Mumbai, April 02: The tri-colour fluttered all around and people danced and blew horns to make for an electrifying atmosphere at the packed Wankhede Stadium during the cricket World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka here Saturday.The Indian flag was omnipresent in all the galleries as cricket buffs who stood in queues for hours to enter the stadium lent full-throttled support to the Indian team, which made it to the big final after eight long years.
New Delhi, April 02: A set of ear pendants featuring a selection of the world’s rarest diamonds from the legendary Golconda mines in the Deccan region of south India will be on sale at the Christie’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewel Sale May 31, the international firm said Saturday.
The diamonds, known as the Imperial Cushions – a pair of 23.49 carats and 23.11 carats Golconda Type II-A diamonds – are estimated to be worth 78 million HK dollars ($10 million) and 10 million HK dollars ($1.2 million) respectively, the auction house Christie’s said in a statement.
New Delhi, April 02: Praveen K. Tripathi, a 1977 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s principal secretary since 2006, was Saturday appointed Delhi’s new chief secretary.
According to officials, he will take charge Monday. He succeeds Rakesh Mehta, who was appointed the state election commissioner Thursday.
Tripathi also served as the chief executive officer of the Delhi Jal Board, besides being rgw Delhi government’s commissioner of sales tax.
Kandahar, April 02: At least nine people were killed and over 70 others injured as thousands of people staged an angry demonstration in Kandahar city Saturday to condemn the reported burning of the Quran in the US, Kandahar’s provincial administration said.
Protesters hurled stones towards police, who in return opened fire to disperse them, Xinhua reported, quoting the official statement of the provincial administration.
The victims were hit by stones or suffered bullet injuries, doctors said.
Geneva, April 02: At least 800 people were killed in intercommunal violence in the western Ivorian town of Duekoue this week, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Saturday.
“We have information that at least 800 persons were killed on March 29 (Tuesday) in Duekoue in intercommunal violence,” ICRC spokeswoman Dorothea Krimitsas told Reuters.
ICRC officials visited the Carrefour area of Duekoue on Thursday and Friday to assess needs and gather testimony, a statement said. They evacuated 28 bodies to the local morgue and will continue in this work.
–_Agencies
Mumbai, April 2 (IANS) Harbhajan Singh dismissed dangerous Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan (33) for India’s second wicket in the World up final at the Wankhede Stadium here Saturday.
The wicket fell at the score of 60 in 16.3 overs.
Dilshan, who is the top-scorer of the tournament, tried to sweep Harbhajan but the ball hit his thigh and brushed his gloves before hitting the stumps. Dilshan played 49 balls and hit three fours.
Zaheer khan took the first wicket of Upul Tharanga (2).
Jeddah, April 02: The Minister of Hajj Dr. Fouad bin Abdulsalam Al-Farsi met here today with the President of National Commission for Muslims in the Philippines Amira Dianlan.
During the meeting, they discussed topics of interest to Filipino pilgrims in this year’s Hajj season.
Lucknow, April 2 (IANS) Slamming Uttar Pradesh’s ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for the state’s deteriorating law and order situation, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) general secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad Saturday accused Chief Minister Mayawati of failing to protect the women and downtrodden in her state.
“The biggest atrocity on women is happening in Uttar Pradesh that is headed by a woman chief minister. I am not saying it, the recent reports of the National Commission of Women and National SC/ST Commission indicate it,” Prasad told reporters here at a press conference.
Tokyo, April 02: Japan’s prime minister has made his first visit to areas ruined by a massive earthquake and tsunami three weeks ago, vowing full support for victims of the brewing disaster.
Under intense pressure over his belated move to visit the tsunami zone, Naoto Kan on Saturday flew on a military helicopter from Tokyo into the tsunami-wrecked city of Rikuzentakata, which was all but obliterated by the March 11 earthquake,
New Delhi, April 02: It isn’t quite war this time. With three days to recoup from the spent emotions of Mohali, a cheerful and excited India Saturday was in the mood for a solid good game of cricket, hoping their team would repeat its World Cup feat of 1983, this time against Sri Lanka.
In hundreds of towns, villages and cities, people thronged temples for prayers, shopped for party food and firecrackers, and scampered to finish the day’s tasks before settling down in front of TV sets for the India-Sri Lanka final in Mumbai.
United nations, April 02: The Security Council late Friday condemned “in the strongest terms” the “violent” attack against the UN Operations Center in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, earlier in the day, resulting in a number of casualties.
In a statement to reporters, Council President Nestor Osorio of Colombia said the members of the Security Council condemned “all incitement to and acts of violence.” They called on the Government of Afghanistan to bring those responsible to justice and to take all possible steps to protect UN personnel and premises.
Brussels, April 02: NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will travel to Turkey on Monday.
He will meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, NATO announced in a brief statement.
Talks between the two sides are expected to focus on Libya where NATO has taken over full command of military operations.
Turkey, a NATO member, is contributing to the operations in Libya with seven fighter planes and six ships.
—Agencies
Gaza, April 02: A missile-equipped Israeli aircraft attacked a car boarding ranking Hamas activists in Gaza at dawn on Saturday killing three of the commanders.
The car was targeted near Abu Holi cross-road north of the town of Khan Youness in the south of Gaza Strip.
