Month: June 2009

Ash-Abhi follows Saif-Bebo!

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Mumbai, June 06: After Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor, it is now Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachchan who will be seen in the role of a spy in super-slick espionage film called ‘Crooked’.

After wrapping Mani Ratnam’s ‘Ravaan’, the couple will kick start the shooting of ‘Crooked’. By stepping into the similar roles of Saif and Bebo who are playing spies in Sriram Raghavan’s ‘Agent Vinod’, Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan became follower of the trend set by Saif and Kareena.

Arab Prince bought £300 Million flying palace

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London, June 06: Concert hall, garage for Rolls-Royce, elevator all part of Arab prince’s…
An Arab prince has bought a £300 million (Rs 2,300 crore) “flying palace”.

The unnamed royal rumoured to be Saudi Arabia’s Prince al-Waleed bin Talal has splashed out on the plane which, when completed in three years’ time, will be the world’s largest private jet.

Bring your guns to church on Independence Day: US priest

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Kentucky, June 06: An American pastor has invited his parishioners to bring their guns to church to celebrate the US Independence Day (July 4), in a show of support for the right to bear arms.

Gun-g Ho: Ken Pagano, the man behind the idea.
A former US Marine, Pastor Ken Pagano of New Bethel Church of Kentucky has asked handgun owners to attend this service, on June 27, openly wearing their sidearm.

But the move will be symbolic. The firearms must be unloaded.

Bring your guns to church on Independence Day: US priest

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Kentucky, June 06: An American pastor has invited his parishioners to bring their guns to church to celebrate the US Independence Day (July 4), in a show of support for the right to bear arms.

Gun-g Ho: Ken Pagano, the man behind the idea.
A former US Marine, Pastor Ken Pagano of New Bethel Church of Kentucky has asked handgun owners to attend this service, on June 27, openly wearing their sidearm.

But the move will be symbolic. The firearms must be unloaded.

Clinton dismisses Israel’s claims for settlements

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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dismissed on Friday arguments that Israel and the Bush administration had an understanding under which Israel could keep expanding Jewish settlements on the West Bank.

Dov Weisglass, chief of staff to former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said in an op-ed piece published this week in the Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot that the Bush administration and Israel had an understanding under which Israel could expand settlements within their existing boundaries.

Obama Cairo speech ‘un-American’: Conservative senator

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The senator who once famously declared that global warming was the “greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people” has now moved on to President Barack Obama.

In comments made to an Oklahoma news outlet, Sen. James Inhofe (R-KN) declared Obama’s speech in Cairo attempting to ameliorate tension between the United States and the Muslim world “un-American,” because he referred to the war in Iraq as a “war of choice,” “and didn’t criticize Iran for developing a nuclear program.”

Star-studded Haji Ali promenade revamp soon

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Mumbai, June 06: After nearly a year-and-a-half of delays, the work on revamping the Haji Ali promenade with structures in the shapes of the zodiac signs will finally begin.

The BMC and state government are ready to invite architects and designers from across the world to recreate the Haji Ali promenade.

“We will soon call for global tenders for this project,” confirmed M K Srivastava, Secretary (special projects) who is one of the men behind the revamp.

As per this Rs 25 crore plan, the BMC will extend the existing promenade with semi-circular curves at 12 places.

Religion or Secularism?

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In seminars abroad, especially in US and Europe when I say in India secularism is equal respect for all religions and harmonious co-existence of all religions, many express pleasant surprise. For them secularism has always meant being either a-religious or anti-religious. Secularism in Indian and western contexts has very different connotations. And there are historical reasons for this.

Akshay Kumar’s new look in Action Replay

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Mumbai, June 06: We earlier saw Akshay Kumar donning a Chinese piggy tail for a song in Chandni Chowk To China and now he will be seen sporting long hair through out the film in Vipul Shah’s Action Replay. Both Aishwarya Rai and Akshay Kumar will be seen sporting the 70’s look in the film.

Islamists battle for Somalia

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Nairobi, June 06: Chosen with the overwhelming support of clan elders in January and thought to be Somalia’s best hope for stability and peace, the government of Sheikh Sharif Ahmed now appears to be engaged in a fight for survival.

An unrelenting military assault by militant Islamist forces – coming just days after an international donors conference in Brussels promised some $213 million in direct aid to Mr. Sharif’s moderate government – has chased Sharif’s forces into retreat. The fighting has killed more than 150 since May 7 and has forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.

Zayed Khan excited about hosting IIFA Fashion Extravaganza

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Mumbai, June 06: After walking the ramp at Inter International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) last year this year Zayed Khan is all set to be the show host for the IIFA 2009 Fashion Extravaganza along with Sophie Choudhary at the Venetian Macao.

Zayed tells us that he is not just excited but a little nervous as well. Why you may ask then well that’s because he hasn’t done anything like this before.

Terror: Cops on their toes in AP

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Hyderabad, June 06: Despite the Centre downplaying the possibility of Hyderabad being a terror target in the latest IB alert, both the city and state police on Friday continued with their checking of vehicles on the road and raiding hotels to hunt for three young suspects alleged to have entered the country to carry out attacks.

Get ready for a rush of new releases

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Mumbai, June 06: Now that the ongoing strike between the producers and multiplex owners is finally over, fans of Bollywood films should now get prepared for a rush of new releases that were put on hold because of the strike.

