Juventus upset AC Milan 3-1 in Italian Serie Aju

Rome: Juventus defeated AC Milan 3-1 to build up a 10-point lead at the Italian Serie A.

It was Juventus' second consecutive win against Milan and the victory gave Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, who was sacked by Milan more than a year ago, a sweet revenge, Xinhuareported on Saturday.

"We had a good game but after we went ahead we were a bit weak. We suffered too much from Milan's deadball situations. We have to improve that attitude," Allegri said.

Carlos Tevez opened the scoring in the 14th minute and although Luca Antonelli levelled in his first match back at Milan, Leonardo Bonucci restored Juve's advantage moments later.

Alvaro Morata sealed the result in the 65th as Juventus continued to march toward a fourth successive title.

Milan, who have lost four of their past five matches, remained in eighth position.

Earlier, Torino beat Hellas Verona 3-1 for their fourth successive victory.

Second-placed Roma will visit Cagliari on Sunday, and the Parma-Chievo Verona match was postponed to Wednesday as much of northern Italy was covered by heavy snowfall recently.

No proposal to hike rail fares, says MoS Railways Manoj Sinhain

Lucknow: Ahead of the presentation of the Rail Budget in Parliament, Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha on Saturday said there was no proposal at present to increase rail fares. Speaking on the sidelines of a function to flag off the tri-weekly Lucknow-Kathgodam Express, he said it was not right to discuss the rail budget in advance.

"The rail budget will be discussed in Parliament.It is not right to discuss it in advance," he said. To a question, he said, "There is no proposal as of now to hike rail fares" Asked as to what was in store for Lucknow in the Budget to be presented on February 26, Sinha, a Lok Sabha member from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, said, "Lucknow will have a lot in the Budget but it would not be in the fitness of things to disclose it in advance."

Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had recently that reduction in passenger fares is unlikely to happen although diesel prices have come down. "Railway recovers only 50 per cent of the passenger cost it bears. There is already a huge element of subsidy provided to passengers in the fares...Railway services will have to be modernised to meet people's expectations and the network needs to be expanded. There is a huge demand-supply gap and finance is major constraint...the point is how to raise resources," he had said.

Earlier speaking at the function, Sinha expressed hope that there will be huge investment in the Railways. "The issue of privatisation of the Railways also crops up from time to time but I want to clarify that though investment is required, it does not mean that it will be privatised.... Till we are in the government, Railways will not be privatised," he stressed.

The Minister of State for Railways said that though the number of rail passengers has risen by eight times and freight seven times, the basic infrastructure of the Railways has grown only by over two times. "We are working on how to reduce this gap in four to five years time," he said.

Taking note of the concerns over the arrival and departure timings of the newly launched tri-weekly Lucknow-Kathgodam train, he said it could be changed in days to come in case it posed problem to passengers. The train, which was announced in the 2014 Rail Budget, will leave Lucknow at 8.05 am and reach Kathgodam around 2.22 pm and start from there 4.05 pm to return here at 11.55 pm.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who flagged off the new train, said that timing could cause some inconvenience to passengers. "As of now, it will be run in the day but in case passengers face difficulites, it could be amended," he said.

Later, responding to a question from newspersons to Singh who is also local MP on what would be there for Lucknow in the Rail Budget, he remarked, "I do not make the rail budget."

Cricket World Cup 2015: Club caprice

Pakistan will seek inspiration from the stirring triumph of Imran Khan’s marauding men down under in 1992. The image of the charismatic skipper holding aloft the World Cup still lingers.

Imran was driven by this wonderful desire to build a cancer hospital in memory of his mother. The prize money won from the competition was used for a noble cause.

The purity of thought behind that astonishing conquest comes as a sharp contrast to the times we live in now, the game becoming increasingly commercial.

As the World Cup moves to Australia and New Zealand 23 years later, Misbah-ul-Haq’s team will enter the competition in the Antipodes with a sense of hope.

