faheem

Fernandes penning memoirs, says “fed up with politics”

by

Dharamsala (HP), July 05: Ailing veteran JD(U) leader George Fernandes says he is “fed up of politics” and is now spending time penning his memoirs.

“I am now fed up with politics,” the 79-year-old former defence minister, who is undergoing traditional Tibetan treatment here for a clot in the brain, told PTI.

“I am spending my time writing a book to refresh memories of my life-long journey,” said Fernades, who unsuccessfully contested parliamentary polls as an Independent from his traditional Muzaffarpur seat in Bihar after being denied a party ticket.

All historical monuments to get security cover

by

New Delhi, July 05: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is preparing a comprehensive plan to provide security cover to historical monuments across the country to protect them from attacks and damage by visitors.

The ASI, which is responsible for conservation of the monuments, has invited bids from private security agencies for guarding historical buildings in the capital and other places of prime tourist importance.

Miliband says Iran set to release embassy worker

by

Tehran, JUly 05: Iran has said it will release the eighth of nine British embassy employees detained in Tehran today, Foreign Secretary David Miliband revealed.

But he vowed to continue to fight for the freedom of the remaining detainee who is facing a possible trial on charges Mr Miliband insisted had “absolutely no substance”.

The staff were arrested last weekend amid rapidly-deteriorating relations with Iran since the disputed re-election of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the street protests that followed.

3000 girls missing in Chhattisgarh

by

Raipur, July 05: Around 3000 girls have been reported missing in Chhattisgarh apparently due to illegal trafficking.

According to police sources, 5000 persons were registered missing, out of which 3000 are girls.

Sister Sevti Panna of Jashpur-based NGO Gramin Vikas Kendra claimed that placement agencies are behind this racket as they lure women with good job prospects but after some days these women go missing.

Recruiters believe more jobs coming in next one year: Survey

by

New Delhi, July 05: After witnessing a slowdown in the past year, the job prospects in the country are likely to improve in the next 12 months, a survey has said.

Besides, over 70 per cent of the recruitment agents surveyed believe that hiring will stabilise in the coming three months.

In a pan-Indian survey of recruitment agents by Edelweiss Securities, more than half (53 per cent) of the respondents said that the situation would improve over the next one year.

Madonna hails Michael Jackson in 02 gig

by

Washington, July 05: Madonna paid tribute to Michael Jackson as she described him as one of the greatest performers the world has ever known.

A huge picture of Jackson as a child was beamed above the stage during a short dance melody dedicated to the star as the Queen of Pop performed at the O2 Arena in London.

One of her dancers dressed in Jackson’s trademark black hat moonwalked across the stage to the delight of the huge crowd packed into the arena.

Short versions of two of Jackson’s greatest hits, Billie Jean and Wanna Be Startin Somethin, were also performed.

Forced marriage: ‘I can’t forgive or forget what they did to me’

by

London, July 05: An NHS doctor from east London who was held hostage and forced into marriage has spoken for the first time about her four-month ordeal, during which she feared for her life.

Dr Humayra Abedin, who was freed from her vows on the orders of a Bangladeshi court soon after The Independent on Sunday highlighted her plight, described the humiliation and pain she suffered at the hands of her parents, some members of her extended family and nurses and doctors in a private psychiatric hospital in Bangladesh last year.

Heavy rains hit Mumbai, parts of city flooded

by

Mumbai, July 04: The monsoon tightened its grip over Mumbai today, with heavy rains leading to flooding in the city and its suburbs, causing traffic snarls on highways and arterial roads and disrupting flights.

Several areas like Dadar, Wadala, Byculla, Mazagaon, Mahim, Santacruz, Goregaon, Jogeshwari, Kandivli, Mulund, Sion, Matunga and Ghatkopar were flooded with two to three feet deep water after the day-long showers.

Traffic movement on the two main highways and other main and arterial roads around the city was slow, leading to traffic jams in many parts.

Lalu against legalising gay sex, Sharad has no issues

by

New Delhi, July 04: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad today said the Delhi High Court had done a “very dangerous thing” by decriminalising gay sex, though Janata Dal-United (JD-U) chief Sharad Yadav believed “homosexuality is not an issue in India”.

