will have a state-of-the-art solid waste management and water recycling facility. The centrally air conditioned building will have food courts, health club, gym and medical clinic. It will also have a parking facility for 1,000 cars and a five- star rated lobby.

PTI

Europe on high terror alert; manhunts and death threats continue

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]

 

Europe was on high alert on Sunday as the suspected mastermind of a jihadist cell in Belgium remained at large and jittery authorities blocked anti-Islamist rallies in Germany and France.

With tensions heightened, the second gunman in the Charlie Hebdo magazine attack was buried discreetly in an unmarked grave near Paris late on Saturday in the hope that it would not become a pilgrimage site for radical Islamists.

Meanwhile, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, considered the brains behind the cell plotting to kill Belgian police, was still on the run days after the group was dismantled by intelligence services.

But the probe appeared to be progressing with Belgian federal prosecutors announcing they would seek the extradition of a suspect arrested in Athens on Saturday 'who could be linked' to the cell.

In Germany, police banned a rally by the anti-Islamic PEGIDA movement and other open-air gatherings planned for Monday in the eastern city of Dresden, saying there was a 'concrete threat' of an attack against its leadership.

The group claimed the threat came from the Islamic State group based in Syria and Iraq, with local media reporting that PEGIDA's most prominent leader Lutz Bachmann was the target.

The PEGIDA marches have grown steadily since they began in October and drew a record 25,000 people last Monday in the wake of the Paris attacks that left 17 people dead.

The anti-Islamic rallies have spread to other European countries as well, with the first Danish PEGIDA march to take place in Copenhagen on Monday. Organisers said they were expecting some 300 people.

Separately, a French court on Sunday prevented a rally by anti-Islamist groups in Paris on the grounds that they were promoting Islamophobia.

In the wake of the French attacks and the Belgian anti-terror raids, EU foreign ministers were to meet in Brussels on Monday to discuss ways to boost cooperation to combat the threat posed by radicalised Europeans returning home after fighting in Iraq and Syria.

The meeting comes as the bloc prepares for a special leaders' summit on February 12 dedicated to fighting terrorism.

Pakistan protests

Cherif Kouachi, one of two brothers who killed 12 people in the attack on satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo on January 7, was buried in a cemetery in Gennevilliers, a day after the funeral of his older brother Said in the northeastern city of Reims.

The family, including Cherif Kouachi's widow, kept away from the funeral, the mayor's office said.

The brothers were shot dead by police after a three-day manhunt following their attack on Charlie Hebdo, which had enraged many Muslims around the world with its repeated publication of cartoons lampooning Islam's Prophet Mohammed.

Anger erupted in a string of majority Muslim countries after the magazine responded to the decimation of its staff by running another caricature last week, showing the prophet under the headline 'All Is Forgiven'.

The worst unrest was in Niger, where at least 10 people were killed and several churches were torched over two days of rioting.

Fresh protests broke out Sunday in Pakistan where thousands gathered in almost all major cities, including Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, chanting angry slogans and burning French flags.

Charlie Hebdo's chief editor has defended the cartoons.

'Every time we draw a cartoon of Mohammed, every time we draw a cartoon of prophets, every time we draw a cartoon of God, we defend the freedom of religion,' Gerard Biard told NBC's 'Meet the Press' programme.

The weekly has sold 2.7 million copies of the post-killings 'survivors' issue' in France alone and said it would extend its print run to seven million copies - exponentially more than the weekly's normal circulation of 60,000.

President Francois Hollande said France was committed to freedom of expression and people should not change their habits since 'to do so would be to yield to terrorism'.

But a poll published in Le Journal du Dimanche found 42% of French people thought publications should avoid running cartoons of Mohammed, and 50% favoured limiting freedom of expression on the internet and social networks.

French police were, meanwhile, still questioning nine people arrested on Friday on suspicion of providing logistical support such as cars and weapons to Amedy Coulibaly, another Islamist gunman who claimed to be working with the Kouachi brothers.

Coulibaly killed four Jews in a siege at a kosher supermarket in Paris on January 9 before being shot dead by police.

Tension grips Bihar village after three burnt to death

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]

Patna: Tension gripped a Bihar village Monday, a day after three people were burnt to death and 10 were injured when a mob torched over three dozen houses in Muzaffarpur district after the body of an abducted youth was found, police said.

Muzaffarpur District Magistrate Anupam Kumar told IANS by telephone that a probe into the arson attack began following the directive of Chief Minister Jitan Kumar Manjhi, who is on a visit to Mumbai.

Manjhi is likely to visit the village Monday evening.

Kumar said that preliminary probe suggests that clash in the village was the result of a love affair.

'District administration was not taking any chances, fearing retaliation by villagers,' he said.

The incident took place in Muslim dominated Ajitpur Bahilwara village after the body of a 20-year-old Hindu boy was recovered Sunday. He was allegedly abducted and killed for his love affair with a Muslim girl.

Muzaffarpur Senior Superintendent of Police Ranjeet Kumar Mishra said a mob attacked the house of the main accused in the youth's abduction and killing, triggering a clash between the villagers.

'Mob torched several houses in which three people were burnt to death and some injured. They also set ablaze vehicles,' Mishra said.

Additional Director General of police headquarters Gupteshwar Pandey, who has been camping in Muzaffarpur, about 70 km from here, said that 14 people have been arrested in connection with the clash and more arrests would take place.

'Additional security forces have been deployed in the village in view of the tension,' Pandey said.