STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
Rohini, 23 July
The carcass of a full-grown female elephant was found near the Army shooting range in Rohini in the Kurseong forest division. The forest officials said they had spotted  the body yesterday.
No injury was found on the body of the animal.
The range-in-charge of the forest division, Mr T Bhutia, has said it seems that the elephant had died yesterday. “We found the body yesterday. Apparently it seems that the jumbo died a natural death. However, the exact cause of death will be ascertained after post-mortem,” Mr Bhutia said.
The Kurseong divisional forest officer, Mr Sailesh Anand, said: "No bullet wounds or signs of external injury were found on the body. After post-mortem, the organs will be sent to Kolkata for forensic test."
According to the forest officials, the veterinary surgeons conducted the post-mortem. The local people say a herd of elephants had gathered at the spot on the day before yesterday.
“We feel the elephants had gathered at the spot after the death of the elephant. Later, the forest officials dispersed them,” said a local person.
The area which is known as the elephant corridor is frequented by jumbos even on the streets.

statesman news service
Namchi, 23 July
A foot bridge connecting villages in south Sikkim is lying in a dilapidated condition, risking the lives of those locals who use it
routinely. 
The suspension bridge spans the Rangit river and its support cables can break at any moment, which poses a high risk to the villagers of Poklong Kamrang gram panchayat unit in South District, who cross it regularly. People use the bridge for daily tasks such as going to office and to school. 
Zilla panchayat funds were used to renovate it in 2009, but repairs have been in vain. Some villagers even tried to repair the worn-out bridge with bamboos recently, but even that ploy came a cropper.
The bridge helps people from the villages of Chepak Kharka, Harabotey, Tokal, Samatar, Upper Samtar and Lower Nandugoan to reach Rothak and Jorethang.
The Rural Management and Development Department, under whose charge the structure falls, has not showed any interest so far in repairing it once and for all. Villagers complain that the department has taken no further action after the renovation carried out in 2009.
“The villagers tried to repair this bridge themselves several times. But its present dilapidation is beyond our reach, and the authorities concerned will open their eyes only after a major accident,” said a local. 
Villagers have now appealed to the department for a steel bridge, but in vain.

ABAVP to call bandh: The Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad (ABAVP) may call a bandh if the Belgachi High School and Belgachi Primary Schools are included in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). The ABAVP state president, Mr Birsa Tirkey, said the organisation would hold a meeting at Belgachi opposing the move. “The district school inspector of the GTA had informed the school Headmaster that the schools will be included in the GTA. We will hold a meeting on 27 July and declare the future course of action. We may go for a bandh after 1 August,” said Mr Tirkey.
TMC men attacked: Tension gripped Soraighat village in South Dinajpur district as alleged CPI-M goons attacked three TMC workers on Monday night. Two persons were admitted to the local health centre and another was referred to MMCH in critical condition. Police arrested Mr Mondal.
Rape attempt: An auto driver was arrested for allegedly attempting to rape a 17-year-old girl in Siliguri on Tuesday night. The incident happened when she was returning home.
Death inquiry: The West Bengal Human Rights Commission chairman, Mr Justice Asoke Ganguly, directed the Darjeeling Superintendent of Police Mr Kunal Agarwal, to inquire over the death of Sailen Roy and submit his reports to the commission within four weeks. Roy, who is a Guinness World Record holder, and a Siliguri police home guard, died while performing a stunt at Sevoke on 28 April.
Plantation to re-open: The Surendra Nagar Tea plantation, which had been abandoned since 19 December, last year, is likely to re-open tomorrow. The joint labour commissioner, Md Rizwan, has said that with the re-opening of the tea plantation there is no other tea plantation which is now closed in Dooars, except the Dheklapara tea plantation, which is also a subjudice issue. “A tripartite meeting was held involving the trade unions, owners and the joint labour department on Tuesday in this regard," he said.
Strike postponed: The Darjeeling district Chhatra Parishad (CP) has postponed its indefinite strike at Kalipada Ghosh Terai Mahavidyalaya in Bagdogra till Monday. The CP had called an indefinite strike in the college demanding admission of students, who have been qualified after the reassessment of the higher secondary results. The district general secretary, Mr Ronald De, said: "If the students do not get admission, the CP will call an indefinite college strike.”
Couple suicide: A couple committed suicide by consuming pesticide. Sukumar Das ( 50 ) and Sasti Das (45) of Baichipota village in Singur had a quarrrel on Monday night and in a fit of rage they consumed pesticide.
Youth stabs girl: Prasanto Hahit (24), a resident of Chapadanga Tarkeswar, stabbed his lover on the back with a pen knife. Prasanto, who was caught red handed by the girl&’s family, was handed over to police.
Man shot dead: Mafizuddin Mollah (52), a resident of Harat village in Haripal, was found dead in his bed on Tuesday morning. He had been shot. His bedroom was on the ground floor and the windows were open.
3 killed by lightning: Three schoolboys were struck by lightning and charred to death  in a Bankura village on Tuesday. Promit Garain, Budhhadeb Garain, Subrata Layek ~ all aged 17 ~ were Class XII students at Maliara Raj Narayan High School in Bankura.
Man kills son: A snake charmer was killed by his father at Bamunara village in Burdwan on Monday. Sukumar Mal allegedly hit his son with a kencha (long iron pointed rod used to tame snakes).
Protest:The faculty and students of Calcutta Unani Medical College took out a rally alleging negligence by the government. “The Rs 35 lakh given to us every year is paltry compared to other colleges,” said a staff. sns
Trader murdered:  Mafizuddin Mollah (52), a businessman was found dead on Tuesday. He reportedly succumbed to bullet injuries. A resident of Haripal, Mollah was shot when he was sleeping at night.     sns
New underpass: Eastern Railway has thrown open a new pedestrian underpass at the site of an erstwhile railway level crossing gate near Jadavpur railway station. The level crossing gate was closed in 1992.     sns
Pass percentage dips: The results of BA, BSc, BCom Part III (general) were published on Tuesday.  The pass percentage in BA is 63.03 while last year it was 74.72. BSc percentage is 79.39. Last year it was 88.11.     sns
Honourary degrees: Presidency University council has decided to offer honourary degrees to its own alumni in its first convocation scheduled on 22 August. The V-C said that it was a proposal of the Chancellor.     sns
Puja essentials: Using anti-fire retardant on the wall of puja pandals would be mandatory for preventing fire mishaps, Jawed Khan, fire and disaster management department minister said at Writers’ Buildings.     sns

