Month: September 2009

Delhiites may get unique ID number within three years

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New Delhi, September 02: Delhiites may get their individual unique ID numbers in three years, Unique Indentificaiton Authority of India Chairman Nandan Nilekani said Wednesday.

“Delhi as a state is much ahead in this respect than other states. With utilisation of this database (of Mission Convergence) the authority would be in a position to issue unique ID numbers to the residents of Delhi within three years,” Nilekani said.

He met Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at her office and gave a presentation on the unique ID project.

Now Lohan wants to produce movies

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London, September 02: Singer-actress Lindsay Lohan wants to get into production business and says she is currently developing a string of TV shows.
The “Mean Girls” star failed to get a major film role since 2007 “Georgia Rule”. But she is determined to get her career back on track and will soon be turning her hand to producing TV programmes, reported contactmusic.com.

“I’ve been creating a bunch of shows that I’ve written and I’m going to produce them,” she said.

—IANS

Shatrughan, Hema together after 20 years

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Mumbai, September 02: Actor-turned-politicians Shatrughan Sinha and Hema Malini have teamed after 20 years for the grand finale episode of Sony TV’s game show “Dus Ka Dum”.

In the episode, shot on Sunday, host Salman Khan brought two of his favourite stars — Sinha and Hema, both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders — together for what turned out to be quite a show of strength.

“When it’s me and Hema, it cannot be anything less,” Sinha told IANS.

The last time they were seen together on screen was in Manoj Kumar’s “Santosh” in 1989.

Nayantara denies Maniratnam, Abhishek for Shoorpankha

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Mumbai, September 02: “Nayantara”, the South Indian lady who was making news recently has got nothing to do with the requests of prolific Bollywood director “Maniratnam” or the actor “Abhishek Bachchan”. The lady was offered a famous role that of Abhishek Bachchan’s sister in the epically made movie “Raavan”.

Nayantara turned down completely the offer of the director for the role of ‘Shoorpankha’- the real sister of Raavan that is being played by Abhishek Bachchan.

Moily, Prithviraj Chavan to leave for Hyderabad

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New Delhi, September 02: Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Prithviraj Chavan are leaving Hyderabad to monitor the operation to locate the missing helicopter that was carrying Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
Moily told IANS that he was “going to Hyderabad” to monitor the search operation. Sources said Chavan would accompany him.

The helicopter went missing at 9.35 a.m.

Himangshu, Vidit pull off big upsets in Kolkata Open Chess

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Kolkata, September 02: International Master Himanshu Sharma and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi caused major upsets by scalping highly rated Grandmasters in the second round of the fourth Kolkata Open Grandmaster Chess Tournament here on Wednesday.

Himanshu defeated Grandmaster Viktor Laznicka (2634) of the Czech Republic in 61 moves of a Sicilian defence game. Himanshu had a better pawn structure which allowed him to win a pawn and he converted this advantage into victory with a splendid endgame.

Rihanna Goes “Topless” For Vogue

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New York, September 02: Rihanna, the teen singing sensation who had wowed the world with her hit single “Umbrella” is again into news, but this time not for her singing capabilities. The pop sensation reportedly posed topless while shooting for the Italian fashion magazine “Vogue”.

Palampur Express gets an extension

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Mumbai, September 02: It was recently reported that Roshan Abbas’s show Palampur Express is soon going off air. Well there were talks going on but there is a recent development which sounds to be a good news for its fans as the show gets an extension for a month.

“We haven’t got any intimation from the channel or production house so kindly contact them. I just know that the show will continue as there is a raise in the TRP’s too,” says Akanghsa Rawat.

Tripura Govt. employee killed in fight over mobile phone

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Agartala, September 02: A government employee succumbed to injuries after he was beaten by a former militant in a dispute over a mobile phone in Tripura, officials said Wednesday.

“A former militant, Jugal Debbarma, 26, severely beat 27-year-old Sukhubasi Debbarma, an employee of the state power department in Takarjala in west Tripura Sunday,” a police spokesman said.

“Sukhubasi Debbarma was first taken to Gobinda Ballav Pant Medical College and Hospital here and then to Kolkata, where he succumbed to his injuries late Tuesday night,” he added.

Advertising revenues set to grow 65 percent

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New Dehi, September 02: Advertising revenues in the second half of the year are set to grow more than 65 percent, says a study.

The industry logged just Rs.7,452 crore in January 1-June 30 this year, a whopping Rs.1,414 crore less than what it made in the same period last year, according to the mid-term review of the Pitch Madison Media advertising outlook 2009.

However, things may be looking up for the media industry.

Shiv Sena Says, 13 Is Lucky For The Party

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Mumbai, September 02: Is the number 13 always unlucky? Well, some political parties will readily agree. In fact, the date set for the assembly elections has sparked off an interesting debate among the parties, says a report in Mumbai newspaper.

Wanted Saudi militant turns himself in to authorities

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Riyadh, September 02: Fawaz al-Utaibi, a Saudi Arabian Al Qaeda-linked militant, has turned himself in to authorities in the kingdom under an amnesty arrangement, the Saudi interior ministry said Wednesday.

Al-Arabiya TV news channel said the 35-year-old left for Iran last year.

In February, the Saudi government published a list of 85 men worldwide it said adhered to “deviant” ideologies – common Saudi terminology for Al Qaeda.

