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  • Preity-Ness case: Actress likely to record statement today

     Preity Zinta, who returned to India from the US on Sunday, is likely to record her statement in the Ness Wadia case.

    The actress had filed a complaint with the Mumbai police on June 13 against her former boyfriend and industrialist Ness Wadia for public humiliation and abusive behaviour during an Indian Premiere League (IPL) match in Wankhede stadium on May 30. The match was between Chennai Super Kings and Kings X1 Punjab.

    IPL COO Sundar Raman, had confirmed Preity’s allegations in a written statement to the Mumbai Police. Another eyewitness, Nimish, too confirmed to Preity’s allegation while talking to Zee News.

    On being questioned, Nimish revealed that the altercation did not take place during the match. He further added that there was very less interaction between Preity and Ness; and the row had erupted over the seats. The spat did not occur in his presence and they did not talk much during the match.
    The Mumbai Police have so far recorded statements of seven witnesses in relation with the complaint filed by Preity against Wadia. Out of the seven people, five of them have confirmed Preity`s allegations and acknowledged that the incident did take place.

    Preity filed a written complaint on June 13, following which an FIR was registered against Wadia under IPC Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman)

    EastEnders badboy Danny Dyer caught cheating again this time with student, 21

    Swaggering EastEnders star Danny Dyer was pictured naked by a starstruck 21-year-old while he spent the night with her behind his loyal partner's back.

    The bad boy actor, who plays Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter, homed in on the young brunette at a club and they went back to her bedroom.

    The pair swapped numbers after their night together a month ago and the student hoped Dyer, 36, would contact her again – but he never did.

    She showed the mobile pictures to a pal and they have since been shown to the Sunday Mirror.

    Dyer has previously admitted to betraying girlfriend Joanne Mas – the mother of his three children – but recently described her as his "f****** rock".

    Just weeks before his night with the student, he was pictured at Joanne’s side at the premiere of new film The Hooligan Factory.

    They have been together 19 years.

    But all that was forgotten as Dyer spotted the student on a night out with pals last month.

    A friend close to the girl – who did not want to be named – said: "Danny clearly fancied her.

    "Of course she recognised him straight away too.

    "And you don't expect to see somebody who has been in so many films and on TV in your local nightclub.

    "He got chatting to her and was very flirty – and she was pretty flattered that someone famous was showing an interest.

    "She certainly fancied him too, and found him very charming and likeable.

    "She wasn't sure whether he had a partner when they started talking, but the conversation flowed really easily between them both and kept on almost all night.

    "They had a few drinks and when it got late they decided to leave together.

    "She was a bit embarrassed afterwards, and told her friends that he had gone back with her.

    "It really isn't the sort of thing that she would normally do, and she certainly wouldn't have taken pictures with a man, but was a bit starstruck and carried away in the moment.

    "She couldn't believe she ended up in bed with someone like Danny Dyer as he could have had the pick of anyone.

    "But she was disappointed at not hearing from him afterwards.

    "She couldn't help sharing what had happened with me and other close friends.

    "Some didn't believe her until she showed them the pictures.

    "At the time she had no idea Danny was in a relationship but now she knows he is she realises it will be never anything other than a one night stand."

    Ronaldo, Varela make last minute magic to keep Portugal's World Cup alive

    A superb header by Silvestre Varela deep into extra time saved world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal from crashing out of the World Cup finals on Sunday as it secured a 2-2 draw with the United States.

    The Americans had looked to be safely into the last 16 after second-half goals by Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey saw them come back from 1-0 down -- a goal by Nani -- to gallop into the lead.

    However, with only seconds remaining, one sublime cross from a pretty anonymous Ronaldo was met by Varela and it soared past Tim Howard to give Portugal a lifeline as a further defeat after thire 4-0 hammering by Germany in the opening game would have seen them out.

    The United States -- who reached the last 16 in 2010 only to lose to Ghana -- are on four points along with Germany, who they play in their final group game, and who their coach Jurgen Klinsmann led at the 2006 finals.

    Klinsmann, who was also within seconds of being the first coach to guide the USA to two successive wins at a finals since 1930, was phlegmatic about the dramatic dashing of their hopes.

    "Obviously the last second is unfortunate but my guys were magnificent," said Klinsmann, who won the 1990 World Cup as a player.

    "We just have to get a result against Germany. Obviously the Germans have a day more to recover and we have had further to travel for our game but then the big guys are the ones that get the favourite treatment.

    "My guys went to the limit but now they have to pick themselves up and despite this result we will go into the game with a lot of confidence."

    The Portuguese got just the start they needed to settle their nerves as a terrible defensive error by Stoke City's Geoff Cameron -- the ball flying off his boot to Nani -- saw the Manchester United winger wait for Howard to commit himself before rifling the ball into the net.

    It had been preempted by an outrageous piece of skill by Ronaldo down the left side, completely bewitching three American players as they tried to corral him out on the touchline, only for a series of step overs and a backheel to see him squirm through the three of them.

    Conditions even in the evening were so draining that five minutes from the break, when Jermaine Jones received some treatment, the referee allowed both sides to rehydrate with a drinks break.

    Howard, who was earning his 102nd cap, kept his side in the game on the stroke of half-time as he somehow managed to stick a hand out as he dived the wrong way to tip a pointblank shot by Eder over the bar.

    Mahindra and Mahindra falls on monsoon worries

    Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd (MAHM.NS) fell 2.4 percent on worries that weak monsoon may hit its tractor sales, investors say.

    Nearly a third of the company's revenues come from tractor sales which are largely dependent on farmers' incomes that can get severely impacted due to any shortfall in rains, analysts say.

    The monsoon has covered half of India's landmass four days behind the usual schedule, failing to recover from a late start that has slowed sowing of summer crops in a country where half of the farmland still lacks irrigation.

    Preity Zinta had told me about abuse: IPL COO Sundar Raman

    The statement given by IPL chief operating officer (COO) Sundar Raman to the police on Thursday may spell trouble for industrialist Ness Wadia, who has been refuting allegations that he molested and abused actor and former girlfriend Preity Zinta.

    In his one-hour statement to the police, Raman confirmed that Zinta, the co-owner of Kings XI Punjab, had verbally complained to him regarding Wadia's behaviour.

    A police team went to his office at the BCCI headquarters in Churchgate. Wadia, however, has maintained that Zinta's complaint against him is 'false and baseless'.

    "In her complaint, Zinta had mentioned that she had complained to Raman immediately after the incident [on May 30]. He confirmed this to us," said Dr Ravindra Shisve, deputy commissioner of police, zone 1.

    Zinta said that she brought the matter to Raman's attention twice. In fact, he had even intervened when she and Wadia were having an argument during the IPL auctions in Bangalore and asked them to keep quiet, her complaint said.

    The second time was immediately after the May 30 incident that took place during a match between the Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium.

    While Shisve refused to give any more details, he said the police were only focusing on the alleged incident that took place at Wankhede and not during the auction.

    The police have also recorded the statements of six others, including BCCI officials. One of the officials was identified as Ankit Baldi, who was seen with Zinta in a video footage of the match.

    "A section of the media had said that the man in the video was Wadia, but Baldi clarified that it was him, explaining the sitting arrangements," a senior officer
    said, on condition of anonymity.

