GAYLE's PERFORMANCE IS FADED BY THIS SRILANKAN CRICKETER PERFORMANCE.......

Sri Lankan cricketer Dhanuka Pathirana smashed 277 in T20 cricket..
If you think Chris Gayle was insane in his 175*off 66 balls, then what will you make of the Sri Lankan first-class player, Dhanuka Pathirana, who scored a remarkable 277 off just 72 balls in a Twenty20 match in Lancashire’s Saddleworth League? This knock helped his team Austerlands amass a total of 366 for 2 which gave them an easy win over Droylsden. Pathirana, during his knock, smashed 29 sixes and 18 fours in his unbelievable onslaught on the Droylsden bowlers.
Pathirana, who had to make use of another player’s bat ashe had left his at home, said: “Everything seemed to hit the middle; I was seeing it like a football. It was like a dream … I think I did some serious damage to some of the vehicles in the car park.”
Austerlands’ coach Andy Young was quoted on 5th September, 2007, in the Manchester Evening News, assaying: “It was unbelievable. Dhanuka normally bats at No.3 but we needed to up our run rate to reach the semi-finals, so we asked him to open and said to him: ‘Justgo for it’. And he certainly did.
“It was scary to watch and it wasn’t on one of the smaller grounds in our league. He is one of those guys who we always knew was capable of a massive innings, but this was incredible.”

I am not just the leader of Hindus: Narendra Modi......

Haridwar: Making a secular pitch, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that he is not just the leader of Hindus but made no direct reference to the 2002 post-Godhra riots in which several Muslims were killed. 

"I am not just the leader of majority Hindus. I am the leader of Indians," he said. 

Sharing platform with yoga guru Baba Ramdev, he maintained that his model of governance was based on "welfare for all" but made no direct reference to the post-Godhra violence that claimed the lives of over 1000 people, an overwhelming majority of whom were Muslims. 

"My manifesto is everyone should be healthy and welfare for all. In Gujarat (where) riots happened every other day and innocents were killed, today after 12 years there is not a sign of riots," he said.

Chief Minister also praised the role of saints and seers in the nation building. 

“Political leaders and governments have not made this country, our saints and seers have made this country,” he said. 

Appealing to the vast gathering of his supporters he said, “We have lost self respect, it is important that every Indian showcase this inspiration to the world.” 

He made this remark shortly after inaugurating Yoga guru Baba Ramdev's Acharyakulam School in Haridwar in presence of influential spiritual leaders like Morari Bapu and Rameshji Oza. 

Modi, who generally avoids questions on the post-Godhra violence, has been accused by his detractors of having not taken any steps to stop the violence against Muslims after the train carnage in Godhra. 

In his speech, Modi accused the Centre of virtually hounding Ramdev for his views that go against the government. 

"I want to ask the rulers in Delhi whether it is wrong to put forward your views in a democracy. Is it wrong to have views that are diametrically opposite to that of the government," he said.Referring to the death of a woman volunteer due to the injuries sustained in a midnight police action on Ramdev's followers on June, 2011 in the capital, Modi said, "Rajbala (the woman who succumbed) is seeking reply from the government on the action. 

"The people in the government are using indecent language against Baba Ramdev, who is serving the nation not only by with his yoga, but also with his movements (against black money)," Modi said. 

Apparently siding with Baba Ramdev, Modi said today when these saints are doing so much, those in power complain and ask why they are involved in other activities. 

“I feel what Baba Ramdev is doing, I don’t think he is doing it with any agenda,” he said, adding, “I am not asking anything but the country is seeking an answer from those who are in power in Delhi.”Modi also described Ramdev as his twin brother and said that both are being targeted by Delhi every day.” 

Swami Awadheshanand, Anand Murti Maharaj, Pejawar Swami, Dr Pranav Pandya are some of the other prominent spiritual leaders who are expected to be present at the event. 

A school based on Vedic-cum-modern education, Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust’s Acharyakulam Shikshan Sansthanam is affiliated to CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education). It will offer education to students from grades 5th to 12th. 

Modi’s visit to Haridwar assumes significance as it comes at a time when he is being increasingly projected as BJP’s PM candidate for 2014 Lok Sabha elections. 

Of late, Ramdev has emerged as one of the most vocal supporters of the ‘Modi for PM’ idea.

We want to go to Pakistan immediately: Sarabjit's family.....

Amritsar: With Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh in coma at a Lahore hospital after being fatally assaulted by fellow prisoners, his family members in Punjab said Saturday that they wanted to leave for Pakistan immediately to take care of him. 

Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur, who has been spearheading the campaign for his release from Lahore's Kot Lakhpat prison, and his wife and two daughters, arrived here Saturday morning from their hometown Bhikhiwind, 50 km from here. 

The family members met Raj Kumar Verka, vice chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, to demand that their request for visas to Pakistan be submitted with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. "We want to be with Sarabjit in this difficult time. He is all alone. We don't even know what his condition is. We are getting the reports only through news channels and his lawyer," Dalbir Kaur told a news agency. 

The family was left shocked Friday evening after hearing that Sarabjit Singh was critically injured following an attack by 5-6 prisoners in the Lahore prison. A sobbing Dalbir Kaur alleged that Sarabjit was apprehending an attack on himself for some time now as he was receiving threats from other inmates. 

Sarabjit Singh was admitted to the intensive care unit of Lahore's Jinnah Hospital after the murderous attack on him. He reportedly suffered critical head injuries in the assault. He was attacked with bricks, sharp objects and plates. 

The reason behind the assault was not immediately known. Doctors are battling to save his life, said an official of India's external affairs ministry. Indian High Commission officials in Islamabad are likely to get access to him Saturday. 

The assault on Sarabjit comes a few months after the death of Indian prisoner Chamel Singh in the same Kot Lakhpat jail after he was allegedly assaulted by the jail staffers. Dalbir Kaur alleged that the attack on Sarabjit was "pre-meditated and deliberate". 

"Some prisoners had been threatening him. It was a conspiracy and he was deliberately attacked. Why was he not protected... I want to go to Pakistan immediately," she said. 

"If our government had taken steps, this attack would not have taken place. I had met the home minister (Sushilkumar Shinde), (minister of state for external affairs) Preneet Kaur and all others with letters mentioning that Sarabjit Singh could be attacked. No one did anything and the attack has taken place," she added. 

Pakistan human rights activist Ansar Burney, who has been pleading for clemency to Sarabjit Singh, also said the attack looked "suspicious". 

"The attack looks suspicious. Someone could be behind this. No bricks or other material can reach the place where Sarabjit had been kept. This must be thoroughly investigated," Burney told news channels from Karachi. 

The Indian High Commission has urged the Pakistani government to provide all necessary medical and other support to him, said officials in New Delhi. 

Sarabjit Singh has been on a death row in Pakistan since 1990 after being convicted by Pakistani courts for bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan cities which left 14 people dead. Sarabjit's family claims that he had inadvertently crossed into Pakistan in August 1990 in an inebriate state and was arrested there. 

But police in Pakistan claimed Sarabjit Singh, who is known as Manjit Singh in that country, was involved in acts of terrorism. 

A resident of Bhikhiwind township, along the India-Pakistan border, he has been languishing in Pakistani jails since then. 

Chamel Singh, said to be in his 60s, was serving a five-year term for espionage and died at the Jinnah Hospital Jan 15. During an autopsy done on March 13 - nearly two months after his death - marks of injury had reportedly been found on the body. 

His family alleged he was killed in the prison but no probe was carried out by Pakistani authorities. His body was returned to India last month. 

Don't hold talks with 'betrayer' China: Mulayam on incursion......

Lucknow: Alleging that the Centre was showing "weakness" in dealing with the issue of Chinese incursion in Ladakh, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Friday said instead of holding talks with "betrayer" China, the "intruders should be chased away". 

"Centre is showing weakness on the issue of Chinese incursions... They (Chinese troops) have entered 10-20 km inside our territory... Instead of talking to China, which is a betrayer, the intruders should be chased away," Yadav said at an event at the Samajwadi Party office here. Ridiculing the UPA government, Yadav sought to know what were intelligence agencies like IB and RAW, and external affairs and defence ministers doing as they could not get prior information about the incursions. 

"Now I have heard some minister is going for talks with folded hands to request China to leave Indian territory... Will China leave now? It will not," he said. 

"I have been cautioning the government for past several years and even raised the issue in Lok Sabha, which is recorded. Now, when China has intruded, the government does not have the courage to send them back," he claimed. 

The SP supremo said he has been invited by the Centre to discuss the incursion issue. 

"I will go to him (PM) after April 28 or maybe tomorrow evening and tell him, if asked, about my information. Why the government did not take it seriously earlier and invited me for discussion on the issue? Now, when China has intruded at 17-18 thousand feet, it will be difficult to send them back. It will not leave with talks only," he said. 

Yadav said he had discussed the issue with Defence Minister AK Antony. "I had talked to the Defence Minister on the issue. He had said that he would sort out the matter," Yadav said, adding, he had told him that he would have to resign if this was not done. 

He said it was China's history that whenever it is weak, it sits silently and when it becomes strong, it starts attacking. 

