It's just cricket, not a matter of life and death

NEW DELHI: “Bhaijaan, yeh bhi le loon (Brother, May I have this too?).” Younis Khan was pleading like a fan. Having grabbed a bat and a pair of new gloves, he was now eyeing a T-shirt as souvenir! Rahul Dravid parted with his valuable stuff most generously.
This was soon after India and Pakistan finished a hard-fought series (winning 4-2), braving crowd trouble at the Ferozeshah Kotla. The match was watched, among others, by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.
The acrimony was restricted to the ground. At the hotel, the Indian and Pakistan players were darting from one room to another, busy exchanging cricket gear and gifts. There may have been moments of harsh exchanges on the field like Javed Miandad's ‘frog jump' act to ape Kiran More during the World Cup encounter at Sydney in 1992 or Venkatesh Prasad showing Aamer Sohail the route to the pavilion in the World Cup tie in 1996 at Bangalore. These incidents will still be remembered by the fans, but the bitterness is rarely carried by the players involved.
No animosity
“We never harboured any animosity towards them,' said Maninder Singh, who played 13 Tests against Pakistan. “On the 1989 tour, I spent most evenings with Wasim (Akram), Waqar (Younis) and Salim (Malik). I can never forget Zaheer (Abbas) bhai taking me home for dinner at Karachi.
“All this pressure or tension was more in the stands. Of course, we would feel the tension sometimes, but then it was the cricketing pressure to perform. Personally, we have always got along well,” he added.
For Mohinder Amarnath, it was simple. Perform when it matters and perform to bring joy to the nation. He seemed to reserve his best for Pakistan.
Mohinder was the architect of India's win at Quetta when the teams met for the first time on Pakistan soil in 1978. The Asia Cup encounter at Dhaka in 1988 and Sharjah the same year were the other occasions in which Mohinder did the star turn for India.
All about self-belief
“The important thing is to have a strong belief in oneself. You should know your inner strength. My mindset was clear. I knew we could beat them, but then, one had to play above the established standards. You may have the talent but you have to play above that when facing Pakistan. I always looked at playing exceptional cricket against Pakistan and upsetting their rhythm,” said Mohinder.
An Indo-Pakistan encounter has always attracted global attention for a variety of reasons. “Do well against Pakistan and become an overnight hero,” was how off-spinner Rajesh Chauhan put it. “There is extra delight in beating Pakistan.”
There's no doubt that any Indian cricketer who played at Sharjah and won against Pakistan would vouch for that. An Indian victory would signal celebrations not just in India but all over the United Arab Emirates. Restaurants would offer huge discounts, depending on who owned it and which team won.
Navjot Singh Sidhu always relished an encounter with Pakistan despite the pre-match tension and expectations that were exacting. “The expectations were sometimes unrealistic because you can't win every match, can you?” asked Sidhu. He has an interesting anecdote to share from the Bangalore encounter. “I did my soliloquy in the room, visualising an Indian win as I played some great shots. I had avoided public contact because everyone had some wisdom to offer and increase the pressure.
“Late into the night, before sleeping, I ordered water melon juice. This guy came, got the bill signed, stopped at the door, smiled and said: “Pakistan se mat haarna (don't lose to Pakistan).” I lost my sleep but we won the next day!” recollected Sidhu, another champion when it came to playing against Pakistan.
Eventful journey
Sydney, Bangalore, Manchester, Centurion… and now Mohali! It has been an eventful World Cup journey since 1992. From the time the Indian and Pakistan teams walked along the boundary line at Sharjah in 1995 to remind the spectators that it was just a “cricket match” to the unprecedented hand-shaking ceremony ahead of the battle at Centurion in 2003, the players have been quite mature while handling the pressures and expectations.
The current players, appalled at the pre-match media hype, are treating the contest as a very important one and not as a matter of life and death. The Pakistan camp is doing what the Indian players have done throughout the World Cup campaign — keeping the television shut. The players on both sides are looking to Wednesday's match to extend their survival in the game's most prestigious competition. They will be battling to win, not fighting a war.

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Revenue Minister for filling 14,692 posts

HYDERABAD: Minister for Revenue N. Raghuveera Reddy has directed the officials of Revenue, Survey and Land Records Departments to fill all the vacant posts at different levels through promotions and the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC).
In a meeting held with the officials of the two departments here on Tuesday, the Minister stated that there were 14,692 vacancies from office subordinate rank to deputy tahsildar cadre.
He told the officials to take necessary steps to take up the exercise of filling vacancies.
Vacancies
The officials explained to the Minister that 846 posts were vacant in the Survey and Land Records Department at different levels. In the Revenue Department, direct recruitment of 850 out of 1,699 senior assistant vacancies was already permitted. Another 440 posts of typists and computer operators would be filled with outsourcing. Besides, the Finance Department's nod was required for filling 6,063 village servant and 1,172 village revenue secretary posts, the officials told the Minister.

