Month: January 2010

I am an imageless girl in Bollywood: Divya Dutta

by

New Delhi, January 31: From a feisty Punjabi girl in Yash Chopra’s ‘Veer-Zaara’ to a chatterbox in Shyam Benegal’s ‘Welcome to Sajjanpur’, actress Divya Dutta has done it all and the actress says she is lucky to be without an image in the film industry.

“I have been lucky to get different roles. I am totally imageless. If I can work with Shyam Benegal and Yash Chopra together, who are the kings of art house and commercial cinema and win awards for both of them then it means I have placed myself everywhere,” Divya told PTI in an interview.

I would love to work with Hritik again: Isha Sharwani

by

Gurgaon, January 31: Isha Sharwani, known to be the only dancer in Bollywood who can match her steps with Hritik Roshan, says she would love to work again with the actor after ‘Luck By Chance’.

Hritik, who is one of the best dancers in Bollywood, did a cameo in Zoya Akhtar’s debut while Sharwani played a nubile Nikki Khurana, the 18-year-old daughter of 70’s superstar in the movie.

“I will love to get a chance to work with Hritik again,” Sharwani, who has also appeared with the actor in a commercial, told PTI.

But it is not Bollywood, which is Sharwani’s true calling.

BJP plans training of cadre

by

New Delhi, January 31: The BJP has made plans for a three-year programme to hone the skills of its cadre before the next Lok Sabha elections.

“A policy decision on the issue will be taken after due deliberation. Nothing is final yet. But BJP is the only party which has a training cell and has been giving training to its cadre, including ministers,” Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, BJP President Nitin Gadkari’s political advisor, told PTI.

After its three-year training programme organised in Maharashtra on a pilot basis, BJP now plans to put the same into practice at an all-India level.

SC upholds mother’s life sentence for killing 4-yr-old

by

New Delhi, January 31: Holding as “unusual” the conduct of a mother, the Supreme Court has confirmed the life sentence on a woman who axed to death her four-year-old son.

“Motherhood is one of the most precious gifts endowed upon mankind and there is no relationship more pristine and pure than that of a mother and her child. No mother in normal circumstances can tolerate even a scratch on the body of her child,” a bench of justices P Sathasivam and H L Dattu observed in a judgement.

UN sets up women-only food aid in Haiti

by

Washington, January 31: The World Food Programme has started its first systematic food distribution system for Haiti since the earthquake, with 16 sites set up in the capital where only women may collect food.

Food distribution since the quake on 12 January has often been marked by poor co-ordination, gaps in coverage and desperate, unruly lines of needy people in which young men at times have shoved aside the women and the weak and taken their food.

CAT chides ICAR for harassing principal scientist

by

New Delhi, January 31: A principal scientist’s harassment at the hands of ICAR has ended with the Central Administrative Tribunal coming to his rescue, saying the procedure adopted against him during the departmental inquiry appeared to be “wholly illegal”.

“There was no reason for the ICAR to have made an inquiry against the scientist for the same charges already a subject matter of the inquiry.

I want to be a social worker, says Nalini

by

New Delhi, January 31: Nalini, serving life sentence in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, dreams of being a social worker if she is released from Vellore Central Prison where she has been lodged for the last 19 years.

Nalini, who has sought premature release, does not want to go back to her family life and wants to work for women, her counsel S Duraisamy said.

“She will not go back to family life. She wants to become a social worker and work for the poor and downtrodden women,” S Duraisamy, counsel for Nalini since 1991, quoting her said.

I’ll definitely marry on TV: Rahul Mahajan

by

Udaipur, January 31: Rahul Mahajan says he will definitely marry the woman he chooses through NDTV Imagine’s reality show “Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayega” unlike Rakhi Sawant, whose televised ‘swayamvar’ came to an end with a broken engagement.

“See the name of my show is ‘Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayega’. The title itself says that I will take my bride home. I will definitely marry. In fact, the finale of the show will show my wedding only,” Rahul told IANS at Udaipur’s Fatehgarh Palace, where the show is being shot amid a lavish set.

Amar Singh:I will resign if my kidneys are returned

by

Ghazipur, January 31: Under pressure from his critics within the party to give up his Rajya Sabha seat, Amar Singh today asked Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav to first “return the kidneys” he had sacrificed in the service of the party.

Addressing a public meeting in Madgava village, about 70 kms from the district headquarters here, Amar Singh said he had served the Samajwadi Party for 14 long years and even sacrificed his kidneys for it.

No one is indispensable for the party : Mulayam

by

Hardoi, January 31: Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav, who has come under frontal attack from his one time confidante Amar Singh of late, today suggested that no one was indispensable for the party.

“Kya Nehru nahin hain to Congress nahin hai, kya main nahin rahoonga to SP nahin rahegi, SP barkarar rahegi (didn’t Congress survive without Nehru, wouldn’t SP be alive without me, it would),” quipped the SP supremo when asked by reporters here if Amar Singh’s illness meant problems for the party.

Andhra Speaker rejects resignations of 129 MLAs

by

Hyderabad, January 31: The Andhra Pradesh assembly speaker Kirankumar Reddy today rejected the resignation letters of 129 MLAs, out of 130, submitted to him over the demand of formation of Telangana state.

Reddy said he received resignations of 222 members belonging to various parties on Telanagana issue. However, since 92 were withdrawn, 130 letters were pending with him.

Barack Obama seeks USD 200m to help cities host 9/11 trials

by

Washington, January 31: The Obama administration is proposing a USD 200 million fund to help pay for security costs in cities hosting the trials of accused terrorists such as September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

A congressional aide familiar with the plan says the money will be included in the president’s budget being released Monday. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because the spending blueprint hasn’t been announced.

