Month: September 2009

Four die during Ganesha immersion in Anand

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Anand, September 03: Four persons including two brothers drowned during the immersion of lord Ganesha in the Napad village of the district, today evening, police said.

The incident took place at the Dudhiya lake in the Napad village where a large number of people had gathered for the Ganesha immersion, they said.

According to police, the four persons who drowned in the lake had ventured into deep waters while immersing the Ganesha idol.

Bodies of the four were fished out by the local fire fighter officials, they said.

Heavy security arrangements made at Ambaji temple

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Banaskantha, September 03: Tight security arrangements have been made at the Ambaji temple here in anticipation of huge turnout of devotees for ‘Bhadarvi Poonam’ fair tomorrow, district police officials said.

The fair is held at Ambaji temple every year during the ‘Bhadar’ month of the Hindu calender and concludes on the full-moon day of the month.

Number of visitors is likely to exceed the average of 20 lakh that usually throng the temple town every year, District Superintendent of Police Harikrishna Patel said.

Students scuffle in private college leaves 4 injured

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Chandigarh, September 03: Four students were injured during a scuffle in a private college here today during an ‘Open House’ session, which was organised in view of Punjab University Students Council elections slated for tomorrow.

Police sources said that there was a scuffle all of a sudden during the session, which was on at the college at Sector 10 here.

Four students received injuries, police said, adding a case against some unknown students had been registered.

Meanwhile, tight security arrangements had been made to ensure the elections pass off in a peaceful manner.

Delhi HC asks police to explain reports without verification

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New Delhi, September 03: The Delhi High Court today sought an explanation from the police after it noticed that in several cases the police filed reports without verification stating NBWs, issued by the court, could not be served on the accused as they were unavailable at the given address.

A Division Bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul directed the Commissioner of Police that such reports be filed before the court with a detailed reason and a senior and responsible officer sign the report while submitting it to the court.

Andhra Cabinet wants YSR son Jagan as CM

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Hyderabad, September 03: Within hours of the official confirmation on Thursday that chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had indeed died in a helicopter crash in the forests of Kurnool district a day earlier, a public clamour and a silent campaign has begun for making YSR’s son and Kadapa Congress MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy the next CM of the state.

ICC approves Haddin, Powell replacements

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London, September 03: Kevin McClean will replace Daren Powell in the West Indies squad while Tim Paine will replace Brad Haddin in Australia squad after the ICC approved changes for the Champions Trophy to be staged in South Africa from September 22 to October 5.

The ICC has confirmed Powell’s replacement to West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) on behalf of the event technical committee yesterday.

Punter, Flintoff could commentate during CL

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London, September 03: Australian captain Ricky Ponting and talismanic England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff may be seen in the new role of a commentator in the upcoming Champions League Twenty20 cricket tournament.

Both the star players have been approached by the Champions League organisers to be expert commentators during the tournament to be held at three different venues in India from October 8-23.

“We have approached Flintoff and Ponting to be commentators during the tournament. As great cricketers themselves, they will certainly add a lot of value,” a Champions League source said.

Pietersen on course for South Africa

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London, September 03: England team director Andy Flower expects Kevin Pietersen to be fit for the tour of South Africa.

Pietersen was forced out of the Ashes series after the second Test due to an Achilles injury which required surgery, and his recovery was delayed by an infection in the scar tissue.

“He is still struggling a little with that wound in his Achilles,” said Flower.

“I spoke to him yesterday but I think we are confident in saying he will be back for South Africa.”

I have learnt a lot from Sachin: Rahane

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New Delhi, September 03: Ajinkya Rahane has achieved his primary goal of sharing a dressing room with idol Sachin Tendulkar and the Mumbai top order batsman now wants to see his other dream – of making his India debut – come true.

Playing for Mumbai Indians in the second Indian Premier League in South Africa, Rahane fulfilled his long-cherished dream of sharing the dressing room with his idol.

Oram stumped by his hat-trick feat

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Auckland, September 03: New Zealand’s Jacob Oram said Thursday he was unaware he had taken a hat-trick during the thrilling three-run win over Sri Lanka in a Twenty20 international.

Oram’s three wickets in three balls, but in separate overs, was missed by almost everyone at the Premadasa stadium on Wednesday night, including Oram’s team-mates, the Sri Lankans and television commentators.

The tense finish and the helter-skelter nature of the Twenty20 game ensured the rare feat was forgotten, till Oram returned to the team hotel late at night after the match.

YSR was an ideal chief minister: PM

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New Delhi, September 03: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday mourned the death of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, saying he was an “ideal chief minister who was a role model for other states”.

In a personal touch to a condolence message he sent to the chief minister’s wife Vijayalaxmi, the prime minister said in the death of Rajasekhara Reddy, popularly known as YSR, he had lost a valued colleague on whom he “depended for support and ideas”.

Vettori happy with bowlers performance

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Auckland, September 03: Daniel Vettori was pleased with New Zealand’s fightback which helped them secure a narrow victory over Sri Lanka in the first T201, praising the effort of his bowlers in particular.

“I think we were about 15 runs short, but the history of this track suggests that it gets harder to bat on as the game progresses,” Vettori said.

“We knew we were in with a chance and the fightback after we got Dilshan was impressive.

“The ball stopped a little and we managed to just strangle them and pile on the pressure.

YSR to get state funeral

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New Delhi, Sep 03: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy will be given a state funeral Friday while the national flag will fly at half mast in Delhi and all state capitals Thursday and Friday, the government announced.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters after a cabinet meeting here that the tricolour would also fly at half mast all over Andhra Pradesh in tribute to the chief minister who died in a helicopter crash Wednesday.

