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Ministers Ramachandran, Ajit Singh resign New Delhi, May 23: Two significant ministerial resignations took place here on Friday. Union Minister of State for Finance Gingee N Ramachandran, whose personal assistant was arrested on Thursday on bribery charge, put in his papers after pressure mounted on him to call it a day following the scam of the so-called "transfer money". Earlier, Ajit Singh, Minister for Agriculture and leader of the Rashtriya Lok Dal, submitted his resignation to the Prime Minister ahead of the Cabinet reshuffle. The Ramachandran issue is understood to have figured at the meeting Atal Behari Vajpayee had with the BJP top brass, including Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani. Ramachandran has denied involvement in the case of bribery in which one of his staff has been booked by CBI investigators. Sleuths of the agency had on Thursday arrested R.Perumal Swamy while he was taking a bribe of Rs 4 lakh to arrange a plum post for a revenue officer. The CBI has also detained a Chennai-based chartered accountant who they say was a conduit between the revenue official and Perumal Swamy. Following the CBI raids, the government has put on hold the transfer of 54 commissioners. Communal discord is BJP weapon: Sonia (Go To Top) Katni (Madhya Pradesh), May 23: Communal discord is one weapon which the BJP-led government at the Centre is using to defame the Congress and its leaders, Sonia Gandhi said while addressing a public meeting here on Friday. She also criticised the ruling NDA for allegedly rendering 6.8 million people unemployed over the past four years whereas the BJP had promised to provide one crore jobs annually before coming to power. Owing to BJP's power-centric politics, the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha charged development has come to a halt in this country, inflation has gone sky high and its allies are constantly quarrelling among themselves. Raising the issue of women's progress, Mrs Gandhi said, "Despite comprising half the population, their condition is deplorable. So also is the plight of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities." The Congress, she pointed out, has installed its government in 15 states which demonstrates the party's growing strength and popularity. Others present on the occasion were senior Congress leader Arjun Singh, general secretary Ambika Soni, former Union Minister Kamal Nath, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh and state Forests Minister Harvansh Singh. BJP wants legislation for building temple at Ayodhya (Go To Top) New Delhi, May 23: Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday demanded a parliamentary legislation for the construction of a disputed temple in Ayodhya. Addressing a press conference here, BJP president of Uttar Pradesh, Vinay Katiyar, sought to draw parallels between Ayodhya temple and Somnath temple in Gujarat. Parliament passed a legislation in 1951 which led to the reconstruction of Somnath Temple. "If the Somnath temple could be made by Parliament, by law, then why not the Ramjanmabhoomi at Ayodhya. They can do it. The court has made a beginning (by ordering the excavation). They (the lawmakers) should end it," said Katiyar. Hindu zealots led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, ideological parent of the BJP, are spearheading the agitation demanding that it be handed over the disputed land in Ayodhya which, they claim, is birthplace of Lord Rama. The Archaeological Survey of India has been digging at the disputed site to find out whether a Ram temple existed under the ruins of the ancient mosque. The Supreme Court has banned a permanent structure on the land until the dispute is resolved. India welcomes lifting of sanctions on Iraq (Go To Top) New Delhi, May 23: India on Friday welcomed a UN Security Council resolution ending 13-year-old crippling sanctions on Iraq. The resolution, voted 14-0 on Thursday also gave the United States and Britain extraordinary powers to run the country and its lucrative oil industry. "We welcome the unanimous adoption of the resolution for several reasons," Foreign Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters here. "The long-suffering people of Iraq deserved all the help from the international community. The adoption of the resolution will enable identification of efforts in this decision. Secondly, despite the difference on the issue of war, all the members of the UN Security Council, including the permanent five, have come together on the post-war issues," he added. The sanctions were imposed shortly after Saddam Hussein's troops invaded Kuwait in August 1990. France, Germany, China and Russia, who had opposed the U.S.