India News: September 2007

Rain mars first India-Australia ODI
Sunday, September 30, 2007 | MP

Bangalore, Sept 29 (ANI): Heavy showers played spoilsport in the first of the seven ODIs between India and Australia here on Saturday. Chasing a target of 307 runs set by Australia, Indian innings started on a weak note as Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar had to return back to pavilion without even scoring a single run.Tendulkar, who opened the Indian innings with Gautam Gambhir, was declared lbw.India had scored nine runs in 2.4 overs when heavy downpour stopped the play.Earlier, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first, but their innings also started on a shaky note as they lost two early wickets in Adam Gilchrist and BJ Hodge.Gilchrist scored 12 runs before being dismissed by Zaheer Khan. Hodge went out for a duck.However, it was a MJ Clarke who made 130 runs that led Oz to put a target of 308 runs to India.BJ Haddin and JR Hopes scored 69 and 37 respectively.Among the Indian bowlers, S Sreesanth took 3 wickets with an economy of 5.50 runs per over and Zaheer Khan took 2 wickets.Yuvraj Singh took one wicket and Romesh Powar became India's costliest bowler who gave away 50 runs in six overs.This is the first match where ICC's proposed new rules have been incorporated.The rules, which were announced in June by the ICC was planned to come into effect from October 1, but was pushed earlier to avoid mid-series adjustment. According to new rules, an additional fielder will be allowed outside the fielding circle during the second or third Powerplays.If an ODI inning is reduced, the numbers of overs making up each of the three Powerplays shall be reduced proportionately, and if a bowler bowls a front foot no ball, the following delivery will be deemed a free hit and the batsman cannot be dismissed by the bowler from that delivery and could be only declared run out.There will be a mandatory change of the ball at the start of the 35th over of each innings with the replacement being a clean used ball. (ANI)

Himachal hydel projects pose threat
Sunday, September 30, 2007 | MP

Kullu (Himachal Pradesh), Sept 29 (ANI): Around 40,000 fishermen harvesting trout fish in Himachal Pradesh face a threat to their livelihood with the State Government giving a green signal for the construction of several hydel projects.Himachal Pradesh is fast emerging as a major power-producing State in the country. While these projects usher development and economic prosperity in the State, the trout fish farmers near the riverbeds pay a heavy price."The fish farms are there in small water bodies. Now, the hydel projects being set up are a big threat to the fish farms. Fishes use water bodies as breeding and feeding grounds. Because of the project, these water rivulets will no longer exist and thus adversely affect the population of the fishes," said R K Korla, Deputy Director, Fisheries, Himachal Pradesh Government.The Indo-Norway Trout Fish Farm at Patlikuhl is one such farm in danger of losing out to a hydel project.This farm was set up with the help of the Norwegian Government, with fish eggs being brought from Norway.The trout produced here is just as famous as the Kullu trout. It is supplied to other states as well and is one of the major revenue generators for the State.The Indo-Norway Trout Farming Project started production in 1990 and earns revenue of around Rs 4.7 million annually.With the setting up of a hydel project in the stream where the fish for the farm are bred, the project deal will stand nullified and a dozen farmers will lose their means of livelihood. Amarjeet, a fish farmer, said the Government wants to bring up hydel project in place of four-five villages and four fish farms.“We have invested Rs 12-15 lakhs (Rs 1.2-1.5 million) in fish farms and each farm employees around 10-12 people. Now, the government wants to take away the livelihood of so many people," said Amarjeet.The State Government has approved various hydroelectricity power projects to be built on the streams, where the trout fish farms exist, after a 'No Objection Certificate' was obtained on August 30. (ANI)

Himachal villagers flee their homes
Sunday, September 30, 2007 | MP

Shimla, Sept 29 (ANI): Residents of Dharla village, about 185 kilometres from Shimla, near where at least 53 people were killed recently in a landslide caused by a cloudburst, are fleeing their homes to live in forests fearing re-occurrence of cloudburst. The villagers are scared of returning to their homes. Around 53 people in the Bhavi village were reported dead on August 14 after a cloudburst caused a landslide. Many of the victims were labourers working at the construction site of a hydroelectric power station in the area. Today around 400 residents of Dharla, a village near Bhavi are staying in forests due to the fear of another cloudburst. Although no official forecast about a cloudburst has been made, the locals say their deity "Sapara Nag" has issued them a warning. "We have been staying here in the forests. Our deity has asked us to leave our homes and stay here. We have been warned that otherwise something inauspicious might happen," said Kamla Nand, a villager in Dharla. Living in makeshift tents in the forest areas, villagers are going about their daily chores with great difficulty due to cold weather conditions. At an altitude of around 8000 feet, the villagers are without adequate facilities. "We cannot stay in the village. Landslides have taken place there and the ground has settled some 3-4 feet below the existing level," said Surinder Singh, a resident of Dharla, now living in forest. A cloudburst is extreme rainfall, sometimes mixed with hail and thunder, which normally lasts no longer than a few minutes, but can create minor floods. Cloudbursts descend from very high clouds, sometimes as high as 15 kilometres. There is no clear scientific cause behind cloudbursts. (ANI)

Delhi Myanmarese urge India to intervene
Sunday, September 30, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 29 (ANI): Hundreds of Myanmarese students gathered here on Saturday to protest against the military junta in Myanmar, and urged New Delhi to intervene, as fresh protests led by Buddhist monks were witnessed today in Yangon.Buddhists monks in Myanmar are protesting for restoration of democracy and an end to the military government in Myanmar.Nine protesters were killed in Myanmar's main city, Yangon (known earlier as Rangoon), on Thursday when soldiers and police fired on crowds protesting decades of military rule and economic hardship."They are killing the Buddhist monks and they are killing the students and all activists, that's why we want to show our solidarity to the movement inside Burma (Myanmar). And also we want to ask the Indian government and Indian people to help us to stop this in Burma (Myanmar)," said Thin Thin Aung, a protestor in New Delhi.India shares a 1,645-km long border on its east with Myanmar. Although New Delhi initially supported Nobel laureate Aung Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, it changed its strategy in the early 1990s to court the military regime in what is seen as an effort to counter rival China.United Nations envoy Ibrahim Gambari travels to Myanmar today carrying worldwide hopes that he can persuade the ruling military to use negotiations instead of guns.The current protests in Yangon started in reaction to shock fuel price hike and have swelled into a mass uprising against 45 years of military rule led by monks, the moral core of the Buddhist nation. (ANI)

Left hardens stance on N-deal
Sunday, September 30, 2007 | MP

Kolkata/New Delhi, Sept 29 (ANI): The CPI (M) on Saturday reasserted its tough stance over the Indo-US nuclear stating that the party would not 'compromise' on it.Veteran CPI (M) leader Jyoti Basu, who chose to keep the answer on Left's withdrawal of support to the Congress-led UPA government open-ended, spelt out the tough stance of the party today."We cannot compromise. Let us see what the Congress does and then we shall take a decision," Basu told reporters after attending his party's Central Committee meeting in Kolkata.Basu had recently echoed incumbent Chief Minister of the State, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's view that nuclear energy is crucial for the country.The tough stance from the CPI (M) comes a day after the politburo meeting of the party, where reportedly the hard-line stance opted by party's general Secretary Prakash Karat prevailed over the soft stance put forward by Bhattacharjee and other leaders from West Bengal.Basu also said that External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee who is the convenor of the UPA-Left committee on the nuclear deal had spoken to him on the issue on Friday."I have told him (Mukherjee)...You will be present there. But we cannot compromise," Basu said ahead of the next week meeting of the UPA-Left committee.According to reports, Karat has issued an 'equal evil' principle to counter both the Congress and the BJP. According to the new principle, both communalism (BJP) and imperialism (close ties with the US as pursued by the UPA) are Left's greatest enemies and that the party have to maintain an 'equidistance' from both.This new principle and Karat's note on nuclear deal along with the issue of supporting the UPA government will be discussed in the three-day long Central Committee meeting, beginning this Saturday.Meanwhile, the US has said that it is ready to implement the nuclear deal with India, once New Delhi expresses its readiness."We will deal with it in terms of the opportunities that are there when India is ready to move forward," US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher, told reporters in New York.Replying cautiously, Boucher said that Washington understands the situation in New Delhi as Indian Prime Minister is answering questions, which have been raised in its domestic political system.Boucher also refused to spell out a timeline for the deal saying, "We did talk about the steps down the road, but we'll leave it to the Indians to work their way through the current political discussion in Delhi." (ANI)

Kashmir farmers reap bumper paddy crop
Sunday, September 30, 2007 | MP

Srinagar, Sep 28 (ANI): Farmers in Jammu and Kashmir are reaping a bumper paddy crop following timely rain and no outbreak of diseases this year.The State Agriculture Department has predicted that the production used amount to 4,75,000 metric tonnes of paddy."We are expecting that the paddy crop will cross the target we have set this year." said Gulam Haider Bhatt, Director, Agriculture Department.Farmers, who have suffered heavy losses last year due to floods and various diseases, say they have been eagerly waiting for the harvesting season to begin this year."We plant it during May-June and then we wait for the day when we will reap it and take it home," said Shaukat, a farmer."This year the crop is very good in comparison to last year, that's why we are happy", said G.M. Shah another farmer.The harvesting season of paddy in Kashmir starts from the end of September. (ANI)

Naga youth get leadership training
Sunday, September 30, 2007 | MP

Kohima, Sept. 29 (ANI): The young men of Nagaland are enthusiastically participating in a training programme designed to bring out the leadership qualities among them. The training classes are being organised by the Students Mobilization Initiative Learning through Exposure (SMILE).Akali, a regional coordinator of SMILE said that the main objective of the training programme is to encourage the young people of the north-eastern State of India to articulate their aspirations. "Many of the youth's voices are unheard. We want the youth to come up and say this is what we want. Through this process, we want the youth to be the agents of change," said Akali, Suraj Sapkota, Nagaland Nepali Baptist Church Association, Youth Chairman said that the event saw the participation of enthusiastic students and professionals. "For the people of Nagaland, these initiatives in leadership training, positive thinking and free exchange of ideas is novel and widely welcomed. The state is stepping into a new era of political, social, economic and cultural development and such seminars ready the youth to take up the reins of the future," said Suraj. Today's youth are keen to be trained as professionals whether in the field of sports or in any other arena. Rebecca, a student said, "In my opinion, I would like to encourage good leadership. The leader should have patience. He should be open, he should know the situation and he shouldn't be self centered." Nagaland society is in a state of flux. A state which has been the victim of violence for decades is now waking up to the joys of peace. "Such training will broaden their mind. They can contribute to the society, bringing social harmony and peace ", said Akokla, a youth coordinator of SMILE. The prevalence of normalcy has opened up window of opportunities for the youth. They want to be the arbiters of their own future, they want leaders who are modern in their thinking, in their ideology and they want leaders who think beyond region and tribal identity. John, a state coordinator of SMILE said, "We want the youth to promote peace and harmony.” Rebecca, added, "We bring together different cultures and youth from all over the north east.” Nagaland wants to put the pangs of violence behind them. They want to play a new theme which is in tune with changing political and economic environment of the state and the country. (ANI)

