Portugal support India in the NSG

Portugal has said that it will support proposal to allow nuclear trade with India at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

''We (will) support India in the NSG. I had the opportunity to say to the Indian (External Affairs) minister that this is the Portuguese position,'' Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs Luis Amado told reporters in Delhi on Monday.

''We understand India's concerns to meet its strong demand of energy,'' he said.

The minister pointed out that Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates had made a similar announcement of his country's position during his visit to India in December 2007 to attend the India-EU summit.

The Indian government is currently trying to push through the civilian nuclear deal with US through its domestic political barriers, and to get the deal approved before the Bush administration leaves office by the end of this year.

The next step for India would be to sign a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for its civilian nuclear plants - the draft has reportedly been finalised, but not signed yet.

The government is likely now to sign the agreement, after getting a new political ally, even as the Left parties have threatened to withdraw support if India goes to the IAEA.

Thereafter, the US, supported by Britain and France, would shepherd a proposal in the NSG for modifying its guidelines to allow trade in nuclear fuel and technology with India, a non-signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

But NSG members have been first eager to get a look at the safeguards agreement before agreeing to the proposal by consensus.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is currently on a visit to Japan to attend the G-8 summit, where he is scheduled to meet President Bush on Wednesday and also expected to lobby for NSG support among the attending heads of government and state.

Once the NSG allows trade with India, the bilateral agreement for civilian nuclear cooperation will go to the US Congress for an up-and-down vote.

The Portuguese minister began his three-day visit to India on Monday, accompanied by a delegation of top business leaders with diverse interests ranging from banking to infrastructure.

After his meeting with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, he addressed Indian business leaders at the Indo-Portuguese Business Council.

On Tuesday, he leaves for Goa to renew ties with Portugal's former colony. He will meet Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat and business people. Amado will return to Portugal via Mumbai on Wednesday.

Courtesy:ndtv.com

USE TOILET : We PAY You.....!?!?!?

It pays to use a toilet in southern India, as residents are earning close to a dollar a month by using public urinals, a scheme launched by authorities to promote hygiene and research in rural areas.

Dozens of people are queuing up to use toilets in Musiri, a remote town in Tamil Nadu, where authorities have succeeded in keeping street corners clean with the new scheme, a newspaper said on Sunday.

"In fact, many of us started using toilets for urination only after the ecosan (ecological sanitation) toilets were constructed in the area," said S Rajasekaran, a truck cleaner.

The urine was also being collected and tested for its efficacy as a crop fertiliser, an official of the state's agricultural university added.

People relieving themselves in the open are a common sight in India's rural towns and villages, as basic sanitation still eludes millions.

Courtesy : IBNlive.com

Iran Modifies its Top Security Agency (SNSC)

Iran has made new changes at its Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), which looks after negotiations with the West in the nuclear crisis, the Mehr news agency reported on Monday.

Javad Vaeedi has been replaced as the council's deputy head in charge of international affairs by Ali Bagheri, who was previously the foreign ministry's director general for North and Central European affairs.

Vaeedi will become an advisor to the council's head Saeed Jalili, a close ally of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the agency said. No explanation was given for the changes.

The move comes after Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday named Jalili as his personal representative on the council.

As head of the council, Jalili is the top nuclear negotiator in talks with the West aimed at ending the five-year-old crisis over the Iranian atomic programme.

Tehran is currently considering a package from world powers offering Iran technological incentives if it halts the sensitive process of uranium enrichment which the West fears could be used to make nuclear weapons.

Obama against Outsourcing

Taking a tough stand against outsourcing, the presumptive Democratic nominee Senator Barack Obama said that the choice is between giving tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas or give benefit to those corporations that keep jobs domestically.

''We can keep giving tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas, or we can give tax benefits to companies that invest right here in New Hampshire,'' Senator Obama said at a joint appearance with Senator Hillary Clinton in Unity, New Hampshire.

''We can have a tax code that rewards wealth and hands out billions of dollars more to big corporations and multimillionaires. Or we can provide a $ 1,000 tax cut to 95 per cent of families in America, start rewarding work and not just wealth, and eliminate income taxes for seniors making $ 50,000 a year or less,'' Obama said, adding that's an agenda for change that the people can believe in.

''We can allow millions of Americans to work full-time but still not make enough to support their families, or we can raise the minimum wage, index it to inflation, and ensure that hard work pays off in America,'' the Illinois Senator said.

History of Brave Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw....!!!

Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji "Sam Bahadur" Jamshedji Manekshaw MC (April 3, 1914 – June 27, 2008) was an Indian Army officer. In a long career spanning nearly four decades, Manekshaw rose to be the 8th Chief of Staff of the Indian Army in 1969 and under his command, Indian forces concluded a victorious campaign during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Sam Manekshaw was the first of only two Indian military officers to hold the highest rank of Field Marshal of the Indian Army (The other being Field Marshal K M Cariappa). His distinguished military career spanned four decades and through five wars, including World War II.

Early life and education

Manekshaw was born in Amritsar, Punjab to Parsi parents who immigrated to the Punjab from the small town of Valsad on the Gujarat coast. After completing his schooling in Amritsar and Sherwood College (Nainital), he joined the first batch of 40 cadets at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun on 1 October 1932. He passed out of the IMA in December 1934 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Indian Army. He held several regimental assignments and was first attached to the Royal Scots and later to the 4/12 Frontier Force Regiment.

Military career

Manekshaw's military career spanned four decades, from the British era and World War II, to the three wars against China and Pakistan after India's independence in 1947.

World War II

During World War II, Manekshaw saw action in the Burma campaign on Sittang River as a Captain with the 4/12 Frontier Force Regiment ^[1] and has the rare distinction of being honoured for his bravery on the battle front itself. During World War II, he was leading a counter-offensive against the invading Japanese Army in Burma. During the course of the offensive he was hit by a burst of LMG bullets and was severely wounded in the stomach. Major General D.T. Cowan spotted Manekshaw holding on to life and was aware of his valour in face of stiff resistance from the Japanese. Fearing the worst, Major General Cowan quickly pinned his own Military Cross ribbon on to Manekshaw saying, "A dead person cannot be awarded a Military Cross."

