20 arrested after school gang stabs boy to death at station

The teenagers, aged 14 to17, are being questioned over the murder of Sofyen Ghailan in a running knife battle that took place in front of evening commuters at London's Victoria station on Thursday.

Schoolgirls were also reportedly part of a mob that chased the victim into the underground station ticket hall where the attack happened. The boy was cornered and then stabbed repeatedly in the chest before being left dying in a pool of blood as the gang fled.

It is understood that the girls were not among those arrested and there is no suggestion that any took part in the attack.

Detectives suspect two groups – about 15 youths from west London and 20 from north-west London – converged on the station for a planned fight.

They are believed to be of Somalian or Afro-Caribbean origin. The gangs were reported to have come to blows in the days before the murder. Police have recovered several weapons, including two knives, from the scene.

It is believed that almost all of the killing was caught on CCTV cameras. Graham Lewis, a Tube worker, said: "My colleague who witnessed it said the victim was basically set upon by a gang of young boys. Some were wearing school uniform."

Det Supt Ashley Croft, of the British Transport Police, said: "This was a reckless act of violence that has resulted in a teenager tragically losing his life."

Sofyen, who was born in London and was of north African descent, was a pupil at Henry Compton Secondary School in Fulham.

The school has a history of knife violence involving pupils. Three years ago Kodjo Yenga, a pupil at the school, died in a knife attack.

In 2004 former pupil Elliot White, then 24, helped to kill John Monckton, a banker, who was stabbed in front of his wife and daughter at his Chelsea home.

Last night tributes were paid to Sofyen, from Acton, west London, on Facebook, the social networking site.

More than 100 people joined a group called RIP Sofyen.

Det Supt Ashley Croft, of British Transport Police, who is leading the inquiry, said it was a "reckless act of violence".

Refusing to confirm which school the suspected attackers were attending, Mr Croft added: "What I am looking at is the background to all the people in custody. We have arrested 20 people and that is a positive step.''

- Madhumitha

Uma Thurman's new film seen by just one person on opening day

Over its opening weekend at the beginning of March, only around a dozen people went to see Motherhood, a semi-autobiographical account of parenting in New York written and directed by Katherine Dieckmann.

The film took just £88 at the British box office on its opening weekend.


On its debut Sunday, takings at the box office were just £9 - the price of a ticket for one person.

Only one British cinema was given permission to launch the film earlier this month, with the film’s producers hoping that exclusivity would generate a buzz and lead to box office success by word of mouth.

Instead, cinema goers stayed away from the Apollo West End in record numbers in a move that will be embarrassing for Thurman, the star of Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill who divides her time between London and New York.

Motherhood, which also stars Jodie Foster and Minnie Driver, is thought to have made only £40,000 when it opened in America last year, despite costing around £3.4 million to make.

The spectacular failure of the film to find an audience has resulted in a row between producers and Metrodome, the company responsible for marketing the film in the UK.

When Jana Edelbaum, one of the producers, was told how badly it had fared at the British box office, she said: “You’re kidding? We must have broken a new record for grosses.”

But she defended the film, insisting that Metrodome was to blame and that she would demand a full explanation.

She said: “Think how much crap succeeds at the cinema. Motherhood is not bad. I’ve seen movies that are not half as good.”

Barry Norman, the film critic, said: “I have never heard of anything like this before. This is not some small, independent movie.

"It’s astonishing that only about 11 people could be bothered to go and see Uma Thurman.

“The reviews were very poor indeed, but that alone isn’t enough to explain this. It’s a reasonable assumption that there was a marketing and advertising catastrophe, and people didn’t know it was showing.

“But Apollo cinemas aren’t in tucked-away places. They’re all prominently located.”

The Apollo chain has put on further screenings for the film in Burnley, Fareham, Redditch, Stroud and Altrincham.

A spokesman for Metrodome, said: “Over the course of the week leading up to Mother’s Day we also released the film on DVD, video on demand and pay per view so customers could choose how to watch the film.

“Inevitably some films will work better on some platforms than others. In this case, the DVD was stronger than the theatrical result.”

Beyonce pregnant?

If Mediatakeout.com is indeed right, Beyonce and Jay-Z are expecting their first child.

Apparently, the online gossip site learned from a "rock solid" source to the booty-licious pop star that she is pregnant and resting (for now).

But B, as Beyonce is fondly known, is expected to continue working throughout her pregnancy.

Earlier, the gorgeous Mrs Jay-Z has spoken about the hard work of having a baby, having watched her younger sister Solange marry and have a son while she was still a teenager.

Rumours on B's pregnancy first surfaced in 2008.

Watch this space for a possible baby bump.

- Sitiemilia , Singapore.

Fate of Liu Jiefeng

ON MARCH 14 at around 10am, my girlfriend fainted at a coffee shop in Woodlands North Plaza. As fainting could be a symptom of more sinister and life-threatening ailments like internal bleeding or cardiac arrest, she was in need of immediate medical attention.

I rushed to a nearby clinic, Temasek Medical Centre, located on level 1 of Woodlands North Plaza and asked the counter staff, Adeline and Shirley, for help. To my dismay, they did not even bother to inform the doctor on duty, Dr Ng W. L., and said carelessly: 'The doctor today is a temporary doctor, go ask the doctor next door.'

Despite my repeated pleas, they refused to inform the doctor.

I turned to Jireh Family Clinic next door whose staff attitude was a contrast. They promptly contacted the clinic doctor, Dr Lwi, who showed remarkable professionalism in attending to my girlfriend. I would like to express my gratitude to Dr Lwi and his staff, whose promptness and professionalism greatly aided her recovery.

As for Temasek Medical Centre, I am dismayed over the clinic staff's attitude. Is this how clinics teach their staff to react in emergencies?

Shouldn't the staff inform the doctor first-hand when faced with patients in critical condition? Where are their medical ethics?

- Sitiemilia ,Singapore.

Internet - Disease

Addiction to the Internet, which has plagued many users among young Chinese, is expected to be regarded as a disease, Guangzhou Daily reported.

The Ministry of Health is conducting research on Internet addition, which is to be named "pathological Internet use", Shen Jiahong, director of the Guangzhou Baiyun Psychological Institute, said.

Nearly 50 percent of teenaged delinquents in south China's Guangdong province are Internet-dependent, according to Deng Weilong, head of the Guangdong team on the prevention of teenaged crimes.

- Indian Journalist.

University of Madras has closed down all its five-year integrated courses

In a bid to revamp courses that do not attract students, University of Madras has closed down all its five-year integrated courses except in Anna Centre for Public Administration.
Placing the university’s annual report in the Senate on Saturday, university vice-chancellor, Dr G. Thiruvasagam, said after analysing the pros and cons of the five-year integrated programmes and the number of students enrolled in it, that the university Syndicate has resolved to refuse permission for offering these programmes to other departments except Anna Centre for Public Administration.
The university has also decided to merge various centres in the university with their parent department as they lack faculty and students.
“We are in the process of introducing research methodology as a subject in under-graduation. The university will also conduct instant examination for final-year students who have failed in one subject, from next month onwards,” he said.
Madras University has for the first time contemplated providing reservation for children of the university staff in admission to all courses.
Motivating colleges to frame better curriculum, the university will be presenting awards to best colleges. It has also made insurance for students compulsory.
Pointing out that the Rs 25 crore grant given by University Grants Commission (UGC) for national common minimum programme had remained unutilised, Dr Thiruvasagam said the funds would be used by the university.
The vice-chancellor has also instructed the colleges not to segregate students as first and second-class.

