achcha tumhari age kitni hai

David Beckham flew to Britain on Thursday because his father was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack.

The English soccer star, who hasn't played a game since Aug. 30 because of a right knee injury, took the first flight from Los Angeles to London after hearing the news.

"His father had a heart attack," Beckham's agent, Simon Oliveira said. "David was made aware of it late last night. He caught the first available flight and he'll be arriving in London around lunchtime."

The 59-year-old Ted Beckham was taken to a hospital near his home in east London on Wednesday night, and then transferred to another hospital.

"We can confirm that he is a patient," Barts and The London NHS Trust spokeswoman Michelle Alexander said. "He's in stable condition at the London Chest Hospital."

Oliveira said Ted Beckham had surgery and is in intensive care.

Ted Beckham, whose real first name is David, is divorced. Besides the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder, he also has a daughter, Joanne.

In 2005, Ted Beckham published a book called "David Beckham: My Son." It was reported that the book led to a falling out between the two Beckhams because Ted did not get David's permission before writing it, but the pair have since reconciled.

David Beckham is one of the biggest sports personalities in the world. The England midfielder and former captain joined Manchester United in 1989 at the age of 14, debuted in 1992, and won six Premier League titles and a Champions League medal before transferring in 2003 to Real Madrid. He joined the Los Angeles Galaxy this summer on a five-year, $32.5 million contract.

Beckham's wife, former Spice Girls singer Victoria, was flying back to Britain from Japan, publicist Jo Milloy said.

Third quake in two days rocks coast of Indonesia

PADANG, Indonesia:

Another earthquake shook the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Thursday, after two powerful quakes struck earlier that day and on Wednesday, but the area escaped a major tsunami like the one that devastated the region in 2004.

More than a dozen people were reported to have died in the earthquakes, and hundreds of buildings were damaged in the coastal cities of Padang and Bengkulu in western Sumatra.

The shaking continued through the day Thursday, keeping residents on edge. Some fled to higher ground away from the coastline; many more camped outdoors in the streets and parks.

The first and biggest of the shocks, with a magnitude of 8.4 on Wednesday evening, was the third in a cluster of earthquakes in the area in the past three years with a magnitude of more than 8.0.

That cluster could be a signal that the western coast of Sumatra, which stretches 1,100 miles, could face still more danger, scientists say.

am more convinced than ever that we are going to be seeing a significantly larger earthquake in the area," said Kerry Sieh, a seismologist from the California Institute of Technology who has spent several decades studying earthquake risk around Sumatra.

"These three big earthquakes, they just encircle this big patch that has not failed, a big strong part of the fault that hasn't broken yet," he said. "The million-dollar question is: Is it over?"

The major earthquake on Wednesday, about 60 miles southwest of Bengkulu, was followed by a series of aftershocks, and one of them, on Thursday morning, was a serious earthquake on its own.

It struck almost 200 miles northwest of the epicenter of the earlier earthquake, or about 125 miles to the northwest of Bengkulu, and had a magnitude of 7.8.

It was followed shortly before noon by another significant earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.1.

As the earth shook along the Sumatran coast, tsunami warnings were repeatedly issued and then withdrawn by governments in Asian and African countries along the Indian Ocean.

The range of nations in the alert reflected the damage done in December 2004, when a tsunami took an estimated 230,000 lives on the Indian Ocean rim, with the heaviest death toll in Aceh Province in northern Sumatra.

In recent months, Padang stepped up a public education campaign, drawing on the lessons of Aceh. Residents there headed for higher ground in a relatively orderly way after the latest quakes, one earthquake monitor said.

"A few people panicked, but the city is under control," said Patra Rina Dewi, who leads an organization called Kogami, which has been educating residents about earthquakes and tsunamis. "Our mayor was on the radio giving instructions to the community and to agencies about what they should do."

His reports were relayed by mosques using loudspeakers commonly used to call Muslims to prayer.

A radio and Internet early warning system installed in Padang in response to the 2004 tsunami failed to work.

"We are studying what went wrong," said Willy Wicaksono, speaking by telephone from the Padang Emergency Command Center. "We were only using the two-meter band radio and the phone. Fortunately the phones were quite O.K."

Roads and communications were damaged, making it hard to assess the full scope of the damage and casualties.

Bengkulu, a city of 1.2 million, was the closest large community to the latest earthquakes, and it had the most damage.

Vice Governor Syamlan, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, said that 10 people died in Bengkulu. He said 2,406 buildings were destroyed or heavily damaged, as well as 13 bridges and roads.

One person died in Padang and three others in the surrounding area, said a local journalist, Sofiardi, quoting official figures.

A local journalist, Mardyansyah, said 10,000 people were in hastily erected refugee camps. The ground continues to shake, and they are afraid to return home for fear of another major shock, he said.

"People are running out of food, water, clothes and medicine," he said. "Many are injured, but they cannot be taken to the hospital because part of the hospital building has collapsed."

The hospital in Padang was also damaged, and patients were camping out in tents in the parking lot on Thursday. One woman gave birth in the parking lot.

One resident of Bengkulu, Yunus, 46, loaded his family into a car and fled one of the worst-hit areas, Mukumuku, a village within the city.

"The first earthquake was so strong," he said. "I heard people shouting, 'Earthquake! Tsunami! Earthquake! Tsunami!' The ground was shaking and we all ran from our houses."

Just two buildings were officially reported to have collapsed in Padang, with an additional 159 heavily damaged.

the relatively light damage, many residents of Padang appeared deeply upset by the continuing strong shocks.

"We are very stressed," said Wawan, 36. "Every time we think it's safe, another tremor rolls underneath our feet, and we don't know what to expect."

Many, like Charli Josal, 25, who works in a hardware store, fled to higher ground inland — and said they would stay there.

"It's not safe down there," he said.

Dravid resigns as India captain

Rahul Dravid has resigned as India captain with immediate effect. In a letter written to the Indian board, he has asked to be relieved of the captaincy before Australia's forthcoming tour of India, beginning later this month.

The board president, Sharad Pawar, said Dravid told him of his wish to step down, with immediate effect, when they met on Thursday. "He said, 'The selectors have placed faith in me to lead continuously for two years and I'm grateful for that'", Pawar said. "He said he would like to concentrate on his batting and the opportunity should be given to a new person to lead the side."

"He has discussed the issue with me twice. I think we need to respect his decision," Pawar said.

Dravid had opted out of the ICC World Twenty20 currently on in South Africa and the captaincy of that team was handed to Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Shah told Cricinfo the board would meet within the next two days to appoint the next captain. "We will take a decision very soon." Australia arrive in India on September 25 and the first of seven ODIs is in Bangalore four days later.

Dilip Vengsarkar, the chairman of selectors, said a decision would be taken on September 18, when the team for the Australia ODIs is to be picked.

Vengsarkar, who was in New Delhi watching the match between India A and South Africa A, appeared unaware of the news until told about it by journalists. Asked for his reaction, Vengsarkar said: "I can't even be shocked because [officially] I haven't heard anything."

Dravid, 33, has captained India in 20 Tests and 62 ODIs since taking over the captaincy from Sourav Ganguly two years ago, following India's tour of Zimbabwe.

Under his captaincy India won eight Tests, including series wins in West Indies, Bangladesh and England. However, his ODI record was patchy; he began on a winning streak, where India set a record for 16 consecutive successful chases. More recently, though, the team had a first-round exit from the World Cup in the Caribbean and lost the NatWest series to England 4-3.

As captain, he averaged 51 in Tests and 44 in ODIs but his Test form had dipped of late; he averaged 25 against England recently and 21 on the South Africa tour last year.

His decision comes as India is preparing for a busy season including a home series against Pakistan and a full tour of Australia.

'Will consider request for Dawood's extradition'

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has said she will certainly look into India's request for extradition of Mumbai serial blasts accused Dawood Ibrahim, who is believed to be in Karachi.

"We will certainly look into the request by the Indian government," she told Karan Thapar on his programme "India Tonight" telecast on CNN-IBN.

Bhutto was asked whether she would grant the extradition of Dawood if she is elected to power.

"If he is living in Karachi, it is very wrong ... I do not want Pakistan should get a bad name and be seen as a country that harbours criminals from all parts of the world, including India," she said.

Bhutto, who has been living in self-imposed exile in London, said that the militants Pakistan "nurtured" during the Afghan war against the Soviet Union had returned to haunt them.

"Groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayyaba have unleashed suicide bombings in Pakistan," she said adding that it was time "Pakistan put its internal house into order".

Backing the composite dialogue between India and Pakistan, Bhutto said the process "is setting a new pace, setting a new agenda and a new goal."

