Sanjaya Malakar in American Idol finals

India born Sanjaya Malakar is in finals of American Idol, and that's a controversy for some. He lives to sing another week in American Idols.

General feeling is that he is not good at vocals, but his youth and charm has brought him up to this level. One of the judges on American Idol, Simon Cowell has said he will quit American Idol if Sanjay wins. Cowell says, "He's not going to win. I won't be back if he does!"

Some people are hinting at his ethnicity for the surprising percentage of votes he is getting, Indian population is voting for him in bulk at it appears. But a quick search at google and comments for Sanjaya, you will find he has a good female following for his chicks.

Sanjaya's rise has the effect of Sundance Head getting eliminated. Experts say Sundance had, inarguably, the best voice of any male contestant and was just coming into his own and was a solid candidate for American Idol.

Anil Kumble decides to retire from one day Cricket

India's highest wicket taker Anil Kumble has decided to call it a day. He is going to announce his retirement from limited overs cricket when the Indian Cricket team returns from the Caribbean.

The 36 year leg spinner has made his intentions of quitting from the limited overs game much before the world cup. This was his fourth world cup, representing India colors.

Kumble was born in Bangalore, India on October 17, 1970. His One Day International debut was against Sri Lanka at Sharjah, on April 25, 1990, and the last ODI he played against Bermuda during this world cup.

In his long career in 271 One Day Internationals bowling leg spinners, he has taken 337 wickets at the average 30.89, his best is 6-12 runs and he has taken 5 wickets twice.

Fanning the fanaticism in Indian Cricket.

Cricket is a game, and it needs to be taken as game. Indian cricket team was booted out of the world cup 2007 contentions and huge fanatical response was registered by the Indian cricket fans, it was exaggerated and sometimes fanned by the media for no reasons.

Now the talk about axing the senior players is going on and every news reader and so called cricket experts think that only solution to the lack of performance of indian cricket team is to axe the senior players from the team. As if the juniors have performed and it is for the want of contribution from seniors team is giving bad show.

It was evident that team was not in best of the tempo before going to the world cup.
Reasons can be multiple. Greg Chappel as a coach has devastated the team built by Sourav Ganguly and John Write. It may be bad strategy by team management in nurturing the young talent or practices of over experimenting, which resulted in in security in the players ranks. Natural consequence should be ending the contract of the coach and changing the captain for lack of proper leadership on the field and off the field.

Whatever it be, but the need of moment is not to react in already volatile environment and buy the time to take a saner decision with proper inputs.

Pakistani cricket coach Bob Woolmer dead

Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica has declared Pakistani cricket coach Bob Woolmer dead some time ago. Pakistan has lost to Irish team yesterday and its a big blow to Pakistani cricket.

Bob Woolmer was 58 years old, born in kanpur, india and played cricket for England.
He was found unconscious in his hotel room today and later shifted to a hospital. Speculations are that he has taken something poisonous.

Pakistani team has lost to team from Ireland yesterday tamely, and was out of cricket world cup because of two successive defeats. There were rumours that Pakistani Captain and coach were to be sacked as a consequences.

China spends $132 millions for Cricket World Cup 2007

What is common between Cricket and China? you may not have the answer there. And there is no Chinese cricket team playing this world cup. But, China is spending $132 millions in West Indian countries for the Cricket World Cup 2007. Strikingly he world cricket body International Cricket Council has a 10 year budget to promote cricket globally of just $70 million.

This Chinese gesture is not just for love of Cricket. It is to isolate the Taiwan, which has also spent around $33 million.

Chinese gave $55 million to Antigua to build the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket stadium, even they sent thousands of Chinese workers to finish the stadiums in time, and $30 million to Jamaica for a new Trelwany stadium. Reason for the largesses is Chinese determination to isolate Taiwan from world.

King of fruits arrives

Alphanso (Hapus) mangoes have arrived at Vashi market of Navi Mumbai, but short supply of these early ripe mangoes made them dearer commodity and they are available for around Rs.1000 a dozen.

Gudipadva or the Maharastrian new year, will increase the supply and bring the prices down, as the fruits arriving then will have longer shelf life of around 12 days. In the peak season around 2.6 lakh boxes arrive in APMC market of Vashi right now only 2500 boxes are arriving.

The devgad and Ratnagiri mangoes are sold for around Rs. 1000-3000 per dozen while Malvan mangoes for around Rs. 1000-2000. The prices depend upon supply situation and the place they come from.

Liz Hurley & Arun Nayar Wedding

Businessman Arun Nayar (42) and Hollywood actress Elizabeth (Liz) Hurley (41) married few days ago at Sudeley Castle in Winchcombe, 200 kilometres west of London, in Britain and arrived in Mumbai on Monday.

