Turks try to identify dead activists

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Istanbul, June 03: An Islamic charity group that organized the aid flotilla to Gaza says its workers and relatives are trying identify nine bodies at an Istanbul morgue.

Turkish planes brought back hundreds of activists early Thursday following a bloody raid by Israeli commandos on a pro-Palestinian flotilla. The activists returned to a hero’s welcome with thousands of supporters chanting “God is Great!”

The IHH charity group says they are having difficulties in identifying five of the bodies. Four of them have been officially confirmed to be Turks.

Chidambaram invokes YSR, backs Rosaiah

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Hyderabad, June 03: A day after the Congress high command snubbed Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy over his Odarpu yatra caper, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday praised Chief Minister K Rosaiah and made it clear that he had the full backing of the party’s national leadership.

Chidambaram, after inaugurating a series of development projects at Kalikiri, 80 km from Tirupati, felt life must go on though a great leader like YSR was no more. “We can pay homage to YSR by pledging to continue his schemes,” he said adding that money was no problem.

Three killed in Central Europe floods, hundreds moved

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Prague, June 03: Three people were killed and hundreds evacuated after days of heavy rain in central Europe caused flooding that cut off villages and threatened to burst dykes, authorities said Wednesday.

Two men drowned in swollen rivers in the Czech Republic where a 19-year-old man died when his car hit a truck after skidding on a road that was suddenly flooded, authorities said.

In neighbouring Hungary, about 2,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes in the northern towns of Paszto and Hasznos after flooding and because a dyke threatened to burst.

Suspect in Holloway case sought in Peru killing

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Lima, June 03: A young Dutchman previously arrested in the 2005 disappearance of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway in Aruba is the prime suspect in the weekend killing of a Peruvian woman, police said Wednesday.

Joran van der Sloot is being sought for Sunday’s death of 21-year-old Stephany Flores in a Lima hotel, police Gen. Cesar Guardia said at a news conference. He said the suspect crossed into Chile the next day by bus.

BJP is only party committed to India’s rebuilding: Gadkari

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Amravati, June 03: The BJP sees politics as a tool for socio-economic reforms and will work towards ending fear, hunger and terrorism in the country, party President Nitin Gadkari said today.

“I promise that the party will work for ending fear, hunger and terrorism as well as to make India a developed nation,” he said at a public meeting here in Maharashtra.

The meet was organised by local BJP unit to felicitate Gadkari and new State party President Sudhir Mungantiwar on their maiden visit to the city after assuming their posts.

Rupee climbs 39 paise against dollar in early trade

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Mumbai, June 03: The Indian rupee appreciated by 39 paise to 46.59 a dollar in early trade today on the back of fresh capital inflows by foreign funds into equities and the dollar’s loss against other Asian currencies.

The domestic currency had closed 18 paise higher at 46.98/99 in yesterday’s session.

Forex dealers said the rupee strengthened against the U.S. currency largely because of increased capital inflows by foreign funds into equities and dollar’s weakness against other Asian units.

‘I may look like Madonna when I grow old’

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London, June 03: Singer Lady Gaga thinks she may look like pop diva Madonna when she grows old because her mother looks like the pop superstar.

The “Poker Face” singer finds her comparison to the Queen of Pop funny and more of appearance based rather than performance, reports contactmusic.com.

Land grab slur on Ruchika lawyer

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Chandigarh, June 03: The Punjab Police have conducted raids in Chandigarh to arrest Pankaj Bhardwaj — who played a key role in the conviction of the disgraced former Haryana DGP, SPS Rathore.

Bhardwaj is one of the key accused in a multi- crore land case lodged with the police in Amritsar.

Bhardwaj is the counsel for Anand and Madhu Prakash — parents of the sole eyewitness and Ruchika’s friend Aradhna. The lawyer did not appear in the court on Tuesday to attend the hearing on Rathore’s bail petition. Bhardwaj did not charge the Prakash family for his services.

UP sacks teachers who bunk schools but draw salaries

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Lucknow, June 03: The Uttar Pradesh government has dismissed 295 “ absentee” primary school teachers and suspended three others in order to make way for new ones.

The move, the government says, would help cleanse the education system and fulfill the requirement for the implementation of the Right to Education Act in the state.

The sacked teachers were absent from duty for the past few years but they were still drawing salaries. This has over- burdened the state exchequer, which has suffered a loss of Rs 180 crore.

Rs 144 lakhs recharge coupons stolen from city centre

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Hyderabad, June 03: Recharge coupons valued at Rs 144 lakhs were stolen from the Adarshnagar centre of the public sector Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and at least five of the employees have been questioned by the police.

BSNL Adarshnagar area manager had failed a complain at the Saifabad police station that 14,600 recharge coupons and 26 CDs had been missing from the centre.

Clarke an old enemy, his allegations motivated: Modi

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New Delhi, June 02: Suspended IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi said the series of allegations levelled on him by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chairman Giles Clarke was “motivated” and stemmed from the “past history of disagreement and discord” between them.

It was on the basis of Clarke’s e-mail that BCCI slapped a second show cause notice on Modi and the suspended IPL boss, in his reply, said the ECB chief’s allegations were motivated.

Floods in China 30 killed

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Beijing, June 03: Thirty people were killed and 18 others, including two students reported missing in landslides and floods in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region today, local authorities said.

Heavy rains caused landslides which killed eight persons in Yangchong Village, Cenxi City, and ten in Rongxian County, the region’s Land and Resources Department said.

