Java Threads

What are three ways in which a thread can enter the waiting state?

Or

What are different ways in which a thread can enter the waiting state?

A thread can enter the waiting state by the following ways:
1. Invoking its sleep() method,
2. By blocking on I/O
3. By unsuccessfully attempting to acquire an object's lock
4. By invoking an object's wait() method.
5. It can also enter the waiting state by invoking its (deprecated) suspend() method.

What is the difference between yielding and sleeping?

When a task invokes its yield() method, it returns to the ready state, either from waiting, running or after its creation. When a task invokes its sleep() method, it returns to the waiting state from a running state.

How to create multithreaded program? Explain different ways of using thread? When a thread is created and started, what is its initial state?

Or

Extending Thread class or implementing Runnable Interface. Which is better?

You have two ways to do so. First, making your class "extends" Thread class. The other way is making your class implement "Runnable" interface. The latter is more advantageous, cause when you are going for multiple inheritance, then only interface can help. . If you are already inheriting a different class, then you have to go for Runnable Interface. Otherwise you can extend Thread class. Also, if you are implementing interface, it means you have to implement all methods in the interface. Both Thread class and Runnable interface are provided for convenience and use them as per the requirement. But if you are not extending any class, better extend Thread class as it will save few lines of coding. Otherwise performance wise, there is no distinguishable difference. A thread is in the ready state after it has been created and started.

What is mutual exclusion? How can you take care of mutual exclusion using Java threads?

Mutual exclusion is a phenomenon where no two processes can access critical regions of memory at the same time. Using Java multithreading we can arrive at mutual exclusion. For mutual exclusion, you can simply use the synchronized keyword and explicitly or implicitly provide an Object, any Object, to synchronize on. The synchronized keyword can be applied to a class, to a method, or to a block of code. There are several methods in Java used for communicating mutually exclusive threads such as wait( ), notify( ), or notifyAll( ). For example, the notifyAll( ) method wakes up all threads that are in the wait list of an object.

What is the difference between preemptive scheduling and time slicing?

Under preemptive scheduling, the highest priority task executes until it enters the waiting or dead states or a higher priority task comes into existence. Under time slicing, a task executes for a predefined slice of time and then re-enters the pool of ready tasks. The scheduler then determines which task should execute next, based on priority and other factors.

What invokes a thread's run() method?

After a thread is started, via its start() method of the Thread class, the JVM invokes the thread's run() method when the thread is initially executed.

What is the purpose of the wait(), notify(), and notifyAll() methods?

The wait(), notify() and notifyAll() methods are used to provide an efficient way for thread inter-communication.

What is thread? What are the high-level thread states?

Or

What are the states associated in the thread?

A thread is an independent path of execution in a system. The high-level thread states are ready, running, waiting and dead.

What is deadlock?

When two threads are waiting for each other and can’t proceed until the first thread obtains a lock on the other thread or vice versa, the program is said to be in a deadlock.

How does multithreading take place on a computer with a single CPU?

The operating system's task scheduler allocates execution time to multiple tasks. By quickly switching between executing tasks, it creates the impression that tasks execute sequentially.

What are synchronized methods and synchronized statements?

Synchronized methods are methods that are used to control access to an object. A thread only executes a synchronized method after it has acquired the lock for the method's object or class. Synchronized statements are similar to synchronized methods. A synchronized statement can only be executed after a thread has acquired the lock for the object or class referenced in the synchronized statement.

Can Java object be locked down for exclusive use by a given thread?

Or

What happens when a thread cannot acquire a lock on an object?

Yes. You can lock an object by putting it in a "synchronized" block. The locked object is inaccessible to any thread other than the one that explicitly claimed it. If a thread attempts to execute a synchronized method or synchronized statement and is unable to acquire an object's lock, it enters the waiting state until the lock becomes available.

What’s the difference between the methods sleep() and wait()?

The sleep method is used when the thread has to be put aside for a fixed amount of time. Ex: sleep(1000), puts the thread aside for exactly one second. The wait method is used to put the thread aside for up to the specified time. It could wait for much lesser time if it receives a notify() or notifyAll() call. Ex: wait(1000), causes a wait of up to one second. The method wait() is defined in the Object and the method sleep() is defined in the class Thread.

What is the difference between process and thread?

A thread is a separate path of execution in a program. A Process is a program in execution.

What is daemon thread and which method is used to create the daemon thread?

Daemon threads are threads with low priority and runs in the back ground doing the garbage collection operation for the java runtime system. The setDaemon() method is used to create a daemon thread. These threads run without the intervention of the user. To determine if a thread is a daemon thread, use the accessor method isDaemon()

When a standalone application is run then as long as any user threads are active the JVM cannot terminate, otherwise the JVM terminates along with any daemon threads which might be active. Thus a daemon thread is at the mercy of the runtime system. Daemon threads exist only to serve user threads.

What do you understand by Synchronization?

Or

What is synchronization and why is it important?

Or

Describe synchronization in respect to multithreading?

Or

What is synchronization?

With respect to multithreading, Synchronization is a process of controlling the access of shared resources by the multiple threads in such a manner that only one thread can access a particular resource at a time. In non synchronized multithreaded application, it is possible for one thread to modify a shared object while another thread is in the process of using or updating the object's value. Synchronization prevents such type of data corruption which may otherwise lead to dirty reads and significant errors.
E.g. synchronizing a function:
public synchronized void Method1 () {
// method code.
}
E.g. synchronizing a block of code inside a function:
public Method2 (){
synchronized (this) {
// synchronized code here.
}
}

When you will synchronize a piece of your code?

When you expect that your shared code will be accessed by different threads and these threads may change a particular data causing data corruption, then they are placed in a synchronized construct or a synchronized method.

Why would you use a synchronized block vs. synchronized method?

Synchronized blocks place locks for shorter periods than synchronized methods.

What is an object's lock and which objects have locks?

Answer: An object's lock is a mechanism that is used by multiple threads to obtain synchronized access to the object. A thread may execute a synchronized method of an object only after it has acquired the object's lock. All objects and classes have locks. A class's lock is acquired on the class's Class object.

Can a lock be acquired on a class?

Yes, a lock can be acquired on a class. This lock is acquired on the class's Class object.

What state does a thread enter when it terminates its processing?

When a thread terminates its processing, it enters the dead state.

How would you implement a thread pool?

public class ThreadPool implements ThreadPoolInt

This class is an generic implementation of a thread pool, which takes the following input

a) Size of the pool to be constructed

b) Name of the class which implements Runnable and constructs a thread pool with active threads that are waiting for activation. Once the threads have finished processing they come back and wait once again in the pool.

This thread pool engine can be locked i.e. if some internal operation is performed on the pool then it is preferable that the thread engine be locked. Locking ensures that no new threads are issued by the engine. However, the currently executing threads are allowed to continue till they come back to the passivePool.

Is there a separate stack for each thread in Java?

Yes. Every thread maintains its own separate stack, called Runtime Stack but they share the same memory. Elements of the stack are the method invocations,
called activation records or stack frame. The activation record contains pertinent information about a method like local variables.

Java Wrapper Classes

Java Wrapper Classes Interview Questions
What are Wrapper Classes? Describe the wrapper classes in Java.

Wrapper classes are classes that allow primitive types to be accessed as objects. Wrapper class is wrapper around a primitive data type.

Following table lists the primitive types and the corresponding wrapper classes:

Primitive


Wrapper

Boolean


java.lang.Boolean

Byte


java.lang.Byte

Char


java.lang.Character

double


java.lang.Double

Float


java.lang.Float

Int


java.lang.Integer

Long


java.lang.Long

Short


java.lang.Short

Void


java.lang.Void

Java Exceptions Questions

Explain the user defined Exceptions?

User defined Exceptions are custom Exception classes defined by the user for specific purpose. A user defined exception can be created by simply sub-classing an Exception class or a subclass of an Exception class. This allows custom exceptions to be generated (using throw clause) and caught in the same way as normal exceptions.
Example:

class CustomException extends Exception {

}

What classes of exceptions may be caught by a catch clause?

A catch clause can catch any exception that may be assigned to the Throwable type. This includes the Error and Exception types. Errors are generally irrecoverable conditions

What is the difference between exception and error?

Error's are irrecoverable exceptions. Usually a program terminates when an error is encountered.

What is the difference between throw and throws keywords?

The throw keyword denotes a statement that causes an exception to be initiated. It takes the Exception object to be thrown as an argument. The exception will be caught by an enclosing try-catch block or propagated further up the calling hierarchy. The throws keyword is a modifier of a method that denotes that an exception may be thrown by the method. An exception can be rethrown.

What class of exceptions are generated by the Java run-time system?

The Java runtime system generates Runtime Exceptions and Errors.

What is the base class for Error and Exception?

Throwable

What are Checked and Unchecked Exceptions?

A checked exception is some subclass of Exception (or Exception itself), excluding class RuntimeException and its subclasses. Making an exception checked forces client programmers to deal with the exception may be thrown. Checked exceptions must be caught at compile time. Example: IOException.
Unchecked exceptions are RuntimeException and any of its subclasses. Class Error and its subclasses also are unchecked. With an unchecked exception, however, the compiler doesn't force client programmers either to catch the exception or declare it in a throws clause. In fact, client programmers may not even know that the exception could be thrown. Example: ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException. Errors are often irrecoverable conditions.