The two-time premier said Kashmir was a core issue between the two countries but not the one that should be allowed to derail the Indo-Pak relationship or the dialogue.

Exert pressure to get us Dawood: CBI to Interpol

Without naming Pakistan, CBI said on Wednesday that the international community should exert pressure over the country "harbouring" global terrorist Dawood Ibrahim so that he could be handed over to India to face trial.

CBI Director Vijay Shanker told reporters that the world community, which says it believes in peaceful co-existence, should exert pressure on the country "where we all know he is" for handing over Dawood to India.

Shanker, who was flanked by Interpol Secretary General Ronald K Noble, was replying to a question about the efficacy of Interpol Red Corner notices when a global terrorist like Dawood could not be brought before the law.

The CBI Director said cooperation should not only be confined to dreaded criminals like Dawood but also to other such fugitives, who have been hiding in countries "harbouring" them.

The Interpol Secretary General admitted that Red Corner Warrant was only to inform the member countries about wanted criminals. "We can only say. It is for the judicial order of that country whether it wanted to comply with the warrant," Noble said.

The CBI Director favoured that 186-member countries of the Interpol make a move for giving legal sanctity to the Red Corner notices.

Asked whether the Red Corner notice against the alleged Bofors accused Ottavio Quattrocchi was in operation, Noble said "the Interpol warrant is not withdrawn until asked by the requesting country."

Shanker said it was on the basis of the Interpol Red Corner Notice that Quattrocchi had been detained in Malaysia and very recently in Argentina.

While there was no legal sanctity to the Red Corner Notice, it was still helpful in cornering an accused in view of an alert generated by the world police, he said.

On questions regarding cyber laws of India, Noble said it was a very well established fact that India was the leader in Information Technology and had tough cyber laws.

Earlier, welcoming delegates from 37 countries, the CBI Director advocated concerted efforts for capacity building and training of all those associated with the criminal justice system.

The Interpol Secretary General said it was the endeavour of the world police organisation to strengthen member states' ability to combat cyber crime.

London: Haymarket Hotel

THE BASICS

All you need to know about the Haymarket, the latest luxury offering in the rapidly expanding empire of the British hoteliers Tim and Kit Kemp, can be found in the basement of the converted Regency-era building designed by John Nash. There — reached by an elevator that robotically (and annoyingly) announces the arrival of every floor — you will find a gorgeous 60-foot pool, hypnotically lighted by the ever-changing (one minute blue, the next yellow or red) wall installation by the artist Martin Richman, along with a sleek pewter bar and several seating areas with modish sofas, including a few covered in gold lamé. It almost seems a shame to disturb the serenity of this achingly beautiful room by actually going for a dip. And that's kind of how the Haymarket feels: like an expensively designed stage set for an upscale hotel rather than a comforting place you might gratefully return to after a hectic day seeing London.

THE LOCATION

The hotel is set on a small street off Haymarket, in central London, an area crowded with tourist attractions, like the National Gallery (two blocks away) and several West End theaters, but thin on upscale lodging choices.

THE LOOK

In a word, eclectic. Kit Kemp, the designer half of the duo, has created individual looks for each of the 50 rooms and suites, mixing eras, colors and fabrics. (Though the inclusion of bare dressing dummies in many of the rooms seems to be one consistent touch.) On the ground floor are three spacious rooms that lead into one another: a stark lobby in white and yellow dominated by a Tony Cragg sculpture; a coolly elegant conservatory done in shades of green; and the boldly furnished library with wild patterns and colors that at first glance seem to clash, but then gradually grow on you. (Maybe the “honor” bar, with its ample alcoholic offerings, helps.)

THE CROWD

Dedicated Kempophiles who have followed every step of this stylish couple as they have progressively moved up the hipster food chain, from the lovely country-house style of the Pelham in South Kensington to the buzz-creating Soho Hotel in the heart of London's media district.

THE ROOMS

The bedrooms are surprisingly — stunningly — large by London standards, with furnishings that are a mix of modern pieces and antiques. The roomy bathrooms are sleekly designed in granite, glass and oak, with double basins, a separate shower and an oversize bathtub, as well as large flat-screen TVs.

AMENITIES

All the standard high-tech offerings — high-speed wireless access, DVD/CD players — are provided in guest rooms, but the gym (situated off the pool area) is a disappointingly small and cheerless place.

ROOM SERVICE

Available 24 hours, with offerings ranging from mushroom and taleggio panini (£8.50, or $17 at $2 to the pound) to a grilled leg of lamb with a rosemary and anchovy sauce (£14.50). A Continental breakfast ordered for 9 a.m. arrived right on the dot.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Some fans of the Kemps may yearn for a hotel that tries a little less strenuously to make a statement, but you can't fault the couple's commercial instincts: During a recent stay, a party was held each night somewhere in the hotel, while a clutch of paparazzi waited outside for someone fabulous to exit. Rooms start at £245 for a double and go up to £2,250 for a two-bedroom suite. Haymarket Hotel, 1 Suffolk Place, (44-20) 7470-4000, www.firmdale.com.

Bin Laden releases video as CIA issues warning

A videotaped message by Osama bin Laden, the first in nearly three years, compares the Iraq war to American blunders in Vietnam, criticizes the Democratic Party for failing to pull American troops from Iraq, and urges Americans to embrace Islam.

Details of the video emerged Friday, the same day that the director of the Central Intelligence Agency gave a public warning about Al Qaeda's gathering strength and unapologetically defended his agency's campaign to kill and capture the group's operatives worldwide.

The video, timed to the approaching sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, shows the leader of Al Qaeda with a black beard, and his references to news events appear to date the tape to within the past few months.

The 26-minute video does not contain any direct warnings of an impending attack, focusing instead on the Iraq war and the "terrorism" of Western leaders, including President George W. Bush, Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France. bin Laden vowed to "continue to escalate the killing and fighting" in Iraq.

President George W. Bush, speaking in Sydney, Australia, said, "Iraq is part of this war against extremists," The Associated Press reported. "If Al Qaeda bothers to mention Iraq, it's because they want to achieve their objectives in Iraq, which is to drive us out."

transcript of the tape was made available by the SITE Institute, a research organization that monitors the video and Internet messages of jihadist groups.

An American intelligence official said that an initial analysis confirmed that the voice on the tape was bin Laden's. It is the first video message from bin Laden since October 2004; he released an audio message last summer.

During a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations Friday, the CIA director, General Michael Hayden defended the agency's controversial program of detaining terrorism suspects in secret jails abroad and subjecting them to harsh interrogation. He insisted that those efforts were legal, but pledged that his agency would operate right at the boundary of what is permitted by law.

Hayden said that domestic and European criticism of C.I.A operations was misguided and that it exaggerated the number of suspects in agency hands.

It is rare for a CIA director to defend his agency in such a public forum, and Hayden said Friday that he had asked to speak at the council.

During a question and answer session after the speech, Hayden lamented that the Sept. 11 attacks have become a distant memory for too many Americans, giving rise to intense criticism of American counterterrorism efforts.

He said that the number of detainees moved through CIA prisons over the past five years was fewer than 100, and that the CIA had transferred several dozen more into the hands of foreign governments for detention, a practice called extraordinary rendition.

Citing the findings of a recent National Intelligence Estimate about the terrorism threat, Hayden said that American spy agencies believed that Al Qaeda was planning "high-impact plots" against the United States and focusing on targets that would "produce mass casualties, dramatic destruction and significant economic aftershocks."

He said intelligence agencies were uncertain whether Al Qaeda had again succeeded in slipping operatives into the United States.

Shoaib Akhtar hits Asif, says sorry

After his unceremonious ouster from the Twenty20 World Cup, temperamental Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar apologised for hitting fellow pacer Mohammad Asif with a bat following a verbal spat.

"I am really sorry. I am feeling very bad at the moment. Sometimes you do things in a fit of anger. Once I am back I will discuss the matter with my family and friends and hold a press conference. I will apologise to everyone," Shoaib told a TV channel.

Shoaib hit Asif on his thigh after the two had a heated exchange during a training session in South Africa following which Pakistan Cricket Board immediately called him back as a disciplinary measure.

Although Shoaib admitted that he crossed the line much too often, he also insisted that he was unfairly targeted by the media.

"Everything happened all of a sudden. I made a mistake but then who does not. I am sorry for what happened but I think I can put the whole thing behind and come back stronger," Shoaib said.

"I admit that I make mistakes but the media glare on me is such that everything gets blown out of proportion. The media does not go after everybody, it only targets me. But what has happened has happened and I will try bouncing back as soon as possible," he said.