Gandhi statue at Nevada gaining support
Sunday, September 30, 2007 | MP

Nevada, Sept.29 (ANI): The push for Gandhi monument in the state capital Carson City and Gandhi statues in Las Vegas and Reno is gaining more support among Nevada clergy. According to Rajan Zed and Gene Savoy Jr., coordinators of Gandhi Monument Council of Nevada, this issue was discussed at the interfaith clergy luncheon held at Unity Ministry of Reno on Thursday and it received widespread support. The Council will meet Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons in the near future to urge him to establish a Gandhi Monument near the State Capitol in Carson City. It will also make representations to the mayors of Las Vegas and Reno to erect one life-size statue of Mahatma Gandhi in their respective cities at suitable place. The purpose of this Council; formed of Christian (various denominations), Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Bahai, Native American, etc., clergy of Nevada; is to commemorate Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence, his commitment to world peace, and his work for the upliftment of the downtrodden. (ANI)

Theatre grp spreads awareness on social evils
Sunday, September 30, 2007 | MP

Chandigarh, Sept 29 (ANI): Theatre groups in Chandigarh are using the medium to spread awareness about evils like dowry, illiteracy and HIV/ AIDS. They seek to promote theatre as a medium of social change. The theatre group has been raising issues concerning the society for the last three decades. The latest issue they are focusing through “Theatre Lab” is the evils of dowry. "My plays are on social issues. My plays on comedy carry a social message. The same are the plays on patriotism which carry a social message. Theatre is a medium that has great impact on viewers. Watch any movie and you forget it in few days, but one can cherish the live stage performance for years. If it's a good performance, it makes an immediate impact," said Umesh Kant, Director of the Theatre Lab. There's no need for curtains as the theatre artists are out in public places to raise social ills such as tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and the spread of epidemics like HIV/ AIDS. These artists are from the Chandigarh Institute of Performing Arts (CIPA), a leading cultural organization. The group organizes plays frequently in gardens, educational institutions and markets so as to target larger audiences. International recommendation is helping the theatre groups to work more efficiently. Shyam Juneja, Director of the CIPA, said, "We are affiliated to UNESCO and we have been receiving their programmes regularly. We staged a play on AIDS, environment and pollution. We are now preparing a new play based on surrogate advertising because on one hand, we are doing advertisements on cigarettes and wine and on the other, we say no to its consumption." `Kesro' is a popular Punjabi play, thriving on the potent theme of female adult education, depicted explosive truths about the institutionalized perpetual exploitation of illiterate rural folk by the cunning. Simultaneously, the play offered a veritable analysis of the multifarious social evils, orthodox approach and lapses in governance, all laced with the crisp dialogues with rural sensibility. Many say theatre is a dying art, which is not true. It is leading towards a new dawn by raising social ills. (ANI)

Don Bosco Society gives missing kids a better life
Sunday, September 30, 2007 | MP

Chandigarh, Sept. 29 (ANI): Every day thousands of children are reported missing and many are never found. Don Bosco Navjeevan Society in Chandigarh, a society of like-minded individuals are striving to make the world a better place for such missing children. They not only trace them, but rehabilitate them and then send them back their homes with the help of information technology. This is how it happens. Brother Pascal is on the look out for another missing boy.Following a tip off from an auto rickshaw driver Rajpal Singh, one of the community members, they have traced a new face in the city - Chhotu, as he is called by all. Chhotu doesn't know where he came from or who are his parents? "We try to take out all the information we try to get it. And through that information we give counseling and try to repatriate the child," said Brother Pascal. Don Bosco Navjeevan Society, with a network in 65 cities, has a vision and mission to help the young at risk. Through its website - www.missingchildsearch.net - it opens a channel of communication between the mission children, the police, the parents and members of the society. Fr. Sebastian Jose, Executive Director of Society said, "Before the internet came into real existence, we used to work through phone calls. If a child says I am from Delhi or run away from Chennai. We forward the details to our stations and ask them we have this child with us can you trace out their parents. But, today with the home link and with the missing child search it is easier for us." The organisation has nearly 28,000 street children registered with it nationwide. The Chandigarh region has 531, out of which about a dozen have been restored to their homes. "I want to study and lead a better life. The sisters take good care of us and I enjoy life with the other children," said Rani, an inmate. Many are being rehabilitated in the centres where all facilities are provided to make them well rounded and confident citizens of the country. "If the child doesn't want to go back home we take them to centers. We send all of them to schools and provide everything like uniform, text books and stationery. The senior boys and girls who do not want to got to schools are given technical (vocational) training. There is still a third category for the boys and girls who are working." Some children are abandoned, others run away from home, some are even trafficked. It is widely believed that one child go missing in India every 30 seconds. Organizations like Don Bosco Navjeevan Society have taken a giant step. Others too can join them to give the innocents a better life. (ANI)

Sunita Williams arrives in Delhi
Sunday, September 30, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept. 29 (ANI): American Indian astronaut Sunita Williams arrived here today, months after completing her successful expedition aboard the space shuttle "Discovery".Williams arrived here after attending the concluding session of the 58th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Hyderabad. She was given a warm welcome by her fans and American Embassy officials. During her six-day stay, Williams will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. She is also scheduled to meet other prominent personalities. On Monday, Williams will interact with school children and share her experiences as a space traveller.Williams reached Ahmedabad on September 20. She visited her ancestral home in Jhulasan village in North Gujarat’s Mehsana District and Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. Her last visit to India took place in 1998, when she accompanied an urn believed to contain the ashes of India-born astronaut Kalpana Chawla. (ANI)

Mauritius supports India's bid for UNSC seat
Sunday, September 30, 2007 | MP

New York, Sept 29 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said that Mauritius has extended support to India's bid for a permanent seat in theUnited Nation Security Council (UNSC)."Not only for permanent membership of India in the Security Council, but he has also extended his support for the post of Secretary General of Commonwealth, as Mauritius is a Commonwealth member," Mukherjee said after meeting Mauritian Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam in New York.The 15-member Security Council, the most powerful U N body that can make mandatory decisions on war and peace, has five veto-bearing permanent members named when the United Nations was created in 1945.The permanent members are Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. Ten other countries rotate for two-year terms according to regions.Mukherjee also met his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Aboul Gheit.Mukherjee, who is accompanied by foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon, is in New York to attend the United Nation's General Assembly. (ANI)

Yellojobs.com starts direct relationship with users
Saturday, September 29, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept. 29 (ANI-Business Wire India): Yellojobs.com has announced commencement of direct relationship with users for their Indian job portal. The service that was available on NDTVjobs.com would now be available on Yellojobs.com directly.Dr. Andreas Koestler, CEO of Yellojobs.com said, "Yellojobs.com has revolutionized the world-wide job market by introducing our patented 'Referral Recruitment' model. We have achieved tremendous success in India and will continue to focus on the Indian market. We have recently launched in Thailand and are extending our services to many more countries around the world."Yellojobs.com has come a long way ever since it was launched. It had introduced a concept called 'YelloRewards', which is a financial remuneration that is paid to anyone who refers his friends for jobs. The site has over Rs. 20 crores to be given away against thousands of jobs with YelloRewards."NDTVjobs.com has been a very fruitful marketing alliance with NDTV and served the mutual purpose of getting a heads up in the internet jobs space in India. The entire site is fully created, owned and managed by Yellojobs.com. We've pioneered to start a public referral system for recruitments and received an extremely encouraging response from users on YelloRewards. This is yet just the beginning since there's a lot more to come that will add value and excitement in recruitment processes,” said Vikramjit Singh Sahaye, GM (India) for Yellojobs.com.This move also ends the year long relationship with NDTV. (ANI)

Australians eager to salvage its pride
Saturday, September 29, 2007 | MP

Bangalore, Sept. 29 (ANI): Australia’s stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist has said that injury-hit team is ready to salvage its pride and prove their status as world champions in the first One-day international against India."We have got very good squad which we are relying on. We've made six changes for our first one-day international since the World Cup final," Gilchrist said. Gilchrist said that his men would be fired up following the comments made by some of the Indian players during their Twenty20 clash."Over the years we've shown that we have great depth. We'll be able to put out a team that will be able to win the game, provided we play not on emotions but on skills. And I think our skill level is par with any team in the world," Gilchrist added.Australia, who has not played a 50-over match since winning the World Cup in the Caribbean, will face Twenty20 World Champions India today in the first of the seven match series.Gilchrist will lead the team today as regular skipper Ricky Ponting recovers from a hamstring injury.Ponting is expected to return later in the series but injuries will provide newcomers the opportunity to help avenge their Twenty20 semi-final loss to India.Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, on the other hand, told India to forget their Twenty20 World Cup triumph and refocus for the seven-match one-day series against Australia. "I think it is of the past that we have won World Cup. We have to start with a fresh series. We are looking for some tough series ahead," said Dhoni.Dhoni is confident that the return of batting stalwarts Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly would ease the pressure on him after steering a young side to Twenty20 glory in South Africa."It's a big advantage to have the three players, wherever you turn you can look for help," Dhoni said.Dhoni called for a balance between experience and youth, dismissing frenzied debate on whether members of the Twenty20 squad should be chosen to play ahead of the 34-year-old trio Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly.Nine Twenty20 squad members are in the team for the first three games of the series, including left-arm pacer Irfan Pathan and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh who were dropped after the World Cup. (ANI)

Prez inaugurates 150th yr celebrations of YMCA
Saturday, September 29, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 28 (ANI): President Pratibha Patil today inaugurated the 150th anniversary celebrations of the YMCA.In her address, Patil said, “Government efforts need to be supported by voluntary agencies and civil society.”“Projects of NGOs should be designed so as to make communities more productive and to make individuals self-reliant,” Patil said, adding “The motto for NGOs should not merely be to give crutches to the less privileged but to make them independent, with capacities and skills that enable them to participate confidently in all activities of life.”NGOs should continue to work with communities to mitigate the tragedies caused by natural disasters, she said.Lauding the efforts of the YMCA, Patil said: “I understand that the YMCA Movement in India has 556 affiliated local associations with a membership of around 200,000, comprising both men and women. They can play an important role in development activities. The completion of 150 years, being an important landmark for the YMCA, should encourage the organisation to take up new challenges in the years to come.” (ANI)

Central Park Estates for Central Park-II in Gurgaon
Saturday, September 29, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 28 (ANI/Business Wire India): In response to the rising demand for luxury homes, Central Park Estates has come up with Central Park -II in Gurgaon. The global trend of moving into luxury homes equipped with world-class amenities has caught on in a big way among Indian corporates, moneymakers and the movers and shakers. One of the most premium and lavish housing complex is Central Park-II, situated at Sohna Road in Gurgaon - the fastest rising hub of Indian Capital. It is built on 50 acres of area comprising 1705 homes to be developed in 5 phases. It has been master planned by the world's largest architectural and engineering firm - HOK (Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum) International Limited. Each apartment here is designed to offer plenty of open spaces for utmost opulence. A lush 20 acre Central Green Vista along with water bodies, jogging tracks, walking trails, shopping arcades, club houses, spa and fitness centres, swimming pools & tennis courts complete the experience. Landscaping is done by world renowned Green Architects of Thailand.Apartments are available in 3 and 4 bedroom options with super area from 2350 sq. ft. to 3820 sq.ft. The entire structure is earthquake resistant, complying with Seismic Zone V Design requirement. There's a maximum Security control ensured with use of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Device) and a Multiple Stage Security System.As the company spokesperson says - "Behind Central Park-II, is the rapidly rising demand for ultra-luxurious world-class homes. Today, high costs don't matter to those who have a taste for the finer things in life, just why we developed Central Park-II. It is much more than just a housing complex. It's a promise to offer Fine Homes for Fine Living." (ANI)

