Month: April 2011

Dubai-bound Goa Minister detained at Mumbai airport

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Mumbai/Panaji, April 02: Goa Education Minister Atanasio Monserrate was detained at the Mumbai airport for allegedly carrying unaccounted foreign and Indian currency, a senior Customs official said today.

The Minister and his associate were detained since last night for possessing undisclosed Indian and UAE currency notes, the official said on condition of anonymity.

“Monserrate, who was to fly to Dubai, was carrying USD 2,5000 Traveller’s Cheque, over 70,000 dirhams and Rs 1.25 lakh in cash,” he added.

Libya oper. empties UK ‘military locker’

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England, April 02: The former British chief of the defence has warned that Libya’s crisis spread British armed forces “very thin” and put the army under pressure.

Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup said Britain is facing “grave dangers” by spreading in both Afghanistan and Libya.

He called for the government to find a political resolution in Libya urgently to take the pressure off the British army.

“We have to think very carefully about the consequences of our continuing military involvement in Libya,” the former RAF commander said in the House of Lords.

Rs 200 crore travelled to Kalaignar TV: CBI

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New Delhi, April 02: CBI today told a special court here that Rs 200 crore connected with 2G spectrum allocation scam has travelled from a partnership firm of Shahid Usman Balwa to Kalaignar TV Pvt Ltd whose owners include Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s wife Dayaluamma.

Elaborating the conspiracy in the spectrum allocation scam, the agency said the money travelled through a “circuitous route” through Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd, a DB group company and Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd.

Kohli caught and bowled by Dilshan

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Mumbai, April 02: Virat Kohli’s was third Indian wicket to fall in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka here Saturday.

Kohli was caught and bowled by Tillakaratne Dilshan for 35 runs.

India, chasing 275-run victory target, were 114/3 after Kohli’s dismissal.

—IANs

Japan quake search turns up 50 bodies

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Tokyo, April 02: A total of 50 bodies have been found so far in an intensive search operation to find people still missing after Japan’s destructive earthquake and tsunami.

The three-day search operation which began on Friday is being conducted by about 18,000 of Japanese Self-Defense Forces and 7,000 US military personnel.

The search operation covers shores that were largely submerged or still remain under water and mouths of major rivers in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures,

Jagan reaches Kadapa, starts exercise on by elections

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Kadapa, April 02: YSR Congress president Mr. YS Jaganmohan Reddy has reached Kadapa and started discussions about the party’s arrangements for the ensuing by elections to the Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly seats. According to information, he would remain in the district till the elections were over.

RAF faces pilot shortage

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England, April 02: British Royal Air Force has faced shortage of pilots for the military action in Libya as the government applied defence budget cuts to the front-line.

The lack of qualified fighter pilots is so serious that the RAF started to teach trainee Typhoon pilots and let the instructors to go to the front line.

Because of the defence budget cut over the past ten years, the number of Typhoon pilots has remained low.

Kuwaiti teenagers’ heads shaved for reciting love poems

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Dubai, April 02: Police in Kuwait shaved the heads of three teenagers after they were caught using a loudspeaker to recite love poems to girls leaving their high school, a media report said.

The youngsters parked their car near the school and tried to grab the attention of girls by using a loudspeaker to shower them with flirtatious messages, the Gulf News reported, citing the Al Anba daily.

Police said the boys also gave their phone numbers to the girls in the hope that some would call them.

Anti-govt. protests continue in Yemen

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Sana’a, April 02: Yemeni anti-government protesters continue to rally against the long drawn-out rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has made clear he has no immediate plans to step down.

On Saturday, protests continued at Change Square in the capital, Sana’a, and the southern cities of Aden and Taiz,

Many workers joined the demonstrations as a general strike was called on Saturday.

Barricades were reportedly built and tires set on fire to prevent government tanks from entering the main road.

British PM: No deal for Saif Gaddafi

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Scotland, April 02: British Prime Minister David Cameron says London will not help Libyan dictator’s son Saif Gaddafi if he wants to leave his home country.

The announcement by Downing Street followed the reports that this week’s travel by a close aide to Saif Gaddafi included secret meetings with British officials.

The disclosure fueled speculations that Ali Mohammad Ismail’s meetings were meant to create new options for Gaddafi’s son in case he wants to escape Libya.

UAE distributes 250 tonnes of aid at Libya-Tunisia border

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Abu Dhabi, April 02: Over 250 tonnes of medicines and food supplies have been distributed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to refugees at the Libya-Tunisia border, an official said.

Nearly 700 tents at the Ras Jdir camp managed by the UAE relief team were capable of sheltering up to 7,000 displaced people.

Abdul Rahman Ibrahim Abdul Aziz, head of the relief team, said the humanitarian efforts were taking place in coordination with the Tunisian Red Crescent Authority, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other international humanitarian organisations.

For one day, cricket rules in football-crazy Goa

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Panaji, April 02: Life has come to standstill in the football-crazy Goa as Indian Cricket team is playing the World Cup final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai.

On the lazy Saturday evening, the streets of Panaji wore a deserted look, with most shops keepers pulling down the shutters by noon.

“There will be no business today. Who will come to market for shopping?” said Azhar Hussain, a cloth shop owner.

On Wednesday too, similar scene was seen, when India played Pakistan in the semi final.

Missing Delhi school teacher found dead

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New Delhi, April 02:The body of a 25-year-old government school teacher in west Delhi, who Thursday went missing along with one of his colleagues, was found in Haryana’s Rohtak town, police said Saturday.

Vijay Solanki and his colleague Arvinder Azad went missing from their school in Chand Nagar area Thursday. Although, Azad has still not been traced, Solanki’s family has accused him of murder, police said.

