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Boyzone

They used to sing in their school choirs. Now they happen to be the world’s first choirboy band. CJ Porter-Thaw, 11, and his 12-year-old bandmates Patrick Aspbury and Ben Inman have been signed for an astronomical amount of ?500,000 by the record giant Universal Classics. Known as The Choirboys, they have just recorded their debut album with the English Chamber Ensemble under the direction of Martin Neary, former choirmaster of Westminster Abbey. Apart from traditional choral music such as Allegri’s Miserere and Bach’s Ave Maria, the album will include all time favourites such as Eric Clapton’s Tears in Heaven and The Vicar of Dibley. Hundreds of boys were auditioned before these three talented singers were selected. What deserves special mention is that the criterion for selection was only ? and only ? voice. Passionate about football and rock music, the trio intends to make choirboys “cool”. Sounds cool?

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Game for more

Nine students represe- nted the Calcutta Karate Club, Gojukai Karate-Do West Bengal, at the All India Invitational Karate Championship, which was held on August 27 and 28, at the Rourkela Club in Orissa. The students were led by the chief instructor Sensei Lalit Kumar Shaw, 4th Dan black belt, Japan. The other participating states were West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Bihar and Orissa.

Part from winning 10 medals in all ? six gold and four silver ? the championship was a great experience for the participants who realised that karate was not only about protecting yourself but also about physical restraint and mental liberation.