Month: July 2009

Abhishek and Vidya shown the door out

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Mumbai, July 07: The two actors along with the entire crew of the movie were asked to leave the Cambridge University grounds as the lead actors were standing on the lawn grass.

Abhishek Bachchan and Vidya Balan who were shooting for R Balki’s ‘Pa’ were in for a rude shock during their last shoot sequence in London at ‘Cambridge University.’

The two actors along with the entire crew of the movie were asked to leave the Cambridge University grounds as the lead actors were standing on the lawn grass.

Budget not a document on micro policy: Mukherjee

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New Delhi, July 07: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said the national budget was not the document to spell out micro policy details and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government remained committed to divestment in state-run firms without diluting their public sector character.

“I have made it very clear that we intend to include the public in disinvestment programmes,” Mukherjee told an interactive meeting with India Inc, a day after presenting the national budget for the current fiscal.

When Akshaye Stepped into Anil’s Shoes

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Mumbai, July 07: Anil Kapoor Productions’ Short Kut The Con Is On is all set to release soon. The film is quite a departure from the actor’s first production, which dealt with the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi and his prodigal son.

Ireland goalkeeper Kenny faces ban over failed doping test

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London, July 07:Sheffield United have suspended goalkeeper Paddy Kenny after the Ireland international failed a drug test, the Championship club confirmed Tuesday.

A urine sample taken from the 31-year-old after Sheffield United’s play-off semi-final match against Preston in May returned positive for the banned stimulant ephedrine.

We can confirm that Paddy Kenny has been suspended by the club,” a United spokesman said.

“This is an ongoing, confidential matter and as such we are unable to comment further.”

Fresh petitions filed against Hafiz Saeed

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Islamabad, July 07: Fresh appeals were filed in Pakistan’s Supreme Court against the release of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai terror attacks, a government lawyer said on Monday.

Hafiz Saeed, was put under house arrest in early December after a UN Security Council committee added him and the charity group he heads to a list of people and organizations linked to Al- Qaeda or the Taleban.

Andhra Pradesh cancels Metro contract awarded to Maytas

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Hyderabad, July 07: The Andhra Pradesh government Tuesday said it has cancelled the Hyderabad Metro rail project contract awarded to Maytas Infra, run by the family of former Satyam chairman of B. Ramalinga Raju.

Urban Development Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy said the state government decided to cancel the project as the company failed to achieve financial closure by the March deadline.

Maytas bagged the Rs.12,000-crore project by offering to give about Rs.30,000 crore to the government over 30 years.

Robber involved in 100 snatching cases held in Delhi

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New Delhi, Jul 07: Delhi Police today claimed to have cracked several cases of snatching with the arrest of a 25-year-old man allegedly involved in over 100 such cases and said to have amassed huge property using looted materials. Shahnawaz Khan, the accused residing in east Delhi”s Laxmi Nagar, was allegedly involved in the robbing of a woman news editor of Press Trust of India (PTI) in broad daylight in May and S K Arora, Special Magistrate of MCD in March, police said.

“We have arrested Shahnawaz Khan from Laxmi Nagar area yesterday. He is involved in more than 100 cases.

Woman doctor held for killing twin daughters

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New Delhi, July 07: A 30-year-old gynecologist has been arrested for killing her twin daughters and attempting suicide here, police said Tuesday.

Rupa Kopari had injected her twin daughters – Tanya and Twinkle – and herself with a poisonous substance after a tiff with her surgeon husband July 1. The two girls died while Kopari was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition.

Police arrested her Monday evening after she was discharged from the hospital.

‘A case of murder and attempt to suicide was registered against the woman. We are interrogating her,’ a police officer said.

Saudi kept on tenterhooks

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Riyadh, July 07: A Saudi businessman has been waiting for more than four years for a visit visa to the US even though Riyadh and Washington have stepped up efforts to boost political and commercial relations as well as people-to-people contacts.

Jamal Abdulmajeed M. Al-Ali’s application has been pending since April 27, 2005, when he was first interviewed for a visa at the US Embassy in Riyadh.

“For businessmen like me, such harassment in the name of visas reveals how the US State Department’s highhandedness is harming people-to-people contact,” said Al-Ali, 50.

MHAA condemns lawyer’s action

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Chennai, July 07: Madras High Court Advocates Association today condemned the alleged attempt by the chairman of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry Bar Council to influence a Judge by using the name of a Union minister to get anticipatory bails for his clients in a criminal case.

Obama vows to defeat terror; seeks Russian cooperation

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Moscow, July 07: On a landmark visit to Russia to “reset” ties between the two Cold War foes, US President Barack Obama on Tuesday sought Moscow’s cooperation in defeating terrorism as he declared that neither America nor Russia has an interest in an Afghanistan or Pakistan governed by the Taliban.

Upgrade Varun’s security, demands BJP

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New Delhi, July 07: BJP today said in the Lok Sabha that party MP Varun Gandhi’s life was under threat from an underworld outfit and demanded upgrading of his security.

BJP’s Deputy Leader Sushma Swaraj referred to the arrest of seven alleged associates of underworld don Chhota Shakeel who had apparently come to Delhi to kill an advocate who had taken up Varun’s case in the hate-speech incident.

