Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Breaking News

Breaking News

Pakistan clashes: Many dead in Kurram fighting

Posted: 25 Jan 2012 04:51 AM PST

At least 23 people have been killed in clashes between soldiers and militants in Pakistan's tribal region of Kurram near the Afghan border, officials say.

Security officials said six of the dead were soldiers, while the rest were described as Taliban militants.

Kurram is one of Pakistan's seven tribal regions, where troops have for several years been fighting groups linked to the Taliban or al-Qaeda.

A ban on journalists make independent confirmation of casualties impossible.

A senior official of the paramilitary Frontier Corps told the AFP news agency that troops had now taken control of the area.

Pakistan launched an offensive in Kurram in July against the militants. Troops say they are still carrying out a search operation after clearing most of the area.

Correspondents say that while the army has fought Pakistani Taliban militants across many of the tribal regions, it has so far not bowed to intense American pressure to take action against the al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network in its stronghold of North Waziristan.

Belfast nightspots' value plummets by 90%

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 10:22 PM PST

A group of Belfast nightspots are now worth about a tenth of what they were bought for in 2007, according to an administrator's report.
In 2007, with the property boom at its peak, CDC Leisure bought four clubs/bars for £13.5m.
They were Katy Daly's, The Limelight, Spring & Airbrake and Auntie Annie's.
CDC went into administration in 2010 and a year later Shine Productions and MCD were able to buy three of the clubs for about £1.5m.
It is as stark a snapshot of the collapse in commercial property prices in Northern Ireland as you are likely to find.
The Limelight and Spring & Airbrake complex was one of the most popular live venues in the city for touring bands - Oasis, the Strokes and the Manic Street Preachers all made their Northern Ireland debuts there.
Auntie Annie's and Katy Daly's were thriving pubs, packed at weekends with a young crowd and hosting successful nights for local musical talent on week nights.
Levels of trade fell for all bars in Belfast as the recession took hold, but it was the crippling levels of debt taken on by CDC just months before the property crash that meant the new venture was doomed.
The Limelight sign The Limelight venue has been at the heart of Northern Ireland's music scene for decades
The precise size of the fall in value is unclear as Shine/MCD did not buy Auntie Annie's as part of the deal.
Those figures are contained in the administrator's report which has been seen by the BBC.
As well as the Ormeau Avenue bars, that £1.5m also secured substantial office space above them - a further indication of just how low the price of such property has fallen in the city centre.
There was relief in the music scene when Shine/MCD confirmed their new premises would continue to operate as live venues.
There had been fears the bars could close completely, as well as rumours that a large UK wide pub chain wanted to take them on and would change their nature completely - and abandon staging gigs.
Now jointly run by two of the leading concert promotion companies in Ireland, there seems every chance that the venues will continue to be at the centre of live music in Belfast.
And, compared to their previous, ill-fated owners, Shine/MCD acquired them for a song.

Shah Rukh Khan shows his love for Gauri

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 10:20 PM PST

SRK has his ways of putting rumours to rest and proving everything's fine between him and Gauri Khan.

For everyone working overtime contemplating problems in Shah Rukh Khan's paradise, King Khan has proved that he is an eternal romantic and loyal lover not just onscreen but also off-screen, in personal life.

Recently rumours were rife that there seem to be some problems between the steady couple Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan because of SRK's over-friendliness with Priyanka Chopra. The sizzling chemistry between the Don costars was said to have transpired beyond the silver screen. Shah Rukh never reacted to these reports but had his own way of putting the rumours to rest.

Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan had recently been to an awards function in foreign lands and their camaraderie at the after party seemed just out of a Bollywood love story. A source present at the party said, "Shah Rukh invited Gauri for a dance and expectedly she graced the dance floor. The couple indulged in a love-soaked ball-dance on some beautiful numbers and their chemistry was for everyone to see".

We must say Shah Rukh Khan clearly knows how to silence his detractors without speaking a word!

Williams sisters named to US FedCup squad

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 10:16 PM PST

WHITE PLAINS:(apsenews.com) Serena and Venus Williams were both named Tuesday to the US squad to host Belarus in a Fed Cup first-round tie in Massachusetts next month.

The US Tennis Association and American captain Mary Joe Fernandez said the Williams sisters would be joined by Christina McHale and top doubles player Liezel Huber when the Americans host a Belarus side likely to include world No. 3 Victoria Azarenka in Worcester, Massachusetts, February 4-5.

Serena Williams, 30, will make her first Fed Cup appearance since 2007. She was toppled in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Monday in an error-strewn performance against Russian Ekaterina Makarova, although she refused to blame the upset on a right ankle injury she had been nursing since the WTA tournament in Brisbane.

Venus Williams, 31, will be making her first appearance in sanctioned competition since the 2011 US Open, when she revealed she had been diagnosed with the auto-immune disorder Sjogren's Syndrome. (AFP)

Dollar edges up as Japan reports trade deficits

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 10:11 PM PST

TOKYO: The dollar firmed slightly in Asian trade Wednesday as the yen slipped on official data showing Japan saw an annual trade deficit for the first time in more than 30 years.

But the greenback's upside was limited as many exporters were still selling the US unit.

The dollar stood at 77.79 yen in mid-morning trade in Tokyo, edging up from 77.71 yen in New York Tuesday.

The euro was at $1.3024 and 101.31 yen, from $1.3030 and 101.25 yen in New York.

Importers and foreign investors sold the yen after Japan said, as expected, it had logged a calendar-year deficit in goods of 2.49 trillion yen ($32 billion) in 2011, its first since 1980. (AFP)

Bus driver hijacks bus, goes on rampage killing 9 in Pune

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 10:05 PM PST

PUNE: A rogue bus driver went berserk on the crowded streets of the city this morning, smashing all vehicles coming in its way and leaving nine persons dead and 27 others injured.

It was a nightmare in the Swargate area in the heart of the city, as the bus driven by a Maharashtra State Corporation bus driver came from wrong side of the busy Pune--Solapur Road and went past smashing all types of vehicles in the way and injuring pedestrians, who ran for their lives.

The driver 30-year-old Santosh Mane was arrested after an hour-long chase near Neelayam theatre in the city. Though initial reports said the bus driver was mentally disturbed, police said it was too early to comment.

Satpal Singh, ADG (Law and Order), said, "Nine persons are dead and 27 have been injured in the accident".

"He was hitting everything that was coming in his way," he said.

The Swargate bus terminus officials said they were investigating the incident involving the bus, which was scheduled to leave for Satara.

Pune mayor Mohansingh Rajpal, who visited the spot, asked angry citizens to maintain peace.

Newspaper review: Papers focus on £1tn debt

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 09:56 PM PST

The Financial Times pictures George Osborne chatting to his German and Danish counterparts at a meeting of EU finance ministers on the day it was announced UK debt had passed £1tn.

"A penny for your thoughts, chancellor", is the FT's caption.

