The Indian Panorama

Month: March 2014

  • SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB

    SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB

    CONTD FROM Vol 8 ISSUE 10

    || 2 || 3 || DAYV-GANDHAAREE: Now, I have come, exhausted, to my Lord and Master. Now that I have come seeking Your Sanctuary, God, please, either save me, or kill me. || 1 || Pause || I have burnt in the fire the clever devices and praises of the world. Some speak good of me, and some speak ill of me, but I have surrendered my body to You.

    || 1 || Whoever comes to Your Sanctuary, O God, Lord and Master, You save by Your Merciful Grace. Servant Nanak has entered Your Sanctuary, Dear Lord; O Lord, please, protect his honor! || 2 || 4 || DAYV-GANDHAAREE: I am a sacrifice to one who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. I live by continuously beholding the Blessed Vision of the Holy Guru’s Darshan; within His Mind is the Name of the Lord. || 1 || Pause || You are pure and immaculate, O God, Almighty Lord and Master; how can I, the impure one, meet You? I have one thing in my mind, and another thing on my lips; I am such a poor, unfortunate liar! || 1 || I appear to chant the Lord’s Name, but within my heart, I am the most wicked of the wicked.

    As it pleases You, save me, O Lord and Master; servant Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary. || 2 || 5 || DAYVGANDHAAREE: Without the Name of the Lord, the beautiful are just like the noseless ones. Like the son, born into the house of a prostitute, his name is cursed. || 1 || Pause || Those who do not have the Name of their Lord and Master within their hearts, are the most wretched, deformed lepers. Like the person who has no Guru, they may know many things, but they are cursed in the Court of the Lord. || 1 || Those, unto whom my Lord Master becomes Merciful, long for the feet of the Holy. O Nanak, the sinners become pure, joining the Company of the Holy; following the Guru, the True Guru, they are emancipated.

    || 2 || 6 || First Set of Six || DAYV-GANDHAAREE, FIFTH MEHL, SECOND HOUSE: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: O mother, I focus my consciousness on the Guru’s feet. As God shows His Mercy, the lotus of my heart blossoms, and forever and ever, I meditate on the Lord. || 1 || Pause || The One Lord is within, and the One Lord is outside; the One Lord is contained in all.Within the heart, beyond the heart, and in all places, God, the Perfect One, is seen to be permeating. || 1 || So many of Your servants and silent sages sing Your Praises, but no one has found Your limits. O Giver of peace, Destroyer of pain, Lord and Master – servant Nanak is forever a sacrifice to You. || 2 || 1 || DAYVGANDHAAREE: O mother, whatever is to be, shall be. God pervades His pervading creation; one gains, while another loses.

    || 1 || Pause || Sometimes he blossoms in bliss, while at other times, he suffers in mourning. Sometimes he laughs, and sometimes he weeps. Sometimes he is filled with the filth of ego, while at other times, he washes it off in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. || 1 || No one can erase the actions of God; I cannot see any other like Him. Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Guru; by His Grace, I sleep in peace. || 2 || 2 || DAYV-GANDHAAREE: O mother, I hear of death, and think of it, and I am filled with fear. Renouncing ‘mine and yours’ and egotism, I have sought the Sanctuary of the Lord and Master. || 1 || Pause || Whatever He says, I accept that as good. I do not say “No” to what He says.

    Let me not forget Him, even for an instant; forgetting Him, I die. || 1 || The Giver of peace, God, the Perfect Creator, endures my great ignorance. I am worthless, ugly and of low birth, O Nanak, but my Husband Lord is the embodiment of bliss. || 2 || 3 || DAYV-GANDHAAREE: O my mind, chant forever the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praises. By singing, hearing and meditating on Him, all, whether of high or low status, are saved. || 1 || Pause || He is absorbed into the One from which he originated, when he understands the Way. Wherever this body was fashioned, it was not allowed to remain there. || 1 || Peace comes, and fear and doubt are dispelled, when God becomes Merciful. Says Nanak, my hopes have been fulfilled, renouncing my greed in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. || 2 || 4 || DAYV-GANDHAAREE: O my mind, act as it pleases God. Become the lowest of the low, the very least of the tiny, and speak in utmost humility.

    || 1 || Pause || The many ostentatious shows of Maya are useless; I withhold my love from these. As something pleases my Lord and Master, in that I find my glory. || 1 || I am the slave of His slaves; becoming the dust of the feet of his slaves, I serve His humble servants. I obtain all peace and greatness, O Nanak, living to chant His Name with my mouth. || 2 || 5 || DAYV-GANDHAAREE: Dear God, by Your Grace, my doubts have been dispelled. By Your Mercy, all are mine; I reflect upon this in my mind. || 1 || Pause || Millions of sins are erased, by serving You; the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan drives away sorrow. Chanting Your Name, I have obtained supreme peace, and my anxieties and diseases have been cast out. || 1 || Sexual desire, anger, greed, falsehood and slander are forgotten, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.

    The ocean of mercy has cut away the bonds of Maya; O Nanak, He has saved me. || 2 || 6 || DAYV-GANDHAAREE: All the cleverness of my mind is gone. The Lord and Master is the Doer, the Cause of causes; Nanak holds tight to His Support. || 1 || Pause || Erasing my self-conceit, I have entered His Sanctuary; these are the Teachings spoken by the Holy Guru. Surrendering to the Will of God, I attain peace, and the darkness of doubt is dispelled. || 1 || I know that You are allwise, O God, my Lord and Master; I seek Your Sanctuary. In an instant, You establish and disestablish; the value of Your Almighty Creative Power cannot be estimated. || 2 || 7 || DAYVGANDHAAREE, FIFTH MEHL: The Lord God is my praanaa, my breath of life; He is the Giver of peace. By Guru’s Grace, only a few know Him. || 1 || Pause || Your Saints are Your Beloveds; death does not consume them. They are dyed in the deep crimson color of Your Love, and they are intoxicated with the sublime essence of the Lord’s Name. || 1 || The greatest sins, and millions of pains and diseases are destroyed by Your Gracious Glance, O God. While sleeping and waking, Nanak sings the Lord’s Name, Har, Har, Har; he falls at the Guru’s feet. || 2 || 8 || DAYV-GANDHAAREE, FIFTH MEHL: I have seen that God with my eyes everywhere. The Giver of peace, the Giver of souls, His Speech is Ambrosial Nectar.