agencies
Harare, 23 July
Zimbabwe begin a five-match one-day series against India on Wednesday accepting that victory in even one of the games would represent a good result against the top-ranked side in the world.
India may have rested captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, leading spinner R Ashwin and seamers Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, but Zimbabwe’s new coach Andy Waller expects their replacements to prove equally threatening.
"All along we’ve prepared with the hope that we might surprise them in one of the games – we have to be realistic, and look to be competitive and do the best that we can," Waller said.
"India have got so many cricket players that I don’t think there’s a huge difference between the guys who have come in and some of the players they’ve left out."
Zimbabwe go into Wednesday’s game at Harare Sports Club with their most settled batting line-up in many years, having been boosted by Sean Williams’ performances in the middle order during their series victory over Bangladesh.
Williams has overcome a minor injury that kept him out of a three-day match against Australia A last week, which a Zimbabwe Select XI lost by 80 runs.
"Our top six are settled," Waller said. "The guys are hugely excited about this. We’ve been preparing knowing that the best side in the world is coming."
India’s last visit to Zimbabwe was in 2010 for a tri-series that included Sri Lanka, when they failed to make the final after losing twice to the hosts.
While India’s squad for this series may be short on experience, they will not lack for motivation having gained the opportunity to press for more regular inclusion in the future.
Seamer Jaydev Unadkat and batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have been brought in, along with uncapped players Parvez Rasool and Mohit Sharma. Even the more senior players will have something to prove, with Virat Kohli hoping to showcase his captaincy credentials as he leads the side in Dhoni’s absence.
"You need 11 players who are hungry for success, who are hard-working and whose vision is victory," Kohli said, adding: "All 15 players are strong and we are a strong unit, which is good."
The Indian batting would revolve around Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan. Shikhar and Rohit average 57.72 in partnership and have put together three century stands so far.
Cheteshwar Pujara would lend stability to the middle order where Suresh Raina will also have an important role to play. Raina would look to wipe out the memories of the previous tour’s debacle under his captaincy.
India’s bowling attack has an all-new look to it with the duo of Shami Ahmed and rookie Mohit Sharma comprising the pace department. Vinay Kumar and Jaydev Unadkat are the other speedsters in the squad.The spin attack would feature Parveez Rasool, the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to get India’s national selectors’ nod, and the experienced Amit Mishra. Dinesh Karthik would don the gloves behind the stumps in Dhoni’s absence.The India-Zimbabwe limited-over series is Waller’s first international assignment as head coach. He took over from Steve Mangongo, who held the position in a caretaker’s role until the end of the home series against Bangladesh in May. Zimbabwe have prepared hard for the series. Apart from holding a training camp, they have played a three-day practice match against Australia A, which the visitors won by 80 runs as the host team’s batsmen failed to back the hard work of their bowlers, who had utilised the bowler-friendly Country Club pitch very well. Waller said he expected batsmen to have an easier time at Harare Sports Club, where the first three ODIs would be played, than in Bulawayo.
“It was quite an interesting wicket (at the Country Club), quite a difficult wicket. I think the guys are actually quite positive about it, because they were a good bowling side. And I think we know it’s a lot harder batting on the wicket there than it will be at the Sports Club,” he said.
Waller also confirmed that veteran left-arm spinner Ray Price would be part of the Zimbabwe squad during the series.
“Price is in the squad, I don’t know why he wasn’t named in the original list,” said Waller after the team’s practice session.
India are the favourites as Zimbabwe have only beaten them 10 times in the  51 One-Day Internationals between the two sides.
Zimbabwe-born coach Duncan Fletcher has said his India squad are seeking a relaxing time following a "hectic" few months.
The Champions Trophy-winners have been busy recently and will use the series to allow some new players to stake their claims.
Fletcher said yesterday at a dinner to welcome the visitors that there had been "too much nerve-racking stuff" lately after India won the Champions Trophy and a recent triangular series final in West Indies by slim margins. Kohli said the players were "out here to have fun." Teams (from):
India: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, Cheteshwar Pujara, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Parveez Rasool, Shami Ahmed, R Vinay Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohit Sharma.
Zimbabwe: Brendan Taylor (captain and wicketkeeper), Sikandar Raza, Tendai Chatara, Michael Chinouya, Elton Chigumbura, Graeme Cremer, Kyle Jarvis, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Natsai M’shangwe, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams.