The Times notes that Britain is now one of a small band of countries measuring its debt in trillions - including Italy, the United States and Japan.

It adds that figures out later are expected to show that the UK economy shrank at the end of last year.

The Guardian says the Governor of the Bank of England, Sir Mervyn King, has warned that the path to recovery would be "arduous, long and uneven".

The Daily Mail celebrates an article written for the paper by the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey.

He criticises the Anglican bishops who joined the rebellion in the House of Lords against government plans to cap benefit payments at £26,000 a year.

Lord Carey says the current welfare system rewards "fecklessness".

Distinctly less supportive of the government is Sir Mick Jagger.

The Daily Mirror says he backed out of an event designed to promote Britain at the World Economic Forum in Davos, after complaining of being "used as a political football".

The Rolling Stones front man says he has "always eschewed party politics".

A senior government source has insisted the event, being hosted by David Cameron, is "non-political", adding that there was never any suggestion that Sir Mick was a Conservative.

Fears that Britain is heading for a so-called "integrity crisis" provide the lead for The Independent.

It says research carried out by the University of Essex suggests people are becoming less honest.

Lying, having an affair, driving while drunk and buying stolen goods are more acceptable than they were 10 years ago.

Finally The Guardian reports beards are now acceptable in Disneyland. Disney has opened its theme parks to staff with facial hair or even goatees.

Misbah, Strauss expect tough work for bowlers

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 09:51 PM PST

ABU DHABI: Rival captains Misbah-ul Haq and Andrew Strauss expect tough work for bowlers on a batting-friendly pitch at Abu Dhabi Stadium where the second Test starts on Wednesday.
Pakistan have edge with off-spinner Saeed Ajmal in good form, having taken a career-best 7-55 during his 10-wicket haul which helped his team win the first Test by 10 wickets in Dubai inside three days. "Ajmal got 10 wickets which created so much pressure on England so I think that is really an edge for us but at the same time I think the nature of the pitch here will make it tough to get 20 wickets," said Misbah on Tuesday.
Misbah urged the bowlers to stick to discipline and basics. "I think you have to come out hard and just bowl a disciplined line and bowl according to the weakness of the batsmen, and just try to exploit the conditions but I think it will be really really tough to get wickets here," said Misbah.
He added his team was ready for a backlash from England, who have not lost a Test series since January 2009. "There is no doubt that England, the world number one team, will try their 100 percent best and stage a strong comeback. We are ready for them," said Misbah, who has not lost a series since taking over as captain in October 2010.
Pakistan were likely to retain the winning combination, but if the pitch seems to offer initial pace they could Aizaz Cheema with Junaid Khan.
England will wait on the fitness of paceman Chris Tremlett who has a sore back. England captain Andrew Strauss agreed that the pitch looked good for batting. "At the moment it looks a very good wicket, there's no doubt about that.
"We are expecting it to be very good wicket for batting," said Strauss, whose team has not lost two Tests in a row since beaten by South Africa in July 2008. "It's a big challenge for us and one I personally really looking forward to. We clearly let ourselves down at Dubai, we got to hold up our hands and say there are no excuses for that," said Strauss who will open with Alastair Cook for the 100th time.
About his own batting form which saw him dismissed for 19 and six in the first Test, Strauss said he hopes to overcome the slump. "It's obviously disappointing and certainly not getting runs in the last game was disappointing for me but having been around the Test match scene for a while now I know form ebbs and flows and one innings can completely change both your perspective and others' perspective in how well you're playing.
"I do think I've been hitting the ball well and hopefully that means there's a nice recipe in place to go on and get a big score," said Strauss, who has scored only one hundred in the last 30 months, at Brisbane in 2010.
When asked whether Ajmal's bowling action, questioned by various quarters after the Dubai Test, could threaten the sense of harmony between the two teams, Strauss said: "Maybe, but you're not going to hear any discussion about it from us. It's not an issue for us, it's not something we're concerned about, we're far more concerned about coming onto the pitch and winning this game."
The third and final Test will be played in Dubai from February 3-7. Both teams will also play four one-day and three Twenty20 Internationals.

Russia row over Nazi massacre site in Rostov-on-Don

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 06:26 AM PST

A row has erupted in Russia over the replacement of a Holocaust memorial plaque in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don which named Jews as victims.

In August 1942 Nazi German troops murdered at least 27,000 people at Zmiyevskaya Balka, regarded as the worst Holocaust atrocity in Russia.

More than half the victims were Jews, the Russian Jewish Congress (RJC) says.

A new plaque does not mention Jews, but "peaceful citizens of Rostov-on-Don and Soviet prisoners-of-war".

The RJC, a secular foundation representing Russian Jews, says it will take legal action over the unauthorised decision to replace the former plaque, which spoke of "more than 27,000 Jews" murdered by the Nazis. That plaque had been put up in 2004.

According to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Centre in Israel, 15,000-16,000 Jews were murdered by the Nazis in Rostov-on-Don from August 1942 to February 1943.

In the Soviet Union memorials commemorating victims of Nazi massacres spoke of "Soviet citizens" rather than "Jews".
Violation admitted

The former plaque mentioning Jews has now been put in the Zmiyevskaya Balka memorial hall, Rostov's Deputy Culture Minister Valery Gelas told Moscow Echo radio.

He admitted that the rules for historical memorials had been broken, but said the new plaque would remain and "we've done all we can".

He said the wording was in line with historical research and data presented to the Rostov cultural authorities.

RJC president Yuri Kanner said the site was "Russia's Babi Yar" - a reference to the notorious Nazi mass shootings of Jews near Kiev during World War II.

He said it was important to specify exactly who was shot at Zmiyevskaya Balka, pointing out that in law the Nazi slaughter of Jews "is considered a separate crime, with separate prosecutions".

"There could have been refugees from Poland, not necessarily Soviet citizens, it's not a question of citizens," he told Moscow Echo.

He said he did not believe the plaque decision was a case of anti-Semitism, rather that it was a local official's "attempt to do something to please somebody".

A Communist MP on the Russian parliament (Duma) committee for nationalities, Tamara Pletneva, said it was time to "forget our bitterness and live in peace".

"The memorial should commemorate all the war victims... the Soviet Union saved Jews, Russians saved Jews... so why single out Jews? We shouldn't single out any ethnic group."

Romney reports tax bill of $6.2 million for 2010-11

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 06:20 AM PST

TAMPA/WASHINGTON: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney released tax records on Tuesday indicating he will pay $6.2 million in taxes on a total of $42.5 million in income over the years 2010 and 2011.

Bowing to increasing political pressure to provide more detail about his vast wealth, the former private equity executive released tax returns indicating he and his wife, Ann, paid an effective tax rate of 13.9 percent in 2010. They expect to pay a 15.4 percent rate when they file their returns for 2011.

Romney's tax rate is below that of most wage-earning Americans because most of his income, as outlined in more than 500 pages of tax documents, flows from capital gains on investments.

