Salman Khan's Onam gift to Asin

Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan are featuring in a movie titled 'London Dreams'. The film is to be produced by Vipul Shah and South Indian sensation Asin has been roped into the project.
Asin, who has a pan-Indian-look is familiar to North Indian audiences due to the many product endorsements she has indulged in and is making waves in Bollywood too.
Asin is currently busy in London for 'London Dreams', where she celebrated Onam, the biggest festival of Kerala. It is abuzz that Asin shares a cordial friendship with Salman Khan. A few days back, Salman Khan had surprised everyone in the shooting spot by presenting a glamorous glass doll as a belated Onam gift to Asin.
We can take pleasure in knowing that Salman Khan who has rifts with some Bollywood actors shares a comfortable, enchanting relation with Asin, one of the most popular south Indian actresses, who has traveled from Kochi to the pinnacles of celluloid perfection

'Varanam Aayiram' Audio Launch

It was an audio launch with a difference. Young achievers from various fields had come together to launch the music album of 'Varanam Aayiram' at a grand function held at Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai on the 24th of September.
The movie produced by Ascar Ravichandran and directed by Gautham Menon features Suriya, Simran, Divya Spandana and Sameera Reddy in lead roles. Music by Harris Jayaraj was formally released during the ceremony.
Gautham chose to launch the album with the likes of Soundarya Rajnikanth (daughter of Rajinikanth), Udhayanidhi Stalin (State Minister M K Stalin's son), squash player Deepika Pallikal, director Sasikumar among others.
The director of the Indian Military Academy Major General Bakshi was the special guest who spoke about a movie shot in the IMA premises in Dehradun.
Among those who graced the occasion included actors Sathyaraj, Sivakumar, Prakash Raj, director Ameer, Radha Mohan and many more.
A couple of songs and the trailer of the movie were screened on the occasion

'Sachin will be fit for Australia series'

Even as Sachin Tendulkar prepares to sit out a high-profile Irani Cup tie following an elbow injury, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has clarified that the master batsman will be available for the India-Australia Test series.
Tendulkar injured his elbow during the third and final Test in Sri Lanka last month, and has been out of action since. But BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah has clarified that Tendulkar will play in the four-Test series that begins on October 9.
"Sachin will not be playing in the Irani Trophy on the advice of the physiotherapist of the India team so that he could give another week's rest. But he will be available for the Australia series," Shah was quoted as saying by IANS.

Priyanka Chopra

MissWorld 2000, Priyanka Chopra was Born on 18 th July 1982 to the family of Capt. Dr. Ashok Chopra & Dr. Madhu Chopra.Priyanka Chopra had a very varied upbringing . She started her Education from La Martiniere Girls College in Lucknow as a resident student, A short stay at Maria Goretti College in Bareilly prepared her for further studies in the USA. Having completed class 10th from Boston USA she decided to become a software Engineer or a Criminal Psychologist.
This 5' 8'' girl likes Indian music and dance, flair for writing poetry and short stories, enjoys reading, especially biographies, and has worked for a lot of social welfare programmes. She aims for the stars after completing her education.She is a movie Buff and would love to join the galaxy if a good offer comes.

Sunita Williams sets new record for women

Washington, June 16: Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams on Saturday made history, when she set a new record for the longest uninterrupted space flight by a woman.
At 1117 IST, International Space Station (ISS) engineer Williams, whose father hails from Gujarat, surpassed the 188-day, four-hour mark set by her compatriot Shannon Lucid in 1996, according to US officials.
It was not the first record set by Williams, who began her space journey last December 10.
Earlier this year, she logged 29 hours and 17 minutes in four space walks, eclipsing the record held by astronaut Kathryn Thornton for most spacewalk time by a woman.
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And last April, she became the first astronaut to run a marathon in orbit, finishing it in four hours and 24 minutes.
Astronauts yesterday fixed a tear in the shuttle Atlantis's heat shield and repaired two main computers at the International Space Station after an unprecedented systems breakdown that lasted 48 hours, a NASA spokeswoman said.
"They got them running around 0030 IST," said spokeswoman Brandy Dean, adding the technical teams were monitoring the system to see how it reacted to the adjustments.
"For now it's working," she said. "This is good news. It's very encouraging."
Astronauts used a jumper cable to bypass a faulty power switch, NASA said on its website. The computers will run overnight for testing in the morning.
Russian flight controllers blamed the glitch on installation of the ISS' new solar panels, but the head of the Russian space operator RKK Energia said he did not blame the visiting crew for the problem.
"This is just a coincidence," Nikolai Sevastyanov said.
Mike Suffredini, space station program manager, said, "I think we're in good shape. We still have a lot of options to go through to recover these machines. We've got a talented group of people to look at attitude control."
Although the computers stabilise the station in orbit and manage critical oxygen and water supplies, the crew was not in danger, Suffredini said.
"We are in a very good position from a life-support perspective," Suffredini said. "We have plenty of oxygen on board," he said from the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Sibiraj Weds Revathy

Eight-year lovers Sibiraj and Revathy got married in splendorous fashion and the who's who of Tamil filmdom was there to bless them. A visibly elated Sathyaraj and family played perfect hosts as guests in the form of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and a host of politicians, actors Kamal Haasan, Sivakumar, Suriya, Jyothika, Suhasini, Mani Ratnam, Vairamuthu, Balumahendra, S. A. Chandrasekhar, S. Ve. Sekhar, Manorama, P. Vasu, Meena, K. J. Yesudas, Karthik, Bharath, Vivek, Senthil and many more graced the occasion.
Sibiraj was introduced in the film 'Student No. 1' and has gone on to act in many films. Sibi acted as a football player in the film 'Lee' which went on to be successful at the box office.