- Media Man

Traffickers find loopholes to boost sex trade

(MODEL)
There is little point in making rules and regulations to safeguard women from sexual exploitation when the rules are so easily and blatantly flouted.

To check the racket in sex trafficking of women who seek to work overseas, the emigration rules say that no ‘Emigration Certificate Not Required’ stamp will be issued to unskilled or semi-skilled women seeking to work abroad who are below 30 years of age.

This rule was introduced because many girls and young women were being recruited for what they thought were genuine jobs overseas, and then pushed into the sex trade.

However, unscrupulous recruiting agents have found a way around this age provision thanks to the laxity of the passport office and the emigration authorities and a flourishing trade in bogus age certificates. Two sisters from Mandapeta, one aged 18 and the other 21, were recently rescued from their employer in Dubai who was sexually exploiting them. Says the 18-year-old, who is now in the city: “Three of us from Mandapeta went to Deira in Dubai because we were promised a salary of Rs 13,000 a month for domestic work. Each of us paid Rs 60,000 to get a work permit. I was only 16 at the time, but in the affidavit the agent put my age as 30. From the very second day they began torturing us and exploited us sexually. We got in touch with one Raju, a native of Valigonda in Nalgonda district, a trader. He informed the Dubai police who rescued us and we landed in Hyderabad on March 2.”

The Mandapeta police have registered a case and arrested two persons including the local agent, Suleman. A police team that went to Chennai arrested others in the racket from Chennai and Vellore. Thousands of girls and women who faked their age and were sent to work as house maids, beauticians, hairdressers and baby sitters are now languishing either in the sex trade hubs in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Singapore and Malayasia, or are exploited by their employers who pay them paltry sums as salary. It is the responsibility of the Regional Passport Office, which issues the passports, to check that the age is correct.

Applicants whose educational qualification is below SSC (Class X) must get notarized affidavits as age proof. Here, another scam comes into play. While probing the recent case of a threat letter sent to the Chief Justice of the AP High Court, the Hyderabad police came across large numbers of blank notarized affidavits which were being used for illegal purposes, including providing proof of age for passport purposes. The Protector of Emigrants can issue an Emigration Check Not Required certificate if the woman’s age on her passport is above 30. But crooked job recruitment agents, some of whom are not even licensed, manage to get fraudulent affidavits certifying that the women are over 30 and no authority further down the line bothers to check whether the affidavit is genuine.

These illegal agents work mostly in East Godavari, West Godavari, Kadapa, Anantapur, Nizamabad and Hyderabad districts.

The Eluru range deputy inspector-general of police, Mr Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagawat, says, “The local agents have a network of agents in Bengaluru and Chennai who in turn have connections with agents in Dubai. Minor and unmarried women who trust them land up in brothels. Most of them are run by people from India, particularly Chennai, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.” Mr Bhagawat said that the kingpin of the racket that involved the two sisters is Abdul Hameed of Kulai in Mangalore, Karnataka, who lives in Dubai. “He is assisted by people from Chennai, Bengaluru and one Bhanu from AP. At least seven of them are yet to be arrested in this case.

The victims say there are 15 to 20 other girls from the state in Dubai being forced into the sex trade.” The state police have approached the joint secretary in the ministry of external affairs, Mr Ravi Shankar Aisola, who in turn has contacted the consul general of India in the UAE to seek the arrest of the seven accused as well as to rescue the other girls.

According to officials in the office of the Protector General of Emigrants, there are 87 registered and licensed recruiting agents in the state, most of them in Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Rayachoti, Kadapa, Nizamabad and Adilabad. At least one lakh people, including semi-skilled and unskilled men and women, were issued a work visa in 2009, up from 31,000 in 2008.

Emigration officials say that it is up to the passport officials to cross-check the details of the affidavit giving proof of age, or to get an applicant medically tested if there is any doubt. Immigration authorities at airports are also not vigilant or else they would soon spot the obvious fraud. For those born after 1989, the only age of proof that is accepted by passport authorities is the municipal birth certificate or a certificate from the registrar of births. But for those born earlier, a certificate attesting to age from an educational institution or an affidavit sworn before a magistrate or notary stating date and place of birth is also accepted. Crooked agents use this latter provision by managing to get fake affidavits. The police register cases under Section 24 of the Emigration Act and 420 of the IPC (cheating) against the bogus agents. In Kadapa, police booked around 35 such agents and in East Godavari two agents were arrested recently.

The Regional Passport Officer was not available for comment for this article. Clearly, greater vigilance is required by the passport and emigration authorities, and by the police to nab traffickers and unscrupulous agents. A massive information campaign to warn poor women desperate for a job about the pitfalls ahead would also go a long way in preventing their exploitation.

Priyanka chopra missing ?

Priyanka Chopra has become inaccessible all of a sudden. The actress has been shooting at a location with no connectivity.

“Priyanka is shooting in Srinagar for Vishal Bharadwaj’s Saat Khoon Maaf. The cast also includes Irrfan, Naseeruddin Shah, Neil Nitin Mukesh and others. The sets are in a far flung locality which is untouched by civilisation. The place is exotic, but there is absolutely no connectivity there. The crew, including the actors, have to commute a long distance just to make phone calls,” said a source.


- Madhumitha

Factory employee raped and murdered

A garment factory employee was allegedly raped and murdered in Nelamangala police limits. The body of the 18-year-old girl, who had gone missing since Saturday night, was found in Heggadedevanapura.
According to the police, the assailants had set the body on fire to prevent identification. The girls’ parents had approached the Nelamangala police after she did not return from the factory in the evening, a police officer said.
“The girl was working at a garment factory in Madanayakanahalli. The parents searched for her everywhere. They got to know that she had left the factory after duty. A missing person case was registered and nearby police stations were also alerted,” the officer said.
The next day, a passersby discovered a half burnt body in Tapovana in Heggadedevanapura area. The police rushed to the spot and on suspicion informed the girls’ parents.
“Her parents identified the body. We suspect that the accused had molested her. The medical examination report is awaited,” the officer added.


- Indian Journalist.

A teenaged girl was raped and burnt alive

A teenaged girl was raped and burnt alive by some unidentified persons in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir.

A semi-burnt body of the 17-year-old was found in a tin-shed in Majalta area of the district on Friday night, police said on Saturday.

During preliminary investigation, it was suspected that the girl was raped and then set afire by the attackers.

The Station House Officer (SHO), Mr Arvinder Kotwal, said that a case has been registered and an investigation was on.

- Indian Journalist.

