Nigerian Dupes Manipur Woman of Rs 6.5 Lakh

New Delhi, Nov 19 : A Nigerian national has been arrested in Delhi for duping a woman working in Gurgaon of Rs.6.5 lakh, police said Thursday.

Leonard Amaechi alias Jackson was arrested from south Delhi's Safdarjung Enclave Tuesday evening following a complaint by the woman from Manipur. She had befriended him through internet chatting.

'Leonard Amaechi alias Jackson was arrested for allegedly cheating a Manipuri woman of Rs.6.5 lakh. She filed a complaint that she has some suspicion about Jackson whom she befriended through internet chatting,' said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ashok Chand.

According to police, during Internet chatting he claimed to be an Italian national based in Iraq. The two also expressed desire to marry each other.

During their interactions, the woman was allegedly tricked into transferring money into the bank accounts of Jackson's friends.

'She transferred Rs.50,000, Rs.1.85 lakh and Rs.3.40 lakh in two bank accounts on his request in the course of two weeks,' said Chand.

Jackson met her at her residence Oct 29 on the pretext of returning her money. There he showed her some black papers - described as black dollars - that could be converted into US dollars by treating them with a chemical.

'He treated two black dollar paper leaves with a chemical and through sleight of hand showed her two currency notes of $100 each. Thereafter, he left with the assurance that he would deliver 50,000 black dollars to her shortly,' said Chand.

According to police, Jackson allegedly told her Tuesday that black dollars were ready but he needed Rs.3 lakh for procuring the chemical to treat the black dollar paper leaves for transforming them into US dollars.

'This is when the woman got suspicious and informed police who arrested him when he came to collect Rs.3 lakh,' said Chand.

Tibet Dam is First in Series

Beijing, Nov 19 : Construction of Tibet’s first large hydropower station is likely to be the first of more projects to dam the Yarlung Tsangpo or the Brahmaputra that flows into northeast India. On Thursday, the Global Times said that Fan Xiao, an engineer with the Sichuan bureau of Geological Exploration

and Exploration of Mineral Resources, told the paper that the ‘interception of the river was just the beginning of a series of water projects in the region’.

The paper said the 510 MW Zangmu hydropower station ‘would not dramatically impact downstream areas’.

China has assured India that damming the world’s highest river will not divert water flowing to India. Indian officials have no access to the site of the 1.2 billion dollar project in Gyaca county, 325 km southeast of the Tibetan capital Lhasa.

While a latest Xinhua dispatch quoted an official project contractor saying that the river flow would not be stopped during construction, an earlier Chinese media report said ‘the closure of the Yarlung Tsangpo River on November 12 marks the beginning of the construction of the main project of the Zangmu hydropower station.’ On November 15, the China Daily headline said ‘river closed to build Tibet’s hydropower station’.

The station will have six 85-MW power-generating units. In May, HT reported that Chinese engineers were lobbying Beijing to dam the upper Brahmaputra in Tibet with the world’s biggest 38,000 MW hydroelectric project and several smaller dams and tunnels. These plans are not finalised.

Bikini Girls Distract Atheletes

Asiad bikini girls distract volleyball players

Asiad bikini girls distract volleyball players

GUANGZHOU, China : Bikini-wearing Asian Games beach volleyball cheer squads are proving too hot for some competitors who claim the scantily-clad dancers make it impossible to concentrate.

"They had an effect on how we played," Yemen beach volleyballer Adeeb Mahfoudh told the Tianfu Morning News on Wednesday.

"I think they had something to do with our losing the match."

The Yemeni men's team lost their Tuesday clash to an apparently more focused team from Indonesia, the paper said.

Organisers of the Guangzhou Asiad have hired four cheerleader squads, each made up of eight girls in swimsuits, to entertain fans during breaks in the beach volleyball action, said the newspaper.

Besides cheering on the already capacity crowds, the girls also perform routines that include traditional Chinese elements including martial arts and fan dancing.

"These girls are very beautiful. With them here, more people will pay attention to beach volleyball," smiled Mahfoudh.

"If I can, I hope to watch them perform at the next match."

During an "inspection" tour on Tuesday, Kenneth Fok, deputy delegation head of Team Hong Kong -- and reportedly romantically involved with China's Olympic diving champion Guo Jingjing -- said the beach volleyball venue was "orderly" and the rally team "sexy," the paper said.

China Admits What Was Feared, It Is Damming Brahmaputra

New Delhi, Nov 18 : China has finally acknowledged that it is building a massive hydel power project on the Brahmaputra before the river enters India. The first of six power generating units of the 510 MW Zangmu hydel project will be commissioned by 2014.