Students come together to search for missing Utah woman

CNNU campus correspondent Joshua Molina is a senior at Brigham Young University. He joined the search for college student Camille Cleverly and wrote the following commentary on what he saw. CNNU is a feature that provides student perspectives on news and trends from colleges across the United States. The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of CNN, its affiliates or the schools where the campus correspondents are based.

Hundreds of volunteers gathered on Brigham Young University's campus Friday to help find a college student who vanished more than a week ago.

The volunteers were grouped into parties of 10, then sent into a neighborhood covering a three-mile radius around Camille Cleverley's apartment.

So far, the only clue to what happened to the 22-year-old BYU student is her bicycle found miles up a mountain canyon.

The groups spent the day knocking on doors, asking residents if they were in the area when Cleverley was last seen.

They asked if anyone had seen anything suspicious, including people buying women's clothing.

On BYU's campus, posters seeking information about Cleverley are everywhere, and there are renewed calls for students to be safe.

I followed some of those students as they went door to door.

Before the organizers sent us out, they briefed us on what to do in case we found her, dead or alive. Since she's been missing for eight days, we had to hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

They also told us to look out for a possible change of appearance, such as different clothes, or a new hairstyle or hair color, as happened in the Elizabeth Smart abduction case a few years ago.

A searcher I spoke to by Bridal Veil Falls, where police say Cleverley's bicycle was found, said that he was among those looking for Elizabeth, and they walked right past her on occasions and didn't realize who she was.

After being briefed by volunteer coordinators, I met the rest of our party at a rendezvous spot by a park in South Provo, and followed Todd and Rachel Freestone with my video camera. Todd is a recent BYU graduate, and Rachel is finishing up her social work degree.

"I came because I heard about the missing girl, and it just touched my heart," Rachel said. They heard about Friday's search after visiting their friend Dallas Bean's apartment last night.

Our team leader was Jeremy Smith, a BYU student from Sacramento, California.

"I got the e-mail last night, and I didn't have any classes today, so I figured I'd come," Smith said. He was chosen because of previous first aid experience.

Door to door, they followed protocol and asked residents about the missing student. Some neighbors weren't home, and others told all they knew.

The Freestones carefully took notes as they asked their questions at the doorstep. Some people shied away from the camera, so I tried to stay as far back as possible.

It seemed like the leads weren't going anywhere, so I headed to Bridal Veil Falls, where police and professional searchers were still on the trail. Volunteers were discouraged from searching up the canyon.

Police were friendly but had little to say. The falls were beautiful on this September afternoon, but there was no sign of Cleverley.

The area around the falls has a long bike trail, and searchers were specifically interested in that area since that is where the bicycle was found.

It was allegedly stolen by someone at that spot, then turned over to police, making this investigation even more bizarre. No one would comment on what is happening to the people that turned in the bike.

Searchers looked all over the falls area Friday morning, reaching the top of the falls, even though they seriously doubt that the missing woman could've gotten that far up without climbing gear or a climbing team. Still, police are trying every lead they can get.

I went as far as I could into the investigation scene, passing by police interrogating a man who seemed to have seen two men and a woman walking around the area.

Salman can go abroad, rules Rajasthan HC

The Rajasthan High Court allowed film star Salman Khan, who is out on bail after his conviction in a chinkara poaching case, to go to Austria and the Czech Republic for the shooting of feature film Yuvraj.

Justice H R Panwar, while considering the application filed on behalf of Salman, has granted him the permission to visit Austria from September 13 to 30 and Czech Republic from October 1 to 15 for the shoot of the Mukta Arts' upcoming movie, said H M Saraswat, counsel for Salman.

Additional Advocate General Kantilal Thakur opposed the actor's plea contending that the documents submitted along with the application seeking permission for foreign visits are not supported by any affidavit.

The High Court, after hearing both sides, granted permission to the film star to go abroad for the shoot, Saraswat added.

A sessions court had upheld on August 24 a trial court verdict sentencing Khan to five years' imprisonment for killing a chinkara at Ghoda Farm in 1998 during the shoot of the film Hum Saath Saath Hain. The actor was arrested the following day on his arrival in Jodhpur from Mumbai.

The High Court, however, gave bail to Khan on August 31 who walked free last Friday after spending 6 nights in jail.

Salman has to get the permission also from the court of district judicial magistrate for his overseas trip. His counsel would file a separate application for this before the court on Monday as the trial of a black buck poaching case against him in Kankani is pending before the court.

Besides, an appeal against Khan's sentence of one year imprisonment in another chinkara poaching case in Bhagwad is also pending before the district and sessions court of Jodhpur but there is no need to get permission from there, Saraswat said.

X topper of 2006

Salman Khan displays the worlds’s most expensive Necktie

Bollywood actor Salman Khan displays the worlds’s most expensive Necktie, at a fashion show titled Cultural Ties. The necktie crafted by fashion house Satya Paul is made from pure silk and 150 gms of white gold, studded with 261 diamonds weighing 77carats is priced at 21 million US dollars

'It is a great relief that Salman is home'

"It is a great relief to us that he is home," said actor Sohail Khan, Salman's younger brother. Hordes of fans and well wishers jostled with each other outside the Khan residence in Bandra to get a glimpse of the actor.

Khan flew to Mumbai, along with his family and lawyer Dipesh Mehta in a chartered plane from Jodhpur.

Friends from within the industry also heaved a sigh of relief. "Salman is a great human being and does not deserve to be unhappy," said David Dhawan, the director of the actor's latest blockbuster 'Partner'.

Filmmaker Karan Johar said he was unaware of the legal aspect of the case. He, however, said, "Salman is a very dear friend and I hope things get better for him."

However, it was Salman's father Salim Khan who summed it up by saying, "Everyone who knows and cares for Salman and has been with him throughout this ordeal is sure to feel a sense of relief."

Salim said the actor's mother, Salma, had been the most affected after her son was arrested.

"She was in a terrible state and broke down frequently. But her prayers have finally been answered," said the veteran script writer.

Life is very, very tough inside the jail: Salman

Bollywood star Salman Khan, who was incarcerated in a chinkara poaching case, said he was "not guilty and did not want to hold his head in shame".

The actor, who reached Mumbai on Friday night after his release from Jodhpur jail, was given a rousing welcome by his fans, who waited all day outside his residence.

Speaking to media later, he said, "I believe in destiny and I am not guilty. Also the six days in jail were not easy. Life is very, very tough there.

"I don't want to blame anybody. Whatever is in my destiny will happen and I will accept it".

However, he said, "Justice will take its own course and I am hundred per cent confidant that I will be out of it (exonerated)".

Stating that his family was his strength and his support system, he said, "I cried on the Rakhi day. It was tough for me.

"I spent most of my time, making paintings in jail, which I would like to auction".

Salman Khan also said that he did not want Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt to go to jail.

Thanking his fans for being supportive to him, he said fans should keep control over their emotions and not loose their mental balance.

He said he had to climb the building compound wall just to avoid the crowd.

Police had a tough time managing the surging crowd and also had to use lathi charge to keep them under control.

After spending six nights behind bars, Bollywood star Salman Khan on Friday walked out of prison after the Rajasthan High Court gave him bail and suspended his five-year sentence awarded for killing an endangered deer nine years back.

Justice H R Panwar ordered the release of the 41-year-old star in the Chinkara poaching case after directing him to furnish a personal bond of Rs one lakh and two surety bonds of Rs 50,000.

Salman was arrested on Saturday last after losing his appeal in the District and Session court of Jodhpur against his five-year sentence in the Chinkara poaching case awarded by the Chief Judicial Magistrate on April 10 last year.

The five-year sentence will remain suspended till the order on the star's revision petition is pronounced.

After 6 nights, Salman walks out of jail

After spending six nights behind bars, Bollywood star Salman Khan on Friday walked out of the prison after the Rajasthan High Court gave bail and suspended his five-year sentence awarded for killing an endangered deer nine years back.

Justice H R Panwar ordered the release of the 41-year-old star in the Chinkara poaching case after directing him to furnish a personal bond of Rs one lakh and two surety bonds of Rs 50,000.

Clad in a jeans pant and a white full-sleeved shirt folded, a relaxed Salman sporting a black and grey cap and a black bag slung on his shoulders came out of the jail shortly before six p.m. He waved to the crowd waiting outside to have a glimpse of him and once greeted them with folded hands.

The star's bodyguard--Shera-- was the first to greet him outside the gate. He was quickly put in a waiting vehicle by police and taken to the hotel on his way to Mumbai by a chartered flight.

His lawyers earlier fulfilled all the release formalities within a few hours after the judge gave the order giving the actor some reprieve.

