Serial blasts in Patna ahead of Modi's rally; 6 dead and 20 hurt | Indian News

Six people were killed and more than 40 injured in a series of blasts in Patna before Narendra Modi’s rally in the Bihar capital on Sunday.

Several of the blasts occurred in and around Gandhi Maidan, the venue of the BJP’s prime ministerial nominee’s rally.

People gathered at Gandhi Maidan in Patna where Gujarat CM Narendra Modi is to address a rally. (HT Photo)

The first blast was a crude bomb explosion at Patna junction platform number 10 around 10am. By 12.41pm, seven more blasts took place near Gandhi Maidan.

The bombs near Gandhi Maidan were triggered off by timers. The explosives had been planted at three different sides of the venue, where lakhs of people had gathered for the BJP’s Hunkar (battle-cry) rally.

Following the blasts, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to chief minister Nitish Kumar, even as a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) rushed to Patna.

The BJP demanded a probe into the blasts, calling it a design to create panic and scuttle the rally.

“This is really unfortunate. We want a probe into the blasts,” said the BJP’s national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain.

This is the first time serial blasts have occurred at Gandhi Maidan during a political rally in the past two decades.

Bihar was witness to serial blasts at the Mahabodhi temple in Gaya on July 7. Eight low-intensity blasts occurred inside the ancient Buddhist pilgrimage site. Nobody was killed.

Patna: Modi says Nitish Kumar dreaming about becoming PM with Congress' support | Indian News

Despite a string of low-intensity blasts at the venue of his ambitious Hunkar rally, BJP's prime minister nominee Narendra Modi kept his date with Bihar capital where he attacked the state chief minister Nitish Kumar for "backstabbing" the people.

Gujarat CM and BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at the Hunkar rally in Patna. (PTI Photo)

At the beginning of his speech, he took a dig at Kumar saying people in Bihar are not opportunistic, except a few. He went on to say, “The chief minister here is my friend. People asked me why your friend has left the BJP. I tell them the person who could leave Jayaprakash Narayan can also leave the BJP.”

This was Modi’s first rally after an acrimonious split with Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) four months ago, which came over Modi’s elevation inside the party. The Bihar BJP has pegged this rally as a show of strength and had pulled out all stops to make it a success.

Saying Kumar’s behavior reeked of hypocrisy, Modi said, “I and Nitish Kumar happened to meet on the same table during a lunch hosted by the PM. He wasn't eating anything. I told him, don't worry there's no cameramen around. Please go ahead and eat. There is a limit to hypocrisy.”

The BJP gave up its right to form a government in Bihar even though it had more legislators than the Janata Dal (United), he said.

“For the BJP, the country’s interests are more important than the party. We let Kumar become the CM so that jungle raj of the earlier governments could end. I did not come to campaign in Bihar for campaigning earlier despite requests so that the government doesn’t fall and jungle raj returned. Nitish didn’t cheat the BJP but the people of Bihar. Let’s uproot these backstabbers. ”

He went on to attack the Congress saying the party leaders are very upset that he called a certain person shehzada (prince). “Ask the Congress to stop the politics of dynasty and I will stop calling him shehzada,” he said.

What's happening in Patna:

