More educated young Indians falling in Islamic State’s trap

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August 26, 2015

In what is likely to send the security and various intelligence agencies into a tizzy, a report prepared by the government suggests that a growing number of educated young Indians have either joined the Islamic State recently or are heading to its strongholds in Iraq and Syria.

The government seems to be highly concerned about at least 17 young Indians – mostly educated and hailing from middle-class or affluent families with conventional aspirations – who have gone missing in the recent past.

Some of those who went missing had known links to the Islamist political groups but none had any past connections to terrorism.

Early this month, the Ministry of Home Affairs held a high-level meeting which was attended by the Directors General of Police and Home Secretaries from 12 states to discuss the cases of young Indians who have gone missing.

The intelligence agencies suspect they have either joined the Islamic State or are headed to its strongholds.

The development has raised alarm bells in the establishment as it had in November last year claimed ‘negligible’ threat from the Islamic State.

According to the report, those 17 missing Indians are believed to be active with the Islamic State or rival organisations like Jabhat al-Nusra.

In addition, up to a dozen Indian Mujahideen cadre have also believed to have joined the Islamic State, while police have stopped at least 22 volunteers from travelling abroad.

The intelligence inputs on missing Indians also suggested that six of those might have been killed fighting for the Islamic States.

Karnataka HC stays Sania Mirza’s Khel Ratna award

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Afternoon Voice

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August 26, 2015

The Karnataka high court stayed Sania Mirza’s Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award after Paralympic athlete H N Girisha filed a plea against the recommendation of the Indian tennis ace for the country’s highest sporting honour.

The 2012 London Paralympics silver medallist Girisha was upset at the way Sania has been recommended by the Union sports ministry-appointed selection panel.

The Hassan-born high jumper, who won bronze at the 2014 Incheon Asian Para Games, said he was disappointed that the panel overlooked his performance.

In contrast, Girisha stated, he has 90 marks to his account as per the criteria: 70 marks for winning a silver medal at the London Paralympics in 2012 and 20 marks for a bronze medal in Asian Games in 2014. The marks were earned from 2011 to 2014.

Sania’s name was recommended by a Sports Ministry-constituted awards committee headed by Justice V K Bali, the retired Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court. The committee included eminent athletes such as Dola Banerjee, M M Somayya and Bhogeshwar Baruah and sports journalists apart from top officials of the Sports Ministry.

The 28-year-old, who has won three mixed doubles Grand Slams in her career, beat competition from squash player Deepika Pallikal, discus thrower Vikas Gowda, track and field star Tintu Luka, rising shuttler P V Sindhu, and hockey captain Sardar Singh for the coveted honour.

Eva Mendes sparks engagement rumours

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Afternoon Voice

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August 26, 2015

Actress Eva Mendes, who has been dating actor Ryan Gosling for four years, has been photographed wearing a giant emerald ring on her right hand, sparking rumours the couple has got engaged.

She was first spotted wearing the bling on July 25 while promoting Estee Lauder’s new Dimensions Skincare line at Nordstrom’s Aventura Mall in Florida, reported Aceshowbiz.

Mendes, 41, has been flashing the alleged engagement ring in photos she shared on her Instagram.

Neither the actress nor Gosling, 34, has addressed the rumours. Her representative also has not yet made any comment on the matter.

Mendes and Gosling first met in the fall of 2011 on the set of their drama flick “The Place Beyond the Pines”.

Despite their headline making romance, the couple has been acting very private about their personal life. They welcomed their first child together, daughter Esmeralda Amada, in September 2014.

Iggy Azalea drops lawsuit against ex for alleged song theft

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Afternoon Voice

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August 26, 2015

Rapper Iggy Azalea has agreed to dismiss a lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend, Maurice Williams for alleged song theft.

The 25-year-old “Go Hard Or Go Home” hitmaker had alleged in September last year that Williams downloaded songs off her personal computer when the pair dated between 2008 and 2009 and released them in August without consent, reported Entertainment Weekly.

“Defendants have defied Azalea’s demands that they refrain from wrongfully exploiting her name, likeness and copyrighted music by distributing her music without her consent and by using her trademarked name and her likeness to promote themselves and the music they misappropriated,” the original complaint read.

According to court documents, the motion was filed in California courts. Azalea, whose real name is Amethyst Kelly, had initially sought damages for the same.

