“Hyderabad is no one’s property, it belongs to all”

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) was completely focussed to ensure all round development of the new State and it has neither the inclination nor patience to get involved in a squabble over regional issues being raked up by certain sections, said TRS leader and Sircilla MLA K.T. Rama Rao on Tuesday. At a function organised by the Telangana Builders Federation, Mr.Rao said even when the Telangana agitation was at its peak and emotions ran high, people from other regions did not face any trouble or harm. “Some tried and continue to try to spread all sort of rumours and fears but I request you not to believe them. Has there been even a small incident?” he asked.

The slogan of ‘Hyderabad sirf hamara hai’ was taken up when the Union Government made attempts at keeping control of the city and not making it part of Telangana. “Hyderabad is no one’s property, it belongs to all,” he asserted and also ridiculed ‘claims of some to have built the city’.

“Cities such as Hyderabad evolve over a period of time and by just building some structures, one cannot claim to have built the city,” Mr.Rao said. Assuring all support to the real estate, he said the builders fraternity would be involved in the process of decision making pertaining to the sector.

“The city realty was poised for a positive growth. Buy property within next three months or so, else the prices are going to rise high,” he predicted. Party chief and Chief Minister designate K. Chandrasekhar Rao was clear and focussed on initiating steps for all-round growth and prosperity of the new State.

“KCR keeps telling us people have elected us and it is our responsibility to fulfil their aspirations and hopes. The new government will ensure safe and peaceful times for citizens besides acting as a facilitator for businesses,” he said.

More Details :http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/hyderabad-is-no-ones-property-it-belongs-to-all/article6054401.ece

President rule in Telagana to be revoked on June 2; to continue in Andhra Pradesh

New Delhi: The President's rule imposed in united Andhra Pradesh on June 2 will be revoked partially to facilitate the swearing-in of TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao as

Chief Minister of Telangana but it will continue in Seemandhra till TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu takes charge a week later.

Hectic activities have been going on in the Union Home Ministry and in Andhra Pradesh government for division of the state smoothly on June 2, the appointed day, official sources said.

A notification is expected to be issued in the morning of June 2 revoking the President's rule in Telangana to facilitate Rao taking charge as the first Chief Minister of the country's 29th state.

The notification will clarify that the President's rule will continue in residuary Andhra Pradesh till Naidu takes oath as Chief Minister either on June 8 or 9, official sources said.

President's Rule was imposed in Andhra Pradesh on March 1 this year after N Kiran Kumar Reddy resigned as Chief Minister following Parliament's nod for bifurcation of the state to create separate Telangana.

Rao's party Telangana Rashtra Samiti won 63 out of the the 119 assembly seats in Telangana in the recent elections while Nadu's Telugu Desam Party, along with ally BJP, bagged 106 of the 175 assembly seats in Seemandhra.

Sources said that before Rao is sworn-in as chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan, who was given the additional charge of the proposed state of Telangana, will himself have to take oath.

Naidu will take oath as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on June 8.

"I will take oath on June 8 between Vijayawada and Guntur. We will organise three important conferences of the party in the three regions of the state soon," Naidu announced at the valedictory session of TDP's two-day annual conclave Mahanadu on Wednesday.

The "muhurtam" for the ceremony has been fixed for 11.45 am on June 8.

An open ground opposite Acharya Nagarjuna University is likely to be the venue of Naidu's swearing-in ceremony, party sources said.

The Telugu Desam Legislature Party meeting will be held in Tirupati, they said.

Chandrababu has already announced that he will operate from the new state only and not Hyderabad, though the city will remain the common capital of AP and Telangana post bifurcation.

He is expected to set up his office temporarily in the Acharya Nagarjuna University campus between Vijayawada and Guntur, given its easy accessibility from various parts of the state.

However, part of the new state government's functioning will also continue from the Secretariat in Hyderabad since relocating the staff en masse will be a difficult exercise due to lack of infrastructure, according to sources.