Top court signals free thought

Tamil actress Khushboo’s case before the Supreme Court has thrown up several important questions relating to the right to freedom of speech guaranteed in the Constitution, and laws on whether a person can be dragged to court merely for making bold comments on women’s sexual choices, virginity and live-in relations in a freewheeling democracy like India.
The case throws up the question on whether trial courts can take cognizance of any complaint against a person for expressing their views freely on issues, simply because they are not liked by a section of society.
The apex court comprising Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan and Justices Deepak Verma and B S Chauhan, though they reserved their verdict, spoke their mind on a subject, hitherto, considered “taboo” in Indian society, and grilled the lawyers of the complainants on what crime they deemed she had committed and what provision of the law she had broken.
The result? The Judges in unison observed that as per the existing laws in the country “pre-marital sex and live-in relations are not a criminal offence.”
Khushboo’s lawyer, Pinky Anand argued that the actess had committed no offence by making a statement on an important issue relating to the sexual bias in the society under debate. “Indian society needs to be liberated from the thinking that a woman should be a virgin (at the time of marriage when there are no such standards fixed for men).”
The judges did not find “convincing,” the answer coming from the lawyers for the complainants, and observed that they were not “bothered” about what she had said and would only be concerned about the legal aspect of the entire controversy. They have to look into whether she had committed any offence under the law of the land, otherwise these had to be considered as her “personal” views on an issue under debate. In response to the complainants that comments by someone like Khushboo, given her popularity among the younger generation could lead to the inducement of young girls to shed their virginity before marriage and prompt them to indulge in pre-marital sex, the judges said they were not “impressed” with the arguments that a person could influence society.
The apex court said, that for the sake of argument even if their views were accepted, could they produce any evidence to show that after Khushboo had expressed her views on these issues, more girls had “eloped” or whether before her comments young men and women did not spend time together.
The top court said that speaking freely on these subjects offended people who did not believe in public debate on these matters, and said that it showed that their main purpose was only to “target” her.

- Indian Journalist.

Modi questioned by SIT for five hours

For the first time since the riots in Gujarat eight years ago, state chief minister Narendra Modi on Saturday subjected himself to questioning by the Supreme Court-appointed SIT in two sessions, including one lasting for over five hours.

The controversial BJP leader, who faces allegations of omission and commission with regard to the mob attack on a housing society in which a former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri and 68 others were killed, drove to the SIT office in the heart of Gandhinagar where he was questioned by a team of officers headed by A K Malhotra, a former CBI DIG.

After a marathon session lasting over five hours from 12 noon to a little past 5pm, Modi left the SIT office telling reporters that he would come back in the evening.

Late night, Modi returned to the SIT office for further questioning because he was keen that the entire exercise be completed today itself.

Though there was no official word on the questioning, Modi is said to have replied to 62 of the 68 questions put to him in the first session.

Modi claimed he had answered all questions put by SIT and that he would prefer questioning to end in one day.

"Vistaar se batcheet ki (we spoke in detail)," he said adding "under the Indian constitution, law is supreme. As a common man, CM, I am bound by the Indian constitution and law. No one can be above the law."

This was the first time that Modi was probed since the carnage eight years back.

After the first round of questioning, a smiling Modi emerged from the SIT office at the old secretariat building and told mediapersons that "I am taking a break from questioning".

SIT Chief R K Raghavan was not present in his office when Modi appeared in the first session in response to the panel's summons.

Modi became the first chief minister of any state to be questioned in a criminal complaint of mass murder after he and his administration were accused of aiding and abetting riots in one area in Ahmedabad.

Ending the suspense as to where and when he would appear after he was summoned for questioning in connection with a complaint of Zakia Jafry, widow of Eshan Jafry, Modi reached the SIT office at around noon.

The complaint filed by Zakia among other things alleged there was a wider conspiracy by Modi and his administration and that he had instructed officers not to take action.

"My appearance here is a "karara jawab" (fitting reply) to my detractors. I have given a resounding reply to those who doubted my intentions. I hope such talks by vested interests will stop," Modi said.

Modi injected some humour in his interaction with reporters saying he has come to give them "some masala". When asked whether he was given tea, he tried to impress the media saying he had made arrangements for beverages to be served to them.

He also said that he wanted to given some time to SIT to do some "homework" before the resumption of questioning.

Attempting to take a high moral ground, Modi said the SIT probe is impartial and does not have any Gujarat officer.

- Indian Journalist.

Divaya sabbotaged Nega

Neha Dhupia played the blingy bride showstopper for designer Jaya Rathore on Day 4 of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) 2010/11.

She wore an orange and wine lehenga teamed with embellished choli and draped a scalloped dupatta round her head.

But alas, her walk was interrupted by a rather confused model - Divya - who was to walk right after Neha (see pic above). Divya stole the limelight from Neha by walking onto the ramp on the wrong cue!

Uh-oh! Everyone thought it was time for the finale!

Neha looked visibly shocked when she turned to find Divya and all the other models walking towards her. But she managed to cover up and walk on. Kudos to her spirit!

- Madhumitha

The Taj group's first hotel in South Africa

The Taj group's first hotel in South Africa has opened to full occupancy as bookings stream in for the FIFA World Cup scheduled to be held in June.

The 117 rooms in the five-star Taj here were fully occupied by delegates from 15 countries attending an international company's global conference, according to general manager Micahel Powell.

The Taj has been built around two historic buildings in the first South African city that was occupied by European settlers in 1652.

The Taj group is also planning to build a hotel in Johannesburg.

- Indian Journalist.

Mutually seperated gay couple

Just two days after the first such public marriage in Manipur, a gay couple have agreed mutually to part ways following stiff resistance from their parents, police said on Saturday.

Parents of 26-year-old Soibam Sandip and 28-year-old Nikhil Hidangmayum had filed a complaint with Shingjamei police station in Imphal West district against the wedding held in Christian-style on Wednesday. The officer-in-charge of the police station counselled the gay couple, following which they agreed for a divorce, they said.

According to the parents, the marriage was conducted without their permission, although invitation cards were sent out to their friends about a week earlier.

Sandip works in a beauty parlour run by Nikhil.

- Indian Journalist.

Cheryl Cole

Popstar Cheryl Cole, who is battling heartbreak following separation from footballer husband Ashley Cole, has been named the most searched celebrity on mobile phones.

The 26-year-old beauty's song Fight For This Love became the most downloaded track and video clip, Contactmusic reported.

The Girls Aloud singer was a winner in the results, which were put together by the Orange Digital Media Index (ODMI) and received over 40 per cent more phone searches than Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus, who came second, and Twilight hunk Robert Pattinson, who was placed third.

"Mobile searches are a real barometer of fame and reflect the public's fascination with celebrities when on the move," Paul Jevons from Orange, said.

Cole edged past the likes of The Black Eyed Peas song Meet Me Halfway, which was the second most sought after track and Lady Gaga's single Bad Romance which grabbed the third position.

British actor Robert Pattinson was a big hit in video downloads, as fans of the Twilight franchise made the trailer of Twilight: New Moon, the second most popular video in downloads.


- Sitiemilia , Singapore.

Charity kissing ?

Kate Moss annoyed her boyfriend/guitarist Jamie Hince by kissing a fan for charity.

The supermodel planted a peck on a man sitting in a front row at Mummy Rocks charity gig in London.

However, her lover seemed miffed, as he decided to leave the show.

Moss followed The Kills member to clear herself, reports the Sun.

