Lionel Messi movie: How do you accurately portray the magic of the world's greatest footballer?Lionel Messi movie: How do you accurately portray the magic of the world's greatest footballer?

So what makes the little man tick? When the Spanish director Alex de la Iglesia was asked to make a documentary about Argentinian and Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi, he decided to look for what he calls the "rosebud" moment. If he searched hard enough, De la Iglesia was certain, he could discover just why Messi had pushed himself to become one of the greatest footballers of his age. When he was researching and making the film (which premiered at the Venice Festival earlier this month), De la Iglesia was thinking all the time about the boy with the sledge who grows up to become the all-powerful media magnate in Orson Welles' Citizen Kane.

De la Iglesia wasn't much interested in football. His films – The Day of the Beast, Perdita Durango – have tended to be outrageous comic-book fantasies full of sex, violence and very dark humour. Nonetheless, when the Messi project was proposed by Mediapro, he was intrigued. Part of the fascination was the air of mystery that surrounds Messi. The footballer doesn't give many interviews. Off the field, he is a guarded, shy and private figure, who, as the director says, "is always in a bubble".

"I said, "OK, yes,'" De la Iglesia recalls of his reaction when the project was proposed. "He (Messi) was so different to me."

De la Iglesia was also fascinated by the way that (in his view at least) Messi polarises opinion in spite of his astonishing ability. "Half of the world loves Messi. The other half hates Messi. There is not something in the middle."

In order to "explain" Messi, De la Iglesia decided to canvas the opinions of some of the footballers and coaches who've worked with the player. His screenwriter was Jorge Valdano, the outspoken former general manager of Real Madrid, recently in the news for his withering attacks on the egotism and petty-mindedness of current Chelsea manager José Mourinho (whom he likens to Salieri in Amadeus.)

The figures De la Iglesia invited to participate in a special dinner at which they would discuss the riddle of Messi included Dutch legend (and former Barcelona player and manager) Johan Cruyff and World Cup-winning Argentina manager, César Luis Menotti. Also present were some of Messi's current teammates, among them Andrés Iniesta and Gerard Piqué. Other participants include Argentine and Catalonian journalists, some of the player's old friends from school and kindergarten and even the doctor who looked after him when he was a kid. The one disappointment is that he wasn't able to reach Maradona (who asked for a $1m to appear in the film and therefore features only fleetingly in archive footage.)

The documentary gives us the illusion we are watching a single event. In fact, the film edits together two separate dinners at restaurants in Buenos Aires and Barcelona.

"It is beautiful to do it in this way," the director explains. "The second point is that it was good for the movie because the people are more relaxed when they are eating. They are drinking wine… the cameras were really far from the table

Rajinikanth moves court against 'Main Hoon Rajinikanth' makers

Superstar Rajinikanth Actor Rajnikanth on Wednesday obtained an interim injunction till September 25 from the Madras High Court, restraining a Mumbai production house from using his name, image, caricature, and style of delivering dialogues in the coming film “Main hoon Rajinikanth’.

Justice S Tamilvanan passed orders on an application by the actor, seeking to restrain Varsha Productions, Mumbai, from in any manner ‘infiltrating’ his personality rights through such unauthorised use.

The court said it cannot be disputed that Intellectual Property Right is a recognized right under modern laws and the copyright Act and Trade Marks Act are properly safeguarded by relevant statures. As per Article 21 of the Constitution, everyone is entitled to lead a dignified life and no one can cause damage to the fame or reputation to any person against law.

It said available material placed before the court and arguments of Rajnikanth’s counsel showed that film degrades the reputation of a popular cine field personality.

The caricatured person has the same style of Rajnikanth and the wordings showed him as a CBI officer, stupid,part—time social worker, part—time contract killer and described him as a womanizer, it said.

Having considered the averments in the accompanying affidavit, supporting documents, material object (Compact Disk) and also submission by the actor’s, the court said it was of the view there was a prima facie case made out and the balance of convenience is also in favour of Rajinikanth.

“Therefore, it is just and reasonable to grant interim injunction as prayed for in the application. Accordingly there shall be an order of interim injunction till September 25,” the court said.

Will Apple finally reveal its next big thing?