China's state news agency Xinhua reported that the "formal start of construction" happened on November 12. The Indian Express reported Chinese plans to dam the Brahmaputra, along with satellite images of the site, over a year ago, in October 2009.

Given the strategic implications of the project, a committee of secretaries headed by the Cabinet Secretary has been monitoring developments on the site using satellite images and other techniques.

Beijing has assured New Delhi at the highest levels that the project is 'run-of-the-river', which would have no impact downstream -- a line it repeated after Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao raised the issue during the strategic dialogue.

Indian officials and experts, however, continue to be apprehensive about the project. The Chinese People's Daily has reported that the dam's "main function is power generation, but it can also be used for flood control and irrigation" -- which, experts said, would require the diversion and storage of water.

"While power generation could either be a storage project or a run-of-the-river project, the flood control feature requires storage structures. And the irrigation feature would mean water would be diverted. These features are of concern to India," said a senior official of the Ministry of Water Resources.

Xinhua though, quoted Li Chaoyi, chief engineer of the China Huaneng Group, the project's main contractor, as saying, "The river will not be stopped during construction... After it becomes operational, the river water will flow downstream through water turbines and sluices. So the water volume downstream will not be cut."

The project, which is located 325 km from Lhasa, is estimated to have an average annual capacity of 2.5 billion KWH. Xinhua said the project, each of whose six units would have an installed capacity of generating 85 MW, will require an investment of about 7.9 billion yuan. China has been drawing parallels between Zangmu and India's Baglihar, a run-of-the-river project on the Chenab before it flows into Pakistan.

However, while the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty remains the guiding principle for the sharing of river waters between India and Pakistan, no such treaty exists with China, and Beijing continues to be reluctant to enter into one.

Source: Indian Express

'Buy a Truck, Get a Free AK-47'

That's an unusual promotion launched by a used auto dealership in the US.

Nations Trucks in Florida has introduced the scheme of a complimentary Soviet-style AK-47 assualt rifle with every purchase to help it through the sluggish US economic recovery,'The Daily Telegraph' online reported.

The dealership has more than doubled sales since the offer was announced last week, according to Nick Ginetta, the general sales manager.

A poster in Nations' office window proclaims "FREE AK-47" above a large illustration of the gun, which is by far the biggest-selling assault rifle of all time.

Ginetta said rather than handing out the guns itself, the firm has been giving truck buyers a US dollars 400 voucher which could be redeemed for an assault AK-47 rifle at a nearby firearms shop.

"I don't think it sends the wrong message," said Ginetta, who insisted the dealership was merely allowing customers to assert their rights under the Second Amendment of the Constitution.

"You don't need to buy a truck to go and buy an AK-47. You have the right to do that as long as you meet all state and federal laws. So it's just a promotion," he was quoted as telling a local television.

Ginetta claimed that under the scheme, which runs until the end of November, all customers would be subjected to background checks before being able to obtain a firearm.

Source: Agencies

Meet the 'Spanish Beauty'

Even as Indian media houses went overboard with their so-called reports of the Hrithik-Suzanne break-up, Roshan Junior had rubbished it saying that he was having "a picnic" with his wife and their kids. The cynical scribes of Mumbai had, however, averred that Hrithik had been taken in by a huge Mexican wave!

Barbara Mori is the name, and Latin media dubs her as "the quintessential man-eater"!!!

Here are some sizzling snaps of the Mexican delight, whose 'Spanish Beauty' is set for release in India, this Friday.

Barbara Mori was born on February 2, 1978 in Uruguay.

She was born to a Japanese father and a Mexican mother. She has a son from a short-lived relationship with actor Sergio Mayer.

Barbara has a Hindi tattoo inked on her forearm.

Mori made her debut in the fashion world as a model for fashion designer Marcos Toledo.

She made her movie debut with 'Inspiración' in 2000.

Mori's famous onscreen outings include 'Azul', 'Me muero por tí', 'Amor descarado' and the highly–rated Mexican soap opera 'Rubí'.

She has dated Sergio Mayer, Paulina Rubio and Jose Maria Torre.

She made her Bollywood debut opposite Hrithik Roshan in 'Kites'.

Mori's favourite actors are Dustin Hoffman, Sean Penn, Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep. '21 Grams' is her favourite movie. Her dream is to work with Francis Ford Coppola.

Mori has her own lingerie line, and uses her image to support charitable causes.

Her upcoming release in India is 'Spanish Beauty'.