HRW Slams France’s Burqa Ban

by

Paris, January 31: Human Rights Watch has blasted France’s efforts to ban burqa for violating rights of Muslim women, warning the move could stigmatize the whole Muslim minority in the country.

“We are still very concerned that the restrictions will seriously interfere with the rights of Muslim women in France – the right to manifest their religion and the right to personal autonomy,” Judith Sunderland, senior researcher for Western Europe at Human Rights Watch, told.

She said that any partial or blanket ban on the face-veil would be a violation of basic human rights.

Israel Blamed for Hamas Murder

by

Damascus, January 31: As efforts are underway to find the clues of the grisly killing of a top Hamas leader in Dubai, the Palestinian resistance group has blamed Israel for the murder.

“Mahmud Abdel Rauf Al-Mabhouh died a martyr in Dubai on January 20, 2010,” Hamas said in a statement.

“We hold Israel responsible for the assassination of our brother and leader.”

Mabhouh, 50, was found dead in a hotel on Tuesday, a day after he arrived in the city.

British Children To Learn Minority Faiths

by

London, January 31: British children as young as five will study minority faiths under a new government guidance, a move stirring outcry in the northwestern European country, reported.

“In 21st century Britain, it is vital that young people develop a good understanding of other peoples’ beliefs, faiths and religions,” Schools Minister Diana Johnson said.

“This means learning about Christianity and other religions like Islam, Hinduism and Judaism, but also considering secular beliefs such as humanism and atheism.”

US halts airlifts of Haiti patients, citing space

by

Miami, January 31: The US military has halted flights carrying Haitian earthquake victims to the United States because of an apparent dispute over where seriously injured patients should be taken for treatment.

An American doctor treating victims in Port-au-Prince warned that at least 100 critically ill patients needed to get to better hospitals or they could die, while the U.S. government said it was working to expand hospital capacity in both Haiti and in the U.S.

US Drops Plans For New York 9/11 Trial

by

New York, January 31: The Obama administration has dropped plans to bring the alleged 9/11 attack plotters in a civilian court in New York over mounting opposition from local officials and residents.

“New York is out,” an administration official told, on condition of anonymity.

Another official said though no decision has been yet formalized, the Justice Department is already considering other venues.

Woman boxer kills self in Mumbai

by

Mumbai, January 31: Boxer Priyanka Digambar Belkhede committed suicide on Friday night by hanging herself from the ceiling of her Chembur flat with a saree.

Although she left no suicide note, she is suspected to have been depressed.

The incident took place at around 8pm at Flat D/12 in the HPCL housing quarters at Vashi Naka in Chembur. Priyanka was alone at home because her younger sister, Komal, who is also a professional boxer, had gone out for a walk to RCF Colony. Their father, Digambar, who is a boxer, was away in his native place at Akola.

West Restricts Pakistan Surgeons

by

Islamabad, January 31: Despite being a close ally in the so-called “war on terror”, the US and its Western allies are imposing an unannounced ban on Pakistan’s surgeons, denying them medical training.

“There has been a 90 percent decline in on-hands jobs for Pakistani surgeons and doctors in UK, and US during last few years,” Professor Tariq Mahmood, the head of Pakistan Society for Surgeons, told.

Since the 9/11 attacks, Pakistani surgeons have been facing restrictions to get on-job training in the US and Britain.

India-born businessman nominated to Canadian senate

by

Toronto, January 31: For the first time, an India-born businessman has been nominated to the Canadian senate by prime minister Stephen Harper.

73-year-old Vim Kochhar is expected to take the oath of office next week.

Kochhar is among five outstanding Canadians who have been nominated to the senate by Harper, whose Conservatives party is now closer to taking back control of the Upper House with the new appointments.

The government is still three seats shy of absolute control of the 105-member senate.

China protests US arms sales to Taiwan, warns of ‘serious’ impact

by

Washington, January 31: China on Friday protested the US decision to sell 6.4 billion dollars in weapons to Taiwan and warned of “serious” damage to relations and cooperation with Washington.

China’s vice foreign minister He Yafai made an urgent official demarche to the US ambassador in Beijing, Jon Huntsman, in the early hours Saturday local time, Wang Baodong, spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said.

As China grows, its language spreads globally

by

Beijing, January 31: With the rapid economic growth of China, the Chinese language is getting increasingly popular with students across the world causing a surge in the number of learning centres of the language globally.

Preliminary statistics show that approximately 40 million non-Chinese worldwide have learned Chinese as a foreign language, Beijing Review reported.

Maha Kumbh Mela also a chance to make quick money

by

Haridwar, January 31: The ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela is providing ample opportunities to unemployed youth here to make quick bucks.

While some unemployed youth have devised ingenious ways to earn money themselves during what is perhaps the largest religious gathering in the world, others have been hired by “established shopkeepers” to cater to the rush of customers from around the globe.

Gayatri Devi’s heirs fight govt for gold

by

New Delhi, January 31: The heirs of Maharani Gayatri Devi of the erstwhile Jaipur royal family, considered the wealthiest royalty of Rajasthan, have approached the Delhi High Court for getting back nearly 800 kg of gold seized by the government in 1975.

The gold, listed as the private property of Gayatri Devi’s husband, the late Maharaja Sawai Man Singh, was seized by the Income Tax (IT) department as the family had not declared it to the authorities as stipulated by the Gold Control Act, 1968. The act has now been repealed.

Gayatri Devi died on July 29 last year.

Australia clinches U-19 World Cup

by

London, January 31: Australia has won the crown of the ICC U-19 World Cup as they defeated Pakistan by 25 runs in the final at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln on Saturday.

Pakistan skipper A Ghumman won the toss and invited Australian team to bat first in the grand finale. Australia got to a bad start as they lost their first three wickets with just
23 runs on the board.