Indian police arrested on Friday 126 people working for a allegedly fake call center making up to $50,000 a day by duping US citizens, officials said.India became the global call center capital in the early 2000s as foreign firms, drawn by an educated and cheaper English-speaking workforce, farmed out jobs answering customer phone inquiries.Read it at VOA Related Items
Australia’s Peter George with Tim Paine celebrates the wicket of Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar on the 4th day of the 2nd test match at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Tuesday.The Bangalore Test hangs in balance after Sachin Tendulkar’s 214 gave India a slender 17-run lead over Australia on Day 4.Australia finished the day at 202-7 with an over-all lead of 185. All their top-order batsmen are gone and only all-rounder Mitchell Johnson remains with the tail.Pragyan Ojha and Harbhajan Singh shared three wickets between them, putting Australia in a tricky spot on a wicket that has offered bowlers help.Australia captain Ricky Ponting made 72 before falling LBW to Zaheer Khan near close of play on Day 4. At his fall, Australia led by 167 runs with just four wickets left.Australia had made a decent start with Shane Watson and Simon Katich, who added 58 confident runs.Ojha got him for the second time in the game, while Harbhajan too got Katich having dismissed him on Day 1 as well.Michael Clarke was stumped off Ojha, who then took out Mike Hussey to end a 51-run partnership with Ponting.Marcus North fell cheaply to Harbhajan, giving India the advantage.Earlier in the day, Tendulkar began on 191 and completed his sixth Test double-hundred, and his second against Australia.It’s also his second double in four games. Tendulkar’s dismissal on 486-5 triggered an Indian collapse in which five wickets were lost for nine runs.
Srinagar, May 1 (PTI) Militant sympathisers in Kashmir Valley have named cricket teams participating in certain tournaments after militants, a trend security officials say should be nipped in the bud to avoid “huge problems”.A cricket tournament was recently played in Tral area of south Kashmirs Pulwama district which had few participating teams named after militants like Aabid Khan Qalandars, Khalid Aryans and Burhan Lions.While Burhan has emerged as one of the most wanted commander of Hizbul Mujahideen over the past one year, Khalid was his brother who was killed in a security forces operation.Burhan had shot into prominence late last year after he uploaded pictures of his and his comrades on a social networking site.Several of 11 militants featuring in those pictures have been eliminated but Burhan remains elusive for the security forces. Many sports events, named after slain militants and separatist leaders, have been held over the past 20 years in different parts of Kashmir. Shaheed-e-Millat cricket tournament, organised in memory of Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq — slain father of Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has not become a regular feature of the cricketing calendar in Srinagar.However, this time the security forces seem to be concerned over the latest move.”If this practice is not nipped in the bud, it can create a huge problem in coming months and years. The psyche of the impressionable minds is sought to be influenced,” a security official said.He said before the onset of militancy in the state, a football club was formed in the memory of JKLF founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat following his hanging in Tihar Jail in 1984.advertisement”This club would take part in tournaments within and outside Kashmir and seemingly there was nothing wrong with it. However, when militancy erupted several players joined the ranks,” the official said.National Conference working president Omar Abdullah saw a link between the trend of naming cricket teams after militants and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti representing south Kashmir in Lok Sabha.”Lest we forget this South Kashmir being mentioned is Mehbooba Muftis Lok Sabha constituency,” Omar said.Ruling PDP leaders chose not to comment on the issue. PTI MIJ DV SC DV
Jalpaiguri (WB), Jul 11 (PTI) Panchanan Barman, father of heptathlete Swapna Barman who won gold at the Asian Athletics Chamionships, is bedridden ever since she was a child.But adversity has not robbed him of his dream. He wants his daughter Swapna, the promising athlete from Jalpaiguri in north Bengal, to conquer the world. “We could never provide nutritious food as required by a sportswoman to our daughter. I wish she becomes a world champion,” Panchanan said in a choked voice. The sole breadwinner for the family, Panchanan was a rickshaw puller but a stroke several years ago made him bedridden.Swapna, now 20, saw her father confined to the bed ever since she was a child.”We never imagined our daughter will go this far,” Swapnas mother Basana said, with tears rolling down her cheeks.”She is good at studies and sports…. I hope she goes further ahead…. I hope she gets a job,” said Basana, who