Obesity may make kids stressed

Obesity may make children more stressed-out as compared to their normal-weight peers, a new study has found.

Overweight children naturally produce higher levels of a key stress hormone than other youngsters, researchers said. The body produces the hormone cortisol when a person experiences stress, researchers said.

When a person faces frequent stress, cortisol and other stress hormones build up in the blood and, over time, can cause serious health problems.

Researchers measured cortisol in scalp hair, which reflects long-term exposure and has been proposed to be a bio-marker for stress. The study is the first to show obese children have chronically elevated levels of cortisol.

"We were surprised to find obese children, as young as age 8, already had elevated cortisol levels," said one of the study's authors, Erica van den Akker, from Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

"By analysing children's scalp hair, we were able to confirm high cortisol levels persisted over time," said van den Akker.

The observational case-control study analysed hair samples from 20 obese children and 20 normal weight children to measure long-term cortisol levels. Each group included 15 girls and 5 boys between the ages of 8 and 12.

Obese subjects had an average cortisol concentration of 25 pg/mg in their scalp hair, compared to an average concentration of 17 pg/mg in the normal weight group.

The hormone concentrations found in hair reflect cortisol exposure over the course of about one month. "Because this study took an observational approach, more research will determine the cause of this phenomenon," van den Akker said.

"We do not know whether obese children actually experience more psychological stress or if their bodies handle stress hormones differently. Answering these key questions will improve our understanding of childhood obesity and may change the way we treat it," said van den Akker.

The study was published in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

More: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/obesity-may-make-kids-stressed/1210236/0

Some females do die for males!

In some species, mothers apparently live just so as to produced the male's progeny. And die soon after giving birth.

In what has been described as a shocking discovery, a team of researchers studying the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) roundworm found that the presence of the male sperm and seminal fluid cause female worms to shrivel and die after giving birth.

"The demise of the female appears to benefit the male worm by removing her from the mating pool for other males," said the Princeton University researchers.

The researchers found that male sperm and seminal fluid trigger pathways that cause females to dehydrate, prematurely age and die.


"Their lifespans are cut by about a third to a half," said senior author Coleen Murphy, an associate professor of molecular biology at the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics.

"Males compete to have their genomes propagated, and this often occurs at the expense of the female," Murphy added. The study is the first to document body shrinkage and identify the underlying biological pathways, Murphy said.

The C. elegans roundworm is commonly used in research because many of its genetic pathways are similar to those of humans.

"That these pathways can be hijacked and run in reverse in a simple organism might suggest that that could also happen in more complex organisms," said Murphy. "So the work can help us understand male-female interactions and how they influence female longevity and reproduction."

Males, however, require females if they are to pass on their genes to future generations. Once inseminated, the female can give birth to hundreds of progeny, and these offspring do not require maternal care after they are born. Killing off the mother makes her unavailable to mate with other males, giving a genetic advantage to the father.

The researchers found that the lethal effect occurred not only in the C. elegans but also in other types of worms from the Caenorhabditis genus that are not hermaphroditic.

"The fact that it is conserved in true male-female species, not just hermaphrodites, suggests that it is an important, conserved biological mechanism," Murphy said.

The findings of the research have been published in the journal Science.

More: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/375935/some-females-do-die-males.html

It's unfair to be judgemental: Aishwarya on failed B'wood relationships

In the backdrop of crumbling marriages in Bollywood, actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan feels that its unfair to limit and judge relationships. "I don't think it is fair to get judgemental and limit relationships or strengths or inability to hold themselves or limit it to showbiz. What happens in society is each to his own. What would be fair and respectful is belief in people to allow them to live their lives and finding strength in choices they make," the actress said in response to a query on effects of showbiz on marital life.

Recently, Hrithik Roshan and his wife of 13-years Sussanne decided to separate. Also, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and actress wife Kalki Koechlin are taking time off their marriage.

Aishwarya was speaking at the launch of L'Oreal Paris, Kajal Magique, here yesterday.

In the backdrop of crumbling marriages in Bollywood, Aishwarya feels that its unfair to limit relationships.