Higher Commands and Offices

Having recovered from those near-fatal wounds in Burma, Manekshaw went for a course at Staff College, Quetta and later also served there as an instructor before being sent to join 12 Frontier Force Rifles in Burma under General (later Field Marshal) Slim's 14th Army. He was once again involved in a fierce battle with the Japanese, and was wounded for a second time. Towards the close of World War II, Manekshaw was sent as Staff Officer to General Daisy in Indo-China where, after the Japanese surrender, he helped rehabilitate over 10,000 POWs. He, then, went on a six-month lecture tour to Australia in 1946, and after his return served as a First Grade Staff Officer in the Military Operations Directorate.

Manekshaw showed acumen for planning and administration while handling the issues related to Partition in 1947, and later put to use his battle skills during the 1947-48 Jammu & Kashmir Operations. After command of an Infantry Brigade, he was posted as the Commandant of the Infantry School and also became the Colonel of 8 Gorkha Rifles (which became his new regimental home, since his original parent regiment The 12th Frontier Force Regiment went on to join the new Pakistan Army at partition ) and 61 Cavalry. He commanded a Division in Jammu & Kashmir and a Corps in the North East, with a tenure as Commandant of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in between. As GOC-in-C Eastern Command, he handled the tricky problem of insurgency in Nagaland and the grateful nation honoured him with a Padma Bhushan in 1968.

Army Chief: The War of 1971

Manekshaw became the 8th Chief of Army Staff when he succeeded General Kumaramangalam on 7 June 1969. His years of military experience were soon put to the test as thousands of refugees from the erstwhile East Pakistan started crossing over to India as a result of oppression from West Pakistan. The volatile situation erupted into a full-scale war in December 1971.

During this Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Manekshaw showed uncommon ability to motivate the forces, coupling it with a mature war strategy. The war ended with Pakistan's unconditional surrender, and the formation of Bangladesh. More than 45,000 Pakistani soldiers and 45,000 civilian personnel were taken as POWs. He masterminded the rout of the Pakistan Army in one of the quickest victories in the recent military history. This led to the Shimla Agreement which opened the door to the creation of the nation of Bangladesh as separate from Pakistan.

Honour and Retirement

For his distinguished service to the country, the President of India awarded him a Padma Vibhushan in 1972 and conferred upon him the rank of Field Marshal on 1 January 1973. Manekshaw became the first of the only two Indian Army Generals to be awarded this prestigious honorary rank; the other being the late Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa. Manekshaw retired a fortnight later (although technically Field Marshals of the Indian Army never retire because the rank is conferred for life), on 15 January 1973, after completing nearly four decades of military service.

Following his retirement from the Indian Army, Manekshaw successfully served as a director of numerous companies.

He died of complication from pneumonia at the Military Hospital in Wellington, Tamil Nadu on 0030 hours, June 27th, 2008 at the age of 94.

JAI HIND !!!!!!

India's Rank in "Corruption Countries List"

India has been ranked a lowly 74, two steps down since 2007, among 180 countries of the world on the worldwide Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), prepared by independent international agency Transparency International.

However, corruption is much higher in Pakistan, which occupies 140th place, a little below Iran, Libya and Nepal, which are ranked 133, 134 and 135 respectively.

Meanwhile, China, which was ranked a joint 72 with India in 2007, slid a step down to occupy a place above its neighbour this year.

Among other Asian countries, Russia is placed still lower on 145 while Sri Lanka occupies 96th position and Maldives is ranked 90.

The least corrupt country in the region is the nascent democracy Bhutan, which has been placed at the 41st spot by the non-government organisation tracking prevalence of corruption worldwide.

Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Singapore and Sweden corner the top five spots retaining positions as the least corrupt nations of the world, while bottom of table is occupied by Myanmar and Somalia.

The United States also retains its position and is ranked 20th, just below Germany, Ireland, Japan and France. Besides, Britain occupies the 13th spot and is just ahead of Hong Kong.

Yahoo's stock price bounced

Pic :Yahoo CEO Jerry yang :: :: Microsoft's Bill Gates

Yahoo's stock price bounced as investors flirted with rumours that Microsoft is once-again courting the floundering Internet pioneer. Neither company would comment on what, if any, talks are under way, but both firms dismissed the notion Microsoft has a renewed interest in taking over Yahoo.

Microsoft said its position has not changed since it released a June 12 statement saying it is "not interested in rebidding for all of Yahoo" but that an "alternative transaction remains available for discussion." The US software giant made the statement in response to Yahoo and Google announcing a deal to put the Internet search king's expertise to work pumping money from advertising posted next to Yahoo online search results.

Microsoft offered to buy Yahoo for $44.6 billion in stock and cash on January 31, but withdrew the offer on May 3, saying Yahoo refused to budge despite the software giant upping its bid to nearly $50 billion. While searching for a "white knight" to save it from Microsoft's clutches, Yahoo tested using Google's AdSense for Search service for two weeks in April.

The test showed that Google's methods generated more money than Yahoo's advertising platform. Microsoft was enraged by the experiment and warned that a Yahoo-Google partnership raises anti-trust concerns because it would cover some 90 per cent of online advertising.

Analysts believe an alternative deal of interest to Microsoft could involve buying Yahoo's Internet search business and merging it with its own in order to better battle Google in that arena. (AFP)

No Oil Increase till Sep : OPEC

The meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) members and oil consumers in Saudi Arabia has failed to produce any solution to check rising oil prices.

Speaking at the meeting, India's Finance Minister P Chidambaram called for a fixed price band. Saudi Arabia has promised to increase production from 12 million barrels to 12.7 million barrels by the month of September.

However, OPEC remained skeptical and was divided on the issue of raising production.

The rising oil prices have fuelled protests across the world. And now rising oil prices are causing heartburn within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

The meeting of OPEC members called by Saudia Arabia wound down without arriving at any clear formula.

