Tuesday, June 30, 2009
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Inside story of Azim Premji's next billion-dollar plan
The same buzz of excitement and serendipity that swept the tiny campus of Wipro in 1977 has returned to its sprawling Bangalore headquarters today.More than three decades after Azim Premji sensed an opportunity in information technology for his consumer products company, the billionaire businessman is taking his next big step, ecology. And just like the way IT did, the new business is likely to transform the face of Wipro forever.
For those who know Premji, it is not uncommon to see the fifth richest Indian on the Forbes List and the 63-year-old chairman of Wipro switching off the lights before leaving office. It is this commitment to avoid waste that has turned Premji’s attention to ecology and sustainability.
In October 2008, even as it warned of slowing growth in its main software outsourcing business in the backdrop of a global financial crisis, Wipro released a recruitment ad for two new businesses, Wipro Water and Wipro EcoEnergy. The company has spent the previous two years preparing for this diversification, which may turn out to be the company’s third big change. The first was when a 21-year-old Premji took charge at Wipro after his father’s sudden death; the next was when the vanaspati and soap maker transformed itself into a multi-billion dollar information technology giant in the 80s and 90s.
But for Premji, it’s not just a diversification. “Look at it in three dimensions: As a citizen, ecological sustainability is a global problem but completely unaddressed in India. So how do you influence… your employees, partners, customers? Second what can you do within the company? Third, we see incremental business opportunities that we can create in our existing businesses.”
The business idea is simple. For the last quarter century, Wipro has been busy cutting technology and operational costs for some of the world’s largest corporations. Now, it wants to tell them how to cut energy usage and reduce their carbon footprint. It is convinced that green will be the largest force to influence the world economy in the years to come. According to a UN report last year, the global market for environmental products and services will double from $1.37 trillion at present to $2.74 trillion by 2020.
Chief Financial Officer Suresh Senapathy says green services and solutions will bring in up to one out of every four dollars of the company’s revenue, three years from now. In the financial year ending March 2009, Wipro had revenue of more than Rs. 25,000 crore. Even if the revenue were to stagnate, a fourth of it — Rs. 6,250 crore — from ecology is no small amount. The plan also aligns well with Premji’s desire to ease down IT’s profit contribution from 93 percent currently to 70 percent in the next few years.
Today it has 270 people in its water and eco energy businesses. In the last six months it has been setting up eco-friendly infrastructure for clients: A bio-gas plant in Taj Kovalam for recycling organic waste; sustainable lighting, cooling and recycling at Asian Paints’ Greenfield plant in Rohtak, Haryana; LED lights to reduce electricity bills at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore campus.
India's first sea bridge opens to traffic today
India's first sea bridge opens to traffic on Tuesday and aims to ease chronic congestion on Mumbai's roads.The Bandra-Worli sea link will cut travel time by at least half an hour on a crucial route that connects north to south Mumbai. But the question that critics are raising is that if traffic piles up at both ends of the link, then it won't end up cutting travel time after all.
It takes less than 10 minutes to drive across the five km-long bridge.
"The sea link opens up a new avenue of transportation within the city, using the sea and not just the road," said Ajit Gulabchand, chairman, Hindustan Construction Company.
But there are worries about new gridlocks where the link connects to the otherwise quiet Worli sea face.
And at the other end, worries of pile-ups are at the Bandra Reclamation. And also about the toll fee, which is Rs 50 for a one-way trip. But some say that's still a small price to pay for a smooth drive on a world-class bridge
Babri probe ends after 17 yrs, report sent to PM
Seventeen years after it was set up, the Liberhan Commission probing the 1992 demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya submitted its report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday.
The Commission, which had got 48 extensions, submitted the report to the Prime Minister by Retd Justice M S Liberhan in presence of Home Minister P Chidambaram.
The contents of the report were not immediately known.
Set up within 10 days of the demolition of the historic mosque on December 6, 1992, which triggered widespread communal violence leading to heavy loss of lives, the panel has become the country's longest serving Commission of Enquiry.
The Commission, mandated to inquire into the circumstances leading to the demolition of the Babri mosque was to submit its report by March 16, 1993 but sought repeated extensions to complete its probe.
The last three months of extensions were given in March this year.
The probe panel was one of the costliest Commissions having spent nearly Rs 8 crore on its report. The bulk of the amount was spent on salaries and perks of the support staff.
During the extended proceedings spread over 400 sittings, the Commission recorded the statements of senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Singh.
The panel had completed hearing the last witness in 2005.
The Commission, which had got 48 extensions, submitted the report to the Prime Minister by Retd Justice M S Liberhan in presence of Home Minister P Chidambaram.
The contents of the report were not immediately known.
Set up within 10 days of the demolition of the historic mosque on December 6, 1992, which triggered widespread communal violence leading to heavy loss of lives, the panel has become the country's longest serving Commission of Enquiry.
The Commission, mandated to inquire into the circumstances leading to the demolition of the Babri mosque was to submit its report by March 16, 1993 but sought repeated extensions to complete its probe.
The last three months of extensions were given in March this year.
The probe panel was one of the costliest Commissions having spent nearly Rs 8 crore on its report. The bulk of the amount was spent on salaries and perks of the support staff.
During the extended proceedings spread over 400 sittings, the Commission recorded the statements of senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Singh.
The panel had completed hearing the last witness in 2005.
electronic nose that sniffs out wine's origin
Researchers in France have found a way to identify wine so accurately they can pinpoint where the drink was made and in which barrel it was fermented.It uses an electronic nose to make even the most well established sommelier a little nervous.
The unique way exploits the complex mix of thousands of compounds found in each bottle of wine that gives the drink subtly different scents and flavours.
Researchers analyzed the compounds in vaporised samples of wine to produce detailed chemical signatures that can be matched against a database of characteristics to identify a wine's source. They did so by using a kind of electronic nose, known as a mass spectrometer, reports The Telegraph.
It means they can tell exactly which variety of grape a wine is made from, the region and vineyard where it was produced and the source of the wood used in the barrel.
Regis Gougeon, from the University of Bourgogne, in Dijon, France, who led the research, said: "In winemaking, several processes can subtly modulate the characteristics of wine.
"Wine experts use their eyes, mouth and nose as detectors and are able to distinguish wines according to their ages, grape varieties, terroirs.
"All we know is that so far, none of the sensory analyses of the wines we looked at could discriminate like we did.
"Our approach reveals the extremely high yet unknown chemical diversity of wine. It was exciting to be able to observe such a diversity at once, where many compounds, even in low concentration, may contribute to the body of the wine." (ANI)
'Who wants to marry Rakhi Sawant?'
Rakhi Ka Swayamvar is starting on NDTV Imagine on Monday night. So far we've only seen the promos where Rakhi Sawant - trying hard to look demure and failing spectacularly - does her best to convince us that she's genuinely looking for a jeevan saathi.
I'm sure she is - but along the way, if she gets to play the starring role in a primetime television show, I don't quite see her shrinking delicately at the prospect. As for the men who have apparently applied in the thousands, could it be that they are smitten by Rakhi and nurse this burning desire to marry her? Or could it be that they are smitten by the idea of being on national television and have this burning desire to make it in the world of glamour and showbiz? Many years ago, Fox TV, the fountainhead of America's most tasteful productions, ran something called Who Wants To Marry A Multi-Millionaire where 50 odd women competed to marry a man called Rick Something who was only ever shown in silhouette.