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple is poised to reveal its next big thing in a crucial attempt to prove its technological tastemakers still have the power to mesmerize the masses.

The trend-setting company is expected to rouse the still-slumbering market for wearable computers with a smartwatch or bracelet equipped to monitor health, help manage homes and even buy merchandise.

Apple is a late arrival to this relatively new niche: several other companies already sell smartwatches that are being greeted with widespread indifference.

If any company can transform the landscape, it's likely to be Apple Inc. after the company shifted the direction of digital technology with the iPod, iPhone and iPad. Other MP3 music players, smartphones and tablet computers were first to market, but the devices didn't enthrall consumers until Apple imbued them with a sense of elegance, convenience and wizardry.

"It means more to us to get it right than to be first," Apple CEO Tim Cook explained to analysts earlier this year.

Apple is likely to provide the first peek at its wearable device at a Tuesday event in the same Silicon Valley auditorium where Apple's late co-founder, Steve Jobs, unveiled the industry-shifting Mac computer 25 years ago.


Apple CEO Tim Cook (file photo)

Rumors have been swirling that U2, one of Jobs' favorite musical groups, will perform live to promote its new album, as well as Apple's latest gadgetry, which is likely to include an iPhone with a larger screen.

As usual, Apple hasn't said what's on tap, though the company's top executives have repeatedly promised major breakthroughs without providing any details.

"The location suggests this will be a historic event and the historic aspect will be their movement into a new category," predicted technology analyst and longtime Apple watcher Tim Bajarin.

After Tuesday's glimpse, it still may be several months before people get a chance to wear the device. There's speculation that the smartwatch won't be available until early next year, although Apple is expected to take orders during the holiday shopping season.

A smartwatch or high-tech bracelet would mark the first time that Apple Inc. has rolled out a new product line since the iPad's release nearly four-and-half years ago. In that time, the Cupertino, California, company, has been sprucing up its selection of iPhones, iPads and Macs with new models each year since Jobs died in October 2011 after a long battle with cancer.

The innovation void raised questions as to whether Apple's creativity was fading under Cook, Jobs' hand-picked successor.

Those concerns have waned in recent months amid high hopes for the products Apple has lined up for the holiday shopping season. The fervor propelled Apple's stock to new highs last week, a dramatic swing in sentiment from 17 months ago when the shares were trading about 44 percent below current levels. The stock was down less than 1 percent to $98.20 in Monday afternoon's trading.

Even with all the anticipation surrounding the potential smartwatch, the next generation of the iPhone will still be the star of Tuesday's show, as well as the main source of Apple's profits for at least the next year.

The device, likely to be called the iPhone 6, is expected to feature a screen spanning at least 4.7 inches diagonally, up from the 4-inch display on the previous models released during the past two years. Some analysts have speculated Apple may also offer an iPhone model with a 5.5-inch screen.

Any significant increase in the iPhone's size would make the device more competitive with smartphones made by Samsung Electronics and other rivals, and virtually ensure that Apple would have one of the holiday season's hottest selling items. "There is incredible pent-up demand for a larger-screen iPhone," Bajarin said.

Besides a larger screen, the new iPhone is expected to include a near-field communications chip that would enable the device to transmit payment information wirelessly to receivers at store check-in stands. The technology is expected to be accompanied with a mobile wallet feature that taps into the more than 800 million credit card account numbers that users store on Apple's remote servers to buy songs, video and apps from its iTunes stores. The mobile wallet could be secured with a fingerprint reader that Apple introduced last year on the iPhone 5S.

The mobile wallet conceivably could also work on a smartwatch or high-tech bracelet.

Apple's latest mobile software for the iPhone 6 and other recent models, iOS 8, also includes two features called HealthKit and HomeKit that represent the next step in the company's to play an even bigger role in the lives of the people tethered to its devices. The tools are designed to turn Apple's products into a suite of digital servants that do everything from monitoring a person's eating habits and exercise routines to turning on the coffee maker in the morning to turning off the lights at night.

If Apple follows its recent traditions, the free iOS 8 software will be released shortly before the iPhone 6 goes on sale later this month.

