Month: January 2011

Can Pakistani Govt Survive?

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Islamabad, January 03: Finalizing a move that began last week when they left the cabinet, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the liberal party that dominates Karachi politics, today announced that they are joining the opposotion, leaving Pakistan’s coalition government roughly a dozen seats short of majority.

The question then becomes whether the Zardari government can hold on as a minority government through the next two years of their term, or if early elections will indeed take place. Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani again, as he so often has, insisted the party would retain power.

Objection against playing film songs before a mosque, 10 hurt

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Bodhan, January 3: some Muslims youth expressed resentment when a youth belonging to majority community was hearing film songs in a mobile before a mosque at the time of Isha prayers. It created some arguments however the matter was put to rest after some time.

After a while a gang of majority community armed with lathis gathered before the mosque and started attacking Muslims passersby. 10 persons were assaulted in the attack among those two youth were severely injured.

Aamir can’t have enough of Salman

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New Delhi, January 03: It seems Aamir Khan is quite fascinated with the idea of using fellow actor Salman Khan’s style statements in his productions. Keeping up the trend, the Bollywood perfectionist has made visible references to the star in his upcoming movie “Dhobi Ghat”.

It’s believed that the hit song “Pappu can’t dance saala” in Aamir’s 2008 hit production “Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na” was a dig at Salman and his lifestyle. Then Aamir’s small-budget satirical hit “Peepli Live” last year had an actor sporting the star’s trademark bracelet with blue stone.

No talks between Digvijay Singh, Karkare, claims VHP leader

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Bhopal, January 03: There were no phone calls between Congress leader Digvijay Singh and slain anti-terror squad chief Hemant Karkare Nov 26, 2008, the day of the Mumbai terror attacks, a Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader claimed here Monday.

Singh, AICC general secretary and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, said Sunday that he has details of the call and that he would reveal it soon.

However, B.L. Tiwari, a senior VHP leader in the state, Monday countered the claim and showed reporters papers he said he received through the Right to Information Act.

Samjhauta blasts: Hindu group leader’s custody extended

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Panchkula, January 03: A special court here Monday extended, by 10 days, the police custody of Hindu group leader Swami Aseemanand in connection with the 2007 Samjhauta Express train blasts in Haryana that killed 68 people.

Aseemanand was brought before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court amidst tight security cover Monday afternoon. The proceedings were in-camera and no media person was allowed to enter the court while he was presented before the judge.

Earlier, Dec 24, the special judge sent Aseemanand to 10-day police custody.

Malik blames terror to shield army on Benazir death

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Islamabad, January 03: The Plot to assassinate former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was hatched at a terrorist hideout, interior minister Rehman Malik said.

The minister dismissed reports that the 2007 murder was planned at an army brigadier’s home.

Malik asked the media to avoid speculation on the issue until the final report of the investigation was presented to the central executive committee ( CEC) of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party ( PPP), The Express Tribune reported on Sunday.

Katrina and Salman: Truth is yet to be unfolded

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Mumbai, January 03: The spotlight is on Katrina Kaif these days. The media’s prying eyes in Katrina’s private life seems to drive her nuts. After rumours of a split between Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina, Bollywood were buzzing with rumours that Katrina was probably trying to make her relationship work with her ex boyfriend, Salman Khan.

Quite a number of celebrities from tinsel town had flown to Dubai to celebrate the New Year and Salman was also one of them. Rumours were rife that Katrina will probably bury the past and join Salman in Dubai for the festivities.

Cheap Veena Malik is denigrating Pakistani women

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Mumbai, January 03: Pakistani actress Meera is not happy with the way her fellow actress Veena Malik conducted herself on Colors’ reality show “Bigg Boss 4” and accuses her of portraying Pakistani women in poor light.

“Veena Malik is acting very cheap. The way she presented herself in front of Indian audiences is not right. She is denigrating the image of Pakistani women. This is not how women in Pakistan are, ” Meera, who is in India to shoot for diector Faizal Khan’s Hindi movie “Om Allah”, told in an interview.

