Month: April 2015

Sonakshi Sinha makes TV debut with ‘Indian Idol Junior’

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Sonakshi Sinha is all set to make her TV debut as the judge of singing reality show “Indian Idol Junior”.

The 27-year-old actress said she is “happy” with her new innings on the small screen.

“Enough guessing!! HAPPY to announce #ShotgunJunior is going to be a part of Indian Idol Junior,” Sonakshi posted on Twitter.

With the show, the “Action Jackson” star has joined the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Govinda, Karan Johar among others who are regular on small screen.

—PTI

Europe’s fastest-growing religion: Sales of books on Islam rocket after France attacks

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Books on Islam are selling out in France after deadly attacks in the capital raised uncomfortable questions about Europe’s fastest-growing religion.

A special magazine supplement focused on the Quran has flown off the shelves, and shops are selling more books on Islam than ever after the Paris attacks in January that left 17 dead.

“The French are asking more and more questions, and they feel less satisfied than ever by the answers they’re getting from the media,” said Fabrice Gerschel, director of Philosophie magazine, which published the supplement.

Apple releases bunch of ‘guided tour’ videos introducing key features of upcoming iWatch

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Apple has released a bunch of ” guided tour” video that introduces people with the main features of the upcoming Apple iWatch .

According to the Verge, Apple has published four videos walking potential buyers through use scenarios and key features.

The video, “welcome to Apple Watch”, is an overview of the main hardware and software concepts that include the digital crown, friends button, glances and force touch.

Gold reclaims Rs 27,000-level on strong demand

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Gold prices rose for the third straight day to regain the Rs 27,000 per 10 grams level at the bullion market today on the back of strong demand.

However, silver prices remained steady at Rs 37,600 per kg on scattered demand from industrial units and coin makers.

In the national capital, prices of 99.9 and 99.5 per cent pure gold increased by Rs 60 each to Rs 27,010 and Rs 26,860 per 10 grams, respectively.

Prices of the precious metal had gained Rs 375 in the past two sessions.

Jayasuriya-led cricket selectors quit post Sri Lanka’ tepid WC showing

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Former Sri Lanka batsman Sanath Jayasuriya-led cricket selection panel has tendered its resignation in an attempt to pave way for new management to take over the country’s cricket governing body.

The 2011 World Cup runners-up were eliminated from the recently concluded sport’s pinnacle tournament following a nine-wicket drubbing by South Africa in the quarterfinal.

The Jayasuriya-led panel came under fire for making four changes to the team during their quarterfinal defeat to South Africa in a lopsided contest.

‘Unbroken’ helped Angelina Jolie to overcome fears

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Angelina Jolie has admitted that her recently directed movie ‘ Unbroken’ helped her to overcome the fears of her recent ovarian surgery to prevent cancer.

The ‘Maleficent’ actress said that with the ‘Louis Zamperini’, the real-life inspired lead character of her directed movie about an Olympic athlete-turned-prisoner of war, helped her to realize the strength of every individual, ABC News reported.

‘Show equal importance, respect to sacred days of all religions’, SC judge to PM Modi

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Taking strong exception to the two-day Chief Justices conference being held on Good Friday, Supreme Court judge Justice Kurien Joseph has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to show equal importance and respect to the sacred days of all religions.

“Your goodself would appreciate that no important programmes are held during sacred days of Diwali, Eid, Xmas etc, though we have holidays during that period as well,” Justice Kurien wrote to Prime Minister Modi on April 1.

Saina Nehwal bows out of Malaysia Open post losing to China’s Li Xuerui in semifinal tie

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Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal bowed out of the Malaysia Open badminton championship following a semifinal defeat in a thrilling three-set game against tournament top seed Li Xuerui of China in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

Nehwal, who had peaked to the top of the world rankings following her India Open win last month, lost 21-13, 17-21, 20-22 to Xuerui in a game that lasted 67 minutes with both the players showcasing their brilliant talent before the world number two held her nerves to win the semifinal tie.

Anti-Islamist rally in Australia faces counter protest

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An anti-Islamist rally held in Australia’s capital city of Canberra on Saturday met with a counter protest which led to a stand-off in front of Parliament House.

The rally was organised by a group called Reclaim Australia. The Facebook page for the event claimed the rally was organised to “stop minorities changing our country”, The Canberra Times reported.

The group is also holding 16 more rallies in capital cities, regional and rural centres, speaking out against sharia law, halal certification and Islamist extremism.

President Mukherjee extends good wishes to citizens on Easter eve

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President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday extended greetings and good wishes to citizens on the eve of Easter.

“On the auspicious occasion of Easter , I convey my greetings and good wishes to all fellow citizens and in particular, my Christian brothers and sisters in India and abroad,” President Mukherjee said.

Bedi backs Bhushan, says ‘Why do you think I left early on?’

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Former IPS officer and BJP leader Kiran Bedi on Saturday backed rebel AAP leader Prashant Bhushan for accusing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of turning the party into a high command-oriented outfit and betraying the trust of lakhs of supporters.

Bedi said the latest infighting within the AAP was a clear enough evidence of why she had left the party very early.

“Why do you think I and even a few others left the group early on?” she tweeted.