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE
Beausejour (St. Lucia), 22 July  
West Indies middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels says he has devised a strategy to conquer Pakistan’s bowlers as the five-match One-Day International series between the two sides heads for a potentially exciting climax on Wednesday.
Samuels scored an unbeaten century as the West Indies lost to Pakistan by six wickets via the Duckworth-Lewis method on Sunday. "It’s a high-class bowling attack but when I see a bowling attack probably two or three times I think I sum it up," said Samuels, adding: "So I have been thinking about them a lot. I have been watching a lot of tape." West Indies batsmen have struggled against Pakistan’s bowlers in the series but Samuels hit 13 boundaries in his 106 to lift the score to 261. "So by just summing them up I realise who I am going to target and who I am not going to target," said Samuels. "I try to get as many singles as possible so I batted with a plan today and it actually worked."
Pakistan now lead the series 2-1 after the third ODI ended in a tie with the deciding fixture set for Wednesday at the Beausejour playing field.
The stylish Jamaican batsman said he believed the West Indies would have won the match had it not been for the rain which interrupted play.
"If the rain didn’t come today I am sure we would have been in the driving seat because there were a lot of runs on the board and Pakistan’s batting has not been clicking," he said, adding: "The mindset will continue because I like to be consistent."

agence france-presse
Colombo, 23 July
Rangana Herath took two crucial wickets as Sri Lanka defeated South Africa in the rain-affected one-dayer in Colombo today, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. South Africa, set a revised target of 176 from 29 overs, were 104-5 in 21 overs when a heavy downpour at the Premadasa stadium forced the match to be called off. With 121-5 being the par score at that stage, the Proteas lost by 17 runs to suffer their second defeat in the series following the 180-run loss in the first match last Saturday.
Herath trapped opener Alviro Petersen leg-before for 24, and had Faf du Plessis caught behind to reduce the Proteas to 69-5 by the 14th over. David Miller (22 not out) and Ryan McLaren (14 not out) put on 35 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket before rain ruined their hopes of pulling off an upset. South Africa were dealt another blow as Hashim Amla injured his left knee while fielding and was rushed to hospital for precautionary scans.