    ASUS Zenfone smartphone series to launch in India on 9 July 2014

    ASUS will most likely release its ZenFone series of phones in India on July 9 according to sources. The ZenFone series was first announced way back in January 2014 at CES. The ZenFone series comprises 4-inch, 5-inch and 6-inch handsets with most of them being priced aggressively under Rs 25,000.


    The ASUS Zenfones are named Zenfone 4, Zenfone 5 and Zenfone 6, where the number corresponds to the screen size. All the phones have an IPS display and each of them comes in five different colours. The Zenfone 4 has a 5MP camera, the Zenfone 5 sports and 8MP camera and the flagship Zenfone 6 houses a 13MP shooter with an aperture of f/2.0. Each of these phones come with ASUS’s proprietary PixelMaster technology.
    Zenfone 6 is the flagship 6-inch phone which sports a 13MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture
    Zenfone 6 is the flagship 6-inch phone which sports a 13MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture


    All the ZenFone series phones sport an Intel Atom processors, with the ZenFone 4 sporting the 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2520 CPU (quad-core with hyper-threading technology) whereas the ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 6 have the 2GHz Intel Atom Z2580 CPU (quad-core with hyper-threading technology). The other major specifications of all the phones are as under.


    Zenfone 4 Specs
    - 4inch WVGA 800 x 480-pixel display
    - 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2520 CPU with Quad-Thread Hyper-Threading Technology
    - Android 4.3 (will update to Android 4.4 KitKat)
    - GSM/GPRS/EDGE; WCDMA/HSPA+
    - DC-HSPA+ (DL/UL): 42/5.76 Mbps
    - Integrated 802.11b/g/n; Wi-Fi Direct
    - 5-megapixel rear camera
    - 0.3-megapixel front camera
    - 1GB RAM
    - 1170mAh battery
    - Up to 64GB micro SD card
    - 124.4 x 61.4 x 11.2-6.3mm
    - 115g
    - Price at launch: $99 or pprox Rs 6000
    ASUS Zenfone 5 sports an Intel Atom Z2580 processor clocked at 2GHz
    ASUS Zenfone 5 sports an Intel Atom Z2580 processor clocked at 2GHz

    Zenfone 5 specs
    - 5inch HD 1280 x 720-pixel IPS display
    - 2GHz Intel Atom Z2580 CPU with Quad-Thread Hyper-Threading Technology
    - Android 4.3 (will update to Android 4.4 KitKat)
    - GSM/GPRS/EDGE; WCDMA/HSPA+
    - DC-HSPA+ (DL/UL): 42/5.76 Mbps
    - Integrated 802.11b/g/n; Wi-Fi Direct
    - 8-megapixel rear camera
    - 2-megapixel front camera
    - 1GB RAM
    - 2050mAh battery
    - Up to 64GB micro SD card
    - 148.2 x 72.8 x 10.3-5.5mm
    - 140g
    - Price at launch: $149 or approx Rs 9000
    Zenfone 6 specs
    - 6inch HD 1280 x 720-pixel IPS display
    - 2GHz Intel Atom Z2580 CPU with Quad-Thread Hyper-Threading Technology
    - Android 4.3 (will update to Android 4.4 KitKat)
    - GSM/GPRS/EDGE; WCDMA/HSPA+
    - DC-HSPA+ (DL/UL): 42/5.76 Mbps
    - Integrated 802.11b/g/n; Wi-Fi Direct
    -13-megapixel rear camera
    - 2-megapixel front camera
    - 1GB RAM
    - 3230mAh battery
    - Up to 64GB micro SD card
    - 166.9 x 84.3 x 9.9-5.5mm
    - 200g
    - Price at launch: $199 or approx Rs 12,000

     However, the prices mentioned above are exclusive of taxes and duties which will be levied on the devices eventually. So please note that the final prices will only be revealed on the launch date.

    Iggy Azalea Only Good Thing About T.I.'s 'No Mediocre'

    If there's one thing we can learn from Iggy Azalea's new collaboration with T.I, it's that she can improve basically anything with her touch.

    The 24-year-old joins the seasoned artist on his track "No Mediocre," in which he raps about his quest to find a woman who meets his high physical standards. In case you were wondering, if you don't do your hair, wax specific parts of your anatomy, have a "pretty face" and "fat ass," you are not the girl for T.I.

    Luckily, Iggy swoops in with her usual confident bad-assery, and adds at least one not wholly irredeemable verse to the song. While not exactly easing up on the impossible physical standards set by the media for women, Azalea at least tells T.I. to actually put a little work into achieving his wants and "stop running in place," if he's going to have such an intricate list of demands.

    Azalea has already made history this summer by simultaneously snagging both the number one and two spots on The Billboard Top 100, making her the first artist to do so since since The Beatles in 1964. While we can't say we're huge fans of the eventual end product, we can see why T.I. would want to get in on all the Iggy Azalea fun.

    Naked Sunbather Causes Car Crash In Austria

    This sunbather is al-ledge-dly responsible for a pile up in Austria.

    According to CEN photo agency, a driver was distracted by a nude woman dangling her feet out the window of her Vienna apartment.

    It's unclear exactly when the incident took place, but news reports surfaced this week.

    "I thought I was suffering sunstroke when I saw it," Gregory Shakaki, who snapped the photo, said.

    Michael Kienast told local media, "I was behind two guys who had a fender bender because the motorists in front took their eyes off the road to glance up at the view. The young woman was obviously keen on getting some sun in a place where it doesn't usually shine."

    Kienast said he heard the driver who caused the pile up tell another motorist, "'Sorry, I was distracted," and then motioned toward the sunbather.

    By the time cops came to take witness statements, the woman had gone inside and closed her window.

    In case anyone was wondering, nude women always equals car accidents.

    The World's Sexiest Women Are From Brazil, Sexiest Men Are From (Surprise!) Australia

    Just ask Woody Allen: a little foreign fling is the hands-down best part of traveling.

    Travel dating website MissTravel asked members -- both men and women -- to rate the nationalities they find sexiest in a dating partner. The answers revealed a preference for women from South America (Brazil's got more than just hot soccer) and men from Down Under, with sexiness found in countries everywhere between.

    Are YOU headed to one of the sexiest places on Earth this summer?

    The sexiest nationalities for men:
    10. Dutch
    9. Canadian
    8. Brazilian
    7. Irish
    6. American
    5. Spanish
    4. Scottish
    3. British
    2. Italian
    1. Australian

    The sexiest nationalities for women:
    10. Canadian
    9. South African
    8. Bulgarian
    7. Australian
    6. Spanish
    5. Filipina
    4. British
    3. Colombian
    2. Russian
    1. Brazilian

    ...and if you fail to find a romantic partner on the road, remember: a "sexy" trip with your friends can be just as steamy.

    NOTE: While MissTravel's results include "British" men, it should be noted that Scottish men are indeed also British.(SOURCE)

    Every Pop-Culture Reference Made In 'Orange Is The New Black' Season 2

    Amid all the rich character drama and humorous anecdotes that populate "Orange Is the New Black" is a cornucopia of pop-culture references. The Litchfield inmates are a well-read, well-watched group. They know their celebrity gossip even while behind bars, finding fodder for their conversations in everything from Fiona Apple to "Goodfellas" to "Toy Story."

