The Hindustan Times back issues from Saturday, April 22:
G-7 upbeat on world economy, worried about oil
Apr 22, 2006 ... Washington, April 22 -- The global economy remains on track for continued growth, though soaring oil prices pose a risk, said the world's seven leading industrial nations. Even as oil jumped to an all-time high of $75.35 a barrel, finance ministers and central bank chiefs of the group of ...
'Energy majors keen to join Indian exploration efforts'
Apr 22, 2006 ... New Delhi, April 22 -- Norwegian Petroleum and Energy Minister Odd Roger Enoksen and several global majors conveyed their keenness to join Indian exploration efforts during talks with Petroleum Minister Murli Deora on the sidelines of the 10th International Energy Forum meet in Qatar ...
Major Indian presence at Malaysian defence expo
Apr 22, 2006 ... New Delhi, April 22 -- India will be a major participant at the four-day 10th Defence Services Asia Exhibition that opens in Kuala Lumpur Monday, showcasing the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile among other products. "We have a fairly large and diversified manufacturing base and our ...
Pakistan ratifies SAARC pact to check customs offences
Apr 22, 2006 ... Islamabad, April 22 -- The Pakistan government has ratified a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) agreement on preventing illegal trade through customs and undertaking joint surveillance of cargo in the region. The Pakistan cabinet ratified the Agreement on Mutual ...
Energy meet opens, call to boost investment
Apr 22, 2006 ... Doha, April 22 -- The high-level biennial International Energy Forum (IEF) meet opened here Saturday with a call for boosting investments in exploration and refining even as host country Qatar unveiled $5 billion investment plans to boost oil production. Qatar's Second Deputy Premier and ...
'Gangster' boosts Anurag Basu's confidence
Apr 22, 2006 ... Mumbai, April 22 -- Anurag Basu, whose directorial debut "Murder" was a big hit, is more confident about his next venture "Gangster". He says: "My approach to 'Murder' was insecure and unsure. But here I am totally confident. Even the music is superior to 'Murder'. Music of 'Murder' was ...
Musharraf renews commitment to fight extremism
Apr 22, 2006 ... Islamabad, April 22 -- Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf Saturday renewed his commitment to fight extremism and terrorism through a holistic strategy and emphasised that the twin menaces had no place in the country. "We have to fight both extremism and terrorism as they retard ...
Ethiopian electricity company signs deal with Indian firm
Apr 22, 2006 ... Addis Ababa, April 22 -- The Indian firm KEC International Ltd. has signed a deal worth 562 million birr ($64.8 million) with the state Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) for the electrification of rural regions, EEPCo said Saturday. A World Bank loan will cover the hard ...
Asthma drug found to benefit heart patients
Apr 22, 2006 ... New York, April 22 -- A drug named 'clenbuterol' that is used to treat people suffering from asthma might also help heart failure patients, scientists say. The last step for many heart failure patients is a heart transplant. But with a worldwide shortage of organ donors, many patients ...
We can't afford Nepal as a failed state: Manmohan
Apr 22, 2006 ... On Board Air India One, April 22 -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday said India was ready to help its northern neighbour Nepal in every way so that it does not become a "failed state", but stressed that New Delhi's job was that of a conciliator and it was up to the king and the political ...
Hu calls for "understanding" of Chinese position
Apr 22, 2006 ... Connecticut, April 22 -- Chinese President Hu Jintao said "understanding leads to trust" in the final speech of his US tour at Yale University, marked by further protests on the campus grounds. Hu Friday spoke of China's long history of serving its people, in an apparent rebuff of ...
The Smashing Pumpkins to reunite
Apr 22, 2006 ... London, April 22 -- American rock band The Smashing Pumpkins has finally confirmed that it is reuniting after months of speculations and is now ready to record its sixth studio album. According to contactmusic.com, the lead singer, Billy Corgan, has stayed friends with drummer Jimmy ...
Pakistan's world heritage gardens closed for restoration
Apr 22, 2006 ... Islamabad, April 22 -- Lahore's historic landmark Shalamar Gardens has been closed for restoration work, denying tourists the pleasure of visiting the 17th century Mughal architectural wonder. The continued closure of the world heritage site since Feb 1 makes it the longest that it has ...
