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Sathya Sai Baba dead - Live updates

2011-04-25T10:41:00.001+05:30

Sathya Sai Baba who was in critical condition for last 28 days passed away on April 24, 2011 at 7.40 am. He was admitted in a super-specialty hospital at Prashantigram at Puttaparthi which he himself had created for the common people. After being on ventilator support for many days with all his vital parameters failing, Sai Baba died of cardio-respiratory failure. More

7.30 pm: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said she was greatly pained over the death of Sathya Sai Baba.

"The news of the death of Sai Baba of Puttaparthi has greatly pained me. He was a spiritual person in whom lakhs of people had faith. In his lifetime, he inspired the people of this country and those abroad towards spiritualism and religion," she said. More

7.00 pm:Thousands of devotees, from commoners to VIPs and celebrities, are making their way to the pilgrim town for a last glimpse of Sai Baba, whose body will be kept at Sai Kulwant Hall in Puttaparthi on Monday and Tuesdayof Prashanti Nilayam, the ashram he founded.

6.35 pm: Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai expressed deep shock and sorrow over the demise of prominent religious leader Sri Satya Sai Baba.

In his condolence message, Sahai said: "Sai Baba was one of the great saints of India who dedicated his entire life to philanthropy."

"Baba's passing away is a irreparable loss to the country. Shri Sahai said Baba will be remembered for his nobel deeds. May god give strength to million of his followers to face this tragedy," he added. More

6.00 pm: Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah Sunday condoled the death of spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba, describing it as a 'grave loss' to his devotees the world over.

5.35 pm: Gripped by grief, tearful devotees chanted prayers at ''Brindavan'', Sathya Sai Baba's ashram at Whitefield on the outskirts of the Bangalore.

In some parts of the city, devotees took out a procession carrying portraits of Sai Baba and chanted slogans like "Baba is not with us physically. But he remains with us forever".

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Governor H R Bhardwaj condoled Sai Baba's death.Read more

5.00 pm: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed profound grief at the death of Sri Sathya Sai Baba today.
In his condolence message, Kumar said Sai Baba''s death was an irreparable loss to the society and his sermons will continue to guide and inspire people. More

4.30 pm: Many of the millions of followers of Sathya Sai Baba, who passed away Sunday morning at Puttaparthi, believe he will be reborn as 'Prema Sai' in Mandya, Karnataka. Read more

4.00 pm:"The light of love, compassion and service to humanity that lit from Puttaparthi is extinguished. He gave love to those who needed, gave education to those denied, provided health services to those who could not afford above all provided water to those who were thirsty," said Krishna in his condolence message.
"He was a Yuga Purush, who inspired millions in the country and outside. He interpreted spirituality in terms of love and service, secular approach to issues was his hall mark. He provoked us to act affirmatively in life. Let us continue to walk his path," he added. More

3.30 pm: A string of Bollywood personalities have expressed grief over the death of Satya Sai Baba who breathed his last today morning following prolonged illness. More on Yahoo! India News

3.00 pm: Orissa Governor M C Bhandare and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today expressed grief over the death of Sathya Sai Baba saying his message of love and compassion guided millions worldwide. More

2.30 pm: Sachin Tendulkar, who skipped his birthday celebrations in the wake of Sathya Sai Baba's death, decided to go ahead with playing the Mumbai Indians IPL match against Deccan Chargers. More

2.00 pm: Andhra Pradesh CM declares 4 days state mourning. The burial will take place on Wednesday. Baba’s funeral will be conducted with full state honours.

.....Sathya Sai Baba dead - Live updates
Yahoo! India News – Sun, Apr 24, 2011 10:37 AM IST
....retweet
EmailPrint.....Sathya Sai Baba who was in critical condition for last 28 days passed away on April 24, 2011 at 7.40 am. He was admitted in a super-specialty hospital at Prashantigram at Puttaparthi which he himself had created for the common people. After being on ventilator support for many days with all his vital parameters failing, Sai Baba died of cardio-respiratory failure. More

7.30 pm: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said she was greatly pained over the death of Sathya Sai Baba.

"The news of the death of Sai Baba of Puttaparthi has greatly pained me. He was a spiritual person in whom lakhs of people had faith. In his lifetime, he inspired the people of this country and those abroad towards spiritualism and religion," she said. More

7.00 pm:Thousands of devotees, from commoners to VIPs and celebrities, are making their way to the pilgrim town for a last glimpse of Sai Baba, whose body will be kept at Sai Kulwant Hall in Puttaparthi on Monday and Tuesdayof Prashanti Nilayam, the ashram he founded.

6.35 pm: Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai expressed deep shock and sorrow over the demise of prominent religious leader Sri Satya Sai Baba.

In his condolence message, Sahai said: "Sai Baba was one of the great saints of India who dedicated his entire life to philanthropy."

"Baba's passing away is a irreparable loss to the country. Shri Sahai said Baba will be remembered for his nobel deeds. May god give strength to million of his followers to face this tragedy," he added. More

6.00 pm: Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah Sunday condoled the death of spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba, describing it as a 'grave loss' to his devotees the world over.

5.35 pm: Gripped by grief, tearful devotees chanted prayers at ''Brindavan'', Sathya Sai Baba's ashram at Whitefield on the outskirts of the Bangalore.

In some parts of the city, devotees took out a procession carrying portraits of Sai Baba and chanted slogans like "Baba is not with us physically. But he remains with us forever".

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Governor H R Bhardwaj condoled Sai Baba's death.Read more

5.00 pm: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed profound grief at the death of Sri Sathya Sai Baba today.
In his condolence message, Kumar said Sai Baba''s death was an irreparable loss to the society and his sermons will continue to guide and inspire people. More

4.30 pm: Many of the millions of followers of Sathya Sai Baba, who passed away Sunday morning at Puttaparthi, believe he will be reborn as 'Prema Sai' in Mandya, Karnataka. Read more

4.00 pm:"The light of love, compassion and service to humanity that lit from Puttaparthi is extinguished. He gave love to those who needed, gave education to those denied, provided health services to those who could not afford above all provided water to those who were thirsty," said Krishna in his condolence message.
"He was a Yuga Purush, who inspired millions in the country and outside. He interpreted spirituality in terms of love and service, secular approach to issues was his hall mark. He provoked us to act affirmatively in life. Let us continue to walk his path," he added. More

3.30 pm: A string of Bollywood personalities have expressed grief over the death of Satya Sai Baba who breathed his last today morning following prolonged illness. More on Yahoo! India News

3.00 pm: Orissa Governor M C Bhandare and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today expressed grief over the death of Sathya Sai Baba saying his message of love and compassion guided millions worldwide. More

2.30 pm: Sachin Tendulkar, who skipped his birthday celebrations in the wake of Sathya Sai Baba's death, decided to go ahead with playing the Mumbai Indians IPL match against Deccan Chargers. More

2.00 pm: Andhra Pradesh CM declares 4 days state mourning. The burial will take place on Wednesday. Baba’s funeral will be conducted with full state honours.

1.25 pm: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condoled the death of Sathya Sai Baba, saying he was an inspiration to people of all faiths. Vice President Hamid Ansari and Bharatiya Janata Party leader LK Advani also expressed sorrow at the passing away of the spiritual guru.

'I express my sincere condolences to the millions of his followers, disciples and well wishers,' Manmohan Singh said in his condolence message.

LK Advani said, "I offer a tearful homage to his great soul. I would like to go for the anthyesthi kriya (last rites). I first came in contact with him only after my incarceration during 1975-77 emergency in Bangalore jail. And after that I have been meeting him quite frequently...and it has always been inspirational for me to meet him to get his guidance". More on this story
1.10 pm: Sathya Sai Baba: A village boy who became demi god

Sathya Sai Baba was seen as a reincarnation of god by millions, having preached an eclectic blend of Hindu religion since the time he claimed to be an 'avatar' at a young age of 14.

Born Sathyanarayana Raju Nov 23, 1926 in Puttaparthi, his devotees claimed he started singing Sanskrit verses, of which he had no knowledge, one day in March 1940 after being apparently stung by a scorpion.

Within two months, the teenager claimed to be a reincarnation of the more famous Shirdi Sai Baba, who had reportedly stated before his death in 1918 that he would reappear in the then Madras Presidency eight years later. More

12.40 pm: "I am deeply grieved to learn about the passing away of Sri Sathya Sai. Baba's message of love should be our guiding light in this trying hour. Baba's words and actions have lit the lamp of love in the hearts of devotees," said Vice President Ansari. More on Yahoo! India News

12.30 pm: Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan expressing deep shock over the demise of prominent religious leader Sri Sathya Sai Baba said that he was a living god and the strength of people in and around the world. Read more

12.20 pm: Karnataka State Transport Corporation said it would run special buses to Puttaparthi to enable devotees from the state to pay their last respects to Sai Baba who passed away this morning.

12.10 pm: Iconic Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was a sad man on his 38th birthday today as his spiritual guru Satya Sai Baba passed away this morning. So no celebrations

12.05 pm: From ordinary believers to the President of India, his clout spread far and wide but controversy also followed Puttaparthi Satya Sai Baba all along. But still no godmen could match Satya Sai Baba's name and fame.Read more

11.41 am: Last rites is scheduled for Tuesday.

11.38 am: On Times now, one of Baba's doctor says medically everything was done to save Baba.

11.27 am: Here is BBC's obituary of Sathya Sai Baba's death.

11.23 am: Devotees can pay their final respects after 6pm today.

11.10 am: BJP leader LK advani offers his condolences. Says Baba had shown him the way several times.

10.45 am: Security has been heightened in Puttaparthi as many VVIPs are expected to arrive in the next two days.

.....Sathya Sai Baba dead - Live updates
Yahoo! India News – Sun, Apr 24, 2011 10:37 AM IST
....retweet
EmailPrint.....Sathya Sai Baba who was in critical condition for last 28 days passed away on April 24, 2011 at 7.40 am. He was admitted in a super-specialty hospital at Prashantigram at Puttaparthi which he himself had created for the common people. After being on ventilator support for many days with all his vital parameters failing, Sai Baba died of cardio-respiratory failure. More

7.30 pm: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said she was greatly pained over the death of Sathya Sai Baba.

"The news of the death of Sai Baba of Puttaparthi has greatly pained me. He was a spiritual person in whom lakhs of people had faith. In his lifetime, he inspired the people of this country and those abroad towards spiritualism and religion," she said. More

7.00 pm:Thousands of devotees, from commoners to VIPs and celebrities, are making their way to the pilgrim town for a last glimpse of Sai Baba, whose body will be kept at Sai Kulwant Hall in Puttaparthi on Monday and Tuesdayof Prashanti Nilayam, the ashram he founded.

6.35 pm: Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai expressed deep shock and sorrow over the demise of prominent religious leader Sri Satya Sai Baba.

In his condolence message, Sahai said: "Sai Baba was one of the great saints of India who dedicated his entire life to philanthropy."

"Baba's passing away is a irreparable loss to the country. Shri Sahai said Baba will be remembered for his nobel deeds. May god give strength to million of his followers to face this tragedy," he added. More

6.00 pm: Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah Sunday condoled the death of spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba, describing it as a 'grave loss' to his devotees the world over.

5.35 pm: Gripped by grief, tearful devotees chanted prayers at ''Brindavan'', Sathya Sai Baba's ashram at Whitefield on the outskirts of the Bangalore.

In some parts of the city, devotees took out a procession carrying portraits of Sai Baba and chanted slogans like "Baba is not with us physically. But he remains with us forever".

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Governor H R Bhardwaj condoled Sai Baba's death.Read more

5.00 pm: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed profound grief at the death of Sri Sathya Sai Baba today.
In his condolence message, Kumar said Sai Baba''s death was an irreparable loss to the society and his sermons will continue to guide and inspire people. More

4.30 pm: Many of the millions of followers of Sathya Sai Baba, who passed away Sunday morning at Puttaparthi, believe he will be reborn as 'Prema Sai' in Mandya, Karnataka. Read more

4.00 pm:"The light of love, compassion and service to humanity that lit from Puttaparthi is extinguished. He gave love to those who needed, gave education to those denied, provided health services to those who could not afford above all provided water to those who were thirsty," said Krishna in his condolence message.
"He was a Yuga Purush, who inspired millions in the country and outside. He interpreted spirituality in terms of love and service, secular approach to issues was his hall mark. He provoked us to act affirmatively in life. Let us continue to walk his path," he added. More

3.30 pm: A string of Bollywood personalities have expressed grief over the death of Satya Sai Baba who breathed his last today morning following prolonged illness. More on Yahoo! India News

3.00 pm: Orissa Governor M C Bhandare and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today expressed grief over the death of Sathya Sai Baba saying his message of love and compassion guided millions worldwide. More

2.30 pm: Sachin Tendulkar, who skipped his birthday celebrations in the wake of Sathya Sai Baba's death, decided to go ahead with playing the Mumbai Indians IPL match against Deccan Chargers. More

2.00 pm: Andhra Pradesh CM declares 4 days state mourning. The burial will take place on Wednesday. Baba’s funeral will be conducted with full state honours.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba passes away
Reports said on Sunday that Sri Sathya Sai Baba has passed away, hours after his condition deteriorated further and his organs stopped responding to treatment.Reports said Sai Baba breathed last ...

1.25 pm: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condoled the death of Sathya Sai Baba, saying he was an inspiration to people of all faiths. Vice President Hamid Ansari and Bharatiya Janata Party leader LK Advani also expressed sorrow at the passing away of the spiritual guru.

'I express my sincere condolences to the millions of his followers, disciples and well wishers,' Manmohan Singh said in his condolence message.

LK Advani said, "I offer a tearful homage to his great soul. I would like to go for the anthyesthi kriya (last rites). I first came in contact with him only after my incarceration during 1975-77 emergency in Bangalore jail. And after that I have been meeting him quite frequently...and it has always been inspirational for me to meet him to get his guidance". More on this story
1.10 pm: Sathya Sai Baba: A village boy who became demi god

Sathya Sai Baba was seen as a reincarnation of god by millions, having preached an eclectic blend of Hindu religion since the time he claimed to be an 'avatar' at a young age of 14.

Born Sathyanarayana Raju Nov 23, 1926 in Puttaparthi, his devotees claimed he started singing Sanskrit verses, of which he had no knowledge, one day in March 1940 after being apparently stung by a scorpion.

Within two months, the teenager claimed to be a reincarnation of the more famous Shirdi Sai Baba, who had reportedly stated before his death in 1918 that he would reappear in the then Madras Presidency eight years later. More

12.40 pm: "I am deeply grieved to learn about the passing away of Sri Sathya Sai. Baba's message of love should be our guiding light in this trying hour. Baba's words and actions have lit the lamp of love in the hearts of devotees," said Vice President Ansari. More on Yahoo! India News

12.30 pm: Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan expressing deep shock over the demise of prominent religious leader Sri Sathya Sai Baba said that he was a living god and the strength of people in and around the world. Read more

12.20 pm: Karnataka State Transport Corporation said it would run special buses to Puttaparthi to enable devotees from the state to pay their last respects to Sai Baba who passed away this morning.

12.10 pm: Iconic Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was a sad man on his 38th birthday today as his spiritual guru Satya Sai Baba passed away this morning. So no celebrations

12.05 pm: From ordinary believers to the President of India, his clout spread far and wide but controversy also followed Puttaparthi Satya Sai Baba all along. But still no godmen could match Satya Sai Baba's name and fame.Read more

11.41 am: Last rites is scheduled for Tuesday.

11.38 am: On Times now, one of Baba's doctor says medically everything was done to save Baba.

11.27 am: Here is BBC's obituary of Sathya Sai Baba's death.

11.23 am: Devotees can pay their final respects after 6pm today.

11.10 am: BJP leader LK advani offers his condolences. Says Baba had shown him the way several times.

10.45 am: Security has been heightened in Puttaparthi as many VVIPs are expected to arrive in the next two days.

10.21 am: Devotees from around the world have been pouring in over the past week. Special arrangements are being made to accommodate thousands more devotees in the town.

10.15am: The AP chief minister and Governor on his way to Puttaparthi.

9.00 am:Spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba dies this morning around 7:40am. His body will be shifted to his ashram. Sai Baba's body will lie in state for two days.

A complete shut down has been called for at Puttaparthi.

Sai Baba was hospitalised on March 28. He died of cardiac and respiratory failure. He was 85.

....

14-year-old Chennai girl is world’s youngest CEO

2011-04-19T09:01:00.002+05:30

Many of us dream of becoming a CEO of a company. But to get there requires the right qualifications, lots of hard work and years of experience.

But Sindhuja Rajaraman is different. She has become the CEO of Seppan, a Chennai based animation company at just 14 years of age.

Now, many will ask what has she done to become a CEO!

Well, Sindhuja is extremely gifted and talented when it comes to animation. Secondly, she has the backing of her father – who realises she can make it really big one day.

Sindhuja was adjudged the fastest 2D and 3D animator by software lobby NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Services Companies) at the Gaming and Animation Conclave held in Hyderabad last year.

Besides that, She is the youngest digital caricaturist certified by Corel Corporation.

Sindhuja may soon register her name in the Guiness Book of World Records. She has attempted to make a three minute animation film in 10 hours.

Big companies have approached Sindhuja but she has other plans. She wishes to study more. She aims to study animation at the Vancouver Film School, Canada. Sindhuja also aims to build her company into a big one.

Like they say “Where there is a will there is a way”. Lets hope this bright little CEO makes it big and inspires many to follow her footsteps.

Wipro’s new CEO to get Rs 10 Cr a year salary

2011-04-19T09:00:00.002+05:30

Indian IT major Wipro has decided to pay its new CEO T.K Kurien a whopping Rs 10 Crore annual salary package.
Kurien’s salary is in the range of minimum of Rs 3 crore to a maximum of Rs 10 crore a year, Wipro said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Kurien’s salary will include variable pay, leave travel allowance, commutation allowance, educational allowance, house rent allowance, provident fund, gratuity and other retirement benefit contributions apart from other benefits.

Few salary packages can match this in the IT industry.

CEO Salaries of other Indian IT majors:

S Ramadorai, Managing Director, TCS : Rs 3.61 crore.

S Gopalakrishnan, CEO and MD, Infosys: Rs 1.01 crore.

Earlier this year, Wipro did away with their joint CEO system by sacking joint CEOs Girish Paranjpe and Suresh Vaswani. Wipro Chariman Azim Premji wanted things to be more efficient with a single CEO the the helm.

Prior to this appointment, Kurien was President of Wipro’s recently launched Eco Energy business. He has been with the company for over 10 years now.

500 Indians sue US company for Human trafficking

2011-04-18T10:15:00.001+05:30

Over 500 Indian “guest workers” who were brought to the US to work in shipyards after Hurricane Katrina are suing American company Signal International and other entities on charges of human trafficking and racketeering.

This lawsuit could well be the largest human trafficking case in US history, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said in a statement.

According to reports, Signal International brought the workers into the US on the H-2B visa with false promises of helping them attain permanent US resident status.

The complaint alleges that once in the US the workers were subjected to squalid living conditions, psychological abuse, inadequate payment for their work and threats of serious legal and physical harm.

Talent crunch,attrition may put India behind other BPO nations

2011-04-18T10:10:00.002+05:30

Talent crunch and soaring attrition rate might push India behind other BPO giants, according to a study by ASSOCHAM.

India�s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector is facing stiff competition from the likes of Mexico, Malaysia, Philippines, China, Canada and Ireland that are posing a grave threat to the growth of India�s BPO sector, said the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India.

The BPO industry is facing serious challenges vis-a-vis vis shortage of skilled and educated workers as the attrition rate in India�s BPO sector has risen phenomenally at the rate of 55 per cent with a significant visible movement in mid and senior management levels.

"Although, the BPO sector in India has been very popular since the beginning, as it has opened up plenty of job opportunities and has totted up huge revenue, the awfully high attrition rate coupled with talent crisis has plagued the sector since the very beginning," said ASSOCHAM Secretary General, D S Rawat.

According to the business chamber''s analysis, BPO-ITes sector has emerged at the top with highest attrition rate of 65 per cent during the course of last two years, giving a serious jolt to India�s prospects, which was till then the most sought after BPO destination.

Services offered by the IT/ITes and BPO in the domains of pharma and BFSI (Banking, Financial Services and Insurance) have registered an attrition rate of around 60 per cent. In the domains of retail and IT sector an attrition rate of around 55 per cent has been recorded.

Auto, FMCG, Manufacturing and infrastructure sectors have registered an attrition rate ranging between 45 to 50 per cent. Among all the relevant sectors, the services offered by the IT/ITes and BPO in energy sector domain has recorded an attrition rate of 45 per cent.

"The growing trend of job-switching in the BPO industry might prove to be fatal for the survival and growth of India�s BPO sector. Companies these days do not put much focus on enhancing individuals� performance, this might hamper India�s rapid ascension on the world economic stage in the long run," said Rawat.

"Rapid job hops prove to be a disadvantage both for the companies who pay higher wages and those individuals who benefit from higher wages in the short-run, as the rise in package is not keeping up with the rise in knowledge/skill levels of the individuals," said Rawat.

15 loco pilots found drunk in breathanalyser test

2011-04-18T10:00:00.001+05:30

In what could raise alarm bells for the Railways, more than a dozen of its drivers were found to be in an inebriated state shortly before assuming their daily duty.

Fifteen locomotive drivers found drunk during the routine breathalyser checks in different railway divisions were debarred from driving trains and suitable actions were initiated against them for gross indiscipline and violating service rules, a senior railway ministry official said.

Several of the train drivers caught were from Northern Railway which operates some of the prestigious trains and handles bulk of the traffic movement.

While Moradabad division reported as many as 11 such cases, Lucknow, Ambala, Guntur and Bijaywada divisions had one case each of loco pilots found drunk in the last six months from September 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011.

"It is mandatory for loco pilot and assistant loco pilot to undergo breathalyser test before being booked to drive the train. If found drunk then the driver is not allowed to resume duty," said the official.

There are about 11,700 trains running everyday across the country carrying more than two crore passengers. One loco pilot and an assistant loco pilot are required to run a train.

"The alcohol test is being done by the supervisor staff and after the mandatory test only the loco pilots are allowed to drive the train," he said, adding, "Drunkenness during duty hours is a serious offence and Railways take it very seriously."

Railways use state-of-the-art breathalyser equipment to know the exact level of alcohol content in blood during the test.

"Loco inspectors also carry out random checks at stations as a precautionary measure to prevent the drivers from drinking," the official said.

Railways have stringent punishment meted out to loco pilots if found drunk during duty hours. While the driver is chargesheeted immediately, punishment like withholding of the year''s increment is also being given.
...

Meet the beauty queens

2011-04-18T09:59:00.002+05:30

Three pretty women, smart and so full of poise. A look at the crowning moments.

Grand hunt for an Indian F1 driver

2011-04-15T15:10:00.002+05:30

Bengaluru: "Among 1.2 billion people we are going to find that Lewis Hamilton." With these words Dr. Vijay Mallya announced the launch of Force India Formula One Team Academy's '1 From a Billion Hunt' project to unearth motorsporting talent in the country. In partnership with ExxonMobil, Force India will launch a nation-wide search for India's next Formula One driver later this month.

The unique initiative is aimed at identifying the talent - providing vocational and academic training for young Indians aspiring for a serious, professional career in the field of motor sport arena or related industries.

Boys and girls between 14-17 years will be eligible to apply for the same. And yes, you don't need a driving license.

"The academy was conceived with a vision to inspire young Indians who have talent but so far have had no proper opportunity or serious platform to showcase their innate abilities. If the Academy is able to place even one Indian on the Formula One grid then all the effort would have been well worth it when our national anthem is played out for a victorious graduate of Academy," said Dr. Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal, Force India.

The hunt comprises of a three-stage programme:

- Hunt for 1 from a Billion: In the first stage of the hunt, the Academy will conduct regional trials in seven cities across India via a karting programme. Selected 14 finalists from each city will progress to the next level 'National Final'. The 98 finalists then will be joined by two wild card entries - who will compete against each other for a place in the top-ten.

