Mumbai, August 16: His never-say-die attitude had begun to ebb, says megastar Amitabh Bachchan, whose wife Jaya had spoken to Shammi Kapoor a few days before he died.
“He had got tired during the last two days. Never one to give up, he spoke, for the first time in a tone that conveyed that he had had enough, to Jaya a few days ago. `I am tired, I can`t take it anymore` he lamented, with choked emotion,” Amitabh posted on his blog bigb.bigadda.com.
Hyderabad, August 16: The Sultan Bazaar traders’ Joint Action Committee will go on a protest fast on Tuesday in front of Andhra Bank, Sultan Bazaar, to extend its support to Anna Hazare at 9am. Traders, freedom fighters, politicians and citizens will join them at the fast that will continue until 5pm.
Mexico, August 16: Cynthia de la Vega was all set to represent her country at this year’s Miss World pageant in November after emerging first-runner-up in Nuestra Bellza Mexico, but she has since lost her crown after she gained 3kg.
19-year-old de la Vega will be replaced by 22-year-old Gabriela Palacio Díaz.
At a press conference, the dethroned beauty queen revealed that the organisers demanded that she lost a few kilos but “never provided a nutritionist or any other assistance to ensure the weight loss.”
Bhopal, August 16 (Pervez Bari): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that Madhya Pradesh has well established its identity as a fast growing state in the country. The economic growth rate this year would be nine percent following the good performance in all sectors.
Hyderabad, August 16: Hyderabadis appears to be under the influence of shopping mania. An extended weekend in the festive season provided a great opportunity to thousands of Hyderabadis, to finish their Eid shopping in advance. Huge rush was seen at shops located between Madina Building and Charminar, especially after Iftars.
Dubai, August 16: Highflying Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif the face of UAE airline Etihad – touched down in Dubai on Thursday to promote the airline’s new destinations – and meet her ardent fans at Marina Mall.
Speaking to Gulf News, she stressed the importance of her audience. “I’m not going to do a movie just because I will get critical support,” she said.
“As long as the audience comes to the theatre and enjoy themselves, I’m happy.”
Hyderabad, August 16: Some private blood banks in the state charge more for supplying blood, in violation of the law.
The government’s AP State Aids Control Society has fixed the maximum price at Rs.550 for a unit of blood, which includes maintenance, equipment and test charges. Depending on the urgency and rarity of the blood group, private blood banks are selling the blood for between Rs.600 and Rs.2,000 per unit (350 ml).
Hyderabad, August 16: The state government would provide one lakh government jobs to the youth in various departments, chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy announced on Monday.
The recruitment process was being made stringent and foolproof to ensure that only meritorious and eligible candidates were selected for these jobs without giving scope for irregularities, he added.
New Delhi, August 16: Delhi Police who arrested Anna Hazare a couple of hours ago and shifted to unknown place, have rested his associate Kiran Bedi and 50 others too, while they were on their way to Raj Ghat in New Delhi.
Kiran Bedi said that they are expecting these arrests and so all of they are prepared for arrests. If, the police want to arrest them, they need not to use force for it, instead they are willing to be voluntarily arrested.” Delhi police have shifted all of them to unknown place.
Hyderabad, August 16: An accused in the murder of his wife, who set himself ablaze in the Maheshwaram police station on Sunday, succumbed to burns on Monday, leading to protests by relatives in front of the police station.
Islamabad, August 16: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government yesterday announced a judicial probe into the recent statements by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif accusing President Asif Ali Zardari of threatening him.
Making the announcement at a news conference here, former law minister Senator Babar Awan said the federal government had taken a serious note of the allegations by the chief executive of Punjab, which is ruled by the main opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Dubai, August 16: Former President of Pakistan General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has said that his slogan for the next general elections will be ‘Peace, Employment, Education and Justice’.
“Pakistan is in acute danger these days and there is need to focus on these four main issues to save the country,” he said while addressing a function in Dubai on Sunday organised by his All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) to celebrate Pakistan Independence Day.
Riyadh, August 16: King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia has won the annual Transparency Award in recognition of his contribution to strengthening the principles of transparency and justice as well as his efforts to fight corruption.
The award was instituted by the Saudi Saafa Best Model Foundation. The foundation specially noted King Abdullah’s initiative to launch a National Strategy to Combat Corruption and setting up of the Anti-Graft Commission.
Jeddah, August 16: Ramadan is a special month, and it is a very joyful time for Muslims who fast and celebrate this month. But how do non-Muslims living in the Kingdom feel about Ramadan? To find out, Arab News spoke to several non-Muslims, who said they saw Ramadan as a beautiful month and a good chance for them to learn about Islam firsthand.
