Grass with Mahatma Gandhi's blood sells for £10,000 - India

17 apr 2012

Grass with Mahatma Gandhi's blood sells for £10,000

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

London:  A pinch of soil and blood-stained blades of grass from the place where Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in 1948 sold for 10,000 pounds at an auction in London today that also saw many other Gandhi memorabilia going under the hammer including his iconic round-rimmed glasses that fetched more than twice the estimated price.

While the glasses sold for 34,000 pounds, the 'charkha' or the spinning wheel was sold for 26,000 pounds.

The soil and grass were kept inside a tiny glass-topped box in a small wooden casket, which had a letter of provenance by P P Nambiar dated September 24, 1996 saying that the recipient "... has today received the most sacred of all relics a fraction of the pinch of soil I collected on 30 January 1948 from the spot where the father of our nation M K Gandhi fell to the bullets of his assassin..."

Other Gandhi items that were sold at the "Historical Documents, Autographs & Ephemera" auction included an autograph letter signed in Gujarati (5,000 pounds), another autograph letter signed 'Bapu' in English to 'Dear Poduval' dated February 10, 1937 (6,600 pounds), a 10 inch, 78 rpm signed Columbia disc containing his spiritual message (2,200 pounds) and a typewritten letter to Sgt Poduwal in Rangoon (3,000 pounds).

Gandhi's glasses under auction were bought in London around 1890 when he studied Law.

The item is described as "corroded with age", and comes with the original felt bearing the name of H Cannam Optician 23 St Aldate Street Gloucester.

The 'charkha' is described as being in an 'as used' condition but still retaining its inner mechanism.

The identity of the buyers was not immediately known.

The announcement of the sale by auction house Mullock's earlier this month had evoked a lot of outcry from several quarters demanding its scrapping

US system not foolproof, says Irrfan about SRK's detention - India

15 apr 2012

US system not foolproof, says Irrfan about SRK's detention
Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Taking on the US authorities for detaining Shah Rukh Khan at a New York airport for over two hours, fellow actor Irrfan Khan today said their system is "not foolproof".

"Even our president had been stopped, and so was I at the immigration several times in the US at the airport. So whenever I go to the US I always think they will again stop me this time," Irrfan told reporters here.

Explaining the security check one has to go through in the US, the actor said, "Whenever you cross immigration counter and give your passport, they ask your purpose of visit. And then they suddenly check something on computer and then their perception changes".

"They take away your phone, you are not allowed to call anyone or talk to anyone. They call the police and take you to a room and (you) can't question them as to why they are taking you and where. When all verification process is properly done by them and they are satisfied, they let you go," he said.

Referring to Shah Rukh's detention, Irrfan said, "This is ignorance on their part. Their system is not full proof."

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie engaged - India

13 apr 2012

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie engaged
Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are engaged.

The couple have confirmed recent reports that Brad had proposed to his partner of seven years - with whom he raises six children Maddox, 10, Pax, nine, Zahara, seven, Shiloh, five and three-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne - although they have not yet set a date for their nuptials.

Brad's spokeswoman Cynthia Pett-Dante said: "Yes, it's confirmed. It is a promise for the future and their kids are very happy. There's no date set at this time.

Angelina was spotted wearing her engagement ring this week and jeweller Robert Procop - who has previously worked with the actress - revealed he had designed the ring with Brad.

A spokesperson for Robert said: ""I can confirm that, yes, Robert Procop did indeed design an engagement ring for Angelina Jolie, designed in collaboration with Brad Pitt."

Robert added: "Brad had a specific vision for this ring, which he realised over a yearlong collaboration. He wanted every aspect of it to be perfect, so I was able to locate a diamond of the finest quality and cut it to an exact custom size and shape to suite Angelina's hand. Brad was always heavily involved, overseeing every aspect of the creative design evolution. The side diamonds are specially cut to encircle her finger. Each diamond is of the highest gem quality."

Brad was previously married to Jennifer Aniston while Angelina has been wed twice before, to Johnny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton

2G case: Government files presidential reference in Supreme Court - India

12 apr 2012

2G case: Government files presidential reference in Supreme Court

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

New Delhi:  The government has filed a presidential reference in Supreme Court asking if its judgement in the 2G case makes auctioning of natural resources compulsory.

With many telecom companies challenging the cancellation of their licenses by the Supreme Court, the government wants complete clarity on that landmark judgement. The Department of Telecom feels that the judgement has ramifications on several other sectors. So the government has put together a list of questions that will be delivered to a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court where the matter will be debated. The queries include whether a process of auction has to be followed in the allocation of all natural resources, and if so, whether that amounts to the court interfering with the government's work by setting policy.

