City

Hey, I am a CBSE topper too

Usually when the school principal is away, it is good news for students but not in the case of Powai resident Srishti Kar, who lost her share of limelight amongst the city toppers at CBSE, despite having scored as much, because her principal was away and could not share her scores with the media.

“Yes, I was so sad when I learnt that there were two toppers with 98 per cent from the city featured by all newspapers in the city. It was a little disappointing to not be one of them despite having gotten equal marks,” said Srishti.

Srishti learnt of her scores from her father who is currently in Dubai. “We were having problems accessing the internet here so Dad saw my marks and read it out to me. All of us including my grandparents and my mom jumped with joy. I can never forget this. I am elated at the thought of having scored this much. This was certainly not expected,” said Srishti.

Osama in northern Pak: Afghan official

Osama in northern Pak: Afghan official

A top Afghan intelligence official said on Wednesday that his agency received information several months ago that Al-Qaida figurehead Osama bin Laden is hiding in northern Pakistan bordering Afghanistan.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that bin Laden was said to be in a mountainous region in Chitral, a Pakistani region facing Afghanistan's eastern province of Kunar.

Pakistani officials have in the past said that the world's most wanted man was hiding in Kunar, a claim strongly rejected by Kabul.

''We've received new information that he is hiding in Chitral. We got the information about his presence in that area about four, five months ago,'' the Afghan intelligence official said.

US authorities have also said previously that the fugitive Al-Qaida chief had taken refuge in Chitral and Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar is also in Pakistan's tribal areas.

Thousands of US and NATO soldiers are based in Afghanistan hunting for the pair and fighting back an Al-Qaida-backed insurgency the Taliban launched after they were ousted from government in 2001.

( Blackberry Pearl Diamond)

Here's another designer phone from Alexander Amosu. Amosu has given a gold and diamond look to Blackberry Pearl. The limited edition Blackberry Pearl comes in three variants. Pearl Gold Edition offers choice of solid white gold, yellow gold or platinum. Pearlific comes in solid gold with intricate diamond pattern designs. The Pearl Diamond is modeled in solid gold and hand cut diamonds. Also, diamonds of Pearl Diamond are recyclable and reusable. So, whenever the user wants to discard their cell phone, he will just have to transfer the glittery rocks on to a something newer. The phone is priced at approx $90,000.

Most expensive cell phones

Goldvish Le million made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most expensive phone. The hand-crafted cell phone made of 18-carat white gold, mounted with 120-carat VVS-1 graded diamonds. The phone comes in platinum or white and yellow solid gold studded with diamonds. The phone has a TFT display and supports 176x220 pixels. The phone has Bluetooth, Java, EDGE, WAP and USB port. The phone was first introduced in September 2006 in Europe at the Millionaire Fair. There are only 100 of these phones made and it is only available on special request. GoldVish also make the ‘Illusion’, which comes in 15 different incarnations, encrusted with diamonds. The phone is priced at $1,000,000.

Apple's top-selling gadget iPhone too has a diamond Avtaar, courtesy London-based designer Alexander Amosu. Amosu created gave iphone its diamond look. The phone has 420 cut diamonds with a total of 5.65 carats. The ornate iPhone comes in steel, 18 carat white or yellow gold, with options of white, black or pink sapphire diamonds. The diamond-encrusted Apple iPhone by Amosu comes with one-year free international concierge service. The phone is available at $41,000 approximately. Amosu is also the man behind Nokia's limited edition N95 (8GB).

Cell phone maker Nokia last year launched two third-generation (3G) 8800 series mobile phones, 8800 Arte and 8800 Sapphire Arte. The phone brings 3G capabilities to the Nokia 8800 series. Priced at $1,350, Nokia 8800 Arte comes with a 3.2 megapixel auto focus camera and 8x digital zoom. For data sync, the phone offers a microUSB connector. Other features include 2.0" QVGA 240x320 pixels, OLED display with up to 16 million colours, anti-fingerprint coating on metal and glass and 1 GB built-in memory space. Tapping the phone twice reveals an analogue clock. The Tri-band phone is made of exclusive metal including glass and metal. The phone has exclusive ringtones composed by internationally-renowned DJ duo Kruder & Dorfmeister.

Cricket

Rahul Dravid denies reports of quitting
NEW DELHI: Bangalore Royal Challengers skipper Rahul Dravid has denied reports of qutting the team and parting ways with Vijay Mallya-owned team after there were rumours of him being unhappy with the team and management.

Dravid said to a news channel: "Reports of quitting Bangalore Royal Challengers not true. I have enjoyed the experience of playing in the IPL T-2O matches. I have a 3-year contract and hope to fulfill it."

Earlier, there were rumours that the Vijay Mallya-owned IPL franchise - Royal Challengers - is likely to receive a jolt as its 'icon' player and skipper Rahul Dravid was believed to have expressed interest in parting ways with Mr Mallya for the league's second season.

Dravid, according to insiders in the franchise as well as BCCI, was unhappy with the way the team management has dealt with the players.