used to work in a tea estate but now does odd jobs to run the family. Basana used to cycle Swapna to a club for practice when she was younger.Swapna is the youngest of her two brothers and a sister.Her brother Atish said, he was overjoyed at Swapnas triumph at the Asian Athletics Championships and burst crackers to celebrate. Swapna had collapsed just after crossing the 800m race, the last of the seven events of heptathlon, during the championship on July 9 and she required medical attention.She finished fourth in that event but still clinched the gold as she had already taken a lead of enough points to emerge as the winner.advertisementTill her higher secondary examination in 2014, Swapna studied in Kaliaganj Uttameshwar High School.The schools games teacher Bishwajit Majumdar is overjoyed at her success.”Since 2006 I was her games teacher. The school is proud of her. I wish she wins an Olympic gold,” Majumdar said.Swapna now stays at the SAI camp in Kolkata. PTI COR NN MM AH
New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) The Sports Authority of India Tuesday said five shooting coaches were rejected from a list of 29 submitted by the national shooting federation for not meeting the requisite criteria and termed the NRAI’s objection to its decision as “illogical”. The SAI’s decision to dismiss the appointment of five shooting coaches irked the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) President Raninder Singh, who wrote a letter to the government body, stating the move was “insensitive” and an “affront to our sport and human intellect”. But SAI responded sharply, saying that it was “surprised” by such a late reaction from the NRAI after it “duly acknowledged” the decision conveyed to it on July 26. “SAI held discussions with NRAI on the panel of 29 coaches which was submitted for appointment for the training of Indian shooters. Following these detailed consultations, a panel of 24 coaches was approved,” SAI Special Director General Onkar Kedia said in a letter addressed to the NRAI President. “The decision of the SAI was conveyed to NRAI on July 26 which was duly acknowledged by your office. It is, therefore, quite surprising that you raise these issues six weeks later without any reference to the consultations, discussions and correspondence that has been held with SAI on this issue,” he said. Kedia said that the five coaches — Shreayan Kapoor, Amar Jung, Jitender Beniwal, M S Bhangale and Nilanjana Ghoshal — were rejected because they did not possess requisite qualifications for the job. He insisted Kapoor and Ghoshal have never competed at the international level nor do they have any coaching certificate.advertisement Amar Jung, who played at the national level and has a ‘C’ level coaching certificate obtained in 2017, was not experienced enough to handle international shooters, stated the body. Beniwal too has done a ‘C’ level coaching course in 2017 but was not experienced enough and has no personal achievements to boast of, according to SAI. Bhangale, meanwhile, did not appear for the interview at all. All the rejected candidates were rejected were shotgun coaches. SAI said the appointment letters of four coaches — Mansher Singh (chief coach – shotgun), Ved Prakash (chief coach – senior pistol), Monali Manohar Ghore (pistol coach) and Vishavdev Singh Sidhu (junior shotgun coach) will be issued soon. “We would also like to point out that in addition to these 24 coaches, SAI has funded coaching and training of 17 shooters under Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS),” Kedia said in the letter. The SAI has termed NRAI’s reaction to the “sanction letters issued on August 27 and September 7” as “completely illogical”. PTI SSC PM SSC PMPM
Share on LinkedIn In some ways trying to find a passage out of the fourth tier at the first attempt seems trivial beside the other items on Coventry City’s concerning to-do list. The club are 17 league matches from homelessness; their successful Category 2 academy remains at risk of closure and the training ground could be sold off for housing. On the pitch, at least, it seems they are moving in the right direction once more.A bruising 0-0 draw at Barnet on Saturday acted as a barometer both of how the club has fallen and of the steady progress being made on the pitch under the manager, Mark Robins, in his second spell in charge. Robins described the teams’ first competitive meeting as “rubbish” but equally alluded to positives; Coventry have kept eight clean sheets in 12 league matches and they extended their unbeaten run to four games. Robins has galvanised the team after a difficult summer, one of wholesale change in which 13 players arrived, 19 departed and office staff lost their jobs because of the club’s relegation to a level it has not known since 1959. Daniel Taylor Share on Pinterest Football League Barnet Read more Topics Football League blog While Steve Taylor continues to recover from illness, Robins’ right-hand man is Adi Viveash, the former Chelsea Under-18s and development squad manager. Steve Ogrizovic, the