Bestwoods

If you happen to be a Chinese phone user, here's a shocking piece of news for you. In one of the most bizarre events, a 25-year old man from the Panchmahal district of Gujarat died after being electrocuted by his China-made phone.

The incident occurred when 25-year-old Dhanji Damor was trying to make a call while his phone was plugged in for charging. The victim was pronounced dead by doctors due to electrocution.

Already, the low-cost unbranded China-made handsets have seen the Indian government cracking down upon them for failing to comply on the security standards. Last year, the government was mulling to adopt various steps, including strict surveillance of grey market deals and restriction on import of devices without proper code.

A British businessman and a North Korean diplomat are facing charges of running a multi-million pound racket of stolen super luxury cars.

The duo were evading hefty import duties by claiming the cars were for diplomatic use, while in actuality they sold it to rich and famous at half the original prices, London's The Telegraph Group reported.

The smuggling operation came to fore following a tax investigation that forced the nervous buyers, including Bollywood superstars and cricket players scrambling to abandon the vehicles and avoid arrest.

Among the 40 cars that are currently impounded are models like Porsche Panameras, sold in India for £250,000 (Dh1.5 million), a Bentley Continental Supersport, costing £350,000, several Aston Martin Rapides, with a price tag of £290,000, and a Maserati costing £170,000.

According to officials from India's Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, the scheme to cheat its tax authority out of millions of pounds centres on a British-Indian car dealer in Britain who arranged shipments to India where demand for luxurious cars is insatiable.

Detectives hope to take their investigation to London where a number of Britons are suspected of involvement. They are also preparing to approach North Korea and Vietnam to uncover more information about the roles played by their diplomats in New Delhi. Investigators believe they were lured into the scheme by dealers to exploit diplomatic tax concessions. Duties on imported luxury cars are 100 per cent of their import value.

Osama bin Laden, the face of global terrorism and architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, was killed in a firefight with elite American forces on Monday, then quickly buried at sea in a stunning finale to a furtive decade on the run. 

Long believed to be hiding in caves, bin Laden was tracked down in a costly, custom-built hideout not far from a Pakistani military academy. 

``Justice has been done,'' US President Barack Obama said in a dramatic announcement at the White House while a crowd cheered outside and hundreds more gathered at ground zero in Manhattan to celebrate the news. 

The military operation took mere minutes. 

US helicopters ferrying elite counter-terrorism troops into the compound identified by the CIA as bin Laden's hideout _ and back out again in less than 40 minutes. Bin Laden was shot in the head, officials said, after he and his bodyguards resisted the assault. 

Three adult males were also killed in the raid, including one of bin Laden's sons, whom officials did not name. One of bin Laden's sons, Hamza, is a senior member of al-Qaida. 

US officials also said one woman was killed when she was used as a shield by a male combatant, and two other women were injured. 

The U.S. official who disclosed the burial at sea said it would have been difficult to find a country willing to accept the remains. Obama said the remains had been handled in accordance with Islamic custom, which requires speedy burial. 

``I heard a thundering sound, followed by heavy firing. Then firing suddenly stopped. Then more thundering, then a big blast,'' said Mohammad Haroon Rasheed, a resident of Abbottobad, Pakistan, after the choppers had swooped in and then out again. 

The 54-year-old bin Laden's death marks a psychological triumph in a long struggle that began with the Sept. 11 attacks, and seems certain to give Obama a political lift. But its ultimate impact on al-Qaida is less clear. 

The greatest terrorist threat to the U.S. is now considered to be the al-Qaida franchise in Yemen, far from al-Qaida's core in Pakistan. The Yemen branch almost took down a US-bound airliner on Christmas 2009 and nearly detonated explosives aboard two U.S. cargo planes last fall. Those operations were carried out without any direct involvement from bin Laden. 

The few fiery minutes in Abbottobad followed years in which US officials struggled to piece together clues that ultimately led to bin Laden, according to an account provided by senior administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the operation. 

