Part 1 - South Asian Daily

AAP vs AAP: Suspension of two MPs fuels more revolt in the party
CANADIAN/ AMERICAN SIKHS
BLAME CONVERSIONS, DRUGS FOR
DECLINING POPULATION
P11
CHINA VS INDIA: SLOWING
DRAGON, RISING ELEPHANT
P15
SONAM KAPOOR IN AIR HOSTESS
NEERJA BHANOT BIOPIC
P18
FAMOUS PUNJABI SINGER RABBI SHERGILL, DHARAMVIRA GANDHI (MP) AND HARINDER SINGH KHALSA (MP) DURING A RALLY
BABA BAKALA NEAR AMRITSAR (IANS).
I DETAILS ON PAGE 13
IS THIS FEAR MONGERING OR IS THE
THREAT FROM TERRORISM REAL?
BY YUDHVIR JASWAL
MARKHAM - Yudhvir Jaswal, CEO of YMedia and Editor-in-Chief of
Midweek newspaper sat with Conser vative par ty leader Stephen
Harper in Markham and held discussion on issues related to economy,
security, crime, infrastructure and pensions among others.
HARPER ANSWERS QUESTIONS ON ECONOMY, SECURITY,
CRIME, INFRASTRUCTURE AND PENSIONS.
Question - Last time we met at Richmond Hill I remember you announced the Anti-Terrorism Bill, so my question is regarding the tough on
crime agenda. We see that the statistics for violent crime are decreasing in
Canada and also this Anti-Terrorism Bill and all of these things there's a
debate going on especially on my radio talk shows and on TV as well is this
fear mongering or is the threat from terrorism real?
Answer: Well, I think there are two distinct issues, obviously they are both
about the protection of society, but, I am pleased to see that under our Tough
on Crime approach, violent crime is going down. I think part of the reason
violent crime is going down is because we keep violent criminals in jail now.
Under the old system what happened was it was just a revolving door, they
would get a conviction then they'd get some combination of reduced sentences, parole, early release and before you know it they were out again
doing another crime. When we brought in the tough on crime laws the Liberals and the NDP all said: 'you're gonna overcrowd the jails' that's not what
happened at all what happened was that the same people just stayed in jail,
that's what happens, so I think it's a good thing that violent crime is going down.
What in the end matters is that sentences are fair. Certain crimes you give people
a second chance, other crimes, repeat violent crimes you have to deal tougher
with people. This election I have said our number one priority is the life means life
provision that when someone is convicted of a crime so horrific that they get a life
sentence that means that they should actually be in prison for life. Not having a
hearing every two years until they eventually get out. We are talking about people
who deliberately kill police or corrections officers, people who kidnap, abduct
people, torture them and kill them, these kinds of people should not have the benefit
of pulling their victims' families every two years to have a hearing and tell them
either why they should get out or gloat at them for the crimes they have committed.
It's ridiculous. So, look, I think the things we have brought in are fair and they are
effective. On security, this is a different matter. These are not people who are
committing crime for the sake of some personal benefit. This is a global movement. The violent jihadist movement around the world. I don't think anybody
can accuse this government of making this up.
I CONTD. ON PAGE 5
CANADA IN RECESSION: GDP
DIPS TO A FURTHER 0.1% IN
SECOND QUARTER AFTER A
0.2% DECLINE IN FIRST
OTTAWA - Real gross domestic product (GDP) declined 0.1% in the
second quarter, following a 0.2% decrease in the first quarter. On a monthly
basis, real GDP by industry rose 0.5% in June, a Statistics Canada report
shows. Final domestic demand was flat after declining 0.5% in the first
quarter. Business gross fixed capital formation decreased 2.0%, the second consecutive quarterly decline. Lower business investment in non-residential structures and machinery and equipment (-3.1%) were the main contributors to
the decline. Other factors contributing to the decrease included a 4.1% decline in
new housing construction and a 33.2% drop in business outlays on mineral exploration and evaluation. Household final consumption expenditure rose 0.6%, following a 0.1% gain in the first quar ter. Increased spending on durable goods
and semi-durable goods more than offset decreased spending on nondurable goods. Outlays on services were up 0.8%. Inventory accumulation slowed in the second quar ter as businesses added $7.1 billion worth of goods to inventories, down from the $12.1 billion added in
the first quarter.
I CONTD. ON PAGE 10
RACE NARROWS AS NDP
SUPPORT DIPS: POLL
ONTARIO - A latest survey conducted by Abacus Data Inc. shows a
tightening race as the NDP has lost a little ground. If the election were
tomorrow, 31% say they would vote NDP (down from 35% two weeks
ago), 30% would vote CPC, and 28% would vote Liberal. The Liberals
picked up 2 points since our last poll and the Conservatives are up 1
point, both within the margin of error. The three-point gap is the closest we have seen since May, when the NDP began to climb in support
following the election of NDP Premier Rachel Notley in Alber ta.
GUESTS AND MEMBERS OF FILM FRATERNITY AT THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED SIKH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AT ROSE THEATRE, BRAMPTON.
I CONTD. ON PAGE 6
FOR MORE DETAILS SEE PAGE 27
CIRCULATED THROUGH : TORONTO, MARKHAM, SCARBOROUGH, RICHMOND HILL, VAUGHAN, WOODBRIDGE, ETOBICOKE, NORTH YORK, MALTON, REXDALE, BRAMPTON, MISSISSAUGA, OAKVILLE, HAMILTON, MILTON, STONEY CREEK, BURLINGTON
2
MidWeek
MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2015
MidWeek
MIDWEEK NEWS
NEWS WEEKLY
WEEKLY
TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 28,
01,2012
2015
PAGE 3
SUSSANNE KHAN AND SONALI BENDRE ATTEND ABU JANI AND SANDEEP KHOSLA'S SHOW AT LFW WINTER FESTIVE 2015 (IANS).
SRK, Rohit, Farah take selfie pouting
MUMBAI, (IANS) Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who is currently shooting for a song in Iceland for the film "Dilwale", took a
selfie with filmmaker Rohit Shetty and choreographer-turned-director
Farah Khan. Shah Rukh shared the selfie on micro-blogging website
Twitter and wrote: "Mere agal bagal... Filmon ki jaan... Rohit Shetty
aur Farah Khan.(Besides me are the lifeline of films, Rohit Shetty and
Farah Khan)."
In the photograph, the "Chennai Express" star is seen sandwiched
between the two directors. Shah Rukh and Shetty are seen sporting
sunglasses, while Farah spor ts a woollen hat -- and all have a pout
for the camera. SRK and Kajol, who are teaming up after the 2010release "My Name is Khan", will shoot a song in Iceland, which will
be chopreographed by Farah. The movie, which is slated to hit the
theatres on December 18, also features Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon,
Boman Irani and Vinod Khanna.
WHAT MADE KANGANA CRY EVERY NIGHT?
MUMBAI, (IANS) While many trolled Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan on social media
when he saw "Katti Batti" and came out of the theatre with tears in his eyes, actress
Kangana Ranaut says the for thcoming romantic thriller has such intensity that it even
made her "cry every night" when she was shooting for it.
"For an actor, playing such a character can be very overwhelming and if you are
young, it can give some staggering impressions on your mind. I remember after I
used to finish shoot I would just cry every night and then my mother came over
and I even cried with her thinking about so many things. So, definitely this is the
most intense character I've ever played in a film," Kangana, who plays the role of
Payal in the film, told IANS.
"Like Aamir, people are really giving some extreme reactions. They are jumping
the gun because the marketing of the film has been such. 'Katti Batti' looks like a
rom-com, but it's not at all. When people are going to come and see the film they
are going to witness a larger than life story. The intensity of characters in the
film is exceptional," she added. Directed by Nikhil Advani, "Katti Batti", which
also stars Imran Khan, is based on new-age relationships. It star ts like a
romantic comedy but turns into a thriller with a mystery element and a mature
love story.
KAJOL MAKES SONGS LOOK LIKE MAGIC: SRK
MUMBAI, (IANS) Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who is currently shooting a song with actress Kajol in Iceland for his upcoming film
"Dilwale", says the actress makes his songs "look like magic" and not just another song. SRK and Kajol are shooting for a song
choreographed by Farah Khan and the trio is all set to recreate the magic and chemistry, which the duo shared on screen in their films.
The "Happy New Year" took to micro-blogging website, where he said that Kajol adds that extra magic to all the songs they are in. "'Kaali
kaali aankhen' to 'Tere naina' and song we are shooting for 'Dilwale'...my friend @KajolAtUN makes them look like magic and not just
another song," he tweeted. "Dilwale" which also stars Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon is all set to release on 18.
HRITHIK ROSHAN DURING THE SCREENING OF FILM `KAUN KITNEY PAANI MEIN` IN MUMBAI (IANS).
3
KAJOL MAKES
SONGS LOOK LIKE
MAGIC: SRK
RITU KUMAR WITH ADITI RAO HYDARI DURING THE LAKME
FASHION WEEK WINTER FESTIVE 2015 IN MUMBAI (IANS).
Sanjay Dutt gets fresh parole
PUNE/MUMBAI, (IANS) Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, who is currently serving a five-year term at Pune's Yerawada Central Jail, has
been granted a 30-day parole for tending to his daughter, who is to
undergo nose surgery, official sources said. He had applied for the
parole in June citing his daughter's medical condition, which has
been granted two days ago by the Pune Divisional Commissioner.
After completing various formalities, including posting a surety bond,
Dutt is likely to walk out of jail either later on Wednesday or Thursday
and return to his Bandra home.
The 30-day parole is extendable by another 60 days. Since he repor ted to the Yerawada Central Jail in May 2013, the "Munna Bhai
M.B.B.S." actor, who was convicted for illegal possession of arms in
the March 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, has been out on parole for
around four months. Prior to this, in October 2013, Dutt had been
released on medical furlough for 28 days, followed by another 28
days in December 2013 to tend to his ailing wife Manyata, 14 days
parole in December 2014 and another 60 days from January 2014.
This had sparked off protests among various sections with allegations of preferential treatment meted out to him owing to his star
status. The Khalnayak star, who has given hits like Munna Bhai
M.B.B.S, Vaastav: The Reality and Saajan, is currently serving the
remaining 42 months of his five-year jail term.
Mithun Chakraborty inspired
Irrfan to be an actor
MUMBAI, (IANS) Internationally acclaimed actor Irrfan Khan says he
decided to join showbiz after he saw
veteran
actor
Mithun
Chakrabor ty's
National
Award-winning performance
in 1976 film "Mrigayaa".
Irr fan visited the set of
"Dance India Dance 5"
along with his "Jazbaa"
co-star Aishwarya Rai
Bachchan on Tuesday and
talked about his personal
connect with Mithun, who is
seen as a 'Grandmaster' on the
dance reality show.
"Mithun da was my inspiration to become an actor and it was only
when I saw his acting in the National Award-winning film 'Mrigayaa',
I realised the desire to get into acting and become like him. I would try
my best to copy dada's style and attitude," Irrfan said in a statement.
"I would spend hours at the barber's shop to get my curly hair straightened to get dada's look. Unfortunately in those days, they would only
blow-dry the hair for temporary straightening which would only last
for a couple of hours leaving me with a disastrous half curly and half
straightened, dishevelled look.
"From dada's style to his dialogue delivery, I would try to emulate
everything, barring one skill which I knew from the beginning was not
just difficult, but impossible to copy. It was the original Disco dancer's
killer dance moves that I never attempted as I consider myself to
have been born with two left feet," the "Piku" actor added. The
episode featuring Aishwarya and Irr fan will be aired on Sunday
on Zee TV. Meanwhile, "Jazbaa", directed by Sanjay Gupta, is
slated to release on October 9. The film also stars Shabana Azmi,
Jackie Shroff and Atul Kulkarni.
4
MidWeek
federal elections
MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2015
GREENS SURGE ON
VANCOUVER ISLAND:
INDEPENDENT POLL
PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER AND JASON KENNY, MINISTER FOR DEFENCE AND MULTICULTURALISM AT SCARBOROUGH
GURDWARA (PHOTO BY JASON RANSOM).
HARPER ANNOUNCES BETTER
FOREIGN CREDENTIAL RECOGNITION
OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced that a reelected Conservative government will make it faster, fairer and
more affordable for new Canadians and Canadians trained abroad to
get their foreign credentials recognized in Canada. It would more
than double the Foreign Credential Recognition Loans program to
provide 20,000 new loans to internationally-trained professionals
over the next five years. He also announced that a re-elected
Conservative government would work with the provinces and
territories to accelerate accreditation decisions - from one year to
60 days - for high-demand occupations.
BROADBAND EXPANSION INTO MORE RURAL COMMUNITIES
Harper has also promised improvement in broadband connectivity
in rural Canada. His government would set aside a fur ther $200
million to suppor t major new investments in fibre broadband
infrastructure in rural and remote communities that currently lack
high-speed internet. The 2014 Economic Action Plan provided
fur ther funding which is poised to bring higher-speed internet to
356,000 households by 2017.
SPENDING ON CANCER RESEARCH
Harper has also announced one of his key priorities has been and
will be fight against cancer under renewed Par tnership for a fur ther
five years when its current mandate expires in 2017 that is:
"
Pallative care and survivorship - to help people and their
families touched by cancer;
"
First Nations, Inuit, and Métis - to improve screening,
which is a major step in the detection and prevention of cancer for
these populations;
"
Big Data - to coordinate the development of a database to
help researchers and medical practitioners.
New funding will total $50 million per year, beginning in 2017-18.
NDP for better economy, more jobs
nesses and create jobs. At a campaign stop in London, Mulcair
also criticized Stephen Harper for
the loss of 400,000 manufacturing jobs.
HOUSING AND JOBS PLAN
The NDP's housing plan committed to immediate funding of $940
million - a number the Conservatives inflated to $5.5 billion.
OTTAWA - The Green Par ty suppor t in Vancouver Island has
surged from 20% in May to 32% in August, according to a recent Insights West poll. While suppor t for the Conservative and
Liberal par ties appear to have collapsed tied at 15%, the Greens
are pulling ahead with 32% suppor t among decided voters. The
NDP are still ahead with 39% suppor t. The poll shows Elizabeth
May has a 65% leader's approval rating on Vancouver Island the highest approval rating of any of the par ty leaders. May
was also the most trusted leader throughout BC to defend the
coasts from risky pipeline and tanker schemes.
INVESTMENT IN SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
According to BC's energy regulator, many ear thquakes have
been caused by hydraulic fracturing or the 'fracking' process
that energy companies use to extract gas. Studies have linked
fracking with ear thquakes in BC. A 2014 repor t from the BC
Auditor said that the province's disaster response was woefully inadequate. Greens suppor t working through their proposed Council of Canadian Governments to strengthen Ear thquake Monitoring and disaster response. It also suppor ts the
elimination of all fossil fuel subsidies, including fracking subsidies introduced in the 2015 Budget.
$8 BILLION HOLE IN RECKLESS NDP
SPENDING PLANS TO MASSIVELY
HIKE TAXES ON CANADIAN
FAMILIES: JASON KENNY
OTTAWA - Jason Kenney, Minister of National Defence and Minister for Multiculturalism, outlined an $8 billion hole in the NDP's
reckless spending plans. He called on Thomas Mulcair to come
clean with Canadians on how he plans to pay for the billions
upon billions of new spending promises.
New NDP spending promises total $13.8 billion in the first year,
growing to $34.5 billion when fully implemented. This total does
not even include 125 promises not yet costed. But even the
NDP's job killing tax hike on business and taking away benefits
for families does not even come close to covering the cost of
these new promises, leaving Canadian taxpayers on the hook
for $8 billion. This means the NDP will impose massive tax
hikes on Canadian families - on top of the tax hikes the NDP has
already promised.
"Canadians can't afford the NDP," Kenney said. "We are only a
third of the way through this campaign and already their reckless spending would mean massive tax hikes. The NDP have
said they would raise taxes on our job-creators, cancel income
splitting for Canadian families as well as the recent TFSA increases,
but this still leaves them with the need for at least $8 billion in additional taxes in year one alone - the year they claim they will also
balance the budget."
Since becoming leader, Mulcair and his NDP team have promised impractical increases in EI spending, a massive government-run daycare scheme that would benefit only a small percentage of Canadian families, questionable investments in green
energy, a massive social housing plan, and a $9 billion dollar
increase in spending for foreign aid.
Conservatives have lowered the tax burden for the average Canadian family by $6,600, all while preserving programs Canadians count on and balancing the budget.
NDP LEADER TOM MULCAIR MEETING WITH SOUTH ASIAN KIDS (NDP.CA)
OTTAWA - Mulcair recently spent
an hour at Facebook Canada headquar ters where he answered questions online from Canadian Facebook
users. Mulcair highlighted the NDP's
priorities to support small business;
stable middle-class jobs; and to grow
our economy by protecting the environment.
ESTABLISHING INDEPENDENT BUD-
GET WATCHDOG
Mulcair recently joined Thomson in
Toronto to introduce his plan to undo
Conservative secrecy and establish
a truly independent Budget watchdog.
Mulcair's plan protects the Parliamentary Budget Officer from political interference and makes the position a fully independent Officer of Parliament. It will also require Govern-
ment departments and agencies to
make financial information available
to the PBO.
SAVING MANUFACTURING SECTOR
The NDP's Innovation Tax Credit
will save eligible innovative
manufacturers $40 million per
year and stimulate additional investment. NDP will continue to
focus on suppor ting small busi-
LIBERALS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENT
MONTREAL - Leader of the Liberal Par ty of Canada, Justin Trudeau presented infrastructure investment plan to create jobs and growth for the Montreal region and also introduced his strong economic
team in Quebec. He said a Liberal government will nearly double federal infrastructure investment to
almost $125 billion - from the current $65 billion - over the next decade, the largest infrastructure
investment in Canadian history.
Former Prime Minister Paul Mar tin, who turned around Canada's finances and produced eight consecutive budget surpluses, offered his strong suppor t for the Liberal plan. He also introduced members of his economic team that includes several former federal and provincial economic ministers;
successful entrepreneurs and job creators; leading exper ts in technology, economics, training, First
Nations governance, and natural resources; and community leaders, among others.
TEACHER AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR SCHOOL SUPPLY TAX BENEFIT
Liberals will introduce a new Teacher and Early Childhood Educator School Supply Tax Benefit, accessible to all teachers and early childhood educators. This refundable tax benefit will be available
regardless of income level, and will provide a cash benefit of up to $150 annually, on up to $1,000 in
school supplies and educational materials. The list of allowable expenses will draw on best practices
in Prince Edward Island, which has already implemented a provincial school supply tax benefit.
CAMPAIGN OFFICE CONTACT :
100 Kennedy Road South, Brampton, ON, L6W 3E7
[email protected], 905-512-6664
MidWeek 5
HARPER ANSWERS QUESTIONS ON ECONOMY,
SECURITY, CRIME, INFRASTRUCTURE AND PENSIONS
MIDWEEK NEWS
NEWS WEEKLY
WEEKLY
TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 28,
01,2012
2015
federal elections
CONTD. FROM PAGE 1
You just have to see the news every day, we saw in France just last week
another attempt to mass murder people onboard a train, which was only
stopped because the right people just happened to be in the right place
at the right time. We have seen last fall two soldiers dead on our own
soil. All we are saying as a government is two things, the first is that:
We have to have all of the tools all countries have to deal with this
thing. In other countries police and security agencies can share information. We haven't been able to share information, surely they can
share information.