Bangalore, Chennai join forces for inter-state heart transplant

BANGALORE/CHENNAI: Doctors, traffic police and airport officials in Bangalore and Chennai transported a live heart over 350km in just over two hours on Wednesday. "This is the first time we're attempting an inter—state heart transplant. A heart can be kept in cold storage for up to four hours, but we gave ourselves a window of three hours. In the end, it was done in two hours," said Harish Manian, facility director, Fortis Malar hospital, Chennai.

READ ALSO: No lal batti — Chennai halts traffic to save life

A 55—km stretch from BGS Global Hospital, Kengeri, in South Bangalore to Kempegowda International Airport in North Bangalore turned into a signal—free corridor on Wednesday between 2.10pm and 2.55pm. For 45 minutes, this green corridor opened up like a red carpet for the live heart being transported on Air India flight AI 264 which took off from KIA at 3.22pm.

At Chennai airport, the ambulance was allowed to through a special gate right up to the tarmac and Chennai Traffic Police take over. "It took us seven minutes - from 4.30pm to 4.37pm — to cover the 12km from the airport to the hospital," said a senior traffic official who planned the transfer. The ambulance whizzed past 11 junctions to reach the hospital. Each junction had three policemen to man the traffic and a patrol vehicle was on standby.

The donor, a 32—year—old homemaker married to a carpenter and mother of two children, met with a road accident near Hosur, Tamil Nadu on August 31. She was riding pillion when a tyre burst, throwing her off the bike. She was taken to BGS Global Hospital in Bangalore for treatment.

"She was brought to hospital in a critical condition. Despite our best efforts, there was no improvement. She was declared brain—dead around 6pm Tuesday. We spoke to the family, and they agreed for a cadaver transplant. We started coordinating with the Zonal Coordination Committee of Karnataka (ZCCK). Potential donors were identified for two kidneys and the liver," said Dr Venkataramana NK, vice—chairman and chief neurosurgeon, BGS Global Hospitals.

"Two patients of BGS Global were chosen as potential recipients for the kidney and liver. A patient from Apollo Hospital, Bangalore, was chosen for another kidney transplant. But for the heart, we couldn't find a matching donor in Karnataka. A potential recipient was found at Fortis, Chennai, and coordination started early Wednesday morning."

This is a first for Bangalore, with doctors and traffic police coordinating to transplant an organ to another city.

The ZCCK swung into action, coordinating with private hospitals about needy organ patients, and intimating them about the organs available," he explained. The Needy Patients' Registry in Tamil Nadu was checked and a potential recipient was found in Chennai.

When the Air India flight took off from Bangalore at 3.22pm, doctors in Chennai started prepping their patient for surgery. "It takes an hour for the prep - including administering the anesthesia and opening the chest. By the time we finished it, the heart reached the hospital," said Manian. Five hours later, at 8.30pm, the team declared the surgery a success.

No one else in Karnataka met the requirements and the timings of commercial flights coincided with the time of the harvest. "The biggest drawback of inter—state transplant is the timing of flights. Chartered flights are very expensive," said an official from the Tamil Nadu Organ Sharing Registry.

Apple iCloud security exploit is a concern, experts say

Apple's iCloud facility, which stores iPhone and iPad users' photos and personal data, has a "fundamental security flaw", an expert has warned.

The online service is under scrutiny after intimate images of celebrities were stolen and leaked.

It has emerged that a security measure called two-step verification, which is recommended by Apple, can be bypassed using easily available software that allows access to iCloud back-ups.

Apple declined to comment.

The program still requires hackers to know the user's email address and password, and there is no clear evidence that it was used in the recent breaches.

Two-step verification - which requires a user to type in a short code sent by Apple to their phone or tablet in order to access their account - is supposed to offer an extra level of protection.

On Tuesday, Apple suggested its customers "always use a strong password and enable two-step verification" after it acknowledged that some of its accounts had been compromised by a "very targeted attack".

But one expert said Apple had given people "a false sense of security".

Technology magazine Wired first reported that software from a Russian firm, ElcomSoft, was being mentioned on a hackers discussion group as a useful tool for infiltrating iCloud accounts.

The program, marketed to law enforcement agencies, claims to offer access to iCloud content without the operator needing to be in possession of the iPhone or iPad concerned.

It uses a system devised by Moscow-based computer programmer Vladimir Katalov, which downloads copies of iCloud data.

