Tendulkar's photo on Eden tickets?

This could be a prized memorabilia and one day will be worth a lot more than it cost. The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) plans to have a portrait sketch of Sachin Tendulkar on the tickets for the legend’s 199th and penultimate match of his career to be played at the Eden Gardens from November 6.

However, it will be confirmed after CAB gets permission from the Board of Control for Cricket in India to go ahead in their endeavour.

And this has struck the right chord with the Kolkatans, many of whom have a penchant for collecting stamps.

“After all, these two Tests are going to be exceptional and high on emotions. We want to take this match ticket to the level of being called a memorabilia,” said CAB treasurer Biswarup Dey.

“If this happens, it is going to be the first time in the history of Eden Gardens that a ticket will carry an image of a cricketer playing in the match,” he said adding, “We would have done the same for Sourav (Ganguly) but unfortunately his last match was not here.”

In the meanwhile, the sale of tickets has caused an uproar among the Kolkatans. The counters have been shut to avoid stampede and barely 5,000 tickets – out of the 68,000 capacity – will be made available and that too, online.

“Kolkata is not that tech-savvy. They are not too fond of buying tickets online as they enjoy waiting in the queue for long hours. This has been the culture but we couldn’t help this time,” he added.

Recently, commentator Harsha Bhogle had tweeted criticising the cricket administration’s policy of reserving tickets for members and patrons and said it was unfair to the general public.

Dey cleared the air by talking about the system at Eden. “We have 30,000 general members who pay a yearly fee. They are also public. There are categories – some pay Rs 75 a year, the others Rs 150. Everyone is public.”

“We also have affiliated units through which tickets are distributed- class, districts, universities and offices. Ultimately, the tickets reach the common people only.”

Among other plans, the CAB is discussing the guest list for the Test match. “Names like Brian Lara are being discussed but nothing will be final before next week,” said Dey.

However, CAB President Jagmohan Dalmiya is not to keen on discussing as to how he plans to make it memorable for Sachin Tendulkar. “You have to wait till Tuesday. If we make all our plans public, there will be no excitement later on,” he told dna.

About the idea of having Sachin’s image on the ticket, he said: “I will be in a position to comment once it is approved by the board.”

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/1905591/report-tendulkar-s-photo-on-eden-tickets

Aditya still has some way to go

What does it mean for Indian snooker that Aditya Mehta has become the first Indian to make the final of a ranking tournament in the pro circuit?

Is it a premature to get excited, considering that the Indian Open isn't exactly the World Championship? Or could this be a potential watershed for the sport in the country, or at least the start of something big for Mehta?

There are a few factors about Mehta's run that make one optimistically inclined. The Indian Open is one of the season's 13 ranking tournaments, and has featured most of the top-ranked players. Mehta, ranked 71, did not have an easy draw. He had to knock out two World Champions (Peter Ebdon and Mark Williams), and a top-five player (Stephen Maguire, tipped by Ronnie O'Sullivan to be a future World Champion), to say nothing of Pankaj Advani, to make the final.

This may have been his best tour result, but there is reason to think that Mehta will get better. He has already spent a few seasons in the pro circuit and has, arguably, gotten the bedding-in period out of the way. At 28, he will be at his best in the the near future — he has at least three or four years in which he will be at his prime, according to Yasin Merchant, India's first professional snooker player.

Also, Mehta has also been a confidence player, and this performance is sure to have a positive effect on his game. That said, here are the sobering facts. Mehta was blanked in the final, and there was a clear gulf in class between him and World No. 4 Ding Junhui. Except for the final, all rounds of the Indian Open were contested over seven frames, making upsets likelier. Such a feat as Mehta's in the Indian Open will be difficult to replicate in a World Championship, where even the first round is contested over 19 frames.

It may be no coincidence that his best performance has come at home. Replicating it on the tour (if only to tell himself that this was no one-off performance), in an unfamiliar, alien environment, is always going to be tougher.

In just 10 days' time he will play the International Championships, and in a way Mehta will have to prove himself all over again.

More: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/aditya-still-has-some-way-to-go/1184556/2

Pradeep Sangwan slapped with 18-month ban for doping offence

Delhi pacer Pradeep Sangwan has been banned for 18 months for failing a random dope test during the Indian Premier League earlier this year. Sangwan, who plays for Kolkata Knight Riders, will not be able to play competitive cricket till November 5, 2014. According to a Board of Control for Cricket in India press release, the ban is effective May 6, 2013.

The ban was recommended by the BCCI's Anti-Doping Tribunal which concluded its deliberation on October 1. A written decision by the tribunal was received on Friday. The tribunal has found that Sangwan committed an anti-doping violation under Article 2.1 of the Code for the presence of the prohibited substance stanozolol, an anabolic steroid.

A promising left-arm seamer, 22-year-old Sangwan is only the second cricketer in the history of IPL after Pakistani speedster Mohammad Asif to have been found guilty of consuming banned drugs. Sangwan, who played a stellar role in India's victorious U-19 World Cup campaign in 2008, plays for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy and represented Kolkata Knight Riders during the last two editions of the IPL. He has taken 123 wickets in 38 first-class matches.

More: http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/215799-pradeep-sangwan-slapped-with-18-month-ban-for-doping-offence

Gopinath Munde seeks stay on MCA polls

Senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde on Friday approached the City civil court seeking a stay on the Mumbai Cricket Associations (MCA)’s elections held on Friday. According to Munde, the entire process of the polls was malafide, and was only to facilitate Sharad Pawar. The matter will come up for hearing on Saturday.

Munde’s lawyer Vivekanand Gupta said the contention to move the court was that the MCA had rejected Munde’s application on baseless grounds.

“ MCA while rejecting the application held that since Munde is a permanent resident of Beed and doesn’t belong to Mumbai, hence he cannot contest the MCA elections.

“It was shocking for us, as MCA had willingly allowed late Vilasrao Deshmukh to contest the same and preside as a president of MCA between 2011-2013. Even Vilasrao was not Mumbai based, and his permanent address was of Latur.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/1905597/report-gopinath-munde-seeks-stay-on-mca-polls

Saif, Jimmy bond over food and fitness on 'Bullett Raja' sets

Actors Saif Ali Khan and Jimmy Shergill, who will be seen together in 'Bullett Raja', bonded over gourmet food and gymming during their shoot for the film. The long shooting schedule in Lucknow and Kolkata which went on for a couple of months, gave both the actors quite a lot of time to spend on and off the sets.

 "Saif and Jimmy both are very passionate about working out. The team was asked to give them a break in the evening so that they could go to the gym. Apart from discussing about their daily regime in the gym the boys were seen discussing about their love for the Lucknowi food, films, gadgets and much more," a source said. Saif Ali Khan and Jimmy Shergill have earlier worked together on films like 'Eklavya' and 'Hum Tum'. 

Saif and Jimmy have earlier worked together on films like 'Eklavya' and 'Hum Tum'. Besides the two, the Tigmanshu Dhulia film also stars Sonakshi Sinha, Vidyut Jamwal, Gulshan Grover, Raj Babbar and Chunky Pandey in pivotal roles. The action drama is all set to release on November 29.

Read more at: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/saif-jimmy-bond-over-food-and-fitness-on-bullett-raja-sets/429241-8-66.html?utm_source=ref_article

L&T surprises positively despite 14% profit fall

Infrastructure behemoth Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Friday reported a 14% degrowth in profit after tax (PAT) for the quarter ended September at Rs 978 crore.

The performance, which came despite a challenging domestic business environment, was higher than street estimates and lifted the company’s stock 4.19% to Rs 872.35 at close of trading.

Revenue from operations (net sales), though, was up 10% at Rs 14,510 crore – an improvement top company officials attributed to a pick-up in execution of projects.

“Upward trend in order inflow was sustained in the second consecutive quarter of the year,” K Venkataramanan, CEO, L&T, said.

Order inflow at Rs 26,533 crore was up 27%, translating into a cumulative order inflow of Rs 51,692 crore for first half of the fiscal. The order book, at Rs 176,036 crore at the end of September, was up 11% on-year, with the share of international orders at 15%.

