The Contact Epaper 21 May.27 May,2013 by mehramedia mehra

THE CONTACT WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

Hans gets engaged to Mehndi! Navraj Hans, son of famous singer Hans Raj Hans, got engaged to Ajit Mehndi, the daughter of veteran singer Daler Mehndi, at a function attended by the close associates of both the families. Interestingly both Navraj and Ajit are playback singers.

Indians take over London: The largest foreign-born group in the city LONDON: Indians have become the largest foreignborn group in London. Nearly 9% of all foreignborn residents in London are now Indians. In sheer numbers, this means 263,000 people born in India are now living in London. London had about 3 million foreign-born residents in 2011 (37% of the total London population and 40% of the total foreign-born population of England and Wales). UK’s office of national statistics has already earlier pointed to the fact that Indians had overtaken the Irish to become the largest foreign-born ethnic group in the whole of England and Wales. The latest census had revealed that the number of Indians

ISSUE - 510

21 May to 27 May, 2013 PH: (905) 671 - 4761

Son of Indian-origin businessman ‘faked his own kidnap’ to swindle $1million

LONDON: A 21-yearold spoilt son who faked his own Bollywood-style kidnapping in a bid to swindle his rich Indianorigin businessman father out of 620,000 pounds worth of gold, has instead landed in jail for three years. Viraj Mashru hatched a plot with the help of a friend, Amit Patel, 26, after his father Rajendra Mashru stopped his 500pound-a-week allowance to curb his lavish ways as a student in Britain. The Mombasa, Kenyabased businessman who runs a logistics firm PN Mashru Limited received a

call from Patel demanding a ransom in exchange for

of such calls in October 2012 instructing Rajendra

the release of his kidnapped son, who was hiding out in a London hotel all the while. Patel and another accomplice Marcus Bennet, 31, made a series

Mashru to deposit 614,000 pounds in gold bullion in an account at London’s famous store, Harrods. During one of the calls, Patel reportedly threatened

Report calls for Hindi to be included in Australian curriculum

went up by over 52%, from 456,000 in 2001 to 694,000 a decade later. The number of Pakistan-born people increased by over 56%, from 300,000 to 480,000. London’s foreign-born population increased by 54% since 2001, accounting for 105% of the total population increase, as the UK-born population decreased in the decade. According to the 2011 Census, the number of usual residents of London stood at 8.2 million - 15% of the total resident population of England and Wales in 2011.

MELBOURNE: A vast untapped pool of skilled Indian migrants should be used to teach Hindi in Australian schools and universities, according to a report.The report by Melbourne-based think tank Australia India Institute (AII) argues for the

inclusion of Hindi in Australia’s school curriculum, saying it should be an essential part of the Common-wealth’s Asia policy. Authored by well known Australian journalist Hamish McDonald, the report says Hindi was included as one of the four

priority languages in the government’s Asia White Paper last year, along with Chinese, Japanese and Indonesian.McDonald wrote the Australian-Indian community with many native speakers with a high level of education, not necessarily in education, could “with the right training” be turned into excellent teachers.But he wrote such a plan would be contingent on enough resources being put to the case, citing the removal of Korean from teaching programs in Australia, which showed “good intent is not enough”. Continued... Page 3

Indian sentenced to three years for human trafficking WASHINGTON: An Indian has been sentenced to three years of imprisonment on charges of trafficking immigrants from India into the United States, the department of justice said.Kaushik Jayantibhai Thakkar, 33, along with Brazilian national Fabiano Augusto Amorim, was sentenced yesterday to serve 36 months in prison for their roles in smuggling undocumented migrants to

the US for private financial gain, the acting assistant US attorney general Mythili Raman said. In addition to their prison terms, Thakkar and Amorim were sentenced to serve two years of supervised release, as per the order of the US District Judge Ewing Werlein in the southern district of Texas. On December 2, 2012, and January 4, 2013, respectively, Thakkar and Amorim each pleaded

guilty to one count of conspiracy to bring undocumented migrants

into the US for profit and to one count of unlawfully bringing two undocu-

mented migrants into the United States for profit. They worked together and with other coconspirators to smuggle individuals from India into the United States, according to court documents. In support of the conspiracy, Thakkar and others recruited individuals in India who were willing to pay up to USD 60,000 to be smuggled into the US. Continued... Page 4

to “rape” Mashru and cut off his fingers if the ransom was not paid. However, the police caught up with them and they were arrested on November 1 when the car they were travelling in was intercepted. Prosecutor Caroline Haughey told the court that Mashru’s “entire existence in the UK was funded by his family in Kenya.” “However recently the relationship cooled between Mr Mashru and his father to the extent his father, Rajendra, stopped providing him with money. Continued... Page 3

Indian-origin MLA in Canada

accused of perjury

TORONTO: A criminal investigation has been sought against an Indianorigin MLA of Canada’s Alberta Province on charges of ethics violation and perjury. Leader of the opposition Wildrose party, Danielle Smith, has requested the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to conduct a criminal investigation into the actions of EdmontonManning MLA Peter Sandhu following reports that he owned a homebuilding company that was being pursued by creditors for not paying debts. According to Smith, Sandhu - a member of the ruling Progressive Conservatives party, should be charged with perjury as he had lied in court by saying that he was out of Canada when, in fact, he was present in Calgary, CBC reported yesterday. Continued... Page 4

Issue # 510 (2)

THE CONTACT

21 May to 27 May, 2013

VIDEO GAMES

may boost heart health in kids

Going down? Let's hope not...

Daredevil climber who took on the world's tallest outdoor elevator WITHOUT safety gear It'd be hard to persuade many people to teeter 1,000ft above a rocky mountain range, even with full safety gear.But one daredevil climber took on the challenge with only his hands and feet to help him.Jean-Michel Casanova scaled the outside section of 1,083ft-high Bailong Elevator today in the Wulingyuan area of Zhangijiajie, China.It took the French climber 68 minutes and 26 seconds to complete the 564ft challenge, shunning protective gear to wear only trainers, a vest top and jogging

bottoms.If he'd taken the lift, he would have raced to the top in a mere minute. The tallest outdoor elevator in the world lets visitors dodge the 2 1/2 hour walk to the

top.But Casanova opted for the more dangerous route with its stunning, if terrifying, views of the dramatic green landscape and craggy rocks surrounding him. The Bailong Elevator, also known as the Hundred Dragons Elevators, whisks tourists up the side of a massive sandstone column in a mountain range in China's Hunan Province. It's not Casanova's first daring - some may say reckless - climb at an international landmark. In 1989 he did scaled Paris's Eiffel Tower without a safety harness, and climbed New York's Brooklyn Bridge while dressed as Spider Man.

Which nest everywhere and damage electrical systems are taking over southeastern United States You certainly wouldn't want these ants in your pants. A species of ants, nicknamed 'crazy' by researchers because they are prone to sporadic movements has descended upon the Southeastern region of the country, particularly in coastal areas with warmer temperatures

and has wreaked havoc on yards and homes. 'Crazy' ants are known scientifically as 'Nylanderia fulva' and are native to Argentina and Brazil, they are also referred to as 'rasberry' after the exterminator Tom Rasberry who discovered them in Houston in 2002.The 'crazy' ants do not have such a painful sting as their insect counterparts, they are still a nuisance for homeowners. Edward LeBrun, a researcher

with the University of Texas at Austin, has studied the patterns of the ants which can 'go everywhere. ' They can crawl into small compact spaces and even cause damage towards electrical equipment. Interestingly, though, their presence seems to come at the expense of the far more common fire ant. It is unclear why the two species apparently cannot co-exist in the

MELBOURNE: Highintensity active video games may improve cardiovascular health in children, according to a new study.While other studies have assessed children's energy expenditure and physical activity while playing active video games, this is the first study to measure the direct health benefits of highintensity gaming on children's arteries.Researchers from the University of Western Australia with colleagues from Swansea University evaluated 15 children aged from 9 to 11 to determine whether high-intensity and lowintensity active video gaming also known as exergaming - were good for cardiovascular function and health.Dr Louise Naylor and Michael Rosenberg, from UWA's School of Sport Science Exercise and Health, compared children's energy expenditure and heart rate when the children

played both low-intensity and high-intensity active console video games and a session on a treadmill.The researchers found that children playing a highintensity video game used as much energy as if they were exercising moderately, and that high-intensity gaming improved children's cardiovascular health and was a good form of activity for children to use to gain longterm and sustained health benefits. Importantly, the children who participated in the study said they enjoyed playing both low and high-intensity games and were likely to continue playing them.“Our research supports the growing notion that high-intensity activity is good for children and raises the potential for the inclusion of intensive exergames in the recommendations to improve health in children,” Naylor said.

same habitat. 'Crazy' ants have been identified all the way from Texas to Mississippi. Researchers believe that the ants

cannot survive in regions that are dry or cold. Unlike fire ants, 'crazy' ants also do not spread as quickly.

New breed of ‘Crazy Ants’

Good news for 13 million Indian asthmatics - Ginger abundantly found, shown to ease asthma attack LONDON: Ginger tea can be magical for a bad throat. But the humble vegetable has now been found to be highly effective in treating asthma symptoms. Foodies everywhere have long recognized ginger as a great way to add a little peppery zing to their gormet dishes. Now, a a study from researchers at Columbia University shows purified components of the spicy root also may have properties that help asthma patients breathe more easily. Asthma is characterized by bronchoconstriction, a tightening of the bronchial tubes that carry air into and out of the lungs. Bronchodilating medications called beta-agonists are among

the most common types of asthma medications and work by relaxing the airway smooth

"Asthma has become more prevalent in recent years, but despite an improved

muscle (ASM) tissues.This study looked at whether specific components of ginger could help enhance the relaxing effects of bronchodilators.

understanding of what causes asthma and how it develops, during the past 40 years few new treatment agents have been approved for targeting asthma

symptoms," said lead author Elizabeth Townsend."In our study, we demonstrated that purified components of ginger can work synergistically o relax ASM."India is reeling under a severe burden of chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs). According to the health ministry's latest report, released by the Indian Council of Medical Research recently, 13 million people aged 15 years and above suffer from asthma.Around 69.18 lakh men suffered from asthma compared to 60.18 lakh women above the age of 15. To conduct their study, the researchers took human ASM tissue samples and caused the samples to contract by exposing them to acetylcholine, a

neurotransmitting compound that causes bronchoconstriction. At the conclusion of their study, the researchers found that tissues treated with the combination of purified ginger components and isoproterenol exhibited significantly greater relaxation.The researchers wanted to determine if the ginger components might work by affecting an enzyme called phosphodiesterase4D (PDE4D). Previous studies have shown that PDE4D, which is found in the lungs, inhibits processes that otherwise help relax ASM and lessen inflammation. Using a technique called fluorescent polarization, they found that all three components significantly inhibited PDE4D.

Issue # 510 (3)

THE CONTACT

21 May to 27 May, 2013

Indian-origin transsexual avoids Couple from B.C. found killed in their new caning, GETS 14-MONTH JAIL SINGAPORE: A Singaporean of Indianorigin, who underwent a sex change operation, was spared the cane but sentenced to 14-month jail for damaging property and harassing a debtor.21year-old transsexual Benitha, formerly known as Kavi Raj Tamaraselvan, was sent to the women jail for her role in setting fire to the door of an apartment in the Ang Mo Kio public housing estate.Male offenders would normally receive between three and six strokes of the cane for each such offence, but Benitha had undergone sex change in Thailand six months before committing the offence. District judge Hamidah Ibrahim said that since Benitha is now a woman there would not be no caning.Benitha wore a tight-fitting red top in court. Pleading for leniency, defence counsel Rajan Supramaniam said that

Banitha had fallen under the "corrupting influence" of Geevanraj Balraj, one of her two accomplices and who had promised to marry her. Geenvanraj, 20, was sentenced last November to reformative training for

between 1-1/2 years and three years. They were arrested on September 14 last year for scribing graffiti and setting fire to the door of the apartment. They used petrol, which Geevanraj had stolen from

a motorcycle in a carpark. Benitha took pictures of the graffiti and recorded the fire with a mobile phone to show an unlicensed moneylender, who has been identified only as Alex. Unemployed Geevanraj ran into financial difficulties after he suffered 4000 dollars losses on football bets. To pay the debts, he started working with Alex in September last year, receiving 200 dollars for each harassment job, which involved damaging properties of others who owe money to the unlicensed moneylender. The court took these offences into consideration when sentencing Benitha, who could have been jailed up to five years and fined between 5,000 and 50,000 dollars. Her accomplices were also spared the cane because of their young age, according to the report.

home in Punjab, India

A couple believed to be from British Columbia were found slain in their Indian home.According to the Times of India, a neighbour found Shangara Singh, a retired block education officer, his wife Manjeet Kaur and sister-in-law Surjit Kaur dead in their Ludhiana, Punjab home. The couple left Canada to live in India about a month ago. One morning when the family’s neighbour, Sukhwinder Singh, didn’t

see Singh leave the house to buy milk, so when Sukhwinder went to inquire, he found the family dead, according to the Indian news agency. According to Indian police, Singh’s wallet and imported gun were still in the house and there was no sign of forced entry. Police are investigating and expected the couple’s children to arrive from Canada Thursday.

of Indian-origin businessman ‘faked US working with India to streamline Son his own kidnap’ to swindle $1million

education visa process

WASHINGTON: The United States is working with the Indian Government to stream line the latter’s education visa, which is being considered as a major hindrance for American students wanting to go to the country for education, a top Obama Administration official has said. Currently, while more than 100,000 Indian students come to the US for study every year, the number of American students who studied in India in 2011-2012 was a mere 4,300 and far less than those going to China for studies.Even as more American students would

like to go to India for studies, not many are able to travel because of the difficulties they face in getting the education visa.“We are working with the Indian government to streamline education visa processes, which have been repeatedly identified as a key reason for why so

few American students go to India,” the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake, told students at the Boston University.“And through a grant from our Embassy in New Delhi, the US-India Educational Foundation is working with Indian institutions of higher

education to encourage more US students to study there, including by developing better housing and support offices for foreign students,” he said. The Obama Administration has launched ‘Passport to India’ initiative to send more and more American students to India for studies. The United States is also working with businesses and foundations to increase opportunities for more Americans to experience India during their college or university years through study abroad, internships, and service learning opportunities.

Continued.. from Page 1 Mr Mashru subsequently came up with a plan to deceive his father into paying a significant amount of money. In October 2012, Mr Mashru created a scenario whereby there was created an impression that he had disappeared,” she added. Mashru initially stuck with his story, but when Patel told the police that the kidnapping was bogus, he admitted that he had been in on the conspiracy. Both men were taken to Belgravia police station where they made full admissions. Sentencing Viraj at Southwark Crown Court in London on Friday, Judge Alastair McCreath told him that what he did was “a cruel exploitation of your father’s love for you”. “You were a student in this country being supported generously by your father to the tune of 2,000 pounds a month. Almost every single student in this country would give their eye and teeth to be supported as kindly as that...This was a deeply unpleasant offence, it was cruel exploitation of your father’s love for you,” he said. Viraj had admitted one count of conspiracy to blackmail and was jailed for three years and nine months. Bennett from north-west London admitted the same charge and was sentenced to 12 months in jail. The third accomplice, Amit Patel, will be sentenced on May 24 for the same charge.

Yahoo buys Tumblr blogging site for $1.1B Popular blogging platform expected to boost mobile advertising Yahoo is buying online blogging forum Tumblr for $1.1 billion as CEO Marissa Mayer tries to rejuvenate an internet icon that had fallen behind the times. The deal announced Monday represents Mayer's boldest move yet since she left Google 10 months ago to lead Yahoo's latest comeback attempt. It marks Yahoo's most expensive acquisition since the

Sunnyvale, Calif., cash for Tumblr, dipping internet company Alibaba company bought online into some of its remaining Holdings Group. Taking search engine Overture a stash from a $7.6 billion over Tumblr will devour about one-fifth of the $5.4 billion in cash that Yahoo had in its accounts at the end of March. Tumblr CEO stays on Yahoo also says that "per the agreement and our promise not to screw it up, Tumblr will be independently operated as a separate business" with David Karp staying on as CEO.Tumblr, a service decade ago for $1.3 billion windfall reaped last year started six years ago by in cash and stock. from selling about half of Karp, a high school Yahoo is paying all its stake in Chinese dropout, now figures to

play a pivotal role in Mayer's attempt to reshape Yahoo. To take on the challenge, Mayer ended a highly successful 13-year career at Google, which she helped surpass Yahoo as the internet's most influential company. Since coming to Yahoo, Mayer has concentrated on improving employee morale, redesigning services and bringing in more engineering talent through a series of small acquisitions that have collectively cost less than $50 million.

Report calls for Hindi to be included in Australian urriculum Continued.. from Page 1 The White Paper sets the ambitious target of giving all students access to one of these languages continuously throughout their schooling, presumably by the target date for general “Asia literacy” of 2025, the report said.It further asked state governments in Australia to fund an advertising campaign to remind its citizens of what benefits the foreign students and their families bring to the economy.

Issue # 510 (4)

They say, ‘It’s a dogeat-dog world.’ But dogs rarely eat other dogs. They say, ‘Attack is the best form of defence.’ That’s not true either. Attack is just the best way to make sure that you will eventually need a defence. They say, ‘We’ve got to look out for Number One (take care of your own interests first).’ But don’t we keep hearing heart-warming tales of profound kindness? So, just how tough is your emotional life? It is exactly as harsh (or as hopeful) as your view of human nature. Things will work out much as you expect. So start expecting better! !!! These are difficult times. They are also, though, wonderful times. Financial cutbacks oblige millions, all over the world, to rethink their relationship with money. The rich don’t feel so rich any more. And the poor? They already know what the rich are about to find out. Money is not the be-all and end-all of everything. Love matters

more. So, too, do kindness and respect. All the money in the world could not buy what you now need the most. Yet you can get it! All you have to do now is look for it in the right place. !!! Artists love to play with perspective. Musicians enjoy mixing sounds so that some come to the forefront and others exist as a subtle but crucial background presence. A picture alters dramatically depending on what you place where. A symphony can be transformed by allowing a different instrument to dominate. As you now look at what needs to be altered in your emotional life, try keeping the same basic components but arranging them in a different order. A little creative experimentation could prove a lot more rewarding than you think. !!! Is there no sense of ceremony left in the world? Are we all now oblivious to

Indian-origin MLA in Canada accused of perjury Continued.. from Page 1 “With the significant discrepancies between evidence in the courts and the legislative assembly office, we believe it is of utmost importance to ensure that this matter is investigated thoroughly - to not only maintain the integrity of our legislative process, but to ensure the confidence of Albertans,” Smith said in a statement. In her letter to the RCMP, Smith cites Section 131 of the Criminal Code, which states that making a false statement under oath - as Sandhu is accused of doing - is, in fact, perjury.Sandhu, who resigned from the Conservative caucus following the allegations earlier this week, is also being investigated by Alberta’s ethic commissioner.

Indian sentenced to three years for human trafficking Continued.. from Page 1 For their smuggling operations, Thakkar, Amorim and their associates used a network of co-conspirators in South America, Central America, the Caribbean and the United States, including the state of Texas. Using this network, they, and their co-conspirators, transported groups of undocumented migrants from locations within India through South America, Central America and the Caribbean and then into the US by various means, including by air travel, automobiles, water craft and foot, the justice department said. Many of these smuggling events involved illegal entry into the US via the border between the United States and Mexico near McAllen and Laredo, Texas, it added.

THE CONTACT

any activity that doesn’t take place on TV? It seems as if we live in a ‘so what?’ society. There just isn’t as much magic around as there used to be. But there is. It’s just that we have to look a little harder. No great opportunity is about to bow down and offer itself to you. But if you now saddle-up your horse and ride out through the ranch of possibility, you may yet lasso a real potential change to your emotional life, and bring it home behind you. !!! Soap operas are the ultimate example. They ramble on, from week to week and year to year. A truly successful series will go from decade to decade. There is never a grand finale. No final curtain call. No moment of comforting completion or rewarding resolution. Just one clear instruction is given to the viewer. Tune in again, this time tomorrow. And tomorrow. And tomorrow. Is that what you want your emotional life to be now? In one key area of your world it is possible to draw

a line. It will take courage. But it will be worth it. !!! We do what we do when we have to do it! We don’t do it before we have to do it. And if we don’t have to do it, we don’t do it! Well, not the big stuff, anyhow. We may engage in all kinds of indulgent activities that seem pretty serious at the time, but when it comes to major life choices... well, they only happen when they need to. If, looking back, we can’t see why they needed to that’s because our memories are selective. Trust what has recently happened in your emotional life. And trust what it seems to be leading to next! !!! Once upon a time people came to Planet Earth and searched for a deep, spiritual meaning to their lives. They asked profound questions of themselves and of the universe. They sought wisdom, even enlightenment. But then, some bright spark invented television, and all that came to an end. Now, all

21 May to 27 May, 2013

any of us want is a movie star lifestyle. A trim figure and a trophy partner. That, and a good job... is surely all that any of us need. Isn’t it? If you’re looking for more, in your heart and your life... you may yet find it! !!! In the best horror films, we never see the monster. We catch only a fleeting glimpse. This is because nothing can compete with the power of our own imagination. From a hint of something scary, we will create a terrifying picture in our mind’s eye. Yet, though we may get a shock when we first see a Kong or a Godzilla, we soon become familiar with the image and start to feel less terrified. You half-expect a big difficulty in your emotional life. But if you look at what’s really happening, you will find very little to worry about. !!! Even if you like to think of yourself as ‘ordinary’, you are blessed with an exceptionally creative mind. At one level of life at least, your reactions and ideas are anything but

predictable. You love to explore new possibilities and to see situations from different angles. That’s why you sometimes find yourself in trouble. You can’t resist exploring avenues that others would feel inclined to steer well clear of. Are you now going too far? Of course not. You are doing what’s right for your emotional life. This is right for you. Trust that. !!! Do you have a reason to feel proud? You do. While all in your world may be far from perfect, you have done something smart. Had you not reached a clear decision, things would be a lot worse. You know this, but you still feel inclined to be hard on yourself. That’s partly because you don’t want to relax your grip on a situation that needs a lot of sorting out. So sort it out. But relax as you do so. Because you’ve already proven that you have the power. It is simply a question now of exercising it wisely. And that, you can easily do.

The piano ANYBODY can play World’s narrowest upright has only five keys This piano could be the narrowest in the world but pianists won’t have the chance to play a waltz or a sonata - as it has only five keys. With three white keys and two black and one pedal, composers would struggle to come up with a catchy tune. And that’s before you factor in the problem of it no longer having its strings and not making a sound. The 3ft 9in piano is less than a foot wide, so it’s probably for the best that it is now a sculpture, not a functioning instrument. The miniature grand was created by sculptor Bjorn Perborg, who took a saw to a full-size piano that was being thrown away. He chopped the instrument into three sections and threw away the middle piece, before sticking the two ends together.

The piano strings had to be stripped out during the demolition, so you can tinkle the ivories but it won’t make a sound. The piano was

showcased at an exhibition and then sold for £2,400 to a museum. Mr Perborg, 38, a fulltime sculptor from Paris, France, said: ‘I made this

piece for a gallery show. ‘I showed an installation about the Collyer brothers, two hoarders who lived like hermits in Manhattan during the first half of the 20th century. ‘One of the brothers used to be a concert pianist and I thought a crippled piano could go well with their story. ‘There were people giving away pianos for free, so I took one and cut it into three pieces, threw away the middle section and reassembled the other two parts. ‘The lid and the music stand had to be cut separately as well. ‘I didn’t have the proper tools to cut the heavy casted metal frame that holds the strings inside the piano, the harp, so I decided not to use it.‘It is not a functioning piano and I consider it to be a sculpture.

Issue # 510 (5)

THE CONTACT

21 May to 27 May, 2013

The Indian Punters League - Let’s gamble! It looks like there is a compelling itch in many people to gamble. It is an exciting do or die experience. Gambling perhaps is an instinctive happening. And instinct, they say, is the highest form of intelligence. Some governments entertain the views that gambling is bad. There is no rhyme or reason in the perception they have with regard to it. Gambling is bad, that’s all. Gambling appears to have been very popular all over the world, all the time. Our ancient folks used to gamble freely. There was betting mostly on various kinds of games. When the Pandavas lost everything in a game of dice, they bet with their beloved wife Draupadi. They lost her too. Kaurava’s man Dushyasana then tried to do something hanky-panky, but

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the timely arrival and rescue bid by Lord Krishna prevented an ugly happening… There was a perception of some ruling party folks in India that drinking was bad. A minister who thought that alcohol was bad but drinking urine was good for health, put a ban on liquor. Millions of people objected, but the minister who used to drink a glass of his own urine every morning, firmly prohibited alcohol. People had to resort to ingenious methods to get their ‘stinking’ drink. The drink was made there with all sorts of ingredients, kept inside the manholes. It could not be anything but stinking. Hundreds of people died due to poisoning and thousands had a slow death consuming illicit liquor. Some years later, the government became wise and decided to abolish prohibition. By way of levy on liquor the government’s revenue zoomed. The Indian government sticks in some pet perceptions even if they are harmful. The government can actually earn huge sums of money and will be able perhaps to pay off its huge debts on which it pays sky-high interest. Folks in the government have their own values regarding almost every topic under the sun. The first chief minister of Maharashtra, B.G. Kher, used to repeat the quote: “That government is the best which governs the best.” People must be allowed to do what they want – so long as they do not hurt others….

In England, you can go to ‘dogs’ too In all cricket countries, betting takes place on a big scale. In England, cricket betting goes on throughout the year. Betting on games like football, horse racing, greyhound racing, etc. is also a common place in England. People are free to go to the dogs, if they so want… A betting shop at every corner of a street. Legal betting takes place, receipts are given. And the government collects its share of the loot – by the way of taxes. England is indeed a free country

where people enjoy freedom to live a life of their own choice. The state, in fact, concedes the demands of people and in the bargain, makes gainful arrangements. Cricket attracts big betting – in millions. Betting is not just on which side wins: whether Chris Gayle will get a 100, whether Sachin Tendulkar will be out for a duck and so on and so forth. Even as an innings is going on, betting goes on all the time.

Illegal betting Just now it is all illegal betting. It is claimed the IPL matches are seen by a billion people. Apart from the thousands who see the matches at various stadiums, there are millions of TV viewers in countries where cricket is an important, popular national game. Behind the IPL, there is massive organization. Lalit Modi, who worked out the IPL, has provided a top class entertainment sport. In the first place, if cricket betting is legalized, the government can garner hundreds of millions by way of taxes. As it is, there must be thousands of small and big bookmakers across the country. If betting is legalized, chances are there will be thousands of bookmakers – earning money legally. Betting can be carried in a home – a couple of mobile phones is all that is required. The government can set in place certain rules and regulations with regard to how the bookmakers should conduct their business. And the betting public can lay bets freely with the licenced bookmakers. Many of the ills which dog the cricket matches now will disappear. The game will become clean. Don’t kill the sport. Promote it. It is India’s national game.

Hundreds of young men will have a chance to shine in the game. The government should give up its inhibitions and reservations and decide to legalize cricket betting. The media and those who love the game have repeatedly asked the Indian government to legalize cricket betting. Is there are any chance of the government changing course and allow cricket betting? If it wants to do this, it has to discard wrong beliefs with regard to gambling. In this regard, the Indian government is wearing blinkers, and it may still be not ready to take them off.

