Zika virus mutated around 2013, leading to birth defects

Zika has been around for decades but only recently began to cause birth defects due to a single mutation the mosquito- borne virus likely acquired in 2013, researchers said Thursday.
The report in the US journal Science explains for the first time how this once relatively harmless virus transformed into a global health threat. The mutation in one of its structural proteins, called pRM, is believed to have arisen prior to the 2013 outbreak in French Polynesia, said the Science report.
That change in the pathogen's protective coat made the virus more likely to kill developing brain cells in mice and people compared to older versions of the virus, experiments showed.
The change, known as S139N, which involved the replacement of a serine amino acid with an arginine amino acid, was one of "numerous changes" the Zika virus acquired throughout its genome between 2010 and 2016, said the report.
Zika was first discovered in a monkey in Uganda in 1947. In people, it was known to cause a rash and mild illness that soon passed.
But in 2015, Brazil-the nation hardest hit by the outbreak-reported its first cases of babies born with unusually small heads.

Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Khemu blessed with baby girl

Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Khemu are now parents to a baby girl, who was born on Friday on the occasion of Mahanavami (the ninth day of Navratri festival). Kunal Khemu announced with this tweet: “We are over the moon to share that we have been blessed with a beautiful baby girl on this auspicious day. Thank you for the love and blessings.” Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Khemu got married in 2015 and this is their first child together. Fans of the actor couple have shared congratulatory messages for the new member of the family and some have also requested Soha and Kunal to choose one of Maa Durga’s many names for their baby girl. 

 In August, Soha Ali Khan’s family and friends had organized a baby shower for her. Kareena Kapoor, who is married to Soha’s brother Saif Ali Khan, featured in several pictures from the ceremony, just as Neha Dhupia and Konkona Sen Sharma did.
Recently, Soha wrote a bog for The Quint, in which she talked about her “nine-month migration from womanhood to motherhood.” In the blog she also narrated how longingly she waited for this day when her baby will be in her arms. “I check my expected due date several times a day in the desperate hope that it has moved up but of course it’s always the same. The answer comes to me like a familiar and comforting voice from the past, ‘not long now’,” she wrote.
Soha Ali Khan debuted in Bollywood with 2004 film Dil Maange More and has featured in films such as Rang De! Bansanti and Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster Returns. Her last two films - 31st October and Ghayal Once Again - released in 2016.
Kunal Khemu is awaiting the release of Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal Again.

Reproductive coercion or business as usual?

Maleka (not her real name) found herself in a whirlwind relationship in which she felt she has no control. She got pregnant because she couldn't negotiate condom use with her partner and then her partner blamed her for it, even though they both had a role in it. Obviously. Her pregnancy was questioned, she was accused of getting pregnant to serve her own needs, and then left alone to fend for herself under the pretext of a misunderstanding. He did not respond to her calls for help when she needed him. She dealt with the emotional trauma of a pregnancy she had to terminate by herself, feeling that the pregnancy or its termination should not have been her burden to bear alone.

Saleka (also not her real name) is pregnant for the fifth time. Inheritances notwithstanding, she works, as does her husband—which means they are of means. They can afford to have five children, send them to day care and private school, maintain an education fund in each of their children's names. But, she looks tired all the time. When asked about it, she sighs and says she's happy, more to herself than to anyone else, I feel. She posts happy photos on social media, but she no longer has time to hide the dark circles under the eyes. They've become permanent fixtures on her face. There was a time when she used to care about those things; she no longer does. She had once said, he wants more children. Just once. But that was enough.
A 10-year-old rape victim in India was disallowed from having an abortion by India's Supreme Court. She had the baby on August 28. She was not told about her pregnancy. Unbeknownst to her, a C-section was performed to birth the child.
The stories of Saleka, Maleka, and the 10-year-old girl lie on the spectrum of reproductive coercion by intimate partners, social norms, expectations, and the State. In the case of Saleka, the coercion was, and still is, more subtle, perhaps emotionally manipulative; even though, she would never even call it coercion. In the case of the 10-year-old, the coercion was public, authoritative, final, and importantly, hidden from her. In the case of Maleka, the coercion (to undergo menstrual regulation) was part of a toxic, unhealthy relationship that she left after months and months of trying to fix it.

National data suggests that 80 percent of women in Bangladesh report being in unhealthy relationships in which they are abused by their husbands or intimate partners. We must realise, then, that it's just about everyone that is experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). Or, that it's just about everyone who is inflicting violence on their partners. The literature on IPV shows that women who experience IPV are often subject to reproductive coercion, much like Maleka. Another body of research identifies that many women in abusive relationships often remain in them because they form unhealthy attachment and emotional dependency on their abusive partners, often by use of pull-push psychological tactics instigated by the abuser. Additionally, women are often cajoled into believing they can fix the relationships because “their” actions cause the turmoil in their relationships to begin with.
The good news, though, is that women who are in abusive relationships don't always lose control over their bodies, at least in Bangladesh. Maleka's story resonates with findings from a study Gretchen Ely and I conducted last year to find that women who experienced IPV were more likely to use contraceptives, perhaps to ensure that a child is not brought into the unhealthy mix.
That said, however, I must also say that Maleka is not representative of women who experience unwanted pregnancies in Bangladesh. Most women who get pregnant accidentally are unaware of the choices they have. When they find out that they are pregnant it is often too late for them to access legal abortion services, even if they do know about their choices. Finally, the myths that service providers bring to service delivery create misunderstandings and confusion about services that in turn result in uninformed decision-making.
Let me explain.
Abortion is illegal in Bangladesh unless the mother's life is at risk. All other concerns, including rape, are deemed unworthy of concern, which includes, obviously, the mental health ramifications of birthing your rapist's child.
Bangladesh has a caveat, like many other developing nations. Since 1979, Bangladesh's national family planning programme has allowed women to undergo a procedure called menstrual regulation (MR) up to 12 weeks after a woman's last menstrual period. Menstrual regulation through medication (mifepristone and misoprostol) can be done up to 9 weeks after a woman's last menstrual period.
Despite the wide availability of MR services, surgical abortion rates in Bangladesh are fairly high, especially when compared to MR rates. In 2014, the annual rate of MR was 10 per 1,000 women aged between 15 and 49 years, while the abortion rate was 29 per 1,000 women in the same age group, for a total of 1,194,000 induced abortions in 2014 (Guttmacher Institute, 2014). Needless to say, most of these abortions were conducted in clandestine clinics by untrained professionals.
The question is why.
The Guttmacher Institute provides some answers:
- Most women do not know about MR. According to the most recent Demographic and Health Survey from Bangladesh, more than half of the women in the survey had not heard of MR.
- Three in 10 public or private facilities do not have equipment, trained staff, or both, which has resulted in 105,000 women (27 percent of all women seeking MR) being refused MR services.
- Most facilities indicated that the primary reason for turning women away had to do with them being pregnant beyond the 12-week mark or other medical reasons. As in the case of the 10-year-old girl in India, legal abortion is impossible when the pregnancy is at a later stage.
- Facilities also cited social and cultural reasons for turning women away when they tried to access MR services. As indicated in a Guttmacher report, 27 percent were turned away “because they were childless,” seven percent considered the women “too young,” eight percent turned them away because they didn't have their husband's consent, and six percent for being unmarried.
Anecdotal evidence from my interviews with women about their reproductive health and contact with service providers suggest that indirect manipulation, including asking repeatedly if they were ready for an MR, asking if they were interested in knowing the gender of the fetus even though gender can only be determined after being pregnant for 10 weeks, invoking the father and issues of permission, scare tactics about risky future pregnancies, and other coercive tactics play a role in women changing their minds about undergoing MR. This highlights the role of providers in providing MR services, reminding us how little we know about what providers, particularly low-skilled technicians and nurses, know about procedures like MR, and how their perceptions impact the way in which they provide services to women seeking MR.
My sense of how MR is viewed in Bangladesh is that it is not stigmatised in the same way that abortion is in other parts of the world, such as the United States, and we should keep it that way.
However, the rise in the number of potentially clandestine (non-MR) abortions is alarming. The rise of the number of Salekas and Malekas and children who are raped is alarming.  It speaks to a culture where women's bodies are readily expected to bear the brunt of relational and structural problems even when that puts their bodies in harm's way. It continues the legacy of placing patriarchal and ideological baggage on the shoulders of women.

Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt spotted at Durga pooja in Juhu

Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt are going to be a part of Ayan Mukerji’s next. It is temporally named as ‘Dragon’ and will be a superhero film.
Recently both were spotted at a Durga pooja in Juhu and both looked cute together. Seems like both were seeking blessings from the Goddess for their upcoming project.

England suspend Stokes and Hales after nightclub incident

England suspended all-rounder Ben Stokes and opener Alex Hales from international cricket until further notice on Thursday after the pair were involved in an altercation outside a Bristol nightclub.

 

 

The announcement came a day after Stokes, England's highest-profile cricketer and vice-captain of the test side, was named in the 16-man squad for the Ashes tour of Australia starting in November.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement that both Stokes and Hales remained on full pay pending further investigation into the incident in the early hours of Monday.
Stokes was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm and then released without charge under investigation on Monday, and Hales was with him at the time of the incident.
"Ben Stokes and Alex Hales will not be considered for selection for England international matches until further notice," the ECB said.
The immediate effect of the suspension is to rule both out of Friday's final one-day international against West Indies in Southampton.
"Andrew Strauss, Director of England Cricket, will today refer the internal disciplinary procedure for these two players to the Cricket Discipline Commission, chaired by Tim O’Gorman," the ECB added.
"These decisions, fully supported by ECB Chairman Colin Graves, were made following the release of footage viewed by ECB for the first time on Wednesday night."
The Sun newspaper published footage of what it said was a brawl between the player and two other people, one clutching a bottle. The authenticity of the images could not be confirmed by Reuters.
Media reports said Stokes, who suffered a minor fracture of a finger on his right hand, had apologised to the ECB for his arrest and described his state of mind as "fragile and devastated".
Should the 26-year-old definitively be ruled out of the tour, it would be a huge blow for England whose chances of defending the Ashes Down Under have already been called into question.
The hosts whitewashed England 5-0 in the last Ashes in Australia in 2013/14.

Strauss had hoped earlier that the situation could 'galvanise' the rest of the team.

"You can go one of two ways," he said after the squad announcement. "It can actually bring people together or it can allow people to splinter off into other groups.
"What I'm very encouraged about is how tight that team environment is at the moment.
"I'm exceptionally hopeful that they can use this to galvanise things and bring them closer together to focus their minds on what they need to achieve in Australia."

Venezuela prepares for war with US

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro called on his nation's military leaders Tuesday to prepare for war against the U.S. days after the Trump administration banned Venezuelan officials from entering the nation.
"We have been shamelessly threatened by the most criminal empire that ever existed and we have the obligation to prepare ourselves to guarantee peace," said Maduro, who wore a green uniform and a military hat as he spoke with his army top brass during a military exercise involving tanks and missiles. "We need to have rifles, missiles and well-oiled tanks at the ready....to defend every inch of the territory if needs be," he added.
The Trump administration has taken a hard stance against Maduro's regime by banning money lending to Venezuela's government or its state oil company PDVSA, and passing sanctions against Maduro and his top officials.
Maduro referenced the sanctions during his speech at the military base. As he spoke, Russian military plans flew in the sky as part of the training exercise, Agence France-Presse reported.
"The future of humanity cannot be the world of illegal sanctions, of economic persecution," Maduro said.
It's unlikely Maduro has the manpower to stand up to the U.S., which has a much larger military. Maduro has maintained power in Venezuela despite mounting political and economic crises that has seen months of violent, anti-government demonstrations across the South American nation. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino has backed Maduro during the upheaval, but some critics have begun a whisper campaign suggesting that the military could break away and support a coup against the president, Herbert Garcia, a former senior army general and minister, told Reuters in August. There have been three attempted military coups in Venezuela since 1992.
 Russia has defended Maduro in recent months, going so far as to accuse Trump of preparing for an invasion of Caracas. "We are strongly against unilateral sanctions against sovereign states," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in August. "We will carefully analyze the implications of the sanctions imposed by the United States, and their possible effect on the interests of Russia and Russian businesses. We can already say that they will not affect our willingness to expand and strengthen cooperation with the friendly nation of Venezuela and its people."
President Donald Trump directed his penchant for insulting world leaders toward Venezuela during a United Nations speech earlier this month. He said Washington could intervene in Venezuela to help its citizens "recover their country"
"We cannot stand by and watch," he said.
Maduro oversaw a disputed election earlier this year to muzzle the elected national assembly by creating "constituent assembly" in its place.
AFP adds: Maduro joined his army top brass at a military exercise near the northern city of Maracay, where he reminded them of their obligation to defend the country.
"We have been shamelessly threatened by the most criminal empire that ever existed and we have the obligation to prepare ourselves to guarantee peace," said Maduro, wearing an olive green uniform and a military hat.
Maduro's speech came two days after Trump signed a decree adding a raft of top Venezuelan officials to a travel ban encompassing eight countries that Washington says pose a security threat.
The US in August banned American financial institutions from lending new money to Venezuela's government or its state oil company PDVSA. It has also imposed financial sanctions on Maduro and about 20 top officials.
Last week, Trump told the UN General Assembly that the US was ready to act to restore democracy to Venezuela, after months of deadly protests and economic chaos.
Maduro has tried to consolidate control, including through a new Constituent Assembly that has wrested power from the opposition-dominated legislature, a move heavily criticized by the international community.
Maduro said in his speech at the Libertador airbase that his government wanted prosperity for the nation "but to realize it we need to have rifles, missiles and well-oiled tanks at the ready....to defend every inch of the territory if needs be."
"The future of humanity cannot be the world of illegal sanctions, of economic persecution," he said in a reference to a US travel ban imposed on officials from a list of government agencies and their families.

Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan’s candid moments at Vogue Awards

Shah Rukh Khan and his interior designer wife, Gauri, attended the recent Vogue India Women of the Year Awards held in Mumbai, and while we saw pictures of the two on the red carpet, new images are now being circulated online, capturing the Bollywood couple in candid moments.

Gauri doesn’t make too many public appearances, so it was a rare moment for her fans. She was seated with her husband in the front row, with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan - who won the Influencer of the Decade award - and Shweta Bachchan Nanda.

Gauri and Shah Rukh were snapped whispering into each other’s ears, walking arm in arm, and taking selfies with the likes of supermodels Padma Lakshmi and Natalia Vodionova - the evening’s special guest.

Shah Rukh and Gauri have three children, son Aryan (who is studying filmmaking in the US), daughter Suhana (at school in the UK. Both are expected to join the film industry after completing their education. But at least for now, 4-year-old AbRam’s only job is waving from the balcony of their home, and posing for Instagram photos.

‘Maximum security steps taken centering Ashura’

Maximum security measures have been taken centering Ashura to be observed on Sunday commemorating martyrdom of martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA).

After the bomb blast at Hossaini Dalan on the day of Ashura in 2015 that killed two people, timings of the big processions have been changed, Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia told reporters at a briefing in front of the Hosseini Dalan Imam Bara in the morning.
On ninth Moharram, the timing of the procession that will start from Hossaini Dalan and end at Dhanmondi Lake has been changed from 2:00am to 9:00am and on 10th Moharram, the procession will leave at 10:00am instead of 4:00am, Hossaini Dalan authorities told The Daily Star.
Another big procession, which starts from Bibir Rouza in Shyambazar, will begin at 2:00pm, two hours earlier than the usual time.
Anyone interested in joining the procession has to take part from the starting points through security archways that have been installed in the starting points, said Asaduzzaman Mia.

The processions will be cordoned off by police officials and no one can join from the middle points, he added.
The entire Hossaini Dalan premises is being scanned by the dog squad and will continue till the programme ends.
Bomb disposal unit, SWAT, fire service and divers will be stationed by the processions, the official said.
Meanwhile, the height of procession flags has been limited to 12 feet, he added.

 

Plea against Salman Khan in Arms Act case rejected

A court in Jodhpur rejected an application by a former forest officer who alleged that actor Salman Khan misled the court to seek exemption from appearance in the Arms Act case hearing.

"Khan had to appear in the court in a case against him under the Arms Act on April 23, 2015. But he sought exemption on the ground that he had been suffering from pain in his ear and the doctors had recommended against air travel," said the actor's counsel H M Saraswat.

The court of the chief judicial Magistrate, however, granted him exemption.
The then forest officer Lalit Bora moved the application in the court stating that Khan had misled the court by seeking exemption because on the said day he had been shooting for his film 'Bajrangi Bhaijan' in Kashmir.
"We argued in the court that his pain did not bar him from working but travelling by air. The doctors had prohibited him from travelling by air as the pain in the ear could aggravate," Saraswat said. Magistrate Dev Kumar Khatri had completed the arguments on this application on September 23 and had reserved the order to be pronounced today.

On the other hand, government counsel Bhawani Singh Bhati said two more applications are pending before the court - one is pertaining to the submitting a false affidavit of missing arms in the court by Khan and another moved by Khan against Bora.
 Arguments on both these application will take place on October 4 now, while the final arguments in the black buck poaching case are under progress in the trial court, reports PTI.

South Africa plan to host cricket's first four-day Test

South Africa have announced plans to play Zimbabwe in cricket's first four-day Test starting on Boxing Day in Port Elizabeth as part of their home summer calendar for the 2017/18 season.

 

 

Cricket South Africa (CSA) are awaiting approval from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the four-day, day/night fixture, which would also be their first home 'pink ball' Test.

The ICC will take a decision on whether to allow the game at their meeting next month.
The match will be the only Test in a hastily arranged tour that fulfils CSA’s desire for a Boxing Day game, with India to follow in a three-Test series starting in Cape Town on Jan. 5.
The other matches in the India series will be played in Pretoria (Jan. 13-17) and Johannesburg (Jan. 24-28), with six one-day internationals and three Twenty20 games to follow.
South Africa will complete a busy home summer with four Tests against Australia in Durban (March 1-5), Port Elizabeth (9-13), Cape Town (22-26) and Johannesburg (March 30-April 3).
The team open their season with two Tests against Bangladesh starting on Thursday in Potchefstroom.
The second Test will be played in Bloemfontein (Oct. 6-10), followed by three ODIs and two Twenty20 Internationals.

 

Yami Gautam successfully experiments with her ramp look

We have seen Yami pull off some really different looks in her appearances during the promotion of Kaabil early this year. Yami walked the ramp for International Jewellery Week 2017 where she was seen in a completely unique avatar.
Yami successfully experimented with her look as she wore an orange halter neck western outfit with some interesting gold jewelry. She wore a 'nath' and a tribal golden mang tika.
The rare combination looked absolutely stunning and amazing as she walked the ramp with her charming persona.
She went for a gorgeous teal smokey eye makeup and nude lips that made her look fierce and bright. Yami completed her look by keeping soft bouncy curls and half tied hair.
The Kaabil actress who won hearts with her power-packed performance is on a path-breaking spree be it her roles or her looks. The look garnered positive response from her fans and the audience.

Bangladesh face in-form South African batsmen

History and the form of South Africa's leading batsmen are against Bangladesh in the first Test starting Thursday at Senwes Park in northwestern university town Potchefstroom. 

Bangladesh have lost all four previous Tests in South Africa by an innings, despite winning the toss on all four occasions. 

In their favour, though, is improved form since their previous tour in 2008/09 and a Potchefstroom pitch less likely to help South Africa's formidable fast bowlers than other surfaces in the host country. 

Although it has generally favoured batsmen, there was surprising assistance for slow bowlers in a Twenty20 tournament earlier this month, a repeat of which would suit Bangladesh's spin-strong attack. 

Even so, the odds seemed loaded in South Africa's favour. 

Bangladesh did not suggest themselves as world-beaters in a low-key draw against a largely inexperienced Invitation team in Benoni near Johannesburg last week, while South Africa's top batsmen were feasting in four-day franchise matches. 

Hashim Amla, Dean Elgar, Theunis de Bruyn and new cap Aiden Markram all scored centuries, captain Faf du Plessis made 96 and Quinton de Kock hit a half-century. 

Temba Bavuma was the exception, making 25 and 0. 

South Africa's Test stars were playing domestic first-class cricket at the insistence of new head coach, former West Indies player Ottis Gibson, some for the first time in several seasons. 

