Month: September 2016

Philippines’ Duterte calls President Obama ‘son of a whore’

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called Barack Obama a “son of a whore” on Monday, September 5, as he vowed not to be lectured by the US leader on human rights when they meet in Laos, where the Association of South-East Asian Nations summit is being held.

The acid-tongued Duterte bristled at warnings he would face questioning by the US president over a war against drugs in the Philippines that has claimed more than 2,400 lives in just over two months.

“You must be respectful. Do not just throw away questions and statements. Son of a whore, I will curse you in that forum,” Duterte told a news conference shortly before flying to Laos to attend a summit.

“We will be wallowing in the mud like pigs if you do that to me.”

Duterte was due to hold a bilateral meeting with Obama on Tuesday afternoon on the sidelines of a gathering of global leaders hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Vientiane, the Lao capital.

But shortly after Duterte spoke, Obama appeared to cast doubt on whether such a meeting could take place.

Calling Duterte “a colourful guy”, the US president said he has asked his staff to find out whether a meeting would be useful.

“I always want to make sure if I’m having a meeting that it’s actually productive and we’re getting something done,” he told reporters.

Speaking on the sidelines of the G20 summit in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, Obama said Washington recognised that drugs were a significant problem for the Philippines. But he insisted that he would not shy away from raising concerns about the way the issue was being handled under the new administration.

“The issue of how we approach fighting crime and drug trafficking is a serious one for all of us. We’ve got to do it the right way,” he said.

“Undoubtedly, if and when we have a meeting, this is something that’s going to be brought up. And my expectation, my hope is that it could be dealt with constructively.”

Duterte has angrily rejected criticism from the Catholic Church, human rights groups, legislators and the United Nations.

And he vowed Monday the bloodbath would continue as he pursued his goal of eradicating illegal narcotics in the Philippines.

He has also branded Pope Francis and the US ambassador to Manila sons of whores.

Duterte tells Obama ‘son of a whore’ remark wasn’t personal

After Philippine president’s aides try to limit damage, saying he’d been addressing a reporter, he threatens to eat Islamist militias alive

The president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has expressed regret for calling Barack Obama a “son of a whore” – a remark that led to the US leader cancelling their meeting during a regional summit in Laos.

In a statement read by his spokesman, Duterte said the remark was not intended as a personal insult. “While the immediate cause was my strong comments to certain press questions that elicited concern and distress, we also regret that it came across as a personal attack on the US president,” Ernesto Abella quoted Duterte as saying.

Sep 6, 2016 – 11:00 am EDT
US Open ~ Leander Paes, Rohan Bopanna crash out

NEW YORK – India’s Rohan Bopanna and his Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski went down fighting in the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles competition at the US Open tennis tournament here on Sept. 5.

Bopanna and Dabrowski enjoyed a strong start before going down 6-1, 2-6, 8-10 to Robert Farah of Columbia and Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld in 58 minutes.

In the opening set, the first three games went with the serve until Bopanna and Dabrowski clinched a service break to take a 3-1 lead.

They then held their serve before forcing consecutive service breaks to win the first set.

Farah and Groenefeld staged a strong comeback in the second set, breaking their opponents in the fourth game to take the upper hand. The earned another service break in the eigth game to win the second set and draw level.

In the tie-breaker, the Indo-Canadian combination started strongly, taking a 4-0 lead before Farah and Groenefeld won four consecutive points to draw level.

Bopanna and Gabriela regained the lead at 7-5 but Farah and Groenefeld fought back, winning three points on the trot to take the lead.

Although Bopanna and Dabrowski levelled the score once again, Farah and Groenefeld won back-to-back points to wrap up the issue.

Two days earlier, veteran Leander Paes’ U.S. Open campaign came to an end as he was beaten in a second-round mixed doubles match at Flushing Meadows.

Paes-Hingis were beaten 6-7 (1), 6-3, 11-13 by American seventh seeds Rajeev Ram and Coco Vandeweghe at Court 5 here Sept. 3.

The match was closely fought. Paes-Hingis led 8-4 in the match deciding tie-breaker but then fell apart.

The defeat ended Paes’ US Open campaign as he lost in the men’s doubles tournament with Andre Begemann on Sept. 2.

Sep 5, 2016 – 12:13 pm EDT
Mother Teresa declared saint by Pope Francis at Vatican

Mother Teresa, a Catholic nun who devoted her life to help the poor and needy, revered in India, has been declared a saint in a canonization Mass held by Pope Francis in the Vatican.

Pope Francis praised Mother Teresa as a model of compassion to Catholics worldwide. (Image Courtesy – CNN)

Pope Francis delivered the formula for the canonization of the Albanian-born nun — known as the “saint of the gutters” — before huge crowds of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on Sunday morning.

Francis said St Teresa had defended the unborn, sick and abandoned, and had shamed world leaders for the “crimes of poverty they themselves created” in the canonization ceremony where he declared “Blessed Teresa of Calcutta to be a saint.”

Speaking in Latin, Francis said that “after due deliberation and frequent prayer for divine assistance, and having sought the counsel of many of our brother bishops, we declare and define Blessed Teresa of Calcutta to be a saint, and we enroll her among the saints, decreeing that she is to be venerated as such by the whole church.”

The Pope said Mother Teresa had spent her life “bowing down before those who were spent, left to die on the side of the road, seeing in them their God-given dignity”.

He added: “She made her voice heard before the powers of the world, so that they might recognise their guilt for the crimes of poverty they themselves created.” He then repeated: “The crimes of poverty they themselves created.”

Two apparent cures of sick people after Mother Teresa’s death in 1997 have been attributed to her intercession.

Nuns of the Missionaries of Charity wait in St. Peter’s Square. (Image Courtesy – CNN)

Catholics — including hundreds of blue- and white-robed nuns from the Missionaries of Charity sisterhood founded by Mother Teresa — had gathered from around the world to attend the canonization of the church’s newest saint, just 19 years after her death.

A huge portrait of Mother Teresa, whom the church credits with having performed two miraculous cures of the sick, hung from St. Peter’s Basilica during the colorful ceremony.

In India, a special Mass was celebrated at the Missionaries of Charity, the order she founded in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Pope Francis then delivered a homily, in which he praised Mother Teresa — “this emblematic figure of womanhood and of consecrated life” — for her charitable work.

“Mother Teresa, in all aspects of her life, was a generous dispenser of divine mercy, making herself available for everyone through her welcome and defense of human life, those unborn and those abandoned and discarded,” he said.

“She bowed down before those who were spent, left to die on the side of the road, seeing in them their God-given dignity. She made her voice heard before the powers of this world, so that they might recognize their guilt for the crime of poverty they created.”

For the newly-sainted Teresa, he said, “mercy was the salt which gave flavor to her work, it was the light which shone in the darkness of the many who no longer had tears to shed for their poverty and suffering.”

She was an example to volunteers around the world, he said. “May she be your model of holiness.”

