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Rain disrupts India-NZ opener Chennai, Oct 23: Rain played spoilsport in the first one- dayer here on Thursday. With no reserve days, the points will be shared by New Zealand and India . The next match is on Sunday between the hosts and Australia at Gwalior. India were 141/3 in the 27th over with Sachin Tendulkar batting on 48 (66) and Yuvraj on 29 (38) when heavy showers made play impossible and the match was declared abandoned. Had play been possible, New Zealand would have come in to bat requiring 179 runs to win, according to the Duckworth-Lewis system. Seven killed, 53 injured as rail coaches overturn near Bangalore New Delhi, Oct 23: At least seven people were reportedly killed and over 53 injured when a Bangalore-bound passenger train derailed near Palahalli Gate in Mandya district on Thursday morning. Railway officials confirmed the death of four women passengers, whose bodies were recovered at the accident site. However, other sources said at least seven persons died in the accident. (See also Travel News) Indian Govt. owns consulate building: Sindh AG Karachi, Oct 23: The Attorney General of Pakistan's Sindh province has said that the building housing the Indian Consulate is owned by the Indian Government and registered in the name of the Indian President. Contesting a Pakistani national's claim that he is the real owner of the property, the AG told the province's High Court that the property was never sold by any Indian President as the plaintiff was claiming, the Daily Times reported Thursday. The plaintiff Syed Baqar Naqvi had filed a plaint claiming that he is the owner of the plot Nos. 63 and 63/1 in Karachi's Clifton area. Naqvi claimed that the property had been sold several times after its first sale by India's first President Dr Rajendra Prasad. He claimed that he was the fourth successive owner of the property. Naqvi claimed that he had bought the property for Rs 33,976,500 and had also paid a token money of Rs 20 lakh. He alleged that the police and other law enforcement agencies began harassing him after a complaint lodged by the Indian authorities. The AG, however, stated that records pertaining to the change in the property ownership were fake. Other officials, including the Sindh Home Secretary, refuted the charges made in the plaint. In his counter-affidavit, he mentioned that there was no record available with the government about the sale of the said property by Dr Prasad. After hearing arguments of both sides, the court decided to adjourn the hearing till October 29. Manipur politicians nabbed for running drug racket (Go To Top) Guwahati/Shillong, Oct 23: At least two top Manipur politicians were arrested on Thursday on the charge of possessing heroine worth one crore rupees in the international market. Custom officials arrested former Deputy Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly Lokhon Singh Henam and the executive member of Congress's state unit, Oinam Netrajit Singh, for possessing 1.04 kg of the high-grade heroin. The third person arrested is one Bitu Ramchiary, a local linkman. Joint Commissioner of Customs (Northeast) K. Ashi Khieya told reporters here that for the past two months, officers of the Central Bureau of Narcotics and Guwahati Customs had been following the activities of some high-profile people of Manipur involved in drug trafficking. India, China begin first round (Go To Top) New Delhi, Oct 23: India and China began a first round of talks on Thursday to seek solution to decades-old border dispute that has bedevilled ties between the world's two most populous nations. The nuclear-armed neighbours, who fought a brief border war in 1962, have been negotiating since 1998 to map exactly where their 3,500 km border lies, but with little success. New Delhi and Beijing agreed to talks between their political envoys when Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited China in June - the first by an Indian prime minister in a decade - in a new push to settle the border dispute. The day-long talks between National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra and China's Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo in New Delhi are the product of that meeting. Analysts say while Thursday's round of negotiations is unlikely to achieve dramatic results, it would lay the ground for regular meetings between the two envoys to help conclude the pact. Meanwhile, Tibetans living-in-exile in India took to the streets in the capital protesting against the visit of Dai. Shouting slogans "Go back, Chinese go back," the protesters demanded India should hold talks with Tibetans and not with Chinese. "We the Tibetans demand that border issue should be discussed with the Tibetans and not with China because all the borders are linked with Tibetan territory and and not China so the talks should be held with the Tibetans," said Tenzing Samphel, a Tibetan activist. Chinese troops marched into Tibet in 1950 and Buddhist spiritual leader, Dalai Lama, alongwith his followers fled to India nine years later after an abortive uprising against communist rule. The Tibetan refugees are now settled in different parts of India with the Dalai Lama establishing his headquarters in Dharamsala. Kashmiris welcome latest peace initiative (Go To Top) Srinagar, Oct 23: Kashmiris have welcomed New Delhi's latest peace initiative with both Pakistan and separatists. India on Wednesday said for the first time it will talk with All- Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), signalling a renewed effort for a peaceful end to years of conflict in the Himalayan region. The government also proposed resumption of air and rail links with Pakistan. For Kashmiri people, who have suffered more than 14 years of a bloody revolt in the state, the steps would help bring the estranged neighbours closer. Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani would be meeting with the Hurriyat, but the date has not been set as yet. The offer of talks was welcomed by Hurriyat. Hurriyat had boycotted earlier interlocutors, N.N. Vohra and K.C.Pant, insisting that talks should be held at the highest level. New Delhi insists Kashmir is an integral part of India and has never held direct talks with the decade-old Hurriyat, a group of about two dozen political, religious and community organisations. Separatist violence has increased in Kashmir over the past few weeks, slowing peace moves between India and Pakistan. Both countries claim Kashmir and came close to war last year. India blames Pakistan for arming and sending Muslim militants across its border in Kashmir and says will not hold talks unless incursions stop. Islamabad says it has done all it can to stop infiltration. Daler granted anticipatory bail, asked to join probe (Go To Top) New Delhi, Oct 23: A court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to the popular Punjabi folk singer, Daler Mehndi, who is wanted in an alleged human trafficking case. But the high court in New Delhi asked Mehndi, who has gone underground since a trial court in Patiala issued non-bailable warrant against him, to approach the trial court for seeking regular bail in the case against him. "This order is not a regular bail. Actually this man (Daler Mehendi) has been evading investigation. After today's verdict, he has to appear before the appropriate authority, i.e., the police, Sadar Thana, Patiala. We wanted him to appear and now he has to appear," said public prosecuter, Atul Nanda. The judge directed Mehndi to furnish a personal bail bond of 500,000 rupees and a surety in the like amount. Mehndi was also asked to surrender his passport to the authorities and directed not to leave the country without prior permission of the court. The high court also asked the folk singer to cooperate with the police in investigations. The police in Punjab had alleged that as many as 31 complaints of illegal human trafficking have been received against Mehndi. Police say Daler was allegedly helping his brother Shamser Singh Shera in cheating people by promising to take them abroad alongwith their pop troupe. Shera was arrested last week after a person filed a case against him a fortnight ago. Mehndi, who hit headlines in 1998 when he signed a 25 million rupee contract with Magnasound to become the country's highest paid pop singer, has denied any wrongdoing. Hizb now operates under Shabab-e-Milli (Go To Top) Lahore, Oct 23: The Hizbul Mujahideen is working under the Shabab-e-Milli (SM), the youth wing of the radical Jamaat-e- Islami (JI). "The decision was taken nine months ago to show that the HM is an indigenous movement in Kashmir, that it is a Kashmiri organisation which has no links with the Jamaat and all its workers are Kashmiri," the Daily Times quoted Hizb sources, as saying on Wednesday. According to the paper, the Jamaat is under pressure to renounce all jihadi groups to improve the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal's (MMA) image. Indian eves make short work of Ghana (Go To Top) Hyderabad, Oct 23 : India got off to great start in the women's hockey event in the inaugural Afro-Asian Games being played here by defeating Ghana 8-0 win in their opening match on Thursday. Played under overcast conditions at the newly constructed Gachibowli hockey stadium on the outskirts of the city, the Indian team registered a comprehensive win. Seven players were among the goals scorers, with Surinder Kaur hitting the Ghanian goal twice. Captain Surajlata Devi started the scoring spree in the 19th minute as the Indians, leading 3-0 at the break, pumped in five goals in the second with Sanggai Chanu (27), Jasjeet Kaur (30), Annarita Kerketta (50), Adline Kerketta (64) and Sumai Tete (68) netting once each. In another match today, Korea steamrolled Kenya 5-0. Brett Lee to undergo surgery (Go To Top) Sydney, Oct.23: Injured Australian pacer Brett Lee will undergo surgery on his left ankle. Team physiotherapist Errol Alcott said the injury to his stomach had given Lee an opportunity to correct the troublesome ankle as well. Lee was forced out of the India tour with a strained stomach muscle. Problems relating to his ankle have been there for some time. ICC rejects Akhtar's appeal against ban (Go To Top) London, Oct 23: Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has lost his appeal against a three-match ban, imposed for using offensive language while playing against South Africa last week. Akhtar will now miss the hosts' second Test against the visitors in Faisalabad, starting on Friday, and the two one day internationals against New Zealand in November. The Pakistan Cricket Board's national selection committee had included Shoaib in the cricket squad for the second Test despite the ban and fitness problems.