Does the code in finally block get executed if there is an exception and a return statement in a catch block?

Or

What is the purpose of the finally clause of a try-catch-finally statement?

The finally clause is used to provide the capability to execute code no matter whether or not an exception is thrown or caught. If an exception occurs and there is a return statement in catch block, the finally block is still executed. The finally block will not be executed when the System.exit(0) statement is executed earlier or on system shut down earlier or the memory is used up earlier before the thread goes to finally block.

try{
//some statements
}
catch{
//statements when exception is caught
}
finally{
//statements executed whether exception occurs or not
}

Does the order of placing catch statements matter in the catch block?

Yes, it does. The FileNoFoundException is inherited from the IOException. So FileNoFoundException is caught before IOException. Exception’s subclasses have to be caught first before the General Exception

Java Abstract Class and Interface Interview Questions

What is the difference between Abstract class and Interface
Or
When should you use an abstract class, when an interface, when both?
Or
What is similarities/difference between an Abstract class and Interface?
Or
What is the difference between interface and an abstract class?

1. Abstract class is a class which contain one or more abstract methods, which has to be implemented by sub classes. An abstract class can contain no abstract methods also i.e. abstract class may contain concrete methods. A Java Interface can contain only method declarations and public static final constants and doesn't contain their implementation. The classes which implement the Interface must provide the method definition for all the methods present.

2. Abstract class definition begins with the keyword "abstract" keyword followed by Class definition. An Interface definition begins with the keyword "interface".

3. Abstract classes are useful in a situation when some general methods should be implemented and specialization behavior should be implemented by subclasses. Interfaces are useful in a situation when all its properties need to be implemented by subclasses

4. All variables in an Interface are by default - public static final while an abstract class can have instance variables.

5. An interface is also used in situations when a class needs to extend an other class apart from the abstract class. In such situations its not possible to have multiple inheritance of classes. An interface on the other hand can be used when it is required to implement one or more interfaces. Abstract class does not support Multiple Inheritance whereas an Interface supports multiple Inheritance.

6. An Interface can only have public members whereas an abstract class can contain private as well as protected members.

7. A class implementing an interface must implement all of the methods defined in the interface, while a class extending an abstract class need not implement any of the methods defined in the abstract class.

8. The problem with an interface is, if you want to add a new feature (method) in its contract, then you MUST implement those method in all of the classes which implement that interface. However, in the case of an abstract class, the method can be simply implemented in the abstract class and the same can be called by its subclass

9. Interfaces are slow as it requires extra indirection to to find corresponding method in in the actual class. Abstract classes are fast

10.Interfaces are often used to describe the peripheral abilities of a class, and not its central identity, E.g. an Automobile class might
implement the Recyclable interface, which could apply to many otherwise totally unrelated objects.

Note: There is no difference between a fully abstract class (all methods declared as abstract and all fields are public static final) and an interface.

Note: If the various objects are all of-a-kind, and share a common state and behavior, then tend towards a common base class. If all they
share is a set of method signatures, then tend towards an interface.

Similarities:
Neither Abstract classes nor Interface can be instantiated.

What does it mean that a method or class is abstract?

An abstract class cannot be instantiated. Only its subclasses can be instantiated. A class that has one or more abstract methods must be declared abstract. A subclass that does not provide an implementation for its inherited abstract methods must also be declared abstract. You indicate that a class is abstract with the abstract keyword like this:

public abstract class AbstractClass

Abstract classes may contain abstract methods. A method declared abstract is not actually implemented in the class. It exists only to be overridden in subclasses. Abstract methods may only be included in abstract classes. However, an abstract class is not required to have any abstract methods, though most of them do. Each subclass of an abstract class must override the abstract methods of its superclasses
or itself be declared abstract. Only the method’s prototype is provided in the class definition. Also, a final method can not be abstract and vice versa. Methods specified in an interface are implicitly abstract.
. It has no body. For example,

public abstract float getInfo()

What must a class do to implement an interface?

The class must provide all of the methods in the interface and identify the interface in its implements clause.

What is an abstract method?

An abstract method is a method whose implementation is deferred to a subclass.

What is interface? How to support multiple inhertance in Java?

Or

What is a cloneable interface and how many methods does it contain?

An Interface are implicitly abstract and public. Interfaces with empty bodies are called marker interfaces having certain property or behavior. Examples:java.lang.Cloneable,java.io.Serializable,java.util.EventListener. An interface body can contain constant declarations, method prototype declarations, nested class declarations, and nested interface declarations.

Interfaces provide support for multiple inheritance in Java. A class that implements the interfaces is bound to implement all the methods defined in Interface.
Example of Interface:
public interface sampleInterface {
public void functionOne();

public long CONSTANT_ONE = 1000;
}

What is an abstract class?
Or
Can you make an instance of an abstract class?

Abstract classes can contain abstract and concrete methods. Abstract classes cannot be instantiated directly i.e. we cannot call the constructor of an abstract class directly nor we can create an instance of an abstract class by using “Class.forName().newInstance()” (Here we get java.lang.InstantiationException). However, if we create an instance of a class that extends an Abstract class, compiler will initialize both the classes. Here compiler will implicitly call the constructor of the Abstract class. Any class that contain an abstract method must be declared “abstract” and abstract methods can have definitions only in child classes. By overriding and customizing the abstract methods in more than one subclass makes “Polymorphism” and through Inheritance we define body to the abstract methods. Basically an abstract class serves as a template. Abstract class must be extended/subclassed for it to be implemented. A class may be declared abstract even if it has no abstract methods. This prevents it from being instantiated. Abstract class is a class that provides some general functionality but leaves specific implementation to its inheriting classes.

Example of Abstract class:

abstract class AbstractClassExample{

protected String name;
public String getname() {
return name;
}
public abstract void function();
}

Example: Vehicle is an abstract class and Bus Truck, car etc are specific implementations

No! You cannot make an instance of an abstract class. An abstract class has to be sub-classed.
If you have an abstract class and you want to use a method which has been implemented, you may
need to subclass that abstract class, instantiate your subclass and then call that method.

What is meant by "Abstract Interface"?

Firstly, an interface is abstract. That means you cannot have any implementation in an interface.
All the methods declared in an interface are abstract methods or signatures of the methods.

How to define an Interface?

In Java Interface defines the methods but does not implement them. Interface can include constants.
A class that implements the interfaces is bound to implement all the methods defined in Interface.
Example of Interface:

public interface SampleInterface {
public void functionOne();

public long CONSTANT_ONE = 1000;
}

Can Abstract Class have constructors? Can interfaces have constructors?

Abstract class's can have a constructor, but you cannot access it through the object, since you cannot instantiate abstract class. To access the constructor create a sub class and extend the abstract class which is having the constructor.

Example
public abstract class AbstractExample {
public AbstractExample(){
System.out.println("In AbstractExample()");
}
}

public class Test extends AbstractExample{
public static void main(String args[]){
Test obj=new Test();
}
}

If interface & abstract class have same methods and those methods contain no implementation, which one would you prefer?

Obviously one should ideally go for an interface, as we can only extend one class. Implementing an interface for a class is very much effective rather than extending an abstract class because we can extend some other useful class for this subclass

India May Restrict Skype and Google

India may ask Google, Skype, and other online service providers to allow the country's law enforcement agencies to access communications on their networks, the head of an Internet association said on Friday.

On Thursday the government said it will ask service providers in the country to ensure that some RIM BlackBerry services should be made accessible to its law enforcement agencies by Aug. 31, or face a block of these services.

Rajesh Chharia, president of the Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI), said that at a meeting he attended about a month ago of the country's Department of Telecommunications, it was discussed that other online services besides BlackBerry would also be asked to provide access to India's security agencies.

The Indian government's public threat against BlackBerry is running in parallel with an as yet unannounced decision to pursue similar concerns with Google, Skype, and other communications services, The Financial Times said in a report on Friday, citing a government report.

A spokesman for the Department of Telecommunications said he was unaware of the decision.

Google said it had heard nothing from the government.

The Indian government is asking for access to BlackBerry's enterprise server and its instant messaging application.

India wants to intercept mobile and online communications as part of its work against terrorist groups. Security agencies in the country have found that terrorists are increasingly using e-mail, instant messenger, and mobile phones to plan attacks.

RIM has recently fielded similar requests from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Although ISPAI is in favor of self-regulation of the Internet, Chharia said that given the threats India faced, it was reasonable for some of these online services to provide access to law enforcement agencies, under certain conditions. Some of the technology providers tend to take Indian law very lightly, he added.

Under Indian law, service providers have to give law enforcement agencies access to communications on their networks, under certain conditions, including by providing the keys for their decryption.

The government appears to be planning to clamp down on all services that bypass its monitoring system, starting with BlackBerry, Chharia said.

BlackBerry vendor Research in Motion said in a statement on Thursday that it did not want to be singled out by the Indian government.

RIM said that carriers must be technology and vendor neutral and not provide greater access to BlackBerry data compared to other communications companies.

The carriers' capabilities should "be limited to the strict context of lawful access and national security requirements as governed by the country's judicial oversight and rules of law," RIM said. The company maintains a consistent global standard for lawful access that does not include special deals for specific countries, it added.

Rajinikanth returns to Mumbai after 15 years

Mega star Rajinikanth will fly to Mumbai after a gap of 15 years for the music release of his upcoming movie Robot (Endhiran).

