Imphal hosts 19th National Sepak-Takraw Championship
Imphal, Nov.7 ANI: Sepak-Takraw, the kick volleyball game of far eastern origin, continues to attract sports lovers here.Participating in the 19th edition of the championship, which commenced here on Wednesday Nov.5, the Manipur's defending champion teams of men and women carried on the winning streak with straight victory over Delhi at Khuman Lampak Indoor Stadium in their inaugural matches. The five-day event is being organized by All Manipur Sepak takraw Association under the aegis of the Sepak takraw Federation of India SFI.About 332 players representing 19 States teams from across the country are participating in this edition of national championship."Sepak takraw is an incredible game. It is a mixture of many games. It has little element of martial art in it and a bit of volleyball and football strategies completes this game. This game is different and very novel in its approach," said Rashid Ali, a Sepak takraw player representing Delhi team.Manipur Governor Gurbachan Jagat on Wednesday inaugurated the event in which Minister of Youth affairs and sports N. Biren Singh was the chief guest.Earlier, the participating teams from across the country took out a march past in the stadium. Governor Gurbachan Jagat appreciated the contribution of Manipur in the promotion and development of numerous sporting disciplines, the game of Sepak takraw in particular.In Sepak takraw, the players use feet to throw the ball into the opponents' court unlike in typical Volleyball style where hands are used by players to smash or push the ball in rivals' court. Though resembling with volleyball, it uses a rattan ball and only allows players to use their feet, knee, chest and head to touch the ball. Headers and scissor kicks or lobs with legs make the game of Sepak takraw an attraction for any onlooker.The national championship since it was started many years ago here has been dominated by Manipuri men and women teams."We were more happy with our performance in our practice sessions, but today we could not able to perform that well, maybe our competitors were too good. And seeing some of the teams perform is really amazing. We got a long way to be as good as them," said Padmini Singha, one member of the losing Assam women's Sepak takraw team. By L.C.K Singh ANI
2008-11-07 09:00:00Call for clampdown on rogue online ticket sellers
Ticketing websites have called on the government to crack down on rogue online...
2008-10-26 20:48:19Politician, by design
By Sanjay BasakGone are the days when homespun khadi was the essence of the Indian politician. Today, Parliament is mostly inhabited by natty Armani suits and bespoke bandh-galas.A look at some trendy trailblazers and othersWhen Parliam-ent’s sartorial history is written, it will have a chapter titled Shot Gun. In 1998, Shatrughan Sinha walked into the Rajya Sabha in flamboyant Bollywood style, with a hint of bling — black kurta and black designer dhoti with gold edging. He wasn’t there to participate in the debate. He was there to make a style statement.Then came Vijay Mallya and Parliament’s shade card changed forever, from muted to primary colours. Swadeshi was taken off, gently folded in white muslin and kept in storage with scented mothballs. The "Gucci turks" had sashayed in and were here to stay: Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jay Panda and Omar Abdullah, among others.During the last Rajasthan Assembly elections, Vasundhara Raje would routinely take off like a dragon fly and change colours in the sky. She would slip into dresses that matched each particular constituency’s sartorial identity. She even took a dress designer along on her campaign, just in case.All talk of politicians’ obsession with clothes, however, is incomplete without the mention of home minister Shivraj Patil. He changes his tailored suits virtually every hour. Even when the Capital is under terrorist attack.But most politicians are not apologetic for their design makeovers. As commerce minister Kamal Nath was once quoted as saying: "Television is a powerful medium and it makes a politician aware of himself. The politician doesn’t want his voter to be fatigued by his old image, so he’s trying new ways to impress..."Designer kurtas to highlight designer sound-bytes.Come Parliament session, along with the ubiquitous TV channels’ OB vans, and you will see most politicians in their "classy whites". But don’t mistake the whites to have been spun meditatively at some Gandhi ashram. These are all premium brands. Just like the politicians.A fancy dress partyBy Narayan BarethRajasthan, the land of maharajas and maharanis is the place where royals have always dressed luxuriously to stand above the crowd. But the scion of Scindia family from neighbouring Madhya Pardesh, chief minister Vasundhra Raje, prefers to wear clothes that make the voters break out in a grin and see her as one of their own. While admirers praise her dress sense and say