But there is hope – just a glimmer of hope… just now! The spot-fixing by three cricketers of the Rajasthan Royals team and the hot debate that has been going on, appears to have made the UPA government’s Sports Minister to take notice. He has announced that the issue of legalizing cricket betting needs to be examined. This examination should have taken place long ago. The blinkered view with regard to cricket betting has resulted in the loss of millions to the Indian government. The IPL has become a roaring success. Cricket can emerge in even a better form and attract more crowds. The IPL has teams with players from different countries – Australia, South Africa, West Indies, England, Sri Lanka and India. It is because of this, the IPL attraction has zoomed. There is scope for discovering new forms of cricket, adding new dimensions. Apart from becoming the king of sports, cricket can also generate more money… huge money!

Forget coffee, now you can get caffeine in your TOOTHBRUSH It could be an important time saver for those who want an extra five minutes in bed.Colgate has revealed plans for a toothbrush with a built in caffeine patch to deliver the morning coffee as you brush.A patent application reveals the firm is even considering flavour patches and even drug delivery using the system. The patent application from the Colgate-Palmolive Company revealed technology that would allow chemicals to be embedded into the heads of standard toothbrushes and slowly released during use. The firm showed off plans for everything from mint and apple flavoured patches to a caffeine patch to wake up the weary in the morning. Each patch would last around three months, the application shows.The firm could also expand the offering to include drugs such as aspirin, and the application even reveals a ‘diet toothbrush’ with a patch that releases an appetite suppressant.In the patent application, toothbrushes would be delineated by differently shaped tongue cleaners, the drawing show - an apple shape means apple flavor, a snowflake

means a cooling sensation while a mint leaf releases mint.The patent describes the pictures as: ‘An oral care implement comprising a handle and a head; a releasable sensory material that invokes a sensory response in an oral cavity during

material comprises one of a flavoring, a sensate, or a medication.’It also raises the terrifying prospect of a chilli pepper version. ‘As one example, a chemical known as capsaicin, found naturally in chile

use.’It also talk about an ‘elastomeric element comprising a shape that is visually representative of the sensory response,’ and a ‘releasable sensory

peppers, can be used to provide a tingle, a hot or warm massage, or a heating or warm, soothing sensation to a user, ‘ it says.

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Chinese man abducted as a five-year-old is reunited with his parents 23 years later Aafter using GOOGLE MAPS to find his way home A Chinese man has been reunited with his biological family more than 20 years after he was

satellite maps to identify the distant hometown he has been searching for all his adult life. Luo said that, while his adopted family loved him, he was haunted by

abducted as a little boy and claims he has Google Maps to thank for finding his way home. Luo Gang, who was born in a small town in Sichuan province, but grew up some 1,500km away in Fujian province after being snatched on his way to kindergarten at the age of five. Now, 23 years on, Luo has been returned to his birthplace after using

childhood memories of his hometown. 'Everyday before I went to bed, I forced myself to re-live the life spent in my old home. So I wouldn't forget,' he said in a report in the South China Morning Post.Luo's stand-out recollection of the town where he was born was of two bridges. After deciding to go in search of where he came from, Luo posted sketched

a rough map of his hometown from memory and posted it on a Chinese website set up to help locate missing children. He was contacted by a user who told him about a couple from a small town in Guangan city, Sichuan province, who had lost a son at the exact time Luo was abducted. The area looked familiar when Luo looked for pictures online, and his suspicions were confirmed when he searched it on Google Maps. After zooming in on satellite images of an area called Yaojiaba, an overcome Luo spotted the two bridges he remembered.After an emotional reunion, his biological mother said: 'In the past years, I couldn't help crying each time I thought about my son.' It is not known whether Luo's adoptive family will face criminal charges. Google's office in Hong Kong declined to comment, the report said.

Smoking marijuana can help ease the pain of social exclusion And low self-esteem but it won't fix your problems, claims new research Newly published research suggests that one of the main reasons people enjoy smoking marijuana is because it helps them combat intense feelings of social exclusion.Rather than simply getting high for the heck of it, a research team led by University of Kentucky psychologist Timothy Deckman has found that cannabis relieves not only physical pain but also emotional pain.As their starting point, Deckman and his team used two recent pieces of research. One that found the pain of social exclusion is more intense than previously thought, and another that revealed physical and emotional pain travel similar pathways in the brain.This second piece of research was uncovered after tests found the pain killer Tylenol had helped reduce the pain of social rejection and existential angst in test studies. Since marijuana works through similar brain receptors, Deckman's researchers wondered whether pot could similarly soften the pain of exclusion, reports Pacific

Standard. One experiment that helped prove their theory involved surveying more than 5,000 Americans about their level of loneliness, their marijuana usage (if any),

and assessed their mental health and feelings of selfworth. Unsurprisingly the researchers found a relationship between loneliness and feelings of self-worth, but that it was significantly weaker for those people that regularly smoked pot. 'Marijuana use buffered the lonely from both negative self-worth and poor mental health,' the researchers wrote in the Social Psychological and Personality Science journal. Another experiment found people who were experiencing social pain were less likely to have suffered a major depression in the past

year if they were regular pot smokers.A third experiment was based around the Cyberball computer game, half the participants in the threeperson game received the ball twice early on, and then never again during for the remainder. Afterwards they were asked to react to a series of statements designed to assess whether their need for selfesteem and belonging felt threatened using statements such as, 'I had the feeling that the other players did not like me.' The results found that those who frequently smoked marijuana felt less threatened than the others. Deckman and his colleagues have concluded that these studies show 'marijuana use consistently buffered people from the negative consequences associated with loneliness and social exclusion'. They also warned that while marijuana isn't an adequate cure to solving these problems.'Humans have a fundamental need to belong,' the researchers noted. 'Hurt feelings motivate us to fix our relationships and reestablish social connection.

21 May to 27 May, 2013

Chinese tourists must â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;be more politeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Says Communist Party official who claims they are harming the country's image abroad A senior Communist Party official says that 'uncivilised behaviour' by Chinese tourists is harming China's image abroad. Wang Yang, one of the country's four viceprime ministers, said holidaymakers should be more polite, singling out talking loudly and spitting as poor behaviour by his fellow citizens. It was revealed last month that the Chinese are the world's biggest spending tourists, splashing out $102billion on foreign trips in 2012, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. Chinese tourists make 83million trips abroad last year, compared with only 10million in 2000, becoming the single biggest source of global tourism income. Writing in the official party newspaper People's Daily, Mr Wang said: 'Improving the civilised quality of the citizens and

building a good image of Chinese tourists are the obligations of governments at all levels and relevant agencies and companies.' He said Chinese

when they are abroad. 'Chinese internet forums were flooded with protests earlier this year when news emerged that a hotel in the Maldives had removed kettles from

authorities should 'guide tourists to conscientiously abide by public order and social ethics, respect local religious beliefs and customs, mind their speech and behaviour... and protect the environment'. However, some Chinese tourists say they are treated 'like second-class citizens'

rooms occupied by Chinese tourists,' said the BBC's Beiijing correspondent Celia Hatton. 'Apparently, the hotel's manager was upset that some Chinese tourists were using boiling water to eat instant noodles in their rooms, instead of spending money in the hotel's restaurants.'

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21 May to 27 May 2013

Baby girl whose head swelled to twice Sunshine vitamin may help its size receives life-saving surgery treat asthma, says study For free following online campaign A baby girl who suffers from a rare condition that caused her head to swell to nearly double

its size is recovering in hospital today after receiving life-saving surgery.Following a series of preliminary procedures last week, 15-month-old Roona Begum, who was born with hydrocephalus, received a major operation at a hospital in Delhi, India, this morning.Surgeons at the private hospital run by the

Fortis Healthcare group, offered to treat Roona for free after pictures emerged of her living with the condition in a village in rural state of Tripura.One surgeon

Sandeep Vaishya told the AFP news agency: 'The surgery went perfectly, much better than expected.After Roona's plight appeared in a number of publications, including MailOnline, a charity came forward to offer help.Norwegian students, Jonas Borchgrevink and Nathalie Krantz, started an

online campaign that raised $52,000 to help fund any further care needed.The Fortis Foundation flew the povertystricken family from their rural village to the hospital in Gurgaon two weeks ago.Doctors have already said that the youngster is lucky to be alive, with most sufferers of the condition not surviving beyond a year old.Speaking before the procedure was carried out, Dr Sandeep Vaishya, Director of Neurosurgery at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, who is treating Roona, said: 'I was surprised when I saw the baby for the first time. Even though I had seen her pictures, I wasn't expecting the head to be so big. 'Her head measures 94 cm, in similar cases the average measurement is around 50-60 cm.'It is swollen to an extent that she is not able to close her eyes completely. We have an opthamologist looking at her eyes, so that there are no complications there.

Tipplers will have to shell out more to buy liquor in Delhi Tipplers will have to shell out more to buy liquor in the capital with the Delhi Government today approving a hike in rates of alcohol as part of new excise policy.As per the government decision, the rates of IndianMade- Foreign liquor will go up by five per cent, while that of country-made liquor will see a rise of up to 11 per cent.The hike in rates of liquor was proposed as part of new excise policy which was cleared by a meeting of Delhi Cabinet presided over by

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit."The new excise policy focuses on better availability of quality liquor in Delhi. The marginal hike in different quality and brands of liquor would come into force after issue of a notification," the Chief

Minister said.Officials said price of country-made alcohol, being sold under 'Economy Liquor' category, has been increased from Rs 120 to Rs 130 per quarts.The rates of Delhi Medium Liquor, another category of country-made liquor, have been hiked from Rs 90 to Rs 100 per quarts, they said.The officials said the price of IMFL has been increased by five per cent.The government has also marginally increased the transportation cost of liquor.

Asthma patients should soak up some sun! Vitamin D could act as a possible new treatment for asthma, as it has the potential to significantly reduce the symptoms of the condition, a

steroids as well as a control group of 10 healthy participants.Results showed that patients with asthma had much higher levels of IL-17A than those without it and patients with steroid resistant asthma

new study has found.Severe asthma is currently treated with steroid tablets which can have harmful side effects. Many sufferers have a steroid resistant variation of the condition making it even more difficult to treat and resulting in frequent admissions to hospital with severe, even lifethreatening attacks.Scientists at the King's College, London identified a mechanism through which Vitamin D can reduce asthma symptoms, providing a potential target for future treatments.IL -17A is a natural chemical which helps to defend the body against infection, but is known to exacerbate asthma and reduce responsiveness to steroids when produced in larger amounts.Researchers examined the production of IL17A and levels of the chemical in cells from 18 steroid resistant asthma patients and 10 patients who responded to

expressed the highest levels.Further observation showed that while steroids were unable to lower the production of IL-17A in cells from patients with asthma, Vitamin D significantly reduced the production of IL-17A in cells from all patients studied.The results demonstrate that Vitamin D could potentially provide an effective add-on treatment for all asthma sufferers, reducing the amount of steroid-based medicines."These findings are very exciting as they show that Vitamin D could one day be used not only to treat people with steroid resistant asthma but also to reduce the doses of steroids in other asthma patients, reducing the risk of harmful side effects," Professor Catherine Hawrylowicz from the King's MRC & Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, lead author of the study, said.

Why dogs REALLY get into a frenzy at the mention of walkies

Researchers find canines get 'runner's high' because their brains produce chemicals found in cannabis Dogs and humans love to run because it gives them a natural high similar to that of cannabis, according to the University of Arizona. Researchers wanted to see why some animals evolved to be better at running, such as humans and dogs, while others, including ferrets, aren't. Their findings suggests that this may be because after running, the levels of endocannabinoids - chemicals

found in marijuana that give you a feeling of euphoria - are higher in human's and dogs and this encourages them to run again. Anthropologist David A. Raichlen from the University of Arizona lead the research. He said: 'Maybe runner's high is not some peculiar thing with humans. Maybe it's an evolutionary payoff for doing something hard and painful that also helps them survive better, be healthier, hunt better or have more offspring.' Raichlen continued that as we evolved, we continued to run

because our brains became hard-wired to like it. During the research a human, dog and ferret were put on a treadmill for 30 minutes. The researchers drew blood from each animal and compared the levels of chemicals of each. They also measured the dogs and humans as they walked, while the ferrets rested. Raichlen found that blood samples for both humans and dogs showed a significant increase in levels of endocannabinoids. Endocannabinoids are

chemicals produced in the body. They can give people a natural 'high' including feelings of happiness and euphoria. These chemicals are also found in cannabis plants. During the study the humans reported being much happier after the exercise. The researchers concluded that was the first indication that dogs-and possibly other distance-running mammalsexperience a naturally induced runner's high.There was no spike in the level of endocannabinoids in the humans or the dogs after

walking. And the ferrets saw no increase in the levels of the 'happy' chemicals throughout the whole study. This research suggests that Raichlen's 'reward response' theory shows that intense aerobic activity appears to be part of our evolutionary history. Humans and dogs are known as cursorial animals. This means we have evolved specifically to be able to run long distances and have longer legs that help us stride more easily. By comparing how we have developed from apes, Raichlen discovered that the fitter the primate, the bigger its brain. His findings suggest that exercise helps the brain to grow, and boosts the body's production of neurotrophins chemicals that build and maintain brain cells. Raichlen said: 'Inactive people may not be fit enough to hit the exercise intensity that leads to this sort of rewarding sensation.'Yet they could build up their exercise tolerance to the point that they do cross the threshold and reach the level of intensity that produces the reward of the high.

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21 May to 27 May 2013

Why the Egyptians only had sex in the summer Researchers find key time for conception was in July and August to coincide with the Nile flooding Ancient Egyptians primarily had sex in the summer, new research reveals.The most popular time for love-making was July and August meaning that 20 per

cent more babies were born in March and April than in other months.As a consequence, most deaths among women of childbearing age also occurred in these months.Archaeologists working at a cemetery in the Dakhleh Oasis in Egypt excavated 765 graves and were able to establish the month of

Saudi Man Escapes Punishment Of Full Paralysis For Stabbing His Friend

A Saudi man escaped a sentence of paralysis for stabbing and paralyzing his friend when they were kids, AFP reports. The family of Ali Al-Khawahir, 24, will instead pay the family of Mohammed al-Hazim, 26, one million riyals ($270,000) in compensation, Kuwait's Al-Watan daily reported.In 2003 a 14-year-old Ali Al-Khawahir stabbed his friend in the backbone. The victim has been "completely paralyzed ever since and has not been able to lead a normal life and has been deprived of being a father," according to Ali's mother.Saudi authorities denied issuing the paralysis punishment. Amnesty International says a Saudi court passed another

sentence of paralysis in 2010, but it's unclear if or how it was carried out.Khawahir, who has spent 10 years in jail, will now be released after al-Hazim's family entered a waiver that avoided the eye-for-an-eye punishment. The sentence, called Qisas or retribution, draws from the code of Hammurabi, a legendary Mesopotamian king who ruled the Babylonian Empire from 1792-1750 B.C.E. "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" was one of 282 laws inscribed on a stone pillar. AFP notes that Saudi courts impose several forms of corporal punishment attributed to Islamic sharia law, ranging from flogging to amputation and beheading.

each person's death because the graves were all pointed towards the rising sun. Live Science reported that they uncovered the graves of 124 babies that had died 18 to 45 weeks after conception - putting these two pieces of information together enabled the researchers to piece together the most popular time for lovemaking.The findings are particularly surprising because in other ancient Mediterranean cultures fewer babies are thought to have been conceived during the hot summer months

Delhi gets latest tool to detect breast cancer Early detection of breast cancer just got easier as the world’s most accurate mammography system has made its way into north India. What’s more, the new machine provides 20% less radiation dose than the ones available now. The machine- AMULETby Fujifilm was launched at a summit organised by Mahajan Imaging on ‘Advances in Medical Technology in the Fight against Breast Cancer’ in the Capital on Sunday. In less than 10 seconds, the machine breaks down the images to as small as 50 micron, providing a much clearer picture during the scan. There has been a sea change in mammography technology in the past couple of decades. It started with screen-film mammography and gradually moved to computer-assisted mammography that is still the most popular form in India.

because the heat lowered libido and possibly affected sperm count. It is thought that in ancient Egypt beliefs about fertility and the Nile flood may have been responsible for the baby booms.The residents of the Dakhleh Oasis believed that the river was the key to their land's fertility and the floods occurred during the summer months meaning that there were widespread celebrations.The researchers believe that the peak in spring births continued until the 1920s or 30s.In contrast, conception rates fell to annual

lows in January and this is believed to have been because Christian believes required abstinence during Advent and Lent.Additionally, it is thought that early Egyptian Christians were encouraged to avoid sex on Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Finally, it is believed that some form of contraception must have been in use and it is thought that recipes including crocodile dung were so unpleasant that they put people off intercourse altogether.

21-year-old Indian sisters become first twins to climb Mount Everest wo Indian girls have scripted history by becoming the first twins ever to climb Mount Everest together.

weather" window yesterday, 146 people reached the summit of the world's highest peak with 94 more completing the journey

21-year-old Tashi and Nancy Malik from Dehra Dun achieved this feat by successfully reaching the world's highest mountain peak at 8,848 meters, an official at Nepal's Ministry of Tourism and Culture said. The duo were among other record-makers including the first women from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan who climbed the Everest yesterday. During a so-called "fair

today. This brings to 348 the total number of climbers who have ascended the mountain since May 10, said Tilak Pandey of the Mountain Division at the Ministry.Last year, more than 250 climbers reached the summit in a 48-hour stretch of good weather despite warnings of potentially deadly bottlenecks in the "death zone" above 8,000 metres.

Hundreds fled to neighboring India while others either moved to other parts of the country or settled overseas. However with the war ending in May 2009 following the defeat of the rebels land owners have

begun to return and are seeking ownership of their property. The Sri Lankan government says most property held by the military during the war had been returned while some areas have not owing to security reasons.

Sri Lankan Tamils go to court against land acquisition COLOMBO (Xinhua) -- Over 1,000 land owners in Sri Lanka' s northern Jaffna town on Wednesday filed cases against the government taking over their land to build military offices, a minority Tamil political party said.The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said that 1,474 people owning land in Jaffna filed the cases challenging the attempts to illegally and unlawfully acquire their private land.

"The petition challenges the Section 2 notices issued under the Land Acquisition Act which specifies that 6381 acres and 38.97 perches are to be acquired. The massive area that is identified constitutes approximately 25.8 square kilometers," the TNA said in a statement.The TNA said the petitioners own substantial tracts of land that fall within area being acquired by the government and were displaced from their land due

to the war. "Although the war ended in 2009, the petitioners have been prevented from returning to their land due to the military occupation of the area and barbed wire fences and barricades manned by the military," said the TNA. Thousands of Tamils were displaced from the north during the 30 year war between the Tamil Tiger rebels and the military.

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21 May to 27 May 2013

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been knocked back from 450 jobs

Says unemployed man with Buddhist tattoo on his forehead A job-hunter claims he has been left unemployable because he is covered in tattoos. Yusuf Hameed, 40, has been knocked back from dozens of jobs over the last year because of his unconventional appearance. His body art includes a Buddhism symbol on his forehead, two Thai boxing tattoos on the back of his head, and a yin yang on the back of

his head.He said he has applied for 450 jobs including a car wash attendant and a street cleaner but receives the same feedback - employers cannot hire him because of his tattoos. Mr Hameed, from Batley, West Yorkshire, said: 'It is really getting me down and it is so hard to think that these tattoos are such a strong barrier against me getting a job. 'I came to Batley from Pontefract after being made redundant from a meat manufacturing company. 'I've been doing everything

the job centre has told me and attended all my interviews but

Sex injuries, split trousers and sore fingers The ridiculous excuses people give for taking a day off work We've all had those days when we just can't be bothered to go to work.And a study of

1,000 workers and 1,000 bosses has discovered that art of excuse making is very much alive and kicking.Bizarre reasons for

missing work included 'A can of baked beans landed on my big toe','My car handbrake broke and it rolled down the hill into a lamppost' and 'My dog has had

a big fright and I don't want to leave him.' One employee rang their manager to say they wouldn't be in work that day as

they were in A&E with a peg stuck on their tongue and another said his mother had died (this was the second time he had used this excuse).'I am hallucinating', 'I am stuck in my house because the door's broken' and 'I've injured myself during sex' were also cited as reasons to miss work. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the results showed that six out of ten employers don't believe employees' excuses when they call in sick. One in four question those who do not sound ill enough or who give flimsy excuses, while factors like the weather being nice or the person seeming fine the day before also arouse suspicion. A third of bosses scour social media after receiving a sickie call-in to see whether the staff member is well enough to post updates. Certain excuses, such as vomiting bugs, viruses and abdominal pains are more likely to be believed. But neck or back pain due to a pulled muscle or fatigue are not seen as worthy reasons to skip work. Two thirds of bosses still demand their employees ring them when ill and are adamant that a text or email is not tolerated.

they take one look at my tattoos and won't give me a chance.' Muslim convert Mr Hameed got his first tattoo aged 14 but wishes he had never had them done.He said: 'I used to hang around with a lot of lads older than me and they started getting them. 'I suppose it was peer pressure but as a mature person I would not have got them, especially seeing the reaction from strangers. 'When I go to interviews I can just see the person opposite me lose eye contact

and focus on my tattoos,' he said.'I'm more than qualified for a lot of the jobs I have been for but they all tell me my tattoos do not fit the company image.' Mr Hameed is hopeful an employer can look past his ink and give him an opportunity. He said: 'People generalise me and think I am not bothered about working and that I am a freeloader. 'I want employers to judge me on my skills and they will find out I've got lots to offer. 'Even if it is a week's trial, I just need that chance.'

Which ear are you? Researchers find how the brain decides how we listen to our mobile While it may seem obvious that you hold your phone with your dominant hand, researchers have uncovered the brain processes which lead us to decide which side we listen on.If you are a leftbrain thinker, the chances are you use your right hand to hold your phone up to your right ear, according to the study from the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. The research reveals a strong correlation between brain dominance and the ear used to listen to a phone. More than 70 per cent of the study's participants held their phone up to the ear on the same side as their dominant hand, the study found.Left-brain dominant people - who account for about 95 per cent of the population and have their speech and language centre located on the left side of their brain - are more likely to use their right hand for writing and other everyday tasks. Likewise, the Henry Ford Hospital study reveals that most left-brain dominant people also hold the phone to their right ear. Right-brain dominant people are more likely to use their left hand to hold their phone to their left ear.'Our findings have several implications, especially for mapping the language centre of the brain,' said Dr Michael

Seidman, of Henry Ford Hospital. 'By establishing a correlation between cerebral dominance and sidedness of cell phone use, it may be possible to develop a less-invasive, lower-cost option to establish the side of the brain where speech and language

occurs rather than the Wada test, a procedure that injects an anaesthetic into the carotid artery to put part of the brain to sleep in order to map activity.' He notes that the study may also offer additional evidence that mobile phone use and tumours of the brain, head and neck are not linked.Since nearly 80 per cent of people hold their phone to their right ear, he says if there were a strong connection there would be far more people diagnosed with cancer on the right side of their brain, head and neck, the dominant side for cell phone use. The study began with the simple observation that most people use their right hand to hold a phone to their right ear. This practice, Dr Seidman says, is illogical since it is challenging to listen on the phone with the right ear and take notes with the right hand.

10% of Facebookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s users areBunga not human Inside the Bunga room Including Mark Zuckerbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dog Beast who has 1.5 MILLION followers

Dogs, cats, horses, toasters: You name it, it has a Facebook page.Facebook now has one billion users - but ten per cent of them are not human, according to new research.At least 100 million of Facebook's 'monthly active users' are pets, brands and companies - and even Facebook founder Mark Zuckeberg's dog Beast has a page. According to eMarketer,

an internet market research company, only 889.3 million of the one billion users are real people.Quartz reports that Facebook claims it currently has 1.11 billion users but says that it will not actually reach this number of human users until 2014.Currently the biggest growth in Facebook use is in India, Brazil, Russia, the Middle East and Africa. Each of these

regions is expected to see a 30 per cent increase in Facebook members this year. In contrast, the U.S., UK and Western Europe are seeing a much slower growth in Facebook membership. However, currently half of the population of the U.S. and the UK actively use Facebook but many of the users are less active than they were in the past. In Western Europe as a whole only 37 per cent of people actively use the social networking site because people in France, Italy and Germany are less enthusiastic. eMarketer also predicts that Facebook use will grow from

42.6 per cent of internet users now to 54.7 per cent in 2017. While 46.6 per cent of people in North America and more than 30 per cent of people in Latin America and Western Europe will use Facebook at least once a month this year, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific will have much lower penetration rates, which brings down the worldwide percentage of the population using Facebook to 15.4 per cent. eMarketer estimates that 63 per cent of social network users worldwide will access Facebook at least once a month in 2013. In recent years, it has been common for users in countries

such as China, Japan, South Korea and Russia to use local social networking sites as opposed to Facebook, which gives the site room for growth. By 2017, Facebook users will account for 69.5 per cent of social network users worldwide. Facebook is about to celebrate the end of its first year as a public company but there are concerns among investors that teenagers are losing interest in it. Some investors are worried that young people are developing 'Facebook fatigue' which is causing them to move to other social networking sites such as Twitter.

