ESPN pays $1bn for Twenty20 deal

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ESPN pays $1bn for Twenty20 deal
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - ESPN Star Sports will shell out nearly $1 billion for the commercial and marketing rights for the Twenty20 Champions League. 
  
The inaugural tournament will be held Dec. 3-10 with $6 million in prize money. It will feature eight teams, two each from Australia, India and South Africa and the champions from the England and Pakistan domestic leagues. 
  
Organisers said on Thursday the broadcaster had bid $900 million for a 10-year deal, plus some $75 million for marketing. 
  
"The commercial rights were won by ESPN STAR Sports with a bid of $975 million (including $75 million for marketing the tournament)," they said in a statement. 
  
"This makes the Champions League Twenty20 the highest value cricket tournament on a per game basis." 
  
The Australian, Indian and South African boards will jointly organise the Champions League, an off-shoot of a lucrative Indian version launched this year. 
  
"We are absolutely delighted that after a fair and transparent process, we have what we believe to be the best commercial deal for the inaugural Champions League season and for cricket fans across the world," Lalit Modi, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president said in the release. 
  
Organisers plan to expand the field to 12 teams next year. 

Gujarat Police had warned Centre of terorrists’ plan: Modi

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Gujarat Police had warned Centre of terorrists’ plan: Modi
NEW DELHI: Gujarat CM Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the blasts in Delhi and said state police had informed Centre of a detailed plan of the terrorists much in advance.  
  
Earlier in the day, Modi led the BJP attack on the UPA for being "soft" on terrorism, claiming the ruling coalition had "failed" on national security issues by refusing to clear an anti-terror legislation for his state. 
"Those who are less for terror and more for terrorists are the one who opposes GUJCOC and POTA," Modi said, lashing out at the Congress-led UPA for keeping in cold storage the Gujarat Control of Organised Crime bill (GUJCOC) which was pending before the President for the last four years. 
  
Intervening during the discussion on political resolution at party’s national executive meeting here, Modi said "we are determined to carry on the battle both against terrorists and against those who prevent us from fighting terror". 
  
Hitting out at the Congress president and the Prime Minister, Modi claimed the party had "under Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh drifted from the traditional Congress position on national sovereignty" which has strengthened the forces which are out to weaken India. 
  
The UPA government has consistently sent a signal that its softness on terror is minority friendly, Modi alleged and added "the repeal of POTA, non-execution of (Parliament attack convict) Afzal Guru, refusal to give assent to GUJCOC are all evidence of government’s softness on terror. 
  
"The softness on terror is being used by the UPA as an instrument for vote bank politics," Modi charged.
  
Commenting on religious conversions by missionaries Modi claimed it was being protected and increased even though "it has an adverse impact on demography and creates social tensions"

Centre knew about Delhi blasts: Home Minister

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Centre knew about Delhi blasts: Home Minister
New Delhi (Ibnlive): Two days after five blasts ripped through Delhi, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Monday claimed that the Centre had information about the possibility of terror attack on the National Capital even before Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi conveyed it. 
  
In an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN, Patil claimed that the information was not actionable since it didn’t provide specifics on when and where the attacks would take place. "It (information) was available with us in Delhi. But what was not available was the timing, the place and the method to be used for the purpose," he said. 
  
Refuting all charges of intelligence failure, he said, "Centre knew about it even before Narendra Modi met the Prime Minister and gave similar inputs." 
  
Brushing aside speculation that he would be asked to step down, Patil asserted that he enjoyed "full blessings" of Congress President Sonia Gandhi. "Well, I have full blessings of my leader," he said. 
  
Asked if he felt troubled over the fact that he was not called by Sonia at a meeting of senior party leaders on Monday, Patil said, "Please don’t put me on the defensive. That is not the style my leader, my party works. My party’s ethos is to do justice and to see that it is done in a manner which contains and controls criminal and terrorist activities and at the same time doesn’t give any opportunity to human rights violation, 
  
The meeting is believed to have been called to discuss Home Minister’s dismal performance in dealing with both terror attacks and the Amarnath land row issue. However, Home Ministry sources defended the meeting had more to do with politics of internal security and the Home Minister presence wasn’t necessary. 
  
Patil is under attack over his ministry’s handling of internal security and even some senior Congress leaders said to be critical of the minister, whose attention to sartorial preferences even during the night of Saturday blasts in Delhi have drawn flak. 
  
But amidst growing demand for Patil’s ouster UPA allies continue to support him. 
  
Union Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav said, “Don’t blame the ministers alone. The second layer of bureaucracy and the police are also responsible. International Bureau is giving vague information about the happenings. Just by introducing POTA we cant fight terrorism.. These things happened earlier as well.

Saina Nehwal wins Chinese Taipei Grand Prix

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Saina Nehwal wins Chinese Taipei Grand Prix
NEW DELHI: India’s Saina Nehwal won the Chinese Taipei Grand Prix Gold Open badminton tournament after warding off a stiff challenge from Li Ya Lydia of Malaysia in Taiwan on Sunday. 
  
World No.14 Saina, seeded second, beat the Malaysian 21-8, 21-19 to win her career’s second Grand Prix tournament. The first was her breakthrough win in Philippines Open in 2005. 
  
The 18-year-old Hyderabadi went on to beat Mingtian Fu (Singapore), Kwan Yi Monng (Hong Kong), Porntip Buranaprasertsuk (Thailand) and Pia Zebadiah Bernadet (Indoensia) enroute to the title round. 
  
Saina has been in brilliant form this season and missed out on an Olympics medal by a whisker as she lost in the quarter-final to Maria Kristin Yulianti of Indonesia. 
  
She became the first women Indian shuttler to enter the semi-final of Super Series event in Singapore Open in June and then made it the quarter-final of Thailand Open. The good show helped her to crack the top-20 in the singles charts. 
  
But it was her performance in Olympics where she knocked out world No.5 Chen Wang of Hong Kong that caught the nation’s imagination.

‘Idle’ MLAs irk Congress

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‘Idle’ MLAs irk Congress
Hyderabad, Sept. 14: The decision of the Congress to drop at least 70 sitting "non-performing" MLAs in the upcoming elections is snowballing into a major issue. Sources said, most of these legislators are planning to quit the party before the polls. However, as the party is in power, they plan to stick around for some more time in order to exploit maximum "power." 
  
The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, had recently said "poor performers" will not be entertained. He said this after getting the feedback from the party’s grassroots.  "Dr Reddy has given enough time to the poor farmers to set their house right. These MLAs have lost credibility. Even if they quit, it would only benefit the party in the long run," said a senior leader of the party. 
  