that it often endears her to the rural crowd for the effort she makes, Ms Raje’s critics are not impressed by her fancy dress party.Ms Raje is very careful and picky about what she wears when. For example, when she took oath as the first woman chief minister of Rajasthan, she was draped in a yellow saffron sari. A thank you, perhaps, to her BJP followers and colleagues.From the very beginning, during her Parivartran Yatra which began before the Assembly polls in 2003, Ms Raje started dressing according to the gathering she was to address. So if she was at a huge gathering of Gujjars, she would dress up like a Gujjar bahu. She’d be a Rebari by day and a tribal Bheel or a Marwari in the evening.For a routine work day in office, the chief minister mostly wears saris, but prefers salwar-kameez when she’s on inspection rounds.Few chief ministers would have dared what Ms Raje did in 2006. To promote khadi, she walked the ramp at a fashion show in Jaipur. Attired in a red sari with black border, she walked the ramp with model Rahul Dev.Though she drew criticism from various quarters, including some Gandhians, Ms Raje had put khadi back on the fashion "must have" list.Marx of a manBy Parwez HafeezLike a true Marxist, West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee leads a simple and austere life. He lives with his wife and daughter in a modest south Kolkata flat. So far as his sartorial tastes are concerned, he is a quintessential Bengali bhadralok.He is always seen in his trade mark kurta which Bengalis call punjabi and dhoti. Mr Bhattacharjee is one of the few Bengali politicians who still prefer this traditional dress. Even during election campaigns, he is seen in the same outfit.Mr Bhattacharjee does not buy his own clothes. His wife Meera shops for him, often from a few select shops in south Kolkata — Khadi Emporium, Uttarayan, Punjabi Store and Kinnor-Kinnori. He prefers kolhapuris which are purchased from KM Das on College Street. "Mr Bhattacharjee does not wear any fancy material. He does not like his kurta or dhoti to be made of silk or terrycot. He is obsessed with white malmal," a family friend said.In recent memory, it was only once that Mr Bhattacharjee was seen in trousers and a shirt. In August 2005, West Bengal chief minister visited Singapore and Indonesia to seek foreign investment. For his meetings with industrialists, Mr Bhattacharjee chose shirt and trousers over his regular dhoti-kurta. He does not usually wear any perfume and has no lucky pen or watch — that’d go against his Marxist salt. A chain smoker, his brand is Filter Wills but he sometimes also smokes Classics and India Kings.Modi: A designer brand in himselfBy Deepal TrivediFrom a former pracharak of the RSS leading a spartan life, to the power-dressing Gujarat chief minister, Narendra Modi has come a long way.Mr Modi’s impeccable dress sense is a matter of much discussion and emulation in Gujarat. Whatever he wears becomes a brand.Given the hot climate of Gujarat and Mr Modi’s hectic schedule, the chief minister took to wearing half-sleeve cotton kurtas in earthy colours. And today, most Gujarat stores stock what’s popularly known as the "Modi kurta".The ubiquitous "Modi kurta" might be appropriate while interacting with the electorate or on routine office days. But for special occasions he has special clothes designed and tailored.So if he is filling up an election form, he’ll sport a saffron kurta, complete with a matching churidar. If it’s Navratri, he’ll delight audiences with a formal silk kurta and a Gujarati style achkan.And when the chief minister is calling on industrialists or is out wooing foreign investors, it’ll all have to be done in a stylish three-piece dark Italian suit.Most of Mr Modi’s clothes are styled at Jade Blue, an Ahmedabad store. Jitu Chauhan, Jade Blue’s owner, is not willing to shell out details but says that his best tailors are reserved for the chief minister.He adds that it is not that Modi saheb blindly follows fashion but that whatever Mr Modi wears becomes fashionable.Paresh Patel, a fashion victim and a Modi fan, saw the chief minister wearing a stylish pair of chappals — flat, brown, with double straps. "It was very contemporary. I found out that they were sourced from Chavda, located the shop and the shopkeeper immediately gave me a pair of ‘Modi chappals’."Though the chief minister never shows off his love for luxury brands, his choice of designer goods endears him further to Gujarat’s plush-with-money electorate.Mr Modi loves branded accessories — from Bvlgari rimless glasses to Mont Blanc pens and designer flat-dial watches. You might even spot him using a gold Cartier pen on special occasions.The scent of a kingBy ASIT JOLLYHeir to a king’s fortune, Amarinder Singh retains several subtle hints of blue-blooded credentials. Maybe it’s royal tradition, but the Maharaja’s six-yard-long turban must be dyed and starched together just like it used to be for his ancestor, Baba Alla Singh who