Tatas form committee to select successor

Tatas form committee to select successor

The process to find a successor to Tata group chief Ratan Tata has gathered momentum with Tata Sons — the main holding company of the group — setting up a committee to identify a suitable person. Announcing that the committee “has commenced its work”, Tata Sons on Wednesday said the Board of Tata Sons, in accordance with its Articles of Association, has formed a selection committee, comprising five members including an external member, for eventually deciding on a suitable successor to Ratan Tata. Tata is due to retire at the end of December 2012.

With this announcement, the Tatas have made it clear that the succession issue is still open and the successor will be a person who will be acceptable to other senior leaders in the group. There was intense speculation in corporate circles that Noel Tata — who was recently appointed as the MD of Tata International and chairman of Tata Investment Corporation — was leading the race to step into the shoes of Ratan Tata.

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Vets pull out 30kg of plastic from buffalo

She is six months’ pregnant. But apart from the unborn calf, doctors found iron nails, glass pieces, along with reams and reams of plastic in her stomach.

On July 29, two veterinary surgeons operated on a buffalo belonging to Nashik resident Kashinath Dhomse and removed 30kg of plastic from her stomach.

Dhomse, who lives in Parthardi area, said the buffalo had been unwell for over a month. Her stomach would swell even when she ate a little hay. At such times her discomfort was visible.

Initially, Dhomse treated her with home remedies, but when the buffalo stopped eating, he decided to consult veterinary surgeon Dr Suresh Patil.

Patil diagnosed her with a digestive problem and prescribed some medicines. Although the medication gave the animal temporary relief, she continued to suffer. The Dhomse family got worried after her health deteriorated again, especially since she was pregnant.

After consulting district veterinary officer Dr Pradeep Kangane, Patil
decided to operate on the buffalo’s stomach.

“We cut open her stomach and were surprised with the filth we saw inside her body,” said Patil.

The two vets pulled out 30kg of plastic, pieces of floor tiles, glass pieces, and a couple of iron nails from her stomach. “The surgery was a little complicated as there was large amount of plastic which was endangering the life of the six-month-old calf in her womb,” the vets said, adding that the Brihans Laboratories had provide the drugs for the operation completely free of cost.

According to experts, a large number of cattle in the city have at least 10 to 20kg of plastic in their bodies. And since the plastic remains in the stomach, it becomes difficult for the animal to eat anything. It finally dies of starvation. “People have to stop using and throwing plastic bags on the streets. We have to understand that we are playing with the lives of animals,” said Patil.

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Cabinet targets Sena, BJP for malaria

Politics over the malaria outbreak in Mumbai took the centrestage at the state Cabinet’s weekly meeting on Wednesday. The ministers accused the bosses of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)-— the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party — of inefficiency in taming the threat to
public health. They took senior BMC officials, who were summoned to the meeting, to task and asked them to perform beyond their routine duties.

The city’s municipal, government and private hospitals are teeming with malaria patients. Other cities such as Thane, Pune and Nagpur have also reported an alarming number of patients over the past fortnight. The Sena-BJP combine is under attack from all parties. The Congress-led state government beat the saffron combine in efforts to control the illness. Health officials from across the state have been summoned to monitor the measures.

Water Resources Minister Ajit Pawar, deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and Rural Development Minister Jayant Patil led the attack. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan also participated. Public Heath Minister Suresh Shetty assured the Cabinet that his department would work on a war footing to compensate for the BMC’s inability to handle the crisis.

Chavan directed BMC commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya to reign in developers whose construction sites have provided breeding grounds for mosquitoes. “Make it compulsory for builders to take preventive measures,” he said.

He also directed that hospitals owned and operated by the Mumbai Port Trust, railways and other central agencies be told to treat malaria patients. “We will inform the Centre today [about this].”

The Cabinet also decided to fill vacant posts of doctors and paramedics in state hospitals.

The condition of Mumbai’s roads was also discussed. Jayant Patil narrated how he drove the three additional municipal commissioners on potholed roads in south Mumbai. Pawar said his daily commute had become a nightmare.

Now, NCP blames Sena

The NCP has held the Sena responsible for the malaria outbreak. A delegation led by city NCP chief Narendra Verma met BMC commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya and threatened to agitate if the BMC did not control malaria and fill potholes. Verma alleged that the Sena-BJP alliance that rules the BMC has no political or administrative will to sort these issues.

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Biggest US bookseller up for sale

Barnes & Noble, the number one US book store chain, is putting itself up for sale as business suffers in the high-stakes battle for a leading role in the digital books market. Barnes & Noble, whose shares soared 25 per cent on the news, said company founder and top shareholder Leonard Riggio is considering bidding for the company as part of a larger investor group.

An auction for Barnes & Noble could draw interest from several other quarters, including billionaire investor Ron Burkle, as well as raise speculation about a combination with smaller rival Borders Group Inc.

But valuing a deal for Barnes & Noble, beset by competition from the likes of Amazon.com Inc and Apple Inc in the electronic books market, could prove difficult.

The pressure on Barnes & Noble to realign its strategy became clearer in June, when it reported a larger loss as it spent money to develop its Nook electronic reader, which is outgunned in the market by Amazon's Kindle and Apple's iPad.

But the potential for profits from the mass adoption of e-books is great. Barnes & Noble Chief Executive William Lynch said recently the company has a 20 percent share of the e-books market, a position that could lead to sales of $3 billion to $5 billion by 2013.

The company’s share price has lost more than half its value in the last year and its market capitalisation was just under $760 million (R3,511 crore) as of Tuesday’s close. Reuters

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London: The Earth could be hit by a "solar tsunami" anytime now as an unusually complex magnetic eruption on the Sun has flung a large cloud of electrically charged particles towards our planet, scientists have warned.

Several satellites, including NASA's new Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), recorded on Sunday a small solar flare erupting above sunspot 1092, the size of the Earth.

The satellites also recorded a large filament of cool gas stretching across the Sun's northern hemisphere also exploded into space.

The explosion, called a coronal mass ejection, was aimed directly towards Earth, which then sent a "solar tsunami" racing 93 million miles across space, the New Scientist reported.

When the violent cloud hits, which could be anytime now, it could spark aurorae in the skies around the poles and pose a threat to satellites, although not a severe one, it said.

Despite being separated by hundreds of thousands of kilometres, the two events may be linked, said astronomers who studied the images from SDO that hint at a shock wave travelling from the flare into the filament.

"These are two distinct phenomena but they are obviously related," said Len Culhane, a solar physicist at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London.

Experts said the wave of supercharged gas will likely reach the Earth on Tuesday, when it will buffet the natural magnetic shield protecting Earth.

It is likely to spark spectacular displays of the aurora or northern and southern lights.

"This eruption is directed right at us," said Leon Golub, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics.

"It's the first major Earth-directed eruption in quite some time," Golub was quoted as saying by the Telegraph.

NASA recently warned that Britain could face widespread power blackouts and be left without critical communication signals for long periods of time, after the earth is hit by a once-in-a-generation "space storm".

Earlier scientists had said that they believed the Earth would be hit with unprecedented levels of magnetic energy from solar flares after the Sun wakes "from a deep slumber" sometime around 2013.

It remains unclear, however, how much damage this latest eruption will cause the world's communication tools.

Dr Lucie Green, of the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, Surrey, who followed the flare-ups using Japan's orbiting Hinode telescope, said this was a very rare event.

"Not one, but two almost simultaneous eruptions from different locations on the Sun were launched toward the Earth.

"These eruptions occur when immense magnetic structures in the solar atmosphere lose their stability and can no longer be held down by the Sun's huge gravitational pull. Just like a coiled spring suddenly being released, they erupt into space."

