Month: May 2014

Sridevi off to Tokyo for ‘English Vinglish’ premiere

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Veteran actress Sridevi, who made a roaring comeback with “English Vinglish”, Wednesday left for Tokyo for the premiere of the entertainer’s dubbed Japanese version.

“Off to Tokyo, Japan for super premiere of ‘English Vinglish’ dubbed in Japanese,” Sridevi posted on her Twitter page.

The premiere will be held Thursday, while the film is slated to release across 33 screens in Japan June 28.

Akie Abe, wife of Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and popular Japanese singer Agnes Chan will be present for the premiere of the film, which had a worldwide release in October 2012.

Delhiites consume maximum burgers in India: Survey

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Delhi is on top of a list of Indian cities which consume the maximum burgers, indicates a survey by online food ordering marketplace Foodpanda on the occasion of International Burger Day Wednesday.

The study was conducted to understand how many burgers Foodpanda customers ordered over the past three months (till May 26), and to compare its popularity across various cities.

While Delhi’s consumption of burgers topped the chart at 31 percent, Pune came close at 30 percent followed by Mumbai at 21 percent.

Liz Hurley credits daily power walks for toned figure

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Elizabeth Hurley has credited daily power walks for her incredible figure.

The former fiancee of Shane Warne, insisted exercise is more important than diet to maintain a good body, Contactmusic reported.

She said that it’s more important to be toned that it is to be thin, adding that going for a fast walk every day really makes a difference to your legs and butt.

She advised that some crunches and arm exercises could help one look like a goddess.

Sensex ends flat; metal stocks fall

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A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Wednesday closed flat — only 6.58 points or 0.03 percent up — on the back of profit booking as foreign institutional investors (FIIs) turned sellers and caution prevailed ahead of May derivatives expiry.

Heavy selling pressure was observed in metal, automobile, oil and gas and consumer durables.

However, healthy buying took place in information technology (IT), bank, technology, entertainment and media (TECK) and capital goods.

Congress, BJP in war of words over Irani’s qualification

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The row over allotment of the human resource development ministry to “non-graduate” Smriti Irani continued Wednesday as the Congress and the BJP poured in comments on various media forums either defending or lambasting the actor-turned-politician.

Congress leader Rashid Alvi told IANS that it was a “fact” that the 38-year-old Irani was not a graduate.

He said there were only 10 ministers in the union cabinet who were either graduates or post-graduates.

Thai military junta transfers 24 more officers

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The Thai military junta announced the transfer of 24 more officers to inactive positions and also set out an eight-point plan for national administration, media reported Wednesday.

The officers, including eight provincial governors and 16 senior police officers, will be sent to the interior ministry and national police headquarters, respectively, Xinhua reported.

The transfers of provincial governors come into effect from June 2, while the transfers of police officers came into effect immediately after the announcement Tuesday night.

Row over Article 370 escalates

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The row over Article 370 of the Constitution escalated Wednesday, with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah asking the central government to come clean on the “stakeholders” it was talking to and the RSS stressing the state would remain integral part of India.

Abdullah Wednesday asked the central government to come clean on the “stakeholders” it was talking to on the contentious issue of revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution that gives Jammu and Kashmr a special status within the Indian republic.

I was trained as a spy: Snowden

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Edward Snowden, former CIA contractor who honed his hacking skills in India before leaking US’ secret surveillance programmes, has said he was “trained as a spy” and dismissed America’s assertion that he was a low-level hacker.

“I was trained as a spy in sort of the traditional sense of the word — in that I lived and worked undercover, overseas, pretending to work in a job that I’m not — and even being assigned a name that was not mine,” Snowden said in a interview to NBC News, his first with a US television network.

Gujarat-based Catholic priest spreading religious discontent: Parrikar

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Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Wednesday accused Gujarat-based Catholic priest and human rights activist Father Cedric Prakash of trying to spread religious and social discontent based on “falsehoods” in Goa before the general election.

Equating the priest with controversial Sri Rama Sene chief Pramod Muthalik, Parrikar, justifying police action against Facebooker Devu Chodankar following his anti-Narendra Modi posts, said action should have been taken against Prakash too.

New seafloor map to help spot missing Malaysian airplane?

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A new illustration of the seafloor underneath the Indian Ocean where search efforts have focused to find the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 could shed additional light on what type of underwater vehicles might be used in the search operation.

The contact with Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was lost March 8.

“The terrain and depths shown in the map could help searchers choose the appropriate underwater robotic vehicles they might use to look for the missing plane,” said Walter Smith from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Traditional Punjabi music to enthrall Delhi

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A two-day festival showcasing Punjab’s traditional Kheyal Gayeki genre of Hindustani classical music will begin here May 30, its organisers said here Wednesday.

The “Traditional Music of Punjab” festival is being presented by the Punjabi Academy in association with the Delhi government’s department of art, culture and languages (DACL) at the India International Centre.

“The festival is a special tribute to the beautiful Punjabi language Kheyal bandishes
which have enriched Hindustani classical music ever since the Mughal era of Emperor

Philips re-enters India mobile phone market

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Consumer durables manufacturer Philips Wednesday re-entered the Indian mobile phone market after a gap of two years, launching four devices ranging from a basic feature phone to an android-based smart mobile phone priced between Rs.1,960 and Rs.20,650.

“We are entering into the market again with a whole range of feature and smart phones that we believe serves all the categories of clients. We will be launching two new phones by next month that will take our range to about Rs.35,000,” S.S. Bassi, country manager India, Overseas Sales, Shenzhen Sangfei.

Sadhu and sadhvi booked in Shukartal murder case

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A case has been registered against a sadhu and a sadhvi in connection with the murder of another sadhu at an ashram at Shukartal here, police said today.