It was telecast on Star World here and if I remember right, this shadowy silhouette not only asked the women various idiotic questions (to make sure that their ideas matched his, after all, this was a question of his entire life, wasn't it), he also viewed (and no doubt reviewed) their physical assets as they paraded in front of him in different outfits (including a swimwear round). To say that Fox outdid itself in terms of trash-as-entertainment would be the understatement of the decade.
Unsurprisingly, the aftermath of the show was equally trashy - Rick Something turned out to be a fake (he wasn't a multi-millionaire at all), his former girlfriend accused him of violence, the marriage lasted the duration of the syrupy wedding ceremony on TV (the couple shared separate rooms during the honeymoon and separated for good immediately afterwards). But yes, both Mr Shady Millionaire and Ms Gold-digger got what they wanted - fame.
What kind of celebrities they became is another matter, but that's irrelevant. The important thing is that they were no longer either anonymous or ordinary.
I'm not suggesting that Rakhi Ka Swayamvar will be like Who Wants To Marry A Multi-Millionaire? Rakhi is certainly not a shadowy silhouette (sometimes I wish she were though), and I'm sure the show will have a full desi flavour. But at the heart of it, the idea is as bizarre and cringe-making.
Allegedly, the show is about someone looking for a life partner; in actual fact, it's about a bunch of people's driving need for fame. Even the descriptions 'finalist in Rakhi's swayamvar' or 'rejected suitor on Rakhi's show' will do quite nicely as an identity tag, thank you.
One of episodes I saw featured girlfriend Katrina Kaif and Neil Nitin Mukesh (who came to the show to promote their new film, New York). Katrina had clearly under-dressed for the show (she was in jeans and T shirt), plus she had this long-suffering why-do-I-have-to-be-here-and-listen-to-this-rubbish kind of look on her face all through.
There were a few tight smiles, but on the whole, she didn't look like she was have a good time at all. Quite unlike the viewers!.
I'm sure she is - but along the way, if she gets to play the starring role in a primetime television show, I don't quite see her shrinking delicately at the prospect. As for the men who have apparently applied in the thousands, could it be that they are smitten by Rakhi and nurse this burning desire to marry her? Or could it be that they are smitten by the idea of being on national television and have this burning desire to make it in the world of glamour and showbiz? Many years ago, Fox TV, the fountainhead of America's most tasteful productions, ran something called Who Wants To Marry A Multi-Millionaire where 50 odd women competed to marry a man called Rick Something who was only ever shown in silhouette.
It was telecast on Star World here and if I remember right, this shadowy silhouette not only asked the women various idiotic questions (to make sure that their ideas matched his, after all, this was a question of his entire life, wasn't it), he also viewed (and no doubt reviewed) their physical assets as they paraded in front of him in different outfits (including a swimwear round). To say that Fox outdid itself in terms of trash-as-entertainment would be the understatement of the decade.
Unsurprisingly, the aftermath of the show was equally trashy - Rick Something turned out to be a fake (he wasn't a multi-millionaire at all), his former girlfriend accused him of violence, the marriage lasted the duration of the syrupy wedding ceremony on TV (the couple shared separate rooms during the honeymoon and separated for good immediately afterwards). But yes, both Mr Shady Millionaire and Ms Gold-digger got what they wanted - fame.
What kind of celebrities they became is another matter, but that's irrelevant. The important thing is that they were no longer either anonymous or ordinary.
I'm not suggesting that Rakhi Ka Swayamvar will be like Who Wants To Marry A Multi-Millionaire? Rakhi is certainly not a shadowy silhouette (sometimes I wish she were though), and I'm sure the show will have a full desi flavour. But at the heart of it, the idea is as bizarre and cringe-making.
Allegedly, the show is about someone looking for a life partner; in actual fact, it's about a bunch of people's driving need for fame. Even the descriptions 'finalist in Rakhi's swayamvar' or 'rejected suitor on Rakhi's show' will do quite nicely as an identity tag, thank you.
One of episodes I saw featured girlfriend Katrina Kaif and Neil Nitin Mukesh (who came to the show to promote their new film, New York). Katrina had clearly under-dressed for the show (she was in jeans and T shirt), plus she had this long-suffering why-do-I-have-to-be-here-and-listen-to-this-rubbish kind of look on her face all through.
There were a few tight smiles, but on the whole, she didn't look like she was have a good time at all. Quite unlike the viewers!.
'Desperate Jacko blew 30k pound a month on drugs'
Michael Jackson was splashing out 30,000-pound a month on prescription drugs, it has emerged.
According to reports, the ailing Thriller hitmaker consumed "mountains of medication" as he battled numerous disorders in the year leading up to his death.
Apparently, many prescriptions were bought under the fictitious name Omar Adams.
As well as the narcotic pain reliever Vicodin, 50-year-old Jacko gorged on other drugs like muscle relaxant Soma and sedative Xanax.
He also took antidepressant Zoloft, anti-anxiety drug Paxil and heartburn pill Priolosec, reports The Sun.
Meanwhile, the British tabloid has revealed that when Michael died he owed at least 300million dollars - and was begging banks to lend him more moolah.
In late 2007, the King of Pop was seeking to borrow 43million dollars, according to The Sun who saw his financial papers.
On paper, Jacko had assets worth 1.3billion dollars- almost all tied up in his 50 per cent ownership of The Beatles' back catalogue with Sony Records. But he was unable - or unwilling - to sell his share.
According to reports, the ailing Thriller hitmaker consumed "mountains of medication" as he battled numerous disorders in the year leading up to his death.
Apparently, many prescriptions were bought under the fictitious name Omar Adams.
As well as the narcotic pain reliever Vicodin, 50-year-old Jacko gorged on other drugs like muscle relaxant Soma and sedative Xanax.
He also took antidepressant Zoloft, anti-anxiety drug Paxil and heartburn pill Priolosec, reports The Sun.
Meanwhile, the British tabloid has revealed that when Michael died he owed at least 300million dollars - and was begging banks to lend him more moolah.
In late 2007, the King of Pop was seeking to borrow 43million dollars, according to The Sun who saw his financial papers.
On paper, Jacko had assets worth 1.3billion dollars- almost all tied up in his 50 per cent ownership of The Beatles' back catalogue with Sony Records. But he was unable - or unwilling - to sell his share.
Biography of Michael Jackson
In 1991, he again came out with the smash hit album, 'Dangerous' which had the number, 'Black or White'. Jackson held eight Guinness records, including most successful entertainer of all time. Jackson famously married Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie Presley. But it didn't last and he married again. He is survived by three children.
Things really started going bad for him in 1993. That's when the first allegations of sexual abuse by him surfaced. It was settled quietly out of court. He also scorched headlines for multiple plastic surgeries and increasingly odd behaviour.
In late 2003, Jackson faced charges of sexually molesting a 13-year-old boy at his Neverland Ranch. Jackson addressed the allegations in an interview to '60 Minutes' and gave details about his home
'I wanted to have a place that I could create everything that I never had as a child. So you see rides, you see animals, there's a movie theatre. I was always on tour travelling, you know, and I never got a chance to do those things. So I compensated for the loss by - I have a good time - I mean, I can't go into a park, I can't go to Disneyland as myself. I can't go out and walk down the street. There's crowds and bumper-to-bumper cars. So I create my world behind my gates.'
