Disappointed with T20 series loss but lots of positives from NZ tour: Rohit

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February 10, 2019

India captain Rohit Sharma said his team will return home with lots of positives despite a “disappointing” 1-2 defeat in the three-match T20 series.

India savoured a historic Test and ODI bilateral series win in Australia before recording their biggest ODI series win on New Zealand soil.

A first ever T20 series win would have been an icing on the cake but the hosts held their nerves to pull off a thrilling four-run victory on Sunday.

“Disappointing to not cross the line but we fought well right till the end. 210 odd (213 target) was always going to be tough, but we were in it till the end. They held their nerve and kept hitting their yorkers,” said Rohit at the post-match presentation.

“Still lot of positives, we started well with the ODIs, wanted to do well here but the boys throughout the tour were excellent, put in a lot of hard work. They will be disappointed tonight but we’ve to learn from the mistakes we made and move ahead.”

India next host Australia for two T20s and five ODIs, starting in Vizag on February 24.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said that his team will take a lot of confidence from the T20 triumph against India into the home series against Bangladesh.

Mass prayer in Mizoram churches to oppose Citizenship Bill

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February 10, 2019

Special mass prayer was held in churches across Mizoram for the defeat of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Presbyterian church’s Mizoram Synod sources said on Sunday.

Members of 16 major churches of different denominations held prayers on Saturday night. The appeal made by the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), a conglomeration of leaders of major churches, had asked the local churches of all the denominations to pray so that the bill gets stalled in the Rajya Sabha.

The MKHC had earlier appealed to members to hold mass prayer on the night of February 16, but issued another circular on Friday last to conduct the mass prayer on February 9 or February 10. A press statement issued by the MKHC said that the bill is “harmful” for Mizoram and Christians.

The bill, being vehemently opposed in the Northeast, was passed in Lok Sabha on January 8 and the Centre has said that it will try to get the Rajya Sabha nod in this budget session. The bill seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India even if they do not possess any document.

“Passage of the amendment bill can result in suppression of the freedom of religion and is against the spirit of secularism,” the MKHC statement said.

It appealed to the church members to pray for religious freedom in India so that the people can continue to worship God freely.Hoever, Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a public meeting at Changsari in Assam on Saturday assured the people of the region that the bill will in no way cause harm to their interests.

Future of Kerala lies in tourism sector: UM Alphons Kannanthanam

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February 10, 2019

Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam on Sunday launched the Sivagiri spiritual tourism circuit with facilities like a craft bazaar, bus shelters and an audio-video virtual reality show and said that the future of Kerala lies in the tourism sector. The inauguration of the much-hyped spiritual circuit around the Sivagiri Mutt was marred by controversy as the state-central ministers sparred over the project.

While Kannanthanam, the Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, asked the state government to change its approach towards the Centre, State Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that Kerala was ‘ignored’ in the project due to the involvement from certain quarters.

“This state government had given a comprehensive proposal of Rs 99.09 crore for development projects at Sivagiri Mutt and temples related to Sree Narayana Guru. Just a few days before the sanctioning this amount, due to the involvement from certain quarters, the state government was ignored. The chief minister had criticised the same,” Kadakampally said during his address in the event.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier written to the Prime Minister against the Centre’s decision to inaugurate the spiritual circuit without consulting the state government. The state government alleged that the Centre ignored its proposal to entrust the project with State Tourism Development Corporation.

At present the project has been undertaken by the India Tourism Development Corporation. “The state’s approach must change. We are now constructing walls around us. Instead of lighting lamps, people are confining themselves inside the walls. This is a conservative thought process,” Kannanthanam said, in an apparent reference to the Women’s wall initiative by the state government.

He, however, said that the state and the Centre should work together and praised Kerala’s efforts in making the spiritual circuit around the Sivagiri Mutt a reality. However, Sivagiri sanyasis who spoke during the event said that the Mutt does not have any kind of political affiliation and it wanted the ITDC to handle the spiritual circuit.

Under the total project, Chembazhanti Narayana Gurukulam, Aruvippuram temple, Subramanya Sawmi temple and Mutt at Kunnumpara and the Sivagiri Mutt will be developed. The Sivagiri Mutt will have a tourist facilitation centre, enquiry room, waiting room, first aid, kiosks, cloak room, community dining hall with kicthen and audio-visual hall to be constructed at a cost of Rs 14.92 crore. Other facilities to be developed under the project include tourist facilitation centres, beautification and landscaping, meditation/yoga centre, public conveniences, battery operated vehicles, drinking water facility, multimedia show, wayside amenities, parking, CCTV and Wi-Fi facilities, cafeterias, open air theatre.