"Now it has surrounded our borders by reaching Nepal and taken Sri Lanka by its side. India is target of China as it considers our country as a hurdle in its ambitions of becoming a world power," he said. 

Yadav said the issue should be resolved at the earliest. 

"Our Army is one of the best in the world. Our people are ready... The issue should be resolved, if needed, by chasing them (China) away," he added. 

Italian legal expert slams India's Supreme Court ruling on marines.......

Rome: An Italian legal expert has criticised India's top court for ruling that a national anti-terror body will continue to probe the two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen, meaning the pair could face the death penalty. 

"India is continuing to violate international law and Italy must keep battling to have the two marines tried by Italian courts," Angela Del Vecchio, a lecturer in international law at Rome's private LUISS university, told Adnkronos. 

Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, ratified by Italy, a state may refer a disputed case to an international judge or to third-party arbitration, Del Vecchio noted. "The problem is that Italy doesn't want to do this. I don't understand why," she said. 

India's Supreme Court ruled Friday that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) would continue to probe the case of Italian riflemen Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, who are charged with murder over the shooting of two fishermen off the coast of the southern state of Kerala in February 2012. 

Italy argued that the case should be investigated by police and not the NIA which probes and prosecute crimes that fall under India's maritime safety act, a legislation which says offences that cause "death to any person" shall be punished with death. 

Earlier in April, the NIA charged the two men with murder and violating maritime safety laws. 

The Italian government returned the marines to India last month to end an escalating diplomatic standoff, after New Delhi promised Rome that they would not not face capital punishment. Latorre and Girone say they mistook the fishermen as pirates while protecting an Italian oil tanker and Italy claims the incident took place in international waters, meaning India should not have jurisdiction over the case. 

There was strong opposition in Italy to the return of the marines for trial by a special court in India and Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi resigned in protest in March. 

"This incident has been affected by the Italian electoral campaign and by the fact that Italy is the homeland of (Congress party chief) Sonia Gandhi," said Del Vecchio. She did not elaborate. 

Samsung Galaxy S4 now in India at Rs 41,500.......

New Delhi: Much to the delight of the fans, South Korean giant, Samsung launched its flagship smartphone the Galaxy S4 in India on Friday.

The phone, packed with newer imaging features as well as 'gesture-control' technology will be available at the company's premium brand stores in Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai from 12 noon onwards tomorrow, while pan-India availability will be in a couple of days.

The phone has been priced at Rs 41,500.

"At Samsung, we are committed to innovation and to our consumers...We are proud to announce the launch of our flagship device and the much awaited, Samsung Galaxy S4," Samsung Electronics President and CEO (South West Asia) B D Park said here.

The company had unveiled the phone in the US last month. Galaxy S4 was scheduled for April 25 launch but was delayed by a day, reports earlier said.

It will also go on sale in the US and some other European countries from today.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is available in two versions - one powered by a Qualcomm S600 processor and another powered by Samsung's 8-core Exynos processor. 

Asked about the competition Samsung is facing from local manufacturers which are offering smartphones with similar features at a lower price point, Samsung Mobile and Digital Imaging Head Vineet Taneja said: "...I can assure you that none of the stuff that we spoke about on S4 is actually available easily in other smartphones."

He said the company invests huge amount of money on its R&D set up across the world including India in order to ensure the hardware is rock solid and state-of-the art.

A new feature included in phone is 'Smart Pause' where users can pause a video just by looking away from the screen. It also has 'Air View' feature, which allows users to hover with their fingers to preview the content of an email, S Planner, image gallery or video without having to open it by just gesturing in air.

The S4 has new imaging features like 'Dual Camera' and 'Dual Video Call', allows users to click pictures and make video calls using both the front and rear cameras simultaneously.

Meanwhile, Samsung has tied up with Vodafone for S4 wherein customers will get unlimited Internet, up to 3,000 local and STD minutes and up to 750 local and national SMS. Key specifications:

Display: 4.99" 16M-color Super AMOLED HD capacitive touchscreen; 1920 x 1080 pixels (441ppi)

Processor: 1.6 GHz Quad-core ARM Cortex-A15 and 1.2 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 / 1.9GHz Krait 300

OS: Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)

RAM: 2GB

Memory: Internal storage of 16/32GB/64GB with microSD card slot

Camera: 13 MP auto-focus; 2 MP front. Face detection, touch focus and image stabilization, Dual Shot, Cinema Photo.

Video: Full HD (1080p) at 30fps

Connectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, standard microUSB, GPS receiver with A-GPS and GLONASS, NFC, Infrared port

Battery: 2600 mAh

Dimensions: 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9mm, 130 gm

Indian T20 League's biggest superhero.....