Under the US tax code, capital gains are taxed at 15 percent, compared with a top tax rate of 35 percent for wage earners.

Romney released the tax returns after a week in which his chief rival for the Republican presidential nomination, former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich, questioned whether Romney was hiding information about his finances and cast him as being out of touch with most Americans.

Gingrich's attacks on Romney helped him upset the former Massachusetts governor in the South Carolina primary on Saturday.

Since then, Romney has vowed to be more aggressive in returning fire.

He has launched a series of attacks questioning Gingrich's character, judgment and lucrative work as a Washington consultant, and released his tax returns to try to nullify Gingrich's criticisms on that front.

The tax rates Romney reported paying could add fuel to a national debate over the fairness of the tax code, and coincides with broader concerns about income inequality symbolized by the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Romney's campaign officials stressed that his tax rate is based mostly on income from investments that are held in a blind trust. Romney's holdings include an undisclosed amount in funds based in the Grand Cayman Islands and other overseas entities.

Romney advisers stressed that the holdings in the Caymans - along with those in a Swiss bank account that was closed in 2010 after an investment adviser decided it could be politically embarrassing to Romney - were reported on tax returns and were not vehicles to avoid taxes.

They also stressed that Romney, whose holdings are in three blind trusts, makes no decisions as to how his money is invested.

Regardless, the emerging picture was of a man of great means who contributes mightily to charity. The documents showed he and his wife contributed $7 million in charity over the two years, much of it going to his Mormon church. That represents more than 15 percent of the Romneys' income for those years.

Romney, whose estimated net worth is $190 million to $250 million, is among the wealthiest Americans ever to seek the presidency.

Top campaign officials and the director of Romney's blind trust, Brad Malt, briefed Reuters on the details ahead of a more general release of the information Tuesday morning.

Campaign counsel Ben Ginsberg, asked why Romney was not releasing tax records for the years in the 1980s and 1990s in which Romney made his fortune at private equity firm Bain Capital, said the two years covered by the tax returns should give a broad picture of Romney's financial situation.

"We're not going to get into the game of once you give them something, they demand more," Ginsberg said. "This is a fulsome release and we're proud of it."

The tax issue may have been a factor in Romney's loss to Gingrich in South Carolina. It became a distraction to Romney's campaign, and Romney's fuzzy answers on when and if he would release his records aggravated the problem.

First he said he might release them, or might not. When the questions kept coming, he said he would put them out in April, after his 2011 forms were completed. Only after he was defeated in South Carolina did his aides say he would release them this week. Gingrich has released his returns for 2010, but has not released an estimate for last year, as Romney did.

Long considered the front-runner for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, Romney was staggered by Gingrich's lopsided win in South Carolina, and is looking to regain enough momentum to defeat Gingrich in Florida, which votes on Jan. 31.

US snubs India on Leno skit, says comments satirical, constitutionally protected

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 06:15 AM PST

WASHINGTON: The United States on Monday snubbed India even before it could lodge a formal protest over the purported insult to Sikhs, saying comments made by the comedian Jay Leno in a skit briefly involving the Golden Temple appear to be satirical in nature and are constitutionally protected under free speech.

A State Department official emphasized at the same time that the US has "absolute respect for all the people of India, including Sikhs," and pointed out that President Obama was the first president ever to host a celebration in honor of Guru Nanak Dev in the White House. "And our view is, obviously, that Sikh Americans have contributed greatly to the United States," spokesperson Victoria Nuland added.

Nuland's comments came even before the Indian Embassy, at the prodding of Indian overseas affairs minister Vayalar Ravi, objected to a comedy skit in which Leno twitted wealthy presidential candidates for their lavish homes, topping it by showing the Golden Temple as Mitt Romney's vacation home. The skit mainly ridiculed Romney, who is being scrutinized for his immense wealth ahead of the Presidential election, and neither Sikhs nor their holy shrine appeared to be subjected to derision. Only a brief, second-long still photo of the Golden Temple was flashed on Leno's Tonight Show.

Ravi himself admitted he had not seen the skit, but was driven to comment on the matter by a journalist who conveyed to him the "outrage" in the Sikh community in the form of an online petition. But most Sikhs didn't watch the skit, didn't care, or simply took it in the satirical or comedic spirit in which it was made. Spoof and hyperbole is the lifeblood of late night comedy skits.

In fact, two major Sikh activist organizations -- United Sikhs and Sikh Coalition -- which have campaigned successfully for more sensitive treatment of Sikhs at US airports and their rights to bear religious articles, took no note of the purported offense. A turbaned Sikh was recently elected mayor of the historic city of Charlottesville. Some publicity-hungry campaigners in the US, including self-professed Hindu activists, routinely invoke religious sensitivity and outrage on behalf of their community to generate headlines.

Nuland barely hid US exasperation at the Indian government's hypersensitivity on the matter, while presenting Washington's fortitude in protecting Leno's right to free speech. "I think that Mr. Leno would be appreciative - I hope he'll be appreciative - if we make the point that his comments are constitutionally protected in the United States under free speech, and frankly, they appear to be satirical in nature," she said.

The US observation, obliquely critical of New Delhi's stand, comes at a time when liberal activists say the Indian government has abdicated its responsibility of protecting free speech at the Jaipur Literary Festival by buckling before communalists for electoral gains. In remarks to journalists in Washington, Ravi maintained that it was the responsibility of the government to maintain communal order and freedom of expression did not mean the right to hurt religious sentiments.

5 Ways to Double Your Hourly Rate

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 06:09 AM PST

What if I told you that there are proven methods for raising your rates that will boost your bank account and won't scare clients away?

It doesn't matter whether you're a consultant, coach, or freelancer--asking people to pay you more money for the same services can be a scary proposition. Most people are afraid that if they raise their rates, clients will run screaming out the door.

In reality, this mental block is the biggest barrier to raising your rates. Here are five ways to overcome it.


1. Showcase your value. An easy way to show that your work is worth more is to highlight the value you provide.

Revamp your portfolio. Ask some of your favorite clients for glowing testimonials. Create a video that showcases all of the work that goes into a typical project. Build a chart that compares how much money you saved for clients compared with how little you charged them. Make sure that your service offerings highlight the total value that you're providing and not just the price tag. Your price--no matter what it is--should look small in comparison to the value you provide.

Your rate is determined by the value you provide and the results you bring, not by how you feel about the price. Do a better job of proving your worth to prospective customers and they will gladly pay a higher price.

[See 5 Phrases That Will Get You a Higher Salary.]

2. Target better customers. There is no doubt that some of your customers are better than others. Certain jobs are a stretch for you while others hit your sweet spot.

Think about how you can hit that sweet spot more often. Odds are, there are certain clients who love you because you're exactly what they are looking for in a solution. You're the answer to their problems. What would it be like to work with clients like that all the time?

You can charge a higher price if you only work with your best clients because you're such a clear answer to their specific problem. The more specific of a problem you solve, the higher a price you can charge.

