Thaindian News

New York, April 21 (IANS) A judge in Seattle has sentenced a man to nine months in jail for his hate assault on a Sikh, who was forgiving during the hearing. Luis Vazquez will also have to do 240 hours of community service for attacking Sukhvir Singh, a taxi driver, ... Read more...

Daniel Radcliffe who achieved fame through " Harry Potter" adventures is all set to star in "My Boy Jack". He stars as John "Jack" Kipling, the son of Rudyard Kipling. My Boy Jack is a 1997 play by English actor David Haig. It tells the story of Rudyard Kipling, and his ... Read more...

DPA Singapore, April 21 (DPA) A sweet-talking swindler who conned 50 elderly women into giving him their jewellery has been arrested, news reports said. The 53-year-old was reported to have collected more than 50,000 Singapore dollars (36,764 US dollars). He would approach his victims and claim to have been a former ... Read more...

(Interview) By Gurmukh Singh Toronto, April 21 (IANS) Toronto-based Mahleej Sarkari, crowned Miss Pakistan World in 2007, created quite a stir when she called Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf "a hunk". The beauty now adds that she finds him "sexy" and would actually love to go for long "romantic" walks with him. "Musharraf ... Read more...

By Chris Cermak Washington, April 21 (DPA) Efforts by industrialised countries to reduce their dependence on foreign energy sources and cut climate-changing emissions has prompted a strong backlash from some developing nations dealing with a worsening food crisis. The problem lies in bio-fuels, an alternative source of energy that is often ... Read more...

New York, April 21 (IANS) New Jersey will soon have a grand Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna that is coming up at a cost of $10 million. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new temple was held over the weekend, attended by over 3,000 people including religious leaders from India ... Read more...

(Letter from Chennai) By T.S.V. Hari Chennai, April 21 (IANS) Woodlands Drive-in Restaurant, a landmark of the southern metropolis known for its proximity to the US consulate and the arterial Anna Salai, has ceased to exist following a court order. While its 100-plus workforce, most of them in the 50-plus age group, ... Read more...

(Interview) By Subhash K. Jha Mumbai, April 21 (IANS) TV tycoon Ekta Kapoor rubbishes rumours that she has brought Smriti Irani, the popular small screen bahu Tulsi, back on her show "Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi" at the behest of STAR. "No channel has the guts to ask me for any ... Read more...

By Subhash K. Jha Mumbai, April 21 (IANS) Critically acclaimed actress Nandita Das has just completed shooting her first directorial venture, "Firaaq... In Such Times", about how violence affects people's lives. The filmmaking process consumed her so much that she has no plans to direct another film soon. "During the shooting ... Read more...

(Interview) By Madhusree Chatterjee New Delhi, April 21 (IANS) He is cocky, young and down-to-earth. Actor Arya Babbar, son of actor-politician Raj Babbar, wears his attitude on his sleeve. "I never wanted to be anything else but an actor. Some people are immensely gifted; they do so many things. Ever since I ... Read more...

By Sanjoy Hazarika Shillong, April 21 (IANS) A burst of a deadly strain of meningitis has swept the hills of Meghalaya, infecting hundreds, and officials say they are "keeping their fingers crossed" because the situation has reached a critical point with efforts on to check its advance. Twenty-nine deaths, either of ... Read more...

By Shweta Sharma New Delhi, April 21 (IANS) India is like a "second home", say members of the popular Pakistani rock band Jal who have produced chartbusters like "Woh Lamhey" and "Aadat". "Though we get the same kind of respect wherever we go, there is something special about being in India," ... Read more...

Kolkata, April 21 (IANS) After defeating Hyderabad's Deccan Chargers Sunday at the Eden Gardens, the Kolkata Knight Riders and team owner Shah Rukh Khan were at the peak of their confidence about winning the Indian Premier League (IPL). "I love winning - whether it's IPL matches or films or a ... Read more...

DPA Sofia, April 21 (DPA) All seven passengers in two cars were killed Sunday when their two cars collided head-on in central Bulgaria, the police said. One of the two vehicles exploded in flames following the collision near Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second-largest city, 120 km east of the capital Sofia. Witnesses said ... Read more...

DPA Sanaa, April 21 (DPA) The United Nations has stepped up security at its local headquarters in Sanaa following three attacks against US and Western targets in the city. Concrete blocks and sandbag walls were erected around the UN's main offices in the Haddah neighbourhood of the Yemeni capital, and more ... Read more...

DPA Beirut, April 21 (DPA) Two members of Lebanon's Christian Phalange party have been killed and three injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on the party's headquarters in eastern Lebanon, the police have said. According to the police, automatic-weapons fire from a speeding car was directed at the Phalange party headquarters ... Read more...