Based on statements given by US detainees since the Sept. 11 attacks, they said, intelligence officials have long known that bin Laden trusted one al-Qaida courier in particular, and they believed he might be living with him in hiding. 

Four years ago, the United States learned the man's identity, which officials did not disclose, and then about two years later, they identified areas of Pakistan where he operated. Last August, the man's residence was found, officials said. 

``Intelligence analysis concluded that this compound was custom built in 2005 to hide someone of significance,'' with walls as high as 18 feet (5 1/2 meters) and topped by barbed wire, according to one official. Despite the compound's estimated $1 million cost and two security gates, it had no phone or Internet running into the house. 

By mid-February, intelligence from multiple sources was clear enough that Obama wanted to ``pursue an aggressive course of action,'' a senior administration official said. Over the next two and a half months, the president led five meetings of the National Security Council focused solely on whether bin Laden was in that compound and, if so, how to get him, the official said. 

Obama made a decision to launch the operation on Friday, shortly before flying to Alabama to inspect tornado damage, and aides set to work on the details. 

The president spent part of his Sunday on the golf course, but cut his round short to return to the White House for a meeting where he and top national security aides reviewed final preparations for the raid. 

Two hours later, Obama was told that bin Laden had been tentatively identified. 

CIA director Leon Panetta was directly in charge of the military team during the operation, according to one official, and when he and his aides received word at agency headquarters that bin Laden had been killed, cheers broke out around the conference room table. 

Administration aides said the operation was so secretive that no foreign officials were informed in advance, and only a small circle inside the US government was aware of what was unfolding half a world away. 

In his announcement, Obama said he had called Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari after the raid, and said it was ``important to note that our counter-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding.'' 

One senior administration told reporters, though, ``we were very concerned ... that he was inside Pakistan, but this is something we're going to continue to work with the Pakistani government on.'' 

The compound is about a half-mile from a Pakistani military academy, in a city that is home to three army regiments and thousands of military personnel. Abbottabad is surrounded by hills and with mountains in the distance. 

Critics have long accused elements of Pakistan's security establishment of protecting bin Laden, though Islamabad has always denied it, and in a statement the foreign ministry said his death showed the country's resolve in the battle against terrorism. 

Whatever the global repercussions, bin Laden's death marked the end to a manhunt that consumed most of a decade that began in the grim hours after bin Laden's hijackers flew planes into the World Trade Center twin towers in Manhattan and the Pentagon across the Potomac River from Washington. A fourth plane was commandeered by passengers who overcame the hijackers and forced the plane to crash in the Pennsylvania countryside. 

In all, nearly 3,000 were killed in the worst terror attacks on American soil. 

Former President George W. Bush, who was in office on the day of the attacks, issued a written statement hailing bin Laden's death as a momentous achievement. ``The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done,'' he said. 

Bengali beauty Raima Sen is bonding with the Australian pace bowler Brett Lee nowadays.

Lee, who is currently in India to play for Shahrukh Khan’s IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, apparently has a fan in the sloe-eyed stunner Raima Sen. She recently went on a date with Lee.

A day before the date, Raima herself wrote on her Twitter page: “And lunch with BRET LEE tomorrow....keep u posted”.

However, the lunch date turned into a coffee date, for she wrote after meeting Lee: “Had coffee with Brett Lee....it was fab.”

Wonder what happened to the lunch with the Kolkata Knight Rider player? She also put up a snapshot of hers with Lee and a photographer.

TEAM India's dogged determination despite losing the wickets of Virendra Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar in quick succession spelt doom for bookies, even as it helped a popular south Indian actor net a cool Rs 40 crore.

"Some Bollywood celebrities held a meeting with bookies at Lokhandwala before heading to the stadium. Lekin saara paisa woh Madras ka hero le kar gaya," lamented a bookie.

Bookie losses

Odds oscillated wildly throughout yesterday's match, with India ceding the favourites tag to Sri Lanka after Tendulkar's early exit.