The kiss raised 5,000 pounds for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

- Indian Journalist.

french kissing in Indian movies

Now a days french kissing scenes became very common in Hindi movies.Here you can see a liplock kiss of the hero and the heroine.Central censor board very lenient to Hindi and Telugu movies.'They say nothing wrong in it'- this was told by a censer board member off the record. While Hrithik locks lips with Barbara in Kites, the big question is – whether they'll rake in the moolah with their sizzling chemistry. Here's a look at some steamy on screen kisses.

- Madhumitha

Capacity of terrorists to strike India is very high - says Chidamabaram?

In an apparent reference to Pakistan, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said the capacity of terrorists, operating from across the border, to strike places in India was high as they get support from the state.

At the same time, he said the security forces have the capacity to give a "swift and decisive" response to any terror attack targeted against the country.

"The challenge before security is that the source of the terror lies across our border and they have the support of the state and therefore their capacity to reach here and strike is very high," he said addressing a AICC lawyers' convention. Chidambaram said that cities in India were as vulnerable to terror as those in other parts of the world.

"Like any other country we are vulnerable to terror. We are no more vulnerable and no less vulnerable to terror than any other country," he said.

"Let me assure you, we will prevail as we have the capacity to face any challenge of terror. Should there be any terror attack on this country, our response will be swift and decisive and we will prevail upon any terrorist threat on this country," Chidambaram said.

The Home Minister asked every citizen to take at least minimum precaution saying: "Ultimately, we must defend ourselves. Each establishment, each shop must take minimum precaution to protect in case of terror attack."

Chidambaram listed Maoist violence as one of the grave challenges facing the country and assured the gathering that the government would free areas held by Naxals in the next three years.

He said the government was taking utmost precaution to ensure that the innocents are not affected by anti-naxal operations.

"Our security forces are observing the greatest restraint. They have been instructed not to fire until they are fired upon. It is a carefully controlled and calibrated operation to establish civil administration in the Naxal affected areas," he said.

Chidambaram said the security forces were fighting with "one hand tied to their backs" and added that no one who was innocent would suffer.

"Within two-three years, we will be able to free these areas from Naxals," he said.

The Home Minister said the Naxals believe in armed liberation struggle and their stated goal was to overthrow the elected government and seize power by "liberating" areas.


- Indian Journalist.

Lighting up the runway

Angie Ng may be only 23, but she has definitely achieved a lot more than others her age - she is the first Malaysian model to have modelled for superstar Lady Gaga’s designer Marko Mitanovski.

Not only that, she has worn the same corsette that Lady Gaga wore for her Monsterball Tour.

Hailing from Penang, Ng is also one with the brains. She recently graduated with a law degree from the University of Reading.

Ng said she started modeling when she was 18.

“I was actually spotted by designer Michael Ong at a mall in Penang. He then introduced me to the relevant people and everything else is history,” she said yesterday at the STYLO Gaga Fashion Party at Heritage Row, Kuala Lumpur, which was packed to the brim.

On how she met Mitanovski, Ng said Mitanovski’s team had looked her up from her agency in London. She had also done a campaign shoot for Mitanovski.

“They saw my profile and I guess they liked what they saw and there I was, modeling for Marko,” said the lanky lass who loves dancing.

Ng had earlier modeled for Mitanovski in London Fashion Week's “One’s to Watch” in 2009 and will be doing more work with him.

Ng is also the person that introduced Mitanovski to STYLO.

“I was talking to the STYLO people and coincidentally they mentioned that they needed a designer and immediately I recommended Marko. I knew he has a lot of potential the moment I saw his collections,” she said, adding that both she and Mitanovski are now very good friends and often hang out a lot.

Ng is here in Kuala Lumpur for the STYLO Fashion Grand Prix and will be modeling for Mitanovski’s show on April 2 at the Mercedes Benz STYLO Fashion Awards gala night.

She will be flying off to Hong Kong and then London after STYLO.

Daily Chilli and mStar are media partners of the fashion event.

- Sitiemilia , Singapore .

Madhuri refuses to work with Saroj

A few months ago there were reports that ace choreographer Saroj Khan had approached her favourite dancing star Madhuri Dixit to play the lead in her Broadway show, based on the historical dancer Amrapali. But at the launch of a talent portal, Khan clarified that Madhuri won’t be a part of the show, though she was her first choice.
“Although I wanted Madhuri on board, her secretary (Rakesh Nath) refused stating that she can’t be a part of the show. The last minute refusal left me disappointed,” admitted Saroj, who has choreographed hit dance numbers like Ek Do Teen, Dhak Dhak, Dola Re and others with Madhuri.
The choreographer has now picked up an all-new cast for her show. “I am keen on bringing new talent to the silver screen and for the theatrical show.” Saroj also disclosed that noted writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar was to script this show but she “could not meet his exorbitant demands.”
“Anyway, now I have got through all the initial hiccups and we will present Amrapali in the month of October in London and we will take this show all over the world,” she adds.

- Madhumitha .

Minisshaa on hopes from Well Done Abba

Bollywood actress Minissha Lamba, who plays the role of a village girl in Shyam Benegal's forthcoming film, Well Done Abba, expects that the audiences and the industry notices her talent.

"With this film I hope my talent gets appreciated by audiences and the industry too. And I would get opportunities to show my potential as an actor," Minissha told PTI here.

Directed by Benegal, Well Done Abba is narrated in a comic and ironic vein, with actor Boman Irani playing the title role of 'Abba'. Minissha plays the role of his daughter, Muskaan Ali.

The 25-year-old actress was critically acclaimed for her role in the film, Yahaan' opposite Jimmy Shergill and for Corporate, where she shared the screen with Bipasha Basu and Kay Kay Menon.

"As the film (Well Done Abba) has been received well at various internationl film festivals, we want it to be appreciated back home from the people for whom it is been made," she said.

The film, slated for March 26 release, also stars Sameer Dattani (as Minissha's love interest), Ravi Kishan, Ila Arun, Sonali Kulkarni and Rajit Kapoor among others.

When asked how she got the film, Minissha said, "I got a call from Shyam sir's office saying that he had a role for me in his next film. I did not think twice as it was Shyam sir. I was willing to do any role he offered to me."

- madhumitha

Precious star offers support to Bullock

Precious star Mo'Nique has offered fellow Oscar winner Sandra Bullock her support, as Bullock battles to save her marriage following an alleged cheating scandal.

The Blind Side star has walked out on husband Jesse James following a tabloid expose about his reported relationship with a tattoo model and porn star, reports dailystar.co.uk.

Mo'Nique insists that she is there for Bullock if she ever needs to talk to someone who has no links to her marriage.

"To my sweet sister Sandra, my prayers are with you. My prayers are also with your husband, baby. That is between the two of you and I hope you will make it work. Sandra, if you need me sugar, call me baby," said Mo'Nique.

"It's hard but that is their business. Let them go through their situation. I don't wish her nothing but happiness, along with her husband... I don't want to see any marriages dissolve or break up," she added.


- Indian Journalist.

Babri mosque security was slack on Dec 6, 1992: IPS officer

The senior IPS officer Anju Gupta told the special CBI court here today that security arrangements were inadequate around Babri Masjid-Ramjambhoomi complex on December 6, 1992.

