Pattinson's sisters hate Stewart

Robert Pattinson's sisters won't be happy if the actor gets back to ex-girlfriend Kristen Stewartwho cheated on him with director Rupert Sanders.

Both Lizzy and Victoria Pattinson have warned their brother of the old adage, "once a cheater, always a cheater" telling him he would be foolish to let Stewart back into his life, reports radaronline.com.

"Robert's sisters were fuming with Kristen for hurting their brother in the way she did," said a source.

"Lizzy and Victoria feel terrible for heartbroken Robert, especially because of the embarrassment that was caused by the manner in which the affair was exposed. They've told him that there's no way he can take Kristen back after what she did to him. They will kill him if he gets back with Kristen," the source added.

Kareena voted as world’s sexiest lady

Kareena Kapoor has becomes the hottest girl as she has graced the cover page of Maxim.

Recently Maxim did a survey and according to it, Kareena was voted as the sexiest lady in the world. The actress is overwhelmed and about the same, she said, "It is always wonderful to feel sexy and hot. And when it comes from Maxim, which truly recognises hotness in a woman, then it is even better."

"Hotness is about how a woman carries herself. It is not just about a thin waist and long legs. It is about the entire package. I am glad that you guys find me hot and I definitely take it as a big compliment," concluded the actress.

Pirates hijack ship with 23 Indian sailors aboard near Nigeria

PAUL OHIA ABUJA: An oil tanker with 23 Indian sailors aboard was today hijacked by pirates off the shores of Nigeria, the third such attack in over two weeks in the Gulf of Guinea. 

International Maritime Bureau (IMB) officials said the Singapore-owned vessel, MT Abu Dhabi Star, which was carrying fuel, was sailing towards the open sea when it was hijacked. Twenty three Indian sailors were on board the oil tanker operated by the Dubai-based company, Pioneer Ship Management Services LLC. Pat Adamson, the company's spokesperson, told that all the crew on the tanker are Indians. 

"There was a call from one of the crew members to the management company saying the vessel was boarded by pirates but nobody was harmed," he said. "Pirates have not yet established contact with the company," Adamsan said, adding "we have not got any report of loot so far." 

"We understand that a naval ship is on the way to intercept the vessel," he said. Earlier IMB said the Nigerian authorities had been notified of the attack and were taking action. It said the sailors had locked themselves in a safe room to avoid harm by the attackers who are suspected to be oil thieves from Nigeria's Niger Delta region. 

Last month, pirates had hijacked and looted two oil tankers off nearby Togo. The ships and all crew members were later freed. Also, an oil vessel was seized last week by pirates, off the Coast of Togolese capital of Lome and released few days later near Nigeria with its 23 Russian crew members.

Gold hits peak as festive season nears

KATHMANDU, Aug 22: Gold price hit a new record of Rs 58,050 per tola (11.644 gm) in the domestic market on Wednesday after its prices rallied in the international bullion market.

The precious yellow metal was traded at Rs 57,700 per tola in the domestic market over the past three days, when its international price hovered around US $1,623 per troy ounce.  

 But as gold rallied by $15 per troy ounce, dealers on Wednesday jacked up its rate by Rs 350 per tola, compared to the previous day.

“The price rose in the domestic market because gold became expensive in the international market itself," Manik Ratna Shakya, vice president of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers´ Association (Negosida) told Republica. 

“Rupee´s depreciation vis-à-vis US dollar is the other factor that made gold expensive here.”

The rise in prices, however, did not deter the daily sales of the yellow metal, according to the traders. According to them, daily demand for gold has jumped to around 20 kg from around 15 kg recorded before in mid-August.

“Demand for gold increases during festive and wedding seasons. We are hopeful that rise in gold price will not affect our sales,” said Shakya.

New designs of glass beads for Teej

KATHMANDU, Sept 4: With Teej - the biggest festival of Hindu women - round the corner, traders in the valley have introduced new designs of accessories made of glass beads popularly known as pote.

Abbas Alam, proprietor of Shah Beads at Indrachwok, said he has introduced bead accessories in more than 100 designs targeting the Teej festival. 

