Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif distances himself from army as crisis drags on

BY MEHREEN ZAHRA-MALIK AND MARIA GOLOVNINA

ISLAMABAD

Pakistan's newly appointed army chief General Raheel Sharif attends the change of command ceremony in with outgoing army chief General Ashfaq Kayani (not in picture) at army headquarters in Rawalpindi November 29, 2013.

CREDIT: REUTERS/MIAN KHURSHEED/FILES

Pakistan's prime minister, weakened by weeks of opposition protests calling for him to resign, distanced himself from an army move to intervene in the crisis on Friday, saying he was not turning to the military for help to defuse the stand-off.

But in an embarrassing twist for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the army quickly denied this, saying it had been specifically instructed by the government to step in to help mediate with the opposition.

Despite the army's intervention, the crisis appeared far from being resolved, with thousands of protesters still massing outside key government installations in centrail Islamabad late on Friday demanding Sharif's resignation.

Sharif's efforts to end the conflict have failed in recent days, undermining his clout in a country prone to army coups.

The protests have been led by opposition leaders Imran Khan, a hero cricket player turned politician, and Tahir ul-Qadri, a firebrand cleric, who have both announced they would now directly negotiate with army chief General Raheel Sharif.

Sharif has emerged much weakened from the crisis, his already uneasy relationship with the military hitting new lows. He was toppled in a military coup in 1999 during a previous stint in office.

Addressing parliament on Friday, Sharif said he had nothing to do with the army's decision to step into the conflict.

"The army did not ask to play the role of mediator, neither have we requested them to play such a role," he told the assembly where he enjoys a strong majority.

Sharif added that he had not objected to both Khan and Qadri meeting the army chief. "If ... they want to meet the army chief then they should certainly meet," he said.

However, the army's press wing tweeted afterwards: "(The army chief) was asked by the Govt to play facilitative role for resolution of current impasse, in yesterday's meeting, at (Sharif's) House."

The army's intervention late on Thursday heralded hopes that the crisis would soon be over, but as of Friday night, protest leaders showed no signs of abandoning their call for Sharif to resign, with Khan announcing he would organise more protests around the country.

"I am fighting a war," Khan told supporters. "I don't trust Nawaz (Sharif). He is a liar and he is not true to his words."

Officials in Sharif's camp have accused the army of backing the protesters, though the army has so far been expressly neutral.

Pakistan has been gripped by mass protests for more than two weeks, with thousands of protesters occupying the centre of the capital. Late on Friday night, up to 8,000 protesters, some armed with clubs and shouting slogans, had again gathered outside parliament, with police on standby to prevent any trouble.

Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation of 180 million, has been ruled by the military for half of its entire history and has repeatedly oscillated between civilian and military rule.

ARMY'S ROLE

Although the army's role is key to how the crisis unfolds, few believe the army is bent on seizing power again.

Nevertheless, its public intervention has demonstrated just how fragile Pakistan's democracy still is more than a year since Sharif swept to office in the country's first democratic transition of power.

"This is the end of democracy, the constitution and supremacy of the parliament in the country," retired Justice Tariq Mehmood was quoted as saying by the respected Dawn daily.

Sharif has displeased the army by trying to strengthen civilian rule and improve relations with India and Afghanistan, and the latest conflict has given the military an opportunity to sideline him on security and foreign policy issues.

Sharif also angered the military by putting the former army chief, Pervez Musharraf, on trial for treason. Musharraf ousted Sharif in the 1999 coup.

The army's involvement is likely to unnerve some Pakistanis but it also offers Khan and Qadri a face-saving solution to end their deadlocked protest as both are seen as close to the military.

In a bid to appease the protesters on Thursday, the authorities registered a murder case to investigate the killing of 14 Qadri supporters during clashes with police at a protest in the city of Lahore in June.

The legal case names Sharif and his powerful brother Shahbaz Sharif -- Punjab's chief minister -- among those responsible. Although it is not a legal indictment, the move could lead to Shahbaz's resignation and put further pressure on the prime minister.

(Writing by Maria Golovnina; Editing by Robert Birsel,Credit: Reuters)

India funded development projects worth Rs. 365 million inaugurated in Northern Sri Lanka

Jaffna: The Government of India has granted Sri Lanka Rs. 365 million for two major development projects in Jaffna, the capital city of Sri Lanka's Northern Province.

