Month: April 2012

PM to hold pre-lunch talks with Zardar

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It’ set to be more than a photo-op as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gears up to hold one-on-one talks with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari before the two sit down for lunch at his official residence here Sunday.

The two leaders will hold restricted talks before they sit down for talks with their delegations, well-placed sources said.

Zardari, the sources said, will be coming with a 40-member strong delegation that includes Interior Minister Rehman Malik, close family members of the president and senior journalists.

Hostage crisis: Odisha agrees to release 27 prisoners

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Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday said that the government has agreed to release 27 prisoners, including eight Maoists, to secure the release of an Italian tourist and a legislator.

The Maoists have held hostage Italian tour operator Bosusco Paolo and Biju Janata Dal legislator Jhina Hikaka since March 14 and March 24, respectively.

Muslim Brotherhood officials aim to promote moderate image in Washington visit

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Members of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood began a week-long charm offensive in Washington on Tuesday, meeting with White House officials, policy experts and others to counter persistent fears about the group’s emergence as the country’s most powerful political force.

The revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak has rapidly transformed the Brotherhood from an opposition group that had been formally banned into a political juggernaut controlling nearly half the seats in Egypt’s newly elected parliament.

Thriving French Halal Market Defies Politics

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Defying political debates raged by Elysee hopefuls, producers at Paris annual Muslim food fare are confident that these debates would bring nothing to their businesses but more profits.  

“It was a lot of noise for nothing,” Aissa Osmane, who sells Shari`ah-compliant spaghetti sauces with halal beef in the bolognese and smoked poultry cubes for bacon in the carbonara, told Reuters.

Over the past years, a growing halal market in France managed to reach an estimate of 5.5 billion euros with about 10 percent annual growth

Muslim voters could swing US election, report finds

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The number of Muslims in the United States is tiny – less than one in 100 Americans – but their votes could sway the results of the presidential election in November, a new study says.

That’s because they are concentrated in a number of key swing states, says Farid Senzai, the author of the report.

Take Florida, for example, the state that famously swung the 2000 presidential election for George W. Bush over Al Gore.

Bush won by 537 votes – while a get-out-the-vote phone bank contacted 23,000 Muslims in one day during elections in 2008 and 2010, the report says.

Jilter lover assaults girl, loses life while fleeing

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A jilted lover lost his life when his motorcycle crashed as he was trying to escape after allegedly assaulting a girl in Ramabainagar district, police said here today.

Amar Singh attacked 24-year-old MA student Pratibha with a knife in a degree college in Raniya after she turned down his advances yesterday, they said.

The victim started bleeding profusely from her neck and called out for help, following which guards at the college gate and other students attempted to stop Singh from fleeing on his motorcycle, they said.

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood defends Shater nomination

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Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood Tuesday defended its decision to run its deputy leader in a presidential election amid splits in the movement and accusations that the Islamists are trying to monopolize power.

The Brotherhood backtracked on an earlier pledge not to contest May’s presidential election by announcing on Saturday that it would field deputy leader Khairat El-Shater.

“There is no intention to assert control,” said Mohammed Morsi, head of the Brotherhood’s political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), which dominates parliament and the senate.

Indians biggest first-time buyers of Dubai property in 2011

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Indians have topped the list of first-time property buyers in Dubai for 2011, having bought properties worth Dh2.1 billion, Dubai Land Department (DLD) data reveals.

“The Indians topped the list of new investors in Dubai properties and conducted 927 transactions worth Dh2.1 billion. This represents 16 per cent of the overall value of transactions carried out by new investors,” the department said in a statement.

“New” money flowing into the Dubai property market for last year totaled Dh13.125 billion.

Is Priyanka the reason behind SRK-Arjun rift?

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Once good friend Shah Rukh Khan and Arjun Rampal are no more in talking terms.

And what exactly is the cause behind this rift? Reports suggest that it was Priyanka Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan’s closeness that is the real culprit, claims an Indian daily.