In a departure from his scripted remarks, he noted that people “may struggle” to refer to her as “Saint Teresa.”

“With great spontaneity, I think we will continue to call her Mother Teresa,” he said.

Prayers were then delivered in a number of languages, including Albanian, Mother Teresa’s native tongue, and Bengali, the language of Kolkata, where a special Mass was celebrated at the Missionaries of Charity Sunday. A prayer was delivered in Chinese for persecuted Christians around the world.

About 1,500 homeless people from across Italy were bused into the Vatican to be given seats of honor at the Mass — and be served a pizza lunch by nuns afterward.

Sep 4, 2016 – 1:10 pm EDT

Mehbooba Mufti wants Delhi to talk with Hurriyat

Ahead of the all party delegation’s visit to the valley, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in a post on Facebook has suggested that the Indian government “reach out to separatists” as a part of their measures to resolve the unrest in the Kashmir Valley.

The ground is still tense and volatile. After 57 days of lockdown, protests are still on across the Valley, especially in rural Kashmir. With the killing of a 23-year-old man in Qazigund this evening, the death toll has risen to 74. Another body was fished out of the Jhelum in Srinagar. Today, more than 40 were injured taking the number of wounded to around 9,000 since July 9.

“The country’s political leadership must, without any further delay, reach out and engage all sections of the society including the leaders of the Hurriyat Conference in a productive dialogue process, to resolve the issue and make peace a reality in Jammu and Kashmir,” Mufti stated in her post.

She also spoke of a three pronged approach advice in her post and said “During my meeting with the Prime Minister last month, I suggested a three-pronged approach ; talks with all sections of society within J&K including the separatist leadership, and also with PAKISTAN to put the reconciliation and resolution process back on track.”

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has also written to the separatist leadership requesting them to “take a lead and engage” with the delegation, “which will be the start of a credible and meaningful political dialogue and resolution process.”

Significantly, this letter, signed by her as chief of the Peoples Democratic Party, marks a visible shift from her recent hardtalk at the press conference with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh who leads the delegation. She had said, echoing her ally BJP, that only 5 per cent of the people were involved in the protests.

Sep 4, 2016 – 12:52 pm EDT

Enforcement Directorate attaches Vijay Mallya’s properties worth 6,630 crore
NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday attached RS 6,630 crore worth properties belonging to loans defaulter Vijay Mallya, Times Now reported.

Considered to be one of the biggest attachments by the ED till now, beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya’s assets including:
- A 22 acre farmhouse and land worth Rs 200 crore in Mandwa, Maharashtra
- An under-construction mall in Bengaluru
- A luxury apartment in Bengaluru
- Shares of United Spirits Ltd (USL) and United Breweries Limited (UBL) worth Rs 3,000 crore.
- Fixed deposit worth Rs 10 crore
This is the second attachment after his property worth Rs 1,411 crore was attached by Enforcement Directorate recently.

Mallya, whose now-defunct group company Kingfisher Airlines owes over Rs 9,000 crore to 17 Indian banks, had left the country on March 2 and fled to the UK.

“The total attachment under today’s order is worth Rs 4,234.84 crore but the present market value of these properties and assets is Rs 6,630 crore approximately,” the agency’s order said.

The provisional attachment order, issued under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), said it has ordered for seizing a farm house in Mandwa in Alibaugh worth Rs 25 crore, multiple flats in Kingfisher tower in Bengaluru worth Rs 565 crore, fixed deposits of Mallya with a private bank to the tune of Rs 10 crore and shares of USL, United Breweries Limited and Mcdowell Holding company, jointly held by the liquor baron and UBHL and his controlled entities, worth Rs 3,635 crore.

The agency alleged these assets were the “proceeds generated out of criminal activity” of the alleged default of bank loans as it claimed Mallya “criminally conspired” with Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) and United Breweries Holdings Limited to obtain funds through the consortium of banks and out of this total amount, the principal fund of Rs 4,930.34 crore “still remains unpaid.”

“In addition, huge number of shares were also being held in the name of various other group companies controlled directly or indirectly by Mallya. Hence, it appeared that even though sufficient funds were available with the promoters of KFA– Mallya and UBHL– they had no intention to make payment towards the bank loans from the consortium banks.

“They deliberately and intentionally kept the huge number of shares approximately worth Rs 3,600 crore pledged with UTI Investment Advisory Services Ltd and other financial institutions without substantial underlying liabilities and thus kept the consortium in dark,” the ED said in the order, accessed by PTI.
Sep 4, 2016 – 12:40 pm EDT
Imam Pleads Guilty to Underage Sex Abuse Charges in Chicago

A prominent Islamic scholar and longtime head of a suburban Chicago school accused of molesting an underage girl and a 23-year-old female school employee has pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Mohammed Abdullah Saleem was sentenced Aug. 25 to two years of probation and must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. He was also barred from being in the presence of any female of any age, except relatives, without the presence of another adult female.

The 77-year-old Saleem founded the Institute of Islamic Education in Elgin.

The institute is a boarding school for boys and girls, grades 6-12. While Tuesday’s criminal charges involve recent accusations by a former employee, the civil lawsuit includes allegations by former students, some going back to the 1980s.

Cook County Circuit Judge James Karahalios ruled he can’t be within 500 feet of that or any other school.

Sep 4, 2016 – 10:40 am EDT
Indian-Origin UK Lawmaker Keith Vaz Steps Down Over Gay Sex Scandal

LONDON: Keith Vaz, a well know Indian-origin lawmaker in Britain, was today embroiled in a sex scandal after a newspaper claimed he had paid for male sex workers.

The Labour MP from Leicester since 1987, who is a married father of two, paid for men to visit him one evening last month at a flat he owns in London, the ‘Sunday Mirror’ claimed.

The 59-year-old Goan-origin lawmaker has since announced he will be stepping aside as chair of the influential House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, which he has headed for the past 10 years.

“I am genuinely sorry for the hurt and distress that has been caused by my actions, in particular to my wife and children. I will be informing the Committee on Tuesday of my intention to stand aside from chairing the sessions of the Committee with immediate effect,” he said in a statement reported by ‘Sky News’.

It is understood that Mr Vaz has not resigned completely but temporarily as he speaks to his lawyer and other members of the committee.

The committee is currently examining sex work in the UK and had issued a report recently saying that soliciting by sex workers should be decriminalised.

Mr Vaz allegedly paid for sex with two male sex workers and offered to pay for a class A or banned drug, according to the newspaper report, which is accompanied by a video.

It is alleged that the lawmaker had two meetings with Eastern European origin escorts, including a 90-minute meeting on August 27.

One text, reportedly sent by Mr Vaz, said the men should arrive at “11 pm, nice and late”.

He is said to have added: “I want a good time please.” Mr Vaz is accused of asking the young men to bring poppers to the flat, as well as allegedly joking about being a “pimp”. As the talk ranged from sex to pets, Mr Vaz eventually said: “We need to get this party started”.

