Wednesday 8 October 2014

15 Foods That Keep You Full Longer

15 Foods That Keep You Full Longer

Fill up (and not out) with these good-for-you, high-fiber foods.

We’re about to totally bust through the notion that healthy foods can’t be filling. You see, naturally high-fiber foods are key when it comes to getting your nutrients and not hearing your stomach grumble an hour later. You should aim to include a fiber source in every meal and snack, says Brooke Alpert, R.D., founder of B Nutritious. So we gathered 15 great options. “These are really, really healthy foods that are going to keep you full for a long time,” she says. Sold!

1. Hummus

Beans are an awesome source of fiber, says Alpert, and chickpeas are no exception. Store-bought hummus has about 2.7 grams of fiber in a three-tablespoon serving. Just be careful about what you’re dipping into your hummus: Pitas made with white flour won’t be as filling as whole grain ones—or better yet, crudité.

2. Oatmeal

Avoid 10 a.m. cravings by giving your breakfast a fiber boost—Quaker Organic Instant Oatmeal (the unflavored type) has four grams of fiber per packet. As an added bonus, oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which contributes to keeping cholesterol levels in check, and insoluble fiber, which helps you feel satisfied.

3. Avocado

You know avocados have a big dose of monounsaturated fats, but they also have a significant amount of fiber, says Alpert—in fact, one avocado has about 13.5 grams of the filling nutrient.

4. Lentils

Lentils are doubly filling because they’re packed with protein and fiber, says Alpert: Each ¼ cup has 3.9 grams of fiber and almost 4.5 grams of protein.

5. Broccoli

Broccoli is part of the cruciferous family of veggies, all of which are packed with nutrients. It has tons of antioxidants, which have cancer-fighting benefits, and it’ll seriously boost your fiber intake, says Alpert—in fact, one cup of boiled broccoli has 5.1 grams of it.

6. Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are another member of the cruciferous family, and each cup of cooked ones has 4.1 grams of fiber. These babies are delicious, and even though they may look a little daunting, they’re actually simple to prepare (which is probably why they’re totally having a moment).

7. Kale

We don’t have to tell you how in vogue this high-fiber superfood is—and there’s a reason kale’s so trendy: “Anything with these deep, dark green colors is super, super healthy and loaded with antioxidants,” says Alpert. And as for the fiber count, two cups of raw kale packs 4.8 grams of fiber.

8. Raspberries

“The colors in raspberries are really dark, which means, again, they’re loaded with antioxidants on top of the fiber,” says Alpert. They’ve also got a hefty dose of vitamin C. “I do think it’s possible to over-fruit—too much fruit does mean too much sugar,” says Alpert. “But a cup of raspberries is great”—and has eight grams of fiber.

9. Pears

With 5.5 grams of fiber in just one medium-sized pear, this fruit’s always a solid choice.

10. Apples

These are another delicious and nutrient-rich option when you’re in the mood for something sweeter than, say, Brussels sprouts. Each medium-sized apple has 4.4 grams of fiber.

11. Barley

Barley has the highest fiber content of all the whole grains—cooked pearled barley packs six grams of fiber per cup. Serve it as a side dish or as an ingredient in a salad or soup, suggests Alpert.

12. Chia Seeds

Superfood chia seeds are crazy-versatile. Seriously—you can throw some in everything from yogurt to cauliflower to peanut butter cookies! And get this: Just one ounce (about two tablespoons) of them has 9.8 grams of fiber.

13. Carrots

In addition to filling you up, this vegetable is an excellent source of beta-carotene, says Alpert. Plus, baby carrots might be the easiest snack ever. About seven that are on the larger side have three grams of fiber.

14. Artichokes

“A lot of people don’t realize how good these are for you,” says Alpert. “They’re super low in calories, and you have to work to eat an artichoke, which helps slow down the whole eating process.” Plus, one medium-sized cooked artichoke has a whopping 10.3 grams of fiber. You can eat a whole artichoke or even toss some hearts on a pizza or in pasta to add a dose of fiber to a meal.

