Hyderabad, September 22: State Hajj Committee has completed the arrangements for the departure of aspirants for Hajj 2011. The work of installation of tents and various counters is in progress with the help of State Hajj Committee members under the supervision of Hajj committee chairman Mr. Syed Khaleeluddin Ahmed. While the cleaning of Hajj house and adjoining land and arrangement for boarding lodging of Hajj aspirants have been finalized.
Mumbai, September 22: After two years of a fragile peace, Bollywood phones are once again ringing off the hook with extortion calls. According to sources, the threats, which began in a small way in 2009, have escalated in 2011. Among the big names to have been threatened in the last fortnight are actor-producer Sohail Khan, producer Ritesh Sidhwani and actor Vivek Oberoi. All three calls were allegedly made by fugitive gangster Ravi Pujari.
Chennai, September 22: More than 100 Indian nationals deported from Saudi Arabia for not possessing valid documents arrived at Chennai airport on Thursday.
A total of 117 persons, most of them hailing from northern India, arrived by a Saudi Airlines flight, airport sources said.
They had been in prison back in Saudi Arabia for want of valid travel and related documents,sources added.
–PTI
Hyderabad, September 22: Development of any language won’t take place until the speakers of that language do not strivefor its progress with uninstinting passion for their language.
These thoughts were expressed by Prof. Shah Mohammed Mazheruddin Farooqui, Director, Center for Professional Development of Urdu Medium Teachers of Urdu University.
He was addressing the valedictory function of the Urdu teachers group from Kerala who attended a course at Urdu University from 12th to 18th September.
Mumbai, September 22: While Bollywood’s beautiful actresses are slowly snatching the ‘item’ tag from the original item girls of Bollywood, item girl Rakhi Sawant lashed out at the beauties saying they don’t have her body nor can they carry off sexy clothes the way she does!
Since the time Malaika Arora created a rage with the item song ‘Munni Badnaam Hui’ in Dabangg, many Bollywood actresses followed suit. Katrina Kaif’s ‘Sheila Ki Jawani’, Deepika Padukone’s ‘Dam Maro Dum’ and most recently Kareena Kapoor in Ra.One’s ‘Chammak Challo’ have all gone down well with the audience.
New Delhi, September 22: Two weeks after her return from abroad where she underwent surgery, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has started the process of separate interaction with party leaders.
Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh met Gandhi here so also former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan. What transpired at the meetings was not immediately known.
Last week Gandhi had for the first time collectively interacted with party leaders when she had presided a meeting of the Congress Central Election Committee to select candidates from Uttar Pradesh.
Mumbai, September 22: Their personal chemistry may have gone a bit sour after their break-up, but Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone will romance on the silver screen in Karan Johar’s new production “Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani”.
It will be directed by Ayan Mukherjee of “Wake Up Sid” fame.
“So hey… Ranbir and Deepika will be in Ayan Mukherjee’s next titled… YEH JAWANI HAI DEEWANI!!! The wake up sid boys on the floors from Jan!!” Johar announced on micro-blogging site Twitter.
Ahmedabad, September 22: “It is further mentioned that if such a person having specific biased perception for the government in the state is appointed as Lokayukta, he would not be able to perform his duties with the amount of objectivity, judiciousness and impartially as expected of the Lokayukta. Therefore it is necessary to have a re-look at the name proposed,” the affidavit said, quoting the letter.
Prasad”s affidavit said Justice Mukhopadhaya was of the opinion that there was no activity which made Justice Mehta ineligible for appointment of Lokayukta.
New Delhi, September 22: Former Indian cricket captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, who was admitted to a prominent hospital in New Delhi following lung infection, has been shifted to the ICU after doctors found him to be critically ill last evening.
Mansur Ali Khan continues to remain critically ill in the ICU. He is on very high level of oxygen support requiring intermittent BIPAP. He is conscious and his cardiac function remains stable. He is being monitored very closely, a hospital bulletin said.
Mumbai, September 22: The veteran actresses almost lands a cameo in a film because the title includes her name
What’s in a name, you ask? Shabana Azmi would probably be the best person to answer this question right now.
The actress almost landed herself with a special appearance in Hum Tum Shabana simple because of the film’s title, but alas things didn’t work out as she would have liked it.
What was discussed (to offer the veteran a cameo) as a joke over dinner by the cast and crew almost became a reality.
Gopalgarh, September 22: The key to determining the events that led to the death of nine Meo Muslims in clashes in Bharatpur’s Gopalgarh on September 14 could lie with two figures, a Meo and a Gurjjar, both “underground” at the moment.
The Meo is a 47-year-old maulvi called Abdul Rashid, who was allegedly severely assaulted by the Gurjjars the day before the killings, which greatly agitated the Meos.
