Month: May 2010

Govt to get over Rs.40,000 crore from 3G auction

by

New Delhi, May 02: India Saturday concluded 110 rounds of an auction to award spectrum for third generation (3G) telecom services in the country, with the government’s provisional revenue from the sale of airwaves reaching Rs.40,054 crore, more than what it expected.

Communication Minister A. Raja earlier this week had said that the government expects Rs.40,000 crore revenue from the 3G spectrum auction alone.

The government expects to raise Rs.55,000 crore from the 3G auction and the rolling out of broadband wireless Internet services in the country, he had said.

Easy victory for India, Afghanistan show promise

by

New Delhi, May 02:

India galloped to a seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in their Group C World Twenty20 opener but not before the team from the war-ravaged nation showed promise as if it belonged to the top league.

Chasing a winning target of of 116 runs, India made it in 14.5 overs with Murali Vijay (48) and Yuvraj Singh (23 not out) doing the bulk of the scoring. Skipper Mahendra singh Dhoni (15) struck two sixes to finish the match in a jiffy.

Seven killed in Pakistan suicide attack

by

Islamabad, May 02: Seven people were killed in Pakistan’s Swat Valley Saturday, when an Islamist militant detonated his explosives as security forces tried to arrest him in a busy market, the military said.
Twelve people were injured in the blast at the textile market in Mingora, the region’s main town.

District military commander, Major General Ashfaq Nadeem, told reporters that the soldiers had raided a shop in the market on the information provided by two militants apprehended earlier.

The soldiers first shot dead an armed militant, while the other blew up his suicide vest.

Govt mulls regulating sale of tapping devices

by

New Delhi, May 02: The government may regulate the sale to the public of sensitive phone tapping equipment of the kind that was used for allegedly snooping on the conversations of prominent politicians, sources said Saturday.

They also said the government had ordered a “full-fledged” inquiry into the allegations of phone-tapping as reported by the media.

“The government is mulling to regulate the sale of these sensitive devices,” an official said.

Kareena Kapoor Gets Onto With A Darker Shade Fashion

by

Mumbai, May 02: What a better inspiration Kareena Kapoor can seek for by taking an insight on Madhuri Gupta the Indian diplomat caught in spy act for Pakistani intelligence.

It seems latest in fashion for the Bolywood actor is to take into the act of negative role as Abhishek Bachchan has hitted media’s attention with his act of villainy opposite his wife Aishwarya Rai in ‘Ravaan’.

The most interesting part of Kareena’s flick is that she will be portraying into five versatile characters in her Saif Ali Khan’s production ‘Agent Vinod’ with a darker shade.

BSP to start agitation against UPA from May 22

by

Lucknow, May 02: Days after bailing out the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government during the cut motion in parliament, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Saturday announced a state-wide agitation against the central government from May 22.

“BSP’s campaign would help unmask the central government that has not been serious over the all round development of the state,” said Mayawati during a meeting attended by party MPs, legislators and other leaders here.

Jharkhand political crisis continues, Soren to stay till Tuesday

by

Ranchi, May 02: The political uncertainty in Jharkhand continued for the fourth day Saturday as a meeting between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) ended in a stalemate but it was decided that Shibu Soren will remain the chief minister till Tuesday.

“Nothing has been decided. The discussion will go on. It will take (some) time,” senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told IANS.

But sources privy to the meeting said the BJP has postponed its final decision till Tuesday and allowed Soren to continue as the chief minister till then.

410 booked for using forged BPL cards

by

Chandigarh, May 02: At least 410 people in Haryana have been charged with using fake cards to avail benefits meant for those living below the poverty line, police said Saturday.

“The cases have been registered under a special campaign. Before the launch of the campaign, police had asked cautioned all those who had obtained BPL cards in a wrongful manner to discard them,” said V. Kamraja, Inspector General of Police (Rohtak Range), here Saturday.

He said people in Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonipat and Panipat districts have been booked.

Skeleton, landmines found in West Bengal forest

by

Kolkata, May 02: Security forces Saturday recovered a skeleton and five landmines from a forested area in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district, police said.

The landmines and skeleton were recovered from Bhalukbasa forest, district Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma told IANS.

Inspector General of Police (Western Range) Zulfiqar Hassan said: “We had arrested some people in connection with Maoist activities. They had helped us in the recovery.”

The body is suspected to be of a Maoist operative, he said.

–IANS–

Russian space freighter docks with ISS

by

Moscow, May 02: A Russian space cargo ship docked with the International Space Station (ISS) Saturday, delivering 2.5 tonnes of supplies to the station, an official said.

The Progress M-05M freighter docked successfully with ISS around 10.30 p.m., Xinhua reported citing Valery Lyndin, spokesman for the mission control centre.

The space ship lifted off Wednesday night from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

I don’t want to play the funny man in films: Vir Das

by

New Delhi, May 02: He is India’s best known stand-up comedian who makes laughing matter out of everything from Madonna to Mayawati. But Vir Das, the actor is stepping out of that comfort zone to play the bad guy on the silver screen.

Be it his upcoming film ‘Badmaash Company’ or the Aamir Khan production ‘Delhi Belly’, Das says that he has made a conscious decision to play characters not comedians.

Sports Ministry limits tenure for Kalmadi & Co

by

New Delhi, May 02: Politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen who have been occupying the top posts in various National Sports Federations (NSF) for more than a decade will have to step down after their current term expires, the Sports Ministry said today.

