I have witnesses to prove I stayed with Shoaib at a hotel in Hyderabad: Ayesha

Lahore, Apr.4 (ANI): In yet another twist to the controversy surrounding Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik’s wedding with Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza, Ayesha Siddiqui, the Hyderabad based girl who claims to be Malik’s first wife, has said that she has two witnesses to prove that she and Malik had shared a hotel room in Hyderabad after their alleged marriage in 2002.

Ayesha told a private television channel that two staff members of the Taj Residency Hotel, which was known as Holiday Inn earlier, have agreed to testify that they served the couple during their stay in Hyderabad.

“If you are asking if we lived together- yes, we did stay together and it is unfortunate that we also have to prove this but we have witnesses,” The Daily Times quoted Ayesha, as saying.

Meanwhile, speaking for the first time over the controversy, Malik, who is currently at Sania’s place in Hyderabad, has denied meeting Ayesha ever and said that the star tennis player would be his first wife.

The Siddiquis claim that Malik married their daughter Ayesha in 2002, but has not divorced her till date.Malik, on the other hand, has denied being married to Ayesha.

He, however, admitted to talking to a girl named Ayesha over the telephone, but said he has never seen or met the girl.

The Siddiquis have reportedly sent a defamation notice to Shoaib Malik and his brother-in-law for harassment, fraud and character assassination.

The Hyderabad based family had also produced pictures of Shoaib-Ayesha’s Nikahnama (marriage certificate), which shows that their marriage was solemnised on June 3, 2002. (ANI)

Meet Prince Charles and Camilla, the ‘wedding planners’!

London, Sept 20 (ANI): Prince Charles and wife Camilla are turning wedding planners and “loaning out” their country retreat of Highgrove House to wannabe brides and grooms.

And included in the package will be the royal couple’s shared “expertise”.

Like Charles and Camilla did at their Windsor wedding four years ago, couples will be encouraged to “keep it simple”, say reports.

As per rumours, the first pair to enjoy a “Charles and Camilla wedding” are TV babe Jenni Falconer and her actor fiancĂ© James Midgley, reports The Daily Star.

A royal source said: “Obviously with it being their house they would want control of the event. But they also recognise what a great opportunity it would be to showcase their home.

“Highgrove is an absolutely fantastic building and would make a wonderful venue for a wedding and reception.”

The nine-bedroom country house on a 37-acre estate near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, was bought for Charles in 1980.

A source said: “Charles is hugely proud of Highgrove. It’s a wonderful property and he has spent thousands of pounds on the gardens and grounds. I’m sure by holding weddings there Charles would take great pleasure being the host.

“And he could use them to promote the Duchy Originals organic products he’s involved with.” (ANI)

Four Nepali women being sent to Muscat detained at Gorakhpur

Gorakhpur, Sept 19 (ANI): Volunteers of a social service organisation and the personnel of the Anti-Human Trafficking Cell of Uttar Pradesh Police at Gorakhpur detained four Nepalese women.

Reportedly, as per the statement of the women who were taken into custody at the Gorakhpur Railway Station, they were intending to go to Muscat.

These women had entered India through the Sanauli border post.

Although all the four women had their respective passports with them, only two of them could show their endorsed visas for Muscat.

“Our team visited the railway station along with a Nepali counsellor. When she saw these women and spoke to them, they gave some wrong information, which in turn sounded fishy and made us to suspect something was amiss. When we asked them where they were heading, initially they said Oman and again changed their statement saying, New Delhi. When our counsellor asked them for their passports, some said they had it while others said they didn’t. So, we found them suspicious,” said Gyan Kumar, co-ordinator, Maanava Sewa Sansthan, Gorakhpur.

Amidst such confusing utterances by the women, the police believe that one of the women named Dilmaya was trying to send the other three to Muscat by bringing them from Nepal.

She claimed that they were going to Muscat because they had their relatives residing and working there.

“These people held us for interrogation. We asked them either to let us go to Nepal or else allow us to go to Muscat. We have our relatives there,” said Dilmaya.

A couple of months ago, police officials of Gorakhpur had detained five women who were allegedly being trafficked to Gulf countries for flesh trade.