'Everything that I love is behind those gates,' Jackson had told '60 Minutes'. The cases reached a climax in 2005 and he was cleared of a few charges. But many believed he was guilty and then the idea that he was a sexual predator along with generally being a strange man became too much to handle. Jackson exiled himself
Despite earning hundreds of millions of dollars he was reported to be $500 million in debt thanks largely to his eccentrically extravagant lifestyle.
An increasingly frail and financially-challenged Jackson had been preparing for a 50-concert run in London, billed as his comeback tour. And the shows were declared sold out despite his scandal-tainted final years
When he died Thursday, a large crowd formed outside the hospital and his home, playing Jackson's music, as news crews and reporters jostled for stories and as news helicopters hovered overhead. For, in the end, the only redeeming quality of the man was his work.
While filming an advertisement for Pepsi, his hair caught fire. He had to get some corrective surgeries but many believe it did not just stop there. At the time of his death his face looked so ghastly that his nose had to be almost taped on to stay on his face.
In photo: Pop artist Michael Jackson, center, is shown onstage at opening night of his Victory Tour at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles
In 1987, he released 'Bad' and then bought the 2,800-acre Neverland Ranch in California. He was also at this time veering off into a chequered private life. In his autobiography he claimed he was abused by his dad.
In photo: King of pop music Michael Jackson, while singing and dancing, is joined by his lead guitarist during a performance in Bombay on Friday, November 1, 1996
It was around the time of 'Thriller' that his weirdness started showing off-stage. He purchased a chimpanzee named Bubbles and was diagnosed with vitiligo. This skin condition which causes loss of pigmentation in the skin would continue to ravage him. In his later days this condition made him look like an emaciated white man.
In photo: Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson acknowledge applause from the audience after coming out onstage to open the 11th Annual MTV Video Music Awards at New York's Radio City Music Hall
It was 'Thriller' in 1982 that catapulted him into superstardom. The video for the song 'Thriller' was a breakthrough success on MTV and heralded the age of the music video. It went platinum or diamond in 16 countries, including Britain, France and Japan.
In photo: Michael Jackson gestures from a first floor veranda overlooking the Pelourinho district of Salvador, Brazil 1018 miles (1691 kilometers) northeast of Rio Saturday, Feb. 10 1996 during the filming of a music video
Things really started going bad for him in 1993. That's when the first allegations of sexual abuse by him surfaced. It was settled quietly out of court. He also scorched headlines for multiple plastic surgeries and increasingly odd behaviour.
In late 2003, Jackson faced charges of sexually molesting a 13-year-old boy at his Neverland Ranch. Jackson addressed the allegations in an interview to '60 Minutes' and gave details about his home
'I wanted to have a place that I could create everything that I never had as a child. So you see rides, you see animals, there's a movie theatre. I was always on tour travelling, you know, and I never got a chance to do those things. So I compensated for the loss by - I have a good time - I mean, I can't go into a park, I can't go to Disneyland as myself. I can't go out and walk down the street. There's crowds and bumper-to-bumper cars. So I create my world behind my gates.'
'Everything that I love is behind those gates,' Jackson had told '60 Minutes'. The cases reached a climax in 2005 and he was cleared of a few charges. But many believed he was guilty and then the idea that he was a sexual predator along with generally being a strange man became too much to handle. Jackson exiled himself
Despite earning hundreds of millions of dollars he was reported to be $500 million in debt thanks largely to his eccentrically extravagant lifestyle.
An increasingly frail and financially-challenged Jackson had been preparing for a 50-concert run in London, billed as his comeback tour. And the shows were declared sold out despite his scandal-tainted final years
When he died Thursday, a large crowd formed outside the hospital and his home, playing Jackson's music, as news crews and reporters jostled for stories and as news helicopters hovered overhead. For, in the end, the only redeeming quality of the man was his work.
While filming an advertisement for Pepsi, his hair caught fire. He had to get some corrective surgeries but many believe it did not just stop there. At the time of his death his face looked so ghastly that his nose had to be almost taped on to stay on his face.
In photo: Pop artist Michael Jackson, center, is shown onstage at opening night of his Victory Tour at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles
In 1987, he released 'Bad' and then bought the 2,800-acre Neverland Ranch in California. He was also at this time veering off into a chequered private life. In his autobiography he claimed he was abused by his dad.
In photo: King of pop music Michael Jackson, while singing and dancing, is joined by his lead guitarist during a performance in Bombay on Friday, November 1, 1996
It was around the time of 'Thriller' that his weirdness started showing off-stage. He purchased a chimpanzee named Bubbles and was diagnosed with vitiligo. This skin condition which causes loss of pigmentation in the skin would continue to ravage him. In his later days this condition made him look like an emaciated white man.
In photo: Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson acknowledge applause from the audience after coming out onstage to open the 11th Annual MTV Video Music Awards at New York's Radio City Music Hall
But it was in 1983 that Jackson introduced a dance move that will most probably be the defining visual burnished in fans' memories - the moonwalk. That singular dance move could well be the greatest move of all time.
In photo: Michael Jackson's song "Smooth Criminal" has a different beat than traditional ballads, but it's still about murder and still makes you want to get up and dance despite its gory subject
In photo: Michael Jackson's song "Smooth Criminal" has a different beat than traditional ballads, but it's still about murder and still makes you want to get up and dance despite its gory subject
It was 'Thriller' in 1982 that catapulted him into superstardom. The video for the song 'Thriller' was a breakthrough success on MTV and heralded the age of the music video. It went platinum or diamond in 16 countries, including Britain, France and Japan.
In photo: Michael Jackson gestures from a first floor veranda overlooking the Pelourinho district of Salvador, Brazil 1018 miles (1691 kilometers) northeast of Rio Saturday, Feb. 10 1996 during the filming of a music video
Jackson was born into fame Aug 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, US. He never knew real life. He was five, the youngest member of his family band, the Jackson 5, and was clearly the most popular. Having already established his star power at such a young age, his next foray into pop mainstream was his critically acclaimed album 'Off the Wall' in 1979.
In photo: Michael Jackson performs as the American entertainer kicks off his first concert in Japan in a part of his tour dubbed as HIStory World Tour at Tokyo Dome indoor stadium Friday, Dec. 13, 1996
In photo: Michael Jackson performs as the American entertainer kicks off his first concert in Japan in a part of his tour dubbed as HIStory World Tour at Tokyo Dome indoor stadium Friday, Dec. 13, 1996
He was a man for whom life came full circle. When he died of a cardiac arrest Thursday at the age of 50 in Los Angeles, he had been labelled a fallen star - but a star who could still whip up a sold-out concert.
In photo: Michael Jackson performs "Dangerous" during taping of the American Bandstand's 50th anniversary show Saturday, April 20, 2002, in Pasadena, Calif. The show is scheduled to air on May 3. (AP Photo)
In photo: Michael Jackson performs "Dangerous" during taping of the American Bandstand's 50th anniversary show Saturday, April 20, 2002, in Pasadena, Calif. The show is scheduled to air on May 3. (AP Photo)
Capable of unleashing mass hysteria like the Beatles and Elvis, he introduced mega-stardom through his massive live concert tours. He made a mark on the music scene by selling a total of 750 million records, a record for a solo artist.