“This year we have introduced new designs of single line beads and normal beads. We have also introduced new designs of glass beads that are used with golden jewelries and accessories like ring and bracelets, among others,” said Alam.

At Shah Beads, single line beads are priced between Rs 20 and Rs 120 and normal beads are available in price range of Rs 250 to Rs 5,000. Similarly, beads that are used with golden jewelries are available in the range of Rs 800 to Rs 30,000 and accessories are priced between Rs 90 and Rs 550.

Hindu women buy glass beads ahead of festivals like Teej as they are regarded highly auspicious. They also gift glass beads to their female relatives ahead of the festival. Mandira Adhikari is one such women who was buying glass beads at Indrachowk when Republica caught up with her. “I am buying beads to gift to my sister and friends as per our tradition of exchanging auspicious souvenirs ahead of the Teej festival,” said Adhikari.

However, traders are worried that transactions have not picked up even though the festival is nearing. “My daily sales have dropped to around Rs 20,000 from around Rs 40,000 during the same period last year,” said Alam.

UN mission without chief ahead of UNGA

KOSH RAJ KOIRALA KATHMANDU, Sept 5: Nepal´s Permanent Mission to United Nations in New York is left without head of mission just ahead of the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) scheduled to begin from September 18. The post of the head of the mission, which has a crucial role during the UNGA, fell vacant after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appointed Nepal´s Permanent Representative to the UN Gyan Chandra Acharya as Under Secretary General for the Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) on August 14.

A cabinet meeting held two weeks ago has already approved Acharya´s resignation effective from September 1. 

Former diplomats say the government should not leave the crucial position vacant especially during the UNGA session considering the importance the mission attaches. "This is a very important position and the government should not leave this position vacant especially during the UNGA,”  said Nepal´s former ambassador and permanent representative to the UN Jayaraj Acharya. 

Acharya recalled that he had reached the UN to assume the post two days after the UNGA session began“ "My credential was accepted on the same day keeping in view of the urgency," he further said“ "This shows how important the position of permanent representative is to the UN. The government should appoint new head of the mission at the earlies”."

Koirala, Dahal discuss political deadlock

KATHMANDU, Sept 5: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sushil Koirala on Wednesday morning called on UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal at latter’s residence in Lazimpat.

It has been learnt that the duo discussed the latest political development and ways to end the ongoing political deadlock in the meeting. 

During the meeting, Maoist Chairman Dahal proposed Koirala for the reinstatement of the dissolved Constituent Assembly (CA) to end the current political stalemate. In response, NC Prez Koirala rejected Dahal’s proposal. Koirala further said that the issue of CA reinstatement or fresh elections could be decided only after formation of the national consensus government. 

Koirala met Dahal a day after latter put blame on NC that formation of a national consensus government has been delayed due to failure of NC to pick its prime ministerial candidate.

Dahal pins 'no consensus' blame on NC

UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday said the failure of the Nepali Congress to come up with a prime ministerial candidate is hampering efforts for consensus.

Dahal said the tendency of non-cooperation among prospective candidates of the NC has been delaying attempts to strike a compromise on the reinstatement of the Constituent Assembly (CA). His statement comes at a time when the three major parties have set for themselves a September 16 deadline to strike agreement on two options--CA revival or fresh polls--to promulgate a new constitution.

Addressing an interaction organised by the Federal Democratic Republican Alliance (FDRA), the Maoist boss said striking a deal will be easy if the NC proposes a PM candidate. “There are three candidates vying for the post in the Nepali Congress. When one of them tries to take up his case, the other two create hurdles,” said Dahal.

He, however said the NC will not get to lead the government if it fails to agree on contentious issues of constitution writing.He further said there is no crisis of confidence among the three major parties, but that differences within the parties have been detrimental to consensus.

An electoral government can be formed under a civil society leader or a former judge if parties fail to reach a compromise on disputed issues of the new constitution, according to Dahal.