More Details : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140528/nation-politics/article/president-rule-telagana-be-revoked-jun-2-continue-andhra-pradesh

Telangana TDP leaders keep low profile

The Mahanadu meeting of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which commenced on Tuesday, was a picture of contrast with the party men from Seemandhra bubbling with enthusiasm, while their counterparts from Telangana visibly subdued with uncertainty looming large over their future.

There were many pointers to the passive approach of the ‘Telugu tammullu’ (Telugu brothers) from Telangana as the leaders who used to be seen all over were either invisible or sparsely visible on and off the dais. Party sources stated that there was very poor registration of delegates from Karimnagar, Medak, Nizamabad and Adilabad.

There were just 100 registrations from Karimnagar till lunch time, it was stated.

Lack of visibility

Besides, senior leaders such as Tummala Nageswara Rao, Mandava Venkateswara Rao, Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy, A. Revanth Reddy and others were hardly visible, while Errabelli Dayakar Rao was seen sitting quiet all through.

However, during the debate on the resolution on the party’s electoral success in general, municipal and rural local bodies’ elections MLA-elect from Narayanpet in Mahabubnagar, S. Rajender Reddy, said that the party’s failure to provide ample opportunities to youth to contest the general elections had taken a toll on its performance in Telangana.

Naidu should have contested from ‘T’

He felt that the party could have fared better in Telangana had its chief N. Chandrababu Naidu contested from the region.

There was little cheer from the delegates of the region even when Mr. Naidu tried to give a pep talk stating that he would stay in Telangana till he brought the TDP to power and that there were more party men in Telangana than in Seemandhra who could sacrifice for him.

The party also adopted a resolution to work for making the country corruption-free and suggested inclusion of corruption in the syllabus from the school level. It further wanted a debate on the issue countrywide.

More Details : http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/telangana-tdp-leaders-keep-low-profile/article6054396.ece?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication

Telangana gets 'iconic' logo

Hyderabad: Telangana, the 29th state of India will have a new unique logo, according to a report in India Today.

The two iconic monuments, the Kakatiya Kala Thoranam and the Charminar are inscribed in the logo, apart from the Ashoka emblem.

The logo is set to appear first on the invitation for the swearing-in ceremony of K Chandrasekhar Rao on June 2. That day will mark the birth of the new state Telangana.

According to the report, KCR will first lay a wreath at the Martyrs Memorial to commemorate those who lost their lives in demand for a separate state.

Chandrsekhar Rao will then drive to Raj Bhavan for the swearing in ceremony at 8.15am.

More Details : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140529/nation-politics/article/telangana-gets-iconic-logo

Telangana and Andhra Pradesh seek exemption from fiscal target

Hyderabad: To overcome the financial crisis emerging out of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the state government has urged the Centre to grant a two-year exemption from implementing the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003 (FRBMA) in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

A team of senior officers from the Finance department are also leaving for Delhi to seek Rs 13,000 crore grants from the Centre to overcome the revenue deficit in the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh.

The officials will also urge the Centre to waive off the Rs1,000 crore loan and other payments to be made by the state to the Centre as these loans and other charges towards sending CRPF and CISF battalions to the state were accrued by a united AP, and post bifurcation neither of the states will be fiscally fit to pay them back.

“Earlier too, the central government has given such waivers to states like Bihar and Punjab. The need of the hour is to extend the waiver to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana,” a senior official said.
Officials said exemption for a couple of years from FRBMA was also crucial. FRBMA is aimed at eliminating revenue deficit, build up revenue surplus and contain fiscal deficit and debts.

Officials of the finance department have brought to the notice of the Centre that both the states will be under heavy financial constraints; the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh especially will start with a huge deficit budget and neither of the states will be in a position to meet the fiscal targets laid out under FRBMA.

They pointed out that the states will be forced to secure huge loans from various agencies to meet the budgetary deficit after June 2. State finance department officials have already held a series of meetings with Union finance ministry officials over the issue.

