With Iran nuclear deal, an undersea gas pipeline to India holds promise

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July 20, 2015

The Iran nuclear deal could see not just more imports of Iranian crude to India, the lifting of Western sanctions now holds the promise of kick-starting an undersea pipeline project that would bring Iranian gas to India via the Arabian Sea, bypassing Pakistan.

“The Iran nuclear deal is going to open up more possibilities of importing crude from Tehran, the quantities can be increased. It will also help to implement two-three projects we are working on without any shadow of sanctions,” an official source said.

“Among the major projects we are eyeing is the SAGE undersea pipeline to bring gas from Oman and Iran to India,” the official said, declining to be named.

The gas pipeline project by South Asia Gas Enterprises Pvt Ltd (SAGE), when implemented, could see over 31 million cubic meters of gas per day delivered to India.

The pipeline project, also known as Middle East to India Deepwater Pipeline (MEIDP), was formulated a decade ago, but could not take off due to the Western sanctions and US opposition as well as technological issues. “All that has now been sorted out,” the official added.

With the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline still stuck and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipelines yet to take off, the SAGE project holds promise of seeing gas delivered to energy-starved India in about five years.

The 1,200-1,300 km pipeline, set to cost around $4.5 billion, is the best energy option for India, says Subodh Kumar Jain, director, SAGE. “We are very excited, the development (Iran nuclear deal) holds a lot of promise for getting the SAGE pipeline project moving forward,” Jain said.

Jain said the pipeline would avoid Pakistan`s underwater continental shelf and is “very much doable”.

“India has been struggling to get pipeline projects off the ground for the past 20 years, while China has several pipeline projects running. Now things will certainly change, we`re getting good encouragement from the government,” said Jain.

Chilling details emerge about Delhi child killer Ravinder Kumar

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Afternoon Voice

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July 20, 2015

Ravinder Kumar, a 23-year-old bus cleaner, who was arrested last week from South Delhi on suspicion of killing a six-year-old girl, has made chilling revelations before the city police about how he lured children and his unending desire for sexual acts with corpses.

Kumar, during his interrogation, had reportedly told the police that he lured children with candy, and killed them if they resisted and had sex with their bodies – a behaviour matching the psychological condition known as ‘necrophilia’ or a desire for sexual acts with corpses.

He and his close friends kidnapped, sexually assaulted and killed about 15 children between 2008 and 2015 in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, Kumar had admitted before the police.

The serial child killer, who had been on the run till his arrest last week, claimed that he turned into a different person every time he had drinks with his close friends – Dharmender and Kishan – and watched pornographic movies.

He then set out with his friends to lure children, kidnap, rape and murder them eventually.

In his confessional statement, Kumar admitted to have committed his first crime when he was barely 17. A labourer’s girl child from a Metro construction site was his first catch. He took her to an isolated place, had sex with her and then dumped the body.

Police, however, could not find a record of the crime as it was not reported.

Getting scot free after committing the first crime made Kumar confident about committing more such crimes in future, he had told the interrogators.

In 2009, Ravinder kidnapped a labourer’s son from Vijay Vihar, sodomized and strangled him. However, this time a case was registered against him but he managed to evade law due to lack of eyewitnesses and evidence.

Ravinder claimed that he had killed 11 of his victims after they resisted his attempts to sexually assault them or identified him.

Elaborating about his modus operandi, Ravinder told police that he usually committed the crimes in the afternoon or in the early hours.

“He would go around colonies looking for children playing outside their house or near latrines and lure them with money and sweets. If they refused, he would simply gag and pick them up,” a police officer was quoted as saying by a leading daily.

In exceptional cases, if the victim agreed to not reveal the matter, Ravinder would let him go.

According to police, Kumar had also admitted to have committed two crimes in Kanjhawala and Mundka in 2011.

He even targeted two 14-year-old friends of a relative while visiting his aunt during a marriage ceremony in Aligarh in 2012.

However, they were let off after they promised to keep quite about the incident. Ravinder had also admitted to have preyed on three other children in the locality, details of which are being sought from UP Police.

In his confessional statement, Ravinder Kumar had accepted that he committed two such crimes in Noida in 2013 while working as a cleaner with the contractor of a transport company.

Local police are trying to trace the family of these victims and verify all details provided by him.

Kylie Jenner sets Instagram on fire as she flashes flesh in a revealing outfit

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Afternoon Voice

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July 20, 2015

TV personality Kylie Jenner was spotted flaunting ample cleavage while partying with her sister Kendall and model Cara Delevingne.

The 17-year-old, who wore a cream coloured bralet and matching sheer skirt for the occasion, shared a video with her fans in which she was seen provocatively grabbing her cleavage.

Another clip sees her dancing in her seat as she sits next to Delevingne around the table and in the background someone can be heard shouting “get them all out!”.

“These didn’t make it to Snapchat so here you are Instagram,” Kylie wrote next to the video.

While most fans praised the video, others were left with raised eyebrows, arguing that she was too young to be sharing such raunchy clips.

