EXPRESS INDIA EXPRESS INDIA
August 27, 2013
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A weekly News paper featuring News & Trends from the Indian Sub-continent published from the US Capital
Vol. 23 No. 35 WASHINGTON DC • Phone: 301-445-0200/301-445-3543/301-917-4800 • email:indiathisweekads@gmail.com • August 27, 2013
178 Killed, Over 1.5 Million Affected In Pakistan Floods
Islamabad, Aug. 25 (PTI): At least 178 people have been killed and more than 1.5 million affected due to floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains across Pakistan, officials said on Sunday. Most of the victims are from Punjab and Sindh, the two largest provinces considered the backbone of Pakistan’s agrarian economy. Kamran Zia, spokesman of National Disaster Management Authority informed that more than half of affected people were evacuated as part of preventive measures to save them from floods. “So far 178 people
have been killed and over 1.5 million displaced but there is no need to panic as the situation is well under control,” Zia said. He said thousands of people settled in the traditional river beds and most vulnerable to raging waters had been moved to safer places. “More than 18,000 of them are living in relief camps while others have decided to take up shelters with their relatives,” he said. He said more than 850 people have been injured and over 5,600 villages inundated across the country. The NDMA spokesman said that officials are keeping 24-hour vigil at the
rivers and weather patterns and are fully prepared to deal with the situation. P r i m e M i n i st e r Nawaz Sharif also visited the flood-hit areas in Sindh today and witnessed the relief activities and asked authorities to speed up their work. The annual floods are caused by the monsoon system which brings heavy downpours in the entire South Asia. Pakistani authorities have faced criticism for not doing enough to combat the hazards posed by seasonal rains washing away homes and farmland. Pa k istan’s worst floods in 2010 killed over 1,700 people and displaced more than 20 million.
Ayodhya, Aug25 (ANI): Setting the stage for a confrontation with the Uttar Pradesh government, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) inaugurated its controversial ‘Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama’ from Ayodhya on Sunday, amidst a massive crackdown launched by the administration, in which over 350 people, including VHP President Ashok Singhal and senior party leader Praveen Togadia have been arrested. Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ram Vilas Vedanti and sitting
MLA Ram Chandra Yadav have also been detained. Togadia was arrested when he defied prohibitory orders in Ayodhya and attempted to conduct prayers on the banks of the Saryu river, after the Uttar Pradesh government had banned the yatra, while Singhal was detained at the Lucknow airport. Reports state that a curfew-like situation is prevailing in the town as shops have been shut and Naya Ghat area has been cordoned off. The Lucknow bench
of the Allahabad High Court on Saturday dismissed a plea for allowing 84-Kosi parikrama yatra, stating that there is a possibility of tension, and added that the restriction will be maintained. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has vowed to kick off its ‘Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama’ around Ayodhya to revive its demand for a Ram temple. The Samajwadi Party Government has banned the proposed Yatra, as a
New Delhi, Aug. 22 (ANI): Britain’s High Commissioner to India, Sir James David Bevan, on Thursday said that his meeting with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi last year was not an endorsement of him or his political party.
“I would like to say that engagements are not endorsement. My job is to understand India and meet important leaders so that I can help Britain and India to develop and strengthen their ties. Me going to Gujarat and meeting the Chief Minister
was not an endorsement of Mr. Modi or his past or any political party,” he told media here today. The British High Commissioner further said that his Government decided to re-engage with Modi, after three British nationals were killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots and added that the his Government has concerns over human rights violation.
Togadia, Singhal Among 500 Activists Arrested Across Uttar Pradesh
ARRESTED See Page 4
‘Engagements With Modi Not An Endorsement’: U.K Envoy To India
Remember
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt. Abraham Lincoln
ENVOY See Page 9
India, Iraq Sign Pact To Strengthen Cooperation In Energy Sector
New Delhi, Aug. 23 (ANI): India and Iraq on Friday signed an agreement on energy cooperation to boost the bilateral ties. The agreement was signed along with three other agreements after comprehensive talks between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his Iraqi counterpart Nouri alMaliki on strategic bilateral, regional and international issues. “Expressing satisfaction at the rapidly growing bilateral trade in the oil and energy sector, with Iraq becoming India’s second largest supplier of crude oil, the two sides agreed to focus on enhancing cooperation in energy security, in particular, through joint efforts to develop capacities to maximize the utilization of energy resources, through joint ventures in oil exploration, petrochemical complexes and fertilizer plants,” said a joint statement issued after the talks. “The two sides expressed happiness at the signing of an important MOU in
The Prime Minister of Iraq, Mr. Nouri Kamil Al-Maliki meeting the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, in New Delhi the energy sector to further deepen the existing cooperation,” the joint statement adds. Both sides noted with satisfaction that OVL and Petroleum Contracts and Licensing Directorate (PCLD) have initiated negotiations and expected that they conclude negotiations for Block-8 contract. The two Prime Ministers held wide-ranging discussions in a sincere, cordial
and friendly atmosphere. They exchanged views on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest and reached a broad consensus. T he d iscussions enabled better understanding and appreciation of each other’s concerns and perspectives and helped in forging closer understanding at the highest political level. “The two sides ex-
sexually assaulted the victim twice. The second accused, Vijay Jadhav, was picked up in the wee hours of Saturday from Madanpura area by the Crime branch. The third accused was also arrested on Saturday. On Friday, an unemployed youth from south Mumbai identified as Chand Shaikh was arrested in the case. He was produced before a local court on Saturday, and has been ordered to remain in custody until August 30. The incident took place on August 22 in Lower Parel area where the 23-year-old woman had gone for an assignment. She was working with an English Magazine as an intern. According to police, the men tied up the friend who was accompanying her and raped the woman. The victim, who was admitted to Jaslok Hospital, had sustained multiple internal
injuries. She is stated to be in a stable condition now. Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Sunday said that the trial of the Mumbai gang rape case of a 23year-old photojournalist will be fast tracked, and added he hopes that justice will be handed in the toughest and swiftest manner. “All five of the accused have been arrested in connection with the incident which occurred in Mumbai. This case will be fast tracked. ...We want that the legal judicial procedure to be completed quickly and these perpetrators are handed harsh punishments,” Chavan said. On Friday, Chavan had visited the Jaslok Hospital, where the female victim is undergoing treatment and assured the family that extreme precaution would be taken to ensure that the victim’s identity was not revealed. The Centre has sought a detailed report on the gang rape incident.
ENERGY See Page 2
All Five Accused Held In Mumbai Photojournalist Gangrape Case
Mumbai, Aug. 25 (ANI): The fifth accused in the brutal gangrape of a 23-year-old photojournalist was arrested from Delhi by Mumbai crime branch on Sunday. With this, all the five accused in the case have been arrested. Earlier on Sunday, the Mumbai Police announced the arrest of the fourth accused in the gang-rape case. According to the police, the main accused, Salim Ansari, 27, managed to escape to the national capital but was brought back to Mumbai today. Ansari was arrested by the Mumbai crime branch from Delhi today. After his arrest from the Ashok Vihar area of the national capital, the accused was produced before a court in Rohini to seek his transit remand to be transported to Mumbai. The accused, Kasim Bangali, was the oldest of the five accused and was the one who
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India, Iraq Sign Pact To Strengthen Cooperation In Energy Sector ENERGY From Pg 1
pressed satisfaction at the recent high-level political exchanges and agreed to further strengthen the bilateral relations through regular exchanges at political, business and people-to-people levels. In this context, both leaders welcomed the constructive outcome of the 17th Joint Commission Meeting recently held on 7-8 July, 2013 in Baghdad, which has been an effective institutional mechanism to discuss the entire gamut of the bilateral ties,” the joint statement said. “The two leaders reiterated the necessity to build a forward-looking relationship by deepening the bilateral engagement and better leveraging existing complementarities between the two countries in key areas of mutual interest, earlier identified in the JCM, including among others energy security; agriculture and food security; water resource management; education; infrastructure development; pharmaceuticals and medicare; information technology and low-cost housing. The two sides reached a common understanding to further diversify the trade basket,” the joint statement adds. India and Iraq condemned the phenomenon of terrorism and extremism, affirming that it threatened all societies and was not linked to any race, colour or belief. “The international community must, therefore, resolutely combat terrorism. The two sides further agreed to cooperate on counter-terrorism,” said a joint statement issued after the talks between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his Irqi counterpart Nouri Al- Maliki. “Recognising that
the two countries face similar challenges being pluralistic societies, the two leaders noted that tolerance, religious harmony and brotherhood, irrespective of faith or ethnic background, were part of the principles, ethos and values of the two countries. India reiterated its commitment to supporting the emergence of a stable, peaceful, united and democratic Iraq,” the statement adds. The two sides discussed several regional and international issues, including the security situation in West Asia, Middle East and South Asia. There was convergence of views on the subject. The two sides agreed that the Afghanistan issue concerned regional security and stability. They reiterated their support for an “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned” reconciliation process and their commitment to working with regional countries and the international community to help Afghanistan achieve its objective of peace, stability, independence and development at an early date. The two leaders called upon all sides in Syria to abjure violence and resolve all issues peacefully through dialogue taking into account the aspirations of the people of Syria. Both leaders agreed that any external military intervention in Syria’s internal affairs should be excluded. Both leaders emphasized the importance of an effective multilateral system, centred on a United Nations reflective of contemporary realities, as a key factor in tackling global challenges. “In this context, they stressed upon the urgent need to pursue reforms of the United Nations, including of the Security Council through an
expansion in both categories of its membership, to make it more representative, credible and effective. Prime Minister Maliki reiterated his country’s support for India’s candidature for the permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council,” the joint statement said. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al- Maliki has invited his Indian counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh to visit Iraq at a mutually convenient time. Expressing his happiness to visit India, Prime Minister Maliki thanked Dr. Singh for the warm and gracious hospitality extended to him and the members of his delegation during their stay. “He invited Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to visit Iraq at a mutually convenient time. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh gladly accepted the invitation,” said a joint statement issued after the talks between Dr. Singh and Prime Minister Maliki. “The dates of the visit will be worked out through diplomatic channels,” the joint statement adds. This is the first Head of Government-level visit between the two countries since 1975 when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visited Iraq. India and Iraq enjoy time-tested, warm and friendly ties, growing cooperation in different fields, including hydrocarbons, agriculture and food security, water resource management, education, infrastructure development, pharmaceuticals and medicare, and information technology. Iraq has emerged as India’s second largest crude oil supplier with bilateral trade in excess of USD 21 billion in 2012-13.
Sukhbir Singh Badal Cancels His Canada Visit, Targets Congress
Chandigarh, Aug. 22 (ANI): Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has cancelled his visit to Canada in wake of the Canadian Government’s refusal to provide security to him during his official visit. Badal, who is also the chief of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), told media here today that it was unfortunate on part of the Canadian Government as it failed to provide security and protocol. “I was going to Canada. The Government of India and the Canadian Government has clearly written to Punjab Government that we cannot provide you security and protocol. So, this is very unfortunate,” said Badal. “I am heading a government and if the government of that country says we do not provide protocol and security then it’s not right. We are
not begging them to go. As a head of the state when their ministers come, their people come we provide them with full protocol and security,” he added. Badal was scheduled to visit Canada on September 18. According to reports, the Canadian Government had written to New Delhi about its inability to provide security to Badal for his visit. It is believed that some Sikh bodies were planning to stage protests during Badal’s visit. Meanwhile, Badal lashed out at the ruling Congress Party, saying it has ruined the country. “Punjab is in a 1000 times better position than Government of India. The Government of India is in crisis. This Prime Minister and this Congress Government has ruined the country,” he added.
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EDITORIAL
Mumbai’s Rapist-gang Includes A Good Son!
You had been probably anticipating that at least one of the culprits in the Mumbai gang-rape of the photojournalist would come forward with the claim that he is a minor, and hence is to be tried under the juvenile justice procedures. Here it has happened exactly as was expected, just like in the notorious antecedent the ‘Nirbhaya’ gang-rape of a paramedic in a Delhi bus, a few months ago. In the current story, Sarnabai the grandmother of Chand Babu Sattar Shaikh alias Mohammed Abdul, has claimed that her grandson is a ‘child’! Chand Babu Sattar Shaikh is one of the five accused in the Mumbai gangrape of the photojournalist. Sarnabai argues with the police, on the strength of a certificate that Sattar Shaikh was born 6th February 1997. The police, however, counterargues that the accused is about 19. And! Look at the kind of crime this C-H-I-L-D was involved with: It was Thursday 22nd August 2013, about 6.30 pm that the incident occurred, at the deserted Shakti Mills compound at Mahalakshmi, in Lower Parel of Mumbai where, accompanied by a male colleague, the victim had gone on an assignment. The victim whose name ought to remain undisclosed, but is an intern with an English magazine, was gang-raped by five men including Grandma Sarnabai’s sweetie little baby Sattar Shaikh! Holding a broken beer bottle over the victim’s neck and threatening to kill her if she moved, the wicked gang raped the 22-year-old photojournalist. And what is more, after the assault, the rapists clicked
her photos and threatened to release them in public and defame her if she disclosed their identities. And reportedly, grandma’s “very good boy” Sattar was one of them! Even if the grandmother’s point is legally valid, why should it be? A 16-yearold ‘kid’ who has acquired all the skill and expertise of an experienced adult to sexually torment a 22-year-old woman is allowanced for his age, which is ridiculous! What must be examined is the trueness of Grandma Sarnabai’s clean-chit for Sattar that “He is a very good boy. He cannot do such a bad thing,” and so on. The point should not be whether Sattar is an ‘infant’, but whether he is innocent. The present concept of juvenile delinquency has emboldened and empowered numerous so-called children to commit incredibly terrible crimes, in recent times. But the governmental machineries including the judiciary seem to be unperturbed, and unconcerned. The present expressions of shock and dismay by politicians like Sonia Gandhi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, and others, is only a customary exercise that hardly emanates from one’s heart. Mr. Chavan’s assurance that the state will bear all the medical expenses of the survivor, is not only cheap but also ridiculous. If not the state then who will bear?! And his promise of strictest possible punishment to the malefactors is nothing but empty oratory intended to pacify the public who, he knows, will forget the issue soon after they get another topic to chomp over. Our politicians have long survived on the people’s short memory.