Chidambaram reiterated in the meeting that the consuming countries must guarantee that oil prices will not fall below an agreed level and producing countries must guarantee that oil prices will not rise above a guaranteed level.

Countries such as China and Britain stressed on the need to find new sources of energy. However, they were all unanimous on one issue that oil prices have to come down.

“In order to continue our constructive role in the market, and to further reassure those who are concerned about supply availability, the Kingdom is prepared to make additional quantities of crude oil available to the market,’ says Saudi Arabia Minister Of Petroleum, Ali Naimi.

OPEC president Chakib Khelil however chose to differ and claimed there was enough oil in the market to meet the demand. He said OPEC would consider the issue of raising production only in September, when they meet.

Meanwhile, with OPEC refusing to increase production, the world it seems will have to bear with the rising fuel prices.

Expect Tax Cuts : FM Hints

Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said that the government is willing to take more fiscal steps including the possibility of deeper tax cuts to bring down inflation.

He also said that India should not give room for panic and the government will provide enough wheat and rice to bring down prices.

After inflation hit a 13-year high of 11.05 per cent on Friday, there is more bad news for consumers, as the government admits it will not come down significantly before next year.

The RBI may soon announce monetary measures to check price rise, Finance Secretary D. Subbarao said in New Delhi. At the same time, he predicted that inflation would remain high for the next three months.

"The first line of defence for inflation is monetary measures," Subbarao said. “As we cannot control the supply side, we require quick measures to control the demand side, which will be done by the RBI by taking monetary policy action.”

Asked about measures the RBI may possibly take, Subbarao said: “I can't speak for the RBI, but we all know what measures the central bank is likely to take,” referring to a possible hike in interest rates.

“The double-digit inflation is certainly quite disturbing and inflation management is the top priority of the government,” the finance secretary said.

He also said inflationary pressure would continue for the next three months. This was on account of the global crude oil crisis that has contributed 94 per cent to the high rate of inflation, he added.

Subbarao said: “India will continue to maintain GDP growth of 8.5 per cent and see inflation at 5 to 6 per cent in a year from now.”

Asked about administered price increase, the finance secretary said: “That is a political decision and the government will take a decision on it.”

The price of non-oil products is falling on month on month basis, the finance secretary pointed out.

(With IANS inputs)

Obama Leads......!!

Democratic presidential hopeful, Senator Barack Obama, has a double-digit lead over Republican John McCain. According to the latest Newsweek poll Obama now leads McCain by a margin of 51-36 per cent, a big jump from the figures in May when he and McCain were tied at 46 per cent.

The Newsweek survey showed that only 14 per cent of Americans were satisfied with the direction of the country. More than 51 per cent were dissatisfied and indicated their faith in Obama with his message of change.

Barrack Obama made history as he became the first African American Presidential nominee for the US.

Meanwhile, his democrat rival, Senator Hillary Clinton ended her historic campaign for the presidency on June 7, telling supporters to unite behind Obama and closing a race that was as grueling as it was groundbreaking.

The former first lady, who had earlier declared herself the strongest candidate, gave Obama an unqualified endorsement and pivoted from her role as determined foe to absolute ally.

Depositors Cheers !! Bcos of their Fixed deposits...!!

There is some good news for retired persons and those dependent on the interest income as banks have started increasing their fixed deposit rates following the decision of the RBI to hike the short term lending rate by 0.25 per cent.

Oriental Bank of Commerce yesterday revised their fixed deposit rates for various maturities and raised the rates for its special deposit scheme Asha Kiran (FDs for 400 days) to 9.75 for senior citizens.

This is probably the highest interest rate being offered by the city based public sector lender on 13-month deposit.

Though the senior citizens would get a rate of 9.75 per cent, others will receive 9.25 per cent for 400-day fixed deposit from OBC.

Even the new generation private sector lender Yes Bank increased the deposit rates by 0.5 per cent across all maturities.

After the recent revision of interest rates by Yes Bank, senior citizens would get a maximum of 10 per cent on fixed deposits with a maturity of one year to 18 months. The others would receive a return of 9.5 per cent.

Country's largest public sector lender, State Bank of India, also revised fixed deposit rates upward by up to 0.5 per cent for selected tenures effective June 1.

SBI increased fixed deposits rate for 5-10 years by 0.5 per cent to 9 per cent while 3-5 years tenure was hiked by 0.35 per cent. Senior citizens will get 0.5 per cent more.

Another Mumbai-based lender Bank of India also increased deposit rates up to 0.5 per cent for various maturities.

For deposits having a maturity of one year to less than two years, the revised rates stands at 9.15 per cent, against the earlier rate of 8.50 per cent, while for deposits ranging from two to three years, the new rate is 9.25 per cent as against earlier rate of 8.75 per cent.

Similarly, fixed deposits of Bank of India having a maturity of three to five years will earn 9.50 per cent interest, against the earlier 8.75 per cent.

"The rates have been revised with a view to mobilize funds from deposits in the beginning of the financial year. We will review our rates by June 30, after which they might be revised again," the BOI official had said.

There would be a case for further upward revision of fixed deposit rates in case the inflation, as projected by many analysts, goes up to 10 per cent.

Moreover, the banks would have to raise fixed deposit rates to retain the deposit base, says brokerage firm Edelweiss Capital in its recent analysis on impact of repo rate hike on the banking sector.

The study further pointed out that following recent hike in repo rate, bottomline of those banks which are dependent on wholesale money market for funds would come under pressure.

No Ban On MAIZE EXPORT : GOVT

Union Government has ruled out any plan to impose ban on maize export despite consistent demand to this effect from the poultry industry.
The Commerce Secretary G K pillai told newsmen on the sidelines of a function at Vigyan Bhawan here that the government will also not revoke exiting export ban on rice and wheat.

Pillai said, the government is however likely to review the ban on foodgrains by October-November this year. "This will be done once the picture is clearer," he said. About 50% of the total Indian produce is consumed as poultry feed and about 8% is consumed by the starch industry. Indian maize exports fluctuates around 5 lakh tons annually.

