New Delhi, July 05: In a startling revelation, BJP leader Varun Gandhi on Sunday claimed that he was facing threat from the underworld.
Varun’s claim came just a day after the Delhi Police arrested in the national capital six sharpshooters of the Chhota Shakeel gang, who during the interrogation reportedly revealed that the Gandhi scion was their target.
Baghdad, July 05: US Vice President Joe Biden Saturday said the United States was committed to withdrawing its soldiers from Iraq by the end of 2011.
Speaking from Baghdad on US Independence Day, less than a week after US soldiers withdrew from Iraqi cities, Biden said the White House would honour pledges to complete the military’s withdrawal from Iraq in two years’ time.
M0scow, July 05: Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev end a seven-year hiatus in U.S.-Russian summitry on Monday, with both men declaring their determination to further cut nuclear arsenals and repair a badly damaged relationship.
Jeddah, July 05: A three-day workshop began at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) on Saturday with 33 government departments and the Human Rights Commission participating to discuss ways of making existing public and private buildings disabled-friendly.
Muhammad Al-Fadhl, chairman of the JCCI board of directors, expressed the chamber’s readiness to cooperate with all concerned departments to cater to the needs of the disabled.
New Delhi, July 05: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Varun Gandhi today claimed that underworld criminals arrested in Delhi a day earlier were plotting to kill him and urged the home minister to take urgent action.
Dhaka, July 05: Advisors of Bangladesh’s former caretaker government have denied the charge that they were responsible for serving ‘poisoned’ food to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when she was in jail and have demanded a fair probe.
Hasina’s current health advisor, Syed Mudassar Ali, repeated the charge levelled a week earlier by deputy leader in parliament Syeda Sajeda Choudhury. He claimed that Hasina, who served a year in prison on graft charges, was served ‘poisoned’ food aimed at her slow death.
Riyadh, July 05: Saudi petrochemicals producers said yesterday they would seek duties on imports from China after Beijing began a dumping probe on petrochemical products from Saudi Arabia and three other countries.
Abdul Rahman Al-Zamil, chairman of the executive council of Saudi Export Development Center (SEDC), said China had no grounds to pursue the dumping investigation on imports of methanol and butanediol (BDO) it launched in late June.
New Delhi, July 05: Even as nearly 40 lakh cases are pending, the various high courts in the country are short of 232 judges, according to a latest estimate.
As per June, 2009 estimate, the 21 high courts in the country have a total sanctioned strength of 886 judges. But the actual working strength is 654 judges.
The Allahabad High Court, which has the maximum number of sanctioned strength of 160 judges in the country, has 72 vacancies.
At present, proposals for appointment of 42 judges in various high courts are under consideration by the government, official sources said.
Dubai, July 05: Dethroned Twenty20 World Champions India have been placed alongside South Africa and a qualifier team in Group C for the next year’s third edition of the tournament to be played in the West Indies.
Holders Pakistan are in the Group A where they will have to ward off the challenges from Bangladesh and Australia to advance in the event starting April 30, according to the 2010 World Twenty20 Match schedule announced by the International Cricket Council today.
London, July 05: Cristiano Ronaldo insists that the $130 million (80 million pounds) Real Madrid paid for him is a “fair price” and he is delighted to be the “most expensive” player in the world.
Ronaldo will put the finishing touches on his move from Manchester United Monday night when he is officially unveiled as the Spanish giants’ latest signing.
Abu Dhabi, July 05: A United Arab Emirates (UAE) based charity plans to build an orphanage in the southern Indian state of Kerala, WAM news agency reported.
The UAE Red Crescent Authority (RCA) will build a three-storey orphanage in the state. The project is part of its efforts to deliver social care to orphans, which are one of the most vulnerable segments in the community.
A visiting team of the RCA laid down the foundation stone of the facility that will accommodate 150 orphans who will also be imparted educational and professional training.
Mumbai, July 05: It looks like Salman Khan’s finally going to get the chance to show his full acting credentials in the epic Veer, which it transpires is based on Gogol’s classic Taras Bulba. “Veer has all the swashbuckling elements that Salman enjoys watching in a film and he is sure that the audience enjoys it too,£ said a source for the movie, “He discussed the idea with his director-friends and eventually asked Anil Sharma to make Taras Bulba into a Hindi film with Mithun Chakraborty as the patriarch and Salman and Sohail Khan as his two brave sons.”
San Francisco, July 05: It might take Californians a puff or two to get their heads around an apparent contradiction recently enshrined in state law. The same marijuana smoke that doctors can recommend to ease cancer patients’ suffering must soon come with a warning saying it causes the disease.
State environmental regulators last month voted to place marijuana smoke on its list of hundreds of substances known to cause cancer. The decision could lead to warning signs in medical marijuana dispensaries and labels on packaged pot within a year.
Tehran, July 05: A top aide to Iran’s supreme leader has described the country’s main opposition leader as a US agent and has called for him to be tried for crimes against the nation.