The Indian government has granted Rs. 145 million to renovate the Duraiappah Stadium in Jaffna and another Rs. 220 million to set up the Atchchuvely Industrial Estate in Jaffna.The Atchchuvely Industrial Estate in Jaffna district was inaugurated Wednesday (August 27) by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and High Commissioner of India Y.K. Sinha at a function held at Atchchuvely.Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Douglas Devananda Governor of Northern Province G.A. Chandrasiri,

Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran and Mayor of Jaffna Yogeswary Patkunarajah also attended the function.Addressing the gathering, Minister Devananda noted that the Government of India has been providing assistance for a variety of projects covering different sectors to help the people of Sri Lanka.The High Commissioner, in his remarks, emphasized that India and Sri Lanka share a dynamic and multi-faceted relationship, rooted in history, language, culture, religion and trade These relations have matured and diversified with the passage of time, encompassing all areas of contemporary relevance.The Industrial Estate is expected to attract potential investors, from within and outside Sri Lanka, by providing suitable infrastructure and amenities.

Source: IPCS

Colombo's first Seychelles forum attracts Sri Lankan businesses

Colombo: More than 130 Lankan private sector representatives from 125 companies attended a Seychelles business forum inaugurated in Colombo today.Addressing the inauguration of "Seychelles Trade and Investment Forum-Sri Lanka: Fostering Economic Partnership" event organized by the EDB on Wednesday (27) in Colombo Minister Rishad Bathiyutheen said Today's event can be a stepping stone for more bilateral trade between both countries, which is an urgent need at this moment."The total bilateral trade has been low at only US$3.7 million.

 Today's initiative therefore is a major step in this direction" said Bathiyutheen.More than 130 Lankan private sector representatives from 125 companies packed the three hour long in-depth session of presentations.Seychelles' 20 member delegation is led by Minister for Finance, Trade and Investment of Seychelles Pierre Laporte and joined by CEO of Seychelles Investment Board Rupert Simeon. Source: IPCS

Pakistan's powerful army steps in to resolve political crisis

BY MARIA GOLOVNINA AND MEHREEN ZAHRA-MALIK

 Tahir ul-Qadri, Sufi cleric and leader of political party Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), 

displays a document to supporters while speaking to them in front of the Parliament House building during the Revolution march in Islamabad August 28, 2014.

CREDIT: REUTERS/FAISAL MAHMOOD

ISLAMABAD ( REUTERS) : Addressing the roaring crowd late at night, Qadri said the army had offered to mediate in the stand-off, a proposal he immediately endorsed.(Reuters) - Pakistan's army stepped into a political struggle between the country's embattled prime minister and the opposition on Thursday, signalling a possible end to a crisis that has destabilised the coup-prone nation.

Pakistan has been gripped by mass rallies for more than two weeks, with protesters led by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and firebrand cleric Tahir ul-Qadri camped outside parliament demanding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif resign.

Attempts to resolve the crisis through talks have failed, creating a deadlock and raising the spectre of violence as thousands of increasingly impatient activists, some armed with sticks, massed in the heart of Islamabad despite intense heat.

"The army chief has asked us to give him 24 hours to solve the crisis," he told thousands of flag-waving supporters. Khan, speaking shortly after him, echoed his remarks.

"The army will compile and put together a package of our demands and make sure they are implemented," Qadri added.

The army's press wing tweeted that army chief General Raheel Sharif would meet both opposition leaders late on Thursday. No other official comment was immediately available.

Some officials in Sharif's administration have accused the army itself of orchestrating the protests as a way to weaken the prime minister, and many believe that the fate of the anti-government movement ultimately lies in the military's hands.

Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation of 180 million, has been ruled by the military for half of its entire history and has repeatedly swung between democracy and military. Sharif himself was toppled in a coup in 1999 during his previous tenure.

WHAT NEXT?

This time few observers expect the army to try to grab power again, although the prime minister seems sure to emerge significantly weakened from the crisis, with the military likely to further sideline him on security and foreign policy issues.

A military source told Reuters late on Thursday that the prime minister had asked General Sharif to "play his role" in resolving the conflict.

"All stakeholders have been requested to negotiating table to resolve the issue ... but it’s just the beginning," the source said.

At least 10,000 people have crowded Islamabad's so-called Red Zone, where parliament, the prime minister's residence and embassies are located since Aug. 15. With many sleeping rough, the site is now littered with rubbish and reeks of human waste.

Tensions came to a head earlier on Thursday, with Qadri declaring it "Revolution Day" and security forces sealing off the protest site in case the crowd tried to storm nearby government buildings, which had been evacuated.

