Month: July 2010

Iran to review woman’s stoning verdict

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Tehran, July 10: Iran’s top human rights official says the death by stoning sentence for a 43-year-old woman convicted of adultery is under review.

The sentence to stone Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani to death drew worldwide outcry after it was publicised by her lawyer, who had warned she was facing imminent execution.

British media reported late Thursday that the stoning would not occur, citing the Iranian embassy in London.

Mohammed Javad Larijani of Iran’s human rights council told the state news agency Saturday that the “review and appeal of the verdict is on the agenda.”

Fresh warrants against Kasab, Ansari in Mumbai case trial

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Islamabad, July 10: A Pakistani anti-terrorism court conducting the trial of seven Mumbai attack suspects today issued fresh arrest warrants for Ajmal Kasab and Fahim Ansari even as prime accused LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi submitted an application for bail.

Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan, who is conducting the trial behind closed doors at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi for security reasons, heard arguments by the prosecution and defence including on Kasab and Ansari, who are currently in custody in India.

Body remains found on wheels of plane in Riyadh

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Riyadh, July 10: Workers at Riyadh airport found the remains of a body on the tyres of a plane which arrived from Beirut early on Saturday, an airport source in Beirut said.

The source said some passengers on the Saudi Arabian airline Nas Air flight had reported seeing a man with a backpack running towards the plane shortly before it took off from Beirut.

They told the pilot what they had seen, the source said, but the flight continued to Saudi Arabia and the body was only discovered after the plane had landed and been inspected.

Kat turns Belly Dancer!

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Mumbai, July 10: It is a known fact that Katrina Kaif will be seen in Farah Khan’s TEES MAAR KHAN which also stars Akshay Kumar. But did you know that she will be seen belly dancing in the film?

Farah Khan reveals, “I’ve had a very good experience working with her. She is very ambitious. In fact, she is going to do an item song in TEES MAAR KHAN.”

The director further went on to add, “I’m going to keep a belly dancer teacher for her. She is actually going to learn belly dancing. So, you will see her in a new very glamourous avatar.”

Farmer finds Rs 4-crore worth gold biscuits

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Warangal, July 10: The news that a farmer found gold biscuits worth Rs 4 crores created sensation in the district, on Saturday.

According to the information, a tribal farmer belonging to Samat Mote village under Pinapaka mandal found this dump, in the thick forest under Tadvai mandal. The news came to light when the farmer went to a provision shop for getting the gold weighed.

It is learnt that the farmer found a steel box containing 30 gold biscuits. The gold is valued at Rs 4 crores. A booklet containing details of the dump was also found in the box, these reports say.

Ds submits explanation to ec

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Hyderabad, July 10: The State Congress president, Mr D.Srinivas, has submitted his explanation to the Election Commission in reply to the show-cause notice served on him on Saturday.

It may be mentioned here that the Election Commission had issued him a show-cause notice seeking his explanation following allegations that he asked votes in the name of a caste, during the last general elections.

Responding to complaint, the Commission has issued him a notice. (NSS)

Jagan emerges charismatic mass leader!

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Hyderabad, July 10:: The young Kadapa MP, Mr Y. S. Jagan Mohan
Reddy, seems to be emerging as a mass leader in the ever turbulent
State politics as is evident from the tremendous and tumultuous
response he has been receiving during his ongoing “Odarpu Yatra”
(consolation tour) in Srikakulam district.

Thanks to the maneuverings of some senior State Congress leaders,
whose existence is more known through their media statements rather
their own charisma, their game plan to checkmate the “Odarpu Yatra”

Indian Muslims not terrorists: US official

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Washington, July 10: Tasked to improve ties with the Muslim world, a top official of the Obama administration on Saturday said that Indian Muslims are not terrorists, even as many of them are increasingly tired of being defined as such.

“I talk about the bloggers that I meet in India who are tired of Muslims being defined as terrorists,” Indian-origin Farah Pandith, the US Special Representative to the Muslim Community, said in a web video chat today.