The raw talent in the Pakistani side has never been in question. This is an explosive side with game-changing players. The team also has a tendency to implode.

Misbah might not be as influential as Imran but is a quietly efficient captain who has managed to turn things around for Pakistan after the team was enveloped in the spot-fixing cloud. He will comprehend the need to start the tournament well to achieve momentum that is so crucial in competitions such as the World Cup.

Winning brings confidence and confident teams win more. This is precisely why Pakistan’s much-anticipated, high-voltage clash with India in Adelaide on February 15 holds such significance. A victory – this would also enable Pakistan break the World Cup jinx against India – could instil a truckload of belief in the side.

Much will depend on how Pakistan adapts to the conditions in Australia and New Zealand. When the ball moves around, the side’s batting has proved vulnerable.

It is here that the experience of Younis Khan and Misbah could prove crucial. Younis has the technical expertise and the range of strokes to build monuments. If he finds form, the innings could revolve around

this veteran.

Remarkably fit at 40, Misbah is a composed batsman who has this precious ability to come good in crunch situations.

In Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad, Pakistan has fluent top-order batsmen who can make use of the early Power Play overs. However their defensive skills could be tested if the ball bounces and darts around.

Apart from putting their foot on the accelerator, they will also need to prevent the opposition from making early inroads.

There is no dearth of ability in this line-up. Umar Akmal is a thumping striker of the ball. And Sarfraz Ahmed is a fine ‘keeper and a strokeful batsman in the lower middle-order.

Then there is the mercurial Shahid Afridi. He can still dismiss the sphere ruthlessly to distant corners of the ground or bowl his leg-spinners with telling precision.

But then, Afridi will miss the versatility of Saeed Ajmal’s off-spin from the other end in the middle overs. Can young leg-spinner Yasir Shah – his trajectory is different from that of Afridi – fill the void?

Under the circumstances, it is not surprising that Pakistan is making a last-ditch attempt to get Hafeez’s action cleared by the ICC. His off-spin has been of immense value to Pakistan.

The injury to left-arm paceman Junaid Khan is a blow to Pakistan. His replacement Rahat Ali, though, is a capable left-arm seamer.

In the Antipodes, the beanpole Mohammad Irfan could be a handful with his pace and lift. In a line-up of left-arm pacemen – the lively Wahab Riaz is another bowler of this breed – Pakistan will miss the injured Umar Gul’s toe-crushers at the death.

The use of two Kookaburra balls in an innings could adversely impact the Pakistan attack that has traditionally relied on reverse swing and spin.

If the ball does not reverse, Pakistan’s bowling in the end overs could be hurt.

Situations throw up heroes. In ’92, the gifted Inzamam-ul-Haq arrived on the world stage. Who will it be this time around for Pakistan?

SWOT

STRENGTHS: The ability to defeat any team in the competition on a given day is the side’s biggest strength. When in mood, this is a dangerous outfit with a bunch of dynamic cricketers. There is no dearth of stroke-makers in the side. The side also possesses match-winners, whether it is Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan or Umar Akmal.

This is a team that can make savage onslaughts on opposition bowling. Left-arm paceman Mohammad Irfan, standing at an imposing 7’1”, has it in him to strike telling blows. And leg-spinner Yasir Shah may emerge as a star bowler, particularly on the large Australian grounds.

WEAKNESSES: Pakistan can play with fierce passion, often bucking the odds. Yet, this is a team that has a tendency to cave in. The meek capitulation on several big occasions in the past has hurt the team’s

image, disappointed its supporters. The natural stroke-makers from Pakistan have been found out too in swinging, seaming conditions.

Lateral movement with bounce has often led to Pakistani collapses. The pace attack lacks experience and is predominantly left-armed. There is an element of predictability about it. Bowling in the death overs might be an issue. And Pakistan, in all probability, will be without its talismanic off-spinner Saeed Ajmal. This Pakistan attack could be stretched.

