Month: March 2011

Obama meets Ban Ki moon to discuss Libya

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Washington, March 01: US President Barack Obama met UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon to discuss further steps in the international bid to deter the violence by Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi against anti-government protesters in the African nation.

Obama met Ban at his Oval office of the White House yesterday.

“With respect to Libya, the Secretary General indicated that he intended to name a senior-level person to coordinate the United Nations humanitarian and political efforts with respect to Libya,” US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice told reporters at the White House.

Madhuri Dixit still enchants

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Mumbai, March 01: “We had been trying to get Madhuri as a judge for the past two seasons. She has been known as a dancing diva and who better could we have got for a show which is all about perfect dancing,” Ajay Bhalwankar, programming head, Sony, told us.

“She has added a lot of freshness to the show and she is an extremely honest judge. In all our four seasons, this season has been the highest TRP earner thanks to Madhuri,” he added.

Rupee gains 15 p against US dollar in early trade

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Mumbai, March 01: The Indian rupee gained 15 paise to Rs 45.12 per dollar at the Interbank Foreign Exchange today on the back of dollar weakness against other currency rivals.

Forex dealers said continued weakness of the dollar against other currencies and shifting of funds from the forex market to firming equities mainly pulled down the dollar.

The Indian rupee had gained 5 paise to 45.27/28 against the US dollar in the previous session amid firming equities and mild dollar-selling by exporters on the day that the Union Budget for FY’12 was announced.

‘Rail roko’ stir cripples train services in Telangana

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Hyderabad, March 01: Train services across Telangana region were paralysed today as TRS, TDP, BJP workers along with other Telangana supporters began a dawn-to-dusk ‘rail roko’ agitation in support of the separate statehood demand.

Scores of activists of various political parties blocked the trains at several places in various Telangana districts of Nalgonda, Warangal, Mahabubnagar and also Hyderabad as per the ‘Palle Palle Pattala Paiki’ (villages on railway tracks) agitation called by the Telangana political Joint Action Committee (JAC).

Contractor gets life sentence in Iraq

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Baghdad, March 01: The family of Danny Fitzsimons said yesterday they feared he would kill himself after the security contractor was given a life sentence by an Iraqi court.

In the case of the first Westerner to be tried since the beginning of the war in 2003, the 30-year-old Briton was found guilty of murdering his ArmorGroup colleagues Paul McGuigan and Darren Hoare in August 2009, as well as attempting to murder an Iraqi, Arkhan Mahdi.

Budget Pro-Poor, Pro-Farmer & Pro-Reforms: AP CM

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Hyderabad, March 01: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy said the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was “pro-poor, pro-farmer and pro-reforms.”

Mukherjee has done “what is possible under the circumstances” to all sections of people right from farmers to tax payers and senior citizens,” he said.

The Chief Minister expressed happiness that the country was on high economic growth path and the GDP increased to 8.2 per cent compared to 7.3 per cent previous year and overall economic growth rate in the current year was 8.6 per cent.

Reinvestigation in Rizwanur murder case today

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New Delhi, March 01: The Supreme Court will on Monday pronounce its verdict on appeals challenging the Calcutta High Court’s order for a fresh CBI probe into the death of computer graphics teacher Rizwanur Rahman who had married the daughter of industrialist Ashok Todi.

The High Court had asked the agency to probe the matter after registering a case of murder in connection with the incident.

No Filing of Tax Returns If Salary is Only Income

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New Delhi, MArch 01:Salary earners having an income of less than Rs 5 lakhs will not have to file tax returns from this year, a finance ministry official said.

“Salaried people, may be up to Rs 5 lakh…They need not file the (income tax) return,” CBDT chairman Sudhir Chandra told reporters at the customary post-Budget press conference.

The exemption from filing tax returns come into effect from the assessment year 2011-12.

Bahrain protesters block parliament

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Manama, March 01: Anti-government protesters blockaded Bahrain’s parliament and massed outside the state broadcaster Monday in efforts to escalate pressure on the nation’s embattled monarchy after two weeks of nonstop marches and deadly clashes.