15. Almonds

“Nuts are a great source of protein, fat, and fiber all in one,” says Alpert. Just 1/4 cup of them has 4.5 grams of fiber. So toss some in a baggie or stock up on KIND bars to roll with an excellent fiber source when you’re on the go.

Natural Way to Remove Scars

Natural Way to Remove Scars

Many different things cause trauma to the skin, ranging from injuries and accidents to skin conditions such as acne and eczema.

Treatments to get rid of scars on black skin can sometimes be a challenge, but with consistency and patience, it is possible to reduce the appearance of stubborn blemishes.

Types of Scars

There are several types of scarring that occurs after skin exposure to trauma:

Keloidal scars – Elevated, dark, benign tumors that appears on ears, back, shoulders and chest. This can be very difficult to remove since it goes overboard the boundary of the affected area.
Hypertrophic scars – Raised and dark scars. Disappears in a certain amount of time but causes intense itching while this is used.
Atrophic scars – Creates indentation or sunken marks. One example of this type of scarring is stretch marks.

The following are natural remedies for lessening and eliminating scars:

1. Lavendar oil. Apply and massage directly on scars to help fade. In time, it can completely eliminate them.

2. Flaxseed oil. You can buy this oil at almost any health food store. Rub the flaxseed oil on old and new scars a few times each day, including after you shower and again before going to bed.

3. Grapeseed extract, jojoba and almond oil are all effective scar treatments, especially when combined together.

4. Vitamin K. Apply as a cream topically to scars. Depending on the severity of your scars and skin type, you may see results in as little as a couple of weeks to a couple of months when used twice daily.

5. Olive oil. Apply 100% extra virgin) to scars at least twice a day. Within a week you should start to see scars and stretch marks starting to fade.

6. Organic raw honey (especially high UMF factor manuka honey). Rub onto scars twice daily. The antibacterial properties in honey can help heal wounds and promote skin cell growth. With constant use, scars should fade. Using honey is not recommended if you have oily skin.

7. Castor oil. Use with a plastic wrap and a heating pad. Note: Be sure to use only food grade plastic wrap that contains no bisphenol A, a dangerous substance found in many plastics. Rub plenty of castor oil on the scars and then wrap it with plastic wrap. Place a heating pad turned on as high a setting as you comfortably stand and leave on for 20 to 25 minutes. You may see noticeable results in as little as a week or so.

8. Vitamin E. Use oil from punctured gel caps and rub it into scars.

Note: The key to natural lessening and elimination of scar tissue is persistence. Serious scars may take up to several months, but with persistent and consistent effort you should eventually see good results.

SRK shows off Chiseled Body In a Still From HAPPY NEW YEAR

Pakistan cricket chief wants Bangladesh to send 'any' team to tour Pakistan

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shahryar Khan has requested Bangladesh to permit ‘any’ team to tour his country as they pursue to retrieve international matches in Pakistan since the deadly attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009.

PCB’s cricket chief visited Bangladesh on Monday and announced that Pakistan is now much secure than it was five years ago.

Pakistan is safe now

Speaking to AFB on Monday, he said: "We understand that security situation is a hurdle in the way of your national team, or any other team, visiting Pakistan. But let me say that the security situation is much, much better.”

Pakistan have been deprived of any international cricket match ever since masked terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team bus carrying cricketers to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore in March 2009. The attack left eight people dead and also wounded five cricketers, including Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paravitarana and also their assistant coach.

Pakistan since then have been playing their home matches at venues in United Arab Emirates and England.

Khan remarked that his visit to Bangladesh was to renew and better the relations between the two countries in the cricketing sector, which had been damaged when Bangladesh backed out of their tour in 2013 due to security reasons. Pakistan counter attacked by not allowing their own cricketers to play in the Twenty20 Bangladesh Premier League.

Request to send “any” team

The 80-year-old also requested Bangladesh cricket board to send a junior team, if it wasn’t possible to send the senior lot.