    Many TV comedies ("Friends" comes to mind) are written as if their characters don't exist outside the confines of any individual episode's plot. Conversely, inmates on "Orange Is the New Black" successfully position themselves within the real world, in spite of where they rest their heads at night. In keeping, we've compiled a list of every pop-culture reference from Season 2 (along with the speaker):

    Episode 1, "Thirsty Bird"

    1. "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy (Piper)
    2. Angry Birds (Prison guard en route to Chicago)
    3. Mila Kunis (Prison guard)
    4. "The Sopranos" (Piper)
    5. The Invisible Woman (Alex)

    Episode 2, "Looks Blue, Tastes Red"

    1. Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" (Taystee)
    2. Pinterest (Morello)
    3. Judge Joe Brown (Taystee)
    4. Judge Judy (Taystee)
    5. Mo'Nique (Poussey)
    6. Wesley Snipes (Poussey)
    7. "Orlando: A Biography" by Virginia Woolf (Piper)

    Episode 3, "Hugs Can Be Deceiving"

    1. Steve Irwin (Taystee)
    2. Tom Cruise (Poussey)
    3. LeBron James (Poussey)
    4. Dwayne Wade (Taystee)
    5. Michelle Williams (Poussey)
    6. Us Weekly (Poussey)
    7. Jessica Simpson (Morello)
    8. Rihanna (Morello)
    9. Omar from "The Wire" (Sophia)
    10. The Rockettes (Black Cindy)
    11. Popeye (Bennett)
    12. Lil Wayne (Taystee)
    13. George Jefferson (Poussey)
    14. "Sinful Chocolate" by Adrianne Byrd (Taystee)
    15. "Fighting for Air: The Unknown Adventures of Young Doc Holliday" by Jack Kincade (Vee)

    World Cup 2014 : All about Mexican 'Jesus' Ochoa who did not let Brazil through

    Guillermo Ochoa. Remember this name because you will hear it for some time to come in football World Cup season. The Mexico goalkeeper turned an overnight sensation after throwing up an impenetrable shield around his post against Brazil.

    Mexico frustrated World Cup hosts and five-time champions Brazil and held them to a 0-0 draw at the Estadio Castelao on Tuesday. Brazil had no answers to the brilliance of Ochoa, nicknamed Memo.

    He pulled off an incredible diving stop from a Neymar header and seven more extraordinary saves to deny the pedigreed Brazil an easy march toward qualification from Group A.

    Such was his showing that experts suddenly brought up references to the saves of legendary (USSR) goalkeeper Lev Yashin. 

    Not one of football’s superstars, not even in his own team, Ochoa played his club football for AC Ajaccio in France.

    The 28-year-old is looking for a new club after quitting Ajaccio following their relegation from Ligue 1. He has been linked with move to Olympique Marseille. This performance will send his ratings soaring.

    The social media sphere buzzed with mention of Ochoa after his spectacular show. There were almost 2 million mentions of Ochoa on Twitter during the match, according to Twitter Reverb. The numbers are guaranteed to swell.

    Basketball hero Kobe Bryant hailed "OCHOA!! Incredible" in a tweet within minutes of the game ending. Ochoa's Wikipedia page was hacked to hail him as “the Mexican Jesus after his performance against Brazil”.

    Ochoa did a lap of honour around the Fortaleza Castelao Stadium after one of the great World Cup goalkeeping performances.

    He remained poised in his moment of glory. "I believe this was the best match of my life because this was a World Cup game and this is very important," Ochoa said.

    "We have to move on, celebrate with my teammates and my family, but move on because the path is still long.

    “Thank God I made those saves and now it's time to keep on working."

    Ochoa is the most capped of the three Mexican keepers chosen for this World Cup.

    He is finding his place in the sun after heartbreak in 2010. He was expected to be first choice at 2010 World Cup in South Africa before then-coach Javier Aguirre opted for veteran Oscar Perez.

    Ochoa won a league title with Mexico City side America in 2005 before moving to France in 2011.

    A very proud Mexico coach Miguel Herrera put things in perspective after the match. “In my memory, I can’t remember a goalkeeper performing like that in a World Cup.”

    "I don't know whether I can think of another goalkeeper in memory... someone who has done what Memo did today," Herrera told a news conference.

     "Memo today had high-level saves, gave the certainty to the team that we needed and gave confidence that we're well covered."

    Ochoa came in for praise from Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. "I didn't like the Mexican goalie," Big Phil joked to reporters. "He did very well, he was spectacular. The defences he did were spectacular. Calm, tranquil, he knows how to play, is well positioned.

    "I think he really was the best player in the match and Mexico has a very good quality team."

    When will Vidya work with Shah Rukh Khan?

    Actress Vidya Balan, who has always expressed her desire to work with superstar Shah Rukh Khan, says she would love to work with Shah Rukh provided both the actors` presence in the film is justified.

    "If any good script comes where the presence of both the actors (Shah Rukh and I) is justified, then definitely I would love to do," Vidya said here Friday at the launch of the blog for her upcoming film "Bobby Jasoos".

    "If the script will be such where I won`t have much to do, then I will not do it," she added.

    The 36-year-old is currently busy promoting her soon to release "Bobby Jasoos", where she is in the lead role.

    Asked if there is anything left for actresses to do in films starring Bollywood`s Khans, the National Award winning actress said: "Not always...but most of the times there is nothing much to do."

    Directed by Samar Sheikh, produced by Dia Mirza and her fiance Sahil Sangha, "Bobby Jasoos" also features Ali Fazal. It will hit the theatres July 4.
    (SOURCE)

    Woman raped by 10 including husband, forced to drink urine

    In yet another shocking incident of crime against women, a tribal woman was allegedly gang-raped by ten people, including her husband and relatives, paraded naked and forced to drink urine in front of her minor son following a land dispute.

    After the woman lodged a complaint in which she alleged that the attack was carried out at the behest of her husband Kailash Rumalia, all the accused were nabbed, police said on Sunday.

    The incident took place three days back at Bhiali Kheda village under Piplod police station and the victim reported the matter on June 13 to police after her family members brought her to Khandwa district hospital, police said.

    Acting on the complaint, police on Saturday arrested all the ten people allegedly involved in the gang-rape, including the victim's husband, relatives and other villagers, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Women's Cell, Khandwa, Sunita Rawat told reporters in Khandwa on Saturday.

    In her police complaint, the woman also mentioned that before committing gang-rape, they allegedly manhandled her, paraded her naked and when she asked for water, they forced her to drink urine in front of her minor son, Rawat said quoting her complaint.

    Meanwhile, the woman's husband claimed before mediapersons that because of a land dispute, she was levelling baseless allegations against him and other villagers and also said that he doubted her character.

    Police have registered a case under IPC sections 376 (g) (gang-rape), 354 (b) (act with intent to disrobe a woman), 294 (obscene acts and songs), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) against the accused and are further probing the incident.

    The victim was undergoing treatment at the district hospital where women constables and Piplod police station in-charge were deployed for her security, Rawat added.

    There has been nation-wide outrage on the string of incidents of sexual assault on women. The issue has come into fresh focus following the gang-rape and murder of two teenage cousins, whose bodies were found hanging from a tree in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh.

    PM Narendra Modi arrives in Bhutan, receives guard of honour

    A cutout outside Taj Tashi hotel in Thimpu, where Narendra Modi will stay during his two-day Bhutan visit on Sunday and Monday, read, "Welcome to our close friend, India's prime minister Narendra Modi."