Different tunes

The antagonism between Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and his deputy, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, who is also the foreign minister, over the conduct of foreign policy appears graceless. Returning from the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran, Shrestha did not appear beside the PM during the press conference arranged at the Tribhuvan International Airport. Ostensibly, this was to show his displeasure over the “deep humiliation” he felt when Bhattarai did not include him in his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the NAM summit.  In doing this, Shrestha has succeeded in undermining the PM and added fuel to the accusations of breach of diplomatic conduct. The episode brought to surface the fraught relationship between the two, although they belong to the same party. The differences in fact are symptomatic of a lack of coherent foreign policy. This points at a larger malaise: if two prominent leaders of the same party cannot agree on the  fundamentals of governance, how, then, are the people to expect an across-the-board agreement?

There are lessons to be learned here. The first is that the PM needs to be able to take into confidence his deputy. Even in the best of times, managing foreign relations is never easy for Nepali rulers given its difficult geopolitics and need to balance out competing foreign interests. But it’s not too much to ask that the country’s head of the government and his foreign minister work closely without allowing an ugly rivalry to brew. In this regard, the PM would do well not to engage

Myth of the strongman

Prashant Jha

Ever since the peace process began, one of the major pre-occupations of the non-Maoist politicians has been pushing the thesis that Maoists are out to “capture the state”; that this is a tactical interlude and their ambition of establishing a one-party dictatorship remains. To strengthen their case, the opponents of the Maoists often over-estimated the Maoist strength and projected it as not only having the intention, but the capacity to achieve their goal. The Maoists provided ammunition to this narrative when they flirted with the notion of a “People’s Federal Republic”, instead of the commonly agreed upon “Federal Democratic Republic”. In government, Maoist leaders often remarked they have the sarkar, but not the satta—giving rise to suspicions that they were intolerant of institutions that had to operate by the rulebook.

But despite the rhetoric of both sides, it was clear to any observer who cared to look at the facts on the ground that “state capture” was a myth. The opposition was using it, after the Maoist electoral victory in 2008, to stoke fears, build up a coalition antagonistic to the Maoists, and expand their political space. In the absence of any other agenda, NC and UML adopted the rhetorical device of “state capture” and “democracy-protection”.

For the Maoists, the revolutionary rhetoric was useful in keeping their indoctrinated cadre together, despite the leadership knowing the limits of their power. This lie was to come back to haunt the leadership when the workers got increasingly frustrated at the absence of “change”, and eventually a section split. A more accurate reading of the Maoist political aim would be that they sought to establish a degree of political control by doing what previous regimes had done.

David Brooks: The REAL biography of Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney

The purpose of the Republican convention is to introduce America to the real Mitt Romney. Fortunately, I have spent hours researching this subject. I can provide you with the definitive biography and a unique look into the Byronic soul of the Republican nominee:

Mitt Romney was born on March 12, 1947, in Ohio, Florida, Michigan, Virginia and several other swing states. He emerged, hair first, believing in America, and especially its national parks. He was given the name Mitt, after the Roman god of mutual funds, and launched into the world with the lofty expectation that he would someday become the Arrow shirt man.

US Election 2012 guide: the debates

President Barack Obama, left, speaking in Dubuque, Iowa and Mitt Romney in Wolfeboro Photo: Getty Images

Mitt Romney and Barack Obama have only met twice, and each time very briefly. But they will get the chance to spend some quality together in October, when they face off for three 90-minute debates.

US Election 2012 guide: the swing states

US Election swing states 

ARIZONA

Electoral votes: 11
Population: 6.4 million
2008: McCain - 54 per cent / Obama - 45 per cent

Arizona’s rapidly growing Latino population will pose a challenge to traditional Republican dominance in the state. In 2008, then-candidate John McCain, the senior senator from Arizona, carried the state easily, but Mitt Romney will not have this home advantage. In 2012, Obamacould become just the second Democrat to win Arizona since 1948. Controversy over Arizona’s 2010 immigration law - and the Supreme Court case that struck down the bulk of it - highlights the fact that immigration is a bigger issue here than perhaps anywhere else in the country.

COLORADO

Michelle Obama: 'Change is hard and change is slow'

By Jon Swaine in Charlotte

4:38AM BST 05 Sep 2012

Closing the first night of the Democratic Party's convention in North Carolina, the self-declared “Mom-in-chief” offered disappointed voters "up close and personal" insights to argue that Barack Obama was “still the same man” and could yet fulfil his promises.