established the Patiala throne.This is a most elaborate procedure, using pure vegetable colours and organic starching agents and can only be done by a handful of specialists ;left from a fast-disappearing tradition. And though largely constrained, by politics, to dressing up in his trademark white, short-sleeved shirt-kurta and churidaar pyjama, Capt. Singh never fails to wear his favourite Aramis 900 cologne.The scent is perhaps the only thing that lingers when he travels abroad and his sartorial style changes to shirt sleeves and trousers and overcoats from Harrods or Burberrys.Back home, however, Ludhiana Pringle jerseys or, on more formal occasions, an achkan is the preferred winter dress. Unlike most of his ilk, he shuns ornamental jewelry, not even sporting a ring.The King’s clothes are all stitched by Jassal Tailors, Patiala-based apparel-makers who inherited the royal warrant from Master Kartar Singh, who retired once he was unable to thread a needle.Monotonous MayawatiBy Amita VermaIf anyone were to ever get a peep into Mr Mayawati’s closet, the sheer monotony would be mind-numbing. Hanger after hanger of beige-coloured salwar-kameez. But it would tell you that Ms Mayawati has no time for distractions. Not in her life, nor her wardrobe.The way Ms Mayawati dresses reflects the way she looks at life. Her dress sense is simple, straightforward and monotonous. There’s no room for any distraction. Much like her political and personal life. She remains fully focused on her political tasks and does not leave room for anything else.Ms Mayawati wears beige-coloured salwar-kameez on all occasions, in all seasons. Her full-sleeve kurta has a loose flowing cut while the salwar is more traditionally stitched. The cloth is synthetic — doesn't crush and does not need frequent changes. Interestingly, the dupatta that she drapes around her neck like a muffler is also made of the same fabric and Ms Mayawati is said to be very particular about its length and width. For special occasions like her own birthdays and swearing-in ceremonies, Ms Mayawati seems to have a thing for pink brocades and silks. She is even known to wear pink Banarasi silk sari on her birthdays.Ms Mayawati, according to sources, has never visited a boutique or consulted a fashion designer. "She goes strictly by her instinct and the design she has created for herself has been done keeping in mind the functional aspects of the attire. She is cautious not to assert her femininity and wants to be treated not as a woman but as a political commander," says the wife of a bureaucrat known to be close to Ms Mayawati.Though no one is allowed to peep into her private world, sources say the BSP leader's favourite tailor is in Delhi.She has simple taste when it comes to footwear. She wears sturdy sandals through the year and shoes in winter. She prefers socks even in summer to protect her feet from skin allergy. In winters, she drapes Pashmina shawls and was even seen sporting a trendy brown coat last year which she picked up during her foreign sojourns. Perhaps the only politician who has never been seen wearing sunglasses, a brown bag she lugs around seems to be her only "must have" accessory. As no one is allowed near her, nobody knows whether she wears perfume or not.Venkatgiri, with a splash of YSLJaya PradaFor me, sense of dressing is a very important component of my overall personality. As I travel a lot because of my political and film commitments, I take care that what I am wearing goes with the occasion and the weather, and that I feel comfortable in it. I’m not very brand conscious but if I like something then I don’t think too much about the money. I never plan my shopping, but do it spontaneously.Mostly, I buy my clothes from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Venkatgiris and Procham Padus are my favourite saris and Neeta Lula, Archana Kochar and Tarun Tahiliani are some of my favourite designers. Tulip in Delhi is one of my favourite outlets and RockyS myfavourite brand for western dresses. Someof the brandsI prefer forperfumes, footwear and other accessories are Versace, Gucci, YSL and Davidoff.As told to K KailashÂÂ
2008-10-25 16:26:30Is Mohali beginning of end for Oz Test might
By R. MohanIS MOHALI the beginning of the end of Australia’s domination of Test cricket On the evidence of India’s biggest ever win in terms of runs that came this week, it does appear the world champions are in real danger of losing their crown somewhere along the line while the threat of losing the series is much more real and immediate.The Aussies’ record since snatching the unofficial world crown from the West Indies in 1994-95 is awesome, their win-loss ratio in the new millennium being even more formidable. Since 1 January 2000, they have won 70 Test matches while losing only 12. They have also won 25 series while losing only two, to India in the famous 2001 turnaround series after the miraculous Kolkata Test and to England in the Ashes of 2005.It