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Chiru, Naidu to campaign in Tamil Nadu

Chiru, Naidu to campaign in Tamil Nadu
HYDERABAD: Praja Rajyam president Chiranjeevi and Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu will follow each other in campaigning for rival parties in Tamil Nadu and other States where Assembly elections are due.
Both ran into each other in the lobbies of the Assembly on Tuesday and in a chat exchanged where they were heading after the end of the budget session.
When Mr. Chiranjeevi told Mr. Naidu that the Congress has asked him to campaign in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, the latter quipped, “I will follow you and campaign against parties which you are supporting”.
After a round of laughter, Mr. Chiranjeevi revealed that he would also be going to West Bengal. J. Ranga Reddy of CPI (M) who too joined, requested him to campaign for the party candidates besides Congress and Trinamool Congress.
Mr. Chiranjeevi then dismissed reports suggesting his name was found in the list purported to have been disclosed by businessman Hasan Ali Khan facing money laundering charges. “The only Ali I know is the Telugu film comedian.”
He said it was wrong for the media and websites to link names without a shred of evidence.

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TDP hails constitution of House panel

TDP hails constitution of House panel
HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has described the State government's announcement on the constitution of a House Committee to probe into allotment of lands to Special Economic Zones as “people's victory”.

Addressing a press conference soon after the House was adjourned sine die on Tuesday night, TDP MLAs P. Keshav and D. Narendra Kumar said that the government had to bow down to pressure from the Opposition, which pursued the issue to its logical end.

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India vs Pakistan Semi Final match Cricket World Cup 2011, Live Score Card

In the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, India marched to the semi final with five wins, one loss and a tied match against England, whereas Pakistan reached the semi final with five victories and a loss against New Zealand.
ONE OF the biggest days in the history of Cricket has now arrived. The Godfather of all cricket matches is about to be played as the India vs Pakistan semi final takes place in Mohali at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on Wednesday, March 30 from 2:00 pm onwards.

Millions of cricket-crazy fans from across the globe have already started cheering for their heroes to do well in the super match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. They are praying for the victory of their favourite team at temples, mosques, gurudwaras, and churches.

The winner of the India vs Pakistan second semi final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 will play against Sri Lanka on Saturday, April 2, at India's finance capital Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. In the first semi final match of the Cricket World Cup 2011 on Tuesday, March 29, Sri Lanka won by five wickets at R. Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo, and reached its second successive final of the Cricket World Cup.

Prior to the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan semi final match in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, last night, the weather in Mohali raised the heart beats of Indian and Pakistani cricket fans. Mohali witnessed some heavy rain and thunderstorms on Tuesday.

According to the Mohali weather report, on Wednesday, March 30, in the afternoon the sky will mostly be sunny, and Mohali temperature will be around 41°C, however, there will be a chance of little rain by the evening.

The two captains, MS Dhoni and Shahid Afridi, will come to the middle of Punjab Cricket Association Stadium for the important toss of the second semi final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at 2:00 PM and live action for the battle for final will start from 2:30 PM IST. Cricket fans from across the globe will get all the latest updates and information from live

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INDIA VS PAK LIVE CRICKET

India won the toss and elected to bat

INDIA VS PAK LIVE CRICKET

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Dozens killed as quake slams Myanmar, Thailand

YANGON, Myanmar — A strong earthquake that toppled homes in northeastern Myanmar has killed more than 70 people, and there were fears Friday the toll would mount as conditions in more remote areas became known. 

 

The Thursday night quake, measured at a magnitude 6.8 by the U.S. Geological Survey, was centered just north of the town Tachileik in the mountains along the Thai border.
The initial quake shook the famous "Golden Triangle" region, where Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet. It was felt in the capital cities of Thailand and Myanmar and as far away as Vietnam, where people in tall buildings were evacuated.
Myanmar state radio announced Friday that 74 people had been killed and 111 injured in the quake, but was updating the total frequently. It said that 390 houses, 14 Buddhist monasteries and nine government buildings were damaged.
An official from the U.N.'s World Food Program said there were many casualties and serious damage in Mong Lin village, five miles from Tachileik. State radio said 29 were killed there and 16 injured.
People fled their homes in the town and cracks were seen in the roads.
"We were extremely frightened to enter the house since there were several strong aftershocks," a teacher said by telephone. "Some people are haunted by what they saw on TV about the recent earthquake in Japan." 
The Red Cross said a hospital in Tachilek had been damaged and trained local volunteers had been mobilized to provide relief and first aid.
Collapsed houses, damaged hospital The state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that 15 houses collapsed in the town of Tarlay, where state radio said 11 were killed and 29 injured. Another U.N. official said a small hospital there was partially damaged as well as a bridge, making it difficult to access the town.
The second U.N. official said medicine would be sent to the affected areas as soon as possible along with an assessment team in cooperation with the Myanmar Red Cross Society.
Both U.N. officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Myanmar's government frowns on giving unauthorized information to the media.
The newspaper said another two people were killed in Tachileik, including a 4-year-old boy. It said six people were injured in the town, which is just across the border from Mae Sai in Thailand's Chiang Rai province.
Thursday's quake was centered 69 miles north of Chiang Rai, Thailand's northernmost province and a sparsely populated, hilly area. It forms part of the Golden Triangle, a popular tourist destination and famous for the cultivation of illicit opium.
In Chiang Rai's main town, little damage was seen. The spires of several Buddhist pagodas were bent, some tiles were smashed and a few cracks were seen on the ground close to a hotel.
In Mae Sai, one woman was killed when a wall fell on her, according to Thai police, but damage was otherwise minimal.
Aftershock fears Fearing more aftershocks, people in the province's Mae Sai district had left their houses and were seen setting up makeshift shelters in open spaces.
Somchai Hatyatanti, Chiang Rai provincial governor, said cracks were seen in some buildings. Power was briefly knocked out and some telephone lines were down.
Most of rural Myanmar, one of Asia's poorest countries, is underdeveloped, with poor communications and other infrastructure, and minimal rescue and relief capacity. The country's military government is also usually reluctant to release information about disasters because it is already sensitive to any criticism.
The government tightly controls information, and in 2008 delayed reporting on — and asking for help with — devastating Cyclone Nargis, which killed 130,000 people. The junta was widely criticized for what were called inadequate preparations and a slow response to the disaster.
Somchai Hatayatanti, the governor of Chiang Rai province, said dozens of people suffered minor injuries on the Thai side of the border. Cracks were found in buildings in downtown Chiang Rai city, about 55 miles from the epicenter, including a provincial hospital and city hall. The tops of the spires fell off from at least two Buddhist temples.
As a precaution for aftershocks, a relief center was being set up Friday in Mae Sai.
"We are worried that the area might be hit with stronger quakes. There was another quake at 7 a.m. this morning," said Somsri Meethong of the Mae Sai District office, referring to a 4.9 aftershock. "I had to run again like last night. What we have seen on TV about Japan added to our fear."

