'Abhi-Ash are cold but vulnerable' say astrologers.......

Abhishek Bachchan – Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

This Aquarius-Scorpio pair is set to rule each other's heart and mind...

Abhishek Bachchan, an actor and the son of legendary actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan; and Aishwarya Rai, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful women in India, first met each other in 1997 in Switzerland where Abhishek was on a recce for his father's film and Aishwarya was shooting for her first film, Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya.

According to both of them, they felt an instant connection, yet little did they know then that they were made for each other! Once they announced to the world about their couple status, there was a lot of hoopla, what with Aishwarya being a Manglik and all. Silencing the sceptics for once and all, the celebrity pair finally tied the nuptial knot in the year 2007. Recently, the couple welcomed their first child, a baby girl, whom they have named Aaradhya.

Let's find out what the stars have in store for this million-dollar couple:

Sun Sign Compatibility

Abhishek is an Aquarius by Sun Sign, while Aishwarya is a Scorpio born. On the face of it, natives of both these zodiac signs may appear to be calm, and somewhat cold. But beneath their ice-cold appearances and measured demeanour, lies a typical characteristic: both of them tend to be vulnerable.

In a typical Scorpio-Aquarius sun sign combination there is a great possibility of comfort, emotional  security and personal space.
When two people ruled by Air and Water come together, neither has to worry about being drowned or  swept away. That is because the Air element is not a threat to the Water element and vice versa. In fact, their combined force can bring together happiness, pleasure and a great level of harmony. 

Both Aishwarya and Abhishek are ambitious and competitive, and can learn important lessons of life from each other, provided they be flexible, and treat the other with respect and care. Predictions for the coming times, as per the Vedic Astrology

For Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the time till the first week of August 2012 looks set to be tough. She may have to put a brave face to manage well between her personal and professional domains, yet it will be an uphill task.

While this tough transit of Saturn operates through Aishwarya's Ascendant (as per her natal chart), Abhishek will be very cooperative, and shall manage to display great understanding as a spouse. Their married life looks set to remain cordial, as each one of them shall be willing to make all the necessary adjustments to maintain total balance.

The couple's overall earnings shall not be affected much, but it would be a good idea for them to begin saving and investing in a smart manner. The spotlight may finally find them and remain fixed on them, as a couple, during the second half of the year 2013. However, this shall be more to do with Aishwarya, feels Ganesha.

Pagination

amazing 3d art!!

Sunrise at the North Pole With the Moon at its Closest Point amazing pic..........

Its not an ordinary airplane….

Its not an ordinary airplane….rather its an
attempt to fly night and day without fuel,
powered by solar energy, and to demonstrate
that progress is possible using clean energy.
Seven years of studies, simulation,
construction and tests to achieve the first
solar day-and-night flight in history…

Of deeps scars, brilliant chases and back to back hundreds......

Looking back at the 3rd full week of the Indian T20 League, it can be said that the batsmen really came to the party. At the end of the first fortnight, experts talked at length about how think-tanks had curtailed the big scores and that the shortest format was being dominated by the bowlers. Indeed, no hundreds had been scored and the purple cap moved from one head to another in the space of hours. But stellar performances with the bat by Chris Gayle, Shane Watson, David Miller and MS Dhoni reaffirmed that the batsmen were the biggest crowd-pullers as far as this format is concerned. 

Note: The games played from 20th April to 26th April have been reviewed in this piece. 

As far as intensity and thrills are concerned the start was mixed. Chennai took on Kolkata in the latter's intimidating backyard, Eden Gardens, and exacted revenge for the loss in last year's final. In what turned out to be typical low scoring nail-biter, Kolkata put in a brave effort defending 119 until they ran into 'Sir' Ravindra Jadeja. The Saurashtra lad had earlier chipped in with 3 important wickets and managed to score a breezy 36 off 14 balls on a pitch where Michael Hussey and MS Dhoni had struggled to play the big shots. The knock included 30 runs from fours and sixes (3 each); one of the sixes hit off Sunil Narine over the Trinidadian's head and into the sightscreen. It was to be the first of a 3 loss streak at home for the defending champions. 

