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Pepsi petition against 'pesticide report'

          New Delhi, Aug 10: The Delhi High Court is likely to take up on Monday a petition filed by Pepsico India Holding Pvt Ltd seeking restraint on further publication of the 'pesticide report' by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Pepsi, in a petition filed on Friday, demanded an independent evaluation of the CSE report, which according to it, was "dubious". Making clear its apprehensions on the methods used by the CSE, Pepsi alleged that as the CSE laboratory was not accredited, its pesticide report could not be relied upon.

          Arguing that the government's directive on stoppage of its products was not justified as it was done without verifying the report, Pepsi requested the High Court to ask the government not to act on the basis of the CSE report. The CSE report, released a week ago, had claimed that the pesticide content in both Pepsi and Coca Cola products were much higher than the permissible limits and was 70 times more than what is found in the same products in the European Union.

Vajpayee for early quota for poor upper castes

          Jaipur, Aug 10: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Sunday emphasized the need for finding a solution to the reservation issue for economically backward among upper castes before the assembly polls saying that not doing so may result disharmony in society. Seeking support from all political parties over the reservation issue, Vajpayee said that it was the responsibility of all the parties to ensure that social harmony was not disturbed due to the issue.

          Addressing a public meeting here at the end of the three-month 'Parivartan Rath Yatra,' launched by state BJP chief Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Vajpayee said that he fully supported the demand for reservation for economically weaker sections in society. But in order to make a constitutional amendment Congress support was needed. Describing reservation as a part of national policy, Vajpayee said if all parties agreed on the reservation issue he would bring the proposed Bill in the next session of Parliament. ''If other parties support us, we can bring a Constitutional amendment Bill when parliament meets again. But we need an assurance that it would not be defeated,'' he said.'

Delhi statehood Bill this session: Advani (Go To Top)

           New Delhi, Aug 10: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on Sunday promised to introduce a Bill in the current Parliament session that would grant statehood to Delhi. Addressing the 'Parivartan Rally' here which was attended by a large number of BJP supporters, Advani said, the statehood issue would be a major BJP plank in the coming Assembly elections. "Delhi should get statehood and it is a part of our manifesto," he said, adding that the Home Ministry has already prepared the draft of the Bill. The rally also sought to project Madan Lal Khurana as the chief ministerial candidate of the party for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Advani asked the gathering to elect Khurana as their next Chief Minister who will change the "shape" of Delhi.

Venkaiah for debate on twin polls (Go To Top)

          Dehra Dun, Aug 10: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday called for simultaneous parliamentary and assembly polls. BJP president Venkaiah Naidu said all political parties should hold a debate on the issue. "Both the general and assembly elections, if possible, should be held together. It is for the benefit of the country and the people. All political parties should hold a debate on the issue," Naidu told his party workers in Dehra Dun. Chief Election Commissioner J.M Lyngdoh last week rejected Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani's proposal of holding the polls together. The practice of holding parliamentary and assembly polls simultaneously was discontinued in 1971. With five states, including the key Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, set to vote later this year, the BJP is busy firming up its poll strategies. A stiff competition is on the cards between the BJP and the main opposition Congress Party, which rules 15 states.

Yashodhara Raje Scindia quits BJP (Go To Top)

          Gwalior, Aug 10: Senior BJP leader and daughter of late Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia Yashodhra Raje Scindia has resigned from the party. BJP spokesperson Shitla Sahay confirmed it. The resignation came as a massive blow to the endeavours of BJP to dethrone the ruling Congress in the state. Yashodhra Raje refused to make any media statement about the resignation. Shitla Sahay said that as Yashodhra Raje Scindia did not have any major organisational responsibility so her resignation would not affect the organisation as such. He rejected a suggestion that there was some dispute between Scindia and Uma Bharti.

IAF aircraft forcelands near Ghaziabad (Go To Top)

          Ghaziabad, Aug 10: An Indian Air Force's micro-light aircraft on Sunday forcelanded at a village about five km from Hindon airbase in Uttar Pradesh. No casualties were reported. The two pilots on board also escaped unhurt. According to IAF sources, the aircraft had developed 'engine seizure' 15 minutes after take-off from the airbase and forcelanded near Pesonda village at 10.30 am. Army officials had cordoned of the area. The debris is being collected and will be sent to Hindon for examination.