The party has asked the district committees to keep a tab on the MLAs who are in a dilemma. Some of the MLAs are reportedly in touch with the Praja Rajyam, the Telugu Desam and even the TRS. Dr Reddy has asked the district in-charge ministers to find the "right" candidates for the party as some of the leaders have become a "liability" to the party.  After getting information about the party’s efforts to find new candidates, the sitting MLAs have started voicing their dissent. 
  
While some of them personally met the Chief Minister and requested him to grant some more time to improve their record, some chose to revolt. Many sitting MLAs in West, East Godavari districts and Visakhapatnam have agreed to start "operation clean-up" to improve their chances of getting a ticket. But those from Rayalaseema and Telangana regions, where there is a strong Telugu Desam and TRS vote-base, are not falling in line. 
  
"If the party decides not to give tickets, some of the leaders may switch loyalty. That actually benefits our party. They already lost image in the public and their joining in the Opposition would only improve our chances," said Mr Botsa Satyanarayana, the minister for housing. 
  
With chances of the Congress returning to power in 2009 improving, the warning given by the Chief Minister have started working in the right direction.  Some of the MLAs have started working-on their public relations and are visiting villages. 
  
"The Chief Minister’s warning is for only those who have not been performing well," said Mr Nadendla Manohar, the MLA from Tenali. "But we must be prepared to face a knee-jerk reaction if some leaders quit the party," a senior leader added. Many MLAs in West, East Godavari districts and Vizag have agreed to improve their chances of getting a  ticket. 

Indian student from Andhra Pradesh shot dead in US

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Indian student from Andhra Pradesh shot dead in US
Sep 15, 2008[IndiaToday]: A medical student from Andhra Pradesh was shot dead in Chicago in the US by an unidentified person, a senior police official said on Monday.
  
Soumya Reddy, a native of Muniyal village in Nirmal mandal of the district, was killed by the unidentified person in Chicago on Sunday, Adilabad district Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar said.
  
"We have got information last night about the incident and we are in process of collecting details of the family of the victim," he said.
  
After completing MBBS in Andhra Pradesh, Reddy had gone to the US to pursue an MS degree.
  
Reddy is the fourth student from Andhra Pradesh killed in the US since December last year.
  
A Srinivas, a post-graduate medical student from Karimnagar was killed in March, A Kirankumar and K Chandrasekhar Reddy, both PhD students, were shot dead at Louisiana University in December.

Chiru ready for debate with YSR

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Chiru ready for debate with YSR
HYDERABAD: Praja Rajyam (PR) president Chiranjeevi on Monday declared that he was ready for a public debate with Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on the State’s development. 
  
Initially though, in reply to a question whether he would take the challenge thrown by Information Minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy, he said he had no time for dabbling in debates. He was busy finalising his tour programme of going to people, apart from crystallising policy papers explaining his party’s stand on various issues. 
  
Mr. Chiranjeevi made it clear that his focus was on meeting as many people as possible before taking up his ‘yatra’. 
  
He said his priorities lay in touring the entire State and covering as many mandals as possible and talking to people in the districts and taking their feedback. 
 

Fielding a question on new entrants, Mr. Chiranjeevi said the Praja Rajyam would welcome anyone with open arms. The screening process and filtration would be taken up later and appropriate responsibilities entrusted to people joining the party. 
  
However, soon after the press conference, a senior aide of Mr. Chiranjeevi, K.S.R. Murthy, came back to the meeting room and said the Praja Rajyam president would come for a debate only if Dr. Reddy was present. 
  
Otherwise, Mr. Murthy would represent the party and face the Information Minister or Chief Secretary P. Ramakanth Reddy or anyone else chosen for the purpose. The debate could be on any subject - rising corruption, ‘Jalayagnam’ or welfare programmes, but revolve around development, he said. 
  
Earlier, Yelamanchali Ravi, son of a former MLA from Krishna district, late Y. Nageswara Rao, B. Brahmananda Reddy, former Prakasam district Telugu Desam president and Karuna, daughter of Mallu Swarajyam, veteran CPI (M) leader and crusader of the anti-arrack movement, joined the party. 
  
The new entrants were introduced to the media by Mr. Chiranjeevi.

Centre knew about Delhi blasts: Home Minister

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Centre knew about Delhi blasts: Home Minister
New Delhi (Ibnlive): Two days after five blasts ripped through Delhi, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Monday claimed that the Centre had information about the possibility of terror attack on the National Capital even before Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi conveyed it. 
  
In an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN, Patil claimed that the information was not actionable since it didn’t provide specifics on when and where the attacks would take place. "It (information) was available with us in Delhi. But what was not available was the timing, the place and the method to be used for the purpose," he said. 
  
Refuting all charges of intelligence failure, he said, "Centre knew about it even before Narendra Modi met the Prime Minister and gave similar inputs." 
  
Brushing aside speculation that he would be asked to step down, Patil asserted that he enjoyed "full blessings" of Congress President Sonia Gandhi. "Well, I have full blessings of my leader," he said. 
  
Asked if he felt troubled over the fact that he was not called by Sonia at a meeting of senior party leaders on Monday, Patil said, "Please don’t put me on the defensive. That is not the style my leader, my party works. My party’s ethos is to do justice and to see that it is done in a manner which contains and controls criminal and terrorist activities and at the same time doesn’t give any opportunity to human rights violation, 
  
The meeting is believed to have been called to discuss Home Minister’s dismal performance in dealing with both terror attacks and the Amarnath land row issue. However, Home Ministry sources defended the meeting had more to do with politics of internal security and the Home Minister presence wasn’t necessary. 
  
Patil is under attack over his ministry’s handling of internal security and even some senior Congress leaders said to be critical of the minister, whose attention to sartorial preferences even during the night of Saturday blasts in Delhi have drawn flak. 
  
But amidst growing demand for Patil’s ouster UPA allies continue to support him. 
  
Union Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav said, “Don’t blame the ministers alone. The second layer of bureaucracy and the police are also responsible. International Bureau is giving vague information about the happenings. Just by introducing POTA we cant fight terrorism.. These things happened earlier as well.”

Kapil Dev in reality dance show?

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Kapil Dev in reality dance show?
Former Indian cricketer Kapil Dev and his wife Romi Dev are all set to shake a leg for the reality show “Nach Baliye 4”, which will air on Star Plus. 
  
Although the former Indian captain has not given any official confirmation regarding the same, he is thinking about it very seriously. He is ready to take up dancing as a new challenge in his life. 
  
Apart from Kapil Dev one person who is extremely excited about the offer is his daughter. She wants to see her dad on the dance floor and is convincing her parents to take it up. 
  
Kapil, however, said that it is too early to comment and will make an official announcement in near future.
  