In February, two Supreme Court judges cancelled 122 telecom licenses issued in 2008 by then Telecom Minister A Raja. The judges said that Mr Raja had manipulated the rules to show undue favours to companies that he allegedly conspired with - he is in jail for selling licenses at throwaway prices to ineligible firms.  But while Mr Raja may have twisted the first-come-first-serve policy that was the rule at the time, the judges also said that this method of allocating natural resources like spectrum is "fundamentally flawed." Only an auction, they said, ensures transparency and fair pricing. The government was also told to re-allocate the cancelled mobile licenses within four months.

The Supreme Court admitted the government's review petition filed earlier seeking clarification on the process of auction to be followed on the cancelled licenses. But it rejected 10 other petitions filed by telecom companies seeking review of its February order.

The government's follow-up questions will be put to the Supreme Court in the form of a Presidential Reference - on the advice of the government, the President of the country seeks advice from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

The Cabinet cleared it on Tuesday evening, and it is expected to be filed soon.

The government wants clarity on whether the orders on an auction are equivalent to policy-setting and if so, it wants to know to what extent the courts can give directions that over-lap with the government's work.

The Presidential Reference also asks if licenses issued before 2008 have to be cancelled since they were not auctioned. The government also wants to know the impact of the judgement on the licenses given for 3G spectrum.

Dr Khalil Chishty walks out of jail - India

11 APR 2012

Dr Khalil Chishty walks out of jail

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Ajmer:  Dr Khalil Chishty, a Pakistani scientist who has been fighting a legal battle in India for two decades is finally a free man today. He walked out of the Ajmer Jail at 4:30 pm, after his brother Jameel Chishty furnished two bail bonds of Rs. 50,000 each and a personal surety of Rs. 1 lakh.

The 80 year old doctor from Pakistan entered the Ajmer Jail last January after being sentenced to life imprisonment.  This sentencing came after an 18 year trial, during which he remained mostly under house arrest.

Dr Chishty was accused of killing a man during a brawl in Ajmer way back in April 1992. He was visiting the Rajasthan city then to offer prayers at the famous shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

Today walking slowly out of prison, the doctor said that the problems of prisoners should be considered sympathetically without looking at boundaries created by nations.

What will come as a big relief to the 80-year-old doctor is that the court had no other condition for him to travel to his home country, except those put forth by the Supreme Court.

When granting him bail on Monday, the Supreme Court had agreed to hear his plea to return to Karachi but had asked his lawyers to file a separate petition for this, now seen as a mere formality.

Sources said Dr Chishty's case was discussed at Sunday's lunch meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari during the latter's one-day India visit. Pakistani officials have urged India to set Dr Chishty free, the sources said.
 

Noida taxpayers built Rs. 657-cr Maya dream park - iNDIA

10 APR 2012

The Rs. 657-crore Dalit Prerena Sthala - former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati's dream project - was funded by city's taxpayers, the Noida authority has said.

The money could have run the city, with a population of 7 lakh and a number of infrastructure problems, for one year.
"The authority is a self-sufficient and funded the entire project," said a senior officer.
The disclosure comes in a report that the state government sought on parks and memorials built during Mayawati's tenure. 
The report has been sent to the government, Anil Rajkumar, the authority's acting chief executive officer told Hindustan Times.
The parks, which were a constant target of the opposition, also generated a lot of heat during the recent state elections.
Mayawati was voted out, with 38-year-old Akhilesh Yadav giving the Samajwadi Party a huge win and earning the chief minister's position.
"The authority could have built 20 underpasses with the money and solved the traffic mess," admitted an official on condition of anonymity.
The park's construction began in 2008. The very next year, Rs. 770 crore was spent on Noida's development.
"The budget of the proposed Noida-South Delhi Metro line is Rs. 874 crore. You can imagine what could have been done with such a budget," said another official, who, too, refused to be identified.
Connectivity is a big problem facing the city, which also struggles with traffic jams.
The 33-acre park - which has 15 statues of Dalit 'icons', including two of former CM, and 20 of elephants - was inaugurated by Mayawati in 2011 but is yet to be opened to public.
The elephant is the party symbol of Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party.

Madras HC quashes land grab case against Stalin, son - India

09 apr 2012

CHENNAI: In a big relief to former deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin, and his film producer-son Udhayanidhi, the Madras high court has quashed the land grab case registered against them by the Jayalalithaa government. Justice T Mathivanan quashed the criminal proceedings against a total of seven persons, including the two, by pointing out that the person who had lodged the complaint against them had offered to withdraw the complaint stating that he had been given Rs 1.75 crore for the property in question, as an out of court settlement.

The state government, however, unsuccessfully pressed for continuation of the criminal proceedings, contending that mere withdrawal of the complaint would not obliterate the criminality of the action. The matter relates to 2.5 grounds of a house and land adjacent to Stalin's posh Chittaranjan Salai residence in Chennai. On August 10, 2008, during the DMK regime, the property was bought by P Venugopal Reddy for Rs 5.54 crore. The house was later leased to Udhayanidhi's film unit.