Mexico plane crash claims 8 lives

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Colombia, July 10: A Mexican state minister, town mayor and six others have been killed after a plane crashed and burst into flames in northern Mexico, government sources say.

The incident took place as the officials were on their way to the state of Nuevo Leon in northern Mexico for observing the extent of damage caused by hurricane Alex.

The officials were identified as mayor of Mexico’s Piedras Negras, Jose Manuel Maldonado, and secretary of public works and transportation in the state of Coahuila, Horacio del Bosque Davila.

Father sets daughter on fire

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Ghaziabad, July 10: A father allegedly set afire his 16-year-old daughter suspecting that she was having an affair with a boy in village Badarkha, leaving her critically injured, police said today.

Gaddal yesterday had a heated argument with his family members after which he beat his wife and children. He then in a fit of rage poured kerosene oil on his daughter, who he suspected was having an affair with the boy of the same village, and set her on fire.

Maha to take legal opinion on book ban

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Mumbai, July 10: Maharashtra Government on Friday said it favoured continuation of the ban on US author James Laine’s controversial biography of Shivaji Maharaj and was seeking legal opinion after the Supreme Court turned down its plea in this regard.

“I personally and the state government also, feel that the ban should continue…. We are seeking opinion of legal experts on approaching the court to ensure the ban continues,” Home Minister R R Patil said.

RSS hand behind Ajmer blast?

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Lucknow, July 10: In a shocking development in the Ajmer blast case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has claimed that senior RSS functionaries from Uttar Pradesh had provided SIM cards and were in touch with an accused involved in the case while he was on the run.

CBI has claimed that, Ashok Varshney and Ashok Beri of the RSS have confessed during interrogation that they were in contact with Devendra Gupta, arrested by the Rajasthan police in April, 2010.

Varshney, admitted that he arranged for Gupta’s stay in Kanpur during October and November 2009.

After Sri Lanka, UN under fire in Nepal

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Kathmandu, July 10: After Sri Lanka, where a minister is leading protests against alleged UN interference, the world body is now under fire in Nepal, where the prime minister has accused it of trying to derail the Himalayan republic’s fragile peace process.

An unusually strong outburst came from Nepal’s caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, who objected to an unsolicited plan drawn up by the UN political unit in Nepal.

Stop harassment & false propaganda in Kerala: PFI

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Bhopal, July 10 (Pervez Bari): The central secretariat of Popular Front of India, (PFI), has condemned the attempt by the Kerala state police and certain vested interest groups to tarnish the image of the organization and mislead the people in the context of a local incident happened a week ago in Moovattupuza.

Dhoni leaves for Sri Lanka tour

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Chennai, July: Newly-married Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today left for Sri Lanka to join the rest of the side for a three-match Test series and a tri-nation ODI series, starting July 18.

Dhoni, who was accompanied by his bride Sakshi Rawat, did not go with the squad yesterday as he stayed back to receive an honorary membership from the Madras Cricket Club last evening.

The function was organised to acknowledge the Chennai Super Kings’ title triumph in IPL-III under Dhoni’s leadership.

Dalit girl stripped and paraded naked

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Mumbai, July 10: Cases of attacks on dalit women aren’t confined to rural India: last month, a young dalit girl was stripped and paraded in a southern Mumbai locality.

The local police has arrested 10 women and two men and slapped them with cases of atrocities. However, Sharada Yadav, the main accused, is out on bail.

Said senior police inspector Rajan Bhogale: “All the suspects named by the victim, including Sharada Yadav, were arrested in the case. We charged them under the Prevention of Atrocities Act. But Sharda Yadav was granted bail by the court.”

US, Russia swap 14 spies at Vienna airport

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Washington, July 10: The US and Russia orchestrated the largest spy swap since the Cold War, exchanging 10 spies arrested in the US for four convicted in Russia in a tightly choreographed diplomatic dance Friday at Vienna’s airport.

Two planes – one from New York’s La Guardia airport and another from Moscow – arrived in Vienna within minutes of each other, parked nose-to-tail at a remote section on the tarmac, then spent about an hour and a half before departing just as quickly. A small bus was seen driving between the two planes.