Actress Rochelle Aytes engaged

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Afternoon Voice

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July 20, 2015

White Chicks actress Rochelle Aytes is engaged to her longtime boyfriend CJ Lindsey.

Lindsey popped the question to the actress when the couple visited a beach in Oregon, reported Us magazine.

The two made the surprise stop during a road trip from Vancouver, Canada, where Aytes films US drama “Mistresses”, to Los Angeles.

Both Aytes and Lindsey shared their big news on Instagram, with Aytes posting a photo collage of the seaside proposal.

She added the caption, “He asked me to marry him and I said Yes! I feel so blessed to have this amazingly beautiful man in my life! God is so good. All the time!!”

‘The Godfather’ actor Alex Rocco dead at 79

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Afternoon Voice

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July 20, 2015

Alex Rocco, best known for playing a mobster and Las Vegas casino owner Moe Greene in “The Godfather”, is dead. He was 79.

Rocco died on Saturday afternoon of cancer at his home in Studio City, his son, Sean, said.

Rocco, who studied acting with the late Leonard Nimoy, a fellow Boston-area transplant, also was the voice of Roger Meyers Jr., the cigar-smoking chairman of the studio behind “Itchy and Scratchy” on “The Simpsons”; and he played Arthur Evans, the father of Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s character, on the stylish Starz series “Magic City”.

Rocco starred as a white Detroit detective who is reluctantly paired with a black detective (Hari Rhodes) in Arthur Marks’ “Detroit 9000” (1973) and voiced an ant in “A Bug’s Life” (1998).

“That was my greatest prize ever in life, because I did about eight lines as an ant, and I think I made over a million dollars,” he said in a 2012 interview.

Rocco won an Emmy Award in 1990 for best supporting actor in a comedy for playing sneaky Hollywood talent agent Al Floss on the short-lived CBS series “The Famous Teddy Z”, starring Jon Cryer.

Watching pornography is sinful

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Afternoon Voice

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July 20, 2015

Watching pornography involves taking pleasure in observing other people in a state of nakedness, which is the sin of sensuality or lewdness according to the Holy Book, The Bible. The Holy Book makes it clear to us that watching pornography is a sin. In Galatians, Chapter 5, verse 19, we read, “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are immorality, impurity, sensuality.”

Everyday, television, movies, newspapers, magazines and the Internet bombard us with lustful images. And when lustful thoughts become a part of our lifestyle, we feel like prisoners to those controlling desires. But God does not want us to suffer in the prison of lust. He offers us hope and freedom when we turn to Him for help to understand the truth behind the lies of lust.

Glorying in another person’s nakedness is a sinful behaviour. Beginning in the Garden of Eden and continuing throughout the Holy Book, we find that those who take pleasure in another’s nakedness (outside of marriage), are depicted as shameful and due condemnation.

Lust has been with mankind all throughout history. In fact, at the creation of the world, God met Adam and Eve’s basic needs for food, companionship and protection. Yet he put one thing out of their reach to test their love for Him — the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Due to lust, they failed God’s test. Satan tempted Eve by telling her that God was holding back something good. She and Adam through lust ate the forbidden fruit. As a result, they subjected all mankind to God’s curse. The roots of lust run so deep that it is almost instinctive. And once we begin to fulfill our own lusts, a vicious cycle begins. Lust leads to sin. Sin breaks our relationship with God. We become numb to lust’s impact, so we think we can lust even more. Unless our desires are turned over to the Lord, we will never be satisfied.

In Exodus, Chapter 20, verse 17, we read, “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour’s.” Coveting can include a desire to have people, possessions, or status. Satan uses the lust of the eyes as one avenue of temptation. More importantly, the Lord God sees such conduct as reprehensible. Consider the Lord’s admonishment against Israel when they engaged in lewd and immoral conduct.

In Matthew, Chapter 5, verse 20, we read, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Pornographic materials are intended to illicit sexual arousal in our flesh, which is lust. Lust is any arousal of the flesh which occurs in an immoral manner, and the whole purpose of filming other people engaging in sexual acts (often grossly distorted and perverted acts) is to entice lust in the hearts of the audience. The sexual acts on display in pornographic material are acts of fornication, which is the sin of sexual contact outside marriage. When we take part in this enterprise as an observer (i.e., as a customer of pornography), we are condoning and promoting fornication. This promoting behaviour is itself the sin of licentiousness, or giving license to sin.

The act of watching pornography is immoral and sinful. It is wrong because it condones fornication and is licentiousness. It is intended to induce lust in the heart, and it exposes us to the nakedness of strangers.

Lust, like I said earlier is a sin, and anything that brings us to the point of lust is a sinfully corrupting and tempting influence. Jesus Christ said that the commission of lust is equal to the commission of adultery. For those involved in pornography, God alone can and will give you victory.

Jubel D’Cruz

Kareena Kapoor has motherhood on her mind but…

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Afternoon Voice

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July 20, 2015

Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor, who married Saif Ali Khan in October 2012, has expressed her desire to become a mother, but not for the next two-three years.