The actor who is known to avoid public appearances, will make an exception for Robot (Endhiran).

Bollywood biggies Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan have also confirmed to attend the music launch.

The movie has Aishwarya Rai Bachchan playing the female lead opposite Rajinikanth. Music maestro AR Rahman has given the musical score of the movie and it has been directed by Shankar.

BlackBerry VP an 'optimistic guy' after meeting Home Secy

After the Indian government gave Blackberry-maker Research in Motion (RIM) a deadline till August 31 to sort out the country's security concerns over the mobile device, RIM Vice President Robert E Crowe met Home Secretary G K Pillai in Delhi on Friday for half an hour and said he was “an optimistic guy”, perhaps indicating that some solution would be worked out.

The Indian government has said that monitoring of the data cannot be “conditional” in response to a statement issued in Toronto by the company on Thursday which had said that RIM would allow Indian security agencies only legal monitoring.

India has asked the smartphone vendor to provide access to e-mail and messenger data or face ban.

"The only time it allows carriers to access the data sent via BlackBerry devices is in the case of national security situations, and even then, only as governed by the country's judicial oversight and rules of law," the Canada-based Research In Motion (RIM) said in a statement.


India has threatened to shut down BlackBerry e-mail and instant messaging services by August 31, unless RIM granted security agencies the technology to decrypt BlackBerry communications, citing national security concerns.

Although some experts have said that RIM's decision to only allow access to its data when ordered to do so by a judge might be problematic in certain countries where the judiciary is less than impartial, the company said that it maintains a "consistent global standard for lawful access requirements that does not include special deals for specific countries".

Fresh violence in Kashmir, two killed in police firing

Two persons were on Friday killed and two others injured as police opened fire and lobbed teargas shells to quell stone-pelting mobs in Kupwara and Baramulla districts of north Kashmir. Ali Mohammad (65), who was seriously injured in Pattan in Baramulla district during a clash this morning,
succumbed to injuries at Soura Medical Institute in Srinagar.

"The victim had received a fire arm injury and succumbed to his wounds," Deputy Medical Superintendent of SKIMS Riyaz Ahmad said.

Pattan, 27 kms from here, witnessed a violent clash when the locals defied curfew and tried to block the Srinagar-Baramulla National Highway. Police fired teargas shells and used batons to disperse the protsetors, official sources said.

Muddasar Ahmad (23) was killed and two others injured when police opened fire to disperse an unruly mob at Kralpora-Trehgam, 150 kms from here, in Kupwara district.

Raising slogans, protestors took out a procession in the frontier town this morning and clashed with law enforcing agencies when they asked them to disperse, a police spokesman said.

The injured, one of whom was identified as 50-year-old Janaat Begum, have been admitted to a local hospital. The condition of both of them was stated to be stable, he said.

The spokesman said to maintain law and order, curfew has been imposed in Kupwara town.

He said barring Pattan, Baramulla, Handwara and Kupwara towns, there was no curfew anywhere else in the Valley.

In Srinagar, groups of youth pelted stones on security forces at Sheraz Chowk, Rangar Stop, Zaldagar and Boohrikadal in old city but there was no report of any casualty.

Life in the Valley remained disrupted as shops and business establishments, educational institutions and private offices remained closed and transport was off the roads in response to the separatists' call for strike.

Dell Pitching ‘Streak’ Tablet To Schools, Government

If Dell’s new tablet computer doesn’t catch on with consumers, it could still find success in the

Dell's Streak

education and government markets.

Since its formal unveiling on Aug. 10, the device, dubbed Streak, has attracted some criticism regarding its price ($300 with a wireless service contract or $550 “unlocked”), size (somewhere between a smartphone and most other tablet PCs) and operating system (a slightly outdated version of Google’s Android software).

Fortunately, Dell has broad ambitions for the Streak. The PC maker tells Forbes it is shopping the tablet to schools, government agencies and healthcare workers. Though Dell is still aiming for a mass-market hit, uptake among these groups could make the Streak less dependent on popular support.

Schools have long been an important market for Dell. The Round Rock, Tex.-based company is the leading supplier of computers to U.S. educational institutions. In 2009, Dell controlled 33% of that market, according to researcher Gartner. The next closest competitor, Apple, had a 27% share.

Dell expects teachers and administrators to adopt the Streak, which sports a five-inch touch-screen, front and back-facing cameras, quick access to Google services and a calling application. Administrators could use the device to take notes during classroom observations, search student and teacher databases and make and receive phone calls, says Adam Garry, a Dell manager of global professional learning.

Teachers could use the Streak many more ways, including as an interactive guide during field trips and instruction tool inside the classroom, says Garry. He envisions students toting the Streak on nature walks and identifying leaves via the device’s camera and Google’s image recognition application, Goggles. “The Streak makes information mobile, so students can produce and master content in a very different way,” he says. Indoors, the tablet could be employed to play educational games, update a student blog or record videos, such as a newscast.

Dell contends that the Streak’s unusual size and resemblance to a gaming handheld will be assets among younger users. “If the Streak makes classrooms more fun, that will keep students engaged and help them learn,” says Casey Wilson, a Dell K-12 school product expert. The company believes the tablet, which is built with a superstrong glass known as Gorilla Glass, is suitable for students ranging from kindergarteners to high schoolers. “It’s a durable little device,” adds Wilson.

Wilson reports that teachers and administrators also like the fact that the Streak includes Android. Google’s mobile applications store, Android Market, stocks more than 75,000 applications, including thousands related to education. Dell recently opened a mobile applications store that features some Android applications, as well. And Android’s relatively open nature–it is based on Linux–means schools, teachers and older students can create applications for the Streak.

Early enthusiasm hasn’t yet translated into sales. The Streak’s August release–it will go on sale Friday, Aug. 13–comes after most schools have already made their technology purchases for the year.

Pricing could also be a concern. Consumers have pointed out that many sophisticated smartphones are priced at $200 or $100 less than the Streak.

Dell says it hopes to organize some pilot programs in schools, possibly in time for the fall semester. Wilson says schools responded well to Dell’s first device geared towards younger students, the Latitude 2100 netbook. The newer version of that netbook, the Latitude 2110, starts at $604, making the Streak a more cost-efficient choice.

If school sales don’t materialize, Dell has other public sectors to target. The company plans to host an event in San Francisco in early September to introduce the Streak to doctors, hospital administrators and other healthcare workers. (The device, the company notes, fits in a lab coat pocket.) Dell’s government relations division has also been showing the Streak to Washington, DC agencies, according to spokeswoman Maria Meneses.

Even if the Streak flops, Dell intends to keep pursuing the fast-growing mobile device market. The company says it will release more tablets and education-focused devices in coming months.

Bolly leaks: Secret videos find their way online

That Girl in Yellow Boots
Check out some scandalous videos of Bollywood that leaked online over time... 'That Girl in Yellow Boots' was recently in talks as some explicit scenes from the movie got leaked online. The scenes show bold sexual scenes and offensive dialogues. Both Kalki and Anurag are disturbed with the news. 'That Girl In Yellow Boots' is a thriller film about Ruth who is in search of her father. In order to be independent in Mumbai she takes up a job as a masseuse while continuing her quest to find her father.

NRI cracks toughest math riddle

An Indian-origin IT wizard in the US claims to have solved one of the most complex mathematical problems that could transform the use of computers.

Vinay Deolalikar, who works at the research arm of Hewlett-Packard in California, says he has solved the riddle of P vs NP, one of the seven millennium problems set out by the Massachusetts-based Clay Mathematical Institute as being the “most difficult”. If his claim is proved correct, Deolalikar will earn a whopping $1 million prize, the Daily Telegraph reported.

The P versus NP informally asks whether every problem with a yes-or-no answer whose solution can be efficiently checked by a computer can also be efficiently solved by a computer.

Deolalikar claims to have proven that P, which refers to problems whose solutions are easy to find and verify, is not the same as NP, which refers to problems whose solutions are almost impossible to find but easy to verify.

Live Affair

The special screening of Anusha Rizvi’s Peepli Live at Ketnav Preview Cinema, on Tuesday, was one star-studded evening . It witnessed a bonhomie between Bollywood bigwigs like Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Anil Kapoor and the lesser-known newcomer cast of the movie. Aamir, along with wife Kiran Rao, played the gracious host. The star of the evening was the movie’s main lead Omkar Das Manikpuri, who happily posed for the shutterbugs. Aamir’s favourite ladies Rani Mukerji and Juhi Chawla, attended the screening and so did his ex-wife Reena Dutta along with her parents. Salman who has been busy promoting Dabangg took time out for the screening. He came along with his co-star Sonakshi Sinha and sister Alvira Agnihotri. The new It couple Deepika Padukone and Siddhartha Mallya made for a pretty picture. Raju Hirani, Atul Kasbekar, Vaibhavi Merchant and Kangna Ranaut were also spotted.

Showstopper It was a pleasure to see the reclusive Sachin Tendulkar and his wife Anjali at the screening.

S. Korea rethinks potential sanctions against Iran

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- South Korea seems to have put a brake on its drive to seek independent sanctions against Iran for its disputed nuclear program Washington considers as a cover for developing nuclear weapons.

As an ally to the United States, the country has been under pressure to follow the U.S. lead to pressure Iran into dropping its alleged nuclear ambition. Washington's arms control envoy recently visited Seoul to urge some actions against Tehran.