Big Bang Theory - An Overview

Big Bang Theory - The PremiseThe Big Bang theory is an effort to explain what happened at the very beginning of our universe. Discoveries in astronomy and physics have shown beyond a reasonable doubt that our universe did in fact have a beginning. Prior to that moment there was nothing; during and after that moment there was something: our universe. The big bang theory is an effort to explain what happened during and after that moment. According to the standard theory, our universe sprang into existence as "singularity" around 13.7 billion years ago. What is a "singularity" and where does it come from? Well, to be honest, we don't know for sure. Singularities are zones which defy our current understanding of physics. They are thought to exist at the core of "black holes." Black holes are areas of intense gravitational pressure. The pressure is thought to be so intense that finite matter is actually squished into infinite density (a mathematical concept which truly boggles the mind). These zones of infinite density are called "singularities." Our universe is thought to have begun as an infinitesimally small, infinitely hot, infinitely dense, something - a singularity. Where did it come from? We don't know. Why did it appear? We don't know. After its initial appearance, it apparently inflated (the "Big Bang"), expanded and cooled, going from very, very small and very, very hot, to the size and temperature of our current universe. It continues to expand and cool to this day and we are inside of it: incredible creatures living on a unique planet, circling a beautiful star clustered together with several hundred billion other stars in a galaxy soaring through the cosmos, all of which is inside of an expanding universe that began as an infinitesimal singularity which appeared out of nowhere for reasons unknown. This is the Big Bang theory.
Big Bang Theory - Common MisconceptionsThere are many misconceptions surrounding the Big Bang theory. For example, we tend to imagine a giant explosion. Experts however say that there was no explosion; there was (and continues to be) an expansion. Rather than imagining a balloon popping and releasing its contents, imagine a balloon expanding: an infinitesimally small balloon expanding to the size of our current universe. Another misconception is that we tend to image the singularity as a little fireball appearing somewhere in space. According to the many experts however, space didn't exist prior to the Big Bang. Back in the late '60s and early '70s, when men first walked upon the moon, "three British astrophysicists, Steven Hawking, George Ellis, and Roger Penrose turned their attention to the Theory of Relativity and its implications regarding our notions of time. In 1968 and 1970, they published papers in which they extended Einstein's Theory of General Relativity to include measurements of time and space.1, 2 According to their calculations, time and space had a finite beginning that corresponded to the origin of matter and energy."3 The singularity didn't appear in space; rather, space began inside of the singularity. Prior to the singularity, nothing existed, not space, time, matter, or energy - nothing. So where and in what did the singularity appear if not in space? We don't know. We don't know where it came from, why it's here, or even where it is. All we really know is that we are inside of it and at one time it didn't exist and neither did we.
Big Bang Theory - Evidence for the TheoryWhat are the major evidences which support the Big Bang theory?
First of all, we are reasonably certain that the universe had a beginning.
Second, galaxies appear to be moving away from us at speeds proportional to their distance. This is called "Hubble's Law," named after Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) who discovered this phenomenon in 1929. This observation supports the expansion of the universe and suggests that the universe was once compacted.
Third, if the universe was initially very, very hot as the Big Bang suggests, we should be able to find some remnant of this heat. In 1965, Radioastronomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson discovered a 2.725 degree Kelvin (-454.765 degree Fahrenheit, -270.425 degree Celsius) Cosmic Microwave Background radiation (CMB) which pervades the observable universe. This is thought to be the remnant which scientists were looking for. Penzias and Wilson shared in the 1978 Nobel Prize for Physics for their discovery.
Finally, the abundance of the "light elements" Hydrogen and Helium found in the observable universe are thought to support the Big Bang model of origins.
Big Bang Theory - The Only Plausible Theory?Is the standard Big Bang theory the only model consistent with these evidences? No, it's just the most popular one. Internationally renown Astrophysicist George F. R. Ellis explains: "People need to be aware that there is a range of models that could explain the observations….For instance, I can construct you a spherically symmetrical universe with Earth at its center, and you cannot disprove it based on observations….You can only exclude it on philosophical grounds. In my view there is absolutely nothing wrong in that. What I want to bring into the open is the fact that we are using philosophical criteria in choosing our models. A lot of cosmology tries to hide that."4 In 2003, Physicist Robert Gentry proposed an attractive alternative to the standard theory, an alternative which also accounts for the evidences listed above.5 Dr. Gentry claims that the standard Big Bang model is founded upon a faulty paradigm (the Friedmann-lemaitre expanding-spacetime paradigm) which he claims is inconsistent with the empirical data. He chooses instead to base his model on Einstein's static-spacetime paradigm which he claims is the "genuine cosmic Rosetta." Gentry has published several papers outlining what he considers to be serious flaws in the standard Big Bang model.6 Other high-profile dissenters include Nobel laureate Dr. Hannes Alfvén, Professor Geoffrey Burbidge, Dr. Halton Arp, and the renowned British astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle, who is accredited with first coining the term "the Big Bang" during a BBC radio broadcast in 1950.
Big Bang Theory - What About God?Any discussion of the Big Bang theory would be incomplete without asking the question, what about God? This is because cosmogony (the study of the origin of the universe) is an area where science and theology meet. Creation was a supernatural event. That is, it took place outside of the natural realm. This fact begs the question: is there anything else which exists outside of the natural realm? Specifically, is there a master Architect out there? We know that this universe had a beginning. Was God the "First Cause"? We won't attempt to answer that question in this short article. We just ask the question:
Does God Exist?
Footnotes:
Steven W. Hawking, George F.R. Ellis, "The Cosmic Black-Body Radiation and the Existence of Singularities in our Universe," Astrophysical Journal, 152, (1968) pp. 25-36.
Steven W. Hawking, Roger Penrose, "The Singularities of Gravitational Collapse and Cosmology," Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, series A, 314 (1970) pp. 529-548.
Mark Eastman, Chuck Missler, The Creator: Beyond Time and Space, (1996) p. 11.
W. Wayt Gibbs, "Profile: George F. R. Ellis," Scientific American, October 1995, Vol. 273, No.4, p. 55.
See http://www.halos.com/reports/ext-2003-022.pdf
See http://www.halos.com/reports/arxiv-1998-rosetta.pdf and http://www.halos.com/reports/ext-2003-021.pdf; see also http://www.halos.com/reports/arxiv-1998-redshift.pdf and http://www.halos.com/reports/arxiv-1998-affirmed.pdf

Cricket tour under threat after bomb blast

The spectre of terrorism is again threatening an Australian cricket tour to the subcontinent. A coordinated bomb attack in the Indian capital, New Delhi, yesterday killed at least 20 people and wounded 100 others, less than a fortnight before the Australian team is due to arrive to commence a four-Test series.
"It is always a concern," said Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young. "The only thing in our thought process is not sending the team to places that are not safe. For the Pakistan tour, we received specific advice that it was unsafe for the Australian team to travel there. We have already conducted our pre-tour inspection of India, and (operations manager) Michael Brown will most likely take a security briefing tomorrow.
"We're aware of the situation (in Delhi) and we will talk to our security consultant Reg Dickason, with Indian officials and other advisors and form a plan."
Niranjan Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, was hopeful Cricket Australia would fulfil its touring commitments and complete the series.
"We are definitely concerned with today's explosions in Delhi," Shah told the Hindustan Times. "But I don't think it will have any impact on the coming Australia series."
Shah's optimism will presumably be tested in the coming days. CA has already postponed a Test series in Pakistan earlier this year due to security concerns, and expressed reservations about competing in the Champions Trophy, also in Pakistan.
The Delhi bombing is the fourth to rock India since May. More than 170 people have been killed in the attacks, most of which have been targetted at the civilian population. A group named the Indian Mujahadeen have claimed responsibility for the last two bombings. In both cases, nine or more bombs have been detonated concurrently.
Australia is scheduled to begin the Test series on October 9 in Bangalore; a city that was hit by eight synchronised bomb blasts on July 25 - a day before 16 bombs exploded in Ahmedabad, killing 45. The third Test of the series is due to be played at Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla on October 29.
Shane Warne and several of his Rajasthan Royals teammates narrowly avoided disaster during the Indian Premier League, when seven bombs tore through the markets and temples of Jaipur, killing at least 63.
The Australia A team was in Hyderabad at the time of the Delhi bombing. It is unknown whether they will remain in India for a scheduled limited over series, featuring teams from New Zealand and India.

