"Death in Varanasi" by Geoff Dyer

Remember the Maggi ketchup advertisement, the one with Pankaj Kapur and Javed Jaffrey that always ended with ‘It’s different’? Admittedly, this is not an original or a literary descriptor for a book as inventive and creative as Geoff Dyer’s. But that’s how I feel about his third novel Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi.

The novel, which follows protagonist Jeff Atman — a cynical and unhappy British journalist — as he journeys across Venice and Varanasi, is a slow, meandering story of loss, redemption and the ultimate discovery of the ‘eternal truth’.
The recurring theme through the book is that of rebirth — of former selves that die, and the new selves we quickly adopt, leaving behind the old.

In he beginning, Atman (a pun on atma perhaps) is embittered, insecure and lonely, in search only of the next free glass of Bellini and a gram of coke. But when he meets the witty and waif-like Laura, while on an assignment to cover the Venice Art Biennale, he is rejuvenated. Their conversations are the stuff of Woody Allen films: (“Why, I oughta…” “It’s funny, no one says that any more: ‘Why, I oughta’. We should start a campaign to bring it back”. “You’re right. We oughta”.).

And their love affair is ethereal and spellbinding, brought to life by Dyer’s description of the tragic romance of Venice. (“He was alone in Venice. She had gone and he had gone from Plus One to Minus One. There was nothing to do except stroll, so he strolled through the crowded, empty city... One moment he was in a busy, densely populated area and then he was in completely silent streets, deserted except for sunlight.”)

When she leaves four days later, he finds himself on the water’s edge, unsure and unable to go on. In the second part of the book, we meet yet another avatar of Atman. This time he’s in Varanasi to write a travel piece, and his rebirth comes in the form of spiritual emancipation. Instead of leaving the city after a week as planned, he stays on interminably, being tossed, turned and remodelled by the temples, monkeys and sadhus of Varanasi, like driftwood in the Ganga.

Eventually, Atman manages to rid himself of all desire and lets go of the ego. The story ends, not entirely unexpectedly, on the water’s edge. But this time around, there’s no fear, only the acceptance of the timelessness of things.
Despite the book’s clearly metaphysical theme, this is no run-of-the mill self-help story; instead, its spirituality — subtle, funny and quietly self-effacing — takes you by surprise.

It is Dyer’s familiarity both with Venice’s decadent and hedonistic art world as well as Varanasi’s decaying mysticism that lends to his writing a rare authenticity. His prose is lyrical and delightful, if on occasion self-serving and indulgent. At times, the free-associative monologues become boring. You stop caring about Atman’s thoughts on the exact colour of Laura’s underwear and just want to know what happens next.

But it is the dialogue and self-reflection that sparkles. Dyer’s ironic and incisive writing ought to strike a chord with the current generation, with anyone who is caught between the polarities of materialism and spiritualism. If you’ve experienced the life of all-night partying and drinking, but are still seeking to the understand the ultimate meaning of life; if you’re smart, funny and enjoy good conversation, this book is for you.

Google goes on trial for digitising books

Internet search engine giant Google went on trial in Paris on Thursday on charges of copyright infringement and forgery in its attempt to digitise millions of the world's books without prior authorisation.

The trial was provoked in 2006 by the head of the publishing group La Martiniere, Herve de La Martiniere, who is now backed by the 530-member French Publisher's Association (SNE) and the Society of Authors (SGDL).

The daily La Tribune reported that Google plans to argue that a French judge has no jurisdiction in the dispute, because it is based on American law; digitising is not copying; and that posting brief excerpts from books online is permitted under French law. The SNE's Christine de Mazieres told the daily that about 100,000 French books had been digitised by Google without authorization.

Resistance to Google's BookSearch programme - which scans books and allows people to read and research an entire published work online - has been particularly strong in France.

However, the country's second largest library, in Lyon, is cooperating with Google and lets its books be scanned. And the French National Library is currently negotiating with the internet giant, which offers to digitize books for libraries at no cost.

On Friday, the US Justice Department urged a court to reject a $125-million settlement between Google and authors and publishers that would have enabled the California-based company to expand the availability of digitised books on the internet.

The agreement likely violated copyright and antitrust laws, the Justice Department argued. A decision on the agreement had been set for October 7, but that is now likely to be delayed.

The controversial agreement came after Google had scanned some 10 million books, more than half of them without taking account of copyright.

Polanski in Swiss custody for sexual abuse

Swiss police detained Oscar winning film director Roman Polanski on a US warrant over three-decade-old charges of unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl, a film festival's organisers said on Sunday.

The controversial 76-year-old director was arrested on Saturday after he arrived to receive a prize at the Zurich film festival, organisers said in a statement.

The organisers said they were "shocked and saddened" by the arrest and would indefinitely postpone awarding the prize, which he was to receive Sunday in honour of his film career.

Polanski, famed for films such as "Rosemary's Baby" and "Chinatown," fled the United States in 1978 before being sentenced for his guilty plea to a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl.

A Los Angeles judge refused in May the fugitive director's bid to dismiss the case after Polanski, who lives in France, failed to appear in court.

Polanski's legal team argued that the film-maker's conviction should be annulled on the grounds of misconduct, claiming the late judge who heard his case in the 1970s had improperly colluded with prosecutors.

The challenge was made after the allegation of misconduct emerged in a documentary released last year "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired."

Judge Peter Espinoza said this year that while he believed there had been "substantial misconduct" in the case, Polanski's attempts to dismiss the charges would not be heard as long as he remained a fugitive from justice.

Defence attorneys confirmed in court papers filed this week that Polanski had no intention of returning to the United States.

The woman named as the victim in the 1970s case had joined defense lawyers in urging the dismissal of the case against Polanski.

Born in France of Polish parents and raised in Poland, Polanski was arrested in California after the parents of the 13-year-old girl complained to police. He fled the United States after a plea agreement.

The charges against him were not dropped and Polanski never again set foot in the United States, not even to receive the 2003 Oscar awarded him for best director for "The Pianist."

