The Bay Area said goodbye to a number of storied restaurants in 2015, for reasons ranging from retirement to rising rents to changing tastes. Here are 12 of our sentimental favorites. What were yours? Reported by San Jose Mercury News 9 hours ago.

The Islamic State group on Thursday claimed the bombing of two restaurants in a predominantly Kurdish city in northeastern Syria the previous night, an attack that killed at least 16 people and wounded more than 30. Syria's state news agency SANA said the "terrorist explosions" happened in a Christian neighborhood… Reported by Japan Today 8 hours ago.

In a chaotic Middle East that in some respects seems to be fast retreating in time, the desert kingdom of Saudi Arabia has allowed, for the first time in its history, women to vote. Good for the ladies and congratulations to the 21 who actually won municipal posts.

Of course, most of them still can't drive a car. Or go anywhere without a chaperone. Or appear in daylight without an abaya, a long black cloak and a head scarf.

Are the seeds of democracy sprouting in the desert kingdom? True, more than 80 percent of Saudi women showed up at the polls on Dec. 12. But anyone assuming the kingdom is at long last liberating its women is deceived.

While women across Saudi Arabia happily marked this historical milestone, they couldn't even drive themselves to the polling stations. Instead, they waited for male drivers -- a significant reminder of the limitations still in place in the ultra-conservative kingdom. And for women to vote, a royal decree had to be issued by King Abdullah.

Let's not forget the circumstances under which the late king even issued this decree. It came in response to the wave of Arab Spring demonstrations that swept many countries in the region, including the Saudi kingdom. To shore up legitimacy and quell demonstrations, the king shrewdly issued the decree allowing women to vote in addition to a more famous $100 billion giveaway in economic benefits to Saudi citizenry, mostly to Saudi youth. So let's not fool ourselves that Saudi Arabia is finally ready to trade its harsh, misguided interpretation of Islam for democracy.

Will the kingdom now allow women to drive, initiate divorce, choose a career and be independent of men? Hardly.

The high turnout of women in Saudi municipal elections is inspirational. The question, however, is whether Saudi women's ability to vote and even run for municipal office suggests social trends raised during Arab Spring are percolating, hinting at a different future in the Middle East than one of ethnic conflict, religious tension, economic disparities and civil war.

Since the emergence of Arab Spring on Dec. 18, 2010, I never expected Saudi women to be allowed to vote. Yet this sudden change came during tumultuous times in the kingdom and region. I don't know under what context historians will look back at 2015, marked by civil war in Syria, terrorism by ISIS on the world stage, Russia's military engagement in the region, failed states in Libya and Yemen, the military coup in Egypt and, above all, the Iran nuclear deal with the West.

Yet, Saudi women's ability to run and vote rate considerable mention in world history, if only to highlight, however briefly, the rich possibilities. Unfortunately, wait till another Saudi woman gets behind the wheel only to find herself thrown in jail. Wait till one challenges tradition by not wearing an abaya from head to foot (which, just for the record, is completely un-Islamic, as it is neither prescribed nor required according to the Quran or Sunna (the verbally transmitted record of teachings, deeds and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad). Rather, it is a tribal tradition limited to pockets in the Muslim world -- Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, Yemen and Pakistan, among others.

Many restrictions Saudi women face defy logic and basic decency. For instance, they cannot travel without the consent of a male family member known as a guardian; marry without the consent of a guardian; work without the consent of a guardian; mingle with unrelated men in public places such as restaurants; and divorce as easily as a man. And for those quick to blame Allah, know this: these practices are again contrary to the true teachings of Islam.

It seems to me the kingdom is cherry-picking what it will allow women to have. No surprise there: Entities within the kingdom and elsewhere regularly cherry-pick verses from the Quran and statements from the Sunna to fit their own political agenda -- not exactly an unfamiliar habit in the West, for that matter. Under no circumstance do I suggest Saudi women voting is not worthy of praise. It's just more symbol than substance in a region fiercely resistant to change and brimming with tribal mentality.

Anne Patterson, the U.S. State Department's regional expert, argues that, "Even during these difficult days, there is evidence that irreversible changes are under way in the region." If only it were true. In fact, Arab Spring has turned into an Islamist Fall. Months after revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, Jordan and others, we see only political chaos, lost economic opportunities, failed civil institutions and a social breakdown with millions unemployed and hopeless.

As for the Saudi kingdom, till it is purged of misguided religious advisers, fanatical Wahhabism ideology and twisted interpretation of Islam to justify whatever the ends, nothing will change. I do not believe Saudi Arabia or any other country in the region is ready to embrace democracy the way you and I understand, appreciate and practice it.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 8 hours ago.

Container Concepts™ has made a deal to display their modular shipping container concept in the "Funk Zone" in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara CA (PRWEB) December 31, 2015

Container Concepts™ has made a deal to be featured on a piece of property in the Funk Zone in Santa Barbara. CA. The "Funk Zone" is a section of Santa Barbara new the oceanfront, which started out as an artist area with many spaces housing artists and craftsman. http://funkzone.net, conceptinabox.com

In the last five years the "Funk Zone" has blown up into an area that now features wineries and tasting rooms, restaurants, breweries and retail shops. It is also an area of great growth with two large-scale mixed-use hotel projects going in, will make this a solid destination area for tourists and locals. Robb Ferer, Co-Founder of Container Concepts™ says, "The "Funk Zone" is perfect for shipping container business because of its proximity to the ocean and that the modified shipping container fits perfectly with the innovative nature of the area."

The location is going to be a surprise in 2016, so the next time you find yourself in Santa Barbara come down to the Funk Zone and find their Demo Box™ concept. Reported by PRWeb 5 hours ago.

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - Dec 2, 2015 - Following its wildly successful launch in Singapore less than two weeks ago, Deliveroo, the on-demand premium food delivery service that helps bring meals from Singapore's best-loved restaurants, right to customers' homes and offices, has officially announced the launch of the Deliveroo app.

The Deliveroo App

Customers are now able to order meals from their favourite independent and high-quality chain restaurants through their mobile devices, and to have their food delivered right to their homes and offices in an average time of 30 minutes.

 

Deliveroo's new mobile application promises to bring 'high quality' convenience closer to their customers.  With Deliveroo's proprietary technology, customers will be able to find their current location with ease, explore the range of independent and high-quality chain restaurants available in their location, and finally, browse through the menus offered by each of these restaurants.

 

With a few finger-taps, Deliveroo's customers will also be able to select their meals, make payment, and even track the location of their 'Roo Man', who will be making the delivery.

 

Tristan Torres, General Manager of Deliveroo Singapore said,: "We are extremely delighted to announce the launch of  the Deliveroo app. Singapore has been called a 'mobile-first' nation, so it is  extremely important for us to meet the needs of  our customers in the shortest possible time."

 

Deliveroo is also extending its delivery service to two new areas today -- Novena and Bukit Merah. Having originally launched in five zones, Bukit Timah, Kallang, Katong, the Central Business District, and Tanglin, Deliveroo now delivers to a total of seven areas,  

 

The service also has plans to expand deliveries to four additional areas by the end of December 2015, and to reach island-wide coverage by the first quarter of 2016.  Deliveroo has partnered with over 140 of Singapore's favourite restaurants, including Cedele, Chopsuey Cafe, Kinki Restaurant, Meat Liquor, Potato Head Folk and PS. Cafe Petit.

 

Deliveroo is now available for free on the App Store. Use the promo code "ROOAPP" to get $15 off your first order.

 

Image

The Deliveroo App

http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/4077

 

Company Logo

http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/4027

* *

*About Deliveroo

*

A London based start-up launched in 2013 by William Shu and Greg Orlowski, Deliveroo is an on-demand premium food delivery service that brings meals from a wide selection of independent and high-quality chain restaurants right to customers' homes or offices, in an average time of 30 minutes. With the use of Deliveroo's proprietary technology and logistics platform, high quality restaurants are now able to offer delivery to their customers. Deliveroo has had more than 140 restaurants join the family in Singapore, including Cedele, Chopsuey Cafe, Kinki Restaurant, Meat Liquor, Potato Head Folk and PS. Cafe Petit to name a few.

https://deliveroo.com.sg/

  Reported by Media OutReach 4 hours ago.

New Delhi, Nov 2 (ANI): What your children see on television can have a great influence on what they eat. A new research has revealed that the more frequently children watch TV channels that show ads for kids' fast food meals, the more often their families eat at those fast food restaurants. Researchers found that the more children watched television channels that aired ads for children's fast food meals, the more frequently their families visited those fast food restaurants. Research also demonstrated that children's food preferences may be partially shaped by a desire for the toys featured in TV ads. Further, Dr. Emond suggested that the parents, for now, should keep their children off any commercial- TV programming to help avoid pestering for foods see in commercials. Reported by ANI News 4 hours ago.

Hoping to find a restaurant open on New Year's Day? Although January 1, 2016, is a federal holiday, that doesn't mean you won't be able to find some grub at your favorite sit-down, buffet, or fast ... Reported by Starpulse.com 38 minutes ago.

By Laila Kearney

NEW YORK, Jan 1 (Reuters) - More than a million people in New York's Times Square hailed the arrival of 2016 early Friday with kisses, cheers and a measure of relief as America's biggest New Year's Eve celebration unfolded without a hitch under a blanket of unprecedented security.

The transition to the new year was marked by the descent of the traditional lighted crystal ball from atop a skyscraper amid fireworks and showers of confetti at the center of the famed Manhattan crossroads, the climax of an annual rite of winter dating back to 1904.

With memories of the deadly attacks in Paris and California still fresh, police took extraordinary measures to ensure security at a gathering that has come to define the New York experience for many visitors to the largest U.S. city.

But the event, broadcast live on national television, went off without a hint of trouble, as a festive mood prevailed despite - or perhaps because of - the heavy police presence.

"This is the center of the world on New Year's Eve," said Rick Milley, 60, who traveled from Boston with his wife, Debbie, 59, to ring in the new year in Times Square.

"This was on our bucket list," Debbie Milley said as the couple took pictures of themselves using a selfie stick.

The pair have spent the holiday in New York before but never before in Times Square, a year-round tourist draw, filled with chain stores, family restaurants and flashy advertising displays.About 6,000 uniformed and undercover police officers, 500 more than last year, patrolled the area, with the force bolstered by mounted patrols, bomb-sniffing dogs, radiation detectors and hundreds of surveillance cameras.

For the first time on a New Year's Eve, the city deployed its new Critical Response Command, which includes more heavily armed officers. The unit is trained to detect and respond to attacks, such those in Paris that killed 130 people on Nov. 13, or the rampage in San Bernardino, California, in which 14 were slain.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security ranked the Times Square celebration as a level-2 concern on its five-point scale of security risks for major public events, a designation one step below the top-rated level-1 classification given Friday's upcoming Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California.

About 700,000 people are expected to turn out for the 127th Rose Parade.

 

PENNED IN FOR THE PARTY

The famous New Year's Eve ball, which is 12 feet (3.6 meters) in diameter and weighs nearly 6 tons, descended on a pole mounted on top of One Times Square, a narrow wedge of a building along 42nd Street at the southern end of the square.

Mayor Bill de Blasio pushed the button that began the descent, leading to the 60-second countdown to midnight, when a giant illuminated "2016" sign flashed on, signaling the beginning of the new year.

Crowds began assembling in Times Square hours before the official start of the festivities at 6 p.m. Thursday (2300 GMT), organized into neat pens formed by police barricades stretched for many blocks up Seventh Avenue and Broadway north of One Times Square.

From a vantage point about 20 floors above, the revelers appeared to be tucked neatly into block-long honeycombs encircled by uniformed officers and support workers dressed in bright red coveralls.

Cheers reverberated through the area as images from the entertainment stages played on a giant screen mounted on the building just below the pole supporting the crystal ball. On occasion, fireworks exploded above, sending flashes of light and wafts of smoke through the square.

"I always wanted to come here, but never took the chance," said James Gomez, 39, of New Haven, Connecticut, as he surveyed the area with friends looking for a prime viewing spot.

Gomez came to Times Square even though he said he was concerned about the area being targeted in an attack. "I'm scared," he said.

In the hours before midnight, musical artists such as Carrie Underwood and Jessie J performed on stages set up in the area.

More than 100 million Americans and 1 billion people worldwide were expected to watch the festivities on television.

In Rochester, New York, a 25-year-old man accused of planning to attack a restaurant on New Year's Eve was arrested on Wednesday and charged with attempting to provide support to Islamic State, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Afterwards, Rochester, about 330 miles (530 km) northwest of New York City, canceled its New Year's Eve fireworks display.

Before entering Times Square, visitors were required to pass through tight security checkpoints, with police stopping anyone from carrying backpacks and large bags while searching smaller bags and scanning people with metal detectors.

The tradition of gathering in Times Square to celebrate the new year began in 1904, according to the Times Square Alliance, the area's business-development association.

That was the year that the New York Times opened a new headquarters building at One Times Square and the city officially renamed the square after the newspaper. (Additional reporting by Steve Gorman from Los Angeles and Frank McGurty in New York; Writing by Frank McGurty; Editing by Jonathan Oatis, Robert Birsel)

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 22 minutes ago.

*Skies lit up with crackers as the clock struck 12 at midnight and a noisy roar rang in the New Year in Connaught Place in the heart of the capital on Thursday.*The countdown to the New Year saw Delhiites dance and sing, blow trumpets and play with balloons in Connaught Place, India Gate and malls across the city.

Standing atop vehicle roofs and blowing the horns, revellers shouted "Happy New Year" and hugged each other while bidding good bye to an eventful year which brought the AAP regime to power and also set the stage for the capital's fight against polluted air.
The lawns of India Gate were also busy till past midnight as traffic police closed the Rajpath for traffic.

Traffic was also regulated on approach roads to the India Gate Hexagon and Amar Jawan Jyoti.

Unlike last year, the last day of 2015 was unusually warm and the evening too was less harsh. The city recorded its warmest December 31 in five years with the maximum temperature touching 25.1 degree Celsius.

Connaught Place, which was converted into a pedestrian zone after 8.30 pm, with arterial roads leading to the central park closed for vehicles to enter."We knew there would be a mad rush in the evening so we drove into the inner circle of the CP in the afternoon itself," said Devansh, a student.

The Delhi Traffic Police put up hundreds of barricades across the city to check drunk-driving, specially close to restaurants, hotels, pubs, farmhouses and other public places where drivers were expected to leave New Year parties under the influence of alcohol.
The pickets on some roads leading to central Delhi caused traffic jams in the evening on roads like Panchkuian Road, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Minto Road and Janpath.

Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Muktesh Chander and other officers joined ground staff armed with breath analysers to check drunk driving.

"For smooth traffic flow, special arrangements have been made in central Delhi,"" said Chander.

Many buildings in the area and malls in south Delhi were illuminated for the occasion. Restaurants and hotels offered special deals for the occasion.

Delhi Metro, the city's lifeline, shut entry gates of its Rajiv Chowk station at Connaught Place at 9 pm, while continuing train-changing facility.

Some revellers walked up to other Metro stations in the vicinity for their return journey. Reported by Deccan Herald 21 hours ago.

*Los Angeles:* Musician Tommy Lee has shared his most "creepy" desire - to watch a sex tape of the US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.

Asked who he would pay to see make a sex tape, Lee said: "Who would be fun? Maybe someone totally odd ball not someone sexy. Like how crazy would it be to see Obama and his wife, something weird like you are definitely not supposed to be watching like creepy.

"I think creepy would be fun rather than sexy because there are a lot of sexy people out there."

Despite his tape with his former wife and actress Pamela Anderson being viewed by millions, Lee had shared that he has no idea why anyone would want to see the raunchy film, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/01-New-comers_s.jpg

A look at some of the most awaited acting debuts of 2016

*Saiyami Kher*The youngster, who stars in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's 'Mirziya', has a lot of industry connections — she is the granddaughter of yesteryear actress Usha Kiran and niece to Tanvi Azmi. Saiyami's mother Uttara Kher is a former beauty pageant winner and her father Adwait is a model-turned-restaurateur. Born and brought up in Nashik, Saiyami graduated from St Xavier's College in Mumbai and began her career as a model. Mehra selected Saiyami to play the female lead in his film from among three aspirants.

*Harshvardhan Kapoor*Bollywood runs in his blood. Set to be launched in 'Mirziya', Harshvardhan is Anil Kapoor's son. He studied screenplay writing and acting in the US, and worked as an AD in Anurag Kashyap's 'Bombay Velvet'. In 2012, Katrina Kaif's younger sister Isabel and Harsh featured in a short film, 'Coming Home'.

*Ritika Singh*The boxer-turned-actress features in Rajkumar Hirani's production 'Saala Khadoos' with Madhavan. She was chosen from among 100 ringsters. She is a national-level kick boxer and a black belt in karate. Ritika has also learnt MMA.

*Pooja Hegde*A beauty pageant winner, she will be seen as Hrithik Roshan's ladylove in Ashutosh Gowariker's epic drama 'Mohenjo Daro'. The model was handpicked by the director during auditions.

*Mahira Khan*One more actress from across the border in Bollywood this year. Mahira, better known to the Indian audience as Khirad from Pakistani TV series Humsafar, makes her debut in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer 'Raees'. She grew up watching Hindi films and her show's popularity here brought her to the attention of Indian filmmakers.

*Fatima Shaikh — Sanya Malhotra*Mumbai girl Fatima (left), who has dabbled in acting and photography, will be seen as one of Aamir Khan's daughters in 'Dangal'. Fatima featured as a child artiste in 'Chachi 420' (1997) and has done bit roles in films like 'Bittoo Boss' (2012) and 'Akaash Vani' (2013) and the TV show 'Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo'. Sanya (right), a trained ballet dancer from Delhi, who has done a bit of modelling, will play her sister.

*Nidhi Dutta—Ajit Sodhi*Daughter of veteran filmmaker JP Dutta and yesteryear actress Bindiya Goswami, she will be seen in her father's production 'Jee Bhar Ke Jee Le'. She has been paired opposite Ajit Sodhi (right), son of yesteryear actress Nafisa Ali.

*Sayesha Saigal*She is the daughter of Saira Banu's niece actress Shaheen, who featured in 'Maha-Sangram' (1990) and 'Ayee Milan Ki Raat' (1991) and actor Sumeet Saigal who featured in late '80s films. Sayesha, who has done Telugu films, features opposite Ajay Devgn in his directorial venture, 'Shivaay'. The youngster had been grooming for Bollywood for the last couple of years.

