Month: April 2011

City celebrates India’s victory in World cup

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Hyderabad, April 3: The city erupted in joy as India won the cricket World Cup beating Sri Lanka in the final. As Dhoni hit the ball for a six to lead team India to a historical victory, the cricket fans specially youth of Hyderabad and Secunderabad came out of their houses to celebrate.

They burst crackers and waved tri-colour on the occasion. The city particularly old city of Hyderabad echoed with the deafening sound of crackers where youth danced to the tune of ‘marfa’.

In several places Muslim youth started partying on the roads by distributing sweets and embracing each other.

Night-long celebrations in Andhra Pradesh

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Hyderabad, April 03: It was Saturday night fever across Andhra Pradesh as cricket fans spent the whole night celebrating India’s win in the World Cup finals.

Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tirupati, Warangal and other towns were draped in unprecedented patriotism as the boisterous crowds indulged in wild celebrations, something never seen in the past.

The celebrations, which began soon after M.S. Dhoni hit the six to script a historic victory in the final against Sri Lanka at Mumbai, continued till the early hours of Sunday.

‘Yemen can spark total PG change’

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Sanaa, April 03: A wave of regime changes will sweep the entire Persian Gulf Arab states if the revolution in Yemen achieves its objectives, a Middle East expert says.

“A successful revolution in Yemen could mean the whole Persian Gulf region erupting into revolution,” Chris Bambery told Media.

“Yemen has been an important staging post for the Americans … It is one of the major centers of the CIA in the region,” Bambery went on to say.

Shruthi Haasan’s passion for music

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Mumbai, April 03: Shruthi Haasan is not just an actress but a skilled musician. She composed songs for her dad’s Unnaipol Oruvan. Check out what music means to her. ‘I’m a musician and I discovered the power of music pretty early in life. Playing music and singing are my forms of meditation. With music, I’m transported to a place that radiates positive frequencies and immediately eases my worries. Music has always taken me to my ‘thinking place’ the one place that makes me dwell on the meaning of things and ponder why things are the way they are’.

To take up hike in levy on diesel cars with Delhi govt: Patel

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New Delhi, April 03: Heavy Industry Minister Praful Patel said he would take up with the Delhi government hike in registration levy on diesel vehicles, arguing that they are not as polluting as made out to be.

“I will have to talk to them (Delhi Government) and ask them what is the motive (behind it),” he said.

The Delhi Government, in its Budget for 2011-12, had hiked the registration levy on diesel vehicles by 25 per cent.

There should not be any discrimination against the diesel-driven cars, Patel said.

Japan quake, tsunami toll tops 12,000

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Moscow, April 03: The toll in the magnitude 9 quake that triggered a giant tsunami in Japan has surpassed 12,000 while nearly 15,500 were unaccounted for, the Kyodo news agency reported Sunday.

The twin disaster that hit Japan March 11 also triggered a number of explosions at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which caused radioactive leak.

Over 165,000 people have been evacuated from the disaster zone and accommodated in temporary refuge centres across the country.

The Japanese government has said the damage from the disaster could total $310 billion.

US pastor vows new anti-Islam protest

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Florida, April 03: The extremist American pastor who supervised the burning of a copy of Islam’s holy book on March 20 has said he will lead an anti-Islam rally outside the biggest mosque in Dearborn, Michigan, on April 22.

“Our aim is to make an awareness of the radical element of Islam,” Pastor Terry Jones in Florida told Media on Saturday.

Radioactive seeps into Pacific Ocean

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Fukushima, April 03: Highly radioactive water from the quake-hit Fukushima plant has been confirmed to have seeped into the Pacific Ocean as Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) says it has found a possible source of radiation leak.

Radioactive water seeping into the Pacific Ocean has raised wider fears of radioactive contamination as the nuclear crisis in Japan enters its fourth week.

Japanese officials grappling on Sunday to end the nuclear crisis tried to seal a crack in a concrete pit that has been leaking radiation into the ocean from a crippled reactor.

