The Canadian adult star Sunny Leone to get Rs 1.5 crore to promote an energy drink

The Canadian born Indian adult star Sunny Leone who took Bollywood by storm with her film Jism 2 has since become a name to reckon with in the Indian advertising circuit. Post her signing her second Bollywood venture Ragini MMS 2, we hear that Sunny has been roped in to be the face of energy drink XXX, owned by actor-entrepreneur Sachiin Joshi.

Apparently, Sunny was paid a whooping figure of approximately Rs. 1.5 crore to be a part of the campaign. The reason behind signing on the actress we learn is that research carried out by the drink major revealed Sunny was by far one of the most popular faces among its target audience of youth in the age group of 18 to 25.

If that wasn’t all, the energy drink major will also be casting two other Bollywood personalities alongside Sunny in its adverts. While on the film front, Sunny will soon be seen in an item song Laila in Shootout At Wadala.

US shuts 149 airport control towers

The US has announced that 149 airport control towers will be closed across the country beginning April 7 due to a budget saving implementation plan.

“We heard from communities across the country about the importance of their towers and these were very tough decisions,” US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.

“Unfortunately we are faced with a series of difficult choices that we have to make to reach the required cuts under sequestration,” Xinhua quoted LaHood as saying.

Roughly $85 billion of spending cuts started to hit various US governmental departments this year starting March 1. The spending cuts were included in the August 2011 debt reduction package.

Authorities will begin a four-week phased closure of the 149 air traffic control towers beginning April 7, part of its efforts to save $637 million spending this year, according to the statement.

Congress has always misused CBI: Hazare

Social activist Anna Hazare on Saturday said it was wrong to presume that the CBI acts of its own volition and alleged that Congress had always “misused” the central investigating agency.

Asked about the CBI raid on DMK leader M K Stalin’s residence immediately after the party withdrew its support to the UPA government,
Mr Hazare told reporters, “Everybody knows that the CBI is under government’s control. If it is brought under the Lokpal’s control, it would help in curbing corruption.”

Mr. Hazare alleged that Congress had always “misused” the agency, even though it has some good officers in its fold.

“It is not that all people with the CBI are bad. But they are subjected to pressure as they have their jobs to protect.

Congress has always misused it,” he alleged.

When asked to comment on the UPA allies leaving Congress, Mr. Hazare said the party was losing the sympathy of the people because of the corruption associated with it.

“Congress is taking wrong steps. People have lost their sympathy for the party as responsible ministers in the government too are involved in scams,” he added.

Referring to the support of Samajwadi Party (SP) to the Congress-led government, Mr. Hazare said, “Regional parties pose a threat to the country as they bring pressure (on the government).”

He said although he had parted ways with his erstwhile colleague Arvind Kejarwal, there was no conflict between them and he wished him well for their cause through political means.

Mr. Hazare said he had not instituted any core committee of his own after breaking away from IAC. “It is difficult to get selfless workers for a cause. I am at present associated with ’Janatantra Morcha’ along with former Army Chief V K Singh, which is a non-political organisation,” he added.

Later, addressing a gathering, the activist said he was confident that the Lokpal would be a reality. “We have seen part one of the Lokpal bill,” he added.

He also noted with satisfaction that the provision of a fine for civil servants, who delayed their work beyond the stipulated period under Citizens’ Charter.

“When the elections are declared, I would be once again be at the Ramlila maidan to press for the demand for Right to Reject as part of electoral reforms to keep anti-social elements out of Parliament and the state legislatures,” Mr. Hazare asserted.

Saudi Arabia asked to lift driving ban on women

A human rights group in Saudi Arabia has pressed the Shura (Consultative) Council to launch a debate on the right of women to drive.

The move by the Saudi Committee for Human Rights is based on a study supported by 3,000 Saudi men and women from various parts of the country.

They have called for an open debate to allow women to drive ‘in accordance with religious and social norms’, Gulf News reports.

Under the by-laws, the Shura Council has to respond to all questions, queries and petition.

According to Saudi news site Sabq, Sulaiman Al Zayadi, the former head of the rights and petition committee that submitted the petition and requested a date to debate on the issue, said debating the issue of allowing women to drive gives the Council greater credibility.

He added that if women were given the right to drive it will promote trust among the people who will view the Council as their representatives who are ready to engage in the debates they suggest.

The petition was handed before the end of the last session to the committee that approved it and suggested its debate by the Shura Council members.

The study argued that local social and economic developments in Saudi Arabia and the international covenants endorsed by the Saudi kingdom require that Riyadh allow women to drive cars.

According to the report, the study said that an advisory and executive committee should be set up by Saudi Arabia to draw the religious, social and security regulations to allow women to drive as a prelude for social changes that will make the society more recipient to the idea of women driving.

