US warns of terror attacks in Delhi markets,

The US embassy Wednesday warned of possible terror attacks in popular Delhi markets like Chandni Chowk and Connaught Place and asked its citizens to “maintain high level of vigilance”.

“There are increased indications that terrorists are planning attacks in New Delhi,” the embassy said in an security alert. “Terrorists have targeted places in the past where US citizens or Westerners are known to congregate or visit.“Markets such as those located in Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place, Greater Kailash, Karol Bagh, Mehrauli and Sarojini Nagar can be especially attractive targets for terrorist groups,” it said.“If you are in an area where unattended packages are spotted, you should immediately exit the area and report the packages to authorities,” it added.“Americans travelling or residing in India are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, remain aware of their surroundings, monitor local news reports, and take appropriate steps to bolster their personal security,” the advisory said.
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Action assured against Modi musclemen for attacking media men

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan Wednesday said his government will take strict action and file cases against the security personnel of Indian Premier League (IPL) chief Lalit Modi for attacking media persons here.He was replying to an issue raised in the state assembly by Leader of Opposition Eknath Khadse who pointed out that media persons who had gone to cover Modi’s arrival from Dubai were beaten up by his security personnel.“Attacks on the media are becoming a routine matter. Despite assurances by the government in the past that such offences would be made non-bailable, nothing has been done so far,” Khadse said.Assuring action, Chavan said he also spoke to Home Minister R.R. Patil about the issue.Around half a dozen media persons sustained injuries while TV cameraman Santosh Nandi was admitted to Sion Hospital with serious injuries after a couple of private bodyguards from Modi’s entourage prevented the media from speaking to him and attacked them.
The Sahar police station has registered cases against at least two of Modi’s security personnel, but details are not yet available.

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Heat wave conditions in Telangana, rainfall at other places

Hyderabad, Apr 22: Heat wave conditions prevailed over the districts of Adilabad, Hyderabad, Mahabubnagar and Warangal of Telangana even as rain occurred at a few places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema and Telangana.At Machilipatnam and Kaikalur rainfall measuring 5 cm each was recorded while it was 4 cm at Rajampet. Bhadrachalam, Koyyalagudem, Polavaram, Tanuku, Madhira, Rapur and Vinjamur recorded 3 cm each, while at Nandigama, Tirupati, Vijayawada, Anakapalle, Bhimadole and Koderu, Mangalagiri, Srungavarapukota, Puttur, and Udayagiri it was recorded at 2 cm each, Met department said today. Khammam, Narsapur, Rentchintala, Bhimavarami, Chintalapudi, Tadepalligudem, Pamidi, Piduguralla, Salur, Seetharamapuram and Yemmiganur recroded one cm each.The maximum temperatures fell at one or two places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema and changed little over Telangana.They were significantly above normal at one or two places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, at one or two places over the remaining districts of Telangana and above normal over Rayalaseema. The highest maximum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius was recorded at Adilabad.Isolated rain/thundershowers may occur over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rayalaseema. Heatwave conditions may prevail over the districts of Adilabad, Hyderabad, Karimnagar, Mahabubnagar, Nizamabad and Warangal of Telangana during the next two days.Thunder clouds may develop during evening/night in the city, while maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 42 and 27 degrees respectively, it added.
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TDP demands Govt. to take steps to curb contaminated diseases