It is not known whether the facility was utilised by those who stole naked images of Jennifer Lawrence and others.

Vijayawada-Guntur set to be announced as new Andhra Pradesh capital on Thursday

 The new capital of Andhra Pradesh will be officially announced on Thursday in the state assembly. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is set to announce the Vijayawada-Guntur area as new capital region. However, the Sivaramakrishnan committee constituted by the UPA government had said that designating the region as the capital would bring up economic and environmental problems.

The opposition YSR Congress is demanding a discussion on the new capital.

The Naidu government has drawn up ambitious plans to transform Andhra Pradesh into a "bustling" state and place it among the top three states in the country by 2022.

Development of 14 major and minor ports, rivalling Singapore on the maritime front, three international airports and 14 domestic airports, three 'mega cities' and 11 'smart cities' and 28 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are top on the government's agenda to make AP an "air and maritime hub" and propel economic development.

Creation of inland waterways in the state and a National Waterway connecting coastal town Kakinada with Puducherry is also on the anvil.

Add the five "grids" and the seven "missions", the plans look massive for a state that is seeking to re-build itself in the aftermath of the bifurcation.

The five grids contemplated by the government are water, power, highways, gas and fibre optic. The seven missions comprise primary sector, social empowerment, skill and knowledge development, urban development, industry sector and infrastructure sector.

These missions will have specific objectives to push the growth plans envisaged by the government, create jobs and help alleviate poverty. "A society without poverty.. a state that is a centre of technology...And, a joyous population confident of its bright future... That is my ultimate vision for Andhra Pradesh," says Naidu.

"I will ensure that we create the entire ecosystem and develop each city into a growth centre and eventually transform Andhra Pradesh into a bustling state," he promises, adding that he would convert the current adversities (caused by the state's division) into opportunities for all-round progress.

However, everything remains only on paper as of now, with no firm estimates of the finances required or the time frame within which the projects could be completed.

The biggest factor that could make or mar these grandiose projects is the availability of funds, as the state remains bankrupt. The state government is banking largely, if not solely, on the Centre to finance major projects like ports, airports and road networks, apart from smart cities.

"Our assistance to the state will be project-specific and not free grants," Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said during his recent trip to the state but the Naidu government wants the Centre to fulfil the "commitments" made in the AP Reorganisation Act-2014 and extend all financial help to the truncated state.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured he would do 'justice' to the state," the Chief Minister had announced after a recent meeting with him.

But the state is yet to prepare comprehensive project reports to be presented to the Centre. "Everything is only on the drawing board right now. We have to workout finer details of each plan before we can prepare detailed project reports," a Principal Secretary to government, involved in the process, told PTI.

In the case of international airports, the task is rather easier with respect to Tirupati and Visakhapatnam. Work on upgrading the existing domestic airport at Tirupati into an international one is already going but problems in identifying a suitable location has been holding up the construction of a new civilian international airport in port city Visakhapatnam.

The existing international airport in Vizag is currently under the control of Indian Navy. As Vijayawada is tipped to become the new capital of the state, a new international airport (possibly a greenfield) has to be built but plans for this have not even been drawn so far.

Among the five 'grids' mooted, the state hopes to draw funds from the Centre for the power and fibre-optic grids under the 'Power for All' and 'Bharat Broadband Network Project'.

"All these projects are like a five-year plan. Accordingly, we are preparing the project reports with varying priorities. Some of them will be ready in the next fortnight or so and we will then forward them to the Centre for financial assistance," a top bureaucrat said.

Inside Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh's 'Wedding'

Actress Deepika Padukone makes a picture-perfect bride in white while actor Ranveer Singh looks dashing as a groom in his suit.

The guests are ushered for their wedding reception and the newly-weds cut the cake. And after Ranveer stuffs the cake in his mouth, he dies. "That's a wrap up for Ranveer Singh," announces Finding Fanny director Homi Adajania.

Ranveer Singh, who will be seen in the film playing a cameo as Deepika Padukone's husband Gabo (who dies minutes after the wedding), talks about his role and the wedding sequence in this behind the scenes clip.

Ranveer says that he agreed to play the part since he found it amusing. "Homi explained the scene and it was very funny. I'm quite excited for it." In an earlier interview, Homi had said that Ranveer's energy is infectious.