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Vettori, Mills still question marks for New Zealand

The New Zealand team remains optimistic that key bowlers Daniel Vettori and Kyle Mills will be fit for Friday's Cricket World Cup quarter-final against South Africa.
New Zealand skipper Vettori missed the last two group games aftering injuring his knee in the 110-run win over Pakistan, while pace bowler Mills sat out the loss to Sri Lanka with a thigh strain.
A New Zealand team spokesman says both players are continuing to recover well and should line up Friday against South Africa.
New Zealand hasn't played since Friday's loss to Sri Lanka in Mumbai and didn't find out until Sunday where its quarter-final would be played.
The squad arrived in Dhaka at midday local time Tuesday and decided not to hold a daily practice session.
As well as being a key bowler for his side, Vettori adds experience to the Black Caps' batting lineup, which was missed as they slumped to 153 all out against Sri Lanka.
"We need to show more application to stay at the wicket," New Zealand coach John Wright was quoted as saying.
"We've got the shot making but we have to have the application to take the game deep. If we don't score runs, we'll go home, it's as simple as that."
Vettori plans to quit as ODI captain after the World Cup.
New Zealand doesn't have happy recent memories of playing in Bangladesh either, having lost a series 4-0 here last year, but wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum thinks that could work in the team's favour against South Africa.
"It's a real positive for us," McCullum said. "We have some good knowledge about the conditions in Dhaka and it will help us playing against South Africa in those conditions.
"They would probably have wanted some pace and bounce in the wicket, but they won't get that. It is not a bad draw for us at all."

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Yuvi, Gambhir, Tendulkar, Zaheer heros of the day

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India knocks Aussies out of WC

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting said he is devastated as India ended Australia's remarkable 12-year reign as World Cup champions with a five-wicket win in the quarterfinals in Gujarat on Thursday. Addressing a post-match news conference in Ahmedabad, Ponting said that he had great expectations from his side. Chasing 261 for victory, India fumbled and faltered but half-centuries from Sachin Tendulkar (53), Gautam Gambhir (50) and Yuvraj Singh (57 not out) eventually helped them to overwhelm the target with 14 balls to spare and set up a much-awaited semi-final with Pakistan.

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Now adult sites with .XXX extension

Now all those adult web sites having hot contents will be given ‘.xxx’ to their domains so as they will be separated from rest of the web sites on the internet. ICASS which supervises the domain names in the internet has approved this ‘.xxxx’ code on Friday evening. Hence, now the adult sites will appear with .xxx extension on the internet instead of .com. The ICASS will change all the adult sites to this new extension. However, new sites have to apply for the registration. It is learnt that, around 200000 applications are pending for the adult sites.

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Perfect audio release function

Prabhas, Tapsi and Kajal Agarwal starrer film ‘Mr.Perfect’ audio was released on Saturday at CBIT College Gandipeta in Hyderabad. Dasarath is the director and Dil Raju has produced this film under Sri Venkateswara Creations banner. Devisri Prasad has scored music for this film. Aditya music is marketing the audio.

The first copy of the audio CD was released by hero Siddarth and director VV.Vinayak. Speaking on the occasion Prabhas said “I appear in a totally different get-up in this film. I toned my body and hair style to suit my character. Since, the film has all the integrants like romance, action and a very good music, I am sure youth love to watch the film.”

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Pawan has nothing to lose!!

The heroine of the film Puli Nikisha Patel is very disappointed. Puli is her debut film and she had very high expectations from the film.

The film however has bombed miserably and this has left Niksiha out in the cold. She did get some offers while the filming of Puli was underway.

The delay in making the film and the over two year wait has been futile. Niksiha odes not have a single film in hand now.

