Month: July 2009

Nigeria militants claim to hijack chemical tanker

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Abuja, July 06: Nigeria’s main militant group said on Monday it has seized a chemical tanker with six foreign crew members aboard.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said in an e-mail statement that the tanker was seized yesterday and would be held until further notice.

It said three of those aboard were Russian, two are from the Philippines and the sixth crew member is from India.

More than 200 foreign workers have been taken captive in the restive Niger Delta since violence increased in 2006, with most released unharmed after a ransom is paid.

Sarabjit to petition Zardari for mercy

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Lahore, July 06: Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh will file a mercy petition before Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, his lawyer said Monday.

“I will file the mercy petition on Wednesday. I have also sought a meeting with the president so I can take up the matter with him personally,” lawyer Owais Qureshi told reporters after meeting Sarabjit at the high security Kot Lakhpat jail here.

Life not the same for Indian students in Australia

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Melbourne, July 06: A change in lifestyle has been the fallout of the attacks against Indian students in the southern winter of 2009 in Australia. They have learnt an important lesson – get home early.

Mir Qasim Ali Khan, 24, the student of a two-year programme in hospitality at the Victoria Institute of Technology, was one unlucky victim.

A fortnight back, while returning home after a haircut near the eastern suburb of Box Hill where he stays with two other Muslim friends, the student from Andhra Pradesh was accosted by two beefy white teenagers.

Cristiano Ronaldo arrives in Madrid for packed presentation

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Madrid, July 06: Cristiano Ronaldo flew into Madrid at lunchtime on Monday, in order to prepare for what promised to be a spectacular presentation to the Real fans on Monday night.

Around 80,000 “Madridista” fans were expected to pack Real’s Estadio Santiago Bernabeu to welcome Ronaldo, world football’s most expensive player, to the club.

Arsenal ready to sell Cesc for 40 m pounds

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London, July 06: Arsenal have said that they are ready to sell midfielder Cesc Fabregas for 40 million pounds.

“If Arsenal receive a bid in the region of 40 million pounds there will be an enormous pressure to sell,” The Sun quoted a Gunner’s insider, as saying.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are said to be interested in making a bid for Fabregas.

Barca president Joan Laporta signalled his intention to make an offer last week.

Tiger pounces past Hunter to capture PGA National title

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Bethesda, July 06: Tiger Woods turned a Hunter into the hunted on Sunday, stalking his prey for several holes before pouncing on a rare birdie chance to win the PGA National by one stroke over Hunter Mahan.

World number one Woods sank a tension-packed 20-foot birdie putt on the par-5 16th hole to seize the lead, then added two routine pars to capture his 68th career title and third of the season in his final British Open tuneup.

Sania, Somdev, Prakash slip in rankings

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New Delhi, July 06: A second-round loss at the Wimbledon championships cost Sania Mirza seven places in the WTA singles ranking as the Indian slipped to 85 but maintained her 37th position in the doubles list.

A failed bid at Wimbledon also affected Somdev Devvarman’s and Prakash Amrittraj’s rankings as the former lost three places to be 132 and latter went down by five spots to be at 159.

Somdev had lost his first qualifying round and Prakash faltered in the third and final round.

Hamas alleges Israel spying network had support of Abbas

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Gaza, July 06: The de-facto prime minister of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniya, alleged Monday that his security forces had unveiled a spy network in the Gaza Strip that served Israel through the Ramallah- based administration of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

“In recent arrests, the security services were able to dismantle several security cells that chanelled dangerous but false information to Ramallah and then to the Israeli occupation,” Haniya told reporters in Gaza.

Kambakkht Ishq team to celebrate in style

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Mumbai, July 06: Akshay, who is a close friend of Sajid, is helping organise the bash, as the producer is feeling under the weather. Almost the entire industry is being invited along with Sajid’s best friend Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif
, to all of Akshay’s heroines including Deepika Padukone with her beau Ranbir Kapoor, Lara Dutta and Karisma Kapoor.”

PCB gives contracts to Yousuf, Razzaq and Nazir

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Karachi, July 06: Pakistan Cricket Board has offered central contracts to opener Imran Nazir, senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq who
have returned to mainstream after snapping ties with the ‘rebel’ Indian Cricket League.

The PCB has given A category central contracts to Yousuf and Razzaq while Nazir, who has been cleared recently to play for the national team again, got a C category central contract.

Chicken Pockets

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Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup – flour
1/2 cup – butter
1/3 cup – cream cheese
1 – egg yolk
salt and pepper
For the Filling:
1 cup – finely chopped chicken pieces
1 – onion
1 tbsp – parsley
1 tbsp – olives
salt, pepper and mustard to taste
mayonnaise

Method

1.Combine flour, butter, cream cheese, egg yolk, salt and pepper. Chill.
2.Roll out and cut into 2” squares.
3.Spread a tsp. of filling on each square, pull corners together and seal.
4.Place on an ungreased baking tray.
5.Bake at 200°C for 12-15 mins. till golden brown.
For the Filling:

Cheese Pops

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Ingredients:
3/4 cup – butter
1/2 cup – sifted flour
1/2 cup – water
2 – eggs
3 tbsps – grated cheese
2 tbsps – minced onion
1 tsp – salt
1/4 tsp – pepper
1/2 tsp – mustard

Method

1. Heat water together with butter till the water boils and the butter melts.
2.Add the sifted flour, and using a wooden spoon, beat well over gentle heat till it forms a ball. Take off the fire.
3.Add the eggs, one by one, beating very well.
4.Add the grated cheese, minced onion, salt, pepper and mustard.
5.Shape into small balls.
6.Deep fry in hot oil. Serve hot.