Media&’s focus will quickly shift to football&’s Premier League

Angus Fraser
 
The joy of witnessing England take an almost impregnable 2-0 lead in this summer’s Ashes has not been lost on the British public. The chance to ridicule our oldest foes is not being wasted and the Australian supporters I watched and spoke to while Alastair Cook’s side thumped the Aussies at Lord’s had a forlorn and slightly embarrassed appearance. Many preferred to be drinking Pimm’s on the Coronation Garden at `The Home of Cricket’ to watching the cricket. 
Despite the Ashes thrashings England suffered during my career England’s win in the 2nd Test did not provide me with a huge amount of satisfaction. It felt a little hollow. Yes, of course, it was great to see Cook and Co triumph but I left Lord’s relatively underwhelmed as I did not feel I had witnessed much of a contest. England were excellent and for that Andy Flower, Cook and the team should be congratulated but from the moment Australia lost nine first innings wickets for 62 runs on the second day the result and the cricket played had an inevitable feel to it. 
Many England cricket fans will be relishing the fact their side have the chance of winning the Ashes in less than a fortnight, and that they then have an chance to inflict a 5-0 whitewash on Michael Clarke’s side. Yet it is questionable whether this is actually a good thing for English cricket. 
Cricket is currently the first item on the sports section of television and radio news. It fills the back pages of newspapers too. All this is brilliant for the game. Victory at Old Trafford and the retention of the Ashes will continue this theme. But what then? After that the Ashes, as a newsworthy item, will become a non-event. 
Before a ball is bowled in the fourth Test at Chester-le Street the focus of the media will have quickly moved away from the Ashes and Joe Root to football, the Premier League and the latest club Wayne Rooney has been linked with. Cricket lovers will have to wait for their game to feature on the news and search deep in to a newspaper to find reduced coverage. It sounds unpatriotic but the best thing that could have happened in this series was England losing the first Test in Nottingham. Then everybody would have been buzzing about Ashes cricket until the end of August. 
I hope Australia put in a strong performance in Manchester because I want to see a contest similar to that in the first Test at Nottingham. Middlesex were preparing to play a t20 game at Richmond as Australia closed in on their target of 310. The state of the game at Trent Bridge had captured the attention of the Sunday crowd. Hundreds of people were packed in the bar at Richmond trying to get a glimpse of the action. Hundreds of others had earpieces in and were listening to the action on radio. It was a marvellous sight. When I left Lord’s on Saturday, with Australia seven wickets down and with more than 400 runs still needed, it was the Harris and Coronation Gardens that were packed. For them it was more fun chatting with friends than watching the cricket. Their apathy was understandable because the contest was over.  And that is why I, with the exception of when Middlesex and Liverpool FC are playing, turn up to watch sporting events. I go to see a contest, to watch great sportsmen — whether they be English, Australian, West Indian or Indian — perform great deeds. For me the occasions when Brian Lara, Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan and Sachin Tendulkar have starred is almost as good as when James Anderson, Graeme Swann, Kevin Pietersen and Cook have produced the goods.  The Ashes of 2005 was a once in a lifetime series and we still talk about it fondly today. For all the immediate gloating Sunday’s win allowed England supporters need more Tests like Nottingham 2013 than Lord’s 2013 if we are to remember this series in five years time.     THE INDEPENDEnt
 

indo-asian news service
New Delhi, 23 July
The Supreme Court dismissed, as withdrawn, a PIL seeking CBI probe into the allegations of betting and spot fixing that rocked the sixth version of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
‘Go to the high court,’  said an apex court bench of Justice B.S.Chauhan and Justice S.A. Bobde as counsel for the petitioner pressed the prayer for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. Mumbai-based law lecturer Sharmila Ghuge in her PIL urged the court to direct the CBI to investigate the "allegations of spot fixing, match fixing, betting etc. pertaining to the cricket matches of IPL-6 or its earlier versions, unearth the huge racket committing such illegalities…"

animesh bhattacharyya
animesh@thestatesman.net
Kolkata, 23 July
One look at Moshood Bola Abdul Aziz, Mohammedan Sporting Club&’s new coach, and you realise that here is a man who means business. He talks business too, as he made it quite clear early on that he would be talking to the Press only after completing the training.
“As much as I would like to interact with the Press, I have to focus on the task at hand,” he said. The ‘task’, getting Mohammedan Sporting geared up for top-flight football after a four-year hiatus, he acknowledged is not an easy one. But going by the way he has taken the challenge by the scruff of its neck, one would not be too far off to expect great things from him.
Be it instructing the players or prepping the support staff or getting involved in the action, Aziz does not look like someone who has taken over the coaching mantle of Mohammedan Sporting only recently. It&’s not surprising given the fact he feels that the transition from a player to a coach is a ‘natural one’.
“You can only teach what you have learned. I have played football for a long time and whatever I have learned then, I will try to teach my boys now,” he added.
Having coached Atlantis FC, a Pro-Second Division club in Finland, where he was known for his tough training and strict discipline, Aziz would be looking to bring the same ethos to Mohammedan Sporting. “Discipline and training are two very important components in the making of a complete footballer. Discipline comes in handy both on the pitch and off it. As for training, light running, stretching are vital for warming up but the most important thing is what one does with the ball,” Aziz said.
He also believes that a coach cannot earn respect by only instructing players to do things.
“One has to do those things oneself. Only then can he set a benchmark, an example for his players to follow,” he said.
Aziz is also someone who does not mince words when it comes to tackling shambolic performances on the field.
 At one point during the day&’s training, visibly unimpressed with the passing on display, he told his players in no uncertain terms to up the ante. “He is getting too agitated. I don’t know how the players will respond to it,” a bystander quipped but ‘agitated’ or not, Aziz knows the importance of keeping the players on their toes. “As a coach it&’s my duty to push them to their limits so that they give their best,” he said. However, for someone who prides himself for being a builder, he also realises the importance of giving time for a system to flourish. “One must always give time to a new setup to find its rhythm. Rush things too much and it may crumble but with time all the pieces will fit perfectly. It’s only pre-season and with not much football going on, it is very important for the players to get match ready and stay fit. Hopefully, in a few days time the boys will be back to their best,” he added.
And what do the players think of the new coach? “We like him and respect him. We have a good squad and with his backing we will be trying to give our best,” said Tolgey Ozbey, one of the black and white brigade&’s new recruits. With Joshimar, Luciano Sabrosa and Penn Orji in their ranks, Mohammedan Sporting certainly have the players to impress at the top level. As for actually doing it, one would have to wait and watch.