Deposing before the court in CBI case pending here about the conspiracy in the demolition of the mosque, Gupta, who was then posted as Assistant SP Ayodhya, said the then IG Lucknow AK Saran at a meeting on December 5 had
said that in view weak security arrangements the mosque could be demolished.

“It was for this reason within few minutes the kar sevaks succeeded in breaking barricades and stormed into the complex”, she said. Anju Gupta is at present on deputation to the Centre.

Referring to senior BJP and VHP leaders AK Advani, Dr MM Joshi, Ashok Singhal, Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharati, Pramod Mahajan, Vishnu Hari Dalmia, Acharya Dharmendra deo, SC Dixit, Sadhvi Rithambhara and others who were
then at the dais, Anju Gupta said they were all very happy when the mosque was being brought down.

They were celebrating and distributing sweets at the dais, Anju said and added they were embracing each other.

The IPS officer said when she saw kar sevaks falling from the mosque dome she told about it to Advani. She said Advani wanted to go to the spot but after consultations with two senior police officers who had accompanied Advani from Lucknow, he was asked not to go the spot for security reason.

Anju said she took Uma Bharati to spot but her car was stopped and later Bharati walked down to demolition site. Anju also said that leaders at the dais had been giving calls to kar sevaks not do “kar seva from top but from the ground”. She said leaders were instigating the kar sevaks from the dais. She said the first dome came down around 1.45 to 2.15 pm and by 4.30 pm third dome was demolished.

- Indian Journalist.

Padmapriya to star as cowboy

Critically acclaimed actress Padmapriya will be seen in a new avatar that of a gun wielding village belle in Tamil cowboy film 'Irumbukottai Murattu Singham.'

"I play the role of a Marshal's daughter in a village in this fantasy-action-cowboy movie," she said, a different genre from the 'intense' roles she usually gets to play in films.

"The movie is an entertainer. It has everything—- action, comedy, eroticism," said Padmapriya, famous for her intense roles in Tamil movies like 'Pookisham', 'Satham Podathey', 'Thavamai Thavamirundhu' and 'Mirugam.'

And if that is not enough, the actress will also be seen doing some action and firing guns. "It has a huge cast, each one having well defined roles," Padmapriya said.

Lakshmi Rai and Sandhya are the other two heroines in the film directed by Simbudevan.

"Sandhya's is a guest role but it is an integral part (to the movie)," she said.

Asked why it is being described as "fantasy-cowboy" film, she said, "Nowhere in the world will you find a cowboy speaking in Tamil."

It stars popular choreographer, director Raghava Lawrence as the lead actor. Slated for release next month, the movie has also been dubbed in Telugu.

The film was shot in locations across the country, including Palakkad in Kerala and Tenkasi (Tamil Nadu).

- Madhumitha

Akshay is the original Khiladi

"I can never step into his shoes because they are very big shoes to fill. Akshay is the original 'Khiladi'. He is super good at what he does," Priyanka said. "He has taken the show to a different level and my effort will be to take it forward from there. He has already made my job easier," she added.

The actor was the host for the reality show in 2009, which had 13 women - models and actresses - taking part in it. Akshay popularised the show with his daring stunts, which is an Indian version of the US reality show 'Fear Factor'. Now Priyanka will be anchoring the special IPL Edition of the show on Colors, which will have 13 Indian and international cricketers competing with each other.

The 27-year-old actress had made her Bollywood debut opposite Akshay in 2003 film 'Andaaz' and also went on to star with him in films including 'Aitraaz', 'Mujhse Shaadi Karogi' and 'Waqt: Race Against Time'. The national award-winning actress, who was in the capital to launch four new body wash variants from Lux, has three films in the pipeline. "My next film 'Anjana Anjani' will release in July or August. I am also starting work on 'Saat Khoon Maaf' with Vishal Bhardwaj and once 'Khatron..' is finished, I will start shooting for 'Don 2'," said Priyanka.

- Madhumitha

Osma's warning ?

World's most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden has warned that al-Qaida will kill American soldiers if the self-confessed mastermind of the 9/11 attacks Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is executed.

"The day America will take such decision [to execute Khalid Mohamed and any others] it would have taken a decision to execute whoever we capture," Bin Laden said in the latest audio record, broadcast on Al-Jazeera.

He also said that US president Barack Obama was "following the footsteps of his predecessor", a reference to George Bush, the former US president.

"The politicians in the White House were practicing injustice against us and still they are. Especially by supporting Israel in its continuous occupation of Palestine.

"They used to think that America across the oceans is protected from the rage of the oppressed until our reaction was loudly heard at your home on the 9/11 with God's help," he said in the recording.

Osama's threat comes as Obama administration has announced it would try Khalid Mohammed and four other accused at a New York courthouse just steps from where the World Trade Centre once stood.

Sheikh Mohammed and the other accused are detained at Guantanamo as they await trial over the September 11, 2001 attacks that killed close to 3,000 people, most in New York.

Osama bin Laden's last audio recording was released on January 24, earlier this year in which he claimed responsibility for alleged attempted attack on an airliner on Christmas Day and vowed there would be further attacks on the US unless Obama took steps to resolves the Palestinian situation.

- Indian Journalist.

Beautiful women make men reckless

If you think that young men take more risks around attractive women just to impress them, think again, for a new study has claimed that the presence of beautiful females elevates male’s testosterone hormone levels.

To examine the links between physical risk-taking in young men and the presence of attractive women, researchers conducted a field experiment with young male skateboarders.

The study found the skateboarders took more risks at the skate park when they were observed by an attractive female experimenter than when they were observed by a male subject.

And, this increased risk-taking led to more successes but also more crash landings in front of the female observer.

The researchers measured testosterone from subjects’ saliva and found that the skateboarders’ increased risk-taking was caused by elevated testosterone levels brought about by the presence of the attractive females.

- Indian Journalist.

Tigers, elephants getting pushed into ‘conflict’ zone

hrinking habitat for wildlife is making tigers and elephants vulnerable to man-animal conflict. As many as 31 elephants and five tigers have died because of this conflict in the past year, data released by NGO Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) said.

The issue cropped against last Sunday with two tiger cubs allegedly poisoned to death in a day by villagers in outskirts of Ranthambore tiger reserve. State Chief wildlife warden R.N. Mehrotra said at least four cubs have been wandering for the last four months in the outer areas of the reserve and may have killed some goats as prey. In retaliation the villagers poisoned two cubs. In January this year, a tiger was allegedly poisoned in Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh and another died of suspected poisoning in Bareilli district of Uttar Pradesh. “Both tigers were victims of revenge killing by villagers,” said an environment ministry official.

Data with the environment ministry has shown that forest areas for tigers and elephants have shrunk by 15-20 per cent in the last two decades. India has 88 identified elephant corridors connecting habitats of 27,000 elephants, whose population is rising since 2000.

“The corridors have shrunk forcing elephants to wander into agriculture fields. And, it has caused conflict in Uttarakhand and West Bengal,” said A.N. Prasad, director of Protect Elephants in the environment ministry. The result of this has been death of 31 elephants and injury to many more.

