Latest News

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• Maruti Suzuki launches SX4′s diesel variant
• After good reviews, ’7 Khoon Maaf’ earns Rs.28 crore
• High cholesterol, BP in mid-age tied to memory problems
• World Cup hits cinema, theatre business in Pakistan
• Google planning ‘radical’ new Chrome browser
• PM’s announcement of JPC tasteless: Jaitley
• In rare case, woman delivers after ovarian tumour surgery
• I’m proud of myself and what I am today: Bipasha
• Bollywood wishes Rahman luck for Oscars
• Shooting begins on ‘William and Kate’ film

Maruti Suzuki launches SX4′s diesel variant Posted: 22 Feb 2011 03:29 AM PST Automobile major Maruti Suzuki Tuesday launched the diesel variant of its mid-sized sedan SX4 with a price tag of Rs.7.74 – 8.62 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). “The usage of diesel vehicles has gone up substantially due to the need to travel farther. We were asked many times when are we going to launch the diesel variants of SX4 and now it’s here,” Maruti Suzuki’s managing director and chief executive Shinzo Nakanishi said. According to him, the diesel variant of its best-seller mid-size segment car will provide a powerful performance with superior engine technology and better fuel economy of 21.5 km per litre. This is the sedan’s third fuel variant after its launch some three years ago. SX4 is now available in petrol, compressed natural gas (CNG) and diesel models. SX4 diesel is powered by a four-cylinder ‘Super Turbo DDiS’ engine which can deliver 90 PS of power at 4,000 rpm. According to the company, the high torque (power) at low rpm levels makes the car highly suitable for city driving. “The engine will be manufactured at Suzuki Powertrain India Limited, which manufactures diesel engines for Swift, Dzire and Ritz and has an annual capacity of 300,000 units,” the company said in a statement. Another unique feature of the diesel variant is the inclusion of ‘On-Board Diagnostics’ (OBD-2) system which gives information about any malfunction in the emission control system of the car. The company further said that it expected the diesel variant to expand its market share in the segment. Currently, SX4 sells about 1,500-1,600 units per month, while the company till date has sold about 75,000 units.

After good reviews, ’7 Khoon Maaf’ earns Rs.28 crore Posted: 22 Feb 2011 03:25 AM PST Vishal Bhardwaj’s films may not be money spinners, but they are high on content as is his Priyanka Chopra starrer “7 Khoon Maaf” that has a different story to tell. The film has not only garnered good reviews but has so far earned Rs.28 crore from its opening week box office collections and satellite and other rights. The dark thriller about an incorrigible serial spouse-killer cost Rs.22 crore, which includes the money spent on publicity and advertising. Released with 786 prints, its opening weekend collection was Rs.13 crore. Overseas collections accounted for Rs.2 crore, the music and satellite rights fetched Rs.11 crore and home video and other sources brought in Rs.2 crore. “’7 Khoon Maaf’ has worked well for us commercially due to a combination of tight production budgeting, optimised spending on prints and publicity and a pre-sales strategy that helped us to de-risk the film via sales of home video, music, satellite and theatrical rights even before the release,” Siddharth Roy Kapur, CEO, Motion Pictures UTV, told IANS. “7 Khoon Maaf” is based on Ruskin Bond’s ‘Susanne’s Seven Husbands’ and tracks the story of a beautiful young girl, Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes (Priyanka), who ends up tying the knot seven times following the untimely and mysterious deaths of her hapless husbands. In the film, Priyanka’s character ages from 20 to 65 years. “The response to the film was good at the weekend with 78 percent occupancy, although it dropped to 40 percent on Monday,” said Amit Awasthi, senior manager (Programming and Operations) Spice Cinemas. “The first half of the film is interesting but in the second half it becomes slow. Priyanka’s acting is being really appreciated by one and all,” he added. The film has garnered good reviews and critics are raving about Bhardwaj’s directorial skills and Priyanka’s acting prowess. One reviewer wrote: “Bhardwaj’s reveals himself yet again as that rare Renaissance man in an art form that deserves more.” Another said: “This is Bhardwaj’s most fluidly-narrated film to date.” Appreciating Priyanka’s work, one critic said: “Priyanka, not for the first time, proves she is leagues ahead of all competition.” Another wrote: “For Priyanka Chopra, who plays the Anglo-Indian protagonist, this is unquestionably a role of a lifetime. She has you by the eyeballs.” Yogesh Raizada, corporate head (Cinemas) of Wave Cinemas said every actor in the film had given of their best. “Priyanka is excellent in the film, Irrfan Khan and Annu Kapoor are known for their acting prowess, John (Abraham) has right stature in the film. All in all, everyone has acted well in the film. Since it’s a dark film, family audiences are lower. The occupancy was 60-70 percent over the weekend,” he said. Ritika Sharma, a media professional, was all praise for Priyanka’s acting. “Although the film is a bit slow, Priyanka Chopra takes the cake. She is superb in the film,” she said. Said Ankita Malhotra, who works with a telecom company: “Priyanka carries the film on her shoulders.” Multiplex audiences are appreciating the film, but single screen audiences are not showing much enthusiasm. “Multiplex audiences are liking the film but the single screen audiences are just average, mainly because family audiences are lower. With comedy film ‘Tanu Weds Manu’ releasing Friday, the film is definitely going to take a hit,” said a source from PVR.

