UK's Prince Philip remains in hospital

LONDON: Britain's Prince Philip has spent a third night in the hospital as he recovers after treatment for a blocked coronary artery.

Corporates may target govt through Lokpal, warns Ravi

Ahead of the consideration of Lokpal Bill by Parliament, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi today warned that the anti-corruption

Anna set for fast in Mumbai, politicians hit back

Anna Hazare was all set on Monday to launch his three-day fast in Mumbai from Tuesday in support of a strong Lokpal, even as the government dubbed his protest 'premature'.

No loud parties please, we're a National Park'

Special teams will be formed at SGNP to ensure teens don't drink or play loud music on New Year's Eve

BJP accuses Congress of orchestrating the slipper attack on Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal

Congress is trying all means to invent new tricks to suppress anti-corruption crusades because the party is deep in corruption and scandals, claims BJP.

Rihanna sings Chris Brown's praises as she strips off for nude photo shoot

It was the most disturbing celebrity split of the last decade, but Rihanna has revealed in a new interview that she's no longer angry with former boyfriend Chris Brown

Eight Bangladeshis beheaded in Saudi

Eight Bangladeshis have been beheaded in the Saudi capital after being condemned for robbery and murder, local media said on Saturday, citing the interior ministry.

Jaya to dole out Rs 1,000 monthly to Lankan Tamil refugees

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday announced a monthly old age dole of Rs 1000 to 5,544 Lankan Tamils living in refugee

Hacker group denies 'Kill Facebook' claim

Hacking group Anonymous has denied claims that it wants to destroy Facebook, saying the whole thing 'has been a misunderstanding'

Europe’s crisis and the psychology of fear

Rumors that France would follow the United States in losing its AAA credit rating, for instance,

Prakash Jha moves SC to lift ban on 'Aarakshan

NEW DELHI: Film producer Prakash Jha on Friday moved the Supreme Court to lift the ban on his film 'Aarakshan' in

Government ready for talks with Anna Hazare on Lokpal: Chidambaram

NEW DELHI: The government is ready for talks on the Lokpal Bill but it is for civil society leader Anna Hazare

India's richest man could face luxury home probe

India's richest man Mukesh Ambani faces a possible federal probe into the construction of his 27-storey luxury home -- one of the most expensive private residences in the world.

Yeddyurappa smashes Naidu's laptop, slaps minister

BSY vented his anger at senior central BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu, who was trying to pacify him.

BANGALORE: Minutes after being relegated to the status of caretaker chief minister

Meet the US woman who lives with 700 cats on her 12-acre sanctuary!

Lynea Lattanzio of Parlier, California, lives alone with 700 cats on her 12-acre spread, where she runs a huge cat sanctuary, and yet insists that she is not crazy

Oz porn king planning 'world’s biggest brothel' in Sydney

ngpin of Australia’s adult toy industry Malcolm Day has begun raising money for what he claims will be the

Soon, manage your diabetes with your mobile phone!

A new study by University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers has indicated that an interactive computer software program appears

India raises interest rates in a bid to slow inflation

he Reserve Bank of India raised its main rate to 8% from 7.5%, the eleventh increase since March 2010.

UPA's ‘double-face' exposed: Mayawati

MUMBAI: Criticising the Centre for fuel price hike, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Sunday said

Players' rankings take a dip as India go down to England

Indian batsmen, including Sachin Tendulkar, were pushed down the order in the latest ICC Test rankings

US: Bin Laden Death Ups Terror Risk for Americans

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration says Osama bin Laden's death has r

KVS take on Singham over 'dogs' dialogue

A dialogue delivered by Ajay Devgn in the movie Singham has stirred up a hornets all across the state

Why Kat chose Ranbir over Aamir

Life is all about making choices. And, Katrina Kaif has made hers by choosing Karan Johar and her ex beau Ranbir Kapoor

BJP supports demand for separate Telangana state: Gadkari

The BJP supports the demand for the formation of a separate Telangana state,

Dawood's deal: Most wanted man's buildings are most wanted property

While every flat in the infamous Bhendi Bazaar will offer its residents a slice of underworld history