New Delhi bomb blasts kill at least 18

NEW DELHI -- Multiple bomb blasts rocked this densely populated city Saturday evening, killing at least 18 people and injuring dozens more in the worst terrorist incident to hit the Indian capital in nearly three years.The serial explosions struck packed marketplaces and public areas across Delhi, from its older, northern precincts to the newer, affluent south. At least two bombs blew up in Connaught Place, the city's most famous commercial district: a circular, colonnaded arcade of shops and restaurants erected during the British Raj.
As is routinely the case in such attacks here, Indian authorities immediately cast suspicion on Muslim extremists. A militant outfit known as the Indian Mujahedin sent an e-mail before the attacks to Indian news organizations, warning that India was soon to receive "the message of death." The assertion could not be verified.Indian Mujahedin was little known until several months ago, when e-mails from purported spokespersons claimed that the group was behind at least two deadly bombings: one in May in the tourist destination of Jaipur, which killed more than 60 people, and another in July in the city of Ahmedabad in western India, in which dozens of people died.Saturday's apparently coordinated attacks, a string of explosions that went off as darkness fell and the streets were crowded, was the worst to hit Delhi since multiple blasts in October 2005. In that incident, more than 50 people were killed on the eve of one of Hinduism's most important festivals, leading to government declarations that Islamic radicals were attempting to sow religious strife.
Officials link the Indian Mujahedin to a banned Muslim students group. But little concrete proof has tied the student organization to specific attacks, and bombings throughout India in the last year have not ignited any communal violence in this predominantly Hindu nation.The first explosion bloodied shoppers and passersby in the area known as Karol Bagh, toward the northern part of Delhi. Two blasts shook nearby Connaught Place, and at least one struck a marketplace in an affluent area of south Delhi.Local news agencies said authorities defused two other bombs. One was reportedly placed near India Gate, an imposing archway commemorating India's war dead about a mile down the street from the presidential palace.TV news showed twisted metal frames of bicycles and damaged cars at the blast sites. Bystanders who escaped serious injury were nonetheless covered with blood. Panicked shoppers fled, emptying streets normally teeming with people enjoying themselves on a warm summer evening."It's a very cowardly act of violence," Arti Mehra, Delhi's mayor, told reporters not far from the bombing in the southern part of the city. "They want to break the spirit of Delhi. They have tried this in other places before and they have not succeeded, and they will not succeed here."India is home to many militant groups, some of them ethnic separatists and others religious radicals. Attacks, particularly bombings, are not uncommon; suspicion often falls on extremists from Kashmir, who want the contested Himalayan region split off from India or merged with Pakistan.Arrests are usually swift after such incidents. But human rights groups say that evidence is often elusive and that the police sweeps round up innocent people, many of them young Muslim men.

Surya as "Singam"

After the success of Surya, Jyothika, and Bhoomika starrer Jillinu Oru Kathal and block buster Paruthiveeran, Studio Green K.E.Gnanavelraja is starting his third project Singam (Lion), once again with Surya under the direction of commercial hit maker Hari.After the 2 consecutive successes of Vel and Aaru, Surya and Hari have joined hands for a hat-trick success in Singam. The complete list of cast and crew is under preparation.Reliance's Big Pictures have entered into a production tie up with Studio Green for this venture which is to start by Feb. 2009.
Besides this Studio Green is starting a project with its lucky combination Paruthiveeran Karthi which is directed by Thalainagaram, Maruthamalai fame Suraj who is currently doing Padikkathavan with Dhanush. According to the media manager of Studio Green, leading corporate houses and new companies have approached Studio Green for a tie-up to make their entry in the South.

Dhaam Dhoom - Review

Starring: Jeyam Ravi, Kangana Ranaut, Lakshmi Rai, Nizhalgal Ravi, Anu Haasan, Jeyaram
Direction: JeevaMusic: Harris JayarajProduction: Mediaone Global Entertainment Limited
The late cinematographer turned director Jeeva unfortunately walked into God’s hands before Dhaam Dhoom was completed. We are not sure whether he would have screamed in delight looking at the end product made in his absence because Dhaam Dhoom which had enough potential to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller opens in high spirits raising expectations, and then fizzles out.
The Russian-mafia-framing-an innocent-Indian-doctor story opens with Jeyam Ravi leaving to Moscow on a 10 day medical conference, leaving behind his pretty village fiancée. One of his weakest moments lands him in bed with a stranger after getting drunk. Little did he know that he would wake up with her dead body and end up in a Russian jail for a murder offence that he did not commit.But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Lakshmi Rai, an Indian lawyer, agrees to defend his case and invites the wrath of the Russian mafia who had under the table dealings with the corrupt officials in the Indian embassy. Enough fodder for a thriller movie, you would think. But the screenplay is not taut enough.Jeyam Ravi plays the troubled doctor framed by the mean Russian mafia. He illustrates an anxious man caught in the drug deal conundrum in Russia and shifts to Pollachi often to put up a romantic face for his fiancée Kangana Ranaut. Jeeva cleverlyintercuts between Moscow and Pollachi, unfolding the story so that we are kept at least a little curious. The romance blossoming between Ravi and Kangana could have been done with more variation. Kangana herself doesn’t suit the South Indian village belle. And it’s not entirely because we are used to seeing her in skin tight jeans or micro minis. Still, her presence makes the proceedings in Pollachi interesting. Jeeva could have considered a role swap between Kangana and Lakshmi Rai. The latter sizzles even as she is supposed to play the curt professional who is caught in the web of smuggling drugs. A subtler and more interestingly done romance is the one that is hinted at between Lakshmi Rai and Jeyam Ravi. Lakshmi begins to grow attracted to him, and director Jeeva conveys this in an understated manner that gives the movie some class. The comedy that takes place in the village is funny in parts, and irritating in others. Jeyaram is in a role that will surprise you, and he pulls it off effortlessly, making us realize that Tamil cinema requires such stylish and no-nonsense characters.
Russia comes alive in front of our eyes, courtesy Jeeva’s cinematography which is brilliant and evocative of his unbeaten career. Many a times in the movie Harris Jayaraj proves to be a big plus – the songs, coupled with cinematography shot in remarkably breathtaking locations, make the viewer sit and take note, something the script and screenplay could not do. The Anbe, Anbe song is especially beautiful, and it is very possible that some in the audience will want to see this song sequence again. In the end, though, Dhaam Dhoom disappoints with its rather predicable climax. Try it if you are an ardent admirer of Jeeva or Jayaraj. Or if you just like seeing good looking but hollow Tamil thrillers.

Taare Zameen Par in Tamil !

