In late April, an outbreak of a new strain of H1N1 Influenza, commonly called “swine flu”, was detected in Mexico City. The initial spread of the virus appeared to be rapid – that, coupled with several deaths of young, otherwise healthy flu victims raised global awareness and initial alarm. As of today, Mexico has confirmed over 800 infections and 42 deaths resulting from H1N1 – 22 countries worldwide now have reported 1,516 cases of influenza A (H1N1). Recent reports have been more restrained, however, with no apparent evience of a pandemic, milder-than-expected flu symptoms, and a rate of infection only slightly higher than a normal seasonal flu. Collected here are photographs of people in Mexico and around the world dealing with H1N1 or or preparing for possible encounters. (36 photos total)

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While Madame Tussauds in London is preparing to unveil the wax statue of Sachin Tendulkar, at Triveni Kala Sangam in Delhi the master blaster attains the status of a demigod on silk. Jaipur-based artists have dressed him not in the blue India tee, but as Hanuman, with an MRF bat in hand.

“Sachin is the new Hanuman for some,” says Gautam Bhatia. The architect did not paint the oil on silk, but was involved in its conceptualisation, as he spent hours with traditional artists who gave Tendulkar the mythological avatar.

Sachin Tendulkar is god to billion Indians but he is a “gracious god” who lifts his people out of the pit of despair in the wake of Mumbai terror attacks, a leading British newspaper said, paying tribute to the champion batsman who has “not a scrap of ego”.

Tendulkar offered balm to a country which was devastated by terror attacks in its finacial capital yet he remained a modest god, according to a write-up in Daily Telegraph.

“He (Tendulkar) is an unlikely-looking god. He stands there in the middle dwarfed by the gigantic Andrew Flintoff and the strapping Yuvraj Singh, a boy-like figure with a cherubic face whose Michelin man-style pads come half way up his thigh,” Simon Hughes wrote.

“The poor Indian lifts his hands to Sachin Tendulkar in supplication; Give us respite, a sense of liberation; lift us up from the dark pit of our lives to well-lit places of the imagination with your skill-wrought perfection. He has not a scrap of ego. He is a gracious god. We will never see his like again”.

Many have thought it has been the case for years, but Sachin Tendulkar has been turned into a Hindu god by fans.

The Daily Express in London reports that supporters in Delhi commissioned artists to create icons of Tendulkar as the monkey god Hanuman. The works show him holding a bat instead of the more traditional mace.

“He is truly a god to millions of people who worship this sport,” explained artist Gautam Bhatia.

At Bhatia’s Gulmohar Park studio, he worked alongside graphic artist Orijit Sen and over 20 traditional artists from Bihar, West Bengal, Delhi and Rajasthan. “The aim was to get the traditional artists to depict modern lifestyle and themes instead of folk and epic tales that they have painted for several years,” says Bhatia, as he explains the aim of the collaborative arts project “Desh Ki Awaaz” that was initiated in December 2004.

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The multiple wins by “Slumdog Millionaire” at Sunday’s Oscars have a lot of people buzzing about how the little-movie-that-did might build a bridge between Hollywood and Bollywood. And, with the awards-show hangover just barely wearing off, Nicole Scherzinger has already volunteered to lay the first brick.

The Pussycat Dolls singer has laid down some vocals on a remix of A.R. Rahman’s Oscar-winning Best Original Song “Jai Ho,” which went up on DesiHits.com on Monday.

“It’s an honor to be able to collaborate with A.R. Rahman and be a part of the ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ project in any way,” Scherzinger said in a statement. “The movie, the story and the music [were] a gift and very spiritually uplifting for me. … I can only hope and pray ‘Slumdog Millionaire,’ and my version of ‘Jai Ho’ (‘You Are My Destiny’) touches and connects people all around the world.”

With the song’s original frantic beats and uplifting percussion in place, Scherzinger’s version replaces the original tune’s Hindi words with English lyrics, including the chorus, “You are the reason that I breathe/ You are the reason that I still believe/ You are my destiny/ Jai ho.”

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After a high drama, Mahatma Gandhi’s five personal items, including the iconic round eye glasses, finally went under the hammer and were bought for USD 1.8 million by Indian businessman Vijay Mallya. Kingfisher Vijay Mallya dipped his beak into Gandhi memorabilia and pulled out some national pride for India at a cost of a whopping USD 1.8 million in New York on Friday morning (IST), the collection went under the hammer at a reserve price of between USD 20,000 to 30,000.

The auctioneers –Antiquorum – are expected to hand over the collection to Mallya in two weeks time.

Reports suggest the liquor baron would return the goods to the Government of India.

Bapu’s round wire-rim eyeglasses, a 1910 Zenith sterling silver pocket watch, a bowl and plate and a pair of leather sandals were on auction.

Mallya had earlier bid the highest to bring back home the famed sword of Sher-e-Mysore Tipu Sultan, the blade is said to have skimmed four crores off Mallya’s coffers.

The owner of the collection, James Otis, had earlier said he had decided take the items off the auction due to controversies dogging the sale.

“In the last few hours, I have decided, in the light of the controversy, not to sell Gandhi’s personal items.” Otis had said while speaking to reporters.

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“Slumdog Millionaire,” the little film about a poverty-raised teaboy who goes on a game show as a way to find his lost love, leads all films at the Oscars with eight Oscars at the 81st annual Academy Awards.

As the stage filled with the film’s huge cast, producer Christian Colson talked about “Slumdog’s” “extraordinary journey.”

“Most of all we had passion and we had belief, and our film shows if you have those two things, you have everything,” said Colson.