The Union finance ministry is expected to refer the issue to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union finance minister Arun Jaitley and take a final decision before June 2.
Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan has recently approved the expenditure fund of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana with a budget of Rs 34,595 crore and Rs 26,516 crore respectively for a period of four months from June 2.

The division of budget was based on the vote-on-account budget approved by the Assembly of the united state in March this year. The new governments will have to table full-scale budgets for the remaining period from October to March after assuming charge.

More Details : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140529/nation-current-affairs/article/both-telangana-and-andhra-pradesh-seeks-exemption-fiscal

Mixed reaction within Congress as Nawaz Sharif accepts Narendra Modi invite

NEW DELHI: Reactions in Congress varied from caution to commendation on Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi's invitation to Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif to attend his oath-taking ceremony, which the latter accepted today. 

While senior leader DigvijayBSE 4.50 % Singh hailed the decision to invite Sharif as a "positive change in Modi" compared to the "quite contrary" things he had been saying earlier, Congress spokesperson Shashi Tharoor said that the party feels that there is "no basis for substantive talks" at the moment between the two countries. 

Further, Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed said that photo opportunities are okay, but in the euphoria of coronation, Modi should not compromise national interest. 

Outgoing Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari, for his part, reminded that BJP has all along maintained that terror and talks cannot go together. 

"It's a very positive thing and he (Modi) has only followed the policy which was enunciated from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, although he has been talking quite contrary to what he has done now. Therefore, I think it is a positive change in Modi," Singh said. 

Tharoor, who was earlier a Minister of State for External Affairs, however, had a word of caution to offer. 

"As far as Congress is concerned, all we have said is that there is a consensual position on the question of why we have not been inviting Nawaz Sharif or former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to Delhi since 26/11. Nor have we sent our Prime Minister there. And that position has been related to 26/11 and the horrors of that terror attack," Tharoor said. 

He said India has maintained that until its minimum demands for progress in pursuing, prosecuting and punishing the perpetrators and accomplices behind 26/11 are not met or unless steps are taken to dismantle the infrastructure for carrying out terror attacks on India and Indian interests in , "there is no basis for substantive talks". 

Read more at:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/35566429.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst 

Read more at:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/35566429.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif arrives tomorrow, bilateral talks on Tuesday

Ending the suspense, Pakistan on Saturday confirmed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will attend Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony on May 26.

Sharif will arrive in Delhi on Monday, accompanied by his Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry among others.

The day after the swearing-in, Modi will hold separate bilateral meetings with Sharif and other visiting heads of the SAARC countries. In a positive gesture, Islamabad also conveyed to New Delhi that about 150 Indian prisoners lodged in Pakistan’s jails will be freed on May 26.

“According to the programme received from India, the Prime Minister will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi on the morning of May 27. The Prime Minister would also call on the President of India. The Prime Minister would return to Pakistan in the afternoon of May 27, 2014,” said a statement released by the Pakistan Foreign Office.

The announcement on Saturday came after two days of deliberations within Pakistan’s establishment — political, military and bureaucracy. Significantly, Sharif’s brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif met Pakistan Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif for about half-an-hour on Friday night and conveyed to him the importance of the visit to India, PML-N sources told PTI in Islamabad.

As reported by The Indian Express on Saturday, the diplomatic advice rendered to Sharif — by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and the foreign office in Islamabad — recommended that he should undertake the visit for the sake of improving bilateral relations.

Seeming to set the tone for his visit, Sharif’s daughter, Maryam, tweeted on Saturday, “Aggression is easy to start but difficult to end… Brutality & force are tools of the immoral… #pakindiarelations. Leaders are not captives of past”. To a question on Kashmir, she tweeted, “Dialogue, not force, is the answer. As I said, aggression breeds aggression.”

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley signalled that the gathering of these foreign leaders should not be seen through the “prism of bilateral issues”. “The invitation to all leaders of SAARC nations to be present at the ceremony is to showcase Indian democracy and its strength to the world at large. It is a democracy event. It should not be viewed through the prism of bilateral issues between countries. While celebrating the success of India’s democracy, the fact that our neighbours, through their leaders, will be represented re-affirms India’s faith in both democracy and greater integration of the region,” he said.