"This means we have a very good chance of seeing major and prolonged effects, such as the northern lights at low latitudes."

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BlackBerry refuses to help on security

NEW DELHI: The stand-off between the Indian government and BlackBerry manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM) intensified on Tuesday, with RIM stating that it would not "compromise the integrity and security of the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution". It added that "RIM would simply be unable to accommodate any request for a copy of a customer's encryption key since at no time does RIM, or any wireless network operator, ever possess a copy of the key".

Security agencies are concerned that BlackBerry's encrypted services could pose a national security threat. They have been seeking access to these services.

However, in a statement titled "Customer Update", RIM said, ``The BlackBerry security architecture for enterprise customers is based on a symmetric key system whereby the customer creates their own key and only the customer ever possesses a copy of their encryption key. RIM does not possess a master key, nor does any back door exist in the system that would allow RIM or any third party to gain unauthorized access to the key or corporate data."

"The BlackBerry security architecture for enterprise customers is purposefully designed to exclude the capability for RIM or any third party to read encrypted information under any circumstances. RIM would simply be unable to accommodate any request for a copy of a customers encryption key since at no time does RIM, or any wireless network operator, ever possess a copy of the key," explained the statement.

It also said that the location of data centres and the customers choice of wireless network are ``irrelevant factors from a security perspective since end-to-end encryption is utilized...and all data remains encrypted through all points of transfer between the customers BlackBerry Enterprise Server and the customers device."

The government requires simultaneous or real-time interception which has to be delivered in a readable format. RIM's stance does not indicate any desire to comply with this requirement.

``While privacy and business continuity are important, the fact is that BlackBerry phones are being misused by terrorists for voice, e-mail/data and Net surfing, so why should RIM expect special treatment in terms of impunity from law?", asked a security expert.

Experts also point out that RIM should be in a position to prove that the government's request is unreasonable if it does indeed seek special exemption from the security requirement.

UAE and Saudi Arabia have already said they will ban the use of BlackBerry phones in their countries by October this year. It remains to be seen what stance the Indian government takes.

With this development, BlackBerry joins a growing list of innovative technology companies such as Google and Facebook which are loved by consumers but are running afoul of governments and privacy advocates alike.

Meanwhile, the popularity of BlackBerry phones is growing exponentially. RIM shipped its 100 millionth phone in the last quarter, of which 50 million phones were sold in the last 14 months alone. While the company refuses to divulge country-specific sales data, it sells 18 models in India through nine operators and one retail distribution partner, in contrast to three models through a single operator, Airtel, in 2004.

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Modi’s fiery oratory may give CBI firepower

AHMEDABAD: Fiery speeches have won Gujarat CM Narendra Modi votes. But, this time around, the shrewd politician may find himself in trouble. The CBI has started taping Modi’s speeches made after the arrest of his trusted lieutenant and former MoS for home, Amit Shah, who faces charges of murder and conspiracy in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.

No sooner had speculation about the central agency wanting to shift the trial outside Gujarat gathered momentum, than an impatient Modi unleashed an attack on the Centre saying the proposed transfer of the case was an insult to the judiciary and process of justice in the state. He even called it an insult to the advocates and judges of Gujarat.

Modi not only targeted the UPA government for misusing the CBI against political rivals, he also justified the killing of a gangster arrested with a cache of AK-47s.

While CBI’s counsel K T S Tulsi has stated that no formal application has been moved to shift the trial outside and that the CBI had faith in the Gujarat judiciary, the central investigating agency may use Modi’s speeches to drive home a point: that it’s difficult to secure justice in Gujarat with such high-profile functionaries forming a defence wall.

On Saturday, Modi entered an event meant to kick-start Green Ahmedabad campaign in an aggressive mood and discussed the legal and political environment instead. He clenched his fist and called out Vande Mataram at least 10 times, his decibel level going up each time and the crowd’s even higher. ‘‘Shout loud enough for the Delhi sultanate, which is treating Gujarat as an enemy country,’’ he had said.

Modi’s similar speeches ahead of 2007 Assembly polls had upset Tulsi, who was representing the state government in the case, so much that he quit on moral grounds. More soundbites from Modi would only endear him to the masses, but not impress the justice system.

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Our soldiers being fed substandard food: CAG

NEW DELHI: An Army marches on its stomach, said Napolean Bonaparte. But the 1.13-million strong Indian Army, the third largest in the world, marches largely on sub-standard food and rations, well past their consume-by date.

The Army is already reeling under a series of meat, egg, atta, dal and other ration scams in recent years, with even Lt-General rank officers being indicted in the scandals. Now, the CAG has punched several holes in the Army's entire "supply chain management of rations", hinting at widespread corruption and existence of cartels.

Tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, the latest CAG report paints a dismal picture of the Army's procurement and supply of dry rations (rice, wheat, dal, sugar, tea, oil, tinned items) and fresh rations (vegetables, fruit, meat, milk), undertaken at an annual cost of Rs 1,440 crore.

Noting that the satisfaction levels of troops about quantity, quality and taste of rations was "very low", CAG has called for a complete overhaul of the existing system, ranging from computerization and better procurement procedures to expansion in the vendor base and blacklisting of defaulting parties.

As per CAG, the main villains of the piece are Army Service Corps (ASC) and Army Purchase Organization, all under the benign gaze of Army HQ and the defence ministry.

Around three lakh soldiers under the Northern Command in J&K, for instance, were issued rations by Army supply depots even after the expiry of their original estimated storage life (ESL), based on "repeated extensions" given by Central Food Laboratory at Jammu.

"While instructions prohibit any extensions beyond three months of the ESL, atta, sugar, rice, tea, dal, edible oil etc were consumed (by soldiers) even six months to 28 months after the expiry of the original ESL," said CAG, adding that MoD and Army HQ needed to get their act together "to ensure supply of good quality rations to troops".

The existence of cartels, a "risk too serious to be ignored", is also affecting the quantity and quality of rations. "Serious absence of competition was noticed in procurement of fresh rations...82% of procurement was based on less than three quotations, 36% based on single quotations," it said.

For instance, from 2005 to 2008, only one vendor purchased the tender documents for supply of meat and chicken in Delhi and the Rs 5 crore annual contract was awarded to him.

Take another example. In blatant violation of norms, several transport and tour companies were registered as vendors to supply meat, eggs, vegetables and milk, in addition to transportation. Conversely, a poultry firm was found registered for the supply of transport and vegetables.

"Abnormal variations in rates of vegetables, fruits and meat must be investigated. MoD may provide an assurance these variations do not arise from any fraud or corrupt practices in procurements of fresh rations," said CAG.

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Ice lingam of Lord Shiva melts in Amarnath cave

The naturally formed ice lingam of Lord Shiva at the 3888-meter high Amarnath cave in South Kashmir Himalayas has melted.

"The holy ice lingam does not exist any more as it melted totally on July 29", official sources said.

A record of four lakh pilgrims have in the meantime paid obeisance at the cave shrine in just a period of one month during the nearly two-month yatra to the holy cave shrine, they said.

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CBI to court: Amin must confess first

The CBI probing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case told a special court on Tuesday that it wants to record the confessional statement of Dr Narendra Amin before his application for turning an approver is taken up for consideration. Amin, a suspended DySP and an accused in the case, had moved an application on July 26, praying that he be allowed to turn approver.

On Tuesday, when Amin’s application came up for hearing in the court of CBI judge AY Dave in Mirzapur, the probe agency submitted that it needs to record Amin’s statement before it decides whether the accused needs to be an approver in the case. At the same time, the agency opposed the application of DG Vanzara and seven others objecting to Amin’s approver plea.

