 |
|
Two dead in train derailment at Hathras Hathras (UP), June 14: Two people were killed and 20 injured when three bogies of Gokul Express, a passenger train, derailed at Hathras, 25 km from Mathura, on Friday. Tejveer Singh, a legislator from the region who visited the site, said there were sudden jolts before the derailment. Officials blamed the derailment on human error. RS Verma, Additional Divisional Railway Manager at Agra Cantonment station, said apparently the engine driver applied brakes suddenly resulting in the mishap. "I think in this case there has been a sudden braking because there could be some people who were crossing the tracks. The engine titled a bit and other bogies hit the engine", he added. This was the sixth train accident in India in four months. President to visit J and K for two days New Delhi, June 14: Marking the first Presidential visit to Jammu and Kashmir in 20 years, APJ Abdul Kalam will be in the picturesque but much troubled state on June 25 and 26. During his stay there, he will present colours to the state police and attend the convocation of the university. The first event will take place in Srinagar and the second in Jammu, according to official sources. The President's other engagements are meeting with children in all the three regions of the state and interaction with the MLAs. 160 Sikh pilgrims leave for Pakistan (Go To Top) Amritsar, June 14: A team of Sikh pilgrims from Punjab left for Pakistan on Saturday to visit religious shrines after the easing of tensions between the two countries. The pilgrims will visit some of the famous Sikh shrines in Pakistan including Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Sacha Sahib and Gurdwara Dera Sahib. They would also participate in the 150th anniversary of the martyrdom of Guru Arjun Dev at Lahore on June 16. Harbeant Singh, secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC), said a number of pilgrims were denied travel documents. More than 400 people had applied for visas but only 160 of them were granted permission. "This time the Central government allowed 200 pilgrims to visit the shrines but out of this 40 pilgrims were rejected by the Pakistan embassy officials and New Delhi without assigning any reason. As a result now the number of pilgirms actually leaving has been reduced to 160," Singh said. Every year, thousands of Sikh pilgrims from across the world congregate in Pakistan to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev, founder of the Sikh religion. Last year only 50 Sikh pilgrims from India could visit Pakistan. My government has a majority in House: Mayawati (Go To Top) Lucknow, June 14: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday claimed that her government commanded a majority in the legislature despite attempts by the Opposition to dislodge her. Political trouble has been brewing in the state after 13 deputies of the regional Rashtriya Janata Dal, a junior coalition partner, withdrew support earlier this month. Since then, Samajwadi party has stepped up campaign to dislodge the Mayawati government. Samajwadi, along with several other Opposition parties, have asked the government to prove its majority in the 404-member House. "The Opposition parties have been running here and there, sometimes they go to the governor, sometime to the Speaker saying that the Assembly should be convened. But why should it be convened? The government has an absolute majority, it is not in minority, it is not in danger, Mayawati stressed. Mayawati, whose government is supported by Bharatiya Janata Party, had claimed on Friday that several legislators of the Opposition were ready to switch sides. Troops, police kill 10 LeT militants in Poonch (Go To Top) Jammu, June 14: Ten allegedly LeT militants were killed by security forces in Poonch district on Saturday, according to the police. Following a specific information, both army and police launched a joint operation in Hardi mountains of Surankote belt of Poonch district on Saturday morning. In the gunbattle that took place, 10 terrorists were killed. Many weapons were recovered from the area. Standoff at Talhan gurdwara resolved (Go To Top) Jalandhar, June 14: Local authorities in Punjab have peacefully ended a siege of a shrine where more than 150 people had locked themselves in and threatened self-immolation. The 150 villagers supporting the Sikh body 'Damdami Taksal' had taken control of the gurudwara in Talhan village of Jalandhar district after the state government appointed a receiver to the shrine. The government's intervention followed clashes last week between people of high and low-caste over the cash-rich shrine which left one boy killed and 11 others injured. Police denied they had entered the shrine and said the people inside the shrine gave themselves up on Friday after much persuasion. "The orders were passed yesterday. Only after that necessary action was taken. And all of you know under which circumstances these orders were passed. After negotiations between the two parties failed, Article 145 had to be passed so as to maintain communal harmony." said Dinkar Gupta, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jalandhar. Gupta said the week-long curfew still continues as a precuationary measure. The apex body of Sikhs, Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, has termed the appointment of government receiver as direct interference of the government in religious matters. Nihal Singh, the "Granthi" (priest) of the "Gurudwara" (shrine), said the government was doing unjustice to them. "The government has done something very wrong by appointing a receiver to the shrine. A receiver is appointed only when there is a scuffle inside the shrine, but that was not the case here. This is totally wrong. We will not tolerate this kind of injustice," said Singh. Caste discrimination is banned under the law. But clashes often take place between upper and lower castes over sharing of religious and public rights. 7 killed as bus falls into river in Tripura (Go To Top) Agartala, June 14: Seven people were killed and several injured on Friday when their bus fell into a river. The dead included five men and two women. Police believe the bus slipped from the bridge because of rain. "It rained last night and that's why it was slippery on the bridge. I think it slipped," said Partha Chakraborty, a police officer. The bus persengers were mostly labourers. Villagers said only four bodies were recovered by the para- military forces.