With Sharif’s confirmation, MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin noted that all the leaders of SAARC countries and Mauritius have confirmed their participation. While Bangladesh Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhary and Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay will be arriving on Sunday, the others are expected on Monday, hours before the ceremony.

More Details : http://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/pakistan-pm-nawaz-sharifs-agrees-to-attend-modis-swearing-in-ceremony/

Pakistan PM Sharif may attend Modi's swearing-in: PML-N

NEW DELHI: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif may attend Indian PM-elect Narendra Modi's swearing-in on May 26, ruling party PML-N spokesperson hinted, according to a CNN IBN report.

However, there is no clariity whether Sharif will attend the ceremony as there is no confirmation from the Pakistan government officials. Sharif, according to the report, is exploring possibilities of the same.

Earlier, in an unexpected move, Pakistan Prime Minister as well as the head of other South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations was invited to Modi's swearing-in ceremony on Monday.

This is an unexpected diplomatic move following the combative positions the two nations - India and Pakistan - had taken when the Bharatiya Janata Party won a landslide victory in the just-concluded general elections.

All the heads of all SAARC countries, including Pakistan, were invited for Modi's oath-taking ceremony on May 26.

SAARC comprises, besides India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives, Bhutan and Afghanistan.

However, all eyes are on Pakistan to see if Prime Minister Sharif will accept the unexpected invitation. (With inputs from agencies)

More Details : https://in.news.yahoo.com/elections2014/

Modi breaks down while delivering speech in Parliament

Narendra Modi turns emotional, breaks down while delivering speech in Parliament. He got emotional while recalling Bajpayee. Also requested LK Advani not to express gratitude towards him since he is a party worker and grateful towards party.

More Details : https://in.news.yahoo.com/

Modi's task force on black money is almost ready

It could be the first big step from PM-designate Narendra Modi to bring back black money stashed abroad.

Sources in central agencies tell Indiatoday.in that a framework for a new task force to deal with black money has been prepared.
"Under the directions of senior officials of Department of Revenue, this task force has been created. It will be headed by the Financial Intelligence Unit," said an official, requesting anonymity.
Central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, the Income Tax Department and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence are the members of the task force.
The task force will deal with black money derived from corruption, money laundering, hawala, terrorist financing or through off-shoring of wealth via tax havens.
It will deal with all types of black money deposited in tax havens including Swiss banks.
However, at present, the framework of this task force is ready, but there will be no official word from any central agencies or department till Modi takes over prime minister.
"As soon as Modi assumes his new post, the framework of this task force would be shown to him for final approval. He will decide when to make it official," the source said.
In his Lok Sabha election speeches, Modi said black money will be brought back if the NDA came to power and it would be used for the welfare of the poor and to reward honest income-tax payers.
He promised to create a new task force to take 5-10 per cent of seized black money and distribute it to law-abiding citizens on fixed incomes.
The tax department is delighted and waiting to get this implemented at the earliest.
"If Modi is successful in launching few voluntary schemes among high networth individuals and rich Indians who have stashed black money abroad and make them (who fear central government and agencies) share the details, then nothing like it. At least, the department will get its 30 per cent tax from each individual," a senior IT official said.

More Details : https://in.news.yahoo.com/modis-task-force-black-money-almost-ready-091523943.html

Telugu Desam can’t win in Telangana again: Harish Rao

TRS legislator Harish Rao. (Photo: DC/File)

Hyderabad: TRS legislator T. Harish Rao dismissed TD leaders’ claim that the party would return to power in Telangana state in 2019.

“The TD leaders are dreaming return of their party to power in Telangana in 2019. Forget 2019, the TD will not come to power even in 2090,” he said while welcoming Gajwel Congress ex-MLA Narsa Reddy, who contested against TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao and lost, to party fold.

