Riyadh, March 05: Hundreds of Saudi demonstrators have taken to the streets in the capital Riyadh for the first time to join anti-government protests in other cities in the Arab country, calling for the release of political prisoners.
After Friday prayers in Riyadh, protesters gathered in front of Al-Rajhi Mosque in the east of the capital and chanted anti-government and anti-corruption slogans.
Somalia, March 05: At least 28 people have been killed and 34 others injured in clashes between al-Shabab fighters and African Union (AU) troops in war-torn Somalia.
The clashes erupted after government forces backed by AU troops launched attacks on the districts of Hodan and Hawl Wadag, leading to a heavy exchange of gunfire with al-Shabab fighters,
Meanwhile, Somalia’s Ahlu Sunna Waljama deployed 1,000 soldiers to fight the al-Shabab opposition.
The troops will launch new offensives against the al-Shabab fighters in the Galgudud region, according to Ahlu Sunna officials.
Hyderabad, March 05: The Intermediate exams scheduled for March 10 are likely to be postponed to March 22 because of the ‘Million March’ announced by the Telangana Joint Action Committee. Intermediate students are scheduled to appear for their English paper on March 10. The state government is likely to make a formal announcement on postponement of the exam on Saturday.
However, the government is still undecided over whether to restrict the exam postponement only to Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts, or extend it to the entire Telangana region, or the whole state.
Dhaka, March 05: Angry fans attacked the house of Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan after his team crashed to a humiliating nine-wicket World Cup defeat against the West Indies, according to police.
Shakib’s mother and sister were inside the three-storey house in the western district town of Magura when several motor-cycle riders stopped and threw stones at the house on Friday evening, local police chief Proloy Chisim said.
“The stones broke one window of the house. His father spoke to me after the incident and we have already stepped up security in the area,” he told to media.
London, March 05: Reality TV star Heidi Montag is not signing up for the show “Celebrity Rehab”.
“No, I’m not joining the cast,” people.com quoted her as saying.
The former “Hills” star was earlier said to be sharing a room with “Real Housewives of D.C.” star Michaele Salahi on the reality TV show, which is hosted by Drew Pinsky.
“I’m actually on my way to see ‘Just Go With It’ for the first time,” she says. Montag has a cameo in the Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler flick.
Other members include actress Bai Ling and “Baywatch” star Jeremy Jackson.
–IANS
New Delhi, March 05: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and other leaders on Saturday paid tribute to veteran Congress leader Arjun Singh, who died of cardiac arrest here a day earlier at the age of 80.
Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi visited the former union minister’s 17, Akbar Road residence where his body has been kept and expressed their condolences to the grieving family. According to a family member, his body will be flown to hometown Churhat in Madhya Pradesh, where the last rites will be performed on Sunday.
Hyderabad, March 05: The Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, brushed aside rumours that President’s Rule will soon be imposed on the state. Speaking to newsmen in his Assembly chambers on Friday, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy said, “Where is the question of Constitutional machinery breaking down in the state? Why should there be President’s Rule? Is it so easy to get this approved by Parliament?” He chided the scribe who put the question and added, “Don’t worry, everything is alright here, don’t believe the rumours.”
Hyderabad, March 05: A one-month-old baby girl and two others were critically injured after a fire broke out in a house at Malakpet.
The fire broke out when a can of petrol, which the family had stored to sell, accidently spilled on a burning lamp, police said.
According to police, the mishap took place in the house of 48-year Champa Pawar, who also runs a kirana store in her house at Shalivahana Nagar in Malakpet.
Hyderabad, March 05: On Friday the Telangana Rashtra Samiti sprang a surprise by filing nomination for the MLC polls under the Assembly quota. Md. Mahmood Ali filed his nomination papers on Friday proposed by 10 TRS MLAs.
All the MLAs were present when the papers were filed before the Returning Officer, Mr Raja Sadaaram, the Legislature Secretary. This is the first nomination in the ongoing MLC polls for 10 seats from the Assembly quota with March 7 being the last date for filing the papers.
New Delhi, March 05: Despite a more than decade long campaign to get more women’s representation in India’s legislative bodies, including parliament, women are still missing from politics as patriarchal attitudes create doubts in their own minds as well as in society over their capability to be good leaders, activists and researchers say.
New Delhi, March 05: “I respect the judgement of the Supreme Court and I accept my responsibility,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh responded on Friday, a day after the apex court struck down the controversial appointment of PJ Thomas as the Central Vigilance Commissioner.
“It is necessary to ensure that such things do not happen again,” Singh said at a press conference on being asked about his future course of action on the issue.
The Prime Minister, who has been targeted by the opposition, also said this issue did not relate to coalition compulsions.
Chennai, March 05: With only a month for the Tamil Nadu elections, the ruling DMK is meeting Saturday to decide whether or not to ally with the Congress, which insists on contesting from 63 of 234 constituencies.
The DMK has called the Congress demand “unjustified”.
In a statement past midnight Friday, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said: “Tonight over the phone, the Congress expressed their demand for 63 seats of their choice.