He was out of the country when his second wife, actress Sharon Tate, was murdered by members of the "Manson family" led by cult leader Charles Manson in Los Angeles in 1969.

26/11: Interpol's Red Corner Notice against Saeed, Lakhvi

The 26/11 masterminds - Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi - now seem to be in trouble as the Interpol issued a red corner notice (RCN) against them.

According to sources, the RCN has been issued by Interpol on the basis of non-bailable warrant against Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) head Saeed by a Mumbai court, while the evidence gathered against him by the Mumbai Police supported the move further.

The RCN will make it difficult for Pakistan to let the JuD chief roam freely. It will also prevent Saeed from moving out of Pakistan.

The Lahore High Court had let Saeed off in June citing the fact that no evidence had been provided by the government to justify his detention. The Punjab government later backtracked from its statement that it would challenge his release in the Supreme Court.

Jackson was murdered: LA Police

Michael Jackson was murdered, after two months of investigations the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has confirmed.

Based on information from sources, Headlines Today has been reporting that the King of Pop was murdered after he was found dead exactly two months ago.

The Los Angeles county coroner has ruled Jackson's death as a homicide. The coroner determined a fatal combination of drugs was given to him hours before he died on June 25.

Forensic tests reveal presence of the powerful anaesthetic Propofol, along with at least two sedatives, caused MJ's death. It was found when a search warrant affidavit was unsealed in Houston on Monday.

The coroner's finding spells more trouble for MJ's personal physician Dr Conrad Murray, who administered Propofol to the pop icon. It's all the more likely now that criminal charges will be filed against Murray, who was with MJ when he breathed his last.

According to a search warrant affidavit, Murray told investigators that he had been treating MJ for insomnia for six weeks.

Murray revealed that he administered a 25mg dose of Propofol to MJ on June 25 after injecting two other sedatives in an unsuccessful attempt to get him to sleep.

Murray has already been interviewed twice by the LAPD. His offices too have been raided by investigators as part of the probe into MJ's death.

Social stress makes you fat

WASHINGTON: Social stress could lead to heart disease by causing the body to deposit more fat in the abdominal cavity and could also speed up

harmful plaque build-up in blood vessels, according to new research. In this study, female monkeys were fed a western-style diet containing fat and cholesterol. The monkeys were housed in groups so they would naturally establish a pecking order from dominant to subordinate. Subordinate monkeys are often the target of aggression and aren't included in group grooming sessions as often as dominant monkeys. Researchers found that these socially stressed subordinate monkeys developed more fat in the viscera, or abdominal cavity. The researchers found that the stress of social subordination results in the release of stress hormones that promote the deposition of fat in the viscera. Visceral fat, in turn, promotes coronary artery atherosclerosis, the build up of plaque in the blood vessels that leads to heart disease, the leading cause of death in the world today. "Much of the excess fat in many people who are overweight is located in the abdomen, and that fat behaves differently than fat in other locations," said Carol A. Shively, principal study investigator, Wake Forest University School of Medicine (WFUSM). "If there's too much, it can have far more harmful effects on health than fat located in other areas," said Shively. Shively and colleagues found that women and female monkeys have a natural protection against heart disease -- women typically develop heart disease, on average, 10 years later than men do. That protection seems to be lost when stress and visceral fat increase. Researchers found that the monkeys with high social stress and larger amounts of visceral fat also had ovaries that produced fewer protective hormones. The study appeared in the current issue of Obesity.

The IIT dilemma - old vs new

While the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are still believed to be the ultimate destination for engineering students, more than 500 students

have rejected the admission offer to study in one of these institutes this year. Reasons vary — from not getting one's choice discipline to being hesitant about ‘new IITs' and temporary campuses. The seven ‘old IITs' include Kharagpur, Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kanpur, Roorkee and Guwahati. Eight more were added to the list and approved by the government in 2008. These IITs are mentored by the nearest old IITs. Does this rejection of students reflect that IIT as a brand is no longer as popular as it used to be? In response, Surendra Prasad, director, IIT-Delhi, says, "I have a problem with the word brand. But yes, I'd say that the stature of IIT has gone up. So expectations too have gone up." However, Prasad adds that the rejections should be seen in the context of new IITs. People are suspicious of the effectiveness of the new IITs. The sudden expansion has led to this kind of a situation, he explains. However, he agrees that though the pace could be a little slow, the need for an expansion was always there. A recent ministry of human resource development (MHRD) agenda paper — on the futuristic vision of IITs — states that India has about 1,700 engineering educational institutions and about two million students . The number of graduates per year is about 4,00,000. In a scenario like this, the seven IITs, 20 NITs, three IIITs, and a few other institutes are not sufficient. For example, in 2006, 3,00,000 students took the entrance exam for 5,000 seats. According to the MHRD report, the only way to meet the demand is by increasing the intake of existing IITs by setting up satellite campuses of existing campuses or setting up new IITs. As to the hesitation factor of parents and students, Prasad says, "It is important to disseminate information and we are trying our best." What parents and students need to know is, he adds, that all these new IITs have an established IIT as their mentor. Besides, quality will not be compromised in any of these new institutes. But then, Prasad points out that in the initial years, the dilemma is likely to persist because one has to choose between an established IIT and a new one. That's a tough choice to make. While one of the major concerns of IIT aspirants and parents seems to be the idea of temporary campuses, Rajat Chakraborty, ex-professor and former head of Jadavpur University, mechanical engineering, feels that such fears are unfounded. He recalls that the first of the IITs — IIT Kharagpur — started functioning out of a temporary campus. It was born in May 1950 in Hijli detention camp, Kharagpur, "where our freedom fighters sacrificed their lives for our country's independence." In fact, before that, the IIT was functioning from 5, Esplanade East, Kolkata. He adds, "However, every educational institute goes through a gestation period and that cannot be discounted." Chakraborty, who was also a parliamentary member of the Council of IITs for three years in the '70s, further points out, "The moment the first batch from any of these institutes complete their placements, students will start feeling confident."