High cholesterol, BP in mid-age tied to memory problems Posted: 22 Feb 2011 03:19 AM PST Middle-aged men and women having high cholesterol and high blood pressure may not only be at risk for heart disease, but possibly develop early cognitive and memory problems as well. For the study, 3,486 men and 1,341 women with an average age of 55 underwent cognitive tests three times over 10 years. The tests measured reasoning, memory, fluency and vocabulary. Participants received a Framingham risk score that is used to predict 10-year risk of a cardiovascular event. It is based on age, sex, HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, blood pressure and whether they smoked or had diabetes, according to the statement of the French National Institute of Health & Medical Research, Paris. The study found that people who had higher cardiovascular risk were more likely to have lower cognitive function and a faster rate of overall cognitive decline compared to those with the lowest risk of heart disease. A 10-percent higher cardiovascular risk was associated with poorer cognitive test scores in all areas except reasoning for men and fluency for women. For example, a 10 percent higher cardiovascular risk was associated with a 2.8 percent lower score in the test of memory for men and a 7.1 percent lower score in the memory test for women. “Our findings contribute to the mounting evidence for the role of cardiovascular risk factors, such as high cholesterol and blood pressure, contributing to cognitive problems, starting in middle age,” said study author Sara Kaffashian, with INSERM, the French National Institute of Health & Medical Research in Paris. The findings will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu April 9-16.

World Cup hits cinema, theatre business in Pakistan Posted: 22 Feb 2011 03:16 AM PST With the start of cricket World Cup 2011, ticket sales at cinema halls and theatres across Pakistan has dropped down by more than 50 percent and it is predicted that film and stage business will bear a loss of 250 million rupees, the media reported Tuesday. “During the first three days cinema business suffered a loss of more than 60 percent, while the theatres for stage performances have witnessed a decrease of around 50 percent,” revealed a survey carried by the Jang newspaper. “As the World Cup enters the second round, where big teams clash against each other, the decline in ticket sales could be around 70-80 percent,” stated the paper while quoting industry pundits. Javed Ali, manager of a local cinema, said: “We have decided to postpone the release of new Pakistani or Indian movies because of lack of response, while other cinema houses are contemplating a closure during world cup to avoid losses.” “The already dwindling film and stage industry in Pakistan is expected to receive a financial setback of over 250 million rupees during the six weeks of the World Cup,” the paper quoted anonymous sources as saying. “In the wake of existing trend, a proposal is being considered by some cinema owners to show world cup matches at giant screens and recover revenues by cashing upon the world cup fever.” Pakistan’s film industry, which has been on the decline for several years, got a respite when ban on screening of Indian movies was lifted in 2007 after a gap of more than 40 years. The world cup started Feb 19 and the matches are scheduled in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Pakistan withdrew as the host in the wake of terrorism threats, so the fans are forced to resort to TV screens instead of going to the stadiums. The terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in March 2009 was seen as the last nail in the coffin if the country had any hopes of staging the world cup matches. Pakistan’s first match is Feb 23 with Kenya.