MCC ultras kill Bihar village sarpanch (Go To Top)

          Patna, Aug 10: Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) ultras kidnapped and later killed the sarpanch of Ropabel village along with two others late Saturday. Police sources on Sunday said that around 250 MCC ultras attacked the house of Ropabel Mukhia Gopal Sao at night. They dragged the members out and blew off the house. They then kidnapped Gopal Sao, his brother Sambhu and a supporter Bhola Thakur. All of them were later stabbed to death. Their bodies were recovered from Charkhi Pathar village, about 45 km from the district, on Sunday. According to police, old enmity between the mukhia and the ultras could be behind the murder. Gopal Sao was earlier in touch with the banned outfit but had of late dissociated himself from the group.

Musharraf has no control over terrorists, says Ram Jethmalani (Go To Top)

          Islamabad, Aug 10: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has no control over the terrorists operating in Kashmir, and the Indian Government must take into account this fact while discussing the issue of cross-border terrorism with Pakistan, Chairman of Indian Kashmir Committee Ram Jethmalani said on Saturday. "I think President Musharraf should not be blamed for whatever infiltration is taking place at the moment as even he doesn't have control over a number of militants operating in Kashmir. This is something I have told to related persons in the Indian government," he said in an interview with the News. Jethamalini is here as part of the Indian delegation of parliamentarians and journalists visiting the neighbouring country on a peace mission.

Special court summons Sanjay Dutt and 85 others (Go To Top)

          Mumbai, Aug 10: The Special Court, dealing with the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case, has summoned filmstar Sanjay Dutt on Monday along with 85 other accused in the case. Thirty others who are lodged in central prison would also be produced for the trial. Sanjay Dutt was out on bail that ended on Sunday. He has just returned from abroad where he had been shooting for a Hindi film. After his return, Sanjay has already appeared before the court on August 7. Sanjay has been accused of possessing AK-56 rifle. According to defence lawyer Subhash Kanse, the final verdict in the case is expected by year-end.

SC ruling on strike uncalled for, says Sorabjee (Go To Top)

          New Delhi, Aug 10: Attorney General Soli J Sorabjee said on Sunday the Supreme Court ruling that government employees have "no moral or equitable right to go on strike" was "uncalled for" and "beyond comprehension". He said the right of collective bargaining and ancillary right to strike was an invaluable right of employees. "It was secured after years of toil and effort," he added. Taking an overall view of the working conditions in India, the Attorney General said "there can be horrendous situations in which the employees have no effective mechanism for redressal of their grievances and are left with no option but to resort to strike."

320 stones removed from woman's gall bladder (Go To Top)

          Ludhiana, Aug 10: In a rare operation, doctors of Dewan hospital in Ludhiana recently removed 320 'stones' from a woman's gall-bladder. The 70-year-old Pushpa Devi was suffering from acute pain in her gall bladder for the last 20 years. A team of surgeons led by Dr. Narrotam Dewan, used laparoscopic technique to remove the stones from Devi's gall bladder. Dewan said Devi's was a very rare case. "I have seen this happening for the first time. I have handled nearly 5000 such cases of gall bladder operation but never extracted so many stones. It is very rare," said Dewan.

           Devi said she was taking painkillers for the last 20 years. "I have been suffering for the last 20 years. I used to take medicines on my own whenever I felt pain. But this time the pain was unbearable and the doctor told me to undergo operation. They took out 320 'stones' from my gall bladder," Devi said. Doctors said Devi would recover fast and would be able to lead a normal life. Doctors attribute the problem to excessive calcium in drinking water in northern India and a high-fat diet.

Indian bishops condemn appointment of gay priest in US (Go To Top)

          Bangalore, Aug 10: Indian bishops have condemned the appointment of a gay Episcopalian bishop in the United States.On Tuesday, the U.S. convention had named Gene Robinson, an openly gay priest, as bishop of New Hampshire. Leaders of other provinces, especially in developing countries, strongly opposed the decision, as did conservatives in the United States. "For me Bible is the basic text ultimately...no one can question that. And if we are breaking the traditions of the Bible itself then there is no need for me to be a part of it. So from that perspective, I would suggest that the Anglican tradition should rethink and make a statement about this. And I would say that it's very difficult for a grass-root level pastor like me or any Christian leader from a developing nation to accept a gay as a bishop. And also it is not only for Christianity, it is difficult for other religions in Asia to even imagine such a situation," Bangalore-based Reverend Joshua Raja said.