First lady Michelle Obama speaks at the podium during a soundcheck at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Claiming “Barack knows the American dream because he’s lived it”, she repeatedly highlighted the couple's humble upbringings, which differ sharply from those enjoyed by Mitt Romney, his Republican challenger, and his wife, Ann.

“Barack and I were both raised by families who didn’t have much in the way of money or material possessions,” Mrs Obama told thousands of supporters inside a basketball stadium in Charlotte. Instead, she said, they offered “unconditional love” and worked to give their children “the chance to go places they had never imagined for themselves.”

Michelle Obama's Speech At the Democratic National Convention

Elaine Brye: … I am so proud to introduce my fellow mom and our First Lady Michelle Obama…

(Background: Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours”)

Thank you. Thank you so much.
Thank you. Thank you so much.

(crowd: four more years, four more years…)

With your help… with your help…

Let me start. I want to start by thanking Elaine – Elaine, thank you so much. We are so grateful for your family's service and sacrifice, and we will always have your back.
Over the past few years as First Lady, I have had the extraordinary privilege of traveling all across this country. And everywhere I've gone, and the people I've met, and the stories I've heard, I have seen the very best of the American spirit.

I have seen it in the incredible kindness and warmth that people have shown me and my family, especially our girls. I've seen it in teachers in a near-bankrupt school district who vowed to keep teaching without pay.

I've seen it in people who become heroes at a moment's notice, diving into harm's way to save others, flying across the country to put out a fire, driving for hours to bail out a flooded town.

And I've seen it in our men and women in uniform and our proud military families; in wounded warriors who tell me they're not just going to walk again, they're going to run, and they're going to run marathons; in the young man blinded by a bomb in Afghanistan who said, simply, “, I'd give my eyes 100 times again to have the chance to do what I have done and what I can still do.”

Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. Winner of the 2008 U.S. presidential election

Barack Obama

After a historic and bruising 22-monthlong campaign, Sen. Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States on Nov. 4, 2008. He prevailed over Sen. John McCain in what was probably the most pivotal U.S. election since World War II. He took the oath of office on Jan. 20, 2009, and became the first black U.S. president.

On his second day in office in January 2009, President Barack Obama signed executive orders to halt military tribunals, close all secret prisons and detention camps run by the CIA—including the infamous Guantanamo Bay prison—and ban coercive interrogation methods. He, however, did not rule out the use of tribunals, saying he would review the Bush administration's policies on handling detainees. In March 2011, Obama reversed course on two fronts, allowing tribunals to move forward at Guantanamo, thereby admitting that the prison will remain open for the foreseeable future. His decision followed legislation passed in 2010 that prevents prisoners from being transferred from the prison to the U.S. for trial. Obama's orders also said that the C.I.A. can only use the 19 interrogation methods mentioned in the Army Field Manual. The move ended Bush's policy of allowing the CIA to use methods that were not permitted by the military.

Youngest U.S. Presidents

Rank President Years Days 1. Theodore Roosevelt 42 322 2. John F. Kennedy 43 236 3. Bill Clinton 46 154 4. Ulysses S. Grant 46 236 5. Barack Obama 47 169 6. Grover Cleveland 47 351 7. Franklin Pierce 48 101 8. James Garfield 49 105 9. James K. Polk 49 122 10. Millard Fillmore 50 184

Note: Roosevelt was sworn in after the assassination of William McKinley in 1901, making Kennedy the youngest president actually voted to the office. At 69, Ronald Reagan was the oldest president to take office.

Funeral plan for 60,000 estimated Gurkha deaths

KATHMANDU, SEP 05 -

The Gurkha Army Ex-servicemen’s Organisa-tion (GAESO) has scheduled a mass funeral rite for over 60,000 undocumented Nepali soldiers who died while fighting for the British Empire during the first and second world wars.

GAESO founding President Padam Bahadur Gurung said the service will deliver the souls of the unidentified soldiers who vanished or were lost during the war. Gurung said that the date for the ceremony will be made public after consulting with priests on September 9.

