Month: July 2013

Srinivasan can chair the meeting: Niranjan Shah

by

BCCI vice-president Niranjan Shah today said N Srinivasan could return as BCCI chief and chair the IPL Governing Council meeting on August 2 as the probe panel has found no evidence against his team Chennai Super Kings in the IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal.

“He himself has stepped down and now as probe is already finished, given to the working committee already, Srinivasan can come any time he wants to. He can chair the meeting,” Shah said when asked if Srinivasan can chair the GC meeting in the capital.

Prince Charles really cool: Eliza Doolittle

by

British Singer Eliza Doolittle recalls meeting Prince Charles as a teenager and says he was really cool.

“When I was 13, I was in a musical and he, Prince Charles, came to see the musical and I got to meet him afterwards and he was really cool,” femalefirst.co.uk. quoted the 25-year-old as saying.

Doolittle also revealed that she and Charles bonded over his then teenage sons Prince William and Prince Harry’s love for video game “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2”.

AR Rahman to go on India road tour

by

Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman is all set to embark on a month-long four city tour.

Rahman, 47, will begin his tour titled ‘Ranhamnishq’ after a gap of two decades in Kolkata on October 1 followed by Vishakhapatnam (October 12), Jaipur (October 20) and Ahmedabad (October 27).

The musical-extravaganza will have live interactive theatrical experience encompassing his award winning musical renditions right from “Roja”, “Jodhaa Akbar”, “Slumdog Millionnaire”, “Jab Tak Hai Jaan” and “Raanjhanaa”.

R Madhavan to star in Hollywood horror

by

R Madhavan is the latest Bollywood actor to join the Hollywood bandwagon with producer Simon West’s horror remake of 1968 film “Night of the Living Dead”.

The 3D reboot, directed by Zebediah De Soto, is a reimagining of George A Romero’s hit black-and-white movie. It revolves around a group of survivors fighting to stay alive when a mysterious plague unleashes the undead on New York City.

Madhavan, 43, will join actors like Danielle Harris, Tom Sizemore, Tony Todd, Alona Tal, Sarah Habel and Bill Moseley.

My wife doesn’t worry about intimate scenes: Arjun Rampal

by

Actor Arjun Rampal, who is married to supermodel Mehr Jesia, says his wife does not have a problem with his onscreen intimacy with co-stars.

“I don’t think she has to worry about my onscreen intimate scenes… She knows this is my job,” Arjun told PTI.

The 40-year-old actor played the character of an ex-Army officer in Nikhil Advani’s recently released “D Day”. Arjun said he does not discuss work with his family.

Vidya Balan, Anna Hazare invited for India Day Parade in US

by

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan and anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare have been invited to take part in an annual Indian Independence day parade here on August 18, considered one of the colourful events of New York.

The India Day Parade marks the Independence Day (August 15) celebrations organised by the 43-year-old Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) New York and New Jersey chapter in the streets of Manhattan.

The 33rd edition of the Parade will also see Balan as its Grand Marshal.

Our pacers can learn from Zimbabwe bowlers: Kohli

by

Indian fast bowlers put up an improved show today but skipper Virat Kohli said they can still learn from Zimbabwe pacers how to use the new ball effectively.

R Vinay Kumar and Mohammed Shami, who came into the side after frontline pacers were rested, were prerry ordinary in the first two matches of the series.

Shami was economical today and also scalped two rival batsmen while Vinay Kumar took one wicket.

I have decided on everything for my wedding: Alia Bhatt

by

Actress Alia Bhatt, who made her ramp debut with the ongoing India Bridal Fashion Week, has no plan of tying the knot anytime soon but she has decided on everything for her wedding right from her lehenga to jewellery.

The 20-year-old ‘Student of the Year’ star said she will don a Manish Malhotra lehenga for her marriage in near future.

“Though I am too young to get married at this moment and I hate the idea of getting married so soon, but I have decided on my lehenga, colour and jewellery for it.