    || 1 || Pause || The Saints dispel the darkness of ignorance; the Guru is the Giver of the gift of life. Granting His Grace, the Lord has made me His own; I was on fire, but now I am cooled. || 1 || The karma of good deeds, and the Dharma of righteous faith, have not been produced in me, in the least; nor has pure conduct welled up in me. Renouncing cleverness and self-mortification, O Nanak, I fall at the Guru’s feet. || 2 || 9 || DAYVGANDHAAREE, FIFTH MEHL: Chant the Lord’s Name, and earn the profit. You shall attain salvation, peace, poise and bliss, and the noose of Death shall be cut away. || 1 || Pause || Searching, searching, searching and reflecting, I have found that the Lord’s Name is with the Saints. They alone obtain this treasure, who have such pre-ordained destiny. || 1 || They are very fortunate and honorable; they are the perfect bankers. They are beautiful, so very wise and handsome; O Nanak, purchase the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.

    || 2 || 10 || DAYVGANDHAAREE, FIFTH MEHL: O mind, why are you so puffed up with egotism? Whatever is seen in this foul, impure and filthy world, is only ashes. || 1 || Pause || Remember the One who created you, O mortal; He is the Support of your soul, and the breath of life. One who forsakes Him, and attaches himself to another, dies to be reborn; he is such an ignorant fool! || 1 || I am blind, mute, crippled and totally lacking in understanding; O God, Preserver of all, please preserve me! The Creator, the Cause of causes is all-powerful; O Nanak, how helpless are His beings! || 2 || 11 || DAYV-GANDHAAREE, FIFTH MEHL: God is the nearest of the near. Remember Him, meditate on Him, and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, day and night, evening and morning. || 1 || Pause || Redeem your body in the invaluable Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. Do not delay for an instant, even for a moment. Death is keeping you constantly in his vision. || 1 || Lift me up out of the dark dungeon, O Creator Lord; what is there which is not in Your home? Bless Nanak with the Support of Your Name, that he may find great happiness and peace.

    || 2 || 12 || Second Set of Six || DAYVGANDHAAREE, FIFTH MEHL: O mind, meet with the Guru, and worship the Naam in adoration. You shall obtain peace, poise, bliss, joy and pleasure, and lay the foundation of eternal life. || 1 || Pause || Showing His Mercy, the Lord has made me His slave, and shattered the bonds of Maya. Through loving devotion, and singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, I have escaped the Path of Death. || 1 || When he became Merciful, the rust was removed, and I found the priceless treasure. O Nanak, I am a sacrifice, a hundred thousand times, to my unapproachable, unfathomable Lord and Master. || 2 || 13 || DAYV-GANDHAAREE, FIFTH MEHL: O mother, how fruitful is the birth of one who sings the Glories of God, and enshrines love for the Supreme Lord God. || 1 || Pause || Beautiful, wise, brave and divine is one who obtains the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. He chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, with his tongue, and does not have to wander in reincarnation again. || 1 || The Perfect Lord God pervades his mind and body; he does not look upon any other.

    Hell and disease do not afflict one who joins the Company of the Lord’s humble servants, O Nanak; the Lord attaches him to the hem of His robe. || 2 || 14 || DAYV-GANDHAAREE, FIFTH MEHL: His fickle mind is entangled in a dream. He does not even understand this much, that someday he shall have to depart; he has gone crazy with Maya. || 1 || Pause || He is engrossed in the delight of the flower’s color; he strives only to indulge in corruption. Hearing about greed, he feels happy in his mind, and he runs after it. || 1 || Wandering and roaming all around, I have endured great pain, but now, I have come to the door of the Saint. Granting His Grace, the Supreme Lord Master has blended Nanak with Himself. || 2 || 15 || DAYV-GANDHAAREE, FIFTH MEHL: All peace is found in the Guru’s feet. They drive away my sins and purify my mind; their Support carries me across. || 1 || Pause || This is the labor which I perform: worship, flower-offerings, service and devotion. My mind blossoms forth and is enlightened, and I am not cast into the womb again.

  • ANTARCTIC MOSS, FROZEN FOR 1,500 YEARS, SPRINGS BACK TO LIFE

    ANTARCTIC MOSS, FROZEN FOR 1,500 YEARS, SPRINGS BACK TO LIFE

    LONDON (TIP): A specimen of moss that has been buried frozen in the Antarctic permafrost for over 1,500 years has suddenly sprung back to life. Interestingly, getting them to grow didn’t even take any coaxing.

    Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey and Reading University found that this moss specimen came back to life and grow once again in what is the longest period of time that frozen plants have been able to survive. Mosses are an important part of the biology of both the polar areas. They are the dominant plants and are the major store houses of fixed carbon. Previously, moss was known to survive being frozen for about 20 years — surviving for a millennium or more suggests the plants may be able to survive an ice age.

    For the first time, this vital part of the ecosystem has been shown to have the ability to survive century to millennial scale ice ages. Professor Peter Convey from the British Antarctic Survey explains: “What mosses do in the ecosystem is far more important than we would generally realize when we look at a moss on a wall here for instance. Understanding what controls their growth and distribution, particularly in a fast-changing part of the world such as the Antarctic Peninsula region, is therefore of much wider significance.” The team took cores of moss from deep in a frozen moss bank in the Antarctic.

    This moss would already have been at least decades old when it was first frozen. They sliced the frozen moss cores very carefully, keeping them free from contamination and placed them in an incubator at a normal growth temperature and light level. After only a few weeks, the moss began to grow. Using carbon dating, the team identified the moss to be at least 1,530 years of age and possibly even older, at the depth where the new growth was seen.

    “We actually did very little other than slice the moss core very carefully,” Convey said, adding that they also make sure not to accidentally get any other life forms in the mix. They placed the sliced and seemingly lifeless mosses in an incubator environment at a normal growth temperature and light level, and voila, new shoots of the parent species began to appear. While 1,500 years on ice is impressive to say the least, the findings suggest that it may be possible for mosses to persist for even longer.

    According to Professor Convey: “This experiment shows that multicellular organisms, plants in this case, can survive over far longer timescales than previously thought. If they can survive in this way, then decolonization following an ice age, once the ice retreats, would be a lot easier than migrating transoceanic distances from warmer regions. It also maintains diversity in an area that would otherwise be wiped clean of life by the ice advance.”

