For top Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) scientists, it has been a tradition to visit Tirupati temple before any major launch. It has been no different in the run-up to the launch of the Mars Orbiter Mission on Tuesday.

Isro chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan visited Tirupati on
Sunday to seek blessings for the successful launch.

Former Isro chairman G Madhavan Nair on Monday said, “This has been a tradition. I had also gone to Tirupati before the Chandrayaan mission.”

But more than religious beliefs, he said these temple visits helped des-stress the mind and offer clarity.

But beyond this, do superstitions and other beliefs have a hold on the scientists?

“Not really,” said Mylswamy Annadurai, the project director of moon missions Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2. “I read a page of Bhagawad Gita daily and will do so on Tuesday.”

He added, “But yes I have just got a jar of peanuts and a good luck card from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory-Nasa. This is a very nice gesture. I will distribute these peanuts in my office on Tuesday morning.”

Scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) consider circulation of peanuts auspicious.

Vijay Saradhi, group director, project management, said, “Beliefs and prayers are personal. We had simply broken a coconut just before the entire process started in July. That’s all. We don’t believe in making our beliefs public.”

SK Shivakumar, director, Isro Satellite Center, agrees. “I am just focussed on the launch. All these things are secondary.”

Another scientist, who did not want to be named, said, “I will pray for the success of the launch during my routine daily worship. Nothing beyond that.”

BlackBerry Ltd. is abandoning a plan to find a buyer and will instead raise $1-billion of new funds and replace its chief executive and some directors, sources said.

The Waterloo, Ont.-based smartphone company had spent the past two and a half months seeking a buyer, and had received a letter of intent from investor Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. to purchase the company for $4.7-billion. Fairfax had until today to complete its detailed examination of BlackBerry’s books.

The new plan will involve raising roughly $1-billion by selling convertible notes to a group of investors, according to people familiar with the transaction. Chief executive officer Thorsten Heins will depart the company, and the company will announce changes to its board, the people said.

John Chen, the former chief of Sybase Inc., will be appointed executive chairman of the board, responsible for the company's "strategic direction, strategic relationships and organizational goals."

He will be interim CEO when Mr. Heins leaves.

Mr. Heins was named to the top job early last year, taking over from Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, who had run the company since its earliest days.

Mr. Heins’ short tenure was marked by the rocky launch of BlackBerry’s new phone lineup. The new phones met tepid demand, and BlackBerry made the decision to officially put itself up for sale in August.

Fairfax had offered $9 a share in its tentative letter of intent, and was working to pull together a group of backers. The market was skeptical that Fairfax would be successful, and BlackBerry shares have been trading well below that price.

The process also attracted interest from various sources, including a potential group bid from private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, Mr. Lazaridis and chipmaker Qualcomm Inc.

oe Cornish could replace J.J. Abrams as king of the "Star Trek" universe. That's the report from Deadline.com's Mike Fleming, who writes that Paramount "is sweet" on the idea of Cornish directing the franchise's next installment.

This isn't the first time Cornish, who directed the cult hit "Attack the Block" and co-wrote the script for "Ant-Man" with Edgar Wright, has had his name attached to "Star Trek 3." Back in May, Latino Review reporter Umberto "El Mayimbe" Gonzalez tweeted that Cornish was under consideration as a possible replacement for Abrams, who is next directing "Star Wars: Episode VII."

Other reported contenders for "Star Trek 3" have included Jon M. Chu and Rupert Wyatt. In an email to HuffPost Entertainment, however, Chu's representatives denied that "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" director was up for the job. Wyatt's involvement was never confirmed or denied, but Abrams did discuss the "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" director in an interview with HitFix.

"Whomever it is that directs the film will be someone we all know is going to keep the cast and crew in good hands," Abrams told Collider back in September. "I feel very lucky to have been part of it, and it definitely feels like the right time to let someone come in and do their own thing. I certainly don’t want someone to come in and try to do what I would have done. We want to hire someone who's gonna come in and bring their own sensibility. I'm very excited to see what comes next, despite feeling jealous of whomever that person is."

Dolly Parton is Miley Cyrus' godmother, so of course she has nothing but kind words about the 20-year-old singer. But that doesn't mean she's taking her mentoring opportunities to an extreme.