New Delhi, March 05: After decades of publishing books for adults and children, publishers are now targeting the young adults segment, which is through with its quota of Enid Blytons. On offer is a quaint mix ranging from thrillers to vampire romance.
The idea is to keep the young adult, between the age group of 15 and 20 years, clued to the printed word.
Mumbai, March 05: Child actor Rubina Ali, who featured in the Oscar-winning `Slumdog Millionaire` has lost her home in the major fire, that gutted several shanties in suburban Bandra.
“I have lost everything including the film memorabilia,” Rubina told reporters.
The 12-year-old said she was inside her home when fire broke out in the Garibnagar slums last night. Three persons were injured and hundreds were rendered homeless in the incident.
“So far, nobody has come to help us,” the child artist said.
Hyderabad, March 05: After a 16-day non-cooperation movement, Andhra Pradesh government employees in Telangana region Saturday returned to work after the government accepted some of their demands.
Over 300,000 employees in Hyderabad and nine other districts resumed work but leaders of the Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee (JAC) said they had only temporarily withdrawn the stir.
Melbourne, March 05: George Bush and Osama bin Laden having dinner with Elvis Presley is a greater possibility than Australian cricketers being involved in spot-fixing, says pacer Stuart Clark, who feels the speculation was an attempt by the Indian media to sabotage their World Cup campaign.,
Hyderabad, March 05: On a day when Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy claimed that the State will be back on track soon, the Congress leadership made the first political move in that direction – bringing in the shrewd Ghulam Nabi Azad as the new AICC incharge for party affairs in Andhra Pradesh.
Ahmedabad, March 05: The aim of the criminal conspiracy in the 2002 Godhra train burning case was to target ‘karsevaks’ travelling in the Sabarmati Express, the special court has concluded in its judgement.
The court, on March 1, sentenced 11 accused to death and 20 others to life imprisonment. A copy of the judgement was made available today.
“The cause of fire which took place in coach S-6 was not short circuit or accidental because of any leakage of kerosene from stove of any passenger; but definitely petrol in huge quantity came to be poured inside the coach,” the court has held.
Cairo, March 05: Egypt will hold a national referendum March 19 on amendments to its constitution, the ruling military council said on its Facebook page.
The council, which has been governing the North African country after the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak, has suspended the constitution.
Amendments are being drafted by a constitutional reform commission comprising 10 people, including legal experts, judges from the constitutional and other courts and university professors.
New Delhi, March 05: Veteran Congress leader Arjun Singh, who has had a long and chequered career in Madhya Pradesh as Chief Minister and as Union Minister, died here today after a long illness.
Singh (81), who was admitted to AIIMS some days ago with chest pain and neuro problems, complained of breathing problem around 1730 hours. He suffered a heart attack and breathed his last around 1815 hours, sources said.
Incidentally, Singh was today dropped from the party’s highest policy making body Congress Working Committeee today and was made a Permanent Invitee.
Melbourne, March 05: Controversial former umpire Darrell Hair has claimed that many of the current officials suspect Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan’s action but do not want to call him in matches for the fear of creating a furore.
Hair, who called Muralitharan for suspect action back in 1995, said many of the current umpires feel the same about the Lankan but prefer to turn a blind eye.
“A couple of current umpires have said to me, ‘Something is wrong’, but they prefer to let it go,” Hair, who quit the ICC’s elite panel in 2008, was quoted as saying by ‘the Herald Sun’.
Chennai, March 05: England have recovered from the shock loss to minnows Ireland in a World Cup match and the team is confident of beating title favourites South Africa in tomorrow’s must-win match, insisted all-rounder Paul Collingwood.
“Of course we got a disappointing result against Ireland. But this team usually bounces back from disappointments very fast and immediately. We want a good result on Sunday,”Collingwood said last night on the sidelines of a function to launch Slazenger sports products, for which he is one of the brand ambassadors.
Bangalore, March 05: Abu Jandal, a key Lashkare- Taiba operative, is said to have planned terror strikes in India during the World Cup matches in various cities, including Bangalore.
Ministry of Home Affairs and the Intelligence Bureau have issued an alert directing the home departments of the states to upgrade security where World Cup matches are being held. The alert also called for stringent arrangements at entry points like frisking and keeping a tab on material taken into the stadium.
Cairo, March 05: Protesters in the Egyptian city of Alexandria stormed the headquarters of the state security agency after there were reports that officers were destroying key documents, according to the BBC.
Many people were injured after police inside the building fired at the protesters late Friday. The clashes came to an end after soldiers arrived and took control of the building.
Witnesses said officers inside were trying to destroy papers.
Agra, March 05: Till recently it was a mere conjecture, but now signs of stress and physical distortions on the marble surface are beginning to confirm what everyone has been fearing – the Taj Mahal is in real danger from the dry and polluted Yamuna.
“It’s simple, plain and logical to suggest that the Taj Mahal cannot remain in good health for long if its sustaining force, the river Yamuna, is in poor condition,” declares R. Nath, whose latest book on the Taj, India’s iconic tourist destination and a World Heritage monument, explains the developing scenario in detail.