Month: April 2011

Modi govt withdraws security cover of IPS officer

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Ahmedabad, April 29: Days after he submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court to say Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi wanted “Muslims taught a lesson” for “the burning of kar sevaks at Godhra” in 2002, IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt’s security detail was withdrawn on the orders of the state Director General of Police. Instead of four guards, he will now have a lone policeman guarding him.

“There is no way I am going to allow this. My family needs to be protected,” Bhatt told, saying he was drafting a reply to the DGP.

Aishwarya & Sonam walking together at Cannes Red Carpet

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: The last time Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor were to walk the Cannes red carpet together, it had resulted in a much publicized “catfight,” but the two have made up since, and will be seen on the French Riviera this year along with another Indian beauty, Freida Pinto.

Berlo’s ‘Bunga-2’ girl wants quick marriage

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Genoa, April 29: Ruby, the heart stealer , the famous Morracan dancer due to whom Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is curently facing court trial for allegedly paying her for sex , is now pursuading local priests in the northern port city of Genoa to marry her and her fiance on the spot, riling top Catholic officials.

Genoa’s archbishop Angelo Bagnasco has reportedly sent an e-mail to all of Genoa’s parish priests, ordering them to respect the normal rules governing weddings.

“No shortcuts!” warned Bagnasco, who also heads the Italian Bishops’s conference.

Game for Holocaust of Muslims

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Dubai, April 29: A computer game urging players to ‘wipe out the Muslim race’ released amid rising Islamophobia.

British Muslims condemned as deeply offensive Friday a computer game called “Muslim Massacre,” which trumpets itself as a “game of modern religious genocide.”

The game, which can be downloaded for free on the Internet, urges players to “wipe out the Muslim race with an arsenal of the world’s most destructive weapons.”

ISI: Under The Scanner

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Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Directorate has come under incriminating spotlight in the US as a result of the ongoing judicial proceedings in a Chicago court against Tahawwur Hussain Rana of the Chicago cell of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET) in connection with the 26/11 terrorist strikes in Mumbai and certain leaked WikiLeaks cables relating to the interrogation of Al Qaeda suspects detained at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre in Cuba.

CBI may question PM’s representative

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New Delhi, April 29: With more information tumbling out from the closet, the CBI is gearing up to question Prime Minister’s representative on the Organising Committee CEO Jarnail Singh, besides sports secretary Sindhushree Khullar and some other officials, sources said adding that if need be they would question the then sports minister M S Gill too.

7 Indians in 50 top women-led North American firms

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Washington, April 29: Indian origin women lead seven of the 50 fastest-growing women-owned or women-led companies in North America, according to the non-profit group the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO) and American Express OPEN.

In the US alone there are an estimated 8.1 million women-owned businesses that contribute $1.3 trillion to the national economy and employ 7.7 million people, US business magazine Forbes noted citing the list.

The companies that made the top 50 generated an astounding $4.1 billion in combined revenues last year.

US warns against Palestinian unity deal

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Washington, April 29: US lawmakers have warned that Washington would halt its aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) should the Fatah party form a unity government with Hamas.

In the wake of an announcement of a unity deal between the two sides by acting PA Chief Mahmoud Abbas, the lawmakers said that US funding could not flow to a unity government, Israeli news source Ynetnews reported on Thursday.

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv before they make their statement regarding the US funding to a Palestinian unity government.

Britain’s oldest mosque celebrates royal wedding

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London, April 29: The largest mosque in Britain is celebrating the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, saying “Salaam Mubarak” with local residents and guests joining what they call a day of joy for all.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim community here had sent invitations to hundreds of homes in the vicinity of the Baitul Futuh Mosque at Surrey, south-west of this city, inviting them and friends to celebrate the wedding with worshippers at the mosque.

Shilpa to throw party for Elizabeth Hurley

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Mumbai, April 29: Shilpa Shetty will throw a private bash in Mumbai for Elizabeth Hurley when she returns to India on May 17

Shilpa Shetty will host a party in Mumbai for UK hottie Elizabeth Hurley on May 17.

The British model-actress is currently in India to meet her good friend Shane Warne, who is captaining Shilpa’s IPL team Rajasthan Royals. Liz goes back to London in a week’s time but will return in time for RR’s important match in Mumbai on May 17.

AI operating only 50 out of 320 flights today

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New Delhi, April 29: As the strike by Air India pilots entered the third day today, the national carrier drastically reduced its operation to 50 flights across its network against the regular 320 as all executive pilots joined the stir.

“Under the contingency plan, we are operating 50 flights across the network today,” an Air India official said.

From Delhi, the national carrier will be operating just 10 flights and almost an equal number from Mumbai to metro cities.

India can be economically developed by 2020: Kalam

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Chicago, April 29: India can become economically developed by 2020 if it maintains a GDP of 10-11 per cent as there are nine more years to achieve ‘Vision 2020’ goals, former President A P J Abdul Kalam said.

“We have nine more years for 2020 and if we maintain 10-11 percent GDP we will be economically developed,” he said before a gathering of prominent Indian businessmen and social leaders at Indian Consulate here.

HuJI leader remanded in custody for seven days

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Dhaka, April 29: A court here on Thursday remanded banned Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (HuJI) leader Sheikh Mohammad Farid in custody for seven days for interrogation in connection with a grenade attack on an Awami League rally in 2004.

Metropolitan Magistrate Keshab Ray Chowdhury granted police seven days time to quiz Farid against a prayer for 10 days.