She said that the debacle of the film has hit her hard. For Pawan Kalyan it does not matter at all. His fan base is intact and he will keep getting offers like before.

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Anushka ki ‘Kovvu Perigindi’

Yes, you read it right. Anushka ki kovvu perigindi. She now looks plump and her new out of shape figure has not gone unnoticed. Her fans are none too happy with Anushka.

As a former yoga teacher her fans expect Anushka to keep her body in shape. However of late it is obvious that fat has formed around her waist. She is reportedly planning to cut the flab as fast as possible.

If she continues the way she is now then it will not be long before she is referred to as Namitha 2.

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Anushka’s double dhamaka!

The sexy Anushka did not have a good year in 2010. Her two big films, Panchakashari and Mahesh Khaleja flopped miserably at the box office.

Anushka will try her luck once again in December. She is coming up with two films – the first one is Nagavalli with Venkatesh in the lead.

The second film is Ragada with Nagarjuna as hero. Anushka hopes to end the year on a high with these two films.

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Young hero bites Anushka’s lips

The young action hero Gopichand has paired successfully with yoga beauty Anushka Shetty. The two share a wonderful chemistry – both on and off the screen.

There were several hot and intimate scenes between Gopichand and Anushka in their earlier films.

There was a talk in film circles that Gopichand and Anushka were head over heels in love. However with the passage of time the news faded away.

Now Gopichand is insisting that Anushka should pair up with him in Wanted.

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No audiences for Pawan’s Puli!!

The Pawan Kalyan starrer film Puli is a big dud. This is the biggest flop in the career of Pawan Kalyan.

The fans of Pawan Kalyan are putting the entire blame on director SJ Suryah. The scene at many multiplexes is very disappointing.

There are hardly any people turning up to watch Puli. So many multiplexes are canceling several shows. This when the film has not even run for a week!

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Dhookudu, 3 Idiots, Veta…from Maheshbabu

Prince Maheshbabu’s latest movie Khaleja might have failed but, it has no effect on his career. Several producers and directors are queuing up before his house for his dates. Currently, Maheshbabu is in Turkey acting his latest movie ‘Dhookudu.’ Samantha is pairing with him in this film. Sreenu Vytla is directing him.

Prior to this, Maheshbabu also signed another film which is a remake of ‘3 Idiots.’ This film will be directed by Shankar and may go to sets before end of this year.

Recently, Maheshbabu signed one more film titled as ‘Veta’ to be directed by Kollywood director Lingu Swamy. Hence, we may expect more than three films from him in the next year.

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Anushka sizzles in ‘Rendu’

Anushka is playing the led role along with Reema Sen in the Tamil film ‘Rendu’ which is also being made in Telugu.
The film stars Madhavan in the lead role. Initial reports and the promotional trailers show that Anushka is sizzling hot in the film.

It is believed that Anushka will be seen in a different role in the film and she has used her glamour for maximum effect. It sure looks like Anushka has rolled out a visual treat for all her fans in her new film.

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Businessman proposes Anushka?

It’s learnt that a well settled Bangalore based businessman, who got attracted with amazing beauty Anushka is said to be proposed her for marriage. It’s learnt that he has sent his elders to meet Anushka’s parents for this purpose. But, Anushka is not willing to marry anyone right now, because she is keen to concentrate on her film career. However, it’s learnt that, the businessman is willing to wait for her few more months. If, Anushka ever changes her mind he said he is ready to marry her at any given time.

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Anushka’s fifth time with hero!

The sexy Anushka is going to appear opposite Nagarjuna for a record fifth time. Anushka first debuted opposite Nagarjuna in Super. She later acted with him in Don.


Anushka did guest roles in King and Kedi. Anushka has now been paired with Nagarjuna in the film Ragada.

The pic shows Nag embracing Anushka tightly. This pic may cause Ragada as the title suggests.

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Is Nag Anushka’s shadow?

The recent developments indicate that there is something brewing between Nagarjuna and Anushka.

Firstly Nagarjuna and Anushka have done as many as six films together. This is no coincidence but show how much love and special affection Nagarjuna has for Anushka.

Nagarjuna these days is seen following Anushka wherever she goes. Observers say that Nagarjuna has become like a shadow of Anushka.

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'Veta' first copy is ready

The first copy of 'Veta' directed by Paamu Sreenu and produced by Thadakala Rajesh on the banner of BG Ventures with Baladitya and Swati Priya in the lead. Director says, 'It is a thriller kind of film and 'Veta' would be very apt word and it would suit the best to the subject. That is why we chose it as the title. 


DTS work was also completed recently and the first copy was ready.' The producer is making efforts to release the film very son. Music is by Siva, camera is by Godithi V Prasad, story, dialogues, screenplay and direction are by Paamu Sreenu.

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Prince to pair with Anushka again!

The film Khaleja starring prince Mahesh Babu and Anushka was a disaster. The film is one of the biggest flops in the career of Mahesh Babu.

Part of the blame for the debacle of the film has been put on the wrong choice of the heroine. Many people commented that Mahesh Babu and Anushka did not look well together.

Some people in fact said that Anushka did not look like a heroine at all but looked like the elder sister of Mahesh.