  • Now, a software to calculate risk of heart disease

    Now, a software to calculate risk of heart disease

    MUMBAI (TIP): Researchers from a Spanish university have developed a new computer software to diagnose cardiovascular risk on the basis of an eye scan. Doctors from Valenica University have started studying the blood vessel network around the retina of low-birth weight babies.

    They scan the fundus of the retina to diagnose whether the child will develop hypertension or heart diseases in adult age. “We want to know the caliber and the branching angle of the retinal vessels because that information helps us to understand how the blood is circulating,” said Empar Lurbe, head of the paediatrics unit of the university hospital.

    The measurement of the branching angles and the characteristics of the vessels’ caliber -if they are wider or narrower or if the branching angle is bigger or smaller- tells if the child who has a different branching angle could have an increase in blood pressure over the years.

    Lurbe said children with fetuses with growth retardation are those who are at a greater risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension or type 2 diabetes. Because of this, we are using the measurements to see if the branching angles of the vessels of children who have intrauterine growth retardation are different than those who do not,” the doctor added.

  • iPhone 5C 8GB version goes official

    iPhone 5C 8GB version goes official

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The 8GB version of Apple’s iPhone 5C is official. The company has launched the 8GB version of iPhone 5C, the cheaper plastic body variant of the iPhone, in several countries in Europe. The 8GB iPhone 5C model (unlocked) has been priced at 429 pounds in the UK, 40 pounds cheaper than the 16GB variant of the same phone.

    The phone is also being offered at zero upfront cost in UK and France through telecom operators O2 and SFR, as part of multi-year contracts. Apple is expected to list the 8GB version of the phone in the US, as well. The only difference between the 8GB model and the existing variants of the phone is reduced storage space, other specs of iPhone 5C remain same. Apple iPhone 5C sports a 4-inch Retina IPS LCD display (640x1136p, 326ppi).

    The phone is powered by Apple’s A6 chip, that also powers iPhone 5. iPhone 5C features an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 1.2MP front-facing camera. According to reports, iPhone 5C has not done too well when it comes to sales. Apple’s decision to introduce a cheaper variant looks like an acknowledgement of the same.

    A report by DigiTimes had reported that there were warehouses in Taiwan that had 3 million unsold iPhone 5C units in them. Umeng, China’s largest app analytics platform, reported that after four months of the phone’s launch, iPhone 5C activations remain way below those of the 5S. The 5C is on only 2% of devices on Umeng,while the 5S is on 12% of devices. It draws its data from 75,000 developers and 210,000 apps on its network.

  • MOTOROLA’S MOTO 360 IS ONE OF THE FIRST ANDROID WEAR SMARTWATCHES

    MOTOROLA’S MOTO 360 IS ONE OF THE FIRST ANDROID WEAR SMARTWATCHES

    LONDON (TIP): Not to be confused with the Xbox of the same name, the Moto 360 is Motorola’s new smartwatch, and one of the first to be announced with Android Wear. Android Wear is Google’s just-announced new mobile operating system spin-off, a modified version of Android designed specifically for smartwatches and other wearables.

    Google mentioned Motorola alongside HTC, Samsung, Asus, and LG as its hardware brand partners for Android Wear smartwatches, and Motorola responded by revealing its own offering in full. The Moto 360 may look surprisingly like a traditional watch, but with Android Wear built in it’s anything but.

    ‘A truly modern timepiece’
    In its announcement blog post Motorola’s Corporate Vice President of Product Management Lior Ron called the Moto 360 “a truly modern timepiece.” “It’s time for a watch that looks and feels great and gives you the information you need, when you need it,” Ron wrote. He emphasized the convenience and ease of use of getting notifications, checking appointments, perusing social networks, and even just checking the time and date with the Moto 360.

    And like other Android Wear smartwatches, the Moto 360 relies heavily on Google Now’s voice command capabilities. Saying “OK, Google” will open up a variety of options. Ron said to expect the Motorola Moto 360 “in a variety of styles globally in summer 2014, starting in the US.” Motorola’s announcement of the Moto 360 was preceded by LG’s unveiling of the LG G Watch, its own Android Wear device.

  • GOVT TO GET UP TO RS 5,700 CR THROUGH AXIS BANK STAKE SALE

    GOVT TO GET UP TO RS 5,700 CR THROUGH AXIS BANK STAKE SALE

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Central Government will sell 4.2 crore shares or 9 per cent stake in Axis Bank on Friday. The merchant bankers for the deal have proposed the price band at Rs.1,290-1,357 per share for the sale. The closing price for the Axis Bank scrip on March 20 on the Bombay Stock Exchange was Rs.1,356.85 or 2.1 per cent lower than the previous day.

    “We will sell stake in Axis Bank tomorrow [Friday] through block trades on exchanges,” Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram said. The government holds about 20.72 per cent of the shares of the third largest Indian private sector bank through the Specified Undertaking of UTI (SUUTI), an offshoot trust fund of the erstwhile UTI that was formed in 2003. The SUUTI also holds stakes in other private companies.

    It holds 11.32 per cent stake in tobacco-tohotels giant ITC and 8.2 per cent in the engineering company L&T. However, the government is unlikely to sell its stake in other SUUTI companies this financial year. The Axis Bank stake sale is expected to garner up to Rs.5,700 crore. Joint Secretary in the Department of Disinvestment Alok Tandon had said on March 14 that the government expected to raise Rs.3000-4000 crore from the stake sale. The merchant bankers for the deal are: JP Morgan, Citigroup Global Markets and JM Financial. The other promoters of the bank are: Life Insurance Corporation, General Insurance Corporation, New India Assurance and National Insurance Company.

  • TOYOTA CRISIS RESOLVED, COMPANY LIFTS LOCKOUT

    TOYOTA CRISIS RESOLVED, COMPANY LIFTS LOCKOUT

    BANGALORE (TIP): Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Ltd. on March 19 agreed to lift the lockout at two plants in Bidadi on the outskirts of Bangalore. The company had served the lockout notice on March 16 afternoon. The company released a statement saying it has conveyed the decision to the Deputy Labour Commissioner.

    “The decision was taken considering the inclination and in the interest of the majority of law-abiding team members. We have decided to lift the lockout implemented vide notice dated March 16. Consequent to our above decision, the team members are welcome to resume work with effect from Monday, March 24 after signing a simple undertaking on good conduct,” it said. Assistant Labour Commissioner J.T.