The police had initially treated the case as a suicide but the brother of the victim yesterday lodged an FIR against Sadhvi Anusoiya and sadhu Omana accusing them of murdering Om Brahmachari (38), they said.

In his complaint the brother alleged that the two accused shared an illicit relationship which Brahmachari had come to know about.

Proposed airport in Kerala hits eco barrier

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The proposed Rs.2,000-crore KGS Aranmula international airport project in Kerala suffered a huge setback Wednesday when a tribunal cancelled its environment sanction.

After a legal battle between the airport’s promoters and five organisations based in Aranmula, the Chennai bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Wednesday ruled that the agency which conducted the environment study was not competent to give an environment clearance for the proposed airport.

Cancelling the environment clearance, the bench directed that no work should be undertaken at the airport site.

Kolkata zoo probes escape of zebra

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Alipore zoo authorities here are investigating the matter of escape of a male zebra Wednesday from an enclosure where it was undergoing treatment. The animal has been captured and put in a separate area.

Around 8 a.m. Wednesday, zoo-keepers discovered that the zebra was missing from the treatment area, a specially built space adjacent to the main enclosure where a total of five zebras are housed.

TDP to set up special fund for party workers

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The Telugu Desam Party has decided to set up a special fund to extend financial assistance to needy workers of the party.

The TDP’s annual conclave ‘Mahanadu’ okayed the fund proposal mooted by party president N Chandrababu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh, who made his maiden speech at the event today.

Lokesh, who extensively campaigned for the party in the recent elections, addressed the delegates in the presence of his father.

Nargis Fakhri to foray into Tamil cinema

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‘Rockstar’ fame actress Nargis Fakhri is all set to make her foray into Tamil cinema in a song in a film.

Fakhri, 34, who has starred in films like ‘Madras Cafe’, ‘Main Tera Hero’, will be seen along side well-known Tamil actor Prashanth in his upcoming movie ‘Saahasam.’

“Nargis Fakhri is now roped in to do a special appearance in a song with Prashanth in ‘Saahasam’,” a release from the film unit here said today.

The song would be choreographed by one of India’s ‘leading choreographer’ it said, without identifying the same.

Sudha ‘Baa’ Shivpuri on road to recovery

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Veteran actress Sudha Shivpuri, lovingly known as ‘Baa’ following her role in the hugely popular show “Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi”, has been out of action for almost six months due to ill health. Now, the 75-year-old is recovering and wishes that her fans and colleagues pray for her well being.

The theatre, TV and film actress even spent over two months in a hospital in Mumbai.

Jamie Lynn Spears all set to prove herself

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Jamie Lynn is proud of her sister and pop star Britney Spears’ achievements, but now she is all set to carve a niche for herself as a singer.

The 23-year-old, who released her debut album “The Journey” this week, likes being associated with Britney but she wants to build a name of her own, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“I’m proud of my sister. She’s worked hard to become extremely successful. It makes me proud, but it also gives me an outlet to prove who I am as a person and what I love,” said Jamie.

Maldives accepts India’s role on global stage: Yameen

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Maldives accepts India’s leadership role in the international arena and feels this would benefit the SAARC countries, President Abdulla Yameen has said.

Yameen was among the SAARC leaders who had attended the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as India’s 15th prime minister.

During their meeting in New Delhi Tuesday, both leaders agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations, Minivan News reported.

Facebook helps police find newborn’s kidnapper

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Facebook can not just make or break relationships, it can also find a missing child.

The Quebec Police in Canada have cracked a newborn kidnapping case using a Facebook post early this week.

The Facebook post – showing a photo of the vehicle and the 21-year-old woman driving it with the kidnapped newborn wrapped in a blue blanket – went viral after the kidnapping act.

Four friends hanging out in the night saw the post and one of them immediately recognised the woman – her former neighbour.

Customs detains four in Kochi for smuggling gold

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Four passengers, who arrived here on a flight from Malaysia, have been detained by customs officials for carrying gold in their stomach, an official said Wednesday.

The official, who did not wish to be identified, told IANS that four people were questioned by the Cochin Customs officials as they were behaving in a suspicious manner after their flight landed late Tuesday night.

“After speaking to them, we first did a body examination but that did not reveal anything. After that we did a body scan and it showed that metal parts were embedded in their body,” said the official.

Jennifer Aniston uses diary as form of therapy

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Actress Jennifer Aniston reportedly prefers to write a diary, instead of going for therapies.

The 45-year-old has vented all her frustrations and problems on paper since the age of 13, and has filled six notebooks with the most happiest and painful memories, reports contactmusic.com.

“Jen has been keeping journals since she was 13 years old. She considers them to be her therapy sessions. She had never mentioned her journals before, but she says there are six of them now. They’re all simple leather diaries, locked away in a safe in her home,” said a source.

Congress leader in Kerala calls Rahul ‘joker’

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Blaming Rahul Gandhi for the party’s electoral reverses in the Lok Sabha election, a senior leader in Kerala Wednesday termed the Congress vice president a “joker” and demanded he be removed from his posts if he does not step down voluntarily.

T.H. Mustafa, a former minister, also demanded Gandhi’s sister Priyanka Gandhi be made the new party chief.

Addressing reporters here, Mustafa said that Gandhi should quit from his post and if he does not, he should be removed.

Masjid spreads Islamic teachings in Kannada

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It is rare to find Kannada language used in Masjids and Muslim organisations, as they usually practice Urdu and Arabic. But here is an example of a Masjid in Dharwad which is spreading the teachings of Islam and the message of Prophet Muhammad in Kannada.

Masjid-e-Aysha, has taken an initiative to spread Islamic teachings in local language by writing Hadees and dua, as majority of the people speak and read Kannada in the locality.