Taare Zameen Par to be dubbed in Tamil as Vaal Natchathiram, with Surya lending his voice for Aamir Khan in the Tamil version of the movie. Pyramid Saimira Entertainment Limited, has bagged the worldwide distribution rights of the Tamil and Telugu versions of the super-hit Tare Zameen Par Hindi film.
The movie, dubbed into Tamil and Telugu, will be released in the month of September. The Tamil version of the movie will be called Val Natchattiram, while the Telugu version of the movie will be called Nelameedi Tharalu. The highly-acclaimed film, which deals with the trauma of a dyslexic child, has been selected from 19 nominations from across the country in various languages including Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu and Kannada.
Actor Aamir Khan was presented the 11th Gollapudi Srinivas National Award for his film ‘Taare Zameen Par’ in Chennai on Tuesday and the award comprised a memento and a cash prize of Rs.1.50 lakh from the Gollapudi Srinivas Memorial Foundation.

Diya's First Birthday ...

Kollywood couple Surya and Jyothika celebrated the first birthday of their daughter Diya in style at Taj’s Fisherman Cove on Sunday (August 10) evening.
Diya had the blessings of all the close members of the family and also her own special birthday cake. Diya is said to be a very bubbly girl and Surya and Jyotika take turns in looking after little Diya.
Ajith - Shalini and Vijay attended the function.

Jayamkondaan - Review

Starring: Vinay, Bhavana, Lekha Washington, Vivek, Santhanam, Nizhalgal Ravi, Cochin Haneefa Direction: R KannanMusic: VidyasagarProduction: T G Thyagarajan
An attempt at a free flowing feel good film that involves a clash of ambitions - that is what Jayamkondaan is all about. Though the film revolves around the ambitions of its central characters, the makers have not been too ambitious themselves, not adding too many commercial ingredients. By and large, the narrative concentrates on the central plot without any unnecessary deviations. Coming from a debutant director, these are the signs of a good movie. But has Kannan delivered?
Vinay is a successful professional in London, but he is also frustrated with his distance from home and finally takes the call to return to India and do his own business. Lekha Washington (SS music VJ) on the other hand is in India and cherishes a dream of doing a master’s degree at the MIT in USA. The clash of these ambitions is the crux of the story. But why do their ambitions collide head on? Apparently, they are related in a way that no one would be too proud of and the rather twisted nature of their relationship leads to disputes over property.With neither party willing to give an inch or compromise on their ambitions the stage is set for a battle in and out of courts that could get far more serious. And, things do get serious, as it always does when big money is at stake. A businessman and a thug get involved in the skirmish for money and a few unsavory incidents later, things have gone far too out of hand to be settled amicably. How Vinay and Lekha take the issue that they began to a final settlement forms the climax.Having read this, one might feel that the movie is one long battle for money between two people. While one cannot deny that,Jayamkondaan has something more to offer, not to mention the romantic track between Vinay and Bhavana whom he meets during his travails. The disputes and stand offs that occur in property related issues have been shown well, so have the usual scavenging characters who appear out of nowhere during such opportunities. The story is simple and well written and the script to a large extent remains true to its character, but the vital element of briskness is missing in the narrative. One can’t really put a finger on what went wrong, but the film fails to grip for any length of time and that’s where the script has failed. But full credit for sticking to the narrative and not infusing artificial elements that could have further pulled down the movie.Technically, the movie looks like one shot with finesse, the camera pleases the eye. That is the least one expects when the director is Mani Ratnam’s erstwhile assistant. The music is pretty average, barring one particular number by Hariharan and Madhushree. However, all songs have been shot on scenic locations which make them pleasant to sit through. There is a bit of action, but it is largely restrained.Vinay, in his second Tamil film has done a job that is not too bad. Bhavana, in a role that doesn’t offer her much just comes and goes without impressing at all. However, debutant Lekha Washington does not show any VJing hangover and delivers a neat performance. Santhanam leads the comedy charge with a hilarious fare. Vivek, too, makes appearances on and off which evoke laughter to some extent. VMC Haneefa comes across as a gullible businessman and scores well in certain scenes.
Overall, Jayamkondaan is clean fare that has something lacking to make it entirely interesting. The director has shown that he knows the nuances of film making well. One is not sure whether this is unfair to the debutant, but shades of Mani Ratnams’ films and concepts can be seen here. Overall, a good attempt that could have done with a crisper script.Prospects at the box office are not too bright owing to the lack of pace in narration, but the neat presentation could bring the families in.

Vijay's 50th Film "Vettaikaran"

Actor Vijay is all set to become the hunter in his next movie Vettaikarran, which he is expected to star after the completion of his current movie Villu. The film is being produced by M. Balasubramanian and B.Gurunath Meiyappan.
This is the first time the actor is doing a movie under the AVM banner. The buzz is that actress Asin might be paired opposite Vijay in this movie.It can be recalled that Vettaikaran is the title of the yesteryear superhit movie by M.G.R. Wishing Vijay all the success for this movie.

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, (born August 26, 1910 – September 5, 1997) was an Albanian[2][3] Roman Catholic nun with Indian citizenship[4] who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata (Calcutta), India in 1950. For over forty five years she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying, while guiding the Missionaries of Charity's expansion, first throughout India and then in other countries.
By the 1970s she had become internationally famed as a humanitarian and advocate for the poor and helpless, due in part to a documentary, and book, Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 1980 for her humanitarian work. Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity continued to expand, and at the time of her death it was operating 610 missions in 123 countries, including hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis, soup kitchens, children's and family counseling programs, orphanages, and schools.
Coverage of Mother Teresa around the world has been mainly positive, and she has been praised by many individuals, governments and organisations; however, in addition to this positive reaction, she has faced a diverse range of criticism. These include objections by various non-Christians, including the atheists Christopher Hitchens and Aroup Chatterjee and the Hindu Vishva Hindu Parishad, against the proselytizing focus of her work; this included alleged baptisms of the dying, a strong pro-life stance on abortion and a belief in the spiritual goodness of poverty. Several medical journals also criticised the standard of medical care in her hospices, and concerns were raised about the opaque nature in which donated money was spent.
Following her death she was beatified by Pope John Paul II and given the title Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.[5][6]