*Diljit Dosanjh*
The well-known Punjabi singer makes his Bollywood debut in Abhishek Chaubey's 'Udta Punjab' opposite Kareena Kapoor Khan. He is already a name in the Punjabi film and TV industry and now hopes to make a mark in Bollywood.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/01Hollywood-2016-s.jpg

*'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'

*
*Cast:* Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg
*Directorector:* Zack Snyder
*Lowdown:* With the two superheroes at war, a new supervillain rises.
*USP:* With superheroes at loggerheads, the movie promises to be a treat.
*Release:* March 25

*'Kung Fu Panda 3'
*

*Cast:* Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman
*Directorector:* Alessandro Carloni, Jennifer Yuh
*Lowdown:* After Po's legendary fight with the peacock to save Kung fu, his family finally hears of him. This film will see Po reuniting with his family and his journey from student to master.
*USP:* Po's crazy kung fu and the tough time he has while attempting to teach other pandas the martial art.
*Release:* January 29

*'Ice Age: Collision Course'

*
*Cast:* Simon Pegg, Melissa Rauch, Jennifer Lopez, Nick Offerman
*Directorector:* Mike Thurmeier, Galen T Chu
*Lowdown:* Manny, Sid, Diego, and the rest of the herd embark on a new journey because Scrat set off a series of outer space events on his pursuit for the acorn outside of earth.
*USP:* Your hunger for some classic, witty sarcasm will be satiated.
*Release:* July 22

*'Deadpool'**Cast:* Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Gina Carano, Rachel Sheen
*Director:* Tim Miller
*Lowdown:* A former Special Forces operative turned mercenary is subjected to a unapproved experiment leaving him heightened healing powers. He uses the superpower and becomes his alter ego Deadpool.
*USP:* Witty, tongue-in-cheek humour in a semi-superhero and gunfight scenario
*Release:* February 12

*'The Jungle Book'**Cast:* Lupita Nyong'o, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Bill Murray
*Director:* Jon Favreau
*Lowdown:* Mowgli, Bagheera, Balu and Sherkhan are reuniting to entertain and take us down memory lane — the same story but with a new twist.
*USP:* After seeing several animated versions of the Jungle Book, for the first time the movie will be showcased with real characters. Besides being a visual treat, it will also rekindle those childhood memories of watching Mowgli on Doordarshan.
*Release:* April 15

*'X-Men: Apocalypse'**Cast:* Oscar Isaac, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, Olivia Munn
*Director:* Bryan Singer
*Lowdown:* It could be the end of mutants if the apocalypse has his way. The X-Men from the past and present need to unite if they hope to survive his evil plans.
*USP:* The reunion of the mutants is a treat for any X-Men fan. While we'll miss Wolverine, Charles Xavier and Magneto will definitely make up for it.
*Release:* May 27

*'The Divergent Series: Allegiant'**Cast:* Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Naomi Watts, Miles Teller
*Director:* Robert Schwentke
*Lowdown:* After finally breaking the myth about divergents, the group will finally cross the wall and explore what is on the other side.
*USP:* The mystery of what is behind the wall will finally be unravelled
*Release:* March 18

*'Finding Dory'**Cast:* Idris Elba, Dominic West, Diane Keaton, Albert Brooks
*Directors:* Andrew Stanton, Angus MacLane
*Lowdown:* Marlin and Dory go on another adventure to find the forgetful fish's lost family.
*USP:* It is the sequel to Finding Nemo (2003), which has been every child's — and several adults' — favourite movie. Following the clown and blue tang fish on a new trip is something no one should miss.
*Release:* June 17

*'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2'**Cast:* Rita Wilson, John Stamos, Nia Vardalos, John Corbett
*Director:* Kirk Jones
*Lowdown:* The crazy Greek family is back for another wedding even as they battle with their own marriage and handling a teenage daughter fed up with their own culture. Will this wedding push them over the edge?
*USP:* We learnt to say Opa! last time after the romantic and funny wedding; it will be interesting to see some Greek doze of laughter in this one.
*Release:* March 25

*'Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass'**Cast:* Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter
*Director:* James Bobin
*Lowdown:* Mad Hatter is in danger and a lot has changed since Alice left Wonderland. She now must come back to save her friend.
*USP:* After a visual treat in part 1, the sequel is expected to take both the story and the imagination forward.
*Release:* May 27

*'The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist'**Cast:* Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Frances O'Connor, Simon McBurney
*Director:* James Wan
*Lowdown:* A mother with four kids move into a new house in 1970. They start sensing poltergeists and call in the Warrens again to help. But sensing that the house is clean brings forth the real story — of who really is possessed.
*USP:* If 'Conjuring' and Annabelle scared the pants off you, this one is expected to take the horror genre to a whole new level. And no one can deny a scarefest!
*Release:* June 10

*'Independence Day: Resurgence'**Cast:* Joey King, Liam Hemsworth, Maika Monroe
*Director:* Roland Emmerich
*Lowdown:* There's a solar threat that can erase the earth and the life on it. Will our defenses give us one more 'Independence Day'?
*USP:* A sequel of sorts two decades later. While we will miss Will Smith, it will be interesting to see what kind of novelty the makers will come up with to keep us hooked.
*Release:* June 24

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/nov/6Nargis-Fakhri-s.jpg*Nargis Fakhri. Pic/Santa Banta*

There will be four retail themes - Beauty, Gold and Jewellery, Apparel and Fashion, and Perfume - that are aimed at encouraging innovative activations from malls and stores across UAE -- at the Dubai Shopping Festival, which will start from January 1 and will go on till February 1.

Saeed Mohammed Mesam Al Falasi, director, Strategic Alliances Division of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), announced the themed lineup of events and activities for DSF 2016.

An exhibition by French luxury house Hermès titled ‘Wanderland’ will be a highlight. The exhibition has been showcased in both London and Paris this year, with Dubai being the third stop.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/01Box-office-clash-2016-s.jpg

*'Sultan'*
*Cast:* Salman Khan
*Dir:* Ali Abbas Zafar
*Lowdown:* Story of a wrestler, but packed with romance.
*USP:* Salman's brawns on display.

*MAY 13**'Mirziya'*
*Cast:* Harshvardhan Kapoor, Saiyami Kher
*Dir:* Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
*Lowdown:* A contemporary take on the tragic Mirza-Sahiban love story starring newcomers.
*USP:* Gulzar's script teamed with Mehra's direction.

*'Azhar'*
*Cast:* Emraan Hashmi, Prachi Desai, Nargis Fakhri
*Dir:* Tony D'souza
*Lowdown:* A biopic on the controversial life of ex Indian cricket skipper Mohd Azharuddin.
*USP:* Rise and fall of one of India's most successful captains.

*AUGUST 12**'Mohenjo Daro'*
*Cast:* Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde
*Dir:* Ashutosh Gowariker
*Lowdown:* As the title suggests, it is set in the Indus valley civilisation era, but the plot remains fiercely guarded by the makers.
*USP:* The hit actor-director combo.

*'Rustom'*
*Cast:* Akshay Kumar
*Dir:* Neeraj Pandey
*Lowdown:* A romantic thriller which will see the director-actor duo collaborating for the third time. The film is said to have been inspired by real life events.
*USP:* Here too, the hit actor-director jodi.

*DIWALI**'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil'*
*Cast:* Ranbir Kapoor, Fawad Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Anushka Sharma
*Dir:* Karan Johar
*Lowdown:* The film is Karan Johar's next directorial venture and has an ensemble cast.
*USP:* KJo's direction and the star cast.

*'Shivaay'*
*Cast:* Ajay Devgn, Sayesha Saigal
*Dir:* Ajay Devgn
*Lowdown:* Not much about the plot has been revealed, except that it will be an action-thriller in which the actor plays dad to a 12-year-old (Lawless child artiste Abigail Eames).
*USP:* High octane action.

*JUNE 3**'Jagga Jasoos'*
*Cast:* Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif
*Dir:* Anurag Basu
*Lowdown:* A comedy-drama that revolves around a teenage detective in search of his missing father.
*USP:* Real life lovers coming together on screen after a seven-year gap.

*'Housefull 3'*
*Cast:* Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Lisa Haydon, Nargis Fakhri, Jacqueline Fernandez
*Dir:* Sajid-Farhad
*Lowdown:* Third part of the chaotic comedy franchise.
*USP:* Comic timing of Akki, Riteish, Jr B in one film; sexy actresses.

*JANUARY 22**'Airlift'*
*Cast:* Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur
*Dir:* Raj Krishna Menon
*Lowdown:* Based on the 'biggest human evacuation' with an Iraq-Kuwait war background.
*USP:* Story of true grit and of course, Akki.

*'Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3'*
*Cast:* Tusshar Kapoor, Aftab, Mandana Karimi
*Dir:* Sangeeth Sivan
*Lowdown:* An adult comedy packed with dollops of sex jokes, chaos and confusion.
*USP:* Touted as India's first porn com.

*JANUARY 29**'Saala Khadoos'*
*Cast:* R Madhavan, Ritika Singh
*Dir:* Sudha Kongara
*Lowdown:* A sports drama which revolves around a boxing coach and his protégé.
*USP:* Affable Maddy playing an uptight coach.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/1-Obama-Jerry-s.jpg

Seinfeld believes Obama "has gotten off enough funny lines to be qualified for this show".*President Barack Obama and Jerry Seinfeld*

Arriving in a classic 1963 Corvette Stingray Split Window Coupe to pick up the President, Seinfeld munched on an apple in the Oval Office while Obama finished his work, reported E! online.

At one point he stopped to ask the President whether the apples were washed.

The show had to take place in the White House as even the President was not allowed to get past the security. As they started chatting, the President joked that he really connected with children.

"I do really well with the 0-8 demographic. They love me. Probably because my ears are big."

He rued the fact that he can't just run into the comedian like normal people.

"I would love to just be taking a walk and then I run into you. You're sitting on a bench. And suddenly I say, 'Hey Jerry, how ya doin?'. That moment when you lost your anonymity. And anonymity is not something you think about as being valuable," Obama said.

The President, however, said he agreed to do the show to promote his pet project Obamacare.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/oct/24-Kylie-jenner-s.jpg

The 18-year-old "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" star, who is a lover of the photo-sharing site, admits she plans to ditch her 46.5 million followers once she gives birth to her first child, reported Female First.*Kylie Jenner. Pic/AFP*

"Once I have a kid, I'm not going to be on Instagram. I'll probably delete my Instagram and just ... I don't know, live life."

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/01-biopics-thrillers_s.jpg

*'Ghayal Once Again'

*
*Cast:* Sunny Deol, Soha Ali Khan, Om Puri
*Director:* Sunny Deol
*Lowdown:* An action drama which is a sequel to Deol’s 1990 super hit film Ghayal. USP: The actor's comeback plus the fact that the story will take off from where the original. ended. Release: January 15

*'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story'

*
*Cast:* Sushan Singh Rajput, Kiara Advani
*Dir:* Neeraj Pandey
*Lowdown:* A biopic on the Indian cricket captain, highlighting his struggles and journey so far.
*USP:* Revelation about certain unknown facts of MSD’s life.
*Release date:* September 2

*'Sarbjit'

*
*Cast:* Randeep Hooda, Richa Chadda, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
*Dir:* Omung Kumar
*Lowdown:* Based on the true story of an Indian farmer, Sarabjit Singh, who was convicted of espionage and terrorism in Pakistan for several years, until a brutal assault by fellow prisoners ended his life.
*USP:* The story and Ash’s ageing, de-glam avatar.
*Release:* May 20

*'Fan'

*
*Cast:* Shah Rukh Khan
*Dir:* Maneesh Sharma
*Lowdown:* Based on the life of the superstar himself. It will have the star essay a double role — as himself and his biggest fan.
*USP:* SRK as his own fan
*Release:* April 15

*'Aligarh'

*
*Cast:* Manoj Bajpayee, Rajkumar Rao
*Dir:* Hansal Mehta
*Lowdown:* A reel account of a real life incident where
Dr Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras was suspended from his university job because of his sexual orientation.
*USP:* The subject; acclaim at various film festivals.
*Release:* February 26

*'Fitoor'

*
*Cast:* Aditya Roy Kapur, Katrina Kaif
*Dir:* Abhishek Kapoor
*Lowdown:* A desi retelling of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations.
*USP:* Unusual pairing of Aditya-Kat; adaptation of a classic.
*Release:* February 12

*'Neerja'

*
*Cast:* Sonam Kapoor, Shekhar Ravjiani
*Dir:* Ram Madhvani
*Lowdown:* Cinematic version of the 1986 Pan Am hijack episode in which flight purser Neerja Bhanot saved hundreds of lives before falling to the terrorists’ bullets.
*USP:* Replication of the real-life story of a braveheart.
*Release:* February 19

*'Jai Gangaajal'

*
*Cast:* Priyanka Chopra
*Dir:* Prakash Jha
*Lowdown:* It is about a firebrand cop, who is appointed as the first female SP of a Bihar district. She goes against the Local MLA and his henchmen and all hell breaks loose.
*USP:* PeeCee as a gritty cop
*Release:* March 4

*'Do Lafzon Ki Kahani'

*
*Cast:* Randeep Hooda, Kajal Agarwal
*Director:* Deepak Tijori
*Lowdown:* A romantic drama based on a Korean movie titled Always. It is about an ex-boxer who has closed his heart to the world and a telemarketer who remains spirited despite slowly losing vision.
*USP:* Randeep’s look and character
*Release:* March 4

*'Kapoor & Sons'

*
*Cast:* Sidharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt and Fawad Khan
*Dir:* Shakun Batra
*Lowdown:* A romantic comedy drama in which Sid and Fawad play brothers.
*USP:* The ensemble cast, especially the boys.
*Release:* March 18

*'Udta Punjab'

*
*Cast:* Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Diljit Dosanjh
*Dir:* Abhishek Chaubey
*Lowdown:* A dark thriller on rampant drug abuse among youth in Punjab.
*USP:* Shahid and Kareena feature in the same film for the first time since their not-so-amicable split.
*Release:* June 17

*'Rangoon'

*
*Cast:* Shahid Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Kangana Ranaut
*Dir:* Vishal Bhardwaj
*Lowdown:* A romantic drama set against the backdrop of World War II.
*USP:* The cast; Kangana teaming up with the revered director for the first time.
*Release:* October 14

*'Dangal'

*
*Cast:* Aamir Khan, Sakshi Tanwar
*Dir:* Nitesh Tiwari
*Lowdown:* A biopic on wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat who trained three Commonwealth Games gold medalists, including his daughters Geeta and Babita Kumari, to success.
*USP:* Aamir as a wrestler and dad to grown-up girls.
*Release:* Christmas week

*'Rocky Handsome'

*
*Cast:* John Abraham, Shruti Haasan
*Dir:* Nishikant Kamath
*Lowdown:* An action thriller loosely based on Korean film 'The Man From Nowhere' in which a man sets out to take revenge against the drug mafia after they abduct an eight-year-old girl, with whom he shares a special bond.
*USP:* The plot of intrigue.
*Release:* March 25

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/01-Yashashri-Masurkar_s.jpg*Yashashri Masurkar. Pic/IANS*

Yashashri would be essaying the role of Gayatri -- a new age girl who wants to live life on her own terms.

"Gayatri's character is quite interesting and it will bring many twists and turns in the storyline and generate a lot of drama," Yashashri said in a statement.

Apart from her, the show will also star Sana Amin Sheikh, Chhavi Mittal and Indira Krishnan.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/nov/20-Bipasha-Basu_s.jpg*Bipasha Basu*

The 36-year-old actress said she has become understanding and loving over time.

"2015 has been a very special year. It's made me more content, patient, understanding, loving, trusting and above all happy," she posted on Twitter.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/01-Stars_s.jpg*Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and Rajkumar Hirani*

From megastar Amitabh Bachchan, action hero Sunny Deol, superstar Akshay Kumar to filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, all are set to release their films in the first month of 2016, leading to many clashes at the box office.

The year will begin with "Wazir", starring Bachchan and actor Farhan Akhtar. The high voltage drama-thriller is produced by filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra and helmed by "Shaitan" director Bejoy Nambiar.

"Wazir" will clash with the social-drama "Chauranga", produced by Onir and starring actor Sanjay Suri, Tannishtha Chatterjee among others.

It will be followed by "Ghayal Once Again", releasing on January 15, which has been directed, written and produced by Deol. It is the sequel to the 1990 super-hit action drama "Ghayal" and will mark the comeback of Deol who starred in the iconic role of amateur boxer Ajay Mehra.

The date will also mark the return of actress Juhi Chawla, who will make a come back after two years with "Chalk n Duster". The film, which brings life of two teachers, also stars veteran actress Shabana Azmi, Zarina Wahab and Divya Dutta.

The Friday post these two films will witness another clash at the box office with Akshay's "Airlift" and the adult comedy "Kyaa Kool Hai Hum 3", releasing on January 22.

Based on the evacuation of Indians based in Kuwait during the Iraq-Kuwait war, "Airlift" marks Akshay's second consecutive release in January after his last year's espionage-drama "Baby", while "Kyaa Kool Hai Hum 3" is the third instalment in the hugely popular adult-comedy series "Kyaa Kool Hai Hum".

It stars actors Tusshar Kapoor, Aftab Shivdasani among others.

The last Friday of the month will end with yet another adult-comedy clashing with a big-star film. Sunny Leone starrer "Mastizaade" and R Madhavan's "Saala Khadoos" will release on January 29.

Produced by Rajkumar Hirani, "Saala Khadoos" is a bilingual sports drama film. The film features Madhavan as a hard task-master boxing coach and also stars boxer Ritika Singh.

"Mastizaade" stars Leone in a double role and also features actor Tusshar Kapoor and Vir Das.

The year 2015 saw many releases in January too, from Arjun Kapoor's "Tevar", Bipasha Basu's "Alone" to Ayushmann Khurrana's "Hawaizaada". But it was only "Baby" which was successful.

In the past, few films have worked at the box office during January which is considered a lull period as viewers are still in the holiday mood.

In January 2014, it was only superstar Salman Khan's "Jai Ho" that worked decently at the box office and was the solo big release.

While in 2013 it was "Race 2" which was successful among other releases like "Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola", "Inkaar" and "Akaash Vani".

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/dec/08Priyanka-Chopra-s.jpg*Priyanka Chopra*

Asked about the status of "Madamji", she said: "'Madamji' is on hold and this film is very close to my heart. For this film, I have to give 70 days for shoot but since my show ('Quantico') got extended, I couldn't do it. Hopefully, someday I will make it. But right now I am not doing it."

The project is to be directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, who directed Priyanka for her National Award winning role in "Fashion".

As of now, she is riding high on the plaudits earned for "Bajirao Mastani", in which she has played Kashibai, Bajirao's wife.

Priyanka says she finds no competition in the film industry.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/dec/17rock-s.jpg



Been a dream 2 wrk w De Niro even if I have to wear lady clothes TOTALLY WORTH IT @dirtygrandpa JAN 22 #dirtygrandpa pic.twitter.com/4BH4Va2VXT

— Zac Efron (@ZacEfron) December 30, 2015

Sharing a still from his film 'Dirty Grandpa', the 28-year-old actor penned a sweet message that read, "It's been a life long dream of mine to work with De Niro," he wrote.

"Lo and behold, I spend most of the movie naked or in women's clothing," he added.

His message further read as, "And you know what...it was TOTALLY WORTH IT. I can't wait for you to see @dirtygrandpa - it's hilarious! Save the date for a wild (and really weird) ride on JAN 22 #dirtygrandpa."

The 'Hercules' actor was quick to comment on Efron's post and hilariously wrote, "Nice tits brother. See you soon!"*Dwayne Johnson. Pic/Santa Banta*

The pic showed the 'Neighbors' actor showing his abs in a tiny and tight tank that read as "Stop Staring at My Tits."

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/dec/09-Sanjay-Leela-Bhansali_s.jpg*Sanjay Leela Bhansali*

"No, I have not faced any problem with the censor board. When they see your intention and purity of work, they understand. I never had a bad experience," Bhansali told IANS.

"Certain norms are being followed which takes away the cinematic purity of the moment, but I have been very fortunate that the censor board has been kind with me. I have had a good experience with them," he added.

Bhansali, who is enjoying the success of his latest film "Bajirao Masatani", said many people thought that the film is "jinxed".

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/1-George-Lucas-s.jpg

In an interview with Charlie Rose, Lucas, who had sold the rights to Disney for USD 4 billion in 2012, refers to 'Star Wars' movies as his "kids", reported the Entertainment Weekly.

"I sold them to the white slavers that takes these things, and...," Lucas said with a laugh.*George Lucas*

The legendary director, 74, who was working on a new "Star Wars" movie before he decided to sell the rights, said the studio was not keen about his involvement in the J J Abrams-directed movie.

"They looked at the stories, and they said, 'We want to make something for the fans'. They decided they didn't want to use those stories, they decided they were going to do their own thing."

"They weren't that keen to have me involved anyway - but if I get in there, I'm just going to cause trouble, because they're not going to do what I want them to do. And I don't have the control to do that anymore, and all I would do is muck everything up and so I said, 'OK, I will go my way, and I'll let them go their way'," Lucas said.

"The Force Awakens" has already earned USD 1.23 billion at the global box office.

When asked about his opinion about the new movie, Lucas said he was not a fan of the "retro" approach.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/01-Gurmeet-Chaudhary_s.jpg*Gurmeet Chaudhary*

A youthful film revolving around a love story, the film is a comic and emotional journey of Laddu and Laali portrayed by Vivaan Shah and Akshara Haasan with a twist.

Gurmeet will be seen playing the role of a Prince who any girl would dream to marry. Director Manish Harishankar says, “Gurmeet is the perfect guy to play the role of a Prince and the royal nuances come naturally to him. If Vivaan and Akshara make a fresh young couple to look out for, Gurmeet and Akshara are sure to be an enduring couple.”

