The Week That Was - October 04 : Indian athletes not to run with 2014 CWG Baton in Delhi

Fodder scam: Lalu Prasad jailed for 5 years, to appeal in high court on Oct 17

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad was on Thursday jailed for five years for his role in the Rs 950 crore fodder scam that surfaced 17 years ago.

The sentence effectively ends Prasad`s electoral career as he will lose membership of the Lok Sabha. On Tuesday, Congress MP Rasheed Masood was also jailed for four years for his role in illegally giving MBBS seats to undeserving medical students.

Cabinet clears formation of Telangana, Hyderabad to remain joint capital

Not buckling under pressure from Seemandhra leaders from Congress, the Centre on Thursday took the first significant step towards creation of Telangana state from out of Andhra Pradesh and deciding that Hyderabad will be the joint capital of the two states for 10 years.

Over two months after the Congress Working Committee put its seal of approval, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal of the Home Ministry for creation of the 29th state and decided to set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) to work out modalities.

Assembly Elections for five states announced

The Election Commission on Friday announced the schedule for Assembly Elections to be held in five states, namely Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram.

Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath said Delhi and Mizoram will go to polls in single phase on December 4, while voting will be held in Rajasthan on December 1, and in Madhya Pradesh on November 25.

Chhattisgarh will have two-phase polls on November 11 and 19.

The counting of votes will be held together for all five states on December 8.

No solution in sight as US shutdown enters Day 4

As the US government shutdown entered fourth day on Friday, there was no solution in sight even after President Barack Obama met Congressional leaders at White House and made it clear that he won’t negotiate until the government is reopened and the debt ceiling increased.

The statements by the White House and the US House Speaker John Boehner provided after the closed door meeting at White House, only highlighted the divide that remains intact between Democrats and Republicans over how to solve the shutdown deadlock.

Kenya attack: White Widow Samantha Lewthwaite recced foreign embassies in South Africa

Briton fugitive ‘White Widow’ Samantha Lewthwaite, who is suspected to have masterminded Kenya mall attack and is wanted by the Interpol, is reported to have recced foreign embassies in South Africa.

The 29-year old ‘White Widow’ who was in South Africa from 2008-2011 under the alias of Natalie Webb, was spotted by the CCTV cameras watching foreign embassies in the Arcadia area of Pretoria earlier this year in January and February, a Daily Telegraph report said citing local media reports.

The report further adds that the “highly credible” warning about the ‘White Widow’ was first given by Israeli Intelligence Agency Mossad to South Africa`s Jewish Community Security Organisation.

Chemical experts start securing Syria sites

Experts overseeing the destruction of Syria`s chemical arsenal have begun securing their work sites, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the UN said in a statement.

"Joint work with the Syrian authorities has begun on securing the sites where the team will operate," said the statement, which detailed the activities of the team`s first day of work yesterday.

"In addition, planning continues for one of the team`s immediate tasks, disabling Syria`s chemical weapons production facilities, which should begin soon."

The OPCW team of 19 disarmament experts arrived in Damascus on Tuesday.

More than 300 migrants feared dead as boat sinks off Italy

After a boat carrying African migrants caught fire and sank off the southern Italian island of Lampedusa on Thursday, up to 300 people onboard are feared dead.

With the accident, Italy is holding a day of national mourning on Friday. The UN on Thursday said that most of the migrants were from Eritrea and Somalia.

The boat, believed to be carrying about 500 migrants, sank no more than 1 km from the shore after a fire broke out which triggered a panic situation resulting in the capsize of the boat.

Around 151 people have been rescued by the fishermen and costal guard boats.

Consumers to get cheaper loan for auto, fridge

Ahead of the festival season, public sector banks will provide cheaper loans for auto and consumer goods purchases with a view to stimulating demand.

Banks would lower lending rates as the government on Thursday decided to provide additional funds to the PSU banks to enable them financing of auto and consumer goods purchases.

The decision to increase the quantum of capital infusion to the banks was taken at a meeting between Finance Minister P Chidambaram, RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan and Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram.

Govt allows LPG portability

Cooking gas (LPG) will now be available at select petrol pumps in metro cities after the Oil Ministry has allowed sale of small 5-kg cylinders at retail outlets.

It has also permitted LPG connection portability, allowing consumers to choose or change cooking gas dealer at press of a button, an official statement said Wednesday.

LPG 5-kg cylinders will be available at company-owned- company-operated (COCO) petrol pumps, which make up for just 3 percent of over 47,000 petrol pumps in the country.

However, they will be priced at market rate which is more than double the subsidised price of Rs 410 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi.

Cabinet nod to Jet-Etihad stake sale deal

Paving the way for the biggest ever foreign investment in India`s aviation sector, the Union Cabinet tonight cleared Jet Airways` proposed sale of 24 percent equity to Abu Dhabi-based Etihad, days after the Rs 2,058 crore deal got regulatory clearances.

"Yes, it has been cleared," said Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Replying to questions, he said the deal has "gone through all the regulatory processes" and would be "good for civil aviation and good for the passengers".

Political deadlock over budget forces shutdown in US

Washington: The US government on Wednesday for the first time in nearly 18 years after the Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on a new budget, a crisis that has forced 800,000 federal workers off the job and could cost the world`s largest economy about USD 1 billion a week.

The Republicans and Democrats failed to strike a deal on spending and budget due to differences over `Obamacare`, the signature healthcare programme of President Barack Obama.

About 800,000 federal workers in the US were told to stay at home while national parks, museums, government buildings and services shutdown as a result of the deadlock in the Congress.

With neither side blinking, despite last minute hectic efforts from both sides, the White House immediately ordered the federal government agencies to begin shutting down, furloughing thousands of workers and curtailing some services for the first time since 1995-96.

