Di whispered `My God' before death (Go To Top)

          London: Princess Diana whispered "My God" just before meeting her tragic death, reveals a confidential report by the French police. Her last words are recorded in a newly released 6,000-page dossier on the 1997 Paris crash that claimed her life. According to the Mirror, Sebastien Dorzee, the first policeman to arrive at the scene, says she spoke as she saw boyfriend Dodi Fayed lying dead next to her in their wrecked Mercedes He says she also saw the body of chauffeur Henri Paul before realising what had happened. Three ambulances arrived six minutes after the crash and all three paramedics involved were interviewed. Dr Jean-Marc Martino, the resuscitation specialist who tried to help her, revealed, "Diana did not seem to understand my attempts to comfort her. She just muttered incoherently," he says.

55th Republic Day celebrated (Go To Top)

          New Delhi: The country celebrated the 55th Republic Day on Monday with a show of military might, including nuclear- capable missiles capable of reaching neighbouring Pakistan. Security was tight as the authorities shut off airspace over New Delhi, where the main parade was held to mark the Republic Day. Additional barricades were erected and the terraces of high rise buildings were taken over by sharp-shooters of the security forces to ensure that a vigil is kept over the area.

          This year's guest of honour, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, sat with President APJ Abdul Kalam in a bullet-proof enclosure as a 21-gun salute kicked off the parade. A model of the nuclear-capable Prithvi missile, with a range of 150 km (93 miles), was on show at the parade. Also on show were the Agni II ballistic missile. Brahmos, a cruise missile being jointly developed with traditional defence partner Russia, was too unveiled at the parade.

          Security was tightened in Srinagar as Republic Day parade was held amidst a strike called by separatist groups including the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC). State Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig unfurled the national flag and took salute at a function held at the Bakhshi stadium. Roads to the stadium were blocked off by security forces. In Tripura State Governor Dinesh Nandan Sahay took salute at a parade in state capital Agartala.

Bihar Governor's `uncharitable' remark on R-Day irks Laloo (Go To Top)

          Patna: The Republic Day function in Bihar got embroiled in a major controversy following some 'uncharitable' remarks by State Governor M. Rama Jois against the functioning of the state government here on Monday. Irked at the remarks, RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav said that he would complain to President APJ Abdul Kalam against the Governor's speech.

          Addressing the gathering after unfurling the national tri-colour at the historic Gandhi Maidan, Jois said that a sense of insecurity has gripped people of the state and feelings of fear and terror were uppermost on their minds. He said, "it was painful to learn from newspaper reports that people of other states were afraid of sending their wards to Bihar to take part in any function." Peeved at the Governor's remarks, Yadav later told reporters that the Governor is part of the school of RSS and BJP.

Let bygones be bygones, says Musharraf (Go To Top)

          Washington: India and Pakistan must stop accusing each other over bilateral issues and look towards the future, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said. Clearly not willing to create any fresh controversies in the wake of a thaw in the prickly Indo-Pak relations, Musharraf advocated shedding the burden of the past and looking towards making new beginnings.

          "We have been playing this blame game in the past but let's leave it to the past," the News quoted Musharraf as saying in an interview to the Washington Post. Responding to queries regarding cross-border terrorism, Musharraf said, "let us leave that behind. Whenever anyone asks me now, while rapprochement with India is going on, I say let's not talk of cross-border terrorism, let's leave that behind and focus on the future." Replying to a question as to whether a plebiscite was required in Kashmir, Musharraf said: "No unilateral action can be taken. I have been saying that we must go beyond stated positions and show flexibility. But it can't be done unilaterally by Pakistan. So, there is reciprocity involved."

          About Osama bin Laden's whereabouts, the president said he might be "on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, giving him the opportunity of crossing and re-crossing." To a question would he run for President in the elections scheduled for 2007, Musharraf said he was not a politician. "I don't think it's in me...there is a lot of time."

Musharraf to launch AJK TV (Go To Top)

          Islamabad: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf will inaugurate the AJK (Azad Jammu Kashmir) TV channel on February 5, the country's Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shaikh Rashid Ahmed announced on Sunday. Addressing a seminar 'Indo-Pak relations and Kashmir issue', the minister said that the government has established a television channel in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), which would go live on February 5, 2004, the Daily Times reported. Rashid also said Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali would address the joint session of AJK parliament on February 5. Talking about the Indo-Pak composite dialogue, likely to take place in February, he reiterated that the people and government of Kashmir could not be ignored at any step. "Whenever dialogue on Kashmir starts the Kashmiri leaders will be given due representation," he said.