The wildlife experts, however, find a thin difference between revenge killing and poaching. “Last year, a water hole was poisoned in Central India killing 20-25 animals. It was basically an attempt to poach a tiger,” said Tito Joseph of NGO WPSI.

Problem of shrinking habitats is more in reserve with good wildlife population such as Corbett Tiger Reserve.

- Indian Journalist.

£23m bid to create world's first 'safe' cigarette

The idea of creating the world's first "safe" cigarette has pulled a 23-million-pound bid made by a leading tobacco giant.

Scientists at British American Tobacco revealed they were looking to slash some of the 4,000 potentially harmful chemicals found in cigarettes to bring down cancer rates, the Daily Express reported.

As many as 40 varieties of safer cigarette were being tested by researchers, who have also been concentrating their efforts on modifying leaf blend, the combustion process and developing new filter techniques.

Anti-smoking campaigners, however, opposed the scheme, saying it would still encourage smoking and pose health hazards.

- Indian Journalist.

Rapist pastes victim's nude photos in her village

A 26-year-old Chinese woman's nightmare started five years ago when she was raped by the canteen operator of her school.

"He took me to a motel on the pretext of introducing a job to me. Instead, he raped me there,” said Chen XiaoLi (not her real name).

Since then, Chen had been 'controlled' by the 40-year-old rapist, surnamed Zhang, who threatened to reveal the rape to the public if she went against his commands.

Over the past five years, she was always assaulted by the man, who also forced her to go for abortions six times.

"I could not retaliate because he said he would kill my whole family if I did that," she told Da He Bao.

Chen had been putting up a strong front and kept the sorrow to herself, thinking that everything would be fine as long as she followed his "commands".

One January morning, she finally broke down when she saw her nude photographs pasted on the walls, lamp posts and trees in her village in Henan.

"I believed he took the photos while I was asleep," she said.

"I also believe that he wanted to take revenge and shame me because I attempted to run away from him earlier," she said.

She said Zhang had offered her to purchase the photographs for RM50,000 yuan (RM25,000). Failing which, he would post them on the Internet.

A villager Li Ziqing said he and Chen's father rushed to "clean up" the village and picked up more than 200 photos.

Chen's family lodged a police report on March 9.

- Indian Journalist.

Sexually-transmitted diseases up due to Facebook romps

Cases of syphilis have increased four-fold in Britain's Facebook capital as users meet up for unprotected sex, it was revealed yesterday.

Figures released last month showed that people in Sunderland, Durham and Teesside were 25 per cent more likely to log on regularly.

And an NHS trust chief said Facebook and similar sites were to blame for a shocking rise in cases of potentially-lethal syphilis in the region, The Sun of UK reported.

Professor Peter Kelly, director of Public Health for NHS Tees, said: "There has been a four-fold increase in the number of syphilis cases detected, with more young women being affected."

He said staff had found a link to social networking sites among those infected.

Prof Kelly said: "I don't get the names of people affected, just figures. And I saw that several of the people had met sexual partners through these sites.

"Social networking sites are making it easier for people to meet up for casual sex. There is a rise in syphilis because people are having more sexual partners than 20 years ago and often do not use condoms."

Syphilis cases in Britain fell due to the widespread use of condoms in the 1980s and '90s. It can cause serious heart, respiratory tract and central nervous system damage. But Health Protection Agency figures revealed there were 4,000 cases nationwide last year.

The highest rates are in women aged 20 to 24 and men aged 25 to 34.

In Teesside there were 30 cases last year - but the true figure is likely to be higher.

An official statement said: "NHS Tees is warning people about the dangers of syphilis following a rise in cases of the devastating disease."

Prof Kelly added: "There is a possibility that there is a pool of people who have been infected and that these cases are linked. We don't know where the outbreak originated but it is on the rise."

Studies have shown that adults are more likely to indulge in risky sexual behaviour with partners they meet on the internet.

Last night a spokesperson for Facebook said users should take "precautions" and be careful with meeting anyone they have encountered online.

- Indian Journanlist.

8-yr-old raped in Delhi

A 25-year-old tea shop owner has been arrested on charges of raping an eight-year-old in the national capital, police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on Tuesday in Aman Vihar when Kasim forcibly took the victim into his tea shop, a police officer said. Kasim lived near the victim's house.

"As the girl cried for help, neighbours came to her rescue. The man was arrested," the officer said.

- Madhumitha

Girl, 18, found killed, police suspect rape

A garment factory employee was allegedly raped and murdered in Nelamangala police limits. The body of the 18-year-old girl, who had gone missing since Saturday night, was found in Heggadedevanapura.
According to the police, the assailants had set the body on fire to prevent identification. The girls’ parents had approached the Nelamangala police after she did not return from the factory in the evening, a police officer said.
“The girl was working at a garment factory in Madanayakanahalli. The parents searched for her everywhere. They got to know that she had left the factory after duty. A missing person case was registered and nearby police stations were also alerted,” the officer said.
The next day, a passersby discovered a half burnt body in Tapovana in Heggadedevanapura area. The police rushed to the spot and on suspicion informed the girls’ parents.
“Her parents identified the body. We suspect that the accused had molested her. The medical examination report is awaited,” the officer added.

- Mahdumitha

Youth posing as cops rape woman

Three youths who posed as cops and raped a 38-year-old woman at Kattipalayam in Karur district were arrested.
Sakthivel (45) of Paramthi Vellore in Namakkal district along with his wife Lakshmi (38) had been fishing on the bank of Cauvery at Kattipalayam in Karur district on Sunday evening when the three youths came there in plain clothes and introduced themselves as cops. They threatened the couple for fishing in the area without lease.
When the couple apologised, the youths attacked Sakthivel with a log of wood and let him off. But they retained Lakshmi on the garb of taking her to the police station for an enquiry.
Later, the youths allegedly took her to a shed in a desolate area and raped her.
On a complaint lodged by Sakthivel at Velayudhampalayam police station, police registered a case and conducted enquiry.
Based on the inputs provided by Sakthivel on the identity of the culprits, police arrested Prakash (25) of Kattipalayam, Dhanabal (18) and Mohanraj (24) of Thavittupalayam.

- Indian Journalist.

Strengthen DMK rule, Stalin tells voters

Appealing to voters to strengthen the DMK rule by electing its candidate in the March 27 Pennagaram bypoll, deputy chief minister and DMK heavyweight M K Stalin on Monday said the reason behind his octogenarian father and CM M Karunanidhi’s campaign on Wednesday was to score a stunning victory with a huge margin of 50,000 to 60,000 votes besides making the rivals - AIADMK and PMK - to bite the dust.
“We have been scoring impressive victories in the bypolls with a margin of around 40,000. Questions have been raised in several quarters about Kalaignar’s campaign in Pennagaram since he had chosen not to campaign in previous elections. We want to take the margins further to 50,000 to 60000 votes and see our rivals losing their deposit,” Mr Stalin said at his first campaign point, Kurumpatti junction, on the outskirts of Dharmapuri.
Denying the charge of Ms Jayalalithaa on Hogenakkal integrated drinking water scheme, Stalin, who holds the water supply department also, threw a challenge to his bete-noire to prove her allegation. “We are committed to implement the scheme. I had visited Japan to secure funds for it. Tenders were awarded and civil works had been progressing fast,” he said and asked Ms Jayalalithaa to go with him to have a look at the ongoing work.
Listing out various welfare measures including
Re 1 a kg rice, waiver of
Rs 7,000 crore crop loan, marriage assistance to poor women, three eggs a week in noon meal and free insurance scheme, Mr Stalin appealed to the electorate to strengthen the hands of CM Karunanidhi.
He asked the voters to encourage the government, which has been devoting its energy to help the downtrodden and poor.

