Pawan Kalyan releases 'Agnyaathavaasi' at midnight

 

The much-awaited movie 'Agnyaathavaasi' of leading Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan was released on Wednesday at 1 am.

 

Hundreds of his fans danced on the roads outside the movies halls in excitement.

 

The film will have seven shows in cinema theatres here in Andhra Pradesh and five in Telangana.

 

While the Andhra Pradesh government granted permission to the cinema halls to screen three special shows from 1 am to 10 am, in addition to four regular shows between 10 am to midnight, the Telangana government on Tuesday allowed theatres to screen a special show from 8 am.

 

The star's fans and cinema enthusiasts in both the Telugu states are expected to enjoy 'Sankranthi' holidays as both the states have relaxed the rules for screening the movie between January 10 and January 17.

 

Telugu is leaving no stone unturned to cash in on the craze and make 'Agnyaathavaasi' a big hit at the US box office.

 

They are promoting the movie heaving and as a part of its publicity, they have also distributed over 1,500 hoodies to fans to woo them to theatres.

 

The distributors have made plans for a massive release of 'Agnyaathavaasi' across North America as well.

 

They have already booked 576 screens and are still finding more to add to it.

 

This number is three times bigger than the screen count of Kalyan's previous releases. It is also two times bigger than the screen count of 'Baahubali the Beginning' and 'Khaidi No. 150'.

 

Directed by Trivikram Srinivas, 'Agnyaathavaasi' is the most awaited movie of Tollywood and the advance booking for the tickets has already received a huge response.

Kamala Mills fire: Two '1 Above' pub owners nabbed, one still absconding

The Sanghvi brothers, who were on the run since the incident, were arrested from the Andheri area

Jigar Sanghvi and Kripesh Sanghvi, '1 Above' pub co-owners wanted in connection with the December 29 Kamala Mills fire that claimed 14 lives, were arrested on Wednesday, police said.

The Sanghvi brothers, who were on the run since the incident, were arrested from the Andheri area here, additional commissioner of police S Jaikumar told PTI.

The police had on Tuesday arrested Vishal Kariya, a hotelier, for allegedly giving shelter to the Sanghvi brothers and Abhijeet Mankar -- owners of the '1 Above' pub.

ALSO READ: Fix fire safety: 15 measures to prevent Kamala Mills tragedy like situation

The trio has been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other offences under the Indian Penal Code.

Police had also announced a reward of Rs 100,000 for information about their whereabouts.

Mankar was still absconding.

ALSO READ: Kamala Mills fire to Chennai floods: Why India's regulations aren't working

On December 29, a fire had swept through the '1 Above' and adjacent Mojo's Bistro resto pub in Kamala Mills compound in central Mumbai, resulting in the death of 14 people.

Mallika Sherawat, French husband evicted from Paris flat over unpaid rent

At a hearing in a Paris court on November 14, a lawyer for the couple said they were in financial difficulty

A French court has ordered that Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat be evicted from an apartment in a posh part of Paris for failing to keep up with the rent.

In a December 14 ruling seen by AFP on Tuesday, the court told Sherawat and her French husband Cyrille Auxenfans to pay 78,787 euros ($94,000) in rent owed and expenses, giving the green light for their furniture to be seized.

The couple began renting the apartment in the pricey 16th district on January 1, 2017, for a monthly sum of 6,054 euros.

But according to the owner, they never paid the rent, making only a single payment of 2,715 euros.

At a hearing in a Paris court on November 14, a lawyer for the couple said they were in financial difficulty.

The lawyer emphasised the "irregular" nature of Sherawat's work -- an argument dismissed by the owners of the apartment who claimed she had earned tens of millions during the rental period.

Neither Sherawat nor Auxenfans replied to AFP's request for comment.

In mid-December, the actress had denied having a Paris apartment.

"It's absolutely not true, if someone has donated one to me, please send me the address," she tweeted in response to media reports about the case.

The couple may appeal the eviction order.

They cannot be thrown out until March 31, when a moratorium on wintertime evictions expires.

Kapil Mohan, the man who kept traditions alive at Mohan Meakin passes away

Mohan, chairman of Mohan Meakin, the maker of Old Monk rum, passed away on Saturday following a cardiac arrest at Mohan Nagar, near Ghaziabad

Kapil Mohan hardly ever downed a peg. Yet, the dark rum in a fat bottle his company brewed was the favourite evening companion for millions cutting across age, class and continents.

Mohan, chairman of Mohan Meakin, the maker of Old Monk rum, passed away on Saturday following a cardiac arrest at Mohan Nagar, near Ghaziabad. He was 88. He was the man behind famous brands like Old Monk, Solan No.1, and Golden Eagle, before age and competition caught up.

The teetotaller, who drew strength primarily from other spirits — of the holy kind — ran the company under his watch for over four decades. Only a year ago, he passed on the executive control to his nephews Hemant and Vinay, though he continued to be the chairman.

Pushed to the helm, following the death of his elder brother V R Mohan in the early 1970s, Kapil saw the emergence of the dark rum packed in the iconic squarish hard glass bottle as a global brand.

