IBN Live in a new avatar! Also introduces Blaze

Mumbai, Maharashtra, April 12, 2010: IBNLive.com part of Web 18 Group, one of India's most popular/ leading online sources for general news and information launches path-breaking and technologically equipped feature named 'Blaze' on their site. 'Blaze' enables the end-users to shortlist or finalize their favorite celebs, anchors, presenters and reporters, post which users will get real-time up-to-date information on their activities(what they're reading and watching). This feature will give one an opportunity to validate or question their favorite anchor on their source of information and grow from their observations and learnings. One can even follow their updates and share comments on them as well as chat, ask and answer questions.

IBNLive has added a prominent section Blaze, which allows their users to directly connect with all anchors of their channel- IBN on their site and ask for answers on issues/ queries relevant for them. For eg. consumers/ investors can approach Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor in chief, on this page and ask questions related to current/ burning issues of the day. Or catch up with the latest bollywood related gossip/ news with Celebrity and Entertainment expert- Rajeev Masand.

The site now also offers in depth detailed news on areas of maximum interest, through special sections on the site

· IBN Politics - all the news and updates in the world of politics

· IBN Movies - Bollywood, Hollywood, Sandalwood... it's all there

· IBN Sports - news, images and stories pertaining to the world of sport

· IBN trends - an interesting new section that focuses on current topics of interested - from health, to fashion to careers etc

IBNlive.com receives 30 million page views per month and offers real time news in a variety of formats including video-on-demand, audio- and live-streaming. The website is also one of India's first major Web 2.0 news site with blogs, podcasts and citizen journalism.

IBNlive.com key features are

· Core Offering: Live News

· Multi-platform (Anytime news)

o Web, mobile, e-mail

· Multimedia content

o Video on demand, audio, live streaming

· Exclusive content

o Blogs, podcast, expert chats and analyses, investigations

o Blaze

Commenting on the launch of Blaze Lakshmi Narasimhan, CEO, Web18 said, "IBN News Live is the only complete Indian news-site which offers its viewers a diversity of features like VOD, podcasts, live streaming, blogs, interactives, e-mail, mobile etc. We are extremely interested in knowing our viewers point of view which has led us into the introduction of the new feature - Blaze on IBN Live.com.

Check out the 'Blaze' which kicks -off live on 12th April, 2010 onwards on IBNlive.com.

Notes to Editor

About Web18

Web 18 is the Internet and Mobile arm of Network 18, India's leading Media conglomerate. It is India's fastest growing internet company with leading portals such as MoneyControl.com, Cricketnext.com, CommoditiesControl.com, PowerYourTrade.com, Tech2.com, Biztech2.com.IBNLive.com, Compareindia.com, Storeguru.com, Indiaearnings.com, JobStreet.com, Indiwo.com, Buzz18.com and Josh18.com. The recently launched In.com, has rapidly grown to become India's second largest horizontal portal.

Massive rally against proposed Tipaimukh dam in Ukhrul

Imphal, April 16, 2010: A huge protest rally was taken out in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Friday demanding scraping of Mapithel and Tipaimukh dam projects in Manipur and other mega dams in the north eastern region of the country. Over 2000 people of Ukhrul including affected people of the Mapithel Dam (Thoubal Multipurpose) projects, Tipaimukh Hydro (Multi-purpose) project, students and general public of Ukhrul carried out the protest.

Marching through different streets of the town in the district headquarters, the rally originated from two points, Hundung Junction and Kharasom Junction and concluded at Tangkhul Ngana Long Ground after submitting a memorandum to the deputy commissioner of the district for onward submission to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohon Singh to scrap the two mega projects.

The protestors alleged that constructions of the dams were “blatant violation of rights to life and livelihood”. According to them, the Tipaimukh Hydro (Multi-purpose) project was opposed from its very conception but the Manipur government passed it through without people’s free, prior and informed consent.