TERROR STRIKES MUMBAI AGAIN, AT LEAST 20 KILLED, OVER 113 INJURED

Terror struck Mumbai again when three serial blasts rocked crowded areas of the city this evening killing at least 21 people and injuring about 113 in a grim reminder of the 26/11 attack that left 166 people dead.
Back-to-back IEDs exploded at Zaveri Bazar, Opera House and Dadar in the space of a few minutes from 6.45 PM.
The blast at Opera House was 'very powerful', Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan said.
In New Delhi, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said the death toll could increase, adding there was no report of any other blast or threat.
Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh said about 100 injured have been admitted to various hospitals.
Chidambaram said the explosions occured within minutes of each other from 6.45 pm and from this it can be inferred it is a 'coordinated attack' by terrorists.
The first explosion took place at Shakeel Memon street in south Mumbai's Zaveri Bazaar, near famous Mumbadevi temple, in which at least 25 persons were injured, said Mumbai Police spokesman Nisar Tamboli. An IED hidden under an umbrella caused the blast, officials say.
The bustling market also has a number of jewellery shops. Around 25 people sustained injuries in another blast at Diamond Market near Opera House, also in south Mumbai, while three persons were wounded in yet another explosion at Kabutarkhana in Dadar west in central Mumbai.
Chavan said the injured people have been admitted to St George, Nair and KEM Hospitals. A high alert has been sounded across India following the blasts.
Tragic Zaveri Bazaar
Zaveri Bazaar has been targetted few times before with 54 persons being killed in 2003.
Chavan, who is monitoring the situation from the Mantralaya control room, said ATS personnel were at the scene of the blasts.
He appealed to people of Mumbai to maintain calm and asked them not to be swayed by rumours.
Also, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Chief Minister Chavan shortly after the serial blasts shook Mumbai.
NSG personnel and forensic experts have been deployed to the western metropolis in a BSF plane from Delhi.

Today's explosions came two days after the fifth anniversary of the Mumbai serial train blasts in which 186 persons were killed.

Al Qaeda turns to kidnapping to raise funds

Pressured by increased scrutiny of terrorist money sources and strikes aimed at its financiers, al-Qaeda's core organisation in Pakistan has turned to kidnapping for ransom

Justices Rule for Wal-Mart in Bias Case

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday threw out the largest employment discrimination case in the nation’s history.

Supreme court rejects Kanimozhi's bail plea

In a major setback to DMK MP Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, the Supreme Court today dismissed their bail pleas in the 2G spectrum case

Karunanidhi takes oath as MLA

CHENNAI: DMK president and former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today took oath as a Member of the 14th Assembly of Tamil Nadu , where he would be representing Thiruvarur constituency.

Ex-cop's wife says 'lying' rape accuser should be locked up

They should lock her up and throw away the key.

Naked atrocity on 10-year-old boy in RR's home district

 Suspected of stealing Rs 100, child from Pardhi community thrashed, paraded naked at Khanapur village in Home Minister's Sangli district

Minister dies in accident; probe ordered

TIRUCHI: State Environment Minister Mariyam Pichai was killed in an accident on the Tiruchi-Chennai

Nine policemen killed in Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh

Nine policemen, including the Additional Superintendent of Chhattisgarh's Gariabandh district, were killed in a landmine blast triggered by Naxals in a jungle close to the border with Orissa.

ITBP sends Rs 10 cr bill for Kasab's security

Maharashtra Government is stunned after receiving a Rs 10 crore bill from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police

2G: Delhi HC issues notice to CBI on Kanimozhi's bail plea

The Delhi High Court today issued notice to the CBI on the bail pleas of DMK MP Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar in the 2G spectrum case.

India releases list of most 50 'most wanted fugitives' in Pak - Dawood's on it!

Spurred on by the May 2 raid that saw US Special Forces hunt down Osama Bin Laden, India has now released its '50 Most Wanted'

Police confirm Indian’s death at world tower ( Burj Khalifa) is suicide

DUBAI — The Dubai Police reconfirmed on Wednesday that the Asian’s death after falling from the 148th floor of Bur Khalifa on Tuesday was a case of suicide.

Chennai gets first Civils topper

Women secured the top two positions in the results for Civil Services Examination 2010, which were announced on Wed-nesday.

2 quakes in Spain kill 10, injure dozens

Two earthquakes struck southeast Spain in quick succession Wednesday, killing at least 10 people, injuring dozens and causing major damage to buildings,

Four girls among 16 arrested following raid on restaurant in Patna

Sixteen people, including four girls were arrested following a raid in a restaurant at Frazer Road in Patna.

