Anand finishes second in Tata Chess

Five times winner Viswanathan Anand had to be content with a second place finish following a draw with Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia in the 13th and final round of 73rd Tata Steel Chess tournament here.

Team India begins World Cup practice

The Indian cricket team started its practice and exercise regimen here Wednesday, nine days ahead of the opening match against co-hosts Bangladesh in the 2011 World Cup.

Football Argentina win, Brazil lose

Lionel Messi won his personal duel with his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo lighting up Argentina's 2-1 win over Portugal by making one goal and scoring the winner in a lively friendly international in Geneva on Wednesday.

'Rebel' to start shoot in Feb 3rd week

Prabhas and Anushka Shetty starrer 'Rebel' with dance master Larencce as the director starts shooting from February 3rd week. J Bhagavan and Pulla Rao are producing the film on Sri Balaji Cine Media banner. Larencce is writing the script and is also choreographer for the film.

I will bounce back with VNR: Vishnu

Dimple Star Vishnu Manchu is all set to hit the screens this season with his romantic comedy 'Vasthadu Naa Raju'. His movie Saleem that released an year ago in the midst of Telangana storm didn't meet his expectations. The star promises to undo that what Saleem did to his career with this flick .

Thimmaraju release on Feb 25

Ali starrer 'Thimmaraju' will release at the end of February. The comedian hero will be seen in a tribal look in this film. 'Maa Team Leader' is the tagline for this film title.

Symbiosis International University Details

http://siu.edu.in/html/inner.asp?linkid=6


SYMBIOSIS ENTRANCE TEST (SET)

SET Test 2011 date: 7th May 2011

Online registration closes: 14 April 2011
Payment closes on: 16 April 2011
Set Test: 07 May 2011
Set Timing: 9.30 am to 12.00 pm:
Law / Engg / Health.Sci
2.30 pm to 5.00 pm:
General / Design
Set Result: 20 May 2011

Sreesanth replaces injured Praveen

The BCCI on Tuesday named S Sreesanth as a replacement for injured pacer Praveen Kumar in India's 15-member World Cup squad after the latter was ruled out due to an elbow injury.
"God has been kind to me, so I am playing the World Cup. I feel bad for Praveen, hope he recovers fast. I have been working on my game a lot and its been a learning experience, and am looking forward to the World Cup now,"

Ganguly dismisses retirement reports

Shunned by all the franchises for the fourth edition of the IPL, Sourav Ganguly's remarks on the IPL snub and his future in a television interview triggered speculation that the former India captain has retired from all forms of the game.

S.Lanka legend Murali to help Aussie spinners

Legendary Sri Lankan bowler Muttiah Muralitharan is to take a guest coaching role at Australia's top cricket academy in a bid to revamp the nation's spin hopes, according to reports

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo take duel to international level

Argentina's Lionel Messi and Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo will headline a match set to showcase plenty of attacking flair when they take their Spanish rivalry to Switzerland for a friendly on Wednesday
Probable teams:

Portugal: Eduardo; Jose Bosingwa, Ricardo Carvalho, Bruno Alves, Fabio Coentrao; Joao Moutinho, Raul Meireles, Carlos Martins; Nani, Helder Postiga, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Argentina: Sergio Romero; Pablo Zabaleta, Nicolas Burdisso, Gabriel Milito, Ezequiel Garay; Ever Banega, Javier Mascherano, Javier Pastore; Juan Manuel Martinez, Lionel Messi, Ezequiel Lavezzi

Nayanthara says that they are spreading rumours that she will not act in films

Actress Nayanthara is in love with Prabhu Deva and both of them are going to get married soon. Nayanthara is currently acing in a Telugu film titled Ramayanam. She is donning the role of Seetha in this film. The shooting of the film is taking place in Hyderabad. Nayanthara’s interview appeared recently in a Telugu weekly magazine. In that interview Nayanthara has mentioned that she will not act in films after her marriage since Prabhu Deva has ordered her not to act.