The form of the batsmen was encouraging after they struggled in a low-scoring series defeat in England this year. 

South Africa's frontline bowlers were less successful, however. 

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada failed to take a wicket in 38 overs, Duanne Olivier took three in the first innings and none in 31 overs in the second innings and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took just one wicket in 39 overs. 

Only Morne Morkel enjoyed some success, taking five wickets across two innings. 

In the absence of leading all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who was granted a break from Test cricket, Bangladesh will look to their two most experienced remaining players, captain Mushfiqur Rahim and opener Tamim Iqbal, to provide substance to their batting. 

Tamim played a minimal role in the warm-up match because of a thigh muscle strain but has been passed fit for Potchefstroom. 

Shakib has also been a mainstay of Bangladesh's bowling attack, which looks short of experience without him. 

Only slow left-armer Taijul Islam, with 54, has taken more than 50 Test wickets. 

Two young bowlers, left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, 22, and off-spinner Mehidy Hasan, 19, are likely to be key figures for the tourists. 

Squads 

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (capt), Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Theunis de Bruyn, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Duanne Olivier, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo 

Coach: Ottis Gibson (WIS) 

Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt/wkt), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah, Mominul Haque, Liton Das (wkt), Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Subashis Roy. 

Coach: Chandika Hathurusingha (SRI) 

Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (NZL), Bruce Oxenford (AUS) 

TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI) 

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)AFP.

Zidane hails Bale, Ronaldo as Real win at Dortmund

Zinedine Zidane praised goal-scorers Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, who netted twice in a 3-1 victory as Real Madrid finally claimed a Champions League win at Borussia Dortmund.
Ronaldo marked his 150th European game with second-half goals after Bale's stunning early volley gave Real the lead at Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored Dortmund's consolation goal with just over half an hour left, but the Germans were simply out-played by holders Real.
Having also netted twice against APOEL, Ronaldo has now scored four goals in just two Champions League games this season.
"I'm happy for Cristiano... again! I'm delighted for Ronaldo and Bale," said Zidane.

This is the first time Dortmund have lost at home to Real in seven European games while holders Madrid have now scored in 38 successive Champion League games.
"It is difficult to play in this stadium, we have never won here, so this victory was important to us, and the whole game was good for us from start to finish," said Zidane.
"We had a lot of ball possession, that was the key.
"Dortmund played as impressively as ever, but we compensated well."
Dortmund shaded possession and matched Real's tally of 16 shots on goal and Zidane wanted to see more chances converted.

"We could have scored more. We had chances. The important thing is to score more than our opponents and we did that," said the Frenchman.
"The side worked hard - Isco, (Luka) Modric, Casemiro and (Toni) Kroos were marvellous.
"Everyone was brilliant. It was a tremendous game."
The result leaves Real top of Group H, just ahead of Tottenham Hotspur, who beat APOEL 3-0 away, with Dortmund third and six points adrift of Spurs, who they also lost 3-1 to in London.
Dortmund coach Peter Bosz gave an honest appraisal of his team, who were better than Real in virtually every statistic - apart from the scoreboard.
"We defend with 11 players and we attack with 11 players," said the Dutchman, whose Dortmund shaded possession and match Real's 16 shots on goal.
"We were just too late against a side who barely made a mistake and we have to defend better.
"We didn't put any pressure on the ball during the game and it's difficult against an opponent like that.
"We were always too late, we have to analyse the performance and do better in the future.
Dortmund should have been awarded a penalty with 13 minutes gone when Real captain Sergio Ramos cleared Maximilian Philipp's shot off the line and the ball deflected off his hand.
"That was clearly a handball in the first-half, but we deserved to lose," admitted Bosz.

Shilpa Shetty: Can't force my dream on my son

Actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra, who is gearing up for the upcoming dance reality show, said she doesn't believe in forcing her dream on her son.

Being a mother of 7-year-old son Viaan, asked if she wants him to become a dancer or actor, Shilpa said, "See, that is the wrong thing... To force my dream to my son.
My son has a natural interest in gymnastics. So I am encouraging that. I believe that parents should not force their dream on their children."
"Every child is special, and has come with a purpose. I think parents should encourage them to achieve their dream. So, I urge, let them dream, let them be achievers."

Judging little children is quite a tough job, Shilpa said. "It is heartbreaking to reject a child... But I think our way of judging a kid is not to reject them, but to guide them to improve their flaws. Therefore, this year, some of the kids have come back through audition from last season as a more versatile talent."

She added, "I think that is one of the things I am looking for from the show - versatility. There is no agenda of promoting a particular dance form, but of encouraging versatility. If as a dancer, you are well trained in one form, it is great. But always try to push the boundary of your talent by trying on other forms and styles. It helps to grow you as a creative individual."

Citing an experience during the auditions, Shilpa said, "We were mesmerized with a little girl, a ballet dancer. But from audience's perspective, how long one can watch ballet for three months? She was not that versatile, so we suggested her to explore a little more also in different forms and then come back next year.

Foo Fighters top Billboard, K-Pop's BTS scores huge US debut

Foo Fighters scored the top spot on the Billboard 200 album charts with “Concrete and Gold,” while South Korean boy band BTS made the best entry ever by a K-Pop band with “Love Yourself: Her,” according to data released on Monday.

 

 

 

 

 

“Concrete and Gold” sold some 127,000 units for the week, figures from Nielsen Soundscan show, while BTS debuted in the No.7 spot with its new release, selling some 31,000 copies.

The Billboard 200 chart tallies units from album sales, song sales (10 songs equal one album) and streaming activity (1,500 streams equal one album).
The sales for BTS, a seven-member band formed in South Korea in 2012, marked the biggest US sales week ever in the burgeoning K-Pop genre, and the highest chart position so far for a K-Pop act.
Also known as Bulletproof Boy Scouts and Beyond the Scene, the band won Billboard’s award for the top social media artists in May, its first major awards win in the United States.
On the Digital Songs chart, which measures online single sales, US rapper Post Malone’s “Rockstar” debuted at No. 1 with more than 79,000 units sold, keeping Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do,” in second place.

Central Women's-Narayanganj final tomorrow

Central Women's College will face Narayanganj College in the final of the Marcel 2nd Inter-College Women's Rugby Competition at the Paltan Maidan tomorrow. The final kicks-off at 10.30 am.
Earlier, in the first semi-final at the same venue on Sunday, Central Women's College defeated Bir Uttam Lieutenant Anwar Girls' College by 5-0 points.
In the second semi-final at the same venue on the same day, Narayanganj College beat Dhaka Commerce College by 10-5 points.
Today Bir Uttam Lieutenant Anwar Girls' College will take on Dhaka Commerce College in a place-deciding match at the same venue. The match starts at 9.00 am.

