London, July 02: Damien Martyn has slammed his former coach John Buchanan over what he believes was poor preparation for the 2005 Ashes series and said England would never again play as well as they had that year.
Martyn’s criticism of Buchanan, who has taken on a consultancy role with the ECB, echoes the thoughts of Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill, who have never hidden their contempt for Australia’s ex-coach.
Kolkata, July 01: West Bengal’s ruling Left Front, which suffered a debacle in 13 out of 16 municipalities in the state on Wednesday, promised to initiate pro-people development activities to regain public confidence.
In a statement, it said that the Left combine had failed to fulfil the aspirations of the common people in many areas. Thus, the people’s verdict went against them in the civic body elections.
“We’ll soon start working towards fulfilling the demands and aspirations of the common people and will also undertake developmental activities keeping in mind their interests.
Melbourne, July 02: Amid an environment of deep outrage over a series of racial attacks against Indian students in Australia, a prominent Oz daily, The Age, has come out with a report claiming that coroners have suppressed the details of the deaths of 51 international students and that there is evidence that the toll is higher than that admitted by the government.
The daily reported on Wednesday that state and territory coroners, under the National Coroners Information System, refused an application by the daily for data on the deaths of overseas students between November 2008 and now.
Islamabad, July 02: Helicopter gunships attacked the hideouts of Islamist militants in Pakistan’s tribal region bordering Afghanistan, killing at least 28 rebels in overnight action, security officials said Thursday.
The bombardment came hours after a pro-government tribal elder, Malik Guli Shah, and his two guards were shot dead by gunmen in the Khyber district.
“Our three helicopters engaged several positions of Lashkar-e-Islam in the Sandapal and Akakhel areas of Tira Valley (Khyber district) late Wednesday,” said Wajid Ali, a spokesman for the paramilitary Frontier Corps.
Baghdad, July 02: Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has criticized Baghdad and Washington for their handling of the issue of US forces’ withdrawal from the country.
With at least 131,000 US forces remaining in Iraq, Sadr said the way US troops are leaving the country “shows that the (Iraqi) government and the occupation are not serious about the withdrawal.”
“The withdrawal should include all the occupation forces: army, intelligence, militias, and security companies and others. Otherwise, the withdrawal will be uncompleted and useless,” he added on his website on Wednesday.
Kolkata, July 02: With ‘Didi’ Mamata Banerjee in charge of the Railways ministry again, business leaders and commoners in West Bengal are expecting a series of sops for the state when she presents her budget in parliament Friday.
Trinamool Congress chief Banerjee, who has returned as Railways minister after eight years, has left very few in doubt that West Bengal will be a focal area in her budget proposals.
New Delhi, July 02: With more rain expected Thursday, Delhiites can look forward to a pleasant day, say met officials.
Although the weather was mostly dry the day before, the city recorded 2.9 mm of rainfall until 8.30 a.m. Thursday.
“Delhi is likely to receive more rain and thundershowers today which will bring down the temperatures,” a met department official said.
The minimum temperature was already four notches below the average at 24 degrees Celsius and the maximum is not expected to go beyond 34 degrees Celsius
—IANS
Ladakh, July 02: It was the ultimate Kodak moment for some, a time for tears at a dream finally come true for others. And for all the 50 bikers gathered at the world’s highest motorable pass at a dizzy 18,350 ft in Khardung La, the pinnacle of their adventure that started 2,500 km away in dusty Delhi.
With snowcapped mountains ringing a landscape coloured brown in the cold desert that is Ladakh, the group of 50, accompanied by journalists, stood at what was literally the end of the road, barely able to breathe in the rarefied air but determined to make the most of the moment.
Kabul, July 01: US Marines have launched a massive offensive into lower Helmand River in southern Afghanistan, as President Barack Obama unveils a new war plan in the region.
Operation Khanjar (Strike of the Sword) involved nearly 4,000 US forces as well as 650 Afghan police and soldiers, the Marine Expeditionary Brigade said, announcing the pre-dawn launch of the drive in southern Helmand province.
The operation was the Marines first major operation since they were deployed to the region over the past few months.
Washington, July 02: The first units of an estimated 4,000 US Marines began what was described as a major offensive early Thursday against Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, the Washington Post reported on its website.
Troops were moving by helicopter and heavy ground vehicles from their bases into Taliban-controlled districts in Helmand and neighbouring provinces, the newspaper and other US media reported.
–IANS
Islamabad, July 02: The Pakistani Prime Minister of Yousuf Raza Gilani today said Pakistan wants to establish good relations with India.
He said that people of both countries want to defuse tension between the two countries.
Talking to reporters, he said, we should not waste resources on security money. People of both the countries want to decrease tensions, he added.
Gilani asserted that along with taking steps to enhance confident building measures, the basic problems of the plebs of both the countries should be considered.
—Agencies
Washington, July 02: US forces have launched a major military operation in southern Afghanistan in the first big push to drive the Taliban out of a key stronghold since Barack Obama became US president.
Four thousand marines, backed by Nato aircraft and a 650-strong Afghan force, are moving into towns in Helmand province, where the Taliban has been intensifying its challenge to the Kabul government and allied forces.
