Month: July 2009

Biden, Fillon visit Iraq

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Baghda, July 03: French Prime Minister Francois Fillon arrived in Baghdad yesterday with a delegation of officials and business leaders seeking to raise France’s profile in Iraq.

“Iraqis were keen to remove themselves from American guardianship, and that is because they want to do business with other investors that they know well, among them the French,” a Fillon aide told journalists.

Meanwhile, in a surprise trip, US Vice President Joe Biden also arrived in Baghdad yesterday.

Journalists to get 50 per cent concession in trains

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New Delhi, July 03: Accredited journalists will be issued photo identification-cum-credit cards by the Railways to get reservation and a 50 per cent concession. While presenting the Railway Budget for 2009-10 in Parliament, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said instead of giving coupons, a practice in vogue till now, it is now proposed to issue photo identification-cum-credit cards.

Is Kat just another girl in Sallu’s life?

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Mumbai, July 03: While the world has perpetually framed Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif’s picture as the man and his wife in their hearts, his near and dear ones are still clueless of what’s on the couples’ mind.

In an interview to a website, Salman’s father Salim Khan sounded rather miffed when quizzed about his son’s wedding plans.

“Why should Salman’s family accept Katrina as the daughter-in-law; it is Salman who should accept her first as his wife. Our family will not marry Katrina. It is he who has to take the decision,” said Salim.

Musharraf should be tried in court, says PML-N leader

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Peshawar, July 03: A leader of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Thursday urged the government to try former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf in court for using excessive force in the Lal Masjid operation, a media report said.

PML-N leader M.N.A. Khawaja Saad Rafiq has demanded that the government prosecute Musharraf for careless handling of the Lal Masjid and Akbar Bugti cases in which many people were killed, the Online news agency reported.

Musharraf ordered the troops to break into the Lal Masjid to flush out militants who were holed up inside the shrine.

Nuclear facility bus bombed

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Islamabad, July 03 : At least two people were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up after ramming his motorcycle into a bus carrying workers from a nuclear facility in the garrison town of Rawalpindi yesterday.

President Asif Zardari condemned the suicide attack.

Pakistan has been hit by a wave of bombings in recent weeks in response to a military offensive against Taleban militants in the northwest of the country, but yesterday’s was the closest to the capital since the launch of the offensive.

Delhi Govt order on imposing timing restrictions on shops withdrawn

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New Delhi, July 03 : In a relief to traders in the city aggrieved over the order to shut down shops by 1930 hours due to the power crisis, the Delhi Government today withdrew the restrictions.

With the power situation in Delhi easing due to Monsoon showers hitting the city over the past few days, the Labour Department in Delhi said it was removing the restrictions on the traders to down shutters by 1930 hrs.

Report: Israel mulling easing Gaza embargo

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Jerusalem, July 03: An Israeli news website says Israel is considering a partial lifting of the embargo on Gaza in hopes of aiding talks to free a long-held captive soldier.

Friday’s report in YNet said Israel would increase supplies of coffee, tea, soups, meat, fish and canned goods into Gaza ahead of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, which starts in August.
Israel is also to renew shipments of fuel, clothing, kitchenware and egg-laying chickens.

Israel imposed a near-total embargo of the Gaza Strip in 2007 after Hamas took control.

Floods displace 200,000 in Assam

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Gowahati, July 03: The Assam government has sounded an alert after heavy monsoon rains inundated more than 300 villages, displacing an estimated 200,000 people in the past two days.

Four districts of Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Jorhat and Nagaon have been worst affected.

Most of the displaced people are now lodged at makeshift shelters on raised embankments.

Details are awaited.

–Agencies

Woman with brother’s collusion kill husband

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Chhattisgarh, July 3 : Irked over her husband’s drinking habits, a woman with the collusion of her brother beat him with sticks till he died Hasan Palia area here, police said today.

Jujhar Singh (40) was a drunkard which sparked frequent disputes between him and her wife Bhanwar Kunwar.

An altercation ensued between the couple last night and reached such heights that Bhanwar and her brother Mangusingh started beating and wielding sticks on him.

After sustaining severe injuries, Jujhar died on the spot.

Hans Baliye finale postponed

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Mumbai, July 03: Star One and Violet Pictures, reality show “Hans Baliye’ was all set to conclude but due to Karishma’s absent, the finale had to be postponed. The vivacious actress was out of country for some personal reason and will be returning today.

We called up the producer, Pankaj Saraswat to comment on the same. “Yes Karishma was out so the finale was postponed but tomorrow she will resume the shoot,” he stated.

New scheme in Railway Budget for poor to ‘travel with dignity’

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New Delhi, July 03 : The Railways are introducing a new scheme titled ‘Izzat'(Dignity) to ensure that ‘the poorest of the poor travel with dignity.’ Under the scheme, a uniformly-priced monthly season ticket of Rupees 25 would be available to members of the unorganised sector for travel upto 100 kms, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced presenting her Ministry’s budget for 2009-10 in the Lok Sabha.

This ticket, free of all surcharges, will be for those unorgnaised sector workers whose monthly income does not exceed Rs 1500 .

Kingdom, Sweden team up to promote green diplomacy

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Riyadh, July 03: Saudi Arabia will be a partner of a major European initiative called Green Public Diplomacy, which calls for intensified efforts to create green environment, control pollution on a global level, adopt environmental-friendly technology and encourage journalists to write more on environmental issues, according to Swedish Ambassador Jan Thesleff.

