International Cricket Council clears controversial video system

Players will be allowed to challenge close umpiring calls after the controversial video review system was cleared by the sport's governing body.

The experiment, allowing players a set number of unsuccessful challenges per innings, was trialled in four test series before it came up for review last month.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) approved the review system on a permanent basis on the first day of its board meeting in London.

It will come into operation from October, so England and Australia players will not be able to challenge decisions during the Ashes series starting next month.

Opinions on the system have been mixed among players, television commentators and fans. There were concerns the authority of the umpires would be undermined, although the ICC said the positives far outweighed the negatives with more correct decisions being made

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Clinton appoints Pandith United States representative to Muslims

Farah Pandith, originally from Srinagar, has been doing outreach work with Muslims in Europe and Eurasia at the State Department for several years now.

That role significantly expand- ed June 26, when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appointed her the U.S. representative to Muslim communities globally.

This newly created position announced June 26, requires Pandith to step up her efforts "to engage with Muslims around the world on a people-to-people and organizational level," a press statement said.

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Comcast unveils international calling plan

Comcast Corporation has launched a new international calling plan called Carefree Minutes Worldwide 300.

The plan offers 300 anytime minutes to 100 countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, for $14.95 per month.

"Our goal is to provide customers with plans that allow them to easily connect with family and friends, no matter where they live, at a low cost with premium call quality," Cathy Avgiris, senior vice president and general manager for Voice Services at Comcast said in a press statement.

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Troubled Pakistan cheers World Cup victory

Troubled but cricket-crazy Pakistan celebrated on June 22 victory in the Twenty20 World Cup 3-½ months after an attack on the Sri Lankan team appeared to drive a nail into the coffin of Pakistani cricket

"It's time to cheer," said Sajid Bhanji, a dealer at stock brokers Arif Habib Ltd in Karachi.

His comments were echoed by the market, with the benchmark Karachi Stock Exchange 100shared index up 0.66 percent.

"We've had bad news all around for quite some time now and this victory has definitely resulted in a feel-good effect," said Bhanji.

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Vijay Iyer back in New York, after a string of successes

Vijay Iyer, composer in Downbeat magazine's international critics' poll for 2006 and 2007, returned to New York on June 19, trailing a string of national and international successes

He has had a busy year so far, his last appearance in New York being the concert with sitarist Shujaat Khan, percussionist Karsh Kale and electric bassist Jonathan Moran at the Lincoln Center Opening Nights festival March 7.

The June 19 concert was at V Harlem's newest spot, Medium M, with Marcus Gilmore and Stephan Crump.

The trio toured Europe in February, played numerous U.S venues in the winter and spring and recorded a new album titled "Historicity."

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Passing of a legend in the world of theater, left politics

Numerous have been the tributes in Indian media to theater titan Habib Tanvir, who died in Bhopal this month at 85, but they err in failing to mention his American connection.This is in keeping with the partisanship over Tanvir, with rightist ultras tarring him as anti Hindu, and leftists portraying him as anti-American.

The Communist Party of India- Marxist has passed a resolution mourning his death, while a Congress Party legislator, Arif Aqueel, has demanded the country's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, be posthumously conferred on him.

On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party government recently locked him out of Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal's famed arts complex where Tanvir was director of Rangmandal repertory theater.

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Bollywood on the Hudson

Millions of moviegoers in India recognize the neon signs of Times Square as easily as the Taj Mahal, due to the growing popularity of "Bollywood" movies shot in the United States, particularly in New York.

By making movies in one of the world's most expensive cities, producers risk big losses but can score big rewards by appealing to India's fascination with foreign worlds.

Despite its high costs, New York, more than any city outside India, offers easy access to resources such as Indian extras, trained Indian dancers and Indian production teams, say experts on Bollywood, the $2 billion-a-year industry known for movies featuring elaborate music, costumes and sets.

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