goalkeeping coach and a club legend, remains a key pillar of the backroom staff. Coventry’s hardy supporters continue to make their voices heard, with 1,390 of them packing into the North Stand at Barnet. They deserve much better.Coventry’s agreement at the Ricoh Arena, the sleek stadium purchased by Wasps rugby union club in 2014, expires at the end of this season. The club’s chief executive, Dave Boddy, says resolving the issue is a “priority”. They are seeking to widen their use of the arena, with the first non-matchday event since 2013 – an evening with Kevin Keegan – taking place next month. All the while Sisu, the hedge fund which took control of the club at the end of 2007, continues to pursue legal action against the city’s council, with the owners appealing against the sale of the ground to Wasps. They will attend the court of appeal in London later this month. The tumultuous reign under Sisu seems never‑ending and the supporters’ group, the Sky Blue Trust, understandably has grave concerns.The long-term future of the academy, based at the Alan Higgs centre, which has developed such players as Callum Wilson, Cyrus Christie, George Thomas and Cian Harries, who joined Swansea City in the summer, is another worry. More recently Charlie McCann, an England Under-16 international, joined Manchester United. Coventry secured an extension at the site until the end of this season but finding a solution that reaches beyond then is top of the agenda for the academy manager, Richard Stevens.Many in this Coventry side have the club at heart. The goalkeeper Lee Burge, the defender Jordan Willis and the forward Devon Kelly-Evans (whose twin brother, Dion, is a defender at the club) are academy graduates, while the captain, Michael Doyle, is in his second spell at Coventry. Off the bench came the 20-year-old Jordan Shipley and the 19-year-old Jordan Ponticelli, a striker who has been prolific at youth level since arriving from the former manager Gordon Strachan’s football foundation. Ponticelli scored his first senior goal last Tuesday and made his league debut five minutes from time at The Hive, roared on by the away contingent. Then there are Ben Stevenson and Callum Maycock. As Robins said himself, the academy is the “lifeblood of the club”.Credit to Rossi Eames, whose Barnet team was well-organised and suitably stifled Coventry’s attacking impetus. Jodi Jones, the 19-year-old City signed from Dagenham & Redbridge last year, flashed a couple of efforts wide but Maxime Biamou, who starred in Sutton United’s remarkable FA Cup run last season, was kept quiet. Duckens Nazon, the on-loan Wolverhampton Wanderers striker away on international duty with Haiti, was sorely missed.Jones was once of Senrab, the east London boys’ club that kickstarted the careers of Jermain Defoe and John Terry. Brimming with confidence and slaloming past defenders, he is an exciting talent but Doyle is mindful that the teenager cannot be expected to come up with the answers every week. “We cannot always rely on people like Jodi being that spark,” he said.The 36-year-old Irishman is part of a gutsy and industrial central midfield alongside Liam Kelly. Robins signed both this summer, after they left Portsmouth and Leyton Orient respectively. “The players that were here last season, it was quite a young group of players,” Kelly said. “To balance that squad out I think they needed some experience, people who have played in League One and League Two and know what it’s all about.”Kelly witnessed first-hand the farcical mismanagement behind the scenes at Orient last season, which culminated in the club dropping out of the Football League. He went months without getting paid, without knowing who would take charge of training and on a match-day was sometimes one of only two senior players in the starting lineup. He has no such concerns about Coventry.“I think Leyton Orient was a special case – I don’t think Coventry is anywhere near what that was,” he said. “Leyton Orient was just a surreal experience, so I don’t think Coventry’s got anything like that to be worried about in the near future. As long as we keep getting the support that we’re getting, the results are coming and we are trying to build something for the future here.”Talking points• This time last season Newport County were rooted to the bottom of League Two. Fast forward 12 months and Mike Flynn’s side sit outside the play-offs on goal difference (and seven points off the top), with his side having amassed 43 points from a possible 72 since he took charge in March. After beating Yeovil 2-0 at Rodney Parade, they have officially made their best start to a Football League campaign since 1982. These are still early days but Newport have reasons to be cheerful. It is a measure of their progress that Flynn had urged supporters to keep their feet on the ground in the buildup to Saturday. That is easier said than done at the moment.