Both Qadri and Khan used fiery language throughout the day refusing to back down.

The army's mediation could provide a face-saving solution to both of them in a country where the military is still respected widely and seen as an antidote to a civilian government many resent for corruption and red tape.

When Qadri told the protesters that the army was getting involved, the crowded chanted and waved flags in approval.

Sharif, who met the country's powerful army chief earlier in the day, flew to the city of Lahore - his political powerbase - for a funeral but was expected back late Thursday night.

The demonstrations come at a difficult time for Pakistan, already plagued by an Islamist insurgency, sectarian tension and recurrent power shortages. Many Pakistanis are deeply unhappy with the government's performance since it came to power after winning an election in May last year.

(Additional reporting by Mubasher Bukhari in Lahore, Sheree Sardar in Islamabad and Asim Tanveer in Multan; Writing by Maria Golovnina; Editing by Tom Heneghan)

Courtesy by: REUTERS

Bangladesh shows 'very positive attitude' to Indian proposals

AGARTALA: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed a "very positive" attitude to Indian proposals of allowing Ashuganj River Port of her country as a port of call and introduction of Agartala-Kolkata direct bus servive via Dhaka, a Tripura minister has said. State Industries and commerce minister Tapan Chakraborty along with an Indian delegation headed by MoS for Development of North Eastern Region VK Singh met Hasina during an Indo-Bangladesh business conclave on August 23 last and put forward seven proposals for connectivity, which also included access to Chittagong port, among others. "Sheikh Hasina expressed a very positive attitude towards our proposal and said Bangladesh had decided to allow other countries to use ports for mutual interests. India had stressed for better connectivity through the neighbouring country for the people living in the north eastern states of the country," Chakraborty told reporters last evening. Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma was also in the Indian delegation, he said. Recently 5,000 metric tonnes of foodgrains were ferried from Kakinada port in Andhra Pradesh to the Tripura capital via Kolkata and Ashuganj ports, Tripura Transport minister Manik De had said.

Sourced: Economic Times, 

Summit to highlight Bangladesh's success to foreign investors

Daily Star, A daylong summit to tell Bangladesh's success story and lure in foreign investors is set to take place early next month in Singapore, Asia's financial hub.

Dubbed the second Bangladesh Investment Summit in Asia, the forum, which is expected to be attended by nearly 300 Asia-based delegates, will be an important platform for businesses and policymakers to showcase Bangladesh as an exciting investment destination.FinanceAsia and AsianInvestor, both published by Haymarket Financial Media Group, is organising the event at the Four Seasons Hotel Singapore on September 4.Standard Chartered Bangladesh is the summit's headline sponsor and City Bank Ltd is the platinum sponsor.

Ahmedabad to host first Shape South Asia summit

AHMEDABAD: Ahmedabad is set to host first ever two day international Shape South Asia summit to celebrate Gandhian spirit of 'doing good for all', entrepreneurship and innovation. The event will be organized by Ahmedabad Global Shapers (AGS) community, a voluntary youth organistion that is a part of Global Shaper Community, initiated by the World Economic Forum. Participants will be coming from 36 different cities of six South Asian countries which include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

Global Shapers Community is a worldwide network of city-based hubs developed and led by youths. Globally, there are 356 hubs spread with more than 4000 shapers.

The summit is themed on 'Roaring South Asia' and will be hosted on the 145th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi to commemorate the day. It will address some common challenges and explore opportunities to tackle common problems which are as wide ranging in scope as the cultural diversity of South Asia.

The first edition of SHAPE South Asia aims to serve a long lasting impact in building bridges and connections for a better future. Kumar Manish, vice curator of AGS said, "South Asia has common history, common culture and common challenges. South Asia has youngest population, who are roaring to make a difference in the society. This will be an opportune time start a new dialogue. The summit will also have major digital activity to engage with people globally."

Shape events are meeting of regional hubs from across borders and are geared towards bringing together shapers from neighboring countries to have a dialogue, collaborate and co-create, which results in a lot of positive energy and output.

Sourced by: TNN

Ceasefire violations: India-Pak to hold flag meeting

 

Jammu (PTI) - A day after India lodged a protest with Pakistan over escalating ceasefire violations, the two sides will hold sector commander-level flag meeting today to defuse the situation on the border. 

 "The flag meeting between BSF and Pak Rangers is scheduled for today along the International Border (IB) in Pargwal forward belt in Akhnoor sector of Jammu", a BSF officer said.