And that when a security agency knows a threat is imminent they can
intervene and actually act. Most of our security agencies haven't had
that authority under our law. We are now saying in this election we
should have something called "declared areas." Now if somebody is
radicalized and goes into the area controlled by ISIS we have to prove
what they were actually doing there. Well, how can we prove that? Because, we obviously don't have anybody there, nobody can go to those
areas. We know that if somebody is going to those areas without some
legitimate reason, we know what they are doing, so we are going to make
it a crime to go to those areas and easier to apprehend those kinds of
people or keep them over there and not coming back. I think the things we
are doing, that's the first set of things, the second set of things is we are
involved in the international military coalition against ISIS, this is a broad
coalition including virtually every single one of our partners in the Western world, most of the Arab world and others, we cannot allow an organization that is dedicated to slaughtering anybody who is different than
them. We cannot allow them to establish a base of operations from which
they say they are going to launch attacks on our country. It isn't just that
they are doing horrible things over there, they are saying they intend to do
them in Canada. That is why so many countries are involved this is a
serious risk. So, we are taking them on militarily making sure our guys
go at them there before they can come at us here, and making sure that
our police and security agencies have all of the reasonable tools necessary to respond to these kinds of threats. This is what I think Canadians
expect. Quite frankly, the other parties' positions on this are just foolish they are just foolish, they are just trying to bury their head in the sand,
anyone who does not think that this is a threat has not talked to a single
security agency, or frankly a single one of the other leaders that I deal
with around the world. This is a real problem, this is probably a long run
problem, and this government is going to do whatever is necessary to
protect Canadians from it.
Question - You're focused on balancing budgets and keeping taxes low
but over last couple of days we are seeing instable market conditions
and there is a fear of recession. What steps do you think are needed and
you are considering to deal with this instable market condition?
Answer: First of all let me just repeat what the record of the Conservative
Government is. We have been in a period of ups and downs in the market
on an unprecedented level for what - 7 years now - 6, 7 years. Through all
of that, the record is that compared to the major developed economies,
the Canadian economy has grown significantly - the best of them all. We
have the best job creation. 1.3 million more Canadians working today
than were working back in 2009. Mostly well-paid, full time, private
sector jobs. At the same time we've been able to do that while making
investments in Canadian families - you know the Universal Child Care
Benefit, Tax Free Savings Account, Income Splitting for our families and
our seniors - we've been able to do all those things - growing economy,
providing benefits, balancing our budget and lowering taxes for people.
Look around the world at what's happened at the same time - many other
economies have hardly recovered at all. They are caught in a trap of job
losses, program cuts, debt increase - deficit, rising deficits and tax increases - that's where we do not want to be. We have been operating on
a long term plan. It's true we sometimes make adjustments based on
circumstances but our long term plan has been - affordable benefits, tax
cuts, balanced budgets and making investments. The investments are
what I call the three T's and the three I's. Obviously, I said taxes, training
- investments in training like I announced today, and trade - opening up
markets. Immigration, innovation, especially in manufacturing sector,
and infrastructure. So we're following a long term plan and we have the
results. In this election - the other parties, the Liberals and the NDP - all
they are proposing…. Let's be very clear about it, very simple, all they're
proposing is to come along and say "we're just going to spend more than
the Conservatives on everything". And how are they going to do that?
They're going to do that by raising taxes right away as the NDP says or as
the Liberals say, running a deficit and raising taxes later. These things
will hurt our economy. They will take us off the path that has made us one
of the most successful economies coming out of the recession. Now is
not the time for that approach. Now we believe is the time for a balanced
budget low tax plan. We'll continue making the kinds of investments, the
kinds of announcements I talked about today - for instance to help new
Canadians get the training they need. Get the proper qualifications they
need to make full contributions to the economy.
Question - Now let's talk about the immigration system. The immigration system has been reformed recently. However, the new system has
been criticized. Some people say that it's not transparent, the bar was
raised to high, and also it is not in favour of people from non-English
speaking countries like China. Would you just please comment on this?
Answer: Let me comment on our immigration record because it's something I'm very proud of and I think it is a marked contrast to the previous
government. We have made some changes in the system and I'd admit
some of them are on the language side. That said, China has been and
China will continue to be one of the three top source countries of immigration going forward. And the fact of the matter is, we have something
unprecedented in our government. Not only do we have a large number of
new Canadians running for us - one out of five of our candidates in the
Conservative party is a new Canadian. We have never had so many new
Canadians elected to Parliament and actually beginning to get positions
of responsibility in the Government of Canada. So we're very proud of
how we have brought new Canadians into the mainstream. The Immigration program - we have welcomed in our time of office two and a half
million Canadians. This is without precedent. And we are the first government not to cut back on immigration in an economic down turn. That's
what the previous Liberal government did when they came to office. They
dramatically slashed immigration because they had a downturn. We
have not slashed immigration through down turns. The reason is because our immigration program is focused on the long term. We know
that we need immigrants. We know that immigrants make a considerable contribution to our economy and we've reformed the system itself.
When we came to office, the liberals had 800, 000 applications in a
backlog. Eight hundred thousand! We've largely eliminated those backlogs, we fixed the broken refugee system, we've cracked down on unscrupulous immigration consultants, we've deported foreign criminals
all the while, all the while bringing a record number of productive new
Canadians into our society. So I think it's something we're very proud of.
Question : Prime Minister, you earlier in the morning you announced
further services and the loans for to get credential recognition within
Canada - can you expand a little more - there were no numbers, you said
you would double the program so by how much, also we've discussed
this before - how are the provinces taking it? Are some of them cooperating with the federal government on this issue, especially Ontario?
What does Ontario feel about it?
Answer: We announced two things today. First of all, we announced that
we are going to double the program we created as a pilot back in I think
2011 - the foreign credential recognition loans program whereby we give
modest loans to people - and this is done through a variety of mechanisms - mostly third-party organizations. Where we give loans, modest loans, to people who we know
that with a modest amount of
money can under take whatever
training or courses that are necessary to bring their professional
competencies in line for Canadian
recognition. And I think I gave the
stats this morning - we in the first
pilot project we had 2000 loans 47% of those people have seen significant increase in their economic
status because of that. 99% of the
loans have been repaid in full. So
we've also, we've experimented
with a number of ways of delivering that program. The cheapest way
we found is through what we call
loan loss reserve through third party
organizations - it's going to allow
us to double the amount of money
we're spending while increasing
the number of loans by ten times.
So we're now going to be up to 20,
000 new loans. And as I say, this is
a program that has had great success. It does exactly what people
need and it's for people who fall
between the cracks. They may not
have a lot of money, they aren't eligible for Canada Student Loans,
they can't get a bank loan. So look,
I think this is a very positive thing.
Should be very well received. On
the other part of it - working with
the provinces - we've done a couple
things since we came to office to
work with the provinces on credentials recognition because the truth
is the provinces actually control a
lot of the jurisdiction in this area.
We've set up the foreign credentials recognition office which interfaces with the provinces and interfaces with immigrants to identify
credentials recognition and give in-
formation on that before people even come to Canada. But we've also set
up this - basically this action plan with the provinces whereby we identify
the various high-need sectors of the economy - there are now some 24.
We work on assessing those kinds of credentials and giving a path whereby
it's clear to immigrants how you need to go from your foreign credentials
into Canadian credentials. This is a new thing we've set up. It's been
coming together over the last several years. But it's been taking a year in
some cases to make the assessments. Now that we have some of that
baseline data we should be able to move be able to move the process of
certification and evaluation up much more quickly. So that's the other
announcement I had today.
Question : Prime Minister. Many Canadians are trying to save for retirement. In the meantime, much discussion is going on about the proposed
Ontario Registered Pension Plan (ORPP). Why is your government oppose to that?
Answer: The difference between our view and the Ontario government both Kathleen Wynne and Justin Trudeau but also the NDP - they all have
the same policy. It's a very big difference. We believe Canadians should
get tax incentives and tax breaks for savings for retirement. They believe
that Canadians should be taxed to save for retirement. That their taxes
should be raised to save for retirement. That is what the Ontario
registered…the Ontario pension plan proposal is. It's that the Wynne
government…the Wynne government that by the way has one of the
worse records of fiscal management out of any government in this country now wants to take your money so that they can manage your retirement for you because they know better and you don't have a choice.
That's their proposal. That's a proposal backed by Justin Trudeau and
backed by Thomas Mulcair. There is no evidence - in fact there is evidence to the contrary - the evidence is that employers do not want this,
employees do not want this. Canadians generally, Ontarians and Canadians more generally do not want this. What they want is what we have
been doing. We already have a strong Canada Pension Plan that costs a
significant amount of employees and employers - we already have that,
we've created the Tax-Free Savings Account to give people an additional
mechanism for people to save and they can get tax relief. They don't pay
any tax on the revenue from that. We've strengthened our RRSP and the
RRIF - the RRIF systems - so that Canadians can save, get tax deductions on the savings in the first place. We created Pension Income Splitting so pensioners now can split their pension between two spouses and
pay a lot less tax on the money they've actually saved and earned. And
we're providing, we're looking at the possibility of voluntary options for
additional Canada Pension Plan contributions if that's what a person actually wants to do. We've also created something else called the registered pooled pension plan whereby small businesses can more easily
get together and create pension plans. But all of our options are based on
giving people choice and actually giving people extra tax breaks if they
save. And most Canadians do this. The Wynne-Trudeau-Mulcair approach
is disastrous. It's to take the money - it's to tax people, take the money.
Give you no control of your savings. But it's actually worse than that traditionally under our Canada Pension Plan it's been a very independent
investment board that is managing that. Kathleen Wynne, the Liberals
and the NDP want a lot more political control over how the funds would
be managed. This is just, these, I think this is one of the biggest issues for
voters in this election. If these guys are elected, they are going to raise
your taxes massively for this - massively. If you're earning $60, 000 a
year, you will pay another $1000 for this so-called plan of Wynne or
Trudeau. You will pay a thousand and your employer will pay a thousand
dollars as well if he wants to keep you on the payroll. If it's higher than
that it will be higher. At $70, 000 it's going to be about $1250 a year. So
these are - this is a lot of money out of the pockets. And I say, to go to take
control of your pension away from you into the hands of people who have
shown that they cannot manage money. I think, as I say, I think this is one
of the biggest issues of the campaign.
Question -I have not seen any significant improvement to our transportation infrastructure, such as new highways and subways. Traffic is
getting worse day by day, and it is costing the Canadian Economy billions of
dollars in lost productivity. Many GTA residents think we need more highways
and definitely a better subway system for Toronto. Do you think the GTA faces
unique transportation infrastructure challenges and other infrastructure needs that the federal government should support?
Answer: I certainly think that the greater Toronto area has the biggest
urban transport infrastructure challenges of any part of the country and
that's just because it is the biggest. That said, I just want to reiterate
what our government's record is. Since we have come to office we
have increased transfers for infrastructure across the country including to the GTA to three times higher the level than they were under the
previous government in fact, since our government came to office,
we have directly, this is just the federal government and remember
these are largely provincial and municipal areas of responsibility
but for those things in infrastructure, transpor t infrastructure and
others we put in $5 billion of federal money, and we have as I say
the largest federal infrastructure program going forward. For GTA
infrastructure we put money into renewing the subway and streetcar fleets, we've put money into expanding the Young-UniversitySpadina line out into York Region, we've funded rapid bus transit
systems in Mississauga and Brampton and York region as well.
We have committed money to the new Scarborough line under the
previous Mayor of Toronto, and that money is still on the table, I announced just recently, Mayor Tory, this massive Smart Tracks proposal,
we announced that we are fully a participant in that we are going to be
putting a couple of billion dollars into that as well, we have financed
expansions and improvements to the Go System independently of that. So, look
I would say that while these challenges are significant, the federal level of participation in all of the major projects is without precedence. The choice here, you
know, Mr. Trudeau said today 'Well, I will double the amount the Tories are spending, Conservatives are spending' Look, people, your readers aren't stupid. All of
these guys go out and you know, they say - the only thing they have to say in this
election on anything is 'we'll just spend more than what the Conservatives are
spending, we'll spend more than what the Conservatives are spending…' well,
you think if I could spend more, if it was easy to spend more we'd spend more, but
you have to make choices. And the choice of spending more is you're going to tax
people more or you're going to run a deficit and you're going to tax
people more later. And, we don't think that's what this country
needs, in fact the evidence is that we start taxing people more to do these things,
because we can't run a financial ship, what happens is: we don't balance the
budget, we just start destroying jobs and killing the economy. So, let's keep our
taxes down, and make the investments we can afford and under our
government these investments are without precedent.
I CONTD. ON PAGE 9
6
MidWeek
community
MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2015
Sikh International Film Festival a great success
BRAMPTON - The annual Sikh International Film Festival Toronto
(SIFFT) met with an overwhelming response and success, organizers say. The three-day event, held August 28 - 30th, 2015 at the Rose
Theatre Brampton attracted film lovers of all ages from across the
Greater Toronto Area.
Launched in 2013 by the Sikh Foundation of Canada, SIFFT has quickly
evolved into one of Nor th America's premier celebrations of Sikh
stories and storytellers. This year's program boasted a greatly expanded lineup, featuring over 50 documentaries, shor ts and 2 feature
films from Canada and around the world, exploring all aspects of the
Sikh experience, from the origins of the faith to the social and cultural
concerns of today.
Audience favourites included The Lions of London, a documentary
about the contributions made by Sikh soldiers during the First and
Second World Wars, and Rebel Queen, the dramatic tale of Maharani
Jindan Kaur. Other standouts included Super Fan, a por trait of legendary Toronto Raptors supporter Nav Bhatia, and Ridingthe Tiger, a pow-
erful eyewitness account of the events that rocked India in 1984.Children and parents also favourited Adventures of Roop Singh, a children series that teaches the impor tance of accepting the way God
created us.
For many, the unquestioned highlight was SIFFT's exclusive red-carpet pre-screening of the feature film Learning to Drive, which is a
major production by Broad Green Pictures, showcasing Sikhs, their
faith and culture in a positive light. SIFFT applauds the leadership at
Broad Green Pictures to greenlight such an inspirational project. The
film was very well received by the audience and left the full house
with thought provoking discussions and praises.
In addition to drawing an enthusiastic filmgoing audience, SIFFT played
host to many of the filmmakers whose work was showcased in this
year's festival, among them Harry Sachdeva, the writer-director of
31st October feature film. Others included Michael Singh (Riding the
Tiger), Manveena Singh (Where Have Our Girls Gone ), Shon Gill
(Super Fan Nav Bhatia), Satinder Kassoana (Bonjour Ji), Sukhwinder
Singh (Adventures of Roop Singh), and Jagneet Singh (#7 Days: All I
am is A Homeless Person).
Bicky Singh, founder of Sikhlens was also in attendance representing
several Chapman University films. The constant refrain, heard both
from audience members and from filmmakers like Divya Sharma, of
31st October said that SIFFT has given a great platform to many filmmakers and it was a great oppor tunity to interact with film makers
from across the globe. SIFFT is growing bigger and better each year,
and has become one of Canada's not-to-be-missed cultural events.
Sikh International Film Festival Toronto chair Nikki Gill was full of praise for all the
members of the SIFFT2015 organizing team, including vice-chair Jatinder Gill and
coordinators Sarika Gandhi and Mandip Singh. "The 2015 edition of the Sikh
International Film Festival Toronto was an unqualified success," she said. "SIFFT is
both an exceptional platform for highlighting the very best Sikh-centric filmmaking from around the world, and a growing source of pride for the
Sikh-Canadian community. We look forward to delivering an even
richer festival experience for filmgoers in 2016."
MIDWEEK NEWS
NEWS WEEKLY
WEEKLY
TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 28,
01,2012
2015
MidWeek
community
7
Minister rejects rights groups'
claim that new Citizenship Act
is unconstitutional
MPP DIPIKA DAMERLA (ONTARIO’S ASSOCIATE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND LONG-TERM CARE) SPEAKING AT THE TAMIL FEST. THE FESTIVAL
IS BILLED AS THE LARGEST TAMIL STREET FESTIVAL OUTSIDE OF THE INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT. ALSO SEEN IN THE PICTURE ARE MPPS
MITIZIE HUNTER AND BASS BALKISSOON.
SOBEYS INC. LAUNCHES CHALO! FRESHCO
NEW CONCEPT STORE IN BRAMPTON, ONTARIO, PROVIDES CUSTOMERS A
ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL THEIR SOUTH ASIAN GROCERY NEEDS
STELLARTON - Sobeys Inc. has
announced the grand opening of
Chalo! FreshCo in Brampton,
Ontario, the Company's first South
Asian focused discount grocery
store.
"Chalo! FreshCo is a significant
and unique addition to our
Company's food retailing lineup,"
says Rob Adams, General Manager, Discount Format, Sobeys
Inc. "This store caters to the South
Asian market while also driving
our mission to inspire Canadians
to discover new foods, products
and recipes, and to help them Eat
Better, Feel Better and Do Better."
Chalo, meaning "let's go" in South
Asian languages, is Sobeys Inc.'s
invitation for shoppers to visit the
new 50,000 square foot store. Inside, they will find thousands of
South Asian grocery products
such as a wide assor tment of
rice, spices, lentils and snacks;
fresh produce; full service seafood, halal and non-halal meat
counters; Amaya, a popular Indian restaurant; as well as the traditional FreshCo product offering
SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EXECUTIVES CUT THE OPENING DAY RIBBON SURROUNDED BY STAFF.
with a large range of North American brands at low discount prices.
"Our research indicates that
many South Asians visit multiple
grocery stores each week to fulfill their food shopping needs, from
traditional grocers to small, specialty stores for specific products
," adds Adams. "Now, they can
find the popular and unique products that they regularly look for
and enjoy in one convenient loca-
tion." Chalo! Freshco, located at 10615
Bramalea Road in Brampton, Ontario,
is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven
days a week. For more information,
please
visit
www.chalofreshco.com.
Indian-origin girl wins Miss
Teen Canada pageant
Arshpreet Chahal after winning the 2015 Miss Teen Canada
Petite Globe pageant held in Toronto, Ontario (IANS).
HARYANA DELEGATION WITH ICCC OFFICE BEARERS.
'Haryana-Canada ties are a 'win-win' for all'
Manohar Lal Khattar, the Chief Minister of Haryana, invited Indo-Canada
Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) to lead a delegation of small business
entrepreneurs and professionals to the #Happening Haryana investment
conclave scheduled to be held in Chandigarh next year. The Honourable Chief
Minister was addressing members of the Chamber at a business meeting
convened on Sunday evening in Toronto.
The Haryana CM was accompanied by a high-powered business and government delegation that included prominent members of the Haryana businesses, government and bureaucracy. Deep Kapuria, the Chairman and Managing Director of Hi-Tech Gears, was the head of the Confederation of Indian
Industries (CII) business delegation accompanying the CM that comprised
several Haryana-based businesses. Capt. Abhimanyu Sindhu, Haryana's
Industries Minister and Principal Secretary Devinder Kumar were among the
government officials. The Canadian participants at the business meeting
included several well-known Indo-Canadian entrepreneurs and professionals, and members of the Indian diplomatic corps.
In his speech, Honourable Khattar lauded the role Indo-Canada Chamber of
Commerce (ICCC) in promoting bilateral trade relations. The Chief Minister
welcomed Canadian interests in Haryana and said that his state would benefit immensely from Canadian technical knowhow in different spheres. "The
enhancement of relationship between Haryana and Canada would be a definite win-win," he said.
He added that such a cooperation would help the people in his state meet
their basic needs and also deliver tangible results in employment and education. While lauding the role of the Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in India's
development, he urged those present to proactively work towards adopting
villages in his state.
Speaking on the occasion, High Commissioner H.E. Vishnu Prakash described the ICCC as a "leading organization for the Indo-Canadian business
TORONTO - Recently the BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) and
the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers (CARL) launched a constitutional challenge to the new Citizenship Act, a federal law relegating
over one million Canadians to second-class status.
The lawsuit argued that the new Citizenship Act, in force since the
passage of Bill C-24, creates a two-tier citizenship regime that discriminates against dual nationals, whether born abroad or in Canada,
and naturalized citizens. These Canadians will now have more limited
citizenship rights compared to other Canadians, simply because they
or their parents or ancestors were born in another country.