Priyanka welcomes New Year, but nervous about 2011

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Mumbai, January 03: Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra looks back at the past decade with pride, but hints that she is a little “nervous” about what the future holds for her. Nevertheless, she is raring to go.

“Today woke up with a strange sense of nervousness, fear maybe.. Worry also.. Wondering what direction life will take… new or familiar? I’ve always been God’s favourite child. N everything happened for a reason. I look back at the last ten years n have a knowing smile that I’m right, ” Priyanka posted on her Twitter page Saturday.

US troops in Iraq shown raunchy videos

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Washington, January 03: The US is probing how raunchy videos, with sexual and anti-gay remarks, were produced and shown to the crew of an aircraft carrier deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The videos, shown to those on board the USS Enterprise in 2006 and 2007, and descriptions of their content were first published during the weekend by website of The Virginian Pilot newspaper in Virginia.

The newspaper said the videos were shown to nearly 6,000 crew.

I’m not as big a star as Aamir or Salman: SRK

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Mumbai, January 03: After fighting it out for years for the B-Town crown, Shah Rukh Khan has passed it on to two of his biggest rivals Aamir Khan and Salman Khan.

On the couch of Koffee With Karan (KWK), SRK, in one of his most mellow moods, has spoken candidly about friends, co- stars, films and much more.

But one striking note in this chat appears to be when Shah Rukh reveals that he needs to grow up as Salman and Aamir have.

All India Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology conference to begin from Wednesday

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Hyderabad, January 3: The Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI) is organizing 54th All Indian Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology from 5-9 of January in Hyderabad International Convention Centre located in Hyderabad International Trade Expositions Ltd (HITEX) (Madhapur) which is spread over in 70 acres that provides world class infrastructure to international exhibitors and organizers.

Union minister of health and family welfare Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad will inaugurate the conference.

Iranian opposition leader ready for open trial: Report

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Tehran, January 03: A reformist web site says a top Iranian opposition leader is prepared to stand trial over post-election protests if the proceedings are open.

Kaleme.com on Monday cites reformist Mehdi Karroubi as saying an open trial would be a measure of the government’s claims.

Last week, Tehran’s chief prosecutor said it was only a matter of time before opposition leaders would be tried for the rioting that followed the disputed 2009 presidential balloting.

Major 7.2 magnitude earthquake hits Chile

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Washington, January 03: A major earthquake of 7.2 magnitude hit central Chile on Sunday, the US Geological Survey said.

The epicenter was 60 miles (96 km) northwest of Temuco at a depth of 20.5 miles, it said.

“No destructive widespread tsunami threat exists based on historical and tsunami data,” said the Hawaii-based Tsunami Center.

Chile, the world’s top copper producer, has seen its economy surge on the heavy spending to rebuild cities ravaged by a quake in February last year and record prices for its main export.

-Agencies

Desperate Gilani woos oppn to save govt

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Islamabad, January 03: Pakistan’s beleaguered Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday reached out to the opposition PML-Q in a desperate attempt to shore up his government. This as clamour mounted for his resignation a day after key ally MQM withdrew its support from the coalition.

After the withdrawal of support by Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, the Pakistan People’s Party-led federal government has been reduced to a minority, controlling around 160 seats in the 342-member national assembly, triggering a horse trading for new allies.

Schwarzenegger bows out as California governor

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Los Angeles, January 03: Arnold Schwarzenegger today stepped down as California ” Governator”, defending his record to the last — and keeping fans and others guessing about his next move.

After seven years at the helm of the Golden State, the former champion body builder turned “Terminator” movie megastar and businessman is leaving his adopted home mired in huge financial woes.

But as he prepared to hand over power to Democrat Jerry Brown two months after November 2 polls — Arnie stood by all his decisions.

Audience rescued after Australia cinema roof collapse

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Melbourne, January 03: Over a dozen trapped Australians were rescued after the ceiling of a cinema in a New South Wales suburb caved in today during a heavy storm.

Emergency crews freed 36 trapped cinema goers in Bathurst and no fatality was reported, police said. However, rescue and medical teams put different figures of tapped people.