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/dec/31-Mandana-Sidharth-dance-s.jpg

Later, Bigg Boss asks the winner team of the jewel thief task – Rochelle, Kishwer, Prince and Priya - to mutually nominate two contestants for captainship. When all four fail to arrive at a consensus, they decide to pick up chits to decide the two contenders. Eventually, Prince and Rochelle face off during the captaincy task and the two contenders have to convince the housemates to support them. The housemates have to hook themselves up to the housemate they believe is deserving for the captainship and form a chain with the help of belts.*Housemates ring in the New Year with Sidharth Shukla and Gutthi*

In the evening, the housemates walk into the garden to find the atmosphere set to bring in the New Year. 'Balika Vadhu' fame Sidharth Shukla receives a warm welcome from the housemates as he enters the house and introduces the 'Snapdeal Full On Fashion' New Year event. As the host of the event, he introduces set of awards and also says that he is here to update them about the world of TV outside. He reveals a television made out of cardboard with Gutthi standing inside the box. Spewing hilarity, Gutthi announces the news in a funny way. In her flirtatiously desperate manner, she ends the news by saying that Bigg Boss has confirmed that if Gutthi agrees to marry him, he will reveal his face.*'Naagin' fame Adaa Khan enters the house and puts up an entertaining performance for the housemates*

The awards night begins and a slew of fun awards are given away. The first award – Kehna Kya Chahti Ho award – is a tie between Rochelle, Mandana and Nora – and Gutthi gifts them a long tie. The second award is the Bhukkad award and Rishabh and Prince tie for the award, The housemates vote Rishabh for the award. Gutthi brings out a cake and smashes it on Rishabh’s face and runs out. After giving Priya the Kaano Ka Khooni award, the Chor award is given to Mandana. Taking it in her stride, she says, “Mein chor hoon, lekin dil ka chor!” After giving her the award, Sidharth asks Mandana for a dance. After giving the sidekick award to Rishabh, 'Naagin' fame Adaa Khan enters the house and puts up an entertaining performance for the housemates on 'Mera Naam Mary Hai' and 'Tukur Tukur'.*Sidharth Shukla and Mandana Karimi share a sizzling chemistry as they dance to 'Chori Kiya Re Jiya' song from 'Dabangg'*

Later, Gutthi re-enters the house and entertains the housemates with her typical antics. She says that she is there because she wants to find a boyfriend. She says that Bigg Boss has his eyes on her. In a funny twist of events Bigg Boss announces, “Mein Tumse Jodi nahi banana chahata, Gutthi!” She then calls Prince to the stage trying to impress him and does a belly dance face-off with Nora.*Gutthi does a belly dance face-off with Nora Fatehi*

After announcing the three couples as the nominees for the 'Best Jodi' award, the award finally goes to Prince and Suyyash. Both of them bromance to 'Meri Aashiqui Tum Hi Ho'. While the 'Tu Bahar Mil Mein Batata Hoon' award goes to Rishabh and the 'Double Standard' award goes to Mandana, the 'Bigg Boss Pe Boj' award is a tie between Mandana and Suyyash. Keith and Rochelle receive the Fashionable Male and Fashionable Female award. Keith and Rishabh also try to woo Gutthi to the number ‘Tumhe Apna Banane Ka’.*Prince Narula and Suyyash Rai win the 'Best Jodi' award*

Once Bigg Boss wishes the housemates, Gutthi and Sidharth a very Happy New Year, the entertaining night draws to an end.*Here's a sneak-peek into 'Bigg Boss 9' Day 81*

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/nov/21Dia-Mirza-s.jpg*Dia Mirza *

The movie -- about Maratha warrior Peshwa Bajirao I (Ranveer Singh), Mastani (Deepika Padukone) and Kashibai (Priyanka) -- has been praised by many, including megastar Amitabh Bachchan. And now, Dia has joined the league.

"@priyankachopra you made Kashibai so endearing, so deliciously real, so undeniable. Big big big love and respect. #BajiraoMastani," Dia tweeted.

To that, Priyanka responded: "Thank you Dee... You are too sweet. I’m so glad."

Dia also hailed Ranveer's performance in the movie.

"@RanveerOfficial there can be no other Bajirao. No words to describe the awe, respect and love I feel for your sincerity and conviction. @RanveerOfficial your performance in #BajiraoMastani will go down in history of Indian cinema as one of the finest ever. #Legend," she tweeted.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2014/dec/13-Raajpal-Yadav_s.jpg*Raajpal Yadav*

"I'm extremely satisfied with the kind of work that I'm currently doing because I'm in the path of the work that I always wanted to do and there is a good progress in life.

"There are four to five projects which include an international project and different kinds of films," Raajpal, mostly known for his comic roles in films like "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" and "Partner", said at the Global Achiever's Awards where he was felicitated earlier this week.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/nov/Angelina-Brad-sex-scene-s.jpg

The family is staying in a palatial 10-bedroom pad at the Amanpuri beach resort in Phuket, reported the New York Post.

*Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. File pic/AFP*

"The whole family is staying in a two-floor, mammoth spread" that comes with a staff of eight servants, private gym and a pool surrounded by mini pagodas," a source said.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/dec/31-Bipasha-Basu-s.jpg

The 36-year-old actress took to her Instagram and Twitter page to share her pic and wrote, "Blessed."


 

A photo posted by bipashabasu (@bipashabasu) onDec 30, 2015 at 1:51am PST



 

Responding to the actress' post, one of the users wrote, "Beautiful picture.. looks warm!"


 

Loving it here❤ï¸Â

A photo posted by bipashabasu (@bipashabasu) onDec 31, 2015 at 2:16am PST



 

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/dec/31-Bollywood-New-Year-s.jpg

*Sonam Kapoor

*
She has flown to Maldives with her friends for a year-end party. *(View pics)*

*Aamir Khan

*
The actor along with his family have gone to Switzerland for the New Year. The actor flew out on Saturday, hours before his best pal Salman Khan rang in his 50th birthday.

*Sidharth Malhotra-Alia Bhatt

*
The alleged couple has reportedly flown to Mexico to bring in the New Year together.

*Saif Ali Khan-Kareena Kapoor Khan

*
The couple have left for Gstaad, a resort town in Bernese Oberland region of the Swiss Alps, to usher in the New Year.

*Shah Rukh Khan

*
He will welcome 2016 at his Dubai home along with family. Many of his close friends are expected to join him on the night of December 31. The actor flew out of the city yesterday morning.

*Deepika Padukone

*
The actress was recently spotted in Rajasthan with her girl gang *(view pic)* and it is believed that she will celebrate the beginning of 2016 there itself. Her actor-beau Ranveer Singh is likely to join her.

*Hrithik Roshan

*
The actor took off for Switzerland with his sons, Hrehaan and Hridhaan for Christmas and they are staying put till New Year dawns.

*Watch video! Hrithik Roshan enjoys skiing with his sons in Switzerland*

*Ranbir Kapoor-Katrina Kaif

*
The couple will give a miss to their favourite destination New York this year and instead head to Mexico.

*Varun Dhawan

*
The actor is headed to Barcelona where he will be a part of a friend’s bachelor party to be followed by a New Year bash.

*Priyanka Chopra*
Actress Priyanka Chopra who has garnered applause for her performance as Kashibai in "Bajirao Mastani" is with her girl gang abroad.

*Aishwarya Rai Bachchan*Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who made her comeback on silver screen with "Jazbaa", along with her actor husband Abhishek and daughter Aaradhya had celebrated Christmas in New York and the couple plan on to celebrate their stay there. "Wishing everyone a very happy and a prosperous new year," Aishwarya said.

*Sonakshi Sinha*Sonakshi Sinha will be in Bangalore as her best friend is getting married next year. So this New Year, she is with her gang of friends.

*Shilpa Shetty*Actress Shilpa Shetty is in London along with her husband Raj Kundra and son. *(View pic)*

*Tamannaah Bhatia*Actress Tamannaah Bhatia, who was part of blockbuster "Baahubali" is taking her parents on an international tour this New Year' Eve. The family will be in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they will spend the New Year week. "I am satisfied with the way 2015 has gone and I am really looking forward for the coming year to be even more fun filled. I wish all my loved ones a very happy new year and have a wonderful year ahead," she added.

*Bhumi Pednekar*Newcomer Bhumi Pednekar of "Dum Laga Ke Haisha" fame would be working on New Year. "I think I would be working on the New Year and it is a good thing," she added.

*Akshara Haasan*

Kamal Hassan and Sarika's daughter Akshara, who made her debut with "Shamitabh" will be out of the country celebrating New Year. "I would be out of the country with family and friends," she said.

*Sanah Kapur*Shahid Kapur's sister Sanah who made her acting debut alongside her brother Shahid in "Shaandaar", will be spending the New Year's night with her family and few close friends at a family friend's house.

*Manoj Bajpayee*Actor Manoj Bajpayee will celebrate the New Year in Delhi with his relatives and in-laws. He has decided to make this trip special by visiting the ancient monuments and historical places in Delhi. "I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Wishing you everyone a year full of love, peace and prosperity," he said.

*Sonu Sood*Actor Sonu Sood will be joined by his family in Bejing, where he is shooting with Jackie Chan for "Kung Fu Yoga".

*Manish Paul*

Host-actor Manish Paul is on holiday with his family in Dubai.

*Subhash Ghai*Filmmaker Subhash Ghai will be with his family in Goa.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/dec/31-Vidya-Balan-s.jpg*Vidya Balan*

"Vidya is recovering well. She is feeling better. Most probably she will get discharged by tomorrow," said a source close to the actress.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/dec/31-Kapil_s.jpg

After his fall out with the channel that airs his comedy show, *Kapil Sharma* seems to have found takers on rival channels.*Kapil Sharma*

The comedian has been snapped up to host an upcoming film awards gala which will be held on January 8 and will air on a rival channel.

The said awards show was being hosted by Shah Rukh Khan for the past three years. Kapil has been attending meetings and is going through scripts to add his own touch to the event.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/dec/31Taylor-Swift-s.jpg


 

A photo posted by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) onDec 30, 2015 at 4:17pm PST



"Are we out of the woods yet?" Swift, 26, wrote along with an image of her looking both angry and frightened. 'Out of the Woods' will debut during the Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve show. The exact time release has yet to be announced.

Taylor Swift's latest song, co-written by Jack Antonoff, will be the sixth official single off her popular 1989 album.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/oct/22Chris-Rock-s.jpg*Chris Rock. Pic/AFP*

Rock feels that the 'Hunger Games' star would have far greater problems in the industry "if she was black", reports variety.com.

"Black women have the hardest gig in show business," Chris Rock told the New Yorker magazine.

"You hear Jennifer Lawrence complaining about getting paid less because she’s a woman - if she was black, she'd really have something to complain about," he added.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/nov/19Twinkle-Khanna-s.jpg

Rishi had posted, "Happy Birthday dear one! You were in your mums tummy when I was serenading her in Bobby 'Aksar koi Ladka' In 1973 lol."*Twinkle Khanna*

His tweet kicked a storm on social media as fans began to discuss the dates, as it is generally believed that Dimple Kapadia married Rajesh Khanna after "Bobby" shoot got over.

He again tweeted, "Kuch logon ko problem Kya hai? Kakaji and Dimple were married, Bobby was still incomplete, we shot that song when Dimple was 3 months pregnant."

Twinkle, who turned 41 earlier this week, took his posts in a positive way and supported the actor.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/oct/06-Bolly-Holly_s.jpg

hitlist recalls a few instances of Hollywood names who tested Bollywood waters.

*Gamble on*
Oscar-winning actor Ben Kingsley, who is best remembered for his portrayal of Gandhi in the 1982 biopic, was seen in Amitabh Bachchan-starrer 'Teen Patti'.*Ben Kingsley with Amitabh Bachchan in 'Teen Patti' *

The film revolved around a mathematics professor, played by Bachchan, who tries to write a thesis on probability and relates it to the game of 'Teen Patti' (2010). Talking about the experience of working in the film, Kingsley, who played a world-renowned mathematician, had said in an interview, "It's a very, very small part... It was an opportunity to work with an Indian crew again after Gandhi. I missed that. It was an opportunity to work with Mr Bachchan who is an icon in his own field. It's interesting to mix cultures in a film to see how different people from different backgrounds can be so very synchronised and work together. We worked very intensely. I keep appearing in little scenes in the film as a storyteller. We hit a very quick working rhythm."

*The Supervillain**Nathan Jones in a still from 'Mad Max: Fury Road' (2015)*

Nathan Jones, the burly baddie of 'Mad Max: Fury Road' (2015), has reportedly been signed for Remo D'Souza's next. Titled 'A Flying Jatt', the film will feature Tiger Shroff as a superhero and the Aussie wrestler, as a supervillain.

*More the merrier*
The 2009 film, 'Kambakkth Ishq' had not one but three Hollywood stars — Sylvester Stallone, Denise Richards and Brandon Routh — in special appearance.*'Kambakkth Ishq' (2009) had three Hollywood faces in special appearances. Kareena Kapoor Khan with Sylvester Stallone*

Stallone, best known for his roles in the 'Rocky' and 'Rambo' series, played himself and packed a punch in the action sequences in which he pinned goons to the ground to protect the leading lady, Kareena Kapoor Khan.*Akshay Kumar with Denise Richards*

Bond girl Richards was seen as lead actor Akshay Kumar's love interest and her liplock with him generated quite the buzz among the Khiladi's fans. 'Superman' Routh performed an action scene with Akki and according to reports, the two actors were seen exchanging tips on fitness, action and martial arts on set.*Brandon Routh*

*The other side*
'Vikings' actor Clive Standen appeared in the 2007 film 'Namastey London', which had Katrina Kaif and Akshay Kumar in lead roles.*Clive Standen featured in Akshay Kumar-starrer Namastey London*

The film showed how NRIs give little value to Indian traditions and, instead, ape Westerners. Standen played Kat's boyfriend, Charlie Brown, an influential individual who has little respect for Indians. This has been the actor's only Hindi film till date.

*Lights, camera, action*
Akshay, who is known for performing his own stunts in films, shared screen space with Lester Speight in 'International Khiladi' (1999). Speight, who is popular for his role in 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon', played a goon in the action-thriller. The lean Akshay taking on the brawny Speight made for an interesting action sequence.

*Another perspective?*
Toby Stephens, who has worked in films like 'Die Another Day', played a British officer in 'The Rising - Ballad of Mangal Pandey' starring Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji in lead roles.*Aamir Khan and Toby Stephens in 'The Rising - Ballad of Mangal Pandey'*

According to director Ketan Mehta, Stephen's role in the film was that of an "officer with a conscience." After the shoot wrapped up, the actor was quoted saying, "It was a real experience. To make a film in India, work with Indian actors and filmmakers, and to experience the culture was extraordinary. The fact it was a historical film about the British in India and what happened there was a real eye opener. I went to a public school and grew up with a sense of Empire even in the '70s and '80s, and this gave me a different perspective. The idea of us, the British, being some sort of benign, educating force suddenly seemed to be a load of rubbish. It was a company running a country. I mean how twisted was that? It made me quite ashamed of our history."The Western twang*Artistes from the West who have sung for Hindi films and made them chartbusters:*

**>> Snoop Dogg collaborated with Akshay Kumar for the title track of 'Singh is Kinng' (2008).
>> R&B sensation Akon sang 'Chammak Challo' for Anubhav Sinha's 'RA.One' which starred Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan.
>> Kylie Minogue lent vocals to the 'Chiggy Wiggy' number along with Sonu Nigam for Akshay Kumar-starrer 'Blue'. The song was composed by AR Rahman.

*In pictures: Indian-origin artistes in Hollywood*

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*In pictures: Indian-origin actors making waves on American TV shows*

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*Sonakshi Sinha*

Giving New Year greetings to Sonakshi, the 'Saturday Saturday' hit-maker recorded a video for her wherein he said the 'Dabangg' actress is multi-talented and his favourite actress, singer and performer and style icon.


 

A video posted by Sonakshi Sinha (@aslisona) onDec 29, 2015 at 10:50pm PST



 

Expressing her gratitude, the 28-year-old actress shared a video on her Instagram and wrote, "I got the sweetest new year wish last night!!!!!!! Thank you @badboyshah and the very sweet @aasthagill (love you miming at the back, but mein tumhari bhavnao ko samajh gayi ??) you guys rocked 2015, and i can see 2016 only getting bigger and better for you'll - your asli fan - aslisona."

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/nov/16-Aditya-Shraddha_s.jpg*Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor will star in 'O Kadhal Kanmani' Hindi remake*

The upcoming movie is being produced by filmmaker Karan Johar and will be directed by Shaad Ali, who has earlier helmed "Saathiya", which was the Hindi remake of Ratnam's "Alaipayuthey".

"Honoured to collaborate with Mani Ratnam on the recreation of his labour of love....directed by Shaad Ali," Karan posted on his Twitter page on Thursday.

"Mani Ratnam...Gulzar saab... A.R. Rahman... Shaad and us present Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor in the official recreation of #okkanmani," he added.

*Karan Johar*

The remake will be directed by Shaad Ali, an erstwhile assistant of Ratnam, who had previously remade his 'Alaipayuthey' in Hindi as 'Saathiya'.

The film will have music by A.R. Rahman, who had also worked on the original and will feature lyrics by Gulzar.

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The 37-year-old actor took to his Twitter handle and made the announcement by sharing a picture of himself along with Ravi Jadhav.



Dir @meranamravi gifts me a BANJO to practice. Super Music by my buddies @VishalDadlani @ShekharRavjiani #JanShoot pic.twitter.com/KqSRgrE4rx

— Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) December 29, 2015

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The 'Pulp Fiction' filmmaker has been named in legal action alongside bosses at The Weinstein Company and Columbia Pictures, amid allegations he stole the premise of the 2012 film from a script, called 'Freedom', written by Oscar Colvin, Jr and Torrance J Colvin, reported Variety.

*Quentin Tarantino. Pic/AFP*

"Before Django Freeman (Jamie Foxx's character), there was an escaped slave named Jackson Freeman who desired to purchase his family's freedom from a malevolent plantation owner," reads the court papers, filed in Washington, DC.

"Before Dr Schultz (Christoph Waltz's character), there was Samson, another white man, who would assist Mr Freeman in his efforts to rescue his loved one(s) from slavery."

They also branded Tarantino an "admitted thief", quoting him as stating, "I steal from every single movie ever made."

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"We have objection to the name of his portal as Khan Market is a renowned entity known not only in India but across the globe. This portal is misusing our market's name and hence amounts to trademark infringement," said Sanjiv Mehra, president of Khan Market Traders' Association.

*Also read: Here's why Salman Khan is controversy's favourite child in Bollywood**Salman Khan. Pic/Santa Banta*

"Khan Market is a global brand, people across the globe know it by this name. Salman Khan should have taken us into confidence before using the market's name for his portal. The courts in Delhi are closed right now. Meanwhile, we are seeking legal advice on the issue. We may approach the actor and ask him to change the portal's name. If he doesn't agree then we will take the legal route," he added.

Salman had unveiled the shopping portal on his 50th birthday on December 27.



Thank u for ur bday wishes . Means a lot to me . Aur yeh raha aapka return gift https://t.co/VppaFKq7d7

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) December 27, 2015

Though the portal is yet to become operational, potential customers can register on the site.

The traders body said that Salman's portal will not only leave shoppers confused but also add to the woes of the shopkeepers in the 65-year-old market that has 156 shops and 35 restaurants.

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The duo will be seen sharing screen space in the yet-untitled project for the first time. The "Dilwale" actress said after enacting a scene from the upcoming film with Sushant, she felt they had an instant spark.

*Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon. Pic/Sushant's Twitter account *

"Dinesh asked us to do a scene from the movie. We were sitting on the sofa and did it impromptu. There was something special, something you can't describe in words. There was a connect, a spark, some chemistry between me and Sushant even though that was the first time we met."

"So, that kind of thing coming out in the first meeting was very different and unique for all of us. The film has a beautiful script. It is something which we three are very passionate about and there is some great energy between three of us," Kriti told PTI.

Without divulging details about the film, the 25-year-old actress said it will present a different side of her to the audience. "It is about love, dreams, destiny... I feel it will show a different side of me to the audience. It is different from what I have already done. I will be starting Feb end-March beginning. Sushant would be done with 'Dhoni...' by then."

