Month: October 2009

Tharoor’s Gandhi Jayanti tweet sparks blog debate

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New Delhi, October 03: Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor’s tweet suggesting that Gandhi Jayanti be a working day has sparked off much discussion and debate on the Internet.

“Why should Gandhi Jayanti, or for that matter the birth and death anniversary of any leader be a holiday? In all the fuss, the very reason for the holiday is lost. Most of my friends for instance saw Gandhi Jayanti as a good excuse to take short vacations to nearby hill stations,” said Shavir Malik, an IT professional, on his blog.

Maoists blast railway track in West Bengal

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Kolkata, October 03: Suspected Maoist guerrillas triggered a landmine blast on the railway tracks in Purulia district of West Bengal early Saturday, police said.

The explosive went off on the railway tracks near Urma station after midnight, affecting train movement in the Adra-Chandil division.

The leftist ultras have called for a nationwide strike Saturday to protest the recent arrests of their leaders Kobad Ghandy and Chhatradhar Mahato and to demand their release.

Withdraw Quattrocchi’s name from Bofors case, CBI tells court

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New Delhi, October 03: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Saturday sought withdrawal of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi’s name from the Bofors gun deal payoff case.

Filing an application under Section 321 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja, the CBI counsel said here that Quattrocchi’s name should be removed from the trial that has been going on for over 19 years.

The court will hear arguments on Oct 9 to decide if it will drop Quattrocchi’s name from the case.

Apunba Lup to continue agitation

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Imphal, October 03: A leading social organisation in Manipur spearheading an agitation against police for killing a youth in an alleged fake encounter more than two months ago, today said it would continue its stir until Chief Minister Ibobi Singh resigns.

In a statement issued here, Apunba Lup asked for an end to ‘state-sponsored terrorism’ and sought the cooperation of the people.

The organisation also demanded dismissing those police officials involved in the July 23 killing and strict action against those who tried to cover it.

15 choppers, 600 army personnel for flood rescue work in Andhra

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Hyderabad, October 03: As many as 15 helicopters and about 600 army personnel have been deployed in Andhra Pradesh for rescue and relief operations in flood-hit areas.

The choppers, which will fly from Bangalore, Tirupati and Vijayawada, will also drop food and drinking water packets in the badly affected districts of Kurnool and Mahabubnagar where thousands of people are marooned for the last two days. The authorities have kept 200,000 food and water packets ready for air dropping.

Cowell goes with girlfriend for birthday treat

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London, October 03: “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell went for a getaway with his girlfriend Mezhgan Hussainy in a 19,000 pounds-a-day Miami penthouse.

Mirror.co.uk reports that he spent five nights in the super-luxury Setai Hotel with Hussainy before they went back to Britain for Cowell’s one million pounds birthday bash.

A close friend said: “Simon knew he wouldn’t get much time with Mezhgan at his big party so this was the perfect way for them to spend quality time together and give her his undivided attention.”

I am completely broke: Courtney Love

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London, October 03: Courtney Love, widow of rocker Kurt Cobain, claims she is completely broke and is down to her last 75 pounds.

The 45-year-old says she cannot even afford to feed her 17-year-old daughter Francis Bean.

In a text message to a friend, Love said: “I’m f****d now dude. I have 120 bucks, my kid hasn’t had a decent meal and I’m getting evicted.”

Love was banned from accessing the trust fund that was left for her daughter when Cobain killed himself in 1994.

–Agencies

Harry Potter star owns multi-million-pound house

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London, October 03: Harry Potter star Rupert Grint is the sole owner of an 18th-century Hertfordshire manor worth 9.2 million pounds.

The 21-year old star who plays Ronald Weasley owns the house that has five reception rooms, six bedroom suites and two cottages, dailymail.co.uk reports.

Grint has been living with his parents, brother and three sisters for the past few years in their other country house in Hertfordshire. He bought the new house in April.

