CBI will formally object to reporting to new Lokpal - India

31 aug 2011

CBI will formally object to reporting to new Lokpal

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

New Delhi:  One of the major decisions that the government has to make about the new anti-corruption agency - the Lokpal - is who will investigate the complaints of graft filed by the public. While the Lokpal - an ombdusman committee with nine members - will examine the evidence, it needs officers who will do the "field work."

Activist Anna Hazare and his associates have presented their vision of the Lokpal in what they refer to as the Jan Lokpal Bill. They have suggested that the anti-corruption wings of the CBI and the Central Vigilance Commission (the CVC) both be brought under the Lokpal.  The CVC currently checks corruption among government departments. The CBI, sources say, will formally object to this proposal on September 7.

Different drafts of the Lokpal Bill - including Anna's version and another prepared by the government - are being reviewed by a parliamentary standing committee headed by Congress Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Representatives of the CBI will meet this committee on September 7, and will stress that what the agency needs is more independence.  Currently, the CBI - at least on paper - functions with relative autonomy, reporting to the government via the Department of Personnel and Training mainly on administrative matters.

Also, senior CBI officers will say that transferring the anti-corruption wing's officers to the Lokpal will adversely impact the investigations that the CBI is meant to handle.  Currently, the Anti-corruption Wing often teams up with the Economic Offenses branch and the Special Crime Branch, for example.

Manisha Koirala at war with hubby - India

30 aug 2011

Manisha Koirala at war with hubby

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

The actor's status message on Facebook reveals fresh problems with husband Samrat Dahal.

The Ek Chhotisi Love Story actress, who had earlier posted a message on Facebook hinting at a separation now says, "My husband has become my enemy. How much worst can it become for a women?"

According to reports, friends and family intervened after her last tirade on Facebook, convincing Manisha to attribute her status message to "a fit of rage".

In March, there were rumours that the two had made up and were a cozy couple once again, but apparently not.

So if you thought that the veteran actress had had enough of making a scene on cyber space, after retracting her words last time - think again.

Centre picks up Surat for study on effects of climate change - India

29 aug 2011

Centre picks up Surat for study on effects of climate change

Surat: An independent agency appointed by the Union government will conduct a study on climate change and its effects.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Surat in Gujarat and Haridwar in Uttarakhand are the only two cities from India that have been selected for the study.
The cities' adaptability to climate change will be studied apart from inviting suggestions on how to deal with the phenomenon.
The study 'Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation' is being undertaken under the Climate Resilience for Cities of India programme, a Union ministry of urban development initiative. IRADe (Integrated Research & Action for Development), a fully autonomous advanced research institute, will conduct the study. The Union government will bear the expenditure of the study.
"It'll mainly focus on problems that a developing city like Surat is expected to face because of climate change. For example, if unseasonal heavy rains lead to floods, what are the areas that will be most affected. The study will focus on such issues and suggest remedial measures to SMC," said, Jatin Shah, city engineer, SMC.

Beyonce pregnancy announcement - India

28 aug 2011

Beyonce pregnancy announcement

Beyonce and Jay-Z's spawn doesn't even have a name yet, but it was the indisputable breakout star of Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Beyonce stole the show before it even began when she announced on the black carpet that after more than three years of marriage, the dazzling couple had produced the ultimate all-star collaboration. Dressed in a loose fitting, off-the-shoulder red-gown, she clutched the baby bump that so many celeb-watchers had been predicting since the two wed. Her publicist later confirmed the pregnancy.

Seven natural wonders of the world - India

27 aug 2011

The magnificent seven! Natural wonders of the world

The planet has many wonderful assets and there has been no consensus on how long this list should be. We bring you this list of the seven wonders of the natural world compiled by CNN

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Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Aurora
God's spectacular display of light and color, Aurora - also called the northern or southern lights - usually occur in the nighttime in the polar regions. Lights that can be see in the northern hemisphere are called the Aurora Borealis while the southern lights are called the Aurora Australis.
Though the aurora can be seen throughout the year, the greatest chances to experience this celestial show is during the months of March, April, September and October.

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The Grand Canyon
A massive steep sided gorge created by the Colorado river in Arizona, United States, the Grand Canyon was formed over a 5.4 million year period. The canyon is 446 kilometres long, with a width ranging from 7 to 29 kilometres with a depth of almost 2 kms.
Even with such fantastic figures, the Grand Canyon is not the steepest nor the longest canyon in the world, but is recognized as a natural wonder because of the overall scale and size combined with the beautifully colored landscape.

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Great Barrier Reef
The largest coral reef system in the world, the Great Barrier reef is made up of 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres. The reef is located off the coast of Queensland in northeast Australia in the Coral sea and supports one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.

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Harbour of Rio de Janeiro
Located around Rio de Janeiro, the harbour of Rio de Janerio is surrounded by unique mountains and formations. the harbour was created by erosion from the Atlantic Ocean. The Harbour is surrounded by gorgeous mountains that include Sugar Loaf at 1,296 feet, Corcovado Peak at 2,310 feet, and the hills of Tijuca at 3,350 feet.
This harbour falls in the natural wonder category because this one site looks like many different thing depending on where you see it from. Some of the first explorers thought it looked like the mouth of some giant river. The giant mountains by it deceive your eyes to make it seem like a lake. Some of the mountains are low and run straight into the water.

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Mount Everest
The name speaks for itself.
Highest point on the surface of the earth (29,029 feet), located in the Himalayas.