More: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/its-unfair-to-be-judgemental-aishwarya-on-failed-bwood-relationships/440960-8-66.html

‘Queen’ trailer: Kangana Ranaut's journey to her honeymoon!

After failing to woo the audiences in her last film, ‘Rajjo’, Kangana Ranaut is back with a promising movie called ‘Queen’, in which she is playing a Delhi bred girl called Rani aka Queen.

The trailer of the film shows Rani preparing for her “pehli shaadi”, and most importantly, her “pehla honeymoon” with her husband, in Amsterdam and Paris. What is even more interesting is the fact that Rani goes all the way to these “phoren” cities for her honeymoon. But her plans go haywire the moment she lands in the new country. That’s how Queen’s journey starts. Supermodel Lisa Haydon is also playing a supporting role in the film. Rajkumar Yadav, who was last seen in ‘Kai Po Che!’ and ‘Shahid’, is playing Kangana’s beloved.

Kangana’s antics as Rani look very interesting. She has even adopted the typical West Delhi accent to make her character look real. Have a look at the trailer and tell us what you feel.


More: http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/bollywood/queen-trailer-kangana-ranaut-takes-the-journey-to-her-honeymoon_148125.html

Actor Sanjay Dutt out of Yerawada jail on parole

Actor Sanjay Dutt was released from Pune's Yerawada Central Jail on Saturday, two weeks after he was granted parole for 30 days to take care of his ailing wife Manyata.

Dutt is serving the remaining part of his five-year imprisonment for conviction of an offence under the Arms Act, in relation to the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.

The Pune divisional commissioner Prabhakar Deshmukh had granted the parole on December 6. The decision caused a controversy as Dutt had availed 15 days furlough on October 1, which was extended by another 15 days. Dutt had returned to jail on October 30.

Dutt took 15 days to execute the sureties which were required as a matter of condition for his release. State home minister RR Patil and other higher-ups in the home department were at the receiving end of a flurry of questions regarding the grant of parole. However, the questions were put to rest when the doctors attending to Dutt's wife made a public statement about the status of her ailment.

Yerawada jail superintendent Yogesh Desai told TOI on Saturday that Dutt's brother-in-law and actor Kumar Gaurav executed the surety on behalf of Dutt. "The actor was released on completion of legal formalities at around 10.15am," Desai said.

"Dutt's parole period commences from December 22 considering that the time taken for travel to his residence is excluded as per the parole norms," he added. Jail officials said that soon after completing the legal formalities Dutt left for Mumbai along with his relatives.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Actor-Sanjay-Dutt-out-of-Yerawada-jail-on-parole/articleshow/27746249.cms

Tanishaa is a lovely girl, lucky to have her by my side: Armaan Kohli

Unlike the image of the volatile angry temper-tantrum prone 'Bigg Boss' inmate that Armaan Kohli has created on the show, in person, he comes across as polite, cultured and articulate. Now out of the show, he says the eviction at this penultimate moment has not disappointed him.

"For me it is like winning even when I haven't won technically. I've come away from 'Bigg Boss' far more patient and far more humane than I was before I entered the House.And of course I've made a life-long friend in Tanissha."

Armaan's relationship with Tanissha within the Bigg Boss house is the talk of the nation.

Armaan's relationship with Tanissha within the Bigg Boss house is the talk of the nation.

Says Armaan a little bashfully: "I don't know how the public saw us. But we were very close to one another.She is a lovely girl. And I was very lucky to have her with me in the Bigg Boss house. She helped to keep me sane in a situation where I was constantly being taunted provoked and pushed against the wall."

Armaan says he doesn't know how he came across in the public eye. "It wasn't as if I was constantly losing my temper, screaming, throwing a fit all the time. There were so many occasions during these 97 days when I sang, danced, played games and had fun."

Tannissha, says Armaan, anchored him in the house.

Speaking of her with affection, he says: "For me there was only the wall. I was constantly being pushed against it. There were 13-14 contestants who were constantly doing and saying things that went against my way of thinking and behaving. The stress levels were really high.

"You have to understand the Bigg Boss house is not a normal place to be in. In real life when you see conflict stress or confrontation, you walk away. In the Bigg Boss house I didn't have the luxury or the option to walk away.