- Silverstone Finale: The ten finalists then will go for a week-long stint at Silverstone circuit in UK. The ten selected drivers will complete their experience with a race in Formula Silverstone cars. At the end of the intensive hands-on week, an expert panel will pick three finalists on the basis of a holistic assessment of their multiple capabilities and proficiency in requisite areas. The winners will be announced at the Indian Grand Prix on October 28.

- Future Champions Programme: The winners of the Silverstone Finale will then be groomed next year and beyond. The ultimate winner will be put through a full season of racing in a competitive UK championship. The first runner-up will go on to race in a full season of racing in a competitive Indian championship while the second runner-up will benefit from a programme of karting tuition in Asia.

Force India's reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg, who was present at the occasion, said "it's a great opportunity for Indian youngsters. I wish I had the same kind of support when I started."

So, if you have ever dreamed of becoming a racer and drive those fast Formula One cars, this is your chance!

You can register online at www.onefromabillion.com or visit the local go-karting track in your city. The action starts on April 25, 2011.

Lashkar-e-Taiba expanding, India still main target

2011-04-15T15:09:00.002+05:30

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top U.S. military commander expressed concern to Congress on Tuesday about the expanding reach of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, warning it was no longer solely focused on India or even South Asia.
LeT, one of the largest and best-funded Islamic militant organizations in the region, is blamed for the November 2008 attacks on Mumbai, which killed 166 people in India's commercial capital.
The group was nurtured by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency to fight India in Kashmir, and analysts say it is still unofficially tolerated even though Islamabad banned the group nearly a decade ago.
Admiral Robert Willard, head of the U.S. military's Pacific Command, told a Senate hearing the United States was actively working with South Asian governments including Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and India to contain LeT.
But he cautioned that the group was active elsewhere.
"Unquestionably they have spread their influence internationally and are no longer solely focused in South Asia and on India," Willard told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The United States has evidence of LeT's presence in Europe and the broader Asia-Pacific region, he said.
In the past, LeT has fielded militants in Canada and in the United States.
India continues to be LeT's main target. But Willard noted that the group has declared holy war against the United States and renewed longstanding concerns in Washington about attacks by LeT militants against U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
"The discussion regarding the government of Pakistan's relationship to LeT is a very sensitive one," Willard said.
The comments come at a sensitive time in U.S.-Pakistan relations. Pakistan is demanding the United States scale back CIA activities and reduce the number U.S. Special Forces trainers in the latest example of strained security ties.
Although the U.S. focus in Pakistan remains on al Qaeda and militant groups more deeply involved in Afghanistan, there has been increasing attention in Washington on LeT, particularly since the arrest of Pakistani-American David Headley in 2009.
Headley had joined LeT hoping to fight in Kashmir but ended up scouting out targets for the Mumbai attackers and helping al Qaeda plan a strike in Denmark.
"It's important that this particular discussion continue to take place and that we continue to work with the government of Pakistan to root out terrorism that exists within their borders," Willard said.
The White House last week warned that despite unprecedented efforts by Pakistan to go after militants within its borders, it lacked a clear path to defeat them.

13 Food Types for Healthy Hair

2011-04-15T15:07:00.001+05:30

When your hair starts falling off like dry straws, what can you do?
Well, panicking and running around to expensive salons for hair treatment might seem a brilliant idea, but the truth is that you can manage to get a hold of the situation back at your home alone.
First, it would help to locate the various reasons for hair loss. Studies have revealed that men lose hair for some common reasons, like:
• Improper diet,
• Lack of proper vitamins,
• Genetic factors,
• Excessive stress, anxiety and worries,
• Prolonged illnesses like typhoid, anemia, dysentery, jaundice etc,
• Poor blood circulation, and
• Unclean scalps.
Once you have located the source of your problem, it can become much easier to fight back. In desperate times like these, it would help to go completely natural. Do not trust chemical products since they might cause more harm than good. To put your panicking soul to rest, here are 15 different ways to reduce hair loss:
1. Take a glass of water with flaxseed (alsi) in an empty stomach. This will provide you with the omega 3 acid that you need for hair growth.
2. Begin every day with one amla. Women generally use hair oil made of amla to get those lustrous curls, didn’t you know?
3. Soak 5 almonds every night in water and eat them with their skin on.
4. Your scalp needs nutrition. So get plenty of fluids like buttermilk, lime juice and coconut water. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day!
5. One bowl of sprouted pulses for would be great.
6. Proteins. Eat chicken and egg each day.
7. Reduce you daily intake of tea and coffee.
8. When you are washing hair, use a teaspoon of lime juice for the last rinse. That make your hair lustrous while protecting it from dandruff.
9. You are never too old for milk. Drink two glasses of skimmed milk for maximum benefits.
10. Apply a paste of methi seeds on your scalp for half an hour once every week, and drink methi water on empty stomachs.
11. Remember how the age old sadhus survived on fruits? No wonder that they had such long hair! Eat at least 2 or 3 fruits every day like strawberries, bananas, apples, mangoes, chikoos, and grapes.
12. Go green- eat a lot of vegetables, munch away on that iron laden spinach.
13. It is better to have more faith in white meat. Fish, chicken and egg can do wonders for your hair! Try to stay away from red meat.
Hair loss is more common in case of men than women. And you always did wonder whether gender difference worked out better for women, right? Follow these principles to the boots, and you would see satisfactory results soon enough!

Ash all set to go to Cannes, again

2011-04-15T10:34:00.002+05:30

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will be heading out to the French Riviera this May. She will be there for the Cannes Film Festival; her 10th consecutive year at one of the most prestigious film festivals.

Infosys Q4 lower than expectation; Revenue at Rs 7,250 cr

2011-04-15T10:18:00.001+05:30

IT behemoth Infosys Technologies, posted tepid result in the fourth quarter of FY11, with the numbers coming in lower than market expectations. The company posted a net revenue of Rs 7,250 crore and a net profit at Rs 1,818 crore.

The company guided an 18-20% dollar revenue growth for FY12.

A surprising announcement

As this Moneycontrol report says:

The technology bellwether forecast Q4 revenue of $1.60-62 billion, up 23.5-24.8% from a year ago, while rupee revenue is seen in the Rs 7,517-7,230 crore range, up 20.4-21.6%.

However, analysts say the company's guidance has always been conservative and the street wouldn't be surprised if it outperforms in the fourth quarter as well as 2011-12 fiscal.

Though analysts expect QoQ revenue to grow 3-4%, the company prefers to keep its turnover growth figures to 2%.

During calendar year 2010, Infosys' revenues from infrastructure management grew by 13.6% compared with TCS' 39.5%. The company is realigning its verticals and restructuring big time. Analysts feel that this should help them find synergies across some verticals.

Infosys shares have been trading 6% down in 2011. Since investors and analysts alike have factored in higher growth than the forecast, it'll be interesting to note how the market reacts to the Infosys Q4 results.

Anna Hazare plans fast unto death for strong Lokpal bil

2011-04-06T11:27:00.002+05:30

Veteran social activist Anna Hazare Monday said he is starting a 'fast unto death' to press for the demand to involve civil society in formulation of the anti-graft Lokpal (ombudsman) Bill.

'I will fast unto death, as announced earlier, as the prime minister has refused to form a joint committee with civil society members in it for the formulation of the Lokpal Bill. Even if I lose my life, I will have no regret, my life is dedicated to the nation,' Hazare said at a press meet here.

The Magsaysay Award winner activist, along with others, will go to Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at Rajghat at 9.00 a.m. Tuesday morning, after which the activists will stage a march from India Gate to the Jantar Mantar, a stone's throw from Parliament House, where Hazare will begin his fast.

Activists also called upon the nation to join the fast.

'I appeal to the nation to join the hunger strike, and support this anti-corruption movement,' said activist Arvind Kejriwal, who with former Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde and Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan has drafted the Jan Lokpal Bill, the civil society's alternate to the government drafted bill.

The Jan Lokpal Bill calls for setting up Lokpal and Lokayuktas (in states) independent from government's control. In the activists' version, investigation in any case will have to be completed in one year, and punishment would be a jail term of minimum 5 years and maximum of life imprisonment.

The government's version recommends a prison term of minimum 6 months and maximum 7 years as punishment for corruption.

The activists strongly rejected the Lokpal bill drafted by government.

'Government says its committee will draft the bill. Who are there in the committee... (Agriculture Minister) Sharad Pawar who has been involved in land scams in Maharashtra, or (Communications Minister) Kapil Sibal who does not see any corruption in the 2G scam,' Kejriwal said.

'The government is supposed to make legislation for the people. If they make their laws without keeping in mind what people mind, it's as bad as the British ruling India,' said Hazare.

'Government's Lokpal bill is useless,' said former Indian Police Service officer Kiran Bedi.

Talking about a meeting with some members of the National Advisory Council, which is an advisory body to government, Kejriwal said that even the NAC members agreed that the Jan Lokpal Bill was good.

'They agreed that the government's version of Lokpal Bill is toothless and agreed with almost all clauses of the Jan Lokpal bill,' he said.

He, however, added that this did not raise their hopes as the government mostly rejects the reccomendations of the NAC.
...

Road to IIT: Meet Anand Kumar, brain behind Super 30

2011-04-06T11:21:00.001+05:30

HIS father, a post office clerk in Bihar, couldn't afford private schooling for his children. So, Anand Kumar studied at a Hindi medium government school where, at an early age, he fell in love with mathematics. During graduation, he submitted papers on Numbers Theory that were published in UK's Mathematical Spectrum and The Mathematical Gazette.

He was accepted by Cambridge University and was close to realising his dream of becoming a mathematician, when his father suddenly passed away. The household income dwindled and Kumar and his mother made papad, which he sold door-to-door in the evenings, while writing mathematical theories in the daytime.

Then one day, a well-wisher suggested Kumar teach maths. In 1995, at the age of 22, he rented a classroom for Rs. 500 a month and started teaching. In one year's time, the strength of his classroom went from 2 to 36. Today, his study centre Ramanujan School of Mathematics is renowned, the world over. In a frank interview with Sumita Vaid Dixit, he talks (in chaste Hindi) about Indian education, revolution and his dream.

Q. Why did you start Super 30?

A. Within three years we had nearly 500 students. Although the fee was nominal - Rs. 1,500 a year - some poor students could not pay. Once, a boy came to me and said that he wanted to study but could only pay after his father, a poor farmer, had harvested potatoes. In Bihar, we call it 'aloo ukharna'.

I didn't want to take away the boy's only hope of changing his life because he couldn't pay. That's when I decided that I will form a group of 30 bright students, all from poor families, provide them with board and lodging and prepare them for IIT. This group was called Super 30. My brother Pranav Kumar, a violinist by profession, manages the institute, while my mother cooks for the students.

In the last seven years, 182 students out of 210 have made it to different IITs of the country. And for the last two years, all thirty students of Super 30 have made it to IIT. Parents of some students are bricklayers some work as domestic help. Now many of our students are working in Europe and the US.

Q. What is it about your teaching methods that help students get through to IIT?

A. This success is a combination of three factors. My students have junoon (passion), a fire in them to achieve. Two, our teaching approach is different. I use multimedia slides to make a little story with characters to explain maths concepts. Three, we take tests every day. Well, in a nutshell, we teach our students the how and why! That's all.

Q. But how do you run the place with the little fee you charge the other students?

A. I didn't start the place to make money. There are many coaching institutes in Patna for the rich, but none for the poor. NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) come to me with offers of help, but I wanted to prove that much can be achieved with fewer resources.

Q. Have you been able to prove that?

A. I think I have. There are far too many students coming to us, more than what we can take. And this has annoyed many coaching institutes. As you would know, many of the institutes here are run by criminals. I have received death threats one of my non-teaching staff was stabbed, once they even tried to blow me away with a crude bomb, but I escaped unhurt. I move around with two security guards armed with machines guns.

Q. Does the sight of security guards scare away children or parents?

A. (laughs) Children in Bihar are familiar with the criminal activities here. It doesn't scare them.

Q. Don't you get scared your life may be at stake?

A. I am doing this for society. Yes, mobility is restricted and I get frustrated at times, but it's okay. I get my strength from these kids. But over the past few years, the crime rate has come down and the police support me. Besides, if I get scared how will the others join me in creating a revolution?

Q. What kind of revolution?

A. Making education accessible to every poor child in India. I wish the kids I have taught, come back to their hometowns and do something for their people, their village. At times, it hurts to see that some forget about giving back to the society.

But there's another kind of kranti (revolution) taking place. Earlier when a peon used to work at an IAS officer's residence, he hoped that when his own son became a peon, the officer would treat him well. Today, the peon who works at the IAS officer's house wants his son to become an IAS officer, not a peon. That's kranti! We mustn't forget the sacrifice and hardships parents go through just to make sure their children live better lives, their children go to schools.

Q. Would the HRD minister's proposals bring about a change?

A. Kapil Sibalji thinks that by changing the syllabus or introducing a grading system, education will improve. The system will not change like this. Change will come when teachers have the passion to teach. 'Jab unme junoon hoga'!For that teachers should be paid well. It's ironical that while parents want their children to have great teachers, they don't want their children to become teachers!

The policymakers' idea of education is limited to Delhi and the NCR region. They have no clue of the positions of schools in Bihar or Uttar Pradesh many schools don't have roofs here.

And suggesting 80 per cent as cut-off marks for the IIT entrance exam is ridiculous. You cannot apply this to local boards or to students in villages. There cannot to be true development until the villages of India are also a part of the development process. 'Bharat ki atman gaon mein bassi hain' (the spirit of this nation resides in the villages).

Q. Then what's the way forward?

A. We need two syllabi: one for students with an ordinary intellect and one for students with extraordinary intellect. There are those who can do very well in jobs and there are those who can excel in research, and the first six years of schooling are good enough to evaluate a student's potential. This method is followed by China and Russia.

Do you know that China has topped 15 times in the past 22 years in the International Mathematical Olympiad? In times to come the top researches and scientists will come from China.

So we have to think of novel ways of encouraging our students to get into research. Why hasn't India produced Nobel winners in a long time? The ones that have are those who left this country to pursue their research elsewhere.

Q. And, what are your future plans?

A. I want to extent my programme to students of Class 5 and 6 as many gifted children fade away before they reach class 10. Many out of school to sell vegetables or work at tea stalls. I want to catch them young.

So, now I'm thinking of setting up a chain of free schools across the country, with free board and lodging facilities, where children can study from Class 5 to up to Class 12 and where they are prepared not just for IIT but Olympiad tests in mathematics, physics and chemistry.

Q. But your dream of going to Cambridge still remains unfulfilled?

A. When those eyes full of hope look at me, the respect and pleasure I get seeing my students being placed in large organisations makes me forget about it. But I do keep travelling to the US to give lectures my papers get published in international magazines. I am happy.

Tendulkar fulfills his World Cup destiny

2011-04-05T10:53:00.000+05:30

There are certain incidents that make even the greats break down, and Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar experienced one such moment and shed tears of joy at the Wankhede Stadium on April 2, 2011, when India defeated Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup final to be crowned world champions.

This was a long-awaited moment for Tendulkar, who was playing in his sixth and probably his last World Cup, and for all the records and benchmarks he has set during his illustrious international career, which is now into its 22nd year, the disappointment of not being part of a World Cup winning squad had always rankled the batting maestro. The last time India reached the final of a World Cup – in the 2003 edition against Australia – Tendulkar failed in a massive chase as India was thumped by 125 runs. What happened to India in 2007 is a painful chapter that has been recounted many times over and Tendulkar felt the disappointment of the premature exit as much or more as the next player.

But, since then, the character of the Indian dressing room and the manner in which the players go out on to the field with a never-say-die attitude has seen India rise to the top of the Test rankings and currently being second behind Australia in the ODI rankings. As he has been for most of his career, Tendulkar has been at the forefront of this change along with former captains Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble as well as current skipper MS Dhoni and outgoing coach Gary Kirsten. Tendulkar has been a sounding board, inspiration and mentor for the rest of India's squad members apart from being an advisor of sorts to Dhoni on the field even as he has continued to be consistent and scored runs aplenty, especially over the last two-three years.

In the backdrop of this scenario and the fact that ahead of the 2011 World Cup, India was not only being touted as the pre-tournament favourites, but the rest of the squad had also expressed a strong desire to win the Cup for Tendulkar. India lived up to its billing of the pre-tournament favourites for most of the 2011 World Cup, except in the tied match against England and the loss to South Africa in the group stage; but after the loss to Proteas, Dhoni's men got their campaign back on track and were unstoppable for the rest of the tournament. And, not surprisingly, Tendulkar was again at the forefront of leading India's challenge for the title as he finished the 2011 World Cup as the second highest run-scorer with 482 runs to his name; this is not to forget the part that Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, Gautam Gambhir (in the final) and the support staff led by Kirsten played in this triumph. That being said, it was obvious the entire squad was inspired to do its best for Tendulkar.

Tendulkar may not have scored as many runs as he would have liked to in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka, but the manner in which Gambhir and Dhoni got India back into the match along with an useful knock by Virat Kohli, exemplified the desire the Men in Blue had to win the 2011 World Cup for the Little Master and the influence he has on the dressing room. Kohli then summed it up the best when he said after India's 28-year wait for the World Cup ended: "Everyone was emotional. Obviously Sachin was very emotional. Lifting him on my shoulders was very special. This was for someone who has dedicated 21 years for Indian cricket and we are very proud of his achievements."

The moment would have been that much sweeter for Tendulkar because it came on his home ground in front of an adoring crowd, and he expressed his emotions in the only way he could – by not hiding them, but shedding tears of joy for he had at last fulfilled his destiny and completed his career CV on the grandest stage of them all. This was the one achievement that had eluded Tendulkar, but he can now check that off his list.

One of the defining moments of the 2011 World Cup came when Tendulkar was chaired around the Wankhede Stadium. Apart from this being a show of gratitude to the master batsman, it was also an expression of the respect and admiration the players have for Tendulkar, and this is a perfect tribute to an iconic player who has bridged the gaps between generations with ease.

Tendulkar, and the rest of the squad, deserve to savour each moment and memory of winning the 2011 World Cup; but this will be a very special moment for Sachin as he has realised his World Cup destiny and finally managed to get his hands on that elusive trophy.

I'm still on with my commitment: Poonam Pandey

2011-04-05T10:49:00.003+05:30

For all those who have been wondering what happened to Poonam Pandey's vow to strip and run in the buff after India's victory in the World Cup final, here's some dope - the young model hints that she will fulfil her pledge soon.

'Thanx a Lot All for ur Support!! I am Still on with My Commitments Stay TUNED,' Pandey posted on her Twitter page Monday.

The 19-year-old, who participated in last year's Gladrags' model hunt contest, offered to go nude for the cricket team just before the semifinal against Pakistan in Mohali.

But later, she issued a statement saying she would go ahead with her promise only if the BCCI permits.

Satya Saibaba still on ventilator support

2011-04-05T10:42:00.002+05:30

Sri Satya Saibaba, who was admitted to hospital following lung and chest congestion, continues to be on ventilator support but is showing improvement, doctors attending on him said today.

"Sri Satya Saibaba, who was admitted in the hospital on 28th March, continued to show improvement in his clinical condition. He is still on assisted ventilation and on kidney support through CRRT, which is a process of slow dialysis," a media release issued this morning by the Director of Sri Satya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences said.

"All other clinical parameters are nearly normal.The panel of doctors attending on him are satisfied with the progress made so far," it said.

85-year-old Satya Saibaba was admitted to the super-speciality hospital at Prashantigram at Puttaparti near here following respiration-related problems.
...

Dhoni and co dared to dream

2011-04-05T10:35:00.000+05:30

The cynics outnumbered the believers. The decibel notes from the critics were getting noisier and more vocal. Dean Jones came up with his now classic prediction: "India winning the World Cup? Tell Dhoni he is dreaming." He reckoned that with the bowling and fielding they had the Indians had no chance of winning. It was a view that was shared by a number of others.

And yet when it all ended six weeks after it started the World Cup was India's. Yes, the same team that didn't seem to have a chance because of their weakness in bowling and fielding emerged champions and Dhoni was able to join Kapil Dev. The legendary cricketer had complained more than once that it was lonely at the top and longed to have company. Now he has someone worthy to share the pedestal with him.

Self belief is one of the most enduring of all qualities when it comes to sport. Yes, Dhoni was dreaming of winning the World Cup along with Sachin Tendulkar and several other players. There is nothing wrong with dreaming. Only when you have dreams can you realize them. And the same Indian team with certain inherent weaknesses went on to win the biggest trophy the game has to offer. Put it down to self belief. The cynics said the team would crumble in the final following two successive high octane clashes with Australia and Pakistan that must have drained the players. But these boys were made of sterner stuff. At crucial times the seemingly weaker links performed above their level; at other times the batting, bowling and fielding all clicked and the result was that it was Dhoni and his boys who lifted the trophy at the Wankhede stadium on a memorable Saturday night.

Ah yes, Saturday night! It was on another Saturday night back home when another Indian team rewrote the history books 28 years ago. "Kapil's Devils" they were christened by a suitably impressed British media and what they achieved was something quite matchless. In 1983 limited overs cricket in India was still in its infancy. Test cricket was still very much the name of the game. After two World Cups and a few ODIs around the world the Indians had yet to come with the intricacies of the limited overs game. They approached it like a Test match. Little wonder that Sri Lanka then only an associate member had shocked India in the 1979 World Cup - the first major upset in the competition.

And at the other end was the spectrum were the all conquering West Indies, undisputed champions in the game, twice world champions and just a match away from a third title. What happened at Lord's that sunny June day has been well chronicled. The result - India winning sensationally by 43 runs - altered the face of Indian cricket and perhaps the sport itself.

Of course there is the other angle too. With no high expectations the Indians were able to play freely. In a tension free atmosphere, bereft of any media hype - television was only in its infancy and restricted to Doordarshan while the press itself adopted a more controlled and balanced approach - the Indians had everything to gain and nothing to lose. There were no nationwide signature campaigns wishing the team good luck, no Bollywood stars involved, no corporate sponsors and no big money.

These days the scenario has changed in more ways than one. Limited overs cricket - be it Fifty50 or Twenty20 - has been the staple diet for Indian cricket fans. The Indian team is not any more a bunch of no-hopers. Over the years it has transformed itself to a world beating combination with victories in major tournaments and a No 2 ranking in ODIs. But with all this the expectations are sky high, the media hype is unbelievably over the top and the pressure is outrageous. Certainly a combination of all this led to India failing to win the World Cup over the years though they were finalists in 2003 in South Africa. At home the pressure is even more intense and that is why the Indians stumbled at the semifinals stage in 1987 and 1996.

If anything the pressures went to the limit and beyond this time around and Dhoni has admitted that the team members felt it throughout the tournament. He may call it anxiety not pressure but just as a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet whether it is anxiety or pressure it was a burden that the team was carrying. And to emerge triumphant after all this has to be one of the great triumphs in the history of the game.

A triumph for teamwork is one of the oldest cliches in sport but in reality this Indian team symbolized this. There were batting heroes, bowling heroes and fielding heroes. Then there was the back-up staff headed by the amiable Gary Kirsten. Spare a thought too for the selectors who picked the winning team. Ultimately however the buck stops with the captain and if Kapil Dev is rightly given the credit for the unexpected triumph 28 years ago, then this is another feather in Dhoni's multi decorated cap. If the captain is made the scapegoat for a debacle should he not be given due credit for a major triumph?

Independents promise Nano car as they join TN freebies war

2011-04-05T10:16:00.000+05:30

Not lagging behind political parties, independents contesting the April 13 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu too have come up with promise of freebies to woo the electorate but most of them borders on absurdity.

An independent contesting from Salem South and North constituencies has made the most unbelievable offer of a Nano car each to every voter if they elected him.

Shahjahan also promised a cell phone, a generator set to each family to relieve them from power cuts, free cable TV connection and pocket money of Rs.200 to every student.

When asked from where he would get the money to fulfil his promises, Shahjahan coolly said, "if the money that came from 2G spectrum scam is confiscated, more could be done."

Asked whether his promise amounted to a corrupt practice, an offence under the Representation of the People�s Act, the candidate, a lawyer by profession, said there was nothing wrong in it. "If the political parties can offer (freebies), why can''t I?" he countered.

