Sydney, June 26: It is hard to assess a fellow’s character in an interview lasting 40 minutes, which is the amount of time I have been allotted with Sachin Tendulkar – and properly privileged I feel to get it, too.
But I am afforded a useful insight before the interview even starts. We are in the Opus store near Covent Garden, where Tendulkar has been the subject of an interminable photo shoot as part of the launch of his latest website.
Thanjavur, June 26: The Periyar Maniammai University(PMU) here had signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with the US-based Institute for Research in Management and Advanced Technology(IRMAT) to offer Master of Business Administration(MBA) in International Management.
A release from University said here today, there will be international internships and student exchanges with Universities in Europe, United States, Japan and Korea.
—–Agencies
London, June 26: International cricket’s leading administrator insisted Thursday he was doing all he could to support Pakistan after confirming the troubled country would not host matches at the 2011 World Cup.
However, International Cricket Council president David Morgan, speaking to reporters on Thursday after the second day of the global governing body’s meeting here at Lord’s, also said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had accepted the help of a “task team” in retaining its position in international cricket.
New Delhi, June 26: A High-powered Committee of Secretaries looking into the One Rank-One Pension demand put forward by ex-servicemen on Thursday presented a concept of ‘modified parity’ to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
In a meeting with the PM, the committee suggested that a new concept of modified parity be drawn up which would ensure that ex-servicemen get a substantial increase in pension.
Abu Dhabi, June 26: Iran should positively play its role in the regional affairs by clarifying the GCC and Middle Eastern nations its nuclear programme and close ties with non-state forces like Hizbullah and Hamas, Dr Mahjoob Zweiri, an expert on Iran said.
Jerusalem, June 26: Israel agreed on Thursday to give Palestinian security forces a freer hand to operate in four West Bank cities and to limit its own military activities there in a U.S.-backed move to bolster President Mahmoud Abbas.
Palestinian officials said the changes were inadequate because the Israeli army still reserved the right to re-enter the cities of Qalqilya, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jericho to counter what it called any ‘urgent’ threats by militants.
Nashik, June 26: Nagpur based Kausalya Lohkare has been selected for “Shram Seva Puraskar-2008” instituted by Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU), a university release said today.
Lohkare was selected for her contribution in a mass-agro-experiments through small saving group, it said.
The award, which carries cash purse of Rs 10,000, memento and citation, will be presented to her at a function to be held in Nagpur on July 1, the release said.
—Agencies
Mumbai, June 26: Congress members on Thursday demanded the removal of Municipal Commissioner Jairaj Phatak, calling him an RSS man and accusing him of favouring the ruling Shiv-Sena-BJP combine in the BMC.
Alleging discrimination against the Opposition, Congress leaders have written a letter to Chief Minister Ashok Chavan asking him to sack Phatak.
Noida, June 26: A senior citizen and his wife thwarted attempts by two armed assailants to rob them in Noida’s Sector 11 on Wednesday night.
According to S L Sharma and his wife Suprabah’s complaint to the police, two men on a motorcycle attempted to rob them while they were on an after-dinner walk near their house around 11.30 on Wednesday night. The assailants, however, fled after the couple put up a fight and Sharma, in fact, managed to snatch their pistol.
Washington, June 26: A hotshot tennis star who teaches teens at a Weymouth private club has been charged with raping a female high school student who took private lessons from him, the Herald has learned.
Louis Desmarteaux, a 24-year-old college tennis champ who was the only American in this year’s amateur Australian Open, is still teaching at the family-oriented Weymouth Club, despite facing charges he repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl last year, according to prosecutors and a source close to the situation.
Abu Dhabi, June 26: The economic crisis is to blame for the increase in the number of people suffering from depression and anxiety all over the world, according to psychiatrists.
“There is an increase of (people suffering from) depression all around the world due to economic crisis, although other societies are more affected than others,” Dr Adel Zaraa, consultant psychiatrist at Gulf Diagnostics Centre in Abu Dhabi told Khaleej Times.
New Delhi, Jun 26 (UNI) Assam Governor Shiv Charan Mathur died following heart failure at a hospital here, officials said. He was 83. An Assam government spokesperson said Mathur died at the Fortis Hospital at 2015 hrs, following respiratory failure. He said, ”The Governor complained of respiratory trouble in the evening and was shifted to the Fortis Hospital and he passed away soon after.”
Los Angeles, June 26: Pop star Michael Jackson died Thursday following a cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles, officials said. He was 50. The King of Pop, whose life of stardom and scandal kept him permanently in the headlines, was found unconscious at his rented Bel Air mansion and was rushed to the UCLA Medical Centre.
