Month: July 2010

“Dhoni’s Wedding Was Planned”: Bipasha

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Mumbai, July 05: Contrary to rumors that cricketer Dhoni decided to get married on the spur of the moment Bipasha Basu, a close friend of the cricketer, says the wedding was planned months in advance.

Says Bipasha, “The wedding on Sunday night was all planned. But no one was supposed to know about it. Whatever the truth, we must all be happy for the couple. It’s party time!”

Alas, Bipasha’s party for Dhoni’s wedding would have to wait. She is shooting and couldn’t join her boyfriend John Abraham for Dhoni’s wedding.

Abhishek a hit in industry despite flops

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Mumbai, July 05: On the occasion of his 10th anniversary in Bollywood, Abhi happily tweeted about his experiences.

“I complete 10 years in the industry. Refugee released June 30, 2000. Thank you all for the tolerance, love and blessing.”
Post-Raavan, his box-office prospects might have taken a beating, but that hasn’t stopped him from bagging some big projects – Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey opposite Deepika Padukone releasing this year, Farhan Akthar’s production Game, Rohan Sippy’s Dum Maro Dum and Karan Johar’s Dostana 2.

Asin says going to Sri Lanka no sin

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New Delhi, July 05: South Indian superstar Asin, who has been struggling to make a mark in Bollywood, has reacted strongly against the call to ban her films in Tamil Nadu.

The ban was called by the South Indian Film Artistes Association, as a major portion of Asin’s new film opposite Salman Khan, titled Ready, is being shot in Sri Lanka. The association had demanded a boycott on any Indian cultural activity in Lanka, saying the Tamils had been persecuted for years in that country. Asin is already in Lanka for the shoot.

Petraeus takes Afghan war post, pledging victory

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Kabul, July 05: Gen. David Petraeus formally assumed command of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force during a ceremony Sunday at the command’s headquarters in Kabul.
In a speech, Petraeus said NATO’s strategy in Afghanistan had not changed.

“We must help Afghan leaders develop their security forces and governance capacity so that they can, over time, take on the tasks of securing their country and see to the needs of their people,” he said. “And, in performing these tasks, we clearly must pursue the insurgents relentlessly.”

Vidyasagar Rao likely to be BJP candidate for Vemulawada seat

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Hyderabad, July 05: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Bandaru Datatterya on Sunday indicated that senior party leader and former Union Minister Ch Vidyasagar Rao would contest the forthcoming by-elections from the Vemulawada Assembly constituency.

Talking to media persons at the BJP headquarters in Hyderabad, Mr Dattatreya said that Mr Vidyasagar’s name would be finalised if Mr Chennamaneni Ramesh does not contest for the seat.
Mr Ramesh had earlier resigned from the Vemulawada seat and joined the Telangana Rashtra Samithi.

DS, Shabbir in Congress list of 8

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New Delhi, July 05: As expected, the name of Pradesh Congress Committee chief D Srinivas figured in the list of candidates released for eight constituencies out of the 12 bound for voting in the state on July 27.
Joining Mr Srinivas in the list of candidates is former minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir, who would represent the Congress from Yellareddy constituency.

Horses run out of control at US independence day parade

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Washington, June 05: Two horses ran out of control and rammed into spectators during the American Independence Day parade in Iowa, and injured 24 people including children, police said.

The horses ran out of control after they rubbed their heads against each other, causing one’s bridle to come off. They then took off, taking the wagon they were pulling behind them, running into families watching the parade in Bellevue town.

Children as young as two years old were also among the injured, Xinhua reported.

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Israeli defence minister to meet Palestine PM

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Tel Aviv, July 05: Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak will meet Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad Monday to discuss the ongoing indirect Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Israel Radio reported.

There was no indication where the meeting, the first between the two men since February, would take place.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who leaves Monday for Washington, told his cabinet Sunday morning that he hoped his talks with US President Barack Obama would lead to the indirect talks being replaced by direct negotiations.