As the channel is busy finalising its celebrity participants, another rumour doing the rounds is that one more former cricket captain and his wife will also be in “Nach Baliye 4”. It indeed would be interesting to see the normally shy Mohammed Azharuddin and former actress Sangeeta Bijlani dance for the pleasure of thousands of TV viewers.

‘I will not contest,’ says Pawan Kalyan

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Pawan Kalyan on Thursday said that he would not contest from any seat in the state in the general elections. “I am mere activist in my brother’s party. I am here to obey instructions of Chiranjeevi,” he said. He also said he is taking care of megastar’s security.

“I am more interested on the cultural activities of the party. No one is trying to build and strengthen the youth. We will focus on that. The problem with current political system is that a mere one lakh leaders are deciding the fate of 8 crores of public in the state. We need to nurture more leaders,” he opined.

Chiru’s First Day First show: Super Hit

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Will Chiranjeevi be successful as politician? Can the man who faced only ‘soft’ journalits (film journalists) face the hardcore political journos and react to them? How would he react if someone asks about ‘sensitive’ Telangana issue?

These were the many questions that were raised by the naysayers before Chiru made his entry into his party office and faced the media. But all the doubts were cleared and Chiru emerged as the winner in his first ever media meeting in the role of a politician.

His speech was articulate and he seemed confident. He came up with some quotable quotes when tough questions were fielded. Not a single moment, he was visible tensed; he’s clear about everything. Moreover, his benign handling of the press won the hearts.

It is clear that he is not making hasty entry into politics. His first show as politician is super hit. Or it looks like!

Chiru’s dinner party on Monday

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Megastar Chiranjeevi said it pains him to say good bye to the film industry which gave him everything. “For 30 years, I lived life here. It hurts when the feeling comes that I am leaving the industry. I won’t term it as good bye but I will act only if a film is made to better the society,” he said. But analysts say he made good bye to the acting career, though he could not utter the word. That is why he is throwing a farewell dinner party for his colleagues in the industry on Monday.

The party is arranged at Ramanaidu studios and only film personalities are invited.

Actor Hari Prasad passed away

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Actor Hari Prasad, 50, who is remembered for his role in ‘Sivaranjani’ died while participating in a discussion on Chiranjeevi's entry into politics in a TV news channel on Sunday. He was roommate to Chiru during thier acting training days in Chennai and he remained ardent supporter to Chiru.

He came to the channel to support Chiru but during the chat he collapsed on the studio as he was on fasting for four days. He was going through medical treatment for past few months and was on 'fasting'.

Prasad acted in over 100 films and also produced some movies in Telugu apart from Kannada. Knowing the news, Chiru, Nagabu and Allu Aravind rushed to the hospital.

Ramanaidu's Vizag studios inaugurated

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Veteran producer D Ramanaidu's studio in Vizag was formally inaugurated by the Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday. The studio was named after the producer - Dr D Ramanaidu's Film Studios and it is located atop an imposing hill and faces blue waters of Bay of Bengal. Ramanaidu termed it is his dream to build a studio in this beautiful city. "YSR generously allocated the land and fulfilled my dream,"he thanked

It would occupy a pride of place and would emerge as a special tourist attraction centre, he said.

YSR invited other producers to build studios here. "We will cater another 300 acres on the Bheemli road for the development of film and tourism sector," he said.

Ramanaidu's son hero Venkatesh was also present at the inaugural ceremony.

Kalyan Ram produces Balakrishna’s next

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Babai and Abbai are coming together. Nandamuri Balakrishna has finally decided his next film. His brother’s son and hero Kalyan Ram is producing Balakrishna’s new movie on his banner NTR Arts. On this banner, Kalyan Ram produced two commercially successful films – Atanokkade and Hare Ram. Now, he is making the third one with his Babai (uncle).

Young writer BVS Ravi has narrated a script which was okayed by NBK. The film will go to the sets in October. Director’s name will be finalized in a few days.

In the current political scenario, this can be the hot combination NBK as hero and Kalyan Ram as the producer. Buzz is that a director who is known for his closeness with NBK might wield the megaphone.

Nepal Prez poll: Smaller parties key players

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Voting for the Presidential poll in Nepal began here this morning, a day after the two main Indian-origin candidates failed to garner clear majority on Sunday.

Ethnic Madhesi leader and Nepali Congress candidate Ram Baran Yadav, who was widely expected to win yesterday's Presidential poll in the 594-member Constituent Assembly, fell short of 15 votes to reach the magic figure of 298.

The smaller parties like Rashtriya Jan Morcha and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party are likely to vote in favour of Yadav, sources said.

Yadav, who was backed by the CPN-UML and the Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF), polled 12 votes more than Maoist candidate Ram Raja Prasad Singh, who was earlier perceived as the front-runner.

Sensex up 179 points in early trade

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The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex moved up by 179 points in early trade on Monday on the back of widespread buying by funds, tracking the firm Asian markets.

The BSE-30 share index, Sensex, which had gained over 1,060 points in the past two sessions, rose by 179.08 points to 13,814.48.

Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange's index Nifty gained 49.60 points to 4,141.85.

Stock brokers said firm Asian markets mainly influenced the trading sentiments here


Major supporters to the Sensex were HDFC Bank, HDFC Ltd, ICICI Bank, Grasim Industries, Larsen and Toubro, Mahindra and Mahindra, ONGC, RCOM, Tata Steel, Cipla and ACC.

However, Reliance Industries, Infosys Technologies, Reliance Infra, Satyam Computers, DLF Ltd and BHEL were down on profit-taking.

Govt will win trust vote, says Manmohan

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Giving a thumbs up sign, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserted on Monday that his government will win the vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha which will commence a 16-hour debate on the subject at 11 AM.

Arriving at Parliament House, an uncharacteristically animated Prime Minister waived at the waiting news camerapersons and indicated a 'V' sign before entering his office there.

When newspersons asked about the government's prospects in the vote, he responded by saying "we will prove majority on the floor of the House".

Singh would move in the Lok Sabha a one-line confidence motion -- "That this House expresses confidence in the Council of Ministers". The voting on the motion will be held tomorrow.

This will be the first time that Singh will be moving a confidence motion in the House since the Congress-led coalition came to power in 2004

ICICI Bank introduces B2-Branch free Banking

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The second largest bank in the country, ICICI Bank has announced that its customers need not go to the bank for their service and the services they required will be available at the click of a mouse.

According to bank sources, it launched B2-Branch free banking' that enable the customers to get all the required services direct online banking. This is the first of its kind in the country according to bank sources.

For using these services, the customers need not pay any extra amount. It clarified that even if the balance is not sufficient, the bank offers to its customers quantum optima facility. The bank urged the customers to be more careful as the online banking is a secured one.