Nation celebrates Bhagat Singh's birth centenary
Saturday, September 29, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 28 (ANI): The nation today commemorated the birth centenary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.A special two-day long programme is being organised in Amritsar beginning today. The Sikh holy city has been decorated and illuminated to mark the birth centenary celebrations of Bhagat Singh.Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh who was expected to attend the big event had to cancel his visit following his doctors’ advice. Singh is recovering from the prostate gland surgery, which he underwent last week.Bhagat Singh's relatives from the world over participated in the procession that started from his native village of Khatkar Kalan in Punjab's Nawan Shahr District.Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni and chief ministers of Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand were expected to attend the event.A rally jointly organised by Shaheed Bhagat Singh Naujwan Sabha, Punjab and Punjab Students Federation was inaugurated by Bhagat Singh's nephew Jagmohan Singh.In his address Jagmohan Singh gave an insight in to the personal life of Bhagat Singh and how he became a revolutionary from an impulsive youth.As a child, Bhagat Singh was deeply affected by the 1919 Jalianwala Bagh Massacre, in which British forces mercilessly killed hundreds of men, women and children on orders of General Dyer on April 13, 1919.At the age of 13, Bhagat Singh actively participated in the Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920.He was hanged for shooting a British police officer in response to the killing of veteran social activist Lala Lajpat Rai. (ANI)

Bangkok meet to transform investment in N East
Saturday, September 29, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 28 (ANI): Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DONER), Mani Shankar Aiyar, today said that the forthcoming traders meet in Bangkok would help in transforming the business scenario in the north east States of the country.At least 154 Indian businessmen and around 209 Thai business leaders are expected to participate in the "North East India Trade and Investment Opportunities Week" in Bangkok, beginning October 1. Aiyar said that the four-day meet would transform the investment scenario in the region.India is seeking investment from Thailand in various sectors that include infrastructure, energy, food processing, tourism and hospitality, horticulture, handlooms and handicrafts, rubber and bamboo.The Investment Week is a follow up of the Third North East Business Summit held in April this year in New Delhi, which was attended by over 1000 delegates from India and abroad.A thirty-five-member delegation comprising of Thai government officials and businessmen had already visited Assam, Meghalya and Tripura States, earlier this year, to explore the investment potential in various sectors.External Affairs Ministry will also be holding a high-level meeting on 'Look East Policy' in New Delhi later this month, which will be attended by Defence Minister A K Antony, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath and Aiyar. (ANI)

NREGA extended to other rural areas
Saturday, September 29, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 28 (ANI): The Government today decided to extend the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) to all the remaining districts in the country.The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today. Under NREGA 200 most backward districts were notified on February 2, 2006. Another 30 districts were notified in 2007-08, bringing 330 districts under NREGA, till now.Notified on September 7, 2005 the NREGA aims at enhancing the livelihood security of the people in rural areas by guaranteeing 100 days of wage employment in a financial year, to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.The Act provides for extension to the entire country within five years of its notification on September 2005. As such the Act could have been extended to additional districts by September 2010. However, in view of the potential that the Act has to benefit the rural areas, especially the rural poor for whom it promises a supplementary source of livelihood, it was decided to extend it to the entire country with effect from April 2008, said a Rural Development Ministry release.The universalisation of the Act ahead of the schedule is a vindication of the positive impact it has had on the rural poor and reflects the Government’s unflinching commitment of improving the condition of the rural poor, the release added. (ANI)

India, Nepal to consolidate cooperation
Saturday, September 29, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 28 (ANI): India and Nepal have agreed to further consolidate the cooperation along India-Nepal border to control terrorist and unlawful activities.Monitoring of the border has been necessitated following the agitation in Nepal due to withdrawal of the Maoists from the Nepal Government after the refusal of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to declare Nepal a republic prior to the Constituent Assembly elections slated for November 22. Comprehensive discussion on strengthening security along the border was held during the visit to Nepal of Madhukar Gupta, India’s Home Secretary. Moreover, New Delhi is keen that elements in Nepal should not seek support from elements in India. During the Home Secretary level talks, India and Nepal agreed to further consolidate the cooperation along Nepal-India border in combating trans-border crimes, including trafficking in narcotic and psychotropic substances, human trafficking, circulation of fake currencies, fundamentalism and terrorist activities, a Home Ministry release said here today.While the Indian delegation was led by Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, the Nepalese delegation was led by Nepal’s Home Secretary Umesh Prasad Mainali at the talks held on September 25-26 in Kathmandu.The two sides appreciated the successful outcome of the meeting of the Joint Working Group on Border Management held in New Delhi on July 12-13.It was decided that the Armed Police Force of Nepal and Sashatra Seema Bal will nominate nodal officers to share information about movement of criminals across the borders.A meeting of the officers of the two organisations will be held soon to finalise details in this regard, the release said.It was also decided that senior civil and police officials from the border districts of the two countries will frequently exchange information about criminal activities and any other relevant matters, including the measures that may be required to be taken in the context of the forthcoming Constituent Assembly elections in Nepal.A formal mechanism in the form of the Border District Co-ordination Committee already exists.Gupta conveyed India’s security-related concerns about use of Nepalese territory by elements inimical to India for activities relating to terrorism, smuggling of fake India currency etc.Nepal has assured full assistance and co-operation in this regard, the release said.It was also agreed to develop mechanisms for sharing of real-time information on matters of security concerns.Apart from this, the two sides reviewed the progress in implementation of the decisions taken at the previous Home Secretary level meetings and expressed their satisfaction over the results achieved so far.Both sides noted that meetings of Border District Coordination Committees have been useful and effective for addressing local level issues and information sharing, the release said.They agreed that such meetings should be held more frequently.The next India-Nepal Home Secretary level meeting will be held in New Delhi. (ANI)

Hurriyat finds Siachen trekking tour offensive
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

Srinagar, Sept 28 (ANI): The moderate faction of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) today said that the trekking expedition in the Siachen glacier is 'condemnable'.Chairman of the faction, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, also said that the joint military exercise of the Indian and British troops in the icy heights of Ladakh is also condemnable."Hurriyat Conference and people of Jammu and Kashmir condemn these exercises. These joint exercises can be conducted only in the region that belongs to you, not in Jammu and Kashmir," Mirwaiz said.Mirwaiz said that the three-week anti-terror drill by troops of both countries is in "contravention of agreements."Defence Minister A K Antony had earlier denied that the joint military exercise and the trek were provocative. (ANI)

Flood situation in Orissa remains grim
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

Balasore (Orissa), Sept 28 (ANI): Floods continued to wreak havoc in Orissa on Friday marooning hundreds and thousands of villagers.At least 23 deaths have been reported from 10 districts across the State.The flood situation in Balasore district remained grim with several major rivers flowing above their danger marks due to heavy rains over the past few days.Flash floods triggered by low-pressure in the Bay of Bengal have marooned around 900,000 thousands villagers and caused 13 deaths in the area."Due to the floods everything is submerged. We are walking down to the road to get some relief. All the communication has been cut off to this village. While walking through the floodwaters there is a fear of snakes. Here in our village nobody has got any relief till now," said Ganesh Pradhan, a flood victim.Special Relief Commissioner, Nikunja Sunderay, said that efforts are being made to control the damage caused by the floods."A lot of damages have occurred, but the Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force had swung into action in all these districts and a number of lives were saved," he said.Sunderay added that polythene bags, food packets and other relief material are being distributed to the flood affected villages.According to officials, about half a million people in 610 villages are still marooned and over one million in 2,167 villages are badly affected. (ANI)

Admiral Sureesh Mehta is new chairman COSC
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 28 (ANI): Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, today took over as Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) from the outgoing Chairman General JJ Singh. In a solemn ceremony held in Defence Headquarters today, General Singh handed over the baton of Chairman COSC to Admiral Mehta. A large number of senior officials from the Army, Navy and the Air Force attended the ceremony. (ANI)

India-Pak agree on Iran gas transit fee
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept.28 (ANI): India and Pakistan have agreed in principle to a transit fee for gas crossing Pakistan into India from Iran.Iran says it is ready to sign a seven billion dollar deal for the project when India and Pakistan finally settle on the fee.The pipeline will initially carry 60 million cubic metres of gas daily to Pakistan and India, half for each country. Under the plan, the pipeline's capacity would be increased to 150 million cubic metres at a later date.Iran says it has completed 18 per cent of the work for the pipeline to bring gas from its South Pars field up to Iran-Pakistan border. Pakistan has yet to begin on a 1,000-kilometre stretch of the pipeline to link Iran with India.New Delhi and Islamabad have reached broad understanding on the transportation tariff payable to Pakistan for wheeling natural gas through the 1,035-km pipeline segment in that country."We have communicated to Iran's Petroleum Ministry's Special Representative H Ghanimi Fard and Pakistan's Petroleum Secretary Farrakh Qayyum that we will not be attending the trilateral meeting unless bilateral issues are resolved with Pakistan," the official said. Incidentally, a bilateral meeting of officials from India and Pakistan was scheduled in Islamabad last month, but New Delhi cancelled appearance at the last minute citing "pressing urgencies at home." The bilateral talks were to be immediately followed by trilateral discussions, which were attended by Iran and Pakistan, but not India. Iran had called a meeting of technical experts and lawyers from the three nations during September 24-26 to exchange views on the gas-supply contract that India and Pakistan, as consumers, would have to sign with fuel supplier Iran. Officials of the three countries were to then discuss the issue on September 27. (ANI)

Arjun Singh flags off ‘Azadi Express’ train
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept.28 (ANI): Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh flagged off the "Azadi Express" - the Mobile Train Exhibition from the Safdarjang Railway station here today.The mobile exhibition celebrates the 150th anniversary of the 1857 uprising, the 60 years of India's independence from British colonial rule and the birth centenary of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh."The train exhibits the entire freedom struggle and will tell people across the country how we got out freedom and how to protect it," Singh said.A project of Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), the exhibition will journey throughout the country for eight months and will conclude on May 15, 2008. It will pass through 70 destinations across the country, staying at each place for two to five days.The eleven coach exhibition depicts the 150 years of Indian history by way of photographs, diaroma, cutouts, scrollers and videos.Each of the first eight coaches carries a specific epoch in the freedom movement and is titled as such. They carry exhibits under various themes; Kompany Raj; The Lightening – incidents and events related to Barrackpore and Meerut when Indian soldiers revolted against the British; Fire spreads – reflecting the spread of revolt across northern and eastern India; British takeover – showing the defeat of the revolutionary forces, revengeful British campaign against the leaders and masses who took part in the uprising; National Awakening section depicts the formation of Indian National Congress, Partition of Bengal and opposition thereto, Gandhiji’s emergence on the scene, the draconian Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh incident; Gandhiji leads – depicts the launch of Non-Cooperation Movement and Britishers ruthless repression, Civil Disobedience Movement, Dandi March; Quit India and Azadi sections show the climax of India’s freedom struggle and its culmination into Free India. Last three coaches focus on the new dawn in our national history and march forward to prosperity and the strengthening of a vibrant democracy. It also includes various social movements like the Indigo Farmers issue, Champaran incidents, the rise of the nationalist press, patriotic literature, Bhoodan Movement of Acharya Vinoba Bhave and participation of the women in the freedom struggle.Books, cards and mementos on 1857 and freedom struggle themes will be available at special sale counters in Mobile Train Exhibition. (ANI)