“We were notified by LAPD that Michael Jackson was transferred from his house to the hospital,” said Los Angeles County Coroner Fred Corral. “He was unresponsive and pronounced dead at approximately 2.26 this afternoon.”
Mumbai, June 26: Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab is suffering from stomach ulcer and was being treated by a jail doctor, a special court trying him in 26/11 terror attack case was informed on Thursday.
As the court was recording evidence of a witness, Kasab stood up in the dock and complained to judge M.L. Tahaliyani that he was suffering from stomach pain.
Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam informed the court that Kasab had a similar complaint some time back and was examined by a jail doctor who had diagnosed it as ulcer.
Jerusalem, June 26: The storm of protests over the disputed election in Iran may have raised the prospect of a weakened regime, but it has done little to curb Israeli concerns about Iran’s nuclear program or its support for militant groups in the region.
Israeli officials and academics agree with the Obama administration that the extent of recent demonstrations could prompt significant change in the Islamic republic — and perhaps pave the way for a calmer Middle East.
New Delhi, June 26: Sonia Gandhi has asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to enact a law to ensure food security for the poor and has given him a prototype for the legislation.
The Congress president raised the issue in the first letter, dated June 12, that she wrote to the Prime Minister after he was re-elected.
Berlin, June 26: A thief in Germany was arrested after he tried to sell a garden mower online to the man he had stolen it from, police said Wednesday.
“The owner went to inspect the goods and recognized the mower as his own,” said a spokesman for police in the southern town of Tuebingen. “Then he left and told police.”
Officers confronted the 46-year-old suspect, who confessed to stealing the mower from a shed in February. He later put it for sale on internet auction site eBay, the spokesman said.
–Agencies–
On November 17, 2008, when Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and U.S. ambassador Ryan Crocker signed an agreement for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, citizens from both countries applauded. While many were disappointed about the lengthy timeline for the withdrawal of the troops, it appeared that a roadmap was set to end the war and occupation. However, the first step — withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009 — is full of loopholes, and tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers will remain in the cities after the “deadline” passes.
Hyderabad, June 26 The South Central Railway will run two specials between Kacheguda and Ajmer to clear the rush of pilgrims for the annual Urs-E-Shareef of Hazrat Khaja Moinuddin Chisti.
New Delhi/ Srinagar, June 26: A woman of Kashmiri-origin, Farah Pandith, has been made the US’s special representative to the Muslim world. But her appointment in the state department, announced by secretary of state Hillary Clinton on Thursday, has raised eyebrows in India.
Pandith’s task will be to advise Clinton on dealing with Muslim communities around the world, in keeping with US president Barack Obama’s desire to engage with the Muslim world.
Mumbai, June 26: Amrita Singh reacts to rumours that Khan’s break-up with Italian girlfriend Rosa Catalano was because of their ‘renewed’ friendship.
When a much-in-the-news couple breaks up, a lot is made of their parting and the blame game begins. Everyone, from the former partner to the family and sometimes even close friends, is to blame.
So when Saif Ali Khan and his girlfriend of two years Rosa Catalano decided to part ways, ex-wife Amrita Singh, his family and even Rosa’s budding television career were put in the dock.
‘Not my business’
London, June 26: French Open champions Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy of the Czech Republic crashed out of the Wimbledon tennis championships in a sensational first-round loss to American James Blake and Mardy Fish 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the men’s doubles in London on Thursday.
However, India’s Sania Mirza and Chia-Jung Chuang of Chinese Taipei sailed into the women’s doubles second round with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over American Jill Craybas and Carly Gullickson.
Mumbai, June 26: Filmmaker Kabir Khan, whose latest venture “New York” highlights prejudices in the US after the 9/11 attacks, says Indian films made on terrorism are often “jingoistic” but maintains that his take on the issue would provide a balanced view.
“Unfortunately, films on terrorism in our country are often high-pitched and jingoistic. And that’s counter-productive. My film, I’d like to believe, is a very balanced view of terrorism,” Kabir told IANS in an interview.
Mumbai, June 26: After the hit score of “Jab We Met”, director Imtiaz Ali has collaborated with Pritam yet again for the music of Saif Ali Khan’s production debut “Love Aaj Kal”. Pritam has left no stone unturned in creating soulful melodies.
The film that stars Saif and Deepika Padukone has seven originals and three remixes in the soundtrack.
Baghdad, June 26: Iraqi officials say an explosion tore through a bus station in Baghdad Thursday, killing two people and wounding at least 30 others. It is the latest violence to hit Iraq just days before U.S. forces withdraw from urban areas.
At least four police officers were killed in attacks in Fallujah, west of the capital.
And in eastern Baghdad, the U.S military said nine U.S. soldiers were wounded Thursday when two roadside bombs hit their patrol.