The Men in Blue started out at 57 paise, which climbed to Rs 1.18 when India was 31-2. The Sri Lankans then became favourites with their odds at 81 paise as opposed to the Rs 1.70 they had started out with.

Things changed again when Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli consolidated the innings without letting the asking rate shoot up. 

"We had to switch off our phones for more than 15 minutes to avoid taking more bets on India. It was only after Kohli fell to Dilshan that we accepted bets again. 

But Dhoni's knock made India the firm favourites one more time. God was not with us and we lost a lot of money," said a bookie.  

Sources said more than Rs 25,000 crore was bet on Saturday's match in cricket-loving countries such as India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand and Dubai.

A Pakistani comedian died while participating in a TV show organised for the Pakistan-India World Cup semifinal match that India went on to win, a media report said on Thursday.

Daily Times reported that comedian Liaqat Soldier, 55, died due to heart attack here Wednesday.

The comedian was taking part in a special show of a local TV channel when he suffered the heart attack and died on his way to hospital.

India beat Pakistan by 29 runs at the match held in Mohali which was witnessed by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh. The meeting between Gilani and Manmohan Singh has been dubbed cricket diplomacy.

India will now play against Sri Lanka in Mumbai Saturday in the finals.

Liaqat started his career as an actor in 1973 and performed in over 250 television plays, besides numerous stage dramas across the globe during his 38-year career.

His first movie was “Qaid” while his first drama was “Tum Kia Jano”. He also worked in several parody movies.

Liaquat, who performed in different countries, including India, also wrote and directed about 50 dramas.

Only 16,000 tickets made available for sale, the other half have gone to VIPs. This is a match for VIPs, said a disappointed fan.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua confirmed receiving two separate invitation letters — one apiece for the president and the premier — from India.

Janjua said it was premature to comment on which of the two leaders would fly to India to watch the game, as a final decision was still awaited.

However, sources say that Gilani is likely to join his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh at Mohali stadium.

“I propose to be at Mohali to watch the World Cup semi-final match between India and Pakistan to be held on March 30. There is huge excitement over the match and we are all looking forward to a great game of cricket that will be a victory for sport. It gives me great pleasure to invite you to visit Mohali and join me and the millions of fans from our two countries to watch the match,” Singh said in his  letters to Zardari and Gilani.

Singh also said that his wife Gursharan Kaur would be present in the stadium.

Singh was attending the Business Standard newspaper awards at Delhi’s Maurya Sheraton in the company of an array of Indian businessmen, when the news of his invitation broke.

Even before the presenter could finish his sentence, the hall, full to the brim with India’s best and brightest, erupted into applause which lasted several minutes. This was as ringing an endorsement as the government could have hoped for, for its cricket diplomacy. After becoming the CEO of the Indian government, this will be Singh’s first outing to watch live cricket in a stadium.

Present at the gathering was Home Minister P Chidambaram. The announcement came as a bit of a surprise even for him. When asked about the additional preparations that would be required at Mohali for the World Cup semifinal, Chidambaram smiled wryly: “We are fully prepared. At the most, there will be a bit more frisking.”

Analysts see the invitation as “a smart diplomatic initiative through cricket” undertaken after the two countries resumed the dialogue process stalled in November 2008 when the Indian financial capital Mumbai was hit by terrorist attacks.

The interior secretaries of the two countries will be holding talks on March 28 -29 in New Delhi on security issues while their commerce secretaries will be meeting next month in Islamabad before the two sides hold foreign secretary level talks.

This is not the first time cricket has taken a centre-stage in Indo-Pak diplomacy.  Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee overruled the apprehensions of some of his senior cabinet colleagues and decided to send team India in 2003 for a series in Pakistan. Before the team left for Lahore, Vajpayee had invited them for tea where he famously advised them: “Dil bhi jeeto!”

In the past Sonia Gandhi has received invitations from Pakistan to watch cricket matches. Although she herself has not visited Pakistan, she did send her children, Rahul and Priyanka, to watch cricket games there.