Commenting on the issue, Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and
Immigration said: "There is no greater rejection of Canadian values than
an act of terrorism. Our Conservative Government is sending a very
clear message: those who are tried and convicted of terrorism, espionage, treason, or taking up arms against our Canadian Armed Forces,
will not have the right to hold Canadian citizenship. Justin Trudeau and
Thomas Mulcair need to explain to Canadians why they think convicted
terrorists should continue to hold Canadian citizenship. They are offside with the overwhelming majority of Canadians and many other
democratic countries, such as Australia and the United Kingdom."
Meanwhile, the rights groups maintain that under the new law, these
Canadians could see their citizenship taken away if convicted of certain
serious crimes in Canada or abroad (including in a country that does not
have due process or rule of law). New Canadians who became citizens
after the passage of Bill C-24 could also lose their citizenship if they
move abroad for work, school, or family reasons. Other Canadians
would not be vulnerable to losing their citizenship.
"All Canadian citizens used to have the same citizenship rights, no
matter what their origins. We were all equal under the law," said Josh
Paterson, Executive Director of the BCCLA. "Now this new law has
divided us into classes of citizens-those who can lose their citizenship,
and those who can't. Bill C-24 is anti-immigrant, anti-Canadian, and
anti-democratic. It undermines - quite literally - what it means to be
Canadian." Over 110,000 Canadians have signed a Change.org petition
to stop the new law. Despite the public outcry, the citizenship-stripping
provisions of the Citizenship Act became law, and the federal government has already quietly begun proceedings to revoke citizenship from
some individuals.Lorne Waldman, a member of the team of lawyers
litigating the case and an executive member of CARL, added: "This
citizenship-stripping law is unjust, legally unsound, and violates the
core values of equality enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. With this law, the federal government shows a flagrant disregard
for these values, and for the basic rights of all Canadians. We are asking
the court to strike the law down." The lawsuit further alleges that the
two-tier regime is unconstitutional because it allows citizenship to be
revoked by government bureaucrats, not by a court of law. "Instead of
welcoming new Canadians, the new Citizenship Act discriminates
against them," said Mitch Goldberg, President of CARL. "Bureaucrats in
Ottawa will have the power to take away citizenship, and tell people that
they don't belong in this country. This weakens citizenship for all Canadians. This lawsuit will remind the government that a Canadian is
a Canadian is a Canadian. Period."
community." He said that Haryana is a Silicon Valley of Northern India.
Sectors such as automobile, education, pharmaceuticals, and IT are thriving
in the state.
Sanjay Makkar, President, ICCC, in his remarks, spoke about the mission of
the delegation. "The Haryana business delegation is in Canada to explore
bilateral economic opportunities between Canada and Haryana, a relationship that has tremendous potential considering the commonalities that the
state of Haryana shares with Canada in all the three spheres of agriculture,
manufacturing and services," he said.
Makkar introduced the Chamber to the visitors thus: "The Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) is a 38-year-old organization that promotes bilateral
economic and business relations between Canada and India by creating
opportunities for Canadian small businesses and professionals to explore
trade ties in India. Our Chamber has a coast-to-coast presence in Canada,
and has councils in four of the most important provinces of this great country
that is our karma-bhoomi. We have partners with whom we have signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in all the major states of our matrubhoomi." He informed the delegation of ICCC's visit to Haryana in 2014
during the 2014 India Mission, and assured the chief minister that in
2016, too, the ICCC India Mission would visit Haryana.
Deep Kapuria, head of the CII business delegation, said that Haryana
houses the largest number of manufacturing units. He said that entrepreneurs' par ticipation in the value chain will help in longer cooperation and transformation of India into a developed country. He lauded
the Indian PM slogan of Make in India with Zero Defect and Zero
Effect. Captain Abhimanyu Sindhu, Industries Minister Haryana also
briefed about the various programs star ted by the state government.
Jagdish Bajaj, Vice President, Programs and Events, gave the introductory remarks.
TORONTO, (IANS) An Indian-origin teenager has won the "Miss Teen
Canada Petite Globe 2015" pageant held in Toronto recently, a media report
said. Arshpreet Chahal, 15, of Vancouver was crowned champion at the
national finals held at the Richmond Hill Centre of Performing Arts in Toronto
on August 22, the Voice Online reported. Seventy girls contested in the
pageant that was held in Toronto from August 12 to 23. Prior to the national
finals, the contestants took part in many promotional activities. The Class 9
student at Vancouver's John Oliver Secondary School was chosen a national finalist in December last year. Arshpreet said that winning the title
was not easy. "It required hard work and maximum effort," she was
quoted as saying. "Her favourite subject is English. She plans on pursuing her dream of being a lawyer and she loves animals," the official
website of the pageant was quoted as saying. "She plays basketball,
soccer, and field hockey and is working as a freelance model. Her
hobbies include reading, writing and travelling," the website added.
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For details: Ken Campbell, Sales Representative.
8
MidWeek
opinion
MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2015
Will religious census stir up
India's political cauldron?
BY MOHIT DUBEY
Will the religious census released by the central government on Tuesday stir up India's political cauldron? Repor ts from two states with a
sizeable Muslim population suggest that it just could.
In Uttar Pradesh, the answer seemingly is in the affirmative, fear
many, as the already polarized polity of India's most politically crucial state is set to be harvested for electoral gains in the run-up to the
state assembly elections due in early 2017.
While most political leaders in Uttar Pradesh -- including the ones
known for competing with their professional adversaries for quotes
and sound bytes -- have refused to come on record candidly, there is
an overwhelming sense in the state that the "religious census will
precipitate into a politics-based on religious lines". The Muslim population in the state has grown to 19.8 per cent in the last 14 years -- an
increase of 0.86 per cent.
"The census on religious lines had been held back for long and we all
know its release has a political statement to it," a Congress leader,
not wishing to be named, told IANS. He fur ther pointed out that the fact
that the Hindu population had slipped below 80 per cent for the first
time -- juxtaposed with the marginal growth of Muslims -- was "sure
to be used by those who play politics of religion".
State spokesman of the Bharatiya Janata Par ty (BJP) Vijay Bahadur
Pathak, though not ready for a usual full-length statement, told IANS
that the census had thrown up two things which needed to be immediately tackled and with all seriousness -- jansankhya niyantran (population control) and jansankhya santulan (population balance).
"Any and everybody who wishes for development will think in similar
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fashion," he elaborated. Eminent Sunni cleric Maulana Ir fan Mian
Farangi Mahali saw the release of the religious census as a "political
stunt which will only end up widening the growing gap between two
communities. The real issues are much different like price rise and
corruption but such data is sure to stoke the imagination of political
par ties," he averred. Of a population of 19.98 crore in 2011, Uttar
Pradesh now has 15.93 crore Hindus, 3.84 crore Muslims, 64.35 lakh
Sikhs and 35.6 lakh Christians.
The districts with highest concentration of Muslims are Moradabad,
Muzaffarnagar, Bijnore, Bareilly and Saharanpur. In the sensitive area
of western UP, which has been a communal flash point over the past
few years, in 17 districts the ratio of Hindus and Muslims is very
wide and only Amroha and Rampur have more Muslims.
Senior journalist Rajiv Ranjan Jha said Uttar Pradesh was a sensitive
state and one where politics revolved around caste and community.
"There can be no doubt that the release of the census would trigger a
political chain-reaction and harvest divisive results," Jha told IANS.
A repor t from Patna said that taking Bihar's sizeable Muslim population into consideration, not only are the RJD, the JD-U and Congress
eyeing their suppor t, but even the BJP is also trying to gain their
suppor t ahead of the assembly polls expected in October. "No political par ty can ignore this sizeable population in view of the coming
polls," social activist Nayiar Fatmi told IANS. Soroor Ahmad, a sociopolitical analyst, said the Muslim population is the highest in Bihar's
most backward pockets with high degree of pover ty, illiteracy and
migration.
Muslims in districts like Kishanganj, Purnea, Araria, Katihar and Supaul
-- known as the Seemanchal region as they share border with Nepal
and Bangladesh -- have been playing an impor tant role in the polls.
Ahmad said that AIMIM president Asadullah Owaisi recently visited
“
The districts with highest concentration of
Muslims are Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar,
Bijnore, Bareilly and Saharanpur. In the
sensitive area of western UP, which has been
a communal flash point over the past few
years, in 17 districts the ratio of Hindus and
Muslims is very wide and only Amroha and
Rampur have more Muslims.
Senior journalist Rajiv Ranjan Jha said Uttar
Pradesh was a sensitive state and one where
politics revolved around caste and
community. "There can be no doubt that the
release of the census would trigger a
political chain-reaction and harvest divisive
results," Jha told IANS.
A report from Patna said that taking Bihar's
sizeable Muslim population into consideration,
not only are the RJD, the JD-U and Congress
eyeing their support, but even the BJP is also
trying to gain their support ahead of the
assembly polls expected in October.
and addressed a public meeting in Kishanganj to explore possibilities
of contesting the Bihar polls. According to the 2011 census, Bihar's
population stood at 10.5 crore, of which 16.5 per cent were Muslims.
BIHAR POLL - REAL TEST FOR MODI
BY AMITAVA MUKHERJEE
Roughly 32,000 new voters enrolled in each constituency for this
year's assembly election in Bihar may play a decisive role in determining the ultimate poll result. The presence of these new voters
becomes impor tant in the light of the fact that during the last two
assembly elections in the state, the victory margins of many of the
winning candidates ranged between 12,000 and 13,000 votes.
But there are plenty of ifs and buts before the state goes to the polls.
The electoral behaviour of the Hindi-speaking states in the IndoGangetic plain is always influenced by caste factors and here, Chief
Minister Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav, a former chief minister and one of the principal players of caste-based politics in
India, have stolen a march by stitching up an alliance and announcing their respective share of seats. There is reason for the
Bharatiya Janatta Par ty (BJP) to feel a bit rattled as it cannot field
an equally power ful counter-combination of castes and, therefore, has fallen back on its slogan of "development" as can be
understood from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement
of a grant of Rs.1.25 lakh crore for Bihar.
But this slogan of "development", together with a sense of "national perspective", as described by the BJP, had enabled the constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) it leads to
capture 31 seats out of 40 in Bihar during the 2014 parliamentary
elections. The NDA's combined vote-share was 38.8 percent while
the BJP's individual share in this stood at 29.86 percent. However, the vote share of the opposition par ties consisting of the
Janata Dal-United (JD-U), the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata
Dal (RJD) combined was much more than that of the NDA. This is
the source of worry for the BJP.
The BJP's traditional vote-base consists of the Brahmins and the
Baniyas of Indian society. Par ty veteran L.K. Advani first tried to
broadbase it by his concept of a broader Hindutva. The BJP could
successfully romp home in the last Lok Sabha elections in spite
of its divorce from Nitish Kumar, who represented the other backward class (OBC) interests. This was because a significant number of OBC votes and even a slight amount of Muslim votes had
swung towards the BJP. But this is unlikely to happen now.
This time, the BJP can safely count on 14 percent upper-caste
votes, six percent Vaishya votes, around six percent votes that
are likely to go to the Lok Janshakti Par ty of Ram Vilas Paswan
and four percent votes of the Rashtriya Lok Samta Par ty of
Upendra Kushwaha. Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, hailing from the Musahar caste and representing the interests of the
'mahadalits', can bring in another five to six percent votes. But
this may not be enough for the BJP to secure a convincing victory.
Against this backdrop, the new voters have become impor tant for
the BJP as they may not have been bitten by the caste bug. But the
BJP's greatest worry should come from the Muslims, who constitute nearly 15 percent of the voters. For a long time since the
1990s, the RJD garnered most of their votes. Latest indications,
however, are that they are again switching their loyalty to the
Congress.
This will cer tainly give the JD -U-RJD-Congress combine extra
advantage. In the 2014 parliamentar y polls these par ties together
had received 45.6 percent votes. But for tilting the scales in their
favour, both the combines are expected to rely heavily on the
extremely backward castes (EBCs) who constitute nearly 24 percent of the Bihar populace. In 2014, 53 percent of this group had
voted for the BJP. How they would cast their votes this time has
become an impor tant question.
In all probability, the JD-U will be able to retain its 16.4 percent
vote base. The Congress is also expected to maintain its 8.56 percent share. About the RJD, however, there are some reasonable doubts.
In 2014 it had received 20.46 percent votes. But this time there are
two spoilsports - the Garib Janata Dal (Secular) of Sadhu Yadav and
the Jana Adhikar Mancha of Pappu Yadav. Both are likely to cut into
the RJD vote-share in some pockets. At the same time they have, till
now, declared their suppor t for Jitan Ram Manjhi - which may harm
the JD-U a bit.
On the whole, the Bihar election result is likely to be a cliff-hanger and the real test for Narendra Modi.
M AT R I M O N I A L
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DISCLAIMER: THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PAGE ARE THE PERSONAL OPINIONS OF THE AUTHORS.THE INFORMATION, FACTS OR OPINIONS APPEARING IN THE
ARTICLES DO NOT REFLECT VIEWS OF MIDWEEK AND ITS MANAGEMENT AND SO THE PAPER DOES NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR THE SAME.
MIDWEEK NEWS
NEWS WEEKLY
WEEKLY
TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 28,
01,2012
2015
canada
New Road Safety Rules In Effect September 1
Ontario Strengthening Penalties for Distracted Driving; Protecting Cyclists
ONTARIO - On September 1, the rules of the road will be updated to
help keep Ontarians safe. Changes include tougher penalties for
distratcted driving, new rules to protect cyclists and measures to
ensure the safety of tow truck drivers and children riding school buses.
Getting Tougher on Distracted Driving
Penalties for distracted driving will include an increased set fine of
$490* and three demerit points upon conviction. Novice drivers will
receive a minimum 30-day suspension for the first conviction and
longer suspensions for subsequent convictions.
Keeping Cyclists Safe
The "dooring" of cyclists will carry an increased set fine of $365* and
three demerit points upon conviction. New rules will also require
drivers to leave a one-metre distance where possible when passing
cyclists, or they may face the penalty of a $110* set fine and two
demerit points. Cyclists who don't use the required bicycle lights and
reflectors face a higher set fine of $110.*
Staying Alert Around Tow Trucks and School Buses
Drivers must now leave a safe passing distance between themselves
and tow trucks stopped on the roadside to provide assistance. Failing
to slow down and move over for a tow truck can result in a set fine of
$490.* School buses will be more recognizible - they will now be the
only buses permitted to be chrome yellow.
Ensuring Ontario's roads and highways are safe is par t of the
government's economic plan for Ontario. The four-par t plan includes
investing in people's talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario's history, creating a dynamic,
innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.
*Fines as listed include the Victim Fine Surcharge and Cour t Costs.
"Ontario's roads are among the safest in Nor th America, and we want
to keep it that way. We will continue to work hard to curb distracted
driving, protect cyclists, and improve the safety of tow truck operators and children riding school buses." - Steven Del Duca, Minister of
Transpor tation
QUICK FACTS
" If current collision trends continue, fatalities from distracted driving
may exceed those from drinking and driving by 2016.
" Research indicates that a driver who uses a cell phone is four times
more likely to be in a crash.
" A novice driver is one with a G1, G2, M1, M2, M2-L or M2-M
licence.
" An estimated 1.2 million Ontarians ride a bicycle on a daily basis.
" Drivers failing to stop for a school bus can be fined up to $2,000 and
six demerit points for a first conviction.
" A bike must have a white front light and a red rear light or reflector
if you ride between ½ hour before sunset and ½ hour after sunrise,
and white reflective tape on the front forks and red reflective tape on
rear forks.
First Sikh soldier to guard Tomb of Unknown Soldier
OTTAWA, (IANS) In a first, a Sikh soldier has been appointed to watch over the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier" at the National War
Memorial here in Canada, a media repor t said. The tomb refers to a monument in dedication to the services of an unknown soldier and
to the common memories of all soldiers killed in any war. Taj Aujla is one of the four Canadian soldiers of the 39th Brigade Group, Royal
Westminster Regiment, who are currently in Ottawa for three weeks to guard the tomb, Ottawacitizen.com news por tal repor ted. "The
basis of Sikhism is service to your country and your community. Being here is a big honour because I am representing the way of life of
a Sikh. But it goes back to the tomb, that is why we're here," Aujla was quoted as saying.
"This gentleman -- the unknown soldier -- whoever he is, was serving. He made the ultimate sacrifice, for our freedom, for our country
for us. To be a par t of this is exactly what I practise on a day-to-day basis. What he did was very human," Aujla said. Aujla joined the
reserves of the Canadian forces four years ago. When he came to know about the oppor tunity to join the ceremonial guard, he researched
on the tomb and decided to offer his services. "If people had loved ones who did not make it home from World War I or World War II, this
tomb is the place where they can come to pay their respects. To be able to stand guard here is a privilege," said Aujla.
"When I joined the forces and was sworn in, my unit welcomed me as a Sikh and said welcome to the family. There's a lot of a brotherhood
here," he added. Aujla's great-grandfather served in a Sikh regiment in India as did his great-uncle, the repor t said.
MidWeek
9
HARPER ANSWERS
QUESTIONS ON
ECONOMY, SECURITY,
CRIME, INFRASTRUCTURE
AND PENSIONS
CONTD. FROM PAGE 5
Question: : I do have a question but I have a comment
first. I'm surprised you didn't bring Ben and Rachel more
on your trips. I think you might get some young voters for
you.
Answer: Well Ben has been on, he's actually been on the
whole tour so far. He's been with me every day. He doesn't
come to every event but he's with us every day to most
things. He's actually working a bit on the campaign. I don't
think he came in this morning. He's been at most of the
things and I think he's having great fun. Rachel's also been
at some of it but Rachel's also doing some courses and
has also been on holidays so she hasn't been at everything. And of course they are going back to school now so
they gotta do that.
Question: Of the five national parties, yours is the only
one for banning marijuana use for pleasure and injection
house. I see comments that these kinds of policies are
out of date and only benefit the criminals. So are you
going to stick on that policy if you are reelected?
Answer: Look, we know that drugs destroy lives. They rob
individuals of their futures. Tear families apar t. And
frankly, they are the source of a lot of criminal activity not just the activity of the criminal gangs selling market
drugs but users who need money, people who have
addiction problems - it's a serious source of crime. Our
position has been - we want to have our laws be very
tough on people who are marketing and peddling drugs
while making sure that we have treatment and compassion
for people who have drug addiction issues. The case of
marijuana - the scientific evidence is overwhelming and
it's become very clear in recent years, mari - prolonged
marijuana use is extremely bad. It is everything that that
tobacco use is and worse. We have spent a lot of time
trying to discourage tobacco use in this country . I don't'
want the policies of the other par ties that would encourage
marijuana sales in stores just like tobacco and alcohol. I
don't' think that does anything for us. These things are
illegal - they aren't dangerous because they are illegal,
they are illegal because they are dangerous. There's not
crime around them because they are illegal, there is crime
around them because they do very bad things and very bad
people get into marketing them. That's the nature of the
industry. So as I say, our approach is to make sure we try
and offer education to people about the effects, treatment
when they need help - we've announced that we're going to
give in this campaign - the RCMP a lot more resources to
monitor meth labs and grow ops and things like that, we
are also creating a toll free line for parents who identify
signs and who need additional information. On the issue of
drug injection sites, we think programs that deal with
addicts have to provide them treatment. If you're just
providing them drugs without treatment you're just slowly
destroying their lives on a slow path instead of a fast path
so that's not the kind of thing we suppor t. We also think
Canadians don't want - this is where we're different from
the other guys - the NDP and Liberals think people want
drug injection sites in their neighbourhoods. We don't think
Canadians want drug injections sites in their
neightbourhood. I don't meet Canadians who say I want a
drug injection site in my neighbourhood. I think you might
meet people who say Oh if you want a drug injection site in
someone else's neighbourhood but I don't mean very many
people who want it in their own neighbourhood. So the
legislation we brought forward to make sure Canadians
have a big say before an injection site can go in. So that's
a fundamental choice in this election - do you want
legalized drug trade, legalized drug injection sites in your
neihgbourhood, legalized prostitution, no penalties for
violent crime. If that's what you want, the Liberals and the
NDP are the par ties for you. If you don't want that, the
Conservative par ty is the only choice.
Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau in Scarborough meeting with Canadians at the Tamil Street Festival (liberal.ca).
416-907-4420
10
MidWeek
canada
MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2015
Canada in recession: GDP dips to a further 0.1% in second quarter after a 0.2% decline in first
CONTD. FROM PAGE 1
Exports of goods and services edged up 0.1% after decreasing 0.3% in the first quarter. Exports of goods were
0.2% higher while services fell 0.3%. Imports of goods and services were down 0.4%.
From an industry perspective, the value added of goods-producing industries decreased 2.0% in the second
quarter, while that of service industries rose 0.6%. The mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction sector (4.5%) posted a notable decrease, down for a second consecutive quarter. The decrease was mostly a result of
the decline in the non-conventional oil extraction industry (-5.7%), which experienced maintenance shutdowns
and production difficulties in the second quarter. Support activities for mining, oil and gas extraction (-18%)
declined for the second consecutive quarter. Manufacturing, construction and utilities also declined in the
second quarter. On the other hand, the output of real estate agents and brokers (+9.9%) as well as wholesale trade
(+1.4%) posted notable increases. The finance and insurance sector and retail trade also rose, while the public
sector (education, health and public administration combined) edged up.
Expressed at an annualized rate, real GDP contracted 0.5% in the second quarter and 0.8% in the first quarter. By
comparison, real GDP in the United States grew 3.7% in the second quarter.
BUSINESS INVESTMENT IN PLANT AND EQUIPMENT FALLS
Business investment in non-residential structures decreased 2.3% in the second quarter, the third consecutive
quarterly decline. Lower investment in both non-residential buildings (-1.8%) and engineering structures (-2.4%)
contributed to the decline. Investment in machinery and equipment by businesses fell 4.6% in the second quarter.
Lower investment in industrial machinery and equipment (-11.6%), communications and audio and video equipment (-4.7%) and furniture, fixtures and prefabricated structures (-3.0%) contributed to the decline.
Investment in intellectual property products declined 4.6% in the second quarter, following a 5.0% decrease in the
first quarter. Business outlays in mineral exploration and evaluation fell 33.2% in the second quarter, after decreasing 19.6% in the first quarter.
INVESTMENT IN HOUSING SLOWS
Following a 0.9% increase in the first quarter, business investment in residential structures grew 0.3% in the second
quarter. A decrease in new housing construction (-4.1%) was mitigated by an increase in renovations (+0.3%) and
ownership transfer costs (+10.4%), indicating continued strength in housing resale activity.
HOUSEHOLD SPENDING INCREASES
Household final consumption expenditure increased 0.6% in the second quarter, following a 0.1% gain in the first
quarter. Consumers increased spending on goods by 0.3%, led by durable goods (+1.6%), while services grew
0.8%.
Transport purchases (+1.5%) contributed the most to the growth in household final consumption, boosted by a 2.9%
increase in purchases of vehicles. Outlays on insurance and financial services (+1.2%) and food, beverage and
accommodation services (+1.2%) also contributed to the growth in household spending. Electricity, gas and other
fuels declined 4.6%, the largest decrease since the fourth quarter of 2011.
BUSINESS INVENTORY ACCUMULATION FALLS
Businesses added $10.2 billion to non-farm inventories in the second quarter, down from $14.3 billion in the first
quarter.
Inventories of retailers rose, mainly as a result of the increased inventory accumulation of motor vehicles (+$4.5
billion). Wholesalers' inventories rose $6.1 billion in the second quar ter, reflecting a buildup of nondurable goods (+$4.7 billion). Manufacturers' inventories of durable goods increased $1.5 billion
while non-durable goods declined $1.4 billion. The stock-to-sales ratio increased from 0.733 in the
first quarter to 0.743 in the second quarter.
Farm inventories declined $1.7 billion, the sixth consecutive quarterly decrease.
MIDWEEK NEWS
NEWS WEEKLY
WEEKLY
TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 28,
01,2012
2015
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11
SUFI IDEOLOGY INTEGRAL
PART OF INDIAN ETHOS: MODI
NEW DELHI, (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday
said the ideology propounded by Sufi saints is an integral par t
of Indian ethos, and has contributed significantly to the creation
of a pluralistic, multi-cultural society in the country.
The remarks came during a meeting with a delegation of 40
Barelvi Sufi scholars. According to an official statement, the
prime minister said that forces of extremism are attempting to
weaken the Sufi ideology today and it is essential for Sufi saints
and scholars to counter these forces through various avenues
including on social media, so that the ideology of extremism
does not take root in India.
"The prime minister said that the tradition of Sufism has kept
evil at bay, wherever it has continued to flourish," said the statement. Modi also exhor ted the Muslim community in India to
take maximum advantage of the skill development schemes
and programmes being initiated by the central government.
The delegation urged the prime minister to work towards development of people which is irrespective of caste, community or
religion, it added. The delegation members said that the spread
of terrorism in the name of Islam represents a danger to peace
all over the world, and there is urgent need to take action to
marginalize the forces which are promoting "Jihad" for social,
economic or political considerations.
A DELEGATION OF SUFI SCHOLARS CALLS ON THE PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI IN NEW DELHI (IANS).
CANADIAN/ AMERICAN SIKHS
BLAME CONVERSIONS, DRUGS
FOR DECLINING POPULATION
BY GURMUKH SINGH
TORONTO, (IANS) Sikh leaders in Nor th America blame
conversions, drugs and migration for the decline in the
growth rate of Sikh population in India from 1.9 percent to
1.7 percent as per the 2011 census.
"While Punjab leaders are promoting their family businesses, the youth has sunk in drugs. So what do you
expect from drug addicts?" asked Toronto-based Sikh
leader Nachhattar Singh Chohan.
Chohan, who heads the Indian Trucking Association in
Canada, said: "Yes, migration from Punjab to the West is
one reason. But the bigger factor is that people are
abandoning Sikhism and joining various 'deras' in Punjab.
The SGPC has failed the Sikhs."
Vancouver-based community activist Balwant Sanghera
said: "First and foremost reason for declinign Sikh
population is the migration from Punjab to the West.
Second, there is growing awareness to have smaller
families."
Shrinking land holdings in Punjab are also forcing people
to have fewer children to avoid fur ther division of land
among siblings.
"Finally, drugs are taking their toll on the Punjab youth.
The drugs are repor ted to be causing impotence amongst
boys, resulting in fewer bir ths," Sanghera told IANS.
Los Angeles-based Bhai Satpal Singh Kohli, the Ambassador of Sikh Dharma in Western Hemisphere, said the Sikh
population is declining because people are "not adhering
to the Sikh code of conduct and leaving Sikhism to join
various 'deras' due to poor leadership and discrimination
against Dalits and poor Sikhs in Punjab."
He too said Sikhs were migrating for better oppor tunities.
"Moreover, the trend is that Sikhs are increasingly marrying
out of their religion. So the majority of their children now end
up not being Sikhs."
Kohli welcomes the directive of the Akal Takht jathedar to
each Sikh family to have four children. "But more impor tantly,
Sikhs need not select family planning for a male child and
stop female foeticide."
Yuba City-based Jasbir Kang blames the destruction of the
economy of rural Punjab for the migration of Sikhs to foreign
lands.
"Events and after-affects of 1984 had serious impact on the
Sikh psyche... Sikhs never committed suicides until the last
two decades. People have lost their pride and self-respect,"
Kang told IANS.
Kang said Sikhs are conver ting to other religions as the clergy
has failed to address the "issues of caste divisions, drug
abuse and failure the issues of gender gap.
"If moms lose respect for faith, then children will not follow it
either. We are at a crossroads."
Washington-based Sikh leader Rajwant Singh, who heads the
Sikh Council on Religion and Education, said: "The turbulence
of the 80s impacted average Sikh family dependent on agrarian economy.
"Political mishandling of economic and social issues, and
militancy in the 80s and its suppression by security forces
added to the woes of Punjab. These have had a direct impact
on the average Sikh family."
Singh says the lack of oppor tunities have also pushed young
Sikhs to try their luck elsewhere in the world, even if it means
selling off valuable assets and facing migratory restrictions in
many Western countries.
Hardik vows to take reservation
movement nationwide
NEW DELHI, (IANS) Patel community leader Hardik Patel on
Sunday announced his intention to join hands with other communities to launch a nationwide movement for reservation in education and jobs, while criticizing the current government policy. He
asserted he will continue to fight for the poor people in his Patel/
Patidar community.
"We are demanding reservation for the 95 percent poor people
belonging to the Patel community. So the entire community should
demand it, isn't it? Only five percent of Patidar community is prosperous, not the entire community," the Patidar Arakshan Andolan
Samiti convener told media persons after arriving here from Gujarat.
"In my community, 95 percent people are poor. About 10,000 farmers belonging to our community committed suicide in the last
decade. I am fighting for them. If other communities come forward,
I'll support them as well... I am talking to everyone," he said.
Patel claimed that because of the current reservation policy, "the
country has gone back 60 years. If you want to give reservation
then give it to all... Reservation should be giving to meritorious
students and deserving candidates, who deserve reservation but
don't get it. "The day a proper blueprint of reservation policy is
drafted, that day, many can become a part of the country's development. If this done, then (India) will turn into a superpower ahead
of China." Patel came here on the invitation of Gujjar and Kurmi
communities, which had organised a meeting at the Gujjar Bhavan
in Kotla village. "I had come to Delhi on the invitation of Gujjar and
Kurmi communities in Delhi. They are our brothers and had arranged a sabha here. Very soon the movement will gain ground in
the capital. It is marathon struggle and will go on for 1-2 years...
They will support us and when need be will block the National
Highway," he said. On the issue of getting any political support,
Patel said: "I don't have support from any political party or politician. There is no politician or political par ty involved in our
struggle...neither do I want to become a politician.. I have the support of 70 lakh people in Gujarat and need to mobilize 27 crore
Patels across the country. This is a struggle to secure reservation
for Patel community under OBC quota." "If it is like (late Shiv Sena
chief) Bal Thackeray's style.. what is wrong in it?. I also like (Delhi
Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal's principles, (Prime Minister
Narendra) Modi ji's style of wearing kurtas and his policies on
national security. But I won't take help from anyone, the entire
country will help me," he added.
On future plans, he said: "Very soon a 'maharally' will be organised in
Lucknow. We will also call the Patels from across the country at Jantar
Mantar here. We'll continue to fight for our rights till we achieve success.
We will launch our struggle in 12 states initially.
12
MidWeek
india
MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2015
MODI CENTRALISING
POWER, ANTIDEMOCRATIC: CONGRESS
NEW DELHI, (IANS) The Congress on Monday accused
Prime Minister Narendra Modi of centralising power and
anti-democratic functioning, three days after 16 secretaries
were removed without "consulting any minister". Congress
spokesperson Anand Sharma told the media that the ministers got to know about the replacements from the media.
Sharma's remarks came on a day when an official notification said that Home Secretary L.C. Goyal sought voluntary
retirement citing personal reasons and this was accepted by
the prime minister. "One after another, secretaries with fixed
tenures are being removed. The home secretary was
removed (though) his tenure was to finish on February 4,
2017," the Congress leader said.
CHIEF MINISTER OF INDIAN PUNJAB PARKASH SINGH BADAL CALLS ON THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI IN NEW DELHI (IANS).
Rafale deal gets DAC 'go ahead';
projects worth IRs13,000 crore cleared
NEW DELHI, (IANS) A deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France was "on
course" and the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has given its 'go ahead'
for further negotiations for the jets, official sources said on Tuesday. The
council also cleared projects worth over Rs.13,000 crore.
The DAC, chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, met here on Tuesday, and was briefed by the negotiation committee about the progress in
discussions on the Rafale purchase.
Officials said the deal was "on course", and the negotiations will go on.
"The negotiation committee briefed the DAC about the progress so far," a
ministry source said after the DAC meeting. "The DAC has given its go ahead
to them."
During his visit to France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announced India
will acquire 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition as quickly as possible, and
an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) was signed for supply of the aircraft.
The government has said the delivery would be in a time frame that would be
compatible with the operational requirement of the Indian Air Force, and that
the aircraft and associated systems and weapons would be delivered on the
same configuration as had been tested and approved by the IAF, and with a
longer maintenance responsibility by France.
A negotiating team was constituted to negotiate the terms and conditions of
the procurement of 36 Rafale jets and recommend a draft agreement.
The meetings of the Indian negotiating team with the French side have commenced. As per reports, there were some hitches in the deal over the price
and the offset rule, as per which the company would have to invest a part of
the cost of the deal in the Indian industry.
Sources on Tuesday said there were "no roadblocks" in the deal.
The DAC also cleared several other proposals, including one for purchasing
four squadrons of Mi-17 V5 helicopters, to be bought off-the-shelf from Russia at Rs.6,966 crore.
This will translate in around 48 helicopters.
Other proposals cleared include seven additional squadrons -- 14 firing units
-- of Akash missiles for Rs.4,790 crore.
The army got clearance for 120 Trolls, which will be bought from Russia and
are used to blast mines ahead of tanks.
A proposal for DRDO-designed 10 metre Short Span Bridges, which will be
vehicle mounted, was also cleared at a cost of Rs.490 crore.
Approvals for the Indian Navy included eight Chetak helicopters from Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited worth Rs.322 crore, nine tugboats worth Rs.300 crore,
dockyard repair facility for Revathi radars and electronic warfare systems,
worth over Rs.235 crore, and Rs.61 crore for telemedicine systems for naval
ships. The Indian Air Force also got approval for four ATC radars, worth
Rs.228 crore.
INDIA LOGS 7 PER
CENT GROWTH IN
FIRST QUARTER
NEW DELHI, (IANS) The Indian economy grew 7 per cent in
the first quar ter of this fiscal, showing signs of slowing
vis-a-vis the 7.5 per cent expansion in the quar ter before.
But the growth was much higher than 6.7 per cent registered in the first quarter of the last fiscal. As per official data on
gross domestic product (GDP) released by the Central Statistics
Office (CSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation, showed that the growth of 7 per cent was led
mainly by expansion in commercial and financial services and
manufacturing output.
GDP which is the aggregate market value of all the goods and
services produced in the country, had expanded by 6.7 per cent in
the corresponding quarter of last fiscal.
"GDP at constant (2011-12) prices in Q1 of 2015-16 is estimated
at Rs.27.13 lakh crore, as against Rs.25.35 lakh crore in Q1 of
2014-15, showing a growth rate of 7.00 per cent," the CSO was
quoted in a statement. "Quarterly GVA (gross value added) at
constant (2011-2012) prices for Q1 of 2015-16 is estimated at
Rs.25.80 lakh crore, as against Rs.24.10 lakh crore in Q1 of 201415, showing a growth rate of 7.1 per cent over the corresponding
quarter of previous year," the statement said.
The GVA which is a gauge to measure the value of goods and
services produced in a par ticular sector or a grouping of
industries had stood at 7.4 per cent in the corresponding
quar ter of last fiscal.
MIDWEEK NEWS
NEWS WEEKLY
WEEKLY
TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 28,
01,2012
2015
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13
Delhi to produce 2,000 MW
solar power by 2025: Jain
NEW DELHI, (IANS) Delhi Power Minister Satyendra Jain said
that the state will produce 2,000 MW electricity by 2025 through
solar power generation. "We want to achieve 1,000 MW target in
next 4-5 years' time and we aim to generate 2000 MW electricity
by the year 2025 in a phased manner," Jain said while inaugurating a
conference on 'Solar Power: 1,00,000 MW @2022 - Accelerating Deployment', organised by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of
India (ASSOCHAM). "Our target would be 30-40 MW in the 1st year, 100 MW
in the 2nd year, then 200 MW in the next year followed by 400 MW and so on."
Stressing upon the need for innovation and new inventions in solar power
generation, the minister said: "We aim to fast-tracking solar power projects
in Delhi by about 20 per cent. Solar panels could be installed at
railway platforms, metro stations, bus stops etc." Terming financing of solar power generation as a challenge, he suggested the
financial institutions to introduce "solar power mutual funds", and luring the
investors by providing assured units of power at a fixed rate.
SENIOR CONGRESS LEADER AMARINDER SINGH DURING A PROTEST AGAINST SHIROMANI AKALI DAL IN BATHINDA (IANS).
BIHAR ELECTION TO BE POLITICAL
WATERSHED: JAIRAM RAMESH
NEW DELHI, (IANS) Congress
leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday
said he was confident the JD-URJD alliance with his par ty will
be able to stop Prime Minister
Narendra Modi's "juggernaut" -as it happened in Delhi in February. "Assembly elections in Bihar
are a watershed event politically.
It is very clear that the
government's strategy is twofaced like the one adopted during
the 2014 general election,"
Ramesh said during an interaction with the media at the Indian
Women's Press Corps here.
He said the BJP strategy would
be of keeping the development
agenda on top and communal
polarisation at the bottom. "The
release of the census data on religion is not accidental. Each of
the 243 constituencies are going
to be fought bitterly. Caste is also
going to be an impor tant factor. It
is going to be a (Chief Minister)
Nitish Kumar versus Modi contest."
“
"We are confident that the alliance
will be able to stop the Modi juggernaut like in Delhi," he added.
Ramesh added: "Another important factor politically is Hardik
Patel who has completely redrawn the map of Gujarat. It
questions the very foundation
of the Gujarat model of development." On the Goods and Services Tax Bill, Ramesh said:
"Empowerment committee of
state finance ministers had
unanimously suppor ted GST.
But Gujarat had opposed it. But
WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE
ALLIANCE (JD-U-RJD) WILL BE
ABLE TO STOP THE MODI
JUGGERNAUT LIKE IN DELHI."
when he became prime minister, he discovered the vir tues of
GST." He said the Congress has
given a dissent note to the
Rajya Sabha select committee
on GST, demanding the tax rate
should not be more than 18 percent, one percent additional
surcharge should be done away
with and in case of a dispute
there must be independent
mechanism. Questioned about
speculation of a special session
being called to get the GST Bill
passed, the Congress leader
said the NDA government has
as of now not made any effor t
to speak with the Congress on
this.
The Rajya Sabha MP said
since the NDA government
came to power, inflation remains a "puzzling" phenomenon. "Inflation rates are low,
but rise in cost of food items
are worrying." Ramesh said
though Modi has made "Swachh
Bharat" a media blitz, he has not
spoken about tackling open defecation and manual scavenging.
AAP VS AAP: SUSPENSION OF
TWO MPS FUELS MORE
REVOLT IN THE PARTY
NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH, (IANS) Two AAP parliamentarians Dharamvira Gandhi - a cardiologist and social worker, representing Patiala constituency, and Harinder Singh Khalsa, a former
diplomat, representing Fatehgarh Sahib constituency have been
suspended from the par ty. Rumours are they might join the
Yogendra Yadav-Prashant Bhushan camp or set-up a new party.
However, this factor can send AAP fortunes during Punjab elections of 2017 in doldrums.
The Aam Aadmi Party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) suspended the MPs and referred disciplinary proceedings against
them to the National Disciplinary Action Committee, said party
spokesperson Deepak Bajpai. "In its meeting on Saturday, the
PAC took cognizance of anti-par ty activities indulged in by
Gandhi and Khalsa in Punjab. In a unanimous decision, the
PAC suspended Khalsa and Gandhi from the par ty and referred their cases to the National Disciplinary Action Committee," Bajpai said.
All PAC members except Kumar Vishwas were present in
the meeting. "Now the three-member NDAC, with Pankaj
Gupta, Dilip Pandey and me as its members, will look into
the complaints of indiscipline and anti-party activities against
Gandhi and Khalsa," he added. Bajpai charged Gandhi and Khalsa
with involvement "in the activities of certain outfits, opposed to
aims and objectives of the party".