is in the manner of the latest defeat that the signs of a decline are to be seen as otherwise the record is pretty even with Australia and India winning two Tests apiece in their last six meetings. Having marched over the narrow cricket world like a Colossus, Australia are now facing the dire threat of having to mingle with the rest to eke out Test wins. It is simple enough to say that all good things must come to an end but the Aussies in their pomp did represent one of the great powers of sport, their domination of world cricket being of such a degree that they won the last three World Cups besides building up two extraordinary runs of 16 Test wins on the trot.The loss of great players has obviously weakened them. Replacements don’t come readily, if they come at all, for the likes of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath who between them took over 70 per cent of the wickets in Australia’s Test wins. Great Test teams tend to roll on their bowlers even more than on their batsmen.Even so, it is only in India that the weaknesses have been exposed like this, that too only in Mohali. The moment Ricky Ponting’s men return home, their cricket will pick up on the true and sporting pitches with bounce where the premium will be on sustained fast bowling.It is in cricket outside Australia that the world champions will be sorely tested from now on. It must be an enduring mystery to them why their bowlers are unable to reverse swing the virtual new ball like Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma are doing. This, despite having Troy Cooley, the coach who is thought to have taught the Englishmen their bag of swing tricks that tilted the â€㯉 Ashes, on their side now.Adding to their woes in India will be the fact that the Kotla is very much the home team’s favourite hunting grounds where India have won their last seven Test matches and where they have not been beaten for more than two decades since Richards and Logie defied a steep fourth innings target soon after the first World Cup in the subcontinent.The Aussies cannot point their fingers at the chit-chat that is going on. Having once been the masters of the game of mental disintegration, it would sound a bit peevish on their part if they should even speak of the banter out in the middle. Ponting has brushed aside all such media talk, saying India were such front runners in the game they were naturally a bit more vocal too.Truth to tell, events have caught up with the Aussies. Major stars have walked away over the last couple of years and an attack run by virtual greenhorns is not designed to get over the harsh bowling conditions of India where the pitches have shown a distinct tendency to slow down rather than really deteriorate.The days of total domination of the opposition may be over already. Playing India, who have taken more Tests off them six in the new millennium than any other country, at a time when their resources have declined is a proposition made that much tougher. It would still take some doing for India or South Africa to displace Australia from their perch. What has happened now is the Australians are being welcomed back to the pack. They are no more the juggernauts of world cricket.ÂÂ
2008-10-25 05:10:23'Rayhawk' Readies Tampa Bay Fans For World Series
Some Tampa Bay Ray fans are wearing their hearts...
2008-10-24 05:44:27Indian players more confident after I took over: Houghton
SPO1Sports/SportsIndian players more confident after I took over: HoughtonKolkata, Oct 17 IANS India's soccer coach Bob Houghton Thursday claimed that the confidence of team has gone up since he took over in 2006. He has also drawn up a two-year plan for the national team with an eye on the Asia Cup in January 2011.Houghton, who met coaches of the three big clubs - East Bengal, Mohun Bagana and Mohammedan Sporting - Thursday, said the national team needed to succeed first for Indian soccer to make a mark. "On the other hand, the I-League has to be the premier tournament and very competitive. The two must go hand in hand." said the coach, who is set to renew his contract next week.Houghton said from next year, I-League would start in May with 14 teams and continue till September. The Nehru Cup would be staged in August, with Houghton pondering over suggesting to the All India Football Federation AIFF that Australia and Japan under-23 teams be invited for the event.The Briton said India have got an invitation from Thailand for the King's Cup where Denmark are likely to play. "We also have an invitation from the UAE".Houghton felt India should now play regularly against Asian teams ranked between seven and 20 which would help the side improve its rankings.Houghton has also suggested that I-League matches be played in the weekends and the state league matches on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Mohun Bagan coach Karim Bencherifa, East Bengal coach Stanley Rozario and Mohammedan Sporting coach Sabbir Ali agreed with Hughton's