Month: March 2013

Maria Shriver moving into the fast food business

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‘Terminator’ star Arnold Schwarzenegger’s estranged wife Maria Shriver is giving fast food a boost by investing in a healthy pizza place in California.

The 57-year-old former First Lady of California has funnelled money into Blaze Pizza, a new chain of restaurants
offering nutritious take out, reported Daily Express.

“We love pizza. My son and I are really excited to be in the pizza business. We love this concept,” Shriver said.

The brand currently has two outlets in California, with three more on the way in Los Angeles.

—————————PTI

Renee Zellweger to be part of West End production

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‘Bridget Jones Diary’ star Renee Zellweger is reportedly heading to London’s West End in a new stage adaptation of Paul Newman’s classic film ‘The Hustler’.

The 43-year-old actress has been cast in the role played by Piper Laurie in the 1961 movie as part of a new stage
production which is due to open in the autumn this year,reported Daily Star.

In the film, Newman starred as pool-player and hustler’Fast Eddie’ Felson, while Laurie played his girlfriend in
roles which won them both Academy Awards nominations.

Jude Law bans son from getting tattoo

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‘Sherlock Holmes’ star Jude Law has banned his teenage son from having a tattoo until he turns 18.

The 40-year-old actor’s eldest child Rafferty will soon turn 17 and recently informed his father he would be marking his big day by going under the needle.

However, Law wasn’t impressed and he warned Rafferty to wait another year, reported Daily Star.

He had an idea that he wanted to get a tattoo. I told him he wasn’t (going to get one).

Jane Lynch in awe of stepdaughter

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‘Glee’ star Jane Lynch says she is in love and in awe with her stepdaughter Haden and would do anything for her.

The 52-year-old actress married psychologist Lara Embry in 2010 and loves being a stepmother to her daughter Haden, reported Us magazine.

My greatest pleasure is Haden, my stepdaughter.

I am surprised how much love you feel and how you would do anything for your children. Some may say I know a thing or two about playing intimidating authority figures but she knows how important love and acceptance is,” Lynch said.

Union Budget: All India Mahila Congress thanks Sonia for security, protection of women

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A delegation of the All India Mahila Congress called on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi here on Saturday and expressed its gratitude for the historic decision taken to make the feminine gender economically strong and make them feel that they have their own women bank in which they will be able to carry on their financial transaction.

The women delegation also thanked the Congress President for the decision taken in Union Budget 2013-14 for security and protection of the women

US rescuers end effort to find body in sinkhole

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The effort to find the body of a man who was swallowed by a sinkhole under his Florida home was called off and crews planned to begin demolishing the four-bedroom house.

The 20-foot (6-meter)-wide opening of the sinkhole is almost completely covered by the house and rescuers feared it would collapse on them if they tried to search for Jeff Bush, 37.

Crews were testing the unstable ground surrounding the home and evacuated two neighboring homes as a precaution.

West Bank clash over fasting prisoner

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Hundreds of Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine supporters clashed with Israeli forces today and expressed support for Palestinians held in Israel prisons.

An AFP correspondent said some 300 Palestinians threw stones at soldiers and blocked streets in Hawwara, south of
Nablus, at the end of a rally marking the DFLP’s 44th anniversary.

Demonstrators held pictures of Samer Issawi, a DFLP member, who is held in an Israeli prison and has been on an
intermittent hunger strike since August.

Mongolpuri rape case: Principal among five suspended

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Five staff members, including the principal, of a municipal school in New Delhi where a seven-year old girl was raped, were suspended on Saturday.

North Delhi Municipal Corporation Commissioner PK Gupta suspended school inspector Balraj Singh, principal Neelam Karwal, class teacher Monica Kohli, school attendant Sushila and guard Kailash.

The Class II student was raped by an unidentified man inside the North Delhi Municipal Corporation-run primary school in Mongolpuri L Block of north-west Delhi on Thursday, triggering protest in the area.

J&K student found hanging in hostel room in Hyderabad

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A PhD student from Jammu and Kashmir was found hanging in his hostel room at English and Foreign Languages University campus here today evening, police said.

Kamran Mudrasi (25) was found hanging from the ceiling of his hostel room and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital by other students at the campus. He reportedly died on the way, police said.

The body has been sent for post mortem, police said adding further investigations were on.

–_PTI

Fire in Doordarshan office

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A fire broke out on the fifth floor of Doordarshan office in Mandi House here tonight, fire brigade officials said.

The blaze was reported from the Doordarshan office around 11:55 pm and 20 fire tenders were rushed to the spot, they said.

The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained.

—-PTI

I quit singles to prolong my career, says Sania

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Indian tennis star Sania Mirza today said the three surgeries she underwent in five years forced her to switch to doubles in a bid to prolong her career for a few more seasons.

I have had three surgeries and to comeback from those surgeries has been extremely difficult,” Mirza, who has won 16 WTA titles, said at an event here.

Indians swear by arranged marriages

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Despite the growth of social networking sites and online matrimonial sites, a majority of Indians still swear by the traditional arranged marriage, a new survey has revealed.

Around 75 percent of Indians, including 82 percent women and 68 percent, are conservative and prefer arranged marriages, according to The Taj Wedding Barometer, a survey conducted by the Taj Group of Hotels, Mumbai, which was released here Saturday.

Shilpa Shetty named Wellness Icon, elated

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Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty was happy to be named the Wellness Icon at the NDTV Good Times Lifestyle Awards 2013 here Saturday.

