Shraddha - STUDIES FIRST

SIMRAN'S

ADVICE

       Different people have different reasons for entering the Tamil film industry. In debutante Shraddha's case, it seems to have been advice from actress Simran.

         Says the actress, who is making her debut in Kollywood with Unakkaga En Kaadhal, "I've always been interested in acting in films. When I told my parents about my desire to get into films, they said I should first complete my education and only then consider a career in films. As per their desire, I did my education in Mumbai. Simran's home is close to mine in Mumbai and she is also a family friend, So, when I spoke to her about my intention of getting into films,. she said that I looked homely and therefore should try for characters in the Tamil film industry, where several good characters were in the offing." she adds," So, based on her advice I decided to do Tamil films. It was at this point that Jayakumar, the director of Unakkaga En Kaadhal, approached me with the script, The story is based on a real life incident that was spoken about widely in the country  and so, i chose to make my debut with this film.
"

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Salman Khan - DANCING DREAM

Salman's dancing a lot

          Salman Khan, who once had two left feet, is suddenly a much-in-demand dancer. The actor, who was stationed in Dubai for a song shot of Dabangg with Shatrunghan Sinha's daughter, Sonakshi Sinha, realised that he had also committed himself to perform at an event in Mumbai.

        He ordered himself a charter plane, arrived in the middle of the night, shot till 4 am, and then took the plane back to Dubai to continue with Dabangg. Incidentally, Salman is so addicted to a social networking website that every few minutes you'll find him updating his status. His messages come straight from the heart.

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Lawmakers against Burqa and Naqab in Europien Countries

Lawmakers in Belgium vote to ban the Burqa in public places. France likely to follow

A reasonable move


        Belgian lawmakers have approved a ban on the burqa in public places. This is wrongly viewed by some as an expression of state intolerance of cultural differences. Societies like France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands aren't repressive, yet there's widespread popular opposition in these countries to a dress that hides a woman's body and face. A European Parliament member has called for a ban across Europe, a continent with some of the world's most liberal nations. When free societies take a stand against a custom. surely they have good reasons.
           Democracies guarantee women's rights. The plea for religious freedom can't be used to sanction gender discrimination. Many women, it's contended. choose to wear the burqa. But there's no way of knowing if that's true or they're forced by conservative menfolk to cover themselves. Again, multiculturalism isn't an excuse for social groups to resist integration in the free societies of which they're a part. Belonging to a nation means respecting its laws and sharing its defining values. Republican France, for instance, gives primacy to the citizen over all other identity markers, and rightly so.
         Finally, given the scourge of global terrorism, the security angle is paramount. Belgium's ban is about public security, not faith. Given that it's meant to conceal, the burqa can be misused by terrorists. In the age of 9/11-style suicide attacks, how can anyone seriously object to identification of people by law enforcers, airport personnel and other authorities? Governments are duty-bound to protect human life against criminal attacks. All other concerns must be secondary to the state's obligation to ensure people can go about their daily lives without fear.

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Lawmakers against Burqa and Naqab in Europien Countries

Lawmakers in Belgium vote to ban the Burqa in public places. France likely to follow

A step in the wrong direction

      The lower House of the Belgian parliament has overwhelmingly voted for a Bill that seeks to ban the burqa or the naqab on streets, parks,  sports grounds and buildings meant for public use or to provide services. The French are also contemplating a similar move. Supporters of the ban raise two issues. One, it is a symbol of oppression of Muslim women and is a violation of their human rights. Two, the naqab covers the face of the person and conceals her identity. This poses a risk to public security. The arguments are fallacious. The ban is likely to polarise relations between Muslims and non-Muslims not just in Europe but elsewhere also.

          We need to make a difference between the voluntary use of burqa and its imposition by the clergy or community elders. The individual must have the choice to decide what she want to wear. Not to allow her that choice is a violation of her freedom.Equally, the law must provide her recourse to resistany  imposition of burqa. but a state-sponsored ban on the burqa would only reinforce the view that Muslims in Europe are being targeted for looking different from the dominant majority.