One year and three months later, after the AIADMK returned to power, the original owner N Seshadri Kumar lodged the complaint claiming that he was in fact threatened to part with the property. He implicated Stalin, Udhanidhi and Stalin's friend Raja Shankar among others in the case. While others moved the high court and obtained anticipatory bail, apprehending arrest, Stalin refused to seek anticipatory bail. He, instead, met the director-general of police and complained of malafide action.

The present petition to quash the entire proceedings was filed by Venugopal Reddy. During the pendency of the petitioner, on February 12, 2012, Reddy and Seshadri Kumar and others involved in the property transaction entered into an agreement. As per the pact, Reddy gave an additional sum of Rs 1.75 crore to Seshadri Kumar. In return, he offered to withdraw the complaint, and inform the high court of the same.

However, state public prosecutor I Subramanian objected to the out of court settlement, and said that merely because of that, the criminal proceedings should not be allowed to lapse. Rejecting the submissions, Justice Mathivanan said that the continuation of the proceedings would not serve any purpose sinec the dispute between the parties had been settled amicably 'in the presence of friends and well-wishers'.

Bruce Willis angry with Ashton - India

04 APR 2012

Bruce Willis angry with Ashton

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Bruce Willis is reportedly angry about pictures that show Rihanna making a midnight visit to Ashton Kutcher's home.

The 57-year-old Red actor - who was married to Ashton's estranged wife Demi Moore for 13 years before their divorce in 2000 - apparently feels the Two and a Half Men star shouldn't be moving on so publicly.

A source told the Daily Star newspaper: "Bruce's been trying to phone Ashton to tell him to be more considerate towards ex-wife Demi, but Ashton's ignoring his calls."

"Bruce isn't happy about the Rihanna pictures and wants to chat to him man to man."

Ashton and Demi split after six years of marriage in November following claims Ashton had been unfaithful. While he has already been linked to numerous women, including the S&M hitmaker, Demi has spent time in rehab for reported addiction problems and an eating disorder.

The heartbroken actress - who has three daughters from her marriage to Bruce - is now said to be "stalling" the divorce by refusing the sign the papers.

A source told Grazia magazine: Demi is stalling as she's so hurt and angry with Ashton right now. She keeps getting bits of information from mutual friends, which is making things even worse. She said that when she first filed for divorce, they both made a pact that they would be upfront with each other when their time came to move on, so Ashton's behaviour is making things even worse," a source told the British edition of Grazia magazine.

"Demi was close to singing the papers a couple of weeks ago, because of pressure from the lawyers, but in light of recent events she's not feeling so cooperative."

UAE shuts down two foreign NGOs - India

31 mar 2012

Abu Dhabi (CNN) -- Two nongovernmental organizations that worked primarily on promoting democracy abroad were shuttered by the government of the United Arab Emirates this week.

The Dubai office of U.S.-based National Democratic Institute was shut down Wednesday, followed by the closure of the Abu Dhabi office of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, an organization based in Germany, the next day.

Both pro-democracy groups saw their offices raided and shut down last year in Egypt.

Egyptian authorities accused the organizations of international interference that was stoking continued protests against the current military-led government.

According to the NDI, while the organization has a regional office in Dubai, it does not have any programs in the UAE.

"Our office was simply a regional hub which supported programs in places like Qatar and Kuwait," said Les Campbell, NDI regional director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Campbell said that authorities -- he's not sure from where -- came to their office and announced that NDI's license was canceled, effective immediately.

"While we are disappointed at this turn of events and disturbed by the arbitrary behavior in Dubai, we do not have programs in the UAE, so it has no serious ramifications for our work," he said.

The German organization, described as a think tank associated with German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), reacted with even more surprise.

"We can only react with utter disbelief to the unexpected and sudden developments in Abu Dhabi. We have not been given any viable reasons.

"After the experiences in Egypt, we not only regret this decision. We would see it as an alarming signal if nongovernmental organizations and political foundations are not welcome in the Arab world," said Hans-Gert Poettering, head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Foundation.

UAE officials have not yet commented on the closures.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is in the region, said Saturday she regretted the UAE decision.

"We are ... strong believers in a vibrant civil society, and both NDI and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation office play a key role in supporting NGOs and civil society across the region, and I expect our discussions on this issue to continue."

Meanwhile, press freedom group Reporters Without Borders on Friday condemned the government of the UAE for cracking down on bloggers and other online activists.

"March has seen a wave of arrests, attacks and acts of intimidation. We urge the government to abandon these methods," the group said. "The authorities must stop arresting 'netizens' and bloggers for what they post online and must guarantee their safety."