Washington, Oct 23: America's latest box office hit "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" has even scared the living daylights of its cast. According to TeenHollywood, the cast was so terrified that they kept taking toilet breaks. Actress Jessica Biel and her other co- stars described their experience while on location in a remote area of Texas as scary. "We were in the middle of nowhere. Even going to the Porta-Potti was terrifying. Not only were you afraid of something or somebody coming out of the woods, but the spiders down there were the size of my palm," explains Jessica. Kirsten Dunst wants Diaz' body! (Go To Top) Washington, Oct 23: Movie beauty Kirsten Dunst is desperate to achieve the perfect body, but fears she eats too much. TeenHollywood reports that the waifish "SpiderMan" star is working out for the new tennis movie "Wimbledon," but is struggling to add muscle to her frame and fears that it is because she isn't eating right. "I saw Charlie's Angels, and Cameron Diaz is perfectly ripped. Why can't they just superimpose her body onto me? I'm a mushier girl," she was quoted as saying. Dunst reportedly also admitted that she wouldn't mind going the other way to develop a look similar to super model Kate Moss. "I have to admit, I love the way some of these stick women look, like Kate Moss. She's my favourite model. A lot of iconic women are sticks, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn," she said. Heather carries on Linda's animal rights crusade (Go To Top) Washington, Oct 23: Heather Mills, Sir Paul McCartney's second wife and a landmines abolitionist, is following the footsteps of her husband's first beloved, Linda, by gracing the cover of an animal rights magazine. Rate the music.com reports that the former model, has posed for the cover of People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (PETA) 2004 shopping guide for caring customers. Linda McCartney was also a longtime PETA supporter and had graced the cover of the 14-year-old annual publication to highlight products that had not been tested on animals. The McCartneys, who are expecting the birth of their first child next month, are reported to be especially interested in the listings for cruelty-free baby products. Mills had given PETA an exclusive photograph for the cover of the guide, marking her first public support for the animal rights campaign, an issue that is supposedly very dear to her husband. Courtney Cox is pregnant, says brother Alexis (Go To Top) London, Oct 23: Finally, it's confirmed. The "Friends" star Courtney Cox is pregnant after suffering a couple of miscarriages over the years. According to People News, the actress' brother Alexis let slip the news on the Sharon Osbourne Show. He got carried away and confirmed that his sister Courtney and her husband David Arquette were successful in their latest round of IVF. A spokesperson for the Cox/Arquette clan, however, refused to comment, saying, "When they are pregnant and ready to announce it, they will". The "3000 Miles To Graceland" beauty had recently revealed that she had turned to in-vitro fertilization to help along her way. Crowe gets a 'crop' (Go To Top) Sydney, Oct 23: Oscar-winning Aussie actor Russell Crowe is sporting a new short hairdo these days. Until recently, Crowe, 39, kept long hair for his role in "Master And Commander." According to the Daily Telegraph, the new hairdo is aimed at the upcoming world publicity tour for the seafaring flick. Meanwhile, the "Gladiator" star and his pregnant wife Danielle are busy getting the nursery ready for the new arrival, a baby boy due in January. How Eminem `busted' his two-timing wife (Go To Top) London, Oct 23: Love makes one do strange things! Rap star Eminem recently got into the aggressive act to zero in on his cheating wife. According to a report in British tabloid 'Sun', the rapper lay in wait to catch his wife Kim Mathers, who has been two-timing him. A new book on the rapper "Eminem, Whatever You Say I Am" by Anthony Bozza throws light on the infidelity episode. Kim thought her husband was in Los Angeles, when she brought a young man back to their Detroit mansion. However, she was in for trouble when "Real Slim Shady" singer confronted her, saying: "You f***ing bitch! You're f***ing busted." Em and Kim, who have a daughter Hailie, seven, are separated. `Cyborg' Carrey is the 'Six Million Dollar Man' (Go To Top) London, Oct 23: Jim Carrey has got a new role to play. According to a report in tabloid 'Sun', the vivacious funnyman has won the lead role in a movie version of cult TV classic "The Six Million Dollar Man". The "Dumb and Dumber" actor will play cyborg astronaut Steve Austin, who shot into popularity with enactment by Lee Majors in the 1970s show. Friends insist that Jim, who has been a die-hard fan of the show, is absolutely thrilled to bits with his role. The film is slated to be directed by Todd Phillips. 'High Noon's' cockeyed villain Jack Elam is dead (Go To Top) Washington, Oct 23: Jack Elam, who shot to fame with sterling performances as the wild-eyed villain in Westerns, is dead. The 84-year old villain of famed western flicks like "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" and "Once Upon a Time in the West," died Tuesday at his Ashland home of an unspecified illness, a report in IMDB.com said. Starting off as a Hollywood accountant in the late 40s, Elam managed to find struggling roles to keep himself afloat with inconsequential roles. He struck gold at the box-office opposite Tyrone Power in 1951's "Rawhide", which proved to be his breakout performance. This was followed by strong performances in "High Noon", "Rancho Notorious" and "Kiss Me Deadly". However, the late 60s saw the actor gravitate towards comedy, parodying his longtime villain status in movies like "Once Upon a Time in the West", "Support Your Local Sheriff" and "Rio Lobo". Elam, conspicuous by his immobile cockeye (the result of a scuffle as a 12 year-old), worked primarily in television for the last twenty years. In 1994, the actor was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers in the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. -ANI |