Dr. A. P. J. Abdhul Kalam

Kalam has received honorary doctorates from as many as thirty universities The Government of India has honored him with the nation's highest civilian honors: the Padma Bhushan in 1981; Padma Vibhushan in 1990; and the Bharat Ratna in 1997. Kalam is the third President of India to have been honored with a Bharat Ratna before being elected to the highest office, the other two being Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Zakir Hussain. He is also the first scientist and first bachelor to occupy Rashtrapati Bhavan. Referred to as the "People's President", Kalam is often considered amongst India's greatest presidents, going on to win a poll conducted by news channel CNN-IBN for India's Best President. In October 2007, Kalam received a Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Wolverhampton Kalam's probable views on certain issues have been espoused by him in his book India 2020 where he strongly advocates an action plan to develop India into a knowledge superpower and into a developed nation by the year 2020. Kalam is credited with the view that India ought to take a more assertive stance in international relations; he regards his work on India's nuclear weapons program as a way to assert India's place as a future superpower. Kalam continues to take an active interest in other developments in the field of science and technology as well. He has proposed a research programme for developing bio-implants. He is a supporter of Open source software over proprietary solutions and believes that the use of open source software on a large scale will bring more people the benefits of information technology. Kalam's belief in the power of science to resolve society's problems and his views of these problems as a result of inefficient distribution of resources is modernistic. He also sees science and technology as ideology-free areas and emphasizes the cultivation of scientific temper and entrepreneurial drive. In this, he finds a lot of support among India's new business leaders like the founders of Infosys and Wipro, (leading Indian IT corporations) who began their careers as technology professionals much in the same way Kalam did. APJ Abdul Kalam was born in 1931 in a middle-class family in Rameshwaram, a town well-known for its Hindu shrines. His mother tongue is Tamil. His father, a devout Muslim, owned boats which he rented out to local fishermen and was a good friend of Hindu religious leaders and the school teachers at Rameshwaram. APJ Abdul Kalam mentions in his biography that to support his studies, he started his career as a newspaper vendor. This was also told in the book, A Boy and His Dream: Three Stories from the Childhood of Abdul Kalam by Vinita Krishna. The house Kalam was born in can still be found on the Mosque Street at Rameswaram, and his brother's curio shop abuts it. This has become a point-of-call for tourists who seek out the place. Kalam grew up in an intimate relationship with nature, and he says in Wings of Fire that he never could imagine that water could be so powerful a destroying force as that he witnessed when he was six. That was in 1964 when a cyclonic storm swept away the Pamban Bridge and a trainload of passengers with it and also Kalam's native village, Dhanushkodi. Kalam observes strict personal discipline, vegetarianism, teetotalism and celibacy Kalam is a scholar of Thirukkural; in most of his speeches, he quotes at least one kural. Kalam has written several inspirational books, most notably his autobiography Wings of Fire, aimed at motivating Indian youth. Another of his books, Guiding Souls: Dialogues on the Purpose of Life reveals his spiritual side. He has written poems in Tamil as well. It has been reported that there is considerable demand in South Korea for translated versions of books authored by him. Dr. Kalam visited the Carnegie Mellon campus on October 16th, 2007 where he spoke in front of nutty regarding the role of science and the view of India in the future. He received a honorary doctorate from the university

Profile: BILL GATES

Bill Gates has created the world's largest company, he is the world's richest man and he has become the biggest charitable giver in history.
He may be a college drop-out and "computer geek" but rivals have often underestimated his abilities in the cut throat world of business.
Despite the wealth and ruthless domination of the global computer industry, Gates maintains it is the programming itself which is his abiding passion.
He stood down as chief executive of Microsoft in 2000, to focus on software development and the new challenges of the mobile internet age.
The one-time high school computer enthusiast - whose worth passed the $100bn mark in 1999 - said he wanted to immerse himself again in the work he loves most.
Early fascination
Gates has come to be known for his aggressive business tactics and confrontational style of management.
He, and his company, have attracted a vast army of critics and enemies in recent years as their domination of the IT world has grown.
He was born on 28 October, 1955, growing up with two sisters in Seattle. Their father, William H. Gates II, is a Seattle attorney, and their late mother, Mary Gates, was a schoolteacher.
Gates began computing as a 13-year-old at the city's Lakeside school.
By the age of 17, he had sold his first program - a timetabling system for the school, earning him $4,200.
It was at Lakeside that he met fellow student Paul Allen, who shared his fascination with computers.
During Gates' stint at Harvard, the two teamed up to write the first computer language program written for a personal computer.
The PC's maker, MITS, liked their work and the two friends established Microsoft in 1975, so-called because it provided microcomputer software.
Self-made billionaire
A year later, Gates dropped out of Harvard, once it became clear that the possibilities for Microsoft were bright.
The big break came in 1980 when an agreement was signed to provide the operating system that became known as MS-DOS, for IBM's new personal computer.
In a contractual masterstroke, Microsoft was allowed to licence the operating system to other manufacturers, spawning an industry of "IBM-compatible" personal computers which depended on Microsoft's operating system.
That fuelled further growth, prompting the company to float in 1986, raising $61m.
Now a multi-millionaire, Allen had already stepped back from the frontline. But Gates continued to play the key role in the company's growth, with his vision for networked computers proving central to Microsoft's success.
However, his judgement has not always appeared flawless.
While sales and profits rocketed in the early 1990s, he was seen to have misjudged on a grand scale the possibilities and growth of the internet.
Outside of Microsoft he also has interests in biotech companies, sitting on the board of the Icos Corporation and has a stake in Darwin Molecular, a subsidiary of British-based Chiroscience.
Family man
He founded Corbis Corporation, which is developing a digital archive of art and photography from public and private collections around the globe.
His books, The Road Ahead and Business @ the Speed of Thought have both hit the best seller lists.
Gates married Melinda on New Year's Day 1994.Together they have three children - Jennifer Katharine, born in 1996, Rory John, born in 1999, and Phoebe Adele, born in 2002
He met his wife in 1987 at a Microsoft press event in Manhattan. She was working for the company and later became one of the executives in charge of interactive content.
Other interests listed on his official website are reading and playing golf and bridge.
Gates and Melinda have been giving increasing amounts of money to charity, with his father running a foundation.
It has been endowed with billions to support initiatives in the areas of global health and education.
It is the world's second richest philanthropic organisation, and within shouting distance of the world number one, The Wellcome Trust in the UK.