OPPORTUNITIES: The format of the tournament is such that this World Cup, like the one before, is virtually three-match competition – the quarterfinal, the semifinal and the final – for the leading sides. In a group consisting of South Africa, India, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland and the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan should fancy its chances of making the last eight. Then, it is a question of peaking at the right time. In the knockout games, Pakistan is feared because of its unpredictability. The side’s volatility can derail more fancied sides.

THREATS: The Pakistanis could be wary of the past coming back to haunt it. The memory of going down to Ireland in the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean is a rather tragic one for the side. Its coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in his hotel bathroom the next day. Yet another defeat at the hands of India in the competition too will not do the side’s morale any good, considering it will be the first match of the competition for Pakistan. The team has also been undone by internal discords in the days gone by. Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq will have to guard against it. Fitness of its leading players will be a worry. Paceman Mohammad Irfan is particularly injury-prone.

STARWATCH: SHAHID AFRIDI: Right-hand batsman & leg-spinner

He brings the X-factor to the side. Shahid Afridi can change the course of matches in a matter of a few overs. This Pathan is a clear and present danger to the opposition. Years have passed but Afridi’s game-enthusiasm has not dimmed a tad. His skills have largely remained intact. He is still the ‘Boom Boom’ Afridi who can send the spectators in the stands moving for cover. And he can bound in with his leg-spin, dismissing batsmen or containing them with trademark bounce and an element of turn. His searing intensity often unsettles the opponents. These match-winners…they come rare.

PREDICTION: Should make the quarterfinals. Has the potential to progress beyond that stage.

FIXTURES

Feb 15, vs India, Adelaide

Feb 21, vs West Indies, Christchurch

March 1, vs Zimbabwe, Brisbane

March 4. vs UAE. Napier

March 7, vs South Africa, Auckland

March 15, vs Ireland, Adelaide

SQUAD

Name: Misbah-ul-Haq (Capt)

Style: RH batsman

Age: 40

Matches: 155

Runs: 4772

Average: 42.99

Win-loss: 41-36

Name: Ahmed Shehzad

Style: RH bat & leg-spinner
Age: 23
Matches: 58
Runs: 1985
Average: 34.82
Wickets: 2
Average: 70.00