“Received the NDTV WELLNESS ICON award today. Happy I continue to inspire people in the field of wellness and fitness (nine months after a baby),” tweeted the actress.

Married to businessman Raj Kundra, Shilpa delivered a baby boy in May 2012. His name is Viaan.

Apart from being active in showbiz, Shilpa is also the chairperson of Iosis Spa & Wellness Pvt. Ltd., in which she is a partner with her friend Kiran Bawa.

Saudi Arabia to recruit 500 nurses from Kerala

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The Saudi Arabian administration is set to recruit 500 Muslim women nurses from Kerala to work in hospitals in and around Mecca and Madina.

Kerala Labour Minister Shibu Baby John, in a statement Saturday, said all the nurses should be graduates in nursing and have two years of work experience.

The state-owned Overseas Development Employment Promotion Consultants (ODEPC) will interview the candidates, he said.

John said the Kuwait government too would liaison with ODEPC for all requirements of nurses in the government sector and is set to recruit 250 nurses from the state.

Clarke’s 91 not enough to check Kumar, Jadeja

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The first session belonged to Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, the last to Ravindra Jadeja and the middle to Michael Clarke, who struck a strokeful 91 and then surprisingly declared the Australia’s first innings at 237 for nine on the opening day of the second cricket Test against India here Saturday.

Clarke tried to play on the minds of Indian openers by squeezing in three overs before stumps, but openers Virender Sehwag and Murali Vijay saw the day off scoring five runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium at Uppal.

Playing Tests was always a dream: Bhuvneshwar

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India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who rattled the Australian top-order with three for 53 here, said it was always his dream to play Tests for India.

“It was always my dream to play test for India. When I got my first wicket, I was very happy. It doesn’t get better than this,” said the 23-year-old.

Kumar, who went wicketless on debut in Chennai, got David Warner for his maiden Test wicket. Kumar then removed Ed Cowan and Shane Watson that left Australia struggling at 57 for three.

Muslim groups seek fair trial of Bangladesh ‘war criminals’

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Observing that the Shahbag protests in Dhaka demanding the death penalty for alleged war criminals was inhuman, Muslim religious and rights groups here Saturday urged the Bangladeshi government to allow the accused a fair trial.

“The Shahbag protests are inhuman as the protestors have been demanding death penalty. The Bangladesh government should not surrender to the demands but ensure that the accused are given a fair trial,” Abdul Aziz of Milli Etihad Parishad told reporters here.

Can restrict India to under 230: Wade

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Australia’s wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade believes that if his side bowls well on the second day of the second Test, it can restrict India to under 230.

“You never know. These wickets are so different to what we are used to. Any lead will be an advantage at this stage. I feel if we bowl well enough we can definitely restrict India to under 230,” Wade told reporters after the first day’s play of the second Test against India here Saturday.

Libyan official: Egyptian detainees to be deported

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A Libyan security official says 50 Egyptians, who were arrested in Benghazi last week for allegedly spreading Christianity, are being charged with illegally entering and working in the country and will be deported.

A video circulated this week on social networking sites purportedly showing a group of Christian Egyptians with shaved heads and a bearded young man in a military jacket who said nearly 100 Coptic Egyptians were being held for allegedly spreading Christianity.

Five suspended for minor’s rape

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A day after a seven-year-old girl was allegedly raped in a municipal school here, three people – including the school inspector and principal – were suspended, an official said Saturday.

“School inspector Balraj Singh, principal Neelam Karwal, class teacher Monica Kohli, school attendant Sushila watchman Kailash have been suspended in the alleged sexual assault case at Mangolpuri Municipal Primary School,” B.K. Gupta, municipal commissioner, North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), said.

Poll panel braces to hold Karnataka assembly polls by May

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The Election Commission of India is bracing up to conduct election to the Karnataka legislative assembly by May as the five-year term of the present house (13th) ends June 3.

“We will soon announce the date(s) for holding election to the state assembly after final consultations in New Delhi with the authorities concerned, including the union home ministry on the availability of central forces for deploying in the state on the polling dates,” Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath told reporters here Saturday.

Two minor siblings killed in Delhi

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Two siblings, who went missing three days ago, were found dead near a railway track in central Delhi, police said Saturday. Three people were detained after the victims’ father raised suspicion about a neighbour’s involvement.

Victims’ father Manoj Kumar, who works in a share-brokerage firm, received about seven ransom calls demanding Rs.30 lakh after his school children went missing, a police officer said.

EC not in favour of raising poll expense limit

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The Election Commission Saturday said it did not favour raising the expenditure incurred by a candidate in the legislative assembly elections.

“We are not inclined to review the maximum poll expenditure limit for assembly constituencies, which was raised to Rs.16 lakh only two years ago (February 2011) after a gap of six years from Rs.10 lakh in 2005,” Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath told reporters here.

Modi hogs limelight at BJP meet; Rajnath sees early polls

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Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, seen as a prime ministerial candidate by many in the BJP, hogged the limelight at the national council meeting here Saturday even as president Rajnath Singh asked the party ranks to be prepared for early Lok Sabha polls.

Modi got a standing ovation at the meeting as Rajnath Singh garlanded him to loud cheers from the gathering, which included senior party leaders, and referred to him as a “popular chief minister”.

He said every BJP worker was proud that the party had won for the third successive occasion in Gujarat.