Deepika also revealed that there was no face for the character of Gabo, and someone casually suggested that Ranveer could do it. "He prepared for it like he would do for a full role in a film," she said.

The film also stars Arjun Singh, Dimple Kapadia, Pankaj Kapur and Naseeruddin Shah and is slated to release on September 12.

Girl Dies After Uncle Allegedly Hits Her For Asking For Rs 10

 An 11-year-old girl died after she was allegedly hit by her paternal uncle for demanding Rs 10 to pay in her school for the Teacher's Day function in Sahebgunj district, police said today.

Kajal Kumari, a Class V student of Bindudham Middle School, had demanded Rs 10 from her grandmother when her uncle Chandan Thathera, who was standing nearby, got annoyed over the demand and allegedly hit her on top of her head yesterday in Bindudham Naya Tola area, Inspector of Ranga police station Anil Kumar said.


The girl died on the spot, the Inspector said, adding that Chandan was at large.

The girl's father, Omprakash, who is a carpenter, was not at home when the incident occurred, he said.

Kajal had demanded the money to pay in school to get a Teacher's Day stamp worth Rs 10.

After Beheading of Steven Sotloff, Obama Pledges to Punish ISIS

 President Barack Obama vowed on Wednesday to punish the Sunni militants whose videotaped beheadings of two American journalists he said had "repulsed" the world, saying the United States would lead a regional and international coalition to beat back the terrorists.

"Our objective is clear, and that is: degrade and destroy ISIL so that it's no longer a threat, not just to Iraq but also to the region and to the United States," Obama said, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State group. He was speaking at a news conference here on the eve of a NATO summit meeting in Wales, as pressure built for him to articulate a broader military strategy to take on the Islamic State militants. (Read: Second Syria Beheading Raises Stakes for United States)

"It's not only that we're going to be bringing to justice those who perpetrated this terrible crime against these two fine young men," the president said. "The United States will continue to lead a regional and international effort against the kind of barbaric and ultimately empty vision" the group represents. (Journalist Steven Sotloff's Beheading Video Authentic: US)


Obama's strongly worded statement came after he drew criticism from allies and foes last week, when he said that he had not yet developed a strategy for confronting the Islamic State group in Syria. US airstrikes in Iraq, the president said Wednesday, had "borne fruit" by "blunting the momentum" of the militants in that country and averting the humanitarian disasters it had threatened to spark.

He spoke just hours after the White House said intelligence agencies had analyzed a video showing the beheading by an Islamic State fighter of American Steven J. Sotloff, a 31-year-old freelance journalist, and considered it authentic. (Also read: Despite Dangers, US Journalist Steven Sotloff was Determined to Record Arab Spring's Human Toll)

"Whatever these murderers think they will achieve by killing innocent Americans like Steven, they have already failed," Obama said in his first comments on Sotloff's killing since the video was released.

"We will not be intimidated," the president said. "Their horrific acts only unite us as a country and stiffen our resolve to take the fight against these terrorists."

The video marks the second time in two weeks that the militant group released a graphic depiction of the beheading of an American, intensifying pressure on the president to order military strikes on the group in its sanctuary in Syria. (Slain US Journalist Steven Sotloff Also Had Israeli Citizenship: Official)

Obama said he was not yet ready to order such action, saying he wanted to be sure that the mission would be effective and that allies at home and abroad supported it.

"It is very important from my perspective that when we send our pilots in to do a job, that we know that this is a mission that's going to work, we're very clear what our objectives are, what our targets are, we've made the case to Congress and we've made the case to the American people, and we have allies behind us," Obama said, "so that it's not just a one-off." (Read: James Foley, Other Hostages Held by Islamic State Were Waterboarded)

Pressed on whether he was talking about the elimination of the Islamic State, Obama suggested he was seeking instead to limit the group's reach.

The president said his goal was to ensure that the Islamic State "is not an ongoing threat to the region," and that the group "is degraded to the point where it is no longer the kind of factor that we've seen it being over the last few months."

Obama said that if the United States were to be joined by the international community, "we can continue to shrink ISIL's sphere of influence, its effectiveness, its financing, its military capabilities to the point where it is a manageable problem."