It is all about evoking fear. More bluntly, it is all about the sensation 'I can torment you'. And now it has reached mythic proportions following the unbelievable 175 of 66 balls against Pune at the Chinnaswamy. Chris Gayle, undoubtedly, is the most feared batsman of the Indian T20 League and that explains part of his success. He has successfully pushed the bowlers onto the back foot even before the first ball is delivered to him. Most bowlers except a Ravi Ashwin perhaps who has a run a ball equation against Gayle, are scared of him. They are scared of pitching the ball up knowing full well that a yorker gone wrong will disappear into the stands. And such a feeling often results in mistakes. And such mistakes can leave a lasting impression on you. Rahul Sharma for example isn't the same bowler since Gayle tore into him in season 5. Yes he has made a comeback but Pune did not dare risk him in the last game against Bangalore. Not that it would have made much difference though with Gayle in such form. 

And there is a magical bullishness about Gayle. A gladiator like look, it is as if he is wielding a sword against a hapless soldier with the ball. Clearing his back foot and making room, even a Gayle mishit is going for six at the Chinnaswamy. And the fact that the boundaries are less than 70 meters is helping his cause. For example when Mitchell Marsh pushed the ball wide and Gayle had already leaned back, he just extended his arms and hit it over third man's head. In a relatively bigger ground it could have been a simple catch. Not in Bangalore though and that has necessarily meant Gayle and Bangalore are now a made for each other couple. 

It is intriguing to note that this same man wasn't half as successful in the Big Bash. With an average of just over 19 he had a poor tournament for Sydney and hardly raised a storm down under. And this tells me that most captains have missed a trick against him. They should just unleash their fastest man against Gayle. Pune picked Kane Richardson as their fast man. He hasn't yet got a game. Hyderabad have Steyn while Delhi has Morkel. Mumbai, needless to say, has Malinga. You need to get these people into the act if you have to stop Gayle. Ali Murtaza and Aaron Finch's left arm spin will inevitably disappear over the ropes and Mitchell Marsh's military medium poses no threat to T-20 cricket's biggest hitter at the moment. You've got to try your fastest man against Gayle for chances are he won't get an opportunity to rock back on occasions. 

The other option is to get your best off spinner on against him. Chennai has had success in the past and so has Mumbai. Ashwin has deceived Gayle because he stops in his delivery stride nullifying Gayle's last minute adjustment. That split second change is good enough to do the job. 

Needless to say all of these tricks can go wrong on a day when he is unstoppable. And the 175 of 66 balls was one such day. It was an innings of incredible brilliance and there is nothing to take away from the man who is the biggest match winner the league has ever seen or perhaps will see in the near future. It is just that it is restricted only to the Indian T20 League for Gayle has hardly ever done similar unbelievable things for the West Indies or the other franchises he plays for across the world. 

To finish off one little piece of trivia- having met him on a number of occasions I can confirm that he has rather soft hands. I was quite surprised the last time we met in Sri Lanka to shake hands with him. He is a charming fun loving man who, if he gets going, can be brilliant company off the field. And the bowlers will tell you that his company is the worst they can possibly have on the 22 yard strip. To sum up- Gayle has given the Indian T20 League a new dimension that every fan is enjoying. He has redefined T-20 batting and that is good enough to make him the league's biggest superhero. 









source:cricbuzz

BJP wants PM, law minister's heads to roll in coal-gate.......

With CBI admitting that it had shared its status report on coal block allocation scam with Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, the Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh alleging that he was using the law ministry to save himself from the probe in the case.

"CBI has stated that its affidavit was filed after interference by the government and this proves that the Law Minister was misusing his office to save the Prime Minister in the coal scam."

"BJP is now fully firm on its demand for resignation of the PM. The CBI affidavit proves that the Prime Minister wanted to save himself from the CBI inquiry using the law ministry," BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters outside Parliament.

He said in the country's "biggest scam where Rs 1.86 lakh crore have been looted, all the 142 coal blocks were allocated during the Prime Minister's tenure in the coal ministry."

Rudy said CBI was asked to share its report with the government even when the Supreme Court had directed the investigating agency not to share its report with anyone in the government.

CBI Director Ranjit Sinha on Friday submitted before the Supreme Court that the agency's status report on coal allocation scam was "shared" with the Law Minister "as desired by him" and that senior officials of the PMO and coal ministry had also seen it.

Sinha's two-page affidavit filed on the direction of the apex court contradicts the claim made by the CBI counsel on the last date of hearing that the coal scam report was not shared with any member of the government.

