Haryana hurry for auction bid to bypass new norms

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New Delhi, February 24: The Haryana government hurrying to auction off what it calls the”remaining stones” of Khori Jamalpur and Sirohi may be a bid to bypass a new set of guidelines that Haryana officials agreed to during a meeting with the central empowered committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court.

These are now under consideration of SC and will probably be taken up

during the hearings in the matter between March 18-20.

The state government, at a meeting with the CEC and the Forest Survey of India on January 7,

Boards have nothing new to offer

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Ahmedabad, February 24: The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board declared its plan of action on Monday to curtail invigilators from any misconduct for the forthcoming class X and XII exams beginning from March 17.

Slumdog was unstoppable: Anil

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Mumbai, February 25:We are on top of the world! When we stood on the podium, having bagged the Best Motion Picture Award, no one in the audience seemed disappointed.

It was as if they all knew that Slumdog Millionaire would have a clean sweep at the Oscars, which, let me reassert, is the most unpredictable of all awards. From my side, I never had sleepless nights before the ceremony. I was rather composed. Irrfan, Dev, Freida and I told each other that we needed to enjoy every moment of it. The Oscars don’t happen to everyone everyday.

Weekly Box-Office Report: Delhi-6: above Drona below Dostana

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Mumbai, February 25: Delhi-6 was surprisingly a big disappointment from Rakeysh Mehra after the brilliant Rang De Basanti . Somehow Mehra’s handling of social issues through the monkey-man metaphor didn’t gel well with the audiences.

Moreover audiences were expecting the world from Mehra post RDB. Clearly they came out of the hall disappointed. No doubt, the director attempted something different but couldn’t connect with the audiences seamlessly.

Aamir wouldn’t have fitted my film: Sanjay Kapoor

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Mumbai, February 25: Actor-turned filmmaker Sanjay Kapoor, who is busy with his film “It’s My Life”,

says he roped in Hurman Baweja for the lead role instead of Aamir Khan because the senior actor would not have fitted the character of a young boy.

Shahid Kapur in demand

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Mumbai, February 25: Today is Shahid Kapur’s birthday.

He turns 28. Reportedly Shahid will be hosting a small party at his Yari Road apartment in Versova this evening with his close pals who are not from the film industry. There will be a platter of vegetarian Rajasthani and Punjabi khaana to greet his friends.

DNA

Obama wants to watch Slumdog Millionaire

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Washington, February 25: After receiving accolades worldwide and sweeping Oscars, Slumdog Millionaire, the feel good film about a Mumbai tea boy, has now caught the fancy of US president Barack Obama.

Barack ObamaObama wants to watch British Director Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, which is made with a modest budget of USD 13 million and has so far grossed around USD 100 million.

Won’t allow terrorists to attack from safe havens

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Washington, February 25: Sending a strong message to Pakistan and Afghanistan, President Barack Obama on Wednesday asserted that terrorists will not be allowed to plot against the US from safe havens “half a world away”.

He also promised to forge a new and comprehensive strategy with US’ allies to defeat Al-Qaeda and combat extremism.

“With our friends and allies, we will forge a new and comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan to defeat Al-Qaeda and combat extremism,” Obama said in his maiden address to the joint session of the US Congress.

Mumbai attackers’ phones traced to Italy, US

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Rome, February 25: Militants behind last year’s attacks on Mumbai used cell phones that were activated in the United States and paid for with funds sent from Italy, an Italian newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Corriere della Sera daily said India sent the intelligence information to Italy and other countries so anti-terrorism investigators could attempt to expose any ties to the network behind the November assault that killed at least 179 people.

Islamabad acknowledged for the first time this month that the November assault was launched from, and partly planned in, Pakistan.

Day of reckoning has arrived, Obama tells Americans

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Washington, February 25: President Barack Obama has asked Americans to ‘confront boldly the challenges we face’, saying the ‘day of reckoning has arrived, and the time to take charge of our future is here’.

‘Now is the time to act boldly and wisely – to not only revive this economy, but to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity,’ he said in his first speech Tuesday to a joint session of Congress.

Our foreign policy will have muscle: Advani

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New Delhi, February 24: The National Democratic Alliance, if elected to power, would pursue a “muscular foreign policy” that would preserve the country’s autonomy and secure its interests in the neighbourhood, Bharatiya Janata Party leader L.K. Advani said here on Monday.

Mr. Advani was summing up the party’s view after a meeting with experts on foreign policy issues at his residence.

Thackeray refuses to meet Advani

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Mumbai, February 24: Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray refused to meet BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L K Advani here on Tuesday, sources said.