“At present, we are not supporting Amin’s application to become an approver, but we intend to take his confessional statement in the presence of a judicial magistrate under section 164(2) of CrPC,” Ejaz Khan, senior prosecutor for CBI, toldmediapersons.

The agency clarified that they will rely on Amin’s prospective statement after verifying it with the corroborative evidences, other statements and factual aspects of the case. “Our intention is to first take his (Amin’s) statement, verify it with other evidences and then we can make a stand before the court whether he should be allowed to be an approver,” Khan said.

Amin is an accused in the Sohrabuddin case and he wants to help the CBI by becoming an approver. A day after Amin moved his application in the court, other eight accused, including DG Vanzara, Dinesh MN and Rajkumar Pandiyan, moved an application on July 27, raising objection to Amin’s plan.

However, on Tuesday, CBI lawyer Khan moved an application before the designated court, saying that the objection application of the eight accused should be rejected as “it is devoid of merit”.

Counsels for the eight accused, SB Jaysnghani and SB Vakil, told the court that they had not been provided copies of the CBI chargesheet yet and that the CBI can’t record Amin’s statement before the court hears their objections. The court then posted the hearing to August 10.

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Train services disrupted, Maoists blow up road culvert in Orissa

Suspected Maoists blew up a road culvert close to the railway tracks in Bisra area of Orissa's Sundergarh district today, briefly disrupting train services on the Mumbai-Howrah route

"A road culvert at Mahipani in Bisra police station area, about 30 km from here, was blown up by the rebels using a landmine," Rourkela superintendent of police Diptesh Patnaik said.

No one was hurt in the incident which triggered panic in the locality, police said.

As the culvert was close to the railway tracks, the station manager and other staff of nearby Bhalulata station thought it was an attack on the railway lines and alerted police.

While other railway stations were asked to regulate the trains slated to begin operations at 5 am after night halt, teams from railway protection force (RPF), government railway police (GRP), state police and bomb disposal squad (BDS) were engaged to check rail lines in the area, the police said.

A thorough inspection of the tracks showed there was neither any damage to the lines nor any explosive device planted, they said, adding train services resumed after the security personnel gave clearance.

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Mumbai technician steals US woman’s naked pics

A Sacramento-based woman, Tara Fitzgerald, is threatening to sue Dell as she says that a tech support engineer in Mumbai, Riyaz Shaikh, downloaded naked pictures of her during a tech-help call when she gave the Indian techie permission to access her Dell laptop remotely.

Barely a month after the call, Fitzgerald said 16 nude photographs of her pinched from her laptop appeared on a lurid website christened Bitchtara.

“I’ve been violated. My life’s been violated,” Fitzgerald, a mother of a 14-year-old girl, told ABC News 10.

The sordid saga began when Fitzgerald dialled Dell’s tech support number in December 2008 because she couldn’t find a bunch of nude pictures of herself she thought she had saved on her desktop to send to her boyfriend.

When she called Dell asking for help in retrieving the pictures, she was patched to its outsourced call centre in Mumbai run by Sitel India.

After the pictures were splashed across the web, a furious Fitzgerald contacted Shaikh, but he glibly convinced her that her boyfriend was the culprit. He then offered to help her black out the offensive website and asked her to ship him a brand new Dell laptop so that he could get cracking on the job from his home in Mumbai.

“I’m telling myself, my conscience is talking to me saying, ‘Tara, don’t send this. What are you doing? Are you crazy?’ I sent it anyways because I really believed in this guy,” said Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald’s litany of woes doesn’t end here — the Mumbai trickster then allegedly used her Dell Preferred credit card to send a $800 Valentine’s Day gift to a Tennessee woman he chatted up on company time. One wonders how so much nonsense could fly on Dell’s watch given the fact that most customer calls are recorded.

“When you trust somebody with your computer, and you expect them to respect your privacy and they don’t, and they try to manipulate and control you, you feel like an idiot,” Fitzgerald told the US network.

She says her attempts to galvanize Dell and the Sacramento police were ineffective until she spoke to News 10. As soon as the US media got hold of the story, Dell contacted the vendor about Fitzgerald’s allegation.

Dell said this week that it can confirm that the tech-help rep no longer handles Dell calls. Fitzgerald, meanwhile, says she has contacted an attorney and is considering legal action against Dell.

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Prabhu Deva prefers Trisha to Nayan

Actor/director Prabhu Deva is directing Vishal in an untitled Tamil movie which is a remake of Telugu Gopichand-Anushka starrer Souryam. The movie is produced under Vishal’s home banner G.K. Films Corporation. But the decision that’s puzzled industry watchers is that Prabhu Deva, who shares a close relationship with Nayanthara, has chosen Trisha for the lead role instead of Nayan. Industry insiders reveal that Prabhu Deva is very clear about his priorities — he doesn’t want to mix his personal and professional lives.

Nayan had earlier teamed up with Vishal in Sathyam but the movie bombed at the box office. Currently Prabhu Deva is busy with Ich and Vishal is doing Avan Ivan with Bala.

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‘I wouldn’t miss Aisha for the world’

Aisha’s entourage flaunts a bevy of sassy girls and one of them happens to be Amrita Puri. The film adapted from Jane Austen’s Emma has been creating a lot of buzz with its glam girls and sleek look.

Recalling her initial days, the Mumbai-based model says, “An audition later, I realised that I have been selected to play the role of a small town girl from Haryana and she happens to be Aisha’s pet matrimonial project. Frankly I was a bit taken aback, because, this character was my complete opposite. She’s a complete desi girl from the word go, who has just stepped into a plush world and seems completely bedazzled with all the urban delights.”

Amrita has worked a lot on her character, that is of a quintessential behenji. “It was no easy task stepping into the shoes of a behenji, especially for someone like me, who is not even remotely close to the idea,” shares Amrita.

Talking about working with an almost all-female team she says, “There was a lot of talk about the makeup and the latest trends and we would yap non-stop. And sometimes the boys seemed lost and clueless in the middle of our endless girlie chats. But Rhea, our producer, is a hard taskmaster too, so she made sure, we all gave our 100 per cent once the camera started to roll,” she fondly recalls.

Incidentally, Amrita was all set to star in the surprise hit, Love Sex aur Dhoka. “I was offered a role but had to refuse as I was already committed to Aisha. And I absolutely have no regrets about my decision. Because I wouldn’t give Aisha a miss even for the world,” says a confident Amrita.

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Abhishek not to work with Neeraj

Neeraj Pandey, the director of A Wednesday won acclaim for making a gripping thriller and extracting terrific performances from Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah. But that was back in 2008. Since then, the director has not made another film. Neeraj does not even have a single directorial venture on the floors nor has he started shooting.

Ask the filmmaker why and he explains: “I didn’t want to rush into anything. Also, I’m a slow person. I had many offers but those projects didn’t excite me.” So what had happened to the project Special Chabbis that Neeraj was reportedly working on? He replies, “We will start filming this project in December. It is based on an incident when 26 men, posing as Income Tax officials, carried out a mock raid on a leading jewellery store in Mumbai and jewellery worth millions were ‘seized’ and never returned.” There were rumours that Abhishek Bachchan would star in Special Chabbis but Neeraj clarifies, “Abhishek is not in the film. We were in talks but things didn’t work out. He had not been confirmed for the film, but the news was blown out of proportion.”

