KJo’s Hairy Situation

Mumbai, January 27: KJo’s Hairy Situation Karan Johar, who is always known to be clean-shaven, has been seen with stubble at recent interviews and events. Apparently, he is so busy with My Name is Khan that it seems to have eaten into his personal hygiene time.

Rakhi Sawant threatens to go on hunger strike

Mumbai, January 27: Rakhi Sawant feels that the censor board was being unjust in banning her song “Kameeni tera bhoot chad gaya re”. She has sent a legal notice giving it a week to explain its decision. Otherwise, she will go on hunger strike, says the item girl.

“I’ll wait for a week and then I go on a ‘bhookh hartaal’ in front of the censor office,” Rakhi told IANS.

4 killed, 12 wounded in building collapse in Karnataka

Bellary (KTK), January 27: Four persons were killed and five injured when a five-storeyed under-construction building collapsed and fell on a hostel in the city, police said today.

The mishap took place in Gandhinagar area of the city last night.

The dead included a 22-year-old student of the hostel.

An injured worker rescued from the debris told the police that at least 20 people were still trapped in the debris.

Rescue operations are on. Minister for Health B Sreeramulu and Minister for Tourism G Janardhana Reddy visited the spot.
–PTI

Guatemala arrests ex-leader on US warrant

Washington, January 27: Guatemalan authorities on Tuesday arrested former President Alfonso Portillo on a US extradition request related to money-laundering charges.

After four days on the run, Portillo was tracked down at the northeastern beach resort of Punta de Palma, while preparing to flee Guatemala by boat.

The 58-year-old former leader, who left office in 2004, is accused of embezzling tens of millions of dollars of state funds during his presidency and laundering at least $6.5 million through American banks.

Another quake survivor pulled from Haiti ruins

Haiti, January 27: A man has been pulled out alive from under the rubble in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince 14 days after a killer quake destroyed the city.

The 31-year-old Ricot Duprevil miraculously survived the two weeks on just water.

He was only able to let out a weak cry before being rescued by American troops from the ruins of a building in the center of the city.

He was evacuated to a nearby treatment facility with a “broken leg and severe dehydration,” the US military said in a statement on Tuesday.

Abbas clears Abhishek-Priyanka controversy

Mumbai, January 27: Priyanka Chopra lost out her role in Abbas Mustan’s remake of The Italian Job because of Abhishek Bachchan – that was what media reports claimed last week. Reportedly, Abhishek told the director duo to throw out Priyanka because of the way his good friend and filmmaker Rohan Sippy was left in a lurch by Priyanka Chopra.

Madhur Bhandarkar to direct Kareena Kapoor

Mumbai, January 27: Madhur Bhandarkar recently approached Kareena Kapoor for a role in his next flick. Says a source close to Kareena, “Madhur is planning to direct a hard-sitting social film for which he wants Kareena.

Priyanka Chopra to return in ‘Don’ sequel

Mumbai, January 27: It is confirmed. Bollywood beauty Priyanka Chopra is all set to reprise her role of femme fatale Roma in the sequel to Farhan Akhtar’s 2006 ‘Don-The Chase Begins Again’.

Though it was always on cards that Shah Rukh Khan would feature in ‘Don 2’ which is expected to pick up from where the remake of the Amitabh Bachchan starrer ‘Don’ left, there was always mystery around the presence of the leading lady in the film.

However, Chopra, who recently won the national award for the best actress for her role in ‘Fashion’, has confirmed her presence in the sequel.

Headley to be arraigned in Chicago court today

Chicago, January 27: Charged with conspiring in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley will be produced in a court here today where he will respond to the charges against him.

Headley is set to appear for his arraignment before US Magistrate Judge Arlander Keys in US District Court, Northern District of Illinois. Co-accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana appeared in the same court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to providing material support to terror plots in Mumbai and Denmark.

Baghdad blasts: Clinton condemns multiple bombings

Washington, January 27: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today condemned the multiple bombings in Baghdad that killed more than 20 people and left dozens injured.

“We mourn the loss of life and extend our condolences to the victims’ families, friends, and communities,” Clinton said in a statement.

Obama approved secret operations in Yemen: Report

Washington, January 27: President Barack Obama approved secret joint U.S. military and intelligence operations with Yemeni troops that began six weeks ago and killed six regional al Qaeda leaders, The Washington Post reported.

Obama approved a December 24 strike against a compound where a U.S. citizen, Anwar al-Aulaqi, was believed to be meeting with regional al Qaeda leaders, the newspaper said in its Wednesday editions.

Radar screens again go blank at IGI airport

New Delhi, January 27: In the second such incident in a fortnight, some radar screens of the air traffic control tower at the IGI airport went blank in quick succession, sending the ATC officials in a tizzy.

According to airport sources, one or two radar screens (consoles) – which shows traffic in the airspace controlled by Delhi tower and gives vital information like aircraft speed, height and call-signs – suddenly went blank early Tuesday morning.

Kalam tells young doctors to reach out to rural masses

Guntur, January 27: Former President APJ Abdul Kalam tonight exhorted young medical graduates to treat the ailing poor in remote villages where millions of ailing people were still deprived of the latest advances and technologies in healthcare.