SC declines plea seeking
Salman Khan's bail cancellation
NEW DELHI, (IANS) The Supreme Court on Monday declined a petition seeking cancellation of bail of Bollywood actor Salman Khan who
was convicted and sentenced in a hit-and-run case. The apex court
bench headed by Chief Justice H.L. Dattu while declining the plea by
one Sishilabai Himmat Rao Patil - the mother of Mumbai policeman
and former PSO of Salman Khan Ravindra Himmatrao Patil - permitted her to withdraw her petition.
More revelations in Sheena murder case: Police extends custody of accused till Sept 5
MUMBAI, (IANS) A cour t here on Monday extended till September 5 the police custody of Indrani
Mukherjea and two others accused of killing her daughter Sheena Bora in 2012.
And in a fresh development, police also charged Indrani with conspiring to kill her son Mikhail around
the time she allegedly strangled and burnt her daughter with the help of her driver Shyamvar Rai and her exhusband, Sanjeev Khanna.
Indrani, wife of former media baron Peter Mukherjea, briefly fainted in the Bandra court of Chief Metropolitan
Magistrate S.M. Chandgade as the public prosecutor argued that her custody and those of the other two be
extended.
Vidhie, Indrani's other daughter from Khanna, broke down after seeing her mother in the court.
Indrani is accused of killing Sheena in a moving car with the help of Khanna and Rai en route from Bandra here to
a forested region of Raigad, some 95 from Mumbai, on April 24, 2012.
Sheena's body was later allegedly doused with petrol, set on fire and buried in the area.
Indrani, 47, as well as her former driver Rai, 43, and ex-husband Khanna, 50, were in the court room when the
ruling came.
All three were later driven to the lock-up in Khar police station where Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh
Maria and other officers reached to continue their interrogation.
Police are expected to question them jointly and individually to unravel the murder motive, the suspected involvement of others, a possible money angle, how the murder was planned on Skype, and other aspects.
The public prosecutor said investigators suspect the involvement of some others outside Maharashtra in the
murder and so Indrani, Rai and Khanna needed to be questioned further.
Police also wanted to ascertain where the accused dumped the victim's clothes, mobile phone and other
belongings after the killing, the court was told.
Khanna's lawyer H. Mundergi argued that police were only awaiting the reports of the forensic tests, and there was
no need to extend his police custody.
Indrani's lawyer Gunjan Mangla alleged that police were using pressure tactics to force a confession from her and
that she was allegedly slapped while in custody.
He also said that Indrani had been interrogated for around 90 hours since her arrest here on August 25 and there was
no need to question her any more.
Giving details of the investigation report, the court was told that police had visited the victim's office and seized her
passport. While Indrani had claimed that Sheena had gone off to the US, the passport was found from her boyfriend
Rahul Mukherjea's mother's house in Dehradun.
Police have found the remains suspected to be of Sheena, which have been sent for DNA tests and forensic
analysis. These are expected this week.
Among the other discoveries are a can in which petrol was bought to douse the victim before setting her
ablaze, and details from the four checkposts between Mumbai and Raigad through which the vehicle
passed that night with Sheena's body.
Praying for extension of police custody, the prosecutor said personal effects of the accused needed to be
seized.
Police are also probing if a contract was given out to a professional hitman to have Mikhail Bora killed.
Sheena's remains were found on May 23, 2012 by a local resident. Raigad Superintendent of Police
Mohammed Suvez Haque is probing the lapses of his predecessors as they failed to register an accident or crime case.
14
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world
MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2015
CHINA MAJOR PARTNER
POST N-DEAL: IRAN
AFGHAN FOREIGN MINISTER SALAHUDDIN RABBANI (R) SPEAKS DURING A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER
FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER IN KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (IANS).
DEATH TO AMERICA' TO REMAIN ON
WALLS OF US EMBASSY IN TEHRAN
TEHRAN, (IANS) The graffiti "Death to America" will remain on the
walls of former US embassy here, Iran's Basij Student Organisation
announced on Tuesday, repor ted semi-official Fars news agency.
"Basij Student Organisation announces this to the Iranian people that
the slogan of Death to America will ever decorate the walls of this
place (former US embassy)," an announcement by the public relations of the organisation said. The announcement came following the
recent news that the graffiti "Death to America 2015" and "Death To
America 1394 (Iranian calendar)" were painted over the walls of former
embassy. Although five painted patches on the eastern blank wall of
the former US embassy in Tehran confirms the erasure of graffiti
posted by some radical anti-US elements, the eye-catching and bold
slogans against the US still remain on the southern wall on Taleghani
street. "Death to the US" at the entrance of the main gate of the former
US embassy, which has turned now into a museum and a cultural
complex, is dramatically noticeable by every passerby.
"Not only the Iranian people but all the Muslims and the world people
are entitled to shout 'Death to America' due to the oppressive policies
of the United States," the announcement by Iran's Basij Student
Organisation also read, according to Tasnim news agency on Tuesday. This is an "illusion" that the recent nuclear deal will lead to the
removal of the slogan and the return of the US to the country, said
Basij Student Organization, which is currently in charge of the cultural affairs in the complex. It criticized the scrubbing of the slogans
from the former embassy eastern wall.
The US broke off diplomatic relations with Iran on April 7, 1980, after
a group of Iranian students seized the US embassy in Tehran and
captured some 60 US diplomats in 1979, 52 of whom being in captivity for 444 days in the hostage crisis.
On August 17, the country's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also
said the recent nuclear deal with world powers would not pave the
way for US influence in Iran.
Iran and the P5+1 group -- the US, Britain, France, Russia, China plus
Germany -- reached a comprehensive deal on Tehran's nuclear
programme on July 14, resolving the decade-long issue.
After the landmark deal, international sanctions on Tehran are expected to be lifted and foreign investments pour in after years of
isolation.
TEHRAN, (IANS) Iran considers China its major par tner in the
country's development in the aftermath of the nuclear deal reached
in the Austrian capital of Vienna last month, Iran's President
Hassan Rouhani said here on Saturday. From the beginning of
the current Iranian government, "I had some meetings with
the Chinese president including the meeting in Shanghai conference, where we held comprehensive discussions. We also
met in Bishkek of Kyrgyzstan and in the recent trip to Russia," Xinhua quoted Rouhani as saying.
"For tunately, our relations with China are at good levels ...
and the trend of our relations is progressive," Rouhani said.
"There are myriad of plans ahead in Iran in which the Chinese
can par ticipate and have a share," he said. Rouhani referred
to the recent nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers, saying that based on the deal, for instance, Iran's heavy
water Arak reactor should be improved and modernized with
the par ticipation of China and one of the P5+1 countries,
probably the United States. Also, "Iran and China have formed
seven working groups which are tasked with studying the
development of our future relations, and I hope that we would
be able to materialize the plans in the agenda of ties," he
said. China is one of the most impor tant countries in the world
and Iran is determined to develop its ties with the country as
well as with other regional states, he added. In his recent trip
to China, Iranian Vice President Ali-Akbar Salehi said that Iran
looks forward to expanding practical cooperation with China in various fields. Salehi, also head of the Atomic Energy Organization of
Iran (AEOI), said Iran is fully ready to foster its nuclear cooperation with China, according to official IRNA news agency.
Kerala diaspora kicks off
Onam festivities in the UAE
ABU DHABI, (IANS) Keralites began celebrating Onam - the harvest festival - in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The expatriates
thronged the supermarkets for Uthradappachil - the mad rush
for grocery, vegetables, flowers, and so many other household ar ticles for Uthradam (the eve of Onam), The Gulf Today online news por tal repor ted. Some restaurants in the
UAE are organising special Onam feasts for the community.
The Onam Sadya (feast) is an indispensable par t of the festival. The feast is served on banana leaves and consists of
26 dishes. In Kerala, the harvest festival is celebrated as an
elaborate 10-day extravaganza but in the UAE, the celebrations will only be held on Friday and Saturday. "For some
time, we feel we are missing Onam," Radhakrishnan
Machingal, former office-bearer of UAE-based All Kerala Colleges Alumni Forum (AKCAF), was quoted as saying.
80 PERTOSA DRIVE, UNIT 12,
BRAMPTON ONT., L6X 5E9
MIDWEEK NEWS
NEWS WEEKLY
WEEKLY
TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 28,
01,2012
2015
MidWeek
world
15
GREECE TO HOLD SNAP
ELECTION ON SEPTEMBER 20
ATHENS, (IANS) Greece's snap general election is scheduled
to take place on September 20, according to a presidential decree issued. The decree formally dissolved the current assembly and set the date for the first session of the new parliament
for October 1, Xinhua news agency reported.
The official declaration of early national polls came eight days after the
resignation of the eight-month Leftist government of former prime minister
Alexis Tsipras and the appointment of an interim administration under the
Greek constitution. The transitional government under Supreme Cour t
head Vassiliki Thanou, who on Thursday became Greece's first
female premier, was sworn in earlier on Friday. "All members
of the government are ready to do their best so that the elections are conducted fairly and all other matters be resolved in
an excellent manner," Thanou said.
PAKISTAN REJECTS REPORT
ON FASTEST GROWING
NUCLEAR ARSENAL
PEOPLE LOOK AT THE BLAST SITE IN TRIPOLI, LIBYA (IANS).
China vs India: Slowing dragon, rising elephant
BY AMIT KAPOOR
Recent events in the Chinese economy and its impact on the world markets merit attention. With August 24 being termed 'Black Monday' as
markets tumbled first in China and then in countries elsewhere. In China, the
benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell an astounding 8.49 percent in one
day. The sentiment was echoed across world markets with benchmark indices tumbling. Russia was down 4.73 percent, Japan was down 4.61 percent,
Germany was down 4.70 percent and US Dow Jones industrial average went
down 3.58 percent. India's Sensex slid a remarkable 5.94 percent, leading the
government and RBI to immediately move into damage control mode.
The 'Black Monday' tumble raises fundamental questions about how reflective are stock markets in portraying real economies. Even in developed
economies with greater transparency and accountability the answer is difficult to guess. It is because the answer depends on many factors, including
psychological ones. A reasonable away to look at the question in the hope of
finding a solution is how and where people invest. In China's case, some
have argued that stock markets have historically been not very reflective. It
is because the market capitalization as a percentage of GDP in China is even
lesser than India and far lesser than advanced economies. Therefore, a better
yardstick is to look at the movements in the housing markets. That market
has not shown imminent worrying signs amid the investor fear being witnessed in the stock markets.
Nonetheless, post 'Black Monday' most markets around the world have
recovered and were now closer to their previous levels. However, the incident has drawn the attention of policymakers, especially considering in continuation with the devaluation of yuan by two percent on August 11. Growth
numbers, aided by currency devaluation and stock market volatility, have
raised concerns about a deeper malaise in the Chinese economy. Due to the
non-transparent nature of the Chinese government some even argue that the
worst may be over. Others question the validity of official data and statistics.
With investment as a percentage of GDP on the decline while consumption as a percentage of GDP on the rise, this marks an important shift in
China's economy and this has a great bearing on the world economy in
the future. China's ongoing structural transformation from an investment
to a consumption-driven economy is likely to cause some real changes
in the world economy. Already, some of the effects are being witnessed.
ISLAMABAD, (IANS) Pakistan on Friday strongly rejected a
repor t published by a US think tank, which claimed that
Pakistan has the fastest growing nuclear arsenal in the world.
"The repor t is utterly baseless," said Qazi Khalilullah, the
foreign office spokesperson, Dawn repor ted. "Such repor ts
have the effect of diverting attention from the exponential
increase in India's fissile material stockpiles," added the
spokesperson. The spokesman stated that as a nuclear state,
Pakistan's policy is characterised by utmost restraint and
responsibility.
"Pakistan strictly abides by the concept of credible minimum
deterrence and our nuclear programme is only aimed at
maintaining peace and stability in South Asia. Pakistan has no
desire to engage in nuclear arms race," stated Khalilullah. It
was also said that Pakistan remains committed to the global
objective of disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation.
Pakistan has put forward several initiatives to promote
conventional and strategic stability in South Asia, including
the proposed Strategic Restraint Regime but India has failed
to respond positively towards Pakistani initiatives, according
the spokesperson. Earlier, the Washington Post reported that
Pakistan could become the third largest nuclear stock pile
within the next five to ten years, behind only the US and
Russia, quoting repor ts published by two American think
tanks.
The repor t published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Stimson Center, said that Pakistan, out of
its fear of India, was far outpacing its rival neighbour in the
development of nuclear warheads and may be building 20
nuclear warheads annually.
16
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MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2015
INDIA CLAIMS TEST SERIES WIN AFTER Kangana not aware of livein relationships, really?
22-YEARS AGAINST SRI LANKA
ISHANT SHARMA IS MOBBED BY HIS TEAM-MATES AFTER WINNING MATCH AGAINST SRI LANKA.
I DETAILS ON PAGE 21
'THE VOICE INDIA' WINNER WANTS TO BE
SALMAN, AKSHAY, RANBIR'S VOICE
NEW DELHI, (IANS) After winning the singing reality show "The Voice
India", Uttarakhand-based Pawandeep Rajan wants to realise
his new dream -- be a playback singer in Bollywood, and
sing for stars as popular as Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar
and Ranbir Kapoor.
"I like to sing Sufi songs, but now I've star ted taking interest in other genres too. My idol is Ustad
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and I believe in hard work.
I would love to do playback singing in
Bollywood, and want to sing for Ranbir Kapoor,
Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan," Pawandeep
told IANS over phone from Mumbai.
Pawandeep, who was announced the winner
during a spectacular grand finale of the show
on Sunday, is a member of Chandigarh-based
band Rait, where he performs as lead vocalist
along with Pawan Bhatt, Paras Roriyal and Vishant
Nagra.
His victory on the show was beyond belief for him.
"I come from Uttarakhand and music has not evolved
much there. So, this is a big achievement for me -- to
come from a small town and showcase my talent to the na-
tion," the 20-year-old said.
"Winning apar t, I acknowledge the fact that I made it to the
auditions. I have received full suppor t from people in
Uttarakhand, and my family," said the fresh talent, who
was mentored in the show by celebrated singer
Shaan.
Pawandeep, who has won a whopping Rs.5 million as cash prize from &TV, a Maruti Alto K10
car and a deal to record his first single with
music label Universal, has music in his blood.
His father Suresh Rajan is a teacher and a folk
singer, while his mother Saroj Rajan is a housewife.
During "The Voice India", the Indian adaptation
of internationally known show "The Voice",
Pawandeep showcased his versatility as a
singer by belting Sufi, Punjabi and classical
numbers with equal ease. His grand finale performance on "Selfie le le" set the par ty mood on
the set. He is now focussed on learning more about
singing from Shaan, and will continue to work with his
band Rait.
SUKHJINDER SIDDHU, WINNER OF MIDWEEK SUPER-SELECTOR CRICKET CONTEST WITH YUDHVIR JASWAL, CEO OF YMEDIA
AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF MIDWEEK NEWSPAPER. ALSO SEEN IN THE IMAGE ARE VIRANPREET CHAHAL, SANDEEP SINGH
SANGHA, HARPREET SINGH AND HARMAN BRAR.
NEW DELHI, (IANS) While many were expecting another romantic comedy from Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut after the hugely successful
"Tanu Weds Manu Returns", she says her forthcoming film "Katti Batti" is an
"intense" film, which does not focus on "live-in relationships at all".
"'Katti Batti' is not based on live-in relationships at all. People are assuming
many things about this film. Live in is one of the stages that the lead pair are
going through and probably it is a part of the film for three minutes that too is
through a song. So, 'Katti Batti' is not about live-in and I myself don't know
anything about live-in so it's better I shouldn't say anything on it," Kangana,
who was here on Thursday to promote the film, told IANS. The actress also
said that she played the "most intense character" of her career in the Nikhil
Advani directorial. "This has been the most intense character I have ever
played. The promos and songs of 'Katti Batti' don't give the idea about the
intensity that the film carries. I suggested to the makers if we can take out
promos that can tell the kind
of depth and intensity that
'Katti Batti' holds, but they
didn't take any of my advice and everything
looks happy go lucky.
But 'Katti Batti' is a
very intense film,"
she said.
The actress also
said that her character in the film is
a
"revelation.
Payal, my character in the film is going to be a revelation for me. This
character
has
changed me forever.
I'll never get to play
such type of an intense character in
my whole life,"
she added.
Whose physique Anil
Kapoor is inspired by?
MUMBAI, (IANS) Veteran actor Anil Kapoor, who will be seen in
Anees Bazmee's for thcoming masala enter tainer "Welcome
Back", says he wishes to have a physique like his co-star John
Abraham. Anil visited the set of dance reality show "Dance +"
along with John and Shruti Haasan to promote the film.
He liked the per formances put up by the contestants on the
show and spoke about his fitness mantras."For someone to do
such great dancing and feel young, one needs to be fit and eat
right. I would love to have a body like my 'Welcome Back' costar John, who is so fit and fine," Anil said in a statement.
"Dance +", which airs on Star Plus, features dancers Dharmesh
Yelande, Shakti Mohan and Sumeet Nagdev as three judges.
Ace choreographer and director Remo D'Souza is seen as a
'Superjudge' on the show. Meanwhile, "Welcome Back", which
is a sequel of 2007 film "Welcome", marks the return of Nana
Patekar and Paresh Rawal to their respective roles. The film
will hit the screens on September 4.
18
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bollywood
MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2015
Irrfan makes work atmosphere
very relaxed: Aishwarya
NITA AMBANI, FOUNDER AND CHAIRPERSON, RELIANCE FOUNDATION AND MADHURI DIXIT DURING THE LAUNCH OF 'POWER
WOMEN' CAMPAIGN, BY NGO ONE TO PREVENT TRAFFICKING AND REHABILITATE RESCUED GIRLS IN MUMBAI (IANS).
SONAM KAPOOR IN AIR HOSTESS
NEERJA BHANOT BIOPIC
New Delhi (IANS) Actress Sonam
Kapoor has shared the first look of
her upcoming film "Neerja", a
biopic on Neerja Bhanot - the daredevil flight attendant of Pan Am.
Sonam plays the role of Bhanot,
who lost her life trying to save the
lives of passengers from terrorists
on board the hijacked Pan Am Flight
73 on September 5, 1986.
Calling the film "most special", the
"Khoobsurat" actress shared a photograph of her first look on Twitter.
Sporting a uniform, red lips with
shoulder-length straight hair neatly
pinned up, Sonam is seen smiling
in the photograph, which she captioned: "Hello everyone! This is me
as Neerja! in our tribute to Neerja
Bhanot. This is my most special
film...thank you @foxstarhindi
@blinglive."
For the film's director Ram
Madhvani, making "'Neerja' is an
emotional journey for all of us". Produced by Fox Star Studios and Bling
Unplugged, the story and screenplay of "Neerja" has been written
by Saiwyn Quadras.
"When we heard the script of
'Neerja', we immediately knew we
wanted to make the film. It's the
kind of content that Fox Star instinctively believes in and wants to
back. Captained by Ram Madhvani,
and with Sonam Kapoor and
Shabana Azmi, 'Neerja', we believe, is a cracker of a film," Rucha
Pathak, head of creative and development, Fox Star Studios, said
in a statement.
Atul Kasbekar, producer, added that
when "we asked people if they'd
heard of Neerja Bhanot, most
hadn't. For us then, at Bling Un-
MUMBAI, (IANS) Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who is going to
make her comeback on the big screen with Sanjay Gupta's
directorial Jazbaa, says working with her co-star Irrfan Khan
made "working days very natural".
"Working with an actor like Irrfan made every working day very
natural as I never felt I'm at work. Irrfan makes the working
atmosphere very relaxed. Talking about our director Sanjay, it
was wonderful that he always brought and evoked the energy in
us during the shoot, even during intense and emotional moments, which just makes working together effor tless, added
the diva."