“We will decide on an auspicious date after consulting with priests from 14 different religions,” said Gurung. Based on various historical documents, GAESO has estimated that at least 14 castes fought for the British crown in 60 countries, hence the plan to perform the death rituals of 14 cultures. They are also planning to bring in soil from the 60 countries in order to use as the last lump of the cremation—’astu’.

The mass ceremony is likely to take place before the end of November in Ward No 8 of the Phedi Khola Village Development Committee in Syangja district.

On Teacher's day

On teachers day, greetings to all who teach and learn. This is a day to celebrate what we do for the joy and the difference it makes to lives. 

And a time to reflect on why we do what we do, how we do it and when we stopped doing what we thought was our purpose. A day of thanks and renewal. 

A time to remember our teachers who made us who we are - the good, the bad and the funny ones

A time to call up friends and share anecdotes of the tricks we played, while our teachers turned away, smiling unseen and let us have our moment.

Also a day when we remember the great educationists and what they stood for - S Radhakrishnan of course. But also Maulana Azad. J Krishnamurti. Sri Aurobindo. And even Mahatma Gandhi. And take a moment to know that almost everybody could be a teacher. And then realise the wonderful opportunity that hides in this fact. 

It is a day to reflect on the students we have had, and how our lives have been enriched by them. Then and now. The joy of meeting a student and their family in the market - the little glow we carry with us after such chance meetings

US has common cause with Pak on war against terror: Pentagon

CHARLOTTE (NORTH CAROLINA): ThePentagon has said that it has common cause with Pakistan on war against terror, and hoped that the two countries would continue to work together on this issue.

"We believe that the Pakistani government shares our view that terrorists threaten both countries, both Pakistan and the United States.

"Scores of Pakistanis have regrettably been killed by terrorists inside Pakistan," Pentagon press secretary, George Little, told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday.

"We, of course, have suffered losses as well, inside Pakistan and elsewhere, from al-Qaida and from other terrorist groups operating along the Afghan-Pakistan border," he said.

"So we have common cause with the Pakistanis. We're working closely with the Pakistanis on the counterterrorism issue, and we will continue to do so," Little said.

"I think that we're in a new place with US-Pakistani relations. We are on better footing these days, so I don't see any effect this one book has on US-Pakistani relations. We certainly hope it doesn't have that effect," he said referring to the book "No Easy Day," written by a former Navy SEAL, who participated in the operation to kill Osama Bin Laden.

Coalgate: One family that struck gold in coal mines

NEW DELHI: Of the five companies raided on Tuesday, three belong to one family - the Nagpur-based Jayaswals. Split in two businesses, they are among the largest beneficiaries in the coal block allocations, holding 10 blocks with more than 900 million tonnes of coal. What is more striking is that they managed to get such a large allocation with only one project running on the ground.

Outside Raipur, in the smog-filled industrial area of Siltara, exists a steel plant run by Jayaswal Neco company. Headed by the family patriarch Basant Lal Jayaswal, the company is managed by his son Ramesh Jayaswal. Until a few years ago, Ramesh's elder Manoj was part of the Neco Group. But following a family feud, he branched out, taking control of companies under the banner of Abhijeet Group.

Business circles in the region believed the brothers had parted on an acrimonious note and that their businesses, Neco and Abhijeet group, were separate. But on Tuesday, when an unknown company AMR Iron and Steel was raided, and journalists scoured through its returns filed with the registrar of companies, they discovered that the brothers jointly held stake in the company, with their father and family. People in Nagpur are now speculating if AMR in the company's name stands for 'Arvind, Manoj, Ramesh'. Arvind is their older brother. But the larger question is how did one family corner 10 blocks. Part of the answer could lie in the family's political clout. One of the directors of JLD Yavatmal, in which Manoj holds partial stake, was Devendra Darda, son of Congress MP Vijay Darda.