"I had to stay despite the pressures. I am not the kind of person who can stand nonsense. If you talk politely to me, I do the same. If you are rude to me, I'll reciprocate with the same. If it wasn't for Tanissha, I'd have probably lost my head. She kept me grounded.When the lights were out, we discussed all the tensions of the day."

Asked if there is a future to their relationship beyond "Bigg Boss", Armaan doesn't deny his desire for durability for the duo.

"Like I said, she is my friend for life. If you're asking about the future of my relationship with her, I can only say, there are two well-known film families who are involved. I wouldn't want to say anything that would embarrass Tanissha's mummy or my papa and mummy."

Armaan is surprisingly candid on the issue of Sofia Hayat who has filed a case against him for violence in the Bigg Boss house.

Says Armaan, "This is just an issue being made out of a tissue. That's not the way I've been brought up. To hurt a woman in any way is not acceptable to my family values. And you tell me, is it possible for anybody to get violent within the Bigg Boss house?

"It is written on the contract that no contestant is allowed physical contact. You raise a finger in there, and there's hell to pay.If you see the footage you'll know the truth. I don't know why Sofiaji is doing what she is. But I wish her all the best in life. No hard feelings."

Says Armaan, "I've come away with only positive feelings from Bigg Boss.Now I just want to meet my parents. I can't wait to hug them."

More: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/tanishaa-is-a-lovely-girl-lucky-to-have-her-by-my-side-armaan-kohli/440961-44-124.html

Net direct tax collections up 13.7% till date

Amidst a slowdown in the economy, the net direct tax collection has risen by 13.7 per cent to Rs 4.12 lakh crore till December 20 of current fiscal.

The government has fixed direct tax collection target of over Rs 6.68 lakh crore for 2013-14, envisaging a growth of 19 per cent, as against Rs 5.65 lakh crore in 2012-13.

The collections had totalled Rs 3.63 lakh crore during the same period of 2012-13, the finance ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The advance tax mop-up has risen by 8.8 per cent to Rs 2,02,626 crore for the December quarter, it said.

More: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/net-direct-tax-collections-up-13.7-till-date/1210388/

Suicide attack near Libya's Benghazi kills seven: witnesses

A suicide bomber rammed an explosives-packed vehicle into a security checkpoint outside the restive city of Benghazi in eastern Libya on Sunday, killing at least seven people, witnesses and security sources said.

The attack left body parts strewn around the area, said Moetez al-Agouri, a police officer at the post, and the death toll was likely to rise as the authorities identified them.

"Seven bodies among the victims have been identified but some other bodies were torn to pieces by the explosion," said Agouri, who was working at the checkpoint at the time but escaped injury.

Eight people including civilians were wounded in the attack on the checkpoint 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Benghazi and were taken to hospital in the nearby town of Tokra, Agouri said.

A witness told AFP the blast had left a large crater in the ground.

Benghazi, the cradle of the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, has seen a series of attacks in recent months that have killed more than 300 people.

More: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/suicide-attack-near-libyas-benghazi-kills-seven-witnesses/1210472/

Afghan refugees in India refuse to return fearing violence

As US forces' drawdown from Afghanistan looms, Afghanrefugees living in the national capital refuse to return to their homes fearing violence.

Refugees from the war-torn country thronged Lajpat Nagar, an affluent suburb of the South Delhi, in 1979, following the invasion by the then Soviet Union. And, a large number of Afghans continued to migrate to India after their country was taken over by the Taliban.

There were more than 18,000 refugees in India as of 2011, according to the External Affairs Ministry. And about 10,000 Afghan refugees are registered with UNHCR at present.

Their is pervasive fear among Afghan refugees here about returning home mainly due to continued violence and the threat of Taliban's ascendancy once the US-led ISAF troops leave Afghanistan.

Sher Mohammad, 35, came to India about an year ago, escaping the threats of Taliban which "abducted his younger son, Amir (11), to employ him as a laborer".

"They let him go after I negotiated with them. We came to India immediately after the incident. They would have killed us all," he said.

Mohammad, who fled from Ghazini province, is one among the thousands of Afghan refugees living in India. He is reluctant to return to his country, fearing threat to his family from Taliban.