Zaheer the Brilliant Bowler

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Mumbai, April 03: Eight years ago he faltered at the biggest stage in cricket, the World Cup summit clash against Australia in Johannesburg, but on Saturday Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan truly exorcised that disastrous spell of bowling with a splendid opening burst against Sri Lanka.

The contrast could not have been starker; the opening over from Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan in the 2003 title contest against Australia and Saturday’s first-ever all-Asian World Cup summit clash at the Wankhede Stadium here.

Big B hits Mumbai streets with tricolour to celebrate India`s win

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Mumbai, April 03: Amitabh Bachchan believes that if he watches a cricket match, India will lose. But he not only sat in front of the TV to see the India-Sri Lanka World Cup final here Saturday, also hit the road in open car to celebrate with others when the home team won.

“Me superstitious about watching match coz` we lose… but after 33 for 2 (sic), don`t know why, sat in front of TV till the six from (M.S.) Dhoni,” he tweeted after India`s six wicket victory at the Wankhede Stadium.

“Diya ghuma ke, ghuma ke, ghuma ke!!,” he wrote, very excited.

CM Kiran Kumar Reddy lauds Indian team

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Hyderabad, April 03: Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Saturday congratulated the Indian cricket team for winning the coveted World Cup in the finals at Mumbai.

Mr. Reddy said the Indian team performed brilliantly to lift the World Cup after 28 years.

Arrested for threatening A.R. Rahman’s manager

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Mumbai, April 03: A chef hailing from Bihar who claimed to be the original composer of the Oscar-winning ‘Jai Ho’ song from the movie ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ was arrested on charges of threatening to burn alive the manager of music director A.R. Rahman here on Friday night.

According to police sources, Afroz Rasal Khan (30), of Bediya district, Bihar, went to the studio of Rahman in Dr. Subbarayan Nagar, Kodambakkam, and wanted to meet him. Even as the staff there explained that Rahman was out of the country, Khan who claimed to have composed ‘Jai Ho’ remained adamant.

Iraq PM says Libya assault selective: Report

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Baghdad, April 03: Iraq’s Prime Minister on Saturday called the international crackdown on Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi “selective”, chastising foreign forces for singling out one oppressive Mideast regime without helping peaceful protesters in others.

Pak PM congratulates India over World Cup win

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Islamabad, April 03: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday congratulated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the Indian cricket team’s victory in the cricket World Cup and expressed the hope that sports links between the two countries will be “fully restored in the near future”.

In a message sent to Singh, Gilani said the World Cup has been “successful in bringing the cricketing fraternity even closer and making this sport more popular around the world”.

Mexico flies first plane with bio-fuel

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Mexico City, April 03: Mexico has carried out the country’s first flight using fuel made from plants in an Airbus A320 plane.

Domestic carrier Interjet and Airbus carried out the demo flight Saturday, said Gilberto Lopez Meyer, Mexico’s director of airports and auxiliary services.

One of the two engines powering the aircraft used 30 percent bio-fuel as the A320 plane flew from Mexico City International airport to Angel Albino Corzo of Tuxtla Gutierrez airport in southern Chiapas state, RIA Novosti reported.

The fuel was made from a locally grown oil-producing plant, jatropha.

Created for India, LeT now a global terror threat

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Islamabad, April 03: Created by Pakistan to wage a proxy war against India, the Lashkar-e-Toiba terror group has moved its jihad onto the global stage and could match al Qaeda in strength and organisation, according to officials, experts and group members.

Blamed for the 2008 Mumbai massacre, Lashkar-e-Toiba has developed its own distinct networks worldwide, found global funding sources and established links with groups that refused to hook up with al Qaeda, fearing Osama bin Laden’s group would hijack their causes, say analysts who have followed the organisation.

Obama criticises Quran burning, Afghan attacks

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Washington, April 03: US President Barack Obama is extending his deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif by protesters enraged by the burning of a Quran in Florida.