The poultry industry has been repeatedly demanding an export ban on maize besides withdrawing the foodgrains from future trading platform.The global prices of the corn have shot up in recent months due to corn divertion into bio-fuels production amid high crude oil prices.The price of crude oil touched an all time high of 140 US dollar per barrel in the US future trade.

India’s produces around 10-14 million tons of maize annually. This contributes to about 2% of the total world production. Maize in India is generally produced as ‘kharif’ crop, which means that it is usually produced in the summers. Most of the corn produced in India mainly comes from the southern Corn Belt states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Earlier in 50’s and 60’s, the maize production was improved through crop management techniques and increasing the area under cultivation

There is " Higher Power " May be GOD : Indian Scientists

One in four Indian scientists believe in God and many more accept existence of a "higher power", says a survey conducted across the country.

A survey of 1,100 scientists across 130 universities and research institutes across the country threw up interesting results as 29 per cent believed in the philosophy of 'karma', 26 per cent accepted the principle of life after death and seven per cent researchers gave credence to existence of ghosts.

A survey, by the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture of Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut and Hyderabad-based Centre for Inquiry, found that religion and faith had deep roots in the minds of Indian scientists.

As many as 64 per cent scientists said they would refuse to design biological weapons because of their moral and religious beliefs, while 54 per cent said they will not work on nuclear weapons for the same reasons.

As many as 93 per cent researchers defined secularism as tolerance for various religions and philosophies, while only a minority of scientists said it meant atheism.

As many as 33 per cent scientists strongly disapproved of space scientists seeking the blessings of Lord Venkateswara in Tirupati before launching a rocket in 2005. Only 14 per cent strongly approved of the action.

Most scientists (44 per cent) were willing to criticise and confront religions where they think they contradict accepted scientific theories but a sizeable minority (23 per cent) is opposed to it.

The scientists are most likely to regard their personal outlook as "secular" (59 per cent) or "somewhat secular" (16 per cent). Secularism, according to a majority of them, is tolerance for various religions and philosophies.

One fourth of the total scientists surveyed were firm believers while another fourth took an atheist or agnostic position about belief in the divine.

Twenty-six per cent scientists said they believed God exists and they had no doubts about it. As many as 30 per cent scientists did not believe in a personal God but in a higher power.

Twelve per cent scientists said they did not believe in God while another 13 per cent said they neither knew about the existence of God nor did they believed there was any way to find it out.

A majority of scientists thought of themselves as being spiritual, which according to two thirds of them is either "commitment to higher human ideals, such as peace, harmony or well being" (34 per cent), or "a higher level of human consciousness or awareness" (31 per cent).

A majority of the Indian scientists were Hindus (66 per cent) and 10 per cent identified themselves as atheists or having no religion.

Muslims and Christians formed three per cent each of the scientists surveyed; four per cent were Sikhs, Buddhists and other religions while 14 per cent did not report their religion.

Apple ready to launch 3G iPhone

Even as gizmo lovers await the official launch of Apple's new iPhone towards the end of the year, the market in India is abuzz – as in the US – that the company would debut the iPhone ver.2 or the 3G model as early as Monday.

Apple Inc is hosting the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) starting Monday in San Francisco and it was during the same conference last year that Apple chief executive Steve Jobs announced the launch date for the original iPhone.

"I have the first iPhone and I am mighty pleased with its out-of-the-world functionality. I'll sell it as soon as I can lay my hands on the new one," said Geet Tandon, an avid techie, unable to hide his excitement.

"I can't wait to get my hands on the new iPhone, which supposedly will have additional features and better looks," he added.

The buzz over the new version being showcased in San Francisco was further fuelled by a memo to employees in May sent by AT&T, iPhones's sole provider in the US.

Smart phones

"No additional vacation will be approved between June 15 - August 12," said the company, which had issued a similar notice last year before the phone's launch.

When the original iPhone from the apple stable – a crossover between an iPod and a smart-phone – hit the market last year, lack of 3G capabilities and a built-in global positioning system (GPS) receiver were seen as few of the disadvantages.

Nevertheless, the flaws did not seem to deter the buyers, according to a recent study by the technology think-tank Gartner. Apple rose to number three position in the worldwide smart-phone category in terms of market share, selling more than 1.7 million handsets in just about nine months.

Waiting for the 3G iPhone

The serpentine lines outside Apple and AT&T stores made headlines in India, despite the fact that apple at that time had not disclosed any plans of marketing their new product in the country.

The phone was named the Time magazine's invention of the year. And despite not being officially available in the country, the phone was voted as the gadget of the year by most tech shows in India.

Gaffar market in Karol Bagh, the go-to place in the city if you want the shiny chrome plated phone, does not seem to know about by the new development. Santosh Singh, who deals specifically with the iPhone, said he had no idea if a new version of the iPhone was being launched.

"If that happens, it will be good for the business as the new phone will take sometime to seep in the Indian market and when the supply is less the profits are always high," he said.

Marketing strategies

It is not all rumours that make the whole hype surrounding the 3G iPhone believable given the secretive and surprising marketing strategies of Apple.

During a meeting in California in November 2007, AT&T chief executive Randall Stephenson (in what has been regarded as a slip-up) said that his company was working with Apple for the 3G version of iPhone.

Apple fan websites and iPhone forums all across the web are on fire. Not only can one find the "leaked pictures" but also copies of apple's patent application for the phone to the US Patent Office on these websites.

And what can one expect of the new phone? The list is endless but 3G and a GPS are more or less confirmed. Apple might also include flash player in its Safari browser and the phone would have window's media format.

Avid blogger Zibri (real name not disclosed), who has founded the popular blog ziphone.org and also creator of ziphone - an unlocking utility software for the phone - says the launch of the next iPhone version will be sooner than expected.

"We're near the event everyone is expecting. It seems Apple at last has included an embedded GPS. It features a category 8 HSDPA connection (3G) for a top speed of 7.2 MB/s. The main iPhone CPU will remain unchanged.”

