One killed as mini bus turns turtle near IGI airport

New Delhi, June 29: A 52-year-old man was killed and 21 others were injured when a mini-bus turned turtle near the IGI airport toll tax office in the capital, police said.

The deceased was identified as Rohtash Singh, a resident of Najafgarh.

The mishap took place when the RTV was moving towards the Indira Gandhi International airport at around 8:30 am and the driver suddenly turned the direction of the vehicle to avoid collision with a motorcycle.

Kalam dons ‘Angavastra’ for convocation

Mysore, June 29: After Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, it was today the turn of former President Abdul Kalam to prefer an Indian attire for a convocation address to the gown and hood, a standard set during British Raj.

Kalam chose a vest coat overlapped with ‘anga vastra’ (a South Indian traditional attire) to deliver the convocation address at the JSS University and was greeted by the assembly.

He prefaced his convocation address by expressing his happiness to see young graduates receiving their degrees in the traditional Indian dress.

NCP not to merge with Cong

New Delhi, June 29: NCP today dismissed with contempt a suggestion of a close associate of Sharad Pawar that the party should merge with Congress to save the country from communal forces.

“Some individuals speak out of their personal frustration.

I don’t think it merits any political response,” party General Secretary D P Tripathi said.

He was reacting to the suggestion of Ratnakar Mahajan, founder member of the 11-year old party that the NCP should merge with Congress.

Crude bomb explodes near school

Raipur, June 29: A crude bomb exploded near a school in the city this afternoon but no one was injured in the incident.

Some unidentified people exploded a crude bomb near a school. While no one was injured, the explosion broke the glass panels of the windows of the school, Superintendent of Police of Raipur Deepanshu Kabra said.

The police who rushed to the spot found a letter which said “Don group has returned to fight injustice”.

Police said they have started investigations.

1 kg heroin seized, 3 held

Kaithal, June 29: Police recovered one kg of heroin from a car during a ‘nakabandi’ on Kaithal-Kurukshtra road near Teek village in this district today.

Three persons from Punjab, who were occupants of the vehicle, had also been arrested under the NDPS Act.

DSP (HQ) Kuldip Singh said on a tip off, the police laid a naka near Teek village. A car was stopped and on search of this vehicle, the contraband was found in a polythene bag .

Dharmender, Hardeep and Hazur Singh from Punjab were arrested and the vehicle was impounded.

—-Agencies

BCCI scraps IPL media rights deal with WSG

Mumbai, June 29: The Cricket Board has scrapped all its IPL media rights agreements with Mauritius-based World Sport Group, claiming that MSM Satellite (Singapore) Pvt Ltd was the rightful owner of all media rights relating to the Twenty20 event.

The BCCI has invalidated all its deals with WSG following revelations that the latter received USD 80 million (Rs 425 crore) as “facilitation fee” from MSM for getting back the Indian sub-continent media rights of IPL in March 2009, according to Board sources.

Human rights notice to HM on Naxals

New Delhi, June 29: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to Home Ministry for alleged violation of rights after taking cognizance of reports of security men trussing bodies of naxals killed to poles.

The Commission has sought a reply from the Secretary of Home Ministry within a month, ie by July 27, on the issue, an NHRC statement said here on Tuesday.

Iran says nuclear talks to resume with Brazil, Turkey

Tehran, June 29: Iran said on Tuesday it would soon resume nuclear talks with Turkey and Brazil — a tentative first step back to international negotiations after a new wave of sanctions was imposed on Tehran over its disputed nuclear work.

Iran has belittled the U.N., U.S. and European sanctions and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday he would return to long-frozen talks with world powers but on certain conditions only, and not before the end of August.

No sex in space: NASA commander

Tokyo, June 29: There is no room for romance on board the cosy confines of the International Space Station, a NASA space shuttle commander said Monday when asked what would happen if astronauts had sex in space.

“We are a group of professionals,” said Space Shuttle Discovery commander Alan Poindexter during a visit to Tokyo, after a reporter asked about the consequences if astronauts boldly went where probably no others have been.