Building under construction collapses claiming four

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Vijayawada, July 8, 2008

A building under construction caved in at Moghalrajapuram in the city on Monday night claiming four lives. Workers engaged by the police and the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation recovered the bodies of four persons including a visitor.

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation officials completely demolished the building that collapsed on one side to retrieve the bodies on Tuesday. The bodies were sent to the Government General Hospital for postmortem. According to preliminary inquires revealed that the house was built on the loose soil of an abandoned well filled with mud and other materials a decade ago. The Assistant City Planner said that they gave permission based on the plan submitted to them and they are not aware of the existence of a well.

Meanwhile, the Police Commissioner KV Rajendranath Reddy said that the police registered a case based on a complaint by a person injured in the accident. He added that they have to ascertain how the permission was given to construct a building when a well existed there earlier. They are on the look out for property owner V Ramakrishna.

Bullet proof Volvo for Chief Minister

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Hyderabad, July 8, 2008

A bullet proof Volvo for the use by the Chief Minister, Dr.YS Rajasekhara Reddy is being made by APSRTC at its body building unit here.

The heavy duty bus will be pressed into service as and when the Chief Minister wants to travel by road during his district tours by road in preference to a trip by a helicopter.

The Finance department on Tuesday issued an order releasing an amount of Rs.3.59 crore to the APSRTC for purchase of the Volvo B 7R Euro III chassis. The APSRTC has been asked to fabricate the body for the chassis and bullet proof the heavy vehicle, meeting security specifications prescribed by the police and other relevant authorities.

TRS party to support UPA government

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Hyderabad, July 8, 2008

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President K Chandrasekhara Rao has said that his party will support the UPA Government led by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on the condition that the later will give firm assurance on starting the process for creation of a separate Telangana state. He contended that the Congress party was earlier claiming that the Left parties were not in favor of creating small States. Now, they had decided to come forward for the Congress party and the UPA itself to take a decision on separate Telangana.

He laid down the condition when Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar telephoned him on Tuesday to seek the support of the two TRS MPs for the UPA government and held avoid mid term poll to the Lok Sabha. Chandrasekhara Rao said that he explained to him how Congress party had failed to fulfill its promise of conceding Telangana after the 2004 general elections.

Maintaining a low profile after his party debacle in the recent by elections has come back to the center stage within hours of the Left parties' decision to withdraw support to the UPA government although his party's strength in the Lok Sabha has come down from five to two. Speaking to media, he said unless the Prime Minister gives a specific assurance, the TRS will not help in bailing out of the government.

JD(S) to vote against UPA: Deve Gowda

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20 Jul 2008
NEW DELHI: All three JD(S) MPs will oppose the trust vote to be sought by the UPA government in Lok Sabha on July 22, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda announced after meeting BSP chief Mayawati.
Ending days of speculation, Deve Gowda informed the media about his party's decision to oppose the UPA just one day ahead of the confidence vote.

Speaking after the meeting BSP chief Mayawati said, "I had approached the JD(S) leader asking for his support to oust the UPA and I want to thank him for not disappointing me."

Gowda said that he will meet Mayawati again along with Left and UNPA leaders on July 23 to discuss the fallout of the trust vote.

"All issues facing the country - including price rise, unemployment - will be discussed when we meet again on July 23."

The announcement assumes significance in the wake of efforts by the UNPA and allied parties to cobble up a third political force that could form an alternative government in case the UPA dispensation collapses.

The third front had got a further shot in the arm on Sunday morning with Ajit Singh's RLD also joining ranks with it, dumping the UPA.

Mayawati appears to be emerging as the third front's Prime Ministerial face with several leaders of the UNPA suggesting that it could be possible.

Earlier, leaders of UNPA, Left parties and BSP had met to discuss their common strategy with regard to the confidence motion and other related issues.

courtesy

Expedite Mumbai twin blasts case: Bombay HC to POTA

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Mumbai, July 20: Taking serious cognisance of the petition filed by an accused in the Mumbai twin blasts case, the Bombay High court has directed the special Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) Court, which is conducting the trial, to expedite the case and also check the credibility of two of the prime witnesses in the case.

The direction was passed in the petition filed by Ashrat Ansari, prime accused in the twin blast case. Ansari in his petition had questioned the credibility of two of the prime witnesses in the case, Ajmeri Shaikh and Kanti Popat.

Ansari had moved the High Court after the POTA Court rejected his application.

Justice Nishita Mhatre of the Bombay High Court in her judgement has observed that every individual has a right to appeal, be it a common man or an accused and that the POTA Judge should have given a patient hearing to Ansari's grievances before rejecting it.

Both the witnesses, Shaikh and Popat, whose credibility Justice Mhatre has directed to check, are prime witnesses in the trial of the twin blasts that occurred at the Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar in south Mumbai.

Shaikh had deposed to have been a good friend of two of the arrested accused Rizwan Ladoowala and Hassan Batterywala. He had said that he had visited the accused's residence after the blasts when Batterywala offered him sweets to "celebrate their achievement".

The second witness Popat had deposed before the Court that he had visited the Zaveri Bazaar on the day of the blast when he had an altercation with Ashrat Ansari over a cab.

According to Popat, Ansari's behaviour was suspicious and he seemed to be in a hurry to leave the place. Popat approached the Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) a day after the blast and informed them about Ansari.

Ansari's advocate Sushan Kunjuraman in his petition has questioned the credibility of the two witnesses and has stated that the ATS is framing Ansari in the case.

Both Shaikh and Popat are also witnesses in Mumbai's 7/11 serial train blasts case.

Shaikh in this case had deposed that he was close friends with the prime accused Ethesham Siddiqui and had seen suspicious elements like black powder and loose wires at Siddiqui's residence.

Meanwhile Popat's role in the 7/11 case comes as of a 'Panch' witness, before whom allegedly one of the accused Ethesham Siddiqui confessed some of the crucial elements and also agreed to show the place the accused had visited before the blast.
courtesy

Somnath to preside over 2-day LS session

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New Delhi, July 20: Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, in the eye of a storm over the defiance of his party line to him to quit the post, on Sunday gave no indications of quitting the post, which his party wants, and will preside over the two-day session of the Lok Sabha beginning tomorrow.

Chatterjee has convened a meeting of the floor leaders of different political parties tomorrow morning before the House takes up the trust vote in the Manmohan Singh Ministry in the two-day session.

He has so far parried questions as to what he would do on July 22 when the government seeks the vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha by merely remarking "It is a million dollar question".

The Speaker, a CPI-M member from Bolpur in West Bengal, has maintained that he has been elected to the post by all parties and that once in the post he is above party politics.