Nayanthara has refuted this. She says that the magazine has published what she has not said.

When contacted Nayanthara regarding this who was in Hyderabad for the shooting of Ramayanam, she said," Recently a Telugu magazine has published that I had said that I will not act in films after marriage and that Ramayanam will be my last film because Prabhu Deva has insisted that I should not act after my marriage.

Story of Gaganam?

IT is a hijack-based script. The story takes place in 5 days. People of various backgrounds and characterizations board a flight and it gets hijacked. This story has various aspects to it -

1. Each passenger (one politician and one film hero among them) react to such a crisis situation in a different way.
2. The reactions of the family members, relatives, friends who sent them off and who are about to receive them at destination.
3. The Government reaction and the decisions it take. The deployment of the right people from air force and army to deal with the crisis.
4. How media sensationalises the issue without realising the human angle in it.

There is beautiful humor generated out of tense situation in the flight. Humor is going to be a major asset to the film along with the script.

Nag Chitanya

After recent blockbusters like Jalsa, Ghajani and Magadheera gold mine Geetha Arts is coming up with another promising youthful entertainer PR#31 (Name not announced yet) with Nag Chitanya and milky beauty Tamanna.

This beautiful stylish love story is directed by sensible and stylish director Sukumar (winner of Santhosam awards best stylish film director for 2009) who delivered super hit like Arya. Devi Sri Prasad high voltage music is another attraction and it is already proven with Arya series! They are getting ready to repeat the magic again with this movie also

World Cup Match Schedule

Rafael Nadal

Spanish Tennis Player Rafael Nadal arrives for the Laureus Awards in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Monday Feb. 7, 2011. Rafael Nadal and Lindsey Vonn won this year's individual Laureus Sports Awards on Monday, with Spain's World Cup champions taking the team prize.

Praveen Kumar looking a doubtful ??

India's World Cup preparations appear to have received a blow with pacer Praveen Kumar looking a doubtful starter for the forthcoming event as he hasn't fully recovered from the elbow injury sustained during the South African series last month.
With less than a fortnight to go for the cricket World Cup to get underway, it has been learnt that the anxious Cricket Board (BCCI) has also called discarded Kerala pacer S Sreesanth to the NCA as Praveen's possible replacement for the quadrennial event, beginning in Dhaka on February 19.

Sreesanth took a fitness test in the afternoon at NCA, a move which is seen as a precautionary measure by the BCCI.

Chiranjeevi's PRP merges with Congress

Chiranjeevi insists that the merger has been agreed upon without any pre-conditions and that he has no "selfish motives".
PRP favours tie-up with Cong
Naidu happy as Cong,
Chiru get closerRS poll: Sonia seeks PRP's help
PRP workers attack TV channel
Cong woos Chiru to offset: Jagan

Black money list revealed

After two years of debates and controversies the list of eighteen Indians who have stashed ‘black money’ in the LGT bank of Liechtenstein is out.

The list which was officially handed over to the Indian Government on March 18, 2009 includes 12 trusts and 26 beneficiaries.

The list that Germany shared with India had 12 trusts out of which four belong to Indians. The beneficiaries are

1. Manoj Dhupelia
2. Rupal Dhupelia
3. Mohan Dhupelia
4. Hasmukh Gandhi
5. Chintan Gandhi
6. Dilip Mehta
7. Arun Mehta
8. Arun Kochar
9. Gunwanti Mehta
10. Rajnikant Mehta
11. Prabodh Mehta
12. Ashok Jaipuria
13. Raj Foundation
14. Urvashi Foundation
15. Ambrunova Trust

According to CNN IBN, the amounts in the twelve accounts totals nearly to Rs 52 Crores.

The list has been leaked out of various media houses across the country. However, experts are of the view that this could be a plant – while the real account holders are some where out there.