New Delhi, August 16: Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who underwent surgery in the US recently for an unspecified ailment, is “much better”.
This was stated by Rahul Gandhi, who returned here yesterday after attending to his mother.
“She is much better,” Rahul told reporters on Monday.
Sonia had left earlier this month for the US, where she underwent successful surgery.
The Congress president had not attended meetings of the Congress Core Group as also that of the Parliamentary Strategy Committee as she had not been keeping well.
–PTI
Hyderabad, August 16: Bodies of two labourers from Andhra Pradesh, who were shot dead by a police officer in Kuwait because he found them eating 10 minutes before the Iftar on August 1, arrived at the Chennai airport in the early hours of Monday.
The body of another labourer from AP would be arriving on August 16.
Washington, August 16: Embattled US President Barack Obama embarked on a three-day Midwestern bus tour to “connect with ordinary Americans”, slamming the partisan politics of the country and calling on lawmakers to prioritise economic growth.
At a town hall meeting in Decorah, Iowa, Monday, the first day of his tour, Obama said he will release a detailed plan to boost the economy, create jobs and control the country’s deficit when Congress returns to Washington in September.
Islamabad, August 16: The US government’s aid agency USAID has pledged $155 million for enhancement of education in eastern Pakistan’s Sindh province that is currently reeling under a severe flood.
US Consul General William Martin has assured all support during his meeting with provincial Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, said Siddiq Memon, Sindh education secretary.
Memon said the money will be used for reconstruction of schools and to purchase furniture and other essential educational equipments in the flood-hit areas, the news website Daily Times reported Tuesday.
Agra, August 16: The Taj Mahal`s beauty is best left to the eye of the first-time visitor. The gaining consensus follows the city administration`s proposal to package the monument in a 10-minute film capsule, leading to fears of predisposing the beholder.
Argues tourism photographer Vishal, “Once you are over-familiar with the object of your fascination, will you display the same level of intensity when the real (monument) confronts you?”
Hyderabad, August 16: In Hyderabad, the month of Ramzan signals the onset of Haleem frenzy. Traditionally this thick pasty stew made of pounded wheat, lentils and mutton is served as a starter at formal dinners, but during Ramzan it takes centre stage and becomes the main course at Iftar – the breaking of the fast. Hundreds of makeshift stalls compete with regular eateries to cater to the seasonal demand. We now even have a Geographical Index (GI) status for the local variety, that only the one prepared in the city can be marketed as ‘Hyderabadi Haleem’.
Cairo, August 16: The historic trial of Egypt’s fallen President Hosni Mubarak was on Monday adjourned till September 5 after the ailing former strongman returned to court wheeled on a stretcher to answer charges of ordering the killing of over 800 anti-regime protesters, as his followers and opponents scuffled in the streets outside.
In another dramatic day at the trial that has gripped the Arab world, the court ruled that the proceedings will no longer be telecast live.
London, August 16: British spies plotted to lace German dictator Adolf Hitler’s food with female sex hormones during World War II in a bid to curb his aggressive impulses, a new book has claimed.
The Allies hoped their plan to smuggle doses of oestrogen into his food would make the Nazi dictator less aggressive and more feminine – perhaps like his sister Paula Wolf, according to the book, ‘Secret Weapons: Technology, Science And The Race To Win World War II’.
Oslo, August 16: Just 25 days ago he was treading the same path on a devastating mission as he cut down scores of innocent youngsters.
On Saturday, Anders Behring Breivik again scouring the island of Utoya calmly explaining to police how he massacred 69 victims at a the ruling Labour party’s youth camp in Norway.
Anders Breivik points an imaginary weapon to show police how he shot terrified people on Utoya island
In one picture the deranged 32-year-old is even seen grinning as he takes aim with his hands in a mock execution while an officer stands by and takes notes.
Mumbai, August 16: Not being from the industry and still making it big in Bollywood, might have been a big achievement for Kangna Ranaut, but burning bridges with some of the biggest actors today is surely not the cleverest thing to do. Since industry heavyweights Sanjay Dutt and Ajay Devgn, tired of her outrageous remarks about the two actors in the media lately, have decided never to work with her in the future.
Mumbai, August 16: Freida Pinto has revealed that she was clueless whether her boyfriend and ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ co-star Dev Patel had feelings for her as they worked on the Oscar-nominated movie, as he constantly flirted with other women on the sets.
The stars began dating after falling in love making the hit 2008 film, but Pinto admits it took her a while to realise British actor Patel had strong affections for her.
“He has this typical British sense of humour, which is a funny, sexual kind of humour,” Contact music quoted the Indian beauty as saying.