Traders: investing in Iraq? Stick to banks, hotels

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Baghdad, October 19: In the run-up to a major investment conference in Washington, traders at Iraq’s stock exchange pitched their ideas for where foreigners should put their money for the best return — banks and hotels.

“I would recommend the tourism and banking sectors (for foreign investors),” said Ali Jamal, a senior broker for Al-Jawhara, an investment firm.

“Especially tourism because new hotels are being built and existing ones are being refurbished — the door is being opened for investment in tourism,” he added.

Saleh: Iranian ‘dignatories’ funding rebels

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Sanaa, October 19: Yemen president Ali Abdullah Saleh accused Shiite northern rebels of taking money from Iranians and of plotting to create a Shiite zone along the Saudi borders.

“These are outlaws and terrorists… who are in the pay of foreign forces and execute a foreign agenda,” Saleh said, according to a text issued on Monday by state news agency Saba of a television interview.

McCullum to open during the Pak series: Vettori

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Bangalore, October 19: New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said Brendon McCullum will continue to open the innings during the ODI series against Pakistan because of the absence of Jesse Ryder.

Having said that, Vettori mentioned that he was keen to play McCullum down the order in the future so that he could exploit the batting Powerplay.

ECB unveil groups for 40-over competition

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London, October 19: The draw for the 2010 ECB 40 League has taken place at Lord’s, with 21 teams drawn into three de-regionalised groups.

The 18 first-class counties, Scotland, the Netherlands and an ECB Recreational XI will compete for the new domestic one-day competition in 2010.

Following a 12-month review, the ECB decided to replace the 50-over Friends Provident Trophy and the NatWest Pro40, with this new 40-over tournament to be played mainly on Sundays.

CM opens organic fruits,vegetable stall

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Hyderabad, October 19: In an effort to popularise organic farm products, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah this evening inaugurated a stall marketing fruits and vegetables devoid of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister noted that use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides had rapidly increased over a period posing health hazards and called for switching over to consumption of healthy organic food products.

Four killed, 8 injured in road accident

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Lucknow, October 19: Four persons, including three children, were today killed and eight injured when the van in which they were travelling collided with a speeding tempo here, police said.

The incident occurred in Refinery area of Mathura, about 300 km from here, they said, adding the deceased were identified as Jassi (18), Pankaj (12), Priyanshu (7) and Happy (8).

The injured were rushed to a hospital, where their condition was stated to be stable.

—Agencies

India-US air force joint exercise begins in Agra

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Agra, October 19: A five-day joint exercise involving the Indian Air Force and the United States Air Force transport aircraft, Cope India-09, began here on Monday.

The US team comprises more than 150 airmen, three C-130H Hercules, one C-17 Globemaster III, and one C-130J aircraft while the IAF will field one IL-76 Gajraj, four AN-32 Sutlej, two MI-17 Pratap, and one Chetak Alouette III aircraft for the exercise.

Revise eligibility criteria for IIT test, govt forms panel

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New Delhi, October 19: Securing of 60 percent marks in class XII will not be sufficient for those aspiring for IITs from 2011 as the criteria is being revised wherein higher percentage would be required which will be taken into account unlike the practice now.

The government on Monday appointed a committee of IIT directors to suggest the revised entrance system under which marks obtained in class XII will be given importance along with the entrance marks.

Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor go hand in hand for everything!

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Mumbai, October 19: The hot and sizzling Kareena Kapoor is riding high these days with her hubby Saif Ali Khan for her upcoming flick Kurbaan.

Both of them have been seen promoting their upcoming hot movie on different locations. Both Kareena and Saif are talking about their latest movie even though they go to their friends or relatives.

It has also been in news that the steamy scenes between them have made and broken several previous records as far as live making is concerned.

—–Agencies

Delhi Police unveil security plan for CWG

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New Delhi, October 19: Delhi Police on Monday unveiled its massive security plan for next year’s Commonwealth Games which includes deployment of heli-borne snipers and a four-layered protective cordon around the venues and Games Village.

Announcing the security strategy, city Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal told reporters, “we are not only looking into the security aspects of the Games, each and every aspect of the city’s security will also be addressed.

“We are working closely with several agencies connected with the Games. We assure you a safe and secure Commonwealth Games,” he said.

Katrina Kaif’s upcoming business requires brains more than beauty

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Mumbai, October 19: There has been a war of the beauty pageants in Bollywood fraternity. Between this the beautifully stunning actress Katrina Kaif has planned to start a new money minting business by the end of this year.

Yes, the actress is all set to launch a website of her own by the end of 2009. But it’s not confirmed that what kind of a website it is going to be.

In an interview, the actress revealed that she is going to launch a website by the end of this year and that she also denied revealing when asked about the kind of site it will be.

Indian boy joins British army to fight Taliban

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London, October 19: An 18-year-old boy from Karnataka is undergoing army cadet training at home and plans to join a British infantry regiment to fight the Taliban militants.

Sharat S Mulchandi, plans to join the British army when he flies into the UK.

“Pakistan is a breeding ground for terrorists, it’s dangerous for India. We will never forget what the fanatics did last year in Mumbai,” Mulchandi was quoted saying to a new paper.

Over 170 people were killed in the Mumbai attack in November 2008.

Angelina Jolie is more Wanted than Charlize Theron for ‘The Tourist’

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London, October 19: The Hollywood’s gorgeous glam girl Angelina Jolie is again in light after being in media for patching up with her father and actor Jon Voight. This time the ravishing Jolie is replacing gorgeous ‘Hancock’ girl Charlize Theron for a forthcoming flick “The Tourist” in the lead role.

