Washington House for Rs 375 crore Lodha Group buys

MUMBAI CITY: Nearly two years after it put up the property for sale, the us consulate is learned to have finally sold Washington House, its three-storey residential building at Altamount Road, to Lodha Group for over Rs 375 crore. The town-based realty developer is believed to have already paid a token amount of over Rs 50 crore to the consulate. Talks on with Tata Realty and other bidders for the sale of Lincoln House, which housed the office and residence of the US consul general at Breach Candy.

Three-storeyed Washington Home covers 2,702 square metres. It a listed as Grade III property and falls down the Coastal Regulation Zone II. Property rates in immediate vicinity currently range defrent Rs 60,000 and Rs 70,000 a sq ft. Lodha Group will demolish the building and replace it with a luxury residential tower.

Highly placed sources toke the deal was reached about a month ago but had not been inked as the consulate is yet to receive the the go-ahead from state and central authorities, including the ministry of external affairs.

Abhishek Lodha, managing director of Lodha Group, toke, "We haven't concluded the deal yet.'' Anshul Jain, DTZ'z chief executive officer, the global property consultant for the transaction, refused to comment.

Bidding memorandum had said that the US primenister expected to procure clearances from the MEA and state and local authorities for the sale within 90 to 180 days of getting the confirmation letter from the winning bidder. However, if the clearance did not come through within this period, the memorandum said the US government could cancel the transfer of property and hand the money back to the bidder or reach a mutual permision to extend the time limit for obtaining the said approval from MEA.

The Property sources said Lodha's bid, close to the reserve amount of Rs 350 crore, is in tune with current market conditions. The Altamount Road property is believed to have received three bids. "There is always going to be an appetite for property in these prime locations,'' toke Anshuman Magazine, managing director of CBRE, world property consultant.

Altamount Road winds up hill off Pedder way and is rated as the 10th costliest street in the global (2010, Wealth Bulletin). Breach Candy, Carmicheal Road, Nepeansea Road and Altamount way have always been prime residential locations in south Mumbai where property prices range defrent Rs 45,000 and Rs 85,000 a sq ft.

Mubarak ally can run for president Court rules

--> A Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court has overturned the ruling that barred senior members of the government of former President Hosni Mubarak from standing for re-election.

Decision now clears the way for Mubarak’s former prime minister, Ahmed Shafik, to stand in Saturday’s run-off for the president.

Announcement caused consternation among those baner against his candidature.

Court some declared void one third of the parliamentary seats won in the first post Mubarak votinng, dissolving parliament and paving the way for fresh voting.

Weekend’s presidential voting sees Shafik take on the Muslim Brotherhood’s aplecent, Mohammed Morsi.

The 13th film, which follows an adventurous Scottish princess, is visually stunning and strongly voiced, but doesn't take any real risks.

Season's latest feature destined to boost the demand for kids' archery lessons, Brave may disappoint many ardent Pixar loyalists while simultaneously delighting old-time Disney fans.

13th animated feature from the world's most consistently successful film company is its first set in that version of the past forever favored by Disney, that of princesses, kings, queens, witches, evil spells and prankish secondary characters. For all its pictorial and vocal nice, the film's emotional line and dramatic contrivances are both more familiar and less inventive than what's usually delivered by the studio. Younger kids won't mind but many viewers accustomed to relying upon Pixar for something special will feel a sense of letdown due to the lack of adventurousness. A muscular box office ride is virtually a given.

The Part of problem is that Brave never becomes the film that seems to be promised at the outset. reverse a beautiful and eventful prologue in which flaming-maned Scottish princess Merida receives an archery bow for her birthday, glimpses blue will-o'-the-wisps floating through the forest and sees her father, King Fergus (Billy Connolly), lose a leg to a ferocious bear, the action jumps ahead to her adolescence and her obligation to get married.