Patience over Iran nuclear ambitions is limited: US
Apr 22, 2006 ... Washington, April 22 -- The US does not intend to wait for months for an agreement in the UN Security Council on action over Iran's nuclear ambitions, the State Department said. "This issue is too important to be hung up for months or years in the Security Council," US Undersecretary of ...
Lot more needed for India to get investment: ADB
Apr 22, 2006 ... New Delhi, April 22 -- India needs to do more to attract investment, particularly overseas fund, to promote infrastructure, says the 2005 Annual Report of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). "Growth in India was impressive at 7.5 percent in 2004-05 and reached 8.1 percent in 2005-06," said ...
Another Pakistani rape victim to visit US
Apr 22, 2006 ... Islamabad, April 22 -- A year after rape victim Mukhtaran Mai visited the US grabbing more media mileage than President Pervez Musharraf, it is the turn of another victim, Shazia Khalid, to visit that country. Shazia, a doctor, and her husband Khalid Aman will be in the US next month to ...
Hugh Grant fed up with media intrusion
Apr 22, 2006 ... London, April 22 -- British actor Hugh Grant refuses to talk about his personal life in interviews, after he learnt what it is like to have his private moments on the front pages. According to contactmusic.com, Grant is tired of apologising to people for things he is supposed to say. He ...
Opposition leaders' fresh arrests belie Nepal king's offer
Apr 22, 2006 ... Kathmandu, April 22 -- The royalist government in Nepal arrested two top political leaders even as King Gyanendra announced he was returning executive power to the people immediately. Bamdev Gautam and Jhalanath Khanal, both senior leaders of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist ...
Both finalists are good, say Indian Idol 2 judges
Apr 22, 2006 ... Mumbai, April 22 -- Indian Idol Abhijeet Sawant and lyricist Javed Akhtar are finding it difficult to decide on who deserves to win the Indian Idol 2 singing contest - N.C. Karunya or Sandeep Acharya. "Both Karunya and Sandeep are in their own way good," says Abhijeet, the debut winner ...
DiCaprio's girlfriend dodges conscription
Apr 22, 2006 ... New York, April 22 -- Actor Leonardo DiCaprio's girlfriend, Bar Refaeli, has raised a controversy in Israel over accusations that she is dodging conscription in her country. The 20-year-old Refaeli avoided having to enlist in the army by secretly getting married a week before she was ...
'Alag' not similar to 'Krrish', says photographer Subi Samuel
Apr 22, 2006 ... New Delhi, April 22 -- Bollywood's ace photographer Subi Samuel is not happy with comparisons made between his debut production "Alag" and Rakesh Roshan's "Krrish". "It's an honour for me that people are talking about 'Krissh' and 'Alag' in the same breath. Having said that, it is not ...
India misses the bus in Nepal
Apr 22, 2006 ... Kathmandu, April 22 -- Till yesterday, the "people's movement" in Nepal had one target - King Gyanendra and his cabinet. But today their wrath is directed at India too. Protesters who were asking Gyanendra to leave the country which, they alleged, he had "looted" threatened to show black ...
Dry eye in women related to menopause
Apr 22, 2006 ... New York, April 22 -- Women suffer from dry eye more than men and the change in hormone levels due to menopause could be one reason for it, according to a new survey. Dry eye is a common condition that occurs when the eyes do not produce enough tears to keep the eye wet and comfortable ....
'I was sceptical about Aishwarya playing Mistress Of Spices'
Apr 22, 2006 ... Mumbai, April 22 -- Paul Mayeda Berges, husband of director Gurinder Chadha, admits he was initially sceptical about Aishwarya Rai playing the main lead - Tilo - in his directorial debut "Mistress Of Spices". "At first I was sceptical. But when she (Aishwarya) read the part I was amazed ...
Posco to attract investments in India
Apr 22, 2006 ... Bhubaneswar, April 22 -- South Korean steel major Posco will help attract more investment in India for the ancillary industries required for its proposed mega steel plant in Orissa, the company said Saturday. Posco (Pohang Iron and Steel Company) is setting up a plant in the port town of ...
Indian market to see choppy trade after blazing rally
Apr 22, 2006 ... Mumbai, April 22 -- India's key share market index is likely to see volatile trade in the coming sessions after touching a new all-time high this week, as investors await a flood of quarterly corporate earning reports. The stock market, which has become one of the world's best performing ...