International boycott of Myanmar no use: Thai PM

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Bangkok, July 07: Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who also chairs the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has reiterated that it would be useless for the international community to boycott Myanmar despite the country’s military junta refusing to release Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Bihar Assembly uproar over attempt to usurp church land

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Patna, July 07: Noisy scenes were witnessed in Bihar Assembly today over an alleged attempt by a business firm to usurp properties of a church in the state capital.

Raising the issue during the zero-hour, Opposition Congress leader Ashok Kumar said despite a Delhi High Court order prohibiting sale of properties, including land, of institutions owned by minority Christians across the country, a local business firm allegedly manipulated registration of the land in Lodipur where the Angus Educational Institute had opened a school.

Pakistan fined for slow over-rate in Galle Test

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Galle, July 07: As if the shock 50-run loss to Sri Lanka was not enough, Pakistan were today fined for maintaining a slow over-rate in the first Test here.

ICC match referee Alan Hurst imposed the fines after Younis Khan’s side was ruled to be one over short of its target at the end of Sri Lanka innings when time allowances were taken into consideration.

Younis was fined 10 per cent of his match fee while his team-mates received five per cent fines for violating Section J of the ICC Code of Conduct.

Obama: US and Russia not destined to be adversaries

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Moscow, July 07: “The pursuit of power is no longer a zero-sum game,” Obama said, speaking in the Russian capital to graduates of the New Economic School but also hoping to reach the whole nation. “Progress must be shared.”

Obama used his speech to further define his view of the United States’ place in the world and, specifically, to argue that his country shares compelling interests with Russia.

–Agencies

Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan’s band baaja

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Mumbai, July 07: Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan may maintain a distance from each other, but in a small industry it’s hard to be off each other’s radar completely. Recently, Shah Rukh Khan was shooting for Dulha Mil Gaya and was supposed to play a red guitar. The director Mudassar Aziz and choreographer Ahmed Khan didn’t fancy the guitar provided and asked for a replacement. The only substitute in the city was with Salman Khan, who was shooting at Famous studios, Mahalaxmi, for Wanted Dead And Alive.

LA braced for Michael Jackson’s farewell

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Washington, July 07: The stage is set for Michael Jackson’s final act – as Los Angeles was braced for what could be the biggest, most spectacular celebrity send-off of all time.

Ecstatic fans – many of them Britons who won the lottery for seats at the memorial service – received their tickets and spangly wristbands which will get them into the 20,000-seat Staples Centre.

The Jackson family announced the participants will include Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Usher, Lionel Richie, Kobe Bryant, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer and Martin Luther King III.

Were Iraqis tortured and killed by our soldiers?

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Baghdad, July 07: Allegations that British soldiers murdered and mutilated 20 Iraqis are to be fully investigated after it emerged that ministers had attempted to warn Tony Blair about damaging evidence of the ill-treatment of battlefield prisoners five years ago.

The startling revelation in the High Court yesterday led to the Government withdrawing its objection to a judicial inquiry into the alleged massacre after the battle of “Danny Boy” involving British forces near Basra in May 2004.

Verdict: Most well dressed couples in Bollywood

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Mumbai, July 07: Katrina Kaif and Salman Khan were voted as the most well dressed couple in B-town, winning 30% votes. And why not! After all Salman Khan has always been the icon when it comes to style and his lady love Katrina is no less when it comes to making heads turn!

—Agencies

BMW hails smaller-than-expected decline in its car sales

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Mumbai, July 07: BMW hails smaller-than-expected decline in its car salesMunich – Sales data released Tuesday from German carmaker BMW showed world sales of its cars declined less steeply in June than earlier this year, bringing hope that the recession may be bottoming out.

BMW Group sold 127,546 vehicles in the month, a fall of 12.7 per cent. But that was less abrupt than the average 19.5-per-cent decline over the first six months of 2009.

Seven die after consuming illicit liquor in Ahmedabad

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Ahmedabad, July 07: Seven persons died and five others were hospitalised in critical condition on Tuesday after they consumed alleged illicit liquor in Majoor Gam area here, police said.

The incident has sparked off protests in the area with women taking to the streets demanding government and police to crack down on all illegal liquor dens in the state.

The incident took place early morning when some people of the Majoor Gam area after consuming spurious liquor started vomiting and complained of stomach ache.

Pilots demand action after increase in laser attacks

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London, July 07: Airline pilots are being temporarily blinded during take-off and landing because of a “dramatic increase” in the number of incidents of laser beams being shot into cockpits, union leaders warned today.

The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) urged the Government to take action, claiming that passenger lives were being put at risk.

Balpa said the number of incidents across the country had increased from three in 2003 to 29 in 2007 and 206 last year.

Obama urges partnership with Russia, slams corruption

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Washington, July 07: President Barack Obama called on Tuesday for the United States and Russia to put Cold War enmity behind them and forge a true global partnership to contain nuclear weapons.

In a carefully calibrated speech, Obama praised the achievements of Russian history and culture and avoided any direct criticism of the Kremlin.

But he said freedom, democracy and the rule of law were ideals to be followed and condemned corruption and authoritarianism — ills which critics say afflict Russian business and political life.

Andhra techie shot dead in South Africa

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Hyderabad, July 07: A software engineer from Andhra Pradesh has been shot dead by unidentified assailants in South Africa, his family members said today.

B. Kiran, 28, who was injured in the attack on Thursday, died at a hospital in Johannesburg early today. His family members in Andhra Pradesh’s Warangal district said a doctor hailing from the state told them over telephone that Kiran succumbed to the bullet injuries.