Issue # 510 (10)

Nai Sikh family seeks a suitable for their daughter 29 yrs. old, 5’3” tall, fair, beautiful, M.Sc. (Botany), M.Ed., M.Phil, PGDCA, French Certificate holder, working as a science mistress in India. The boy should be vegetarian, non-drinker, a Canadian citizen/immgrant & well settled. Mama ji is well settled in Canada. Call 416-561-5133 or email: goxyria@hotmail.com ***510*** Jat Sikhh family seeking a suitable match for their Canadian citizen daughter, 31 yrs. old, 5’8” tall, born and raised in Canada, M.D. doctor, beautiful personality, from a well settled family. The boy should be a professional from Canada or USA. Please send a recent picture and biodata to: jattsikhcanada@ hotmail.com ***510*** Well settled Jat Sikh parents seeking a suitable match for their son, born and raised in Canada, educated, 27 yrs. old, 6 ft. tall, handsome, wears a turban, non amritdhari. Looking for a tall, attractive and educated girl from a good family background. Call: 604-728-3530 or email: tejk91@hotmail.com ***510*** Jat Sikh parents seeking a match for their extermely handsome Canadian born son, 29 yrs. old, 6'-2" tall, B.Sc., fair skin, non drinker, respectable and works with the government. The girl should be beautiful, educated with family values and preferrably tall. Please send biodata and picture to: pmangat01@hotmail.com or call: 250-220-4259 ***510*** Doaba based Jat Sikh Cheema parents invite a matrimonial alliance for their daughter, Canadian citizen, 27 yrs. old, 5’3” tall, fair complexion, diploma in early childhood, studying at university (sociology). The boy should be educated, well settled, amiritdhari Canadian citizen/ immigrant. GTA prererred. Ph: 905-814-7984 or 905-593-4232 or email: khalsa61@hotmail.com ***510*** Doaba based Jat Sikh Cheema parents invite a matrimonial alliance for their daughter, Canadian citizen, 27 yrs. old, 5’3” tall, fair complexion, diploma in early childhood, studying at university (sociology). The boy should be educated, well settled, amiritdhari Canadian citizen/ immigrant. GTA prererred. Ph: 905-814-7984 or 905-593-4232 or email: khalsa61@hotmail.com ***510*** Kamboj Sikh parents seek a suitable match for their son, 37 yrs. old, 5'-7" tall, Canadian citizen, divorcee, having one son. The girl should be slim, beautiful, family oriented & from Canada or USA. Please send biodata & recent picture to email: jammu094@yahoo.ca or call: 778-772-4407 ***510*** Jat Sikh Grewal parents seeking a match for their Canadian resident & educated daughter,

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working as registered nurse. The boy should be Gursikh, Canadian citizen or immigrant, professionally educated from a well settled Jat Sikh family. Please call: (cell) 416-624-8279 or email: diljit18grewal@hotmail.com ***510*** Hindu Aggarwal boy, 29 yrs. old, 5'-7" tall, living in USA on visitor visa from last 5 yrs. The girl should be American citizen or green card holder. Divorcee can also be considered. Caste no bar. Please send biodata and recent picture to email: american4770@yahoo.com or call: 916-410-8255 ***510*** Punjabi Sikh parents invite a matrimonial alliance for their son, 24 yrs. old, 6'-2" tall, B.Com degree holder and currently living in India. The girl should be Canadian immigrant/ citizen, educated, beautiful and family oriented. Caste no bar. Sister is well settled in Canada. Please call: 905-598-6373 ***510*** Jat Sikh Parents invite a matrimonial alliance for their son, 30yrs. old, 6’ tall, Mechanical Engineer, born and educated in Toronto, working with a large corporation. The girl should be educated with good family values. Please send recent picture and biodata to Email : toronto2229@hotmail.com or please call : 905-301-7422 ***510*** Jat Sikh parents invite a matrimonial alliance for their daughter, 26 yrs. old, 5'-3" tall, post graduate in Business Management from Canada, presently on work permit and working in CIBC Bank in Canada. The boy should be Canadian immigrant / citizen, educated and professionally settled. Please call: 98157-59397 (India) or email: gurjitkaurmann@yahoo.com ***510*** Jat Sikh Cheema parents, Doaba based, seeking a suitable match for their handsome son, 27 yrs. old., 5’-6” tall, Canadian high school graduate, well settled in job and wears turban. The girl should be beautiful, educated and well versed in both cultures and from Canada. GTA preferred. Please email recent picture and biodata to email: khalsa61@hotmail.com or call: 905-814-7984 or 905-593-4232 ***510*** Jat Sikh parents in Toronto seeking a suitable match for their 33 yrs. old daughter, 5'-8" tall, slim, fair complexion, fully qualified and working as a lawyer. The boy must be from GTA, at least 6' tall, clean shaven and professionally employed. Please email to: jat_parents@rogers.com or call: 647-786-0496 ***510*** Jat Sikh parents seek a well educated, professional match for their Canadian born, 34 yrs. old, 5’-4” tall daughter, completeda law degree from a respected

Canadian university & is working as a lawyer in Toronto. Please call/leave contact info at 780-4172905 or 647-970-1528 or email: punjabipisces@hotmail.com ***510*** Well settled Jat Sikh parents seeking a suitable match for their Canadian born son, 29 yrs. old, 5’-9” tall, degree in Social work and working as a Realtor & have a family business. The girl should be Canadian born, well educated, well versed in both cultures. Please send biodata & a recent picture to: deuce357@gmail.com or call: 778-231-0788 ***510*** Professionally qualified Jat Sikh match for a handsome U.S. citizen, only son, 5’-10”, 33 yrs. old, B.E. (ECE), M.Tech (CSE) and M.S. from US, working as a Sr. Manager with US based MNC, salaries in 6 figures, legally divorced and have a little daughter from previous marriage living with her mother. Girl should be well educated, good looking and family oriented. No demand, simple marriage. Please respond with photographs and contact us at email: gsingh2099@yahoo.com or call: 559-458-9540 ***510*** Jat Sikh parents in Toronto seek a suitable match for their Canadian born daughter, 28 yrs. old, 5'-6" tall, slim, fair complexion, Masters in Science degree and professionally employed in her field. The boy must be from GTA, Jat Sikh family, Canadian born, university educated and professionally employed. Please send biodata and picture to email: parents_2010@live.com or call: 905-849-9817 ***510*** Jat Sikh parents invite a matrimonial alliance for their daughter, 26 yrs. old, 5'-3" tall, post graduate in Business Management from Canada, presently on work permit and working in CIBC Bank in Canada. The boy should be Canadian immigrant / citizen, educated and professionally settled. Please call: 98157-59397 (India) or email: gurjitkaurmann@yahoo.com ***510*** NRI parents of a Saini handsome clean shaven boy 27 yrs. old, 6 ft. tall, (Bola/Jagait) Masters in Commerce and IT professional, green card holder, seek a compatible and beautiful match, preferrably a US citizen or green card holder between the ages of 23-27 yrs. old, from a respectable family. Students can also be considered. Early marriage. Please send your biodata and picture to: sewa_noorpuri@yahoo.com or call: 408-717-3874 ***510*** Jat Sikh parents in USA seek a suitable match for their American born daughter, 31 yrs. old, 5'-5" tall, fair complexion, doctorate in optometry. The boy should be

21 May to 27 May 2013

American or Canadian born or raised, university graduate & professionally employed. Please send biodata & recent picture to email: mdhillon47@gmail.com or call: 909-437-6243 ***510*** Jat Sikh parents in Toronto seek a suitable match for their Canadian born daughter, 28 yrs. old, 5'-6" tall, slim, fair complexion, Masters in Science degree and professionally employed in her field. The boy must be from GTA, Jat Sikh family, Canadian born, university educated and professionally employed. Please send biodata and picture to email: parents_2010@live.com or call: 905-849-9817 ***1017*** Doaba based Jat Sikh Cheema parents invite a matrimonial alliance for their daughter, Canadian citizen, 27 yrs. old, 5’3” tall, fair complexion, diploma in early childhood, studying at university (sociology). The boy should be educated, well settled, amiritdhari Canadian citizen/ immigrant. GTA prererred. Ph: 905-814-7984 or 905-593-4232 or email: khalsa61@hotmail.com ***510*** Jat Sikh parents in Toronto seeking a suitable match for their 28 yrs. old son, 6'-3" tall, degree in business administration, CGA, professionally employed as an accountant in The Golobe & Mail, non drinker, non smoker, seeking same from his partner with good family values. Serious inquiries only. Please email to: kgillz@hotmail.com or call: 905794-9619 ***510*** For a handsome Sharma boy, 1989 born, 5'-10" tall, M.B.A. topper, director in a reputed family business grp, settled in Dubai, want a Canadian Hindu, beautiful, good natured and well educated girl, between 20-23 yrs. Old. Please send a recent picture with details to email: pardesi74@hotmail.com or call: 416-937-4636 ***510*** Proposal invited for a tall and handsome Jat Sikh boy, 1979, Canadian citizen, financial professional, divorced, without any issue. Highly educated family.A well educated tall girl from a honest and simple well educated family & also on work permit or visitor visa can also be considered. Email biodata with photograph to email: vsm2001@ shaw.ca ***510*** AMRITDHARI Jat Sikh boy, 33yrs.,6ft, handsome & innocently divorced No Kids, Born in Vancouver, Canada has BHSc & BSc degrees, working as supervisor in healthcare. Seeking educated, religious & vegetarian girl. Contact : gur_sikh@hotmail.com or 604218-3003 or 604-507-8801. ***508** Jat Sikh parents seek a suitable match for their daughter, 28 yrs. old, 5'-6" tall, beautiful, graduate

of B.S. in biology from UC & currently working, born & raised in California, well versed in both cultures and from a respectable family. The guy should be educated, handsome, Jat Sikh and living in the USA. Serious inquiries only. Please send biodata and recent picture to email: tmtjrb@gmail.com ***510*** Seeking a match for our 29 year old Sikh daughter, 5'7" tall. Canadian born and educated, practicing M.D. in Ontario. Family well settled in Canada. Ideal partner is intelligent, professional, modern, and Canada/US raised. Please email details and current picture to kuri1983@yahoo.ca. ***510*** Hindu Kashyap Rajput boy, 28 yrs. old, 5'-9" tall, Graduate professional chef, only son, fair, living in India, parents & one elder sister is settled in USA, one sister settled in Sweden. The girl should be Canadian / American citizen or immigrant. Please send biodata & recent picture to email: nkumarpooja@verizon.net or call: 201-702-0935 ***510*** Non professional, Canadian citizen, Nai boy, 36 yrs. old, 5'10" tall, running his own construction business in Vancouver, B.C. The girl should be beautiful, educated and family oriented. Please call: 604-8343511 Email: bkdewat@yahoo.com ***510*** Jat Sikh Girl, 5’-5" tall fair complexion, highly educated (M.A. English) 28 yrs. Old, well travelled, father retired colonel looking for a well settled boy in Canada/USA Contact 778-9260153 ***510*** Jat Sikh Parents invite a matrimonial alliance for their son, 30yrs. old, 6’ tall, Mechanical Engineer, born and educated in Toronto, working with a large corporation. The girl should be educated with good family values. Please send recent picture and biodata to Email : toronto2229@hotmail.com or please call : 905-301-7422 ***510*** Alliance invited for Jat Sikh male, 62 yrs. old, 5'-5" tall, educated, divorced, children grown up and married. Lady should be family oriented & for marriage from Canada. Divorced or widow may be considered. Serious inquiries only. For more info. call: 604-4401724 ***510*** Jat Sikh parents looking for a suitable match for their Canadian citizen daughter 39 yrs. old, 5’-6” tall, beautiful, slim, divorced (no issues) and well settled. The boy should be from Canada or USA between 37-42 yrs., divorced (without kids) may also be considered. Please contact with a recent picture and biodat at: gjohal73@gmail.com or call: 647709-7200 ***510***

Issue # 510 (11)

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Proof of Bigfootâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

EXISTENCE?

Hunt is on in New Mexico after thermal imaging reveals mysterious 7-foot tall figure in mountainous woods A mysterious creature believed to be living in the woods of northern New Mexico has caught the attention of a team of biologists and researchers who believe they've discovered likely evidence of a genuine Bigfoot. Recently members of the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization visited the Jemez Mountains after thermal video taken by high school students captured what they believe could publicly prove the existence of the evasive ape-like creature.The students behind the video that shows an estimated 7-foot tall figure say they were doing a project in the woods in 2011 when they captured it walking along a ridge line. BFRO approximated

that the figure, seen slightly hunched forward with one foot moving before the other, was about 140

the snow. The picture shows five toes at the end of a near rectangular print but it's

yards away when recorded.The filmmakers describe the footage as taken in a remote area with no other campers or hiking trails around.'No bear, elk or deer sign found. Wide body, over 7' tall, classic Sasquatch shape,' the video describes.In addition to the footage was the discovery of a large footprint found nearby in

accepted with greater hesitancy by BFRO as being real than the thermal video seen.At least one of the Bigfoot hunters, a field biologist, has admitted her skepticism over the footage's authenticity based on how it was collected.'It's three high school kids out doing a field study for some class and they see something up on the hill and they

Stress drives people towards tobacco

ALCOHOLISM

LUCKNOW: Stress is bothering people of all ages these days, and is being seen as a force that drives many people towards use of tobacco and alcohol. Stating this, a group of nongovernmental organisations have decided to empower the youth with stress management

"Unless youth are empowered with stress management techniques and lifestyle modifications, they will be more prone towards addictions such as tobacco and alcohol," she said. She was addressing a session on stress management and mental

techniques and lifestyle modification so that the younger people may be saved from the hazards of tobacco and alcohol. Dr Madhu Pathak, a clinical psychologist associated with the cause, said that these skills and techniques can help in inculcating habits that will become a way of life for the youth even when they age.

health at the ongoing "Rights and Responsibilities Summer Training Camp" organized by Vote For Health campaign, Asha Parivar, CNS and Government's UP State Tobacco Control Cell. Dr Pathak said that it is a misconception to consider tobacco use as an effective tool for stress management. This is a

myth prevalent in our youth often. She focused on identification of problem and reasons behind stress, ways and methods of effective stress management, role of counseling in managing the stress, discussion on the personal incidents of participants undergoing stress and role of media and media tools acting as a stress management device. She provided youth participants a platform to share their views and problems, and help them find a healthy solution. Dr Pathak said that stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in one's life. "This isn't as easy as it sounds. Your true sources of stress aren't always obvious, and it's all too easy to overlook your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sure, you may know that you're constantly worried about examination or course deadlines. But maybe it's your procrastination, rather than the actual study demands, that leads to deadline stress."

happen to have a camera with them and they record it. That raises red flags for me,' said Ranae Holland who emphasized it being too good to be true. Another member says that while high schoolers would be most likely to stage something like this, they're also least likely to get away with it, prompting his team's investigation. Hoping to scientifically deduce the footage, the team positioned one of their members named Bobo in the same area the figure was recorded.They then compared his height of 6'2" to the other one seen, finding him to be significantly smaller in scale while placing a red bar over both to emphasize size differences.But this thermal imaging isn't the spark claims of a Bigfoot living in this part of New Mexico.During BFRO's visit they met with citizens of the area in a town hall meeting, welcoming their own stories and encounters to be shared.

21 May to 27 May 2013

The caring side of dinosaur dads Male beasts liked nothing more than playing with their children To us, they will always be the flesh-ripping monsters with six-inch teeth and terrifying claws. But to their offspring, male dinosaurs were great big softies who liked nothing better than playing dad. Some carnivorous species had such a caring side they worked with the females to look after their clutch of eggs, research reveals. Scientists found that shared parental duties were handed down from small meateating theropod dinosaurs such as troodon and oviraptor to modern birds, to which they are distantly related. The findings by scientists at the University of Lincoln and George Mason University in Virginia, US, were published in the science journal Biology Letters. Study co-author Geoff Birchard said: 'The previous study was carried out to infer the type of parental care in dinosaurs that are closely related to

birds.'That study proposed that paternal care was present in these dinosaurs and this form of care was the ancestral condition for birds. 'Our new analysis, based on three times as many species as in the previous study, indicates that parental care cannot be inferred from simple analyses of the relationship of body size to clutch mass. Such analyses have to take into account factors such as shared evolutionary history and maturity at hatching.' The group decided to repeat the Science study with a larger data set and a better understanding of bird biology because other palaeontologists were starting to use the original results to predict the incubation behavior of other dinosaur species. Joint author Charles Deeming said: 'Irrespective of whether you accept the idea of Theropod dinosaurs sitting on eggs like birds or not, the analysis raised some concerns that we wanted to address.

Issue # 510 (12)

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21 May to 27 May 2013

The Pippas of their day!

They were the aristocratic beauties who almost stole the show at the Coronation 60 years ago. Now they share their behind the scenes stories A few months before the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, letters were sent out by the 16th Duke of Norfolk to six lucky aristocratic girls. The Duke was the Earl Marshal - the official charged with organising all the great state occasions - and the letters invited them to serve as Maids of Honour. Following the tradition of Queen Victoria, the girls were all daughters of Dukes, Marquesses, and Earls, unmarried, and aged between 17 and 23. They were left in no doubt

what a signal honour they'd been given. Victoria's Coronation in 1837 wasn't properly rehearsed and, although she didn't notice, nearly descended into chaos as the girls tripped over their own trains and were scolded by the Mistress of the Robes for not keeping step properly. No such chances would be taken in 1953. Months of rehearsals, fittings with royal dressmaker Norman Hartnell and much media coverage preceded the

day itself when, on June 2, two of the girls - Lady Rosemary SpencerChurchill and Lady Jane Vane-Tempest-Stewart travelled in the coach behind the 27-year-old

Queen while the others Lady Anne Coke, Lady Mary Baillie-Hamilton, Lady Moyra Hamilton and Lady Jane HeathcoteDrummond-Willoughby waited at Westminster

Abbey for their arrival. Their task, aside from looking young and beautiful, was to carry the Queen's train, so heavy she couldn't move without them. An annexe had been built on to the Abbey where the four taking part in the procession but who did not travel in the coach could drink coffee and listen to the radio commentary of the Queen's journey from Buckingham Palace. After walking her up the aisle, and then back down, they all went to the Palace to be photographed by the

1. The young prince - and a smell of hair oil

2. A secret nip of brandy from the Archbishop

Then: Lady Moyra Hamilton, 22, daughter of the Marquess of Hamilton, later 4th Duke of Abercorn. Now: Married distinguished naval officer Cdr Peter Campbell and lives in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland. Two sons.Lady Moyra was staying with cousins in Gloucestershire when the invitation arrived at home in County Tyrone. 'I bumped into the Duke of Norfolk at a fundraising evening and he said: "Have you had a letter from me?" 'I swooned with amazement and rang home,

Then: Lady Anne Coke, 20, daughter of the 5th Earl of Leicester and the Countess of Leicester, who was Lady of the Bedchamber; they were the only mother and daughter in the procession. Now: Married Colin Tennant, later Lord Glenconner, who bought Mustique and spent much of his life in the Caribbean while Anne stayed in Norfolk. Widowed in 2010. Five children.Lady Anne's father had been the Duke of York's equerry and as

which you only did then in an emergency.' The first fitting with Norman Hartnell was in January 1953. 'The dresses were made incredibly quickly - the seamstresses must have stayed up all night.' Moyra spent the night before with her grandparents in Mount Street in Mayfair. 'My grandmother made a cooked breakfast. We got into a car sent from the Royal Mews to the Abbey on the dot of 8am. It was a humbling experience to see all the

crowds who had been out all night in the rain waiting.' As she recalls, they stood for three hours and the ceremony went like clockwork.

3. The Privy Purse stuffed with toffees Then: Lady Jane VaneTempest-Stewart, 20-yearold daughter of the 8th Marquess of Londonderry. Now: Married property developer Max Rayne, later Lord Rayne, in 1965, then widowed and married historian and royal biographer Robert Lacey in 2012. Four children. Lives in London 'It was such a shock to receive the invitation. I had met the old King [George VI] and the Queen with my parents but never the new Queen. 'We met them when I was about six and

my sister [Lady Annabel Goldsmith] was about four. I think Annabel was slightly disappointed they weren't wearing gowns and crowns.' In the rehearsals, Jane had found that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, got cross easily and was very stern and pompous. 'So we all laughed when he tripped up on one occasion.'When the day finally came around, she recalls being far too nervous to eat and that the dress was actually very uncomfortable. the Lord Great Chamberlain at the time of the Coronation, and therefore a key player in the ceremony. The youngest Maid of Honour caught the train up from her finishing school in the country for rehearsals and dress fittings. Her Coronation day started round the corner from the Abbey at her home in Westminster Gardens. 'My father was part of the procession but he left before me. I had no professional hair or makeup help. A car arrived with

a telegram came through to come home. I returned on the Queen Mary and the publicity meant my order book was bulging, so I was very happy.'

4. Waiting in the Abbey for news of Everest

It was unlined and scratchy. But she did wear it again, to great effect, to a ball at Grosvenor House thrown for the American evangelist Billy Graham.

5. Royal dress that was as heavy as a carpet Then: Lady Jane Heathcote-DrummondWilloughby, 18, daughter of the 3rd Earl of Ancaster, the Lord Great Chamberlain, and granddaughter of Nancy Astor. Now: Unmarried, she inherited one of her father's titles and fortune and became Lady Jane Willoughby de Eresby, with homes at Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire and Drummond Castle in Perthshire. Lady Jane's father was

her parents lived ten miles from Sandringham, she had been to many birthday parties there. Princess Margaret was Anne's age and Anne would go on to be her lady-in-waiting for 34 years. 'She was a great friend of my husband and he gave her a plot of land in Mustique.' When news of her 'selection' came through, her name was front page news - although she was abroad: 'I was in New Orleans selling pottery, recovering from an unhappy love affair, when

renowned Cecil Beaton and famously appeared on the balcony. The picture with the maids has been recreated this year at the command of the Queen and will be seen publicly for the first time on the anniversary of the Coronation. Other than lineage - there were plenty of other girls eligible - it is still a secret why these six were chosen. Certainly, they all looked magnificent and caught the eye of the world - they were the Pippa Middletons of their day.

Then: Lady Mary Baillie-Hamilton, 19, daughter of the Earl of Haddington. Now: Lives in Combe, Berkshire. Married company director John Bailey, then landowner David Russell. Five children. Lady Mary's father, the Earl of Haddington, was a childhood friend of the Queen Mother from Scotland and her childhood scrapbook featured a picture of him at George VI's Coronation in 1937

carrying The Sceptre of the Dove - one of two sceptres handed to the new monarch. Lady Mary recalls that the Earl Marshal, the cricket-mad Duke of Norfolk, who organised the ceremony, was a 'real choreographer' who rehearsed the maids until they were near faultless. His wife stood in for the Queen during rehearsals. 'She would practice walking up and down with a mock train and it got more and more serious until the dress

rehearsal.' Heavy with embroidery and diamante, their own dresses made by Hartnell also had a small train of their own.

6. Winston's niece and a whiff of ammonia

Mary Baillie-Hamilton already in it and it was a jolly ride as the pubs were open and full of drivers who'd dropped people off. 'It was dark and cold

Then: Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill, 23, daughter of 10th Duke of Marlborough. Now: Widow of aristocrat Charles Muir, and lives outside Woodstock, Oxfordshire. Three children. Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill was the eldest Maid of Honour and probably the least fazed. She was brought up with 36 'indoor' servants at Blenheim Palace near Oxford and Winston Churchill was her uncle. 'I was used to huge

numbers of people and vast parties. Foreign royals often came to Blenheim. I was once pulled out of bed to meet the Queen of Egypt. I had my wedding, with 950 guests, at Blenheim two weeks later.' She had moved her wedding date to accommodate the Coronation. So in the weeks before, Lady Rosemary was darting back and forth between Norman Hartnell for her Coronation gown and his great rival, Hardy Amies, for her wedding dress. 'I woke up in my parents' house in Mayfair and the

whole place was in turmoil,' she says of the big day. 'After breakfast, I went in a car to the Palace to meet Jane [Vane-TempestStewart].'

Issue # 510 (13)

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21 May to 27 May 2013

Bill Gates is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s richest Is this the luckiest man for first time since 2007 man in America? With a personal fortune of $72.7BILLION He may only work part time, but Bill Gates has become the world's richest man for a

breaking up Slim's near monopoly on the country's telecom industry, through flagship firm American Movil SAB, saw his net wealth

second time thanks to a nest egg of shrewd financial investments - and a little help from the Mexican government. The software mogul snatched the title from Mexican mobile phone tycoon Carlos Slim yesterday after Bloomberg revealed his personal fortune had blossomed to an eye-watering $72.7billion. Gates, who has spent his life at the vanguard of computer innovation since he founded Microsoft in 1976, last wore the crown in 2007 but was usurped by Slim three years later. But a bill passed by the Mexican congress aimed at

plummet by 14 per cent, erasing nearly $3billion from his accounts. Meanwhile, Gates watched his riches soar by 15 per cent after his investment portfolio, which includes a large stake in Microsoft, enjoyed a bumper few years. Most of Gates's fortune, however, lies in Cascade Investment LLC - a holding company through which he owns portions of more than a dozen publicly-traded companies and other operations, including Four Seasons hotels. The Bloomberg Billionaire's Index ranked famous investor

Increases the risk of painful kidney stones by a QUARTER Drinking a can of fizzy drink a day could increase the risk of kidney stones by almost a quarter, new research shows. The study found that drinking sugar-sweetened drinks makes the painful stones more likely to develop.Other drinks - such as coffee, tea and orange juice reduced the risk, the research by Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston, U.S., found.Dr Gary Curhan said in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology: 'Our study found that the relation between fluid intake and kidney stones may be dependent on the type of beverage consumed.'We found that higher consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks was associated with a higher incidence of kidney stones.'About three in 20 British men and one in 20 women develop a kidney stone at some stage in their life, and they are often advised to drink more fluids to prevent them reforming.But Dr Curhan said the new study shows some drinks may be more beneficial than others. His team studied data from 194,095 patients over an eight year period.They found that those who consumed one or more sugar-

sweetened cola servings per day had a 23 per cent higher chance of developing kidney stones compared with those participants consuming less than one serving per week. This was true for consuming sugar-sweetened noncola drinks as well, such as punch.

Warren Buffet in third place with a personal net wealth of $59.7 billion.He came out $3.7 billion richer than Amancio Ortega Gaona, Europe's wealthiest person, whose Spanish clothing company Inditex group owns high-street chain Zara. Since retiring as chairman of Microsoft in 2008, Gates has thrown himself into his philanthropy after setting up charity the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which gives aid to some of the most underprivileged countries in the world. The Microsoft founder has dedicated much of his time in the past five years to charitable causes through the foundation, spearheading African aid projects and encouraging others to spread their wealth. Last year, the multibillionaire donated $750million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria on the fund's tenth anniversary. He had already contributed $650million to the charity.'These are tough economic times, but that is no excuse for cutting aid to the world's poorest,' Mr Gates said at the time, adding: 'The United States has a huge budget deficit so taxes are going to have to go up.'I certainly agree that they should go up more on the rich than everyone else. That's just justice.'

Retired postal worker wins lottery for the FOURTH time Winning the lottery just once would be the experience of a lifetime for most people. But retired postal worker Melvyn Wilson has managed it an astonishing four times.

Mania scratch-off game. His winnings over the years total $2,025,000. Mr Wilson, who retired from the postal service in 2007, played down his lucky streak, stating: 'I'm just in the right place at the right time.'

Mr Wilson, from Woodbridge, Virginia, first struck lucky in 2004 when he won $25,000 on a scratchcard. But his luck didn't stop there and he won another two scratchcard jackpots the following year. He picked up $1 million in his first win and then another $500,000 later that year. And now Mr Wilson has won for a fourth time collecting $500,000 in the Virginia Lottery's Millionaire

The Virginia Lottery's Millionaire Mania game's top prize of $2 million still remains unclaimed, leaving a chance for two people to win the grand prize. With his luck, Mr Wilson should perhaps think about buying a ticket for tonight's Powerball which has a jackpot of $360 million - its third largest ever. The record for the highest ever jackpot remains at $656 million from a Mega Millions draw last year.

But it turns out that it fell off back of their own van! When police got a call about a bomb in the middle of a road, they swung into action. Officers cordoned off the road where the device - with a red cylinder, batteries and what looked like Semtex - had been spotted and advised residents to stay indoors. They also diverted pupils who were leaving a nearby school and called for specialist back-up.All very well - until, embarrassingly for the police, it emerged that the bomb scare was of their own making. The device was, in fact, a dummy bomb that had fallen off the back of a trailer while being used in a training exercise by specialist search officers earlier the same day. Yesterday supermarket cashier Dean Cheal, 27, who discovered the device, said it looked like 'something from a James Bond film'. He added: 'It's a bit naughty of the police to be dropping something like that in the middle of the road without realising. 'I was really shocked when I saw it - it's not something you see every day.'There was a red cylinder with wires hanging out

of it and what looked like playdough, which I thought was Semtex, with a metal pipe and two batteries attached.'I ran up the road because I thought it looked dodgy. People were

The officers then cordoned off the road with tape and told Mr Cheal the 'bomb squad were coming'.Pupils at King Henry VIII comprehensive school were stopped from leaving by the

scared because we didn't know what it was.' The drama unfolded shortly after 2pm on Thursday when Mr Cheal spotted the device in Pen-y-Pound Road, Abergavenny, while cycling home from work. He called police who sent an officer in a patrol car to examine it. 'He wasn't sure and said it could be somebody playing a prank,' Mr Cheal said.'But he closed off the road and radioed for his sergeant, who also came to check it out.'

main entrance and residents of a housing estate were told to stay indoors.'By then it was getting busier because the kids were leaving school,' Mr Cheal added. 'They were diverted across playing fields and the school buses were diverted away from the road.'But when some more police arrived in a riot van they just laughed it off. One of the officers went along and picked it up, ripped the police tape down and said it was a dummy bomb.'

Just one can of Police scrambled to tackle fizzy drink a day 'bomb' found lying in the road...

They also found that some beverages, such as coffee, tea and orange juice, were associated with a lower risk of stone formation.Coauthor, Dr Pietro Manuel Ferraro, of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome, said: 'Our prospective study confirms that some beverages are associated with a lower risk of kidney stone formation, whereas others are associated with a higher risk.

