New Delhi, September 03: An SMS received by a mobile phone of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S R Reddy’s security officer John Wesley after the VVIP helicopter Debris of the Bell 430 helicopter that carried CM YSR Reddy scattered at the crash site, 275 kilometers from Hyderabad.
New Delhi, September 03: With Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s death, the Congress party will not only miss its most powerful regional satrap but also its mascot of good governance, whose work Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi cited almost everywhere they went, say political analysts.
Andhra Pradesh is a critical state for the Congress and the party does not have a person of Reddy’s stature to replace him. His initiatives as the chief minister became a showcase of the party’s claim to good governance during the Lok Sabha poll campaign.
Hyderabad, September 03: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu and actor-turned-politician K. Chiranjeevi were among prominent state leaders who paid homage to chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy here Thursday.
State ministers, leaders belonging to the ruling Congress party and opposition parties, celebrities from the Telugu film world and various walks of life paid their last respects to YSR at the camp office.
The mourners filed past the casket kept on a flower bedecked platform with two portraits of the chief minister, who died in a helicopter crash Wednesday.
New Delhi, September 03: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi will leave for Hyderabad Friday to attend the funeral of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
According to official sources Thursday, the three leaders will leave for Hyderabad Friday morning to attend YSR’s state funeral.
The Andhra Pradesh chief minister and four others, including two pilots, were killed in a chopper crash in the state’s Nallamalla forest Wednesday. The wreckage and the bodies were found Thursday.
–IANS
New Delhi, September 03: India today sought to infuse urgency for concluding the Doha Round of talks, as WTO members endorsed the view that liberalising trade could give a boost to the crisis-ridden world economy.
Hosting a crucial meeting of over 35 trade minister, India said that “there are still a few gaps and a large number of unresolved issues”. Chairing the meeting, Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma felt that “a positive roadmap would be visible by tomorrow”.
Jaipur, September 03: The Rajastan government today announced to set up drug stores at all government hospitals and public health community centres in Jaipur district to provide “cheaper” medicines to patients.
Speaking at a function here, Principal Secretary Cooperative Department CM Meena said it would also enable pensioners to obtain free medicines on their medical diary.
Medicines worth Rs 50 crores would be purchased for this purpose in the current fiscal year, RS Jakhar, the managing director of Cooperative Society, said.
—Agencies
Mumbai, September 03: Actor Irrfan Khan who is riding high on cloud nine after receiving an international award for the movie ‘The Warrior” is not satisfied with the kind of roles he has so far received.
Irrfan Khan says that he has started getting attention after getting the award and he is still looking forward to good movies and roles.
This talented actor has shown his acting prowess in several films and in fact was looking good roles in Bollywood; he is kind of a person who bent towards mind-boggling roles.
—Agencies
Dharamsala, September 03: A fisherman got caught in a flash flood in Kangra sub-division of the state today and is still stranded there, police said.
A 31-year fisherman from old Kangra locality had gone to khud, a tributary of Beas river, for fishing in the morning, when due to heavy rain the water level rose in the khud, Sub-Divisional Magistrate LR Negi told PTI.
The man identified as Sushil continue to remain stranded.
District officials reached the spot but could not rescue the fisherman due to swift water current as a result of heavy rain for the past three days, the SDM said.
Islamabad, September 03: Pakistan government will provide bullet-proof vehicles to federal ministers in the wake of an assassination attempt on Religious Affairs Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said today.
“There are very few official bullet-proof vehicles that have been given to ministers, and I am using a privately hired bullet-proof car,” Malik told reporters after visiting Kazmi at a hospital here.
President Asif Ali Zardari has directed the government to acquire more bullet-proof vehicles for the ministers, he said.
Mohali, September 03: Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (106) and opener Manvinder Bisla (152) slammed fiery unbeaten centuries to propel Air India Blue to a massive 362 for one in their rain-truncated one-day match against India Revenue in the BCCI Corporate trophy here today.
India Revenue captain Amay Kurasyia’s decision to field backfired as the Air India Blue top-order put up an amazing display of aggressive batting at PCA stadium.
Dhoni gave himself some good practice ahead of tri-series in Sri Lanka as the India skipper hit seven fours and six sixes in his 61-ball unbeaten hundred.
London, September 03: Hollywood damsel Aubrey O’Day is on the 7th heaven as she thinks self to be a ‘courageous’ girl to give an interview on an eminent news channel.
According to TMZ online, “She’s still not backing off her Hitler and Castro statements but now Aubrey O’Day is singing her own “brilliant” praises, calling herself, “a 25-year-old pop star liberal who had the courage to go on FOX News against three 60-year-old republicans and have an opinion.”
What can we say Aubrey?
—Agencies
United States, September 03: Nokia from along time is launching its product day by day but this time Nokia has come up with totally new series ‘X’ and has introduce two new cell phones.
Nokia has initiated new mobile phones and has tagged them as X6 and X3 Music phone.
Nokia X6 is jam-packed for the music lovers as per their requirement so that they would not face any sort of barrier in their entertainment section.
Chennai, September 03: The judges of the Madras High Court will file a statement of their assets with its Chief Justice before October 31.
The decision was taken at a full court meeting this evening, a court official said, adding the details would be made available on the High Court website.
The court was, however, still awaiting the modalities for filing the statement from the Supreme Court, the official said.