Priyanka and Shah Rukh got really close during the making of their movie ‘Don 2’ and allegedly the two had something going more than friendship going for them.

Arjun sensed what was happening and voiced his concern to SRK.He tried to make Shah Rukh understand that he is doing wrong by getting too close to Priyanka.

Next President? Antony says ‘I’m not a mad man’

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“I am not a mad man. I am a realist and I know my limitations,” was how Defence Minister AK Antony reacted when asked whether he was a candidate for the Presidential Elections.

“There should be a limit to ambition… That is madness,” he said, virtually ruling himself out of the race for elections in July when the tenure of President Pratibha Patil ends.

No names for Patil’s successor have emerged yet.

PTI

Salman Khan reveals all about Bollywood big release ‘Dabangg 2’

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Salman Khan struck gold with ‘Dabangg’ in 2010.

After a phase of flops, Salman had finally regained his top status.

Now a sequel to the same is in the making with Arbaaz Khan stepping into the shoes of director for ‘Dabangg 2’, apart from also being the money man for the movie.

While the shooting has been for some time now, Sallu is all praise for brother Arbaaz, the debutante director.

“Arbaaz is working at blitzkrieg speed, and I am very happy looking at his hardwork.

Doc couple who confined minor maid in flat held

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A doctor couple, who allegedly left their 13-year-old maid locked up and starving in the house while they vacationed in Thailand, were arrested on Wednesday, a week after the victim was rescued by the police.

Sanjay Verma and his wife Sumita had returned to the country a day after the incident came to light but were in hiding and were arrested from near Lifestyle mall in west Delhi’s Rajouri Garden following a tip off, A K Ojha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West), said.

Kingfisher has to pay arrears as soon as possible: CBEC

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The tax department on Wednesday said it will not provide any “leeway” to Kingfisher Airlines in paying arrears of about Rs 60 crore and the firm has to pay the dues as soon as possible.

“Kingfisher has paid Rs 20 crore service tax last month and they have promised…that they will try to pay (the arrears) as early as they can. Arrears are now about Rs 60 crore,” Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) Chairman S K Goel told reporters on the sidelines of a FIEO event here.

Europe should pull out of recession in late 2012: S&P

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Although the current recession in Europe will probably extend into the third quarter, we believe the economy may pick up modestly late this year and in 2013, said Standard & Poor’s on Wednesday in announcing the publication of its report “No Fast Lane Out Of Europe’s Recession.”

“Germany and other core northern countries of the eurozone should see sluggish GDP growth this year, while their southern neighbors–namely Italy, Spain, and Portugal–are likely to experience a genuine recession,” said Jean-Michel Six, Standard & Poor’s EMEA chief economist.

India’s services PMI falls for 3rd consecutive month

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India’s services sector witnessed a significant decline in the month of March amid slower rise in new business orders and a dip in business sentiment, a survey by HSBC Wednesday said.

According to the HSBC Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data, the seasonally-adjusted HSBC Services Business Activity Index, posted 52.3 in March, down from 56.5 in February. In January, it stood at 58.

A score above 50 indicates growth in the sector, while a reading below 50 means the segment is contracting.

Romney turns from primaries, toward Obama

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Mitt Romney is turning away from his primary opponents and toward Democratic President Barack Obama after sweeping three more Republican contests.

The likely GOP nominee was set Wednesday to take the same Washington stage that the president had used a day earlier to criticize Romney in a speech to newspaper editors in Washington. The former Massachusetts governor planned to address an audience of the Newspaper Association of America and the American Society of News Editors, a day after Obama spoke to the annual meeting of The Associated Press.

Seven killed in blast in northwest Pakistan

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At least seven persons were killed and nine others injured when a passenger van was targeted with a bomb in the restive Khyber tribal region of northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, officials said.

The van with 15 people was going from Khurrakai village to Jamrud, one of the main towns of Khyber Agency, when the bomb went off.

It was unclear whether the blast was caused by a roadside bomb or an explosive device planted in the van, officials told the media.

Seven persons were killed instantly and nine others injured. The wounded were taken to a nearby hospital.