• In 2012, Nick Powell joined Manchester United from Crewe Alexandra aged 18 and was instantly tagged as one of the country’s most exciting prospects. He signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford, with Sir Alex Ferguson his mentor. The following few years did not go to plan. Now in the third tier with Wigan Athletic, where he enjoyed a fruitful loan spell in the 2013-14 season, he is evidently enjoying his football again. Powell scored what was ultimately the winner at Scunthorpe last weekend and Wigan, too, are riding high once more after six wins in seven matches. “We all love him around the club and he’s got that magic that can change games,” Paul Cook, the Wigan manager, said. • From Pep Guardiola to Simon Grayson and just about every manager in between, the ‘Man of Men’ pin badge is proudly worn by hundreds across professional football. The badge raises awareness of prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men. This season, the EFL’s official charity partner, Prostate Cancer UK, continue to encourage fans to get involved. By volunteering for match-day collections across the country, at designated matches, supporters can get themselves a free ticket. Several ‘Men United’ match-days are taking place this month. Reuse this content Share via Email Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Coventry City features Share on WhatsApp Share on Messenger Football League clubs must stand up for the travelling fan getting rough deal
ORLANDO, FL – DECEMBER 2: A UCF Knights spirit team member waves the flag after a score in the third quarter of the AAC Championship against the Memphis Tigers at Spectrum Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)UCF football is off until next Thursday, so a group of Knights fans were planning on making a trip to check out College GameDay.The show is in Jacksonville for Florida vs. Georgia. Last year, the undefeated Knights became rabble rousers in the sport, claiming a national title, despite not getting an invite to the College Football Playoff.Some fans of the Gators apparently didn’t take kindly to that, and threatened violence against any UCF fans who showed up.Plans for the UCF fan trip to College GameDay was announced yesterday.From Knight News:Orlando lawyer Chad Barr will be leading an effort to bus dozens of fans and alumni to College GameDay in Jacksonville.The Facebook group “UCF to the CFP,” along with fan club “Knight Watch,” organized two buses “to show what UCF Nation is all about.” A short drive to Jacksonville built a quick roster of those planning to attend.Alumni and former players made generous donations to fund the caravan, either with cash or by seats. UCF Athletics offered to make and donate props and signs, similar to what was broadcasted last Saturday in Pullman (a flashing UCF sign), according to the group.Just hours later, they began to get “credible threats” via social media.Sadly its more than just that one. If we have to call this off(and we aren’t right now) it will be for safety. People have started sharing our pick up and drop off info. We have some children coming. We don’t need them throwing glass beer bottles at us.— UCF Knights Watch (@UCFKnightsWatch) October 24, 2018After more alleged threats came in, Barr, who organized the trip, posted that he was canceling the bus.Joint statement on the Jax trip. pic.twitter.com/hXcKsKKh93— UCF Knights Watch (@UCFKnightsWatch) October 25, 2018The full text, via Knight News:It’s with great sadness that we announce the cancellation of the buses to Jacksonville. We appreciate UCF for their support of this adventure. We want to thank all the people who signed up to go. Most of all we want to thank all the UCF students, fans and alumni who generously gave enough money for 2 buses in the last 3 days. The UCF community is strong and united and we found this out first hand.When we started this, the intention was to have fun with fellow Knights on a trip to remember while respectfully showing up to Gameday to promote the UCF brand. We believe in what Danny White has said and we were going to support him and UCF.When we planned this, we expected some to support us, some to scoff and some to tease us, but in the last few days we have seen the ugly side of college sports. A select few of the fans of the teams represented in Jacksonville have openly and credibly threatened to meet us, pepper spray, throw glass beer bottles, steal flags, steal signs and overall physically attack us on sight. We have also been advised by local Jacksonville residents and authorities that there is some risk associated with being in this area both during the wee hours of the morning and based on the size of crowds that attend this event. We have looked into security but the cost is prohibitive for the 12-14 hour excursion and I simply don’t think its even worth having a security detail for a fun-natured college football excursion.Some might say that these are just “keyboard warriors” and not to take them seriously but we have older folks and small children committed to make this trek. It simply is not worth it.I want to be clear that those select few that have threatened to harm us or wish ill will towards us because we dare to