Hyderabad, Apr 22: Criticising the Andhra Pradesh government for its alleged ''failure to provide quality medicare to the people'', Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N.Chandrababu Naidu today demanded the government to take immediate steps to curb the contaminated diseases.In an interaction here with the party workers from Anantapur, Chittoor, Ranga Reddy and Guntur districts, he alleged that people were suffering due to lack of medicines and staff in government hospitals in the districts.He said the TDP, whether in power or not, had been striving hard to solve the problems of the people and work with commitment.He alleged that due to the unhygienic conditions in slum areas, people were prone to various diseases due to mosquito menace and the government was not taking any remedial steps. This was the reason for spread of malaria and other seasonal diseases.Mr Naidu said the TDP workers of Ranga Reddy and Hyderabad districts told him that even minimum basic facilities were not available in government hospitals in the districts.He alleged that the Congress government in the state had neglected the health sector, mainly Primary Health Centres (PHC) in villages by giving more prominence to 'Arogyasri' health insurance scheme.The TDP President also alleged that the state government had failed to provide sufficient funds for government hospitals in the state. It was diverting huge funds to corporate hospitals for the government-sponsored 'Arogyasri'.Though the TDP was not against the implementation of the ''Arogyasri'' health insurance scheme to the people, it demanded concerned the government to take measures to stop irregularities in the implementation of the scheme, he added.
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Evolve strategies to combat terrorist, cyber crimes:Governor

Hyderabad, Apr 22: Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan today called upon officers of armed forces to be aware of their responsibilities in the wake of complexities and unpredictability of the issues confronting the country that has changed the security paradigm. Delivering the valedictory address of the Higher Defence Management Course-05 at the College of Defence Management (CDM) here, the Governor, expressing concern over the growing external threats, said the situation had become more difficult with factors like globalisation, convergence, networking and technological advancements, cyber crimes, state and non-state actors, criminals and terrorist linkages.He called for better understanding of the convergence of interest among state and non-state players, facilitators and criminal elements, all of whom operate with the sole aim of destabilising India. He said security agencies should build up a core team of specialists to evolve strategies to combat such problems effectively. Asserting that India needed to build up capacity to anticipate events and should be more reactive than proactive in meeting the threats, he underlined the need for drawing up strategies. On the issue of technology, he acknowledged its use by the armed forces as a force multiplier. What needed was to take it further ahead and use it to forecast threats, he added. Cautioning cyber terrorism as the major threat of the next decade, the Governor outlined the need to take such threats more seriously.He said ''preventing cyber crimes was highly questionable as we have done a little to combat this threat and in spite of general awareness, it was persisting to be a weakness in our system.'' Most of the security systems like radars and communication equipments were prone to sabotage by inimical elements, he added.
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Case registered against Shoaib, 13 others

Hyderabad, Apr 22 : Authorities of the Banjara Hills Police Station today booked a case against Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik, his wife and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and 12 others as per the direction of the City Court for allegedly 'hurting religious feelings.' A case was registered under Section 295A of IPC and investigation into the matter was being carried out as per the court direction, police said.On a petition filed by one MD Moulim Mohsin Bin Hussain-Al Kaseri, the III Additional Metropolitican Magistrate yesterday, directed the City Police to conduct investigation for allegedly ''hurting religious feelings.' The petitioner complained that the celebrity cricketer, tennis star and their family members as also family members of Ayesha Siddiqui, his first wife, were punishable under section 295A of IPC for alleged 'deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.'
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Kidney transplantation under Arogyasri restarts in SVIMS

Tirupati, Apr 22 : It is good news for the poor people of Andhra Pradesh that Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam's run super specialty hospital of Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciencies (SVIMS) in the temple town has actively taken up the kidney transplantation programme which would essentially benefit the most vulnerable sections of the society with very limited access to modern super specialty treatment.The Department of Urology and Nephrology comprising Dr Govndarajulu, Dr V Siva Kumar, Dr K V Dakshinamurhty, Dr A Rambabu, Dr Anil , Dr V Sai Naresh, Dr Y Manjusha and Anesthesiology headed by Dr M Hanumantha Rao of SVIMS have successfully carried out the kidney transplantation surgery on a 22-year-old P Malathi, under the Arogyasri health scheme, SVIMs Medical Superintendent Dr T Srinivasa Rao said in a release here Yesterday.Her mother donated her kidney to her.The patient was being discharged after making recovery. SVIMS was taking up another case from Chittoor district for kidney transplantation surgery shortly and intends to continue the same on a regular basis henceforth under the state sponsored scheme with the assistance of TTD, he added.
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