Another independent candidate from Musiri, Kannaiyan, has promised free gold coins to all voters if elected, besides three cents of land to those who worked for him during the polls.

He had also offered free cable TV connections to the voters in his constituency.

Congress candidate in Musiri M Rajasekaran had even moved the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Election Commission to prevent Kannaiyan''s alleged corrupt practices.

The court disposed of the petition after Election Commission submitted it would take steps in accordance with law if the charges were true.

Vincent Paul, another independent from Manapparai, has offered gold chain of five sovereigns to all girls getting married.

Dubbing these promises as ''hollow'', former Chennai Mayor and DMK activist Sa Ganesan said people would believe promises made in the manifestos of political parties, but not those by independents.

In a war of freebies, ruling DMK and AIADMK have promised a bonanza ranging from mixer, grinder to mineral water and free rice.
...

Army submits inquiry report on Adarsh scam to Defence ministry

2011-03-24T11:37:00.001+05:30

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) After probing the role of its officials including a serving Major General in the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society scam in Mumbai, the Army has submitted its Court of Inquiry report in the case to the Defence Ministry.
The CoI was ordered by Army''s Pune-based Southern Command to investigate the role of Maj Gen Ram Kumar Hooda and various other officers for issuing No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to the private housing society to construct a 31-storeyed complex on a plot in Kolaba.
Hooda was the Mumbai-based area commander for Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa.
"The CoI was completed and submitted with the Defence Ministry last week," Defence Ministry sources told PTI here.
In the report, the Army has stated that the land on which the controversial building was constructed belonged to it and the NOC was issued to private builders in violation of rules, they said.
The 104-apartment society got embroiled in a controversy after the navy had raised concerns over security as the building over-looked important military installations.
On December 9 last year, Defence Minister A K Antony had ordered a CBI probe to fix responsibility of the armed forces and defence estates officers in the housing scam.
He had asked the CBI to look into the circumstances under which a ''No Objection Certificate'' was issued to the housing society to construct the 31-storey building on a piece of land, which was in the "de facto" possession of the Army.
The probe agency was also asked to investigate into the commitments made for allotment of flats in the society for Kargil widows and martyrs'' families.
Former army chiefs Gen Deepak Kapoor and N C Vij, apart from former navy chief Admiral Madhavendra Singh had flats allotted in their names in the housing society.
Soon after the scam came to light, the defence ministry had asked the Army, Navy and the defence estates to submit a report on the issue.
The preliminary findings of the ministry''s probe brought out "criminal conspiracy" at the local level in army and defence estates to give up the land, which was in army''s possession till 1999-2000, in favour of the housing society. PTI AJD

A dummy's guide to buying a vintage car

2010-02-08T11:20:00.001+05:30

Pride of ownership and pleasure of use. These are the answers commonly received when collectors are asked what they like most about the collector car hobby. Collector cars are as diverse as the people who collect; there is a collector car for everyone, whether you want a Volkswagen Beetle, a Ford Mustang or a Rolls Royce.

There is a collector car out there for you. Collector cars are appealing because they stand out from the crowd. Try placing a 1965 Mustang in a parking lot with a 100 modern cars. Your three-year-old child will readily pick out the Mustang. She may not know exactly what it is, but knows it is different.

If you own a collector car you will not be surprised if absolute strangers walk up to you and begin a conversation because they know they will be warmly received. Passing motorists will often give you the thumbs up and folks position themselves at traffic lights to take pictures with their cell phones (there are also humorous situations when an innocent bystander may ask you "Kya Tata ka naya model hai?" or "Average kya deti hai?").

One of the great things about this hobby is that you can choose the level of participation appropriate for you. You could buy a moderately priced entry level classic that you could drive around town or you could buy a high-end throughbred classic to show at the Cartier Travel with Style Elegance.

Pride, pleasure, diversity, camaraderie and uniqueness are some of the no-cost options that come with collector car ownership. You may have an individual reason for wanting a collector car and no single reason is more valid than any other. Ultimately, it is all about how it makes you feel.

Owning a collector car and the endless enjoyment that it brings with it is quite different from the process of buying it. Buying a collector car could cause some grief if you don't make correct decisions before and during the purchase stage.

Making the right decision is not as difficult as you may think. If you make the correct decisions, a collector car is one car you buy which only appreciates and never depreciates. In fact, many collectors consider it to be a great investment hobby and our wives think we are bright chaps!

A collector car is almost anything you want to buy; it can be a vintage car such as a Ford Model T (or an Austin Chummy). It can be a pony car such as a Mustang. It doesn't have to be rare to be a collector car. It could be a Jeep like a Ford GPW or a Willys MB from an army disposal sale. It could be a 1957 Chevrolet Belair or a Volkswagen Camper Van from the '60s or a '53 Chevy Pick up truck.

There are three important questions you must answer: (1) What do you like?, (2) What are you going to use it for?, and (3) How much do you want to spend?

You will first have to find out what car you like before you start your search. Do you like small cars or large cars, two doors or four doors, convertibles or sedans? Try to be specific about what you want. Education is important and this may include reading up some books and magazines and browsing on the internet.

You could also talk to collectors who are knowledgeable. Knowledgeable enthusiasts in India include Manvendra Singh of Barwani in Indore, R N Seth, Ranjit Malik and S B Jatti in Delhi, Hormosji Cama, Harit Trivedi and Nitin Dosa in Mumbai, Ravi Prakash in Bengaluru and Sanjay Ghosh and Rishi Kumar in Kolkata. These folks are helpful depending on what time of the day you approach them! There are many more but don't know if they are easily accessible. The names I have mentioned are those who are India's important collectors and stalwarts.

The best way to find out what you want is to look at a number of cars; a broad range of cars. Walk around, look at the cars. A good place to start could be the Statesman Vintage Car Rally held in Delhi and Kolkata. The Heritage Motoring Club of India organises dozens of events through the year. After attending a few of these events you will have a better, clearer and more specific idea of what you want.

The writer is managing partner, Titus & Co. Advocate, and founder, Pro-bono Publico, a museum of vintage and classic automobiles.

Britain tightens student visa rules

2010-02-08T11:15:00.001+05:30

Britain is to tighten the rules on immigrants entering Britain on a student visa, the government said on Sunday in a clampdown on a system which some security experts say has been exploited by Islamist militants.

Home Secretary (interior minister) Alan Johnson said the crackdown was part of a wider campaign against immigrants who apply for student visas even though they intend to work.

The tighter controls could also help to tackle security concerns over militants who enter Britain ostensibly to study. Analysts have warned for years of a threat from Islamist militants based at British universities, including foreigners on student visas.

A senior Pakistani official in London accused the British government last year of failing to co-operate with the security screening of Pakistani nationals trying to study in Britain.

The issue climbed back up the political agenda last month when it emerged that the Nigerian man accused of plotting to blow up a passenger plane over Detroit tried to re-enter Britain last April to study at a bogus college.

Johnson's department said the changes were drawn up before the alleged Christmas Day attack and are part of a wider campaign to keep a closer eye on overseas students.

"We will come down hard on those that flout the rules." Johnson said.

In a counter-terrorism operation last April, police arrested 12 people including 11 Pakistani nationals, all but one of whom were on student visas.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown described the case as a "very big terrorist plot", but police released all the men without charge. Eleven were later investigated by immigration officials.

Johnson said that nearly a third of immigrants seek to enter Britain on a student visa and that the country is the second most popular study destination in the world.

The government has closed down 200 bogus colleges, which help students into Britain but don't offer proper courses.

A Home Office spokesman would not confirm how many student visas are expected to be cut each year. Britain issued 236,000 student visas in 2008-09 and refused 110,000 applications.

Under the new rules, applicants from outside the European Union will need to speak better English and will face tougher restrictions on taking part-time jobs.

Immigration has long been a source of criticism for the ruling Labour, behind in polls before an election due by June.

Opposition Conservative leader David Cameron has accused ministers of allowing an unsustainable number of immigrants into Britain and has proposed a cap to keep levels down.

Conservative home affairs spokesman Chris Grayling said the government was "floundering around trying desperately to correct their own mistakes".

In Bihar, Rahul takes on Raj: who fought for NSG on 26/11?

2010-02-02T11:00:00.001+05:30

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi launched his Mission Bihar today by declaring that Biharis were in several ways "running the country", and reminding the Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray that the battle for Mumbai on 26/11 was fought and won by commandos from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

"MNS leader Raj Thackeray keeps talking about driving out people of Bihar and UP from Mumbai. But I want to ask who the NSG commandos were. Most of them were from Bihar, UP and other parts of the country," Rahul told Youth Congress workers at Kalchakra Maidan in Bodhgaya.

Rahul wondered why the Thackerays hadn't spoken of forcing out Biharis from Mumbai when they were fighting the terrorists who had attacked the city. "When people from all corners of the country can stand up to save Mumbai, they have every right over the city," he said.

There wasn't a problem with the attitude of the people of Bihar, Rahul said, and it was time others changed their attitude towards Biharis. Earlier, interacting with students of LN Mishra University at Darbhanga, he said: "Most senior IAS and IPS officers come from UP and Bihar. In a way, Biharis are running the country, but I wonder why Bihar is not running."

Rahul called upon the youth to lead the change in Bihar, and asked Youth Congress workers to choose their own leaders. "Get your leaders through organizational elections, we will not impose leaders on you," he said.

The Congress leader is on a two-day trip to interact with Youth Congress workers during its ongoing membership drive before the organisational elections. He started his journey from Bhitiharwa in West Champaran, the place where Mahatma Gandhi launched his first satyagraha in 1918, and reached Patna in the evening after visiting Darbhanga and Gaya.

Rahul took on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, rejecting his claims that the Centre was not sending adequate funds to Bihar. "The opposite is true," Rahul said. "Bihar has not been able to use Central funds. The Centre can only send Bihar money, but it has to be implemented by the Bihar government."

All Indians are free to live and work in Mumbai: PC

2010-02-02T10:55:00.002+05:30

Rejecting Shiv Sena contention of 'Mumbai for Maharashtrians' as "pernicious thesis", the Centre on Monday said the financial capital belonged to all Indians who are free to live and work there.

On Sena threats to Australian and Pakistani players' participation in the IPL cricket event in Mumbai, Home Minister P Chidambaram asserted that he would "guarantee them full security."

"We reject the thesis of the Shiv Sena. Mumbai belongs to all of India and all Indians are free to live and work in Mumbai," he said answering a question at a press conference in New Delhi.

He said the Government of Maharashtra was competent to handle the situation and the Centre would extend help if sought. "If the Government of Maharashtra seeks our advice, we will advise them but I am sure they are competent to manage the situation," Chidambaram said.

"But, as a matter of policy, we reject the theses of the Shiv Sena and the MNS. These are pernicious theses and they have to be rejected," he said.

On Sunday, Shiv Sena had objected to the RSS view that Mumbai is for all Indians and told it that the western metropolis belongs to Marathi people only.

Asked about safety of Australian and Pakistani players' participating in IPL, Chidambaram said, "Let Australian players come to India. Let Pakistani players come to India.

Let them play in Mumbai and I will guarantee them full security".

Sena had said its activists would not allow Australian players to play IPL matches in Maharashtra to protest the attacks on Indians in that country.

The party has been opposing sporting ties with Pakistan contending that the neighbouring country has been supporting anti-India terrorists.

Daily dose of blueberries may guarantee improved memory

2010-01-30T16:37:00.000+05:30

Washington: A daily dose of blueberries could be the perfect way to ease the memory lapses and brain slips that typically accompany old age.

In a small study, older adults who drank a couple cups of blueberry juice
a day improved their scores on a learning and memory task by 20 percent.

Studies in animals have linked blueberries with brain function, but this is one of the first such studies in people. The results have indicated that blueberries might just live up to their reputation as "super foods."

Among other health benefits, adding the tasty little, blue marbles to your diet could help slow the march of memory decline and possibly even prevent memories from slipping in the first place.

"We’re getting the first signal in humans that this might work. There’s so much research now suggesting that fruits and vegetables
are beneficial. I don’t have any qualms about recommending that people eat blueberries," Discovery News quoted Robert Krikorian, a neurophysiologist at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, as saying.

In animal studies, older individuals that consume blueberry extract improve their performance on memory tasks, sometimes to the point of being just as sharp as their younger counterparts.

Scientists have attributed blueberries’ impressive brain-boosting effects on a type of antioxidant called anthocyanins. These molecules belong to a larger group called polyphenols, which come in thousands of varieties.

Polyphenols appear in virtually all fruits and vegetables, and have been shown to reduce the risk of cancers and heart disease, among other benefits. In animals that have consumed lots of blueberries, scientists have spotted anthocyanins in the brain structures that are known to be involved in memory.

That’s where molecules appear to work their magic by helping neurons communicate with each other, facilitating memory processing.

Anthocyanins also make brain cells more resilient in the face of stress. The molecules might even act as a sort of mild toxin that prods the body to grow stronger. Krikorian wanted to know whether any of it applied to people, and thus recruited nine adults who were, on average, in their mid-70s. All participants had experienced some mild memory decline.

In the beginning, each participant took a series of learning and memory tests and for the next 12 weeks, they drank three glasses of blueberry juice a day, for a total of between two and two and a half cups. During the last week of the study, participants took the memory tests again. Researchers noted a 20 percent improvement in the tests after taking blueberry juice everyday.

Bill Gates pledges $10 bln for vaccines for poor

2010-01-30T16:33:00.001+05:30

DAVOS, Switzerland (AFP) – Bill Gates, the world's richest man, on Friday promised 10 billion dollars to develop vaccines for the world's poorest nations.

The Microsoft tycoon announced at the World Economic Forum that the money will come over the next decade from the foundation he runs with his wife Melinda, and that vaccines will become the top priority for the foundation.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has now committed more than 25 billion dollars to various health projects, especially targeting AIDS and polio and other diseases that hit poor countries.

"We must make this the decade of vaccines," Bill Gates said in Davos. "Vaccines already save and improve millions of lives in developing countries. "Innovation will make it possible to save more children than ever before."

Increased vaccination could save more than eight million children by 2020, he added, but called on governments and the private sector to do more. "Increased investment
in vaccines by governments and the private sector could help developing countries dramatically reduce child mortality by the end of the decade," Gates said in a statement.

Melinda Gates added: "Vaccines are a miracle -- with just a few doses, they can prevent deadly diseases for a lifetime. "We?ve made vaccines our number-one priority at the Gates Foundation because we?ve seen first hand their incredible impact on children?s lives," she added.

Gates began working full time at the Foundation after leaving Microsoft in July, 2008. He is in Davos as the world's leading philanthropist and his activities again overshadowed those of the political and business elite at the Swiss ski resort. Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou held new meetings seeking to shore up international support for his country's austerity programme as its borrowing costs shoot up and debt problems in Greece and other countries put pressure on the euro.

Reaffirming his determination to cut the 12.7 percent budget deficit, the prime minister acknowledged the country's troubles over the past year including serious riots in Athens before his socialist PASOK party won an election. "The riots that we had last year were at the height of the scandals in our political life," he said. "Banks were being bailed out then, there was corruption and there was no legitimacy in the political system.

"We have re-established legitimacy and there is great support for us even from the younger generation." Papandreou said: "It is important that whatever we do it is seen as just. It may be painful but it must be seen that we are all paying for the burden." And he insisted that the government would protect the unemployed.

US gets more info on terrorist strike in India

2010-01-30T15:55:00.001+05:30

The US continues to receive information about terrorist groups planning attacks against India, the State Department has said and advised its nationals to be alert during their travel to the country in the coming months.

"The Department of State alerts US citizens to ongoing security concerns in India. The US government continues to receive information that terrorist groups may be planning attacks in India," the US State Department said in its latest terror alert.

Terrorists and their sympathizers have demonstrated their willingness and capability to attack targets where US citizens or Westerners are known to congregate or visit.

The recent advise replaces the travel Alert dated December 29 that expired on April 30, the State Department said.

Noting that 26/11 Mumbai attacks provide a vivid reminder that hotels, markets and other public places are especially targeted by terrorist groups, the State Department asked its nationals to always practice good security, maintain a heightened situational awareness and a low profile.

"US citizens are advised to monitor local news reports and consider the level of security present when visiting public places, including religious sites, or choosing hotels, restaurants, entertainment and recreation venues," it said.

IPL Row: Now Pakistan stops its players

2010-01-30T15:45:00.002+05:30

A statement from the board said all the NOC's issued to players for IPL 3 stand revoked.

"In future, if any player receives an invitation for participation in IPL events, PCB will decide the matter on a case to case basis after consulting relevant government authorities," the statement said.

The announcement comes on the same day that the Indian hardline party Shiv Sena said it would not allow Pakistani players to play in the IPL and IPL commissioner Lalit Modi also said that no franchise could pick Pakistani players without his knowledge and approval.

All the 11 Pakistani players, including star all-rounder Shahid Afridi went unsold in the January 19 auction in Mumbai, prompting angry reaction in Pakistan.

The auction fiasco threatened to snowball into a diplomatic row between the two countries with top ministers also being drawn into the controversy.

A spokesman for the sports ministry also said that in future if any Pakistani player gets an offer to play in the IPL he would have to approach the PCB which would have to seek fresh NOCs from relevant ministries including security clearance and approval from foreign ministry.

"All the clearance we gave for the IPL now stands cancelled," the official said.

There were unconfirmed reports that all-rounder Adbul Razzaq was approached by Kolkata Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers with a contract offer but this development has effectively sealed his fate.

CBSE to send showcause notice to Ruchika school

2010-01-29T16:23:00.001+05:30

Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Thursday said there was a case for shooting off a showcause notice to Sacred Heart Convent in Chandigarh, asking why it expelled Ruchika Girhotra from the school on account of non-payment of fee. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), to which the school is affiliated, is learnt to be considering such an action.

"We have got the report on the issue. On the basis of the report, it appears that a notice should be sent to the school by the Central Board of Secondary Education," Sibal said, on the sideline of a conference of state education secretaries on various education programmes.

The CBSE, as reported by this newspaper, had only recently issued an advisory to all its 10,000-plus affiliated schools asking them to "treat children as sensitive individuals who need to be protected at any cost" and to stand up to any "external pressure". The CBSE's advisory sought to remind that "schools are ideological institutions and not factories" and that "no school, under the guise of enforcing discipline, should mistreat any student or parent thereof".

A Chandigarh Administration report had found the school guilty of taking an unwarranted action against Ruchika. This report has already been sent to the CBSE, which will soon issue a notice to the school on the issue. A CBSE official in Chandigarh said on Thursday: "The notice will be received by the school in a day or two."

Our brains cannot handle more than 150 Facebook friends

2010-01-29T16:15:00.002+05:30

London, January 24 : Despite some people having 5,000 friends on their Facebook profiles, they may not be able to remember or manage more than 150 pals in real life, an expert claims.

Robin Dunbar, professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at Oxford University, falls back on a theory he developed in the 1990s, known as 'Dunbar's number,' to prove his point.

The theory claims that that the size of our neocortex - the part of the brain used for conscious thought and language - limits us to managing social circles of around 150 friends, no matter how sociable we are.

The figure was reached after Dunbar checked how many people contacted at least once a year in a variety of societies, ranging from neolithic villages to modern office environments.

Now he has applied his theory to studying social networking websites.

And, he insists that the "Facebook effect" has hardly had an impact on the size of social groupings.

"The interesting thing is that you can have 1,500 friends but when you actually look at traffic on sites, you see people maintain the same inner circle of around 150 people that we observe in the real world," Timesonline quoted Dunbar as saying.

He added: "People obviously like the kudos of having hundreds of friends but the reality is that they're unlikely to be bigger than anyone else's.

"There is a big sex difference though ... girls are much better at maintaining relationships just by talking to each other. Boys need to do physical stuff together."

Dunbar's study is expected to publish later this year

2010-01-29T15:49:00.001+05:30

2010-01-29T15:49:00.000+05:30

Half a million bathe in Ganges; crush kills 7

2010-01-15T13:35:00.000+05:30

Hundreds of thousands of Hindus bathed in waters considered sacred across large parts of the country to mark the start of the "Kumbh Mela" festival on Thursday, with at least seven people killed in a stampede in West Bengal.
At least half a million men, women and children braved chilly winds to bathe in the icy waters of the Ganges in the holy Himalayan town of Haridwar at the "Kumbh Mela", or Pitcher Festival, held every 12 years in different cities.
Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges during the almost four-month-long festival cleanses them of their sins, speeding the way to the attainment of nirvana.
The ritualistic bathing takes place in other venues as well, with massive crowds often leading to accidents.
In West Bengal, six women were among seven people killed in a stampede as thousands bathed at the confluence of Ganges river and the Bay of Bengal, officials said.
"The stampede happened when pilgrims were rushing to get into a boat," said Surajit Kar Purakayastha, a senior police officer said in Kolkata.
More than 50 million people from India and abroad are expected to visit the holy city of Haridwar over the next few months, authorities said.
People gathered near the river banks in Uttarakhand before dawn and began bathing as soon as the sun rose.
A tight security ring was in place in Haridwar, with police keeping a close eye on pilgrims with the help of more than 120 closed-circuit cameras.
"I am very happy. I am feeling blessed," said Indu Karn, a woman who came from Jharkhand.
"I have come here to bathe for my salvation in the Ganges. I am really happy," she said, shivering after several dips.
After bathing in the polluted but sacred waters many filled cans and bottles with water, saying they would carry them for their relatives who could not make the journey.
Haridwar is one of four spots where Garuda, the winged steed of Hindu god Vishnu, is said to have rested during a battle with demons over a pitcher of the divine nectar of immortality.
Garuda's flight lasted 12 divine days, or 12 years of mortal time, hence the celebration of "Kumbh Mela" every 12 years.
"Kumbh is the soul of Indian culture," said Pilot Baba, a Hindu monk with thousands of followers in many countries.
"Kumbh gives us an opportunity to connect with the world, to be a progressive nation," said the monk, clad in saffron-coloured robes, as many bowed before him in respect.
(Additional reporting by Sujoy Dhar in Kolkata; Editing by Bappa Majumdar and Paul Tait)

Obama tells Haiti: U.S. will not forsake you

2010-01-15T13:31:00.001+05:30

President Barack Obama pledged $100 million for Haiti relief aid on Thursday and enlisted the help of two former U.S. presidents, promising Haitians: "You will not be forsaken."
Eager to stay on top of the rapidly unfolding humanitarian crisis, Obama told his top aides that responding to the earthquake aftermath should be their top priority.
Former President Bill Clinton, who is already a United Nations special envoy for Haiti, and former President George W. Bush agreed to a request from Obama to help the quake relief effort. Obama talked by telephone with Bush on Wednesday night about helping out.
"Both of them have agreed to take part in this," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs, promising more details in the next few days.
Clinton and Bush's father, former President George H.W. Bush, joined in a huge international relief effort to help the recovery from the 2004 tsunami that swept South Asia and killed 226,000 in 13 countries after an earthquake in Indonesia.
Obama, facing his biggest test of international relief since taking office a year ago, promised an initial U.S. contribution of $100 million and said he had directed his administration to launch "a swift, coordinated and aggressive effort to save lives and support recovery in Haiti."
Aid was arriving in a trickle to Haiti, shattered by Tuesday's quake. The Haitian Red Cross said it believed 45,000 to 50,000 people had died and 3 million more were hurt or left homeless.
"To the people of Haiti, we say clearly and with conviction, you will not be forsaken. You will not be forgotten. In this, your hour of greatest need, America stands with you. The world stands with you," Obama said.
It marks the latest example of the long U.S. history with Haiti. In 1994, then-President Clinton sent a delegation there that negotiated the departure of Haitian military leaders and headed off an American invasion.
Working against time to save as many lives as possible and help Haitians dig out of the rubble, the United States is sending some elements of its armed forces to the impoverished island nation.
FREQUENT UPDATES
Several Coast Guard cutters are already there providing basic services like water and technical support for a massive logistical operation.
Obama said elements of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division were arriving on Thursday. A Marine expeditionary unit was also being deployed, as well as the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and a U.S. Navy hospital ship, the Comfort.
In a show of support for Haiti, Obama was joined when he made his statement by key leaders of his administration, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Vice President Joe Biden.
Obama was clearly working to avoid any sort of comparison with Bush, who was damaged by his administration's slow initial response to a domestic disaster, Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Aides provided frequent updates on what the president was doing on Haiti, such as holding meetings with aides and talking to foreign leaders.
Obama, who had been criticized for waiting a few days to speak publicly in response to the Christmas Day attempted bombing of a Detroit-bound plane, said he had made it clear to the officials that Haiti "must be a top priority for their departments and agencies right now."
"This is one of those moments that calls out for American leadership," he said.
Biden and his wife, Jill, are to be in South Florida to meet with members of the Haitian-American community there about the U.S. response to the crisis.
(Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick and Jeff Mason; editing by David Storey and Will Dunham)

Telangana

2010-01-15T12:58:00.003+05:30

Geography

Of the three regions of the state, Telangana has the largest area, with 1,14,800 km2.The Telangana plateau is drained by two major rivers, the Godavari and the Krishna. The entire region is divided into two main regions namely ghats and peneplains. The surface is dotted with low depressions.