"If your national team cannot come to Pakistan for security reasons -- even though I would ask them to send a team to examine how things are -- I want to start cricket between two countries," he said.

He said that he wanted to invite any team from Bangladesh to tour his country. He wanted the A teams, U19s and women to visit Pakistan. He wished to start at every level of Bangladesh to renew ties.

"They will get a very warm welcome. This is what I have come for, to revive and revitalise our relationship," Khan said.

"My expectation is that we will sit down and work out something in the future, which will start up the relationship at whatever level is convenient to Bangladesh."

5 Indian cricketers who can make a comeback for the World Cup

Although India’s final group of players that could be playing in the World Cup next year seems to be getting more and more clear with the each passing series, there are still few players who could make the cut next year for the mega event.

Here are 5 players who could still be in the running to make it to the 15-man squad in Australia and New Zealand:

#1 Gautam Gambhir

The man, who many feel was a tad unlucky to have not received the Man-of-the-Match award in the finals of T20 and 50-over World Cup in 2007 and 2011 respectively, could be the third specialist opener that the selectors would be looking at in Australia and New Zealand.The 32-year old last represented the country in coloured clothing in the home series vs England in early 2013 and made an unsuccessful comeback to Test cricket in England earlier this year.The KKR captain has an impressive record in the 50-over format, having scored more than 5000 runs in limited overs cricket.

Despite the selectors picking Murali Vijay for the third opener’s position,The Delhi opening batsman could still be on that flight down under due to his experience of playing the short ball well and having performed the last time he was there in 2008.

However,a lot will depend on his performances in Deodhar trophy in November and also the Ranji trophy in December.

#2 Zaheer Khan

Possibly the second best fast bowler to play for India alongside Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan is another one who could be part of India’s World cup campaign next year.

Zaheer, the joint highest wicket taker in the previous edition held in the sub-continent with 21 wickets, has however been in-and-out of the team since that memorable campaign owing to poor form and injuries.

However, after working hard on his fitness under Tim Exeter in France, the fast bowler made a come back to the team for the tour to South Africa and performed decently in that series as well as in the next series in New Zealand. The 36-year-old last played for the country in the 50-over format in July 2012.

Just like Gambhir, a lot will depend on his form and fitness in the upcoming domestic tournaments and the selectors will keep a watch on him as they would know that his experience of having played in Australia and New Zealand earlier, could benefit the younger bowlers next year.

#3 Yuvraj Singh

Few would disagree that Yuvraj Singh is possibly India’s biggest match winner after Sachin Tendulkar in ODI cricket for India. The player of the World cup in the 2011 edition, the Punjab left-hander has been through a lot since that event and as a result of that is no longer the same player that he was then.

Yet, despite not being a regular anymore in the Indian ODI setup, Yuvraj’s stats in the 50-over format are terrific, having scored more than 8000 runs at an average of 36.

The 32-year old did show signs of his devastating self during the second half of the IPL earlier this year and if he continues to be among the runs in domestic 50-over competitions in the coming months, then he could find a berth in the final 15 next year.

Also, he could be the man who could bowl a few overs if Dhoni goes in with just the one spinner.

#4 Irfan Pathan

One of the biggest enigmas of Indian cricket, the 29-year old from Baroda has an uphill task ahead of him if he has to make it to the team for the mega event next year.

Pathan last played for India in the 50-over format in the bilateral series vs Sri Lanka and emerged as the highest wicket taker in that series with 8 wickets. However, a spate of injuries and poor form have not helped his cause and he will know that a lot of cricketers similar to him have gone ahead of him in the race.

If he can show signs of his old self with the ball and can contribute with the bat lower down the order, then the selectors could keep him as a back-up option. The upcoming domestic season could well be the most important one of his career and he will know he has to deliver to remain in the selector’s radar for the World Cup.

#5 Robin Uthappa

The opening batsman from Karnataka came back into contention for a slot into the national team after his stellar performance for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2014 Indian Premier League (IPL).