Kirsten Dunst, Sofia Coppola to reteam for new film?

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Afternoon Voice

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August 26, 2015

Actress Kirtsen Dunst and director Sofia Coppola, who last worked together in “Marie Antoinette”, will reportedly reunite for a new film.

It has been reported there is a talk between the duo for a movie in 2016. If the movie is happening, it will mark their third collaboration after “The Virgin Suicides” (1999) and “Marie Antoinette” (2006).

There is another speculation that the aformentioned project is “Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father”. Back in 2013, Coppola was tapped to write the script, but the movie did not seem to move forward.

It is an adaptation of Alysia Abbott’s novel of the same name about bisexual writer and activist Steve Abbott and his daughter who try to fit in with a new environment which is surrounded by gay men in search of liberation.

Corruption is a social evil

By

Mahendra Singh

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August 26, 2015

We are reading reports about the efforts of the government to teach lessons in honesty and for living within the means to the employees. Junior employees in offices follow the example of their senior counterparts. When they see that ministers, officers and general managers are making money, how can they be expected to remain honest and follow austerity? BEST buses are incurring losses but there are reports about how the higher authorities have indulged in misappropriation of the transport undertaking’s properties.

Union Minister Uma Bharti has addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Brahma, Amit Shah as Vishnu and Arun Jaitley as Mahesh. According to her they are the trimurthi and are running both the party and the government. She added that all three leaders were held in high regards even by their rivals. Known as a firebrand leader, Bharti said she has mellowed down after being given the task of Ganga rejuvenation and became ‘waterbrand’. Amit Shah has said that it will take another 25 years for achche din to arrive provided that BJP wins local and state level polls. Netizens criticized Shah for making this comments on social media. Later BJP clarified that he has been misquoted and said that it would take 25 years to restore India to its “ancient glory.

Despite being in the BJP-led government, the Sena has been criticising BJP on various issues, either directly or through ‘Saamna’, the party’s daily mouthpiece. Why not induct Aditya Thackeray in the cabinet for learning administration work? He could be groomed as the future leader of the party. Devendra Fadnavis is a honest man but to become an effective CM he needs to become strict.

India is facing shortage of electricians therefore training must be offered to youth for addressing this issue. Such enhanced training modules can be arranged with the participation of experts drawn from foreign countries. In our country, we must focus on the work of enhancing electric power generation and distribution.

Population control is very important otherwise strain on resources will tend to increase. It’s also necessary to curtail rising vehicular traffic. Why so many motor vehicles are allowed to ply on roads thereby increasing air pollution? Motor vehicle population is increasing but there is lack of adequate parking space in the city. Who will monitor this?

Kapil Sharma surprised Abbas-Mustan in Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon

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Afternoon Voice

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August 26, 2015

Actor-comedian Kapil Sharma, who will make his debut in Bollywood with Abbas-Mustan’s Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon, surprised the director duo while shooting for an emotional scene.

“There was an emotional scene, where Kapil is shown drunk and narrates what happens with him throughout. It was a five-page dialogue scene,” said Abbas.

“We asked Kapil to prepare himself and we also came prepared. The shoot was scheduled at eight in the night. We had ordered for dinner, late night snacks and morning breakfast for the unit. After the lighting was set and all was done, we started shooting around 8 pm,” he added.

However, what happened next surprised the entire cast and crew of the film.

“We told Kapil about the markings and camera movements. The shoot began and we were surprised as we had to pack-up by 9.30 pm. Kapil did the five page dialogue in one shot. He asked for one more take but we were confident and didn’t go for the second take. It was very well performed by Kapil and we were fully satisfied,” said Abbas.

Kapil also said that he could do that scene without glycerine as he was missing his father, who died of cancer in 2004.

Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon also stars Arbaaz Khan, Manjari Fadnis, Simran Kaur Mundi and Elli Avram. The film is scheduled to release on September 25.

I am a huge fan of Shah Rukh Khan: Athiya Shetty

By

Afternoon Voice

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August 26, 2015

Actress Athiya Shetty, who will be launched by Salman Khan in the upcoming film “Hero”, is a huge fan of superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

Salman is launching Athiya, daughter of actor Sunil Shetty, in Bollywood with the remake of “Hero”.