He is miffed at CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat including his name in the list giving to the President of Left members in Lok Sabha who have withdrawn their to the government.

The Speaker's office had issued a statement saying that he "does not represent any political party in the discharge of his duties and functions.... since his election as Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee has scrupulously kept himself away from all political activities."
courtesy

Samajwadi Party is united, claims Mulayam

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New Delhi, July 20: Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday lashed out at the BJP, BSP and Left parties, accusing them of bribing MPs ahead of the trust vote.

Speaking at a press conference, Mulayam said that his party was united and three of the MPs – Munawar Hasan, Raj Narain Budholiya and Jai Prakash Rawat – who were all set to join BSP, were not in favour of the nation’s development. They are just interested in dirty politics and hunger for ticket, he said.

All three SP MPs today went to BSP leader Mayawati’s residence to meet her. After the meeting, Munawar Hasan said that they were all set to topple the UPA government. He further claimed that another 10 SP MPs will defect on Monday.

Mulayam said that he was surprised with anti-communalism Left parties’ stand of aligning with Mayawati who had called Narendra Modi the best Chief Minister. He appealed to the Left parties to remain secular.

Mulayam further said that Red Flag and Lal Krishna Advani are the same and added that the BJP and Left had approached him with the offer of making him the Prime Minister if he joins them in voting against the UPA.

He even accused Mayawati and Bardhan of bribing MPs and giving them patronage. Not only this he even lashed out at TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu, asking him to keep quiet as he was first with the BJP and has now moved towards BSP.

Mulayam Singh said his party is voting for UPA keeping in mind national interest and not for any political gains.

He said that the MPs who had deserted the party have done so for some "vested interests". "For example, the Hamirpur MP (Raj Narain Budholiya) wanted to save a contract, that is why he joined the BSP," he alleged.

While admitting that some MPs had deserted his party, Mulayam claimed that it has been more than made up with MPs from other parties.

"We have plenty of them. They (MPs from other parties) are making entry through backdoor where there are no TV cameras. Seven to eight BSP MPs are inside my house," party General Secretary Amar Singhsaid, sitting next to Yadav.

The SP chief claimed that support of 287 MPs have already been mustered in favour of the confidence motion. The UPA government needs 272 votes for victory.
courtesy

We will topple UPA govt on July 22: Mayawati

posted under by NSmurthy
New Delhi, July 20: BSP supremo Mayawati on Sunday announced that her party, the Left and UNPA constituents have joined hands with a single-point agenda of toppling the UPA government in the July 22 trust vote.

Addressing reporters after a meeting with leaders of the UNPA constituents and Left parties over lunch in New Delhi, UP Chief Minister Mayawati said that all her 17 BSP MPs were united.

Speaking on the occasion, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat said that they have decided to work together to make sure the government falls on July 22. He added that they will again meet after the trust vote to decide on the future course of action.

Addressing reporters separately, Karat lashed out at the Samajwadi Party, saying it had betrayed the Left for the third time now. The SP had first opposed the nuclear deal or any ties with the United States in the Parliament, but now they are supporting UPA to go ahead with the deal, he added.

The luncheon at TDP leader Yerran Naidu’s house in New Delhi was also attended by JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy, who made it clear that his party will vote against the UPA government in the trust vote.

Kumaraswamy told reporters that the trust vote was not just about the nuclear deal and added, “You can judge why I’m at the UNPA lunch.”

The meeting, among others, was attended by TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, AGP's Brindavan Goswami, INLD's Ajay Chautala, Jharkhand MP Babulal Marandi, CPM leaders Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury, CPI's A B Bardhan and D Raja, RSP's Abani Roy and T J Chandrachoodan, and Forward Bloc's Debrabata Biswas.

Also on the agenda of the meet was to discuss the possible scenario if the UPA government falls, including a change of guard with Mayawati as the Prime Minister even as some Left leaders feel that UPA may scrape through in the trust vote.

The third front got a further shot in the arm on Sunday with RLD’s Ajit Singh also joining ranks with it, dumping the UPA.
courtesy

Hyderabad acculturates everyone

posted under by NSmurthy
A Hindu temple in Cambodia, two historic Malaysian trading towns and an early agricultural site from Papua New Guinea were added to UNESCO's World Heritage List yesterday. The new entrants from Asia on the list are the 11th century Preah Vihear temple site, perched on a mountaintop on the Thai-Cambodia border; the cities of the Straits of Malacca, Melaka and George Town in Malaysia, and the Kuk Early Agricultural Site in Papua New Guinea, marking the country's first entry on the list.

Last week, Cambodia deployed riot police to protect the Thai embassy for fear that a border dispute over the temple could spark violent protests. The move came after Thailand suspended its endorsement of Cambodia's bid for the UN cultural agency UNESCO to grant the long-disputed Preah Vihear temple World Heritage status.

The ruins of the Hindu temple are the most important example of ancient Khmer architecture outside of Cambodia's famed Angkor Vat, and have weathered centuries of wars and duelling territorial claims with Thailand. Built to honour the Hindu god Shiva, Preah Vihear stretches dramatically up to a cliff-top in the Dangrek mountain range. To date, 862 sites in more than 140 countries have been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Hyderabad acculturates everyone

posted under by NSmurthy
A Hindu temple in Cambodia, two historic Malaysian trading towns and an early agricultural site from Papua New Guinea were added to UNESCO's World Heritage List yesterday. The new entrants from Asia on the list are the 11th century Preah Vihear temple site, perched on a mountaintop on the Thai-Cambodia border; the cities of the Straits of Malacca, Melaka and George Town in Malaysia, and the Kuk Early Agricultural Site in Papua New Guinea, marking the country's first entry on the list.

Last week, Cambodia deployed riot police to protect the Thai embassy for fear that a border dispute over the temple could spark violent protests. The move came after Thailand suspended its endorsement of Cambodia's bid for the UN cultural agency UNESCO to grant the long-disputed Preah Vihear temple World Heritage status.

The ruins of the Hindu temple are the most important example of ancient Khmer architecture outside of Cambodia's famed Angkor Vat, and have weathered centuries of wars and duelling territorial claims with Thailand. Built to honour the Hindu god Shiva, Preah Vihear stretches dramatically up to a cliff-top in the Dangrek mountain range. To date, 862 sites in more than 140 countries have been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Hyderabad acculturates everyone

posted under by NSmurthy
This is the age of the global citizen, where work and education take one to different parts of the world. And the rising number of foreigners in the city only goes to show that Hyderabad has become a melting pot. Foreigners are everywhere, be it at MNCs, the upmarket shopping malls, or walking through the Old City. So, what's the Hyderabadi experience like for people from different parts of the world? "It’s fun being with people not very similar to you," says Akasma from Turkey who now lives in Hyderabad with her family. "There's so much you can learn from cultural diversity," she adds.