The judge gave the order after hearing arguments for three hours on his revision petition along with the bail application. The court fixed the next date of hearing the revision petition on 24 October.

Salman, who was arrested on Saturday last, is lodged in the central jail in Jodhpur after losing his appeal in the district and session court of Jodhpur against his five-year sentence in the Chinkara poaching case awarded by the Chief Judicial Magistrate on April 10 last year.

The five-year sentence will remain suspended till the order on the star's revision petition is pronounced.

A CHAK DE! INDIA for football, courtesy John?

Much to the delight of the nation, the Indian football team has done a CHAK DE! INDIA by winning the Nehru Cup for the first time. It is the first big triumph for the team after decades of disappointment.

In a bid to keep the show going, the media has this story about a football based film, very much in the CHAK DE! INDIA mould, featuring John Abraham, to be made by the A.I.F.F. (All India Football Federation).

However, when John was contacted he was unaware about any such film. He did add that perhaps the talks are about DHAN DHANA DHAN GOAL, a football centric movie that he intends to show to the A.I.F.A. president, Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi.

While on John, though his mobile welcomes one with a 1000 cc mobike tone, he absolutely loves football and is a keen and avid watcher of the game.

WWE discusses steroids investigation with N.Y. prosecutors

Officials from World Wrestling Entertainment met this week with New York prosecutors investigating illegal steroid sales.

WWE Vice President Jennifer McIntosh confirmed the Tuesday meeting but declined to comment on what was discussed. Calls to Albany County District Attorney P. David Soares' office were not immediately returned Thursday.

The day before the meeting, former pro wrestler Brian "Crush" Adams, 44, was found dead of undetermined causes in his Florida home. Authorities said tissue and toxicology tests are due in six to eight weeks.

Adams had not been a wrestler for WWE since 2001, McIntosh said. His death came less than two months after pro wrestler Chris Benoit killed his wife and son before hanging himself on the cable of a weight machine in his Georgia home. Prescription anabolic steroids were found in the home, raising questions about whether the drugs played a role in the killings.

Soares' office has said Benoit had been a client of Signature Pharmacy of Orlando, Fla., which is at the center of the investigation.

Nine people, including three current or former physicians, have pleaded guilty, most affiliated with Internet and phone-order companies that filled orders for anabolic steroids and growth hormones through Signature and sent drugs to customers around the country, including Albany County.

Signature's owners have pleaded not guilty.

In New York, it is illegal for a doctor to prescribe drugs without examining the patient in person, and illegal for a pharmacy to dispense prescription drugs without a valid prescription.

National Football League officials met with Soares and other investigators in March. An NFL spokesman said they had asked the prosecutors' office for any information relevant to the league.

WWE suspends 10 for violating policy that requires drug tests

World Wrestling Entertainment, under fire since one of its top stars was involved in a double-murder suicide, announced the suspension of 10 of its wrestlers on Thursday.

They are being suspended for violating the WWE's "wellness policy."

The move comes as investigators from the Albany, N.Y., district attorney's office have been gathering information about steroid use by WWE wrestlers as part of a wide ranging investigation into online pharmacies and the doctors who write prescriptions for them.

WWE did not release the names of those suspended. A source close to the investigation said that WWE was told that the following wrestlers were among the clients of one of the pharmacies under investigation, Signature of Orlando: Shoichi Funaki, Dave Bautista, Adam "Edge" Copeland, Chris "Masters" Mordetsky, John "Johnny Nitro" Hennigan, and Shane Helms. Chris Benoit, the wrestler who killed his wife and son before hanging himself in June, was also a Signature client, as were two other wrestlers who recently died, Eddie Guerrero and Brian "Crush" Adams.

The Albany district attorney's office is examining online prescription mills where doctors get paid as little as $25 to issue online prescriptions, which in turn are filled by friendly pharmacies. In addition to Signature, its investigators raided pharmacies in Mobile, Ala. and Bay Ridge, N.Y.

Among those who have pleaded guilty are a Florida doctor named Claire Godfrey, who has admitted to prescribing performance-enhancing drugs at least two WWE wrestlers. In exchange for a plea that will keep her out of prison, she is cooperating with prosecutors.

The suspensions, which were accompanied by a WWE pledge to make future actions public after Nov. 1, comes at a time of mounting pressure on the WWE. A spokesman for the House Energy & Commerce Committee said Thursday that its commerce subcommittee will be holding hearings into the WWE in late September. The aide said a witness list has not been finalized.

Also looking into the company is the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. In a request that parallels what was asked of Major League Baseball, the committee is seeking a list of drugs covered by the WWE's policies, the number of tests it conducts annually, the protocols followed after a positive test and the procedures for awarding exemptions.

The issue of steroids and WWE largely faded until late June, when Benoit killed his wife and son in their suburban Atlanta home before hanging himself. His body was found to have 10 times the normal level of testosterone, as well as the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and the painkiller hydrocodone, authorities said.

The WWE instituted its current drug testing policy after the November 2005 death of Benoit's best friend, Guerrero, 38, who was found dead in a hotel room in Minneapolis. On Aug. 15, a day before WWE officials met with the Albany prosecutors, Adams, 44, was found dead of undetermined causes in his Florida home. Toxicology tests are pending.

The WWE has insisted that it randomly tests its 180 athletes at least four times a year. But its program has been criticized by a number of people, including David Black, the president of Aegis Sciences, a laboratory in Nashville that runs the WWE's testing program. "The intention is not to punish, but to get them [the wrestlers] to engage in a different lifestyle," Black said in a July story in the New York Times.

Shaun Assael is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. He is also the co-author of "Sex, Lies, and Headlocks: The Real Story of Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment," which is available here. His second book, Steroid Nation, will be released in October.

Salman Khan's bail plea deferred till Thursday

The Bench of Justice H R Pawar on Wednesday deferred Salman Khan's bail plea hearing till Thursday.

The actor approached this Bench after Justice G K Vyas refused to hear the plea.

Salman's counsel then approached the bench of Justice H R Pawar, who was supposed to hear the matter at 2 pm.

Justice Vyas had got Khan's revision petition listed hearing on Wednesday, after the star was sentenced to five years in prison following his conviction in the Chinkara poaching case.

Khan was arrested in Jodhpur jail on Saturday. The actor had spent three nights in the same barrack in April last year before he got bail.

Rs 75 cr at stake on Salman movies

Actor Salman Khan's arrest has created a flutter in Bollywood as around Rs 75 crore is at stake due to stalling of movies having the actor in a lead role.

The industry experts are however hoping that the delay caused by the arrest will not be too long and they were willing to wait and watch the future proceedings.

"Arrest of Salman Khan is a jolt for the Hindi film industry as Rs 75 crore rides on him. But as of now the situation is not that serious as it seems," trade analyst and critic Komal Nahata said.

Corraborating with Nahata's views, Kumar Mohan, editor of trade magazine Complete Cinema said, "Salman being a celebrity, his films would get affected. But only if he remained in jail for long."

"Salman has two films on the floor as of now; one is Afzal Khan's God Tussi Great Ho (Rs 35 cr) which has been in the making for the last two-and-a-half years," he said.

"There is also the remake of Tamil hit Pokhri (Rs 35-40 cr), produced by Boney Kapoor. Shooting has just begun for this film that also stars Ayesha Takia. Shooting has not yet started," Mohan said.

Salman not to get any special treatment in jail

Bollywood actor Salman Khan will not be given any special treatment while serving his 5-year term in Jodhpur jail in the blackbuck poaching case.

He has been kept in a regular cell and given the required security in accordance with the procedure of the prison, Jailor Aota Ram said.

"We will go as per the jail manual and he will not be given any special treatment," he said.

Khan was on Saturday arrested and sent to jail shortly after he landed in Jodhpur from Mumbai to surrender after losing the appeal against a 5-year prison term given by a lower court.

HC defers hearing on Salman's case till Friday

The Rajasthan High Court on Thursday deferred the hearing on actor Salman Khan's bail application, who is convicted in the Chinkara poaching case, till Friday.

The actor's case was listed in the court of Justice H R Panwar after Justice G K Vyas recused himself from hearing Salman's bail plea.

While calling for the case records, the judge deferred the hearing and ordered that it be listed for Friday.

Dipesh Mehta, a Mumbai-based lawyer and a Supreme Court advocate Uday Lalit appeared for the actor.

Salman, who was arrested on Saturday, is lodged in Central Jail here after losing his appeal in the district and session court of Jodhpur against his sentence in the chinkara poaching case handed out by the Chief Judicial Magistrate on April 10.

Are your jeans sagging? Go directly to jail.

a 17-year-old high school sophomore in Mansfield, Louisiana, believes that no one should be able to tell him how low to wear his jeans. "It's up to the person who's wearing the pants," he said.