He also spoke about having had unprotected sex.

And ahead of the meeting he had sent a series of texts in which he jokingly called himself one of the men’s “pimp” and “bank manager”.

Mr Vaz paid the escorts in cash, the report claimed.

“Money was also paid into a bank account used by one of them by a man linked to a charity set up by the MP,” it said.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Keith Vaz has issued a statement on this matter. As with all departmental select committees, Keith was elected to the chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee by the House of Commons, and his position is a matter for him and the House.”

Sep 4, 2016 – 10:29 am EDT
Dallas Indian-American Teen Selected for Prestigious Poet Program at White House

DALLAS (TIP): Two Indian-American teens are among five students selected for the prestigious National Students Poets Program, the White House has announced.

US First Lady Michelle Obama would welcome the budding poets, including Indian-Americans Maya Eashwaran and Gopal Raman, at the White House on September 8, an official announcement said.

Raman is from Dallas in Texas and Eashwaran (17) is from Alpharetta in Georgia. The other three are Stella Binion from Chicago, Joey Reisberg from Towson in Maryland and Maya Salameh from San Diego in California.

Since its inception in 2011, the National Student Poets Program has showcased the essential role of writing and the arts in academic and personal success for audiences across the country.

Each year, the five National Student Poets are chosen from a pool of outstanding writers, grades 9-11, who have received a national Scholastic Art and Writing Award for poetry.

A first generation Indian-American, Eashwaran writes about foreigners, often incorporating personal experiences dealing with assimilation in the modern age.

For Raman, a senior at St Mark’s School of Texas, poetry distills images and emotions into a form that brings people together. He cites poets like Billy Collins, Wallace Stevens, and Walt Whitman as his inspirations.

This is the first time that Indian Americans have made it to the prestigious program.

Sep 4, 2016 – 1:50 am EDT
‘Nobody should fear’ India’s relationship with US

China need not fear from India and United States’ stronger ties as the two countries inked a key logistics defence pact, the Obama Administration has said.

“Broadly speaking, a deepening, stronger, more cooperative bilateral relationship with India is not something that anybody should fear or worry about,” State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday.

Kirby was responding to a question on China’s reaction to the defence pact between India and the US that will enable their militaries to use each other’s assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.

“We both are democracies. We both have incredible opportunities and influence on the global stage, and a better relationship between the United States and India is not just good for our two countries, not just good for the region, but it’s good for the world,” he said.

While responding to a question, Kirby said that the United States and India’s partnership is beyond the sectors of security and

“There’s already a tremendous partnership between the United States and India which cuts across quite a few sectors and it’s not just security and defence related. It’s economic, trade, information and technology sharing,” he said while responding to a question.

“It is a pretty full and complete, comprehensive relationship and it’s one that we are committed to deepening and strengthening. I think that is the reason why the secretary of defence’s counterpart is here. It’s why the secretary (of State) and the secretary of commerce, (Penny) Pritzker, are there in New Delhi,” he said.

Sep 4, 2016 – 1:39 am EDT
Southwest Airlines flight experiences mid-air engine tear, makes emergency landing

NEW YORK: Over 100 people on board US’ Southwest Airlines flight had a lucky escape when a part of the plane’s engine was ripped off thousands of feet above the Gulf of Mexico with the passengers experiencing anxious moments before the jet managed to make an emergency landing.

The Southwest Airlines flight from New Orleans to Orlando, Florida, was forced to make an emergency landing in Pensacola after one of its engines fell apart over the Gulf of Mexico, a daily reported.

Startled passengers on board Flight 3472 heard a frightening blast to the aircraft’s left at an altitude of 30,700 feet. Outside their windows, they saw smoke fuming from the exposed turbine blades at around 9:20 AM yesterday.

“All of a sudden, outside my window, there was a loud explosion, and then the plane started shuddering,” passenger Tami Richards told KOCO-TV.

Chunks of the engine’s cowling had fallen off, according to photos taken from the aircraft’s window mid-flight. Another photo shows a metal object had pierced the fuselage.

(Picture Credit: Twitter)

“Today, the Captain of Flight #3472 from New Orleans to Orlando made the decision to divert to Pensacola due to a mechanical issue with the number one engine. The flight landed safely without incident at Pensacola International Airport at 9:40 AM,” the Southwest Airlines said in a statement.

“Initial reports indicate there were no injuries among the 99 passengers and five crew members on board. We have notified the NTSB, and when authorised, we will be inspecting the aircraft to assess the damage,” it said.

The Federal Aviation Administration, in a statement, said, Southwest Airlines flight 3472, a Boeing 737, from Louis Armstrong New Orleans Intentional Airport to Orlando International Airport was diverted due to an apparent engine malfunction. The flight declared an emergency and landed safely at Pensacola International Airport just before 9:45 AM. The FAA will investigate.”

Richards said her three children — and many of the 99 passengers — were crying as the oxygen masks dropped and the Boeing 737 made its dramatic descent about 25 minutes into the flight.

“I held my kids, and one was freaking out, crying,” Richards was quoted as saying.

Amid the panic, some passengers took selfies while donning the oxygen masks.

The pilots managed to stabilise the aircraft and made the quick-thinking decision to divert the flight to Pensacola with only one working engine. The plane was on the ground without any further mishap.

Sep 4, 2016 – 1:37 am EDT
US woos immigrant entrepreneurs

BENGALURU: In a move that could benefit Indian entrepreneurs, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is proposing a new rule to woo immigrant entrepreneurs. Under the International Entrepreneur Rule, as it is called, entrepreneurs from outside the US will be granted a two-year stay in the country to scale up their startups with a subsequent option to extend it by another three years provided these startups show enough evidence of revenue and job creation.

“It’s a good step. It could definitely encourage Indian entrepreneurs to headquarter in the US, where they have better access to funds and higher valuations. Existing investors in such qualifying companies may also encourage their portfolio to do this, as it could provide better exit opportunities, by way of acquisitions and IPOs,” said Karthik Mahalingam, national practice head for venture capital in law firm Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas.

The US EB5 visa does offer immigration benefits for entrepreneurs investing in businesses in the US. But that is more restrictive. And it requires a minimum investment in the US of $1 million ($500,000 in certain areas of high unemployment or rural areas).

Sep 4, 2016 – 1:34 am EDT
Messi goal puts Argentina top of World Cup group

MENDOZA (TIP): Lionel Messi marked his retirement with a goal to give 10-man Argentina a 1-0 win over Uruguay on Sept 1 that lifted them to the top of the South American qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia.

In a match of few chances, Messi created something out of nothing three minutes before halftime when, surrounded by defenders, his shot from outside the box took a deflection on Jose Maria Gimenez and wrongfooted goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.