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Eating your whites is as important as eating your greens Potato and cauliflower are a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;forgotten source of nutrientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Eating your whites could be as important as eating your greens, a new study has revealed. Researchers say that potatoes and other white vegetables are often overlooked from a nutritional standpoint - but that they are just as healthy as more colourful vegetables.White vegetables, including cauliflower, onions, mushrooms and turnips, contribute important amounts of essential nutrients and fibre, they claim. The team, from Purdue University in Indiana, U.S., say that white vegetables are a 'forgotten source of nutrients', but that they actually represent a 'nutrient powerhouse in their own right'.Professor Connie Weaver said it is important to remember that colour does not predict the nutritive value of a vegetable. She said: 'It's recommended that the variety of fruits and vegetables consumed daily should include dark green and orange vegetables, but no such recommendation exists for white vegetables, even though they are rich in fibre, potassium and magnesium. 'Overall, we are not eating enough vegetables and promoting white vegetables, some of which are common and affordable, may be a pathway to increasing vegetable consumption in general.'Writing in the journal Advances in Nutrition, the team identified 'a substantial body of evidence' that demonstrates how the inclusion of white vegetables, such as potatoes, can increase intake of shortfall nutrients, notably fibre, potassium and magnesium.It can also help increase overall vegetable consumption among children, teens and adults. Professor Weaver said: 'Potatoes appear to be a pathway to increased vegetable consumption, thereby helping to meet the recommended 2010 Dietary guidelines for servings for vegetables provided the forms served limit the amount of added salt and fat. 'Potatoes, in all forms, can be part of health-promoting dietary patterns.'

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Would you fly on a plane with no pilot? As the first passenger jet with no one at the controls roars over Britain, passengers could soon face a worrying dilemma As a blue and red 16seater plane accelerated along a runway last month in northern England, there was nothing to suggest its voyage was anything out of the ordinary. But minutes later, as the plane turned north and began a 500-mile round trip from Lancashire to Inverness, history was made. Once the craft was safely at cruising altitude, the pilot flicked a switch and handed over to a trained controller sitting at a computer screen many miles away on the ground. For the first time in aviation history, a 'pilotless' passenger plane was flying over mainland Britain. That concept might make many people uneasy. But, according to the air industry, it is the future of flight.Some predict that within five, ten or 20 years, commercial jets will be flown routinely by remote control over our towns and cities. So will we ever get used to climbing aboard our holiday flight to Cyprus or Greece and, instead of being greeted with a

Listening to happy music really CAN make you happier

Feeling sad or angry? A study from the University of Missouri has confirmed that listening to an upbeat song can lift your mood. But this only works if you're consciously aware you're trying to make yourself happier by listening to the songs.Researchers conclude that actively seeking out happiness through music, and other techniques, can then improve your health and relationship satisfaction.If the upbeat music is on in the background, or you're not consciously aware that you're listening to it to boost your mood, the songs have no affect on how you feel. Lead author Yuna Ferguson wanted to study how people can improve their moods by listening to upbeat music. She said: 'Our work provides support for what many people already do - listen to music to improve their moods.' However, her study found that when people

21 May to 27 May 2013

think to themselves that listening to upbeat music will make them happy before listening to the songs, the songs boost their mood. But if people just listen to upbeat songs, without consciously aware that they are listening to them in a bid to get happier,

being instructed to do so, but only if they listened to the upbeat music of American composer Aaron Copland, as opposed to the more somber music from composer Igor Stravinsky. Other participants, who listened to the music without being asked to

the songs themselves have no affect. Over two studies by Ferguson, participants successfully improved their moods in the short term and boosted their overall happiness over a two-week period. During the first study, participants improved their mood after

attempt to change their mood, didn't report any change in happiness. In the second study, participants reported higher levels of happiness after two weeks of lab sessions in which they listened to positive music while trying to feel happier.

welcome from an upbeat and commanding captain, be met only with an automated message? And those soothing words of reassurance in mid-air as the plane is buffeted through a nasty

could make passengers more vulnerable to computer failure and put planes at greater risk of being hijacked by cyberterrorists hacking into control systems.And however much the industry

patch of turbulence? They, too, could soon be a thing of the past. Supporters of so-called 'autonomous aircraft' justify their developments on safety grounds. If most accidents are caused by human error, they argue, then surely it makes sense to remove people from the equation? But the arrival of such craft in our skies raises disturbing questions. Some fear it

might insist on their absolute safety, how many of us would actually dare to go up in such an aircraft? Britain and the U.S. have been using unmanned military drone aircraft for years. However, the next generation of pilotless planes are not designed for warfare, but to fly passengers and cargo around the globe. Last month's test flight over the UK was part of the

Astraea project - the ÂŁ62?million Autonomous Systems Technology Related Airborne Evaluation and Assessment programme funded by industry and the Government.The Astraea team took a standard Jetstream aircraft and added banks of computers, sensors and high definition cameras to turn it into an experimental 'uninhabited air vehicle'. The craft - nicknamed the Flying Test Bed - is able to cruise in British airspace with no human involvement, though not yet without any humans on board.The high-definition cameras in the cockpit and underneath the craft scan the skies for weather systems and feed the information back to the computerised navigation system, allowing the craft to change course automatically to avoid storms and turbulence. Meanwhile, cameras are on the look out for midair hazards such as other aircraft, weather balloons and even parachutes.

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Panamanian Mr. T Is a Coconut Peeling Machine I pity the fool who would dare try to compete with 64-year-old Andres Gardin in a coconut peeling contest. The Mr T. lookalike has been using his strong teeth to peel off the fruit’s hardened shell for over 50 years, but he is till waiting for Guinness to add his name to their famous record book. The B.A. Baracus fan from Rio Alexander, a small and humble town in the province of Colon, Panama, has been entertaining neighbors and colleagues with his amazing talent for over half a century. While most men his age are thinking about retirement and playing with their grandchildren, Andres Gardin is busy using his vice-like jaws to peel off coconuts. He’s been doing it since he was just 11 years old, after seeing his own father use his teeth to angrily bite through a coconut that had fallen on his head, knocking him un-

conscious. He reckons he has since then peeled off over 100,000 coconuts, and claims his dentures are as strong as they’ve ever been. Still, he says ripping off the fruit’s tough shell is not as easy as it looks; it requires strong jaws and teeth, as well as the power of God. Gardin’s biggest wish is to have his name mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records. He says he can peel 500 coconuts in just six and a half ours, more than enough to beat any who would dare challenge him, yet no official has ever come to verify his feats. Those who have seen Andres

Gardin peel off coconuts in only eight seconds agree that his talents are worthy of official recognition, and hope that the recent media exposure will attract the attention of Guinness Book officials. The Panamanian Mr. T has even tried to get the president’s office involved i n

his quest to get the record organization interested in his coconut peeling skills, but so far he’s been unsuccessful. And as if gnawing his way through hundreds of coconuts wasn’t enough, Andres can also use his strong dentures to pull two cars. But like any superhuman, he has his weakness: when his barber rubs alcohol on his head after a haircut, the man known as “Pela Cocos” (Coconut Peeler) jumps out of his seat from the pain.

FRUSTRATED CHINESE OWNER SMASHES HIS MASERATI WITH SLEDGEHAMMERS

The Chinese owner of a Maserati Quattroporte worth $423,000 paid three men two smash it with sledgehammers at the 2013 Qingdao Auto Show, because he was disappointed with the way the car dealer had fixed it. The man known only as Wang told Chinese media he had bought the car in 2011 and was forced to bring it back for repairs only two months later. He said the dealer charged him for new parts, but they really replaced the faulty components with second-hand ones. Later, the staff failed to fix a problem with the car door and even managed to scratch it. That was apparently more than Wang was willing to take, so he decided to deliver a loud and

clear message to Maserati. He waited for the Qingdao Auto Show and tipped off the media to show up for an unforgettable spectacle. On the day of the show, he brought in his luxury car draped in a banner accusing Maserati of poor service, and paid three men to

smash it with sledgehammers, in front of hundreds of onlookers. They shattered the car’s windscreen, headlights, grill and mirrors, and left some serious dents in its metal body. ”I hope foreign luxury car producers acknowledge clearly that Chinese consumers are entitled to get

the service that is commensurate with the brand,” Wang said. China world’s largest car market after overtaking the US in 2009, with many of the country’s super-rich spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury brands. But Wang is not the only owner who feels international car companies have failed to bring their famous high-quality service to China. Two years ago, another dissatisfied owner smashed his Lamborghini Gallardo in public, to protest against expensive brands ignoring the interests and rights of Chinese consumers. Another Chinese businessman made headlines after he used two donkeys to tow his faulty Range Rover back to the dealership, and raise awareness to the poor quality of their products.

Internet video shows rebel fighter 'eating heart' of Syria soldier A gruesome video has emerged on the Internet apparently showing a Syrian rebel fighter cutting out the heart of a regime soldier and eating it. "We swear to God we will eat your hearts and livers, you soldiers of Bashar the dog," the insurgent says as he bends

over a blurred body and cuts out the heart in the amateur footage uploaded on the internet. "We are the heroes of Baba Amr," he says, referring to a rebel stronghold of the central city of Homs that has been flattened by President Bashar alAssad's forces.

The man, identified in the video as a member of the mainstream rebel Free Syrian Army, then stands up, raises his dagger in one hand and the heart in the other. He then proceeds to place the organ in his mouth, before the video abruptly ends.

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Sharkskin Designer Gloves Are a Real Pain to Take Off

If you’re looking for a pair of comfortable designer gloves, stay away from Sruli Recht’s pain-inducing mitts. The Australian designer used an inner lining made of basking shark skin, which features thousands of hook-like scales. From the outside, Sruli Recht’s Lasting Impression looks like a nice and soft basking shark skin glove, but there’s a thorny surprise waiting inside for would-be wearers. The eccentric designer decided to fit the interior of his creation with thousands of sharp hook-like scales, all directed inward. That means the gloves are easy to put on, but literally a pain to take off. “Should you put your hand in, you will discover that the thorns, all directed to slant inward, will lock your hand in place in the manner of ten thousand fishhooks. Should you attempt to remove it, the thousands of

thorns will bite into the skin. You can put the gloves on, but to remove them would mean to cut them off. Gloves for life, or for one wear – the ultimate and final commitment,” Recht writes on his website. Of course, you could always cut it off to avoid experiencing the excruciating pain, but then again, you would be throwing a good $950 right off the window. I say pull the hand out! Yes, you’ll probably faint from the pain, but you will have ripped off most of the spikes, and ended up with a nice, comfortable glove. Plus, you’ll feel like a real man… If the name Sruli Recht sounds familiar, he’s the guy who removed a piece of skin from his abdomen and and tanned it to create the unique Forget Me Knot ring we featured a while back. If you’re into unique leather accessories, he’s definitely your man.

The Iconic Floating Forest of Sydney

There are a lot of shipwrecks in Sydney’s Homebush Bay, near the Olympic village, but none quite like the SS Ayrfield, also known as “The Floating Forest” for the lush mangrove vegetation that now covers its rusty hull. The SS Ayrfield (originally launched as SS Corrimal), was a collier ship built in England in 1911 and used by the Commonwealth Government during World War II to transport supplies to American troops in the Pacific. It was sold in 1950 and operated as a collier on the sixty-miler run between Newcastle and Sydney, until 1972 when the ship’s registration was canceled and it

was sent to its final resting place, Homebush Bay. Before the 2000 Olympic Games, this place was a ship breaking zone, and the dozens of shipwrecks that still remain here are a constant reminder of its history. Some say there’s a certain creepiness about the Homebush Bay ship graveyard, but that is lessened by the unique look of the SS Ayrfield, which locals often refer to as the Floating Forest. A bunch of full-grown mangrove trees now call this rusty partly-submerged piece of metal home, creating a new and unique attraction that draws in photographers from all over the world.

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21 May to 27 May, 2013

Your social and romantic ambitions seem to be playing a dominant role. However, you try to push people into roles that don’t suit them. In return, nobody will be satisfied! What’s the lesson? Let other individuals be themselves. Financial fortunes benefit from your new attitude..

The place to entertain seems to be home. Your chart indicates the possibility of children’s parties, but it’s also time for adults to let their hair down and rediscover their lost youth. Professional partners, now need your unwavering support, so listen carefully and don’t judge them.

It’s a week for inspiration, so spend time by yourself. It’s also a beautiful moment for all Taureans who had the foresight to arrange a family party, for now is the time to meet people you haven’t seen for months. Spending choices will be looming, but there’s no need to rush into an early decision.

It’s a week to stay active. Even social relationships work best if you find a joint hobby to pursue rather than wait for the ‘good time’ to come by. Most Scorpios will have a family weekend, but older relatives need your assistance with practical questions, so be prepared to step in and lend a helping hand..

Friendly planetary patterns seem to be playing their part and you can draw other people into your plans. It’s also an ideal moment for unrestrained extravagance, assuming you have spare cash. A matter of the heart will take an unusual turn, and you will change your plans for the better..

Travel, money and self-indulgence are the three important factors in your chart. Will you be splashing out on the trip of a lifetime? Or travelling for miles in search of the perfect bargain? Don’t forget the spiritual dimension and continue your quest for the meaning of life.

You may want to work much harder. However, the most suitable leisure activities seem to be those which bring honour and prestige or urge you on to new heights of achievement. You might also soon sign up for a course to learn a new skill, one you have been dreaming about for a long time..

Your Venusian alignments are almost perfect and you should be infused with love. The only risk is that you could mishandle things, but forewarned is forearmed, so take care and stay cool. At work, you must pursue a practical goal, for colleagues are likely to make mistakes only you can rectify.

Your stars pull you in different directions this week. On the one hand, hard work seems to be beset by muddles but, on the other, it can seem inspiring. It all depends on how practical you are and also on how you get along with others. You will be rewarded for all your efforts at home very soon.

Secret desires are the order of the week. There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t fantasise to your heart’s content. It is important not to feel inhibited should you want to tell others. Employers need extra respect, so do your best, and fulfil your responsibilities as best you can.

Sometimes life’s little restrictions build up into something big. You feel like breaking out, and it does seem that you have been held back for too long. A financial risk may also seem worthwhile, but spending and luxuries may be more enjoyable. At work, you’ll learn how to use new gadgets.

It’s a rather pleasant moment for shopping trips. If so, go with company rather than alone. However, if you are out with other people, you will have to be very careful if you don’t want to pay the bill! A professional plan moves one step further with help from a friend.

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21 May to 27 May, 2013

Meet Ahmed Angel Probably Baby born in storm shelter the Most Narcissistic Guy named after Cyclone Mahasen on the Internet His bright eyes have the power to see into your soul, his glossed hair makes girls reach for their computer screens to touch it, and his photo captions make you feel like you’ve skipped grammar classes in school. He is Ahmed Angel – the greatest internet superstar ever… If you thought Zoolander was just the fruit of Ben Stiller’s wild imagination, think again. He’s real, and his name is Ahmed Angel. Quite an appropriate name for this angelic male super model the world can’t seem to get enough of. Crazy photos of this new internet superstar have been doing the rounds on sites like Buzzfeed or The Huffington Post for the last week, with everyone trying to find out more about him. Apart from his out-worldly prettiness everything else about Ahmed Angel was a mystery. Well, maybe not everything. Anyone could see he was craving attention like his life depended on it, and his love for makeup, hair gel and acidwashed jeans was obvious from the hundreds of edited

Village elders named the youngster Mahasen after he was born early on Thursday morning at a shelter in the Patuakhali coastal district, only hours before the eponymous cyclone slammed into the seafront. Alam said that he had sent some new clothing and 2,000 taka (Rs 1,400) on Friday to the boy’s father Forkan Mridha after he learnt that the cyclone had partly damaged his tin and mud-built house. 46 Number of people who have died in the storm 70,000 Number of people evacuated.

Coin toss decides Philippine election contest

photos he posted on his Facebook page. But the world wanted something of substance. Who was this dashingly handsome man that captured the imaginations of millions around the world and inspired hundreds of hilarious comments on Reddit with his killer looks? Was he even real? Luckily, Ahmed was kind enough to answer questions posted by various media outlets on his Facebook page, and reveal more about himself. It turns out Ahmed Angel is an 18-year-old Iraqi currently studying medicine in Belarus. “I’m not a model

but I’m Top Model !!!” he told the International Business Times, but although Angel claims he has received ”many international contracts to work in cinema and art” he has put his modelling career on hold for now, to focus on his studies. Still, he’s not at all bothered by all the attention he’s been getting lately. ”This is a great honor for me !!!And now I’m very confused and worried Because of the surprise that got !!! [sic] So quietly planning I do not know how to deal with this fame :( ” he said via Facebook.

A coin toss has decided the lucky winner of mayor for a small Philippine town, after rival candidates were tied at the end the vote count, en election official said. The dramatic conclusion to the contest for San Teodoro, a farming town of about 16,000 people in the central Philippines, took place in the local election office, with the politicians tossing the coin to decide their fate. “They agreed to a coin toss, with the candidate getting the most heads proclaimed the winner,” San Teodoro election chief Reny Pagilagan told AFP. He said tension built as the first tie-break com-

petition of five coin tosses each also ended in a draw, with both politicians getting two heads, according to Pagilagan. Marvic Feraren, a member of the ruling Liberal Party, finally emerged the winner in the second tiebreak event, throwing two heads to his opponent’s one. “Both of them accepted the result. They shook hands and em-

braced,” Pagilagan said. Pagilagan said Philippine election law stated that tied electoral contests must be settled by the drawing of lots, of which a coin toss was an acceptable variant. Pagilagan said this week’s event was not unprecedented and he had presided over another coin toss in 2004 to decide the winner of the final seat on a council board for a nearby town. More than 44,000 candidates contested about 18,000 posts in Monday’s mid-term elections, from local positions up to seats in the nation’s parliament.

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21 May to 27 May, 2013

‘Drying’ DNA pool stalks Indian tigers LONDON: A diminishing gene pool is posing a grave threat to Indian tigers. Scientists say the famed big cats of India are facing a serious threat of extinction owing to a ‘collapse’ in the variety of their mating partners. Welsh researchers say tigers were nearly wiped out in India during British Raj. The predominant cause of this was mechanized trophy hunting, which reduced tiger numbers from 40,000 to less than 1,800 in a mere 100 years.

Now, for the first time, scientists have compared genetic data of modern tigers with tigers shot during the time of the British Raj in order to get a perspective of genetic diversity . After being granted unprecedented access to the Natural History Museum of London’s tiger collection, researchers identified a very high number of DNA variants in the tigers shot during the British Raj. Shockingly, 93% of that DNA was not present in Indian tigers of today. The territory occupied

by tigers has also declined more than 50% during the last three generations, and today mating only occurs in 7% of its historical territory, according to the latest research. “Both conservationists and the Indian government must appreciate that the number of tigers alone is not enough to ensure the species’ survival. They need to protect the whole spread of forest reserves because many reserves now have their own unique gene combinations, which might be useful for future breeding programmes,”

Stunning Japanese Paintings Created in Microsoft Excel

When it comes to painting, or even digital art, Microsoft Excel isn’t usually the first thing that pops into your head. Yet 73-yearold artist, Tatsuo Horiuchi, has been using it to create stunningly beautiful traditional Japanese artworks. If you’re going to use software for artistic purposes, why not use something like the powerful and popular Adobe Photoshop, right? Well, Tatsuo Horiuchi’s explanation sort of makes sense – he says graphics software is too expensive, while Microsoft

Excel came pre-installed on his computer. Plus, although he had never used it himself, before he retired from his job he often saw his colleagues using it to create graphs, so he thought the program could be used to draw art as well. In his early pension years, Horiuchi decided he wanted to try something new, so he bought a computer and began experimenting with digital painting. At first, he tried Microsoft Word, but he experienced problems with determining the canvas size to fit the printing paper, so

he ultimately turned to Excel, which had a neat feature that automatically reduced the worksheet size to fit his A4 printing paper. Painting in a spreadsheet application was hard at first, but the ambitious Tatsuo managed to hone is skills, and during the last 10 years he has established himself as an original artist, with exhibitions all over Japan. Tatsuo Hourichi isn’t the world’s first artist to use Excel as an art medium, but unlike Danielle Aubert, he doesn’t use the

Mayor Robert Tufts carries his big stick around town, which has a population of 22, to keep order. The toddler is an expert fisherman, and he can also sing and dance, the New York Daily News reported. He says he has just one girlfriend for now-a girl named Sophia. It’s unclear whether the

town’s first lady knows that she’s captured the mayor’s heart. Mayor Tufts was chosen at last year’s “Taste

of Dorset” festival. The small town selects its leader in a drawing during the popular event. Campaigns don’t cost much in Dorset-just 1 dollar will get your name in the hat. You don’t even have to live there. At one point, a 5-year-old from Chicago was running the town.

Meet 4-year-old boy who is running as US town mayor!

program’s cells to create pixelated artworks. Instead, he make use of its AutoShape feature to painstakingly draw complicated shapes which he then colors to produce traditional Japanese masterpieces. He still believes Microsoft Excel is an excellent tool, and that quality art doesn’t require complicated and expensive solutions. Hourichi sells his creations at local exhibitions in his home town of Sanada, Nagano Prefecture, and also donates them to libraries as large picture books.

scientists from Cardiff University said. They say that the study confirms that genetic diversity can be lost and a new genetic structure can arise very quickly, if the effects of population collapse and habitat fragmentation are strong enough. “Quick action is needed to

stymie further demographic loss,” said lead author Mike Bruford. “We found that genetic diversity has been lost dramatically compared to the Raj tigers and what diversity remains has become much more subdivided into the small (20 - 120 individual) populations that exist,” Bruford said.

Indian university lecturer arrested in UAE

Though a report in the Gulf Times did not name either the lecturer or the university in India he works in, it said that he had finished his term in the private university at Dubai's Academic City a year ago, but his contract was termi-

nated without any reason. A Dubai court later ruled in his favour and he got his end-of-service benefits. After returning to India, he started blogging against the university and revealed the reason why his contract was terminated.

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US eatery causes uproar serving lion meat tacos

Already well-known for serving exotic game in its tacos, the lion meat tacos, however, caused the most uproar. The restaurant put the lion meat tacos on its menu this week at $35 a go. The meat is legal in the United States because lions are only considered a threatened species, rather than an endangered one. The decision by the Florida eatery to serve up lion meat, however, sparked a storm of protest on social media. Restaurant manager Ryan Gougeon was forced to call in police after getting repeated abuse. “Now we’re getting bomb threats,

and everything else,” Gougeon said. Customers gave the lion meat tacos mixed re-

views, but a wildlife group said an animal on the threatened species list didn’t belong on a menu.

Retired Barber Gives Homeless People Haircuts in Exchange for Hugs Although some of us refuse to believe it, we live in a mean, cutthroat world. Luckily there are still some genuine good Samaritans out there, and Anthony Cymerys is definitely one of them. For the last 25 years, the man known as Joe the Barber has been offering homeless people in Hartford, Connecticut haircuts in exchange for hugs. Anthony Cymerys started offering his barber services to those less fortunate in 1988, after hearing a sermon about the homeless. He had just retired and was only cutting hair for family, but those inspiring words he had heard in church made him decided he didn’t want the homeless looking like homeless anymore. So he prepared his tools, put them in the car and started driving around town looking for people in need of his services. In the beginning, he helped people in shelters and convalescent homes, then he cut hair in downtown YMCA for years, before moving to the carousel near Bushnell Park. Every Wednesday, the wooden benches on the Elm Street side of the park

are packed with homeless people waiting for a relaxing haircut, shave and facial massage from the 82year-old Joe. As soon as he parks his 1996 Crown Victoria and connects his clippers to the car battery, Cymerys is assaulted with questions about who should be the first in his barber chair. He asks his “customers” about the desired haircut style, and starts clipping, trimming and shaving. After that, Joe splashes some rubbing alcohol on his hands and proceeds to massage face, ears, neck, throat and shoulders. All he asks in exchange is a nice big hug. ”It really is love. I love these guys. That’s what it’s all about,” Anthony told the

Associated Press. Giving haircuts may not seem like a big deal to a lot of people, but it’s actually very important. Homeless people have a hard time finding jobs because of the way the look, so Joe is really helping them out of a hairy situation in more ways than one. Joe the Barber’s altruism has inspired others to help the homeless of Hartford. Ed Galler and Betty Magee, among others, wanted to help Joe out, so they started handing out home-cooked meals to people who fell on hard times. ”The first couple of times I came with Joe, so I felt safe,” Magee said. “Then after you’re here a couple of times, you realize it’s fine.”

Indian-origin Guyana TV host to face trial on rape charges GEORGETOWN: A former presidential candidate and popular talk show host in Guyana will stand trial on charges of raping a 7-year-old girl. A judge ruled yesterday that there is enough evidence against 63-year-old Chandra Narine Sharma for the case to go forward.Prosecutors have accused Sharma of giving the girl money after each alleged rape, which they say occurred from July 2003 to July 2004.Sharma has pleaded not guilty and is free on $10,000 bail.He owns a TV station in the South American country but has not appeared on air because of health problems including diabetes and high blood pressure.

But after receiving death and bomb threats, the restaurant has now agreed to stop selling it. Gougeon also insisted that the lion meat is authentic, and comes from a farm that raises the creatures specially for that purpose. “Thank you all for the feedback regarding the lion meat promotion at Taco Fusion. Some of you were supportive, some of you were angry. We listened to everyone and decided to no longer serve the lion meat tacos,” the restaurant said on its website. “The lion meat is sold out and we do not plan to carry it again.”

21 May to 27 May, 2013

Man shoots himself dead in nursery school in front of children A man in his 60s shot himself dead with a sawnoff shotgun today in the hall of a Paris nursery school,

The nursery school is a private Catholic institution which also has primary and secondary sec-

near the Eiffel Tower, in front of about a dozen children and an adult, police said. The man, who was not affiliated with the school, killed himself after walking into the institution in central Paris. The identity of the man or his motives were not immediately clear.

tions. A psychological support team has been sent to the school.

Sad music helps people get over a break-up

Breaking up may be hard to do, but it could be easier if you listen to sad music or watch a tear-jerking film, according to new research. The study contradicts popular opinion that upbeat music and humorous movies can help people get over a relationship break-up. It says that people experiencing relationship problems are more likely to prefer experiences that reflect their negative mood. Study co-author Stephen Palmer, from the University of California at Berkeley, said: ‘Emotional experiences of aesthetic products are important to our happiness and wellbeing. ‘Like a sympathetic

friend, music, movies, paintings, or novels that are compatible with our current mood and feelings are more appreciated when we experience broken or failing relationships.’ The

study authors said people experience serious emotional distress when intimate relationships are broken and look for a ‘surrogate’ to replace the lost bond.

Ever ything under control Everything Mission to Mars on track The Rs 450 crore mission to Red Planet will be India’s most complex mission till date. With just over six months left for the launch of India’s first interplanetary mission — the Mars orbiter —the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the launch takes place as per schedule. The space agency, which is targeting November 27 as the launch date, is presently integrating the spacecraft and subjecting it to various tests. That apart, work on the launch vehicle for the mission Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-

C25) is also moving at a fast pace. All the four stages of the launch vehicle, as well as the strap-ons and their respective sub-systems, are under various stages of preparations. The integration of the launch vehicle will commence over the next couple of months. The Mars Orbiter will carry on board five scientific instruments or pay loads with a scientific objective to study the Martian surface, atmosphere and sustainability of life. The five payloads, which will total a mass of about 15 kg, are: Lyman Alpha Photometer, Methane Sensor for Mars, Martian

Exospheric Composition Explorer, MARS Colour Camera and TIR imaging spectrometer. If Isro fails to launch the mission at the designated launch window (OctoberNovember 2013), it will have to wait for another 26 months for the next l a u n c h w i n d o w. T h e available launch windows in this decade are 2013, 2016 and 2018. The Rs 450 crore Mars mission will be India’s most complex mission till date as the spacecraft will have to reach the Red Planet and then orbit around it. It is expected to take 300 days for it to reach the planet.