821 passengers to India being tracked for Ebola

New Delhi - The Health Ministry today said 821 passengers were being tracked for Ebola in the country with most of them belonging to states of Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. 

 "Today, 45 passengers were enrolled for follow up in their respective states through state Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) units. As on date, a cumulative number of 821 passengers are being tracked. Most of them are in the States of Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu," a Health Ministry release said. IDSPs is tracking such passengers, the details of which are provided to them by the Airport Health Organisation. 

 The Ministry said two passengers who were admitted in RML Hospital earlier for further treatment after being tested negative for Ebola, have responded to anti-malarial treatment and are afebrile now and one of them has now been discharged. It said that 148 passengers from the affected countries have arrived at the Airports of Mumbai (30), Delhi (92), Kochi (8), Bangalore (15) and Chennai (3) in the last 24 hours.

 "One passenger travelling from Nigeria has been found symptomatic and quarantined at isolation facility at Delhi airport. Her report is awaited," the Ministry said. Sourced  by PTI

South Asian Street Style: Artist Photographs Fashionable Aunties

BY FRANCES KAI-HWA WANG

“Who do we think is fashionable? How do we determine what style is? Who creates cool?” asks Asian Canadian artist Meera Sethi. According to her unscientific study, “South Asian aunties rock to their own beat.”

"Aunties" -- a term of respect and endearment in South Asia used for women of one's mother's generation -- are honored, but rarely synonymous with "fashionable." Sethi set out to challenge that notion, focusing her street fashion photography on the Aunties around her. She found, she says, a surprising number of “aunties with swag.”

"I am interested in the way fashion is translated by those who are not the usual subjects of street fashion photography,” says Sethi about her latest project, “'Upping the Aunty' is about celebrating our aunties and their style and honoring the contributions they make to our communities by passing on social and cultural knowledge.”

The project started during a one month artist’s residency in Mumbai, where it was so successful that Sethi continued to document aunties in Toronto. She is calling for people to submit photographs of their own cool aunties. Next, she plans to translate these photographs into paintings.

How do the Aunties react to being photographed for her project? “Most aunties I approach are flattered and completely surprised that someone is admiring their style!"

COURTESY MEERA SETHI

Artist Meera Sethi set out to document the fashion of the South Asian a

Bangladesh floods leave thousands homeless, damage crops

Flooding and erosion by the Padma river, Bangladesh, seen Aug. 24, 2014, has resulted in many people losing their homes and their land. (Zakir Hossain Chowdhury/Zuma Press) credit: Zuma Press

BY SERAJUL QUADIR

(Reuters) - Heavy flooding across Bangladesh has forced thousands of people from their homes and caused severe damage to crops, with officials on Tuesday warning the situation could worsen as floodwaters poured into the capital, Dhaka.

Heavy monsoon rain in recent days has aggravated the situation in the low-lying and densely populated country, with the wet season due to run into September.

"Over the next couple of days the flood situation around Dhaka ... might further deteriorate," said Sazzad Hussain, an engineer at the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center in the capital.

People in low-lying areas next to the rivers in Dhaka would likely be affected, he added.

An official at the disaster management control room said the floods have affected more than 74,000 people and the number of homeless ran into several thousands, but she gave no official figure.

The floods have also affected crops, with more than 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) of farmland submerged in 20 districts, most in the north of the country.

More than 300 schools in flood-hit districts have been shut.

The government has allocated 8,000 tonnes of rice and announced a relief package of 30 million taka ($385,000) for those affected.

Monsoon rains have also caused havoc in neighbouring India this month, with floods triggered by heavy rains in the Himalayas inundating nearly 1,500 villages and killing at least 28 people in Uttar Pradesh.

(Writing by Aditya Kalra; Editing by John Chalmers and Robert Birsel)

Source: Reuters & Zuma Press

Afghan election audit disrupted as candidates declare walk-out

Afghanistan's presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah (L) addresses a news conference with rival Ashraf Ghani (R) at this side as they announced a deal for the auditing of all Afghan election votes at the United Nations Compound in Kabul, late July 12, 2014.