"After that we will go into a little prep and then begin shooting. I remember the first time I met Dinesh a few months ago, it was for something else and while talking, he narrated me this script. Sushant was already involved with it. I went back home and it stayed with me for days and after some time I met Dinesh and told him that I would love to do the film."

She is just two-film-old and though aware of the competition around, Kriti is in no hurry to sign films. "I consider everyone a competition. I don't keep a tab on their work but there is a good, healthy competition. Whether it is Alia, Shraddha or Parineeti everyone is doing so well. They have done so many films. Technically, I am the newest of all. Everyone is being picky and choosy," she said.

While Kriti comes from a non-film background, many of her contemporaries are star kids, who enjoy backing from the industry. The actress, however, thinks the filmy association helps an actor only for the initial part of the career and beyond that it is one's hardwork that does the talking.

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*Krishna Raj Kapoor* celebrated her birthday recently and her granddaughter, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, posted the party pictures on social media.

She captioned it, "Grannys prebday celebration #lunching." The bash was attended by Neetu Kapoor, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni with her daughter Samara, Reema Jain and others.

As the Kapoor matriarch always dresses in white, several of the guests, too, turned up in the same hue.


 

❤ï¸Â #faves #unconditionallove #grannysprebdaycelebration #family

A photo posted by riddhimakapoorsahni (@riddhimakapoorsahni) onDec 29, 2015 at 9:47pm PST



 


 

#grannysprebdaycelebration #lunching ❤ï¸Â

A photo posted by riddhimakapoorsahni (@riddhimakapoorsahni) onDec 29, 2015 at 5:51am PST



 


 

#family #grannysprebdaycelebration #lunching #bua #mum #granny

A photo posted by riddhimakapoorsahni (@riddhimakapoorsahni) onDec 29, 2015 at 5:50am PST



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Their were stories that the 41-year-old "Chennai Express" helmer and "Haider" star will team up soon.

"No, I am not working with Shahid. I don't know where these reports are coming from. We have just met once. And there is no project we are working on together right now," Rohit told PTI.*Rohit Shetty. File pic/Satej Shinde*

The director, who was busy with "Dilwale" throughout 2015, will start his next project, the remake of 1989 superhit film "Ram Lakhan" in the coming year.

"I will start working on the script of "Ram Lakhan" in January. Then we will see how it goes."

Rohit has been a frequent collaborator with Ajay Devgn. From "Golmaal" series to "Singham" their combo has worked wonders at the box office, but his last two outings have been with Shah Rukh Khan.

However, he soon plans to reunite with Ajay, who is currently filming his first directorial venture "Shivaay".

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The comedian, 78, was charged earlier on Wednesday for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting former Temple employee Andrea Constand at his Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, mansion in January 2004, reported People magazine.

*Bill Cosby. Pic/AFP*

The sweater-clad Cosby, who arrived without his wife, Camille, and was walking with a cane, was arraigned in Elkins Park, where his bail was set at USD one million.

He was also ordered to surrender his passport. Throughout the appearance, Cosby seemed disoriented and was fidgeting with his fingers.

The judge ended the proceeding by wishing Cosby "Good luck to you." Cosby replied, "Thank you."

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/nov/5-Fan-new-poster-s.jpg*Shah Rukh Khan*

Shah Rukh, who finished shooting the Yash Raj film that is currently on its extensive post-production, says it was tough to transform himself into a 24-year-old person every day with the help of prosthetics.

"Physically, it was extremely challenging to become 24. The prosthetics took about four hours... The guy is a lookalike of someone who he loves. His story is a lot similar like mine.

"He follows the star as he feels the star is from Delhi and he can also be like his idol some day. But the story is different... To capture all that was very interesting and schizophrenic. I just hope that I have turned it out just okay," Shah Rukh told PTI.

The 50-year-old actor is happy that he got the opportunity to play a Delhi-based boy in the film. "I am glad that I got the opportunity to play a Delhi boy. I used to hate it when actors, who are not from Delhi, will play Delhi guys. I used to think why I have not been given the chance to play a Delhi boy as I come from there. I am very happy now. I had forgotten the accent. It's good to recapture that."

SRK says as far as the role of superstar Aryan Khanna is concerned, it is a milder version of his public persona. "He is actually very quiet unlike the flamboyance you see of me coming out on my birthday and waving at thousands of people.

"I don't do the same in that film. We have never shown the star at shooting. We have never shown his flamboyance. That's very different. That's itself is very internalised because that's how perhaps I am at home, very normal and regular."

The teaser of the movie has already captured the attention of fans as SRK's appearance is different despite resembling him. Asked whether he is expecting to sweep all the awards Shah Rukh jokingly said, "I am just waiting for the National award as I have decided to retire after getting one."

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*Pulkit Samrat and Yami Gautam

*
The two started seeing each other while working for Divya Khosla Kumar's upcoming film 'Sanam Re'. By the time the Simla schedule began, they had become inseparable, claim sources. The link up buzz followed with cracks in Pulkit's marriage (to longtime sweetheart Shweta Rohira, Salman Khan's rakhi sister). The wife has confirmed that she is splitting from Pulkit, but he and Yami don't seem ready yet to talk about their relationship.

*Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra

*
When they debuted together in 'Student of the Year' (2012), they were just as friendly as co-stars are expected to be. But somewhere down the line, the two seemed to have gotten serious about each other. Ever since they returned from their 2015 New Year holiday, they are speculated to be a couple. The buzz reached a crescendo when they began shooting for Shakun Batra's 'Kapoor & Sons' earlier this year. A long schedule in Coonoor and Ooty apparently ignited the spark. Alia has been clicked visiting Sid's home in Bandra though the two evade being spotted together in public. When asked about their relationship, they prefer to just smile. If the grapevine is to be believed, the two are going strong.

*Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover

*
Bips took everyone by surprise when she agreed to star opposite the television actor in the horror flick, 'Alone'. During the shoot, both were going through personal upheavals — the actress had parted ways with beau Harman Baweja while Karan's marriage with actress Jennifer Winget had ended. Initially, it appeared that their love story was a publicity stunt for their film. But long after the film released, Bips and Karan continue to paint the town red with their romance. The duo is often spotted at nightclubs and have even holidayed together. The two have been posting their lovey dovey snapshots on social media, but still refuse to admit that they are a couple.2015: The Year That Was in the World of Entertainment*Bollywood's fashion report card for 2015: Winners and sinners*

*2015 Recap: Bollywood 'couples' who kept rumour mills buzzing*

*2015 Rewind: 8 lessons Bollywood taught us*

*2015 in Pictures: Hottest on-screen Bollywood liplocks*

*Bollywood's 'candid' connection: The best of 2015 in pictures*

*The A to Z of 2015 Bollywood landmarks -- scoured, sifted and served*

*Insta-hit in 2015! Best celebrity Instagram photos of the year*

*In pictures: Bollywood's top 10 controversial moments in 2015*

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*Rajkummar Rao* is in England to usher in 2016. The actor along with his pals, including ladylove Patralekha, was keen to usher in the New Year in snowy weather.*Patralekha and Rajkummar Rao*

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Buzz is that *Aishwarya Rai Bachchan* has given her nod to a multi-heroine project.*Aishwarya Rai Bachchan*

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*Esha Deol* and *Madhurima Tuli* are performing in Colombo for a New Year’s Eve bash.*Esha Deol and Madhurima Tuli*

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With most of Bollywood headed overseas for a year-end break, *Kangana Ranaut* prefers to stay put in Mumbai.*Kangana Ranaut*

Apparently, the actress is in the mood for introspection. 2015 was her year with 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns' making box office records, and she being considered the highest paid actress in Bollywood.

The actress was also part of the Women in the World summit and the Paris Fashion Week to attend the Dior show.

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*Neil Nitin Mukesh* and *Manasvi Mamgai* will be performing in Kinshasha in Congo at a New Year's gala.*Neil Nitin Mukesh and (right) Manasvi Mamgai*

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/dec/Athiya-Sooraj-s.jpg*From left: Sanjay Suri, Manasi Joshi Roy, Neelam Kothari, Rohit Roy and Samir Soni**Athiya Shetty and Sooraj Pancholi*

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The kids re-enacted Sunny's hit lines and emulated the actor's hook steps leaving the 'one-man army' in splits.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/dec/31-Salman-Iulia_s.jpg

*Also read: When Iulia Vantur sang Salman Khan's song**Salman Khan and (inset) Iulia Vantur*

An eyewitness says, "Salman was a bit upset because he didn't like that Iulia getting over friendly with some guests at the party. An argument of sorts followed."

*Also read: Does Salman love to splurge on alleged ladylove Iulia Vantur?*

A source close to the actor confirms the news and says, "Yes, Salman bhai was a bit unhappy with Iulia and when the party wrapped up, he conveyed the same to her politely. He didn't yell at her."

*Also read: Iulia Vantur visits Salman Khan at his Bandra home ahead of verdict*

Salman Khan's bash had a huge, glittering turnout and Iulia was seen photobombing a few of his snapshots with guests.*Photos: Celebs party with Salman Khan on his 50th birthday*

  Reported by Mid-Day 1 day ago.

North Lincolnshire Council hygiene inspectors continue to undertake routine visits to shops, restaurants, takeaways and other premises where food is a feature. The rating system used is: FIVE STARS: Very good. FOUR STARS: Good THREE STARS: Generally satisfactory TWO STARS: Improvement necessary ONE STAR Major improvement necessary NO STARS: Urgent improvement necessary. Co operative Group, Market Place, Epworth, has been given a Food Hygiene Rating of 5 (Very Good). Reported by Scunthorpe Telegraph 1 day ago.

New Principals Help National CPA Firm Grow Client Base, Expand Services

(PRWEB) January 01, 2016

Novogradac & Company LLP, a San Francisco-based accounting and consulting firm with 20 offices nationwide, has elevated six firm members to principal. The firm, which specializes in affordable housing, community development, historic preservation and renewable energy tax credits, promoted Roy Chou and Phillip Yim of the San Francisco office; Tom Fantin and Ryan Rieger of the Dover, Ohio, office; Erica Giessler of the Walnut Creek, Calif., office: and Brent Parker of the Long Beach, Calif., office.

“I am thrilled to announce that Roy, Phillip, Tom, Ryan, Erica and Brent have been promoted to principal,” said Michael Novogradac, managing partner in the firm’s San Francisco office. “Each of our new principals has demonstrated tremendous knowledge in their respective fields and has helped the firm better serve its existing clients as well as many new clients. My partners and I could not be more pleased with their accomplishments.”

Mr. Chou has experience in affordable housing and community development, including new markets tax credit (NMTC) and historic rehabilitation tax credit (HTC) transactions. He has worked extensively on NMTC allocation applications, NMTC compliance, financial projections models and forecasts, financial statement audits and tax return preparation. He is also a frequent speaker at the pre-conference workshops at the firm’s NMTC and HTC conferences. Mr. Chou has contributed articles to various publications including the Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration with concentrations in accounting and finance from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Mr. Chou is licensed in California as a certified public accountant.

Mr. Yim provides tax consulting and compliance services in the renewable energy, real estate and financial services industries. His practice focus has included renewable energy transactions, private equity, venture capital, real estate limited partnerships and real estate investment trusts (REITs). Before joining Novogradac & Company LLP, Mr. Yim worked for a global professional services firm in San Francisco. Mr. Yim received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and his masters in taxation from Golden Gate University.

Mr. Fantin performs numerous services related to the NMTC, HTC and RETC industries, including audit and tax services, forecasting and consulting. He also helps oversee the firm’s employee benefits and brokers and dealers in securities practices. Before joining Novogradac & Company in 2014, Mr. Fantin was an associate director with a regional certified public accounting firm in Ohio. He has extensive experience serving the accounting and business advisory needs of companies in various industries, including brokers and dealers in securities, restaurants and manufacturing/distribution. Mr. Fantin’s experience includes providing auditing, accounting, and mergers and acquisitions services, including due diligence, and performing SSAE 16 engagements. Mr. Fantin received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Akron. He was recognized as one of The CPA Practice Advisor's 40 under 40 from 2009 through 2013 and is a licensed certified public accountant in Ohio.

Before joining Novogradac & Company in 2006, Mr. Rieger was a senior accountant with a regional certified public accounting firm in Ohio where he served clients in the construction, real estate, manufacturing, retail and nonprofit industries. He works extensively with real estate partnership audits and partnership taxation as well as various GAAP and compliance consulting engagements involving NMTCs, HTCs and RETCs. Mr. Rieger has contributed to various publications, including the Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits and the Novogradac New Markets Tax Credit Handbook and is a frequent speaker at industry events. Mr. Rieger received a bachelor's degree and a master’s with a concentration in accounting from Ohio University and is licensed in Ohio as a certified public accountant.

Ms. Giessler provides various services within the real estate industry, including audit, tax, cost certifications, forecasting and consulting for clients who own, operate or invest in market-rate properties, as well as properties that use low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs). She also has extensive experience in transactions that use investment tax credits (ITC) for renewable energy. Ms. Giessler earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of California, Santa Barbara, and her master’s degree in accounting from San Francisco State University. Ms. Giessler is licensed in California as a certified public accountant.

Mr. Parker is experienced in affordable housing and community development, nonprofit organizations and public housing authorities, historic rehabilitation, and renewable energy, with a particular focus on the LIHTC, RETC, NMTC, and HTC industries. In addition to providing various consulting and forecasting services, he has worked extensively on financial statement audits and tax planning and return preparation. Mr. Parker is a contributor to the Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits and leads professional development training efforts on various complex taxation concepts. Mr. Parker received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Southern California and is a certified public accountant in the state of California.

Novogradac began operations in 1989 and has since grown to more than 500 employees and partners with offices in San Francisco, Walnut Creek and Long Beach, Calif.; Dover, Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; St. Louis; Boston; New York; Chicago; Austin, Texas; Portland, Ore.; Naples, Fla.; Raleigh, N.C.; and the greater metropolitan areas of Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Detroit; Kansas City, Mo.; and Seattle. Specialty practice areas include tax, audit and consulting services for tax-credit-assisted affordable housing, community revitalization, rehabilitation of historic properties and renewable energy. Other areas of expertise include business valuation, preparation and analysis of market studies and appraisals of multifamily housing investments and renewable energy tax credits.

For additional information on Novogradac’s personnel and areas of expertise, visit http://www.novoco.com or call (415) 356-8000. Reported by PRWeb 23 hours ago.

MOVE over Primrose Hill, back off Soho.Tonbridge is emerging as a hot spot for craft coffee and fusion food as independent coffee shops carve out a niche in the town and popular restaurants from outside the borough scramble to move in.And as London restaurateurs eye up the town, the food revolution looks set to stay.As the population bulges in the town, so are the food choices, with young families filling coffee shops and a culture of wining and dining in the town taking off.Town leaders say it... Reported by Kent and Sussex Courier 22 hours ago.

It's New Year's morning and the last thing you want to think about is cooking on the first day of the year.And if you had a late night or early morning, then a hangover cure might be exactly what you need.It's no secret that Nottingham has a plethora of restaurants to suit every taste and the same applies to breakfasts.We've picked out a selection of establishments (in no particular order) where you can get your fix of breakfast in the city this morning. You can't fail to include a McDonald's... Reported by Nottingham Post 21 hours ago.

Jay Z likes to do things personally. So one day in March he sat down and dialed the phone numbers of some of the users of his new music-streaming service, Tidal.

Staff at Roc Nation, Jay Z's sports- and entertainment-management company, listened as fans reacted with shock to phone calls from Jay Z. "This is the best customer service call I’ve ever received," one fan exclaimed.

Some of Jay Z's musician friends also made calls, including Jack White. They wanted to emphasise that Tidal was all about a personal connection between musicians and their fans.

But Jay Z didn't stop there. He also called up the band Mumford & Sons, who previously criticised Tidal in an interview. The band referred to Jay Z and his fellow Tidal supporters as "new school f------ plutocrats," but they changed their minds after a phone call from one of the most powerful men in rap music. "I get it much better now," lead singer Marcus Mumford said. "It's sort of an old-school record store. Which I like, now that I understand the vision."

Clearly, Jay Z has influence in the music industry, and he has used that power to assemble an all-star cast for his streaming service. It's the line-up of world-famous musicians that has been Tidal's biggest selling point, but, as one streaming expert told us, it could also be its undoing.

At the start of January, before Jay Z got his hands on it, Aspiro AB was a niche European media-technology company known mainly for its high-end, expensive music-streaming service called WiMP. It had grown up in the years before the iPhone, providing services for Nokia and Ericsson feature phones. It was a tiny player in the music-streaming world, and nobody paid much attention to it.

By the end of March, Aspiro had become one of the most talked-about technology companies in the world. It was acquired by Jay Z, had been the subject of a secret meeting in California attended by Daft Punk, Kanye West, and Rihanna, and was then catapulted into the mainstream at a star-studded press conference.

But the backlash began soon after, as the company was forced to deal with the departure of a series of key executives. It also got sued by one of the record labels it was hoping to help and was immediately eclipsed by the launch of Apple Music. Fans remain largely confused as to why Tidal even exists — it offers streaming music at twice the price of Google, Apple, and Spotify.

This is the full story of how Jay Z took over an obscure Scandinavian telecoms company in the hopes of staging a revolution on behalf of artists who feel they aren't being properly paid in a world where no one buys CDs anymore.

It has not gone smoothly.

*Aspiro started life as a company based on an old mobile-phone technology*

If you used a mobile phone to browse the internet back in 2003, then you probably did so using a technology called wireless application protocol (WAP). It let older mobile phones download data using their cellular service. It was a precursor to the much faster networks that we use today.

Jörgen Adolfsson, Christer Månsson, and Klas Hallqvist, the team who went on to create Aspiro, met in 1995 while they were working at Europolitan, one of the biggest telephone networks in Sweden.

Adolfsson and Månsson moved to Oslo in Norway, where they became aware of WAP and the companies that were starting to build businesses using the technology. They left Europolitan and convinced Hallqvist to join them.

Aspiro offered a range of different services using WAP and text messages. It didn't sell its services direct to consumers, but instead sold them onto mobile networks that could include it as part of their bundles. Aspiro developed interactive games, ringtones, horoscopes, even a system to send fax messages from your phone.

Aspiro grew quickly thanks to partnerships with European phone manufacturers such as Ericsson and Nokia. Those companies were selling vast amounts of old-fashioned feature phones in Europe, so Aspiro's products reached millions of customers.

Adolfsson and Månsson wanted to live and work in Malmö in Sweden, so Aspiro's first office was set up there. But Hallqvist wasn't so keen and preferred Karlskrona, which is 100 miles northeast of Malmö. That wasn't a problem; Aspiro just opened an office there too.

*WiMP became a niche streaming service loved by audiophiles*

Aspiro focused on WAP for years, and it developed new services for the mobile network that was quickly becoming antiquated. But it also branched out into other online services, including music news and search engines.

The most important decision in Aspiro's history was the development of a music-streaming service built in conjunction with Platekompaniet, a Norwegian retail chain that sells CDs and DVDs.

WiMP, as Aspiro's music-streaming service was called, did something different from its competitors. It emphasised high-quality audio, streaming at higher bit rates than Rdio and Spotify. That helped it appeal to an older, more affluent, demographic that was more willing to pay a higher price for better-quality music.

The new music-streaming service was a hit, and Aspiro launched it across Europe. It used the same strategy that it used for its WAP business to rapidly scale up the business: Aspiro struck deals with telecoms companies and hardware manufacturers to pick up customers who wouldn't have otherwise been aware of the product.

"WiMP" was rather a strange name for a music-streaming service in English-speaking countries, so it was renamed "Tidal" for those locations. The actual database of music and pricing was unchanged.

*Aspiro kept on shuffling CEOs*

Since Jörgen Adolfsson was replaced as the first CEO in 2000, Aspiro had seen many different executives take the helm of the company. Longterm Aspiro employee Peter Tonstad became CEO of the company in 2012. He had previously worked as a consultant to the Norwegian environment ministry and as a sales executive for Reuters in Norway. He took over the running of Aspiro at a time when its music-streaming service was growing.

But a new, younger CEO eventually took over running Aspiro. Andy Chen used to be the CEO of Preview Networks, a video-distribution company that was acquired by Rightster in 2013. He'd also worked as a mentor at startup accelerator Seedcamp, as well as at Viacom.

