French ex-prez Sarkozy guilty of graft, to be jailed BERLINALE 2021 KICKS OFF WITH VIRTUAL SCREENINGS
Paris, March. 1: Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was found guilty of corruption on Monday and handed a three-year prison sentence, in a ruling that deals a major blow to any lingering political ambitions.
The sentence includes two years suspended and the remaining one year would be converted into a non-custodial sentence, meaning it is unlikely Sarkozy will end up behind bars over this case.
He is almost certain to appeal and remains free, with no arrest warrant issued, but he faces several other corruption investigations over financing alleged influence
The sentence for seeking to illegally influence a judge is the latest twist in the tumultuous political career of the 66-year-old who remains a favourite for many on the right for his combative style and tough talk on crime and immigration.
The conviction is likely to undermine any attempted comeback to frontline politics, an ambition he has denied, but which has been promoted by many supporters ahead of 2022 presidential elections. campaign and peddling.
Berlinale, the world’s biggest film festival which usually attracts close to 5,00,000 film fans to the German capital, opened quietly on thousands of laptops across the world o n Monday morning and for five worthies at the plush Berlinale Palast theatre.
Sitting at a safe distance from each other in the 1,600-seater theatre were five former Golden Bear winners (the festival’s top prize which goes to the best film) who will pick this year’s winner from 15 films in the festival’s Competition section.
The sixth jury member, Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, could not make it. Rasoulof, who won the Golden Bear last year for There Is No Evil, a film on capital punishment in Iran, has been found guilty of making films that are a “propaganda” tool “against the system” and is under a travel ban. He will be watching films on his laptop.
Usually held for 10 days in February every year, the 71st edition of the International Film Festival of Berlin is a hybrid affair that’s been cut short and split into two. From March 1-5, Berlinale will run virtually for film critics and industry across the world. The winners will be announced on the last day, but the Golden and Silver Bear trophies will be presented in person, in June, when organisers hope to invite stars for red carpet events and screen films for the public.
Another departure from the past is that this year the festival has gone “gender neutral” in terms of awards. Berlinale is the first international film festival that has replaced best actress and best actor prizes with awards for best lead and supporting performance. The jury is, quite literally, out on whether this will be a unique way to showcase women’s talent or whether it will end up robbing actresses of yet another chance to be celebrated on the world stage.
Berlinale’s artistic director Carlo Chatrian, speaking about this year’s Competition section, has said that these are “deeply personal films that reflect the disruption brought on by the events of 2020”.
The films competing for the top prize this year are from Germany, France, Romania, Hungary, Mexico, South Korea and Japan. They were either shot or were in post-production during the pandemic.
Films outside the Competition section that are set to have their world premiere at Berlinale include director Azazel Jacobs’ French Exit starring Michelle Pfeiffer, and the real-life thriller The Mauritanian, which stars Jodie Foster and Benedict Cumberbatch. Foster won the Golden Globe for best supporting actress for her performance in The Mauritanian on Monday.
Another film that has already created a lot of buzz is Tina, a documentary about the queen of rock’n’roll by Oscar winners Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin (Undefeated). It features never-before-seen concert footage and interviews with the notoriously private 81-year-old superstar.
Delhi, March India's first auction of spectrum in five years attracted Rs 77,146 crore of bids on the opening day on Monday, with Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea participating in the bidding process —a response that the government said was better than expected.
There were, however, no takers for spectrum in
700 MHz and 2500 MHz bands on the first day, and the auctions will conclude on Tuesday.
About 2,308.80 MHz of spectrum, that carry telecom signals, in seven bands worth nearly Rs 4 lakh crore at the reserve or start price, was offered for bidding in the auction that began on Monday.
Communications minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Rs 77,146 crore worth of spectrum was bid on the first day but there were no takers for the airwaves in the premium 700 MHz as also
2500 MHz bands. The response from players and the bids received surpassed government's internal estimates that had anticipated bids worth Rs 45,000 crore.
"The winning bids that have come till 6 PM today is Rs 77,146 crore. We thought since there are only three players, and spectrum replacement is happening...our estimation was that the bids will touch about Rs 45,000 crore, but it is a matter of assurance that it has gone as high as Rs 77,146 crore," Prasad said.
The bidder-wise details were not available immediately. A total of 2,308.80 MHz spectrum is being put to auction, out of which there have been bids for 849.20 MHz so far, an official release said.
Bids were received in
800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz and 2300 MHz bands, as players gave the prized 700 MHz band a miss on the first day of auctions.