Mili acts in awareness building docu-drama

‘Monpura’-famed actress Farhana Mili has been a regular face in the various types of awareness building campaigns since she began working in the showbiz. Keeping up with the trend, the actress has started working in yet another similar project and this time around, she is acting in a docu-drama under the direction of veteran actor-director Mamunur Rashid. Mili has already participated in a big portion of the shooting in the meantime. She will also take part in the shooting again in the last week of the current month.

Mili said about working in the docu-drama, “I always feel interested in this type of production. I think I have some responsibilities towards society as well as people of the society. From that sense of responsibility, I get involved with this type of work. I try my best to manage time for this type of work amid my busy schedule, when I get a proposal for a work like this.”
Alongside telecasting on several TV channels, Mili-starrer docu-drama will be screened in various cities of the country. On the other hand, a few of Mili-acted tele-dramas were admired during last Eid-ul-Azha. Among her Eid works, Salauddin Lavlu’s seven-episode ‘Monsur Mala’, Abul Hayat’s ‘Pranobonto Prithok Purush’, Anjan Aich’s ‘Buno Chalta’, Shams Karim’s ‘Soda Bhoy Soda Laj’, Yamin Jewel’s ‘Head of the Department’, Kaushik Sankar Das’ ‘Megh Bristhi Rood’ and Sadek Siddik’s ‘Matir Phul’ are the notable tele-dramas.

On marriage, convenience, rights, and politics

In Bangladesh, family law equals to religious law. Almost all marriages (be it Bangalee or indigenous) are intra-religious, homogenous, and conducted following the religious norms and customs. The only law allowing 'civil marriage', i.e. interreligious marriage is the age old Special Marriage Act 1872, which contains a blatantly unconstitutional provision. Section 2 of this Act totally bars a Muslim, a Hindu, a Buddhist and a Christian to opt for interreligious marriage. In practice, the provision has translated in parties making an affidavit before a notary denouncing their faith and claiming that they do not follow any particular religion. While freedom of religion is a fundamental right under the Bangladeshi Constitution, and while as per the Committee on Civil and Political Rights this right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion implies that marriage laws of each State should provide for the possibility of both religious and civil marriages; the 1872 Act offers right to marry at the cost of foregoing freedom of religion. It thus operates as a tool of enforced religious conversion or denouncement when marriageable adults (not citizens only!) wish to marry a person not sharing a similar faith. The Act further takes away the right of adoption for people marrying under this law which also violate the right to family and family life. It is indeed interesting to see that a law with so many constitutionally challengeable provisions has never been challenged before the apex court.



Secondly, the dominance of religious laws and norms regarding marriage becomes further apparent in the context of child marriage. Bangladesh has been fighting this social evil since before the independence, and yet the results are far less than satisfying. Child marriage cannot be held void or illegal because the religious laws sanction child marriage. Never mind that the religious laws came in a time when people rarely lived past 40. Never mind that child rights are human rights. Never mind that Bangladesh is a party to the CRC 1989. On the contrary, the State attempts to eye wash us by punishing a 'valid' act: go to jail for a few months, come back, and all is well. Law is effectively deterrent only when the parties will know that the court will give no rights under such marriage: no dower, no maintenance, no conjugal rights, no inheritance and yes, no custody for the father. So long as the marriage itself is not made void, child marriage prevention laws are a joke.
In Bangladesh, marriage laws are political maneuvers calculated to preserve the vote banks while appeasing the stakeholders, NGOs and civil society. The final layer was added to this muddling business by the government proclamation of 2014 which banned Bangladeshi-Rohingya intermarriage. While a State has the right to take any measures necessary to ensure and preserve State security and internal law and order, restraints must be practiced so that such measure does not amount to encroachment upon the basic rights of the people within its territory. Further precautions must be observed when the alleged step may create a constitutionally challengeable double standard for its citizens.


It is claimed that the Rohingyas are 'allegedly' using marriage as a tool to gain citizenship. In fact, there are indeed many countries which regulate marriage permissions regarding non-citizens. However, marriage laws must not be arbitrary, must not be without a legitimate purpose and must not violate the basic human right of marriage. This means, laws can be made to prevent 'sham marriages' which are done to receive citizenship but are in effect no marriage because the parties never intended to be husband-wife. Also, such law must not deprive a person or category of person of full legal capacity of the right to marry or substantially interfere with their exercise of the right. The 2004 R (on The Application of Baiai and Others) v Secretary of State For The Home Department is a case on point, where the House of Lords discussed in detail the UK regulations to prevent sham marriages for immigration purposes. In France, marriages of convenience are regulated by the State council certificate granted upon satisfying the genuineness of a marriage. In Klip and Kruger v Netherlands (1997), the European Commission of Human Rights mentioned that even though there may be domestic laws to regulate marriages, the State could deny validating a marriage only when there was a reasonable 'suspicion that the intended marriage was one of convenience' and demand further steps for satisfaction.
As the matters presently stand in Bangladesh, it can be easily argued that such a ban is constitutionally, legally and religiously challengeable. First of all, most Rohingyas are Muslims. As such, if they get married to Bangladeshi Muslims, then the marriage would be solemnised under the Muslim Family Laws. Every Muslim Bangladeshi citizen is entitled to register his/her marriage under the Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act 1974, and any denial would amount to a violation of the constitutional obligation of providing them with equal and due protection of law. Arguendo, while the 1974 Act does not apply to non-Bangladeshi Muslims, conducting Muslim marriages under Islamic law ought to allow a Muslim (even a Rohingya) to lawfully marry another Muslim (Bangladeshi or not). This poses a potential private international law problem, which has not been discretely solved by our legal system.


In the meantime, it can be argued that since Bangladesh upholds the dominance of religious marriage laws over non-religious laws (by omitting to declare child marriages as void, by keeping Hindu marriage registration optional), Bangladesh has no legal justification to differentiate between Muslim marriages conducted under Islamic law. Moreover, such differentiation would tantamount to arbitrariness and discrimination, violating the peremptory norm of international law and the jus cogens rule of non-discrimination on grounds of race.
Bangladesh is a party to ICCPR which contains in Article 23 the right to marriage and family as human rights which Bangladesh ratified with no reservation. The ratification obliges Bangladesh not to breach the provisions. The maxim of non-discrimination is considered both as a stand-alone human right and a part of the right to marry. Therefore, by arbitrarily proclaiming a blanket ban, the State is discriminating genuine marriages made of love and partnership, and opening a floodgate of misplaced attention and unnecessary criticism. And that Bangladesh cannot afford, at least for now.
Marriage laws in Bangladesh thus remain a muddy business.

Krrish 4: Hrithik Roshan to play both, hero and villain?

If Hrithik Roshan is playing math genius Anand Kumar in Vikas Bahl's Super 30, he is also playing a superhero in his home production, Krrish 4 . However, it looks like the actor is not content with just playing diverse roles in different films, but wants to push the envelope and play diverse characters in the same film.

