Turkey holds activists’ funerals

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Istanbul, June 03: Several activists wounded in Monday’s Israeli raid were transferred to a hospital in Ankara.

Turkish forensic experts have confirmed that the nine activists killed during the Israeli raid on the Gaza aid flotilla were shot with guns.

Eight were Turks and one a US national of Turkish origin, the news agency reported on Thursday as funerals got under way in Istanbul.

The remaining activists, including some who were injured in the Israeli raid, landed in the Turkish city early on Thursday.

Eight Afghan civilians killed in attacks

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Kabul, June 03: Eight civilians, including four bothers, were killed in a firefight and an explosion in southern Afghanistan, a provincial spokesman said Thursday.

Four civilians were killed in crossfire between Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters in Marjah district in the southern province of Helmand, Daoud Ahmadi, spokesman for the provincial governor, said.

Four others – all brothers – were killed in the detonation of a roadside bomb in Helmand’s Nawzad district, he said. ‘The brothers were all riding on a motorbike, when the roadside bomb struck them.’

Iranians indulge on makeup despite Islamic rules

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Tehran, June 03: Banned after the 1979 Islamic revolution, cosmetics like lipstick and nail polish have flooded Iran so much in recent years that it is now the Middle East’s second largest beauty products market.

Following the revolution, the morality police patrolled the streets, fining or even arresting women who flaunted the strict rules until they were eased after the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.

And most women were quick to catch on after a decision to allow imports in the mid-1990s with many taking to the streets all dolled-up, especially chic young urbanites.

U.S. teens less worried about pregnancy

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Washington, June 03: American teenagers are using condoms more when they have sex but some may be losing their fear of pregnancy, according to a government survey released on Wednesday.

The survey on teen sex found that 95 percent of 15- to 19-year-olds who had ever had sex had used a condom at least once. But it also found that just 12 percent of boys who had avoided sex did so because they feared getting a girl pregnant.

Zimbabwe win toss

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Harare, June 03: Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura won the toss and elected to bowl against India in their tri-series ODI cricket match here today.

Zimbabwe made one change to the side that lost to Sri Lanka in their previous match, bringing in Tatenda Taibu in place of Chris Mpofu.

Teams:

Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (c), Hasan Masakadza, Brendan Taylor, Tatenda Taibu, Greg Lamb, Craig Ervine, Charles Coventry, Andy Blignaut, Graeme Cremer, Prosper Utseya, Ray Price

Nine outfits and accessories women love, but men hate

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London, June 03: Trying to impress a man? Then don’t wear harem pants, jump suits and gladiator sandals, however trendy you might think they are, because men just can’t stand them.

A survey for the website MSN reveals nine of the season’s most popular garments and accessories as total turn-offs, reports dailymail.co.uk.

Writer Liz Jones lists the nine items:

Harem Pants: These were first seen on the catwalk at Yves Saint Laurent three years ago, and have been churned out by every high street label since. Men hate them. They scream fashion victim.

Minor burnt alive in fire incident

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Balrampur, June 03: A girl was burnt alive, while 15 others sustained injuries after almost 50 houses caught fire in Tulsipur area of the district late last night.

They said the fire accident occurred when food was being prepared in a house. Anjali (5) was burnt alive in the incident.

The fire-fighters took four hours to put off the blaze.

—-Agencies

Tension in Manipur: Govt office set ablaze

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Imphal, June 03: Office of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Ukhrul district of Manipur was set ablaze by some miscreants, reports claimed Thursday.

Some miscreants set afire the (ADC) office yesterday, reports said.

They said police would investigate whether the incident was connected with some organisations which had called for indefinite blockade on national highways and against the elections to Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in Manipur hills.

Fake shootout case: Police to seek army officer’s custody

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Srinagar, June 03: The Jammu and Kashmir Police will seek the custody of an Indian Army major accused of killing three villagers April 30 in a staged shootout in the Machil sector of the Line of Control (LoC) that divides the state between India and Pakistan.

“The accused officer has been identified as Major Bhupender of 4 Rajputana Rifles and we are completing formalities to seek his custody from the army,” a senior police officer said here.

He said the papers for custody of the accused officer would be sent to the army within two days.

Israel Right to Raid Gaza Aid Ship: Biden

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Jerusalem, June 03: In what has been the closest thing to an administration comment on the Israeli attack on a Gaza-bound aid ship, Vice President Joe Biden today praised Israel for raiding the ship, saying they “had a right to know” what might be on board.

Biden avoided any specific comments with respect to the killings of up to 19 civilian aid workers by the Israeli military, something several members of Congress have championed in previous comments, but insisted that Hamas was secretly to blame for everything that happened.

Ghulam Nabi will launch H1N1 vaccine

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New Delhi, June 03: The first batch of H1N1 vaccine, indigenously developed in India, will hit the market tomorrow that may lead to less dependence on the imported vaccine against the disease which had killed over 1500 people in less than a year.

Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad will launch the vaccine after taking the first shot. The cost of the vaccine is expected to be Rs. 391 per dose in open market, a Health Ministry official said.

Chhattisgarh: Encounter on between Naxals, security forces

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Raipur, June 03: A fierce encounter broke out between Naxals and security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district Thursday in which three Maoists are believed to have been killed.

Official sources said a group of CRPF and local police noticed movement of Naxals in the area. When challenged, the Naxals fired leading to an encounter between the two sides.

Three Naxals are believed to have been killed in the encounter, the sources said, adding their bodies are yet to be recovered.

Three guns belonging to the Naxals were found in the area.

Chiru to approach PM after meeting displaced families

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Hyderabad, June 03: Praja Rajyam Party president K Chiranjeevi has decided to approach Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the Polavaram project only after meeting the displaced families.