So it is surprising that director Linguswamy has signed up Mahesh and Anushka s the lead actors for his bilingual film Veta.

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The sexy Anushka has exposed to the fullest in the Tamil film Vettaikaran. Vijay is the hero.

The film is being dubbed into Telugu as ‘Puli Veta’. The film will be a visual feast for all Anushka fans as she has exposed like never before in the film.

Puli Veta will hit the screens in March.

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Gracie Jiu Jitsu vs. Bodybuilder

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Muay Thai Knees in MMA

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The Muay Thai Elbow

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Build Muscle In Four Easy Steps

Are you sick and tired of everyone telling you a different way to build muscle? Are you unhappy with how you look in the mirror? Are you frustrated with your slow progress in the gym? Are you ready to learn five simple steps that will teach you how to build muscle safely and effectively?
There is a good chance that you are not maximizing one of these four steps. Your problem and solution lies in correcting these essential steps before you have any chance of building a muscular and lean physique.
Get read to learn how to build muscle in four simple steps, in less time, without any drugs and without bogus supplements.
Step #1
Committ to lifting weights at least three to four times per week. Your goal is to stimulate your muscles with resistance (stress) which results in your muscles growing bigger to avoid the stress from occuring again. Once you go home, let the muscle heal through nutrition and rest, it will grow bigger and you will repeat this process again. Ideally you should hit your muscles once every 72 hours so you could perform 2 upper body workouts per week and 2 lower body workouts per week.
Step #2
Focus on eating at least 5-7x a day with balanced meals from carbohydrates, proteins and fats. If your goal is to build muscle than you should be eating at least 15-18 x your current body weight. Your carbohydrates should equate about 45% of your intake, your proteins should equate about 35% of your intake and your fat should be the remaining 20% of your intake. You should focus on over half of those meals being solid whole food meals and the remainder can be liquid meal replacment shakes.
Step #3
You should focus on stretching at least half the amount that you lift weights. One of the biggest mistkakes I see is people training, training and training with out any stretching. Stretching helps restore normal length to the tissue and if you are constantly training, your muscle tissues will shorten and big to perform weaker and slower and have a higher incidence of injuries. So if you are lifting weights 4 hours in the week, at least an additional 2 hours should be dedicated to stretching. You must counteract the shortening of the muscle tissues that occurs with weights or else you are a injury screaming to happen.
Step #4
Avoid supplements that have not been around for longer than 3 years. I learned this phisophy from an Australian strength coach who recommended not trying any supplement until it has been around at least 3 years to pass the test of time. This will make your life much easier and help you avoid all the marketing hoopla in the latest fitness and bodybuilding magazine. If you follow this rule, you will discover only a small handful of supplements still standing. Here are the ones you should not go with out: a high quality multi-vitamin, fish oil capsules, powdered creatine and a protein powder. These products will cover your nutritional basis for health, healthy body composition, strength and muscle mass.

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IBN - ISB students get into reel business

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77 per cent Egyptians vote for constitutional amendments

While Egypt's two main political forces, the former ruling National Democratic Party and the Muslim Brotherhood, had both asked people to vote a "yes", other opposition groups, including, Nobel Laureate Mohammad Elbaradei's camp. have urged people for a "no" vote. The cultural 'elite' are also unsatisfied with the result seeing it as a sign the religious groups and hardliners are popular.
Many of the people who voted "yes" said they want the economy to get back on track as the country has been suffering since the revolution on 25 January. The Cairo Alexandria Stock Exchange has been shut since 28 January and is facing the possibility of being taken-off international indices if the shutdown is longer than three months. 
 
The junta-sponsored referendum had come in for criticism by four human rights groups, who filed complaints with the higher judicial committee alleging some irregularities during the voting. The groups, including Observers without Borders, the New World Foundation for Development and Human Rights, alleged members of the National Democratic Party and the Muslim Brotherhood as well as Salafists tried to influence voters during voting held for the constitutional amendments.

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77 per cent Egyptians vote for constitutional amendments

While Egypt's two main political forces, the former ruling National Democratic Party and the Muslim Brotherhood, had both asked people to vote a "yes", other opposition groups, including, Nobel Laureate Mohammad Elbaradei's camp. have urged people for a "no" vote. The cultural 'elite' are also unsatisfied with the result seeing it as a sign the religious groups and hardliners are popular.
Many of the people who voted "yes" said they want the economy to get back on track as the country has been suffering since the revolution on 25 January. The Cairo Alexandria Stock Exchange has been shut since 28 January and is facing the possibility of being taken-off international indices if the shutdown is longer than three months.

The junta-sponsored referendum had come in for criticism by four human rights groups, who filed complaints with the higher judicial committee alleging some irregularities during the voting. The groups, including Observers without Borders, the New World Foundation for Development and Human Rights, alleged members of the National Democratic Party and the Muslim Brotherhood as well as Salafists tried to influence voters during voting held for the constitutional amendments.