On the same day, emotions took the better of more than just one Bangalorean as its favorite son turned out in blue colors leading Rajasthan against the city's franchise in the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The crowd gave Rahul Dravid a much bigger reception than the current favorite Chris Gayle. The game of cricket however, failed to live up to its billing and turned out to be an easy win for the home side, with Gayle batting out 17.5 overs to just score 49. But who knew that this was just a warm-up jog for the marathon to come later in the week! 

Before Gayle's savage assault on Pune, there were a few other incidents of note. The one which would have pleased most Indian fans was the Virender Sehwag's return to blistering touch. Mumbai's strong bowling line-up was reduced to smithereens as Sehwag made small weather of 161, smashing 95 of them in a superb 9 wicket win in Delhi. It was to end Delhi's 7 match losing streak and gave much joy to a loyal crowd which continued to throng the Kotla despite a pathetic display by the home team. 

While Indian fans were left overjoyed, the Australian fan might have felt a mix of surprise and happiness. Shane Watson, who quit the national team's vice-captaincy, had begun to bowl for Rajasthan and even notched up his first Indian T20 League hundred, albeit in a losing cause. Against Chennai at the MA Chidambaram stadium, Watson produced a sublime batting display which was a proper mix of aggression and class to bring up the edition's first ton. But at the end of the match, the century was negated by Michael Hussey's 88 as Chennai romped home in another tight finish. 

As mentioned before, all this was just the trailer. The main film unfolded on April 23rd. Bangalore were being visited by Pune, an encounter which promised a lot because of its past. Last year, when the two teams clashed at the same venue, one of the weapons of Chris Gayle's savage assault had landed in the stands and hurt a little girl. The signs were not looking great though. Rain threatened to wash away the game as Bangalore batted first. There was a stoppage, but after that, it was Gayle who was unstoppable. What happened on that day is well chronicled through records, but what needs to be told is that Pune's bowlers were left with deep wounds. Coach Allan Donald went on record to say that his bowlers might have been left with scars which might not heal. To add insult to injury, Gayle was given the last over to bowl and picked up 2 wickets. It was just a small cherry on the top of a big birthday cake. A total of 17 sixes came off the Jamaican's bat and after carrying his mace through, he went off the field hugging his opponents and sharing a laugh. 

The other major highlight, ostensibly drowned out by the couple of hundreds, was David Miller's cool-as-an-iceberg innings for Punjab in a big chase against Pune. This was before the Pune team went over to Bangalore and they did unearth a potential match-winner in the form of Luke Wright. The England all-rounder came in at the death and made every ball count in his innings of 34(10), leaving the home side with 185 to chase. In the company of the promising Mandeep Singh, Miller shepherded the chase brilliantly, smashing 5 fours and an equal number of sixes on the way to a 41 ball 80. Mandeep and Miller finished off the chase themselves which meant that the win was achieved without champion finisher David Hussey having to bat a single ball. Later in the week, Punjab brought Delhi back to their losing ways in a low scoring game, but were at the receiving end of Eoin Morgan in a 6 wicket loss at Kolkata. 

The much anticipated Chennai vs Hyderabad game at Chepauk turned out to be a nail-biter (MS Dhoni's side have made close games a habit) with the home side triumphing thanks to Captain Cool. Hyderabad, the newest franchise, have shown the tendency to punch above their weight and did the same, putting on their highest team total of 159. A strong bowling attack featuring Dale Steyn, Amit Mishra and Ishant Sharma was expected to deliver, as it has been in this edition, but were let down by poor catching. Mishra himself dropped a sitter of Dhoni on 0 and the latter made them pay with a 37 ball 67. Steyn was carted around the park by the Indian skipper; in the 11 balls that he faced, Dhoni hit him for 3 huge sixes and a four. The match eventually went to the last over and rookie Ashish Reddy was given the ball. It turned out to be too easy for Dhoni as he lazily took a six and 2 fours to finish off the match in style. 