In photo: Michael Jackson performs during the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York Thursday, September 7, 1995. (AP Photo)
In photo: Michael Jackson performs during the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York Thursday, September 7, 1995. (AP Photo)
A winner of 13 Grammy awards, he etched a place for himself in the hearts and minds of people as the King of Pop with his signature song and dance moves, unusual wardrobe, feminine voice - and also as Wacko Jacko for the weirdest controversies.
In photo: Pop singer Michael Jackson performs during his "Dangerous" concert in National Stadium, Singapore. (AP Photo)
In photo: Pop singer Michael Jackson performs during his "Dangerous" concert in National Stadium, Singapore. (AP Photo)
He was one of the strangest celebrities ever. But history will remember Michael Jackson as a black man who managed to break through every racial and artistic barrier to become a global pop icon, a true musical genius.
In photo: Jackson through the years. Michael Jackson, is shown top, from left: 1971; 1977; 1979, and bottom: 1983; 1987; and 1990. The reclusive pop-star, who debuted at age 5 with the Jackseon Five, has emerged from town years of professional dormancy with a new music video, "Black or White". (AP-Photo)
In photo: Jackson through the years. Michael Jackson, is shown top, from left: 1971; 1977; 1979, and bottom: 1983; 1987; and 1990. The reclusive pop-star, who debuted at age 5 with the Jackseon Five, has emerged from town years of professional dormancy with a new music video, "Black or White". (AP-Photo)
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Searchword 'Jackson' puts web world into frenzy
As fans mourn the passing of Michael Jackson, the web is bubbling with activity. His official website may be shut down with comments from Sony, but other ways of keeping his memory alive have popped up online.
You tube has an official Michael Jackson channel with over 2 million hits on his video of thriller. His have quickly become the top 15 selling albums on amazon.com, and hundreds of memorabilia has been added to Ebay since his death.
But that's not all. According to web traffic cracker - Alexa, 7 of the 10 most popular sites right now are about the king of pop.
Even social networks are being bombarded - Twitter had to disable search when tweets about MJ were up to 5000 a minute.
And status updates on facebook tripled the average when the news broke. It seems everyone has something to say.
The king of pop will surely be missed, but his memory will remain alive forever on the web
You tube has an official Michael Jackson channel with over 2 million hits on his video of thriller. His have quickly become the top 15 selling albums on amazon.com, and hundreds of memorabilia has been added to Ebay since his death.
But that's not all. According to web traffic cracker - Alexa, 7 of the 10 most popular sites right now are about the king of pop.
Even social networks are being bombarded - Twitter had to disable search when tweets about MJ were up to 5000 a minute.
And status updates on facebook tripled the average when the news broke. It seems everyone has something to say.
The king of pop will surely be missed, but his memory will remain alive forever on the web
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Tata Motors launches Jaguar, Land Rover brands in India
The country's top automaker, Tata Motors, on Sunday launched in India its marquee car brands Jaguar and Land Rover, which it had acquired from the US car maker Ford. "It's quite a memorable day in the history and heritage of Tata Motors...JLR has been well received and well established in India (in the past), but over the years this brand has been disconnected from India," Tata group chief Ratan Tata told reporters here announcing the launch. "Now, we have decided to extend the penetration of the two brands in India," Tata said. "I think the cars will exhibit the levels of technology and levels of performance here," he said, adding the two brands would give Indian public an opportunity to experience the "pleasure of driving the superior technology. Tata Motors completed the acquisition of the two British marquee car brands last year for USD 2.3 billion.Friday, June 26, 2009
Watch Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor's 10 hot Kisses!
While everyone is aware that there is a kissing scene between Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor, no one knows that they have lip locked as many as ten times. The pair will steam up the screen as they kiss repeatedly in the film. The news has been very hush hush as both the lead actors were of the opinion that it should not be leaked out. It seems four among the 10 kisses feature before the pre-climax. The chemistry between Akshay and Kareena is excellent and they both have beautiful bodies and look extremely sexy onscreen, let's wait and watch!
Katrina Kaif visits Dargah Sharif Ajmer wearing Burkha
Katrina Kaif recently visited Dargah Sharif Ajmer, Rajasthan. It seems Katrina was there to seek the blessings of god for her upcoming film “New York†which is releasing this week on 26 June. This time the sultry actress was seen wearing Burkha covering her face too. She was there with the few team members of her flick. Some times before Katrina had landed up in trouble for her film, 'Nameste London' when she first visited the Dargah wearing a skirt at the holy place which created lots of hungama. So this time it seems the actress didn't wanted to be in news for the wrong reasons. Thus she followed the holy norm so that the concern authority of the Ajmer Sharif.
Bollywood Actress Rani Mukherjee in a new avtar
ash Raj Films' next release, DIL BOLE HADIPPA, is a romantic comedy set in Punjab which brings together for the first time Rani Mukherjee and Shahid Kapoor. It is the story of a girl who has to become a man to fulfill her dreams. The first look of DIL BOLE HADIPPA is now out! The movie has Rani Mukherjee in a completely new look as the latest Sardar in town. The versatile Rani, having played several demanding roles over the years, now takes on the challenging role of a Sardar. The film, directed by Anurag Singh and produced by Aditya Chopra, stars Shahid Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee, Anupam Kher along with Rakhi Sawant & Sherlyn Chopra and others. The movie is slated to release worldwide on 18th Sept 2009.
L'Oreal found guilty of racial discrimination
L’Oréal, the French cosmetics giant, has been found guilty by the highest court in the French judiciary of racial discrimination, for considering women from the minority communities in France unworthy of selling its shampoos.SOS Racisme, an anti-racist campaign group in France had filed the case.
France’s highest court was told that L’Oréal had sought an all-White sales staff to promote Fructis Style, a haircare product made by its beauty division, The Times reports.
The court was told that a Districom executive had sent a fax to its headquarters in 2000 saying that Garnier’s hostesses should be aged 18 to 22, wear size 38 to 42 clothes and be BBR.
The court was told that BBR (Blue, Black, Red) is an expression widely recognised in the French recruitment world as the code for White French people born to White French parents, in effect excluding the ethnic minorities.
Prosecutors said that Garnier wanted to exclude members of the minorities on the ground that they would be less likely to sell its shampoos in French shops, and also claimed that only 4.65 per cent of the hostesses hired for Garnier’s campaign were black, Asian or Arab.
The court has also found Adecco, the temporary recruitment agency whose Districom division hired the hostesses, guilty of racial discrimination.
The court found that the policy was illegal under French employment law.
“Its very great victory.Whatever the size of the company, none is able to escape prosecution,” said the vice-chariman of SOS Racisme, Samuel Thomas.
The judgment ends a three-year legal battle over discrimination charges, and while L’Oréal expressed disappointment at the judgment, Adecco refused make any comment.
The judgment is a major blow to L’Oréal’s image, which spends millions of dollars on advertisements featuring -Eva Longoria, Andie MacDowell, Penélope Cruz and Claudia Schiffer
India to play tri-series with Sri Lanka, NZ
Sri Lanka Cricket on Friday confirmed that India and New Zealand will play a triangular series along with the hosts during the Kiwis's tour in August.The tri-series was "agreed with the Chairman, Secretary, Board of Cricket Control in India and the Chief Executive, New Zealand Cricket at discussions held with the Chairman and Secretary, SLC during their visit to the UK," a statement from Sri Lanka Cricket said on Friday.