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Japan death toll likely to top 18,000

Police officials say that the death toll from Japan's massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami is likely to exceed 18,000. Hitoshi Sugawara, a police spokesman, said on Monday that Miyagi, one of the of the hardest-hit prefectures, might account for 15,000 deaths alone, . "It is very distressing as we recover more bodies day by days," Sugawara said. The National Police Agency said the overall number of bodies collected so far stood at 8,649 and some 13,262 people have been listed as missing. The financial cost of the disaster was estimated to be some $235bn, the World Bank said in report on Monday, adding that Japan may need five years to rebuild. Meanwhile, Japanese officials reported progress in their battle to gain control over a stricken nuclear complex that began leaking radiation after the twin disasters. The crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant was far from over though, with a dangerous new surge in pressure reported in one of the plant's six reactors. Pressure was rising in the No. 3 reactor and workers there are considering whether to release pressure by "venting", Japan's nuclear safety agency said. Under control Engineers restored electricity to three reactors at the crippled plant and hope to test water pumps at the quake-damaged facility soon. Working in suits sealed by duct tape, engineers have connected power cables to the No. 2, 5 and 6 reactors and plan to start testing systems soon, officials say. The reactors had been leaking radiation after its cooling functions were damaged. The operator of the overheated nuclear plant also said that two of the six reactor units were safely cooled down. "We consider that now we have come to a situation where we are very close to getting the situation under control," Tetsuro Fukuyama, Japan's deputy cabinet secretary, said. The safety of food and water has been of particular concern following the nuclear crisis. The government halted shipments of spinach from one area and raw milk from another near the nuclear plant after tests found iodine exceeded safety limits. Tokyo's tap water, where iodine turned up Friday, now has cesium. Rain and dust are also tainted. Early Monday, the health ministry advised Iitate, a village of 6,000 people about 30km northwest of the Fukushima plant, not to drink tap water due to elevated levels of iodine. Takayuki Matsuda, a ministry spokesman, said iodine three times the normal level was detected there - about one twenty-sixth of the level of a chest X-ray in one litre of water. In all cases, the government said the radiation levels were too small to pose an immediate health risk. Growing concerns The buildup in pressure inside the vessel holding the No. 3 reactor presented some danger, forcing officials to consider venting. The tactic produced explosions of radioactive gas during the early days of the crisis. "Even if certain things go smoothly, there would be twists and turns," Yukio Edano, the chief cabinet secretary, said. "At the moment, we are not so optimistic that there will be a breakthrough." Growing concerns about radiation add to the overwhelming chain of disasters Japan has struggled with since the 9.0-magnitude quake. The resulting tsunami ravaged the northeastern coast, washing away towns and everything on its path. The disasters have displaced another 452,000, who are living in shelters. Fuel, food and water remain scarce. The government in recent days acknowledged being caught ill-prepared by the disaster that the prime minister has called the worst crisis since World War II. Amid the anxiety, there were moments of joy on Sunday. An 80-year-old woman and her teenage grandson were rescued from their flattened two-storey house after nine days, when the teen pulled himself to the roof and shouted to police for help.

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Tsunami survivors found after nine days

Nine days after they were believed killed by the tsunami, an elderly woman and her teenage grandson were found alive in the rubble of their home in north-east Japan on Sunday.

The 80-year-old and the boy survived by eating yoghurt and other scraps of food salvaged from a refrigerator after being trapped in their home in Ishinomaki, one of the worst-hit coastal cities.

They were found by police when 16-year-old Jin Abe called out for help from the roof of their residence after managing to pull himself from the debris.

His grandmother, Sumi Abe, is disabled and could not leave the property unaided. When she was found, she had lost feeling in at least one of her legs.

The national broadcaster, NHK, has run images of a helicopter winching her out of danger in a yellow harness.

The pair are now receiving medical treatment in the city's Red Cross hospital.

The astonishing rescue has given a much-needed boost to emergency workers amid a growing death toll from Japan's deadliest disaster since the second world war. —

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Cellphone-chatting distracts pedestrians, study suggests

Lots of studies have shown it isn’t safe to talk on a cellphone while driving a vehicle. But fresh evidence indicates that cellphone chatting can also impair pedestrians’ judgment – especially if they happen to be seniors.
Research published this week in the journal Psychology and Aging suggests that older adults may be putting themselves at risk if they try crossing a relatively busy street while talking on a cellphone. Simply put, the distraction caused by the conversation “makes it more difficult to navigate those crossings,” said one of the study’s co-authors, Mark Neider of the University of Illinois.
The study involved 18 older adults (aged 59 to 81) and 18 university students (aged 18 to 26). The volunteers were monitored as they crossed a simulated road in a virtual-reality lab. (They walked on a treadmill as 3-D images were projected around them.)
They faced two different traffic conditions. In one case, the oncoming cars were spaced 75 metres apart; in the second case they were separated by 90 metres. (Ninety metres is almost the length of an American football field.) In both situations, the cars were travelling about 48 kilometres per hour.
The older adults, who were in good mental and physical health, handled the lighter traffic without much difficulty. But they ran into problems once the pace of traffic picked up. They took significantly longer to cross the intersection when they were engaged in a cellphone conversation, compared to not using the device. In particular, they seemed to have a hard time deciding when to step into the street. And their hesitancy often meant they failed to complete the task in the allotted time of 30 seconds, said Dr. Neider.
The younger participants showed no impairment in their ability to multi-task – or walk and talk at the same time.
But that doesn’t mean younger pedestrians are immune to the distractions caused by cellphones, said Dr. Neider. In an earlier study, young cellphone users also had difficulty crossing a simulated street in which the traffic was far more challenging than in the experiment involving the seniors.
In some respects, this latest research simply shows that older folks have a limited ability to multi-task, said Art Kramer, also of the University of Illinois, the senior author of the study.
“We know there are a multitude of changes in the brain as part of the normal aging process,” said Dr. Kramer. “They occur throughout the brain, but particularly in areas that deal with integrating information and decision making.” And those changes can limit a person’s ability to do multiple things simultaneously, he said.
So, if you’re a senior, it may be a good idea to put away the cellphone when you’re heading out for a walk.