Pollution : India's Biggest Worry

The Environment Poll asked citizens of six cities across India how they felt for the environment and environment-related issues. Do modern, urban Indians care and are they willing to be more environmentally responsible?

As per the conducted the survey, we assumed civic issues like water and garbage would be uppermost on people's minds.

But this is the big finding – 34 per cent think air pollution is the biggest environment problem that most people face, followed by green cover, water pollution, noise pollution and finally garbage disposal.

India's exploding traffic - leading to bigger traffic jams, parking woes, road rage and a bevy of health problems - is understandably the biggest setback today.

In fact all those polled in Delhi also voted air pollution was their number one woe.

“Pollution is getting to us and we need to find a solution,” says Center for Science and Environment, Sunita Narain.

If people were given a choice what is the one environmental issue they would want government to address, a whopping 86 per cent of the people want the government to plant trees, followed by reducing air pollution, providing clean drinking water, cleaning up rivers, collecting and segregating garbage and finally improving public transport.

“Why cant bureaucrats and politicians car-pool,” asks environment activist Leo Saldhana

But are things set to improve? The survey shows, people aren't very hopeful. Seventy-seven per cent of respondents said air pollution would increase in the next five years.

Seventy per cent said noise pollution would rise and 65 per cent feared water would get more polluted.

The silver lining is that some states are getting their act together in order to improve the state of their environment be it garbage collection in Bangalore or rain water harvesting in Chennai.

NoBody even CJ cant be excluded from People Rights : SOMNATH

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Tuesday (April 22) disagreed with Chief Justice of India -- K G Balakrishnan's views that the Right the Information Act was not applicable to his office.

"I am not questioning the Chief Justice. He is a high constitutional functionary. But since you ask me, I feel we should not keep anything back from people," he told reporters when asked about the CJI's views.

Chatterjee said in a democracy people occupy the central position and insisted that once such information is denied then "there is scope for speculation which may affect the credibility of the institution".

Disputing Balakrishnan's views that Constitutional functionaries are not covered under the RTI, he said "everything is under the Constitution or should be under the Constitution. The question is whether people are entitled to know."

"The Constitutional position of people's right to know has been recognised under the RTI Act," he said noting that it has been brought for the purpose of enforcement. The refrain of the Speaker, who has been forthright in airing his views on judicial activism, was that "we should not keep anything back from people" as they have the right to know in a democracy

Security Scare on PM's Flight

A plane carrying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh got a security scare on Tuesday evening when an unidentified object was spotted flying close to it.

Singh was returning from Jamshedpur when Delhi’s air traffic control (ATC) picked up an unidentified blip on its radar. The blip could have been an unidentified aircraft.

The Prime Minister’s aircraft was aligned to the instrument landing system—a system which aids planes to land—of the runway at the Delhi International aircraft when ATC picked up the blip.

Fearing for security, the plane was disengaged from the instrument landing system to take evasive action from the unidentified object. Sources at the Delhi ATC though say that the blip could have been a radar malfunction.

The plane was delayed by 16 minutes.

This was the second security scare for the PM’s aircraft since December 2007. The pilot and co-pilot of a private airline's helicopter were arrested on December 17 when they landed at a helipad in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, minutes before Singh was about to take off.

Beggars Gets New LIFE.......!!

A unique initiative at a shelter for beggars in Surat has changed their lives. Today, not only do they earn enough to feed themselves and their families, they have also earned a lot of respect and admiration.

Today Modh, a beggar, is really a son of the soil at peace with himself and his work. But Modh's life wasn't always this peaceful. Until a few months ago, his only income was from begging at the Surat railway station.

Then the police picked him up and brought him to the temporary shelter. But now he's got a permanent job at the shelter and he does well enough to support his family. There are others like him here, all once beggars, all now gainfully employed.

And thanks to the home's unique scheme, they can all now dream of a future.

''Once I am out of this place, I will earn enough money to start farming on my own. I don't wish to beg any further; it hardly brings you money and you loose prestige. I want to earn money by farming for my family,'' said Durgadas Modh, beggar turned farmer.

''I never thought of earning money by producing vegetables and selling them. I used to believe in easy money coming as alms from pedestrians and passengers. Now I have a new lease of life,'' said Birju Lohar, beggar turned farmer.

The vegetables they grow are organic and there's a good market for them.

''We have initiated talks with corporates in retail of vegetables to buy from us and sell through our outlets. In fact, that will also ensure a steadier income for the inmates,'' said Dina Patel, Superintendent, Surat Bhikshuk Gruh.

This is a success story the government wants to replicate at other homes for beggars in Gujarat.

FM takes on Left

A day after Finance Minister P Chidambaram took an indirect swipe at the left accusing them of slowing down economic growth, irate Left leaders have hit back to the FM's comments. CPI(M)Politburo member -- Sitram Yechury took strong exception to the Finance Minister's comments and said that he is attempting to mislead the general public in terms of what the left stands for. He said that the left is not against growth, but it is against growth that benefits a small minority and that the left wanted growth to be more inclusive.

Sitaram Yechury said that the Finance Minister should be more concerned about inclusive growth and should not be concerned about the growth of a small group. Also reacting to the FM was Brinda Karat -- CPI(M)Politburo member said that they have started their position on reforms in Parliament. She also added that Finance Minister has not been able to answer some questions raised by the Left. She added that price rise has been one of the biggest failures of this government. She said, "India should be protected from global trends which is also a creation of this new liberal framework. Though the corporate sector and markets are showing a growth, large section of poor people have not seen the growth."


'Don't find fault in everything we do'

Finance Minister P Chidambaram took a swipe indirectly at his left allies. In comments that did not go down well with the left parties, the FM has indirectly hit out at the left parties and said that those who claim that growth only helped the rich are the worst enemies of the poor.

