New Delhi, March 31:Bahrain today assured India that it would ensure the safety and security of the 3.5-lakh strong Indian community in that country, which is witnessing wide-spread anti-government protests.
Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al-Khalifa met External Affairs Minister S M Krishna here and held discussions on issues of mutual interest, including recent developments in Bahrain and the region.
Islamabad, March 31: The India-Pakistan World Cup match “was an affair of low skill and high pressure”, a leading Pakistani daily said, blaming its batsmen for “rash stroke play”. It, however, praised the team for reaching the semifinal that “restored some much-needed pride to an embattled nation”.
An article in the Dawn Thursday said: “The biggest game in the history of World Cup cricket sent India to a home final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai and Pakistan home to an inquisition.”
Gaza, March 31: The Palestinian Authority (PA) has stressed recognition of an independent Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.
Acting PA Chief Mahmoud Abbas said his side intends to work on the case if no accord is reached between the PA and Israel, and if serious talks do not resume, Israeli daily Ha’aretz reported on Thursday.
“If Israelis do not want negotiations, and don’t want an accord, then what are we supposed to do?” Abbas asked.
Washington, March 31: Traces of radioactive iodine have been detected in milk from the US state of Washington as Japan’s nuclear crisis has brought about health concerns.
In a joint statement, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said the finding is, however, far below levels of public health concern, including for infants and children.
Mumbai, March 31: In Bollywood one can’t have a permanent enemy or a friend. The saying fits perfectly on old pals, SRK-Gauri Khan and Hrithik-Suzanne Roshan.
The latter are apparently angry as they were snubbed from King Khan’s bash, which he had specially thrown for Hollywood superstar Hugh Jackman and his wife.
They felt insulted because despite being very good friends they were not invited for the party, which was held at Shah Rukh’s residence Mannat at the end of the closing ceremony of the FICCI Frames 2011.
Beijing, March 31: Low levels of radiation from Japan’s nuclear blast have reached most of the provinces in China, days after an earthquake and tsunami damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant earlier this month.
According to China’s government, “extremely low” levels of radiation from Japan’s crippled nuclear power plant have spread to most Chinese provinces, AFP reported on Thursday.
New Delhi, March 31: A Delhi court jailed a youth for seven years for raping a girl on pretext of marrying her, saying the convict had obtained a “tainted consent” for having sex with the girl.
“In this case, consent was obtained on the basis of some fraud and allurement or practicing deception upon the victim on the pretext that ultimately she will be married and under that pretext she allowed the accused to have sexual intercourse with her. This is tainted consent,” Additional Sessions Judge S C Rajan said while convicting 24-year-old Manoj.
Washington, March 31: NASA scientists pored over stunning new images of Mercury as their MESSENGER probe began a year-long mission to map the surface of the solar system’s least-understood planet.
After a 4.9-billion-mile (7.9-billion-kilometer) journey that took six-and-a-half years, the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging spacecraft finally entered the planet’s orbit on March 17.
“Great Soul” is a book on Mahatma Gandhi written by New York Times Executive Editor Joseph Lelyveld. It has received much attention across the world for its contents which according to its author establishes Gandhi as bisexual, racist, politically incompetent, etc.
Mohali, March 31: Sachin Tendulkar was honest in admitting that never in his 21-year career has he got reprieve as many as five times in one innings.
“Five lives! God has been kind to me. It is not something which has happened to me earlier,” Tendulkar said during a post match interview.
New Delhi, March 31: Concerned over the alarming rate at which auto companies are directly hiring from their pack, auto component manufacturers are working on a first-of-its-kind anti-poaching agreement with the former. Though unlikely to take formal shape soon, the vendors hope that such a measure would deter big OEMs or original equipment manufacturers to increase headcount at their cost.
Mumbai, March 31: A benchmark index for Indian equities markets Thursday was trading 114 points up in early trade with consumer durables, capital goods and banking stocks leading the gainers.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,339.75 points, was ruling at 19,404.76 points, up 114.58 points or 0.59 percent from its previous close at 19,290.18 points.
The 50-scrip S&P; CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was trading 0.68 percent higher at 5,823.05 points.
London, March 31: Middle-class families who have computers and gadgets on view through their home windows and have cheaper cars parked outside are at maximum risk from burglars.