A total of 30 bodies were recovered after landslides and flash floods struck five counties in Guanxi region.

Faisal Shahzad’s case postponed for three weeks

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New York, Jun 03: Times Square car bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad’s case has been postponed for three weeks until June 21 to allow him to speak with US authorities about the terror plot.

Shahzad, Pakistani-born American accused of planting a car bomb in Times Square, through his lawyer agreed to waive his right to indictment for another three weeks.

US Magistrate Judge Theodore Katz signed an order granting the delay.

Mangalore crash: 12 unidentified bodies buried

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Mangalore, June 03: The 12 unidentified victims of the IX-812 flight crash were given a mass burial on Wednesday, as the 24 families who had laid claim to the bodies stood in silence. The burial was done in a government land on Kulur-Thaneerbavi road, under the supervision of the district administration.

Government and Air India authorities decided on a mass burial after DNA testing failed to help identify the bodies.

My husband cooks for me: Gwen Stefani

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London, June 03: Singer Gwen Stefani has revealed that she can’t cook and relies on her husband to feed their family.

“I don’t cook. I can toast in the toaster. I can pour and set the table. It’s(cooking) not even an option,” femalefirst.co.uk quoted her as saying.

The “Rich Girl” singer, who has two kids Kingston, four, and 21-month-old Zuma with husband Gavin Rossdale, admitted that her husband is passionate about cooking.

I keep fit for health, not for glamour: Sonali Bendre

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Mumbai, June 03: Actress Sonali Bendre is looking trimmer than ever and says she works out regularly — not to look glamorous but to keep herself fit.

“I have been working out regularly for the last two months and that is why you see a change in me. But it is purely for health reasons that I started exercising and taking care of my body,” Sonali told IANS.

Afghan elders debate peace plan despite Taliban attack

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Kabul, June 03: Afghan tribal elders hold more talks on Thursday seeking a political settlement of a nine-year war, but hopes of progress slipped further after Taliban commandos attacked the peace gathering with rockets and gunfire.

President Hamid Karzai, who launched the traditional jirga as the rockets fell nearby, is hoping to secure national support for his plans to seek reconciliation with the Taliban ahead of a planned U.S. military withdrawal from 2011.

India, Seychelles agree to cooperate on anti-piracy efforts

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New Delhi, June 03: India and Seychelles today agreed to cooperate in the global efforts at fighting piracy in the Gulf of Aden that was adversely impacting business due to the threats posed to cargo ships sailing through the Indian Ocean.

Seychelles President James Alix Michel, who held wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here, said the two countries would make efforts to make the sealanes in the Indian Ocean safer.

Aid activists may have Al-Qaeda link: Israel

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Jerusalem, June 03: Israel has said about 40 of the activists arrested in the attack on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla may have had links to Al-Qaeda.

According to the Israeli defence forces (IDF), a special meeting of the security cabinet late Tuesday heard that a group of 40 people on board the Mavi Marmara ship with no identification papers belonged to Al Qaeda.

Drug abuse case: Mahajan’s plea for return of mobile rejected

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New Delhi, June 03: A Delhi court today dismissed a plea of Rahul Mahajan, son of slain BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, seeking return of his mobile phone, SIM card and other belongings seized by police following his alleged involvement in a drug abuse case in 2006.

“The alleged seized objects of the accused form part of the case properties and they cannot be released to him at this stage. Hence, the application is dismissed,” Additional Sessions Judge J P S Malik said.

‘Strategic Dialogue a milestone in Indo-US relationship’

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Washington, June 03: The Indo-US Strategic Dialogue being held in Washington this week is a milestone in the relationship of the two largest democracies of the world, the US Ambassador to India Tim Roemer has said.

“This week is another milestone in the US-India strategic relationship that has grown in leaps and bounds in the past 10 years,” Roemer said in his address to the US India Business Council (USIBC).

Sensex up 247 points in opening trade on global cues

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Mumbai, June 03: The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex today surged by over 247 points in opening trade tracking firm global cues.

The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex today surged by over 247 points in opening trade tracking firm global cues.

The 30-share index, which rose by 169.81 points in the previous trading session, shot up by 247.25 points, or 1.47 per cent, to 16,989.09.

Sectoral indices, led by realty and metals, were trading up to 2.06 per cent higher.

Phet changes path, likely to hit Oman

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New Delhi, June 03: Tropical Cyclone Phet, that is building in Arabian sea, has transformed into dangerous Category-5 super cyclone but is likely to spare the coastal areas of Gujarat.

The very severe cyclonic storm, Phet has changed its path and now moving towards the coast of Oman in the Arabian Peninsula.

However, Met department has predicted “heavy to very heavy rain falls” over coastal areas of Saurashtra & Kutch from Friday.

Gale winds could even reach 85 kmph over the weekend and increase thereafter.

‘Israel will never apologize’

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Jerusalem, June 03: The Israeli prime minister has defended the deadly attack on the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla and says Israel will never apologize for the incident.

The Israeli military attacked the Freedom Flotilla in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea early on May 31, killing at least 19 people on board the six ships, mostly Turkish nationals, and injuring about 50 others.

US woos India ahead of strategic dialogue

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New Delhi, June 03: The first India-US strategic dialogue between minister of external affairs SM Krishna and US secretary of state Hillary Clinton will be high on atmospherics but low on substance. There will be much public display of warmth, with Clinton showering lavish praise on India in an attempt to soothe frayed tempers.