Grave injustice done towards Muslims in GP & AGP recruitments

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TRS government has done grave injustice towards Muslim advocates while recruiting Government Pleader (GP) and Additional Government Pleader (AGP) in state High Court, subordinate courts and tribunal courts. Not a single Muslim name is in the list announced the day before. While Muslim advocates were totally ignored in recruitment of standing counsels. Of the 64 standing counsels only two are Muslims.

‘Significant rise in health expenditure urgently required’: President Mukherjee

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President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday inaugurated the Mid-Term Meet 2015 of the National Interventional Council of the Cardiological Society of India and said a significant rise in health expenditure is urgently required to ensure universal health coverage.

“A healthcare system, which is universally accessible, affordable and effective, is crucial for a developing country like India. Considering that we are a sixth of humanity, a significant rise in health expenditure is urgently required to ensure universal health coverage,” President Mukherjee said.

Astronomers witness formation of massive star over 18 years

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Astronomers observed formation of a massive star, called W75N(B)-VLA 2, over the period of 18 years.

Pair of images of a young star, made 18 years apart, has revealed a dramatic difference that is providing astronomers with a unique, “real-time’ look at how massive stars develop in the earliest stages of their formation.

The astronomers used the National Science Foundation’s Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) to study a massive young star, which was some 4200 light-years from Earth. They compared an image made in 2014 with an earlier VLA image from 1996.

Maoists torch two trucks, fire at police squad in Latehar

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Maoists torched two trucks and fired at a police squad in Jharkhand’s Latehar district before fleeing the spot.

Police officer Heera Lal Chauhan said that the police squad rushed to the spot after getting information about rebels attacking a coal field in Latehar district.

The ultras left behind a pamphlet that sought money from the contractor.

Three NDFB militants arrested by Maharashtra ATS

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The Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested three National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants, who are suspected to have played a key role in the December 23, 2014 Assam massacre in which 74 people were killed, from Navi Mumbai.

The arrested trio will be produced before special ATS court today.

According to reports, the arrests were made from separate locations in Navi Mumbai area on Friday evening following an input from the intelligence agencies.

Mother jumps to rescue daughter from crocodile

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A 58-year-old woman jumped to the rescue of her daughter who was attacked by a crocodile while the latter was bathing in a river at Thikariya Mubarak village in the district.

Diwalinen Vankar (58) had gone to the banks of river Viswamitri river in Thikariya Mubarak village yesterday, around 40 kms from here, with her daughter Kanta (19).

While Kanta was bathing, a crocodile attacked her and caught hold of her right leg. Soon after hearing her cries, the woman rushed to rescue her.

Crime Branch likely to summon Fabindia top officials

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Four employees of the fashion boutique chain’s outlet in Goa were arrested for allegedly setting up a CCTV camera which overlooked the store’s changing room where central minister Smriti Irani was trying out clothes.

The Goa Police Crime Branch is likely to summon top Fabindia officials, including its managing director William Bissell.

Four employees of the fashion boutique chain’s outlet in Goa were arrested for allegedly setting up a CCTV camera which overlooked the store’s changing room where central minister Smriti Irani was trying out clothes.

Wikileaks whisleblower Chelsea Manning officially joins Twitter

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Wikileaks whistleblower Chelsea Manning is official on Twitter and the account has already attracted more than 18,000 followers.

According to Mashable, Manning’s profile picture features a black and white drawing of her with long hair.

Manning is probably calling someone over to the prison to dictate her tweets since she does not have internet access in the prison.

Fitzgibbon Media confirmed that Manning is making daily calls to dictate her tweets.

Manning was convicted in 2013 under the United States’ Espionage Act of leaking classified documents to Wikileaks.

Discrimination against minorities in implementation of subsidy scheme

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The date of implementation of bank-linked subsidy scheme for backward classes has been extended upto 3 months. Principal Secretary BC Welfare Dr. T Radha issued orders in this connection. Although this scheme is also available for minorities but government has extended the date of implementation of scheme till April 15 only.

UP to felicitate Muslim girl for topping Gita contest

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The Uttar Pradesh government will felicitate 12-year-old Marryam Asif Siddiqui for emerging topper at a contest on Bhagavad Gita in Mumbai.

“Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has decided to felicitate Siddiqui for attaining first position in the written examination conducted to assess knowledge on Gita among children. She would be felicitated soon,” an official spokesman said.

Siddiqui, a sixth-grade student of Mumbai-based school, won the “Shrimad Bhagwad Gita Champion League” yesterday organised by ISKCON International Society beating around 4,500 students.

PTI

Yoga is secular, rules US court

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Ruling that yoga taught in elementary schools is not a gateway to Hinduism and does not violate religious freedoms, a California appeals court has allowed it to continue.

“We conclude that the programme is secular. (and) does not have the primary effect of advancing or inhibiting religion, and does not excessively entangle the school district in religion,” the three-member appeals court ruled Friday.

The decision by California’s 4th District Court of Appeal upheld a lower-court ruling in support of the Encinitas Union Elementary School District in San Diego, utsandiego.com reported.

Moong Dal ke Kebab

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Ingredients

1 cup dhuli moong (husked green gram)-soaked in water for 3-4 hours

1 cup hung yogurt

2 Tbsp ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp garlic paste

Ghee to pan fry

Method

Drain the dal and keep aside.

Heat the 2 tbsp ghee in a kadahi, and add the cumin.

When they splutter add the dal and the salt and saute over medium heat till tender but whole. Takes about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool.