Month: December 2010

Mamata Look-Alike to Act As Didi Onscreen

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Kolkata, December 01: Viewers may be excused if they mistake the familiar figure in a plain Dhaniakhali sari and rubber sandals for Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.

But Ruma Chakraborty is just a look-alike of Bengal’s fiery leader and is all set to appear as Mamata’s screen avatar.

The theatre actress will portray the mercurial character with a life full of highs and lows in a full-length feature film titled Didi, which will go on floors on December 4.

Firefox plots system to stop firms from tracking you online

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London, December 01: The makers of web-browser Firefox are working on a system which will allow internet users to stop themselves from being tracked online.

Mozilla wants to build a mechanism which will allow people to opt out of companies secretly monitoring which websites they visit, currently a common practice.

Internet giants like Google and Facebook use such information to sell targeted adverts and make money without ever asking the consent of the user.

3,200 Taliban killed in Afghanistan in 90 days

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London, December 01: Secret operations of British and US troops have led to the death of nearly 3,200 Taliban militants in just around 90 days in Afghanistan, a media report said Wednesday.

British Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Service (SBS) personnel, US Delta Force units, Afghan Special Forces Tiger Teams and troops from other coalition forces hit enemy targets relentlessly for three months.

Of the killed or captured Taliban militants, 387 were top level commanders, The Sun reported.

Few voices of dissent after Andhra cabinet formation

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Hyderabad, December 01: A few legislators of the ruling Congress appear to be unhappy with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy for not inducting them into his cabinet but only one of them has made his unhappiness public.

K. Rambhupal Reddy, a legislator from Kurnool district, has alleged that only those who indulge in appeasement were included in the cabinet. “The chief minister should clarify why I have not been included,” he told reporters and declared he would bring this “injustice” to the knowledge of party’s central leadership.

Jagan’s uncle joins new AP Cabinet

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Hyderabad, December 01: The political split in the family of late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was complete today when his brother Y S Vivekananda Reddy was inducted into the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, which saw new Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy dropping five ministers of the previous government.

A total of 39 ministers, including 7 new faces, were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor E S L Narasimhan at a simple ceremony here a week after Kiran Reddy took over reigns of office on Nov 25 in sudden political changes in the state.

Madhuri Dixit: I thoroughly delight in being a homemaker

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Mumbai, December01: She reached the peak of fame in her Bollywood career and when time demanded, surrendered all to become a homemaker. It might be hard to imagine Madhuri Dixit engaged in everyday household chores, but the actress insists that is exactly what she does back at home in the US.

Housewives now AIDS’ worst victims in Nepal

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Kathmandu, December 01: Though hailed by the UN Wednesday – observed as World AIDS Day – as one of nearly three dozen countries to achieve a significant decline in new HIV infection rates, Nepal however is now witnessing a new alarming trend with housewives accounting for nearly half of the fresh infections.

The rocketing number of housewives contracting HIV/AIDS is linked to the growing migration of Nepali men abroad for jobs, especially to India, from where they bring the disease back home, health experts said.

Maulana Wali Rahmani reiterates religion cent per cent basis for providing reservations

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New Delhi, November 30 (Pervez Bari): Maulana Syed Muhammed Wali Rahmani, Secretary of All India Muslim Personal Board, has again emphatically reiterated that 100 per cent religion is the basis for providing reservations. He dared the government to get a resolution on Muslim reservation passed in the Parliament instead of playing with the issue.

Maulana Rahmani was delivering his inaugural speech at the National Imam Convention for Muslim Reservation here on Tuesday.

Bipasha Basu offer international film

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Mumbai, November 01: Bipasha, who is usually seen in a glamorous avatar in most of her films, has posted a picture from the movie her Twitter page. Though her complete look is not visible, the picture shows her wearing a red-dupatta pulled over head, an ornate neck piece and a maang-tika. “My first ever period character. Tulaja, a Maratha bodyguard,” Bipasha posted along with her picture.

Pak’s nukes may fall in terrorist hands

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Washington, December 01: American and British diplomats fear Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme could lead to fissile material falling into the hands of terrorists or a devastating nuclear exchange with India, the latest cache of US embassy cables released by WikiLeaks suggest.

The leaked cables contain warnings that Pakistan is rapidly building its nuclear stockpile despite the country’s growing instability and “pending economic catastrophe”, according to various media reports citing the leaked documents.

I couldn’t connect with the audience : Akshay

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Mumbai, December 01: “If you follow my career graph, there have been a lot of ups and downs. It doesn’t matter. I am not desperate, but, yes, I crave for a big hit all the time because I work very hard. I release around four films a year. I work very hard in each and every film,” Akshay said in an interview.

His last release was Action Replayy and the 43-year-old star feels either the screenplay or his retro look in Action Replayy couldn’t connect with the audience.

City Police hunts for a robbers’ team

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Hyderabad, December 1: City police is in search of members of an ‘Irani team’ from neighbouring states of Karnataka and Maharashtra who are robbing the public here pretending themselves to be police men. Talking to news persons Hyderabad Commissioner Police Mr A K Khan told that the members of the Irani team pretending themselves to be police officials are making public especially women as their targets.

Till date they are involved in 84 cases of robbery during the year.

Preity pips Dalai Lama in race for Himachal mark represetative

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Mumbai, December 01: The Himachalis clearly know a lot more than growing very good apples. When it came to deciding between Nobel laureate Dalai Lama and Bollywood actor Preity Zinta as their brand ambassador to promote tourism, they pitched for the starlet.