Highlights from Modi's speech (1:30pm - 2.30)• Modi appeals for peace at Gandhi Maidan.
• Leaders and parties who humiliate our soldiers should be thrown out of power.
• This rally is not just historic, but it will also lay foundation stone for a new future.
• The country wants a change. But mud is being thrown on us from all sides.
• Those who talk of Muslims, I tell them, development is the answer to all problems.
• Bihar's Muslims can't afford to go on Haj. Gujarat Muslims can afford to because they are prosperous.
• Bihar BJP has demanded a 50,000-crore package and the state must get it.
• Both India and Bihar needs a change of government.
• I will repay your love with interest, and our mantra is development.
• The poor Hindu wants to fight poverty, the poor Muslim wants to fight poverty. Let Hindus and Muslims join hands and fight poverty.
• BJP has just one religion- India first.
• PM heads the planning commission. This commission says you aren't poor if you earn Rs. 26 daily.
• A Congress leader says you can have a full meal for Rs. 12. This party has insulted the poor.
• I used to sell tea on trains. Even the Railway Minister doesn't have my experience of what one face on trains.
• Hum gharibi main paida huye hai. I have seen and experienced poverty.
• Congress only knows how to mock the poor.
• If Bihar wants the golden age of Chanakya, it needs politics of unity.
• When Congress came to power they divided people on caste lines.
• If we want to take Bihar forward we need to unite people, bring people of all religions, caste and creed together.
• Alexander's army conquered the entire world but was defeated by the Biharis. That's the might of this land.
• Pakistanis killed Bihar soldiers two months ago. India salutes those soldiers but a Bihar minister insulted them.
• 80% of promises made by UPA in 2009 haven't been fulfilled. It's time for them to go.
• Congress promised to control prices in 100 days. Did they deliver?
• Poverty is a very big issue and due to price rises poor have nothing to eat. Children are crying.
• Congress promised to clean out Ganga but they have failed.
• Farmers dont' have fertilisers, factories are shutting down under UPA rule.
• Congress asking why is Modi saying Shehzaada? The day Congress leaves dynastic politics, I will stop saying Shehzaada.
• JD-U has not betrayed BJP, but has betrayed you (the people of Bihar).
• We wanted to remove jungle raj from Bihar, therefore had tolerated many insults.
• In the alliance of JDU-BJP, it were the BJP Ministers who worked for the welfare of people of Bihar
• Bihar CM & I were at an occasion where he was most uncomfortable to be seen in my presence. I told him: Don't worry no cameras here.
• Treated Bihar CM to a lavish dinner when he came to attend wedding in Gujarat, but he never leaves a chance to abuse me.
• Yaha ke CM (Nitish) hamare mitra hai, logo ne pucha unhone BJP kyu chhoda, maine kaha, jo JP ko chhod sakta hai, BJP kyu nai chhod sakta.
• When democracy was in danger, Bihar gave Jai Prakash Narayan to the nation.
• Whenevr India has needed anything, it looked at Bihar and the state provided it, when country needed, Bihar gave Lord Buddha to nation.
• Congress party is unable to sleep. They question why Modi is using the word Shehzada.
• Crowd chants yes to Modi's question "Yeh vishwasghaat hai ki nahi."
• Bihar CM Nitish has not betrayed the BJP. He has done vishwasghaat with people of Bihar.
• The Bihar CM is dreaming about becoming PM with Congress's support.
• Development in Bihar was due to BJP ministers and leaders and party workers.
• I treated Bihar CM to a lavish dinner but he doesn't leave a chance to abuse me.
• You saw Lalu ji never leaves a chance to abuse me, but 3 months ago he met with an accident and I called him.
• I want to tell the descendants of Shri Krishna (Yadavs), I have come from Dwarka to take responsibility of your well being.
• Narendra Modi: I salute Bihar
• People of Bihar are not opportunistic, other than a few exceptions.
• All major revolutions in India started from Bihar.
• The last man standing here should feel I'm running this country.

1.10pm• BJP president Rajnath Singh: I have never seen such a sea of humanity ever in my life.
• Bihar has always been the catalyst of change.
• Narendra Modi Jana Jana Ke Asha Hai, Jana Jana Ke Bharosa Hai.
• Congress government has led the country towards unemployment and poverty. It's only achievement promote price rise.
• Know that today people of Bihar have taken pledge to make Narendra Modi India's PM in 2014.
• Modi is the only candidate who can solve the issues addressing India.

1pm• Sushil Modi: In my 40 years of public life, saw JP and Lalu rally and even JD-U rallies but this rally has broken all records.
• More than half of the people attending the rally are youth. Youth are with us and youth are with Narendra Modi.
• Lalu and Nitish did their rallies in power. Today we are not in power but we did this rally.
• History will never forgive you (Nitish Kumar). You (Nitish) have betrayed the people of Bihar.