Makkah Masjid Blast case Accused in CBI Custody

Hyderabad, June 29: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was granted custody of Lokesh Sarma, accused in the Makkah Masjid blast case, on Tuesday.

The CBI has pleaded with the CBI Special Court in Nampalli for custody of the accused for further interrogation and investigation.

The CBI will now take Lokesh Sarma into its custody for ten days from Wednesday. Devender Gupta, another accused in the case, would be produced before the court on Wednesday.

India to verify Pak’s action against terror before trusting it: PM

New Delhi, June 29: On Board PM’s Special Plane: In the wake of Home Ministerial talks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday pinned “some hope” on developing peaceful ties with Pakistan but made it clear that while moving to develop trust, India would “verify” how anti-India terror groups are dealt with.

Reflecting a guarded approach of his government, Singh said only time will tell how events would unfold in the context of relations with Pakistan.

TDP to launch state-wide agitation on July 5

Hyderabad June 29: Senior Telugu Desam Party and politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu on Tuesday said that the TDP will undertake a state-wide agitation in protest of the rise in fuel prices on July 5.

Talking to media persons on Tuesday, Mr Ramakrishnudu said that the TDP would take the support of any other party who is willing to join the protest on that day.

The TDP politburo member said that apart from the July 5 protest strike, the party would also support the ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by the NDA constituents proposed for the first week of July.

BJP lawmaker gets seven-year jail for Kandhamal murder

Bhubaneswar, June 29: A fast track court in Orissa Tuesday sentenced Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Manoj Pradhan to seven years rigorous imprisonment in a murder case during the 2008 communal riots in Kandhamal district.

Judge Sobhan Kumar Das of the fast track court I at Phulbani, the district headquarters of Kandhamal, handed down the sentence to Pradhan and another accused, Prafulla Mallik, for the murder of Pariskhita Digal in Barpenga village Aug 25, 2008, defence lawyer Ajit Patnaik told IANS.

‘The court asked them to pay a fine of Rs.6,000 as well’, he said.

U”khand govt to launch health scheme for school children

Dehradun, June 29: Uttarakhand government has approved a scheme under which regular health check-ups of school children will be done so that they can be provided treatment if found suffering from malnutrition or other diseases. Under the ”Chirau School Swasthya Yojna” scheme, an awareness programme for teachers and guardians on students” health will also be carried out, an official spokesman said today.

Major haul of explosives in Bihar

Munger, June 29: Police Tuesday seized 200 kg amonium nitrate, 120 detonators and five packets of gelatine, besides four pistols from Sakarpur village in Bihar’s Munger district, police said.

On a tip-off, police raided a house and seized the explosives, besides four live cartridges.

Police suspected that the arms and explosives were stockpiled there for Maoists.

—PTI—

B’lore blasts: Madani’s bail hearing adjourned

Bangalore, June 29: A fast track court here on Monday adjourned to July 7 hearing on the anticipatory bail application of Kerala-based PDP leader Abdul Naseer Madani, one of the accused in the 2008 Bangalore blast cases.

When the plea came up for hearing, Judge Srikanth Watavatagi adjourned the hearing for filing of objections on the application filed by Madani.

The PDP leader has sought anticipatory bail in view of the Bangalore police filing an additional chargesheet on June 11 listing him as an accused in the blast cases.

Chakka bandh in Assam to protest petrol price hike

Guwahati, June 29: Surface transport in Assam came to a near standstill today as vehicles kept off the roads in response to a 24-hour ‘chakka bandh’ to protest hike in fuel prices.

The strike began at 6 am today and all private long distance and city buses, mini buses and taxis went off the roads.

Only a few Assam State Transport Corporation buses operated, official sources said.

Auto-rickshaws and private vehicles, however, plied as usual.

Barring a few instances of stone pelting, no major incident had been reported so far, the sources said.

Kareena maddly in love with Saif

Mumbai, June 29: Looks like, Kareena is maddly in love with her dear beau Saif Ali Khan nowadays. She just can’t take her eyes off from him , and the reason is – his new cropped hair look.