The 47-year-old “most wanted” militant was arrested by elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion from the capital’s suburbs of Tongi yesterday.

Al Qaeda man made himself impotent to focus on jihad

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London, April 29: An Al Qaeda terrorist with strong links to chief Osama bin Laden used impotency injections so that he could focus on carrying out jihad and not on womanising, according to secret Guantanamo Bay files released by WikiLeaks.

Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri was captured in November 2002. During interrogations by CIA officials, he reportedly confessed to injecting himself with chemicals to stop himself from being distracted by women, according to the Daily Mail.

‘Unknown child’ onboard the Titanic identified

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London, April 29: A little boy previously called the “unknown child”, whose body was found among the victims of the Titanic disaster, has finally been identified.

A team of American and Canadian researchers have found that the remains of the young boy were “most likely those of an English child, Sidney Leslie Goodwin,” Ryan Parr, vice-president of research and development of Genesis Genomics in Ontario, writes in the upcoming June issue of the journal Forensic Science International: Genetics.

Former Miss Universe nabbed for shoplifting in New York

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Moscow, April 29: Miss Russia 1998 and former Miss Universe semifinalist Anna Malova was arrested in New York for shoplifting in a clothing store, a media report said.

Malova, 39, was caught stealing a pair of sandals worth $135 and a hat worth $10 at a Strawberry store in New York, RIA Novosti reported citing the New York Post.

Malova was arrested and charged with criminal possession of stolen property. She is due to attend a court hearing May 24.

Belgium moves closer to banning burqa in public

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Brussels, April 29: Belgium has taken a major step toward banning burqa-type Islamic dress in public when its lower house of parliament overwhelmingly backed the measure.

After Thursday’s approval, the senate still has several weeks to decide whether to put the bill up for further discussion and another vote.

The Belgian legislature already came close to approving such legislation last year, but the process was held up at the last moment when the governing coalition collapsed.

On Thursday, the bill was approved by an overwhelming majority of 136-1 and two abstentions.

–Agencies

Kat best Indian match for Prince William!

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New Delhi, April 29: British born Katrina Kaif, one of Bollywood’s leading actresses, has been voted the most ideal Indian celebrity match for Prince William in an online survey by matrimony website shaadi.com.

The survey result was announced Thursday, the eve of Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton at London’s Westminster Abbey.

Bhatt fears for life

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Ahmedabad, April 29: The statement of the IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt, who has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court making allegations against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi with regard to 2002 riots, would be recorded in-camera, officials of the Nanavati Commission said today.

Bhatt has been summoned by the Commission on May 16. Commission’s secretary, C G Patel, said the police officer had been called by the probe panel for some clarification, and questioning would take place in the judges’ chamber.

Teenage girl gang raped in Delhi

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New Delhi, April 29: A 15-year-old girl was gang raped by six youths, one of whom was her friend, police said Thursday, adding the assailants had been arrested.

The victim, who belonged to Andrews Ganj, was abducted on April 22 by her friend Rajesh who took her to Vivekanand Park in Andrews Ganj, said a police official.

“Rajesh later took her to Sangam Vihar and his five friends raped the victim one by one,” said a police officer.

Wakf land row puts Lanco in trouble

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Hyderabad, April 29: The Rs. 7,200 crore mega-project of Lanco Hills is in serious trouble. With the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday postponing the hearing in the Wakf Board-Lanco Hills case until after the court vacation that ends on June 6, the company will not be able to take up construction or any other activity on the site.

Earlier, the Wakf Tribunal has stayed the construction at Lanco Hills and the High Court on Wednesday did not vacate it. That means, the company will have to wait till further court orders to continue with the project.

US, France condemn ‘terrorist attack’ in Morocco

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Washington, April 29: The US and France have strongly condemned the “terrorist attack” at a cafe in Marrakech, Morocco, which claimed the lives of at least 15 people.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who spoke to the Moroccan king on the telephone, branded it as “heinous, cruel and cowardly”, said his Elysee office, which confirmed there were French casualties without saying how many.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that acts of terrorism must not be tolerated wherever and whenever they occur.

India’s growth to moderate to 8.2 % this year, says IMF

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Washington, April 29: The International Monetary Fund has projected that India’s economic growth will moderate 8.2 per cent this year, declining from last year’s 10.4 per cent. The fall will continue into 2012, when it is expected to go down to 7.8 per cent.

Far from taking an adverse view of the projected decline, the IMF regards it as “a more sustainable” level of growth at a time when potential overheating pressures are rising and inflationary risks remain on the upside across Asia.

Saving rate decontrol may enhance attractiveness, hurt banks: RBI paper

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New Delhi, April 29: After two unsuccessful attempts in 2002-03 and 2006-07, the Reserve bank of India again on Thursday floated a discussion paper on deregulation of interest rate on saving deposit.

Interest rate on saving deposit, at 3.5 per cent since March 1, 2003 is the only regulated interest rate even as saving deposit constitutes a sizeable portion (about 22 per cent) of total deposits.

While RBI favours deregulation, it points to the fact that deregulation will enhance attractiveness, enable product innovation and facilitate monetary transmission better.

New Constitution of Nepal unlikely by May 28 deadline

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Kathmandu, April 29: A new constitution for Nepal is unlikely to be promulgated by the May 28 deadline, amid a deadlock among the political parties over key issues linked to the peace process, federal structure and electoral system.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khannal, during a meeting with Sushil Koirala, the president of the main Opposition Nepali Congress, had hinted that more time may be required to fulfill the task of drafting the constitution.