The demonstrations appear part of a strategy to hold rallies at sensitive locations in the capital Manama while maintaining a round-the-clock protest base in a landmark square in the tiny Gulf kingdom.

Egypt could ban Muslim Brotherhood

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Brussels, March 01: A senior Israeli official is suggesting the Muslim Brotherhood should be banned from standing in Egyptian elections because it is an extremist organisation.

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said today Israel would object to the Brotherhood being part of a future government “on the merit of their agenda … and their policies.”

The Brotherhood, which has renounced violence, is Egypt’s largest and best-organised opposition group. It was banned during the rule of recently ousted President Hosni Mubarak.

Three cops killed in landmine blast

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Jharkhand, March 01: Three policemen were killed and a couple of others injured in a landmine blast by suspected Maoists in Chatra district late on Monday night, reports said.

The explosion occurred when a jeep carrying the policemen who were returning from patrolling drove over the landmine at Lakrai More in Tandua area.

The explosives were planted by the Maoists, who seized the weapons of the police party before fleeing.

Senior police officials have rushed to the spot.

Further details are awaited.

—Agencies

CBSE Board exams for Class 12, 10 begin today

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New Delhi, March 01: Over 769,929 students are appearing in the Class 12 exam of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) which start Tuesday.

The Class 10 Board exams would also begin the same day. Over 1,061,566 students will appear in Class 10 exams, almost 15 percent higher than last year.

‘A total of 454,131 boys and 315,798 girls will be appear in Class 12 board exams, while the Class 10 exam would be taken by 632,726 boys and 428,840 girls,’ a CBSE official said

—IANS

No Oscar to Rahman this time

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Mumbai, March 01: A. R. Rahman was hoping to have a special moment and conquer many Indian hearts by winning the Oscars for the second time for Danny Boyle’s ‘127 Hours’ (If I Rise track) in the Original score and Original Song category as his last win at the Oscars was for ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ in 2009.

However, sadly, the Indian music maestro couldn’t sweep the desirable trophy at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards on Sunday night.

Telangana on boil again, rail traffic blocked

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Hyderabad, March 01: Rail traffic in Hyderabad and nine other districts of Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh Tuesday came to a grinding halt as protesters demanding separate statehood to the region squatted on the railway tracks at most of the railway stations and in villages.

The protesters of various pro-Telangana groups stopped dozens of trains in and around Hyderabad, Nalgonda, Warangal, Nizamabad, Khammam and other districts even as railway authorities have cancelled 25 express trains causing severe inconvenience to passengers.

K’taka HC Bans Airing Of ‘Nithyananda Sex Tape’

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Bangalore, March 01: The Karnataka High Court ordered emergent notice to the government and the media in connection with a petition filed by Tamil actress Ranjitha challenging the telecast of a video clipping “depicting” her and self-styled godman Nityananda in an obscene act.

Justice B S Patil, who heard the matter, ordered an injunction to 40 news organisations including print and electronic media. An emergent notice has also been ordered.

In her petition, Ranjitha submitted that the video clipping telecast on March 2 last year was digitally manipulated.

Sentencing in Godhra train burning case today

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New Delhi, March 01: A special court is expected to announce the quantum of punishment for the 31 people convicted in the 2002 Godhra train burning case on Tuesday.

They were found guilty of criminal conspiracy and murder last Tuesday. The prosecution has sought death penalty for all those convicted.

The court had also acquitted 63 others in the case including the key conspirator Maulvi Hussain Umarji.

Fifty-nine people were killed in the train burning incident, that triggered off the country’s worse communal riots in Gujarat that killed over 1000 people.

Roach hat-trick leads Windies win

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New Delhi, March 01: Kemar Roach grabbed six wickets, including a hat-trick, and Kieron Pollard smashed 60 off 27 balls to help West Indies thrash the Netherlands by 215 runs in the World Cup on Monday.