        Religious and social markers are adopted by sections of minority communities to carve out a separate identity for themselves. The burqa is one such marker. This could be due to the social insecurity resulting from being a minority and a fear of being subsumed by the culture of the majority. These communities need to be engaged. But the terms of engagement can't be unilateral. It is impossible to achieve social integration by legislating public policies that are likely to reinforce the insecurities of being a minority. As for public safety, a person with a naqab could always be asked to show her face to a proper authority if and when necessary.

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HEALTH ISSUE: Children Health Risks

Kids raised by relatives face increased health risks

      Children who live with relatives instead of their parents are at increased risk for physical and mental health problems, new research show.

        

        About 2.8 million children in the US live with relatives, called kinship care, and about 8,00,000 are in foster care. Like those in foster care, the study found, children in kinship care experience a number of he4alth issues.

       "Children who live in kinship care with a relative have more special health-care needs, mental health problems such as (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and depression and dental problems compared with children who live with their parents, "Dr Sara B Eleoff, of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, in Rochester, NY, said in a news release from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

         She and her colleagues analysed data from more than 91,000 children included in a 2007 national survey, comparing those in kinship care with children who lived with at least one parent.

          Compared with children who lived with a parent, children in kinship care were more likely to be black, older than 9 years, have public health insurance and live in households with incomes at or near the poverty level. Many kinship caregivers reported having poor overall health or mental health, the researchers noted.

                

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HEALTH ISSUE: It's Official

It's official: The

idiot box makes

kids fat & dumb

London: Parents now have science to back them up when they say. "turn off the TV and do your homework" for researchers claim that watching the idiot box could make children less intelligent and overweight.

          A new study has found that the more children watch television, the more likely they are to eat junk food, perform badly in mathematics and be bullied by peers as they grew up. And, the negative effect of watching TV could be worse in case of two-year toddlers, the study found.

         For the study, the researchers asked parents of 1,314 children born in the Canadian state of Quebec in 1997 and 1998 to report how much television their offspring watched aged two-and-a-half.

        Schoolteachers then assessed their academic, psychosocial and health habits when they reached the age of ten. The study found that for every extra hour of TV watched a week, two-year-olds suffered a 6% decrease in performance in maths, a seven per cent decrease in classroom engagement and a 10% increase in "victimisation" by peers the 'Daily Mail' reported.

         Every extra hour watching TV also corresponded with 9% less exercise, consumption of 10% more snacks, and a 5% rise in body mass index, the findings have revealed.

         "Although we expected the impact of early TV viewing to disappear after seven-and-a-half years of childhood, the fact that negative outcomes remained is quite daunting.

         "Our findings make a compelling public health argument against excessive viewing in early childhood..., "the study's lead author Linda Pagani of Montreal University was quoted by the British newspaper as saying.

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T20 ICC WORLD TWENTY20 WEST INDIES 2010 - Sri Lanka Vs Zimbabwe

T20 ICC

World Cup

Twenty20

West Indies

Mahela rains on Zim parade

Providence (Guyana): Mahela Jayawardene's classy century and Guyanese rains combined to give Sri Lanka a 14-run win over Zimbabwe on the Duckworth/Lewis method in their World Twenty20 Group B match here on Monday.

         This was a match Sri Lanka, beaten first up by New Zealand, had to win to stay in the tournament. But it was a close run thing for last year's losing finalists with the five overs needed in Zimbabwe's reply to constitute a match only just completed before rain ended the game. 

          Veteran batsman Jayawardene's innings was the cornerstone of Sri Lanka's 173 for seven, made after captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss.

         Zimbabwe, playing their first match of the tournament after encouraging warm-up wins over defending champions Pakistan and Australia, saw their innings halted by rain in the first over.