For long life, sleep well

by

London, May 02: A good night’s sleep could be the key to living longer. People who reach 100 are three times more likely to spend at least 10 hours a night in bed, scientists have found.

The research shows that health problems are associated with poor sleep quality. When we sleep, our cells regenerate and we also remove toxins and activate immune system cells, reports express.co.uk.

People who said they were in bad health were more likely to have poor sleeping patterns, the study found.

I’m getting stronger on the wrist, ready for action: Yuvi

by

St Lucia, May 02: Having rediscovered his touch during India’s seven-wicket win over Afghanistan, left-handed batsman Yuvraj Singh said he is getting stronger on the wrist and is ready for action in the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup.

The powerfully built batsman made an unbeaten 22-ball 23 but more than the runs he scored, Yuvraj was happy that his injured wrist held good in the game.

“I am getting much stronger now on the wrist and am ready for action,” said Yuvraj.

Large dose of vitamin D in pregnancy cuts premature births

by

London, May 02: Women should take up to 10 times the current recommended dose of vitamin D during pregnancy, experts have said after it was found to cut premature birth by half.

In Britain pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are recommended to take 10 micrograms of vitamin D daily, but a study has suggested higher doses may be more beneficial, reports telegraph.co.uk.

Chinese box office earnings to hit $1.5 bn in 2010

by

Beijing, May 02: Chinese box office earnings could exceed 10 billion yuan ($1.47 billion) this year, up 61 percent from the previous year, an official said.

The box office surged to 6.2 billion yuan in 2009 from less than 1 billion in 2003, said La Peikang, deputy director of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.

China-made films grabbed a 56.6-percent share of the box office last year with competition from Hollywood blockbusters, La told a forum on animated films in the eastern city of Hangzhou, Xinhua reported.

Mayawati ousts 500 party leaders with criminal past

by

Lucknow, May 01: As a part of its ongoing “clean up” drive to rid the party of criminal elements, the ruling BSP in Uttar Pradesh today expelled 500 leaders and workers with dubious antecedents across the state.

“A final decision in this regard was taken during a meeting of senior leaders and zonal coordinators chaired by party supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati this evening,” a BSP spokesman said.

I will be shuttling between India and Nepal after marriage: Manisha Koirala

by

Mumbai, May 02: Bollywood diva Manisha Koirala, who is all set to tie the knot with Nepali businessman Samrat Dahal June 19, says she will definitely have a home in Nepal after marriage and looks forward to spending more time with her parents too.

“I have thought of going back to Nepal and spending more time with mom and dad. Just to be with them, give them moral and emotional support. I was planning that when I happened to meet my would-be husband,” Manisha told IANS in an interview.

Hasina promises minimum wages for troubled garment sector

by

Dhaka, May 02: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has promised minimum wages for the industrial violence-hit garment sector that is also the country’s highest foreign exchange earner.

She accused “a third party” of being behind the recurring violence in the key industrial sector and claimed to have gathered “some names” and “some information”, but did not specify anybody or party at a May Day rally here.

Her targets are the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its Islamist ally, the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, political analysts said.

Butt, Akmal power Pak to 172/3 against Bangladesh

by

St Lucia, May 02: Pakistan rode on a scintillating 141-run opening stand between Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal to pile up a competitive 172 for three against Bangladesh in the opening Group A match of the Twenty20 cricket World Cup here today.

Butt (73 off 46) and Akmal (73 off 55) showed their intentions clear from the onset and used their long handle to great affect to find fours and sixes at will to lay the foundation for the huge total.

US closes 2 offshore platforms

by

Washington, May 02: The US government has shut down two offshore production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico amid increasing concerns over the growing oil slick.

The country’s Minerals Management Service said on Saturday that the platforms had been closed as a safety precaution.

Some 6.2 million cubic feet a day of natural gas production are involved, the service added.

High winds and rough seas hampered efforts to prevent the slick from wreaking enormous environmental and economic damage on the fragile Louisiana coast.

India’s GDP to grow by 7.5-8.5 pc in ’10-11: CII survey

by

New Delhi, May 02: India Inc expects the economy to grow by 7.5 to 8.5 per cent during the current fiscal fuelled mainly by rising capital investment and expanding exports, a CII survey has said.

“Majority (of respondents) expects economic growth to be in the 7.5-8.5 per cent range,” said the CII Business Outlook Survey based on response from 458 companies.

The economy, according to RBI, is estimated to grow by 8 per cent in the current fiscal, up from 7.2 per cent in 2008-09. However, the government and Planning Commission expect 8.5 per cent GDP growth in 2010-11.

Iran seat on UN panel irks Canada

by

Tehran, May 02: Iran’s election to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW), an influential panel that promotes women’s rights, has irked Canada.

In a Saturday statement, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said there were “serious concerns” with Iran’s election to the UNCSWat the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

On Thursday, the UN announced that Iran, along with 10 other countries, had been elected to the high-profile UNCSW for the term beginning in 2011.

Woman wearing skinny jeans can’t be raped: Australian court

by

Melbourne, May 02: Skin-tight jeans cannot be taken off without consent, said a Sydney court and acquitted a man charged with sexually assaulting a woman.

Can a woman wearing skinny jeans be raped? Or are they so tight they can be taken off only with her consent?, the jury asked before acquitting Nicholas Eugenio Gonzalez, who was accused of raping a 24-year-old.

The jury of six men and six women heard Gonzalez, 23, had allegedly pushed the woman on to his bed, ripping off her size six skinny jeans and underpants before the attack.