Reportedly, a pimp was escorting these women to Mumbai from where they were to be sent to certain destinations in the Middle East. (ANI)

US army set for “hopping rotochut” that hops to avoid rubble trouble

London, September 19 (ANI): The U.S. army’s fleet of robots will soon be enhanced with the addition of forthcoming reconnaissance craft called the ‘hopping rotochute’, which will be capable of travelling deep into obstacle-ridden spaces like caves and rubble-laden buildings to video what it finds.

The self-righting probe is being developed for the Army Research Lab in Aberdeen, Maryland, by Eric Beyer and Mark Costello, a pair of robotics engineers at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.

The project attains significance because present-day military robots, which run on small tank-style tracks, cannot cope with irregular surfaces and obstacles such as rubble or boulders.

“They usually have trouble and get stuck with even low obstacles and walls a couple of feet high,” says Costello.

Although small helicopters are one alternative, continuous flying drains the batteries fast.

Thus, Costello stresses the need for a rotor-powered, bottom-heavy, self-righting vehicle that spends most of its time on the ground, conserving battery power.

AS to whether repeated hopping might harm the craft, a spokesman for the Impact Centre at Cranfield University in Bedfordshire, UK, said: “From a crashworthiness point of view this concept looks perfectly feasible. There should be no problem with the vehicle surviving hundreds of impacts, which is roughly equivalent to dropping a mobile phone from waist height.” (ANI)

Amy Winehouse’s surprise charity gig

London, September 18 (ANI): Amy Winehouse recently did a surprise gig at a charity fundraiser for terminally ill children.

The guests present for dinner at Rays Of Sunshine in Wrotham Park, close to her Barnet home, received a pleasant surprise when she appeared out of nowhere for a five-song set.

Meanwhile, reports have come that the troubled singer has been spending hours talking to her ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil on the net.

“They are non-stop emailing at the moment,” the Sun quoted a source as saying.

The couple had divorced earlier this year. (ANI)

Avril Lavigne confirms split with Deryck Whibley

Washington, Sept 18 (ANI): Avril Lavigne has confirmed reports she and her husband Deryck Whibley have split.

However, she insists she’s “grateful” for her time with the rocker.

The pair’s 3-year marriage has been under the tabloid spotlight for a long time now, amid rumours the Canadian couple had parted ways, reports Contactmusic.

On her MySpace.com blog, Avril wrote, “Deryck and I have been together for 6 and a half years. We have been friends since I was 17, started dating when I was 19, and married when I was 21.

“I am grateful for our time together, and I am grateful and blessed for our remaining friendship.

“I admire Deryck and have a great amount of respect for him. He is the most amazing person I know and I love him with all my heart. Deryck and I are separating and moving forward on a positive note.” (ANI)

Now, unwed Malaysian couple to be whipped for trying to have car sex

Shah Alam (Malaysia), Sep. 18 (ANI): Following the whipping episode of the Malaysian model who was sentenced for drinking beer, an unmarried couple is now being subjected to the controversial canning sentence under the country’s Sharia law for trying to have sex.

Mohammad Shahrin Abd Majid, 29, and his lover Nadiah Najat Hussin, 24, pleaded guilty to attempting to have sex in a car, were fined 5,000 ringgits or 12 months’ jail and ordered to be caned six times each, the New Strait Times Online reports.

Both Shahrin and Nadiah have paid the fine. On Wednesday, the Sharia High Court of Shah Alam granted a stay on the caning pending an appeal following an application by the couple’s counsel.

The Court has also advised both accused to marry as soon as possible.

The couple had claimed that they were to be engaged soon, and scheduled to be married in February next year.

“You are still young… after Hari Raya seek consent from both your parents to marry,” he said.

Shahrin and Nadiah would be sent to prison in order to receive the caning if their appeal gets dismissed.

Earlier, former Malaysian model Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno hogged the international headlines when she was sentenced for canning under Sharia law for drinking beer at a nightclub. (ANI)

Katherine Heigl adopts 10-month-old Korean girl

London, Sept 18 (ANI): Actress Katherine Heigl and husband Josh Kelley have become proud parents of a 10-month-old Korean girl after completing adoption formalities.

