Bigg Boss 7: Shilpa Agnihotri Evicted Amidst High Drama

MUMBAI: Shilpa Agnihotri who came in with her husband Apurva Agnihotri is the latest housemate to be eliminated from the ‘Bigg Boss 7’ house. She would be ousted in tonight’s special episode.

Apurva Agnihotri and his actress wife Shilpa Agnihotri were in news for allegedly being caught by the police in a raid at a party at Oakwood restaurant in Mumbai. Police found illegal possession of drugs in the party. Six cricketers from an IPL franchise were also reportedly present at the party.

If sources are to be believed then Shilpa created a lot of drama before she left the ‘Bigg Boss’ house and we are sure that she would be one of the most favorite contestants to return as ‘wild card entry’.

This season, the change in the format of the reality show Bigg Boss brought forth newer clashes among the contestants. The house was divided in two sections — called Jannat (heaven) and Jahannum (hell) — and every week, contestants were voted for an exchange between the two living spaces.

But now, the makers have brought yet another twist in the show. ‘Jahannum’ has been demolished and there is only section. As the ‘Heaven’ side can accommodate only six to seven people, the biggest concern is the lack of enough sleeping space for the participants. Also, all twelve contestants will have to share two washrooms.

The strain on the resources is expected to create more drama on this popular show, which frequently witnesses petty fights among the celebrity contestants.

Interestingly, last season, the makers had created a mud house halfway through the show, where the eliminated contestants were housed without the knowledge of the other inmates but had to later demolish that and bring all of them together.

Watch tonight’s episode of ‘Bigg Boss 7′ to catch all the drama unfold.

Treating thalassemia: A miraculous tablet

Hamza Foundation, which started using the Hydroxyurea medicine to treat the blood disorder, reports evident success. DESIGN: TALHA AHMED KHAN

PESHAWAR: 

Pakistan is no stranger to thalassemia, a serious blood disorder. According to the Hamza Foundation, over 8,000 children are born with thalassemia annually, and around 60 per cent of them are from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Now, it seems, a new game changer in the form of a medicine known as Hydroxyurea, has emerged. The foundation reveals that over 25 patients have successfully gotten rid of their crippling, constant need for blood transfusions, while 140 sufferers now just need half the transfusions that they needed merely nine months ago.

Containing a malady

Dr Tariq Khan, a medical officer at the Hamza Foundation Welfare Hospital, says that the treatment of this deadly disease – a way to treat thalassemia without blood infusions – was discovered after 10 years of gruelling research by Dr Saqib Hussain Ansari of the Omair Sana Foundation in Karachi.

Hydroxyurea started being used by the Hamza Foundation in January, 2013.

“This medicine was first used only for cancer patients but, after research, doctors succeeded in experimentally using it for thalaseemia patients, as well,” Tariq explains.

According to him, the majority of patients belong to poor families, and it’s very difficult to afford blood transfusions every 15 to 20 days. This medicine addresses these worries, too – priced at Rs8 per tablet, and easily available at pharmaceutical shops, it is a godsend for low income patients.

Muhammad Arif Khan, a father of two daughters – Maria, aged 9 and Bushra, aged 4 – has travelled to this hospital all the way from Swabi.

“He would have to come to our organization every 15 or 20 days for Maria’s transfusion but for nine months she hasn’t needed this,” explains Tariq.

Muhammad now says that they will start administering the medicine to Bushra in a year, when she turns 5, which is when a patient can start taking it.

“I am a tailor by profession and cannot afford the high expenses of transfusion for two daughters,” says Muhammad quietly. “This treatment is great.”

In 2013 alone, more than 940 patients have registered with the Hamza Foundation, out of which 807 patients are suffering from thalassemia, 87 from hemophilia and 46 from other blood related diseases.

Made into law

Ejaz Khan, the founder and chairman of the Hamza Foundation, says this is the first time successful treatment of thalassemia using medication has been undertaken by an organisation.

Legislation that focuses on genetic screening before marriage, or monitors cousin marriage, has been passed in Iran, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Cyprus. Because of this, many families today are protected from genetic diseases including thalassemia.

According to Ejaz, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led provincial government should implement the Thalassemia Bill 2010, which will hopefully fulfill a similar purpose as the legislation in other counties, to contain the spread of the disease.

“Even though the legislation was passed in the assembly during the time of the previous government, it has yet to be implemented,” Ejaz laments.

Thalassemia is a serious blood disease that begins in early childhood. Patients do not eat well, cannot sleep and vomit frequently after feedings. If thalassemia major goes untreated, children usually die between one and eight years of age, explains Ejaz.

According to him, the foundation is making huge efforts to facilitate free medical services to the poor and deserving, and a large number of people are supporting the organisation in this regard.

Google's stock hits all-time high after strong earnings

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

Google has won itself some new fans on Wall Street.

The Internet search giant on Thursday posted third-quarter results that topped expectationsamid continued strength in its key search business. Investors must have liked that, and liked it a lot, because shares opened with a jump of more than 10 percent at an all-time high of $979 (and rising) after trading around that level in premarket action this morning and in after-hours trading last night.

Less than an hour after market open, the shares surged past the psychological barrier of $1,000. As of 7:13 a.m. PT, Google shares were around $1,004.