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Paricutin
A cinder cone volcano in Mexico, Paricutin was named one of the seven natural wonders as an active volcano. The volcano has been dormant since the last eruption in 1952.
What is remarkable about this volcano is that it is the youngest volcano in America and its birth was witness by a human being. The volcano began as a fissure in a cornfield owned by a P'urhépecha farmer, Dionisio Pulido on February 20, 1943. Pulido, his wife, and their son all witnessed the initial eruption of ash and stones first-hand as they plowed the field. The volcano grew quickly, reaching five stories tall in just a week, and it could be seen from afar in a month.

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Victoria Falls
Also called the "smoke that thunders", Victoria Falls is a waterfall located in southern Africa on the borders of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Zambezi River serves as the fall's water source.
While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, it is claimed to be the largest based on a width of 1,708 metres and height of 108 meters, forming the largest sheet of falling water in the world. The falls are formed as the full width of the Zambezi river plummets in a single vertical drop into a transverse chasm 1708 meters (5604 ft) wide.

Day 12 unfolds at Ramlila Maidan - India

25 aug 2011

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  Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Anna Hazare, whose fast enters the 12th day today, has clearly stated that to end his hunger strike, Parliament must debate and pass a tough anti-corruption law.

China deploys advanced n-missile on Indian border: US - India

25 aug 2011

China deploys advanced n-missile on Indian border: US

Washington: China has deployed more advanced and survivable solid-fuel nuclear capable CSS-5 MRBM missiles against India as a 'deterrent posture', Pentagon has said warning that a high degree of mistrust continues to strain their bilateral ties.

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Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

The PLA has replaced liquid-fuelled, nuclear-capable CSS-2 IRBMs with more advanced and survivable solid-fuelled CSS-5 MRBM systems to strengthen its deterrent posture relative to India, the Pentagon has said in its annual report on Chinese military build up to the Congress.
The report also says that Beijing is pumping in huge investments on border infrastructure developments laying more roads and rail network along the Sino-Indian border.
"Although this construction is primarily aimed at facilitating economic development in western China, improved roads could also support PLA border defense operations," it said.

Yuvraj Singh starts a cricket academy - India

24 aug 2011

Yuvraj Singh starts a cricket academy

Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh has launched a cricket academy named after him in association with the Pathways World School

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Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

New Delhi: Indian all-rounder and star of India's world cup triumph in April this year, Yuvraj Singh has started Yuvraj Singh Centres of Excellence (YSCE) aims to provide world class cricket coaching facilities to budding cricketers from around the 1,484 sq km National Capital Region, which include areas of Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Ghaziabad.
"I very strongly believe that education and sports go hand in hand which help in building strong characters and leaders," said Yuvraj in a release.
"Formal education with the joy of learning combined with sports will establish a long lasting and perfect partnership. Today's youth needs strong guidance and an opportunity to hone their budding talent."
Speaking of their initiative with the YSCE, Pathways Schools director Praveen Jain said: "We are delighted to join hands with World Cup superstar. We hope these centers will produce many more Indian cricket sensations like Yuvraj."
"We believe in giving something different and extra to the young generation, and having someone like Yuvraj on the premises will be great source of encouragement and motivation to the youngsters."
YSCE said it will bring established Indian and international cricketers for the budding players, who will also benefit from ultra-modern training methods.

Charges against Strauss-Kahn dismissed - India

23  aug 2011

Charges against Strauss-Kahn dismissed

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

New York:  A judge formally ordered the dismissal of all criminal charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Tuesday, but he said his order would be stayed until an appellate court decides whether a special prosecutor should be appointed.

Prosecutors in the office of Cyrus R. Vance Jr., the Manhattan district attorney, told Justice Michael J. Obus of State Supreme Court in Manhattan that they could not prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt because of serious credibility issues with the hotel housekeeper who had accused Mr. Strauss-Kahn of sexually assaulting her as she entered his suite to clean it.

The dismissal brought some semblance of vindication to Mr. Strauss-Kahn, 62, the former managing director of the International Monetary Fund, after his stunning arrest more than three months ago. He was taken into custody while aboard an Air France jet at Kennedy International Airport and then paraded before news cameras, looking disheveled and in handcuffs.

For his accuser, Nafissatou Diallo, a 33-year-old Guinean immigrant, the result caps a precipitous fall. Prosecutors initially portrayed her as a credible and powerful witness, only to say that her myriad lies about her past - which included a convincing, emotional but ultimately fraudulent account of being gang raped by soldiers in Guinea - ended up undermining the case.

Ms. Diallo, who has made her identity public, still has a civil lawsuit pending against Mr. Strauss-Kahn for unspecified monetary damages, and her lawyer, Kenneth P. Thompson, has been relentless in his assertion that Mr. Strauss-Kahn sexually assaulted his client and that Mr. Vance's office abandoned the case too soon.

Mr. Thompson made one last desperate attempt to keep the criminal case going, filing a motion on Monday asking that Mr. Vance's office be disqualified. But about an hour before Tuesday's hearing started, a court clerk handed out a one-page decision in which Justice Obus denied Mr. Thompson's motion. However, Mr. Thompson has appealed the decision, which led to Justice Obus staying the dismissal.

The case has attracted international attention ever since the arrest of Mr. Strauss-Kahn, a leading figure in the Socialist Party of France who was a top candidate for the presidency; each appearance in court has drawn a carnival-like atmosphere outside, with journalists and camera crews mixing with protesters. The scene on Tuesday was no exception: Well before Mr. Strauss-Kahn arrived at 11:03 a.m., about three dozen protesters gathered. The bulk of the sentiments were decidedly against Mr. Strauss-Kahn.

There were chants ("D.S.K., shame on you," and "Whatever we wear, wherever we go, yes means yes, no means no"). There were placards ("All rape victims deserve a fair trial," "Stop victim blaming of rape victims" and one with an illustration of a police officer admonishing a top-hatted plutocrat and the slogan "Go to jail").