Hurley and Nayar held a blessing and party at the castle with guests including Kate Moss, Elle Macpherson, Eva Herzigova, Patsy Kensit, Donatella Versace, and Hurley's ex, Hugh Grant. The pair will continue their celebrations in India later this week with a traditional Hindu ceremony followed by a 10-day honeymoon in the Seychelles.

They have plan to continue the marriage bash, a la indiana style with traditional indian marriage at Jodhpur's Umaid Bhavan Palace.

Traditional dancers, a mehendi ceremony and an Indian style wedding ceremony await the Hollywood actress at Jodhpur.

Cricket World Cup 2007 Time-Table Warm Up Matches

Date Group WA Trelawny, Jamaica Group WB St. Vincent Group WC Trinidad & Tobago Group WD Barbados Mon 05 Mar West Indies vs Kenya England vs Bermuda South Africa vs Ireland Sri Lanka vs Scotland Tue 06 Mar India vs The Netherlands Australia vs Zimbabwe Pakistan vs Canada New Zealand vs Bangladesh Thu 08 Mar Kenya vs The Netherlands Zimbabwe vs Bermuda Ireland vs Canada Scotland vs Bangladesh Fri 09 Mar India vs West Indies Australia vs England Pakistan vs South Africa New Zealand vs Sri Lanka

Opening Ceremony Date Activity Sun 11 Mar OPENING CEREMONY

Group Stage

Date Group A St. Kitts & Nevis Group B Trinidad & Tobago Group C Saint Lucia Group D Jamaica Tue 13 Mar Rest Rest Rest West Indies vs Pakistan Wed 14 Mar Australia vs Scotland Rest Kenya vs Canada Rest Thu 15 Mar Rest Sri Lanka vs Bermuda Rest Zimbabwe vs Ireland Fri 16 Mar South Africa vs The Netherlands Rest England vs New Zealand Rest Sat 17 Mar Rest India vs Bangladesh Rest Pakistan vs Ireland Sun 18 Mar Australia vs The Netherlands Rest England vs Canada Rest Mon 19 Mar Rest India vs Bermuda Rest West Indies vs Zimbabwe Tue 20 Mar South Africa vs Scotland Rest New Zealand vs Kenya Rest Wed 21 Mar Rest Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Rest Zimbabwe vs Pakistan Thu 22 Mar Scotland vs The Netherlands Rest New Zealand vs Canada Rest Fri 23 Mar Rest India vs Sri Lanka Rest West Indies vs Ireland Sat 24 Mar Australia vs South Africa Rest England vs Kenya Rest Sun 25 Mar Rest Bermuda vs Bangladesh Rest Rest

Second Stage - Super Eight

Date Group A Antigua & Barbuda Group B Grenada Group C Guyana Group D Barbados Tue 27 Mar D2 vs A1 Rest Wed 28 Mar Rest A2 vs B1 Thu 29 Mar D2 vs C1 Rest Fri 30 Mar Rest D1 vs C2 Sat 31 Mar A1 vs B2 Rest Sun 01 Apr Rest D2 vs B1 Mon 02 Apr B2 vs C1 Rest Tue 03 Apr Rest D1 vs A2 Wed 04 Apr C2 vs B1 Rest Sat 07 Apr Rest B2 vs A2 Sun 08 Apr A1 vs C2 Rest Mon 09 Apr Rest D1 vs C1 Tue 10 Apr D2 vs A2 Wed 11 Apr Rest C2 vs B2 Thu 12 Apr B1 vs C1 Rest Fri 13 Apr Rest A1 vs D1 Sat 14 Apr A2 vs C1 Rest Sun 15 Apr Rest B2 vs D1 Mon 16 Apr A1 vs B1 Rest Tue 17 Apr Rest A2 vs C2 Wed 18 Apr D1 vs B1 Rest Thu 19 Apr Rest D2 vs B2 Fri 20 Apr A1 vs C1 Rest Sat 21 Apr Rest D2 vs C2

Semi - Final Round

Date Semi Final 1 Jamaica Semi Final 2 Saint Lucia Tue 24 Apr 2nd vs 3rd Wed 25 Apr 1st vs 4th

Final

Date Barbados Sat 28 Apr Final

Quattrochi held in argentina and released on bail.

There is a red corner notice against him and his wife Maria about fraud and bribery committed in India between 1982-1987. This is obvious about the Bofors deal in late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's time. Quattrochi has been widely known as close confident of the Gandhi family.

The British court had given orders to freeze the operations in the two accounts in 2003 after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleged that the money in the accounts was part of the kickback that Quattrocchi had got from Bofors.

In BSI AG Bank, he has € 3 million in account number - 5A51516L and $1 million in account number - 5A51516M.

But the things get merkier as CBI says there is no evidence against him as the congress lead UPA government is ruling and Sonia Gandhi, widow or late Rajiv Gandhi is big boss of congress.
That means congress has much to hide, as this scandal has direct links to the Congress president. The plot deepens as the Quattrochi is actually the husband of Sonia Gandhi's cousin.