Stuck on UK motorway, Sikhs face racial abuse

LONDON: A group of 66 Sikh women and children on an outing to the seaside miraculously escaped from a burning double-decker bus in southern England

but became victims of racist jibes from passing motorists. The passengers, worshippers at a gurdwara in Luton, travelling back after an outing in Weymouth, Hampshire on Friday were quickly evacuated after an alert off-duty police officer asked them to vacate the vehicle, The Dorset Echo reported. Minutes after they were evacuated, the double-decker coach exploded in a fireball, melting the tarmac. A woman in the coach, Inderjeet Kaur told BBC TV that the evacuees were subjected to racist abuse by passing motorists as they stood on the highway, wrapped in foil blankets, waiting for a replacement coach. "They were pointing at us saying 'go back to the burning bus', and sticking their fingers out," she said. Another passenger, Inderjeet Buar said, "We organized a day out to Weymouth and over 200 people came, travelling on three coaches." After a smell of burning rubber was brought to driver's attention they decided to drive to the next motorway services for a replacement but Buar said, as the coach progressed passing cars flashed their lights, hinting something amiss. "We pulled over and a driver who had also stopped, who I believe as an off-duty policeman, ran on to the coach and got everyone off very quickly, she added.

Pakistani Taliban chief Mehsud may be dead: Minister

ISLAMABAD: There is a strong likelihood that Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud was killed along with his wife.
We suspect he was killed in the missile strike," Malik said on Friday. "We have some information, but we don't have material evidence to confirm it." A US official also said there was reason to believe Mehsud was dead. "There is reason to believe that reports of his death may be true, but it can't be confirmed at this time," said the official, providing the information on condition of anonymity. The official would not comment on the circumstances surrounding Mehsud's possible death. The United States has placed a $5 million reward on the head of Mehsud, an ally of al Qaeda widely regarded in Pakistan as Public Enemy No. 1. The attack in a tribal region of northwest Pakistan was believed to have been carried out by a pilotless US drone aircraft at around 1:00 am on Wednesday. Neither the Pakistani nor US governments confirm such attacks because of sensitivities over violation of Pakistan's territorial sovereignty. Intelligence officials and relatives had confirmed earlier that Mehsud's second wife had been killed in the missile strike that targeted her father's home in an outlying settlement close to Makeen village in the South Waziristan tribal region. A relative of Mehsud's dead wife had initially said the Taliban leader wasn't present when the missiles struck, but rumours that he had either been wounded or killed refused to die down. The stricken house is some two hours' walk from Makeen, and Taliban fighters had cordoned off the area, refusing to let people enter, according to villagers. A senior Pakistani security official said that aside from Mehsud's wife, one of Mehsud's brothers and seven of his bodyguards perished in the attack. The official said intelligence services were trying to discover the identity of another victim, and there was a good chance it was Mehsud. Intelligence agents had also picked up signs that leaders of various Taliban factions planned to gather for a shura, or council meeting, somewhere in Waziristan later on Friday. Sometimes in the past, militant leaders presumed to have been killed have resurfaced later. Mehsud declared himself leader of the Pakistan Taliban, grouping around 13 factions in the northwest, in late 2007, and his fighters have been behind a wave of suicide attacks inside Pakistan and on Western forces across the border in Afghanistan. He is accused of being behind the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in December 2007, a charge he has denied. Conspiracy theories abound over who killed the former prime minister. US missile attacks on Mehsud territory in South Waziristan became more frequent after the Pakistan government ordered a military offensive against him in June. Pakistan forces have also bombarded Mehsud's stronghold with air raids and artillery. Mehsud is estimated to have between 10,000 and over 20,000 battle-hardened fighters with him in the mountains. The army has sealed roads around Mehsud's territory and villagers have fled the area, but as the days have dragged on there was growing speculation that the strategy might be to isolate him by stealth rather than launch a full-blown assault.

Ultra low calorie diet 'is the secret to a long life'

An international team has found that substantially cutting calories -- by as much as 30 per cent -- from a normal diet could slow the ageing process and thereby increase life expectancy.

In fact, researchers have found that reducing calories just above malnutrition levels can reduce risks of developing heart disease or cancer by almost half and increase lifetimes by nearly a third.

For the study, the team followed 76 rhesus macaques, half of which consumed 30 per cent fewer calories, over 20 years beginning around adulthood. They found that 37 per cent of the animals on the restricted diet are still alive today, compared to just 13 per cent of monkeys who ate a normal diet.

"It suggests to me that the fundamental biology of caloric restriction being studied in mice, flies, worms, blah, blah, blah seems to apply nicely to primates," team leader Richard Weindruch of University of Wisconsin in Madison said.

Nicotine patch helps quit smoking successfully

The researchers say that, according to the latest data, changes should be made to nicotine patch labelling.

"Right now, the nicotine patch is only recommended for use after the quit date," explained Jed Rose, lead author of the study.

The current labelling comes as a result of concerns that using a patch while smoking could lead to nicotine overdose, but a literature review found concurrent use of a nicotine patch and cigarette smoking appears to be safe.

"People who use the patch before quitting are likely to spontaneously reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke because the patch satisfies their need for nicotine and makes the act of smoking less enjoyable," said Rose.

Nicotine patch also decreases withdrawal symptoms.

"Yet people are afraid to try a pre-cessation patch because the current labeling recommends users not smoke while on treatment. That's why our study is so important. It reinforces the findings of previous studies, which show the value of pre-cessation patch therapy, and demonstrates that using a pre-cessation nicotine patch can make a significant difference in a person's ability to quit," he added.

To find a successful smoking cessation method, the researchers randomised 400 people, who smoked an average of slightly more than one pack of cigarettes per day.

They were put in four groups who either used a nicotine or placebo patch for two weeks prior to quitting smoking, and were further randomised to smoking their regular brand of cigarettes or a low-tar and nicotine cigarette.

After the quit date, all groups received standard nicotine patch treatment at reduced dosages for a total of 10 weeks.

