Month: March 2011

India, China to help build Ethiopia rail network

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Addis Ababa, March 30: India and China will help build a railway network across Ethiopia that would significantly improve the east African nation’s transport system.

India has pledged $300 million for the national rail network construction while China’s Export and Import (EXIM) Bank has inked a deal to finance 85 percent of the cost of a light rail network in the capital city of Addis Ababa at $490 million.

The cost of the rail network across the country has been estimated at $6 billion, according to an initial estimation.

India, China to help build Ethiopia rail network

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Addis Ababa, March 30: India and China will help build a railway network across Ethiopia that would significantly improve the east African nation’s transport system.

India has pledged $300 million for the national rail network construction while China’s Export and Import (EXIM) Bank has inked a deal to finance 85 percent of the cost of a light rail network in the capital city of Addis Ababa at $490 million.

The cost of the rail network across the country has been estimated at $6 billion, according to an initial estimation.

Maha may ban controversial book on Gandhi

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Mumbai, March 30: The Maharashtra government Tuesday indicated that it would take steps to ban “Great Soul – Mahatma Gandhi and his Struggles with India”, penned by Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Joseph Lelyveld. The book, authored by a former executive editor of the New York Times, reportedly has certain objectionable references to Gandhi and portrays the Father of the Nation in a poor light. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said he has already spoken to the central government on the issue.

Not clash of the century, it’s just a game: Yuvi

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Mohali, March 30: India’s inspirational all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has urged fans to tone down the hype around the semi-final match against Pakistan and enjoy it as a game of cricket. “I don’t believe this is the game of my life, or the clash of the century, and all that jazz,” he said. “It is a game, which is there to be won. Yes, emotions will be high, and that is not new.”

And was he even willing to contemplate a reverse?

“Well, we’ll prepare well, give our best, and leave the rest to destiny. A loss will be disappointing, to say the least. But let it be just a game.”

30 period porn films collected for Mexican film library

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Mexico City, March 30: A total of 30 classic Mexican pornographic films, most of them silent and made between 1920 and 1950, are now being collected at the national film library of Mexico. In many of them priests appear as subjects.

“El sueno de Fray Vergazo”, “Historia de un abrigo de mink” and “Las muchachas” are among the films at the Filmoteca film library of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

“It’s explicit porno. We figure it was made to be shown in bordellos (brothels),” said Guadalupe Ferrer, the library’s film programme director.

6.0-magnitude quake hits Japan

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Tokyo, March 30: An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale has shaken off the east coast of Japan’s Honshu amid a nuclear crisis, the US Geological Survey says.

The earthquake occurred at 05:29 GMT on Wednesday as the nuclear crisis is worsening in the quake-hit country, Xinhua reported.

The epicenter, with a depth of 30.30 km, was initially determined to be at 36.1348 degrees north latitude and 142.4331 degrees east longitude.

Israel releases 7 Palestinian prisoners

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Jerusalem, March 30: Israel has released seven Palestinian prisoners while thousands more are still being held in Israeli jails and detention centers without any charges or trial.

There were jubilation and tears of joy among their families and relatives as released prisoners from the besieged Gaza Strip were received on Tuesday, a Media correspondent reported.

Sadhvi to be produced in MP court

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Lucknow, March 30: Sadhvi Pragya Singh, a key accused in the 2008 Malegoan blast case, would be produced before a court in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday in connection with the murder of RSS activist Sunil Joshi. Joshi, a suspect in the Samjhauta Express blast case, was shot dead at Devas in Madhya Pradesh on December 29 , 2007.

Special public prosecutor Rohini Salian confirmed the development and said Madhya Pradesh police on Tuesday produced a warrant issued by a local court in Devas.

Mutual admiration between Sonakshi and Ranveer… What’s going on???

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Mumbai, March 30: One film old Ranveer Singh has expressed his desire to work with Sonakshi Sinha.

“She is a brilliant performer and I hope we work together soon. Although nothing is fixed as of now,” says the newbie.

Just a few weeks back, Sonakshi revealed on Karan Johar’s chat show, the she would like to date “Ranveer Singh, if only he was single!”

We wonder what Anushka has to say about this mutual admiration of the one-film wonders.

–Agencies

Loose cricket will hurt India

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Mumbai, March 30: Indians have talent and history in their favour, but Pakistan have made a strong impact in the tournament.

Given the hoopla surrounding today’s semi-final, there can be little doubt that the India-Pakistan rivalry is cricket’s biggest showpiece event. But while it exceeds the Ashes in terms of number of followers and intensity of passion, it still lags behind in terms of legacy value.

How India can banana-peel Pakistan!

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New Delhi, March 30: An Indo-Pak encounter on a cricket field, besides bringing the game’s biggest animosity to the fore, has the capacity to go beyond just a game. And while it always keeps the umpires and match referees on the toes, fans expect their players to go for the enemy’s head in a bloodless war.

That’s when on-field spats like the one between Gautam Gambhir and Shahid Afridi, or the more famous one between Venkatesh Prasad and Aamir Sohail, turn the encounter into an over-brewed coffee that results in a glut of energy.

Message for Mohali – straight from the web

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New Delhi, March 30: If it’s the talk of the town, could social networking sites be far behind? Celebrities and commoners alike posted last minute online messages of excitement, tension and good luck on the India-Pakistan semifinal in Mohali Wednesday.

An excited Sania Mirza, Indian tennis player, tweeted early Wednesday: “Okkkk…here we gooo…good luck Team India..more than a billion wishes are with you…give it ur all..(sic)”.

Film personality Pritish Nandy similarly tweeted: “Pakistan’s bowlers vs India’s batsmen: that’s the real battle today”.