DPA Asuncion (Paraguay), April 21 (DPA) Centre-left candidate Fernando Lugo, a former Roman Catholic bishop, won a historic election Sunday in Paraguay, according to exit poll results released after the end of voting. If confirmed by official results, Lugo's triumph would oust the conservative Partido Colorado, which has ruled uninterrupted for ... Read more...

By Sabine Dobel Munich, April 21 (DPA) Bavaria's anti-smoking legislation was intended as the toughest in all of Germany when it was introduced at the beginning of the year, but putting it into effect has produced paradoxical results. Pubs across the country's largest state have sidestepped the law by reconstituting themselves ... Read more...

Sydney, April 21 (IANS) The Australian cricket team will tour Pakistan in April-May next year and again in 2010, Cricket Australia (CA) announced the rescheduled tour programme Monday. Cricket Australia chairman Creagh O'Connor said: "Today's announcement demonstrates Cricket Australia's commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the Future Tours Program (FTP) ... Read more...

By Ravinder Singh Robin Santiago (Chile), Apr 21 (ANI): After completed her successful tour to Brazil and Mexico, President Pratibha Patil, on her third and final leg of visit to Latin American countries, reached Chiles Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport, Santiago on Air Indias special aircraft late last evening. At the ... Read more...

Kolkata, Apr 21 (ANI): The Trinamool Congress and the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) have jointly called a 12-hour shutdown call in West Bengal today to protest against the Centre and State Governments inability to control the rising prices of essential commodities. The Trinamool and its new alliance partner ... Read more...

New Delhi, Apr 21 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the third Civil Service Day here today. The theme for this year's Civil Service Day is 'Innovations in Administration'. The Prime Minister will give away the 'M Award for Excellence in Public Administration' for the year 2006-07. The ... Read more...

DPA New York, April 21 (DPA) After offering prayers for the victims of the Sep 11 terror attacks at Ground Zero, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass for a crowd of about 57,000 people at Yankee Stadium Sunday. The Mass at the stadium was his last official public appearance in of a ... Read more...

DPA Baghdad, April 21 (DPA) The Iraqi government is not targeting followers of radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and is seeking to open a dialogue with his political group, a cabinet spokesman said Sunday. The statement comes a day after al-Sadr threatened to launch an "open war until liberation" unless the government ... Read more...

DPA Hanover (Germany), April 21 (DPA) Climate change is the biggest task facing humanity, and technology has a huge role in solving the problem, former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said Sunday on opening the Germany's Hanover Fair alongside Chancellor Angel Merkel. Abe, speaking as the special envoy of the Japanese ... Read more...

(Match report) Mumbai, April 21 (IANS) South Africa's Mark Boucher hammered an unbeaten 39 to ensure that Bangalore Royal Challengers defeated Mumbai Indians by five wickets with two balls to spare for their first win in the Indian Premier League here Sunday night. Boucher smashed four boundaries and two sixes and ... Read more...

Bhavnagar (Gujarat), April 20 (IANS) Eleven members of a family were killed near this Gujarat city Sunday when the mini-bus they were travelling in had multiple collisions with a truck and a trailer carrying cement. The accident, which also left 24 injured, occurred in the morning near Borda village, 70 ... Read more...

Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) Following is the scoreboard of the Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Mumbai Indians and Bangalore Royal Challengers at the Wankhede Stadium here Sunday night: Scoreboard Fifth match, Mumbai Indians vs. Bangalore Royal Challengers, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Mumbai Indians: Luke Ronchi c Kohli b Khan 8 Sanath ... Read more...

Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) Bangalore Royal Challengers defeated Mumbai Indians by five wickets with two balls to spare in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Wankhede Stadium here Sunday night. Mumbai Indians, opting to bat after winning the toss, posted 165 for six wickets in 20 overs and ... Read more...

Gandhinagar, April 20 (IANS) Developmental works need to be time-bound, Gujarat's Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) D. Rajgopalan told fellow bureaucrats Sunday. Speaking at the workshop on budget implementation that began here Sunday and was presided over by Chief Minister Narendra Modi, he said implementation of the development works should also ... Read more...

(Lead) DPA New York, April 20 (DPA) Pope Benedict XVI Sunday prayed at Ground Zero with survivors of the 2001 terrorist attacks that took 3,000 lives, and asked for god's intercession in the hate which drove the hijackers to kill so many. Dressed in a plain white robe, Benedict knelt at a ... Read more...

Raipur, April 20 (IANS) Political leaders from the chief minister to village representatives and officials from the chief secretary to panchayat officers will all brave the scorching sun in Chhattisgarh for 10 days from Monday to reach out to rural masses and assess civic facilities. The state's Bharatiya Janata Party ... Read more...

Ambala (Haryana), April 20 (IANS) At least seven people were killed and three injured Sunday when a speeding Santro car rammed into a tractor-trolley near this Haryana city. The dead included three women and three children. Three children were also injured in the accident. The accident took place on the busy ... Read more...

