Month: June 2010

Woman private eye Lalli gets cracking again in new book

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New Delhi, June 23: “I’ve always known I’d be stuck with a corpse some day -possibly in the first week of October.” Lalli, India’s new woman private eye – in the manner of the classic 20th century detectives – finds her corpse and begins decoding the cryptic clues to the murder.

Detective writer Kalpana Swaminathan, a surgeon by profession, casts her net of intrigue right from the word go in her latest whodunit, “The Monochrome Madonna”, the third in the series, published this month.

Pregnant woman succumbs to H1N1 in AP

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Hyderabad, June 23: A 20-year-old pregnant woman died of Swine Flu today at a hospital in Medak district, officials said here.

The woman, hailing from Zaheerabad of the district, was undergoing treatment at the Gandhi hospital for the past one week, they said.

Confirming her death, Chief Coordinator, Swine Flu Chest Hospital Dr K Subhakar said the woman was admitted on June 11 and was suffering from bilateral pneumonia with both lungs affected and was on ventilator support. She died at around 1.30 pm due to advanced stage of the disease, he said.

India demands ‘credible’ action from Pak on 26/11

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New Delhi, June 23: Ahead of a series of bilateral meetings, India today demanded “credible” action by Pakistan in the 26/11 terror attack case, saying the core issue of addressing the country’s concerns on the issue will be part of these parleys.

Asserting that India has been stressing for “credible” action by Pakistan on evidence provided by New Delhi on those involved in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said it has been conveyed to the other side.

Seema Biswas is bored of serious roles

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Mumbai, June 23: Seema Biswas is tired of always being taken seriously! After doing strong character based-roles in “Bandit Queen”, “Khamoshi” and “Water”, the talented actress wants to explore the lighter side of cinema.

“I’m very bored of doing serious roles. That’s the only thing that is offered to me every time and I do it each time with utmost dedication and sincerity, but now I’m tired of doing that,” Seema told IANS in an interview.

Bombs targeting Iraqi government, allies kill 3

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Baghdad, June 23: Bombs targeting Iraqi officials and a Sunni militia leader killed at least three people and wounded more than 12 in separate attacks in Baghdad and north of the capital, officials said.

The violence began when a roadside bomb apparently aimed at a convoy carrying a senior Transportation Ministry official missed its target and killed two bystanders instead.

The 8 a.m. blast occurred in the mainly Sunni area of Dora, a former insurgent stronghold in southern Baghdad.

Congress’ special attention on Bihar, UP: Sonia

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New Delhi, June 23: The Congress will pay special attention to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the mass contact programme it has launched, party chief Sonia Gandhi has said.

“The Congress party has launched mass contact programme in the country with special attention being paid to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,” she said, in her letter to party workers in the latest issue of party mouthpiece “Congress Sandesh”.

Osama hunter to be released by Pak

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Islamabad, June 23: The brother of an American on a solo mission to hunt down Osama bin Laden says the Colorado man is being released by the Pakistani government without charges.

Gary Faulkner, of Greeley, was detained June 13 in the woods of northern Pakistan after being found with a pistol, a sword and night-vision equipment. The 50-year-old told officials he was out to kill the al Qaeda leader. Faulkner was then moved to Islamabad, and his brother told to media on Tuesday that he was being released and planned to return to the U.S. soon.

US General in trouble over Afghan War

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Washington, June 23: America’s top commander in Afghanistan, Gen Stanley A McChrystal, and his advisors have reportedly ridiculed United States Vice President Joe Biden, President Barack Obama’s Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard C Holbrooke and the US Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry.

Criticizing the civilian overlook of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation-led war against the Taliban and the Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, the Rolling Stone magazine, said General McChrystal and his staff frequently derided top civilian leaders.

US indirectly funding Afghan warlords

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Washington, June 23: The United States is indirectly paying tens of millions of dollars in protection money to Afghan warlords, and potentially to the Taliban, to secure convoys carrying supplies to U.S. troops in Afghanistan, congressional investigators said in a report.

The Pentagon’s system of outsourcing to private companies the task of moving supplies in Afghanistan, and leaving it up to them to provide their own security, frees U.S. troops to focus on counterinsurgency.

Pak PM ignores US warning on Iran Gas deal

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Islamabad, June 23: Defying a warning from Washington, Pakistan’s prime minister promised to go ahead with a plan to import natural gas from Iran, even if the U.S. levies additional sanctions against the Mideast country.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s comments Tuesday came two days after the U.S. special envoy to Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke , cautioned Pakistan not to “overcommit” itself to the deal because it could run afoul of new sanctions against Iran being finalized by Congress.

Imran, Sonam are like Anil and Madhuri

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Mumbai, June 23: Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor’s ‘I Hate Luv Storys’ is making news even before the release of the film. Film pundits forecast that if the film is as good as the trailer looks then producer Karan Johar has a winner up his sleeve. And the most talked about aspect of the film is the chemistry between the lead pair.

Directors, including Subhash Ghai, are gushing about Imran and Sonam and likening them to the star pair of the 80s – Anil Kapoor-Madhuri Dixit.

Is it game end of Modi?

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New Delhi, June 23: At 5.49pm on Tuesday, a six-page fax was transmitted from the offices of the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India to all state associations, making it clear that the endgame approached for Lalit Modi.

Modi’s future has been placed before the BCCI’s Disciplinary Committee, a body that has the power to recommend his expulsion from the Board.