Till the mid 2000s, it was the largest-selling liquor brand in the country, with heavy patronage from military canteens. Old Monk held its own even as other brands such as Golden Eagle Beer were weathering the onslaught of Vijay Mallya-led United Breweries group and other competitors.

Yet, much of that market dominance seemed to have been achieved by word of mouth, than through conscious marketing efforts. “We do not advertise. I will not, and as long as I am in this chair, we will not (advertise),” Mohan had said in an interview in 2012. “The best way of my advertising is the product: When it comes to you and you taste it, you look at the difference and ask what is it. That is the best advertisement.”

Mohan was the president of the municipal committee in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan, where the company had its distillery and brewery. In fact, one of the secrets of the success of Old Monk and other brands was the fact that the water was sourced from the same natural spring in Solan as it was 150 years ago, when the facilities were first set up. People close to him say the Padma Shri awardee was averse to change and wanted things done the traditional way.

But the younger generation had other ideas. In mid 2000s, the family saw a separation with Rakesh ‘Rocky’ Mohan (son of V R Mohan), Kapil’s nephew breaking away. He eventually sold the company’s Lucknow facility to the Wave group of Ponty Chadha. In a short span of time, Chadha, who was seen close to the then chief minister Mayawati, brought under his control the liquor business in Uttar Pradesh and other Northern states.

The slide in Mohan Meakin’s fortunes coincided with the rise of Chadha. Meakin’s, which was once listed on the Calcutta Stock Exchange, has since been delisted.

Section 377's days numbered? SC to re-examine verdict criminalising gay sex

A Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice D Y Chandrachud decided to re-consider the top court's December 12, 2013, order

The Supreme Court on Monday said it will re-examine its 2013 verdict upholding the Indian Penal Code's Section 377 criminalising gay sex as it observed that "a section of people or individuals who exercise their choice should never remain in a state of fear".

A Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice D Y Chandrachud decided to re-consider the top court's December 12, 2013, order saying that "individual autonomy and also individual orientation cannot be atrophied unless the restriction is regarded as reasonable to yield to the morality of the Constitution".

"The morality that public perceives, the Constitution may not conceive of," the court said making it clear that the "consent between two adults has to be the primary pre-condition. Otherwise the children would become prey, and protection of the children in all spheres has to be guarded and protected".

ALSO READ: Michael Kirby: The rainbow in Asia and fight for gay rights in our region

Referring the matter to a larger Bench, Chief Justice Misra, in his order, said: "The determination of order of nature is not a constant phenomenon. Social morality also changes from age to age. The law copes with life and accordingly change takes place", referring to the phrase in Section 377 which says, "Carnal intercourse against the order of nature".

Stating that understanding of "natural" is not constant, the court said: "What is natural to one may not be natural to the other but the said natural orientation and choice cannot be allowed to cross the boundaries of law and as the confines of law cannot tamper or curtail the inherent right embedded in an individual under Article 21 of the Constitution."

Click Here To Read : GAY RIGHTS IN INDIA

West Bengal man arrested for stalking Sachin Tendulkar's daughter Sara

He called Sara several times and expressed his desire to marry her

A 27-year-old man from East Midnapore district in West Bengal was on Sunday arrested for allegedly harassing cricketer Sachin Tendulkar's daughter, Sara, over the phone, police said.

Deb Kumar Maiti, a resident of Debkundu village near Geonkhali under Mahisadal Police Station, had gone to Mumbai sometime back to visit his elder brother when he somehow got hold of her number, they said

.

He then called Sara Tendulkar several times and expressed his desire to marry her, they added.

A case was filed in this regard by the Tendulkar family in Mumbai, but the entire matter was kept secret by the Cyber Cell of the Mumbai Police.

A team of the Mumbai Police early today arrested Maiti near Andulia and later produced him before a court in Haldia, which allowed them to take him to Mumbai on a three-day transit remand, a senior officer of West Bengal police said in Haldia.

The police claimed that during interrogation the man admitted to calling her and also showed them a tattoo bearing Sara's name on his arm.

Maiti's neighbours, however, said he was suffering from mental issues from 2007.

Instagram may soon allow you to share its 'stories' directly on Whatsapp

The new feature will let users post decorated photos, videos and GIFs on WhatsApp which will disappear after 24 hours

Facebook is running a small test to let users post their Instagram "Stories" directly to WhatsApp Status.

The new feature will let users post decorated photos, videos and GIFs on WhatsApp which will disappear after 24 hours.

"An Instagram Story posted as a WhatsApp Status also becomes encrypted like the rest of WhatsApp," TechCrunch reported on Wednesday.

"We are always testing ways to improve the experience on Instagram and make it easier to share any moment with the people who matter to you," a Facebook spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced that 'Instagram Stories' and 'WhatsApp Status' both now have 300 million daily active users.

The features, which are the clones of rival app Snapchat, now boast numbers almost twice the size of Snapchat that has 173 million daily active users.

Facebook has also rolled out a feature that lets users share 'Instagram Stories' directly to 'Facebook Stories'.