Irrigation

Telangana region Andhra Pradesh is situated in the central stretch of the eastern seaboard of the Indian Peninsula. The river Godavari is flowing on the North and the river Krishna is flowing on the South. Apart from the major rivers, there are other small rivers such as Bhima, Dindi, Kinnerasani, Manjeera, Munneru, Moosi, Penganga, Praanahita, and Peddavagu and Taliperu.

Demography
9 out of 10 districts in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh are recognized by the Government of India as backward . According to the Backword Regions Grant Fund 2009-10, 13 districts are located in Andhra Pradesh, 9 are from Telangana and the rest are from other regions.

Culture and Identity
Telangana has its own distinctive culture and identity. Most prominent is the Hyderabadi Culture also called Deccan Culture.Telugu language spoken here has evolved into a new dialect with a liberal mixture of words from Urdu. Telugu language is the major language spoken while Hindi is spoken by people from other states of North India and Central India like Gujarat and Maharashtra. Telugu language and English language are official languages of the region.
Festivals: Diwali, Dassera, Eid-ul-Fitr and Ugadi are prominent festivals in Telangana. The region celebrates distinctive festivals like Bathukamma, and Bonalu. The other festivals of Hindu and Muslims such as Holi, Rakhi and Moharram are also celebrated with equal enthusiasm as in northern India. The national festival Sankranti is also celebrated in the beginning of harvest season on 14 January every year.

• Hyderabad
• Charminar - the iconic 400 year-old landmark of Hyderabad, featuring four graceful minarets.
• Falaknuma Palace - Built by Nawab Viqar al-Umra', a beautiful and stunning piece of architecture.
• Golconda Fort - located on the outskirts of the city, Golconda Fort is one of the most magnificent fortress complexes in India.
• Salar Jung Museum - houses the largest one-man collection of antiques in the world.
• Makkah Masjid - a stone-built mosque, one of the largest in India, located next to the Charminar.
• Birla Mandir - An elaborate white marble temple with majestic views of the city and the Husain Sagar (lake).
• Birla Planetarium - located in the heart of the city on the panoramic hillock of Nawbat Pahad.
• Husain Sagar - man-made lake that separates the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
• Durgam Cheruvu - A beautiful lake near HI-TEC city.
• Chilkur Balaji Temple, also known as Visa Balaji Temple
• Osman Sagar, also known as Gandipet, is a lake near the city.
• NTR Gardens, a recreation park,located on the tankbund.
• Purani Haveli - The former official residence of the Nizam.
• Shilpakala Vedika - An outstanding venue for all types of events - local, national and international.
• Sanghi Temple - A temple dedicated to Venkateshwara which graces a promontory overlooking Sanghi Nagar.
• Ashtalaxmi Temple - Ashtalakshmi Temple, dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, is in Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad
• Mahankali Temple - A temple located near Secunderabad Railway station, Famous for Bonalu Fest in Hyderabad.
• Snow World - An amusement park which enables citizens of this tropical city to experience very low temperatures and snow
• Madhapur - Home to the IT world of Hyderabad.
• Nagarjuna sagar on krishna river in Nalgonda district
• Sreeramsagar project on Godavari river in Nizamabad district
• Beechupally (Sri Anjaneya Swamy Temple)
• Alampoor (one of the eighteen shaktipeetams)
• Warangal, capital city of Kakatiyas
• Warangal Fort, Built by Kakatiyas between 11-12th centuries
• Warangal - Bhadrakali Temple, and Thousand Pillared Temples, These two temples built by Kakatiyas are visited by People from all over AP
• Warangal - Ramappa Temple, Famous for its brilliant Kakatiya art
• Warangal - Pakhal Lake, A man-made lake built in 1213 by the Kakatiya king, Ganapathideva, by harnessing a small tributary of the Krishna River. It is located 50 km from Warangal and spreads over an area of 30 km.

Proposed Telangana State Formation Process

2010-01-15T12:38:00.002+05:30

On December 9, 2009, at 11:30 PM, Mr. P. Chidambaram, Union Minister of Home Affairs announced that the Indian government will start the process of forming a separate Telangana state, upon introduction and passage of a separation resolution in the Andhra Pradesh assembly.^[ KCR thus ended his 11 day fast, saying from his hospital bed that this was a true victory of the people of Telangana.

Representatives from Telangana celebrated the central government's decision while those from the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions (Andhra region) protested.. In fact, within a short time of the Home Minister's declaration, a majority of Andhra Pradesh's legislature submitted their resignations in protest of the separation of Telangana. As of 16 December, at least 147 legislators (including Praja Rajyam Founder Chiranjeevi) and many Members of Parliament resigned in protest of the Government's decision to begin discussions on forming a new state of Telangana. 22 Ministers from the State Cabinet, all from Andhra (Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema) regions submitted their resignations.

On December 16, media reports confirmed that there was a split in the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) over the Telangana issue, with its leader Chiranjeevi as well as 16/18 party MLAs opposing the division of Andhra Pradesh while Telangana leaders in the party were unhappy with the shift in the party's views.

On December 23, the Government of India announced that no action on Telangana will be taken until a consensus is reached by all parties. The TRS reacted by calling for another bandh (general strike) on 24th Dec '09, an action aimed at stalling the regional economy.

A JAC (Joint Action Committee) was formed with pro-separation members of the major political parties. There have been reports that members of the JAC have widely divergent approaches on the issue of a separate Telangana. Subsequently, Andhra (Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema) region MLAs started withdrawing their resignations while MLAs and ministers from Telangana started submitting their resignations, demanding the Centre to take immediate steps to initiate the process of bifurcating Andhra Pradesh.

Symbolic declaration of statehood

The Nava Telangana Party, led by the former home minister of Andhra Pradesh, T Devender Goud, declared Telangana as a separate province within India on November 2, 2008. Konda Laxman Bapuji announced that "We solemnly declare statehood for Telangana on November 2, 2008." Goud released ten pigeons in the air symbolising the ten districts of the region, while he also unfurled the national flag on the occasion. Along with his party activists he was later arrested when they tried to barge into the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat to change the name plate from Andhra Pradesh to Telangana. A scuffle then followed between the police and the NTP workers before the party workers were taken to the Chikkadapalli police station. Other NTP workers soon descended on the scene and staged a dharna to protest against the arrest.

Another Indian student attacked in Oz

2009-06-12T16:20:00.001+05:30

Melbourne, June 12 (ANI): In yet another attack on Indians in Australia, a 22-year-old student was allegedly assaulted by a teenager in Adelaide's busy Rundle Mall.

According to the police, the attack took place on Thursday. The student suffered a broken nose.

A 17-year-old youth has been arrested in connection with the case.

Meanwhile, Indian students in Melbourne and Sydney organised another rally against what they claimed were racially motivated attacks by groups of Middle Eastern men.

There have been a string of attacks in Melbourne during the past few days, which Australian authorities insist have been crime-related.

Indian students believe that the attacks were acts of racism and warned of "curry bashings" in Australia, where foreign students more than 12 billion dollars contribute. (ANI)

India is an 'absolutely critical country' for U.S.

2009-06-12T14:55:00.000+05:30

Washington: U.S. President Barack Obama has despatched a personal letter to New Delhi making it clear that India is "an absolutely critical country" with which Washington is keen to work, a top official has said.

U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns, who is in New Delhi to make the first high level contact with the Manmohan Singh government since its return to power, would be delivering the "presidential letter", the envoy, Richard Holbrooke, told reporters Wednesday without providing details on the contents.

"It's a private letter," said Holbrooke. "But the important thing is that the number three person in the Department of State has gone to India to reaffirm immediately after the election,"said the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"Burns is now beginning the dialogue with the newly elected government in an atmosphere of great positive feelings," he said. "And without getting into Indian politics, all I can say is that all of us - Secretary (of State) Hillary Clinton, Bill Burns, myself, President Obama - everyone looks forward to working with the newly elected Indian Government."

"He is carrying the messages that I would have carried if I had had time to go to New Delhi on this trip, but I couldn't do it," said the envoy, who visited Pakistan last week to assess relief efforts to help the estimated two million people who have fled a Pakistani offensive against the Taliban.

"All I can tell you is that this Administration believes that what happens in Afghanistan and Pakistan is of vital interest to our national security. And ...that India is a country that we must keep in the closest consultations with."

"And we consider India an absolutely critical country in the region," Holbrooke said. "They're not part of the problem, but they are vitally affected, and we want to work closely with them," he added explaining what some observers have described as a hole in Obama administration's foreign policy focused on Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"The Indians were very frank with us. They wanted to keep in touch with us during the election period, but they had to wait through the election, just like we do. It's the world's two greatest democracies."

Holbrooke, who visited New Delhi on his first two trips to the region, said next week he would be meeting the new Indian ambassador to the U.S., Meera Shankar, whom he already met twice.

As TV moves on, millions may face blank screens in US

2009-06-12T14:46:00.002+05:30

San Francisco, June 11 (DPA) In a land where television has long been a basic necessity of life, millions of people may find themselves without access to television Friday when the US switches from analog to digital broadcasting.

The change is part of a long-delayed update in the allocation of the wireless spectrum, which is used to broadcast everything from TV signals to mobile phone services and emergency radio traffic.

It is designed to free up valuable frequencies previously used by television stations to broadcast their signals and which will now become part of the information superhighway on which users of iPhones, Blackberries and other smartphones and mobile laptops will increasingly get the information they need to stay connected 24/7.

Those broadcast spectrums have already been sold by the US government to mobile phone companies for billions of dollars. But at least for now the scheme is far from a win-win situation on the road to communications nirvana.

Critics complain that it is the poor and disadvantaged who once again are paying the price for progress as the analog signals of local and network stations are terminated - forcing people to either subscribe to costly cable or satellite service or to buy and install digital converters for their TV sets.

Industry trade group DTV Across America estimates that between 20 and 30 million household faced the need to transition to the new system.

Aware of these issues, the US government has spent more than $2 billion on a voucher programme, in which every household can get two vouchers worth $40 each to buy two converter boxes.

However, despite a massive advertising campaign and a three-month postponement of the switch date, millions of households are estimated not to have availed themselves of the new service and are set to lose their signal entirely when analog broadcasting becomes a relic of history June 12.

The latest survey by the Nielsen Company indicates that as of the end of May, more than 10 percent of the 114 million households that have television sets are either completely or partly unprepared.

Many of those are likely to turn to a 4,000-people strong call centre set up by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to help people make the switch.

In an interview with the New York Times, acting FCC chairman Michael J. Copps conceded that the impact was likely to be hardest on poor families, the handicapped, the elderly and in homes where little English is spoken.

'We are much better prepared than we were in February, when the original transition was to have occurred, but there will nonetheless be significant disruptions,' Copps said. 'In the past five months we've tried to accomplish what should have been done over the last four years.'

There are advantages and disadvantages to watching TV through these converter boxes. Firstly, the boxes can be a hassle to install - especially for those not fond or adept at moving their televisions and dealing with the mass of cables in the back. Numerous companies do offer installation services for the new converter boxes but these services bump the cost of conversion far above the $40 value of the coupons.

In some areas the digital signal can be better than analog - though in others it can be worse or even nonexistent. Many digital boxes do offer a useful viewing guide - though some elderly people complain that learning how to navigate the system with a new remote control is fiendishly complicated.

'It has all been a nightmare, and it's very, very upsetting,' said Frances Lim, a 72-year-old woman in San Jose California. 'We don't have money for cable or satellite and were very happy with the few stations we have been getting for years. Now we have to change. I didn't know how to do it. Luckily my grandson helped me. But I'm still learning the new remote control.'

US President Barack Obama is helping the effort to prepare for the switch.

'The number of households unprepared for digital television has been cut in half. Still, some people are not ready,' said Obama in a statement last week. 'I encourage all Americans who are prepared to talk to their friends, family, and neighbours to make sure they get ready before it's too late. I urge everyone who is not yet prepared to act today.' Obama said.

Indian internet startups fail to meet VCs expectations

2009-06-11T15:44:00.000+05:30

Bangalore: Internet Services companies in India are one of the largest venture capital [VC] funded companies in India. However, these firms have not delivered as per the expectations of the VCs. "With broadband penetration and PC affordability still an issue, internet companies have not met the expectations we had set two years back," said Sachin Maheshwari, Principal at Draper Fisher Jurvetson [DFJ] India. DFJ has funded many Internet startups like naseeb.com and seventymm.com. VCs had earlier expected the number of internet users in country to grow to 80 million by 2012. But so far it has just reached 40 million and therefore the traffic is too low to generate good revenue.

Many internet companies rely on online advertisement for revenue. They might find it difficult to survive due to low internet users. The internet advertisement revenue in country is $200 million, but majority of it is generated by Google. Few VCs feel that internet companies have not found the correct business model. "The business models that work abroad do not necessarily work in India," says Ritesh Banglani, Senior Investment Advisor, IDG Ventures India.

According to Alok Mittal, General Partner, Canaan Partners, the most successful internet companies in India are subscription based or lead generating like Naukri.com. But despite not meeting expected results, internet companies are still amongst the most favored by VCs. "We expect these companies to do better as when the internet penetration picks up and monetization models are clearer," said DFJ's Maheshwari.

According to Venture Intelligence, 21 percent of the VC deals struck between July 2008 and June 2009 were in internet services. The value of these deals was around $120 million.

American tech-firms fight Obama's H1-B visa stance

2009-06-11T14:50:00.001+05:30

Bangalore: U.S. President Barack Obama's 'Say no to Bangalore, yes to Buffalo' rhetoric, which has gained strong ground after the introduction of the Durbin-Grassley's anti H-1B visa bill, has failed to accrue support of the American companies. Many of the U.S. firms have jointly, launched a campaign against the newly proposed law as it would lead to a job loss of as many as 2.2 million Americans.

The Technology CEO Council, a Washington-based advocacy group of U.S. American tech-companies, in its protest has released a report that reveals the affects of the new policy of Obama administration to end 'tax breaks'. The new law that ends tax incentives to those firms which create jobs overseas, would also lead to a decline in investments in the U.S. plants, equipment and property by as much as $84.2 billion. Repealing or sharply limiting deferral would not generate large tax revenues, since substantial job losses, wage cuts and lower investments would reduce tax revenues, the report said. The report commissioned by the council has been authored by Robert J Shapiro, a former Clinton administration economic official, and Aparna Mathur, a Research Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

As per the new law, the tax incentives would now go to those creating jobs inside the United States, in places like Buffalo city, bordering Canada in upstate New York. "We will stop letting American companies that create jobs overseas take deductions on their expenses when they do not pay any American taxes on their profits," Obama said.

Samsung launches solar-powered phone

2009-06-11T13:11:00.000+05:30

Noida, June 10 (IANS) Leading white goods and mobile handset manufacturer Samsung Wednesday launched a low-cost solar-powered mobile phone, and said it was planning to introduce about 20 more models by year-end.

The new handset, launched under its low-cost line of products - 'Guru' - at a price of Rs.2,799, has a solar panel on the back, which can be used to charge the battery anywhere the sun is shining.

'We have developed this phone keeping in minds the needs of the consumers, especially for people in areas where the electric supply is unstable,' said J.S. Shin, president and chief executive of Samsung, Southwest Asia.

The phone, christened the 'Guru E1107', can provide around 5-10 minutes of talk-time with one-hour of solar charging when the handset is turned off and sunlight has adequate intensity.

'Solar charging can give you enough time to make few important calls when there is no electricity or you are not close to a plug point,' said Sunil Dutt, country head of Samsung India.

The battery will attain full power with about 40 hours of solar charging.

'But that is really not the intention behind the launch of this phone. It is to enable customers to make a call when there is no electricity,' said Dutt.

The handset, the 11th model in the Guru series, will be in shops by month-end.

The first few batches of Guru E1107 will be imported from South Korea.

Saumsung has already launched about 20 models this year and plans to take this number to about 40 across categories.

Asked whether the company would consider introducing solar charging features in high-end phones, Dutt said: 'We would definitely consider doing so.'

Samsung, which has invested about $44 million in developing its mobile manufacturing facility in Noida, also has ambitious plans for the huge Indian mobile market.

'Our market share is in the early double digits currently. We plan to increase it by about 5-6 percent this year,' said a company official.

The company is also planning to introduce in India its solar-powered touchscreen mobile handset, Blue Earth - unveiled at a technology conference in Barcelona, Spain early this year.

Prabhakaran was tortured before being killed, says report

2009-06-11T13:00:00.000+05:30

New Delhi, June 10 (IANS) Tamil Tigers leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was tortured by the Sri Lankan military before being killed, a leading human rights body said in a report released Wednesday.

The University Teachers for Human Rights (UTHR) quoted high-level military sources as saying that Prabhakaran was tortured in the presence of 'a Tamil government politician and a general'.

The torture, it said, took place probably at the headquarters of the army's 53 Division, which battled the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) before crushing it last month.

'Several army sources have said that Prabhakaran's (younger) 12-year-old son Balachandran was killed after capture. Our (sources) said that he was killed in front of his father,' said UTHR, which has always been critical of excesses both by the military and the LTTE.

'These sources added that this information is correct unless officers at the highest level are fibbing to one another.

'Our sources in addition to several others have said that all the LTTE persons remaining in the NFZ (No Fire Zone) were massacred,' it added in a 48-page report, an advance copy of which was made available to IANS.

Sri Lanka announced May 18 that Prabhakaran, founder leader of the LTTE, was killed in a lonely coastal stretch in the northeastern district of Mullaitivu where the Tigers had massed their forces before going down.

His body was put on display, placed on a stretcher, the back of the head blown off.

Sri Lankan minister Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan alias Karuna, a former confidant of Prabhakaran, had told IANS that the LTTE chief was shot dead with 18 of his guards.

Prabhakaran's death marked the end of the LTTE's dragging conflict that claimed 90,000 lives since 1983.

UTHR said: 'Information seeping into the public domain from within the army points to capture or surrender, but the official responses dismissing this are a rehash of stories that public no longer finds credible. It is left to an impartial enquiry to answer this and related questions.'

UTHR pointed out that the government was evasive about the fate of Prabhakaran's wife Mathivathani.

It quotes a brigadier as saying: 'We had to look for Prabhakaran's body because the world was interested in seeing it. But the body of his wife is not of any importance to us.'

The UTHR report said: 'That would be the fate of the unknown hundreds of civilians and militants killed in those last days (of fighting).'

According to the report, among the LTTE leaders who surrendered to the army included Baby Subramaniam, a member of the group since 1976 and one of Prabhakaran's oldest associates.

Others reportedly now in government custody included former eastern province political leader Karikalan, former spokesman Yogaratnam Yogi, former head of the LTTE international secretariat Lawrence Thilakar, political advisor V. Balakumar, Jaffna leader Ilamparithi and Trincomalee political leader Elilan.

Attack on Indian students: Time to issue advisory on Australia

2009-06-03T17:09:00.002+05:30

NEW DELHI: As the spate of attacks against Indian students continued in Australia, India increased pressure on Australia to ensure the safety of
Indians protest
Indian students studying in different parts of the country and warned that the attacks could have an adverse effect on that country’s education sector.

At the same time Prime Minister Manmohan Singh raising the issue in a telephonic conversation with his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd who had called to offer his congratulations on a second term. Mr Rudd assured the Prime Minister that action was being taken.

“Prime Minister Rudd said that the overwhelming majority of Indian students were safe and that he took the issue of the security of all foreign students in Australia very seriously. He said that he was appalled by the attacks and that the concerned authorities would work to bring the perpetrators to justice,’’ a PMO release said.

In a similar vein Australian foreign minister Stephen Smith called up external affairs minister SM Krishna and assured him that steps were being taken to not only protect students but also to arrest the culprits behind the attacks. As news of yet another attack came in, New Delhi conveyed its concern to Canberra at the highest levels both in Australia and India. The ministry of external affairs on Friday called in Australian ambassador to India John McCarthy to convey India’s “deep anguish and continuing concern’’ about the attacks and to push the Kevin Rudd government to take steps for the security of students.

“It was conveyed to the Australian High Commissioner that, continuing sense of unease and insecurity, for Indian students in Australia, can have an adverse effect, in a sector that holds much promise,’’ said a statement by MEA official spokesperson Vishnu Prakash. Mr McCarthy apprised MEA secretary N. Ravi of the steps taken by the authorites for the security of students.

Indian students in Australia to hold peace rally on Sunday

2009-06-03T16:30:00.003+05:30

MELBOURNE: Deeply concerned over the spate of attacks on its members, the Federation of Indian Students of Australia (FISA) has called for a
peace rally Sunday "in response to the growing anger in the community".

The spurt in crimes against Indian students in Sydney and Melbourne has left one battling for life while another is recuperating from a deep stab injury.

The call for the rally came Saturday, a day after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd and urged him to take all steps to ensure the security of Indians in Australia.

FISA, an organisation which "integrates, empowers and represents" Indian students in Australia, said the rally would begin Sunday morning from Royal Melbourne Hospital, where one of the injured students is battling for life, and conclude at Victorian Parliament House.

The rally will end with a candle light vigil in support of the victims of the crimes.

"The purpose is to create an awareness about an increasing number of hate crimes within the state and to promote racial harmony and peace," FISA said in a statement.

It appealed to Australians to support people from different ethnic backgrounds. "We encourage all Victorians to show support for residents of all ethnic backgrounds," it said.

There are over 80,000 Indian students in Australia.

The friends and acquaintances of the 25-year-old Sravan Kumar Theerthala, who was attacked with a screwdriver over the weekend and is admitted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, have expressed their concern over the attacks.

"We are not feeling safe basically in Australia, we are not feeling safe at all," one of them told the Herald Sun.

Another Indian said: "They told us that it is a multicultural country, you know, but after living here for three years, I will just say it is a multi-racism country you know."

Another Indian student Rajesh Kumar sustained burn injuries after a petrol bomb was thrown into his apartment in Sydney. This incident took the number of such assaults in Australia to four in the past three weeks.

Representatives of FISA and National Union of Students (NUS) had met the Indian High Commissioner Sujatha Singh two days ago to discuss the issue.

Obama to create 'Cyber Czar' to protect computer networks in US

2009-06-03T15:55:00.003+05:30

Reports indicate that US President Barrack Obama is planning to create a "cyber czar," a senior White House official who will have broad authority to develop strategy to protect the nation's government-run and private computer networks.

According to a report in the Washington Post, the adviser will have the most comprehensive mandate granted to such an official to date and will probably be a member of the National Security Council.

But, he will report to the national security adviser as well as the senior White House economic adviser, according to the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deliberations are not final.

The announcement will coincide with the long-anticipated release of a 40-page report that evaluates the US government's cybersecurity initiatives and policies.

The report is intended to outline a "strategic vision" and the range of issues the new adviser must handle, but it will not delve into details, administration officials told reporters last month.

Cybersecurity "is vitally important, and the government needs to be coordinated on this," said a White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

"The report gives conclusions and next steps. It's trying to steer us in the right direction," he said.

Sources say Obama was briefed a week ago and signed off on the creation of the position. But, discussions are continuing as to what rank and title the adviser would have.

The idea is to name someone who can "pick up the phone and contact the president directly, if need be," an administration official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Obama pledged during his presidential campaign to elevate the issue of cybersecurity to a "top priority" and to appoint a national cybersecurity adviser "who will report directly to me."