Chen joined Aspiro in 2013 and served as the CEO of the WiMP music-streaming service. He eventually took over the entire company in January 2014. Tonstad became Aspiro's chief commercial officer.

Chen was an experienced public speaker who was comfortable getting up on stage and extolling the virtues of WiMP's high-resolution music-streaming service. Aspiro didn't feel like an old-school telecoms company anymore; this time, it was a tech startup out to disrupt the music industry.

Business Insider spoke to Chen in March. He told us that Aspiro's customers loved the way WiMP and Tidal curated music using actual people, rather than algorithms:

The legacy really comes from WiMP, which has always been known amongst music-lovers as the guys from the record shop. The guys that used to go into record shops, and then you say ‘I like this, but can you make some recommendations?’ Many, many moons ago I used to be a DJ myself and one of the terms that DJs use when you go record-shopping is ‘crate-digging,’ so you dig through all the crates, and you spend hours listening, and you ask the guys from the record shop for recommendations. That was really a legacy and many of our editors, even until today, they have an enormous amount of appreciation and knowledge of the different genres of music, and the evolution of different genres and artists so the legacy from WiMP has always been that.

*Jay Z decided to get into music streaming*

Despite going down well with hardcore music fans, Aspiro was struggling financially. The 2014 year-end financial report gave a gloomy outlook: "The company is not fully funded for the coming twelve months." The report continued, stating that, "the Board is considering various funding alternatives."

The story of Aspiro becomes really surreal on January 30, 2015. That was the day when American rapper Jay Z published a press release via "Project Panther Bidco Ltd," a company he had set up with the sole purpose of buying a music-streaming site.

Jay Z's company said that it believed Aspiro to be "an innovative high-quality company with strong future growth potential." It was offering the equivalent of $56 million (£36 million) for the company, an offer that Aspiro's majority shareholder, Norwegian media company Schibsted, immediately accepted.

Here's how Project Panther explained its bid:

Panther believes that the recent developments in the entertainment industry, with the migration to music and media streaming, offers great potential for increased entertainment consumption and an opportunity for artists to further promote their music. Panther's strategic ambition revolves around global expansion and up-scaling of Aspiro's platform, technology and services.

But it wasn't a done deal. See, Aspiro was publicly listed on the Swedish stock exchange, and the deal required all of Aspiro's other shareholders had to accept the offer too. Aspiro had known about Jay Z's acquisition attempt since December 3, so its majority shareholder was ready. But other investors had to decide whether Jay Z would be the right fit for Aspiro.

*Jay Z is more than just a rapper*

Jay Z, born Shawn Carter in Brooklyn, New York, in 1969, started his rap career in 1994 when he appeared as a "hype man" for other rappers and took part in rap battles with other performers. He started selling CDs from his car, and eventually scored a deal with the influential music label Def Jam Records.

It wasn't a smooth ride to the top, though. Jay Z was arrested on suspicion of stabbing record executive Lance Rivera at a party because he believed that he had been creating unlicensed copies of his latest album. He initially pleaded guilty to the charges, but later accepted a misdemeanour charge and he received a three-year probationary sentence.

Jay Z has also admitted dealing drugs as a teenager. Here's what he told Vanity Fair magazine in 2013:

I know about budgets. I was a drug dealer. To be in a drug deal, you need to know what you can spend, what you need to re-up. Or if you want to start some sort of barbershop or car wash — those were the businesses back then. Things you can get in easily to get out of [that] life. At some point, you have to have an exit strategy, because your window is very small; you’re going to get locked up or you’re going to die.

But as well as music, Jay Z has also built a career as an entrepreneur and investor. He cofounded the Rocawear clothing line, co-owns the 40/40 line of bars and clubs, and acquired the Armand de Brignac champagne company.

Jay Z's biggest business, though, is Roc Nation, his entertainment company started in 2008. It helps organise live shows, promote boxing, and manage musicians and sports stars. Roc Nation boasts an impressive roster of talent, including executives from established music labels.

*It took a while to get the deal done*

A group of minority shareholders in Aspiro grouped together to try and block the deal. Investors who together owned just over 10% of the company issued a statement saying that they would not authorise an acquisition by Jay Z: "We will recommend our members say no to the offer. We have accumulated more than 10 percent of the owners, which is enough to block it."

But Fredrik Bjørland, chairman of Aspiro's committee for the Project Panther bid, hit back at the minority shareholders, explaining that accepting Jay Z's offer was the only way the company could continue:

In my opinion, the recommendation to not accept the offer involves high risk, as it is well known that Aspiro is currently unprofitable and in need of capital within 12 months, and the current majority shareholder has indicated it is not willing to support this capital need. We thus believe accepting a 60% bid premium is a far better risk/reward recommendation.

Eventually the minority shareholders gave in. "We have together with the major shareholders decided that it is best to accept the bid," they said in an emailed statement. That left the path clear for Jay Z to move forward and complete his acquisition of Aspiro, which happened at the end of March.

*There was a secret meeting of some of the biggest names in music*

Jay Z hosted a secret meeting of future Tidal investors, artist managers, and record labels in Los Angeles in February. The stars were all in town for the Grammy Awards, held on February 8, and so Jay Z took the chance to meet with his friends about music streaming. Entertainment news site Showbiz 411 heard about the secret meeting and published a list of names that were in attendance. All of the artists listed would go on to publicly back Tidal.

Showbiz 411 writer Roger Friedman wrote that the meeting was “lively,” and that Kanye West was “out of control.” In fact, Jay Z reportedly joked to attendees that he was West’s “interpreter.” Rihanna apparently arrived late to the meeting, only turning up when it was nearly over.

The venue for Jay Z’s private music-industry summit was The Fig House in Los Angeles. Jay Z booked the entire venue, which often plays host to weddings and corporate retreats. It’s situated in Pasadena, northeast Los Angeles, a quiet part of the city.

Hype started building for Jay Z's music-streaming service on March 30 when musicians began turning their social-media profiles light blue in anticipation of the relaunch of Aspiro's streaming service. The posts made it clear that the WiMP name had been dropped, and Jay Z's streaming site would be called Tidal.



"The Tides They Are-A Changing" #TIDALforALL

— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) March 30, 2015

*Jay Z held a celebrity-filled press conference in New York*

The March 30 press conference was meant to be the opportunity for Tidal to reboot its public image and present itself as a major player in the world of music streaming. “New York,” as Tidal staff referred to the press conference, was held at Skylight in Moynihan Station, located inside in New York’s James A. Farley Post Office in midtown Manhattan. Journalists and industry figures packed into the space in preparation for the press conference.

The modern event space featured areas where guests could try Tidal on expensive headphones, as well as a bar serving Jay Z's favorite $49 D'USSE cognac, and a giant screen above the stage that displayed tweets from fans of the musicians who had been promoting the event.

It kicked off with an explanation of what music is, and where it came from. The event space was lined with photos of music icons like Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder. Roc Nation executive Vania Schlogel (who was a new face to most attendees) said that Tidal was a music service owned by artists that promised to “continue to evolve” music.

Schlogel also announced that Tidal would support offline playing of music, just like Spotify. The relaunched streaming site would be based around exclusive music and video content, as well as special live events for subscribers.

But the most important part of the press conference wasn’t Schlogel’s speech; it was the stream of world-famous musicians who showed up to publicly back Jay Z’s new project.

The stars had been waiting in the backstage area with a host of famous names. Director Baz Luhrmann was there, and so were musician Swizz Beatz, jewelry designer Jennifer Fisher, producer Chris Ivery, Roc Nation cofounders TyTy Smith and Jay Brown, music writer Lisa Robinson, and Def Jam CEO Steve Bartels.

Musicians were instructed to line up in alphabetical order before walking on stage. Deadmau5 was moved at the last minute because, like French electronic-music duo Daft Punk, he was wearing a large helmet. Billboard reports that Beyoncé was unhappy with being made to line up alphabetically and said, "I'm not going to be with my husband?"

Schlogel invited the musicians on stage one by one:

· Alicia Keys
· Win Butler and Regine Chassagne from Arcade Fire
· Beyoncé
· Calvin Harris (appearing via a video call)
· Chris Martin from Coldplay (who was also there via a video call and shared a screen with Calvin Harris)
· Daft Punk
· Jack White
· Jason Aldean
· J. Cole
· Jay Z
· Kanye West
· Deadmau5
· Madonna
· Nicki Minaj
· Rihanna
· Usher

There's no denying that it was an impressive lineup. One member of Daft Punk even referred to it as "the Avengers of music" during the Fig House meeting. Jay Z had roped in an impressive collection of musicians to back his project, and their fan bases could be relied upon to try out Tidal.

But some people felt that the overall tone of the press conference was strange. Bloomberg described it as filled with "utopian rhetoric," and Music Ally called it "big on stars, less so on details."

The press conference featured a video filmed at the Fig House meeting in Los Angeles in February. In it, the multimillionaire musicians who had become Tidal investors demanded changes to the music industry that essentially gave them more power and control. "Right now they're writing the story for us," Jay Z said in the promotional video, "we need to write the story for ourselves."

Music-streaming researcher Dr. Todd Green, a professor at the Goodman School of Business at Brock University, is also critical of Tidal's New York relaunch. He told Business Insider that "the true criticism of Tidal went back to the launch. They started out on the wrong foot from the beginning."

Musician Alicia Keys gave a rambling speech about the power of music, quoted Jimi Hendrix, mispronounced "Nietzsche," and joked about the event feeling like a graduation. Then, the assembled musicians signed a "declaration":

Every movement throughout history began with a few individuals banding together with a vision, a vision to change the status quo.

That vision came to life with a first step. Our first step begins today through the platform TIDAL.

TIDAL is an artist majority owned company with a mission to reestablish the value of music, the protection of the sustainability of the music industry rooted in creativity and expression.

Just as our vision is to introduce change to the current system, during the upcoming months we will continue to expand this platform into an all-encompassing destination. We are working diligently everyday to enhance the overall service.

Today, the site encompasses high quality sound, video, exclusive editorial but there are more features on the way. In time, TIDAL will be not just a streaming service but a platform with enhanced experiences.

With TIDAL we are making a commitment to build a platform that reflects ideas contributed directly from artists, providing an enriched experience. Music presented and heard the way the artists intended.

We want our mission with TIDAL to spark conversation and lay a foundation for tomorrow’s burgeoning star.

Our movement is being led by a few inviting all to band together for a common cause, a movement to change the status quo…

Today marks the next step …

#TIDALforALL

The declaration isn't a legal contract, and it wasn't explained during the event what it meant, or even what it said. Attendees of the press conference just knew that the musicians were signing something. Some people in the audience even laughed. Things got more surreal when Madonna mounted the table as she signed the declaration.

Jay Z and the other musicians stood silently on stage for five minutes while the declaration was signed, and posed for photos afterwards. But Jay Z was eventually distracted by something and kept talking and gesticulating to offstage employees.

The awkwardness continued after the event when Jay Z talked to the press. He told Billboard that "people are not respecting the music, and devaluing what it really means. People really feel like music is free, but will pay $6 for water. You can drink water free out of the tap, and it's good water."



#NeverForget "Water is free." -Jay Z pic.twitter.com/1fwGLFUgBS

— Nessa. (@curlyheadRED) May 27, 2015

Journalists and amused fans took to Twitter to mock Jay Z's ignorance of the fact that people pay taxes and fees to have a company make water come out of your tap. An executive from a water company even wrote an open letter to Jay Z, reminding him that it costs money.

And the controversy over Tidal's New York press conference didn't stop there. VentureBeat noticed that Radiohead song "The National Anthem" played during the press conference as the attendees signed the declaration, but the version of the livestream available to stream on Tidal afterwards had cut the song out. Had Jay Z's new music streaming service, which claimed to champion the rights of musicians, used a song that it didn't have rights to? We don't know for sure, but Radiohead singer Thom Yorke is famously opposed to music streaming, having told The Guardian in 2013 that streaming is "the last desperate fart of a dying corpse."

Musician The Haxan Cloak also publicly accused Jay Z of ripping off his work in the promotional videos released during the New York press conference. He claimed that videos of the Fig House meeting used two tracks that sounded very similar to his own music. "This is so shameful," he said in one tweet. "Thanks for not getting in touch and ripping me off, Tidal." He later deleted all tweets criticising Tidal, and his music is now available to stream on the site.

*Tidal's CEO was forced out*

The backlash against Tidal began in earnest after the New York press conference. The musicians on stage had promised to revolutionise the music industry, but customers just saw a streaming service with a £19.99 tier that was double what Spotify charges. BGR published an article that branded Tidal "a spectacular flop," pointing out that its iOS app had plummeted down the App Store chart from the top 20 to a point where it wasn't even in the top 700 most popular apps.

And there was one big name missing from Tidal's New York press conference: Andy Chen. Aspiro's CEO had persuaded his board to accept the acquisition offer and served as the public face of the company for years. Why, then, was Vania Schlogel, an executive from Roc Nation, on stage introducing Tidal to the world?

The answer emerged on April 17. Chen was out, and Swedish news site Breakit claimed that 25 employees in Aspiro's Norway office had also been "forced to leave." Tidal denied the job cuts, however, referring to them as "redundancies" and "streamlining."

Tidal quickly rushed out a statement. It said that Tidal had a new "interum CEO [sic]" called "Peter Norstad." There was no such person working at Tidal. The company corrected itself, stating that Aspiro's former CEO Peter Tonstad was returning as interim CEO while it searched for a permanent leader. There was even a small dig at Chen included in the statement, as it said that Tonstad had "a better understanding of the industry" than his predecessor.

April was the month when the real work began on Tidal. It now had an office in Norway, as well as support from Roc Nation in London, New York, and Los Angeles. Roc Nation executive Schlogel became Tidal's chief investment officer, and told Business Insider that Jay Z worked "every day" on Tidal. It was a "life project" for him, Schlogel said. "The reason that we’re doing this, and the artists are doing this, is because there’s a mission behind it, and so the execution of that mission is incredibly important."

We asked Schlogel what it was like to be working with Aspiro. Here's what she said:

It’s been really exciting. We feel like we’ve inherited such a great group of people with Tidal. And I think the excitement is mutually felt, and, in fact, I don’t just think, I know that because the types of conversations, ‘Hey I’m so excited to be doing this,’ and ‘I’m working longer hours, but I don’t even mind because this is so exciting what we’re putting up, and what we’re basically able to give to the subscribers of Tidal.’

We’re building really close relationships with the team, and I think that’s felt mutually. There’s a lot of respect at how smart people are — how hard they’re working. So if I can summarise the changes, probably the hours are longer, but maybe the work is a bit more interesting. I don’t know, I can’t say because I wasn’t there before.

Jay Z also set about reorganising the board of Tidal to place loyal executive and lawyers in control of the company. The existing board was let go, and replacements were brought in. Tidal has refused to reveal who is on its board, but here's a list of rumoured names via Breakit:

· Lior Tibon, a senior member of staff at Roc Nation in London.
· Katsambas Panagiotis, a lawyer based in London
· Kashyap Bakhai, a tax lawyer who serves as treasurer for Jay Z's foundation

*Jay Z tries to set the record straight*

Jay Z took to Twitter on April 26 to air his views on Tidal. "Stream of consciousness coming in 5, 4, 3, 2," he tweeted, before launching into a defense of Tidal. He claimed that the streaming service was "doing just fine," and that it had over 770,000 subscribers. That's certainly true, but a press release published by Aspiro reveals a fuller story than Jay Z's tweets. Tidal itself had just 17,000 users as of January 31. The bigger service, WiMP, had 486,000 users, with 391,000 of them coming through partnerships with companies such as carriers. That means just 91,000 users had actually sought out WiMP and subscribed to it.

Another view that Jay Z made clear in his Twitter "stream of consciousness" was that he felt that other music-streaming services were out to get him. He accused "big companies" of "spending millions on a smear campaign." Tidal employees suggested via email at the time that Jay Z was referring to rivals like Apple and Spotify. However, both companies deny the accusation.

 



Rich getting richer? Equity values... YouTube $390 billion. Apple $760 billion. Spotify $8 billion. Tidal $60 million. #TidalFacts

— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015

Tidal employees weren't aware that Jay Z was going to make a public statement about the company. It seems that it really was a stream of consciousness.

*The return of "Jaÿ-Z"*

There's a long and complicated history surrounding the hyphen in Jay Z's name. First he had a "y" with an umlaut and a hyphen. Then the umlaut disappeared, and these days he doesn't even have a hyphen. But Jay Z brought back all the extraneous punctuation for two New York "B-Sides" concerts exclusively for Tidal subscribers on May 16 and May 17.

The two shows served a dual purpose. First of all, they pleased fans with rare songs from Jay Z's back catalogue. Second, they promoted Tidal to the world and were a declaration of Jay Z's continued support in his music-streaming service.

It wasn't enough to simply defend Tidal, though. Jay Z took it one step further. He hit out at rival music-streaming services in a freestyle rap performed during the shows. Here are the relevant sections:

I don’t take no check. I take my respect
Pharrell even told me go with the safest bet
Jimmy Iovine on for the safety net
Google dig around a crazy check
I feel like YouTube is the biggest culprit
Them n----- pay you a 10th of what you supposed to get

You know I came in this game independent right?
Tidal, my own label, same difference
Oh, n----- is skeptical when it’s their own s---
You bought nine iPhones, and Steve Jobs is rich
Phil Knight is worth millions. You still bought them kicks
Spotify is nine billion; they ain’t say s---

Jay Z suggested that Google offered him money to partner with its own streaming service, but hinted that he was upset with music appearing on YouTube (and the diminished revenue he receives from it).

And in case you weren't at the B-Sides shows and missed Jay Z's angry freestyle, he uploaded it onto Tidal afterwards so that all of his users could hear it.

Spotify wasn't worried about the threat from Tidal, however. Chairman Martin Lorentzon was asked about the launch of Tidal during the STING Day conference in Stockholm in May. "I've got 99 problems — and Jay Z ain't one," he responded jokingly.

*Key executives have been leaving*

There was more bad news for Tidal on June 23 when interim CEO Peter Tonstad left the company. He never gave a public statement, instead telling Norwegian newspaper Dagens Næringsliv that "the only thing I can confirm is that I have resigned."

Vania Schlogel, Tidal's chief investment officer and the host of the service's New York press conference, seemed to be a contender for CEO. She was a loyal employee of Roc Nation, and had worked under Jay Z for years. But Schlogel quietly dialled back her involvement with the company, failed to attend conferences, and eventually told The New York Times that she left Tidal in the summer.

Two more key executives have also left Tidal. US sales and marketing manager David Solomon left Tidal in July after 10 months at the company. A press release sent by Tidal when Solomon was hired called him "one of the world’s leading evangelists for high-quality music streaming" and "one of the true visionaries in the field." However, Tidal told Business Insider that Solomon was only employed as a consultant.

Another high-profile departure has been Zena Burns, who worked as Tidal's senior vice president of label and artist relations. She was with the company for just two months. Tidal acted fast to replace her, though, and hired Timothy Patrick Riley, who was previously global head of music at the video-game publisher Activision/Blizzard.

Eventually, after over 100 days without a CEO, Tidal announced that former SoundCloud chief business officer Jeff Toig would become Tidal's new CEO in January 2016. It was a clever hire — SoundCloud is in a similar position to Tidal. It's a European music startup that's becoming more high-profile and looking to present itself as a major player in the same league as Spotify and Apple Music.

*Tidal is in a tricky situation*

Tidal's public image was savaged after the New York press conference, and it has spent months trying to recover.

There's one recent piece of Tidal news that sums up where the company is right now. Music trade publication Hits Daily Double published a rumour that Jay Z was looking to quit Tidal because of rising costs. It didn't seem plausible, and most people ignored it. But not Jay Z. The Tidal Twitter account publicly shut down the rumour.



Lies can spread around the world while the truth is putting on its slippers/Mark Twain @HITSDD http://t.co/bRWuUvhMjm pic.twitter.com/Xo1qnpYGFb

— TIDAL (@TIDALHiFi) July 31, 2015

Right now there are two big reasons why someone would sign up to Tidal: exclusive content from world-famous musicians and curated music.

Tidal also offers curated playlists and did so for years before its biggest competitors. But Apple and Spotify have now taken the lead when it comes to curation.

