Mumbai cops to get incentives to cut flab; Over fifty people killed, injured in Baghdad car blast; Thousands march for restoration of democracy in Nepal; Mobiles go basic sans the gizmos; Veselin Topalov triumph leaves Anand to second place; Indian Panchatantra dazzles British audience; 'Nazi' Spielberg in the eye of a storm; Paris Hilton fined for feeding pigeons in London; Muscle suit helped Christensen bulk up for 'Star Wars'; 'Revenge of the Sith' sends box office records tumbling; Kylie to get memorable birthday bash; Is Imran Khan romancing Goldie Hawn?; Kylie not marrying her beau; Jackson sells Neverland for 19.5 million pounds; French woman claims she has Diana's kidney; Destiny's Child addicted to chocolates; India Travel Times, Indian News, Tourism, Hotels, Airlines, Tour, Travel, Ayurveda, Yoga, Festival, Hindu, Taj Mahal, Kathakali, Dance,

Home Contact Us Dateline New Delhi, Monday, May 23, 2005

Mumbai cops to get incentives to cut flab

Mumbai: The government of Maharashtra recently announced a scheme providing incentives to motivate the policemen to maintain physical fitness. Mumbai, despite being the most populous Indian city and the sixth largest metropolis in the world, has a modest police force of just 40, 000 to man a population of approximately 17 million. The policemen who are the upholders of law in the city have to keep a strict, round the clock vigil of the city. Especially after the 1992-93 bomb blasts and recent bomb attacks and scares in and about the city, policemen have to be on their toes working more than their regular duty hours. With the long strenuous work hours, the policemen do not have the time to look after their health and tend to neglect their physical fitness, which has prompted the government to take certain measures to reduce the flab from the force. "Since Mumbai policemen have to put in more than 12 hours of duty everyday, they tend to neglect their health due to which they are bound to lose body shape, specially tummy. In order to ensure that every policeman keeps himself physically fit, I have made an announcement of scheme where every physically fit policeman would be given incentive and a committee will decide the fitness criteria and supervise the fitness scheme," said RR Patil, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister of Maharashtra. Motivated by the scheme, policemen are also taking steps to help the police force keep fit. The policemen of the Scion Police Station have set up a gymnasium. "It's really praiseworthy that the government has introduced this scheme. It is not only the question of declaring incentives of 150 rupees, in my view every policeman should maintain physical fitness as it is very important because 'health is wealth'," said Subash Chutke, Senior Inspector, Scion Police Station, Mumbai. Under the scheme a lump sum incentive will be paid on a yearly basis to those officers who maintain physical fitness as clearly defined by a fitness standard on a continual basis.

Over fifty people killed, injured in Baghdad car blast (Go To Top)

Baghdad: A suicide car blast exploded today outside a famous restaurant here, killing and injuring over fifty people. According to eyewitnesses, the blast took place afternoon in a car parked outside a three-storey popular restaurant, Habyibna, located in Talibia area of the capital city. According to The News, cars parked near the blast site caught fire as the explosion occurred. On the other hand, dead bodies were also seen scattered at the blast site, sources informed. Police sources say more than fifty people either have been killed and injured in the incident.

Thousands march for restoration of democracy in Nepal (Go To Top)

Kathmandu: Thousands of people marched through the streets of Nepal's capital Kathmandu on Sunday (May 22) demanding restoration of democracy and civil liberties in the impoverished Himalayan kingdom. Demonstrators from seven political parties, including former members of Parliament and ministers, protested against King Gyanendra, who sacked the government on Feb. 1, seized power and jailed politicians under an emergency rule. "Restore civil liberties. Free detained political leaders. We want democracy," the activists shouted. Jhal Nath Khanal, leader of Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist), CPN(UML), said that the movement aimed to end the autocratic regime in the nation. "This movement will end the autocratic regime and establish a complete democracy," said Khanal. "Since there won't be an election for parliament, the alternate is to reinstate the House (of Representatives), and thereby move ahead for other reformative programs," said Jom Nath Dahal, another activist. The authorities warned political parties on Saturday against criticising the monarch. On Sunday, riot police were deployed in the temple-studded older part of the city where the protesters gathered. Police blocked main roads to prevent activists from entering the heart of the city. Anti-monarchy rallies have been allowed only on the outskirts of Kathmandu since the lifting of the emergency rule last month. "It will take some time to gain momentum. Once people rise, it will take a big shape," said Sasank Koirala, leader of Nepali Congress vowing to continue their struggle against the monarch. King Gyanendra seized power saying the government had failed to quell an anti-monarchy Maoist revolt in which close to 12,000 people have died since 1996. After widespread condemnation, the king lifted the emergency rule but continues to hold unlimited power. Many political leaders are still in jail and civil liberties remain suspended. Seven centrist and leftist parties, who have often bickered in the past, have agreed to launch a joint campaign for democracy including the revival of parliament dissolved in 2002.