Chidambaram said that some 60 members of parliament criticised everything being done by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and him to improve the economy. Though the Finance Minister did not directly mention the Left, but made a clear reference to them as they hold 62 seats in the Lok Sabha.

P Chidambaram said, "What do they want us to do? Do they only want us to distribute poverty in this country? Those who say the market growth is irrelevant and those who say the growth only helps the rich are the worst enemies of the poor. “The FM went on to explain that with the Indian economy growing at close to 9% , poverty can be wiped out in the next generation if the current pace of growth is sustained.

He also added, "They say that the economic growth is irrelevant and only a small group of people had benefited from it", but "if we continue to grow close to nine percent, by 2020 India's per capita income will be US $2,000 and by 2050 it will be $16,000. If this growth rate continues, I will provide Rs.15,100 crore (Rs.151 billion) for the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (universal education programme) and Rs.8,000 crore (Rs.80 billion) for the midday meal scheme next year."

Chidambaram said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was able to implement many development programmes for people only because of the high growth rate. "If we continue to grow at this rate, India will be among the most prosperous countries in the world," he said

(With inputs from PTI)

TIBET UNREST SPREADS

Brushing aside calls for dialogue with the Dalai Lama, China on Saturday vowed to ''crush'' the ''Tibet independence forces'' as it raised to 19 the death toll in riots that rocked Lhasa last week during the most virulent anti-China protests in two decades.
'China must resolutely crush the Tibet independence forces' conspiracy and sabotaging activities,'' The People's Daily, the official mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), said in its commentary today, effectively rejecting growing calls from the West for China to hold dialogue with the Dalai Lama to end the crackdown on agitators.

''We must see through the secessionist forces' evil intentions'' and maintain stability and protect people's ''fundamental interests'', the commentary said.

As it intensified its manhunt for the ''most wanted'' suspects and rushed more troops to the restive areas in Tibet, Sichuan and Gansu provinces, the government today said 18 civilians and a police officer were killed in the recent mob violence.

China had earlier said 13 civilians were either burned or hacked to death while the Tibetan government in exile based at Dharamsala has disputed the official casualties figure and put the toll at 99.

The People's Daily said the violent incidents were created by the ''Tibet independence forces'' and masterminded by the ''Dalai Lama clique'', with the ''vicious intention'' of undermining the Olympics and splitting Tibet from China.

''They exposed the Dalai clique's hypocrisy in proclaiming non-violence, peaceful dialogue, not seeking independence and caring for the Tibetan people,'' the paper said.

Talking tough:

With the Tibet issue coming under global spotlight and pressure piling up ahead of the Olympics, which it wants to use to showcase itself to the world, China asserted that nearly 100 countries had demonstrated their support to its action to quell the unrest.

''It is a clear proof that the international community is on the side of China,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang was quoted as saying by a Chinese news agency.

China's response came a day after US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi met the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala and demanded an ''independent, outside'' investigation into Beijing's allegation that the Tibetan spiritual leader was the instigator of the unrest.

She also asked all ''freedom loving'' people to speak out against China's ''oppression'' in Tibet.

Dismissing the Dalai Lama as a ''chief representative of the surf system'' and a political refugee engaged in activities of splitting China, Qin said China opposed any ''encouragement or support'' for the secessionist attempts of the ''Dalai clique'' which violated the basic principles of international relations.

The Dalai Lama, who fled to India after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, has repeatedly denied charges of inciting the Lhasa riots and said he was ready to meet the Chinese leadership for a dialogue.

China has insisted that the Dalai Lama must recognise Tibet and Taiwan as parts of China and undergo a ''thorough review of himself'' to create conditions for talks.

The Tibet government said on Friday that 241 police officers were injured, 23 critically, in the Lhasa riots and updated the number of civilians injured from 325 to 382, including 58 seriously. The economic losses were estimated at USD 34.59 million.

Police said 183 ''perpetrators'' of the riots had surrendered so far. Stepping up its clampdown, authorities on Friday released the pictures of 21 ''most wanted'' suspects.

Troops have moved into the restive Tibetan areas to bolster the government crackdown on the simmering unrest.

For the first time since the volcanic eruption of violence during monks-led protests Friday last that jolted the Communist leadership, China on Friday admitted that the police opened fire and wounded four protesters at Aba county in southwestern Sichuan province on Sunday.

Pressure on China

Germany has now asked Beijing not to block channels to Tibet. The German foreign minister said, ''We want to know exactly what has happened in Tibet.

He also said that China's policy of expelling journalists was harming China. In any case, the Olympics in August would bring thousands of journalists to China and then nothing could be swept under the carpet.

Relations between Beijing and Berlin have been strained after Chancellor Angela Merkel received the Dalai Lama in her office last September.

Protests in Tokyo

Tibetan protesters also demonstrated in Tokyo. About 80 of them marched to the Chinese embassy and wanted to hand over a letter to the authorities. After the police prevented them, they stood outside and shouted slogans.

The letter said that China should not hold the Olympics.

(With PTI inputs)

Suicide rallies on Vidharbha Farmers

Even as the nation revels in Holi festivities, there is no colour for debt-ridden farmers in Vidharbha in Maharashtra.

Three farmers — Gorakh Nikam, Atmaram Patil and Gokul Pawar — took their lives for not being able to pay back moneylenders.

Nikam is from Nashik while the others are from Dhule. All three had reportedly borrowed from moneylenders. According to Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, 216 farmers committed suicide in 2008 alone.

One suicide is reported every eight hours from the suicide belt of Vidharbha, and this despite the government’s Rs 60,0000-crore farm loan waiver.

According to experts the loan waiver is of little help as less than half of the marginal and small farmers, owning up to two hectares, are expected to benefit. Reports say more than 22 farmers who have taken their lives in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region had over five acres of land.

In Vidarbha, of the 63 families, only 13 qualify for the government's loan waiver.

The rest have more than five acres of land and debt ranging from Rs 15,000 to 20,000.

Rahul Gandhi impresses Tony Blair

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair showered praise on the Nehru-Gandhi family scion Rahul Gandhi, saying he stood out as the ''most talented'' and ''insightful'' of the younger generation of politicians worldwide.