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Sallu is going the Rishi way

In the 70s and 80s, Rishi Kapoor was famous for being cast opposite as many as 22 new girls (from Kajal Kiran to Jaya Prada to Sonam). Now Salman Khan seems to have taken on the mantle. After Veer, where he was cast opposite newbie Zarine Khan, he has shot with yet another newcomer — Shatrughan Sinha’s daughter, Sonakshi in the forthcoming Dabangg. Arbaaz Khan, the producer of Dabangg, comments, “Expectations from Salman are sky high in Dabangg. When it came to casting a heroine opposite him, I was in a dilemma — a new heroine would have to be very good because it is a strong role. Fortunately, Sonakshi has done a marvellous job. After Rishi Kapoor, Salman is the only hero who has introduced a host of new actresses to the industry.”

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Shahid, Priyanka still going strong

They dated, broke up and are dating again. Shahid returned to Mumbai after a month-long schedule of Mausam on Saturday night. Along with a couple of friends, he spent the entire Sunday at Priyanka’s house. Apparently, both have decided to keep their relationship under wraps for now.

Our source said, “After their relationship went through a rough patch following the release of Kaminey, they had stopped speaking to each other. However, they drew close again late last year and have been in touch ever since. Incidentally, there are also rumours that Shahid had visited Coorg to meet Priyanka on the sets of Saat Khoon Maaf before he left for Scotland to shoot for Mausam. They have been in touch via phone and sms regularly. The Sunday they spent together proves that there is something definitely brewing between them.

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Gracy Singh set to rock again

She had no godfather in the film industry. Neither did she belong to a particular ‘camp’. Yet, thanks to her commendable acting prowess, formidable screen presence and pretty looks, Gracy Singh made an impact as soon as she arrived, with blockbusters like Lagaan, Munnabhai MBBS and Gangaajal. But she sank into oblivion after that. However, the actress is now all set to make her presence felt once again with a string of her forthcoming films.

Among Gracy’s eagerly awaited films are, Filmalaya’s latest animation venture, Midnight, directed by Rajeev Ruia (who had directed My Friend Ganesha); By Chance Milta Hai Chance, a comedy in which Gracy is playing a radio jockey; Sujan Joseph’s latest project, Return Home, also starring Jackie Shroff; White Land, a true story about Gujarat’s salt workers, in which Gracy plays a blind sarpanch; Choodiyan, with Vinod Khanna and another issue-based film titled, Farmhouse. With such a wide gamut of roles, Gracy is sure to make the industry sit up and take notice — once again. Whether she will have a successful run the second time round remains to be seen.

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Yuvraj’s finger goes up after waterboy remark

Colombo, Aug. 3: Spectators at the members stand passing comments on Yuvraj Singh led to an ugly altercation during the first day of the third and final Test between India and Sri Lanka at the P. Sara Oval here on Tuesday.

According to reports, Yuvraj showed a bunch of revellers the middle finger, infuriating them, after being heckled and called a ‘water boy’ as he carried drinks to his teammates on the field. The apparently intoxicated spectators also termed him ‘unfit.’ Yuvraj did not figure in the playing 11 and was named the 12th man.

The situation was brought under control after police intervened. “It is the members’ stand of the Tamil Union Club. I can’t say whether they targeted Yuvraj because I was not present. Yuvraj is much loved in Sri Lanka,” said Tony Perera, CEO of the club.

Indian team manger Ranjib Biswal noted that an official complaint has been lodged. “The crowd was trying to misbehave with the player. He did not provoke the crowd, I was sitting next to him when it happened. It’s only a basic human tendency to react after repeated provocations. The police took a few spectators out,” confirmed Biswal.

The Club in their own capacity are making a few changes to ensure a trouble free match. “We will take preventive measures tomorrow. The Taverners section was built to add lustre to the club and not for fans to intoxicate themselves and behave in a way that is detrimental to the game. It’s a part of the place. A few people do not represent the entire club. I am still looking into the details of the trouble makers. Necessary action will be taken shortly,” added Perera.

Later in the evening, police arrested the three spectators who had created trouble and remanded them to custody.

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The road to Splitsville in Bangalore is not acrimonious after all

An increasing number of couples in Bangalore are opting for divorce by mutual consent. In the last few months, over 60% of the city couples who were headed for Splitsville parted ways amicably.
Couples in the city no longer see divorce as a personal tragedy and act sensibly, leaving less room for hostility. They sort out parental responsibilities to ensure smooth management post divorce.

Divorce by mutual consent was on the rise, particularly among the IT and BPO professionals who accounted for 70% of such cases in the city, sources in the family court in Bangalore said.

“If you are planning to get a divorce, mutual consent should always be preferred,” said IT professional Pramila R, who recently got divorced by mutual consent. “Obtaining a divorce by mutual consent is quite advantageous as it saves both time and money,” she added.

Divya V, an ex-homemaker, opted for divorce by mutual consent after four years of marriage. “My partner’s attitude was disgusting. He would shout at me. We also had problem adjusting to each other. We decided to separate as there was no point sticking to a broken marriage. But I did not see any change in my husband’s attitude. So I wanted to divorce by mutual consent,” she explained.

Couples prefer mutual consent mode of divorce due to various reasons. According to high court advocate Arun KS, most couples preferred it as their case would get over soon. “Contesting divorce cases can take up to 10 years to get settled,” said Arun, who has already handled 10 mutual consent divorce cases this year.

“A couple can file divorce by mutual consent only after they have lived apart for at least a year. The husband and the wife should jointly state to the court that they are unable to live together as they are facing immense difficulties in adjusting with each other,” explained senior advocate Anjana Sundar.

Sociologist GK Karanth said, “Couples are very precise in their decision. Most of them, these days, are accepting the fact that an end to a marriage is not an end to life. The couples are steadier in their future goals and want to leave behind the past,” Karanth added.

As a marriage counsellor put it, “People are getting more open when it comes to ending marriages.”

A one-stop-shop for booklovers in Bangalore, an empty canvas for culture

While you need not despair of finding a copy of Breaking Dawn, the most recent instalment in the unsinkable Twilight saga, in any bookstore (truth be told, there’s no escaping it), if you’re looking for a copy of, say, Burmese Days by George Orwell, you may have to look a little harder.

Penguin Group India, which has access to the mammoth Penguin group’s impressive inventory of not just the best of new publishing across the world but also rare classics, has decided to rectify this by launching PageTurners, an exclusive Penguin bookstore.

Spread over four floors and close to 2,500 sq ft of prime location — MG Road’s newly refurbished Kannan Building — PageTurners is a collaboration between Penguin Books India and Surya Infotainment Products (SIP), the successor to the bookshop and magazine businesses of LB Publishers and Distributors, one of India’s oldest booksellers, which used to run a bookstore in the same location on MG Road.

“Penguin is currently celebrating 75 years of publishing, and PageTurners, its very first collaborative retail store in India, is part of its ongoing strategy to bring the best of Indian and international writing to readers in the country,” says Hemali Sodhi, VP, marketing and corporate communication, Penguin Books India.

“An exclusive space for our books was only possible, till now, at book fairs. If we put all our books under one roof, it becomes a destination. It’s a very exciting idea,” says Sodhi.

Being in the business of books, SIP and Penguin have had a long-standing association and when the Bangalore outfit approached Penguin with the idea of an exclusive store, a collaborative bookstore with a local partner seemed like a good idea, reveals Sodhi, who says the publishing house is looking at expanding this idea to other cities as well.

“For SIP, it’s the best way to access and exploit Penguin’s vast range of books, especially its many foreign imprints and the rarer books and classics. In fact, the store will have an entire floor dedicated to Penguin classics that are tough to find elsewhere,” says Abishek Laxminarayan, managing director, SIP.

He is, however, quick to add that the store will give equal importance to bestsellers — even providing a section for those brought out by other publishers.

“We also see this bookstore as a very active space,” says Sodhi. One floor of the 2500 sq ft store has been earmarked for cultural events of all kinds, from meetings of focus groups to the more conventional book launches and signings. There’s a vibrant children’s section as well — appropriately for a publishing house that is getting deeper into the children and young adult genre each year.