3. Raising rates is a part of business. If you're still scared to make the leap, schedule your rate increases at a set time. Raise them every three months or raise them after every 10 clients ... or set your own schedule.

Regardless, if you make rate raising a part of business, you take the emotion out of it. Raising your rates isn't a random event. I talked to one freelancer who has raised her rates 40 times over the years!

If you've worked with 10 more clients, your skills are better and you're more experienced. That means it's time to raise your rates.

[See 5 Ways to Become a Self-Made Millionaire.]

4. Switch to price tiers. If the thought of raising your rates still terrifies you, let your customers make the decision for you.

It's common knowledge that different people have different price points, and you can use this to your advantage by giving people a few options.

Instead of charging $300 per project, you could offer a basic package at $349, a premium package at $499, and an elite package at $799. You'll be surprised by how often clients opt for the higher priced services.

The real beauty of price tiers is that they shift the client's mindset from "Should I pay you at all?" to "What price should I pay you?"

And if you're wondering, three price tiers is usually best. When you offer more than three options, people tend to get overwhelmed.

[See 5 Ways to Earn Extra Income Online.]

5. Charge in chunks. Perhaps the easiest way to make more money per hour is to stop charging per hour.

One of the hardest parts about charging per hour is that you're always looking for the next project so you can bill for the next hour. This constant search takes a lot of time and reduces the amount you can get paid. You can overcome this by searching for bigger clients and taking their projects on in larger chunks of time.

For example, let's say you charge $40 an hour and you spend about 10 to 15 hours per week trying to find new clients. That means you can bill clients for about 30 hours per week, which comes out to $1,200 per week. Over the course of a month, you're making about $4,800.

What if you sold your services in one month blocks for $5,000? Not only would that boost your pay a bit, it would also result in an immediate increase in time because you wouldn't have to spend 10 to 15 hours every week trying to find the next client.

With the extra 40 to 60 hours per month, you could search for another major client (who could also pay you $5,000 per month) or spend more time with your kids.

No matter what strategy you choose, start charging more today. You'll be glad you did.

James Clear is the founder of PassivePanda.com, a website that teaches you how to earn more money, time, and freedom. Join Passive Panda's free newsletter for fresh ideas on earning more money.
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Sunday, 22 January 2012

Breaking News

Breaking News

One third of UK adults 'plan to spend less this year'

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 03:39 AM PST

A growing number of people in the UK plan to cut back on their spending this year, a survey has suggested.

One in three adults now plan to spend less in 2012, a rise from October when 19% said they would cut back, the Resolution Foundation think tank said.

About a quarter of those surveyed said they expected their finances to get worse this year.

However, a similar proportion of people currently in work said they still expected a pay rise.

The survey comes just days after official figures showed the UK's unemployment rate had risen to the highest level for 16 years.

On Thursday, the Nationwide Building society said that consumer confidence in the UK had fallen to "a low ebb" in December.

Figures on Friday showed that retail sales rose 0.6% in December after heavy discounting in shops in the run-up to Christmas.
'Real worry'

As well as planning to reduce spending, the Resolution Foundation said that more people were now saving. Those making monthly savings rose to 30% from 22% in October.

One in five said they could not afford a holiday this year.

"Families that are already hard-pressed are preparing for yet another very tough year ahead, with a big rise in the numbers planning to cut back spending as well as trying to save and reduce their debts," said Gavin Kelly, the think tank's chief executive.

"Given this gloomy backdrop it's a real worry that a new round of cuts to tax credits planned for April will further dampen the spending power of low to middle-income families.

"The longer households cut back on spending, the longer it will be before we see real economic recovery."

The survey of 1,993 people was carried out by Ipsos Mori on behalf of the Resolution Foundation.

Ascot to refund spectators made to wear orange stickers

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 03:36 AM PST

Ascot will refund Saturday's spectators who were labelled with orange stickers for breaching new dress codes.

The rules, which require male premier enclosure ticket holders to wear a jacket and tie, were not enforced, but the stickers were issued as a warning.

"No customers should be expected to pay for such an experience," Ascot chief executive Charles Barnett said in a statement.

The move is likely to cost Ascot a five-figure sum.

This week it was announced that women must wear hats rather than fascinators - a cross between a hair accessory and a mini hat - in the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot.

For racedays outside the royal meeting, the new course dress code states: "In Premier Admission, gentlemen should wear a jacket and tie, smart trousers or smart jeans, no trainers. There will be an announcement on the day allowing jackets to be removed, should the weather be hot.
Continue reading the main story Ascot hat

    Ladies should dress for a smart occasion; hats are encouraged but not compulsory

Ascot dress code

"Ladies should dress for a smart occasion; hats are encouraged but not compulsory. Children should be dressed smartly."

Small orange stickers were affixed to the clothing or badges of racegoers who breached the dress code, a policy described by some as "patronising and humiliating".

"It is clear that we let down many of our premier enclosure customers yesterday with a well-intentioned but misguided policy," Barnett said.

"We have taken the view that all premier enclosure visitors yesterday will receive a full refund."

Barnett said Ascot was refunding racegoers as a gesture of goodwill, and urged them to retain their visitors' badge in order to claim back the cost of admission.

He added: "We have worked very hard for many years to establish ourselves as a benchmark for customer service and are making this statement today to reinforce that we will not allow our reputation as a welcoming sports venue to be tarnished by an isolated lack of judgement on our part.

"We will work through the logistics of the refunds tomorrow. Most people will have booked in advance or paid by card on the day but we will look after cash customers too and anyone who still has their admission badge should hold onto it."

Ascot spokesman Nick Smith told BBC Sport: "We are trying to bring in a new dress code but didn't want on day one to turn anyone away and genuinely thought we were treading quite softly.
Analysis
Continue reading the main story

    Ascot have rightly apologised but this kind of thing sets racing back when there is a lot of talk about a new dawn for the sport, with a new chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority. The course has done much to modernise itself but this was clearly a retograde step

Cornelius Lysaght BBC racing correpondent

"Because we haven't got just one premier enclosure admission point, it was not feasible to talk to people as they came in and so they were advised as they entered the escalators to level four.

"The idea of the tiny orange stickers was that staff would see who had already been advised so they didn't hassle them for the rest of the day."

Smith said the new rules were part of a move to restore formality at the course and the stickers were designed to identify dress that would be unacceptable at future meetings.

"Everything behind the thinking appeared to make a lot of sense, but it's clear that targeting people like this gave out the wrong message," he said.

"We used a very small little tag, not a huge sign saying 'you are wearing the wrong dress'.

"The intention wasn't to be heavy-handed so we apologise. We haven't had many complaints, but we are sure we will get some.

"It was clearly the wrong thing to do and there will not be orange tags next time. We will advise people politely, although this may unfortunately mean people are advised more than once."