Talking about the team from the movie, the "Guru" actress has
called it a "dream cast. The people with whom I have worked
with in 'Jazbaa', is no doubt a dream cast for me," she added.
In the film, Aishwarya is seen essaying the role of a lawyer
named Anuradha Verma and Irr fan will be seen playing the
role of a suspended cop. Produced by Essel Vision, White
Feather Films and Viking Enter tainment, the film also has
established actors Atul Kulkarni, Jackie Shroff, Chandan Roy
Sanyal and Shabana Azmi along with Aishwarya. Jazbaa is
slated to release on October 9.
Nawazuddin 'overwhelmed'
with Manjhi response
MUMBAI, (IANS) Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who
has been lauded for the response he has received for the film
"Manjhi - The Mountain Man", says he is feeling "overwhelmed"
by the acknowledgement he has got. "I am overwhelmed and
this gives me confidence in doing good work going forward,"
Nawaz said in a statement.
The "Gangs of Wasseypur" actor was praised by Salman Khan
on micro-blogging website Twitter earlier this week, where he
mentioned that he hoped the movie becomes a "big hit". The
Nawazuddin-starrer is a biopic on Dashrath Manjhi, a resident of Gehlaur village in Gaya district. The "Mountain Man"
had single-handedly cut through a hill to make a road for his
village. Manjhi died in 2007 in his early 80s. Directed by
Ketan Mehta, the biopic also stars Radhika Apte and hit the
theatres on Friday.
Jazbaa to be dubbed in other
languages
plugged, a story of courage as exceptional as Neerja's simply deserved to be told. We just decided
that we would do our bit to ensure
that India would remember one of
its great heroines."
Meanwhile, Veteran actress
Shabana Azmi, who will play the
role of Neerja Bhanot's mother
Rama in the upcoming biopic
"Neerja", says she gets along "really well" with the real life mom of
the late daredevil flight attendant.
Directed by debutant Ram
Madhvani, "Neerja", which will feature Sonam Kapoor in the title role,
will focus on the life of Neerja
Bhanot, a PanAm flight attendant
who lost her life trying to save the
lives of passengers from terrorists
on board the hijacked PanAm Flight
73 on September 5, 1986. She was
only 22.
"I had the good fortune of meeting
Ramaji in person last year when I
was invited to Chandigarh to
present the Neerja Bhanot Award.
She is lovely and we get along re-
ally well. When I was offered the
role, I felt it was because of a special connection we made," Shabana
said in a statement. The title role of
Neerja is being essayed by Sonam
Kapoor in the movie, and Shabana
is happy to work with her.
"Sonam is the daughter of Anil
(Kapoor) and Sunita (Kapoor) who
have been very close friends for
more than 30 years. I have watched
her grow up and I have deep affection for her. Last but not the least, I
look forward to work with Ram, who
has been friend of many years and
whose taste for cinema I share,"
the 64-year-old added.
The director says he feels proud
that the versatile actress said 'yes'
to the film without thinking twice.
Madhvani said: "I have been an avid
fan of Shabana from the beginning
of her career. Our connect is immediate and deep because of the
kind of cinema we both believe in.
When people ask me who is acting in
'Neerja', I am always proud to say
Shabana Azmi. I'm privileged that
Shabana agreed to act in the film."
MUMBAI, (IANS) "Jazbaa" director Sanjay Gupta says that there
is an intention to take the film across the borders and that is
why it is being dubbed in numerous international languages.
"I don't want to make any claims that we're making the film to
cross the borders. But there is an intention in place. There are
cuts of the film being readied, dubbed and released widely all
across the UAE. It's been dubbed in Arabic. We're also dubbing
it in other South American languages (Spanish and Portuguese)
and English. So there are international cuts with a slighter
shor ter length that will be going out apar t from the diaspora
release," he said to queries how the Indian appeal of the film
was blended with international appeal.
He was interacting with media at the trailer launch of the action
thriller along with its stars Aishwarya and Irrfan. The question
was prompted by the fact that "Jazbaa' features two internationally renowned stars. While Aishwarya is known internationally
for her Miss World triumph and other fashion appearances such
as Cannes, Irrfan is known for several of his successful films
in Hollywood. On repor ts that Aishwarya had adopted a profitsharing model of remuneration for the film, Gupta said that it
was all success-sharing while Aishwarya hear tily laughed it
off, telling the journalist to come to her office to discuss the
issue. "Jazbaa" is a remake of a Korean film and is scheduled to
release on October 9.
Mahesh Bhatt wrote Sheena Bora
murder mystery months ago
MUMBAI, (IANS) Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt is shocked by the
similarities between the Sheena Bora murder case and a story
that grew out of his imagination, which he had penned back in
May for his film "Ab Raat Guzarnewali Hai". After Bhatt saw
the news of former CEO of INX Media, Peter Mukherjea's
wife Indrani Mukherjea, who is accused of murdering her
daughter Sheena Bora, the filmmaker was shocked by the
striking similarities to a script he had written for his protege Guroudev Bhalla.
"I empathise with the living hell Peter is going through and
this is not a pathetic attempt to ride on his unspeakable
tragedy. But bizarre as it may sound, fact is that this is a
case of life imitating fiction rather than fiction imitating life,"
Bhatt said in a statement.
The story that Bhatt has penned was completed in May and
will be produced by Dhaval Jayantilal Gada. It is a story of
crime and passion, soaked in blood, revolving around a mother
and daughter. While Bhatt refuses to get into details, he says it
plays itself out in a media space with characters intoxicated by
fame and power, flush with money and caught in multi-par tner,
bi-sexual relationships.
Esha Gupta not 'approached'
for 'Housefull 3'
MUMBAI, (IANS) Actress Esha Gupta, who made her Bollywood
debut with the film "Jannat 2", says she has not been "approached" for "Housefull 3". She also shared that she is not a
par t of the upcoming film "Size Zero". Esha took to microblogging website Twitter, where she announced that she will
not be a par t of both the films. "Some papers need to calm
down.. I was never 'approached' for 'Housefull 3' and 'Size Zero',"
she tweeted recently. Housefull 3 is directed by writer-turneddirector duo Sajid-Farhad "Housefull 3" and is the third instalment of the comedy franchise "Housefull", which also stars
actors Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh and Abhishek
Bachchan.
MIDWEEK NEWS
NEWS WEEKLY
WEEKLY
TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 28,
01,2012
2015
bollywood
CELEBRITIES AT LAKME FASHION WEEK
WINTER FESTIVE 2015 IN MUMBAI
MidWeek
19
Would love to be a dance
teacher: Alia Bhatt
MUMBAI, (IANS) Actress Alia Bhatt, who was last seen in
"Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya", says if given the oppor tunity,
she would "love" to be a dance teacher or an acting teacher. "...I
would love to be one. Like a dance teacher or acting teacher,
but not a History or Geography teacher," Alia said at a media
interaction for the "Girl Rising: A Global Campaign For Girls'
Education in India" event here.
The "Girl Rising" event was to officially announce the India
premiere of its film "Girl Rising - Woh Padhegi Woh Udegi",
which will be broadcast on Star plus on August 29 at 1.30 pm.
The film is a collaboration between the government's 'Beti
Bachao Beti Padhao' campaign and Star TV. It will also be released on digital platforms in both Hindi and English.
Actresses Nandita Das, Madhuri Dixit, Sushmita Sen, Alia Bhatt,
Parineeti Chopra and Kareena Kapoor feature in the film, which
is produced by actresses Priyanka Chopra and Freida Pinto,
who are the brand ambassadors of the initiative and also star in
it. The film in English, directed by Academy Award nominee
Richard E. Robbins, had released in 2013 and showcases the
stories of eight resilient girls from different countries who battled
obstacles to achieve their dreams.
Whatever Sooraj is today is
because of Salman: Zarina Wahab
MALAIKA ARORA KHAN WALKS THE RAMP FOR DESIGNER ARPITA MEHTA SHOW AT LFW WINTER FESTIVE 2015 IN MUMBAI (IANS).
Mumbai, (IANS) Actress Zarina Wahab, mother of actor Sooraj
Pancholi, has said that Salman Khan deserves sole credit for
whatever her son has accomplished in life. Sooraj's debut film
"Hero", which is a remake of the successful film directed by
Subhash Ghai, is co-produced by Salman and also marks the
debut of Suniel Shetty 's daughter Athiya Shetty.
"It's a great feeling. Of course, the credit goes to Salman. My
mother would always say that whenever there is any difficulty
in life, never complain to the Almighty about it. He will give you
great returns in some way or the other. And similarly as returns, we have got Salman Khan. I can say one thing, that
whatever he (Sooraj) is, it's because of Salman. I'm really
grateful to him," said Zarina at the cover launch of Stardust
magazine's September issue, which features Sooraj and
Salman.
Zarina also gushed about the cover terming it "fantastic" and
said that Salman and Sooraj looked "rocking". She even quipped
that Salman looked better than Sooraj on the cover. Asked if
she was excited about her son's debut, Zarina replied in affirmative. "Yes, of course, I am excited. Maybe I'll whistle in the
theatre. I wish him all the best, he has worked really hard," she
added. Sooraj got dragged into the case related to the suicide of
actress Jiah Khan, which was a difficult period for him. The
actor, who was allegedly in a live-in relationship with the actress-model, was arrested on June 10, 2013 for abetting her
suicide on June 3, 2013.
Asked about the incident, Zarina remarked that since everyone
knows about it, there is no point repeating it. "After every night,
comes the morning. And in our lives too, there was a morning
in the form of Salman. Every person has to go through good
times and bad times, but you just need to have the capability to
tackle it," she said. Directed by Nikhil Advani, "Hero" is slated
for a September 11 release.
Vidya Balan not part of
Dhanush's next film: Director
CHENNAI, (IANS) Bollywood actress Vidya Balan is not par t of
actor Dhanush's yet-untitled next Tamil outing, contrary to some
repor ts. But the film's director R.S Durai Senthil Kumar said
she was approached with a role. "The team had approached
her but since she couldn't allocate dates immediately, the idea
was dropped. We are on the lookout for a suitable actress,"
Senthil Kumar told IANS. For the first time in his career, Dhanush
will be essaying dual roles in this film. The film, which is
slated to go on the floors next year, will be produced by Dhanush.
This will be the third time Dhanush will be producing Senthil
Kumar's film after "Ethir Neechal" and "Kaaki Sattai".
Hrithik Roshan inspired by
Kunal Kapoor
SHILPA SHETTY WALKS THE RAMP FOR DESIGNER DIVYA REDDY SHOW
AT LFW WINTER FESTIVE 2015 IN MUMBAI (IANS).
KRITI SANON WALKS THE RAMP FOR DESIGNER SONAAKSHI
RAAJ SHOW AT LFW WINTER FESTIVE 2015 IN MUMBAI (IANS)
MUMBAI, (IANS) Actor Hrithik Roshan holds Kunal Kapoor in
high regard, saying that the "Rang De Basanti" star is an "inspiration" to him. "Kunal is one of the best guy I know in the
industry. I wish him success and luck. He is an inspiration for
me. He is the one guy I know who does not give up. He tries till
he can," Hrithik said at the special screening of Kunal's for thcoming film "Kaun Kitney Paani Mein" here.
With his acting skills, Kunal has proved that he is here to stay in the
industry for long, but he is not getting that one film, which would strengthen
his position. Hrithik, however, thinks that "Kaun..." may just prove to be that
film. "He is a superb actor and I wish he gets that one film that will bring out
his talent to the world. I hope this movie (Kaun Kitney Paani Mein) proves
to be that movie for him," Hrithik wished for him.
Kunal made his debut in 2005 with M.F. Husain-directed "Meenaxi: A Tale
of Three Cities". After that he did multi-starrer films like "Rang De Basanti",
"Laaga Chunari Mein Daag", "Don" and "Aaja Nachle", among others.
"Kaun Kitney Paani Mein" talks about the issue of water crisis in India and
also stars Radhika Apte, Gulshan Grover and Saurabh Shukla in key roles.
The film is slated to hit the theatres later this year.
Malaika to replace Karan on
'Jhalak...' as judge
CHITRANGADA SINGH WITH DESIGNER TARUN TAHILIANI AT THE LAKME FASHION WEEK WINTER-FESTIVE 2015 IN MUMBAI (IANS).
NEW DELHI, (IANS) Actress-producer Malaika Arora Khan says
she is looking forward to stepping into filmmaker Karan Johar's
shoes as one of the judges of the celebrity dance reality show
"Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Reloaded". Malaika will soon be seen on
the panel with her co-judges Lauren Gottleib, Ganesh Hegde
and Shahid Kapoor. Excited about judging the show that is
hosted by Manish Paul, Malaika said that she is "really looking
forward to step into Karan's shoes and enjoy some spectacular
performances along with Shahid and the other judges".
20
MidWeek
bollywood
Movie Review
MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2015
hollywood
EVA MENDES SPARKS
ENGAGEMENT RUMOURS
SABYASACHI
AN, KATRINA KAIF,
CAST: SAIF ALI KH
N AYYUB
OHAMMED ZEESHA
CHAKRABARTY, M
KHAN
DIRECTOR: KABIR
RATING: ***
PHANTOM: A CONTRIVED
FICTION DRAMA
BY TROY RIBEIRO
"Phantom" is aimed at stirring the patriotic fervour in every Indian
making them feel good, as the death of innocents in the 26/11 carnage
in Mumbai is avenged.
Loosely based on S. Hussain Zaidi's book, "Mumbai Avengers", the
film is a fictionalised version of how the masterminds of the terrorist
attack are eliminated, albeit unofficially.
Disgraced after the attack and humiliated with the terror operation,
the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), a primary foreign intelligence agency of India, opts for "an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth"
approach to beat the opponents at their own game.
Roy (Sabyasachi Chakrabar ty), the head of RAW and his team search
for the perfect candidate for this secret mission.
They zero down to Daniyal Khan (Saif Ali Khan) an ex-Army officer
who has been cour t mar tialled and dismissed from the armed services on grounds of abandoning his battalion at a crucial time. As he
lives a life of anonymity in the remote wastelands of the Himalayas,
they feel he is the perfect foil for their mission.
They cajole Daniyal to accept the assignment. Seething under his
ignominy and longing to get back his lost honour, Daniyal agrees. He
is then introduced to Nawaz Mistry (Katrina Kaif), an agent working
with Darkwater, a security consulting firm that works closely with
RAW. London, Chicago, Jordan, Beirut, Syria and finally Pakistan, are
the places he travels to, assuming various identities, as par t of his
mission, which he successfully executes, assisted by Nawaz.
With a cursory mention of Daniyal's background and parents, his
projection as the Phantom lacks conviction as a character. But, Saif
por trays Daniyal Khan effectively, looking sincere and determined.
He indulges in some high-octane action for a change.
Katrina as Nawaz Mistry, is more than a femme fatale. She suppor ts
him ably with a decent per formance and some exciting stunts.
Sabyasachi adds nothing new to his character, whereas Ayyub shines
as the young assistant in RAW even in his limited screen time.
It is the lesser known actors who are convincing with their realistic
performances. The boy Shehzad, eager to get married and the nurse
who helps the duo in Pakistan, make an impact.
While the premise of the film seems flimsy and far-fetched, the onedimensional motive of arousing patriotic sentiments makes the script
weak and unconvincing. Also, the smoothness and ease with which
the hero eliminates each target on his mission, making it look like
child's play, seem illogical and consequently amateurish.
Director Kabir Khan has interestingly executed the film with a fair
amount of thrill and adventure. He ensures the adrenaline rush with
the snappy screenplay with most of the shots lasting not more than
five seconds each, Sham Kaushal's well choreographed action sequences and Aseem Mishra's brilliantly captured cinematography.
The setting and locales seem authentic and are beautifully captured
transpor ting the audience to different places. The music is incidental
to the film, but does provide momentary relief. "Phantom" can be a
treat for lovers of action films, but for the rest it will appear like a
cheap contrived fiction drama.
B-Town villains at Comedy Nights Bachao
Mumbai, Aug 28 (IANS) Shakti Kapoor, Ranjeet and Gulshan Grover -- three Bollywood actors who have played iconic villains on the big
screen -- will now be seen on "Comedy Nights Bachao". As is the concept of the 'insult comedy' show, the three villains will be at the
receiving end of jabs and jokes at the hands of actor-comedian jodis.
While Gulshan has been creating waves through his roles in Indian and international films, Shakti and Ranjeet have been missing from
the limelight for a few years. On "Comedy Nights Bachao", the tables will be turned as the famous villains mouth the word that is often
associated with their victims - "Bachao", said a statement from Colors channel, where the show will be beamed star ting September 5.
Produced by Optimystix, the show will bring together celebrity guests whose feelings and personality traits will be ripped apar t through
tongue-in-cheek punchlines poking fun at their personal lives and public image. The 'burns' will be served by comic crusaders teamed
together as five 'jodis' - Krushna Abhishek, Sudesh Lahiri and Sara Khan; Bharti Singh, Karan Wahi and Pritam Singh; Anita Hassanandani
and Mubeen; Shruti Seth and Shakeel Siddiqui; and Pooja Bose and Naseem Vicky.
LOS ANGELES, (IANS) Actress
Eva Mendes has added fuel to
rumours of her getting engaged to actor boyfriend Ryan
Gosling. The piece of
jewellery she wore on her
right hand was a giant emerald
ring. She was first spotted
wearing the bling on
July 25 when promoting cosmetics
giant
Estee
Lauder's new Dimensions Skincare line at
a mall in Florida, reports
aceshowbiz.com. The 41year-old has been flashing
the speculated engagement ring in photographs she shared on
photo-sharing website Instagram. Neither Mendes nor Gosling has
addressed the engagement rumours. The actress' representative also
has not yet made any comment on the matter. Mendes and Gosling
first met in the fall of 2011 on the set of their drama film "The Place
Beyond the Pines". Despite their headline-making romance,
the couple has been acting very private about their personal
life. In September 2014, they welcomed their first child together, daughter Esmeralda Amada.
BEN AFFLECK SPOTTED
WITHOUT WEDDING RING
LOS ANGELES, (IANS) Actor-filmmaker Ben Affleck was spotted without
his wedding ring while running errands here. On Wednesday, he looked
casual in a blue polo and jeans while carrying a drink, but his finger was
noticeably missing a gold band. Estranged couple Jennifer Garner and
Affleck have been spotted wearing their wedding
rings on and off. Friends of the duo say they are
wearing their rings in an effort to help their three
children, Violet, 9, Seraphina, 6, and Samuel, 3,
adjust to their split. The children "are a big part
of why they're still wearing (the rings)," a
source told people.com. "They just
want them to be okay". Affleck has
been spending quality time with the
children here, while Garner finishes
production on "Miracles from
Heaven" in Atlanta.
MIDWEEK BOX
OFFICE REPORT
BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN
BROTHERS
PHANTOM
ALL IS WELL
MANJHI THE MOUNTAIN MAN
550.62 CR
89.47 CR
21.24 CR
15.91 CR
10.17 CR
top
10
songs
SONG
FILM:SINGH IS BLING
1
TUNG TUNG
BAJE
FILM
MAIN HOON HERO TERA
HERO
AFGHAN JALEBI
PHANTOM
NACHAN FARRATE
ALL IS WELL
AAJ KI PARTY
BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN
SELFIE LE LE RE
BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN
MEET ME DAILY BABY
WELCOME BACK
NACHDA
PHANTOM
SARFIRA
KATTI BATTI
YADAAN TERIYAAN
HERO
HIT OR FLOP MIDWEEK
Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty during a press conference organised to promote their upcoming film Hero in Jaipur (IANS).
PHANTOM
BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN
DRISHYAM
BROTHERS
ALL IS WELL
AVERAGE
BLOCKBUSTER
HIT
HIT
AVERAGE
MidWeek
MIDWEEK NEWS
NEWS WEEKLY
WEEKLY
TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 28,
01,2012
2015
21
INSPIRATIONAL DHONI
MY PRIME MOTIVATOR:
SURESH RAINA
MUMBAI, (IANS) Indian cricketer Suresh Raina, who will next
be seen in the upcoming episode of talk show "The Anupam
Kher Show - Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai", considers 2011 World
Cup winning captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as his "inspiration" for staying happy.