enter their “territory” to represent our beloved school on a national television show do not represent all the fans of those teams, nor those 2 schools, but we must still be vigilant, protect our own, and err on the side of caution.For those that donated, we will promptly refund your money. There will still be people coming up as well as people from the Jacksonville alumni group, but unfortunately, it won’t be organized by us. To anyone still going, we know you will represent UCF well.We have not bowed down, and we do not consider this a defeat, but there is a time and a place and everything. I regret that college football has come to this, but rest assured, that I in conjunction with UCF Knights Watch will continue to build the UCF brand through new and unique ways. WE are UCF! #ChargeOnThe post shows some tweets sent by fans of other teams. While it is unclear the full extent of them, any threats of violence over a College GameDay appearance are pretty ridiculous.Hopefully there are no incidents involving anyone heading to Jacksonville this weekend.[Knight News]
It’s difficult to find Santorini Brewing Company outside of Greece, so one man decided to introduce the line of beers stateside. Kamal Kouiri, wine director of Molyvos restaurant in New York City, discovered the brews on one of his many research trips to Greece. Kouiri loved them so much that he put four of the beers on the menu at the upscale Greek eatery. As it turns out, they pair perfectly with both the restaurant’s traditional dishes and their modern interpretations of the classics.Even if you’re nowhere near New York City and aren’t able to get your hands on these island brews, you can still pair your favorite type of beer with a traditional Greek meal. Here, Kouiri explains how to pair four Santorini brews with some of the restaurant’s best dishes. Simply match your favorite beer to the description, whip up one of yiayia’s recipes and enjoy.Santorini Yellow DonkeyA refined, dry, unfiltered, fresh lager with citrus flavors and slightly bitter undertones.Pair with: Pan Seared Salmon, made with baked gigantes beans, roasted eggplant, and extra virgin olive oil. Salmon is a light fish, but it’s also oily. So, not only does it stand up to a lager, but the contrast between the two will create a joyous feeling on the tongue. The Best Bottles of Whiskey You Can Buy For $20 or Less Feasting is our column dedicated to cooking, grilling, eating and discovering what’s on the menu across America and the world.Craft beer certainly isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Greece. But a motley crew of brewers from Santorini are here to change that notion. Six years ago, a Greek oenologist (read: wine scientist), a Serbian brewer, an English brewing enthusiast, and an American came together to open Greece’s first craft beer operation: Santorini Brewing Company. Their simple recipe of malted barley, hops, yeast and water is used to create their three signature brews and any special varieties that are released each year. Their “living” beers are unfiltered, unpasteurized and preservative-free, so they must be refrigerated and enjoyed right away. Santorini White DonkeyA malty, hoppy beer in the German Weiss style with citrus and banana flavors, sweet spices and a light bitter fruitiness.Pair with: Aegean Seafood, a dish made with marinated mussels, scallops, shrimp, crab, red onions, green cracked olive, celery heart and citrus vinaigrette. Weiss-style beers work better with richer, sweeter seafood like shrimp and crab. In addition, the soft texture of the beer offers a refreshing counterpoint to the bright and sharp acidity of the vinaigrette-dressed seafood. The Best Drinks to Pair With Your Favorite Food Shows Editors’ Recommendations 9 Best Fall Beers to Drink This Year, According to the Brewing Experts Santorini Red DonkeyA full-bodied red ale with citrus hops and a crisp flavor.Pair with: Moussaka, made with spiced ground lamb and beef, potato, eggplant, pepper, and yogurt béchamel. Strong flavors from meat dishes tend to overwhelm light beers, which is why you need a complex, heavier brew, such as a red ale to balance out the meal. The Best Coffee-Infused Beers to Flip All the Switches Santorini Crazy DonkeyA rich, briny, yeasty IPA with hoppy wine notes, a tropical fruit taste, and a dry long finish.Pair with: Lamb Shank Youvetsi, served with orzo, tomatoes and Kefalotyri cheese. IPAs are robust in flavor and help to accentuate the spice of the dish while cutting through the richness of the slow-cooked meat.Bonus BeerSerres Voreia: An American-style Pilsner with subtle bitterness, citrus and floral flavors, light and very pleasant aftertaste.Pair with: Ouzo Flamed Halloumi Cheese, served with lemon sauce. Pilsner is perfect for delicate, light-tasting cheeses like Halloumi, and the malt sweetness from the beer will balance out the tart, citrus sauce. Jameson Releases Two New Caskmates Editions