India pushes works on Himalayan border
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

Manali/New Delhi, Sept 28 (ANI): After China intensified works on many infrastructure projects in Tibet and on its side of the disputed 3500-km long India-China border, India has also renewed its thrust in connecting the mountainous terrain with the rest of the country.The Border Road Organisation (BRO), which is in charge of constructing vital transport infrastructure along the country's international borders, will be inducting new state-of-the-art equipment to construct all-weather roads in the strategic areas of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, Rohtang in Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh in the north-eastern part of the country.New equipment is being purchased and more personnel will be inducted into the BRO. This was decided at the recent board meeting of the BRO that was held in Manali in Himachal Pradesh, earlier this weekClose to 12,000 more personnel will be hired by the organisation whose present total strength is 32,000. The organisation hires about 91,000 daily wagers for its construction work, most of which is confined in J and K and North East States, apart from few construction activities that the organisation is currently doing in friendly countries like Bhutan and Afghanistan.The BRO is also working on the restoration of large tracts of the Hindustan-Tibet road, which was undertaken in 1961, a year ahead of the India-China war, under the Project Deepak . Close to 63 crores of rupees have been spent on the project in the last three years. The Government of India has already approved construction of 27 road links along the India-China border at an estimated cost of Rupees 9.12 billion. This was disclosed by Ministry of Home Affairs during the recent session of the Parliament.According to the Defence Ministry, the prime motive behind the thrust on the infrastructure projects along the India-China border is to get those parts of the country connected to the mainstream and help those regions share the economic advancement of the country. “From an internal point of view, and in terms of picking up the economy of the region, especially when the whole of India is experiencing an economic boom, we cannot let these areas fall behind,” Minister of State for Defence, Pallam Raju said after he chaired the Board meeting of the BRO.The project will also meet strategic objectives. During the 1999 Kargil War, Pakistan threatened to cut the crucial link connecting to Ladakh. The BRO is now working on an alternate all-weather route to Ladakh by constructing one of the highest tunnel in Asia near Rohtang pass. The 8.8-km long tunnel in the Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas would help in providing crucial connectivity to Ladakh round the year. Most of the projects being undertaken by the Border Roads Organisation have been delayed due to lack of environmental clearance.Most of which are in Jammu and Kashmir, and are part of the Rupees 1,827 crores special package announced for the State by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. Under the special package announced by the Prime Minster for J and K, BRO is currently involved in the upgradation of 17.25-km long connecting Uri with Line of Control (LoC), double laning of 422-km long Srinagar-Leh road via Kargil and others.Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand follow J and K in number of border road projects delayed due to lack of clearances from the Environment Ministry. Few projects in strategically important Arunachal Pradesh have also got delayed due to the same reason. Sourcing of materials to the project site and limited period of time in carrying out the construction work since most of the areas get covered by snow were also responsible for the deadline of the projects being extended, according to BRO officials. These projects are expected to be completed by 2012-2013. (ANI)

Cockroaches are geniuses in the evening
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

Washington, Sept 28 (ANI): When it comes to its ability to learn, the cockroach is a genius in the evening, but a moron in the morning, say researchers studying its learning ability. The study was conducted by biologists at Vanderbilt University, who have revealed their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “This is the first example of an insect whose ability to learn is controlled by its biological clock,” says Terry L. Page, the professor of biological sciences who directed the project. During the study, which also involved undergraduate students Susan Decker and Shannon McConnaughey, the researchers taught individual cockroaches to associate peppermint, a scent they normally finds slightly distasteful, with sugar water, and caused them to favour it over vanilla, a scent they find universally appealing. Cockroaches in the study were trained at different times in the 24-hour day/night cycle, so that it could be determined how long they could remembered the association. The researchers found that individual cockroaches trained during the evening retained the memory for several days, and the ones trained at night also had good retention. However, the cockroaches trained during the morning were totally incapable of forming a new memory, although they could recall memories learned at other times. “Studies like this suggest that time of day can have a profound impact, at least in certain situations. By studying the way the biological clock modulates learning and memory we may learn more about how these processes take place and what can influence them,” Page says. “It is very surprising that the deficit in the morning is so profound. An interesting question is why the animal would not want to learn at that particular time of day. We have no idea. “The advantage of eyes becoming more sensitive at night is so obvious that people haven’t looked much at other sensory systems. “The fact that our study involves the olfactory system suggests that the circadian cycle could be influencing a number of senses beyond vision.” (ANI)

New e-vision sys for safer night-time driving
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

Washington, Sept 28 (ANI): Researchers from the Department of Computer Architecture and Technology at the University of Granada have created an electronic system that significantly improves driving ability at night using information extracted automatically from night visors. The European Commission for Automobile Industry has revealed in a report that about 42 percent of fatal car accidents happen at night, despite the fact that traffic is 60 percent less during that time. Experts say the high figures are largely due to the reduced visual acuity and field of vision at night as a consequence of the illumination from the headlights of oncoming vehicles. Now, the researchers working in tandem within a European project called DRIVSCO, whose participants include researchers from different countries who work on real-time vision and its application to the car industry, have created this system. The microchip, when installed in a car, makes it easier to extract the information from cameras to elements involved in driving (bends, pedestrians, cars) which might be present on the road. In other words, this system informs drivers by means of visual, acoustic or other signs about the obstacles appearing in their way, making intelligent cars even more sophisticated. Lead researcher Eduardo Ros Vidal said the aim of this chip is to support the illumination of the car, which is insufficient for ideal vision. “Dipped headlights only illuminate about 56 meters when the breaking distance at 100 km/h is about 80 meters,” said Prof Ros Vidal, adding that the system uses two infrared cameras placed on the car, which record the scene even further than the illumination of conventional headlights. The chip extracts information about factors such as movement or depth in real time to improve the detection of specific elements and situations of interest, he said. He said the system also generates information about the depth of the scene in real time codifying the distance of every object – warm colours for close objects (reddish and more dangerous) and cold colours for distant objects (bluish and safer). He added the system also processes real-time movements, indicating the direction in which the object moves in the scene, and how everything changes due to the movement of the car. (ANI)

Castrol Awards for 75 yrs of Indian Test cricket
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

Mumbai, Sept 28 (ANI-Business Wire India): The Indian cricket team's 1-0 triumph in the recent Test series in England could not have come at a more opportune juncture. Not only did it restore the spirits of the players and their supporters after the World Cup debacle, but it was also a splendid commemoration of the 75th anniversary of India's birth as a Test-playing nation.Indian cricket has come a long way since June 25, 1932, when Col. C K Nayudu led the Indian team onto the turf of the Lord's Cricket Ground, to commence the nation's inaugural Test match. The platinum jubilee of Indian Test cricket will be celebrated at the Castrol Awards for Cricketing Excellence Ceremony, to be held in Kochi on Tuesday. The Castrol Awards have been synonymous with Indian cricket since their inception in 1997-98. This year's ceremony will however witness a departure from the usual tradition of honoring Indian cricketers for their outstanding performances in the previous twelve months. Instead, the platinum jubilee of the inaugural Test will be commemorated by felicitating India's greatest test cricketers of all time.The highlight of the function will be the presence of most of the captains who steered and shaped Indian cricket. Former skippers like Nari Contractor, Ajit Wadekar, Chandu Borde, Sunil Gavaskar, Gundappa Vishwanath, Bishen Bedi and Dilip Vengsarkar, to name just a few, will be honoured for their contribution to Indian cricket at the function. Amongst the current cricketers, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag - all of whom have captained India in Test matches, will also be felicitated.As part of the Castrol Cricketing Awards, each year, there is a special Award given away for outstanding performances. Last year's winner was Jhulan Goswami who has just been awarded the ICC Women's Cricketer of the year award. Goswami will attend the function in Kochi. This year, the Outstanding Performance award will be given away to Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team for their victory in the T20 World Cup. (ANI)

NRI’s carbon nanotube to repair cracks in aircraft
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

Washington, Sept 28 (ANI): An Indian origin researcher at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has developed a novel technique to identify and repair, small, but potentially dangerous cracks in aircraft wings, using carbon nanotubes. Prof Nikhil A Koratkar’s method involves infusing a polymer with electrically conductive carbon nanotubes, and then monitoring the structure’s electrical resistance to pinpoint the location and length of a stress-induced crack in a composite structure. Once a crack is located, engineers can then send a short electrical charge to the area in order to heat up the carbon nanotubes, and in turn, melt an embedded healing agent that will flow into and seal the crack with a 70 percent recovery in strength. Koratkar, an associate professor in Rensselaer’s Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, said the majority of failures in any engineered structure are generally due to fatigue-induced microcracks that spread to dangerous proportions and eventually jeopardize the structure’s integrity. The new research will solve this problem, greatly enhancing the performance, reliability, and safety of structural components using real-time diagnostics and no additional or expensive equipment, he said. Prof. Koratkar and his team first made a structure from common epoxy, the kind used to make everything from the lightweight frames of fighter jet wings to countless devices and components used in manufacturing and industry. Then they added enough multi-walled carbon nanotubes to comprise one percent of the structure’s total weight. The team mechanically mixed the liquid epoxy to ensure the carbon nanotubes were properly dispersed throughout the structure as it dried in a mould. The researchers also introduced into the structure a series of wires in the form of a grid, which can be used to measure electrical resistance and also apply control voltages to the structure. By sending a small amount of electricity through the carbon nanotubes, the research team was finally able to measure the electrical resistance between any two points on the wire grid. As electrical current will travel around any crack to get from one point to another, the electrical resistance will increase. The longer the crack, the higher is the electrical resistance between the two points increased. When a crack is detected, the voltage going through the carbon nanotubes at a particular point in the grid is increased, which in turn, melts a commercially available healing agent that was mixed into the epoxy. The melted healing agent flows into the crack and cools down, effectively curing the crack. According to Prof. Koratkar the mended structures are about 70 percent as strong as the original, un-cracked structure – strong enough to prevent a complete, or catastrophic, structural failure. He said the method is an effective way to combat both microcracks, as well as a less-common form of structural damage called delamination. “What’s novel about this application is that we’re using carbon nanotubes not just to detect the crack, but also to heal the crack. We use the nanotubes to create localized heat, which melts the healing agent, and that’s what cures the crack,” he said. According to Prof. Koratkar the method will be just as effective with much larger structures. Since the nanotubes are ubiquitous through the structure, this technique can be used to monitor any portion of the structure by performing simple resistance measurements without the need to mount external sensors or sophisticated electronics, he said. “The beauty of this method is that the carbon nanotubes are everywhere. The sensors are actually an integral part of the structure, which allows you to monitor any part of the structure,” said Prof. Koratkar. “We’ve shown that nanoscale science, if applied creatively, can really make a difference in large-scale engineering and structures,” he said. Prof. Koratkar said the new crack detection method should eventually be more cost effective and more convenient than ultrasonic sensors commonly used today. He said the sensor system can also be used in real time as a device or component is in use, whereas the sonic sensors are external units that require a great deal of time to scan the entire surface area of a stationary structure, adding that the system also features a built-in repair kit. The study, “In situ health monitoring and repair in composites using carbon nanotube additives,” appears online in this week’s issue of the Applied Physics Letters. (ANI)

