‘iamsrk’ is Shahrukh Khan’s profile on Twitter

Mumbai, January 04: This is good news for Shahrukh Khan’s fan as the superstar has been available on Twitter. Bollywood King Khan, Shahrukh Khan, has joined the celebrity rich microbloggiong website Twitter.

Bollywood Badshah Shahrukh has joined the Twitter as ‘iamsrk’ and will share his life with fans. Interestingly, the actor has received over 12, 000 followers on very first day while actor is following six.

Woman abducts kid to blackmail lover

Banglore, January 04: A 31-year-old woman was arrested by the Nandini Layout police for kidnapping an 11-monthold child to blackmail her lover by claiming it to be his child. Although Gowramma, a tailor, planned to successfully end the episode by tying the wedding knot with her lover on January 5 in Chennai, the city police intervened and arrested her on Saturday night.

Gowramma was married to a tender-coconut vendor and they have a nine-year-old son. Her husband is said to be suffering from some illness.

They were staying in Yeshwantpur with Gowramma’s parents.

Headley’s ex-wife reveals his Mumbai connection

New Delhi, January 04: Investigators have received more details regarding suspected US LeT operative David Coleman Headley as his ex-Moroccan wife revealed his vital unknown connections in Mumbai.

Faiza Outalha, who, security agencies suspect, carried out reconnaissance of some places targeted by Mumbai attackers, told National Investigation Agency that she married and later divorced Headley, sources said.

Telangana TDP MLAs reiterate support

Hyderabad, January 04: Telangana TDP MLAs have made it clear that their party was firm on its Telangana stand and would support any move in favour of Statehood for Telangana.

At a press conference here today, TDP legislators N Janardhan Reddy, M Narasimhulu, P Mahendar Reddy and KS Rathnam refuted the reports in a section of media that the party made a U turn on its Telangana commitment and was going to support United State.

UPSC to induct over 950 officers through exams

New delhi, January 04: The Union Public Service Commission has decided to induct 965 officers this year through its all India level exams.

This was declared by a notification for Civil Services Exam 2010 issued by the Commission. Around 900 officers were inducted till last year.

UPSC selects officers for Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and other central government services through its All India Examination. The preliminary examination is scheduled to be held on May 23 this year.

Saudi Arabia asks Iran to free Osama’s daughter

London, January 04: Saudi Arabia has asked Iran to repatriate one of the daughters of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden to the kingdom after she fled house arrest and sought refuge at its embassy in Tehran.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said Saturday his government was in talks with Iran over freeing the fugitive leader’s 17-year-old daughter Iman, the BBC reported.

‘Subsidy reform bill must be properly implemented’

Tehran, January 04: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that if the subsidy reform bill properly implemented, the status of the health, industrial, and agricultural sectors will improve.

In a meeting with Iranian MPs on Sunday night, President Ahmadinejad said the subsidy reform bill, as per the parliament’s current approval, will result in a decrease in investments and productivity and increase in the inflation rate, poverty, and the smuggling of goods.

‘US preparing new psyops campaign against Iran’

Washington, January 04: The former head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) says the United States is afraid of Iran’s nuclear capabilities and is trying to provoke other countries to wage a psychological war against Iran.

In an exclusive interview with IRNA on Sunday, retired general Asad Durrani said that although Iran has always insisted that its nuclear activities are totally peaceful, the West is trying to give the world the impression that Iran’s nuclear program is not peaceful.

Hamas will fight alongside Hezbollah in next war

Gaza, January 04: The Hamas political representative in Lebanon says the Palestinian resistance group will fight alongside Hezbollah should Israel launch a new offensive against Lebanon.

“We are guests in Lebanon and our policy will not change,” Ali Baraka said during a memorial service held on Sunday to mark one week since the death of two Hamas members in an explosion in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

“However, we are committed to resisting against Israeli occupation forces,” he added.

‘Rejection of Afghan cabinet nominees is a setback’

London, January 04: The United Nations mission chief in Afghanistan says that Afghan MPs’ decision to reject most of President Hamid Karzai’s cabinet nominees is a serious setback for efforts to establish a functioning government in the country.

Kai Eide told journalists in Kabul on Sunday that this was a “setback and it’s a distraction.”

On Saturday, the parliament of Afghanistan rejected more than half of President Karzai’s cabinet nominees during confirmation votes.

25 Taliban militants killed, Afghan police say

Kabul, January 04: The United States and its NATO allies will have nearly 150,000 troops in Afghanistan in 2010.
Afghanistan’s security forces say government troops backed by foreign forces have killed 25 Taliban militants in the north of the country.

Afghan police in Konduz province said on Sunday that the clash happened in the Dasht Arji district.

Three militants were captured in the operation and the area has been cleared of militants, the police added.

However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mojahed said no members of the militant organization were killed in the clash.

BJP to decide strategy after Jan 5

Hyderabad, January 04: BJP Andhra Pradesh unit will decide its future course of action on separate Telangana after the January 5 meeting convened by the Centre.

“Only after the January 5 meeting, we will decide our future course of action on the Telangana issue,” party’s state president Bandaru Dattatreya told.

A meeting of the state BJP executive meeting held under the leadership of Dattatreya here this evening to discuss in details about the meeting of eight political parties convened by Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram, at Delhi on Tuesday.

Iraq to back lawsuit against Blackwater guards

Baghdad, January 04: Iraq said Sunday it will support a lawsuit against Blackwater guards in a US court after they were acquitted on charges of killing 17 Iraqi civilians at a Baghdad traffic circle in 2007.

