US has over a million gangsters

New York :More than one million people, mostly youth, are involved in gangs in the US, say official statistics

According to a Department of Justice report, there were around 800,000 gangsters in 2005, which increased to over one million in 2008, Prensa Latina news agency reported.

Estimates showed that some 900,000 are active, while more than 145,000 are imprisoned in jails across the country.

In New York, there were about 20,000 criminals…

Punjab to reward sting operations against sex tests

Chandigarh : Carrying out a sting operation to expose illegal sex determination tests in Punjab can now earn you a reward of Rs 50,000, a minister announced.

Punjab has a sex ratio of 893 females per 1,000 males, one of the worst among states in the country.

Embarrassed by the poor sex ratio, Punjab Health Minister Satpal Gosain announced an award for any journalist or non-journalist who expose female foeticide through…

This British mogul cannot read!

London : He has raised a 400 million pound (over $650 million) property empire and is ranked 200th on the British Rich List — one would consider Andreas Panayiotou to be a man adept at reading up on business propositions and easily wading through lengthy legal contracts at times.

But remarkably,…

Second man on moon files for divorce

Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, the second man to step on the moon after Neil Armstrong, has filed for divorce from his third wife.

The 81-year-old Aldrin was married for 23 years to Lois Driggs Cannon.

He filed a divorce petition at a Los Angeles court. In the petition he cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason.

The couple married…

New fast attack craft joins Indian Navy

Kochi: India added a new warship to its fleet with the commissioning of a fast attack craft here that can aid in anti-piracy operations in the Arabian Sea.

The craft, INS Kabra, is named after an island in the Andaman…

Indians on death row get 34 days to reach blood money deal

Dubai: Seventeen Indians on death row for the murder of a Pakistani national in Sharjah have been granted over a month’s time by a UAE appeals court to reach a blood money settlement with the victim’s family. Following stalled negotiations over blood money, the Sharjah Court of Appeal adjourned the case again and the next hearing is scheduled to be held on July 20. While ordering the 34-day adjournment yesterday, the…

Indian curry makes merry at eateries in Phuket

Patong (Thailand): With over 25 Indian restaurants in this tourist town in Phukhet, eateries like Tantra, Indian Curry Club and Ali Baba are adding much variety to the international cuisine already available, keeping their cash registers ringing.

“We are seeing a boom among Indian restaurants here,” says Kolkata-born Aaffzal Khan, 39, the proprietor…

Italian magazine proposes Indian archbishop for Nobel Prize

Guwahati: A mass circulated Italian magazine has recommended Archbishop of Guwahati Thomas Menamparampil for the coveted Nobel Peace Prize for his initiative in brokering peace in the region’s conflicts.

“I never worked or craved for any recognition, but I am simply overwhelmed by the nomination,” the archbishop said.

“I would continue with my work and my mission for peace irrespective…

India issues over 5,000 visas on arrival till May

New Delhi: India has issued over 5,000 visas on arrival to foreigners from 11 countries till May this year, the tourism ministry said.

The maximum numbers were from the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia and New Zealand.

While 865 visas on arrival were issued in May, it was 1,234 in April, according to a statement issued here.

“A total of 5,004 visas on arrival were issued till May this year,” the statement added.

The highest…

India asks Diaspora to become partners in progress

Toronto: Calling the Indian Diaspora its bridge of friendship to the world, India invited the million-strong Indo-Canadian community to become a part of its success story.

Speaking at the opening of the fifth regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas at a gala dinner here, Preneet Kaur, India’s minister of state for external affairs, said the Indian Diaspora has become “an important partner for India’s prosperity” by sending remittances back home, making investments,…