Pakistan yet to respond to BSF protest after ‘rocket’ attack

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Attari, July 06: concerns in Punjab’s border belt following Saturday night’s ‘rocket’ attack on Indian territory from the Pakistani side, the Border Security Force (BSF) is awaiting a response from Pakistan Rangers regarding the incident.

The BSF had lodged a ‘strong protest’ with the Pakistan Rangers, the border security agency of Pakistan, Sunday following three ‘rockets’ fired into Indian territory from the Pakistani side of the border.

158 children untraceable in Bihar

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Patna, July 06: Though the cases of kidnapping of minors for ransom have declined in Bihar, a total 158 children are still untraceable, the state assembly was informed today. According to official records, 2,167 kidnapping or missing cases of children were reported between 2001 and 2007 from various places in the state, Bihar”s in-charge minister for Home department, Vijendra Prasad Yadav, told the house while replying to a question of CPI-M”s Ramdeo Verma.

Obama arrives in Moscow for nuclear reduction talks

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Moscow, July 06: US President Barack Obama has arrived in Moscow ahead of talks with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev which will aim to reduce the two countries’ nuclear stockpiles.

The issue of the conflict in Afghanistan, plus relations with Iran and North Korea are also to be on the agenda.

The president’s plane, Air Force One, touched down amid rain at the Russian government’s airbase at Vnukovo on Monday morning.

Both countries have said that they want to reduce their nuclear warhead stockpiles to 6,000 each.

Mugabe: Obama’s top expert on Africa is ‘an idiot’

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Harare, July 06: Johnnie Carson, the United States’ most senior official focused on Africa, has been labelled “an idiot” by Zimbabwean President Mugabe, following an angry exchange between the two in Libya last week, state media reported Monday. US assistant secretary of state for African affairs Carson met Mugabe on the sidelines of the annual African Union summit in Sirte on Thursday last week. Diplomats in Harare reported that Mugabe stormed out of the meeting.

Galle hundred most memorable: Yousuf

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St Lucia, July 06: Senior Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf has rated his comeback century against Sri Lanka in the first Test at Galle as the most memorable and important innings of his career.

Yousuf, who made a triumphant return to the Pakistan team with his 24th career century, said he rated his hundred very high as he was under lot of pressure to perform and prove himself.

Big push for rural development projects in Union Budget

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New Delhi, July 06: Giving a push to its rural development projects, the government on Monday announced a 144 per cent jump in the allocation for the flagship job guarantee scheme, NREGA, and 45 per cent hike for the Bharat Nirman programme that seeks to improve infrastructure in villages.

Presenting the 2009-10 Budget, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced an allocation of Rs 39,100 crore for NREGA for 2009-10, an increase of 144 per cent over 2008-09.

India protests firing along Punjab border

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New Delhi, July 06: India has called on Pakistan to strengthen security along the international border in Punjab, following a mysterious rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack on Saturday night.

Sources in the Border Security Force said an RPG exploded in a field near the Pul Kanjari Border Observation Post, shortly before 10:30 p.m. on Saturday. Its fragments were later recovered.

Minutes earlier, troops stationed along India-Pakistan border in the Attari area, heard a loud explosion from the area around Pakistan’s KS Wallah Border Post.

Dravid among India probables for Champions Trophy

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New Delhi, July 06: Rahul Dravid has been named among the Indian team probabales for the ICC Champions Trophy in September this year.

The all-India senior selection committee at its meeting held in Chennai today selected 30 players for the tournament to be held in South Africa.

—–Agencies

US pressurized Israeli firm on IAF deal: Reports

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Washington, July 06: Reports The United States, according to media reports, has used its pressure to persuade Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to come out of bidding of new fighter jet, announced by the Indian Air Force. India would get 18 jets from the final bidder, while the remaining jets will be manufactured in India under exchange of technology.

The deal, worth Rs 42,000 crore, by IAF, is aimed at acquiring 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) for Indian Air Force.

Funds for minority welfare up by 74 percent

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New Delhi, July 06: The budget has increased the outlay for the minority affairs ministry from Rs.1,000 crore last fiscal to Rs.1,740 crore with a focus on educational schemes.

The funds have been hiked to implement projects for the welfare of the minorities, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced while presenting the union budget on Monday.

“The plan outlay for the Ministry of Minority Affairs has been enhanced from Rs.1,000 crore in 2008-09 to Rs.1,740 crore for 2009-10, registering an increase of 74 percent,” he said.

Strike by 70,000 workers to begin Wednesday at World Cup stadiums

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Johannesburg, July 06: Tens of thousands of construction workers at the sites of several 2010 World Cup stadiums and related building projects in South Africa are set to down tools over pay beginning on Wednesday, their union said Monday. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the union to which construction workers belong, said the threatened strike by around 70,000 workers would go ahead after the Labour Court granted them the right to strike Monday.

Youth killed in explosion in Uppada village

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Kakinada, July 06: A 20-year-old youth died on the spot following an explosion in Uppada, a fishermen village, 16 km from here today. The explosion took place when Vummidi Kumar, a fishermen was digging the earth for levelling the ground in front of his house which received rainwater. The intensity of the explosion was so severe that the youth’s body was tossed to a height of 30 feet and fell to a distance of 100 metres from the spot. Other villagers too ran helter-skelter, fearing for their lives.

Reliance Capital announces expansion plans

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New Delhi, July 06: Reliance Capital, a subsidiary of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, has been working out plans to expand its business, including the company’s foray into banking sector within three to five years. The company aims at increasing its base to 50 million customers by globalization of its operations.

Anil Ambani, chairman of Reliance Capital, said: “We have drawn up exciting growth plans for the next three to five years.”