According to a report in Deccan Chronicle, Hrithik may be gearing up to play the hero as well as the villain in the third installment of the Krrish franchise.
A source told the publication, "Hrithik has wanted to explore both the yin and yang, the positive and the negative side of  the personality simultaneously. This is his chance to do so."
In Krrish, as well as Krrish 3, Hrithik had a dual role as Rohit Mehra and his son, Krishna Mehra.

However, director Rakesh Roshan did not confirm or deny the speculation. "It is not easy to write another Krissh film. It is taking time. But we are on it," was all he was willing to divulge.

Britain's Prince Harry makes first public appearance with girlfriend

Britain's Prince Harry and American girlfriend Meghan Markle made their first formal public appearance together on Monday, with the couple holding hands and watching a wheelchair tennis match at the Invictus Games in Toronto.

Markle, an actress who stars in the TV legal drama "Suits," has been dating Harry for more than a year. They both appeared at the Invictus Games opening ceremony on the weekend, but sat apart and were not photographed together.
On Monday, they both wore jeans and sunglasses, but did not escape the notice of the crowd, which cheered their arrival. The pair appeared relaxed and were seen leaning in to share whispered comments during the match, and also turned around and chatted with spectators in the row behind them.
There were about 200 to 300 spectators at the match, which was free to attend.
The Invictus Games are an international sports competition for wounded and sick military personnel founded in 2014 by Harry, younger brother of William, the second in line to the British throne.
The couple's step into the public eye together will likely fuel speculation that marriage is on the horizon and only add to media interest in Markle.

 Harry, William and William's wife Kate are a staple of the front pages of British newspapers and gossip magazines, which pore over every aspect of their lives.

Harry last November criticised the press for subjecting Markle to "a wave of abuse and harassment" after the news of their relationship sparked a stream of stories about the 36-year-old actress in British newspapers, including comment pieces he complained had a racial undertone.
Markle, a divorcee, is a native of Los Angeles whose father is white and mother African-American.
Markle told Vanity Fair magazine earlier this month that she and Harry were in love, in her first direct comments about the relationship.
Her former husband, Trevor Engelson, is reportedly working on a television comedy about divorce and about sharing custody of children after the former wife marries into the British royal family.

A sequel to Kajol`s Gupt to be made soon?

Kajol has been in the industry for 25 years now and she has proved her versatility time and again. From romantic to negative roles, she has been there and done that. One of her most iconic negative role has been in Gupt opposite Bobby Deol for which she also won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor In A Negative Role.
News about the sequel of Gupt has been around for quite some time now. When Kajol  was asked about the same, this is what she had to say, "You want me to come and kill Bobby this time? Or maybe, my aatma will come or my daughter will avenge my death."
She further added, "Something like that will happen if there's a sequel. But jokes apart, no, I don't think there should be one."
She concluded by saying, "I don't think any of my films can be remade or even made into a sequel."
On the work front, Kajol was last seen in Soundarya Rajinikanth's Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 (VIP2) along with Dhanush which became a hug hit.

Ranveer Singh set to star as cricketer Kapil Dev in Kabir Khan’s next

In the era of biopics, Ranveer Singh is the latest A-list actor to join the bandwagon. We have now learned that the actor will soon be seen as former Indian Cricketer and Captain, Kapil Dev, in a film based on India’s victory in the 1983 Cricket World Cup.

All the fans can rejoice as Ranveer Singh will be donning the cricketer’s hat in Kapil Dev biopic which will be helmed by Bajrangi Bhaijaan director Kabir Khan. Vishnu Induri, founder of Celebrity Cricket League and the South Indian International Movie Awards, will be producing the film.
Producer Vishnu Induri confirmed that said this Kapil Dev biopic has been in works for the last three-and-a-half years. After much struggle, they finally have a combination of Ranveer Singh and Kabir Khan. He thinks that with Ranveer’s energy and passion, he is perfect fit to play one of the legendary Cricketer India has ever seen.
Kabir Khan, who recently finished the work on the script, said that he had watched the epic world cup when he was a school boy. Kabir said that as a filmmaker, it is one of the most exciting stories which is filled with extreme raw energy and passion of a young Indian team. He is delighted to have Ranveer Singh on board as he could only see him playing the role since he started working on the script. According to a source, the official announcement of the film will be made on September 27 in Mumbai.
In the recent times, the biopics on cricketers like Mohammad Azharuddin featuring Emraan Hashmi and M.S. Dhoni featuring Sushant Singh Rajput has been made.
On the film front, Ranveer Singh is currently gearing up for the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama Padmavati in which he is playing Alauddin Khilji. The film stars Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmavati and Shahid Kapoor as Raja Rawal Ratan Singh. It is set to release on December 1, 2017.

“Dhaka Attack” takes promo campaign to universities

“Dhaka Attack”, the upcoming cop thriller starring Arifin Shuvo and Mahiya Mahi in the central roles is set for release in three weeks, and the film is shifting gears in its promotional campaign.
The film released its second poster on Saturday, along with the announcement that a full theatrical trailer will drop on Tuesday afternoon. The film also yesterday took out their activation campaigns to several universities in the last two days, as part of a nationwide campaign to build up hype about the film. The cast and crew of the film visited Stamford University on Saturday, North South University yesterday morning, and then Jahangirnagar University in the afternoon -- where they promoted the movie. The campaign also includes a road show that began at the Rajarbag Police Line and has also been to Mintu Road's DB Office, Ramna, Baily Road, Shideswari, Moghbazar, Kakrail, Paltan, Gulistan, Kamlapur in the capital.  The film, directed by Dipankar Dipon, also stars Syed Hasan Imam, Alamgir, Afzal Hossain, Laila Hasan, ABM Sumon, Shatabdi Wadud, Shipon Mitra and Nawshaba, among others. The film is written by additional superintendent of Bangladesh Police Sunny Sanwar and is produced by Splash Multimedia, Three Wheelers Ltd. and Dhaka Police Paribar Kallayan Samity Ltd.

Pakistani film industry extends support to Mahira Khan over trolls

Popular Pakistani actors like Ali Zafar, Humaima Malick, Mawra and Urwa Hocane have lent support to actress Mahira Khan, who was trolled over social media over a leaked photograph where she can be seen smoking.

In the image that surfaced online, Mahira can be seen smoking alongside Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor. Soon after the photograph went viral over social media, a lot of people started slamming Mahira for smoking and wearing a short dress.

However actors from the Pakistani film industry took to Twitter to extend support to Mahira and slam her haters.

"Every woman has the right to make her own choices in life (as long as she's not hurting anyone else) just like we men do.
How we react defines our own character. Choose wisely, for we shall be judged," Ali said in a handwritten note while tagging Mahira.
Humaima tweeted: "Ok. So now you can't date anyone, can't smoke, can't go out , can't wear what you want to just because you are a celebrity. More power to all artist and girl. Mahira Khan live your life your way."