'Spanish Beauty' is the Hindi dubbed version of critically acclaimed and super-hit Mexican film 'La mujer de mi hermano'.

'Spanish Beauty' stars Mexican superstar Angelica Aragon, Barbara Mori, Manolo Cardona and Christian Meier.

Barbara Mori on Bollywood: "I do wish to work with some of the finest directors in Bollywood. And, I would love to work with Shah Rukh Khan."

Barbara on Hrithik: "I am in touch with Hrithik and Suzanne. We've become good friends."

Source: India Syndicate

Images: Bollywood Hungama, MovieTalkies

Beauty Pageants Ban Bikinis

Are they meant for men's eyes only?

Women's clothes have always managed to be in the news for some reason or the other. If the French are fighting tooth and nail against the burqa, just across the Channel, the English have started campaigning against the bikini.

Two pageants, Miss England and Miss Great Britain made some radical changes to get rid of the bikini. While earlier this year, Miss England axed its swimwear round and replaced it with a sports activity round, Miss Great Britain recently banned the two-piece bikini in their pageant. The reason? The pageant is all about a good all-round person rather than a flawless pin-up, says Former Miss England, lance corporal Katrina Hodge (aka Combat Barbie).

And at Miss Great Britain, a spokesperson reportedly said, "The contest used to be run by men wanting to see young virginal girls they could fantasise about." Now with a new owner, things seem to be changing. They have even allowed single mothers to participate.

THE FITNESS ISSUE

BACK HOME in India, we got some mixed reactions. Former beauty queens have welcomed the single mother move, but aren't against the swimwear round. "I don't think the round is meant for men. Fitness is an important factor in all such pageants and you can't really judge a woman's fitness while she is wearing a gown. Yes, if they have a sports activity round, they can judge the contestants. You can't somehow rule out the fitness factor in a beauty pageant," says former Miss India Gul Panag.

But even if they have a sports activity round for fitness, the contestants might be at a loss when they have to compete in another international pageant such as Miss World. "It would be a disadvantage for girls who have qualified for Miss World, says former Miss World, Diana Hayden. The swimsuit round is more about being classy than vulgar. "Everything boils down to one thing - and that is the way a woman is projected. Women are projected in a very classy manner in these pageants and it doesn't look cheap at all," she says. A skimpily dressed woman will look obscene in a badly made movie, and beautiful in a classy film, she argues. "These contests are not for satiating male appetite for skimpily dressed girls - we have come a long way from that. These pageants are run by respected families and are watched by families, she says. It was a family show enjoyed by all - not just dads, uncles and grandpas. Moms, aunties and grandmas too were hooked to their seats when high-heeled girls walked the ramp and talked about feeding poor children in Africa.

But over the years, beauty pageants seem to have become just a stepping stone for girls to get into showbiz, complains Ira Trivedi.

HAPPY TO SEE IT GO

TRIVEDI, who participated in Femina Miss India in 2004 but didn't make it and wrote the book, What Would You Do to Save the World?: Confessions of a Could-Have-Been Beauty Queen, is quite happy with the move. "Beauty pageants have been designed for male eyes only. Instead of creating goodwill ambassadors they are creating sex symbols," says Trivedi.

The past decade has certainly seen almost all beauty queens entering showbiz - even the ones who managed an entry into Bollywood talked about "world peace" and role models such as Mother Teresa at the pageants. Trivedi, however, feels they could have been the "breeding ground for goodwill ambassadors" instead. "I think it is a good step and the rest of the world should follow suit," she says.

For Ira, who did not have a modelling or acting background, the swimsuit round was quite nerve-wracking. "Getting judged by people while you're so skimpily dressed can be pretty uncomfortable," she says. The argument is unlikely to die down very easily.

Human Trafficking Reduced in Northeast India

Agartala, Nov 18 : National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has revealed that the total number of cases registered under the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act, 1956 got reduced substantially in first three quarters of 2010 in the Northeast India states.

According to report, trafficking of human beings, including children and minor girls, were recorded to be 43 in 2009 and till September of this year it got reduced to six only in all the eight NE states.

NCRB record showed, Manipur and Meghalaya registered two such cases each while Assam and Sikkim, registered one cases each, but there was no such report from Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland and Mizoram.

As part of the legal measures, Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act, 1956, supplemented by the Indian Penal Code, prohibits and offer penalties for combating the crime of human trafficking in all the states.

Funds had also been sanctioned for establishing 18 Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) in the NE states and financial assistance, under 21 Ujjawala projects, was provided on the recommendation of NE states for prevention of trafficking, rescue, rehabilitation and re-integration of victims of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.