Month: January 2015

Difficult to replace Dhoni: Clarke

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Injured Australia skipper Michael Clarke said India will find it difficult to get a player like Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who retired from Test cricket Tuesday.

“I can’t imagine there would be many jobs in international sport tougher than being the captain of India’s cricket team. I doubt many have dealt with the expectation, scrutiny, pressure and extreme adoration better than MS Dhoni,” Clarke, who is nursing a hamstring injury, wrote in a column Saturday in the Herald Sun.

Grand Mufti warned against celebrating Prophet’s (PBUH) birthday

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Addressing at the Friday congregational sermon at the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah mosque in Riyadh, Grand Mufti Shaikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh has warned all the Muslims against celebrating the birthday of the Prophet (PBUH).

He declared the celebration as superstitious practice that was illegally added to Islam.

Iran rejects controversial new hijab law

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A draft law that would give greater powers to Iran’s police and volunteer militias to enforce women’s compulsory wearing of the veil has been ruled unconstitutional, state media reported today.

Under Islamic law in force in Iran since the 1979 revolution, women must wear loose clothing, known as hijab, that covers the head and neck and which conceals their hair.

But many now push the boundaries by wearing thin head scarves, tight leggings and fashionable coats rather than a chador, a long and traditional black garment that covers the entire body from head to toe.

Smith might be a bit more aggressive during 4th Test: McGrath

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Fast bowling great Glenn McGrath feels Australia captain Steven Smith’s delayed declaration in the drawn third Test against India was a one-off call and he expects the young leader to continue the team’s tradition of playing “hard” in the coming days.

“We’ve been spoilt here in Australia with the attacking brand of cricket we play,” former Australia pacer McGrath was quoted as saying by website news.Com.Au today.

One ‘terror’ boat occupant should have been caught alive: Cong

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A top Gujarat Congress leader today said it would have been better if at least one of the occupants of the “terror” boat had been captured alive even as he alleged loopholes in the State’s coastal security.

A Pakistani fishing boat said to be carrying explosives was intercepted by the Indian Coast Guard off the Gujarat coast, but the vessel exploded and caught fire before sinking along with four occupants on December 31 night.

Chappell’s tips for India: Pick five bowlers for 4th Test

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Former Australia captain Ian Chappell feels even though he backs the hosts to win the series 3-0, India should field five specialist bowlers including two spinners in the final cricket Test, starting January 6.

India’s bowling attack in overseas conditions has traditionally been four-pronged with a single spinner in operation. It was debutant leg-spinner Karn Sharma featuring as sole spinner in the Adelaide Test while Ravichandran Ashwin replaced him in Brisbane and Melbourne.

Excited for my second stint on ‘Bigg Boss 8’: Mahek Chahal

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Former ‘Bigg Boss 5’ contestant Mahek Chahal is set to make a re-entry as one of the challengers for ‘Bigg Boss Halla Bol’ and the model-actress says she is looking forward to her second innings on the show.

The reality TV show has been extended and in the new format, former contestants will challenge the present house inmates. The other challengers are Rahul Mahajan, Sambhavna Seth, Sana Khan and Ajaz Khan, who has already entered the house.

‘Want everyone to play for nation as per their merits’: Sonowal

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After badminton ace Saina Nehwal expressed her disappointment over being allegedly snubbed for the Padma Bhushan awards this year, Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said that he wanted everyone to play for the nation as per their merits.

“Want everyone to play for the nation as per their merits. My ministry will give them all the support to make them play well,” said Sonowal.

Echoing similar sentiments, former sports minister MS Gill said that anyone who gives an application cannot be conferred the prestigious award.

Pritam, Gautam are tough contenders in ‘Bigg Boss’: Sana Khan

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Actress Sana Khan, who is re-entering controversial reality show ‘Bigg Boss’ as a challenger, feels contestants Pritam Singh and Gautam Gulati will be her toughest competition.

Five challengers, including Sana, Mahek Chahal, Rahul Mahajan, Sambhavna Seth and Ajaz Khan will be competing with the top five contestants of the current season of ‘Bigg Boss’, called champions, in the show’s extended segment ‘Bigg Boss Halla Bol’.

‘Bigg Boss 8’ champions will be announced today and ‘Halla Bol’ series, to be hosted by director Farah Khan, will be launched tomorrow.

BJP looking at all possibilities for J&K govt formation: Shah

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As stalemate continued in Jammu and Kashmir over government formation, BJP chief Amit Shah today said his party is looking at “all possibilities” and hoped that a decision will come “anytime”.

“All options are open for BJP in Jammu & Kashmir. We are looking at all possibilities to form government. I am hoping that a decision will come in this regard anytime,” he told reporters here.

He was responding when asked about the status of government formation in Jammu and Kashmir where the stalemate is continuing for the last 12 days because of hung verdict in the Assembly elections.

Pak firing kills 2 Army jawans, one woman; triggers migration

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Two army jawans and a woman were killed while 11 people were injured as Pakistani troops targeted villages and security posts at various places in Jammu and Kashmir since last night which triggered migration of hundreds of people from some border areas.

While the firing and shelling continued, Home Minister Rajnath Singh regretted that Pakistan is repeatedly targeting border areas of India despite being offered a hand of friendship.

Rainy Saturday in Delhi, clear Sunday ahead

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The national capital saw an overcast Saturday with some rain. The Met office has forecast a clear sky with moderate fog in the morning Sunday.

“There will be moderate to dense fog Sunday morning. However, a partly cloudy sky will become mainly clear from morning onward. Very light rain or thundershowers may occur till night,” said an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The maximum and minimum temperatures Sunday are likely to hover around 17 and 10 degrees Celsius respectively.

