Month: August 2009

Katrina Kaif on the Sets of ‘Wanted’ with Salman Khan

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Mumbai, August 01: In a disbelief for most of the spectators at the sets of Salman Khan’s forthcoming motion picture ‘Wanted’, Katrina Kaif landed to spend the eve with beau Salman Khan in a green T and white jeans in her Audi.

Salman who was busy chit-chatting with his friends at the sets immediately left them when he saw Katrina arriving and welcomed her with a smile.

Salman’s girl chatted with Boney kapoor, his son Arvind Kapoor, Vashu Bhatnani and Jackie Bhatnani while Salman completed the scenes.

Goa govt finally releases funds to tackle swine flu

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Panaji, August 01: In a damage control move, after the state nodal officer for swine flu Friday publicly accused the state government of depriving him of funds to tackle influenza A (H1N1), Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Saturday said that “adequate funds were being released for the swine flu programme”.

“There is no problem. The money for the programme is being released,” Kamat told reporters on the sidelines of a function.

Ahmadinejad elaborates on cabinet changes

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Tehran, August 01: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has explained the reasons behind his recent cabinet changes that drew criticism across the political spectrum in the country.

In a recent meeting with a group of university associations, the president enumerated reasons behind certain cabinet changes in particular the dismissal of the Intelligence Minister Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i.

chairs high-level national security meet

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New Delhi, August 01: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday chaired a high-level national security meeting to discuss the situation arising out of intelligence alerts over possible terror threats via sea to Maharashtra and Goa.

Attended by the country’s top security officials, the over two-and-a-half hour meeting is also believed to have discussed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, sources said.

‘People support govt approach to engage Pakistan’

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New Delhi, August 01: Maintaining that the people of India were behind the government’s approach to “engage” Pakistan, Union Minister Salman Khursheed on Saturday said dialogue was necessary to take things forward with Islamabad.

Asked if he believed the people of India favoured reconciliation with the neighbouring country, Khursheed said: “I am convinced people are behind the government’s decision.”

Gowarikar follows Mahesh Bhatt?

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Mumbai, August 01: The stories of Mahesh Bhatt’s over oops super confidence in the people associated with his films is very famous in B-town. Ghost direction or rather phone direction; followed by no hassles on the sets in his absence, says it all. And one can’t ignore the terrific product showcased at the end.

However, lately quite influenced by his style seems to be Ashutosh Gowariker. Javed Ali who recently bagged IFFA and Radio Mirchi’s best playback singer award for “Jashn-E-Bahara’ reveals about this new avatar of Ashutosh.

Ponting Australia’s best after Don: Border

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Melbourne, August 01: Paying tribute to the man who broke his record as Australia’s highest Test run getter, former captain Allan Border said Ricky Ponting is his country’s greatest batsman after the incomparable Don Bradman.

“Ricky’s done it all. I think he’s probably our second best batsman after Bradman,” said Border after Ponting went past his 11,174 runs on the second day of the third Ashes Test to become Australia’s most prolific batsman.

US recession may be easing, but job market weak

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Washington, August 01: The American economy may be heading out of the woods with new government numbers showing signs of easing recession laying the groundwork for growth in the months ahead. But the job market still remains weak with working people haunted by fear of layoffs.

A Commerce Department report on gross domestic product (GDP) Friday shows America’s steep economic downturn eased in the spring, with economic output shrinking at a 1 percent annual rate in the April-through-June period.

Eating lots of fructose impairs memory

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Washington, August 01: Diets high in fructose, a type of sugar found in most processed foods and beverages, impairs memory, according to a new study.

Amy Ross, graduate student in the lab of Marise Parent, associate professor at Georgia State University (GSU) Neuroscience Institute, fed a group of rats a diet where fructose represented 60 percent of calories ingested during the day.

She placed the rats in a pool of water to test their ability to learn to find a submerged platform, which allowed them to get out of the water.

Injured Haddin doubtful for Leeds test match

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Melbourne, August 01: Australian wicket-keeper Brad Haddin is looking doubtful for rest of the matches of the ongoing Ashes series against England. Haddin suffered a fracture in his finger just before start of the third test match at Edgbaston due to which he was ruled out of the third test match.

Six killed in Karachi building collapse

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Islamabad, August 01: Six people, including three members of a family, were killed when a five-storey building collapsed in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, a media report said Saturday.

The building collapsed Friday night in the Mithadar area of the city, Geo TV reported.

Eyewitnesses said more than 30 people were in the building when it collapsed. They said several people remained trapped under the rubble.

The residents from a nearby building were evacuated after the structure was declared unsafe.

Officials said it will take several hours to remove the debris.

Australia faces another batting collapse

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Melbourne, August 01: Australian batsmen have failed to rely on good start provided by their opening batsmen as they struggled against England bowling attack on the second day of the third test match at Egbaston on Friday.

S Katich and S Watson had scored 85 runs for the first wicket on previous day. Simon scored 46 runs while Watson contributed 62 runs before losing his wicket to G Onion.

But after that no Australian batsman was able to resist against the pace attack of England bowlers as they resumed today from overnight score of 126 runs for 1 wicket.