Milestones and other points to note: 

1) Rohit Sharma completed his 17th T20-League fifty against Delhi. 2nd on the list of most fifties. 

2) Pune fielded their 3rd captain of the season. Australian Aaron Finch took over from Angelo Mathews 

3) Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad strengthened their holds for a place in the knock-outs. They are at the top of the points table. 

4) Rohit Sharma led Mumbai for the first time against Kolkata. And led them to a win as well. 

5) Amit Mishra equalled Lasith Malinga's record of most wickets in the T20-League. Currently both are tied on 88 wickets apiece. 

Gilchrist rues dropped chances.....

After his team ended up on the losing side, Punjab skipper Adam Gilchrist said Eoin Morgan's blazing 42 made the difference. Chasing 150 for victory, Kolkata were 76/3 in the 11th over before Morgan came up with his match-winning knock and was involved in a crucial partnership worth 76 runs with Manvinder Bisla. 

Gilchrist, speaking at the post-match conference, said 150 was a decent target but proved to be insufficient in the end due to good performances from Bisla (51 not-out) Kallis (37) and Morgan. 

"We were on even terms for the longest time but Morgan came in and changed everything. He is a wonderful player and had a great day, 150 was a good target to set. But Bisla batted beautifully, as did Jacques. It was still game on till Morgan came in and took it away from us. Our bowlers have done a good job till tonight and the young guys are developing well." 

Punjab had themselves to blame as they gave Bisla and Morgan early reprieves which proved to be costly in the end. Bisla was put down by Mandeep Singh in the second over when he had scored just 1 while Bhargav Bhatt dropped a sitter when Morgan was on 29. 

"We didn't help ourselves with those dropped catches. Both Bisla and Morgan made us pay. I am happy with our overall performance, but the misses did prove costly. We have to take those chances if we want to perform consistently," Gilchrst said. 

Gilchrist has been in woeful form this year and he did not do anything substantial in this game as well, getting out for a run-a-ball 27. The keeper batsman, while mentioning that his place still remains under scrutiny, said he had been practicing hard for the tournament. 

"We look at every player and the package they bring to the field - allrounders, players who bat and bowl or bat and keep wickets, and I am no different. I haven't been in wonderful form up to this point, but as I have been saying, I have practiced more leading up to this tournament than I have in any other one. So maybe I should stop practicing," said Gilchrist. 

Gilchrist said he was happy to get some runs in this game although he expressed his disappointment at not being able to convert the start into a bigger score. 

"It was nice to get some in the middle of the bat. But yes, you get 20-30 and you're happy but then you get out, so you're never really happy as a batsman. I'll have to keep trying to lift my game and contribute." 

Gilchrist admitted that he is not at his height of powers being the oldest player in the tournament. The former Australian stumper though felt that he was batting well until the shot he played to deep mid-wicket that resulted in his dismissal. 

"I am the oldest player in the tournament and I'm not at the height of my powers and I understand that. Everything felt really good today up until that shot. I'm obviously not hitting the ball like I used to in the prime of my career," said Gilchrist. 

Gilchrist mentioned that his failures are not "life-shattering", adding that there are far more important things in life other than cricket - referring to the Men Against Rape and Discrimination initiative launched by Bollywood actor and director Farhan Akhtar, which Gilchrist said was a wonderful initiative. 

"I'm not shattered by anything. It's not life and death," he said. 

"It's a wonderful initiative that we are all supporting and should be taken very seriously because what we have seen and read about it is disturbingly gruesome and horrible," Gilchrist said about the MARD initiative. 

Speaking about the innovations in the game of cricket, Gilchrist said it was nothing new but the variety has been on the up of late. 

"I was flabbergasted when I saw Jonty Rhodes hit the reverse sweep, not the dab but the hard smack for six, in 1997. So innovation isn't new but the variety is increasing. I never chose to go that way, you know, like the old dog and new tricks. I was more of a hitter. But it's amazing where they can hit the ball these days - no ball's safe," Gilchrist quipped. 











source:cricbuzz

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.