Advani is in Mumbai for a party function.

Sources also said that Advani wanted to meet Thackeray, but was refused a meeting with the Shiv Sena head

–Agencies

‘End factionalism in Congress’

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New Delhi, February 25: With elections around the corner, Congress President Sonia Gandhi Wednesday said there will be no problem within the party if factionalism ended.

“If factionalism comes to an end, there is no problem at all,” she said addressing party MPs in the last meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party of the 14th Lok Sabha, Union Minister Kapil Sibal said.

Gandhi said the party ran a coalition government successfully and asked the party MPs to spread the message of achievements of the government all across the country.

Pranab presents Interim Budget in Parliament

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New Delhi, February 16: Presenting the Interim Budget in the Parliament, acting Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that the economy had maintained a growth between 7%-8% and per capita income had grown by 7.4% in the last 4 yrs. He also said that government was within striking distance of fiscal correction. He people of India had voted for change. He referred to the CMP of the UPA which he said was created to bring about this change.

Sebi team reaches hyderabad to enquire Raju

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Hyderabad, February 04: A team of officials from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) reached the Chanchalguda Central Jail here Wednesday to begin questioning Satyam Computer Services founder B. Ramalinga Raju and his brother B. Rama Raju over the Rs.70-billion accounting fraud.
Hyderabad, February 04: A team of officials from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) reached the Chanchalguda Central Jail here Wednesday to begin questioning Satyam Computer Services founder B. Ramalinga Raju and his brother B. Rama Raju over the Rs.70-billion accounting fraud.

India can give befitting reply to erring neighbours: Sonia

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“India’s identity in the world is that people of various religions and communities live here in harmony… Our neighbours want to weaken our strength and destroy unity and brotherhood. They are not aware that we can give a befitting reply,” Gandhi said addressing a public rally here.

Muslims should refrain from lavish expenditure: Zahid Ali Khan

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Hyderabad, February 02 (Siasat News): It is essential for the Muslim community to curtail their lavish expenditure in the form of various functions organized for one or the other reasons.

Mr. Zahid Ali Khan was addressing a gathering in connection with the alliance of the Muslim boy and girl for the sacred purpose of marriage called Du Badu. He said that Muslim girls are now highly educated and can be seen in every field to serve the people and to look after their families.

All-time cricket greats based on an uncomplicated formula

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New Delhi, January 17: Greatness in any sport is not something that can be measured by numbers alone – thankfully so. But that’s not to say all statistical Greats Sachin Tendulkar & Rahul Dravid. methods of arriving at a list of all-time greats are completely valid or invalid. Rubbishing the methods used by the official ICC rankings is all very well, but could there have been a better list?

Obama says economy will worsen, even with stimulus

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New York, January 17:A nude picture of Madonna, taken when the queen of pop was a struggling dancer in New York in 1979, is expected to sell for at least $10,000, auction house Christie’s said Friday.

Madonna received $25 in payment for the modelling session, after answering a newspaper ad by photographer Lee Friedlander. The results of the session were published in Playboy magazine in 1985.

The full-frontal nude print, which is said to be the most revealing of the series, will be sold Feb 12 in New York, with many expecting Madonna herself to be among the high bidders.

Mumbai Police file case against terror ‘witness’

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Mumbai, January 17:Mumbai Police’s crime branch has registered an offence against Colaba Fishermen Colony resident Anita R. Uddaiya for attempting to mislead investigators in the Nov 26 terror attacks, a senior official said here Friday.

Mumbai, January 17:Mumbai Police’s crime branch has registered an offence against Colaba Fishermen Colony resident Anita R. Uddaiya for attempting to mislead investigators in the Nov 26 terror attacks, a senior official said here Friday.

Pakistan not an enemy of India

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Srinagar, January 17: Pakistan is not an enemy of India but there are elements in that country which do not want normal bilateral relations, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said.

“We expect a response from Pakistan in terms of fulfilling the commitment of working together with us to ensure that their soil is not used for terrorism,” Abdullah, who was here as the chief guest at Business India Businessman of the Year Award, said.

“I recognise that Pakistan is not an enemy of India. There are elements within Pakistan that do not want normal relations with India,” he said.

I will contest on Samajwadi Party ticket

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Mumbai, January 17: Ending speculation and ignoring objections from his family members, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt announced that he would contest the next parliamentary elections on a Samajwadi Party ticket.

He also said that he was the eldest member of the Dutt family and so there was no need to discuss his political plans with anybody.

If there were legal hurdles to his political plans, then the next step would be decided accordingly, he said.