Sources said that having the adviser report to both the national security and economic advisers suggests that the White House is seeking to ensure a balance between homeland security and economic concerns. (ANI)

US economy showing signs of recovery

2009-05-14T18:23:00.002+05:30

The longest U.S. recession of the postwar era is showing further evidence of losing steam.

Encouraging signs appeared on various fronts yesterday, with the number of first-time jobless claims falling sharply and bargain-hungry shoppers boosting April sales for discount retailers. Earlier this week, a report showed the pace of decline in the service sector slowing.

Along with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's relatively optimistic assessment Tuesday, those developments suggest that the economy may finally be stabilizing.

"The bottom is forming," said Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors. "It doesn't say we're out of the woods . . . but I think things are turning."

Analysts stressed that while the panicky period that followed the collapse of Lehman Brothers last fall is over, a recovery is still months away and is likely to be grinding and slow. Unemployment, which trails other indicators, is likely to keep rising after the recession officially ends. Analysts expect the jobless rate to rise from 8.5 percent to 8.9 percent or so when the government releases its April employment report today.

Yesterday, the Labor Department reported that first-time jobless claims dropped to 601,000 last week. But even if they continue to fall, they will likely remain above 500,000 for some time, said Arpitha Bykere, lead analyst for RGE Monitor.

"These are very sharp job losses," she said. "This clearly affects the U.S. consumer, who is already under pressure because of tight credit and falling home prices."

Indeed, other data released yesterday by the Federal Reserve showed many consumers in the grip of a credit crunch. Consumer credit in March fell by more than 5 percent, the biggest drop in nearly 20 years. Analysts attributed much of the decline to tougher lending standards as well as reduced spending.

Trouble accessing credit, mounting job losses and the need to rebuild savings mean consumers need to stretch every dollar they have. And they appear to be doing that by shunning luxury for bargains. Value-conscious shoppers flocked to discount stores such as Wal-Mart and T.J. Maxx last month. Wal-Mart said sales at its stores open at least a year - a key measure of success in retailing known as same-store sales - rose 5 percent during April compared to the same month last year.

Some industry experts cautioned that any improvements in retailers' performance was largely driven by better management of prices and inventory rather than an increase in consumer demand. Luxury department stores continued to suffer double-digit declines, with Nordstrom down 11 percent, Neiman Marcus dropping 23 percent and Saks falling 32 percent.

"All we're really seeing is a continued flight to value," said Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, a retail consulting firm.

Despite such warnings, many economists are voicing hope. When he appeared on Capitol Hill earlier this week, Bernanke endorsed the view that the nation's "pace of contraction may be slowing." He also said that consumer demand "may be stabilizing" and that the housing market has "shown some signs of bottoming."

In a telling sign, many lawmakers quizzed Bernanke not about how much the economy would contract, but about how the Fed would wind down lending programs and tame inflation once economic growth resumed.

"Clearly, the massive economic stimulus from the administration and the Federal Reserve have had a very positive real, as well as psychological, effect on the economy," said California State University economist Sung Won Sohn. "The economy seems to be coming out of this recession faster than I expected."

Realtors cut price of flats to lift business

2009-05-14T18:10:00.001+05:30

May 9: Taking a cue from Tata group’s “Subha Gruha”, realtors have slashed prices of apartments considerably to suit the wallets of the middle class.

A two bedroom flat with all basic amenities at Rs 10 lakh was a dream last year. However, with changing times, it is turning into a reality now.

“We can build a small flat at less than Rs 2.92 lakh,” said Mr C. Sekhar Reddy, president State Builders’ Forum.

“It is possible in all the adjoining municipalities which were recently merged with the Greater Hyderabad.”

According to him, in 225 square feet, a decent one room and kitchen flat can be built at a cost of Rs 1,300 per square feet and sold for Rs 2.25 lakh.

Several builders have started focusing on budget apartments. The basic model has a room, a kitchen and a bathroom.

And to get back customers, real estate giants like Ashoka Builders, Aliens and PBL Constructions are coming out with additional facilities.

Apartments under construction in and around Hyderabad, Guntur, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam are now being offered 20 to 30 per cent discount, and most of the builders are offering children’s play area, cable connection, water filter unit etc for free.

Consider the case of Ashoka Builders: it only used to take up projects to cater the high-end consumers with prices ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 per sq.ft.

Now it has launched a project to build 100 flats at Madhapur at Rs 2,500 per sq.ft price.

“The middle class segment has turned out to be a gold mine. So we have changed our plans to suit their needs and purses,” said Mr K. Laxma Reddy, chairman of Ashoka Developers and Builders Ltd.

Mr Sekhar Reddy says prices can be reduced further if the government provides loans to this sector at 3 per cent interest and changes are made in the floor space index.

Vishal’s love for Shriya

2009-05-14T17:56:00.001+05:30

Vishal declared that he is not in love with Shriya, as reported by the media. There were reports that Vishal shared a special friendship with Shriya in the sets of Thoranai. However, the actor said that Shriya will remain his best buddy for ever and the fans should not read more than that in their relationship.

The actor also refuted director Tarun Gopi’s allegation that he was not paid for directing the film Thimiru. The actor clarified that he is neither the producer nor the financier of the film and hence the allegation against him is baseless. Vishal added that Tarun should have brought this up when the film was released and he could not comprehend why the director brought up the issue after all these years.

YSR is a copy cat, says Naidu

2009-05-12T17:05:00.000+05:30

Why did Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu announce his Cash Transfer Scheme only a few days before polling?

Naidu said he had to keep the scheme under wraps till last moment, because he feared Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy would copy it and announce it well in advance, had it been leaked earlier. “YSR copied the Rs 2 a kg rice scheme in the same manner,” he alleged.

According to the TDP sources, Naidu had planned Rs 2 a kg rice scheme well in advance and was about to be discussed at the TDP politburo meeting. But a few hours before, it was leaked to YSR, allegedly by Naidu’s erstwhile personal secretary Vijayakumar (who later shifted loyalties to YSR and is now in SV Bhakti channel). Without wasting time, YSR announced the scheme without even discussing it with the officials of the finance and civil supplies department.

Though Naidu’s driver Ravi complained to Naidu that the information was leaked by Vijayakumar, he did not believe it; instead, he sacked Ravi. A few days later, Ravi was found dead in his room, while Vijayakumar shifted loyalties to YSR.

`It's ok for men to beat wives`

2009-05-12T15:38:00.000+05:30

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Saudi judge told in a conference on domestic violence that a man has the right to slap his wife if she spends lavishly on such things as clothing, a Saudi newspaper reported, drawing criticism from rights activists in the conservative kingdom.

The remarks by the judge do not carry the weight of law, as they were made out of court. But such public pronouncements by Saudi judges who are also Islamic clerics are often widely respected.

Those campaigning for women's rights in Saudi Arabia said the comments were another setback in efforts to gain the right to vote, drive and freely participate in politics.

"If a person gives 1,200 Saudi riyals ($320) to his wife and she spends 900 riyals ($240) to purchase an abaya (head-to-toe robe) from a brand shop and if her husband slaps her on the face as a reaction to her action, she deserves that punishment," Judge Hamad Al-Razine was quoted as saying by the English-language Arab News newspaper on Sunday.

Former Kerala minister cleared of sexual harassment charges

2009-05-11T17:49:00.001+05:30

Chennai/Kottayam (Kerala), May 11 (IANS) A Tamil Nadu court Monday acquitted former Kerala public works minister P.J. Joseph of charges that he had misbehaved with a woman passenger on a flight. Mons Joseph, who now holds the portfolio in the state government, said he would resign to enable his predecessor to return to the post.

The Sriperumbudur magistrate's court near Chennai acquitted P.J. Joseph in the sexual harassment case filed against him by television anchor Lakshmi Gopakumar in 2006.

While P.J. Joseph hailed God for the favourable verdict, Gopakumar's counsel said they would appeal against the decision.

Gopakumar had complained to the Chennai airport police, accusing P.J. Joseph of misbehaving with her on board a Kingfisher Airlines flight from Chennai to Kochi Aug 3, 2006.

Besides the Chennai airport police probe, the Kerala government had asked Inspector General of Police B. Sandhya to investigate the charges.

In her report late August 2006, Sandhya said the victim stood by her allegations and 'it was possible that such an act might have occurred on board'. The report ruled out any conspiracy theory as suggested by P.J. Joseph.

P.J. Joseph, the chairman of the Kerala Congress-Joseph, was replaced by T.U. Kuruvilla as public works minister in September 2006 after the former quit the cabinet over the misbehaviour allegations.

Mons Joseph took over from Kuruvilla, who also resigned in the wake of a land scam involving his children.

P.J. Jospeph's supporters took out a rally shouting slogans in favour of their leader in his hometown in Thodupuzha as soon as the news of the acquittal came.

Current Public Works Minister Mons Joseph addressed reporters in Kottayam in Kerala minutes after his party chairman P.J. Joseph got a clean chit and said he would step down.

'I informed the chairman that I am holding a press conference here to announce my decision to resign to make way for him. He said that he and his family were leaving on a pilgrimage to the Velankanni church (in Tamil Nadu),' Mons Joseph said.

'It is for the party to decide the future course of action but I am clear I will step down in favour of my party chairman. This acquittal is going to give a huge boost to our party,' he added.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said in Thiruvananthapuram: 'I am happy to hear about the acquittal. Whether or not he becomes minister has to be decided by his party and the LDF.'

Vaikom Viswan, the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) convenor, told reporters in Kottayam that he welcomed P.J. Joseph's acquittal, but said his re-appointment as minister would be decided later.

'If Joseph will go on to become a minister (or not) will be decided later at the appropriate forum and cannot be disclosed now,' said Viswan.

Jayaprada might commit suicide if loses poll Amar singh

2009-05-11T17:40:00.002+05:30

Tanda/ Bisalpur, May 11 (ANI): General Secretary of Samajwadi Party, Amar Singh on Sunday said that actor-turned-politician and his party's candidate from Rampur seat, Jayaprada might commit suicide if she loses the poll. Few days back, an argument between Singh and senior SP leader Azam Khan had hurt Jayaprada's prospects, which is seeking her re-election from the seat.

Chandrababu Naidu praised me: CM

2009-04-10T15:43:00.002+05:30

The Telugu Desam chief, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, complimented his political arch-rival and Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.

The Chief Minister wrote in his personal blog that the manifesto prepared by Mr Naidu was a clear compliment to his policies.

“The first thing that struck me about the manifesto is that it is an unwitting tribute to our government’s policies. Just about every promise represents a departure from Naiduism and towards our line since 2004. I take it as a compliment to our governance,” observed Dr Reddy.

Referring to the different poll sops included in the TD manifesto, Dr Reddy pointed out that many of them are already in vogue.

“Mr Naidu says he will give free power for 12 hours, health insurance, interest-free loans to farmers, etc. I humbly submit that we have already taken a lead in these schemes. Mr Naidu’s manifesto, therefore, abandons Naiduism and acknowledges our welfare policies as the way to the future. The details may differ, but much of what he is promising now has been delivered by us over the last five years,” Dr Reddy explained.

Demand for H-1 B down by 50% due to IT slump

2009-04-10T15:35:00.000+05:30

BANGALORE: The slump in demand for IT, combined with protectionist pressures in the US, has led to a dramatic decline in the demand for H-1 B visas. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS ) has announced that it has received only 32,500 applications for H-1 B visas — or about 50% of the available quota of 65,000 — during the five-day window that it had provided for. And since the quota is nowhere near being met, the USCIS has said companies can continue filing these applications.

Just last year, it had received 1,31,800 applications — or twice the available quota — in the five days it accepted them. In 2007, the number of applications exceeded the quota on the first day the government began accepting them and compelled the USCIS to stop accepting applications after two days. In both years, it then used a lottery to award the visas.

H-1 B visas have been used by companies to bring foreign workers into the US mostly for IT work. In recent years, about 60% of the recipients of these visas have been Indians . Infosys, Wipro and Satyam together are said to have received 9,154 visas last year. The same for Microsoft was 1,037 and Intel 351.

The demand had encouraged many to call for an increase in the visa cap to at least 100,000. That move will now certainly falter. But it’s unlikely that the number of applications this year will fall short of 65,000, something that last happened 13 years ago. Navneet S Chugh, attorney in the US-based The Chugh Firm, said he expects the quota to get filled by the end of the year. “It’s unlikely it will last till September 30, 2010, as it is supposed to,’’ he said. He expects Indian numbers will continue to be around 60% this year.

This year’s decline in demand for H-1 Bs is seen to be on account of three reasons: one, the sharp decline in IT demand in the US because of the recession; two, the preference to do the same work offshore, in locations like India , where it’s significantly cheaper; and three, the protectionist pressures in the US, which is pushing US companies to prefer Americans to do the same jobs.

Microsoft had said it planned to file substantially fewer H-1 B applications because of the economic downturn. T V Mohandas Pai, head of HR in Infosys Technologies, said the fewer applications is a reflection of the business climate . “But the H-1 B window is not yet closed,” he said, suggesting that the company could file more applications.

Stella Nagesh, head of immigration (APAC) in Perot Systems, said she does not entirely blame it on recession. “Companies are generally tightening travel and therefore their spends on visas. Earlier, each company would keep hundreds of visas ready. It was a purely anticipation driven process. Also, companies are increasingly spreading their geographic footprint beyond the US and to the domestic market.’’

Rahul Gandhi Campaigns in Andhra Pradesh

2009-04-10T15:24:00.001+05:30

Hyderabad, Apr. 10 : Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address various rallies across the Andhra Pradesh on Friday and Saturday.

Andhra Pradesh is getting ready for the first phase of polling on April 16.

Rahul Gandhi will address public at Maylavaram in Krishna District and Wyra in Khammam District on Friday afternoon.

He will also try to generate public support by interacting with the masses at Devarakonda in Mahabubnagar District and Qutbullapur in Ranga Reddy District in the evening.

On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi is expected to resume his electioneering by addressing rallies at Ramagundam in Karimnagar District and at Bhanswada segment in Nizamabad District.

Home Ministry says Chidambaram did not avoid journalist's query

Home Ministry says Chidambaram did not avoid journalist's query

2009-04-10T15:18:00.004+05:30

New Delhi, Apr 7 : The Union Home Ministry on Tuesday refuted media reports of Home Minister P. Chidambaram refusing to answer a question put to him by journalist Jarnail Singh on the "clean chit" given to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in connection with the 1984 Sikh riots case.

According to a Home Ministry statement, the videotape is there and the Minister answered the question.

"The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) does not come under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Neither the Ministry of Home Affairs nor any other Ministry put of pressure on the CBI. The CBI has only given a report to the Court. It is for the Court to accept the report or reject the report or order the CBI to do further investigation. Let us wait for the Court to take a decision on the report," Chidambaram is reported to have said.

Earlier, it was reported that Chidambaram had refused to answer and said that he did not want to make any political statement at a platform not meant for it.

Jarnail Singh, an accredited correspondent, then flung his shoes in Chidambaram's direction.

Later, Singh told NDTV: " My method (of throwing a shoe) could be wrong, but not my cause. There is no question of apologising for what I did."

The journalist was perturbed over no action being taken by the government to alleviate the miseries of Sikh riot victims, who had been waiting for 25 years for justice.

In a similar incident, last December, Muntadhar al-Zaidi, an Iraqi journalist with Egypt-based al-Baghdadia television network, had thrown shoes at former President George W. Bush during a news conference in Baghdad.

Journalist hurls shoe at P Chidambaram

New Delhi A journalist threw a shoe at Home Minister P Chidambaram at a press conference on Tuesday, protesting against the minister's reply on his question on CBI's clean chit to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in the 1984 Sikh riots case.

The shoe did not hit the minister and the journalist, a senior reporter with Dainik Jagran, was taken into custody.

The press conference was being held at the Congress headquarters where Chidambaram was presenting his party's report card on terrorism. The journalist asked the minister whether letting Tytler off the hook ahead of the elections was not politically motivated.

To which Chidambaram replied that CBI had only presented a report to the court and it was up to the court to either accept or reject it. The journalist wanted to ask another question but Chidambaram said he did not want to get into an argument and refused to take further questions.

The journalist then threw his shoe at the minister, saying 'I protest'.

It is the first of its kind incident in India but throwing shoes at political leaders has become a high-profile form of protest. The trend was started by an Iraqi journalist who had thrown shoes at former US President George Bush at a press conference in Baghdad last year.

Thereafter, the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was meted a similar treatment while delivering a speech at Cambridge University. The Israeli ambassador to Sweden was also hit by a shoe when he was addressing an audience in Stockholm University.

Jarnail Singh released

Journalist Jarnail Singh who hurled a shoe at Home Minister P Chidambaram at a press conference was released by police after brief detention.

Station House Officer of Tughlaq Road Police station Anil Kumar Yadav told reporters that the scribe has been freed for the time being.

"No case has been registered against him. He has regretted about his action," the official said, adding that the journalist was questioned for his action and then he was released.

After being freed, the Sikh journalist of a Hindi daily, who has caused a flutter in the political circle, said the issue that he raised was an appropriate issue and the victims should get justice.

"May be my way of protest was wrong," said the scribe who later left with his journalist friends and Sikh supporters.

Meanwhile, Sunita Tiwari, who claimed to be his lawyer and had come to meet him at the police station, alleged that she was not allowed to talk to her client.

"I was misbehaved. The SHO asked the constables to take me out of the room. I wanted to talk to Jarnail as he was mentally disturbed," she said.

BJP condemns shoe hurling incident

BJP condemned hurling of a shoe at Home Minister P Chidambaram by a Sikh journalist at a press conference in New Delhi. "We condemn the incident," BJP spokesperson Balbir Punj said in New Delhi.

Jarnail Singh of a Hindi daily hurled a shoe at Chidambaram protesting against CBI's clean chit to senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler accused in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

Chidambaram was addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters.

2009 a "very dangerous year" - World Bank's Zoellick

2009-03-21T18:38:00.000+05:30

World Bank President Robert Zoellick warned on Saturday of the consequences of an expected steep decline in economic growth across the world this year.

"I think 2009 is going to be a very dangerous year," Zoellick told a conference in Brussels, citing World Bank forecasts of a spike in infant mortality associated with the economic crisis, and a fall-off in world trade.

Zoellick proposed that the Group of 20 major and emerging economies -- whose leaders are due to meet in London next month -- establish a review process to see whether further stimulus measures would be needed to kickstart recovery.

3 UK teenagers jailed for total 19 years for killing Indian

2009-03-21T16:18:00.001+05:30

LONDON: Three British teenagers who pleaded guilty to the sensational killing of an Indian sailor in Southampton in a racist attack in October
2007 have been sentenced to six and a half years each in prison.

Teenagers, Chay Fields, Stephen Pritchard and Daniel Rogers had attacked Goa-origin Indian sailor Gregory Fernandes "like a pack of dogs" minutes before he collapsed and died, Winchester Crown Court was told.

The jail sentences were delivered yesterday. Fernandes, 32, was set upon by the teenagers who boasted that they wanted to 'beat a Paki' when they saw him and his colleague, Vinod P return to their ship, The Garonne, after a drink in a local hotel in Fawley, Southampton.

In the incident that hit headlines here and in India, the two were attacked until passerby Jody Miles rescued Fernandes and took him to nearby docks, where he collapsed and died. Vinod, 29, suffered a broken collar bone.

Justice Royce, jailed Fields, 16, Rogers, 18, and Pritchard, 18, to six and a half years each. All three had pleaded guilty to manslaughter during a hearing in February as well as a further charge of grievous body harm on Vinod.

A fourth teenager, now aged 15, was sentenced to a 12-month detention and training order. He admitted inflicting grievous body harm on Vinod.

A fifth teenager was given a non-custodial 18-month supervision order. Justice Royce ordered that 250 pounds be released from public funds for Jody Miles as a token recognition of his bravery.

Detective inspector Dave Dilly of the Hampshire police said: "Mr Fernandes suffered heart failure brought on by the stress of the attack.

"He was having a drink and then a takeaway and there were lots of youths hanging around who had been drinking. Some part of that group chased him and his friend up the road and set upon him.

"A member of the public, Jody Miles, intervened and rescued Mr Fernandes, put him in his car and drove him to Fawley refinery. He then went back to help Mr Vinod.

But within seconds of being dropped off at the front gate, Mr Fernandes dropped down dead from heart failure brought on by the attack."

He added, "There was evidence that some of [the defendants], prior to setting eyes on Mr Fernandes, were saying they wanted to beat up a 'Paki' - that was the sort of language being used."

The village of Fawley which had never witnessed such a racially motivated attack, was plunged into shame and mourning. An emotional candlelight vigil was held in the village square and funds raised to help Fernandes' family in Goa.

Sudarshan announces retirement, Mohan Bhagwat new RSS chief

2009-03-21T16:13:00.001+05:30

NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Swayayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief KS Sudarshan on Saturday announced his retirement citing health reasons, paving way for
Mohan Bhagwat
A file photograph of Mohan Bhagwat.
general secretary Mohan Bhagwat to succeed him.

Mohan Bahgwat is the new 'Sar Sangh Chalak' (chief) of the RSS.

Bhagwat’s appointment is expected to redefine relations with the BJP at a time when the saffron party is trying hard to come back to power at the Centre, PTI reported.

He replaces KS Sudarshan who steps down after being at the helm of the Sangh Parivar fountain head for nearly nine years when there were ups and downs in its ties with BJP during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's term as Prime Minister of the NDA government.

The election of Bhagwat as ‘Sar Sangh Chalak’ came on the second day of the three-day RSS conclave which is expected to redefine its relationship with the BJP.

BJP president Rajnath Singh and Bal Apte, on deputation from RSS, were present on the occasion.

59-year-old Bhagwat, who has good relations with the BJP leadership including L K Advani, was replaced as general secretary by veteran ideologue Suresh Soni. Soni used to be in the BJP hierarchy a few years ago as a joint general secretary.

A veterinary doctor, Bhagwat hails from Chandrapur in Maharashtra and became a pracharak (full time volunteer) of RSS from his early years.

Bhagwat's name had recently figured in the ATS chargesheet when one of the accused in the Malegaon blasts had linked him to ISI, a charge he had strongly denied.

Sudarshan's early years as RSS chief were tumultuous with the BJP in power at the Centre at a time when the Sangh Parivar came under attack due to the post-Godhra riots in Gujarat and the Jinnah controversy triggered by Advani during a trip to Pakistan.

Lost job? Banks may rework your home loan

2009-03-21T11:47:00.000+05:30

BANGALORE: If you have trouble repaying a home loan because you or your spouse lost a job or suffered a salary cut or your builder has overshot
his delivery schedule, your bank
may be willing to help by reducing the monthly repayment and extending the loan tenure. Small enterprises faced with cash flow issues are also likely to find banks far more amenable today to restructuring their loans.

Partly under pressure from the RBI and the Centre, banks are on a drive to bail out small enterprises and individuals who have started to default or are close to defaulting on loan repayments. The RBI has told banks that if a customer has been regular in his loan repayments till September 1, 2008, but has subsequently faced difficulties, the account can be restructured.

Normally, after a 90-day delinquency period, banks go about recovering the loan by measures such as attaching assets. This fresh approach could be a relief for many. But the application for restructuring, as per the RBI notification, needs to be made by March 31.

"Home loans and SME (small and medium enterprise) loans are coming up most for restructuring. Some real estate developers too are making requests," says Albert Tauro, CMD of Vijaya Bank.

Mahpara Ali, chief general manager of SBI, agrees: "We have received a fairly large number of applications for restructuring. Home loan borrowers come from good educational and professional backgrounds, so they have the intention to pay back their dues. It is just the difficult times that have compelled them to delay payments. So we are reducing the EMIs and increasing the tenure period. We tell them they can pay as much as they can now. Later, when their situation improves, we can restructure the loan again to what it was."

SMEs too have been badly hit by the slowing economy. Many have not been receiving payments on time from their customers, many others — especially exporters and auto ancillaries — have seen sales slump, forcing them to default on loans. Tauro says a short period loan repayment moratorium is being considered for deserving SMEs.