An attacking option at the top, the 29-year-old, changed his entire batting technique after hiring former India batsman Pravin Amre as his personal coach and scored 660 runs in this year’s IPL. He also scored a 50 in his comeback game for India against Bangladesh in June earlier this year.

He, however, did not have great tour to Australia with the ‘A’ team and will know that consistently scoring runs in the domestic circuit is the only way by which he could be part of the team in the 2015 World Cup.

The upcoming Deodhar Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy serves as an ideal platform for the Kodava-lad to impress the selectors and be on that flight next year.

#6

Apart from the 5 players who have a higher chance of being a member of the squad,there could still be few players who could be selected for the event,out of the blue.

Here are 5 other players who could be part of that team next year,despite mediocre performances in the past.

1.Piyush Chawla:The leg-spinner from Uttar Pradesh got criticised heavily for his ineffective spells in the previous World Cup campaign and played his last one day game for India 3 years back against the Netherlands in Delhi in the 2011 World cup.

After a not-so- successful stint with the stint with the Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League,the 25-year old has put out decent performances for his current IPL franchise the Kolkata Knight Riders(KKR),albeit a little too inconsistently .

Chawla has a tendency to go for runs despite picking up wickets and that is something that has not helped his cause in cementing a spot in the team on a consistent basis.

However, if India needs a wrist spinner and if he is among the wickets leading up to the tournament,then he could find a spot in the Indian contingent at the World cup.

2.Yusuf Pathan:The elder of the two Pathan brothers,Yusuf, has not been part of the Indian setup for over 2 years now owing to poor form and an inability to play the short ball convincingly.

The 31-year-old,has been inconsistent in his performances with the bat for his IPL franchise KKR.playing the odd blinder of an innings and getting out cheaply at other times.

However,he did show improvements in his off-breaks during the recently concluded Champions League T20 and if he does manage to score runs on a more consistent basis,he might still have a outside chance to feature in the final 15.

3.Manoj Tiwary: One of the unluckiest young cricketers,the Bengal lad’s cricket career has just not got a move-on since he made his debut in the triangular series in Australia in 2008.

Constant Injuries and continuous opportunities to the other batsman have meant that the 28-year-old has not played as much as he should have for the country.He is a brilliant fielder and bowls handy leg spin too,but needs to be among the runs to ensure the selectors keep him as a backup,in case of an injury to one of the regular players.

4.Ashish Nehra:The left arm pacer from Delhi has to be said is Destiny’s Child.He was part of the team in the 2003 World cup and then did not play a game for the country for 6 years,before making a comeback to national colours.

After some good performances leading up to the 2011 World cup,the 35-year-old sealed a spot in the final squad and went on to win the winner’s medal that had eluded him 8 years earlier.

He recently had a good Champions League T20 playing for the Chennai Super Kings,and if he does remain fit and is among the wickets,he could well make another remarkable comeback and don the national colours at the World cup.

5.Varun Aaron: The 25- year old from Jharkhand is one of the rare Indian bowlers who can consistently bowl quick and hurry up the opposition batsman.Like many others his career too has been hampered by several injuries.

Aaron,however did make an impressive return to Indian colours in the Manchester Test earlier this year and if fit and firing,his pace could be prove lethal in the bouncy pitches at the World cup next year.

Avengers Civil War! Marvel and Sony to Do Deal for Spider-Man?

Hello, fellow freaks and geeks! Are you all sitting down? You'd better be sitting down. Because I have got SOME NEWS for you. Not just some news, but SOME NEWS.

Remember a few weeks ago, I speculated Marvel Studios is working toward a Civil War storyline and systematically made a case for it, up to and including saying that Sony and Marvel were almost certainly quietly negotiating a deal for Marvel to regain Spider-Man's rights. Now, most readers were supportive and excited about the possibility I laid out, but some readers, well...some made it perfectly clear they thought my intelligence level and journalistic integrity were somewhere south of "you stupid cow."

But Drew McWeeny over at HitFix is a solidly reliable source when it comes to the things he reports. And this part from one of his articles published today seems to confirm what I predicted three weeks ago:

Whatever Marvel's future is, the Fox deal remains a thorn in their side, a sequester of some of their biggest characters that looks unlikely to ever change.

