Month: December 2010

Pakistani university closed over militant threats

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Islamabad, December 02: A university here in the Pakistani capital was closed for three days Thursday after it reportedly received threats from militants, Xinhua reported.

The National University of Modern Languages (NUML) was closed after receiving an advisory from the Crisis Management Cell of the interior ministry, an official said.

A large number of foreign students also study in the NUML, Pakistan’s main university of local and foreign languages.

The official, however, did not say as to who gave the threats but suspected militants are thought to be behind the incident.

Gujarat riots: Apex court slams NGO for writing to UN agency

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New Delhi, December 02: The Supreme Court Thursday took strong exception to an NGO and petitioner in the 2002 Gujarat riots cases sending copies of its letters, addressed to the special investigating team (SIT), to a Geneva-based UN human rights organisation.

“We will not allow the outside agency to interfere in the affairs of our court,” said the special apex court bench of Justice D.K. Jain, Justice P. Sathasivam and Justice Aftab Alam.

PDP says NC pushing youth to militancy

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Srinagar, December 02: Opposition People’s Democratic Party today accused the ruling National Conference of pursuing oppressive policies in Jammu and Kashmir and pushing the youth to another round of militancy.

“Gun culture erupted in the year 1989, just two years after formation of NC government in the state following the infamous rigged elections. Similar situation has emerged in Kashmir valley these days as this government has been pushing the youth against the wall due to its oppressive policies,” PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said in a statement here.

Vidya has an uncanny sense about script: Sujoy Ghosh

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Mumbai, December 02: Director Sujoy Ghosh, who has roped in Vidya Balan for his forthcoming film “Kahani”, believes the actress can indentify good scripts.

“What I like about Vidya is that she is dead fussy, but in a good way. She has an uncanny sense about scripts,” Ghosh said in a statement.

Ghosh is justified in his belief – with roles like a struggling mother of a progeria patient in “Paa” to a brutally seductive rural woman in “Ishqiya”, she has always treaded different path.

Pranab welcomes Premji’s charity pledge

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New Delhi, December 02: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Thursday welcomed Wipro chairman Azim Premji’s $2 billion charity pledge, saying it would send out a positive signal.

“I welcome it. It’s a very good decision. I congratulate Premji,” Mukherjee told reporters here.

Premji, the country’s third richest man with a net worth of $17.6 billion, according to Forbes magazine estimates, Wednesday announced that he would set up a new endowment trust with a whopping Rs.8,846 crore ($2 billion) to fund various educational initiatives.

–IANS–

Pranab welcomes Premji’s charity pledge

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New Delhi, December 02: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Thursday welcomed Wipro chairman Azim Premji’s $2 billion charity pledge, saying it would send out a positive signal.

“I welcome it. It’s a very good decision. I congratulate Premji,” Mukherjee told reporters here.

Premji, the country’s third richest man with a net worth of $17.6 billion, according to Forbes magazine estimates, Wednesday announced that he would set up a new endowment trust with a whopping Rs.8,846 crore ($2 billion) to fund various educational initiatives.

–IANS–

Six persons held in finance company robbery case

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Ghaziabad, December 02: Six persons were arrested today in connection with a robbery in Muthoot Finance Company here, police said.

“Six persons identified as Sonu Tyagi, Kuldeep Dhama, Nizam, Citu, Joginder and Anil were arrested from near Tila Modh in connection with the robbery in Muthoot Finance Company,” SSP Raghubir Lal told reporters here.

Gold worth Rs two crore and Rs 6.50 lakh in cash were recovered from their possession, they said.

26/11 case: Kasab did not land in Mumbai in dinghy, his lawyers argue

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Mumbai, December 02: Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab today disputed the prosecution story that he along with nine terrorists came in a dinghy to Badhwar Park in south Mumbai coast on the night of the 26/11 attacks, saying evidence was concocted to frame him in the case.

The dinghy produced in the trial court was so small that it could not have accommodated 10 people and their baggage, his lawyer Amin Solkar told the Bombay high court which is hearing confirmation of Kasab’s death sentence.

NHRC wants action against NGO misusing its name

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New Delhi, December 02: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken a serious note of the illegal use of its name by an NGO, purported to be spread in many parts of the country, and asked the state governments concerned to take action against them.

