Month: October 2009

Overcrowded bus in China overturns, killing 17

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Beijing, October 03: Brake failure and overcrowding were blamed for a bus accident that killed 17 people and injured 54 in south China, state media said Saturday.

The 30-seat bus was carrying 71 people and flipped while descending a hill Friday morning in Hunan province’s Qiyang county, a man from the county’s propaganda office said Saturday. Like many Chinese officials, he would only give his surname, Wang.

Nine people, including the driver, were declared dead at the scene and eight died after being taken to a local hospital, Wang said.

Indonesia quake levels villages

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Jakarta, October 03: Eight people were believed to be still alive in the ruins of a hotel on Saturday, nearly three days after a strong quake hit Indonesia’s port city of Padang.

In most places only bodies were found by rescue teams combing through collapsed buildings for thousands of people still feared trapped beneath the wreckage. The colossal damage that destroyed buildings and roads was hampering the aid effort.

CBI seeks closure of Bofors case against Quattrocchi

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New Delhi, October 03: CBI today filed an application before a Delhi court seeking closure of the Bofors pay off case against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi.

In the plea filed before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja, the probe agency said all efforts to extradite Quattrocchi for facing the trial here has failed.

The agency opposed the plea of advocate Ajay Agrawal, who had filed an application in his personal capacity pleading rejection of the closure report, on the ground that he has no “locus standi” to intervene in the matter.

IBM email service challenges internet giant Google

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San Francisco, October 03: IBM on Monday will begin offering businesses a basic “cloud computing” email service at a price that undercuts a plusher offering by Internet giant Google.

IBM unabashedly pitched its new LotusLive iNotes as an alternative to email service Google has been promoting as part of a campaign to win businesses over to using applications hosted as services on the Internet.

“Email and other collaboration services are the right entry point for many companies to realize the promise of cloud computing,” said IBM Lotus Software general manager Bob Picciano.

Ponting’s brilliance crushes England

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England, October 03:In keeping with their captain’s desires, England did not die wondering. But expire they assuredly did last night in the Champions Trophy amid a blaze of clinical strokeplay.

It is Ricky Ponting’s Australia who will take their place in the final on Monday, defending the title they won in India three years ago.

Ponting it was who led the team there with his 28th one-day international century, an innings of bristling authority and composure. From the moment he strode out to bat in this semi-final it was pretty clear what Ponting intended.

World Bank to fund USD 1 for clean Ganga project

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Washington, October 03: As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is all set to make another serious bid to clean up the river Ganga, the World Bank has agreed in principal to make available USD 1 billion for the purpose.

“We are talking of a long term billion dollar commitment for the newly created National Ganga River Basin Authority, a body headed by the Prime Minister, which will take up the task of cleaning up river Ganga in a much more systematic and serious manner than has been the case so far,” Ramesh said.

PM has offered all Central help to flood-hit AP: Rosaiah

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Hyderabad, October 03: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured Andhra Pradesh of all help from the Centre to cope with the situation arising out of the massive floods in the state.

The assurance was given to Chief Minister K Rosaiah who spoke to him over phone last night.

“The Prime Minister assured all help from the Central government,” Rosaiah told reporters.

He told the Prime Minister that it is for the first time in the history of Andhra Pradesh that so much flood water has been gushing into and out of Srisailam dam.

Women prisoners go free in return for a glimpse of hostage

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Jerusalem, October 03: The Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit who was seized by Gaza militants in June 2006 appears in good health in a video handed over by his captors in exchange for the release of 20 Palestinian women prisoners.

The first video proof since his capture that Corporal Shalit is alive, and apparently of sound mind, yesterday showed him holding a copy of the pro-Hamas Arabic language newspaper Falasteen dated 14 September.

He also refers to a private family memory from six months before his capture in a cross-border raid which left two of his fellow soldiers dead.

Pakistan to begin 26/11 trial today

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Karachi, October 03: Pakistan is set to conduct trial in the Mumbai terror attack case today. The trail was adjourned last week after the judge failed to appear.

The Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday had said that Islamabad had arrested seven people and prosecutions would begin in October. “Pakistan wants to see this trial to a logical conclusion,” he said.

Priyanka and I are still close: Hurman Baweja

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Mumbai, October 03: Hurman Baweja rubbishes rumours of a fall-out between him and Priyanka Chopra. On the contrary he insists that they are still ‘close friends’.

“I know Priyanka for a long time and we both have always maintained that we are good friends. There were reports which claimed that we were seeing each other and then it was written that we had broken up, but that’s not true at all. Priyanka and I have been friends and we are still close. All these things won’t affect our friendship,” he says.

Rukhsana’s family shifts to Rajouri

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Srinagar, October 03: Rukhsana, the teenager who had killed a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist last Sunday, and her family have shifted to safer environs in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri town after police confirmed that the rebel group has vowed to take revenge.

The family shifted to Rajouri town, 160 km north of the state’s summer capital Jammu, Friday. “They are living in district police lines in Rajouri. We are taking every care of them,” Senior Superintendent of Police (Rajouri) Shafakat Watali told IANS.

Mayawati doesn’t garland Gandhi statue

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Lucknow, October 03: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati did not turn up to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 140th birth anniversary at a government function in Lucknow on Friday. This is probably for the first time that a chief minister kept away from honouring the Father of the Nation on October 2.

Senior officials confirmed that all arrangements had been made for Mayawati to garland Gandhi’s statue at GPO park on Friday morning in keeping with convention. However, word came in at the last moment that she was not coming. Governor BL Joshi then garlanded the statue.

UN releases stamp on Mahatma Gandhi

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New York, October 03: Marking the International Day of Non-Violence, the United Nations has released a stamp of Mahathma Gandhi on the occasion of his 140th birth anniversary.