plans. "Everybody will approve this unless he is a real traditionalist or has vested interests because this is the calendar the world follows. Houghton said the calender needed to keep some space for the FIFA tournaments, and ensure there wss not much gap between national team camps. Houghton has also prepared a blueprint for the Indian Olympic team keeping in mind the next edition of the quadrennial extravaganza in 2012. "We have to strike a right and balance. We don't want it go the IPL way. In England, 70 percent of the sponsorship money goes straight to the players. Here, it's not possible at the moment because we don't have that many sponsors".Houghton thought inviting teams like Bayern Munich to play an exhibition match would not do any good to Indian soccer. "That sponsorship money will be better served if they build a couple grounds with synthetic grass." Houghton predicted that within two years, the national team could include eight to nine Punjab players and said Dempo Sports Club had a good chance to make it to the summit clash in the AFC Cup.--Indo-Asian News Servicessp/vdm/vm 493 Words17100022
2008-10-17 00:04:05GUANGZHOU CHINA
SPO3SportsIndian Open winner Liang eyes title at home turfGuangzhou China, Oct 15 IANS Fresh from his title triumph in Hero Honda Indian Open in Delhi, golfer Liang Wen-Chong will aim for back-to-back victory as he tees off at his home turf for this week's $500,000 Midea China Classic tourney.One of China's favourite sporting sons, Liang won his second Asian Tour triumph in India last week. The 2007 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion is looking forward to demonstrate that form in front of his home fans. “It's always an honour to play in front of your home fans. Last week was a great week for me in India and I hope to repeat the same winning performance here again,” said Liang, who fired a record breaking 12-under-par 60 in the opening round of Indian Open, en route to winning the title. It will be an emotional homecoming for Liang as this will be the first time since the start of the season that he is back competing in the city he grew up in. With a partisan home crowd behind him, a victory from Liang will undoubtedly fan further scenes of joy and euphoria, especially after China's record-breaking feat at the recent summer Olympics. Liang knows that the expectations from their sporting heroes are at an all-time high. "As Chinese, we are all very proud of our country's glorious achievements at the recent Olympic Games. It will be fantastic if we can raise the standards and profile of golf on the global stage, very much like what our other fellow sportsmen have done,” Liang said. A win will also ignite his position at Asian Tour's Order of Merit, currently led by Mark Brown of New Zealand. “There are enough big-money events from now till the end of the year for anyone to narrow the gap, so the race is far from over. I am focusing on one event at a time and with a good performance each week, the race is definitely going to be interesting,” said Liang, who is presently ranked fifth on the rankings. Fellow Chinese golfer Zhang Lian-wei, long regarded as the flag bearer of golf in China is also upbeat about Chinese prospects this week. “Since I started my professional career, I am happy to see that golf in China has come so far, producing a great talent like Liang along the way," said Zhang, a five-time winner on the Asian Tour. --Indo-Asian News Serviceav/jg442 Words15101549
2008-10-15 06:01:08Devotees in West Bengal celebrate Mahanavami
NAT37National/Religion/CultureDevotees in West Bengal celebrate MahanavamiKolkata, Oct 8 IANS Festivities reached a crescendo, as thousands of people resplendent in their finest attire swarmed the streets Wednesday to visit different Durga Puja pandals celebrating Mahanavami across West Bengal.The community puja pandals or marquees in the state drew huge crowds, as the young and the old savoured every moment of the puja spirit, partaking bhog - community feasts of food items offered first to the goddess - and meeting friends and relatives."We've decided to go out and spend the entire day with my friends. We have a plan to dine out at some Bengali restaurant and then we'll visit some pandals which we'd missed in the past three days," said Asim Dutta, a college student in Kolkata.He said: "Some of the marquees like Suruchi Sangha, Behala Natun Dal, Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha and Ballygunge Pally Sarbojanin were really very good in terms of decoration and ambience. I think most of them were winners of several awards."Mahanavami, or the ninth lunar day, is the concluding day of Durga Puja rituals. The main Mahanavami puja began after the end of Sandhi Puja held at the conjunction of Mahashtami, eighth lunar day, and Mahanavami. In Hindu mythology, Goddess Durga killed two demons, Chand and Mund, at the sandhi or confluence of Mahashtami and Mahanavami. A number of devotees from the non-Bengali communities