shameen

Sri Lanka clinched a thriller beating New Zealand via the Super Over after their Super Eights clash ended in a tie in the World Twent20 cricket tournament at the Pallekele International Stadium here Thursday.

While New Zealand were extremely lucky to stretch the match into the Super Over, Sri Lanka were simply superb in the one-over eliminator after both teams were tied on 174. The win brighetened Sri Lanka’s chances of making the semi-final.

India are likely to go in with five specialist bowlers to plug their bowling loopholes when they take on the mighty Australians in its opening `Super Eight` fixture of the ICC World Twenty20 on Friday.

The comprehensive victory against England and Harbhajan Singh`s brilliant comeback has raised questions as to what exactly will be a winning combination against George Bailey`s men who have looked good in both their group league matches against Ireland and West Indies respectively.

After the successful landing of ‘Curiosity’ rover on Mars, scientists now plan to navigate the seas of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.

According to scientists presenting their proposals at the European Planetary Science Congress, this outlandish scenario could soon become a reality.

The new project, called the Titan Lake In-situ Sampling Propelled Explorer, proposes a boat-probe, propelled by wheels, paddles or screws.

Catholic groups Wednesday protested the portrayal in bad light of the clergy and community in Bollywood movies, with specific reference to ‘Kamaal Dhamaal Malamal’ and ‘Kya Super Kool Hai Hum’.

In a flash protest, starting from St. Peter`s Church in suburban Bandra in northwest Mumbai, over 100 representatives of five groups took out a procession to Indian Motion Picture Producers (IMPPA) and Film Makers Combine (FMC) office a few kilometres away.

Veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra, who turned 80 Thursday, announced in a chat with actor Shah Rukh Khan that he will not be directing any more films after ‘Jab Tak Hain Jaan’.

“Bahut ho gaya abhi. My heart says bahut ho gaya abhi. I will not direct any other film after `Jab Tak Hain Jaan`. I have got lot of love in all these years. I think now the time has come to pay back. I want to help directors, actors, technicians who I could not help all these years,” said Chopra.

Actress Mallika Sherawat, who is known for her bold roles, has refused to comment on her alleged link up with Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas while saying that she would not get married ever in life.

“I don`t think I will ever get married. I say so because I feel it is outdated, marriage is outdated. I am loving being single. Why would I sacrifice the love and devotion of so many fans,” Mallika told PTI.

“I have never really thought of what kind of a man I am looking for. I am busy right now doing films here and abroad, travelling and enjoying life,” she said.

Scientists claimed to have developed a simple blood test that can accurately detect the beginning stages of breast and lung cancer in just an hour.

Researchers from the Kansas State University developed the test that can detect cancer even before symptoms like coughing and weight loss start.

The test works by detecting increased enzyme activity in the body. Iron nanoparticles coated with amino acids and a dye are introduced to small amounts of blood or urine from a patient.

Researchers claimed to have detected Parkinson`s disease with 99 per cent accuracy through simple voice recordings.

A team from Massachusetts Institute of Technology has developed a computer programme that is able to recognise the tremors, breathiness and weakness in the voice, which are thought to be early indicators of the condition.

The voice analysis software can even provide an unprecedented level of detail that can distinguish how far along a patient is with the disease.

Women are more than twice as likely as men to suffer from urinary tract infections (UTI) caused by kidney stones, says a new finding.

Henry Ford Hospital researchers also found significantly higher rates of complications following one of two treatments for the effects of urolithiasis, or stones in the kidneys and urinary tract, based on preliminary studies.

Scientists have found compelling evidence that parts of the brain can evolve independently from each other and overall brain size is not linked to an individual`s body size.

Researchers from the University of Manchester, the University of Tennessee and Harvard Medical School in a 15 year study also identified several genetic loci that control the size of different brain parts.

The study aimed to find out if different parts of the brain can respond independently of each other to evolutionary stimulus (mosaic evolution) or whether the brain responds as a whole (concerted evolution).

The number of people infected with dengue has soared to 671 in Odisha this year with 72 more cases reported in the state in the past two days, an official said here Wednesday.

“Seventy-two people have been tested positive (for dengue) in the past two days. Of them, the highest number of people, 37, belonged to the coastal Balasore district,” M.M. Pradhan, joint director of the state health department told.

Another coastal district, Ganjam, has reported 15 new cases, Pradhan added.

Scientific trials will be carried out to test whether mistletoe, an evergreen parasitic plant can help improve the quality of life for cancer patients by boosting their immune systems.

The Aberdeen University pilot study will be overseen by cancer specialist Professor Steven Heys, from the university`s medical school.

The study will be run jointly with Camphill Medical Practice in Aberdeen, which regularly offers cancer patients mistletoe therapy, the BBC News reported.

It will involve women with breast cancer.

A drug first developed to cure cancer has shown great promise in treating children with Progeria, a rare and fatal rapid-aging disease, a new study has found.

Promising results have emerged from the first-ever clinical drug trial for the condition, including improvements in weight gain, bone structure and heart health.

A third of children placed on the drug Ionafarnib demonstrated a greater than 50 per cent increase in annual rate of weight gain or switched from weight loss to weight gain, due to increased muscle and bone mass.

