Hu Replaces Jiang as China's New President

          BEIJING: China's parliament has named Hu Jintao as the new President, replacing Jiang Zemin as top leader after 10 years. Hu's election was widely expected following his appointment as head of China's ruling Communist Party last November. Jiang was reappointed head of China's powerful Central Military Commission ...  (Contd)

Marandi Govt Told to Prove Majority by Month-end

          RANCHI: The embattled Bharatiya Janata Party-led Government in Jharkhand has to prove its majority by month-end. The Government led by chief minister Babulal Marandi was reduced to minority early this week when seven ministers of his Cabinet quit. They accused the Government of failing to maintain law and order and promote economic development The Government now enjoys support of 36 legislators in the 81-member House.

          But on Saturday, the BJP leadership maintained that it will survive the trust vote. "I am of the opinion that the Government will surely survive ... I do not know the means, but the Government will survive because I have full faith in the legislators of Jharkhand," said BJP general secretary Rajnath Singh, who was rushed to State Capital Ranchi to quell the rebellion. The BJP claimed full support of its coalition allies, Samata party and Janata Dal United. Since Thursday, the State has seen much political bickering as Marandi accused Assembly Speaker Inderjit Singh Namdhari of conspiring with the Opposition to topple his Government. Namdhari was later elected leader of the regional Jharkhand Mukthi Morcha (JMM)-led Opposition.

Deora Quits as Mumbai Congress Chief (Go To Top)

          MUMBAI: Mumbai Congress chief Murli Deora on Saturday resigned from his post which he was holding for the past 22 years. Deora said he met party president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday and submitted his resignation letter. Asked why he quit at this juncture, the high-profile Congress leader said, "I think this is the best time to go. I have held this post for nearly 23 years and the time has come to hand over the reins of the party to the younger generation". Another reason is the workload. He has his responsibilities as a Rajya Sabha MP, apart from his association with several social organisations. According to him, the party high command will decide his successor and according to sources senior Congress leader and former MP Gurudas Kamat is a key contestant for the post.

ULFA Used Mortars Supplied by Al Qaeda: Army (Go To Top)

          GUWAHATI: The army has definite information that the mortars used by ULFA rebels in their recent attacks on oil depots were provided by Al Qaeda, according to Lt-Gen Mohindar Singh, GOC-in-C of the 4 Corps stationed in Tezpur.

          The mortars, according to him, were supplied through Bangladesh and Garo Hills of Meghalaya. These had a range between 500 and 1500 metres. Lt-Gen Singh also said, reports the North-East Tribune, that Al Qaeda's hard-core member Rana Masur who was recently caught by the army had imparted special training to ULFA members. Mortar is the most favourite weapon among the Talibans, he added.

Village Set Afire in Rajouri by Militants (Go To Top)

          JAMMU: The fresh wave of violence that began three days ago continued for the third consecutive day here on Saturday. Unidentified terrorists set ablaze an entire village belonging to a particular communuity. No casualty was, however, reported. Quoting official sources, a report said the village belonged to a particular community. The targeted people had migrated from a different village in November last year after the killing of two youths, they added. After setting the houses afire, the terrorists escaped. This is the fourth major terrorist attack in the Rajouri-Poonch belt in three days. Terrorists had attacked a police party in Poonch on Friday killing six persons, including a senior police official of DSP rank.

Jammu Pays Last Respects to Brave DCP (Go To Top)

          JAMMU: Hundreds of people in Jammu on Saturday paid their last respects to a police official killed in a fierce gun battle with militants on Friday. Seven people, including three civilians and a militant, were killed as security forces stormed a hotel, in Poonch, 270 km south-west of Srinagar, where militants were holed up. Tearful relatives and police officials walked through the streets of Jammu as people showered flower petals on the body of deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Manjit Singh. A 21-gun salute was also given in his honour.

RSS to Join VHP Sit-in Protest over Ayodhya  (Go To Top)

          NEW DELHI: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Saturday said it supported the VHP which is spearheading a temple movement in Ayodhya. The hardline Hindu group has always supported the demand for a Ram temple on the site of the razed 16th century Babri mosque. It has kept a low profile over the issue but said its volunteers will participate in the sit-in protest organised by VHP.

           The VHP plans to begin a week-long sit-in from March 27 in New Delhi to demand the handing over of the disputed land for building the temple. "We think that VHP's demand of acquiring undisputed land is right. Undisputed land should be given to them. We support their demand and the sit-in protest which they are trying to organise from March 27. Sit-in is an accepted way of protest in a democratic set-up. It will be peaceful and in a democratic way. Swayamsevaks will also participate in this," an RSS spokesman said.

5-km Long Human Chain in Delhi Calls on Bush to Drop War Plan (Go To Top)

          NEW DELHI: Hundreds of anti-war protestors marched through the streets of the Capital on Saturday urging Washington to drop its plans to attack Iraq. Activists formed a five km-long human chain and shouted "America Down Down" and "Drop Bush, not Bomb" as they steered through the Capital's crowded streets.