After Sehwag, Tendulkar’s exit, cheers give way to fears

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Mumbai, April 02: With the early dismissal of two of India’s most promising batsmen – Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar – the cheers gave way to fears over the home team’s prospects among thousands of cricket fans watching the World Cup final against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium here Saturday evening.

The decibel levels in the entire stadium itself came down noticeably and many of the spectators could be seen disappointed.

Zak starts brilliantly, but loses plot in the end

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Mumbai, April 02: He had almost exorcised the ghost of his faltering start at the 2003 World Cup summit clash with a splendid beginning today against Sri Lanka, but ‘rhythm’ deserted Zaheer Khan in his last spell, which hurt India’s cause quite hard, yet again at the big stage.

The complexion of the match and statistics of Zaheer changed drastically in the last five over when Sri Lanka opted for final batting powerplay.

Jayawardene strikes century, Sri Lanka post 274/6

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Mumbai, April 02: Mahela Jayawardene struck a classy unconquered century to lead Sri Lanka out of a sluggish start to a challenging 274/6 in the cricket World Cup final against India here Saturday.Playing before a packed 33,000 crowd at the Wankhede stadium, the Sri Lankans initially found the going tough against some accurate bowling by the Indians, particularly Zaheer Khan, but recovered to set the home side a tough asking rate of 5.5 runs per over.

Couple booked for sexual abuse of three women

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Yamunanagar, April 02:A placement agency owner and his wife have been booked for sexually abusing three Delhi-based women whom they illegally confined at their home, said Haryana Police here Saturday.

Bhoora and his wife Jyoti, residents of Professor Colony, are now on the run, the police said.

“The two promised the women of providing them employment. They locked them up in a room and forced them to entertain Bhoora’s friends. The girls managed to flee from the house on Friday when Bhoora had gone to Delhi,” said Ashok Kumar, investigation officer.

Convicted terrorist wins appeal after 25 years in jail

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London, April 02:A terrorist who tried to blow up an aircraft with 375 people onboard by keeping a bomb in his pregnant fiancee’s hand luggage has won an appeal to leave jail after 25 years.

Jordanian national Nezar Hindawi was sent to jail in 1986 after being found guilty of duping his Irish fiancee into carrying a bomb on to an Israeli airliner flying from London to Tel Aviv.

Security staff at London’s Heathrow airport found the bomb before it could be taken on board or detonated.

A manhunt was launched for Hindawi, who surrendered the next day, the Independent reported Saturday.

Maoist posters found in Kolkata

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Kolkata, April 02: Maoist posters protesting the killing of rebel leader Sashadhar Mahato and demanding withdrawal of joint forces from the forest areas of three West Bengal districts were found in many parts of Kolkata Saturday.

According to the police, the posters were found pasted on the walls of Mahanayak Uttam Kumar (Tollygunge) Metro station. The police removed these later.

The posters claimed that Mahato was killed in a false encounter and accused security forces of attacking tribal people, said a police official.

Constant evolution alone will popularise cricket: Dave Richardson

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Mumbai, April 02:Powerplays, the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) and free-hits have made 50-over cricket attractive and all these innovations have made the 2011 World Cup more exciting, says Dave Richardson, general manager (Cricket) of the International Cricket Council (ICC).Richardson, a former South African wicketkeeper, feels “constant evolution” is the best way to make the game popular and attractive in uncharted territories.

Richardson said cricket is the most adaptable to constant innovations.

India lose Sehwag with 0 on board

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Mumbai, April 02: Without opening their account, India lost explosive opener Virender Sehwag on the second ball of the first over while chasing the 275-run victory target set by Sri Lanka in the World Cup final here Saturday.Sehwag was adjudged lbw off Lasith Malinga. India went for referral but it was turned down.

Sex racket kingpin, five call girls held

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New Delhi, April 02:A woman, who provided call girls to high-profile clients at farm houses and five-star hotels, was arrested here along with five women and four pimps, police said Saturday.

“Geeta Arora — the kingpin and infamous as Sonu Punjaban — along with four pimps, Arun Thakral, Raju Sharma, Vijay Kumar and Mohammad Arif, and four girls aged between 20 and 25 years, were arrested from Mehrauli (in south Delhi) Friday night,” said a senior police officer.

Pre-paid mobile phone service extended in Kashmir, northeast

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New Delhi, April 02: The government has extended the pre-paid mobile phone service in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and other northeastern telecom service areas for two years.

The extension of service which has come into effect from April 1, will be valid till March 31, 2013.

“The said permission for continuance of pre-paid mobile services, for a period of two years with effect from April 1, is subject to the condition that the existing security condition already stipulated by licensor shall continue to remain in place,” the department of telecommunications (DoT) said in a statement.

Convicted terrorist wins appeal after 25 years in jail

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London, April 02:A terrorist who tried to blow up an aircraft with 375 people onboard by keeping a bomb in his pregnant fiancee’s hand luggage has won an appeal to leave jail after 25 years.

Jordanian national Nezar Hindawi was sent to jail in 1986 after being found guilty of duping his Irish fiancee into carrying a bomb on to an Israeli airliner flying from London to Tel Aviv.

Security staff at London’s Heathrow airport found the bomb before it could be taken on board or detonated.

A manhunt was launched for Hindawi, who surrendered the next day, the Independent reported Saturday.

Cricket fan Hrithik prefers shoot to World Cup final

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Mumbai, April 02: Though an ardent cricket lover, Bollywood hunk Hrithik Roshan decided against cancelling Saturday’s shooting for a Karan Johar film to catch the India-Sri Lanka World Cup final in Wankhede.

The actor is shooting for the adapted version of the 1990 hit “Agneepath”, produced and directed by Karan Johar.

“Knowing Hrithik’s love for the game, Karan Johar asked Hrithik if he would like to take a day off to watch the final, but the professional actor said a firm ‘NO’,” a source said.