The law minister, meanwhile, has said that he had done "no wrong" and got support from the government which ruled out his resignation.

"I have done no wrong. Truth will prevail," he said after a meeting of UPA chaired by Sonia Gandhi and attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Kumar, whose sacking is being demanded by the Opposition parties, also met the Prime Minister to give his version on the issue. He also met Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath separately.

"There is no question of his resignation. He is not going to resign," Nath told media persons in New Delhi after the meeting when asked whether Kumar had offered to resign.

With regard to the CBI affidavit, he said, "It is for the court to decide."

Suggesting that there was no wrongdoing by Kumar, he said CBI has stated that only the draft report was shown to the Minister and not the final report.

To a question why the officials of PMO and the Coal Ministry were also present during the CBI meeting with the Law Minister, he said the contents of the report were to be provided by the Coal Ministry and the Prime Minister had held the coal portfolio for some time.

"The legal aspect is looked into by the Law Minister," he said.

He spoke to media after Gandhi and the Prime Minister held consultations with UPA leaders in the wake of CBI affidavit filed in the Supreme Court earlier in the day.

500 kg ammonium nitrate seized in Karnataka......

Authorities have seized 500 kg ammonium nitrate, used recently to carry out blasts in the Karnataka [ Images ] capital, from Kolar district of the state, officials said.

The huge seizure of the chemical, widely used to make explosives, was made Thursday by a Election Commission appointed flying squad deployed to check illegal activities in the run up to the May 5 polls in the state, they said.

The team seized 25 bags, each containing 20 kg ammonium nitrate, and arrested one person named Mehboob from Kolar district.

The police is probing the case now.

The bags show that the chemical was made in South Korea, a senior official said.

Bangalore had witnessed blasts on April 17 which injured 16 people, including 11 policemen, and security agencies had concluded that nitrate compounds were used.

Meanwhile, the EC-appointed teams also seized over Rs 11 crore cash and 49,000 litres of liquor in the poll-bound state.

The special teams have also seized other items worth Rs 3.76 crore after they were suspected to be used to lure voters, a source said.

"The total cash seizure till now is Rs 11.80 crore, while a total of 49,132 litres of illegal liquor have been seized in the poll-bound state," he said.       

EC has deputed a team of Income Tax department officers and other state government officials along with state police to keep a tab on illegal cash, liquor and inducements suspected to be used in the state.

BJP may lose its hold over Republic of Bellary......

In Bellary, the election campaigns are mellow and the flamboyance is missing, reports Vicky Nanjappa

The Republic of Bellary, the mining capital of Karnataka, wears a forlorn look today.

Once a booming city enjoying the spoils of illegal mining, it is today a mere shadow of its glory days, after a Supreme Court order put an end to the spurious activities of local mining barons.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded Virupaksha Gouda, a candidate who has no connection to mining, the Congress has fielded Anil Lad, whose name figures in the damning report by the state Lokayukta on illegal mining.

Once upton a time, the Reddy brothers -- Janardhan, Somashekhar and Karunakar -- controlled Bellary completely and ensured that the BJP won there by hook or crook. They also exercised considerable influence on voters in neighbouring constutiencies such as Gadag, Koppal, Raichur and Haveri.

The scholar who grew up in Mumbai's red light area.......

Born in Mumbai's infamous red-light district, Shweta Katti has won a scholarship to the Bard College, New York. This is her story.

Shweta Katti is warming up to the media attention she's been receiving lately. She has had a long day but has agreed to meet me at a coffee shop for what must have been the nth interview she's giving in the last 48 hours.

It is close to 10 in the night. Katti isn't here yet; though the two young ladies who have all but adopted the 18-year-old are sitting in a corner, having a pizza.

Robin Chaurasiya, an American of Indian origin, and Trina Talukdar, along with Chaurasiya's partner Katie Pollom, started Kranti, a non-governmental organisation that works towards the rehabilitation of girls from Mumbai's red-light area.

Shweta Katti is one of them.

Katti was introduced to Kranti when she was looking for a place to study for her Class 12 exams. Over the year and half since she's been with them, she has become the face of the NGO, travelling around the country, addressing conferences and promoting Kranti.

More recently, the 18-year-old was listed by Newsweek as one of the 25 under-25 women in the world to watch out for. The list includes women like Malala Yousafzai, who have battled adversity to become symbols of resistance.

This, however, is just one of the reasons why Katti has found herself at the centre of media attention over the last few days. The other is that she has only just heard from New York's Bard College, who have accepted her as a student for the coming semester.

They've offered her a $30,000 scholarship that covers her tuition fees for the year, as well as half her accommodation cost. If Chaurasiya is to be believed, this would make Katti the first girl from Mumbai's red-light district to travel to the United States for education.