“Revenues have improved as compared to first quarter and we have done better in the second quarter with 10% growth. Overall, for half year, the revenues have grown 8%, which is in line with our plans wherein the revenues will continue to gather momentum over the rest of the two quarters to reach the targeted levels of 15% this fiscal,” said R Shankar Raman, whole-time director and CFO, L&T.

Industry experts tracking the company said the numbers were better than expected.

While maintaining a buy on the stock, Rikesh Parikh VP - institution corporate broking, Motilal Oswal Securities, said, “While PAT was ahead of estimate, led by higher other income, Ebitda margin was marginally lower than our estimate of 10%. Order intake was also marginally lower than order intake announced and total first-half order intake stands at 49% of full-year guidance.”

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/money/1905574/report-l-and-t-surprises-positively-despite-14pct-profit-fall

RIL, BP commit $8-10 bn for more work on KG-D6

Reliance Industries (RIL)’s chairman Mukesh Ambani and British Petroleum (BP)’s CEO Bob Dudley, representing their joint venture (JV) that operates the KG-D6 gas and oil basin off the east coast, met the minister concerned, Veerappa Moily, on Friday to sort out matters relating to the delay in getting a higher price for gas produced from the basin.

Canada’s Niko Resources is the minority partner in the 60:30:10 JV with RIL and BP.

The two corporate luminaries promised investment worth $8-10 billion over the next four years in the country’s most prolific hydrocarbon block, production from which has declined drastically in recent times.

Moily appeared satisfied with the duo’s commitment conveyed during the meeting and said that the production from the KG-D6 basin will double in the same period.

“There is only one matter, which we are taking to the CCEA (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affaris). The proposal is being finalised. There is a contract between the government and the contractor (RIL-BP)and all will be done according to the contract,” said Moily.

This is the duo’s first meeting with Moily since February. Then, Ambani and Dudley had raised the issue of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India wanting to do a performance audit of the operators at the KG-D6 basin.

At the time of getting the government contract, it was projected that RIL with its joint venture partners BP and Niko, will reach the gas production level of 80 million metric standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) by April 2012.

However, in July this year, the JV was producing less than 14 mmscmd of gas. This drastic fall in gas production has resulted in controversial shortfall of gas, affecting key sectors of the industry like power, steel and fertilisers.

Moily did not clarify whether the increase in production would be from the current level of less than 20 mmscmd or would double from the originally projected production of 80 mmscmd.

He did not also clarify whether the investment proposed in Friday’s meeting would be in addition to the current investments or if it would be part of the previous projections.

Even though the CCEA has approved a price of $8.4 million metric British thermal unit (mmBtu) for the operator from April 2014, there have been objections from all political quarters as well as from within the oil ministry against the decision.

The Standing Committee on Finance has reprimanded the government for proposing any hike in the price of gas for the operator before it meets its previous commitment of producing gas at the cost of $4.2 per mmbtu.

After the meeting, BP’s Dudley said that he met senior leaders in the government and discussed issues related to deep water exploration as well.

The gas opera
Oil minister Moily says gas output from the KG-D6 basin will double in the next four years

Ambani, Dudley and Moily met on Friday for the first time since February, following the controversial shortfall in gas supplies that was said to have violated contractual obligations of RIL-BP-Niko towards the government

Key sectors of the industry like power, steel and fertilisers suffered due to shortage of gas
RIL wants the government to accept proposed higher price of KG-D6 gas supplies, but the latter is reluctant to oblige

BP keen to consider deep water exploration as well

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/money/1905577/report-ril-bp-commit-8-10-bn-for-more-work-on-kg-d6

Kim Kardashian targeted for showing off body on Twitter

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian has been bombarded with online abuses after flaunting her post-baby body in a revealing photograph on Twitter. The 32-year-old reality TV star has been deemed a bad example for her three-month-old daughter North, whom she has with boyfriend Kanye West, after she shared a revealing snapshot, reported Contactmusic.

 A post on Twitter read, "What the hell Kim? You are an actual mother. Instead of posting pictures of your precious baby, you post pictures of your body. You should be ashamed of yourself posting this." Another said, "You're a mother, not a prostitute." The 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' star has been trying to shift her pregnancy pounds with the combination of a gruelling exercise regime and the Atkins diet. 

Kim is bombarded with online abuses after flaunting her post-baby body in a revealing photograph on Twitter. While some of her fans were quick to criticise the photograph, which saw her in a one-piece white swimsuit, her boyfriend West was delighted by what he saw. "Heading Home Now," he posted.

Read more at: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/kim-kardashian-targeted-for-showing-off-body-on-twitter/429232-8-67.html?utm_source=ref_article

Kenya attack: Westgate bodies 'likely to be gunmen'

Two charred bodies found in Kenya's Westgate shopping centre are "highly likely" to be a pair of attackers, Kenyan authorities believe.

The BBC's Will Ross has spoken to Ndung'u Gethenji, chairman of the committee investigating the attack, who revealed a third body pulled from the rubble on Thursday was likely to be a soldier.

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-24577876

Shooting History: Additions Required - ‘The Square’ Tries to Keep Up With Unrest in Egypt

“One of the hardest things to figure out is when you’ve really finished a film, when to say stop,” the director Jehane Noujaim said.

She thought she knew: When her latest, “The Square,” a documentary about the Egyptian revolution, played at the Sundance Film Festival in January, it ended with the election the previous June of the Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi as president, replacing Hosni Mubarak after 30 years of authoritarian rule. But history has no respect for filmmakers, and even before the first screening, Ms. Noujaim knew she needed to regroup.

She did, several times as events unfolded. There was a cut for Sundance; another one submitted in the summer to the Toronto International Film Festival; the version that actually played Toronto in September; and the final one opening Oct. 25 in New York (similar to the previous version, with technical tweaks).

“Until this last cut I was never completely satisfied,” Ms. Noujaim said.

In each case the story began in 2011 with anti-Mubarak protesters taking over Tahrir Square in Cairo. The locked version of the film continues through the 2012 election of Mr. Morsi and concludes with the military ousting him in July and the massacre of his supporters at sit-ins in August.

For Ms. Noujaim, an Egyptian-American, the impetus to remake her movie was less about the political process than the evolution of the film’s central characters: Magdy Ashour, a Muslim Brotherhood member, and Ahmed Hassan, a secularist. Originally united against Mr. Mubarak, they found themselves on opposing sides when Mr. Morsi and his pro-Islamist government took over.

“We just had to wait and film another year,” Ms. Noujaim said.

The movie, she said, is done. Here’s a look at its changes over the past two years:

Noujaim Films

The Original Ending

The Sundance version ended with the June 2012 election of Mr. Morsi. “Some people are afraid, but they should give Morsi a chance,” Magdy Ashour, a Muslim Brotherhood member, says in the film, in which he is seen with his son and wears a Morsi T-shirt. Tortured under the Mubarak regime, he was conflicted about the rise of Islamists in the Egyptian government. “If Morsi isn’t able to prove himself, he should leave power,” he says.

Noujaim Films

Debating the Fate of a Revolution

A scene between Mr. Ashour, left, and Ahmed Hassan, right, was dropped, then restored to emphasize their relationship: Mr. Hassan champions a new constitution and new elections and confronts Mr. Ashour over what he sees as a Morsi dictatorship. “Magdy, I love you,” Mr. Hassan says, “but I hate the Brotherhood.” They had been allies earlier in Tahrir Square, but by the winter of 2012 they have parted over Egypt’s direction. “You elected a president, you need to be patient,” Mr. Ashour says.

Noujaim Films

Egypt Aflame

By summer 2013 unrest has ratcheted up, and new footage reflecting the escalating violence is added for the version of the film submitted to the Toronto festival. Mr. Morsi says in a televised address that the time has come to punish his opponents, and another protester, the actor Khalid Abdalla (“The Kite Runner”), understands Mr. Morsi’s words to mean “he’s ordering his people to attack us.” Mr. Abdalla, a Cambridge-educated Egyptian who spent years outside the country, becomes a third main protagonist in “The Square.”