         That left them with a revised target of 104 off 11 overs before rain halted the match at the five over mark with Zimbabwe on 29 for one, rather than the 43 for one they needed for victory.

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T20 ICC WORLD TWENTY20 WEST INDIES 2010 PAK vs Aus

T20 ICC

World Cup

Twenty20

West Indies

PAK UNDONE BY OZ WIZARDRY

Watson's 81 Powers Australia To 34-Run Victory Over Champs

Gros Islet: Shane Watson top-scored with 81 as Australia punished lax Pakistan fielding ot win their opening World Twenty20 match by a convincing 34 run margin here on Sunday Man-of-the-match Watson's innings was the cornerstone of Australia's 191 all out, made after captain Michael Clarke won the toss.

        But the all-rounder was dropped on 11 by Misbah-ul-Haq and missed on 20, again by Misbah, who couldn't get a hand on a skied chance after running back at long-on, with Mohammad Hafeez the unlucky bowler on both occasions.

        Watson made defending champions Pakistan pay by striking four sixes and seven fours in his blistering 49-ball innings and with David Hussey he put on 98 in under nine overs for the third wicket.

        Hussey dropped on 18 at long-off by Salman Butt, a relatively easy chance, went on to make 53 off 29 balls with five sixes and two fours.

       Hussey was especially severe on seamer Mohammad Sami, striking him for 28 runs in the 16th over with the batsman striking four sixes, including thre in a row.

        Australia's total was effectively made off 19 overs as their innings ended in extraordinary fashion with a five-wicket maiden from Mohammad Aamer but by then the damage had been done.

         Pakistan lost Kamran Akmal for nought to the first legitimate ball of their reply when he sliced Dirk Nannes to Steven Smith at short third man.

          Salman Butt (15) miscued an attempted hook off fast bowler Shaun Tait and was caught by David Hussey before left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson's second ball proved too much for Mohammad Hafeez, who pulled straight to deep square leg.

         Australia, holding their catches, had reduced Pakistan to 34 for three inside five overs and they never looked like recovering from such a start.

        Tait then had the satisfaction of bowling hard-hitting batsman Afridi for 33 before finishing the match bby dismissing Saeed Ajmal off the last ball to finish with figures of three wickets for 20 runs.

        Misbah top-scored for Pakistan with 41 in a total of 157 all out. Earlier, David Hussey holed out off Ajmal and, three balls later, the off-spinner had Watson lbw.

       There was a bizarre finish to the Australoia innings as five wickets fell for no runs in the final over, from left-arm quick Aamer.

       Brad Haddin was caught off the first ball, Mitchell Johnson clean bowled off the second with both Michael Hussey and Steven Smith run out by direct hits from wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal as they tried to run byes.

       Tait survived the fifth ball but was bowled off the last for nought. Aamer finished with three for 23, with Ajmal taking three for 34. Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 21 runs in the first Gr4oup A match here on Saturday and both Pakistan  and Australia will qualify for the second round. if the Aussies beat Bangladesh in Barbados on Wednesday.

        

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HEALTH ISSUE: SUN-KISSED!

Sun-Kissed!

Here are a few suggestions to 

help you deal with sunburns

      Prevention is always better than cure! This adage holds true in just about all health matters, and that also includes sunburns. With the temperatures soaring in the city, sunstrokes and sunburns are a common occurrence. Apart from damaging skin and causing subsequent pain, research has also linked sunburns with skin cancer later in life. So, the best thing to do is to try and prevent them. But often, no matter how hard one tries, people often suffer from sunburn. So, here're tips to help you avoid and deal with sunburns.

           Never dare to step out in the sun without a lavish application of a 30 SPF sunscreen, half an hour before entering the sun. If you've been out in the sun for more than an hour, check for signs of burning. These include reddish skin and skin that is hot to the touch when in a shaded area. If blistering occurs, severe burns have already occurred and one should get out of the sun as soon as possible. Once a sunburn has occurred, nothing can get rid of it. However, what you can do is reduce the pain. Wash the skin. Dry skin gently, without rubbing.