Goa serial murders, accused admit to killing for money

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Panaji, October 19: The Goa police on Sunday said the two men arrested by the Mumbai crime branch in connection with the serial murders that rocked the state early this month admitted to killing for money.

Cops said the two have been identified as Chandrakant Talwar, 35, and Syron Rodrigues, 20. They offered their victims a ride in the car and later killed them, police said.

The police are now trying to establish the identity of the fourth victim, who was picked up by Talwar and Rodrigues at 7pm on October 12 and killed a few hours later. Her half burnt body was found the next day.

Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor go hand in hand for everything!

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Mumbai, October 19: The hot and sizzling Kareena Kapoor is riding high these days with her hubby Saif Ali Khan for her upcoming flick Kurbaan.

Both of them have been seen promoting their upcoming hot movie on different locations. Both Kareena and Saif are talking about their latest movie even though they go to their friends or relatives.

It has also been in news that the steamy scenes between them have made and broken several previous records as far as live making is concerned.

—Agencies

Somdev achieves career best ranking in ATP

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New Delhi, October 19: Despite a second round loss at the Tashkent challenger, Somdev Devvarman jumped seven places to achieve his career best singles Somdev ranking of 124 in the latest ATP list, issued on Monday.

Meanwhile, impressive teenager Yuki Bhambri lost a place to stand 347.

There was no change in the raking of Mahesh Bhupathi (6) and Leander Paes (8) in the doubles list.

In the women’s singles ranking, Sania Mirza improved her singles ranking by three places and by two spots in the doubles.

Country’s longest fly-over inaugurated in Hyderabad

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Hyderabad, October 19: The country’s longest fly-over, the P V Narasimha Rao Elevated Expressway, was inaugurated here today.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosiah inaugrated the 11.6-km elevated expressway connects Mehdipatnam in the city to Aramgarh Junction on the National Highway leading to the Hyderabad International Airport at Shamshabad.

The PVNR Elevated Expressway was built at a cost of Rs 430 crore while a few other works relating to the fly-over are still pending.

–Agencies

No delay in DGCA probe into YSR helicopter crash

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New Delhi, October 19: Congress today said there was no delay in the DGCA probe into the helicopter crash that led to the death of the then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

To a question as to whether there was a delay in the DGCA probe, party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said, “it is a serious matter which was probed immediately after the incident”.

Singhvi said it was not good to speculate on such serious issues, denying any delay in the probe.

George Bush heading to India

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New Delhi, October 19: A year after shepherding the landmark nuclear between India and the US in the last stages of his presidency, former US President George Bush will be in New Delhi to deliver a lecture at a privately organised two-day leadership summit Oct 30-31.

Bush is set to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his 7 Race Course residence, a reliable source said. The two leaders had developed a personal fondness for each other.

Hezbollah accuse Israel of installing spy devices

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Gaza, October 19: Hezbollah accused Israel of having installed spying devices, destroyed at the weekend in Lebanon, following the 2006 war between the Israel and the Shiite movement.

Hezbollah has discovered a spying device installed by the Israeli enemy on a cable between the villages of Mays and Jebel after the 2006 war,” the Lebanese militant faction said in a statement.

“It was established that the device was booby trapped and that the enemy had tried to blow it up once it knew it had been found out,” the statement added.

China projecting Kashmir as a separate country?

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Kathmandu, October 19: Besides issuing separate visas to Indian passport holders from Jammu and Kashmir, an issue that has irked New Delhi, China is now showing the state as if it is an independent country.

Visitors to Tibet, especially journalists invited by the Chinese government, are given handouts where Kashmir is indicated as a country separate from India. Media kits providing “basic information” about Tibet – which China attacked and annexed in the 1950s – says Tibet “borders with India, Nepal, Myanmar and Kashmir area”.

India approves Rs 370 crore security cover for Games

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New Delhi, October 19: India on Monday approved state-of-the-art security for the 2010 Commonwealth Games at an estimated cost of Rs.370 crore – a move that also aims to set a benchmark for all big events in future.

The decision, taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved the Hyderabad-based state-owned Electronics Corporation of India Limited for setting up the Integrated Security System (ISS) for the Games.

My husband was murdered to protect vested interests: Asthana’s wife

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Ghaziabad, October 19: Sushma Asthana, the wife of dead court official Ashutosh Asthana, has alleged her husband was murdered inside the jail “to protect some vested interests” and has demanded a CBI probe.

Asthana, the key to the multi-crore provident fund (PF) scam in which some judges of the higher judiciary were named, collapsed inside the Dasna jail on Saturday and died.

Sushma, a co-accused in the case, said her husband was not suffering from any major ailment.

Apex court asks government why NHRC chief’s post vacant

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New Delhi, October 19: The Supreme Court Monday sought the union government’s explanation on why the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chief’s post has been lying vacant for the last six months.

The issue has been raised in a public interest litigation (PIL) of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), which has contended that the NHRC is an important agency, established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.

4 killed, 8 injured in road accident

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Lucknow, October 19: Four persons, including three children, were today killed and eight injured when the van in which they were travelling collided with a speeding tempo here, police said.

The incident occurred in Refinery area of Mathura, about 300 km from here, they said, adding the deceased were identified as Jassi (18), Pankaj (12), Priyanshu (7) and Happy (8).

The injured were rushed to a hospital, where their condition was stated to be stable.

–Agencies