Noujaim Films

Women on the Ramparts

Among the millions who protested the Morsi government on June 30, 2013, a Christian opponent and her Islamic counterpart demonstrate together. Multiple issues are at stake, including the dire economy and the Brotherhood’s Islamist program. Ms. Noujaim said: “You saw that they would stand up against fascism and corruption whether the face of that fascism was Mubarak or the military or the Brotherhood.” The protests were too late to be included in the film submitted to Toronto, but did make the cut shown to festival audiences.

Noujaim Films

Phoning a Friend

Mr. Hassan, above, still unsure of his country’s direction and vowing to remain in the square until a constitutional democracy is established, speaks by phone this August to Mr. Ashour, whose Muslim Brotherhood was on the ropes. “Magdy, as much as I’ve been violent in words, that was just anger speaking. Honestly, I want to come to be with you. After all, this revolution was for a principle, not for blood.” For his part, Mr. Ashour calls the removal from office of Mr. Morsi an affront. “You’re putting our religion on the line,” he says. “You’re challenging our belief in an Islamic country.

Noujaim Films

En Route to a Massacre

In August Mr. Ashour takes part in the pro-Morsi sit-ins. “I’m not here to die or to kill,” he tells Mr. Hassan. But the protests end in bloodshed when army and police forces, at the behest of the military-appointed government, sweep in and kill hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood members. Mr. Ashour was “violently removed” from the scene, but reportedly survived. At the end of the film, Mr. Hassan says he and his fellow demonstrators are not looking for a leader. “Everyone who went to Tahrir is a leader,” he says. “We are looking for a conscience.”

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/20/movies/the-square-tries-to-keep-up-with-unrest-in-egypt.html

Rashtriya Rifles jawan injured in militant attack

Militants opened fire on the road opening party of 30 Rashtriya Rifles of the army near Handwara town, 80 kms from here, resulting in injuries to one soldier, police said.

An army jawan was today injured when a road opening party of security forces came under attack from militants in Kupwara district of Kashmir.

Militants opened fire on the road opening party of 30 Rashtriya Rifles of the army near Handwara town, 80 kms from here, resulting in injuries to one soldier, police said.

They said the soldier was taken to a military hospital where his condition is stated to be stable.

Soon after the firing, army and police cordoned off the area and launched a manhunt for the assailants.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/1905618/report-rashtriya-rifles-jawan-injured-in-militant-attack

ASI gold hunt: diggers reach 15-cm closer to ‘treasure’

The 12-member team from the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) and Geological Survey of India, digging for '1000-tonne gold’, on Saturday reached 15-cm closer to the 'treasure’ buried at a 19th century fort in an Uttar Pradesh village.

A photo of Raja Rao Ram Bux fort in Unnao district, where ASI will start excavation work to trace hidden treasure of gold. (PTI Photo)

The team comprising of archeologists, geologists and workers began digging a mound in the ruins of the fort built by Raja Rao Ram Baksh Singh, in Duandia Kheda village in Unnao district, 100km from Lucknow, after a meeting with local officials. A seer had dreamt last month about the buried gold and reportedly told union minister Charan Das Mahant about it.

The team of gold diggers is going ahead with its job without modern equipment at Duandia Kheda village in Unnao district. All they have are spades and pickaxes to go about their dream dig, which will take months to reach the estimated 20- metre spot where a “metal-like, non-rocky layup” had been identified during an earth drill on Friday.

Talking to Hindustan Times, ASI’s superintending archeologist PK Mishra said, “I am not sure whether we will find gold there. But, our findings have shown that there is something metallic down there. It could be anything. We will be able to predict it after testing the soil texture as we near the spot.”

Lucknow district magistrate Vijay Kiran Anand too said that the Geological Survey of India’s hand-drawn map did show that there was some valuable metal alloy lying underneath. “But, we are not sure whether it is gold, iron or any other metal,” he told HT.

At present, a joint team of 10 ASI and two GSI men have marked out three 10x10 metre pits around the spot where the drilling had revealed a non-rocky substance 20 metres beneath the surface.

The team has scooped 15 cm sand out of one of the pits, while the digging in other two pits of the same dimensions has yet to begin.

The entire area has been barricaded with bamboo staffs and the three pits have been marked out with ‘colour ropes’. ASI officials said the pit dimension and sand sample details would be notified every after two-metre digging.

The hunt has created curiosity after reports that highly-revered local seer Shobhan Sarkar told Union minister Charan Das Mahant that the country’s financial troubles will ease to a great extent if the gold was excavated and spent on public welfare.

But Unnao district magistrate Vijay Kiran Anand sought to downplay the seer’s prophesy angle, saying the excavation was planned after the Geological Survey of India had noted the presence of some valuable metals beneath the earth at the fort.

Superintending archeologist, Archeological Survey of India’s Lucknow circle, PK Mishra echoed Anand’s sentiment.

“For us even an earthen pot is of immense importance. We are least bothered about gold and we do not work on dreams. We are just following the orders from Delhi,” Mishra said.

He said the presence of a non-rocky substance at the depth of 20-metres noticed during the geological survey was the only “proof” that prompted the excavation.

But Swami Om, Sarkar’s disciple, said his guru has a handwritten map of the GSI, which clearly mentions the presence of a treasure.

And the man behind it all, Sarkar, feels he may have put himself in trouble by prophesying something many will find hard to digest.

“I have written more letters about the presence of gold in Kanpur and Fatehpur districts. But the one in the neighborhood (Unnao) is enough to save our economy,” said the seer.

“I have even asked them to send me behind bars if I am proven wrong,” he said. His followers are equally firm.

“We know that baba’s dream will come true. He has performed many such miracles before,” said Virendra Tiwari, one of the seer’s followers from Barabanki district.

The excavation, expected to take a month, will be filmed, the district magistrate said. Hundreds of local villagers and the seer’s followers in neighbouring districts thronged the site when the digging started.

More: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Lucknow/ASI-gold-hunt-diggers-reach-15-cm-closer-to-treasure/Article1-1137143.aspx

Toll in Uttar Pradesh illicit liquor tragedy climbs to 37

With 15 more deaths reported early Saturday, the toll rose to 37 in the illicit liquor tragedy in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district, making it one of the worst hooch tragedies in the state, police said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadavsuspended 10 people, including the district excise inspector Om Prakash Singh. The state government also ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.

Vishvanath Yadav, the station house officer (SHO) of Mubarakpur, where the incidents took place, was suspended along with beat sub-inspector Rajdev Yadav, constables Pradeep Kumar Yadav, Ramesh Chandra Upadhyaya, Parmanand Yadav and Banke Lal.

Most of the deceased come from lower sections and labour class, officials said.

District Magistrate, Neena Sharma said prima facie the case appeared to be related to the consumption of rectified spirit.

Officials on condition of anonymity said at many local shops, rectified spirit mixed with water was being sold unchecked and at cheap rates.

While moonshine has 42 percent of alcohol, the rectified spirit has intensity varying between 90-95 per cent.

"This is a killer concoction," an official said.

A dozen people had died in Azamgarh in 2008 in a similar hooch tragedy while six people had died in Soyepur village in Varanasi in 2010.

More: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/toll-in-uttar-pradesh-illicit-liquor-tragedy-climbs-to-37/articleshow/24376372.cms

Lalu in line of fire as AG bats for immediate disqualification of MPs

Putting an end to the uncertainty over the disqualification of MPs Lalu Prasad and Jagdish Sharma, both convicted in the fodder scam case, the law ministry has asked the Lok Sabha secretariat to immediately declare their seats vacant.

The ministry’s advice, based on the opinion of top law officer, attorney general GE Vahanvati, has come on queries posed by the Lok Sabha secretariat on whether MPs can be disqualified before their appeals are finally decided by higher courts.

In a related but separate development, the Rajya Sabha secretariat has set in motion the process to declare the seat of veteran Congress MP Rasheed Masood, who was convicted and sentenced to four years imprisonment in a 22 year-old graft case last month.