in West Bengal also observed Mahanavaratri during the auspicious occasion.The Chaltabagan puja pandal in north Kolkata attracted hundreds of people, who appreciated innovative artefacts.The marquee was made of metal wire mesh, a non-inflammable material. The puja was celebrated there in a completely eco-friendly atmosphere by installing hi-tech gadgets like heat sensors and smoke detectors. The organisers of Behala Natun Dal in South East Kolkata modelled their pandal on typical old mansions in the northern part of the city. A dilapidated red-brick zamindar house, the structure with a traditional courtyard, false balconies, ornate grills and chandeliers exuded old-world charm.At Suruchi Sanga in Alipore, the enchanting beauty of Assam was brought out with the melody of Bihu songs, and by presenting a synthesis of the three main streams of Hindu religion, Shaiva, Shakta and Vaishnava, that is found across the northeastern state. Also on display were the cultures of various tribes of Assam like Mising, Deuri, Rabha, Mech, Hajong, Dimasa and Reming. The marquee of the Kalitala Sporting Club in the eastern pockets of Kolkata was inspired by an ancient West African mud mosque in Mali, one of the world heritage sites, built by the Dogon tribe. The pandal was developed with plaster-of-Paris and jute structure pulling a huge crowd on the festive days.Goddess Durga, the slayer of the demon Mahishasur, is lion-borne and wields an array of arms in her 10 hands. Mythology has it that the Puja celebrates the annual descent of the goddess, accompanied by her four children Ganesh, Kartik, Lakshmi and Saraswati, on earth to visit her parents. She stays for four days to eradicate all evil from the earth before returning to her husband Lord Shiva at Kailash on Dashami that falls on Thursday this year.--Indo-Asian News Servicessp-sb/am/dg568 Words*08101748
2008-10-08 09:03:13What sore losers men can be: Malaika
ENT2Entertainment/ShowbizWhat sore losers men can be: MalaikaBy Subhash K. JhaMumbai, Oct 7 IANS Malaika Arora is shocked by television actor Bhaktyaar Irani's behaviour on the grand finale of reality dance show "Zara Nachke Dikha" and says he had an "attitude problem from day one".The male contestants led by Bhaktyaar staged an en masse walkout at the grand finale of STAR One's show last week after they realised they were losing.The show pitted eight female celebrities against an equal number of guys. While the girls' team had Swini Khara, Narayani Shastri, Jennifer Winget, Delnaz Paul, Karishma Tanna, Maninee De, Mouni Roy and Rupali Ganguli, the boys team consisted of Amey Pandya, Chaitanya Chowdhary, Amit Tandon, Ali Asgar, Bhaktyaar Irani, Gaurav Chopra, Manish Goel and Vikas Sethi."Bhaktyaar definitely has a huge chip on his shoulder. I've been on other reality shows, in fact 'Zara Nach Ke Dikha' was my fourth. But never have I encountered such bad behaviour," Malaika, who earlier judged "Nach Baliye" for the channel, told IANS.This is the first time the "Chaiya chaiya" girl lost her cool as a judge."I lost my temper and I'm not ashamed of it. The guys really behaved badly, especially Bhaktyaar, who I noticed had an attitude problem from day one. He's a good dancer, but he can't take defeat."Since the show was formatted as a men vs women thing it was only natural that either the boys or the girls would win. But Bhaktyaar and the other boys just spoilt three months of the time we all spent together as a family on the show."Malaika judged "Zara Nachke Dikha" along with actor Chunkey Pandey."Can you believe what sore losers men can be"Malaika is still shocked days after the event."I've always maintained the male ego is the worst thing in the world. There's no way we women can deal with it. But to come on a reality show, promising to be fair and sporting, then to walk out saying the judges didn't know their jobs was honestly a bit too much to take. I was aghast."What appalled Malaika even more was the fact that Bhaktyaar actually lashed out at guest judge Saroj Khan on television."I couldn't believe what I heard when I saw Bhaktyaar lashing out at Sarojji. Come on, she's a veteran, a legend in her field. Bhaktyaar really needs to put his ego to rest before going to another reality show."The grand finale was not the only time Malaika had a problem with Bhaktyaar."Once earlier I had intervened on behalf of my colleague Chunky Pandey. I wish the boys on 'Zara Nachke Dikha' had displayed more grace and chivalry. They proved Indian men treat women as the weaker sex. Luckily, I've a husband Arbaz Khan who treats me as an equal. But who knows how my son will turn out!"The experience has left a bitter taste in Malaika's mouth. And she may not do another reality show for a while."In any case, I like to take a biggish break between two shows," she said.--Indo-Asian News Serviceskj/ar/mv/jg569 Words*07100723
2008-10-07 00:00:00Madrid, Oct 6 DPA Valencia are back on top of the Spanish Liga after a tight 1-0 win in Valladolid.