Sony, on the other hand, may be doing things the opposite way. While I can't get the confirmations I need to verify the story, I'm hearing that there are some very cool "Spider-Man" plans being discussed that would help Sony refocus their enormously important franchise while also opening up some connections in the onscreen Marvel movie universe that would blow fandom's minds. Will it work out? I don't know. I would love to be able to state for sure that it's happening. What seems clear from what I've heard is that Marvel wants to be able to play with all of their characters, and if they can make that work creatively and on a corporate level, they will, and that means the world gets bigger again.

Granted, until either Marvel or Sony comes right out with an official statement, this will all be speculation. But still, the biggest hurdle to us ever getting the Civil War storyline as part of the MCU was the sticking point of Spider-Man's rights belonging to Sony. This is just one more bit of evidence to confirm what I've been saying for a long time now - at some point, we will be seeing Marvel Civil War played out on the silver screen.

I'm just Cassandra, yelling prophecies into the void over here. Don't mind me, people.

UPDATE: Did J.K.'s Mystery Tweet... Just Reveal The Return Of Harry James Potter?

UPDATE: SOLVED!

And finally the world had an answer to the riddle:

.@EmyBemy2 YES!!!!!!!!!!!! People, we have a winner!
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 7, 2014

It seemed like the waves of enthusiasm for the riddle took a toll on poor Ms. Rowling...

Well, I'm limp, frankly - limp. A few suggestions were spookily close to the script!
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 7, 2014

But J.K. obviously enjoyed that game as much as we did:

OK, the next riddle is... kidding. As I said (was it only 2 days ago?) I've got a novel to finish and a screenplay to tweak.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 7, 2014

And made sure to thank all of us for following along. We love you too J.K. !

Thank you, thank you, for being the kind of people who get excited about an anagram #myspiritualhome
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 7, 2014

And finally a further tidbit of information pertaining to one Newt Scamander... just enough to get us excited:

Newt only meant to stay in New York for a few hours. Circumstances ensured that he remained... for the length of a movie, anyway. X
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 7, 2014

Awesome.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE FOLLOWS:

J.K. Rowling has sent Harry Potter fans - including me, obviously - crazy with her latest tweet where she dropped a GIGANTIC RIDDLE:

Cry, foe! Run amok! Fa awry! My wand wont tolerate this nonsense.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 6, 2014

Dammit, J.K., what does this MEAN?

I've been puzzling over this for a good 30 minutes now, and all I've got is a headache and a loss of faith in my Scrabble skills...

But! An eagle-eyed Redditor noted J.K.'s riddle is a perfect anagram for:

Harry returns! Won't say any details now. A week off. No comment

SERIOUSLY?! There are not enough joyful emoticons to express how I feel if J.K. really is bringing Harry back...

But HOW could Harry return?

1. Harry Potter: The Auror Years

We know that Harry becomes the head of the Auror office. It would be amazing to find out what other epic battles against evil Harry fought in. I mean, just look at how great he was as a kid - imagine what he could do as a grown-up!

--------------------------------------

2. Harry Potter Origins: The Tale of Godric's Hollow

Everyone loves a prequel, right? There's lots of detail in the Harry Potter canon about the James/Lily/Snape story, but a proper school story about The Marauders, leading up to Harry's birth and the betrayal of the Potters would be pretty magical.

--------------------------------------

3. Harry Potter and the Fantastic Beasts

Sure, J.K. has confirmed that Newt Scamander's story begins in New York, decades before Harry's birth, but the original book of Fantastic Beasts has running commentary from Harry and his friends, much like Tales of Beedle The Bard has Dumbledore's thoughts on the source material. Film is a flexible medium, and there's no reason J.K. can't add in a bit of Harry to the upcoming Beasts movie...

--------------------------------------

FYI, J.K.'s tweet also contains the words 'Newt Scamander,' 'New York,' and 'Tomorrow'...

What do you think J.K.'s Riddle means?