Apple Music, which launched after Tidal, has blown rival streaming services out of the water. It doesn't just feature curation like Tidal does; it has an entire online-radio station with shows by stars like Josh Homme and Elton John.

Spotify has also been moving forward and developing new ways to bring in customers. It has launched playlists designed to surface up-and-coming music, and it is branching out into video.

Tidal isn't giving up, though. It has signed up two more musicians to bring exclusive content to subscribers. Rapper Lil Wayne released "The Free Weezy Album" on Tidal in July. (It's not actually free; you have to pay for a Tidal subscription to listen to it.) He also signed up as an investor in Tidal alongside the artists who appeared at the New York press conference. Tidal was promptly hit with a $50 million (£32 million) lawsuit from Cash Money Records, Lil Wayne's record label. The label argued that Lil Wayne broke his contract by releasing his album on Tidal, but the label is also being sued by Lil Wayne for $51 million (£33 million) because he claims that it's withholding money from him.

Another potential savior for Tidal is Prince. Despite removing his music from streaming services, he's a fan of Tidal, and he has agreed to release his new album exclusively through the service. He previously released his 2010 album, "20Ten," in an exclusive deal with a selection of European newspapers. The album was poorly received by critics, although The Daily Mirror (one of the newspapers that partnered with Prince) compared it to his greatest hits.

*Even Jay Z forgot about Tidal*

The hype around Tidal has died down following the acquisition and relaunch. The general public has moved on. Surprisingly, even Jay Z forgot that Tidal existed.

Jay Z appeared in court in October as part of a lawsuit over his 1999 song "Big Pimpin." The track allegedly used a sample from "Khosara Khosara" by Egyptian composer Baligh Hamdi without Hamdi's permission.

Jay Z explained that he simply came into the studio to record the lyrics, and producer Timbaland had already created the backing track.

During the trial, Jay Z was asked to explain what he does. Billboard quotes Jay Z as saying "I make music." His attorney, Andrew Bart, asked him to elaborate on that statement: "I make music, I'm a rapper, I’ve got a clothing line, I run a label, a media label called Roc Nation, with a sports agency, music publishing and management. Restaurants and nightclubs ... I think that about covers it."

But Bart noticed that something was missing from his client's list of businesses. "I’m not so sure. You have a music streaming service, don’t you?" he said. "Yeah, yeah," Jay Z said. "Forgot about that."

*Is Samsung involved?*

Jay Z was photographed visiting a Samsung office in Silicon Valley in October, a sign that the tech giant is either working with Jay Z on a new project, helping with Tidal, or possibly even acquiring the streaming service outright.

Jay Z and his entourage were photographed visiting the office of Samsung Research America, a building that also houses the company's content division. Whilst there, Jay Z reportedly met with Daren Tsui, Samsung's SVP of content and services. He's also the man responsible for Samsung's Milk music streaming service, and so would be the person at Samsung to talk to about a partnership between Tidal and the company.



Jay-Z leaving Samsung corp. in Silicon Valley right now pic.twitter.com/AQAJWzL6lq

— Damian Trujillo (@newsdamian) October 15, 2015

Strangely enough, Jay Z has worked with Samsung on a project before. He signed a $20 million (£13.4 million) deal to bring his 2013 album "Magna Carta Holy Grail" to Samsung smartphones. Customers could download the album for free and listen to it days before it was available on iTunes and other services.

*Even an all-star concert didn't bring Tidal back to the mainstream*

Tidal held its long-awaited Tidal X show in October, featuring a collection of A-list musicians, many of whom were co-owners of the service. But the concert failed to generate any excitement for the streaming service. The Verge branded it "impressive and hollow, just like Tidal." And Vulture called the show "hurried" due toe the large number of musicians who were only able to perform a couple of songs.

There's no denying that Tidal has come a long way from Aspiro's innovative WAP services in 1998. The niche European startup is genuinely one of the most talked-about tech companies in the world, but it's facing some incredibly tough competition. The next year is going to be crucial for music streaming, as Apple music is aiming to bring in 100 million subscribers, and Spotify is doing all it can to keep up. If Tidal is going to make an impact in the world of music streaming, then Jay Z is going to have to make a few more phone calls.

Join the conversation about this story »

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Shiv Sena today took a dim view of the BJP granting Indian citizenship to Pakistan-born singer Adnan Sami and said the move shows its ruling ally's double standards on the issue. 

*
Hindu Sena activists protesting against the grant of Indian nationality to Pakistan-born singer Adnan Sami at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Friday. PTI*

Questioning the Centre's move, Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said, "When BJP was in opposition, it protested against Adnan Sami, now they are granting him citizenship." 

Asked if Sena will hold protests to highlight this issue, Kayande told PTI, "I am just saying we are surprised at the turn of events. BJP vehemently opposed Sami while in opposition. But once in power, he gets citizenship." 

During the UPA tenure, both the Sena and the BJP unitedly adopted the ultra-nationalist plank to corner the Congress-led government at the Centre.

Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena, the film wing of the Raj Thackeray-led MNS, had in 2013 asked the Pakistani singer to leave the country as he was allegedly staying in India without a visa.

Sami has been granted Indian citizenship with effect from today following his request to the Centre to legalise his status in the country.

The 46-year-old singer, who has made India his second home for the past few years, had made a representation to the Home Ministry on May 26 last year requesting his stay in India on humanitarian grounds. 

Lahore-born Sami had first arrived in India on March 13, 2001 on a visitor's visa with the validity of one year which was issued by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. 

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/dec/28-Chintan-Upadhyay-s.jpg

*Chintan Upadhyay*

Kandivali Police produced Chintan before the Borivali Metropolitan Court this morning and sought further police custody as his remand ended today. Police also moved an application seeking narco analysis test of Chintan. Magistrate Prasad Kulkarni extended Chintan's remand by three days.

Chintan, also a painter, is accused of conspiring to kill his estranged wife Hema with whom he was locked in a legal battle. He was arrested on December 22 after being questioned by the Crime Branch.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jan/mumbai-projects-s.jpg

*Deadline: March 2016 (closed doors); Mid-2016 (AC train)
*The introduction of trains with automatic doors will no doubt prevent mishaps like the shocking death of Dombivli youth Bhavesh Nakate after he fell off a packed CST local in November.*Railway officials began testing the automatic doors on coaches in March 2015. This March, the revamped coaches with automated doors will begin rolling in. Pic/Datta Kumbhar*

Coaches with automated doors will ensure passengers don’t fall off, or try to pull off dangerous stunts, like leaning out of the doorway. In addition, the city’s first air conditioned local is also expected to roll out by March or April.

Currently, rail authorities are discussing what format to employ for the AC rakes - three AC coaches attached to a regular local train or a single AC local train or an AC coach after every two regular coaches.

*BEST buses go green*
*Deadline:* Mid-2016 onwards
The year 2016 is when the quintessential red BEST buses will go green — the BEST Undertaking is procuring 30 electric buses this year.*BEST will get 30 electric buses and  30 low-floor buses for the physically challenged  this year. File pic for representation*

Apart from this, BEST is also getting another 30 buses with low floors to improve accessibility for physically challenged commuters. Each bus will cost Rs 65 lakh each.

On the downside, the Undertaking will cut down its bus fleet from 4,100 to 3,900 buses. However, the fleet will be back to full strength by March 2017.

*Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train*
*Deadline:* Undecided
Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced this Rs 98,000-crore high speed rail corridor, the project has met with mixed reactions, but railway sources said 2016 will likely pump some momentum into the plan, with a series of meetings between railway officials from Delhi and Mumbai to figure out the details.

*The Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor is expected to reduce commuting time between the two cities to less than two hours from the current seven. Pic/AFP*

The main problem is that the state is unwilling to part with prime real estate at BKC, where the rail corridor is proposed to begin. Once this is sorted out, the government will get both technical and financial assistance from Japan, renowned for its bullet trains.

*Yes, we cab!*
*Deadline:* Undecided
Did your cab driver charge an exorbitant amount citing ‘surge prices’ while dropping you home after New Year celebrations last night? Well, if the state Transport Department has its way, this could soon become a thing of the past.*File pic for representation*

The state has already drafted the City Taxi Scheme, 2015, which will govern all taxi services, be it black-and-yellow cabs, fleet taxis or mobile app-based cab aggregators like Uber and Ola. Not only will cabbies be made accountable for their pricing and quality of service, they will also become accountable for passenger safety, as the policy will make it mandatory to install GPS and SOS safety systems.

*12-car trains on Harbour line*
*Deadline:* March 2016
The most neglected section of Mumbai’s suburban railways will finally get 12-car trains this year, making train travel easier for the 10 lakh commuters who use this service daily.*Over 10 lakh commuters cram into the Harbour line trains every day. With the introduction of 12-car trains, more space will be created for passengers. File pic*

The extra coaches will increase the carrying capacity of each train by 33 per cent, thus accommodating an additional 3 lakh passengers. This required a major transformation of tracks and platforms at stations between CST and Panvel, but the work is now 75% complete.

*Giving Mumbai its space back
*With open spaces being gobbled up right under its nose, the BMC will have to introduce a policy that not only protects these spaces, but also appeases all the stakeholders.

*Deadline: This year*
The open space policy is likely to be finalised in 2016. Slammed for favouring politicians and corporates alike, the BMC will have to get rid of these loopholes.

With elections just around the corner, neither the Sena (which is in support) nor the BJP (in opposition) will want to start the New Year on the wrong foot.

While the policy is expected to be tabled before the General Assembly in January, activists are already up in arms against it. Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta can check if there is a need to hand over plots to third parties at all, instead of developing them himself (BMC).

*Airport’s five-star*
*Deadline:* End of 2016
The Mumbai airport could become the first in India to house a five-star hotel. Work is already in progress, and the Taj Santacruz might just welcome its first guest in 2016.

Although it was to launch in November 2015 after the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) offered a final clearance in October, security concerns and a few last minute permissions have led to a delay.

*Jet and SpiceJet at T2*
*Deadline:* March and mid-2016 respectively
Jet Airways and SpiceJet counters will operate from the T2 this year. Jet was earlier believed to shift this month but March is the new deadline, followed by SpiceJet in the middle of the year. Go Air and Indigo will continue to operate from Terminal 1B.

*Additional airlines*
*Deadline:* Undecided
Mumbai may see German carrier Lufthansa operate the Airbus A380, the world’s largest commercial aircraft, from Mumbai to Frankfurt. Its introduction will see the airline offer 170 more seats every day from what it currently offers.

Lufthansa fliers will have the option to fly premium economy class or premium economy — an upgraded economy class launched by Lufthansa globally in 2014.

*Annual budget*
Like every year, BMC’s annual budget is bound to become a hot topic for discussion. While roads and civil works departments are expected to hog most of the funds, investment is expected in gender budget - for economically backward women, debris management, clearing of dumping grounds, public parking lots, saving mangroves, and other unconventional areas.*BMC was criticised for replacing the yellow lights at Marine Drive with LED bulbs. File pic*

The civic body needs to effectively mobilise public participation to ensure investments are made wherever necessary. For example, the BMC faced flak for two Central government projects in 2015. One was replacing streetlights at Marine Drive from yellow sodium vapour lamps to white LEDs.

Second was the Smart City project, which largely focused on developing Lower Parel as a centre of commerce. The BMC failed to convey its reasons to Mumbaikars for doing so and ended up taking unpopular decisions. In the New Year, it will have to avoid repeating these mistakes.

*Draft Development Plan*
*Deadline:* February 2016
One of the major topics of discussion among Mumbaikars in the first-half of 2016 will be the Draft Development Plan (DP).

With its February 2016 deadline inching closer, officials from the DP department are burning the midnight oil to ensure an error-free draft. All this is happening under the leadership of veteran Ramnath Jha, a former bureaucrat.

But despite taking extra efforts, the draft made headlines for the glaring mistakes in its designation survey. Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta will have to be on his toes to ensure nothing goes wrong.

The same goes for the hawking and parking policies. People had discarded both the policies in the past, as the former brought hawkers to their doorstep and the latter took away their parking space.

Mehta, however, can’t take forever to implement the hawking policy as the issue is being monitored by the High Court. He will have to strike a fine balance between pleasing SoBo residents and protecting livelihood of hawkers.

*Coastal road project*
*Deadline:* Gets MoEF’s green signal

Since its inception, the project has remained a bone of contention between environment activists and the BMC.*Environmentalists are upset with the MoEF for giving the green signal to the road. File pic for representation*

While the Ministry of Environment and Forest issued a notification recently allowing the state to reclaim land for construction of the road, it cannot be used for commercial purposes.

Green activists are upset at the go-ahead and feel the road will be a waste of money.

*Soon, you can hop onto Monorail Phase II*
The Wadala-Jacob Circle corridor will most likely be launched by mid-2016

*Deadline: Mid-2016*
For Mumbaikars who brave the arduous traffic from the eastern suburbs to the central suburbs every day, the ride is set to get a lot easier with the completion of the Monorail on the Chembur-Wadala-Jacob Circle corridor.*By the end of this month, you will likely see trial runs being completed on the Monorail’s final stretch between Wadala and Jacob Circle. Pic/Bipin Kokate*

By the end of this month, you will most likely see the Monorail whooshing by during the trial runs, and if all goes according to plan, you’ll be able to hop on to it by the middle of the year.

According to officials at the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the present ridership on the Monorail is 15,000-17,000 per day; a number that is expected to double once the final stretch between Wadala and Jacob Circle is thrown open to the public.

“More than 90 per cent civil work on the Wadala-Jacob Circle stretch has been completed and if everything goes according to plan, from mid-2016, commuters will be able to travel from Jacob Circle to Wadala and Chembur,” said MMRDA joint project director Dilip Kawatkar.

*Mumbai Trans Harbour Link*
*Deadline:* 2020
The year 2016 will breathe new life into the crucial Mumbai Trans Harbour Link project, which will connect Sewree on the Mumbai with Nhava Sheva in Raigad district.

The Rs 11,000-crore project has been in the pipeline since the 1970s, but will finally see the light of day at the end of this year, when work is expected to begin.

*Two more Metro lines*
*Deadline:* 2020
Work on two more Metro lines — Dahisar East-Andheri East (16.50 km) and Dahisar East-Charkop-DN Nagar-Mankhurd (18.6 km) — will begin in mid-2016.

*New and improved: Old Mumbai-Pune highway*
*Deadline:* 2019
Accidents and motion sickness on the winding ghats will become a thing of the past with the augmentation of the old Mumbai-Pune Highway, which will not only expand the current four lanes to eight, but also add a 9-km tunnel cutting through the ghats between Khopoli and Lonavala.*A new 9-km tunnel will allow motorists to cut a straight route through the ghats. Pic/Sameer Markande*

The project could begin by the middle of this year, provided it gets clearance from the MoEF. Not only will motorists be able to bypass the ghats — the most accident-prone stretch on the highway — but the project will also segregate the old highway and the Expressway and reduce travel time by 30-45 minutes.

*Colaba-Bandra- Seepz Metro*
*Deadline:* 2019
The city’s first completely underground Metro project will also get on track this year, with construction expected to begin in mid-2016.*File pic for representation*

Metro III is a much-needed connection between south Mumbai and the western suburbs, but is currently embroiled in controversy as activists have opposed the construction of the car depot in the forested Aarey Colony.

This ambitious Rs 24,000-crore project might also be extended from Seepz to Kanjurmarg.

*Kalanagar junction flyover
**Deadline:* Mid-2018

Tired of pointlessly waiting at the Kalanagar junction? With the beginning of this year, will start the construction of a 2-km flyover that will allow you to bypass the Kalanagar traffic signal if you are heading towards Bandra (east), Reclamation or the Sea Link.*Motorists who complain of traffic jams at Kalanagar junction will soon be able to bypass the area via the soon-to-built flyover. File pic*

The flyover will start near the Income Tax office in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), pass over the Kalanagar junction and land on the south-bound lane of the Western Express Highway, ahead of the Bandra (east) skywalk.

With around 60,000 vehicles passing through this busy junction during peak hours, the R153-crore flyover will no doubt come as a relief to motorists stuck in traffic.

*New Vashi bridge*
*Deadline:* 2018
The existing Vashi bridge is a nightmare for motorists travelling between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, with its narrow width leading to a bottleneck on the crucial Sion-Panvel highway.*The narrow bridge over Vashi creek often leads to nasty traffic jams on the Sion-Panvel highway. Pic/Sameer Markande*

A new bridge has been discussed for over a decade, but 2016 is the year when work will finally begin. The project is likely to begin in September or October and will take two years to complete.

*Thane-Borivli tunnel*
*Deadline:* 24 months from start of project

The state’s longest proposed underground road tunnel, spanning 15 km between Thane and Borivli, could soon become reality if it gets the necessary permissions, including environment clearance. This will reduce travel time from the current peak hour duration of 90-120 minutes to a mere 20 minutes.*File pic for representation*

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*Chhota Rajan to face trial for J Dey murder*
mid-day investigations editor J Dey was shot dead in Powai on June 11, 2011, on his way home. In December 2011, the police filed a 3,055-page chargesheet against gangster Chhota Rajan and nine others, later including journalist Jigna Vora as an accused, saying she provided details about Dey to the hitmen.*mid-day investigations editor J Dey was shot dead on June 11, 2011. (Right) Gangster Chhota Rajan*

With Rajan being brought back to India in November, the court has issued a warrant for him to be produced for trial. With six witnesses having testified already, the trial should pick up pace starting January.

*Lawyer drink driving case*
janhavi Gadkar, 32, drove her car on the wrong side of the Eastern Freeway, allegedly under influence of alcohol, and crashed into an oncoming taxi, killing two. The police claim the corporate lawyer had several pints of beer in two pubs before getting behind the wheel.*Janhavi Gadkar*

The trial should commence this year. Meanwhile, there was uproar after Gadkar was given her licence back. Victim Sabawala’s family, and two Reliance Industries executives who had spent the night drinking with Gadkar — Rahul Dutt and Alok Agarwal — will be key witnesses in the trial.

*Mumbai men in ISIS net*
The police are still tracking a group of missing Malvani men, at least one of whom is believed to have left the country to join the ISIS, but the first such incident happened last May, when four Kalyan boys reached Syria to fight alongside the Islamic State.*Areeb Majeed is currently lodged in Arthur Road jail*

One of them — Areeb Majeed — is back and has been charged with “waging war against an Asiatic power in alliance with the Government of India.” While Majeed has moved the high court for bail, the trial in the lower court will commence this year. Which way the trial goes will set a major legal precedent.

*26/11 terror attack*
In a big diplomatic coup, India got the US to agree to allow David Coleman Headley to depose as a witness via video conferencing.*Abu Jundal and (right) David Coleman Headley*

Double agent Headley, who surveyed the city for the Lashkar-e Toiba masterminds, will depose against alleged terror operative Sayyed Zabiuddin Ansari, alias Abu Jundal.

*Sheena Bora murder case*
In a sensational case that would rival any that the city has ever seen, the police arrested media honcho Indrani Mukerjea, her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyam Rai on August 21 for allegedly murdering her daughter Sheena Bora.*Indrani Mukerjea, her daughter Sheena Bora and Peter Mukerjea*

The case also claimed the job of Rakesh Maria as commissioner of police, for his ‘unusual interest’ in the case. His successor Ahmad Javed had to recuse himself after it emerged that he is a close friend of the accused couple. The CBI is now investigating the case, but with Indrani not cracking, and evidence against Peter thin, expect more saucy twists in this sordid tale as the investigation concludes and the trial begins.

*Jiah Khan case*
Two years after Jiah Khan was found dead, the CBI charged her boyfriend and Bollywood starlet (because, why should the term be restricted to women?) Sooraj Pancholi with abetting her suicide.*Sooraj Pancholi was charged for abetting the suicide of Jiah Khan*

Though the CBI did not see any merit in her mother Rabiya Khan’s claim that Jiah was murdered, enough sordid details about domestic abuse have emerged in the charge sheet. Again, expect a charged trial as a mother continues her quest for justice.

*Paes and Rhea Pillai case*
Starting late 2013, tennis ace Leander Paes and Rhea Pillai have filed several applications throwing muck at each other.*Tennis ace Leander Paes and Rhea Pillai*

While Leander made all sorts of accusations against the “bohemian” Rhea, she accused him and his father of breaking into their home and hacking into her computer.