"If I return, they will not let us live. They will kill us. Sab Khatam...(Everything ends)," he said.

Mohammad and his elder son Hamid, 15, run a fastfood stall in the chock-full market of Lajpat Nagar.

Both his sons study in Don Bosco school in Alaknanda. After school, Hamid comes to his father to help him make burgers and rotis.

"This is not a big business but it is ok. It feeds us. It is better than being maimed at the hands of Taliban," said Hamid.

Though living in Delhi is expensive and he is hardly able to earn enough to pay his rent and eat, Mohammad said his family is at-least safe this way.

Sulaiman, 26, an Afghan graduate, from Kabul, shares the same concerns.

"The situation in Afghanistan is still bad. There is no sign of peace. People fear that once they (NATO troops) return, the country will be in hands of Taliban again. This is not the safe time to return," Sulaiman said.

He, however, is not sure whether US would withdraw by next year as ambiguity looms over signing of the bilateral security agreement.

"The security pact is yet to be signed. Who knows when they will go back or stay for longer. The situation, however, remains hostile. Refugees are returning though but they continue to live on the edge as there are no jobs or money. As such, a large number of them do not want to go back," he said.

More: http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/afghan-refugees-in-india-refuse-to-return-fearing-violence-113122200096_1.html

Judges should not make insensitive, gender-biased comments: HC

Judges should not make "gender biased" and "insensitive" comments in their verdicts while dealing with cases pertaining to women, the Delhi High Court said while expunging two such remarks made by a fast track court. Taking suo motu cognisance of the remarks made by the court's trial judge while giving verdict in a rape case, a bench of justices Pradeep Nandrajog and V Kameswar Rao said the observations are "prima-facie insensitive". 

The bench further said that the "sweeping observations" against the girl are "not based on the evidence on record". "It is apparent that the remarks, which are general in nature, are not based on the evidence on record, appear to be the result of the experience of the judge... The judge has imparted his personal knowledge pertaining to females in the decision making," the bench said. Delhi High Court verdict came during a trial of a rape case Referring to the judge's comment that women in the age group of 19-24 years voluntarily elope with their lovers, the bench said the remark is "not based on any empirical data". "The passage brings out the dilemma of the women in the Indian society. Caught between her ambition to choose a life partner and the pull of the patriarchal society, women are torn apart between her personal ambition and the patriarchal society. 

So placed, she has to be treated with sympathy and care and not made the object of ridicule by styling her as a person who is in conflict with herself," the bench said. Referring to another observation made by the judge, the bench said, "the second observation is a sermon as to how girls should conduct themselves in society". "Every individual is entitled to choose the social life which one wants to lead, and if in the process of choosing the social life which one wants to lead, somebody causes harm, no court can say that: You chose a way of life at your peril and thus the system will not hear your cry," it added. "The observations by the judge are prima-facie insensitive observations and are capable of influencing the police to take up women harassment cases lightly, resulting in an insensitive investigation and complete evidence not being brought before the court," the bench observed.

 Taking on record the administrative action against the judge by the Delhi High Court, it said, "Judicial pronouncements which are gender biased may be used as a standard by the police personnel and prosecutors in making decisions how they should investigate and prosecute cases." The trial judge in October had made general remarks while dealing with a case filed by a girl against a man, alleging that he had physical relations with her on the false pretext of marriage.

Read more at: http://news.oneindia.in/india/judges-should-not-make-insensitive-gender-biased-hc-1363602.html

Decision to reject Adarsh report disappointing, but taken by cabinet unanimously: Prithviraj Chavan

A day after the 690-page Adarsh commission report was rejected by the state government, chief minister (CM) Prithviraj Chavan said it was a disappointing decision for him to take. He, however, stressed that the decision was taken unanimously by the state cabinet in the recently concluded winter session of the legislative assembly in Nagpur.

“Before this decision, the report was discussed at length with senior cabinet colleagues. The findings of the report are quite harsh, but we will try to implement them in some way or the other at the administrative level. We will also put the report on the government website. The report is mostly harsh on people who have got apartments in a quid pro quo manner. Such practices should be avoided in the future,” Chavan told a select gathering of journalists at his official residence, Varsha, on Saturday.