- Madhumitha

SBI told to pay Rs 11 lakh for negligence

The Delhi consumer commission has asked the State Bank of India (SBI) to pay Rs 11 lakh for ignoring a request from an Italian company not to honour cheques from a lost cheque book.

Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission president Barkat Ali Zaidi and member M.L. Sahni pulled up the Defence Colony branch of SBI: "When a banking institution is guilty of negligence, it cannot shirk its liability to make good the loss suffered by a consumer due to deficiency in service.

"In the present case, the admitted facts constitute deficiency in service on the part of the bank, which, therefore, is held liable to indemnify the loss suffered by the complainant," the commission said.

The bank was told to pay Rs.11 lakh to the company for releasing the payments and Rs.10,000 as litigation expenses.

The bank argued that it had encashed only cheques about which the company had not given any instruction to stop payment.

The case dates back to 2003 when the Italian company informed the bank that it had lost a cheque book and no payment should be released against the unused cheques. It also listed the details of the cheques issued from the cheque book before it went missing.

Despite the complaint, the bank released payment of six cheques totalling Rs 11 lakh. The company then approached the consumer court seeking compensation.

- Indian Journalist .

Indian IP used for hacking Bangla websites

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in Bangladesh says it has traced an Indian IP (Internet Protocol) address used for hacking 20 district portals, but acknowledges that the real identity of the hacker could be concealed.

The hacked sites were operated by the PMO and the incident is considered to be a serious security lapse.

"We have initially detected an Indian IP address that belongs to Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL), one of the largest Internet service providers in India," said S.M. Akash, media manager of Access to Information (A2i) team of the PMO.

Professional hackers, however, use various methods to hide their real IP address and location, The Daily Star quoted him as saying.

The Bangladesh government will ask VSNL for details of the IP address and the hacker's location, said the official.

Twenty district websites operated by the PMO were hacked Saturday.

Some Hindi letters and "JAI HIND!" were posted on the hacked websites.

The hackers claiming to be Indians threatened Bangladesh with a cyber war if any Pakistani terrorist enters India via Bangladesh.

Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder said they restored the websites Saturday night.

- Indian Journalist.

Nurse chops off baby's finger

An infant girl's finger was severed allegedly due to medical negligence by a nurse at a child health institute here.

Authorities at Institute of Child Health said that the nurse had "unwittingly applied the scissors on the little finger of the baby's right hand while removing the plaster on the channel areas meant for saline administration."

However, the parents of the one-month-old baby had alleged that the nurse was talking on mobile phone while attending on the child on Friday.

A major portion of the finger was severed in the incident, a matron at the institute said, but denied the parents' charge.

The nurse was immediately suspended after the parents and residents of Ranaghat in Nadia district lodged a complaint with police.

The baby was admitted to the Institute early this month with complaints of respiratory distress.

Her right hand is still bandaged, while her respiratory condition has improved slightly. Doctors will decide on the next course of action in next few days, sources said.

- Madhumitha

Kats and Priyanka have agreed to work together

Ranbir Kapoor is all set to act in Anurag Basu’s next film for which the director has managed to rope in both, Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra, as the leading ladies.
“Even as rumours claimed that Ranbir is dating Katrina, recent buzz has it that the actor had a fling with Priyanka Chopra too during their long schedule of Anjaana Anjani in the US. Meanwhile, Katrina has always maintained that she is not on good terms with Priyanka ever since Salman got into a tiff with her. So it came as a surprise when both the actresses decided to work together in the same film,” said a source.

- Madhumitha.

Bips sports nine looks in 'Pankh'

Priyanka Chopra played 12 characters in "What's Your Raashee" and now Bipasha Basu is doing much the same in "Pankh" where she sports nine different looks.

The actress plays an imaginary character in director Sudipto Chattopadhyay's film and her different looks will reflect the attitude and mood of the hero, played by debutant Maradona Rebello. Releasing April 2, it is produced by Sanjay Gupta.

According to Bipasha, whenever Maradona feels vulnerable, she has been given a soft look and whenever he is agitated or in self doubt, she is made to look harsh.

Bipasha also feels that designing her look was the complete teamwork of designer Rocky S, director Sudipto Chattopadhyay and new age producer Sanjay Gupta, who were instrumental and involved in designing the right look to match the attitude of the character.

"Pankh" traces the life of a boy (Rebello) who plays a female artiste as a child in movies. When he grows up and wants to be launched as a hero, he goes through gender confusion and falls in love with an imaginary actress, played by Bipasha.

"'Pankh' is a wild ride through the underbelly of the film industry. Bipasha plays an alter ego, a fantasy and we wanted her to look like the two divas - Sophia Loren and Liza Minelli from 'Cabaret'. The conception and execution of the looks were a collaborative effort between the Sudipto, the director and designers Rocky S and Gavin Miguel," Gupta said in a press statement.

The film also features Mahesh Manjrekar, Lillette Dubey, Ronit Roy, Sanjeeda Sheikh and newcomer Amit Purohit.


- Madhumitha

Irrfan to romance Priyanka Chopra

Irrfan will play one of the seven husbands in Vishal Bharadwaj’s Saat Khoon Maaf. His character is the only one who gets cosy with Priyanka Chopra in the film.

“Irrfan plays a character of a poet in the film. Lyricist Gulzar has penned down two controversial songs for his character, who will serenade Priyanka with them. While none of the other six husbands are shown being physically intimate with Priyanka’s character, Irrfan is the only one who has such a scene with her. Irrfan has replaced Emraan Hashmi who was initially considered for this role,” said a source.

Irrfan was always keen on working with Vishal after Maqbool and had once publicly expressed that he was disappointed that Vishal never cast him in his films again. When he got this offer, Irrfan jumped at it.


- Madhumitha

170 Indian workers duped in Malaysia

About 170 Indians have been duped by their employment agents upon arrival in Malaysia, a Tamil newspaper said on Monday.

The workers told Malaysia Namban that agents, who had arranged the trip, washed their hands off them after taking their cash and travel documents. The workers hailed from India's Bihar and Maharashtra states.

Sampuran Singh, secretary of the local Jalan Loke Yew Sikh and Hindu Crematorium, said the men had paid the agents between RM10,900 ($3,260) and RM21,800 ($6567) after being promised jobs here.

Malaysia gets a large number of foreign workers, many of whom enter illegally by boats and then spread out to other Southeast Asian countries and Australia.

The government recently complained of 30,000 Indians who arrived as tourists and "disappeared".

- Indian Journalist.

Women’s Bill in coming LS session: Moily

he UPA government will move the Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha in the coming session, the Union minister for law and justice, Mr M. Veerappa Moily, said on Monday.

