Preview – How the Man Booker short-list contenders shape up

October 12, 2014 0
Howard Jacobson, one of the shortlisted authors for the 2010 Man Booker Prize, poses with his book "The Finkler Question", in London

LONDON (Reuters) – The winner of the 2014 Man Booker Prize, considered one of the world’s most prestigious literary awards, will be announced on Tuesday in London. Here are capsule reviews by Reuters correspondents of the six short-listed contenders. “J” – HOWARD JACOBSON Howard Jacobson’s “J” shifts from the contemporary London Jewish world of “The Finkler Question”, which won the Booker Prize in 2010, to a dystopian setting around 60 years in the future. But the questions of identity and assimilation remain. …

Modi seeks state election wins to support reform agenda

October 12, 2014 0
India's Prime Minister Modi gestures after giving a speech at his lecture meeting hosted by Nikkei Inc. and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in Tokyo

By Shilpa Jamkhandikar and Rafael Nam MUMBAI (Reuters) – Prime Minister Narendra Modi spearheaded his party’s campaign for elections later this week in Maharashtra state, knowing that victory in the home of financial hub Mumbai will make it easier to push through economic reforms. The state of Haryana also votes on Wednesday. But it is Maharashtra that will provide the best test of how well Modi’s appeal is holding up, five months after he stormed to power in a general election with promises to mend a country battered by corruption scandals, high inflation, and sharply slowing growth. …

No Image

App gives virtual tour of Hollywood Walk of Fame

October 12, 2014 0

Los Angeles, Oct 12 (IANS) A new app on iPhone gives movie buffs a chance to take an interactive tour of the Hollywood Walk of Fame — the famed mile-long street lined with permanent stars as tributes to the world’s biggest celebrities.