Month: April 2010

Suntanned women face arrest in Iran

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London, April 28: Suntanned women and girls who are like “walking mannequins” will be arrested in Iran, Tehran’s police chief has warned.

The warning comes close on the heels of a hardline Iranian cleric claiming that immodestly dressed women disturbed young men and caused earthquakes.

“The public expects us to act firmly and swiftly if we see any social misbehaviour by women, and men, who defy our Islamic values. In some areas of north Tehran we can see many suntanned women and young girls who look like walking mannequins.

I am restructuring my career: John Abraham

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Mumbai, April 28: From a heartthrob to serious actor, John Abraham is making a planned transition and he is confident that his best work will soon be there for the audience to see.

The model-turned-actor who has not been seen on the silver screen since the early 2009 release ‘New York’, said that he had “taken off” to restructure his proffesional life.

Tata Housing to launch 10 new residential projects

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New Delhi, April 28: Tata Housing today said it is planning to launch about 10 new residential projects in both affordable and luxury segments in 2010-11, with an investment of about Rs 1,200 crore along with its partners. “We will acquire about 10 million sq ft of land in this fiscal, in which we will launch the new projects.

Sarkozy, Bruni in China on a three-day visit

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Beijing, April 28: French President Nicolas Sarkozy, accompanied by his glamorous wife Carla Bruni, arrived in China today on a three-day visit aimed at smoothening the bilateral ties rocked by differences over Tibet and conferment of honorary citizenship to the Dalai Lama by Paris.

The French first couple began their visit at western tourist city of Xian by viewing the famous life-size terracotta warriors at the tomb of China’s first emperor, before heading here.

A number of issues are expected to figure in Sarkozy’s talks with President Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders.

MBBS seat matrix still evolving

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Chennai, april 28: In the final week of April, the seat matrix for MBBS seats throughout Tamil Nadu still remains fluid and is constantly evolving and therefore, it is impossible to commit a number that would hold good for the admissions this year.

RIL makes fourth oil discovery in Cambay Basin

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New Delhi, April 28: Reliance Industries today said it has made a fourth oil discovery in the Cambay Basin in Gujarat.

Two hydrocarbon-bearing zones were discovered in a well drilled in exploration block CB-ONN-2003/1, which flowed 300 barrels of oil during testing, the company said in a press statement here.

“The discovery is significant as this play fairway is expected to open more oil pool areas, leading to better hydrocarbon potential within the block,” it said.

The 635-sq km CB-ONN-2003/1 block is located at a distance of about 130 km from Ahmedabad, in Gujarat.

Fresh evidence tabled in 26/11 case ahead of May 3

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Mumbai, April 28: In a new development in the 26/11 terror attack case, the prosecution has tabled fresh evidence in the form of affidavits of two witnesses and a post-mortem report of a slain terrorist at a time when the verdict is about to be delivered in a few days.

The affidavits pertain to two witnesses, one of whom carried the bodies of two Pakistani gunman killed by security forces and the other who had witnessed killing of a civilian and a police constable by terrorists at Metro junction on November 26, 2008.

Indian diplomat spy case is serious matter: Krishna

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Thimphu, April 28: The case of spying by an Indian woman diplomat at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad was a ‘serious issue’, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said here Wednesday. Pakistan also reiterated that it was an ‘internal matter’ of India.

‘Investigations are going on. We will have to wait till the investigations are complete and then find out what was the motive and what was the modus operandi,’ Krishna told reporters in the Bhutanese capital, where regional leaders have gathered for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit.

72 child labourers rescued

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New Delhi, April 28: Seventy-two child labourers were rescued today from bag manufacturing units in the capital and eight of their employers taken into custody. The child labourers, all of them trafficked from Bihar, were rescued from Nabi Kareem area of central Delhi in a joint operation by police, Labour Department officials and NGOs Human Rights Law Network and Bachpan Bachao Andolan.

A representative of HRLN said the children were working in a miserable condition in bag manufacturing units in the area. He said eight of the employers were taken into custody.

Ban on Indian film import ridiculous

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Dhaka, April 28: The continuation of the ban on import of Indian films was ‘ridiculous’, a leading Dhaka newspaper said Wednesday, urging a review of the policy that has been in force since 1965.

‘We would certainly like to come by quality foreign movies from around the globe. English, Russian, Korean, Japanese and other movies have regularly impressed people. Why must we be deprived of the chance to watch them?’ The influential Daily Star asked in an editorial.

SC gives Gujarat riots SIT more time to submit report

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Ahmedabad, April 28: The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave an additional 15 days to the Special Investigating Team (SIT), conducting an inquiry against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 62 others in connection with post-Godhra riots, to submit its final report.

The SIT’s term runs out on April 30 and it had demanded more time from the apex court to submit its report.

SIT chief RK Raghavan had yesterday said that the SC-appointed probe panel was working hard to beat the April 30 deadline for submitting the report to the apex court.

Fire renders 70 families homeless in Orissa

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Bhubaneswar, April 28: More than 70 families were rendered homeless after a fire broke out in Orissa’s Dhenkanal district Wednesday, an official said.

A fire broke out in Kanpura village, about 120 km from here. Four fire tenders rushed to the village to douse the flames. This is the fifth fire that has broken out in the past week. The repeated incidents have destroyed over 500 homes.