    It is a welcoming step, shows Modi ji wants to open a new chapter in strengthening foreign policy, says Sudhanshu Trivedi (BJP) on PM's Bhutan visi

    Embarking on his first foreign visit since taking over, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Bhutan on Sunday to cement India's "unique and special relationship" with this SAARC country and his thrust to make the ties more effective.

    A grand welcome was accorded to him by the Bhutanese government which rolled out a red carpet and gave a ceremonial guard of honour to him.

    Modi, accompanied by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, NSA Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, was received at the Paro airport by Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and several of his Cabinet colleagues.

    The Prime Minister drove down from Paro to Thimphu, a distance of about 50 kms, traversing through the picturesque mountainous ranges. Common people, including children, in colourful attire lined up most of the road between Paro and Thimphu, waving Indian and Bhutanese flags.

    Big hoardings carrying Modi's photographs also could be seen en route.

    Soon after his arrival, Modi called on Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk.
    Before embarking on the two-day visit, Modi said Bhutan was a "natural choice" as his first foreign destination because of the "unique and special relationship".

    The fact that the Prime Minister chose Bhutan as his first foreign destination assumes significance since China has lately intensified efforts to woo it and establish full- fledged diplomatic ties with Thimphu.

    'Modi government will take neighbours along to path of prosperity'

    The new Indian government's foreign policy focus on its South Asian neighbourhood and to work towards creating a peaceful, stable and economically inter-linked neighbourhood "bodes well" not only for the collective SAARC but also for Bhutan as the Narendra Modi government will "take everybody along to the path of prosperity", says an editorial in a Bhutanese daily.

    The Bhutanese, in an editorial ahead of Modi's two-day visit to the Himalayan country that began Sunday, said that "Bhutan, as an old friend, would want India to do well and surge ahead in the global scene as experience in the past has shown that the economic rise and prosperity of India has translated into benefits for Bhutan, including other countries in the region."

    "However, for any major country or regional bloc, they can only ever truly rise on the global platform if their neighborhood is stable and happy, so to speak. The new dispensation in New Delhi led by Mr Modi has wisely realized this, and is thus, focusing with renewed energy and depth in its own neighborhood which is loaded with a lot of potential and unexplored opportunities, apart from the well known challenges," says the editorial.

    Modi a friendly person, visit to further strengthen ties: Bhutan PM

    As Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday begins a two-day visit to Bhutan, the Bhutanese leadership has described the Indian leader as "a friendly person and well disposed towards Bhutan" and as one who "gives a sense of purpose and hope".

    Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay said that even though there are no specific issues to discuss during the meeting with Modi from Bhutan's side, all commitments made and the generous support that the government receives from India will be discussed, according to The Bhutanese daily.

    Netanyahu Says Hamas Carried Out Kidnapping of Three Israelis

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Islamic Hamas movement, the Palestinian government’s new partner, of kidnapping three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank last week.

     “This morning I can say what I refrained from saying yesterday before the extensive wave of arrests” in the West Bank, Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting today in Jerusalem. “Those who carried out the kidnapping of our youths are members of Hamas,” the prime minister said, according to a text message from his office.

    Israeli security forces arrested about 80 Hamas operatives and officials in the West Bank overnight, the army said. Netanyahu’s remarks are “stupid,” Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said in an e-mailed statement. He didn’t confirm or deny the allegations.

    Hamas held Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit captive in the Gaza Strip for five years before freeing him in 2011 in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

    Netanyahu has ordered the military to “prepare forces for any scenario.” Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon spoke of “broad intelligence and operational efforts” in the West Bank and Channel Two said a division of paratroopers was sent to the area.

    The benchmark TA-25 index dropped as much as 0.5 percent today, the most since April 23, and was down 0.4 percent to 1,391.68 at 11:53 a.m. in Tel Aviv.

    Yaniv Pagot, chief strategist at Ramat Gan, Israel-based Ayalon Group Ltd., attributed the decline to “a gut reaction” by investors and said that as long there was no escalation, the kidnapping wasn’t likely to have a long-term impact on the market. The yield on the benchmark government 2024 bond slipped 2 basis points to 2.86 at 12:07 p.m. in Tel Aviv.

    Netanyahu has linked the abduction of the teens to Hamas’ entry into the Palestinian government earlier this month.

    “What’s happening on the ground since Hamas entered the Palestinian Authority is a disaster,” Netanyahu said yesterday. “This is the result of allowing a murderous terror organization into the government.”

    Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, teamed up June 2 in a government with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah faction, which rules over parts of the West Bank, after peace talks with Israel collapsed in April.

    Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the U.S. and European Union, and Netanyahu has shunned the new Palestinian government.

    Without confirming a kidnapping, Osama Hamdan, a Hamas official in Lebanon, told Al-Quds television yesterday that the disappearance of the teens “proved that resistance to Israel hasn’t been stifled.” He urged the kidnappers, “if there indeed were kidnappers,” to demand the “highest price” for the teens’ return.
    Story: Huawei Says It Can Beat Xiaomi in the Race to Be China's Top Smartphone Brand

    Israel traded more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in 2011 for the return of Shalit, who was captured outside Gaza. Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, who opposed the Shalit deal, said he would oppose any agreement that would release Palestinian security prisoners.

    “There will be no more freeing of Palestinian terrorists sitting in Israeli prisons, not in the form of a gesture, or in any other way,” Liberman said on Army Radio today.

    The teens disappeared at a time when Palestinians have been holding rallies across the West Bank in support of more than 100 Palestinians staging hunger strikes in Israeli prisons.
    Story: The No-Tech Tactics of North Korea's Most Wanted Defector

    Netanyahu said he holds the Palestinian Authority responsible for the abduction because the kidnappers came from territory under its control. Abbas’s office has said the Palestinian Authority wasn’t responsible for the disappearance of Israelis in an area of the West Bank Israel controls.

    Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war. The territory is home to 2.3 million Palestinians who claim it as part of a future independent state.

    Deadly attacks mar high turnout at Afghan vote

     Millions of Afghans turned out to vote Saturday in a presidential run-off election despite Taliban threats and violence that killed nearly 50 people ahead of the withdrawal of NATO troops later this year.

    Afghan officials said more than seven million people voted, a higher than expected turnout of 52 percent based on an estimated electorate of 13.5 million voters. But fraud allegations were likely from both campaign teams after the election, and a close count could lead to a contested result as the country undergoes its first democratic transfer of power.

    The election will decide whether former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah or ex-World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani leads the country into a new era of declining international military and civilian assistance. On the campaign trail, both candidates had offered similar pledges to tackle rampant corruption, build much-needed infrastructure and protect citizens from violence. Polling day saw no major attacks in cities, but at least 150 other incidents including a Taliban rocket that hit a house near a polling station in the eastern province of Khost, killing five members of the same family.
    “Eleven police, 15 ANA (Afghanistan National Army) and 20 civilians were martyred,” Interior Minister Omar Daudzai told reporters, adding that about 60 militants were also killed in fighting.
    “Election security was better than the first round despite level of threats being higher,” he said. “People voted to reject the militants. There were some casualties on our side, but the enemy has failed.”

    Independent Election Commission chief Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani admitted there had been problems with ballot paper shortages, as in the first round election in April. President Hamid Karzai is due to step down after ruling Afghanistan since 2001, when a US-led offensive ousted the austere Taliban regime for sheltering Al-Qaeda militants behind the 9/11 attacks.
    “We are very proud to be choosing our favourite candidate,” he said after voting. “Today Afghanistan goes from a transition period towards long-lasting peace.”