12.45pm
• Narendra Modi reaches rally venue in Patna

12pm• Narendra Modi lands in Patna.
• Calls being issued by leaders to the crowd not to explode crackers as it would set off a stampede.
• However, police exercised on north side of the Gandhi Maidan, use mild lathicharge. People seren running away.
• Rudy, Shahnawaz on stage, asking people to desist from it.

11.55am• Shahnawaz Hussain, Sushil Kumar Modi, Rajiv Pratap Rudy and many other leaders addressing a large crowd, attacking Bihar chief minister.

"Gandhi Maidan in Patna never witnessed the kind of crowd as today. The minorities are also here in large number here, something rarely seen see in the past. BJP is for taking all sections along and stop vote bank politics," said Hussain.

11:30 am
• Vehicular traffic stopped as big groups of people march to listnen to Narendra Modi,
• Around a lakh people present around the venue being regaled by Bhojpuri singers singing songs tailor made for Modi, BJP and Bihar.
• Local leaders taking place on dais. State BJP president Mangal Pandey starts his address.

10am
• Minor explosion occured at Patna railway station, 1 person serious injured.

People gathered at Gandhi Maidan in Patna where Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is to address a rally. (HT Photo)

This is the first time that the Gujarat CM and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi held rallies on the same day. Gandhi is addressing a rally in poll-bound Delhi in Sunday. Modi went on to say, “Dynasty politics is the biggest enemy of democracy, the second is caste politics, third is politics of religion and then politics of opportunity. And all these things have emerged as a strong factor in the politics of Bihar.”

Earlier in the day, the venue was rocked by six explosions in and around the venue in which 16 people have been injured. Earlier in the day, one person was killed in an explosion at Patna railway station.

The rally was also attended by senior party leaders including Arun Jaitley, Shahnawaz Hussain, Sushil Kumar Modi, Shatrughan Sinha and Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

The party had hired 11 special trains, 20,000 SUVs, 6,000 buses, 126 river boats, 33 cranes and a giant gizmo-laden stage for the rally.

Inputs from HT correspondents Dev Raj, Arun Kumar, Mammen Mathew and Rai Atul Krishna

Delhi: Rahul Gandhi addresses rally in Mangolpuri | Indian News

Facing a vehement attack from Left and Right parties for his remark on UP riot victims, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is addressing a party rally in northwest Delhi’s Mangolpuri on Sunday for the first time after the December 4 assembly polls were announced in the national capital.

Gandhi has been in the eye of storm after he said that the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan was in touch with the Muslim youths from the Muzaffarnagar area where riots took place in September.

The Congress is hoping for a fourth straight stint in government in Delhi.

Ahead of the rally, Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Saturday said the party is working hard to make the rally a “huge, huge success”.

"This is the first rally by Rahulji here in connection with the December 4 assembly elections. We are expecting a very, very huge crowd," Dikshit said, adding, "We have made all arrangements for the rally. We are confident that it will be a very successful rally.”

Other senior Delhi Congress leaders, including Dikshit, are also attending the event.

This was the first time that the Gujarat CM and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi are holding rallies on the same day. Modi is addressing his Hunkar rally in Bihar.

The Congress party has defended Gandhi and hit back at BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for targeting the Gandhi family and calling him "Shahzada" (prince) in recent speeches.

On Saturday, Dikshit said Gandhi "is learning" and it is not right to "pre-judge" him. "He is learning ... Let us not pre-judge him ... start judging him if he is chosen prime minister when Congress comes to power (in 2014)," Dikshit told the CNN-IBN news channel in an interview.

Congress leader Girija Vyas said every political leader has the right to participate in elections and hold rallies, but he or she should not cross the level of decency while doing so. "I think what he (Modi) said even the people of the country will not like because this family has made so many sacrifices for the country," said Vyas.

Fan spends $ 100,000 to look like Justin Bieber | World News

Performer Justin Bieber carries his younger brother Jaxon as he arrives for the MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto. Reuters/Mike Cassese

A fan of pop star Justin Bieber has spent about $ 100,000 in plastic surgeries to look more like the singer. The 33-year-old fan, Toby Sheldon, is a songwriter, who lives in Los Angeles. He has done several procedures such as hair transplants, face fillers, a chin reduction and

eyelid surgery so that he looks more like the 19-year-old Baby hitmaker, reported Huffington Post.