The last time India and Pakistan faced each other in a major tournament was in the first T20 World Cup and India became the world champion.

In 2005 President Pervez Musharraf had visited New Delhi to watch India and Pakistan play cricket for the first time after the failed Agra summit.

Shoaib, 35, announced on Thursday that he will retire after the tournament.

The bowler seems to have lost favour with the team management, including skipper Shahid Afridi, after conceding 28 runs in a single over in a league match against New Zealand and, according to sources, is unlikely to feature in Wednesday's quarterfinal against the West Indies.

"Shoaib basically has lost favour of the captain, coach and some of the other players after the game against New Zealand," a well-informed source told PTI.

"Some of the players are not happy with the way he reacted after the New Zealand innings in Pallekele and behaved with wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal," the source added.

The Jang reported from Sri Lanka that Shoaib apparently had argued with Kamran soon after he dropped two catches, one in his over, and then pushed him.

The source confirmed that after the New Zealand innings, Shoaib had a heated argument with Kamran over the dropped catches, leading to a tense atmosphere in the dressing room.

Pakistan lost the match to New Zealand but the source said that the team management later spoke to the PCB chief, informing him of the incident. The PCB chief reportedly told the team management that if the fast bowler was not behaving, he should not be played again.

"Subsequently, Shoaib was fined USD 2000 and also told by the management in clear terms that it is better if he decided to retire from international cricket," the source said.

According to the source, Shoaib now hardly has any friends left in the team.

"Practically, Shoaib's career is over and the management has decided to at least give him the honour of retiring gracefully by remaining with the team and not going public with his feelings," the source said.

Shoaib has had a controversial and colourful career since his debut in 1997. He has been fined and banned several times during a 14-year-long career.

However, after making a comeback to the team last year, he appeared to have reformed himself but the source said he remained at loggerheads with the management on disciplinary issues in recent months.

"As it is, there is an emphasis now on inducting and reposing more faith in the younger players and to quietly sideline some senior players, including Shoaib and Mohammad Yousuf," the source said.

He said both coach Waqar Younis and Afridi were in favour of inducting new faces, the reason why they had been showing confidence in players like Asad Shafiq and Wahab Riaz.

The source also stated that a recent statement by Shoaib, that if he had played under a captain like Imran Khan it would have helped his career as Imran knew how to use fast bowlers, has also not gone down well with the management.

Manager, Intikhab Alam, however, has maintained that their was no major fight between Shoaib and Kamran and that was not the reason behind Shoaib announcing his retirement.

"I think Shoaib had decided before the World Cup it was time for him to retire and he consulted his family members, who are in Sri Lanka, before announcing his retirement. It didn't come out of the blue. There are no issues within the team," Intikhab told a Pakistani newspaper.

Scranton police have charged a 27-year-old Scranton woman with possession of heroin, including some that was allegedly hidden in a private body cavity. Karin Mackaliunas faces two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance with an intent to deliver following an incident on March 13. According to an affidavit:

Mackaliunas admitted to police after several denials that she had more heroin in her possession. She allegedly “put her hands inside her underwear and instead of getting the drugs out, she was attempting to shove them inside” her body. She told police there was a pocket inside her underwear that she was trying to remove the drugs from. She refused requests to put her hands behind her back and struggled with officers.

Mackaliunas was involved in a car crash in the city and was taken into custody by Scranton police at the request of Dunmore police for an alleged theft at a Dunmore hotel. While in the back seat of a police car, she “was moving around and putting her hands down her pants.” Officers searched Mackaliunas and discovered three bags of heroin in her coat pocket and placed her under arrest for criminal charges in Scranton. While transporting her to headquarters, Officer Nancy Baumann allegedly saw her continue to move around in the back seat of the vehicle.

Mackaliunas later told Scranton Police Sgt. Mike Mayer that she concealed more heroin inside her body. She was taken to Community Medical Center by ambulance, accompanied by Mayer. He returned to police headquarters with 54 full bags and 31 empty bags of heroin marked “Black Magic,” several Xanax pills and $51.22 in cash. She was arraigned on March 14 and held for lack of 10 percent of $25,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is set for March 21.

