Month: July 2009

Nuclear agreement expected from summit : Official

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Moscow, July 06: Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev end a seven-year hiatus in U.S.-Russian summitry on Monday, with each declaring his determination to further cut nuclear arsenals and repair a badly damaged relationship.

Both sides appear to want to use progress on arms control as a pathway to possible agreement on trickier issues, including Iran and Georgia, the tiny former Soviet republic. Those difficulties and others have soured a promising linkage in the first years after the Cold War and pushed ties between Moscow and Washington to depths unseen in more than two decades.

Iran deploys fresh warships to Gulf of Aden

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Tehran, July 06: The Iranian Navy has deployed two warships to join international efforts to preserve shipping security in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden.

Iran’s Deputy Naval Commander, Gholam-Reza Khadem, said Monday that the dispatched warships are set to replace aging vessels and protect Iranian merchant containers and oil tankers from Somali pirates in the volatile Gulf of Aden.

The dispatch comes only a week after the Iranian navy saved one if its giant oil tankers from the grips of Somali pirates.

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.

My first day as host : Shweta Gulati

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Mumbai, July 06: Shweta Gulati Shweta Gulati is the new face of the Sony’s, Dekh India Dekh. The vivacious doctor of Sanjeevini is now seen hosting a comedy show. The actress shares her experience on the first day of shoot.

“My first day on the sets of DID was ok, as I was new to them and vice-versa. The contestants as well as judges were very warm and nice to me but it was more like a professional relation than a friendly one. Though I still enjoyed my stint and believe that as the day passes, we will know each other in better way,” states Shweta.

Funds for minority affairs up by 74 percent

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New Delhi, July 06: Funds for the ministry of minority affairs has been hiked from Rs.1,000 crore to Rs.1,740 crore to implement projects for the welfare of the minorities, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced Monday.

“The plan outlet in 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.

This includes Rs.994 crore for multi sectoral developmental programmes for minorities in selected minority concentrated districts,” Mukherjee said while presenting the union budget.

Highlights of union budget for 2009-10

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New Delhi, July 06: Highlights of the union budget for the current fiscal presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha Monday:

– No change in corporate tax rate

– Income tax exemption limit for senior citizens increased by Rs.15,000, for women and others by 10,000 each

– New indirect tax will be introduced in 45 days

– Fringe benefit tax abolished

– Goods and services tax (GST) will be introduced April 1, 2010

– An alternative dispute settlement mechanism to be set up to settle tax disputes

– Lawyers brought under the ambit of service tax

Ex-Gitmo prisoner trying to save torture photo

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Cuba, July 06: Former detainee of Guantanamo Bay prison Binyam Mohamed has appealed to a US federal court not to destroy evidence that shows his torture.

He said that the evidence proved he was abused while being held at the notorious detention center, the Guardian reported on Sunday.

The evidence is said to consist of a photograph of Mohamed, a British resident, was taken after he was severely beaten by guards at the US navy base in Cuba.

Three killed in bomb blast in south-east Turkey

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Istanbul, July 06: Three construction workers were killed and nine other men were injured in a landmine explosion in south-east Turkey on Monday, the Andolu news agency reported.

The bomb had been planted along a road in the province of Sirnak, near the border with Iraq. A vehicle carrying workers who were building a dam and roads in the area triggered the mine.

It was not clear who had planted the mine.

Langer defends Championship format

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London, July 06: Somerset captain Justin Langer has protested against the ECB’s proposed decision to cut the number of County Championship matches to accommodate the Champions League which will take place in September 2010.

The ECB is facing a serious backlash from professional players over radical plans to reform domestic cricket and Langer has defended the current four-day format, saying it is “perfect”.

India and South Africa In Same Group

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London, July 06: The former T20 champion India and South Africa have been placed in the Group ‘C’ along with a qualifier team for the ICC T20 World Cup which will held in 2010 in West Indies.

The defending champion Pakistan has been placed in the Group ‘A’ with Bangladesh and Australia as other teams in the group.

The ICC T20 World Cup 2010 will commence on 30th April and the schedule for all the round matches has been announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday.

John, Katrina voted most eligible single celebrities

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Mumbai, July 06: Bollywood actors John Abraham and Katrina Kaif have been voted as the most eligible single celebrities in an online poll.

The poll conducted by matrimonial website shaadi.com saw responses from over 18,000 netizens, a statement from the company said Friday.

Nearly 48 percent of males voted for Katrina as the most eligible single female and 43 percent females named John as their favoured eligible bachelor.

Arshad, Akshaye to tickle funny bones with ‘Short Kut…’

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New Delhi, July 06: Think of Arshad Warsi and a smile comes to one’s face instantly courtesy his immaculate comic timing. The actor is once again is set to entertain audiences along with Akshaye Khanna in “Short Kut – The Con Is On” that releases Friday.

Already on fire, courtesy Kabir Khan’s “New York” and Sabbir Khan’s “Kambakkht Ishq”, the box office just might be able to move to the next gear with the comedy.

Anil Kapoor’s third production, “Short Kut – The Con Is On” has been directed by Neeraj Vora and stars Amrita Rao in female lead.

Morality can’t be a ground to deprive fundamental rights: HC

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New Delhi, July 06: The Delhi High Court has ruled a person cannot be deprived of his fundamental rights because of public disapproval of his acts on moral grounds and constitutional morality must dominate over public morality.