She will begin her term at Bard in September this year.

I do prepare very differently for T20 format: Dhawan.......

After an impressive debut in Test, Shikhar Dhawan has made it clear that his approach to the traditional five-day format is completely different from the way he enters a Twenty20 game.

Dhawan announced his arrival in the Test arena with a swashbuckling 85-ball century against Australia last month, following which he was ruled out of action due to a hand injury.

"I do change my game a lot. Yes, I did score the fastest century on Test debut but I didn't plan to do so. It was a lucky day for me and it just happened.

"But generally when I am playing days of cricket I do go slow. I do prepare very differently for T20 format, mostly suiting to the demands of the game," Dhawan said.

Why Sallu refused ‘Bombay Talkies’ song......

Sources say that the star refused to be a part of the grand song because of SRK’s presence

To commemorate the completion of 100 years of Indian Cinema, the makers of Bombay Talkies have brought together the biggest names of Bollywood. The song’s star cast includes the Khans — Shah Rukh, Aamir and Saif  — Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh and Ranbir Kapoor. Bollywood’s most glamorous leading ladies will also be seen, which means fans of Kareena Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Rani Mukherji, Priyanka Chopra, Sonam Kapoor, Sridevi, Karisma Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Deepika Padukone and Madhuri Dixit. However one star is missing from action- Salman Khan.

Sources say that Salman was approached to be a part of the song but when he learnt that arch rival Shah Rukh Khan will also be there, he backed out. After their very public spat five years ago, both the Khans have made sure that they don’t cross each other’s path and have consciously avoided sharing space in the events. While Shah Rukh has been forthcoming when questions about Salman would be asked to him, Sallu has chosen to not speak about the spat. Looks like reconciliation between the two stars is not on cards anytime soon.

Aashiqui 2 movie review....

Cast: Aditya Roy Kapur, Shraddha Kapoor, Shaad Randhawa

Direction: Mohit Suri

Rating: ***1/2

Mahesh Bhatt’s ‘Aashiqui’ was a musical sensation, Nadeem-Shravan and Kumar Sanu became household names overnight after the film’s release. Despite the film’s phenomenal success, there was little you could say about the story or the performances. ‘Aashiqui 2’ not only boasts of an intense love story but also solid performance by the lead cast.

Rahul Jaykar aka RJ (Aditya Roy Kapur) is a talented singer who is headed down the path of self-destruction. The moment you hear ‘singer’ and ‘self-destruction’, comparison with Ranbir Kapoor who played Janardhan Jakhar aka Jordan with such élan in Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Rockstar’ is inevitable. Can Aditya pull off this role (his previous roles have been pretty simple and uninspired)? Will he ham it up trying to be “inspired” by Ranbir Kapoor?

The moment Rahul approaches Arohi, she decides to wrap up her Goan sojourn and head to Mumbai and re-embark on a daunting journey, aspiring to become a famous singer. RJ realizes she has immense potential and decides to mentor her. Needless to say they fall in love but though RJ encourages his protégée at every step, he has given up on himself long back. Despite a few vain attempts, he never really tries to give up drinking.

The plot is not flawless; it’s surprising how no one thinks of seeking professional help for our conflicted protagonist, the emotional outbursts are some of the weakest scenes in the film and the love story too reeks of a kind of naiveté and optimism that is almost impossible to find these days.

Imtiaz Ali made us passengers on the protagonist's journey, he made us a witness to our rockstar’s downfall, the devolution became personal, we watched hapless as a young and carefree JJ (Ranbir) plunged on an incessant downward spiral. Mohit Suri never really helps us understand RJ’s (Aditya) angst, what really caused the emotional breakdown, his collapse remains external.

Aditya Roy Kapur’s performance however is almost perfectly pitched, despite the loopholes in the script. Shraddha gets a little squeaky in the emotional bits but there is an inherent innocence about her character that makes her vulnerable and likable. I wasn’t at all impressed with Shaad Randhawa’s performance.

Much like the first one, the music of ‘Aashiqui 2’ is its USP and Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor make the film immensely watchable.

source:yahoo movies

the day of ravalpindi express(Akthar).......

Shoaib Akhtar bowled a delivery at a speed of
161kph during the third ODI between Pakistan
and New Zealand on 27th April 2002.
Oh yes, He did bowl one at 161.3 KMH but that
was next Year. But at this time 161 was the
fastest ever bowled.

difference between WINNERS,LOSERS.....

7 GREAT QUOTATIONS......

BJP hit world record of corruption in Karnataka, claims Rahul Gandhi....