The Grave of the Titanic

The story of the Titanic and the iceberg has grown into a legend of the sea. It took her discovery in 1985 to begin to find the truth behind the myth. One of the things that makes the Titanic so fascinating is that she represented the best of technology when she set sail on her ill-fated voyage in 1912, and it took the best of technology in the form of sonar, satellite tracking, and deep-dive technology to locate her grave 73 years later. In the early 1900's, waterborne transportation was the norm; today, satellites are taken for granted by our society. But we tend to forget the immense effort that these two technologies require to operate to their maximum potential. Until recently, the technology did not exist to locate, photograph, and explore this ship that rested two and a half miles down on the ocean floor.
On April 10, 1912, the RMS Titanic set sail from Southampton on her maiden voyage to New York. At that time, she was the largest and most luxurious ship ever built. At 11:40 PM on April 14, 1912, she struck an iceberg about 400 miles off Newfoundland, Canada. Although her crew had been warned about icebergs several times that evening by other ships navigating through that region, she was traveling at near top speed of about 20.5 knots when one grazed her side.
Less than three hours later, the Titanic plunged to the bottom of the sea, taking more than 1500 people with her. Only a fraction of her passengers were saved. The world was stunned to learn of the fate of the unsinkable Titanic. It carried some of the richest, most powerful industrialists of her day. Together, their personal fortunes were worth $600 million in 1912! In addition to wealthy and the middle class passengers, she carried poor emigrants from Europe and the Middle East seeking economic and social freedom in the New World.
The remains of the Titanic were found in 1985 by Dr. Robert Ballard, an oceanographer and marine biologist with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. When he located the Titanic, he saw that, as some survivors reported, the ship had broken apart. He believed the weight of the water-filled bow raised the stern out of the water and snapped the ship in two just before it sank. Debris falling out of the ship was strewn over a 1/2 mile across the sea floor. The bow and the stern were found nearly 2000ft. apart.
Keeping her location a secret, Bob Ballard used GPS to find theTitanic again when he returned the next year. He hoped to prevent treasure seekers from finding her and plundering the ship for booty such as coffee cups inscribed with RMS Titanic. On this second expedition, he visited the ship several times by submarine. On his last descent, he left a plaque honoring the 1500 victims and asking that subsequent explorers leave their grave undisturbed.
Find the Titanic again!
1. Eventually Bob Ballard released the coordinates of the Titanic's location. He recorded her coordinates as, stern section sits on ocean floor at 41o43'35" N, 49o56'54" W, boilers at 41o43'32" N, 49o56'49" W, bow at 41o43'57" N, 49o56'49" W. Find these coordinates and trace the outline of the sunken pieces of the Titanic on a chart of the North Atlantic.
2. How far is it from its plotted course? At the time of the accident, the ship was reported to be at 41o46' N, 50o 14' W. (She was found 13½ miles southeast of the position given in her lastdistress call.)
3. Discuss the fact that satellite technology through GPS can pinpoint any position on Earth to within 30 feet. In 1912, navigation techniques of dead reckoning and celestial navigation could only give one an approximate location within several miles of one's true position.If the Titanic had had better navigational aids, could its passengers have all been saved? Could it even have avoided the iceberg?
4. Track the route she took from England to New York in April, 1912.
She started from Southampton, England, and stopped at Cherbourg, France and Queenstown, Ireland to pick up passengers. Her destination was New York. She sank 1000 miles due east of Boston, Massachusetts, and 375 miles southeast of St. John's, Newfoundland. Unsinkable challenge
Build an unsinkable boat. What would it be made of? How would it be shaped? How will you test your hypothesis? How much weight ("passengers") could it carry? How far can it tip to the side before it flips?Reliving the moment
Draw a picture of the Titanic on that fateful night, using literature connection references. Information that should be incorporated into the work: It was night. There were icebergs. As the bow sank, the stern lifted farther and farther out of the water."Just before the ship disappeared entirely," according to Bob Ballard,"Many eyewitnesses agreed that the ship in fact broke in two, the bow plunging down while the stern briefly righted itself before turning almost vertical and sinking a few moments later."
Detail what it might have been like aboard the Titanic between 11:40PM (when the ship gently grazed the iceberg) to 2:18 AM when it disappeared below the sea.
Or draw an illustration of Jason finding the bow of the Titanic at the bottom of the sea at a depth of 12,460 ft. The ship was found in several pieces. Draw what the Titanic might look like after another 100 years on the ocean floor.Lifeboats
How many lifeboats were needed? TheTitanic was owned by the British White Star Line, flew the British flag,and thus was under the rules and regulations of the British government. Although she was originally designed to carry 42 lifeboats, the ship carried only 20 lifeboats (four more than were required at the time by British regulations) for the 2,228 passengers and crew. (That number could supposedly hold 1,178 people.) The original designer of theTitanic had proposed 50 lifeboats, but the British owners of the White Star Line had decided against it. (If it had been under US Government regulation at the time, 42 lifeboats, enough to accommodate 2,367 persons would have been required for a ship that size.)
Only 705 people were rescued; 1523 drowned or froze to death in the icy water. Ironically, most of those who drowned were Americans. Assuming that each lifeboat could hold 65 people, how many lifeboats did they need? Unfortunately, the 20 lifeboats on board were launched in panic before they were filled to capacity, so the number of people rescued was even fewer than could have been accommodated.
Only 705 of 2,227 people on board survived. What percentage is that?
Women
Men
Total
& Children
First class
94%
31%
60%
Second class
81%
10%
44%
Steerage
47%
14%
25%
Crew
87%
22%
24%
Analyze these statistics. What do these figures tell you about the policy of saving women and children first, how social standing and wealth influenced who was rescued, and the tradition that the crew usually went down with the ship? Many of the poorest people were not aware of the seriousness of the damage to the Titanic until shortly before it sank.

Pyramids

Some Awesome Ideas About the Pyramids
1. The Great Pyramid is a stone computer – if you take the lengths of the sides, and their heights and angles, you can calculate many different things. The pyramid will tell you how to work out the distance round the outside of a circle if you know the distance across it.
2. The Egyptians could use the Great Pyramid to work out the distance the Earth travels round the sun, and the speed of light.
3. The pyramid is a mathematical horoscope – you can calculate the future from it. The Institute of Pyramidology in London says the pyramid has already predicted the Crucifixion of Jesus and the First World War. It has also predicted that the world will end in the year 2979 A.D.
4. The Great Pyramid is a sign to the world how much knowledge the Egyptian priests had – and how much power. They persuaded Cheops to have it built and made him pay all the bills. Then when he died they didn't want his body inside their wonderful creation.
5. The Great Pyramid is an observatory for watching and recording the movement of the stars.

6. The Great Pyramid is a giant calendar. The Egyptians could use it to measure the length of a year to three decimal places.
7. The Great Pyramid is a sundial. The shadow fell on pavements and the pavements were marked with the day of the year and the hour of the day.
8. The Great Pyramid is a landmark. All ancient maps could use it as the starting point for drawing and measuring their charts – rather like the Greenwich Meridian is today.
9. The Great Pyramid is a perfect store for the weights and measures of the ancient world. The government needed a master set of weights to check if traders were giving proper value when they sold goods. But weights like the deben were made of copper and lost weight after a few years' wear and tear – sometimes they were even "fixed" by crooked shopkeepers.
10. The center of the pyramid is the center of tremendous forces of nature. Strange and wonderful things can happen there . . . many tourists have gone into shock or fainted when they reached the center.
Awesome Things You Ought to Know About Pyramids
A pyramid was built as the huge stone tomb of a Pharaoh.
The burial chamber in the center was filled with awesome riches for the Pharaoh to take on into the afterlife.
The riches were a temptation to robbers. The pyramid builders tried to fool the thieves by making false doors, staircases and corridors.
The base of the Great Pyramid of Cheops is equal to the area of seven or eight soccer fields (754 X 754 feet).
The burial chamber inside the Great Pyramid is as large as a small modern house.
The pyramids are close to the Nile because some of the huge stones had to be carried from the quarries by boat.
The pyramids are all on the West bank of the Nile – the side on which the sun sets. This is for religious reasons.
The Pharaohs were buried with religious writings to help them in the afterlife. The earliest ones were written on the walls of the burial chambers. Later, they were written on the coffins. The last were written on papyrus and rolled up and placed in the dead man's coffin. The writings described different ways to get to the afterworld and are known as the Books of the Dead (seen below).
Pyramids contained everything the King would need in the afterlife... ...including a toilet.
There are over 90 pyramids in Egypt.
The pyramids of Egypt are the oldest stone buildings in the world.
It is forbidden to climb the pyramids today. There have been too many accidents, so now you have to have special permission.