Taliban to launch media regulatory authority

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Islamabad, July 05: The Taliban will soon launch their own “media regulatory authority” to monitor press and TV reports to prevent “false” statements about Islam, a militant spokesperson said today, warning that a second-time violator of its media guidelines will “be executed”.

In an email sent to journalists, Taliban Media Centre spokesperson Muhammad Omer said the militants were working on the ‘Taliban Media Regulatory Authority’, which would be “operational in the next few days”.

Israeli forces raid al-Khalil mosque

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West Bank, July 05: Israeli army forces have stormed a mosque near the West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron), forcing Palestinians worshippers to leave the holy site.

The incident occurred late on Sunday when Israeli soldiers surrounded the al-Rihiya Mosque south of al-Khalil, Ma’an news agency reported.

Israeli forces reportedly ordered elderly residents to evacuate the facility, but faced resistance from the locals.

Bomb scare at Kennedy Airport in New York

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New York, July 05: About 300 passengers were evacuated at John F. Kennedy Airport here Sunday after a bomb scare, authorities said.

Terminal One of the international airport reopened Sunday evening, the New York Post reported.

A woman called the authorities that there was a bomb inside the building, a Port Authority spokesman said. An unidentified bag had earlier been found inside the terminal, the report said.

——IANS

Roshni Chopra wins Desi Girl title

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Mumbai, July 05: After chasing hens, bathing buffalos and picking cow dung, small screen actress Roshni Chopra walked away with the title of India’s ‘Desi Girl’ at the finale of the Imagine TV reality show Sunday.

The 30-year-old, who had been living in Sialba Majri village near Chandigarh city since the past seven weeks and faced everyday challenges of village life, edged past other finalists Ishitta Arun and Kashmera Shah.

Alleging blasphemy, lecturer’s palm chopped off‎

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Kochi, July 05: In a brutal incident, a gang of unidentified persons on Sunday chopped off the right palm of Thodupuzha Newman College lecturer T J Joseph who was under suspension for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of the Muslim community.

Police said the incident occurred near the Nirmala School ground at Thodupuzha around 9 am when Joseph was returning home from church along with his mother and sister in a car.

“A gang of five persons came in a Maruti van and blocked the car near Joseph’s residence. He was dragged out of the car and hacked with sharp weapons by the gang.

Dhoni weds childhood friend Sakshi‎

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Dehradun, July 05: Mahendra Singh Dhoni took guard in a partnership of a different kind tonight by exchanging wedding vows with Calcutta girl Sakshi Singh Rawat in Dehra Dun.

The evening after a very private engagement at a hotel in Dehra Dun came the hush-hush marriage at a spa resort in the Doon valley as the Indian cricket captain put all his starry link-up rumours to rest by becoming Mr Sakshi Singh Rawat.

Shutdown begins in Maharashtra amid violence

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Mumbai, July 05: The shutdown by opposition parties to protest price hike began in Maharashtra Monday amid stray incidents of violence in Mumbai and other parts of the state, officials said.

Schools, colleges, many private offices remained closed, but the city’s lifeline – suburban trains and BEST – were partially affected as attempts were made to stop their operations in different parts, mainly by suspected Shiv Sena activists.

Taxis and most autorickshaws remained off roads, more as a precautionary measure against damage from hooliganism than in support of the shutdown call.

TDP discusses issues to corner govt in Assembly

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Hyderabad, July 05: The monsoon session of the state Assembly, scheduled to begin from July 7, will be volatile to say the least if indications are to be taken seriously.

The main opposition Telugu Desam Party will try to corner the government on alleged corruption in the irrigation projects, the alleged inaction of the government in the raising of the height of Almatti Dam, the Babli Project, the recent hike in fuel prices, the auctioning of liquor licences issue and fee reimbursement.

Ishrat Jahan was working for LeT: Headley

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New Delhi, July 05: Lashker-e-Toiba operative David Coleman Headley has told that Ishrat Jahan, who along with her companion Javed Shaikh nee Pranesh Pillai and two others were killed in an encounter at Ahmedabad in 2004, was indeed working for LeT.

The disclosure may come as a relief for Gujarat police officers facing charges of fake encounter.