CREDIT: REUTERS/JIM BOURG/FILES

BY HAMID SHALIZI AND JESSICA DONATI (Reuters) - Afghanistan's disputed presidential election veered further off course on Wednesday after both candidates withdrew their observers from a U.N.-supervised audit of votes that was meant to resolve the crisis. The crisis over the outcome of the vote has raised the spectre of instability, turmoil and perhaps even another round of fighting in a country already battling a potent Taliban insurgency. The audit was part of a U.S.-brokered deal to defuse escalating tension between rivals Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani, who have both claimed victory in the ballot intended to mark the country's first democratic transfer of power. "We boycotted the audit process today because it is worthless for us. Let them carry on," Fazel Ahmad Manawi, Abdullah's chief auditor, told Reuters early on Wednesday. A few hours later, the United Nations asked Ghani's team to withdraw its observers in the interests of fairness and it had agreed, according to a team member, who said the withdrawal was unfair but prudent. "Today we requested the team of Dr. Ghani to review whether they should participate actively in the process," U.N. deputy chief Nicholas Haysom told reporters on Wednesday. "Underlying this request was a realization that the audit must not only have integrity, it must be seen to be even-handed by all Afghans," he said. After a pause on Wednesday morning, the audit resumed in the afternoon, Haysom said, adding he did not expect significant further delays as the audit proceeded without the physical presence of representatives from candidates' teams. "We continue to urge the return of both candidates to full participation in the process, and we stand ready to address their concerns whether they return or not," he said. Officials involved in the process say it is likely Ghani would eventually be confirmed president. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has twice flown to Afghanistan since a June 14 run-off vote to defuse tension and push the rivals to agree to cooperate. U.S. officials stepped in again earlier on Wednesday and held emergency talks with Abdullah, according to a member of his team. If the rival politicians needed a reminder of the militant threat, Afghan security forces were battling the Taliban for control of the northern province of Kunduz on Wednesday with heavy clashes also reported in parts of the south. The political crisis and fighting comes at a time of deep anxiety in Afghanistan as the United States, Kabul's biggest aid donor, and other NATO nations withdraw their troops after nearly 13 years of fighting Taliban insurgents. Chaos as Western forces pull out would be a huge embarrassment for those countries which have spent billions of dollars and lost about 3,500 soldiers in a bid to bring peace and stability. 'NO LEGITIMACY' Abdullah, a former foreign minister, won a first round vote in April but without a majority needed for outright victory, while preliminary figures showed Ghani, a former finance minister, won the run-off by more than a million votes. But Abdullah complained of rigging and demanded a recount in which fraudulent votes would be thrown out. Abdullah's team believe that the more fraudulent votes are thrown out, the better his chances will be of victory but they have complained that the rules of the audit are not strict enough to weed out the invalid ballots. On Tuesday, Abdullah's team said the United Nations had until Wednesday to accept its demands to tighten the rules for identifying and discarding ballots deemed fraudulent, or else it would drop out of the electoral process. Outgoing President Hamid Karzai, who is not allowed by the constitution to run again, has urged both candidates to respect the terms of the U.S.-brokered deal. Officials and diplomats fear a breakdown between the candidates and the power-brokers who have a stake in the process could trigger conflict along ethnic lines. Former finance minister Ghani is a member of Afghanistan's biggest ethnic group, the Pashtuns, who make up of most the population in the south and east. Abdullah, is part Pashtun and part ethnic Tajik but draws his support from Tajiks and other smaller minorities, largely in the centre and north. "More than a million votes are fraudulent," Mohammad Mohaqeq a leader of the Hazara minority and one of Abdullah's vice presidential running mates, told Reuters. "If these votes are not invalidated, we will never accept any outcome and it will have no legitimacy." (Additional reporting by Krista Mahr; Editing by Jeremy Laurence and Ralph Boulton) Source: Reuters

Pakistan's prime minister resolved to ride out protests crisis

A supporter of the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party Imran Khan cheers 

while listening to him speak during what has been dubbed a ''freedom march'' in Islamabad August 26, 2014.

CREDIT: REUTERS/AKHTAR SOOMRO

(Reuters) - Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told parliament on Wednesday he would not be cowed by thousands of demonstrators camped outside the assembly demanding his resignation.

Protesters led by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and firebrand cleric Tahir ul-Qadri have rallied in Islamabad for almost two weeks and vowed to occupy the capital until Sharif resigns - a demand the premier has firmly rejected.

In his first public remarks since the start of the crisis, he did not say explicitly how the deadlock might be solved but said he was fully committed to democracy.

"We are not one to be scared of such things," he said. "We have seen ups and downs, we have seen highs and lows, we have seen times when we have not only borne problems but borne them with a smiling face and without complaining.”

Just outside the parliament where he addressed members, thousands of protesters camped out in the heat, but the gathering was peaceful and the atmosphere was festival-like.