Related articles

• Saudi women to have a say on whether they can get behind wheel (thetimes.co.uk)

Rare Beatles guitar set to fetch $200k at auction

A VOX custom-made guitar played by the music legends, John Lennon and George Harrison in mid 1960’s is expected to fetch between 200,000 to 300,000 dollars at an auction on May 18.

The guitar, which was built by Mike Bennett and Dickey Denney, was used by Harrison in ‘I am the Walrus’ and Lennon used it during a video session for ‘Hello, Goodbye,’ the New York Daily News reported.

Bids will be taken at New York’s Hard Rock Cafe, as well as online at JuliensLive.com.

A signed copy of The Beatles’ ‘Please Please Me’ will also be auctioned and is expected to fetch 30,000 to 50,000 dollars.

Related articles

• Beatles Guitar To Fetch A Fortune At Auction (contactmusic.com)

Whatever target Aussies set will be chased: #MuraliVijay #CSK

Opener Murali Vijay on Saturday said that the ongoing fourth Test match against Australia is “evenly poised and can go either way” but expressed confidence of chasing down any target set by the opponents.

“It is interesting. The match is evenly poised right now. It can go either way. It will be crucial as to how many runs the tail-enders score,” Vijay, who made 57 in India‘s day end score of 266 for eight on Saturday, said.

Asked what will be an achievable fourth innings target, Vijay replied, “Whatever target they set will be chased. No two ways about it.”

Vijay criticised the track in a veiled manner, stating that it was difficult to judge the speed of the deliveries.

“The wicket is getting slower and lower. The cracks are getting wider and it is really difficult to judge the speed of the deliveries,” he said.

The opener, however, revealed that the pitch prepared by Venkat Sundaram is certainly not conducive for good batting.

“It’s a wicket where scoring runs is extremely difficult. However, it’s not that difficult to stay on the wicket. We did bat well, but in patches. I could have batted a little longer but got out at the wrong time.”

His stop-gap opening partner Cheteshwar Pujara got a nasty hit on a finger of his right hand and Vijay said that the physio was working on him.

“It’s swollen a bit and the physio is working on him.” He, meanwhile, didn’t wish to divulge the details of the heated exchange between Ravindra Jadeja and David Warner.

“It’s part and parcel of the game. Whatever happened on the field can’t be told outside,” he replied with a smile.

Were the Aussies a bit more aggressive than they have been in this series so far, Vijay said, “It’s nothing new. They were aggressive throughout the tournament (series).” Having scored a couple of centuries and a half century since his comeback in the Test team, Vijay agreed that it has been a good series for him so far.

“It’s been a good tournament for me so far and I am happy to contribute to the team’s cause,” he concluded.

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• The match is evenly poised: Murali Vijay (ibnlive.in.com)

Anti-terror squad DCP Sanjay Banerjee shoots himself over lunch as wife, kids watch

A deputy commissioner of police attached to the state’s Anti-Terrorism Squad shot himself fatally in a restaurant in Thane on Saturday afternoon while he was seated around a table with his wife and two young sons, aged 14 and 7. There were reportedly no other diners in the restaurant at the time.

DCP Sanjay Banerjee, a resident of Gajanand Park complex in Hiranandani Estate, Ghodbhunder Road, Thane West, reportedly had an argument with his wife earlier in the day, though investigators said his reason were still unclear. Banerjee reportedly used his personal licensed 9mm pistol to shoot himself in the right temple at 4.10pm.

A cleaner employed at the restaurant, Goa Portuguesa near R Mall on Ghodbunder Road, who rushed out from the kitchen on hearing the firearm go off, was questioned by the police. The Banerjees were the last family eating lunch at the restaurant, said the eatery’s representatives.
Policemen at the Kapurbawdi police station said the 40-year-old DCP’s elder son told them the family had planned to eat out since his father was home. “His wife Aishwarya said he was under some work stress. We also came to know that the couple had an argument with each other earlier, but are still investigating.”

ATS sources said Banerjee was one ofat least two DCPs who had not received their salary for the past several months as the Home Department is yet to sanction their posts in the ATS.

Sources said the DCP was also under stress over a Thane builder allegedly trying to implicate him in a crime.

The family’s uncleared plates and the remnants of their meal remained on the table until police investigations ended. Apart from a large pool of blood and a blood-splattered wall behind the dead DCP’s chair, there was a blood-soaked paper napkin on the floor, a blood-splattered spoon on the table and grains of rice on the floor.

Balasaheb Patil, DCP- ZONE V, said, “We have taken the statement of family members but we are trying to find out the real reason for the suicide. Hopefully we will find out the reason by tomorrow.”
Banerjee’s body was first taken to Thane Civil Hospital, and later to JJ Hospital in Mumbai for a bullet injury post mortem.