Manish Tewari’s house vandalised by BJP workers, alleges Cong

by

Punjab Congress today alleged that a group of BJP youth wing workers tried to vandalise the private residence of Union minister Manish Tewari here, a charge refuted by the outfit.

The allegations have come a day after two bottles of acid were found outside his house and the police are investigating all angles including foul play into the matter.

“Today, activists of Bhartiya Yuva Janata Morcha carrying utensils, spoons, Rs five coins and placards gathered outside the Tewari’s house,” said district Congress president Pawan Dewan.

Dilshan, Sangakkara lift Sri Lanka to series win

by

Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara pulverised South Africa’s bowling as Sri Lanka took a decisive 3-1 lead in the one-day series with an eight-wicket victory in Pallekele on Sunday.

Dilshan returned unbeaten on 115 and Sangakkara made 91 during a record partnership of 184 runs to steer the hosts past South Africa’s 238 all out in the 44th over of the day-night match.

The emphatic victory by the 2011 World Cup finalists reduced Wednesday’s fifth and final match in Colombo to a formality.

Ceasefire violation: BSF lodges protest with Pak Rangers

by

Border Security Force has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan Rangers over ceasefire violation in forward areas of Poonch and Kathua districts along the Indo-Pak border, in which a BSF jawan and a civilian were injured.

In the sixth case of ceasefire violation, the Pakistani troops had resorted to unprovoked firing along the Indo-Pak border yesterday.

They also targeted Indian posts along LoC in Poonch.

Courthouse bombed in Libya

by

A day after nearly 1,200 convicts escaped from a prison, a courthouse was bombed in the same Libyan city of Benghazi Sunday night, said security sources.

The courthouse was located in northern Benghazi, reported Xinhua while adding that the explosions were heard by local residents.

On Saturday, in a major jailbreak, nearly 1,200 convicts, most of them facing serious charges, escaped from al-Kuifiya prison of the city. Some of them were later recaptured.

—IANS

Afghan consulate official goes missing in Quetta

by

An official of the consulate of Afghanistan here in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province has gone missing last week, police said today.

A police official at the Satellite Town Police Station in whose jurisdiction the Afghan consulate is located said that Afghan national Muhammad Hashim who worked in the passport section of the consulate went missing since July 25.

“Siddiqullah, the son of the missing Afghan official, has lodged an FIR in our station,” police official Sardar Shah said.

2 more climbers go missing in Pak mountains

by

Tragedy struck foreign mountaineers yet again in Pakistan as two climbers from New Zealand were today reported missing on K-2, the world’s second highest mountain in the Karakoram range in Gilgit-Baltistan, officials said.

“New Zealander Martin Walter Schmidt, 53 and Denali Walter Schmidt, 25, father and son in relation, are reported missing on July 28 afternoon from Camp III at 7,400 metres on the world’s second highest mountain, 8,611-metre-high K-2,” Alpine Club of Pakistan said in a late night statement.

25 killed in Nigeria gunmen attacks

by

At least 25 people were killed in separate weekend attacks by gunmen in Nigeria’s Borno State, military authorities confirmed Sunday.

The gunmen, believed to be members of the Boko Haram sect, opened fire on civilians and local security workers in Dawashi district of Kukawa local government area of Borno State, which borders central African country of Chad, reported Xinhua citing Lt. Haruna Mohammed Sani, spokesperson of the military-led Multi-national Joint Task Force.

US drone strike kills six in NW Pakistan: officials

by

A US drone attack today killed at least six militants and wounded three others in the northwestern tribal area of Pakistan, officials said.

The attack took place in the Shawal area, some 50 kilometres west of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan which is a stronghold of Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked militants along the Afghan border.

Four unmanned aircraft hovered above a village in Shawal before one fired two missiles at a compound just before sunset.