         Oral painkillers help. There are also medicated sprays that help soothe the affected area and have a cooling and pain killing effect Alie-vera is naturally cooling on the skin.

         Re-moisturise your skin, while the sunburn heals. Oat meal baths once or twice a day help. These help by soothing the skin and adding moisture to it. After baths, the skin should be generously coated with light moisturising lotion.

          The baths should be continued, until the redness begins to fade. the lotion should be continued for a week or two, because even after the pain fades, the skin is not done healing. IT will begin peeling within five days or so in order to expose the healthy skin underneath. Do not pick at the peeling skin. 

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Ridley Scott and Giannina Facio - NEW BEGINNINGS

Ridley Scott

wants Robin

Hood return!

        Director Ridley Scott has revealed he wants to make a sequel to his upcoming Robin Hood movie, which stars Russell Crowe. The 72-year-old director - who unveils the Russell Crowe-led movie at the Cannes Film Festival on May 12 - wants to make a sequel that may irritate historians.

         He reportedly said, "In it, we'll take King John up to being forced to sign the Magna Carta by his people, who will probably be led by a guy called Robin Hood and all the historians will go nuts!"

        Robin Hood 2 is not the only film he is planning! The British filmmaker has also revealed details of his prequel to Alien.

        He said, "I got fed up with all the sequels. So, I'm going to do a prequel, which will be set before the days of Sigourney Weaver's character. It will take place in about 2085 when they first come across this thing. And it will ask the question, 'Who is the guy lying in a chair with his chest blown out wards?"

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Scarlett Johansson; RAT-A-TATTOO

           What does Scarlett's

tattoo mean?

             Scarlett Johansson has revealed that her sunrise tattoo on her left arm has a secret meaning and message. the screen beauty has a sunrise etched onto the inside of her left arm, but insists she will never reveal the special meaning of it. Scarlett - who is married to Ryan Reynolds - said, "I've had the tattoo on my arm for a while. It makes me happy when I look at it, but the reason I had it done is very personal. Some things have to remain private."

            The 25-year-old actress loves experimenting with hew looks and was thrilled when she had to dye her hair red for her role as a Russian spy in Iron Man 2, in which she stars alongside Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert Downey Jr and Mickey Rourke.

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Katy Perry and Russel Brand - FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Katy Perry dumps the junk

       Katy Perry is not eating any junk food in preparation for her wedding to Russell Brand. The I Kissed A Girl singer who is set to exchange vows with fiance Russell Brand in October - has yet to find the perfect wedding dress for their intimate ceremony, but is already cutting back on fatty foods in preparation. She said, "I'm preparing a little bit here and there. I have to stop eating Big Macs and star my dance classes. " The-25-year-old pop star - who accepted the comedian's marriage proposal after a four-month whirlwind romance -  is reportedly already thinking about have in children with Russell. A friend close to Katy said, "She's totally in love with him. She never stops talking about Russell."

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Amitabh Bachchan - DOTING DAD

Kat to play Big B's daughter

        Katrina Kaif has endeared herself to Raajneeti director Prakash Jha enough for him to cast her as Amitabh Bachchan's daughter in his next film Aarakshan - a hard-hitting drama with the thorny issue of job reservations in the background in which the Big B plays a character partially inspired by his father, the illustrious Harivansh Rai Bachchan. Katrina, who spent considerable time educating herself on dynastic politics for Raajneeti, has started reading up on the job-reservation issue for Aarakshan. The last time the actress came together with the Big B, it was to play his son Abhishek's foreign returned girlfriend in Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar. In Aarakshan, she will be paired with Ajay Devgn for the first time. Set in the world of academia, education and job-reservations the film has the Big B as a college principal and Devgn, his favourite student, a member of the backward class who supports the job-reservation issue. Incidentally, Devgn futures in both of Big B's projects this year, this one and Raj Kumar Santoshi's untitled film.

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