Month: June 2009

South Korea getting U.S. missiles to boost defences – Yonhap

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Seoul, June 28: South Korea is acquiring 40 U.S.-made missiles for an Aegis destroyer this month to boost its defences amid reports North Korea may soon test-fire missiles, Yonhap news agency on Sunday quoted a military source as saying.

North Korea, which rattled regional security with a May 25 nuclear test, is preparing to test a long-range missile that could hit U.S. territory and mid-range missiles that could hit all of South Korea, a South Korean presidential Blue House official said last week.

Raj to surrender before Kalyan court on Monday

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Mumbai, June 28: Complying with a Bombay High Court directive, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray will surrender before a Kalyan court on Monday in a 2008 riot case in which North Indians appearing for railway recruitment examination were assaulted.

Younis asks team-mates to seek better IPL contracts

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Islamabad, June 28: Pakistan captain Younis Khan has asked his team-mates to push for better IPL contracts following their success in the World Twenty20. “These players are now world champions and highly marketable. There is a higher value to their performances,” Younis said.

Divestment can raise Rs.80,000 crore: Assocham

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New Delhi, June 28: The government can raise about Rs.80,000 crore ($16.6 billion) by divesting stake in public sector units, says an industry lobby report.

“Dilution of stake in leading public sector units alone could fetch at least Rs.80,000 crore,” the report by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) said, adding that this amount could be used to bring down the fiscal deficit burden.

To overcome the immediate deficit, the government may have to borrow Rs.2.4 trillion crore from the market by September, it added.

Kids bond with Lord Krishna and Mahabharata tales at book launch

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New Delhi, June 28: The fascinating stories of the Indian epic Mahabharata — including the rivalry between cousins Pandavas and Kauravas, Lord Krishna and his mischievous exploits as a lad, and the Kurukshetra battle — have been re-told for children in a new book with lots of colourful illustrations.

For most children in the country, the Mahabharata is a grand fairy tale dominated by Lord Krishna, the most popular character.

Safe, comfy and chatting away – women’s empowerment at PCO booths

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New Delhi, June 28: Anjali Kher, 33, a small-time designer from Srinagar, keeps in touch with her family in the Kashmir Valley from the public telephone booth next to her home in Delhi.

“The booth remains open till midnight and I drop in almost every day after work to call my father and my brothers,” Kher, who lives in Mayur Vihar, told IANS.

The public telephone – including the PCO (public call office) phone booths with STD facilities – in India has become a tool of empowerment for women in middle class India, particularly migrants.

A dropout herself, she sends village children to school

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Mysore, June 28: Her day begins on an unusual note. Kalasamma, head of a village council in Karnataka, goes from door to door to ensure that all the children there are going to school.

This is the routine that Kalasamma, 33, a school dropout herself, has been following for the last four years. Her Heggadapura village is located in Mysore district, about 150 km from Bangalore.

Till Kalasamma got elected to the village council and also became its head in 2005, parents in Heggadapura preferred to send their children to work as domestic helps to various towns and cities of Karnataka.

Another attack in Oz: Two men hit by beer bottle

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Melbourne, June 28: In a fresh case of assault in Australia, two men reported to be Indians, were allegedly attacked and struck with a beer bottle by two juveniles in Sydney on Sunday. The attack took place in Sydney’s CBD early this morning after the men got into an argument that escalated into a fight, New South Wales police said. The police did not reveal the identity or nationality of the victims, but TV channels said they were Indians.

Hong Kong teenagers sell sex to buy designer clothes: Survey

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Hong Kong, June 28: An increasing number of Hong Kong teenagers are selling sex to earn money for designer clothes, in a trend called “compensated dating”, a survey released Sunday indicated.

One in 10 students questioned said they believed schoolgirls were involved in the practice and 6.6 percent said they knew fellow students who had done it.

Eighty seven percent of the 3,000 interviewees said they believed teenagers got involved in the practice to earn money to buy designer clothes and brand-name products.

Spurned youths set girl on fire

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Bhopal, June 28: Sixteen-year-old Rukhsana may have to pay with her life for rejecting the overtures of two youths in Chhatarpur district, 345 km from Bhopal on Friday. The taxi-driver’s daughter is battling to survive 80 per cent burns at a local hospital after the youths sprinkled her with kerosene in her house and set her on fire.

Kashmiri woman is US envoy to Muslims

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Washington, Jun 28 : In a bid to script a new beginning in ties with the Islamic world, the US has felt that the appointment of Farah Pandith, Kashmiri-origin Indian woman, as a Special Representative to Muslims will aid it engage the 1.5 billion community members across the globe.

After making announcement in this regard, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, “Farah brings years of experience to the job.”

Jealous Sallu avoids Kat in action!

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Mumbai, June 28: Even as Bipasha Basu rushed back from Goa to Mumbai to watch her boyfriend John Abraham’s performance in New York, the film’s leading lady Katrina Kaif, whose performance has been praised, is yet to convince her boyfriend Salman Khan to see her film.