Jahan, Shaikh and their aides, believed to be Pakistanis, were killed on the basis of a Intelligence Bureau tip-off about they being on a mission to give shape to the Lashkar’s plot to assassinate chief minister Narendra Modi.

Maoists vow to avenge Azad’s killing

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Hyderabad, July 04: The CPI (Maoist) today vowed to avenge the death of its top leader Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad in an encounter with police in Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh.

“Azad was murdered brutally by Intelligence Bureau of the Central Government and Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) of Andhra Pradesh with complete knowledge of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram,” a statement issued by the CPI (Maoist) said.

Hailing Azad, it said he has become the “mind and soul of Indian revolution through his consistent and efficient work” and vowed to avenge his death.

Listen to young talent to remain contemporary: Javed Akhtar

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Mumbai, July 04: Legendary screenplay writer and lyricist Javed Akhtar, who has penned the lyrics of actress Sonam Kapoor’s next film “Aisha”, says he tries to remain contemporary by listening and understanding the language of the young talent he works with.

“You need not to show when you have to bring change in your language, it automatically becomes apparent,” Akhtar said.

CBI gives clean chit to retd SC Judge Tarun Chatterjee

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New Delhi, July 04: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has given a clean chit to retired Supreme Court Judge Tarun Chatterjee who was named as one of the beneficiaries in the multi-crore Ghaziabad District Court PF scam.

Prime accused in the case, Ashutosh Asthana, who was found dead in Dasna Jail under mysterious circumstances had named 36 Judicial Officers including Justice Chatterjee and 11 Judges of Allahabad and Uttarakhand High Court as beneficiaries in his statement, under Section 164 CRPC, recorded by then Special Judge Rama Jain.

RBI, finance ministry policies converge in the long term

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Kolkata, July 04: The Reserve Bank of India Sunday defended its decision to raise key short-term lending and borrowing rates to contain inflation, refuting the argument that the apex bank and the finance ministry are working towards divergent policy goals.

“Monetary policy authority and the ministry can have different views… for the Reserve Bank of India, inflation is everything, for the ministry growth is everything,” Deputy Governor K.C. Chakrabarty told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar organised by Assocham on financial inclusion.

Threat to my life from Mulayam, Mayawati: Amar Singh

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Lucknow, July 04Expelled Samajwadi Party leader and president of newly-floated Rastriya Lok Manch (RLM) Amar Singh on Sunday claimed that he was facing threat to his life from SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.

“I have life threat from both Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav,” Singh told reporters here after inaugurating his new party office.

on the SP chief reportedly writing a letter to the Centre to cut down his security, Singh said, “It’s a matter of joy for me that Yadav is neither Home Minister nor Prime Minister.”

BJP threatens stir against 15 percent quota for Muslims

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Bangalore, July 04: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday threatened to launch a mass agitation if the central government implemented the Ranganath Mishra Commission report which recommended 15 percent reservation for Muslims in education and government employment.

“We will launch a massive agitation if the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government implements the commission’s recommendations as it would deprive the other backward classes (OBCs) of reservation in jobs and educational institutions,” BJP president Nitin Gadkari said here.

LIC to recruit 10,000 employees this year

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New Delhi, July 04: The country’s largest insurance company, LIC, plans to recruit around 10,000 employees in the current fiscal to give a push to its growth plans.

“We are planning to hire a good number of people this year as well. We intend to hire 10,000 people this year across the various cadre,” LIC Managing Director A K Dasgupta told reporters.

Last year, LIC hired same number of people across various cadre including some lateral recruitment for the first time. Of the total, about 5,000 development officers would be recruited in line with the growth plan, he said.

UAE charity launches Ramadan ration project

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Abu Dhabi, July 04: The UAE’s Khalifa Foundation for Charitable Works will distribute 20,000 tonnes of food to the people during the holy month of Ramadan.

“People will receive the ration through 24 centres set up nationwide by the foundation in coordination with the labour ministry,” Mohammed Haji Khouri, director general of the foundation, said at a press conference Sunday.

It is being organised for the second year in a row.

–Agencies