    Jinkalappa said though the company has decided to end the lockout, some modalities remain to be worked out and that the wage dispute has been moved for adjudication. Regarding the “good conduct undertaking”, Prasanna Kumar, president of Toyota Kirloskar Motor Employees’ Union (TKMEU), said the management wants workers to sign an undertaking, which was turned down by the union.

    “We will discuss our charter of demands with the company. As of now, we have not agreed to any condition. The matter has been posted for adjudication. The wage dispute remains,” he said. The union wants a wage hike of Rs. 4,000 a month while the management has offered Rs. 3,050. Suspensions unconfirmed Kumar said, “At the tripartite meeting, we were told about some suspensions, but we asked the management to withdraw the same. We will not allow any suspensions.”

  • Nokia X not to be made in India

    Nokia X not to be made in India

    CHENNAI: (TIP) Finnish handset maker Nokia will not manufacture its recently launched Nokia X phone at its Chennai plant, which has become the focal point of a Rs.21,000-crore tax dispute, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. The phone, which has been widely touted as a game-changer for the company, will be imported from China.

    Nokia is currently struggling to transfer its plant and other assets to software giant Microsoft before the acquisition is closed. According to sources, the decision to make the Nokia X in China could have come because rolling it out from India would require more investment at the Chennai plant. Also, with Nokia’s new plant having come up recently in Vietnam, a certain amount of redistribution and balancing in the company’s capacity is taking place.

  • India growth fastest in our history: Starbucks

    India growth fastest in our history: Starbucks

    MUMBAI (TIP): With 40 stores in 17 months of its operations, India is the fastest growing market in the history of the Seattle-based iconic American coffee chain Starbucks, according to a company statement. The US-based coffee chain, which had sewed up an equal joint venture with Tata Global Beverages, opened its first outlet in Mumbai in October 2012.

    “With 40 stores in four cities (in 17 months) and nearly 1,000 partners, India is the fastest growing market in Starbucks history,” Tata-Starbucks chief executive Avani Davda was quoted as telling Starbucks annual shareholders meet. Tata Starbucks currently has presence in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Bangalore and has its coffee plantations in the Kodagu area of Karnataka.

    Starbucks globally operates over 20,000 stores across 64 countries, serving over 70 million customers per week. Starbucks chairman, president and chief executive Howard Schultz told shareholders that the company would continue to reinforce the ongoing investments in 200,000 Starbucks partners (employees), including $250 million in their healthcare benefits and $234 million in bean stock in fiscal 2013.

  • CBI BOOKS 6 COMPANIES FOR LOAN DEFAULTS

    CBI BOOKS 6 COMPANIES FOR LOAN DEFAULTS

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered 10 FIRs against six companies for allegedly defaulting on loans from state-run banks. The companies against whom the agency has filed FIRs include Deccan Chronicle Holdings (DCHL), Zoom Developers, Pixion Media, Century Communications, Rajat Pharma Chem and STCL.

    The CBI has also registered FIRs against some public servants to probe the conspiracy aspect. The agency is expected to include some more “big names” in the days ahead as several preliminary enquiries have also been registered, sources said. CBI is also probing the role of banks in restructuring of loans. Efforts to reach DCHL and some of the other companies for comments, which are named in CBI’s FIRs, did not yield results.

    The finance ministry and RBI have expressed concern over spiralling of bad loans in the banking sector. Finance minister P Chidambaram has said willful defaulters would be sternly dealt with. Indian banks, led by the public sector, have accumulated sticky loans of over Rs 6.5 lakh crore till the end of 2013. Construction, infrastructure, steel and textile companies are the top defaulters.

    The country’s largest lender, State Bank of India, also tops in bad loans, followed by Punjab National Bank and Central Bank of India. The CBI last year began verification of nonperforming assets of banks and thousands of documents were verified by the Bank Securities & Fraud Cell of the agency with the help of financial experts. Sources say that among the 10 FIRs registered, five have been filed against Rajat Pharma.

    The company has outstanding loans of Rs 361 crore with several banks, CBI sources said. The FIR against Zoom Developers says the company has an outstanding of Rs 2,002 crore. Several banks and financial institutions have threatened to auction properties of the group in Mumbai and Indore. DCHL has an outstanding of Rs 1,180 crore, repayable to the banks, CBI sources said. Another major defaulter is STCL, the company which is in the process of winding up. It has an outstanding loan of Rs 1,529 crore, according to the CBI’s FIR. “We will register more FIRs in coming weeks,” said a senior CBI officer, adding that the agency was looking into several other companies.

    The CBI has sought documents from the companies, banks which have given loans and the ministry of finance. The agency’s probe also focuses on the role of banks, as several banks did not file complaints with the authorities despite pending loans for years, CBI source said. CBI director Ranjit Sinha, during a recent conference of vigilance officers, had drawn their attention to the problem of bad loans in the banking sector. “A bulk of NPAs is from the top 30 accounts, which is learnt to be running into thousands of crores,” Sinha had said.

    “At times, there appears to be reluctance on the part of banks to declare bad accounts as frauds despite there being clear-cut manifestations. There is a need to realize that the delay in reporting of a fraud will adversely affect the tracking and recovery of proceeds of crime. Another issue is the fixing of accountability of staff and there are often differences of opinion between the CBI and banks regarding the role of public servants,” Sinha had said.

  • EMMA WATSON IS ‘ENVIOUS’ OF OTHER ACTRESSES

    EMMA WATSON IS ‘ENVIOUS’ OF OTHER ACTRESSES

    Emma Watson has revealed that even though she has a enjoyed a successful career since childhood, she’s still ‘jealous’ of some of the actresses.

    While talking to the Elle US magazine, the 23- year-old star said that there are actresses who have emerged in the last couple of years, and got to emerge as a complete human being, and she feels so jealous that they got to grow away from the spotlight. Watson’s latest film, ‘Noah’ by Darren Aronofsky, is soon to be in theatres, and will hopefully add to her wealth, which is estimated to be 26 million pounds.

  • Eva Longoria feels sexier now than 10 yrs back

    Eva Longoria feels sexier now than 10 yrs back

    Eva Longoria, who just turned 39 recently, insists that she isn’t worried about the landmark celebration. Infact, she feels more attractive now than she did when making her debut on ‘Desperate Housewives’ more a decade ago.

    She told People magazine that she feels more intelligent about a lot of other things than ten years ago, and that makes her feel sexy. The actress has been dating millionaire boyfriend Jose Antonio Baston since November.