Google gives 87,100,000 results for Britney Spears which is almost double of 33,500,000 - the results for George Bush. Even 883 results in google books show up. What's the reason of this national obsession with Britney Spears and her life. Whether she has to pay her legal dues worth 400,000 ... Read more...

Xinhua Beijing, April 20 (Xinhua) China Southern Airlines Co, the country's largest carrier by fleet size, said Sunday that its first-quarter profit soared 523 percent year-on-year on the stronger yuan and greater passenger numbers. Net profit rose to 796 million yuan ($114 million), or 0.18 yuan per share, the airline said ... Read more...

DPA Baghdad, April 20 (DPA) US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on a surprise visit to Iraq Sunday, praised security efforts of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and his policy to boost national reconciliation. "It is a moment of opportunity in Iraq thanks to the courageous decisions taken by the prime minister ... Read more...

(Roundup) Aurangabad/New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) Gopinath Munde, one of the top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, Sunday resigned as its national general secretary, alleging that the party "is not being run on democratic lines". "I have quit all party posts including those of national general secretary and Maharashtra unit executive ... Read more...

Kolkata, April 20 (IANS) A 20-minute power failure stopped the Indian Premier League (IPL) tie here right at a crucial juncture, but could not dampen the spirit of the capacity crowd at the Eden Gardens that continued to cheer for the Kolkata Knight Riders. Just when the home team needed ... Read more...

Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) Following is the scoreboard of the Mumbai Indians' innings against Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Wankhede Stadium here Sunday night: Scoreboard Fifth match, Mumbai Indians vs. Bangalore Royal Challengers, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Mumbai Indians: Luke Ronchi c Kohli b Khan ... Read more...

Raipur, April 20 (IANS) In the continuing cycle of violence in Chhattisgarh, Maoist guerrillas hacked to death two members of Salwa Judum, an anti-Maoist civilian resistance movement backed by the government. "Armed leftist radicals, numbering about 20, picked up two tribal youths from a forested village, Gayatapara in Bijapur district, ... Read more...

Jammu, April 20 (IANS) At least nine passengers were killed and 28 injured when a bus in which they were travelling skidded off road and fell into a deep gorge, near Digdol on Jammu-Srinagar highway, about 170 km from here, Sunday evening. Reports quoting eyewitnesses said the bus, on its ... Read more...

New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) Former US ambassador to India Robert Blackwill, who has also been a chief lobbyist for New Delhi in Washington, Sunday said the next American president might not have as much stake in the nuclear deal as the current administration does. "If I may be characteristically ... Read more...

New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) Crisis managers of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sunday swung into action to placate Gopinath Munde, who resigned as general secretary citing alleged lack of democracy within the party. BJP sources said the party leaders like Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Mukhtar Abbas ... Read more...

Hyderabad, April 20 (IANS) Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is all set to launch his 150-day long 'rath yatra' ahead of the crucial by-elections in the state. Naidu, who celebrated his 58th birthday Sunday, left for the temple town of Tirupati ... Read more...

Kolkata, April 20 (IANS) Kolkata Knight Riders, led by Sourav Ganguly, became the first team to register two successive wins in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament when they defeated Hyderabad Deccan Chargers by five wickets here Sunday night. The Kolkata Knight Riders had beaten hosts Bangalore Royal Challengers ... Read more...

Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) Robin Uthappa scored an innovative 48 (38 balls, 5x4s, 1x6) as Mumbai Indians made 165 for six wickets in 20 overs against Bangalore Royal Challengers in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Wankhede Stadium here Sunday night. In Sachin Tendulkar's absence, Mumbai captain Harbhajan ... Read more...

New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) India and Pakistan do not need the intervention of the US to talk to each other, Pakistani High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik said Sunday. The envoy made this remark in response to a speech by former American ambassador to India Robert Blackwill at the ... Read more...

26 year old American auto racing driver Danica Patrick has become the first woman winner of Indy Racing League (IRL) on Sunday. She won by almost six seconds from Helio Castroneves. She said" "I knew I was on the same strategy as Helio and when I passed him for the ... Read more...

Dubai, April 20 (IANS) Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan slipped out of the top 10 bowlers' list in the ICC rankings for ODIs for the first time in over a decade. Muralitharan, who skipped the series against the West Indies, has now slipped below Pakistan's Shahid Afridi who occupies 10th position. Muralitharan, ... Read more...

(Match Report) Kolkata, April 20 (IANS) Riding on a brilliant 38 by Australian David Hussey, Kolkata Knight Riders registered their second successive win as they defeated Hyderabad Deccan Chargers by five wickets in a nail biting finish in the Indian Premier League (IPL) here Sunday. Chasing a target of 111 set ... Read more...