Mr Narsa Reddy joined the TRS along with four ZPTC members and MPTCs in the presence of Mr Harish Rao at the Telangana Bhavan.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Harish Rao said the Congress and the TD would be deserted soon in Telangana.

“We expect exodus from the Congress and the TD to TRS,” he said.

Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu and other TD leaders claimed that the TD would return to power in Telangana in 2019.

More Details : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140520/nation-politics/article/telugu-desam-can%E2%80%99t-win-telangana-again-harish-rao

Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to have common High Court

Picture for representation purposes only (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta has issued instructions to the registry that the existing Andhra Pradesh High Court will function as the common High Court for Telangana and the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh.

Sources close to the judiciary revealed that the common high court would function as the High Court of Judicature for the state of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad, from June 2 onwards. Currently, orders have been issued with the cost title for the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad. The litigants have to file their petition from June 2 with the cost title of the High Court of Judicature for the state of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad, sources added.

The AP High Court, which is on its summer vacation, will reopen on June 2, which is the Appointed Day for the new states.

Justice Sengupta arrived in Hyderabad by cutting short his vacation with a view to make arrangements for the functioning of the common HC from June 2 and also to bifurcate the subordinate judiciary prior to May 26 for both the states, sources added.

More Details : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/node/121927

XP Migration – 3 Things You Need To Do Now

Migrating to Windows 8? Read on to find out about the three important things you need to do now.

Congratulations on making the decision to migrate to a new OS! Here’s a list of three actions you can to undertake to have a seamless migration over the Windows 8.

• Deciding on a migration date
  With Windows XP end-of-support targeted for April 2013, you’ll need to complete your migration then or run the risk of using unsupported software, with potentially a need to sign an expensive custom support agreement.
• Rationalizing your application portfolio
  This is a good chance to reduce the number of apps in your environment and set an agile testing process. Start categorizing your apps on criticality for business; check for apps redundancy and older versions and look for apps that are used by the key groups of users within the organization and so on.
• Evaluate scenarios for Windows 8
  Which new Windows Apps can I further leverage to improve my productivity and processes? What’s the best BYOD plan that fits my business to enable my workforce to work on the go? What’s the best device mix that allows me to maintain productivity and mobility? All these are questions that will help you after your migration as you determine the capabilities and devices that are to be deployed in your business.
• More Details : http://h71058.www7.hp.com/tools/xp-migration-3-things-you-need-to-do-now-in/

Cell phones may induce allergic reactions in kids

Cell phones may induce allergic reactions in kids (Thinkstock Photos/Getty Images)

Do not let your kids use mobile phones for a long time as metals used in manufacturing cell phones such as nickel and chromium may induce skin allergies in them. 

Called allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), the prolonged cell phone exposure can cause dermatitis of the face, neck, hands, or anterior thighs - common places exposed to cell phones, researchers warn. 

"With the rising use of cell phones and other mobile devices, pediatricians can expect to see additional cases of ACD," said Mary Cataletto, a professor of clinical pediatrics at State University of New York at Stony Brook. 

A team of researchers led by Jacob Thyssen from Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte reviewed the current literature on mobile phone dermatitis in both children and adults. 

They found that nickel sensitisation is common in children, resulting in ACD prevalence levels of up to 33 percent. 

The authors have provided important diagnostic tips for practitioners and strategies to raise awareness of nickel- or chromium-induced mobile phone ACD. 

"Thyssen's paper discusses diagnostic patch testing for common metal allergens and the value of spot testing of the patient's phone in establishing a causal relationship," Cataletto explained. 

Previous studies have identified mobile phones and related devices as sources of metal sensitisation and potential causes of ACD. 

Despite efforts to control allergen release in phones, many phones on the market release levels of metals, such as nickel and chromium, which are sufficient to induce ACD, said the paper published in the journal Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Pulmonology.

More Details : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Cell-phones-may-induce-allergic-reactions-in-kids/articleshow/35426389.cms

Wave to say hello as handshake may carry microbes

Wave to say hello as handshake may carry microbes (Thinkstock Photos/Getty Images)

A study has asked for the popular handshake to be replaced by a new gesture as the practice is an dangerous as smoking in public - especially in hospitals. 