SPO4SportsValencia back on top, Real Madrid held to drawMadrid, Oct 6 DPA Valencia are back on top of the Spanish Liga after a tight 1-0 win in Valladolid. A handsome goal Sunday from Manuel Fernandes in the 55th minute, his first for Valencia, was enough for Unai Emery's team, who have rediscovered their mean touch away from home this season. The same as in the title-winning days of Rafa Benitez, Valencia were content to let the hosts dominate, soaking up the pressure - then coming forward on the break with speed and precision. Pedro Leon and Pedro Lopez looked lively down Valladolid's right flank, but the hosts lacked a sharp forward. Ten minutes into the second half, Fernandes took a short pass from David Villa and scored with a powerful left-foot drive. Valencia then had chances to settle the issue on the break, while Valladolid gradually ran out of steam, patience and ideas. The tight win leaves Valencia with 16 points from six games, ahead of local rivals Villarreal - who Saturday beat bottom side Betis 2-1 - on goal difference. "It's good to be back on top," said Valencia veteran David Albelda. "But the important thing now is just to carry on winning matches, without getting obsessed with the league table." Later Sunday, Real Madrid were held to a 2-2 draw at home by lively Espanyol, who were twice in the lead in the Bernabeu. Former Spain striker Raul Tamudo gave Espanyol the lead from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute, after being clumsily pulled down by Gabriel Heinze. Just four minutes later, veteran captain Raul Gonzalez levelled for Real by heading in a Sergio Ramos centre from the right. Luis Garcia restored Espanyol's lead in the 31st minute by turning in a centre from Roman Martinez - only for Raul to make it 2-2 just before half-time after a melee in the Espanyol area. Both sides had their chances in an end-to-end second half, but the score remained 2-2. The draw leaves Real in joint fourth place, level on 13 points with Barcelona, who Saturday drew gasps of admiration by slaughtering Atletico Madrid 6-1. Barca and Real are one point behind third-placed Sevilla, who thrashed Athletic Bilbao 4-0 earlier Sunday. Star of the show in the Sanchez Pizjuan was rapid right-winger Jesus Navas, who set up first-half goals for Frederic Kanoute and Renato with precise centres. Navas, 22, will surely be called up soon for Spain - as soon as he overcomes the anxiety attacks that afflict him periodically. In the 76th minute, Enzo Maresca set up Adriano to make it 3-0. Five minutes later, eternal sub Ernesto Chevanton completed the rout from close range. "We really enjoyed ourselves this evening," said Kanoute, "and I think the fans did too." Two points behind Barca and Real, in sixth place, are tough Almeria, who battled out a 2-2 draw at Getafe thanks to late goals from Alvaro Negredo and Jose Chico. The disappointing draw leaves Getafe joint seventh on nine points with Atletico Madrid. UEFA Cup heroes Deportivo Coruna, meanwhile, were moving up to joint ninth - level with Espanyol on eight points - by beating Numancia 1-0 on an early goal from Angel Lafita. Mallorca have fallen to 11th due to a shock 2-0 defeat at home to Sporting Gijon, who had zero points and 20 goals against until the game in Palma. Mallorca, Thursday, became the first Liga club to be owned by a foreigner, when British businessman Paul Davidson agreed to buy 90 per cent of the club's shares. Malaga, for their part, moved out of the danger zone and up to 13th with an impressive 4-0 win up the road in Huelva. Malaga's star was two-goal hero Eliseu Pereira. Racing Santander, meanwhile, were winning 1-0 at Osasuna thanks to a late, late goal from Juan Valera. This defeat leaves Osasuna fifth from bottom, just above Numancia, Huelva, Gijon and bottom team Betis.--DPApt/dg736 Words06101302
2008-10-06 04:01:09
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Ocean sailing - sailingiworld.com | Rule - billiardsiworld.com | Country cross skiing - skiingiworld.com | Scouting merit badges - draftingiworld.com | Tennis - tennisiworld.com | Golfing - golfiworld.com | Swim meet - swimmingiworld.com | Baseball Teams - basketballiworld.com | Tankards - trophiesiworld.com | - bowlingiworld.com | Jack johnson - surfingiworld.com | Snor - recreationiworld.com | Yahoo sports - sportsiworld.com | Gillette stadium - stadiumsiworld.com | - themeparkiworld.com | Travel - adventureiworld.com | World darts - dartsiworld.com | - sportingappareliworld.com | Skateboard - footweariworld.com | Guided tours - parksiworld.com
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