"Once Justin shot to fame his face was everywhere and all I kept thinking when I saw his picture was, 'I want to look like him'," Sheldon said.

"It took three transplants and a total of $ 21,000 to accurately lower my hair line, close off my temples and grow back my bangs," he added.

Sheldon, who admitted that he had phobia of ageing, added, "By using Justin's charming baby face as my inspiration, I've been able to restructure my entire look to maintain a much more youthful appearance through plastic surgery."

"I didn't necessarily listen to his music or fawn over him as a celebrity, but his face was just so flawless every change I made was modelled after him," he said.

Following $ 21,000-worth of hair procedure, he underwent  other procedures to his lips and face, with most recently getting a three-part smile surgery which cost about USD 30,000.

IIT-Kharagpur team roots for 'Lassi' as Google's next Android version's name | World News

With a wish to see 'Lassi' as the next name of Google's Android operating system, a team of students from IIT, Kharagpur, were in Ludhiana on Saturday to garner support for their campaign.
The organising team of Kshitij, the IIT's annual fest, visited Guru Nanak Dev Engineering 
College (GNDEC).

“Google is known to name Android versions on desserts. It named its last version Kit Kat,” said Ritesh Saraogi, a team member, hoping that their campaign would make Google name the next Android version behind India's much-loved dairy drink.

“At GNDEC, we created awareness about our Lassi campaign and got a good response. We also organised a wokshop at Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar,” said Saraogi, an MSc economics student at Kharagpur IIT.

There are 50 students from the technology institute who are touring the length and breadth of the country for the campaign. “It has been announced that the name of the next version of Android will start from the letter L. So, we want Google to name the next version 'Lassi'.”

In India, the average annual growth of Android is 57.7% a year, claims the Kharagpur IIT team.

“India is among the top contributors to Android's growth," Saraogi claimed.

Gurpreet Singh, a student of GNDEC, said the campaign was informative.

“It would be fun to have an Android version named 'Lassi'. As for me, I never knew that Android's previous versions had been named after desserts,” he said.

The IIT team has already written an open letter to Sundar Pichai, senior vice-president at Google who oversees Android, Chrome and Google Apps.

Pichai is an alumnus of Kharagpur IIT.  The team also promoted Kshitij, the IIT's techno-management fest, which will be held from January 31 to February 3.

What's in a name?

Google has a liking for food when it comes to naming the version of its mobile operating system Android, as is evident: 

Cupcake
Donut
Eclair
Froyo
Gingerbread
Honeycomb Ice Cream Sandwich
Jelly Bean
Kit Kat

SA tour decision on Oct 26, Srinivasan on board | Cricket News

India's much-anticipated tour of South Africa is all set to go ahead in December with BCCI President N Srinivasan and his CSA counterpart Chris Nenzani agreeing "in principle" for the series during discussions on the sidelines of the ICC Board meeting.

"The BCCI president N Srinivasan and his CSA counterpart Chris Nenzani have in principle agreed for India to play three ODIs, a warm-up game and two Tests in South Africa in December," ESPNcricinfo reported.

The series has already been curtailed after BCCI took exception to the Cricket South Africa's "unilateral" announcement of the itinerary in July.

CSA, desperate to cut down the financial loss that it would incur if the series does not go through, has offered to send its CEO Haroon Lorgat on long leave due to the BCCI's differences with him.

The series will be formalised when the BCCI's working committee meets in Chennai on October 26.

Meanwhile, the BCCI is expected to take up the issue of former ICC legal Head and CSA advisor David Becker criticising BCCI's stand on the Future Tours Program.
    
The BCCI reportedly suspects Becker of acting at the behest of Lorgat, a former CEO of the ICC. Becker has, however, denied this.

"For the avoidance of any doubt, Lorgat had nothing to do with my comments. They were my own personal views and neither he nor anyone else at CSA had anything to do with them," Becker said.