According to researchers from University of California Los Angeles, handshake can spread disease between patients so doctors should replace it with a wave or a bow. 

"In recent years, there has been increasing recognition of the importance of hands as vectors for infection, leading to formal recommendations and policies regarding hand hygiene in hospitals and other health care facilities," explained lead author Mark Sklansky from University of California Los Angeles. 

Health care workers' hands become contaminated with pathogens from their patients. 

The researchers suggest that a simple wave could replace the handshake for doctors. 

"Infection-conscious alternatives to the handshake may be found in a variety of secular and religiously based gestures from around the world," the researchers wrote. 

"Effective development and implementation of such a handshake ban will likely require further study to confirm and describe the link between handshakes and the transmission of pathogens and disease; the promotion of an alternative, health-conscious gesture to substitute for the handshake; and widespread media and educational programs," the team emphasised. 

Removing the handshake from the health care setting may ultimately become recognised as an important way to protect the health of patients and caregivers, the researchers said in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

More Details : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Wave-to-say-hello-as-handshake-may-carry-microbes/articleshow/35431381.cms

IPL 2014: How the laws of cricket denied CSK single off a no-ball against KKR

During the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2014 contest between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), MS Dhoni hit a high full-toss and was caught at third-man. It was called a no-ball for height after being referred to the third-umpire. The batsmen had also changed ends. However, only the penalty run for the no-ball was counted and not the single taken by Dhoni to reach the other end even as Ravindra Jadeja faced the next ball. Nishad Pai Vaidya looks into the laws and determines why that single wasn’t counted.

Were the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) denied a single during their Indian Premier League(IPL) 2014 game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens? The scorecards show that Chennai scored 154 for five in their 20 overs, but could it have been 155? During the last over of the Chennai innings, MS Dhoni had played a high full-toss from Umesh Yadav. The ball was caught at third-man. But it was referred and ultimately called a no-ball. Although Dhoni crossed over to complete a single as it was taken by the fielder, it wasn’t credited to the overall total. The question is: Why wasn’t it counted in the total?

Let us revisit the events again. At 151 for four in 19.4 overs, Umesh ran in to bowl the fifth ball. It was a high full-toss and Dhoni tried to pull it, but a top-edge flew to third-man, where the catch was taken.  Dhoni seemed to have reached the non-striker’s end after crossing Ravindra Jadeja as the catch was pouched. The umpires then conferred for the height of the delivery. It was given a no-ball for height and two runs were credited to Chennai’s total on the television screens: It showed 153 in 19.4 overs. Jadeja took strike and two runs were scored off the last two balls and the ultimate score was only 154. This meant that the single taken off the no-ball wasn’t counted.

Since the batsmen crossed and Dhoni appeared to have touched the non-striker’s end, shouldn’t the single be counted? According to the Marylebourne Cricket Club’s (MCC’s) Laws of Cricket, the ball doesn’t become dead on the call of the no-ball. But in this case, the no-ball wasn’t called immediately and the umpires approached each other. It was only confirmed by the third-umpire after some time. Even then, one may still argue it wasn’t a dead ball.

More Details : http://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/ipl-2014-how-the-laws-of-cricket-denied-csk-single-off-a-no-ball-against-kkr-139669

There was too much pressure on our singles players: Kashyap

New Delhi: With little to cheer about their performance in the Thomas Cup, where India failed to make the quarters, captain Parupalli Kashyap said that his team always had its back against the wall as there was too much pressure on the singles players to pull off three out of three matches.

The Indian men`s team lost 1-4 to Malaysia on day one, went down 2-3 against Korea, before finally winning against Germany 3-2 in their last group tie today to salvage pride. "It was always going to be tough because we were always expecting 100 per cent from three singles. We were always 0-2 down in the doubles. So, there was a lot of pressure on all three singles players. Srikanth, playing the first singles, was under a lot of pressure. We saw it against Korea. Today also, it was very tough for him, although he managed to pull off his match," Kashyap said.