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Strikes crippled Libya air defenses, U.S. to hand over lead: Pentagon

We agreed to use our unique capabilities and the breadth of those capabilities at the front of this process, and then we expected in a matter of days to be able to turn over the primary responsibility to others,” Mr. Gates told reporters traveling with him to Russia. “We will continue to support the coalition, we will be a member of the coalition, we will have a military role in the coalition, but we will not have the preeminent role.”
President Barack Obama, traveling in Brazil, held a conference call Sunday with top national security officials, including Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Army Gen. Carter Ham, the U.S. general running the air campaign.
Mr. Obama also called King Abdullah of Jordan on Sunday to emphasize the importance of a broad international effort in the Libyan campaign and to discuss the unrest in Bahrain, said national security adviser Tom Donilon in Rio.
Mr. Obama referred to Libya but did not discuss the unfolding operation during remarks in Brazil.
“We've seen the people of Libya take a courageous stand against a regime determined to brutalize its own citizens,” Mr. Obama said. “No one can say for certain how this change will end, but I do know that change is not something that we should fear. When young people insist that the currents of history are on the move, the burdens of the past can be washed away.”
Vice President Joe Biden discussed the military action by phone Sunday with the prime minister of Algeria and the emir of Kuwait, the White House said.
House Speaker John Boehner said in a statement Sunday that while the U.S. has an obligation to support the Libyan people, the Obama administration must do a better job of communicating to Americans and to Congress what the U.S. mission in Libya is and how it will be achieved before further military commitments are made.
Mr. Donilon, responding from Brazil, said, “I think that's a fair request of the administration, frankly, and we are doing that.”
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was pressed repeatedly during a round of Sunday television interviews to explain the mission's objectives. He said the main goal is to protect civilians from further violence by pro-Gadhafi forces, while enabling the flow of humanitarian relief supplies. He said the first step — imposing a no-fly zone — had been achieved, with little worry of Col. Gadhafi shooting down allied patrols. But it was unclear how long the military effort would go on, or on what scale.
“I think circumstances will drive where this goes in the future,” the admiral said on ABC's “This Week.” “I wouldn't speculate in terms of length at this particular point in time.” He said early results were highly encouraging, with no known U.S. or allied losses and no reported civilian casualties.
“We're very focused on the limited objectives that the president has given us and actually the international coalition has given us, in terms of providing the no-fly zone so that he cannot attack his own people, to avoid any kind of humanitarian massacre, if you will, and to provide for the humanitarian corridors, humanitarian support of the Libyan people,” Adm. Mullen added.
Asked whether it was possible that the military goals might be met without Col. Gadhafi being ousted, Adm. Mullen replied, “That's certainly potentially one outcome.” He described the Libyan strongman as more isolated than ever, adding that Col. Gadhafi is “going to have to make some choices about his own future” at some point.

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Allies’ Lack of Exit Plan Risks Splitting Libya, Qaddafi Staying

March 21 (Bloomberg) -- Allied military leaders said the attack on Libya may end without dislodging Muammar Qaddafi, pointing to the risk of splitting up the country and the absence of a clear exit strategy, analysts said.

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, and British Defense Secretary Liam Fox, said Qaddafi’s ouster wasn’t the aim of the campaign, whose stated goal is to protect civilians from a potential onslaught.

“It’s like someone rushing to action in the movies -- It looks good but it doesn’t work in real life,” Jan Techau, director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Brussels and a former analyst at the NATO Defense College in Rome, said in an interview. “You can’t have an exit strategy without having goals, and we don’t know what the goals are in Libya.”

The coalition ordered Qaddafi to withdraw his forces from major cities after weeks of fighting with rebels that has left hundreds dead in the bloodiest of popular uprisings to have swept the Middle East this year. Mullen said a no-fly zone was in place as Qaddafi vowed to repel allied forces.

The priority is to stop Qaddafi “brutalizing” his own people and not to implement “regime change,” Fox told the BBC’s “Politics Show” in London yesterday, adding that the Libyan leader could well “hunker down” and remain in the country.

Mullen said “the goals of this campaign right now again are limited and isn’t about seeing” Qaddafi go. Asked in an NBC “Meet the Press” interview yesterday if the mission could be accomplished with Qaddafi still in power, Mullen said: “That’s certainly potentially one outcome.”

Dividing Country

The conflict might lead to the division of Libya, the holder of Africa’s biggest oil reserves, between liberated parts and Qaddafi-ruled territory, said Volker Perthes, director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin.