There is no formal dress code in the course's grandstand for racedays outside the royal meeting, but the rules state "bare chests are not permitted at any time".

Men are required to wear a jacket and tie in the grandstand at Royal Ascot, although the restriction does not apply to the Silver Ring.

Court validation required for immunity: Ramday

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 03:33 AM PST

KARACHI:(apsenews.com) Former Supreme Court Judge, Justice (retired) Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday said that in order to claim immunity one has to appear before the Supreme Court.

He further said that even former President Pervez Musharraf had asked for immunity and had not made a decision while sitting at home.

Ramday who was speaking to Geo News' senior anchor Kamran Khan said the NRO review petition did not state anything about immunity.

'The NRO case only motioned the letter written by Attorney General in 2008.'

Commenting further on the letter written to Swiss authorities, the former Supreme Court Judge said this had no relation to criminal cases.

International teams must be able to perform everywhere: CA official

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 03:27 AM PST

MELBOURNE: A Cricket Australia board member Harry Harinath has rubbished suggestions that the pitches being used in the ongoing Test series in Australia have been designed to give the home team an advantage and said an international team must be able to play on all kind of tracks.

Reacting to left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra's comments that there appeared to be a change in both appearance and behaviour of the Test venue's pitches in Australia, Harinath said part of playing Test cricket was performing regardless of the conditions.

"The current Indian team is not a bad team. It's a good team, but for reasons unknown to me they're not performing," said Harinath.

"But there should be no complaints about the pitches. If you're an international standard player, you should be able to play on all sorts of pitches.

"When our players go to India, they've got to play on what is available there. You can't have the same pitches all over the world; they change from place to place," he added.

Nehra had toured Australia in 2003-04 and felt at that time the pitches only had bounce but weren't so seaming.

Harinath said it was important for world cricket that India remained a competitive side, even after losing the series to England 4-0 and facing the prospect of a whitewash in Australia.

"Every team has periods of success and failure. What we do well in Australia is we prolong the periods of success...if you have a good system you can shorten the periods of failure. The pathway and the training -- it's all very important," Harinath was quoted as saying by the 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

India's win is more important than Tendulkar's 100th ton: Gambhir

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 03:23 AM PST

ADELAIDE: The series is out of grasp but Indian opener Gautam Gambhir said the debacle has not affected his team's motivation and it is focussed on winning the fourth and final Test to avoid a whitewash against Australia.

"Every Test is special. You have to be motivated. There is no lack of motivation. You shouldn't be playing cricket if you are not motivated," said Gambhir after the team's practice session ahead of the match starting on Tuesday.

"The thing is, you don't get bad in one or two series. Just two series back, we were the world's best. That's when your character comes out--you try to back each other and support each other. Back your own team when the entire squad is down," he added.

Gambhir said he puts a lot of premium on his side doing well here -- more than even the elusive 100th international hundred of Sachin Tendulkar.

"It's more satisfying for me if India wins the Test than if Tendulkar scores his 100th century. When you play for the country, you want the team to win and not individuals to get records.

"The 0-3 scoreline hurts far more than Tendulkar not getting his 100. If India can make it 1-3, it would be far satisfying than if Tendulkar gets his hundred (and India ends up still losing)."

Gambhir conceded that the Australian attack has been a cut above the rest but yearned for that one session which could turn thing around in the final Test.

"In England, there was a lot of lateral movement. Here, they had an inexperienced attack. But they have been tremendous and never let us off the hook. They always kept us under pressure, even with three seamers and a spinner," said Gambhir.

"They have kept coming at us. There were no easy runs even in the middle session. In the first session, it always does a bit but then it gets flatter. Still, credit to them, they were hitting those areas even in the middle session and not allowing us to score freely," Gambhir said.

"Indians are known to bat freely. We have a middle order who are boundary-hitters. But they never let us hit those boundaries."

The left-handed opener still believed things change in international cricket quickly and his team has the wherewithal to turn around the corner.

"It's a new Test and we have to be positive. There's a month and a half of cricket still left in the series and we have to look to do well here and carry the momentum in one-dayers.

"I haven't seen the wicket but they have given us sporting wickets in this series...one good session could turn things around. We have seen it in India where we were made to follow on and went on to win the Test."

Gambhir admitted his form has been disappointing in the series and he was nervous to start with. But things have picked up lately for him.

"The conditions are very different. There's a lot of bounce. To start with, you are far more nervous and in anxiety poke at the ball.

"Gradually, you get the feel of bowlers and what's their game plan. I hadn't known it at the start of the series. Then you start preparing differently and work out the areas where you could score runs.

"It was disappointing initially but then after Sydney, I felt far more comfortable in first innings in Perth."

The Delhi opener though has no plans to change his batting style for the series.

"Whatever your game plans are, you need to stick to it. You can't change it in the middle of Tests or you get confused. In international cricket, you need to have a game plan where you score runs, what's your strength, what you need to be careful about," Gambhir said.

"Test cricket is about percentage cricket. You need to cut down on a lot of areas where the bowlers can get you out."

Ben Hilfenhaus has been the chief tormentor for Gambhir in this series but the latter didn't want to rush into a judgment if the right-arm swing bowler is already a top-notch performer.

"He made his debut in Mohali and played well. But it's his own backyard and the difference is in conditions. You can judge him after how he performs in the sub-continent. But he's bowled very well and he's their main bowler who has always taken wickets."

Gambhir reiterated that the failure has been collective and it isn't proper to lay it at the door of the openers or middle-order.

"It's not one or two players. Sometimes openers don't give the start and middle order does well. On other occasions, openers start well and middle order disappoints. But things can turn around quickly."

The regular opener didn't think lack of practice matches in proper conditions was the issue which hurt his unit in this series.

"Practice games are a personal thing. Some take it lightly. I always take every game very seriously. We had just two games before the Tests and I wanted to get the feel of the wicket, feel of bounce and stuff.

"But then bowlers in practice matches are not what you get in Tests. In Tests, its' a different ball game."

Scottish independence: 'Basic answers' needed from SNP

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 03:15 AM PST

The deputy prime minister has called for "basic answers" on the referendum for Scottish independence.

The Scottish government is due to launch its consultation on the referendum process on Wednesday.

Nick Clegg said the SNP needed to outline the case for defence, taxation and currency in an independent Scotland.

The Scottish government said it would set out its detailed proposals this week.

The SNP has set a referendum date of autumn 2014, with other parties calling for the vote to be held sooner.

Mr Clegg told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that the Nationalists now needed to make a detailed case of how an independent Scotland would function.

He said: "I really think at a time when the central argument is about the wisdom of wrenching Scotland out of the United Kingdom let's focus on that debate.

"And let's get the SNP to provide basic answers.