Google benefited from a rise in aggregate paid clicks, which include clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of Google's Network members. The company has also been expanding its line of Chromebook devices, and its Android mobile operating system continues to dominate the market for smartphones. The results are more impressive given the losses that its Motorola Mobility unit continues to sustain.

The results represent a return to form after Google posted disappointing results in the second quarter.

The stock has risen roughly tenfold from its initial public offering price of a little more than $100 a share in August 2004.

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Ancelotti: "I hope Casillas stays with us"

Carlo Ancelotti commented on Casillas's revelation that he may be ready to leave "in three months' time" if things do not change: "He's a great goalkeeper, very professional, he helps the team even when he's not playing. He's a captain. I hope Casillas stays with us".

The manager assured that "Bale is available for tomorrow" and that "the only problem we have is Varane, who won't be able to play, although I hope he'll be ok for Wednesday". The coach is not surprised the French player is still struggling with his injury. "He was out for four months and we have to tread carefully as he's very important for us. It's pretty normal for his knee to flare up".

Still on the subject of fitness issues, he added that "Benzema has a bruised calf muscle; he didn't train today, but he's on the match list. We'll make a decision tomorrow".

"The players have come back from international duty in good shape, there aren't any problems. We have an important week ahead with Málaga, Juventus and Barcelona and the team is focused on trying to win", Ancelotti continued.

He went on to say that he had not spoken to Casillas, but that he will do so in private. "He's a great goalkeeper, very professional, he gets on with the job in hand, which is helping the team even when he's not playing. He's a true team captain".

"We need to talk to Iker, but it will be a private conversation. He hasn't said anything to me. He seems alright to me. I can't say he's happy, because it's normal he wants to play, but there's nothing unusual in the way he's behaving".

BOX OFFICE: ‘Chennai Express’ Sets A New Record

MUMBAI: With the arrival of SRK-starrer magnum opus ‘Chennai Express’, directed by Rohit Shetty, the month of August 2013 received a bumper booster in terms of Box Office collections.

In the month of August 2013, as many as 18 new releases hit the marquee. The combined business of all these films was approximately a little under Rs 3.75 billion (Rs 375 crore) net, of which ‘Chennai Express’ took the lion’s share at 55%.

Other contributors to this whopping number were Balaji’s ‘Once Upton a Time In Mumbaai Dobara’ (starring Akshay Kumar, Imran Khan and Sonakshi Sinha), Shoojit Sircar’s ‘Madras Cafe’ and Prakash Jha’s Amitabh Bachchan-starrer ‘Satyagraha’.

In 2013, the only other month with a mammoth Rs 3 billion (Rs 300 crore) nett was May (cumulative business of approximately Rs 3.01 billion or Rs 301 crore net), due to the runaway success of Karan Johar-produced ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’, along with the figures of ‘Shootout at Wadala’.

As far as 2013 is concerned, the mega lineup of November can provide stiff competition to August.

In 2012, November was a bumper successful month, with biggies like ‘Son Of Sardaar’, ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’ and ‘Talaash’ raking in top dollar. The cumulative gross collections of November were Rs 3.1 billion (Rs 310 crore) with 15 releases.

Even September 2012 was a majorly important month at the box office, with collections in the range of Rs 2.96 billiob (Rs 296 crore) on the back of 14 releases. Among them were Ranbir Kapoor starrer ‘Barfi!’, ‘Raaz 3’ and ‘OMG! Oh My God’

It remains to be seen whether November 2013 (during which Diwali releases like ‘Krrish 3’ and ‘Ram Leela’ are lined up), can replicate the success of last year’s November.

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"I admire Cristiano Ronaldo"

Gerard Piqué has analysed the historic rivalry that exists between Spain's two biggest clubs in an interview given to European Sports Media, of which MARCA is a member.

"We are turning around the situation with Real Madrid"
Barcelona has always been behind Real Madrid, but in the last 10 or 15 years we have turned the situation around. We are talking about a Real Madrid that has dominated football for 90 years and that has always been ahead of us.

"We are competing with the richest club in the world"
We have brought through a great crop of youngsters at the club and this has helped us to compete. Real Madrid was one year without winning a title and it spends €160 million on three players: Illarramendi, Isco and Bale. Barcelona can sign Neymar for €60 or €70 million but not three players. The day we do not have La Masia, things won't be the same.

"Cristiano is a hard worker that always wants more"
He has not changed; he is a player that I have always admired because he is a hard worker that always wants more and more. He is a real machine and very ambitious. He never ever stops trying to improve. Some say he is the best but he still wants to get better, and for that reason I admire him.

"Pep is the best coach I have ever had"
He analyses opponents better than anyone else, he can spend up to 24 hours a day watching videos and then he gets you on a Friday before a match and says: "Look, this forward line plays like this, or that, or the other... we have to move the defence to the right or the left, and then we can attack them this way ". And he is the best at doing that.

Ramos, Marcelo and Modric back in training.

Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and Luka Modric were all back in training with their team mates on Thursday after spending Wednesday in the gym as their Real Madrid side prepare the game against Málaga on Saturday.

Meanwhile centre half Raphael Varane, who again suffered knee problems while on international duty with France, remained in the gym as a precaution.

Gareth Bale was also able to train as he bids to be fit to play some part in Saturday's game, along with B team players Casado, Llorente and José Rodríguez. Xabi Alonso continued to work alone on his own fight to return from injury.

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