Pranab meets Palestinian Prez in New York
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

New York, Sept 28 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee met Palentinian President Mahmoud Abbas here on Thursday on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly. During their half-an-hour long meeting, both leaders focused on the peace process in Palestine and the enhancing of bi-lateral relations between the two countries. Pranab assured Abbas of India's commitment in supporting the on-going peace process. Pranab, accompanied by Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon, is in New York to attend the 62nd General Assembly of the UN. (ANI)

Nigeria dumping high-grade lead paint on India
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

Washington, Sept.28 (ANI): A multinational team of environmental and occupational health researchers has reported that Nigeria is dumping consumer paints with very high levels of lead on developing countries like India and China.According to a University of Cincinnati study, researchers analysed lead levels in five colours of paint, from each of five brands, marketed and sold in Ibadan, a city of over two million people in south western Nigeria. Each paint sample was applied in a single layer to a wood block, left to dry and then removed and analysed in the university’s laboratories for lead content.The researchers found that 96 percent of the consumer paints available in Nigeria contained higher than the recommended levels of lead. Bright-coloured paints—particularly yellow, red, and green contained the highest levels. Respectively, lead levels in yellow, red and green paint were 10, six and three times higher when compared with basic white paintAccording to Scott Clark, Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Cincinnati and Sandy Roda, a study co-author who oversaw sample analysis, one paint manufacturer in Nigeria sold high-lead paint in India, but offered a low-lead version in Singapore, a country that enforces a lead standard similar to the United States. Researchers compared the Nigerian paint samples with those sold in some Asian countries, using data obtained by Clark and his collaborators in previous studies. In the September 2006 issue of the journal Environmental Research, Clark reported that more than 75 percent of consumer paint tested from countries without lead-content controls­—including India, Malaysia and China—had levels exceeding U.S. regulations. Collectively, these countries represent more than 2.5 billion people.Although the median lead levels on Nigerian consumer-based paints did not substantially differ from those in Asian countries, nearly all still exceeded U.S. safety guidelines, the researchers said. They further said that increased globalisation and outsourcing of manufacturing has drastically increased the likelihood of products with unacceptably high levels of lead being traded across borders.Researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) and University of Ibadan in Nigeria report these findings in an early Sept. 12 online edition of the journal Science of the Total Environment. Researchers believe the study—to be published in the December print issue of the journal—is the first report of new consumer paint lead levels in Africa. (ANI)

Nigeria dumping high-grade lead paint on India
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

Washington, Sept.28 (ANI): A multinational team of environmental and occupational health researchers has reported that Nigeria is dumping consumer paints with very high levels of lead on developing countries like India and China.According to a University of Cincinnati study, researchers analysed lead levels in five colours of paint, from each of five brands, marketed and sold in Ibadan, a city of over two million people in south western Nigeria. Each paint sample was applied in a single layer to a wood block, left to dry and then removed and analysed in the university’s laboratories for lead content.The researchers found that 96 percent of the consumer paints available in Nigeria contained higher than the recommended levels of lead. Bright-coloured paints—particularly yellow, red, and green contained the highest levels. Respectively, lead levels in yellow, red and green paint were 10, six and three times higher when compared with basic white paintAccording to Scott Clark, Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Cincinnati and Sandy Roda, a study co-author who oversaw sample analysis, one paint manufacturer in Nigeria sold high-lead paint in India, but offered a low-lead version in Singapore, a country that enforces a lead standard similar to the United States. Researchers compared the Nigerian paint samples with those sold in some Asian countries, using data obtained by Clark and his collaborators in previous studies. In the September 2006 issue of the journal Environmental Research, Clark reported that more than 75 percent of consumer paint tested from countries without lead-content controls­—including India, Malaysia and China—had levels exceeding U.S. regulations. Collectively, these countries represent more than 2.5 billion people.Although the median lead levels on Nigerian consumer-based paints did not substantially differ from those in Asian countries, nearly all still exceeded U.S. safety guidelines, the researchers said. They further said that increased globalisation and outsourcing of manufacturing has drastically increased the likelihood of products with unacceptably high levels of lead being traded across borders.Researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) and University of Ibadan in Nigeria report these findings in an early Sept. 12 online edition of the journal Science of the Total Environment. Researchers believe the study—to be published in the December print issue of the journal—is the first report of new consumer paint lead levels in Africa. (ANI)

Ex-CJI contempt case: SC stays sentence
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept. 28 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Friday stayed a Delhi High Court sentencing of four Mid-Day (tabloid) journalists in connection with the ex-CJI contempt case. Justices Arijit Pasayat and P Sathasivam, who heard the matter, admitted the appeal filed by the daily, challenging the Delhi High Court’s order on the sentencing of four senior journalists to four months imprisonment for contempt of court for publishing articles against former Chief Justice of India Y. K. Sabharwal. The apex court appointed senior counsel and former Additional Solicitor General A R Andhiarjuna as Amicus Curiae in the matter. However, the apex court rejected the impleadment application moved by 27 eminent citizens, including senior journalist Prabhash Joshi and social activist Aruna Roy in the apex court in their support.The Delhi High Court had convicted them on September 21. A Bench comprising Justices R S Sodhi and B N Chaturvedi had said: "We feel, in this peculiar case, the contemnors have tarnished the image of the Highest Court, the sentence of four months' imprisonment would serve the justice."The court, however, had directed that they be released on bail in view of the Supreme Court order, asking it to grant them bail after pronouncement of sentence.The court had ordered Resident Editor Vitusha Oberoi, then Publisher S K Akhtar, Cartoonist Irfaan Khan, and Principal Correspondent M K Tayal to furnish a personal bond of 10,000 rupees each and two sureties of the same amount for the bail.Earlier, the High Court, on September 11 had held them guilty. "There is sufficient material to hold them guilty of contempt of court. The Supreme Court judgments have laid down a 'Lakshman Rekha', which the publication has crossed," the Bench said. On August 20, the court had reserved its judgement in the contempt case against the tabloid for a news report alleging that Sabharwal's sons had ties with mall developers who benefited from the sealing drive during his tenure in office.Taking suo-motu cognisance of the articles published in the tabloid, the High Court on May 18 had issued notices to its editor, reporter and publisher. Later, notice was also issued to its cartoonist for making a "caricature" of Sabharwal. (ANI)

VHP protests slander against Lord Rama
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

Bhopal/New Delhi, Sept. 28 (ANI): The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has launched a fortnight long campaign here to protest against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s slanderous remarks against their revered Lord Rama. The protestors distributed copies of the holy epic Ramcharitmanas or Ramayana and vowed to protect Lord Rama's "living legacy.""This protest will travel all over the country and all the members of our organisation and many other Hindu organisations will be a part of this march. We will save the Ram Sethu from destruction," said Mohanand Saraswati, a protester.Karunanidhi, a self claimed atheist, had questioned the existence of Lord Rama, saying it was a fallacy as tall as the Himalayas.Karunanidhi's statement had come amidst a raging row over an affidavit filed by the Centre before the apex court earlier this month in support of the ship lane project, saying that Hinduism's most important texts are not proof of the existence of Hindu gods.The Central Government has since backtracked on the 'affidavit' and sought three months time from the court to file an amended one. Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Ambika Soni also suspended two directors at its Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) while it investigates the lapse."Care will be taken to avoid any injustice being done to anyone. As soon as the findings of the report are made public, action will be taken against defaulters," she said in New Delhi.The government had filed the affidavit in order to defend its plan to build a canal over a bridge-like stretch of sandbank and rock between the Indian and Sri Lanka coasts. The formation is variously known as the Adam's Bridge and Ram Sethu.Hindus have opposed the project, believing the bridge was built millennia ago by Lord Ram, as described in the mythological epic Ramayana. The government however claims that the ocean moulded the structure.The 560-million-dollar Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project is intended to save up to 36 hours of travel time between India's eastern coast and Sri Lanka's western coast.Conservationists say the project will harm marine life and the livelihood of fisher folks. (ANI)

Indian mission in UK to release book on Gandhi
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

London, Sept.28 (ANI): To mark the 138th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, the Indian High Commission in London will release a book titled "Mahatma Gandhi: Images and Ideas for Non-Violence" by Vijay Rana.The book is a remarkable collection of the images of Mahatma Gandhi’s statues, murals, graffiti, wall paintings, posters and puppets. Every photograph is accompanied by Gandhi’s words of wisdom on issues like non-violence, peace, religious harmony, social equality, rural development, economic liberation of the poor and women’s and animal rights. Edited by the London based Indian broadcast journalist and the editor of NRIfm.com, Vijay Rana, the book demonstrates how Mahatma Gandhi is virtually being worshiped around the world and it also presents the entire spectrum of Gandhian thought.The United Nations has decided to observe October 2, as the UN International Day of Non-Violence. The book shows how Mahatma Gandhi’s images and ideas are inspiring people from all over the world to raise their voice against the scourge of war and violence. In many of the anti-war protests in the US, Gandhi's portraits, puppets and placards are now prominently displayed.Many of these images have a remarkable story to tell. The book has two photographs of the peaceful civil resistance of the villagers of Bel’in in the West Bank. Carrying the photographs of Gandhi and Mandela they took out peaceful protests and sit-in on every Friday and finally winning a rare victory, when the Israeli Supreme Court ordered the government to reroute the electric barrier - a small victory of Gandhian methods of non-violence in the violence ridden West Bank.In the Black Valley, Ireland, we find a simple monument of black stone, inscribed with the words of Mahatma Gandhi: "How men can feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow beings." Erected in 1994, the monument reminds us of those millions of people who died of hunger in the Great Irish Famine, 1845-49.When the victims of Hurricane Mitch in Nicaragua began to reconstruct their destroyed village, they sought inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi by painting a huge mural of him on the very first wall they erected. In a crime-ridden part of Granada, Spain, an unknown graffiti artist drew a smiling portrait of Mahatma Gandhi on a village wall as if asking people to shun violence. That’s how the image of Gandhi is being used in various parts of the world. It took more than three years, thousands of e-mails and hundreds of phone calls to collect these remarkable photographs from around the world. These photographers, many of them amateurs, had a genuine reverence for Gandhi and were kind enough to permit the use their remarkable images. By recording the presence of Gandhi in almost all parts of the world, they have helped to spread the message of Gandhi, so vividly spelled out in this book – a world without violence and a society where justice prevailed, where poor had dignity and where different faiths flourished in mutual respect. (ANI)

Campaign on misuse of 'Red Cross' emblem
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