But more expensive properties, with posh cars put off thieves, according to the Daily Express.
Burglars think the posh houses were more likely to have decent security alarms and locks, making it more difficult to break in.
The findings were revealed in a study of thieves on remand for burglary by Halifax Home Insurance.
The thieves were asked what they looked for in a home to target.
Kochi, March 31: Kerala’s tryst with the glittering world of Indian Premier League (IPL) would do any Bollywood flick proud. It has seen action, drama, money, sleaze and politics in equal proportion.
But after giving cricket buffs in Kerala more than their share of nightmares, the state is finally ready to host its first ever IPL match April 9 at the refurbished 52,000-seater Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here.
The match would be between home team Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Washington, March 31: Saying demand from growing economies like India and China was likely to force gas prices up, US President Barack Obama has announced a goal to cut US reliance on foreign oil by one-third by 2025.
“The point is the ups and downs in gas prices historically have tended to be temporary. But when you look at the long-term trends, there are going to be more ups in gas prices than downs in gas prices,” he said in a speech at Georgetown University here Wednesday.
Beijing, March 31: China Thursday issued a white paper on national defence, aiming to enhance its military transparency and boost the world’s trust in its commitment to peaceful development.
The document, the seventh of its kind the Chinese government has issued since 1998, says China will never seek hegemony, nor will it adopt the approach of military expansion now or in the future, Xinhua reported.
It gives an overall picture of China’s national defence ranging from the security environment, national defence policy, to defence expenditure and arms control.
London, March 31: A five-star hotel in London will replace older staff with “sexy, blonde girls in mini skirts” as bosses said they want a new and younger image.
Amia Ismail, 57, an employee at the Radisson Edwardian hotel in central London, where rooms cost up to 3,500 pounds a night, said he was transferred to another branch. He claimed he was replaced with an attractive 28-year old-woman, according to the Daily Mail.
Karachi, March 31: A Pakistani comedian died while participating in a TV show organised for the Pakistan-India World Cup semifinal match that India went on to win, a media report said Thursday.
Daily Times reported that comedian Liaqat Soldier, 55, died due to heart attack here Wednesday.
The comedian was taking part in a special show of a local TV channel when he suffered the heart attack and died on his way to hospital.
New Delhi, March 31: Even as the Gujarat government on Wednesday banned the book on Mahatma Gandhi by Joseph Lelyveld that has run into controversy for allegedly saying he was a bisexual and a racist, the Centre is now mulling a law that would make showing any disrespect to the Father of the Nation an offence punishable with a jail term.
New Delhi, March 31: The prime accused in the string of terror cases involving alleged Hindu extremists, Swami Aseemanand, has told the Ajmer Chief Judicial Magistrate that his confession to the CBI was under coercion from investigation agencies. And so was his letter allegedly suggesting he wanted to turn approver.
Hyderabad, March 31: The State government has asked bankers to extend the deadline for rescheduling crop loans up to June this year and ensure that farmers are given fresh loans for rabi at the earliest.
Ongale, March 31: The Tobacco Board Vigilance Squad at Podili has seized about 16,000 kg of tobacco worth Rs. 7 lakh while ‘illegally’ being brought into the State from neighbouring Karnataka for sale outside the auction platforms.
Sangareddy, March 31: Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former president of India, has said that there was a need to review the nuclear energy establishments in India in view of the natural catastrophe that shook Japan.
Responding to a question raised by a student while participating in the third Foundation Day celebration of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-H), Hyderabad, located at Yeddumylaram in Medak district on Wednesday, Dr. Kalam said that even today the nuclear energy is clean energy.
Chittor, March 31: Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan has asked members of Parliament, Legislative Assembly, and Legislative Council to strive to get a facility or two for their home districts or native villages. He asked them to repay their debt to their native place as the ‘lovable sons of the soil’.
Speaking after inaugurating the centenary celebrations of Chittoor district at the Masonic grounds here on Wednesday, the Governor said that every person should feel responsible to show their gratitude to their native place, especially by making good use of their powers while holding the posts.
Kakinada, March 31: Providing good software services at a competitive price in a short time was the secret behind the success of the Indian information technology industry, said former chairman of the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) Kiran Karnik on Wednesday. He called upon young software professionals to be different from others and focus on innovative thinking to become successful.