Month: September 2009

Govinda, Anil shake a leg with Salman

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Mumbai, September 07: Anil Kapoor and Govinda show off their dancing skills in the Ganpati song, Jalwa, in Wanted along with Salman Khan…

While Salman Khan is sizzling in the promos of the Ganpati song Jalwa in Wanted, the song has a closely guarded secret. Well, not any longer. No one is aware that the song also features Salman’s close friends Anil Kapoor and Govinda. The two actors readily shot for the song on Salman’s request. The actors being part of the song was meant to be a surprise.

Salman, Devgan, Asin make music!

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Mumbai, September 07: Vipul Shah’s decision to shoot the last song of London Dreams in Bhandup in a makeshift maidaan representing a rock stadium turned out to be quite traumatic.

To begin the woes in the middle, when Salman’s dog passed away during the shooting of the song the actor broke down and wept like a baby. But he didn’t cancel the shooting.

Sohail’s unusual experience

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Mumbai, September 07: We’ve seen him entertain audiences before with films like Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kiya, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya and Hello Brother to name a few.

And this time again, Sohail Khan has brought to the audiences the forgotten saga of the Indian farmers with Kisaan, a film by Sohail Khan Productions. With brother Arbaaz Khan in the lead role, the film also stars Jackie Shroff, Dia Mirza, Nauheed Cyrusi and Sohail himself.

Chidambaram promises ‘full’ security during Commonwealth Games

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New Delhi, September 07: A “Full and comprehensive” security will be provided during the 2010 Commonwealth Games and none of the participating countries should brook any fear, the Home Minister P Chidambaram has said.

“I make this promise that the Commonwealth Games will be conducted under full and comprehensive security. Nobody needs fear, no country needs fear,” he told.

Lack of full oil data threatens Sudan peace: NGO

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Khartoum, September 07: A failure to provide full oil production figures in Sudan threatens a fragile north-south peace deal, the advocacy and investigative group Global Witness warned in a report on Monday.

The London-based organisation said there were “serious questions” about the fair sharing of oil revenues — since oil is drilled in the south but controlled and sold only by former civil war enemies in the north.

CPM worker’s body found, five partymen killed in past 24 hours

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Lalgarh, September 07: Suspected Maoists killed yet another CPI(M) activist this morning at Keundi village under Salboni police station bordering Lalgarh.

As many as five CPI(M) activists have been killed by the ultras within the last 24 hours in West Midnapore district.

Superintendent of Police, West Midnapore district, M K Varma said Shyam Chalak, a local committee secretary of the party’s Salboni unit, was kidnapped last night from his house by suspected Maoists.

His bullet-ridden body was found in front of his house this morning.

Maoist leaflets were also found near his body.

Spread Precaution, not Panic, Urges Former H1N1 Patient

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Dubai, September 07: An H1N1 patient in Dubai who has completely recovered says the message of “precaution not panic” should be spread among the public.

Sathya (name changed on request), works with a television company in Dubai Media City and was treated for H1N1 in August. Though he had worked for a few hours after the infection started, none of his colleagues, including his roommates, contracted the virus.

Salman tries to kick the butt!

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Mumbai, September 07: He might be known as the Bollywood brat, but it looks like Salman Khan is now trying to turn a new leaf. He says he is trying to quit smoking.

Asked about the habit that is hard to kick, he said: “I’m trying to (quit smoking)… Smoking is something people start to either enter a social circle or to show off.”

But he does have a word of advice for others trying to quit cigarettes too.

Quran Award
 Gains Global
 Importance

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Dubai, September 07: The Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA) has become one of the most important Quran Awards across the world, according to Major General Khamis Mattar 
Al Mazina, Deputy Commander-in-chief of the Dubai Police.

“The Dubai Police is one of the 
main departments sponsoring the activities of the 
DIHQA from its early sessions,” Al Mazina said. “The award pays attention to all memorisers of the Holy Quran all 
over the world. It also honours an 
Islamic personality every year, let alone other Quran institutions,” he added.

Emaar Organises Open-for-All Iftars

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Dubai, September 07: Emaar Properties is celebrating the Holy Month of Ramadan this year with community Iftars in its tents, being held for the third year in a row.

Ahmad Al Matrooshi, Managing Director, UAE, Emaar Properties, said that nearly 60,000 meals are likely to be served this year to a cross-section of people including office-goers, workers. General public is expected to participate in the Iftars held daily.

Schools Await Word on Singing of National Anthem

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Abu Dhabi, September 07: Looking to strengthen the national identity and sentiments towards the nation and its leadership, the Minister of Education Humaid 
Al Qattami, issued a circular last Tuesday that all government and private schools must raise the UAE flag and play the national anthem during the daily morning assembly or before the start of the school day.

Gas Firms Warned Against Over-pricing

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Ajman, September 07: Ajman Municipality warned LPG cylinder distribution companies against exploiting the rise in demand for fuel during the holy month of Ramadan by increasing the selling price of the gas cylinders, following a large number of complaints from public.