Security forces protecting the building looked on but did nothing to disperse them.

"I want to say with complete resolve and belief that, God willing, this journey of the supremacy of law and constitution will continue in Pakistan,” Sharif said told a sparsely attended session of parliament.

"This democracy will keep taking us forward, keep making Pakistan shine, and make Pakistan proud and a day will come when it will never again be disrupted or halted."

Pakistan has been ruled by the army for half of its history and the military's position in the standoff will ultimately determine whether the protests eventually fizzle out or take on a more violent course.

If the all-powerful army referees a solution to the stand-off, it will emerge strengthened at the expense of the prime minister in the coup-prone country.

Sharif, who was himself toppled in a 1999 coup, jailed and then exiled, made a triumphant comeback as prime minister for a third time in last year's general election.

Few believe the military wants to seize power this time, but there is a widespread perception it is using the protests as an opportunity to weaken Sharif.

Government officials and protest leaders have been in sporadic talks since last week to find a peaceful solution but Khan has refused to back down unless Sharif quits over accusations that he rigged the last election.

Qadri has given the government another deadline to quit by the middle of this week, saying otherwise circumstances might be "uncontrollable". But as of Wednesday afternoon, the protesters still sat outside parliament and no solution was in sight.

(Editing by Maria Golovnina) CREDIT: REUTERS

Pakistan Rangers again target Indian positions in Jammu

Jammu, Aug 28 (IANS) Pakistan Rangers again Thursday resorted to unprovoked firing at Indian positions on the international border in Jammu and Kashmir, an official said.

"Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing using small arms in the Pargwal area of the Jammu district," a police officer told IANS here.

The officer said three BSF outposts were affected due to the firing.

"Pakistan firing started at 11.50 p.m. yesterday (Wednesday) night for a brief period, but today (Thursday) morning at 4 a.m., Pakistan Rangers started firing again which continued till 5.55 a.m.," the officer said.

The Border Security Force (BSF) troopers gave befitting reply, he added.

These two ceasefire violations occurred hours after the BSF and Pakistan Rangers held a battalion commander level flag meeting in the same border area to defuse tensions between the two sides.

Source: IANS India Private Limited/Yahoo India News

''No comments,'' says Deepika Padukone on marriage with Ranveer Singh

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By Urvi Parikh, Glamsham Editorial

While the media is abuzz with the rumours of Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh planning to tie the knot, the actress herself decided to keep mum when quizzed about this.

When asked Deepika as to when is she planning to get hitched to her alleged boyfriend Ranveer Singh, who also plays her dead husband in the upcoming film FINDING FANNY, she simply replied, "No comments."

However when probed further that she recently quoted to a magazine that she feels amazing to be unconditionally loved by Ranveer Singh, she retorted, "I was misquoted and the journalist himself called me and apologized. The journalist swapped the answer of one question to another. He in fact also said that he would be publishing a clarification in the next issue. Watch out for it because it would because that will be breaking news."

Meanwhile, FINDING FANNY, directed by Homi Adajania, presented by Fox Star Studios and produced by Maddock Films, is slated to release on September 12, 2014. The film stars Arjun Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Pankaj Kapoor and Naseeruddin Shah in the lead.

More on bollywood at glamsham.com

Indian youth from Maharashtra who joined ISIS.

MUMBAI: One of the four youth from Kalyan who left their homes to join Sunni Islamist militants to defend Iraq's holy shrines has been killed in Mosul.

Arif Ejaz Majeed, an engineering student, was reportedly killed in a blast in Mosul, his relatives told the Hindustan Times.

Sahim Tanki, who had gone to Iraq with Arif Ejaz Majeed, called up the family to inform that Majeed had died in clashes in Mosul, which is one of the worst town to be affected by the fighting between Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the Iraqi forces.

According to the Hindustan Times, Tanki told the family that Majeed sacrificed his life and is a martyr now.

All the four boys left India on July 26 with some pilgrims to Iraq and later joined ISIS.

India Today in an article mentioned: Against reports that young men from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are fighting with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, a hitherto unheard-of militant organisation has posted ISIS videos with Hindi, Tamil and Urdu subtitles and jihadi literature in Hindi on the internet.

Reuters also reported that thousands of Muslims in India have signed up to defend Iraq's holy shrines and, if need be, fight Sunni Islamist militants in the country.