    A smooth handover would be a major achievement for the international effort to establish a functioning state after the depredations of the Taliban era.

    Afghan officials said the day was proof that the security forces, who have been trained by the US-led military coalition, will be able to protect the country when all NATO-lead combat troops exit Afghanistan this year.

    Both candidates cast their ballots in Kabul, dipping a finger in ink to register that they had voted. “We do not want even one fraudulent vote for us,” Abdullah told reporters, while Ghani said via Twitter: “We ask everyone to prevent, avoid and discourage people from rigging.”

    On the eve of the run-off, UN head of mission Jan Kubis had issued a stark warning to candidates’ supporters not to resort to the ballot-box stuffing that marred the 2009 election when Karzai retained power.
    The two candidates came top of an eight-man field in the April election, triggering the run-off as neither reached the 50 percent threshold needed for outright victory. Abdullah secured 45 percent of the vote with Ghani on 31.6 percent, after investigations into fraud claims from both sides.

    Preity Zinta: Ness Wadia said he could make me disappear

    A day after an FIR was registered against businessman Ness Wadia following a written complaint from actor Preity Zinta that he molested, abused and threatened her inside Wankhede stadium in south Mumbai on May 30, Mumbai police sources said Saturday they would record IPL CEO Sundar Raman’s statement in the case.

    The Marine Drive police, meanwhile, began recording statements of other witnesses. The police have also sought CCTV footage from the Garware pavilion in Wankhede stadium to ascertain what transpired between the two co-owners of the IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab that evening.

    “We have started our probe. We are recording statements of Wankhede staff and will record Raman’s statement,” said an officer  from Marine Drive police station.

    The FIR against Wadia was registered around 12.10 am on Friday at the station. The complaint was registered under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of a woman), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the IPC. 
    In her complaint dated June 12, Zinta stated she had known Wadia for the last 10 years and had a relationship with him. It reads, “But for some time, we have ended our relationship. Although we are co-owners of Kings XI Punjab, we are no longer in a relationship and only talk for professional reasons.”

    “For some time now, we are not even talking to each other. In between, once or twice, we had heated argument regarding work and during that time he tried to abuse me, and used extremely derogatory language and tried to misbehave in a manner where I was put to shame in front of my colleagues, friends and family. I’ve orally warned him during that time and told him I was not comfortable with such behaviour,” the complaint states.

    Zinta alleged Wadia threatened her. “During the match on 30th May, 2014 at Wankhede stadium in the evening, Ness Wadia intimidated me by saying he could make me disappear as I was a nobody and only an actress and he’s a powerful person,” her complaint alleges.

    Explaining why she did not take up the matter earlier, Zinta said she “tried to be very normal and nice to him” as she wanted peace, but the Wankhede incident left her fearing for her life. She claimed she lodged a complaint with BCCI officials, but stayed calm as she did not want to disturb the morale of her team that had qualified for the IPL finals.

    Wadia’s publicist Naveen Soni rubbished the allegations. “It is totally false and baseless,” he said.
    Sources close to Wadia claimed he was celebrating his birthday on May 30 and had reserved a few seats for himself and his family. On reaching the stadium late, he found the seats were occupied by Zinta and others, which led to arguments between the

    Ness Wadia denies Preity Zinta's molestation charges; actor says it's a difficult time

    Actor and co-owner of Kings XI Punjab Preity Zinta registered a case of molestation late on Thursday night against former boyfriend and industrialist Ness Wadia, who denied the allegation as "false and baseless".

    In her statement to the Maharashtra Police, Zinta said the incident happened during the Indian Premier League (IPL) qualifier for the final between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium on May 30.

    The 39-year-old actor alleged that Wadia not only outraged her modesty but also abused and threatened her. She added that during the match, Wadia came up to her, grabbed her by the hand and started using abusive words in front of other spectators.

    Wadia, another co-owner of the Punjab team, said in a statement, "I am shocked at the complaint and the allegations made against me are totally false and baseless."
    With the issue snowballing into a major controversy and hogging the headlines, Zinta too issued a statement on Saturday, saying that it was a difficult time for her and that her intention was not to hurt anyone.  She also reportedly requested the media to respect her privacy.

    Zinta and Wadia, 44, parted ways after a five-year relationship in 2009, but continued as business partners and co-owners of Kings XI Punjab. They did not cite any specific reason for the break-up.

    A case under sections 354, 504 and 506 (assault on a woman, intentional insult and criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code was registered.

    An investigating officer said police had started calling witnesses over the issue.

    Mumbai Police commissioner Rakesh Maria said an "offence has been registered".

    World Cup 2014 : Netherlands crushes Spain with a stunning 5-1 victory in a rollercoaster game

    Stunning goals from Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben fired the Netherlands to a 5-1 demolition of Spain who endured a miserable start to their World Cup defence in a pulsating Group B game on Friday.

    In complete contrast to the tetchy World Cup final between the sides in 2010 which Spain won 1-0, the Dutch took sweet revenge with a vibrant display capped off by two goals each for Van Persie and Robben and one by defender Stefan de Vrij.

    "I certainly didn't expect this result but I did expect us to score in the way we did," Dutch coach Louis van Gaal told reporters.

    "Spain were always going to come at us and we catch them on the counter. My players did it perfectly. It's far better than we ever expected," Dutch coach Louis van Gaal told reporters.

    Only once before had Spain conceded five times in a World Cup game, on Brazilian turf in 1950 in a 6-1 loss to the hosts. The Dutch mauling at Salvador's Fonte Nova arena was also the worst ever start for defending world champions.
    "I can't find words to explain five goals," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said.

    "We have never been a very defensive side but always coped well defending. Today we've been very weak.

    "We kept on fighting but they were physically stronger as the game went on and that made a difference... It is now a delicate situation for us which we will and try and overcome in our next game against Chile and then see what happens."

    Spain, also 2008 and 2012 European champions, had been expected to dictate proceedings with their slick passing style and normal service looked to be established when a coolly converted 27th-minute Xabi Alonso penalty gave them the lead.

    Van Gaal had set his Dutch side up to press and look for the quick ball and it paid dividends just before the break in spectacular fashion when Van Persie equalised superbly.

    Diving header
    The Netherlands' key man sneaked in between defenders Sergio Ramos and Jordi Alba in the 44th minute to meet a searching Daley Blind cross with a powerful diving header that left goalkeeper Iker Casillas rooted to the spot.

    Moments before Van Persie's goal Spain missed a glorious chance to double their lead when midfielder David Silva's cheeky chip was pushed wide for a corner.

    It was a wasted opportunity they came to rue.

    After the break the Dutch hurried Spain in possession, pouring forward at every opportunity, and went ahead after 53 minutes when Robben got on the end of another superb Blind lobbed pass before turning Gerard Pique and holding off Ramos to fire home from seven metres.

    Del Bosque reacted by swapping Alonso for the more attack-minded Pedro and Brazilian-born striker Diego Costa, booed with every touch by the locals, went off for Fernando Torres.

    The match opened up but in the Netherlands' favour.