Hyderabad have turned green, flags & banners adorn the roads in Celebration of Milad un Nabi

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Several localities of Hyderabad, especially in the Old City, have turned green. Green buntings, flags and banners adorn the roads all over in celebration of the birthday of Prophet Hazrath Muhammad Sallalahu-Alaihi-wa-Sallim on Sunday.

Similar lectures and religious congregations are being organised across the city. Different organisations have arranged poor feeding and blood donation camps at several places as they see this as the best way to celebrate the Birthday of the Holy Prophet.

Post backlash on mosque photograph, Selena Gomez removes it

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Pop star Selena Gomez’s photograph featuring her lifting her skirt to expose the lower half of one of her legs at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi had to be removed from a social networking website after the “Come and Get It” hitmaker began facing a backlash.

Gomez rang in the New Year in UAE with her friends Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Shay Mitchell and more.

In a photograph, which Gomez posted on Instagram, the pop star and the group were seen posing together at the Abu Dhabi Grand Mosque, with the singer flashing her ankle, reports eonline.com.

Striking employees of Korean company arrested in Tamil Nadu

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Around 120 striking permanent workers of Korean auto component maker NVH India Auto were arrested near here Saturday, said an official of the workers union.

The workers went on a sit-in strike Friday demanding basic facilities.

A. Sundarrajan, vice secretary of the United Labour Federation (ULF), told IANS that the factory has around 120 permanent workers and around 200 contract workers.

“The company is carrying out production with contract workers and apprentices which is against the law,” he said.

He said the company is not recognising the duly formed workers union.

Amit Shah on two-day visit to Hyderabad from Jan 7

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BJP National President Amit Shah will participate in several programmes in the city during his two-day visit from January 7.

Telangana BJP President G Kishan Reddy informed that Amit Shah would address a meeting of BJP’s block to state-level leaders on January 8. Although he did not disclose further details, sources say that Amit Shah would finalise the strategy to be adopted by the party for next GHMC polls.

Government’s agenda is communal Hindu vote consolidation: Yechury

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Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury has alleged that the agenda being pursued by the BJP-led government is not that of development but of consolidating the communal Hindu vote bank.

In an interview to news channel CNN-IBN, the CPI-M politbureau member said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence over the issue of conversion despite the opposition’s demand for his statement revealed the government’s real agenda.

GHMC to have budget of Rs 20,000 Cr: Somesh Kumar

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GHMC Commissioner & Special Officer Somesh Kumar said that the corporation was coming up with a budget of Rs 20,000 crore to take up beautiful roads, flyovers like PVNR Express and other projects.

The Special Officer made this announcement while addressing a get together meeting attended by GHMC Special Commissioners Ahmed Babu and Pradyumna, Additional Commissioners and other senior officials and staff at the GHMC headquarters here on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion, Somesh Kumar said that with the help of all the officers and staff, the GHMC could take up lot of innovative schemes.

NASA Looks for High-Tech Airships

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NASA has called for designs of an airship that can fly at altitudes higher than the currrent 65,000-foot limit for weather balloons and for longer than the existing ones.

Weather balloons can soar to that height but are difficult to control and vulnerable to winds.

Such airships could aid scientists in research on astronomy and climate change and even be more capable than weather balloons.

An airship could carry telescopes into the stratosphere to observe stars and other celestial bodies.

Indonesia freezes AirAsia’s permission to fly on doomed QZ8501 route

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In a major development to the reports of the unfortunate crashing of AirAsia flight, it is revealed that the permission has been denied to the ill-fated airline to fly on the doomed airliner’s route. Indonesia’s transport ministry spokesman JA Barata said that AirAsia’s permit for the route had been frozen because it violated the route permit and the schedule given, the Guardian reported. In addition to this, it was further revealed that the ill-fated airline was flying on an unauthorized schedule.

BSF recovers heroin worth Rs.25 crore in Punjab

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Border Security Force (BSF) troopers Saturday recovered five kg of heroin, estimated to be worth Rs.25 crore in the international market, along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab.

A BSF spokesman said the seizure was made in the Border out Post (BoP) Rattoke in Ferozepur sector, about 300 km from here.

The spokesman said the heroin was worth Rs.25 crore in the international market.

He said BSF troopers noticed some movement in the area of the international border late Friday night.

Two soldiers killed in blaze caused by Pakistani firing

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Two soldiers were killed in a blaze triggered by rocket propelled grenades fired by Pakistan at Indian Army bunkers along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir Saturday, police said.

The incident occurred in Tangdhar sector in Kupwara district, a police official told IANS here.

“The Pakistan Army fired RPGs towards a post of the Indian Army in Tangdhar sector. A blaze was triggered in the tall dry grass around two bunkers of the Indian Army due to these RPGs that quickly engulfed the bunkers,” the official said.

Jennifer Aniston to be honored with Montecito Award at Santa Barbara International Film Fest

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Jennifer Aniston will be honored with Montecito Award at the upcoming 30th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Fest ival at the historic Arlington Theatre.

The ‘Cake’ star has already been nominated for a SAG Award, Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Movie Award for her acclaimed performance as a woman suffering from chronic pain in the film, Deadline.com reported.

Aniston joins actors including Daniel Day-Lewis, Geoffrey Rush, Julianne Moore, Kate Winslet, Javier Bardem, Naomi Watts, Annette Bening and last year’s recipient Oprah Winfrey, who have been awarded with the honor. (ANI)