Budget Deficit Was FY08/09 At 5.2pc Of GDP

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Karanchi, September 03: Pakistan’s budget deficit for the fiscal year 2008/09 (July-June) was 5.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), higher than the government target, according to data posted on the Finance Ministry’s Web site.

The deficit for fiscal year 2008/09 was targeted at 4.3 percent of GDP and was 3.0 percent for the first nine months ending March 31.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said last month that Pakistani authorities had indicated the deficit ceiling may have been exceeded by 0.9 percent of GDP.

Saleem Altaf Has Been As Waseem Bari Replaces COO PCB

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Peshwar, September 03: As per decision of members of the PCB Governing Board Saleem Altaf has been relieved from his duties as Chief Operating Officer (COO) with immediate effect.

Wasim Bari will be the acting Chief Operating Officer till further orders, says a PCB press released issued here on Tuesday. Former bowler Saleem Altaf was working as Chief Operating Officer (COO) but after the move was approved by a majority of the board’s governing council, he was relieved from his duties as COO.

Romance is what I enjoy the most: Salman Khan

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New Delhi, September 03: He may be playing an arrogant hitman in his latest film ‘Wanted’, but Bollywood heartthrob Salman Khan says that he enjoys doing romantic roles the most.

“I like to do all kinds of roles, but I enjoy romance the most in films,” said Khan who is usually as much in news for his romantic link-ups as for his movies.

The 43-year-old actor who is returning to the action genre after a long gap with ‘Wanted’, directed by Southern superstar Prabhu Deva, says that the preparation for the role was a painful journey.

Reddy’s chopper had deviated from route,hit a cliff

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Hyderabad, September 03: The helicopter carrying Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy from Hyderabad to Chittoor yesterday deviated 18 km from its path towards east, near Rudrakoduru in the Nallamala forest range in Kurnool district, before it hit a cliff and crashed.

“The chopper hit the cliff, crashed and exploded. All the five persons in the ill-fated helicopter were burnt to death,” state Finance Minister K Rosaiah and Chief Secretary P Ramakanth Reddy said here today.

GJM issues diktat against public display of affection

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Siliguri (WB), September 03: Couples holding hands while walking in the picturesque Darjeeling hills may soon be a thing of the past with the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha issuing a diktat against expression of love in public.

“Whatever we are doing is for the ultimate good of the society. We will keep strict vigil to ensure that the directive is strictly followed,” chief of Gorkha Land Personnel (GLP), the GJM youth wing, Ramesh Ale told reporters here yesterday.

Man of the Masses’ YSR meets tragic death

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Hyderabad, September 03: The Finance Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, on Thursday morning, confirmed the sad demise of the ‘Man of the masses’ and the ‘real Hero’ Chief Minister, Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, and his entourage comprising his Special Secretary, Mr P Subrahmanyam, an IAS officer, Chief Security Officer, Mr A.S.C. Wesley and two pilots in the helicopter crash. The helicopter went missing since yesterday morning.

Bracken wary of buoyant England

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Melbourne, September 03: Nathan Bracken believes England will use their Ashes victory as motivation to win the one-day series and complete a grand summer for England and a miserable one for Australia.

Cricket’s oldest rivals will face each other for the first time in the first ODI match on Friday after the recent Ashes series. Though they were to have met in two Twenty20 matches, both were washed out.

“The England side will be using the Ashes win as a motivation to try and beat us here in both forms,” the 31-year-old said.

Haddin out of Champions Trophy

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Melbourne, September 03: Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has been ruled out of this month’s ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa following finger surgery, Cricket Australia said on Thursday.

Haddin had surgery on the ring finger of his left hand on his return from England last week after breaking the digit prior to the third Edgbaston Ashes Test.

Cricket Australia (CA) has made a request to the International Cricket Council for Tasmanian wicketkeeper Tim Paine to replace Haddin in Australia’s 15-man Champions Trophy squad.

Kaif still hopeful of a comeback

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New Delhi, September 03: Mohammad Kaif will complete three years in the wilderness in November but the right-hander insists he is not a spent force yet and can return to the national team again.

The Uttar Pradesh batsman, once tipped as a future India captain, has faded from public memory since playing the last of his 125 ODIs in November 2006 against South Africa in Port Elizabeth.

Kaif, however, seems to have retained his confidence and believes he has it in him to stage a fairytale comeback.

Sameera to do an item number in Bipasha’s movie

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Mumbai, September 03: Sameera Reddy will be seen in an item number after quite some time in Kumar Mangat’s untitled next. It will be something on the lines of Shilpa Shetty’s Main Aayee Hoon UP- Bihar Lootne number in Shool.

Interestingly, Sameera gotthe track over the lead actress in the film — Bipasha Basu (who has done Beedi Jalai Le and Namak in Omkara).

Are Shahid Kapoor and Genelia siblings?

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Mumbai, September 03: Choreographer turned director turned chat show host Farah Khan couldn’t help doubting if Shahid Kapoor and Genelia D’Souza are siblings. But why? Because both of them have gone through similar phases in Bollywood. They are young, good looking, bounced back after initial struggle and are amongst the most promising actors today.

Rani Mukherjee hurts sentiments of the Sikhs

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Mumbai, September 03: Bollywood is a pain in the neck for the Sikh community. Just on the heels of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan getting into trouble with the community for their roles in Singh is Kinng and Love Aaj Kal respectively, Rani Mukherjee too has entered the dirty waters.