Name: Ehsan Adil

Style: RA seamer

Age: 21

Matches: 4

Runs: 12

Average: 6.00

Wickets: 2

Average: 80.50

Name: Haris Sohail

Style: LH bat & LA slow

Age: 26

Matches: 11

Runs: 309

Average: 34.33

Wickets: 6

Average: 46.66

Name: Mohammad Hafeez

Style: RH bat & off-spinner

Age: 34

Matches: 155

Runs: 4542

Average: 31.10

Wickets: 122

Average: 35.02

Name: Mohammad Irfan

Style: LA fast

Age: 32

Matches: 40

Runs: 40

Average: 4.44

Wickets: 57

Average: 29.92

Name: Rahat Ali

Style: LA fast

Age: 26

Matches: 1

Runs: 0

Average: NA

Wickets: 0

Average: NA

Name: Sarfraz Ahmed

Style: WK & RH bat

Age: 27

Matches: 36

Runs: 473

Average: 23.65

Catches: 30

Stumpings: 10

Name: Shahid Afridi

Style: RH bat & leg-spinner

Age: 34

Matches: 391

Runs: 7948

Average: 23.58

Wickets: 393

Average: 33.96

Name: Sohaib Maqsood

Style: RH batsman

Age: 27

Matches: 18

Runs: 572

Average: 35.75

Wickets: 0

Average: NA

Name: Sohail Khan

Style: RA medium

Age: 30

Matches: 5

Runs: 4

Average: 4.00

Wickets: 6

 Average: 33.16

Name: Umar Akmal

Style: RH bat & WK

 Age: 24

 Matches: 104

 Runs: 2749

 Average: 35.24

 Catches: 65

 Stumpings: 13

Name: Wahab Riaz

Style: LA fast & RH bat

 Age: 29

 Matches: 47

 Runs: 326

 Average: 12.07

 Wickets: 61

 Average: 32.09

Name: Yasir Shah

Style: Leg-spinner

 Age: 28

 Matches: 1

 Runs: 0

 Average: NA

 Wickets: 2

 Average: 25.50

Name: Younis Khan

Style: RH bat & RH medium / Legbreak

 Age: 37

 Matches: 261

 Runs: 7197

 Average: 31.56

 Wickets: 3

 Average: 96.00

Cricket World Cup 2015 - Being WC ambassador is truly an honour: Tendulkar

Carried around the Wankhede stadium by younger teammates during a victory lap after the World Cup victory over Sri Lanka in 2011, Sachin Tendulkar shared some memories of his World Cup experiences.

“Being a World Cup ambassador is truly an honour. It has happened for the second time. Last time I was ambassador and we played the 2011 World Cup. I was actually part of it (team), this time I am not.”

The batting maestro was speaking at the launch of ZSPORT, the special World Cup edition tyre by MRF Limited. The audience also got a look at the ICC CWC Trophy at the event. MRF is a global partner of the ICC CWC 2015 and Tendulkar’s association with the company goes back to the days an aspiring 12-year-old from Mumbai appeared for trials at the MRF Pace Academy in Chennai, hoping to become a fast-bowling all-rounder.

Rolling back the years, Tendulkar said: “The World Cup journey started for me in 1983. I watched India win an excellent final against the West Indies and then Kapil paaji holding that beautiful trophy on the Lord’s balcony.

“The next experience was even greater when I was a ball boy at the Wankhede and got to see all the superstars of Indian cricket from close. To complete that circle and become an ambassador of the 2011 and 2015 World Cup feels like I have come a full circle.”

India enters the World Cup 2015 as the defending champion with a nation watching, analysing, cheering and criticising team performances. Tendulkar will be in the stands, rooting for M.S. Dhoni’s squad.

Looking forward

“Whatever has come my way, right from my first World Cup in 1992, till the last World Cup and now I will be going to Australia in sometime, I am really looking forward to this experience because this is the first time that I won't be playing. It’s a new experience and I am looking forward to it.”

He has a message for this nation of cricket followers, two-time champion in the ODI format under Kapil Dev and Dhoni. “I used to bat for India on the field and now continue to bat off the field. Just like all of you, we all continue to bat for India, don’t we? Something that really matters to a sportsman is genuine support and that is what I would like to extend.”

The cricket icon is aware of how die-hard fans think and exhorts the nation to be with the boys as they step into the cauldron of competition. “You want them (Indian team) to go out and thrash the opposition, win each and every match but sometimes that is not possible. Sometimes you have to accept defeat but that can also be a learning experience in the World Cup.”

Tendulkar emphasised the thoughts of former teammates on the pitch in 2015. “There are going to be difficult moments, there are going to be obstacles along the way but not just the team, if you all are together, it becomes inspiring for the players to move forward, knowing that the nation is not sitting on top of their heads, but moving ahead along with them.”

Long association

Talking about his personal association with the company, he said: “My links with MRF goes back to the days when I was a 12-year-old wanting to become a fast bowler.

“I was a batsman though but wanted to become a fast-bowling all-rounder. My association started after playing for India in 1996 and it went on for a very long time. I never thought that post my cricketing years I would again be standing here with the MRF family.”

MRF new range of tyres sports a special ICC World Cup logo. MRF Limited MD Arun Mammen said: “MRF is extremely proud about its long-term association with cricket and excited about being a global partner of the World Cup 2015.

“The launch of this unique product is just a testimony to our commitment to the game. This is a global-first by MRF and we are confident that this product will connect instantly with cricket lovers.”

Ishant Sharma out of World Cup, Mohit Sharma to replace him

Ishant Sharma was on Saturday ruled out of the World Cup as the pacer was the only one among the four cricketers to have failed the fitness test.