“Moral indignation, howsoever, strong, is not a valid basis for overriding individual’s fundamental rights and privacy. In our scheme of things, constitutional morality must outweigh the argument of public morality, even if it be the majoritarian view,” a two-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice A P Shah said.

Himesh makes Satish Kaushik extra-cautious

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Mumbai, July 06: Himesh makes Satish Kaushik extra-cautious If you think recession has not hit our tinsel town; put on your thinking cap, again. Not only has it hit small-time production houses; even big producers are now thinking twice to put their money in exceptionally exorbitant projects.

Minority riots erupt in China’s west

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Beijing, July 06: Chinese state media says that more than 140 people have been killed and over 800 hurt in violence in the country’s western Xinjiang region. The official agency did not immediately give any other details on the number of deaths.

The official agency did not immediately give any other details on the number of deaths.

It earlier reported that four people had been killed in violence after nearly 1,000 protesters from a Uighur ethnic group rioted on Sunday in the region’s capital Urumqi, overturning barricades, attacking bystanders and clashing with police.

Economic survey a huge wishlist, says Sushma

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New Delhi, July 06: On the eve of the Budget presentation, the BJP on Sunday criticised the Economic Survey as a “huge wishlist” and accused the government of putting the blame for all economic problems in the country on external factors.

“The Economic Survey wants us to believe that the economic woes facing the country today with growth slackening, inflation mounting and burgeoning fiscal deficit are all due to external factors such as capital flows, price volatility and the financial meltdown,” senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said in a statement here on Sunday.

John not moving in with Bips

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Mumbai,July 06: When will Bollywood’s most good looking couple tie the knot is the question that’s on everyone’s minds. If not the marriage, will the two share an apartment since both are busy renovating their respective houses of late? We asked John himself about the couple’s future plans on which he said, “Bips is doing up hers, her house has been done up, mine house has been done up so lets live in our respective houses for some time and enjoy it.”

—Agencies

Union Budget : FM promises 12 million new jobs

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New Delhi, July 06: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee began presenting India’s budget for this fiscal in the Lok Sabha Monday, promising all that his government can do to ensure inclusive growth and address the growing aspirations of the country’s young population.

Dressed in a spotless white bandgala suit, the 73-year-old politician said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government would push forward an agenda that will ensure 12 million new jobs each year and reduce poverty by half by 2014.

5 killed, 100 injured in explosions in MP

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Singrauli, July 05: At least five persons were killed and 100 injured in explosions in two private factories manufacturing explosives used for mining activities in the Bairhan Industrial Area here this evening. Police said the first explosion occurred in the Ideal Explosives Industries around 6.30 pm.

The explosion had its impact in the neighbouring Rajasthan Explosives Private Limited as well. Singrauli District Magistrate T Narihari said five bodies have been recovered from the site.

Policemen guard Maya’s statue wealth across UP

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New Delhi, July 06: UP Police has a new job at hand. Guarding statues of Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram and Mayawati herself. This has come after the Supreme Court served the UP chief minister with a notice asking her to justify erecting new statues for Dalit pride with taxpayers money.

In Lucknow, the seat of Dalit power, the men in uniform have a new job. They musr guard and protect the symbols of Dalit empowerment installed all over the state in the form of statues by the Mayawati government.

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray admitted to hospital

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Mumbai, July 06: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray was on Monday admitted to a hospital in suburban Bandra.

Sena sources said that the 82-year-old has been admitted to the Lilavati hospital for a routine check up and there is no cause for concern.

Thackeray was last month hospitalised after he complained of breathlessness.

-Agencies

Kat wows directors by her acting skills

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Mumbai, July 06: Britain-born model-turned-actress Katrina Kaif has improvised her acting skills and accent since her debut in the 2003 dud “Boom” to such an extent that she is bagging praise for her work from her directors like Kabir Khan and Prakash Jha.

Khan had praised Katrina’s performance in his hit “New York” and told IANS: “Katrina has done a wonderful job in the film…she has been a revelation”.

Jha had also praised the actress for her confident Hindi speech and accent in his forthcoming film “Rajneeti” saying, “Katrina Kaif is such a revelation.”

Niger militants attack Chevron oil manifold

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Niamey, July 06: The main Nigerian militant group says it has forced the closure of a manifold owned by the US oil giant Chevron in the Western Niger Delta.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on Monday, claimed it wrecked one of the Chevron Nigeria Limited’s (CNL) oil pipeline junction points in the Okan offshore field, Reuters reported.

“The strategic Okan manifold…was blown up at about 2045 hours on Sunday,” MEND was quoted as saying.

John signs Nishikant Kamat’s next

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Mumbai, July 06: After making the gritty and acclaimed “Mumbai Meri Jaan”, which revolved around the 2006 serial train bombings in the city, one expected the shy yet brilliant Nishikant Kamat to delve deeper into terrorism. But the filmmaker wants to make a masala entertainer instead.

He is scripting an out-and-out escapist film – a full-on masala action adventure. And Nishikant has roped in John Abraham to play the lead.

Pak begin T20 defence against Bangladesh

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St Lucia, July 06: Pakistan will begin the defence of their World Twenty20 title in the Caribbean next year against fellow Asian Test nation Bangladesh in St Lucia on May 1, organisers announced on Sunday.

Pakistan, who beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in last month’s World Twenty20 final at Lord’s, will complete its group phase programme at the same venue the following day against Australia.

The West Indies will open the event in Guyana on April 30 against one of two qualifiers for the tournament.