    Van Persie rattled the crossbar with a ferocious right-foot volley before De Vrij, whose tackle on Costa had led to the penalty, stole in on 64 minutes at the back post to convert a free kick after Casillas who was pressurised by Van Persie.

    Gary Glitter Charged With Eight Child Sex Offenses

    British prosecutors say they are charging former pop star Gary Glitter with eight sex offenses involving teenage girls.

    The charges against Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, are related to two women who were aged 12 and 14 at the time of the alleged offenses between 1977 and 1980.

    The 70-year-old was arrested in October 2012 — the first in a series of arrests under the Operation Yewtree national investigation that was launched in the wake of a child abuse scandal surrounding late BBC entertainer Jimmy Savile.

    Glitter is best known for the hit "Rock & Roll (Part 2)," but he fell into disgrace after being convicted on child abuse charges in Vietnam.

    Jennifer Lopez Puts A New Spin On Her Iconic Versace Dress PHOTO

    It's been 14 years since J.Lo wore that plunging Versace dress to the 2000 Grammys, but this image is still fresh in our minds:

    Lopez gave fans green dress déjà vu when she stunned in this plunging leotard at a free performance in the Bronx June 4:

    The updated version of her dress wasn't the only thing to bring on the nostalgia, either. Of course, the Bronx native performed "Jenny From The Block" for her hometown crowd along with a slew of her older hits. Lopez also enlisted fellow New Yorkers Ja Rule, Fat Joe and French Montana to perform onstage with her.

    The 44-year-old recently gave another nod to her iconic gown with a similar outfit in her video for "I Luh Ya Papi." As for where the real dress is today? Lopez told Harper's Bazaar that it's hanging up on a mannequin in her spa. We can only hope that one day she'll break out the real deal again.

    Dissents grows in AAP as Manish Sisodia slams Yogendra Yadav

    The infighting in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is grappling with its lacklustre showing in the 2014 general elections, has now apparently reached the top leadership.

    After AAP leader Yogendra Yadav resigned from the party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) last Saturday, senior leader Manish Sisodia reportedly questioned his motives and strategies that did not help the party in the general elections.

    Yadav, a native of Haryana, resigned from the party's top decision-making body following a tiff with state convener Naveen Jaihind, who resigned from the 18-month-old rookie party's national executive body on the same day.

    In a letter sent to Yadav, Sisodia is said to have reprimanded him for taking his fight with Jaihind in public domain and calling party chief Arvind Kejriwal a "supremo".

    "You have alleged that the party did not listen to the political affairs committee. But then the PAC also did not want you to contest from Gurgaon.

    "In that scenario Arvind supported you. But when Arvind did not support you in you fight against Navin Jaihind, you call him supremo," said the letter dated Thursday.

    HT has a copy of the letter, but could not confirm its veracity immediately as both Sisodia and Yadav could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

    There is a big talk in the AAP circles that Sisodia's letter was in response to the one written by Yadav clarifying why he had to quit the PAC.

    In the fresh letter, Yadav, who contested and lost the Gurgaon seat, was also criticised for his incorrect survey on Haryana.

    While the AAP hoped to bag about 23% of the vote share in the state — which is also home to former Delhi CM kejriwal — it managed to get just 3% of the votes and failed to make an impression all the 10 constituencies.

    The letter also blames Yadav for pushing Kejriwal to field over 400 candidates against his wish.

    The AAP, despite its stellar assembly election debut in Delhi last year, managed to win just four seats — all in Punjab — in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. 

    Following the debacle in the general elections, two of the AAP's prominent faces — Shazia Ilmi and GR Gopinath (who launched India's first low-cost carrier) — had recently quit the party in signs of disintegration.

    Pre-market: Nifty seen opening higher; may reclaim 7,500 levels

    The 50-share Nifty index is expected to open higher on Friday following positive trend seen in other Asian markets. Tracking the momentum, the index is expected to reclaim its crucial psychological level of 7,500 in trade today.

    At 07:30 a.m., Nifty India stock futures in Singapore were trading 35 points higher at 7,525.00 a positive opening on the domestic market.

    The benchmark Sensex created history on Thursday by closing above the 25,000 mark for the first time on heavy buying in metal, power and oil & gas shares by overseas investors.

    The 50-share NSE Nifty climbed 71.85 points, or 0.97 per cent, to close at a new peak of 7,474.10, breaching previous record closing high of 7,415.85 on Tuesday.

    "After the initial setback, the markets were seen recovering swiftly from the day's low and witnessed fresh upside break today. On sectoral front, metal, power and realty counters were remained in limelight from the beginning with noticeable recovery in IT and FMCG pack," said Jayant Manglik, President-retail distribution, Religare Securities Ltd

    "In absence of any major domestic event, participants are taking cues from the robust global markets. And so far, majorities are trading in line with our market trend," he added.

    Manglik is of the view that we are eyeing 7600 level in Nifty, so any decline can be utilize for initiating fresh long positions but keep extra caution in stock selection.

    Secondary Exam - 2014 Result announced on Today

    The Rajasthan Board Class 10 Results 2014 will be announced soon. BSER Ajmer - Board of Secondary Education of Rajasthan, conducts the Secondary - Rajasthan Class 10th Examination every year and the Rajasthan Class 10th Result is announced in June. BSER Ajmer announces the Rajasthan Board Class 10 Results every year on this website

         CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR RESULT
     (To be announced on 6th June 2014 at 05:00 PM)

    RAJASTHAN BSTC exam answer key 2014 / Result 2014

    RAJASTHAN BSTC answer key 2014, Rajasythan BSTC Result 2014, Rajasthan Basic School Training Certification Exam Answer sheet 20114, Raj BSTC paper solution 2014,


    Jai Narain Vyas University Jodhpur has completed the registration phase for the Rajasthan Basic School Training Certification Exam. The exam of RAJASTHAN BSTC was conducted on 9th of April 2014. Now as the conduction of exam has been completed by the Jai Narain Vyas University. Lots of students now have been looking for the RAJASTHAN BSTC answer key Cut-off marks / Result 2014 , if you are one of the students looking for the  RAJASTHAN BSTC answer key /Cut-off marks Result /2014 to be declared then you are at the right page of the web. For more details regarding the RAJASTHAN BSTC answer key 2014  Cut-off marks Result 2014 please read the article further.

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    RAJASTHAN BSTC answer key 2014 Cutoff marks 2014:

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    RBI governor Raghuram Rajan meets Narendra Modi

    Ahead of monetary policy review on Tuesday, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan on Sunday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is likely to have discussed the macro-economic situation and issues related to price rise.

    The RBI’s bi-monthly policy review on 3 June will be the first after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office on 26 May. Last week, Rajan also met the newly appointed finance minister Arun Jaitley and had said fighting price increase is a priority, stressing that the central bank has always maintained a balance between the need to check inflation and prop up growth.

    “Governor of the RBI Raghuram Rajan called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at 7, Race Course Road today (Sunday). It was a courtesy call,” an official statement said.

    India’s economic growth stayed below 5% for the second year in a row at 4.7% in 2013-14. Growth remained subdued at 4.6% in the fourth quarter. The RBI may leave key interest rates unchanged in its 3 June monetary policy review as Rajan is likely to prefer containing stubborn inflation before conceding to demands for a rate cut to boost growth.

    “RBI is likely to maintain status quo as inflation is still high and the threat of monsoon being weak this time is looming large,” Indian Overseas Bank chairman and managing director M. Narendra told PTI.

