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Air India cancels five flights Mumbai, Apr 25: Air India cancelled five flights to various destinations on Friday following an agitation by the pilots' union. According to reports, the flights cancelled were to Dubai (AI 713), Delhi-London (AI 129), Delhi-Hong Kong (AI 310), Chennai- Singapore (AI 472) and Kuwait (AI 859). The airline is working out a contingency plan following the agitation by Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) which is demanding a certificate from the airlines that the accompanying crew have not flown into Sars affected region for the past 10 days. UN Council extends Iraq oil-for-food programme New York, Apr 25: The UN Security Council has extended its emergency arrangements for running the oil-for-food programme in Iraq until June 3. The arrangements were due to expire on May 12. The 15 Council members on Thursday voted unanimously for a resolution providing for a technical rollover of the arrangements while they discuss the future of the programme in post-war Iraq. The programme was set up in December 1996 to offset the impact of crippling economic sanctions imposed on Iraq after it invaded Kuwait six years ago. Eight killed in militant attacks in Kashmir Srinagar, Apr 25: Militants launched a string of attacks across Kashmir on Friday, killing eight people, including four soldiers, authorities said. The attacks came even as India and Pakistan toned down their rhetoric over Kashmir after Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee urged talks to end 13 years of bloodshed in the disputed Himalayan region. At least two militants launched a suicide attack on a Border Security Force (BSF) camp in Bandipur, 55 km north of Srinagar, killing two soldiers and a civilian. In another attack, three people were killed and 40 wounded when a bomb exploded outside a carthouse in Pattan town, 25 km north of Srinagar. North Korea warns US of retaliation (Go To Top) Islamabad, Apr 25: The Minister for North Korean armed forces has said that they would encounter with full might if the US violated its air, land and sea space. Addressing a ceremony of armed forces here, he said that North Korea was being pushed towards war. Meanwhile, Beijing said that the United States and North Korea have agreed to keep diplopmatic channels open after ending nuclear talks, according to a Chinese state media report. 13 killed in Pak army chopper crash (Go To Top) Islamabad, Apr 25: As many as 13 Pakistani militarymen were killed when an army helicopter crashed into a mountain here on Friday. The crash took place in northern area, an army spokesman said. The helicopter was on a routine flight when it met with the mishap. The cause of the crash, however, could not be known. The dead included several mid-level army officers and helicopter's crew. Winnie jailed for five years (Go To Top) Pretoria, Apr 25: Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was on Friday sentenced to five years in jail for fraud and theft. Immediately after the court verdict, she resigned from the membership of Parliament as also the ANC Women's League, National Executive Committee and other posts. Her most serious conviction was in 1991, for kidnapping and being an accessory to assault in connection with the death of a 14- year-old township activist. Her jail sentence was reduced to a fine of appeal. Madikizela-Mandela in a statement said: "The ANC is my home. Its ideals are my passion and its endeavours to make South Africa a just society is a cause that I will not relinquish. I will remain a dedicated, committed and loyal member of the ANC". Vajpayee gives away shram awards (Go To Top) New Delhi, Apr 25: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Friday said the country was poised to become the largest pool of skilled labour in the world. "India is set to emerge as a nation with the largest employment and manpower in the world. A shortage of manpower in developed countries would require them to attract the right kind of skill, either through migration or by outsourcing, which is made possible by the breath-taking advances in Information Technology," Vajpayee told delegates after giving away the annual Shram awards to outstanding labour personnel in New Delhi. J-K Secretariat shifts to Srinagar (Go To Top) Jammu, Apr 25: Officials of the Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday began shifting its civil secretariat from Jammu to Srinagar. With this the government offices will start functioning in Srinagar from May 5. More than 6,000 government officials will move to the summer capital during next ten days. Known as the 'Darbar Move' (the shifting of royal court), the 100-year old tradition of shifting the state's capital to Srinagar in summer costs the government a huge sum each year. "The estimated amount spent in one Darbar Move is 20 million rupees and in one year it comes to 40 million rupees. Srinagar is 300 km north of Jammu. The state government secretariat shifts every spring and autumn between the two capitals in confirmity with changing weather patterns. The practice was started in 1882 by the then Maharaja Pratap Singh to meet the aspirations of the people living in far flung areas of the state.