The state government set up the Adarsh commission in January 2011 with retired high court judge justice JA Patil as its head.

The report has indicted three former CMs — Vilasrao Deshmukh, Sushilkumar Shinde and Ashok Chavan. The rejection of the report has already led to a barrage of criticism against the state government.

Chavan is aware of the repercussions, but says whatever has happened has happened. “The negative news against the government will continue for some time. We will take some corrective measures to ensure no violations happen in the future. We also have to strip various authorities and officials of their discretionary powers. These powers were blatantly misused for personal gain. We will come out with a policy that will address various grey areas in administration,” he said.

The CM refused to comment on whether there was pressure from senior Congress leaders to reject the report to protect party bigwigs. However, sources close to Chavan told dna that before tabling the report, the detailed findings of the Adarsh report were shared with prominent leaders in Delhi, including the Congress high command and NCP president Sharad Pawar. “He also told them about the implications of the report in the upcoming Lok Sabha and state assembly elections,” the source said.

“It was unanimously decided to reject the report for the larger interest of the Congress party.
Chavan, who is close to the high command, has silently obeyed the orders,” the source said. The report was deliberately published in English to maintain secrecy, Chavan said. “Had we translated it into Marathi, there was a chance that some details would have leaked. We managed to keep it under wraps for several months,” he said.

Chavan said he did not know when state governor K Sankaranarayanan refused to sanction the CBI’s decision to prosecute former CM Ashok Chavan in the Adarsh scam. “The cabinet did not ask the governor to do this. He took an independent decision using his discretionary powers. I came to know about it through the newspapers the next day,” the CM clarified.

Senior Congress leaders have raised questions about the Adarsh commission report’s findings.
“It is more harsh on some people and soft on others. The findings are scathing and the language used is quite harsh. It has slammed the government and exposed the well-entrenched quid pro quo practice in the government,” said a Congress leader.

Political observers feel that rejecting the report has maligned the Mr Clean image of the CM.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-decision-to-reject-adarsh-report-disappointing-but-taken-by-cabinet-unanimously-prithviraj-chavan-1938919

Dhoom 3: Katrina dolls and Aamir Khan bikes herald Bollywood's steps into a new revenue stream

Action-thriller flick Dhoom 3 is here, and a rash of merchandise - from Barbie Katrina Kaif dolls to Aamir Khan Hot Wheel bikes, mobile games, USB sticks, sling bags and even dog tags - is riding pillion. ProducerYash Raj Films (YRF) is pulling out all stops to create a buzz around the film, partnering with 20 marketers to launch over 200 merchandise items priced between Rs 70 and Rs 9,000.

"This is the first time merchandising is being pursued in a such a significant way in India," says Rohit Sobti, V-P (licensing and merchandising), Yash Raj Films. They have launched a fashion label called Divani, console games, a range of licensed products and will soon be launching a TV animation programme.

"We see this as a new revenue stream," adds Sobti. Their mobile game, released on October 21, has already seen 4 million downloads. "It was easy to sign up with global partners like Mattel who understand merchandising well. But the difficulty was with those in India who are new to it," Sobti says.

This is the first big attempt by Bollywood - whose size as an industry is estimated at Rs 12,240 crore for 2013 by KPMG - to pry open a new revenue stream in the merchandise category. Globally, though, merchandising is huge for filmmakers. According to the Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association ( LIMA), the worldwide trade organization for the licensing industry, popular films like The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises helped merchandise in the entertainment category in North America touch $49.3 billion in retail sales in 2012.



HOLLYWOOD VS BOLLYWOOD

"In the US it is a massive category and could contribute over 5% to Hollywood. But in India it is a very small category," says Jehil Thakkar, partner, head (media and entertainment), KPMG in India. He thinks this is because the organized retail sector in India is small; andpiracy is high, too. Also, sequels - a rich category for launching merchandise - are rarer in Bollywood. The action-packed Dhoom series is one of the first big attempts by Bollywood to go down the sequel route.

But that's not the only big difference. The way Bollywood makes its money is vastly different from the way Hollywood does. Further, the way Bollywood rakes in the moolah today is also very different from the way it did five years back.