But in the face of increasingly vociferous protest by Iranian officials, including Tehran's Ambassador to Seoul, the government seems to be reconsidering the whole issue.

"We will not hastily deal with the issue of sanctions against Iran. We will review the issue through substantial discussions with countries concerned," Seoul's semi-official Yonhap News Agency quoted Wednesday an unnamed high-ranking government official as saying.

The remark hints at a possible shift in the government stance, as officials only a week ago were actively considering independent sanctions on Iran, Yonhap said. Now Seoul is likely to wait and see until Washington finalizes its own set of sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation, it said.

Meanwhile, the Seoul branch of Bank Mellat, an Iranian bank accused by Washington of being a channel of financial transactions related to the Iranian nuclear program, is awaiting the probe results by South Korea's financial watchdog.

In what local media speculated to be a possible step toward sanctions, the bank recently came under scrutiny by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). Local media reported the branch can be shut down due to substantiated evidence of its illegal activities provided by the United States and Britain, despite the FSS's claim that the audit was part of a routine check-up for foreign banks here.

Experts in Seoul called on the government to exert caution on the issue.

"The branch can be shut down if there's irreversible evidence, but three to six months of temporary closure of its operations might be more appropriate," said Yoon Chang-hyun, a business professor at the University of Seoul.

"We can then think about whether to prolong the cooling-off period or end it, through negotiations or other sorts of arrangements. At this point, it seems appropriate to carry out a contingency plan and consider a temporary closure as a possibility, " he added.

Mohammad-Reza Bakhtiari, the top Iranian envoy in Seoul who strongly warned of potential ramifications of Seoul's sanctions in previous interviews with local media, suggested that Tehran's anger at Seoul might have been eased.

"(I) think normal relations that have existed between South Korea and Iran can continue," Bakhtiari said in an exclusive interview on Wednesday with Xinhua.

South Korean officials have expressed their will not to pursue unilateral sanctions against Iran, a decision Iran "warmly welcomes and respect," he said.

Speculation has been running high that Iran might cut its oil supplies to South Korea, a country entirely dependent on oil imports.

But the ambassador played down the worries. Iran, the fourth- largest source of crude oil for South Korea, will not take such a drastic action against its longtime customer, he said.

"We have tried to become a very reliable source of oil and energy for South Korea, and we both enjoy benefits of such healthy cooperation," Bakhtiari said. That reliability is something that cannot be achieved overnight, and therefore will not be easily abandoned, he said.

Obama sends best wishes to Muslims as Ramadan starts

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday extended his best wishes to Muslims around the world as Ramadan, the month of Islamic fasting, starts.

"On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I want to extend our best wishes to Muslims in America and around the world, " Obama said in a statement released by the White House.

"Ramadan is a celebration of a faith known for great diversity and racial equality. And here in the United States, Ramadan is a reminder that Islam has always been part of America and that American Muslims have made extraordinary contributions to our country," Obama said.

He also said he will host a dinner celebrating Ramadan at the White House later this week.

Since he took office, Obama has been reaching out to the Muslims, in an effort to improve America's negative image in the Muslim world.

Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and sexual activities from dawn until sunset.

The first day of Ramadan this year was determined to be on Wednesday.



Gazans prepare for Ramadan amid poverty

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The scenes of crowds and the traffic jam in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis were unusual amid a hot and humid day, as people were preparing for the fasting month of Ramadan, which starts on Wednesday.

Street vendors are showing various kinds of food products, such as cheese, diary products, jams and pickles on small tables they put in the city's main street. They were shouting to sell their goods as they are competing in showing better prices and better qualities of goods.

Egyptians celebrate Ramadan in their own ways

CAIRO, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- As the Muslim's holy month of Ramadan falls on Wednesday, Hassan Ali, a 35-year-old Egyptian man tours the El-Sayyeda Zeinab area of Cairo's old town to find his little son a suitable lantern.

In Egypt, Fanoos (the Arabic word for lantern) is a decoration used during Ramadan, which was first seen during the Fatimid era (909-1171 A.D.). Besides, Egyptians have other unique ways to celebrate the occasion, the ninth month in the Muslim lunar calendar, when Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk. Some of the celebrations are not directly related to religions.

U.S. builds goodwill with quick assistance in Pakistani flooding

The rescue effort represents the most visible element of a broader, $55 million U.S. assistance package following Pakistan's worst-ever natural disaster. While the ultimate impact on Pakistani public opinion is unknown, the United States has earned rare and almost universal praise here for acting quickly to speed aid to those hit hardest.

The Pakistanis rescued Wednesday were among more than 2,700 picked up over the past week by six U.S. choppers that have also delivered bags of flour and biscuits to stranded residents of the flood-ravaged Swat Valley, in the country's northwest.

"The American assistance has been considerable, it has been prompt and it has been effective," said Tanvir Ahmad Khan, a former Pakistani foreign secretary and now chairman of the Islamabad-based Institute of Strategic Studies. "The sheer visibility of American personnel and helicopters working in the field gives a feeling of very welcome assistance from the United States."

Most analysts say that feeling is unlikely to translate into any immediate improvement in underlying Pakistani attitudes toward the United States. The two nations have been allies in fighting the Taliban and al-Qaeda, but the relationship is marked by deep mistrust and a widespread belief among Pakistanis that the United States has ulterior motives for its war in neighboring Afghanistan. The word "America" is often pronounced here as an epithet, and accompanied by a litany of decades-old grievances. In a survey released by the Pew Research Center last month, nearly six in 10 Pakistanis described the United States as an enemy.

Still, the floods have presented U.S. policymakers with an unusual chance to generate goodwill while providing a much-needed humanitarian service. The floods have affected 14 million people across Pakistan, and the United Nations said Wednesday that nearly half a billion dollars is urgently needed to keep the death toll from soaring past the current 1,600. International aid has so far been inadequate, it said, at less than $100 million.

The United States is not the only player here seeing an opportunity to enhance its image. Islamic charities -- some with links to banned militant groups -- have also moved quickly to plug the gap left by the Pakistani government's inability to meet flood victims' basic needs. In traffic circles across northwestern Pakistan, a charity widely believed to be a front for the outlawed group Lashkar-i-Taiba has set up tents advertising the availability of food and shelter to anyone who needs it.

The Pakistani Taliban, too, has said that it will help victims -- on the condition that the Pakistani government stop accepting assistance from the United States.

Rather than shun the aid, Pakistan has asked for more, requesting dozens of additional helicopters from the United States. So far, U.S. officials have been reluctant to substantially increase the number, saying the choppers are badly needed for combat missions in Afghanistan.

The helicopters and the accompanying 90 U.S. troops who have been supplying aid in Swat are on loan from the war across the border. The United States is likely to soon replace them with choppers and crews from the USS Peleliu, though it is unclear whether the total number of helicopters will significantly rise.

The U.S. military deployed dozens of helicopters after the 2005 earthquake in the Pakistani region of Kashmir, and their presence earned the United States a temporary jump in popularity. This time, the damage reaches into every corner of the country and is expanding by the hour.

The helicopter missions are focused in one small area -- the Swat Valley -- but it is a strategically important region that also happens to be one of the hardest hit. Just over a year ago, Swat was controlled by Taliban militants, and it took a major offensive by the Pakistani army to drive them the group out. The government had begun to rebuild Swat after the heavy fighting, but the floods have set back those efforts by years, officials say.

Swat's hillsides are a dazzling emerald green, with terraced fields of wheat and fruit orchards adorning the peaks that have earned the area a reputation as the Switzerland of Asia. But on the valley floor, the muddy waters of the Swat River run wild, coursing through roads, towns and anything else in their path.


Thousands of Swat residents have been cut off for two weeks, and with food stocks running low, they are eager to get out.

When two Chinooks landed in an open field Wednesday, they were greeted by dozens of young men from Swat who ran to the choppers to help unload the sacks of flour and boxes of nutritional biscuits. Next stop was the village of Kalam, where the Swat River surges through the central bazaar and where residents were lined up to board the helicopters.

The troops on the Chinooks wore combat fatigues, but they kept their sidearms holstered and did not carry assault rifles. Pakistani troops provided security, patting down people before they boarded.

Men dragged clothes and everything else they could carry in bundles of bedsheets; women guided anxious-looking young children by the hand as they climbed the metal plank and entered one of the Chinooks. Once the helicopter was airborne, U.S. troops tossed bags of Famous Amos peanut butter cookies, and the kids rose to claim them.

Haji Zarestan, 61, said his house was destroyed by the floods in late July and his family narrowly avoided being washed away as they climbed a hill to escape. Nearly two weeks later, they were airlifted out by the United States. "We would have been waiting much longer if the U.S. helicopters had not reached here," he said.

Even after they are rescued, the flood victims must rely on the kindness of relatives, friends or strangers to keep them sheltered and fed. Few official relief camps have been established, and after arriving in a less damaged area of Swat on Wednesday, some of those who had been evacuated said they did not know where they would go. With their belongings slung over their shoulders, they boarded colorful Pakistani trucks and said they would hope for the best.

Still, at least they have options; in Kalam, they were stuck. "We couldn't go anywhere, and no one could come to us," said Noor Ali Shah, who flew out of Kalam with the United States on Wednesday. "The bridges are all destroyed, and the roads are too dangerous."
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Officials in Kalam praised the Americans for saving so many residents. "The Americans are doing a great job for our people at our time of need," said Mohammed Roshan, a local official.