Google planning ‘radical’ new Chrome browser Posted: 22 Feb 2011 03:13 AM PST Software developers working on Google’s popular Chrome browser are testing “radical” changes to its appearance. Sources close to the company said the address bar currently takes up a significant amount of space that could be used for web browsing. One plan being considered would mean it was only visible when users made their mouse pointer hover over a specific part of the screen, the Telegraph reports. The new “compact” navigation mode, described on the Chromium website as one of two key focuses for development, would take the web address bar out of each tab, releasing more screen space to display web pages. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 9, which is available in a nearly final pre-release version, adopts a similar approach already. Chrome, however, is thought to be planning a significantly more stripped down version, working towards releasing almost the entire screen for web browsing. More than 120 million users now use Google Chrome, which has been heavily advertised by Google. The company is also working on a ‘Chrome OS’ rival to Microsoft Windows. Google updates Chrome every six weeks, but major upgrades tend to be far less frequent.

PM’s announcement of JPC tasteless: Jaitley Posted: 22 Feb 2011 02:32 AM PST Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley Tuesday criticised the prime minister’s announcement of a joint parliamentary committee (JPC), saying it could have been made in a “gracious” manner rather than projecting that the opposition coerced the government into it. “The statement is disappointing. The issue could be resolved in a more gracious manner,” Jaitley, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said adding that the content of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement showed that the government had done everything and the joint parliamentary committee was formed only because parliament was paralysed. Jaitley said the JPC constitution could have been announced “gracefully” instead of the “tasteless” manner by projecting that the opposition had forced the government to do so. He was joined in the protest by other BJP members as also from AIADMK. The government Tuesday gave in to the opposition demand and announced in parliament the formation of a JPC to probe the alleged 2G spectrum scam thus paving the way for a smooth budget session. Manmohan Singh, who made the statement in both houses of parliament, said the JPC was agreed to by the government as the country could ill-afford disruption of the budget session of parliament. The entire winter session of parliament was lost over the opposition demand for JPC, which has the powers to summon cabinet ministers and even prime minister to depose before it. The government had not accepted the demand for JPC. Singh, in his statement on the second day of the budget session, requested Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar to proceed with the setting up of the JPC and assured that a formal motion in this regard would be moved soon. The process of JPC formation is expected to kick-start in a couple of days.

In rare case, woman delivers after ovarian tumour surgery Posted: 22 Feb 2011 02:27 AM PST In what doctors call a first for India, a Mumbai-based woman who had undergone a critical laparoscopic ovarian tumour surgery delivered a healthy girl child and both the mother and daughter are doing fine, her doctor said here Tuesday. Akhtari Ansari, 25, underwent a laparoscopic ovarian tumour surgery in the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital in September last year. She was five months pregnant then. “Hers was the first ever case of its kind in India which has enabled us to save the life of the unborn child,” Niranjan Chavan, head of obstetrics and gynaecology at Sion Hospital here, told IANS. Ansari, through normal delivery Feb 13, gave birth to a girl who weighed 2.8 kg and is healthy. “It is a matter of two-fold happiness that the girl child is healthy and safe, especially after her mother went through a complicated surgery in the third trimester of her pregnancy,” Chavan said. Lauding Chavan’s efforts, Ansari thanked him and his team for saving her child and also putting her through minimal risk during her pregnancy. “Chavan is a highly reliable doctor and I am glad he not only saved my baby, but also put me through the least possible pain,” Ansari said. “Ten days after my girl is born, we are both healthy and safe and back home,” she added. Ansari had in August last year approached Chavan, complaining of severe abdominal pain. She was put through various tests and detailed investigations revealed a seven-month-old large and solid tumour in the left ovary. The patient was already in her fourth month of pregnancy. “As the pregnancy would have developed, the huge tumour would have pressed the foetus and led to either a miscarriage or a stillborn delivery with the possibility of other health complications,” explained Chavan. Chavan and his team counselled the woman for removal of the tumour as it posed a risk to the pregnancy. The benign tumour extended four fingers above the umbilicus in the four-month-old pregnancy, so the option of a laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy was recommended for the patient. “She was successfully operated Aug 31 and the huge tumour was removed, plus over 200 cc of yellow mucinuous fluid, but her ovary was saved,” Chavan added.

