Month: April 2010

Auto strike in Delhi

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New Delhi, April 01: Auto-rickshaw drivers on a strike today demanding increase in fares and protesting against a government proposal to phase out three-wheelers from the city.

The city government, however, threatened to take action against those auto drivers who participate in the strike.

Several auto unions have called for a 24-hour strike beginning.

Transport Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely said government will take strong action against those participating in the strike.

He also said the government now has no plans to phase out auto-rickshaws from the city.

Two children killed in Delhi slum fire

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New Delhi, April 01: Two children were burnt to death while two other persons were injured in a fire in the slum clusters of south Delhi Thursday, fire officials said.

The incident took place in Batla House area around 6.45 p.m. when three slums caught fire.

“Two children were burnt to death while two other persons were injured. The cause of the fire is not yet known,” a fire official said.
–IANS

Veil ban back in Belgian politicians

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Paris, April 01: A Belgian parliamentary committee has voted to impose a nationwide ban on wearing face-covering veils in public.

The country’s home affairs committee agreed unanimously to support the move, which must be approved by parliament to become law.

The ban includes any clothes or veils that do not allow the wearer to be fully identified, including the full-face niqab and burqa.

If passed, the measure would be the first clampdown of its kind in Europe.

I didn’t even slap anyone: Bangladesh war crimes accused

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Dhaka, April 01: A top Islamist leader of Bangladesh accused of leading a militia that killed thousands of civilians during the 1971 freedom struggle has claimed he had “not even slapped anyone”.

Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid has been listed as president of the Al Badr, an islamist force of Razakars (volunteers), who looted and killed thousands of people, including members of Hindu religious minority, perceived as sympathetic to the freedom movement.

Nitish not allowed to visit Nepal

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Patna, April 01: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was denied permission by the central government to visit Nepal to attend the post-death rites of former Nepal prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who died last month, official sources said Thursday.

Nitish Kumar was upset due to the decision of the the central government, official sources in the chief minister’s office here said.

He was invited by Koirala’s daughter Sujata Koirala to attend her father’s post-death rites in Kathmandu Thursday. Nitish Kumar was eager to pay his last respects to the Nepali leader, they added.

Govt in a cleft stick on Muslim reservation

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New Delhi, April 01: The Muslim demand for a separate 10 per cent quota in education and jobs, as recommended by the Ranganath Misra Commission, has placed the government in a ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ situation. The dilemma came through clearly in the ministerial speeches at Wednesday’s daylong conference of the State Minorities Commissions organised here Wednesday by the National Commission for Minorities.

DA cse: SC relief for Lalu Yadav

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New Delhi, April 01: The Supreme Court today held that the Bihar Government did not have the authority to file an appeal in the Patna High Court against the acquittal of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his wife in a disproportionate assets case which was prosecuted by the CBI.

“Bihar Government is not a competent authority to file an appeal in the case,” a bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices R M Lodha and B S Chauhan said.

Beckham managing Australia: for sure it was jest

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Sydney, April 01: David Beckham an assistant manager for Australia at football’s World Cup? It turned out to be just an April Fool’s joke that tricked a few people for a while.

The Sydney Morning Herald said today that former England captain Beckham, who won’t play for England due to an Achilles tendon injury and subsequent surgery, announced he was joining the Socceroos as assistant manager.

The Herald said the deal was sealed after Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy sent Beckham a fruit basket and get-well card after his surgery last month.

‘Bullet-proof jackets can’t protect from powerful weapons’

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Mumbai, April 01: The bullet-proof jacket worn by slain ATS chief Hemant Karkare returned to haunt the Maharashtra government Wednesday when the opposition Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party slammed it for purchasing sub-standard jackets.

Senior Sena leader Ramdas Kadam, who raised the issue in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Wednesday evening, alleged that the vests purchased by the government did not offer protection to the neck of the person wearing it.

Hence, Karkare died in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as he sustained bullet injuries in his neck, Kadam said.

US to accept H1B visa applications from today

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Washington, April 01: The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would from today accept receiving petitions for H-1B visa applications — the most sought after US work visa by Indian IT professionals ? for the fiscal 2011 beginning October 1, 2010.

As mandated by the US Congress, the fiscal year cap (numerical limitation on H-1B petitions) for 2011 is 65,000.

Additionally, the first 20,000 H-1B petitions filed on behalf of individuals who have earned a US master’s degree or higher are exempt from the H-1B cap.

World raises nearly USD 10 bln for quake-hit Haiti

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United Nations, April 01:) The global community pledged nearly USD 10 billion for Haiti over more than three years to put the quake-ravaged nation back on its feet.

As part of the total USD 9.9 billion, UN member states and international organisations participating in a donors’ conference here pledged USD 5.3 billion for the 2010-2011 period, far exceeding the USD 3.8 billion that was sought by conference organisers for that period.

Padma awards to Aamir, Rahman, Ramakrishnan

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Mumbai, April 01: Nobel laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Oscar winner A.R. Rahman and Bollywood actor Aamir Khan were among those conferred with the prestigious Padma awards here Wednesday by President Pratibha Patil.

In a grand ceremony, the Padma Vibhushan – the second highest civilian award – was bestowed upon Indian-origin American Ramakrishnan, eminent theatre personality Ebrahim Alkazi and founder chairman of Apollo Hospitals Pratap C. Reddy.

YouTube redesigns website to keep viewers captivated

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San Bruno, April 01: Google-owned YouTube rolled out a major redesign aimed at clearing out visual noise and capturing the attention of viewers at the superstar video-sharing website.