TORONTO – A new study suggests a barrier erected on a Toronto overpass that was once the second-most frequented bridge for suicides in North America is serving its purpose.The study from Sunnybrook Hospital, published in the journal BMJ Open on Tuesday, compares the 11-year periods before and after the barrier went up on the city’s Bloor Street Viaduct.Researchers say an average of nine people a year had been dying by jumping from the bridge before 2003, placing it behind only San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge for suicides-by-jumping.Since the barrier was put in place, however, the study found only one person has died by suicide at the site, a 485-metre overpass that spans a multi-lane highway, ravine and another major roadway.A previous report that examined data up to 2007 suggested suicide traffic had relocated to other nearby bridges, but the latest research suggests suicide rates across the city dropped over the long term after the barrier went up.One of the study’s authors says the latest data is in line with other international research suggesting that barriers in key locations are effective.“The barrier did have its intended effect,” study co-author Dr. Mark Sinyor of Sunnybrook said in a telephone interview. “There was a decrease in deaths by jumping from bridges in Toronto by roughly the same number as the number that had previously been dying at the Bloor Viaduct, without an increase by other methods or locations.”Sinyor said similar research has found the number of suicides-by-jumping at dozens of other sites with barriers in place have decreased noticeably.At Edmonton’s High Level Bridge, for example, city statistics indicate the number of both suicides and general mental health calls was cut in half a year after barriers were installed in 2015.Sinyor said the Bloor Viaduct was previously viewed as an outlier in the mental health community because of the results of the previous study. That report documented a sharp decline in the number of deaths at the bridge itself, but also tracked a spike in suicides at other locations.Researchers now attribute that finding to heavy media coverage in local print news outlets of deaths at the Bloor Viaduct and the debate as to whether or not the barrier was worthwhile. Sinyor said the connection was implied due to a slight increase in the number of general suicides within days or months of such coverage.Over time, though, he said that effect has diminished. Suicide rates across the city have fallen due to a number of factors including the barrier, he said, crediting increased mental health supports, more open discussion surrounding stigma and heightened media sensitivity to such issues for a sharp decrease in recent years.Average annual suicides in Toronto fell from 257 in the 11 years before 2003, to 234 in the 11 years after, according to the study.Sinyor said those numbers highlight the need for a wide complement of suicide prevention measures, a view shared by Mark Henick of the Canadian Mental Health Association.He called for a national suicide prevention strategy as well as ongoing support for mental-health care.He said the effectiveness of bridge barriers can even be enhanced by posting signs directing vulnerable people toward key resources and messages emphasizing that help is available.“Suicide is preventable,” Henick said. “When people get the help that they need, recovery is not only possible from mental health problems, it’s likely.”
NEW DELHI — In a season of big Indian weddings, the Wednesday marriage of two billionaire scions is set to be the biggest of them all.The bride, Isha Ambani, is the Ivy League-educated daughter of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, thought to be India’s richest man. Forbes estimates his net worth at over $43 billion.The groom, Anand Piramal, is the relative pauper. His father, industrialist Ajay Piramal, is thought to be worth $10 billion.The wedding is being held in Mumbai on Wednesday but festivities began weeks ago, starting in September with an engagement party at a lakeside Italian palace. Over the weekend, thousands attended pre-wedding parties at a 16th century palace in the Indian desert city of Udaipur, where videos shot by partiers showed Hillary Clinton dancing with Shah Rukh Khan, one of India’s biggest movie stars, as former Secretary of State John Kerry danced just a few feet away.The highlight, though, was a performance by Beyonce, who sang “Crazy In Love,” among other hits, with a band backing her up and a series of costume changes that included at least one India-inspired outfit.“Beyonce Lights Up Udaipur,” the Times of India shouted in a Tuesday headline.Indian weddings are famously elaborate, driving many families into debt with expectations that they invite hundreds or thousands of people, and arranging professional song-and-dance shows.Among India’s rich, weddings are displays of almost unimaginable wealth, with guests flown in on chartered jets from around the world and celebrities paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for brief appearances. In 2004, a daughter of Indian steel baron Lakshmi Mittal held her engagement party at Versailles.The Indian media noted that the Mumbai wedding was expected to be a relatively small affair, with just 600 or so people in attendance.Antilla, the Ambanis’ 27-story Mumbai home, has been strung with lights for the wedding, looking like a small skyscraper at night. The family is said to have reserved hundreds of hotel rooms for their guests.The competitiveness of India’s wintertime wedding season is growing more extreme, according to Archana Dalmia, a social activist in New Delhi.