Marlon James’s novel wins Man Booker prize

Marlon James was named as the first Jamaican winner of the Man Booker prize for fiction on 13th October for his reggae- and drug-infused novel “A Brief History of Seven Killings” inspired by an attempt to kill reggae star Bob Marley in 1976.
The 686-page novel, which uses Jamaican patois, Harlem slang and liberal doses of scatological language, tells the story of a gang of cocaine-fuelled ghetto kids armed with automatic weapons who tried but failed to kill Marley in the Jamaican capital Kingston before he gave a peace concert.

Punjabi writer Dalip Kaur Tiwana returns Padma Shri

Punjabi writer Dalip Kaur Tiwana on Tuesday announced that she will return her Padma Shri in protest against the ‘rising communal tension’ in the country.
Ms. Tiwana was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2004. She was also awarded the Sahitya Akademi in 1971.

Sachin and Murali make a clean sweep in Sri Lanka

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar visited Sri Lanka first in 1993 to play a three-match series.  Over the next 17 years, he travelled here to play several matches.
But, his current trip to Colombo is “to play a different match, a match against all diseases caused by diarrhoea.”  
Sachin, donning the cap of the UNICEF’s goodwill ambassador for south Asia, said that it was not just an 11-member squad but “entire Sri Lanka is going to be involved in the match.”
His “teammate” in this match is cricketer Muttiah Muralidharan or, in short, Murali. Both teamed up to launch a campaign, highlighting the importance of hygiene and sanitation in Sri Lanka, at an event organised by the UNICEF here on Monday.
Sachin recalled how his mother had taught him the importance of handwashing in the early years of life. Murali said that rural areas in Sri Lanka were better placed than urban centres with regard to the provision of toilets. He called for the setting up of more public toilets in cities and tea plantations.
Seventeen per cent of schools and 14 per cent of households in Sri Lanka do not have adequate sanitation coverage. Sachin urged local heroes and celebrities to promote the cause of sanitation.  
True to their passion for the game, the cricketers wound up the launch by playing with children.

Former Sri Lankan Minister dead

K. Velayudam, trade unionist-cum-politician and former State Minister for Plantation Industries, died in a private hospital here on 13th October evening.
He was 65. The former Minister, a leader representing Tamils of Indian origin, is survived by his wife and four sons, according to an official of the leader’s office.
Hailing from Badulla in Uva Province, Mr Velayudam began his public career in the early 1970s as a member of the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union (LJEWU), a trade union representing tea, rubber and other plantation workers. At the time of death, he was general secretary of the LJEWU, affiliated to the United National Party (UNP), and president of the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF), of which the LJEWU is a member

Iran's Parliament approves nuclear deal with world powers

Iran’s Parliament voted on Tuesday to support implementing the nuclear deal it struck with world powers, sending the measure to a council of senior clerics who will review the accord before its final approval.
The 12-member Guardian Council could send the bill, which allows Iran to back out of the nuclear pact if sanctions are imposed or not lifted, back to Parliament to reconsider. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on key policies, has said it is up to the 290-seat Parliament to approve or reject the deal.
In the session carried live by state radio, 161 lawmakers on hand voted for the nuclear deal, while 59 voted against it and 13 abstained. Another 17 did not vote at all, while 40 lawmakers did not attend the session.

Singapore Airlines to restart world’s longest 19-hour flight service

Singapore Airlines (SIA) on 13th October said it would restart flight services between the U.S. and Singapore, making it the world’s longest non-stop commercial flight service, using the newly launched ultra-long range version of the Airbus A350-900.
Being the launch customers for the new aircraft, Singapore Airlines will buy the first seven units. These will be part of the airline’s earlier order of 63 A350-900s. In addition, the carrier has placed an order for four A350-900s, taking the firm’s total order to 67 units. The 19-hour journey for a distance of about 8,700 nautical miles, will beat the proposed 17.5 hours flight that Emirates intends to start in February next year from Dubai to Panama City.
The move is likely to also help Indian consumers who can take the connecting flight to the U.S. from Singapore.

IBM opens cloud data centre in Chennai

In a move to tap the growing opportunity offered by Indian financial services sector and the government, technology major IBM on 13th October announced the launch of its first public cloud data centre in India. The new centre located in Chennai will offer Indian customers and end users increased performance and speed for data travelling to and from the region.
The opening of the new data centre is part of IBM’s $1.2 billion investment to expand its global cloud footprint into every major financial market. This is the second data centre of the company in India. The company did not disclose the investment for the Chennai data centre.

Volvo Group launches financing arm

Volvo launched its financing arm Volvo Financial Services in India on 12th October. It will offer a comprehensive customisable loan, lease and insurance options for truck, construction equipment, and bus customers under three different Volvo Group brands &ndash Volvo Financial Services, Eicher Financial Services and SDLG Financial Services.

MTV becomes first Indian music curator for Apple Music

Apple Music members will be able to access Bollywood and indie music through regularly updated playlists by MTV India.
The exclusive playlists that are being curated by MTV India for Apple Music includes an Indie Top 10 series ranging from ballads to collaborations to electronica and heavy metal.

Simon Taufel quits ICC post

Simon Taufel has resigned as the International Cricket Council (ICC) Umpire Performance and Training manager.
Sources close to him said the 44-year-old Australian would demit office on October 31. Taufel was known as the best umpire in the world, winning five ICC Best Umpire Awards from 2004 to 2008. He joined the ICC after the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in 2012. The ICC, though, is keen to avail Taufel’s expertise with a revised job description.
Taufel, who has been associated with the BCCI’s umpire programmes since 2006, will be at the Board’s Umpire Academy in Nagpur on 27 and 28 to run a programme for the BCCI’s fresh batch of umpires who passed the examinations this year. Taufel will also run a programme for the Umpire Educators at Nagpur on October 30 and 31.
A week ago Sachin Tendulkar confirmed that Taufel and Steve Davis would be the on-field umpires for the three-match ‘Cricket-All Stars’ series to be played between Sachin’s Blasters and Warne’s Warriors in New York on November 7, Houston on November 11 and Los Angeles on November 14. South African Marais Erasmus will be the third umpire.
Taufel had an excellent rapport with Indian umpires and he could be largely credited with recognising the excellent work of S. Ravi and promoting him to the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires for 2015-16.

Younis Khan surpasses Miandad as Pakistan's highest Test scorer

Younis Khan surpassed the record for most runs for Pakistan in test cricket during the first match against England in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, overtaking Javed Miandad's previous mark of 8,832 runs.
The 37-year-old Younis overhauled the record in his 102nd match, taking 22 fewer than Miandad to set the mark.
Younis needed 19 runs to surpass Miandad, doing so with a six over midwicket off the bowling of Moeen Ali. The blow was greeted with cheers from the few Pakistan fans in the sparse crowd and a standing ovation from the Pakistan dressing room.

Aussie all-rounder Watson to play in Pakistan Super League

Australian all-rounder Shane Watson will play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Watson, with 4107 runs in 154 T20s, said he was excited to join a host of international superstars for the February 4-24 league to be staged in the United Arab Emirates.