By Faisal Tandel

Related articles

• Mumbai cop shoots himself in the head in restaurant in Thane (ndtv.com)
• Mumbai: ATS official shoots himself dead in restaurant (ibnlive.in.com)

#Barcelona: #Messi, #Xavi, #Iniesta, soccer in its pure form

Every time Xavi moves the ball elegantly to open holes in the rival defense, Andres Iniesta feints so much and so fast in a small area that the defenders risk their waists and legs trying to stop him and Leo Messi receives his passes to accelerate to the speed of a gazelle, shoot and score, Barcelona is invincible.

Milan found this out in the quarter final of the Champions League. Milan, with Colombian defender Cristian Zapata as a regular first-team player, relied on its advantage from the first leg in San Siro (2-0) to get past the qualifying round at Camp Nou.

They had been told that Barcelona was in crisis, that it was less forceful, that it was letting more goals in and that Messi was unhappy because things were not going well for him.

Wrong.

Barcelona, with Xavi and Iniesta in charge, returned to what it had always been, in other words, the crushing dominator, the total soccer team able to sink its rival. And Messi ready to rock Camp Nou with a historic come-from-behind effort. He racked up two goals, both passes from Xavi and Iniesta, and Milan advanced in the Champions League with a resounding 4-0 (the other two scored by David Villa and Jordi Alba).

After the disappointment of the defeat at San Siro and the fall to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey and in the League, conjecture about “the Flea’s” poor form were shelved Tuesday night at Camp Nou, when the team and the fans needed him most.

Messi did not fail. And not just that. He kept his legend growing. Thanks to his two goals, Messi, with 58, became the second highest scorer in the Champions, surpassing Ruud Van Nistelroy of Holland. The only one ahead of him is now Raul, of Spain, with 71. Since he’s just 25, no one doubts that Messi will break the record held by one of the brightest stars in the history of Real Madrid. The Argentine has added seven this season and could increase the count in the quarter finals.

Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, a golden trident. When it works, and it almost always does, all the rival teams can do is pray that the rout isn’t scandalous.

Messi, Xavi and Iniesta the best in the world?

Few strategies can withstand these three stars of world soccer. Milan’s manager, Massimiliano Alegri, admitted this himself after last night’s match: “Barcelona can lose two matches in a season, but it is still the best team in the world. It has the three best: Messi, Xavi and Iniesta. So it’s easier.”

Alegri was impressed with the fact that Iniesta continued to feint in minute 90 “with incredible brilliance.” The man who scored the goal that gave Spain the World Cup South Africa has that extraordinary virtue. If he gets possession of the ball, there’s no way to get it away from him.

Messi (25), Xavi (33) and Iniesta (28) have been finalists for the “Balon d’or” in recent years. The Argentine star has won the last four. Xavi was third in 2009, 2010 and 2011, Iniesta second in 2010 and third in 2012.

Only Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, with Real Madrid, who won it in 2008, has been enshrined among the stars of Barcelona.

All the Italian sports press could do was surrender to this stellar Barcelona. “Messi, a Martian night,” reads the headline in La Gazzetta dello Sport, which shows praise for “the Flea:” “God of the balon,” “monstrous,” “ferocious.” And it also highlighted the other two “prongs” of the Azulgrama trident: Xavi (“he’s always there”), Iniesta (“electric movement”).

Barcelona enjoys the great fortune of having the world’s three best soccer players in their positions. They are the ones who make the difference, the stars who can destroy any strategy.

And it has Leo Messi. They say that all he needs is a World Cup to attain the stature of Argentine soccer legend Diego Armando Maradona. His only problem in reaching that historic soccer height is that Xavi and Iniesta don’t play on the Argentine national team. That’s all.

Skin Care Tips for Summer

With the enhanced flow of skin’s oily discharge, epidermal layer may be prone to dullness, loss of luster and blemishes. Secondly, owing to the increased susceptibility to the damaging UV rays of sun, there is a consequential increase in the formation of patches and wrinkles. In order to overcome the seasonal blemishes and loss of collagen, it is important to comply with certain skin care regimen.