The sphynx is a mythical creature that supposedly was built by the Pharaoh Khafre-Chephren (his pyramid is shown directly above) about 2500 B.C. (during the Old Kingdom).

NASA AND COMET IMPACT

BIBLE CODE: COMET IMPACT: 2012 AD
When we study The Book of Revelation and Bible Prophecy, we realize that Comet Impact will happen and plays a major role in events during the Great Tribulation. Here is a six point summary of why I believe a massive Comet is heading towards Earth and 2012 AD may be The Year for Impact.
1) NASA & DEEP IMPACT
In Feb 2004, NASA accounced that The 10th planet, "Planet X" is real and is a comet planet. They named this comet, SEDNA and claim it will safely pass over 950 million miles from earth.
Yet on 12 JAN 2005, NASA launched "Deep Impact" a comet buster satellite that will impact Comet Tempel 1 (a small comet) on JULY 4 2005. NASA hopes to smash a 100 ft deep creater into this Comet. More than likely "deep impact" contains a bunker buster, nuclear warhead that will crash deep within the comet and detonate. IS THIS TARGET PRACTICE FOR THE DOOMSDAY COMET: 2012 AD ? It is interesting that Comet Tempel 1 will be impacted as it travels between Jupiter and Mars, the exact, ancient course of NIBIRU, The Comet Planet.
2) MAYAN CALENDAR
The ancient Mayans were "given" a 5000 Year Calendar by their god, Quezecoatal. The Calendar ends on DEC 22 2012 as The "Year of Doomsday". It is very possible this Calendar was Extra- Terrestrial and predicts a cosmic event, such as Comet Impact.
3) COMET PLANET
The ancient world of Sumer to Babylon were "taught" by their gods about The Comet Planet, called "Nibiru". This is a massive Comet Planet, believed to pass earth every 3600 years, coming thru the Asteroid Belt between Jupiter and Mars.
In Jos:10, (O.T.) we read of "A day of 24 hours, when the earth stood still". This could have been caused by the passing of the Comet Planet. Its gravitational pull could have reversed spun Earth on its axis, creating a day of 24 hours. If we take the Mayan year of 2012 AD and subtract 3600 years (orbit of Comet Planet) we get 1588 BC, around the time of Joshua and the "day earth stood still".
4) THIRD PROPHECY OF FATIMA AND THE BIBLE CODE
The Vatican has hidden The Third Prophecy of Fatima (Portugal 1917 AD). In 1984 Pope John Paul 2 said, "The catastrophic nature of the third prophecy is so great that millions of lives will be lost. There is no need to panic the world over such a great loss of life". The Pope also spoke of "global tidal waves and earthquakes of a terrible magnitude." All of This Points To Comet Impact, The Coming of The Comet Planet.
I have discovered in THE BIBLE CODE, what The Third Prophecy of Fatima is... and it is COMET IMPACT. A Great Cataclysm to Impact Earth. In other Bible Codes, I have found COMET and WORMWOOD that will smash earth (Rev:8) encoded with the year 2010 AD and 2012 AD. The First Date could be when the Comet Planet is first sighted, 2012 AD could be The Date of IMPACT.
5) NOSTRADAMUS
"In the year 1999 and seven months, The Great King of Terror shall come from the sky". I believe this is the Comet Planet, NIBIRU, that will trigger global destruction.
The reason that nothing happened in the year 1999 is because Nostradamus could have meant when NASA first discovers the threat of the Comet Planet (using Hubble Telescope). Nostradamus has many quatrains of A Comet bringing great destruction soon after the year 2000, the new millennium. 2012 AD?
6) BOOK OF REVELATION
In light of NASA and its Comet Buster Technology, this gives us a new insight on Rev:8 and Bible Prophecy.
I believe A Comet/ Comet Planet is on a Collision Course with Earth (probably around 2012 AD). NASA will shatter this massive Comet with a "comet buster" nuclear missile. But the core of the Comet will be much harder than NASA believed. This shattered Comet will collide with earth, exactly as we read in Revelation.
A global shower of flaming Meteors (ranging in size from a golf ball to a house) sets one-third of the green grass, vegetation and crops of earth on fire. (Rev:8:8).
An Asteroid (large chunk of comet, one mile in diamater) will crash into the sea and cause a massive Tidal Wave, turrential flooding and more famine (Rev:8:9)
"Wormwood" crashes into the ocean or sea, causing one third of the drinking water to be poisoned. Wormwood may be another "chunk" of this comet or a 100 megaton Russian or Chinese Missile that hits NYC (USA) as W.W. III explodes across Europe, a War fought for food and fresh water.
It is very possible that the Great Tribulation will start between the year 2006 and 2012 AD. In the Bible Code I have found COMET encoded with RAPTURE.
The USA is preparing for War against IRAN and SYRIA as they (as with Saddam) cannot be in possession of nuclear weapons, especially with the coming Threat from The Comet Planet.
In the Gospel, JESUS promises that His True Followers, His Faithful Remnant, will ESCAPE the Tribulation and Comet Impact.
THIS ESCAPE IS BEING ACCOUNTED WORTHY TO BE TAKEN IN THE FIRST OF TWO RAPTURES EVENTS.(Luke:21:34-36)
IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, THESEWORTHY BELIEVERS ARE CALLED THECHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA.
"Because you kept My Word ofMy Patience, I will also Keep you from the hour of Testing that will try all whoDwell upon the face of the whole earth." (Rev:3:10)
God Bless You In These End Times Pastor HarryChurch of Philadelphia -Internet
BIBLE CODE: COMET IMPACT: 2012 AD

Batsman O’Brien in line for top ICC award

Niall O'Brien has made the final four for the ICC Associate Player of the Year, the winner to be announced at the glamourous awards ceremony in Dubai tomorrow.
The Ireland and Northamptonshire wicket-keeper batsman is up against Thomas Odoyo of Kenya, last year's winner, and his team-mate Alex Obanda, with Ryan ten Doeschate of the Netherlands completing the shortlist.
The voting was based on all the Associate teams' major internationals, both one-day and four-day, in the 12 months ending August 12, 2008 and O'Brien averaged 46.9 in 12 games with one century and three 50s.
The unlucky player not be included is Andre Botha who, in 15 matches which met the qualifying criteria, averaged 51, with centuries in three successive Inter-Continental Cup games and the North County captain also took 16 wickets at 26.5 runs each. Surely the fact that he is an amateur wasn't held against him?
Ironically, while Botha would have been delighted to travel, O'Brien is unable to make the trip to the UAE because he is in county championship action from today against an Essex side which includes ten Doeschate.
O'Brien, however, has declared his availability for Ireland's trip to Africa, which starts with Ireland's remaining two Inter-Continental Cup matches, against Namibia and Kenya and is followed by an ODI triangular series against Kenya and Zimbabwe in Nairobi.
The home-based players leave on Saturday September 27 with the county players following two days later. The match in Namibia starts on Friday October 3.
National Coach Phil Simmons is just waiting on the availability of Middlesex's Eoin Morgan and the fitness of Kevin O'Brien and Andrew White before he names his 15-man squad.
The four men in the running for the ICC Cricketer of the Year is West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardena and the South Africa pair of Graeme Smith and Dale Steyn.
The ODI Player of the Year is being fought out between Nathan Bracken of Australia, Pakistan's Mohammad Yousef and Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar of India.
England's only nomination is Stuart Broad in the Emerging Player of the Year category although Mark Benson is one of five up for the Umpire of the Year.

