World / Social Life
Russia 'accuses British diplomat of spying'
11.07.2008 04:20
rian.ru
A new spy row looks set to break out between Moscow and London after Russia apparently accused a British diplomat of espionage.
Russia
Social Life
Serbia to review deal on sale NIS oil company to Gazprom
11.07.2008 04:20
rian.ru
Russia
Social Life
Russian monetary base up $550.3 mln in week to $185.9 bln
11.07.2008 04:20
rian.ru
Russia
Social Life
Russia, Kazakhstan to sign three-year war games deal
11.07.2008 03:30
rian.ru
Russia and Kazakhstan are to sign a three-year agreement on joint military drills in the near future, the Russian defense minister said on Friday.
Russia
Social Life
Russian ex-PM's opposition party to hold two-day congress
11.07.2008 02:20
rian.ru
The Russian Peoples Democratic Union, an opposition party led by former-premier Mikhail Kasyanov, will hold its fourth party congress in the Moscow Region on Friday.
Russia
Social Life
Ramadoss, Nitish Kumar to review National Rural Health Mission in Bihar
11.07.2008 01:27
b4uindia.com
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will review the progress of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in Bihar today. Dr. Ramadoss is visiting Bihar in connection with a function to celebrate World Population Day. Bihar is one of the 18 high focus States to be covered under NRHM. Before NRHM, Bihar was part of Empowered Action Group (EAG) States. Under NRHM, a manifold increase in the allocation for the health sector in Bihar has taken place. The State has shown significant improvement in outpatient load in government facilities, sterilization cases, immunization and institutional delivery. The State has recruited 2300 doctors, 4504 ANMs (Auxiliary Nurse Midwives) and 2900 staff nurses under NRHM. Despite this progress, the State confronts issues of huge infrastructure and human resource gap and poor resource utilization and extremely poor health indicators. The Total Fertility Rate of the State is 4.3. The Infant Mortality Rate is 60 and Maternal Mortality Ratio is 371 (SRS 2001 - 03), which are higher than the National average. The Sex Ratio in the State is 919 (as compared to 933 for the country). AIIMS Patna is one of the sixth AIIMS like institutions being set up under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). The State Government has made available the land for the institution and formalities for the construction have started. Dr. Ramadoss will also visit Bodh Gaya on invitation of the Chief Minister. (ANI)
India
Social Life
PM visits ITBP personnel injured in Kabul terror attack
11.07.2008 01:27
b4uindia.com
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has sanctioned Rs. five lakh per family to the families of the two Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel, Ajai Pathania and Roop Singh and an Afghan national who were killed in the bomb attack at the Indian Embassy in Kabul. The Prime Minister went to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to call on the two injured ITBP personnel and a sum of Rs. two lakh per person has been sanctioned to them from the Prime Minister''s National Relief Fund. The Prime Minister will be calling on the families of Brigadier Mehta and B.V. Rao on 11th July. Financial and other support for the families of the two deceased is being provided by the Government of India. Detailed information will be announced by the concerned Ministries. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Envoys present credentials to President Patil
11.07.2008 01:27
b4uindia.com
Four envoys presented their credentials to the President Pratibha Devisingh Patil at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan here today. The Envoys who presented their credentials were: Khaled Salman, the Ambassador of Lebanon; Lieutenant General (Retired) Andi Muhammad Ghalib, the Ambassador of Indonesia; Voroshilov Enkhbold, the Ambassador of Mongolia and Manuel Ernesto Picasso Botto. The President, during her interaction with the Heads of Mission, said that India looked forward to the intensification of its bilateral relations with these countries. While noting that all the Ambassadors who had presented their credentials were from developing countries, the President stated that the main challenge confronting the developing countries was eradication of poverty and development. The President added that the developing countries were the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and needed financial resources and technologies to meet the challenge. Referring to the attack on the Embassy of India in Kabul, the President emphasized the need to strengthen international co-operation to fight terrorism which was a major challenge confronting the world. The credential presentation ceremony was attended by the senior members of the diplomatic missions, senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs and of Rashtrapati Bhavan. (ANI)
India
Social Life