Haveri, Karnataka: Sharpening his attack on the BJP government in Karnataka, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused it of having created "a world record" in corruption.

Addressing a rally in Haveri in Karnataka on the second leg of his tour for the May five Assembly polls, he said the BJP talked about corruption at the Centre, but "corruption in the state did not come to their attention."

"On the issue of corruption, Karnataka government has created a world record," Mr Gandhi said, targeting the BJP mainly on the corruption plank as he did on the first leg of his tour on April 23.The ruling BJP forgot about people's welfare, was involved in mutual squabbles and its leaders fought for money, Mr Gandhi alleged. "Do you want such a government?"

Mr Gandhi claimed that in the 2008 Assembly polls, BJP assumed office using the money power of "Bellary brothers", apparently referring to mining barons Janardhana Reddy and Karunakara Reddy. He alleged that they exploited iron ore resources and exported it to China, becoming rich and thereby becoming influential. 

"It was the Bellary government, not BJP government," he said.

Mr Gandhi said Bangalore was a world brand because of the IT sector, but in the last eight to nine years, the earlier BJP-JDS coalition and current BJP rule had seen the city lose its supremacy.

Vital sectors like irrigation, agriculture, power and labour had been neglected during their rule, he said.

China's incursion in Ladakh: Standoff may continue, say Army sources; parliamentary panel summons defence officials

New Delhi: The possibility of a third flag meeting in Ladakh today between Army commanders from China and India seems remote for now, as a stand-off continues over a Chinese platoon setting up camp 18-19 kilometres inside Indian territory in the Depsang Valley.
 
Two flag meetings in the last 10 days have yielded no results. The Chinese troops set up camp on April 15 and have been there.
 
The Army assesses that the stand-off might continue for weeks without either side blinking and, importantly, without further escalation. Sources have ruled out any sort of military response to the incursion, but the Indian Army has ordered a re-assessment of vulnerable areas. In New Delhi, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has summoned officials from the Defence Ministry and the Army on Tuesday to explain the incursion. The opposition has already attacked the government for what it calls its "weak handling" of the situation. The BJP has accused the Congress-led UPA government of being unable to stand up to Beijing and has written to the parliamentary panel asking for a detailed report on the situation.

China yesterday reiterated that it has not provoked the flare-up. "China's troops have never crossed the (LAC) line. China and India are neighbours and the boundary is not demarcated yet," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, emphasising the need to end the dispute through "friendly consultations."
 
India has also reiterated the need to prevent the escalation of hostilities. But an assessment by the Army, intelligence agencies, and the Foreign Affairs Ministry concludes that the incursion was what a source described as "a well-thought out decision cleared at the highest level and not a localised action."

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has tried to play down the tension, saying, "We have expressed our view and concern to the Chinese government through their Ambassador in Delhi. The first two rounds of the flag meet have not given us any sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. There are other rounds in process and the important thing from both sides is that it is and must remain an isolated incident and should not spill over into the larger spectrum of our relationship with China."

Mr Khurshid will visit China on May 9 as scheduled. His trip to China is part of preparations for a visit by the newly installed Chinese Premier Li Keqiang who is expected in New Delhi on May 20 for his first overseas trip.

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Glowing Animals: When man plays God.....

Scientific success has added to the growing list of animals that have been genetically engineered from adult cells, including Dolly the sheep, fish, pigs, goats, cattle, mice and even an ox-like creature called a gaur. From Ruby Puppy to genetically modified dog Tagon, here are some really strange creatures that glow in the dark.

A transgenic lamb, that has an incorporated gene that makes it glow under ultraviolet light, is seen in this picture taken on April 5, 2013 and released by the Animal Reproduction Institute Uruguay (IRAUy).

According to the institute, this is the first time that transgenic lambs have been produced in Latin America.
A genetically engineered Convict Cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) glows in a plastic bag inside a water tank during a new conference in Taipei, October 28, 2010. The news conference was held to promote the upcoming 2010 Taiwan International Aquarium Expo which will be held at Taipei World Trade Centre from October 29 to November 1. 

Boston suspects had 'spontaneous' bomb plan for New York......

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The two brothers suspected of carrying out last week's deadly Boston Marathon bombing decided, after the FBI released photos of them, to drive to Manhattan and detonate more explosives in Times Square, New York City officials said on Thursday.

Their plan unraveled when they realized a Mercedes sport utility vehicle they had hijacked on April 18, three days after the Bostonbombing, did not have enough gasoline for the journey, said New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.

New York has been on heightened alert since the September 11, plane hijackings in 2001 destroyed the World Trade Center and officials said the plan by the Boston bombing suspects, ethnic Chechens Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, showed America's most populous city remained a magnet for attackers.