“Slumdog Millionaire” got on the board early, with an Oscars for adapted screenplay (Simon Beaufoy), best picture, director (Danny Boyle), cinematography (Anthony Dod Mantle), score (A.R. Rahman), song (“Jai Ho,” co-written by Rahman), sound mixing and film editing.

Boyle literally jumped up and down as he accepted his award, saying that if he ever won he’d bounce like Tigger from “Winnie-the-Pooh.”

Rahman was equally appreciative as he accepted one of his Oscars.

“All my life I’ve had a choice between hate and love, and I chose love, and now I’m here,” said Rahman.

The movie, which has dominated this awards season and received 10 Oscar nominations, is considered the favorite to win best picture.

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Google Ocean, which will be included in the newest version of Google Earth, will allow users to swim around underwater volcanoes, watch videos about exotic marine life, read about nearby shipwrecks, contribute photos and watch unseen footage of historic ocean expeditions – all from the comfort of their homes.

Footage of polar bears, beluga whales, sea urchins and king penguins from the BBC’s award winning series Planet Earth and The Blue Planet will also be available.

Google Earth, which combines satellite imagery, maps and information to allow users to explore streets and cities around the world, has been downloaded 500 million times since it was introduced in 2005.

Google Ocean was developed with an advisory council of more than 25 leading ocean advocates and scientists.

To read more, follow the source. Meanwhile, check out this video too.

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Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi have claimed the Australian Open 2009 mixed doubles crown in emphatic fashion, downing Nathalie Dechy and Andy Ram 6-3 6-1 at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday.

The Indian duo avenged their loss in last year’s final, dismantling the French/Israeli pairing in just 54 minutes and tallying 28 winners against just 10 unforced errors for the match.

Bhupathi was also able to end the tournament on a positive note, after going down along with Mark Knowles in three sets to the Bryan brothers in Saturday’s men’s doubles final.

The Indians looked sharp early, barricading the net and preventing the majority of Dechy and Ram’s groundstrokes from finding space.

After breaking in the first game and racing to a 2-0 lead, Mirza and Bhupathi faltered momentarily – surrendering the next three games.

However, some clever work from the back of the court saw them regain the momentum – breaking to love in the next game and setting up a 5-3 lead.

Serving to stay in the set, Dechy and Ram faltered; a Bhupathi forehand winner down the line sealing the set 6-3 for the Indians.

The second stanza was to prove even more decisive.

Holding serve to love in the first game, the Indians continued to confound Dechy and Ram – firing winners from the back of the court and blocking soundly at the net.

Mirza saved a break point on her serve at with an incredibly-angled off forehand winner, eventually holding for a 2-1 lead.

From there, the Indian combination didn’t look back. They reeled off the next four games in emphatic style, breaking Dechy’s serve for a 3-1 lead and the previously-solid Ram serve for 5-1.

Their victory gives Bhupathi a seventh mixed doubles Grand Slam title, and is the first for the Mirza/Bhupathi pairing.

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Rafael Nadal held off Roger Federer in another momentum-swinging, five-set final to win the Australian Open on Sunday, keeping the Grand Slam singles record safe for now.

After coming through the longest match in the tournament’s history to reach the championship match, Nadal needed 4 hours, 23 minutes Sunday to win 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2.

Federer, who was trying to equal Pete Sampras’ 14 major titles, has lost to Nadal the last three times they’ve met in Grand Slam finals.

The 27-year-old Swiss star couldn’t hold back tears at the presentation.

“Maybe I’ll try later. God, it’s killing me,” Federer said, sobbing. He returned to congratulate Nadal within minutes, saying: “You deserved it. You played a fantastic final.”

Nadal collected the trophy and put his arm around Federer.

“Roger, sorry for today. I really know how you feel right now,” Nadal said. “Remember, you’re a great champion, you’re one of the best in history.”

He accepted the cup from Rod Laver, who was in Australia to mark the start of the 40th anniversary of the last Grand Slam season.

“To receive this trophy from Rod Laver is a dream for me,” Nadal said.

Federer, so dominant when he won three of the four majors in 2006 and 2007, has now lost finals on three different surfaces to Nadal.

Now it’s the 22-year-old Nadal who seems more likely to be the first since Laver to complete a Grand Slam with wins in one year in all four majors.

Nadal, who has four consecutive titles on clay at Roland Garros and beat Federer on grass in a five-set epic at Wimbledon last year, became the first Spaniard to win the Australian title.

He has now won five of the seven Grand Slam finals he’s played against Federer and is 13-6 overall against him.

Nadal beat Federer in the last French Open and Wimbledon finals and replaced him at No. 1 last August after winning the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.

Federer, who turned around that season with a U.S. Open title, saved two championship points from 15-40 in the eighth game of the fifth set but sent a forehand long on the third match point.

Nadal flopped onto his back, then got up and raced to shake hands.

The players put their arms around the other’s shoulders at the net as they walked off the court.

Drenched in sweat, Nadal raised his fist, applauded the crowd’s standing ovation, then went over to shake hands with his coach and other supporters.

Although Federer actually won one more point — 174-173 — his serve let him down all too frequently. He connected on only 51 percent of his first serves, and it seemed as if all of his six double-faults came at critical times.

And as the pressure ratcheted up in the fifth set, it was Federer who wilted, not Nadal. Federer had six winners and 14 unforced errors in the set, while Nadal had just two unforced errors and dropped only three points in four service games.

With more Swiss flags than Spanish national colors, the crowd was buzzing even during warmups.

Despite flashes of brilliance, what they got wasn’t always great tennis early, but there was no shortage of drama.
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