Singer Momina Mustehsan also came out in support of Mahira and tweeted: "Jesus. Can we please give Mahira Khan a break?! Why are we so quick to judge and attack?! Especially if it's a woman in question. It's her life!"

Uber ready to make concessions to reverse London licence decision: Sunday Times

US taxi firm Uber is prepared to make concessions as it seeks to reverse a decision by London authorities not to renew its licence in the city, which represents a potentially big blow for the fast-growing company, a newspaper reported.

The Sunday Times also quoted sources close to London's transport body as saying the move was encouraging and suggested the possibility of talks.
"While we haven't been asked to make any changes, we'd like to know what we can do," Tom Elvidge, Uber's general manager in London, told the newspaper. "But that requires a dialogue we sadly haven't been able to have recently."
A spokesman for Transport for London (TfL) declined to comment.
The Sunday Times said Uber's concessions were likely to involve passenger safety and benefits for its drivers, possible limits on working hours to improve road safety and holiday pay.
TfL stunned the powerful US start-up on Friday when it deemed Uber unfit to run a taxi service for safety reasons and stripped it of its licence from Sept. 30, although the company can continue to operate while it appeals.

 The regulator cited failures to report serious criminal offences, conduct sufficient background checks on drivers and other safety issues.

Uber responded by urging users in London to sign a petition that said the city authorities had "caved in to a small number of people who want to restrict consumer choice". The move echoed Uber's strategy in disputes with other cities.
By Saturday, more than 600,000 people had signed although it was not clear how many of them were in London.
A spokesman for Uber said around 20,000 Uber drivers had emailed the city's mayor directly to object to the decision.

I am not Varun Dhawan that I can dance with Ileana D'Cruz

Sanjay Dutt is all set to make his comeback on the silver screen with Bhoomi that hits the theatre tomorrow. The film revolves around a father who is seeking revenge from the molesters of his daughter's dignity.
With Aditi Rao Hydari playing the role of a daughter to Dutt, the senior actor was made to compare to his contemporaries who are currently romancing younger actresses on-screen. To this Dutt patinently replied, "I have played Hrithik's father in Mission Kashmir. So, it totally depends on the character that is offered to me and the script. I chose this character because I was really impressed with the way it was written, and I still choose my films on the basis of how the script is, and Bhoomi was a combination of the two."
The actor further added, "I also want to tell you one thing. I am not Varun Dhawan that I can dance with Ileana D'Cruz. I am not that young. I can't play a college student. It would look very funny. Everybody has to move on in life. We have to pick the right roles and do the right kind of films."
Dutt was then further asked about his favorite co-star so far, to which the actor replied saying, "Of course, all of them were standing with me.
The industry is my family and they have always been there. I love them all, and I want to give back to them. Coming back to films was a decision out of passion. I was not chasing work. I have enough to sustain my life and eat comfortably at home. A right film mattered to me.
So, I didn't jump at the very first film offered to me. So, whether it took me a year, two years or three years to get back in the film, it didn't really matter to me."
"I still believe Amrita Singh and Govinda were my best co-stars. It was great working with them. There was no competition ever," Dutt then revealed.

Mim busy with three new films

National Film Award-winning actress Bidya Sinha Saha Mim is currently very busy with her three new films. Among three films, Montazur Rahman Akbar-directed ‘Dulabhai Zindabad’ is awaiting release right this moment, which is set to hit cinemas October 13. Alongside Mim, popular actors Dipjol, Mousumi, Aruna Biswas and Kotha, among others, have acted in the film.

On the other hand, Mim is going to resume the work of her another new film ‘Daag’ under the direction of Tareq Sikder soon. With the shooting of a song and two scenes, the entire shooting of the film will be completed. Besides, Mim will take part in the shooting of her other new film ‘Ami Neta Hobo’, directed by Uttam Akash, at a shooting house in Pubail tomorrow.
Mim said about her new films, “I am very optimistic about all three films. My characters are different from each other in these films. As a result, the viewers will find variation in my characters.”
On the other hand, Mim has recently completed the work of a new television commercial (TVC) for Lux directed by Amitabh Reza. Jakia Bari Mamo and Mehazabein Chowdhury will also be seen appearing with her in this TVC. Mim’s new TVC is likely to start airing on various TV channels from October.

Royal gardens of Europe: A lush oasis in National Garden, Athens

Many of Europe's parks and gardens were created at the request of the kings, queens, princes and princesses who once ruled over the Old Continent. Some have exceptional qualities or stunning styles that put them on the map for visitors vacationing in Europe, such as the National Garden in Athens.

The royal connection

The garden was commissioned by Queen Amalia, queen consort of Greece and spouse of King Otto, as a garden for the Royal Palace. It was commissioned in 1838 and completed by 1840. The queen played an active role in the design of the garden, which, at the time, was a royal garden reserved exclusively for her use. Only the most prestigious Athens families had access to the garden and only when the Queen was absent. The Queen often had her chair placed in the garden to supervise the work or take in the scenery, from a spot now known as Amalia's Rock.

The National Garden, Athens 

The garden was originally called the "Royal Garden," under the reign of King Otto from 1833 to 1862. In the 1920s the park was opened to the public and renamed the National Garden. Covering an area of 123,500 square meters, it is notably home to Zappeion Hall, built in the second half of the 19th century, currently used as a conference and exhibition center. The Old Palace is now home to the Greek parliament.
The history of the garden is closely linked to the history of the country, which made Athens its capital in 1833. The city saw its layout modified and major construction work was undertaken. The Royal Palace, adjacent to the Royal Garden, was one of the first buildings to be built.
As many as 15,000 ornamental plants were brought in from Genoa. Many of the species planted at the time are still alive today, such as the monumental Washingtonia Palms at the Amalias Avenue entrance, the casuarinas and the large Australian eucalyptus trees. Other highlights include Australian pines, Chinese trees of heaven, as well as Holm oaks, cypress trees and Canary Island date palms. The garden is home to around 7,000 trees and 40,000 bushes. There are also lakes and a zoo.

What to see 

As well as its many plants, the park has various decorative features and architectural elements, such as a sun dial, sculpted busts of various national figures, a Roman mosaic, a pergola, a Botanical Museum, a zoo, lakes, a Spanish Fountain and more.

Practical information 

The Athens National Garden is open daily, from dawn to dusk.

Did Ranveer Singh secretly propose Deepika in London?

Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone have never opened up on their relationship status. But it is no secret that the RamLeela jodi is very much in love with each other.
Amidst the recent rumours of a break up between the actors, they were spotted holidaying in London.
The beauty has been trending on the social network since morning for two reasons. One being her royal look in the first poster of ‘Padmavati’ and the second being a diamond ring sparkling in her ring finger.

Deepika was recently spotted in Bangalore attending a a stand-up comedy show with her sister Anisha. What caught the attention of many was the diamond ring she was sporting at the event. that soon led to speculations that Ranveer has secretly proposed to her in London. as she was seen wearing the same there too.

