Huge Fire Breaks Out In Central London

A huge fire has broken out in central London. About 75 firefighters are tackling a blaze on the roof of a building in central London.

The London Fire Brigade was called to the 10-storey building housing a hotel and flats being refurbished in the Aldwych area of the city. A number of roads have been closed in the area as more than a dozen fire engines fought the blaze.

London Ambulance said it was on standby at the scene, but it had not treated anyone.

Some roads in Aldwych have been closed due to the fire, while southbound traffic on Kingsway from High Holborn is also blocked.

All traffic from Waterloo Bridge is being diverted down the Strand to Trafalgar Square.

Posted in: Breaking News

UK Government 'Spying' On Julian Assange

The British government has been accused of spying on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, sparking an outrage among civil rights campaigners in the country.

A video released by WikiLeaks claim that three cameras have been erected outside the entrance of his temporary home in Ellingham Hall, Norfolk, to keep track of people visiting him.

"We suddenly noticed them appearing since we have been here. We believe they are monitoring everything that goes in and out of the property," Sarah Harrison, one of the WikiLeaks' team, was quoted as saying in the video, titled 'House Arrest', published by Telegraph online.

"I am not an expert on cameras but I believe that these take number plates and report number plates. I think the country is full of them but I don?t know why I need quite so many of them around my house," said Vaughan Smith, the owner of the Ellingham Hall, where Assange moved into in mid-- December as he fights extradition to Sweden over allegations of sexual crimes.

The 39-year-old Australian has denied charges.

But the clamp on his movement and spying on his visitors has sparked an outrage, with civil liberties campaign groups slamming the government.

"Regardless of the allegations made against Mr Assange, he has not been charged with any crime," said Daniel Hamilton, director of Big Brother Watch.

"For his movements ? and those of his visitors ? to be monitored in this way constitutes an outrageous invasion of personal privacy. These cameras must be removed immediately," he demanded.

Posted in: Breaking News

UNSC Separates Al-Qaeda, Taliban Sanctions List

The UN Security Council has split a key sanctions list on the Taliban and al-Qaeda to inspire the radical Islamic militia to join the reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan.

The Security Council voted 15 to 0 to adopt two resolutions - a new blacklist of individuals and organisations linked to al-Qaeda and another of those connected with Taliban.

The move will distinguish between the Taliban and al-Qaeda in the enforcement of the travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo imposed in 1999.

The resolution "sends a clear message to the Taliban that there is a future for those who separate from al-Qaeda, renounce violence and abide by the Afghan constitution," US Ambassador Susan Rice was quoted as saying by the CNN.

While, Mark Lyall Grant, the UK ambassador to the UN, told the the Council: "It sends a clear signal that now is the time for the Taliban to come forward and join the political process."

The two resolutions, 1988 and 1989, also give the Afghan government a greater role in determining who is on the Taliban sanctions list.

The UNSC last year created an ombudsman to review appeals from individuals who wanted to be delisted. The new resolutions allow the ombudsman to make recommendations on delistings, which the Council can overturn only by consensus vote.

"The link between al-Qaeda and the Taliban has not disappeared, but it's not the same as in 1999," French Ambassador G?rard Araud told the UNSC.

The resolutions spearheaded by the US and co-sponsored by Britain, France, Germany and Portugal maintain sanctions on around 310 individuals, entities and organizations with links to al-Qaeda and about 140 with Taliban links.

The US is set to begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan the next month.

Posted in: Breaking News

India To Get Access To Information On Swiss Accounts

The Swiss Parliament on Friday gave approval to amendments to tax treaties with countries, including India, that makes it easier for them to access information about the illegal funds held by their nationals in Swiss private banks.

The upper house of the Swiss Parliament endorsed amendments to double-taxation agreements in line with internationally applicable standards.

Governments which have signed DTAAs can now secure easy legal assistance and information as well as identify an account holder from their territories by providing an IBAN number or social security number.

The new amendments to Swiss banking secrecy laws can still be challenged by a popular referendum within 100 days, analysts said.

The beneficiaries from the new amendments include India, Germany, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, Greece, Turkey, Uruguay, Kazakhstan, and Poland.

The Swiss Parliament approval comes at a time when the Indian government is facing intense pressure from the Opposition, the Supreme Court and civil society to bring back black money stashed away in tax havens.

In January this year, a Swiss Parliamentary panel has given go-ahead to revised tax treaty with India.

As per the revised taxation treaty with Switzerland, India can get information on secret bank accounts from Swiss authorities for cases dating from January 2011.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Swiss Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey signed a "protocol" to amend the double taxation agreement (DTA) in the area of taxes on income on August 30, 2010.

Posted in: Breaking News

Will Continue To Entertain You: Rajinikanth To Fans

Tamil Superstar Rajinikanth, who has been discharged from a Singapore hospital, on Saturday assured his fans that he will be back to acting very soon and finish shooting his current flick 'Rana', ending speculations that the period film has been shelved.

On a philosophical note, the actor, who underwent treatment for reported kidney problem in Singapore, said while the man's duty was only to spin the coin in the air during a game, "It is Lord Almighty who decided which way it fell on the ground, Head or Tail."

"In this game concerning me, while it was money, medicine, science and the best doctors on one side, it was the prayers, special homams and fasts on the other side (by his fans). My 100 per cent belief is that these saved me," he said in a four-page handwritten letter to his fans from Singapore where he is convalescing after his hospital stint.

After treatment in two Chennai hospitals, the 61-year old actor was shifted to Singapore.

In the letter, a copy of which was released to the media, he said the gesture by his fans and others proved what love "Rajini enjoys among people," and that they consider him as a brother, friend and a son.

"I will not forget this for ages. I don't have the words to thank you all. Henceforth, my ambition is to entertain you all. I will appear in Rana soon and entertain you," he said, ending speculations that the movie in which he is pairing with Deepika Padukone has been shelved due to his ill-health.

Posted in: Breaking News

Lokpal Bill: Govt May Soon Call An All-Party Meet

With the issue of bringing Prime Minister within the ambit of the Lokpal remaining a ticklish affair, Government is expected to soon call an all-party meeting to seek views across the political spectrum.

This became clear on Saturday after a meeting of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi had with top party leaders favouring such parleys against the backdrop of widening differences between the government and the civil society representatives led by Anna Hazare on the issue.

Grappling with the issue and other sensitive matters like Telangana, the Congress Core Group headed by Gandhi met on Saturday, the second meeting coming just after its two-hour long deliberations last night. Saturday's meeting also discussed Telangana problem.

The Hazare camp is pitching for inclusion of Prime Minister as also higher judiciary in the proposed Lokpal bill during meetings of the Joint Committee to draft the measure which will now be meeting on June 20 and 21.

Government is prima facie opposed to the inclusion of Prime Minister within the ambit of Lokpal but was open to the idea of covering him once he demits office.

HRD Minister Sibal on Saturday said, "within the government, we feel prima facie, the Prime Minister should not be covered (under the Lokpal). But at the same time we want to make sure that if he demits office, he should not be exonerated from prosecution."

Posted in: Breaking News

Unseen Sona Sexy Images

Posted in: Tamil Actress

Unseen Amitabh Bachan Photos

Posted in: Bollywood Actors

Surya's Unseen Childhood Photos

Posted in: Tamil Actors

Vijay's Unseen Childhood Photos

Posted in: Tamil Actors