According to the authorities, ceiling of the Bathurst Metro Cinema collapsed at 12:45 pm (local time), trapping movie watchers, media reports said.

No causality was reported in the collapse, but some people suffered injuries.

Over 100 Hindu families in Pak want to migrate to India

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Islamabad, January 03: Over a 100 Hindu families in Pakistan’s Balochistan province are making efforts to migrate to India after becoming the target of a campaign of kidnappings and extortion, according to a media report today.

The Hindus of southwestern Balochistan have been hit hardest by incidents of abduction for ransom and extortion, with the records of the province’s Home Department showing that a large number of the 291 people abducted last year were Hindus, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.

All India Muslim Think Tank’s two-day conference

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Hyderabad, January 3: A two day conference of All India Muslim Think Tank will be held on January 8 and 9 at Hamdard University, New Delhi presided by Mr. Qutub Uddin Naik. The conference will mull over Muslims’ welfare and prosperity, education and financial issues in detail.

A delegation of All India Muslim Think Tank Andhra Pradesh chapter will set off for the two-day conference headed by Andhra Pradesh president Mr. Mohammad Allauddin Ansari advocate.

Adarsh scam: Former IAS officer Subhash Lalla resigns

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Mumbai, January 03: Former IAS officer Subhash Lalla, who allegedly had a role in the Adarsh Housing muddle, today resigned as a member of Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission to become the first bureaucrat to be consumed by the scam.

Lalla, whose kin owns a flat in the Adarsh Housing Society in South Mumbai, met Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan at Raj Bhavan this morning and submitted his resignation from the post.

“The Governor has accepted Lalla”s resignation,” Raj Bhavan spokesperson said.

‘Mossad behind Iran scientist’s murder’

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Tehran, January 03: A Portuguese publication has revealed that Israeli intelligence service Mossad was behind the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Majid Shahriari.

Top Mossad officials gathered at the spy agency’s headquarters in northern Tel Aviv and said the killing of Shahriari would be Mossad’s last covert operation under its current director, the Expresso weekly wrote in an article.

A British expert, who has recently authored a book on the Israeli intelligence apparatus, also says Israel was behind the operation to hinder Tehran’s nuclear program.

Large scale riots threat in Telangana, post Jan. 6

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Hyderabad, January 3: Security forces anticipate large scale insurgence in the aftermath of January 6 but they don’t have prior knowledge as to the forms of violence and its target, owing to that intelligence agencies are very much worried.

In the wake of Srikrishna committees report on separate Telangana issue coming to the fore on January 6 and consultation meet called by Union Home minister, large scale violence is feared in the Telangana region.

Watch Katy Perry Sans Makeup On Twitter

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Los Angeles, January 03: Did you ever imagine what singer Katy Perry looks like when she is without makeup? Fans of different celebrities around the world are often curious to know the same, and if you were one of those lucky (or unlucky) ones, you may have spotted a completely natural Katy Perry on the Twitter account of her comedian hubby Russell Brand. Perhaps Katy Perry is furious with her husband about playing a joke on her in real life, how else would you explain the sudden removal of the candid picture from Twitter within hours of uploading it!

Nitish, ministers assets made public

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Patna, January 03: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar lags far behind his ministerial colleagues in his wealth, details of which were made public today.

Details of the assets of 30 Bihar ministers, including Kumar”s were uploaded in the government websites as a step towards ending corruption and promised by the chief minister.

Kumar”s moveable assets include Rs 31,760 in cash, Rs 57,770 in bank account, a Santro car of 2003 model, an old TV set, an old airconditioner, a fridge, a cooler and cows worth Rs 1.67 lakh.

Shah Rukh”s passion is contagious: Arjun Rampal

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New Delhi, January 03: He plays ”Ra.One” in Shah Rukh Khan”s much awaited home production of the same name and Arjun Rampal says that the superhero flick is King Khan”s most ambitious project ever and he is going all out for it.

Shah Rukh plays the role of G.One in the superhero flick which is being touted as Bollywood”s most expensive film and his passion is the driving force behind it, said Rampal.