The onslaught begins with Vashu Bhagnani’s Kal Kissne Dekha to be the first film to release post end of strike. This Vivek Sharma directed film will release on coming Friday, 12th June, 2009. It will be the first Bollywood film to release worldwide after the two month strike between Producers-Distributors and Exhibitors.

Kareena to sport Barbie doll look in ‘Kambakkht Ishq’

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New Delhi, June 06: Kareena Kapoor’s look in “Kambakkht Ishq” is being touted as her most glamorous ever, but her make-up artist Mallika Bhat says that apart from looking ultra glam, she will also sport a “Barbie doll-look” in the action thriller.

“One of Kareena’s looks in the film is inspired by Barbie doll,” Bhat told IANS over telephone from Mumbai.

Dutch beat England in T20

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London, June 06: The Netherlands enjoyed their greatest day in international cricket as they stunningly beat hosts England by four wickets in the opening match of the ICC World Twenty20 at Lord’s on Friday.

Two off the last ball, which saw bowler Stuart Broad miss with a shy off the stumps, saw the Dutch home to a total of 163 for six in reply to England’s 162 for five.

England who had been 102 for one were made to pay for their failure to build on a superb opening stand by some enterprising Dutch batting led by a fine 49 from Tom de Grooth.

I will ruin Chand’s life, says angry Fiza

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Mohali, June 06: Fiza, the estranged wife of former Haryana deputy chief minister Chander Mohan alias Chand Mohammed, declared here Friday that she would “ruin” Chand’s life.

“I am not going to spare him in any condition and I would prove to be the black chapter of his life. It is just the start of terrible days ahead for Chand and I would certainly ruin his life,” an angry Fiza told reporters at her house here Friday.

No T-20 match on TV at hotels

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Mumbai, June 06: Those planning to cheer their favourite teams while dining with friends in city restaurants and hotels may have to change their agenda and stay home to watch T-20 World Cup matches.

Reason: A spat between Novex, which owns screening rights, and Ahar, an association of Indian hotels and restaurants, which has appealed to more than 6,000 of its members in the city to switch off their TV sets till the T-20 World Cup is over.

The tournament, which started in England on Friday will end on June 21.

CCTVs in govt schools

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Chandigarh, June 06: Soon close circuit television (CCTV) cameras might be noticed in the classrooms of government schools as the UT education department is working on a project under which cameras would be installed in and outside the classrooms to promote better administration.

When contacted, DPI (schools) Samwartak Singh said, ‘’The entire project will depend on requirements of the schools concerned. The cameras will be installed basically to keep an eye on the administration.’’

Is MCI party to med colleges selling seats?

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Chennai, June 06: Even as questions swirl over the impunity with which private medical colleges are charging illegal donations despite an explicit Supreme Court ban, it now appears members of the apex regulatory body — the Medical Council of India (MCI) — themselves have strong links with the offending institutions.

Lost in Delhi, adopted in US, girl hunts for her family

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New Delhi, June 06: Like Latika in Slumdog Millionaire, 17-year-old Janaki Hedstrom escaped a life of poverty through circumstances she had no control over. HOPE FLOATS: 17-yr-old Janaki’s sister used to work as a maid for a family in Delhi.

When she saw the film, this Std X student in a Florida school cried for her mother back in India but hid her emotions from her American mother. Now, she desperately wants to see her original family again.

Secret Swiss patron donates Rs 2cr to TNadu temple

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Chennai, June 06: She’s the Rameswaram temple’s biggest — and most mysterious — benefactor. Over the last three years, Swiss national Elizabeth Ziegler has been donating about Rs 4 lakh every year to the Ramanathaswamy temple, and most recently sent Rs 2.08 crore, but none of the temple officials has ever seen her.

Is Qasab more important than Sadhvi?

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Treating Qasab and the sadhvi at JJ Hospital together will overburden security forces, say police..

The lone surviving terrorist of the 26/11 terror attacks, Mohammed Ajmal Qasab, has been receiving preferential treatment, quite literally. Qasab, who is suffering from an eye infection, will soon be rushed to J J Hospital, but at the cost of the Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur. The police seem to have taken Qasab’s infection more seriously than the sadhvi’s spondylosis.

Machine Keeps Heart Beating Outside of Body

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Carolina, June 05: Researchers at the North Carolina State University has developed a machine that can keep a heart beating outside the body. The potential medical benefit is huge, though for whatever reason I kept on thinking about Dr. Frankenstein:

“Researchers can obtain pig hearts from a pork processing facility and use the system to test their prototypes or practice new surgical procedures,” says Andrew Richards, a Ph. D. student in mechanical engineering at NC State who designed the heart machine.

Obama admits US involvement in Iran coup in 1953

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Cairo, June 05: US President Barack Obama made a major gesture of conciliation to Iran on Thursday when he admitted US involvement in the 1953 coup which overthrew the government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh.

“In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically elected Iranian government,” Obama said during his keynote speech to the Muslim world in Cairo.

It is the first time a serving US president has publicly admitted American involvement in the coup.

Bankruptcy filings rise to 6,000 a day as job losses take toll

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Washington, June 05: Consumer and commercial bankruptcy filings are on pace to reach a stunning 1.5 million this year, according to a report from Automated Access to Court Electronic Records.

While well below the record 2 million filings in 2005, the number of filings is up sharply from last year’s 1.1 million, says Robert Lawless, professor of law at the University of Illinois.

Bankruptcy filings took a dramatic nose dive after a 2005 bankruptcy reform measure was signed into law to curb bankruptcy abuse and make it harder to erase debts.