It took Messi’s record as Argentina’s top scorer to 56 in his 114th international and proved the perfect insurance for his team who were reduced to 10 men when young forward Paulo Dybala was sent off on the stroke of halftime. Dybala, who had almost put his side ahead in the 31st minute with a shot that hit the post, was sent off for a second booking and left the pitch in tears after his first start for Argentina. Uruguay, who had spent virtually the entire first half defending, took the game to Argentina in the second but hardly troubled goalkeeper Sergio Romero.

“I wanted to be here after all the confusion I’d caused by first saying I wasn’t coming and then that I was,” Messi told reporters.

Messi said in June he was quitting international soccer after the disappointment of losing the Copa America final on penalties to Chile. “From the moment I said that, the fans showed me a lot of affection and I’m really grateful, I couldn’t not come back.”

Argentina now lead the 10-nation group with 14 points from seven matches, one point more than Uruguay, Colombia and Ecuador in the four qualification places.

Brazil, who beat Ecuador 3-0 in Quito with two goals by teenager Gabriel Jesus, are fifth –

– which would put them in an inter-continental playoff for one more berth. (AP)

Sep 3, 2016 – 12:55 pm EDT
Two years after Olympics is when India should focus: Anand

NEW DELHI (TIP): When five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand speaks about the health of sport in India, you are naturally compelled to pay attention. During the course of his nearly 25-year professional career, the 46-year-old has seen up close the state of sport in the country and witnessed the differences overseas.

Disappointed. But we seemed to have created a pool of new disciplines and sportspersons who could be medal winners in 2020.

I think a sportsperson who prepared and lost narrowly would feel the most pain. You almost know by how much you lost, yet its not something tangible. I would say the most positive takeout is we missed narrowly in a few events and we found a lot of new talent. Gymnastics would never be considered a medal prospect for India but we could easily be one in 2020.

I think we get very excited every four years. We get euphoric about a medal. But two years after an Olympics is where all the attention should be. That’s when sportspersons are competing in World Championships or qualifiers to make it to the Olympics. I think we need to feel the spirit then when the training begins.

Winning is all about timing. At that moment you have to be your best. In this Olympics a lot of our medal prospects lost out narrowly. Some even put in their best performance. So we were very close but the medals don’t take into account near misses. I can tell you that for some of the matches I lost, I prepared the hardest but sometimes it just doesn’t click at that second when it matters most.

I think almost every sportsperson will have dealt with officialdom at some level. You can’t just solve it by throwing it away. We need a framework. It’s a very complex mechanism. On one hand it’s needed so as to reach out to talent, but on the other hand it also stalls growth.

Every four years we go through this rhetoric, but I agree with Abhinav that it has to go beyond the Olympics and start at the grassroots level. If you see talent, how do you ensure they move up very quickly? That is the key.

We need parents to look at sports as something essential and natural. The government should definitely help in identifying talent and sustaining talent. But it shouldn’t compete with private organisations that may be better equipped at providing training or a support system.

The Olympic Gold Quest, for instance, spends a lot of resource in identifying talent. But where they excel is in getting the right training for each athlete. This includes physical fitness and physiotherapy. General fitness is an area where we need to work on. To keep our fitness and endurance at top level requires a lot of specialised training. The government should be a partner. Federations should be more accountable to the players they represent. Again they should partner player rather than police them. Or use the sport as a PR prop.

I remember a federation official calling embassy officials demanding a three-course Indian meals in Tehran along with a chauffeur car service. The ambassador assumed it was for me. Little did they know it was for the official to shop for souvenirs. The official even asked Aruna before my last game at the World Championships if she could organise the arrival in India. So a federation has to respect its players and at least emotionally connect with them.

I think sports in those days was more difficult. We had FERA regulations on foreign currency, so getting trainers was difficult. Each event meant getting sanctions from three ministries, so you packed your suitcase and went to Delhi. If you got all the papers in time, you would board your flight or just returned back to school. My dad, being in the Railways, would try to speak to someone who knew someone and always someone would oblige. But they were never easy.

When I became World Junior champion, I started making enough money to cover my travel expenses. Some tournament invitations started coming and I never had to depend on the federation to cover my expenses. I think if you have a talent, getting the right breaks is very important. When the break comes, you should be able to do well. Luckily, I did well in key events that helped me get noticed internationally.

I seemed to just take to it naturally. We had limited or no training resources but we did the best under those circumstances. My blitz playing skill came from my Tal chess club days. So you have to take infrastructure as a given and think how best can we do it. I was attracted to chess in an almost obsessive manner. I would read every chess book. Play over every game. I had a talent for playing very fast but I broke out from being a national to international player quickly. That made a lot of difference.

(PTI)

Sep 3, 2016 – 12:54 pm EDT
MAHABALESHWAR

Enter Mahabaleshwar and you’re welcomed with a sight of the soaring peaks and breathtaking valleys. The cool crisp mountain air makes this hill station a great escape from humdrum of Mumbai’s daily life. Catch a boat at the lake or simply spend the afternoon gorging on strawberries. Here’s a list of must-do Mahabaleshwar experiences.

VENNA LAKE

Surrounded by tall trees and greenery, the Venna Lake in Mahabaleshwar is one of the most popular tourist attractions in town. Paddle your way across the lake and enjoy the sight of lush greenery enveloping the waters.. Along the banks of the lake are different street food stalls where you can grab a bite. Watching the sun set into the waters while sitting on a boat is the best way to spend your evening here.

VIEWPOINTS

Translating to mean ‘God of Great Power’ in Sanskrit, Mahabaleshwar is a favourite hill destination with Maharashtrians. Once the summer capital of the Bombay Presidency during the British Raj, it offers visitors a perfect blend of modernity with old-world charm. Aside from being abound with natural beauty, there’s lots you can do here to keep entertained. All parts of the hill station are accessible by car, so getting around is no problem, and if you’re feeling adventurous, just climb onto a horse and get going. Make your way to Malcolm Peth, the bazaar at the heart of Mahabaleshwar, which has a good mix of hotels, shops and restaurants. Visit Mount Malcolm which was built in 1829 and once served as the Governor’s residence, Moraji Castle which was home to Mahatma Gandhi back in 1945, and wind down at the Mahabaleshwar Club in the evening over drinks. During the day you can take the short drive up to Venna Lake and go boating or fishing, and proceed a little further down to Panchgani, and walk through the strawberry fields.

MAPRO GARDENS

For a sight (and taste!) of juicy, positively divine berries visit Mapro Gardens, situated en route to Panchgani. Not only are various jams and preserves manufactured and sold here, but you can also treat yourself to fresh salads and juices. The Gardens also host the annual Strawberry Festival where you can get your hands on some farm-fresh strawberries.

CAMEL AND HORSE RIDING

Traversing through lesser known trails is best when you’re perched up on a horse or camel. If you’re one for literally taking the reins of your adventure, then this should definitely be on your list. Most hotels provide guests easy access to horse rides. Camels and horses are in abundance at Echo Point in Mahabaleshwar and can be booked for short or long rides.