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Brazilian Woman Names All Her 15 Children Walter

To honor her husband, a woman from Paraiba, Brazil, gave all her children, nine girls and six boys, his name, Walter. Although they were proud to carry on their father’s name, the girls said it made their lives harder. When she got pregnant with her first child, Erotides Brandão made a deal with her husband, Walter, to give it his name, regardless of whether it was a boy or a girl. That’s how Walterlúcia ended up with her unique and bizarre name. The mother was

happy to honor her life partner, she just didn’t expect to have 15 children and him to ask her to do the same for all of them. Still, Erodites told Brazilian reporters they were very much in love and couldn’t deny each other anything. In order to make life easier for their children, especially the girls, the two parents decided to combine the “Walter” with common girl names followed by Maria. Their nine daughters are named: Walterlúcia Maria, Walterlívia Maria, Walterlênia Maria,

Walterlônia Maria, Walterlácia Maria, Walterluzia Maria Emília, Walterluana Maria, Walterangelina Maria and Waltersilvana Maria. Obviously, it was easier for the boys, who were baptized with two first names: Walter Emanuel, Walter Luís, Walter Olivério, Walter Marcelo (who died at six months), Walter Licínio and Walter Fernando. Erodites lost three other pregnancies, who were also going to be named Walter. Walter Brandão died in 2003, at the age of 81, but

he remains in the hearts of those who loved him most, his family members. One of his sons, Walter Licínio, decided to carry on his wishes and named his two offsprings Walter, as well. His two boys are called Walter Licínio Filho and Walter Yanko. Out of Erodites’ 33 grandchildren, four are also named Walter. Father deserved it, he was a good man,” one of the children told Globo. Walterluzia, who decided to give her kids normal names, said that after hearing her mother’s motives, she came to regret not naming them Walter. Despite their unconditional love for their father, the nine Brandão sisters say carrying on the Walter name caused a lot of problems for them while growing up and during their adult years. They were the laughingstock of their colleagues and often got into fights because of it. They hated their names, but they couldn’t tell their father, because that would have saddened him. Today, most of them prefer to summarize their names to Lucia or Silvana Brandão.

21 May to 27 May, 2013

Survey reveals world’s most racist countries

India, Jordan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong are the least tolerant countries in the world - but Britain is among the most accepting, a survey has found. The World Values Survey asked people in more than 80 countries what type of people they did NOT want as neighbours. More than 40 per cent of those quizzed in India, Jordan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong said they didn’t want a neighbour of a different race. Brits were among the most tolerant, along with the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. People in

Latin American countries also said they would not mind neighbours of another race. The French though came out of the survey conducted for the Washington Post - looking very intolerant with 22.7 per cent worried about ethnically diverse neighbours. In India, 43.5 per cent of people quizzed said they did not want someone of a different race as their neighbour. While in Jordan it was 51.4 per cent, and in Hong Kong and Bangladesh, a huge 70 per cent said someone of a different race was their biggest concern in a neighbour.

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FACEBOOK AND TWITTER JUMP ON GOOGLE GLASSES

Facebook and Twitter launched applications for Google glasses as developers rushed to learn more about tailoring software for the Internet-linked eyewear yet to hit the market. “Built by Facebook, this app allows you to upload photos from Google Glass directly to your Facebook timeline,” Erick Tseng, head of mobile products at the social network, said in a message posted from the Google developers conference. “You can also add an optional photo description, just by speaking it.” Tseng’s Facebook page displayed an image evidently taken in a packed Glass session at the gathering and was tagged as the first public post to the social network using the application built for the eyewear. “Can’t wait to start seeing Google Glass photos in my News Feed!” Tseng said. Globally popular messaging service Twitter also introduced an application for Glass. Twitter for Google Glass let people share pictures or text messages using the glasses, according to engineering manager Shiv Ramamurthi. Ramamurthi demon-

strated his point by tweeting an image from one of the array of sessions devoted to providing developers with insights and tools for making software for Glass. He gave the picture the hashtag #throughglass. “In addition to sharing photos, you can also keep up with the people you follow on Twitter through notifications,” Ramamurthi said. “As always, you can reply to, retweet or favorite these Tweets.” Several major news organizations have also tailored applications for Glass, which has only been made available to developers and a limited selection of “explorers”

who paid $1,500 each for the eyewear. Google Glass was a common sight at the California-based Internet giant’s annual developers conference, which continues here through Friday. Software savants at the gathering shared visions of games, weather reports, news and more delivered to the Internet-linked eyewear. Many of the 6,000 developers attending an annual Google I/O event in San Francisco sported Glass in what was unofficially deemed the largest ever gathering of Glass wearers. Envisioned uses ranged from practical tasks such as shopping or

delivering local weather reports to sharing real time video streams of riding cable cars or playing augmented reality games in which the world is the board. Glass lets wearers take pictures, record video, send messages, or perform other tasks with touch controls or by speaking “Okay Glass” followed by a command. Glass connects to the Internet using Wi-Fi hot spots or, more typically, by being wirelessly tethered to mobile phones. Pictures or video can be shared through the Google+ social network. Google co-founder and chief Larry Page depicted Glass as part of an ongoing effort to get computers “out of the way” so people can focus on lives enriched by what the Internet has to offer. “We want to make sure we are building experiences that make people really happy,” Page said while speaking about Glass. “We are relying on you to make happy users,” he told developers at the conference. “Ultimately, I think a lot of your experiences will move to Glass.”

21 May to 27 May, 2013

Retirement harmful to health, study says

LONDON: Retirement can cause a drastic decline in health, according to a new study. Research by the Institute of Economic Affairs found that both mental and physical health can suffer, and that the Government should help people work longer and raise the state pension ages. The study - Work Longer, Live Healthier: The Relationship Between Economic Activity, Health And Government Policy - shows there is a small boost in health immediately after retirement but that, over the longer term, there is a significant deterioration. It suggests retirement increases the likelihood of suffering from clinical depression by 40 per cent and the chance of having at least one diagnosed physical condition by about 60 per cent. The probability of taking medication for such a condition rises by about 60 per cent as well, according to the findings. People who are retired are 40 per cent less likely than others to describe themselves as being in very good or excellent health. The length of time spent in retirement can also cause further disadvantages, the study found.

Sun unleashes four potent solar flares

Jembatan Akar Indonesia’s Amazing Tree Root Bridge For the last hundred years, the residents of two tiny Indonesian villages in West Sumatra have used a 30-meter-long bridge formed from the interconnected roots of two trees located on each side of a fast-flowing river, to reach each other and trade supplies. Today, the natural wonder known as “Jembatan Akar” has become a popular tourist attraction. According to locals the amazing tree root bridge was built in 1890, by Pakih Sohan, a Muslim teacher from Lubuak Glare, disappointed by the fact that students from Pulut-pulut couldn’t attend his classes on Islam and Quran recitations due to the Batang Bayang river that separated the two settlements. He planted two small Jawijawi – a type of broad-leaf banyan tree – and started stringing their roots around a stem bridge made of bamboo. In just a few years time the two trees reached each other over the river, but the bridge

wouldn’t be able to support the passing villagers’ weight for another two decades. It took approxi-

mately 26 years for Jembatan Akar to become the sturdy bridge it is today, and with each pass-

ing year, it becomes even stronger, as the banyan tree roots continue to grow. Dangling a around 10 feet above the fast-flowing waters of Batang Bayang river, this masterpiece of organic architecture becomes pretty dangerous to cross when it rains because of the slippery roots. To make it more stable and prevent accidents, villagers added a series of wooden planks over the roots and reinforced the two trees with steel wire. It can now support dozens of people at a time. The Jembatan Akar bridge has been a vital link between the two villages of West Sumatra for almost a century, but soon the heavy crop trading traffic will be diverted to a suspension bridge built not far from the root bridge. But that doesn’t mean this natural wonder will be forgotten. More and more tourists, both Indonesian and foreign travel to this place just to take some photos and walk over its interlinked roots.

The Sun has unleashed four potent solar flares this week, marking the most intense activity yet this year and causing limited interruptions to high-frequency radio communications. One of them was classified as an X3.2 flare, with X-class flares being the most intense type, the US space agency said. “This is the strongest Xclass flare of 2013 so far,

surpassing in strength the two X-class flares that occurred earlier in the 24-hour period,” NASA said of the flare that peaked at 0111 GMT Tuesday. A fourth X-class flare peaked at 0148 GMT on Wednesday, NASA said. Measuring at X1.2, it caused a temporary radio blackout that has since subsided, and was categorized as “strong,” or R3 on a scale of 1 to 5 on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s space weather scales. The latest flares began on May 13 and have sent off bursts of radiation from the Sun, known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs).

‘Dead’ man wakes up at own funeral 34-year-old Brighton Dama Zanthe had “died” after suffering for long from an illness at his home in Zimbabwe. But his boss Lot Gaka saw him moving his legs as he filed past the coffin, paying his last respects at the funeral. Mourners were seen running in horror, thinking that Zanthe had come back from the dead to haunt them, the Mirror reported.

But upon realisation, they took him to hospital at Gweru where he was kept on life support for two days.

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GIANT DUCK DEFLATES IN HONG KONG The giant inflatable rubber duck which has attracted tens of thousands of visitors since it sailed into Hong Kong two weeks ago was reduced to a sad deflated disc Wednesday in the city’s harbour. Duck mania has gripped Hong Kong since its arrival, with locals and tourists flocking to catch a glimpse of the 16.5metre-tall (54-feet) artwork, conceived by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman. But those who made the trip to Victoria Harbour

to see it on Wednesday morning were left disappointed as the wind had firmly been taken out of the duck’s sails leaving it looking like a floating fried egg. Organisers said that the duck had been deflated on Tuesday evening

as part of scheduled maintenance work and that it would be towed to a shipyard on Wednesday for thorough checking. “We scheduled a body check for these two days. If everything is fine we can inflate it as soon as pos-

sible and the public can appreciate it again,” said Andrew Yeung, advertising and promotions manager for waterfront shopping mall Harbour City, which is organising the duck exhibit. Yeung added that the deflation had been announced on the Harbour City Facebook page on Tuesday night and also on signs around the piers. “I know people are disappointed but we need to do the checking the overall condition. We don’t want to upset everyone.”

China-India's large potential makes West anxious: Chinese daily Said the Global Times in an editorial Monday, the second day of Premier Li Keqiang's India trip: "As China's new premier, his selection of India for his first overseas trip has widely been interpreted as a sign that China is attaching greater importance and respect to this large neighbour." It said that the ties between China and India has long been plagued by negative news. "This has caused public opinion about the relationship to become more negative than the reality warrants (and)...a `tent confrontation' between the two sides made headlines. "It's difficult to simply judge Sino-Indian relations as `good' or `bad'. New conflicts initiated by border disputes may break out at any time, according to worstcase scenarios," the daily said.

The daily stressed that the actual situation in border areas is much better than the Diaoyu Islands disputes with Japan and some other disputed islands in the South China Sea. "Both sides have been trying to divert the focus of the bilateral relationship from border disputes to other areas. In spite of media hype, both sides share a common will in terms of preventing border problems from impeding Sino-Indian ties," it said. "Such rationality is com-

mendable in present-day Asia where nationalism runs rampant." The editorial said that these two large emerging countries have many common interests on major issues such as the global financial order and climate change, which means that the two countries must seek cooperation. "China and India's combined potential are large enough to make the West anxious. Internal dissension between China and India meets Western inter-

ests. "There are many weaknesses in the bilateral relationship which can be exploited by outsiders. Without mutual respect, small frictions can be exaggerated. Also, if both nations simultaneously rise, they may put pressure on the other," it added. The daily, however, noted that the "Indian sense of national pride is very strong but Chinese society doesn't want to adapt. Chinese people lack understanding and respect toward India. They tend to judge it according to ill-conceived preconceptions". "...China's surrounding environment will suffer if India, a country which has the prospect of running neckand-neck with China, becomes another Japan or Philippines in terms of its policies toward China." It called for "wisdom" to develop Sino-Indian strategic ties.

21 May to 27 May, 2013

Meet UK woman who's enrolled her yet-to-be-born daughter in beauty pageant 26-year-old Jenny Oliver - already mother to Jessica, 10, and sevenyear-old Steven – will give birth to her second girl in July and will get her glammed up for her first Bonnie Baby pageant by September, the Sun reported. Oliver from Blackpool said that with her dance skills and Elle’s sister Jess’ knowledge of pageants, there is no way

that Elle won’t come first in the competition. The organisers for Miss Natural Sparkle decided to open a round for newborns after many mothers showed interest. For Jenny and husband Steve, 29, a mechanic, travelling across the country to pageants is a norm, since 2010, they have chaperoned their elder daughter Jess to ten different contests.

US great-grandma skydives at 79

Meiselbach ignored the advice of three physicians who were worried over her long list of ailments to get the thrill of a lifetime, the New York Post reported. The great grandmother of one said that she had had six strokes, beaten cancer twice, and also suffers from osteoporosis, arthritis and diabetes. The courageous women also said that she had served six years in the U.S. Navy, and raised two

of her sons as a single mother. Meiselbach, who jumped along with a 60year-old instructor on April 24 at Skydive Ranch in Gardiner, NY, suffered only a chest bruise caused due to rubbing of the harness of the parachute against her pacemaker. The thrill loving Meiselbach is also planning to go back and jump with 10 friends for her 80th birthday in October.

Rihanna sues Topshop Christie’s art sale highest in auction history LONDON: Rihanna is suing Topshop for $5 million. The ‘Diamonds’ hitmaker is taking legal action against the UK high street fashion chain - which is owned by billionaire Sir Philip Green - following eight months of unsuccessful negotiations over T-shirts bearing her image which are being sold without her consent. A source said: ‘’Rihanna’s management asked Topshop a number of times to stop selling her image and were told, ‘We do what we want.’ They buy the pictures from a photographer, but they do not pay the artist licensing fees.

A contemporary art sale at Christie’s in New York has made $495m (£325m), the highest total in auction history. The sale included works by Jackson Pollock, Roy Lichtenstein and Jean-Michel Basquiat. The sale established 16 new world auction records, with nine works selling for more than $10m (£6.6m) and 23 for more than $5m (£3.2m). Christie’s said the records reflected “a new era in the art market”. The sale featured works from institutions and private collections, including that of the late singer Andy Williams. Paintings from the Williams estate included Edward Ruscha’s Mint, Willem de Kooning’s Untitled XVII and Basquiat’s Furious man. The top lot of Wednesday’s sale was

Pollock’s drip painting Number 19, 1948, which fetched $58.4m (£38.3m) - nearly twice its pre-sale estimate. Lichtenstein’s Woman with Flowered Hat sold for $56.1m (£36.8m), while another Basquiat work, Dustheads, went for $48.8 (£32.1m). All three works set the highest prices ever fetched for the artists at auction. Christie’s described the $495,021,500 total - which included commissions - as “staggering”. Only four of the 70 lots on offer went unsold. Brett Gorvy, head of postwar and contemporary art, described the amount as “the highest total in auction history”. “The remarkable bidding and record prices set reflect a new era in the art market,” he said. Steven Murphy, CEO of Christie’s International, said new collectors were helping drive the

boom. “Twenty-five percent of our buyers last year were new to Christie’s,” he told Reuters. “And four or five of the key lots tonight went to people who have never bought here be-

fore.” Mark Rothko’s Untitled (Black on Maroon) from 1958 was the fourth most expensive sale, raising $27m (£17.7m). Among the unsold works were pieces by Jeff Koons and Franz Kline.

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21 May to 27 May, 2013

Bitten by the reality bug Abhay Deol is the latest actor to make his small screen debut as a reality show host Abhay Deol who has just wrapped up shooting for his home production, starring his girlfriend Preeti Desai, will soon begin hosting a TV show. The show will revolve around the every day life of six women contestants. All these participants have already recorded their routine for six months on the camera and popular radio jockey Malishka will be the only celebrity contestant in the show. Abhay says that he did not have to think much before taking up the show. He says, “ I will be the sutradhar and will try to establish the connect between audience and contestants every day. While choosing the show, I did have that question at the back of my mind if this will harm my image. But if you look at my films I have done many films which people told me not to do. I particularly had no image like my contemporaries so I did not have to worry about it. I think this show

Success parties and holidays abroad are now passé. Bollywood seems to be on an automobile- buying spree to celebrate sweet success at the box office. And bigger the success, the luxury quotients of the cars too go up proportionately. Close on the heels of his latest release Shootout At Wadala, we heard that John Abraham has gifted himself a spanking new Gallardo Lamborghini in black. And with Aashiqui 2 too raking in the moolah, the film’s lead Aditya Roy Kapoor has purchased a BMW 5 series. John’s set of wheels is estimated to be around Rs 3.5 crore. An industry insider says, “ Buying luxury cars to celebrate the success of films seems to be the latest fad in Bollywood. John even gifted Shootout director Sanjay Gupta a Yamaha V Max. While previously stars used to pamper themselves with international holidays or throwing lavish parties, this seems to be the new way of celebrating after a film’s release.” It all started with director duo Abbas- Mustan’s Race 2, the biggest hit so far this year. Saif Ali Khan bought himself an Audi R8 while its producers Ramesh and Kumar Taurani pampered themselves with A- 8 Audi cars. David Dhawan, who made a successful comeback with Chasme Buddoor, too didn’t waste much time before gifting himself an Audi Q- 7.

NOT WITHOUT RANBIR? Buzz is that Kareena Kapoor is doing a rethink on Zoya Akhtar’s film. The actress was approached to essay the role of Ranveer Singh’s sister in the film. The project was initially planned with Ranbir Kapoor — the reason why Bebo agreed to play his sibling in the film as they are first cousins. But with Ranbir out and Ranveer in, Bebo does not apparently want to be part of a project. Says a source, “When Zoya began writing the script, she thought of getting Kareena and Ranbir together in the film. Kareena was extremely excited to play his screen sister. But with a change of plan, she is having second thoughts now.” Adds the source, “The project is presently in the scripting stage and Zoya has already sounded off the actress.” Yet again It therefore looks like Ranveer’s dream of working with Kareena will take a while. They were earlier slated to work together in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela. Bebo had opted out of the project citing date issues after which Deepika Padukone was pencilled in. It appears that for Zoya’s film too she will apparently pull out the date issue card. Kareena remained unavailable for comment.

suits my personality so I decided to do it.” The show will have 65 episodes and it will air for 13 weeks. The actor had earlier stated that he does not like such shows. He says, “ If I would have been offered to participate in such a show, I would have never accepted it. I am not comfortable with the idea of showcasing and discussing my daily life on camera. I belong to a known family and I managed to stay out of the limelight before I joined the industry.

Dhadkan 2 in the making

Director Dharmesh Darshan caught the audience’s eye when he delivered box office hits like Lootere and Raja Hindustani, with Dhadkan (2000) being his last major hit. However, since then none of the director’s films have managed to leave a mark, with his last project Bhawra not even managing to secure a release. But looks like lady luck has smiled upon Darshan once more as buzz is he has landed a major project in his kitty. Rumours are that the director’s next will be the sequel of Dhadkan and Ratan Jain, who also pro-

duced the original Akshay Kumar- Suniel ShettyShilpa Shetty starrer, has joined hands with him. Confirming the buzz, Jain says, “ A lot of people

have been constantly asking me about our plans of making Dhadkan 2. I am happy to announce that we plan to go on the floors this year. While the essence of

the film will remain the same, the new age sensibilities will be kept in mind.” An ecstatic Darshan says, “ Humbled and honoured is how I feel. I believe in my sincerity and God. To follow up what is considered a classic will be challenging.” A source close to the production house says, “ It seems very unlikely for anyone from the original cast to be part of the sequel. It will be a fresh cast. Also the makers are on the look- out for a new music director, as NadeemShravan aren’t working these days.” Dhadkan was the last film Akshay and Shilpa worked together in as a couple.

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Have genes, will act! Saif Ali Khan says he would love to see his daughter Sara on the screen With a bevy of star kids making their Bollywood debuts this year, it doesn’t come as a surprise when Saif Ali Khan says he would love his 16- yearold daughter Sara to join the Bollywood brigade. The Nawab of Pataudi feels facing the camera is the “ most incredible profession in the whole world”. If her father’s dreams come true, Sara would be joining the likes of Tiger Shroff, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor and the others to romance the cameras. However with just a hint of caution, the proud father says, “ Whether she can be or not is a separate question. I don’t know for sure. I think she likes the idea of getting into movies. But at the moment she is pursuing academics, so let’s see where that goes.” While Saif’s first film Parampara was at the age of 22, the actor feels there is no real rush these days to join tinsel town. He says, “ Gone are the days when you had to do it by the age of 16.” A few months back, Sara posed with her mother Amrita Singh on the covers of a magazine that led to a lot of speculation about her entry into Bollywood. Says proud papa Saif, “Sara has just joined Columbia University and I am very happy and relieved.”

21 May to 27 May, 2013

Nargis Fakhri roped in for 'Main Tera Hero'

"Rockstar" actress Nargis Fakhri has bagged a "key" role in Varun Dhawan-starrer " Main Tera Hero". The movie, produced by Balaji Motion Pictures, will be directed by Varun's father David Dhawan. Actress Ileana D'Cruz, whose performance in "Barfi!" was widely appreciated, is already a part of the movie. "Ileana and Nargis are playing key roles in the

film 'Main Tera Hero'," Girish Johar, head of acquisition and distribution, Balaji Motion Pictures, told IANS. "Details are being worked upon," he added. "Main Tera Hero", which will go on floors this June, is slated to release April 4, 2014. It is expected to be a commercial project, aimed at entertaining the youth and family audience.

My mother, a friend for life Don’t want standard SASHEH AAGHA father’s role : Rishi Kapoor Bollywood actress Sasheh Aagha says her mother, veteran actress Salma Aagha, is like a friend to her, and that she often guides her in career decisions. "She is very supportive. She always guides me. She is like a friend in my life...She has always been there for me...(and she is) very protective," Sasheh, who has made her Bollywood debut with " Aurangzeb", told IANS. "I do consult her. She always asks me if I am comfortable carrying it (the role). I like it when she says these things because it gives you (me) a clear picture of things," she said. Sasheh admits the pressure increases when one comes from a film family. "I think when you belong to a film family, people notice you more. But they will pick you up only if you have the talent. If I am her (my mother Salma's) daughter, and I didn't have it in me, I won't have got this film," she said. Her future plan is to try and essay different roles on screen. "I want to do different

kinds of looks and characters. I never want to repeat stuff. It has to keep changing," she said. Sasheh is well aware of the competitive nature of the film industry. But she has a positive attitude towards it. "As an artist, I always

appreciate and enjoy everyone who entertains me on screen and makes me feel like I connect to them - whether it is Parineeti Chopra or Anushka Sharma. I am the kind of person who will encourage my co-actors. This is how it should be," she said.

The popular chocolate hero of the 1980s, Rishi Kapoor says he is "a competent actor" and would like to try out character roles and that he doesn't want to be typecast as a typical onscreen dad. He wowed everyone when he donned the garb of ruthless underworld lord Rauf Lala in "Agneepath" remake. "Not trying to be modest but I have tried to experiment with my look in different roles. I don't want to do standard father's role, I want to do characters. I would like to do characters and bring something on the table myself," Rishi Kapoor told IANS. The actor, who gave hits like "Bobby", "Prem Rog" and "Khel Khel Mein" in his heydays, was seen playing father in films like "Fanaa" and "Namastey London". "If I am in a film, the makers should take complete advantage of the fact that I can perform and I feel I am a competent actor and I would like to perform. I visualise it that way," added the actor, who proved it with his performance as a middle-class school teacher Santosh

Duggal in the National Award winning film "Do Dooni Chaar". Set to be seen as a cop in director Atul Sabharwal's " Aurangzeb", Rishi says he is playing "a Haryanvi cop in the film. I have cut my hair short to get into the look". "This is the sec-

which is very unlike Yash Raj Films banner." He is also part of

ond time I am playing a negative role. It's a serious family drama with crime as its backdrop. Hats off to Aditya Chopra, who has attempted to make a film,

"Besharam", in which his son Ranbir plays the male lead, and the Abhinav Kashyap directed film has one more Kapoor in the cast. Rishi's wife Neetu. Talking about the film, Rishi said: "It's been good, but I still feel they need to put more of us, we have just done one sequence and by the time we realised we are working together, it was over. There was no moment of discomfort when we were working together, it was quite enjoyable. It's been great fun," the 60year-old said.

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Kaanchi will be Subhash Ghai's come back: Kartik Tiwari

After Akaash Vani, actor Kartik Tiwari will be seen in Subhash Ghai's upcoming release Kaanchi. Kartik is two films old and a call from a veteran like Subhash Ghai came as a pleasant surprise for him. "After Akaash Vani, I did not expect to have a film, that too from Subhash Ghai. So when Mukta Arts called me, I was very obliged. When I met Subhash ji for the first time, I was really happy. It's a dream come true as I'm learning a lot. I expect things to change for me with this film", says Kartik. Although Subhash Ghai's last few films have

not worked at the box office, Kartik is not bothered by this. "Subhash ji is legendary and given 11 hits in a row. So if a few of his films did not work, it doesn't matter. Hits and flops don't count. No one will ask why I'm working with him. In fact, everybody in the industry is asking who Subhash Ghai has cast in his films. I and my co actor Mishti (who makes her debut with this film) have become talking points. Kaanchi's a musical thriller and the USP is that it's Subhash ji's comeback film. Kaanchi's got a lot of action, scenes and story. It's very real".

THE CONTACT

21 May to 27 May, 2013

Too distraught to party! is Chitrangada Singh’s alleged impending divorce the reason why she opted out of an upcoming fashion show? If rumours are true, looks like the buzz about Chitrangada Singh apparently seeking a divorce from her golfer husband Jyoti Randhawa is taking a toll on the actress. Sources say Chitra has pulled out of a fashion show at the Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai, where she was set to be the showstopper for Indian designer Archana Kochhar. The actress was to walk the ramp on May 27. An insider says Chitrangada, who is very upset with all the talk about her divorce, has some urgent family issues to attend to at the moment. A source close to the actress says, “ That is why she pulled out of the event. It’s her personal life and it should not be made public.” While Archana confirms that Chitrangada indeed was scheduled to walk the ramp and that a

replacement has now been found, the actress incidentally denies having given her word to appear for the designer’s show. Says Chitrangada, “ There is absolutely no truth to the news that I backed out of the Dubai event. I did not confirm for the event in the first place. Though there was an offer I had never agreed to do it. I was

available on that date but it was not something that interested me. No confirmation was made whatsoever.” Over the past week, the actress’ personal life has come under intense scrutiny. Her joint appearance with her golfer husband of seven years at a Gurgaon court last Friday triggered rumours that the couple had filed for divorce

through mutual consent. However on Monday, the 37- year- old star categorically quashed the reports, claiming that they were in court together to settle an internal property dispute. Chitrangada adds, “We were at the court for the internal settlement of a property issue for which our family and we were in

and out of the court the whole day. So the obvious speculation.” In the meanwhile, Archana tells us, “Chitrangada was approached ( for the show) and she was supposed to do it. I have worked with Chitrangada earlier and will take her for our next fashion show.”