I’m proud of myself and what I am today: Bipasha Posted: 22 Feb 2011 02:23 AM PST Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu, whose journey in showbiz began in 1996 after winning the Cinthol supermodel contest, says she is extremely lucky and proud of her achievements. “I just realised my journey has been quiet a long one, from 1996 to 2011. It’s only me who knows how much hard work and dedication has gone behind everything. I have been honest with my profession and brought the best of me on the screen,” Bipasha told reporters here. Dressed in a formal white outfit with black beads and sequin work on it, she came for the the launch of Versace collection of watches in collaboration with Timex Group. “I feel extremely lucky when I look behind in my life. I am proud of myself and also proud of what I am today. I used to dream of having such luxury brands and now I effortlessly own so many of them,” said the 32-year-old, who has a fetish for watches. “The one object that I love the most is the watch. It is a must have possession for everybody. It is also my favourite gifting option. “All the watches that (actor) John (Abraham) owns are gifted by me. Now I think his collection is set to have a Versace watch,” she said.

Bollywood wishes Rahman luck for Oscars Posted: 22 Feb 2011 02:16 AM PST Music maestro A.R. Rahman has bagged two nominations at the 83rd Academy Awards for his work in Danny Boyle’s “127 Hours” and the film frat is hoping that the composer triumphs again at the gala event Sunday. His colleagues and friends wish him luck and are hoping he brings the golden statuette home again, having bagged two Oscars for the best original score and the song in 2009 for rags-to-riches drama “Slumdog Millionaire”. This time, Rahman has been nominated for the original score of “127 Hours” as well as original song “If I Rise”. “I feel great. I feel wonderful because Rahman is one person who has made us so proud and I am really, really happy. I wish him all the best,” said Rani Mukerji. Actor-producer Arbaaz Khan said: “That’s a great achievement. The last time when he won the Oscar, it looked like one time dream. I wish him all the best. He is a true deserving candidate and pride of the country.” “He had to get the nominations. He has already has two to his credit. He will continue getting them. He has already made India proud and would continue doing so. My best wishes are always with him,” said singer Udit Narayan. Singer Kailash Kher said: “I congratulate him and wish him all the best. Every year he should achieve more honours.” “The whole country is proud of him. He is good, he is talented and I hope he delivers time and again. I am very happy. I wish him all the best,” actor Arshad Warsi said. Composer Pritam Chakraborty said: “I wish him luck. Anything you say about him is less. If you name a few pride of our country, he is one of them. I wish him all the best.” “It’s something to be proud of that an Indian has made a golden mark on the world map,” director Vishal Bhardwaj said.

Shooting begins on ‘William and Kate’ film Posted: 22 Feb 2011 02:14 AM PST A television film about Prince William’s relationship with his fincee Kate Middleton has gone on floors in the US. Contactmusic.com reports that the movie titled “William and Kate” tells how the British pPrince met his fiancee and depicts events leading up to their wedding scheduled for April 29. The actors who will play the couple are styled to look like real-life William and Kate. The film is set in Edinburgh as the prince met his future wife at the University of St Andrews. “The film chronicles the history of William and Kate from the moment the two students met at Scotland’s prestigious University of St. Andrews, through the ups and downs of their nine-year courtship complicated by social and royal family pressures, and intense global media attention surrounding their storybook nuptials,” said a source.

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