Raina will be the first sports personality to appear in the second season of the show.
"I have learnt to stay happy in my teams happiness from Dhoni.
When Dhoni's baby was about to be born I asked him why he
wasn't going, he told the country comes first for him. If you are
under pressure and you talk to him, he will calm you down. If
you have such inspiration in life then you don't need any other
motivation," Raina said in a statement.
The episode featuring Raina will be aired on Sunday on Colors.
BCCI CONGRATULATES
INDIAN CRICKET TEAM
THE VICTORIOUS INDIA TEAM POSE WITH THE TROPHY.
India claims Test series win
after 22-years against Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, (IANS) India on Tuesday claimed an away Test series win
against Sri Lanka after 22 years as they clinched the decisive third
match by 117 runs for a 2-1 triumph on the fifth day at the Sinhalese
Spor ts Club (SSC) ground here.
In pursuit of 386 runs for victory on the final day, Sri Lanka were
bowled out for 268 in their second innings despite strong resistance
from captain Angelo Mathews (110) and Kusal Perera (70). Indian offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked up figures of 4-69 and was ably
suppor ted by pacer Ishant Sharma (3-32).
The win marked India's first away Test series victory since 2011
when they defeated the West Indies. It was also Virat Kohli's first
series triumph as captain of the Test team. And it was the third time
that India have won a Test series after losing the first match.
Ashwin took 21 wickets to be declared the Man-of-the-Series. Ishant
also became only the four th Indian pacer after stalwar ts Kapil Dev,
Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan to bag 200 Test wickets. Cheteshwar
Pujara was declared the Man-of-the-Match for his unbeaten 145 that
propelled India to 312 in the first innings.
Resuming the day at 67/3, the islanders were put under relentless
pressure from the very beginning, especially with Ishant bowling his
hear t out. At the other end, Umesh Yadav reaped the reward as he got
right-hander Kaushal Silva caught while trying to pull a bouncer. He
only succeeded to hand it to Pujara at shor t mid-wicket.
Lahiru Thirimanne was peppered with shor t balls and swinging deliveries that jumped off good length but the left-hander weathered the
early storm and suppor ted his skipper well. Their 33-run par tnership
was ended by Ashwin, who succeeded in foxing Thirimanne by a
looping delivery.
The left-hander closed the face of the bat but the ball managed to fly
off the leading edge. Lokesh Rahul grabbed it brilliantly at silly point.
Mathews was joined by Perera. They were defiant at times, but the
two wickets gave India the upper hand as the hosts went into lunch at
134/5. At the post-lunch session, the par tnership between Mathews
and Perera flourished, igniting hopes of a possible draw for the hosts.
Sri Lanka were in attacking mode as Perera latched onto any loose
ball that came his way. Perera went after leg-spinner Amit Mishra,
hitting him to the boundary twice in an over. All-rounder Stuar t Binny
also suffered considerable punishment.
Our batting flopped again, rues Lanka captain Mathews
COLOMBO, (IANS) Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews blamed their batting
failure as the hosts slumped to a 117-run loss in the third and final Test of the
series that India won 2-1 at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground here on
Tuesday.
Sri Lanka conceded a 101-run lead to India's first innings score of 312. And
latter in the four th innings, the islanders were bowled out for 268 chasing a
target of 386.
"Disappointed (after losing the game), especially after winning a crucial toss
and them batting in demanding conditions. Our batting flopped again. The
bowlers did a good job throughout the match, but we weren't really up to the
mark with the bat," regretted Mathews at the post-match presentation ceremony.
"We could have kept them under 300 in the first innings. The bowlers bowled
pretty well, but India batted well. Our first innings batting was crucial, we
needed to get close to 300," he added.
The 28-year-old then said that if he and Kusal Perera -- who had put on a
par tnership of 135 runs for the sixth wicket in the second innings -- could
have carried on a little longer, the result could have been quite different.
"Thought if me and Kusal could have stayed there longer, it could have been
different. But they bowled really well and are the deserved winners," he said.
NEW DELHI, (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI) on Tuesday congratulated its team on winning the threematch Test series against Sri Lanka 2-1. This was India's first
series win on Lankan soil in 22 years.
"On behalf of everyone in Indian cricket I would like to congratulate the Indian cricket team on their 2-1 Test series win in
Sri Lanka. The magnitude of this brilliant win can be ascertained by the fact that the series win in Sri Lanka has come
after 22 years. The team and management have made their
way in the cricketing history books," BCCI president Jagmohan
Dalmiya said in a statement.
"I also congratulate Mr. Virat Kohli for this victory. Mr. Kohli
has been exceptional in his role as captain of the Indian cricket
team. He is doing an excellent job in building a new team and
leading from the front."
This was also India's first away series win since beating the
West Indies in 2011 and only the third time India have come
back from 0-1 down to win the series.
"My hearty congratulations to the Indian cricket team on the
Test series win in Sri Lanka. A special kudos to Mr. Virat Kohli
on winning his first series as India's Test captain and I hope
this is the first of many for the captain and his young team. The
boys can be very proud of what they have achieved and I am
confident they will now strive for doing it on a consistent basis," said BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur.
"The challenge for us is to create sustained success and to
ensure that team India's performances keep on improving in
the upcoming season. We believe we are putting in place the
foundations to move in the right direction. We are committed
to doing everything we can to achieve continuous improvement." India beat Sri Lanka by 117 runs on Day 5 of the third
and final Test at the Sinhalese Spor ts Club Ground in Colombo
on Tuesday.
MY EXPERIENCE HELPED MY
COMEBACK: PUJARA
COLOMBO, (IANS) Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara said
his experience in international cricket helped him make an
impactful comeback into the Test team, which eventually
helped his side win the third match and beat Sri Lanka 2-1
here on Tuesday.
The third and final Test against the hosts at the Sinhalese Spor ts
Club (SSC) Ground here is the 27-year-old's first match since
playing against Australia in December 2014.
He returned with a brilliant unbeaten first innings century (145
not out) which helped his side take a crucial first innings lead,
eventually helping India to grab their first series win in Sri
Lanka after 22 years.
"It was a very good oppor tunity for me, we were 1-1 and we
won the series now. Facing the new ball was challenging, it
was an oppor tunity as well. My preparation was good, and my
experience in international cricket has helped," said Pujara,
who was also adjudged the man of the match.
The 289-ball 145, which included 14 boundaries, was Pujara's
seventh Test century. However, he was bowled for a duck in
the second innings. This is India's first overseas series win
since beating the West Indies in 2011. It is only the third time
India have come back from 0-1 down in Test history and also
Virat Kohli's first series win as captain.
BRILLIANT CATCHING GOT
ME WICKETS: ASHWIN
COLOMBO, (IANS) Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin said
that brilliant catching by his teammates during the three-Test
series handed the off-spinner 21 wickets which eventually
earned him the man of the series award here on Tuesday. India
defeated Sri Lanka by 117 runs on Day 5 of the third and final
match to win 2-1 at the Sinhalese Spor ts Club Ground, their
first series win on Lankan soil in 22 years. It is also India's
first away series win since beating the West Indies in 2011.
"I would like to thank the boys, the catching has been brilliant
and that is why I have more than 20 wickets in the series,"
said Ashwin, who made two five-wicket hauls in the series.
"Having been here before for the one-day tournaments, and we
had a practice game as well and my take away was that the
wickets were slow and I have to put more body in. It has been
quite a while to win a Man of the Series, happy to win it. Had a
few tennis elbow issues, had to change my technique a little
bit. Happy to pay them back with a fifty." Ashwin top-scored
with 58 in India's second innings which proved vital as India
handed the hosts a target of 386 runs. In reply, Sri Lanka were
bowled out for 268. This was only the third time that India won
a series after being 0-1 down.
INDO-PAK SERIES UNLIKELY
TO HAPPEN: PCB CHIEF
CANADIAN DROUIN WINS MEN'S
HIGH JUMP GOLD AT WORLDS
BEIJING, (IANS) Canada's Derek Drouin cleared 2.34 metres in a
three-man jump-off to win the men's high jump gold medal at the
World Athletics Championships here on Sunday.
China's Zhang Guowei and Ukraine's Bohdan Bongarenko shared the
second place on 2.33m at the Bird's Nest stadium, repor ts Xinhua.
After the trio had failed at 2.36m for a four th time, the bar was lowered
to 2.34m.
The 25-year-old Drouin, a bronze medal winner at the 2013 World
Championships, went first and cleared it before Bondarenko and Zhang
both failed.
"This is very exciting. It's really beautiful to win this title now. After
my victory at the Pan-Am Games I did some good meetings, so I
knew I was in good form and this gave me a lot of confidence," said
Drouin.
"I was first on the line-up, that was good to keep the pressure on the
field. The line-up gave me a good oppor tunity. This was definitely a
hard competition," the Canadian added.
Zhang, who cleared 2.38m for the season's second best result this
May, could not manage to pull off his top form in the final on the cold
and damp night in the Chinese capital. But he already created history
by taking China's first silver in this event.
China took a bronze medal in the event through legendary Zhu Jiahua
in 1983, and he was the only male high jumper from China to place in
the top eight at the World Championships. He still holds the national
record of 2.39m since 1984.
"Today I was not able to give my very best performance, but I tried. I
became second, which is also a good result. I have worked very hard
and put in so much effor t and it has paid off. I want to thank my coach
and my parents and everyone else who supported me," the 24-yearold Zhang said.
Australian opener Warner eyes World T20 title next year
LONDON, (IANS) Swashbuckling opener David Warner asser ted on Sunday that the Australians will aim to capture the only title missing
from their impressive trophy cabinet when they travel to India for the World Twenty20 next year.
The Australians have dominated Tests and one-day cricket, and are the most successful team at the 50-over World Cup, winning the title
five times. But they have repeatedly fallen shor t in the battle for T20 supremacy and are yet to win the World Twenty20 crown in the five
editions of the tournament so far dating back to 2007.
Warner, however, feels that the men from Down Under will have a much better chance in the 2016 edition since several Australian
players are familiar with the conditions and big game atmosphere in India due to their involvement in the Indian Premier League.
"I think going to India, there's no excuse for conditions. All the players have played there before (and) played IPL there. Whatever team
is selected that will be the right team for those conditions," Warner was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.
"I really do think this could be one of our best chances to win the Twenty20 World Cup," he added. "We've probably played more (in India)
than we have at home in the Twenty20 format." Warner -- one of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket -- also felt that a lack of
continuity between players is to blame for Australia's inability to deal with the unpredictable nature of the T20 format.
INDIAN WRESTLERS TO TRAIN IN LAS VEGAS
NEW DELHI, (IANS) The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Wednesday announced that its men's and women's teams will train in
Las Vegas from August 26 to September 6 to prepare for the World Championship to be held in the same city from September 7 to 12.
"This tour will be an ideal opportunity for our wrestlers to get international exposure and get acclimatised to the local conditions ahead of World
Championship," WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said. "Considering the importance of World Championships which is also the first
qualifying event for 2016 Rio Olympics, we have scheduled this training tour with the aim to prepare our wrestlers in a better way and win more and
more Olympic quotas."
Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt (65 kg) will lead the men's team. The team will also see participation from Olympian Nar Singh Pancham
Yadav (74 kg), Commonwealth Games medallist Amit Kumar (57 kg), Asian Games medallist Mausam Khatri (97 kg) and Commonwealth Games
and Asian Games medallist Bajrang (61 kg). "I am sure this tour will be an added advantage for our wrestlers who have been working hard in training
camps since November 2014," said Bhushan.
Olympian Geeta Phogat (58 kg) of Haryana, who had won a bronze at the 2012 World Championship, will spearhead the women's team. Commonwealth Games gold medallists Vinesh (48 kg) and Babita Kumari (53 kg) and silver medallist Lalita (55 kg) will also be part of the team.
Men's teams:
Free Style: Amit Kumar (57 kg), Bajrang Singh (61 kg), Yogeshwar Dutt (65 kg), Arun (70 kg), Narsingh Yadav (74 kg), Naresh Kumar (86 kg), Mausam
Khatri (97 kg), Sumit (125 kg). Support Staff: Kuldeep Singh (coach), Jagmal Singh (coach), Sunil Rajguru (masseur), Manjul Nautiyal (masseur)
Greco Roman: Ravinder Singh (59 kg), Deepak (66 kg), M. Rafique (71 kg), Gurpreet Singh (75 kg), Harpreet Singh (80 kg), Manoj Kumar (85 kg),
Hardeep (98 kg), Naveen (130 kg). Support Staff: Kuldeep Singh (coach), Mahabir Prasad (coach), Chandervijay Singh (coach), Brajesh (physio),
Krishan Kumar (masseur).
Women's team: Vinesh (48 kg), Babita (53 kg), Lalita (55 kg), Geeta Phogat (58 kg), Sarita (60 kg), Anita (63 kg), Navjot (69 kg), Nikki (75 kg). Support
Staff: A.N. Yadav (coach), Kr tishna Arya (coach), Shweta Bala (masseur), Dhirendra Pratap (physio).
ETHIOPIA'S ALMAZ AYANA CELEBRATES AFTER WINNING THE WOMEN'S 5000M FINAL AT THE 2015 IAAF WORLD CHAMPSHIPS AT THE
BIRD'S NEST NATIONAL STADIUM IN BEIJING (IANS).
LAHORE, (IANS) Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman
Shaharyar Khan has said the chances of a bilateral series
with India taking place later this year were highly unlikely.
The PCB were scheduled to host India in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE), but the collapse of the talks between the
National Security Advisors of the two countries and
continuing tension on the border has put it under a cloud.
Newly-appointed International Cricket Council (ICC)
president Zaheer Abbas had said earlier this week that the
PCB should show flexibility and must be willing to play the
series in India in order to ensure the revival of cricketing
ties. But Shaharyar Khan has rejected Abbas's proposal,
saying that the PCB will wait for a final reply from the
BCCI till October. "We will not go to India to play our bilateral
series there and I'm writing a letter to the BCCI to clear our
stance and we will wait for their reply till October," the PCB
chief was quoted by Dawn on Wednesday as saying.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Anurag
Thakur had tweeted last Saturday that there will be no revival
of cricketing relations if Pakistan harbours Dawood Ibrahim
and insists on a dialogue with Kashmiri separatist leaders.
The PCB and the BCCI had signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) last year, which states that the two
nations will play six bilateral series over the next eight
years.
The PCB was scheduled to host the first one in the UAE in
December, but the Indian government has not allowed the
BCCI to confirm par ticipation, citing political reasons.
Shaharyar Khan expressed his disappointment with India's
stand and said that if the series is cancelled, it will be a
financial setback for the PCB. "It seems they don't want to
play a bilateral series as they are raising political issues
while the PCB believes that spor ts should not be mixed
with politics," the PCB chief said.
"India shouldn't mix politics with spor t. Cricket is a source
of great enter tainment for the people of the two countries
and the series between the arch-rivals is bigger than the
Ashes," he added. Shaharyar Khan stated that the PCB
have prepared an alternative plan which will be implemented once the BCCI reveal their final decision. However,
he added that the plan is not related to any cricketing
activity.
CAB ANNOUNCES WORLD CUP
ORGANISING COMMITTEE
KOLKATA, (IANS) The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) on
Sunday announced its 15-member committee who will look after organizing the T20 World Cup matches here at Eden Gardens. Surprisingly. the committee has only four office-bearers
of CAB with president Jagmohan Dalmiya at the helm. Joint
secretaries Sourav Ganguly and Subir Ganguly and treasurer
Biswaroop Dey are the other members.
The rest of the team comprise ministers, and an MP and a legislator from the state's ruling Trinamool Congress. Besides ministers Subrata Mukherjee, Firhad Hakim, Par tha Chatterjee, Arup
Roy, Arup Biswas, Jawed Khan, Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury
and Jyotipriyo Mallik, city mayor and state legislator Sovan
Chatterjee and MP Sultan Ahmed are also in the panel.
Asked why such a decision was taken to include so many politicians, Subir Ganguly said: "Barring a few, everyone is associated with cricket and some of them are our committee members. After 28 years Eden Gardens has a chance to host a World
Cup final so we need everyone's suppor t. "The president has
decided the members and in future if we think more members
can be taken."
Another joint secretary former India captain Sourav Ganguly
refused to comment on the issue and only said: "The president
has chosen the committee, ask him." The cash-strapped organization on the day also said a sum totalling almost Rs.1
crore will be given as incentives and prize-money for the
local league clubs. But the amounts have not been fixed yet and
can be changed.
BCCI to move apex court on
Srinivasan issue: Dalmiya
KOLKATA, (IANS) The Indian cricket board will approach the
Supreme Cour t in the next two-three days to seek its opinion on
whether N. Srinivasan can attend its meetings, a top official
said. "Yes, in the next two-three days," Board of Control for Cricket
in India (BCCI) president Jagmohan Dalmiya replied to queries
when the body would move the apex cour t on the issue.
Srinivasan, the current International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman, was earlier asked by the Supreme Cour t to quit as BCCI
president to facilitate investigation into the 2013 Indian Premier
League (IPL) betting and spot fixing scam. His son-in-law
Gurunath Meiyappan has been convicted of wrongdoing in the
IPL scam and banned from any cricketing activity for life.
On Friday, the BCCI working committee meeting here was adjourned sine die over the dispute relating to whether Srinivasan
could attend its deliberations. Srinivasan, who had flown into
the metropolis for the parleys, was insistent on attending the
meeting, but repor tedly faced opposition from a section of members. Dalmiya then used his discretionary powers to adjourn
the meeting.
IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla had said the working committee
meeting would next be held only after obtaining the opinion of
the Supreme Cour t in this regard. All other pending issues have
been deferred to the board's annual general meeting (AGM),
which is likely to be held here on September 27.
"Meeting was adjourned as there is a legal bar on Srinivasan.
For that we have to seek clarification from the Supreme Cour t
so that is why the meeting has been postponed. After we get the
clarification, next working committee meeting would be called,"
Shukla told repor ters. The BCCI officials consulted legal advisors before taking the decision. A Supreme Cour t order, issued
on February this year, barred Srinivasan from taking part in any
affairs of the board.
BCB PROPOSES TO CURTAIL
ZIMBABWE TEST SERIES FOR
T20, ODIS
AS ROMA'S DZEKO (R) VIES WITH JUVENTUS'S PEREYRA (C) DURING THEIR ITALIAN SERIE A SOCCER MATCH IN ROME, ITALY, ON AUGUST
30, 2015. ROME WON 2-1 (IANS).
National record holder Khushbir
finishes 37th at Worlds
BEIJING, (IANS) Khushbir Kaur, India's national record holder in
women's 20 kilometre race walk, finished a disappointing 37th out of
50 par ticipants at the World Athletics Championships. The 22-yearold completed the race in an hour, 38 minutes and 53 seconds. She
crossed the 5 km mark in 23:21.36 and the 10 km mark in 47:26.42.
She took 1:12:38 to go past the 15 km mark at the iconic Bird's Nest.
Her effor t was way below then her personal best of 1:31:40. The
Amritsar girl had won a silver at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games,
clocking 1:33:07. Khushbir had finished 39th (1:34:28) in the last edition of the Worlds two years ago at Moscow. Sapana, the other Indian
in the fray, was disqualified. The 27-year-old was 47th at the 5 km
split, timing 24.05 but was the first walker to be disqualified in the
race, even before reaching the 10 km mark.
China claimed its first gold medal in the championships as Liu Hong
finished the race in 1:27:45. Compatriot Lyu Xiuzhi ended second while
Ukrainian Lyudmyla Olyanovska took the bronze. Saturday will see
Sandeep Kumar and Manish Singh Rawat take par t in the 50 km
men's race walk followed by the women's 4x400m relay heats where
four members of the Indian squad of Debashree Mazumdar, M.R.