Marshall's sagging pants, a style popularized in the early 1990s by hip-hop artists, are becoming a criminal offense in a growing number of communities, including his own.

Starting in Louisiana, an intensifying push by lawmakers has determined pants worn low enough to expose underwear poses a threat to the public, and they have enacted indecency ordinances to stop it.

Since June 11, sagging pants have been against the law in Delcambre, Louisiana, a town of 2,231 that is 80 miles southwest of Baton Rouge. The style carries a fine of as much as $500 or up to a six-month sentence. "We used to wear long hair, but I don't think our trends were ever as bad as sagging," said Mayor Carol Broussard.

An ordinance in Mansfield, a town of 5,496 near Shreveport, subjects offenders to a fine (as much as $150 plus court costs) or jail time (up to 15 days). Police Chief Don English said the law, which takes effect Sept. 15, will set a good civic image.

Behind the indecency laws may be the real issue — the hip-hop style itself, which critics say is worn as a badge of delinquency, with its distinctive walk conveying thuggish swagger and a disrespect for authority. Also at work is the larger issue of freedom of expression and the questions raised when fashion moves from being merely objectionable to illegal.

Sagging began in prison, where oversized uniforms were issued without belts to prevent suicide and their use as weapons. The style spread through rappers and music videos, from the ghetto to the suburbs and around the world.

Efforts to outlaw sagging in Virginia and statewide in Louisiana in 2004, failed, usually when opponents invoked a right to self-expression. But the latest legislative efforts have taken a different tack, drawing on indecency laws, and their success is inspiring lawmakers in other states.

In the West Ward of Trenton, Councilwoman Annette Lartigue is drafting an ordinance to fine or enforce community service in response to what she sees as the problem of exposing private parts in public.

"It's a fad like hot pants; however, I think it crosses the line when a person shows their backside," Lartigue said. "You can't legislate how people dress, but you can legislate when people begin to become indecent by exposing their body parts."

The American Civil Liberties Union has been steadfast in its opposition to dress restrictions. Debbie Seagraves, the executive director of the ACLU of Georgia said, "I don't see any way that something constitutional could be crafted when the intention is to single out and label one style of dress that originated with the black youth culture, as an unacceptable form of expression."

School districts have become more aggressive in enforcing dress bans, as the courts have given them greater latitude. Restrictions have been devised for jeans, miniskirts, long hair, piercing, logos with drug references and gang-affiliated clothing including colors, hats and jewelry.

Dress codes are showing up in unexpected places. The National Basketball Association now stipulates that no sports apparel, sunglasses, headgear, exposed chains or medallions may be worn at league-sponsored events. After experiencing a brawl that spilled into the stands and generated publicity headaches, the league sought to enforce a business-casual dress code, saying that hip-hop clothing projected an image that alienated middle-class audiences.

According to Andrew Bolton, the curator at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, fashions tend to be decried when they "challenge the conservative morality of a society."

Not since the zoot suit has a style been greeted with such strong disapproval. The exaggerated boxy long coat and tight-cuffed pants, started in the 1930s, was the emblematic style of a subculture of young urban minorities. It was viewed as unpatriotic and flouted a fabric conservation order during World War II. The clothing was at the center of what were called Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles, racially motivated beatings of Hispanic youths by sailors. The youths were stripped of their garments, which were burned in the street.

Following a pattern of past fashion bans, the sagging prohibitions are seen by some as racially motivated because the wearers are young, predominantly African-American men.

Yet, this legislation has been proposed largely by African-American officials. It may speak to a generation gap. Michael Eric Dyson, a professor of sociology at Georgetown University and the author of "Know What I Mean?: Reflections on Hip Hop," said, "They've bought the myth that sagging pants represents an offensive lifestyle which leads to destructive behavior."

Last week, Atlanta Councilman C. T. Martin sponsored an amendment to the city's indecency laws to ban sagging, which he called an epidemic. "We are trying to craft a remedy," said Martin, who sees the problem as "a prison mentality."

But Larry Harris, Jr., 28, a musician from Miami, who stood in oversize gear outside a hip-hop show in Times Square, denied that prison style was his inspiration. "I think what you have here is people who don't understand the language of hip-hop," he said.

A dress code ordinance proposed in Stratford, Connecticut, by Councilman Alvin O'Neal was rejected at a Town Council meeting last Monday, drawing criticism that the law was unconstitutional and unjustly encouraged racial profiling. Many residents agreed that the town had more pressing issues.

Benjamin Chavis, the former executive director of the NAACP, said, "I think to criminalize how a person wears their clothing is more offensive than what the remedy is trying to do."

Chavis, who is often pictured in an impeccable suit and tie among the baggy outfits of the hip-hop elite, is a chairman of the Hip Hop Summit Action Network, a coalition he founded with the music mogul Russell Simmons. He said that the coalition will challenge the ordinances in court.

"The focus should be on cleaning up the social conditions that the sagging pants comes out of," he said. "That they wear their pants the way they do is a statement of the reality that they're struggling with on a day-to-day basis."

Beckham sprains knee as Galaxy lose on penalties

Beckham left the field in the 30th minute of Wednesday night's SuperLiga final against Pachuca after spraining his right knee when he fell.

That wasn't the team's only loss.

The Galaxy were beaten 4-3 on penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 tie after 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of overtime. Beckham, who rejoined his team on the bench for overtime and the penalty kicks, limped off the field in a suit and tie.

Carlos Rodriguez's kick into the right corner of the net past goalkeeper Joe Cannon gave Pachuca a 4-3 lead in the shootout. Abel Xavier then missed wide right for Los Angeles, ending the marathon match.

The SuperLiga championship was the only title match the Galaxy will likely play in this season. Its Major League Soccer record is 3-10-5 and its chances of making the playoffs are slim.

Pachuca won the trophy and the $1 million prize in the inaugural tournament that involved four MLS teams and four teams from Mexico's first division.

The SuperLiga title is the fourth championship won by Pachuca in the last year. "Los Tuzos" also won the Mexican title, the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the Copa Sudamericana title.

Pachuca led 1-0 when when Galaxy midfielder Peter Vagenas put the ball in his own net in the 28th minute. He collapsed in despair against the back of the net as the pro-Pachuca crowd roared.

Pachuca goalkeeper Miguel Calero made several spectacular saves in the second half, when the Galaxy attacked aggressively.

In the 86th minute, Landon Donovan's deflection was stopped by Calero, then the ball fell out of his clutches and narrowly missed rolling into the net. Donovan slapped his hands to his head in frustration.

After a string of agonizing misses, Chris Klein tied it at 1 on a brilliant bicycle kick in second-half stoppage time.

Donovan later missed a chance to win it when his penalty kick was saved by a diving Calero.

During a scoreless first half, Beckham and Pachuca midfielder Fernando Salazar each went after the ball just outside the Mexican club's penalty area. Beckham tripped over the ball and fell. He lay face down on the grass for a few seconds before getting up and hobbling off the field, signaling to the bench he needed to come out.

Initially, Beckham's injury was announced as a strain. But after he was examined at halftime, the team said he had a sprain.

Salazar left because of a sprained right knee, which, like Beckham's injury, was initially announced as a strain. Alan Gordon replaced Beckham in the 33rd minute, triggering massive booing from the crowd of 12,500.

Beckham made his way to a wall on the sideline, bent over and held on to it before a Galaxy staff member arrived to help him to the bench. He sat down and had his right leg taped, then buried his head in his hands. At halftime, Beckham gingerly walked across the field to the tunnel.

He did not return for the second half.

But Beckham came out to watch overtime dressed in a gray suit, white shirt and black tie. He sat on the bench with his right leg extended.

At the end of the second overtime, Beckham limped onto the field to join his teammates as they regrouped for penalty kicks, clapping his hands in encouragement.

Beckham has had a nagging left ankle injury since before he joined the Galaxy on July 13. It has limited his playing time and caused him to miss games both at home and on the road.

The Galaxy's next MLS game is at home Saturday against Real Salt Lake. Beckham was expected to leave Sunday to join England for 10 days to play in two Euro 2008 qualifying matches, but it was not immediately known how his injury might affect those plans.

Attendance was capped at 12,500 in the 27,000-seat stadium to limit traffic and ease parking problems for students in their first week of fall classes at Cal State Dominguez Hills. The school shares its campus with the Home Depot Center. As a result, the upper deck and north end zone were closed.

The Galaxy wore black armbands to honor 22-year-old Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta, who died Tuesday after collapsing on the field in Spain.