Pakistan women MPs complain of discrimination
Apr 22, 2006 ... Islamabad, April 22 -- Pakistan's women members of parliament have complained of gender discrimination not only by male colleagues in the two houses but also by the National Assembly speaker and Senate chairman. Women MPs, many of them wives of prominent politicians and generals, opened ...
Doherty plans to revive his career
Apr 22, 2006 ... New York, April 22 -- Troubled rocker Pete Doherty is trying to revive his flagging career by performing at a prison. Doherty wants to perform at London's Pentonville Prison in an effort to copy the late country legend Johnny Cash's revolutionary performance at Folsom Prison, which ...
NRIs in US from Indian northeast form new body
Apr 22, 2006 ... New York, April 22 -- A group of Assamese residents in the US has come together to form a forum called Friends of Assam and the Seven Sisters (FASS) to work for the overall development of India's northeastern region. A non-profit non-governmental body, FASS is an international think-tank ...
'Pyare Mohan' queer mix of mirthful and monstrous
Apr 22, 2006 ... Mumbai, April 22 -- Film: Pyare Mohan; Starring: Viveik Oberoi, Fardeen Khan, Amrita Rao, Esha Deol, Boman Irani; Director: Indra Kumar; Rating: * First, the good news. After the other boys-will-be-boys comedy "Masti", Indra Kumar serves up a reasonably clean vegetarian dish in "Pyare ...
My wife is my lucky mascot: Shreyas Talpade
Apr 22, 2006 ... Mumbai, April 22 -- Very few know that before becoming popular for his performance in "Iqbal" as a deaf-mute cricketer, Shreyas Talpade consulted a professional astrologer to be successful. But nothing seemed to work. "I am not superstitious. But sometimes when things don't go the way ...
Filmmaker seeks to build highway in Bihar
Apr 22, 2006 ... Patna, April 22 -- Filmmaker Prakash Jha, known for his bold allegorical films, has offered to construct a four-lane highway in Bihar - a project no private company wants to execute due to the prevailing poor law and order condition. "This is the first time we have received a formal ...
Robin Williams says he is not gay
Apr 22, 2006 ... London, April 22 -- Comedian Robin Williams wants to confront the gay men who say they have slept with him because he cannot recall that time of his life. Williams insists he is 100 percent heterosexual, but many gay men seem keen to "out" him, contactmusic.com reported. He ...
Pakistani films to be shown in India soon
Apr 22, 2006 ... Islamabad, April 22 -- Pakistani films will be shown in India soon, said a leading Pakistani film producer upon his return here from Mumbai. Jamshed Zafar, vice president of the Pakistan Film Producers Association, said: "We will soon hold a film festival in Mumbai while the Indians are ...
30 percent rise in ADB operations in 2005
Apr 22, 2006 ... New Delhi, April 22 -- The operations of Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) increased by 30 percent from the previous year to $7.4 billion, says the bank's 2005 annual report released ahead of its 39th annual meeting from May 3-6 in Hyderabad. Of the $4.4 billion assistance that ...
China for stronger regional cooperation at Boao Forum
Apr 22, 2006 ... Boao (China), April 22 -- China called for stronger cooperation among Asian nations Saturday at the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Meeting 2006. China, as the world's largest developing country, is seeking closer mutual support and partnership with other Asian countries in the course ...
Abrams to revive Star Trek
Apr 22, 2006 ... London, April 22 -- The director of the upcoming film "Mission Impossible III", J.J. Abrams, has been selected to revive the flagging Star Trek Franchise. Abrams will produce the 11th Star Trek movie, which is set to be released in 2008. According to a statement issued by Paramount ...
Angelina Jolie buys her own Africa!
Apr 22, 2006 ... London, April 22 -- 'Lara Croft' star Angelina Jolie has been so obsessed by Ethiopia, the country of daughter Zahara's birth, that she's reportedly decided to buy her very own African country. A source said that the star made the decision to buy a part of the man-made version of ...
Watch early days of Capt Kirk and Mr. Spock in 11th Star Trek film!
Apr 22, 2006 ... Washington, April 22 -- 'Lost' director J.J. Abrams will be breathing new life into the Star Trek franchise by producing and directing the 11th "Star Trek" film.The production team from ABC TV's hit series "Lost" and the upcoming Tom Cruise sequel 'Mission: Impossible III', will be involved ...