Speaking at the public meeting, president of the Tangkhul Katamnao Sanglong (Tangkhul Students Union), Wungnaoshang A Shimray said the construction of the Mapithel Dam without proper rehabilitation on resettlement programme based on expert review committee constituted by the government of Manipur was a clear disregard to the voice of the affected people.

Today’s protest rally was organised by the Tangkhul Katamnao Shanglong (TKS) under the sponsorship of the Citizen Concern on Dam and Development, Imphal, Mapithel Dam Affected Village Organisation, Mapithel as part of International Day of Action for Rivers.

Courtesy: Nagaland Post

Cop Out review

Cast: Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Guillermo Diaz, Ana de la Reguera Director: Kevin Smith.

If there is one thing audience loves about comedy based on cops, it’s usually the unmatched spirit of friendship as seen in ‘Lethal Weapon’ and ‘Rush Hour’ series. Sadly, the relationship of two NYPD cops Jimmy (Willis) and Paul (Morgan), even after being partners for nine years in the film, hardly generates any such chemistry.

After a botched attempt to get the baddies, the two cops are suspended and with no pay Jimmy decides to sell a family a prized baseball card to pay for his daughter’s wedding. But, baseball-obsessed drug kingpin Po’ Boy (Diaz) is interested in the card for reasons known to him. He tells Jimmy and Paul to retrieve his stolen Mercedes in exchange for the card. However, when they realise that there is kidnapped woman Gabriela (Reguera) in the car, their focus shifts to rescuing her.

This film is one of the worst comedies about cops bonding. Willis and Morgan fail to bring out the Chan-Tucker comedic touch or the camaraderie shown by Gibson and Glover in ‘Lethal Weapon’. The script tries its best injecting some winking moments but is sapped by the slow pace.

‘Cop Out’ is childish and sloppy like the two main characters.

RLS, Deccan Herald.com

India has more mobile phones than toilets

Far more Indians have access to cell phones than to toilet and basic sanitation, a new United Nations report has said.

"It is a tragic irony to think that in India, a country now wealthy enough that roughly half of the people own phones, about half cannot afford the basic necessity and dignity of a toilet," said Zafar Adeel, director of United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health.

For a rising economic power like India, such statistic reveals misplaced priorities and unequal distribution of the fruits of liberalisation.

"Popular education about the health dangers of poor sanitation is also needed. But this simple measure could do more to save lives, especially those of young people, improve health and help pull India and other countries in similar circumstances out of poverty than any alternative investment. It can also serve as a very significant boost to the local economy," he added.

The report is produced by experts who prescribe ways to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on sanitation by 2015.

Research shows roughly 366 million people (31 per cent of the population) in India had access to improved sanitation in 2008. Other data, meanwhile, shows 545 million cell phones are now connected to service in India's emerging economy.

The number of cell phones per 100 people has skyrocketted from 0.35 in year 2000-01 to about 45 today.

Worldwide, some 1.1 billion people defecate in the open and data shows progress in creating access to toilets and sanitation lags far behind world MDG targets, even as mobile phone connections continue to a predicted 1 billion in India by 2015, according to the study.

The report says it costs about $300 to build a toilet, and worldwide an estimated $358 billion is needed between now and 2015 to reach the MDG for sanitation.

"The world can expect, however, a return of between $3 and $34 for every dollar spent on sanitation, realised through reduced poverty and health costs and higher productivity, an economic and humanitarian opportunity of historic proportions," said Adeel.

If current global trends continue, the World Health Organisation and UNICEF, in a report titled 'Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water' in March, predicted a 1 billion person shortfall from the sanitation goal in 2015 -- in all, 2.7 billion will lack access.

"This report notes cultural taboos surround this issue in some countries, preventing progress," said Adeel. "Anyone who shirks the topic as repugnant, minimises it as undignified, or considers unworthy those in need should let others take over for the sake of 1.5 million children and countless others killed each year by contaminated water and unhealthy sanitation."