In a new interview with the the London Evening Standard, Parton, 67, said she has advised Cyrus at times but "would never dream of" inserting herself in the singer's career moves unsolicited.

“I’ve loved her through the years and watched her grow up, and I’ve seen how smart she is and how talented she is," Parton said. "I don’t think people really realize yet what a great singer and writer she really is. She’s just trying to find her own place and wings and learn to fly."

Even if it's a given that Parton would voice her support for Cyrus, she still serves as a tally mark on Team Miley. A number of musicians (Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Kanye West) have joined the coterie of Cyrus supporters, while others (Cher, Sinead O'Connor, Elton John, Pink) have taken a seat on the other side of the fence.

“It’s not easy being young," Partons said. "It’s hard to know what to do. You’ve almost got to sacrifice your damn soul just to get anything done.”

Parton also voiced an interest in recording a duet with Cyrus, which is clearly the best idea she's had since rapping about Oprah and "Duck Dynasty" on "The Queen Latifah Show" two weeks ago.

Lady Gaga and Katy Perry have been pitted against each other as pop rivals for the better part of the year. As dueling singles, albums, music videos and press opportunities have found critics and fans questioning which singer is the reigning princess of pop, Perry is speaking out to quash the rivalry image that exists between the two.

“Gaga and I like to publicly dismiss it because it’s not healthy," Perry told Entertainment Weekly. "You want to feel music. You want it to resonate and relate to you. You can’t look at it like a competition because you ruin the reason why you love music. But I think that sometimes our fan groups are so big and strong, they use it as ammunition.”

That "ammunition" first kicked into high gear when Gaga's "Applause" and Perry's "Roar" -- the lead singles from their respective albums, which arrive just a few weeks apart from each other -- leaked at the same time. Since then, it's been a tit-for-tat between the singers' fans. It's a bit easier for Perry to denounce any form of a "competition," as forecasts for the sales of the two singles indicated that Perry would come out on top by a wide margin. Indeed, "Roar" sold 557,000 digital copies, while "Applause" saw 218,000 downloads.

In a year that's seen Joan Rivers, Sinead O'Connor, Cher and others speak out against Miley Cyrus' pop-culture reign, the conversation about fostering female rivalries in the media has escalated.

"I just think it's very unfair of anyone to pit another woman against another woman, especially in the space of music, when we're all just trying to be taken seriously at all as females," Gaga told Andy Cohen in September during an appearance on "Watch What Happens Live."

Now, as Gaga's "ARTPOP" makes its long-awaited debut on Nov. 11, the album will inevitably face comparisons with Perry's "Prism," which came out Oct. 18. "Prism" debuted at No. 1 with 286,000 copies sold. The next needless contest between the two women will center on which of them can produce the more impressive first-week sales. Perry topped Cyrus as the highest-selling debut of the year by a female artist. Can Gaga now top Perry? It's all in the "competition."

Filmmaker Ken Burns said Saturday that he wants to tell the story of three of the most famous Roosevelts, their strengths and weaknesses, in an upcoming documentary on one of America's most famous political families.

He previewed part of the 14-hour series that will air next year during a reunion of the extended Roosevelt family at the former polio clinic in rural Georgia that President Franklin Roosevelt purchased after coming to seek a cure for his crippled legs. Roosevelt built a home here known as the Little White House, where he died in 1945.

Burns' film explores the political and family ties between President Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor. The filmmaker acclaimed for documentaries on the Civil War, baseball and World War II said he aimed for an honest portrayal of political figures who were sometimes reduced to caricatures.

Contrasting American ideals of heroism with those of the heroes of ancient Greece, Burns remarked that the Greeks "saw heroes as having very obvious strength but also very obvious and sometimes equal weaknesses."

"Achilles had his heel," Burns said. "And so I think for us, it's always been what kind of American history do you show? One that's sort of treacly and superficial or one that gets deeper?"

Defining a common legacy between the three figures is tricky since their lives span from 1858 to 1962. The political populism of Theodore Roosevelt — for example, his anti-monopoly stances and efforts to improve food safety and regulation — arguably found a new expression in the New Deal politics championed by Franklin Roosevelt to alleviate the suffering inflicted by the Great Depression.