Maoist strike hits life in Chhattisgarh

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Raipur, October 03: A daylong nationwide strike called by Maoists hit life in Chhattisgarh’s trouble-torn Bastar region Saturday as buses stopped plying and guerrillas blocked key roads even as thousands of security personnel were deployed in the area and in the state capital here.

Dozens of people were stranded at bus stands as no vehicles were ready to move into the interiors of the 40,000 sq km Bastar region that covers five districts of Dantewada, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kanker and Bastar. Maoists had placed heavy logs at several places to block roads.

Obama aide concedes climate legislation won’t be done by December

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Washington, October 03: US President Barack Obama’s top aide on climate change acknowledged that legislation requiring major reductions in global-warming emissions is unlikely to pass Congress before December’s Copenhagen summit on climate change.

Carol Browner, director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, said Friday in Washington that completion of the legislative process before Obama attends the Copenhagen meeting “is not going to happen”, The New York Times reported early Saturday on its website.

Sri Lankan tourist found dead in Uttar Pradesh

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Lucknow, October 03: A woman tourist from Sri Lanka was found dead near the railway tracks in Uttar Pradesh’s Chandauli district, the police said Saturday.

Herat Mudian Anulla, 61, was found dead late Friday evening near the railway tracks in the Bhagwantalab locality in Chandauli district, police Inspector R.B. Singh told IANS on phone.

Police said prima facie it appeared that she died after being hit by a train. However, they are waiting for the post-mortem report.

25,000 people stuck in Andhra’s Kurnool

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Kurnool, October 03: In Andhra Pradesh, the situation is no better; the floods are a result of rains and excess water released from dams from Karnataka.

More than 25,000 people are left marooned in Kurnool district; 700-800 people are reportedly missing. Four lakh food packets have been dropped in affected areas.

15,000 people in Vijayawada have to be shifted to safer places. 2400 passengers of the Delhi-bound Rajdhani and Karnataka Express are stranded at Raichur Railway Station for more than a day.

Rescue operations on Zahid Ali Khan’s representation

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Hyderabad, October 03 (Siasat News): As the heavy rains and floods played havoc in Kurnool city where almost the entire city is submerged putting the life of hundreds of people in danger.

However, on TDP politburo member Zahid Ali Khan’s representation, chief minister K Rosiah ordered the shifting of the trapped people to safer places.

This is to be recalled here that many trapped people contacted Mr. Khan from Kurnool and informed him about the submerging of mosques, shrines and numerous houses where people have no option but to take shelter on the terraces of their houses.

Bodies of girl, mother found in Thekkady lake, toll 43

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Thekkady (Kerala), October 03: The bodies of a four-year-old girl and her mother were found floating on Kerala’s Thekkady lake Saturday morning as navy divers resumed search operations, taking the toll from Wednesday’s boat capsize to 43, officials said.

The bodies were found quite near the accident site when the diving team comprising naval, police and forest personnel reached it to resume the search, said Idukki Superintendent of Police P.K. Kuttapayi.

The two had come to Kerala from Chennai.

Minogue goes for meditation retreat

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London, October 03: Aussie pop star Kylie Minogue is on a week-long meditation retreat with her boyfriend Andres Velencoso to get ready for her upcoming US tour.

Minogue will start the tour with a show in San Francisco. But for now she has gone for a meditation retreat win Barcelona, thesun.co.uk reports.

“She was nervous about the tour and Andres suggested a retreat. They loved it and now meditate together every morning and evening,” a source said.

–Agencies

Judge says Michael Jackson’s kids ‘doing wonderfully’

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Los Angeles, October 03: A Judge overseeing legal issues concerning Michael Jackson’s estate says the late singer’s children were “doing wonderfully” three months after their father’s death.

Jackson’s mother Katherine was granted permanent custody of her grand-
children – Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, Prince Michael II, 7 – at a court hearing in Los Angeles in August.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff said the children were being well cared for at a hearing to address various matters concerning the Jackson estate.