United Nations Postal Administration, the world body’s postal agency, released the one-dollar stamp designed by a world famous Miami-based artist Ferdie Pacheco, with the Father of the Nation in red, blue and gold. Also the envelopes marked with the stamp and the United Nations’ seal were on sale.

Uddhav Thackeray vs Raj Thackeray

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Mumbai, October 03: So who is fighting whom in the Maharashtra elections? At war formally are the alliances of Congress-NCP andShiv Sena-BJP. And not so secret is also the battle between NCP’s rebels against the Congress.

But the real fight is between Raj Thackeray, 41, the firebrand chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), and Uddhav Thackeray, 49, the gentlemanly Shiv Sena leader, though neither is fully prepared to admit it. It’s the fight between the cousins that by all accounts will determine the outcome of the battle for Maharashtra.

Riteish Deshmukh confesses about lonely school days!

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Mumbai, October 03: It wasn’t tough for Riteish Deshmukh to play a shy lad in Sujoy Ghosh’s “Aladin’ as he says he was very much like his onscreen character during his own school days.

Aladin, produced by Eros International and Sujoy Ghosh, is a contemporary look at the classic fairy tale, where Riteish plays the title character.

“When Sujoy told me that I play a young, introverted boy in Aladin, I could perfectly relate to it as I was myself a very quiet boy during my school days. I didn’t have many friends and would mostly keep to myself. ” Riteish confesses.

Preity dances free of cost for Salman!

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Mumbai, October 03: Preity Zinta has not charged a single penny from the Khan’s for the brief appearance she makes in Sohail Khan Productions Main Aur Mrs. Khanna.

A source said, “Preity and Salman have been good friends. The two have done some of the most remarkable films together. Chori Chori Chupke Chupke was hit. Jaaneman was a hit too.”

Preity feels that Salman is man with a heart of gold.

We were waiting for this win: Ponting

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Centurion, October 03: Relishing every single bit of their superb victory over England in the Champions Trophy semifinal, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting said the win means a lot to his young teammates.

Defending champions Australia trounced England by nine wickets to cruise to the final of the elite ICC event.

“There is lot of energy in the group and and guys are looking forward. They were waiting for this moment for a long time,” Ponting, said after the match.

Gandhi’s message key to facing modern threats: Ban Ki-moon

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New York, October 03: Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy of non-violence is an enduring symbol of hope in defeating the growing number of hostile forces threatening the modern world, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said.

In a message marking the third annual International Day of Non-violence, observed Friday in honour of Gandhi’s birthday, Ban said that Gandhi understood that a powerful idea could change the world.

Punjab teachers to make weekly reports on students

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Chandigarh, October 03: To keep a regular tab on students’ performance and to streamline the education system, all teachers in the state schools have been asked to maintain school diaries, the state education minister said here Friday.

“Among various steps for improvement in imparting quality education, teachers have been instructed to maintain diaries on weekly basis. They have to mention about syllabus covered, students’ weekly tests record, homework reports and planning for the next week,” Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur said.

PM, Sonia assure Andhra support to tackle floods

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Hyderabad, October 03: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi Friday night assured full support to Andhra Pradesh in tackling the flood situation that has turned alarming.

Both Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi spoke to Chief Minister K. Rosaiah over phone and conveyed their concern over the situation, especially in Kurnool and Mahabubnagar districts.

Rosaiah told reporters Friday night that Manmohan Singh had directed the defence and home ministries to extend all possible assistance to the state in rescue and relief operations.

US congratulates Rio for victorious Olympic bid

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Washington, October 03: The US congratulated the city of Rio de Janeiro for prevailing Friday in the tight competition to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.

“Congratulations, Rio,” State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said. “I think it’s great that South America will have its first Olympics.”

US officials have expressed disappointment that Chicago’s bid failed at the International Olympic Committee vote in Copenhagen despite intense last-minute lobbying effort from President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle.

Pak taliban vow more suicide attacks

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Islamabad, October 03: The Taliban militants are planning to carry out suicide bombings across Pakistan to avenge the death of their chief Baitullah Mehsud who was killed by the security forces in April, a media report said citing intelligence sources.

Mehsud was killed in a US drone attack in South Wazirisitan.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan said it will carry out suicide bombings across the country.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the group’s commanders held in Mir Ali in North Wazirisitan, intelligence sources told the Online news agency Friday.

Gilani welcomes release of Pakistanis by Saudi Arabia

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Islamabad, October 03: The Saudi Arabia government has freed five Pakistanis who were wrongly implicated in a narcotics case in that country, the Online news agency reported.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Friday welcomed the decision by the Saudi government.

The Pakistanis were freed after the arrests of the real culprits who had placed the narcotics in the victims’ belongings before they boarded the flight to Saudi Arabia. The accused were arrested in Pakistan.

Australia in Champoins Trophy final

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Centurion, October 03: Unbeaten centuries from opener Shane Watson and skipper Ricky Ponting kept defending champions Australia in contention to retain the title after they knocked out England from the Champions Trophy with nine wickets in the semi-final at the SuperSport Park here Friday.

Chasing a target of 258, Watson (136 not out) and Ricky Ponting (111 not out) were in complete control of the game as Australia romped home in 41.5 overs.

England were bowled out for 257 runs in 47.4 overs after captain Andrew Strauss opted to bat.

Flash floods kill 20 in Italy

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Rome, October 03: At least 20 people were killed and 35 missing in flash floods in southern Italy, officials said Friday.

The government has declared a state of emergency in the flood-hit town of Messina.

The floods were caused by a storm that started Thursday night.

Officials said more than 450 people have become homeless in the deluge.

Mudslides have cut off access to some of the areas forcing rescuers to get there on foot.

Boats and helicopters were pressed into service for the rescue work.

At least 40 injured people were taken to hospital.