Ten years on, has Myanmar tourism boycott worked?
Apr 22, 2006 ... Yangon, April 22 -- A decade ago, Myanmar pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi boldly called on the world to boycott visiting her homeland to isolate the ruling military junta. Today the generals remain isolated - but they also remain in power. The strategy, though harmful to the ...
Manmohan arrives in Germany
Apr 22, 2006 ... Hanover, April 22 -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived here in Germany Saturday evening on a four-day visit. Commerce Minister Kamal Nath, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran accompanied the prime ...
Leopards in Pak on verge of extinction
Apr 22, 2006 ... Islamabad, April 22 -- Pakistanis conservationists have expressed fear that rising incidents of leopard hunting may put the big cats on the verge of extinction in Gallyat and Abbotabad. Wassiur Rehman, co-ordinator of the Dubran Conservation Welfare Society said that over the last two ...
A temple to settle disputes
Apr 22, 2006 ... Bhopal, April 22 -- One Madhya Pradesh village settles all its disputes in a Hindu temple. Residents of Deshmohini village, 10 km from Hoshangabad town, have never visited a police station. The village has less than 1,000 people, mainly from the Kurmi community. "It is ...
PM to seek German help on nuclear deal with US
Apr 22, 2006 ... Mumbai, April 22 -- Ahead of talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Sunday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stressed the importance of civil nuclear cooperation for India and sought Germany's support for the India-US nuclear deal. "I hope that Germany can use its influence as a ...
Diddy can't cook!
Apr 22, 2006 ... Washington, April 22 -- Sean Diddy's cooking show, 'Celebrity Cooking Showdown,' which debuted on April 17, had such dismal ratings, that TV bosses at NBC in America decided to pull the plug after just four shows. According to Ratethemusic, the show failed to raise its TRP's despite ...
Pakistan suspects first human case of bird flu
Apr 22, 2006 ... Islamabad, April 22 -- A man suspected to be Pakistan's first human case of bird flu was hospitalised near here Saturday. Muhammad Naveed, 27, who is suspected to be carrying the dreaded H5N1 virus has been kept in an isolation ward at the General Hospital Rawalpindi, 10 km from ...
Marilyn Monroe's death bed testimonies to be aired
Apr 22, 2006 ... Washington, April 22 -- Never before heard testimonies of witnesses who gathered at movie icon Marilyn Monroe's death bed after she committed suicide, will soon be broadcast for the first time on an upcoming US TV news show. The show called '48 Hours Mystery', will be aired by CBS on ...
'Mallika I Hate You' is a love song: Sandeep Chowta
Apr 22, 2006 ... Mumbai, April 22 -- It may not sound like it, but music director Sandeep Chowta insists that his newest offering, 'Mallika I Hate You', is a love song. The song has been sung by singer Sonu Kakkar, while its lyrics have been penned by Vipin Kakkad. Talking about the song Sonu ...
Gurinder Chadha confirms 'Dallas' remake
Apr 22, 2006 ... London, April 22 -- 'Bend it like Beckham' director Gurinder Chadha has confirmed that she will be directing the big screen remake of the hit 80s TV soap 'Dallas'. With her new venture in hand, Chadha said that she would be walking the fine line in trying to hit the right note with ...
Siachen deal likely during PM's visit to Pakistan
Apr 22, 2006 ... New Delhi, April 22 -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday indicated that India and Pakistan were close to a breakthrough on demilitarising Siachen - the world's highest battlefield - and a deal on the issue could be the highlight of his visit to Pakistan later this year. "It is much ...
Manmohan Singh embarks on five-day visit to Germany, Uzbekistan
Apr 22, 2006 ... New Delhi, April 22 -- Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh embarked on a five-day visit to Germany and Uzbekistan on Saturday afternoon to take forward its bilateral ties with both the countries. The visit to Germany is aimed to continue the momentum of existing political, economic, trade ...
Navy patrol vessel sinks off Goa coast
Apr 22, 2006 ... New Delhi/Panaji, April 22 -- Indian Navy's INS Prahar, a 450 tonnes patrol vessel sank off the coast on Friday midnight, 35 kilometres south of Goa. The ship was commanded by Lt. Cdr Yogesh Tripathi. The incident occurred when the M V Rajiv Gandhi, a container carrier of the Shipping ...