           "American imperialists are planning a war against Iraq to which we do not agree. The whole world is denouncing the war on Iraq. We demand that the Bush administration immediately stop all plans to wage a war on Iraq," said a leader of the Communist Party of India.

           In recent months, a series of protests against the United States and President George Bush have rocked India. Earlier this month, hundreds of Muslims in Mumbai pledged to head for Iraq as "human shields" to protect the country in case of a US-led war.

          Bush, who says Baghdad has not given up its weapons of mass destruction, has said he would push for a United Nations authorisation to invade Iraq but could strike without a UN backing as well. The US-backed resolution sets March 17 as the deadline for Iraq to give up its banned weapons or face war, although Britain has suggested extending that by 10 more days.

Jamali, Bush to Discuss Iraqi Situation (Go To Top)

          WASHINGTON: Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali is expected to meet US President George W Bush on March 28 to discuss the Iraqi crisis, said a report on Saturday. Bilateral relations, regional and international situation and the continued US war on terror are among the issues to be discussed between the two leaders. Jamali has reiterated that Pakistan would continue to extend its support and cooperation to international efforts aimed at combating terrorism at home and abroad.

Opposition Walkout in Punjab Assembly (Go To Top)

          CHANDIGARH: Opposition parties in the Punjab Assembly, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD-B) and the BJP, boycotted the Governor's address and staged a walk-out shouting anti-Government slogans on the opening day of the Budget session on Saturday. The Opposition legislators were donning black gowns and shouted anti-Government slogans. Former chief minister Prakash Singh Badal said, "The speech which the Governor read out was prepared by the ruling Congress Government ... we feel that this Government is anti-people ... they interfered in the religious activity of the people. They interfered in the SGPC elections by threatening and instituting false cases against SGPC members."

Hu Replaces Jiang as China's New President (Go To Top)

          (Contd) ... for the next five years. On Sunday, Vice-Premier Wen Jiabao, 60, is expected to gain approval to take over as premier from Zhu Rongji. In other changes approved, on Saturday, the deputy leader of the Chinese Communist party, Wu Bangguo, was appointed chairman of parliament, known as the National People's Congress (NPC), for the next five years. Zeng Qinghong, another Jiang Zemin loyalist, was elected vice-president. Hu, 60, was the only candidate and of the nearly 3,000 delegates to the NPC, only four voted against the Communist Party chief becoming China's new President.

           Voting by the NPC is largely ceremonial, as there is only one candidate for each top post and the results have been arranged in advance by the ruling Communist party. The BBC's Beijing correspondent says that Hu may have a hard job establishing himself as China's new supreme leader. Jiang is expected to retain considerable behind-the-scene influence, especially over foreign policy, and on the issue of Taiwan.

           Little is known about the personality of Hu, though he is assumed to be a deft political operator to have survived as leader-in-waiting since his 1992 elevation to the ruling Politburo by former paramount leader Deng Xiaoping. Hu will be closely watched to see if his thinking differs from that of the outgoing leadership. There has also been speculation about possible political rivalry between him and Zeng Qinghong. Some elements of the army are also reported to be uneasy about Jiang's retaining control over the armed forces in case it creates two centres of power. The start of the Hu era is unlikely to see any immediate political changes, but he has a difficult task ahead of him steering China through a period of intense social and economic transition.    

Martinez Has No Home to Take Kylie to (Go To Top)

          WASHINGTON: Drop-dead looks may have got Oliver Martinez the most desired woman as his girlfriend, but he doesn't have a home to take her to yet. Hunky French actor and model Martinez spoke exclusively to the Sun in Paris and admitted he won't be able to take the princess of pop back to his place - because he hasn't got one. The 37-year-old heart-throb in his first interview since his romance with Kylie was discovered, joked he was a gypsy, adding: "I should have a caravan."

          Dark, brooding Olivier certainly looked the part in jeans, trainers, tan leather jacket and two days' growth of stubble. Olivier - who starred in Hollywood hit 'Unfaithful' and has just made 'Swat' in Los Angeles with Samuel L Jackson and Colin Farrell said: "I am from a working class background and I am very ordinary. I never forget my roots and I come home to hang out with my family and friends." "I don't own anywhere," he further informed. "It don't have anywhere I can call home. Sometimes I live in Los Angeles and sometimes here. So when I'm in Paris, I often sleep on the floor in cousin Stephan's apartment. It's okay because it is quite big."

Mariah House-hunting in Ireland (Go To Top)

          LONDON: Singer Mariah Carey is busy shopping for a house in Ireland. She has reportedly told estate agents in Co Wicklow that she wants to buy a huge house in the bosom of the Emerald Isle. And she hopes to have her new pad by the summer. A friend of the star was quoted as saying in Sun: "Mariah loves Ireland. She spent time there last year and really fell for it. She has Irish blood through her mother's side of the family and so it makes sense she should move there. She'll fit in really well." Mariah, who releases her single Oh Boy (I Need You) on March 24, is very excited about the big move.