SBI estimates to restructure about 50,000 accounts for SMEs. Some banking
officials expect one to two lakh SME accounts will be restructured.

D Muralidhar, president, Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FKCCI), says some members have applied for restructuring, and some have already received a fresh package. "But we have been getting complaints from the districts that bank branches are not taking enough interest," he says.

Even in Bangalore, not everybody is happy with the banks' approach. J R Bangera, promoter of Premier Starch Products, says he had asked for an additional loan limit because his customer payments had been delayed, and his tax payments were falling due. "But the bank has only granted an ad hoc limit for 15 days. So I'll have to go to the bank again soon. So much time is spent sitting in front of bank managers. The top brass in banks may have the right approach, but down the line, the managers don't understand the trouble we are in," he says.

Dell launches ultra-thin laptop

2009-03-18T17:31:00.005+05:30

Dell has officially launched a high-end laptop computer which the company said is the thinnest in the world.

The laptop is the first product under Dell's Adamo brand. Adamo is derived from the Latin word meaning 'to fall in love'.
With a thickness of 0.65 inches (1.65 cm) and available in onyx and pearl colours, the new Adamo laptop is thinner than Apple's MacBook Air.

Adamo will 'serve as a flagship in a line of products created to disrupt the personal computing space with the combination of new design aesthetics, personalisation choices and sought-after technologies', Dell said in a statement.

However, some analysts doubt how the Adamo laptop, with price tags starting at $1,999, will be received by the cash-strapped consumers under the current economic environment.

Earlier this month, market research company Gartner predicted that as a result of economic downturn, global personal computer shipments will drop 11.9 per cent from last year in 2009, the sharpest year-over-year decline.

The Adamo laptop is available for on-line pre-order from Tuesday and will start shipping March 26, Dell said.

Lahore Police fired 423 bullets without even nicking a single 3/3 terrorist!

2009-03-18T17:17:00.002+05:30

Lahore, Mar.18 (ANI): The Lahore police has been widely criticized for its incompetence to retaliate during the terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team, has now claimed that it fired 423 bullets during the shootout, but none of them hit the attackers.

According to a report submitted by the police officials, 17 policemen through 21 weapons fired 423 bullets at the assailants, but all escaped unhurt.

"The attackers were firing from a safe place, due to which they could not be hit," the report stated.

It also said that the security officials chased the terrorist after the incident, but they failed to arrest any of the terrorists.

The report, amazingly, also has a meticulous detail of arms used and shots fired from them during the gun battle.

245 fires were made through six SMGs, 73 fires through four MP5 rifles, 52 fires through five Glock pistols and 25 fires through three Beretta pistols, The Daily Times reports.

However, according to sources privy to the police department said that the policemen could not fire as many bullets as it is being claimed.

"The policemen found no time to take their positions and open fire at the militants, and were injured before firing bullets,"

Gandhi items to return to India after New York auction

2009-03-06T14:03:00.004+05:30

Items that belonged to revered Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi were sold at auction for $1.8 million on Thursday to an Indian tycoon who plans to donate them to his country.

The seller had tried at the last minute to withdraw the items -- Gandhi's trademark wire-rimmed glasses, worn leather sandals, a pocket watch and a metal bowl and plate -- after the planned sale caused uproar in India.

But the auction in New York went ahead despite protests by the Indian government.

The items were sold by Antiquorum Auctioneers to Vijay Mallya, chairman of UB Group, said Tony Bedi, who bid for Mallya.

Mallya, who as head of UB Group runs Kingfisher Airlines and United Breweries that owns Kingfisher beer, will donate them to India for public display, Bedi said.

"I am sure all Indians will be pleased that these Gandhi items will be coming home," Bedi told reporters.

California-based collector James Otis, the seller, said earlier on Thursday that the items had been withdrawn. A lawyer for the peace activist said the sale was illegal.

"I never intended for my actions to cause such controversy," Otis told reporters before the sale. "I pray the outcome is positive and one that Gandhi would approve of."

He said he would have donated the items to India if the government had agreed to increase spending on the poor.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

The auction was sharply criticized in India. Many view the items as part of the national heritage and want them placed in a museum.

Some Indians said the sale went against the philosophy of a man who shunned material possessions and led an ascetic life.

"The issue here was not to put Mahatma Gandhi's legacy on the auction block," Ravi Batra, a lawyer for Otis, told reporters.

The Indian government announced earlier on Thursday that it planned to bid for the items, which had been expected to fetch $300,000.

It had previously held talks with the auctioneers to stop the sale, government officials said.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, better known as Mahatma Gandhi, pioneered the philosophy of nonviolent resistance and was a major figure in the struggle for Indian independence. He was assassinated in 1948 in New Delhi by a Hindu radical.

The Zenith pocket watch was given to Gandhi by Indira Gandhi. Indira Gandhi, who was not related to Mahatma Gandhi, was the daughter of India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and was herself an Indian prime minister. She was assassinated in 1984.

Mahatma Gandhi used the plate and bowl for his last meal.

High drama before Gandhi items' auction

2009-03-06T13:57:00.001+05:30

New York, March 6 (IANS) Confusion prevailed for hours in the run up to Thursday's auction of Gandhi memorabilia as a throng of journalists gathered at the East 57th Street headquarters of Antiquorum Auctioneers handling the sale.

But shortly after 1 p.m., the auctioneers' chairman, Robert Maron, said that despite some news reports that Los Angeles collector James Otis had decided to pull out, the auction would proceed.

'There is a lot of propaganda because the Indian government is trying to get this item,' Maron was quoted as saying by the New York Times. 'The consigner has not pulled the item. The auction is not going to stop. In two hours, we'll know the outcome,' he said.

But around 2:30 p.m., Ravi Batra, a lawyer who said he was representing the owner, Otis, a peace activist, pro bono, entered the auction house, and announced that Otis was trying to halt the sale. Within an hour, Batra was booted from the auction house by employees, the Times said.

'Escorting me off the premises is the same as escorting James Otis and his wishes off the premises,' he said as he was leaving. He criticised the auction house for trying to make money on 'the altar of Gandhi's legacy.' Batra said: 'The right to sell belongs solely and singularly to James Otis and not to Antiquorum.'

Robert Maron, the chairman of the auction house, declined to comment on Otis's last-minute change of heart. 'We fully complied with the consigner's wishes,' he said, referring to Otis. 'We now have a fiduciary obligation to the buyer.'

The auction house argued that it was too late for Otis to withdraw from the sale. 'Anyone who consigns an item for sale has entered a legally binding agreement to put that item up for sale,' said Julien Schaerer, an official at the auction house. Asked if Otis had tried to pull the items out of the auction, Schaerer declined to comment.

Before the auction began, about 40 bidders had registered, from Australia, Germany, Austria, India, Canada and the US, among other countries. In comparison, there were only six registered bidders in October for a watch belonging to Albert Einstein, which sold for almost $600,000.

Six Sri Lankan cricket players wounded in bus attack in Pakistan

2009-03-03T12:44:00.001+05:30

Six members of the Sri Lankan cricket squad were wounded when around a dozen gunmen attacked their bus as it drove under police escort on Tuesday to a stadium in the Pakistani city of Lahore, witnesses and officials said.

Lahore Police chief Habib-ur-Rehman said five people were killed in the attack by the unidentified gunmen, who fired AK 47s and rockets and hurled grenades as the team bus drove to the 60,000-seater Gaddafi stadium in the eastern city.

Sri Lanka's sports minister said five players and an assistant coach were wounded, two of whom were being treated in hospital.

"Police are chasing the terrorists," police chief Habib-ur-Rehman said. "They appeared to be trained men."

The attack had echoes with one on the Indian city of Mumbai in November which led to the Indian cricket team cancelling its planned tour of Pakistan.

India blamed that attack on Pakistan-trained militants and the incident sharply raised tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Sri Lanka, which had been invited to Pakistan after India pulled out, immediately cancelled the rest of the tour.

"We are trying to bring the team back as quickly as possible," a Sri Lankan cricket official said.

Pakistan TV showed footage of gunmen with rifles and backpacks running through the streets and firing on unidentified vehicles.

The driver of the Sri Lankan team coach said one of the attackers had thrown a grenade under the bus, but it did not detonate.

A witness told Reuters he believed two police commandos were killed along with a regular policeman and a traffic warden.

Shopkeeper Ahmed Ali said the two police commandos had been driving behind the team bus when they were hit.

"It was a very heavy firing and I heard at least two explosions at the time," said a Reuters witness who had been on his way to cover the test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Cricketer Thilan Samaraweera seemed to be the worst hit, suffering a thigh injury, a player on the team bus who did not wish to be identified told Reuters by phone.

It was unclear whether injuries were caused by bullets, shrapnel or flying shards of glass.

Check Your Luck by Gemstones.....

2009-02-27T17:47:00.001+05:30

Science is built on reason; reason alone deals with externals. But wisdom involves the inner heart"

Modern Science recognizes the potencies of gems in their technological uses, such as the use of crystals in watches, computers and lasers. However, the subtle uses to cure disease, balance human emotions and infuse other potencies to the wearer, are looked at with skepticism.

Though science may explain the chemical structures of stones, it is as yet, unable to fully explain their power. Sometimes, as one author says, it is a matter of a greater consciousness or perspective, and sometimes acceptance of their power through individual experience. There are certain basic laws of the universe that are to be utilized, recognized and respected. The use of gems for many purposes—one of them being healing—have been chronicled since ancient times, in various cultures of the world, and therefore, their contribution to healing needs to be explored.

From time immemorial, Gemstones have been used by all cultures of the world. Their inherent beauty is second to no other material in the mineral kingdom. The word Gem itself, used in any context, denotes a superiority and indicates exquisiteness.

There are three kingdoms, as we know them—the Animal kingdom, the Plant kingdom and the Mineral kingdom; each has its own living power in existence. The mineral kingdom is the body of the earth, and all growth stems from it. The stones that we term as precious, are nurtured in its womb - sacred process - for centuries, before they are prised away to satisfy human need.

These stones are manifestations of life and light, colors, textures, vibrancy, transparency ... and each one of them has, sealed within itself, a small piece of the earth's secret ... its magic, mystic and mystery. Believed to be created from the elements of the earth and cosmic influences, the human connection to the mineral and plant kingdoms cannot be denied.

Gem therapy is not a new-fangled notion. There is evidence to show that the healing properties of gemstones were recognized as far back as the days of the legendary lost city of Atlantis. The ancient civilizations of May and Hebrew, the Far East and Native America have all evidenced the use of these earthy gifts. History records systemic mining in Egypt, over 7000 years ago, as well as in the Oxis valley of Afghanistan prove this.

The Vedas have the greatest wealth of information on the metaphysical and physical properties of Gems and their correct application. They are acknowledged as the authority on Gems - their description, potencies and prescription for effective use. According to the Vedas, imbalances may be set right either by wearing the appropriate gems against the skin or, using them as an ingredient to make medicines and potions that are taken internally.

Gems, it is believed, were worn by royalty, apart from the obvious adornment, primarily for their powers to influence the powers of nature, protect the wearer. According to the sages of ancient times, they were worn to divert negative planetary influences. Instructions on their usage are given in the texts of Guruda Purana and Jyotish. The Brihad Samhita, Sarngadhara Samhita and Susruta Samhita - in the section of Rasayana, talks of elixirs for a long and youthful life of a thousand years - also mentions healing with Bhasmas, by incineration of metals or minerals.

Gemstones react differently with different people, and people use gems for different reasons. It is imperative to understand, based on existing evidences, how these little nuggets of the earth wield so much power!

Slumdog kids on the block

2009-02-24T13:01:00.004+05:30

Starry-eyed, excited and wearing little tuxedos and dresses for the first time, a motley of Indian slum kids from Academy award winning 'Slumdog Millionaire' walked the Oscar red carpet with panache despite the stark contrast between their everyday living and the glitzy event. Take a look at the 'new kids on the block.'
It was a fairytale experience for nine-year-old Rubina Ali who starred in Danny Boyle's 'Slumdog Millionaire'. Rubina now wants to become actor even though she might continue to live in her makeshift homes in Mumbai's slum. In photos: Rubina Ali Qureshi is seen in her uncle's home in a slum in Bandra, suburban Mumbai, India. Rubina played the young Latika in the Oscar-nominated film 'Slumdog Millionaire.'

Rubina Ali, who still lives in the slums of Bandra, Mumbai, is optimistic about her life and feels that it will change for good, one day. In photos: Rubina Ali Qureshi, 9, left, straddles a blocked drain next to an open area strewn with garbage near her home in a slum in Bandra, suburban Mumbai, India. Rubina played the youngest version of the leading lady Latika, in the Oscar-nominated film 'Slumdog Millionaire'.
Rubina Ali was phenomenal as little Latika and was able to paint a true picture of life in slums and the difficulties they face everyday. In photos: Rubina Ali, 8, left, waves to her relatives at the international airport in Mumbai, India. Rubina played the youngest version of the leading lady Latika, in the Oscar-nominated film 'Slumdog Millionaire.'
Ismail, who essayed the role of young Salim, the protagonist's brother, was also thrilled with the dream-come-true Oscar experience. In photos: Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, 10, center, stretches as his mother Shamim Begum, left, 35, father Mohammed Ismail, second left, 47, and friend Sonu look on outside Azhar's home in a slum in Bandra, suburban Mumbai, India. Azharuddin played the youngest version of Salim, the brother of the main character Jamal, in the Oscar-nominated film 'Slumdog Millionaire'.

It was a dream come true for Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail from Mumbai. Within days of wearing rags and staying in slums, he managed to join Hollywood's A-listers at the Oscar ceremony. In photos: Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, 10, left, arrives at the international airport in Mumbai, India. Azharuddin played the youngest version of Salim, the brother of the main character Jamal, in the Oscar-nominated film 'Slumdog Millionaire.'

Rubina Ali was phenomenal as little Latika and was able to paint a true picture of life in slums and the difficulties they face everyday. In photos: Rubina Ali, 8, left, waves to her relatives at the international airport in Mumbai, India. Rubina played the youngest version of the leading lady Latika, in the Oscar-nominated film 'Slumdog Millionaire.'
Rubina Ali, who still lives in the slums of Bandra, Mumbai, is optimistic about her life and feels that it will change for good, one day. In photos: Rubina Ali Qureshi, 9, left, straddles a blocked drain next to an open area strewn with garbage near her home in a slum in Bandra, suburban Mumbai, India. Rubina played the youngest version of the leading lady Latika, in the Oscar-nominated film 'Slumdog Millionaire'.

Tanay Chheba has also acted in Aamir Khan's 'Taare Zameen Par' and has shown great promise as an actor. In photos: Young stars of "Slumdog Millionaire" arrive for the 81st Academy Awards in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. From left front are Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Rubina Ali, and Tanay Hemant Chheda.
Tanay Chheda said that he is excited and it is an amazing feeling to have won so many Oscars. In photos: Cast of 'Slumdog Millionaire', front left, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, Rubina Ali, Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, back left, Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala, Tanvi Ganesh Lonkar and Tanay Hemant Chheda arrive for the 81st Academy Awards in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.

It shouldn't have won

2009-02-24T12:47:00.003+05:30

Frankly, I don't think Slumdog Millionaire deserved the Oscar for best film. And even more frankly, I don't think Resul Pookutty should have invoked "my country and my civilisation" in his acceptance speech for best sound mixing. India was not up there in the Kodak auditorium for approval. It was a British film financed by the indie subsidiary of an American studio which happened to be set in India and as a result they could not help but involve Indian actors (including Indian-origin Britishers) and shoot it in India. We crave too much for international recognition. A bit too much than is seemly. Even as all of us go around strutting, pretending to be a superpower.

Other than Slumdog, I have seen only one film out of the other four nominated. But I've read about all of them. The one that I saw is The Reader. The subject is far more intellectually challenging, emotionally moving and morally disturbing than Slumdog can ever hope to be. Not since A Last Tango In Paris has nudity (both male and female) been so necessary to a film's narrative, and so non-titillating and so touching. A film which stretches over 30 years and with essentially only two characters, and yet a film that is as gripping as a thriller. It's a film that, as my friend told me, demands and requires to be seen in one sitting, with no interruption by commercials and visits to the loo.

But look at the themes of the other movies that were nominated this year. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, the love story of a man who is born as an extreme geriatric and keeps getting younger and dies as a newborn. Only for a brief period of time are the man and his beloved around the same compatible age. Of course it's an impossible concept and completely unbelievable, but it's a high concept. Milk is about the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in the United States; Frost/Nixon about the first interview disgraced US President Richard Nixon gave, to has-been TV journalist David Frost. For both of them, it is a chance for redemption, for a somewhat sane life. These are all big themes. I am not doubting Slumdog's quality as a film in any way. Danny Boyle is one of the most talented directors around. But comparing Slumdog to The Reader is almost impossible. It's like comparing A Christmas Carol to Great Expectations.

Scrooge won, little Pip lost. But that's the way it has been with the Oscars. Sometimes the nominations reflect the mood of America's liberals, sometimes the winners reflect political correctness. In 2006, the following five films were nominated: Good Night and Good Luck, Brokeback Mountain, Crash, Capote and Munich. Good Night and Good Luck is about a TV broadcaster who took on the McCarthyist witch hunt in the 1950s; essentially about freedom of the press. Brokeback Mountain deflated the entire mythology of uber-macho frontiersmen by portraying a deep homosexual relationship between two cowboys. Crash interlinked several stories to study racism in all its forms and in startling ways. Capote was about the gay writer Truman Capote who travels to the South of the US to write a book on two multiple murderers. Munich told the story of the Israeli agents who hunted down the Black September terrorists who killed Israeli athletes during the Munich Olympics, and asked the question: To take revenge, do we become as base as the men who are our targets?

There's a clear pattern: anger over the Iraq war, the stifling of the media, the stranglehold of neo-conservatism, the contempt for minorities. The denizens of Hollywood were simply reacting to their world as they saw it. The other major critically-acclaimed movies of that year were Transamerica, about one man's battle to change his gender, and Syriana, which told Americans that their nation's policies were largely responsible for Islamist terrorism.

Then there's political correctness. Gandhi won Best Picture over ET. The Academy decided that the biopic of a great and influential leader was more "important" than the woes of a cute alien stranded on our planet. (This incensed Steven Spielberg so much that he decided to give the Academy the "important" films they felt comfortable with, and made The Colour Purple - which didn't win any Oscars - and Schindler's List - which raked them in.) Tom Hanks won his first best acting Oscar for Philadelphia, as much for his acting as for being the first major star to portray a gay man suffering from AIDS. In Hollywood, that's called "courage".

So The Reader can't win. After all, its female protagonist is a former Auschwitz guard who let 300 Jews burn alive in a locked church. The film's position on morality is too nuanced for the general Academy member to grapple with with any success. But Kate Winslet can be given the award for best actress. By taking this controversial role and baring her body so naturally for the purposes of art, she has shown "courage". Milk is about homosexuality, so Sean Penn gets the statuette for "courage", but not the film. Benjamin Button, which was co-produced by its star Brad Pitt, is probably seen as too much the case of an actor showing off, while being aided by more-than-state-of-the art visual effects. Frost/Nixon? Who's interested?

So Slumdog has won, and we should really rejoice for the six children who acted in it, for they are the real stars of the film. We should rejoice for AR Rahman, though the music he has got his two Oscars for is not even of his average quality, forget his sublime and exhilarating stuff. But the Academy has decided. But I really think it's a bit too much if we take this as a victory for Indian cinema. It's a non-Indian film which happened to have an all-Indian cast. We shoot entire films abroad nowadays, especially in the US, remember?

Moily confirms Azharuddin's induction into Congress

2009-02-19T16:39:00.002+05:30

New Delhi, Feb 19 (ANI): Former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin is all set to join the Congress Party.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Veerrappa Moily, in an interview to Times Now declared on Thursday that Azharuddin would be given primary membership in the party.

However, they are still to decide the constituency from where he will contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Justifying his induction in the Congress despite his involvement in the match-fixing case, Moily said, "There is no criminal case against Azhar. If there is a case at all, then it is only between the BCCI and him, which has been filed by Azhar himself against the ban."

"Remember, he served Indian cricket for nine years as a captain with outstanding performance. He has filed a case against the ban imposed by the BCCI and that is not a criminal matter," he added.

Moily's declaration came after Azharuddin had a late evening meeting with some of the senior party leaders on February 18.

There were speculations about the former cricketer joining politics since January 20, when he expressed his interest to contest elections 'from a prestigious seat'.

He had verbalised his interest in front of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, according to sources.
Moily confirms Azharuddin's induction into Congress

There were rumours last February, when Azharuddin had lunch with Telangana Rastra Samiti President K Chandrasekhar Rao, that he may campaign or contest elections for the Telangana Rastra Samiti in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation polls.

However, he had dismissed the speculation saying that he was only interested in working for cricket.

Later on January 22, Azharuddin's plans became all the more apparent when he had a long meeting with Moily, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and PCC president D Srinivas in Hyderabad.

The former right-handed batsman also runs an event management company and a health club in the up market Banjara Hills area of Hyderabad.

Azhar scored a total of 22 centuries in Test cricket at an average of 45, and 7 in ODI's at an average of 37. He scored a century in each of his first three Tests which is a record.

He won 103 ODI matches as the captain of the Indian team, which is still an Indian record. An excellent fielder, he took a world record 156 catches in ODI cricket.

In 1991 he was named 'Wisden Cricketer of the Year'.

However, towards the end of his career, Azharuddin was accused of match fixing and banned from playing by the BCCI.

Most Stylish Cities of the World

2009-02-18T14:31:00.013+05:30

Whether it's their cosmopolitan culture or classy cuisine, history or architecture, great nightlife or a shopper's paradise, cities such as Rome, New York, London, Paris, Madrid, Sydney, Amsterdam, Berlin, Barcelona and Melbourne have been global style cities. Check out how all these cities are ranked when it comes to style...

10. Madrid, Spain - The Spanish capital city of Madrid has a fine mix of art and culture. Famous attractions such as 'The Royal Palace of Madrid', 'Royal theatre' and its many archeological and art museums, brings Madrid in the list of most stylish cities. In photo: Cars pass under the Christmas lights at Puerta de Alcala square in Madrid, Thursday Dec. 15, 2005. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

9. Amsterdam, Netherlands - The magnificent city of Amsterdam has a lot to offer for tourists. Be it its historic canals, museums or its coffee shops, Amsterdam has been drawing tourists with varied interests from far and wide. In photo: People skate and walk on one of Amsterdam's canal on a sunny winter day in the city centre, Sunday January 28, 1996. (AP Photo/peter Dejong)

8. Berlin, Germany - Germany's largest city, Berlin not only has an eventful history but also known for its style. The city has a lot to showcase through its sightseeing destinations, myriad restaurants and not to forget 'Reichstag', which gives a breathtaking view of the city. In photo: Berlin's famous landmark Brandenburg Gate is colourfully illuminated during the "Festival of Lights" Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Sven Kaestner)

7. Melbourne, Australia - The Australia city of Melbourne is known for a classy mix of contemporary and Victorian architecture. Melbourne is a multicultural society and also regarded as the sports and cultural capital of Australia. In photo: Under a sliver of a moon a men's singles match is underway on center court between Roger Federer of Switzerland, on court at right, and Attila Savolt of Hungary at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2002. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

6. Barcelona, Spain - Be it basking under the sunlight of Barcelona or admiring architect Gaudi's splendour, Barcelona oozes both style and substance. You can experience city's street performers in bicycle or even take the cable-car to 'Montjuic' a panoramic view of the city. In photo: Fireworks explode above Antoni Gaudi's unfinished Sagrada Familia, or Sacred Family cathedral in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday June 1, 2002 celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of this Catalonian architect.(AP Photo/Cesar Rangel)

5. Rome, Italy - The city of Rome has vibrant history and breathtaking architecture, which puts in among the most stylish cities of the world. The 'Roman Colosseum', 'Pantheon' and the famous Italian cuisine ensures the city is a tourist's paradise. In photo: Visitors walk down the steps of the internal courtyard of the Castel Sant Angelo, made famous by Giacomo Puccini's 'Tosca', during the first night Tuesday April 7, 1998 that museums were made open to the public until 10 p.m. in Rome. (AP Photo/Massimo Sambucetti)

4. New York, USA - If you're looking for a city that has music, business and entertainment all in one, look no further than the American city of New York. The 'Statue of Liberty', 'Empire State Building' and several other skyscrapers makes New York's skyline the most attractive. In photo: Fireworks explode over the New York replica, a $460 million hotel & casino Thursday night, Jan. 2, 1997, in LV. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon)

3. Sydney, Australia - Australia's Harbour City, Sydney is also famous for 'Sydney Opera House', its beaches and also it's cosmopolitan landscape. With several tourist attracts and business-friendly environment, Sydney is an ideal destination to mix business with pleasure. In photo: Fireworks burst over the Sydney Opera Housethe night of Sept. 24, 1993 to celebrate the announcement Sydney would host the Olympic games in the year 2000. (AP Photo/Russell McPhedran)

2. Paris, France - The presence of the 'Louvre Museum', 'Eiffel Tower' and 'Notre Dame de Paris' puts Paris among the most stylish cities around the world. The romantic city of Paris is surely a lover's delight, with beautiful architecture and cosy hotels. In photo: Tourist walk under the replica of the Eiffel Tower at Paris Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas early Aug. 5, 2005. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch)

1. London, England - The city of Big Ben and Buckingham Palace has been rated as the most stylish cities. A favourite destination of tourists and businessmen, London has a fine mix of renaissance architecture and the modern day multicultural society. The city is London is all set to host the 2012 Olympics. In photo: Fireworks illuminate the night sky over the London Eye as they herald in the New Year, in London, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2005. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Global meltdown has hit IT sector hiring in India: Nilekani

2009-02-17T13:30:00.003+05:30

Bangalore, Feb 16 (IANS) Infosys Technologies vice-chairman Nandan M. Nilekani Monday admitted that the global economic meltdown has affected hiring in India's IT industry.