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Children access porn sites from age SIX And begin flirting online at aged eight Children start watching porn on the internet from the age of six and will start flirting online when they are just eight-yearsold, a study has revealed. More than 19,000 parents worldwide took part in a survey, with data compiled using information on which sites they choose to block and which their children have access to regularly. The study found that almost a quarter of children had at least one social network account by the time they were 12-years-old and that most lie about their age when creating their online profiles. To join Facebook, for example, you have to be 13-yearsold.Disturbingly, two per cent of computer addicts were just fiveyears-old and 17 per cent were social media users by age 10. Overall, kids are turning to computer games and things like instant messaging at a younger age than they did a few years ago. The study was published by Bitdefender, the

creator of some of the Internet's best antivirus software.It also found that gaming, hacking and so-called

they will find a way to things parents would like to ban forever.'Jo Webber, CEO of Virtual Piggy, a website that

'hate' websites, where young people are free to use profanity are go-to sites for children. Bitdefender Chief Security Strategist Catalin Cosoi told USA Today: 'Kids nowadays are acting like young adults online - just give them an Internet-connected device, and

enables kids to manage and spend money within a parentcontrolled environment, said: 'Kids lie about their age to get access to something they want to explore, in this case a social network. It's no different than my generation lying about age to get cigarettes or into a bar.'

Do 'environmentally friendly' LED lights cause BLINDNESS? Eco-friendly LED lights may damage your eyes, according to new research. A study has discovered that exposure to LED lights can cause irreparable harm to the retina of the human eye.LED lights have been touted as a super-efficient alternative to traditional bulbs because they use up to 85 per cent less energy and each bulb can last up to 10 years.In April, Philips, the world's biggest lighting maker, reported a 38 per cent jump in LED light sales from last year.They are already widely used in mobile phones, televisions, computer screens and can also be fitted as a replacement for traditional lighting in the home.The government's Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme, which was brought in to help cut UK carbon emissions, is also pushing the use of the lighting by offering businesses added tax relief if they use LED and other lowenergy bulbs.Dr. Celia Sรกnchez-Ramos, of Complutense University in Madrid and who led the study, explained that light from LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, comes from the short-wave, highenergy blue and violet end of the visible light spectrum.She said that prolonged, continuous exposure to this light may be enough to damage a person's retina.The retina is composed of light-sensitive tissue that is

responsible for detecting light and in turn allowing us to see. 'This problem is going to get worse, because humans are living longer and children are using electronic devices from a young age, particularly for schoolwork,' Sรกnchez-Ramos told ThinkSpain.com. 'Eyes are not designed to look directly at

light - they are designed to see with light,' Sรกnchez-Ramos said.Her comments are partly based on her 2012 study that was published in the journal Photochemistry and Photobiology. The study found that LED radiation caused significant damage to human retinal pigment epithelial cells in vitro.Sรกnchez-Ramos added that modern humans have their eyes open for roughly 6,000 hours a year, and are exposed to artificial light for the majority of that time.Some experts have called for the LED lights to have built-in filters to cut out the blue glare.This is not the first time energy-saving lights have come under scrutiny for safety reasons. Compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, have been criticized for the high levels of mercury they contain as well as the UV radiation they can emit.

21 May to 27 May 2013

Natural sex supplements bought online may contain dangerous prescription drugs People should not buy sex supplements online because they may contain secretly added prescription medications, according to scientists in America.Experts at Harvard Medical School say that there is no scientific evidence to suggest that sexual enhancement supplements are effective. They also claim that the supplements could cause serious harm.The researchers are warning that supplement manufacturers sometimes add undisclosed prescription drugs, such as Viagra, to their products to make them more effective. Live Science reported that the secretly added drugs are sometimes untested versions of the prescription medications meaning that they are not known to be safe. Even if they are legitimate medications, they can cause side effects such as low blood pressure if unwittingly taken alongside other medications.Dr Pieter Cohen, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and a general internist at Cambridge

Health Alliance in Boston, told Live Science: 'These products either do not work, or if they do work, are potentially harmful, because they contain undisclosed drugs.' Four years ago more than 12 people in Asia died after taking

sex supplements which were laced with large quantities of a diabetes medication.To avoid a similar situation in Europe and the U.S. Dr Cohen is calling for greater regulation of online supplements.

People should eat more insects to fight hunger and reduce pollution, U.N says The U.N. has new weapons to fight hunger, boost nutrition and reduce pollution.But the answer to food crises around the world may not be that palatable because they want people to eat insects.The Food and Agriculture Organization on Monday hailed the likes of grasshoppers, ants and other members of the insect world as an underutilized food for people, livestock and pets. A 200-page report, released at a news conference at the U.N. agency's Rome headquarters, says 2 billion people worldwide already supplement their diets with insects, which are high in protein and minerals, and have environmental benefits. Insects are 'extremely efficient' in converting feed into edible meat, the agency said. On average, they can convert 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of feed into 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of insect mass. In comparison, cattle require 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds) of feed to produce a kilo of meat. Most insects are likely to produce fewer environmentally harmful greenhouse gases, and also feed on human and food waste, compost and animal slurry, with the products being used for agricultural feed, the agency said. Currently, most edible insects are gathered in forests

and what insect farming does take place is often family-run and serves niche markets.But the U.N. says mechanization can ratchet up insect farming production. The fish bait industry, for example, has long farmed insects. Insect farming is 'one of the many ways to address food and

examining the potential of arachnids, such as spiders and scorpions, although they are not strictly speaking insects. University biologists have analyzed the nutritional value of edible insects, and some of them, such as certain beetles, ants, crickets and

feed security,' the food agency said. 'Insects are everywhere and they reproduce quickly,' the agency said, adding they leave a 'low environmental footprint.' They provide high-quality protein and nutrients when compared with meat and fish and are 'particularly important as a food supplement for undernourished children,' it said. Insects can also be rich in copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium and zinc, and are a source of fibre. The agency noted that its Edible Insect Program is also

grasshoppers, come close to lean red meat or broiled fish in terms of protein per gram (ounce). But the question on everyone's lips is - are they tasty? The report noted that some caterpillars in southern Africa and weaver ant eggs in Southeast Asia are considered delicacies and command high prices. And some people who might not entertain the thought of consuming insects might already be eating them as many insects are ingested inadvertently.

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21 May to 27 May 2013

Has this man found the WOMENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HANDBAGS original recipe for Coca contain more bacteria Cola in an old drawer? than the average TOILET

Antiques dealer puts â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;secret formulaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on eBay for $15MILLION A Georgia man claims he has found an original topsecret recipe for Coca-Cola in an old box of papers he purchased from an estate. Now, Cliff Kluge trying to sell the formula on eBay for $15million.The Coca-Cola Company, which has turned the secrecy surrounding its 19th-century cola recipe into the stuff of legends, says the formula might come close to Coca-Cola, but it's still not the real thing. Kluge, an antiques dealer from Ringgold in northern Georgia, told WXIATV that he found the 1943 recipe in a box of personal papers and letters he purchased at an estate auction for a famous Georgia chemist. Kluge speculated that Coca-Cola might have sent the ingredient list to him because the company was having trouble obtaining all of the ingredients necessary

during the war. 'You don't stumble on things like this very often. It's a letter, and a formula, and the processes to make it,' Kluge said.'I think it's a little deeper than having fun; I think it's the recipe for CocaCola.'The original 1886 CocaCola formula, devised by Dr John S Pemberton, has long been the source of speculation. The Coca-Cola Company says it keeps the recipe a close-guarded secret. The original is locked away in a vault at the World of Coca-Cola Museum at its headquarters in Atlanta. 'What I can discern about the formula is that its a formula for a cola-type drink. I don't think it's coca-cola. It can't be coca-cola,' Ted Ryan, the Coca-Cola Company's archivist and historian, told WXIA. 'This particular formula is one of dozens that have popped up over the years trying to emulate the flavor of Coca-Cola.'

Women's handbags are contaminated with more bacteria than the average toilet, a new study has revealed. Tests showed that one in five handbag handles is home to sufficient bacteria to pose a risk to human health. The research also revealed that the dirtiest item in the average handbag is hand cream - bottles of hand cream were found to carry more bacteria than the average toilet seat. Lipstick and mascara packets were found to be little better.The tests, carried out by Initial Washroom Hygiene, also revealed that leather handbags are the most bacteria-riddled as the spongy texture provides the perfect conditions for bacteria to grow and spread. The researchers suggest

that women should regularly clean their hands and bags with antibacterial wipes or gel to prevent cross-contamination. Peter Barratt, Technical Manager at Initial Hygiene, said: 'Handbags come into regular contact with our hands and a variety of surfaces, so the risk of transferring different germs onto them is very high, especially as bags are rarely cleaned. 'Once these germs are on the bags, they can easily be transferred via hands onto other surfaces. 'Regular hand sanitisation is essential to prevent the presence of bacteria in the first place and thorough cleaning of bags is recommended to prevent the build-up of contamination.' The research comes after another study revealed that

workplace kitchens are dangerously dirty, to the point that they could cause illness. The study, also carried out by Initial Washroom Hygeine, revealed that half of surfaces in workplace kitchens are contaminated by dangerously high levels of coliforms - the bacteria present in faeces which can lead to outbreaks of gastrointestinal disease.It also showed that more than a quarter of draining boards were found to have four times the safe level of coliforms.The research also revealed that the handles of shared fridge-freezers were bacteria-rife, with a third carrying high levels of coliforms, whilst 30 per cent of shared microwaves were also shown to be contaminated around the handles and buttons.

had been murdered.'Their local councillor in Birmingham, Mrs Kooner, said it was 'highly probable' that the child had been killed in a bid to harvest her organs.She said: 'People with money pay for transplant organs to help their family members who are sick,' she said.'We are trying to build a portfolio of other cases.'This was an absolutely horrific ordeal for the family to go through and we are trying to work with the Foreign Office and the Indian High Commission to try to get her organs returned.' Gurkiren, a bright and bubbly pupil at Nishkam School in Handsworth, was on her first foreign holiday visiting her frail grandmother, who later died,

over the Easter break.Her family said she was taken to a clinic in Punjab after being sick, but was placed on a drip after blood tests revealed she was free of infection.Under pressure to help the schoolgirl after the injection was given, medics transferred her to a nearby hospital but she could not be saved. Mrs Kaur Loyal, who was on the trip with her postal worker husband Santokh Singh Loyal and 17-year-old son Simran, claimed Gurkiren's medical records were disposed of and the family were not asked to pay for the blood tests, drip or the injection she received.

Our daughter was killed for her organs Parents claim Indian medic gave schoolgirl deadly injection after she fell ill on holiday The parents of a schoolgirl who died after seeking treatment for dehydration during a family holiday to India have called for her organs to be returned to the UK so they can rule out foul play. Eight-year-old Gurkiren Kaur Loyal, from Birmingham, died in hospital in Punjab on April 2 after being admitted to a nearby clinic suffering from mild dehydration and being given a mystery injection. Aware of the risk of illegal organ harvesting, her relatives say they guarded her body so her organs could not be taken in time to be transplanted. But they claim that doctors in India later removed her

organs to hide the cause of the schoolgirl's death. Gurkiren's family believe their daughter was the victim of a failed attempt to illegally harvest her organs, and then a cover-up when medics realised they could not extract her organs in time. Mother Amrit Kaur Loyal says they only discovered Gurkiren's organs were missing when her body was flown home to the UK and the Birmingham coroner told them it would be impossible to establish a cause of death because there were no organs to take samples from. Now the schoolgirl's parents, who live in the Birmingham suburb of Hockley, are calling for their daughter's organs to be flown back to the UK so they can discover how she died. And they have been joined in their campaign by Birmingham

Ladywood MP Shabana Mahmood and Birmingham councillor Narinder Kooner. They say subsequent to their daughter's death on the family holiday, the Indian police and medical authorities made little attempt to investigate.Shop assistant Mrs Kaur Loyal said: 'Gurkiren was fine, she was chatting to us and planned to buy some gifts for her cousins. While we were talking an assistant came up carrying a pre-filled syringe and reached for the tube in her hand.'I asked what was the injection for, but he gave me a blank look and injected the liquid into her.'Within a splitsecond Gurkiren's head flipped back, her eyes rolled in her head, and the colour completely drained from her. I knew they had killed her on the spot. 'I knew my innocent child

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Mayor defends using women as 'sex slaves' in Japan during WWII claiming soldiers needed them for discipline The Japanese military's forced prostitution of Asian women before and during the Second Word War was necessary to 'maintain discipline' in the ranks and provide rest for soldiers who risked their lives in battle, an outspoken politician has said. Asian countries that bore the brunt of Japan's wartime aggression have long complained that Japan has failed to fully atone for wartime atrocities.Speaking yesterday, young, brash Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who is also co-leader of an emerging conservative political party, told reporters there was no clear evidence that the Japanese military coerced women to become what are euphemistically called 'comfort women'. He said: 'To maintain discipline in the military, it must have been necessary at that time. For soldiers who risked their lives in circumstances where bullets are flying around like rain and wind, if you want them to get some rest, a comfort women system was necessary. That's clear to anyone. 'Historians say up to 200,000 women, mainly from the Korean Peninsula and

China, were forced to provide sex for Japanese soldiers in military brothels. An unidentified South Korean government official told Yonhap

news agency it was disappointing that a senior Japanese official 'made comments supportive of crimes against humanity and revealed a serious lack of a historical understanding and respect for women's rights'.Mr Hashimoto's comments come amid mounting criticism at the prospect of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's conservative government revising Japan's past apologies for wartime atrocities. Before he took office in December, Mr Abe had advocated revising a 1993 statement by then-Prime Minister Yohei Kono acknowledging and expressing remorse for the suffering caused to the sexual slaves of Japanese troops.

Michael Jackson’s choreographer tells trial there were ‘no signs the singer was ill’ in the days before his death An associate choreographer who worked on Michael Jackson's planned comeback concerts testified on Monday that she didn't see any signs that the pop superstar was ill or might die in the final days of his life.'I just never in a million years thought he would leave us, or pass away,' Stacy Walker told jurors hearing a lawsuit filed by Jackson's mother against concert promoter AEG Live LLC. 'It just never crossed my mind.'Walker, who is testifying for AEG, said Jackson appeared thinner than he had been in previous years and wore multiple layers of clothes while rehearsing for his This Is It shows planned for London's O2 arena. She said despite Jackson missing multiple rehearsals, she was convinced based on his performances the last two days of his life that he was ready for the series of shows.Her testimony was supported by Travis Payne, an associate director on the This Is It concerts Payne, who rehearsed one-on-one with Jackson and helped craft the creative vision

‘Ignorant’ builders destroy 2,300-year-old, 100ft Mayan pyramid to make road

One of the biggest Mayan pyramids in Belize has been all but destroyed by 'ignorant' builders who ravaged the ancient structure for crushed rock to fill in a new road. The construction workers used bulldozers and diggers to claw at the sloping sides of the 100ft tall pyramid, which is part of the Nohmul complex - the most important Mayan site in northern Belize and one which dates back at least 2,300 years. Horrified archaeologists claim there is no way the builders could have mistaken the Mayan ruins for a hill, as the landscape is naturally flat and the Nohmul complex is well known.Jaime Awe, head of the Belize Institute of Archaeology, said the destruction at the Nohmul complex in northern Belize was detected late last week. Mexico. 'It's a feeling of Incredible disbelief because of the ignorance and the insensitivity ... they were using this for road fill,' Mr Awe said. 'It's like being punched in the stomach, it's just so horrendous.' Nohmul sat in the middle of a privately owned sugar cane field, and lacked the even stone sides frequently seen in reconstructed or betterpreserved pyramids. Nonetheless Mr Awe is certain

the builders could not have mistaken the pyramid mound for anything other than Mayan ruins. 'These guys knew that this was an ancient structure. It's just bloody laziness,' he said. The builders used backhoes to claw at the sides of the pyramid, leaving an isolated core

of limestone cobbles at the centre, with what appears to be a narrow Mayan chamber dangling above one hollowed-out section. 'Just to realize that the ancient Maya acquired all this building material to erect these buildings, using nothing more than stone tools and quarried the stone, and carried this material on their heads, using tump lines,' said the archaeologist. 'To think that today we have modern equipment, that you can go and

21 May to 27 May 2013

for the show, said he never saw signs that Jackson was ill or impaired in early preparations.

'I thought he was thinner than he was in the past, but I didn't have any reason to be alarmed,' Payne said.He briefly discussed Jackson missing rehearsals, but has not yet addressed Jackson's appearance in his final days. Payne resumes testifying on Tuesday.Walker said she attributed Jackson's multilayered wardrobe to a personal preference. She said she recalled one incident in which Jackson may have appeared groggy or drugged, but she said she couldn't remember whether

she witnessed or heard about it from others on the show. Walker was the first witness called by AEG in a trial filed by Jackson's mother, Katherine, against the concert promoter. Her suit claims AEG didn't properly investigate the doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death and that its executives missed signs that the singer was unprepared for the comeback shows.AEG denies all wrongdoing, and contends Jackson hid his struggles with prescription drug addiction. Jackson died in June 2009 from an overdose of the anesthetic propofol, which he had been using as a sleep aid. Previous witnesses have testified that Jackson was shivering, had to be fed by others and appeared unprepared during rehearsals for the This Is It shows. Walker said she never saw any of that behavior, although she acknowledged that her job was to work with other dancers and not Jackson directly. 'I wasn't looking for things at the time,' she said. 'I wish I was.'

‘If we have chocolate bullets nobody would be hurt’

excavate in a quarry anywhere, but that this company would completely disregard that and completely destroyed this building. Why can't these people just go and quarry somewhere that has no cultural significance? It's mind-boggling.' Belizean police said they are

conducting an investigation and that criminal charges may be brought against the construction company.The Nohmul complex sits on private land, but Belizean law says that any pre-Hispanic ruins are under government protection. The Belize community-action group Citizens Organized for Liberty Through Action called the destruction of the archaeological site 'an obscene example of disrespect for the environment and history'.

A schoolboy's heartwarming solution to the gun control debate dividing America has captured the attention of the White House.Myles Nelson, seven, wrote to Joe Biden to suggest that guns should only fire bullets made out of chocolate.The Vice President penned a handwritten response to the little boy praising his idea, which he said would make the country happier as well as safer because 'people love chocolate'. The Vice President, who told Myles 'I really like your idea', signed off with the words: 'You are a good boy'.Barbara Rankin, reading specialist at the Downtown Montessori Academy in Milwaukee, told Wisn.com that Myles told her about his idea in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy in Connecticut in

December. 'He said if we have chocolate bullets, nobody would be hurt and nobody would be sad,' she said. Moved, the teacher encouraged Myles to share his idea with 'people who could do something about the problem'. Myles' teacher Jenny Aicher said the hand-written note from Joe Biden had created quite a stir at the small Milwaukee school, and that the seven-year-old was 'ecstatic' to have had his idea acknowledged.The teacher added that being called a 'good boy' by the Vice President 'meant the world' to Myles. Gun control advocates are calling for measures to curb gun violence including universal background checks on owners and a ban on certain military-style weapons.

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Couple who had sex in back of Dubai taxi jailed for two months after losing appeal A British businesswoman and an Irish welder convicted of having drunken sex in the back of a taxi in Dubai have been sentenced to two months in jail after losing an appeal. Rebecca Blake, 30, from Dorking, Surrey, and Conor McRedmond, 28, from Tullamore, Co. Offaly, had spent a year fighting the allegations. Witnesses said recruitment executive Blake stripped off before straddling McRedmond, who had his jeans pulled down. The pair denied the accusations and yesterday said they were 'disappointed' by the outcome, which will see both deported after serving their sentences.Blake, who was sacked from her £120,000-a-year post, said: 'I am devastated by this result and

gutted this has been dragging on for a year. I cannot wait to get home and start my life now but I am very scared about going to prison.' McRedmond has been living in Dubai for four years, said: 'I am disappointed after coming this far and fighting these allegations for so long. I feel they are making an example of us.' Blake and McRedmond do not have to go to jail immediately and can decide when to hand themselves in - but if they are arrested in the meantime or get into trouble with the law, they will be taken straight to prison. They cannot leave the country until they have served their sentence. The pair said they had been financially crippled by the case

after spending more than €50,000 fighting to clear their names. Blake, who moved to Dubai in September 2011, has not been able to find work since she was sacked and neither of them can leave the country after having their passports confiscated.Blake and McRedmond were arrested on May 4 last year after going on a ten-hour drinking binge. The pair met hours earlier at a brunch, where they admitted getting drunk on free-flowing wine and vodka in an all-inclusive €45a-head deal. They carried on drinking at a hotel and got into a taxi together at about 10pm. Taxi driver Qaiser Khan, 30, claimed within minutes of getting in, Blake had taken her top off and was writhing on top of

21 May to 27 May 2013

McRedmond while 'making the sounds of a woman having sex'.He pulled over on Sheikh Zayed road and summoned policeman Abdullah Obaid Khamis, who told the court that he found the pair having sex and interrupted them by tapping on the window. He told prosecutors: 'They kept having sex for four minutes. The man's shirt was open, his trousers were down to his knees and the woman was not wearing any underwear.' The taxi driver alleged Blake offered him 'a lot of money' to tell

prosecutors they had been kissing rather than having sex, but he refused. Blake and McRedmond, who works as a manager at Kelly Steel engineering firm, said the allegations had been trumped up after they rowed with the taxi driver about taking a longer route home.The pair were originally convicted in November in the criminal court, where they were both sentenced to three months in jail and given a €630 fine for drinking alcohol - a crime in the Islamic country.

Japanese firm reveals the A pear-shape figure can first ‘smelliphone’ add ADD 10 years to your life On that lets you send scents to friends The first prototype of what's been dubbed the 'smelliphone' has been shown off by Japanese

tired.'You can use [the Scentee] to send a relaxing scent along with your message. 'You can also use it to add a scent to the notification sound whenever you

firm ChatPerf.In a video on DigInfoTV, ChatPerf demonstrates the Scentee device, which can be attached to smartphones and used to send smells to friends.The company claim it can also be used to create atmospheric scents while playing games or watching films, for example. ChatPerf PR Manager Aki Yamaji said: 'Suppose you want to send a message to a friend via a social network, maybe because you know your friend it

get a new email.'The company also think the Scentee could be used with games.For example, shooting games could come with a gunpowder scent. Or games like Candy Crush Saga could produce a sugary, sweet smell during gameplay. ChatPerf plan to sell different scents in small plastic tanks. These tanks can be fitted to the underneath of the Scentee, and can be swapped around depending on what smell you want to send.

But the news isn't so good if you're shaped like an apple At last, here's something for women with bigger bottoms to smile about. Research shows they live longer.A study has found that pear-shaped women, typified by the small waists and shapely bottom of the likes of Kate Winslet and Christina Hendricks, have a longer life expectancy than the apple shapes who store fat around their middle. What is more, the figures are far from trivial. A 30-yearold woman who is a perfect pear is expected to live up to nineand-a-half years longer than one whose waistline wobbles. The projections for men are even more stark, with a 30year-old with a huge beer belly forecast to die almost 17 years before a chap with a washboard stomach, the European Congress on Obesity in Liverpool heard. Margaret Ashwell, the former government adviser who carried out the analysis, said the real killer is not just fat but

the flab found around the middle. Although a lot of it is hidden from sight, it is wrapped around the organs and produces hormones and other substances that tamper with blood pressure,

cholesterol and blood sugar levels.As a result it raises the risk of a host of health problems

including heart disease, diabetes and strokes.For this reason, Dr Ashwell, who worked with mathematicians from London's City University, says it is crucial it is factored in when working out how bad a person's weight is for their health.Doctors generally use body mass index, or BMI, a mathematical formula based on a person's weight and height to work out whether they are in good shape.However, BMI doesn't distinguish between muscle and fat, meaning some athletes are classified as obese. So, a woman who is 5ft 4in should try to keep her waist at 32in or smaller and a man who is 5ft 10in shouldn't let his waistband exceed 35in. Any bigger than this and their shape starts to turn from pear-like to apple-like. By analysing 20 years of data on around 3,000 men and women from across the UK, Dr Ashwell has shown that waistto-height ratio is a better predictor of life expectancy than BMI.

Pakistan's psychedelic caravans will REALLY liven up the long distance journeys From its beautiful temples to its stunning mountain ranges, there's a lot to see in Pakistan. But one of its lesser known attractions is the vibrantly painted trucks that can be spotted travelling around the country.As far from the traditionally dull looking arctic lorries as its possible to get, these handpainted trucks are pieces of moving art.The ancient Pakistani practice of drivers decorating their trucks has its roots in the days of the raj when craftsmen

made colourful horse drawn carriages for the gentry. The tradition continued with drivers decorating their vehicles to attract custom and to thank God for prosperity.Different regions developed their own styles over time and many of the images painted on the side of the vehicles served as reminders of home for drivers on long journeys. Trucks from the region of Swat are distinctive for their carved wooden doors and limited use of plastic and hammered

metalwork.Although Pakistan is often described as a nation of low economic status, large amounts of money will change hands to decorate trucks. Many truck owners will pay between $3,000 and $5,000 to decorate their vehicles. One paint workshop owner Hussain Noor, 58, has been painting trucks for 43 years and one of his trucks is displayed in a museum in Germany. This collection of images shows drivers adding the finishing touches of paint to their

trucks at his studio in Rawalpindi. Many have painted colorful floral patterns or creative

depictions of heroes alongside calligraphy of poetic verses on their vehicles.

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Fish oil ‘can restore the brain after junk food’ Diets rich in omega-3s play key role in reversing damage caused by high fats Fish oil can counter the negative effect junk food has on

a significant role in reversing the damage high fats can cause the brain.Researcher Dr Lucy Pickavance explained: 'Body weight is influenced by many

the brain, say scientists.More than a decade of research has shown that high-fat diets can impact the brain by disrupting 'neurogenesis', a process that generates new nerve cells.Now University of Liverpool researchers have discovered that diets rich in omega-3s, such as fish oil, can prevent these negative effects by stimulating the area of the brain that controls feeding, learning and memory. The team from the University's Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease originally set out to look at research from across to world to see whether the data suggested that omega3s had a role to play in aiding weight loss. However, although data from the 185 research papers indicated fish oils do not have a direct impact on this process, it found that they play

factors, and some of the most important of these are the nutrients we consume. 'Excessive intake of certain macronutrients, the refined sugars and saturated fats found in junk food, can lead to weight gain, disrupt metabolism and even affect mental processing. 'These changes can be seen in the brain's structure, including its ability to generate new nerve cells, potentially linking obesity to neurodegenerative diseases. 'Research, however, has suggested that omega-3 fish oils can reverse or even prevent these effects. We wanted to investigate the literature on this topic to determine whether there is evidence to suggest that omega-3s might aid weight loss by stimulating particular brain processes.