Son accuses doctors of killing his mother

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A man here has accused doctors at Yanbu General Hospital of killing his mother after an operation to have her toe amputated. The son said his mother had suffered a toe injury two years ago.

Her condition had improved after being treated by doctors at the Armed Forces Hospital and a private hospital in Jeddah. “After a while, her toe started to swell. I took her to Yanbu Royal Commission Hospital where doctors said she needed to have her toe amputated.”

However, his mother insisted that she wanted to be treated at Yanbu General Hospital instead and the son agreed.

‘Destruction of India vision of Hafiz Saeed’

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Hafiz Saeed’s vision is “destruction” of India, says US counter-terrorism expert Bruce Riedel, maintaining that the Pakistan-based LeT founder is an al Qaeda ally who was in close touch with Osama bin Laden until his death in May last year.

“Saeed, a very public figure in Pakistan and admired by its military, advocates a truly extreme vision: the restoration of the Mughal empire and the destruction of India,” Bruce Riedel, a former CIA officer and now a senior fellow in the Seban Center at Brookings Institute, said.

Suicide bomber kills 10 in north Afghanistan

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A suicide bomber on a motorcycle killed at least 10 people and wounded 26 on Wednesday in a northern Afghan province, officials and police said.

Lal Mohammad Ahmad Zai, a police spokesman for northern Afghanistan, said the bomber blew himself up in Maimanah, the capital of Faryab province. It was not clear what the target was.

Zai said of the 10 people killed, four were police officers and the rest were civilians — including two women and two children.

Apologise for Zulfiqar’s ‘murder’: Bilawal to Pak SC

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Launching a scathing attack on the Supreme Court, Pakistan’s ruling PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has asked it to apologise for the “role it played in the judicial murder” of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and to ensure there are no “double standards” in the contempt case against Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani.

23-year-old Bilawal, the nominal Chairman of PPP, made the remarks during a strongly-worded speech he delivered at an event at the Bhutto family’s stronghold of Naudero in Sindh province late last night to mark the death anniversary of former President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

Barcelona, Bayern reach Champions League semis

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Lionel Messi swept holder Barcelona into the Champions League semifinals for the fifth successive year on Tuesday while becoming the competition`s most prolific scorer in a single season.

The Argentina forward scored a pair of first-half penalty kicks and Andres Iniesta added another goal after the break to give Barcelona a 3-1 victory over AC Milan following a 0-0 draw in Italy.

Messi`s 14th Champions League goal this season surpassed Ruud van Nistelrooy`s tally in the 2002-03 campaign.

Venus Williams advances at Family Circle Cup

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Venus Williams is hoping for even more success in her second tournament after a long layoff.

Williams beat qualifier Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-3 Tuesday in the Family Circle Cup, bouncing back from her quarterfinal loss at Key Biscayne.

“This is great for me to be in another match and to be in the second round,” she said. “It was a good start.”

England vs Sri Lanka: As it happened…

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Overs 65 Last over of the day as stumps were drawn on day 2 of the second Test at Colombo with England in a solid position of 154 for 1 traling SL by 121 runs, Jonathan Trott is in the middle scoring 15 off 44 along with the opener Alastair Cook who played a very resolute innings to stay firm at 77 off 227 balls. Overall, a good day for England.

51.3 overs: Out! Andrew Strauss failed to capitalise on the let-off two balls ago and edged one from Dilshan to keeper Prasanna Jayawardene. Strauss again failed to score a century. Strauss (61) b Dilshan

Live Scorecard: Eng Vs SL »

IPL 5: Chennai Super Kings face Mumbai Indians today

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Sights firmly set on a hat-trick of titles, defending champions Chennai Super Kings will open their campaign against last year`s Champions League Twenty20 winner Mumbai Indians in the inaugural match of the Indian Premier League V on Wednesday.

The season`s lung opener at the M A Chidambaram stadium could not have got any better as two of the strongest teams in the tournament will set the tone for the high-octane Twenty20 tournament over the next eight weeks.