Adham Abu Salmiah, spokesman of the strip emergency department, said in a statement that a fourth militant was seriously wounded in the strike.
Bhubaneswar, April 02: Orissa MLAs today unanimously decided to take a half-day and adjourn the Assembly at lunch break so that they can watch the cricket World Cup finals between India and Sri Lanka.
A motion regarding adjournment of the House ahead of the scheduled time for the final match was moved by Chief Whip of the ruling BJD Rabi Narayan Pani and supported by all, including Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh (Congress).
More than one million website pages have been hit by a sophisticated hacking attack that injects code into sites that redirect users to a fraudulent software sales operation.
The so-called “mass-injection” attack, which experts say is the largest of its kind ever seen, has managed to insert malicious code into websites by gaining access to the servers running the databases behind the Internet, according to the technology security company that discovered it.
Hyderabad, April 2: A man committed suicide in the presence of police in the city outskirts on Friday. The incident took place late at night where Y Srinivas Rao (48) jumped from the 4th floor of the apartment and committed suicide.
According to reliable sources when Srinivas Rao jumped from the 4th floor his wife and daughter besides police were present in the apartment.
Manama, April 02: Amid the popular anti-regime protests in Bahrain, a political observer says the vicious ruling Al Khalifa family is factional and petty, doing dishonor to Islam.
Rodney Shakespeare, chairman of the Committee against Torture in Bahrain in London, told media in an interview that the Bahraini rulers “are not true kings. They are maniac killers.”
“They will go down in history as scum. Think of it what a true king is: it is someone who stands for all their people against foreign invaders.”
Bulandshahr (UP), April 02: Two persons were arrested for allegedly raping a 15-year-old dalit girl here, police said today.
Chokhey Lal (60), former chairman of City Board of Khurja, called the victim to his house on Thursday on the pretext of cooking meals and allegedly raped her along with two accomplices, SP (Rural) Baburam said.
Chokhey was arrested last night while Vinay was nabbed today and the third accused is absconding, the SP said.
The girl has been sent for medical check-up and an FIR was lodged by victim’s uncle, he said.
—PTi
Tripoli, April 02: Libyan revolutionary fighters have wrest back control of the strategic oil town of Brega after a fierce and bloody fighting with forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, reports say.
Seven bodies of pro-Gaddafi troops and at least 10 burnt-out army vehicles were seen along the road between Ajbadiya and Brega, 80 kilometres (50 miles) to the west,
Islamabad, April 02: Concerned at the rising crime graph in the capital city, Islamabad police authorities have decided to introduce a beat system for their constabulary to ensure effective policing, according to media reports.
The beat system will see special induction of inspector or sub-inspector level official as a beat in-charge at every police station in the Pakistani capital, The Nation quoted Islamabad’s senior superintendent of police Tahir Alam Khan as saying.
Kareemnagar, April 2: Violent incidents occurred following a rally organized on the event of India’s victory over Pakistan in world cup tournament in the areas surrounding Aslama chowk mosque in Kareem Nagar in which heavy damages were caused to Muslims and several Muslims were injured.
The routes leading to Aslama chowk mosque were blockaded by the police since the morning in view of Friday prayers and section 144 was implemented. After the Friday prayers youth got provoked and raised Nara-e-Takbeer on which police started canning them and arrested 11 youth.
Mumbai, April 02: Kangna Ranaut and the Dutts have drifted apart. The actress has been telling friends that she doesn’t consider Sanjay and Maanayata family.
A friend of the Dutts confirms, “Reports of her distancing herself from the couple have disturbed them. And whatever she is saying about them has come as a rude shock to them.
They won’t be inviting her to their home anymore. In any case, she had never been as close to them as she claimed. It was always Ameesha Patel who was Maana’s close friend.”
Mumbai, April 02: Chitrangda Singh: “I’m definitely watching the match on television. I’m throwing a party. We’ll be watching the match with friends and family at home. Waiting to see Nehra and Yuvraj ball. And of course that century from Sachin. ”
Esha Deol: “I’ll have my friends over to watch. I’m sure with the hard work put in by our team, Dhoni’s sharp mind and God’s grace our boys are gonna win win win!”
Mumbai, April 02: Ekta and Tusshar Kapoor had a spat on Karan Johar’s chat show Koffee With Karan over Tusshar’s present lady love Radhika Apte.
A source close to the family said, “Tension has been brewing in the Kapoor household ever since Tusshar came out about his ‘close friendship’ with his Shor In The City co-star.
However, Ekta couldn’t keep her simmering emotions under check and it all came to light on Karan’s couch.”
The source added that the usually quiet Tusshar matched his sister’s candidness and was seen giving it back to her, word for word.
How it started
Mumbai, April 02: Sonam Kapoor was rushed to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Andheri yesterday. She complained of severe exhaustion and was also running a temperature.
The star was in Dubai to promote her forthcoming flick, Thank You. As soon as she landed in Mumbai on Thursday, she collapsed due to fatigue.
She was immediately taken to the hospital where she was diagnosed with extremely high fever.
Back-to-back assignments
Sonam’s father Anil Kapoor says, “A hectic work schedule landed a fatigued and sleep-deprived Sonam in hospital.