Democrats on convention eve: Osama is dead and General Motors is alive

WASHINGTON: One of the earliest figures to tie the United States to India was Lord Cornwallis. The British soldier-administrator left America in ignominy after being routed by George Washington in the Siege of Yorktown in 1781, repaired to England, and on being reassigned to India, salvaged his reputation at the tail end of his career by defeating Tipu Sultan in the Battle of Srirangapatnam in 1799. 

Buried in Ghazipur outside Varanasi after he died in India, Cornwallis had found America a thorny proposition. The realization pricked him most in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, which he described as a ''hornet's nest.'' It is in this city, United States' second biggest financial center after new York City, close to the very intersection where Cornwallis was ambushed (scene now of the Bank of American headquarters and sundry protests), that the Democratic National Convention (DNC) kicked off this morning in a political atmosphere fraught with poisoned arrows after a series of barbs from the Republican Convention that concluded in Tampa last week. 

President Obama launched one of his own over the weekend during his "On the Road to Charlotte" tour, saying Republicans only had an ''agenda that was better-suited for the last century,'' while asking for four more years to complete an unfinished job that will help the United States remain the pre-eminent power in the 21st century. On Tuesday, Democrats unveiled their platform (party manifesto) that pings familiar liberal talking points -- higher taxes on wealthier Americans and support for same-sex marriage and abortion rights, among other pledges. 

Iran could strike US bases if Israel attacks: Hezbollah

BEIRUT: Iran could hit US bases in the MiddleEast in response to any Israeli strike on its nuclear facilities even if American forces played no role in the attack, the leader of Lebanon's Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah said on Monday.

"A decision has been taken to respond and the response will be very great," Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallahsaid in an interview with the Beirut-based Al Mayadeen television.

"The response will not be just inside the Israeli entity - American bases in the whole region could be Iranian targets," he said, citing information he said was from Iranian officials. "If Israel targets Iran, America bears responsibility."

Heightened Israeli rhetoric about Tehran's nuclear facilities, which the West says could be part of a weapons programme, has stoked speculation that it may attack Iran before US elections in November.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged world powers on Sunday to set a "clear red line" to convince Iran they would prevent it from obtaining nuclear arms.

Nehru Cup Final: It was a Wim-win situation for India

NEW DELHI: The giant clock at the floodlitJawaharlal Nehru Stadium showed 117 minutes and the scoreboard flashed 2-2. The pressure was immense as 20,000 fans screamed hoarse hoping to share the energy with the 11 men in India's blue shirts, already dripping with sweat.

Indian players celebrate after winning the 2012 Nehru Cup
Football tournament in New Delhi. (TOI Photo)

Suddenly one saw India's No. 22 dispossess Cameroon's overlapping left back and go for a striding run, swerving past an advancing African defender, swaying away from a lunging tackle, playing a give and go with his former clubmate Mehtab Hossain till he was crowded out.

The ball was in the Cameroon half by then and one more time - umpteenth time one must say -Syed Rahim Nabi rescued the Indian defence with redoubtable vigour and courage.

The days of mindless punting of the ball — in the name of clearance — seems to be over. Over the five matches in the Nehru Cup — that India retained to make history and hat-trick - the shift in style was obvious.

"Sad" Ronaldo sparks speculation over Real future

MADRID: Real Madrid star striker Cristiano Ronaldo sparked a storm of media speculation over his future on Monday by saying he was 'sad' at the club.

Ronaldo scored a brace in Madrid's 3-0 win over Granada on
Sunday but did not celebrate either goal. (AP Photo)

Ronaldo scored a brace in Madrid's 3-0 win over Granada on Sunday but did not celebrate either goal. Quizzed by reporters after the game at the Santiago Bernabeu, he said: "It could be because I am a bit sad. That is the only reason. When I don't celebrate goals, I am not happy."

Ronaldo was elusive about the reasons for his unhappiness, saying only that it was professional rather than personal. "I am not going to say more. People know why," he was quoted as saying in the media.

Asked if he was upset because Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta was crowned UEFA Best Player in Europe on Thursday, he replied: "No, it's not that. There are more important things."

Ashwin and Kohli achieve career-best rankings

DUBAI: Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Tuesday broke into the top 20 of ICC's Test Rankings for the first time at a career-best 18th spot after guiding the team to a series whitewash over New Zealand at home. 