Obama says desecration of the Quran “is an act of extreme intolerance and bigotry.”

But he says that does not justify attacking and killing innocent people, calling it “outrageous and an affront to human decency and dignity”.

Eleven were killed on Friday, including seven foreign UN employees.

Twenty killed in under 24 hours in Mexican city

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Ciudad Juarez, April 03: Authorities said that 20 people were killed in less than 24 hours in Mexico’s most violent city, Ciudad Juarez, which borders the US state of Texas.

The first of three separate attacks by armed groups was late Thursday when five people were killed at a bar called La Barritas.

Witnesses described several armed men opening fire from outside the building before Molotov cocktails were thrown inside, according to local press reports.

Tears of Joy for Yuvraj’s Father

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Chandigarh, April 03: Star batsman Yuvraj Singh’s father Yograj can’t wait for long him to come home, saying he would shed tears of joy over his son’s shoulder.

“I think I will hug him and probably weep over his shoulders … He has made all of us so much proud,” Yograj said today when asked about what would be the first thing he would like to do on meeting Yuvraj.

Yuvraj was declared Player of the Tournament for his stupendous show with the bat and ball as India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the World Cup summit showdown in Mumbai tonight.

Chak De India! says Shah Rukh on World Cup win

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Mumbai, April 03: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said “Chak De!” on the Indian cricket team winning the cricket World Cup in a thriller against Sri Lanka here Saturday.

“Chak De India,” Shah Rukh exclaimed in front of media at his Bandra residence after the team picked up the trophy.
The actor is a big cricket enthusiast and he was watching the match with his friends and family. He like many other actors cheered for team India by watching the match at home.

Most of the actors put their work and shoots on hold for a day to watch the match.

Rains, strong winds lash Chandigarh

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Chandigarh, April 03: Chandigarh and its surrounding areas experienced light to moderate rainfall accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorm Saturday night. The rainfall made the Sunday morning cooler compared to the past couple of days.

Met officials are expecting light rainfall in various parts of this region over the next two days.

Proudest moment of my life, says Tendulkar

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Mumbai, April 03: An emotional Sachin Tendulkar admitted that Saturday was the “proudest day of my life” after India beat Sri Lanka to win the cricket World Cup.

“Couldn`t have asked for more. This is ultimate. It is the proudest moment of my life,” said Tendulkar in an emotionally choked voice.

“I thank the team for putting up a fabulous performance and playing consistent cricket,” the maestro added.

Tendulkar who did a lap of honour on shoulder of his teammates said that there was tears in his eyes once Dhoni hit that six.

Manmohan seeks third term for Tarun Gogoi on growth plank

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New Delhi, April 03: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday urged the Assam voters to give the Congress another chance to carry forward the development work initiated by the Tarun Gogoi-led government in the past 10 years.

A 12-hour bandh, called by the Paresh Barua-led faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to oppose the Prime Minister’s visit, affected life in the State, but failed to impact the Prime Minister’s rallies at Dhakuakhana in Lakhimpur district and Juria in central Assam’s Nagaon district.

Did Kumar Sangakkara cheat?: World Cup

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Mumbai, April 03: This one is going to trouble the International Cricket Council and the broadcasters of this World Cup for some time. A final is always a nervous occasion for both players and officials alike. It was proved evidently when MS Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara came out for the toss with match referee Jeff Crowe and commentator Ravi Shastri.

Sixth time lucky for Tendulkar

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Mumbai, April 03: A billion Indians had anticipated Tendulkar, the world’s most prolific run scorer, would collect a century of international centuries in the showpiece match but that dream was shattered when he was dismissed for 18.

A ghostly silence had descended on his home ground of Wankhede Stadium after Lasith Malinga tempted him with a vicious outswinger which Tendulkar edged behind for Kumar Sangakkara to complete a low diving catch.