Human rights groups of late have also stepped up their criticism of the UAE.

According to Samer Muscati, Middle East researcher for Human Rights Watch, at least three online activists have been detained in recent weeks.

"It seems that the government is still frighted by the events transpiring in the Middle East and are trying to do what it takes to keep the Arab Spring from reaching its shore, regardless of how small that possibility might be," he said.

Unlike many other nations in the region, the UAE was never affected by Arab Spring inspired protests. Nonetheless, the government has been quick to pursue activists who call for reform.

Last year, the citizenship of seven activists -- known as UAE 7 -- was revoked by UAE. The seven pro-democracy activists with ties to Islamist groups were found to be a threat to national security.

Also last year, five activists were arrested, tried and convicted for publicly insulting top UAE officials, committing acts that pose a threat to state security, undermining public order, opposing the government system and instigating others to break laws.

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan pardoned all five one day after they were sentenced to prison terms.

According to Muscati, there was hope that the pardoning of the five activists last year was a signal of change to come, but that has not been he case, he said.

"These recent arrests are just a continuation of attempts by the authorities to silence critics and other dissenting voices," said Muscati of Human Rights Watch.

Ahmed Mansoor, an engineer and blogger, was one of the five prosecuted activists.

"I strongly disagree and condemn any acts that violate the basic human rights and freedom of opinion and expression," Mansoor told CNN. "The latest arrests and harassment of activists are directly related to the exercising of these basic rights."

Mansoor said the government is worried about the ripple effect of the Arab Spring. "This crackdown does not help anybody; not the social peace and unity nor the country image in the international level."

Anna Hazare now part of school syllabus - India

30 mar 2012

Anna Hazare’s campaign for a jan lokpal bill is now part of school curriculum. Several CBSE-recognised schools here have included a chapter on the anti-graft activist in their general knowledge textbooks for Classes 7 and 8. Some have given him the flattering epithet of ‘India’s second Gandhi’.

“Hazare is an Indian social activist recognised for his participation in the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement,” says a book written by Dhiren M Joshi and brought out by a private publication. This introduction is followed by a fill-in-the-blanks exercise on Hazare’s life and his agitation.
Another chapter describes the salient features of the bill: “An institution called lokpal at the Centre and lokayuktas in states will be set up and these will be independent of the government and no minister or government official will be able to influence investigations in corruption cases.”
The CBSE said it prescribed no such book. “The CBSE and National Council for Educational Research and Training recommend books, define syllabus but can’t dictate terms to schools,” said an official.

Gaddafi family assets worth 1.1 billion Euros seized in Italy - India

28 mar 2012

Gaddafi family assets worth 1.1 billion Euros seized in Italy

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Milan:  Italian tax police said on Wednesday it had seized Italian assets worth more than 1.1 billion euros belonging to members of the Gaddafi family.

In a statement, the tax police said the assets include stakes in Italy's largest bank UniCredit, Italian oil and gas giant Eni, Italy's defence group Finmeccanica, carmaker Fiat, truck-maker Fiat Industrial  and Turin-based soccer club Juventus.

The police said the seizure has been ordered by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

Strauss-Kahn charged in prostitution vice ring - India

27 mar 2012

Disgraced former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn has been charged with involvement in an organised vice ring that procured prostitutes for top-class clients, lawyers said.
Prosecutors said the 62-year-old former Socialist finance minister and one-time presidential favourite had been  released on $135,000 bail following the charges on Monday.
Strauss-Kahn was called in by investigating magistrates in the northern French city of Lille two days earlier than expected and charged with an offence that could carry 20 years in prison if he is convicted.
"He firmly declares that he is not guilty of these acts and never had the least inkling that the women he met could have been prostitutes," said Richard Malka, one of Strauss-Kahn's counsel.
"Dominique Strauss-Kahn was placed under judicial control and was forbidden from contacting defendants, civil plaintiffs, witnesses and the press regarding the procedures," prosecutors said in a statement.
Strauss-Kahn's name came up as police were investigating a pimping operation that saw sex workers from brothels over the Belgian border being brought to France for orgies in high-class hotels in Lille and Paris.
Strauss-Kahn admits that he took part in some of these parties, one of which was said to involve women being flown to Washington to entertain him while he was still managing director of the International Monetary Fund.
But, through his lawyer, he has denied knowing the escorts were paid.
Using prostitutes is not illegal in France, but prosecutors are seeking proof that Strauss-Kahn was aware the parties were arranged by an organised pimping ring and paid for by other guests misusing company funds.
Strauss-Kahn told police he did not suspect the women were prostitutes because he was introduced to them by senior police officers.
lawyers will also be in court on Wednesday in New York for the first hearing in a civil case brought against him by Nafissatou Diallo, a hotel maid who alleges he sexually assaulted her.    

