Trans-Tasman rivalry takes centrestage in World Cup final (Preview)

Melbourne, March 28 (IANS) Much more than the World Cup title will be at stake when co-hosts Australia and New Zealand square-off in the final of the quadrennial event at the majestic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here on Sunday.


 After six weeks and 48 matches among 14 teams, the game pits four-time champions Australia, the numero uno side in One-Day Internationals (ODI), against their trans-Tasman rivals and maiden finalists New Zealand.

 The Black Caps had faltered in the semifinals six times previously but overcame South Africa to enter their first summit clash.

 If familiarity between the two sides has not quite bred contempt, several highly competitive clashes in the past, including the underarm-marred match in the 1980s, will make Sunday's game a fierce contest.

 Australia, with a balanced side and having experience in dealing with big occasions, will have the home advantage even though they will be up against an in-form side.

 New Zealand are on an eight-match unbeaten streak and have 13 wins from their past 14 ODIs. Their victory over Australia in the group stage will give them a lot of confidence going into the match.

 However, this will be the first time in the tournament that the Kiwis will play away from home. Moreover, many former players are saying that their habit of playing at small grounds at home will be a hard reality to overcome when they take the field at the massive MCG in front of a hostile crowd.

 In the last 11 games played at the 'G', the team batting first has won eight with the highest successful run chase being 297. One thing going for the Kiwis is that five of them played at the MCG in 2009 when they defeated Australia, the last time the two teams met in an ODI in Australia.

 In their last 12 ODIs at the MCG, Australia lost only twice and are unbeaten in their last six encounters.

 In the man-to-man match-up, Australia look a more balanced side. They bat deep, going all the way down to No.9 and 10, with all-rounders Shane Watson, Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner adding versatility to the team.

 David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steven Smith, Michael Clarke and veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin will have the responsibility to provide stability to the batting line-up.

 So far in this World Cup, New Zealand have been spot on -- be it with the bat or the ball with each and every player stepping up when the situation demanded.

 Skipper Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill have provided good starts with vice-captain Kane Williamson, experienced middle-order batsmen Ross Taylor and Grant Elliot consolidating on the platforms provided by the openers.

 All-rounder Corey Anderson and wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi have also been crucial in their dual roles.

 The Black Caps' bowling trio of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori, 36, have been key to their success. Left-arm seamer Boult is the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 21 scalps while Southee and Vettori have 15 scalps each.

 Former captain Vettori, with experience of 294 ODIs, is still New Zealand's go-to-man in tough situations.

 On the other hand, Australia have fearsome quicks and should have ascendancy with the ball. Left-arm seamers Johnson, Starc, Faulkner and right-armer Josh Hazlewood are difficult to score off and New Zealand batters will have to be at their best.

 So far, Johnson has taken a backseat with Starc accounting for 20 wickets in eight matches while the former has only 12. Considering the importance of the match, Johnson may rise to the occasion.

 The match will also see an intriguing battle between the two of the most attacking captains in world cricket. Clarke has long been known for his innovative field placements but he needs to match McCullum, who has employed as many as five slips in a Test-match style field at certain stages.

 It will be wrong to bill the match as a final as the two best sides with tales of long standing rivalry face off for cricket's biggest prize. Come Sunday, it remains to be seen whether the sport gets a new title holder or will Australia vie for their fifth title and

Ranbir Kapoor is superstar of our times: Arjun Kapoor

Mumbai, March 28 (IANS) Actor Arjun Kapoor has showered praise on his contemporary  Ranbir Kapoor, calling him the superstar of the current generation.


 Arjun was at the Ficci Frames 2015 conclave here on Friday to discuss the new wave in Hindi cinema.

 Asked whom he considered the superstar of the current age, Arjun said: ìI think Ranbir Kapoor is the superstar of our generation for the kind of roles he is doing, the choices he has made. And he always takes risks.î

 ìWith 'Bombay Velvet' he is again taking a risk. He has always been very brave. He is loved by everybody and we look forward to see Ranbir's movies. You'll never disregard a Ranbir Kapoor film even when he does a special appearance,î Arjun added.

 Arjun was last seen with Sonakshi Sinha in ìTevarî, which failed to create a stir at the box office.

British students entering sex trade to pay debts: Survey

London, March 27 (IANS) In order to pay off their debts and meet the cost of living, many British students are selling their bodies for sex, a significant Survey claims.