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Niggling coughs and colds could linger if you don’t take care of yourself, and this includes visiting the doctor when you need to and taking medicines on time. Arians who work out regularly should modify their routine to suit their energy levels.

This is a positive time for legal matters and business negotiations, as long as you remain patient and don’t give up prematurely. Self employed professionals and entrepreneurs could consider striking a partnership with a friend. But, go ahead only if you can keep business dealings separate from camaraderie. Those looking for a job change will find better prospects after March. Take a little extra care of important documents and valuables, especially when travelling.

This is a positive time for all relationships, especially those concerning family. Sort out differences from a space of love and understanding instead of insisting on getting your way. Differences with your spouse or partner will be comparatively easier to work around, if you are willing to make the effort. Take the help of a therapist or counsellor if the situation worsens. Singles could find love unexpectedly since a friendship has the potential to turn into something more.

*Thought to keep close in 2016:*
It’s safe for me to take charge of my life and kick in positive changes. I will embrace change as both, healthy and necessary.

*
Taurus (April 20 – May 20)*
*Singles, be open to love*
This year is the year of the Bull! Taureans are in a special zone; their wishes may get manifested in almost magical ways. So, be careful about what you wish for! Keep a watch on your weight, and don’t allow your love for the good things to get the better of you. Vegetarians may need to modify their diet to include more plant-based protein or take a supplement under a doctor’s supervision.

Business partnerships might go through a slightly shaky patch, but you can work things through as long as you remain focused. Any difference of opinion with your boss should be dealt with while keeping the ego aside (yes, it is possible). This is a good year for investments and finances, but you do need to research instead of allowing yourself to be pulled into a scheme that is not all it promises to be.

Taureans will find themselves whittling their friend list down to only those who really matter, and this may include getting off silly WhatsApp groups. A willingness to look at situations from your spouse or partner’s perspective will bring an immediate change in your equation. Singles must remain open to love and not restrict themselves to notions of ‘my type’. Those really serious about meeting someone, just might, as long as they look beyond appearances.

*Thought to keep close in 2016:*
I will free myself from my past and habits that no longer suit me. I will reinvent myself at every step and move forward fearlessly.

*
Gemini (May 21 – June 20)*
*May consider getting back with an ex*
Geminis can look forward to stability and a certain security. Listening to good advice, even if you’d rather do the opposite, needs your focus. Try to give up addictions like alcohol, cigarettes, and working too hard. Business and career may be a little slow at times, but will be headed in the right direction soon. New clients might need a little extra attention, and this will require smart time management. Some Geminis might change jobs, and it could take you a while to get established in the new organisation. Property, especially family property, will be a focus if you are looking to sell. Make sure all your paperwork is in order. Keep past income tax records in place in case of an enquiry.*Aparna Bose*

Your social life will progress according to your whims, and you might find yourself alternating between recluse and party animal avatars. Look at the positives in your marriage or relationship instead of focusing on what is wrong. A little genuine respect and love never hurt, even during difficult times. Singles could seriously consider getting back with an ex, and need to be willing to start afresh, letting the past go, as the issue that caused the original break up may still be lurking.

*Thought to keep close in 2016:*
I will listen to my instinct and not waste energy second-guessing myself. I will believe in myself.

*
Cancer **(June 21 – July 22)*
*Don’t get into a relationship mindlessly*
The focus is on relationships for Cancerians. How you relate to and behave with people should be at the forefront of your personal and professional life. Take a little extra care of your health while travelling since you are susceptible to stomach bugs. Businesspersons or self employed professionals looking for a financial backer should manage to find one, though you will have to deal with a tough negotiator. Any complex business issues may take a while to get sorted; be willing to compromise, if needed. A promotion or raise in salary is possible if you are in line for it, though this would mean even more hard work in future. Any past financial issues or setbacks must be dealt with promptly. Do not give into the tendency of complicating the situation further by borrowing when you don’t have the means to pay back.

Make an effort to work through issues with your spouse or partner instead of giving up or taking drastic decisions, especially if you have children and/or your finances are tied together. Singles might want to introspect a little and think about what it is they really want before getting into an equation mindlessly (even if the person is attractive or insistent).

*Thought to keep close in 2016:*
I will stay away from negative thoughts and behaviour. I will attract positivity and honesty.

*
Leo (July 23 – August 22)*
*Make only safe investments*
Wishes will come true as this is a year for positive changes across situations. Blood pressure and cholesterol niggles could create a few moments of ill health if you don’t take care of yourself. Do not stop taking medication or change medication without your doctor’s approval. Businesspersons and self employed professionals with high profile clients should not take business for granted. Give each client/project the time and attention it deserves. Work related travel could be slightly challenging, as you could face delays and cancellations — both out of your control. Those working in a team must not let their need to succeed get in the way of teamwork and camaraderie. Try to save regularly and make only safe investments (risk only as much as you are willing to lose and not at the cost of family security).

A busy social life should not mean you neglect family or responsibilities. Differences of opinion can flare up into arguments if you don’t keep your temper in check or speak without thinking. Work on situations with your spouse or partner instead of laying down the law and expecting to be obeyed. Singles who get into a new equation should not make a commitment too quickly. Intense attraction can easily fizzle out.

*Thought to keep close in 2016:*
I will respect other peoples’ boundaries as I expect them to respect mine. I will avoid indulging in unpleasant behaviour.

*
Virgo (Aug 23 – September 22)*
*Make time for friends*
An extremely busy year for Virgos, 2016 has the potential to be a turning point. The legendary sensitive Virgo digestive system may be a little more delicate than usual, especially if you have to travel extensively. Consulting a nutritionist for advice on eating on the go might be a good idea, even if you do not want to lose weight. Those who travel regularly on work will have an even busier than usual itinerary, and you might need to say no to a few trips. Recognition for your hard work and skills is coming your way, whether you are self employed or an employee. Bonuses and e-sops will make the hard work worthwhile. Those thinking of moving to another city or country might put their plan into action. Consciously make time for a hobby as well as for friends and social commitments, especially if you are ‘too busy’ and ‘have no time’. Accept your spouse or partner as s/he is instead of expecting perfection. Singles need to get out of their comfort zone and actively socialize if they wish to meet someone new. Focus on getting to know the person instead of wanting a commitment too soon or breaking off because of a single incident or mistake.

*Thought to keep close in 2016:*
My thoughts and actions are perfectly aligned with my inner being. I will operate from a place of honesty and integrity.

*
Libra (September 23 – October 22)*
*Will meet multiple potential partners*
A year for intense inner work, 2016 for Librans is the time to acknowledge changes that need to be made and work on them instead of thinking about them. Health is generally good, except if you allow stress to get the better of you. It’s also important to eat healthy and avoid extremes of overindulgence or strict dieting. Businesspersons and self employed professionals can think of expanding their business slowly but steadily. Professionals should make an effort to maintain a cordial working equation with their boss. Investments needn’t be large, but should be regular and in secure schemes. Legal issues are also highlighted, and you need to avoid getting into a legal tangle if you can, especially if you are not in a strong position.

Make time for friends who matter, and don’t neglect a friend who needs advice, even if s/he never takes it. A positive change in the way you communicate with your spouse or partner will occur naturally, and this will have a trickle-down effect on your equation with family and close friends. Family duties and celebrations will demand a chunk of your time. Singles will meet multiple partners, especially if they are searching online. Take your time and make a decision only after getting to know the person well enough.

*Thought to keep close in 2016:*
I will express myself in an appropriate manner. My communication will be clear and positive at all times.

*
Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)*
*Work related travel will increase *
This is all about putting goals into action. Follow through with them and do not allow laziness to get the better of you. Pay attention to your eating habits, especially if you tend to eat your last meal too close to bedtime or snack, post dinner. Those who have staff to cook for them need to make sure that the food is cooked in minimal oil and spices.

Self employed professionals and businesspersons will need to promote their product or service a little more aggressively, especially if there are too many close competitors in the market. Work related travel within the country will increase with the opportunity to crack a few major deals if you negotiate according to the need of the potential client. Keep a watch on unnecessary expenses and do not get caught in a cycle of spending to keep up appearances (more so with people who don’t matter). Avoid getting too involved in a building or neighbourhood issue.

Your equation with your spouse or partner can improve tremendously if you communicate with awareness when you are angry. Say what you need to in a calm and logical way, instead of an emotional manner while dealing with family or in-laws. Singles could meet someone extremely interesting in a surprising manner. Make sure the interest is reciprocated before making a move.

*Thought to keep close in 2016:*
I will distance myself from negative thoughts and behaviour, and expect the best instead of the worst.

*
Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)*
*Don’t waste time over a commitment phobe*
This is a year of choices. Health remains mostly good, but there could be a skin related issue that will cause some discomfort. Go to a dermatologist instead of trying home remedies. A rash could also be a reaction to a food you have suddenly developed an allergy to.

Businesspersons and self employed professionals who want to start a new business should not shut down their current one or neglect it in favour of the new one. Extra responsibilities at work need not mean more time spent at the office if you manage your time and resources intelligently. Higher education or enhancing professional skills should be on your agenda. Look at online options if you do not have the time to go for regular classes, or if the subject you are interested in is taught abroad.

Taking mini breaks with your spouse or partner will help keep your connection alive. Do not take her/him for granted just because you are in a comfortable rut. Singles should be sure about what they are looking for without getting involved with someone who is clearly not a good match or unavailable for any reason. Trying to change the mind of a commitment phobe will be frustrating and a waste of time.

*Thought to keep close in 2016:*
I know what I want and will achieve my goals with ease. Success is mine.

*
Capricorn **(December 22 – January 19)*
*Stick to budget on vacations*
For Capricorns, 2016 is the year of self-created changes and yes, challenges.

Issues with your bones should be taken seriously. Check your calcium levels even if you do not have a bone/joint issue. Businesspersons and self employed professionals could move to a new office/work space if they have been considering it for a while. Change your job only if you get a really good offer and are prepared to take on extra responsibilities and possible travel. This is a positive time for property matters, both buying and selling.

Drifting away from a couple of friends need not be inevitable unless you don’t want to keep in touch with them for some reason, which may or may not be logical. In any case, you will prefer to focus on quality interactions rather than large groups. Vacations will be enjoyable but you need to stick to a budget while shopping. Treat your spouse or partner with the love and affection you want from them, and avoid sarcasm when you have arguments over trivial matters.  Singles who meet someone new might initially have a slightly difficult time convincing their family of their choice. Give them time to get to know her/him.  Those in a committed relationship will think about taking it to the next level.

*Thought to keep close in 2016:*
I will forgive myself and others. I will let go of the past and no longer let it control my thoughts and actions.

*
Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)*
*Up vegetable intake*
The opportunity to be your best is the gift of 2016 for Aquarians. Those who eat a lot of meat and seafood should try and consume a few more fresh vegetables and whole grains. Try and avoid protein shakes and energy drinks even if you feel you need them because you work out regularly.

Businesspersons and self employed professionals should be able to get new clients, provided they make proactive decisions and follow through immediately. Those who travel extensively on work might find the pace a little tiresome. Negotiate a promotion or raise in salary only if you are in a strong enough position to ask for it. Budget wisely if you have family responsibilities or a huge loan to pay off, and do not make any risky investments. Time spent with extended family will be enjoyable, but you will find yourself slightly detached at the same time. Look at situations from your spouse or partner’s perspective whenever you experience a difference of opinion. A logical approach does not always work, and there are times when you need to deal with situations from the heart. Singles might need to go beyond their current social network and meet new faces. Focus on making friends and enjoying yourself instead of worrying about meeting ‘the one’.

*Thought to keep close in 2016:*
I will let go of everything that is preventing me from reaching my highest potential. I know what I am capable of and I will follow my dreams.

*
Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
Stay clear of office drama*
Be ready for major changes. A gradual balance and emotional stability will occur almost without effort if you allow yourself to go with the flow. Those with a spiritual or meditative practice will be able to take it to the next level and could even train others. Your health is good, but you need to drink enough water. This may prove a challenge if you need to travel within the city for work.

Businesspersons and self employed professionals will have a successful year with only few difficult patches. Stay away from office intrigue and drama but maintain a good working equation with colleagues.  Buying a car may be on the agenda, and this is a good year for both buying and selling property.

Working on your marriage or relationship will strengthen the bond with your spouse or partner. Try and take a few mini breaks together, even if it is just a weekend or two. Singles who decide to open their heart and let go of the past will meet someone who is easy to be around. This equation may have started off as a casual friendship till you realise your feelings. Make the effort to get to know the person from a space of happiness and playfulness.

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*Food & Drink*

*Restaurateur AD Singh, seen here at Guppy in Delhi, is set to open his other Delhi property, Ek Bar in Mumbai, this year*

*

The kitschy-cool Ek Bar in Delhi
*

*Ek Bar comes to Mumbai*
After the much-hyped Irani café-themed SodaBottleOpenerWala made its Mumbai debut in 2015, AD Singh is ready to give the city more with the launch of Ek Bar, a modern Indian cocktail bar that will open this year, either at Bandra or BKC. Similar to its Defence Colony counterpart, expect kitschy interiors and punches served in porcelain teacups. However, the quirky Indian fare, helmed by chef Sujan Sarkar, will be tweaked to suit the city’s palate. The Olive Group will also open new outposts of Olive Bistro, SodaBottleOpenerWala, The Fatty Bao and a Guppy. Eat your way through 2016!

*Also opening: A carnival cafe*
Mighty Small will open on January 7 at Lower Parel’s sports and entertainment hub, Smaaash. The carnival café will feature a dessert bar and the city’s first sangria bar.*Zorawar Kalra*
*
Delhi’s Farzi Café enters Lower Parel*
We’ve heard many tales of rarely managing to bag a table at Delhi’s Farzi Café. Now, try your luck in Mumbai. "In the next 40 to 60 days, we’ll be up at Kamala Mills. Along with modern, fun Indian cuisine, we are adding special dishes for Mumbai too," owner Zorawar Kalra told us. The look of the space will change every day of the week. We can’t wait. There’s also the cool new bar, Masala Bar, from the Kalras to come up on Bandra’s Carter Road.*Boondi Eclair at English Vinglish**
*

*Brar code*
You can admire art and tuck into small plates comprising eclectic world cuisine (read: Tea Smoked Tofu with a Ponzu Emulsion) at chef Ranveer Brar and Natasha Gowani’s new offering, TAG Kitchen and Cellar. Packing in a design gallery (The Amateur Gallery) dedicated to student art, the restaurant will also feature a wine cellar. The space will open early 2016 at Lower Parel’s Kamala Mills. Brar has also teamed up with the Dakalia family (of Gangour sweets fame) to introduce English Vinglish in Juhu by the end of the month. From Boondi Éclair to Mithai Tiramisu, the patisserie will offer Indian sweets with a western twist.

*Toshin’s gone cool*
Launched last October by the 25-year-old Le Cordon Blue (London) alumni Toshin Shetty, the chocolatier and patisserie is set to introduce Toshin ice-creams and sorbets at the Chembur outpost, later this month.*Expect to tuck into film-inspired dishes like The Lunchbox and Rocket Singh*

*Fully filmy*
Zaabar, a new Bollywood-themed bar will launch later this month at Lower Parel, and in Pune, by the folks who run Marine Drive’s Hotel InterContinental. Expect to tuck into film-inspired dishes like Chandni Chowk to China (Chinese Bhel), Rocket Singh (fresh rocket leaves tossed with avocado and orange vinaigrette) and The Lunchbox (mini-meal in a box).*Greek food lovers have much to cheer. Representative Pic*
**

*It’s all Greek!*
A modern Greek restaurant by Silver Beach Entertainment and Hospitality (owners of Nom Nom, Radio Bar and Silver Beach Café), will open at BKC by end April. Relish Lamb Shoulder Roasted with Tzatziki and pita, Papadopoulos and Shishtouk here.

*Go glocal in Andheri*
In the past few years, Andheri has been buzzing with new eateries. Later this month, watch out for Glocal Junction, an all-day diner and casual lounge by Foodlink Services, that opens on New Link Road.

*Navi Mumbai goes Nitro*
Enjoy drinks in LED-lit glasses and dig  into Bhut Jolokia Chicken Screamers and Dahi Khajoor Ke Kebab at the yellow-and-black hued Nitro Bar, that opens this month at Novotel Imagica Khopoli.*Relish Piadina. Representative Pic*

*I**talian Piadina for Mumbai!*
Looking for options to try veggie Italian eats? Head to Cafe Primo, a new all-veg Italian restaurant, that will introduce the Piadina — an Italian flat bread wrap. The casual dining restaurant, to be located at Fort, is slated to open later this month.

*Raan at your doorstep*
The Bohri Kitchen, the home-chef outfit by Munaf Kapadia, will start home delivery across the city in 2016 by joining hands with Scootsy or Food Panda. "We have already hired a chef, who is currently training under my mother. Eventually, we aim to make the home-dining experience a charity driven event, supporting a different cause each week," says Kapadia.*Chicken Rosht with Sirmal Bread and Jeera Rice from The Bohri Kitchen menu*

*Kamala Mills goes uncensored*
February will see partners Varun Puri, Vivek Bhargava and Rahul Bhamri open Uncensored, a multi-cuisine restaurant themed on ‘exploration with combination’. It is expected to feature dishes from around the world, all favourites at one time, but are now almost extinct.

*Starbucks’ got competition!*
Vision Café is set to give global coffee chain Starbucks a run for its money, they say. To be opened by Khan hospitality, this chain is scheduled to start business from April 2016 and will launch outposts across India, starting with Mumbai.*Chef Atul Kochhar at NRI*

*Atul Kochhar opens NRI (Not Really Indian) and Lima*
Michelin star chef Atul Kochhar’s much-awaited return to cook in India has finally come to fruition. NRI (Not Really Indian), offering varieties like Roti Canai, East African Zeera Chicken and Caribbean Goat Curry opens around January 10. Opening adjacent to NRI at BKC by end of the month is Lima, a tapas lounge specialising in Mexican, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine.

*A luxury cruise at BKC*
The Captain’s Table, as the name suggests, is an exquisite, fine-dine restaurant that will open later this month at BKC. Different artefacts will set the mood of being on board a luxury cruise liner. For instance, the 80-seater will be furnished with aged wood, battered and seasoned with sea wind. Fresh catch will be its USP. It’s a venture by Aarathi Arambhan, who is also the curator at Me So Happi.

*A new district in Breach Candy*
January 6 onwards, SoBo crowds have a cool, new hangout spot to head to. District Lounge housed in Breach Candy’s The Shalimar Hotel is a space where you can wash down bar bites like Papad Cone Paneer Tikka, Coin Paratha and Butter Chicken Stuffed Naan with cocktails like Elderflower Day and Hookah Pots. Sunny Sara, Ritik Bhasin and Shashi Thadani (of Liv and 145) along with Rishi Acharya (of Tryst) have partnered with the hotel for this venture.

*Tapas tales*
Redbrik Restaurants that owns the recently opened Fable will set up two new restaurants in Juhu in January. While Myx, a Tapas bar will open in the last week, True Tramm Trunk, offering desi cocktails and bar bites, is scheduled to open mid-January.*Todi Mill Social*

*New outposts:*
*>>* Social will open seven outlets in 2016 in areas of BKC, Versova, Andheri, Lokhandwala, Kurla, Goregaon and Vikhroli.

*>>* Me So Happi set to open third outlet in BKC.

*>>* The third outlet of Chhaayos will open in Lower Parel.

*>>* The sixth outlet of The Bar Stock Exchange will open by the end of January in Lower Parel. Spread across 15,000 square feet, it will feature a cigar lounge and a scotch collection.*The al fresco section at The Bar Stock Exchange, Bandra (W)*

*>>* Lemon Leaf will introduce two more outlets in the city.

*>>* Launched at Breach Candy last year, 29, which offers fare from different Indian states will introduce two more outposts – one at Kandivali (April) and the other at Ghatkopar (August).*The Bengali Bhappa Aloo served at 29*

*>>* Get ready for the second outpost of Khar’s Light House Café at Worli that opens on January 10. Sample French Toast Towers, Chicago-style pizzas and more than 50 varieties of cocktails.