Dead' girl appears in court

18-year-old Chandani left home on May 5 and was missing since then, her mother Rashida Khatoon had claimed.

US, Pak agreed on Osama mission in secret deal 10 years ago

The then military leader Gen Pervez Musharraf and then US President George Bush struck the deal after bin Laden escaped

DMK sacrificing Raja to save Kanimozhi?

New Delhi: DMK MP Kanimozhi yesterday moved a Delhi court for bail against arrest in the 2G case as her lawyer Ram Jethmalani

ED summons Kanimozhi in 2G case

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi's daughter

Inside the raid that killed bin Laden

Helicopters descended out of darkness on the most important counterterrorism mission in U.S. history.

Amitabh Bachchan to host KBC 5

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan will be hosting the fifth season of the popular and hit reality game show

Sathya Sai Baba passes away

86-year-old Baba, whose clout ran far and wide but had more than his own share of controversies,

Sai Baba's liver stops responding to treatment

The condition of godman Satya Sai Baba, battling for life for the last 24 days in a Puttaparthi hospital,

YouTube to show British royal wedding live

Video-sharing website YouTube has announced that the British royal wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William will be shown live on the website's live streaming channel.

bollywood actress preeti desai topless pics

 bollywood actress preeti desai topless pics

Boyfriend watches on webcam as girlfriend murdered

Police are now attempting to retrieve the webcam images after the unnamed boyfriend

17 killed in Arunachal chopper crash

Seventeen people were killed and six, including both the pilots, survived after a commercial helicopter crashed

Ilyas frontrunner for president’s post in Jamaat’s political wing

The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind is all set to launch a political party, the Welfare Party of India,

Mukesh Ambani eyes next-gen security biz with 4G push

Next-generation security and disaster management business seems to be next on the radar of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance

Tamil Nadu: DMK gets down and dirty

Union Telecom Minister A. Raja of 2G spectrum fame is only the most visible face of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)

Times Internet tie-up with IPL teams, Google for live streaming

Times Internet Ltd that holds global internet, mobile and radio rights for IPL on Tuesday

Madras HC orders notice to DMDK president Vijayakanth

The Madras High Court today ordered notice to DMDK president and actor Vijayakanth on a petition

My mother looked on as uncle raped me'

At the young age of 15, she has gone through more pain than most people do in a lifetime. Told by her mother

Jaya on way to convincing win in Tamil Nadu

The coming closely watched assembly elections in Tamil Nadu are a high-stakes political game for all the leading players, and have the potential to change forever the political landscape at both the central and state levels in unpredictable ways.

Will the wily, 86-year old chief minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi manage to break the pattern of no ruling party in the state being re-elected to power since 1984? Or, will a determined J. Jayalalithaa, riding a wave of public disgust over the brazen corruption and the stranglehold of the Karunanidhi family not only over government but increasingly over commerce, real estate, media and the entertainment industry, re-enter Fort St George and continue her vendetta against Karunanidhi? A LensOnNews poll among a representative cross-sectional sample of nearly 3000 voters in 12 carefully selected assembly constituencies spread across the state provides definitive answers to these questions.
The poll shows a dramatic comeback by the AIADMK combine with a tally of 144 seats in the 234 member strong state assembly, which is well above the halfway mark of 117 seats. The DMK combine, despite an impressive line up of alliance partners, is trailing behind and may end up with a tally of 88 seats. As most parties are aligned with either of the two rival alliances, other parties and independents may win just two seats.
 