 According to researchers from Wales-based Swansea University, one in 20 students had worked in the sex industry while studying for a degree, Mirror.co.uk reported.

 "We now have firm evidence that students are engaged in the sex industry. The majority of these students keep their occupations secret and this is because of social stigma and fears of being judged by family and friends," lead researcher Tracey Sagar, associate professor of criminology, was quoted as saying.

 Men were more likely to be involved than women and the sex work ranged from prostitution and escorting to stripping and internet work, the "Student Sex Work Project" survey involving 6,750 students stated.

 Nearly two thirds of them responded that their motivation was to fund a lifestyle.

 While 56 percent said it was to pay basic living costs, two in five wanted to reduce debt at the end of their course.

 Money was not the only motive.

 Three in five thought they would enjoy it, 54 percent students said they were curious and 44 percent cited sexual pleasure as their motivation.

 Up to a quarter said they had found it difficult to leave the industry.

 "It is vital now that universities arm themselves with knowledge to better understand student sex work issues and that university services are able to support students where support is needed," Sagar emphasised.

 At the moment, students feel so stigmatised that they are reluctant to disclose their occupations to staff and services at universities that could help them, he added.

 The survey was funded by the Big Lottery Fund, a non-departmental public body responsible for distributing funds raised by the British National Lottery for "good causes".

Atul Keshap named US envoy to Sri Lanka, Maldives

Washington, March 27 (IANS) After Richard Rahul Verma, who is the US ambassador to India, yet another Indian American has been named the country's envoy by President Barack Obama. Atul Keshap, a senior Indian-American foreign service official, has been named as ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.



 "I am honoured that these talented individuals have decided to serve our country.  They bring their years of experience and expertise to this administration, and I look forward to working with them," he said announcing Keshap's appointment with three others.

 Currently as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, a position he has held since 2013, Keshap assists Nisha Desai Biswal, the first Indian-American to lead the bureau.

 Now with Keshap's appointments, Indian Americans would be serving as US envoys in three of eight SAARC nations. Another Indian American, Puneet Talwar as assistant secretary for political-military affairs, serves as a bridge between the State and Defence departments.

 And Arun Madhavan Kumar as assistant secretary of commerce and director general of the US and Foreign Commercial Service is charged with boosting US trade abroad.

 Keshap previously served at the State Department as a US Senior Official for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 2012 to 2013.

 From 2010 to 2012, he was the Director for India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Maldives in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

 Prior to that, Keshap was Director for United Nations Human Rights in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs from 2008 to 2010 and Deputy Political Counselor at the US Embassy in New Delhi, India from 2005 to 2008.

 He served as Director for Near Eastern and North African Affairs in the National Security Council from 2003 to 2004 and as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs from 2002 to 2003.

 Keshap's earlier assignments with the State Department included postings in Morocco and Guinea.  Keshap received a BA and MA from the University of Virginia.

 With over a score direct Obama appointees in high places, two governors, a House member, a state attorney general and eight state legislators, Indian Americans have over the years gained power and influence far beyond their numbers.

New technology surges forward at Vancouver Auto Show

Vancouver, March 27 (IANS) If driverless cars cruising streets safely is no longer a dream for car lovers, then puffing nothing into the atmosphere but a little bit of water exhaust is another dream of environmentalists just around the corner.


 Here at the 95th annual Vancouver International Auto Show, car lovers tend to drool over sleek designs, luxury and horsepower. But now, technology is becoming the show's focal point, with more buyers interested in eco-friendly machines with enhanced safety and automated technology, Xinhua reported.

 Beside a monster truck Bigfoot, people were surprised to know that this giant car is driven entirely by electricity. The staff of Bigfoot, Jim Kramer, told Xinhua on Thursday that this custom Bigfoot runs on a 30-car battery power plant that puts out 350 horsepower and roughly 800 pound-feet of torque. While its electric motor is quiet like a purring kitten, this monster truck does not lack for power or performance.

 "We always try to keep up with the innovations. And electric cars are coming of age. It's getting better every day, and we felt we wanted to build an electric monster truck to show people that the qualities of electric can apply. You know, going green doesn't have to be hard. It can be fun. We wanted to make it fun."

 Green cars remain a relatively small part of the overall auto industry, but eco-friendly tech is accelerating at a remarkable rate.

