India open campaign against Afghanistan

Defending champions India will open their campaign against qualifiers Afghanistan after playing a couple of warmup matches in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup scheduled from January 15 to 30 next year in New Zealand.

Placed in Group A alongside England, Afghanistan and Hong Kong, India play their warm-up games against United States and Sri Lanka on January 11 and 12 respectively before opening their pool engagements on January 15.

After a day's break, the Indians will take on Hong Kong on January 17 before winding up their preliminary campaign with a match against England on January 21, the ICC said in a statement here.

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Most of the dead in Pak bazaar are women

A massive bomb blast killed around 100 people in Pakistan's Peshawar city on Wednesday as the Army continued its operations against militants in South Waziristan, while in Kabul the Afghan capital, Taliban militants wearing suicide vests and police uniforms stormed a guest house used by UN staff early on Wednesday, killing 12 people, including six UN staff.

The Peshawar blast, the deadliest in Pakistan this year, and the attack in Kabul came hours after US secretary of state Hillary Clinton arrived in Pakistan pledging a fresh start in ties with an increasingly embattled and sceptical partner in the struggle against Islamist militancy. "Almost 100 people have been killed in the blast.

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Jammu and Kashmir shutdown marks 62 yrs of troop arrival

The Kashmir Valley was shut on Tuesday to mark the anniversary of the arrival of Indian troops in the scenic region in response to the separatists' call. During the strike, slogan-chanting crowds, mainly youth, clashed with the riot police at half-a-dozen places, leaving an unspecified number of persons injured.

Muslim separatists, claiming India forcibly occupied the territory on the pretext of Maharaja Hari Singh's seeking its military assistance to push back the Pakistani tribal raiders, had called for observing "black day" on the 62nd anniversary of the Indian Army's arrival. The first batch of Indian troops was airlifted to Srinagar on October 27, 1947 following the Maharaja signed the "Instrument of Accession".

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Trafalgar war flag sells for USD 636,300

The last known surviving Union Jack to have been flown at the Battle of Trafalgar has sold to an American flag collector for $636,300, more than 20 times its estimated price, media reported on Thursday.

The flag, riddled with holes and with a faint scent of gunpowder, was sold by an Australia-based descendent of Lieutenant James Clephan who was presented with the flag by the crew of the HMS Spartiate that fought in the 1805 battle.

The flag, which spent years in a drawer of a Sydney house, had been expected to fetch up to £15,000 pounds at an auction in London on Trafalgar Day

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Real depression: Nehru, Edwina film is shelved

Indian Summer, the film on the Nehru Edwina relationship that came under the I&B ministry's scanner because of some scenes, has finally been shelved.

"We have received a letter from the producers wherein it has been stated that they are unable to move ahead with the production of the film due to recessionary conditions which have affected their budget," official sources in the I&B ministry stated. The film is being produced by Working Title Films and Universal Studios.

This paper had on October 9 reported that the production house was yet to accept a revised script cleared by the I&B ministry.

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Salman leads Rajasthan sapling drive

Bollywood star Salman Khan, who had earned the wrath of the Bishnoi community when he landed in trouble in a black buck poaching case in Jodhpur, has now become part of the Green Rajasthan drive. He has planted 21,000 saplings at Jawai Dam in Rajasthan Pali district.

Salman Khan, along with tourism minister Bina Kak and other officials, led the campaign at Jawai Dam on Tuesday and appealed to people to make Rajasthan green. "I like Rajasthan and used to visit the desert land. Kabhi khud shooting ke liye aata hoon, kabhi bulaya jata hoon," he told the media.

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Goa minister's wife to be quizzed too: Police

Goa's Diwali-eve crude bomb blast in Margao, where activists allegedly of Hindu extremist organisation Sanathan Sanstha perished ferrying the IEDs, bear similarities with Maharashtra's 2008 blasts in Thane, Vashi and Panvel, linked to that organisation, the police here said.

"These blasts are similar ... one of the accused in the Maharashtra blasts, Vikram Vinay Bhave, was in touch with the Goa blast accused before the former was arrested and jailed," Goa DIG Ravindra Yadav said.

State home minister Ravi Naik said all aspects of the Sanstha's activities will be probed and the police would question all senior Sanstha functionaries.

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Soon: Show train e-ticket on cell

It's technology to the rescue of trees. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC), which is entrusted with the task of enabling online train ticket reservations, wants to do away with e-tickets printed on paper eventually. Instead, it would like passengers to be able to "show" the ticket on his/her mobile or laptop to the TTE (travelling ticket examiner) on the train.

But only those who are travelling with Internet enabled mobile phones or laptops will be able to avail of this facility.

With nearly two lakh passengers booking train ticket online daily, this would mean saving an equal number of sheets of paper, says IRCTC managing director Rakesh Tandon.

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Shah Rukh Khan's Korean black belt is just a belt

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan who was on Friday conferred with the title "Honorary black belt of Taekwondo" by the Korean government said that he felt like a tough guy despite mostly doing romantic films in his two-decade-old career.

However, King Khan, said that he has no plan to switch to the action genre and will stick to his lover-boy image.

"I am just recovering from my shoulder injury and will take another two months to be fully fit.

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Shias demand House quota

The All-India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB) has decided to demand reservation for the Shia community in Parliament. A formal demand to this effect will be made at the annual general meeting of the AISPLB, scheduled to be held in Delhi on October 25. "Shias have a population of nearly five crores in this country, but they have been driven into political isolation because they do not have representation in Parliament or state Assemblies.

Besides, considering the backwardness of the community, the government should also give us reservation in government jobs," said Maulana Mirza Mohammad Athar, president of the board, here on Wednesday. The Maulana further said that the board would unveil a national policy for the Shia community which would be designed for the betterment of the Shias in India.