Actress Veena Malik on Thursday claimed she had been threatened by the Taliban.

Malik, who is currently in India appearing on television shows for the cricket World Cup, told Express 24/7 that she had received a letter from the Taliban four days ago via a media house in Pakistan. On the authentication of the letter, Malik said she had spoken to representatives of the media house, who confirmed its legitimacy.

Malik says the letter has been sent from a Ahmed Masood of the Taliban. The contents of the letter threaten to give Malik ‘exemplary punishment for her work in India’, she claims. Malik said that the letter also threatens her family and that if anything happened to them she would hold the government responsible.

She said that she will not seek asylum in India, stating that running away was not an option and that she would return to Pakistan. Malik said that the Indian authorities had provided her with security and she was getting in touch with Pakistani authorities to inform them of the situation.

Malik had recently participated in the fourth season of the Indian reality show Bigg Boss.

Steve Davies, the England reserve wicketkeeper, revealed he was gay on Sunday night and said coming out was 'tougher than facing Brett Lee'. 

The 24-year-old Surrey player told his international team-mates before the start of the Ashes series in Australia last year and they agreed to keep it secret so it would not become a distraction. 

He admitted that he had found it increasingly difficult to conceal his sexuality - especially on tours - and described it as a 'massive relief' once he shared his feelings with the squad.

Davies, the first professional cricketer to come out, said: 'It's something I've lived with for a long time. Although I feel it is the right time. I am nervous about coming out. Who wouldn't be?

'It's the biggest decision I've had to face, and by far the toughest - bigger even than facing Brett Lee in the middle. 

'If I am brutally honest, I've never enjoyed touring because of my secret and having to conceal my sexuality. My friendships with the guys would reach a certain level, then I'd have to take a step back. 

'A two-week tour would feel like two years for me. It was really tough. Cricket was my escape. When I was playing cricket I was at my happiest because all I had to worry about was getting runs and taking catches.' 

Davies, who has played eight ODIs and five Twenty20s, was dropped from the England squad for the World Cup. Matt Prior took his place. Davies said he was 'shocked' and 'gutted' but does not believe the decision of the selectors and skipper Andrew Strauss had anything to do with him revealing his sexuality.

He said: 'It was a bitter pill. I felt sick but that suspicion never went through my head. Unfortunately for me, Andrew thought Matt would be more suitable.' 

Davies did not tell his parents, Mike and Lin, or his elder sister Gemma until he was 19. 'The support they have given me has been brilliant,' he said. 'Not everybody is so lucky.' 

His parents were with him as he made his announcement. 'We are proud of him and love him as a son,' they said. 'As a successful sportsman and now hopefully as a role model to anyone young person dealing with the sexuality.' 

Davies added: 'I have to play my best for Surrey and get back in the England side. I want to remembered as a good cricketer not a gay cricketer.

There are few sportsman who are openly gay. Gareth Thomas, the Wales and Lions captain and now a rugby league star, has the highest profile. He came out in 2009. Davies said: 'Thomas's story helped me. He showed it can be done.

Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan will fly home from India on Monday after paying a fine of $33,216 for trying to smuggle large quantities of cash out of the country, an embassy official said.

Khan, 37, was charged at the weekend with carrying undeclared foreign currency in violation of India's Foreign Exchange Management Act and customs rules.

He is rated as one of the top singers in Bollywood, India's prolific Hindi-language film industry.

The musician, a nephew of late Pakistani legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and his group were boarding a plane to Lahore via Dubai on February 13 when authorities found $124,000 in cash in their bags.

"He has paid the fine and he will be taking the first flight to Pakistan," an official at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi told AFP, asking not to be named.

Under Indian customs rules, visitors are allowed to carry only $5,000 in cash in and out of the country.

The Pakistani foreign ministry had intervened on Khan's behalf and offered him the support of the High Commission.