Zeta, Douglas' new abode to have bullet-proof windows (Go To Top) London, Apr 25: Oscar-winning actress Catherine Zeta Jones and her actor husband Michael Douglas seems to be extra protective about their family. The gorgeous couple has ordered bullet-proof windows for their one million dollar new home in Swansea. The duo, who fears that their vast wealth could make them a target for criminals, has decided to go for thousands of pounds worth of ultra-tough reinforced glass for the new abode. The alleged Victoria Beckham kidnap plot, currently the subject of a court case, has heightened the couple's concerns. They also believe their High Court privacy case against Hello! magazine has turned people against them, according to a report in The Sun. . A wavy honeymoon for Crowe couple (Go To Top) Sydney, Apr 25: Celebrity honeymooners, Russell Crowe and Danielle Spencer, are staying aboard a medium-sized boat moored off Horn Island and local gossip has it that they were also planning a stay at resort Coconut Island. The celebrity couple gave Thursday Islanders something of a surprise when they arrived in a motorboat to visit the local newsagency. "It was just unbelievable," a woman working at the Col Jones newsagency said. "He's our most famous visitor to Thursday Island." According to a report in the Courier Mail, after buying a couple of novels and some toys, Crowe stepped out and surprised more locals by signing autographs and posing for photos. Wanted! 20 ml dollar apartment for Kylie and her beau (Go To Top) Sydney, Apr 25: News has it that Aussie songbird Kylie Minogue and French squeeze Olivier Martinez have been searching for apartments in Los Angeles. According to a report in the Daily Mirror, Vee Fortson, a Beverly Hills estate agent took the 34-year-old Kylie and Martinez last week on a tour of 20 million dollar beachfront properties. The couple apparently are looking for ocean views, a large guest house, gym, tennis court, pool and a recording studio, besides preferring to be close to shops and public transport. 'Wuthering Heights' MTV style (Go To Top) Washington, Apr. 25: MTV is making a movie inspired by Emily Bronte's classic novel 'Wuthering Heights'. 'Wuthering Heights' will be an adaptation of the Bronte novel about doomed and tragic love, conflicting passion and revenge - updated for the MTV audience in a dramatic and music-driven tale. The movie is set to go into production in Puerto Rico in May, 2003 and will air in the last quarter of the year. A blockbuster group of young actors and actresses including Erika Christensen ('Traffic'), Mike Vogel ('Texas Chainsaw Massacre'), Chris Masterson ('Malcolm in the Middle'), Katherine Heigl ('Roswell') and Johnny Whitworth ('The Rain-maker') are set to star in this adaptation. Christensen will play the role that was immortalized by Merle Oberon in the 1939 classic movie also starring Sir Laurence Olivier, reports Teenhollywood.com. Christensen, Vogel and Whitworth will be making their on-screen singing debuts. Jim Steinman (Meatloaf's 'Bat Out of Hell') will executive produce the movie and will provide his signature sound in original songs written for and performed in the movie by Christensen and Vogel. Suri Krishnamma ('A Man of No Importance,' 'New Year's Day') is set to direct. Naomi's `intelligence network' tracks Bin Laden in Saudi Arabia (Go To Top) Washington, Apr 25: Who needs the CIA when you have supermodel Naomi Campbell to keep up with the movements of international terrorists? Well, that is how the story goes for the tempestuous clotheshorse, who according to the New York Post has revealed that she has 'intelligence sources' across the globe to keep her updated on terrorist activities. According to a report in People News, Campbell has confided in close friends that her network of spies has been keeping tabs on none other than the kingpin of terrorism, Osama Bin Laden. Moreover, she knows it for a fact that Laden is holed up in Saudi Arabia. Naomi's intelligence network claims come on the heels of Bruce Willis' offer to the White House to share his wealth of combat experience wth them. Howeverm, he was considered too old for action. Shakira slams Madonna for shelving anti-war video (Go To Top) London, Apr 25: Madonna should have gone ahead with the controversial anti-war video to her new single 'American Life' instead of shelving it altogether, says Colombian hip-shaking singer Shakira. The US pop icon had axed the video, in which she dresses up as a soldier and throws a grenade into President George W Bush's lap, weeks before its release because of the war in Iraq. "I'd expect a little more backbone from Madonna. Good pop music is always political in times of crisis," Shakira, who herself made a strong anti-war statement by projecting images of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and Bush as puppets during her tour, was quoted as saying by the Sun. Beckham to part ways with Man U (Go To Top) London, Apr 25: David Beckham has had enough of his boss, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, and is now looking for a new club. In fact, soon after his club's Champions League tie against Spanish footballing giants, Real Madrid, at Old Trafford, Manchester, on Wednesday, the England football captain, who was relegated to the bench only to come back as a 63rd-minute substitution, summoned wife, `Posh Spice' Victoria, and agent Tony Stephens to the city's Malmaison Hotel for talks. He made it clear to them that he wanted to move out of Manchester United as he was no longer part of Sir Alex's starting eleven, and asked Stephens to find him a new club abroad. "He's furious at being left out of United's biggest game this season. After all that's happened this season, he has been pushed too far now. It will hurt him to leave United, but now might be the right time to go," a friend was quoted as saying by the Sun. Meanwhile, Real Madrid leads the chase for Beckham's signature. |