“We want to provide a space for cultural conversations, for people with similar ideas and interests to meet and exchange ideas. It is an empty canvas,” says Laxminarayan.

Music launch of Madholal in Bangalore

The music launch of Madholal Keep Walking was an entertaining affair. Producer Apurva Tank, co-producer Ajay Gehi and director-cum-writer Jai Tank welcomed guests to this do which was presented by Provogue.

The venue Del Italia, Mumbai provided the perfect ambience (not to mention the wine and delicious bites) for the evening that also unveiled the AV of the film.

Gracing the occasion were Mamik Singh, Vaishali Desai, Adityaraj Kapoor, Craig Scott and the lead actor, Subrat Dutta. Raja and Nayab, who have given the music for the film along with Altaf Raja and Raja Hassan, were present as well.

Babita's rocking b'day do in Bangalore

Babita celebrated her birthday on Sunday at her lovely penthouse with friends and family.

There was Abbas keeping the crowd entertained, while Anoop worked his magic on the turntable. Babita, dressed in a shimmery silver outfit that she designed herself, was living it up with friends Nealesh, Rekha Hande, Pratima Mulani, Sabrina Dutta, Janak and Chinu.

There was Punjabi khana for the Punjabi kudi’s birthday, we heard. Guests partied till the wee hours and wished Bobby, as she is fondly called, a great year ahead.
BBMP babus set out on foot to mobilise property tax revenue

After politicians, it’s the turn of officials of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to hit the road. The BBMP officials on Monday set out on a padayatra.

However, they are not headed towards Bellary but will be crisscrossing the length and breadth of the city, spread over 800 sq km, to ensure that every piece of property is brought under the tax net.

The padayatra is part of the BBMP’s three-month long campaign for mopping up property tax revenue. As part of the campaign, ward-level teams comprising a revenue officer, tax inspector and an assessor hit the road. The teams will make door-to-door inspection and verify the tax status of each and every property.

Speaking to DNA, BBMP deputy commissioner (revenue) DL Chandrashekar said that property owners would be served a notice in case they had not paid the tax. The defaulters have to pay the tax within 15 days of receiving the notice. The BBMP would initiate the recovery process if any property owner failed to pay the tax within the stipulated time.

Defaulters are in for further embarrassment with the BBMP planning many other stringent measures including handing over the defaulter’s details to the local resident welfare association and publishing the property and owner’s photograph in newspapers.

“Our officers will go to every street in the ward. They will check the location of each property, the built up area, violations, if any, and of course whether they are under property tax net or not,” Chandrashekar explained.

The BBMP, through GIS mapping, has estimated that about 14 lakh properties exist in the Palike limits. “About six lakh properties are not assessed till date and around four lakh properties are out of the tax net,” he said.

Chandrashekar added that about three lakh properties in the city were under tax net.

Sources in the BBMP said that with the Palike budget set to be presented within a few days, there was an urgent need to bring unassesed properties under tax net and increase the revenue.

“The zonal joint commissioners have been instructed to ensure that the padayatra drive is a success. Once we get the data on the properties, it’s easy to net the defaulters,” said a senior BBMP official.

Fare for Bangalore: A tamper-proof meter for autos

Okay, the new fares are unfair and the digital auto meters will take time to get used to them, but what about tampered meters?
Bangalore Automobiles, a city-based firm, has a solution: A tamper-proof digital auto meter.

The meter has been approved by Delhi’s Legal Metrology Forum as well as the transport department. The digital meter, called Bright Fare Meter (BFM), shuts down completely if the auto driver tries to ‘fix’ it. It’s impossible to tamper with this meter.

What makes the BFM special is its integrated circuit (IC) and an erasable programmable read only memory (Eprom) – a memory chip that retains its data when the power supply is switched off.

Both are merged into a single unit and are coded. “The IC and the Eprom are synchronised. So firstly, the Eprom cannot be removed; even if it is, the new data or code will not synchronise with those of the IC, and the meter will automatically stop working,” said R Somashekhar, Bangalore Automobiles owner.

In regular digital meters, where both IC and Eprom are separate components, drivers replace the Eprom or the IC with another carrying altered data to fix the meter. The digital meters are tweaked for a mere Rs500 at garages in Kalasipalyam, Shivaji Nagar and Magadi Road.

Somashekhar said his BFM was released in January 2010 on a trial basis and was installed on 200 autorickshaws. They have been doing really good.

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Spotted: Sreesanth at his restaurant in Bangalore

'I had the opportunity to take a photograph with S Sreesanth [ Images ], 'the showman of Indian cricket' at his restaurant 'Bat and Ball Inn' in Bangalore. Attached is the photograph,' writes Girish.

Thank-you, Girish, for sharing this picture.

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Bangalore police to crackdown on illegal Sim card sellers

In a bid to snap communication channels of criminals and terrorists, the city police have embarked on a drive against illegal Sim card providers in the city.

As many as 30 persons were arrested during the past fortnight for breaching the rule on Sim card sale, a senior police officer said in Bangalore on Monday.

The police found that most criminals were using illegally procured Sim cards to commit offence. Police initiated the crackdown on Sim card providers after the central crime branch arrested three persons and seized 682 illegal Sim cards from them.

It was learnt that the top brass of the police had taken serious note of the illegal Sim card sale, and alerted all police stations in the city against the agents who sell those cards.

Additional commissioner of police (crime) Alok Kumar said criminals purchased Sim cards for a higher price. According to the law, proof of address and identity card should be produced in order to purchase and activate a Sim card.

However, several sellers were found to be giving out Sims without checking the credentials of the buyer. In many cases, the sellers themselves forged documents for the buyer.

Instances of providing Sims using documents presented by law-abiding mobile phone users have also been reported in the city.

The city police had also convened a meeting of marketing executives of mobile phone service providers. They were instructed to strictly adhere to the guidelines set for providing mobile phone connections. The executives were also warned that they would face legal action if their firms continued providing connections to customers without proper verification of documents.

Kumar said the police would book cases against those selling Sim cards illegally. Nearly 50% of the crime would be reduced if the sale of illegal Sims were stopped in the state, he added.

The police would be writing to the Telecom Enforcement, Resource and Monitoring (TERM) Cell of the Department of Telecommunications to take necessary action against the service providers who sell Sims, breaching the law.

Incase a Sim was lost, the customer care department of the service provider should be immediately informed to deactivate the card. A written FIR copy from a police station should be obtained from the station and then submitted to the nearest store of the operator, for a duplicate Sim. Thus, the same number could be retained. If a pre-paid customer, the user would receive the remaining talk-time (balance) as well.

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Vivek Oberoi to wed Bangalore girl on Oct 29

Actor Vivek Oberoi has found his dream girl, Priyanka Alva. Their wedding is scheduled on October 29. The Mumbai boy-son of actor Suresh Oberoi and Yashodara Oberoi, agreed to marry the Bangalorean beauty, selected by his parents.

Their engagement ceremony will be held in September. Priyanka is the daughter of politician Jeevraj Alva and famous dancer Nandini Alva. Currently, she is working with a family-run NGO called Artist's Foundation for Arts.

If the buzz is to be believed, both Vivek and Priyanka suit each other down to the ground. So much so that even their horoscopes have been a perfect match.

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WHO delists Shantha bestseller

NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD: Shantha Biotech’s bread-winner vaccine has fallen out of favour with the World Health Organisation, or WHO, dealing the company a crippling blow and opening up opportunities for rivals such as Panacea Biotech, Serum Institute and Novartis.