And there were a few speeches in which people condemned Mr. Strauss-Kahn as a serial sexual abuser and criticized Mr. Vance for ending the case against him.

Muslims snub Imam, join Anna - India

23 aug 2011

Muslims snub Imam, join Anna

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Former RJD MLA Asif Mohammad Khan

New Delhi:  It seems the message from the top Muslim cleric hasn't spread well among the community. A day after Syed Ahmed Bukhari, Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, pointed out that slogans such as 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', staples of Anna's campaign, did not make Muslims any comfortable, more and more people from the community are flocking to the Ramlila Maidan.

Resignation
The 'anti'-effect of Bukhari's message was such that a Muslim MLA from Okhla resigned from his party and joined the crowd at Ramlila Maidan. Former RJD MLA Asif Mohammad Khan said, "There are two ways to go. One is to support the movement and another is to toe the party line. I chose the first one, sensing the people's mood."

The leader said he was miffed over party leader Lalu Prasad's stand on the issue and he himself did not want to go against people's wishes. "I am people's elected representative and will always be with them," he said.

On Bukhari asking Muslims not to join Anna's protest, Khan requested clerics not to give such statements. "I would request him not to divide people on religious lines. Anna's voice is also the voice of common Muslim. I request him to respect it."

Disgruntled Bukhari
Contending that communalism was a bigger a threat to India than corruption, Bukhari asked Anna why he and his campaign managers did not do more to involve Muslims in their anti-graft movement.

"The Gandhian needed to learn more from the Mahatma on how to spin all sections of the society together in a mass movement. I very much believe that corruption needs to be weeded out of the country. It is equally important to tackle communalism by addressing the problems of Muslims," said Bukhari.

Complaining there was no effort on part of the campaign leaders to involve the community into their fold, the cleric said, "Why not raise more inclusive slogans like Hindustan Zindabad or Jai Hind."

Feeding frenzy
Meanwhile, a large number of fasting Muslim volunteers were seen feeding hungry protesters at the venue. Iqbal (23), a volunteer in one of the kitchens, was seen distributing food to supporters on Sunday. "This is our struggle for freedom. I have kept my roza, but that does not deter me from feeding all these people."

Maqsood Ull Hasan Qasmi, president of the Imam Council of India, who was present at Ramlila Maidan, asked fellow Muslims to come out in support of Anna. "We all are equal sufferers in this. This is our second freedom struggle," he said while addressing the gathering. 

India celebrate Janmashtami - India

22 aug 2011

India celebrate Janmashtami

Devotees, chanting Hare Krishna, thronged decked-up temples as Janmashtami, marking the birth of Lord Krishna, was celebrated with traditional gaiety across the country today

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Actor John Abraham, wearing an 'Anna' cap, breaks a handi of corruption as he participates in Dahi Handi celebrations in Thane near Mumbai.

Bollywood trains arc lights on Delhi - India

21  aug 2011

Bollywood trains arc lights on Delhi

Forget the Swiss Alps or the Himalayas, it's the Indian capital that has become Bollywood's favourite shooting destination. Whether it's a farmhouse in Chhatarpur, Lutyens' Delhi or good old Chandni Chowk, the city which has been ruined and rebuilt time and again through history is being romanced by the dream merchants.

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Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Filmmakers like Imtiaz Ali, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Mahesh Bhatt have either been shooting for their projects or scouting for locations here, as the city offers myriad choices at a cheaper cost than Mumbai and good infrastructure too.
Bhatt's next movie 'Informer' is based on illegal arms trading in Delhi; so no wonder he was in the capital to hunt for locations for the movie.
'Jab We Met' director Imtiaz also flew down with his cast and crew for Ranbir Kapoor-starrer 'Rockstar', while actor Saif Ali Khan too chose the city backdrop to shoot the climax of his next, action-packed 'Agent Vinod'.
In fact, Mehra, who captured the essence of Delhi in his films 'Rang De Basanti' and 'Delhi 6', has planned to return to the city for his next 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag', a biopic of iconic Indian athlete Milkha Singh.
Delhi is a city of grand old monuments, beautiful greenery, 16 million people, a most modern Metro rail and also the seat of power - all of which blend to give it a unique character.
Every filmmaker has individual reasons to shoot in Delhi, but it turns out that shooting in Delhi is easier than in entertainment capital Mumbai, according to line producer Ravinder Pal Singh.
"Mumbai is now over-exposed. As a result, a lot of filmmakers are looking for something different, so they are scouting for newer locations such as Delhi," Singh of Sahib Productions told us.
"Around seven to eight years back there were only one or two films that were shot in Delhi, but ever since the support system has improved, we are now getting the charge of 20 to 25 films," he said.
"Shooting in Delhi is cheaper than Mumbai. While renting a bungalow in Mumbai would not cost less than Rs.200,000 to Rs.250,000, in Delhi they are available at Rs.15,000-20,000," added Singh, who has helped in arranging shoots for films like 'Khosla Ka Ghosla', 'Hum Tum' and 'Chala Mussaddi Office Office'.
Saif, who features with his real life girlfriend Kareena Kapoor in the movie, has shot in Delhi before for 'Love Aaj Kal'. However, 'Agent Vinod' captures its more political side.
"It is going to be completely different from 'Love Aaj Kal'. There is a lot of character in Delhi that we would like to capture. The Aurangzeb Road kind of bungalow, and 'chiks' tied to the colonial arches of these houses. There is also the old Delhi, and the slightly more crowded, a very Kashmere Gate kind of area. We will capture Connaught Place and the famous Nirula's," Saif had told us.
" 'Love..." captured an atmosphere of being romantic, fun loving, and showcased the city's gol-gappas and metro rides. But for 'Agent Vinod', we want to capture the power of the central government, the grandeur, beauty of the visuals, things like Rashtrapati Bhavan," he added.
While Imtiaz was in town with Ranbir for 'Rockstar' last year, they shot some college scenes at St. Stephen's and Hindu colleges. They also captured places like Kotla Mubarakpur, Nizamuddin Auliya Dargah, Greater Kailash and Connaught Place.
For his directorial debut, 'Sahi Dhande Galat Bande', actor-turned-director Parvin Dabas came back to the city he grew up in.
"I've grown up in Delhi and as a filmmaker it always feels great to go back to one's roots because you understand that place and you know that place inside out," said Parvin, adding his experience was quite hassle-free.
"I didn't face any difficulty in shooting in Delhi. You just need to seek permission from the police station of the area where you plan to shoot. The amount of cooperation that I received here was just terrific - whether it was at the Habitat Centre or Tihar Jail or Najafgarh," he added.
According to Singh, who helped facilitate the shoot of Julia Roberts-starrer 'Eat, Pray & Love', the support services have improved.
"Even the shooting equipment is easily available at affordable rates. A lot of companies that provide production services in Mumbai have now also opened their offices in Delhi," Singh added.
In the past, 'Yeh Saali Zindagi', 'Band Baaja Baraat', '3 Idiots', 'Aisha', 'Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!' and 'No One Killed Jessica' have also been shot here.