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Arunachal: China objects, India rejects

China on Tuesday accused an unnamed "Indian leader" of visiting "the disputed region" disregarding China's serious concerns. The unmistakable reference of the belligerent, provocative and eminently avoidable statement, which was posted on the Chinese foreign ministry's website on the day that Arunachal Pradesh went to the polls, was to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's October 3 visit to the state to address an election campaign rally there.

The election for the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly was held on Tuesday.

In remarks on the Indian leader's visit to the "disputed east section" area of the Sino-Indian boundary, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said: "... China-India border has never been officially demarcated.

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3 states go to polls today

Marking the first major test for the political parties after the 2009 general elections, Assembly polls in three states Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh will be held simultaneously on October 13.

The counting of votes will take place on October 22.

The Congress is in power in Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh, but shares it with Sharad Pawar-led NCP in Maharashtra. Though there is no major opposition to the Congress in Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh, the Shiv Sena-BJP combine in Maharashtra has made it an interesting contest.

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Pakistan Army headquarters siege is over, hostages freed

A siege lasting close to 24 hours ended at around 9.30 on Sunday morning at the Pakistan Army's headquarters in the garrison town of Rawalpindi adjoining Islamabad as military commandos stormed the GHQ, freeing 42 hostages from Taliban terrorists, whose two-day assault left a total of 19 people dead.

Firing by terrorists led to the death of three hostages on Sunday morning while two commandos of the elite Special Service group died in the rescue mission at a building within the premises, chief military spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said, explaining that four terrorists were also killed.

A fifth terrorist, identified as Aqeel, alias Dr Usman, who is understood to be the mastermind behind Saturday morning's attack,

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Fennell: Lot of work needed at Games sites

Commonwealth Games Federation president Michael Fennell, who led the delegation of 71 participating countries in inspecting several Games-related venues in New Delhi on Thursday, once again said "a lot of work is needed to be done" for CWG-2010.

Talking exclusively to this newspaper, Mr Fennell said: "I visited several venues today. It was a busy day today. I would like to say that a lot of work is needed to be done." He then added: "I don't want to make any further comments right now, but things should be done expeditiously."

When asked about his planned meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the organising committee's preparedness to host CWG-2010, Mr Fennell said: "I met the sports minister (M.S. Gill) yesterday (Wednesday). Let me first complete my visit to all venues.

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Oz to light up Parliament to mark Diwali festivity

In an unprecedented move, Australia's Victorian state will this year light up major installations including its Parliament, airport and Indian consulate during Diwali, apparently to placate the feelings of Indians angry over a spate of attacks against them.

Under a seven-day long lighting competition being organised by Celebrate India Inc and beginning from October 10, prime buildings in Melbourne will be lit up, event coordinator of the organisation Arun Sharma said. "For the first time Melbourne departure lounge and Indian.

Consulate will be decorated apart from the state parliament building, Horsham council and other parts of the city, and cultural programmes like dhol programme and rangoli events will be held," he added.

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Flintoff, Lineker ducked Afghan Taliban rockets

They went to meet British troops in Afghanistan, but star England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff and footballer Gary Lineker ended up getting a feel of the war as they scurried for cover during a Taliban attack in Kandahar, a tabloid reported Monday.

Flintoff and Lineker were enjoying dinner with the troops at an air base when they were caught unawares by rocket fire, according to the Daily Mirror.

"The sports heroes in the war zone to hand out a Mirror Pride of Britain award -- were in a forces dining room when an alarm warned of incoming rocket fire.

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Rs 558 crore flood aid, Sonia, Prime Minister to survey

The Centre has allocated Rs 558 crores in flood assistance for Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and Congress president Sonia Gandhi is expected to make an aerial survey of flood affected areas in the two states with Union home minister P. Chidambaram Monday. A day later, sources said, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will undertake a similar aerial survey.

The home minister will hold discussions with the two chief ministers, B.S.Yeddyurappa of Karnataka and K. Rosiah of Andhra Pradesh, as well as senior officials of the two states involved in flood relief.

The Centre has deployed motorised and inflatable boats with trained personnel in flood-affected districts of Kurnool, Krishna and Mehboob Nagar in Andhra Pradesh and Bagalkot, Raichur, Gadag and Bijapur districts in Karnataka for rescue and relief operations.

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Roll to Rio for 2016 Olympics

Finally, South America gets an Olympics. The 2016 Games are going to Rio de Janeiro.

In a vote of high drama, the bustling Brazilian carnival city of beaches, mountains and samba beat surprise finalist Madrid, which got a big helping hand from a very influential friend. Chicago was knocked out in the first round in one of the most shocking defeats ever handed down by the International Olympic Committee. Even Tokyo, which had trailed throughout the race, did better eliminated after Chicago in the second round. Rio spoke to IOC members' consciences: the city argued that it was simply unfair that South America has never hosted the games, while Europe, Asia and North America have done so repeatedly.

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Quake, Tsunami kill 174

A powerful earthquake rocked western Indonesia Wednesday, trapping thousands under collapsed buildings including two hospitals and triggering landslides. At least 75 people were killed on Sumatra island and the death toll was expected to climb sharply.

Wednesday's quake came a day after a quake with a magnitude of between 8 and 8.3 in the South Pacific hurled a massive tsunami at the shores of Samoa and American Samoa, flattening villages and leaving at least 99 dead and dozens missing. The epicentre of Wednesday's temblor off Indonesia lies several thousand km to the west, on the other side of Australia.

The magnitude 7.6 quake struck at 5.15 pm local time on Wednesday just off the coast of Padang city, the US Geological Survey said.

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