Titanic violin set to fetch record price of £400,000 | World News

The violin played by the bandmaster of the Titanic as it sank beneath the waves is expected to fetch a world record fee for memorabilia from the doomed liner when it goes on sale on Saturday.
The instrument belonging to Wallace Hartley was found strapped to his body after he drowned 

with his seven bandmates and some 1,500 others on board the supposedly unsinkable ship in 1912.

The violin has a reserve price of £200,000 to £300,000 ($323,000 to $485,000, 236,000 to 354,000 euros)  but is expected to fetch as much as £400,000 ($646,000, 472,000 euros) when it goes on sale at Titanic specialist auctioneers Henry Aldridge and Son in Devizes, southwest England.

The instrument carries an inscription from the 33-year-old’s fiancee Maria Robinson to mark their engagement. It is on sale with its leather luggage case initialed WHH.

For decades the violin was believed lost but it was found in the attic of a house in northwest England in 2006, prompting a debate about its authenticity which experts only recently resolved.

Andrew Aldridge, a valuer with the auctioneer, said worldwide interest in the instrument meant it was likely to break the world record fee for a single piece of memorabilia from the Titanic.

“It epitomises bravery. He knew there would be no lifeboats. It symbolises everything that’s good about people, not just Hartley and his band, but all the men, women and children who lost their lives,” he said.

Eyeing Lok Sabha polls, Mamata govt revives scheme for poor | Indian News

With Lok Sabha elections due in early 2014, the Mamata Banerjee government is leaving no stone unturned to appease the urban voters.

Accordingly, urban development and municipal affairs minister Firhad (Bobby) Hakim is personally taking interest in a project related to housing for the poor, who comprises a major portion of the vote bank in Kolkata.

The Mamata Banerjee government is trying to reap benefits of the scheme which was conceptualised by former urban development and municipal affairs minister Asok Bhattacharya during the Left regime.

According to the last census report, a major portion of the vote bank in the state comprises urban poor and Mamata Banerjee is in no mood to loose out on this in the ensuing Lok Sabha poll.

According to the scheme, if a family, whether BPL or not, has a monthly income of up to Rs. 6,000, it would be considered ‘economically weaker class’ and is eligible for a government grant of ` 1 lakh to set up a dwelling unit. According to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) records, the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee gover nment had granted an initial fund of

Rs 5 crore in January 2010. A government notification (No 25-127/MA/C-10/35-4/2009P, dated 8/1/2010) was also issued in this regard.

However, the then city mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya in a letter (dated 19/3/2010) to Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s government had asked for R15 crore for the same.

The Mayor- in-Council (read cabinet) meeting (dated 24/3/2010) had decided to set up 2,000 dwelling units for the urban poor as per the state government-sponsored scheme.

Municipal commissioner in his circular (no.41 of 2009-10 dated 9/3/2010) had initially allotted Rs. 50,000 per dwelling unit for 1,000 houses, which amounted to Rs. 5 crore as had been sanctioned by State Urban Development Agency (SUDA).

However, the entire initiative took a back seat after KMC election was announced in May 2010. Surprisingly, newly elected mayor from Trinamool Congress Sovan Chatterjee did not take much interest in the scheme and the new board just sat on it until recently when chief minister Mamata Banerjee suddenly realised the importance of the ‘Housing for Urban Poor’ scheme and asked Hakim to revive it.

Now, acting on Didi’s order, Hakim’s department has increased the grant amount to

Rs 1.49 lakh instead of Rs. 1 lakh per dwelling unit.

KMC’s social sector and urban poverty alleviation department had been entrusted with the job of identifying the beneficiaries for the scheme.

“The minister has asked us to make a list of the beneficiaries under the said scheme. And we are working on a war footing to ensure the benefit reaches the poor in Kolkata,” Swapan Samaddar, member, mayor-incouncil (slum development) told Hindustan Times.

Unfair to axe a player on basis of one-two performances: Dhoni | Cricket News

Despite some dismal performances by a few players, India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on  came out strongly in their support, saying that frequent changes might hamper the team in the long run.