And for good reasons. Zinta was born and educated in Himachal Pradesh before she went on to establish herself as an actor. What got the Himachal government really keen on Zinta was her concern for environment, for which she has become known internationally.
–Agencies

Andhra Chief Minister Kiran Kumar assumes office

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Hyderabad, December 01: A week after taking oath, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy assumed office Wednesday and the first file he signed was related to a welfare scheme.

At 9.52 a.m., the time fixed by his astrologers, he entered his chief ministerial chamber at the state secretariat.

In an indication that he was committed to the welfare schemes launched by late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the first file he signed was related to the release of funds for Arogyasri, a scheme under which the poor are provided free medical treatment in corporate hospitals.

Hero Honda vehicle lifter arrested

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Hyderabad, December 1: Central Crime Branch of the Hyderabad city police arrested Hari koti Lenin Babu alias Lenin 38, a native of Vijaywada and recovered 20 stolen two wheelers on his identification.

Commissioner police told media persons that 55 stolen two- wheelers were also recovered from MGBS parking. He informed that owners of the vehicles were tried to inform on the basis of registration number and chassis number of the recovered vehicles.

Auto drivers weigh KCR in coins

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Hyderabad, December 1: Auto drivers belonging to the twin cities Tuesday weighed President Telangana Rashtriya Samithi K Chander Shekhar Rao in coins and donated the coins weighing equal to his weight for Telangana Maha Garjana.

400 auto drivers relating to various auto unions reached Telangana Bhawan in form of a rally led by auto union leader Aman Ullah Khan and others and got themselves enrolled as members of TRS on Tuesday.

Admiring the struggles of KCR for the formation of Telangana, auto drivers assured to extend cooperation for Telangana movement.

AFMI condoles the passing away of Dr. Omar Khalidi

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Farmington, December 01:The American Federation of Muslims of Indian origin (AFMI) expresses its deepest condolences to the family of Dr. Omar Khalidi who passed away in an car accident in Boston on November 29. He survived by his wife and a daughter.

YSR’s brother among 39 Andhra ministers sworn in

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Hyderabad, December 01: Late Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s brother Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy was among the 39 ministers inducted into the state cabinet Wednesday.

Chief Minister Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy not only dropped three loyalists of Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, the late Y.S.Rajasekara Reddy’s rebel son who is popularly known as Jagan, but also inducted a few others who were openly targeting him and demanding probe into alleged corruption during YSR’s six-year rule.

Saudi cleric questions women driving ban

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Jeddah, December 01: A Saudi religious police commander criticised the kingdom’s ban on gender mixing on Tuesday and said women did not have to veil their faces to applause from his female audience.

Sheikh Ahmed al-Ghamdi, outspoken head of the Mecca branch of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, also said there was nothing in Islam to prevent women from driving, despite the Saudi ban on the practice.

Iran woman hanged for murdering lover’s wife

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Tehran, December 01: Iran hanged Shahla Jahed, a football player’s mistress convicted of murdering his wife, in the early hours of today, Iran state news agencies have reported.

“Few minutes ago, Shahla Jahed was hanged in the courtyard of Tehran’s Evin prison after 3063 days of being kept in prison,” Fars news agency wrote in its report.

Gandhi Fellowship Programme at MANUU

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Hyderabad, December 01: Department of Sociology and Social Work, of Maulana Azad National Urdu University, invited Mr. Vivek Sharma Programme Director, Gandhi Fellowship Programme, Kaivalya Education Foundation to interact with the students to inform them about Gandhi Fellowship Programme in the auditorium of the DDE, on Tuesday.

Indian Idols beaten, arrested

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Mumbai, December 01: Wannabe singing sensations Prajakta Shukre and Abhijeet Sawant, their biggest claim to fame was as participants of ‘Indian Idol’ Season I, with the latter winning the crown, are now making news for all the wrong reasons.

In what seems like a case of a night out with friends going horribly wrong, Shukre and Abhijeet along with other friends were said to be returning together – in different vehicles – after partying at a Juhu restaurant on Tuesday night.

Muslim boy killed by lover’s father

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Mumbai, December 01: A 17-year-old boy died after being mercilessly beaten up by the father of his girlfriend at the latter’s Oshiwara house. The girl fled the home after the incident and the police are trying to trace her.

The girl’s father has been arrested for murder. The incident took place on Monday when the boy, Saddam Shaikh, went to the residence of his 15-year-old girlfriend. The girl helped the boy sneak into her room on the mezzanine floor through a window, while her parents were watching television on the ground floor.

Reservation for Indian Muslims

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New Delhi, December 01: The National Imam Convention for Muslim Reservation in its New Delhi Declaration has strongly demanded the immediate implementation of 10 percent reservation to all Muslims in Central Government services and educational institutions. The convention also demanded that a quota for Muslims be declared in all states in proportion to the percentage of Muslim population there.

‘US diplomats harassed in Pakistan for backing India’s n-programme’

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Washington, December 01: Pakistan’s security services harassed US diplomats in Islamabad, delayed visas, clogged customs clearance and sabotaged security contracts as punishment for American support for Pakistan’s civilian government and India’s nuclear programme, suggest leaked US diplomatic cables.

In a briefing to FBI director Robert Mueller ahead of a visit to Pakistan, US embassy officials in Pakistan sketched out a difficult relationship, said media reports citing one of over 250,000 documents leaked by whistleblower website WikiLeaks.