Nonetheless, Mr. Chavan! You may kindly note that the current Mumbai story resurrects the memories of the Delhi antecedent in which case, no convincing action has been taken as of yet, by your Congress regime either at Center or at Delhi State. Whereas that hasn’t happened, why should we hope for this? While the Old Testament principle of “eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” was replaced by Jesus Christ with absolute forgiveness, retributive justice is a basic human quest, and that is why it is kept there not only in the Old Testament, but also in all religious scriptures. Individuals can forgive the one who has wronged you, but institutions and governments cannot practice unconditional forgiveness. If Ajmal Qasab were to be forgiven, the HotelTaj-kind-of episodes would multiply on a daily basis. Here we understand how killing is right in war. It is quite in accordance with this principle that in the current story, the gangrape survivor the 22-year-old photojournalist wants to see life imprisonment awarded to all of her assailants. She wants them to be punished severely for ruining her life. Mu mb a i Pol ic e Com missioner Satyapal Singh would have us informed that two of the five accused have been arrested, that both have confessed their crime, and that the line is clear for arresting the remaining three, which will happen shortly. Commissioner-ji! People are tired of tall promises. Yes, they want retributive justice, and nothing less for a safe India.
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Anna Hazare In Washington
by Anadi Naik Anna Hazare who is leading the anti-corruption movement in India visited our area last week. Community members, students and Government officials met with him. Many liken him to Mahatma Gandhi and recited poems about him. But in all appearances he seemed to be a very humble man with just one goal - serving mother India. He spoke no English and his speeches at public gatherings had to be translated. His clear message and his clarity of thought needed no translation. In modern India he is a transformational figure. And he showed every bit of it. Many important and interesting people of the area who came to meet with him are connected to ministers, political Parties and business houses in India. With all fairness it could be said that Anna Hazare’s movement is aimed at releasing India from the clutches of these people. Both in ideology and operational methods there is no difference between the two leading political Parties in India – BJP and Congress. Both are nurtured and sustained by the rich and the connected. Right now, the BJP members are with Anna all the way. Since his action is aimed against the current government of Manmohan Singh because of its lack of sincerity in bringing a Lokpal Bill the BJP stands to benefit by allying with Anna Hazare. The Parliamentary election is around the corner. By amassing around Anna the BJP followers think that they can come to power and install Narendra Modi in everybody’s conscience. However, Anna’s movement is not against the Congress or Manmohan Singh.
The movement wants to implement certain fairness in the process of governing. One must remember that in 1975 after three decades of unbroken rule of the Congress party a national emergency was created in India. Jayaprakash Narayan helped bring all Opposition Parties together to the extent that Jana Sangh ( forerunner of the BJP), members Atal Behari Bajpayee and Lalkrishna Advani were willing to serve under Prime Minister Jyoti Basu, the leader of the Marxist Communist Party. Later on the Jana Sangh became the Bharatiya Janata Party and was able to come to power on its own. While governing, it found that the Gandhi Peace Foundation, a think tank established by Jayaprakash Narayan, had become a thorn in the side. It tried to break the Gandhi Peace Foundation. As a preliminary the Bajpayee Government stopped certain grants for research. With that experience under the belt, one could safely assume that those who are surrounding Anna now could later find his ideas and his movement as a thorn in their side. All this adoration for Anna is genuine no doubt. But the act is also political expediency. Whether there is a law on the books or not corruption in India is endemic and institutionalized. In order to change the status quo the” team Anna” has done a great job by creating momentum for a Lok Pal Bill. The Government has the right to Information already on the book. 400 Government officers and 6 Union Ministers have been pushed out of their jobs. In a population of 1.2 billion this is not a big number. Transformation of values is needed.
Thousands of young people are following Anna Hazare. If they want to change society then they need to bring change into their personal lives. It requires hard work. Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave and Jayaprakash Narayan put forward programs for the nation and for the youth of the day. At a personal level Gandhiji asked his followers to participate in different Constructive programs – from abandoning the caste system to following trusteeship. Vinobaji tried to engage the nation in taking care of its poor by donating land to them. Against corruption, Jayaprakash Narayan caused a political revolution in India by bringing together all the Opposition Parties under one umbrella to defeat the Congress Party. Corruption is not a standalone issue. It is latched on to many different issues such as illiteracy, lack of communication, poverty, the caste system and so on. Before becoming famous, Anna Hazare organized his villagers against corrupt Government officers. He carried on Development - work. Earlier, his village could hardly get enough water for 300 acres of farmland to grow one crop a year. Today, 1500 acres of land there grows 3 crops. For the youth, his work in his village should be an eye opener. Gandhiji had asked his followers to “go to the villages to infuse life into the people”. That is what Anna did. His followers need to do the same. While fighting against corruption they need to build political, economic and social strength among the masses just like Gandhiji’s followers in an earlier era did. While fighting against the Raj they also carried on his Constructive programs.
during the ‘Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra’. Singhal was also critical of the massive security deployed by the state government to prevent the VHP from launching this yatra. “Instead of providing security, they (Uttar Pradesh Government) have arranged for teams to stop us. Do they want war with us?” he asked. Clamping down on the proposed yatra, the UP Government also arrested senior VHP leader Praveen
Togadia earlier this morning after he defied prohibitory orders. Togadia was arrested from Gola ghat in Ayodhya. Ayodhya has been turned into a fortress to prevent any unwanted entry. Sources say that scores of VHP activists have been arrested from Chandauli, Faizabad, Sant Kabir Nagar and other places. There is no public involvement in this Yatra as most of the people chose to remain indoors, especially in the Yatra affected six districts.
Togadia, Singhal Among 500 Activists Arrested Across Uttar Pradesh
ARRESTED From Pg 1
preemptive measure against communal flare-up, and put in place elaborate security arrangements by rushing in 10 companies of the Rapid Action Force (RSF) and 12 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC). Senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Ashok Singhal, who was today detained at the Lucknow airport, lashed out at the Samajwadi Party (SP) Government for arresting scores of Hindu activists
Samajwadi Party Trying To Divide UP On Religious Lines: BSP
New Delhi/ Lucknow, Aug. 25 (ANI): The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Sunday criticized the Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh Government’s decision to oppose the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s ‘Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra’ around Ayodhya, and said that the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) is trying to create an atmosphere to divide the society on religious lines. BSP leader Sudhindra Bhadoria said that the proposed yatra was a strategy of the ruling Uttar Pradesh Government to disrupt peace in the society. “An atmosphere to divide the society on religious lines is being created in Uttar Pradesh. But the people of Uttar Pradesh and the rest of the country are alert and they know all about the drama,” Bhadoria told media in New Delhi. “The government is trying to fool the people, as one party is adamant on taking out the rally while the other is bent on thwarting it.
It seems a joint conspiracy of the two,” Bhandoria added. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party leader Rajendra Chaudhary defended the state government’s stand to oppose the yatra, and said that his party would not let Uttar Pradesh witness the communal riots, which took place in Gujarat in 2002. “We will not let Uttar Pradesh become Gujarat. There is no place for communalism in our state. It is a decent state and we will never let communalism to play its game here. Mulayam Singh will never let the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) succeed in its designs,” Chaudhary said in Lucknow. Earlier in the day, VHP President Ashok Singhal and senior leader Praveen Togadia were detained by the police, along with 500 activists across Uttar Pradesh. Togadia was arrested when he defied prohibitory orders in Ayodhya and attempted to conduct prayers on the banks of the Saryu river, after the Uttar Pradesh gov-
ernment had banned the yatra, while Singhal was detained at the Lucknow airport. Prominent among those arrested by the state police include Savitri Bai Phule, VHP’s provincial coordinator Acharya Kushmuni and Mahant Santosh Das alias Sathu Baba, a VHP office bearer in Varanasi while prominent VHP leader Mahant Ram Saran Das was held at Ram Sanehi Ghat in Ayodhya. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Saturday dismissed a plea for allowing 84-Kosi parikrama yatra, stating that there is a possibility of tension, and added that the restriction will be maintained. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad had vowed to kick off its ‘Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama’ around Ayodhya to revive its demand for a Ram temple. The Samajwadi Party Government has banned the proposed Yatra, as a preemptive measure against communal flare-up.
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Yatra Is Fundamental Right Of Every Telangana Statehood Row: Jagan Mohan Reddy Begins Fast In Jail Citizen: Sushma Swaraj
New Delhi, Aug. 24 (ANI): Leader of Opposition (Lok Sabha) Sushma Swaraj on Saturday rubbished that there was a fear of communal flare up at the proposal of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) yatra, and said that yatras are within the fundamental rights of every Indian citizen. “This charge is absolutely baseless. With regard to our responses, yatra is a fundamental right of every citizen. We have our right to movement, and the tension is not being created by the yatra, but by the statements of the parties. If they don’t issue adverse statements, they will not be any tension because of this yatra,” Swaraj said. “He (Ashok Singhal) is not saying anything which will create tension. He is only saying that we will perform the yatra. That is what he is saying,” she clarified. Earlier today, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jagdambika Pal alleged that VHP’s proposed yatra was rooted in politics, rather than religion. “I will tell the Samajwadi Party also that they should not make these paper horses feel like tigers. ... This yatra has no support or backing-people will not go. Will Ashok Singhal be able to walk 84 kilometers? Or far that matter, Togadia or Giriraj Kishore-will they be able to do the yatra? “ Pal said. “It is clear than in the 2014 elections, they are doing it to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party,” Pal added. Terming the VHP initiative as a political yatra, Pal said that it is a baseless claim
for the political party to claim that their case had any religious basis. “It’s not a religious yatra, it’s a political yatra. It is not even the time for the yatra, that they are claiming to do. ... At this time, Lord Ram rests, after Ekadasi. I am from the neighborhood of Ayodhya. So, I feel that since Ayodhya is calm and none of the people from there are supporting this VHP yatra-you can enquire about the complete silence in Ayodhya-no one is supporting them, no supportive statements are coming forward, then it is clear that the VHP are the ones who are hell-bent on it and the Bharatiya Janata Party is making statements on it,” Pal said. Earlier, VHP President Ashok Singhal on August 22 had said that the yatra was religious and not a political one. “Those parties which do not want the creation of the Ram Temple here, are tying to benefit in the forthcoming elections. These are the people who are playing a political game in the name of the birthplace of Ram. And, these are the people
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who call this procession political, saints are not politically inclined,” he said. A delegation of Hindu saints led by Vishwa Hindu Parishad ( VHP) international president Ashok Singhal had met Mulayam Singh Yadav on August17, and asked him to convince Muslim leaders, clerics and ulemas to pave way for the construction of the Ram Temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. The saints had after the meeting which was also attended by Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the Samajwadi Party chief had accepted their request. They also said that they had asked Akhilesh Yadav to provide adequate support and security for the “Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama” (a religious march) in Ayodhya and adjoining districts beginning on August 25. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has vowed to kick off its ‘Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama’ around Ayodhya to revive its demand for a Ram temple. The Samajwadi Party Government has banned the proposed Yatra, as a preemptive measure against communal flare-up, and put in place elaborate security arrangements by rushing in 10 companies of the Rapid Action Force (RSF) and 12 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC).
New Delhi, Aug. 25 (ANI): YSR Congress Party President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has began his indefinite fast in jail on Sunday demanding to maintain status quo if the Centre cannot do justice to all regions. The YSR Congress Party has appealed to the cadre to express solidarity with him undertaking fast and dharnas across the region. “It is believed that Jagan Mohan Reddy went on indefinite fast since this morning and a section of media has been trying to unleash false propaganda sowing seeds of suspicion about the fast while in custody though there are no restrictions or guidelines set for the protest programme,” said YSR Congress spokesperson Ambati Rambabu. “It is the right of every citizen to undertake any
agitation programme unlike what is being projected by a section of media. Gandhiji went on indefinite fast in jail on many occasions. The media that is supportive of the Seemandhra agitation too trying to spread falsehood about the possibility of going on fast in jail is unfortunate,” he added. Ambati Rambabu appealed to the party cadres to join YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in expressing protest against the Centre’s decision which is unilateral and not in the interests of both the regions. “While Chandrababu Naidu who has been amidst the people could not express concern over the injustice meted out to one region and flatly refused to withdraw the letter he has given agreeing to the division of the state, Jagan despite in custody, is always
with the people and their interests are high on his mind. Though in custody for the past 15 months he has become the voice of the people and has taken up the issue which is affecting a multitude of people,” Rambabu said. “That is the reason why he has undertaken the fast in the jail is that he wanted to react to the situation timely unlike Congress and TDP MPs who are enacting drama by trying to stall the Parliament instead of convincing their leadership that has given nod to the division,” he added. Commenting on the ongoing protests surrounding the creation of a separate Telangana state, Congress President Sonia Gandhi yesterday said that the AICC panel headed by senior Congress leader A K Antony is hearing the concerns of those affected.
New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha today passed a bill seeking to remove a lacuna relating to overseas Indian citizens, who will now be registered as “overseas Indian cardholders” instead of “overseas citizens of India”. T he Citizensh ip (Amendment) Bill, 2011, sought an amendment to bring within the scope of citizenship, a person “who is ordinarily a resident” instead of the person who has been residing in India for a specific period. However, no person who has been a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh or any other country as provided for by the government, shall be eligible for registration as an
overseas Indian cardholder. Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran said facilities to “overseas Indian cardholders will be exactly the same as the overseas citizens.” On dual membership to Indians who are citizens of another country, he said, “About dual citizens, the Constitution provides that once a person is citizen of another country, he loses Indian citizenship.” Referring to demand from Avinash Rai Khanna of the Bharatiya Janata Party that refugees from Pakistan be given citizenship, he said, “I can’t give any assurance.” As per the statement of Objects and Reasons of the
bill, the amendments are “required due to certain lacunae that were noticed during its implementation and review of provisions relating to overseas citizens of India”. Besides providing for registration of “Overseas Indian Cardholders”, it provides for registration of “spouse of a citizen of India, who is citizen of another country and where his or her marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than two years.” It also provides for registration of “a person who is a minor child, and whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is citizen of India”.
ing.
The Delhi Police has named Tunda as an accused 21 terror cases and claims that his role was also to provoke Muslim youth and to train them to make IED. He is known to be an expert in the making of bombs with the help of Uria nitrci acid, and other chemicals. Delhi Police is also claiming that he was in touch with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). In 2008, India had sent a list of most wanted terrorists to Pakistan which included the name of Tunda.