-led war, voted for the resolution but had reservations. The resolution transfers legal control over Iraq's oil immediately from the United Nations to the United States and Britain. Oil revenues will go to a new Iraqi Development Fund for rebuilding the country, controlled by the two countries and overseen by an international board. The resolution exempts Iraq's oil revenues from claims by foreign creditors until an internationally recognized Iraqi government is established. Stop funding terrorist outfits: US to Pak (Go To Top) Islamabad, May 23: In what is seen as part of its serious move to check terrorism, the US has directed Pakistan adminstration to immediately stop funding the banned organisations operating on its soil and make foolproof laws to uproot this trend. Following the US' "advice", sources say, Pakistan is contemplating to make a few important amendments in Anti- Terrorism Act 2002. Certain amendements which have been proposed in the Act entail provisions whereby those found guilty of funding such terrorist organisations would be awarded exemplary punishment. The Nation reported on Friday that the US conveyed its apprehension about terrorist outfits collecting funds from moneyed people, who donate in the name of "helping Muslims across the world". Sources at the finance ministry said legislation only would not do, and strict measures would have to be adopted to curb the menace of terrorism. According to them, all the provincial governments have been directed to seize offices of the banned terrorist outfits and "take legal action against those resisting the move." The paper reported that Pakistan's investigating agency ISI has also launched a massive crackdown on the non-registered money- changers in Rawalpindi on the suspicion that they are involved in the transportation of money for alleged banned organisations. Quoting official sources, the paper reported that similar operations would also be carried out in other parts of the country. Infiltration remains a matter of worry: Fernandes Chennai, May 23: Defence Minister George Fernandes said on Friday that infiltration along the border with Pakistan in troubled Jammu and Kashmir continued to be a cause of worry. "There have been ups and downs. There are days when efforts at infiltration are on and our troops at the borders have gunned down such intruders. And there are days when there isn't any kind of problem on the borders and no one manages to come in. So therefore one can nowhere say the last word on this at this present time," Fernandes told reporters after presenting Gallantry and Meritorious Service Medals to Coast Guard personnel at an investiture ceremony here. His comments came two days after the Army chief said the next three to four months, when the snows melt on mountain passes, could be crucial in determining the level of infiltration. About Indo-Pak dialogue, Fernandes said the timing would depend on the intensity of desire on both the sides. "Any time is correct time as long as there is desire on both sides to have a dialogue and resolve matters," he remarked.
Cheer up, Berry, it's you (Go To Top) London, May 23: Hollywood actress Halle Berry has been named as world's sexiest woman by a FHM magazine poll. The 34- year old actress was the first black woman to top the poll. The Oscar winner pipped Aussie pop princess Holly Valance, 20, for the No one spot, according to a report in the Sun. However, the modest actress said, "I'm not so sure if I live up to it." Pop star Britney Spears, 21, was third. Among British women, ex-S Club babe Rachel Stevens, 25, was the highest placed at No 4. Eminem claims he was beaten up in school toilet (Go To Top) Washington, May 23: White-trash rapper Eminem is to face a defamation lawsuit from playground bully DeAngelo Bailey. According to a report in People News, Marshall Bruce Mathers III alias Eminem, exacted a cruel revenge for the years of torment Bailey visited upon him at Detroit's Dort Elementray School by naming the pudgy child-thug in his song Brain Damage. "I was harassed daily by this fat kid named DeAngelo Bailey," who the singer claims beat him up in a toilet. However DeAngelo's mum Rochelle Bailey offers a completely different story, "DeAngelo was never a bully. He was a good boy. He was a chubby little boy. He wasn't a bad kid. He never beat Marshall up in a bathroom", says the aghast Rochelle. Now, after losing several jobs and seeing his children harassed by youthful Eminem fans, sanitation worker Bailey has had enough. The only way out for DeAngelo now is to sue for defamation and a lot of money. He asserts that Eminem is using him as a pawn to show what a tough childhood he had. Eminem for his part plans to show the toilet beating allegations are 'substantially true,' though how he intends to prove it is anyone's guess, says the report. At 60,000 ft high, courtesy Concorde (Go To Top) London, May 23: At an altitude of 60,000 feet for the first time, Concorde witnessed a couple romping under a blanket just a foot from where the airline's boss was sitting. It was packed with first-time Concorde trippers enjoying special 1,999 pound tickets. The Spanish couple, in their 20s, are the first to be confirmed as having sex on Concorde in the jet's 30- year history, reports the Sun. "Let them enjoy themselves!" was the smiling reaction of Rod Eddington, 53, who was sitting three rows behind the lovers, as a startled stewardess tipped off the chief executive of BA. According to the report, the drama on flight BA001 came midway into the three-and-a-half-hour trip from London to New York. The couple had flown in from Madrid to catch the plane. "There is only about 3ft between the back of your seat in Concorde and the one in front. The couple must have been extremely fit and athletic", said a fellow passenger. Rod Stewart to divorce Rachel Hunter (Go To Top) London, May 23: It's all over between Rod Stewart, the legendary British rocker, and his estranged