"Total value of spectrum put to auction was about Rs 4 lakh crore. In this, 700 MHz band was a costly band, and that cost itself is Rs 1.97 lakh crore," the minister said adding that the government will take a call on
700 MHz band, used for
5G, in case it remains unsold in the ongoing auctions.
Excluding 700 MHz and
2500 Mhz bands, the bidding accounted for 60 per cent of the spectrum that was put to auction.
The 700 MHz band went unsold during the 2016 auctions, too. During
2016, when there were seven bidders, the spectrum sold was 41 per cent by quantity and 12 per cent by value of the total spectrum put to auction. The corresponding figures in the 2021 spectrum auction so far are 37 per cent and 19 per cent respectively, with three participants.
Aarush Bathula, Kolla Charvi stood tall to emerge victorious in the 30th State Ranking chess tournament organised by the Telangana State Chess Association at Lal Bahadur Stadium here on Sunday.
Aarush (5) and Charvi (4) topped the Under-7 boys and girls categories respectively.
President of Andhra Pradesh State Chess Association KVV Sharma and Telangana State Chess Association president K. S. Prasad were the guests of honour at the event.
THE RESULTS
■ U-7 Boys: 1. Aarush Bathula (5 points), 2. Aadhyan Kukudala (4 points), 3. Modhwin (4 points).
■ U-7 Girls: 1. Kolla Charvi Sri
(4 points), 2. Anaika Garg (2
C points), points).
■ U-9 Boys: 1. Pavan Karthikeya Varma Gunturi (5 points), 2. Prajwal Gingupalli
(5 points), 3. Sr Anjani Kumar Kancharla (4 points).
■ U-9 Girls: 1. Anaya Agarwal
(4 points), 2. Kota Nithya Sri
(4 points), 3. Laasya Radhamaye Vengla (3 points).
■ U-13 Boys: 1. Challa Saharsha (5 points), 2. Allampati Kovidh Kushal Reddy (4.5 points), 3. Sriram adarsh Uppala (4.5 points).
■ U-13 Girls: 1. Kirthika B (4 points), 2. Durga Karthika
(3.5 points), 3. Challapalli Kankshitha Reddy (3 points).
■ U-15 Boys: 1. Sikkam Sai Vishnu (5 points), 2. Sanketh Reddi K. R. K. K. (4 points),
3. Kolla Bhaavan (4 points).
■ U-15 Girls: 1. Amrutha Bhagavatula (4 points), 2. Kushi Soma Srivatsa (3 points), 3. Sahithi Anikapati
(2.5 points).a
3.
Dishi
Makhija
(2
Basel (Switzerland), March 1: Reigning world champion P.V. Sindhu will be eager to return to the podium as former winner Saina Nehwal looks to regain her touch in the season-opening Swiss Open tournament beginning here on Tuesday.
Indian men’s singles players, too, have tasted success in this tournament with Sameer Verma, H.S. Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth emerging victorious in 2018, 2016 and 2015 respectively and B. Sai Praneeth finishing runners-up in the last edition.
All four will be looking to relive the moments and extend India’s good run at the $140,000 event which will also resume the extended Olympic qualifying period.
It was here at St. Jakobshalle venue that Olympic silver medallist Sindhu had claimed the world championship gold in 2019, her last title before the Covid-19 pandemic disruption.
The 25-year-old from Hyderabad, seeded second, will look to go the distance again as she opens her campaign against Turkey’s Neslihan Yigit.
Sindhu didn’t have a good outing in the three events in Thailand recently but the road to the quarterfinal here looks smooth for the Indian where she is likely to confront fifth seed Thai Busanan Ongbamrungphan, an opponent she had beaten at the Toyota Thailand Open in January.
Two-time former winner Saina, too, is in the same half but the senior pro will have to overcome players
It was here at St. Jakobshalle venue that Olympic silver medallist Sindhu had claimed the world championship gold in 2019, her last title before the Covid-19 pandemic disruption.
● like Korea’s sixth seed Sung Ji Hyun and fourth seeded Danish Mia Blichfeldt — whom she is likely to meet — to set up a semifinal face-off with Sindhu.
All eyes will also be on world number 10 men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty after their semifinal finish at Toyota Thailand Open.
The Indian pair, seeded second, would look to stretch its good run, especially after a month-long training session under new doubles coach Mathias Boe of Denmark.
The Indian duo will face Scotland’s Christopher Grimley and Matthew Grimley in the opening round.
Expectations will be high from Satwik and Ashwini Ponnappa as well after their last-four finish at the previous event. But it will be an uphill climb for the duo as it faces second seeds Indonesians Hafiz Faizal and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja first up.
In the men’s singles, it will be an all-Indian show when Sameer takes on former world number one Kidambi Srikanth in the opening round.