Christ-like bin Laden image stirs debate

Artworks depicting Osama bin Laden in a Christ-like pose and a statue of the Virgin Mary covered in a burqa have caused a stir in Australia after they were showcased in a prestigious religious art competition.

’Bearded Orientals: Making the Empire Cross’ by Priscilla Bracks is a "double vision" print that depicts both Jesus and bin Laden.

Luke Sullivan's ‘The Fourth Secret of Fatima’ is a statue of Mary, her head and torso obscured by a blue burqa like the one Afghan women had to wear under the militant Taliban.

The artworks were among more than 500 entries in the Blake Prize for Religious Art, and have been included in an exhibition at the National Art School in Sydney.

"The choice of such artwork is gratuitously offensive to the religious beliefs of many Australians," Australian Prime Minister John Howard told Thursday's Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Opposition Labor leader Kevin Rudd also criticised the artwork. "I accept you know people can have artistic freedom, but I find this painting off, off in the extreme. I understand how people would be offended by it," he said.

Australia's 20 million population is overwhelmingly Christian and the print was condemned by the Australian Christian Lobby.

"It's really unfortunate people take liberties with the Christian faith they wouldn't take with other religions," Lobby spokeswoman Glynis Quinlan told reporters.

Cartoons satirising the Prophet Mohammad in European newspapers in 2006 sparked violent protests by Muslims around the world, who saw them as an affront to Islam.

Good Vs Evil?

A debate about the Australian artworks attracted almost 400 comments on the news.com.au Web site.

"One could only compare Osama with Saddam or Hitler, but Jesus came to Earth not to terrorise, but to save mankind," wrote a blogger named Shirley.

Another blogger, Marc, praised the artworks' shock value. "Art is supposed to provoke thought and debate...to offend you and make you think," he wrote.

"As for Osama being depicted in a Christ-like pose, the image of Christ as a white Anglo-Saxon male is incorrect anyway, if anything he would have looked very much like Osama and less like a European man (he was after all Jewish and born in the Middle East)," he said.

Spokesperson for the Blake Prize, Reverend Rod Pattenden, defended he controversial selection for this year's competition, saying the aim of the prize was to encourage discussion about spirituality in society -- the goal of both artists.

"It poses the question of what's the future of religion. They are hegemonic in their nature, they can be all encompassing and powerful," Sullivan, who created the statue, told the Telegraph.

Bracks said she hoped some viewers might see this as a juxtaposition of good and evil, and realise her concerns about bin Laden's possible glorification as a cult figure.

"I'm interested in having a discussion, and asking questions about how we think about our world and what we accept, and what we don't accept," Bracks told Australian radio.

This year's A$15,000 (USD 12,300) Blake Prize was awarded on Wednesday to Shirley Purdie for her ‘Stations of the Cross’.

'Twenty20 opportunity important for comeback' - Sehwag

Virender Sehwag, ignored for India's ongoing tour of England, says the Twenty20 format will suit his aggressive batting style and hopes a good performance in the World Championship will pave his comeback into the Indian team.

"It's a new format and my kind of batsmen, who loath to leave or defend a ball, would definitely love it. I'm waiting for it as it would allow me to just walk in and start playing my shots without bothering much," Sehwag told reporters today after he and ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed unveiled the 12 kg silver-rhodium trophy in New Delhi for the event, to begin from September 11.

The importance of the event is not lost on Sehwag either. "Personally, this is important for me to get back to the Indian side. I've been working hard on my batting skills and I hope to do well in South Africa to get back to the squad."

He also hailed Mahendra Singh Dhoni's appointment as captain for the tournament. "It's wonderful to have Dhoni as the captain. Everyone knows he is a matchwinner and has a great knowledge of the game. He has done a brilliant job behind the stumps too. I hope he does well as captain also and my wishes are with him."

Purists may sneer at the format but Sehwag said the event would be competitive enough and taken seriously by cricketers. "Last time I played it, it was more of a fun thing. Now you have 12 teams vying for top honours and so it would be competitive. Whether it's an ODI or Test or Twenty20, you are always going to be criticised when you don't get the runs. So the players will definitely take it seriously."

And he also had a word of sympathy for the bowlers, who would be in for some harsh treatment. "I know it's a sort of punishment for the bowlers and every team would probably like to go into the tournament with 11 batsmen, who can bowl a bit."

Pondering on strategy, Sehwag said allrounders would play a key role in the tournament. "It depends on how good you are on that particular day, but the key would be to score 200-210 runs and defend it. For that, you need allrounders, who can bowl and then bat down the order."

Sehwag also dismissed the notion that Twenty20 has no place for the ageing players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, who have opted out of the event. "If Tendulkar bats for 20 overs, he would get a century and that would definitely help the side. I don't think Twenty20 is necessarily a youngster's game."

Hockey wizard's son wants more CHAK DE! INDIAs

Not many will know that today is the birthday of the Bradman of hockey, Major Dhyan Chand. Such is the apathy towards the National game and its heroes!

The former Indian hockey wizard was born on August 29, 1905 in Allahabad and is often regarded as the greatest player ever to have played the game. He was a part of the Gold winning Indian team in three Olympic Games (1928 Amsterdam, 1932 Los Angeles, 1936 Berlin). He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour, in 1956. He got the title 'Chand' (moon) from his first coach, Pankaj Gupta, who had rightly predicted that he would one day shine like the moon. Major Dhyan Chand was affectionately called 'Dadda'.

We decided to talk to his son, Olympian and part of the 1975 World Cup (Kuala Lampur) winning Indian hockey team, Ashok Kumar. Presently in Bhopal, Ashok expressed his happiness at the amount of awareness and popularity that Yash Raj's CHAKDE! INDIA has generated for hockey.

He told us that public memory is very short and in about 4-5 months it will all be forgotten. He added that one CHAKDE! INDIA has made people know about the plight of one Mir Ranjan Negi (and hockey) and more movies like it will be needed to restore the neglected National game to its past glory. He implored the media to "keep the torch burning as pen is mightier than the sword!"

Angelina Jolie ends her Iraq-Syria trip

Angelina Jolie saw firsthand the plight of conflict refugees stranded in the blazing desert near the Syrian-Iraqi border in a visit this week to highlight their ordeal.

The American actress, who is a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, traveled to Syria and Iraq on Monday and Tuesday, the agency said in a statement. Jolie also separately visited U.S. troops in the area.

"I have come to Syria and Iraq to help draw attention to this humanitarian crisis and to urge governments to increase their support for UNHCR and its partners," Jolie was quoted as saying by the Geneva-based agency on Tuesday.

She headed home from Syria on Wednesday according to UNHCR officials, after a visit wrapped in secrecy and with no media coverage.

The 32-year-old star of the movie "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" traveled to the al-Waleed refugee camp on the Iraqi side of the border and spoke to some of the 1,200 refugees stranded there, prevented from entering Syria, UNCHR said.

"It is absolutely essential that the ongoing debate about Iraq's future includes plans for addressing the enormous humanitarian consequences these people face," she said.

The camp is in a no man's land between the two countries, one mile from the Iraqi border post and 4.5 miles from the Syrian border.

Jolie, who wore a blue flak jacket and a helmet when she arrived unannounced at the camp, was not immediately recognized by many of the refugees, a large number of whom are Palestinians who have been stranded in the desert encampment since December.

Unlike Iraqis, who are allowed to enter and settle in Syria, Palestinian residents of Iraq are mostly prevented from entering the country, leaving them stranded at the border.

Jolie spent two hours there talking with the refugees through a translator, taking notes, all the while surrounded by bodyguards, according to Qusai Mohammed Saleh, 33, a Palestinian refugee.

"I didn't recognize her right away, but after she was introduced as Angelina Jolie, I remembered a little, from some of her movies," he told The Associated Press by phone from the camp.

"She did not like the tragic situation," Saleh said, adding that she inspected the camp's medical and hygiene facilities.

Fellow refugee Awad Talha Awad, 48, said he had hopes the visit would make a difference. "Our situation is so difficult," he said, adding that Jolie was "moved" by some of the conditions she witnessed.

"She felt the sun," he said of the raging midday summer temperatures. "She did not make any promises but she said, 'we will make an effort to resolve your situation.'"

UNHCR estimates that more than 4.2 million Iraqis have been displaced since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and of these, about two million have fled to neighboring countries, mainly Syria and Jordan, placing a heavy strain on their resources.

Last month, the agency launched an appealed together with UNICEF for almost $130 million to help provide an education to displaced Iraqi children across the Middle East.

Jolie has worked with UNHCR since early 2001. In May, a foundation set up by Jolie and fellow actor Brad Pitt donated $1 million to help those affected by the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region and neighboring Chad.