First female governor of South Carolina is Indo-American

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Washington, June 23: Indian American Nikki Haley has bagged the Republican nomination for South Carolina’s gubernatorial elections to be held in November.

The victory, the national US media said, elevated her to the national stage and almost a certain win later in the year.

If elected in the November elections, Haley would be the first Indian American female and also the first-ever female governor of South Carolina.

The 38-year-old overcame a series of allegations of extra-marital affairs, which she had denied, to win the nomination.

Bridegroom among 17 killed in accident

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Hyderabad, June 23: At least 17 members of a marriage party, including the bridegroom, were killed in a road accident in Andhra Pradesh’s Warangal district on Tuesday, police said.

Around 40 people were injured when a speeding truck hit two tractors carrying the marriage party. The accident took place near Beerishettigudem in Warangal, about 250 km from Hyderabad.

Army colonel killed in encounter

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Srinagar, June 23: An Army colonel was killed in an encounter with militants in the dense forests of Lolab Valley in North Kashmir, official sources said today.

Col Neeraj Sood, commanding officer of 18 Rashtriya Rifles, was gunned down by terrorists last night, they said.

The encounter was still on in the area when last reports came in. Additional forces have been rushed to the area.

—-PTI

Around 60 killed, hundreds hurt in Congo train crash

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Cairo, June 23: A train derailed and plunged into a ravine in Congo Republic, killing around 60 people and injuring hundreds on a deadly rail link in the oil-producing Central African state, sources said Tuesday.

The accident happened late on Monday night after the train left the coastal town of Pointe-Noire on the Chemin de Fer Congo Ocean (CFCO) line to the capital Brazzaville, a line which has seen at least two serious accidents in recent years.

Varun to marry a Bengali

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Lucknow, June 23: Bharatiya Janata Party’s fiery orator Varun Gandhi is set to pip the country’s most eligible bachelor, cousin Rahul Gandhi, to marriage.

Family sources said the member of Parliament from Pilibhit will tie the knot with Yamini Roy Chowdhury, a Bengali, in December. Political watchers feel the occasion could turn out to be an opportunity for the revival of relations between the ‘bahus’ of the Nehru-Gandhi clan, Sonia and Maneka.

14 Pakistani MPs disqualified over fake degrees

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Islamabad, June 23: Fourteen parliamentarians of three political parties, including the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), have been disqualified for holding fake degrees, a media report said Tuesday.

Of the 14 parliamentarians, three are from the PPP, seven are from the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and four are from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid that was voted out of power in the 2008 general elections.

The issue of parliamentarians holding fake degrees has become a matter of national concern, APP news agency reported.

‘Am I Not a Human’: Women under Occupation

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In spite of their exceptional suffering, Palestinian women display remarkable endurance qualities. Living under stress in poverty, their homes destroyed, lands razed or expropriated, children sick, husbands imprisoned, fathers killed, and more, they plant seeds of hope, fulfill their daily social role, and participate in political and every day resistance. Since the 1948 Nakba, they’ve been denied basic human rights, security, free expression and movement, a safe and healthy environment, and education.

Uphold death to Afzal Guru

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New Delhi, June 23: The home ministry has rejected Afzal Guru’s mercy plea and has ent it back to the president. The government has said that the nature of crime is heinous and Afzal deserves no mercy.

The Parliament attack convict had written to home ministry asking for a decision — either for or against — on his mercy petition on the grounds that being in solitary confinement for several years was taking its toll on him.

–Agencies–

Congress, TDP flex muscles for seats

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Hyderabad, June 23: A day after the Election Commission announced the schedule for the bypolls to 10 assembly seats in Telangana region, the ruling Congress and main opposition Telugu Desam Party have begun preparations in right earnest.

“Telangana is going to come. If I win this time, I may get a big post and help in expediting the process,” state Congress president D Srinivas, who is going to try his luck from Nizamabad seat, said.

Muslim Player kicked off the French team

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Paris, June 23: Nicolas Anelka, one of the top Muslim soccer players in the world, was recently kicked off the French team after a disagreement with coach Raymond Domenech.

We will be attacking US: NYC suspect

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New York, June 23: Calling himself a Muslim soldier, a defiant Pakistan-born U.S. citizen pleaded guilty to carrying out the failed Times Square car bombing and left a sinister warning that unless the U.S. leaves Muslim lands alone, “we will be attacking U.S.”

Faisal Shahzad entered the plea in U.S. District Court in Manhattan just days after a federal grand jury indicted him on 10 terrorism and weapons counts, some of which carry mandatory life sentences. He pleaded guilty to them all.

SRK and Salman are friends again

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Mumbai, June 23: Is everyone, who has had some problem with Shah Rukh Khan, trying to prove a point to the Bollywood Badshah by becoming pally with his friend-turned-foe, Salman Khan?

Riteish Deshmukh used to be his good friend till SRK replaced him with Arjun Rampal in Ra One. The friendship turned sour and Riteish is now seen hanging around with Salman.

Andhra govt rejects demand to reschedule assembly session

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Hyderabad, June 23: The Andhra Pradesh government today rejected the request made by some MLAs, close to Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, to reschedule the monsoon session of assembly slated to begin on July 7, a day ahead of the birth anniversary of late YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

Assembly is the highest forum to remember and pay respects to late Rajasekhara Reddy for whom all of us have great love and affection. So, my appeal to those MLAs is that they should attend the session where we will pay respects to Rajasekhara Reddy, information minister J Geeta Reddy told reporters here.