The nine recommendations to meet the MDG include addressing sanitation in the context of global poverty, making sanitation a primary focus within the broader context of water management and access to safe water and integrating sanitation into community life.

Another report released last year by the WHO and UNICEF found that India has the largest number of persons that defecate in the open worldwide -- around 665 million.

Betwa Sharma in United Nations

Safeguard yourself from credit card frauds

In recent times, there have been a spate of news items revealing a credit card fraud. In one such item, two youngsters were caught duping credit card holders by offering them new credit cards with higher credit limits by trading in their old credit cards. The youngsters then used the old cards to make their purchases, mostly electronics. This is how they laid the plot.

They would call up credit card holders representing themselves as employees of the credit card company. They would inform these clueless customers about a new scheme about new credit cards with greater purchase limits in exchange of old ones. Then they would also inform customers that the company's representative would soon visit them with the new card, which would be activated as soon as they filled in a form!

This news only reinstates the importance of being a vigilant customer and using credit cards with utmost prudence. Here are a few things one can do:

1. If you lose your credit card, it is necessary to inform your credit card company immediately. This will enable the card issuer to freeze the card with immediate effect and prevent any purchases on the card. The important thing for you is that your liability is limited once you inform the credit card issuer.

2. Destroy your old card completely before you begin using your new card. This is important even if your old card has expired or you are upgrading your card.

3. Keep your card in a safe place and do not allow other people to handle it.

4. Be prudent about signing up for new offers. Double-check the genuineness of the scheme. A simple way to verify genuineness of any scheme is to call up the credit card company and inquiring with them.

5. Change your PIN at regular intervals. Do not use obvious PIN like birth dates.

6. Inform your credit card company immediately if you do not receive your monthly credit statement. It could be a case of identity theft where the fraudster has changed your billing address.

7. Use chip based credit cards. These cards offer better security than credit cards with black magnetic stripes. This is because in a chip based card, all information is stored in the small chip in encrypted format and it also uses a PIN. This makes changing or copying this data extremely difficult.

8. So, the chance of data being misused while swiping the card is very remote. It is the highest level of security that credit card companies can offer at present. Citibank and Kotak Mahindra issue chip based cards to select high range customers. Axis bank's VISA Platinum card is also chip-based. HDFC Bank also has begun issuing these cards.

9. Be careful while shopping online. This is because you are required to give the CVV number for making purchases over the Internet. For this, be sure you shop only from secure websites. Ensure that the website is certified by VeriSign. Look for a yellow lock on the bottom right hand corner of the screen.

10. If you have a large credit limit on your card and use it frequently for several purchases including online and telephone purchases, it is a good idea to get your card insured. You cannot prevent credit card fraud but at least minimize its impact on your financial stability! You can protect yourself from fraudulent charges on your card up to 12 hours before reporting the loss to the credit card issuer.

By BankBazaar.com - an online marketplace for your personal loan and home loan needs.

Facebook eyes China

New Delhi, April 9: Social networking website Facebook is planning to enter China's web market.

According to Sina.com, Larry Yu, spokesman for Facebook said that Palo Alto based social networking website is "interested in China, just as we are many other countries, and while we are studying and learning about them all, we have no specific plans for China at this time."

Facebook registered the Facebook.cn domain name in 2007, reports Xinhua.

The famous networking website has more than 400 million users around the world. 70 percent of Facebook users are from the U.S.

According to the China Internet Network Information Center, China had approximately 384 million users in 2009 end. (ANI)

Indian website sues Google

The selling of ad-space to rivals of a matrimonial website has landed Google in court.

Consim India Private Ltd, owners of various matrimonial websites, including Bharatmatrimony.com have said they are awaiting the Madras High Court verdict on the case against Google for 'infringing' on their trademark.

"The talks (between the two firms) have been completed and we are awaiting the verdict. Our contention is that Bharat Matrimony's trademark should not be used by competitors and Google should not allow it", Consim India CEO Murugavel Janakirman said.