Srinagar, Sept. 28 (ANI): Scores of Red Cross society volunteers kicked off an awareness campaign against the misuse of the 'Red Cross' emblem.The activists are protesting against the widespread abuse of the Red Cross emblem, and said there were separate emblems for various allied medical services.The activists, holding posters and literature on the various signages, went on a door-to-door campaign informing doctors and chemists about the correct emblems for their different services."We are conducting this campaign to tell the medical fraternity that they are doing wrong by using the Red Cross symbol. There is a law against it. According to the 1960 Geneva Conventions Act, the Red Cross sign is only to be used by Red Cross society or the Armed Forces Medical Services. Other people of the medical fraternity cannot use it. There are individual symbols for separate departments of the medical fraternity,” said Ashfaaq Ahmed, an activist. The activists also pasted individual symbols onto the respective places like pharmacy shops and ambulances along with vehicles of medical practitioners to drive home their point.A blue coloured serpentine symbol for ambulance, green one for doctors and so on were pasted by the activists to inform the medical fraternity and refrain them from further misusing the Red Cross emblem.Red Cross emblem is widely misused by medical practitioners and pharmacists across the country and even ambulances and hospitals put up the red coloured cross.The sign of Red Cross on a white background originated in the historic 1863 International Conference in Geneva, when the foundation of the Red Cross movement was laid.The emblem was adopted officially for armed forces medical personnel and for military hospitals to facilitate access of relief workers to the wounded and sick soldiers and for providing humanitarian relief and assistance them.In India, the punishment for misuse of the Red Cross emblem amounts to a fine of 500 rupees and forfeiture of the goods and vehicles on which the emblem has been used without authorization. (ANI)

Arjun Singh to flag off `Azadi Express'
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept.28 (ANI): Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh will flag off the "Azadi Express" - the Mobile Train Exhibition here today. The mobile exhibition, which celebrates the 150th anniversary of the 1857 uprising, the 60 years of India's independence from British colonial rule and the birth centenary of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, will begin its journey from New Delhi. A project of Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), the exhibition will journey throughout the country for eight months and will conclude on May 15, 2008. It will pass through 70 destinations across the country, staying at each place for two to five days.The eleven coach exhibition depicts the 150 years of Indian history by way of photographs, diaroma, cutouts, scrollers and videos. Each of the first eight coaches carries a specific epoch in the freedom movement and is titled as such. They carry exhibits under various themes; Kompany Raj; The Lightening – incidents and events related to Barrackpore and Meerut when Indian soldiers revolted against the British; Fire spreads – reflecting the spread of revolt across northern and eastern India; British takeover – showing the defeat of the revolutionary forces, revengeful British campaign against the leaders and masses who took part in the uprising; National Awakening section depicts the formation of Indian National Congress, Partition of Bengal and opposition thereto, Gandhiji’s emergence on the scene, the draconian Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh incident; Gandhiji leads – depicts the launch of Non-Cooperation Movement and Britishers ruthless repression, Civil Disobedience Movement, Dandi March; Quit India and Azadi sections show the climax of India’s freedom struggle and its culmination into Free India. Last three coaches focus on the new dawn in our national history and march forward to prosperity and the strengthening of a vibrant democracy. It also includes various social movements like the Indigo Farmers issue, Champaran incidents, the rise of the nationalist press, patriotic literature, Bhoodan Movement of Acharya Vinoba Bhave and participation of the women in the freedom struggle. Books, cards and mementos on 1857 and freedom struggle themes will be available at special sale counters in Mobile Train Exhibition.(ANI)

National Policy on Petrochemicals today
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept. 28 (ANI): Minister of Fertilizers and Chemicals and Steel Ram Vilas Paswan will release the National Policy on Petrochemicals here today.The policy is aimed at promoting investment in upstream in downstream industries, increase production and consumption, create infrastructure and promote research and development of plastic and synthetic fibres.The Government has brought out the National Policy on Petrochemicals in order to take advantage of the global shift in demand and production for petrochemicals, to channelise substantial investments in this sector to support the increase demand and to use the growth in this sector as a “force multiplier” for the overall GDP growth. The National Policy for Petrochemicals aims to increase investments in the sector, both upstream and downstream by ensuring availability of raw materials at internationally competitive prices, creating quality infrastructure and other facilitation to ensure value addition and increase exports; to increase the domestic demand and per capita consumption of plastics and synthetic fibres; to increase the use of petrochemicals in thrust areas; to increase the competitiveness, polymer absorption capacity and value addition in the domestic downstream plastic processing industry through modernization, research and development measures and freeing it from structural constraints.It also aims to facilitate investment in the emerging areas of petrochemicals; to achieve environmentally sustainable growth in the petrochemical sector through innovative methods of plastic waste management, recycling and development of bio- photo-degradable polymers and plastics; to promote Research and Development in Petrochemicals and promote Human Resource Development.Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers B.K. Handique, senior officials from the Government and the States and representatives of petrochemicals and plastic industry will present on the occasion. (ANI)

BCCI rises retainership sum for top players
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sep 27 (ANI): The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today announced an enhanced annual retainership amount for the 33 players who have been offered a contract in three categories. The Grade A players will now get Rs 60 lakh, an increase of Rs 10 lakhs from the earlier contract. Grade A includes Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble, Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Grade B, with a retainership amount of Rs 45 lakhs, has VVS Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Wasim Jaffer, S Sreesanth, Dinesh Kaarthick, R P Singh and Virender Sehwag. While Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Ramesh Powar, Munaf Patel, Robin Uthappa, Piyush Chawla and Suresh Raina are in Grade C, which has a retainership of Rs 25 lakhs. (ANI)

PM sanctions grant to kin of fishermen
Friday, September 28, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 27 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today sanctioned a one-time ex-gratia payment of three lakh rupees to the next of kin of each fisherman being held captive in Pakistan. He has also sanctioned an out-right grant of 30,000 rupees for smaller fishing boats, and a grant of five lakh rupees for trawlers to the owners of each boat or trawler seized. A Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) release said the grant is being made to ameliorate the hardships caused due to the continued retention of bread winners in captivity, and to address the livelihood problems due to seizure of boats. The assistance will be provided from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF). The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) will be designated as the implementation agency. The Finance Ministry will also liaise with the implementation agency and the Department of Animal Husbandry to develop a suitable soft loan package for the replacement of fishing craft. The Prime Minster’s relief package will be in addition to all existing benefits, including those made by the Gujarat Government. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had received several representations from Gujarat regarding the problems being faced by the families of fishermen held in captivity in Pakistan, along with a number of memoranda regarding the problems faced by the fishermen community due to the seizure of fishing craft. (ANI)

Orissa reels under floods
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

Balasore (Orissa), Sept 27 (ANI): Orissa is reeling under floods caused by heavy rains over the past few days across the state. The situation in Balasore district continued to be grim for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday with three major rivers still in spate, leaving hundreds of villagers here marooned. Floodwaters have entered the Balasore municipality area and two other urban local bodies of Jaleswar and Nilagiri, inundating low-lying areas and damaging thatched houses. "It is a severe flood situation here. I haven't seen such kind of flood in our area in my lifetime. The government has not provided any kind of help, no relief has been provided to us, no polythene bags, no food, nothing has reached us," said Bhikari Mallick, a flood victim. Flash floods, triggered following heavy rains due to a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal, has forced people to take temporary shelter on highlands in the district. "We are suffering a lot. Our children are hungry. It is raining continuously due to which our houses have collapsed. We are on the road along with our family and cattle, and we have nothing to eat," said Kanchan Mallick, another flood victim. According to officials, about half a million people in 610 villages are still marooned, and over one million in 2167 villages are badly affected across the state. The authorities claimed they were doing their best to provide relief to the affected people. "We have procured adequate quantity of rice (for relief package), and we have completed distribution of three days relief to the affected people that amounts to 6219 quintals. We are in process of distributing balance quantity of relief which is about 10700 some odd quintals for the remaining four days," said Alekh Choudhary Padhihary, Balasore District Collector. Since July, more than 2,000 people in eastern India and neighbouring Bangladesh have been killed by snake bites, drowning, diarrhea and due to house collapses after swollen rivers burst their banks as a result of incessant monsoon rains. (ANI)

Paddy production hits a record in Punjab
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

Ludhiana, Sept. 27 (ANI): Punjab, which is known as the granary of the country, is heading towards a bumper paddy crop this year.The 25.75 hectares of land available for paddy production has registered a rise in its per-hectare production, and the production figures stand at around 15.2 million tonnes.Paddy has started arriving in the markets across the state, with government and private agencies busy procuring them.Mahinder Singh Sidhu, an agriculture and economic expert at the Punjab Agriculture University in Ludhiana, said this season has been very beneficial for farmers despite various concerns."We are facing a lot of problems as far as having a market place is concerned. There is so much produce to be picked up, but where are the markets? And, then the government buys only wheat and rice at the procurement price. But since then, there is a subsidy of about 300,000 million rupees and the produce is sold off within three to four days," said Sidhu.According to sources, about 1,042 metric tonnes of 'sathi' (early maturing) variety of paddy has arrived so far, as against 704 metric tonnes last year.The crop has mainly arrived in Janna, Jagraon, Sahnewal, Machhiwara, Hathur and Samrala districts of the state.Farmers are a happy lot since they are getting between Rs 600 and Rs 725 per quintal for their crop in the market. They say private players entering the fray has raised the prices."Private agencies are giving us Rs 717. I am very happy, and my stock has been sold out at a very profitable rate. And, since the quality of my produce was really good, I got this rate,” said Kartar Singh, a farmer.Despite the jubilation about the bumper crop, tonnes of food grains are still languishing in warehouses waiting to be procured.The Punjab Government has also planned to reduce roughly 100,00 hectares of land under paddy cultivation because it consumes lots of underground water. (ANI)

‘Hotel Ka Guru’ from Travelguru
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

Mumbai, Sept 27 (ANI-Business Wire India): Travelguru, India's largest hotel network and premier travel portal, announced today a new consumer interactive, marketing initiative - Hotel Ka Guru, Travelguru. It introduces a novel approach to customer service. Through this newly launched service, a customer can speak to the 'Hotel Ka Guru,' who is a specialist for the geographical location that the customer plans to visit. They can do so by calling Travelguru's hotline numbers. Each guru is an expert in a specific geographical region, and would provide information to the traveller that is city-specific, down to the micro detail. Here is how it operates: For example, if one is a first- time traveler to Chennai and is seeking details on the best area or property to book a hotel stay, Travelguru's 'Chennai Ka Guru' will provide details on hotels, neighbourhoods, local activities, entertainment spots, eateries, must-see places, and the like. Allowing the traveller to get a quick and relevant overview of the city, the Hotel Guru captures the spirit of each city. The Gurus are packed with fresh perspectives and incisive reviews of the best places to eat, drink, shop and maximize your time spent in the destination of your choice. They have the insider tips that help customers make an educated choice on where to stay.The unique initiative will be supported by print ads to start with, followed by other media. An engaging element of the ads is that the models featured as Hotel Gurus in the ads are real life Travelguru employees.Commenting on the latest marketing initiative, Ashwin Damera, CEO and Founder, Travelguru said, "A key need for an Indian hotel customer is a certain level of service. With our diverse cities and towns, getting tips on the best place to stay in a destination, based on the customer's needs, is a real need. We have invested in training our reservation centre executives and in hiring destination specialists. With years of experience related to specific cities, they provide a higher level of service and deeper insights to our customers. This service will help us provide customers the best hotel or holiday booking experience in India. The marketing initiative-Hotel Ka Guru will support in conveying our service focus and expertise to Indian consumers." (ANI)