But, he shouted as the roar of the Chinook's dual rotor blades nearly drowned out his voice, there was a community farther up the valley where people were stranded, and no chopper had been seen.

Special correspondent Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar contributed to this report.

Madani's arrest delayed

BANGALORE/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala's CPM-led ruling Left Democratic Front and the opposition United Democratic Front have both benefited on different occasions in the past from Abdul Nassar Madani’s People’s Democratic Party. It isn't clear whether that is suggestive about the difficulty faced by the Karnataka police in arresting the PDP chairman, but as the arrest is delayed, the focus is on the Kerala police who are expected to facilitate his arrest.

For the second day after a police team from Bangalore arrived at Anwarssery in Kollam district to arrest Madani, there is little explanation forthcoming about why the arrest is delayed, even as Karnataka home minister V S Acharya said the Karnataka police was conducting itself in a transparent manner in the Madani affair.

Madani is an accused in the 2008 Bangalore bomb blasts case, and his anticipatory bail application was rejected by the Karnataka high court last week.

The Bangalore police is learnt to be ready to wait for a couple of days to get Madani. The police is also awaiting custody of two more accused in the case, Abdul Sattar alias Zainuddin, and his son Sarfuddin, who are in the custody of the Gujarat police.

According to officials, the police are desirous of getting all accused in custody before the start of the trial.

To complete the formalities and to get ready for the trial, it may take another month, they said. Bangalore city police commissioner Shankar Bidari said, "We have contacted the local SP, and the local police will arrest Madani and him over to our police. They will decide the convenient time".

The Bangalore police team had met top police officials in Kochi on Tuesday before moving to Anwarssery, where Madani is presently based, surrounded by a crowd of supporters numbering a few hundred shouting slogans protesting the imminent arrest of their leader.

Kerala home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said today that there had been no intimation to the state home secretary or the director general of police about the arrival of a police team to the state to arrest Madani.

It has not been a formal standoff yet between the Karnataka and Kerala police teams, but the delay in Madani's arrest and the statements from top officials of either state have been evocative about their respective sentiments about arresting Madani.

Speculation has also increased about the likelihood of Madani's arrest being postponed either until president Pratibha Patil's visit to the state this week is concluded or until the Independence Day celebrations are over, so as not to overburden the Kerala police.

Another explanation doing the rounds is that Madani is not keeping good health and he may need medical help before he is taken on the long journey to Bangalore.

Meanwhile, the Bangalore city police commissioner has written to the Gujarat home secretary, seeking custody of Abdul Sattar and Sarfuddin. Sattar was arrested from Hyderabad when he spilled the beans about the Bangalore blasts. After his arrest, the Gujarat police took him into their custody in connection with the Ahmedabad blast. City police commissioner Bidari said once the duo arrives in Bangalore the trial in the bomb blasts case would begin. "I hope the trial will begin by the first week of September", he said.

Amala Hot Hot

All that's new in Gmail!

NEW DELHI: Search giant Google has revamped its email service Gmail. The company has overhauled the contact management tool found inside Gmail.

In a blog post Benjamin Grol, Gmail product manager said "An improved Contacts interface has been the number one requested feature from user feedback."
While the core Gmail experience has been changed significantly since its 2004 launch, the Contacts interface has not seen too many changes. The new version of Gmail's contact manager, which Google says is already in the process of going out to users, brings with it a number of changes and addons.

* Mail, Contacts, and Tasks links have moved to the top left of Gmail.

* Compose mail is now a button rather than a link.

* A smaller header area puts the first message in users' inbox.

* The Select All, None, Read, Unread, and Starred links that used to be above your messages are now options in a drop-down menu, next to the Archive button.

* Keyboard shortcuts now work in Contacts too, and Google has made selecting and grouping contacts more like selecting and labeling email.

* Users can now sort contacts by last name. Look under More actions for this option.

* Use custom labels for phone numbers and other fields.

* Now, when users have the option to undo their recent changes.

* Automatic saving: This means users no longer need to worry about 'edit' mode or `view' mode — just edit away and Gmail will save your changes.

* Structured name fields: Users can now set name components (i.e. Title, First, Middle, Last and Suffix) explicitly or continue to use the name field as a free form area if they prefer a less structured approach.

* Manual and bulk contact merge: Users can now merge contacts from the More actions menu. All they need to do is select the contacts they would like to merge and select Merge contacts from under the More actions menu.

US industry outraged at chop shop remarks on Infosys

Expressing outrage over a US Senator calling Indian IT major Infosys a "chop shop", an industry body representing American firms has said that Indian companies were helping US create value and keep ahead of the global competition.

"It is totally outrageous in this day in age, when the world is so interconnected by the Internet, that draconian measures would be floated by the US Congress that tarbrushes Indian companies as 'chop shops'," US India Business Council (USIBC) president Ron Somers said on Tuesday.


"Our companies are creating value around the clock thanks to tie-ups with India, keeping us ahead of the global competition," Somers said in a statement.

The Washington-based USIBC represents some 350 American companies, including many in Fortune 500 list, like Boeing, Wal Mart, PepsiCo and General Motors and Lockheed Martin that do business in India.

Somers came down heavily on various moves in US to restrict the movement of high-tech professionals and outsourcing of work to India.

"Cutting our nose off to spite our face by imposing restrictions on movement of high-tech professionals will hobble American companies' ability to compete in the global marketplace," he said.

"Value addition is being provided by Indian companies 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for US companies, complimenting the value being generated by the American workforce. When our day winds down and our workforce shuts the lights off, the Indian workforce awakes for their morning to continue adding value," Somers added.

USIBC said it remains committed to removing restrictions to bilateral trade and investment between the world’s two largest free-market democracies.

Criticising companies outsourcing American jobs, New York Senator Charles Schumer had last week described Infosys as a "chop shop", a place where stolen cars are dismantled and parts sold separately.

He said such companies outsource high-paying American tech jobs to immigrants willing to take less pay.

The USIBC statement comes a day after Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said in the Rajya Sabha that such a remark from a the New York Senator was unfortunate.

"Infosys is one of the leading companies. It has a global name and brand. Any disparaging remark, I would term it unfortunate and avoidable," Sharma had said.

No one from govt should back Maoists: Chidambaram

New Delhi: Mamata Banerjee's controversial rally at Lalgarh again figured in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday with a BJP member asking Home Minister P Chidambaram if the government would take action against a leader who supports the Maoists.

Chidambaram was asked if the government would take action against those who appreciate anti-democratic movement in the Naxal areas and pay tribute to the harbingers of Naxalism. "Will the government let such people go scot-free if he or she is a minister or holds a powerful position?"

To this, Chidambaram replied, "To a question that is framed in such a general manner, the answer can also be in a general manner. No-one should support the Maoist and the government would certainly not encourage anyone to support the Maoist."

Banerjee's rally at Lalgarh had rocked Parliament on Monday too with an aggressive BJP and the Left joining hands to target the Trinamool Congress and seeking to embarrass the Centre over the Railway Minister's alleged hobnobbing with Maoists.

The BJP wanted suspension of Question Hour. It also wanted a statement from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Banerjee's rally on Monday where she allegedly supported Maoists and said the way Maoist leader Azad was killed was not right and asked for a probe into his death.

TRINAMOOL DENIES PCPA'S PRESENCE AT LALGARH RALLY

After drawing flak for the Lalgarh rally in which the Maoist front organisation, the People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) took part, Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress is in denial mode.

Speaking to NDTV's Prannoy Roy, senior Trinamool leader and Health Minister Dinesh Trivedi insisted it was not a joint rally with the Maoists.

"I want to challenge Arun Jaitley. He said there were wanted Maoists leaders around. Has he seen them? The Prime Minister of India has appealed to the separatists. Chidambaram has appreciated Geelani in Parliament. Does it mean that Chidambaram is a separatist? This rally wasn't organised by Maoists but by intellectuals," Trivedi said.

But as Mamata Banerjee and her party insist that her Lalgarh rally had no connection with the Maoist frontal organisation PCPA, pictures taken by television crews show otherwise. PCPA leader Manoj Mahato led people to the rally but stayed away from it. He said his presence might trigger police action. (Read: Car accident - a conspiracy, says Mamata aide)

Mumbai ship collision: Captain blames Captain

Mumbai: The Captain of the MSC Chitra, the ship carrying oil and pesticide that collided with another close to the Mumbai harbour on Saturday, has been granted interim bail by the Sessions court. (Mumbai oil spill in pics)

Captain Mandeleno Ranjit Martin had said in his bail plea that the collision happened because of a navigational error which was caused by the failure of radio communication. He said there was no error on his part and pointed out that he had been a part of the industry for 18 years

Martin also said in his bail application that there was no point of sending him to police custody as there was nothing to recover from him.

He added that the MV Khalijia, with which his ship had collided, was not fit to sail at sea and that it was the Captain of this ship who was responsible for the accident.

The Chitra had collided with the Khalijia on Saturday and tilted dangerously. A leak in the ship caused its cargo of oil to start pouring into the sea, causing a huge oil spill. To make matters worse, some containers detached from the ship and started floating. There were fears that these contained hazardous material, but those 31 containers were later found secure in the ship's hold.