Majority of the foreigners here work for MNCs or are here for higher education. "I love walking down the streets of the city and having Irani chai." shares Omer who made his journey here from Africa. Ask him if he ever feels homesick, and he says, "In a world of IT, chances of feeling isolated are less since you can always be in touch." Jennifer, a European tourist in Hyderabad, agrees with Omer as she talks fondly about Hyderabad, "I didn't feel as if I've landed on an alien planet when I arrived in the city, and I enjoy the colourful and chaotic world of Hyderabad!"

But isn't the heat hard to deal with? " That depends on your fitness levels.You need to work on your health if you wish to see the world," Jennifer says, adding how she loves Indian movies and Hyderabadi cuisine. Altaf, a front office manager in the city, explains just why Hyderabad is so welcoming. "The city is famous for its mehman nawazi. That's one of the reasons everyone feels at home. Besides, the working class speaks English, which keeps the channels of communication open." No secret then why Hyderabad is turning cosmopolitan.

Emanuel, a businessman from Morocco, loves to explore different areas in the city, and opines, "There is fantastic food available in the city, which I adore, besides the natural rawness of the citykeeps me charged up." But not everything can be impressive and what foreigners in the city are not happy with is the maddening traffic and reports of criminal activities. But Kathy, a foreign student,taking it all in her stride, says, "I think there are bad elements every where.You need to keep yourself alert and have a sane head on your shoulders.”

How Kama Sutra became a worldwide epic

posted under by NSmurthy
There's something almost magical about the words Kama Sutra. They conjure up images of hidden passion, of mystical eroticism, of countless lovemaking positions that are impossibly acrobatic. But the magic comes from mythology. The original Indian text was indeed a book of love but it was relatively tame, nowhere near as sex-charged as its reputation might suggest. So how did this guide to civilised behaviour become known as a vault of sexual knowledge? And how did it originate in such a sexually repressive culture?

These are the questions that drove James McConnachie to research and write The Book of Love: The Story of the Kama Sutra, a historical treatise that's certainly interesting but not quite as titillating as a reader might expect. Fleeting clues suggest the Kama Sutra was composed almost 2,000 years ago, when its author or authors hoped to salvage the content of similar works on the verge of extinction.

The Kama Sutra appears to have been less a sex manual than a guide to sexual culture for young hedonistic playboys. Its seven books advise on topics from grooming to flirtation, including instructions for producing aphrodisiacs, wooing virgins and seducing other men's wives. But the ancient Indian society that produced this text wasn't necessarily open about matters of physical love. Its author apparently had to make the text more palatable by fusing the concepts of earthly passions with those of spiritual bliss.

Over time, written copies of the Kama Sutra began to fade away. They became so rare that all traces would have vanished if not for Richard F Burton. In the latter half of the 19th century he and others set out to find fabled copies of the guide and translate them from Sanskrit into English. And over time, the ancient text morphed into what's generally available now an erotic guide that claims to hold the sexual secrets of an ancient and mystical society. It might seem disappointing to find the truth is so much tamer, but McConnachie keeps the tale interesting. He takes the mysticism out of the Kama Sutra, but he does so with respect for the ancient text's original messages

4 cups of coffee cuts chances of conceiving by 26%

posted under by NSmurthy
Women, please note, you can jolly well sip one or two cups of hot coffee every day, but if you have fertility problems, then downing more than four could reduce your chances of getting pregnant.Researchers at Roadbed University in the Netherlands have based their findings on an analysis of 9,000 women who had received IVF treatment to get pregnant naturally between 1985 and 1995.
They found that around one in seven did, but drinking more than four cups of coffee a day cut chances of conceiving by around 26 per cent. In fact, they noted that 16 per cent of the women went on to conceive naturally, 45 per cent within six months of their last IVF treatment, the BBC News portal reported. Drinking alcohol at least three times a week carried the same risk as excessive caffeine intake. But smoking more than one cigarette a day and being overweight reduced the chances of pregnancy even more, the study revealed.
Researchers said a 36year-old woman who smoked, drank too much coffee and alcohol and was overweight, and who had been through three cycles of IVF, would have five per cent chance of a having pregnancy. If she was a healthy and did not smoke or have too much caffeine or alcohol, her chance would be 15 per cent. “We have to remind our patients that they may influence their chance of spontaneous pregnancy after IVF with a healthy lifestyle,” Dr Lin sten said.

Over Time troubles hit city IT firms

posted under by NSmurthy
City based IT and IT-enabled services (ITeS) companies are in a strategy to cut down on hiring and making the existing employees do more work, could actually land in trouble for violation of the law. Here’s why. The rules set by the government pertaining to overtime (OT) working by the employees are not supportive of such a strategy. Many companies, which have already encouraged their employees to work for more number of hours than the prescribed eight hours, are engaging auditors and lawyers to cover up the violation.
For the uninformed, the IT and ITeS companies in the state are registered under the Andhra Pradesh Shops and Establishments Act, 1966 and are governed by it. According to the Act, an employer can make an employee work for 48 hours in a week and any OT work by the employee should be within the maximum number of hours prescribed by the Act. However, once the limit is exceeded, the employer will have to make an extra payment to the employee. Even for this, the OT put in by an employee should not exceed six hours a week.
“We have hundreds of employees who have put in more than 40 hours as OT. It’s now turning out to be a major exercise for us to adjust the number of hours to comply with the prescribed limit and also ensure that the employee gets the payment legally,” said HR head of an ITeS company. In fact, employees of these companies benefit as they get those extra rupees by spending some more time in the office. “Even if we are through with our daily work, we spend at least an hour or two in the office just to spend some time with our friends. Instead, we use that time as extended working hours and we get an extra pay,” Ch Kishore, an employee of an MNC BPO, said.
Like him, though the employees have no issues in working for an extra hour every day, managements are now wracking their brains to wriggle out of the violation. “We have slowed down on hiring since we thought of managing with the existing resource. Auditors now have a problem in allowing the extra pay-out to the employees. Though we tend to make adjustments every year in one or two cases, this year, the number of employees putting in OT has shot up,” another HR manager said. Well, as they say, it’s the law my friend. Never mind even if it’s an ass.

Now men face sexual harassments at office

posted under by NSmurthy
According to an Australian survey, it’s not only women who face sexual harassment at work places; men also have to go through the unwanted office vixenry. The study also states that many men are sexually harassed by women at work but are afraid to complain to their bosses. “Yes. I agree that sex has entered the boardroom big time. Males are actually facing sexual pestering by female bosses and colleagues.” says ex. lieutenant Rita Gangwani. “They are rubbing shoulders with men and doing much better in most of the fields. So, such sexual advances can be about flaunting, exercising power and not actually about sex,” she added.