While the AIADMK alliance is expected to win a comfortable majority, the AIADMK as a party which is contesting about 160 seats is expected to win only 100 seats, well short of the majority mark of 118 seats. Thus, we are unlikely to see a single party majority government in the state.
Interestingly, the huge gap in the projected seats of the rival alliances is not reflected in their vote shares. The AIADMK alliance is projected to secure 47 per cent of the popular vote against 46 per cent for the DMK alliance. That is a gap of just 1 percentage point! Yet, it is delivering a rich harvest of seats for the AIADMK combine. Herein lies the crux of this election.
The distribution of the vote stands to benefit Jayalalithaa since the DMK alliance has a lot of "wasted votes" in terms of the huge margins it had piled up in some constituencies. In more of the constituencies where it had scraped through by thin margins the last time, a small negative swing (of 2 to 4% votes) can potentially tip a disproportionate number of seats into the AIADMK column.
The LensOnNews poll was concluded in the first week of March much before the wrangling over seat allocation among the parties in the two opposing coalitions, and that among party factions over their seat shares and particular seats, settled down.
The DMK had looked to be in an unassailable position just a few months ago when the 2G scam broke. After the Supreme Court's directions to the CBI, A. Raja's resignation from the cabinet and subsequent arrest, the DMK's standing was rapidly undermined and investigators are now knocking on the doors of both the "homes" of Karunanidhi – Dayalu Ammmal, the CM's second wife and mother of Alagiri and Stalin has been questioned; as also Kanimozhi, his daughter by his third wife Rajathi Ammal.
That the CM's family was neck-deep in corruption was no big revelation to the people of Tamil Nadu, but the scale of the scam (that tens of thousands of crores may be involved) certainly was.
However, the master strategist quickly set about to retrieve the situation. Karunanidhi played hardball with Congress in seats negotiation and managed to knock down its share of seats to 63 – from its demand of one-third seats in the 234-seat assembly and a share in the government.

He enticed back into his fold the prodigal PMK, the party of the Vanniyar caste dominant in the northern districts; added the VCK (the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi or Dalit Panthers) which had fought the 2006 elections from the AIADMK camp; the Indian Union Muslim League; and a multiplicity of small localized caste-based parties, many of whom will contest under the DMK symbol. He has been generous to them beyond their expectation: to the PMK he has allotted 30 seats and promised one Rajya Sabha seat; to the VCK ten seats; 7 seats to the Kongu Munnetra Kazhagam (of the Gounder or Kongu Vellala caste, dominant in the Coimbatore region); 3 seats to the Indian Union Muslim League; and so on.

In exchange for this generosity these parties have made public announcements that they will support a DMK government in the state for the full five-year term without seeking a role in the government. This, in order to keep the Congress at bay and resist its insistent demand for a place in a coalition government.
Karunanidhi's sensational success in making good his 2006 promise of a colour TV to every household (at a cost of Rs 4500 crore to the exchequer), and a range of other freebies such as rice at Rs 2 per kg, free health insurance, free plots of land, pucca housing for slum dwellers, free gas connections, etc—have largely neutralized the public resentment over corruption and price rise. In his newly-released election manifesto, he has promised more goodies—laptops for school students, mixer-grinders for housewives, free bus passes for senior, etc etc.
Thanks to such populism, octogenarian Karunanidhi still remains popular and is the main force behind his alliance.

Shouldn’t all this populism and personal charisma have helped ‘Kalaignar’ to return to power? Well, it’s helping but is not proving to be enough. There is a reservoir of huge anti-DMK sentiment that is not dissipating, and which has nowhere to go but to the benefit of Jayalalithaa. The lady has matched promise for promise—laptops, mixer-grinders, free rice, etc, and even added four grams gold for each bride-to-be. And she has cobbled together her own alliance of sundry parties—caste for caste, Muslim for Muslim. The Left parties which split from the UPA-I coalition have joined the AIADMK alliance—a big loss to the DMK.   True, there is a lot of resentment in Vijayakanth’s DMDK at being short-changed by Jayalalithaa (it has been allotted 41 seats against its demand of 55); and Vaiko’s MDMK has felt so insulted that it has quit the alliance and decided to sit out the elections.

Both these leaders are setting their sights on a long-term horizon. Vijayakanth is in Jayalalithaa’s alliance, first in order to garner enough seats in this election to gain the status of a regional party; and secondly to inherit the AIADMK vote bank of Jayalithaa over the longer term as she has no second-line leadership in her party. Vijayakanth is targeting the constituencies where the PMK has been traditionally dominant, as he scored big in these areas in the last assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

As for Vaiko, he hopes Jayalalithaa wins and the DMK disintegrates, so that he can assume the mantle of Dravidian/Tamil nationalist leadership. Karunanidhi's unease, that public opinion might be turning against him, is evident in the DMK abandoning Chennai and other urban areas to its allies and moving to 'safer' constituencies in the rural hinterland where voter mobilization with power and money would be easier. One of the surprising, and significant, findings this poll has turned up is the greatly weakened support for the Congress party. In the southern districts where the Congress has traditionally been strong,

 two huge issues seem to loom large: Sri Lanka's genocidal war against its Tamil population; and the attacks on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy.