14-crore bribe offered to Army chief: Many missing pieces of information - India

26 mar 2012

14-crore bribe offered to Army chief: Many missing pieces of information

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

New Delhi:  In the morning, the Army chief disclosed that he has been asked for a 14-crore bribe by a retired defence officer in 2010. By the evening, the controversy had expanded to question why General VK Singh had not shared this earlier, or filed a case against the man who offered him the bribe, or blacklisted the company on whose behalf the kickback was allegedly offered.

The General has not named the man who visited him in his office in 2010. But sources say, the deal in question was related to Tatra and Vectra Ltd., which provided trucks to the Army via a contract. The bribe was allegedly offered to convince the Army chief not to introduce competitive bidding. The truck manufacturers had allegedly worked out that if that happened, they would save 40 lakhs per truck. So to clear the consignment of 1600 trucks, General VK Singh was allegedly offered almost Rs. 88,000 per truck, adding upto 14 crores.   

In his interview to The Hindu newspaper, the General said he'd been offered the money to clear sub-standard trucks. But the Defence Ministry has pointed out that nobody from the Army has ever complained about the performance of the trucks supplied by Tatra, which is a Czech company. "We have never received any complaint from the armed Forces," Joint Secretary (Land Systems) in the Defence Ministry Rashmi Verma said.

The government has ordered a CBI inquiry, but both the Congress and the BJP have said the Army chief should have filed a case against the retired officer for trying to bribe a government servant. "It was not like he was giving me bribe in my hand. This was an indirect method and that is why no arrest was made," was the General's explanation.

Though the General has not named the officer who met him, earlier this month, in a press release, the Army targeted former Lieutenant General Tejinder Singh for trying to create a rift between the government and the Army chief. Tejinder Singh had also served as chief of the Defence Intelligence Agency. The Army chief said he had been interrogated earlier about purchasing off-the-air interceptors without required clearances. The Army's statement added that Tejinder Singh had offered bribes on behalf of a company named Tatra and Vectra Ltd., which supplies vehicles to the Army.

Former Army chief VP Malik said to NDTV, "There was a need to take strong prompt, ruthless action. The Army Chief should have pursued the matter. I would have taken action against person offering bribe."

Meanwhile, Lt Gen Singh earlier today denied the charges of bribing the Army chief. Speaking to NDTV earlier today, he said, "I do not think VK Singh has said that I made or did not make this sort of offer." He also said that he met with the Army chief once after he retired, but said he would disclose the circumstances of that meeting later. He further said that he would initiate "legal action against the people concerned". 

The retired officer has also been allotted a flat in the Adarsh Society, a high-rise building in Mumbai whose apartments were intended for war veterans and widows, but were instead given to politicians, bureaucrats and defence officers.

The government and the chief will now have to answer whether the company was blacklisted once the bribe was offered, and why it has taken so long to commission a formal inquiry.

The Congress today suggested that the Army chief's own actions were wanting. "If someone offered him a bribe, as a government servant, he should have filed a case against the person under the Prevention of Corruption Act," said the Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari.

The Congress-led coalition at the Centre has been entangled in a maze of financial scandals, with the opposition accusing it of serving as a "government of scams" and of creating an environment that lends itself to graft as the Standard Operating Procedure.

In January, General Singh became the first serving military chief to take the government to court. He wanted the Defence Ministry to accept that he was born in 1951 and not 1950 - records with the Army list both years. The Defence Ministry had refused the General's claim, stating that he had accepted many promotions on the basis of his seniority as established by the documents that showed he was born in 1950. The chief withdrew his petition in the Supreme Court after the judges, through their remarks, indicated they would not side with his claim. He is scheduled to retire at the end of May.
 

Japan to push anti-terror measures at nuclear plants - India

25 mar 2012

Japan to push anti-terror measures at nuclear plants

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Tokyo:  The U.S. had repeatedly warned Japan about vulnerabilities at its nuclear plants in case of a September 11-style terror attack. It turned out Washington was right about the soft spots, but wrong about the enemy that would strike them.

When nature unleashed its own fury on Japan last year with a devastating tsunami, a list of U.S. recommendations proved highly prescient. The elements Washington identified as most vulnerable in an attack - spent fuel pools, cooling systems, backup electricity - were the ones worst hit in Japan's disaster.

Tokyo had ignored the recommendations, which were implemented at U.S. nuclear sites, because Japanese officials thought the chances of terrorist-flown aircraft striking its plants were remote.

But as leaders from around the world head to Seoul for a major summit this week on nuclear security, Japan's disaster at its Fukushima plant has provided a salient example of how solid protections against terrorist attacks go hand in hand with protections against natural disasters.