7.5 magnitude quake strikes off Vanuatu - India

20 aug 2011

7.5 magnitude quake strikes off Vanuatu

Sydney:  A major 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of the South Pacific island of Vanuatu on Saturday night, the US Geological Survey said, but there was no immediate tsunami warning issued.

The quake struck at 2225 IST at a depth of 40 kilometres, around 60 kilometres south of Port Vila, the capital of the island nation.

There was no tsunami warning in effect on the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center website and there were no immediate reports of damage.

Minutes after the first quake, a second smaller 5.9-magnitude tremor was detected by seismologists.

Vanuatu lies on the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire", a zone of frequent seismic activity caused by friction between shifting tectonic plates.   

Bill Gates wishes Murthy as he retires from Infosys - India

19 aug 2011

Bill Gates wishes Murthy as he retires from Infosys

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Bangalore:  India's iconic figure N.R. Narayana Murthy was wished by Microsoft founder Bill Gates late on Friday as he retired from Infosys Ltd that he co-founded three decades ago with just Rs.10,000.

Billionaire Gates called up Murthy from Seattle in the US where his global software major is headquartered and tele-wished him the very best in his future endeavours.

Though Murthy's term ends formally Aug 21 as non-executive chairman and chief mentor of the country's second largest IT bellwether, he decided to bid adieu to his 'grown up baby' on Friday as his 65th birthday falls on a Saturday, a weekend holiday for the company.

Incidentally, his illustrious wife Sudha Murthy celebrated her 62nd birthday on Friday. Their son Rohan, daughter-in-law Lakshmi and daughter Akshata were present on the historic occasion to witness the passage of a glorious era in a company Murthy toiled to build brick-by-brick with six other co-founders.

Renowned banker K.V. Kamath will succeed Murthy Aug 22 as the first non-founder chairman of the $6.1-billion global software major following his appointment April 30 to the top executive post.

Murthy will, however, continue to associate with the 30-year-old company as chairman emeritus for life long and be a friend, guide and philosopher to about 130,000 Infocions the world over.

"It has been a wonderful and dream journey. I take this opportunity to express deep gratitude to each and every one who has been associated with this great company in the past and present for helping me in realising the dream," an emotional Murthy told a packed auditorium in the sprawling Infy campus on the outskirts of this tech hub.

Other co-founders, including newly-appointed co-chairman S. Gopalakrishnan, chief executive S.D. Shibulal, N.S. Raghavan and K. Dinesh joined about 10,000 employees in giving a standing ovation to Murthy, flanked by his family members, relatives and long-time friends.

The absence of another co-founder and former vice-chairman Nandan Nilekani, currently chairman of the state-run Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) or Aadhar was conspicuous as he was away in New Delhi and could not attend the three-hour long event due to pressing engagements.

Former directors T.V. Mohandas Pai and Phaneesh Murthy  were present. Several bigwigs from the IT, state government and India Inc. were seen. Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw was also present at the event.

Led by Raghavan, speaker after speaker eulogised Murthy for his extraordinary achievements and contributions to make Infosys a global brand and putting Bangalore and India on the global IT map in a span of two decades, riding on the outsourcing boom.

Independent director Deepak Satwalker said though it was Murthy's last day in office as non-executive chairman, the occasion called for celebrations and drawing inspiration and strength from the legendary personality.

Recalling his long association and friendship with Murthy, chairman-designate Kamath said during his tenure as ICICI Bank chairman, he learnt a lot from 'NRN' about corporate governance, ethical values, transparency, integrity, fairness and principles of management.

As a farewell gift and to sow the future of Infosys, Murthy planted a sapling that was christened 'Infosys is a 90-country banyan'.

Murthy co-founded Infosys in 1981 along with six other software code writers as co-founders at Pune with just Rs.10,000 as seed capital by borrowing from Sudha (his wife) who raised the money by mortgaging her gold jewellery.

After serving as chief executive till 2002 and handing over the baton to Nilekani, Murthy continued as executive chairman till 2006 and became chief mentor in 2007, creating enormous wealth to thousands of investors and millionaire employees, besides making Infosys the first Indian firm to be listed on the New York-based NASDAQ in 1999.