• Drink at least 15-20 glasses of water to keep yourself hydrated. Other than providing the necessary moisture, it will help flush the toxic content.
• Make sure that the sunscreen used is applied at least fifteen to thirty minutes before stepping out in the sun.
• According to dermatologists and skin care specialists sun protective formula meant for summer should have a higher SPF content. SPF-30 should be used during summer.
• Similarly special care should be taken to have it applied twice or thrice during summer, other than using the same prior to stepping out in the sun.
• For those choosing to swim and bask in sun, sun protective formula should be applied every hour and twenty minutes to overcome the damaging impacts of sun burn, rashes and blister formation.
• Use of moisturizer watery in base is necessary during summer. Rose water which happens to be an effective toner cum moisturizer may be used as part of toning and moisturizing.
• Juice extracted from cucumber or watermelon may be similarly used for moisturizing facial skin.
• Application of moisturizer containing aloe extracts or for that matter application of aloe gel serves to be an effective summer healing option.
• As far as caring of feet and hands are concerned, soaking hands and feet in water enriched with a pinch of salt will help boost blood circulation.
• Make it a point to resort to the same at least once in a week.
• Avoid wearing closed shoes that block free circulation of air, in its place go for flats and sandals that make for necessary circulation.
• Other than avoiding moisturizer with oily base, it is also necessary that one avoids using synthetics and silk preferable during winter.
• For excessively dry skin types, olive oil may be used as an alternative to oily based moisturizers and toners.
• In order to make for healthy breathing and free circulation of the epidermal layer, tight fitting clothes blocking circulation should be avoided.
• Exfoliating the facial skin by means of a homemade scrub prepared out of half a cup yogurt, five table spoons of gram flour, a dash of turmeric and six drops of rose water can prove to be an effective option.
• Exfoliation followed by the application of facial pack consisting of three table spoons of mashed papaya , one table spoon of honey or lemon juice and white of an egg will serve to revive radiance and glow lost during summer.
• In case you want to avoid the use of egg white, the resulting blend of cucumber, honey and yogurt may be used to provide cooling touch to the skin
• In order to get rid of uneven summer tanning, go for a blend of gram flour, yogurt and squeezed juice of half a lemon, to apply the same on parts affected.
• Mixture consisting of honey and potato juice serves to be a good option for overcoming tan.
• Honey is similarly effective in overcoming conditions of scars and rashes.
• Avoid carbonated drinks containing soda and high doses of sugar. Instead go for juices extracted out of fresh fruits like lemonade and that extracted from unripe green mango.
• In cases of bites and stings during summer, soothing the affected part by means of an ice pack will prove to be healthy.

Yes, it’s true: Pope Francis has only one lung

The new pope has daunting challenges ahead ranging from the church sex abuse scandal to reinvigorating the flock.

And Pope Francis will have to do it all with just one lung.

The Argentine pontiff lost the greater part of one lung to a teenage infection. “He feels it today,” says his authorized biographer Sergio Rubin. “He’s a little bit slowed by it, but he’s OK.”

Pope Francis’ one lung doesn’t compromise health

Doctors said that losing one lung doesn’t necessarily compromise the Pope Francis’ health or reduce his life span, though it means no strenuous exercise since he no longer has as much air capacity as people with two lungs. “He probably wouldn’t be able to run marathons, but I don’t think that would be on his schedule,” said Dr. Peter Openshaw, director of the Centre for Respiratory Infection at Imperial College London. “Having one lung should be enough as long as there is no other disease in that lung.”

Openshaw didn’t think a papal schedule would be too taxing for Pope Francis’ one lung, though he noted the pope’s rib cage might look slightly unusual. “His X-ray will probably look rather alarming, but understandable once you know he only has one lung,” he said.

Openshaw said Pope Francis’ existing lung would probably have expanded to fill the space left by the missing one, and that his ribcage would have shrunk slightly in size. His diaphragm may also have moved up slightly higher than normal. But none of those changes should affect Francis’ normal activities, he said.

Experts said it would be rare nowadays to remove a lung. Antibiotics would be used to treat most lung infections including tuberculosis, though part of the organ might be removed to treat advanced lung cancer.

Back when Pope Francis had his lung removed, the available antibiotics weren’t as powerful. “In the past, doctors used to try all kinds of strange things to try to treat lung infections,” said Dr. Jennifer Quint, a respiratory expert at London’s School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She said physicians even used to stick ping pong balls into peoples’ lungs in an attempt to starve the lung of oxygen, to kill the bacteria.

Quint said the fact that Pope Francis appears so fit and healthy at 76 bodes well for his future.

“If he were going to have any major complications from the surgery (to remove the lung), he would have had them by now,” she said. She said Francis’ main challenge will be to keep his remaining lung healthy. “I would recommend a yearly flu vaccination and an occasional pneumonia vaccine to avoid infection,” she said.

Openshaw agreed Pope Francis’ remaining lung should be able to compensate for the missing one, similar to how parts of the brain may pick up functions of other regions damaged by a stroke.

“The other lung can gain capacity but there will be limits,” he said, comparing it to a car engine that now runs slightly slower. “You may not be able to accelerate as hard but it still works just as well.”

Related articles

• Pope Francis’ partial lung shouldn’t present problems unless he gets sick, experts say (cbsnews.com)