Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Bodyguard review


A still from 'Bodyguard'
The beauty of a Salman Khan film is that it doesn't claim to be anything but just that. But when you pack in sappy melodrama, clichéd characterisation, a pathetic love story and action scenes choreographed in outer space, not even a Katrina Kaif item number can save the day.

This car hasn't broken down since 1904

London:  A couple in Britain are proud owners of a car which hasn't broken down in the last 107 years.

The one-cylinder motor vehicle, which can run at a top speed of over 46 km per hour, averages around 17 km per litre. 

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Blast near mosque, kills 5 in Pakistan

Quetta:  A police official says a car bomb has exploded in southwestern Pakistan, killing at least 5 people. 

Abdul Jamil says the blast occurred on Wednesday as hundreds of people were leaving a mosque in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province.

Hospital, temple, then court for Yeddyurappa


Bangalore:  BS Yeddyurappa's attempt to get anticipatory bail in a case of corruption has been rejected by the Karnataka High Court. He has been accused of illegally denotifying land that had been reserved for projects of public interest.

Mr Yeddyurappa was forced to resign as Chief Minister of Karnataka on July 31 when a report on mining declared him guilty of accepting kickbacks from companies who were given mining licenses.

Anna issue handled inappropriately: Congress MP


New Delhi:  A Congress MPs has said the Anna incident may have been "deliberately" badly managed to damage Prime Minister Manmohan Singh image or to prevent Rahul Gandhi from taking the country's top post.

In a letter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Praveen Singh Aron said the issue was dealt with "inappropriately" and sought a "thorough inquiry" within the party to ascertain
whether it was done deliberately or was a mistake. Mr Aron has said that in the absence of Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, "the persons responsible to decide
matters could not see the widespread public support and socio-political aspects" of Hazare's movement".

BCCI under RTI? Cabinet to discuss new Sports Bill today


New Delhi:  The Cabinet will discuss today a new Sports Bill that seeks to put the BCCI under the RTI Act and also cut sports czars down to size. Sports Minister Ajay Maken has said the proposed new Bill is aimed at bringing in transparency and accountability in all sports bodies.

Maken said yesterday that the Draft National Sports Development Bill will be discussed by the Cabinet today and if approved, it will be introduced in Parliament in the ongoing monsoon session itself. He added that the Bill once passed would bring in more accountability in the functioning of National Sports Federations (NSFs). 

At Ramlila Maidan, now alcohol drunk near Anna's bed


New Delhi:  Ramlia Maidan has undergone a sea change. The fervour is missing, so is the spirit. Well maybe not the latter, but it is a huge transformation nevertheless. A day after Anna Hazare concluded his hunger strike on the lokpal issue, MiD DAY found a group of men consuming liquor on the same bed at Ramlila Maidan which Anna was using for resting purposes.

Rajasthan BJP MLA suspended for 'slipper missile'



Jaipur:  In the shoe-for-a-shoe saga, a Rajasthan BJP MLA has got the boot. 

BJP MLA Bhawani Singh Rajawat has been suspended for a whole year after a study of video footage from Assembly proceedings yesterday showed that it was he who flung a woman MLA's slipper at the Treasury benches.
 

Anna effect: Police inspector lists assets on Facebook


Pune:  As the debate over transparency in the higher echelons of the government rages on and top officials in government agencies continue to stonewall activists' demands to declare their assets, a grassroot-level public servant has set an example of sorts by making public the list of his movable and immovable properties on Facebook, the social networking site that now connects the world.

Irom Sharmila must reach out to people: GK Pillai













Shillong:  Irom Sharmila, fasting for the last 11 years for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), must "reach out to people across the country" like anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare to make her cause known, says former union home secretary GK Pillai.

AFSPA enables security forces to shoot at sight and arrest anybody without a warrant if an area is declared disturbed. Sharmila is currently in an isolated room of Manipur's Jawarharlal Nehru Hospital.

"It is a question of how you reach out to people. AFSPA is applicable only in Jammu and Kashmir and in the northeastern states. Corruption is pricking people everywhere and that's why Anna Hazare had a high moral ground," Mr Pillai told IANS on Monday. 

"She (Sharmila) has to reach out to the people across the country. She has to say why she is on fast," said Mr Pillai. 

"AFSPA should be repealed and the government should have a humane law," Mr Pillai added.