CONNAUGHT PEAK

Initially known as Mount Olympia, this peak was renamed the Connaught Peak, after the Duke of Connaught visited this spot and literally fell in love with its beauty. The second highest peak in Mahabaleshwar, it offers trekkers great views and thrilling adventures.

So strap on your bags and get ready to walk through the valleys of Mahabaleshwar. The Pratapgad Fort, Venna Lake and the Krishna Valley are clearly visible from here, and will steal your breath away with their distant magnificence.

Sep 3, 2016 – 12:47 pm EDT
GANESH CHATURTHI

Ganesha Chaturthi is the Hindu festival celebrated in honour of the god Ganesha, the elephant-headed. The festival, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). The date usually falls between August and September. The festival usually lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of the waxing moon period).

The modern festival involves installing clay images of Ganesha in public pandals (temporary shrines), which are worshipped for ten days. These are immersed at the end of the festival in a body of water such as a lake, along with the idol. Some Hindus also install the clay images of Ganesha in their homes. The festival was celebrated as a public event since the days of Maratha King Shivaji (1630–1680). However, the public festival as celebrated in Maharashtra today, was introduced by Bhausaheb Laxman Javale in 1892 by installing first Sarvajanik (Public) Ganesh idol- Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati, Bhudwar Peth, in Pune. The first meeting regarding starting the Sarvajanik Ganesh utsav took place under the leadership of Bhausaheb Laxman Javale at his residence (Bhudwar Peth) now known as Bhau Rangari Bhavan. In 1893 Lokmanya Tilak praised the concept of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav in Kesari Newspaper. In 1894, he installed Ganesh idol in Kesari wada, Pune too and started preaching Ganesh Utsav.

While celebrated all over India, it is grandest and most elaborate of them especially in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamilnadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and in other parts of Western India and Southern India. Outside India, it is celebrated widely in Terai region of Nepal and by the Hindu diaspora in the United States, Canada, Mauritius, and other places.

Legend of Ganesha

Traditional Hindu about Ganesha tell that Parvati, the consort of Shiva, created Ganesha out of sandalwood paste that she used for her bath and breathed life into the figure. She then set him the task of guarding her door while she bathed. Shiva, who had gone out, returned and as Ganesha didn’t know him, didn’t allow him to enter. After the combat between Ganesha and Shiva Ganas, finally angry Shiva severed the head of the child. Parvati seeing this became enraged and Shiva then promised that her son will be alive again. The devas searched for the head of dead person facing North, but they found only the head of an elephant. They brought the head of the elephant and Shiva fixed it on the child’s body and brought him back to life. Lord Shiva also declared that from this day the boy would be called Ganesha (Gana Isha : Lord of Ganas).

According to the Linga Purana, Ganesha was created by Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati at the request of the Devas for being a Vighnakartaa (obstacle-creator) in the path of Rakshasas, and a Vighnahartaa (obstacle-averter) to help the Devas achieve fruits of their hard work.

Celebration, rituals and tradition

Weeks or even months before Ganesha Chaturthi, artistic clay models of Lord Ganesha are made for sale by skilled artisans. They are beautifully decorated and depict Lord Ganesha in vivid poses. The size of these statues may vary from 3/4 of an inch to over 70 feet.

Ganesha Chaturthi starts with the installation of these Ganesha statues in colorfully decorated homes and specially erected temporary structures mandates (pandals) in every locality. The pandals are erected by collecting monetary contributions and are decorated specially for the festival, by using decorative items like flower garlands, lights, etc. and at times have theme based decorations.

The priest then with the chanting of mantras invokes the presence of Ganesha using the statue as a channel, or body for his energy. This ritual is the Pranapratishhtha. After this the ritual called as Shhodashopachara (16 ways of paying tribute) follows. Coconut, jaggery, modaks, durva (trefoil) blades of grass and red flowers are offered. The statue is anointed with red unguent, typically made of kumkum and sandalwood paste. Throughout the ceremony, Vedic hymns from the Rig Veda, the Ganapati Atharvashirsa, Upanishad, and the Ganesha stotra from the Narada Purana are chanted.

History

It is not known when and how Ganesh Chaturthi was first celebrated. Ganesh festival was being celebrated as a public event in Pune since the times of Shivaji

(1630–1680), the founder of the Maratha Empire. The Peshwas, the de facto hereditary administrators of the Empire from 1749 till its end in 1818, encouraged the celebrations in their administrative seat Pune as Ganesha was their family deity (Kuladevata). With the fall of the Peshwas, Ganesh festival lost state patronage and became a private family celebration again in Maharashtra till its revival by Indian freedom fighter and social reformer Lokmanya Tilak.

The public festival as celebrated in Maharashtra today, was introduced by Bhausaheb Laxman Javale in 1892 by installing first Sarvajanik (Public) Ganesh idol. This followed a meeting at his residence, which was attended by, amongst others, Balasaheb Natu, and Krishnajipant Khasgiwale. Khasgiwale on his visit to the Maratha ruled princely state of Gwalior had seen the tradition of public celebration still maintained and brought it to the attention of his friends in Pune.

In 1893 Lokmanya Tilak praised the concept of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav in his newspaper, Kesari, and the next year he installed a Ganesh idol in Kesari Wada too. Tilak’s efforts transformed the annual domestic festival into a large, well-organized public event. Tilak recognized the wide appeal of the deity Ganesha as “the god for everybody”, and popularized Ganesh Chaturthi as a national festival in order “to bridge the gap between Brahmins and ‘non-Brahmins’ and find a context in which to build a new grassroots unity between them”, and generate nationalistic fervour among people in Maharashtra against the British colonial rule. Tilak was the first to install large public images of Ganesh in pavilions, and also established the practice of submerging the idols in rivers, sea, or other pools of water on the tenth day after Ganesh Chaturthi.

Under Tilak’s encouragement, the festival facilitated community participation and involvement in the form of intellectual discourses, poetry recitals, performances of plays, musical concerts, and folk dances. It served as a meeting ground for people of all castes and communities in times when, in order to exercise control over the population, the British discouraged social and political gatherings.

Sep 3, 2016 – 12:33 pm EDT
PROTEIN SHOWS PROMISE FOR EFFECTIVE ALZHEIMER’S TREATMENT

Researchers have found that a protein may help reverse the effects of damaging plaques in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

The findings may offer clues leading to successful treatment of the disease.

The accumulation in the brain of plaques formed from deposits of a critical protein, known as amyloid beta, is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia.

This study demonstrated that a multipurpose protein, known as p62, regulates the degradation or turnover of amyloid beta in living systems, which may help reverse the effects of damaging plaques in the brain.

“These exciting finding suggest that compounds aimed at increasing p62 may have beneficial effects for Alzheimer’s disease,” said one of the researchers Salvatore Oddo from Arizona State University in the US.