Yuvi named ICC T20 player, Dhoni best ODI player of the year

On a glittering night in Dubai, the International Cricket Council on Wednesday announced the name of recipients for the ICC cricket awards. India’s all-rounder Yuvraj Singh named as the best Twenty20 player while Mahendra Singh Dhoni honoured with the best One-Day International player of the year.
West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul wins the ICC Cricketer of the Year while South African Dale Steyn takes the Test Player of the Year award.
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Netherlands all-rounder, Ryan ten Doeschate, was named as the Associate Player of the Year.
Sri Lankan new spin bowling sensation Ajantha Mendis, who claimed 26 wickets at an average of 18.38 in just three Test matches played against India, named as the Emerging Player of the Year Award.
The Sri Lankan cricket team under the captainship of Mahela Jayawardena honoured with the Spirit of Cricket Award. It is for the second time in a row that Sri Lanka team has received this award for their good on filed conduct and maintaining the traditional values of the game.
Australian umpire, Simon Taufel, was named as Umpire of the Year for the fifth consecutive time. And England's Charlotte Edwards was awarded as Women's Cricketer of the Year.
On the occasion, ICC also announced the World Test Team and ODI Team of the Year 2008 selected by an independent panel. These are as follows:
ICC Test Team of the Year: Graeme Smith (SA, capt), Virender Sehwag (Ind), Mahela Jayawardena (SL), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI), Kevin Pietersen (Eng), Jacques Kallis (SA), Kumar Sangakkara (SL, wk), Brett Lee (Aus), Ryan Sidebottom (Eng), Dale Steyn (SA), Muttiah Muralitharan (SL). 12th man: Stuart Clark (Aus).
ICC ODI Team of the Year: Hershelle Gibbs (SA), Sachin Tendulkar (Ind), Ricky Ponting (Aus, capt), Younis Khan (Pak), Andrew Symonds (Aus), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind, wk), Farveez Maharoof (SL), Daniel Vettori (NZ), Brett Lee (Aus), Mitchell Johnson (Aus), Nathan Bracken (Aus). 12th man: Salman Butt (Pak)
Virender Sehwag is the only Indian player listed in the Test team while Sachin Tendulkar and wicket keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni made it to the ODI team.

Sri Lanka's Mendis named ICC emerging player of the year

DUBAI (AFP) — Sri Lanka's new spin sensation Ajantha Mendis was named as the International Cricket Council (ICC) emerging player of the year at an awards ceremony here Wednesday.
The 23-year-old burst onto the international scene this year by taking an extraordinary 26 wickets at an average of a mere 18.38 apiece in just three Tests with his unique brand of spin bowling, including the 'carrom ball', which helped see his country to a series win over India.
Mendis, who topped the voting for his award ahead of a 25-strong voting academy from a trio of pace bowlers in Stuart Broad (England), Morne Morkel (South Africa) and India's Ishant Sharma, after being nominated by a panel chaired by former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, also starred in one-dayers.
In eight one-day internationals during the voting period, he took 20 wickets at 10.25.
"I am delighted to win the award," said Mendis after being presented with his trophy by Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene.
"It is an honour to play for Sri Lanka and I hope to continue playing for my country for a long time to come."
The Emerging Player of the Year Award was one of eight individual prizes given at this year's awards.
Players eligible for this award must be under 26 years of age at the start of the voting period (August 9 2007) and have played no more than five Test matches and/or 10 ODIs before the start of the voting period.

Steyn is top Test player

Proteas pace bowler Dale Steyn won the Test Player of the Year award at the International Cricket Council awards ceremony in Dubai last night.
Down The Track: Chanderpaul wins it
Steyn and Smith vie for ‘Oscar’
Steyn beat off short-list competition from Shivnarine Chanderpaul of the West Indies, Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardena and Proteas team-mate Jacques Kallis to win the first ICC award of his career.
During the 12-month voting period, the 25-year-old from Phalaborwa put in some remarkable performances, taking 86 wickets at an average of just 18.10 in the 14 Test matches he played. No other bowler took more than 58 wickets.
After collecting his award from former West Indies captain and current chair of the ICC Cricket Committee Clive Lloyd, Steyn said: “I have had a pretty decent year, I suppose, but I didn’t think about winning this award until the past few days. I don’t really know how I feel. Perhaps tomorrow morning it will have sunk in for me because obviously this is a huge award and it’s massive for me.
“What I would like to do is maybe turn it into a goal for the future. I would like to win this award again and maybe other awards too so it would be something to aim for.”
Chanderpaul won the Cricketer of the Year award, while India’s Mahendra Singh Doni was named the top ODI player. Graeme Smith (as captain), Steyn and Kallis were included in the ICC Test team, while Herschelle Gibbs was the only South African in the ODI team.

ICC Awards 2008

Dhoni is ODI Player of Year

India's one-day captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has won the ODI Player of the Year award at the ICC Awards ceremony in Dubai.
Dhoni beat off tough competition from his India team-mate, Sachin Tendulkar, Australia's fast bowler Nathan Bracken and Pakistan stalwart, Mohammad Yousuf, to take the award.
During the voting period, Dhoni played 39 ODIs and scored 1,298 runs at an average of 49.92 and at a rate of 82.46 runs per 100 balls faced. In that time he hit a century and nine fifties, making sure he led his team from the front.
Also in that time, in his capacity as a wicketkeeper, Dhoni claimed 62 dismissals (46 catches and 16 stumpings), which is almost twice as many as the next best, albeit having played more matches than any other keeper.
He is currently ranked No. 1 in the ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen. Dhoni said: "I would like to thank the voting academy for considering me to be deserving of this award. I am really happy to get this - it's a great privilege.
"Also, it feels great to know that I am the first Indian player to get this particular award and it's very special because now I am in the company of a lot of other good cricketers. Some fantastic players have won this award in the past and to be mentioned in their company is truly a humbling experience for me.
"I would like to thank the ICC, my home cricket board, my family, my team-mates and friends."
The ODI Player of the Year Award was one of eight individual prizes given at this year's ICC Awards. Dhoni also featured on the ICC ODI Team of the Year as picked by the ICC selection panel. The award was announced by Australia captain and two-time ICC Cricketer of the Year, Ricky Ponting.
The panel was chaired by the former West Indies captain, Clive Lloyd, and included the former Australia captain, Greg Chappell, the recently retired South Africa allrounder Shaun Pollock, the former Sri Lanka opener Sidath Wettimuny and the former Bangladesh batsman, Athar Ali Khan.