Vahanvati, whose opinion was sought twice within a week on the tricky subject, has made it clear that following the July 10 Supreme Court judgment, mandating immediate disqualification of MPs/MLAs convicted for offences punishable with more than two years in jail, there is no scope for any interpretation based on a hypothetical future scenario.

“The question of conviction and sentence being stayed by a higher court while hearing an appeal is not relevant at this juncture. It can be addressed separately as and when that stage arises, at the moment immediate disqualification is the law and it can’t be postponed for any reason,” the AG stated.

He has cautioned the Lok Sabha secretariat that any delay in disqualifying the convicted MPs could lead to “non-compliance of the Supreme Court judgment.” The respective House to which the concerned member belongs will notify the declaration of vacant seats.

More: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/TheRiseAndRiseAndFallOfLaluPrasad/Lalu-in-line-of-fire-as-AG-bats-for-immediate-disqualification-of-MPs/Article1-1137016.aspx

Maldives police stop presidential revote

Maldives sank further into political disarray on Saturday when police blocked officials from conducting a presidential revote, saying that holding the election would violate a Supreme Court order.

The Indian Ocean archipelago nation has only about three weeks before the end of the current president's term, and if his replacement is not elected by then it will spark a constitutional crisis. The high court annulled the results of the September 7 presidential election, agreeing with a losing candidate that the voters' registry included fictitious names and dead people, but it set conditions for a revote that officials appear to have been unable to meet.

Elections Commissioner Fuwad Thowfeek attempted to hold the election as scheduled, but on Saturday morning he said that the ground floor of his building was full of policemen stopping his staff from carrying election material outside. He then called the election off.

A police officer said the election was stopped because the commissioner has not complied with a court order to have the voters' list endorsed by the candidates. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to reporters.

Two candidates did not sign the voters list Friday, saying it needed to be verified for any irregularities, but Thowfeek had said their demands for double-checking the list were impossible to meet in time for the election.

The Supreme Court said in its ruling annulling the September election that a revote must take place before Sunday. It likely will need to issue a new ruling in order for an election to be held before President Mohamed Waheed Hassan's term ends on November 11.

Thowfeek had announced earlier Saturday that he would hold the election on the court's advice, despite the fact that not all candidates had endorsed the list of voters. However, he said later the court did not specifically advise that he conduct the election, but instead asked him to follow the original guidelines, which is open to interpretation.

The Maldives became a democracy five years ago after 30 years of autocratic rule and has had a difficult transition.

Its first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, was forced to resign last year midway through his term after he ordered the arrest of a senior judge he perceived as corrupt and partial. Nasheed says he was forced out of power by a coup, though an inquiry commission has dismissed his claim.

Nasheed, who finished first in the September balloting but did not win the majority of votes needed to avoid a runoff, had endorsed the voter list. The other candidates, Yaamin Abdul Gayoom, a brother of the country's longtime autocratic leader, and businessman Qasim Ibrahim, who challenged the first-round result in court, did not approve it.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Maldives-police-stop-presidential-revote/articleshow/24369832.cms

Veerappa Moily on Birla case: India should not become like Russia

As industry voiced concern over the CBI naming industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla in a case, Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily on Friday said investigating agencies and the judiciary must ensure that India does not become like Russia, where investors are not prepared to go and billionaires are put behind bars.

Moily said India is not under "Aurangzeb's rule" but under rule of law, where action has to be taken based on cogent evidence, not just on mere perception.

"I am not here to give a value judgement on that, but at the same time I think the time has come to ensure that whatever we do should be in accordance with strict rule of law. And ultimately, on mere perception you cannot proceed against anybody unless there is cogent evidence to proceed with," he said.

Moily was replying to a question about the CBI naming Hindalco Industries Chairman Birla in an FIR against the aluminium and copper maker as part of its probe into alleged irregularities in the allotment of coal-mining licenses.

Moily said the CBI has proceeded in the matter on certain lines, which, if based on evidence, "nobody can question" but if not, then "we should be careful."

"Because ultimately India cannot become just like Russia, where investors are not prepared to go and billionaires are put behind the bars. That should not happen here," he said.

The job of ensuring that India does not become like Russia rests not just with the government but also with the judiciary and the CBI, he said.

"After all, we are not in the regime of Aurangzeb. We are in the regime of rule of law. When rule of law is concerned it applies to government, it applies to Supreme Court, it applies to everybody.

"If all of us work in accordance with rule of law, if rule of law is implemented, we are all safe, investors are safe, people will be safe," he said.

A joint venture company of Hindalco had received mining licenses for two coal blocks in Odisha in 2005. The CBI on Tuesday said it plans to probe whether the company and its chairman were involved in a criminal conspiracy and irregularities.

Birla is the most prominent businessman to be named in the probe by CBI, which has triggered sharp reactions from the industry. With an estimated wealth of $7.9 billion, Birla was ranked 150 on the Forbes list of world billionaires.

More: http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/veerappa-moily-on-kumar-managalam-birla-in-coal-scam-case/1/199789.html

Australia in India Live Score: Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina steady hosts

Australia won the toss and elected to field first against India in the third ODI in Mohali today. Both sides unchanged for this fixture

Live Scorecard: India vs Australia

Pitch Report: Even spread of grass. It will be a better contest between bat and ball. Something in it for the spinners. Field first as the dew will play a part later in the day.

Playing XI

India: S Dhawan, RG Sharma, S Raina, V Kohli, Y Singh, MS Dhoni, R Jadeja, R Ashwin, B Kumar, V Kumar, I Sharma

Australia: A Finch, P Hughes, S Watson, G Bailey, A Voges, G Maxwell, B Haddin, J Faulkner, M Johnson, C McKay, X Doherty

Brief preview

Having made a mockery of the second highest run-chase in the history of limited overs cricket, the Indian team would not like to settle for anything less than an overwhelming win at the PCA Stadium on Saturday.

As for George Bailey and his bunch of committed warriors, the quicker they get over the disappointment of that defeat, better it will be as this Indian team under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's stewardship can decisively seize the momentum from the visitors.

To chase a target of 360 inside 44 overs requires a Herculean effort, and the trio of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have now proved that no target in the world is safe when they come out all guns blazing at the opposition.

Three immensely talented batsmen have completely different areas of strength but what binds the troika together is their ability to give it back to the opposition as good as they get.

Ceasefire violations a matter of great concern: Khurshid

Terming the ceasefire violations on the LoC as a matter of serious concern, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Saturday said it is not just an issue of diplomacy but also of military relations and maintained that the government is giving it high priority.

“This is the very thing we want to address. This is not just an issue of diplomacy. This is an issue of military relations. The actual on the ground situation is known to the military on both sides,” Mr. Khurshid told reporters.

Expressing full confidence in the defence forces, the minister said, “We owe a tremendous gratitude to them, both for showing restraint, firmness, determination and for total preparedness to face any onslaught.”

Two BSF jawans were on Friday injured as Pakistani troops opened fire at ten border out posts and civilian areas along the International Border in Jammu and Samba districts.

“I think this is a serious matter -- a matter of great concern to India. We will handle it with the greatest sagacity and firmness to protect the safety and sovereignty of the citizens,” Mr. Khurshid said.

Maintaining that this issue is one of high-priority for the government, Mr. Khurshid said a meeting of the DGMOs of both the countries should be held soon.

Pakistan High Commissioner to India Salman Bashir said both sides should take steps to stabilise the situation on the LoC. “I think this is the understanding, this is the decision of the two Prime Ministers. Pakistan is prepared to do whatever it can to exercise utmost restraint and responsibility. I hope this happens sooner than later,” he said.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had requested the Government to take up this issue firmly with Pakistan.

“It is not clear who is behind this and with what motive this is being done. Some days back our Prime Minister met the Pakistani Prime Minister in New York. They talked about ceasefire violations and it was decided that the army DGMOs of both countries should talk and find a way out,” he had said.

More: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ceasefire-violations-a-matter-of-great-concern-khurshid/article5251111.ece

3-tier dais at Narendra Modi rally to reflect BJP hierarchy?