"You would have thought for a party whose whole, sole purpose in life is to advocate independence they would have been able to provide answers about what it means for defence, for taxation, for investment, the currency, and that's what I think we should focus on."
Continue reading the main story
SNP position     Unionist position

Wants the referendum in the autumn of 2014
   

Wants the referendum "sooner rather than later"

Backs a "yes/no" ballot but is open minded on including a second "devo max" question
   

Wants a one question "yes/no" ballot

Wants 16 and 17-year-olds to be able to vote in the referendum
   

Backs the status quo with 18 and over able to vote

Wants a special commission to conduct the referendum
   

Wants the Electoral Commission to oversee the vote

Scottish Secretary Michael Moore has also called for a "comprehensive explanation" from the Scottish government for delaying an independence referendum vote until 2014.

However, Mr Moore also welcomed "positive signals" that the first minister may be willing to drop his opposition to the Electoral Commission overseeing the referendum.

Alex Salmond has suggested a separate commission could be created to run the referendum.

The launch of the SNP consultation on the referendum will be followed by a meeting between the first minister and Scottish secretary on Friday.

Mr Moore said: "I hope that they will agree with us that it is in Scotland's interests to have the vote sooner rather than later and provide a comprehensive explanation of how any delay, and the associated uncertainty, could be in the interests of the Scottish people and economy."

The Artist wins Producers Guild Award

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 03:04 AM PST


The Artist has continued its awards success, taking the top honour at the Producers Guild Awards in Los Angeles.

Producer Thomas Langmann received the award for his work on the silent film, which collected three Golden Globe prizes last week.

The film beat nine others to the title, including The Descendants, War Horse, Moneyball, The Help and Bridesmaids.

There was also British success for Downton Abbey, which won in the long-form television category.

"When Michel Hazanavicius and I dreamed of making The Artist, we knew we were dreaming of writing a love letter to American cinema," Langmann said in his acceptance speech.

"We never knew in return we would get a taste of the American dream."

Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin picked up best-produced animated film, beating the likes of Cars 2, Rango, Puss In Boots and Kung Fu Panda 2.
Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie received a special award for her film, In the Land of Blood and Honey

Other award winners included Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest for best-produced documentary, which explores the journey of influential hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest.

Angelina Jolie received the Stanley Kramer award - a prize recognising films that highlight provocative social issues - for her directorial debut, In the Land of Blood and Honey, which she also wrote and produced.

Spielberg was also awarded the David O Selznick achievement award and comic-book legend Stan Lee received the Vanguard award, presented by Spiderman actor Tobey Maguire.

In the other TV categories, Modern Family was named best-produced television comedy for a second consecutive year.

Colombia's Farc rebels destroy radar station

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 02:59 AM PST

Farc rebels in Colombia have destroyed a radar installation, disrupting civil aviation in the south and west of the country, the government says.

Around 100 guerrillas bombarded the mountaintop installation with home-made missiles, killing one of the police guards and and smashing the equipment.

Officials said it would take several months to repair the radar, which is also used to monitor drug trafficking.

President Juan Manuel Santos has condemned the attack.

"When the Farc attacks sites that affect the civilian population it shows their weakness and desperation," he said.
Fierce battle

The radar station on Cerro Santana, in a remote mountainous area of the southern Cauca region, was under sustained attack for more than 12 hours.

Rebels bombarded the installations with gunfire and explosive missiles made out of cooking gas canisters.

The 18-strong police garrison fought back, supported by helicopter gunships. Army troops eventually arrived to restore control of the area and pursue the guerrillas.

The director of Colombia's civil aviation authority, Santiago Castro, said it could take months to repair the radar station, which controlled air traffic across a large area of southern and western Colombia.

"The solution we are considering to ensure the safety of flights is to space out their frequency. We don't know if the number of flights will have to be reduced, but there will be delays," Mr Castro said.

The disruption could also affect flights to neighbouring Panama and Ecuador.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) are the country's largest left-wing rebel group, and have been fighting since the 1960s.

In recent years they have suffered a series of setbacks, losing thousands of fighters and several of their top commanders.

But they remain a powerful force in large areas of rural Colombia, thanks in part to money gained from the cocaine trade.

Earlier this month the Farc's new leader - known as Timochenko - indicated that he was interested in peace talks with the government.

But President Santos has reiterated that there can be no negotiations until the rebels cease all attacks and release the hostages they are holding.

Should access to online pornography be blocked?

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 02:52 AM PST

If you switch to a new provider for your internet access later this year, you will be forced to make a choice: do you want access to adult content or not?

If you are with one of the big four providers, you won't be able to get online until you answer. It's a fresh step taken to protect younger teenagers from hardcore material, which is sometimes seen by children who have barely started secondary school.

But the move is controversial, alarming firms which say they run lawful sites already restricted to adults - and those who fear for the free nature of the internet.

Nathan Lyon hopes to get Adelaide berth

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 10:41 PM PST

ADELAIDE: Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who worked as an assistant curator till last year, sparked off another round of mind games on Saturday by declaring that the home team may go in with four pacers in the final Test.

Lyon is apprehensive because curator Damien Hough, under whom he worked as a groundstaff, has left a bit too much dry grass on the pitch. "There's still a fair amount of grass out there, so I'm not sure what the line-up is going to be," Lyon said.

"They may go with four quicks again. We'll have to wait and see what Pup (captain Michael Clarke) and (coach) Mickey (Arthur) come up with. It will be a great opportunity if I can come out here against the Indians on Tuesday, but if the nod doesn't go my way, I'm pretty sure the boys will be able to get the job done."

Lyon's concerns may well be misplaced as both Clarke and Arthur are in favour of going into a Test match with a spinner. So, in all probability, Lyon will replace Mitchell Starc in the playing XI.

Lyon, who was made to carry the drinks in Perth after Australia chose to field an all-pace attack, said he used the window to work on his bowling, batting and fielding. "I used all that time possible that I could use to make myself a better player," said Lyon, who earlier in the week picked Shane Warne's brain in order to improve his performance with the ball.

On Saturday, he was seen taking tips from former captain Ricky Ponting during nets. "I'm just trying to keep executing my stock ball to the best of my ability," Lyon explained. "Of course, changes of pace and natural variation all come into it, but I've been working hard with Ricky, especially on my bowling in the nets because he is one of the best (in the game)."

Dutch teen completes historic, controversial solo sail around the globe

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 10:37 PM PST

( apsenews.com) -- Some 518 days after she first set off alone in her sailboat, 16-year-old Laura Dekker glided into a Caribbean port on Saturday to complete her historic, and controversial, voyage around the globe.

The Dutch citizen arrived in Sint Maarten around 3 p.m. (2 p.m. ET), her spokesman Anton Van de Koppel told CNN. And a picture linked from Dekker's official website Saturday shows her standing behind a group of children holding a sign, "Congratulations Laura Dekker ... Welcome back to St. Maarten."

While other teens have made similar sea voyages -- some of them without stopping, as Dekker did -- the Dutch girl unofficially appears to be the youngest to do so sailing alone. In 2010, Australian Jessica Watson finished a non-stop, unassisted solo circumnavigation days before her 17th birthday.