Rajya Sabha Approves Bill For Amendment To Citizenship Act
Tunda Sent To 14-day Judicial Custody
New Delhi, Aug. 24 (ANI): A Delhi Court today sent Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist Abdul Karim Tunda to judicial custody for 14 days. Tunda was yesterday admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for special cardiac care. The LeT terrorist was earlier on Tuesday sent to four days police custody in connection with 37 bomb blast cases across the country. Tunda, who was captured by the Delhi Police last
week, was earlier on Tuesday slapped at Patiala House court here. The incident reportedly occurred when the Delhi Police produced Tunda in court to seek an extension of his custody for further question-
Delhi Police had arrested Abdul Karim Tunda, one of the ‘’most wanted’’ terrorists in India, on August 16 from the India-Nepal Border. Tunda was born in Delhi and later shifted to Pilakhuan, a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad District. Tunda turned into a Jehadi militant at the age of 40. He is said to have had a role in the 1993 Bombay blasts as well as in bomb explosion incidents in Ludhiana, Hyderabad, Sonepat, Panipat and Surat.
Western Union Launches Convenient Direct-to-Bank Service: U.S. Consumers Can Now Quickly Send Money Directly into Bank Accounts in India; Available Online, Via Mobile Devices, and at Agent Locations
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New Service Includes Non-Resident Bank Accounts
Englewood, CO. Aug. 19, 2013: The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU), a leader in global payment services, has made it easier and more convenient for customers in the U.S. to send money to India. People can now send money directly into most bank accounts in India, including non-resident bank accounts. To send money, people can go to www.westernunion. com, use the company’s mobile app, or visit thousands of participating Agent locations. And the transfer time is quick; money is generally delivered within one bank business day. “This launch is another example of evolving our business to offer customers more choice and it’s a win-win for both senders and receivers,” said Diane Scott, executive vice president, chief product and marketing officer, Western Union. “People in the U.S. can pick the channel that’s most
convenient for them—online or retail—and their friends and family in India have peace of mind that the money is deposited directly into their bank account.” People need only three pieces of information to send money to bank accounts in India: • Bank name • Bank account number • Indian financial system code (IFSC) The company is celebrating this launch by offering introductory pricing. Customers in the U.S. can send money directly into bank accounts in India: via www.westernunion. com and its smartphone application for a $0 transfer fee1; and from participating Agent locations2 for a $5 fee1 (up to $1,000). For more information visit: http://www.westernunion.com/indiatobank About Western Union The Western Union
Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of June 30, 2013, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of approximately 520,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and approximately 115,000 ATMs. In 2012, The Western Union Company completed 231 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $79 billion of principal between consumers, and 432 million business payments. For more information, visit www. westernunion.com.
--Grand Devotee Family Pooja on September 7th, 2013 --Ganesha Chaturthi on September 8th, 2013 --Grand Ganesha Samyojanam on September 15th, 2013
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Karan Johar: Reacting To Rape Cases With Words Meaningless
The Indian film fraternity took to social networking platforms with full force
to vent their anger against the recent gang-rape in Mumbai, but filmmaker Karan Johar says the lack of a solution renders these words meaningless. “I felt so silly even reacting, writing ‘I am disgusted’, ‘I am appalled’ because I feel it’s so helpless. These are just words, they are empty,” the 41-year-old said. “But what really can we do but react? I think sometimes the words that we write feel empty. Like what I tweeted, it was an organic reaction, but I felt so silly writing those words because they really meant noth-
ing,” he added. Karan stated such incidents are an epidemic and needed to be stopped. “It’s an epidemic and it’s not an epidemic you want to spread, you need to stop it. If someone gave me a solution, I would be standing in the front row trying to solve it,” Karan said. A woman photojournalist was raped by five men in the abandoned Shakti Mills compound near Mahalaxmi railway station where she was on an assignment along with a male colleague.
John Abraham: Courage To Be A Clutter-breaker Comes From Audience
John Abraham, whose latest production Madras Cafe was under attack from Tamil activists for allegedly showcasing LTTE cadres as terrorists, says he always wanted to break clutter with his films. And the courage to do so comes from his audience. His debut production Vicky Donor dealt with the sensitive subject of sperm donation in a lighter vein, and Madras Cafe is based on the Sri Lankan civil war. While one entertained, the latter is aimed at engaging. “Very frankly, the courage to be a clutter-breaker comes from the audience. Vicky Donor was widely accepted. It really doesn’t matter if some political organisations object to my (new) film. It’s up to the audience to accept or reject the film,” John said. Madras Cafe, which features John as a RAW agent and Nargis Fakhri as a war correspondent, released Friday. Theatre owners in Tamil Nadu refrained from releasing either the Hindi or the Tamil version fearing protests from Tamil activists.
Isn’t it a tough situation for a new producer like you? “I am new to the business. But if I’ve to be a clutter-breaker, I may have to make political statements. As a filmmaker, I must be allowed to have my say in a democratic nation,” he said.
Big B Says He Prefers To Keep Personal, Political Views Away From Camera
New Delhi, Aug.22 (ANI): Iconic Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan has said he prefers to keep his personal and political inclinations separate from his acting. In an exclusive and candid chat with ANI’s Smita Prakash, ahead of the release of his film, “Satyagraha”on Friday (August 23), Bachchan, popularly known as Big-B or megastar, said he is surprised by the fact that his other films with equally strong social and political undercurrents, were not being talked about much. “These are stories, these are films and we play characters, we play roles. What our individual and personal thinking is, I, at least, would like to keep it personal and individual. But, if for some reason and, if there is an aspect of a particular story which can become inspirational for somebody, then it’s a moment of joy and happiness for us,” said Bachchan. Satyagraha has been directed by Prakash Jha, known for making political thrillers with underlying social themes. This is the second time Jha is teaming up with Bachchan. The two last worked together on the film ‘Aarakhshan’ (Reservation), which highlighted the plight of India’s underprivileged in the deeprooted caste system and spoke about reservations in the education sector. Jha, who also participated in the interview, however, denied that his latest film has been inspired by Anna Hazare movement. “Aarakshan (Reservation) was about a particular issue, this (Satyagraha) is about a wider social issue, which has become a kind of ‘a season of protests’, which is happening all over the world. So, as we were working on the script things were happening all around the world. Whether it was Wall Street, whether it was Brazil or Bangladesh or Anna Hazare’s movement, I mean we started working on the script much before Anna Hazare’s movement happened,” said Jha. Speaking about Bachchan, who many consider the greatest Indian actor, Jha said the veteran performer spends hours on rehearsing his role for a film. Giving an insight into his preparation for a character, Bachchan said he prefers to have lengthy discussions with his directors before enacting the role.
“If I have discussion and debate, questions, I would rather do that before I go in front of the camera, and we do that. With Prakashji, we have had many sessions before actually getting on set, during the writing stage, during the narration, during his concept of what scenes are going to be like. I have questioned him, he has questioned me, we have arguments on why this is like this and why shouldn’t it be this. But all of that is before we actually go on the set,” Bachchan said. “Satyagraha” depicts the upsurge of the middle class against a corrupt and unjust political system that leaves the middle class with no choice but to form a movement to challenge the status quo. Apart from Bachchan, the film also featuress Ajay Devgan, Manoj Bajpayee, Arjun Rampal, Kareena Kapoor and Amrita Rao. When Jha was asked how long it took him to make the film, he said: “Shooting (was) 6 months, 55-56 days. Post-production took two to three months. Preparation—writing—takes about three years.” He also said the most exciting part of the film was writing it, and added that as a concept, it formulated in his mind four or five years ago, when he was still shooting the film “Rajneeti”.
“At that point in time, I only had an idea and I started taking notes and I started working towards finding a story,” Jha said. “You could say, because of the multidimensional and multi-star cast, it (Satyagraha), would be closer in structure to ‘Rajneeti’. He also said that this film has not been inspired by the Anna Hazare movement, but subscribed to the view that protests have to be non-violent. “Because, a violent protest will beget more violence and, that is not going to be a solution. The solution will always come through non-violence,” he said. Jha also provided an insight about he goes about the business of conceiving and making a film. “You, you, have the story and you have the characters developing, you have the dynamics and the conflicts and eventually as your story begins to take shape, and your characters begin to emerge and become stronger, you start thinking of who might –you know—fit into that character best,” he said. He said that when it came to deciding who would essay the role of Dwarka Anand in “Satyagraha”, Jha said: “We immediately thought of Mr. Bachchan because, you know, it was his
stature, his age.” He, however, said that he did not immediately go and narrate the story to Bachchan, as he felt that he should only approach him with a script that was completely ready, and also be in a position to answer questions posed by Bachchan, who would want to satisfy himself before agreeing to or accepting the role. When Bachchan was asked whether he had ever considered bringing his political thinking into the film, just as Jha has done in some of his films, he said: “Many actors would that, I don’t. I like to treat my profession as a profession. But, there are many actors I know who are very conscious—almost close to being social activists.” As an example of the latter, he cited actors like Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das. “They are all very strong in their beliefs and I admire them for their beliefs— and the very fact that they will not necessarily go with a particular story as narrated to them or asked of them to do, if they do not feel strongly of what they are doing is in consonance with their social activism,” Bachchan said. Jha said that he was not a political person with any ideology who tries to bring about ideology into his work. Agreeing that he does make films which can appear to be overtly political, he has never endorsed any political ideology. He said that he was involved in politics for some time, as he only wanted the job of being a Member of Parliament, to have “access to resources which I could bring to my constituency.” Bachchan also said that he liked being putty in the hands of the director. “When we are performing a role, we want to perform it to the hilt and make sure whatever we portray is correctly done and a large portion of that depends upon how it is written and how the director wants it to be portrayed. That’s what we do,” he said. Bachchan also said that the NehruGandhi family had been close to his family from the time of his parents. “That association, I will always respect. I always did respect it and I always will in the future,” he said.
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Santoor Maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma Provides Musical Treat At Rashtrapati Bhavan
By Ashok Dixit New Delhi, Aug.24 (ANI): A distinguished gathering that included President Pranab Mukherjee, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah, diplomats and people from various other walks of life, were treated to an evening of soulful and mesmerizing Indian classical music at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Auditorium here on Saturday evening. The musical treat was provided by noted Santoor exponent Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma. The little over an hour recital was presented under the banner of Indra Dhanush. Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, 75, performed the traditional Raag Des that was accompanied by three other related compositions, and a folk tune of Jammu in a lighter vein from which he said Raag Parhari has evolved. The Raag Des is a Hindustani classical raaga of the Audavsampurna nature, i.e., in its Arohana (Ascent) only five notes are used, whereas the Avarohana (descent) uses all seven notes. All other swaras are shuddha. The Arohana includes the following: Sa Re, Ma Pa Ni, Sa, while the Avarohana includes Sa ni Dha, Pa Dha Ma Ga Re, Pa Ma Ga, Re Ga Ni Sa. The Pakad in the Raag includes Re, Ma Pa Ni, Sa Re ni Dha Pa,ma Ga Re. The audience of a little over 100 people repeatedly applauded throughout the performance. Speaking on the occasion, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma said he was extremely honoured to have been
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee with the artists after witnessing the Santoor recital by Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma at Rashtrapati Bhavan Auditorium in New Delhi. invited by the President to perform in the Rashtrapati Bhavan complex. He said this would go a long way in promoting Indian classical music in its various genres. At the end of his performance, Pandit Sharma said that from his various interactions with people and the audience in India and abroad, a majority of them had told him that they did not understand or comprehend Indian classical music and its varied nuances. He said Indian classical music need not be understood as much as it should be felt in the mind and the heart. There was no need to go to school to learn or understand music. It needed to be felt by the soul. He further described music as a great de-stresser, especially in these hectic and tense modern times, as it provides relief and transports one from the mundane to an internalized form of spirituality.
He urged one and all to enjoy this rare and traditional medium and enrich themselves culturally and mentally. To say that Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma has created history in the world of music would be an understatement. He has single handedly brought forth Santoor, an obscure, almost unknown instrument, to the level of being “indispensable” on the concert platform! Santoor, which was used in Sufi music in the valley of Kashmir, owes its classical status to Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma. In the early decades of the twentieth century, Santoor or Shata-Tantri Veena as it was called in the ancient times, was used as an accompaniment to a specific type of singing called Sufiana Mausiqi. When Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma, a renowned vocalist from Jammu, and a disciple of Pt. Bade
Priyanka Says Lending Voice To Disney Plane Character Ishani Was Exciting
Priyanka Chopra, who has given her voice to an animated plane ‘Ishani’ in Disney’s upcoming movie, claimed that the flick was one of her most exiting project so far. The brunette beauty said that when Disney approached her with the movie, she thought that it was a cute idea. “Ishani...she is a sexy pan Asian Plane, so when Disney came to me with the film it was around three years ago I thought it was a really cute idea, very exciting. I went and did it was just a couple of hours, Clay is the director, Clay and I got along very well. I never thought how I would feel when I see the movie. Because when I saw
the movie it was really weird for me to see a plane talking in my voice but I got use to it after few scenes off course,” she said. The 31-year-old actress, who will be making her debut as a playback singer in the film, said that her character was as expressive as her, and she loved the experience. “The first time when
I was doing it the video taped me and Ishani had all my expressions as I am very animated and I open my eyes and talk so she had all those expressions and all of that was creatively very different and a very exciting venture for me. Its something I have not done before and not many people have done it so it’s exciting,” the star said.
Ramdasji of Benaras spotted it, he was convinced of the potentialities of the instrument. After extensive research on the instrument he bestowed the responsibility of establishing it on the concert platform on his only son Shiv Kumar. The rest, as they say, is history. Since first gaining recognition with a national concert in Mumbai in 1955, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, has through in-depth research, made some important modifications on this hundred-stringed instrument. For instance, he has introduced a new chromatic arrangement of notes and increased the range to cover full three octaves. He has also created a new technique of playing with which he could sustain notes and maintain sound continuity. Today, the Santoor is at par with any classical instrument, well established not just all over India, but across the globe. With his creative genius, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma has created a new genre of instrumental music. Through his performance career of over a half century, he has created millions of new listeners and ardent fans of Indian classical music. His performances are such a brilliant combination of rich knowledge, perfect skill and abundant spontaneous creativity, that all the sections of listeners feel enriched. Little surprise that his concerts are awaited by connoisseurs, music students, musicians and lay listeners alike. He believes in the immortality of this great heritage of Indian classical music and wishes to leave
no stone unturned to make it so. With this aim in mind, he has been imparting his knowledge to the next generation of musicians. So deep is his conviction that despite no institutional or government support, he has been teaching in the Guru Shishya tradition, without charging a fee from his students, who come to him from all the corners of India as well as different parts of the world like Japan, Germany, Australia and America. Some of his most popular and innovative experimental albums include Call of the Valley, Feelings, Mountains, etc. The Santoor has been an indispensable part of Indian film music for nearly four decades. His compositions for blockbusters like Silsila, Lamhe, Chandni, Darr, etc. are all time favourites across the country. Music, he believes, is food for the soul. Naturally, his music is meditative and soothing at the same time. His immense faith in the ancient wisdom of Vedanta has resulted in creation of music for Shlokas from the Upanishads and a new raag called Antardhwani. He is a recipient of the Honorary Citizen for the City of Baltimore, USA (1985), Sangeet Natak Academy Award (1986), Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar (1990), Honorary Doctorate from the University of Jammu (1991) Padmashree (1991), Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan Award (1998), and Padma Vibhushan (2001), to name a few. The event ended with President Mukherjee felicitating the Santoor maestro and his two accompanying artists, one of whom is a disciple from Japan.