Poovamma, Anu Raghavan, Jisna Mathew and Tintu Luka will take
par t. The evening session will see Vikas Gowda in the men's discus
throw final.
BISHT TO TAKE ON NAGAL IN TENNIS FINAL
CHENNAI, (IANS) Ronit Singh Bisht and Sumit Nagal, both unseeded, extended their dream run by reaching the final of the
Powerpak ITF men's Futures tennis tournament. Bisht, ranked 1023, ousted wild card Prajnesh Gunneswaran 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, and
Nagal accounted for sixth seed Ranjit Virali-Murugesan (No.749) 6-3, 6-1 in the semi-finals. The robust Bisht, after losing the first
set, saw off Gunneswaran's challenge with some attacking ground strokes. In the second set, Bisht settled down and played
calmly, forcing Gunneswaran into long rallies. Aided by two service breaks, Bisht wrapped up the set to draw level.
In the third set, Bisht was under pressure to hold serve in the first game, but he held with an ace to get his confidence up.
Gunneswaran was then broken in the fourth and sixth games giving Bisht a 4-2 lead and eventually lost. In contrast, Nagal, only 18,
had a very comfor table outing against 30-year-old Virali-Murugesan. Nagal served 12 aces to dominate the match and enjoyed an
untroubled run to the final. In the doubles final, the experienced pair of Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashant downed the
younger pair of Mohit Mayur and Kaza Vinayak 6-4, 7-6(5). The winning pair picked up 18 ATP points and shared $620 while the
runners-up received 12 ATP points and $360.
Junior women's hockey team has more stamina now: Coach
NEW DELHI, (IANS) Indian girls' hockey team chief coach Mathias Ahrens said here on Friday that his side has improved its skills and
stamina during the preparatory camp for the seventh Junior Asia Cup to take place in Changzou, China, from September 5 to 13.
"We have a good team with good players who have the ability to give a good fight to any team. The Junior Asia Cup will be a tough
competition as the best Asian teams like Japan, North Korea and China will par ticipate in this tournament," said Ahrens.
"The preparatory camp has improved the skills and stamina of the players. The camp has given players enough time for their recovery
as well as working on their mistakes. We are expecting a good show from the team and positive results." India have been placed in
Pool A with China, Malaysia, Singapore and Nor th Korea in the nine-team event. They will play their first match against Nor th Korea
on September 5.
"The team and players are in good shape for the Junior Asian Cup. We have worked on various strategies during the ongoing
preparation camp and are working to implement them during the tournament," captain Rani Rampal said. "We have good players such
as Navjot Kaur, Deep Grace Ekka and Inderpreet Kaur, who are assets to the team. We are aiming to reach the final of the tournament
and we will play with this goal." The Junior Asia Cup is a qualification tournament for the 2016 Junior World Cup.
Injured Sharapova pulls out of US Open
NEW YORK, (IANS) Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova pulled out of the US Open on Sunday due to a leg injury.
The tennis tournament star ts here on Monday.
The 28-year-old Russian and the World No.3 has not played since Wimbledon following injury.
"Unfor tunately I will not be able to compete in this year's US Open. I have done everything possible to be ready but it was just not
enough time," Sharapova said on her Facebook page on Sunday.
"To all my amazing fans, I will be back in the Asian swing in a few weeks and look forward to finishing the year healthy and strong,"
she said.
She was due to play Australian world No.37 Daria Gavrilova on Monday here.
Sharapova sustained the injury during training after Wimbledon, an injury that forced her to withdraw from lead-up tournaments in
Toronto and Cincinnati.
DHAKA, (IANS) The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided to prune by one Test the three-match series against Zimbabwe in January. Chief of BCB's Cricket Operations Naimur
Rahman Durjoy said the decision was taken to allow the team
ample time to prepare for next year's World Twenty20, reports
bdnews24.com. Zimbabwe will visit Bangladesh for a complete series like last year.
"We are still discussing (this) with Zimbabwe. We have proposed
playing two Tests, reducing one. They've said they'll let us know after
discussing among themselves," Naimur said. Zimbabwe Cricket is
likely to agree with the terms as Bangladesh are the hosts of the series
that will also include three ODIs and T20Is.
The proposal can come as a surprise to many as Bangladesh in the
past have always urged more matches in the prestigious format. But
Naimur's explained: "We have many games lined up at that time. We
have to think about resting cricketers, giving them enough time to
recover."
"After the Test series, we have one-day and T20 commitments too. We
have to prepare for those. So we reduced (a) Test for T20 preparations."
After the series, the Asia Cup, which will be in T20 format, will be
played before the World T20 starts in India. The decision to reduce a
Test was made to keep the players fit.
Rumours doing round are that coach Chandika Hathurusingha influenced the decision. It is said that the Sri Lankan is not keen to spend
extra energy in Tests with Zimbabwe. Naimur, however, skirted questions in this regard. "I don't know if the proposal came from elsewhere.
I always want to play more Tests but other commitments need to be
taken care of as well.
I, too, later realised that it is not possible to play more Tests for realistic
reasons," he added. Bangladesh are supposed to visit India to play Test
for the first time next year. Bangladesh will host England in the late
2016 to play a bilateral series that includes two Tests. Bangladesh
will also play two Tests in their New Zealand tour in December
2016.
INDIAN EVES TO START
JUNIOR ASIA CUP CAMPAIGN
AGAINST NORTH KOREA
NEW DELHI, (IANS) India will face Nor th Korea in the opening
match of the 7th Women's Junior Asia Cup to be played in
Changzhou, China from September 5 to 13. The 18-member Indian squad -- led by Rani Rampal -- are placed in Pool A which
also includes China, Malaysia and Singapore. Navjot Kaur will act as
Rani's deputy. Pool B includes South Korea, Japan, Thailand and Chinese Taipei. This tournament will be a qualification event for the Junior
Women World Cup to be held next year. The Indian team is in good
form, having finished a creditable third at the Volvo Invitational U-21
tournament in Breda, Holland, in July. "The team looks confident ahead
of the upcoming tournament. They are very much determined post
their third place finish at the U-21 Volvo Invitational tournament and the
team will aim for a win in the Junior Women Asia Cup," coach Baljeet
Saini was quoted as saying in a release. "The girls have worked on the
various aspects including starting the game with speed and improved
their attacking skills." Rani meanwhile, is confident of emerging champion in China. "The team is in good shape and the preparatory camp
has been helping us to improve our game each day. We are optimistic
after our recent third place finish at the U-21 Volvo Invitational tournament and focusing on our strategies and working on rectifying our
mistakes so that we come out as a strong unit," she said. "I am sure
that we will see a good competition in the upcoming tournament and
hope to finish it on a winning note."
The squad: Goalkeepers: Inderpreet Kaur, Sheweta; Defenders: Deep
Grace Ekka, Namita Toppo, Gurjit Kaur, Jaspreet Kaur, Manjit Kaur, Rashmita
Minz; Midfielders: M. Lily Chanu, Lilima Minz, Navjot Kaur (vice-captain),
Renuka Yadav, Preeti Dubey; Forwards: Anupa Barla, Rani Rampal (captain), Punam Barla, Navneet Kaur, Sonika
Shahnaz resigns as Pakistan
hockey coach
ISLAMABAD, (IANS) Pakistan hockey coach Shahnaz Sheikh
stepped down on Thursday after the team failed to qualify for
the 2016 Olympics. The 43-year-old handed in his resignation
during a Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) meeting at the
Crown Plaza Hotel here. Pakistan crashed out of contention for
a ber th in Rio de Janeiro after finishing eighth in a qualifying
tournament in Belgium last month. This is the first time the
three-time gold medalists have not qualified for the Olympics.
Shahnaz had successfully coached the Pakistan team in the
past, guiding them to the World Cup title in 1994. However, the
national team has seen a steady decline since then. Pakistan
finished last in the World Cup held in India in 2010 and have
also failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in the Netherlands.
India held to a goalless draw by Nepal
Indian junior hockey team
eager to play Pakistan
PUNE, (IANS) A dominating India were held to a goalless draw by Nepal in an international friendly at the Balewadi Stadium. The
Indians star ted the game on the front foot playing in front of the home crowd and created a number of chances, but poor finishing undid
their effor ts.
Pronoy Halder made his debut and much to everyone's surprise, Indian coach Stephen Constantine played Dhanpal Ganesh as a
central defender. Though usually seen as a central medio, Ganesh adapted to his new role and as the match progressed, par tnered
Sandesh Jhingan well. Prior to the match, GPS systems were inser ted into the jackets as Team India took the field wearing such
trackers for the first time in the country's football history.
The first half action was mostly concentrated in the Nepal half. The Indian back four almost played around the centre-line and quick
interchanges, switching, transitions and one-twos keeping Nepal guessing. The closest India came to scoring in the first 20 minutes
was when Francis Fernandes hit the post off a Eugenson Lyngdoh corner rebound.
Lyngdoh proved once again why he is so highly rated as his overhead through ball in the 44th minute evaded the Nepal defence
and stooped for the onrushing Sunil Chhetri who dar ted into the box, sent Nepal custodian Limbu Kiran the other way, but then
placed the ball just wide. After the breather, Indians stepped on the gas again, and in the 62nd minute, Robin Singh couldn't
make the most of a free header off a Jackichand Singh corner. At the other end, Nepal had their chance too as substitute Sushil
K.C. in the 69th minute was through on goal but his shot was just off target. Limbu was at it again as he managed to keep out
a Cavin Lobo pile driver but then had to scramble for a Chhetri long ranger which flew wide. In the dying minutes of the game,
Indian winger C.K. Vineeth came close to breaking the deadlock but Nawayung Shrestha came back to get rid of the ball.
Himachal Pradesh, (IANS) The Indian junior hockey team are
preparing hard and eagerly waiting for the fifth Sultan of Johor
Cup where they will open their campaign against arch-rivals
Pakistan on October 11. The tournament will take place in Johor
Bahru, Malaysia, from October 11 to 18 where India will look to
defend its title. The 32-member squad is currently training here
under coach Harendra Singh.
"Our first game is against Pakistan and we are very excited to
face them. Last year we beat them by a huge margin of 6-0 and
we aim to attain a similar feat this time too," said forward
Armaan Qureshi. "But we cannot take them lightly as they know
our style of play and will surely come back with a strategy. But
having said this, we have our game plan ready and we will go
out to implement and win the match". Commenting on the training sessions, Qureshi added, "The training sessions have been
very fruitful till now and we are getting positive results from
our new game-plans and tactics.
CHINA HAMMER INDIA
102-39 IN ASIAN
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
FOOTBALL LEGEND ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO ARRIVES IN MUMBAI (IANS).
India-South Africa cricket series
named Gandhi-Mandela Series
NEW DELHI, (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
and Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Monday announced that they will
title all future bilateral series between the two countries 'The Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela Series'.
Going forward, the Test series between the two countries will be
played for the 'Freedom Trophy' which is dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi
and Nelson Mandela. "The struggle for freedom has been the common thread between our countries. Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson
Mandela liberated our nations with non-violence and non-cooperation
as their weapons which have inspired the world, to adopt and achieve
their goals in a peaceful manner. We dedicate this trophy to Mahatma
and Madiba, the guiding souls of our nations," BCCI president
Jagmohan Dalmiya said.
On the same, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said: "The Test Series
has been christened as the Freedom Trophy. Freedom for which Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela sacrificed their lives and thereby
allowed a nation to be born free from years of bondage and suppression. "BCCI, on behalf of every citizen of our country is able to pay
tribute to these great leaders by naming the series after them and
appeal to each and every citizen of our country to imbibe their ideals
and follow the path advised by them." CSA president Chris Nenzani
said: "The revered names of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela
leave us with a huge responsibility to live up to the legacies they have
left us. Above all else they stood for doing the right thing and persevered at great personal cost to achieve freedom for their country
regardless of how long it took them." CSA chief executive Haroon
Lorgat said: "For the people of both our countries there is no greater
duty than to uphold the ideals of both Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson
Mandela. As cricket loving people we must fight hard to win on the
field of play but never forget to do battle in the spirit of these two great
men. "Naming all future bilateral series between our two countries
after Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela is eternal news for our
people and cricketers and I would like to thank the Nelson Mandela
Foundation for their suppor t."
South Africa will tour India to play three Twenty20 Internationals, five
One-day Internationals (ODI) and four Test matches from October 2.
YOUNG INDO-CANADIAN BOXER BEATS CHAMPION
TORONTO, (IANS) A young Indo-Canadian boxer Eric Basran defeated the current Canadian champion and world medallist in an
international tournament held earlier this month, the media repor ted on Monday.
He is now set to feature in the Nor thern Alberta Gold Glove Championships slated for October 3.
Basran, 16, returned from an international 15th Annual Ringside World Championships boxing tournament held in Kansas city, Missouri,
after beating Thomas Blumenfeld, current Canadian Champion and world medallist, South Asian Link repor ted.
The tournament featured 1,900 boxers from age group eight to 40. Basran fought in the 17-18-year-old, 114 pound (52 kg) open category.
In the first match of the 10-fighter division, Basran defeated Las Vegas champion Alejandro Dominguez. In the second round, he defeated
Blumenfeld.
But next day, he suffered from food poisoning and could not compete in the semi-finals.
His opponent was given a "walk-over" win, ending the hope for Basran, the report added.
Basran had lost to Blumenfeld at the National Championships earlier this year.
"He has very limited experience and at this event there were boxers from around the world with 100 or more bouts," his coach Jerry
Veerasammy was quoted as saying.
"He has tremendous long reach, good boxing eyes and an innate sense of range and he hits like a mule," Veerasammy added.
"He is gifted and a very hard worker. Talent can take you to the top but like every athlete, lifestyle will determines Eric's path, so it's all
up to him how far he goes," the coach was added.
ENJOYING BOWLING: ISHANT SHARMA
COLOMBO, (IANS) Having put India in a strong
position with a five-wicket haul on Day 3 of the
third cricket Test against Sri Lanka, mediumpacer Ishant Sharma says he is enjoying bowling with the new ball.
The lanky pacer bagged figures of 5/54 in 15 overs
on Sunday to enable the visitors bowl out Sri
Lanka for 201 runs in the first innings at the Sinhalese Spor ts Club (SSC) ground here.
"I think I am enjoying bowling with the new ball.
Obviously, if you are playing a Test match, bowling
with the new ball, especially with the Kookaburra
ball, it seams and swings a bit, so I am enjoying
pretty much," Ishant was quoted as saying by bcci.tv
on Monday.
Ishant said the Indians need to keep pitching the ball at a
good length and believe they can pick up wickets.
"We are pretty happy after getting a green wicket. What we
need to do is bowl in good areas and keep believing in ourselves that somehow we will take wickets. That's what I have
been doing," he said.
Asked what would be a good score to defend on the SSC ground wicket,
Ishant said: "We haven't set any score yet to be honest. We have to go
according to what the situation demands. You could probably say that
300 would be good."
The Delhi bowler, whose career has been plagued with injuries, said
he is having a good time bowling with his younger colleagues in the
team and added that they are still learning the tricks of the trade.
"I am enjoying bowling not only with Umesh but with Varun and Bhuvi
as well. The thing is they haven't played many Test matches. Still they
are learning. What they need to do is to figure out how they can be
consistent to take wickets in international cricket. It all depends on
how consistent you are in your line and length. That's what they need to
understand," Ishant said.
WUHAN (CHINA), (IANS) India suffered their third consecutive
loss as they were thrashed by China 39-102 in a Group A match
of the 26th Asian Women's Basketball Championship here on
Monday.
Even though veteran guard and captain Anitha Paul Durai returned to action, India's star ting woes continued as they allowed China to take 18-0 lead in the first five minutes.
The first quarter saw only two buckets from India and ended
with China sitting on a 29-4 lead.
In the second quar ter, India showed signs of improvement,
restricting China to 18 points and scoring 11 points of their
own.
But with a 47-15 lead entering the second half, India needed a
strong comeback to claw their way back in the game. That
didn't happen and China continued to build on their lead and
finished with an easy 102-39 victory.
With this, 2013 edition bronze medallists China registered third
victory in a row.
China outplayed India in almost all depar tments. Their shooting percentage from the field was close to 43 percent compared to India's 26.6 percent shooting percentage.
Interestingly, India's turnover rate improved dramatically in
this game. After turning the ball over more than 30 times in
each of their first two games, India took better care of the ball
with only 18 turnovers.
However, their poor shooting and lack of rebounding presence
hurt them. China asser ted their class in the paint, outrebounding
India 65 to 37 and scoring almost half of their points from the
paint-area.
China's 6-foot-3-inch centre Song Gao led the way with 18
points and 12 rebounds. Their huge leads throughout the game
allowed China to showcase their bench depth, with 59 points
contributed by bench players.
For India, in addition to the lower number of turnovers, another
positive was the offense of Kerala players Poojamol
Subhashmon and Jeena Skaria, who both ended up in double
digits, scoring 10 points each. Skaria was also India's leading
rebounder with seven boards.
SAINA ON COLLISION
COURSE AGAINST
SINDHU IN JAPAN
TOKYO, (IANS) India's top two badminton stars -- Saina Nehwal
and P.V. Sindhu -- are on a collision course at the $275,000
Japan Open Superseries to be held at the Tokyo Metropolitan
Gymnasium from September 8 to 13.
The two are likely to meet in the second round of women's
singles in the Japanese capital if they beat their opening
round opponents.
Double World Championship bronze medallist Sindhu, who
is unseeded here, will open her campaign against Japan's
Minatsu Mitani. Second seed Saina, who recently reached
the final of the World Championships, will take on Thai
Busanan Ongbumrungpan.
If both win, they will face each other for the second time in
their career after the first meeting -- at the 2014 India Grand
Prix Gold final -- was won by World No.1 Saina in straight
games.
In men's singles, the only Indian to be seeded is Kidambi
Srikanth at No.3. He will open against Scott Evans of Ireland.
Reigning Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli
Kashyap will take on local boy Takuma Ueda, Ajay Jayaram
will face a tough test against Danish seventh seed Viktor
Axelsen while H.S. Prannoy will be pitted against Wong
Wing Ki Vincent of Hong Kong.
Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa have a difficult task ahead
as they have drawn Chinese women's doubles eighth seeds
Zhao Yunlei and Zhong Qianxin. Pradnya Gadre and N. Sikki
Reddy face Japanese top seeds Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka
Takahashi in the opener.
INDIAN HOCKEY CAMP
FROM SEPTEMBER 5
NEW DELHI, (IANS) The Indian hockey team will take par t in a
preparatory camp at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium
here from September 5 to 29 to train for the Hockey World
League (HWL) Final to be held in Raipur from November 27
to December 6.
The 26-member camp will be held under Hockey India (HI)
high per formance director and chief coach Roelant
Oltmans.
"The upcoming tournament is ver y impor tant as here the
team will be actually put to test as it will be a platform to
understand their strengths and where all do they lack before playing the 2016 Olympics," said Oltmans on Monday.
"Each player from here will work towards building on oneself for the all impor tant Rio Olympics and there is very
less scope to falter. The team at this point is very high on
its confidence be it the youngsters or the most experienced
player, each one is playing with the sole motive to win."
List of the players attending the camp:
Goalkeepers: P.R. Sreejesh, Harjot Singh, Akash Chikte.
Defenders: Birender Lakra, Kothajit Singh, V.R. Raghunath,
Jasjit Singh Kular, Rupinder Pal Singh, Gurjinder Singh,
Pardeep Mor.
Midfielders: Sardar Singh, Chinglensana Singh, S.K.
Uthappa, Satbir Singh, Danish Mujtaba, Devinder Walmiki,
Manpreet Singh, Dharamvir Singh.
Forwards: S.V. Sunil, Ramandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh,
Mandeep Singh, Talwinder Singh, Lalit Upadhyay, Mohd. Amir
Khan, Nikkin Thimmaiah.