SRK to watch FIFA final with hot Charlize Theron

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Mumbai, July 10: Shah Rukh Khan, who will be watching the final match of the FIFA world cup from the stadium at Johannesburg on Sunday, is having an unexpected company.

Charlize Theron has also reserved seats in the same VIP pavilion at the stadium. Whether they will be seated together will be known only once the plans are finalised on the day of the match.

After the match, a dinner and party have been planned. The party will have officials from Spain, The Netherlands, and international celebrities from Hollywood.

Shilpa’s husband Raj to sue Dhoom director for 2 crore?

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Mumbai, July 10: Rumours in the industry abound that Raj Kundra, the entrepreneur husband of Shilpa Shetty, is planning to sue Dhoom director Sanjay Gadhvi.

Apparently, Raj had paid Sanjay around Rs 2 crore as signing amount for a film, but the project has not gone forward at all. So Raj decided to sue Sanjay and get his money back.

When Raj was hunting around for a reliable law firm, he learnt that one team of lawyers had already been hired by Indian Film Company (IFC) to sue Sanjay in another matter.

Amitabh praises SRK, Ducks question on Salman

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Mumbai, July 10: The occasion was announcement of ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati 4’ with Amitabh Bachchan as its host. However, even Bachchan knew beforehand that he won’t be asked questions about the show alone. Plenty of water has flown before Big B arrived in the KBC 4 boat.

Despite repeated denial by Sony and Siddharth Basu, the truth remains that Aamir Khan was their first choice to host KBC 4. (Though no formal offer was made to Khan) Bachchan couldn’t escape being asked whether he was comfortable agreeing to host a show, which was earlier offered to Aamir Khan.

Now, crocodile predicts Spain to win WC

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Sydney, July 10: If the octopus and parrots were not enough, a crocodile has also joined the race of predicting the Football World Cup champions.

Harry, a 700-kg crocodile living in a Darwin crocodile park on Saturday backed Paul the octopus in picking Spain to win the World Cup.

The crocodile took less than a minute to decide and launch itself out of the water to eat a chicken dangling under a Spanish flag rather than one hanging from a Dutch flag.

Qur’an contest opens in Tehran

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Tehran, July 10: The 27th international competition of the Holy Qur’an has opened in the Iranian capital Tehran, bringing together representatives from 60 Muslim countries.

The competition is held annually on reciting and memorizing the Holy Qur’an.

Reciting the Qur’an with correct pronunciation is a delicate art and memorizing the holy book is also considered very important to Muslims.

This year, more than 90 representatives from 60 countries are taking part in the event, which is also considered an opportunity to further strengthen relationships among Muslims around the world.

Farooq meet Chidambaram, seeks help for Omar

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New Delhi, July 10: New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah met Home Minister P. Chidambaram here Saturday and sought help for his son and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to tide over the crisis in Jammu and Kashmir.

Officials at the Jammu and Kashmir House, the official state guest house here, told IANS that the former chief minister requested assistance so that the younger Abdullah could tide over the volatile situation.

Muslim man fails to get citizenship

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Paris, July 10: A Moroccan man who refused to shake hands with a French female official and whose wife wears the full Islamic veil has been denied French citizenship, the immigration ministry said.

The man, who has been living in France since 1999 and married a French woman in 2004, failed to “assimilate into French society” and displayed a “discriminatory attitude toward women,” said the ministry.

” He refused to shake the hand of a female official whom he met at the state prefecture because it was against his religion ”

I’m not isolated in politics: Jagan Mohan Reddy

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Hyderabad, July 10: On the second day of his controversial yatra, Congress MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy gave indications of a confrontation with the party amid speculation that the rebellious son of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy was all set to float his own party.

Resuming his ‘Odarpu (condolence) yatra’ in Srikakulam district, he made political comments unlike yesterday saying, “Politics in Andhra Pradesh have deteriorated and touched the nadir in the last ten months since the death of my father.”