Currently, there is no effective therapy for Alzheimer’s that disease causes nerve cell death and tissue loss throughout the brain. During the course of the disease, the brain shrinks dramatically, affecting nearly all its functions.

Shrinkage of the brain is acute in the cortex, damaging areas critical for thinking, planning and remembering.

Atrophy is particularly severe in the hippocampus, an area of the cortex that plays a crucial role in formation of new memories.

The protein p62 is known to perform an array of vital functions in cells. Of particular interest is p62’s role in the aggregation and degradation of a pair of proteins long recognized as hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease – tau and amyloid beta.

The authors demonstrated, for the first time, that a modified strain of mice generated to display human-like symptoms of Alzheimer’s show significant cognitive improvements, including a reversal of spatial memory deficit, when the brain’s expression of p62 is restored.

The study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, further showed that the improvement is associated with reduced levels of amyloid beta and associated plaques in the brain.

The new research also described the mechanism by which p62 activity improves Alzheimer’s disease symptoms in mice– by a process known as autophagy.

The term refers to the degradation or disassembly of unnecessary or dysfunctional components of cells – a form of biological recycling essential for cellular health.

Sep 3, 2016 – 12:24 pm EDT
Ebola virus lasts in semen for up to 565 days: Study

The largest analysis yet has found Ebola virus particles present in semen as long as 565 days after recovery from an infection, highlighting the potential role of sex in sparking another outbreak, researchers reported on Tuesday.

The study, published in the Lancet Global Affairs, involved 429 men seen between July 2015 and May 2016 who were part of the Liberian government’s Men’s Health Screening Program (MHSP), the first national semen testing program for Ebola virus.

Of the participants, 38 men tested positive during the study period. Within this group, 24 men, or nearly two thirds, had semen samples that tested positive for Ebola fragments a year after recovering from disease. Ebola tended to linger longer in men over age 40, the researchers said.

In one case, Ebola was detected at least 565 days after a man recovered from his illness.

“Before this outbreak, scientists believed that Ebola virus could be found in semen for three months after recovery. With this study, we now know that virus may persist for a year or longer,” said Dr. Moses Soka, coordinator of the Ebola Virus Disease Survivor Clinical Care at the Liberian Ministry of Health, who worked on the study.

As part of Liberia’s monitoring program, male survivors aged 15 and older can enroll for monthly tests of their semen. Participants also get counseling on safe sex and condoms at each visit.

“This program provides important insights into how long Ebola remains in semen, a key component to preventing flare-ups of the disease and protecting survivors and their loved ones,” Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is collaborating with the ministry. Other partners include the World Health Organization, and the Academic Consortium Combating Ebola in Liberia.

Semen samples in the study were tested for genetic fragments known as the viral RNA, but the tests could not tell if the virus was capable of spreading disease.

Sexual contact with an Ebola survivor in March 2015 resulted in the infection and eventual death of a woman from Monrovia, even after Liberia had been declared free of Ebola. Tests of the man’s semen showed the presence of Ebola virus 199 days after he first became ill.

The World Health Organization advises that all male Ebola survivors should be tested three months after the onset of symptoms and then monthly until they know they have no risk of passing on the virus.

Sep 3, 2016 – 12:20 pm EDT
MEDITATION OR VACATION? WHAT IS BETTER?

Researchers have been using a rigorous study design to assess the biological impact of meditation as compared to going on a vacation.

Examining the effect of meditation on gene expression patterns in both novice and regular meditators, they found that a resort vacation provides a strong and immediate impact on molecular networks associated with stress and immune pathways, in addition to short- term improvements in well-being, as measured by feelings of vitality and distress.

A meditation retreat for those, who already used meditation regularly, was associated with molecular networks characterized by antiviral activity.

The molecular signature of long-term meditators was distinct from the non-meditating vacationers.

The study involved 94 healthy women, aged 30-60. Sixty-four women were recruited who were not regular meditators.

Participants stayed at the same resort in California for six days, and randomized so that half were simply on vacation while the other half joined a meditation training program for Well Being.

The meditation program included training in mantra meditation, yoga, and self reflection exercises.

For greater insight into the long-term effects of what scientists dubbed the

“meditation effect” compared to the

“vacation effect,” the team also studied a group of 30 experienced meditators who were already enrolled in the retreat that week.

Researchers collected blood samples, and surveys, from all participants immediately before and after their stay, as well as surveys one month and ten months later.

Eric Schadt, the senior author said, “In the spirit of other research efforts we have pioneered with other groups, this work underscores the importance of studies focused on healthy people. By combining an interrogation of gene networks with advanced data analysis and statistics, we have generated clinically meaningful information about stress and aging that is relevant to the broader population.”

The research team examined the changes in 20,000 genes to determine which types of genes were changing before and after the resort experience.

Scientists performed an integrative transcriptomic analysis, comparing gene expression networks across all three groups of participants and finding unique molecular profiles and pathway enrichment patterns.

Study results show that all groups, novice meditators, experienced meditators, and vacationers had significant changes in molecular network patterns after the week at the resort, with a clear signature distinguishing baseline from post-vacation biology.

The most notable changes in gene activity were related to stress response and immune function.

Researchers also assessed self-reported measures of well being.

While all groups showed improvements up to one month later, the novice meditators had fewer symptoms of depression and less stress much longer than the non-meditating vacationers.

The psychological effects appear to be enduring and it is unknown how much of this longer lasting benefit may be due to continued practice or lasting changes in how people view events in their lives.

Professor Elissa S. Epel, the first author of the study explained, “It’s intuitive that taking a vacation reduces biological processes related to stress, but it was still impressive to see the large changes in gene expression from being away from the busy pace of life, in a relaxing environment, in such a short period of time. These findings will have to be replicated to see if the changes are reliably invoked under the same circumstances, in future studies, and compared to an at-home control group.”

“Based on our results, the benefit we experience from meditation isn’t strictly psychological; there is a clear and quantifiable change in how our bodies function. Meditation is one of the ways to engage in restorative activities that may provide relief for our immune systems, easing the day-to-day stress of a body constantly trying to protect itself. The prediction is that this would then lead to healthier aging,” she said.

Sep 3, 2016 – 12:19 pm EDT
NATALIE PORTMAN STRUGGLES WITH FRENCH ETIQUETTE RULES

Actress Natalie Portman says she struggles to get her head around French etiquette rules. The ‘Black Swan’ actress moved to Paris, France in 2014 after her dancer-choreographer husband Benjamin Millepied became the Paris Opera Ballet’s director of dance.

But following a recent move back to Los Angeles, Portman, 35, says she is pleased to be back on familiar turf, as she is never really come to terms with French social customs, reported Entertainment Tonight.

“I feel there’s a lot of rules of politeness and codes of behaviour there you have to follow,” she said during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

“It’s a lot looser here (in the United States).”

