Samad

Archaeologists discover Israel’s largest artificial underground cave

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Washington, June 23 : An artificial underground cave, the largest in Israel, has been exposed in the Jordan Valley in the course of a survey carried out by the University of Haifa’s Department of Archaeology.

Professor Adam Zertal, who headed the excavating team, reckons that this cave was originally a large quarry during the Roman and Byzantine era and was one of its kind.

Various engravings were uncovered in the cave, including cross markings, and it is assumed that this could have been an early monastery.

Swine flu cancels Team India’s practice match

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New Delhi, June 23: The practice match of the touring Indian team ahead of four-match ODI series in West Indies has been cancelled due to Swine flu outbreak in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Indian team has been advised to not leave their team hotel to avoid any infection as a precautionary measure.

The Trinidad and Tobago Health Ministry said the match was called off as a measure of preventing spread of influenza A (H1N1) virus.

Movie Preview of Kaminey

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Mumbai, Jnue 23: Kaminey is about a pair of twin brothers, Charlie & Guddu (Shahid Kapoor). Charlie lisps while Guddu has a stutter problem. They are as different as chalk and cheese. And they can’t stand the sight of each other.

Till one fateful rainy night, their lives cross. Charlie gets mixed up in a deathly-get-rich-quick scheme, while Guddu realizes that the love of his life, Sweety (Priyanka Chopra), has unwittingly put a price on his head.

Zayed bonds with ‘bro’ Fardeen

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Mumbai,June 23: Zayed Khan has been bonding more closely than ever before with cousin Fardeen ever since he lost his father, Feroz Khan. Always known to be fond of each other, the two are now almost inseparable.

Fardeen, who finds it hard to articulate his grief to anyone else, is very much at home with his cousin and had been missing Zayed in Goa where he has been shooting for the past one month for director Rohit Shetty’s comedy ‘All The Best’.

Ali Akbar Khan was a treat for music lovers: Amitabh

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Mumbai, June 23: Superstar Amitabh Bachchan remembers legendary “sarod genius” Ali Akbar Khan, saying he was a treat for music lovers especially when he used to play with sitar maestro Ravi Shankar and tabla exponent Ustad Allah Rakha.

“We lost a great maestro in Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, the sarod genius. The ‘jugal bandi’ between him and Pandit Ravi Shankar was a treat for the lovers of Indian classical music,” Amitabh posted on his blog.

Sushant Singh ready to direct film next year

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Mumbai, June 23: National Award winning actor Sushant Singh, who is still remembered for playing a dacoit in Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Jungle’, is planning to wield the megaphone soon.

“I am planning to direct a film and hopefully by next year I will be able to fulfill my dream. I am working on the script at the moment… all the other details are yet to finalised,” Sushant told us over the phone from Mumbai.

Kites’ to hit screens in December

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Mumbai, June 23: The much-talked about Hrithik Roshan starrer ‘Kites’ is scheduled for December release and producer Rakesh Roshan and director Anurag Basu have also agreed on how different the English and Hindi versions of the film would be.

The supposed steamy scenes between Hrithik and his co-star Barbara Mori would be the same in both versions.

New York’ on 9/11 repercussions to break dry spell

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Mumbai, June 23: Kabir Khan’s second directorial venture ‘New York’, about the repercussions of 9/11, is expected to end the prolonged dry spell at the box office when it hits the screens Friday.

Industry insiders suggest good initial takings courtesy the big names – John Abraham and Katrina Kaif – associated with it.

Produced and distributed by Yash Raj Films, ‘New York’ also stars Neil Nitin Mukesh and Irrfan Khan in pivotal roles.

Sanju baba wants a working birthday

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Mumbai, June 23: Yesterday, BT reported how Sanjay Dutt, who’s turning 50 on July 29, had to cancel the big birthday bash his wife Manyata had planned for him at their Bandra residence.

And even as the world is busy making plans for Sanjay’s 50th birthday bash, news came in that the actor would ideally like a working birthday. He has plans to be in South Africa for a shooting schedule and will bring in his birthday with his best friends Imi, PP, wife Manyata and Dharam Oberoi. Sanju may also have the company of some film industrywallahs but the guest list is still being finalised.

I am not a feminist: Kareena

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Mumbai, June 23: The actress has something to say! She is desperately trying to disassociate her real self with her reel image, “I am not a feminist like my character in Kambakkht Ishq,” said Bebo in a recent interview.

Kareena Kapoor plays an international model who is a feminist in Kambakkht Ishq that stars Akshay Kumar in the male lead. Kareena says she is a complete opposite in real life… totally sensitive and a simple girl!

Abhishek Steps into dad’s shoes

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Mumbai, June 23: Much as Hrithik Roshan’s fans would love to see him play Vijay Dinanath Chauhan in producer Karan Johar’s remake of the Amitabh Bachchan classic Agneepath, Hrithik has refused to do the film. Abhishek Bachchan has stepped into his father’s big shoes to play the iconic character.