While there is great resentment against the perceived indifference to these issues by both the state and central governments, the Congress party is held to be more culpable than the DMK. Indeed film director Seeman, the leader of the Naam Thamizhar (We Tamils) party, is leading a campaign to see that the Congress is defeated in each one of the 63 seats it is contesting and is forever banished from the Tamil country. Jayalalithaa is herself particularly targeting the Congress seats (AIADMK will fight 35 of the 63 Congress seats), as they are expected to be easy pickings.

The whole of Tamil Nadu, indeed the country, is waiting to see if Karunanidhi and the DMK, tainted and deeply mired as they are in the 2G scam, will return to power. If they do, what signal will it give about the state of affairs in India? Will there be deliverance, ever, for our dumb populace from the practice of politics as commerce, as family business? We will have to wait until the Ides of May, for the counting which is to take place on May 13.

thanks : lensonnews.com 

Indo-Pak clash! With Mohali match around, police wants people to show sportsmanship

Three days ahead of World Cup semi-final between the arch rivals Indian and Pakistan in Mohali,

Cell phone exposure linked to bone weakening

 A new study has revealed that electromagnetic radiation from cellular phones may adversely affect bone strength.

Pakistan PM Gilani to watch India-Pak semifinal at Mohali with PM

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has reportedly accepted his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh's invitation to watch India-Pakistan World Cup semifinal in Mohali on March 30.

Australia confronts anti-Muslim current

Sydney: The Australian Human Rights Commission report on religious freedom has revealed widespread distrust of Muslims and discrimination against pagans and homosexuals.

Did D route money through Mauritius?

Dawood Ibrahim is believed to have pumped in money for licences through front companies and hawala channels

Bahrain opposition seeks talks

Bahrain's main opposition groups eased conditions for talks to end a crisis that has drawn in neighbouring armies,

Tributes to mum-of-three killed in Farnworth car crash while driving 7-year-old daughter

Relatives have paid tribute to a mother-of-three who was killed in a car crash as she drove her seven-year-old daughter.

Britney dancers in booze ban

SEX, drugs and rock 'n' roll

Japan nuclear crisis: 'Fukushima 50' face new setback

It occurred in a holding vessel around reactor three at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant,

Coalition attacks wreak havoc on ground troops

The dozen or so men clustered behind the last smouldering tank looked as if they had died while they slept

Yuvraj Singh guides India to win over West Indies with a ton and spin

Remember the technicolour intensity of the last match in Chennai

Gaddafi vows 'long war' after US, allies pound Libya

TRIPOLI: Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is promising "a long war" against the international military forces that have targeted his troops with airstrikes and dozens of cruise missiles

MDMK not to contest TN, Puducherry polls

“Deeply hurt by the treatment” meted out to it during seat-sharing talks, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam (MDMK) led by Vaiko announced

When India nearly crossed the Rubicon on Sri Lanka

After resisting multilateral pressure to get more players involved in the Sri Lankan peace process for over two

Pranab appeals to DMK; patch-up unlikely

The DMK-Congress alliance appeared headed for a break with six Union Ministers of the regional party set to resign on Monday

DMK pulls out of UPA govt, withdraws its 6 ministers

Chennai:  Just a month ahead of Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, the seven-year-old Congress-DMK alliance

South film actress Asin Thottumkal,poses in golden bikini for maxim cover 2010

England tie with India in World Cup thriller

A masterly century by Sachin Tendulkar and an inspired bowling spell by Zaheer Khan led India to a

Shah Rukh Khan in prison

Here's looking at the Don in a Malaysian jail

The long hands of the law have finally caught up and landed the most wanted man in prison. Here's a first look at Shah Rukh Khan in the Malaysia schedule of Don 2.

Indian killed in accident in Libya, 2 injured

An Indian was killed and two others were injured in Libya in a road accident last week, the Indian embassy in Tripoli said Tuesday, while stressing that the death was not due to due to gunfire in the wake of ongoing anti-government protests.

World Cup final tickets will now be sold through lottery

Tickets for the cricket World Cup final will now be sold through an online lottery after the ticketing website crashed within two hours of its opening Monday.

