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`Wanted`, Dil Bole Hadippa!` bring audiences back to theatres

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New Delhi, September 19: After a month`s lull, courtesy the lean Ramzan period, multiplexes were abuzz again Friday with two big starrers “Dil Bole Hadippa!” and “Wanted” drawing people to the theatres and doing good business.

“Both movies have done good business with an average opening of around 60 percent. In fact, `Wanted` is a must watch for Salman (Khan) fans. The movies will pick up gradually, specially since it`s an extended weekend with Eid on Monday,” Yogesh Raizada, corporate head (cinemas) of Wave Cinemas, told reporters.

Skype founders sue eBay, investors

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San Francisco, Septembar 19: The founders of Skype have sued owner eBay Inc and an investor group that has agreed to buy the Webphone service, accusing them of copyright violation and potentially disrupting the $1.9 billion deal.

The lawsuit brought by Joltid Ltd, a Swedish firm owned by Skype founders Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, says Skype used its technology without authorization.

Link me with Rani Mukerji, says Shahid Kapur

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Mumbai, September 19: Shahid Kapur has been having a particularly good year with ‘Kaminey’ making waves at the BO and playing lead opposite Rani Mukerji, who is making a comeback of sorts. In an exclusive interview with Shashank Chouhan, Shahid narrates his experience of ‘Dil Bole Hadippa’, how he tried to make stammering not sound funny and much more.

Shashank: Tell us about your role in Dil Bole Hadippa.

S African labour union against MTN-Bharti deal: sources

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Johannnesburg, September 19: South Africa’s labour federation COSATU is trying to halt a planned multi-billion tie-up between MTN and Bharti Airtel but the Treasury wants a deal, sources close to the matter said.

The merger would create the world’s third-largest mobile phone group by subscribers but is subject to an end-September deadline. The firms have extended talks twice before.

“COSATU is quietly putting pressure on government not to allow this transaction,” a source close to the MTN and Bharti transaction, told Reuters.

African Union calls for military aid to Somalia

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Nairobi/Addis Ababa, September 19: Somalia’s Western-backed government needs military assistance in the wake of a suicide bombing at an African Union (AU) mission in Mogadishu, an AU official said Saturday.

“They need arms and arms which are superior. We know if we go after al-Shabaab, we can destroy them in no time,” said the AU’s special representative for Somalia, Nicolas Bwakira, referring to the group that has been trying to oust the Western-recognised government.

China warns of stability threat from H1N1 flu

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Beijing, Septembe 19: China’s public security ministry has warned police to be on guard against any threats to public order linked to the spread of the H1N1 strain of flu, including the spreading of rumours and price-gouging for drugs.

China has reported 11,722 cases of H1N1 flu, from which 7,231 people have recovered. No one has died in China, though there are six cases listed as serious by the Health Ministry.

But the stability-obsessed government is taking no chances in the world’s most populous nation, with its huge disparities between rich and poor and patchy health system.

Andy Murray doubtful after re-aggravating wrist injury

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Liverpool, September 19: Andy Murray remains doubtful for the remainder of Britain’s key weekend Davis Cup Euro zone relegation tie after injuring his wrist as he took the hosts into the lead with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 defeat of Poland’s number 678 Michal Przysiezny.

The Scot world number three is fearful of compromising the rest of his season by playing on the wrist, which flared at the US Open.

“I don’t want to sacrifice the lot to play in the tie and end up hurting myself so badly that I can’t play for a few months,” he told the BBC. “Every time I play on it, it’s making it worse.

In hundreds of cities, parking spaces become parks

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London, September 19: Activists across the world parked themselves curbside Friday, taking up spaces reserved for cars and transforming them into mini parks with sod, potted plants, lawn chairs and even barbecues to raise awareness about how the auto has won the battle over public space in big cities.

Winehouse going through painful dental treatment

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London, September 19: British singer Amy Winehouse is undergoing excruciating dental reconstruction after drug binges ruined her teeth.

A series of fillings and extractions over recent weeks has left the singer in constant pain, reported thesun.co.uk.

“Amy’s teeth were in a pretty gross state. They were brown and stained and needed major work and she was determined to get them back to their sparkling best,” said a source.

Zardari again blames ‘non-state actors’ for terrorism

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London, September 19: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has again blamed terrorist attacks on “non-state actors and supporters of dictatorship” in Pakistan.

In remarks made ahead of what he described as coming “leadership level” talks in New York, Zardari also called for “meaningful progress” toward resolving the dispute with India over Kashmir.

“Terrorist attacks are always directed at democracies. They are also directed against the peace process with India that we have initiated,” he told an audience at the International Institute of Strategic Studies here Friday.

Tragic road accident in Nampally, 2 GHMC contract workers killed

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Hyderabad, September 17: In a tragic road accident two GHMC contract workers were killed on the spot after a speeding lorry hit the GHMC garbage-cleaning vehicle. This incident took place near the Nampally railway station.

The GHMC garbage-clearing vehicle was clearing the garbage along with the workers near Yatrik hotel and a speeding lorry hit them from rear side causing the instantaneous deaths. The police told that the lorry was loaded with the biscuits and was on the way to Mumbai but the lorry driver Raju was in drunken condition and he hit the GHMC vehicle.

Iraq shoe-thrower Journalist freed from jail

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Baghdad, September 15: Muntazer al-Zaidi, the Iraqi television reporter jailed for throwing his shoes at former US president George W Bush, was finally freed on Tuesday, ending a nine-month stint in prison.

Zaidi has been behind bars ever since he shouted “it is the farewell kiss, you dog,” at Bush on December 14 last year, seconds before hurling his size-10s at the man who ordered Iraq be invaded and occupied six and a half years ago.