Pollard built on the platform laid by Chris Gayle, who made 80, as the Caribbean side posted 330-8 before bowling out their hapless opponents for 115 off 31.3 overs in the Group B game at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium.

The West Indies’ total was the highest at the ground, which is coming off a 12-month suspension over a dangerous playing surface.

Man who came back from ‘dead’ to sue wife

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Chandigarh, March 01: A septuagenarian former Indian Air Force (IAF) official declared dead by a local Punjab court in 1996 on the basis of evidence submitted by his family members, has now decided to file a case against his wife and sons.Sital Singh Bagi, who retired as warrant officer from the IAF in September 1986, was declared dead in 1996 by a local court in Rajpura town in Patiala district of Punjab, around 45 km from here.

Bagi had to fight a 12-year-long legal battle to prove that he was not dead.

Youngest W.Cup cricketer inspired by dad’s death

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Nagpur, March 01: Sixteen-year-old schoolboy Nitish Kumar became the youngest ever World Cup player on Monday, but his only regret was that his father, killed in a 2005 car crash, was not there to see it.

The teenager was named in Canada’s team to face Zimbabwe and at 16 years and 283 days, supplanted Bangladesh’s Talha Jubair, who was 17 years and 70 days old when he featured against the West Indies in the 2007 World Cup.

But his debut was tinged with sadness.

England cricket best yet to come, Bell tells rivals

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Bangalore, March 01: Ian Bell has insisted there is plenty more to come from England at the World Cup following their thrilling tie with co-hosts India that breathed new life into the group phase of the tournament.

England, set an imposing 339 to win, finished on 338 for eight after Bell, who made 69, helped captain Andrew Strauss put on 170 for the third wicket in a match where the skipper went on to a career-best 158.

Stuart Broad set to return

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Bangalore, March 01: England expect Stuart Broad to return to training on Tuesday after the seam bowler missed their nail-biting World Cup tie with co-hosts India through illness.

Broad has been confined to bed for several days but an England spokesman told AFP on Monday: “Broad’s much improved today and we’re hopeful he’ll be able to take part in a full practice session tomorrow (Tuesday).”

England continue their quest for a maiden World Cup title against Ireland at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Taibu shines as Zimbabwe rout Canada

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Nagpur, March 01: Tatenda Taibu just missed a maiden World Cup century while Raymond Price grabbed three early wickets as Zimbabwe crushed a hapless Canada by 175 runs for their first win in Group A on Monday.

Zimabwe were indebted to former captain Taibu (98) and Craig Ervine (85) for posting 298-9 before dismissing Canada for a paltry 123, with left-arm spinner Price finishing with 3-16 off eight tight overs.

Akhtar too old for fast bowling

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Colombo, March 01: Former tearaway Shoaib Akhtar admitted on Monday that age has dimmed his energy and desire to deliver the 100 mph toe-crunchers that once made him the world’s most feared fast bowler.

The charismatic but controversial Pakistan seamer, whose career has been plagued by injury and disciplinary problems, knows that, at 35, it is sense rather than speed that will get wickets.

Bell pledges support for gay cricketer Davies

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Bangalore, March 01: England wicketkeeper Steven Davies will have the full support of his team-mates after publicly announcing he is gay, batsman Ian Bell told reporters on Monday.

Surrey gloveman Davies, 24, is believed to be the first active professional cricketer to out himself and he explained why to Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper by saying: “I just felt it was the right time for me.

“It’s something that I’ve obviously wanted to do for a long time. I’ve probably been comfortable with it now for a couple of years.

France to send aid to eastern Libya

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Paris, March 01: France plans to send two planes loaded with medical aid and doctors to pro-democracy protesters in eastern city of Benghazi in Libya.

“It will be the beginning of a massive operation of humanitarian support for the populations of liberated territories,” the US daily paper New York Times quoted French Prime Minister Francois Fillon as saying on Monday.

“[France is considering] all solutions to ensure that Colonel Gaddafi understands that he should go, that he should leave power,” he added.