Also read

What did NDA govt do to bring back black money: Cong teaser to BJP

Waiting for India’s request in Hasan Ali case: Swiss govt

BJP politicising black money issue, says Cong

Both Cong, BJP try to save people with black money: CPI

ICC imposes lengthy sanctions on tainted Pak trio

The ICC imposed a 10 year ban on Butt with five years of suspended sentence, Asif was awarded a seven-year sanction with two years suspended, while Amir was banned for five years.

"The tribunal heard the charges as Amir agreed to bowl no-balls, and did bowl no-balls and Butt was party to the bowling of those deliberate balls, and the tribunal impose the following sanctions," a statement read out at the tribunal said.

"On Butt's ten years ineligibility, five years of which are suspended on the condition that he doesn't commit further breaches of the code, and that he participates under the auspices of the Pakistan Cricket Board in a programme of anti-corruption education," the statement said.

"On Asif, a sanction of seven years of ineligibility, two years of which are suspended on the condition that he commits no further breach of the code and also participates in an anti-corruption programme.

"On Amir, a sanction of five years ineligibility. No further sanctions are imposed on any player,"

India maintains top spot in ICC Test Championship

The Proteas, who started the series against India on 116 ratings points, have gained one ratings point and moved to 117 ratings points.

India though has dropped one ratings point, but it continues to lead South Africa by 11 ratings as it is now on 128 ratings points.

Andrew Strauss praises Flower's Ashes input

Sydney: England's Ashes series winners have yet to reach their peak, victorious captain Andrew Strauss said after his team's thumping final Test victory over Australia on Friday.

England's emphatic innings and 83-run victory in the Sydney Test completed a 3-1 series rout of the sorry Australians for their third win in the past four Ashes series.

Strauss and coach Andy Flower were the masterminds behind England's powerful showing, which has raised hopes they will ultimately challenge to become the top team in world cricket.

England are currently ranked third in Test cricket behind India and South Africa, with Australia sliding to fifth after their sixth defeat in their past eight Tests.

Looking ahead to the next Ashes series in England in 2013, Strauss said: "It's impossible to look into your crystal ball and know what's going to come. "There are going to be injuries, other guys are going to put their hands up and want to be part of the team. The majority of the team are going to be hitting their peak time in the next couple of years and that's encouraging for us."

But Strauss is not prepared to stand still and bask in the achievement of England's first series triumph in Australia for 24 years. "We've always got to be thinking about how we can improve and get better and hopefully one or two guys will be sticking their hands up and saying 'I can add something to this team as well'," he said.

"Clearly it's a very good achievement to come out here and win. Equally clearly the captain's only as good as the team he's got. I think when I retire, I'll sit back and think that was one of the most special times of my career, definitely. While I'm captain of the England side, you're not doing your job if you're not looking ahead to what's coming ahead and trying to keep the guys improving and going forward."

Strauss was cautious not to be too bold and declare he will captain England against Australia in over two years' time. "I think the more you do the job, the more you learn. The more you learn, the more you develop your tactics, your thinking the way you interact with people," he said.

"Definitely experience accounts for a huge amount. I've been doing the job for a couple of years now, hopefully there's a couple left there as well."

England had some special performances in the series with Strauss's opening batting partner, Alastair Cook, named man of the series. Cook was the series topscorer with 766 at 127.66, second only to Wally Hammond's 905 in 1928-29 for most runs for England in a series in Australia.

James Anderson finished the series with 24 wickets, the most by any England bowler since Frank Tyson took 28 in 1954-5. Wicketkeeper Matt Prior took 23 catches in the series and smashed the fastest century for England since Ian Botham in 1981 with his hundred off 109 balls in Sydney.

"For me the most impressive thing is the number of runs we've scored consistently which has been a bit of a weakness for us in the past," Strauss said.

"In that sense I'm excited about what we can achieve in the future. The bowlers to be able to perform like that day in day out over five Test matches, is an exceptional effort. We've got some good depth and we're going to need it because the schedule is very tight and there are going to be injuries. It's when you most need people to stand deliver and you're always wondering at the back of your mind, are people going to do that? But you've seen the guys have all done that."