India-Pakistan deal over Siachen demilitarisation likely
Apr 22, 2006 ... On Board Air India One, April 22 -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday indicated that India and Pakistan may be close to a breakthrough on the demilitarisation of Siachen, known as the world's highest battlefield, and a deal on the issue could be the highlight of his visit to Pakistan later ...
Pakistan sees immense scope for tea trade with India
Apr 22, 2006 ... Coonoor (Tamil Nadu), April 22 -- A fourteen-member delegation of the Pakistan Tea Association, which is on a three-day visit to India, has said that there is an immense scope for increasing tea imports from India. The delegation is in Tamil Nadu to explore the possibility of purchasing ...
India not to accept any more conditions on N-deal: Manmohan
Apr 22, 2006 ... On Board Air India One, April 22 -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday asserted that India will not accept any new US conditions, including a permanent ban on nuclear testing - a proposal that the US sought to include in the bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement being negotiated ...
South Asian intervention in Sri Lanka suggested
Apr 22, 2006 ... New Delhi, April 22 -- A Singapore-based scholar has suggested an internationally backed South Asian intervention in Sri Lanka to end its unending ethnic conflict. "It is time the rest of the world took Sri Lanka seriously," Michael Vatikiotis of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies ...
Sarabjit Singh's family receives his letter from Pakistan
Apr 22, 2006 ... Bhikhiwind (Punjab), April 22 -- It was an emotional moment for the family of Sarabjit Singh, who is facing a death sentence in Pakistan for alleged spying, when they received the much-awaited letter from him sent from Pakistan. Daljit Kaur, Sarabjit's sister, could not contain her tears ...
Two Chinese monks to retrace journey to India
Apr 22, 2006 ... Beijing, April 22 -- Two Chinese Buddhist monks are to follow in the footsteps of a famous predecessor, Xuanzang (602-664 AD), on a journey from China to India. Xuanzang travelled from the city of Chang'an, which is now called Xi'an, in Shaanxi Province, to India to obtain Buddhist ...
Two Nepali opposition leaders released
Apr 22, 2006 ... Kathmandu, April 22 -- Two top Nepali communist leaders were freed Saturday a day after being arrested even as King Gyanendra's offered to return executive power to his people. The government Saturday also enforced curfew from noon to 8 p.m. for the third day in a row while the main ...
Pramod Mahajan shot at, admitted to hospital
Apr 22, 2006 ... Mumbai, April 22 -- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pramod Mahajan was Saturday shot at and seriously wounded by his brother over a property dispute. Mahajan has been admitted to the city's Hinduja Hospital and is being operated upon, said police officials. His condition is critical, ...
Polling begins in West Bengal, Kerala amidst tight security
Apr 22, 2006 ... Kolkata/Thiruvananthapuram, April 22 -- Voting for the second phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal's 66 constituencies and in 59 constituencies in Kerala for the first phase is underway amidst elaborated security arrangements. In West Bengal, polls began at 7:00 a.m. (IST) in four ...
Pak won't yield to US pressure on IPI gas pipeline project
Apr 22, 2006 ... Islamabad, April 22 -- Pakistan has said it will highlight its future energy needs to the US after finalising a gas price mechanism with Iran. An official said that Islamabad would inform Washington of the prices on which Iran would provide gas to Pakistan. Pakistan, he said, ...
India urges power shift from Nepal monarchy to people
Apr 22, 2006 ... New Delhi, April 22 -- Reiterating its support for restoration of democracy in Nepal, India Saturday said that executive power should be transferred to the people of the Himalayan kingdom at the earliest. "India has consistently been supporting the democratic aspirations of the people ...
Zahira, BJP legislator under tax scanner
Apr 22, 2006 ... Ahmedabad, April 22 -- Income tax authorities Saturday conducted searches at the residences of Zahira Sheikh, a key witness in a case of communal violence in Gujarat, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Madhu Srivastava following a Supreme Court directive. Income Tax department ...
We want recognition as research institute: IIT-Delhi
Apr 22, 2006 ... New Delhi, April 22 -- The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Delhi hopes to achieve the tag of "a global research centre" in two years, IIT director Surendra Prasad said Saturday. "Without compromising on the academic part, we are going to promote research and innovation in a ...