Obama: Gaddafi will step down

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Washington, March 30: Amid mounting concerns about the West’s military operations in Libya, US President Barack Obama defines the objective of the joint US-NATO war as toppling of Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

The US chief executive said he was confident that the Libyan leader would “ultimately” step down and that the “noose” was tightening around beleaguered Gaddafi.

‘France ready to discuss arming Libyans’

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Paris, March 30: French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe says France is ready to discuss arming Libyan revolutionaries with its coalition partners although this is not part of the United Nations resolution.

A new political contact group has been created comprising 20 countries and organizations and would meet next in Qatar, then Italy, Reuters quoted Juppe as saying after a meeting of foreign ministers and international organizations to discuss post-Gaddafi Libya in London on Tuesday.

Srinagar cautious, no big screens for Mohali match

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Srinagar, March 30 (IANS) Ban on gathering of more than four people was in place in this summer capital city Wednesday, traffic ran thin, and educational institutions and government offices recorded minimum attendances ahead of the Mohali clash between India and Pakistan.

“Nobody would be allowed to disturb peace and tranquillity in the city,” said Ashiq Hussain Bukhari, Srinagar’s senior superintendent of police (SSP).

He also said no big screen viewing of the day’s semifinal clash would be allowed in market squares and public places.

Afghan war kills 2 more US-led soldiers

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Kabul, March 30: A militant attack has claimed the lives of two foreign troops in eastern Afghanistan, bringing to 106 the number of US-led soldiers killed in the war-ravaged country this year.

NATO’s International Security Assistance Force said in a statement released Wednesday that the soldiers were killed Tuesday, Xinhua reported.

“Two International Security Assistance Force service members died following an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan yesterday,” the statement said without revealing the nationality of the soldier.

I bow down to the Sheilas and Munnis: Caterina Lopez

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New Delhi, March 30: Caterina is international pop star Jennifer Lopez’s cousin and loves everything about Bollywood – its song-dance culture, superstar Shah Rukh Khan and it’s fun experience. She feels that Hollywood has become too repetitive and says she bows down to the “beautiful Sheilas and Munnis” as they are “awesome”.

She will make her Bollywood debut with an item song in the movie “Bhindi Baazaar. Inc”.

John and Bips believe in professionalism… They are back together on-screen

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Mumbai, March 30: It is heard that the “just separated” couple, Bipasha Basu and John Abraham will be seen together on screen for a shampoo advertisement.

As a source is quoted as saying by a tabloid, “Their contract with an anti-dandruff shampoo brand recently ended. Another brand has offered them big money to endorse the product together. They even shot a TV commercial for it recently.”

Salman is out to seek revenge from his ex-flame

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Mumbai, March 30: Salman Khan hasn’t taken his ex girlfriend’s open declaration of her love for Ranbir Kapoor very well. What hurt him even more is that how she would never go back to her ex-flame.

Sallu has now completely lost it and is trying his best to be a major hindrance in Kaif’s career graph.

According to a source, “Salman Khan has done everything in his capacity to make Katrina a leading star.

However after their break up and her alleged relationship and break up with Ranbir Kapoor, Salman is out to seek revenge.

World Cup semifinal: city on alert

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Hyderabad, March 30: City police has directed its staff to remain vigilant ahead of the Cricket World Cup semi final between India and Pakistan.

An official of city police told that all officials of city police are directed to be on alert in the event of world cup semi-final match between India and Pakistan and are instructed to keep eye on bookies.

It’s a match, not an encounter between enemies: Pakistani paper

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Islamabad, March 30: The India-Pakistan World Cup semifinal at Mohali “will be fought tooth and nail but as a cricket match, not an encounter between enemies”, said a leading Pakistani daily. “It’s a cricket match. Repeat: it’s a cricket match,” it reminded readers.

An editorial appeared in the Dawn Wednesday, a day when India and Pakistan will play a crucial match that will be witnessed by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on an invitation from his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh.

CBI to file 80,000-page charge sheet in 2G spectrum allocation

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New Delhi, March 30: On Tuesday the Central Bureau of Investigation informed the Supreme Court that it would file an 80,000-page charge sheet in the 2G spectrum allocation scam against the former Communications Minister A. Raja, four former Telecom officials and two companies on April 2. It was originally proposed to be filed on March 31.

Senior counsel K.K. Venugopal told a Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and A.K. Ganguly that the agency was still in the process of readying the charge-sheet.

Major changes in MBBS curriculum proposed

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New Delhi, March 30: The Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India (MCI) has proposed major changes in the undergraduate curriculum and training programme that would create an “Indian Medical Graduate,” who will have necessary competence to assume his or her role as a healthcare provider.

Mexican soccer players’ fines go to charity

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Mexico City, March 30: The fines imposed on Mexican national soccer team players for having a private party in September 2010 were donated to charity, an official said.

The players were consulted on the decision to donate the 650,000 pesos ($54,166) collected from them to three foundations, National Team Commission director Hector Gonzalez Inarritu said.

The players were fined for attending a party at a hotel in Monterrey, the capital of the northern state of Nuevo Leon.

World Cup boom for Firozabad bangles

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Firozabad, March 30: Firozabad bangle makers have hit a gold mine with the current World Cup cricket fever boosting the demand for specially designed ‘cricket bangles’ and kangan (bracelets).

“Right now there’s tremendous demand for our World Cup cricket bangles from all parts of India, particularly from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh,” Ashwini Gupta, Firozabad’s biggest bangle supplier, told IANS.

One set of four to five multi-colour bangles in kangan style costs around Rs.70, Gupta said.