The film follows Eleanor Roosevelt as she emerged from her role as first lady after Roosevelt's death and successfully worked to adopt a United Nations declaration of human rights. She was the niece of Theodore Roosevelt and a distant relation to Franklin Roosevelt.

All three Roosevelts backed an expanded role for the central government, an unresolved issue in American politics. Congressional Republicans recently shut down much of the U.S. government in a failed attempt to derail big changes to the health insurance market made by a Democratic president.

"We have a federal government that is big because of Franklin Roosevelt," Burns said in an interview. "And lots of people think that's a good thing. And a lot of people think that's a bad thing. And a lot of people, most people, don't understand it."

The film shows flaws. Theodore Roosevelt encouraged a rebellion in Panama so the United States could secure the land needed for the Panama Canal. It discusses Franklin Roosevelt's infidelity and the emotional abuse inflicted by Eleanor Roosevelt's mother and an absent, alcoholic father.

Evidence of the history depicted in the film can be found on the surrounding campus. Roosevelt's residence still has the bed where he died and a door has scratch marks believed to be from his dog. Burns saw the fast-driving 1938 Ford that allowed Roosevelt to escape his watchful bodyguards.

"He would ride along the countryside, toot his horn, say, 'I want to talk to you,'" said Marion Dunn, 90, who met Roosevelt while working at the rehabilitation center. "He was a real people person - he didn't talk up or down to anyone."

Tweed Roosevelt, the great-grandson of Theodore Roosevelt, said he was supportive of Burns' work but could not judge the documentary since he had not seen all of it. While the Roosevelts have been extensively chronicled, it's uncommon to consider the joint legacy of all three in a single work.

"The attitudes of Franklin and Eleanor (weren't) all that different from T.R.'s view about the 'common man' and the difficult situations they face," Tweed Roosevelt said. "Today that's certainly in my opinion a very important issue, but it seems to be somewhat ignored. Here we are in an era of increasing distance between the rich and the poor getting very much back to how it was in T.R.'s time."

Local police will increase their presence at U.S. airports and the Transportation Security Administration will evaluate its procedures after a gunman killed an agency officer at Los Angeles International Airport.

The agency will discuss airport security issues “writ large” with Congress, including whether to arm officers, TSA Administrator John Pistole said at a press conference in Los Angeles yesterday.

“Obviously this gives us great concern,” said Pistole, who met with the family of Officer Gerardo Hernandez, 39, the first TSA employee killed in the line of duty, and other victims of the Nov. 1 shootings. “We will look at what our policies and procedures are and what provides the best possible security.”

The suspect, Paul Ciancia, 23, was accused of killing a federal officer on duty and of using a firearm to perform an act of violence at an international airport, according to a criminal complaint filed yesterday in Los Angeles federal court. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Ciancia is hospitalized and unresponsive so police haven’t been able to interview him, David L. Bowdich, the FBI special agent in charge, said at the press conference yesterday. It’s unclear when he will make his first court appearance.

Ciancia, of Los Angeles, singled out TSA employees and said in a handwritten note that he wanted “to instill fear in their traitorous minds,” Bowdich said.

Pistole didn’t give an opinion about arming his officers while differentiating between the missions of airport police and his employees, whose principal job is to make sure explosives don’t get onto flights.
Flights Disrupted

The shootings halted flights in and out of the Los Angeles airport, the fifth-busiest in the U.S. by domestic passengers, stranding thousands and delaying flights across the U.S. The biggest carriers are United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL:US)’s United Airlines, AMR Corp. (AAMRQ:US)’s American Airlines, Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV:US) and Delta Air Lines Inc.

As many as 866 flights, including 40 yesterday, were canceled, delayed or rerouted.

Enhanced security at Los Angeles will remain for the foreseeable future, said Patrick Gannon, the airport police chief, who didn’t give details. Passengers should feel safe with the additional resources, Gannon said.

“We’ll keep it going as long as we think it’s necessary,” Gannon said. “We will continue a very high profile.”

Airports and the TSA customarily decline to discuss details of security procedures and personnel use beyond acknowledging visible safeguards such as checkpoints. That was the case again yesterday with the city of Chicago, which runs O’Hare International, the second-busiest U.S. airport.