Catalans arrived in Munich for match without a chief coach

agence france-presse
Berlin, 23 July
Pep Guardiola’s former team meet his current employers in Wednesday’s friendly when European champions Bayern Munich host Spanish giants Barcelona.
Barcelona arrived in Munich without a head coach after Tito Vilanova resigned on Friday, as he battled against cancer.
Vilanova’s assistant Jordi Roura will be in charge at Munich’s Allianz Arena and the 45-year-old took charge of Barcelona from December to April when Vilanova was receiving treatment.
After Guardiola won 14 titles between 2008 and 2012 at Barcelona, the pre-season run out has added spice, especially given recent events which have strained relations between the two European powerhouses.
Guardiola took charge of Bayern last month, amid great fanfare, after the Bavarians lured the 42-year-old to Munich following his year’s sabbatical in New York.
Guardiola has already poached Spain Under-21 captain Thiago Alcantara from Barcelona to bolster his star-studded midfield which includes Holland’s Arjen Robben and France winger Franck Ribery.
But Guardiola stirred up bad blood with his former bosses earlier this month when he accused the Barcelona board of trying to "damage" him.
Guardiola lashed out in a press conference, making allegations against the board, which were later refuted, that he had snubbed Vilanova while he was being treated for cancer in New York.
"I will never forget that they used Tito’s illness to cause me damage, because it’s a lie that I never saw him in New York," he said.
With relations strained off the field, there is plenty of spice on it, although both teams are likely to name weakened teams.
Bayern’s Germany stars Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Goetze are both recovering from injuries, and the teams are not expected to have their Confederations Cup stars in action.
Both Barcelona’s new Brazil star Neymar and Spain’s Carles Puyol, who is working his way back to fitness after knee surgery in March, are expected to sit it out.
Senior stars Javier Mascherano, Adriano Correia, Alex Song and Alexis Sanchez are likely to feature among a host of reserves, while Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi is set to play some part.
Barcelona have something to prove against Bayern having been humbled 7-0 on aggregate in last season’s Champions League finals when the Germans backed up a 4-0 win in Munich with a 3-0 rout at the Camp Nou.
Having already chalked up wins over Bundesliga opposition Hamburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in a pre-season tournament over the weekend, the Barcelona friendly is a big test for Guardiola’s new-look Bayern.
He has introduced a 4-1-4-1 system, from the 4-2-3-1 formation which won last season’s treble, and switched Germany captain Philipp Lahm from right-back into midfield with France winger Franck Ribery up front.
The game’s kick-off time has been brought forward to 1830 local time (1630 GMT) to allow home-team fans to watch Germany’s women in the semi-final of the 2013 European Championships.
In another development, Argentine coach Gerardo Martino has been named as Barcelona’s new boss on a two-year deal, the club confirmed on Tuesday.
"FC Barcelona have reached an agreement for the hiring of Gerardo Martino as the new coach of the first team for the next two seasons," said a statement on the club’s website.
"In the next few hours a programme will be confirmed for his arrival in Barcelona, the signing of his contract and his presentation."
The 50-year-old arrives after successful period in charge of Newell’s Old Boys in his homeland but has just over three weeks to get used to his new surroundings before the start of the Spanish league season on 17 August. Martino has no previous managerial experience in Europe, although he did enjoy a brief spell in Spain with Tenerife as a player in 1991.

New Delhi, 23 July:  Doubles specialists Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa were left disappointed with the Indian Badminton League’s decision to slash their base price at the last moment in the Player’s auction and termed it as “disrespectful” and “absurd”. Commonwealth Games women’s doubles champions Jwala and Ashwini were two of the six icon players, who went under the hammer yesterday but just hours ahead of the player’s auction, the IBL decided to reduce their base price from USD 50,000 (Rs 29,86,264) to USD 25,000 (14,93,125) after consultation with the six franchises. In the auction, Jwala went to Krrish Delhi Smashers at USD 31,000 (Rs 18,51,520), while Pune Pistons bagged Ashwini for the base price of USD 25,000. “I am very disappointed. Me and Ashwini signed the contract as icon players and we should have been given a better deal. We were not even informed about the reduction of base price. It is disrespectful and I am deeply hurt and upset by IBL,” Jwala told PTI. 
Meanwhile, Denmark’s Mathias Boe today vowed to not visit India after appearing in Thomas Cup next year. Boe, who won the All England Super Series in 2011 with compatriot Carsten Mogensen, had a base price of USD 50,000 but the 33-year-old did not find any takers.
    agencies