    Rajan had kept the policy rate unchanged at 8% in its 1 April review as inflation, especially of food items, hovered at over 8%. Food inflation in April stood at 9.66% and retail inflation was at 8.59%.

    Police arrest suspect in Belgian Jewish Museum shooting

    Police have arrested a man in Marseille, France, who is suspected of killing three people last week in the Jewish Museum in Brussels, Belgium, Belgian federal magistrate Wenke Roggen said Sunday.

    The suspect is identified as 29-year-old Frenchman Mehdi Nemmouche, who recently spent a year in Syria and is a radicalized Islamist, the chief prosecutor of Paris said at a news conference Sunday.

    Francois Molins said Nemmouche, who has a criminal history that included a five-year prison stint, was detained with a bag that contained several weapons.

    Nemmouche has been silent during his detention, Molins said. The prosecutor said that authorities suspect Nemmouche was influenced by Islamist teachings while in prison and left for Syria three months after being released in September 2012.
    Belgium's Jewish community security fears

    French officials lost contact with Nemmouche when he left the country, Molins said.

    The suspect's bag also contained clothes similar to the ones worn during the attack and a GoPro video camera. There was also a Nikon digital camera that contained a hidden folder with a 40-second recording related to the shooting.

    Nemmouche was arrested at a train station just after he returned to France, the prosecutor said.

    Two of the people who died in the attack were Israelis, a couple in their 50's from Tel Aviv,, Israel's Foreign Ministry has said. The third victim was a French woman.

    A fourth person, a Belgian national who works at the museum, was shot and injured.

    Images from the museum in Brussels showed the gunman behind last week's deadly attack approaching the building, opening fire, and walking away.

    He used an AK-47 assault rifle to carry out the shooting, police have said.

    Photographs and video released by Belgian police showed the man wearing a cap and blue shirt, carrying two bags over his shoulder. The images do not show his face clearly.

    The shooter left on foot after the attack and headed toward a different part of downtown Brussels before he disappeared, according to police.

    IPL Final Live Score: Saha, Vohra get Punjab to 82/2 in 12 overs vs Kolkata

    Wriddhiman Saha and Manan Vohra got Kings XI Punjab back on track after they lost early wickets, and got the team to 111/2 in 14 overs against Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 7 final at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore on Sunday.

    Virender Sehwag (7) was the first to fall when he tried to pull an Umesh Yadav delivery that was not short enough. He got a thick edge which was easily take by Gautam Gambhir at mid-off.

    One over later, George Bailey (1) departed when Gambhir brought on Sunil Naraine. Naraine struck with his first ball, when Bailey (1) missed a straight ball and got bowled behind his leg.

    Since then, Manan Vohra (50*) and Wriddhiman Saha (52*) have been at the crease. They have scored 81 runs off 53 balls so far and have been looking good. They have hit big shots and followed them up with cheeky singles.

    Kolkata captain Gautam Gambhir said it was a good pitch and would be good to chase on. His opposite number George Bailey said it was a good toss to lose as he was in two minds.

    Kolkata named an unchanged side while Lakshmipathy Balaji came in for Sandeep Sharma for Punjab.

    Congress suspends Rajasthan MLA for calling Rahul Gandhi 'MD of circus'

     Rajasthan Congress MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma, who had blamed party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and his advisors for 2014 poll debacle has been suspended.

    “Rajasthan Congress MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma suspended from party for attack on Rahul Gandhi,” PCC spokesperson Archana Sharma said on Sunday.

    Terming Rahul as 'MD of a team of jokers' Sharma had critisised him saying that he has neither direction nor any policy.

    Adding that the party was in its worst days because of Rahul, Sharma had suggested that party president Sonia Gandhi should focus on strengthening the grand old party instead of having affection for her son.
    "Rahul Gandhi is directionless and has no policy. He and his advisors are responsible for the party's embarrassment and defeat in elections as there is no huge mass support for him," Sharma has said to the reporters.

    Further hinting towards a leadership change in Congress after a drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections, Sharma had said that the time has come for the party to think beyond Rahul and Priyanka Vadra.

    Hitting out at Rahul in strongest words, Sharma had said that Rahul was enjoying authority as he belonged to the Gandhi family and he did not enter the party through a democratic process.

    Badaun gangrape Mayawati meets victims’ family, alleges ‘jungle raj’ in Akhilesh’s UP

     BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday stepped up her attack on the SP government in Uttar Pradesh alleging it was perpetrating “jungle raj” and there was attempt to put the Badaun gangrape case on the back burner.

    Ms. Mayawati’s remarks were made at Katra Shahadatganj, the village where two dalit girls were brutally gangraped and murdered.

    A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met the victims’ family, local SP MP Dharmendra Yadav also reached Katra Shahadatganj where he faced the anger of the inconsolable parents who have alleged that the police did not take prompt action in the case because of their caste.

    Ms. Mayawati, who met the family of the cousins whose bodies were found hanging on a tree on May 28, 2014, announced Rs. 5 lakh each to the victims’ kin from her party fund, claiming that though they have refused the government compensation, they would accept her assistance.

    “The family members told me that the local MP came this morning and offered compensation and all help, but they refused. They told that whatever I will give them, they will accept gladly,” she said after meeting the family.

    “They (family) said police had all plans to save the accused which I strongly condemn,” she said .

    “There was an attempt to put the case on the back burner and when I came to know this, I immediately decided to come to Badaun,” she said.

    “After I got to know that the state government was delaying action, I sent my party’s national general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui to the village and held a press conference.”

    “The outcome of my decision was that the state government decided for a CBI inquiry into the matter,” she added.

    Ms. Mayawati alleged that there was complete “jungle raj” in the State and Badaun was the most affected.

    She threatened that if “atrocities” were committed on the people here in the future, she would stage a sit-in in protest.

    Ms. Mayawati stayed at the victims’ house for around 20 minutes and said the financial assistance would reach them by Tuesday.

    Now, Girl Set Ablaze in UP Over Property Dispute

     A 19-year-old girl was allegedly set on fire in Uttar Pradesh's Kaptanganj district on Saturday following a brawl between her father and some men over a  land dispute.

    Police said the teenager was set afire when she attempted to rescue her father from the fight.

    The teenager was finally rescued by her mother and admitted to a district hospital with 45 per cent burn injuries. Doctors said she is out of danger.

    A First Information Report or FIR was filed against eight people under Section 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) of the Indian Penal Code on a complaint by the girl's father.

    Police officials said that out of the eight, three accused - Umesh Chandra Shukla, Suresh and Virendra - have been arrested. Deputy Superintendent of Police Kalwari Singh assured that the remaining men would be arrested within 24 hours.

    The incident comes just days after two girls, 15 and 14 year old cousins, were gang-raped and found hanging from a tree in the Badaun district. In the last 10 days, three cases of rape have been reported from Uttar Pradesh.

    Americans' Car Ownership, Driving In Steep Decline

    The '57 Chevy was still a year away when the launch of the interstate highway system kicked U.S. car culture into high gear. But six decades later, changing habits and attitudes suggest America's romance with the road may be fading.

    After rising almost continuously since World War II, driving by U.S. households has declined nearly 10 percent since 2004, with a start before the Great Recession suggesting economics is not the only cause. "There's something more fundamental going on," says Michael Sivak of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

    The average American household now owns fewer than two cars, returning to the levels of the early 1990s.