“It is a very dangerous thing the Delhi High Court has said that it (homosexuality) is not a crime and the law must be amended. I will raise this topic in parliament and the amendment (to the law against it) should not be done,” Lalu Prasad told a news channel.

‘King of Pop’ to be buried in USD 25,000 casket

by

London, July 04: Michael Jackson’s family is leaving no stone unturned to make sure that the pop legend has a grand funeral and they have reportedly chosen a custom made USD 25,000 casket to bury the ‘King of Pop’.

The ‘Thriller’ hitmaker will be laid to rest in a gleaming gold plated coffin, known as The Promethean, just like his idol, soul legend James Brown, reported Sun online.

The bronze coffin inlaid with velvet is made by a company from Jackson’s home state of Indiana called the Batesville Casket Company.

Eclipse aficionados wait to catch diamond rush from July 7

by

Hyderabad, July 04: The months of July and August will present a grand spectacle for the skygazers across the country as a rare astronomical event – a series of triple eclipses, commences from July 7.

“The sequence of the first triple eclipse will be a penumbra lunar eclipse (in which the moon will be darkened by the earth’s shadow) occuring on July 7, which will be followed by a solar eclipse on July 22 and then another lunar eclipse on August 7,” N Raghunandan Kumar, General Secretary of city-based Planetary Society, said here today.

Lovers end life after facing opposition from family

by

Fatehpur (UP) July 04: Facing stiff opposition from their family, a 21-year-old youth and his beloved committed suicide in Puren village, around 100 kms from Lucknow, police said here today.

Hitesh committed suicide by consuming a chemical in his house yesterday and when the news of his death reached his lover, 17-year-old Rakhi also consumed a chemical to end her life.

Police said that both had been facing immense pressure from their respective families over their relationship.

The bodies have been sent for post mortem, police added.
–PTI

Lalu falls as dias collapse in Bihar village

by

Darbhanga (Bihar), July 04: RJD president Lalu Prasad along with other leaders suffered a fall when the dias erected for the party’s Panchayat conference at Chandanpati village near here collapsed.

However, Prasad escaped unhurt along with former union minister Ali Ashraf Fatmi and state RJD president Abdul Bari Siddiqui, police said.

While RJD leader Devendra Prasad Yadav received minor head injuries, Ram Lakhan Mahto fainted.

Later addressing the conference, Lalu opposed the Women’s Reservation Bill in its present form.

Mayawati expels former MP from party

by

Lucknow, July 04: Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati today expelled former Rajya Sabha member Balihari Babu from the party for alleged anti-party activities.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister announced Balihari Babu’s expulsion at a meeting of senior party functionaries including MPs, MLAs and MLCs, a party release said here.

Babu, who was elected to the Upper House of Parliament from Azamgarh, resigned from the membership of the Rajya Sabha on June 12, this year before the expiry of his term which was to end in April, 2012.
–PTI

Youth killed by police. Fake encounter?

by

Dehradun, July 04: Controversy broke out today over the gunning down of an MBA qualified youth by Uttarakhand police after he allegedly fled with a sub-inspector’s revolver while his family claimed he was killed in a fake encounter.

The incident triggered protests from family and opposition Congress, after which Chief Minister R P Nishank handed over the probe to CB-CID into yesterday’s killing of 22-year-old Ranbir Singh from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.

Former hockey player drowns in sea

by

Kolkata, July 04: Former Bengal hockey player Manjinder Singh died after drowning off a sea resort where he went along with colleagues for a picnic, near Contai in East Midnapore district today.

Singh, 42, who played for Calcutta Customs team, went missing while swimming in the Bay of Bengal after a high tide came this noon, Bengal Hockey Association secretary Gurbux Singh said.

However, his two colleagues were rescued from sea water.

Body of the former forward would be brought back to Kolkata, Gurbux said.

Govt justifies fuel price hike

by

Chennai, July 04: The government today justified the recent fuel price hike stating that it was left with no choice but to resort to increase in the prices of fuel for maintaining the financial health of the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).