The Opposition BJP and other parties have assured their "unconditional" support to the Bill, which has prompted the government to introduce it for consideration and passing in Lok Sabha, he told reporters here.

Though the UPA government managed to get support to the Bill to provide for 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures in the Rajya Sabha, it chose to defer its introduction in Lok Sabha so as to bring about consensus among political parties in the wake of reservations expressed by some parties including the RJD, SP and the Trinamul Congress, he said.

He said the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, had set up a Cabinet Sub-Committee to study the recommendations of the Central Administrative Reforms Commission which he headed earlier.

The Commission had submitted 15 reports on various issues and its recommendations on countering terrorism, Moily said.

- Indian Journalist.

Farmer kills lion with axe

A farmer axed a three-year-old lion to death on Monday after it mauled five people and also tried to attack him in Gujarat's Junagadh district that houses the Sasan Gir Lion Sanctuary, forest officials said on Monday.

The lion was brought down in "self-defence" by a farmer in the wider periphery of Mandanpara village after it attacked him, they said, adding the wildcat injured five others, including a forest official.

The injured, one of whom is reported to have lost a leg, have been admitted to a government hospital.

Increased human activity within the wider area of the lion reserve is leading to increase in incidents of animal-human conflicts.

In another incident Saturday, a female leopard was trapped after she attacked three persons in a village near Veraval while the carcass of another was found in a decomposed state from near Dhari.

Forest sources attributed territorial infighting as the ostensible cause of death.

- Indian Journalist.

Shanghainese can't sleep

The speed of modern life and increasing pressure at work is making it more difficult for people in this eastern economic hub to get a decent night's sleep, showed a survey done for World Sleep Day, which fell on Sunday.

Conducted by the Shanghai Institution of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Sleep Disorders, the survey shows about 38 percent of adults in the city suffer some form of insomnia. The number of women with insomnia is 1.5 times that of men.

Based on the city's population of 19 million, this means more than 7 million people in the city are "tossing and turning" every night in order to get to sleep.

Doctors have warned about the side effects of sleep deprivation, which can cause car accidents, depression, anxiety and cardiovascular problems. Studies also show that sleep disorders affect people's memory, emotions and learning ability.

With the majority of people having difficulties sleeping being in their 20s and 30s, over 80 percent of white collar workers in Shanghai claim they do not have enough sleep.

"If a person is working more, he or she borrows that time from sleep and that's a bad loan," said psychologist Li Xinzhao who works in a psychological consulting company.

"Our society has valued people bragging about being able to function on very little sleep as a mark of someone who is aggressive, dynamic and successful. That's wrong," said Li.

"Admire someone who puts focus on sleep and is not making mistakes from sleep deprivation," she said.

Chen Yejiong, 38, and her 5-year-old daughter Zhuang Zhuang would be lucky to only suffer from insomnia.

"I still remember two months ago when I was too weak to get out of bed because of dizziness," said Chen, who works in a bank with huge daily pressures.

"The doctor told me it was due to a defect in my body's balance that usually wouldn't show any symptoms, but with a lack of sleep it makes me feel like I'm falling even when I'm sitting on a chair," she said.

While Chen was forced to take a two-week break from work and get her health back, her kindergarten daughter Zhuang Zhuang had already fought with sleep difficulties for five years. "I can't sleep at night because it's so itchy," said the girl, who was born with hypersensitive skin.

Sleep disorders are not just an issue for adults, according to a survey from the National Pediatric Sleep Medicine Collaborative Group.

Its sample of 3 million children from eight cities in China shows 27 percent are suffering from child sleep disorders.

"If your child finds it difficult to concentrate, or easy to sink into a state of depression or impatience, you should pay attention to his or her sleep," said Jiang Fan, professor from Shanghai Children's Medical Center.

The situation is not any better across the world. Released last week, the World Health Organization's survey on more than 25,000 people from 14 countries showed that 27 percent of them have different levels of sleep problems. Americans are among the worst with 32 to 50 percent of them stressed by insomnia, according to the survey.

Former US president Bill Clinton recently admitted that lack of sleep added to some of his health problems.

"I didn't sleep much for a month. That probably accelerated what was already going on," Clinton said as he counseled young people to make smart health choices while they are young to improve their lives in later years.

- Tom Lee .

Kuala Lumpur is 'gayer' than Penang

Kuala Lumpur is 'gayer' than Penang, according to those in the know.

They said there are more gay joints in KL and gay services could be easily sought in spas that specifically cater to male clientele.

"Some outlets even have daring themes such as 'underwear night' and 'nude night'," said one source who wanted to be known just as "gay boy".

He said a visit to these places could be interesting, adding that one of the outlets was even operated by a blind man.

Another individual, who confessed to being involved in an "alternative lifestyle", however, said not all gays visit such centres.

He said he was aware of a good number of outlets that cater to gay clients but said he was not so desperate.

A reader, Ng Shu Tsung, said society had misunderstood issues relating to gay activities.

"Lesbians, bisexuals, gays and transvestites are often targets of prejudice and ridicule. Any kind of growing conservatism will make this minority group more scared and remain largely underground," he said, adding it was high time issues relating to homosexuality, transsexuality, bisexuality and HIV-AIDS were openly discussed and debated.

It was reported recently that commercial gay sex activities in health clubs in Penang were rampant, with police swooping in on such clubs.

In Penang, community service officer for HIV-AIDS and marginalised groups Yap Peng Huat said health clubs and massage parlours offering male masseurs should not be perceived in a bad light.

"It is an injustice to both operators and patrons of such outlets. Some people prefer male masseurs because they feel comfortable with the masseurs.

"This minority group of people need a place to call their own, and such outlets are suitable for them," Yap said when contacted on Monday.

He was commenting on the recent police crackdown on gay sex activities at health clubs in the island.

It was earlier reported that Penang police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Wira Ayub Yaakob had called on the local authorities not to renew the licences of health and fitness outlets used for illicit activities.

The Penang Municipal Council recently stated that it would either cancel or not renew licences of such establishments if police reports were lodged against them.

Last year police in Penang nabbed 47 suspected gay workers, including Malaysians and foreigners from Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia.

Within the first two months of the year, 26 gay sex workers were also nabbed.


- Sitiemilia , Singapore.

'Toxic oil used in 1 in 10 meals in China'

The State Food and Drug Administration was quoted yesterday by the 'China Daily' as saying that food service providers will be punished if they use such oil, and that their licenses could be revoked.

Drainage oil refers to oil from kitchen waste, oil from pork products and recycled oil. The oil contains a highly toxic and carcinogenic substance, the daily said.

The paper quoted He Dongping, a food science professor at Wuhan Polytechnic University, as saying that people in China consume about 2 to 3 million tons of such "illegal" cooking oil every year.

The Chinese people's annual oil consumption totals about 22.5 million tons, which means "a ratio of 1 to 10" Dongping said.

His revelation was a result of a research project he has been conducting with nine of his students in an effort to find an effective way to detect and identify illegal oil used in food production.

His study shows that the so-called drainage oil business is "extremely profitable," the paper reported.

- Indian Journalist.