New Delhi, 23 July:  Doubles specialists Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa were left disappointed with the Indian Badminton League’s decision to slash their base price at the last moment in the Player’s auction and termed it as “disrespectful” and “absurd”. Commonwealth Games women’s doubles champions Jwala and Ashwini were two of the six icon players, who went under the hammer yesterday but just hours ahead of the player’s auction, the IBL decided to reduce their base price from USD 50,000 (Rs 29,86,264) to USD 25,000 (14,93,125) after consultation with the six franchises. In the auction, Jwala went to Krrish Delhi Smashers at USD 31,000 (Rs 18,51,520), while Pune Pistons bagged Ashwini for the base price of USD 25,000. “I am very disappointed. Me and Ashwini signed the contract as icon players and we should have been given a better deal. We were not even informed about the reduction of base price. It is disrespectful and I am deeply hurt and upset by IBL,” Jwala told PTI. 
Meanwhile, Denmark’s Mathias Boe today vowed to not visit India after appearing in Thomas Cup next year. Boe, who won the All England Super Series in 2011 with compatriot Carsten Mogensen, had a base price of USD 50,000 but the 33-year-old did not find any takers.
    agencies

Disagreement over IPL-style tournament

press trust of india
Mumbai, 23 July
Six representatives of the I-League Professional Football Clubs Association will meet officials of All India Football Federation soon over the contentious issue of the proposed IPL-style league, the club owners said today.
The I-League club owners, eleven of them in attendance and three others giving their consent to the decision taken, met here today and agreed to AIFF’s suggestion for an across the table meeting, it was announced today.
“A letter has come from Kushal Das (AIFF’s general secretary) asking for a joint meeting with IMG (AIFF’s marketing partners).
We today decided that six of our members would attend the meeting,” said I-League club Pune FC’s owner Nandan Piramal at a media conference.
“Raj Gomes (president of IPFCA), Chirag Tanna (its secretary), two of our vice presidents, Valanka Alemao (CEO of Churchill Brothers) and Mustafa Ghouse (from newly formed I-League club JSW) will attend the meeting on our behalf,” said Piramal.
Piramal said the meeting was basically to find out how the two-month long league proposed to be held early next year will benefit Indian football.
“We would like to know how such a league will benefit Indian football, I-League – which is the premier football tournament in the country – and the I-League clubs. We are going into this meeting with an open mind and without any preconceived notion,” Piramal said.
“We would like to know whether it is just about making money for someone or for improving Indian football,” he said. Valanka Alemao, daughter of Churchill Brothers’ owner, said that AIFF should not take the clubs for granted. “The message that is sent out today by us to the AIFF is not to take us for granted,” she said.
It was also revealed that none of the club owners have any idea about the contents of the 15-year agreement signed up by AIFF with IMG-R in 2010. “They say it has got a confidentiality clause,” she said. (More) Piramal and Valanka insisted that the I-League clubs have signed up all the players they need for the season ahead.
“I feel bad for the players who are sitting in the middle of this. We believe that what we are doing is for the good of Indian football and I-League is the bedrock of Indian football.”

Bangalore, 23 July: Following are Wednesday’s selections:
1.30 pm: Ice Kingdom 1, See You Later 2; 2 pm: Artesia 1, King Of The Court 2; 2.30 pm: Winning Story 1, Irish Song 2; 3 pm: Noble Reward 1, Bronzino 2; 3.30 pm: Trust Me Boy 1, Volans 2; 4 pm: An Acquired Taste 1, Tintinnabulation 2; 4.30 pm: Sprint Star 1, Esteban 2; 5 pm: Talita’s Girl 1, Blue Star 2; 5.30 pm: Icelander 1, Real Steal 2. Best bet: Sprint Star.     sns

Kolkata, 23 July: The Great Tribute Cup is the feature event in a card of six races framed for tomorrow here. Thanks to the cancellation of Bangalore races over the last weekend, Kolkata races will clash with Bangalore races tomorrow.
The feature event is a 1,100m sprint for horses in the highest Class.
Three runners attract attention in the pack of eight runners.
Among Aerator, Sreedhan and Rising Power, Sreedhan is fancied to score in a tight finish.
Mohammed Shabbani will ride the Shafiq Khan trained runner.
Selections:
2.45 p.m.: MOONLIT SKY 1, Haynestown 2, Avision 3.
3.15 p.m.: UNIQUENESS 1, Commelina 2, Carnival Point 3.
3.45 p.m.: ALCANDER 1, Conquest 1, Songstress 3.
4.15 p.m.: ADABELLA 1, Zoffany 2, Calypso Girl 3.
4.45 p.m.: SREEDHAN 1, Aerator 2, Rising Power 3.
5.15 p.m.: SNOW BALL 1, Amika 2, Beyond Stars 3. Day&’s best: Snow Ball.     sns

Racquet decision: Roger Federer has said that he will spend this week at the Swiss Open testing his new larger racquet and make a decision later on whether to use it in the run-up to the US Open and beyond.