Pallavi Shekhar, sales manager, Idea Cellular Ltd, shares a similar opinion, “We all know how grapevines work at workplace. She would gain instant fame in and out the office. Why would a female herself opt for a situation in which everyone in the office and even in the industry think of her as a bimbo? No matter how modern a woman is - image matters a lot.” Can a female actually exploit a man? “Not really,” says Rita Gangwani, making us understand why she avoided the word harassment, “I would call it sexual convenience for both. A female at a top notch position might be looking for some emotional backing. Women get emotionally involved the minute they enter a physical alliance.”

So, does that mean men see such proposals as just another opportunity to carve a notch on the bedpost and get some perks? When, Pratish Aggrawal, a software developer working with Infosys, was asked if he has ever been harassed a female boss, colleague, he replied, "No, but I'd like to be”. Oops point taken! However, Pratish is quick to cover up, “Look men are not that sensitive. They do not consider mockery, sexual jokes, and lewd suggestions from female co-workers as harassment. Also, we have been taught from childhood that real men aren't victims – so we can surely find a way out.”

According to psychologist Dr Sanjay Chugh, “Men usually are more causal about sex but that has nothing to do with exploitation. A female boss asking for sexual favors may be a pleasant thing if the man finds that sex is worth the gain that he might get, or if he finds the boss sexually attractive. But if one doesn’t find the boss attractive, if one's value systems are different, it can be pure torture to even contemplate such a proposition. Sex with anyone can be casual and fun if it comes out of free choice. In this situation, it no longer remains casual.”

NRIs real estate account for 10% of sales

posted under by NSmurthy
Home sales in India might have turned sluggish but sales to non-resident Indians (NRIs) are booming. According to Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj (JLLM), residential sales to NRIs have tripled over the last six months, from 3% to about 10% of the total sales. "What would happen when one loses his job in the US? The downturn is scaring many NRIs who fear job cuts," says JLLM's Raminder Grover. "There is a renewed interest in selling abroad," says Lodha Group senior VP R Kartik.
Many NRIs have been thinking of coming back to India and "many of them are making safety investments," explains Mr Kartik. Over the last few months, Lodha has seen a 25% increase in its sales to NRIs. Sobha Developers has seen the share of NRI sales go up from 5% to 10% of its sales. "In the last six months, we have been selling about 25,000 sq.ft. a month to NRIs," says Sobha Developers MD Jagdish C Sharma. Selling to NRIs though is a very different proposition. "You need a different strategy for NRIs. To service the requirements of NRIs, you need to have your own representation in the target market," says Mr Kartik. Omaxe VP marketing Vineet Nanda says, "NRIs made only about 3% of their total luxury apartment sales but today constitute about 10%. A good chunk of their NRI sales comes from Middle East."
For some like Tata Housing, it is a much larger business. "We have not done any formal marketing of our properties in the international market but already 10-15% of our sales are to NRIs. When we start our promotions, we expect this figure to go up to 25-30% of our total sales," says Tata Housing CEO Brotin Banerjee. They have received a tremendous response from the US, UK and Canada for their projects in Bangalore, Gurgaon, Chandigarh and Kolkata.

But not everybody thinks so. For Jayesh Desai, head, real estate at Ernst & Young, these are purely investment sales. Well over 50% of NRI sales will be for investment. "With a downturn in the west, India is still a better market for investment. But, if they don't see returns, this segment will start going down too," warns Desai. According to him, the reality is that the market in India is very tight and Indian speculative investors are out. "The share of the NRI market might be higher because of this," he says. Omaxe ED Vipin Aggarwal, too, subscribes to the same logic. "Most NRIs are buying in India only for investing and not for end-use," he says.

Markets firm; banking, metal lead

posted under by NSmurthy
Markets firm; banking, metal lead

Markets are trading firm in the early deals of Wednesday with the Sensex gaining 495 points to 13,845 levels. The broader markets index Nifty also gained 3.5 per cent to 4128.
Buying is visible in capital goods, realty, IT, oil & gas and banking counters by over 2.8 per cent each.

“I expect two per cent plus opening due to global cues and the Nifty can touch 4100 levels today. Decent recovery can be seen in infrastructure and capital goods stocks,” said VK Doshi, Technical Analyst & Derivative Strategist.

Among the BSE-30 scrips, Reliance Infrastructure gained 6.9 per cent to Rs 807 levels. Other major gainers include Jaiprakash Associates, which is up 6.8 per cent to Rs 168. Reliance Communication also advanced 6 per cent to Rs 440.

Other Asian markets are also trading firm on Wednesday. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, Japan’s Nikkei and South Korea’s Kospi are in green turf by over 1.1 per cent each.

Banks surge

BSE banking index, advanced 278 points or 4.7 per cent, is the biggest gainer among the sectoral indices. ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra are the major gainers of the pack.Metal counters also surged by 3 per cent with Ispat Industries, Jindal Steel & Power and SAIL emerging as prominent gainers

NB Footwear reports net loss of Rs 0.10 crore in the March 2008 quarter

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NB Footwear reports net loss of Rs 0.10 crore in the March 2008 quarter

NB Footwear reported net loss of Rs 0.10 crore in the quarter ended March 2008 as against net loss of Rs 0.15 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2007. There were no sales reported in the quarter ended March 2008 and during the previous quarter ended March 2007.

For the full year, net loss reported to Rs 0.40 crore in the year ended March 2008 as against net loss of Rs 0.38 crore during the previous year ended March 2007. There were no sales reported in the year ended March 2008 and during the previous year ended March 2007.

Indians high on demand in Saudi medical, IT sectors

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There is tremendous scope for Indian professionals, especially in the medical and IT sectors of Saudi Arabia, which hopes to meet its requirements by importing workforce, an official has said. "We are looking towards India to meet our requirements for nurses, technicians, pharmacists, physicians and specialists, especially for our neonatal, intensive care, oncology, physiotherapy and other departments," Sami Mohammed Badawood, director general of health in Jeddah, said.

He was addressing the annual meeting of Indo-Saudi Medical Forum in Jeddah on Friday, which also marked a farewell reception for Indian Consul General Ausaf Sayeed. As many as 600 Saudis were enrolled for medical education in India last year and this figure could go up to 6,000 in the coming years, Sayeed was quoted as saying in a Saudi newspaper.

He also called for equalisation of Indian degrees in this part of the world reminding that India's booming economy, which currently offered lucrative job offers, might prevent its people from moving out of the country if they were not treated at par with others in terms of salaries and positions overseas.