No man 'daring' enough to take me on: Fergie (Go To Top) London, June 14: Lonely heart Sarah Ferguson is psyched that she may not find another Adonis, as no man is "daring" enough, according to a report published in the tabloid, the Sun. The 43-year-old erstwhile royal member has been chilling on her own, since her divorce from Prince Andrew in 1996. Having gone through bankruptcy, she has reincarnated herself as a Weight Watchers spokeswoman, but opines that she cannot escape the phantoms of her tumultous past. "I don't know if anybody out there is daring enough and to take me on is quite a lot, isn't it? You have to take everything that goes with me," Fergie candidly admitted on US television. Fergie, the mother of two kids is currently visiting America to launch her latest Little Red children's book, sincerely classified herself as "skinny" and would "never want to go back into fat suits." Mandela seeks a date with Atomic Kitten (Go To Top) London, June 14: Former South African President Nelson Mandela seems smitten by the Atomic Kitten girls ever since they crooned for him at the Freedom Day in London in 2001. The girls who were due to travel to South Africa have, however, had to reschedule their calendar because of illness. Expressing a desire to meet Atomic Kitten, the former apartheid leader wants a date to be fixed up for the rendezvous, as and when the band rearranged dates in South Africa. "The girls were told Nelson Mandela would love to watch one of their gigs. They have taken it as a huge compliment," a band source was quoted by the Sun as saying. Beckham snubs Sir Alex by not mentioning him (Go To Top) London, June 14: In his announcement after the Queen's Birthday Honours list was unveiled, David Beckham has delivered an amazing snub to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. According to a report in the Sun, the England captain deliberately ignored his club boss in a carefully-worded statement in recognition of his honour, being furious that Sir Alex, 61, has told United chief executive Peter Kenyon to raise up to 30 million pounds by selling Becks. "I am honoured and privileged to have received this recognition. It is not just for me but for Manchester United, England, all of my team-mates and my family", said Beckham. But there was no mention of the man he once said was a father figure to him. The Sun revealed how the pair have not spoken for two months. And Beckham's OBE statement just emphasises his big rift with Fergie. USA gives Beckham and Posh a status of anonymity (Go To Top) : "Only in the USA can David and Victoria stroll the streets unnoticed. While some celebrities might relish such anonymity, the English duo - wildly famous everywhere else in the world - aren't used to being ignored", comments a USA paper. According to a report in People News, despite heavy publicity even in the US, Posh and Becks have left America cold, claim American newspapers. The New York Post in an article entitled 'Don't Come Beck', says that the couple were 'highly unrecognizable' in America - a country that does not follow football and sensibly chooses to ignore Victoria's attempts at a solo career. The Beckhams are returning to Blighty after three months in the country - a PR cluster bomb of interviews, award ceremonies, meetings with hip hop artist Damon Dash and parties thrown by Anna 'Nuclear' Wintour, says the report. "Posh and Becks had hoped by now that they would be as famous in the United States as they are in their native Britain. Instead, they're going home as anonymous as when they arrived," writes Post writer Tom Sykes. Not a very palatable thought for Victoria to be aware of the fact that even Geri Halliwell and Simon Cowell are more popular than her in the States. Roger Moore knighted for charity work (Go To Top) London, June 14: Having been knighted in the Queen's birthday honours, former Bond star Roger Moore must have been in cloud mine. But instead of his celebrated acting career, it is charity work which has made him a 'Sir'. He follows in the footsteps of fellow former 007 star Sean Connery, 72, who was knighted for his services to film and drama in 2000. In recent years, Roger, who found TV fame playing a Sir in Ivanhoe 45 years ago, has become a tireless worker for the United Nations Children's Fund, acting as its goodwill ambassador. Famous for his "shaken, not stirred" dry martinis in the Bond movies, the 75-year-old star also works for Kiwanis International, another kids' charity, says a report in the Sun. "I am so proud to be the recipient of this great honour. I am doubly proud because this is an acknowledgement of Unicef, an organisation I am honoured to work for. I accept this title on behalf of the many thousands of volunteers and workers at Unicef who dedicate their lives to helping the millions of children in need around the world", said Moore. He added touchingly: "I only wish my mother and father could have been alive to see this day." Renee's in love, finally (Go To Top) Washington, June 14: Know what's the secret behind Hollywood actress Renee Zellweger's new found happiness? Well, the Texan beauty, who remained single and lonely for at least two years, has reportedly found a new love in her life. The versatile star is now enjoying togetherness with White Stripes lead rocker Jack White, according to a report in People News. A source close to White, who confirmed that the unlikely pair are seeing each other, said, "They're definitely dating. Renee is really happy about it" Renee's last serious romance ended nearly three years ago when she decided that her rubber-faced fiance of a year, Jim Carrrey was not the man for her. Pitt's steroid induced 'black moods' on the sets of 'Troy' (Go To Top) Washington, June 14: Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt, usually known for his pleasant personality, has been displaying obscure temper tantrums and 'black moods' on the set of his new film 'Troy'. According to the film crew, the 'roid rage' could be due to the effects of steroids he is on to help pump him up for his role of Achilles in 'Troy'. The 39-year old Pitt has an erratic schedule on the Mediterranean Island of Malta and even the arrival of wife Jennifer Aniston hasn't stopped his temper fits, says a report in People News. Despite all this, the couple appears to love Maltese life and are reportedly going to invest in yet more property (adding to the four homes, three in LA and one in Santa Barbara, that they already own) by buying a little place on Malta. -ANI |