Thesleff said Sweden has teamed up with the King Saud University and Saudi Research and Publication Company to hold a major seminar on climate change and the environment later this year as part of the initiative.

460 new foreign medical graduates eligible to work in India

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New Delhi, July 03 : About 460 foreign medical graduates this year cleared the screening exam that makes them eligible to practice in India, while the number was 1,326 last year, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said here Friday.

Addressing the Rajya Sabha, the health minister said that in 2007, of the 3,143 foreign degree holders who appeared for the examinations conducted by the National Board of Examination (NBE), only 536 passed.

Nearly 4000 houses ready for poor in capital

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New Delhi, July 03: Nearly 4000 houses are ready for allotment to economically weaker sections (EWS) here of the total 37,936 units proposed under the Rajiv Awas Yojna scheme, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

“Overall, six projects including five by the Delhi State Industrial Infrastructural Development Corporation (DSIIDC) and one by DDA are being implemented by the Delhi Government,” Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja said in a written reply.

No increase in passenger rail fares, slew of sops in budget

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New Delhi, July 03: In a thanks-giving budget, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today proposed no increase in passenger fares or freight tariff while announcing a slew of measures including launch of 12 non-stop point-to-point long-distance trains and air-conditioned double-decker coaches for inter-city travel.

Presenting the Budget for 2009-10 in the Lok Sabha, the first after UPA’s return to power, she also announced concessions for unorganised sector by proposing monthly season ticket of Rs 25 for people with monthly income of up to Rs 1,500 for travel up to 100 kms.

Rahman, Boyle invited to vote for Oscar

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Mumbai, July 03: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited India’s music maestro A.R. Rahman and four other Oscar winners associated with the Academy award sweeper “Slumdog Millionaire” to join its roster of voting members.

Rahman has been invited for his music in “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”, while the film’s British Director Danny Boyle is also cited for “Sunshine”.

Surbhi ka naya sur

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Mumbai, July 03: Surbhi ka naya sur Surbhi Tiwari is keyed up to play a period role in Zee TV’s historical serial “Jhansi ki Rani’. She is essaying the role of Mainabai, wife of Bajirao Peshwa.

“Rani Laxmi Bai is groomed in peshwa parivaar, she has all the traits of that family. I am part of her grooming period,” she briefs the significance of her role.

ICC postpones World T20 championship

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London, July 03: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed the decision of postponing the next edition of the ICC World Twenty20 championship by a week, which will now held from April 30 to May 16.

This decision of ICC could be influenced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as this decision will help the Indian Premier League which is scheduled to begin from18 March as now there will a gap of a week between two tournaments.

BCCI to reconsider decision of dropping Deodhar trophy

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New Delhi, July 03: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been reconsidering their decision to cancel the Deodhar Trophy, the zonal 50-50 tournament, for the 2009-10 domestic season which was taken just a day before.

BCCI chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty said that they have been trying to fit the Deodhar Trophy in the packed 2009-10 domestic season schedule.

Sohail Khan to buy copyright of ‘Mere desh ki dharti’ for his film Kissan

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Mumbai, July 03: Salim Khan intends to become a film distributor starting with his son Sohail Khan’s forthcoming film, Kissan, which will feature the song Mere desh ki dharti from the 1967 film, Upkar. Salim Khan will buy the all-India distribution rights of the film. Sohail Khan had a talk with UTV Spotboy, co-producer of the film, to finalise the distributorship deal.

Salim Khan confirmed the news and Sohail Khan said, “Although I have already spoken to Ronnie Screwvala (UTV), the terms and conditions are yet to be finalised.”

McGrath passes on tips to Aussie pacemen

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Melbourne, July 03: Glenn McGrath has passed on his assessment of England players to Australia’s new bunch of pace bowlers to help them wrest an edge in the Ashes series beginning next week.

McGrath, who has an outstanding record against England with 157 wickets taken at an average of 20.92, met the current Australian fast bowlers in Worcester.

Malaysia detains trio for alleged links to terror group: report

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Kuala Lumpur, July 03: Malaysian police have detained three terror suspects under a tough security law for allegedly trying to revive the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militant group in Kuala Lumpur, a report said on Friday.

The trio, aged between 43 and 53, are believed to have met with Singaporean militant Mas Selamat bin Kastari, who was captured in Malaysia’s south in April after escaping from detention in Singapore, the Star newspaper said.

Australia pledges millions to Aborigines after abuse report

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Sydney, July 03: Australia announced a 155 million US dollar package for isolated Aboriginal communities on Friday, after a new report revealed shocking levels of child abuse among the downtrodden minority.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who made a landmark apology for Australia’s treatment of Aborigines last year, said the package was an attempt to redress decades of poor treatment.

“It’s time that we put the rancour of the past behind us,” Rudd said as he signed the accord aimed at boosting health, education, housing and transport in Western Australia’s vast East Kimberley region.

Katrina unhappy with her dinner

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Mumbai, July 03: Well, don’t look at her size (we mean, her ‘size zero plus something’ is awesome), if you were to see what a foodie this gal is you’ll be left wondering how she got to that envious sexy size.