According to a press release here today, the Prime Minister’s Office responded favourably to Chiranjeevi’s letter this evening seeking an appointment for the PRP delegation to discuss the Polavaram and PranahithaChevella projects.

‘As A Jew’ I’m ‘Ashamed’: Boston Herald representative

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Jerusalem, June 03: Once you have a combat situation and innocent people die, I mean, you know, look at our problems in Afghanistan, and we have an obligation to try and avoid it, Boston Herald, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) Said.

Israel on Wednesday began deporting the bulk of nearly 700 international activists detained during its deadly raid on an aid flotilla bound for Palestinians in the blockaded, Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

 

Ajay-Emraan fight over moustaches

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Mumbai, June 03: Ajay Devgan and Emraan Hashmi are battling each other this time. No film story here. This is for real.

The tug of war this time is over the moustaches the top spot in their upcoming film ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAI.

According to our sources, the moustaches that the two heroes spot in the film have become major point of competition between the two. While Ajay feels his look is manlier, Emraan thinks that he is the one who looks completely killer stuff.

Australia can ‘sort out’ Afridi in Tests – Ponting

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Melborne, June 03: Ricky Ponting is confident Australia can get the better of Shahid Afridi, the new Pakistan captain, during the two Tests in England in July. Afridi has not played a Test since 2006 and in 44 games against Australia across all formats, he has only ever scored one half-century.

Afridi will be the third man to captain Pakistan in Tests since the start of 2009 and Ponting is unconvinced that he is one of Pakistan’s best 11 Test players. Ponting said he was confident Australia’s pace attack would be able to counter Afridi’s attacking style in the five-day game.

Afridi will do well as Test captain: Younis

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Lahore, June 03: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis is confident Shahid Afridi would do well as captain in one-day internationals and Test cricket.

Afridi, who led Pakistan in the World T20 Cup in the West Indies, was last month named captain for the Asia Cup and the Test series in England even though the all-rounder has not played a Test since the mid-2006.

“Shahid Afridi led the team well in the T20 cricket and he was positive and communicated well with the players. I think he will produce similar results in one-dayers and Tests as well,” Waqar told the media in Lahore .

Gilchrist backs Finn to be Ashes star

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London, June 03: Australian legend Adam Gilchrist believes young England pace bowler Steven Finn can be a big hit in the Ashes.

Finn earned rave reviews in his first home Test for England against Bangladesh at Lord’s last week as he recorded match figures of nine for 187.

The 21-year-old’s pace, height and bounce have led critics to compare Finn with former England seamer Steve Harmison and even former Australia star Glenn McGrath.

Food inflation rises to 16.55 per cent

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New Delhi, June 03: Food inflation rose to 16.55 per cent for the week ended May 22 on account of high prices of pulses, fruits and vegetables.

Inflation increased by 0.32 percentage point from 16.23 per cent in the previous week.

The uptick was mainly due to a 7 per cent increase in fish marine prices, 5 per cent rise in prices of poultry chicken, 2 per cent in prices of barley and masur each and one per cent increase in prices for fruits and vegetables.

However, coffee turned cheaper by 5 per cent while wheat prices eased by one per cent.

Malik on hunger strike to protest alleged fake encounter

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Srinagar, June 03: Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik today began a hunger strike in Nadihal-Rafiabad in north Kashmir to protest the killing of three youths in an alleged fake encounter by army on April 30.

Malik along with his close associates reached Nadihal this morning and started the hunger strike at the main chowk of the town with locals also joining it, officials said.

The hunger strike comes barely two days after Malik-led JKLF took out a march from party headquarters at Maisuma to protest the killings.

HDFC Bank to double in size every four years: Parekh

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Mumbai, June 03: HDFC Bank can double in size every four years, but it is not in a race to become the largest among all, says Deepak Parekh, Chairman of the private sector lender’s parent company HDFC Ltd.

“Our bank is growing very well, we are satisfied with that. We are not planning to be State Bank of India, we are not looking to grow more than we can chew, what we can handle,” he told PTI in an interview.

“Yet, we (HDFC Bank) have been growing at 25-30 per cent.”

Salman Butt named Pakistan vice-captain

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Lahore, June 03: Pakistan appointed opener Salman Butt vice-captain for the forthcoming Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and the subsequent tour to England.

The Pakistan Cricket Board said Salman’s appointment was till September.

Salman, who has been in prolific form in recent times, said he was excited to work with Afridi and would never allow pressure to affect his form.

Jihad against prostitutes

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London, June 03: An imam has been accused of launching a “jihad” against prostitutes in a city in southern Spain by encouraging women to harass and intimidate them.

The streetwalkers in Cartagena, on Spain’s southern Mediterranean coast, complained that the imam, who is now facing a restraining order to prevent him from harassing them, wants to get them off the streets.

Yazid Koudri, president of the Islamic community of Cartagena and the imam of the Ennour mosque, has been accused of sending a team of “Muslim guards” onto the streets to prevent the women from working.

HDFC Bank to double in size every four years: Parekh

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Mumbai, June 03: HDFC Bank can double in size every four years, but it is not in a race to become the largest among all, says Deepak Parekh, Chairman of the private sector lender’s parent company HDFC Ltd.

“Our bank is growing very well, we are satisfied with that. We are not planning to be State Bank of India, we are not looking to grow more than we can chew, what we can handle,” he told PTI in an interview.

“Yet, we (HDFC Bank) have been growing at 25-30 per cent.”

Laxman practices on gravel for Sri Lanka tour

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New Delhi, June 03: Leaving no stone unturned in his preparation for next month’s Sri Lanka tour, stylish batsman VVS Laxman is practising on gravel wickets to fine-tune his technique against spinners.

The elegant stroke player said playing spinners well would be crucial to the team’s success in Sri Lanka and he was not taking any chance.