Dubbed the 'Iron Lady of Manipur', Sharmila began her fast November 2, 2000, after witnessing the killing of 10 people by the army at a bus stop near her home. Now around 40, Sharmila was arrested shortly after beginning her protest -- on charges of attempted suicide. She was sent to a prison hospital in Imphal where began a daily routine of being force-fed via a nasal drip.

Sharmila is frequently set free by local courts but once outside, she resumes her hunger strike and is rearrested.

AFSPA was passed in 1990 to grant special powers and immunity from prosecution to security forces to deal with raging insurgencies in northeastern states and in Jammu and Kashmir.

The act is a target for local human rights groups and international campaigners such as Amnesty International, which say the law has been an excuse for extrajudicial killings.

Amnesty has campaigned vociferously against the legislation, which it sees as a stain on India's democratic credentials and a violation of international human rights laws.

Landslide blocks Konkan Railway, thousands stranded


Mumbai:  A major landslide blocked tracks in a section of the Konkan Railway Tuesday, hitting services between Mumbai and the southern states and leaving thousands of people who were going home for the Ganeshotsav festival stranded. There were no casualties.

A retaining wall, around 20 metres long, came crashing on the railway tracks near Pomendi, Ratnagiri district, around 225 km south of Mumbai, at 8.15 a.m., a Konkan Railway spokesperson said.

Kumaraswamy will not make a personal appearance in court


Bengaluru:  Former chief minister of Karnataka, HD Kumaraswamy will not appear before the Lokayukta special court today, as he is pleading exemption from personal appearance. The exemption has been granted till September 5. 

Parliamentary Standing Committee submits report on Judicial Accountability Bill


New Delhi:  This is the bill that the government says will make the judiciary more accountable and will ensure that Judges do not have to come under the purview of the Lokpal. A Parliamentary Standing Committee has submitted its report on the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill and suggested that judges do not make "unwarranted comments" in open court.

Lokayukta row: Recall Gujarat Governor, says BJP


New Delhi:  Uproar over the appointment of a Lokayukta or ombudsman in Gujarat without the consent of the Narendra Modi-led government led to repeated adjournments in Parliament today. 

The BJP wanted the Question Hour in both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha suspended for an urgent discussion on the appointment of RA Mehta as the new Lokayukta by Governor Kamla Beniwal. The ruckus led to the Lok Sabha being adjourned first till noon, then till 2pm, and then finally for the day. 

'Anna inspired me to expose corruption'


New Delhi:  It seems Anna Hazare's movement has failed to move everyone and it is business as usual for a 'corrupt' few. 

Even as the mass agitation was in progress at Ramlila Maidan, a government employee seeking admission in a medical college for one of his relatives got frustrated by the process and carried out a 'sting operation' on an agency that was asking for a few lakh rupees in return for a seat in a reputed private or government-recognised medical college.

PM sends flowers and get well soon message to Anna


New Delhi:  It was Dr Manmohan Singh's intervention in Parliament that created the room for a truce between the government and activist Anna Hazare, who was on a hunger strike against corruption.  

Today, Dr Singh has sent flowers and a short message to Anna, who is recovering at a hospital in Gurgaon.

BJP demands Gujarat Governor's recall


New Delhi:  The BJP wants Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal recalled for appointing a Lokayukta or ombudsman in the state without the consent of the Narendra Modi-led government. The party says the Governor's act is a "constitutional violation and an attack on federalism" and it forced repeated adjournments in Parliament on the issue today.

Thane blasts convicts get 10 years in jail


Mumbai:  A Mumbai court on Tuesday sentenced two men to 10 years rigorous imprisonment for the 2008 Thane and Vashi bomb blasts.

The duo Ramesh Gadkari and Vikram Bhave were also slapped with a fine of Rs. 11,000 each for their role in the blasts in two theatres and a cinema hall in Thane, Vashi and Panvel in mid-2008.

So that's a No then. Kalmadi won't be in Parliament












New Delhi:  Suresh Kalmadi has been told once again that he cannot leave Tihar Jail to attend parliament when the House is in session.

The Delhi High Court has rejected today the latest request by the Congress Lok Sabha MP from Pune. "In view of the gravity of the offence and the huge magnitude, it would be totally inappropriate to grant him permission ...on the foundation that he has to meet the Constitutional obligation. The writ petition is dismissed," said the two judges hearing Mr Kalmadi's appeal.