“The National Human Rights Commission has asked the concerned state governments to take action against the National Human Rights Council of India (NHRCI) for misusing the name of NHRC,” it said in a statement here.

“The said organisation’s email address also resembles the National Human Rights Commission’s email ID,” it added.

Yeddyurappa’s minister faces illegal land deal case

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Bangalore, December 02: Karnataka Information Technology Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu and his son Katta Jagadish Naidu have been slapped with charges of forgery, cheating and creating false documents in a multi-crore rupee land deal scandal.

Along with them, a police complaint has also been filed against nine others, Karnataka Lok Ayukta (ombudsman) N. Santosh Hegde, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, told reporters here Thursday.

The senior Naidu is the first member of the land-scam hit Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s team to be named in a formal police complaint.

No Jagan hand in AP rebellion, feels Cong

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New Delhi/Hyderabad, December 02: Congress today saw no hand of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in the rebellion in newly constituted Andhra Pradesh ministry over the allocation of portfolios and expressed confidence that it will soon be over.

“It’s not some kind of a Jagan plot. It could be a bargain tactic to take advantage of the tough situation,” a senior party leader, who declined to be identified, said.

Union Minister M Veerappa Moily, talking to the media separately, dismissed talks of crisis in state.

“There is no crisis” he said.

Airlines propose hike in fares, DGCA to take a call

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New Delhi, December 02: Air travellers may have to shell out hefty amounts if the fare bands proposed by airlines which will also take into account the distance factor are approved by the civil aviation regulator DGCA.

If approved, this would mean that an air passenger will have to pay Rs 10,500 for a Delhi-Chandigarh or Chennai- Coimbatore flight and Rs 40,000 on the Delhi-Bangalore or Delhi-Kolkata route.

NASA discovery suggests aliens exist – even on Earth

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London, December 02: NASA has made a stunning claim of an “astrobiology finding” that could suggest alien life exists – even on Earth.

The discovery could prove the theory of ‘shadow’ creatures which exist here in hostile environments previously thought uninhabitable.

The ‘life as we don’t know it’ could even survive on hostile planets and develop into intelligent creatures such as humans if and when conditions improve.

Researchers will unveil the discovery of a microbe that can live in an environment previously thought too poisonous for any life-form, reports the Telegraph.

Lara wants to play 2011 IPL

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New Delhi, December 02: Former West Indian batting legend Brian Lara has expressed his desire to play in the Indian Premier League but said he has to be match-fit to stand a realistic chance of featuring in next year’s Twenty20 event.

Lara, who made a comeback to competitive cricket two months ago by playing in the Zimbabwe T20 league after a three-year hiatus, said he needs to get into the groove as soon as possible to give himself a chance to be picked for the 2011 IPL season.

“If I was to give myself a chance to play in the IPL, then I need to start now,” Lara told ESPNcricinfo.

Gold retreat from record levels, silver hit new high

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Mumbai, December 02: Gold prices retreated from its overnight record highs at the bullion market here today on profit selling by stockists amid subdued local buying interest, despite bullish global movement.

In contrast, silver continued to scale new peaks owing to speculative buying well supported by firm overseas.

Standard gold (99.5 per cent purity) declined by Rs 90 per 10 grams to finish at Rs 20,525 from Wednesday’s closing level of Rs 20,615.

Pure gold (99.9 per cent purity) also lost Rs 85 per 10 grams to close at Rs 20,625, as against Rs 20,710 yesterday.

Supreme Court issues notices to government on Tata’s plea

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New Delhi, December 02: The Supreme Court Thursday issued notices to the central government on a petition of Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group of Companies, seeking a ban on publication of transcripts of corporate lobbyist Nira Radia’s phone intercepts related to the 2G spectrum scam.

Tata’s plea pressed for the enforcement of his right to privacy by restraining the media from publishing conversations which were strictly personal in nature.

Advani ‘concerned’ about Yeddyurappa taint

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New Delhi, December 02: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is dealing with the allegations of corruption against its chief minister in Karnataka, B.S. Yeddyurappa, senior leader L.K. Advani said Thursday, adding he was “very much concerned” about the issue.