Many women in the US seeking curves like Hollywood celebrities are increasingly turning to the black market for plastic surgery, little realising its deadly consequences.

During a preliminary hearing in a Mississippi court earlier this week, prosecutors said 37-year-old Karima Gordon died in March after being injected in the buttocks with a silicon-like substance.

Morris Garner, 52, a transgender man, is facing murder charges in the case.

Authorities say Gordon wanted to be a model and found Garner through the Internet, reports said.

A Bengali brought up in Mumbai, Rani Mukerji says essaying a Maharashtrian girl in ‘Aiyyaa’ made it all the more special.

The role of a Maharashtrian girl named Meenakshi Deshpande in the movie was like a dream come true for her, says Rani.

“I have always said that I am actually a Maharashtrian girl because I have been born and brought up in Maharashtra. Being a Mumbaikar, Marathi language is not alien to me. It was my dream or wish that some day I should play a Marathi girl`s role and with `Aiyyaa`, this dream has come true,” the 34-year-old said at a promotional event here.

Sridevi is mum about the upcoming remake of her superhit film ‘Himmatwala’ but is excited about the ‘Mr. India’ sequel that it is likely to go on the floors next year.

When asked about the remake project of ‘Himmatwala’ she just clammed up and waited for the next question.

Director Sajid Khan`s ambitious remake of 1983 Jeetendra-Sridevi starrer ‘Himmatwala’ went on the floors August. Being co-produced by Vashu Baghnani and UTV Motion Pictures, it features Ajay Devgn and Tamanna Bhatia.

Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor, who is associated with `Because I am a Girl` campaign, believes that television has a wider audience than films and it can help spread social messages about saving the girl child more effectively.

“Television has a bigger audience than films. Especially in villages and small cities, women and children watch TV on a bigger scale,” he said and added “one should try to find a solution” or a way to include the message about “girl child into the script, which will act as an effective tool to spread the message”.

Scientists are advancing biometrics security systems a step further by developing ‘biosoles’ that can recognise you based upon your unique walk.

Researchers from the Carnegie Mellon University’s Biometrics Research and Identity Automation Lab are developing new ways to enable security based on body’s movements, which, unlike retinal scans and fingerprints, can’t be taken from an individual, the New York Daily News reported.

Lamenting that India has not been able to make a impact on the world scale in the field of science, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asked scientists to dream big and not to despair.

Addressing the 70th foundation day of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Singh said conventional scientific disciplines and approaches were proving unequal to dealing with complex developmental challenges.

“We have not been able to make an impact on a world scale commensurate with our large scientific manpower pool,” Singh said addressing scientists.

Simon Taufel will step down from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires after the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, which runs until October 7, to take up the new role of Umpire Performance and Training Manager, the ICC said on Wednesday.

The 41-year-old from Australia made his international debut in January 1999 in an ODI between Australia in Sri Lanka in Sydney and 23 months later he made his Test debut in the Boxing Day Test between Australia and the West Indies.

Leander Paes and Horia Tecau overcame a stiff resistance from the Dutch pair of Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer to progress to the quarter-finals of the ATP Thailand Open, here today.

The top seeded Indo-Japanese pair recorded a hard-fought 6-4 7-5 win over their unseeded rivals in one hour and 23 minutes in the opening round of the USD 551,000 hard court tournament.

They next face Serbian Janko Tipsarevic and Alexander Waske of Germany.

Saving a breakpoint and converting one on the rivals` serve put the top-seeded pair ahead.

Michael Hussey has enormous respect for Virender Sehwag and insisted that the `Nawab of Najafgarh` can “never be out of form”, but at the same time hoped that Virat Kohli has a bad day in office when Australia take on India in their Super Eights match here on Friday.

Riding on their huge win over England in the group stages of the ongoing ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, India jumped four places to claim the third position in the ICC T20 Championship table, which was released on Wednesday.

India spanked defending champions England by 90 runs in a Group A match, which propelled Mahendra Singh Dhoni`s men to 116 rating points.

The crushing defeat meant England slipped a position to second spot with 124 ratings points.

South Africa head into the Super Eight stage as the number-one ranked team.

Bharti Walmart will not wait till all states in India allow FDI in multi-brand retail to roll out its plans and may start opening its outlets from states like Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, a top official of the retail giant said here on Wednesday.

Bharti Walmart Managing Director and CEO Raj Jain said the company will be able to come out with specific plans with regard to retail business only after 45 days as it is currently studying the government notification.

The company is a 50:50 joint venture between Bharti Group and US-based Walmart for wholesale cash and carry.

Following the government move to allow FDI policy in the civil aviation sector, Chairman of debt-ridden Kingfisher Airlines Vijay Mallya on Wednesday said the carrier was in talks with foreign airlines.

“Yes, we are in talks” he told reporters on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of the UB Group promoted by him.

He, however did not provide details citing “privacy and confidentiality” reasons.

When asked how beneficial will be the new FDI policy, that allows foreign airlines to pick stakes in domestic air carriers for Kingfisher, Mallya said it was too early to comment.