Indian Americans rally in Anna's support - India

18 aug 2011

Indian Americans rally in Anna's support

Washington: Indian Americans across the US have rallied in support of social activist Anna Hazare's movement against corruption with protests before Indian missions and e-mails to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Indian students at Maryland University continued their week-long vigil in front of the Indian Embassy here Thursday besides mounting a massive social networking campaign to spread Hazare's anti-corruption message.
Reports of rallies in support of the movement in front of the Indian missions have come in from San Francisco and Houston. Protests have also been held in Iselin, New Jersey and Artesia, California ahead of Hazare shifting to New Delhi's Ramlila Ground to continue his fast for a strong anti-graft law.
More rallies are planned across the US this weekend in support of Hazare.

Garbage girl in a new clean cause - India

17 aug 2011

Garbage girl in a new clean cause

Chamba (Himachal Pradesh): She might be known as the 'garbage girl' of the mountains but her intentions are unquestionably clean.

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Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

British national Jodie Underhill, 35, is pledged to "leave nothing but footprints" as she leads a team of volunteers to set up waste disposal pits in the heights of Chamba district ahead of a fortnight-long Manimahesh pilgrimage beginning Aug 22.
Tens of thousands will undertake an arduous 14-km trek from the Hadsar base camp to the oval-shaped Manimahesh Lake, from where they can see Mount Kailash, believed to be Lord Shiva's abode.
Volunteers of mountain cleaners and anti-waste campaigners can be seen wearing green T-shirts bearing the legend: Leave nothing but footprints.
"We have returned to Bharmour town for the second year to run a clean-up campaign at the Manimahesh yatra," Underhill said. "This time we have collaborated with WWF India as part of its Green Hiker campaign."
The Mountain Cleaners, comprising many foreigners, aim to provide a daily waste collection service at all community kitchens and eateries between Hadsar and Manimahesh during the pilgrimage.

Pakistan has links with LeT but US cannot snap ties: US - India

16 aug 2011

Pak has links with LeT but US cannot snap ties: US

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Washington:  The US today acknowledged that its ally Pakistan keeps ties with anti-India terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, but said Washington had "no choice" but to maintain its relations with Islamabad if it has to fight Al Qaeda in the region.

In possibly the first such hard-hitting statement on Pakistani establishment's links with terror networks by the top Pentagon official, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the US is concerned by this and such issues make ties with Islamabad "complicated".

"We're concerned with... the relationships that Pakistan has, what makes this complicated, is that they have relationships with the Haqqanis, and the Haqqani tribe are going across the border and attacking our forces in Afghanistan, and it's pretty clear that there's a relationship there," he said.

He further went on to acknowledge that Pakistan continues to have ties with the LeT which has targeted India on more than one occasion.

"There's a relationship with LeT. And, you know, this is a group that goes into India and threatens attacks there, it has conducted attacks there," Panetta said in response to a question at National Defense University.

India has long blamed Pakistan for supporting anti-India terror groups, including the LeT which orchestrated the 2008 Mumbai attacks, despite being a close US ally in the 'war on terror'.

However, Panetta and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, argued in a joint public appearance that it was not possible to cut off relationship with Pakistan as the nuclear-armed country provided some crucial cooperation in fighting Al Qaeda in Afghanistan.

Prohibitory orders in many areas in Delhi; Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal also detained - India

15 aug 2011
Prohibitory orders in many areas in Delhi; Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal also detained

Police detain Anna at his residence

Detention comes ahead of fast, Anna to be taken to police station amidst high drama

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

New Delhi: Social activist and Gandhian Anna Hazare was on Monday morning detained and taken into preventive custody at his Mayur Vihar residence here even as hundreds of supporters tried to block the police who tried to shift him to a local police station.
The arrest came on expected lines as Team Anna Hazare and the government were set for a showdown on Tuesday after Delhi Police refused to let them fast for a stronger Lokpal Bill and the Gandhian's associates vowed they would not back off.
The police have also detained social activist Arvind Khejriwal.
The Delhi Police clamped prohibitory orders under Sec 144 which probibits a gathering of more than four people evan as Anna Hazare gave a call for jail bharo.
Only hours after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in his Independence Day speech that hunger strikes were avoidable, police said Hazare wouldn't get the green signal as police terms for the protest had been rejected.
Hazare had said he would go on hunger strike at the JP Park near the Ferozeshah Kotla cricket ground here but refused to accept orders that the crowds must not cross 5,000 and the fast must end in three days.
Delhi Police also laid down other conditions, most of which Hazare's close aides dismissed as undemocratic.

Anna Hazare : Government defaming me - India

14 aug 2011

Anna: Government defaming me; Sawant report doesn't say I am corrupt

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

New Delhi:  It was a defiant Anna Hazare that faced the cameras on Sunday evening. Taking on the government, who had charged him with allegations of corruption, Hazare stated his innocence and challenged the government to prove otherwise.

''Allegations against Team Anna have been started since the joint drafting committee was to be formed. When the committee was formed, committee started alleging accusations against everyone I was the only one left. Now, they have started targeting me as well, but it will come to nothing because I have a clean record. The charges are baseless. Please prove the charges against me.''

Earlier in the day, the Congress party had accused Mr Hazare of double standards. The party spoke of pending corruption charges against Mr Hazare and asked him to clear his name first, before speaking of corruption.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said, ''We would like to ask Anna Hazare, with what face are you talking about fast against corruption? You are corrupt yourself. We are not saying this. This is what a high court-appointed inquiry has said.''