‘Engagements With Modi Not An Endorsement’: U.K Envoy To India ENVOY From Pg 1
“One of the reasons my Government decided after ten years that we should re-engage with Modi and the state of Gujarat was because we have a particular interest in a trial relating to the death of three British nationals who were killed in the Gujarat riots in 2002. Now we want justice for those three nationals and we concluded that re-engagement with Gujarat would be a better way to achieve those objectives,” he added.
Meanwhile,SirJames Bevan categorically said that the British Government has not invited Modi to U.K. “I would like to make a distinction between the British Government, that I represent, which did not invite Modi to U.K and some British members of the Parliament who have recently invited the Chief Minister. The parliamentarians are free to invite whoever they want, just like in India but the British government has not invited Modi to Britain,” he said. Earlier this month,
Barry Gardiner, a U.K Member of Parliament, sent a letter to Modi inviting him to the House of Commons to speak on ‘The Future of Modern India’. The UK government, like the US, had distanced itself from Modi in the aftermath of the 2002 Gujarat riots. Sir James Bevan’s meeting with the Gujarat Chief Minister in October 2012 was seen as a signal that the 10-year-long boycott was over.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
12 Yemeni Air Force Cadets Die In Bombing Attack By al-Qaida
Sanaa, Aug. 25 (Xinhua-ANI): Al-Qaida affiliates launched a bombing attack on a bus near the air force base in Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Sunday, killing at least 12 air force cadets aboard, officials and witnesses said. “A bus carrying at least 24 air force cadets was blown up on a main road while heading toward the air force base in Sanaa, killing at least 12 cadets,” an air force official told Xinhua, saying al-Qaida carried out the attack. “Initial investigations showed that an intensified explosive device was either planted inside the bus or thrown on the road in front of the bus while it was driving, which totally destroyed it,” the official said, on condition of anonymity. Security forces have cordoned off the bombing site and sent the wounded to a nearby military hospital. The official said the wounded were in critical conditions and the death toll might be increased. Meanwhile, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed responsibility in an
exclusive statement received by Xinhua. “It was the first response from us (AQAP) to Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s remarks, in which he glorified the U.S. drone criminals in Yemen and promised more killings,” the statement said. During a meeting on Thursday in Sanaa, Hadi said that 40 suspected al-Qaida members had been killed in recent counterterrorism operations, and he vowed to keep fighting the Islamists until they laid down their weapons. “We will force alQaida to abandon their arms and considered themselves to be part of the Yemeni people, not an enemy of the people of Yemen,” Hadi said. “AQAP bombed a military cargo plane inside alDailamy Air Force in Sanaa in 2012... and it also killed more than 100 soldiers during a rehearsal in the Sabeen Square ... and I will not allow such attacks to be repeated again,” Hadi was quoted by the official Saba news agency as saying on Thursday in a graduation
ceremony of the police cadets in Sanaa. “I asked the United States to let our government use drones to fight al-Qaida... drones are more precise in targeting the militants,” he said. A few hours after Hadi made his speech, the AQAP attacked a military post in the southeastern province of Hadramout, killing more than 10 soldiers in suicide attacks on Friday. The Yemen-based AQAP, which emerged in January 2009, is considered the most strategic threat to the country and its neighboring oil-rich Saudi Arabia. U.S. drones increased air raid earlier this month against AQAP in Yemen’s southern regions after the White House closed the U.S. embassy in Sanaa over security threats. The Yemeni government said more than 40 suspected terrorists were killed in the strikes. On Sunday, the United States, Britain and Germany reopened their embassies in Yemen after about two weeks of closure.
Karachi, Aug 24 (ANI): The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline may be stretched and connected to western China as Islamabad and Beijing have made it part of the planned economic corridor, even while US stands in strong opposition to the project. According to The Express Tribune, Pakistani and Chinese officials will discuss the laying of the gas pipeline from Gwadar to
western China in a meeting on August 26 and will also consider a proposal about constructing an oil pipeline between the two countries. As part of the economic corridor, Gwadar Port will be connected through road and rail links to China, which will help improve trade between the two countries, the report said. The report added that earlier, India was actively
involved in the pipeline project, but made a withdrawal following a civil nuclear energy agreement with the US. The US is putting pressure on Pakistan to shelve the IP pipeline and rather focus on the TAPI gas pipeline, which will start from Turkmenistan and reach India through war-torn Afghanistan and Pakistan, the report further said.
Washington, Aug 24 (ANI): Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly banned all demonstrations and rallies for two and a half months in Sochi during and around the 2014 Winter Olympics, amid growing outrage at Russia’s ‘anti-gay propaganda’ laws. According to the Huffington Post, rights organizations have voiced concerns about what they described as the ‘harassment and intimidation of civil society’ advocates
in Sochi.
cars with local license plates, emergency vehicles and those accredited by the Olympic organizers would be allowed to enter the host city during the Games. However, Russian gay activist Nikolai Alexeyev said that he would petition the Supreme Court to contest the decree as ‘violating the right of freedom of assembly’, adding that he would apply for permission to hold a gay pride rally in Sochi on the opening day of the Sochi Games.
Iran-Pak Gas Pipeline To Be Extended To China Despite US Opposition
Putin Bans Public Demonstrations, Rallies During 2014 Sochi Olympics Amid ‘Anti-gay’ Backlash According to the decree signed by Putin, all ‘gatherings, rallies, demonstrations, marches and pickets’ that are not part of the Olympics or the Paralympics will be prohibited in Sochi from January 7 to March 21, 2014, with the report adding that the Sochi event will take place from Feb. 7-23 and the Paralympics from March 716. The decree said that among other restrictions, only
U.S. Preparing For Possible Missile Attack On Syria, Seeks UN Nod
Washington, Aug. 24 (ANI): The United States is reportedly planning to launch a cruise missile attack on Syria, following an alleged chemical weapons attack in capital Damascus that left hundreds dead on Wednesday. CBS News has learnt that the Pentagon is making the initial preparations for such an attack, but added that it won’t happen until President Barack Obama gives a green signal to it. The U.S. government had warned Syria months ago
that using chemical weapons could provoke a reverse response. The attack on the Damascus suburbs was more likely to be a poison gas attack, the officials said. The commander of the U.S. forces in the Mediterranean has ordered naval warships to move closer to Syria to be ready for a possible cruise missile strike, the report added. The U.S. forces are expected to target command bunkers and launchers that were used to fire the chemical
weapons into suburbs on the outskirts of Damascus, the officials said. According to the report, Obama has not yet made a decision for military intervention to topple the Bashir Al-Assad Government, and is said to be awaiting clear evidence from U.N. investigators before acting on a retaliatory decision. U.S. intelligence has given circumstantial evidence that they had detected activity at known Syrian chemical weapons sites few days before the attack.
New Delhi, Aug.23 (ANI): Latin American envoys to India have strongly advocated the need for enhanced commercial engagements between the two regional economic power-houses, while addressing Aspen Institute India’s special session on “India-Latin America: A Growing Partnership” in New Delhi. In an engaging discussion, Brazilian Ambassador Carlos Sergio Sobral Duarte, his Mexican counterpart Jaime Virgilio Nualart Sanchez and the Ambassador of Chile, Cristian Barros Melet, unequivocally asserted that the time was ripe for India and Latin America to build on the fast-expanding canvas of opportunities in the two emerging economies. Since the last few years, India and Latin American nations have been actively engaging with each other to widen the spectrum of economic engagements in diverse sectors. The Ministr y of External Affairs estimates that trade between the two regions could double in the next five years, or grow from the existing 30 billion dollars to 50 billion dollars by 2018. One of India’s biggest trade collaborations in the region is with Brazil, which is also a key member of the BRICS bloc. At present, India’s exports to Brazil stands at five billion dollars, the highest in the region followed by five billion dollars with Mexico. India’s exports to
Brazil are largely dominated by diesel followed by chemicals, pharmaceuticals, coal, textile and sugar. Given the increasing capacity of Brazil to produce oil and New Delhi’s ever-increasing dependence on imported oil, India is expected to increase its imports of crude oil in the coming years. “India and Brazil share strongties across the spectrum. There is an inherent dynamism in our relationship, which is on the upswing despite the global economic slowdown. Due to this, the two nations have have witnessed a ten-fold increase in trade in the last decade itself. Bilateral trade reached $10 billion in 2012, and is set to touch the $15 billion mark by 2015. The challenge now is to diversify our economic engagements and to enable exchange of best practices,” said Brazilian Ambassador Carlos Sergio Sobral Duarte. With Mexico, India’s bilateral trade is expected to reach 10 billion dollars by 2015 owing to better connectivity and a Free Trade Agreement. Mexico’s imports from India grew at 33percent in 2011, with a well-diversified basket, comprising, inter alia, chemicals and petrochemicals, engineering goods, automobiles & auto parts, pharmaceuticals, textiles & garments, and gasoline. “Our endeavour is to provide a robust economic framework for Indian and global investments. We wish to partner with Indian compa-
nies in the fields of science and innovations, biotechnology, water management and new and renewable energy. India and Mexico must work together as dynamic partners for sustained economic growth,” said Ambassador Jaime Virgilio Nualart Sanchez. In the context of Chile, bilateral trade currently stands at 2.6 billion dollars, but there is scope for greater cooperation. Indian commercial vehicles, motor cars, two wheelers, and bulk pharmaceuticals are in demand in the Chilean market. A Framework Agreement aimed at promoting economic cooperation between India and Chile came into force in 2007, which envisaged a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between the two countries as a first step. “During the last twenty years, India has become of economic presence in almost every country in Latin America. Since 2000, Indian companies have invested over 12,000 million dollars in this region in various economic sectors such as IT, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, mining, energy and manufacturing. At the same time, Chile has emerged as one of the world’s most open economies, with a growth rate of five percent. This new economic scenario has deepened the relationship between both countries. Chile and India have been steadily establishing dynamic ties with political and commercial engagements,” stressed the Ambassador of Chile, Cristian Barros Melet.