  • 3 DAYS TO KILL

    3 DAYS TO KILL

    STORY: CIA agent Ethan Renner (Costner) wants to retire and reconnect with his wife Christine (Nielsen) and daughter Zoey (Steinfeld). Before he can, he is tasked with one final dangerous mission. REVIEW: McG has many music videos as well as films like Terminator: Salvation and Charlie’s Angels Full Throttle to his credit.

    Here, he ropes in Costner for a surprisingly fun flick, written by Luc Besson and Adi Hasak. The film manages to combine elements of camp with a vamp CIA assassin called Vivi Delay (Heard), father-daughter bonding, teenage angst, humour and car chases down cobbled streets and Parisian pavements. Renner finds out that he has terminal cancer one day. Faced with this eventuality, he moves back to Paris where his wife and daughter live, to spend some quality time with them.

    His Parisian apartment, however, is inhabited by a family of African squatters. So, he has no choice but to move in with Christine till the squatters move out after a stipulated time. While Renner tries to get reacquainted with Zoey, Vivi tracks him down near a market one afternoon, and makes him an offer he can’t refuse – nab a dangerous arms trafficker called The Wolf (Sammel) and his lieutenant called The Albino (Lemarquis). In return, she offers him the elixir of life – a potion delivered in a syringe which looks like it was nicked from a kid’s chemistry set.

    Combining a catwoman bodysuit with over-the-top innuendoes – suggestively straddling his lap while injecting him with the medicine, lascivious movements, puns about making him feel good – these aren’t the only things that make Renner’s heart race. The medicine too gets his heartbeat up and Vivi tells him that generous slugs of vodka are the antidote to that. The villains look like stock Cold War era villains handpicked from the 70s. It all leads to a showdown between Renner and The Wolf at the unlikeliest of events. Lighthearted while managing to mix a torture scene with a recipe for spaghetti sauce, the film’s myriad elements come together with a deft touch, without losing the plot.

  • KAREENA KAPOOR TO SIZZLE IN AN ITEM SONG IN ‘GABBAR’

    KAREENA KAPOOR TO SIZZLE IN AN ITEM SONG IN ‘GABBAR’

    Bollywood diva Kareena Kapoor Khan, who has set the screen on fire with her moves in item songs such as ‘ Fevicol Se’ and ‘ Halkat Jawani’, is all set to do another item song. According to reports, the pretty actress has been signed for an item song in ‘Gabbar’. Quoting choreographer Vishudeva, a Bollywoodmantra.com report says that Gabbar will have an item song in it.

    Though he has not confirmed if Kareena will do it, he said the shooting of the song will commence from March end. Gabbar, directed by Krish and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is a Hindi remake of Tamil film Ramana made by A.R. Murugadoss. The movie will see Akshay Kumar paired with the gorgeous Shruti Hassan for the first time.

    The movie has also been made in Telugu and Kannada languages. The report further adds that Kareena will join the cast of the film in Pune by end of this month. With a fresh pairing of Akshay and Shruti and a sizzling item number by Kareena, Gabbar will surely set the boxoffice on fire.

  • ANUSHKA WRAPS ‘BOMBAY VELVET’ SCHEDULE IN AMAZING SRI LANKA

    ANUSHKA WRAPS ‘BOMBAY VELVET’ SCHEDULE IN AMAZING SRI LANKA

    Actress Anushka Sharma’s Sri Lankan schedule for “Bombay Velvet” turned out to be the most “amazing”, thanks to the talented cast and crew. “Wrapped Sri Lankan schedule of ‘Bombay Velvet’.

    This was the most amazing crew and cast. Crazy talented bunch of people. Feel truly blessed,” she posted on her Twitter page. “Bombay Velvet”, directed and co-produced by Anurag Kashyap, also stars Ranbir Kapoor. If the grapevine is to be believed, Anushka’s trip to Sri Lanka was special thanks to a visit by cricketer Virat Kohli, with whom she is reportedly in a romantic relationship.

  • Bewakoofiyaan

    Bewakoofiyaan

    STORY: A young couple’s perfect love story turns upside down when recession leaves the boy jobless. Moreover, he has to win over his lady-love’s terror-dad to marry her. Will his out-of-job status leave him out-of-love too?

    REVIEW: ‘Romance in times of recession’ can be a buzzkill. When currency crash leads to heartbreaks and house-breaks. And the youth are left with bankrupt dreams. Morbid, huh? Hold on … this one is far from a depressive rich-girl, poor-boy plot; instead, ‘Bewakoofiyan’ is a light-hearted story of how an out-ofwork lover-boy signs on for a full-time job of making his love-life work. Mohit (Ayushmann), a successful senior airline marketing executive, is madly in love with a hip banker, designer damsel, Mayera (Sonam).

    To burst the bubble in this ‘all things good-looking’ love story, enter – sullenfaced VK Sehgal (Rishi), Mayera’s deadly dad (retired IAS officer who could never make big bucks). He ruthlessly rejects Mohit as the “bloody fatichar” who can’t afford his darlin’ shopaholic daughter’s haute fashionable fantasies. He puts their pyar-on-probation with targets, tests, timelines, et al. To make matters worse, Mohit gets the ‘pink slip’ (fashionable in times of recession) and Sehgal gives the bechara bankrupt boy a tough run for his money (literally!).

    This funnily leads to a series of lies, traps and troubles for the twosome which has to prove that their new-age love is not as ‘plastic’ as their platinum credit cards. Picture this: They party hard, she shops even harder. They guzzle cocktails and swipe credit cards till his bank balance dips to a 3-digit number. Never mind, love can feed the hungry. Really??!! Nupur Ashthana’s rom-com has its moments; the coolest scenes are with Sehgal and his to-be son-in-law. The film needed to invest in wittier writing (Habib Faisal), more chemistry and a tad more comedy to make it a heartwarming love-story.

    The couple lack chemistry, and they fight and make-up quicker than a quickie. Even the music is unexciting. This isn’t Sonam’s best, but she looks every bit the fashionista (sizzles in a bikini too) and breezes through the film (stilettos on!). Ayushmann is charming but desperately needs to step out of his comfort zone. It is a sheer joy to watch Rishi Kapoor, who makes even stupidity seem delightful. ‘Bewakoofiyaan’ has its khoobiyaan but mostly it has majbooriyaan where the story is concerned. It tells you not to overspend. Yet the script is not as ‘penny wise’, gettit?