The doctors should not scare away poor patients by their multiplicity of clinical tests, Kalam said while giving away the medical degrees (MBBS) to the first batch of students in the NRI Academy of Sciences in Mangalagiri.

He regretted poor facilities in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and emphasised the need to improve them.

Australian Open: Li Na stuns Venus; Serena scraps past Azarenko

Melbourne, January 27: China’s Li Na created a massive boilover when she came from a set down to beat Venus Williams 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 in an error-strewn match to reach the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday.

Li needed 2hours and 45 minutes to beat the sixth seed Venus in an error prone match which produced 110 unforced errors.

Li will now face defending champion Serena Williams for the place in the final after Serena beat Belarusian seventh seed Victoria Azarenka 4-6, 7-6(4),6-2 in the other quarterfinal.
–Agencies

Bangladesh 312 for nine at lunch on day four

Mirpur (Bangladesh), January 27: Bangladesh were 312 for nine in their second innings against India at lunch on the fourth day of the second and final Test match here today.

Bangladesh lead by one run with one wicket remaining.

Brief Score:

Bangladesh first Innings: 233 all out.

India first Innings: 544 for eight declared.

Bangladesh second Innings: 312 for nine in 90 overs (Shahadat Hossain 40, Mohammad Ashraful 25; Zaheer Khan 6/87).

–Agencies

Dhaka Test Day 4: Zaheer stars as Indian beat Bangladesh by 10 wickets, sweeps series 2-0

Mirpur, January 27: India beat Bangladesh by 10 wickets and completed a 2-0 clean sweep of the series on the penultimate day of the second and the final Test at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.

Bangladesh were bowled out for 312 with Zaheer Kahn picking up a career best 7/87 as the host slump to a dramatic collapse losing 7 wickets for just 22 runs in 67 balls to hand India the victory.

Efforts on to rid India of violence for 9% growth rate: PC

Coimbatore, January 27: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today said serious efforts are on to make the country free of terrorism and communal tension to achieve nine per cent growth rate and increase foreign investments.

He said the last 14 months have not seen any terror attacks or communal violence, resulting in economic growth and benefits to all sections of society.

Building collapses in Karnataka, 4 killed, several injured

Bellary, January 27: Four people were killed and several injured when an under construction building collapsed in Bellary in Karnataka.

The rubble of the building fell into the premises of a boys’ hostel causing serious injury to several unsuspecting students.

The mishap took place in Gandhinagar area of the city last night.

The dead included a 22-year-old student of the hostel.

An injured worker rescued from the debris told the police that at least 20 people were still trapped in the debris.

Human rights in Afghanistan must be guaranteed during Taleban talks

Kabul, January 27: Human rights, including women’s rights, must not be traded away or compromised during any reconciliation talks with the Taleban in Afghanistan, Amnesty International said on the eve of a London conference set to discuss deteriorating security conditions in the country.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, other leaders and foreign ministers are to discuss security arrangements inAfghanistan for the next two years, including reconciliation programmes to reintegrate so-called moderate elements of Taleban.

Chatwal blames BJP for playing politics

New York, January 27: Blamed Main opposition party Bhartiya Janta Party(BJP) for indulging politics over the award of Padma Bhushan, Indian American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal has accused the party of making political muck.

“I have been awarded the ‘Ellis Island Medal of Honour’, which is only given after the United States Government makes sure that there is nothing against a person,” said Chatwal in response to BJP’s demand for stripping him of India’s third highest civilian honour.

Delhi’s airspace goes blind on R-Day

New Delhi, January 27: On a day when the national capital was given an unprecedented security cover in the wake of terror threat to the Republic Day parade, a major scare gripped the Indira Gandhi International Airport here after the radar system failed once again.

According to reports, half past midnight on Tuesday the radar screens at IGI Airport’s ATC tower went blank. It was the second time in less than two weeks that the radar system collapsed at IGI Airport.

Indian Airlines hijacker deported to India

Toronto, January 27: Canada Tuesday deported the mastermind of the 1984 Indian Airline hijacker to India.

Parminder Singh Saini, 46, who took refuge here 15 years ago and faced deportation to India, was put on the plane back to India earlier Tuesday, officials said. Saini was escorted by officials of the Canadian Border Security Agency (CBSA) to Toronto airport to board a flight for India.

It was not known on which airline flight he was put on his one-way journey to India.

Australia provides attacks dossier to India

Melbourne, January 27: Australia government has handed over to India a police dossier of high-profile attacks on Indians over the past year, which reveals that nearly half of the attackers were juveniles.

“It shows nearly half of those arrested between March 2009 and January 5 — three days after the Garg killing — were under 18,” reported.

The dossier shows that among the 18 high-profile cases, two cases of assault reported in May and June last year remained unsolved, the paper said.

Headley to be arraigned in Chicago court today

Chicago, January 27: Charged with conspiring in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley will be produced in a court here today where he will respond to the charges against him.

Headley is set to appear for his arraignment before US Magistrate Judge Arlander Keys in US District Court, Northern District of Illinois.

Co-accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana appeared in the same court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to providing material support to terror plots in Mumbai and Denmark.