Mobiles go basic sans the gizmos (Go To Top)

London: Telecom giant Vodafone has done a U-turn and taken mobiles to its primitive era of easy and simple to use gadgets sans flashy, cameras, games and ringtones. The latest phone 'Simply' by Vodafone launched recently is aimed at people who want to use their phones only for making phone calls and not for sending email, photographs, or for downloading music and making video calls. 'Simply' apart from making and receiving calls and texts also takes voice messages and shows its own number for those forget it. Designed to look like a home telephone, it has buttons 30 per cent bigger than normal with a flashing button showing when a message is received. Also it does not display any on-screen symbols but, only written instructions. Many are of the opinion that the phone will come in handy for those who are put off by complex technology. Also a survey by Vodafone over 1200 people has revealed that 50 percent of people over 55 were of the opinion that modern technology made life complicated. "It's ideal for people who have grown up in the 50s and 60s. They're not part of the mobile phone revolution but recognise the benefits of having one," The Mirror quoted Tim Yates, Vodafone's chief marketing officer as saying. "I think there are a lot of people like me who feel we've been busy doing other things and steadily technology has almost escaped us. Now it's so complex we're being put off starting. I don't want to spend half a day learning how to use a phone," said TV presenter Judy Finnigan while welcoming the phone. "I have felt a bit inadequate. I have laughed off my kids' jibes but it is not nice to have to go to someone else to ask them to get my mother on their mobile phone," she added.

Veselin Topalov triumph leaves Anand to second place (Go To Top)

Chennai: By beating Vladimir Kramnik with black pieces in the 10th and final round, the Bulgarian Veselin Topalov made India's Vishwanathan Anand settle for a second place in the M Tel Masters chess tournament in Sofia. Topalov finished with 6.5 points to take the first place. With his nearest rival, Viswanathan Anand, taking the runner-up spot after drawing his game with Hungary's Judit Polgar, Topalov won the tournament by one full point. This score is no less than a remarkable effort in what is one of the biggest events in the international chess calendar this year. Another distinctive feature of this success is that Topalov scored 4.5 points from his last five games in this six-player, double round-robin, Category 20 tournament - he won four games and drew one (with Judit Polgar) after fighting all the way. The last game to finish on Sunday was the one between Ruslan Ponomariov of Ukraine and Michael Adams of England. But it ended in a draw. On Saturday, Anand had put himself in contention for the title, defeating Adams with black pieces. Employing Petroff's Defence, he won in 60 moves. In the other games in the ninth round, Topalov made short work of Ponomariov in 30 moves of Queen's Indian Defence, while Kramnik and Polgar drew after 44 moves of Petroff's Defence. Veselin Topalov, , the thirty year old Bulgarian chess grandmaster was ranked number three in the world with an Elo rating of 2778 in the April 2005 FIDE rating list.

Born in Ruse, Bulgaria on March 15 in 1975, he was taught the rules of chess when he was eight years old by his father. In 1989, he won the World Under-14 Championship in Aguadilja, Puerto Rico. In 1990, he won the silver medal at the World Under-16 Championship in Singapore. He became a Grandmaster in 1992. Since 1994, Topalov has been leader of the Bulgarian national team. At the Chess Olympiad in 1994 in Moscow he beat Garry Kasparov, and led the Bulgarians to a fourth-place finish. He has won a number of tournaments, and at the FIDE World Championship in New Delhi in 2000 reached the quarter-finals. Topalov has a negative record against Kasparov, but has beaten him on a few occasions, including the last game Kasparov played before he announced his retirement at Linares 2005, and this encounter, played at the 1994 Chess Olympiad when Topalov was just 19 years old. His latest major success while playing in Sofia has proved what he is really capable of. The results (10th and final round): Vladimir Kramnik (Rus) 4 lost to Veselin Topalov (Bul) 6.5; Viswanathan Anand (Ind) 5.5 drew with Judit Polgar (Hun) 5. Ninth round: Veselin Topalov bt Ruslan Ponomariov; Judit Polgar drew with Vladimir Kramnik; Michael Adams lost to Viswanathan Anand. The final score were : 1. Topalov 6.5; 2. Anand 5.5; 3-4. Ponomariov and Polgar 5; 5-6. Kramnik and Adams 4.

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