The Pakistani interior minister on Saturday accused the US of "scuttling" efforts towards peace talks with the Taliban by killing the militants' leader in a drone strike. Chaudhry Nisar said "every aspect" of Pakistan's cooperation with Washington would be reviewed following Friday's drone attack that killed Hakimullah Mehsud in the country's tribal northwest. Pakistan also summoned the US ambassador on Saturday to protest over two recent drone attacks, the foreign ministry said.

Conflicting reports emerged on Saturday over the selection of Hakimullah Mehsud's successor. Local media reported that Khan Said Sajna , a battle-hardened terrorist with years of fighting experience in Afghanistan, was named chief after a Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan meeting. However, a late-night PTI report said the outfit had put on hold a decision to make Sajna its new chief as several commanders opposed the move.

Instead, Shehryar Mehsud has been named caretaker chief and its Shura or council will meet again in the next few days to decide on a new leader, Taliban sources said.

Sajna comes from South Waziristan and belongs to Shabikhel sub-tribe of Mehsud clan. He was Mehsud's key aide and is said to have been behind many deadly attacks across Pakistan, including a jailbreak and an attack on the Karachi naval base.

The other contender for the top job in the group was Mullah Fazlullah, the chief of Taliban in Swat, whose fighters shot Malala Yousafzai. Meanwhile, Taliban fighters secretly buried Mehsud, who was in his mid-30 s and carried a $5 million bounty on his head, under cover of darkness amid fears that his funeral might be attacked. Mehsud's vehicle was hit while he was returning from a meeting of Taliban leaders. A Taliban leader said his body was "damaged but recognizable".

The slain Taliban chief's deputy was killed in a drone attack in May while his top aide was captured in Afghanistan last month. Mehsud's two predecessors were killed in similar attacks.

Fears of Taliban backlash has mounted in Pakistan after Mehsud's aide vowed to avenge his killing. "Our revenge will be more deadly and unprecedented," said Taliban commander Abu Omar. He blamed the Pakistan government for endorsing the drone strikes and added they know their "enemy very well".

The government sounded highest alert across Pakistan , fearing attacks as uncertainty prevailed over its move to engage with the Taliban, who have often fiercely retaliated to the killings of their leaders and targeted public places, military installations. Peshawar, which has taken the brunt of the Taliban attacks , wore a deserted look on Saturday as security forces had put up blockades across the city to prevent possible strikes.

For the shoot of a song from his upcoming movie, Ranveer Singh seemed to require some inspiration. So, the actor, by his own admission, imitated some of Govinda’s signature steps to pep up his dance moves in the song, Ishqyaun dhishqyaun.

“I grew up watching Hindi movies in the ’90s. Govinda was the best dancer then. I used to dance to his songs,” says Ranveer. While rehearsing for the song, Ranveer even managed to make his director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, laugh — who is otherwise known to be strict on the sets. He apparently kept making funny faces throughout the shoot.

After a spree of Navratri songs – 'Nagada Sang Dhol' and 'Lahu Muh Lag Gaya', the makers of 'Ram-Leela' released a non festive song from the film – 'Ishqyaun Dhishqyaun'.

'Ram-Leela' lead actors Deepika Paukone and Ranveer Singh are seen having some fun Govinda-style.

The song is in stark contrast to what we have been seeing in 'Ram-Leela'.

Unlike its predecessors 'Ishqyaun Dhishqyaun' is neither traditional nor set in a grandeur back drop. It rather shows, Ram and Leela declaring the nature of the violent romance suiting the tag line of the film 'This time Love is at War'.

Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has given a break to the traditional Gujarati dances garba and dandiya and has focused on the Bollywood dance style.

In The Indian Express music review, Sankhayan Ghosh said that 'Ishqyaun dhishqyaun suffers from 'unimaginative arrangement'.

The vocals for the song are given by Udit Narayan's son Aditya, who also sang Ranveer Singh's introductory song 'Tattad Tattad'.

The music for the film is given by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and the lyrics are penned by Siddharth-Garima.

'Ram-Leela' also stars Richa Chadda, Supriya Pathak, Gulshan Devaiah, Abhimanyu Shekhar Singh, Shweta Salve, Barkha Bisht Sengupta and Sharad Kelkar.

The film is slated to release on November 15.