Tim Burton to head Cannes’ film jury in May

Tim Burton to head Cannes’ film jury

PARIS — American filmmaker Tim Burton will head the jury at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.

Aaron Stovitz, removed as Manson prosecutor for media comments, dies at 86

Aaron Stovitz, original Manson prosecutor, dies

Moscow forbids gay pride parade

MOSCOW - A planned gay rights parade will not be able to take place in Moscow after a ruling by its mayor, Yuri Lushkov, the Itar Tass news agency reported Monday.

Dozens of Americans, Canadians sought asylum in UK from 2004 to 2008

Dozens of Americans, Canadians sought asylum in UK

Judge rules key statements inadmissible, setting back prosecution of top aide to Zimbabwean PM

Zimbabwe prosecution set back in PM aide case

Sara Netanyahu sues Israeli paper for libel; says ‘Maariv’ out to get her

Sara Netanyahu sues Israeli paper for libel

Application form not correctly filled can be rejected: court

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Monday ruled that any form which is not properly filled by the candidate can be rejected outright.

Divorcee claims maintenance, court raps her for contempt

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Monday slapped a fine on a woman for contempt, taking serious note of the fact that she had concealed she was employed and continued to claim maintenance from her husband, and filed cases against him despite an undertaking to court.

Apex court warns political parties against blocking roads

NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Monday warned various political parties, agitating for a separate Gorkhaland, against blocking the sole road linking Sikkim to the rest of the country.

China’s ’second child’ policy report untrue: official

BEIJING - China Monday refuted media reports that the government would allow couples to have a second child.

Bifurcating Supreme Court: Government yet to take view

NEW DELHI - The government is yet to consider setting up regional branches of the Supreme Court in metropolitan cities as recommended by the Law Commission of India, Minister of Law and Justice M. Veerappa Moily said Monday.

Chinese couples may now have two children

BEIJING - In a major shift in policy, China, the world’s most populous nation, may allow couples to have a second child.

Zardari’s presidential nomination challenged

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s eligibility to contest the presidential elections has been challenged before the Election Commission of Pakistan following the Supreme Court declaring the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) as unconstitutional and illegal.

Sanskrit scholar gets national communal harmony award

NEW DELHI - Noted Sanskrit scholar Mohd. Hanif Khan Shastri and the Centre for Human Rights and Social Welfare (CHRSW) of Rajasthan have been selected for the National Communal Harmony Awards for 2009.

Court issues notices to ‘Veer’ makers, Salman Khan

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Monday issued notices to production house Eros International Pvt Ltd and actor Salman Khan on a complaint of copyright violation in the just-released Hindi film “Veer”.

Number of undertrials to be reduced, says Moily

NEW DELHI - The number of undertrials in jails across the country will be reduced by two-thirds within six months, Law and Justice Minister M. Veerappa Moily said Monday.

Nothing will happen to deemed varsities: Apex court

NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Monday restrained the central government from derecognising 44 deemed universities for their questionable academic performance or poor infrastructure.

UAE says human rights report is ‘unbalanced’

ABU DHABI - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has said that a report by international rights watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) was “unbalanced” and a “factually-incorrect” account of the human rights developments in the country.

Ruchika case: High Court grants interim bail to Rathore (Leas: Rathore)

PANCHKULA - The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday granted interim bail to accused former Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) SPS Rathore for the first two FIRS registered against him in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case and asked the CBI to give four days notice to Rathore if he is to be arrested.

Musharraf to be put on trial upon return to Pakistan in violation of ‘clandestine’ deal

ISLAMABAD - If former dictator Pervez Musharraf returns to Pakistan to participate in the country’s politics, the ruling Pakistan People’s Party government would put him on trial in the Nawab Akbar Bugti murder case as well as illegal detention of Supreme Court judges case, sources aware of the ‘exit deal’ have revealed.

Ruchika case: High Court to hear Rathore’s bail petition

PANCHKULA - The Punjab and Haryana High Court will on Monday hear two anticipatory bail applications and a petition demanding cancellation of abetment to suicide charges against former Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) SPS Rathore in connection with the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case.

53 troopers plead guilty to Bangladesh Rifles mutiny

DHAKA - Fifty three troopers of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) have pleaded guilty and begged for mercy for participating in last year’s mutiny that left 74 people dead.

Guatemalan court issues arrest warrant for ex-president

Guatemala City, Jan 25 (IANS/EFE) A Guatemalan court has issued an arrest warrant for former president Alfonso Portillo, who is being investigated for corruption and whose extradition has been requested by the US so that he can be brought to trial there for money laundering, judicial officials said.