“The financial position of the OMCs continues to be a matter of concern for us. To maintain their financial health, the government was left with no other alternative but to increase the price of petrol and diesel by Rs four and Rs two respectively,” Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora told reporters here.

Will be happy if Ambani brothers come together: Deora

by

Chennai, July 04: Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora today said he will be “happy” if the Ambani brothers, locked in a legal battle over gas supply, come together.

Deora told reporters on the sidelines of a function here that the case over the supply of gas by Mukesh Ambani-run Reliance Industries to RNRL was sub-judice and therefore he cannot comment on it.

“However, I will be happy if they come together,” Deora said without elaborating.

Earlier Deora declined comment on the Ambani brothers moving the Supreme Court.

“I must study and then reply,” Deora had said.

CPI begins review of poll performance

by

New Delhi, July 04: The CPI today began a review of its debacle in the general elections and an exercise to chalk out action plan to oppose any ‘anti-people’ measures in the upcoming general budget.

The three-day meeting of the party’s National Council started with General Secretary A B Bardhan tabling the report of the National Executive on the poll performance of the party, whose strength in the Lok Sabha declined from ten to four.

Discussions began on reports from the states where the party had put up candidates, including Left bastions of West Bengal and Kerala, party sources said.

Pakistan likely to recall Asif for Champions Trophy

by

Islamabad, July 04: Pakistan is seriously considering recalling Mohammad Asif in the 30-member preliminary squad for this September’s ICC Champions Trophy after the International Cricket Council (ICC) said it would not raise any objection against the pacer’s inclusion once he completes his doping ban.

An ICC spokesman has said that once Asif completes his one-year ban on Sep 22 this year, he will be eligible to take part in any international event including the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in South Africa. The biennial tournament is scheduled to get underway Sep 24.

Serena beats big sister Venus in Wimbledon final

by

Washington, July 04: Serena Williams won her third Wimbledon title today, beating big sister Venus Williams 7-6 (3), 6-2 in the final.

The second-seeded Serena also beat Venus in the 2002 and ’03 Wimbledon finals, but lost to her older sibling in last year’s championship match at the All England Club.

Serena is now 6-2 against Venus in Grand Slam finals and has won 11 major titles in her career.
–Agencies

‘Sanjay Dutt as daring as ever’

by

Mumbai, July 04: Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt is going to complete three decades in the film industry but is still as daring as he was in his first film ‘Rocky’, says stunt director Allan Amin.

‘Sanjay has a scene in ‘Luck’ where he will be running towards five fast moving trains. I have been working with him since his first film ‘Rocky’ and it’s amazing how even today, he is as daring in nature as he was then,’ Amin told IANS.

Singer jailed for forced abortion

by

Algeria, July 04: The Algerian singer Cheb Mami has been sentenced to five years in a French prison after being found guilty of forcing an attempted abortion on his former lover.

The 42-year-old star of Algeria’s popular rai music, whose real name is Mohamed Khelifati, was arrested on his arrival in France on Monday night, having fled to Algeria two years ago.

Qadir to reveal irregularities in Pakistan cricket board

by

Islamabad, July 04: Former Pakistan chief selector Abdul Qadir is preparing ammunition for his July 14 meeting with a parliamentary committee and says he will candidly inform the Members of the National Assembly (MNA) about the irregularities in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Qadir, a former Pakistan Test leg-spinner, said that he would also try to meet President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the chief patron of the PCB, as he wants to inform him about all the problems in the board.

Victim categorically said she was raped by Shiney: NCW

by

New Delhi, July 04: Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja’s 18-year-old domestic help has categorically stated she was raped by him, the National Commission for Women (NCW) chief said here Saturday.

‘When we had talked to the girl in Mumbai, she had categorically stated that she was raped,’ Girija Vyas told reporters here.

Asked about Shiney’s statement that he had ‘consensual sex’ with the maid, the NCW chief said: ‘Even the medical and the DNA reports proved that she was raped. But now I cannot say anything as the case is in court.’