Month: December 2009

Navy puts South block on private choppers

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Mumbai, Dec 03: The Navy will not allow private helicopters to move from private helipads in South Mumbai, the flag officer commanding-in-chief of the Western Naval Command said today.

Vice Admiral Sanjeev Bhasin cited security reasons and the examples of the helipads set up by the Tatas and the Ambanis. The Tatas have a rooftop helipad at the Taj Wellington Mews Luxury Residences in Colaba, while the Ambanis have built theirs at Sea Wind in the heart of Cuffe Parade.

World Cup teams hire security firms from Iraq amid kidnap risk

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Kabul, December 03: Many of the nations competing at next summer’s World Cup will use private security firms – including war-zone specialists who operate in Iraq and Afghanistan – to safeguard their players and officials.

Sources within the private protection industry have told The Independent that high-profile football associations from Europe and South America have already hired firms that will use ex-military personnel, some of them special forces veterans, to look after players and their families during the tournament.

Drunk Aamir lands director in trouble

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Mumbai, December 03: For a scene in 3 Idiots , Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi were to act drunk at the college adda where they regularly meet to chill out.

The perfectionist that Aamir is, he suggested that the trio should actually get drunk to make the scene look more authentic. The trio agreed and after getting drunk, they started enjoying themselves and were really in their element.

India berth is a dream come true for Ashwin

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Sambalpur (Orissa), December 03: Tamil Nadu off-spinning allrounder Ravichandran Ashwin said receiving a Team India call was the biggest moment of his life and the feeling was yet to sink in.

Ashwin comes in place of regular off-spinner Harbhajan Singh who has been rested for India’s two-match T20 series against Sri Lanka.

The Tamil Nadu cricketer, who is here for Ranji Trophy Super League against Orissa, said he would be really happy even if he could achieve half of Bhajji.

Sri Lanka all out for 393

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Mumbai, Dec 03: Sri Lanka was all out for 393 in its first innings Thursday on the second day of the third cricket test against India at Brabourne Stadium:

Scores:

Sri Lanka 1st Innings: 393 (Tillakaratne Dilshan 109, Angelo Mathews 99, Tharanga Paranavitana 53; Harbhajan Singh 4-112, Pragyan Ojha 3-101).

–Agencies

Armed men rob Rs 19.3 lakh from toll tax office in East Delhi

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New Delhi, Dec 03: Taking advantage of the lull between shift changes, armed assailants took employees hostage and robbed Rs 19.3 lakh cash from the office of an agency collecting toll tax in Ghazipur, on Delhi-UP border on NH-24, early Wednesday morning.

The police said a call about the incident was received around 6 am.

Show results or we will find someone else: US to Karzai

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Washington, Dec 03: In a stern message to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the United States has warned him to act fast against corruption and governance failing which it will find someone else for the job.

“If those that are responsible at their different level are providing the services that a government has to and needs to provide its people, then we will have a great relationship with working with those people. If those people don’t, then we will find people that will,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters.

Show results or we will find someone else: US to Karzai

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Washington, December 03: In a stern message to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the United States has warned him to act fast against corruption and governance failing which it will find someone else for the job.

“If those that are responsible at their different level are providing the services that a government has to and needs to provide its people, then we will have a great relationship with working with those people. If those people don’t, then we will find people that will,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters.

‘Entrepreneurial journalists on a par with traditional media’

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Hyderabad, December 03: Journalists who have made the transition to independent online publishing measure themselves against the same professional bar that print journalists do, and are equally differentiated as credible sources in much the same way as newspapers are.

Only, the traditional media were holding them to a higher standard than its own, members of a panel discussion at the ongoing 16th World Editors Forum of WAN-IFRA here argued.

Fort Hood suspect charged with attempted murder

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Fort worth, December 03: An Army psychiatrist who may face the death penalty after the mass shooting at Fort Hood was charged Wednesday with 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder relating to the scores of soldiers and two civilian police officers injured in the attack, military officials said.

Child labour: Figures belie tall claims

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Hyderabad, December 03: Officials of the Anti-Corruption Bureau are receiving unlikely visitors lately. People staying in upmarket residential pockets have been visiting ACB to complain about being arm-twisted by state officials to cough up a few thousands so that they are not booked for employing children as domestic helps.

Argentine leaders throw chairs, punches in public

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Buenos aires, December 03: Argentine lawmakers pushed, punched and threw chairs at each other during a raucous session to choose the president of a northern province’s lower house.

At least 10 legislators were slightly injured during the chaotic scuffle in Chaco, 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) north of the capital, Buenos Aires.

Chaco Gov. Jorge Capitanich said he regrets the violence, which broke out when officials from the governing party tried to stop opposition lawmakers from entering a session of the legislature.