So much for the

bargain bucket

Delivery firm smuggles KFC chicken into Gaza through secret tunnels from Egypt but at three times the normal cost Fried chicken fans in the Gaza strip have been thrown a lifeline by a delivery company which is smuggling KFC though secret supply tunnels. The Al-Yamama company is running consignments of the Colonel's secret recipe, carried by hand through a network of tunnels under the border with Egypt.But buckets of legs, wings and breasts are not such a bargain in the occupied Palestinian territories: it comes at three times the normal cost. While a family meal costs around £80 Egyptian pounds ($11 U.S.) from the el-Arish KFC restaurant in the Egyptian North Sinai, the price of getting it into Gaza is a further 100 Israeli Shekels ($30).The delivery company says the higher price is due to the transportation and smuggling fees.Al-Yamama company accountant Mohammed Al-Madani explained the delivery men face a series of obstacles in bringing the food to Gaza.These include Hamas security men inspecting the boxes, an unreliable taxi service on the Egyptian side, and the possibility the Israel might send warplanes to bomb the tunnels. But it seems there is no shortage of punters eager to get

Outrage in China as city officials are accused of ‘covering up’ rape of six schoolgirls Police in China have been accused of trying to cover up a sex scandal in which six schoolgirls, some as young as 11, spent the night in hotel rooms with their headmaster and a government official. The two men were detained on suspicion of inappropriate liaisons after taking the girls from school to separate hotels in Wanning City, Hainan Province, state media said yesterday. The girls were first found absent from class on the afternoon of May 8, prompting a search by teachers, parents and police before they were located over the following two days, the official Xinhua News Agency said.Initially local press reported that the girls had all been sexually abused, but police have since muddied the waters by saying that the girls are still virgins and that it was they who 'seduced' the two men and invited them to the hotel rooms.There have also been claims that the two men were 'sugar daddies' to two of the young girls. Four of the girls spent the night of May 8 in a local hotel with a school principal, who has since been fired, Xinhua said.One of the girls told police that the

man - identified only by the surname Chen - had been intimate with her. Xinhua did not provide further details of the inappropriate behavior, though the report cited Wanning police as saying medical checks had been performed on the girls and that

no sexual intercourse had taken place. It said a government worker in Wanning - identified only as Feng - took the two other schoolgirls to another hotel the same night, but that the girls denied he acted inappropriately. A Wanning city official, who gave only her surname Zhuo - as is customary with low-ranking Chinese bureaucrats - said that the man is a clerk at the local housing administration bureau.

21 May to 27 May 2013

She said that provincial authorities were planning further medical exams for the girls. The two men did not know each other, and it was not immediately clear whether any of the girls - who attended at least two separate schools - were

students where the principal worked. The father of one of the girls told the South China Morning Post: 'She is too little to know what happened to her she's not even 12 yet.'She complained of having headaches, on and off, during the weekend.'I have no choice but to stay calm because we need to get to the bottom of this and find out exactly what happened to my girl.

their hands on the unique blend of 11 herbs and spices. Mr Al-Madanisaid explained how the business started by chance.'We ordered and arranged to bring some meals for us and they arrive after four hours,' he said.The company

under an occupation which has turned it, in the words of the UN's humanitarian chief, into 'a large open-air prison'.Today tens of thousands in the territory marked the 65th anniversary of their mass displacement in the war over Israel's 1948 creation, holding

then posted a picture of the fast food on their website, and soon the orders began flooding in.Since offering the service the late last month, they have made four deliveries of KFC food, each consisting of around two dozen meals.Aboud Fares, a 22- yearold student, told the Xinhua news agency: 'It's delicious even as it's not hot.'Fast food deliveries are just one the 1.7million residents of Gaza can keep their spirits up

rallies to commemorate the 'nakba,' or 'catastrophe'. That's the term they use to describe the displacement, when three-quarters of a million Palestinians fled the fighting or were expelled from their homes by advancing soldiers. In Gaza, around a thousand people marched to the U.N. headquarters in Gaza City, where the demonstrators chanted: 'We shall return.

The ‘comfort pillow’ with a sunken space for breasts That allows women to sleep on their stomachs pain free A man sympathetic to the pain women feel in their breasts has created a fullbody pillow with a 'comfy opening,' which aims to provide physical ease when lying down on your stomach. When Michael Riley from El Cajon, California, met a woman who was having trouble sleeping after a double mastectomy, he spent one year researching and designing his Comfy Breasts Relaxation System. His idea, currently asking for backers on Kickstarter, ensures women 'do not feel any pressure or pain in your breasts, for the first time in your life.'The open-breasted pillow, which is described as 'ideal for breast cancer survivors and massage clients,' uses foam padding cut specifically to allow breasts to be 'suspended in mid air.'Mr Riley explains on Kickstarter: 'They never touch the surface, they hang free.' The custom-made pillows, which have raised $945 out of the total $2,500 asked, start with four standard sizes for breast width 17-inches to 20inches.Depending on fabric choice and sizing, the pillows' price ranges from $89.95 to

$139.95. The washable covers come in multiple color options, from colorful polka dots to zebra print or classic white.

'We want the product to be exactly as [women] wish,' the product description explains. 'Since in a lot of cases [the pillows] will be used in conjunction with bedding.' For women who wish to take the pillow on vacation, or display it on their beds without drawing too much attention from guests, the Comfy Breasts pillow looks 'as if it was just another pillow.' Mr Riley, who has also made a men's version of the relaxation pillow, 'to give the male "bump" an "outlet" to relax while laying their stomach,' explained the privacy aspect of his product is an important feature.'The design makes it not so noticeable to others,' he notes.

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Designer under fire for racist photo shoot called

Be My Slave

Where white women dressed in high-end clothes are waited on by a young black boy Pakistani designer Aamna Aqeel has come under fire for her 'Be My Slave' fashion shoot that depicts a model being pampered by a dark-skinned child slave. The shoot appeared in DIVA, a Pakistani fashion and lifestyle magazine and they were also posted on the designer's Facebook page on April 24. Critics have condemned the scenes as racist and have called on the designer to

apologize.Aqeel has denied there were any racist undertones to the photos , according to the International Herald Tribune. She has alleged the inclusion of the child happened purely by chance. 'He works in a garage and wanted some work,' she told the Tribune.The designer insisted the boy was included in order to spark a larger conversation on child labor issues.

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21 May to 27 May 2013

A real high-flyer! Teenager set to become one of youngest airline pilots ever as he is offered Ryanair job aged just 19

A teenager is set to be one of the youngest pilots ever to fly passengers on a major airline after he was offered at job with Ryanair at the age of just 19. Ryan Irwin, from Wirral, Merseyside, was offered a job with the budget carrier after qualifying as a pilot from the prestigious Oxford Aviation Academy. After he completes his training with Ryanair in September, he will fulfil a lifelong dream when he finally sits at the controls in the cockpit of an international commercial passenger jet. The sky is now quite literally the limit for the youngster, who said he is thrilled by the prospect of lying passengers to more than a thousand holiday destinations in Europe. 'It sounds clichĂŠd but it's what I've wanted to do ever since I can remember, as young as four or five,' said Mr Irwin, a former pupil of Wirral Grammar School. 'I had model planes and pestered my parents to take me to the viewing lounge at Manchester Airport.'

After qualifying from the pilot training academy in Oxford in February Mr Irwin applied for jobs straight away and soon received offers from both Ryanair and Jet2, another budget airline. 'We were told it can take a while to get a job after graduating, so to have two job offers when you aren't expecting

one was a surprise,' he said. 'Ryanair got back to me first, it was a no brainer really. 'The most exciting part will be flying a jet for the first time, and to have the cockpit of a jet as your office everyday is pretty exciting. 'It will be interesting to see what people think about my age.

epilepsy and discovered that all the adults with epilepsy showed autistic traits. She said: 'It is unknown whether these adults had a typical developmental period during childhood or whether they were predisposed to having autistic traits before the onset of their epilepsy.'However what is known is that the social components of autistic characteristics in adults with epilepsy may be explained by social cognitive differences, which have largely been unrecognised until now.' Dr Wakeford, who completed the work as part of her PhD thesis, believes the findings could lead to improved treatment for people with epilepsy and autism.She added: 'Epilepsy has a history of cultural stigma, however the more we understand about the psychological consequences of epilepsy the more we can remove the stigma and mystique of this condition. 'These findings could mean that adults with epilepsy get access to better services, as there is a wider range of treatments available for those with autism condition.'The findings were welcomed by Margaret Rawnsley, research administration officer at Epilepsy Action.

By controlling blood sugar People who regularly smoke cannabis may have a lower risk of developing diabetes, new research suggests.Marijuana users had significantly lower levels of the hormone insulin indicating better blood sugar control.If a link is established, it could pave the way for the development of treatments using the plant's compound active ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. In the study, published in The American Journal of Medicine, researchers found that those who regularly smoked cannabis had a 16 per cent lower fasting insulin levels than people who had never smoked marijuana. Those who used the drug were also likely to have a smaller waist circumference and a large waist circumference is linked to diabetes risk. Marijuana is commonly used by patients suffering with cancer, multiple sclerosis and other painful conditions. Medical marijuana is legal in 18 U.S. states, and recent research has suggested that the majority of Americans believe the drug should be legalised. The research carried out by PewResearch Centre for People and the Press showed that for the first time in 40 years 52 per cent said it should be legalised and 72 per cent saying the crackdown on the drug is not

worth the money it costs the government.In the UK, Sativex, a cannabis-derived mouth spray, has been licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, but it remains difficult for patients to obtain because many

Scientists discover a link Smoking cannabis could reduce the risk of diabetes between epilepsy and autism for the first time

A link between epilepsy and autism has been discovered for the first time. Breakthrough research from the University of Bath found adults with epilepsy have higher traits of autism and Asperger syndrome.

It found epileptic seizures disrupt the neurological function that affects social functioning in brains, resulting in the same traits seen in autism. These characteristics include impairment in social interaction and communication as well as restricted and repetitive interests.SallyAnn Wakeford, a PhD student at the university's Department of Psychology, said the traits could be 'severe' and go unnoticed for many years, having a great impact on the lives of those experiencing them. Dr Wakeford said: 'The social

difficulties in epilepsy have been so far under-diagnosed and research has not uncovered any underlying theory to explain them.' This new research links social difficulties to a deficit in

somatic markers in the brain, explaining these characteristics in adults with epilepsy.' Dr Wakeford and her colleagues discovered that increased autistic traits were common to all epilepsy types, but in adults with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in particular.The researchers believed this could be because anti-epileptic drugs are often less effective for TLE. The severity of autistic traits was increased with seizure activity.In the self-funded research, Dr Wakeford carried out a comprehensive range of studies with volunteers with

NHS trusts refuse to prescribe it due to its cost. In the study, researchers analysed data obtained during the National Health and Nutrition Survey between 2005 and 2010. They studied data from 4,657 patients who completed a drug use questionnaire. Of these, 579 were current marijuana users, 1,975 had used marijuana in the past but were not current users, and 2,103 had never inhaled or ingested marijuana. Fasting insulin and glucose were measured via blood samples following a nine hour fast, and insulin resistance was calculated. Current users had 16 per cent lower fasting insulin levels than participants who reported never having used marijuana in their lifetimes.

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21 May to 27 May 2013

Groundwater bubbling Man who stripped naked in from a mine nearly two Oregon airport in protest of miles beneath Canada TSA spends five hours in court

May be the oldest on Earth and offer clues about life on Mars Groundwater found bubbling up from nearly two miles beneath the surface of Canada may predate the emergence of multicellular life, researchers announced today.A joint British and Canadian team discovered the ancient pockets of water, which they say are like 'trapped time capsules' cut off from the surface for as long as three billion years.It could be some of the oldest water on the planet and may even contain life, the researchers claim, as it contains an abundance of chemicals known to support organisms in the absence of sunlight. More exciting still, the similarity between the rocks that trapped it and those on Mars raises the hope that comparable life sustaining water could be locked deep beneath the surface of the Red Planet. Researchers from the universities of Manchester, Lancaster, Toronto and McMaster analysed the water which poured out of boreholes in a mine 7,875ft beneath Ontario, Canada.'These are like trapped time capsules,' said Barbra Sherwood Lollar, a

geochemist at the University of Toronto.'They may tell us about the atmosphere 2.7 billion years ago, and about the fluids that formed the valuable ore deposits that are the foundation of Canada's mineral wealth.' Geochemical reactions with the rocks means the water contains

dissolved hydrogen and methane, as well as noble gases like helium, neon, argon and xenon, that have been trapped since early in Earth's history.These gases could provide energy for microbes that may not have been exposed to the sun for billions of years, the researchers say.Project leader Chris Ballentine, of the University of Manchester, said: 'Our finding is of huge interest to researchers who want to understand how microbes evolve in isolation, and is central to the whole question of the origin of life, the sustainability of life, and life in extreme environments and on other planets.'

Fighting his $1,000 fine for ‘interference with screening’ The man who stripped nude at airport security to protest against 'invasive measures' by the TSA spent five hours in court yesterday arguing against a $1,000 fine relating to the incident.John Brennan, from Portland, Oregon, was acquitted of indecent exposure after the April 17 showdown with a TSA agent who said he found nitrates on Brennan's clothes at Portland International Airport. Brennan took offense to this and saw it as an accusation that he could be a terrorist. The judge subsequently ruled it was an act of protest and therefore protected speech.The 50-year-old is this time sitting before an administrative law judge to fight a $1,000 fine from the TSA for 'interference with screening'. Four TSA officials and a police officer testified yesterday about the chain of events that led to Brennan taking off his clothes in the middle of the airport. Steven Van Gordon told the court that Brennan opted for a pat down rather than the full body scan and had been quiet during most of the security check before suddenly starting to narrate what was going on. When the alarm went off,

Disney bows to public pressure and pulls Merida’s ‘blatantly sexist’ princess make-over from its website After 200,000 people signed a petition asking Disney to reverse its 'sexy' redesign of Brave's feisty heroine, Merida, it appears the company may have listened.Earlier today, Disney quietly restored the original Merida to the character's profile on its official princess website. The entertainment giant made no announcement about the switch, however it seems public pressure, and a stern word from Brave's writer and co-director, Brenda Chapman, who yesterday criticized the makeover for being 'a blatantly sexist marketing move based on money,' made an impact.Ms Chapman, who modeled Merida on her 13-year-old daughter, Emma, creating her as a role model for little girls, revealed that she had given Bob Iger, president of Walt Disney International, 'a piece of my mind'.In an email to the Marin Independent Journal on Saturday, she wrote: 'There is an irresponsibility to this decision that is appalling for women and young girls.'Disney marketing and the powers that be that allow them to do such things should be ashamed of themselves.' Merida, the headstrong Disney princess with a frizzy

mop of red hair and a knack for archery, was a welcome role model for little girls when Pixar released Brave last year.But the spunky heroine, who was

officially crowned Disney's 11th princess on Saturday, May 11, underwent a royal makeover which left many mothers furious and frustrated.Her springy curls had been smoothed out into neat waves, her waist made thinner, eyes wider, cheekbones higher;

and most importantly, she lost her trusty bow and arrow. A petition, which reached 202,000 signatures today, was spread by parents in an effort to convince Disney to reverse the redesign.Created by female empowerment website, A Mighty Girl, the change.org petition argues that Disney is doing a 'tremendous disservice to the millions of children for whom Merida is an empowering role model.'The original Merida, who rode through the Scottish Highlands shooting arrows with conviction, 'speaks to girls' capacity to be change agents in the world rather than just trophies to be admired,' states the petition, created by A Might Girl co-founder, Carolyn Danckaert. 'Moreover, by making her skinnier, sexier and more mature in appearance, you are sending a message to girls that the original, realistic, teenageappearing version of Merida is inferior; that for girls and women to have value -- to be recognized as true princesses -- they must conform to a narrow definition of beauty.'One mother mourning the loss of Merida's uninhibited, sporty look, is Glamour.com beauty writer, Petra Guglielmetti.

indicating explosives, Van Gordon called over a supervisor who told Brennan that nitrates were present, he told the court.

the April 17 incident, he was accused of being a terrorist. 'Every time I go through security, I feel my constitutional

That's when he started to peacefully - strip. Brennan's lawyer asked him if he had shouted at him, used profanity or verbally abused him during the security check and Van Gordon answered that he had not.But he said the nudity disrupted the screening process as three lanes had to be closed while officials worked to shield Brennan from the other passengers, who were already taking videos and pictures.When Brennan took the stand he explained that he always opts for pat downs and has had several bad experiences. He felt that on

rights are being violated. 'They used [nitrates) in Oklahoma City. They think I'm carrying a bomb,' he said he thought at the time. He also testified that he believed he would be allowed to continue to his gate after the screening was over, though he planned to put his clothes on first. Brennan told the Oregonian yesterday that he is fighting to fix what he thinks is a 'broken system, so we don't turn into a fascist state'. He insisted during his last court hearing that he didn't come to the airport intending to protest.

The graffiti that makes a garage door worth

£50,000

Antiques dealer invests in 'art' sprayed following London riots by the latest Banksy A celebrity antiques dealer has paid £50,000 for a piece of graffiti inspired by the London riots.The mural was sprayed on the garage door of a vegan community centre in Hackney in the aftermath of the disturbances in 2011. The artwork, called London Riots, was painted by graffiti artist Stik and depicts three stick figures in front of a yellow backdrop and a large flame.New owner Andrew Lamberty, an expert in 20th century design pieces, said the mural is an important work of social commentary. Lamberty said: 'London Riots is a significant document of contemporary London life, every bit as relevant as the way Hogarth captured it in the 18th century with the Rake's Progress. 'There's every reason to estimate that this Stik piece will go up in value like a Banksy. 'I would expect this to fetch anything up to £10,000, and in

the very near future the market could increase significantly to £50,000 and upwards.'The garage door in Hackney has

been replaced and the proceeds from the sale will go to the notfor-profit Pogo Cafe collective. A spokesperson for the cafe said: 'Our volunteers have been lucky enough to see Stik's work every time we go to the garage. It's now time for the door to give someone else a chance to view it as a window into a different world.'As a result of the sale to Lamberty, Pogo now has a functional space and Stik's design has given a broken garage door a second life as a piece of art.'Two years ago Stik was a homeless street artist only just beginning to leave his strange, distinctive stick figures across London's skyline.

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21 May to 27 May 2013

Skechers forced to give 520,000 customers refunds

After falsely claiming $80 sneakers would help wearers lose weight A federal judge approved a $40 million class-action settlement Monday between Skechers USA Inc. and consumers who bought toning shoes after ads made unfounded claims that the footwear would help people lose weight and strengthen muscles. U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell in Louisville approved

the deal, which covers more than 520,000 claims. About 1,000 people eligible for coverage by the settlement opted not to take part.Those with approved claims will be able to get a maximum repayment for their purchase - up to $80 per pair of Shape-Ups; $84 per pair of Resistance Runner shoes; up to $54 per pair of Podded Sole Shoes; and $40 per pair of ToneUps.Russell also awarded $5 million for the attorneys in the

case to split. Russell ordered that the money cannot come from the $40 million settlement fund set aside for consumers. Two people that served as the lead plaintiffs in the case will receive payments of $2,500 each.Russell considered multiple factors in deciding to approve the settlement and found it provides just compensation to the plaintiffs. 'Accordingly, the court finds that the proposed settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate,' Russell wrote. The approval comes a year after Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based Skechers reached a deal with the Federal Trade Commission over the ads. The settlement covers more than 70 lawsuits from across the country. The lawsuits were consolidated in federal court in Louisville. Skechers denied the

allegations but said it settled to avoid long litigation.The settlement grew out of a series of ads Skechers aired featuring celebrity endorsers such as Kim Kardashian and Brooke Burke, with claims that the shoes could help people lose weight and strengthen their butt, leg and stomach muscles. Skechers billed its Shapeups as a fitness tool designed to promote weight loss and tone muscles with the shoe's curved 'rocker' or rolling bottom - saying it provides natural instability and causes the consumer to 'use more energy with every step.' Shape-ups cost about $100 and are sold at retailers nationwide. Ads for the Resistance Runner shoes claimed people who wear them could increase 'muscle activation' by up to 85 percent for posture-related

muscles and 71 percent for one of the muscles in the buttocks. Eleven people filed objections to the settlement, ranging from people seeking the full purchase price of their shoes in return to one person saying the settlement would preclude him from seeking damages on his own.The judge rejected those arguments.Should claims not consume the entire $40 million settlement, Russell ordered the remaining money to go to the Federal Trade Commission.A settlement with the FTC bars Skechers from running the ads in the future. The agency settled similar charges with Reebok last year over its EasyTone walking shoes and RunTone running shoes. That $25 million agreement also provided customer refunds.

Comedian takes a joke to new heights By raising enough money to write it in the sky Comedian Kurt Braunohler took his jokes to the sky last month through a Kickstarter campaign and an airplane. Braunohler raised nearly $7,000 on the fundraising website and used the money to scrawl a message into the clouds over Los Angeles. The message read:

'How do I land?'Unfortunately for Braunohler, however, the wind in Los Angeles was whipping the day of the prank and the gusts quickly erased all the letters just as soon as the airplane ahd finished etching them into the afternoon sky. Now Braunohler has shared a composite photo of the actual letters, as they would have appeared all together

had the wind not wiped them away. 'If you watched the sky for

Father, 42, trying to dribble soccer ball from Seattle to Brazil Is hit and killed by truck in Oregon just 14 days and 260 miles into his quest A Seattle man attempting to dribble a soccer ball 10,000 miles to Brazil in time for the 2014 World Cup for charity has died after being hit by a pickup truck on the Oregon Coast just 14 days into his mission. Police in Lincoln City say 42year-old Richard Swanson was hit on Tuesday morning while walking south along U.S. Highway 101 near the city limits. He was declared dead at a hospital. The driver has not been charged and is said to be cooperating.Lt. Jerry Palmer says investigators found materials among Swanson's things listing his website, BreakawayBrazil.com. They also found a blue soccer ball, similar to one he was frequently seen photographed with. Swanson set out on the trek on May 1 to promote the One World Futbol Project, based in Berkley, Calif., which donates durable soccer balls to people in developing countries. Along the way he documented his travel with a map, capturing his route, as well as photos of the sights he saw and people he met. Among those immediately expressing their grief was Swanson's son, Devin Swanson,

seen smiling in an earlier photograph along his trail with his father whom he called an 'inspiration to all to continue doing what you love.'

BBQ,' one woman wrote on the BreakawayBrazil Facebook page. 'Saturday you walked hard and far to make it to my sons soccer

'He died doin what he loved and thats the only [consolation] I have,' Devin Swanson wrote on his Facebook page. 'I f***ing love you dad and I hope you're in a better place now. I would give anything and everything just to have one more day with you,' he wrote.Others Swanson met along his journey - for shared meals and places of rest - also expressed both their appreciation for their time with him, however short, as well as their heartbreak.'It was nice to meet such a wonderful man this weekend at our family

game. You didn't know us before we invited you, yet you still made it your goal to make his soccer match. Thank you Richard for letting our family get to know you this weekend. We will never forget you.'One World Futbol Project did not immediately respond to a call for comment. His project, BreakAwayBrazil, posted a message on their Facebook page expressing their shared loss:'His team, family, friends, and loved ones will miss him and love him dearly. You made it to Brazil in our hearts, Richard.'

20 minutes you could probably piece it together,' Braunohler wrote on his website with the release of the photo. 'BUT STILL WE DID IT!!!,' he added. 'Thanks to everyone who contributed!' Braunohler called the skywriting prank his 'Cloud Project.' He said it was meant for random passing foot traffic or people driving by.'I was writing this really long joke

about the smell of poop, and I was like, "What am I doing with my life?"' Braunohler told Fast Company about the project. 'I started to think about why I was a comedian and then I came up with a reason for existence, which is: inserting absurdity or stupidity into strangers' lives in order to make the world a better place,' he added.

How Sikh temple shooter used the internet to immerse himself in white supremacy In the months leading up to vicious murders The man behind the horrific shooting massacre at a Wisconsin Sikh temple last year was becoming increasingly more radicalized with the help of the internet, newly unsealed documents have revealed.Wade Michael Page, who killed six people at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in August, was actively using online forums and websites to stoke his white supremacist beliefs in the months before the shooting.An unsealed FBI search warrant reveals that federal agents quickly collected evidence of Wade Michael Page's connections to white power groups. The documents say Page - who played guitar and sang in a became increasingly interested in conspiracy theories and videos online. The warrant doesn't say what Page was viewing, but that it disturbed his girlfriend, Misty Cook, who told authorities that Page pushed her to join a white power group in Chicago known as Crew 38.She told federal authorities that Page was an 'alcoholic skinhead,' according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Citing documents, the paper reported that Page was typical of others who use the internet to become increasingly radical. The warrants reads: 'FBI experts believe the Internet continues to serve as the primary radicalization

instrument, used to recruit teenagers and young adults into the radical skinhead movement.'Cook, who is from Milwaukee, was arrested after a gun was found at her home. She and Page were said to have broken up shortly before the Wisconsin massacre.Page stormed into the temple on August 5, 2012, killing four people inside and two others outside. Four others were injured - including Oak Creek police Lt Brian Murphy - the first officer to arrive at the scene.

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Ironically, the most shocking thing about the spot fixing scandal that has rocked the Indian Premier League is that it may not have come as a rude shock to too many in the game. For, the moral vacuousness of IPL’s agenda — packaging dumbeddown entertainment as sport with the sole aim of making money — had left plenty of room for shady dealings of this kind. Hannah Arendt’s famous phrase, the banality of evil, may not be out of place in the context of the popular League and the mephitic cloud of corruption under which it has prospered. Three players of the Rajasthan Royals team and a number of bookmakers have been arrested but when a whole enterprise is focussed myopically on crass commerce, it is only a matter of time before a few of those involved in it lose their moral compass. The utter lack of transparency in the IPL did come to light a few years ago and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) predictably responded by pointing a finger at the man, Lalit Modi, whose brainchild the league was. But little was done to monitor the off-field activities of players, agents and hangers-on. And the arrests of S. Sreesanth, Ankeet

Chavan, Ajit Chandila and a group of bookies may just be the tip of the iceberg. From the police’s description of how they cracked the case, it is obvious that there seemed to have been enough grounds for them to carefully monitor the matches. Cricket, or for that matter any other popular sport, has never been a stranger to such scandals. From the time the Chicago White Sox “threw” the American baseball championship in 1919, sport has been fair game for fixers. And in India, where betting on sport other than horse racing is illegal, almost everybody following cricket has been aware that outrageously large sums of money were changing hands each time a big game was played. This was particularly so in Twenty20 cricket, which lends itself easily to spot fixing. What the late Hansie Cronje was offered — and what he accepted — might appear like small change in the context of what has transpired since. Spot fixing first came to light in the summer of 2010 when a News of the World exposé nailed Pakistan’s Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir. But if Indian fans and the game’s administrators chose to believe that Indian players were untainted,

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Indian cricket’s credibility crisis

they have only their naivety to blame. With the blessings of the Indian Board, the IPL has become a kind

of rogue colossus. And this is, by far, the biggest blow to the BCCI’s credibility. A major clean up operation is

Indian boxers win European title, create history

The Indian pugilists displayed grit and talent throughout the tournament and a stunning performance particularity in the finals Sunday with a total tally of 10 medals -- four gold, three silver and three bronze -- ensured a first place in the overall standings for the Indian contingent. This is the first time that Indian boxers have won a tournament on the European circuit.Reigning national champion Madan Lal (52kg) was the first Indian to take to the ring. Up against Ayigah Dodsi from Belgium, Lal started strongly to register an early lead. His sharp combinations of straight punches and hooks helped him gain a five-point lead at the end of Round 1.In the second, the Belgian tried to make a comeback but the 21year-old Lal was up to the challenge, quickly chang-

Olympian and 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manoj Kumar (64kg) had to settle for silver. Pic/AFP ing his strategy. Lal relied more on counter-attacks in the final two rounds and went on to bag the fly-

21 May to 27 May, 2013

weight title with ease.Gold medallist at the 2009 Youth Olympic Games V. Durga Rao (56kg) had to

dig deep against German boxer Dieter Dier. After three rounds of intense action, the scores were knotted at 12-all. In the end though, it was Rao who emerged victorious on individual judge's score to bag his very first international medal on the senior tour.Mandeep Jangra (69kg) devoured Victor Vega Blanco of Spain in a completely one sided affair to bag the welterweight title. Super heavyweight boxer Praveen Kumar (+91kg) won the fourth gold for India after overhauling Beguerni Hamza from Algeria. Olympian and 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manoj Kumar (64kg) had to settle for silver after losing out to Abdelkader Chadi of Algeria. Both the boxers started cautiously, waiting for the other to make the move.

required if cricket in India is to retain the loyalty of its fans. And passivity and inaction on the part of the

men who run the game in this country may turn out to be worse than active collusion.