Mr Tewari was referring to the Justice PB Sawant Committee report, which had allegedly found Anna guilty of involvement in a graft case. The report criticized an NGO, the Hind Swaraj Trust, and accused it of spending Rs. 2.20 lakh of its funds, on the birthday celebrations of Mr Hazare.

Responding to the allegations Mr Hazare said, ''The government is defaming me. The Sawant committee does not say that I am corrupt.'' On the question on the celebration of his birthday, he added. ''I've never celebrated my birthday. There were some people who wanted to celebrate it, but the trust money was returned. So where is the corruption?''

However, when asked for his position, Justice Sawant described the act as morally incorrect. "Anna spent the money from the account of his own Hind Swaraj trust on the occasion of his birthday. That was morally incorrect," he said.

The Congress party had also questioned Mr Hazare's proposed fast calling it undemocratic. At a Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting on Sunday, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal had said, ''There is nothing more undemocratic than what Anna is doing. The Lokpal Bill is the property of the Parliament not that of the government. The question of dialogue between Anna and the government doesn't arise. Team Anna has to speak to the standing committee. If he complies good otherwise action will have to be taken.''

The Congress has also complained about the conditions laid down for his fast by Mr Hazare, in his letter to the Prime Minister, on Saturday. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said, "We have given him (Anna) the venue, but he has not liked it. He is also talking about an indefinite strike but that may not be right as it may amount to suicide. The police have exercised the powers vested in them. If Anna has an issue, he should complain to the specific authority against a person. Who is the competent authority to frame laws in the country? According to the constitution, the power is vested in the hands of the Parliament and no one else has the right to frame any laws."

The acrimony between the Congress and Team Anna has grown ever since the latter approached the Delhi Police for permission to stage his fast. The 74-year-old Gandhian wants to begin an indefinite hunger strike at the Capital's protest hotspot - Jantar Mantar. But he was denied permission for this venue. The Delhi Police instead said he could hold his fast at Jai Prakash Narain Park. The permission, however, was conditional - only 5,000 people would be allowed to gather and they would have to vacate the venue by August 18.

Rejecting these restrictions, Team Anna had said: "We cannot control the number of people since it is an indefinite fast. We will decide where to hold the fast. Police may arrest us."
Expressing his unhappiness with the conditions, Mr Hazare once again wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday saying. "If you can't help us, we will court arrest." He added, "Can't our Prime Minister get us a location to protest peacefully?"

Mr Hazare had also asked Dr Singh in his letter. "People say your government is the most corrupt. Because of what's happening in the government, America intervened in our matters. If you can't help us, we will court arrest on August 16."

Replying to Mr Hazare, the Prime Minister in a letter said, "Your grievance that the police has given you permission to protest and go on fast at JP Park only for three days needs to be addressed by the statutory authorities who have taken that decision. My office does not in any way get involved in the decision making process."

The Lokpal Bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 4, has been sent to the Parliamentary committee for its consideration. But its draft did not include several key suggestions made by Team Anna. Earlier this week, the panel had invited Hazare for the discussion in yet another bid to strike an understanding with civil society activists.

The Lokpal Bill provides for the establishment of the institution of Lokpal, or ombudsman, to fight corruption in public office. Hazare and four of his nominees were initially invited by the government to help draft the new Bill, along with five ministers. The elected and non-elected teams of representatives clashed bitterly, and ultimately produced two dramatically different versions of the Bill.

But the government chose to introduce its version of the Bill in Parliament. In this version, senior judges and the PM are exempt. Team Anna has accused the government of "betraying" the nation by delivering a Bill incapable of really taking on politicians or public servants over corruption.

Arvind Kejriwal, a member of Team Anna had said, ''We feel that the government is doing nothing to tackle corruption, on top of that they are doing everything they can, to quash the movement.''  

Katrina Kaif visits jawans at Naushera - India

13 aug 2011

Katrina visits jawans at Naushera

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  Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India
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Actor Katrina Kaif visited jawans at Naushera, 130 kms from Jammu, for the Independence Day special edition of Jai Jawan. The show will air on August 13 at 9:00 am, 10:00pm (August 14), 1:00 pm (August 15) (NDTV 24X7) and on August 13 at 10:30pm, on August 14 at 11:30am, 7.30 pm and on August 15 at 12 noon and 9 pm on NDTV India.

If you don't want to be here, go home: Bresnan tells Indians - India

12 aug 2011

If you don't want to be here, go home: Bresnan tells Indians

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Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Birmingham: England pacer Tim Bresnan has asked India to show 'more desire' if they wish to succeed in the cold weather here.

"It'd help if India's fielders didn't have their hands in their pockets. It's not that cold. They need to look interested (in play) and show some desire.

If you don't want to be here, go home," he said on Wednesday, before rejecting India coach Duncan Fletcher's observation that the ball had swung prodigiously in the ongoing series. "The pitch is playing all right. We were expecting it to be quicker and seam more," Bresnan told reporters.

Indian parliament goes green - India

11 aug 2011

Indian parliament goes green

New Delhi: The Indian parliament made a green beginning Tuesday with Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar inaugurating a solar energy system in parliament. The Lok Sabha Secretariat is also to become paperless.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Meira Kumar said there could not be a better place than the Parliament House complex to make such a beginning.
"It is an important step that holds immense significance and symbolism towards setting the standards for using environment-friendly energy," she said.
She noted that with a solar energy system operational within the precincts of the highest legislative body of the country, "parliament complex has shown the way to a green and environmentally-conscious India".
She recalled in December 2009, she had requested the Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah to install a solar lighting system in parliament.
Meira Kumar complimented the ministry for bearing the entire project at the cost of about Rs.2.41 crore.
Referring to the efforts in making the Parliament complex green and energy-efficient, Meira Kumar informed that a water harvesting system has been in operation for years and steps have been taken to make the Lok Sabha secretariat as paperless as possible.
She also referred to the proposal for the installation of kitchen waste-dependent bio-gas plant.
There is a ban on use of plastic bags in the parliament complex, she added.
Abdullah in his address proposed that MPs may adopt one institution each in their constituencies for installation of a solar energy plant, which would provide a fillip to the use of green energy.
The speaker agreed to the proposal and assured she would urge the parliamentarians to pursue the proposal.