Buoyed by the recent poll surveys indicating an upsurge in its fortune, the BJP is all set to put its best foot forward when its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi launches his campaign in the Hindi heartland at his first rally here on Saturday.

As the party prepared for the event, what drew attention was the three-tier stage which, observers said, would be indicative of the standing of various leaders in the party's hierarchy. Some say the tiers were meant for the national, state and local leaders, an indication of the 'rift' plaguing the state unit .

While Team Modi had insisted on only a single dais with a handful of state leaders taking space, the unrelenting planners instead got erected three tiers with gap of over three feet between each other.

While the dais in the middle is meant for Modi, the party's guest Kalyan Singh and national BJP chief Rajnath Singh, the one on the left will have MPs, MLAs and former legislators. Similarly, the one on the right will have former office-bearers from the state and other local leaders.

UP's industrial capital has been carefully selected for the purpose as the saffron party is looking to regain its erstwhile bastion which has since been captured by the Congress.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/3-tier-dais-at-Narendra-Modi-rally-to-reflect-BJP-hierarchy/articleshow/24361731.cms?

Wockhardt recalls five drugs in the UK after regulator rap

Drug maker Wockhardt on Thursday made a precautionary recall of five over-the-counter (OTC) medicines in the UK on Thursday following the withdrawal of good manufacturing practices (GMP) certificate for its Chikalthana, Aurangabad, unit last week.

After this, the UKMHRA directed pharmacies, dispensing clinics and wholesalers to return five different prescription-only medicines manufactured by the pharma company.

Among medicines recalled four are for pain relief – Amiloride HCl 5mg tablets, Clarithromycin 250 /500 mg tablets, Gliclazide 80mg tablets, Quinine Sulphate 300mg tablets and Tamsulosin Pinexel 400mcg capsules – while Gliclazide 80mg tablets is for Type 2 diabetes.

According to the drug regulator, the products were tested on importation and Qualified Person (QP) released and that there is no evidence of a risk to patient safety from products currently in the UK market.

“However, it is considered that the products have not been manufactured in line with GMP requirements. People do not need to return their medicines because there is no evidence that the medicines affected by the precautionary recall in the UK are defective. Therefore, it’s important that people continue to take their medicines as prescribed,” Gerald Heddell, MHRA’s director of inspection, enforcement and standards said in a statement.

In a communication last week, UKMHRA had told Wockhardt that it was replacing its GMP certificate to the Chikalthana facility with a restricted GMP certificate, allowing it to manufacture only critical medicines.

The new certification permits continued manufacturing and quality control testing of “critical” products in situations where it has been agreed by the national competent authority or European Medicines Agency that there is no feasible alternative in the market concerned, Wockhardt had said last week.

Accordingly, 10 prescription-only medicines, UKMHRA said on Thursday, can continue to be made at the Chikalthana site and still be supplied to patients in the UK.

“This is because due to concerns over the continuity of supply, the benefits to patients of continuing to take these medicines outweigh the risk from any quality concerns with the medicine,” the UK regulator said.

The UKMHRA’s restricted GMP certification was seen as marginally positive for Wockhardt in terms of revenue and stock performances. However, the scrip has fallen 10% this week after withdrawal of the certification.

During an inspection at Wockhardt’s Chikalthana unit in July, the UKMHRA had identified manufacturing deficiencies, including poor record keeping relating to the manufacture and testing of the medicines made at the site, and inadequate validation and production controls for medicines.

Earlier in July, the UKMHRA had passed a similar stricture involving 16 medicines against Wockhardt’s Waluj, Aurangabad, site.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/money/1905133/report-wockhardt-recalls-five-drugs-in-the-uk-after-regulator-rap

Malda: Eleven crib deaths in 48 hours

Eleven infants reportedly died in the last 48 hours at the Malda Medical College and Hospital. Hospital authorities have, however, ruled out medical negligence.

"The infants who died were less than a year old. Most of them were grossly underweight. In the past 24 hours, seven infants have died at the hospital," a senior hospital official said. Of the infants, there were a triplet born to a woman, a senior official said. However, all the three died within hours of delivery, the official said.

Meanwhile, Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, Union minister for health said the condition in government hospitals across the state have deteriorated. Government hospitals run according to the whims of the state ministers, he added.

More: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Malda--Eleven-crib-deaths-in-48-hours/1184467/

Pune scientist discovers youngest supernova remnants

Scientists of the Pune-based National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) and Indian Centre for Space Physics (ICSP), Kolkata, have discovered one of the youngest supernova remnants in the Milky Way. The phenomenon of a star exploding to its death is called supernova.

In the latest discovery, the scientists concluded from the size of the remnants that the supernova occurred only a few hundred years ago, making it one of the youngest known supernova remnants. The study was published in the September issue of The Astrophysical Journal of the American Astronomical Society.

The scientists — Subhasis Roy of NCRA and Sabyasachi Pal from ICSP — used the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT) facility at Khodad, about 80 km from Pune, for this study, which took them a decade.

The discovery is significant as search for supernova remnants is a topic of great interest the world over. Only 270 of an estimated 1,000 supernovas have been discovered so far. Scientists have also said that in 400 years, about a dozen supernovas would have taken place, but only two have been discovered till date.

The scientists spotted the supernova remnants in the centre of the Earth's galaxy. They said it was a challenge to spot the supernova remnants because of its size. Pal said, "The supernova remnants we discovered were small in size, but the radio telescopes in GMRT made it possible for us to conduct the study effectively."

The scientists have not been able to find the exact number of years when the supernova remnants wer created as its distance from Earth is not known. Pal said, "We are still working on finding the exact distance of the supernova remnants from Earth. Once we find this, we will be able to tell the exact age."

Roy explained that the discovery of supernova remnants is important as it would help in finding finer details of the star's origin and its life cycle from birth to death, apart from its composition and mass among others. "Also, this discovery gives hope that in the future more supernova remnants can be discovered with detailed study," Roy said.

"In astronomy terms, a few hundred years is a very short period. So, the incident would have occurred very recently and, hence, the evidence of the star that has died would have still remained in the region. In older stars, these clues fade away with time, so discovering them does not hold much significance. It will give a chance to understand what happened to the dying star," Pal explained.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Pune-scientist-discovers-youngest-supernova-remnants/articleshow/24356985.cms

India, US orbiters to reach Mars within 24 hours of each other

 Five years ago India launched its first successful Moon mission, Chandrayaan I. Now, with Mangalyaan, India will become the fourth nation in the world to take the first step to Mars, if it successfully positions a spacecraft in the red planet's orbit.

As the countdown to India's maiden Mangalyaan, Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) begins, Dr A S Kiran Kumar, director of Space Applications Center (SAC) of Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) provided a glimpse into the mission, the challenges his team faced and how India's "affordable" mission, has several dimensions -conducting scientific experiments, demonstrating technological capabilities and creating the necessary credentials to be part of future international space missions.

Importance of the project

The earliest attempts for exploration of the red planet began in 1960s at the height of 'space race' between US and the USSR when a number of missions were planned. The first mission was USSR's Marsnik 1 in October 1960 which failed to reach even the Earth's orbit. The US's Mariner 4 in November 1965 provided the first glimpse of the Martian surface during its fly-by mission. Since then, there have been a number of missions to probe the red planet, primarily by US' Nasa, including two rovers - Pathfinder and Curiosity - that have provided a full map of the planet and information of its atmosphere, soil composition and other aspects.

What does Mangalyaan intend to achieve?

"This is primarily a technological mission, considering its stringent precision requirements. The challenge before Isro is to put the spacecraft into a precise 50 km imaginary cube when it enters Mars gravitational field, around 250 million km away, while scientists control its 11-month journey and orientation. It requires a proper design, planning, management and operations," says Kumar.