The Academy Award-winner added that Parisians have a very ‘cool’ demeanour, and she is very careful about what how she behaves in public. In fact, she was grateful when a friend shared some advice with her so that she wouldn’t be snubbed by disgruntled staff in boutiques.

“A friend of mine taught me that when you go in some place you have to say ‘bonjour’ before you say anything else, then you have to wait two seconds before you say something else.

“So, if you go into a store you can’t be like,

‘Do you have this in another size?’ or they’ll think you’re super rude and then they’ll be rude to you,” she shared.

In contrast, Natalie, who has a five-year-old son named Aleph, finds Americans are a little overly friendly.

‘Everyone smiles a lot here. It’s so nice. They’re more cool in France. I didn’t realise I got used to it until I got here and I was so surprised. Someone would smile at my child and I’d be, ‘What a good person’. People are really lovely here.

Sep 3, 2016 – 12:14 pm EDT
EMMA THOMPSON IN TALKS TO STAR IN ‘THE CHILDREN ACT’

Oscar-winner Emma Thompson is in negotiations to star in director Richard Eyre’s adaptation of Ian McEwan’s book ‘The Children Act’. The story revolves around a kind British High Courtjudge, who must decide on the most difficult case of her life, reported Deadline.

Judge Fiona Maye’s job often strains her marriage but she faces a real turmoil when she is to decide on the case of a 17-year-old boy suffering from leukemia. The child does not want to be forced to have possible life-saving blood transfusions because it goes against his religion.

The project would reunite Thompson with her ‘Love Actually’ and ‘My Fair Lady’ producer, Duncan Kenworthy.

Sep 3, 2016 – 12:13 pm EDT
JACQUELINE FERNANDEZ IS A CHOREOGRAPHER’S DELIGHT!

Jacqueline Fernandez, who is riding high on the success, with back of back hits like ‘Housefull 3,’ ‘Dishoom,’ ‘A Flying Jatt,’ is a treat for the choreographers to work with. According to them, this actress, who has slew of hit numbers to her credit, she dances with complete ease and makes the steps look even better.

On a related note, the 31-year-old actress has the maximum hit songs like ‘Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan,’ ‘Lat Lag Gayi,’ ‘Pyaar Ki Maa Di’ and the very recent ‘Beat Pe Now.’

The actress has also learnt various dance forms, like tap, ariel, ballet and others for her various songs so far.

Speaking about the same, Jackie said,

“Apart from performing in front of the camera, dancing is another thing I completely enjoy. It’s a treat to work on dance numbers.”

The ‘Housefull 3’ actress is currently judging dance reality show ‘Jhalak Dikhla Jaa’ and working on her untitled next with Sidharth Malhotra.

Source: ANI

Sep 3, 2016 – 12:10 pm EDT
‘AKIRA’ CAME AT THE RIGHT TIME OF MY CAREER: SONAKSHI

Sonakshi Sinha will be seen packing punches and doing hardcore action sequences in her upcoming ‘Akira’ and the actress says the film came at the right time in her career as she wanted to push her limits as a performer. The action-thriller is directed by A R Murugadoss, who is known for his commercial potboilers, starring leading actors.

The 29-year old actress says she is overwhelmed that she got a chance to become the “Ghajini” helmer’s first leading lady as he has never made a film with a female protagonist before. “Akira pushed me in lot of ways that I have not been pushed before. It has been very challenging and it has been a fantastic experience. I’m really happy that it came to me at this point of time in my life and career when I was looking to do something like that,” Sonakshi told PTI in an interview.

The actress says Murugadoss thought she would fit the role of Akira Sharma during the making of 2014 Akshay Kumar starrer ‘Holiday’. “With ‘Holiday’, I got a chance to work with Murugadoss sir, who saw the spark in me to cast in ‘Akira’. He is the man who has worked with one of the top action stars of our country. He has never made a film with female protagonist before. He approached me for that and I felt really honoured.”

“It has a lot of shades and it was very challenging for me to portray such a character.” When asked if now she is only interested to play female-oriented characters, Sonakshi says it is only by chance that she is getting such roles.

“It is happening by chance that I’m doing ‘Akira’ and then ‘Noor’. The audience is opening up to these kinds of films. They like to see something different. I only look at how good the character is and how badly I want to play. So, for me these are really good roles and that is why I have taken them up.”

Sonakshi’s last release was ‘Tevar’ which hit theatres in early 2015 and the actress says she may have been absent from the big screen but she was shooting back-to-back films. “I was shooting. I was working for

‘Akira’ because the shoot went on for a while then I started ‘Force 2’ and then ‘Noor’ happened.

Sonakshi says she will be seen doing action sequences in ‘Force 2’ as well but it is quite different from her upcoming film. “There is action in

‘Force 2’ as well but it is very different from ‘Akira.’ It is much stylised and sleek. In this film, it is very raw and hand-to-hand combat. It’s quite different and interesting.”

PTI

Sep 3, 2016 – 12:06 pm EDT
A Flying Jatt | MOVIE REVIEW

STORY: Aman fears heights, dogs and industrialist Malhotra who sends merciless Raka to grab Aman’s land – but what happens when Aman discovers his own superhuman powers? Can he defeat Raka – and the power behind him?

CAST: Tiger Shroff, Jacqueline Fernandez, Amrita Singh, Gaurav Pandey, Nathan Jones, Kay Kay Menon
DIRECTION: Remo D’Souza
GENRE: Fantasy
DURATION: 2 hours 30 minutes

REVIEW: So, straight away, the best thing about A Flying Jatt is the fumbling Jatt played by Tiger Shroff. Wicked industrialist Malhotra (Kay Kay) wants Aman’s family’s lands, which hold a sacred tree, for his polluting industries. Aman’s mother, Mrs. Dhillon

(Amrita), ferociously opposes Malhotra – but Aman quakes before him, intimidated by most things on earth, including his own martial arts students.

Can Aman ever stand up to Malhotra and his huge henchman Raka (Nathan) – and can he fight his own fears?

Tiger does a neat job as Aman, shivering superhero who fights crime but also buys ‘do kilo lauki’ on the way home. Tiger’s evolution, from a kind but confused kid on the block, to a focused and fierce fighter, comes across well as do the film’s light moments, including Aman as ‘Sunny Leone’. Amrita Singh, literally playing a Tiger Mom, displays feisty panache, berating her son for having ‘dole-shole, no jigra’, delivering wisdom with slaps and guzzling drinks galore. The banter between her, Tiger and Aman’s fun-loving brother Rohit (Gaurav) is fresh good fun.

Sadly, as Aman’s love interest Kriti, Jacqueline adds little zing to this party – her role consists of grinning incessantly and delivering mystifying dialogues (“I like karate – it’s like, so, hah!”) in an accent that reminds you – with longing – of Katrina Kaif. Kay Kay is much too leashed – despite his ability, Malhotra’s malevolence simply doesn’t ooze through. As Raka, who literally enjoys toxic power, Nathan Jones growls, grunts and grins in a manic sort of way. These don’t make him scary – just cartoonish.