"It will be unfair that all of a sudden when you lose 

one or two matches and you want playing eleven bowler to be removed and thrown out of the team by saying he is not good," said Dhoni at the post-match press conference.
   
"It's very important to persist with them, to give them experience because they are the part of the side. They are the most talented people and let's back them," he added.
   
Dhoni defended his decision to entrust struggling pacer Ishant Sharma to bowl the 48th over, which yielded 30 runs to hand the third ODI to Australia from a winning position.
   
"If you see the performances, then you may need to change the whole team. There are some batsmen who have not made runs, there are some bowlers who have gone for runs.
   
"If you compare bowlers of the two sides and you feel they (Australians) are better and quick, even they have gone for runs," the skipper pointed out.
   
Dhoni made it clear that with regard to the team selection he will speak only to the selectors and not at a press conference.
   
The 32-year-old Dhoni said that the new bowlers waiting in the wings can wait a bit longer.
   
"It is often seen that once somebody goes out of the side, tendency is that he is forgotten and people talk about the new bowler. I always feel that people who are in the side should be given the rope, doesn't matter if he is a bowler or a batsman.  Once he goes out of the side, the new guy who comes in you again, the principle should be applied.
   
"Otherwise if you start having (demanding) 'yeah hona chaiyee who hona chahiye, phir mushkil ho jaata hain' (there is a clamour this should be done or that should be done and later on it becomes difficult). I think this is one principle that works the best for all the players," he explained.

Hoping all will fall into place | Cricket News

Ishant Sharma bowls during the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy semi-final match against Sri Lanka in Cardiff, south Wales. AFP

A packed stadium and a billion plus television audience; his every stride dissected by some of the biggest names in the game. He begins the over with India in the driver’s seat, but after two big hits off the first two balls, Ishant Sharma freezes. He is downcast, shoulders droop and the

eyes are blank. For the rest of the over, he goes through the motions against the rampaging James Faulkner.

Ishant was hit for 30 runs in the 48th over -- turning the match in Australia’s favour -- and finished with one for 63 from eight overs in the third ODI in Mohali. India have lost two of the three games, conceding 300-plus runs each time. Yet, in the squad named on Sunday for the last four ODIs, Ishant retains his place.

Stark reality

Those who know the situation in Indian cricket, though, are not surprised. MS Dhoni is in the best position to judge his stock. That he keeps going back to Ishant says it all. In the first two ODIs too, his economy rate was eight and 7.77 runs per over, yet Dhoni asked him to bowl the final over in Pune and Jaipur.

At the moment Ishant is bowling well below his potential, he doesn’t have the skill to operate in the death overs and doesn’t come across as a thinking bowler. But looking beyond him is not an option for Dhoni as India’s pace cupboard is bare.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, whose economy rate has been under six in all three matches, is incisive with the new ball. But for a bowler of his pace, he is easy meat at the death when the ball stops swinging. Vinay Kumar has been equally unimpressive and lacks speed. Mohd Shami, still to play, is sharp but is yet to prove his mettle.

Pacy pitches

The next World Cup is in Australia and New Zealand, where speed and hitting the deck will be the key. The other two who can generate decent speed, Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron, have been injury prone.

It means Dhoni, coach Duncan Fletcher and Joe Dawes have no option but keep working on Sharma — the only one in this line-up who consistently clocks 135 plus — till he’s ready. 

Their immediate challenge will be to get his confidence up quickly. And apart from practice it will be about saying the right words to him.

Dhoni explained how he intends to deal with Ishant. “When you are disappointed, it’s always better to give the individual a bit of time to think by himself. The ideal time is after going back to the hotel. That’s when you have a chat. When you are representing your country in front of 30,000 people, if you bowl a bad over, the individual is more disappointed than anyone in the stadium or in the team. When the right times comes, you have a talk.”

A lot of time, effort and trust has gone into project-Ishant.

It’s all in hope that the investment pays off at the 2015 World Cup.