Mohamed Ali Al Marzouki, Director of the License Department at Ajman Municipality and Planning Directorate, said the errant companies will have to pay a hefty fine of Dh100,000 if found violating the price fixed by 
the municipality,

Khalifa Pledges Full Support for IRENA Mission

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Abu Dhabi, September 07: The UAE will spare no effort to offer adequate support and assistance needed to make the mission of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) a success after the selection of Abu Dhabi as home to the world organisation, the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, affirmed on Sunday.

The President pledged to support IRENA’s future strategy, mission and plans.

Top ‘terrorism suspect’ freed in Britain: report

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London, September 07: British government has released a man it considers a top dangerous terrorist suspect from virtual house arrest, possibly to avoid disclosing secret evidence against him, a report said on Monday.

The unnamed man has been closely monitored and his movements severely restricted since 2006 because of his alleged links with Islamic terrorists, although he has never been charged, the Times said.

Astronauts pack trash, surplus gear for ride home

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Cape Canaveral, September 07: The astronauts aboard the linked space shuttle and space station are nearly finished packing up a moving van for return to Earth in a few days.

The Italian-built van — essentially a giant cylinder — flew up aboard Discovery with seven tons of space station supplies and equipment. It will come back filled with a ton of trash, surplus gear and completed science experiments.

The astronauts will place the van back aboard Discovery on Monday night, just in time for Tuesday’s shuttle undocking.

US expands sales of arms: report

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Washington, September 07: The United States expanded its role as the world’s leading weapons supplier, increasing its share to more than two-thirds of all foreign armaments deals, The New York Times reported late on Sunday.

Citing a new congressional study, the newspaper said the United States signed weapons agreements valued at 37.8 billion dollars last year, or 68.4 percent of all business in the global arms bazaar.

The figure marked a significant increase from US arms sales of 25.4 billion dollars the year before, the paper noted.

Zimbabwe’s neighbours to seek end to sanctions

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Kinshasa, September 07: African leaders will step up calls on Monday for an end to Western sanctions against Zimbabwe and urge South Africa to plead Harare’s cause within the Group of 20 rich and developing nations, officials said.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries would also press Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to end a row over a power-sharing pact that was holding up vital foreign aid, said the officials.

Japan’s Democrats to sign off on key cabinet picks

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Tokyo, September 07: Top executives of Japan’s new ruling party were expected to sign off on their leader’s choices for key cabinet posts on Monday, a week after the Democratic Party’s landslide victory in a national election.

Japanese media have reported that Hirohisa Fujii, 77, would probably be chosen to return as finance minister in Prime Minister-elect Yukio Hatoyama’s cabinet — a role he held briefly in the early 1990s.

Seoul protests to North Korea over deadly flood

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Seoul, September 07: South Korea protested to North Korea on Monday after its neighbour’s unannounced dam discharge created a flash flood that swept away six people south of the border.

Floodwater hit five campers and a fishermen early Sunday after the North released water into the Imjin River that crosses the frontier, briefly swelling it to twice its normal depth.

Ex-ISI official exposes Osama’s Pak link

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New Delhi, September 07: Osama’s Pakistan connection was exposed again following the revelation of a former ISI official. He helped former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif to get aid from Saudi Arabia.

Khalid Khwaja, a former ISI official, told an Indian news agency that Osama and Sharif met at least five times and introduced the latter to the Saudi royal family.

The latest revelation exposed Pakistan’s close connections with the world’s most dreaded terrorist organisation, Al Qaeda.

Pakistani troops kill 33 militants in new battle

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Islamabad, September 07: Thirty-three militants were killed and two terrorist training camps and seven hideouts were destroyed by helicopter gunships in the remote Tirah valley of Khyber tribal region as Pakistani troops opened a new front against insurgents, days after 22 policemen were killed in the region in a suicide attack, officials said.

Most of the attacks were carried out in Naree Baba and Tharkho Kas areas where the proscribed Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) group is believed to have set up private jails and training centres, officials said late yesterday.

Musharraf to participate in politics after November 30

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Islamabad, September 07: A former federal minister in ex-president Pervez Musharraf’s government has said that the General would actively participate in politics after November 30 when a two-year constitutional restriction barring him to hold public office comes to an end.

Talking to newspersons in Islamabad late yesterday, Mr Chaudhry Shahbaz said he held several meetings with the former President in London and also met him recently in Jeddah. He said Mr Musharraf was given official protocol in Saudi Arabia, where he was invited by the Saudi King.

Cargo ship reported it was sinking off Philippines

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Manila, September 07: A Panama-registered cargo vessel with two South Koreans and 18 Filipinos aboard sent out a distress signal saying it was sinking off the central Philippines, the coastguard said Monday.

The coastguard identified the vessel as MV Hera, which was en route to China when it sent out a distress call late Sunday.

“The vessel was reportedly taking in water because of engine trouble,” coastguard chief Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said on local television.

–Agencies