But sailing journalists have said, and her team didn't dispute, that her route was less than 21,600 orthodromic (or, in the same direction for a great circle) nautical miles, which is the length of the equator and the distance generally used for round-the-world sailing records.

Dekker states on her website that she traversed about 27,000 nautical miles on her own solo voyage aboard her 38-foot yacht, which she has dubbed Guppy. She was 14 when she began August 21, 2010, in Gibraltar and then headed west across the Atlantic Ocean, through the Panama Canal, across the Pacific, through the Indian Ocean, around the Cape of Good Hope, and ultimately to her final destination in the Caribbean.

The trip almost didn't happen -- not because of problems at sea, but rather due to a high-profile legal fight by Dutch authorities to prevent the teen from setting sail, for her own safety.

In August 2009, Dekker was put under state care for two months, following her parents' refusal to prevent her from undertaking the voyage.
Here I am having almost circumnavigated the whole world. Yes, that idea is slowly sinking in... But I don't really believe it.
Laura Dekker

Then, in October 2009, a Dutch court ruled the girl couldn't sail around the world because she was not considered experienced enough to do so. But it left the door open for a future trip, deciding that she could depart if she fulfilled certain requirements the court had established for her.

"As a 13-year-old girl, it was never my intention to be the center of world news," Dekker wrote on her blog three days before docking in Sint Maarten.

"Now, after sailing around the world, with difficult port approaches, storms, dangerous reefs, and the full responsibility of keeping myself and the Guppy safe, I feel that the nightmares the Dutch government organizations put me through, were totally unfair," she added.

Dekker made stops in numerous coastal sites during her trip, in places such as the Galapagos Islands, Bora Bora and Cape Town, South Africa. According to multiple published reports, including in the St. Maarten newspaper Today, she had once planned to return to Gibraltar by going through the Suez Canal, but altered her route and headed around South Africa toward Sint Maarten to avoid pirates.

The day before docking for the last time, she reflected on the early days of her voyage, including her initial time in the Caribbean more than a year earlier.

"It feels like it was just yesterday but at the same time it seems like it was an eternity ago," wrote Dekker, who was actually born on a boat in port in New Zealand. "Back then I had no idea I would be back now with a life load of new experiences and 27,000 nautical miles under Guppy's keel.

"But here I am having almost circumnavigated the whole world. Yes, that idea is slowly sinking in... But I don't really believe it."(CNN) -- Some 518 days after she first set off alone in her sailboat, 16-year-old Laura Dekker glided into a Caribbean port on Saturday to complete her historic, and controversial, voyage around the globe.

The Dutch citizen arrived in Sint Maarten around 3 p.m. (2 p.m. ET), her spokesman Anton Van de Koppel told CNN. And a picture linked from Dekker's official website Saturday shows her standing behind a group of children holding a sign, "Congratulations Laura Dekker ... Welcome back to St. Maarten."

While other teens have made similar sea voyages -- some of them without stopping, as Dekker did -- the Dutch girl unofficially appears to be the youngest to do so sailing alone. In 2010, Australian Jessica Watson finished a non-stop, unassisted solo circumnavigation days before her 17th birthday.

But sailing journalists have said, and her team didn't dispute, that her route was less than 21,600 orthodromic (or, in the same direction for a great circle) nautical miles, which is the length of the equator and the distance generally used for round-the-world sailing records.

Dekker states on her website that she traversed about 27,000 nautical miles on her own solo voyage aboard her 38-foot yacht, which she has dubbed Guppy. She was 14 when she began August 21, 2010, in Gibraltar and then headed west across the Atlantic Ocean, through the Panama Canal, across the Pacific, through the Indian Ocean, around the Cape of Good Hope, and ultimately to her final destination in the Caribbean.

The trip almost didn't happen -- not because of problems at sea, but rather due to a high-profile legal fight by Dutch authorities to prevent the teen from setting sail, for her own safety.

In August 2009, Dekker was put under state care for two months, following her parents' refusal to prevent her from undertaking the voyage.
Here I am having almost circumnavigated the whole world. Yes, that idea is slowly sinking in... But I don't really believe it.
Laura Dekker

Then, in October 2009, a Dutch court ruled the girl couldn't sail around the world because she was not considered experienced enough to do so. But it left the door open for a future trip, deciding that she could depart if she fulfilled certain requirements the court had established for her.

"As a 13-year-old girl, it was never my intention to be the center of world news," Dekker wrote on her blog three days before docking in Sint Maarten.

"Now, after sailing around the world, with difficult port approaches, storms, dangerous reefs, and the full responsibility of keeping myself and the Guppy safe, I feel that the nightmares the Dutch government organizations put me through, were totally unfair," she added.

Dekker made stops in numerous coastal sites during her trip, in places such as the Galapagos Islands, Bora Bora and Cape Town, South Africa. According to multiple published reports, including in the St. Maarten newspaper Today, she had once planned to return to Gibraltar by going through the Suez Canal, but altered her route and headed around South Africa toward Sint Maarten to avoid pirates.

The day before docking for the last time, she reflected on the early days of her voyage, including her initial time in the Caribbean more than a year earlier.

"It feels like it was just yesterday but at the same time it seems like it was an eternity ago," wrote Dekker, who was actually born on a boat in port in New Zealand. "Back then I had no idea I would be back now with a life load of new experiences and 27,000 nautical miles under Guppy's keel.

"But here I am having almost circumnavigated the whole world. Yes, that idea is slowly sinking in... But I don't really believe it."

Don't ban Salman Rushdie

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 10:32 PM PST

Shriya Saran gets chatty with TOI on Salman Rushdie, sexy item numbers and more...

She has a smouldering, hot aura, which makes men go weak in the knees. But, those who judge oomphy gal Shriya Saran of Sivaji: The Boss fame merely by her looks, are in for a shock. Behind that comely exterior lies a woman, who's very sensitive to her surroundings and a trained Kathak dancer, whose candid takes on life are extremely endearing. In a candid chat with PT, Shriya gets chatty on life, love and more...
Does it bother you that Salman Rushdie will not be a part of Jaipur literature fest, especially since you are also doing a film based on Rushdie's Midnight's Children, directed by Deepa Mehta... Keeping a man like Salman Rushdie away from the fest is illogical! Look at his body of work! We are the largest democracy in the world, so to take an autocratic view on Rushdie's visit to India is uncalled for! If people's sentiments have been hurt, they have a right to voice them. But don't ban him, please!

You had said that Sivaji: the Boss changed your career, but now that you are integral part of Bollywood, do you feel a special connect with Shivaji - the Maratha warrior too? It's really strange, but I find a connect with Shivaji Raje through Rajinikanth. Rajini sir is born a Marathi, he's a superstar in Tamil film industry and a national icon too. He started his life as an ordinary man and reached the pinnacle. This is how Shivaji Raje's life also traversed from common to extraordinary.