In the latest video, Sotloff is shown kneeling in the same fashion as another American journalist who was recently beheaded, James Foley, with a masked figure standing above and wielding a knife. Sotloff addresses the camera and describes himself as "paying the price" for Obama's decision to strike the group in northern Iraq.

The president was briefed on the video Tuesday before his departure for Estonia.

His remarks, which were made at a joint news conference with President Toomas Hendrik Ilves of Estonia, came at the start of a three-day visit to Europe that was choreographed to project a strong response by Obama and European allies to Russia's increasingly bellicose moves in eastern Ukraine. But with the situation there changing rapidly and the surfacing of the second Islamic State video, the trip is instead serving to showcase the vexing array of pressures weighing on the president to move more decisively on crises around the globe.

Obama arrived in Estonia on Wednesday for a day of private meetings with Baltic leaders and public statements meant to reassure allies - particularly those bordering Russia - that the United States and Europe are serious about defending them from their newly aggressive neighbor.

He was scheduled to travel to Wales later in the day for a NATO summit meeting, at which members are expected to endorse a rapid-reaction force capable of deploying quickly to Eastern Europe, their strongest response yet to Russia's stealth military intervention in Ukraine.

Confronting the Islamic State group is not on the formal agenda for the NATO meeting, but it is very much an issue expected to be addressed on the sidelines, where US Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will be working to enlist help from allies in developing a strategy to counter the militant group.

10 highlights of Modi's visit to Japan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday concluded his successful five-day tour of Japan. Here are 10 highlights from his visit.

1. Japan has promised to give $35 billion to India through public and private funding over the next 5 years for developmental projects, including building of smart cities and cleanup of river Ganges.

2. Both sides have signed five pacts covering defence exchanges, cooperation in clean energy, roads and highways, healthcare and women while vowing to take their relationship from strategic partnership to a special strategic partnership.

3. Japan has lifted the ban on six Indian entities including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) which was imposed in the aftermath of 1998 nuclear tests.

4. The two sides agreed to enhance their defence and strategic cooperation to a new level and also decided to speed up negotiations on a civil nuclear deal that could not be concluded now.

5. In Kyoto, a pact was signed under which Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi will be developed on the pattern of Kyoto 'smart city' with the help of Japan.

6. Tokyo will help India in providing financial, technical and operational support to introduce Bullet trains, a project that Modi has been actively pursuing.

7. Prime Minister Modi has asked NRIs to visit India at least once a year to boost tourism.

8. Both sides have signed a MoU for cooperation in heritage conservation, city modernisation and cooperation in the fields of art, culture and academics.

9. Both countries have decided to build a strong, deep and strategic relationship under the India-Japan Cooperation framework.

10. India has decided to set up a Special Management Team directly under the PMO to facilitate proposals from Japan.

Shweta Basu Prasad of Makdee fame arrested for prostitution

Noted actor Shweta Basu Prasad was arrested in Hyderabad on Sunday for being involved in a high-profile prostitution racket.

Reports said the 23-year-old actor was caught "in a compromising position" after the Hyderabad Police raided a famous hotel at the upscale Banjara Hills in the city.

Shweta rose to fame after she won the National Award for Best Child Artiste in 2002 for her role in Vishal Bhardwaj's 'Makdee'. She later featured in several Hindi films and TV serials, including Nagesh Kukunoor's 'Iqbal' and Ekta Kapoor's 'Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki'. She then moved to Hyderabad to work in Telugu films. She also starred in a few Bengali and Tamil movie.
After her arrest, the actor released a statement in which she said she was out of money and had no other way to support her family.

"I have made wrong choices in my career, and I was out of money. I had to support my family and some other good causes. All the doors were closed, and some people encouraged me to get into prostitution to earn money. I was helpless, and with no option left to choose, I got involved in this act. I'm not the only one who faced this problem, and there are several other heroines who have gone through this phase," Shweta said in her statement.

The police said they have also arrested several well-known businessmen along with the actor. The actor underwent a medical test before being lodged in a rescue home run by the Woman and Child Welfare department. She is likely to stay there for three months. The inmates are provided with free food, clothing, medical care and vocational training.
Balu, who was reportedly collecting Rs 1 lakh each from high-flying customers, has been sent to jail.