“As of now there are no plans (to have children) and I am very clear about it. Of course I will be a mother someday, but not for the next two or three years. It is not even a thought,” said Kareena, who is basking in the success of Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

After getting married to Saif, the 34-year-old actress continued working in all kind of films. The couple got married after five years of courtship.

“Despite being married, I chose to do good entertaining films including commercial films. It is difficult to balance. It is important for an actress to do everything,” the “Jab We Met” star said.

Kareena, daughter of Randhir Kapoor and Babita, has been in the industry for 15-16 years. She said when she looks back at her career, she feels proud of her journey in the industry.

“Playing Anil Kapoor’s wife (in Bewafa) to Arjun Kapoor’s partner in director R Balki’s upcoming film, for me it is a journey. I am still working with all the Khans in the industry. I was working from very young age,” she said.v According to Kareena, she thinks that she is the only actress who balances commercial and off beat films and said that she will continue to experiment.

After scaling heights in her career, Kareena wants to set an example for others. “I am not an insecure person. I am happy that after so many years I am still working, I am happy, independent and I am married. I would like to be an example for many young girls that they can be married and still flourish in their career,” Kareena said.

“I don’t have any fear apart from the fact that I may lose my loved ones. I don’t care about my position and all that but family does matter,” the actress added.

What’s Shahid Kapoor up to post marriage?

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Afternoon Voice

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July 20, 2015

It’s been a fortnight since Shahid Kapoor entered matrimony with Delhi based Mira Rajput. And the ‘Haider’ star seems to have switched back to the regular life mode after days of celebration.

While Sasha is a judge on dance reality show `Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Reloaded` , his fans are on a constant look out for more updates from his end.

The hunk of an actor shared a picture of his back from the gym and captioned it `Back to training after a while`.

One can also see the pun intended.

Shahid is back to being fit post his star-studded wedding reception and fairy-tale wedding.

Salman Khan’s ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ breaks ‘Kick’ record, enters Rs. 100 crore with a bang!

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Afternoon Voice

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July 20, 2015

Salman Khan’s ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ is breaking all records and is proving to be a tough competition to ‘Baahubali’.

‘Dabangg’ actor Salman is undoubtedly the king of Rs. 100 crore and his film `BB` is raking in the moolah all over.

With `Bajrangi Bhaijaan`entering the 100 crore club in just three days, the movie has set a new record in itself.

The movie which was released on Eid has the entire Bollywood going gaga over it and Salman’s movie is winner at BO.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh confirmed `BB` collections on his Twitter handle. `Bajrangi..

He posted, ” Fri 27.25 cr, Sat 36.60 cr, Sun 38.75 cr. Total: 102.60 cr.”

Interestingly, Salman has also broken the opening record of his last film `Kick` which made a staggering RS 25 crore and now`BB` has raced past `Kick` collections which minted Rs 26 crore on the first day itself.

Well, the movie is surely making and breaking all records!

Fairer side of Journalism have no voice

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Afternoon Voice

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July 19, 2015

There was a need for such an association to address the issues faced by women journalists as none of them existed before.

Women Journalists Association was launched on a pan-India level to provide support to women journalists who face several issues while discharging their duties on field. Today women have to manage both office and household duties amicably. Many of them have to face sexual harassment at work and there is lack of proper forum to resolve these issues. The association also aims to promote equality in areas such as equal pay, work life balance and childcare. The association discussed about various risks faced by women journalists, with focus on the safety of women journalists and media coverage of violence and trauma. Many of them had experienced some form of intimidation, threats, or abuse in relation to their work. Most incidents of harassment and violence go unreported as women suffer in silence.

AV spoke to few committee members of Women Journalists Association to know about why there is the need for a gender based association for women.

Manisha Gurav, the President of Women Journalists Association said, “Several women are being heckled in the Electronic and Print Media and they don’t have a voice for representing them. Whenever women go forward to file complaint about sexual harassment and threat received by them police hesitate to file a complaints. Even if they register complaint they don’t investigate the matter properly and don’t follow up the cases and the victim is denied justice. Recently, a woman journalist Manashree Pathak was assaulted, molested and abused by four to five goons at Vakola, Santacruz. Pathak was covering Santacruz cylinder blast story when the incident happened.”

“Our issues have to be addressed and taken up seriously and full protection should be offered to women journalists. The police should take cognizance and register FIR immediately if there is a serious matter. As a journalist in the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh there was an incident where I was heckled but the police didn’t take up the issue. The commissioner in the meeting agreed and has sent a memorandum to all police stations to this effect. He has also agreed to our request for us to meet up with the DCP every month and address all our grievances paving way for resolving cases urgently” she said.

Bhagyashri who is a treasurer with the association also had a bad experience while working with Sakal News. She said, “There is a need for the police to take up this cause, including offering protection to women reporters, sub-editors etc.”

Poonan Upraj, secretary of the association said, “When we try to cover festivals like Ganesh Utsav we are pushed around and abused by miscreants. We just want to be taken seriously and police must offer security to us when we file complaints with them. There was a need for such an association to address the issues faced by women journalists as none of them existed before.”