Diet book: Novak Djokovic attributes his recent success to a change of diet. Now he’ll be giving his nutrition tips in a book. Serve to Win reveals the diet that transformed his health and pushed him to the pinnacle.

Arsenal win: French striker Olivier Giroud plundered his sixth goal in three Asian tour games as Arsenal marked manager Arsene Wenger’s return to his former club Nagoya Grampus in Japan with a 3-1 win.

Uganda warned: Fifa has warned Uganda of a possible suspension if the government interferes with the running of the sport in the East African country. It was responding to a letter sent last week by Uganda.

Trezeguet moves: French football player David Trezeguet has joined Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys, where he will serve as a reinforcement. The  forward will fill the vacancy left by Ignacio Scocco.

Baptista’s plan: Former Real Madrid and Brazil international forward Julio Baptista is negotiating a move to Brazilian football club Cruzeiro. The 31-year-old held talks with Cruzeiro director Alexandre Mattos.

Conte happy: Juventus coach Antonio Conte is satisfied with his side’s 10-day long pre-season preparations. "It has been an intense pre-season so far, but it has certainly been excellent," Conte said.

Zol shines: At Dambulla, skipper Vijay Zol’s unbeaten 129 helped India reach 333/2 against Sri Lanka at stumps on the opening day of the first U-19 Test on Tuesday. Sri Lanka’s decision to field backfired badly.

Shetty ineligible: The Mumbai Cricket Association has changed its electoral eligibility rules, barring the participation of cricket control board employees, so Ratnakar Shetty cannot stay on on its managing committee.

Austria F1: F1 racing is set for a return to Austria in 2014 after an 11-year break. The Austrian Grand Prix has been scheduled for 6 July in Spielberg after Red Bull team officials spoke with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.

O’Grady quits: Tour de France veteran Stuart O’Grady announced  that he has ended his cycling career after taking part in his record 17th race around France. He pulled even with George Hincapie with his record 17th Tour.

Federation Cup: The Alchemist IHF Federation Cup hockey  2013 got underway on Tuesday  at the Shivaji Stadium, New Delhi. In the first match of the day Tamilnadu overcame  Mumbai with a 4-3 win. 

Anderson optimistic:  James Anderson said that the team was optimistic that Kevin Pietersen would be fit for next week’s Ashes Test at Old Trafford. He was off the field when the side completed a 347-run win on Sunday

Daruvala fourth: Force India Academy driver Jehan Daruvala finished fourth from 16th on the grid in the CIK European KF3 Championships in Ortona.  Daruvala delivered an inspired performance in the final.

An Indo-Chinese settlement on Ladakh before Indo-Pakistan peace is achieved assumes special significance because of the leverage it would give to Beijing to mediate in the region. No settlement with Beijing is conceivable unless at least the minimal territory needed to connect Xingjian to Tibet is ceded by India to China ~ RAJINDER PURI