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbaq said Sunday that Baghdad “will facilitate a lawsuit from Iraqi citizens to sue the guards and the company in a US court,” Reuters reported.

Four held for theft

Chennai, January 04: The suburban police arrested four men on Sunday on charges of stealing electronic goods worth Rs 4 lakhs at a shop. Solution Private Limited had earlier filed a complaint that goods were stolen from its shop at Madhavaram.

The police said they got suspicious about four men standing at a bus stop in the locality and interrogated them. The suspects Satish (21), Anthony (21), Vijayakumar alias Manikandan (21) and Arun (20) later confessed to the theft.

Based on information given by the accused, the police recovered the missing goods in a bushy area at Madhavaram.

Five CPI(M) workers stabbed near Mahe

Kannur, January 04: Unidentified assailants stabbed five CPI-M workers in the Puducherry enclave of Mahe bordering Kannur district, leaving them seriously injured.

The incident took place late last night in East Pallur.

Three persons were shifted to a hospital in Kozhikode, while others were being treated at Thalassery.

Police attributed the incident to political enmity.

—Agencies

Woman, paramour kill hubby

Chennnai, January 04: The Avadi police have arrested a woman and her lover for allegedly murdering her husband.

Ashok, working as a salesman in a shop at Aminjikarai, was missing and his uncle filed a police complaint on December 12 claiming that he suspected some foul play by Ashok’s wife Rekha Sweeti (20).

Police investigations found that Rekha had an affair with Aasim before her marriage and they were still continuing it. When the police interrogated them, both confessed to have murdered Ashok as he had learnt about their illicit relationship.

Rana’s firm comes under US scanner

Washington, January 04: US federal authorities have launched an extensive investigation into the activities of Pakistan- born terror suspect Tahawwur Hussain Rana’s immigration consultancy firm in Chicago in search of possible acts of immigration fraud.

The investigation aims to determine who have entered the US with the help of Rana’s firm, First World Immigration Services Inc, and their immigration status. The firm is located in Chicago’s Devon Avenue, a predominantly South Asian hub.

PM returns to Delhi

Thiruvananthapuram, January 04: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returned to Delhi after the two-day visit to the state capital.

The Prime Minister was seen off by Governor R.S.Gavai, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, Mayor C. Jayan Babu and other senior officials at the Air Force enclave of the Thiruvananthapuram airport.

Union Ministers A.K.Antony and Vayalar Ravi also returned to Delhi along with the Prime Minister.

—Agencies

India readies ‘satellite killer’

Thiruvananthapuram, January 04: Indian defence scientists are readying a weapon system to neutralise enemy satellites operating in low-earth orbit, a top defence scientist said in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.

“India is putting together building blocks of technology that could be used to neutralise enemy satellites,” Defence Research and Development Organisation Director General V K Saraswat told reporters on the sidelines of the 97th Indian Science Congress.

18 students arrested for ragging in Mumbai

Mumbai, January 04: The Bhoiwada police on Sunday evening arrested 18 students from KEM Hospital’s physiotherapy and occupational therapy streams for ragging 10 younger students within their hostel premises in Naigaum on Sunday.

Ten freshers had filed a complaint against their seniors with the police as well as the medical college authorities, saying they were allegedly asked to strip, use lewd language and perform mock sexual acts.

On Sunday morning, acting on the complaint, KEM Hospital authorities called an urgent meeting of the anti-ragging committee to discuss the incident.

96 hours later, Pak terrorists on the loose

New delhi, January 04: Three days after they escaped in Delhi, there is still no information about the three Pakistani terrorists, who escaped while being escorted to a city hospital. The three men – Mohammad Sadiq, Abdul Razzaq & Rafaquat Al carry a bounty of fifty thousand rupees on their heads.

BSE Sensex rises 0.3 pct; autos lead

Mumbai, January 04: The BSE Sensex rose 0.3 percent in early trade on Monday, tracking gains in Asia, with auto stocks leading the gains on robust December sales numbers.

At 9:04 a.m. (0334 GMT), the 30-share BSE index was up 0.26 percent at 17,509.67 points, with 27 components advancing.

The 50-share NSE Index was up 0.2 percent at 5,213.30.

—Agencies

Travellers from 14 nations will face additional screening

New York, January 04: Travellers from 14 nations including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia flying into the United States will face additional screening starting today, US officials have said.

The heightened security procedures include full body pat downs before boarding, checking of carry on baggage, and

random checks on US bound flights, Transportation Security Administration said yesterday.

13 militants killed in Pak’s tribal belt

Islamabad, January 04: Two soldiers and 13 militants were killed in fresh fighting in Pakistan’s troubled Waziristan region and northwestern Swat valley even as troops were attacked by rebels at several places in the tribal belt on Sunday.

Four soldiers were also injured in the clashes and troops captured 36 militants during search and clearance operations across the country’s northwest, the military said.

A soldier was killed and four more were injured when Taliban fighters targeted security forces with an improvised explosive device near Jandola sector of Waziristan.

Bangladesh judge signs death warrants for Mujib killers

Dhaka, January 04: A judge signed on Monday the death warrants for five killers of Bangladesh’s independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, formally setting the clock for their executions within four weeks.

Court officials said the signed warrants would be forwarded to the prison authorities immediately and the executions would take place within the next 21 to 28 days.

However, the executions may be delayed if the five convicted men seek another review by the Supreme Court or request presidential clemency.