The actress’ rep said the couple have named their daughter Nancy Leigh, after Katherine’s mum Nancy and her sis Margaret Leigh, reports the Daily Express.he girl has also been given a nickname Naleigh.

The couple are posting pics of their new child on www.jasonheiglfoundation.org. (ANI)

Australia regains number-one position in ODI Championship

Dubai, Sep 18 (ANI): Australia has regained top spot in the ICC ODI Championship after going 6-0 up with one match to play in the ODI series in England.
Ricky Ponting’s side beat the home team by 111 runs at Trent Bridge on Thursday and in the process has moved ahead of South Africa by a fraction of a ratings point.

Australia needs to win the one remaining ODI in the series to stay top and thus head into the ICC Champions Trophy as the number-one-ranked one-day side in the world.

An England win in the final ODI of the series would consign Australia back down to third place.
As a result of Australia’s rise, India drops to third position while England stays in seventh position, three ratings points behind New Zealand in sixth.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2009 gets underway in South Africa on 22 September and with just a single ratings point separating Australia in first position from India in third place, it looks like a rankings battle is on the cards over the next couple of weeks. (ANI)

Pakistan got 970-mn dollars and not 3-bn dollars from US

Islamabad, Sep 17 (ANI): The United States has provided 970 million dollars in aid to Pakistan since the PPP-led Government came to power and not three billion dollars as claimed by US Ambassador Anne Patterson, a Pakistani Finance Ministry official has said.

The statement of US Ambassador to Pakistan, Anne Patterson, about giving 3 billion dollars assistance to the Zardari Government even surprised the top economic managers of the country. They were completely clueless about the figure of 3 billion dollars floated by the US.

“Out of the total 970 million dollars funding, a major chunk of 550 to 600 million dollars was in shape of the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) as it was the money which was spent by Pakistan on military’s movement and it took several months for clearance from the US authorities,” The News quoted a a senior official of the Finance Ministry, as saying.

The US has provided less than one billion dollars to Pakistan since the PPP-led government came into power, he said.

The US provided 497 million dollars in shape of CSF in May 2009. Earlier, the US provided around 100 million dollars on the same head a couple of months back – at the end of last financial year.

Around 300 million dollars were provided through USAID during the last financial year. Recently, the US authorities provided over 100 million dollars for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of the Malakand Division.

“The US ambassador should provide details of 3 billion dollars assistance given to Pakistan during the last one and a half years period,” the official said.

Official sources pointed out that Pakistan was bearing the borrowing cost owing to delays in payments from the US related to the CSF. (ANI)

Ponting warns England that there is more to come from his blade

Nottingham (UK), Sep.17 (ANI): Having retired from Twenty20 cricket and opting to concentrate his energy and skills on the longer versions of the game, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has warned England and other international sides that he can expect telling scores from his long blade.

Speaking on the eve of the sixth one-day international against England to be played here, Ponting said: “My decision to retire from international Twenty20 was to give me the best chance of playing both 50-over cricket and Test match cricket a little bit better, just to free up a couple of extra weeks in the calendar, to get that break, to come back and feel fresh and play better.”

“So I guess looking back at it it’s worked quite well so far, although the proof will be in the pudding in the next couple of years. Looking at the next 12 months there’s a chance that when I don’t play Twenty20 internationals that I’ll probably get another four weeks off. Some of the guys in our change room right now would like to have four weeks off in the calendar, trust me,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying. (ANI)

Extremely tough to win a Grand Slams now, says Murray

London, Sep.17 (ANI): World Number three Andy Murray is of the view that winning a Grand Slam title in the present day and age is far more tougher than it was before, given the kind of talent on show in the tennis circuit.

He said that when players are competing against the likes of Roger Federer, Raphael Nadal and now Juan Martin Del Potro, winning a title was not easy.

“It’s really, really tough to win the slams now so Del Potro’s effort was pretty good. There’s no question that Roger (Federer) and Rafa (Nadal) are two of the best ever. Roger’s people say he’s the best of all time; that’s not really up for debate. And Rafa, providing he stays healthy, I’d expect to get to double figures on slam wins,” The Telegraph quoted Murray, as saying.