Fans are now eagerly waiting for some confirmation from the couple. But last year too there were rumours of the two getting engaged that were denied by the actress vehemently.

On work front, Deepika and Ranveer will be seen in ‘Padmavati’. The movie also stars Shahid Kapoor in pivotal roles.

Biker ballerinas and flowers strut down Moschino's Milan catwalk

American designer Jeremy Scott once again brought looks with attitude to the Moschino catwalk on Thursday, parading models in biker ballerina outfits and flower-shaped dresses.

 Scott’s designs for spring-summer 2018 showed that character can ooze out of a leather studded jacket, a pink tulle ballet tutu and a delicate flower dress alike.

The designs echoed the “couture is an attitude” slogan of his last collection in February.

 The show began with a biker ballerina wearing a light blue-feathered tutu and a black leather studded jacket. She was followed by others wearing revealing ballet tulle skirts, adorned with fishnet stockings, mesh tops, pearl necklaces, leather bodysuits, fascinators and shiny studded boots.

One model wore a light denim jacket with a “my little pony” design on the back and a rainbow “Moschino” on the top - just like the smartphone cover the Italian fashion house offered in logoed bags to its most important guests.
Biker ballerinas turned into crystal embellished angels-meet-rock chicks, with black and silver bustiers sprouting feather wings.
 Rock morphed into classical violin music, heralding the entrance of a model in a pink tulip-shaped outfit, picking petals out of her dress and throwing them into the audience.
A gerbera, poppy and lily all took shape in elegant dresses, alternating with shorter but fuller ones in the shapes of flower buds and a skirt of red roses with an off-the-shoulder draped white top.
Model Gigi Hadid wore a long design in the shape of a huge floral bouquet.
Scott himself closed the show, striding down the black catwalk set in the courtyard of an army barracks, wearing ripped light denim jeans and an iridescent biker jacket, to a clamour of applause.

Baaghi 2 will be the most expensive action film of 2018

Sajid Nadiadwala's 'Baaghi 2' goes international as the filmmaker once again ropes in action choreographers and technicians from across the globe. The second installment of the 'Baaghi' franchise gears up to set new standards and is touted to be one of the most expensive action films of Bollywood. Every film project curated by the filmmaker has been grand and that of an international standard. With Baaghi 2, the sequel has got on board action directors and technicians from Thailand, Hongkong, Los Angeles and China amongst others.

SA announce squad for first Test against Bangladesh

Aiden Markram will make his debut for South Africa (SA) in the first Test against touring Bangladesh next week after the 22-year-old was selected to open the batting alongside Dean Elgar. Markram's teammate from the Under-19 World Cup-winning side of 2014, all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo, could also debut in Potchefstroom as the Proteas grapple with injuries to several key players, source cricket website.

Markram's elevation to the Test side looked a certainty after he opened the Sunfoil Series season with 119 in front of chief selector Linda Zondi and new head coach Ottis Gibson at SuperSport Park on Tuesday. Markram went on to add 87 in the second innings of the first match as Titans' new four-day captain.
Although Elgar has been a reliable presence at the top of South Africa's order, identifying his best partner became difficult after Stephen Cook lost form at the start of the year. Cook was replaced by Theunis de Bruyn for the final Test of the three-match series against New Zealand in March, before Heino Kuhn took over the duties for the four-match series in England.
Kuhn's struggles in that series, when he failed to record a half-century, left his place in doubt for the Bangladesh series, and his omission was confirmed when he failed to recover from an injury picked up in the final Test at Old Trafford. With Cook making just 20 in his first innings of the new season for the Lions, the selectors opted to look to the future by picking Markram, who was part of the South African touring squad in England.
"Aiden has been knocking on the door for some time now," South Africa's selection convenor Linda Zondi said. "He gained valuable insight into the Proteas team culture during the tour of England and he has shown maturity beyond his years, having captained South Africa to victory in the Under-19 World Cup and as captain of the South Africa A four-day side."
While Markram's form and record have suggested that he is ready to step up to Test cricket - after 33 first-class games, he has five centuries and averages 42 - Phehlukwayo may be pushed into it by circumstance. The 21-year-old has already made his mark in international limited-overs cricket, but has enjoyed less success in the longer format, averaging 18 with the bat and 35 with the ball in 26 first-class matches.
Nevertheless he is seen as a future all-rounder in all formats, and the injuries to Vernon Philander and Chris Morris left South Africa short on options. Although Wayne Parnell has been named in a 13-man squad despite not playing for the Cobras this week, he will undergo a fitness test next week to determine whether he is up to the rigours of Test cricket. Nineteen-year-old Wiaan Mulder will stand by as cover for Parnell.

"The inclusion of Andile and Wayne provides the necessary all-rounders to give options as concerns the balance of the starting XI," said Zondi. "The selection of some younger players is part of the process to build for the future and at the same time maintain our hard core of experience."
The squad has only been selected for the first Test, and it is hoped that Philander could be available for the second match in Bloemfontein on October 6. Philander is expected to turn out for the Cobras in the second round of Sunfoil Series fixtures in a bid to prove his fitness.
South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (captan), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Duanne Olivier, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo and Kagiso Rabada. bss

Walsh satisfied with pacers

South Africa Invitation XI recovered from an early hiccup to put up a good fight on the second day of the three-day practice match at the Willowmoore Park in Benoni yesterday but the effort from the Tigers' pacers was praised by their bowling coach Courtney Walsh.
The home side declared their innings at 313 for eight in 91 overs in reply to Bangladesh's 306 for seven declared after they lost half their wickets for 110 runs as their lower middle order provided strong resistance against the Bangladesh bowling attack.
Wicketkeeper batsman Liton Das came to open the innings with Imrul Kayes in the second innings as the Tigers were forced into a new opening partnership after Tamim Iqbal suffered a strain on his right thigh on the opening day and underwent a scan yesterday. The openers negotiated the three remaining overs of the day successfully as Bangladesh reached six for no loss at stumps.
Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim used all four pace bowlers at his disposal and they all picked up wickets to initiate the early collapse. Mustafizur Rahman and Subhashis Roy claimed one wicket each and they were economical while Shafiul Islam, who scalped two, and Taskin Ahmed, who got one, were both expensive. Off-spinner Mehedi Hasan and left-arm spinner Taijul Islam also bagged a wicket each.

Walsh expressed his satisfaction over his bowler's effort.

"It's okay. It's the first game out and it's the last game before the first Test, so we are going to get the workload right and to get them into shape to see who is ready and who is not and what we have in terms of the game plan for the first Test.
"It's good to get a game out, to get a bit bowling and we have some practice sessions and we will keep working. It's hasn't been too bad but it would be better if there was some consistency," said Walsh.
The West Indies great once again emphasised on control and consistency.
"Control and consistency are going to be key. As a team the guys are hoping to play some good cricket and if