Time Ripe To Scale Up Bilateral Economic Ties With India: Latin American Envoys
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AUGUST 27 South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) is organizing a town hall on Immigration Reform and the South Asian Community for the local Washington area population. Time is from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Location is the Silver Spring Civic Center, One Veteran’s Place, Silver Spring, MD. During the discussion, the organizers hope to address the impact of immigration reform on South Asian Americans and how we can raise our voices and act on the issue. Please join to hear expert analysis, stories from South Asians in the DMV area and strategize about how we can press for fair and holistic changes to the broken immigration system. For more information, please contact Avani Mody at 301-270-1855 or avani@saalt.org or send an e-mail to info@saalt.org AUGUST 28 Hare Krishna Temple is celebrating ‘Janmashtami’, the birth of Lord Krishna. Time is from 4:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. The program includes bhajans and Aarti every hour on the hour with a grand midnight Aarti and darshan. Festival will feature a stage show with drama and dance, free vegetarian feast, mantra meditation, inspirational books, a special children’s tent, Govinda’s gift store, and lots of laughter and joy! The program on the festival stage is as follows: 4:00 p.m. - Children’s Abhishek; 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. - Hari Bhakti bhajans; and 8:00 p.m. - drama and dance. The temple is located at 10310 Oaklyn Drive, Potomac, MD. For more information, Readers can call 301-299-2100 or e-mail info@iskconofdc.org or visit http://iskconofdc.org AUGUST 31 - SEPT. 1 Gnanananda Seva Samajam, Inc., USA invites all to ‘Namasankeerthanam Mela 2013’ to celebrate the divine celestial wedding of Lord Krishna and Radha. Timings are as follows: August 31 - 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.; and September 1 - 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Venue is Durga Temple, 8400 Durga Place, Fairfax Station, VA. The program features bhajans, Radha Kalyanam, divyanamam, ashtapathis and guru padhuka pujas. Attend this free event to seek blessings of the
Gods. For further information, visit www.gssus.org or e-mail gssus@gssus.org The National Council of Asian Indian Associations (NCAIA) together with the Indian-American community of the Washington metro area invites all to a cricket tournament to promote this sport and encourage those who are avidly interested in cricket. The teams which will be representing the Indian Cricket League include Telugu, Marathi, Kannada, Gujarati, Tamil/Kerala. Location of the tournament is Calverton Galway Park, 3039 Fairland Road, Silver Spring, MD. For more information, Readers can contact Mayur Mody, tournament coordinator, at mmmayurmody@gmail. com or Dr. Suresh K. Gupta, President of NCAIA, at 301332-9596 or skgupta@gmail. com or Mr. Pavan Bezwada, co-coordinator, at 301-455-0073 or pavanbez@gmail.com SEPTEMBER 6 The Asian Studies Program at the University of Maryland - Baltimore County (UMBC) is presenting a Yakshagana, a musical dance drama in Hindi titled, ‘Panchavati’ - the story of Surpanakha, by the troupe Yaksha Manjusha. Yakshagana depicts Indian epics through song, dance and dialogues. Time is 7:00 p.m. Location is the UMBC Fine Arts Recital Hall, Room 118. For further information, call 410-455-2094 or e-mail asianstudies@umbc.edu . Note: Yakshagana is a musical theater popular in the coastal regions of Karnataka. It consists of a ‘himmela’ (background music group) and a ‘mummela’ (dance and dialogue group in colorful costumes). Yaksha Manjusha is a Yakshagana troupe based in Mangalore, enrolled with ICCR. They are the only troupe to perform Yakshagana in Hindi. The performance at UMBC will have English sub-titles. SEPTEMBER 6 - 15 Sri Siva Vishnu Temple is presenting ‘Sri Mahaganapathy Mahotsavam’, a grand religious event for Lord Ganesha. Prayers will be offered for the removal of all obstacles to any endeavor including spiritual ones. It is believed that the positive vibrations created by the participation
EXPRESS INDIA
of the community, including thousands of families with their children, will ensure the continued prosperity of the family unit, the temple satsang and the nation. The temple is located at 6905 Cipriano Road, Lanham, MD. For details, visit www. ssvt.org or call 301-552-3335 or e-mail ssvt@ssvt.org SEPTEMBER 8 - 14 Durga Temple is presenting Ram Katha by Dr. Ram Kamal Das Vedanti Ji. Katha will be followed by Aarti and bhandara everyday. The temple is located at 8400 Durga Place, Fairfax Station, VA (703-690-9355). For details, please go to www. durgatemple.org SEPTEMBER 10 Montgomery College is offering a US Citizenship Preparation Program. Are you a legal permanent resident? Do you need help preparing for the US citizenship test and interview? Come to an information session and discover how Montgomery College may be able to help you, for free! Please come to one of the information sessions and bring your Green Card: September 10, at 6:00 p.m.; September 14, at 9:00 a.m.; October 8, at 6:00 p.m.; October 12, at 9:00 a.m.; November 5, at 6:00 p.m.; and November 9, at 9:00 a.m. Location is Westfield South, 11002 Veirs Mill Road, Suite 306, Wheaton, MD. The Montgomery College Citizenship Preparation Program is for legal permanent residents who live in Montgomery County, MD, and are learning English as a second language. For more information, Readers can contact Nancy Newton at 240-567-8169 or nancy. newton@montgomerycollege. edu SEPTEMBER 14 Network of South Asian Professionals - DC Chapter (NetSAPDC) presents ‘Fusion 2013’ at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Time is 7:30 p.m. Location is the Terrace Theater. The Kennedy Center is located at 2700 F Street, NW, Washington, DC (1-800-4441324 or 202-467-4600). The evening will celebrate the many cultures and facets of South Asia through various artistic mediums including dance, comedy
skits, musical acts and much more! NetSAP-DC is teaming up with the Smithsonian’s Asian Pacific American Center to sponsor the release of its groundbreaking exhibition, ‘Beyond Bollywood: IndianAmericans Shape the Nation’, which is scheduled to open in December. For more information, go to www.FusionDC.org or www.kennedy-center.org . If you are interested in performing or volunteering, please email fusion@dc.netsap.org or netsapdcfusion@dc.netsap.org SEPTEMBER 20 Manish and Deepa Sood of Intense Entertainment are presenting top-notch Indian playback singer Shreya Ghoshal - live in concert! Venue is the DAR Constitution Hall located at 1776 D Street, NW, Washington, DC. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.; concert starts at 8:00 p.m. For details, please call 202-59MASTI (62784) or visit www. intenseus.com SEPTEMBER 21 A Money Matter Mortgage, Inc., presents the 19th annual Miss India-DC Pageant. Come and cheer on the Washington metro area’s talented contestants as they compete for the title of 2013 Miss India-DC. Time is from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Location is the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville, MD. For more information, please contact Neena Bhaskar at 202-361-2439, Sibtain Kazmi at 201-460-5626, MyDosti.com at 703-675-2645 or go to http://deals.mydosti. com/us/ SEPTEMBER 28 American Society of Engineers of Indian Origin - National Capital Chapter (ASEI-NCC) is hosting its 28th Annual National Convention. The theme is “Innovative Technologies: An Engine for Economic Growth”. The program includes: morning plenary; luncheon; evening gala banquet; tracks of technical presentation; and panel discussions. Tracks and panels are on information technology, healthcare IT, nanotechnology, traditional energy, renewable energy, bio-engineering and space contributions of Indian-Americans, STEM. Participants include major US
If you want to publish an upcoming event in our Community Calendar please send an e-mail: GComCal@aol.com or Fax: 703-893-2202 or contact: Geeta at 703-599-6623. Please send the announcement at least one week in advance and India corporations, government agencies, Indian Embassy, entrepreneurs, dignitaries, academia and students. The convention will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Location is the University of Maryland at College Park, Riggs Alumni Center and Adele Stamp Student Union Building. For further information, go to www.aseincc.org or call 202-800-0333, Dr. Ajay Kothari, Convention Chair, at 301-935-5868, Mr. Hari Bindal, ASEI-NCC President, at 301-262-0254, G.S. Sridhar, Convention Co-Chair at 571-274-9672, Ms. Pavithra Kenjige, ASEI-NCC Vice President, at 703-815-1629 or Mayur Kathuria, ASEI-UMD, at 240-475-2320. Note: The convention is being co-hosted by ASEI-UMD, College Park, in collaboration with PANIIT, MIBRT, USIBC, USINPAC and other professional organizations. SEPTEMBER 29 Kerala Cultural Society of Metropolitan Washington (KCSMW), in collaboration with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), are organizing ‘Miles 4 Smiles’, a 5K run/1 mile walk. Time is 8:00 a.m. Location is the National Harbor, a 300-acre multi-use waterfront development on the shores of the Potomac River in Prince George’s County, MD. KCSMW is a non-profit organization which focuses on promoting cultural awareness and social activities primarily among Indian-Americans. For further information, visit www.kcsmw. org or www.miles4smiles.org or www.lls.org OCTOBER 5 The South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA) is hosting its exceedingly popular and awaited annual Gala. The ‘2013 SAJA Gala’, featuring an awards ceremony and banquet-style dinner, will be held at the Yale Club in New York City. The association will honor and rec-
ognize excellence in journalism coverage in South Asia as well as outstanding reporting by South Asian journalists. This is a fantastic opportunity to network with fellow SAJA members, other reporters, editors and producers from reputable media outlets. Registration is open until September 30. For details, head to www.saja.org OCTOBER 19 Smithsonian Institution’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery will debut the world’s first exhibition, ‘Yoga: The Art of Transformation’, on the visual history of Yoga. US tour will follow. Yoga is a global phenomenon, practiced by millions of people seeking spiritual insight or better health. Few, however, are aware of yoga’s rich diversity and historical transformations. Opening October 19, at the Sackler Gallery, ‘Yoga: The Art of Transformation’, the world’s first exhibition about the discipline’s visual history, will reveal the fascinating meanings and histories over the past 2,000 years. ‘Yoga: The Art of Transformation’, on view through January 26, 2014, explores yoga’s philosophies and its goals of transforming body and consciousness, its importance within multiple religious and secular arenas and the varied roles that yogis played in society, from sages to spies. Working with an interdisciplinary team of scholars, curator Debra Diamond assembled more than 130 objects from 25 museums and private collections in India, Europe and the United States, compiling a remarkable survey of Indian art. As much of yoga’s history remains shrouded in mystery, this comprehensive look at yoga’s visual culture marks the start of a new field of study. The Sackler Gallery is located at 1050 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC. For more information, readers can call 202-633-4880 or visit www. asia.si.edu
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Chidambaram Discusses Current Economic Situation With Bankers
New Delhi, Aug. 24 (ANI): Finance Minister P. Chidambaram held meetings with Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) and top bankers here today in an endeavor to reach out to market participants in wake of the rupee volatility. According to reports, Chidambaram held a closeddoor meeting with the bankers and discussed the current economic situation. ICICI Bank’s Chanda Kochhar, HDFC Bank’s Aditya Puri, StanChart India’s Anurag Adlakha, State Bank of India’s Pratip Chaudhuri, Pramit Jhaveri of Citigroup India, Vijayalakshmi Iyer of Bank of India and Canara Bank chief RK Dubey among others met Chidambaram, who was accompanied by top officials from the Finance
Ministry. Chidambaram had earlier on Thursday assured that growth will pick up in the second quarter of fiscal 2013-14, and added there is no cause for panic because of the rupee’s freefall against the U.S. dollar. “Revival of growth will continue to be the focus of the government and the stability will return soon. There is no reason for excessive or unwarranted pessimism,” he said. Chidambaram said the government has no intention of introducing capital controls and reaffirmed the government’s commitment of containing fiscal deficit to 4.8 per cent. He said measures are being taken to reduce the current account deficit.
“Current Account Deficit will be contained at 70 billion dollars and the government will reaffirm this commitment to markets and stakeholders,” he said. Chidambaram further said that recent measures to control speculation in rupee will be reversed once stability returns. “Vir tually ever y emerging market seems to be facing the same problem. Rupee is undervalued and has overshot an appropriate level and the capital inflows will correct rupee level in due course,” he added. The Indian rupee plunged over 2 per cent to hit an all-time low of 65.50 against the dollar on Thursday. The partially convertible rupee surpassed the previous record low of 64.55 hit on Wednesday.
behemoth, had said he will be more effective with his son Rohan as an Executive Assistant but made it clear the latter has no leadership role. “Rohan will be my Executive Assistant. He has no leadership role,” he had said, adding Infosys has competent executive directors on the board and a “very strong” cadre of senior management. Rohan’s term as Executive Assistant to the Chairman is co-terminus with that of Narayana Murthy. He had requested that he should also be paid only a token compensation of rupee one per year. Rohan’s elevation also lends strong credence to rise of the children of some of India’s prominent businessmen in the IT services space, signalling the way for
eventual succession. According to analysts, the step-by-step promotion is the process of grooming the incumbent for higher responsibilities in the company. Roshni Nadar Malhotra, the CEO of HCL Corporation and a trustee of the Shiv Nadar Foundation, was last month appointed non-executive director on the board of HCL Technologies, India’s fourth largest IT services exporter. Although, HCL did not elaborate on the role Nadar will play, but, it is a clear signal of her growing role in the IT services exporter. The son of IT czar Azim Premji, Rishad Premji, who joined Wipro in 2007 as business head for special projects in the banking and financial services vertical rose to become chief strategy officer of the firm in 2010. Rishad was also promoted to the post of VicePresident of the country’s third largest software services exporter in June this year. In January 2013, Azim Premji had said his son Rishad will never be the chief executive of his company Wipro, but will represent promoter ownership on the company’s board.
Rohan Murty Set To Become VP At Infosys
New Delhi: Rohan Murty, son of Infosys chairman NR Narayana Murthy who joined the company as an executive assistant to his father, will soon be designated as Vice President. Narayana Murthy had on his return to India’s second largest software exporter in June stated that his son would have no leadership role in the company and he was being brought in only to make him “more effective”. To a query if Murthy has become Vice President, an Infosys spokesperson said: “Rohan Murty’s appointment at Infosys is yet to be approved by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.” The spokesperson further said: “His designation in the company will be confirmed once the process of his appointment has been completed.” 30-year old Rohan is a junior fellow at the Society of Fellows at Harvard University. He is a Ph.D in Computer Science from the prestigious university and did his Bachelor’s in Computer Science from Cornell University. He has held fellowships at MIT, Caltech and Microsoft Research. Narayana Murthy, who returned to Infosys in June to help the embattled IT
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Tina Ambani Deposes Delhi Court, Says Has No Role In Affairs Of Reliance ADAG
New Delhi, Aug. 23 (ANI): Anil Ambani’s wife Tina Ambani, who today appeared as a prosecution witness in the 2G spectrum case, told a special court that she had ‘no role’ in the affairs of Reliance ADAG. “I have no role in Reliance ADAG as I am a housewife, run a hospital...I have never been associated with any Reliance ADAG company,” she told Special CBI Judge O. P. Saini. Fifty five-year-old Tina Ambani appeared before the Delhi Court a day after her husband and Reliance ADAG Chairman Anil Ambani’s deposition as a CBI witness. Anil Ambani yesterday deposed before a Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court as a witness
in the 2G case, after the court dismissed Reliance Telecom Ltd’s (RTL) plea for postponement of his testimony. On Wednesday, the court had dismissed RTL’s plea for postponement of examination of additional witnesses — Anil Ambani and his wife Tina — in the 2G case, saying no prejudice would be caused to any accused by their deposition. The RTL had not got any relief from the Supreme Court either, which had declined to pass any order on its plea for stay of trial court’s direction summoning Mr. Ambani and other witnesses in the 2G case. On August 17, RTL had approached the special CBI court with the plea that it should “await” outcome
of the Supreme Court proceedings on their petition challenging summoning of additional witnesses in the case, before examining Mr. Ambani and Ms. Tina Ambani. The trial court, in its July 19 order, had said CBI’s plea to summon the Ambani couple and 11 others as prosecution witnesses was essential for arriving at a just decision in the case. The court had summoned Ambani for August 22 to record his statement in the case. Tina Ambani has been summoned on August 23 to depose as a witness. RTL, along with others, including former Telecom Minister A Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi, is facing trial in the 2G case.
New Delhi: The rise in US real rates and dollar has pushed Asia to lift its real rates and if this trend continues it will bring Asia to a situation that would be similar to the 1990s, says a Morgan Stanley’s report. According to the global financial service major, the speedier rise in US real rates and dollar has now pushed Asia to lift its real rates at a time when its GDP growth has already been slowing. This pro-cyclical tightening, is only adding further pressure to the region’s growth. “If the rise in the US dollar were to continue for longer, this will bring Asia to a situation that would be similar to the 1990s,” Morgan Stanley said.
According to Morgan Stanley, the developments in the current cycle have largely mirrored those from the mid-1990s to 2001. “In this cycle, like that in 1995 to 2001, as US real rates moved up along with a decline in its trade deficit, the dollar appreciated ? forcing Asian currencies to weaken and Asian real rates to rise,” it said. The report further noted that within Asia, excluding Japan, those countries with current account deficit would face greater immediate pressure due to funding risks. “These metrics indicate that India, Indonesia, Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore will be most exposed,” Morgan
Stanley said. The upward pressures on real rates in Asia will likely remain as a trend, as this is the beginning of the cycle of a rise in the US dollar and rates. “As real interest rates move higher, the region will have to sharpen its focus on the productivity dynamic to lift GDP growth,” the report said adding that the situation now could be more challenging than the 1990s ? “because demographic trends are now weaker”. The report noted that structural reforms that boost the productivity dynamic will lift the quality of growth in the region and help ensure that it can withstand the impact of higher real rates.
‘Continued Rise In Dollar To Bring Asia To A 90’s Like Situation’
Falling Rupee Takes Shine Off India’s Apple Imports: USDA
New Delhi: Apples, the most heavily consumed imported fruit in India, may lose their shine as the rupee’s depreciation affects imports, a report said. “A continued decline of the rupee against the dollar could affect importer and consumer appetites for imported fruit (apple) during 2013,” the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in its latest report. India, the world’s third-largest producer of apples, faces a local supply gap due to seasonality, geographical separation and limited infrastructure amid rising demand from an expanding middle class. The US agency also projected that the production of apples in India may come down in 2013. Depreciation in the rupee, which hit an
all-time low of 65.56 against the dollar last week, makes imports costlier. India’s apple imports have increased ninefold to 1,86,387 tonnes last year from 20,093 tonnes 10 years ago. Imports in 2012 were valued at USD 196 million, the USDA report added. Assuming normal weather conditions, USDA forecasts India’s apple production at 1.85 million tonnes in 2012-13 compared with last year’s 2.2 million tonnes. Apple production in the country is limited to the hilly states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. India imports the fruit from the US, China, Chile, New Zealand, Italy, Iran and Afghanistan, among others.