Sanju unsure of doing films in one-month period

He may have got a chance to stay out of jail month but actor Sanjay Dutt is unsure as to whether he will get back to films in this period, sources close to him said in Mumbai.

True, Sanjay will be out of jail for at least a month now but it is not yet certain that he will get back to films in this period. He is in talks with his lawyers now and discussing every issue in detail, the sources said.

Dutt, who appeared before the special TADA court on Monday, was told he would get a copy of order of his conviction on September 27. The Supreme Court has granted the actor bail until he gets a copy of that.

Dutt was sentenced to six years RI for possessing illegal weapons by the special TADA court hearing the 1993 serial blasts case on July 31 this year.

With as much as Rs 100 crore riding on the actor in the shape of unfinished films, the producers who had signed him on were forced to wait and watch.

Two of Dutt's films which were on floors when the sentence came were Dhoom director Sanjay Gadhvi's Kidnap and Abbas Mustan's Mr Fraud.

No doubt, Sanjay has to complete these two films but whether he will do it now is a decision he has to take after careful consideration with his lawyers and family, the sources said.

Man leaves dead mother in armchair for two years

A German left his dead mother seated in her favorite armchair at their shared home for two years because he could not face organizing a funeral, police in the southern town of Fuerstenfeldbruck said Friday.

The woman died of natural causes in the chair in July 2005 at the age of 92, a police spokesman said. A doctor called to the scene at the time gave the son a death certificate but he did not register the death.

Neighbors recently alerted police about the corpse. The man told police he could not bear to move his mother and said he never again entered the room where she was seated. Police have started an investigation for violating German burial law.

I will surrender in Jodhpur: Salman

Actor Salman Khan, who is flying down to Jodhpur with his family members and lawyer Dipesh Mehta, told reporters outside his house that he would be surrendering before the Jodhpur court on Saturday.

Addressing the media before getting into his SUV outside his residence, the actor said, "A warrant has been apparently issued and as per advice from my lawyers, I am going to Jodhpur to surrender."

"Nobody has told me to get there but I am going there as a responsible citizen who abides by the law," he added.

Clad in a white T-shirt, cargo pants and sporting sunglasses, Salman was seen hugging his close relatives before leaving his home.

His brothers Sohail and Arbaaz were seen at the residence in Bandra's Galaxy Apartments and so was sister-in-law Malaika Arora Khan. It was however, not immediately clear as to who would be accompanying Salman to Jodhpur.

He is expected to reach Jodhpur at 1300 hrs and would "directly go to the court."

It is likely that he would immediately taken into custody, as per the court orders. The lawyers would then file a bail application. However, the bail application can only be heard on Monday.

"Though the High Court is shut, I would make efforts for the revision petition to be filed at the court registrar's office today (Saturday) itself so that relief is granted to Salman as soon as possible," Mehta said.

On Friday a Jodhpur District and Sessions Judge K R Singhvi upheld a lower court's judgement of April 2006 sentencing Salman to prison in the 1998 poaching case.

The court of the chief judicial magistrate, which had convicted Salman last year, issued the non-bailable warrant against him in the afternoon and sent it to police for execution.

The actor evaded immediate arrest as he did not appear in the sessions court, with his lawyer saying there was no directive for his appearance.

However, after day-long suspense over his whereabouts, the 41-year-old star appeared on the balcony of his home in the Mumbai suburb of Bandra to wave to fans waiting outside.

Salman's contemporary Sanjay Dutt was last month given a six-year jail term for illegal possession of weapons in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case. He is currently free on interim bail granted by the Supreme Court.

In his ruling against Salman, Judge Singhvi described the grounds used by the actor for his appeal against his conviction as "baseless".

Salman's sister Alvira was present in the court as the judge forfeited his bail bond and directed him to surrender.

The judge also rejected an application filed by Salman's counsel for giving him time to surrender.

Salman latest in list of stars to face court, arrest

Salman Khan is the latest in a list of Bollywood actors stretching back five decades to have faced court proceedings and arrest.

Long before a non-bailable warrant was issued for Salman by a court in Jodhpur in connection with his conviction in a poaching case, actor Balraj Sahni was arrested in 1951 for his Leftist leanings while working in K Asif's Hulchul.

Asif had to take special permission from court to bring Sahni for the shooting under police escort. However, he was released soon after.

More recently, Monica Bedi served 5 years in jail after she was charged with cheating, criminal conspiracy and impersonation while securing a fake passport.

After spending time behind bars in Portugal and India, she walked free on July 25 when she was released from Hyderabad's Chanchalguda jail.

On July 31, Sanjay Dutt was given a 6-year jail term in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case by a TADA court for illegally possessing a 9mm pistol and an AK-56 rifle.

After spending 23 days in Pune's Yeravada Jail, Dutt was released on Thursday after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail on August 20.

Dutt earlier spent 16 months in jail in two spells during the 13-year trial of the case related to the Mumbai blasts.

Salman's arrest is imminent, with police saying they would execute the arrest warrant in the poaching case, in which stars Saif Ali Khan, Satish Shah, Tabu, Sonali Bhendre and Neelam Kothari have been acquitted.

Beckham tastes defeat again in LA

Globe-trotting David Beckham tasted defeat for the second time in two days when he played for the full 90 minutes in Los Angeles Galaxy's 3-0 Major League Soccer loss to Chivas USA in California.

A day after playing a full game for England in a 2-1 friendly defeat by Germany at Wembley, Beckham was on the pitch throughout as the Galaxy slipped to their ninth defeat in 17 MLS games in front of a capacity crowd of 27,000.

Galaxy coach Frank Yallop described the performance as one of the worst since he took charge just over a year ago and said he had erred in leaving Beckham on for the entire match.

"It wasn't the intention to play him at all but he came in and said that he felt okay," Yallop told reporters. "And obviously with our situation in the league we need points.

"I didn't want to leave him on but in the end, at 2-0, he tried and all it needed was maybe one set piece or one bit of magic by David.

"Right at the end he looked hobbled," he said. "I used him tonight and I shouldn't have done that.

"I don't like to put players like David in jeopardy of getting injured, and that wasn't the intention.

"We wanted to make sure his ankle was okay and he said he was okay to start," Yallop added, referring to the left ankle injury that has hampered Beckham for the last two months.

"You can still tell now that he is sore, he's still not 100 percent."

Chivas striker Maykel Galindo opened the scoring in the 59th minute, sliding the ball past Galaxy goalkeeper Joe Cannon after pouncing on a defensive blunder by Kyle Veris.

Ten minutes later, defender Francisco Mendoza set up Galindo for his second goal, and 10th of the season, with a pinpoint pass that split the Galaxy defense from the right.

Mendoza made it 3-0 with a perfectly weighted left-footed kick in the 88th minute, with Cannon stranded, to put the gloss on Chivas's 10th win of their MLS campaign.

Despite the return from injury of experienced Portuguese defender Abel Xavier, the Galaxy came under continual pressure from a spirited Chivas attack, especially in the opening half when Cannon was required to make several good saves.

The Galaxy were fortunate not to concede a penalty in the 31st minute when Xavier, tackling back, brought Francisco Mendoza down in the area.

Beckham took his first free kick in the 37th minute but it was dealt with adequately by the Chivas defense.

The opening half ended with a fracas in the middle of the pitch and red cards being issued to Galaxy midfielder Kevin Harmse and Chivas defender Alex Zotinca.

Harmse was head-butted by Zotinca in return for a punch to the stomach, a clash sparked when Beckham squared up to Chivas midfielder Jesse Marsch after being the victim of a mistimed tackle.

The Galaxy, who have won only three of their 17 MLS games this season, remain second bottom in the Western standings.

Chivas, with 10 wins out of 19, stay in third spot, seven points behind the pacesetting Houston Dynamo.

Sensations of a Kiss

Despite the relative tastelessness of kisses, they are usually referred to as sweet. Tasting of wine, strawberries and honey are some of the most common descriptions of lover’s kisses, although some poets are more creative.

For example:-

• The Song of Songs says, "Thy lips drip as the honeycomb
• my spouse: Honey and milk are under thy tongue.

The feeling of a kiss is also described in a multitude of ways, The pounding of the heart, quivering of the limbs, pain in the chest and quickening of the breath are some examples of this. The Persian poet Ha-fez, writes that he fears he will “char her delicate lips” when he writes of kissing his beloved.

The Spirit Within a Kiss

"At what else does that touching of lips aim but at a junction of souls?"

Favorinus of Arles

• The Babylonian goddess of love, Ishtar, was said to hold life in her mouth, offering spiritual delight to those who worshipped her. “That rarest gift, the honeyed kiss of love/ On earth, is sweeter bliss than gods enjoy,” she tells one of her followers.