    More teens and 20-somethings are waiting to get a license. Less than 70 percent of 19-year-olds now have one, down from 87 percent two decades ago.

    "I wonder if they've decided that there's another, better way to be free and to be mobile," says Cotten Seiler, author of "Republic of Drivers: A Cultural History of Automobility in America."

    Those changes — whether its car trips replaced by shopping online or traffic jams that have turned drives into a chore — pose complicated questions and choices.

    TRYING ALTERNATIVES: Each day, about 3,500 people bike the Midtown Greenway, a freight rail bed converted to cycle highway in Minneapolis, where two-wheel commuting has doubled since 2000. It's still a small percentage, but more residents are testing the idea of leaving cars behind.

    A second light rail line opens in June. Street corners sprout racks of blue-and-green shared bikes. About 45 percent of those who work downtown commute by means other than a car, mostly by express bus. That syncs with figures showing Americans took a record 10.7 billion trips on mass transit last year, up 37 percent since 1995.

    Lea Thompson Recalls The 'Pain' Of Making 'Howard The Duck'

    It's been nearly 28 years since the Marvel Comics-inspired "Howard the Duck" hit theaters, and since then the much-maligned film has developed a bit of a cult following that even includes big Hollywood stars. But parts of the production still haunt Lea Thompson, who played Howard's companion Beverly Switzler in the film.

    During a conversation about Thompson's new film "Ping Pong Summer," HuffPost Live's Ricky Camilleri asked about the first thing that comes to her mind when she thinks back on "Howard the Duck." Thompson's answer? "Pain."

    See Thompson share her memories from the production in the clip above, and click here to watch the full HuffPost Live conversation with the cast of "Ping Pong Summer."

    Mallika Sherawat courts controversy, wears the Tricolour in ‘Dirty Politics’ poster

    Sizzling beauty Mallika Sherawat has once again sparked a controversy by sporting a tricolour in the first poster of her upcoming film `Dirty Politics`. The first look of the movie was released recently in Mumbai.

    In the poster Mallika Sherawat, who plays the lead role in the film, is seen sitting on an old ambassador car draped in a long tricolour cloth. Not only this, but the poster also shows the Rajasthan Assembly building in the background.

    According to reports, the director of the film KC Bokadia is surrounded by political pressure from all quarters to change the poster to a more acceptable form, especially since the using the tricolor has offended many.

    The film which is slated to release later this year is reportedly based on the infamous Bhanwri Devi case. Big names like- Om Puri, Anupam Kher, Naseeruddin Shah, Jackie Shroff and Rampal Yadav will also be seen in the movie.

    This is not the first time Sherawat has been seen sporting a flag in a raunchy pose. The poster of Mallika Sherawat`s 2011 film `Politics of Love` which saw the actress lying on a bed with Brian White, draped in an American flag had also sparked a controversy.

    The background of the poster features the State Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan. Mallika Sherawat is shown flaunting her toned legs with a CD in her hand.
     
    However, as expected the poster has given rise to a huge outcry from people all over the country especially from the state of Rajasthan.

    Directed by K.C. Bokadia, ‘Dirty Politics’ also stars Jackie Shroff, Anupam Kher, Om Puri and Atul Kulkarni.

    Last year, the actress promoted ‘Dirty Politics’ at the Cannes Film Festival.

    Talking about the film, in her heavy American accent, the actress had said, “It’s about a woman who gets involved with a politician, who was a nurse (sic),” she said as she kept shuffling between ‘hurr’ American and Indian accent, “And how she gets murrderred in the end… here was this woman who actually had the ‘currrage’ to stand up to this politician who kind of raped her, molested her, abused her and record his misgivings and everything (sic), and release it to the press.”

    Obi Mobile to enter India with ‘multi-channel approach’

    At a time when new players in the Indian smartphone market are opting for and finding success in the e-commerce route, Obi Mobile, which will launch its first devices in the country this June, has decided to take a multi-channel approach.

    Ajay Sharma, CEO of the company which came into limelight for being promoted by former Apple CEO John Sculley’s Inflexionpoint, told indianexpress.com that they would go across channels to sell the new range of phones.

    “We are talking about pop and mom stores, mobile stores, regional stores and online. We plan to have a larger width of channel and touch all the distribution points available,” he said. The strategy is in complete contrast to new players like Motorola and Alcatel which are selling only through e-tailers like Flipkart. “We can’t afford to pick just one channel. Some specific models could be launched through individual channels later, but not now.”

    “We were first planning to bring in just three devices, but as our launch has got delayed we should be coming in with about 5-6 devices in the R5,000 to R15,000 price bracket. Most of the devices will be priced under R10,000, that is the sweet spot,” he said.

    Sharma said they are looking at a 360-degree campaign on TV, online and print to make people aware of the brand. “We also plan to give the customer an experience at the store level to convert the enquiries into sales,” he said, adding that Obi Mobile will, however, have a pan India strategy covering 50 cities initially. The company already has a headstart with distribution as Iris Computers, also owned by Inflexionpoint, has warehouses and offices in 23 Indian cities.

    “We will not compete on price. What we will offer the customer is a unique looking device with differentiation and we are working with many design houses on the same,” he said, adding that user experience will also different.

    The company plans to offer stock Android at the entry level, some user interface differentiation at the middle range and a completely different UI at the high end. “We are working with companies to offer content on our phones to add value to the user... We really need to help customers access content,” added Sharma, who has worked with companies like HTC and Micromax before.

    Previewing and Predicting Every Potential MMA Superfight

    The Superfight: it’s a term used so often these days that it’s become a novelty.

    In theory, it identifies a bout that is designed to bring two fantastic fighters together in a clash that speaks to the best aspects of their relative skills and styles.

    In boxing, it has often been used to identify bouts that could never happen: Muhammad Ali versus Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Robinson versus Floyd Mayweather Jr., Roberto Duran versus Manny Pacquiao.

    But in the sport of MMA, it is used to describe the dreamlike quality of fights that, while perhaps improbable, are not impossible: Jose Aldo versus Anthony Pettis, for instance.

    Or the previously ballyhooed Georges St. Pierre versus Anderson Silva.                     

    It’s the proverbial “White whale” of the sport, and no matter how many times such bouts are rumored, only to fail to be actualized, the term endures because there are always new fighters rising to the top; new fights that could answer the question: “Who would win if…”

    As fighters fight to answer that question, fans and pundits ponder and posit in the absence of these rarest of occurrences. We question and debate who would win in a bout between two fighters that are so good that they remain nearly untouchable by anyone save perhaps another of their untouchable ilk.

    No matter what criteria you favor, you know the fights in question, as we all do. While Anderson Silva may no longer have the title, much of the Superfight debate has been built upon his name and that honestly has not changed.

    Even though he lost two in a row to Chris Weidman, he is still thought to be the best because great fighters are not the sum total of their defeats. Muhammad Ali lost to Leon Spinks, when the latter had just eight professional fights, yet even after their bout, no one doubted Ali would be remembered as the greater fighter.

    So, we ponder the obvious inclusions, as we always have; this time, we include them all, in one place and at one time. In fact, we will also include one boxing bout—Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao—simply because it has been debated at length in many MMA discussions, which is of no surprise; it is the gold standard for incredible fights that should have been made yet never were.

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