India had been considering playing the series as it would provide them with crucial match practice ahead of the Champions Trophy in South Africa in September.
India are currently in the West Indies playing their last series before a lengthy break from competitive cricket.
With the New Zealand's tour for Test matches not expected to generate much public interest, India's inclusion for the one-dayers was welcomed by SLC, which would create great commercial interest.
"SLC would like to express its appreciation to the officials of BCCI for agreeing on an unscheduled tour, which would add an additional commercial benefit to the stakeholders of SLC, moreover a viewing pleasure to the cricket loving public in Sri Lanka," the release added.
Sri Lanka Cricket would release the schedule at a later date
Mallika Sherawat spins magic on 10 Ka Dum
After seeing Kareena, Karisma and Katrina on Salman Khan's reality show Dus Ka Dum, this week Bollywood hottie Mallika Sherawat makes an appearance on the show.According to reports, Mallika, who is currently promoting her upcoming film Hisss, has been paid a whopping Rs 50 lakh to appear on the show. The actress will also have Olympic medalist Vijender Singh.
Reports are that Mallika agreed to do the show only because her relationship with former foe Salman Khan has improved. Their enmity dates back to Rock Stars world tour in 2006, where they had issue over money.
I don't see Asin as my competitor: Trisha
Popular Tamil actress Trisha is all set to make her Bollywood debut opposite Akshay Kumar, but insists that her foray into Hindi films shouldn't be seen as competing with Asin."I neither wanted frantically to do a Hindi film nor do I treat Asin as my competitor. All I'm concerned about is the films I'm starring in; I hardly have the time to check and monitor others' career," said Trisha.
"Some people are spreading rumours that my Hindi film effort is to keep Asin in check. They want to portray me as her competitor. The fact of the matter is that Akshay was very impressed by my performance in Abhiyum Naanum and wanted to cast me in the film Khatta Meetha, which would be his home production," she added.
"I'm extremely happy that Priyadarshan, who introduced me in Tamil films with Lesa Lesa some years ago, would be doing the same in Hindi films," Trisha said.
Mystery surrounds Michael Jackson's sudden death
One day after Michael Jackson's sudden death, speculation was already turning to what killed the 50-year-old "King of Pop" just weeks before a long-awaited series of comeback concerts.A family attorney said on Friday he had been concerned that Jackson's use of prescription drugs for dancing-related injuries would eventually prove fatal and that the entertainer's inner circle had ignored his warnings.
Authorities scheduled an autopsy for Friday. But they cautioned it could take weeks to determine a cause of death, which will likely have to wait for the return of toxicology tests. Those tests will determine if Jackson had any drugs, alcohol or prescription medications in his system.
Jackson, a former child star who became one of the best-selling pop artists of all time before descending into a strange and reclusive lifestyle amid accusations of child molestation, died Thursday afternoon at a Los Angeles hospital. He had been rushed to the hospital in full cardiac arrest after collapsing at his nearby rental home.
Jackson's passing was front-page news around the world as airwaves filled with his greatest hits from "Thriller" to "Billie Jean" and social networking sites were bombarded with messages and tributes from fans and musicians.
"It's so sad and shocking," former Beatle Paul McCartney said. "I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever."
Few details were known about the circumstances surrounding Jackson's death but he was reportedly unconscious and not breathing by the time he arrived at UCLA Medical Center. Doctors were unable to revive him.
His body was flown by helicopter from the hospital to the coroner's office late Thursday.
Lawyer Brian Oxman, a spokesman for the Jackson family, told CBS's "The Early Show" on Friday that he had been concerned about the prescription drugs that Jackson took due to injuries suffered while performing.
"I had warned everyone that I could warn and I told them that one day, Michael Jackson is going to wake up dead, which is a very odd way of putting it ...," Oxman said. "I do not want to point fingers at anyone because I want to hear what the toxicology report says and the coroner says but the plain fact of the matter is that Michael Jackson had prescription drugs at his disposal at all times.
Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery Homicide division searched Jackson's home in the upscale Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles at the behest of Chief William Bratton. But they called the investigation an "everyday" event.
Facing a battered reputation and a mountain of debts which The Wall Street Journal reported ran to $500 million, Jackson had spent the last two months rehearsing for the London concerts, including Wednesday night at the huge Staples Center arena, home to the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.
In death, his music enjoyed a commercial renaissance that had eluded him for years. His songs surged to the top 15 slots on online retailer Amazon.com Inc's best-selling albums within hours.
TAINTED TALENT?
Jackson dominated the charts in the 1980s and is considered one of the most successful entertainers of the past century, with a lifetime sales tally estimated at 750 million records, 13 Grammy Awards and several seminal music videos to his name.
"Michael was and will remain one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived," said Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jackson's first label boss. "He was exceptional, artistic and original. He gave the world his heart and soul through his music."
Jackson's reputation as a singer and dancer was overshadowed in recent years by his increasingly abnormal appearance and bizarre lifestyle, which included his friendship with a chimp and a preference for the company of children.
He named his estate in the central California foothills Neverland Valley Ranch, in tribute to the J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan stories, and filled it with amusement park rides and a petting zoo.
Jackson was twice accused of molesting young boys and was charged in 2003 with child sexual abuse. He became even more reclusive following his 2005 acquittal and vowed he would never again live at Neverland.
Despite reports of Jackson's ill health, the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson passed a 4-1/2 hour physical examination with independent doctors.
"I can't stop crying over the sad news," pop star Madonna said in a statement. "I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats but his music will live on forever."
Jackson was born on Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children and first performed with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5.
His 1982 album "Thriller" yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million internationally.
The following year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move, gliding across the stage and setting off an instant trend, while performing "Billie Jean" during an NBC special.
In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996.
"I'm so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. ... This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me," Presley said in statement.
Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999, and he later had another child with an unidentified surrogate mother.
He is survived by three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when his father held him over the railing of a hotel balcony, causing widespread criticism
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Watch and Download Telugu movie 'Raju Maharaju'
Sarvanand, Surveen Chawla, Tashu Koushik, Mohan Babu, Ramya Krishna, Brahmanandam, Sunil, Dharmavarapu Subramanyam, L B Sriram, Rani, Jayasudha, Raghu Babu, Jayaprakash Reddy, Nutan Prasad
Watch and Download Telugu movie 'CURRENT'
Sushant, Sneha Ullal, Charan Raj, Tanikella Bharani, Sudha, Geeta, Brahmanandam, Vennela Kishore, Shafi, Raghu Babu, Melkote, Jhansi, Reshmi, Shakeela
click here:http://www.bharatmovies.com/telugu/video/Current.htm
click here:http://www.bharatmovies.com/telugu/video/Current.htm
Watch and Download Hindi movie 'Hum Phirr Milenge'
Sarvar Ahuja, Khushboo, Riya Sen, Vikram Gokhale, Kiran Kumar, Rati Agnihotri, Kunal Kumar, Vicky Ahuja
click here:http://www.bharatmovies.com/hindi/video/Hum_Phirr_Mileinge.htm
click here:http://www.bharatmovies.com/hindi/video/Hum_Phirr_Mileinge.htm
Watch and Download Hindi movie 'Lets Dance'
Gayatri Patel, Maser Aabhaas, Paras Arora, Aquib Afzal, Ajay Chaudhary, Nikunj Pandey, Anjaan Srivastav, Sugandha Garg, Asif Basra, Abhaas Yadav
Watch and Download Hindi movie 'Paying Guest'
Shreyas Talpade, Javed Jaffrey, Ashish Chowdhry, Celina Jaitley, Chunky Pandey, Riya Sen, Sayali Bhagat, Neha Dhupia, Vatsal Sheth, Delnaz Paul, Johny Lever, Paintal, Asrani, Viju Khote, Inder Kumar
Fake Rs 1000 notes in circulation, says RBI
The RBI has warned that fake Rs 1000 notes are in circulation in the country. Fake notes have been detected in the 2AQ and 8AC series.The RBI has asked banks to be careful while dealing with these two series though the apex bank has also confirmed that all notes in these series are not fake.