40 drug arrests at Parklife festival, Melbourne

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Melbourne, October 03: Police have arrested over 40 people for drug-related offences at a Melbourne dance music festival

Officers with drug sniffer dogs pulled festival-goers out of the line up to enter the sold-out Parklife festival in Birrarung Marr today.

All of the offenders received cautions for carrying small amounts of drugs.

Acting Senior Sergeant Don Brown said the police activity wasn’t meant to ruin anyone’s day but make sure everyone was safe at an event with 17,000 people attending.

Fifty-three people were caught with drugs at last year’s Parklife festival.

Three more US banks close

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Washington, October 03: Three US banks failed overnight, bringing the total to 98 this year, as regulators continue to shutter financial institutions that are overwhelmed by bad loans and liquidity problems.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp said that Warren Bank in Michigan was closed, with Huntington National Bank of Ohio taking over its deposits. It had $538 million in assets and $501 million in deposits.

Jennings State Bank in Minnesota was also shut down, with Central Bank in that state assuming its deposits. It had $56.3 million in assets and $52.4 million in deposits.

Kanimbla sets sail for quake effort

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Sydney, October 03: With little fanfare HMAS Kanimbla has slipped out of Sydney Harbour on a wet and windy day, bound for Indonesia as part of Australia’s earthquake relief effort.

Australian aid has already begun arriving in Indonesia’s earthquake-ravaged West Sumatra province, with a plane carrying relief personnel and supplies touching down in Padang about 9.30pm local time on Friday.

A 36-person urban search and rescue team and about 20 Defence Force medics and engineers are also expected to arrive in Padang on Saturday.

90-year-old in poll fray, courtesy young Rahul Gandhi

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Mumbai, October 03: A 90-year-old farmer is contesting the October 13 Assembly polls from Shirol constituency in Kolhapur district of western Maharashtra as a Congress candidate, courtesy party general secretary Rahul Gandhi.

Satgonda Revgonda Patil, who was denied a party ticket from the same constituency in 2004, was given one this time after Rahul Gandhi suggested his name.

On March 4 last year, during a tour of western Maharashtra to study the plight of sugarcane growers, Rahul happened to visit Patil’s greenhouse.

Kids buying ‘illegal’ energy drinks

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California, October 03: More than three quarters of energy drinks on sale and available to children contain illegal levels of caffeine, with some breaking the law by 30 per cent.

NSW Food Authority tests on 70 energy drinks revealed 77 per cent had dangerously high levels of caffeine.

Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald ordered the tests amid revelations that children had suffered serious side effects including dizziness, nausea and heart palpitations after consuming “shots” of a high-caffeine energy drink on the way to school.

‘Azazel’ to be Published in Six European Languages

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Abu Dhabi, October 03: ‘Azazel’ (Beelzebub), the winner of the 2009 International Prize for Arabic Fiction in March, will be published in six European languages next year.

The award, presented during a televised ceremony in Abu Dhabi to Egyptian author Youssef Ziedan, has been instrumental in supporting sales of the publishing and translation rights throughout Europe and Indonesia for this enthralling historical novel.

Women ‘happier, more social’ than men

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London, October 03: Women are happier and more social than men, while young people are more likely to be distressed, a new survey shows.

The Mental Health Association NSW (MHA) online survey of 309 people also found that happiness is linked to spending time with friends or being a member of a club.

Those who were unsure if they enjoyed socialising – “fence sitters” – were more prone to mental ill-health, the results revealed.

Women reported feeling happier than men and had more active social lives.

Murder charge after bottle beating

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Sydney, October 03: A Sydney man has been charged with attempted murder after he allegedly beat a woman repeatedly with a bottle of wine before trying to strangle her.

Police say the man, 18, first fought with the woman, 45, at 12.30am (AEST) on Friday, in an attack that lasted nearly eight hours.

“Police will allege the man used a bottle of wine to repeatedly beat the woman on the head, shoulders, back and arms before strangling her, causing her to lose consciousness,” police said of the alleged attack at a home in Macquarie Park, in northwestern Sydney.