Is the return of Harry?

Sources: Twitter

Saturday 4 October 2014

Formula One: Nico Rosberg to start from pole, Lewis Hamilton second in Suzuka

Nico Rosberg seized pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix ahead of team mate and Formula One championship leader Lewis Hamilton, who completed a front-row lockout for Mercedes in qualifying on Saturday. Rosberg, who relinquished the championship lead to Hamilton after retiring from the last race in Singapore, lapped the 5.8 km Suzuka Circuit in one minute 32.506 seconds to claim his first pole since the Belgian Grand Prix at the end of August.

“I’m not thinking about Singapore at all,” Rosberg, who trails Hamilton by three points after a steering wheel failure led to an early retirement at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, told reporters.

“It was a great day today( Saturday), it is only one step on the way — but really great. “The car is so amazing to drive,” he added. Hamilton, who had been fastest in the opening session of qualifying, failed to better Rosberg’s benchmark after locking up on his final attempt and missed out on scoring a hat-trick of pole positions by just under two tenths of a second. “Not too much really,” Hamilton said when asked what went wrong on his lap. “Nico was extremely quick today (Saturday), I did the best I could. “Just wasn’t really feeling it, don’t know why, but tomorrow (Sunday) is the day when you get the points,” added the Briton, whose car had to be hurriedly repaired after he crashed in Saturday morning’s practice session. Despite his error, Hamilton’s time was quick enough to secure Mercedes an eighth front-row lockout of the season. The team have looked dominant all weekend and could leave Japan with the constructors’ title wrapped up if results go their way. VETTEL NINTH Valtteri Bottas took third for Williams ahead of team mate Felipe Massa, with the Grove-based squad taking over from Red Bull as the best of the rest on a circuit that suits their car. The reigning world champions had scored a double podium behind Hamilton in Singapore but were unable to carry that form over to Japan. Sebastian Vettel, set to leave the team at the end of the season for Ferrari, only managed a disappointing ninth fastest at a circuit where he has won four of the last five grands prix. Issues with the car had curtailed his final practice session and the German continued to struggle throughout the qualifying hour. Fernando Alonso, who Vettel is expected to replace at Ferrari next year, set the fifth fastest time on what is likely to be one of his final few Saturday appearances for the Maranello-based squad. Daniel Ricciardo was sixth in the Red Bull ahead of Kevin Magnussen and Jenson Button in the McLarens. Kimi Raikkonen, who had also lost track time in final practice, rounded out the top-ten in the other Ferrari. While Mercedes have topped the timesheets in every session this weekend, rain from Typhoon Phanfone could make things tricky for drivers on Sunday,

Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘Haider’ to get banned in Pakistan?

Amid reports that Vishal Bhardwaj’s Kashmir-based drama ‘Haider’ may not get a release, the Pakistan’s censor board today said that the film is yet to come before them.
Dawn reported that the movie may not get the much-needed No Objection Certificate by the censor board.

The film, starring Shahid Kapoor, Tabu, Kay Kay Menon and Shradha Kapoor in key roles, is Bhardwaj’s adaptation of ‘Hamlet’ and is set in the Kashmir of 1995 when militancy was at its peak.

The newspaper cited sources saying that the film was previewed and sent to the censor board for approval. After watching it, the body decided not to go ahead with the release because of some controversial elements related to Kashmir.

However, when contacted, Zareef Abbasi, the spokesperson of Central Board of Film Censors in Pakistan, said ‘Haider’ has not been presented to them so far.
“The question of banning any film or allowing its screening arises after it is presented to the board,” he told PTI.
When contacted, the producers were unavailable for a comment.

‘Haider’ was slated for release on October 2 with ‘Bang Bang’, but while the shows for the Hrithik and Katrina starrer are scheduled in Pakistan, there was no information on the screening of ‘Haider’.

The newspaper said the distributors in the country had already anticipated that ‘Haider’ may not be released in Pakistan.