The clarification comes after a builder in Chennai got fake notes from an SBI ATM in the city.
WAYS TO DETECT A FAKENOTE
Optical Variable Ink
The colour of the numeral 1000 appears green when the banknote is held flat but would change to blue when the banknote is held at an angle. The font size is also reduced
Indians were reluctant to play us in T20 World Cup: Afridi
The Indian team under Mahendra Singh Dhoni was reluctant to play against Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Cup and it showed in their attitude, alleged flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi.
Even though the arch-rivals did not meet in the main tournament, they featured in a sold-out warm up match and Afridi alleged Dhoni and his men did not look keen to play Pakistan even though they claimed so.
“I was a bit disappointed. It didn’t appear to me by the attitude of the Indian players that they want to play against us,” Afridi told after his arriving home this morning.
“On the face, they said they would like to see cricket between the two countries but I think in their hearts they thought otherwise. Their attitude and behaviour while playing against us showed this,” Afridi said.
Pakistan and India have froze bilateral cricket ties since the Mumbai terror attacks last November with the Indians cancelling a scheduled Test tour earlier this year.
Afridi said he still believed that cricket could heal relations between the two nations and bring people together.
“I always say use sports to foster good relations and remove misunderstandings,” said Afridi who starred in the tournament both with the bat and ball.
He said Pakistan had proved critics wrong by winning the World Cup when everyone had tipped India and South Africa as favourites.
“I think our performance is a lesson for other teams. We are world champions and I hope teams will now come to Pakistan.”
Even though the arch-rivals did not meet in the main tournament, they featured in a sold-out warm up match and Afridi alleged Dhoni and his men did not look keen to play Pakistan even though they claimed so.
“I was a bit disappointed. It didn’t appear to me by the attitude of the Indian players that they want to play against us,” Afridi told after his arriving home this morning.
“On the face, they said they would like to see cricket between the two countries but I think in their hearts they thought otherwise. Their attitude and behaviour while playing against us showed this,” Afridi said.
Pakistan and India have froze bilateral cricket ties since the Mumbai terror attacks last November with the Indians cancelling a scheduled Test tour earlier this year.
Afridi said he still believed that cricket could heal relations between the two nations and bring people together.
“I always say use sports to foster good relations and remove misunderstandings,” said Afridi who starred in the tournament both with the bat and ball.
He said Pakistan had proved critics wrong by winning the World Cup when everyone had tipped India and South Africa as favourites.
“I think our performance is a lesson for other teams. We are world champions and I hope teams will now come to Pakistan.”
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Fifa Confederations Cup 2009 Spain vs USA
All links are available
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Minister seeks cheaper loans in housing sector
In order to revive the demand in the real estate sector, Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy on Tuesday favoured cheaper loans for buying houses.
"Real estate is facing a slowdown. So we should make an arrangement for giving loans at 6.5 per cent interest for houses in the below Rs 5 lakh category to the poor," he said after his meeting with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi.
"It was a pre-budget meeting and we discussed budgetary issues with the Finance Minister," he told reporters.
Reddy suggested extension of housing loan at the rate of 7.5 per cent presently available for flats up to Rs 20 lakh to those priced at Rs 30 lakh in cities.
"The revival of real estate is key for generating employment. The existing 7.5 per cent interest scheme should also be extended beyond June to motivate more buyers," he said.
Reddy sought more budgetary allocations for Commonwealth Games projects, DMRC extension and JNNURM projects.
"Keeping the ongoing Games projects in mind, we have sought more budgetary provisions," he said, adding more funds for Delhi Metro extension programmes were also sought.
"Our JNNURM programme is the most successful one and now more and more states are seeking projects under the scheme. So we have asked for more budgetary allocations for it," he said
"Real estate is facing a slowdown. So we should make an arrangement for giving loans at 6.5 per cent interest for houses in the below Rs 5 lakh category to the poor," he said after his meeting with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi.
"It was a pre-budget meeting and we discussed budgetary issues with the Finance Minister," he told reporters.
Reddy suggested extension of housing loan at the rate of 7.5 per cent presently available for flats up to Rs 20 lakh to those priced at Rs 30 lakh in cities.
"The revival of real estate is key for generating employment. The existing 7.5 per cent interest scheme should also be extended beyond June to motivate more buyers," he said.
Reddy sought more budgetary allocations for Commonwealth Games projects, DMRC extension and JNNURM projects.
"Keeping the ongoing Games projects in mind, we have sought more budgetary provisions," he said, adding more funds for Delhi Metro extension programmes were also sought.
"Our JNNURM programme is the most successful one and now more and more states are seeking projects under the scheme. So we have asked for more budgetary allocations for it," he said
Shahid Afridi Learns to Respect Bowlers
Revealing the secret of his sizzling form in the Twenty20 World Cup, Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has said giving respect to bowlers helped him to be among the runs in England.
Afridi said he struggled with the bat in the past because he was not according proper respect to bowlers.
"I thought I could take on any bowler and I showed no respect to them. That is why I was struggling to get runs," he said in an interview to a private television channel.
Afridi said he struggled with the bat in the past because he was not according proper respect to bowlers.
"I thought I could take on any bowler and I showed no respect to them. That is why I was struggling to get runs," he said in an interview to a private television channel.
Obama may attend 2010 World Cup opening ceremony
On the day after the semi-final line-up was dramatically set at the Confederations Cup, South Africa took a deep breath and FIFA President Sepp Blatter revealed that US President Barack Obama may attend the opening ceremony of the World Cup next year.
According to reports, Obama, whose father was born in Kenya, said Blatter that he would be there if his schedule at the time allowed it. But Blatter said that "he has accepted our invitation."
In Washington, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama has accepted a meeting with Blatter, "but we have not yet altogether made plans."
But Gibbs, a one-time football player in college, quipped that a "small group of us have assembled in order to move the president" toward attending the World Cup in 2010.
"In the past, the World Cup has never been staged in Africa because people in the rest of the world did not trust Africa," Blatter said.
"I trust Africa and South Africa," he said emphatically. "It is time the world did the same thing. The world will see a fantastic spectacle in Africa in 2010. South Africa is going to make everyone proud of Africa."
Blatter also said it would commemorate the 2003 death of Cameroon midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe before the final of the tournament at Ellis Park on Sunday.
Foe, who collapsed on the field and died of an undiagnosed heart ailment in the Confederations Cup semi-finals, was 26. "When the teams are assembled before kick-off, we will have a brief message for the world about what happened," said Blatter.