          In New Delhi, the Christians were equally vocal against the unprecedented decision, some even terming it as the beginning of gay monopoly. "When a gay man and woman are not accepted in society so I don't think the bishop should be accepted," M.S John, an Anglican follower, said. "It will bring bad impression on the people. Then they will make them the priests, it will ultimately lead to gays giving more preference to gays. That's the main thing," added Elizabeth, another follower.

          The Anglican clergy across the world is in a state of panic and has summoned senior members to an emergency summit in London to discuss the impact of the appointment. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, leader of the world's 70 million Anglican clergy, will send formal invitations next week to Primates, which include archbishops and leaders of the faith's 38 "provinces", to attend the meeting in mid-October. A statement by the church said the effects of "recent developments" at a convention of Episcopalians in the United States "were being felt throughout the Anglican communion and there was a need for the Primates to meet to consider them".

 

Bottomlines

'Bored of the Beckhams' t-shirts to kill the Beckham syndrome (Go To Top)

          Washington, Aug 10: 'Bored-of-theBeckhams' t-shirts have been introduced to relieve the public of the Beckham syndrome. This has also come as a relief to the couple themselves who has grown tired of seeing themselves every time they turn on the TV or flick through a paper. Overrun with requests from similarly Beckham-weary folk, the shirts have been made freely available, according to People News. Already seen on TV during the Wimbledon coverage the t-shirts are also in Robbie Wiliams, Liam Gallagher and Sun rent-a-mouth Dominic Mohan's wardrobes. "The thing we have been most surprised about is how so many publications are actually scared of printing anything negative about the Beckhams - they have enormous control over the media," says a Personal Relations manager for boredofthebeckhams.com.

Aniston pips J.Lo for best butt (Go To Top)

           Washington, Aug 10: Move over Jennifer Lopez. It's 'Friends star Jennifer Aniston who has the best bottom among celebrities. In a poll conducted by eDiets.com in the U.S., the Emmy and Golden Globe-winner received 46.5 per cent as compared to J.Lo's 45.2 per cent. "It seems while both Jennifers have different shapes, they almost equally appealed to the masses," Hollywood.com quoted Raphael Calzadilla, fitness expert for eDiets.com and eFitness.com, as saying in a statement. At 7.1 per cent, TV Queen Oprah Winfrey came in third, while 'Ally McBeal' star Calista Flockhart came in fourth at one per cent.

A dozy dinner with Denzel (Go To Top)

          Washington, Aug 10: Blame it all on jet lag and overwork for Hollywood actor Denzel Washington who recently fell asleep while dining and thus appalled his companions. According to a report in rate the music.com, the 'Training Day' actor and wife Pauletta were dining with 'Silence of the Lambs' director Jonathan Demme at Manhattan's fashionable Asian restaurant 66, when he dozed off between courses. "He put his head down, closed his eyes and started snoring", says an eyewitness. An embarrassed Paulette tried to cover up by explaining that the overworked Denzel was suffering from jet lag, and had not had a chance to nap yet.

P Diddy banned from nightclubs for freeloading (Go To Top)

          London, Aug 10: Hip-hop mogul P Diddy has yet again been banned from two clubs in Ibiza, for exactly the same reason for which he was banned from Pangaea nightclub in New York - for not paying his bar bill. Diddy, who is enjoying a summer vacation in the Mediterranean, has been told he is not welcome back at superclubs Pacha and Amnesia after running up huge tabs and refusing to pay up at the end of the night, says a report in the Mirror. Puffy is cruising around the Med on his annual European summer vacation on a 15-million-pound yacht. While in St Tropez he had a bet with an Arab businessman that he could down two bottles of his favourite tipple in one go. Diddy proceeded to do so in an amazing 60 seconds. Impressed, the multi-millionare rewarded him by lending the star his private jet to ferry him and 30 pals to wherever he wants to go in Europe - and he even agreed to put them up wherever they go.

           One club that was lucky to get some cash out of Diddy was Manumission. The US star visited the club, which is famed for its live sex shows, on Monday night and ran up a bill of 25,000 pounds.

-ANI