Kannanthanam said that the Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned seven projects in Kerala under the Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD schemes for approximately Rs 550 crore. Kerala’s future lies in exploring the possibilities in the tourism sector.

Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham President Swami Vishudhananda presided over the function. The project was sanctioned in January 2019 for Rs 69.47 crore.

5 alleged Hitler watercolors go unsold at German auction

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February 10, 2019

Five watercolors attributed to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler from his early days as a struggling artist have failed to sell at auction in the southern German city of Nuremberg, possibly over fears they could be fakes.

The Nuremberger Nachrichten newspaper reported on Sunday that no bids were received on the paintings, which had starting prices of between 19,000 euros (USD 21,500) and 45,000 euros (USD 50,900).

Three days before Saturday’s auction, prosecutors seized 63 other paintings attributed to Hitler from the auction house to investigate allegations that they were fakes.

In Berlin last month, prosecutors seized three other Hitler watercolors after receiving a complaint questioning their authenticity.

As a young man, Hitler is thought to have painted some 2,000 pictures as he unsuccessfully struggled to succeed as an artist in Vienna before World War I.

Can’t be judgemental until somebody is proven guilty: Ajay Devgn on #MeToo

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February 10, 2019

Ajay Devgn says that he was shocked by the #MeToo allegations against some of the prominent names in the Indian film industry but he believes a due course of law should be followed in such cases. Several Bollywood personalities such as directors Rajkumar Hirani, Subhash Ghai, Sajid Khan, Vikas Bahl and Rajat Kapoor, actor Alok Nath, singer Kailash Kher and music composer Anu Malik were called out for sexually harassing women over the years.

“A couple of things came out and some people are like this but everybody is not like that. I would say that some names did shock me but then I can’t be judgmental completely till somebody proves someone guilty or not,” Ajay told media.

Ajay, who has supported the movement in the past, believes the power game does not work anymore in the industry. “New generation is thinking differently, they are not going to accept the bullshit what people used to accept couple of years back. They are changing and we are changing and that change is for better. With the media coming in, everything is out in the open. You can’t say that I am very powerful and you can’t mess with me, you cannot mess with anybody as everybody is at the same platform, at the same stage. So big or small doesn’t matter anymore, which is a good thing,” he said.

On the work front, the 49-year-old actor will be next seen in “Total Dhamaal” that releases on February 22. He is also working on “De De Pyaar De” with Tabu, “Taanaji: The Unsung Warrior”, “Chanakya” with Neeraj Pandey, a biopic on the legendary football coach Syed Abdul Rahim and a Luv Ranjan’s film with Ranbir Kapoor.

Go back to your village, you are not eligible to be PM: Naidu hits back

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February 10, 2019

Taking exception to the Prime Minister addressing him as “father of Lokesh” at a rally in Guntur on Sunday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched a counter-offensive by dragging Narendra Modi’s wife into the row.

“You have estranged your wife. Do you have any respect in the family system,” Naidu asked Modi. The TDP president Naidu said in a public meeting at Vijayawada that he loved his family and respected it. The Prime Minister did not have a family or a son. Since you have referred to my son, I am mentioning about your wife. People, do you know Narendra Modi has a wife? Her name is Jashodaben.

The Chief Minister also continued his outburst at the Prime Minister, accusing him of ruining the country and all the systems. Naidu, who had earlier welcomed demonetisation when it was announced on November 8, 2016, now called it a “mad Tughlaq act”. “They scrapped Rs 1000 currency note but brought in Rs 2000 note. How will corruption end,” he asked.

The TDP had quit the NDA in March last year protesting against the “injustice” done to the state post-bifurcation. Naidu alleged the opposition YSR Congress mobilised crowds for the Prime Ministers public meeting at Guntur as the BJP totally lost public support in the state.

“Modis AP tour is an utter flop. BJP should realise that people registered their protest by not attending Modi’s meeting. It has been established again that the Telugu people would teach a lesson to those who betrayed them,” Naidu told his party leaders.

The Chief Minister condemned BJP leaders complaint that the government obstructed people from attending the Guntur public meeting. “The Prime Minister claims to be a chaiwala but look at his suits and boots,” the Chief Minister said.

“The go back slogan we gave is asking you to go back to your village in Gujarat as you are not eligible to be the Prime Minister,” Naidu added.