3rd Test: England end Day 1 : 140 runs behind India

10 aug 2011

Seamers, Strauss put England on top

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Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Edgbaston: It's a mark of the high standards which England now set that India's eventual total of 224 felt a few too many after the pace attack had made short work of the top order, but the openers reached 84 without loss to ensure they remained firmly in control at Edgbaston. The visitors slumped to 111 for 7 before MS Dhoni rediscovered his form with a counter-attacking 77 as Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan shared eight wickets to do the bulk of the damage.
Scorecard

Andrew Strauss won his first toss of the series and was happy to insert - as his opposite number had twice done in the series - but though conditions were helpful the pitch was slow and the Indian batsmen mostly aided in their own demise. The only real exception was Rahul Dravid, removed by a wonderful ball from Bresnan moments before lunch, while Virender Sehwag's return lasted one ball and Sachin Tendulkar fell for 1 as England surged either side of the interval.
Day 3 in pics

If it wasn't for Dhoni this match could well have been over as a contest already, but India still have a huge task to keep the series alive after Strauss and Alastair Cook made a significant dent in the total during the final 23 overs. Strauss reached his first international fifty of the season as the pace bowlers struggled to make an impression and Amit Mishra didn't pose many problems.

England's quicks, on the other hand, are a handful in most conditions so a well-grassed pitch and cloudy skies just added to the threat. James Anderson wasn't quite at his best, but Bresnan continued to demonstrate his development as a Test cricketer - and it's worth remembering his place was only confirmed when Chris Tremlett was ruled out on Tuesday - while Broad's resurgence shows no sign of abating.

Yet it wasn't perfect from the home side. While Dhoni and Praveen Kumar were adding 84 in 14 overs there was a strange loss of direction in the field. Strauss was very quick to go on the defensive to Dhoni, at one stage with eight fielders on the boundary, and the bowlers diverted from their successful strategy. As with the Broad-Swann stand at Trent Bridge it showed the impact of a positive approach and India were served well by the captain coming out of his shell.

Dhoni had taken 16 balls to get off the mark, and India were going nowhere as the main batsman had departed in a rush, but he burst into life with a string of boundaries and the strut so often associated with his batting hinted at returning. His fifty came from 62 balls and included three mighty sixes to various corners of the impressively redeveloped ground.

Still, Dhoni's innings only papered over the ever-expanding cracks in India's batting. It would have seemed inconceivable at the start of the series that such a strong line-up (even allowing for the missing Sehwag and other injuries) would have failed to pass 300 in five innings. Sehwag's return couldn't have been briefer when he failed to lower his hands and gloved Broad's first delivery to the wicketkeeper. The umpire, Steve Davis, initially said not out and Strauss was swift to call for the DRS, which clearly showed the mark. Sehwag was seemingly carrying the hopes of a nation on his dodgy shoulder, but the odds were always stacked against him having an impact even if he's one player who often goes against convention.

Given the form of England's pace attack, a grassy pitch and cloudy skies, further wickets seemed there for the taking but India responded solidly. Gautam Gambhir, also returning from injury after the blow to his elbow at Lord's, had already collected two boundaries in Anderson's first over and moved along at a pace more akin to Sehwag's. Dravid, who wasn't given much of a break despite a return to No. 3, showed the judgement and skill that made him India's stand-out batsman in the series.

However, as India were sensing stability England burst through as Bresnan, who had bowled with nagging accuracy and immediately located the right length for the pitch, was rewarded when Gambhir inside-edged a drive onto leg stump. Tendulkar was greeted with the cheers that have followed him throughout the series and Anderson was recalled immediately to target someone he has removed seven times.

This time, though, Anderson had to settle for a helping hand in the wicket when Broad found the outside edge and he held the catch at third slip. It was the third time in the series that Broad had removed Tendulkar, whose 100th hundred is proving elusive, and India's problems didn't stop as Dravid received an unplayable leg cutter that took off stump in the final over of the session. England have had to work hard to dislodge Dravid in this series and Bresnan won't have bowled many better deliveries in his career.

Suresh Raina was again unconvincing as the quicks toyed with him before he loosely drove over a delivery from round the wicket, then Laxman joined the list of poor shots when he flicked a pull straight to long leg much as he did at Lord's. Mishra, who replaced the injured Harbhajan Singh, was batting high at No. 8 and soon edged a drive to give Broad his fourth.

The innings was at its low point, and England will have expected to be batting by tea, but India responded with some gusto. Praveen more than played his part with an idiosyncratic innings which included crunching drives and haphazard defence. The partnership was ended when Praveen top edged a pull off Bresnan, but it again needed DRS to confirm the edge after Davis said not out for the second time.

Given the ultra-defensive fields set by Strauss it was ironic that Dhoni's resistance was ended when an edge flew to the one close man - Strauss, himself, at first slip. The innings was ended when Cook, at silly point, managed to cling onto a well-timed punch that lodged in his elbow. When a team is playing confident cricket those are the sorts of things that go their way. One more good day can seal the series and No. 1 spot.