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Pak’s Second Anti-india Resolution An Act Of ‘False Propaganda’: Bharat Verma New Delhi, Aug. 22 (ANI): After the Pakistan Parliament passed another anti-India resolution over the unprovoked firing on the Line of Control (LOC) which led to the death of an officer and wounded another soldier on Wednesday, Defence Analyst Captain (retired) Bharat Verma termed it as false propaganda, and said that the Indian public will not tolerate attacks on their country anymore. “The National Assembly of Pakistan is trying to tell the world and trying to garner publicity, saying how reasonable they are and (it is) a false propaganda for a national assembly to pass such a resolution in Pakistan because they are the people who behead our soldiers; they are the people who kill our soldiers; they are people who send infiltration inside India because they want to
destabilize India. So, it is time Pakistan realizes that (the) Indian public is not in the mood to tolerate this anymore—it has gone on for too long—and it must set its own house in order,” Verma said. Emphatically stating that Pakistan has established double standards for violence along the LoC, Verma said the neighbouring country has taken undue advantage of India in the past but the country has resolved to fight against any further violations. “When we retaliate, they call it aggression. It is absolutely amazing and it is also a useless resolution. They can have as many resolutions as they want, but they must understand very clearly that in India there is no mood in this democracy anymore to tolerate Pakistan’s infiltration,” Verma said. On Wednesday, a
unanimous resolution was passed in a session of the Pakistan National Assembly against the Indian army condemning the cross border firing and asking to hold a dialogue, the Express Tribune reports. There were reports of firing across border in the Batal, Nakyal areas near Skardu on Wednesday night. The Pakistan Army has claimed that Captain Sarfaraz was killed and a soldier was wounded by the senseless firing. India and Pakistan had agreed to a ceasefire along the LoC in November 2003. However, there have been many instances of ceasefire violations from both sides leading to several deaths and strained relations between the two nations since then.
Maldives Court Annuls Public Flogging Of Teenage Girl For Premarital Sex
London, Aug. 23 (ANI): A Maldives high court has overturned the sentence of public flogging of a 15year-old girl for engaging in premarital sex following public outrage. The BBC reports that the high court ruled on Wednesday that the girl had been wrongly convicted by a juvenile court having consensual sex with another man. Ea rlier, a lower court, using Shariah law, had
sentenced the teenager to receive 100 lashes for having had premarital sex, which is illegal in the Maldives. The court revealed that the sentence of the lower court was based on a confession that the girl made while she was suffering posttraumatic stress disorder, the report added. The last ruling had triggered criticism and outrage from various human rights groups.
However, later a police investigation of a dead baby found buried on the island of Feydhoo in Shaviyani Atoll, north of the country, had accused her stepfather of raping her, impregnating her and killing the baby. According to the report, the court added that the girl had been unfit for trial after the alleged rape. President Mohamed Waheed has expressed happiness on court’s latest orders.
Pak Government Says Negotiations Still On With India For Energy Import
Islamabad, Aug. 24 (ANI): The Pakistan government has said negotiations for importing electricity are still on with India, in spite of earlier reports suggesting that New Delhi has backtracked from supplying energy to Islamabad. Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif said energy projects were still under consideration with India and Iran for im-
porting electricity to resolve Pakistan’s energy crisis, the Daily Times reports. According to the report, a draft Memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been prepared and discussed with Indian delegations to import 500 MW of electricity through high voltage direct current (HVDC) link between the two countries. The MoU will be signed jointly by both gov-
ernments, the official added. Another project of 1,000 MW power to be imported from Iran to meet the demand of Balochistan was underway, he said. Meanwhile, electricity was being provided to the border towns of Balochistan at three points, namely Mand at 70 MW, Mashkail at 2.0 MW, and Taftan at 2.0 MW, the report added.
Pakistan Releases 362 Indian Fishermen At Wagah Border
Wagah, Aug. 25 (ANI): While relations between the two countries are strained along the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistan has released 362 Indian fishermen. The 362 fishermen, who were released on Saturday here, had been jailed for trespassing into Pakistan waters. Briefing mediapersons, the Sub-Divisional Revenue Officer, Param Preet Singh Goray a said that they had received a total of 362 fishermen, out of a list of 365 submitted by the Pakistan authorities at the outset. “We have received a list of 365 fishermen but we have received 362 fishermen from the Pakistan’s side. We will verify all the documents,
and then everything will be clear,” said Goray. Goray had supervised the released fishermen being handed over to the Indian officials by their counterparts at the India-Pakistan border here. Among the detained fishermen who were released by Pakistan, 10 persons are reported to be minors. Bharat, a released fisherman, who was happy on returning home, said that it had been seven months since he had been waiting to see his near and dear ones. “There is no boundary in the sea ; that is why we don’t get to know about the border as water keeps on flowing. A small boat caught us and not a big one. It has been seven months now,” Bharat said.
Additionally, the released prisoners demanded that the rules needed to be softer for those fishermen, who unintentionally stray beyond the territorial waters. Relations between the two countries have been strained since August 6, when Pakistani troops ambushed six Indian soldiers along the LoC, in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. Since then, Pakistan has violated the ceasefire multiple times along the LoC. Though Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was slated to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York in the month of September, the multiple violations along the border have cast doubts over the talks going forward.
New Delhi, Aug. 25 (ANI): Foreign Secretary Sujata Singh has conveyed to the Afghan leadership that no terrorist attack can have an impact on New Delhi’s strong determination to assist Kabul in its reconstruction and development efforts. According to official sources, the Indian Foreign Secretary in her first solo visit abroad travelled to Afghanistan from August 23 to 25 during which she held talks with her counterpart Ershad Ahmadi.
Sujata Singh also called on Afghan President Hamid Karzai, First Vice-President Marshal Fahim, Second Vice-President Karim Khalili and Foreign Minister Zalmai Rasool during her visit. The Foreign Secretary was accompanied by officials of the Ministry of External Affairs, including Sanjiv Ranjan, Joint Secretar y, Development Partnership Administration and Rudrendra Tandon, Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India).
Singh conducted a full review along with Indian envoy to Afghanistan, Amar Sinha, and officials of the Development Wing of the embassy, official sources said. The Indian Foreign Secretary also paid a special visit to the Consulate General of India, Jalalabad, which was recently targeted by a suicide bomb attack which was successfully thwarted by Afghan security forces. She also called on Governor of Nangarhar Province Sherzoi in Jalalabad.
Maldives Foreign Minister Dr. Abdul Samad Abdullah died on Sunday at a Singapore hospital after a brief illness. He was 67. Mr. Samad, who was receiving treatment at Mount Elizabeth Hospital after he suffered from a critical kidney ailment, died on Sunday morning. He was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday after undergoing dialysis. But he was rushed to the hospital hours later after he suffered from heart complications resulting from the dialysis. Singapore’s Foreign
Ministry has expressed its profound sadness on Mr. Samad’s death and extended its deepest condolences to the bereaved family and the Government of Maldives. The Ministry said it was working closely with the High Commission of Maldives on the necessary arrangements to send back his body.
No Terrorist Attack Can Have Impact On India’s Determination To Assist Afghanistan: Sujata Singh
Maldivian Foreign Minister Samad Dies
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WB Ready To Provide Performance-based Support To Pakistan, Says New VP
Islamabad, Aug. 25 (ANI): The new vice president of World Bank Group’s South Asia region has said the lending agency is ready to provide policy and performance-based support to Pakistan. Philippe Le Houerou said that the World Bank Group is ready to assist the Pakistan government in reform implementation through policy and performance-based support.
Le Houerou added that the complex challenges facing the country call for not only implementation of multi-sectoral fundamental reforms and investments but also their careful sequencing, the Express Tribune reports. According to the report, he also assured the government of the World Bank’s support for stabilising the macro economy, deepening the needed structural reforms
and implementing needed sectoral investments. He also welcomed the effort of the government to boost Pakistan’s regional cooperation and extended the World Bank’s support to the Central Asia- South Asia initiative (CASA1000) and Pakistan-India power connectivity, the report added. Le Houerou has left for India to begin the next leg of his regional visit.
Agartala (Tripura), Aug. 22 (ANI): A six-member team of officials from Bangladesh are here to attend the conference in a bid to resolve border disputes and enhance bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries. T he Ba ngladesh team, led by the Director General of the Directorate of Land Records and Surveys, Mohammad Abdul Mannan, on Wednesday was felicitated at the Akhaura checkpost by senior Survey of India officials. Mannan said the key issues of the meeting would be finalization of border pillars
on the Indo-Bangladesh international border on Tripura borders, re-establishment of lost pillars, restructuring of broken pillars and a new survey for finalization of location for missing and pillars. “This conference takes place twice in a year. This time it is being held in Agartala and next time it will take place in Dhaka. We are going to discuss the disputes of the border and reconstruction of pillars which have been destroyed or are misplaced. There are total 500 pillars between Bangladesh and Tripura. This is important to maintain peace in the international border of
two friendly neighbours. We have been regularly holding such meetings for the last 64 years,” he Mannan. The 82nd Indo-Bangladesh joint border conference would continue till August 24 at Circuit House in Agartala. An official from Survey of India, N.R. Biswal, said that decisions on the future course of action in the current financial year will also be taken during the conference. “This meeting is held twice in a year during the inspection time and we decide about the future course of action,” Biswal said.
Bangladesh To Resolve Border Disputes, Strengthen Bilateral Relations
Radical Bangladeshi Islamist Group’s Operations Chief Flees To Pak
Dhaka (PTI): Jamaat-e-Islami linked radical Islamist group Ansarullah Bangla Team’s operations chief Didar Hossain has fled to Pakistan following massive crackdown on the newly formed outfit, Bangladesh police said Sunday. Hossain fled to Pakistan while nine members of his group were arrested in an overnight raid, they said. “We arrested them raiding their hideouts at different parts of the capital city throughout last night,” a police spokesman told reporters here. He said during the initial interrogations the arrested men disclosed that Hossain fled to Pakistan. Earlier this month, the group’s founder 43-year-old Mufti Jasim Uddin Rahmani was arrested along with dozens of his followers. The official said the detained operatives - one being a madrassa student and
others in different private jobs - admitted that they were closely following al-Qaeda in running their own organisation in Bangladesh. Joint Commissioner of Dhaka Police Monirul Islam earlier said they gathered evidence that Bangladeshi youth Nafis, who was recently sentenced to 30 years in the US for planning to bomb the Central Reserve, had links with Ansurallah. After years of massive security clampdown, officials said terrorists in Bangladesh were now in a weakened state but they fear militant threats visibly gripped the country in the wake of inputs that little known Ansarullah Bangla Team planned to kill a number of high-profile people as “enemies of Islam”. Police said they seized documents which suggested the newly surfaced group targeted at least two ministers. They said the group
earlier instigated the killing of blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider on February 15, launching a hatred campaign through its websites, blogs and publications, which have been now blocked by the authorities. Investigators revealed that Rahmani and his followers used to share their views on a website named after the group having its hosting server in Pakistan while they also ran a web-based community radio. Police said Rahmani formed the group five years ago after being inspired by al-Qaeda’s US-born ideologue Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed in a CIA drone attack in Yemen. The Daily Star newspaper quoting unidentified security sources said the group has links with other Bangladeshi militant outfits including banned Islamist militant groups like Harkat-ulJihad-Al Islami and Jama’atul Mujahideen.
EXPRESS INDIA
ANI
August 27, 2013
Page 15
Presents
SOUTH ASIA NEWSLINE
On the MHZ Channel Weekdays at 6:30 PM Repeated at 10:30 PM and 8:00 AM the following day Also Watch THIS WEEK IN INDIA 10:00 AM Saturdays NEWS WEEK SOUTH ASIA 9:30PM Wednesdays MY INDIA 9:00 PM Wednesdays DATELINE PUNJAB 1:30 PM Saturdays
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August 27, 2013
EXPRESS INDIA
Brits Outraged Over NHS Collaboration With Private Indian Healthcare Firms For Cut-price Treatment
London, Aug. 23 (ANI): Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) plans for going into business with private Indian healthcare firms to provide cheaper treatment to patients has enraged domestic health campaigners. The Mirror reports that more than 20 hospital trusts of London are planning to send NHS doctors to India to treat locals in a bid to raise cash for their hospitals, while low cost operations would be performed locally by Indian doctors. Health campaigners have warned that it could lead to British patients being flown over for cheaper treatment, the
report added. Former health secretary Patricia Hewitt revealed that Indian sub-continent health market was emerging and was expected to be worth more than 100 billion pounds within five years. Hewitt, also the chairwoman of the UK India Business Council, said that their ambition was to get as many NHS trusts, UK health companies and charities as possible to be established in India. Dr Kailash Chand, deputy chairman of the BMA, blamed the NHS trusts to be involving in a huge scandal of earning money for the cashstrapped hospitals.
He further added that they will lose manpower, if their doctors and consultants are being sent to India, and it could pose a serious threat to patient safety in Britain. Hewitt said there were several ailments, including a range of cardiac procedures, where Indian doctors could deliver similar or better clinical outcomes at substantially lower costs than the NHS. A Department of Health spokesperson, meanwhile, clarified that NHS trusts had no intention to send patients to India for treatment, but they wanted Brits to support the health service to compete internationally.
Lifestyle Changes As Important As Weight Loss For Kids’ Good Health
Washington, Aug 23 (ANI): A new study suggests that focusing on lifestyle changes could help improve a kid’s health, more than just concentrating on weight loss. The study found that both healthy-weight and obese children who participated in an intensive lifestyle modification program significantly improved their metabolic and cardiovascular health despite little weight loss. “T hese f indings suggest that short-term lifestyle modifications through changing diet and exercise can have an immediate impact on improving risk factors such as cardiovascular disease and
diabetes,” Christian Roberts, an associate research professor at the UCLA School of Nursing and the study’s lead author, said. “This work underscores the need to focus on changing lifestyle as opposed to focusing on body weight and weight loss,” he said. This study is believed to be the first to compare the effects of changing diet and exercise in both normal-weight and obese children. Unhealthy lifestyle factors that begin in childhood, such as physical inactivity, lack of exercise training, and diets that are high in refined carbohydrates and
fat, contribute to both the development of obesity and other chronic diseases. But it is unclear whether obesity itself or the associated lifestyle factors are underlying causes of cardiovascular and metabolic dysfunction and the related development of chronic disease. “Even if individuals are at normal weight, they may have metabolic abnormalities and this study demonstrates that health status can be significantly improved by changing lifestyle habits,” Roberts said. The study is published online in the American Journal of Physiology.