HIV+ve prisoner who cried for treatment is dead

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Mumbai, June 23: A 30-year-old prisoner, whose petition in the Bombay high court had highlighted the lack of medical treatment for HIV-positive inmates in Maharashtra’s jails, has died of Aids at Pune’s Yerwada prison.

His application had prompted the HC to set up a committee to look into the lack of medical facilities for HIV-positive prisoners.

Modi heading for key BJP post?

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New Delhi, June 23: Speculations are rife that though his Delhi dreams woke up to a crude reality after the poll fiasco, chief minister Narendra Modi’s position as a party man will be on the rise nationally.Though the possibility of him holding a key post in the ministry at the centre was dashed, Modi can grow more in the party by getting a ‘key’ position in near future, party insiders say.

‘No proof’ for filling baby teeth

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London, June 23: Filling rotten baby teeth may be an unnecessary trial for children to endure, experts say. Some 40% of five-year-olds in the UK have tooth decay and at least one in 10 of these are treated with fillings. But anecdotal evidence from 50 dentists gathered by Manchester University researchers suggests filling baby teeth may not offer significant benefits.

Advisers to the NHS are now beginning a study on treatment options to provide dentists with clear guidelines.

Dolphin Offshore pockets order worth Rs 106 crore

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Mumbai, June 23: Dolphin Offshore Enterprises India Ltd has notified that it has received an order worth Rs 106 crore from M/s. Instrumentation Ltd for Structural Modification work at unmanned platforms in MH for deployment of Modular rig on turn key basis.

The contract, which is scheduled to commence shortly, is expected to be completed by May 2011. Last month, the company bagged an order worth $18.45 million from Leighton India for hire of charter vessel DP/DSV.

Iran to release box-by-box vote count

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Tehran, June 23: Amid claims of a ‘rigged-election’ by certain defeated Iranian presidential candidates, a top election official says the box-by-box details of the vote will be released.

“During previous elections in the Islamic Republic, statistics concerning individual ballot boxes were considered confidential information … this kind of information was only available to certain officials,” deputy head of the Interior Ministry’s election headquarters Ali-Asghar Sharifi-Rad said Sunday.

New Tehran rally break up by Police

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Tehran, June 23: Iranian riot police have fired tear gas to break up a new opposition rally in the centre of the capital Tehran, hours after a stern warning to protesters.

Some 1,000 people had gathered on Haft-e Tir Square despite the warning from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards against holding unapproved rallies.

Basij militiamen wielding clubs were brought in to reinforce the police.

The Guards, an elite armed force, vowed to crack down on new street protests over the presidential election results.

‘Ministers going to casinos is bad’

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Panaji, June 23: Saying that “ministers going to casinos is bad”, Goa Congress chief Subhash Shirodkar Monday said the involvement of Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) cabinet ministers in casino-related controversies was “in bad taste”.

“I can only say that the casino episode is in bad taste,” Shirodkar said at a press conference at the party headquarters here.

Class 10 student commits ’suicide’ in Himachal school

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Shimla, June 23: A Class 10 student of a prestigious school in Himachal Pradesh allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in the school toilet, police said Monday.

“A student of Class 10 of Akal Academy at Baru Sahib allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in the school toilet Sunday,” Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) B.K. Dhiman told IANS on phone.

He said the victim, Karan Singh, belonged to Kharar town in Punjab. Baru Sahib is in Sirmaur district, some 120 km from here.

Iran to outlaw as punishment by stoning

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Tehran, June 22: Iran plans to outlaw stoning as a form of punishment, the country’s IRNA news agency reported Monday.

The head of the parliament judiciary commission Ali Shahrokhi said some traditional Islamic punishments, including stoning, would be removed from the country’s laws.

He added that the cutting off hands – an Islamic punishment for thieves – would also be outlawed.

The draft by the judiciary commission is expected to be approved by the parliament, and finalised by the Guardian Council, he said.

–IANS–

Adnan Sami’s father passes away

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Mumbai, June 23: Adnan Sami’s father passes away Famous singer Adnan Sami’s father Arshad Sami Khan passed away today on Monday June 22nd afternoon at the Kokilaben-Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital at Andheri, Mumbai. Arshad Sami Khan had been suffering from cancer and was brought to Mumbai by Adnan for better medical treatment.

Oprah takes over Spanish village for 55th birthday bash

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Washington, June 23: Oprah Winfrey Billionaire talk show host Oprah Winfrey has celebrated her 55th birthday by taking over a popular tourist attraction in Barcelona to hold a party for 1700 of her employees and their families.

The queen of US daytime television took over the Poble Espanyol, a reconstruction of a Spanish village with shops, bars and restaurants for her gala bash, which reportedly included concerts and performances by flamenco dancers.

Vinny Arora in Santo’s shoes

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Mumbai, June 23: Vinny Arora in Santo’s shoes The leading lady of Aathvan Vachan, Vinny Arora has been in the news of replacing Aasiya Kazi as Santo in Bandini. The mentally challenged girl is heard to play the challenging role in Balaji show on Imagine.

“I have just given a look test day before yesterday but have not received any call from the production house till yet,” says Vinny.