*Art & performances*

*Canvas call**An 18th century pen and watercolour depiction of the human anatomy. Pic/Wellcome Library*
**

*Something for everyone*
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) will begin and end with a bang in 2016. Opening on January 12, is Tabiyat, a multi-city exhibition on medicine and healing in India. It will display antiquities and contemporary material culture including sculptures, textiles, wrestling clubs, books, everyday objects like combs and foot scrubbers, medical instruments, domestic objects, oil paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, plaques and board games (including a late 18thC Snakes and Ladders board — the game has Indian roots). A gallery, scheduled to open in April, will be set up at the former Nepal-Tibet Gallery, which will be reorganised to form the Himalayan Art Gallery. Look out for objects from the Himalayan region including Nepal and Tibet. A new children’s museum will open in December, which will have a gallery, studio and a picnic space.

*

A still from Dancing Queens hosted by Godrej Culture Lab last year
*

*GCL is five, and hip*
Godrej Culture Lab (GCL) will make 2016 a year of exploration, with its theme ‘alter-native’. With public screenings and art spectacles, the Vikhroli centre will, in head Parmesh Shahani’s words, "celebrate multiple ways of being Indian and breaking the boundary." While they will take forward conversations on gender and sexuality, February will be a nature month, so look out for special events.

*Art Deco in the city*
"We are going to put up our Deco exhibition once again at the Kala Ghoda Army and Navy Building on January 7. We will have a large exhibition of our archives in February at the college. These shows are part of the State of Architecture exhibition, which kicks off in January as well," shares Professor Mustansir Dalvi, professor of architecture at the Sir JJ College of Architecture.

*Continued sustenance*
The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai, apart from being a venue for the city’s art events, will open an exhibition of Abdulrahim Apabhai Almelkar’s paintings at the end of March. "We have the biggest in-house collection of Almelkar’s works, which are gradually coming into prominence," says Shivaprasad Khened, NGMA director. We are also told that the dome of the NGMA building is going to receive some artistic attention this year. For more on this, follow these pages.*King’s Birthday by AA Almelkar*

*Galerie Mirchandani + Steinreucke is 10*
Mother-daughter duo, Usha Mirchandani and Ranjana Steinreucke, celebrate their gallery’s 10th anniversary with a two-part exhibition. Titled Dwelling, and curated by Ranjit Hoskote, the exhibitions, slated for September-October and November-December, will include artists Dayanita Singh, Gauri Gill, Gieve Patel, Kiki Smith and Tanya Goel.*Tasneem Mehta at Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Byculla. Pic/Bipin Kokate*

*Rooted and grounded*
Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum will be a venue for the India Design Forum and Make in India Week. "We have a keen commitment to design," says Tasneem Mehta, honorary director. Around April, the museum will host Fifth Millennium, an exhibition curated by Divya Thakur.

*Super at 60*
Sakshi Art Gallery will kick-start 2016 with an exhibition of 60 photographs by Pablo Bartholomew, who turns 60 this month The exhibition titled 60@60 will take place from January 22 to February 20 and features luminaries from art and culture, captured in the 1970s and 80s.

*Growing up*
The Piramal Art Foundation opened its doors to its Lower Parel museum in 2015, and this year, there is going to be an art residency every month at Vaikunth in Thane. It’s an open call, so pay attention and apply, we suggest. Moreover, the Foundation will have three shows this year – on Raja Ravi Varma, miniatures and antiquities – and also bring out a couple of publications. Modules on art management are on offer, some free and some paid, in the coming year.

*Class acts, all**A still from Peter Brook’s Mahabharata**
*

*The epic returns*
March 5 to 12 will see one of the most awaited theatre productions of the year come to Mumbai. Battlefield, based on Mahabharata presented by the internationally renowned team of Peter Brook, Marie-Hélène Estienne and Jean-Claude Carrière, will revisit the great Indian epic, 30 years after Brook’s legendary production took world theatre by storm. An immense canvas in miniature, this central section of the ancient text is timeless and contemporary, asking how we can find inner peace in a world driven by conflict.*Mahesh Bhatt during a sound recording for the play Hamari Adhuri Kahani, staged last year*

*Mahesh Bhatt’s new cross-border play*
Mahesh Bhatt will present an Indo-Pak play, Milne Do, a collaborative effort by theatre actors from the two countries. An intense love story between two culturally crossed individuals during times of abject hatred, the play is aimed at promoting the message of peace. Buzz is that Ustad Ghulam Ali has also agreed to lend his voice. The play is scheduled to open in Delhi on April 24, in Mumbai on April 29, followed by shows in May in Kolkata, Lahore and Karachi.*A dancer performs Lavani in Mumbai. Pic/Afp*

*The business of theatre*
SMART (Strategic Management in the Art of Theatre), a programme by India Theatre Forum, India Foundation for Arts and Junoon, starts in February. It has been designed in the context and constraints of the arts in India, and aims to build knowledge, skills and expertise about arts management within the theatre community. Registrations begin in February while the event unfolds in July.

*3 states in Navi Mumbai*
Witness the first edition of The Marathi Telugu Mahotsav, which brings together Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana through sports, recreational and cultural activities. Presented by Integrated Rural Development Association, the five-day fest starting January 6, will be held at NMMC Tandel Ground in Navi Mumbai. From art installations to plays, poetry sessions and traditional Maharashtrian Dindi and Lavani dance performances, the fest promises to be a melting pot of cultures.

*A Gujarati theatre festival*
The sixth edition of Vasant Gujarati Natya Utsav will present a selection of the best offbeat and experimental plays by well-known theatre companies. It will take place from March 25 to 27 at NCPA.

*Youtheatre will be back*
The third edition of Youtheatre will premiere in September, in a bigger avatar across the city. "We’re planning a Kulture Bazaar with handicrafts and knick knacks on display," adds Divya Palat of Balancing Act Productions. She also plans to bring two international troupes to Mumbai, one of which is a children’s show while the second is an interactive comedy on the lines of
Faulty Towers.

*A Parsi theatre festival*
Draame – Baawas starting on January 13 will be a first-of-its-kind competition to unearth new Parsi talent in theatre, with 13 plays competing in the eliminations where the final five will be chosen. The age of the participants range from range from 17 to 50 plus.

*Books & Fashion*

*Who will rule the bookshelf?*

*Non-fiction*
*Kohinoor:* William Dalrymple; Juggernaut The story of the world’s most famous diamond, and its journey from the Golconda mines to the Mughal court and Queen
Victoria’s crown!

*Red Light Dispatches, Survivor Stories from India’s Brothels:* Edited by Anuradha Joshi; Speaking Tiger Told in the first person, the stories record the betrayals and compulsions that force women into the sex trade. The book, however, offers accounts of hope, too.

*Drinkers’ Tales From Here & There:* Edited by Palash Krishna Malhotra; Harper Collins A roller coaster ride through the pleasures and perils of drinking in India. Twenty-one essays, among which Sidharth Bhatia writes about drinking in Hindi cinema while Sandip Roy mulls over India’s enduring obsession with whisky.

*Exiled at Home, Being a Muslim in Modern India:* Saeed Naqvi; Aleph Naqvi takes us all the way back to the time when Islam made an appearance in the subcontinent, and then brings the narrative forward to the present to show how Muslims have been systematically betrayed and the impact that Partition, Kashmir, Babri Masjid, Gujarat, and RSS have had on their lives.

*The Gene:* An Intimate History: Siddhartha Mukherjee; PenguinRandomHouse An extraordinary biography of the gene, and what might become of human beings when we learn to read and write our own genetic information.
*Aravind Adiga*
***
Selection Day:* Aravind Adiga; Fourth Estate It’s set in the world of cricket in Mumbai.

*In Other Words: Jhumpa Lahiri; PenguinRandomHouse:* An autobiographical work written in Italian, the book investigates the process of learning to express oneself in another language, and describes the journey of a writer seeking a new voice.
*Karan Johar*

***The Unsuitable Boy:* Karan Johar; Juggernaut Johar reminisces about his childhood, learning from his father, his decision to enter the industry, his friendship with SRK and much more.
*Shashi Kapoor's life will get booked*

***Shashi Kapoor, A Biography:* Aseem Chhabra; Rupa This book sheds light on one of India’s most enigmatic stars — an actor who straddles the worlds of commercial Hindi cinema and small-budget art movies; who is, at once, devoted to theatre and the big screen.

*Whither Indian Judiciary?:* Justice Markandey Katju; Bloomsbury Katju is the former Chairman, Press Council of India. Prior to his appointment as Chairman, he served as a Judge at the Supreme Court of India.

*Delhi, Politics, Change and Destiny:* Sheila Dikshit; Bloomsbury This should make for an engaging read since it’s by the ex-Chief Minister of Delhi.

*Biography on Sunil Dutt:* Priya Dutt; Bloomsbury Former MP Priya Dutt is the daughter of the late Bollywood actor and politician Sunil Dutt and Nargis. Who better than her to tell his story?*Masaba Gupta*

*The Masaba Print:* Masaba Gupta with Aastha Atray Banan; Rupa For the first time ever, one of India’s leading youth icons with phenomenal aesthetic prowess reaches out to all girls with her unprecedented style diary.

*FICTION
The Pleasure Principle:* The Amaryllis Book of Erotic Stories: Amitava Kumar, Cyrus Mistry, Taslima Nasrin, Tabish Khair, Rupa Bajwa; Amaryllis With names like these, you can’t miss this one.

*Swimmer Among the Stars:* Kanishk Tharoor; Aleph An interview with the last speaker of a language. A chronicle of the final seven days of a town that is about to be razed to the ground by an invading army and other stories mark the emergence of a new storyteller.*Harish Iyer*
*
I’m Coming Out:* Harish Iyer; Juggernaut Funny and heart-warming coming-out stories collected by the LGBT activist will make you smile and live in hope.*Vikram Seth*
*
Summer Requiem:* Vikram Seth; Aleph Seth’s first standalone book of poems in 25 years, it traces the immutable shifting of seasons, the relentless rhythm of a great world that both ‘gifts and harms’.

*Jinnah Often Came to Our House: Kiran Doshi; Westland: India, 1904:* The dashing Sultan Kowaishi has just returned from London to Bombay and meets MA Jinnah. A saga of love and betrayal, pain and redemption, set amidst the long struggle for freedom and its terrible twin, the call for Pakistan.

*Daddy’s Boy, Shandana Minhas; Fourth Estate:* Asfandyar Ikram has no idea that his father, Anis Nabi, is alive − until the day he learns of his death. A powerful parable for Pakistan, Daddy’s Boy spins a chillingly vivid tale of desire and deception and the ultimately devastating consequences of hypocrisy.

*An Unrestored Woman, Shobha Rao; Hachette:* From refugee camps and torched trains to the spacious verandas of the British Raj, stories of the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, its unrelenting sorrow and impact on the lives of ordinary women and men.

*Runway rundown*
If muted chic is your thing, designer Anavila Misra, who is known for her sarees will be launching a line of home décor articles in the first quarter of 2016. An extension of Misra’s apparel design sensibilities, she will present cushion covers, table spreads, etc., created using handwoven organic linen in muted tones. These will be made in the same craft clusters where her sarees are made, as well as at their new manufacturing unit in Gurgaon. Some of the products in the upcoming line that are Misra’s personal favourites include table linen with jari infusions and botanical cushions.*Anavila takes a bow*

Evelyn Sharma’s non-profit organisation, Seams For Dreams wants to use the universal love for fashion to give back to humanity. In the first quarter of 2016, it will launch the Celebrity Auctions. Iconic celebrity clothing, whether it’s a movie costume or a star’s personal favourite clothing item, will be auctioned on the website where fans can bid. The highest bidder will win the piece of clothing. Each auction will have a different celebrity item. All the funds generated from the auctions will be used to support a cause that either the celebrity supports or they can pick one of Seams For Dreams’ causes.*Evelyn Sharma*

*Reel India:* Bollywood and Small Town India, Namrata Joshi, Hachette: Joshi travels across the Indian hinterland to bring forth tales of India’s obsession with cinema, while examining the unique relationship Indian cinema shares with its viewers.

*Incarnations:* India in 50 Lives, Sunil Khilnani; PenguinRandomHouse: A book on the popular BBC Radio 4 series of the same name. Two and a half thousand years of Indian history will be unearthed and the author explores the history and present day India through 50 individuals who have shaped the country, as we know it today.*President Pranab Mukherjee*

*The Turbulent Years:* 1980-1996; Pranab Mukherjee, Rupa: Volume 2 of the President’s autobiography covering the period from 1980 to 1996.*Shankar Mahadevan*

*One for India*
The premier of My Country, My Music a music production by Shankar Mahadevan and group will be presented on January 23 and 24 at NCPA. The show will comprise a selection of songs in a number of Indian languages, each embodying the cultural ethos of a specific region. The songs will be presented in a mix of traditional and contemporary styles, interlaced with pieces from popular Bollywood songs, and accompanied by visuals.

*A fitting tribute*
NCPA will host a specially-curated program, A Tribute to Excellence – the Artistry of Malavika Sarukkai, through a festival in different venues across the city, from January 9 to 16, showcasing the dancer’s prolific journey as an artiste. A key highlight of this programme will be the premiere of Vamatara – To the Light, the latest dance creation of Malavika, which opens a new chapter in her artistic journey with the introduction of a group choreography for the first time.

*Jazz in the city*
On January 30, Banyan Tree will present Splendor of Masters featuring Dr Kadrigopalnath (saxophone – Carnatic) with George Brooks (saxophone – Jazz), Ganesh Rajagopalan (violin) with Debashish Bhattacharya (slide guitar), Ustad Shahid Parvez (sitar) with S Shashank (Carnatic flute).

*A tribute to Pandit Bhimsen Joshi*
Attend Surotsav, a tribute to Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, an event organised by Artfx that will feature Anand Bhate and Rahul Deshpande. It will take place on January 24 at Swatantraveer Sawarkar Sabhagriha, Dadar (W).

*Want to be a 'Musicpreneur'?*
True School of Music has announced a course for those who wish to make it big in the music business. The curriculum will combine the creative, technical, legal, production side of the industry will help interested folk to learn about intellectual property in song writing, recording, publishing and broadcast, as well as conducting self-marketing across platforms, effective artist management, day-to-day business skills. This 22-week course will give students a 360-degree perspective of what it takes to be an entrepreneur in this industry today.

*Music & dance*

*Rhythm and moves*

*

A scene from Sunburn 2014, Goa
*

*Sunburn’s 10th year plan:*
"Sunburn will commemorate its 10th year anniversary in mega style in 2016. Given the fact that 2015 saw a 280 ft wide and 85 ft tall stage — the biggest stage in the world, you can imagine how big next year’s stage will be," revealed Harindra Singh, chairman and managing director, Percept Limited. Expect another property, Bollyboom to be back since 2013. This Bollywood Dance Music festival will also go international. "This year will see Bollyboom shows in West Asia, Europe and North America which have a huge Indian fan base. Indian artists will infuse a blend of Trance, House, Hip Hop, Electro Funk, Synthetic, Pop, Club Music, Techno,  Hardstyle, Sufi and Dubstep into popular Bollywood numbers to suit every fan taste and base," adds Singh.*(L-R) Niladri Kumar, Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Shpongle, Marat Bisengaliev*

*A teen music fest:* Head to Totem Pole, a three-day music fest for 12 to 18 year olds, that makes its debut at Lower Parel’s High Street Phoenix on January 15. Curated by Ashish Manchanda, founder of Flying Carpet Productions and The Media Tribe, the line-up features The Raghu Dixit Project, Best Kept Secret, Kefaya and others. The fest will also host a school band competition, with the winner crowned as the Totem Pole Band of the Year.
*
Classic notes:* Watch out for Pancham Nishad’s packed itinerary in the coming months. Celebrating India will see performances by Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Niladri Kumar, Kaushiki Chakraborthy and Rashid Khan. Begum Parveen Sultana will perform at The Gateway of India on January 31. On February 21, attend Aath Prahar, a festival that begins early morning, at Shanmukhananda Hall. It will see performances by Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, Ayaan and Amaan Ali Khan,
Rajan-Sajan Mishra and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.
*
EDM coolth:* blueFROG Mumbai will host British psychedelic music project Shpongle on February 5 as part of the second edition of the in-house EDM fest, Sphere.
*
Music from the maestros:* The Symphony Orchestra of India — Spring Season will open with a performance under the conductorship of NCPA’s resident conductor, Marat Bisengaliev. This season will also feature conductor-violinist Augustine Dumay who returns to present a unique performance. These will include the Bruch Violin and Viola concerto, the delightful Bizet symphony. Expect a standout session from globally  acclaimed Swiss conductor, Mischa Damev, too.

*One for India*
The premier of My Country, My Music a music production by Shankar Mahadevan and group will be presented on January 23 and 24 at NCPA. The show will comprise a selection of s Reported by Mid-Day 17 hours ago.

Just hours after Bavarian authorities closed the Hauptbahnhof and Pasing stations in Munich after Germany received a tip from French and American intelligence sources that a terrorist attack was planned for New Year’s Eve, two “incidents” have occurred in Kabul and Tel Aviv.

While it’s not clear if the two are related, *at least one person is dead in a shooting at a Tel Aviv pub, and witnesses are reporting a large explosion at a restaurant in Kabul* close to a district Reuters says contains many foreign embassies and government buildings. Both are being called "suspected terror attacks."

Reports indicate the shooter in Tel Aviv used an automatic rifle in the attack, firing 10 shots into a crowd. “At least seven were wounded, two critically, in the attack on Friday afternoon,” Haaretz reports, adding that “security forces and emergency teams rushed to the site, on the corner of Dizengoff and Gordon St., and are combing the area.”  A manhunt is underway for the suspect. Here's more from The Times of Israel:



*Two people are dead and three are in serious condition* in a shooting attack in Tel Aviv just before 3 p.m. Friday.

 

Witnesses say some 10 shots were fired in the attack, apparently in automatic bursts.

 

The shots were fired inside a bar at Dizengoff 122, near the city’s well-known Dizengoff Center Mall. The area is crowded on Friday afternoons.



Here are the visuals from the scene in Tel Aviv:



#BREAKING - scene of the #shooting #attack in #TelAviv. 4 wounded, some in serious condition. Motive un clear pic.twitter.com/hCW7uguHAp

— Yonat Friling (@Foxyonat) January 1, 2016





The terrorist in Tel Aviv killed 2 injured 10 shooting automatic rifle in a crowded bar pic.twitter.com/2htzuAthDS

— Oren Rosenfeld (@NewsHolyland) January 1, 2016





????? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ???????? ??? ????, ?????? ?????? ????? ???? ?????, ????? ?- 3 ?????? ??? 1 ??????? pic.twitter.com/2NiZYAKdmm

— ?????? ???????? (@y1800400400) January 1, 2016





Police say 2 dead in Tel Aviv shooting, 2 more critical in surgery. Motive still unclear (Photos by @dahliasc) pic.twitter.com/ZD2TgEYaS1

— +972 Magazine (@972mag) January 1, 2016



Meanwhile, in Kabul, police say a car bomb targeted a restaurant popular with Afghan officials and foreign diplomats. "[An] official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media, said the explosion appeared to have hit "Le Jardin", one of a small number of restaurants in Kabul still frequented by foreigners," Reuters says, adding that "the explosion came days after the Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide attack near Kabul airport that killed one person and wounded 33 others, the latest in a series of suicide attacks in the city."

Some sources say the attack in Israel may be an act of "nationalist terror," suggesting no immediate connection with ISIS and certainly not with the Taliban.

Even if the attacks aren't related, it says something about the state of society in the new year when terror attacks have become so commonplace that they accidentally happen at the same time in geographically distinct locations. Reported by Zero Hedge 17 hours ago.

A loud blast rocked the Afghan capital Kabul on Friday, apparently caused by a car bomb that targeted a restaurant popular with Afghan officials and foreign diplomats, a police official said. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media, said the explosion appeared to have hit "Le Jardin", one of a small number of restaurants in Kabul still frequented by foreigners. No information on damage or casualties was immediately... Reported by VOA News 17 hours ago.

The blast appeared to have struck Le Jardin, one of the small number of restaurants still frequented by foreigners in the Afghan capital, according to an official Reported by Telegraph.co.uk 16 hours ago.