Saif has got a neat, crew cut for his film Agent Vinod. Not just hair, he has lost weight too for a lean, spy look. Now, Bebo, in complete awe of her man’s new hot look, tells a tabloid,

“Saif has never looked cooler. He has lost nine kilos in three months. He’s all toned and rippling muscles.”

Kats wins Salman’s dad’s heart

Mumbai, June 29: Katrina Kaif arranged a special screening of ‘Rajneeti’ for Salman Khan’s family and won huge accolades from Salim Khan (Salman Khan’s father). He was full of praise for the gorgeous actress.
Talking about the special arrangement, Kat said,

“I wish all these speculations on my personal life would end. Salman’s family is the only family I’ve known in Mumbai. That can’t change. Of course, I wanted Salim saab to see Raajneeti for very special reason. He has seen my struggle in Bollywood from the start. He’s very proud of me.”

All over between Katrina and Salman? Not so soon!!!

Mumbai, June 29: For those who think Katrina has severed all relations with Salman Khan and his family, there is news. Recently she arranged a show of her latest hit Raajneeti for Salman’s dad, the renowned scriptwriter Salim Khan and the entire family…Minus Salman who maintains his clean slate vis-à-vis Katrina’s work.

He has not seen a single film of hers.

I’ve stripped more than girls in IHLS

Mumbai, June 29: I’ve stripped more than girls in I Hate Luv StorysBollywood actor Imran Khan, who plays a womaniser in his new film “I Hate Luv Storys”, admits he has stripped more than the girls in the film.

“I have some deadly shirtless songs and scenes. I believe I have stripped more than the girls in the film, ” Imran told reports here Monday at DT Cinemas in DLF Promenade, where he was present along with co-star Sonam Kapoor and director Punit Malhotra, to promote the film.

“I Hate Luv Storys” is about two people, who are completely opposite when it comes to romance.

A quick bite that left a bad taste in Imran’s mouth

Mumbai, June 29: A quick bite that left a bad taste in Imran`s mouthA quick bite left Imran Khan with a bad taste in the mouth… quite literally. The actor, who was in the UK on Friday for the promotions of his film I Hate Luv Storys took ill after tucking into an English pie. He felt queasy and began throwing up soon after.

He muses, “There was something wrong with the pie, ” adding that, “that place did look a bit shady, ” in retrospect. The actor received medical attention and is now better.

BJP lawmaker gets seven-year jail for Kandhamal murder

Bhubaneswar, June 29: A fast track court in Orissa Tuesday sentenced Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Manoj Pradhan to seven years imprisonment in a murder case during the 2008 communal riots in Kandhamal.

Judge Sobhan Kumar Das of the fast track court I in Kandhamal handed down the sentence to Pradhan and another accused, Prafulla Mallik, for the murder of Pariskhita Digal in Barpenga village Aug 25, 2008, defence lawyer Ajit Patnaik told IANS.

The court asked them to pay a fine of Rs.6,000 as well, he said.

‘Wakf Amendment Bill needs to be amended first’

Hyderabad, June 29: Criticising the Wakf Amendment Bill passed in the Lok Sabha, senior architect and founder chairman of Sultan-ul-Uloom Educational Society KA Siddique said that the UPA government needs to ensure that the Bill should not be presented in its present form in the Upper House of Parliament.

He said that if the UPA government is really interested in the development and welfare of the Muslims of the country, then it should take the advice of Muslim religious leaders, Wakf experts, intellectuals, lawyers on the Amendment Bill and make the necessary changes.

‘Iran will retaliate if ships inspected’

Tehran, June 29: Iran’s president says Tehran will retaliate if its cargo ships come under inspection and that it will delay resuming nuclear talks to teach the West the manner of talking “to our nation.”

“We reserve the right of retaliation for ourselves… we are able to defend our rights,” Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a Monday press conference, when asked about the possible inspection of Iranian ships under new UN sanctions against the country.