Say Farewell to Wild Life, Farrell, You're Gonna Be Dad (Go To Top)

          WASHINGTON: Playboy Colin Farrell is going to be a dad, and his critics hope this should be a sobering experience for the guy nicknamed 'Lusty Leprechaun'. Farrell, a well-known serial womaniser, has boasted in the past of his love of one-night stands, saying 'casual sex is the coolest thing.' Now the Daredevil star has been forced to reshuffle his cool-list after a fling with an anonymous US model left her in the family way, reports PeopleNews.

           "It's so cool," a slightly wild-eyed Farrell was quoted as saying in the report. "I haven't even told my family yet." Straight-laced Hollywood has been appalled recently by the actor's rock-n-roll lifestyle and will be glad to see him hitting the milk bottle instead of the vodka for a change. Studio bosses think that a crash course in dirty nappies and rusks could be just the thing to bring Farrell back inside the thespian fold.

Osama's Niece to Launch Pop Career in Britain (Go To Top)

          LONDON: Music appeals to one and all. And this time it is the niece of the most wanted man, Osama Bin Laden, who wishes to launch a pop career in Britain. Waffa Bin Laden, 26, who is said to resemble Natalie Imbruglia, has been working with Madonna producer Nellee Hooper and John Benson, the man who discovered All Saints. She is also believed to have been advised by former Fugees star Wyclef Jean, according to a report in the Sun.

           The US trained lawyer, whose father Yeslam is the Al Qaeda terror leader's brother, moved to London six months ago. She has been working on demos and is hoping to sign a record deal. However, despite having a good sultry voice, she fears her name may put labels off. Said mum Carmen: "It is terrible for our daughter. Our world is the West and to have this family association is very difficult." But record company boss and Pop Idol Nasty Simon Cowell doesn't rate her chances. "I wouldn't touch her with a bargepole. There's only one worse surname you could have to launch a pop career - and that's Hitler," he added.

Madonna Goes for Liz's Looks for Latest Video (Go To Top)

          LONDON: Pop diva Madonna has opted for a different look for her new single, American Life, to be out next month. The singer-actress takes up Liz Hurley's trademark of having dark hair and dramatic eye make-up for the provocative video, according to a report in the Sun. She wears a leather bondage suit, throws grenades during a fashion show and cavorts with a brigade of soldiers. American Life will be out on April 14, and the album of the same name on sale a week later.

How Sexy You Are? Finger It Out (Go To Top)

          LONDON: Size does matter when it comes to sex appeal, but now it is the size of the fingers which suggests how sexy a man or woman is, say scientists. Researchers found that men whose ring finger is longer than their index finger tend to be better looking, healthier and hot , reports the Sun. On the other hand, women whose index finger is longer than their ring finger are sexier and more fertile. They also discovered the relative size of a person's ring and index fingers is linked to how symmetrical their face is. And the more symmetrical a face is, the more attractive we find it.

           Dr Bernhard Fink, one of a team of British and Austrian scientists behind the study, said: "It seems that not only the eyes have it, but also the hands." Dr Fink said people sizing up a potential love-mate may subconsciously look at their fingers to see if they are suitable. Another researcher, Dr Nick Neave, said the relative size of fingers was decided by the mix of sex hormones in the womb that affected an unborn baby's bone formation. He told the British Psychological Society's annual conference in Bournemouth that finger length provides tell-tale signs of whether a mate is suitable.

           According to the researchers, in men, higher levels of pre-birth testosterone meant the ring finger was generally longer than the index finger. In women, higher oestrogen levels led to the index finger being the same length or longer than the ring finger.

Mayawati Woos Bollywood (Go To Top)

          MUMBAI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati on Friday organized a meeting with film producers for encouraging them to shoot films in the State. She apprised them of the immense potential and congenial atmosphere available in the State for film shooting. She emphasised that Uttar Pradesh should be the first choice of producers as the cost of film making is lowest there. She announced various sops for industry, which included tax rebate, subsidies and heavy concessions. Eminent film personalities like Anupam Kher, Nitin Manmohan, Akshay Kumar and Shekhar Suman attended the conference. Their reaction to the sops seemed positive.

           "It is a very encouraging proposal. Film industry is having a tough time for the last one and a half years. Mayawati has come up with a proposal which offers tax rebate, subsidy of Rs 10 to 20 lakh. This will help producers who want to make good films but do not have enough funds. If three or four more States come out with such packages, the film industry would be benefited a lot," said Anupam Kher, actor and producer.

           "I do not watch films much. But I like those which inspire people and encourage change in society," said Mayawati. A State-level Film Development Council headed by Bollywood star and Union minister Shatrughan Sinha has been set up for chalking out a long-term policy for strengthening infrastructure and attracting capital investment or development of films. All in all Mayawati's request to film producers has evoked good response.