'Nightmare' over, Vijender gets back to normal life Speaking to PTI in an interview, his first after the scandal broke out more than two months back, the Olympic bronze-medallist opened up about what he went through before being given an "all-clean" certificate by the National AntiDoping Agency. "The nightmare is finally over for me and I am back to my normal life. I have started training and looking forward to the World Championships in October," said the 27-yearold middleweight boxer, the first Indian to become world number one in international rankings. "I am thankful to the Haryana Government, the Sports Ministry, the Indian Olympic Association and the Indian Boxing Federation for standing by me and because that gave me a lot of confidence. Now I am

back to training in the camp and nothing can be better then this," he added. It has been more than two months since Vijender found himself in quandary when his name cropped up in a massive drug haul after Punjab police recovered heroin, worth around Rs 130 crore, from NRI Anoop Singh Kahlon's house in Zirakpur. The presence of a car used by Vijender's wife Archana near the house raised a media storm and on On April 1, Punjab Police said Vijender bought heroin for personal consumption on 12 different occasions from Kahlon.

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‘I do not feel any less of a woman’

Angelina Jolie has always been outspoken about issues that matter to her, and now, for the first time, she’s revealing a very

personal one: her decision to undergo a preventive double mastectomy after discovering she carried a gene that made it extremely likely she would get breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The actress made the announcement in the form of an article, she authored for New York Times under the headline, ‘My Medical Choice’. She writes that between February and late April she completed three months of surgical procedures to remove both breasts. “My doctors estimated that I had an 87 p e r

cent risk of breast cancer and a 50 per cent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in each woman,” she wrote. “Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimise the risk as much as I could.” The surgery, which began in February, had reduced Jolie’s risk of breast cancer to less than 5%, she said. Jolie, 37, lost her mother in 2007 to ovarian cancer, and she explains in the article that her six children and partner Brad Pitt contributed to her decision to have the surgery — and now, she’s speaking out to educate other women in her situation about their options. “On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman,” she said. “I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.” 12-week ordeal Feb 2: Angelina begins three months of treat-

Russian climber dies after falling from Everest

A rope Bolotov was using snapped after it rubbed against a sharp rock, sending the climber into a 300-metre fall. Bolotov, together with Kazakh climber Denis Urubko, was attempting to summit Everest by its southwest face, which is hitherto unconquered, the Russian Mountaineering Federation's spokesperson Anna Stolbova said. The 50-year-old climber was the USSR Mountaineering Champion in 1987 and the Champion of Russia in 1999.

He had already conquered Mount Everest three times in his career. Mount Everest, known to local people as Sagarmatha or Chomolungma, rises to

8,848 metres in the Himalayas. The mountain, on the border of Nepal and Tibet, annually attracts thousands of mountain lovers, climbers, and ordinary travellers.

Rotating house in Australia up for grabs

John Andriolo of MAG Constructions is the brain behind creating the house, called Girasole, on Indi Close. The four-bedroom property in Crace is powered by 24 photovoltaic panels

on the garage, which generate 10,500 kilowatts of power, News.com.au reported. The house, supported by 28 wheels and driven by two silent motors, has been designed to track the

sun so that heat pours into the living areas in winter and can be kept away during the hot summer months. The house also has a four-car garage and a 120,000-litre rainwater tank. The rotation mechanism is controlled by a touchscreen panel and has three different speeds, the quickest of which allows the house to rotate in 13 minutes. The plumbing and wiring is in the centre of the home and, using flexipipe, rotates with the property to about 500 degrees.

ments, starting with a ‘nipple delay.’ Feb 16: The actress undergoes the major surgery which sees the breast tissue removed before temporary fillers are put in place Mar 26: Angelina is pictured in the Republic of Congo with Foreign Secy William Hague following the initial operation April 11: She is pictured at the G8 Summit in London (in pic) Apr 20: Angelina has the final operation as her breasts are reconstructed with implants Apr 27: She completes the medical process.

21 May to 27 May, 2013

Chandigarh-born poised to make histor y history

as US judge

Srinivasan, 46, who in August last year was named principal deputy solicitor general of the US, succeeding another Indian American, Neal Kumar Katyal, Thursday won unanimous approval from the Senate Judiciary Committee. If confirmed by the full Senate, which appears all but certain with all the Republicans on the Democrat controlled panel joining in the 18-0 vote, Srinivasan would also become the first new judge on the powerful appeals court, often called the nation's secondhighest court, since 2006. Some court-watchers are already touting him as the next likely Supreme Court nominee as the ap-

peals court has served as a stepping-stone for four justices on the top court: Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Clarence Thomas. The White House, which has fought hard for his confirmation, soliciting letters of support from former solicitors general and Supreme Court law clerks from both parties, applauded the vote for Srinivasan. "Srinivasan's confirmation will be an important first step to filling this court's four vacancies, and the full Senate should act without unnecessary delay," White House press secretary Jay Carney said.

After Lamborghini and Ferrari, Dubai cops to have Bentley, Merc Following recent unveilings of a Ferrari FF and a Lamborghini, the force has shown off new cars from luxury UK auto maker Aston Martin, Bentley and Mercedes. The Aston Martin One77, Bentley Continental GT and Mercedes SLS have been launched at the Arabian Travel Market, ArabianBusiness reported. Last month, Dubai's police chief said that a number of Ferraris to be introduced to the force will be driven by female officers. Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan had tweeted that he expected to see Dubai Police's female recruits getting behind the wheels of the Ferrari FF supercar, which costs about USD 500,000 and has a top speed of 335 kmph. Last month, the department made the announcement via Twitter, "Ferrari joins # Dubai_Police patrol fleet," the police tweeted.

The twitter page also had an online link to the picture of the car. "Ferrari cars will be equipped with the latest technology needed by the police to control road movement and ensure safety and security on Dubai roads," LtGeneral Khalfan had said. Earlier, Dubai Police also revealed its new AED2m (USD 500,000) Lamborghini which can reach speeds of up to 350 kmph. Dubai Police's fleet also includes the Toyota Land Cruiser and the Kia

Mohave. Meanwhile, an environment-friendly car from S S Lootah has also been introduced to the Dubai Police fleet as it will improve safety works. Lt-Gen Khalfan said the new vehicle would help support the police’s efforts in preserving the security of the UAE residents and will provide fast service when required, especially at events when early intervention and protection of life and properties is needed.

I Found The Best Cheesesteak In Philly In The Last Place I Ever Expected I'm in Philly for the weekend, determined to prove I can have a great time by spending the least amount of cash possible –– $100 or less. So far, so awesome. I've taken advantage of just about every free attraction the city has to offer, paid next to nothing to get around thanks to my new favorite app, SideCar, and managed to find a wealth of cheap eats with help from BI readers and some friendly locals. But as of this morning I had yet to conquer the challenge that faces every firsttime Philly visitor –– finding the perfect Philly cheesesteak.

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THE CONTACT

Woman kicked off plane for singing Whitney Houston's hit An American Airlines pilot was forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger refused to stop singing Whitney Houston’s hit song I Will Always Love You. The woman had been belting out Whitney Houston songs, but failed to wow those on board with the painful renditions. Despite staff telling passengers they could not take photographs while on board the aircraft, one managed to briefly film the woman being escorted down the aircraft’s aisle in handcuffs — still singing the 1990s pop song. Footage taken shows just how underwhelming the performance was, with the person claiming she had been screaming and

singing for an hour. The solo performance began shortly into the flight from Los Angeles to New York and her crooning quickly became too much for pas-

Yuichiro Miura said the expedition was setting off Thursday for a climb that was expected to take a little over a week. “We plan to stand on the summit on May 24... We are all doing well, getting in position to tackle the mountain.”

LA the worst city for dog attacks on mail carriers LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles has earned the dubious distinction for the second year in a row as the U.S. city with the most dog attacks on mail carriers, the U.S. Postal Service said. California’s biggest city accounted for 69 such attacks in fiscal 2012, which ended in September, compared with 42 attacks each in Seattle, Washington, and San Antonio, Texas, which tied for second place. Chicago ranked third with 41 attacks. The Postal Service said there were 5,879 dog attacks on U.S. postal carriers in the United States that year. In 2011, Los Angeles led the pack with 83

dog attacks on mail carriers, but the city has placed in the top 20 for many years, Postal Service spokeswoman Eva Jack-

son said on Thursday. San Diego and Houston ranked second and third, respectively, in 2011, Jackson said. The year-round fair weather of cities like Los Angeles and San Diego could be a factor, she suggested.

Great Picture Of New York City Skyline In 1947

sengers and staff on the domestic flight. The pilot was forced to change course halfway through the six hour flight and make an unscheduled stop at Kan-

sas City so officers could escort the woman from the plane. Airport spokesman Joe McBride told a local newschannel: “The woman was being disruptive and was removed from the plane for interfering with the flight crew. There was a federal air marshal on the aircraft, who subdued the woman and put her in cuffs and removed her from the plane.” The woman was interviewed and later released without charge. While the song she chose to entertain her fellow passengers with is best known for Whitney Houston’s cover in the film The Bodyguard, it was originally released by country singersongwriter Dolly Parton in 1974.

Miura is trying to get back a Guinness World Record that he first held in 2003 when he became the oldest man to climb Everest. That record was beaten in 2007 by a Japanese man who reached the summit at 71 years old. The title is currently held by Nepal’s Min Bahadur Sherchan, who set foot on the 8,848-metre (29,028-foot) summit in May 2008 when he was 76. Veteran adventurer Miura came to worldwide attention in 1970 when he

became the first person to ski down Everest. His parachute-aided descent was documented in the 1975 film “The Man Who Skied Down Everest” which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary. High-octane endeavours are in his blood - his father Keizo skied down Mont Blanc at age 99. More than 3,000 people have successfully scaled Everest, but the mountain claims lives regularly, with even the best climbers falling victim to its fickle weather.

Rio Tinto said Friday it was putting up for sale the biggest “red” diamond ever produced by its Australian mine amid an “explosion” in demand from Asia for the rare pink-hued stones. The Argyle Phoenix, a 1.56 carat gem, is one of three red diamonds on offer at the annual Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender - the first time in the 30-year history of the exclusive sale that it has included three red stones. “This is the largest red that has ever come from the Argyle diamond mine,” Argyle Pink Diamonds manager Josephine Johnson told AFP as she held the stone. “Never seen before, likely never seen again. “The diamond

Prestigious jeweller Harry Winston, which was acquired earlier this year by Swatch Group, bought a new colourless, flawless 101.73-carat diamond for a record $26.7 million at an auction in Geneva, auction house Christie’s said. Christie’s representative Raul Kadakia told reporters after the sale that Harry Winston was the buyer of the diamond that Wednesday evening smashed the previous auction-price record for a diamond in its category by more than $10 million. “Twenty-three million (Swiss) francs! Your last chance! Twenty-three million, sold!” shouted Francois Curiel, the head of Christie’s jewellery division shouted, referring to the $23.5 million price before tax and commission, and clinching the deal in front of some 150 people gathered for the auction at a luxury Geneva hotel.

As the first ever buyer of the new diamond, Harry Winston had the priviledge of naming it and had decided to call it “Winston Legacy,” Kadakia said, pointing out that this was the diamond dealer’s first major purchase since it was snapped up by the world’s leading watchmaker for $1.0 billion in March. Switzerland’s Swatch Group, most known for its brightly coloured plastic watches, has been eagerly expanding its luxury offerings, and Wednesday’s sparkling purchase should perhaps especially tickle the group’s chairwoman Nayla Hayek, who was named chief executive of Harry Winston earlier this month. “Diamonds are still a girl’s best friend,” she said following the January announcement that Swatch would buy the company, referring to the famous Marilyn Monroe song that

mentions Harry Winston, from the 1953 musical film “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”. The American Institute of Gemology has handed the Harry Legacy the top colourless grade “D” and the best clarity grade, “flawless”, which is characterised by its “abso-

Man, 80, starts Everest ascent

An 80-year-old Japanese mountaineer has begun his ascent of Mount Everest, his website said, in a bid to become the oldest man to reach the roof of the world. In a voice message recorded on his website,

21 May to 27 May, 2013

Largest ‘red’ diamond on sale

world will be talking about this diamond for the next few months intensely. And there will be lots of discussion about the rarity of it, the value of it.” The 2013 pink diamond tender comprises 64 diamonds, including 58 pink stones, three blue ones and the three fancy reds. Such jewels routinely fetch US$1-2 million a carat. As a basic rule of thumb, a pink diamond is worth about 50 times more than a white diamond. After previews in Sydney, New York and Tokyo, there will be tender viewings in Hong Kong and Perth, to allow clients and experts to see the gems and make offers for individual stones.

DIAMOND SOLD FOR WORLD RECORD PRICE

lute symmetry”, according to Christies. The diamond, sold at the auction by a diamond merchant, was 236 carats in the rough when it was extracted from the Jwaneng mine in Botswana, before it was meticulously sculpted for 21 months, Christie’s said.

Issue # 510 (38)

THE CONTACT

Indian American Vivek Ranadive buys US basketball team "It's going to be exciting," he told the USA Today after securing an agreement to buy 65 percent of the Kings from the Maloof family for a National Basketball Association (NBA) league-record valuation of $535 million. "We're going to build a global brand with the Kings. We're going to give the fans the product that they deserve," the minority owner of Golden State Warriors said on achieving his longtime goal. The development came just a day after NBA owners officially rejected a bid by the Maloofs, who have owned the team since 1998, to relocate the Kings from Sacramento, California, to Seattle, Washington. "It's a little bittersweet,

obviously because I'm a huge Warriors fan and I have a lot of friends here," Ranadive told USA Today Sports. "I'm very, very excited to start the new (challenge)." Ranadive, who left India as a 17-year-old to attend MIT and later founded his $4 billion company in Silicon Valley, Tibco, has the

sort of competitiveness and deep pockets that could lead one of the league's most poorly run franchises back to respectability, the USA Today said. NBA Commissioner David Stern has made a concerted effort of late to grow the game in Ranadive's native India, where "basketball is but a

Thanks To Apple And Google, Wearable Technology Is On Track To Become A $50 Billion Market The main takeaway: wearable tech is already a $3- to $5 billion market today. In the next two to three years, it could skyrocket to $30- to $50 billion. That means more smartwatches, fitness monitors, shoes, and headsets. Smartphones are one of the key driving forces behind the expected growth in wearable tech, acting as a hub that keeps all of our devices connected. Over time, wireless devices will become even more popular as hardware improves, and sensors and batteries get better. With Apple and Google dominating the install base of smartphone operating systems — iOS and Android respectively — they are in two of the best positions to leverage the wear-

able tech market. Here are some key stats and info from the report: There are more than 250 million installed mobile operating systems that can support wearable technology. An iWatch could generate $10 billion a year in revenue with an EPS of $3.30. There are currently only nine smartwatches available.

Watches are a $56 billion market. Regarding retail impact, Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour have best leveraged wearables to enhance the fitness experience and efficacy of their products. The health and fitness market is about $2to $3 billion. By 2020, batteries are expected to be 2.2x more powerful.

blip on their sporting radar," the newspaper said. "I'm going to do what I do in my business, which is surround myself with people that are way smarter than me," Ranadive said. "But I am a huge fan. I'm going to be there at all the games, be there to support the team in every way." "It's one step at a time," Ranadive said. "I'm one of these guys who doesn't like to get ahead of the game. "We still have a lot of work to do. I've learned a lot, but there's a lot more to learn. And it's going to be a process. It's not going to be an overnight miracle there, so it's going to take some work," he was quoted as saying.

reports. They then made off with the safe and the jewels inside. The robbery took place before 5:00 a.m (0300 GMT) at the Novotel hotel, which is located about 15 minutes from the festival venue, they said. Police are looking at footage from the city’s security cameras to hunt for clues, they added. Chopard is one of the official sponsors of the festival, and one of its stores, complete with its own red carpet, lies on

the palm-fringed beachfront, just opposite the venue. The jeweller redesigned the Palme d’Or trophy and each year lends out jewellery to stars for their walk up the red-carpeted steps at the Palais des Festivals. The photo-calls are hugely valuable to makers of gowns and jewellery, providing media exposure around the world. Actresses at this year’s festival who have donned Chopard jewellery

Observe ‘dance of the planets’ from May 24 The dance of the planets — Venus, Mercury and Jupiter from May 24 to May 31 will leave you amazed Line up of Mercury, Jupiter and Venus The last week of May will observe a rare and beautiful cosmic choreography immediately after sunset. You will be able to see a “dance” of the planets followed by their vertical alignment on May 30 and 31 in the evening sky. It will be an astonishing view for everyone and an opportunity for astrophotography enthusiasts. The dance will play itself out near the horizon in the westnorth part of the sky. Three planets of our solar system will be participating in this rare cosmic event, i.e, Venus, Mercury and Jupiter. This so called dance is only an apparent motion of the planets in the evening sky. They will “spin” around each other changing their positions in the sky from one night to the other making their outstanding presence felt. This phenomenon will take place from May 24 to 30 this year and will be visible to the naked eye each night, although binoculars will be the best tool to observe it as Jupiter will be making a remarkable appearance this month. The planets after this event will slowly move behind the sun and will disappear by nightfall.

HERE’S HOW APPLE IS SPENDING ITS $145 BILLION PILE OF CASH

What is Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) planning on doing with its enormous cash reserves? It’s no secret that some of it is going into shareholder’s pockets. Apple has approximately $145 billion in cash reserves and about $100 billion of this cash pile sits offshore. This is why the Cupertino-based company chose to fund its recently expanded capital return plan with a $17 billion bond offering. This also allowed Apple to increase its quarterly dividend by 15 percent in the second quarter. Apple now pays approximately $11 billion in total annual dividends, making it one of the largest dividend payers in the world.However, even after returning a lot of cash to shareholders, the iPhone maker is still left holding a significant amount, not to mention the new cash it is continually generating.

Cannes hit by $1m jewel theft Jewellery worth more than $1 million due to be loaned to stars at the Cannes Film Festival was stolen from a local hotel in a pre-dawn heist on Friday but the coveted Palme d’Or trophy was safe, officials said. In a scenario itself worthy of a movie, thieves entered the hotel room of an American woman employee of Swiss bijoutier Chopard and ripped out the strongbox in the wardrobe, according to police

21 May to 27 May, 2013

include Julianne Moore, Lana Del Rey, Cindy Crawford, China’s Fan Bingbing and Spain’s Blanca Suarez. Details about what was stolen were sketchy, but one police source said the jewels were “a matched set.” An official linked to the festival said the trophy was safe. The Palme d’Or features 118 grammes (four ounces) of yellow gold, with a value of more than 20,000 euros ($26,000), set in a base of rock crystal.

Apple generated $12.5 billion in cash flow in the last quarter alone.Some investors have called for the company to start looking at

of owning them. The largest company that it acquired in recent memory was AuthenTec in 2012, which only cost Apple the relatively

mergers and acquisitions as another way to put its cash hoard to use. Some would like to see Apple expand through a large acquisition such as Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) did with Motorola Mobility or Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) did with Skype. However, Apple doesn’t seem inclined to buy companies just for the sake

small amount of $356 million.Instead of company mergers and acquisitions, Apple seems to be focusing its expenditure on capital investment. Apple’s chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer stated earlier this year that “we expect to spend a little bit under $1 billion in retail stores and the other $9 billion is spent in a variety of areas.

THE CONTACT

Issue # 510 (39)

Dum Kokur

Ingredients : 1 chicken- cut into 8 pieces 5-6 tbsp oil 4-5 cloves 1 tej patta 1" dalchini 1 medium onion- sliced thinly 1" piece ginger - grated For the Marinade : 3-4 tbsp curd 1 tbsp red chilli powder 1 tsp salt, or to taste, 1/2 tsp haldi 1 1/2 tbsp garlic paste, 1 tbsp ginger paste

Grind Together : 1/2 tsp jeera 2 moti ellaichi 2 chhoti ellaichi Method : Mix together all the ingredients of the marinade - curd, saunf, sonth, salt, red chilli, haldi, ginger and garlic paste, Add chicken. Let it marinate for 2 -3 hours. Heat oil. Add laung, Dalchini and

Chicken Kandhari Kofta

tej patta. Fry for 1-2 minutes Add sliced onion and grated ginger. Fry till golden brown Add chicken along with the marinade. Mix well Add powdered jeera and cardmoms. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Cover and cook on low heat for about 1/2 hour or till chicken turns tender. Serve hot with rice. ==========

Chicken with 40 garlic cloves Ingredients 1 lemon 1 large (about 1.6kg) free-range chicken 2 bay leaves 40ml (2 tbs) extra virgin o l i v e oil 1 tbs finely chopped rosemary 40 garlic cloves, skin on 300ml chicken stock 300ml white wine Method Preheat oven to 190°C. Cut the lemon in half lengthways and place in the cavity of the chicken with the bay leaves. Tie the legs together with kitchen string to secure, then rub with the olive oil and sprinkle with the rosemary. Place the chicken in an ovenproof casserole dish, add the garlic cloves, stock and wine and bring to the boil on the stovetop over medium

21 May to 27 May, 2013

Ingredients 500 gm: Chicken mince ¾ cup: Boiled onion paste 1 tsp: Ginger-garlic paste ½ cup: Tomato puree 2/3 cup: Cashew nut paste 2 tsp: Pomegranate syrup ½ cup: Fresh cream 3 tsp: Oil 1 tsp: Coriander powder 1 tsp: Red chilli powder ½ tsp: Cinnamon powder ½ tsp: Garam masala powder Salt to taste Method Mix cinnamon powder, one teaspoonful of salt and minced chicken thoroughly. Divide the mix into twelve equal portions. Shape them into balls (koftas). Keep the koftas aside. Heat oil in a pan. Add boiled onion paste and cook till onions turn pink. Add ginger-

garlic paste. Sauté for a minute, then add coriander powder and red chilli powder. Stir in tomato puree and cashew nut paste dissolved in a little water. Cook for five minutes on a high flame, stirring continuously. Add one and half cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add chicken koftas and cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garam masala powder and pomegranate syrup. Correct seasoning. Simmer for five minutes. Stir in fresh cream. Serve with naan or parantha. Make cashew nut paste by soaking half-cup cashew nuts in water for half an hour. Grind it to a smooth paste. You do not need to use expensive full cashew nuts, you can use cashew nut pieces (tukda).

Cranberry turkey meatloaf heat. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove lid and roast for a further 20 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown. Remove the chicken from dish and set aside to rest. Use a slotted spoon to remove about

16 of the garlic cloves and set aside. Place the baking dish on the stovetop over high heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes to reduce to a sauce, pressing the garlic to release the flavour. Strain.Serve the roast chicken with the reserved garlic cloves and drizzle with a little sauce.

Banana chocolate cake Ingredients 1 1/2 cups wholemeal selfraising flour 3/4 cup self-raising flour 2/3 cup cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1 cup caster sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 large, over-ripe bananas, mashed 3/4 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup vegetable oil Icing 1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture 1 tablespoon cocoa powder 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, warmed

Method Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease an 8-cup capacity, 24cm fluted ring tin. Sift flours, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Add husks from sieve. Add sugar. Stir to combine. Make a well in the centre. Combine eggs, banana,

buttermilk and oil in a jug. Pour into well. Stir to combine. Spoon cake mixture into prepared tin. Smooth surface. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake for 5 minutes in tin. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Make icing: Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl. Add milk. Using a wooden spoon, mix until smooth. Pour icing over cooled cake. Using a flatbladed knife, spread over top. Allow icing to run down sides. Stand for 20 minutes or until icing sets. Serve.

Ingredients 1kg turkey mince 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 small brown onion, grated 1 granny smith apple, grated 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1/4 cup shredded fresh sage leaves 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 3/4 cup dried breadcrumbs 1/2 cup cranberry jelly, melted Method Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 6cmdeep, 14cm x 21cm loaf pan.

Line with baking paper, leaving a 5cm overhang at both long sides. Using hands, combine turkey, egg, onion, apple, garlic, sage, parsley and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Press mixture into prepared pan. Brush top with 2 tablespoons cranberry jelly. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked through. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Using paper lining, remove from pan. Transfer to a platter. Brush with remaining jelly. Serve.

THE CONTACT

Issue # 510 (40)

Iran’s Frahadi scores Cannes hit with melodrama

Iranian Oscar-winner Asghar Farhadi drew enthusiastic applause Friday for one of the most-keenly awaited films at Cannes, with a Paris-set tale about shifting relationships. “The Past” picks up many of the wrenching family themes and the taut drama of the Tehran-based “A Separation”, which saw Farhadi scoop the Academy Award for best foreign-language feature last year. Lead player Berenice Bejo dials down the glamour of her role in the fellow Oscar-winning movie “The Artist” to play Marie, a mother in Paris’ multicultural suburbs who asks estranged

husband Ahmad (Ali Mosaffa) to return from Tehran to finalise their divorce. In the meantime, Marie has invited her new boyfriend Samir, played by Tahar Rahim of 2009’s “A Prophet”, to take his

young son and move in with her and her two daughters from another past relationship. But Ahmad’s arrival upsets the delicate new balance in the old house, for it becomes clear that his relationship with Marie

is anything but ancient history. The reasons he returned to Tehran four years before remain unclear. But Farhadi hints that an inability to practice his profession in France drove him into a depression that he only escaped by leaving Marie. Meanwhile Samir’s own former wife is lying in a coma, suspended between life and death after a suicide attempt. Marie’s teenage daughter and a North African immigrant working illegally at Samir’s dry-cleaning shop become catalysts in explosive events that force each character to reckon with the past.

Swaziland bans high flying witches

Swaziland is cracking down on high-flying witches by banning them from flying above an altitude of 150 metres. Anyone caught flying a broomstick above the limit faces arrest and a hefty fine of about £35,000, the country’s civil aviation authorities said this week. “A witch on a broomstick should not fly above

the limit,” corporate affairs director Sabelo Dlamini reportedly told The Star newspaper. Witchcraft is taken seriously in Swaziland where many people believe in the power of black magic. Last year a leading Swazi MP called for a hike in tax paid by witch doctors to help ease the country’s financial crisis.

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Kuwait Is Deporting People For Minor Traffic Violations Kuwait has deported hundreds of expats for traffic offences in the past month, a report said on Sunday, drawing condemnation from a human rights group. The Al-Anbaa newspaper cited a senior interior ministry official as saying that as many as 1,258 foreigners have been deported for traffic violations since a crackdown began about a month ago.Foreign residents caught driving without a licence, using their cars to carry paying passengers, jumping a red light for a second time, or breaking the speed limit by more than 40 kilometres per hour (25 miles per hour), can be deported without a court order.The Kuwait Society for Human Rights called on the government to halt the deportations describing them as "oppressive"."The oppressive measure against expatriates... violates the basic principles of human rights," it said.The group warned that the measure could tarnish the Gulf state's image abroad at a

time when its human rights record is under scrutiny. Kuwait is home to 2.6 million expatriates who form 68 percent of the country's 3.8 million population. Kuwaiti nationals who commit

similar offences have their vehicles seized and can be sent to court.Last month, Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Thekra al-Rasheedi said the emirate plans to deport around 100,000 expatriates every year for the next decade to reduce the number of foreigners living in the Gulf state by one million.She did not say what measures she would adopt to carry out the plan. Foreigners need to hold a university degree, earn 400 dinars ($1,400) a month and have lived in Kuwait for at least two years to be eligible to apply for a driver's licence, under a decision issued nearly a decade ago.