Washington, August 24 (ANI): Researchers have said that BMI - standard metric for finding out who is normalweight, overweight and obese - is not an accurate measure of fat, and does not explain causes of poor health, according to scientists. Dr Rexford Ahima, a medical professor at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, and co-author of the editorial said that most
studies depend on BMI, asserting that it’s not a very accurate measure. According to many studies, people having BMIs above 30 are at an increased risk of dying from heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other diseases. However, recent studies have shown that in some cases, a high BMI may protect a person from dying of heart failure, kidney failure and
other chronic diseases. Someone having a chronic illness, having more fat may provide additional energy reserves and is some cases, a low BMI could be a result of a person having an illness. Ahima said that BMI does not take into account fat and doesn’t indicate the fat distribution in the body. The study has been published in the journal Science.
BMI May Not Be Best Measure For Healthy Body Weight
Early Balding Associated With Lou Gehrig’s Disease about 42 percent of men re-
Washington, Aug 25 (ANI): A new study has found that men who show signs of early balding may be at an increased risk of the rare but incurable disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is also known Lou Gehrig’s disease. The link between the two conditions may provide a new direction in investigating the poorly understood neuro-
degenerative condition, the researchers said. T he resea rchers looked at more than 50,000 men ages 46 to 81, and asked them to recall the shape of their hairline at age 45, and choose from a series of pictures depicting no balding, moderate or extensive balding. Nearly 44 percent of men reported no balding,
ported moderate balding and 14 percent reported extensive balding at 45 years old. Sixteen years later, 11 of 5,500 men who had reported extensive balding were diagnosed with ALS, while 13 of 17,500 men with no balding were affected by the disease, Fox News reported. The researchers calculated that men with extensive early balding were about three times as likely to develop ALS, compared with men who hadn’t lost hair early in life. The researchers said their results should be interpreted cautiously until the link between early balding and ALS is confirmed in future studies. The study is published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
Single Dose Of Injectable Dye Could Help Make Melanoma History
Washington, August 24 (ANI): Researchers are investigating whether an injectable dye known as PV-10 is capable of shrinking tumours and reducing the spread of cancer. According to the new study at Moffitt Cancer Center, PV-10 is a solution developed from Rose Bengal, a watersoluble dye commonly used to stain damaged cells in the eye. Early clinical trials show PV-10 can boost immune
response in melanoma tumors, as well as the blood stream. Shari Pilon-Thomas, Ph.D., assistant member of Moffitt’s Immunology Program, said that various injection therapies for melanoma have been examined over the past 40 years, but few have shown the promising results that they are currently witnessing with PV-10. In the initial study, researchers injected a single dose of PV-10 into mice with melanoma.
The result was a significant reduction in the skin cancer lesions, as well as a sizable reduction in melanoma tumors that had spread to the lungs. The researchers said the dye solution appeared to produce a robust anti-tumor immune response and may be safer than existing immunological agents. The study appears in PLOS ONE, an open-access, peer-reviewed online journal.
Washington, August 24 (ANI): Researchers have claimed that a greater consumption of fruits and vegetables may help lower the risk of invasive bladder cancer in women. The investigation was conducted as part of the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC) Study, established in 1993 to assess the relationships among dietary, lifestyle, genetic factors, and cancer risk. Park and her fellow researcher’s analyzed data
collected from 185,885 older adults over a period of 12.5 years, of which 581 invasive bladder cancer cases were diagnosed (152 women and 429 men). After adjusting for variables related to cancer risk (age, etc.) the researchers found that women who consumed the most fruits and vegetables had the lowest bladder cancer risk. For instance, women consuming the most yelloworange vegetables were 52
percent less likely to have bladder cancer than women consuming the least yelloworange vegetables. The data also suggested that women with the highest intake of vitamins A, C, and E had the lowest risk of bladder cancer. No associations between fruit and vegetable intake and invasive bladder cancer were found in men. Their findings have been published in The Journal of Nutrition.
Higher Intake Of Fruits And Vegetables May Reduce Bladder Cancer Risk In Women
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August 27, 2013
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EXPRESS INDIA
Sania-Zheng Win New Haven Open; Paes-Nestor Win Winston-Salem Open
Sania Mirza notched up her third title of the season and 17th overall, as she lifted the women’s doubles trophy at the WTA New Haven Open along with new partner Jie Zheng. Sania and Jie defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues and Katarina Srebotnik 6-3, 6-4 in the summit clash. Mirza and Zheng fell behind an early break but quickly got back and from 3-3 in the first set, they won six of the next seven games to capture the first set and take control of the second. They did have a bit of trouble closing it out, as at 5-2 in the second set, Medina and Srebotnik won two games in a row and then got to deuce on Sania’s serve before the IndoChinese duo finished off the triumph on their fifth match point. Daniel Nestor and Leander Paes lived up their billing as the top-seeded doubles team at the Winston-Salem Open — but it wasn’t easy. Nestor, from Canada, and Paes, from India, outlasted Treat Huey (Philippines) and Dominic Inglot (Britain) 7-6 (10), 7-5 in the doubles final Saturday at the Wake Forest Tennis Center.
Nestor and Paes split the winning prize money of $31, 550. Huey and Inglot, who were unseeded, split $16,590. Somdev Qualifies for US OPEN Somdev Devvarman has managed to make it to the main draw of the US Open after defeating Briton James Ward in the qualifiers. World No113 Devvarman got past his 175thranked opponent 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a match lasting two hours and 15 minutes Friday. The Indian plays 85th-ranked Lukas Lacko of Slovakia in the opening round at Flushing Meadows. James Ward kept Somdev on his toes in the thrilling encounter which went till the third-set. Devvarman won the first set by 6-3 but lost the next one by 3-6. However the Indian came back well in the decider set by 6-4 to setup the clash with Slovakia’s Lukas Lacko in the opening round of US Open. Devvarman took just 38 minutes to claim the first set as he converted his break chances and saved three of his serves. In the second set, Ward pulled up his socks and broke twice to win the second set. Indian threw caution to
the wind in the second set and didn’t make the most of the four break points that he got. As the match progressed to the decider, the tie got much more intense as Somdev started off well and saved couple of break points. He banked on the two of the three chances he got to make his way to the main draw of US Open. This stiff contest went on till the two hours and 15 minutes. “Happy to be through to the main draw. So excited for next week,” Somdev wrote on his twitter page after his match. Somdev had a decent run in the Australian Open and French Open this season where he made it to the second round but couldn’t make it to the Wimbledon as he lost his chances in the qualifiers. - See more at: http://www.indiansportsnews.com/top-stories/23314-somdev-makes-itto-the-main-draw-of-us-open. html#sthash.tfwhXpCy.dpuf
Hockey: 9th Asia Cup
India Crush Oman 8-0
Ipoh: India blanked minnows Oman 8-0 to start their 9th Asia Cup hockey championship campaign on a perfect note at the Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh on Saturday. The Indian team indulged in a ‘goal-fest’ as they scored four apiece on either side of the break. For the winners, Mandeep Singh (4th minute, 40th) and debutant forward Ramandeep Singh (17th, 44th) struck twice, while, V R Raghunath (28th), Rupinderpal Singh (34th), Malak Singh (47th) and SK Uthappa (69th) sounded the board once. Knowing fully well that winning the Asia Cup would guarantee a place in next year’s World Cup at The Hague, Netherlands, the Indians meant business from the onset and concentrated mainly on building formations. The Indians were expected to control the proceedings against Oman and they did exactly that as the play
Cricket: ACC Emerging Teams Cup
was mostly centred around the Oman half. After starting on a rather casual note, the Indians soon tightened up their grip over Oman and mounted continuous raids. In the opening half, majority of India’s build ups came from the right flank with Ramandeep Singh and Malak Singh combining well. But penalty corner conversion still seems to be a worry for India as they utilised just two out of the six that came their way in the entire duration of 70 minutes. The Indians earned their first penalty corner as early as in the third minute but Rupinderpal’s flick was saved by Oman goalkeeper Al Noufali Fahad Khamis Salmeen. But an opportunistic Mandeep scored from the resultant rebound to give India a 1-0 lead.
Pakistan reach semis Muhammad Zubair, Dilbar Hussain, Muhammad
Waqas and Shafqat Hayat of the Pakistan Hockey team claimed a goal each against Malaysiato win their second match Pakistan in the Asia Cup. The first half of the match proved lukewarm with both the teams scoring one goal each, but Pakistan sped ahead in the second half, scoring three more goals, checking Malaysia’s score at 1. Earlier, it secured a resounding victory by thrashing Japan 7-0 in Malaysia on Saturday. Pakistan had missed an opportunity last month to book their place in the World Cup line-up, finishing the World Hockey League in seventh place among eight teams in the knock-out round of the competition. The team is now hoping to clinch the Asia Cup series so that it qualifies for International Hockey Federation (FIH) World Cup in Hague next year.
Archery: Stage 4 World Cup
India U23 Lift Cup By Beating India Women Defeat Korea To Win Recurve Team Gold Pakistan By 9 Wickets
Opener KL Rahul hit 93 off 107 balls as he guided India U23 to a resounding victory over Pakistan U23 in the final of the Asian Cricket Council Emerging Teams Cup in Singapore on Sunday. Earlier, Pakistan had laboured to 159 all out in 47 overs before India chased the target comfortbale in 33.4 overs. Manprit Juneja sealed the victory with a six. Rahul and Juneja were in an unbroken 132 run partnership for the second wicket. Pa k ist a n bega n steadily as the openers put on 31 in the first 8 overs but then Indian fast bowlers Sandeep Sharma and Sandeep Warriers struck in consecutive overs to leave Pakistan reeling at 342. Sharma got Mohammad Rizwan out for 21 and Warrier captured the wicket of Babar Azam for 7. Pakistan’s Umar Waheed and Usman Salahuddin then took 17 overs to put on 54 runs. India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav then triggered a collapse when he dismissed
Salahuddin as Pakistan slid from 88-2 to 107-9. Offspinner Baba Aparajith led the attack as he took 3-28. Pakistan’s last wicket pair, Usman Qadir (33) and Ehsan Adil (22), put on a quickfire 52 in just 9.1 overs to give Pakistan a more defendable total. Yadav and Sharma both ended with figures of 2-20, although Sharma bowled 8 overs and Yadav 10. Openers Unmukt Chand and Rahul took India to 25 in five overs before Chand was dismissed for 15, caught behind off Raza Hasan. There were no further setbacks for India as they coasted to a victory with Rahul scoring his 3rd half-century of the tournament – including 11 fours and a six. Brief scores: Pakistan U-23 159 all out in 47 overs (Umar Waheed 41, Usman Qadir 33; Sandeep Sharma 2-20, Suryakumar Yadav 2-20, Baba Aparajith 3-28) lost to India U-23 160/1 in 33.4 overs (KL Rahul 93*, Manprit Juneja 51*; Raza Hasan 1-41) by nine wickets.
Wroclaw, Poland: The Indian trio of Bombayala Devi, Deepika Kumari and Rimil Buriuly won back-toback World Cup titles beating the formidable South Korea in the women’s recurve team final here on Sunday. India got the better of Koreans Yun Ok-Hee, Ki Bo Bae, and Joo Hyun Jung 219-215 for their second major title in as many months. They had won the World Cup Stage 3 in Medellin, Colombia last month.
The Danish women were the surprising bronze medallists with their 210-194 win over Russia. It was a surprising result in the title clash too as Korea had not shot less than 222 in their elimination matches against the United States, Italy and Russia. India defeated Indonesia, Mexico and Denmark en route to the final. The World Cup Finals will be held next month in Paris.
Visa-on-Arrival Scheme – Gaining Popularity with the Foreign Tourists
Rajinder Chaudhry The Visa-on-Arrival (VOA) Scheme of the government has gained popularity with foreign tourists. In the present year, a total of 10,482 VOAs have already been issued till July, 2013 which represents a growth of 37% over the corresponding period in the year 2012. The number of VOAs issued in the year 2012 exceeded 16,000 which was 26% more than the preceding year. The salient features of the Scheme of Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA) are: • The TVOA is allowed for a maximum validity of 30 days with single entry facility. • The TVOA is available to foreign nationals arriving from Japan, Singapore, Finland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Myanmar and Indonesia at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata Airports. With effect from August 15, 2013 it has also been introduced at the Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad and Bangalore airports. • The fee for the TVOA is US $ 60/- or equivalent amount in Indian rupees per passenger (including children). • The TVOA is allowed for a
maximum of two times in a calendar year to a foreigner with a minimum gap of two months between each visit. TVOA is non-extendable and non-convertible. • Tourists from the above mentioned countries may also avail of TVOA for up to 30 days for medical treatment, for casual business or to visit friends/relatives, etc. • The TVOA facility is not applicable to the holders of Diplomatic/Official Passports. Further, TVOA shall not be granted to the foreigners who have permanent residence or occupation in India. Such persons can visit India on normal visa, as applicable. The “Visa on Arrival” (VoA) Scheme was initially launched by the Government in January 2010 for citizens of five countries, viz. Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore, visiting India for tourism purposes. The Scheme was extended to the citizens of six more countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar in January 2011. The main objective of the VoA scheme was to facilitate measures to attract more foreign tourists to India.
Group Visas on arrival have also been allowed under the Scheme. Visa Manual has been amended to extend the collective landing permits facility with effect from 1st April 2013. The foreign tourists in groups of four or more arriving by air or sea and sponsored by Indian travel agencies approved by the Ministry of Tourism and with a pre-drawn itinerary will be granted Collective Landing Permit for a period not exceeding 60 days, with multiple entry facilities. In order to avail of this facility the tourists or travel agencies are required to mandatorily fill in an application online. The provision of Collective Landing Permits has been made to encourage the foreign tourists to plan their travel to India at a short notice. Such a provision facilitates last minute travellers to plan a visit to India who hitherto were travelling to other destinations. The Scheme is continuously monitored and the extension of the Tourist Visa on Arrival facility to the other countries and the airports within India is an on-going process based on various factors like market trends, security concerns etc.