“We really felt like we needed to step back and remove the clutter,” Google product manager Shiva Rajaraman said as he provided an in-depth look at the revamped YouTube home page which was fully rolled yesterday.

“Changes are based on how people actually use YouTube.”

22-year-old gangraped by auto drivers

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New Delhi, April 01: A 22-year-old woman was allegedly gangraped by three auto rickshaw drivers in Sarai Kale Khan area of southeast Delhi Tuesday night, police said Wednesday.

“The victim, a resident of Yamuna Vihar in northeast Delhi, had taken an auto from Civil Lines to her home. There were two other people in the auto rickshaw with the driver,” said a senior police officer.

“The accused took her to a deserted place where they raped her,” the officer added.

“The three men have been arrested,” the officer said.

–IANS–

China ready for UN talks on Iran: US

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New York, April 01: China is ready for “serious” talks at the United Nations on Iran’s nuclear program, the United States said, as it sought support for sanctions against Tehran.

“China has agreed to sit down and begin serious negotiations here in New York,” the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said on CNN television on Wednesday.

Rice said the talks would take place between the six big powers coordinating a response to Iran’s controversial push for what it says is a civilian nuclear capacity, but which Washington says could mask a military program.

Congress mum on Bachchan row

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Mumbai, April 01: Having criticised actor Amitabh Bachchan over the past few days for accepting to be Gujarat’s brand ambassador, the Congress Wednesday refused to comment further on the issue.

“I have nothing further to add,” party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said to repeated questions on Bachchan.

Asked about reports in the media about the party having decided not to speak against Bachchan, party leaders said unofficially that no such decision had been taken.

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator heads to China

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Tehran, April 01: Iran’s state media says the country’s top nuclear negotiator is heading to China to discuss possible UN sanctions against Tehran over its disputed nuclear program.

Iranian state television reported that Saeed Jalili will travel to China today for talks with senior Chinese officials “concerning the nuclear program”.

The US and other Western powers are pushing for a new round of UN sanctions on Iran over its defiance to halt its uranium enrichment program.

China wields veto power on the Security council and has been a vocal opponent of sanctions on Iran.

Pak parliamentary panel finalises constitutional reforms package

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Islamabad, April 01: A Pakistani parliamentary panel on Wednesday finalised a landmark constitutional reforms package, which includes proposals aimed at stripping the President of his sweeping powers, after political parties overcame their differences on several contentious issues.

‘Ready to Discuss Deficiencies in Nuke Liability Bill’

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New Delhi, April 01: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said the government has an “open mind” on the nuclear liability bill and is ready to discuss any “deficiencies” in the proposed legislation that is facing stiff opposition from Bharatiya Janata Party and Left parties.

He said the bill will be introduced in Parliament and it could be referred to the Standing Committee where “divergent opinions” can be addressed.

Navy to launch third destroyer of ‘Project 15 Alpha’ today

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Mumbai, April 01: Elizabeth Antony, wife of defence minister AK Antony, will launch the third destroyer of Project 15 Alpha in Mumbai on Thursday.

The destroyer has been built by the Mazagon Dock Limited for the Indian Navy.

The Defence Minister, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma, and south Mumbai Milind Deora would also be present, Navy sources said.

The Kolkata-class destroyers have been in Mazgaon dock in Mumbai under the code name of Project 15 Alpha.

Indian origin Businessman tops Ireland’s rich list

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London, April 01: Septuagenarian Pallonji Mistry, an Indian origin business magnate has topped Ireland’s rich list with a worth of 3.9 billion pounds.

Mistry ? who became an Irish citizen in 2003 through his Irish born wife ? has interests in real estate, cars, heavy industry, tea and partly owns the Taj Mahal Hotel.

Mistry reportedly has 18.4 per cent stake in India’s largest private conglomerate Tata Sons.
–PTI

Priyanka Chopra couldn’t stop sneezing in Kashmir

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Mumbai, April 01: Priyanka Chopra is a true professional. She realized she had a dust allergy when she was shooting for a reality show recently. However, she continued to shoot for Vishal Bhardwaj’s Saat Khoon Maaf in one of Kashmir’s dustiest locations.

According to sources, the team had to shoot in a very dusty location in Kashmir on Friday. Priyanka was no doubt uncomfortable but she didn’t complain and shot her scenes.

Jacqueline doesn’t make Riteish insecure

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Mumbai, April 01: One look at a film title like ‘Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai’ and it is apparent that the film has a strong ‘female’ angle to it.

While one can sense that the makers of the film are going all out in establishing the character played by Jacqueline Fernandez, who plays the role of a lovable alien from Venus, one wonders if the film’s lead actor Riteish Deshmukh was comfortable with the idea of working in a ‘woman oriented’ film?

I want to be a hot item girl: Vidya

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Mumbai, April 01: Vidya Malvade, who is playing a young professor-cum-author in Kabir Sadanand’s upcoming film “Tum Milo Toh Sahi”, is very keen to do an item number.

“Dancing is my first love and that’s not just something I enjoy. But it also works like a stress buster for me. However, I have never got a chance to dance in any of my movies so far. In fact, I’d love to do a nice item number if an opportunity comes my way, ” said Vidya.

Alcohol doesn’t protect against cancer

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London, April 01: Contrary to the popular opinion, drinking alcohol doesn’t offer any protection against cancer, say experts.

It is believed that certain types of alcohol, like red wine, can help to protect against cancer. However, researchers from Cancer Research UK insist that as little as three units a day – about a pint of premium lager or a large glass of wine – can increase the risk of breast, bowel, mouth and food pipe cancers.