Technological challenges

"On August 15, last year Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced India's intention to send an orbiter to Mars. In 14 months, Isro was ready with an orbiter craft. The only experience Isro has with a mission to another celestial body is Chandrayaan I to the Moon," says Kumar. Other space powers - US, Russia and European Space Agency (ESA) - have, independently or in collaboration, conducted a number of experiments providing them chances to improvise. India is going with it's trusted PSLV-XL launcher which was used for Chandrayaan, albeit with modifications.

The task

"We sent Chandrayaan-1 to the Moon which was at a distance of 384,000 km, a challenge before us five years ago. It has been multiplied 1,000 times with the Mangalyaan mission, as we are now going 360,000,000 km away from Earth. Till Chandrayaan, we were concerned with Earth's gravity. For the first time, our probe will leave the Earth's influence, enter the Heliosphere - the region dominated by the Sun's gravity - before it enters Mar's gravitational field. The maximum Earth to Mars roundtrip light time (RLT) will be 42 minutes during the mission, meaning the signal (command) we send from Earth will reach the craft 21 minutes later and will take the same time for us to receive it back. Thus, we need to give a bit of autonomy to the craft to address emergencies," says Kumar. In order to take advantage of the window when the craft can reach Mars using minimum fuel, India has chosen October 28 this year. Such an opportunity comes at intervals of about 780 days.

Challenges ahead

It will be a 300-day journey for the craft in three phases - Geo-centric phase, Helio-centric phase and finally the nail-biting Martian phase-which will be around 573,000 km from Earth's surface.

"If we don't propel the craft enough, it will fall into a circular orbit and eventually crash on the Martian surface. If we propel it too much, it will go away from the planet and be lost in space. We have designed an elliptical orbit for the craft where the nearest distance will be 364 km and the farthest 80,000 km. Such an orbit will provide a unique opportunity to observe Mars from a distance where the planet will rotate on its axis and we will be able to capture most of its surface barring some polar areas," Kumar says.

He adds that they have subjected the payload and instruments to intense testing. "A craft encounters a number of issues while in space. While communication is always a concern, another issue is energy from the solar panels. As the craft encounters blackouts -periods in the shadow of the planet and can't receive energy - there are also periods of white-outs when the craft is bombarded with solar plasma and can't function for a while. We have taken such instances in consideration," he says.

At Mars

The craft is scheduled to reach the Mars orbit on September 21, 2014. There are five payloads on board including a Lyman Alpha Photometer, Methane Sensor for Mars, Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser, Mars Colour Camera and Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer.

The road ahead

Isro is buzzing with activity - not just for MOM but also for a slew of projects, scheduled for the next five years. Kumar says that a successful Mars mission will not only boost India's confidence but also open doors for next-generation technology which will help future space endeavours. After Mangalyaan, ISRO is planning Chandrayaan II which will have a rover to collect and analyze samples from the lunar surface. India is also planning to launch its first dedicated astronomy satellite - ASTROSAT - after which the ambitious Aditya project will come into action. The project intends to study Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) from L1, one of the Lagrangian points between Sun and Earth which will facilitate the craft's remaining at the same position with least effort, for the observation.

About manned space missions, Kumar says it would be the next logical step. "We are slowly building capacity for it and I hope it culminates at an opportune time. Our immediate goal is to put man in orbit (Lower Earth Orbit). The next one will be to prolong the mission and later to conduct space flights," he said.

Space and human development

SAC officials believe that the constantly-pushed boundaries of technological prowess can improve overall human resource development (HRD) for the country through research and development and operational capabilities. Kumar says that the successful missions not only encourage scientists to surge ahead but also inspire millions of young minds. "From my experience, I can say that nothing is difficult if we take a motivated group and provide a specific goal," Kumar says.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/India-US-orbiters-to-reach-Mars-within-24-hours-of-each-other/articleshow/24354937.cms

I thoroughly enjoyed my battles with Sachin: Gillespie

Sachin Tendulkar is set to call it a day after playing his 200th Test against West Indies at the Wankhede stadium, starting on 14th November 2013. In a career spanning 24 years, the batting maestro has faced several quality bowlers of different nationalities and has come out trumps. Even when Australia dominated the Test arena, with an attack that had pace bowlers like Merv Hughes and Craig McDermott in the early nineties, Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie in the latter part of the 90s and early 2000s, as well as against the likes of Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle in recent history, Tendulkar has been a constant thorn in their path, posting one big score after another.

Of the 15,837 runs that Tendulkar has scored so far in Test cricket, almost 25% of it has come against Australia, at an impressive average of 55, including 11 hundreds and 16 half-centuries in 74 innings. A look at Tendulkar's career stats also reveal that there were a couple of Aussie bowlers who have troubled him on a few occasions. On the list of bowlers who have dismissed Tendulkar the most number of times, McGrath and Gillespie are placed jointly third, having dismissed the master batsman 6 times each. The latter, in a column for theroar.com.au has revealed the methods Australia used to employ to try and dismiss the batting legend.

To challenge the best in the game and the thrill of the fight is what drives a cricketer, said Gillespie, who spoke about his preparations ahead of a match and what extra he had to do while going up against Tendulkar. "As a cricketer, you want to challenge yourself against the best. Whether it be with bat or ball in hand, the thrill of the fight is what drives you to put in your preparation in the nets, on the field and in the gymnasium. The mental rehearsals you go through as you prepare to come up against your opponent allow you the opportunity to strive for consistency. These are the things that went through my mind when I was coming up against batsmen in Test cricket."

"My philosophy was to prepare as well as I could physically so that mentally I was ready to go - give myself the best chance so I could get out there, relax and enjoy the challenge. Coming up against Sachin, I knew that my margin for error was low - he could put a good delivery away with ease so I needed to be spot on from ball one, no warm-up balls to allow him to settle," he added.

Gillespie, who elaborated on the different methods employed by the Australians to dismiss Tendulkar in different conditions, said: "If there was bounce and carry in the pitch, we would look to bowl a fourth-stump or fifth-stump line on a good length, the definition of 'good' being a length that Sachin would endeavour to get forward to if he could and potentially look to drive the ball through the offside. If there was less bounce and carry, like on some Indian pitches, our line would be straighter to hit off stump. We would also use the bouncer on occasion. Sachin always used a heavy bat so we thought early on it was a good option to hurry him up and possibly force a mistake."

While mentioning that the Australians have been successful in dismissing Tendulkar early several times, Gillespie said a look at the record books will also reveal the scores that resulted when they have not been able to dismiss the Indian number 4 early. "As a team we won some battles against him, and personally I was able to force an error early, yet you only have to look in the record books to see the times we did not get him early, and the scores that resulted. If Plan A did not come off, other options included bowling wide of off stump with a strong offside field to try and dry up the runs, or having five fielders on the leg side and bowling to hit the stumps every ball."

"Others things we tried were cutters and changing the seam position to see if the ball would behave differently off the pitch. The absolute key to bowling in Test cricket, and certainly bowling to Sachin, was patience. Build up scoreboard pressure through aggressive, disciplined bowling and positive body language," he said.

Gillespie said his battles with Tendulkar gave him immense joy and mentioned that even when things were not going his way, he would always bowl to the legendary batsman with the mindset that he is only a delivery away from picking up a wicket. "I thoroughly enjoyed my one-on-one battles with Sachin, even when it was not quite going my way. I always had the mindset that I was only one ball away from getting him out - it did not always work out like that though!"

While recollecting some of the dismissals, Gillespie spoke highly of the way Tendulkar respected the umpire's decision, even when he had been wrongly given out leg-before at the Gabba. Calling him a superstar who was always humble and respectful, Gillespie said the game will be poorer with his absence.

"I did manage to get him out a few times: bowled, lbw and caught behind were the modes of dismissal. I do remember having an lbw decision go my way at the Gabba in Brisbane when Sachin padded up. The replays clearly showed it was missing the stumps but you would not have known from Sachin's demeanour - he accepted the umpire's decision and walked to the pavilion. That is what will stay with me: that a superstar of a player was so incredibly humble and respectful, yet remained a fierce competitor on the field. I would like to wish Sachin all the best for his retirement. He has been a credit to himself, his family and Indian cricket. The game of cricket will be poorer for his absence."