The oil leak was finally plugged on Tuesday, but 800 tonnes of oil was spilt, double of what was thought earlier. Both the Mumbai Port and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) have been closed. The Mumbai Port may not open till Friday. It will take days to clean up the slick and could take up to six to eight months to refloat the ship and tow it away. (Mumbai oil spill: Clean up to take 45 days)

A Singapore-based company will conduct salvage operations from Friday. A crane mounted on a ship has been placed next to the Chitra and preliminary clearing operations have begun.
First, the ships containers will be removed and oil will be pumped out and only then will the ship be towed to the shore.

Images shot by NDTV show that the oil slick is affecting marine life and the environment.

NDTV travelled to Uran in Raigad district to find out the impact of the spill, and the situation is scary. A snake which came in from the sea was covered in oil, and the mangroves here are bearing the brunt of the accident.

Pakistanis set for Ramadan fast amid flood misery

SUKKUR, Pakistan, Aug 11 (Reuters) - They've been left homeless and hungry by the worst flooding in decades, but for many Pakistanis, their suffering is no reason to ignore the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk during Ramadan, which is due to begin on Thursday in Pakistan and which started on Wednesday in many other Muslim countries.

Floods triggered by heavy monsoon rain over much of Pakistan began nearly two weeks ago, and have killed about 1,600 people and disrupted the lives of about 14 million, including about two million who have been forced from their homes.

Many survivors from flooded villages have lost their stores of food as well as crops in the field and livestock, and are surviving on occasional handouts, living in the open.

But despite the hunger and hardship, for most people not observing the fast during the most sacred of months is unthinkable.

"We will fast but we don't know how will be break the fast, whether we will find any food or not. Only Allah knows," said Nusrat Shah, sitting beside a bridge in Sukkur, where she had laid out bedding for her family under the sky.

"Pray for us," said Shah, as she made tea over a smoky fire.

Fasting Ramadan is a requirement for all able-bodied Muslims, but Islam exempts, among others, those who are travelling, ill or not strong enough to abstain from food and drink.

Countless villages have been swallowed up in the floods and many people are still stranded, some on tiny, shrinking patches of water-logged land.

People traditionally break fast with a meal of fried food and sweets at dusk. The vast majority of Pakistan's 165 million people are Muslim.

While the country might have a reputation as a haven for hardline Islamist militants, most Pakistanis are moderate Muslims who are conservative and devoted to the rituals of their faith.

"What kind of a question is that?" laughed Fakhar Zaman, a businessman in the Swat valley, northwest of Islamabad, which has been cut off this week by floods and landslides, when asked if he would be fasting this year.

"You know the people of Swat, they would never skip fasting," he said.

POOR NUTRITION

A big international relief effort is gearing up to help the flood victims, and some aid workers fear that Ramadan could endanger the health of people already facing food shortages, and complicate efforts to deliver assistance. People only getting poor nutrition are not well placed to fast although abstaining from drinking water for much of the day could protect people from water-born diseases, said a doctor involved in the relief effort.

"Definitely, they are not in a good position to fast. The food they are taking is not enough," said the doctor, Ahmad Shadoul.

"On the other hand, fasting can be a preventive measure for diarrhoea as people are not drinking water for 14 to 15 hours."

Working hours in many Muslim countries are shortened during the month when people fasting often suffer from a lack of energy.

While aid agencies aim to continue working flat out, there are worries that the effort may flag.

"Traditionally people work 50 percent of their ability during Ramadan," said Ershad Karim, chief field officer for the U.N. Children's Fund based in northwest Pakistan.

"Of course, it will be a very challenging situation."

Naseer Somroo, who had just been evacuated on a navy boat from his flooded village in Sindh province, said he and his family were getting sick and had been hungry for days but his faith was unshakeable.

"We've already been fasting for four days ... We'll observe Ramadan but we don't know how our Eid will be," he said referring to Eid al-Fitr festival at the end of the month which is usually the most joyous holiday of the year. (Additional reporting by Michael Georgy and Junaid Khan; Writing by Robert Birsel; editing by Miral Fahmy)

Successful second wind for Styris

Six months ago, Scott Styris' international career was on the rocks after he was axed from the one-day side for the home series against Bangladesh.

The drop came barely four months after his recall for a limited-overs series against Pakistan.

How many can make two international comebacks after turning 34? Yet, Styris is now firmly back in New Zealand's plans for the 2011 World Cup, and he gave another demonstration of his usefulness on a tricky Dambulla track to set his team up for a victory that pushed them to the No.

2 spot in the ICC rankings.

An inexperienced New Zealand side wasn't given much of a chance coming into the tournament and it seemed to show why when it tumbled to 28 for 3 in the face of a hostile new-ball spell from Ashish Nehra and Praveen Kumar.

That brought together Styris, the most experienced man in the line-up, and Ross Taylor, their captain and most important batsman.

The two senior players just about managed to survive the next few overs, before getting more settled once the spinners were brought on.

Styris, in particular, had a nervous beginning.

There was an lbw appeal from Praveen which Hawk-Eye suggested would shave the outside of legstump, a close caught-behind shout in Abhimanyu Mithun's first over, before being saved by the height on being struck in front of middle by Mithun's stock incutter.

His biggest reprieve was a missed stumping off Pragyan Ojha when he was beaten by the turn after waltzing out of the crease, but the sharp spin meant Dhoni also failed to collect cleanly.

By then, the pair had added more than 50 runs with Taylor unleashing a bunch of boundaries.

With Mithun suffering a heat stroke and the senior quicks having already bowled plenty of overs, Styris then cashed in on some amiable left-arm spin.

Boundaries off Ojha and Ravindra Jadeja were mixed with sensible singles and before you knew it New Zealand had moved to 150 off 30 overs.

Then Taylor risked taking the batting Powerplay early.

Styris' boundary-count shot up in those five overs, at the end of which 300 was in New Zealand's sights and the two batsmen seemed to be in a race to reach triple-figures.

Styris drew level with Taylor on 89 with a straight swing for six off Ojha but a fifth ODI century eluded him when he was dismissed two balls later.

On a pitch where 240 was talked of as the par score at the toss, Styris had piloted New Zealand to 219 for 4 with more than ten overs to go.

"The bounce is spongy here.

It's not true bounce as at WACA or some of the pitches in South Africa.

It's a tennis ball bounce.

On top of that it spun fast," Styris said after New Zealand completed their win.

"It was particularly tough to bat on and that's why Ross and I are particularly pleased with the runs we were able to get." The 200-run victory was New Zealand's biggest over India.

"We are obviously delighted with the result," Styris said.

"We were missing [Brendon] McCullum and [Daniel] Vettori and perhaps we didn't have the same respect from the opposition and the media." Today's performance extends a rich vein of form for Styris, who kickstarted his attempt to re-cement a place in the one-day side with a cool 34-ball 49 in a big chase against Australia in his first match on comeback.

He put in four solid contributions with the bat in five games that series, and has continued the run during his stint with Essex over the New Zealand winter.

With emergence of Grant Elliott and the presence of Jacob Oram, New Zealand aren't exactly short on medium-pace allrounders and the competition for spots remains fierce.

"Some nine-ten months ago I was a bit on the outer, which was disappointing.

But since than I have done well in domestic cricket, in the series against Australia and for Essex," Styris said.

"Always wanted to play in the 2011 World Cup and if you put performances on the board you have the right to be picked." It's been a long time since Styris bowled his full quota of overs, but he insisted there was no move to play as a specialist batsman.

"I still want to have a big role with the ball, I have a couple of niggles that are holding me back a bit but I think over the next 6-8 months I will continue bowling hopefully a lot of overs," he said.

"While in the past I have bowled 10 overs in every game, maybe now I'll bowl six to seven overs in each."

Kalki's bold sexual scenes leaked

Director Anurag Kashyap and his girlfriend Kalki Koechlin might not dream in their wildest dream that the screening of their film That Girl In Yellow Boots at the Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival would trouble them. Unfortunately, the bold sexual scenes of the film involving Kalki, has been leaked online after its screening at the film festivals.


It is said that Anurag and Kalki are not happy with the leak of the steamy scenes before its official release. They were over the moon when their film was selected for a premiere at the prestious film festivals but the leak of the hot scenes has disappointed them.


That Girl In Yellow Boots is a thriller about a girl in search of her father, who she hardly knew. It features Kalki Koechlin, Naseeruddin Shah, Shiv Kumar Subramaniam, Divya Jagdal and Kumud Mishra in the lead roles and is scheduled for release next month.

Ramadan 2010 begins

Ramadan 2010 begins today and will be strictly observed by millions of Muslims around the world.


Hundreds of thousands of Muslims pray around the Kaaba inside the Grand Mosque during Ramadan in Mecca

In the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, in which the first verses of the Qur'an are said to have been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, participating Muslims refrain from drinking, eating and sexual activities from dawn until sunset.

Fasting is intended to teach Muslims the virtues of patience, humility and spirituality, and is carried out as an offering to God.



In the Qu'ran, Allah proclaims that "fasting has been written down upon you, as it was upon those before you".

Participants rise in the darkness to eat a pre-dawn meal called “sahur”. They must stop eating and drinking before the dawn call to prayer, and must not break their fast until the fourth call to prayer at dusk.

Muslims are expected to start observing the fasting ritual once they reach puberty, as long as they are healthy.