Port workers retirement age is now 60 yrs
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 27 (ANI): The retirement age of employees of the major port trusts and dock labour boards has been extended from 58 to 60 years with effect from September 30, 2007, benefiting 66,000 dock and port workers across the country. The enactment of the proposal for enhancing the retirement age came after getting the approval from Union Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister T.R. Baalu. Baalu gave the green signal following the discussions with the representatives of five major federations of port and dock workers on September 12 following which the federations agreed to unilaterally withdraw the two references pending before the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central). The Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) confirmed to the Ministry that the federations have agreed to withdraw unilaterally the strike notice and the relevant dispute pending with the CLC during the conciliation proceedings initiated by it. (ANI)

HCC wins Golden Peacock Award
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

Mumbai, Sept 27 (ANI-Business Wire India): HCC (Hindustan Construction Company Ltd), India's leading construction and infrastructure development company, has won the coveted Golden Peacock Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance for the year 2007. The Golden Peacock Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance has been instituted by the Institute of Directors (IOD) and the World Council for Corporate Governance, UK. It is a self-assessment tool aimed to accelerate organisation's improvement process. The preparation for the award in itself inspires and aligns the entire work force, builds morale and helps companies achieve superior performance.The award winners were selected through an elaborate multilevel and transparent assessment process. The global award jury is chaired by Dr Ola Ullsten, former Prime Minister of Sweden. Members include Justice P N Bhagwati, former Chief Justice of India, Ruud Lubbers, former Prime Minister of Netherlands and Olivier Giscard d'Estaing, founder Chairman of INSEAD. The first level assessment was carried out by a panel of international assessors under the guidance of Pradeep Chaturvedi, the chief examiner. HCC was selected as a winner in the National Category by an eminent jury chaired by Justice P N Bhagwati, former Chief Justice of India and member of the UN Human Rights Committee. The award was received by V P Kulkarni, Company Secretary, HCC, at an award function held in London at the 8th International Conference on Corporate Governance organised by the World Council for Corporate Governance. The award was conferred by Dr Ola Ullsten, former Prime Minister of Sweden. Nearly 35 nations participated in the conference that had a unique theme for businesses - Creating a better world through Corporate Governance. Winning the prestigious Golden Peacock award underlines the high value that HCC places on corporate governance, which leads to a competitive advantage in driving business in today's rapidly changing business world. The goal of improving lives is at the core of HCC's extensive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program as well. The CSR program includes a Workplace Intervention (WPI) program for AIDS awareness, climate change and global warming awareness initiatives, and involvement in health and education projects for the poor and needy. HCC is also a founding company for Disaster Resource Network Global (DRN Global), an initiative of the World Economic Forum, which helps people affected by natural calamities. (ANI)

Chak De’ with Sagarika at Reebok
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 27: (ANI-Business Wire India): Thursday afternoon was the perfect rendezvous when two icons who personify sports - Reebok the world's leading sports brand and Sagarika Ghatge, the player who epitomized competitiveness in the much talked about movie ‘Chak De India’, came together on one platform. The occasion was the spectacular opening of Reebok's First Exclusive Women's World store at DT City Centre Mall, Gurgaon, followed by the grand launch of the all new Women's wear collection from Reebok. Reebok India also announced that Sagarika Ghatge will now be doing a "Chak De" dressing up in the all new Women's collection from Reebok and join the likes of MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan as the new brand ambassador for Reebok. Announcing this, Subhinder Singh Prem, Managing Director, Reebok India Company, said, "We would aggressively be focusing on the women's category and plan to create new product lines and launch women's only stores to befriend our women consumer, there is a need for a brand ambassador who could make a sporty fashion statement and at the same time command a mass appeal. Sagarika is known for her strong sports legacy, she has been a state level champion in athletics and also a hockey player during her school days at Mayo College. She embodies the pulse points of our brand -individuality, authenticity and ideology. " The evening started off with a ravishing fashion show with models sashaying down the escalators along with show stopper Sagarika Ghatge showcasing the occasion usage collection from Reebok. The highlights of the collection were both performance and lifestyle. "The launch of an exclusive Women's Collection from Reebok is a very exciting time for us and marks our foray into the burgeoning lifestyle space. Women today love a sporty causal look and Reebok is best poised to synergize fashion with sports and provide the customer the much desired look and feel. We see a perfect synergy between the brand and Sagarika and we believe that the relationship will go a long way in defining the new line as a perfect range for women on all occasions," he further added. Targeting today's generation the all new Reebok's Women's wear line speaks of comfort, refinement and functionality and at the same time it represents style and charisma for the wearer. While Running, Tennis, Gym wear and Fitness were a part of the performance collection, the rugby collection, classics comprised the occasion usage for street and club, thus showcasing the entire range. Commenting on the association with Reebok, Sagarika Ghatge, said, "I have been a sportsperson myself throughout my schooling in Mayo College and my character in Chak De India also stood for sportsmanship, thus it's easy for me to identify with and truly believe in Reebok's brand philosophy. Reebok appeals to me as a brand that stands for sportsmanship and it's a great privilege for me to be associated with this brand. I look forward to working with one of the most trusted brand names in the country. In fact I am also very excited about joining Reebok Instructor Alliance (RIA) and undergo the fitness training to become a Reebok Fitness Instructor." Reebok has done a series of communication targeting women. First in line was the 'I am More' campaign featuring Hollywood actress Scarlet Johansson. The campaign was carried forward with Indian celebrities like Bani- MTV Roadie, Isha Talwar- Dance Instructor and Tammy- fashion model. Now with Sagarika Ghatge as the brand ambassador for the exclusive women's wear line, Reebok has taken another step in the direction in extending their association with women and help them fulfil their potential both on the field and off it. (ANI)

BCCI VP Shashank Manohar set to take over from Pawar
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 27 (ANI): The Vice President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Shashank Manohar, is all set to take over the board President’s job from incumbent Sharad Pawar in mid 2008. Reports said that Manohar has been recommended to take over from Pawar after the latter assumes charge as the Vice-President of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in July 2008. Another board Vice-President Rajiv Shukla is expected to propose the name of Manohar, one of five vice-presidents of the BCCI representing the five zones, on Thursday. (ANI)

Myanmarese students protest Indian policy
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 27 (ANI): Myanmarese students in India held a protest demonstration here today to oppose New Delhi's policy towards Myanmar, calling it pro-junta and anti-democratic.New Delhi has invested in developing ports, building roads and railways, and is also competing with Beijing for Myanmar's oil and gas reserves. The two countries have also exchanged several high-level visits in recent years.But Myanmarese students said they were opposed to the Indian policy towards their country."India does not care about Burma (Myanmar). India is our big brother, but ignores our crisis. In Burma (Myanmar) there are about 200,000 people, who are fighting against the military government fearlessly, they are defying the General's rule. But India, instead of helping Burmese (Myanmarese) people, is making investment. India is not helping the pro-democracy movement in Burma (Myanmar) but the military junta," said Kim, a Burmese student.Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has called for an early political reform in Myanmar, saying the process of national reconciliation initiated by the authorities in that country should be expedited. "As a close and friendly neighbour, India hopes to see a peaceful, stable and prosperous Myanmar where all sections of the people will be included in a broad based process of national reconciliation and political reforms," said Mukherjee, who is in New York to attend the United Nation's General Assembly. He added that India is monitoring the situation "closely," and expressed the hope that both sides would resolve their issues through dialogues. Mukherjee's comments came after consultations in the UN Security Council and criticism of the use of force by Myanmar authorities against pro-democracy demonstrators staging the biggest anti-junta protests in 20 years. India, along with China and members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), is considered to have some leverage over Myanmar, where two monks and a civilian were reported killed in the protests.A joint EU-US statement issued at the UN earlier called on China, India and ASEAN to use their influence to press the junta to open talks with opponents. India shares a 1,645-km border on its east with Myanmar. (ANI)

GoYaar.com launch social search engine
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 27: (ANI-Business Wire India): GoYaar.com, India's rapidly growing Web 2.0 social networking site, just launched its highly anticipated social search engine and directory for all web content that is Indian.According to GoYaar.com CEO and Harvard, MIT Alum Phalgun Raju, "We wanted to create a one-stop source and social utility to find all online content that is by or for Indians worldwide. What is unique is that you can search both content generated by our users as well as Indian specific external content all at once, in a very structured fashion." Piggybacking on its powerful social networking platform, GoYaar users can now search and share thousands of Indian blogs, audio podcasts, video, music, events, groups, bookmarks, and local business reviews and recommendations with their friends. "Our new search capabilities is clearly filling a great need among Indians to find the content they want and like without trying to hunt it down on hundreds of different sites. We also made sure our search features are tightly integrated with our users' custom profile pages and networks of friends," she added. "For example, let's say you find an interesting article or website: you can add it as a bookmark on your profile and then share with your friends. Any user can then search and vote on whether the bookmark was interesting - that way our content is completely community-generated, where our users decide what is important." In addition to their search engine, GoYaar now also offers sophisticated tools to 'scrap' or message friends. This goes significantly beyond the usual plain text messages users can leave on profiles on other websites. In addition to text messages, users can scrap photos and videos as well. Even better, they can also add an unlimited number of RSS feeds of their favourite blogs, news, or widgets to their profile. "The most popular widgets users add to their GoYaar profile are games," said Raju. "Pac-Man, Suduko and casual games are particularly popular." www.GoYaar.com represents the best of breed in next generation online search and social networking tools to connect people in ways that have never been possible before. Several users were asked what they like best about GoYaar. While the powerful features is what drew them to the site in the first place, they pointed to the high degree of privacy controls on who sees what on your profile, and the growing community of friends, colleagues and batchmates that are joining and interacting. "Indians worldwide are starting to discover the full power and potential of social networking and search in an Indian-specific context. GoYaar is pushing them to world-class one friend at a time," explained Raju. (ANI)

Govt doesn’t wish to curtail IIMs’ autonomy: HRD
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept 27 (ANI): The Centre today dismissed the media reports that said the government is considering finalising a new legislation to control the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry issued a statement saying, “This news item is far from truth and is not based on facts.” Media reports said that the HRD Ministry, headed by Arjun Singh, is considering a legislation specifying the institutes’ financial and administrative autonomy. Terming it as “misleading and mischievous,” the ministry said the IIMs function under their respective Memorandum of Associations (MoAs), and rules and regulations framed there under. “They are societies registered under the Societies Registration Act. The IIMs are public institutions and are accountable to the Parliament. Their accounts are annually audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General and their Annual Reports along with the audited accounts are submitted to the Parliament,” said the statement. It added that The IIMs enjoy “complete autonomy” as regards the academic and matters relating to fees, selection of faculty, introduction of new courses, incurring of expenditure in conformity with the prudence involved in public spending. Pointing out that it is a fact that the three IIMs at Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Bangalore are not dependent on government funds for their day to day operational expenses, it said that this in no way compromises their status of being public institutions. However, the ministry admitted that the government has been examining the issue of bringing the IIMs in the country under an umbrella legislation like the Institutes of Technology Act. “It may be clarified that bringing the IIMs under the ambit of a Central law will in no way alter their accountability to the Parliament or their status of being public institutions, while it will empower the IIMs to award degrees to the students which they are not competent to do so at present. It is also clarified that the Government had stated in the Parliament that it was examining the issue of formulating a legislation for the IIMs on the lines of Institutes of Technology Act and not as quoted in the section of the Press that it was to specify the extent of financial and administrative autonomy of the IIMs,” it said. It went on to say that such a Bill has not yet been drafted, and the question of referring the same to the Law Ministry does not arise. “It is once again reiterated that the government does not wish to, in any way, curtail the autonomy of the IIMs, and the reports appearing in a section of Press are baseless, misleading and mischievous,” the ministry added. (ANI)