The head of the world governing body of football said, FIFA had gone to great lengths to avoid such tragedies since, testing all players in their competitions for the same heart issue.
"One of the legacies of Marc-Vivien Foe's unfortunate death, and of having the World Cup in Africa, is that FIFA is providing medical care and aid where we possibly can," he said.
Blatter and FIFA's secretary General Jerome Valcke also discussed worries that the new stadiums being built for the event would sit empty after the World Cup.
"We've discussed this, and we'll work on it with the organisers post-World Cup," said Valcke. "We do not want white elephants, as is the case sometimes in cities chosen for the Olympics."
Blatter was optimistic, saying: "These modern stadiums have many uses. You can also have exhibitions, concerts, etc. It's a question of organisation."
A day after Brazil became the second team to claim to have possessions stolen from their hotel, along with Egypt, the organisers of the World Cup attempted to address concern over the safety for visitors at the event. Around 50 people are murdered each day and over 100,000 armed robberies are reported every year in South Africa.
According to reports, Obama, whose father was born in Kenya, said Blatter that he would be there if his schedule at the time allowed it. But Blatter said that "he has accepted our invitation."
In Washington, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama has accepted a meeting with Blatter, "but we have not yet altogether made plans."
But Gibbs, a one-time football player in college, quipped that a "small group of us have assembled in order to move the president" toward attending the World Cup in 2010.
"In the past, the World Cup has never been staged in Africa because people in the rest of the world did not trust Africa," Blatter said.
"I trust Africa and South Africa," he said emphatically. "It is time the world did the same thing. The world will see a fantastic spectacle in Africa in 2010. South Africa is going to make everyone proud of Africa."
Blatter also said it would commemorate the 2003 death of Cameroon midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe before the final of the tournament at Ellis Park on Sunday.
Foe, who collapsed on the field and died of an undiagnosed heart ailment in the Confederations Cup semi-finals, was 26. "When the teams are assembled before kick-off, we will have a brief message for the world about what happened," said Blatter.
The head of the world governing body of football said, FIFA had gone to great lengths to avoid such tragedies since, testing all players in their competitions for the same heart issue.
"One of the legacies of Marc-Vivien Foe's unfortunate death, and of having the World Cup in Africa, is that FIFA is providing medical care and aid where we possibly can," he said.
Blatter and FIFA's secretary General Jerome Valcke also discussed worries that the new stadiums being built for the event would sit empty after the World Cup.
"We've discussed this, and we'll work on it with the organisers post-World Cup," said Valcke. "We do not want white elephants, as is the case sometimes in cities chosen for the Olympics."
Blatter was optimistic, saying: "These modern stadiums have many uses. You can also have exhibitions, concerts, etc. It's a question of organisation."
A day after Brazil became the second team to claim to have possessions stolen from their hotel, along with Egypt, the organisers of the World Cup attempted to address concern over the safety for visitors at the event. Around 50 people are murdered each day and over 100,000 armed robberies are reported every year in South Africa.
Gossip Girl actress' sex tape reaches $1 mn bid
A sex tape starring American drama TV series Gossip Girl actress Leighton Meester has sparked a bidding war on the Internet, touching the $1 million mark.
Hollywood.com reports that Kevin Blatt, the dealer behind socialite heiress Paris Hilton's sex tapes, has said he is surprised by the level of interest in the footage, as the bids for the Meester video have exceeded $1 million.
Blatt also revealed that the footage features a younger Meester performing a striptease for a boyfriend.
"It's very playful, actually. It's not shot in high definition and looks like it has been shot using a video camera while they are both fooling around," said Blatt.
Hollywood.com reports that Kevin Blatt, the dealer behind socialite heiress Paris Hilton's sex tapes, has said he is surprised by the level of interest in the footage, as the bids for the Meester video have exceeded $1 million.
Blatt also revealed that the footage features a younger Meester performing a striptease for a boyfriend.
"It's very playful, actually. It's not shot in high definition and looks like it has been shot using a video camera while they are both fooling around," said Blatt.
Ban on burqa, violation of women's rights
The French National Assembly decided on Tuesday to set up an inquiry into the rising number of Muslim women who wear the burqa (traditional veil worn by Muslim women) after President Nicholas Sarkozy spoke out against the full Islamic veil in Parliament. From crucifixes to turbans to the burqa now, across many western countries, there appears to be a discomfort over the overt display of religious identity.CNN-IBN show Face the Nation debated: Should Muslim women be denied the right to wear the burqa?
The panel included Majlis-e Ittihad al-Muslimin (MIM) Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi; Social Activist and author Sadia Dehlvi and French Journalist Constantin Simon.
The question many are asking is the basis of the statement by President Sarkozy denouncing the burqa as a symbol of subservience. Is it based on the western understanding of the burqa as a symbol of radicalism?
French Journalist Constantin Simon said that he did not think that it was a western attitude.
“It’s a French attitude or behaviour because in France, there are specifics which are not in other western countries. Almost 100 years ago, a clear separation of the state and religion was made in France, which is not the same in other western countries. In the United States, you have ‘In God We Trust’ printed on a bank note but that would not be possible in France. Not at all. Because in France, the state not only has to protect every religion, but also protect many people who considers themselves as non-religious. So that is why Nicholas Sarkozy made this statement against the burqa because in France the burqa in something that is against the rights of women,” defended Simon.
Many say that the argument does hold water in that an overt display of religious symbols runs the fear of ghettoisation or even the possibility of assimilation becomes lesser, and therefore on the long run, could be dangerous and therefore the argument is fair.
Sadia Dehlvi did not agree with the argument. She said, “I think the statement is rather unfortunate and a bit extreme. I think the decision to wear a burqa or not should lie with the woman. I am completely opposed to it if it is the Taliban who are forcing it. That is a form of oppression, and denying women the right to what they want to, even if it is a hijab (head scarf) or a burqa is also a form of oppression.
If you were to see it in the context of France being against an overt display of religious symbols even when it came to the turban and kirpan (curved dagger used by Sikhs) or the crucifixes, would that be acceptable?
Dehlvi thought that it as very much on the same line of banning turbans and banning religious symbols. She went on to say, “Interestingly, even Turkey, which is a Muslim country, has also done it. But, in a country which claims to be a secular and democratic, I think it is an infringement on basic human rights of a woman to dress how she wants to.”
I read Quran to find where it's misinterpreted: John Abraham
Bollywood's heartthrob and dimpled actor John Abraham is trying to breakaway from the shackles of oft-mindless cinema with a heart rendering tale of humanity, 'New York'. The actor, during a media event in Delhi, spoke with Ankita Shukla and Bhavna Khullar of Spicezee.com about his latest offering 'New York', preparations that went into it and his co-stars Katrina and Neil. Q: You read the holy Quran to prepare for the role. What made you do that? John: I read the holy Quran when I and Kabir decided to go through the transcripts to find where it is misinterpreted as it is something pure and beautiful and has to be understood well. Q: Tell us something about New York.John: This film tries to show what happened in America post 9/11 and also at the way America looks at a certain section of a community and the way that community looks at America. Q: 'New York' is your second flick with Kabir Khan after 'Kabul Express', how was the experience? John: While I shot for 'Kabul Express' in Taliban ruled Afghanistan, 'New York' was much safer a bet for me. Jokes apart, this film is a thriller and has perhaps the best role I have done so far. I think it was tailor made role for me. As far as Kabir is concerned, he is a friend and an award winning director. While 'Kabul Express' won many awards, I think 'New York' is going to win every possible award in the book of awards. It is a commercial flick, which I think will work but the audience will decide finally. Q: What do you have to say about Kabir's style of filmmaking? John: What is distinct about Kabir's style of story telling is the fact that it is real, honest and straight. Q: How do you select a particular role? John: Well, I try and do roles that take me out of my comfort zone
Akshay Kumar is a good kisser: Denise Richards
Akshay Kumar is a good kisser: Denise Richards
Former bondgirl denise richards
worked with Bollywood heartthrob Akshay Kumar in upcoming film Kambakkht Ishq, says she enjoyed locking lips with the actor as he is a "good kisser".