Bipasha on being accused of child labour

Bollywood damsel Bipasha Basu landed herself in a big trouble when she posted a picture of two children

Cops 'ignored' early cries for help from woman killed by flower-bearing hubby

She cried out for help -- and cops ignored her. Police allegedly failed to quickly follow up on

Hosni exile puzzle Military boots parliament in 'new' Egypt

The military council that replaced Egypt's deposed president, Hosni Mubarak, dissolved the parliament

2G scam: CBI probing Reliance Telecom role

While continuing face-to-face custodial questioning of former Telecom Minister A. Raja and DB Realty

I’m not the one in CD’

Nithyananda’s claim also flies in the face of his own statement before the State Criminal Investigation

Mubarak says he will not seek another term

CAIRO: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Tuesday that he will not seek re-election

TN: Congress demands 78 seats

NEW DELHI: Having inaugurated the seat-sharing talks with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on

Premiums for gold bars at highest since 2004

Premiums for gold bars rose to their highest level since at least seven years in Hong Kong on tight supply, short covering ahead of the Lunar New Year and unrest in Egypt.

Gold bars were offered at a premium of $4 an ounce to the spot London prices, its highest level since Reuters began compiling the data in 2004. The premium stood at $3 last week.

Thousands of inmates escape jails in Egypt turmoil

Thousands of inmates escaped prisons across Egypt on Sunday, including at least one jail that housed militants northwest of Cairo, adding to the chaos engulfing the country as anti-government protests continue to demand the ouster of long-time authoritarian President Hosni Mubarak.

Security officials said the prisoners escaped overnight from four jails after starting fires and clashing with guards. The inmates were helped by gangs of armed men who attacked the prisons, firing at guards in gun battles that lasted hours.

Looting and arson continued overnight as the police totally disappeared from the streets of the capital and several major Egyptian cities. There has been no explanation for why the police have vanished.

The vacuum left by the police has prompted residents to form neighbourhood protection groups, armed with firearms, sticks and clubs to set up self-styled checkpoints and barricades to ward off looting gangs roaming Cairo and other cities. The groups set up barricades, using bricks and metal traffic barriers.

Groups of youths also directed traffic in parts of Cairo, chasing away gangs of criminals smashing passing cars. Residents said gangs were also stopping people on the streets and robbing them.

At least one shopping mall was on fire Sunday morning after it was looted the previous day.

Army helicopters were flying low over the city.

The army appears to be reinforcing its presence on the streets of Cairo, but entire neighbourhoods remained without any troops two days after Mubarak called the army out on the streets to restore order.

The security officials said several inmates were killed and wounded during the escapes early Sunday, but gave no specific figures. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to share the information with the media.

State Egyptian television, meanwhile, said authorities have decided to close down the Cairo offices of the Qatar-based Al-Jazzera television and suspend the accreditation of its reporters.

The Egyptian TV did not give a reason for the move, but Egyptian authorities have often in the past charged that station’s coverage of events in Egypt was sensational or biased against Mr. Mubarak’s regime.

AIADMK MLA Sekar Babu joins DMK

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Member of Legislative Assembly P.K. Sekar Babu

Police divers find no Upper Norwood murder weapon in canal

Police investigating a double murder have found nothing in a canal after dredging it in a hunt for the murder weapon following a tip-off.

Holborn and West Hampstead police stations could lose 999-cars

RESPONSE teams which attend emergency calls may be axed from two police stations in the borough, the New Journal can reveal.
Proposals to move Camden’s five response teams, currently based at Kentish Town,

National Lottery star hosts fundraising event in Golders Green

THOUSANDS of pounds were raised for charity at a quiz night hosted by the National Lottery’s Alan Dedicoat, better known as the ‘Voice of the Balls’.

Losses due to BJP shutdown put at Rs 2,000cr

BANGALORE: Streets in Bangalore were deserted but stray incidents of stone throwing here, and elsewhere in the state

Woman, lover arrested for husband's murder

NEW DELHI: Police have arrested a 28-year-old woman and her paramour on charges of murdering her

Performances enliven DSF in Dubai malls

Spectacular performances of every kind have started to liven up the malls across Dubai as they began captivating shoppers to the 16th Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF).

The malls, which are among the strategic and key sponsors of DSF in the past and this year’s editions, are alive with exciting events and international performances featuring lion show, walking lights acts, stilts walking, traditional dancing, children’s adventures, juggling, unicycling and musical shows.

This year’s edition also witnesses many firsts. Among them is the spectacular Light and Sound Show at Wafi, the first to be held in the entire Gulf Region. A synchronised light and sound featuring Egyptian-themed graphics, the event will be featured every night at the Wafi Central Courtyard.