Manhattan's Times Square was the target of an attempted car bombing by a Pakistan-born U.S. citizen in May 2010.

In the sharpest criticism of President Barack Obama's security policies since the blasts, a Republican senator said the Boston bombing, which killed three people and wounded 264, illustrated a "broken" national security system.

This week, lawmakers demanded answers about what the U.S. government knew about the suspects before the bombing, especiallyTamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, who Russia had asked the FBI to question in 2011 over concerns he may have been a radical Islamist. He died on Friday in a shootout with police.

The surviving brother, 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, is recovering from wounds in a Boston hospital since he was captured on Friday night and told investigators of the alleged Times Square plan.

"Questioning of Dzhokhar revealed that he and his brother decided spontaneously on Times Square as a target," Kelly told a news conference with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "They would drive to Times Square that same night.

"That plan, however, fell apart when they realized that the vehicle that they hijacked was low on gas and ordered the driver to stop at a nearby gas station," Kelly said.

At the time, the men still had six explosive devices, including a pressure-cooker bomb of the type used at the marathon and six pipe bombs, he said.

When they stopped to refuel, the driver of the vehicle escaped, Kelly said. The driver alerted authorities and set off a late-night chase and shootout in suburban Watertown, where police say the suspects threw improvised explosives at officers. Hours earlier, the brothers had shot and killed a Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus police officer in Cambridge, authorities said.

Earlier on April 18, the FBI released photos and video of the at the scene of the Boston bombing.

One Republican congressman said investigators have identified "persons of interest" in the United States to whom they would like to speak, some of them because of calls made from Tamerlan Tsarnaev's cell phone.

"There are also persons of interest here that we would like to more fully understand," said Mike Rogers, the chairman of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee. "Their relationship and what role, if any, they may have played in that whole radicalization process. They are just still persons of interest, so they are not named."

Rogers also said investigators want to learn more about Tamerlan Tsarnaev's 2012 visit to Russia.

PARENTS SAY SONS INNOCENT

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was formally charged on Monday in the hospital with crimes that could carry the death penalty.

His lawyer, Miriam Conrad, declined to comment on whether her client was still talking with investigators.

The U.S. Marshals Service, which is responsible for holding and transporting suspects outside of prison, declined to comment on whether or when Tsarnaev might be moved from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

The brothers' father said he planned to travel to the United States from Russia to bury his older son, Tamerlan Tsarnaev.

"I am going to the United States. I want to say that I am going there to see my son, to bury the older one. I don't have any bad intentions. I don't plan to blow up anything," Anzor Tsarnaev told reporters in Makhachkala, the capital of Russia's Dagestan region.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said investigators might be interested in speaking to the parents.

"There are a lot of questions unanswered about the whys and the hows, and anybody who may be able to shed some light on that is of interest to law enforcement," Patrick said.

Anzor Tsarnaev's former wife, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, angrily denied that her son had any role in the attack and criticized police for shooting him while apprehending him.

Tsarnaeva does not plan to accompany her former husband on his trip. One factor that may have influenced her decision husband is an outstanding arrest warrant for her in Massachusetts.

A warrant for Zubeidat Tsarnaeva's arrest was issued on October 25 after she failed to make a court appearance on shoplifting-related charges, according to Natick District Court Clerk Brian Kearney.

'WITCH HUNT'

In Washington, the focus remained on intelligence leading up to the Boston Marathon bombing. Tamerlan Tsarnaev had been on a federal database of potential terrorism suspects and the United States had twice been warned about him by Russian authorities. Congressional testimony this week focused on whether the FBI made mistakes in tracking him.

"We're in the post-event witch-hunt phase, which is predictable," said James Clapper, director of national intelligence, at a conference in Crystal City, Virginia. "I think it would be a real good idea to not hyperventilate for a while now until we actually get all the facts."

Nonetheless, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham blamed the administration for failing to stop the attack.

"I just know the system is broken. The ultimate blame I think is with the administration," the South Carolina senator told reporters, linking the bombings with last year's killing of a U.S. diplomat during an attack on a diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya.

"Between Benghazi and Boston, to me we're going backwards, not forward, in terms of national security," Graham said.

(Additional reporting by Tim McLaughlin, Svea Herbst-Bayliss, Aaron Pressman, Ross Kerber inBoston, Deborah Charles in Crystal City, Virginia, Alissa de Carbonnel in Makhachkala, Russia, and Atossa Araxia Abrahamian in New York; Writing by Scott Malone and Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Paul Thomasch, Mary Milliken and Christopher Wilson)