"I have had no discussion with Rahul Dravid, but he is performing well personally which I am pleased about. The other players also need to play to their abilities," Mr Mallya told Economic Times. When contacted, Dravid told ET: "I have nothing to say at this stage."

A senior BCCI official said that Dravid has had an informal discussion with board officials on his exit from Royal Challengers. "There is an issue with Dravid, as he is unhappy with his team, and post the first IPL season, we will have to look into the matter."

Mother's Day History

Mother's Day History
Origin of Mother's Day goes back to the era of ancient Greek and Romans. But the roots of Mother's Day history can also be traced in UK where a Mothering Sunday was celebrated much before the festival saw the light of the day in US. However, the celebration of the festival as it is seen today is a recent phenomenon and not even a hundred years old. Thanks to the hard work of the pioneering women of their times, Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis that the day came into existence. Today the festival of Mothers day is celebrated across 46 countries (though on different dates) and is a hugely popular affair. Millions of people across the globe take the day as an opportunity to honor their mothers, thank them for their efforts in giving them life, raising them and being their constant support and well wisher.

Earliest History of Mothers Day
The earliest history of Mothers Day dates back to the ancient annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to maternal goddesses. The Greeks used the occasion to honor Rhea, wife of Cronus and the mother of many deities of Greek mythology.

Ancient Romans, too, celebrated a spring festival, called Hilaria dedicated to Cybele, a mother goddess. It may be noted that ceremonies in honour of Cybele began some 250 years before Christ was born. The celebration made on the Ides of March by making offerings in the temple of Cybele lasted for three days and included parades, games and masquerades. The celebrations were notorious enough that followers of Cybele were banished from Rome.

Early Christians celebrated a Mother's Day of sorts during the festival on the fourth Sunday of Lent in honor of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ. In England the holiday was expanded to include all mothers. It was then called Mothering Sunday.


History of Mother's Day: Mothering Sunday

The more recent history of Mothers Day dates back to 1600s in England. Here a Mothering Sunday was celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter) to honor mothers. After a prayer service in church to honor Virgin Mary, children brought gifts and flowers to pay tribute to their own mothers.

On the occasion, servants, apprentices and other employees staying away from their homes were encouraged by their employers to visit their mothers and honor them. Traditionally children brought with them gifts and a special fruit cake or fruit-filled pastry called a simnel. Yugoslavs and people in other nations have observed similar days.

Custom of celebrating Mothering Sunday died out almost completely by the 19th century. However, the day came to be celebrated again after World War II, when American servicemen brought the custom and commercial enterprises used it as an occasion for sales.

History of Mother's Day: Julia Ward Howe

The idea of official celebration of Mothers day in US was first suggested by Julia Ward Howe in 1872. An activist, writer and poet Julia shot to fame with her famous Civil War song, "Battle Hymn of the Republic". Julia Ward Howe suggested that June 2 be annually celebrated as Mothers Day and should be dedicated to peace. She wrote a passionate appeal to women and urged them to rise against war in her famous Mothers Day Proclamation, written in Boston in 1870. She also initiated a Mothers' Peace Day observance on the second Sunday in June in Boston and held the meeting for a number of years. Julia tirelessly championed the cause of official celebration of Mothers Day and declaration of official holiday on the day. Her idea spread but was later replaced by the Mothers' Day holiday now celebrated in May.

History of Mother's Day: Anna Jarvis
Anna Jarvis is recognised as the Founder of Mothers Day in US. Though Anna Jarvis never married and never had kids, she is also known as the Mother of Mothers Day, an apt title for the lady who worked hard to bestow honor on all mothers.

Anna Jarvis got the inspiration of celebrating Mothers Day from her own mother Mrs Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis in her childhood. An activist and social worker, Mrs Jarvis used to express her desire that someday someone must honor all mothers, living and dead, and pay tribute to the contributions made by them.

A loving daughter, Anna never forgot her mothers word and when her mother died in 1905, she resolved to fulfill her mothers desire of having a mothers day. Growing negligent attitude of adult Americans towards their mothers and a desire to honor her mothers soared her ambitions.

To begin with Anna, send Carnations in the church service in Grafton, West Virginia to honor her mother. Carnations were her mothers favorite flower and Anna felt that they symbolised a mothers pure love. Later Anna along with her supporters wrote letters to people in positions of power lobbying for the official declaration of Mothers Day holiday. The hard work paid off. By 1911, Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state in the Union and on May 8, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a Joint Resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

History of Mother's Day: Present Day Celebrations

Today Mothers Day is celebrated in several countries including US, UK, India, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Mexico, Canada, China, Japan and Belgium. People take the day as an opportunity to pay tribute to their mothers and thank them for all their love and support. The day has become hugely popular and in several countries phone lines witness maximum traffic. There is also a tradition of gifting flowers, cards and others gift to mothers on the Mothers Day. The festival has become commercialised to a great extent. Florists, card manufacturers and gift sellers see huge business potential in the day and make good money through a rigorous advertising campaign.

It is unfortunate to note that Ms Anna Jarvis, who devoted her life for the declaration of Mothers Day holiday was deeply hurt to note the huge commercialisation of the day.