Arjun Singh to flag off `Azadi Express' on Friday
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sept.27 (ANI): Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh will flag off the "Azadi Express" - the Mobile Train Exhibition, on Friday.The mobile exhibition, which celebrates the 150th anniversary of the 1857 uprising, the 60 years of India's independence from British colonial rule and the birth centenary of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, will begin its journey from New Delhi. A project of Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), the exhibition will journey throughout the country for eight months and would conclude on May 15, 2008. It would pass through 70 destinations across the country, staying at each place for two to five days.The eleven coach exhibition depicts the 150 years of Indian history by way of photographs, diaroma, cutouts, scrollers and videos. Each of the first eight coaches carries a specific epoch in the freedom movement and is titled as such. They carry exhibits under various themes; Kompany Raj; The Lightening – incidents and events related to Barrackpore and Meerut when Indian soldiers revolted against the British; Fire spreads – reflecting the spread of revolt across northern and eastern India; British takeover – showing the defeat of the revolutionary forces, revengeful British campaign against the leaders and masses who took part in the uprising; National Awakening section depicts the formation of Indian National Congress, Partition of Bengal and opposition thereto, Gandhiji’s emergence on the scene, the draconian Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh incident; Gandhiji leads – depicts the launch of Non-Cooperation Movement and Britishers ruthless repression, Civil Disobedience Movement, Dandi March; Quit India and Azadi sections show the climax of India’s freedom struggle and its culmination into Free India. Last three coaches focus on the new dawn in our national history and march forward to prosperity and the strengthening of a vibrant democracy. It also includes various social movements like the Indigo Farmers issue, Champaran incidents, the rise of the nationalist press, patriotic literature, Bhoodan Movement of Acharya Vinoba Bhave and participation of the women in the freedom struggle. Books, cards and mementos on 1857 and freedom struggle themes will be available at special sale counters in Mobile Train Exhibition.(ANI)

India welcomes tourists on World Tourism Day
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

Agra/Jaipur, Sept. 27 (ANI): Foreign tourists were accorded a traditional Indian welcome on their arrival here on Thursday as part of the World Tourism Day celebrations.Men and women dressed in traditional Indian attire welcomed foreign tourists arriving at the Agra railway station with garlands and vermillion smears.The organiser of the programme said it was an excellent way to promote tourism in the city."Agra is a tourist hub and it is famous for its Taj Mahal which has now become the world's first wonder. So, ultimately the city will face a boom in tourism. We want them to go home with a good image of the country, thus multiplying tourist inflow," said Shamsuddin Khan, President of the Tourist Guide Association, Agra.Tourists said they enjoyed the hospitality and the special treatment."It is just hoteliers and rickshaw pullers trying to arrest our attention and you feel safer and welcomed by them," said Rachel, a foreign tourist.In Jaipur, residents were seen distributing sweets to the tourists."We are very happy that we are here. Everyone is very friendly and the sightseeing is great here. It is absolutely different from Europe," said Valentina, another foreign tourist.Known for such attractions as the Taj Mahal, India has been running a campaign to woo tourists to its grand palaces, golden beaches, ancient temples and wildlife sanctuaries.Since 1980, September 27 is celebrated by the World Tourism Organization as World Tourism Day. The aim of the day is to display awareness that tourism is vital to the international community and to show how it affects the social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide. (ANI)

ISRO to launch Chandrayaan-I moon mission on April 9, 2008
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

Bangalore, Sept.27 (ANI): The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch its maiden mission to the moon, Chandrayaan-I, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota on April 9, 2008. "We are looking for a launch on April nine," Mylswamy Annadurai, Project Director of Chandrayaan-I, said, adding that a launch windows are available for the next two days in case the launch does not happen on that day. ISRO is racing to meet the deadline and plans to integrate all the 11 instruments, including six from foreign partners, on board the mission before the year end. “Two instruments one from the US and another from Bulgaria were integrated last week," Annadurai said.The two payloads which have been integrated are the moon mineralogy mapper, a joint project of Brown University and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Radiation Dose Monitor Experiment (Radom) from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Two more payloads for the lunar orbiter -- the Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar (mini-SAR), a joint project of Applied Physics Laboratory at the John Hopkins University and the Naval Air Warfare Centre, and SIR-2 from Germany's Max Planck Institute. The German payload will be first calibrated at ISRO's Space Application Centre at Ahmedabad before it is integrated with the main orbiter in next 15 days.The mini-SAR will be used to map the lunar polar ice and the data generated from it will help in estimating water content in the moon's polar region. Annaudurai, said that there were very little chances of any change in the launch date. In event of a delay due to problems detected during the countdown, the launch may take place in the next two to three days. In case of more serious problems efforts will be to identify the slots every 14 days and the next probable launch could be on 23rd April 2008, Annadurai said. "We want to make the Chandrayaan operational by July so that we get two full years for all the planned experiments," he said. On Chandrayaan-II, Annadurai said that ISRO would like to accommodate newer international partners in project. "We had selected the partners for Chandrayaan-I purely on merit of the space science expertise offered by them and that will be our criteria once again," Annadurai said. (ANI + inputs)

India's big three will be targetted: Ponting
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

Bangalore, Sept.27 (ANI): Australian captain Ricky Ponting today said that India's cricketing big guns Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly would be targetted by his team during the forthcoming seven one-day internationals in India, beginning with Saturday's one-dayer in Bangalore.Addressing a press conference here, Ponting said that the Kangaroos were well aware of the "strengths and weaknesses" of Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly, and as far the rest were concerned, they would be sorted out. "One thing that stood out from all of us looking at the Indian team at Twenty20...amount of youthfullness they had in the team, giving a nice fresh air," he said.“It's unfortunate that some of the younger guys who were in this team will be making way for senior guys (who are better players) to come back.”"I guess the thing for us is that we played against these guys a lot. Dravid, Ganguly and Tendulkar -- we should know their strengths and weaknesses very, very well. So, if anything, probably it will make it easier for us to prepare to play and with these guys in the team".Ponting, said India would be under pressure."...If there is anything, pressure will probably come back on India," he said, adding, there would be lot of expectations from the Indian team after the Twenty20 triumph."There is no doubt that some of the players will be under pressure," he said.Ponting, said Australia was going into Saturday's game with a positive mindset, adding, the tourists have "lots of plans for individual (Indian) players".According to him, India's win in the Twenty20 world cup is "past" and both teams are now looking forward for the one-day series.Momentum that India currently has can be a difficult thing to stop in the game of cricket but the coming series would start in an even-fight, he felt.He said India deserved to win the Twenty20 World Cup, noting that it had beaten South Africa, Australia and Pakistan."They (India) played great cricket. They deserved to come back as champions. But that's finished now. We got to look forward to the series".Ponting, who suffered hamstring injury in South Africa and was not expected to play the opening games in India, said he has not ruled himself out for the first game on Saturday. (ANI)

Doll making, a new employment avenue in Tripura
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

Joynagar (Tripura), Sept. 27 (ANI): The history of India from ancient times to the present day has been depicted in a collection of dolls put together by Shukla Chakraborty in Tripura.For Shukla Chakraborty dolls were her best friends during childhood and still remain so at 47 years of age but for a different reason. Shukla, who was just a housewife till a few years back, is now a famed entrepreneur in cloth dolls in Tripura.Without any formal training in doll making, Shukla accidentally discovered her passion for making dolls when she had first made one for her daughter's work education project.This encouraged her to make few more. She then displayed them at the Industrial Fair and in which all her dolls were sold at a good price. “I first made a doll for my daughter’s work education which was highly praised by everyone. They asked me to make and display dolls during Industrial Fairs in the year 1997. I opened a sales counter which had a very good response,” she said. She received an invitation from the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi) to participate in fairs held out of the state.Unlike most other cloth dolls made elsewhere in India, the most striking feature of Shukla's dolls remains the faces which are made realistic. She makes the face for the dolls out of a deco-fix, a mixture readily available in the market used for fixing screws in walls. Instead of sewing cloth and stuffing with cotton, the bodies of the dolls are made by wrapping strip of cloth around an iron wire frame. The limbs, fingers and the torso of the dolls are also made of cloth. The fingers are then fixed to the limbs and arms with glue. The accuracy in gestures of the hand and body is provided because of the accurate cloth patterns used for the body of the dolls and the special way the wire frame is assembled. She then fixes appropriate clothing and jewellery to the doll.Her dolls depict different tribes, art and culture of northeast India, Indian classical and folk dances, Gods and Goddesses and costumes from India as well as other nations. The cloth dolls are in high demand not only in the state but also outside. “There is a huge demand for the dolls. We have dolls symbolizing people from all states of India and even different foreign nations,” she said. After participating in different fairs in Guwahati, Shillong, Sikkim, last year, she participated at the International Trade Fair (ITF) in New Delhi, where the sale was very good. This year also she got invitation from the ITF. She has started collecting the dolls. But now she is not alone as many more have joined her. Recently, Shukla trained 50 women at Mohanpur under NEDFI's sponsor, 20 members' team under Arkaneer (NGO). At present 15 women of the Adibashi Mahila Samiti are being trained by her. "I first saw this type of dolls in the Industrial Fair and was interested to learn how to make them. So, I learnt doll making at the Adibashi Mahila Samiti. At present, I am making them here,” said Sarbari Debbarma, a trained doll maker. I earn well, Shukla added. A doll is sold between Rs. 100 to Rs 120. Special dolls like idols of Radha-Krishna are sold between Rs 300-350. Another trainee, Sanghita Barari said that she had a doll in her house and was interested in learning how to make it. After completing her education, she joined Shukla's doll making training centre to learn the process of making the dolls. "Here I can apply my creativity and at the same time I can take this as my source of income. These dolls can be good decorative items and one can offer them as gifts,” said Sanghita. Dolls represent the culture of a nation. The rich cultural heritage of a country over the ages can be vividly depicted through dolls. From ancient times, dolls of various types fascinated children and helped them develop their intellect and imagination.From early times, various materials have been used to make toys and dolls. The oldest toys date back 5,000 years ago. This is evident from the remains collected at Harappa-Mohenjodaro, which date back to the Indus valley civilization.At one time dolls were given away as wedding presents to the child bride. Today, they depict Indian life and culture. (ANI)

Delhi court issues fresh warrant to Abu Salem
Thursday, September 27, 2007 | MP

New Delhi, Sep 27 (ANI): A Delhi city court today issued a fresh production warrant against Abu Salem in connection with an extortion case that was registered in the capital in 2002. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjeev Jain asked the Mumbai jail authorities to produce the extradited gangster in the court on October 15. The Special Cell of the Delhi police has charged Salem and his alleged associates Ishtiyaq Ahmed and Chander Prakash with attempt to extort and criminal intimidation. They are a