“That’s better than any two rivals have managed together and then behind them the standard is very high. There are guys like (Andy) Roddick who’s only managed to win one slam right at the start of that career and he’s a great player,” he added.

Murray, who exited from the US Open in the fourth-round, also said that he wanted to take his mind off his disappointment and move on.

For the moment, he is only concerned about defeating a couple of Polish journeymen to provide Britain with the platform for a victory which would ensure they do not get demoted to the Davis Cup’s third tier for the first time in 13 years. (ANI)

Jim Carrey denies wedding reports

Washington, September 17 (ANI): Jim Carrey has not tied the knot with girlfriend Jenny McCarthy in a special commitment ceremony in Malibu, his publicist has said.

Recent reports said that the couple vowed to be together forever in front of family and friends.

The lovers then purportedly headed to Las Vegas for their own version of a honeymoon, it was also said, reports Contactmusic.

But Carrey’s representative Marleah Leslie has denied the story, saying the claims are “not true”.

The couple have been dating since 2005. (ANI)

Katona’s ‘hubby wants to leak couple’s sex tape on net to ease cash crisis’

London, Sept 16 (ANI): Already troubled Kerry Katona fears getting into more mess as hubby Mark Croft wants to sell off a steamy sex tape of the couple to alleviate their cash crunch, it has emerged.

Pals say Katona’s former taxi driver hubby tried to sell the idea to her, which has made the ex-Atomic Kitten even more anxious about losing the custody of her two daughters, Molly and Lilly Sue, to their father and divorced hubby Brian Nicholas McFadden.

“Mark’s not given up hope by any means. He thinks it’s a guaranteed earner, which could make them anything up to half-a-million,” a pal was quoted by the Daily Star, as saying.

Friends say the 39-year old Croft has no plans to change his mind and he intends to use the cash from the tape’s sale to fund his extravagant lifestyle.

A friend said: “Mark thinks he knows it all and is determined to take over every aspect of Kerry’s life. He thinks that a sex tape of them, which somehow found its way on to the internet, would earn them a lot of cash – at least 250,000 pounds and possibly as much as 500,000 pounds.

“Mark is absolutely obsessed with money and has told Kerry that it could be a life-saver for them, but at the moment she’s having nothing to do with it.

“She’s scared stiff of anything so tacky being the last stop in her attempts to hold on to her two little girls by Brian McFadden.” (ANI)

Mel Gibson’s pregnant lover craves for ice cream, olives

Washington, Sept 16 (ANI): Actor Mel Gibson’s pregnant girlfriend craves for ice cream and olives.

Russian singer Oksana Grigorieva, who is due to give birth to the couple’s first baby in December, has revealed that she can’t stop eating sweet and salty foods.

“I’ve eaten a lot of ice cream. I eat ice cream and then I eat olives. It’s very strange,” Contactmusic quoted her as saying.

Grigorieva, who has a 12-year-old son, Alexander, from a previous relationship is happy to reveal her cravings, however, remains mum on the sex of the baby.

“Well, it’s definitely going to be one of those! I guess we’ll find out soon enough. We’re going to keep it private,” she said. (ANI)

Jolie takes adopted daughter Zahara on first visit to native Ethiopia

Washington, September 16 (ANI): Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie’s eldest daughter Zahara returned to her native Ethiopia for the first time since her adoption four years ago.

The four-year-old flew back home with her mother at the weekend.

It all happened when Jolie, currently in Kenya on a United Nations mission with partner Brad Pitt and their six children, broke away from the trip to cross the border into Ethiopia.

Zahara’s little sister Shiloh, 3, also accompanied them.

However, Pitt and the couple’s other four children stayed behind.

“On a trip to Kenya with their children, Angelina stopped in Dabaab Refugee Camp, and also flew to Ethiopia with Zahara and Shiloh for two days,” Contactmusic quoted a source as having told People.com.

“(It was) the first time Zahara had been back home since her adoption. The trip was about keeping up that culture for her,” the source added.

If reports are to be believed, Jolie is looking for a property to build a tuberculosis and AIDS clinic in Zahara’s name.