A.P. Govt. plunged into crisis

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Hyderabad, September 02: The Andhra Pradesh government was plunged into crisis as Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy remained untraced even nine hours since his helicopter went missing in a forested Maoist stronghold Wednesday morning.

As darkness closed in and army choppers called off their search operations over Kurnool and adjoining districts, the administration, led by veteran Congress leader and Finance Minister Minister K. Rosaiah, was trying to grapple with the crisis.

YSR’s fate uncertain, Sukhoi fighter, NRSA craft continue search

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Hyderabad, September 02: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s fate appeared uncertain Wednesday night, 12 hours after a helicopter carrying him went missing, even as a Sukhoi SU-30MKI combat jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and a low-flying aircraft of the National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) began search operations that were expected to continue till late into the night.

Panic, anxiety grips YSR’s followers

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Hyderabad, September 02: With panic and anxiety writ large on their faces, hundreds of Congress party workers gathered at the state secretariat here waiting to hear some news about the whereabouts and safety of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who remained untraced since his chopper went missing Wednesday morning.

Nationalism is my religion, says Salman Khan

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Mumbai, September 02: Bollywood actor Salman Khan showed his patriotic side Wednesday when he encouraged Delhiites to unite and work towards the betterment of the country.

“I am an Indian. Nationalism is my religion. We want responsible citizens who think about India first,” said Salman while addressing a gathering at Vijay Chowk at an event organised by Zee News as part of their India First campaign.

India invokes anti-terror pledge, Pak says restart dialogue

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New Delhi, September 02: Indicating its willingness to engage with Pakistan, India Wednesday said any meaningful dialogue will depend on Islamabad honouring its anti-terror pledge in letter and spirit and stressed that steps to address terrorism would also be in the interest of the neighbouring country.

Nine city forests to be developed in Delhi

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New Delhi, September 02: To help reduce pollution level and increase the green cover in the capital, the Delhi government Wednesday announced it will develop nine new city forests by the year end.

“The development of these forests will help in reducing pollution level as well as increasing green cover in Delhi. The total number of (city) forests will increase to 32,” Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit told reporters while launching a tree plantation drive here.

“The green area of Delhi has gone up from 26 sq. km. to more than 320 km during the last 10 years,” Dikshit said.

Sensex ends lacklustre day 84 points down

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Mumbai, September 02: Late selling Wednesday pulled down a key index of the Indian equities markets, forcing it to shut shop 83 points lower than its previous close after a lacklustre day of trade.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 15,482.05 points, ended at 15,467.46 points, down 83.73 points or 0.54 percent from its previous close of 15,551.19 points.

The broader-based Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) followed the Sensex to end at 4,608.35 points, down 0.37 percent.

CM untraced as daylight hours slip away

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Hyderabad, September 02: Hopes for the safety of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy were fading along with daylight Wednesday evening, eight hours after his helicopter went missing amid bad weather in a densely forested Maoist stronghold, triggering a desperate search by the military and police.

Powerful Indonesia quake kills 15, flattens homes

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Jakarta, September 02: A powerful earthquake rattled Indonesia’s main island of Java on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and forcing thousands to evacuate, the country’s disaster management agency said.

The 7.0 magnitude quake, as recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey, shook buildings in the capital Jakarta and flattened homes in villages closer to the epicentre in West Java.

The health ministry said it was sending medical teams to Tasikmalaya near the epicentre of the quake in West Java.

Sensex down by 83 pts on weak global cues

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Mumbai, September 02: The stock markets lost ground for the third day in a row, as investors forced the bellwether Sensex down by 83.73 points taking cues from weak Asian and European markets.

In a volatile trade, the 30-share index closed lower by 83.73 points at 15,467.46 points.

The broader 50-issue Nifty of the National Stock Exchange declined by 17 points or 0.37 per cent to 4,608.35.

Watchman of Gurukul Kangri college murdered

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Haridwar, September 02: A watchman of the prestigious Gurukul Kangri Ayurvedic College here was killed by unidentified men inside its campus last night, police said. The body of 50-year-old Sushen, a resident of Luxor area of the district, was noticed by the employees and students of the college this morning who later informed the police.

Sushen was working as a watchman of the college since November 2008. Police have recovered an iron rod and four broken teeth of Sushen from the spot.

Chandrayaan-1 confirms lunar magma ocean hypo

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Panaji, September 02: India’s maiden moon mission, Chandrayaan-1, in one of its vital findings, has endorsed the lunar magma ocean hypothesis, helping the scientists better understand the history of the satellite, a NASA scientist said here today.

Speaking at an international conference here, Carle Pieters, a professor at the US-based Brown University, who was associated with the Chandrayaan as a moon mineral mapper, said, visual confirmation of anorthite – a rich calcium plagioclase – on the upper lunar surface had virtually endorsed the magma ocean hypothesis.

Judges should declare their assets: Delhi High Court

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New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today upheld a Central Information Commission (CIC) order that judges should declare their assets and the office of the Chief Justice of India would be the public authority to assess those assets.

In a historical judgement, Justice S. Ravindra Bhat said judges are accountable but they are also subjective to some constraints. “The dignity of the judges add value to the democracy. Judges are under public attack and revealing of assets and other information may increase the reputation of the judges,” Bhat said.