Denouncing the militants of the ISIL as terrorists, these Indian Muslims have filled out forms, complete with passport-size photographs and photocopied identification documents, to travel to Iraq. Source: Yahoo India

Myths about Floor Tiles

There are a few things that we all think are experts in and that there is probably no nobody who knows these facts better than we do. But I’m kind of here to break the ice and tell you that all that is popular, might not always be true. Talking specifically about floor tiles and how we think an expert’s help is going to do no good. Well, you might just be wrong. As you read this article I will try to debunk some of the most famous misconceptions about floor tiling and everything that might be hiding in the ‘always correct’ folder inside our brains.

Firstly, everything that is costlier is better. This mantra is not always correct. We most often think that the more money we spend on a product, the better it will be, but as far as tiles are concerned, many ceramic tiles are less pricy and might be better suited for your needs. There are just so many options that we have concerning floor tiles that it is very easy to get confused. Do your research and know what suits your home best.

More often people are under the misconception that the natural tiles made of limestone, mica and graphite are the best option under all circumstances which is in fact wrong. Naturals have their advantages and disadvantages as well and the requirements are actually determined depending upon the space use and size and many other parameters can also be considered.

People often also believe that shinier tiles are better as they get cleaned easily. But this is also not quite correct. All tiles have almost the same technique of getting cleaned and there is almost no difference as far as cleaning is concerned.

Debunk all the old ideas you have and do read a lot and research and find out what you want. Categorise your choices and then shortlist them according to situations and you are sure to make a correct decision.

Source: Somany

Lotus cars has announced their first Motorcycle

German racing firm Kodewa and tuner Holzer Group together with the iconic British sports car brand Lotus cars, has announced their first motorcycle.

the ‘C-01′ which comes in the form of a V-twin 4-stroke engine with 200 horsepower and features a distinctive body crafted entirely from carbon fiber, titanium and aerospacequality steel.

The Height of seat is 710 mm, fuel tank capacity is 10.5 L and weighs 181 kg.

the C-01 will be available as an exclusive production run of just 100 units

Lotus Website

All you need to know about lord ganesha

One of the reasons that lord Ganesha is revered and worshiped everywhere in India and abroad is that the God is associated with the removal of all obstacles in life as well as giving success and prosperity. This belief and reverence is not something which can be seen in India only but also in many other parts of the world where Lord Ganesha is worshiped in various forms. 

Here are many parts of India in which there is a very strong belief that lord Ganesha is not a bramhachari but a married man. His wives are supposed Siddhi (success or spiritual power), Buddhi (intellect) and Riddhi (prosperity). Hence, it is believed that if people worship lord Ganesha, these three qualities of spiritual power, intellect and prosperity automatically follows you and become a part of your life since being wives, they cannot stay separated from the Lord. There are many parts of India wherein the belief of the lord marrying Riddhi and Siddhi is very strong and in someway, they too areworshiped. 

According to another set of beliefs, lord Ganesha is also associated with the goddess of culture and arts called ShardaMata or Saraswati Mata. This is a belief particularly in Maharashtra. He is also believed to have a consort in Lakshmi. Goddess Saraswati gives intelligence and Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth. Combining these two, there is always success and prosperity in whatever people do as long as they are worshiping the lord in the correct form and with complete devotion. 

It is fervently believed that before every work no matter how small it is or how inconsequential the results may be, it is imperative to worship lord Ganesha in order to bestow upon us good luck, intelligence to deal with the situations and a spiritual bent of mind.

Ganpati Mandal is a place for all bappa !! Ganpati Bappa Morya!!

Source:

http://www.ganpatimandal.com/about-lord-ganesh.php?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=referral

Infiniti SUV: Luxury in seven seats

2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid SUV is supercharged, yet fuel efficient

By Ann m. Job, For The Associated Press | Associated Press – Wed 20 Aug, 2014

 

Families who need a vehicle with three rows of seats have a new, roomy and plush sport utility choice this year that's high in government fuel economy ratings.

Infiniti's 2014 QX60 Hybrid SUV, which is a gasoline-electric hybrid that's more than 16 feet in overall length, is rated by the federal government at 26 miles per gallon in combined city/highway travel. This is the same combined fuel economy rating as the smaller, 2014 Honda CR-V and 2014 Toyota RAV4 SUVs that have only two rows of seats.

Indeed, the city/highway fuel economy rating for the seven-passenger QX60 Hybrid is the second best mileage among all 2014 SUVs with three rows of seats. Only the smaller 2014 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, which has less second- and third-row legroom, has a higher combined fuel economy rating — 28 mpg.