The Hollywood couple jointly founded a similar organisation to aid impoverished children-known as the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Project-after adopting their eight-year-old son Maddox from Cambodia in 2002. (ANI)

Jay Z, Beyonce’s pizza night out ‘tradition’

Washington, Sept 16 (ANI): Singer Jay Z and Beyonce Knowles take time out of their busy schedules to eat pizza together every week.

The couple clear their hectic workloads on the weekend to spend quality time together sitting down at a small restaurant in the rapper’s native Brooklyn, New York.

“There’s a great pizza spot we go to every Sunday. It’s our tradition,” Contactmusic quoted Jay Z as saying.

“It’s a small place in Brooklyn – you can bring your own wine and there are candles there. It’s a nice date,” he added.

The couple married in a private ceremony in 2008. (ANI)

Black Widow surrenders weapons in Assam

Guwahati, Sep 16 (ANI): Over 170 guerillas of the Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel) (DHDJ) or Black Widow have commenced surrendering their weapons from Wednesday.

Earlier on Sunday, nearly 193 rebels of the DHDJ had surrendered their weapons well ahead of the deadline given by Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram.

Chidambaram had asked the banned ultras to surrender weapons before September 15.

The DHD (J) is responsible for creating terror in the North Cachar Hill District of Assam for last six years, during which over 300 people have been killed.

Among those who surrendered arms were Daniel Dimasa, Daku Dimasa, David Dimasa and Nalo Dimasa who were considered as hardcore militants.

According to the new rules for facilitating peace talks with the militant organization, an outfit has to first abjure violence by depositing weapons and stay away from extortion by moving to designated camps. Only its top leadership will be allowed to sit for talks.

Defence spokesman, Col.R Kalia, said those who have deposited weapons have been kept in two temporary camps at Kapuchera and Jatinga under heavy escort by troops of the Red Shield Division of the Army.

A formal surrender ceremony would be held at Haflong later in the month in the presence of the State Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, sources said.

The breakaway group of the DHD (J) led by James Dimasa are still undecided on joining the peace process.

According to Additional Director General (Special Branch) Khagen Sarmah, all the cadres of the outfit are expected to surrender their weapons in the next couple of days.

The government has adopted a multi-dimensional strategy in North Cachar Hills with strong deployment of security forces.

The brigade headquarters of the Army at Haflong has coordinating all the efforts.

Till now 373 insurgents have come over-ground depositing 136 weapons including AK series weapons, M16 rifles, INSAS rifles, rocket launchers, grenades and wireless sets, sources said. (ANI)

Pietersen making slow recovery from Achilles surgery

London, Sep 14(ANI): England batsman Kevin Pietersen has said that he is making a slow and steady recovery from the Achilles tendon surgery and is targeting a return to action during England’s South Africa.

“I saw a couple of surgeons during the week and it is very slow at the moment. I’ve got an open wound in my leg and I’m only truly hoping to get back in time for the tour to South Africa,” The Mirror quoted Pietersen, as saying.

The 29-year-old has suffered complications in his recovery from the Achilles surgery that forced him out of the last three Ashes Tests, the seven match ODI series against Australia and the Champions Trophy.

Following absence of experienced players like Pietersen, all-rounder Andrew Flintoff and wicketkeeper Matt Prior due to injury, the inexperienced team is in dire straits in the seven match ODI series, where Australia have taken an unassailable 4-0 lead. (ANI)

Penelope Cruz admits she wants kids in future

London, September 13 (ANI): Oscar-winning actress Penelope Cruz has finally revealed her secret “baby desire”.

The star, whose animated Disney film ‘G-Force’ hits the big screen later this month, has admitted that she wants to have children in future.

Her confession comes at a time when she is rumoured to be pregnant with her current beau Javier Bardem’s child.

“Of course I want to have my own kids, as well as adopt some. I love children and I have a tendency to become a mother to everyone around me. I believe in family, love and children and my life wouldn’t be complete without children,” the Daily Express quoted her as saying.

Although unconfirmed, rumours that the happy couple were expecting their first child started in early August, when Cruz was pictured on some red carpets looking tired, and sporting what could be a baby bump.

Cruz refused to comment on the rumour. (ANI)