''He (Rahul) has got a first class mind and great commitment to India... And you know he is one of those politicians that can take a step back and look at, what I call the big picture, and he's definitely someone who does that,'' Blair said.

He was responding when asked if Rahul Gandhi impresses him as a possible Prime Minister of India.

Blair, who himself was a young generation Prime Minister, described Gandhi as ''the most talented, able and insightful of the younger generation of politicians worldwide.''

ABROAD Is SAFE : TASLIMA

Controversial Bangladesh author Taslima Nasreen today (March 19) left India for an unknown destination and has reached London, as she voiced her bitterness against the Indian government accusing it of being no better than "religious fundamentalists."

Talking to a news agency at the London's Heathrow Airport before taking a connecting flight after she left New Delhi this morning on a British Airways flight, the 46-year-old author refused to disclose where she was heading saying she did not want to "compromise" on her security.

Taslima is understood to heading towards Toronto in Canada. "If I disclose my destination my security will be compromised. My face has now become recognisable and I could be target of religious fundamentalists," she said.

Taslima, whose India visa was extended for further six months last month, alleged her human rights was infringed in the last four months when she was brought to Delhi after being hounded out from Kolkata.

Taslima said she will not hesitate to discuss what she said the traumatic experience she allegedly went through during various international seminars lined up in Europe in the next few months.

"I was put under tremendous stress but I could not speak out as I was under their(government) surveillance and could be harassed by them," she said in a choked voice from the British Capital. "The government(Indian) is no better than religious fundamentalists," she said.

Nasreen said she used to call the Government safe-house in Delhi where she was put up as the "torture chamber".

"I gradually came to realise that it was the chamber of death instead," Taslima said, adding she was forced to leave India because of "extreme stress" that she went through the last four months.

MK.Narayanan : Monitoring LTTE LINKS

National Security Advisior MK Narayanan has once again reiterated his belief, that Kerala and Tamil Nadu have pockets of people, who are lending help to the LTTE.

The statement comes just days after the 'Q' branch of the Tamil Nadu police siezed two boats that were being manufactured in Kerala for the LTTE. The police had siezed the boats being built at Munambam in Ernakulam district following leads, that they got from two LTTE cadre arrested in Thirichirapally in Tamil Nadu.

As National Security Advisor MK Narayanan quotes, "We have come to know that in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, in some pockets there are people, who are supporting the LTTE. The Central Intelligence Agencies are closely monitoring this situation."

The Director General of Police stated, "Sixty checkposts have been set up along the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu as part of enhanced security measures to prevent infiltration of extremist forces and LTTE activists."

In an informal chat with the media, the DGP claimed that specially trained police personnel, were maintaining a strict vigil all over Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The DGP also added that there were no Naxalite activities in the state, as the department has succeeded in preventing their activities in the initial stage itself. The DGP commented on the issue after inaugurating the housing quarters for the Tamil Nadu Special Police 4th Battalion at Kovaipudur.

TIBET UNREST

Unconfirmed sources claim that at least 100 people have been killed in Tibet where the situation continues to spiral out of control after the Chinese crackdown on Tibetan protestors on the 49th anniversary of their uprising against Chinese rule.

What Beijing does next is being watched closely by the international community particularly since the Olympics are around the corner.

Lhasa's still burning despite the curfew imposed by the Chinese government after Friday's crackdown by the Chinese police on Tibetans demanding that the Beijing Olympic Games be cancelled.

The protests were also timed to mark the 49th anniversary of their uprising against Chinese rule.

The Tibetan government in exile claims at least 100 people could have died so far but the figure is impossible to verify.

China's violent reaction to what began as peaceful protests has evoked global condemnation.

''We have urged also that the Chinese government respect Tibetan culture, as well as the multiethnic nature of China. It is very important in our view, and President Bush has expressed this view, that Chinese government open a dialogue with the Dalai Lama, and we continue to urge that. Nobody benefits from violence. Nobody wants to see it. But it is very important that, in responding to these protests, that the Chinese government turn away from the use of force or violence in responding to the protests,'' said Sean McCormack, State Department Secretary.


The Chinese government does not want to appear weak by not reacting to the protests. Beijing has now given the Tibetan protesters till Monday to surrender.

''Fighting, looting, burning - these actions destroy the stability of society. These events can be described as an organised and planned plot. We are very determined to denounce this separatist activity, and the plot will not be successful,'' said Champa Phuntsok, Chairman, Tibetan Government.

Now China is worried that its plan to carry the Olympic torch over Mt Everest and into Tibet may be affected by the protests. This may draw the world's attention to Tibet and away from the Olympic games.

But after the crackdown, the worst in the last two decades, avoiding bad press may be difficult.

RAHUL FAVOURS DALITS........!!

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is on a visit to Etawah in Uttar Pradesh.

He has met the Dalit family, whose five members were shot dead by criminals over a land dispute in Ameenabad on Wednesday night.

Rahul Gandhi's visit is being seen as an attempt to strengthen the Congress party's base among Dalits ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections.

The ruling Bahujan Samaj Party had reacted sharply to Rahul spending a night with a Dalit family in Purejaisingh village under Bahadurgarh block in his Parliamentary constituency of Amethi on January 26.

Chief Minister Mayawati had charged the Congress with trying to woo the Dalits only for political gains but doing nothing for them.

Samson D'Souza RAPED and left Scarlette to DIE.....

The Goa police on Thursday claimed that the prime suspect in the murder of Scarlette Keeling has confessed to the crime and he has already been charged with the rape and murder of the 15-year-old British tourist.

Claiming a breakthrough in the tourist murder probe, the police said the 29-year-old bartender, Samson D'Souza, has confessed to drugging the British teenager and dumping her in shallow water after sexually abusing her.

The second accused in the case, Placido Carvalho, alias Shanuboy, — allegedly a drug dealer — gave drugs to Scarlette on that fateful night.