The summit is primarily about ways to keep nuclear materials out of the hands of terrorists, but the Japanese government plans to propose a series of Fukushima-inspired measures to enhance emergency power backup systems and advocate a closer link between anti-terror security and general safety issues.

"We have to imagine the unimaginable," Kensuke Yoshida, the director of the arms control and disarmament division of Japan's Foreign Ministry and a member of Japan's delegation, told The Associated Press.

"Once an incident happens, the consequences will be extremely grave, whether caused by a natural disaster or terrorists," Mr Yoshida said.

Japan had been slow to make that connection.

Documents made public since Japan's nuclear crisis began last year suggest the scenario that played out in Fukushima was by no means unforeseeable - it was simply ignored.

After the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a number of directives to the domestic nuclear industry based on a review of what might happen if an airliner hijacked by terrorists was crashed into an atomic plant.

It expressed concern that such an attack could cripple a plant's power system, and proposed portable diesel-driven pumps, portable power supplies and hoses be made readily available so that reactor cores can be kept cool to prevent them from going into dangerous, radiation-spewing meltdowns. It also suggested measures to provide backup cooling water to the vulnerable spent fuel pools.

The suggestions were passed on to Japan several times, but Tokyo dismissed them because it regarded the recommendations as a terrorism issue and did not think it faced a significant terrorist threat, according to Tetsuya Endo, a former diplomat and vice chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of Japan.

"The agency that got the recommendations just put them in their pocket. No one else knew anything about it," said Mr Endo, who is on an independent fact-finding commission that recently released a scathing review of Japan's response to the crisis.

"We are an island nation with an island mentality. We see ourselves as free from the possibility of terrorist attack," he said.

Last year's March 11 earthquake and tsunami devastated the very systems that the NRC had found to be weakest. Fukushima experienced the electrical blackout that it warned of, and three of its reactors went into meltdowns, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate as plant workers struggled to find ways to keep them cool.

In recent testimony before a parliament-appointed investigative panel, Haruki Madarame, a nuclear physicist and head of Japan's Nuclear Safety Commission, acknowledged that Japan should have taken the U.S. findings more seriously.

"Even though we were aware of the issue and knew that they were taking steps, we didn't do anything," he said. "When other countries were discussing the problems, we only wasted time trying to find excuses why we didn't have to do it."

Edwin Lyman, a nuclear terrorism expert with the Union of Concerned Scientists, said Japan's crisis is a good case-in-point for experts who have long warned that anti-terrorism measures need to be enhanced.

"The Fukushima accident has certainly illustrated the dependence of nuclear plants on electrical power supply, both off- and on-site, and how core damage can occur solely as a result of a prolonged loss of power in the absence of timely intervention," he said.

But he said the disconnect between policymakers who are primarily concerned with anti-terror measures and those focused on mitigating natural disasters continues to be a major problem.

Mr Lyman said the United States' post-9/11 recommendations, which were made public in May to support the NRC's argument that the U.S. was prepared for a Fukushima-type event, reflected that imbalance.

"The measures were specifically intended to help plants survive the impact of a single aircraft, and not to survive other types of initiating events, like earthquakes and floods," he said. "In fact, the U.S. guidance specified that such equipment did not have to be seismically qualified."

Because of the Fukushima example, he said, the NRC is now updating its measures to take into account a wider variety of challenges.

Raja Bhaiyya suspends jail superintendent, deputy jailor in Lucknow - India

24 mar 2012

Raja Bhaiyya suspends jail superintendent, deputy jailor in Lucknow

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Lucknow:  Uttar Pradesh minister for jails Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya today suspended the jail superintendent and the deputy jailor of a prison in Lucknow as the food in the jail was found to be below the specified standards.

Mr Singh also inspected two other jails in Lucknow.

In a surprise visit of "nari bandigrah", Mr Singh found the food being provided to the inmates below the specified norms and standards, sources said.

The minister also took a serious note of complaints that the inmates were not being provided things of their daily requirement in the prison, sources said.

The Kunda MLA ordered the suspension of jail superintendent Amita Dubey and deputy jailor Anjani Kumar Gupta.

The minister also found anomalies in the construction and sanitation works in the other jails, and directed officials to ensure that the inmates are provided with proper facilities.

PM to unveil India's plan to meet nuclear terror threat - India

23 mar 2012

PM to unveil India's plan to meet nuclear terror threat

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

New Delhi:  Amid global worries about threat of nuclear terrorism and concerns over safety, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will unveil before the world the steps conceived by India to meet these challenges when he attends the Nuclear Security Summit in South Korea on Monday.

Mr Singh, who leaves on Saturday on a four-day visit to South Korea, said on Friday that he will also underline India's continuing support to a world free from nuclear weapons.

In his pre-departure statement, he noted that the Seoul Summit follows the one convened by President Barack Obama in Washington in April, 2010, to focus the attention of countries with considerable nuclear capabilities on the threat posed by nuclear terrorism.

