World / Social Life
River slowly dropping, but Iowa town still flooded
14.06.2008 08:18
usatoday.com
Days after it swamped Cedar Rapids and forced thousands of people out of their homes, the Cedar River has begun falling.
USA
Social Life
Militants hurl grenade at J-K secretariat
14.06.2008 08:18
b4uindia.com
Militants hurled a grenade at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar on Saturday, injuring two persons including a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable. Militants fired one grenade towards the Civil Secretariat, which landed near Neelam Cinema. Two persons, including a CRPF constable, were injured in the blast, CRPF spokesman P Tripathy said. Probably, the grenade was fired from Suthrashahi locality which has been cordoned off, he said. The identity of the other injured could not be ascertained immediately. Although, the militants have targeted various security outfits in the valley, this is the first attempt to attack the Civil Secretariat in several years . (ANI)
India
Social Life
Food and essential supplies reach Darjeeling
14.06.2008 08:17
b4uindia.com
Supply of food and essentials were being restored to the Darjeeling hills after the Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha (GJMM) decided to relax the indefinite shutdown call, till June 16. The GJMM was helping the administration in sending food and essentials to the hills, as 50 trucks loaded with essentials were sent to Darjeeling hills till Saturday morning and more vehicles were on their way, District Magistrate Rajesh Pandey said. Siliguri Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) Smita Pandey said that though life was limping back to normal, the administration had taken precautionary measures. Five companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed on Friday and prohibitory orders under section 144 (CRPC) promulgated in areas under Siliguri and Badhannagar police station would continue on Saturday, she said. GJMM comprising about half a dozen parties has been organizing protests over the past few months in the Darjeeling hills demanding action for a separate Gorkhaland state. The group had revived the demand for Sixth schedule status while the GJMM, a breakaway faction of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), opposes it demanding full-fledged statehood. The West Bengal Government has been resisting the demands for a separate state for the Gorkhas. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Prime Minister briefs President Patil on petrol price hike
14.06.2008 08:17
b4uindia.com
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today called on President Pratibha Patil at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Issues like recent national and international developments were discussed during the meeting, which lasted for about 30 minute, a Rashtrapati Bhavan release said. The meeting comes in the backdrop of hike in prices of petroleum products, seven-year high in inflation rate, Gujjar agitation demanding Scheduled Tribe status, Gorkha crisis and the developments relating to the Indo-US nuclear deal. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Barbers participate in AIDS awareness campaign
14.06.2008 08:17
b4uindia.com
Barbers in Patna have taken up AIDS awareness programme to educate people in the region. In an effort to spread awareness on safe sex and sexually transmitted diseases amongst the locals, barbers have undertaken a campaign to reach out to a large number of people through their customers. "We people get trained under the AIDS awareness program. We impart the same to our customers when they come to our saloons. We also get the condoms from there free of cost and distribute those to our customers," said Prabhu Thakur, a barber. Barbers casually broach the topic of AIDS, the dangers of unprotected sex and the need to know more about the deadly infection. Almost all the barbers in the town have been especially trained to spread awareness about the disease. The people coming to the saloon observe that this is a very easy way of sending the message across to the households. The discussions in the saloons spread in the society through friends and gossipmongers. Customers said that they are generally shy discussing 'such issues', but then the barber imparts the information in a very casual manner."While barber was shaving, he educated me on AIDS. I did not know such details about the deadly disease earlier," said Suman Saurabh, a customer. The number of people estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS in India is about 2.47 million.Yet over 40 percent of all Indian women have not heard of AIDS, creating a dangerous combination of lack of knowledge and greater sexual activity. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Lebanese writer wins Impac award for debut novel
14.06.2008 08:17
b4uindia.com
A Lebanese writer has been awarded the International Impac Dublin Literary Award for his first novel ‘De Niro's Game’ Author Rawi Hage emerged victorious over seven other authors and has received a prize of 100,000 euros. The International Impac Dublin Literary Award is the world's most lucrative prize in the field of literature. "I am a fortunate man," BBC quoted Hage, as saying. His book De Niro's Game revolves around two childhood friends growing up in war-torn Beirut who must choose between self-imposed exile or a life of crime at home. Hage, who lived through nine years of civil war in Beirut before emigrating to Canada said, "After a long journey of war, displacement and separation, I feel that I am one of the few wanderers who is privileged enough to have been rewarded, and for that I am very grateful.” Hage was chosen from 137 novelists nominated by 162 public libraries in 45 countries across the globe. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Ernesto Che Guevara's 80th birthday anniversary
14.06.2008 07:20
rian.ru
Latin American Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara would have turned 80 on June 14. Che was the incarnation of revolutionary and moral integrity. He was an example of boldness and resolve during fighting, and in everyday life.
Russia
Social Life
Afghan forces seek at least 1,000 prisoners after mass jailbreak
14.06.2008 07:20
rian.ru
Afghan security forces are combing the city of Kandahar to try and catch more than a 1,000 prisoners who escaped in a Taliban suicide attack on the local prison, Afghan officials said on Saturday.
Russia
Social Life
Police arrest 20 suspects in Russian mafia operation in Spain
14.06.2008 07:20
rian.ru
Spanish police arrested 20 Russians suspected of being involved in organized crime and money laundering in a joint operation involving Russian, U.S., German and Swiss law enforcement bodies, Spanish media said.
Russia
Social Life
Iran rules out suspension of uranium enrichment program
14.06.2008 06:21
rian.ru
Iran's government spokesman said on Saturday it would not accept any new incentives, proposed by the EU and world powers, in exchange for halting its uranium enrichment program.
Russia
Social Life
Police arrest man suspected of explosion in central Russia
14.06.2008 06:21
rian.ru
Russia
Social Life
EU chief makes Iran new offer to halt nuclear program
14.06.2008 04:34
rian.ru
EU's foreign policy chief handed Iran's foreign minister a new "packet of incentives" Saturday from the world's six nations to try and persuade Tehran to halt its controversial uranium enrichment program.
Russia
Social Life
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