Twenty-two percent of participants in the pre-cessation nicotine patch groups abstained from smoking continuously for at least 10 weeks, compared to 11 percent in the placebo patch groups.

Rose said that the use of the pre-cessation patch is significant because it helps researchers predict people's subsequent quit success.

"People on the patch are more likely to reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke. We found that is a potent predictor of subsequent abstinence. Smokers who did not reduce their smoking on the patch were less likely to succeed," the researcher added.

The study has been published in the online edition of the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research.

'Allergy gene' identified by scientists 10 Jul 2009, 1752 hrs IST, PTI

A team, led by the University of Edinburgh, has found that the filaggrin gene helps skin produce a protective barrier against the foreign bodies that trigger allergies, the British Medical Journal reported.

In fact, in their analysis of 24 previous studies, the scientists found that people with defects in this gene are much more likely to develop unwelcome reactions like sneezing and itchy eyes, dermatitis, asthma, hay fever and eczema.

The gene mutations also increased the risk of asthma in people with severe dermatitis, the findings revealed.

Lead scientist Prof Aziz Sheikh said: "What we found was a more than doubling in the risk of these allergies among people with this defect.

"These findings provide strong supporting evidence that, at least in a subset of those with allergic problems, the filaggrin gene defect may be the fundamental predisposing factor not only for the development of eczema but also for initial sensitisation and progression of allergic disease.

"Our finding suggests filaggrin is a robust biomarker for allergic conditions. What's striking is a high proportion of people who are getting eczema, it's an incredibly common disorder, and if the filaggrin gene is the major factor. It may be we can target it with drugs that can repair this protective skin barrier in due course."

China bans mosque prayers in Urumqi

URUMQI, CHINA: A Chinese official said that mosques in riot-hit Urumqi have been ordered to stay closed for Friday prayers in the wake of ethnic

Ethnic Uighurs walk as Chinese army troops patrol outside the main mosque in Urumqi. (Reuters Photo)
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violence that left 156 dead, and another city in Xinjiang province has suspended visits by foreigners. ( Watch )

The official who identified herself as a government worker but refused to give her name said on Friday that the decision to close mosques had been made for public safety and that "people should stay at home today and pray."

Separately, officials in Kashgar in southwestern Xinjiang have told visiting journalists that they and other foreigners had to leave the city.

The city's foreign affairs office says that although the city has had no unrest, the decision was made to ensure the safety of the visitors.

Uighur Muslims said they had been directed to pray at home, as armed forces saturated the streets of the northwest Xinjiang region's capital five days after clashes that authorities said left 156 people dead.

"The government said there would be no Friday prayers," said a Uighur man named Tursun outside the Hantagri mosque, one of the oldest in the capital, as about 100 policemen carrying machine guns and batons stood guard nearby.

"There's nothing we can do... the government is afraid that people will use religion to support the three forces."

The "three forces" is a Chinese government term referring to extremism, separatism and terrorism, forces it says are trying to split the remote Xinjiang region from the rest of the country.
Xinjiang's eight million Uighurs have long complained about religious, political and economic repression under Chinese rule, and this deep-set anger spilled out on Sunday in protests that quickly turned violent.

The Chinese government said 156 people were killed and more than 1,000 others were injured, as Uighur Muslims attacked people from China's dominant Han ethnic group.

But Uighur exiles have said security forces over-reacted to peaceful protests. They said up to 800 people may have died in the unrest, including the security crackdown.

The unrest continued early in the week as thousands of Han Chinese took to the streets wielding knives, poles, meat cleavers and other makeshift weapons vowing vengeance against the Uighurs.

AFP witnessed Han Chinese mobs assaulting two Uighurs in separate attacks, and Uighurs alleged many other beatings took place, but the extent of the violence throughout the week was unclear.

China poured in thousands of extra police and army troops on Tuesday, and the Urumqi government said the situation was under control the next day.

Many security forces remained in place on Friday, and the traditional Muslim day of prayer passed with many Uighurs and other Muslims such as from the Hui ethnic group unable to attend mosques.

"Go home to pray," said handwritten notices on the front gates of five shuttered mosques that AFP visited on Thursday.

The Liu Daowan mosque in a Uighur and Hui district of eastern Urumqi, which normally holds about 1,000 people, was also closed on Friday, according to an AFP reporter who went there.

The small Xida mosque that Hui normally attend was also shut.

"According to an order from higher up, out of concern for the safety of the people and during this special time, we ask all people to go home and pray there," a notice outside said.

"We don't want to give the criminal element a chance to ruin the situation. The government fears that the bad elements will try to use Islam to promote the three forces," said an assistant imam named Feng.
When asked if all mosques in Urumqi were closed on Friday, a spokesman for the Xinjiang regional government told AFP that "all religious activities should go on normally", without elaborating.

China's leaders vowed on Thursday to severely punish those responsible for this week's unrest, the nation's worst ethnic conflict for decades.

"The planners of the incident, the organisers, key members and the serious violent criminals must be severely punished," President Hu Jintao and the other eight members of the ruling Communist Party's elite Politburo said.

Local party leaders in Urumqi had on Wednesday warned that people involved in any killings would be sentenced to death, and earlier announced that more than 1,400 people had been arrested for their involvement in the unrest.

Google to take on Microsoft's Windows OS with Chrome

NEW DELHI: In a direct attack on Microsoft's Windows Operating System (OS), installed in over 90% of the world’s personal computers (PCs), rival

Amphibious Car Cars that changed the world India's best and worst selling cars

Google has announced its own OS, Google Chrome, to be commercially available from the second half of 2010. Initially, Google Chrome OS will be for netbooks, the low-cost computers optimised for internet surfing and other web applications.

The Chrome OS is expected to work well with many of the company’s popular software applications such as Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Maps. It will be fast and lightweight, enabling users to access the web in a few seconds, Google said. The new OS is based on open-source Linux code, which allows third-party developers to design compatible applications.