"This remains a continuing concern," Mr Singh said.

Pointing out that India is expanding its nuclear power programme to diversify its energy mix and enhance energy security, he said that in order to retain public support for harnessing the benefits of nuclear energy, "we must be able to assure them of the highest levels of nuclear security and safety."

This, he said, is "even more important" after the Fukushima accident in Japan last year.

"India has prepared a national report which will be shared during the Summit," the Prime Minister said, adding he would highlight the high priority India attaches to nuclear security, safety and non-proliferation and its impeccable record in this regard.

Mr Singh said he expected the Seoul Summit to review actions that countries have taken to strengthen nuclear security since the last meet and recommend further steps to enhance the global nuclear security architecture.

The Seoul Summit, to be attended by US President Barack Obama and 57 other world leaders, will review the progress made since the first Summit.

"The main objective of the Summit has been high-level attention on the global threat posed by nuclear terrorism and the measures that are required to prevent terrorists and other non-state actors from gaining access to sensitive nuclear material and technologies," Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai had told reporters yesterday while briefing the media on the visit.

During his visit to Seoul, Mr Singh is scheduled to hold talks with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and leaders of some other countries.

An agreement on simplifying issuance of visas between India and South Korea would be signed after talks between Mr Singh and Mr Lee.

"I look forward to my bilateral meeting with President Lee to undertake a comprehensive review of our relations with the Republic of Korea, and identify new steps for the future," the Prime Minister said in the statement.

Describing South Korea as a strategic partner and an important pillar of India's "Look East" policy, he noted the two countries have a vibrant trade and investment relationship and partnership in science and technology, education and energy holds enormous promise.

Mr Singh would also seek to strengthen people-to-people contacts between the two countries, strengthen cooperation in the field of science and technology, and also coordinate the thinking on matters relating to regional security and international events.

Soumitra Chatterjee named for Dada Saheb Phalke award - India

21 mar 2012

Soumitra Chatterjee named for Dada Saheb Phalke award

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Legendary Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee, who has portrayed a versatile range of lead characters in films by Satyajit Ray, has been selected for India's highest film honour - the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2012.

Confirming the news, Chatterjee told IANS that he was "extremely happy" at the honour.

"I am extremely happy. Till this evening I had not thought of this award. But after I got the news I am extremely happy," Chatterjee said.

Chatterjee, one of India's most talented actors, made his debut in 1959 with Ray's super-hit movie Apur Sansar. The film gave him the much needed platform, and he never looked back.

Chatterjee soon became Ray's favourite, and became the lead actor of most of the movie maker's classics including Sonar Kella, Charulata, and Ghare Baire.

Chatterjee's association with Ray is often compared with the chemistry between famous actor-director duos of the world such as Akira Kurosowa-Toshiro Mifune and Marcello Mastroianni-Federico Fellini.

Apart from Ray, Chatterjee has worked with all internationally acclaimed directors of his time, including Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha and Tarun Majumdar.

Some of his notable movies are Jhinder Bandi, Koni, Kaapurush, Akash Kusum, Aranyer Din Ratri, Joy Baba Felunath, Teen Bhubaner Pare, Ganashatru and Sakah Prashakha.
The Padama Bhushan awardee has also worked with other famous directors such as Aparna Sen, Goutam Ghose and Rituparno Ghosh.

Besides films, Chatterjee is also known for his passion for the stage where he has both acted and directed plays. He is also one of the all-time best elocutionists of Bengal.

He has also received The Officier des Arts et Metiers, the highest award for arts from France and lifetime achievement award from Italy.

Cycling Salman Khan stalls traffic - India

19 mar 2012

Cycling Salman Khan stalls traffic

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  Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

   

   

Salman Khan was spotted once again on his cycle, pedaling away in the fast lane on the Western Express highway near Santa Cruz in Mumbai on Saturday, March 17.

At first not many could recognise the man on the white wheels, wearing a cap with his gaze fixed on the road ahead, guarded by two men on bikes. But a closer look revealed the identity of the actor who caused a mini jam on the highway.

Salman who is shooting at Kamalistan Studios for his upcoming movie Dabangg 2, was perhaps cycling home to Bandra.

Sentenced for life, 80 year old Dr. Chisty deported to Pakistan - India

19 mar 2012

Putting an end to a case that caught the attention of rights activists as well as the Prime Minister, the Government of India has granted clemency to Mohammad Khalil Chisty – the 80-year-old Pakistani virologist undergoing life imprisonment in a murder case in Ajmer jail – and deported him to Pakistan. 

Senior counsel U.U. Lalit made this submission in the Supreme Court on Monday.