You have openly admitted that you admire Anna Hazare. Now that his movement has slowed down, do you feel disappointed? Anna comes from a small village and yet he inspired the entire nation to fight the menace of corruption head-on. That is not a small achievement. He may have withdrawn in a shell, but at the right time, he will revert to take the battle forward. It's a great honour that he will be watching our film Gali Gali Chor Hai, which deals with corruption.

Does it rankle you that Veena Malik is doing Channo - a sizzling item number in the film and not you? I couldn't have done Channo even if I wanted to because I am playing a homemaker in the film.

If you were given a chance, what would be your first choice for doing an item number? I'd love to do Munni or Sheila because Malaika and Katrina look great in these numbers. Alas, I'm still waiting to do my first item number! Shriya Saran gets chatty with TOI on Salman Rushdie, sexy item numbers and more...

She has a smouldering, hot aura, which makes men go weak in the knees. But, those who judge oomphy gal Shriya Saran of Sivaji: The Boss fame merely by her looks, are in for a shock. Behind that comely exterior lies a woman, who's very sensitive to her surroundings and a trained Kathak dancer, whose candid takes on life are extremely endearing. In a candid chat with PT, Shriya gets chatty on life, love and more...
Does it bother you that Salman Rushdie will not be a part of Jaipur literature fest, especially since you are also doing a film based on Rushdie's Midnight's Children, directed by Deepa Mehta... Keeping a man like Salman Rushdie away from the fest is illogical! Look at his body of work! We are the largest democracy in the world, so to take an autocratic view on Rushdie's visit to India is uncalled for! If people's sentiments have been hurt, they have a right to voice them. But don't ban him, please!

You had said that Sivaji: the Boss changed your career, but now that you are integral part of Bollywood, do you feel a special connect with Shivaji - the Maratha warrior too? It's really strange, but I find a connect with Shivaji Raje through Rajinikanth. Rajini sir is born a Marathi, he's a superstar in Tamil film industry and a national icon too. He started his life as an ordinary man and reached the pinnacle. This is how Shivaji Raje's life also traversed from common to extraordinary.

You have openly admitted that you admire Anna Hazare. Now that his movement has slowed down, do you feel disappointed? Anna comes from a small village and yet he inspired the entire nation to fight the menace of corruption head-on. That is not a small achievement. He may have withdrawn in a shell, but at the right time, he will revert to take the battle forward. It's a great honour that he will be watching our film Gali Gali Chor Hai, which deals with corruption.

Does it rankle you that Veena Malik is doing Channo - a sizzling item number in the film and not you? I couldn't have done Channo even if I wanted to because I am playing a homemaker in the film.

If you were given a chance, what would be your first choice for doing an item number? I'd love to do Munni or Sheila because Malaika and Katrina look great in these numbers. Alas, I'm still waiting to do my first item number! Shriya Saran gets chatty with TOI on Salman Rushdie, sexy item numbers and more...

She has a smouldering, hot aura, which makes men go weak in the knees. But, those who judge oomphy gal Shriya Saran of Sivaji: The Boss fame merely by her looks, are in for a shock. Behind that comely exterior lies a woman, who's very sensitive to her surroundings and a trained Kathak dancer, whose candid takes on life are extremely endearing. In a candid chat with PT, Shriya gets chatty on life, love and more...
Does it bother you that Salman Rushdie will not be a part of Jaipur literature fest, especially since you are also doing a film based on Rushdie's Midnight's Children, directed by Deepa Mehta... Keeping a man like Salman Rushdie away from the fest is illogical! Look at his body of work! We are the largest democracy in the world, so to take an autocratic view on Rushdie's visit to India is uncalled for! If people's sentiments have been hurt, they have a right to voice them. But don't ban him, please!

You had said that Sivaji: the Boss changed your career, but now that you are integral part of Bollywood, do you feel a special connect with Shivaji - the Maratha warrior too? It's really strange, but I find a connect with Shivaji Raje through Rajinikanth. Rajini sir is born a Marathi, he's a superstar in Tamil film industry and a national icon too. He started his life as an ordinary man and reached the pinnacle. This is how Shivaji Raje's life also traversed from common to extraordinary.

You have openly admitted that you admire Anna Hazare. Now that his movement has slowed down, do you feel disappointed? Anna comes from a small village and yet he inspired the entire nation to fight the menace of corruption head-on. That is not a small achievement. He may have withdrawn in a shell, but at the right time, he will revert to take the battle forward. It's a great honour that he will be watching our film Gali Gali Chor Hai, which deals with corruption.

Does it rankle you that Veena Malik is doing Channo - a sizzling item number in the film and not you? I couldn't have done Channo even if I wanted to because I am playing a homemaker in the film.

If you were given a chance, what would be your first choice for doing an item number? I'd love to do Munni or Sheila because Malaika and Katrina look great in these numbers. Alas, I'm still waiting to do my first item number!

Congress backs Rahul but BJP distrustful of Varun

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 10:25 PM PST

NEW DELHI: A new book on Rahul Gandhi makes a comparison between him and his cousin who, it feels, is "practically isolated" in his party BJP.

"To a large extent, it boils down to the choices which Rahul and Varun and their fathers or mothers have made. While Rajiv enjoyed the goodwill of the people, Sanjay was almost hated for his policies," the book titled 'Rahul' by journalists Jatin Gandhi and Veenu Sandhu says.

"While Rahul makes an extra effort to be seen as secular, Varun has done just the opposite. While the Congress would like nothing better than to see Rahul as Prime Minister of India, the BJP remains distrustful of Varun because he is, at the end of the day, a Gandhi," it says.

The book notes that BJP leaders have often pulled up Varun for his deviation from party line. "In Rahul's case, any variance becomes the new party line," it adds.

While one is "openly celebrated" by the party as its next Prime Ministerial candidate, the book says, "the other (Varun) often stands practically isolated within his party".

On Rahul's 'Mission 2012', the book says that he hoped to "re-jig" Mayawati's social engineering formula to regain his party's winning combination in UP though Congress winning 21 seats in 2009 general elections from UP made the BSP chief to focus on wooing Dalits and Muslims even at the cost of losing Brahmin votes.

After launching the party's efforts to regain hold in UP, the book says the Congress, just like the BSP, hoped to select candidates for the 2012 Assembly elections in 2011.

However, it says, "after the Congress suffered heavy losses in Bihar (assembly polls), the party cadres which had been working on the grand plan to wrest UP from Mayawati seemed to lose direction."

The book notes that Bihar assembly results in 2010 showed that Rahul's formula of doing away with alliances had boomeranged on the party.

The book also points out that his performance in Parliament in the current Lok Sabha is dismal as he spoke only once since May 2009.

"From May 2009 till the Monsoon session of 2011, Rahul had not asked a single question...MPs from other parties had, on an average, asked 119 questions in the two years of 15th Lok Sabha...He had performed better as a first time MP in the UPA-I but only in comparison to himself," it says.
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