Adarsh scam: CAG report indicts former chief ministers - India

09 aug 2011

Adarsh scam: CAG report indicts former chief ministers

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

New Delhi:  A latest report on the Adarsh Society scam indicts two former Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and names some top Army officers for flouting norms.

The report, prepared by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), was tabled in Parliament today. It says, "Maximum concessions were given to the Adarsh Housing Society when Vilasrao Deshmukh and Sushil Kumar Shinde were chief ministers. Mr Shinde was the Chief Minister when wrong environment clearance was given and the number of flat allotments was increased."

The government auditor's report also indicts two ex-defence officers and Maharashtra Principal Secretary for wrongfully allotting the flats meant for Kargil widows to politicians. It also blames officials of the Defence Estate Office for dereliction of duty.

Last month, Sushil Kumar Shinde, currently the Union Power Minister, was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as a witness in connection with the Adarsh scam. The CBI team from Mumbai questioned Mr Shinde at his residence for close to two hours.

Mr Shinde and Mr Deshmukh are two of three former chief ministers of Maharashtra whose names have cropped up in the Adarsh land scam. The third is Ashok Chavan, who lost the chief minister's post recently after the scam surfaced. Vilasrao Deshmukh was moved to the Science and Technology ministry from the plum Rural Development Ministry in the recent Cabinet reshuffle.

All three of them have filed their affidavits before the Adarsh Commission giving different versions of how the controversial high rise got the government's sanction.

Here are the main points mentioned in the report:

• Land was in Army possession
• Title not transferred
• Defence Estate Office 'chose to ignore'
• Son of defence officer proposed Adarsh
• Adarsh membership expanded
• IAS officers, politicians included
• 'Elite' officers got flats
• Maharashtra Govt flouted norms
• Maharashtra govt officers became members of Society
• Plan altered to accommodate Adarsh
• Land for roads converted to residential area
• Misappropriation of land in possession of Army
• Violations of norms for high rise buildings
• Eligibility condition relaxed to include members

Madras High Court stays release of 'Aarakshan' - India

08 aug 2011

Madras High Court stays release of 'Aarakshan'

The Madras High Court on Monday stayed the worldwide release of the Amitabh Bachchan starrer 'Aarakshan', co-produced by Prakash Jha and Firoz A. Nadiadwala, for non-payment of dues to a financier, the petitioners' lawyer said.

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The court stayed the movie release in a case filed by Madhu Gupta and GG Photo Ltd for non-payment of Rs.3.75 crore, which remains unpaid by the movie producer, said K. Ravi, counsel for the petitioners.
"My clients had lent Rs.3.50 crore and with interest the total dues are Rs.3.75 crore. The cheques issued by the producers bounced, and hence the suit," Ravi told us.
He said the court had stayed the worldwide release of the movie. The notice, he added, had been served to Nadiadwala.
"Firoz has received a notice for non-payment of dues, and he will sort it out himself. The prints of my film have already reached theatres, and nothing can stop it from releasing," Jha, who has also directed the film, told us.
The movie, scheduled to be released Aug 12 and based on the caste-based reservation policy in India, also stars Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Manoj Bajpayee and Prateik Babbar.

UN chief heads to Japan as nuclear crisis simmers - India

07 aug 2011

UN chief heads to Japan as nuclear crisis simmers

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Tokyo:  United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrives in Japan on Sunday, where he plans to visit the Fukushima nuclear disaster zone, as the crippled atomic power plant simmers and a food safety scare deepens.

The secretary-general will visit hard-hit Fukushima prefecture on Sunday evening as one of the most senior foreign leaders to go to the area after a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami on March 11 triggered the catastrophe.

On Monday, Ban will meet some of the 85,000 people who have been evacuated to shelters from areas around the plant after what has become the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl 25 years ago.

"I wanted to come to Japan as soon as possible after the tragedy of 11 March to express the solidarity and deep sympathy that the whole world feels for the people of your great country," Ban said last week.

The UN chief will also meet Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto later on the same day in Tokyo.

Ban has convened a nuclear safety summit for the UN General Assembly in New York in September and he is expected to reinforce his calls for tougher international standards while in Japan.

Ban plans to visit Haragama beach at Soma, 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, which continues to leak radioactive material. A 20-kilometre exclusion zone around the battered facility prevents him going much nearer.

Five months on from the disaster, the Japanese government and operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) are struggling to stabilise three reactors that have melted down.

Lethal hotspots were detected inside the crippled nuclear plant last week with radiation so high that it would kill a person within weeks if they were exposed to it for even one hour.

While the government plans to bring the overheating reactors to stable "cold shutdown" by January, Kan has declared his determination to reduce Japan's dependence on nuclear power.

Takashi Sawada, vice-chairman of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan, said the Fukushima plant still poses risks despite some progress reported by the government.

"We still need to watch out for strong aftershocks and tsunamis, which could throw back the effort to control the accident," Sawada said. "Workers will need to continue decontaminating radioactive water to prevent it from overflowing.

"Recently found hotspots also risk hindering workers from making progress."

Radioactive substances from the plant continue to contaminate the food chain, with bans on produce widening from some green vegetables to milk and dairy products, river fish, mushrooms and green tea.

The Japanese government has also imposed a ban on beef from the northeastern region, citing elevated radiation levels in the meat of cows.

Japanese consumers are especially concerned about rice, the country's staple food, as the harvest season approaches, with local authorities hurrying to inspect radiation levels.

In his meetings with Japanese leaders, the UN chief is also expected to request Japan's Self-Defence Forces be dispatched for a peace-keeping operation in South Sudan.