The issue pertains to Google advertisements using Bharatmatrimony's platform to sell space to its competitors.

Consim contends it has trademarked names like Tamil Matrimony, Telugu Matrimony and as such, Google should not allow advertisements on such trademarks.

Consim India has sought an injunction against Google for not allowing the competition to bid on trademarks of Bharat Matrimony.

On expansion plans, he said they planned to set up retail outlets at various places in South India. "These outlets will be helpful for parents who do not have the ability to access internet at remote places. We will appoint four-five people at these centres to help them" he said.

Based on their requests, these people would help parents select the right brides or bridegrooms, he said.

Initially, the company proposed to set up 30 such centres in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, he said, adding that the company would conduct a series of campaigns over the next few weeks to promote the retail outlets.

He said the recently launched matrimonial website for divorcees has been a success, with over one lakh people having already registered. "To promote this concept we will also conduct divorce matrimony meets in various places," he said.

To a query he said about 50 companies have joined hands with Consim to participate in "Matrimony Day" celebrations, slated to be held next week.

Agencies

Reasons for taking exercise

Toronto, April 12 (IANS) For many, starting and sticking to a long-term exercise programme requires a bit more than just hitting the treadmill. They should motivate themselves by determining their fitness type first, says a fitness expert.

'A person can want to exercise for a variety of reasons,' said Michael Bracko, sports physiologist, Institute for Hockey Research, Alberta, Canada.

'Extrinsically, a physician could explain the ability of physical activity to lower blood pressure. Intrinsically, it can come from simply wanting to look and feel better.'

Tailoring the type of activity performed to each individual's lifestyle and ability is important too, says Bracko, who highlighted these five types of fitness:

- Functional fitness includes activities such as bowling, gardening and golf. These leisurely-yet-active pastimes are good for older adults who want to stay active as they age.

- Health-related fitness incorporates movement to enhance overall well-being. Mind/body exercises such as T'ai Chi and yoga are examples of health-related fitness, as are 'kick-start' exercise activities such as walking.

- Physical fitness is for those who have made a conscious decision to work out on a regular basis. This encompasses what most people picture when thinking of exercise - cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training.

- Recreational athlete fitness includes specialized sport training. These exercisers care about cross-training for general fitness, but have a dedicated focus on sport to keep them motivated to exercise.

- Elite athlete fitness is for a very small, specific population segment - those whose intent in specialized training is high-level training rather than improving fitness and having fun.

Beginners can use these fitness types to find their motivational niche, Bracko said, according to an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) release.

'If someone is naturally competitive, they might consider training for a five-kilometre run to stay excited about exercise,' Bracko said. 'Alternatively, a noncompetitive older adult could consider joining a golf league to work in regular, fun, casual activity.'

These findings were presented at the ACSM's 14th-annual Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition.

Sania Mirza marries Shoiab

Denials and divorces in place, Shoaib Malik finally married tennis star Sania Mirza on Monday in her hometown of Hyderabad.

The wedding was held at 1 pm at the Taj Krishna, a private function with close family members as invitees. "Sania wore a red saree that her mother had worn 25 years ago for her own nikaah. Shoaib wore wearing a black sherwani which was made by Shantanu and Nikhil," said Sania's spokesperson, Rucha Nayak.

However, Hyderabad, and indeed the rest of India may be forgiven for feeling like they now know way more than they ever dared about Mirza's groom who is a Pakistani cricket. Over a series of press conferences and daily television and newspaper interviews, India has confronted Malik, his first wife, Ayesha Siddiqui, also a Hyderabad resident, and the details of their phone-wedding and quickie divorce. Malik reportedly married Siddiqui in 2002 in a telephonic ceremony.

The couple had dated for several months - whether they ever met or not depends on who you find more convincing. Malik claims he was cheated because the photos that were sent to him by his girlfriend were in fact of someone else altogether.