Makeup? It’s against Islam, Iran women told

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Tehran, December 03: Women appearing in television programmes will not be allowed to wear make-up because it is against Islamic law, or sharia, media today quoted the head of state television as saying.

“Make-up by women during television programmes is illegal and against Islamic sharia law … There should not be a single case” of a woman wearing make-up during a programme, Ezatollah Zarghami was quoted as saying by the reformist Etemad newspaper.

Af-Pak strategy: Pak for greater clarity, coordination

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Islamabad, December 03: Pakistan today asked the US to work closely with it to ensure that Washington’s new policy for Afghanistan, including a troop surge, does not affect Pakistani interests and security.

“Pakistan looks forward to engaging closely with the US in understanding the full import of the new strategy and to ensure that there would be no adverse fallout on Pakistan,” Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said.

Al Qaeda and Taliban leadership in Pakistan: Biden

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Washington, December 03: US Vice President Joe Biden today said that the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban leadership are in Pakistan and the new Af-Pak policy is focusing on it.

“The ball is al-Qaeda. That’s the reason we’re there. They are in Pakistan. The Taliban leadership is in Pakistan,” Biden, who during the Bush Administration was sceptical of taking the eye off the ball, told the NBC Today television show in an interview.

‘Indo-Pak relations critical for stability of the region’

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Washington, December 03: Acknowledging that India is a big player in the region, a top US military leader has said that the relationship between India and Pakistan is critical for the stability in the region.

“India is a big player in that region as well,” Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in response to a question at House Committee on Foreign Affairs; which held a hearing on Afghanistan.

“I think all of us – international players, particular regional players – have to take steps to stabilize. The relationship between Pakistan and India is critical.

US seeks stronger UN role in Afghanistan

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United Nations, Dec 03: The United Nations has played a “vital role” in Afghanistan and US wants the world body to continue its “multifaceted” role there.

“We think the United Nations has played and must continue to play a vital role in Afghanistan. This role needs to continue and we have every confidence that it will continue,” US envoy to the UN Susan Rice told reporters here.

Copenhagen: India follows China, to announce carbon cuts

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New Delhi, December 03: With pressure mounting to match China’s public diplomacy over Climate Change, the Indian government is likely to announce on Thursday its plan to reduce carbon intensity, three days before world leaders from 192 countries meet in Copenhagen.

In an interview to a leading US newspaper Shyam Saran, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s special envoy on climate change, said India can reduce energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product by as much as 35 percent through that year and make a “similar” cut in carbon dioxide.

World’s largest telescope spells golden age of astronomy

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Toronto, Dec 03: Hailing it as the beginning of a golden age of astronomy, researchers say the latest data beamed back to earth by the Herschel Space Observatory (HSO) is providing them a rare peep into distant galaxies. Herschel is the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space.

Indo-Pak relations critical for stability of the region

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Washington, Dec 03: Acknowledging that India is a big player in the region, a top US military leader has said that the relationship between India and Pakistan is critical for the stability in the region.

“India is a big player in that region as well,” Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in response to a question at House Committee on Foreign Affairs; which held a hearing on Afghanistan.

Bihar court issues non-bailable warrant against Raj Thackeray

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Patna, Dec 03: A Bihar court today issued a non-bailable warrant against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray in connection with a writ petition filed against him for allegedly making “hate speeches” against Biharis.

Muzaffarpur Judicial Magistrate Saheb Kausher asked the Mumbai Police commissioner to present Thackeray before his court on Jan 4, 2010.

The court issued the non-bailable warrant following his non-appearance either personally or through a lawyer on various dates fixed earlier.

Pakistan cricketers get nod to play IPL

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Karachi, Dec 03: Pakistan’s cricketers cleared the final hurdle in their way to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Wednesday when the country’s interior ministry on Wednesday gave them a clearance to play in India.

A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman told the media that the board has received intimation from the interior ministry that it has no objection to the players’ participation in the IPL.

Abhay and I have similar acting styles: Sonam Kapoor

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New Delhi, Dec 03: Actress Sonam Kapoor, who is playing the female lead in dad Anil Kapoor’s home production “Aisha”, says she and co-star Abhay Deol have similar acting styles, making it easier for her to give her best.

“It was great working with Abhay. I feel we have very similar acting styles that made working with him so easy. It’s always nice to work with someone who has done the kind of work you would want to do,” Sonam told the media over phone from Mumbai.

Set up anti-trafficking cell in every district: Chidambaram

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New Delhi. Dec 03: Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday urged all states in the country to set up anti-human trafficking cells in every district.

“Only nine districts have anti-human trafficking cells. This is out of over 600 districts of the country. So, we have barely scratched the surface of the problem. I would like to urge states to set up anti-human trafficking cells in all districts, network them and coordinate with the home ministry,” said Chidambram.

“This would take time and money, but more than that it requires will,” he added.