More: http://cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/59124/i-thoroughly-enjoyed-my-battles-with-sachin-gillespie

Sridevi turns down negative role in ‘Fitoor’?

Following a big comeback after nearly 15 years of hiatus from Bollywood, Sridevi now seems to be quite sceptical when it comes to choosing a film.

The 50-year-old diva, who was last seen in ‘English Vinglish’, which won her many accolades, seems that she is very careful about making choice for her next movie role.

According to a tabloid, Sridevi has said ‘no’ to a villainous role offered by Abhishek Kapoor in his upcoming movie ‘Fitoor’- which is said to be based on Charles Dickens’ ‘Great Expectations’.

Sridevi, who wooed the audience by her effortless illustration of a greedy and selfish character in the movie ‘Judaai’, rejected the offer as playing a negative role wasn’t a right choice for her.

“Everyone is waiting to see what her next film is after `English Vinglish`. The film has Katrina Kaif as the leading lady. Sushant Singh Rajput, who was earlier a part of the film, recently walked out of the project.

Abhishek wanted Sridevi for a role, which was played by Robert De Niro in the 1998 big screen version of the novel. Abhishek tweaked the script and made it female-oriented," a source said.

On the other hand, an insider from the production house said, “Sridevi couldn’t be part of the film, as she thought she wasn’t the right choice for the role.”

It seems Sridevi is being selective about choosing her next movie keeping in mind the necessity to make her upcoming movie a better watch than ‘English Vinglish’.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/movies/sridevi-turns-down-negative-role-in-fitoor_144875.html

Movie Review: Shahid

Shahid
A; Biopic
Director: Hansal Mehta
Cast: Raj Kumar Yadav
Rating:

Once in a while comes along a film that takes you aback by the direct and brutally honest approach it takes. Hansal Mehta’s Shahid is one such film.

For starters, Shahid, deals with a biopic just like how they ideally should be. No glossing over facts, no shying away from the ugliness and the harsh reality in the name of cinematic liberty. The movie displays a rare bravery while dealing with the sensitive topic of terrorism and how the general perceptions can get skewed and how easy it is for legal investigations to jump to conclusions and stigmatize someone even before he is proved guilty.


Still from Shahid

Raj Kumar Yadav plays Shahid Azmi, the slain lawyer who defended hapless men who are 'falsely implicated’ as terrorists. Mehta depicts Shahid’s adventurous early life, which includes being briefly part of a terrorist camp and then landing up in jail, with an absolutely believable set up and painstaking detailing. Using real locations like for instance, Shahid’s actual office in the Taximen’s Union in Kurla, the film makes no compromises in telling a hero’s tale.

The courtroom scenes are so real (far fetched from the otherwise glamourised 'tareekh pe tareekh’ kind of courtrooms of Bollywood) yet gripping. Shahid fights for those who he believes are innocent and made into scapegoats in the absence of the ability to catch the real culprits. Shahid knows what it is to be caught behind bars for a crime not committed, as he himself has experienced the prison life and the atrocities that went with it. Instead of turning bitter at being a victim of circumstances, Shaheed turns a crusader to help others get out of such similar situations.

Raj Kumar Yadav shines in the title role with a performance so mature and played with such subtlety. In what could be easily one of the best, if not the best, performances of the year, Raj Kumar lives and breathes Shahid. Catch him in this scene where he defends himself helplessly when a lady lawyer accuses him of being a terrorist and you almost are convinced that this actor has lived the real Shahid’s life. That, is quite an achievement.

A round of applause for the perfect casting. Each of the actors in Shahid look like they just belonged there. Look at Shahid’s ammi (Baljinder Kaur) and it would be really difficult to believe that she comes from any other set up but from Shahid Azmi’s dingy shanty when he was growing up.

Watch this movie if you have the appetite and sense to digest certain gritty, uncomfortable realities. Not often do we get the opportunity to watch a relevant movie that depicts the times we live in, with unblinking directness. But if you think movies are just about shallow entertainment, and truth makes you uncomfortable, then don’t bother.

More: http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2013/oct/181013-bollywood-movie-review-shahid.htm

Windows 8.1 gets global release

Microsoft has released the Windows 8.1 update for its flagship operating system.

The download seeks to address some of the criticisms levelled at the original version of Windows 8.

In particular, the update restores the start button and allows a computer to boot up with a traditional desktop interface.

The launch comes at a critical time for Microsoft as it seeks a new boss, with PC sales experiencing a long decline.

Windows 8 sought to bridge the gap between touchscreen devices, such as tablets and smartphones, and more traditional form laptops and desktop machines. As such it had an interface built of tiles that could be tapped or swiped to open applications.

However, many people found the tiled interface did not work well for some of the things they were used to doing with a computer.

The changes in 8.1 include:

1. start button - tapping once on this brings up the tiled interface and a long press opens up system controls
2. desktop mode - lets people avoid the tiled interface entirely
3. keyboard shortcuts - removes the need to toggle between different on-screen keyboards when typing numbers and letters
4. gesture control - some applications, such as those for cooking, can now be paged through without touching a screen
5. tile sizing - the blocks on the touchscreen interface can be in one of four sizes
6. web browsing - Windows 8 machines will now display separate web pages side by side

A host of other changes, including better support for multi-tasking and improved links to Microsoft's Xbox game console, are also in the update.

Shrinking sales

Windows 8 was created to capitalise on the growing popularity of tablets and other portable gadgets. Microsoft needs to get people using its software on these machines because sales of desktop machines are in sharp decline.

Global shipments of PCs hit a five-year low in early October, according to figures from market research firm Gartner. Sales of PCs had now fallen for six quarters in a row, it added. The downward trend in sales statistics were confirmed by IDC, which added that the decline would probably continue into 2014.

The shrinking sales are important for Microsoft because traditionally the bulk of its revenue comes from people and companies buying laptops and desktops and office software to run on them.

It is not clear that Microsoft is adjusting to the changes in the types of gadgets that people use. In July, Microsoft wrote off $900m (£559m) following poor sales of its own-brand Surface touchscreen devices.

At the same time, Microsoft has undergone a major reorganisation and has bought phone maker Nokia. It is also launching a new version of its Xbox games console and has begun searching for a new chief executive.

Servers ready to dispense the update were turned on at 07:00 New York time (12:00 BST). The update is free to those already running Windows 8. Charges will apply if users upgrade to 8.1 from Windows 7. The update comes just over a year after the launch of Windows 8.

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24564738

Pakistan establishment approved drone strikes: UN report

In anticipation of a vigorous debate on targeted assassinations, at the United Nations General Assembly next week, two UN Special Rapporteurs issued scathing reports on drone strikes on Thursday and warned that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency’s involvement might structurally damage international security over longer term.

One report, by the UN's Special Rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism, Ben Emmerson, urged Washington to “declassify information about operations co-ordinated by the CIA and clarify its position on the legality of unmanned aerial attacks.”

Underscoring the extent of civilian casualty wreaked by drone attacks carried out on Pakistani soil Mr. Emmerson said that statistics collected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad recorded at least 330 remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) strikes in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since 2004, and that there have been at least 2,200 deaths and 600 serious injuries caused by these attacks.

Mr. Emmerson’s report also noted that there was “strong evidence” to suggest that between June 2004 and June 2008 RPA attacks in FATA were conducted with the “active consent and approval of senior members of the Pakistani military and intelligence service, and with at least the acquiescence and, in some instances, the active approval of senior government figures.”

The Special Rapporteur’s report in this context referenced the 2012 guidelines adopted in Pakistan’s parliament regarding revised terms of engagement with the U.S., which called in particular for an “immediate cessation of drone attacks inside the territorial borders of Pakistan” and forbade any government authority into entering agreements with foreign governments to provide authorisation for future attacks.

The second UN report, authored by Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, summary or arbitrary executions Christof Heyns did not allude directly to the U.S. but cautioned that targeted killings via drones constituted a “global policing function” that however endangered lives without supplying other tools of domestic policing, such as capture or legal remedy.