US announces resumption of Mideast talks

by

The US announced the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian talks following years of stalemate, after Israel’s Cabinet agreed to release 104 Palestinian prisoners convicted of deadly attacks.

The return to direct contacts between the sides gave US Secretary of State John Kerry his first concrete achievement after months of shuttle diplomacy yesterday.

The US said preliminary talks would begin today, but it remains unclear whether they will lead to a formal resumption of peace talks that broke down in 2008.

Seven dead, dozens hurt in Italy coach accident

by

Seven people died and dozens were injured in southern Italy when a coach came off a flyover and plunged 30 meters down a slope, according to police officials cited by Italian media.

“I cannot yet confirm the number of victims, we are still pulling people from the vehicle. Our priority now is to free the wounded,” a police spokesman told AFP yesterday, adding that the Naples-Bari highway had been closed down to traffic.

Telangana issue: AP IPS officer applies for VRS

by

A senior IPS officer has applied for VRS in Andhra Pradesh allegedly in protest against reported proposal to create Rayala-Telangana in the event of bifurcation of the state.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of APSP Battalion, Sheikh Mohammed Iqbal, forwarded letters seeking voluntary retirement to state Director General of Police V Dinesh Reddy and also to the Chief Secretary P K Mohanty, citing personal reasons.

“I have put in my papers yesterday for VRS due to personal reasons,” Iqbal told PTI tonight.

Train crash driver charged as Spain mourns crash victims

by

The driver of a train that hurtled off the rails in Spain was charged with 79 counts of reckless homicide and released on bail after being questioned by a judge.

The judge ordered him to report to court every week and forbade him from leaving Spain for six months, the High Court of Galicia, which is leading the investigation, said in a statement yesterday.

He also banned him from driving trains for six months.

Maharaja of Faridkot’s daughters to inherit assets worth Rs 20,000 crore

by

After over a two-decade-long wait, two daughters of the erstwhile Maharaja of Faridkot are set to inherit assets worth a staggering Rs 20,000 crore that include Faridkot House in Delhi’s posh Central Vista, two forts, vintage cars and jewellery.

The ex-royals struck the fortune after a local court ruled that Faridkot’s former ruler Sir Harinder Singh Brar’s 31-year-old will was “fictitious” and “forged” by servants in connivance with lawyers and others.

25 killed in Italy bus accident

by

At least 25 people were killed and 11 injured in a coach accident that occurred Sunday evening in Italy, local media reported.

The accident happened at around 08.30 p.m. (1830 GMT) near Avellino town in Campania region, when a bus carrying 48 tourists crashed through the guard rail and fell nearly 30 metres down the hill, Xinhua reported.

The bus swerved to avoid hitting a truck and then invested some cars before violently impacting the guard rail.

Shakeel Ahmad takes a jibe at BJP chief

by

Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad Sunday took a jibe at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh saying that in the US guardians are allowed to apply for visas only for minors.

“I’m in Canada, near US. Rajnath Singh-ji should have been informed that in US guardians are allowed to apply for visa only for minors,” Ahmad tweeted.

The Congress leader was referring to the BJP chief, during his visit to the US earlier this month, reportedly urging the government there to issue a visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Nepal army chief returns from China visit

by

Nepal’s Chief of Army Staff Gaurav Shumsher Rana Sunday returned from Beijing after a 10-day official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.

Rana visited China at the invitation of General Fang Fenghui, chief of general staff of the People’s Liberation Army, Xinhua reported.

He led a five-member delegation of military officials during his July 19-28 visit, the Nepal Army said.

During the visit, Rana held talks with Fang and invited his Chinese counterpart to visit Nepal.

No govt can be formed without SP’s support: Mulayam Singh Yadav

by

Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday asserted no government would be formed at the Centre without his party’s support after the Lok Sabha elections next year.

“No government will be formed at the centre without the support of SP,” he told reporters at the Bangalore International Airport here on arrival in the city to attend certain functions.