Earlier, Pakistan had banned the release of Salman Khan starrer ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ and Saif Ali Khan starrer ‘Agent Vinod’ because it had references to India’s external intelligence agency RAW.

Hong Kong protesters shelve talks with govt

Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters have shelved plans for talks with the government on electoral reforms after mobs of people tried to drive them from the streets they have occupied for a week. The Hong Kong Federation of Students, one of the groups leading the protests that swelled to the tens of thousands earlier this week, said they saw no choice but to cancel the talks.

Hong Kong’s leader, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, proposed the talks late Thursday, seeking to defuse the standoff, the biggest challenge to Beijing’s authority since China took control of the former British colony in 1997.

The scuffles in Kowloon’s crowded Mong Kok district and other areas were the most chaotic since police used tear gas and pepper spray last weekend to try to disperse the protesters.

Pushing and yelling, hundreds of Hong Kong residents tried to force pro-democracy activists from the streets they were occupying on Friday as tensions rose. The protesters said that if authorities do not act to protect the unarmed, peaceful demonstrators, they would retract an agreement to hold talks with the city government. “Stop the violence or we call off the talks,’’ the groups of students and other activists said in a statement. Police were hard-pressed to keep order as the two sides tussled in a tense standoff. The visibly older people trying to force the vastly outnumbered protesters out were yelling, shoving and at times trying to drag the younger protesters away. The democracy activists linked arms and held hands as they tried to stand their ground against the huge crowd. Police formed cordons and escorted some of the protesters away as hundreds of onlookers chanted, “Go home!’’ - See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/world/asia/fights-break-out-between-hk-protesters-beijing-supporters/#sthash.zWuWLVpc.dpuf

Mary Kom has shown India is not a single-sport country

Written by Harsha Bhogle |

Many years ago I had expressed the thought that the gloomier the front pages became, the more inspiring the back pages would seem. There is now competition for gloom, occasionally anger seems the more appropriate sentiment amongst those that watch the news a lot! Maybe as an outcome of that, and doubtlessly it is one of many reasons, there is greater interest in sport now than ever before. A far more important reason though is the growth in television and more sophisticated packaging and indeed, a more wired generation that sees the best in sport from around the world.

It is a benefit, and a challenge, to Indian sport as I suspect the new football league (the Indian Super League, ISL) is going to discover. More people than ever before are watching sport but more critically, they are supporting teams as well. As team loyalties grow, and as sport is placed in a context, the need to watch the very best, while still important, no longer becomes the only reason to watch sport. The ISL will hope that is true.

Every day the football fan in India has the opportunity to see the very best in action. He, and increasingly she, can see Barcelona and Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Juventus and of course the English Premiership. Almost every top player is on view, television brings quality presentation and commentary, social media creates fan groups, forums for discussion, there is a whole world in itself out there. In such a situation, can football go local? Will fans, used to the very best, be willing to watch a completely different standard of football?

While you cannot force anybody, especially where so many options are available, I believe they will. And they must. And the key to attract the fan lies in the creation of localised competition and support. In many countries in the world, the fans throng stadiums to express support for a club even when aware that they are nowhere near the best in the world. They come to watch for a different reason. South Africa is a good example where they struggle to make an impression even in the African Cup of Nations but have a very decently supported local league. The Kaiser Chiefs are big without being a Real Madrid. That is what I hope the Indian Super League will achieve. There is a wider reason I want the ISL to do very well, which is the same reason I wanted the Hockey League to do well and was delighted with the response to the first edition of the Kabaddi League. While I make a living from cricket, and I love the sport dearly, I cannot accept India being a single sport country. When the Olympics and the Asian Games come around we find heroes in Abhinav Bindra, in Sushil Kumar and, to my great joy, in Mary Kom. It tells me that India can be competitive if the right infrastructure and the platform is provided. Each of those three has had to overcome apathy in administration to succeed but if they, and many others like them, were provided a vibrant platform, where their achievements were taken to the public more often and more dramatically, we could have many more sporting stars. Sport could become a profession for many more. Arrogant federation National federations, armed over the years with arrogance and apathy, can hardly do that. If they cared, they would have done it long ago. And so, private enterprise must do the job of providing the platform, creating the buzz and producing stars. Once people see stars, they want to follow. As more people follow, the chance of finding the best increases. But the best will emerge as a by-product of creating a popular, competitive platform. Sport is about watching the best. But sport is also about watching what is yours. When people watch the Chennai Super Kings or the Kolkata Knight Riders they are not always watching the best in the world. But they turn up in numbers because they think the team is theirs. We have seen the beginning of that in kabaddi. I thought we missed out on a great opportunity in the early years of the Premier Hockey League but hopefully local football will create the “my team” culture. Eventually, sporting leagues must create local sporting cultures and live in proximity with the best in the world. Australia, Japan and South Africa have done it. Now India must aspire to do it. I believe the time is right for India to move strongly towards becoming a multi-sport nation. - See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/mary-kom-has-shown-india-is-not-a-single-sport-country/99/#sthash.QYWeM3Hv.dpuf