For Bollywood, the biggest chunk of revenues comes from the domestic theatre releases. It has grown steadily from Rs 8,020 crore in 2008 and KPMG's projection for 2013 is a little over Rs 9,200 crore and for 2017 it is Rs 14,220 crore. One big trigger for this anticipated growth is the number of screens in India. From around 100 over a decade back it is nudging close to 4,000, with many single-screen cinema halls upgrading into multiplexes.

More importantly for Bollywood, this growth has been accompanied by improved profitability. For instance, average ticket prices have moved up from under Rs 40 to over Rs 60. Also, with digitization of films, producers save on the cost of reels - Rs 50,000-80,000, on an average - thereby buoying up the bottom line. "Each film is earning far more money than in the past," says Smita Jha, head (entertainment and media practice), PwC India. Not surprisingly, Bollywood is seeing a steady rise in the Rs 100-crore club. The number of movies in this club has risen from one in 2008 to nine in 2012.

More: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/media/entertainment/entertainment/dhoom-3-katrina-dolls-and-aamir-khan-bikes-herald-bollywoods-steps-into-a-new-revenue-stream/articleshow/27739563.cms

Hint of a thaw: Devyani Khobragade may get pre-trial waiver

In what could be an indication that behind-the scenes discussions with the United States are beginning to yield results, Indiandiplomat Devyani Khobragade, charged with visa fraud, is likely to get a waiver from attending the pre-trial process on Monday.

While a proper confirmation is yet to be received, sources said the feedback on the matter has been positive. For India, this is important because Khobragade would have had to be subjected to another round of medical tests and fingerprinting as per US pre-trial procedures.

This was first done on December 16, and South Block had felt that repeating it would mean further humiliation for the diplomat. But more importantly, the two sides appeared to agree that these procedures would only provide more opportunities for negative publicity, thereby reducing the space for finding a resolution.

It is learnt that Khobragade's application for a G-1 visa and a fresh diplomatic identity card, to which she is entitled after being transferred to India's Permanent Mission at the UN General Assembly, reached the State Department on Friday. With US offices set to close for Christmas, Indian officials are urging their US counterparts to get an early decision.

While this may provide full diplomatic immunity to Khobragade, the Indian side wants the US to ensure that it also applies to the present case. But this may be a tall order, and the State Department may want to legally examine this aspect, the sources said.

The other problem for the Indian side is that there are some 14 other Indian diplomats in the US with domestic helps. The MEA is pushing to have them immediately declared "service staff" of the government, so that the US authorities and volunteer organisations cannot target them for salary anomalies based on the minimum wage in that area. In fact, in the long term, the MEA wants short-term government contracts for domestic helps.

However, the finance ministry has problems with such a long-term solution. North Block has argued that this could some day prompt demands for turning these contracts into permanent government employment.

The other option being suggested is that MEA be allowed to do bulk hiring and post these persons in missions. Another alternative is to hire local help, but that will be costlier.

Reliable sources said some other options too have been suggested, but a final call will be taken after detailed discussions among ministries.

Meanwhile, other problems loom as the December 23 deadline for US consulate staff to return their diplomatic identity cards draws closer. This is also the day when import restrictions will kick in for US diplomatic staff, affecting food and grocery imports.

More: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hint-of-a-thaw-devyani-khobragade-may-get-pretrial-waiver/1210414/0

BJP prepares for Narendra Modi's rally in Mumbai

The BJP booked 21 long-distance trains, several buses and private vehicles to transport people to and from the venue.

Narendra Modi.

Thousands of Bharatiya Janata Party activists are expected to reach the Bandra-Kurla Complex for the 'Maha-Garjna Rally' to be addressed by the party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi here Sunday afternoon.

Party workers from Maharashtra, Gujarat and other parts of the country are expected to attend the rally. The BJP booked 21 long-distance trains, several buses and private vehicles to transport people to and from the venue.

Special invites have been distributed to VVIPs, around 140 consulates and diplomatic corps and even 10,000 tea-vendors for Modi's first-ever rally in the city after his name was announced as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate.

However, in view of the strong sentiments in the incident concerning Indian diplomat Devyani Khboragade and the treatment metted to her, the invitation extended to the US Consulate officials in Mumbai was cancelled at the last minute, BJP general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy said here Saturday.