Microsoft India declined to comment on the development, while Google India’s spokesperson said that at present the company cannot comment beyond what is on the Google blog, posted by Sundar Pichai, Google’s VP for product management, and Linus Upson, engineering director.

The blog noted, “The operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web. So today, we’re announcing a new project that’s a natural extension of Google Chrome (the browser launched in 2008) — the Google
Chrome Operating System. It’s our attempt to rethink what operating systems should be.”

About 1.5 lakh Indians return from UAE due to slowdown

NEW DELHI: An estimated 1.5 lakh Indian workers have come back home from the United Arab Emirates due to economic crisis and recession, the Lok

Coming to terms with lay-off Crisis time: Keep staff motivated Job-cuts: A blessing in disguise Keep it light at your workplace!

Sabha was told today.

Replying to a question, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi informed the House that an estimated 50,000 to 1,50,000 workers have returned to India as result of the delay in execution of projects due to economic slowdown and recession in the UAE.

He said most of the workers have returned to India on leave without pay with the expectation that they would be able to go back to the Gulf country once the situation improves.

Ravi said while Indian Missions in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar have informed that there has been some job losses in these countries, some Indians have also returned from Malaysia due to economic slowdown.

"Information received from Indian Missions in Afghanistan, Syria

, Sudan, Brunei, Libya, Jordan and Lebanon indicate that there is no report of Indians affected by the recession," the Minister said.

why men watch sex clips?

celebs or no celebs, sex clips or MMS scandals have become among the most searched on the internet. So, when the latest sex clip involving a woman who bore a striking resemblance to finalist of MTV Roadies, Tamanna showed up, we weren't surprised! While Tamanna claims the media has abused the tape and used it to wrongly potray her, there has been no reports or evidence to prove otherwise as well.

For her sake, we surely hope that woman is someone else. While we completely agree that such pranks of videos being posted online should not be encouraged, we can't help be curious about why men love to watch these sex videos. Who can ever forget the Riya Sen clip, the much talked about DPS MMS or even the Paris Hilton or Pamela Anderson clips?

Here's what we found when we tried to get into the mind of men:

Testesterone or timepass

We asked guys why they watched sex tapes and most of them said "for fun" or because its good timepass. Just one of them was blunt enough to say, "To satisfy male hormones, we are testestrone-driven afterall - duh!"

Most discussed MMS

When asked which was the most discussed/most popular sex clip, there was no one clear winner. The picks varied from Paris Hilton's One night in Paris to Riya Sen's video to the DPS MMS. Someone even proclaimed that "Indian porn is the most watched", while the rest however said that they don't discuss, just watch! :)

Share it with her?

Would you share it with your gal pal/GF was our next question: They said in unison - "No!" or "Are you nuts?" Some however didn't mind sharing it with their gal pal if she was curious enough to watch it.

Forward quotient

Most guys would not forward a sex tape/clip unless thay found it to be really good. Some of them said that they would share it with a close circle of friends.

Are you scandal proof?

Most of the guys very interestingly and confidently seem to think that such a thing would never happen to them - read: No one would dare tape 'em and put up a video of the same. (Such confidence, we say!) They would make any sort of taping they would be involved in fool proof. Easier said than done, guys!

Shiney Ahuja's prison diary

He won accolades for portraying the role of gangster Abu Salem in Anurag Basu's Gangster in his reel life. Little did Shiney Ahuja know that one day, in real life, he would be lodged in the same prison as Salem. Shiney is currently in judicial custody at the Arthur Road Jail in south Mumbai. He was arrested after he allegedly raped his maid servant at his Lokhandwala residence earlier this month.

We take a look at a day in the life of Shiney in the prison:

Where does he stay?

Shiney is currently in barrack one which he shares with Dawood gang member Mustafa Dossa, an accused in the 1993 serial blast case and Saji Mohan, the first Indian Police Service (IPS) officer to be arrested in a drug case. Mohan was arrested for stealing and selling heroin earlier this year by the Anti-Terrorism Squad. Each barrack houses 50 to 60 inmates.

The actor allegedly keeps to himself and doesn't interact with anyone. There have been reports that he has been crying insolably since the time of his arrest.

His daily routine

According to sources, the actor's day begins at 6.30 am. After his daily ablutions at the common toilet, (no separate bathroom for him), like many inmates he too is served breakfast. The food is usually cooked and served by convicts. Breakfast comprises two pavs (bread), poha, a cup of milk or tea. Since the actor is an under trial, he is not liable to work in prison. He studies his legal papers or reads the various newspapers that are kept in the prison.

According to a jail official, currency is not allowed in the prison. "If an inmate wants to read a newspaper, he has to inform his kin. His family members then send the required amount via money order to the jail authorities, who then provide newspapers to the convicts." An inmate can buy daily essentials like cigarettes, soaps, biscuits, tea, milk etc from the jail canteen with a coupon. He can keep coupons worth Rs 1,500. Each coupon costs Re 1. This money, too, is sent in by family and relatives.

At 11.30, it's time for lunch, which usually comprises of six chapattis, dal, rice, vegetables and onions. This is followed by an early dinner at 3 pm. Dinner again consists of dal, rice, chapattis and veggies. All food is absolutely free of cost. "Inmates can have an early lunch between 3 pm and 4.30 pm. Most of them prefer to have it in their barracks later in the night."

After a final roll call at 5 pm, Shiny along with all inmates is sent to the respective barracks. Lights are out at 10 pm. Unlike his luxurious bedroom, Shiney has to make do just with two bed sheets and a pillow in his dingy barrack. There are no fans in the barracks as earlier quite a few inmates have used them to commit suicide.

Time for family

Shiney's wife Anupam can meet him only twice a week. "Family members and relatives can meet inmates only two days a week, that too after they enroll their names with the prison authorities between 10 am and 1 pm," says the jail official. After waiting for a couple of hours, the inmate's kin and relatives can finally meet him just for five minutes.

Shiney can spend five vital minutes with his wife not in the luxurious confines of a meeting room but a dingy corridor with a wire mesh that separates the inmates from their kin.

