Washington, June 26: The Obama administration has lodged a formal protest with the Chinese government over its plan to require that all computers sold in China after July 1 come with software that blocks access to certain Internet websites. U.S. officials say the software, ostensibly designed to protect children from Internet pornography, has broader censorship capability.
Washington, June 26: As members of the U.S. Congress ask questions about the Obama administration’s strategy in Afghanistan, the House of Representatives has turned back an effort to require a report from President Obama on his exit strategy from Afghanistan.
With the United States preparing to send billions of additional dollars to Afghanistan and Pakistan in coming years, there is concern across the political spectrum that the U.S. might become mired in a costly, long-term military engagement in both places.
London, June 26: Microsoft, the world’s largest software company, has announced pricing for Windows 7, the long awaited replacement for the much disliked Windows Vista operating system.
Starting Friday consumers can pre-order Windows 7 for the next two weeks at discounts of more than 50 percent, while buyers of new computers running Windows Vista will be entitled to a free upgrade once the new operating system is released.
Philadelphia, June 26: An AirTran Airways passenger plane made an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport on Thursday after an elderly woman died on board, officials say.
The flight, AirTran Airways flight 664, departed Westchester County Airport in New York at 1.18 p.m. local time and was bound for West Palm Beach International Airport in Florida when one of the passenger reported heart problems to the flight attendant.
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.”
Taipei, June 26: Taiwan began a process of legalizing prostitution Wednesday making the island the latest place in the world to decriminalize the world’s oldest profession.
In six months, authorities will stop punishing Taiwan sex workers after prostitutes successfully campaigned to be given the same protection as their clients, a government spokesman said.
“Now the client gets off free, but the prostitute gets punished, and that’s not fair,” spokesman Su Jun-pin said.
London, June 25: A PRETTY shop assistant who claims she was made to work in a store’s stockroom because of her prosthetic arm arrives at an employment tribunal yesterday.
Riam Dean, 22 – who was born with her left forearm missing – said she was hidden from customers at trendy Abercrombie & Fitch.
She said bosses let her wear a cardigan at first, but then told her it did not match the store’s “look policy”.
A manager allegedly told the law student she could return to the shop floor only if she removed the cardigan.
Mumbai, June 25: Tata Steel Ltd, the world’s sixth-largest steel maker, on Thursday said 2,045 jobs in European operations were at risk due to a fall in steel demand in Europe and America.
It said in a statement its Corus unit was opening consultations on the jobs, which are at its facilities in the UK, Netherlands and Scotland.
Tata Steel, which earlier reported a lower-than-expected consolidated net profit for the year to March, said it had strong liquidity and no material repayment or refinancing in the next 12 months.
Washington, June 25: U.S. President Barack Obama should focus on shoring up Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s power in relation to his former mentor Vladimir Putin when he visits Moscow in July, opposition leader Boris Nemtsov said on Wednesday.
Nemtsov said Putin, now Russia’s prime minister, retained the real power in Russia despite standing down as president last year when he engineered the election of Medvedev.
Turkey, June 25: A Turkish court has acquitted Turkish-French author Nedim Gursel of charges he insulted Islam in his book “The Daughters of Allah”, broadcaster CNN Turk reported on Thursday.
Predominantly Muslim but officially secular Turkey’s bid to join the European Union has been hampered by court cases against writers and academics over freedom of speech issues.
No one at the court was available to comment on the report.
Washington, June 25: Central Asian countries must decide for themselves how much cooperation they want with NATO, the Western military alliance’s secretary general said on Thursday during its first meeting in the region.
NATO’s Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the 28-nation alliance was not in competition for the region, in what was seen as a veiled reference to Russia which regards the ex-Soviet states as in its sphere of influence.
Johor Baru, June 25: Indian ace Saina Nehwal bounced back from a game down to outpoint Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon and advanced into the quarter-finals of the Malaysian Grand Prix Gold, here today.
The second seed Saina was a game down before she got her acts together and roared back to subside Intanon’s challenge 18-21, 21-12, 21-18 in 46 minutes.
Saina will next face Chinese qualifier Xin Wang who beat sixth seed Ai Goto of Japan in her pre quarter-final match.
Washington, June 25: Washington has sent weapons to Somalia’s government after a green light from the U.N. Security Council to prevent rebels seen as a proxy for al Qaeda overrunning the Horn of Africa nation, sources said on Thursday.
When a moderate Islamist was elected president in January, there was hope he could end nearly two decades of bloodshed in Somalia by reconciling with hardliners who want to impose a strict version of Islamic law across the country.
Melbourne, June 25: Oil rose above $69 a barrel on Thursday after Nigeria’s main militant group shut down one of Royal Dutch Shell’s pipeline junction points, heightening concerns about supplies from the region.
U.S. crude futures for August gained 74 cents to $69.41 a barrel by 1210 GMT. London Brent crude rose 88 cents to $69.21.