“This is the fifth time that a fire has broken out, destroying thatched houses in the village,” sub-divisional officer Babaji Charan Das told IANS.

If you use more power, pay more: Sheila Dikshit

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New Delhi, April 28: Hinting at a hike in power tariff, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Wednesday said if people use more power, they should pay for it.

She said the government cannot afford to subsidise power in the city.

“Prices of all essential things have increased and so is the salary of people in the city. Delhiites have enough money to pay more for power, if they use more. Why should people who use less power be made to pay equal amount. There has to be separate power tariff (based on number of power units consumed),” Dikshit told reporters here.

Hot peppers may help trim waistline

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Washington, April 29: Hot peppers contain a substance called capsaicin that not only adds spice to our food but can actually cause our body to heat up. Evidence suggests that the heat generating power of peppers can help shed those extra inches.

Researchers assume that plants evolved to contain capsaicin because it protected them from being eaten by insects and other pesky predators.

But they are learning that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to peppers.

Three killed in mishap at Jaipur

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Jaipur, April 28: Three youths were today killed and six others injured in a van-truck collision at J L N road on Gopalpura bypass here, police said. The mishap occurred when the victims were on their way to Muhana mandi from Jaipur city in the van, they said.

The victims, identified as Rajendra (16), Dharm Singh (20) and Rambabu (20), died on the spot, they said, adding, condition of injured was stated to be stable. Truck driver has been arrested.

—–PTI–

Hezbollah has shot back at US accusations

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Beirut, April 28: Hezbollah has shot back at US accusations it was stockpiling sophisticated weapons and vowed to continue to build its artillery, in comments published on Wednesday.

“Our choice was and remains to secure all the arms of resistance that we can,” Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah told the Arabic-language newspaper As-Safir, which is close to the Shiite militant group.

BJP pulls out of Soren government in Jharkhand

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New Delhi, April 28: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday withdrew support to the Jharkhand government on grounds that Chief Minister Shibu Soren had “betrayed” it by voting against the cut motion in the Lok Sabha.

Announcing the withdrawal of support, BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar said the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief had “behaved in a dubious manner and voted against the cut motion”.

He said the BJP parliamentary board has taken a “very serious note” of Soren’s “betrayal” Tuesday.

Clinton to lead US delegation to NPT review conference

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Washington, April 28: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would lead the US delegation at the NPT review conference to be held next week at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where she would highlight the need to strengthen the treaty.

Good wheat crop to ease inflation

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New Delhi, April 28: A good wheat crop this season is likely to ease the near double digit inflation in the next 2-3 months, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said on Wednesday.

“This season very good harvest (wheat) is coming in.

There is ample stock of foodgrain in the country. So the inflation psychology would be broken,” Mr. Ahluwalia told reporters here.

The wholesale price index (WPI) is currently nearing the double—digit mark, with the March—end figures at 9.90 per cent, much higher than the RBI estimates of 8.5 per cent.

China lifts ban on entry of HIV-infected people

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Beijing, April 28: Ahead of the Shanghai world Expo that is expected to bring a large influx of tourists, China has lifted a 20-year-old ban on entry for foreigners with HIV, AIDS, other sexually-transmitted diseases and leprosy.

The ban, which has evoked a great deal of criticism from home and abroad was removed after gaining more knowledge about the diseases and the realisation that it has a very limited effect in preventing and controlling diseases within the country, a statement by the State Council, the apex body of Chinese central government here said.

Man who killed Indian American doctor carried 1,000 bullets

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Washington, April 28: The Chinese doctor who shot dead his former Indian American supervisor after stalking him was found to be carrying 1,000 rounds of ammunition, enough to carry out a massacre.

The suspect, Lishan Wang, 44, was arraigned Tuesday on charges that he shot Dr. Vajinder Pal Toor, 34, five times in Branford, Connecticut Monday morning in the parking lot of Toor’s condominium complex.

Wang had been fired two years ago from a Brooklyn hospital after a confrontation with Toor, the assistant US attorney Devant Joiner said at the arraignment at New Haven Superior Court.

Two held for kidnapping, killing taxi driver

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Mumbai, April 28: Pant Nagar police arrested two men on Friday for allegedly kidnapping and murdering a taxi driver on April 12. The accused have been identified as Babloo Patil (30) and Sanjay Singh (35) – both history sheeters with criminal records of scrap theft registered across various police stations in central Mumbai.

Please take Rakhi Sawant also

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Mumbai, April 28: Trust social networking sites to not miss a chance to have a say in any heated current topic. Fan pages and messages on two popular sites – Facebook and Twitter – are fast becoming an ideal place for Internet junkies to vent.

Facebook reportedly has over 90 fan pages on Sania Mirza and her much talked about wedding to Pakistani cricketer, Shaoib Mallik. The page called ‘Thank you Pakistan for taking Sania Mirza, now please take Rakhi Sawant also’ has earned itself over 65,000 fans in a matter of two weeks. It currently has over 75,000 people supporting the statement.

Modi in Delhi to consult lawyers?

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New Delhi, April 28: Suspended IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi arrived in the city today amid speculation that he is set to take legal action against the BCCI for ousting him for alleged financial bungling.

Modi landed in the capital and had to jostle hard to get out of the airport as waiting media persons blocked his way.

Although the exact reasons for his sudden visit to the city are not known, there is speculation that he is here to meet his lawyers.