 Take Toyota's Mirai Fuel Cell Vehicle, for instance. It is a concept car that uses a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity for power. Water is the vehicle's only by product. It can be refilled in about five minutes and has a driving range of about 500 kilometres on a full tank.

 Zack Spencer, a Canadian automobile journalist, recently spent a week testing a similar fuel cell vehicle made by Hyundai.

 He told Xinhua at the auto show that the performance gap between fuel cell cars and regular autos is quickly closing.

 "We're talking about very advanced technology, as a fuel cell on board taking only hydrogen, converting it into electricity to power the vehicle and then emitting only water out of the tail pipe, but you drive it like a regular car," Spencer said.

 Another major breakthrough has been driverless technology. Although parking assist, lane control and automatic breaking are already normal for many cars, Mercedes is building and selling a series of luxury cars that can travel up to 30 kilometres an hour on autopilot by using radar and camera technology, or the driverless cars.

 Spencer said there was no question it could be done. "Mercedes Benz has done beta testing in Germany, driving over 130 kilometres with a driver there to watch the car but not touch any of the controls. It could be done today. The problem we have is regulations are not going to move fast enough for this to happen."

Sensex up 136 points; capital goods stocks gain

Mumbai, March 27 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex), on Friday was trading 135.74 points or 0.49 percent up as capital goods stocks rose.


 The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also trading 42.20 points or 0.51 percent up at 8,384.35 points.

 The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 27,649.78 points, was trading at 27,593.32 points (at 9.22 a.m.) in the early session, up 135.74 points or 0.49 percent from the previous day's close at 27,457.58 points.

  The Sensex touched a high of 27,694.41 points and a low of 27,516.30 points in the trade so far.

  Good buying was observed in capital goods, banking and IT sectors, while selling pressure was seen in auto sector.

Worrying tales of the world's worst cops (The Funny Side)

I so hate that Eminem song that uses a police siren as an instrument. Every time it's on the car radio I have a heart attack. Why are the police following me and why can't I see them?



 Hot Tip: Make sure you look wildly off your head in your driving licence photo so that when traffic cops stop you and check it, the real-life you looks comparatively calm and sober.

 Police are on my mind after a reader sent me a news item about cops who raided a brothel a few days ago and found four colleagues using it.

 The really bad thing was that the embarrassed officers were supposed to be on an important assignment taking a murderer from jail to a clinic and back.

 The really really bad thing was that during the arrests, murderer Baiju Yadav slipped away into the nearby township (this happened in West Bengal, India).

 The really really really bad thing was that the murderer voluntarily returned to the prison that night and told police bosses that he was a good guy who hadn't wanted to go to the brothel but the nasty cops forced him to. When a convicted murderer is telling people that in his opinion you and your mates are seriously bad dudes, your reputations are pretty much shot.

 I told a gang of readers that that was the worst "bad cops" tale I had heard for a while, but they all tried to top it.

 The American said that New York judges were so horrified by the corruption of bad cop Louis Eppolito that he was jailed for "life plus 100 years", so technically speaking jailers will have to keep his corpse behind bars for a century. Imagine the conversation in, say, the year 2100. "Who's in cell nine?" "Eppolito's skeleton. He's a bit on the quiet side."

 He also told me about a US policeman named Jonathan Garcia who used to sell drugs while in uniform. Wonder what his standard line was? "Come out with your hands up and check out these items available at a low, low price if you act now."

 The Hong Kong police force is angelically pure now but used to be bad. One Commissioner of Police was officially described as "an excellent law enforcement officer", the only stain on his copybook being that he ran a string of brothels in the street next to police HQ. In 1971, civil servants decided to check out the personal property acquired by a suspiciously flashy police sergeant named Hon Sum: they found he had a fortune in the bank, two limousines and 49 homes.

 Being a male-dominated group, our conversation quickly escalated into a "my officials are corrupter than yours" contest. The mainland Chinese representative, who always has to be number one in any discussion, held up corrupt official Lai Changxing who stole a world-beating $10 billion, but he was beaten by Indonesia's Suharto, with an estimated take of more than $15 billion.

 Meanwhile, if police DO stop you for speeding, I can certify that attempts to talk your way out of trouble with science don't work: "If we factor in the 1,600 kmph speed of the earth's rotation, we're all speeding, right?"