Tehran, July 02: Iranian presidential election runner up Mir Hossein Mousavi on Wednesday renewed a demand for a complete re-run of the vote and pledged to help set up a new group to defend citizen’s rights.
Another defeated candidate, Mehdi Karroubi, saw his reformist newspaper Etemad Melli shut down after he denounced the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as invalid and the new government as not legitimate.
Jammu, July 02: Three militants belonging to the militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba were gunned down in Bharat area of Kulhand village of Jammu’s Doda district, media reports claimed on Thursday.
Among the dead was an absconder of Indian Army, who later joined the LeT.
The militants were shot down, yesterday evening, during a search operation launched by the Army, CRPF and the state police in the area.
New Delhi, July 02: Liberhan Commission counsel Anupam Gupta, who cross-examined BJP stalwart LK Advani and former prime minister the late PV Narasimha Rao, among others, quit the assignment three years ago, just when the fact-finding panel began penning its report.
Gupta of Chandigarh said he left the commission because he didn’t agree with justice (retired) MS Liberhan’s soft approach towards Advani.
The BJP leader’s testimony and cross-examination run into 192 pages against Rao’s deposition of about 20 pages.
Geneva, July 02: The World Trade Organisation warned of rising protectionism amid the economic crisis as it sharply cut its forecast for trade volumes of developed and developing economies this year.
Making its latest assessment of the global economic situation, the WTO also observed that the sharp contraction of the global economy registered in the first quarter this year “appears to be slowing down.”
Nawa, July 02: Thousands of US Marines and hundreds of Afghan troops poured into Taliban-infested villages of southern Afghanistan with armour and helicopters on Thursday in the first major operation under President Barack Obama’s strategy to stabilise the country.
The offensive in the once-forgotten war was launched shortly after 1 am Thursday local time in Helmand province, a Taliban stronghold and the world’s largest opium poppy producing area. The goal is to clear insurgents from the hotly-contested region before the nation’s August 20 Presidential Election.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will present the Union Budget on July 6. With the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) having come back to power securing a decisive mandate in the 15th Lok Sabha elections less than two months ago, the time is ripe for taking some tough reformist measures. But the Union Budget is not just about economy; it is also about politics.
The Union Government on Wednesday raised the prices of petrol and diesel but does the UPA, in its second term, have the will to take decisions that are unpopular with the public but good for the economy?
Washington, July 02: The US has frozen the assets of four Pakistani terrorists for alleged involvement in a series of terrorist activities in India, including the July 2006 train bombing in Mumbai and February 2007 bombing in the Samjhauta Express.
The US treasury department Wednesday slapped sanctions on the four – Arif Qasmani, Fazeel-A-Tul Shaykh Abu Mohammed Ameen al-Peshawari, Mohammed Yahya Mujahid and Nasir Javaid – by designating them as part of support networks of Al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taeba (LeT) in Pakistan.
Mumbai, July 02: Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja’s judicial custody ends on Thursday.
A DNA report has already confirmed that the actor had sex with his domestic help, who’s accused him of rape.
Shiney Ahuja’s domestic help had lodged a police complaint on June 14, alleging rape by the actor when she had gone to work at his house.
The medical examination of the alleged victim had also indicated injury marks on her private parts, suggesting that the person who raped may have forced himself upon her.
Washington, July 02: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Wednesday it will issue bonds for the first time in its 60-year history in an effort to win contributions from emerging economies like China, Brazil and Russia.
The new money-making scheme comes as the IMF has dramatically boosted its role as an emergency lender during the global financial crisis, which has tipped the world into its first recession since World War II.
Washington, July 02: Twenty-six states in the United States saw a rise in adult obesity rates during the past year while there was no decrease in any other state, newly-released figures showed.
Meanwhile, the number of obese and overweight children has now climbed to 30 percent in 30 states, according to findings in an annual report on obesity in America, released on Wednesday by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Astana, July 02: Eighteen years ago, Kazakhstan became the last of the former Soviet republics to reluctantly part ways with Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Now the strategically located Central Asian nation is preparing to head a key European-led security grouping as it asserts the right to fashion its own foreign policy initiatives.
Energy-rich Kazakhstan says it is “well prepared” for assuming the chair of the 56-member Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2010 from Greece.
San Francisco, July 02: It must be nothing new for Shahrukh Khan to have intruders on his sets while shooting. But, this one visit he had while shooting for “My Name is Khan” in San Francisco was unique!
Shahrukh Khan is presently shooting in San Francisco. The city of Golden Gate, Heritage homes & Cable cars. These unique aspects make SF a popular tourist destination. Seeing people from across the world roaming about in the city is an every day sight.
Washington, July 02: Iranian claims that the shooting death of a young Iranian woman was staged during the demonstrations to tarnish the government’s image is “shocking” and equate to a “campaign of misinformation”, the White House said Wednesday.
“That is the ongoing campaign of misinformation about what’s going on,” spokesman Robert Gibbs said. “I think the notion that the death of an innocent woman would be staged is – even with them – it’s shocking.”