• Another example of the use of kisses as an exchange of life force or spirit is in the Egyptian legend of Osiris and Isis. When Osiris’ jealous brother, Set, threw him into the Nile, his wife Isis searched for his body in the river and breathed life into him through a kiss.

• The Renaissance saw a rapid rise in the view of kissing as an exchange of souls, and as an offering of the self to the other person. Allusions to kissing in poetry included an eternal kiss, a swoon that carried the couple almost to death, and most importantly, the diffusion of one soul into the body of the other.

• Perhaps one of the most potent notions of kissing revolves around the belief in its life force and vitality. The Romans particularly believed that kissing a dying lover would keep the spirit in the body longer. Ovid, particularly, mourns that his wife will not be able to extend his life with her love because of his exile. Kisses could even follow the dead into the Underworld as a comfort to the shades of the dead.

Love

Love is any of a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong affection or profound oneness.Depending on context, love can have a wide variety of intended meanings. Romantic love is seen as a deep, ineffable feeling of intense and tender attraction shared in passionate or intimate attraction and intimate interpersonal and sexual relationships. Love can also be conceived of as Platonic love, religious love, familial love, and, more casually, great affection for anything considered strongly pleasurable, desirable, or preferred, including activities and foods.

Verdict on Salman poaching case on Friday

A court in Jodhpur would announce its judgement on Friday on actor Salman Khan's appeal against a five-year prison term given to him in a poaching case.

District and Session Judge KR Singvi on August 7 had adjourned the proceedings after hearing the arguments by the counsel of Salman and the public prosecutor.

The actor is expected to arrive in Jodhpur this evening, H M Saraswat counsel for Salman said.

The district Police is planning to put up strict security arrangements during the course of court proceedings after getting instruction from the Court administration.

The Court had asked the Police to make special arrangement to manage the OB Vans of the news channels and Salman's fans.

"We are requesting the news channels to park their vans out side the court premises as well as arranging special security arrangements to control the crowd", Hawa Singh Ghumaria, Superintendent of Police, said.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Brijendra Kumar Jain had on April 10 last year convicted Salman in the poaching case and sentenced him to five years imprisonment. The court had also imposed a fine of Rs. 25,000 on him. Salman has filed the appeal against the verdict.

The case relates to the poaching of two blackbucks at Ujiyala Bhakhar near Ghoda Farm on September 28, 1998 during the shoot of Hindi feature film Hum Saath Saath Hain.

Salman has also been sentenced to one-year imprisonment in another poaching case of Bhawad and has filed an appeal against that decision also. But the hearing has not started as the record is pending with the Rajasthan High court where the state government filed an appeal for enhancement of the sentence.

JODHAA AKBAR'S completion depends on Aishwarya?

Ashutosh Gowariker's historical magnum opus, JODHAA AKBAR, has the renowned director trying to explore the hitherto unknown facets of Emperor Akbar's relationship with his beloved Rajput queen, Jodhaa Bai.

While the makers are trying their level best to meet the October 12 (release) deadline, a few impediments still remain. As per unit sources, the patchwork shooting and some parts of Aishwarya's dubbing have to be completed. Ashutosh even went to the extent of rushing to Hyderabad (where Ash was shooting for Ramu's SARKAR RAJ), in a bid to complete her dubbing.

However, due to prior commitments, Aishwarya had to leave for Los Angeles and then to Paris, to shoot for THE PINK PANTHER 2. The completion of JODHAA AKBAR, in all respects, now depends on how soon Aishwarya returns to India to finish her pending work.

Sanjay made two sets of cane chairs in jail

When actor Sanjay Dutt walked free out of Yerawada central prison on Thursday morning, he was richer by Rs 25 paid for the work done by him under rigorous imprisonment drill.

"Munnabhai" of the celluloid screen, Dutt, a convict in 1993 Mumbai blast case, who spent three weeks behind bars had been weaving and enmeshing bamboo chairs under "cane work" category of manual labour, said jail superitendent Rajendra Dhamne.

Though the highly paid Bollywood actor known for acting skills, Dutt was treated as an unskilled labourer under training which entitled him to wages of Rs 12.50 for an eight hours shift called "vardi" in jail parlance.

His work hours were counted after he finished learning the job which totalled 16 hours equivalant to "two vardis", at the rate of Rs 12.50, Dhamne said.

The actor sentenced to six years RI under the Arms Act, showed good application at assigned work and made nearly two sets of cane chairs consisting of seat and back-support, jail sources said.

Bollywood actor Shetty to take mythological role

Indian actress Shilpa Shetty will play a character from Indian mythology in her next film, her publicist said on Wednesday.

Shetty will star in "Hanuman," a film based on the ancient Sanskrit epic "Ramayana," and will play the part of Sita, who is kidnapped by a vicious demon king triggering a gory battle, said Dale Bhagwagar, her publicist.

Shetty recently hit international headlines for enduring racist abuse on the celebrity version of the Big Brother television show in Britain.

The American actor Keanu Reeves may have been asked to appear in the film, which is being produced by Uru Patel, Bhagwagar said.

Fans miss Sanju’s homecoming

After more than three days of wait and watch, Sanjay Dutt's moment of freedom was almost anti-climatic.

The actor, who was released from Yerwada jail in Pune on Thursday morning after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail on Monday, arrived much earlier than expected, taking fans, media and even the police by surprise.

When the 45-year-old actor arrived at his suburban Bandra residence at 8.30 am, the usual horde of fans was missing, as most of them had expected his arrival only by mid-morning.

Even the police were caught unawares.

"We had called in 25 extra police personnel from nearby Bandra police station, anticipating trouble from the crowd when he arrived. But there was no need because he arrived well before they did," one of the policemen stationed outside Dutt's residence said.

Fans missed the emotional welcome that the actor got from his family. As soon as he got out of the car, Sanjay kissed nephew Siddharth (Priya Dutt's son), and hugged both his sisters, Priya and Namrata.

Brothers-in-law Owen Roncon and Kumar Gaurav were also witness to the emotional homecoming.

Sanjay was in jail since July 31, the day when the special TADA court sentenced him to six years rigorous imprisonment for illegal possession of arms in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

Dutt's sprawling residence in the Imperial Heights building in the posh Bandra neighbourhood of Pali Hill has been jammed with supporters from the film fraternity ever since he got bail on Monday.

Outside the gates, fans too kept a constant vigil, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favourite 'Munnabhai', but when the moment did arrive, there were hardly any fans to witness it.

Only one person, Azam Shaikh, who came all the way from Ujjain, was present when the actor arrived.

"I am from Ujjain and I have been camping here for the past three days. I am from the Sankatmochan temple there. Dutt had come there to pray in the past. I am hoping to meet him," Shaikh said.

Many of Dutt's friends from the film industry, including Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who produced the hit Munnabhai movies, were seen arriving at his residence. Yusuf Nulwala, who accompanied the star from Pune to his residence, however left after a while.

A steady stream of visitors is expected to keep up at the Dutt residence, and even though the family will be aware that this is merely temporary relief for Sanjay, they will be keen to spend every minute with him.

For sisters Priya and Namrata, the fact that their brother will be with them for the festival of Rakhsha Bandhan which celebrates the brother-sister relationship, would surely be a cause of joy.

Double Shah Rukh again in November!

After a hiatus of ten months, August saw Shah Rukh Khan's first release of 2007, CHAKDE! INDIA. It is now clear that the Shimit Amin directed Yash Raj project has been endorsed, both commercially and critically. Just two weeks after CHAKDE! INDIA (to be precise, this Friday), King Khan will again be seen in Sajid Khan's, HEYY BABYY, although in a cameo.

However, fans of Shah Rukh Khan are again set for a double treat in November. They can catch the superstar in Farah Khan's OM SHANTI OM. He will follow it up with a special appearance in Vivek Vaswani's Fardeen Khan-Sushmita Sen starrer, DULHA MIL GAYA. Confused? Well, DULHA MIL GAYA, which was listed for an 'Eid' week release (October 12), has now been postponed to November.

Shipa Shetty all set to play Sita

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty will play a character from Indian mythology in her next film, her publicist said on Wednesday.

Shetty will star in Hanuman, a film based on the ancient epic Ramayana, and will play the part of Sita, who is kidnapped by demon King Ravana triggering a gory battle, said Dale Bhagwagar, her publicist.

Shetty recently hit international headlines for enduring racist abuse on the celebrity version of the Big Brother television show in Britain.

The American actor Keanu Reeves may have been asked to appear in the film, which is being directed by Uru Patel, Bhagwagar said.