But the test QX60, driven a majority of the time on city streets, fell short of the government's combined city/highway estimate of 26 mpg.

Still, the well-appointed, 2014 QX60 Hybrid received an overall, five out of five stars in federal government crash tests.        

And the non-hybrid QX60 is a recommended buy of Consumer Reports magazine, where reliability is shown as average. The hybrid version of QX60, introduced for 2014, is too new to rate reliability.

Starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, for a base, front-wheel drive, 2014 QX60 Hybrid with supercharged, 2.5-liter four cylinder mated to an electric motor and lithium ion battery pack is $46,095.

This starting price is $3,000 more than the starting retail price for a non-hybrid, front-wheel drive 2014 QX60 SUV that's powered by a 3.5-liter, gasoline V-6. The combined city/highway government fuel economy rating for a non-hybrid, front-wheel drive, 2014 QX60 is 22 mpg. 

Meantime, the all-wheel drive, 2014 QX60 Hybrid has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $47,495. This price, too, is just $3,000 above the starting retail price for a non-hybrid, all-wheel drive, 2014 QX60.

Competitors include the few gasoline-electric hybrid SUVs with three rows of seats. But the QX60 has a niche, because it wears a luxury brand name. Infiniti is the luxury brand of Japanese carmaker Nissan Motor Co., and standard features on every QX60 Hybrid include leather-trimmed seats, three-zone, automatic climate control, power moonroof, heated front seats, rearview camera and power rear liftgate.

Additionally, safety technologies are available as extras on the QX60 Hybrid that are not offered on some other three-row, hybrid SUVs. This includes backup collision intervention that automatically can stop the SUV if sensors detect the vehicle is backing up into an obstacle, such as a car or a child. The QX60 Hybrid also can add a blind spot monitoring system that not only alerts a driver that another car is adjacent in the SUV's blind spot but can intervene to try to keep the QX60 from moving into the adjacent vehicle.

The competing Highlander Hybrid has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $48,385 and includes leather-trimmed seats, power moonroof, rearview camera and power liftgate, among other items.

The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, which shares its hybrid technology with the QX60, is another competitor and, with cloth seats and a shorter list of standard features, starts at a much lower price — $36,160.

The QX60 name may not sound familiar. When this sizable Infiniti SUV debuted in March 2012, it was called the JX60, and it was sold alongside other Infiniti SUVs with EX and FX names. But Infiniti officials decided to consolidate names and now puts QX on every SUV. Numbers after the QX denote the different Infiniti SUVs.

The test QX60 AWD model impressed immediately with its ample size, richly designed interior and oh-so-quiet cabin.

The exterior retains Infiniti's somewhat bulbous nose and drew a tepid response.

For a hybrid, the QX60 has a bigger size than most. It is some 5 inches longer, overall, than Honda's largest SUV, the Pilot.

Fit and finish on the QX60 tester, which was built at Nissan's Smyrna, Tenn., plant, was excellent, with gaps between body panels consistent and aligned and interior trim pieces perfectly placed.

It took just a bit of a lift for small-statured passengers to get inside this 5.7-foot-tall vehicle, and everyone had a nice, high seat position and good views out.

But the QX60 test SUV felt less than agile and a bit bulky in its handling, particularly in tight quarters.  

Still, the suspension, which was a bit on the soft side, did a fine job keeping even severe road bumps away from passengers. There was little road and wind noise, and passengers conversed in regular tones.

Power came on readily, thanks to the instant-on torque from the 15-kilowatt electric motor. The transitions between electric power and power from the supercharged, double overhead cam four cylinder were imperceptible, and power delivery was smooth. Total system horsepower is 250 and compares with the 265 horses delivered by the V-6 in the non-hybrid QX60. Torque from the hybrid system peaks at 243 foot-pounds and compares with 248 foot-pounds at 4,400 rpm in a non-hybrid QX60.

The continuously variable transmission in the QX60 Hybrid worked well to deliver the power without a lot of fuss and noise.

Be aware, though, that premium gasoline is recommended for the supercharged four cylinder. So a fillup of the 19.5-gallon tank can cost nearly $75.

Second-row legroom of 41.7 inches is noteworthy, and there's another 30.8 inches of legroom in the third row.

When these seats are folded down, the cargo floor is flat. This makes sliding heavy items inside easy. The rear liftgate opening is plenty wide, and the center console between the front seats is large, too.

Source: yahoo news india