The WHO said on July 28 that Shantha’s Shan5 vaccine is no longer on its list of pre-qualified medicines, in effect terminating what was a contract worth $340 million over three years. The WHO order last week sealed the fate of Shan5, whose future has been in doubt for months now, after a white sediment was found sticking to glass vials containing the vaccine.

Hyderabad-based Shantha is 80% owned by France’s Sanofi Aventis, which bought the company in July 2009.

“This is a vaccine version of Ranbaxy’s regulatory problems in the US. Since Shantha’s main revenue stream will be cut off, it may run into losses until it resumes sales of Shan5,” a pharmaceutical industry expert said.

Shan5 is estimated to account for more than three-fourths of the revenues of Shantha. The vaccine maker reported revenues of e17 million for the four months to December 2009, a Sanofi Aventis spokeswoman said. She did not say how much Shan5 earned.

Shan5 is a ‘five-in-one’ vaccine to protect infants against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis-B as well as a bacterium that causes diseases such as pneumonia and meningitis.

The WHO said it disqualified the vaccines after coming to the conclusion that the corrective action plan suggested by Shantha for dissolving the sediments detected in Shan5 vials would require a revised manufacturing procedure and hence new approvals. In April, the organisation had suspended the supply of Shan5 vaccines to Unicef following discovery of the sediments. The Indian company had recalled $72 million worth of vaccines and discontinued sale in the domestic retail market.

The WHO has also delisted Shantha’s tetravalent (DTwP-hepatitis B) vaccine and terminated ongoing prequalification evaluation process for a DTwP vaccine Shantrip as the two vaccines also use the pertussis component, the root cause that is linked with flaws in Shan5.

“The financial impact will depend on the ramp-up (of its) production. We are confident that Shantha will be able to resume production and supply of Shan5 and Shantetra in compliance with WHO requirements," the Shantha spokeswoman said. She added the decision to withdraw the prequalification for Shan5 is a precautionary measure and none of the information available so far suggests a safety problem.

The WHO has asked Shantha to reapply for prequalification, so that it can become eligible to resume supply of Shan5 and other vaccines to Unicef and other global health organisations. But the process of obtaining these approvals may take 2-3 years, industry executives said.

Shantha had started executing the supply order last year and it may have to reimburse Unicef and other buyers for transportation and storage charges for the vaccines. “We are working with Unicef to define the best way to compensate for the recall of Shan5 in the interest of public health," the company spokeswoman said.

The WHO had in October last year probed a similar vaccine manufactured by Delhi-based Panacea Biotech after four infants who had reportedly taken this vaccine died in Bhutan. The Indian company was given a clean chit.

The development with Shantha opens up an opportunity for other makers of five-in-one vaccines that have already been qualified by the WHO. Panacea Biotech, Serum Institute and Novartis are seen as potential gainers.

Several Indian drugmakers such as Ranbaxy and Sun Pharma have been pulled up by the American drug regulator for lapses in manufacturing standards in the past 2-3 years. But Shantha’s problems are a “company issue” and have nothing to do with the Indian vaccine industry, industry experts and executives with rival firms said.

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Father kills daughter, honour killing suspected

Hyderabad: A 26-year-old woman was allegedly killed by her father and two brothers in Hyderabad on Monday afternoon. They have reportedly slit her throat with a knife.

The woman was allegedly married but was also having an "extra-marital affair". The victim was married for the last ten years but she and her husband were living separately. Moreover, she had two children with whom she was staying.

She reportedly got closer to another man and her family objected to the matter.

Meanwhile, the woman's father and two brothers have now been charged with murder and are now in police custody.

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Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas schools, colleges closed today

HYDERABAD/MIRPURKHAS: Tension has blanketed Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas while all the schools in duo cities will remain closed on Tuesday following the tragic incident of targeted killing of MQM’s member provincial assembly Raza Haider, Geo News reported.

Many a incidents of firing was reported in two cities while unknown armed men were also seen forcing shopkeepers to pull down shutters in main and small markets in two cities.

Three people were injured after receiving bullets in Hyderabad, hospital sources said.

Tension and fear have gripped people in both cities, which led authorities to announce closure of all educational institutions in view of likely untoward situations.

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Partygoers had a gala time in Hyderabad

Partygoers headed to an up-market nightclub on a ladies night, to let their hair down and party hard.

The in-house DJ, spinning some of his best numbers, had the crowd dancing till they dropped. While the women burnt the dance floor with their steamy moves, the men made the most of this visual treat.

The combination of drinks on the house and good music undoubtedly has many regular takers every week. Tejuswini Chowdhury made a re-entry into the party circuit and was seen unwinding and having a gala time with close friends.

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Google vs. Bing: In a search race

Edwin Perello discovered that Bing, the Microsoft search engine, could find addresses in his rural Indiana town when Google could not. Laura Michelson, an administrative assistant in San Francisco, was lured by Bing’s flight fare tracker. Paul Callan, a photography buff in Chicago, fell for Bing’s vivid background images.

Like most Americans, they still use Google as their main search tool. But more often, they find themselves navigating to Microsoft’s year-old Bing for certain tasks, and sometimes they stay a while. “I was a Google user before, but the more I used Bing the more I liked it,” Mr Callan said. “It’s more like muscle memory takes me to Google.”

Bing still handles a small slice of Web searches in the United States, 12.7% in June, compared with Google’s 62.6%, as measured by comScore, the Web analytics firm. But Bing’s share has been growing, as has Yahoo’s, while Google’s has been shrinking.

And while no one argues that Google’s dominance is in immediate jeopardy, Google is watching Microsoft closely, mimicking some of Bing’s innovations — like its travel search engine, its ability to tie more tools to social networking sites and its image search — or buying start-ups to help it do so in future.

Google has even taken on some of Bing’s distinctive look, like giving people the option of a Bing-like colourful background, and the placement of navigation tools on the left-hand side of the page. The result is a renaissance in search, resulting in more sophisticated tools for consumers who want richer answers to complex questions than the standard litany of blue links. The competition is a remarkable and surprising twist: Microsoft, knocked around for so long as a bumbling laggard, has given the innovative upstart Google a kick in the pants. As the search engines introduce feature after competing feature, some analysts say they have set off an arms race, with the companies poised to spend whatever it takes to win the second phase of Web search.

“There is a cold war going on,” said Sandeep Aggarwal, senior Internet and software analyst at Caris & Company, who watches both companies. “Clearly, you can see how Bing’s competition is forcing Google to try and catch up in some places.”

Google officials agree there is more competition, but say they are not simply reacting to the younger search engine.

Google’s new features have not been in response to Bing, said Marissa Mayer, the company’s vice-president for search products and user experience. “A lot of these things have been in the works for a long time,” she said. “Left-hand navigation we worked on for almost two years. We wanted to make sure we had it exactly right.”

Microsoft’s gains are far from staggering. Its share of searches has grown to 12.7 percent, from 8 percent, since Bing was introduced in May 2009, and Yahoo, which has a search deal with Microsoft, still handles a larger share of searches than Bing. And in the newest search frontier, mobile devices, Google has even more market share than on the Web at large.
Still, Bing’s gains have impressed analysts, who have watched Google fend off repeated assaults on its lucrative search and ad business, which accounts for some 95% of its revenue.

Building a more comprehensive, faster and more accurate search engine than Google is a daunting challenge, and a long list of big companies and start-ups have failed in their attempts. Microsoft endured plenty of ribbing as it spent years building and then scrapping search systems meant to help it compete against Google. But, it kept experimenting until it found a way.

Microsoft has spent billions of dollars building the computing centres needed to power search and advertising systems and acquiring start-ups with niche expertise. In addition, it has thrown money at consumers, through cash-back programmes on purchases, and at partners willing to promote Bing ahead of Google. Over the last year, Microsoft’s online services division lost $2.36 billion on revenue of $2.2 billion.