The identity of that woman remains secret, mercifully, in a story that has given over-exposure a whole new meaning. Siddiqui claims that Malik and she did meet, but with unhappy results. He was embarrassed by her weight, she alleges, and was ashamed of her. Either way, Siddiqui timed her revelations to Malik's arrival in Hyderabad earlier this month for his wedding to Mirza, at whose house he is staying.

After a public press conference where Mirza and Malik, like some unique two-headed creature, firmly nodded their denials about his first wedding, Malik divorced Siddiqui, with community elders mediating. His sentiments about the divorce were also in the public domain, with a unique press release that asked everyone to think of him as a younger brother and forgive him. Mirzas's mehendi is scheduled for Tuesday, followed by a sangeet on Wednesday (Malik and she have been rehearsing a dance performance, one wonders what song best describes their current state of mind and relationship), a lavish reception will be held on Thursday.

NDTV grab image

Mizromax opens war on mobile handset prices

Krish Raghav

If the advertisements are to be believed, the G4 Gamolution mobile phone from Micromax made actor Akshay Kumar guffaw uncontrollably and decimate a hotel kitchen in his dogged determination to win a game.

The G4 made me laugh too, though this was more a disbelieving chuckle than buck-toothed cackle. That’s because the G4 is a funny sort of phone—a work of stellar engineering jugaad (improvisation) and shameless appropriation.

Micromax is a Delhi-based company that has quietly, over the last three years, become the third most popular mobile phone manufacturer in the country after Nokia and Samsung. It is popular for its line of “dual-sim” phones (the G4 among them), which allow you to receive calls and messages from two sim cards in the same phone.

The good stuff

Here’s the G4’s main draw. The phone comes with a free Bluetooth dongle that attaches to your PC. Also included is a DVD disc of games that you can install. Set both of these up, press a button on the phone, and it becomes a bona fide Nintendo Wii remote with which you can waggle, shake and jab your way through games of tennis, bowling and…strangely enough, badminton.

Here, things get a little weird. The games themselves are complete, shameless knock-offs of their Nintendo Wii counterparts (right down to the art style, sound effects and menus), and are made by a Beijing-based company called JiaJia Media (www.jiajia.tv).

Here, things get even weirder. The games and controls are excellent. It might be apocryphal to say the phone, with its home-brewed Wii-like software, is better somehow than Nintendo’s console—but after extensive testing, it is easier, and more responsive as a controller, than the plain Wiimote. The G4 handles direction input precisely. Swing to the left, and your shots are placed likewise. If you have a second G4, you can also play two-player.

Apart from this, the phone is a fairly solid device, with a host of nifty features—connect the phone to the computer, and it can use the camera as a webcam. The inbuilt FM radio function can schedule recordings of your favourite shows.

The not-so-good

India has a long history of secretly ripping off Nintendo—an entire generation in the 1990s grew up playing hacked versions of Super Mario Bros from “10,000 in 1” cartridges. But the G4’s shameless appropriation of the Wii is troubling. The game function also fails to connect properly sometimes—a problem accentuated by the poorly written manual (sample instruction: “Append the accouterment of your mobile”). Otherwise, the G4 suffers from a few surprisingly basic problems. The SMS input is hopelessly slow, the camera is poor, and the build quality of the phone is slightly suspect.

Talk plastic

At a price point of Rs5,999, you’re getting a decent phone, a Wii knock-off and a free Bluetooth adapter. It’s reason enough to be laughing like Akshay Kumar all the way from the store.

livemint.com

Essar Steel to sell global bonds, says report

I ndian steelmaker Essar Steel is to make an offering of a benchmark-sized seven-year global bond, not callable for four years, a source close to the deal said.

The proceeds would used to fund existing debt, capital expenditure, acquisitions and general corporate purposes, the source said on Monday.

Essar has appointed UBS AG, BofA Merril Lynch, Deutsche Bank AG and Standard Chartered Bank to handle the sale.

(For more business news on Reuters Money visit http://www.reutersmoney.in)

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