History of Arthur Road jail

Shiney is lodged in Arthur Road jail, the most crowded jail in the country, which houses some of the most dangerous inmates. The official capacity of the prison is 804 inmates, however around 2,500 inmates are lodged here. Current inmates Built in 1920s by the British, the Arthur Road jail is the most sensitive jail in the country.

Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive after the 26/11 terrorist attacks, is housed in a separate highly-guarded cell here. After being extradited from Lisbon, Portugal in Nov 2005, gangster Abu Salem is housed in this high-security prison`.

The jail currently houses underworld don turned MLA Arun Gawli and his gang members, underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's associates and the members of Chhota Rajan gang. It also houses Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit who was arrested in connection with the Malegaon 2008 serial bomb blasts.

Emile Jerome Matthew, a captain in the Indian navy and the main accused in the murder of Neeraj Grover, creative head of Synergy Adlabs is also housed here. Matthew, along with his girlfriend, actress Maria Susairaj had stabbed Grover and later burnt his body in 2008.

Burqa 'not welcome' in france: sarkozy{france}

VERSAILLES (FRANCE): The burqa is "not welcome" in France because it is not a symbol of religion but a sign of subservience for women, President Nicolas Sarkozy ..

"We cannot accept to have in our country women who are prisoners behind netting, cut off from all social life, deprived of identity," he said. "That is not the idea that the French republic has of women's dignity."

"The burqa is not a sign of religion, it is a sign of subservience," he told lawmakers. "It will not be welcome on the territory of the French republic."

Sarkozy told a special session of parliament he was in favour of holding the inquiry sought by some French lawmakers into whether Muslim women who cover themselves fully in public undermine French secularism and women's rights.

But the president added "we must not fight the wrong battle, in the republic the Muslim religion must be respected as much as other religions" in France, which has Europe's biggest Muslim population estimated at several million.

The proposal to hold an inquiry has won support from many politicians from both the left and right, but France's official Muslim council accused lawmakers of wasting time focusing on a fringe phenomenon.

"To raise the subject like this, via a parliamentary committee, is a way of stigmatising Islam and the Muslims of France," Mohammed Moussaoui, head of the French Council for the Muslim Religion (CFCM), said last week.

Later Monday, Sarkozy was expected to host a state dinner with Sheik Hamad Bin Jassem Al Thani of Qatar. Many women in the Persian Gulf state wear Islamic head coverings in public — whether while shopping or driving cars.

France enacted a law in 2004 banning the Islamic headscarf and other conspicuous religious symbols from public schools, sparking fierce debate at home and abroad. France has Western Europe's largest Muslim population, an estimated 5 million people.

A government spokesman said Friday that it would seek to set up a parliamentary commission that could propose legislation aimed at barring Muslim women from wearing the head-to-toe gowns outside the home.

The issue is highly divisive even within the government. France's junior minister for human rights, Rama Yade, said she was open to a ban if it is aimed at protecting women forced to wear the burqa.

World's oldest man dies at 113

TOKYO: Tomoji Tanabe, the world's oldest man, died in his sleep at his home in southern Japan on Friday, a city official said. He was 113.

He died peacefully. His family members were with him,'' said Junko Nakao, a city official in Miyakonojo on Japan's southern island of Kyushu. Tanabe died of heart failure, she said.

Tanabe, who was born September 18, 1895, had eight children — five sons and three daughters. The former city land surveyor also had 25 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren, according to a statement from the Miyakonojo city. He was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest man when he was 111 years old.

Tanabe lived with his fifth son and daughter-in-law. His favorite meals were fried shrimp and Japanese miso soup with clams, the statement said. Tanabe drank milk every morning and read the newspaper. He also avoided alcohol and did not smoke, the statement said.

The city's mayor, Makoto Nagamine, said Tanabe was ``the symbol of the Miyakonojo known as a city of long life.''

``I feel very saddened by his death,'' Nagamine said in a statement. ``He cheered many citizens.''

Japanese people have among the world's longest life expectancies — nearly 86 years for women and 79 years for men — which is often attributed to the country's healthy diet rich in fish and rice.

The number of Japanese living past 100 has more than doubled in the last six years, reaching a record high of 36,000 people in 2008. The country's centenarian ranks are dominated by women, who make up 86 percent of the total.

Japan's centenarian population is expected to reach nearly 1 million — the world's largest — by 2050, according to UN projections.

Iconic figures can be shown in smoking very soon-said health ministry.

India's multibillion rupee film industry, which has been fuming over a ban on smoking scenes in films, now has reason to smile. The health ministry is ready to allow the depiction of iconic characters with their favourite poison stick.

So British statesman Winston Churchill and fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, who cannot be imagined without their cigars and pipes, can now be shown smoking in new films - though with a warning.

"Characters like Churchill and Sherlock Holmes can smoke on screen. People know about them and their on-screen smoking won't influence the audience behaviour much," a senior health ministry official told IANS.

"This will be made public next month," the official added.

The health ministry had banned smoking in films but director Mahesh Bhatt moved court against the government decision. The case has been pending in the Delhi High Court for the last two years. The Delhi High Court is going to hear the case in the third week of November.

The health ministry had banned smoking in films but director Mahesh Bhatt moved court against the government decision. The case has been pending in the Delhi High Court for the last two years. The Delhi High Court is going to hear the case in the third week of November.

Earlier, the ministry was completely against any smoking scenes in any movie. It had said all old movies with such scenes would have to be accompanied with a note saying the habit is injurious to health, and new films with such depictions could not be made at all.

But now it has made a concession. The ministry authorities said if it was essential to show a character smoking, the producer would have to follow rules.

"If the scripts cannot do away with such a character, then the producer needs to write on the screen that smoking is injurious to health. The movies must carry a disclaimer and warning message in the beginning and end of the film," the official said.

"After the smoking ban in public places, the ministry wants to curb on-screen smoking but with less fuss. The film fraternity is worried about creative freedom. But what about social responsibility?" the official asked.

Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has been reiterating that on-screen smoking is accountable for over 60 percent new smokers. He has appealed to actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan not to smoke in films.

"They are big stars and as celebrities their in-film action is influencing youngsters' minds. I am not interfering in their personal life but appealing as the health minister of the country," Ramadoss had told IANS earlier.

Every year, nearly one million people die of tobacco-related diseases. The government has banned smoking in public places from October 2 and is making graphic health warnings on all tobacco packets a must from December 1.

Government estimates say though the tobacco industry brings a revenue of Rs 270 billion to the country every year, the treatment cost of the disease burden is at least Rs 300 billion.

METAL CHIP IN MCDONALD'S BURGER

While she was munching on a McDonald's vegetarian burger last week, Vishaka Sriniwasan, 15, suddenly began choking, her mother Geetha SAID.

Geetha Sriniwasan said she had ordered home several burgers on June 11 night from McDonald's outlet on Linking Road for her daughter's birthday party.

"My daughter and her friends were eating their burgers when Vishaka complained that something was hurting her," Sriniwasan, who lives on St Martin's Road in Bandra (West). "I immediately made her spit her burger out and was shocked to see a pinkish metal clip. I asked the others to stop eating and called the company to complain."

A friend of Vishaka's who was at the birthday party also told HT that she saw the birthday girl spit out a metal clip. The friend did not wish to be named.

Within half an hour, McDonald's sent a representative with a fresh batch of burgers, Sriniwasan said. He offered to replace the old batch as well as refund the amount Sriniwasan had paid.

Sriniwasan declined the offer, saying she wanted him instead to sign a statement declaring that McDonald's had delivered a burger with a metallic clip lodged in it. This he refused to do, Sriniwasan said.

"Since then, no company official has called," she said.

No one in McDonald's would come on record with specific comments about the incident, but the restaurant manager did not want to publish his response.

McDonald's corporate communications head, who also did not want his comments to appear in print. Finally, HT got in touch with an official at the public relations company that represents the US chain, but that official too did not want his comments published.

According to McDonald's India website, all its outlets in the country source their vegetable patties from Vista Processed Foods' unit in Taloja, about 50 kilometres outside Mumbai.

On Tuesday, Sriniwasan couriered a written complaint to the office of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's H-West ward, under which her locality falls, sending a copy to the Food and Drug Administration's joint commissioner.

The ward offer, H.S. Murgunkar, said he had not yet received Sriniwasan's complaint, but S.D. Chaudhary, the food regulator's joint commissioner, said he had.

"We will look into it as per the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act," Choudhary said, adding that he would be able to say in two days what action the regulator would take.

"If a complaint were made, our officials would investigate it," said Dr Jairaj Thanekar, the municipal corporation's executive health officer. "If any foreign particle is found in food that is injurious to health, we would take strict action."

"We have only fifteen inspectors for the city and we monitor quality by drawing food and water samples from time to time," Thanekar added.

Nifty falls below 4400; RIL, ONGC disappoint

MUMBAI: Equity benchmarks witnessed one of the worst falls of 2009 on Wednesday, as investors booked profits and created fresh shorts in a market which looked tired after a splendid rally. Weak global markets also hurt sentiments badly, said dealers. All the sectoral indices ended in the red led by losses in metals, realty and capital goods stocks.

Indices opened lower in line with Asian markets and turned choppy with negative bias. The sell-off began in the afternoon with the negative opening of Europe. Sharp correction in index heavyweights like Reliance Industries, ONGC and Larsen&Toubro escalated the decline.

Reliance Industries has been on a decline since the Bombay High Court ruled against the company in gas distribution case it was fighting with Reliance Natural Resources.

“Markets are eventually going to come down and global scenario doesn’t look that positive. Not all commodities are going up. Only those in the F&O space have shot up. As long as housing market doesn’t do well in the US and prices keep falling, it will impact the global economy. To make matters worse, US jobless claims have risen though the intensity has reduced. This will result in lower consumption, putting pressure on other economies,” said a head of research from a local brokerage.

Bombay Stock Exchange’s Sensex ended at 14,522.84, down 435.07 points or 2.91 per cent. The index touched an intra-day low of 14,447.02 and high of 14,996.39.

National Stock Exchange’s Nifty closed at 4356.15, down 161.65 points or 3.58 per cent. The broader index hit a high of 4517.80 and low of 4332.80.

“We are set for a sharp fall as the ongoing rally is a liquidity driven rally and valuations are ahead of fundamentals. In the short term, domestic factors like rains and budget will drive the market and possibility of outbreak of swine flu in monsoon will be a potential threat. We should not be surprised if going forward the Sensex falls below 12000 mark,” the research head added.

Market breadth on BSE worsened with 1,990 declines against 686 advances. The BSE Midcap Index was down 3.92 per cent and BSE Smallcap Index slipped 3.74 per cent. Sector wise, BSE Realty tumbled 5.9 per cent, BSE Metal lost 5.63 per cent, BSE Oil & Gas shed 4.26 per cent.

None of the stocks from the 50-share index could brave the tide. Tata Steel (-7.48%), Tata Motors (-7.44%), Reliance Capital (-7.26%), Idea Cellular (-6.48%) and Suzlon Energy (-6.46%) were the worst hit. Index major like Reliance Industries tripped 4.29 per cent, ONGC declined 5.82 per cent and L&T fell 3.71 per cent. European markets continued to be under pressure. At 5 pm IST, FTSE 100 was down 0.72 per cent, CAC 40 fell 0.66 per cent and DAX declined 0.71 per cent. US stock futures indicated a positive opening on the Wall Street. Dow Jones futures was up 0.19 per cent, S&P 500 moved up 0.33 per cent and Nasdaq 100 gained 0.55 per cent.

iS The HoneymOon over for indian Captain Named Dhoni??

The Indian players might have heaved a collective sigh of relief when they crashed out of the T20 World Cup on Sunday night: they can finally go home now and actually crash without worrying about a bat or ball for some time.