  • Another Bush run for the White House? JEB MAY BE UP FOR IT

    Another Bush run for the White House? JEB MAY BE UP FOR IT

    WASHINGTON (TIP): By all appearances, former Florida governor Jeb Bush is a man on a mission. His itinerary for the next several weeks includes stops in Tennessee, New Mexico and Nevada to appear with Republican candidates in this fall’s elections or help them raise money for their campaigns.

    And then he speaks at a dinner ahead of a Republican Jewish Coalition meeting featuring several potential Republican presidential contenders at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. The hotel is owned by casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who gave over $100 million to Republican candidates in 2012. So what, exactly, is Jeb Bush up to? Could Bush, 61, the son of a US president and the brother of another, quietly be laying the groundwork for a historic attempt to become the third member of his family to occupy the White House? When Bush is asked if he will run in 2016, he deflects, saying he will decide by the end of this year based on family considerations and whether he thinks he can run “joyfully”.

    Bush’s spokeswoman, Kristy Campbell, declined to comment. But several other people close to him say that now more than ever, there are signs he might look past several potential hurdles — including polls that suggest Americans are not exactly enthralled with the idea of another President Bush — and seriously consider stepping into the fray. At this point in previous election cycles when his name has surfaced, Bush has told friends, staffers and fellow Florida politicians that he would not run. However, he “has not given anyone the wave-off at this point” for 2016, said a Washington-based Republican strategist familiar with Bush’s discussions about the presidency. To the contrary, this strategist said, Bush has in place an “inner circle” of fewer than a dozen people who are in regular contact with him weighing the pros and cons of running.

    “They are at the beginning of a very serious conversation.” A former Bush campaign assistant who remains in contact with the former governor said this year’s speculation is more warranted than that in previous years: “He’s really giving it true consideration. Possibly if you’d asked two years ago, we’d say, ‘Oh gosh, I don’t think he’d do this.’ But I think he’s giving it a real, serious look now.” Former Republican senator Mel Martinez of Florida, who was secretary of housing and urban development during the presidency of Bush’s brother, George W Bush, said that in Jeb Bush’s south Florida there is a growing belief among political observers that he is leaning toward joining what promises to be a crowded field of Republican presidential contenders. Republican strategists said that Bush — whose eight years as Florida’s governor ended in January 2007 — could change the dynamic of the Republican nomination battle and provide a defining moment for a party struggling with a divide between conservative Tea Party activists and more moderate members of the Republican establishment.

    There are no declared candidates yet, but the race for the Republican nomination appears to be shaping up as a contest largely among staunch conservatives favoured by the Tea Party movement, such as Texas Senator Ted Cruz, libertarian Republican Rand Paul and Wisconsin governor Scott Walker. A more moderate potential candidate, New Jersey governor Chris Christie, has been caught up in a political scandal that has made some Wall Street donors nervous about his prospects. A campaign by Bush, a face of the party establishment, could challenge arguments of Tea Party activists and others on the right who see losses by John McCain and Mitt Romney in the last two presidential elections as reasons the party should nominate a more strictly conservative candidate. For big-money Republican donors, strategist Matt Mackowiak said, Bush would represent a marquee name in US politics that could attract the support beyond the far-right Republican base that will be needed to win a general election.

    He could also bring enough star power to vie against former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who officials in both parties expect to run and win the Democratic presidential nomination. Bush is the donor class’ first choice in his home state, said Florida Bankers Association president and Romney campaign bundler Alex Sanchez. ‘Jeb is the exception’ For pundits, political observers and history lovers, the prospect of a Bush-Clinton battle for the White House would be a dream matchup: a showdown between two branches of America’s political royalty. Recent early polls have suggested that if he were to run, Jeb Bush would be weighed down by Americans’ lingering attitudes toward his brother, who left office in January 2009 as one of the least popular presidents in US history. In a Washington Post/ABC News poll this month, nearly half of the voters surveyed said they “definitely would not” vote for Jeb Bush in 2016 — a level of disapproval matched only by Romney.

    Even Bush’s mother, former first lady Barbara Bush, has been lukewarm about the notion of another son running for president. “There’s no question in my mind that Jeb is the best qualified person to run for president, but I hope he won’t, because he’ll get all my enemies, all his brother’s,” Barbara Bush, wife of George HW Bush, told C-SPAN in January. She softened her stance in an interview with Fox News this month, saying that “maybe it’s OK” if Jeb were to run. For a Republican Party desperate to broaden its appeal among the nation’s fastgrowing and Democratic-leaning Hispanic population, a figure like Jeb Bush could be significant. He speaks Spanish and his wife, Columba, was born in Mexico. Bush — who won 61 per cent of Florida’s Hispanic vote in his 1998 governor’s race, according to exit polls — has backed legal status, but not full citizenship, for undocumented immigrants.

    This compromise drew conservative fire when Bush’ promoted his book “Immigration Wars: Forging an American Solution” in 2013. As governor, he also stressed using standardized test scores as metrics of school and teacher performances, an emphasis at the centre of a nationwide debate in US education. Bush, who runs an education foundation, has also promoted the idea of allowing parents and students a choice of which public school to attend. Bush headlined a Republican National Committee fundraising lunch in southern California in February and spoke to a group of New York-area business leaders less than two weeks later. He also appeared in a US Chamber of Commerce advertisement for the Republican candidate in a Florida special congressional election, and campaigned with his son, George P Bush, who is running for Texas Land Commissioner.

    In the coming weeks Bush will raise money for or appear with a slate of Republicans up for re-election in 2014: Senator Lamar Alexander and Governor Bill Haslam in Tennessee, governor Susana Martinez in New Mexico and governor Brian Sandoval in Nevada. Some Bush allies reject the idea that his recent activity reflects a building desire to run for president. “People who know a lot aren’t talking, and the people who are talking don’t know. He’s made clear he’s going to be deliberate and methodical in the way he goes about this,” said former Florida congressman Tom Feeney, who ran for lieutenant governor on a ticket with Bush in 1994 and remains close with him.

    Several Republican strategists and Bush loyalists said it would take less time for Bush to organize a full-scale campaign team than it would for someone like Walker or Cruz, thanks to his family’s experience and connections. They also dismissed concerns that Bush would have trouble running a modern campaign, given that he has not run for office since 2002 — before the age of Twitter and the Tea Party. “Jeb is the exception,” said Mackowiak. “The time it takes to build a national finance operation for one of those other candidates? He only has to spend a fraction of that to get his together. … The clock is ticking for him; it’s just ticking more slowly.”