Virat Kohli with man of the match medal and R Ashwin with man
of the series trophy after India won the second Test
against New Zealand in Bangalore. (TOI Photo)

The 25-year-old from Chennai, who took five for 69 in New Zealand's second innings in the second Test at Bangalore, jumped seven places on the chart. 

The off-spinner finished the two-match Test series with 18 wickets, and gained 26 places on the bowlers' table through the course of the series, as India defeated New Zealand 2-0. Ashwin, who was named player of the series, also achieved a career-high rating of 591. 

Ashwin's teammate, Pragyan Ojha, ended with a match haul of seven for 148 and moved up a place to 14th, which is his career-best ranking. Ojha's overall rating of 675 is also his best-ever rating. 

Want to be successful mainstream actress: Sunny Leone

After the success of "Jism 2", porn star and Bollywood newcomer Sunny Leone now aims to establish herself as one of the successful mainstream actresses of B-town by dabbling in different kinds of roles in the near future.

"My full concentration is now on Bollywood. I want to do different and all kinds of roles, especially playing meaningful characters. I want to establish myself as a successful mainstream actress," Sunny told IANS.

"In order to become successful in Bollywood, for next two-three years I will stay on in India as I want to give my hundred percent," said the 31-year-old Indo-Canadian.

Amitabh Bachchan's Kaalia to be remade

Three of today's top stars, Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar, are on producer Rajat Rawail's wishlist for his remake of Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Kaalia, a film whose Hindi remake rights he picked up at `3 crore.

A still from Kaalia

With Big B film remakes finding success at the box office, it remains to be seen which star will step into his rather big shoes for this film.

Rajat confirms picking up Kaalia's rights but declines from commenting on casting. "I'm indebted to Salman Bhai because whatever I'm today is after his association with my film, Ready. I have a high regard for Ajay Sir for thebrilliant actor he is and Akshay Sir is one of the biggest box-office phenomena," he conceded, stressing that his priority was to get the script right. For that, he has to first get a director on board.

Animals clean 5 lakh toilets, Supreme Court told

NEW DELHI: In the cleaning of nearly 13 lakhinsanitary dry toilets across the country, human beings and animals play an almost equal role, the Supreme Court was told on Monday.

In what could deal a severe blow to the sanitation claims of successive governments, petitioner NGO 'Safai Karmachari Andolan' culled out data from the 2011 census report to inform the court that 4.97 lakh dry toilets were "serviced by animals" while another 7.94 lakh were serviced manually.

With the government introducing a bill to prohibit employment of manual scavengers in Parliament on Monday, it would be left to animals - pigs and dogs - to clean dry toilets in the rural areas.

Appearing for the NGO, senior advocate P S Narasimha and advocate K Parameshwar informed a bench of Justices Swatanter Kumar and S J Mukhopadhaya that of a total 24.6 crore households in India, over 26 lakh toilets were termed insanitary as they discharged excreta directly into open drains (13.14 lakh toilets) or were cleaned manually or serviced by animals (12.91).

The census figures showed Delhi had 583 toilets cleaned by manual scavengers and 633 'serviced by animals'.

Techie hires cab to commit suicide

HYDERABAD: Fed up with his marital problems, a US-based techie flew all the way from San Diego to commit suicide in his homeland on Sunday. The 30-year-old , a native of Guntur, hired a cab and was found dead by the cab driver when he reached the destination, his brother-in-law's house in Kukatpally.

The victim hired a cab and was found dead by the cab driver
when he reached the destination.

The victim, Immadi Anil Kumar, was working as a software engineer in San Diego in the US. A year ago, Anil married Swapna from Kodad in Nalgonda district. After their marriage, the couple left for the US. Police said Anil's wife Swapna had returned from America 10 days ago and left for her parent's home. On Saturday, he landed in Hyderabad from San Diego and checked into Sitara hotel in KPHB. On Sunday evening , he booked a Meru cab to reach his brother-in-law Suresh's house at Eenadu Colony in Kukatpally. Anil reached the house at about 4.30 pm, but did not get out of the cab.