Pak film Waar depicting 'Indian terror' does roaring business | World News

As a police compound here comes under terror attack, an ‘Indian female agent’ cum social worker in Pakistan is dancing with a mercenary celebrating their success. This is a scene from ‘Waar’, a film doing roaring business here. Said to be the most expensive Pakistani film ever to be made, the film is rumoured to be partly funded by the military, a charge denied by the film director Bilal Lashari.

The poster of Pakistani filmmaker Bilal Lishari’s movie ‘Waar’.

The film is about Pakistan’s fight against terror but seems to lay the blame for everything bad happening in the country at India’s doorstep.

The script revolves around a plot by ‘Indian agents’ to carry out the biggest ever blast in Pakistan.Waar opened on Wednesday on 42 screens across Pakistan and set a new record of box-office collections pertaining to Eid openings.

After a first day opening of `11.4 million the big budget flick earned a total of `42.6 million till Friday night, breaking all previous records of Eid collections.

Waar has also broken first day record set by King Khan’s Chennai Express that had earned around nine million rupees on Eid-ul-Fitr. The film bizarrely suggests that even the dreaded Pakistani Taliban is controlled by India.

“The entire patriotic narrative that RAW is backing Khawarij, political traitors and terrorists in Pakistan has been depicted well. #WAAR,” Zahid Hamid, an analyst known for his extreme anti-India statements said on Twitter.

However, many are also have a different view. “Propaganda is one thing, and can be found in any ‘wood’. I just wanted better scripting and continuity. And no accents FFS #Waar,” Zarrar Khuhro, an analyst tweeted.

Detained US ship engineer attempts suicide | World News

One of the 35 crew members of the detained American ship, MV Seaman Guard Ohio, has allegedly tried to commit suicide, Tamil Nadu police said.

According to police sources, 60-year-old Dudnik Valentyn, a Ukrainian national, along with another crew member, was left on the ship while the police arrested the rest of the members on Friday.

The two crew members were left for the upkeep and maintenance of the vessel. The engineer, described by prison authorities as depressed and stressed, attempted to hang himself on Saturday, following which the two seamen were later shifted to Palayam Cottai jail in Tirunelveli, 50 km from Tuticorin.

MV Seaman Guard Ohio, an armed ship operated by a US maritime security company AdvanFort, was detained on October 11 by the Coast Guard east off Tuticorin, around 600 km south of Chennai, for failing to produce papers authorising it to carry weapons and ammunition in Indian waters.

Some reports said the engineer attempted to commit suicide in the prison as well. Jail authorities, however, have denied the report, saying that all crew members are “hale and hearty”.

“They have been eating a proper breakfast of boiled eggs, potatoes etc. There’s nothing to worry,” a prison official said on Monday morning. He, however, didn’t wish to be named.

The crew and security guards included British, Estonian, Indian and Ukrainian nationals. Eight out of them were Indians.

Meanwhile, consular access to the six British nationals has been given to the United Kingdom.

AdvanFort International, a US-based firm that owns the ship detained off Tamil Nadu coast, earlier termed the arrest of its crew as "inappropriate" and said it is working diplomatically and through the judicial system to prove the innocence of 35 sailors to get them released. It is scheduled to represent its case before an Indian court on Monday.

"Our vessel Seaman Guard Ohio has been detained in Tuticorin and 35 of our crew and guards are being held. We believe the entire issue is inappropriate, because we were asked to come into Indian territorial waters by the Indian Coast Guard, while we were outside the Indian territorial waters where we were operating," William H Watson, president of AdvanFort, said.

Shah Rukh Khan unwell, catching up on movies on TV | Bollywood Latest News

Shah Rukh Khan, who is not well, is catching up on his 
movies on television while resting.

SRK says: "my life is in films not years".

Be it his film's promotions or their release dates, the Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan has certainly perfected the art of timing! Here's a look at the actor launching Tag Heur watches.

"Last few days seem like landmark for one or other film of mine. Don yesterday (Saturday), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge today (Sunday) ... My life is 

in films not years ... 
Wow," the actor tweeted on Sunday.

"Been under the weather. Will spend tonight watching Chennai Express on Zee TV ... I am sure will bring some some taste to my bland chicken soup," he wrote.