wife Rachel Hunter. "I have decided to get a divorce. I've paid my dues to the institution of marriage and have no interest in clinging on to the past. When I get back to Los Angeles, it (the divorce) will all be finalised. The finances are agreed and it's very amicable - we've just got to sort out the religious side. We just want the best for the children's welfare. Rachel and I get on fine. But it's time to close that chapter of my life," the twice-wed Rod, 57, told the Sun in an interview. Rod and 34-year-old Rachel, who split up four years ago, have two kids together - son Liam, seven, and nine-year-old daughter Renee. He also has three more kids from two previous relationships. On getting married to girlfriend, model and photographer Penny Lancaster, 31, Rod said, "We've been together three and a half years and are getting on marvellously and are very much in love. We haven't been having rows - we've just had the most wonderful few days. As to marriage in my future, Penny and I are more interested in a good solid relationship." Britney memorabilia on sale online (Go To Top) New York, May 23: Britney Spears has put her clothes and other things on auction to raise money for Britney Spears Foundation, which funds a week-long performance arts camp for kids. At www.gottahaveit.com, Britney fans can acquire not just a selection of more than 50 of her video, film and stage costumes, but they can also bid on signed posters, photography and items from her childhood. "They're kind of iconic or whatever, but it's not like I'm going to be wearing them anytime soon. And although I'm kind of sad about some of the pieces going, I know that the money we raise will have a huge payback," the US pop princess was quoted as saying by MTV. "There was one thing I made for my grandmother, a picture frame and it was kind of special, but I did so many things for her. So when I saw it, I was like, `Should I? Should I? OK, I'll do it.' As far as camp goes, it's just a time for kids to go and just be creative and express themselves. I think that's important," she added. And this is not enough. By opting for the more premium packages, one can share "personal experiences" with Britney, which include meeting her on the set of a video shoot, attending the Britney Spears Camp for the Performing Arts, and getting tickets and backstage passes for her upcoming tour. As Britney puts in, "They get to go to the show, they get to go to the camp, they get to do a bunch of cool stuff." Beethoven manuscript fetches 2.1 million pounds at Sotheby's (Go To Top) London, May 23: The most expensive single musical manuscript ever sold at Sotheby's in London turned out to be that of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Containing the composer's handwritten revisions and angry comments about the copyist, it fetched a record 2.1 million pounds. The 575-page document, kept in a bank vault for many years, was bought by an anonymous private collector bidding by telephone, reports the Telegraph. According to the report, in 1817, Beethoven was invited to produce a new work by the Royal Philharmonic Society in London. The Ninth Symphony was performed for the first time in 1824. The document, sold by an unnamed European charitable foundation, also contains unpublished music cut from the final version by the composer. Dr Stephen Roe, head of Sotheby's manuscripts department, described the document as "an incomparable manuscript of an incomparable work; one of the highest achievements of man." Anti-assault jacket for women, quite electrifying (Go To Top) Washington, May 23: It might resemble an ordinary fashionable women's coat but men beware! Dubbed "exo-electric armor," the No-Contact Jacket is a new anti-assault device for women that wards off potential assailants with an 80,000-volt electric shock. According to Wired news, the jacket designed by Adam Whiton, an industrial designer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Yolita Nugent, head designer at Advanced Research Apparel, is intended to be an alternative to handguns, pepper sprays and rape whistles. "It's kind of like sticking your finger in a wall socket," said Whiton. "It hurts. If someone tries to grab you from behind, they get the full, hefty shock out of it. That's really painful." The jacket is made from Aracon, a conductive fibre developed by DuPont, which is sandwiched between an inner rubber lining that protects the wearer from shocks and an outer layer of waterproof nylon. Powered by a regular 9-volt battery, which builds a high- voltage but low-amp charge through a series of step-up circuits, the jacket uses technology similar to the circuitry in stun guns and bark-deterring dog collars. However, though the charge is enough to deliver a jolt, it does not kill anyone, says the report. "We initially thought the idea was a little extreme," said Whiton. "But we got a lot of positive feedback. It defends, it protects and it gives confidence to women. By encasing the whole body in this electric fence, it forms a barrier that people just shouldn't enter into." Three female volunteers currently are testing prototypes in the field. The designers plan to put it into limited production by the end of the year. It should cost around 1,000 dollars. They are approaching apparel manufacturers who might mass-produce it and thereby lower the cost. -ANI |