`Bullett Raja` trailer: Saif Ali Khan joins the gunda bandwagon!

Delhi: After entertaining the masses with his action packed drama ‘Saheb Biwi aur Gangster’, Tigmanshu Dhulia is back with his latest Bollywood venture – ‘Bullett Raja’.

Starring Saif Ali Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, and Gulshan Grover, ‘Bullett Raja’ is a story of a dabangg gunda better known as Bullett Raja. He is shown toying with the guns and romancing Sonakshi’s simple-at-heart character on the streets of Kolkata.

Also seen in the trailer are Jimmy Shergill as Bullett Raja’s buddy and Vidyut Jamwal in the role of a cop.

From the looks of the trailer, this film is an out and out action packed thriller.

The film will be ready for release on November 29, 2013. Let us see if this too turns out to be as good as Dhulia’s previous projects.

When Salman Khan took a jibe at Katrina

Salman Khan’s words left everyone stunned when he took a pot shot at his former girlfriend Katrina Kaif. During one of the episodes of ‘Bigg Boss 7’, Salman Khan asked Elli Avram to mouth a few dialogues from her debut film ‘Mickey Virus’ which is release later this month.

As soon as Elli said, “Main tumhare liye kuch bhi karne ko tayyar hoon” (I am willing to do anything for you), Salman’s lightening fast response was, “Tumhara ye dialogue sunn kar mujhe 5 saal pehle ki Katrina yaad aagayi” (Your dialogue made me remember Katrina of the past).

Ouch!

So if one can read in between lines, it is quite apparent what Salman actually meant. Even at an award function held a few weeks back, when Katrina got to know about Salman’s vanity van being parked nearby, she made haste to greet him. But Sallu preferred closing the door of his van over a short rendezvous with Kat.

Well, perhaps it is the whole Ranbir Kapoor fiasco that has miffed Khan. But anyway, we are quite amused with the kat-ty answer!

Ranbir Kapoor celebrated his birthday with Katrina Kaif?

Ranbir Kapoor may have asserted that his birthday was just as another day of the year due to his work schedule jam-packed with promotional events for his upcoming movie ‘Besharam’; but there are reports doing the rounds that Ranbir had the company of his rumoured sweetheart Katrina Kaif to make his birthday special.

It is believed that the Kapoor lad squeezed out some time out from his busy timetable to celebrate his birthday with Kat. Ranbir came to his Krishna Raj residence in the evening only to leave for an event along with his ‘Besharam’ director Abhinav Kashyap.

After the event, it is said that Ranbir was welcomed at his home by none other than Katrina Kaif, who was waiting for his return. They were later joined by Kapoor’s friend Rohit Dhawan.

“The couple stayed during the night at Krishna Raj. His parents are not in the country,” a source said.

Yuvraj Singh back in the ODI fold for Australia series

Yuvraj Singh has been included into the squad announced by the BCCI on Monday for the upcoming limited overs series against Australia in October.

Yuvraj last played for India on January 27 against England at Dharamsala and was dropped subsequently due to a poor run of form.

Having undergone a rigorous physical training in France, a fitter Yuvraj made his comeback into the competitive cricket with a bang scoring 123, 40 and 61 in three List A matches against the West Indies A followed by a quickfire 52 against the same opponent in a T20 game.

He carried on with his good form in the Challenger Series where he scored 84 against India Red and a 29 in the final.

BCCI rubbishes report about Tendulkar being asked to retire

Rubbishing reports that Sachin Tendulkar has been asked by the BCCI to retire after his 200th Test, the Board`s Secretary Sanjay Patel on Thursady said it was the senior batsman`s prerogative to decide on his future.

"That is is absolutely absurd and rubbish. Let me tell you, it will be the prerogative of Mr Sachin Tendulkar. Board has not talked or asked him to resign (retire) and the Board is never going to do it because he is such a great player," BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel told reporters here on Thursday.

Patel was reacting to media reports that quite a few Board members were of the opinion that the record-setting batsman was past his prime and chould be told to call it a day after he completes his landmark 200th Test appearance, against the visiting West Indies next month.

The Windies are to play two Tests and three ODIs during their visit and the 40-year-old Tendulkar has played 198 Tests.

Former president Shashank Manohar and BCCI ruling group in war of words

Former BCCI president and eminent lawyer Shashank Manohar was today engaged in a proxy war of words with current BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel over the Tamil Nadu strongman clinging to his hot seat in the richest cricket body of the world.

Manohar, who has always had a clean image as an administrator, tore apart Srinivasan in an interview to the tabloid `Mumbai Mirror`.

"If you had the slightest of conscience, self-esteem and care for the board, you ought to have put in your papers the moment your son-in-law was arrested. You did nothing and as a result the board`s reputation has taken a hit to the extent that the people have lost faith in this board," Manohar was quoted as saying by the tabloid.

The Nagpur-based lawyer even accused Srinivasan of tarnishing the image of the BCCI which he said has been built over years, within four months.

Indian athletes not to run with 2014 CWG Baton in Delhi

Indian sportspersons will be deprived of a chance to hold the Queens Baton of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and run in relay on October 12-13 in a solemn ceremony as Indian Olympic Association on Thursday decided to make the QBR ceremony a low-key affair due to lack of security arrangements.

IOA officials, in a meeting here, decided to host the Queen`s Baton but without the usual ceremony of prominent sportspersons running by holding it in a relay here in view of the constraints in providing security arrangements due to Dussehra festivals.

"We will receive the QBR at Indira Gandhi International Airport with all necessary due respect and honour. But we have decided not to have a relay where sportspersons will run for a few meters in turn holding the Baton," acting IOA chief Vijay Kumar Malhotra said.