New Delhi, Aug. 24 (ANI): Expressing his concern over media reports of harassment met by an American student in India, Minister of State for Tourism K. Chiranjeevi has said that his ministry has launched a sensitization campaign called “I respect women” which is about according due respect to women. In a press statement issued by the Tourism Ministry today, Chiranjeevi informed about the Government of India’s efforts in ensuring safety of women tourists in India. “I was extremely pained when I read about the harassment that a student encountered during her year long stay in India. I have personally taken-up similar issues with several
Chief Ministers and have addressed all State Tourism Ministers. Consequently, all state tourism departments have unanimously agreed to put into place, measures to give greater security to all tourists, especially women tourists,” said Chiranjeevi. “Our Ministry has also launched a sensitization campaign called “I respect women” which is about according due respect to women. I am now coordinating with the concerned Union Ministries – firstly, to raise awareness about the need for more sensitive behavior towards women and secondly, to provide greater security. In all cases that are brought to our attention, we will endeavour to take remedial action as appropriate,” he added. C h i r a nje evi i n-
formed that in the two unfortunate incidents that involved foreign tourists that took place this year, in both cases, the culprits involved were speedily acted against. “In Madhya Pradesh, the culprits were arrested within two days and sentences of life imprisonment were given to them in 4 months. In Himachal Pradesh the culprits were apprehended within a week,” said Chiranjeevi. “I am also co-ordinating with various Ministries like Ministry of Home Affair, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Justice and Justice etc to bring about further measures for enhancing the security of tourists, especially the women tourists,” he added.
Tourism Ministry Taking Measures To Give Greater Security To Women Tourists
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August 27, 2013
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Saudi’s Kingdom Tower Set To Become 1st To Cross 1,000-meter Mark
Washington, August 21 (ANI): Kingdom Tower that is being built in Saudi Arabia is all set to become the first skyscraper ever to break the magic barrier of 1,000-meters. The construction of the building began March this year and is due to be completed in 2018. The skyscraper will then tower over even the world’s current tallest building, Burj Khalifa, Emporis reported. At 636 meters, the Wuhan Greenland Center is third in the list of the world-beaters of the future, closely followed by Shanghai Tower, which is only 4 meters shorter. Having recently reached its full height of 632 meters, the latter is already celebrated as China’s tallest building; when finally completed next year, its 121 floors will house office space and a luxury hotel. In the US, there is only one skyscraper under
construction able to even partly compete with the giants from the Far and Middle East, and that is the 541 meter tall One World Trade Center in New York, due to be completed this year. Even now back in seventh place on the underconstruction list, in a few years’ time the one-time world-leading skyscraper power U.S.A. will no longer have even a single entry among the Top Ten tallest buildings in the world. A source of particular excitement in recent weeks
was the Chinese skyscraper project Sky City, located in Changsha. At 838 meters in height, the tower is projected to be 10 meters taller than Burj Khalifa. A construction time of ten months would also make it the fastest-built skyscraper in the world. Whether the ambitious mega-project will truly see the light of day in 2014 as planned, is currently debatable. According to media reports, construction work was halted only a few days after the foundation stone was laid.
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August 27, 2013
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Govt. To Chart Road Map To Safeguard India’s Cyber Security Architecture
New Delhi, Aug.24 (ANI): The alarming shortage in the official information security workforce has led the Union HRD and Telecom Ministries to chart out a road map for safeguarding India’s cyber security architecture. India has the third highest number of internet users (around 16 crore) in the world and is placed after China and the USA, but there are only 556 cyber specialists positioned at various levels in the government departments. The deficiency in cyber security manpower can be measured by the overwhelming difference when compared to other countries - China has 1.25 lakh experts, the U.S. 91,080 and Russia 7,300. There is an immediate need for 5, 00,000 information security professionals in India to combat the sophisticated threat that the country is facing, as laid out by National Cyber Security Policy, 2013. The country is considered as an information security powerhouse, but a closer examination reveals a stark reality. Minister of State for Telecommunications, Milind Deora, accepted in Lok Sabha that cyber security attacks rose to 22,060 in 2012 from 23 in 2004. According to Min-
ister of State for Human Resource Development, Shashi Tharoor, based on the recommendations of the Task Force on the National Security System constituted on the direction of the Cabinet Committee on Security, the introduction of this subject will be taken up in all technical institutions and colleges across the country. Milind Deora also mentioned in Lok Sabha that cyber attacks, malware infection and targeted denial of service, are being increasingly reported by private users and government departments. In an attempt to generate information security awareness, with a view to plug the gaping hole, quite a few players have emerged and are providing training to aspiring students. Appin Technology Lab (ATL) is one such training ground which certifies individuals in various information security and ebusiness skill with its centres in Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, Punjab, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Odisha, Tripura and West Bengal. ATL spokesperson Neha said: “Teaching computer-age or industrial-age
courses in colleges will not help students get job in the information-age. Our vocational programs are geared towards preparing the facebook denizens for careers that will shape our society in coming decade.” While Cyber Security and Information Security (CS & IS) is all set to be introduced as a subject in higher and secondary education in the country, the Government plans to hire around 5,000 information security experts who would impart training to create a larger dependable force of cyber experts across the country, top Government sources said. The recent spate of cyber attacks on Indian installations is another cause for extreme concern. Interestingly, cyber warfare is fast emerging as the fifth domain of warfare and India’s preparedness to deal with it is wanting. Aimed towards the development of human resource in the area of Information Security at various levels, ATL, among other offerings, provides expertise in the field of Cloud computing, Internet reputation management, Embedded robotics, Mobile Application Development, Human resource management, Secured programming in microsoft .net and java.
New York, Aug 25 (ANI): Scientists behind the Avogadro Project in Australia have sought to create the world’s roundest object. T he r em a rk able sphere may provide a solution to what’s known as the “kilogram problem,” the Huffington Post reported. Unlike other scientific units, which can theoretically be measured anywhere in the world based on natural properties, the kilogram is still based on a physical object: a cylinder of platinum and iridium that dates back to 1889. So while the “meter” is defined as the distance light travels in a tiny fraction of a second, and the “second” can
be counted by the precise decay of an atom, the kilogram is no more (and no less) than a physical mass that sits in a secured vault at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures in Paris. For reasons no one understands -- and despite precautionary measures -- the cylinder’s mass keeps changing. In other words, the kilogram, as defined by the cylinder (and compared to 40 exact replicas of the cylinder kept in other countries), doesn’t weigh the same as it used to. To solve that problem, researchers at the Australian Centre for Precision Optics, which is home to The
Avogadro Project, are crafting nearly perfect spheres made of a highly pure and very stable form of silicon. By calculating the sphere’s volume and weight, scientists should be able to determine the exact number of silicon atoms in the object itself, thereby providing an unchanging definition for the mass of a kilogram. Per Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), scientists settled on a sphere as the standard shape because it “has no edges that might get damaged,” and “only one dimension [its diameter] has to be measured in order to calculate its volume.”
World’s Roundest Object Set To Provide New Definition Of Standard Kilogram
August 27, 2013
Sea Ice Decline Resulting In Greening Of Arctic
Washington, August 25 (ANI): Two researchers including an Indian origin have claimed that sea ice decline and warming trends are changing the vegetation in nearby arctic coastal areas. Uma Bhatt, an associate professor with University of Alaska Fairbanks’s Geophysical Institute, and Skip Walker, contributed to a recent review of research on the response of plants, marine life and animals to declining sea ice in the Arctic. The review team analyzed 10 years worth of data and research on the subject. The findings show that sea ice loss is changing marine and terrestrial food chains. Sea-ice disappearance means a loss of sea-ice algae, the underpinning of the marine food web. Larger plankton is thriving, replacing smaller, but more nutrient dense plankton. What that means exactly is not yet understood.
Above water, loss of sea ice has destroyed old pathways of animal migration across sea ice while opening new pathways for marine animals in others. Some animals and plants will become more isolated. In the case of the farthest north and coldest parts of the Arctic, entire biomes may be lost without the cooling effects of disappearing summer sea ice. Walker, a plant biologist, says warming soils provide an opportunity for new vegetation to grow where less vegetation occurred previously.
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Bhatt, an atmospheric scientist, examined a 1982-2010 time series of remote sensing data to examine trends in sea ice, land-surface temperatures and changes in the vegetation abundance. A su r pr ise a nd puzzling finding shows that despite a general warming and greening of Arctic lands in North America, some areas in northern Russia and along the Bering Sea coast of Alaska are showing recent cooling trends and declines in vegetation productivity. The study has been published in Science magazine.
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NASA’s Latest Probe To Sniff Out Lunar Atmosphere
Washington, August 23 (ANI): NASA is making final preparations to launch a probe at 11:27 pm EDT Friday from it’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia. T h e sm a l l c a rsized Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) is a robotic mission that will orbit the moon to gather detailed information about the structure and composition of the thin lunar atmosphere and determine whether dust is being lofted into the lunar sky. A thorough understanding of these characteristics of our nearest celestial neighbor will help researchers understand other bodies in the solar system, such as large asteroids, Mercury, and the moons of outer planets. The mission has many firsts, including the first
flight of the Minotaur V rocket, testing of a high-data-rate laser communication system, and the first launch beyond Earth orbit from the agency’s Virginia Space Coast launch facility. LADEE was built using an Ames-developed Modular Common Spacecraft Bus architecture, a general purpose spacecraft design that allows NASA to develop, assemble and test multiple modules at the same time. The LADEE bus structure is made of a lightweight carbon composite with a mass of 547.2 pounds -- 844.4 pounds when fully fueled. Approximately one month after launch, LADEE will begin its 40-day commissioning phase, the first 30 days of which the spacecraft will be performing activities high above the moon’s surface. These activities include test-
ing a high-data-rate laser communication system that will enable higher rates of satellite communications similar in capability to high-speed fiber optic networks on Earth. After commissioning, LADEE will begin a 100day science phase to collect data using three instruments to determine the composition of the thin lunar atmosphere and remotely sense lofted dust, measure variations in the chemical composition of the atmosphere, and collect and analyze samples of any lunar dust particles in the atmosphere. Using this set of instruments, scientists hope to address a long-standing question: Was lunar dust, electrically charged by sunlight, responsible for the pre-sunrise glow above the lunar horizon detected during several Apollo missions?
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August 27, 2013
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EXPRESS INDIA
By Sundeep Waslekar Mumbai, Aug.23 (ANI): It has become fashionable to exaggerate the risk of water wars in South Asia. It is argued that with depleting water resources, India will face tension and wars with Pakistan, China and Bangladesh. The failure to sign the Teesta River Agreement between India and Bangladesh, the growing cacophony in Pakistan against India’s dams in Jammu and Kashmir, and speculations about China’s plans to build a dam on the Great Bend of the Brahmaputra, are projected as signposts of the coming mayhem. Much of the chest thumping is not justified. The Teesta River Agreement can be signed any day. The average annual flow of the river is 60 BCM (billion cubic meters). Since India and Bangladesh must provide at least 12 BCM as environmental flow for protecting the river and its eco-system, the outstanding issue is how to share 48 BCM. Whatever formula is used, the difference between the maximum and the minimum amount of water that India has to share with Bangladesh cannot exceed 10 BCM. This is less than one percent
August 27, 2013
Blue Peace – The Way Forward In South Asia of the 1200 BCM annual water flows from India to Bangladesh through 54 shared rivers. As soon as politicians decide to allow reason to replace rhetoric, experts can very easily finalise a sustainable and collaborative arrangement. More important than allocation is the issue of augmentation and conservation of water resources so that poor farmers in the northern districts of West Bengal and Bangladesh alike can have access to water in the lean season. As for the India-Pakistan water relations, there are really no outstanding issues. There was a disagreement on the Baglihar Dam about engineering details such as pondage, freeboard height, spillway gates, water intake level for dead storage and probable maximum flood level. A neutral expert was appointed as per the Indus Water Treaty. He resolved the differences with scientific assessment of ground realities. Similarly, in case of the Kishanganga dam, the arbitration council has allowed India to build the dam but guarantee environmental flow of the river to Pakistan. Such technical differences ex-
ist between riparian countries in Europe and indeed between the United States and Canada. They are resolved by hydrologists, sometimes with some help from lawyers, not by politicians. They do not lead to alarming war rhetoric. All rhetoric about water wars between India and Pakistan is only politics. While it is expedient to engage in rhetoric of conflict, it would be much more productive to see how water can be used as instrument of cooperation and peace. The Blue Peace approach developed by Strategic Foresight Group in collaboration with the international community and presented to the world by the President of Switzerland in 2011 explains how water can help build peace, security and cooperation. It must be first of recognised that India has adapted a fair and reasonable approach in its water sharing with the neighbouring countries. It is factually wrong to argue that India is the only country in the world to share 50 percent of its trans-boundary water resources, as some critics do. Turkey allocates the Euphrates water using 50 percent formula while a large number of
countries in Europe, North and Central America and Western Africa allow autonomous river basin organisations to manage 100 percent of their water resources in a collaborative manner. The only countries in the world which are reluctant to share water on a fair basis are China, Ethiopia and Syria. Does India want to belong to this league or does India want to belong to a community of nations that respects international law? The Blue Peace approach involves creating a trans-boundary mechanism for sustainable and collaborative management, and not merely allocation, of water resource. Such an institution then work for maximising water conservation, quality control, agriculture, energy, navigation and livelihood of the people. It can also enable political leaders to negotiate tradeoffs between water and non-water sector to maximise cooperation, interdependence and security of the riparian nations. India can make a beginning with Bangladesh. The two countries must restructure the Joint Rivers Commission to develop a holistic and integrated strategy for all 54 shared rivers, shifting
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away from the present emphasis on negotiating a separate agreement for every river. An integrated cooperation programme will automatically lead to opportunities in power trade, eco-tourism, navigation, agriculture and various means of connectivity. Most important, it will enhance confidence and security between the two countries. Similarly in the case of Pakistan, it is important to note that the Indus Water Treaty is about water allocation. It is not about water cooperation. It is necessary to build on it and create a framework of integrated water cooperation, which uses the potential of hydro-electric power for the benefit of people of Jammu and Kashmir, agricultural development of Sindh and Baluchistan, preservation of ground water resources in the Punjab provinces on both sides of the border. The problem of deficit of trust is more serious than that of deficit of water in South Asia. The region needs canals of cooperation and reservoirs of rationality in the management of water resources. It needs to look beyond the expediency of short term politics in the interest of long term prosperity. It needs Blue Peace.
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August 27, 2013
EXPRESS INDIA