The BJP has also arranged a dial-a-pick up service for Mumbaikars desiring to attend the rally from different parts of the city, while thousands of women party workers have been deployed to prepare delicious packets of Gujarati snacks like 'Thepla-achar' for distribution among the people.

Mumbai police and other agencies have made elaborate security arrangements for the 'Maha-Garjna Rally' (Mega-Roar Rally) with over 3,000 men, Quick Response Teams, bomb and dog squads at and around the venue.

Besides the star speaker Narendra Modi, BJP president Rajnath Singh, former chief Nitin Gadkari, senior leaders like Gopinath Munde, state party chief Devendra Fadnavis, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Eknath Khadse, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Vinod Tawde will address the rally.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-bjp-prepares-for-narendra-modi-s-rally-in-mumbai-1939032

'Aam aadmi' says AAP should form govt, party to decide next move

Delhi’s wait for a government is likely to be over soon as Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday said they have received positive responses from Delhiites on whether the party should form the government in the national capital. In the public meetings held in various, AAP has got a very positive and explicit response from the people of Delhi and “If things go on the same way, AAP will definitely form the government," party leader Manish Sisodia said.

As AAP seems well on course to form the government, on Sunday too the newly formed party, which bagged 28 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections trailing the BJP which has decided to sit in the opposition, will hold more meetings for feedback from the people and is likely to decide on government formation on Sunday. Over six lakh people responded through social media and text messages saying that the party should form the government and fulfil its poll promises.

With auditing of power companies and legislating the Jan Lokpal bill to be the top priorities for AAP, the party chief Arvind Kejriwal dismissed Congress and BJP’s view that running a government is not an easy task and sounded confident saying that his party can run a government and do a better job than the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress if it assumed office, adding that the political parties should stop challenging AAP.

On the penultimate day of the ongoing referendum, Kejriwal said "We have received both point of views, where some people feel that we should have nothing to do with politics and should stay away from it and there are others who feel that we should form government. We will completely go by public opinion,"

Kejriwal also dismissed the criticism about the party manifesto and said that it is practical and implementable. “Congress has not been able to fulfill its 1998 manifesto so why are they are challenging us? It is our priority and we will achieve it," he said.

Sources said that the AAP has also begun deliberations over the key portfolios that to be divided among the elected MLAs.

The Congress, left with just eight seats after its crushing defeat in the polls, has offered outside support to the AAP. But AAP has yet to decide on whether to accept the outside support of eight Congress MLAs that will take its numbers to the halfway mark of 36 in the 70-member Delhi assembly.

AAP had promised to reduce electricity tariff by 50 per cent and supply of at least 700 litres of clean water to each household and also had said that the party will regularise unauthorized colonies within a year if voted to power.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/delhi/aam-aadmi-says-aap-should-form-govt-party-to-decide-next-move_898520.html

Rahul fit to be PM: Moily

Describing Rahul Gandhi as “the most competent and ultimate leader” in the country, Union Oil Minister Veerappa Moily on Sunday said the Congress vice-president is “fit to be the Prime Minister“.

“He is the most competent, ultimate leader, who is fit to be the Prime Minister of the country. He is the real leader of the Congress party,” he told reporters at a business event here over the weekend.

Mr. Gandhi was someone the country, especially the youth needed at the moment, Mr. Moily said.

“It’s the consensus of the party as well as of the country that Rahul be nominated for the top job. For a country like India, we want a personality like him, who can take everybody into confidence. He has the blessings of everybody including Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,” he said.

The Congress president had said after the Assembly election results that the party will name its candidate for PM’s post at “opportune time”.

There is speculation that Mr. Gandhi may be announced as its candidate for the top job at the AICC session on January 17.

When reminded about the drubbing Congress received in the Assembly polls in four states under Mr. Gandhi’s stewardship, Mr. Moily said, “Congress won in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakahnd because of Mr. Gandhi only.

“Victories and defeats are all part of the electoral politics...Sometimes we may win, some time we may lose”, he said.

More: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rahul-fit-to-be-pm-moily/article5488965.ece

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