With Bing, Microsoft has tried to attract people like Mr Callan by excelling at answering frequently asked questions, like those related to travel, health, shopping, entertainment and local businesses. For example, Bing has flight search and prediction tools that reveal price fluctuations for certain routes, and advises customers whether to buy or wait. Bing Health uses data from sources like the Mayo Clinic and Healthwise.

The hope is that “somebody would come back just for that and then, down the line, they would do other types of searches, too,” said Danny Sullivan, a longtime industry analyst and editor-in-chief of the blog Search Engine Land.

People do not always want to click on links and dig through pages to hunt out information. So, when Bing started in May 2009, it pulled relevant information and stuck it on the top and left-hand side of the results pages. Search “Angelina Jolie,” for instance, and see a slide show and a list of her movies on top and related links on the side. “We said, ‘Let’s change the entire way we lay out pages,’ ” said Yusuf Mehdi, a senior vice-president for Microsoft’s online audiences business. “We will not be shackled by blue links.” Google, meanwhile, has quietly introduced its own new features that have in several instances looked a lot like Bing’s.

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Best killer netbooks of 2010

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Exhibit

By the year 2010, netbooks are predicted to be widely used. They are growing ever more convenient, functional, and practical, and in fact, may soon become the mobile device of choice.

What are Netbooks?

Netbooks are described as mini-computers whose sizes range from 7 inches to 10 inches. The larger versions are notebooks or laptops with sizes ranging from 12 to 17 inches. Apparently with these size comparisons, you may say that portability in the netbook laptop arena goes to netbooks.

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The NB305 was a favourite in 2009. The newer model uses the same stylish hardware design of its predecessor (available in blue, brown and white), but throws in the 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, a larger 250GB hard drive, and Windows 7 Starter Edition.

The new Pineview processor has enabled Toshiba to shave 100g off the NB305's weight to 1.2kg, and extend run-time with the 6-cell battery from nine hours to a remarkable 11 hours.

This works a treat with Toshiba's Sleep and Charge technology, which lets you use the netbook's battery to charge gadgets over USB even if it's hibernating or switched off.

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Here's the first thing that'll strike you about this ThinkPad; it's red. If you associate red with speedy sports cars, the X100e won't disappoint.

With its Athlon Neo MV-40 processor and 2GB of RAM, this ThinkPad scored a 52 on WorldBench 6, a screaming speed for netbooks.

It's faster than most netbooks, with a larger, higher-resolution screen; a spacious keyboard; and a bigger hard drive than you'll usually find in Lilliputian laptops.

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The Mini 5102 is the latest in HP's line of business-optimised netbooks, featuring a ruggedised metal chassis and design elements tailored for the office road warrior.

It does a great job of offering features that business users care about, but they come at a considerable price; the configuration: 2GB of RAM, an Atom N450 CPU, and an extended six-cell battery.

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Gateway LT2118u With Intel's Atom N450 CPU and 3150 GPU at its heart, as well as 1GB of memory, a 250GB hard drive and a 10.1-inch, 1024-by-600-resolution display, Gateway's pride and joy carried on for an astounding 11 hours and 17 minutes in the battery tests.

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The Asus 1201 will be their very first netbook to feature Nvidia Ion graphics, giving it 1080p HD playback and much improved gaming performance. Very recently the Asus Eee PC 1201N has shown up on a store in Hong Kong, confirming its existence.

A 12.1-inch 1366 x 768 display, running an Intel Atom N330 dual core CPU, GeForce 9400M (ION Graphics), 3GB of DDR2 RAM, 320GB hard drive.

It also has 802.11n WiFi, webcam, and a high capacity 6-cell 5200mAh battery, which should last for up to 8 hours.

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The six-cell MSI U160 netbook is not just skin deep with its super smooth sleekness.

It is compact all around with its 10-inch display and 320 GB hard drive. Adding to the convenience is a 1.4 megapixel webcam, well-spaced Chiclet keyboard that reduces typing errors and the resultant clicking noise, extra wide tactile touchpad, two-channel stereo speakers and microphone, Windows 7 Starter, and the facility for wireless LAN and Bluetooth.

Promsing a 15-hour battery life, it will accompany you on your computing missions all day long. Available in fancy gold and jet black and weighing just 1 kg, this one is truly one of the finest stylish networks on the market.

No wonder, it won a product design award at the prestigious iF 2010 design awards in Germany. Probably it could be due to its ultra-slim chassis (only 19.8 mm at the thinnest point). Or the white glow of the MSI logo on the upper lid and the blue LED power switch light on the end of the display hinge.

However it's the artificial intelligence in the netbook that wins you overfrom face detection to log into your system, to automatic log off when you are away from the system for too long.

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Better take a look at the list of pros and cons of these gadgets. We examine the list based on four parameters:

1. Design

Netbooks are designed for several aspects of computing needs. One may use it to connect to the Internet and to communicate with other people. Their sizes are contributory to their compactness too. When it comes to battery life, most netbooks can stay longer than notebooks making the former less dependent on charging. However, you cannot deny the fact that notebooks are multipurpose in nature allowing you to accomplish more computing tasks. Netbooks are smaller, lighter, and cheaper.

2. Applications

Running applications is also a concern for netbook and Laptop consumers. Surfing the web while one is on the go is possible with netbooks. The same is true if one wants to run basic applications like windows office.

But if one has other things to do or need to open four to five applications all at the same time, laptops are sure winners. Additionally, the larger laptop allows to edit high definition video files.

Furthermore, one may save more files in the hard disk of laptops.

3. Mobility

Both has the upper hand when it comes to mobility, but netbooks are easier to carry; a netbook typically weighs between two and three pounds. Screen sizes can range from seven inches to about 13 inches.

The keyboard is normally somewhere between 75 per cent and 85 per cent the size of a normal computer keyboard. There is a limit to how small of a netbook is practical.

A typical adult, typing on a ridiculously tiny keyboard is going to get old pretty quick. Squinting to see the text on your screen is also quite bothersome.

The future of netbooks may have us looking at lighter weight models, but it's unlikely you'll see a netbook the size of a pack of candies any time in the near future.

4. Cost

Netbooks works on the philosophy 'get as pay'. The more you pay the better specs you have. So netbooks apparently tend to be cheaper than their larger notebook counterparts.

However, there are some tasks that netbooks cannot fulfill thus more computer enthusiasts question the real price attached to the product.

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Sachin rested, Yuvi recalled for ODI tri-series

Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir have been rested from the 15-membered squad for the forthcoming one-day tri-series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, the National Selection Committee announced on Saturday.

While Sachin incurred a groin injury during his marathon knock of 200 during the second Test against Sri Lanka, Gambhir has been left out due to his knee injury.

Yuvraj Singh, however, found his way back into the ODI squad after being dropped from the Asia Cup.

Tamil Nadu off-spinner R Ashwin and Jharkhand batsman Saurabh Tiwary, two promising youngsters who have done well in the domestic circuit, have been retained in the squad to be led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

The tri-series, which has host Sri Lanka and New Zealand as the two other teams, will be held in Dambulla from August 10 to 25.

Meanwhile, after missing the Test series due to shoulder injury, pacer Zaheer Khan has been omitted from the ODI tri-series as well as he couldn’t recover on time. In the absence of Zaheer, veteran speedster Ashish Nehra will lead the pace attack which also has Ishant Sharma, Abhimanyu Mithun and Praveen Kumar.

Ishant and Mithun, who were not in the Asia Cup squad, have been included this time around probably because they have already acclimatised to the Sri Lankan conditions as they are in the Test squad.