On February 24, a Bench of Justices P. Sathasivam and J. Chelameswar issued notice to the Union of India and the Rajasthan government on a petition filed on behalf of Dr. Chisty by Mr. Lalit seeking his release. The court had granted two weeks for the Centre to respond. 

On Monday, Mr. Lalit said that in view of the deportation, nothing survived in the petition. Recording the submissions, the Bench disposed of the matter. 

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 History:

Dr Chisti, an 80-year-old Pakistani virologist, was sentenced to life imprisonment in Ajmer after 19 years of trial. Burney said the Karachi University professor was arrested on charges of the murder of one man Idris. The murder allegedly took place during a group clash on the premises of the shrine of the sufi saint Khuwaja Moinuddin Chisti Ajmeri in Ajmer, Rajasthan on the March 14, 1992
What appeared to be an altercation among cousins at the Baitul Salim Manzil reportedly turned bloody and Idris died after he sustained serious wounds from a gunshot.
Burney said after a case was registered in the Ganj police station in Ajmer, Dr Chisti, was put on a prolonged trial along with three others — Yasir Chisti, Akil Chisti and Farooq Chisti — under Sections, 307, 302, 324, 323 of the Indian Penal Code and then sentenced to life imprisonment.
Later an appeal for suspension of sentence was moved by Dr Chisti in the Rajasthan High Court, and was rejected on the ground that he is a Pakistani national and “no leniency” could be shown in his case.   The suspension plea for the sentence of the other three accused was granted.
Dr Chisty was in the jail hospital located in the premises of the Ajmer Central Jail.
 He is unable to walk or stand so someone has to carry him to the bathroom. He also has fractured his left hip and is also showing symptoms of palsy and is a heart patient.
Burney appealed to Ms Patil and Mr Singh to consider the case on humanitarian grounds in the light of the goodwill generated between India and Pakistan over the release of Kashmir Singh and Gopal Das, Indian nationals who were facing death sentences in Pakistan.
 Indian Constitution gives Governors powers to grant pardon, reprieve, respite or remission of punishment, including life sentence to any person. Dr Chisti was to be released under the provisions of the Rajasthan Jail Manual, Part 5, Rule-3.

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Narendra Modi may pose challenge to Rahul Gandhi: Time - India

17  mar 2012

Narendra Modi may pose challenge to Rahul Gandhi: Time

Washington Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi may pose a challenge to Congress's young scion Rahul Gandhi in India's next parliamentary elections, Time magazine said. Modi, who figured on the cover page of the latest issue of the Asia edition of the prestigious magazine, which hits the stands yesterday could put up a challenge to Gandhi in particular after the recently held Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, where Congress fared poorly.
"With two years left before the next national election in 2014, Congress hopes its young scion, Sonia's son Rahul, will refresh the party, but a resounding loss in a recent state election makes him look vulnerable," Time said.
"Modi Means Business. But can he lead India?" says the headline on the coverage which has a blown up picture of a serious looking bearded Modi who has ruled Gujarat for more than a decade now.
"Modi, 61, is perhaps the only contender with the track record and name recognition to challenge Rahul Gandhi," says the cover story by Jyoti Thottam, which includes an interview of Modi.
"Many Indians recoil at any mention of a man whose name is indelibly linked to Gujarat's brutality of 2002; choosing him as India's leader would seem a rejection of the country's tradition of political secularism and a sure path to increased tension with Muslim Pakistan, where he is reviled," it says.
"But when others think of someone who can bring India out of the mire of chronic corruption and inefficiency – of a firm, no-nonsense leader who will set the nation on a course of development that might finally put it on par with China – they think of Modi," Time says.
The cover story highlights the achievement of Gujarat under his Chief Minister ship. "What's certain is that during his 10 years in power in Gujarat, the state has become India's most industrialised and business-friendly territory, having escaped the land conflicts and petty corruption that often paralyze growth elsewhere in the nation," it said.
"Gujarat's USD 85 billion economy may not be the largest in India, but it has prospered without the benefit of natural resources, fertile farmland, a big population center likeMumbai or a lucrative high-tech hub like Bangalore. Gujarat's success, even Modi's detractors acknowledge, is a result of good planning -- exactly what so much of India lacks," the magazine said.
But Time does point out towards the 2002 riots, the victims of which are yet to get justice. "In the decade since that carnage, dozens of individual rioters have been convicted, but the state has never had to answer accusations that it failed to halt the violence: no top officials have been held accountable or had conspiracy charges proved against them," it said.
"One case naming Modi remains open, a notorious incident in which nearly 200 people were killed while taking shelter in the home of a Muslim politician, Ehsan Jafri, whose desperate calls to government officials for protection were ignored. Modi denies ever hearing from Jafri, who was dismembered and killed. If this case also ends without any charges being brought, the last remaining obstacle between Modi and national office will fall," the weekly wrote.