Being the daughter of an actor, Athiya did get a chance to meet the stars of Bollywood. “They are all superstars. I remember meeting Shah Rukh Khan sir on the sets of ‘Main Hoon Naa’ and I am a huge fan of him.

“He is an amazing person. He showed me the entire set… Had a nice time… So it is a memory I will cherish,” said Athiya.

At a time when every actress looks to work with the Khans, Athiya too is keen to share screen space with them.

“I don’t know when I would get the opportunity to work with them. But whenever the offer comes I will grab it. If I get the chance (to romance the Khans) then why not,” she said. She is open to doing a film with her father.

“I don’t know, nothing has come yet. I would love to work with him,” she added.

Film with Katrina a unique love story: Sidharth Malhotra

By

Afternoon Voice

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August 26, 2015

Actor Sidharth Malhotra cannot wait to start shooting with actress Katrina Kaif for his next film, which he says is a light-hearted, unique love story. The film, apparently titled “Kal Jisne Dekha”, will go on floors this week and will be shot mainly in the UK.

The 30-year-old actor, who is sharing screen space with Katrina, 32, for the first time, said the movie will have them play different ages.

“I am going to start shooting with Katrina for a love story next week. We will be shooting this film in the UK. It is a unique love story of these two people who span over a period of time. It gives us a chance to play different ages, there is an X-factor in it,” said Sidharth.

Riding high on the success of his action-drama “Brothers”, Sidharth is happy his next project is a love story.

“We both are preparing for the role, we have been doing rehearsals. We are really excited to start shooting. I am quite excited to share screen space with Katrina. It will be a lot of fun, it is a lighter love story. It is not on a serious note,” he said.

Is the FDA avoiding confrontation with media?

By

Afternoon Voice

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August 25, 2015

Many dailies have failed to publish the news pertaining to the FDA crackdown against “U-B Fair cream”.

Even though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seized several packs of ‘U-B Fair’ cream for men manufactured by the Torque Pharmaceuticals for containing corticosteroid but it has failed to issue notices to the dailies that published the product’s advertisement on front page for several months. Is the FDA avoiding confrontation with media by not issuing notice to them? The dailies have earned crores by publishing the said advertisement. However, barring a few dailies many of them have not published the news pertaining to the FDA crackdown against “U-B Fair cream”.

Pratik Joshi a Kandivali resident said, “The FDA should ask those dailies that had published the “U-B Fair cream” for fairness advertisement to publish the news about the action taken by it against them on the front page.”

The association of Indian dermatologists has complained to the national drug regulator and an advertising industry watchdog that the Chandigarh-based Torque Pharmaceuticals has launched a product called U-B Fair containing a corticosteroid as a non-prescription skin cream for fairness. They have sought a regulatory crackdown and a ban on over-the-counter sales of similar products without prescriptions.

The cream, similar to others already in the market, is a well-known pharmaceutical formulation that combines three medications, including a steroid that dermatologists say should be sold only through prescriptions for specific skin disorders, and not for fairness.

“Given our cultural preference for fair skin, giving such products to consumers is like putting guns into the hands of children,” said Shyam Verma, a dermatologist.

“Often people buy fairness creams merely by watching advertisements aired on television. However, some of them could have adverse effects on their health” said Sudeep Singh a Borivali resident.

The launch of U-B Fair cream containing corticosteroid in June was met with sharp criticism from dermatologists, who even approached the Drug Controller General of India asking for a ban on the product and the ones with similar composition.

“It is a drug and not a cosmetic product. It is not supposed to be sold without a prescription in supermarkets and chemist stores,” said FDA commissioner Harshadeep Kamble. “The women’s cream promoted as a face wash contains salicylic acid that can cause difficulty in breathing, dryness and even peeling of skin. Supervision while using them is imperative,” he added.

U-B Fair cream manufactured by Torque Pharmaceuticals based in Chandigarh; the brand is being endorsed by Bollywood actor Pulkit Samrat of Fukrey fame.

Fairness creams with steroids are often sold illegally in some parlours under fancy names. These are essentially cold creams mixed with bleaching powder.

The creams show remarkable results initially but in a matter of 15 days, adverse effects like dryness, itchiness and broken blood vessels often start showing up. Some dermatologists are even warning pharmacists against stocking such drugs.