While hardline figures had previously demanded that Mir Hossein Mousavi be prosecuted for describing Iran’s 12 June elections as fraudulent and leading demonstrations, this is the first public declaration claiming that Mr Mousavi is a foreign agent.
Dharamsala (HP), July 05: Ailing veteran JD(U) leader George Fernandes says he is “fed up of politics” and is now spending time penning his memoirs.
“I am now fed up with politics,” the 79-year-old former defence minister, who is undergoing traditional Tibetan treatment here for a clot in the brain, told PTI.
“I am spending my time writing a book to refresh memories of my life-long journey,” said Fernades, who unsuccessfully contested parliamentary polls as an Independent from his traditional Muzaffarpur seat in Bihar after being denied a party ticket.
New Delhi, July 05: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is preparing a comprehensive plan to provide security cover to historical monuments across the country to protect them from attacks and damage by visitors.
The ASI, which is responsible for conservation of the monuments, has invited bids from private security agencies for guarding historical buildings in the capital and other places of prime tourist importance.
New Delhi, July 05: A Delhi court has sought response from the family of an undertrial, who died under ‘mysterious’ circumstances in Tihar jail, after the CBI filed a closure report in the five-year-old case.
Additional chief metropolitan magistrate RK Tripathi issued notice to Bilkis Begum, widow of deceased Mobin alias Momin (35) as the probe agency claimed that investigations did not corroborate the allegation that he was murdered.
Tehran, JUly 05: Iran has said it will release the eighth of nine British embassy employees detained in Tehran today, Foreign Secretary David Miliband revealed.
But he vowed to continue to fight for the freedom of the remaining detainee who is facing a possible trial on charges Mr Miliband insisted had “absolutely no substance”.
The staff were arrested last weekend amid rapidly-deteriorating relations with Iran since the disputed re-election of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the street protests that followed.
Melbourne, July 05: Ian Chappell believes Australia have picked a “ridiculous” Ashes squad and it would be “nonsense” to rely on part-time spinners during the series.
Chappell, who captained the 1972 and 1975 touring squads, has tipped England to prevail in the five-match contest, a prediction backed by the former England captain Tony Greig.
“If you’re looking for clues as to who might win, I always look at the bowling attacks,” Chappell told Cricinfo. “Generally you can go with the team with the best attack. At the moment England certainly have got it.
Raipur, July 05: Around 3000 girls have been reported missing in Chhattisgarh apparently due to illegal trafficking.
According to police sources, 5000 persons were registered missing, out of which 3000 are girls.
Sister Sevti Panna of Jashpur-based NGO Gramin Vikas Kendra claimed that placement agencies are behind this racket as they lure women with good job prospects but after some days these women go missing.
Tehran, July 05: The son of an Iranian revolutionary icon called on parliament to dismiss president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from his post, as the country’s conservative political establishment upped pressure Sunday on the reformists.
Ali Reza Beheshti, 47, a close Mousavi ally and son of one of the main leaders of the 1979 Islamic revolution, urged the parliament to reverse the election results, saying that “people expect their representatives to represent them and not to defend authorities by any means.”
London, July 05: Later this year, Indian President Pratibha Patil will become the first woman non-royal head of state to be hosted by Queen Elizabeth II in her 57-year reign as British monarch.
When ‘commoner’ Patil comes visiting Britain Oct 27-29, she will be only the fourth female head of state to be staying with the Queen on her invitation – all the other 94 have been men.
Although the Queen hosts many female heads of state for receptions – some of them non-royal, such as the Argentine president – they have come on invitations from British prime ministers.
Colombo, July 05: A lone Tamil rebel killed a soldier in eastern Sri Lanka and injured two in a shootout marking the first military casualties after the guerrilla leadership was crushed six weeks ago, a military spokesman said Sunday.
The incident took place in Kirankulam, Batticaloa, 300 km east of the capital when soldiers attempted to ambush a rebel riding a canoe in a lagoon Saturday.
The rebel grabbed the weapon of a soldier and opened fire killing one and injuring two. In return fire the rebel was injured and arrested.
New Delhi, July 05: After witnessing a slowdown in the past year, the job prospects in the country are likely to improve in the next 12 months, a survey has said.
Besides, over 70 per cent of the recruitment agents surveyed believe that hiring will stabilise in the coming three months.
In a pan-Indian survey of recruitment agents by Edelweiss Securities, more than half (53 per cent) of the respondents said that the situation would improve over the next one year.
Mumbai, July 05: Shahid Kapur is impatient these days. The reason is his upcoming movie, Kaminey, which is releasing soon. It will his first movie in a long time and Shahid says he has put his heart and soul into it, which is evident from the promos. Not only has the actor acquired a new look for the film; he has also shed his lover boy image.
Shahid, who received a lot of praise for playing a cute lover boy in films like Vivaah and Jab We Met, is playing a double role in Kaminey.