Taipei, June 25: Taiwan’s opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Thursday launched a petition drive to seek the release of former president Chen Shui-bian, who has been held in pre-trial detention since late December on charges of corruption.
“We urge the authorities to release former president Chen Shui-bian immediately in line with the reform of the detention system and protection of basic human rights,” the DPP said in a statement.
The pro-independence party said it was unfair and unjust to continue to detain Chen after he was officially indicted in late December.
Melbourne, June 25: Victoria state Premier John Brumby says he is distressed by the recent attacks on Indian students in Melbourne but insists Indians were not targeted and pointed out how so many Indians settled here were well established and successful in their chosen fields.
‘It is a pity that these incidents have happened and it is distressing. But I am determined to fix it. Waves of immigration from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Pacific have always made Victoria, and especially Melbourne, the most diverse and multicultural place in the world,’ Brumby told IANS.
Athens, June 25:Greece has passed a tough new immigration law, allowing it to impose heavy fines on people-traffickers and holding illegal immigrants for six months before deportation, officials said Thursday.
Under the new law, passed late Wednesday night before parliament went into recess for the summer, individuals found guilty of transporting illegal immigrants will be imprisoned for up to 5 years.
Human traffickers will also have to pay a fine of 25,000 euros, or 50,000 euros for any repeat offence.
Mumbai, June 25: It’s official now. Filmmaker Farah Khan is all set to go ahead with the shoot of her upcoming film HAPPY NEW YEAR by the end of this year.
Anya teaches Farah Khan a lesson
Buzz is that Farah Khan is all set to meet her friends SRK and KJO who are currently shooting in San Francisco. Farah will share the final draft of the film with SRK and hopes to discuss the other details of the film too.
The filmmaker whose last film OM SHANTI OM was a rocking hit hopes to repeat her feat with her upcoming film.
—Agencies
Mumbai, June 25: It seems Salman Khan likes to have total control over his show DUS KA DUM. May be that’s the reason he pays special attention to the people who are going to be his guests on the show.
Salman no cool dude
It’s learnt that Salman made changes in his guest list recently when he gave preference to Arshad Warsi over Akshaye Khanna for being the guest on his show. The reason for this change was Sallu’s belief that Akshaye Khanna might sound a bit boring on the show.
Well, looks like Salman doesn’t regard of the abilities which Akshaye is known for.
–Agencies
Mumbai, June 25: Tulsi Kumar’s maiden solo musical album got launched at Cinemax amid fanfare on June 24 evening. This event meant a lot for the young singer who fulfilled her father Gulshan Kumar’s dream with this album.
Washington, June 25: The world’s only multilateral disarmament negotiating forum is on the brink of reaching consensus on who should shepherd talks on fissile material and other topics, diplomats said on Thursday.
Argentina’s Roberto Garcia Moritan, who is currently president of the Conference on Disarmament, said momentum was growing in the 65-member body which last month ended a decade of stalemale and set out a work plan for 2009.
Mumbai, June 25: Sanjay Dutt seems to be getting concerned about good friend Amar Singh’s health by the day. As the date of Amar Singh’s surgery, scheduled to be geld in Singapore is coming near, the actor is learnt to be praying for his friend’s health.
Though the actor is shooting abroad, he’s expected to be in town in a couple of days and reports are that he is planning to hold a special puja at his place for Amar Singh’s good health.
With Sanju Baba standing by his good friend in difficult times, it surely proves the man indeed has a golden heart.
—Agencies
Mumbai, June 25: The handsome and gifted Akshaye Khanna has seemingly followed in the footsteps of his colleagues Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Ajay Devgan, Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor and Suniel Shetty – Well the actor has gone clean!
If the latest promo of the slow and scintillating ‘Kal Nau Baje’ song from his forthcoming comedy, SHORTKUT, is anything to go by, sexy Khanna has gotten rid of his hirsute chest to reveal a more defined physique.
An Indian Films – Studio 18 release SHORTKUT releases worldwide on 10th July.
—Agencies
Mumbai, June 25: The much hyped Akki-Kareena starrer film KAMBAKKHT ISHQ is facing problems with the censor certificate according to latest reports.
KAMBAKKHT ISHQ to be real ‘comeback film’ for Bollywood?
The producers of the film have been told to make changes in certain dialogues in the film so that the U/A certificate can be given to it. The censor board, according to the latest reports, has found certain parts of the film derogatory.
Now, the makers of the film are busy doing the necessary changes to please the censor board.
—Agencies
Mumbai, June 25: LOVE AAK KAL music album is just round the corners even as the number ‘Twist’ is a huge hit already. However, composer Pritam wasn’t satisfied with what he had created for this Imtiaz Ali film initially. This is why on seeing the first cut of the film, he pleaded with the film maker to allow him to come up with two more tracks and add them to the film.