And there lies the trouble with A Flying Jatt – the full, stark shebang of a superhero versus super-dark powers never comes through. The villains remain cardboard cut-outs and the clash grows predictable. These thrills don’t chill. On the upside, for children, A Flying Jatt provides clean entertainment – with its innocence, it evokes more Haathi Mere Saathi and less cool-cat Krrish. The film takes off only because of its simplicity – a flying jatt who’s afraid of heights, a rarity in dark times of Udta Punjabs.

Sep 3, 2016 – 12:05 pm EDT
RELIANCE JIO LAUNCH SET TO JOLT INDIA’S TELECOM SECTOR

MUMBAI (TIP): Reliance Industries Ltd’s (RIL) telecom unit will start offering services from 5 September, but the commercial launch will be about three months later in 31 December.

While the company has stated an altruistic objective for Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd—that of putting India on the global map for mobile broadband Internet access—there is no denying that this announcement has jolted the telecom ecosystem across the country.

First, let’s deep-dive on the math behind Reliance Jio’s expectation of breaking even or turning profitable in 12 months of operation.

The firm expects to achieve an average?revenue per user (Arpu) of approximately Rs.300 on a

subscriber?base?of 100 million within 12 months of commercial operation. These bullish numbers are proposed on the back of free voice services and rock-bottom data pricing expected to bring an influx of users. However, Greyhound Research believes achieving Arpu of Rs.300 is a lofty task and nearly two times of the industry standard.

We are also of the firm belief that it may take the company 12-18 months

(post commercial launch) before they start seeing sizable business outcomes, both in terms of revenue and subscribers. Furthermore, we estimate that it will take 3-5 financial year cycles for the company to report profits.

Below are some ways in which Greyhound Research expects this announcement to impact one and all in the country’s telecom ecosystem.

Start of a two-SIM culture

With Reliance Jio’s clear focus on data, Greyhound Research believes this announcement will spark a two-SIM culture in the country. With its network chiefly built for data, voice quality may not compare to its peers and consumers are likely to opt for different SIMs for voice and data. This culture may also be triggered for other reasons including yet-to-be-known service levels from Reliance Jio.

The onset of price wars

This announcement will unleash price wars among telecom operators. Players including Bharti Airtel Ltd, Vodafone India Ltd, Idea Cellular Ltd and others will be under tremendous pressure to launch both monetary and service measures to retain customers. Greyhound Research believes this move will benefit consumers who can expect the cost for data (not voice) to reduce in the range of 25-35%.

Invest or consolidate

Jio’s announcement will further add bottomline pressures on the already struggling telecom operators. At Greyhound Research, we believe the Indian market has an appetite for two or three pan-India players at best. With deep pockets, the likes of Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel are highly likely to come out triumphant in this war; Vodafone and Idea could well be forced to invest more aggressively or consolidate.

Significant focus on VAS

By making data as the key hinge of their announcement and offering free apps worth Rs.15,000, the company has made clear its focus on value-added services (VAS). In an effort to fight back, other telecom operators will be forced to refresh their VAS offerings including partnerships with VAS providers and start-ups.

Greyhound Research believes this will have a two-fold impact. One, this can potentially lead to net neutrality issues, as seen in the past with Airtel Zero and Facebook Free Basics, and very well run into complications with the telecom regulator. Two,?it can also lead to a situation where there is not enough volume and variety of apps for users to consume as part of VAS offerings. While Reliance has announced an investment of Rs.5,000 crore towards Jio Digital India Startup Fund, the current VAS ecosystem needs 2-3 years to mature.

Focus on core telecom ops

Unlike its peers, which have steered clear of non-core telecom operations (particularly handsets), Reliance Jio has chosen otherwise. According to the company, Reliance Jio will offer 4G LTE smartphones starting at Rs.2,999. While this may sound like great news for consumers, it is critical to note Reliance Industries’ struggles with managing and scaling the CDMA handset business in the past. Greyhound Research believes with increasing competition, it is critical for telecom operators to focus on core operations.

In the end, organizational DNA matters

With the consumer mindshare and loyalty switching at the drop of a hat, telecom operators must undividedly focus on what truly matters: delivering unparalleled customer experience. The recent technology investments by Airtel and Vodafone on Data Analytics exemplify this.

At Greyhound Research, we believe, in the end, the winners in this game will be the ones who offer consistent and reliable experiences and not necessarily free services.

Sep 2, 2016 – 9:38 am EDT
US security assistance to Pak has declined

WASHINGTON (TIP): A recent Congressional report has revealed that US security assistance to Pakistan has declined by nearly 73% since 2011, after the country’s ties turned sour with Pakistan. The capping on US’ security assistance was initiated in a phased manner after the killing of al-Qaida chief Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

The report prepared for the US Congress by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) covers both military and economic assistance given between 2002 and 2015 as well as those earmarked for fiscal years 2016 and 2017.

According to a newspaper reporting from Washington, the report showed a 53 per cent decrease in economic assistance since 2011.

The bilateral relationship also deteriorated after US airstrike on a Pakistani border post in Salala that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

Earlier this month, the Pentagon decided not to pay $300 million in military reimbursements to Islamabad over its alleged reluctance to act against the Haqqani network, a charge Islamabad had immediately rejected.

Security aid fell 73 per cent from nearly $1.3 billion in 2011 to $343 million in 2015. Economic aid declined from nearly $1.2 billion in 2011 to $561 million in 2015, the report added.

The cancelled $300 million payments were in the form of Coalition Support Fund (CSF) under which Pakistan has received over $14 billion since 2002.

The CSF accounted for “as much as one-fifth of Pakistan’s total military expenditures” from 2002 to 2014, said the CRS, a US government news and analysis service for Congress.The CSF is meant to reimburse US-allied nations “for their operational and logistical support of US-led counterterrorism operations”.

The Pentagon has reported that nearly half the CSF assistance to Pakistan is used for food and ammunition. The CRS data shows that CSF accounts for 43 per cent of $32.2 billion worth of US government financial transfers to Pakistan from 2002 to 2015. Economic aid comprises 33 per cent of transfers at $10.6 billion followed by 24 per cent in security aid at $7.6 billion. The CRS report, however, shows that Pakistan has or still is in the process of receiving nearly $1.2 billion worth of weapon systems from the US since 2001. This includes: Eight P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft worth $474 million and 20 AH-1F Cobra attack helicopters at $48 million.

Pakistan is also getting mid-life update kits for 60 F-16A/B fighter jets already in its inventory at a cost of $892 million, of which the US paid $477 million through FMF.

Since 2001, Pakistan has paid or is still paying $2.5 billion for US arms. This includes big-ticket items such as $1.43 billion for 18 new F-16C/D Block 52 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft and additional armaments for the aircraft at a cost of $629 million.

Sep 2, 2016 – 9:38 am EDT