The option to syndicate Instagram Stories to Facebook Stories is available for US users and will be officially rolled out for everyone around the world.

CEO Salil Parekh to earn a fourth of what Vishal Sikka signed up at Infosys

Infosys gave a low key welcome to Parekh, unlike the aggressive marketing exercise it undertook to welcome Sikka

Salil Parekh will earn an annual salary of Rs 162. 5 million ($ 2.55 million) as the CEO of Infosys, which is a quarter of what Infosys had signed up with his high profile predecessor Vishal Sikka, who quit the firm after three years in turmoil.

The compensation also reflects the reality at Infosys and its chairman Nandan Nilekani who would like the low profile senior executive to execute a vision of focused delivery for customers than over promise and under delivery that would be in contrast with the company's culture.

Parekh, the soft-spoken executive who was poached from global rival Capgemini, will get an annual fixed salary of Rs 65 million and variable pay of Rs 97.5 million that would be compensated based on achieving metrics set by the company. Infosys has also offered stock options worth Rs 97.5 million that would be vested over two years, the company said in its postal ballot that was disclosed in regulatory filings. Pravin Rao, interim MD and CEO has been redesignated as COO.

Sikka, who had a tumultuous three-year stint at Infosys, had signed up $ 11 million package including stock options. However, in fiscal 2017, the last of the three-year term, Sikka earned Rs 451 million ($ 7 million), after he struggled to grow business faster in a volatile business environment and the battle he was facing internally with the entrenched system at Infosys.

Infosys has also spelt out the severance pay terms - half his compensation of the previous 12 months and vesting of outstanding stock options till that period.

The severance pay to Rajiv Bansal, the former CFO, ten times his annual compensation, sparked a controversy over alleged failure in corporate governance norms, which eventually brought the downfall of Sikka and R Seshasayee, the former Chairman at Infosys.

Click Here To Read : Infosys CEO Salil Parekh

Maharashtra bandh: Internet blocked, school buses off roads, cops on alert

BJP and other right-wing parties have accused Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani of inciting the Bhima-Koregaon violence

Maharashtra remained on edge after the anniversary of a battle fought 200 years ago brought to fore simmering caste tensions even as a statewide bandh called on Wednesday to protest the state government's alleged failure to stop violence witnessed stray protest by Dalits.

Violence spilled over to adjoining parts of Maharashtra after clashes broke out between the Dalits and alleged right-wing groups on January 1, during the bicentenary celebration of the Bhima-Koregaon battle near Pune.

The right-wing groups were objecting to the observance of 'Victory Day' since they considered it to be an anti-national celebration.

In the battle, which was fought between the British East India Company, containing Dalits in its infantry, and the Peshwas, who were upper-caste Brahmins, at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818, the Marathas ultimately withdrew. Since then, the lower-caste communities have been viewing it as a symbolic victory for themselves.

Here are the top 10 developments:

1. Internet services have been suspended in Aurangabad to keep the spread of rumours in check.

http://2.In Mumbai, colleges and schools opened as usual but school buses stayed off roads as a precaution. One private school bus was stoned in Chembur but there were no injuries. Mumbai's Dabbawala association on Tuesday decided not to run its delivery service, fearing the law and order issues in the city.

3. Air India and other domestic carriers have waived off cancellation for no-show due to the protests in Maharashtra, the Economic Times reported. The state-backed carrier said it won't charge any fee for rescheduling flights from/to Mumbai on 2nd or 3rd January.

4. In wake of the ongoing protest against the Bhima Koregaon violence, the Mumbai Police on Wednesday advised the residents of the city neither to believe in rumours. Additional forces have been deployed at vulnerable areas in Pune, Thane, Mumbai. Section 144 has been imposed in Thane till January 4. Section 144 empowers an executive magistrate to prohibit an assembly of more than four people in an area.

Click Here To Read : Maharashtra bandh

Triple talaq bill to be tabled in Rajya Sabha today

The BJP has issued a three-line whip for its MPs. The party wants all its MPs' presence in the Parliament on January 2nd and 3rd for the passage of several crucial bills during the period

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 seeking to criminalise instant divorce, triple talaq, is set to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

The Bill, last week, was passed in the Lok Sabha with most of the leading parties in the Opposition, including the Congress, voting in favour, but with caveats. It was passed after the House rejected a string of amendments moved by various Opposition members.

The Centre termed the voting as "historic" and expressed confidence that it would be passed in Rajya Sabha as well.

Also Read : Triple talaq bill: Congress seeks amendments; to consult larger Opposition

The contentious bill had gathered mixed response from all parties when it was introduced in the lower house.

While Congress extended its support, it also suggested that there were certain lacunae in the Bill that needed to be rectified before being brought into force.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi opposed the Bill saying that it would violate the fundamental rights of Muslims.

All the amendments moved by Owaisi, Biju Janata Dal's (BJD) Bhartruhari Mahtab, the Congress' Sushmita Dev and the Communist Party of India's (Marxist) A. Sampath were negated in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

If the Bill gets a green signal in the upper house as well, it will be forwarded to the President for signing it into a law.

Click Here To Read : Triple Talaq Bill