“A farmer might commit suicide because he can’t save enough money to get his daughter married,” she said.The extravagant wedding of Indian actress Priyanka Chopra and American singer Nick Jonas earlier this month — attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi — was straight out of a Bollywood film.So-called dowry deaths — brides killed when their families fail to meet in-laws’ dowry demands — constitute a substantial share of all female homicides in India, a 2018 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report found.While opulence has always been a feature of Indian weddings, families used to hand down bridal saris as heirlooms. No more, Dalmia said.“This generation is very different. Priyanka Chopra will never be able to wear it again and she won’t be able to pass it down,” Dalmia said.Emily Schmall, The Associated Press
Patna: Union Minister Giriraj Singh’s “reluctance” to contest Lok Sabha polls from Begusarai was comparable to a kid refusal to attend school in the event of failing to complete his homework, the CPI candidate from the seat Kanhaiya Kumar has said.”Watched the news on TV and learnt that the BJP minister known for sending off people to Pakistan on free of cost tours is not ready to come to Begusarai for contesting the polls”, Kumar said in a Facebook post late Monday night wherein he did not mention Singh by name. Also Read – An income drop can harm brainA firebrand BJP leader, Giriraj Singh had caused a stir ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls when he said “those opposed to Narendra Modi should go to Pakistan.” He has continued with similar outbursts since then, the latest instance being his threat that those not coming out in support of the Prime Ministers Patna rally on March 3 would be deemed “anti-national” even though he himself ended up remaining absent on account of ill-health. “I have a nephew who, similarly, refuses to go to school whenever he fails to do his homework. But even he never thinks of sending the teacher to Pakistan. Neither does he hate anybody nor he wants to get anybody expelled Also Read – Shallu Jindal honoured with Mahatma Awardfrom the school”, Kanhaiya Kumar added sarcastically in the post. “This is the real India, vastly different from the shrill debates one watches on news channels”, the former JNU students union president, who first came into limelight upon being booked for sedition in connection with alleged raising of anti-national slogans at a function held inside the varsity premises. Kumars remarks came in the backdrop of Singh expressing unhappiness over his Nawada seat going to ally LJP this time. On Monday, he camped in New Delhi where he is believed to have tried to apprise the BJPs top leadership of his sentiments.
Rabat – The biennial fashion show, hosted in new African cities every two years, will come to Dakhla in Western Sahara November 21 to 24. The 11th FIMA event will celebrate FIMA’s 20th anniversary.The landmark event in the continent’s artistic life will be held under King Mohammed VI’s patronage. The theme of this year’s edition is “Art and culture as vehicles of African integration.”Omar Hilale, the permanent representative of Morocco to the UN, met key investors in African and Moroccan fashion and media representatives for a press dinner on October 16, according to FIMA’s Facebook page. Among the attendees were New York-based fashion designer Hisham Oumlil and the director general of the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT).The FIMA president and founder, Nigerian designer Alphadi will present the program for FIMA’s show in Dakhla. The event will include fashion shows, symposia, workshops, and African fashion exhibits.Alphadi, the world’s only fashion designer to be awarded the UNESCO Artist for Peace title, also spoke at the New York meeting about FIMA’s key role in South-South cooperation.Since 1998, FIMA has been a unique platform for culture exchanges in Africa as a catalyst for development, peace, and rapprochement.
Soufiane El Bakkali added another title to his already lengthy awards list by winning the Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Monaco Diamohis opponents Herculis on Friday, July 12.Although El Bakkali won this year’s edition in 8:04:82, he failed to break his last year’s record of 7:58:15.El Bakkali is a world steeplechase champion. During his races, the champion usually remains close behind the top 5 before unleashing all his power to overtake his opponents with a last minute sprint. The 23-year-old has a promising future as a professional runner, with many records still left to break.