The injured four players - Ishant, Ravindra Jadeja, Rohit Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar went through lot of fitness drills and the veteran Indian pacer looked struggling. Ishant last played in the Boxing Day Test match in Sydney.

"It's confirmed that Ishant has been ruled out and will not recover in time to play the World Cup. As per regulations, we had Mohit Sharma as stand-by and he will be inducted into the World Cup squad. Ishant is likely to return home," a top BCCI source told PTI on Saturday.

"Rohit Sharma (hamstring), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (ankle) and Ravindra Jadeja (shoulder) have passed the fitness test. However to confirm their match fitness, the trio will need to go through the grind during the warm-up games against Australia and Afghanistan.

"The team management will need to check as to how Jadeja shapes up while throwing from the deep. That they (Rohit and Bhuvneshwar) have reported fit is the reason that they were presented for the Open Media Session," the source added.

However, the Indian cricket board is yet to make an official announcement on Ishant and his replacement.

The Indian team management earlier to check on his fitness had included in one of the one-day match against Australia on January 26, but the match was rained off with Ishant not getting an over to bowl.

China involved in six nuclear projects in Pakistan, reveals official

A Chinese official has confirmed that China is involved in as many as six nuclear power projects in Pakistan and is likely to export more reactors to the country, indicating that the much debated civilian nuclear cooperation between the two countries will go ahead despite concerns voiced that it is in contravention of Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) guidelines.

While China has in the past declined to confirm or share details regarding the extent of its on-going civilian nuclear cooperation with Pakistan, a top official of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the planning body, was quoted as saying on Saturday that Beijing has been involved in the construction of six reactors in Pakistan.

Wang Xiaotao, vice-minister of the NDRC, was quoted as saying by State media that the NDRC was keen to support further exports to Pakistan and other countries. To this end, the NDRC is drawing up new guidelines to announce supportive financial policies for exports in the nuclear sector. Railways exports would also be supported under the new guidelines, Wang said.

Announcing the guidelines at a Beijing press conference, Wang said that China "has assisted in building six nuclear reactors in Pakistan with a total installed capacity of 3.4 million kilowatts". China was also exporting nuclear technology to Argentina, with the two countries on Wednesday signing a deal for exporting heavy-water reactors.

China's recent projects with Pakistan have come under scrutiny as the NSG does not allow members to supply nuclear technology to countries that have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). India had to seek a waiver from the NSG for its civilian nuclear cooperation with the US, and obtained one only after undertaking a range of commitments.

China only declared the first two reactors it had constructed for Pakistan, Chashma-1 and Chashma-2, at the time of joining the NSG, according to Indian and American officials.

In 2009, the China National Nuclear Corporation signed agreements for two new reactors, Chashma-3 and Chashma-4. The deals became a matter of controversy and were debated at the NSG, with China arguing that the reactors were "grandfathered" as part of its earlier Chashma agreement and were not new projects per se. China also argued that the deals were under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards and were legitimate.

The two countries last year announced they would undertake a new project in Karachi, with Pakistani media reports saying China would provide $ 6.5 billion to finance two reactors there. At the time, Beijing declined to confirm those reports.

While the Chinese Foreign Ministry has, in the past, argued that China's cooperation with Pakistan "did not violate norms of the NSG", Beijing's main argument was that the Chashma reactors were part of an earlier deal. With China going ahead with building two new reactors in Karachi, it remains to be seen how Beijing will explain the deals' validity under NSG guidelines.

Android 5.0 – Lollipop

What Android Lollipop has to offer
· Material design
A bold, colorful and responsive UI design for consistent, intuitive experiences across all your devices.

• Responsive, natural motion, realistic lighting and shadows, and familiar visual elements make it easier to navigate your device.
• Vivid new colors, typography and edge-to-edge imagery help to focus your attention.

· Notifications
New ways to control when and how you receive messages – only get interrupted when you want to be.