With a third report, this one by Amnesty International, due to be released early next week outlining the impact of drone attacks on civilian lives and its human rights implications, the heat from this debate is likely to be felt when Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif meets U.S. President Barack Obama in New York on October 23.

Pakistan has already raised the drone strikes issue at the UN and it is reported to be on the discussion agenda when the two leaders meet.

More: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/pakistan-establishment-approved-drone-strikes-un-report/article5250607.ece?homepage=true

Indian rupee recovers after RBI clarifies dollar window for oil cos will remain open

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) clarified on Friday that its emergency facility under which it has directly sold dollars to state refiners since late August remains open.

“The oil marketing companies (OMC) swap window remains operational. Any tapering of the window, as and when it occurs, will be done in a calibrated manner,” said the central bank in a press release.

The clarification came after reports suggested that the RBI may close the window, which in turn led to a sudden fall in the rupee.

The rupee, which had opened strong on the back of global dollar weakness, fell close to 1% in intra-day trade, hitting a low of 61.71/$.

The currency, however, recovered after the RBI's clarification and closed 0.1% lower at 61.2650/$.

“We have not heard anything regarding the closing of the window. The RBI may only consider closing it after flows come back strongly,” said NS Venkatesh, head, treasury, IDBI Bank.

“Some sort of staggering is possible while bringing back the oil dollar demand to the market,” he added.

The special dollar window for OMCs was announced on August 28, when the rupee slumped to a record low of 68.845 against the dollar, to temper excess demand for foreign exchange in the domestic market. The local currency has rebounded more than 12% since.

India’s three biggest state refiners bought about $300 million a day from the local spot market to pay for oil imports before the RBI move, Standard Chartered said in August.

“The RBI could be trying to signal that some sort of normalcy has been restored to the market,” said Vishnu Varathan, a senior economist at Mizuho Bank in Singapore.

“The markets will now be a bit cautious on the rupee and investors will be less inclined to buy the currency,” he said.

RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has said the bank will gradually scale back the dollar supplies as the rupee stabilises.

While some believe the current trading levels of the rupee are not sustainable since a large chunk of dollar demand remains out of the market, others feel that flows have picked up sufficiently to sustain current levels.

“Flows are coming in from exporters and foreign institutional investors along with money coming in through

the FCNR window,” said Venkatesh of IDBI Bank, adding that he expects the rupee to remain stable in the near term.

Bonds gain on RBI assurance

Government bonds rose for a second consecutive session on Friday after the central bank said the dollar window for oil companies would remain open, although debt markets posted their first weekly fall in three on fears of rising inflation. The benchmark 10-year government bond yield ended down 5 basis points on the day at 8.55%. The yield fell 6 bps for the week, snapping two weeks of advances. Absence of a weekly auction next week and the upcoming policy review on October 29 will keep bonds in a thin range next week, dealers said, adding that the rupee would be watched closely for direction. The one-year overnight indexed swap rate ended down 5 basis points at 8.41%. Reuters

More: http://www.financialexpress.com/news/indian-rupee-recovers-after-rbi-clarifies-dollar-window-for-oil-cos-will-remain-open/1184350/2

Man files complaint against BJP leader over Modi sticker

A Dhanbad resident Friday filed a complaint at the Kotwali police station against BJP state spokesperson Sanjay Seth for forcibly putting a sticker with Gujarat CM Narendra Modi's name on his vehicle.

Rudra Pratap Singh from Jharia complained that some people stopped his vehicle at Seth's behest and put the sticker. "I was in my car near Firayalal Chowk on Thursday evening when a group of people stopped me and stuck it on my windshield. When I asked why they were doing it, they said Sanjay Seth was their leader," Singh told a news channel. His complaint mentions that the people were forcing on him an ideology that he does not agree with. "We do not know what to do with the complaint. I don't think there are grounds to file an FIR with its contents," a policeman said.

More: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Man-files-complaint-against-BJP-leader-over-Modi-sticker/1184409/

Not worried about FIR, life goes on, says Birla

Tycoon meets Chidambaram after PM tells govt to assuage hurt India Inc.

Three days after the CBI lodged a case against Kumar Mangalam Birla in connection with the coal scam, the industrialist met Union finance minister P Chidambaram and top finance ministry officials, including revenue secretary Sumit Bose, in Delhi on Friday.

The meeting between Chidambaram and Birla lasted for about half-an-hour in which the Aditya Birla Group chairperson told the finance minister that he has done nothing wrong. “I am not worried about the FIR... I have done nothing wrong but I cannot comment on it now. Life moves on,” Birla said after coming out of Bose’s chamber.

Chidambaram was in Washington DC to participate in the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund when the CBI filed the FIR. He met Birla within 24 hours of resuming office on Thursday. The move is seen as the government’s gesture to assuage Indian Inc which is on the boil because of the CBI’s action. Sources in the North Block said it is the PM’s decision to soothe ruffled feathers.

“It is at the behest of the PM that Chidambaram and commerce minister Anand Sharma are reaching out to industrialists,” a source told dna. The decision to talk to Birla and calm down Indian Inc was conveyed by PM Manmohan Singh to the two ministers at the banquet hosted for the Hungarian PM at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday.

Finance ministry officials said Birla clarified his stand on Hindalco to Bose. “He spoke about the Rs25 crore recovered by the CBI from Hindalco’s Delhi office,” the official said. The CBI booked Birla for alleged corruption by his group company Hindalco during the allocation of Orissa’s Talabira II block. The block was allocated to it in November 2005.

‘Done nothing wrong’
KM Birla met P Chidambaram for 30 minutes and said he has done nothing wrong and that he was not worried about the FIR.

The 14th FIR filed by the CBI in the coal scam accused him of criminal conspiracy.

India INC has extended its support to Birla with Adi Godrej and HSBC India head Naina Lal Kidwai backing Hindalco.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/delhi/1905492/report-not-worried-about-fir-life-goes-on-says-birla

Nandita Das, Mukesh Bhatt open Mumbai Film Mart

Actress Nandita Das and producer Mukesh Bhatt today inaugurated the third Mumbai Film Mart(MFM), which provides a platform for major global film buyers, studios, exhibitors and filmmakers to meet.

The MFM, running alongside the Mumbai Film Festival, has already seen registration of 70 projects and hopes to see an increase in the number in coming days, according to Rashmi Lamba, manager MFM.

More: http://www.ptinews.com/news/4076143_Nandita-Das--Mukesh-Bhatt-open-Mumbai-Film-Mart-.html

Akshay Kumar: Boss of the masses

Akshay Kumar’s new film Boss saw historic opening at single screens all over India. It is probably his biggest first-day collections till date in single screens. On its first day, people were seen dancing in theatres across places like Nagpur, Pune, Kolkata and Ahmedabad. The unprecedented opening at single screens is a clear indication yet again of Akshay’s popularity and connect with the masses.

The night before the film hit the theatres, Akshay had a special show for his fans who had come from all across India. On Tuesday night Akshay organised a screening at Cinemax Versova for his fans. There was ‘fan’-demoniam at the venue. As the rapid fire entertainment unfolded they laughed, cried, danced, cheered lustfully and whistled when Akshay’s agile action sequences came on. Some of them even ran to the screen and kissed it. The evening further ratified Akshay’s hero-of-the-masses status off screen as well as on-screen.

The last time a film had opened so huge in single screens and received such mass adulation was Salman Khan’s Wanted.

The Boss director Anthony d’Souza seems to be in a daze. “I would’ve gone into oblivion after the failure of my debut film Blue. It’s only Akshay Kumar’s faith in me that kept me alive as a filmmaker,” says Anthony tearfully.

Trade Speak
Taran Adarsh
Boss has fared exceptionally well at single screens. It proves that a good sensible masala film will always find an audience. As for Akshay, this is among his better performances. His presence and performance have been loved by all.

Amod Mehra:
As expected Boss has taken a commendable start in the single screens, as it falls in the action-comedy genre. When it comes to action combined with comedy Akshay alone is the true Boss!

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/1905098/report-akshay-kumar-boss-of-the-masses