Court refuses to stay scribe’s trial in cash-for-query scam

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New Delhi, September 15: Declining to stay the proceedings against journalist Anirudh Bahal, who conducted a sting operation in the 2005 cash-for-query scam, the Delhi High Court exempted him from appearing in the case till further orders.

Justice M.C. Garg granted exemption to Bahal from appearing before the trial court that had issued summons against him and posted the matter for Jan 28.

The court was hearing Bahal’s plea that the police had wrongly included his name in the chargesheet along with those of 11 former MPs for allegedly taking money to ask questions in parliament.

Odafe strikes as Churchill beat Sporting Clube de Goa

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New Delhi, September 15: I-League champions Churchill Brothers remained in contention for qualifying for the semifinals of Durand Cup with a 1-0 win over Sporting Clube de Goa in the quarterfinal league match here Tuesday.

After a dull first half and with just eight minutes left for the final whistle, Nigerian goal machine Odafe Okolie struck the winner for the Goan club at the floodlit Ambedkar Stadium in the group I match. Churchill, last year’s runners-up, now need only a draw against Assam Rifles to make the last four.

UCO Bank inks deal with Mahindra for car financing

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Kolkata, September 15: UCO Bank has signed an agreement with auto major Mahindra and Mahindra for car financing, a top official of the bank said here Tuesday.

The bank will offer financing facilities to eligible customers to buy Mahindra’s cars and multi-utility vehicles, bank chairman and managing director S.K. Goel said.

India offers to spur green revolution in drought-hit Tanzania

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New Delhi, September 15: With East Africa reeling under a severe drought, India offered all possible help and assistance in spurring a green revolution in Tanzania.

Tanzanian Prime Minister Mizengo K. Pinda, who is on a four-day visit to India, held wide-ranging discussions with the External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Tuesday, where the issue of agricultural cooperation was discussed in detail.

Tanzania has offered to lease land to Indian private companies for a period of 99 years, as it pitched for increased investment in the agricultural sector.

Somdev jumps 29 places in ATP rankings

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New Delhi, September 15: India’s Somdev Devvarman jumped 29 places to 133 in the latest Association of Tennis Professional rankings.

Somdev qualified for his first Grand Slam singles event at US Open and reached the second round.

He won his first-round match against Frederico Gil of Portugal in straight sets, before going down fighting to 23rd seed Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany.

The 24-year-old from Chennai logged 446 points in the rankings released Tuesday.

Seven of family murdered in Haryana

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Rohtak, September 15: Seven members of a retired teacher’s family were found murdered in their house in Kabulpura village near this Haryana town. Police have registered a case against three people, including two family members.

“We have registered a case against three people (two family members and one family friend), and started our investigation. We have not arrested anyone yet, but are expecting a breakthrough very soon,” Anil Kumar Rao, superintendent of police, Rohtak, told IANS.

Rahul Gandhi’s train ride to austerity

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Ludhiana, September 15: Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Tuesday left Ludhiana as he had come — by train, joining top leaders of the party enforcing austerity measures amid a drought.

Gandhi boarded the Swarn Shatabdi Express train for Delhi in an air-conditioned Chair Car instead of the plush Executive Class, a day after his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi flew economy class to Mumbai.

Tibetan leader takes on China over Arunachal

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Dharamshala, September 15: Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India, the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile said Tuesday, adding that Chinese military incursions into India were a serious affair.

“Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and India is a sovereign country. People living in India on a permanent basis have every right to go anywhere in India. Then why China objects?” Samdhong Rinpoche asked at a news conference here.

Khurshid asks IT sector to give inputs on new Companies Bill

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Kolkata, September 15: Corporate Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid Tuesday urged the Information Technology (IT) sector to spell out its standpoint and suggestions on the Companies Bill which is slated to come up before a standing committee of parliament soon.

“We are in the process of moving before the standing committee of parliament the Companies Bill, 2009. I hope your sector will make a special committee and come before the standing committee with your case,” Khurshid said, addressing a NASSCOM seminar on ‘Growth Strategies in a Reshaped Global Economy’.

Bangladeshi mutineers won’t face court martial

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Dhaka, September 15: Bangladesh Tuesday decided to prosecute nearly 3,500 border guards allegedly involved in a late-February mutiny at the Bangladesh Rifles Headquarters in Dhaka under the paramilitary force’s own laws, rejecting the military’s demand that they be court martialled.

Advani star attraction in billiards and snooker nationals

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Agra, September 15: World Champion Pankaj Advani is the star attraction in the 76th National snooker and billiards championship that got underway here Monday.

Advani, Geet Sethi, Yasin Merchant, Aditya Mehta and Ashok Shandilya are among the more than 500 cueists participating in the tournament, the organisers said.

“Advani’s presence will give a big boost for the game and it will add some excitement to the tournament,” Organising secretary Vivek Agarwal told IANS.

Security meet to focus on terror; PM to interact with DGPs

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New Delhi, September 13: Internal security threats including Left-wing extremism, terrorism and coastal security will be reviewed extensively by the country’s top police brass at a two-day conference beginning in New Delhi on Monday.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will have an interactive session with Directors General of Police and Inspectors General of Police on Tuesday during which he will be directly briefed on key policing and internal security issues.

Pakistan diverted US funds to strengthen defence against India: Musharraf

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Islamabad, September 13: Former President Pervez Musharraf has said that military aid provided by the US to Pakistan for the war against terror during his tenure had been used to strengthen defences against India, the first such admission by any top Pakistani leader.

Musharraf admitted that he had violated rules governing the use of the military aid, and justified his actions by saying he had “acted in the best interest of Pakistan.”

In an interview with a news channel, he said he “did not care” whether the US would be angered by his disclosure.