Indian Consulate-General in Karachi being refurbished (Go To Top)

          Karachi: The office of Indian Consul-General - India House - is being cleaned and refurbished for its opening soon, the News quoted official sources as saying. The office of Deputy High Commissioner of India in Karachi has been lying abandoned for the last ten years. Renovation and cleaning work in the office of the Indian Deputy High Commissioner at Shahrah-e-Fatima Jinnah in the precinct of Artillery Maidan police started on Thursday and additional police force has been deployed in the office's surrounding, police sources told The News.

 Nawaz Sharif planning return to Pak (Go To Top)

          Wazirabad (Pakistan): Pakistan's former premier Mian Nawaz Sharif has said that he was contemplating to return to his country with full force. According to a report in the Dawn Sharif claimed that as soon as he lands all opponents will flee the country. Talking to his party's president of Wazirabad unit Malik Mohammed Shehbaz over telephone from Jeddah he reportedly said that the days of their sufferings were over and they were packing to come back to the motherland. He said he still have a sizeable number of supporters in Pakistan. He urged the workers to keep their moral up and continue their struggle against a dictator led government.

Bottomlines

Angels and Hobbits swept the Golden Globes (Go To Top)

          Washington: Harrowing TV movie Angels in America swept the board at the Golden Globe Awards in Hollywood with a clutch of five honours. The Aids drama claimed all the TV Movie awards at the Beverly Hilton ceremony, including Best Actor and Actress gongs to Al Pacino and Meryl Streep, respectively, and the prize for Best TV Movie, reports ratethemusiccom. Another big movie success of the night was the Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which claimed honours for Best Picture, Drama, Best Director, Drama, Best Score and Best Original Song.

Mcgregor's wife wants Johnny Depp for screenplay! (Go To Top)

          New York: The "Moulin Rouge" star Ewan McGregor's screenwriter wife has picked Johnny Depp over her husband to star in her new film. According to a report in Teen Hollywood, Eve Mavrakis would rather feature the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star as a detective in dark thriller "For Love Of Art" - than recommend her own husband. "She said, 'Do you know who I'd really like to play the lead part? Johnny Depp.' So I said, 'Thank you very much'", the "Big Fish" star admitted.

Ben's partying lifestyle blamed for split! (Go To Top)

          New York: Ben Affleck's hard-partying lifestyle and love for gambling has been blamed for his split with fiance Jennier Lopez. According to a report in Teen Hollywood, the former golden couple have grown further apart since they called off their wedding last September blaming "excessive media intrusion". Photographs of Ben and friend Matt Damon partying with a bevy of beauties in a German nightclub on January 10 are believed to have caused the final split on Tuesday. The Latino singer reportedly wanted to settle down and have children as soon as possible, but Ben's decadent behaviour is said to be at odds with her clean-living lifestyle.

          The former Hollywood golden couple called it a day on Tuesday after a whirlwind 18- month relationship. After the split, the "Good Will Hunting" star was quick to rush back to his favourite hobby - gambling. Affleck and a group of supportive pals spent Tuesday at a Los Angeles casino until 5 a.m. An onlooker said, "Ben looked really down."

Meet Russell Crowe, the boxer! (Go To Top)

          Sydney: Russell Crowe has thrown himself into a gustful keep-fit regime to prepare himself for his new role as an American boxer Jim Braddock. According to a report in the Sunday Telegraph, training for "Cinderella Man", Crowe is pushing himself through 11 km runs and 9.5 km kayak paddles from Woolloomooloo to the Spit Bridge, as well as improving his boxing at a Surry Hills gym. The Oscar-winning actor is dreading the start of filming in Canada in March, saying that he's just not made for the chilly northern weather. "When I arrive in a cold climate my body just goes brrrr," he told the Sunday Telegraph between workouts. "It's the coldest month there - 37C below - so you won't catch me running outside. I'll get all my heavy stuff done here first". Set in New York during the Depression, the film tells the true story of James Braddock, who takes up boxing to make money to feed his family. The film will be directed by Ron Howard.

-ANI