An impressed Richards has branded the actor India's "sexiest star", Contactmusic reported.
"Akshay was so down to earth and very genuine. He made me feel very comfortable, plus he's a good kisser! I can see why he's India's sexiest actor!," Richards said.
Directed by Sabbir Khan and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, the film also features Hollywood actors Sylvester Stallone and Brandon Routh apart from Denise Richards in key roles.
Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor play the lead in the movie, which is slated to hit theatres this July. Richards admits that she struggled with the language
while filming the movie, her first Bollywood project, but got a helping hand from her co-stars.
"I couldn't believe how kind everyone was and they were so passionate about the film. All the actors were very sweet and gorgeous! They helped translate when I needed to understand something," she added.
Pakistan President calls Angelina Jolie to say thank you
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari made a 'thank you' call to Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie for donating a million dollars for the people displaced by anti-Taliban military operations in the country's northwest.
Zardari thanked Jolie and her companion Brad Pitt, who jointly run the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, during the phone call on Monday and also invited them to visit Pakistan, sources said.
The Hollywood power couple have been running the Jolie-Pitt Foundation to assist in humanitarian crises around the world.
Jolie, who has been a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commission on Refugees since 2001, donated a million dollars on World Refugee Day to aid displaced people in Pakistan.
Jolie has said she decided to provide aid to the displaced Pakistanis because the refugee crisis in the country was relatively new and the numbers of displaced persons had "jumped so quickly".
"I think in the last few weeks, there were about 100,000 displaced a day. There's over two million now. I think it's just there has been a giant appeal, a lot of funds have been sent in, a lot of aid has come to the people... But the numbers are so extraordinary and they're growing," Jolie told CNN after making the donation.
Zardari thanked Jolie and her companion Brad Pitt, who jointly run the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, during the phone call on Monday and also invited them to visit Pakistan, sources said.
The Hollywood power couple have been running the Jolie-Pitt Foundation to assist in humanitarian crises around the world.
Jolie, who has been a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commission on Refugees since 2001, donated a million dollars on World Refugee Day to aid displaced people in Pakistan.
Jolie has said she decided to provide aid to the displaced Pakistanis because the refugee crisis in the country was relatively new and the numbers of displaced persons had "jumped so quickly".
"I think in the last few weeks, there were about 100,000 displaced a day. There's over two million now. I think it's just there has been a giant appeal, a lot of funds have been sent in, a lot of aid has come to the people... But the numbers are so extraordinary and they're growing," Jolie told CNN after making the donation.
CA plans trial game to test coloured balls for D/N Tests
Cricket Australia is planning a trial game to test the feasibility of using colour balls in day-night Test matches.CA operations manager Michael Brown said it would be "a controlled experiment", where players will face the coloured ball under lights either in the MCG or SCG and Channel Nine would see how they come up on camera.The main aim behind the initiative is to test the visibility of the ball rather than its durability, said Brown, who is hoping it can be organised for the coming summer.Incidentally, the day-night Tests will be a part of the discussion during International Cricket Council`s meetings in London this week.
"Ideally, we would like to get some players along, get the cameras along, turn on the lights and see if we can have a game of cricket for an hour," Brown was quoted as saying in a leading Australian newspaper. "We`re still a fair way away (from a day-night Test) but we`re moving forward," he added.Though yellow, lime green and white are among the contenders, a suitable colour is still to be finalised and once that is done, the next challenge will be to manufacture a ball that can endure the wears and tears of Test cricket.
"Ideally, we would like to get some players along, get the cameras along, turn on the lights and see if we can have a game of cricket for an hour," Brown was quoted as saying in a leading Australian newspaper. "We`re still a fair way away (from a day-night Test) but we`re moving forward," he added.Though yellow, lime green and white are among the contenders, a suitable colour is still to be finalised and once that is done, the next challenge will be to manufacture a ball that can endure the wears and tears of Test cricket.
Four million children die annually in South Africa:UNICEF
Around four million African children die annually of preventive diseases, a recent report by UNICEF has pointed. The African nations contribute over half of the 9.2 million child fatalities in the world annually, report added. The report also praised Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi and other Sub Saharan African states that have succeeded in reducing the infant mortality rate by 40 percent. From 2000 to 2007 the southern cone countries in this continent have managed to reduce by 90 percent the diseases caused by measles, UNICEF said. According to Ann M Veneman, executive director UNICEF these signs of progress are a result of joint efforts made by the government and international allies to boost vaccination campaigns. The focus now must be on prenatal care, specialised attention during birth, breastfeeding in the first months of life and proper nutrition, Veneman added. UNICEF is working in over 150 countries and territories to bring a change in lives of children.
'Low flying planes damaging Qutub Minar'
Vibrations from aircraft flying near the Qutub Minar in the national capital are damaging the 12th century minaret, the Archaeological Survey of India has said and asked the airport authority to immediately change the flight path. The ASI last month wrote to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to highlight how low flying aircraft could endanger the 72.5 metre red sandstone monument, one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city, and stated that a diversion in the flight route was imperative. "The vibrations caused by the low flying aircraft near the monument is affecting the structure and we have asked the AAI to change the flying route immediately," B.R. Mani, ASI joint director general, said. According to Mani, the problem began in September 2008 after a new runway, the third at the airport, started functioning at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. The 4.4-km runway is the longest in the country and capable of handling the largest aircraft category, which includes the Airbus A-380 and the Antonov An-225. With the new runway, the flight handling capacity of the airport has gone up to 65-70 flights an hour. "After the new runway opened, the route for landing aircraft was shifted about 2.5 km away (towards Qutub Minar) from the approach route to the main runway," an airport official said. "It (Qutab Minar) is an old monument and the low flying zone is very close to it; that causes repeated vibrations and can damage the monument," a senior archaeologist with the ASI added. An official of the AAI, which manages airports across the country, said a study would be conducted if there was "anything to it". "I don't know about this yet. But if there is anything then we will conduct the required study and look into it," V. Somasundaram, AAI executive director, air traffic management, said. In January this year, historians had raised concerns that the monument, built by Qutubuddin Aibak in 1173, which already has a tilt of 25 inches to the southwest, is in danger of leaning further following rainwater seepage. Acting quickly, the ASI cemented the area around the structure with lime to make it watertight. It also set up six underground water traps at a depth of 12 feet to prevent any water from reaching the 10-foot deep foundation of the structure. According to some historians, Qutub Minar has a "natural" tilt that occurred not when it was built, but was caused either when the two upper storeys of the monument were later being built or due to an earthquake.
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