Rajiv Gandhi assassination: Madras High Court stays convicts' execution for eight weeks


Chennai:  After the political controversy over the hanging of Rajiv Gandhi's assassins comes a legal one. The Madras High Court today suspended the execution, scheduled for September 9, by eight weeks.

Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan - all convicted for being part of the group that conspired to kill the former Prime Minister in 1991 - were sentenced to death by the Supreme Court in 1999. Their mercy petitions, filed 11 years ago asking for their sentence to be commuted to life in prison, were rejected earlier this month by President Pratibha Patil.

Cabinet Rejects Sports Bill, 5 ministers present with conflict of interest


New Delhi:  The cabinet has not cleared the new Sports Bill, which is meant to increase considerably the transparency of all sports bodies, including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).  Sports Minister Ajay Maken has been asked to revise the bill.

At least five of the ministers present at the cabinet review today have a conflict of interest because they head sports bodies.  They include Vilasrao Deshmukh, Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, Farooq Abdullah, and CP Joshi.  Concerns voiced reportedly centred upon whether the Bill would impinge too far upon the autonomy of sports bodies.

China ship with 22 labs spied on India


New Delhi:  India detected a Chinese spy ship disguised as a fishing trawler in the Indian Ocean a few months ago. By the time ship figured in the Indian radars, it had operated already for about 22 days and was positioned off-the cost of Little Anadaman - an area which is considered sensitive and crucial in the ongoing battle for supremacy over the Indian Ocean region between India and China.

DGCA report blames 'incorrect landing technique' for Gulf Air incident at Kochi


New Delhi:  A preliminary report of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has found that the Gulf Air incident was caused because of incorrect landing technique by the flight crew.

The report says that due to non-alignment with the central line of the runway during touchdown, the aircraft veered towards the right of the runway. It damaged four runway edge lights and rolled on the sidestrip causing the nosegear to collapse.

Eid to be celebrated on Wednesday, moon spotted













New Delhi:  India will celebrate Eid tomorrow. The sighting of the moon, which marks the end of the month of fasting during Ramadan, was announced today.

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan tweeted, "Eid Mubarrak to all brothers and sisters, young and old, near and dear...!! Happy greetings for EID ! May there be peace and love among all... and may all your wishes come true."

Army chief backs Anna: Military overreach?


New Delhi:  It's not usual for a service chief to speak on developments that are not his immediate concern. But that did not stop Army chief, General VK Singh, from expressing his opinion on Anna Hazare's movement at a function in Mumbai last week.
 
"We are witnessing the power of democracy, the power of the people," General Singh said.
 

Swaraj writes to Speaker protesting against Lok Sabha Secretary General getting extension


New Delhi:  Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj has raised objections to the one-year extension in tenure to Lok Sabha Secretary General T K Vishwanathan. She said he was "not fit" for the post.

In a letter to Speaker Meira Kumar, Swaraj aired her objections, saying, "The conduct and behaviour of the present Secretary General is not becoming of the post he holds."

Politicians get iPad lessons to cut paperwork

New Delhi:  Members of Parliament are taking lessons on how to use iPads and other tablet computers after being given a special budget to buy technology that cuts down on paperwork.

Each of the 790 lawmakers, many of whom are elderly, has been granted Rs. 50,000 to invest in one of the devices in an attempt to tackle India's infamously laborious red tape.

High Court sets aside acquisition of 100 hectares of land in Mathura


Allahabad:  The Allahabad High Court today set aside acquisition of more than 100 hectares of land in Mathura district for promoting tourism and developing residential colonies. The court held that invoking of "urgency clause" by the Uttar Pradesh government was "not justified".

The order passed by a division bench comprising Justices Sunil Ambawani and Kashi Nath Pandey, comes close on the heels of similar judgements by the High Court. The judgments cause a major embarrassment to the UP government which has been facing flak over its land acquisition policy and its repeated invoking of the urgency clause.

Over 17.4 lakh children under five die in India annually: Government


New Delhi:  More than 17.4 lakh children in India die every year before they reach their fifth birthday, the government said today.

"As per SRS (Sample Registration System) data 2009, 17.4 lakh children are estimated to die before the age of five years," Minister of State for Health Sudip Bandhyopadhay said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

Frivolous plea against PM costs lawyer one lakh

New Delhi:  A plea seeking prosecution of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the cash-for-votes scam that rocked parliament during a trust vote in 2008 was Tuesday dismissed by the Delhi High Court, which also imposed a penalty of Rs.1 lakh on the petitioner lawyer.