  • US rules out Malaysian plane landed at its Indian Ocean base

    US rules out Malaysian plane landed at its Indian Ocean base

    WASHINGTON: (TIP) The United States has ruled out the possibility of the missing Malaysian plane landing at its Indian Ocean base in Diego Garcia. “I’ll rule that one out,” White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters on Tuesday when asked about such news reports appearing mainly in the Chinese press.

    Carney said the Malaysian government has the lead in this investigation and the US officials are in Kuala Lumpur working closely with the Malaysian government on the investigation. “This is a difficult and unusual situation, and we are working hard, in close collaboration with the Malaysian government and other partners, to investigate a number of possible scenarios for what happened to the flight. Our hearts of course go out to the families of the passengers.

    They are in a truly agonizing situation,” he said. The United States remain fully committed to assisting the Malaysians and working with its international partners on this investigation, on this effort. “And we are providing assistance through the NTSB, through the FAA and through the FBI. We are in a close, collaborative relationship as regards this investigation,” he said in response to a question. Meanwhile, US State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki said the focus now was on new search areas announced by the Malaysian Prime Minister over the weekend, which are based on a detailed, highly technical and innovative analysis of the potential flight path.

  • US, RUSSIA EXCHANGE THREATS AT TENSE UN MEETING

    US, RUSSIA EXCHANGE THREATS AT TENSE UN MEETING

    UNITED NATIONS (TIP): Russia and the United States exchanged threats on March 19 at a tense UN security council meeting over the Ukraine crisis, with the Russian envoy saying the US ambassador’s “insults” are jeopardizing Moscow’s willingness to cooperate with Washington on other diplomatic matters.

    It was the council’s eighth meeting in three weeks on Ukraine, a show of determination by Western powers to highlight Russia’s diplomatic isolation over the Crimean Peninsula — even if the council is powerless to act because of Moscow’s veto power as a permanent council member. The meeting came as UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon left for Russia and Ukraine in a bid to seek a diplomatic way out of the crisis. Ban will meet with President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials in Moscow on March 20, said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

    On Friday, the UN chief will travel to Kiev for talks with the acting president and prime minister. At the council, Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin was once again alone in defending his country’s actions in Crimea. He began his speech by celebrating the treaty signed a day earlier by Putin declaring Crimea part of Russia, saying it honored the will of the Crimean people and complied with international law. “Yesterday, something truly historic happened,” Churkin declared. US ambassador Samantha Power warned Russia that, two days after the Obama administration and other countries imposed sanctions on Russia, the US and its allies “are prepared to take additional steps if Russian aggression or Russian provocations continue.”

    She also compared Russia’s takeover of Crimea to theft. “A thief can steal property, but that does not confer the right of ownership on the thief,” she said. The Russian ambassador shot back: “It is simply unacceptable to listen to these insults addressed to our country.” He added, “If the delegation of the United States of America expects our cooperation in the security council on other issues, then Power must understand this quite clearly.” By then, Power had left the meeting to her deputy. Churkin did not elaborate. The United States and Russia are the key players in efforts to establish peace talks in Syria, and also are involved in talks over Iran’s nuclear programme.

    The council also heard a briefing from Ivan Simonovic, assistant UN secretary-general for human rights, who expressed particular concern over the security of Tatars and other ethnic minorities in Crimea. He highlighted the disappearance of a Crimean Tatar activist after participating in a March 3 protest. Simonovic said the activist was found dead March 16 and his body bore marks of “mistreatment.” He said the United Nations is deploying a 34-member human rights monitoring mission to Ukraine, scheduled to be in place by Friday. Simonovic said he was not able visit Crimea because the authorities there refused to receive his mission or ensure its security until it was too late. But he said he spoke to representatives of displaced Tatars and victims of arbitrary arrests, torture and other human rights violations. Churkin dismissed Simonovic’s assessment as “one-sided.” He also blamed snipers for the killing of a Ukrainian soldier and a member of a local self-defense brigade in Crimea on Tuesday, saying the two were deliberately targeted to provoke confrontation.

  • 25 killed, 55 injured in Iraq violence

    25 killed, 55 injured in Iraq violence

    BAGHDAD (TIP): At least 25 people were killed and 55 wounded in separate attacks across Iraq March 19, police said. In Anbar province, sporadic shelling and fierce clashes erupted after midnight and continued during the day between gunmen and Iraqi soldiers in Fallujah city, some 50 km from Baghdad, killing 11 people and wounding 23, Xinhua quoted a police source as saying.

    Meanwhile, four policemen, including an officer, were killed and some 20 wounded in a car bomb explosion in Ishaqi area, some 90 km from Baghdad, a police source said. In a separate incident, unidentified gunmen shot dead two civilians from al-Shabak minority at a parking lot in the city of Mosul, some 400 km from Baghdad, a source said.

    Near Baghdad, two civilians were killed when armed men opened fire randomly on a marketplace in Taji area, some 20 km from Baghdad, a police source said. Separately, two soldiers were killed and three wounded when gunmen attacked their checkpoint in Abu Ghraib area, some 25 km from Baghdad, the source said. Abu Ghraib was also the scene of another attack when two roadside bombs went off in a quick succession, leaving a civilian killed and five wounded, the source added.

    In addition, a roadside bomb exploded near a popular restaurant in Palestine Street in the eastern part of Baghdad, wounding four people, a police source said. In Diyala province, a police commando officer and two of his guards were killed by gunmen using silenced weapons near Wajihiyah town near the provincial capital city of Baquba, some 65 from Baghdad, a police source said. A total of 8,868 Iraqis, including 7,818 civilians and police personnel, were killed in 2013.

  • US rejects dropping nomination of Vivek Murthy as surgeon general

    US rejects dropping nomination of Vivek Murthy as surgeon general

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The US on Wednesday rejected reports that it is abandoning the nomination of Indian-American Vivek Murthy as surgeon general, saying his name was approved with bipartisan support. “No”, White House press secretary Jay Carney said when asked if the Obama administration has abandoned its nominee for surgeon general for the United States.