"Happy New Year was written keeping Dubai in mind." Says Farah

Choreographer-turned-director Farah Khan says she
wrote the script of her upcoming Shah Rukh Khan-starrer
'Happy New Year' keeping Dubai in mind.
"I wrote the script of Happy New Year with Dubai in mind
and the entire climax is shot around New Year's Eve at
Atlantis, The Palm," Farah said, adding she will always
cherish shooting the movie in Dubai.
Happy New Year also stars Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika
Padukone, Boman Irani, Vivaan Shah, Sonu Sood and
Jackie Shroff. The film will premiere internationally at
Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai on October 22 and the entire
cast will travel to Dubai to attend the event.

Produced by Red Chillies Entertainments, the film, which
releases on October 23, was shot at Atlantis, The Palm in
conjunction with Dubai Department of Tourism and
Commence Marketing and Dubai Film and Television
Commission for almost a month in September last year.
"I would like to thank Atlantis, The Palm and DTCM for
being such gracious hosts to us," Shah Rukh said in a
statement.

"Dubai is like home for me and I have loved every bit of
my experience of shooting for Happy New Year here," he
said.
In the lead up to the Diwali premiere, October has been
declared as a Bollywood month at Atlantis, The Palm,
with a number of activities planned to create excitement
for guests around the resort.
The attractions include a designated fan zone, with
memorabilia from the film, special dining menus at
Atlantis' restaurants and much more.

GRACE Satellites See a Drying California

This trio of images depicts satellite observations of declining water storage in California as seen by NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellites in June 2002 (left), June 2008 (center) and June 2014 (right). Colors progressing from green to orange to red represent greater accumulated water loss between April 2002 and June 2014. California's Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins, including the Central Valley, have suffered the greatest losses, in part due to increased groundwater pumping to support agricultural production. Between 2011 and 2014, the combined river basins have lost 4 trillion gallons (15 cubic kilometers, or 12 mil

Read more from JPL Photojournal at
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA18816

Read more from the Los Angeles Times at
http://lat.ms/YXLdco

BCCI has announced a 14 member Indian Cricket Team

BCCI has announced a 14 member Indian Cricket Team for the first 3 ODIs against West Indies. The series starts from October 8.
Squad: MS Dhoni*, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Murali Vijay, Kuldeep Yadav.

10 Effortless Beauty Hacks For The Lazy Girl

Being a girl is already hard, there’s so much to do in the 24 hours of the day, which is why your beauty routine should be as easy as possible. Thing is, girls want to look and feel their best, but they don’t want to spend an eternity achieving that, which is where we come in the picture. With these few smart beauty shortcuts, it’s possible to spend less time primping and more time catching up on that 15-minute extra sleep. Here you go!

1. Do your hair the previous night.

Tumblr

Mornings are meant to be spent in bed and not in your bathroom blow-drying your hair. So, it makes sense to style your hair the previous night. After a shower, work a lightweight styling cream through damp hair. Braid the hair into two pigtails, and in the morning undo your hair to get easy, carefree waves.