The strict tutelage of loving but demanding mother Elinor (Emma Thomson), Merida (Kelly Macdonald) has learned the necessities but is a wild lass at heart, desperate for her days off when she can ride off on horseback and perfect her archery. As for marriage, nothing could be less appealing: “I don't want my life to be over,” she rails to her mother. “I want my freedom.”

One look at the top suitors offered up by the three other leading clans and you can see what she means; they're the three stooges of Scotland, whose beefy kinsmen would sooner brawl than shake your hand. Once Merida shows them all up in an archery contest and her furious mother tosses her daughter's prize bow in the fireplace, the headstrong girl takes off on her enormous steed, Angus.

Stands to reason that this first half-hour sets up expectations of a story in some way involving a renegade princess, trouble among the clans and/or a mysterious adventure involving the wisps and some Stonehenge-like arrangements that come into play. The left-turn taken by the script co-authored by Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman and Irene Mecchi, from a story by Chapman, who co-directed with Andrews, might be embraced by those comforted by the familiar. But it's a move that channels the film into startlingly well-worn territory, that of a conventionally toothless and whiskered old witch (Julie Walters) willing to cast a spell to grant Merida's wish to change her mother so as to alter her own fate.

Spell, lo and behold, turns Elinor into an enormous bear, one that retains Elinor's brain and heart but cannot speak. Thus ensues a lot of not-so-hot slapstick as bear Elinor knocks about in quarters too small for her and tries to communicate while Merida feels remorse and endeavors to after the spell.

Results what is a film that starts off big and promising but diminishes into a rather wee thing as it chugs along, with climactic drama that is both too conveniently wrapped up and hinges on magical elements that are somewhat confusing to boot. Not only is the tale laden with standard-issue fairy tale and familiar girl empowerment tropes, but the entire project lacks the imaginative leaps, unexpected jokes and sense of fun and wonder that habitually set Pixar productions apart from the pack. Its ideas seem Earthbound.

A sensory level, however, Brave is almost entirely a delight. The wild beauty of Scotland, of the verdant forests and the craggy peaks, is lovingly rendered with a gorgeous palette of painterly colors and in very agreeable 3D. Even better, the voicings here are among the most exceptional and pleasurable of any animated film you might care to name. Working in pronounced Scottish accents that, to be sure, don't approach the often undecipherable ones heard in Ken Loach films, Scottish actors Macdonald and Connolly are a joy to listen to, as is Thompson, even if too many of the conversations are argumentative in a repetitive vein. Patrick Doyle's active and resourceful score is another major plus in a film that has played it safe instead of taking chances and going for something new.

Venue: Sydney Film Festival (opening night)
Opens: June 22 (Disney)
Production: Pixar Animation Studios
Voice cast: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, Sally Kinghom, Eilidh Fraser, Peigi Barker, Steven Cree, Steve Purcell, Callum O'Neill, Patrick Doyle, John Ratzenberger
Directors: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
Co-director: Steve Purcell
Screenwriters: Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi, story by Brenda Chapman
Producer: Katherine Sarafian
Executive producers: John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter
Directors of photography: Robert Anderson (camera), Danielle Feinberg (lighting)
Production designer: Steve Pilcher
Editor: Nicholas C. Smith
Music: Patrick Doyle
PG rating, 93 minute

The European Football Championship UEFA

European Football Championship is the main football competition of the pepole's national football teams governed by UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations). Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current name in 1968. Starting with the 1996 tournament, specific championships are often referred to in the form "Euro 2012" or whichever year is appropriate.