• View and respond to messages directly from your lock screen. Includes the ability to hide sensitive content for these notifications.
• For fewer disruptions, turn on Priority mode via your device’s volume buttons so only certain people and notifications get through. Or schedule recurring downtime, such as from 10.00 p.m. until 8.00 a.m., when only Priority notifications can get through.
• With Lollipop, incoming phone calls won’t interrupt what you’re watching or playing. You can choose to answer the call or just keep doing what you’re doing.
• Control the notifications triggered by your apps; hide sensitive content and prioritise or turn off the app’s notifications entirely.
• More intelligent ranking of notifications based on who they’re from and the type of communication. See all your notifications in one place by tapping the top of the screen.

· Battery
Power for the long haul

• A battery saver feature that extends device use by up to 90 mins.
• Estimated time left to fully charge is displayed when your device is plugged in.
• Estimated time left on your device before you need to charge again can now be found in battery settings.

· Security
Keep your stuff safe and sound

• New devices come with encryption automatically turned on to help protect data on lost or stolen devices.
• SELinux enforcing for all applications means even better protection against vulnerabilities and malware.
• Use Android Smart Lock to secure your phone or tablet by pairing it with a trusted device like your wearable or even your car.

· Device sharing
More flexible sharing with family and friends

• Multiple users for phones. If you forget your phone, you still can call any of your friends (or access any of your messages, photos, etc.) by simply logging in to another Android phone running Lollipop. Also perfect for families who want to share a phone, but not their stuff.
• Guest user for phones and tablets means you can lend your device and not your info
• Screen pinning: pin your screen so that another user can access just that content without messing with your other stuff

· New Quick Settings
Get to the most frequently used settings with just two swipes down from the top of the screen.

• New handy controls like flashlight, hotspot, screen rotation and cast screen controls.
• Easier on/off toggles for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and location.
• Manually adjust your brightness for certain conditions. Then, adaptive brightness will kick in based on ambient lighting.

· Connectivity
A better Internet connection everywhere and more powerful Bluetooth low energy capabilities

• Improved network handoffs resulting in limited interruption in connectivity. For example, continue your video chat or VoIP calls without interruption as you leave the house and switch from your home Wi-Fi back to mobile.
• Improved network selection logic so that your device connects only if there is a verified internet connection on Wi-Fi.
• Power-efficient scanning for nearby Bluetooth low energy (“BLE”) devices like wearables or beacons.
• New BLE peripheral mode.

· Runtime and performance
A faster, smoother and more powerful computing experience.

• ART, an entirely new Android runtime, improves application performance and responsiveness.
• Up to 4x performance improvements.
• Smoother UI for complex, visually rich applications.
• Compacting backgrounded apps and services so that you can do more at once.
• Support for 64 bit devices, like the Nexus 9, brings desktop class CPUs to Android.
• Support for 64-bit SoCs using ARM, x86 and MIPS-based cores.
• Shipping 64-bit native apps like Chrome, Gmail, Calendar, Google Play Music and more.
• Pure Java language apps run as 64-bit apps automatically.

· Media
Bolder graphics and improved audio, video and camera capabilities.

• Lower latency audio input ensuring that music and communication applications that have strict delay requirements provide an amazing realtime experience.
• Multi-channel audio stream mixing means professional audio applications can now mix up to eight channels including 5.1 and 7.1 channels.
• USB Audio support means that you can plug USB microphones, speakers and a myriad of other USB audio devices like amplifiers and mixers into your Android device.
• OpenGL ES 3.1 and Android extension pack brings Android to the forefront of mobile graphics putting it on par with desktop and console class performance.
• A range of new professional photography features for Android Lollipop that let you:
• Capture full resolution frames around 30 fps.
• Support raw formats like YUV and Bayer RAW.
• Control capture settings for the sensor, lens and flash per individual frame.
• Capture metadata like noise models and optical information.
• State of the art video technology with support for HEVC to allow for UHD 4K video playback, tunneled video for high-quality video playback on Android TV and improved HLS support for streaming.