Artificial DNA can power future computers

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Japanese scientists claim that they have successfully created the world's first DNA molecule made almost entirely of artificial parts. The finding could lead to improvements in gene therapy, futuristic nano-sized computers, and other high-tech advances, the researchers say. Scientists have tried for years to develop artificial versions of DNA in order to take advantage of its amazing information storage capabilities.
Already, DNA has been harnessed to create simple electronic circuits. DNA uses just four basic building blocks, known as bases, to code proteins used in cell functioning and development. Other researchers have crafted DNA molecules with a few artificial parts. But Masahiko Inouye and colleagues at the University of Toyama stitched together four entirely new, artificial bases inside the sugar-based framework of a DNA molecule, creating unusually stable, double-stranded structures resembling natural DNA, they say.

Like natural DNA, the new ripoffs were right-handed and some easily formed triple-stranded structures. "The unique chemistry of these structures and their high stability offer unprecedented possibilities for developing new biotech materials and applications," the researchers said. The breakthrough will be detailed in the July 23 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Taken a ride and wait for a surprise gift

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Taken for a ride, you will get a surprise gift soon. Next time when you are in Kerala if taxi or auto drivers fleece you, you may get a money order back. Not a full cash back offer, you’ll get the excess money back. The Kerala Police has introduced the novel scheme to check the erring drivers and teach them a good lesson or two.
Last week Umesh Verma, a resident of Alwar (Rajasthan), was surprised to get a money order of Rs 400. On a trip to Kovalam, the famous beach resort, he gave Rs 500 to an unscrupulous driver. Metered charge was only Rs 100, but since he did not have change he gave Rs 500 note to him.
The driver, however, refused to return the balance and fled. Duped, he approached a traffic constable who gave him a readymade complaint card. Filled in, he had forgotten it until he got the money order last week in Alwar. The erring driver had to pay the money order fee plus a big fine.
Or else, if you don’t have the patience to fill in a form you can call the toll-free number and file a complaint. The police are planning to display these numbers prominently at all public places. “Since Kerala is a major tourist destination, we are getting several complaints of overcharging, misbehaviour and rash driving. We have devised a plan to sort out these complaints on daily basis,” Assistant Commissioner of Police B Verghese said.

Indian students in US finds hard to get part time jobs

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Those who chose not to go back to India for the summer break, hoping to get summer jobs, are finding that for the first time there are no jobs...not even in grocery stores and fast food eateries. Employers cut 62,000 jobs in the month of June as soaring fuel prices and a slowing economy forced companies to reduce costs. The US Department of Labour reported that the economy has lost about 438,000 jobs since the beginning of the year. The unemployment rate was at 5.5 per cent.

Amar, a sophomore student at George Washington University, realized that he could not stay in DC this summer and went home to Karachi. The eatery he was working in the downtown area shut down when the owner was unable to make his lease payment. "The collapse of the housing bubble is slowly sinking more and more sectors of the economy," said Dean Baker, co-director of the Centre for Economic and Policy Research.

The Labour department report states that 5.4 million Americans, about 3 per cent of the workforce were working part time either because their hours had been cut, or because they could not find full time employment. Charles Page, a real estate agent in Centerville, Virginia once sold 5-6 million dollar homes. In barely a year, he has gone bust and now works for a realty company, that too part time.
Senator Obama said " The American people are paying the price for the failed economic policies of the past eight years, and we can't afford four more years of the same." Not to be outdone by the Democratic candidate, Senator John McCain said: "We must enact a jobs-first economic plan that supports job creation, provides immediate tax relief for families, enact a plan to help those facing foreclosure, lower health care costs....

For youngsters lust works better than love?

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Hollywood stunner Charlize Theron says her relationship with boyfriend Stuart Townsend is all about passion and chemistry. When the sizzle fizzles, the equation comes undone. “I think I need a bit of both love and lust. I've been in situations where I have cared about someone, but there wasn't that fire, and that is important. It’s chemistry and I don’t know why one person does it for me rather than another. It’s the mystery of life and love,” explains Charlize.

But does lust, which is all about craving and carnal instincts, remain unchanged when one’s been in a relationship for long? “Anyone who says the degree of lust in a relationship is a constant is lying through his teeth,” says Bollywood Dream Girl Hema Malini. “Lust becomes a casualty in a situation of over familiarity, where you know the person in and out, warts, moles, et al. What to talk about lust when there are times you don’t even want to touch each other; such is the extent of boredom. But let’s not mistake lust for love. Love thrives and prospers in a happy marriage or relationship, lust needs rekindling and reactivation,” she says.

Marriage and relationship experts, however, maintain that it is a combination of love and lust that keeps the relationship alive. “A good amount of sexual attraction is very necessary for a healthy relationship,” says psychologist Mary Rajan. Women must keep their men continuously lusting after them, she offers. Arvind N, a model, elaborates, “Women have no patience for men with paunches and uncouth habits. Nor do men take kindly to women who dress and behave like old hags. At a time when the institution of marriage is under scrutiny and attack, your looks can impact your lust factor and take you where even money and security can’t.”

Lust makes way for desire in a marriage or any long-term relationship. Lust is all about physical and basic instincts, whereas desire embodies within itself the spiritual aspect as well. “Couples need to work at keeping their desirability quotient high,” emphasises Hema. True love, says well-known model Shawar Ali, never dies. “And lust and desire should not be allowed to die,” he adds. So there we are. It’s both crackling chemistry and soul connection that secure relationship bonds. And that requires work. Aah, love’s labour lust, anyone!

Hindu temple gets World Heritage Site status

posted under by NSmurthy
A Hindu temple in Cambodia, two historic Malaysian trading towns and an early agricultural site from Papua New Guinea were added to UNESCO's World Heritage List yesterday. The new entrants from Asia on the list are the 11th century Preah Vihear temple site, perched on a mountaintop on the Thai-Cambodia border; the cities of the Straits of Malacca, Melaka and George Town in Malaysia, and the Kuk Early Agricultural Site in Papua New Guinea, marking the country's first entry on the list.

Last week, Cambodia deployed riot police to protect the Thai embassy for fear that a border dispute over the temple could spark violent protests. The move came after Thailand suspended its endorsement of Cambodia's bid for the UN cultural agency UNESCO to grant the long-disputed Preah Vihear temple World Heritage status.

The ruins of the Hindu temple are the most important example of ancient Khmer architecture outside of Cambodia's famed Angkor Vat, and have weathered centuries of wars and duelling territorial claims with Thailand. Built to honour the Hindu god Shiva, Preah Vihear stretches dramatically up to a cliff-top in the Dangrek mountain range. To date, 862 sites in more than 140 countries have been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites.

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