Seven trains cancelled, nine diverted in Rajasthan: Gujjar agitation

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February 10, 2019

Seven trains were cancelled and two partially cancelled whereas nine trains were diverted on Sunday due to the ongoing Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan’s Sawai Madhopur district, officials said.

According to a North Western Railway (NWR) spokesperson, the cancelled trains include Hazrat Nizamuddin-Udaipur and Udaipur-Hazrat Nizamuddin while Bayana-Jaipur and Jaipur-Bayana were partially cancelled between Bayana and Swai Madhopur.

The agitation has affected the train movement in NWR and West Central Railway (WCR) zones of the Indian Railways causing inconvenience to common people. In the WCR region, nearly 200 trains were cancelled, partially cancelled or diverted on Friday and Saturday.

Members of the Gujjar community are holding a sit-in on railway tracks in Malarna Dungar of Sawai Madhopur district from Friday evening to press government for their demand of 5 per cent quota to five communities, including Gujjars in jobs and educational institutes.

‘Gully Boy’ gets thundering response at Berlinale 2019

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February 10, 2019

Zoya Akhtar’s much-awaited film “Gully Boy”, featuring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in lead, had a packed house premiere at the ongoing Berlin International Film Festival.

Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director, Toronto International Film Festival shared on Twitter that the film was well-received and he has never seen such a response for any movie at Berlinale in past two decades.

“Watched the GULLY BOY world premiere tonight in a packed house with @RanveerOfficial, @aliaa08 & @ZoyaAkhtarOff present. Biggest cheers I’ve heard in 20+ years at the Berlinale,” he wrote alongside a picture of Ranveer meeting the audience post the premiere.

Watched the GULLY BOY world premiere tonight in a packed house with @RanveerOfficial, @aliaa08 & @ZoyaAkhtarOff present. Biggest cheers I’ve heard in 20+ years at the Berlinale. pic.twitter.com/Lk8OUoA663

— Cameron Bailey (@cameron_tiff) 10 February 2019

The festival’s official Twitter handle thanked Ranveer for his energetic rap performance on film’s track “Apna Time Aayega”

“Thank you @RanveerOfficial , we had a blast last night, you were absolutely amazing,” the tweet read.

Ranveer, 33, said it was a “memorable” night for him. It was a truly memorable night! Thank you so much for having us, he tweeted in response to the festival’s post.

“Gully Boy”, produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar, features Ranveer as an up-and-coming rapper who sets out to achieve his dream by rhyming about his life on the Mumbai streets.

The film, also starring Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Vijay Raaz, will release on February 14.

Woman kills self, her son in Gujrat

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February 10, 2019

A 35-year-old woman and her four-year-old son died on Sunday after allegedly drinking poison in Gujarat’s Junagad district, police said.

The daughter of the woman, identified as Arunaben Savaliya, who was also made to consume the substance, is in a critical condition. A police official said a domestic dispute seems to be the cause behind the suicide by Savaliya.

As per police, Savaliya made her son Lakshya and daughter Rashi consume poison at their home in Piyava village in Visavadar taluka, around 320 kms from. While Lakshya died on the spot, Savaliya and Rashi were rushed to Visavadar referral hospital, a local police station official said, adding that the woman died during treatment.

“Rashi is battling for her life. The woman consumed poison along with her son and daughter, apparently after a domestic dispute. However, the exact trigger behind the extreme step is not known,” the police official said, adding that further investigation is on.

Indian women’s football team face Nepal in Hero Gold Cup

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February 10, 2019

Hosts India would look to seal a place in the final of the Hero Gold Cup women’s international football tournament when they face Nepal in their second round-robin match here on Monday.

India began their campaign with a 1-0 win over Iran on Saturday with Anju Tamang finding the net in the 48th minute and a win on Monday would take them to final of the four-team tournament.

The win against Iran was India’s fifth on the trot after back-to-back victories against both Indonesia and Hong Kong in matches prior to this tournament.

“We play for a win in every match, and against Iran it was no different. We knew this will be a tough match for us. We wanted to start the tournament of a positive note, said coach Maymol Rocky.

India could have scored more but were unlucky as Sanju hit the woodwork in the second half and Anju muffed another golden chance in the dying minutes.

“Everyone did their job on the pitch to the fullest. We were confident before the match. I am aware about the potential this team has, and we played to the best of our abilities, and stunned one of the best women teams in Asia,” the coach said.

Nepal had lost 0-3 to Myanmar in their first match on Friday but Maymol said they were no pushovers.

“Nepal are a very strong side. We cannot underestimate them. They are really quick on the break, and have decent finishing skills. We need to be on the top of our game and aim for a win.