Addressing a press conference here, Advani said he was “very much concerned with what had happened”.

Allegations of land grabbing and nepotism have been levelled against Yeddyurappa.

“We are dealing with it. We will deal with it,” Advani said, adding that there was no comparison with the 2G spectrum scam.

–Agencies

Aamir Khan: Why he is called the Mr 70 per cent!

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Mumbai, December 02: Aamir Khan has asked for a whopper share 70 per cent in his joint production with Farhan Akhtar. The untitled film, to be directed by Reema Kagti, features Aamir with Kareena Kapoor. It rolls early next year.

Says a source, “Though the mystery thriller is a joint production between the two actor-producers, Aamir definitely wants an upper hand.

The star always takes home a share of the profits even when he is not the producer. In this film, as he is both, he wants his percentage to go up considerably. ”

Prajakta Shukre isn’t my girlfriend, she’s like my sister

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Mumbai, December 02: Abhijeet Sawant’s run-in with the law on Tuesday night on an empty stretch of road in Juhu, has left the singer shaken but certainly not scared.

Speaking on Wednesday afternoon about the series of incidents leading to the ugly spat with a mob on the road the softspoken Sawant said he felt he was being targeted only because he was a known face.

More Hollywood hotties are coming for you

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Mumbai, December 02: The beginning of 2011 will see a crackerjack Hollywood dhamaka in apna desh. In January, a whole package of high-profile super-glamorous Hollywood stars will visit Mumbai.

Among them are actresses Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore, television producer-actor Tom Green, comic superstar Rob Schneider (The Hot Chick, Grown Ups) and producer John Schneider.

Crowe comes later

With Ash married, will Salman say yes to Kareena?

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Mumbai, December 02: Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali has finally decided to compromise with the choice of his leading lady for his next project Bajirao Mastani. Ashwarya Rai has been Bhansali’s muse since they worked together in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 1999. The hot pair of Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai broke up and thus Bhansali had to shelve his plan of making Bajirao Mastani with them.

Now, after so many years when Aishwarya is happily married to Abhishek Bachchan, Bhansali had a hope the Salman may agree to act with Aishwarya.

Hrithik Roshan can retire now

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Mumbai, December 02: The first film Madhuri Dixit-Nene watched after landing in Mumbai a week ago was her Devdas director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Guzaarish (she hasn’t watched his last film Sawaariya).

She has come away impressed with Hrithik Roshan’s portrayal of a quadriplegic in the film. She called him to shower praises on him saying it was one of the best performances she had seen in a long time.

Shocked, thrilled

Sonakshi replaces Priyanka, Hrishant gets KJo film

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Mumbai, December 02: Sonakshi Sinha will replace Priyanka Chopra in Kunal Kohli’s next, Janam Janam Ka Saath Hai Tumhara Hamara opposite Shahid Kapoor. Sonakshi appears to be on a signing spree now (aakhir Salman Khan ka haath hai uske sar pe)!

Bigg Boss evictee Hrishant Goswami might make a small cameo in Karan Johar’s Short Term Shaadi. The model turned reality show contestant is related to Karan.

ATS forms special team to nab bomb planter

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Mumbai, December 02: The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has formed a special team to nab suspected bomb planter Ramji Kalsangra and his associate Sandip Dange in connection with the Malegaon blast in 2008.

So far, 11 members of hard-line outfits, Abhinav Bharat and Jai Vande Mataram have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the bomb blast on September 29, 2008 at Bhikku Chowk in Malegaon.

Six people were killed and 101 others injured in the blast, ATS chief Rakesh Maria added that they had formed a special team to nab Kalsangra and Dange.
–UNI

Ayodhya title suit parties to move apex court this month

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Lucknow, December 02: With the Allahabad High Court deadline expiring this month, the two main petitioners in the Ayodhya tile suit are expected to file their review petition on the verdict in the Supreme Court this month.

While the Sunni Central Waqf Board ia expected to file a petition in the third week of December, the Nirmohi Akhara could file ahead of them.

The third petitioner Ramlala Virajman had already filed a petition in the apex court staking claim on the entire disputed area.