On July 22, 2008, three Bharatiya Janata Party members waved wads of currency notes in the Lok Sabha ahead of a trust vote, alleging they were given the money to vote in favour of the Manmohan Singh government.

WikiLeaks: CPM wooed American capitalists



Thiruvananthapuram:  In a huge embarrassment for the CPM that is known for its tough anti-US stance, whistleblower website WikiLeaks claims that in August 2008, top CPM leaders in Kerala sought a senior US diplomat's help in attracting private investment from America. This was just a month after the Left withdrew its support to the UPA government over the Indo-US nuclear deal.

WikiLeaks claims that according to cables sent by the US Political Counsellor, the then Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan told the visiting American diplomat about the CPM's "interest in attracting US investment to Kerala." 

Another air incident: Air India plane's tail tips runway


Kochi:  In another air incident at Kochi airport, the tail of an Abu Dhabi-bound Air India Express Boeing plane with 190 passengers on board tipped the runway. After being airborne for 90 minutes the plane finally returned to Kochi. 

According to an Air India spokesperson, the pilots informed Air Traffic Control (ATC) after they came to know about the tail problem and sought permission to return. Permission was granted and the aircraft returned to Kochi.

After Cabinet rejects Sports Bill, Maken tweets, 'Want BCCI, others to be transparent and efficient'


New Delhi:  The Cabinet has not cleared the new Sports Bill, which is meant to increase considerably the transparency of all sports bodies, including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).  Sports Minister Ajay Maken has been asked to revise the bill. Hours after the Cabinet meeting he tweeted, "We do not want to be intrusive; but want BCCI and others to be transparent and efficient."
 

Another air incident: Air India plane's tail tips runway


Kochi:  In another air incident at Kochi airport, the tail of an Abu Dhabi-bound Air India Express Boeing plane with 190 passengers on board tipped the runway. After being airborne for 90 minutes the plane finally returned to Kochi. 

Next time, tell me to shut up: Omar Tweet


Jammu:  Farooq Abdullah was among the Cabinet ministers who have rejected the new Sports Bill that seeks more transparency from sports bodies, and limits the powers of those who head them.   Mr Abdullah was among five ministers who did not recuse themselves from the discussion on the Sports Bill despite their obvious vested interest because they head different sports federations.  All five opposed the main proposals of the Bill.

Hum, Tum Shabana is an ace up my sleeves: Director Sagar Ballary



While his last outing, Bheja Fry 2proved to be a dampener at the box office, director Sagar Ballary is looking forward to his Hum Tum Shabana next month. And yes, this promises to be a first-of-its-kind from his stable — a complete masala entertainer, with songs and dances and a lot of masti.

Madhur Bhandarkar does special cameo in Hum Tum Shabana



Madhur Bhandarkar will be seen in a cameo in Sagar Ballary's upcoming comedy Hum Tum Shabana starring Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade and Minissha Lamba.
What's interesting is that Madhur will be seen acting as well as walking the ramp as part of the grand finale of a beauty pageant in the film.

Shah Rukh Khan Bollywood's ultimate family man


Shah Rukh Khan
  • Image Credit: Supplied
  • Shah Rukh Khan is Bollywood’s ultimate family man and this Eid is no different
Dubai: Shah Rukh Khan is Bollywood’s ultimate family man and this Eid is no different.
The Ra.One Star is busy planning an Eid party for his close friends and family on Tuesday night at Mannat, his palatial home in Mumbai.

Shah Rukh Khan to hold Eid party



Shah Rukh Khan

  
























Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan is not known to throw Eid parties but this year the actor is planning to have a bash on the day that falls Tuesday.

Kashmir book festival cancelled amid fears of violence


Dal Lake in Srinigar, Kashmir
Tourists in a boat on Dal Lake in Srinagar, Kashmir. Photograph: Tauseef Mustafa/AFP/Getty
Kashmir's first ever literary festival has been cancelled following concerns from organisers that it could erupt into violence.
The Harud (meaning autumn in Kashmiri) literary festival was set to be held from 24-26 September in Srinagar, focusing on local writings from Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh and hosting "significant writers from across India". But organisers said yesterday in a statement that "with great sadness" the festival was being postponed.

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