"We both (Srikanth and myself) were under a lot of pressure to win our respective singles matches," said Kashyap after India`s otherwise disappointing campaign ended on a winning note. Kidambi Srikanth had lost his first two matches against Malaysia and Korea, before pulling it off against Germany. Kashyap lost his matches against Malaysia and Germany, but won his tie against Korea.

But India`s third singles player, R M V Gurusaidutt surprised one and all by winning all three of his ties in the group stage. Applauding Gurusaidutt, national coach Pullela Gopichand said he has improved a lot as a player. "There are always some glitches but he has done very well and we have got a good option in third singles in form of Gurusaidutt," he said.

Kashyap said that his team, especially the singles players, have a lot of positives to take home. "Overall three singles players tried really hard. That`s where our strength was. We had to get 100 per cent result and there was no option of the doubles. So, it was always going to be tough.

"I would say the team is improving. The players, especially singles, will get better. I am confident that I will also get better," said Kashyap. Assessing his own performance, Kashyap admitted that he was "very inconsistent". "I was very inconsistent throughout the tournament. Even during today`s match, I was very inconsistent. I was very bad against Malaysia on the first day. I was excellent on the second day against Korea, but today again my performance was very patchy. I played well only in patches. I need to be a little more consistent," he pointed out.

Asked if the men`s team contemplated fielding him and Srikanth in doubles as was the case in Uber Cup, where Saina Nehwal and P V Sindhu played the second doubles against Thailand yesterday, Kashyap responded in negative. "No. Doubles players were better than me and Srikanth. They have been playing doubles all year round. So, me and Srikanth playing doubles was not an option. Even Saina and Sindhu could not win their doubles match yesterday."

Meanwhile Srikanth, who lost his first two matches against Malaysia`s Lee Chong Wei and Korea`s Wan Ho Son, said Thomas Cup was a good experience for him. "It was a good experience playing in the Thomas Cup. After two defeats, I am happy to win one and finish on a high. I played very close matches against both Lee Chong Wei and Wan Ho Son," said Srikanth.

Gurusaidutt said the team wanted to go back home on a winning note and the onus was on him in the third an
d finals singles match after India and Germany were tied at 2-2. "We wanted to go back home on a winning note. It was very important for us," he said. 

"Actually, it was a good tournament for us. Losing 2-3 to Korea made the difference. Today was very important to win and we badly wanted to win this tie. We had a tough group and finishing number three in the group was not really bad," Gurusaidutt concluded.

More Details : http://zeenews.india.com/sports/others/there-was-too-much-pressure-on-our-singles-players-kashyap_787785.html

Rohit Roy wants to do a show like ‘House of Cards’

Rohit Roy feels a show like 'House of Cards' is challenging and out-of-box.

Popular TV actor Rohit Roy want to do a show like ‘House of Cards’ which he feels is challenging and out-of-box.

Rohit, known for his role in serials like ‘Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand’ and ‘Swabhimaan’, was last seen as Kabir in Zee TV’s fiction show ‘Hitler Didi’.

“I would love to come back on TV, but I want to do something really different and challenging. I like ‘House of Cards’. It is an amazing political drama show. I would love to do something like this on TV. It is fantastic,” Rohit told PTI in an interview here.

“For me it’s not only my role that matters, there are other things also that I look for, like the story and how other characters will shape up in the show, how it will be positioned. It is about the entire package,” he said.

‘House of Cards’ is an American political drama television series. The series is primarily about ruthless pragmatism and manipulation.

Rohit feels TV has a lot of variety to offer these days and he hopes something exciting will come his way soon.

“There are lots of options for TV actors to choose from like drama, comedy, crime, reality shows etc. It is good time for actors to be on TV. Now is the time to experiment on TV as small screen has got restructured,” Rohit said.

Rohit will be seen next in crime-based series ‘Encounter’. The show tells the story of some of the most famous encounters that have taken place in Mumbai between the police and gangsters in bygone era.