Varanasi, September 03: After absconding for over one month, Samajwadi Party MLA Abdul Samad Ansari today surrendered before a local court for allegedly assaulting an ADM.
The Varanasi North legislator was, however, released on bail by the sessions court.
Ansari had allegedly assaulted additional district magistrate (Protocol) R K Singh at the latter’s office on July 27 and had been absconding ever since.
Another accused in the case, corporator Manoj Rai Dhoopchandi, had surrendered before the court yesterday and he was granted bail.
Mumbai, September 03: Well, the temperature of the ‘IPL’ (Indian Premiere League) seems to be escalating and crossing its boundaries. Pretty “Priety Zinta” and gorgeous “Shilpa Shetty” are the owners of IPL teams.
They are strong entrants and Priety accepted this on the 10th anniversary celebration of FICCI here.
As Priety was questioned about the rivalry with Shilpa, she at once stated, “She is not going to play cricket, I’m an investor in the team, I am the chairperson of the team. It is very difficult for them to digest that I am the boss.”
London, September 03: Former Test umpire Peter Willey has expressed fears that the referral system, which will be introduced in the longer version of the game next month, will harm umpires more than it aids them.
Willey, current chairman of the first-class umpires’ association in England, said increasing reliance on technology will only blunt the power of judgement of the umpires.
“Umpires who have done Tests for five or six years have lost the art of giving out run-outs and stumpings – they just refer everything,” Willey said in the October issue of Wisden Cricketer.
London, September 03: England coach Andy Flower is confident of boosting their batting line-up with the return of Kevin Pietersen for the tour of South Africa in November but doubted Andrew Flintoff’s comeback to the national team.
The 29-year-old Pietersen, who played only first two Ashes Tests, is nursing an achilles injury after he developed an infection in the scar tissue post surgery.
“He (Pietersen) is still struggling a little with that wound in his achilles. I spoke to him yesterday but I think we are confident in saying he will be back for South Africa,” Flower said.
London, September 03: The International Cricket Council will ask the World Anti-Doping Agency to consider a cricket-specific code for its controversial “whereabouts” rule, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat told Indian media on Thursday.
The influential Indian cricket board rejected the WADA directive last month, backing its players’ refusal to sign up over security and privacy issues.
The ICC became a WADA signatory in 2006 and world cricket’s governing body last year unanimously approved out-of-competition tests on players in accordance with amendments made to the code.
Los Angeles, September 03: In Mexico City close to 13000 people endeavoured to bulldoze the world record for the most people concurrently performing his renowned “Thriller Dance” at an event called “Mexico Dances Beat It”.
MJ impressionists and thousands of fans danced to beat it during the second day of celebrations at the angel of Independence Street by Jackson’s childhood home in Gary, Indiana, for an all day block party celebrating the icon’s life.
Mumbai, September 03: Now Munna Bhai of Bollywood Sanjay Dutt seems to be going along with hunky actor Salman Khan. Just a few days back both muscular hunk invested in a multimillion project and it’s now Sanjay’s turn who wants to buy an “IPL” (Indian Premiere League) team.
As per the sources reveal, Dutt met IPL Chairman Lalit Modi in a confidential meeting at a hotel yesterday to discuss the formalities involved.
Dutt confirmed, “Yes, I want to buy an IPL team. I am considering the pros and cons before setting the process in motion.
New Delhi, September 03: Bollywood actress Prachi Desai is the new face of international cosmetics brand Neutrogena in the Indian market.
US-based pharmaceuticals company Johnson & Johnson launched Neutrogena in the Indian market Thursday, offering around 25 beauty items ranging from fairness creams, face cleansing lotions to sun protection and hand and body care products.
Speaking about the endorsement, Prachi said: “The arrival of Neutrogena in the Indian market is going to be a gift for thousands of consumers who have waited long for products that really work.”
Mumbai, September 03: Finally it may take a reality show where the super-war-stars Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan will be paid hefty sums to appear on the same platform on a national channel.
The reality show is called “Dance Premier League” and has participants from different zones battling it out with each other. Stars will cheer their teams and if Salman and SRK’s team clash, of course, both stars will have to come face to face. The makers of the show are trying to keep the names of Bollywood participants under wraps.
Mumbai, September 03: Most of the moviegoers in India and across the globe will surely deem Aishwarya Rai and Katrina Kaif as the two most beautiful Bollywood divas of all times.
Aishwarya has honoured the cover of countless magazines and has legitimated numerous international products. Her looks are absolutely marvellous and the actress turns every eye towards her anywhere she goes.
Mumbai, September 03: Ranbir Kapoor shot for a special last-minute song in the movie “Rocket Singh – Salesman Of The Year” soon after losing his maternal grandmother.
The young actor was very close to his grandma Rajee Singh (his actress mother Neetu Singh’s mother) who lived in his house and in fact, in a room right opposite his and was constantly in and out of her favourite grandson’s space.
But the day after her death, he was dancing to choreographer Ahmed Khan’s tune.
Mumbai, September 03: In a bid to support drought-hit farmers, State Bank of India today launched a bouquet of measures for farm loan borrowers including interest rate reductions on irrigation and crop loans.
SBI today reduced interest rates for minor irrigation loans upto Rs 25 lakhs to eight per cent in the first one year and nine per cent in the second and third years. The existing rates in this category is 10.5 per cent-13,25 per cent.
“SBI has decided to provide interest rate reductions as cash flows of farmers have been hit owing to the drought.