'The IT sector is not seeing job buoyancy now compared to earlier years due to global economic slowdown,'

Nilekani said at a function in the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC) in this tech hub. Delivering a lecture on 'India at the Crossroads: the Choices Before us',
Nilekani said the IT industry was facing unprecedented crisis and it was difficult to predict how long the economic downturn would continue. 'The recruitment was well-placed earlier when the growth rate was 30 percent in the IT sector. The crisis in the financial sector has automatically affected Indian IT firms,' Nilekani said.

Though software exports grew to a whopping $40 billion in FY 2008 from a mere $50 million in 1991, with a compounded growth rate of 30 percent over the last three-four years, the economic slowdown has reduced the growth to 20 percent.

'The IT industry grew rapidly on the back of high global economy growth. But in the long-run the sector will do well. The need for technology the world over has not reduced and India too is a large consumer of the technology,' Nilekani noted.

Referring to the various challenges the country was facing, the IT bellwether's top executive said there was a need to create 270 million jobs by 2035 to reap benefits of the demographic change. 'India has a large number of young people and jobs need to be created by integrating our economy with the global economy.

The potential of the youth needs to be harnessed to accelerate the economic growth rate,' he asserted. Recalling the growth witnessed by developed economies such as Britain, Japan and the US before and after the World War II, Nilekani said India was young when the rest of the world was ageing.

Seeking devolution of more powers and funds to urban and rural local bodies, Nilekani lamented that the local bodies had been denied powers due to vested interests of some political leaders at the state and central levels. 'The poor have not benefitted from food, power, farm, water and healthcare subsidies.

Measures have to be taken to distribute entitlements directly to the targetted beneficiaries since the subsidies are regressive and not progressive,

Beauty Tips For Eyes

2009-02-13T18:34:00.004+05:30

SPARKLING EYES

Sparkling, beautiful eyes are the best assets a woman can have. Do take time to cater to the special care that eyes need regularly.

Eat enough of Vitamin A and C. Take special care in the choice of eye make-up. Don't use make-up that can irritate and harm the eyes. Avoid spending too much time in smoky rooms and don't neglect a check-up on a regular basis.

Tips 1:

Soak 1 tspn dry Gooseberry powder in a cup of water overnight. Strain this in the morning and add 1 cup of plain water to this. Splash the eyes with this or wash them with the help of an eyecup.

Tips 2:

Dip a pad of cotton wool in some Rose water to which 2-3 drops of Castor oil is added. Place these soaked pads on the eyelids and relax for 15-20 minutes.

Tips 3:

Splash the eyes with a weak tea solution, thoroughly strained and cooled.

Tips 4:

Cotton pads dipped in a cold tea solution and placed on the eyelids whilst relaxing.

DARK CIRCLES

Tip 5:
Grate 2' piece of cucumber. Squeeze through a muslin cloth and extract the juice. Dip cotton pads in this and place on eyelids. Relax for 15 minutes.

Tip 6:
Take 1 tspn Tomato pulp,1 pinch of Turmeric powder ½ tspn of limejuice and 1 tspn of gram flour. Make a paste and apply gently. Remove gently with moist cotton pads after ½ an hour.

Tip 7:
Soak 2 Almonds overnight. Peel and grind to a smooth paste. Add a few drops of limejuice to this Apply for 20-25 minutes. This should be followed daily and gradually after 2 weeks, every 3rd day and finally when the difference is visible, to once aeek. A paste of Almonds can be stored in a clean bottle in the 'fridge.

Tip 8:
Apply a paste made by crushing a handful of Mint leaves.

DEEP SUNKEN EYES

Tips 9:
Apply 1 tspn of Honey with ½ tspn of Almond oil. Apply at bedtime.

Tips 10:
Soak 5 Almonds overnight. Peel them, eat them by chewing well followed by a glass of milk. Done first thing in the morning for 21 days should definitely help

EYE PUFFINESS

Tips 11:
Slice a raw Potato, circle the closed eyes gently with these halves. Or else grate a raw Potato and place on Muslin cloth squares. Place these on the eyes and relax for 15-20 minutes.

Tips 12:
Dip cotton pads in chilled milk and place on eyelids while relaxing.

Tips 13:
In a bowl of chilled water add a few drops of Vitamin E oil.Dip cotton pads in this and place on the eyes while relaxing for 20 minutes.

2009-02-13T17:32:00.003+05:30

Healthy glowing hair is a crowning glory for a woman today. To keep it this way is not very simple given to-days living conditions. The heat and dust and also working for long periods in air- conditioned surroundings. The hair treatments like perms, tinting, and hot rollers also affect the healthy luster of your hair.

The best way to atone for this would be to go "Totally Natural" from time to time. Just like plants hair too needs proper nourishment. You need to eat a proper protein rich diet.

The scalp should be clean before oiling the hair. Do brush hair as a daily routine, with firm downward strokes. Wet hair should not be brushed, as hair is weak when it is wet, and breaks easily. Take care and the time to massage the scalp while oiling hair, as this will increase the blood circulation around the roots.

Dandruff is the shedding of dead cells from the scalp. It sometimes leads to boils and pimples too. These are some ways in which we can get rid of dandruff.

Tips 1:

Keep the scalp clean. Oil hair on alternate days and shampoo.

Tips 2:

Mix 2 tspns of Brandy in 1 cup of water. Apply with the fingertips to the roots of hair. Wash after ½ hour with shampoo.

Tips 3:

Mix 1 egg with 1 cup of yogurt and apply on the scalp. Leave for ½ an hour and wash.

Tips 4:

Mix 1 tblspn of Olive oil with 1 tspn of limejuice. Apply well on the scalp and cover the head by tying an old scarf. Keep it on overnight and shampoo the next morning.

Tips 5:

1 tspn of Fenugreek seed powder mixed with an egg. Apply and leave for ½ an hour before shampooing the hair.

Tips 6:

1 tspn fenugreek seed powder mixed with 1 cup of yogurt. Apply and leave for ½ an hour before washing.

Tips 7:

Take 2 tblspns of Beetroot juice and add 1 egg and 1 tspn limejuice to this. Apply and leave for ½ an hour before washing.

Tips 8:

Oil hair well before going to bed. Next morning mix 1 tspn limejuice with ½ tspn salt. Rub this on the scalp with the peel of a lime turned inside out. Leave for 1 hour before shampooing.

Hair lose in women

2009-02-13T16:02:00.003+05:30

If you are a woman whose hair is suddenly and rapidly thinning, you are not alone - hair loss (Alopecia) - may be less obvious in women than in men, but it is almost as common and much more emotionally devastating. The good news is that if you proactively try to understand why you are losing hair and go for suitable treatment, you have a better chance of being able to stop your hair from falling than men generally have.

First, something about normal hair loss – healthy women with a head full of hair can expect to lose 50-100 strands daily. If you are losing more than this, or if it seems that the hair you lose is either not being replaced or it’s getting replaced by thinner, finer hair (a process called miniaturization), you have a problem.

Most women notice that their ponytail or braid is getting thinner, or that their part line is expanding. This is a good time to start treatment – the earlier you start, the better your chances of holding on to the hair you have and avoiding more extreme loss.

But before starting treatment, you need to understand why you are losing hair – treatment is more effective when it’s geared to the real cause. For this, it is often useful to divide hair loss into categories depending on the pattern of loss:

1. Diffuse thinning

Most women lose hair like this – a form of general thinning all over the scalp - unlike men who begin to lose hair in a characteristic pattern beginning from their temples and the top of their heads.

Diffuse thinning may be caused by:

Medications: Hair loss can happen as a side effect of medication for birth control, slimming, high-blood pressure, mood disorders, thyroid problems, and diseases like cancer

Diseases:
Hair loss can also be a symptom of something going wrong in your body, and is one of the manifestations of a range of conditions including polycystic ovaries, thyroid disease, insulin resistance, anemia, lupus and general malnutrition.

Lifestyle choices: A poor diet (especially crash dieting) has been linked to unhealthy hair which falls easily.

Life stressors: Childbirth, illnesses or injury can cause hair fall. The hair stops growing, and, two to three months after the event, the root dies and the hair falls out. This kind of hair fall is usually easily replaced so long as the stressor is avoided.

Hormonal imbalances: A delicate balance between body hormones keeps your hair looking good. When the hormones are out of whack (one reason among many may be high androgen index birth control pills), hair starts to fall or begins to miniaturize. The hormone at the ‘root’ of the problem is DHT(dihydrotestosterone, a derivative of the male hormone testosterone), the presence of which in the hair follicles is linked to eventual follicle death.

Genetics: Most women lose hair as they age, and hair loss seems to run in families, with some families tending to have thicker hair than others. Though the mechanism of genetic hair loss is also DHT (by a process scientists don’t understand yet), genetics makes some follicles more sensitive to the effects of DHT than others.

2. Localised hair loss

In this distressing condition, less common than diffuse hair loss, women lose hair in patches all over the scalp. But this is both more treatable and more amenable to surgery than diffuse hair loss.
Again, a doctor will usually try to find out why this is happening before she suggests a course of treatment.

Traction alopecia: The hair is literally pulled out – usually by styles that involve stretching the hair tight, like ponytails or braids, and sometimes by surgical procedures like the facelift when the skin is ‘tightened’. If the style has been maintained a long time, sometimes the follicles die and surgery may be the only option. Otherwise, a change to a freer hairstyle can replace the hair within a year.

Alopecia areata: In this unusual condition, the hair falls out in patches leaving smooth, bald skin. This is thought to be an auto-immune disorder, when the body’s immune system begins to attack its own hair follicles. Sometimes the condition resolves by itself, sometimes treatment with follicle-stimulating drugs and steroids will help.

Skin diseases: Eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and fungal infections, among others (when they affect the scalp), can cause hair fall. Usually the place where the hair falls off will show a rash.

3. Male pattern balding in women
A small number of women will lose their hair in the typical male pattern – going bald over the temples and in the crown of the head and eventually all over the head. This can wreck a woman’s emotional and social life, but fortunately this is more treatable than the common, diffuse pattern of hair loss among women. The cause is usually a combination of hormones and genetics.

Pak registers case against Kasab and 13 others

2009-02-12T16:35:00.002+05:30

Pakistani authorities on Wednesday registered a case against Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive during the Mumbai attacks, and 13 others in connection with the terror strikes.

The case was registered on the basis of the probe conducted by the Federal Investigation Agency and the decision made by the defence committee of the Pak cabinet during its meeting on Monday, TV channels quoted unidentified sources as saying.

The case was registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act, Geo News channel reported.

It quoted sources as saying that the case was registered at the Dockyard Police Station in Karachi. The news channel also said that among the others named in the case were three persons who were arrested in Karachi. Nine more persons had been identified but were yet to be taken into custody, the channel reported.

Legal experts said Pakistan will need the cooperation of Indian authorities to proceed with the case and bring it to court. Pakistani authorities might also need to seek access to Indian witnesses to proceed with the case, they said.

During its meeting on Monday, the defence committee decided to register a case and conduct further investigations to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice according to Pakistan laws.

The meeting, which was chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, said it would be ''exceedingly difficult to complete the investigation and proceed with the case'' without ''substantial evidence'' from India. It also decided to send further queries to Indian authorities.

Pakistan detained or placed under surveillance some 124 members of LeT and its front organisation JuD in the wake of the Mumbai attacks

Gone Those Days................

2009-02-12T11:28:00.026+05:30

Know Your Body

2009-02-11T16:50:00.003+05:30

The human body, with all its powers of endurance, its life preserving systems for combating disease and taking in nourishment, and its ability through the senses to interpret what is happening in the world outside it, is like some marvelously complex machine.
But unlike a machine, it also has the capacity for pleasure and sensitivity to pain. And no machine, however futuristic, could match the body's ability to grow and to repair broken bones and damaged tissues, or its even more remarkable ability to maintain or multiply the human population by generating new life.

All these powers and capacities, all the strengths and intricacies of the body, could be reduced to a few handful of chemical elements such as oxygen, hydrogen, proteins, minerals, fats, trace elements and water which are all contained in the body's cells - microscopic structures, only a few hundredths of millimeter in diameter, but with the ability to absorb nourishment, grow, excrete wastes and increase in numbers by dividing in two.

SYSTEMS OF THE BODY
Various collections of cells make up body tissues such as skin, muscle and bone; and tissues are grouped to form organs, such as the heart, lungs and stomach. A set of organs make up a system, and the ultimate physical aim of the systems, working together, is to convert food into energy to keep the body working.

Foodstuffs are eaten; prepared in the mouth into a form suitable for digestion; broken down in the digestive system into smaller units by the action of chemical substances called enzymes; and absorbed into the body; where they are partly used as fuel.

For the burning of fuel in the body, as for any form of combustion, a supply of oxygen is needed. This is taken in from the lungs - a major function of the respiratory system - and distributed to the tissues by the blood, carried in the blood vessels and pumped by the heart.

The blood vessels and the heart make up the circulatory system, which also conveys foodstuffs and waste products round the body.

The body needs to get rid of waste products formed by the release of energy, the process known as excretion. Carbon dioxide and some water are excreted from the lungs in the air breathed out; a little water and salts are lost from the skin in sweat, and water and salts, together with complex waste products such as urea, and uric acid, are excreted from the kidneys.

These form part of the urinary system. This also includes connecting tubes, known as the Ureters (from the kidneys to the bladder) and the urethra (from the bladder to outside the body). The bladder itself is merely a reservoir of urine. Fibrous wastes and indigestible food residues pass out of the body in the faeces.

Some of the energy produced by the body keeps the various systems working and the rest is used for movement. This is carried out by the locomotor system, consisting of muscles, which act on the bony skeleton. The bones have an important role, not only in providing a frame work for the whole body, but also in protecting the vital organs, such as the lungs and the brain, from injury.

Acting on information provided by the sense organs, such as the eyes and ears, the brain and the rest of the nervous system can control a variety of bodily processes, either directly or by causing various glands to release hormones- chemical messengers, which in turn act on the tissues.

The release of the many types of hormones into the blood stream is controlled by the endocrine system, a series of glands in different parts of the body that regulate growth and the ability to reproduce.

The body also needs to be maintained. Treatment with medicines or surgery may be required to repair the damage by injury or disease, but often the body can cope with the problem by itself.

The body’s repair system consists of the normal continual process of replacing worn-out and damaged tissues. The ability to repair itself without outside help and the ability to grow, which is particularly obvious during childhood are two of the physical properties distinguishing the living organisms from a non-living organisms. A third is the body’s ability to perpetuate the species by reproduction - the role of the reproductive system. This involves the creation of new life by the joining of two sex cells - sperm and an egg from the parents, and the subsequent development while protected inside the mother’s body.

Advantages of Eating Fish Foods

2009-02-11T16:27:00.003+05:30

Introduction

Australia's leading health research body, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), suggests that Australians should eat more fish. This is because fish is low in fat, high in protein and an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids.
Researchers
worldwide have discovered that eating fish regularly - one or two serves weekly - may reduce the risk of diseases ranging from childhood asthma to prostate cancer
. Healthy ways to enjoy fish include baked, poached, grilled and steamed.

Health benefits of eating fish
Regular consumption of fish can reduce the risk of various diseases and disorders. Selected research findings include:

Asthma - children who eat fish may be less likely to develop asthma.

Brain and eyes - fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids can contribute to the health of brain tissue and the retina (the back of the eye).

Cancer - the omega 3 fatty acids in fish may reduce the risk of many types of cancers by 30 to 50 per cent, especially of the oral cavity, oesophagus, colon, breast, ovary and prostate.

Cardiovascular disease - eating fish every week reduces the risk of heart disease
and stroke by reducing blood clots and inflammation
, improving blood vessel elasticity, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood fats and boosting 'good'cholesterol.

Foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids
The recommended daily amount of omega 3 fatty acids from fish is 200-600mg and from plants it is 1-2g.

The following are approximate amounts of omega 3 fatty acids per 60g serve of varieties of fish:Salmon (fresh Atlantic) 1,200mg

Smoked salmon 1,000mg

Canned salmon 500mg

Sardines 1,500mg

Trout (fresh rainbow) 350mg

Gemfish 300mg

Blue-eye, shark (flake), salmon, squid 250mg
Sea mullet, abalone 170mg

Canned tuna 145mg

Orange roughy or sea perch 7mg.

Advantages of Eating Fish Foods
Hundreds of studies have been done on fish or fish oils and their role in the prevention or treatment of heart disease. A review in the British Medical Journal recommends fish or fish oil supplements to prevent heart attacks, particularly in people with
vascular disease. How omega-3 fats reduce heart disease is not known, but they are known to lower blood triglycerides and blood pressure, prevent clotting, are anti-inflammatory and reduce abnormal heart rhythms

A word of caution on mercury.
While it is recommended to eat one to two fishmeals a week, it is wise to avoid fish high in mercury
. Excess mercury appears to affect the nervous system, causing: numb or tingling fingers, lips and toes; developmental delays in walking and talking in
children; muscle and joint pain; increased risk of heart attack.

Fish high in mercury include shark, swordfish (broadbill) and marlin, ray, gem fish, ling, orange roughy (sea perch) and southern blue fin tuna. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, women planning pregnancy and children up to six years old should avoid these fish.

The types of fish cuts available include:
Fillet - the boneless flank of the fish.

Dressed - with head and fins (entrails, scales and gills are removed).

Steak - cross-sections taken from a dressed fish.

Gutted - whole fish with entrails removed.

Healthy ways to cook fish
Baking - make shallow cuts along the top of the fish. Put into a greased dish and cover with foil. Flavor with herbs, lemon juice and olive oil. Bake at around 180°C and baste frequently.

Shallow frying - dry and flour the fish. Place a small amount of oil or butter in the pan. Fry the fish at a medium heat.

Grilling - cut slashes into whole fish to help the heat penetrate the flesh. Place fish on a preheated grill. Baste frequently.

Poaching - not suitable for flaky varieties. Place fish in gently simmering stock. Whole fish should be placed in a pan of cold stock, which is then slowly brought up to a gentle simmer.

Steaming - put fish in a steamer or on a plate over a saucepan containing gently boiling water. Cover.

IBM offers laid-off US workers jobs in India.......

2009-02-07T13:30:00.001+05:30

Washington, Feb 7 (IANS) IBM is offering its laid off employees in North America a chance to take a job with the company in India, Nigeria, Russia or other countries through Project Match, a media report said.

Citing an internal company document CNN said its Project Match will help interested workers whose jobs are on the chopping block to 'identify potential opportunities in growth markets and facilitate consideration by hiring managers in those markets.'

The company also will help with moving costs and provide visa assistance, it says.

Other countries with IBM opportunities include Argentina, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey and United Arab Emirates, according to the document.

Only 'satisfactory performers' who are 'willing to work on local terms and conditions' should pursue the jobs, the document says.

CNN said IBM would not immediately confirm if it means that the workers would be paid local wages and would be subject to local labour laws.

A spokesman for Alliance@IBM, a workers' group that is affiliated with the Communications Workers of America but does not have official union status at IBM, slammed the initiative.

'IBM not only is offshoring its work to low-cost countries, now IBM wants employees to offshore themselves,' spokesman Lee Conrad told CNN. 'At a time of rising unemployment IBM should be looking to keep both the work and the workers in the United States.'

New York based IBM has confirmed recent layoffs but has not provided any specifics on the number of people affected. Conrad said IBM has laid off more than 4,000 workers in the US since the beginning of the year, but called that 'a conservative number.'

'This is unacceptable to the Alliance and we are pursuing this by asking our members and all IBM employees to contact their political representatives to demand an accounting and transparency in job cuts and offshoring from IBM,' Conrad said.

'Buy American' and H-1B restrictions to hurt

2009-02-07T12:57:00.001+05:30

India on Friday joined the EU to wave the red flag on the 'buy American' clause in the Obama administration's $900-billion stimulus package. Commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath termed it a "protectionist measure" that would affect India-US trade ties and trigger retaliatory steps in other countries.

The clause is just another worry for India as two US Senators have introduced another amendment to the Bill, which, if passed, would prevent US companies receiving federal bailout money from hiring H-1B visa holders. The amendment would hit Indian software professionals, who use the visa programme to work with US companies.

Nath said in times of a global financial crisis, it was all the more important for governments to ensure a free flow of trade. "Protectionism is not a one-way street and is not good for the world", he said.

The 'buy American' clause in the stimulus package stipulates that raw materials like iron and steel, used in the infrastructure projects in the US, should be sourced from within the USA. Media reports say the clause could also be extended to other manufactured items. The provision aims to generate local jobs to revive the US economy.

For India, the implications are enormous. The US is India's top trading partner. In 2007-08, India's total trade with the US was $41.75 billion, with Indian exports constituting $20.72 billion, of which iron, steel and related products accounted for $1.9 billion. As the global downturn has intensified, the rate of growth of exports (April to December 2008-09) from India has declined to 17.1% from 21.76% year-on-year.

Nath had already said in the recent World Economic Forum meeting at Davos that protectionist trend is on the rise and had asked all the countries to resist taking such measures. Moreover, in November last year, the G-20 member countries, including India and the US, had committed not to implement any new protectionist measures.

Commerce secretary GK Pillai told FE that it is too early to measure the impact of the provision. "We will have to wait and watch. We will know only when a case where Indian exports are affected due to the clause comes before us. We will have to see the clauses in the US government tenders, whether it is biased towards firms in the US," he said.

He also pointed out that a vast majority of the goods in the US are imported. "If they (the US consumers) want to buy their costly drugs, that is their headache. US cars are also costly. There is more value for money in the goods made in countries like India", he said.

Trade experts and lawyers said the move is not WTO-compliant. "This clause is likely to fall foul of the WTO agreement on Government Procurement that does not permit any country to show bias to their domestic firms over companies of other countries when their government is procuring goods," said Samir Gandhi of Economic Laws Practice.

"This is certainly a trade barrier. This is a restrictive clause propping up US firms and discriminating against imports from other countries. India should find ways to join hands with other WTO members in raising the issue in the WTO forum," said Biswajit Dhar, head, centre for WTO studies, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.

The US move has generated protests and criticism across the world, including in Canada and the European Union who have termed the decision as 'protectionist.'

Exporters in India too are worried. "Our relationship with the US traders is a long-term one. This clause will affect our exports, especially in the manufacturing sectors that are employment-intensive. The Indian government should take it up with the Obama administration and tell them that they should not insist their local manufacturers to make the products that are imported from India," said A Sakthivel, president, Federation of Indian Exports Organisation, the apex body for exporters.