    Murthy has been facing problems in the US Senate for his confirmation for his strong views against the gun culture. “Dr Murthy is a dynamic, entrepreneurial practitioner who had dedicated a lot of time, energy and passion to health and wellness,” Carney said. “As surgeon general, he will be a powerful messenger on these issues in each of the tenets of health: nutrition, activity and resilience.

    Dr Murthy, as you know, was approved out of committee with bipartisan support,” he said. Carney did acknowledge that the White House is recalibrating the strategy around Murthy’s floor vote. “We expect him to get confirmed ultimately and be one of the country’s most powerful messengers on health and wellness,” he said. “So we’re recalibrating our approach, but in answer to your question, no,” the White House press secretary said.

  • Israel gears up for possible unilateral strike on Iran

    Israel gears up for possible unilateral strike on Iran

    JERUSALEM (TIP): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Moshe Ya’alon have ordered the military to continue preparations for a possible strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities during 2014, a media report here said.

    The Israel Defense Forces allocated up to NIS 12 billion ($3.5 billion), nearly a fifth of its budget this year, for preparations for a possible unilateral strike on Iran, approximately the same amount invested last year, reported Xinhua citing Israeli daily Ha’aretz on March 19. The figure was presented by top officers who briefed the joint committee in January and February on the military’s plans, said the lawmakers who spoke to Ha’aretz requesting anonymity.

    They said that some of their colleagues who were present at the meetings asked the officers whether it was justified to continue pouring billions into the preparations to strike Iran, citing the interim nuclear agreement inked between Tehran and the six powers last November, and the ongoing negotiations aimed at reaching a final accord. The officers replied that the military had received a “clear directive” from the political echelon, meaning Netanyahu and Ya’ alon, to continue training for a possible independent strike, the report said.

    It was regardless of the diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iranian issue peacefully, it added. The second round of nuclear talks was launched in Vienna Tuesday, with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Zarif in attendance. The newspaper noted that both Netanyahu and Ya’alon have strongly indicated in recent months that Israel, which views a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat, has not abandoned the military option.

  • Soldiers killed in Egypt shootout

    Soldiers killed in Egypt shootout

    CAIRO (TIP): A raid by Egyptian police, military and special forces on a suspected bomb factory outside of Cairo turned into an hourslong gun battle with insurgents who detonated car bombs, fighting that killed two military officers and five militants, the Interior Ministry said on March 19.

    The ministry, which is in charge of police, said an investigation showed that the al-Qaida-inspired militant group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, or Champions of Jerusalem, used the timber workshop in Arab Sharkas village in Qalioubiya province to build and store bombs. During the raid on March 19 morning, militants opened fire on security forces and set off the car bombs, sparking a gun battle that lasted several hours, the ministry said.

    The fighting killed a brigadier general and a colonel, both explosive experts, military spokesman Col Ahmed Mohammed Ali said in a post on his Facebook page. Authorities arrested four suspected militants, the ministry said. In the eight months since the military removed Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, violence targeting police officers and soldiers has increased, moving from the restive northern Sinai Peninsula closer to the capital. Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, based in Sinai, has claimed responsibility for most of the major attacks in and near Cairo. The most recent attack came Saturday when gunmen stormed a military police checkpoint, killing six soldiers, in an area not far from the workshop raided on March 19.

  • Plan to redo Mumbai complex lands Aamir in eye of a storm

    Plan to redo Mumbai complex lands Aamir in eye of a storm

    MUMBAI (TIP): Actor Aamir Khan’s futile hunt for a bungalow property in the Bandra-Khar area since several years has been further complicated. A motherdaughter duo objected to his proposal to redevelop their Pali Hill society, Bandra. Dr Geneve de Sa (50) and her mother, Pamela, (87) were among the five of the 23 members of Virgo housing society to oppose Khan’s proposal.

    Their contention is Khan, who has three flats here, has made a “purchase offer” and not a redevelopment proposal. “He wants to buy out the members willing to sell so he can build his 20,000 sq-ft bungalow on part of the land. Those who want to stay will be rehoused in a new building in a corner of plot,” said Geneve. The society has denied the allegation it was ramming through the actor’s proposal. “Aamir is our society’s blue-eyed boy.

    He has made an offer, but we will also invite quotations from other developers,” said a managing committee member. “It was the society that asked him to revive his earlier offer for redevelopment.” The member said Khan’s offer of Rs 70,000 a sq ft will fetch the De Sas Rs 28 crore for their two flats and garage. “Aamir’s offer is good as the land falls under CRZ II,” he said, adding the minority cannot blackmail the majority. Khan was categorical in a letter to the society secretary last month. “I would still recommend to the society to invite other offers from developers and builders and if our society receives a better offer than what I have given, then I too am open to selling.

    I would like to reiterate here that whether through my offer or the offer of any builder, I will not be entertaining any illegal cash dealings,” said Khan. On March 20, the actor’s spokesperson said, “He denies all allegations that he pressured the society to go in for redevelopment. Khan left the building more than a year ago, after a slab of concrete fell on the head of a member. In his absence, the society had several meetings, regarding redevelopment.

    The general body passed a resolution with 80% majority members voting in favour of redevelopment. The society made a request to Khan to make an offer. In his offer letter, Mr Khan suggested to the society to invite other offers to ensure best value for the society. Mr Khan takes strong exception to attempts being made to defame him.” But the de Sas said the buildings were in good condition. “Renovation at a cost of Rs 40L was done two weeks ago,” Geneva said. “The scheme is to sell the society’s property to Khan and deregister it,” they said in a complaint to the deputy registrar, cooperative housing societies this month.

  • 2G case: ED issues fresh summons to Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal

    2G case: ED issues fresh summons to Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued fresh summons to DMK chief K Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal in connection with its money laundering probe in the 2G spectrum allocation case. Ammal, 84, has been given an option to present her case through an authorised legal representative, in case she cannot come herself and answer questions of agency sleuths on March 28 here, sources said.

    The agency, they said, wants to investigate the role of Ammal with regard to alleged channelling of Rs 200 crore to the DMK family-run Kalaignar TV through a circuitous route in which her daughter Kanimozhi and MD of the TV group Sharad Kumar are also accused. The DMK supremo’s wife has, however, denied any wrongdoing in this case.

    A chargesheet in this case, under provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), is pending at present. The agency has already questioned Kanimozhi and former Telecom Minister A Raja in this regard. Both the DMK leaders and others have been questioned by ED about the alleged transfer of Rs 200 crore to the TV channel, in which Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar each hold 20 per cent stake.