The elderly, the chronically ill and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups are expected to try to feed the poor instead.

People who are travelling long distances do not have to fast – nor do pregnant or breastfeeding women and those who are menstruating.

During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance on new problems, and ask for help in refraining from everyday “evils”.

They are expected to perform their religious duties with greater diligence than usual and to reflect on the teachings of Islam.

Participating Muslims are encouraged to try to read the entire Qur’an during the month of Ramadan. They must strive to maintain pure thoughts and avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds.

The holiday of Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, which is called called Shawwal.

When fasting is over, celebrations are held and Muslims go to their mosques in their best clothes to say the first Eid prayer.

Later, they give out presents to children and greet their friends and families. Food is donated to the poor and a feast is held in the evening.

REFILE-WRAPUP 1-India squeezes BlackBerry; onus on telco firms

* India may temporarily ban some BlackBerry services -source

* Indian Interior ministry, operators to meet Thursday

* RIM, Saudi Arabia compromise on Messenger, says source (Corrects day of the week to Tuesday from Thursday in second paragraph)

By Bappa Majumdar and Devidutta Tripathy

NEW DELHI, Aug 11 (Reuters) - India may temporarily shut down BlackBerry services if New Delhi's concerns about security are not addressed in a meeting between the government and mobile phone operators on Thursday, government sources said.

The latest ultimatum for Blackberry maker Research In Motion (RIM.TO) (RIMM.O) comes a day after the Canadian company agreed to hand over user codes that would let Saudi authorities monitor its BlackBerry Messenger, as it seeks to stop the kingdom from silencing the service, a source close to the talks said on Tuesday. [ID:nN09103593]

Indian authorities fear that the popular BlackBerry email and messaging services could be misused by militants as security agencies cannot access the messages sent through these services.

India has cracked down on the entire mobile phone market following the Mumbai attacks in 2008, which killed 166 people. Pakistani militants used mobile and satellite phones to coordinate the attacks.

India's home (interior) ministry will press for some deadline to be fixed for RIM to share encryption details.

"There definitely could be talk of some deadline and a proposal to take strong action on BlackBerry services during the meeting," a government official, who declined to be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media, said on Wednesday.

U.K. Bansal, India's internal security chief confirmed a meeting would take place with mobile operators on Thursday but it was not clear if RIM, which has been negotiating with the government, would take part in the meeting.

The responsibility to meet Indian security requirements rests with mobile phone operators rather than RIM.

RIM, unlike rivals Nokia (NOK1V.HE) and Apple APPL.O, operates its own network through secure services located in Canada and other countries such as Britain.

India, like Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and some other countries, has sought access to encrypted Blackberry communication.

India's security establishment took a hardline view on RIM's stance that it does not possess a "master key" to intercept data traffic on BlackBerry, insisting it needs access to encrypted messages in a "readable format."

Bharti Airtel (BRTI.BO) and Vodafone's (VOD.L) India unit are the largest providers of BlackBerry services in India, the world's fastest growing market and key for RIM.

There are more than 635 million mobile phone subscribers in India, second only to China.

INDIA WANTS STRONG ACTION

Indian officials said they were also verifying reports that RIM has agreed to hand over coveted "codes" to users' phones to try to avert a ban on its Messenger service in Saudi Arabia.

Another senior Indian government official told Reuters that mobile phone operators could be asked to shut down RIM's Enterprise Email and Messenger services temporarily as a last alternative, if RIM does not agree to offer access to data.

"If they cannot provide a solution, we'll ask (mobile) operators to stop that specific service. The service can be resumed when they give us the solution," the source said.

If enforced, an estimated one million users in India would only be able to use these devices for calls, text messages and the Internet.

RIM has said BlackBerry security is based on a system where the customers create their own key and the company neither has a master key nor any "back door" to allow RIM or any third party to gain access to crucial corporate data.

"As of now there is nothing more to comment on this issue," a RIM India spokesman said on Wednesday, when asked if a breakthrough was in sight.

Indian officials say RIM has proposed to help India track emails, without sharing encryption details, which security officials say is not enough. (Writing by Paul de Bendern; editing by Lincoln Feast)

Militants attack Army jeep in Rajouri, civilian killed

One woman was killed when militants attacked an Army jeep near Thanamandi in the Rajouri border. Over a dozen were injured including two Army jawans.

Late last night, in another fresh militant attack, three policemen were killed in Sopore.

In Rajouri on Wednesday morning, heavy firing was on between the the Army and the insurgents till reports last came in.

Deputy Inspector General, Poonch Range, S D Singh Jamwal said the woman, Kiran Bala, was travelling in a private coach along with other civilian passengers which was passing through the area at the time the militants attacked the Army jeep driving alongside. The vehicles were going to Rajouri from Poonch. Senior police officers said that militants suddenly opened fire on the Army vehicle, one kilometre before Thanamandi town. The private vehicle also came in the line of fire, police sources said.

The bus had left Poonch for Jammu around 6 am in the morning and most passengers were local, the police said.

Police sources said three among the injured -- Swarnkanta of Udhampur, Gul Begaum of Thanamandi and Irfan Ahmed of Poonch -- have been airlifted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu.

Earlier on Tuesday evening, three youths were injured when the Jammu and Kashmir Police and personnel from the Central Police Reserve force (CRPF) had opened fire on protesters in the Nowhatta area in Srinagar's old city. The injured have been shifted to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS).

After the firing, more people had come out on the streets and started protesting against the police.

Afghan civilian casualties up 31%, UN says

The number of civilians killed or injured in Afghanistan has jumped 31%, despite a fall in the number of casualties caused by Nato-led forces.

More than 1,200 civilians were killed in the first six months of 2010 and another 1,997 civilians were injured, the latest UN six-monthly report shows.

The Taliban and other insurgents were responsible for 76% of the casualties, up from 53% last year.

With overall numbers up, correspondents say Afghans feel less secure than ever.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly warned Western powers that civilian deaths caused by Nato attacks help to fuel the insurgency.

The US and Nato commander in Afghanistan, Gen David Petraeus said earlier this month: "Every Afghan civilian death diminishes our cause."

Shortly afterwards, a Nato airstrike killed up to 25 Afghans travelling to a funeral in Nangarhar province.

The Taliban have also issued their own "code of conduct", telling fighters to avoid killing civilians.

Afghanistan Rights Monitor said the figures were a slight increase compared with the same period in 2009.

But their report said the number of people killed in Nato air strikes in the same period had halved.
Strict rules

In 2009, former Nato commander Gen Stanley McChrystal issued instructions severely limiting the circumstances in which troops could call in an airstrike or fire into buildings.

His successor, Gen Petraeus, has vowed to carry on with the policy.

In their own attempt to avoid alienating the civilian population, the Taliban issued their "code of conduct" which also forbids their fighters from seizing weapons and money.

In July, the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks leaked a swathe of documents relating to the Afghan war, which suggested that many civilian casualties were going unreported.

A UN report in January showed that civilian casualties in the Afghan conflict had risen by 14% in 2009 compared with 2008.

It said the "vast majority" of the more than 2,400 deaths had been caused by Taliban attacks.

333 projects put extra burden of Rs 50,000 crore

NEW DELHI: Inordinate delays in implementation of projects have put an extra burden worth Rs 50,000 crore on the public exchequer.

According to a report of the ministry of statistic and programme implementation, the cost overruns to the tune of Rs 51,617.92 crore in 333 ongoing projects. The report has factored in 631 ongoing projects.

Though the UPA government admitted in Parliament of the escalating cost, it failed to give any detail about the timeline for the implementation of these projects. The original cost of 333 projects was Rs 323146.8 crore, which ballooned toRs 374764.72 crore, as on March 2010 due to delay in execution.

The escalated cost is pegged at 13.89% higher than the original approved cost. In the sector-wise analysis, the report found out that of the 333 delayed projects, road transport and highway sector accounts for the maximum number at 130, followed by petroleum (41), railways (40), power (33), coal (27) and telecom (26).

Minister of state for statistics and programme implementation Sriprakash Jaiswal, in a written reply to Parliament, said, “the main reason for cost and time overrun include delay in procurement of equipment, law and order problems, inadequate infrastructure and rise in input cost.”

When projects worth Rs 150 crore and above was considered, the number of delayed projects was 268, and the cost overruns in these projects touched Rs 50,295 crore. It was stated that the cost overrun of these projects was 15.8 per cent of their original approved costs.

Honda Jazz X launched in India with a price tag of Rs. 7.35 lac

HSCI (Honda Siel Cars India) has unveiled updated version of Honda Jazz, named as Honda Jazz X Grade. Despite many news agencies and surveys have put Jazz top on the chart for it’s sporty design and lean and meaner looks, and intelligent mechanics, Honda Jazz has not been able to attract Indian customers in compact cars segment.

According to experts, Honda Jazz lags behind only due to huge price tag among other compact cars, moreover, people who’re seeking luxury cars or may be ready to pay more, are not opting for Honda Jazz, only because, Honda Jazz misses out luxury signatures like alloy wheel and elegant interior.

However, this time Honda Siel Cars India has come up with Jazz X Grade, which not only is loaded with best of the interior and interior design, but also have alloy wheels and many other added features. At the launch function, Marketing Director of HSCI, Mr. Natsume confirmed that they have kept in mind Indian customer demands and Jazz X Grade launch proves Honda commitment to Indian customers.