Mast movie marketing

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Mumbai, June 28: Hoardings and trailers are things of the past.Movie production houses are now looking at novel marketing techniques to get audiences to the theatres. And with several movies lined up for release, we’ll see more innovation in this arena.

Jai ho, MJ,’ says Rahman

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Mumbai, June 28: I am shocked at the untimely passing away of Michael Jackson, one of the greatest musicians of our time.

MJ pushed the milestone of pop music to unbelievable levels through the 80s and 90s. I’m yet to find an artiste with that energy, perfection and vision.

London calling Dr Shah Rukh!

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Mumbai, June 28: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has been nominated to receive an honorary doctorate in arts and culture from Britain’s University of Bedfordshire.Shah Rukh, the first foreign actor to be conferred the Malaysian title of Datuk – akin to a British knighthood – last year, will receive his first doctorate July 10.

The actor was chosen for the doctorate by NGO Routes to Roots, a member of the World Association of Non-Governmental Organization (WANGO) that works closely with universities and educational trusts in various countries, said a press release.

Demands for creation of ten new states

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New Delhi, June 28: The Centre has received demands for creation of at least 10 new states, including a separate Mithilanchal in Bihar, Saurashtra in Gujarat and Coorg in Karnataka. A senior home ministry official said the demands were mostly received from organisations like Telengana Rashtra Samiti and Gorkha Janamukti Morcha and some other organisations and individuals.

PM dreams cut short, Maya sees a big plot

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New Delhi, June 28: Chief Minister Mayawati on Saturday held a meeting with top BSP functionaries and asked them to launch a nationwide campaign to make people aware about the conspiracy allegedly hatched by the Opposition parties to stop her from becoming the Prime Minister. A booklet on how her rivals conspired to thwart her prime ministerial ambitions was also reportedly circulated at the meeting.

Sanjay Dutt jumps off running train!

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Mumbai, June 28: He is 49 and he still does daring stunts. Sanjay Dutt jumped off a speeding train blindfolded and with his hands tied behind his back – for a death-defying Rs.1.5 crore (Rs.15 million) scene in “Luck”.

According to director Soham Shah, Sanjay’s sequence is the “biggest and the most expensive” highlight of the film.

“It is Sanju’s (Sanjay’s) introductory sequence. Along with other actors, he jumps from a running train, blindfolded with his hands tied behind his back. The scene is about these characters testing their luck,” Shah said in a press statement.

BSNL launches desktop PC for Rs6,500

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Ahmedabad, June 28: Believe it or not. Here is a desktop computer for just Rs1,900 and Rs6,500. The state owned telecom company, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) launched Novatium’s netPC in Gujarat on Friday. The computers are made by Chennai-based company, Novatium Solutions which will sell these computers through BSNL in Gujarat.

Both the companies believe that this PC is probably the country’s cheapest computer.

So far, so good…

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Mumbai, June 28: No one messes with Salman Khan’s girl – and even John Abraham would rather keep the peace.

No one messes with Salman Khan’s girl – and even John Abraham would rather keep the peace. After Sallubhai’s reported displeasure at Katrina’s intimate scenes with John, not to mention reports of them sharing a close friendship, the two actors are watching their step.

Burning questions about king of pop linger for fans, family

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Los Angeles, June 28: The enigma that surrounded Michael Jackson’s life continued in his mysterious death as his family gathered at their compound Saturday in the Los Angeles suburb of Encino to demand answers from the doctor who was with the singer when he died.

“When did the doctor come? What did he do? Did they inject him, if so, with what?” asked civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, after meeting with the grieving family.

Outside the walled compound, fans had questions too.

City of Taj reels under power, water shortage

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Agra, June 28: The monsoon is delayed, the Yamuna river is dry, power is playing truant and tourists are staying away. It is all adding up to make life in the city of the Taj exceedingly difficult and many are turning to age-old rituals to appease the rain gods.

Mahesh Sharma, a Hindu priest, told IANS: “If it doesn’t rain in a week’s time, some rituals will need to be carried out.”

I’d love to work with dad again: Akshaye Khanna

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New Delhi, June 28: Akshaye Khanna shared screen space with his dad Vinod Khanna in his debut film “Himalay Putra” 12 years ago. The actor is now longing to act with the veteran thespian once again.

“I would love to (act with my father). Dad is a superb actor and my idol. At the moment there is no project in the pipeline… let’s hope somebody would come to us with a fantastic script that would do justice to him as an actor,” Akshaye told IANS in an email interview.

It’s a blast from the past for Bollywood now

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Mumbai, June 28: It was all about looking into the future for Bollywood with films like “Aa Dekhen Zara”, “13 B” and “Kal Kissne Dekha” hitting the screens in recent times. But now it is flashback time and forthcoming movies will see popular actors exploring the times that have gone by.

These include Saif Ali Khan’s production debut “Love Aaj Kal”, “Akshay Kumar’s “Action Replay” and “Once Upon a Time in Mumbai” that stars Emraan Hashmi.