5 October 2009Inspectors from the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will visit a newly disclosed uranium enrichment facility in Iran on 25 October, the world body said. Inspectors from the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will visit a newly disclosed uranium enrichment facility in Iran on 25 October, the world body said. The visit was announced following talks between IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei and Iranian authorities in Tehran yesterday, during which they discussed arrangements for the agency’s access to the plant which is under construction in Qom. The Vienna-based IAEA was informed late last month by Iran about the construction of a new enrichment plant. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said last week that the facility violates Security Council resolutions because of the delay in its disclosure. During his recent talks in New York with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mr. Ban repeated his call for the country to implement Security Council resolutions and cooperate with the IAEA on resolving outstanding concerns regarding its nuclear programme. Iran has stated that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, but some other countries contend it is driven by military ambitions. The issue has been of international concern since the discovery in 2003 that the country had concealed its nuclear activities for 18 years in breach of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Meanwhile, a nuclear fuel supply concept for the Tehran Research Reactor was agreed during talks held in Geneva on 1 October between Iranian officials and representatives from China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The concept will be discussed further at a technical meeting, hosted by the IAEA, on 19 October.
Stephen Mooney, defending Griffin – a religious studies teacher and housemaster at Sedbergh for 17 years – told the jury the boy was “confused” after suffering an illness earlier in the day.The barrister suggested the first boy may have learned of the text and went on to use it to his advantage to invent a pack of lies about Griffin.Mr Mooney said the first complainant – described widely as “a difficult pupil” – seized on the moment to get himself out of his own problems at the school by fabricating the allegations against Griffin.”What he has done is an evil thing. He may not appreciate how evil it was,” he said.A jury took less than a hour to find the “highly regarded” housemaster not guilty of five counts of sexual assault.Griffin, of New Road, Ingleton, North Yorkshire, had earlier been cleared of a sixth count of attempted sexual assault on the directions of Judge Tony Lancaster because of “insufficient evidence”.Speaking later alongside Sally, his wife of 35 years, Mr Griffin said: “It has been a harrowing 13 months. I am delighted it is over.”Andrew Fleck, headmaster of Sedbergh School, said the school was “pleased” with the outcome and “committed to the highest standards of safeguarding for pupils”. 
Christopher Griffin who has been cleared of sexually touching the feet of two pupils in their bedrooms late at nightCredit:Scott Heppell/PA Carlisle Crown Court heard the second complainant had texted a friend over his concerns about Griffin shortly after the housemaster left his room.Griffin, 58, denied he had a foot fetish and said the contact had been innocent as he checked on students during nightly rounds at Sedbergh School in Cumbria – founded in 1525, with term fees of £10,590.The father of the second boy even provided a statement of support for Griffin to the court in which he said he had “nothing but praise for Chris Griffin’s pastoral care of my son”.
A private school housemaster has been cleared of abusing boys after one of the alleged victim’s fathers wrote to the court to defend him.Christopher Griffin, a housemaster at the prestigious £10,000-a-term boarding school, was accused of “sexually touching” pupils’ feet in their bedrooms late at night.Two teenage complainants said they were pretending to be asleep when they claimed the married teacher came in and placed his hand under their bed covers.An investigation was launched in March 2016 after a pupil told authorities that Griffin would regularly place his hand under his duvet after midnight and stroke his feet and massage his lower legs for up five minutes.A second boy then alleged that the year before he had both his feet stroked and “lightly squeezed” one night by the defendant with his door closed. He also described how he could feel the defendant’s breath on his feet as he lay in his cabin bed. Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings.
The new case design protects the phone during regular use, but also allows easy tripod mounting thanks to a sliding rail mount. This new mounting clip can be attached in either landscape or portrait orientations. An included camera adapter clip allows the tripod to be used with traditional photo and video cameras weighing up to 12 ounces.In addition to providing an adjustable tripod for shooting photos and video, the GorillaMobile for iPhone4 also serves as a hands free stand for the phone itself. The adjustable arms of the tripod let users make FaceTime calls and watch movies unencumbered. Like previous versions of the GorillaPod and GorillaMobile stands, the iPhone 4 model has three legs made up of several articulated joints, providing a wide range of motion. Each segment has thermoplastic rubber rings for grip, and the three legs have feet of the same substance to provide traction.The GorillaMobile for iPhone 4 is available for $39.95 through Joby.com. Joby, the makers of the instantly recognizable GorillaPod, have announced their most recent product, the GorillaMobile for iPhone 4. The new product brings the versatility of the GorillaPod tripod to the iPhone 4, allowing users to do more with their phones.Where previous GorillaMobile iPhone accessories made use of a full case and an integrated mounting clip on the back of the case, the iPhone 4 model uses a snap-on bumper case. The hard plastic bumper case allows unimpeded use of both front and back facing cameras and the camera flash. 