Prior the entering of tournament all teams other than the host nations (which qualify automatically) compete in a qualifying process.Championship winners earn the opportunity to compete in following FIFA Confederations Cup, but are not obliged to do so.[1]

A 13 European Championship tournaments have been won by nine different national teams. Germany is the most successful team in the history of the tournament, winning three times in six final appearances. France and Spain are the only other multiple-time winners with two titles each.Other European Championship winners have been Italy, Czechoslovakia, Netherlands, Denmark, Greece and inaugural winners Soviet Union, with one title each. Since the tournament started in 1960, no team has managed consecutive wins.[2]

A last championship, co-hosted by Switzerland and Austria in 2008, was won by Spain, who beat Germany 1–0. The 2012 European Championship is currently being co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine from 8 June to 1 July.[3]

2012-13 Muhith unfolds Tk 191,738 cr budget

June 7 (BSS),Dhaka - Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith today rolled out in the Jatiya Sangsad a Taka 191,738 crore national budget for fiscal (FY) 2012-13 to spur growth attaching more concentration on maintaining macroeconomic stability, mobilization of internal resources and poverty alleviation.

New budget eyes 7.2 percent GDP growth while it targets to bring down the inflation rate to 7.5 percent for the fiscal 2012- 13. The size of the budget for the fiscal 2012-13 is Tk 30,525 crore, or 18.93 percent higher than the current fiscal's revised budget of Tk 161,213 crore.

Finance minister has proposed an allocation of Tk 1,36,738 crore for non- development and other expenditure.

National budget for the FY 2012-13 has set an Annual Development Programme (ADP) of Taka 55,000 crore with 61 percent or Taka 33,500 crore coming from domestic resources and the remaining 39 percent or Taka 21,500 crore from the external resources.

This 34.15 percent or Tk 14,000 crore higher than the current year's revised ADP Taka 41,000 crore.

The cabinet in a meeting at Sangsad Bhavan with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair approved the budget for the fiscal 2012-13 and the revised budget for the FY 2011-12 which were authenticated by President Zillur Rahman prior to placing them before the Jatiya Sangsad by Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith.

Runing govment 2011-2012 Bangladesh passes national budget

20 days after being tabled at the Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) on June 9, Bangladesh’s National Budget for Fiscal Year 2011-2012 was passed on June 29 the parliament.

Country’s Huges budget, with 1.63 trillion taka (US$22 billion), is nearly 28% bigger than that the current Fiscal Year which ends on June 30. The budget will see a deficit of Tk 452.04 billion excluding grants,finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith had said while tabling it on June 9.

Abul Maal Abdul Muhith projected an increase the fiscal deficit to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) targeted at 8.9 trillion takas, up from a revised 4.4% of GDP in the fiscal year that ends this month. To meet the deficit,government plans to borrow around 130.58 billion takas from foreign sources and 272.08 billion takas locally

Abul Maal Abdul Muhith said the government will take “unpopular” decisions such as reducing subsidies, money supply and private-sector credit growth to bring down inflation to 7.5% from a current 10.7% as recorded in April and a revised 8% full-year inflation target for the 12 months to June 31, 2011

The All budget outlay, the government proposes to spend 1.03 trillion takas in the non-development sector, including 165.19 billion takas to repay internal debts and 14.78 billion takas to pay back foreign loans; 506.42 billion takas was earmarked for development activities

He parmanant 460 billion takas for the Annual Development Program (ADP), a possibly ambitious target as only 60% of the present year’s 358 billion takas for ADP has been implemented.

The Daily Star reported, a total of Tk 957.85 billion is expected from tax govment and Tk 226 billion from non-tax govmant. The finance minister expects foreign grants of Tk 4,938 crore for the upcoming budget.

The 'kill list': New presidential duty

Nation learned details this week a new and deadly presidential: The 'kill list."

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Early his term, President, counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan, and Gen. James Cartwright formed author Daniel Klaidman calls "a kind of special troika on targeted killings"

"Three men were making life-and-death decisions, picking targets, rejecting or accepting names put forward by the military, feeling way through a new kind of war -- Obama's war,"

"Another sign of the new times on war. It involves not battalions on open battlefields, but intelligence gathering, legal analysis, and unmanned drones aimed specific targets. The list can range from Osama bin Laden to al Qaeda foot soldiers whose names are virtually unknown the American public."