Court extends stay orders till September 3

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Karachi, August 01: PCBThe court has extended the stay on relocating the 2011 World Cup’s headquarters out of the Pakistan till September 3 on Friday. This decision was taken by the court after the International Cricket Council (ICC) requested to extend stay to continue negotiations with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Court drops MCOCA against Sadhvi, Govt. to appeal in HC

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Mumbai, August 01: In a major setback to the investigating authorities, a Mumbai special court Friday ordered dropping of charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against Sadhvi Pragnya Singh, Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit and nine other accused in 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case.

The state government though has decided to move to High Court against the verdict.

Anand in trouble after bad start

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Mainz: August 01: World Champion Viswanathan Anand suffered a double blow before recovering some lost ground in the third round in the Grenkeleasing World Rapid Chess Championship that got underway here as the main event of the Mainz Classics.

Bipasha Basu Gets Cosy With Ex-Flame Dino While John Away!

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Mumbai, August 01: Bipasha may be John’s girl but it hardly seems that the Bong bombshell has forgotten her ex-flame Dino Morea! Buzz has it that recently while Bollywood hunk John was away, Bipasha sizzled with former beau Dino at a Mumbai suburban nightclub.

News has it that the duo partied till the wee hours of morning, a going away party of their common friend who left for the USA.

Swine flu kills 2 more in Saudi Arabia

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Dubai, August 01: Two more persons have died of swine flu in Saudi Arabia raising the deaths so far to four, the health officials said.

The victims, a 32-year-old male nurse from Qassim and a 25-year-old man from Asir, have died yesterday while undergoing treatment in hospitals.

The male nurse developed flu symptoms last Friday and went to Nafi Hospital in the Riyadh. He was later found to have severe lung inflammation and was given flu medicines but he died yesterday, a Saudi Gazette news report said.

Baby crocodile found in hand luggage

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Abu Dhabi, August 01: A foot-long baby crocodile wriggled out of a passenger’s hand luggage and caused panic on a flight departing from the United Arab Emirates, an official at Cairo airport said today.

A crew member on the EgyptAir flight from Abu Dhabi rounded up the wayward reptile and calmed passengers.

The airport security official says the animal was seized and given to the Cairo Zoo. He spoke on condition of anonymity.

Transporting exotic animals in and out of the Egypt is illegal, and none of the passengers on Friday’s flight claimed ownership of the baby crocodile.

Asin, Trisha And Nayan Make Way For Tamanna

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Mumbai, August 01: Asin has already set a strong foothold in Bollywood with some prestigious projects and a hit – Ghajini – to back her. Following her, Trisha also landed a plum assignment – Khatta Meeta – opposite Akshay Kumar under Priyadarshan’s direction.

In fact Trisha quit Aadukalam to make way for her Bollywood sojourn. Nayan is presently acting in a Tamil film Aadhavan and has a couple of Telugu films to complete. With this there are also reports that Nayanthara is looking to move to Bollywood.

Mid-east issue can’t be solved by ‘step-by-step’ approach: Saudi

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Washington, August 01: Rejecting a “step-by-step” diplomatic approach to resolve the Middle East conflict, Saudi Arabia has said temporary security and confidence-building measures will not bring peace between Israel and Palestine and insisted that a settlement should include withdrawal from all occupied territories.

It is time for all people in the Middle East to be able to lead normal lives, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said after his meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton here yesterday.

Entry of new parties affect BJP’s prospects: Dattatreya

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Vijayawada, August 01: The results in the recently held Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were not up to the expectations of the party, BJP Andhra Pradesh unit president Bandaru Dattatreya said today.

Addressing a press conference, he said due to the entry of new political political parties, the BJP could not able to increase its voting percentage.

He said though the vote share of Left parties had decreased compared to the previous elections, the BJP, however, won two seats without any poll alliance.

‘Myanmar could be close to testing nuke bomb’

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Melbourne, August 01: As world concerns remain focused on the clandestine nuclear programme of North Korea and Iran, reports are filtering in of Myanmar’s isolated military junta may be just a few years from testing its first atomic bomb.

The key far-eastern nation is building a secret nuclear reactor and plutonium extraction facilities with North Korea’s help, Sydney Morning Herald has reported citing two key junta defectors.

AP Govt urged to convene all party meeting

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Vijayawada, August 01: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today urged the Andhra Pradesh government to immediately convene an all-party meeting to discuss the prevailing drought conditions due to deficit rainfall in the monsoon season in the state.

Imran no longer a hot property!

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Mumbai, August 01: Two back-to-back big budget flops in Kidnap and Luck, and Imran Khan has suddenly become a thanda actor from being a hot property that he was post his debut film Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na’s release. Otherwise what else would explain for A list heroines rejecting his romantic comedy Seven Days in Paris? But that’s not all; the kind of hype that had been created around Imran, post his debut film’s stupendous success is rapidly waning amongst Bollywood trade circles.

‘Pak militants supported attack on Hasina’

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Dhaka, August 01: An Indian militant nabbed here has disclosed that two Pakistan-based Islamist militant groups supplied grenades that were used to attack a 2004 rally addressed by Bangladesh’s current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a media report said Saturday.

Maulana Mansur Ali, hiding in Bangladesh for the last 15 years, told interrogators here that militant outfit Asif Reza Commando Force (ARCF), which is based in Pakistani Kashmir and works with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), supplied grenades to LeT’s Bangladesh chapter leader Moulana Tajuddin.