Mercato in Jumeirah has transformed into a magical old-time European court with a platform for stage shows where stunning performances are created and choreographed exclusively for Mercato shoppers.

Mercato and its sister mall, Town Centre Jumeirah, will jointly run a Spend–to-Win promotion that entitles both malls’ shoppers to enter a draw to win one of two Infiniti cars, FX 35 and M 37. For every Dh200 spend, shoppers can claim one coupon to enter the draw.

Emaar Malls Group is offering a range of leisure activities at SEGA Republic, the 22-screen Reel Cinemas, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo and KidZania® in The Dubai Mall, and at the six-screen boutique Reel Cinemas at Dubai Marina Mall.

SEGA Republic at The Dubai Mall, the first and largest of its kind indoor theme park in the region, offers special prizes every day from January 20 to February 20, where for every Dh100 spent by visitors, they enter a daily raffle draw to win annual Power Passes. Additionally, the 100^th customer who spends Dh100 at SEGA Republic, Dubai, will receive a complimentary Power Pass gift voucher.

Outside the malls, DSF is marked with the Night Souq, fun fair areas and kiosks. DSF festivities were kicked off with brightly-lit streets at Dhiyafa, Al Seef and The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence as destinations of the festival this year. –

Festivities begin in Al Riqqa

With the Night Souq,
 fun fair areas and kiosks, DSF festivities started at Al Riqqa Street, one of the main destinations of the festival this year.   

The ‘Night Souq’ offers visitors a leisurely night shopping experience and is being held through the DSF nights – from 
6pm until 3am, until 
February 20.

The brightly-lit street turns 
into a mini fun fair, 
providing visitors of all age groups with an opportunity to be an integral part of the festivities.
The Al Riqqa Street events will begin daily at 4pm and run until midnight, largely including three fair areas – the electrical games area, the redemption games area and the inflatable games area.

Harry Potter actor asks court not to jail brother

Afshan Azad, who acted in the Harry Potter movie series, has said she has forgiven her elder brother who beat her up for having a relationship with a non-Muslim man and asked a British court not to send him to jail.

Ms. Afshan, who played Padma Patil in the film series, had pleaded with the judge to show her brother leniency despite his violent attack after he discovered that she was involved in a relationship with a non-Muslim man. Ashraf (28), was handed a six-month jail sentence on Friday despite the plea from his sister for leniency.

Rapist lured girl, 4, with chocolate, parents allege

Dubai: The driver accused of sexually assaulting a four-year-old Modern High School

Panic as Pakistan quake cause tremors in UAE

Al Ain: Strong tremors caused by a powerful earthquake in Pakistan were felt in most parts of the UAE at

Daughters also rising in India's dynastic politics

Politics in India is witnessing a silent change from the tradition of years gone by. The son-rise phenomenon has for a change taken a back seat.

4-year-old raped by school bus driver, attendants

DUBAI — The Dubai Police arrested three Indians for raping a four-year-old girl in a school bus

Industrialist A. Sivasailam passes away

A. Sivasailam, Chairman and Managing Director of the Amalgamations Group, passed away in Manipal on

3 busted in mask scam

Three Hong Kong airport workers have been busted for trying to help smuggle a young Chinese immigrant out

Shot guardian of slain girl calls her name in hospital

The stricken neighbor who brought Dallas Green's granddaughter to the political event where she was shot to

72 dead in Iran Air plane crash

A Boeing 727 airliner with state-run Iran Air crashed on Sunday near a northwestern city in bad weather and broke into pieces, killing at least 72 of the 105 people on board.

2G fallout in DMK: Alagiri threatens to quit

New Delhi: Upset over inaction against A Raja, DMK chief MK Karunanidhi's son MK Alagiri has threatened

Chennai Book Fair from tomorrow

CHENNAI: The 34th edition of the Chennai Book Fair will be inaugurated on Tuesday by former chairman of the Indian Law Commission Justice A. R. Lakshmanan.

Father of sextuplets does not regret making plea

Abu Dhabi: It took months of convincing Syed Mohammad, father of the sextuplets, to speak with Gulf Newsabout his family's situation; and now that he has shared his story with the public, he has no regrets.

Landslide in Philippines kills 2 young children

MANILA — A landslide following days of heavy rain in the central Philippines has killed a 1-year-old baby