Now Honda Jazz X Grade will have much needed height adjustment function for driver seat, alloy wheels, music system with USB port, and most attractive of all, trendy and updated interior. Jazz X Grade design and features really proves to be a value for money, unlike Jazz, which upset customers on many front. India customers will hopefully respond positively as company has bring in everything Indian customer is looking for in any compact car and that is, comfort, style, elegance, sensibility, power mechanics and fuel efficiency.

But much to dismay, Honda has not been able to understand Indian customer price sensitivity mannerism. Since the launch of Honda Jazz, customers were complaining about the high prices in comparison to other cars in compact cars segment. And again, Honda is unable to make any difference to price tag, eventually Honda Jazz X Grade could cost you around Rs. 7.35 Lakhs, that means it will be more costlier.

Well, it would be immature to make any statements or predictions, because, who knows, Honda might have better marketing strategy this time or maybe Indian customers will be willing to pay such a huge amount for Honda Jazz X Grade? Nevertheless, Jazz X Grade awesome design and added features has really made car better than the rest.

Three-in-one treat for city sky city gazers

KOLKATA: An unusual celestial formation has left sky-gazers in the city mesmerized. Beginning August, three planets have been spotted in close proximity to each other, forming a small triangle in the western sky. MP Birla Planetarium director (research & academics) Debiprosad Duari said the phenomenon would be visible for a fortnight.

Venus, Mars and Saturn, the three brightest planets visible from earth, are recognizable to anyone with an elementary knowledge of the sky. The clustering, smaller than a closed fist extended in front of the eyes, can be seen shortly after sunset, around 6.15 pm, from a place with a clear and unobstructed view of the western horizon.

In this planetary line-up, one is sure to notice Venus, which is at present the brightest of all objects in the night sky. Venus will be around 30? above the western horizon. Within a 10? circle, a very short distance of Venus, will be the other two planets Mars and Saturn visible to the naked eye.

Although the three planets look quite close together, in reality Venus is 11.38 crore km away from Earth, Mars is 30.6 crore km away and Saturn is much further away at a distance of 153 crore km.

Another planet, Mercury, is visible on the western horizon around this time. Though not as bright as the other three and quite close to the horizon, it can be observed properly through a binocular. "Sky enthusiasts are sure to be delighted by this celestial "summit meeting" which does not happen often. On August 12, a crescent moon will join the planetary show and just after sunset, it will be a wonderful sight. One should also note that Saturn and Mars are five magnitudes fainter than Venus and thus only about 1% as bright. They're side by side in the sky, separated by about three or four fingers held together at arm's length. They'll spend the coming week moving to the right with respect to Venus, creating a planetary triangle that changes shape from day to day," Duari explained.

A wide variety of different conjunctions and configurations involving the planets typically occur during the course of any given year. It is, however, unusual for three or more bright planets to appear within a same small area. All of these planets, as well as the moon, closely follow an imaginary line in the sky called the ecliptic. The ecliptic is also the apparent path that the Sun appears to take through the sky as a result of the Earth's revolution around it. Hence, planets and the moon get aligned in an arc across the sky and is called a conjunction.

India Day Ahead: Mumbai Port Closure; Nomura Outlook for Consumer Stocks

The following are some of the important stories that broke overnight, and newspaper summaries in India today:

TOP INDIA STORIES:

India May Take Three Days to Clear Containers That Closed Ports

India said it may take as long as three days to clear hundreds of containers floating in sea lanes that forced the closure of Mumbai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Port, the nation’s busiest container harbor.

Crude Oil Trades Above $81 After Gaining as Equities Advance

Crude oil was little changed above $81 a barrel in New York after rising for the first time in four days as advancing equity markets buoyed confidence that the economic rebound will spur fuel demand.

Nomura Turns Negative on Indian Consumer Stocks on Valuations

Investors should “book profits” on Indian consumer stocks as the industry may underperform given their valuations, rising input prices and a “highly competitive landscape,” Nomura Holdings Inc. said.

Wheat Drops for a Third Day as Investors Judge Rally Excessive

Wheat futures declined for a third day on speculation that prices have surged too fast and that investors have overestimated the impact on global supply of Russia’s worst drought in at least half a century.

Record Asian Currency Bond Debt Fuels Company ‘Investment Boom’

Corporate bond sales in Asian currencies reached a record last month as companies seek capital to fund power plants, tower blocks and railways in the world’s fastest-growing economic region.

Palm Oil, ‘Extremely Overbought’, May Drop: Technical Analysis

Palm oil may tumble by as much as 5 percent this week as the commodity is “extremely overbought” after gains on speculation La Nina may hurt harvests in the biggest producers and on drought damage to Russia’s grain crop.

Lupin Sues Ranbaxy Over Antara Cholesterol Drug

A unit of India’s Lupin Ltd. sued Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. for infringing a U.S. patent for Antara capsules, used to treat high cholesterol levels.

Indian Rupee Climbs to Seven-Week High as Growth Spurs Inflows

India’s rupee rose to a seven-week high on speculation an improving economy and rising interest rates will spur overseas demand for the nation’s assets.

India Bonds Rise on Speculation Central Bank to Pause on Rates

India’s 10-year bonds climbed for a second day, pushing their yield to the lowest level in almost a week, on speculation the central bank will refrain from increasing interest rates at its policy review next month.

Lupin, Monnet Ispat, Tulip, Wipro: India Equity Preview

The following companies may have unusual price changes in India trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses and share prices are as of the last close.

India Scraps Rule Requiring 25% Float in State Firms

India reversed a two-month old rule that required state-run companies to have at least 25 percent of their shares traded, easing a cap that may have flooded Asia’s fourth-biggest market with equity.

Orissa Asked to Halt Land Acquisition for Posco Plant

Posco, South Korea’s biggest steelmaker, said India’s environment ministry asked the state government of Orissa to halt land acquisitions from farmers occupying the site of the company’s proposed $12 billion plant.

India’s Sensex Climbs to 30-Month High; Tata Motors Advances

India’s benchmark stock index advanced to a 30-month high, led by real estate developers and automakers, amid expectations that rising incomes and the nation’s economic growth will boost profitability.

TODAY’S PAPERS:

India Defers Plan to Float Urea Prices: Financial Express Link

Reliance Broadcast Plans to Raise $100 Million, Express Says

India’s Home Ministry Asks to Stop 3G Services, Standard Says

IMF Says Pakistan Floods Cause Major Economic Harm: Reuters Link

TOP STORIES WORLDWIDE:

Former U.S. Stealth Bomber Engineer Convicted for China Spying

A former B-2 stealth bomber engineer was found guilty of selling classified information to China, the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement.

Anadarko Debtors Forgiving Spill in Bond Frenzy: Credit Markets

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. sold $2 billion of notes that lack creditor protections against claims stemming from the worst oil spill in U.S. history, underscoring how corporations are gaining the upper hand over debt investors.

Asian Growth Attracts Shariah Banks From Gulf: Islamic Finance

Al Salam Bank BSC, Bahrain’s fastest-growing lender by revenue in the past year, plans to invest $500 million of Islamic funds in Asia, joining Saudi Arabia’s Al Rajhi Group in tapping the region’s growth.

Australian Business Confidence Falls to 14-Month Low

Australian business confidence slipped in July to the lowest level in more than a year, adding to signs higher interest rates are eroding domestic demand and driving the local dollar down by the most in almost two weeks.

Singapore Economy Expands 24%, Less Than Estimated

Singapore’s economy expanded less than initially estimated last quarter as manufacturing cooled in June, and growth is forecast to slow after a record pace in the first half, the government said today.

MARKETS:

Yen Rises on Prospect BOJ Will Refrain From More Easing Steps

The yen rose, snapping a two-day losing streak against the euro, on prospects the Bank of Japan will refrain from taking additional measures to temper the currency’s appreciation.

U.S. Two-Year Yields Near Record Low as Fed May Signal Stimulus

Treasury two-year yields were within five basis points of a record low on speculation the Federal Reserve will today acknowledge the economy is slowing and say it is ready to take steps to spur growth.

Copper Drops on Concern China’s Property Slump May Curb Demand

Copper declined in Asia as some investors deemed the recent rally as excessive amid concerns that demand may slow as China’s property market cools. The metal dropped for the first time in three days in Shanghai.

Gold May Advance After Weak U.S. Jobs Data Spurs Growth Concern

Gold may advance on speculation that demand for the metal as a store of wealth will increase after weaker-than-expected jobs data spurred concern about the strength of the U.S. economic recovery.

U.S. Stocks Advance, With S&P 500 at Highest Level Since May

U.S. stocks climbed, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index reaching its highest level in more than two months, amid speculation the Federal Reserve may introduce measures to stimulate economic growth tomorrow.

Refiners May Cut Oil Processing as Margins Fall: Energy Markets

U.S. refiners probably cut back on crude-oil processing last week as profit margins sank to the lowest level in five months, a Bloomberg News survey showed.

Soybeans Rise on Chinese Demand for U.S. Crop; Corn Declines

Soybeans rose, extending the longest rally since 2007, on speculation that Chinese imports will reduce stockpiles in the U.S., the world’s largest producer and exporter. Corn declined for the first time in four sessions.

For Related News and Information: Most-read stories about India today: MNI INDIA 1D India economic statistics: ECST IN