Amit Goyal, president, Confederation of Indian Apparel Exporters, said, "It is a worrisome situation and the concept of free trade between nations is defeated, if America adopts a 'buy American' policy. The US is inviting a sort of trade war between countries with which it has been trading for years."

Oxford and Cambridge have now decided to remove the words CAN'T and IMPOSSIBLE from their dictionary

2009-02-06T14:27:00.015+05:30

Jessica Cox, 25, a girl born without arms, stands inside an aircraft. The girl from Tucson, Arizona got the Sport Pilot certificate lately and became the first pilot licensed to fly using only her feet.

Jessica Cox of Tucson was born without arms, but that has only stopped her from doing one thing: using the word "can't."

Her latest flight into the seemingly impossible is becoming the first pilot licensed to fly using only her feet.

With one foot manning the controls and the other delicately guiding the steering column, Cox, 25, soared to achieve a Sport Pilot certificate. Her certificate qualifies her to fly a light-sport aircraft to altitudes of 10,000 feet.

"She's a good pilot. She's rock solid," said Parrish Traweek, 42, the flying instructor at San Manuel's Ray Blair Airport.

Parrish Traweek runs PC Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Services and has trained many pilots, some of whom didn't come close to Cox's abilities.

"When she came up here driving a car," Traweek recalled, "I knew she'd have no problem flying a plane."

Doctors never learned why she was born without arms, but she figured out early on that she didn't want to use prosthetic devices.

Past is Experience.. .! Present is Experiments. ..! Future is Expectations. ..!
Use your Experience in your Experiments to acheive your Expectations. ..!!!

New Delhi To Kanpur Train 'Hijacked'

2009-02-06T14:16:00.002+05:30

Two drivers not authorised to drive high speed trains 'hijacked' one from New Delhi to Kanpur on Wednesday night, their colleagues originally assigned to take the train to Ranchi told presspersons. The driver and his co-driver stopped the authorised drivers from entering the engine cabin and drove off in what appears to be some kind of rivalry between drivers of different divisions of the railways.
The Ranchi-bound Gareeb Rath Express, which can reach a maximum speed of 130 km/hr, was driven 400 km to Kanpur by Harswarup, who is certified to drive trains not capable of exceeding 110 km/hr. Not only this, his co-driver, Rameshwar (who goes by only first name), too is not certified to drive a train like the Gareeb Rath, said the authorised drivers Shafi Ahmed and Manoj (who goes by only first name). However, A.S. Negi, PRO of Northern Railways, claimed the two drivers were certified to drive the train. Harswarup and Rameshwar belong to Northern Railways, while Ahmed and Manoj are from North Central Railways. Railway officials said trains such as the Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express and Gareeb Rath Express are capable of touching 130 km/hr, and only drivers certified by the railways' Research Design Standards Organisation are permitted to drive such trains. After being thrown out of the cabin, a stunned Ahmed and Manoj reached Kanpur by another train and told presspersons about the goof-up. The Gareeb Rath, with nearly 1,300 passengers, was taken safely to Ranchi by another crew, railway officials told HT. Amit Malviya, PRO of North Central Railways said, "The two other drivers were deployed by the drivers' lobby under Northern Railways that led to the misunderstanding among the drivers."

Andhra engineer shot dead in US,8th in 15 months

2009-02-05T18:51:00.001+05:30

Hyderabad: An Indian engineer from Andhra Pradesh was shot dead by unidentified assailants at Atlanta in the US in the eighth case of young students and professionals from the state being killed in the last 15 months.

R Sudhir Kumar (31), a native of West Godavari district, was killed at Atlanta, where he was working as a mechanical engineer with Toyota company, West Godavari district
superintendent of police, B Balakrishna said.

Kumar was reportedly killed for money, he said, but did not have details including when the incident happened.Kumar did his engineering course in the US eight years ago and was working with Toyota for the last four years, he said.

In a string of tragedies where ironically those hailing from AP met a violent end in the US in the last 15 months, software engineer N Akshay Vishal working with fraud-hit
Satyam Computers was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Arkansas on January 13 last.

Arpana B Jinaga, an IT engineer in Seattle, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in her apartment on November 3, 2008. An engineering student in Southern Illinois University T Soumya Reddy was found murdered in September last. Her cousin Vikram Reddy, also a software engineer in Chicago, was also found dead nearby.

A Srinivas, a post-graduate medical student was found murdered in Pennsylvania in March while A Kirankumar and K Chandrasekhar Reddy, both PhD students, were shot dead at Louisiana University in December 2007.

On November 16 last, Pulluri Shashank, a native of Warangal in AP, survived a violent attack by unidentified miscreants in Tennesse.

Akshay, who was holding MS degree from Alaska University, had gone to US four years ago.

His murder is the seventh case of students and professional from Andhra Pradesh being killed in the US during last 13 months.

Arpana B Jinaga, 24, a software engineer in EMC Corporation in Seattle, was found murdered in her apartment Nov 3.

Shashank Pulluru, studying MS at the Middle Tennessee State University, was shot and injured by some African Americans in Tennessee Nov 15 last year.

T Soumya Reddy, 23, pursuing MS in electrical engineering at the Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville campus, was found dead in a car near a lake in Chicago in September. Her cousin Vikram Reddy, 27, who was a software engineer in Chicago, was also found shot dead nearby.

Srinivas, a PG medical student from Karimnagar, was found murdered in Pennsylvania in March.

A. Kirankumar and K Chandrasekhar Reddy, both PhD students, were shot dead by intruders in their apartment at Louisiana University in December 2007.

Sports Stars as Professional Models

2009-02-04T18:00:00.015+05:30

Sports stars have given professional models and actors a run for their money by involving themselves in brand endorsements, fashion shows and even appearing in popular lifestyle magazines. Besides their good looks, what makes these stars even more attractive is their numero uno sporting performances as well. Check out the other side of these popular sports icon...
A former World number No1 in the woman's professional tennis circuit, Maria Sharapova has been a winner on the court and off the court. This head-turner appears in fashion shows, billboards of the brands she endorses, they include 'Canon', 'Land Rover' and 'Tag Heurer' as well as on magazines such as 'Maxim' and 'Sports Illustrated'. In photo: Tennis star and Sports Illustrated 2006 model Maria Sharapova poses for photographers, Tuesday, Feb.14, 2006, in New York. The stand-alone edition, featuring 25 of the worldâ€™s most beautiful supermodels, will reach 64 million adults in the U.S. alone and hits newsstands .

Said to be among the fastest bowlers the world has ever seen, Brett Lee has over the years produced some outstanding performances on the field. Lee is very popular in India, even off the field, endorsing brands like 'Timex', 'Gatorade' and 'Volkswagon', walking the ramp in fashion shows and even sings in a music video with legendary singer Asha Bhosle. In photo: Australian cricketer and Timex watch brand ambassador Brett Lee, center, with Indian models arrives at the launch of the Timex 'Racing Chronograph Collection', in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007. The new collection has a range of 14 men's styles watches that are priced between USD 71-143.

The 'Men in Blue' or the cricketers of 'Team India' have over the years displayed some amazing match-winning performances and won the hearts of their huge fan base. Many of these cricketers have also hit it off in the modeling world, by appearing in several brand endorsements 'Samsung', 'Pepsi' among several others and have also walked the ramp in fashion events. In photo: Indian cricketers, from left, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan, walk the ramp as they present creations by designer Shantanu Nikhil during the 5th India Fashion Week in New Delhi, India.

Anna Kournikova has once been ranked in the top ten of the Woman's singles circuit and has also won a couple of Grand Slam doubles titles before injuries caught up with her. Anna had been voted as the 'Hottest female athlete' and remains in the limelight by appearing on magazine covers, endorsing brands such as 'Omega' and 'Berlei's sports bras' and has also appeared in a music video with singer Enrique Iglasias. In photo: Tennis star Anna Kournikova poses in front of a cover of FHM magazine while promoting her fourteen international covers for the magazine at a record store in New York,.
American swimmer, Amanda Beard wowed the swimming world by winning several medals at various Olympics games. This hottie is believed to have a perfect body which has got her to grace popular magazines like 'FHM', 'Sports Illustrated' and even 'Playboy'. In photo: United States Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard poses for a photo in Los Angeles There's a lot more of the 25-year-old swimmer to see in the July issue of Playboy, where Beard is on the cover billed as "the world's sexiest athlete nude."

India's Olympic bronze medallist, pugilist Vijender Singh has performed exceeding well especially at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. This handsome hunk has walked the ramp in the 'India Couture Week' held in Mumbai and has taken to ads like 'Bajaj Allianz'. In photo: Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh displays a creation by designer Rohit Bal on the final day of the HDIL India Couture Week in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Eleven Indian designers showcased their creations during the six-day long event.

Ace Indian tennis star, Sania Mirza has entered the tennis circuit with a bang, having done well in the few Grand Slams she has played. She remains in the limelight even when not in action, through brand endorsements like 'Adidas', 'Tata tea' and 'Hyundai', fashion events and photo shoots. In photo: Indian tennis player Sania Mirza, currently ranked 32 by the WTA, poses during a photo shoot to announce her being signed as a global brand ambassador for leading sports goods manufacturer adidas in Mumbai, India.

David Beckham, the former England football captain, who currently plays for the Italian club side 'AC Milan', has been a sensation in the footballing world for over a decade. Beckham, a father of three, has also remained in the spotlight for brand endorsements like 'Adidas' and 'Armani' and for continuously reinventing his style quotient. In photo: England and Manchester United soccer star David Beckham models one of the 2002 line of Police sunglasses in London, at the launch of the spectacles. David Beckham is the captain of the England National soccer team.

The captain of the German national team, tall midfielder Michael Ballack plays his club football for the English team 'Chelsea'. Besides providing the inspiration on the field, he is often noticed in advertisements like 'Coke' and 'Adidas' and at social events. In photo: German soccer player Michael Ballack, right, looks at Heidi Klum during the final draw for the 2006 World Cup in Leipzig, Germany.

Reigning French Open champion and World No 5, Serbian Ana Ivanovic has taken to the Tennis world by storm. Besides her playing prowess, this damsel also endorses brands like 'Rolex' and 'Adidas' and is often seen at various social events. In photo: Serbian tennis player Ana Ivanovic smiles during a press conference in Belgrade, Serbia, Ivanovic is ranked fifth in the WTA rankings.
Master-blaster Sachin Tendulkar is among the list of all-time cricketing Greats and holds several records in the game. His consistent and match winning performances has made him a favourite among advertisers, which include 'Airtel', 'Visa', 'Boast' and 'The Royal Bank of Scotland'. Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar looks on during an advertisement shoot in Hyderabad,

Indian cricket captain, MS Dhoni has receiving laurels for his team's performances as well as his captaincy. Dhoni is also most sought after in the Ad world, endorsing brands like 'Reebok', 'Boast' and 'Big Bazaar'. Indian cricketer Mahender Singh Dhoni walks out of Birsa Munda airport in Ranchi, India, Monday, Aug. 4, 2008. Dhoni is recommended by the Indian cricket board for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.

Making India Proud

2009-02-04T17:08:00.014+05:30

Indians have made the country proud world-over having excelled as scientists, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs and actors. India has a rich culture and a distinguished history, whose legacy stands tall even today. As a proud nation of a billion celebrates its 60th Republic Day, here's a look at what makes India so special...

Incredible India Inc - Indian entrepreneurs hold top positions in several multi-national companies. It's said that four out of the ten start-ups in the Silicon Valley are run by Indians. Indians are the richest Immigrant class in the US. Also, the number of companies listed in the Bombay Stock Exchange is more than 6000, second to only US's New York Stock exchange.

Fascinating film fraternity - Indian tinsel town is singing praises of A R Rahman, who has got a nod for the Oscars. And the movie 'Slumdog Millionaire' with world-class music, an Indian cast and based on an Indian theme, doing exceptionally well in the international circuit, it's time more Indian films to get the recognition they deserve. We are way ahead of Hollywood in the numbers game, with more that 800 movies being churned out each year in India.

A nation in gold - Can you imagine an Indian wedding without the bride being decked up in all the gold ornaments? Indians consume a fifth of the world's total gold output and the percentage is increasing by the day.

Pretty 'desi' damsels - From Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen to Lara Dutta, Diana Hayden, to runner up Parvathy Omanakuttan, Indian damsels have won six Miss World/Miss Universe beauty pageant titles in the last decade, way ahead of the rest of the world. Former Miss World and Bollywood actress, Aishwarya Raiâ€™s eyes have also been voted as the sexiest eyes in the World.

Remarkable Indian Railways - From the proposed bullet trains, to the passenger and goods trains, the Indian Railways, is one massive network serving the nation. This makes the Indian Railways, which employs more than a million people, the largest employer in the world.

Peaceful yet prepared - For peace, we stand. In an eventful history, India's among the few in the World who have never invaded nor plundered the wealth of any other country. Always on the vigil, the current Indian army is the third-largest in the World with a strong contingent of 1.5 million.

Marked in mathematics - The number zero, was perhaps, India's best ever gift to mathematics. And over the centuries, Indians have shone in many areas of research in mathematics. From Srinivasa Ramanujan to the human computer Shakuntala Devi, the list is endless.

Marked in mathematics - The number zero, was perhaps, India's best ever gift to mathematics. And over the centuries, Indians have shone in many areas of research in mathematics. From Srinivasa Ramanujan to the human computer Shakuntala Devi, the list is endless.

Medical marvels - India's contribution to the field medicine dates back to the 6th century BC when saint Sushruta, compiled a book with his findings about medicines and their uses and methods for surgery. And over the last couple of decades, the alternate stream of medicine, Ayurveda, has become one of the most sought medical streams across the world.

President Patil Says India Needs a Green Revolution - Again

2009-02-03T16:37:00.001+05:30

President Pratibha Patil recently called on the government to stimulate Green Revolution the second time round so that all of India's growing population will be assured of food security.

Speaking on the occasion of birth centenary celebrations of Siddaganga Math pontiff Dr. Shiv Kumar Swamiji at Tumkur, she called upon the scientists and researchers to find ways to augment agricultural productivity.

President Patil recalled the yeomen services of centenarian Dr. Shiv Kumar Swamiji in providing food shelter and education to save thousands of children from underprivileged families for several decades.

The President also applauded the contribution of Swamiji in starting 45 educational institutions all over the country.

She advocated a fresh look by the government at the population policy, citing China's example.

"As China has stabilised its population, it is expected that we will surpass the population of China. Therefore, we may need to look at our population policy. To feed this population, steps must be taken to ensure that food availability is increased and that can only happen if food production and productivity are augmented," she said.

"Productivity can be enhanced by making available to our farmers better seeds, necessary irrigation facilities and marketing linkages. Scientists must constantly work with farmers to acquaint them with better agricultural practices and at the same time our research efforts in the field of agriculture must continue," she added.

OBAMA - HEALTHCARE MESSIAH FOR THE USA

2009-02-03T16:02:00.003+05:30

On Wednesday, the 5th of November, several nations of the world awoke to a change unprecedented in history. The Americans, on the other hand, were winding up after a long day. Many of them could not go to sleep. They were listening with bated breath to the biggest bedtime story ever—of a Black man, Barack Obama, who was just elected as the president of the United States of America.
Obama has promised change - for the people of America and in America’s approach to the rest of the world. In the realm of health he has come forth with a plan that, he believes, would ensure affordable health care options for all.

Health Insurance

The primary goal of Obama’s health care plan
is to provide every American with health insurance coverage through public or private means. He wants health care coverage for all Americans that is portable, that favors patient’s choice of doctors and care (without governmental interference) and that would make insurance companies increasingly accountable.

Some of the features of Barack Obama’s health insurance plans are listed below.

• Provide every American, (regardless of pre-existing conditions) health insurance that is affordable

• Ensure that insurance companies cover pre-existing conditions to enable all Americans to get health coverage through fair and stable premiums.

• Provide health insurance that is portable (the insurance remains even if a person changes/ loses his job)

• Mandatory medical health care coverage for children

• Federal public health insurance program for individuals or businesses who are devoid of other health coverage.

• Set up a “National Health Insurance Exchange” to act as a watchdog group for private insurance. The role of this group would be to create standards and make coverage more affordable.

The annual cost estimates for his program is $50-$65 billion. Obama hopes to finance his plan by rolling back Bush’s tax cuts for the rich (those making more than $250,000).

Medical Expenses

Health care experts have opined that Obama’s reforms will save businesses $140 billion and the ordinary American family $2,500 in premiums, annually. The president-elect plans to avoid wastes in the health care system, and provide health coverage to all Americans, in order to bring down the expenses of uncompensated care.

He also proposes to cover some expensive cases and reduce the burden of employers. The employers then are expected to use the savings to reduce the health insurance premiums of their employees.

Some of the other measures towards cost cutting include:-

• Provide easy access to programs that help in managing chronic conditions.

• Conduct programs for cancer screenings, smoking cessation, and others with the help of insurance plans that are federally supported.

• Update health-related IT (Information Technology).

• Ensure transparency. Hospitals are expected to be open about safety, quality and costs of the health care provided.

Drugs

Barack Obama plans to use the bulk purchasing power of the federal government to negotiate for prescription drugs to be bought at a lower rate. He plans to bring forth programs to use more generic drugs. He hopes to encourage generic drugs to enter the market quickly and also looks forward to boosting competition in the drug and insurance markets...

Police hope to settle Hyderabad blasts case

2009-02-03T15:09:00.003+05:30

The Hyderabad police hope to finally crack the August 25, 2007 twin blasts case in the city. Three Indian Mujahideen operatives who were arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in October 2008, have been brought to Hyderabad for interrogation after they claimed that they had planted the bombs at Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat. Aniquee Shafiq Syed, Akbar Ismail Choudhary and Ansar Ahmed Sheikh of Indian Mujahideen will be produced in the Nampally court and taken into police custody by Andhra Pradesh's anti-terror unit - Octopus. According to the Maharashtra ATS, Riyaz Bhaktal sent the bomb to Hyderabad by paying some money to the driver of a Pune-Hyderabad bus telling him that his brother would collect the parcel. Aniquee and Akbar collected the parcel and the duo stayed in the city for over a month to finalise things while posing as students. The police believe that it was Riyaz Bhaktal alias Roshan Khan who planted a bomb at Gokul Chat while Aniquee planted the bomb at Lumbini Park. A third bomb planted by Akbar Ismail at Dilsukhnagar did not explode. The Gokul Chat blast killed 32 people while 10 people died at Lumbini Park.

Why do some people never seem to get fat?

2009-01-23T15:28:00.002+05:30

The UK is a country obsessed by the threat of obesity. As the average person's weight has grown, so has coverage of the subject.

The chief medical officer for England, Sir Liam Donaldson, has said we are facing an "obesity timebomb". Culinary celebrities like Jamie Oliver have launched campaigns, in homes and school kitchens, to fight the fat war.

Yet the science of weight gain is less straightforward than the headlines sometimes suggest. Why, for example, do some people seem to eat what they like and not put on weight, while others limit their diet yet struggle to shed their bulk?

In 1967, a medical researcher, Ethan Sims, carried out an experiment at Vermont state prison in the US. He recruited inmates to eat as much as they could to gain 25% of their body weight, in return for early release from prison.

Some of the volunteers could not reach the target however hard they tried, even though they were eating 10,000 calories a day. Sims's conclusion was that for some, obesity is nearly impossible.

It was with this in mind that 10 slim volunteers - who were not dieters - convened in more hospitable circumstances, for a recent experiment devised by the BBC's Horizon documentary. The 10 spent four weeks gorging on as much pizza, chips, ice cream and chocolate as they could, while doing no exercise, and severely limiting the amount they walked.

'Friends hate me'

Medical student Katherine Hanan, 21, says she had never dieted or done very much exercise before the experiment.

Pre-experiment, Katherine Hanan: 'I've always eaten whatever I want to'

"I've always eaten whatever I want to eat and I've always been quite slim. I'm really lucky and my friends hate me," she says.

During the study, Katherine and the other volunteers had to eat double their usual amount of daily calories, which varied from 3,500 for the women to 5,000 for the men.

The outcome of the trial could bolster the theories of Dr Rudy Leibel of Columbia University, New York, who believes we all have a biologically determined natural weight which our bodies make an effort to stick to, whether it is fat or thin.

"The body will constantly tend to try to bring you back to whatever your normal body weight is," he says.

But he does not think this is the full story. There are other issues that influence a person's weight.

"Fifty per cent is down to genes and the rest is probably down to environment. If you get the gene for Huntington's you have the disease 100% of the time. That's certainly not the case with obesity."

The four-week eat-a-thon was easier for some than for others.

Volunteer Thomas Patel-Campbell, a keen sportsman and runner, struggled with the cap on physical exertion that was one of the terms of the experiment.

Snacks and puddings

"Eating that much was pretty easy as I'd been eating more than usual in preparation for my run," he says. "I was one of the two who weren't sick at all. What was difficult was limiting myself to 5,000 steps a day.

'I'd eat half a tub of ice cream... a couple of puddings... a pint-and-a-half of chocolate milk'

"The least I did was when I spent a day at home, only leaving the house to go to McDonald's and the shops. Even that was 8,000 steps."

Katherine described a typical day's menu for her while taking part in the study. She made up most of her calorie intake by eating sugary snacks and puddings.

"I'd wake up and have two pain au chocolats plus a large hot chocolate with cream. Mid-morning I'd have a packet of high-fat crisps or a chocolate mousse, sometimes it might even be a small meal. Lunch would be substantial - shepherds'' pie or something.

"In the afternoon I'd eat half a tub of ice cream. At night it would be almost the same evening meal as before except I'd have a couple of puddings. I'd also drink a pint-and-a-half of chocolate milk with… ice cream every day."

Unlike Thomas, Katherine found her body rejected this enforced gluttony - leading her to vomit each week.

And two other volunteers couldn't even get that far - finding they couldn't consume the full allocation of food each day, failing to hit their calorie targets.

Persistent hunger

After four weeks Katherine had gained 3.5kg - almost a 7% gain in body weight. Thomas, meanwhile, put on 5.5kg - a 9% gain in body weight.

Think of it like a thermostat and that each person has a set point

Dr Rudy Leibel

Of the two who struggled to reach their targets, one put on just 0.5kg - a mere 1% gain in body weight, while the other actually saw their body fat percentage go down slightly, despite putting on 5.7kg.

The results highlight the different ways our bodies behave when faced with excess calories.

One expert, Professor Jane Wardle, believes there could be a genetic answer, through what's known as the FTO gene. Adults who have one variant of this gene weigh on average more than everybody else.

Prof Wardle believes the gene can influence appetite, leading some people to not know when they are full. Those without the gene, she thinks, find it easier to say no to food.

"It's kind of effortless because they don't even want to eat. They're not having to exert willpower and self-control whereas for other people, their brain responses to foods that they're exposed to aren't being switched off effectively as a consequence of them already having had enough."

Dr Leibel observes that for some people, such as those who couldn't reach their calorie targets, the appetite hardly fluctuates regardless of how much they want, or are told, to eat.

Muscle not fat

This can work both ways, says Dr Leibel. If someone loses a lot of weight, they often have persistent hunger, even if they are eating enough to sustain themselves.

"Think of it like a thermostat and that each person has a set point," says Dr Leibel. "When it is reduced below that point the body begins to do things that will force it to recover its lost body weight."

And while excess calories can lead many people to put on body fat, one volunteer in the study defied convention by putting on a lot of weight (4.5kg) while his appearance didn't seem to alter. Instead of fat, the weight had gone on as muscle as the volunteer's metabolic rate had risen 30%.

This is another reason, says Dr Carel le Roux, an obesity specialist who oversaw the experiment, why some people appear not to get fat despite eating at lot.

"Studies have shown that this tendency to lay down muscle rather than fat when we over-eat is genetically determined," she says.

For those who did show any signs of having overindulged after the experiment was over, they soon got back to normal, and not through a rigorous diet and exercise regime. Thomas found it happened easily.

"After the first week," he says, "my trousers fitted almost as well as before, and it didn't take long for my belts to be back to the right button hole."