Goa IGP Kishen Kumar claimed Shanuboy intoxicated Scarlette with a cocktail of narcotics and alcohol. "Samson D'Souza then raped her and left her unconscious beyond the high tide line where she later drowned," he said.

The girl died due to a drug overdose and drowning in shallow water, the IGP said. 15-year-old Scarlette's semi-nude body was found on Anjuna beach on February 18.

Resume Work : Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel today asked the employees of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to resume work saying the existing airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore would continue to remain operational for general aviation (corporate and business jets), defence purposes and national emergencies.

However, the airports would not be open for commercial operations, he said, adding the “interests of the AAI employees at these airports will be fully protected.”

The employees are on strike against the proposed closure of the two airports once the private greenfield facilities start functioning.

All reserved activities such as security, immigration, Customs and air-traffic control would continue to be under government control, Patel told Parliament.

Patel’s statement is a change from the government’s earlier stand that the two airports would be closed for aviation operations.

However, Patel’s offer has been rejected by the employees’ union. “The agitation will continue. The government’s earlier assurances did not materialise. We would like to sit across the table and sort out the matter,” said union leader Dilip Gurjar.

The Centre has invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to thwart any full-fledged strike that the current non-cooperation may lead to.

“Flight operations have remained normal and there is by and large no impact on air traffic services at the airports,” said an AAI spokesperson.

There were reports from Hyderabad (220 air traffic movements daily), Kolkata and Bangalore (300 movements and 28,000 passengers daily) that housekeeping services and baggage-handling services had been mismanaged.

“The impact of the strike was visible on the housekeeping services at the airport, though we managed the baggage handling services well,” said an official of Hyderabad airport.

Bangalore airport reported a minor disruption but 90 per cent functioning was normal, said Director N Kaushal. The two other Metro airports at Delhi and Mumbai, which are run by private airport operators, handled the situation with ease.

“Flight movement was smooth here,” said a senior official at Delhi airport as the indefinite agitation by Airports Authority of India Employees Joint Forum began at midnight.

The forum claimed about 14,000 employees were on “indefinite non-cooperation movement” since the midnight of March 12, affecting operations at 127 airports.

About 2,000 workers at Mumbai airport did not report for work since the strike began but it had not affected operations, officials said.

Man Escapes from RAIL accident : IBN Video

INTEL Award for Indian-American High School girl

An Indian-American High School girl has bagged a whopping $ 100,000 Intel scholarship for developing a model to identify early stage colon cancer patients with a high risk for recurrence, beating competition from 1,600 others.

Shivani Sud, 17, of North Carolina won the Intel Foundation's top award aimed at honouring the next generation of scientists and innovators in the US.

For her research project, Sud developed a model that analysed the specific ''molecular signatures'' of tumors from patients with stage II colon cancer.

She then used this information to identify those at higher risk for tumor recurrence and propose potentially effective drugs for treatment, Intel said in a media release.

''That proud feeling comes from doing what I do and not just the acknowledgment of it,'' Sud, who attends Jordan High School, was quoted as saying by The News and Observer of Durham.

Sud said her interest in cancer research started very early on as a result of a relative developing cancer.

''I saw how hard that was for my family, I saw how that kind of changed my outlook on life, because when you're six years old, you don't think about topics such as death or dying from this type of cancer -- having your life change drastically,'' she said.

This year's Intel Science Talent Search finalists came from 19 states and represented 35 high schools throughout the United States.

Hockey Federation chief KPS Gill Refuses to RESIGN :

Despite India's disgraceful exit from the Olympics qualifier, hockey federation chief KPS Gill has said he had no intention of resigning from the post.

The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) president denied giving any 'instant coffee' remark. "I never made this statement."

Gill said that the focus of the IHF was on juniors and not seniors. He emphasised that the federation has done well in that regard.

Defending himself over the Olympics qualifier issue, Gill pointed to the fact that India had won 10 major hockey tournaments during his 14-year tenure.

"When I took over we were nowhere in hockey. From 1998 till now, we have won approximately 10 major titles," he said.

"You have to see the effort, it is not only the federation. When you call it a National Game it has to be a national effort. It becomes a national sport through symbiosis through the government, IHF and Sports Authority of India. Now for four years, the training centres for hockey were non-existent," said Gill.

Another justification that Gill gave on the recent hockey debacle was that India's performance at world cup has always been bad.

KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS ROCKZ With SRK

Even as the second auction was on, one team unveiled its name - Shah Rukh Khan's Kolkata team will be called the Kolkata Knight Riders and the star was in his element at the launch.

"Iss team mein do gundey hain - ek lamba gundey hai aur ek 'Dada' hai - hum Delhi mein gundey ko dada bolte hai (We have two bad guys in our team)," said Shah Rukh Khan.

Shahrukh Khan's tongue-in-cheek humour had the media rolling over as he touched down in the City of Joy to launch the Kolkata Knight-Riders, the city's IPL team and with the famed Aussie coach John Buchanan and team skipper Sourav Ganguly in town, Khan said it was a matter of time before things would fall in place for the Knight-Riders.

We have mashalla really really good players in our team already. Now how they gel together is a thing. Once that works, we are really happy with what we have at this point of time," said King Khan.

"We have a series against South Africa - three Test matches which finishes two days before the first IPL game. So, we need to sit with John (Buchanan) and work it out because other than the Indian players, others would be available. We will work something out - to train them and get used to the conditions," said Ganguly.

Shahrukh also released the team's official song and playing shirts. The colours of the team are black and gold. And the team's mascot will be a tiger called "Hoog Lee".

"I have already requested Sourav and John to dance at the beginning of every game. So, they have relented and we all are learning the Bollywood steps. John is doing very well," said Shah Rukh.

Now that's a clever one if you are want to draw the average Bengali to the stadium.

"Whenever the Kolkatans scream very loud for me to dance, I will dance for you guys. I will be there for every match," assured the Bollywood's superstar.

By the body-language of Shah Rukh Khan, it seems that his Tigers are just waiting to roll.