Once again on July 16 and 17, Chinese troops on horseback intruded into Ladakh. They retreated peacefully after laying claim to territory. Why is China repeatedly indulging in such brinkmanship? Various theories have been advanced. It is said the Chinese are worried about an Indian buildup that could monitor the infrastructural installations on their side of the border. It is more likely that China considers this the most suitable time to settle the border issue with India. These pinpricks are intended to prod a weak and ineffectual Indian government to capitulate and sign an agreement suiting Beijing. The present is particularly suiting China for a final settlement not only because the UPA government is on the ropes. There are three other constraints that impel Beijing&’s desire for quick settlement.
The first constraint relates of course to Beijing ‘s longstanding strategic imperative to connect Xingjian to Tibet which can be done only through Ladakh. In 1960, Zhou Enlai had offered trading Arunachal Pradesh, then NEFA, to India for Ladakh ceded to China. Had Nehru negotiated the offer by ceding only the strip joining Xingjian to Tibet, the 1962 conflict might have been avoided. His summary rejection of the offer led to hostilities. Beijing ‘s present need for the Xingjian-Tibet connection has become much more pressing because of unrest in both provinces.
The second constraint relates to growing rivalry between the US and China and Washington&’s entry into South-east Asia ‘s strategic zone. Beijing&’s worry is accentuated by prospects of closer Indo-US-Japan cooperation in the region. Therefore, Beijing would like to cement a relationship that puts India firmly in the Chinese camp which it believes might be achievable given New Delhi&’s weak and tottering government.
The third constraint is most crucial. With Pakistan ‘s election of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the slight softening of attitude among a section of senior Pakistani Generals, and Pakistan&’s fatigue over the Kashmir dispute, the prospects of an Indo-Pakistan peace breakthrough appear faintly visible. The starting point for a peace formula was already laid down by former President, Musharraf&’s offer of soft borders and joint management of Kashmir. If negotiations based upon that formula as a starting point were to proceed and succeed, inevitably it could lead to the establishment of an Indo-Pakistan confederation culminating in the creation of a South Asian Union to cover the entire region.
That eventuality would be a nightmare for the hawks of the People&’s Liberation Army and Communist party hardliners. It would create a balance of power in Asia and dent their overweening ambitions for China on the global stage. Therefore, it would be top priority for Beijing to achieve an overall settlement with India, including agreement over the border before India and Pakistan settle differences. Indo-Pakistan peace would have to be achieved under the aegis of Big Brother China in order to satisfy Beijing&’s hegemonic designs. Beijing already has the ruling establishments of Islamabad and Rawalpindi in its pocket. It has already achieved its strategic goals in Pakistan by gaining access through Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) to Iran. It has already gained access to the Indian Ocean through Gwadar port built by China with its control ceded by Pakistan to Beijing. What remains is to bring India within its fold.
An Indo-Chinese settlement on Ladakh before Indo-Pakistan peace is achieved assumes special significance because of the leverage it would give to Beijing to mediate in the region. No settlement with Beijing is conceivable unless at least the minimal territory needed to connect Xingjian to Tibet is ceded by India to China. If that were done, all three nations would have legitimate and recognized presence in Kashmir. Before that if Indo-Pakistan peace settlement has not been reached, Beijing would have a free hand to mediate between its two underling nations to hammer out an agreement. That is why it is imperative for New Delhi to reach a peace agreement with Islamabad before undertaking any serious negotiation with Beijing.
That is why New Delhi should continue maintaining its cool despite Chinese provocations in Ladakh and instead take the initiative to settle with Pakistan first. To be realistic, no settlement with Pakistan is likely unless the vexed dispute over Kashmir is resolved. It is here that the government and indeed all opposition parties need to reappraise the Kashmir dispute without bias or emotion. One need not recall the genesis of this dispute, the assurance given by Prime Minister Nehru when Kashmir first acceded to India, his initiative to seek UN intervention, the failure of successive Indian governments to accept the UN plebiscite on principle as long as all the preconditions listed for it to be held are met ~ this has long been iterated to indicate that India&’s claim to Kashmir is only marginally better than that of Pakistan. Past events dictate that the only honourable, democratic and credible solution rests with the people of Kashmir who should be given the right of self-determination.
Credible opinion polls by Chatham House think-tank in Britain carried across undivided Kashmir clearly suggest that the majority in Ladakh and Jammu are firmly with India, while the majority in POK is firmly with Pakistan. But both sides want soft borders and free movement of goods and people without visas across the border. The dispute really is over the Valley. In this region the overwhelming majority around 80 per cent want independence. Of the remainder in the Valley, more prefer India to Pakistan. Why then is India worried about granting self-determination to end this dispute once and for all? Clearly, self-determination, which might even favour India if sensible campaigning is conducted, can only be considered in the context of irrevocable commitment to participation in a South Asian Union having joint defence, common market and free movement without visas regardless of the future status of the Valley.
The possibility of an independent Valley as part of a South Asian Union would send shudders through the patriotic hawks across our political spectrum. They need to reflect. For over half a century the Indian people have co-existed with Article 370 in Kashmir . By this Article there has been discrimination between the citizens of Kashmir and those from the rest of India.
 The rest are denied the right to acquire immovable property, to be recruited in a Government job, to vote in the Assembly and municipal or panchayat elections despite permanent residence in Kashmir , to obtain a bank loan, or even the access to higher education! Only since 1967 did they get the right to vote in parliamentary elections after the jurisdiction of the Election Commission of India was extended to Jammu & Kashmir.
 Contrast this with all such rights that would be granted to all citizens of all member nations of the proposed South Asian Union. All these rights are granted to citizens of the different nation s of the European Union. The same would obtain in the proposed South Asian Union. Why then should Indian politicians be alarmed over self-determination to settle the Kashmir problem? The need to act is now because the situation is critical.

The writer is a veteran journalist and cartoonist. He blogs at www.rajinderpuri.wordpress.com