The upcoming episode of the show will revolve around the story of Katta Shridhar gang that held Mumbai captive by its rash acts of burglary, merciless killings of innocent people including cops. They were the first ones to use country-made revolvers ‘katta’.

Rohit will be essaying the role of a fearless police officer Milind Mandlik. This is the first time Rohit is playing the role of a police officer in a show.

“When I got a call from the channel regarding this show ‘Encounter’, I thought they would ask me to play a gangster but I was surprised when I was asked to play a cop. I had not played a cop on TV so I jumped at the opportunity,” Rohit said.

To understand his role better, Rohit did meet few policemen.

“Policemen are under pressure they have to work round the clock for the safety and security of citizens. They risk their lives for all of us we should appreciate and respect this. I think when you wear police uniform that responsibility and pride comes in,” he said.

This particular episode will be aired on the coming Friday on Sony TV.

More Details : http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/rohit-roy-wants-to-do-a-show-like-house-of-cards/

Flipkart set to buy Myntra to take on Amazon

Flipkart as an online retailer began as a seller of books and music CDs and now offers a broad range of products. Photo: Ramesh Pathania/Mint

Bangalore: India’s largest e-commerce firm Flipkart India Pvt. Ltd is buying a majority stake in online fashion retailer Myntra.com in a deal that is set to be announced this week, two persons with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The long-awaited cash-and-stock deal is likely to value Myntra at about $300-$330 million, Mint had reported on 6 May.

The proposed deal was agreed upon in principle by early April, but the companies and their investors took “a while” to work out a deal structure that would be in compliance with Indian laws, one of the persons cited above said.

Two common investors at Flipkart and Myntra, Tiger Global Management and Accel Partners, first proposed the deal last year—partly in response to aggressive moves by Amazon.com Inc.’s India unit to carve out a larger market share in the country. Flipkart’s co-founders Sachin Bansal andBinny Bansal, and Myntra co-founder and chief executive Mukesh Bansalapproved the deal earlier this year, people with direct knowledge of the talks said earlier in May.

Flipkart, which has received $560 million in funding since starting out in 2007, is also in discussions to raise another round of funds, another person familiar with the matter said.

Flipkart declined comment.

Myntra too declined to comment but a spokesperson said that the company would hold a press conference on Thursday “to announce an important strategic development”.

India’s e-commerce market, valued at $3.1 billion by securities firm CLSA, is becoming increasingly competitive.

After two years of consolidation that involved many e-commerce sites shutting shop, the top four—Flipkart, Snapdeal.com, Myntra andJabong.com—have raced away from the rest of the pack and have been joined by Amazon.

Amazon launched its India marketplace in June last year and has already built one of the largest online product assortments in the country. Amazon has been lobbying heavily to convince India to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in e-commerce, and the company’s executives have toldMint that it is investing “hundreds of crores” in India.

Given Amazon’s intentions, its financial muscle and technology expertise, local firms would need large amounts of money to compete with the online retailer, analysts say.

Flipkart’s imminent deal with Myntra will help the company keep Amazon at bay.

“The battle now is clearly drawn up,” said Deepak Srinath, director (corporate finance-technology) with Allegro Capital Advisors, which is an investment bank. “Amazon has been very quick and aggressive and Flipkart needed this consolidation to stay ahead and stay relevant.”

India prohibits FDI in e-commerce but allows it in the marketplace model, where third-party sellers sell directly to shoppers through e-commerce platforms.

To circumvent regulations, most e-commerce firms have set up complicated structures where their back-end entities receive funds from global investors, while on paper the e-commerce platforms are run separately.

This structure has caught the eye of regulators.

Both Flipkart and Myntra are being probed by Enforcement Directorate of India (EDI) though the companies don’t expect that to have any effect on the proposed deal.

More Details : http://www.livemint.com/Companies/15cEWFmDVDzOSaf2EVvBvN/Flipkart-said-to-buy-rival-Myntra-for-330-million.html