You could, of course, see the fatigue in Gambhir’s sluggish limbs, in Dhoni’s glazed eyes and Harbhajan’s half-hearted smiles; you could sense the resignation in the team’s body-language too: it was neither anywhere near its peak form, nor burning with intensity or raging for victory.

Clearly, too much of something, even if it is good for somebody else (fans, TV channels, sponsors, bank balances) is injurious for a champion side too. Yes, nothing kills like overkill. BCCI, please note.

The players have literally been on the run for almost a year now: they have fought battles in virtually all parts of the world, and in all conditions, and managed to win quite a few as well. It was eventually going to take its toll. It has. How long will they need to revitalize themselves? To feel the same hunger and desire for the game?

To be fair, though, the exit must have hurt the players badly: they were, after all, the defending champions and, for once, had even started as overwhelming favourites for the title. Moreover, they also had the batting, bowling and wherewithal this time to go all the way smiling. But in the end, it all proved to be only a chimera.

Interestingly, India’s chances blew hot and cold along with captain Dhoni’s disposition. Over the last few weeks, if not more, it was apparent that he was slowly stepping out of his affable self; earlier, he used to be patient, witty and earnest during his interactions with the media. Now, steadily, he is becoming edgy, grouchy and almost
suspicious.

True, he must easily be the most overworked player in the world today: he leads a side which boasts of a billion-plus minds, if not bodies; he keeps wickets which means he is the most active person on the field for at least half the match; and then, he features in almost every second ad on television now.

As if all that is not enough, he suddenly gets these urges to bat higher in the order. In the IPL, where he didn’t have enough backup in the middle order, it was a reasonable gambit. But when he has a power-packed lineup why should he take so much unrequired load?

The worst part is that he is trying to remodel himself on the biggest stage: Dhoni’s USP, as we all know, was his big-hitting ability and serenity in the dying stages. For quite some time now, he is trying to temper his batting, improve his defenses and evolve as a complete batsman. (Aside: is he planning to give up keeping in the future?)

Sadly, though, it is not working: India have suffered due to his quiet ways in the middle, in at least two games. The dot balls have ensured that the team invariably fell short of a few runs. There are, no doubt, a few other reasons too: the absence of Sehwag, and his blistering starts at the top; the ineffectiveness of Ishant with the ball and even lack of cohesion within the team.

Most importantly, however, India have lost tactically in this tournament. Firstly, they were blown away by, both, West Indies’ and England’s short-pitched bowling; secondly, Dhoni simply didn’t get his batting or bowling orders right. If sending a rookie like Jadeja at No. 4 screamed of disaster, one couldn’t understand why Yusuf didn’t
get a single over on Sunday.

After all, just a couple of days ago, in the earlier match, he was summoned during powerplay itself and even given his full quota. Why was he ignored completely this time? Also, did the team miss a regular opener? Indeed, was Dhoni being headstrong by sticking with Rohit Sharma, after his alleged fracas with Sehwag?

Well, clearly, the honeymoon is over for Dhoni. We don’t know if he has used up all his luck already or if this is just one bad phase; but we do know that he will be one of the few in the Indian team who won’t crash as soon as he sees a bed in the immediate future.

HERE ARE SOMES PHILOSPHICAL THOUGHTS OF MINE, READ IT CAREFULLY

Religion: Takes a idiot to grave, a smart guy to bank and a true man to salvation.

Democracy: Cant survive in India. we are not programmed to be democratic. our families dont support democracy, our schools dont. there is dictatorship all around. and only a hard minded dictator can set this country right.

Men: a rare item to find these days in these crowd of homo, metro and retro sexuals. Where are the real man with muscle, mooch and mardangi. All a man needed was a lifeboy or dettol and a gillete. now they even have fairness creams and bleaches for us!!!!!!. we dont need them . real men love their smell, and spend time in harsh world without moisturisers. Be MAN show ur attitude and wear it with pride. Dont fall to catch every girls falling hankerchef, they lure u to their traps.

Women: Cant genralise them. even two sisters dont fit in same shoes. Even cant genralise one women behaviour. they change their attitude, mood, behaviour just like their clothes. you dont meet the same woman every day.

Love: they thing that is between u, ur family, ur friends and ur dog. the true bond without any baggage and conditions.

Love(b/w man and woman): a preist way of pronouncing LUST(its a sin for them u knw). their is no difference other than approach and duration.

Marrige: Humans are poligamist by nature. remember survival of the fittest. the concept of marriage was done to provide equal opportunities to all in a tribe, else the strongest male would have had control over all females just like in monkeys. It is the start of equality.

Capitalism: the economist way of speaking Greed.

bailouts: ceo method of saying " i eat the cream, u(govt) eat the shit underneth.

Christian killings by hindus: cant we even sneeze.

rest is more to come

Man who invented T20 sits back — and pitches for the future

Nottingham:

It was an inconsequential match in the context of the tournament and neither team had a massive entourage of traveling fans. Yet, the crowds trickled in to Trent Bridge two hours before the start of the West Indies-Sri Lanka match, which the Lankans eventually won.

At the World Twenty20 championships — despite the lack of publicity, despite tickets being sold at almost-ridiculous rates — the stands have been filling up. About 10 years ago, things weren’t this good in the English game.

Not only was the national team struggling to string together meaningful results (read no Ashes victory in over 16 years at the time), county cricket, the backbone of the sport in the country, was pretty much on life support as far as spectator interest went.

It was then that Stuart Robertson, along with John Carr — both marketing men at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) — were asked to draw up a proposal to revive the game. After some extensive market research (commissioned at over £200,000) and lots of head-scratching, they came up with Twenty20.

Robertson is acknowledged as the inventor of T20 cricket although he has slipped away from the glaring spotlight the game has been under since 2003 when it made its debut in England. And what was once a solution simply to bring people back to the grounds — and many critics shrugged off as a short-lived gimmick — has turned into what’s being spoken about, not in whispers any more, as the future of the game itself.