Qutub Shahi mosque, Sarae Shaikpet uninhabited
Hyderabad, September 22: The indefinite general strike called by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) continues to affect the normal life as it entered its tenth day on Thursday.
Reports, Thursday, claimed that the civic administration in ten districts that make up Telangana region has collapsed with public transport coming to a halt and normal business having been suspended.
Schools and colleges remain closed and exams for over 30 lakh students have been postponed since Sep 13- the day Telangana JAC called for an indefinite strike.
New York, September 22: The developer of an Islamic cultural centre that opened on Wednesday evening near the site of the terrorist attacks that levelled the World Trade Centre says the biggest error on the project was not involving the families of 9/11 victims from the start.
People crowded into the centre, where a small orchestra played traditional Middle Eastern instruments and a photo exhibit of New York children of different ethnicities lined the walls. The enthusiasm at the opening belied its troubled beginnings.
Ralegan Siddhi, September 22: A two-member delegation from Pakistan on Wednesday met social activist Anna Hazare at his native village Ralegan Siddhi and extended an invitation to visit the neighbouring country.
The delegation comprised Justice Nasir Aslam Jahid, a former judge of Pakistan’s Supreme Court, and Karamat Ali, a well-known peace activist.
Ali told a news agency that the success of Hazare’s anti-corruption movement had boosted the morale of the activists in Pakistan.
The people of Pakistan wanted Hazare to visit the country, he said.
Hyderabad, September 22: In what is seen as a fallout of the RTC drivers strike, an auto driver was crushed to death under wheels of a bus allegedly driven by an ‘inexperienced’ driver at Yousufguda on Wednesday mormning.
Hyderabad, September 22: The stench of garbage filled the twin cities following the flash strike by Telangana joint action committee of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) employees.
Hyderabad, September 22: Train passengers had an astonishing experience as the train in which they were traveling had traveled 980 kilometers in wrong direction. As the train pulled into Warangal city people on board went berserk as they realised they were five hours away from where they should have been. After that the rail passengers stormed a station office in protest.
Mumbai, September 22: Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan received chest injury during a shooting for his upcoming film – Department directed by Ram Gopal Verma. The actor himself confirmed the news after tweeting from his personal Twitter account.
Big B tweeted, “A minor incident on set during semi action sequence…got hit on chest rib cage, some damage inside, pain on breathing, bearable!”
Gaza, September 22: A top Palestinian official has said that acting Palestinian Authority (PA) Chief Mahmoud Abbas will not accept a delayed vote on his proposal for membership in the UN.
Rejecting the increasing pressure from the US and France, Abbas’s senior aid, Saeb Erekat put it bluntly on Wednesday, “We will not allow any political maneuvering on this issue,” The Associated Press reported.
Erekat said the PA had made it clear in discussions with all parties involved over the last three days of meetings that the Palestinians would not be tricked into dropping the UN bid.
Mumbai, September 22: Akshaye Khanna, who is rarely in news, in or out of screen is back in action. Akshaye Khanna is reportedly being linked with his Gali Gali Mein Chor Hai co-star Shreya Saran.
If reports are to be believed, Akshaye and Shreya hit off from day one and the two were spotted many times cozying up with each other while filming in Bhopal for Rumi Jaffrey’s directorial debut Gali Gali Mein Chor Hai.
Hyderabad, September 22: In an accident occurred at Jubilee Hills an auto driver was killed due to the negligence of a bus driver. The bus driver ran the bus into the stationed vehicles. The incident triggered tension in the area. It is said that an RTC bus driver crushed the auto driver Malesh. The TRC driver managed to escape.
Bhopal, September 22 (Pervez Bari): The Bharatiya Janata Party ruled Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced an assistance of Rs. five crore to the Sikkim quake affected.
According to an official release Mr. Chouhan talked to the Chief Minister of Sikkim Mr. Pawan Chamling over telephone and said that in this hour of tragedy, the people of Madhya Pradesh are with him. The state government will provide all possible help needed in this hour of natural calamity, Mr. Chouhan added. (pervezbari@eth.net)
Bhopal, September 22 (Pervez Bari): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday met the Union Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram and urged him for early clearance to Madhya Pradesh Vishesh Nyayalaya Vidheyak, (Madhya Pradesh Special Court Bill), 2011 pending with Home Ministry.
New Delhi, September 22: In view of changing relations with the USA and China, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has decided to reopen the contentious Iran pipeline issue.
This will be the key bilateral issue the PM would be discussing with the President of Iran on the sidelines of UN General Assembly this week.
The pipeline cost USD 6 billion and there are downstream projects that will work out to USD 30 billion.
High level sources told that the structure of the oil debt would also be discussed.