PM meets President, UPA to seek vote of trust
11.07.2008 01:26
b4uindia.com
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Thursday evening called on President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, and stated that he and his Cabinet colleagues are keen to seek a vote of confidence as early as possible. The precise date on which the Lok Sabha will be summoned for this purpose will be communicated to the President by the Prime Minister by tomorrow evening. The meeting called in the wake of withdrawal of support by the Left Parties to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government and reiteration of Samajwadi Party''s support to it lasted 25 minutes. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Now, bike your way through the Beijing Olympics
11.07.2008 01:26
b4uindia.com
Concerns over pollution and traffic congestion has prompted the Chinese Government to encourage people to bike their way through the mega event, which commences on August 8. It should not surprise anyone, thus, to find not just local residents but foreign tourists travelling on their bicycles from one Olympic stop to another. This step is likely to benefit Beijing residents who have given up using bikes lately. Beijing has a population of nearly 17.5 million, as per 2007 statistics. According to a report, the pollution-level around Olympic venues could be five times worse than the level considered safe by the World Health Organization (WHO). To counter pollution and congestion, the government has ordered its officials and Beijing residents use public transport for the sake of a greener Olympics. A majority of the locals have complied with the directive to pedal-their-way to their workplaces. According to available reports, the Government has ordered the closure of 40 factories in the eastern port city of Tianjin to minimize air-pollution at places close to Beijing during the Olympic Games. In the early 1990s, people used bikes to reach their workplaces. Broad bike lanes then would be full of bicycles, recalled the 70-year-old Wang. “With industrialization taking place and people are getting more income, they have started spending money on buying cars and other automobiles for their convenience. But such inclination is at the cost of their health,” Wan warns. Eight years ago, nearly 80 per cent of the people used bicycles in urban areas. Now, there are over three million fuel-driven vehicles on the Beijing''s roads. The local government has banned motorbikes on Beijing roads due to its adverse effect on public health and on riding habits. Appreciating the government''s move to promote bike rides, Li Bingxin, the Division chief of the All China Journalist Association, said the need of the hour was for everyone to understand his or her responsibility to make the environment clean and pollution-free. While admitting that he had given up riding bicycle a few years ago, Li said he would take up the habit again soon. To get his body in shape, not to speak of parking space. He said that he had noticed that after leaving a bicycle ride for using cars, most people d complained of high blood pressure, liver and overweight problems. Several bicycle companies are also planning to introduce low-rental schemes for locals and foreign visitors to promote riding bicycles during the Olympics. There are a number of bicycle companies like Forever, Jiant, Gama, Finex, Flyin and others that have introduced new bike models in the market. One can buy a good bike for between 300 Yuan to 700 Yuan (43.83 to 102.28 dollars). Besides one can get one on rent for a year. It may cost anywhere between 20 Yuan (about three dollars) for a day or 100 Yuan (14.61 dollars) for a Year after depositing 400 Yuan (48.44 dollars) as security. Over a million bicycles would be required during the Beijing Olympics. For the moment the similarities between urban and rural areas in China and India in so far as commuting is concerned, can’t be ignored. The Olympics may usher in a welcoming change. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Amtrak expands random security sweeps
11.07.2008 00:21
usatoday.com
Rail passengers will be subject to random security checks and may have their luggage scanned for explosives beginning this fall, ...
USA
Social Life
Hospital pharmacy error harms 17 infants; 2 dead
11.07.2008 00:21
usatoday.com
McA hospital in Corpus Christi said Thursday that a mixing error that led to a blood thinner overdose in as many as 17 infants ...
USA
Social Life
Bodies of 2 missing soldiers are found in Iraq
11.07.2008 00:21
usatoday.com
Families say the bodies of two U.S. soldiers missing in Iraq for more than a year have been found.
USA
Social Life
Amtrak security is on track
11.07.2008 00:21
usatoday.com
Since February, a new team of heavily armed counterterrorism agents has been working Amtrak's high-threat East Coast stations.
USA
Social Life
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