Harbhajan Singh will too give a miss to the series, as R Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha will take care of the spin department.

Kerala paceman S Sreesanth, who is recuperating from a knee injury, has not been picked in the squad, announced by BCCI Secretary N Srinivasan after a meeting of the selection committee here.

There were no major surprises with the selectors more or less retaining the nucleus of the squad that won the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka in June.

“Ashok Dinda and Manish Pandey will replace R Ashwin and Sourav Tiwary in the Indian team participating in the Emerging Players tournament in Australia,” Srinivasan said in a statement.

The batting will largely depend on the fireworks of Virender Sehwag while there are a number of young talents like Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli who have already established themselves in the national team.

In the absence of Gambhir, Tamil Nadu wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik is likely to open the innings with Sehwag.

Ravindra Jadeja is the lone all-rounder in the squad although there are a number of batsmen who are known to be part time bowlers.

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'Rahul said he'd commit suicide if I didn't call him'

In the lastest twist to the Rahul Mahajan-Dimpy domestic violence saga, actress and Rahul's ex says she fears he will harm himself or her

A day after Rahul Mahajan's wife Dimpy walked out on him, and promptly walked back, former girlfriend Payal Rohatgi says he's been threatening her as well.

The starlet who was dating Mahajan when they were both participants on reality show Bigg Boss 2, says he called her on Friday. "Rahul has been calling on my landline since yesterday. He told my maid he'd commit suicide if I didn't talk to him. He told her, 'Didi ko bolo phone karegi nahin toh main suicide karunga."



Suicide threat
That Mahajan has been calling her for the past couple of months is known, but the suicide threat has made the actress doubly tense. She said, "I live alone in Mumbai.

My brother isn't here with me. I'm afraid Rahul might send someone to kill me. After the suicide calls on Friday, my maid stayed over at home, so I wouldn't be alone. But for how long? She has her own family to look after too."

Rohatgi's mother who is in Ahmedabad is upset with the situation and has been calling several times a day to check on her daughter. "This is the last thing I need right now. I just want to focus on my work, not on a relationship that is dead and buried," adds Rohatgi.

Rahul Mahajan and wife Dimpy

Once a friend
The actress has known Mahajan since she moved to Mumbai. "That's when I got to know Rahul and his Dad (the late Pramod Mahajan). Back then I thought Rahul was very sweet. We used to party in the same group. When he divorced his first wife, I happened to be single and things just took off for us. However, I soon realised that his lifestyle didn't suit mine," she reveals.

On Bigg Boss 2, Mahajan was also seen openly flirting with co-contestant Monica Bedi. "I cried my eyes off on camera because he was right there in front of the world with Monica Bedi. And now he's chasing me again. It's irritating," she says.

I'm no home-breaker
Earlier this year, Mahajan was featured in the second season of reality show Swayamwar -- Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge, in which he met and married Dimpy Ganguly from Kolkata. Rohatgi, who had earlier said that Mahajan offered her Rs 1 crore to participate in the show, claims he got back in touch with her two months after his marriage. "He would call and ask me to meet him. He said 'I'm having problems with my wife. Come back in my life. But I don't want to be a home-breaker.'"

He ruined my relationship
The actress adds that her recent relationship has been ruined because of Mahajan's behaviour. "There was someone I was seeing but everything's messed up now because I'm in the news for all the wrong reasons. Why drag me into it? The problem is in his head. He needs a doctor."

She's also scared for her security. "I need my mother with me. I had to approach my building secretary and request him not to let anyone come up to my place. I don't want to be a part of this mess."

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Indian High Commission slams Kalmadi's claim

New Delhi: Indian Olympic Association President and Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Suresh Kalmadi is now on a sticky wicket as the Indian High Commission in Britain has refuted his claim that money was paid to a company recommended by them.

The Indian High Commission has denied his claim that it had recommended AM Cars and AM Films UK Ltd, which were used for organising a Commonwealth Games function. Kalmadi had said that the little known company was hired on the recommendation of the High Commission alone.

"AM cars and vans that we appointed for transport was recommended by the Indian High Commission," Kalmadi said on Saturday.

Moreover, the High Commission officials say they never gave a formal recommendation.

"A M Films is not on the panel of companies recommended by the High Commission usually. A M Films was reportedly given over £ 4.50 lakh by the Organising Committee without following any proper tendering procedure and there was no paper work. We have to scrutinise the email that Kalmadi is holding as proof of the High Commission's recommendation," said the High Commission.

Speaking to CNN-IBN, Kalmadi had on Saturday claimed that the organisers acted according to the High Commission's advice.

"The Organising Committee sent a letter to Vikran Ratan, who's the first secretary of the protocol and administration. He is the person responsible for these matters and his junior officer has replied on his behalf. It is very clear the High Commission has paid to the company recommended by them. We have gone by the High Commission advice," Kalmadi said.

Kalmadi has also denied all allegations of financial irregularities in the organisation of the Commonwealth Games 2010 in New Delhi. "I have been deeply pained by the baseless allegations of corruption in the CWG," said Kalmadi on Saturday.

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Afghan women fear the loss of modest gains

MAHMUD-E RAQI (Afghanistan): Women's precarious rights in Afghanistan have begun seeping away. Girls' schools are closing; working women are threatened; advocates are attacked; and terrified families are increasingly confining their daughters to home.
For women, instability, as much as the Taliban militants themselves, is the enemy. Women are casualties of the fighting, not only in the already conservative and embattled Pashtun south and east but also in districts in the north and centre of the country where other armed groups have sprung up.

As Afghan and Western governments explore reconciliation with the Taliban, women fear that the peace they long for may come at the price of rights that have improved since the Taliban government was overthrown in 2001.
“Women do not want war, but none of them want the Taliban of 1996 again; no one wants to be imprisoned in the yards of their houses,” said Rahima Zarifi, the Women's Ministry representative from the northern Baghlan province.
Interviews around the country with at least two dozen female members of Parliament, government officials, activists, teachers and young girls suggest a nuanced reality — fighting constricts women's freedoms nearly as much as a Taliban government, and conservative traditions already limit women's rights in many places.
Range of fears
Women, however, express a range of fears about a Taliban return, from political to domestic — that they will be shut out of negotiations about any deals with the insurgents and that the Taliban's return would drive up bride prices, making it more profitable for a family to force girls into marriage earlier.
In Baghlan province, in northern Afghanistan, the situation for women has steadily worsened over the past year. Zarifi, the Women's Ministry representative, has endured assassination attempts and demonstrations against her work. Three months ago, a female member of the provincial council was paralyzed in an attack, and a woman was stabbed to death in the daytime in the middle of the provincial capital earlier in July.
By contrast, most of Kapisa province, which lies northeast of Kabul, is peaceful. There is a mediation program in the capital to help women and girls when they face domestic violence. In the predominantly ethnically Tajik north there are large, lively schools for girls, where families even allow those who are married to complete high school.
Women's advocates are concerned that they are increasingly being shut out of political decisions. At an international conference in Kabul on July 20, which was meant to showcase the country's plans for the future, President Hamid Karzai said nothing about how women's rights might be protected in negotiations.
“A red line”
Although U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has also pledged that she will not desert Afghan women and that any deal with the Taliban that traded peace for women's rights was “a red line,” women remain wary.
“Right now it's a big challenge for women to go to school and work, but at least according to our Constitution and laws they have the right to do so,” said Nargis Nehan (31), an Afghan women's advocate.
“If the Taliban come back, by law women will be restricted and not allowed to leave their homes,” she said, adding, “Maybe not everywhere, but in those districts where they are in power.” — New York Times News Service

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