“There’s an historic analogy to this: The no-fly zones set up in northern Iraq after the first Gulf War which allowed the Kurds to set up an autonomous region,” Perthes said.

Iraqi Kurdistan achieved virtual independence after the first Gulf War in 1991, when the U.S. established a no-fly zone over the area that lasted until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

With Libya being pounded by Tomahawk Cruise missiles and bombing runs by U.S., French, British and Canadian jets, choking off Qaddafi’s finances and oil exports may be the quickest way to force out the Libyan leader.

‘Decisive Screws’

“Cash and oil are the decisive screws that can be tightened to ratchet up pressure on the regime,” Perthes, whose institute advises the German government, said in a telephone interview.

“If this happens, it’s a matter of months and not years,” Perthes said. “Qaddafi needs dollars to pay mercenaries from Mali or Niger. They want cash, not transfers to Swiss accounts. If the boycott holds, the Libyan currency will sink and won’t be accepted.”

In the 1999 Kosovo War, it took 78 days of air strikes by NATO forces to bring about Serbia’s withdrawal from Kosovo, General Sir Mike Jackson, Britain’s former military chief, said in a Sky News interview.

“Cutting off Qaddafi’s oil and money is absolutely crucial,” Shada Islam, a Middle East and Asia expert at the Friends of Europe policy-advisory group in Brussels, said in a telephone interview. “This can’t just be a military operation.”

Oil Output

Shokri Ghanem, the chairman of Libya’s National Oil Corp., said March 19 that Libyan oil production has slumped to less than 400,000 barrels a day and “could reach a halt.” Daily supply from Africa’s third-largest producer was 1.58 million barrels in January, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency.

The United Nations Security Council last month voted to freeze the assets of Qaddafi and key aides. The European Union earlier this month extended sanctions against Qaddafi’s regime to the Libyan Investment Authority and the central bank. The Bank of Italy on March 14 took control of Banca UBAE SpA, the Rome-based trade-financing bank owned by Libya’s central bank. UBAE had 3.1 billion euros ($4.4 billion) of deposits at the end of 2009.

President Barack Obama and the leaders of France, the U.K. and other Western nations have said that Qaddafi must go. The Arab League backed the no-fly zone imposed on Libya, and Qatar’s leader said today it will deploy its jets with the allies.

Qaddafi’s Response

“If Qaddafi’s forces begin to roll back and the rebels advance, then, potentially, that is a process that could drive Qaddafi from power,” Anthony Cordesman, senior defense analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said in a telephone interview on March 19.

If ground forces hold, he said, “then it gets to be a lot harder, and the question is, can some combination of the rebels and allied air power drive Qaddafi out of the capability of using his forces, and eventually from power, or will the U.S. have to go from providing these command and control and intelligence assets, and striking at surface-to-air missiles, to a much more direct form of intervention? At this point none of us know.”

Qaddafi reacted with defiance to the strikes vowing his country would become hell for the “monsters” attacking it.

“We will not leave our oil to America or France or Britain or the enemy Christian states that are aligned now against us,” the Libyan leader, who has ruled since 1969, said on state television yesterday. “We will not leave our land. We will fight for every inch of our land and liberate every inch of it.”

Jackson, the British general, said he didn’t think there was much chance of “Qaddafi throwing in the towel.”

“There may be action taken against him from within Libya itself,” Jackson said in the Sky News television interview.

--With assistance from Kitty Donaldson in London, Alaa Shahine in Dubai and Flavia Krause-Jackson in Rome. Editors: James Hertling, Ann Hughey

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Gates: U.S. expects to hand off Libya lead in 'days'

Sunday that the U.S. expects to turn control of the Libya military mission over to a coalition — probably headed either by the French and British or by NATO — "in a matter of days."

In his first public remarks since the start of the bombings, Gates said President Obama felt very strongly about limiting America's role in the operation, adding that the president is "more aware than almost anybody of the stress on the military."

"We agreed to use our unique capabilities and the breadth of those capabilities at the front of this process, and then we expected in a matter of days to be able to turn over the primary responsibility to others," Gates told reporters traveling with him to Russia. "We will continue to support the coalition, we will be a member of the coalition, we will have a military role in the coalition, but we will not have the preeminent role."

The two key possibilities, he said, are a combined British-French command or the use of a NATO command. He acknowledged there is "some sensitivity on the part of the Arab League to being seen to be operating under a NATO umbrella."

Gates' comments came as American ships and aircraft continued to pound Libya, taking out key radar, communications and surface-to-air missile sites along its Mediterranean coast. Even as his military was under siege, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi vowed to endure through a long war against what he called colonial crusader aggression by the international coalition.

The Pentagon chief had cautioned early on about getting involved in Libya's civil war, telling Congress that taking out Libya's air defenses was tantamount to war. Others have worried that the mission could put the U.S. on a path to deeper military involvement in yet another Muslim country — even as nearly 150,000 troops continue to battle in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Gates said that in the discussions leading up to the launch of attacks, he tried to provide "a realistic appreciation" of the complexities involved in setting up a no-fly zone, and noted it would require an attack on Libya — which is what happened.

He said Obama and his top advisers discussed every aspect and possible outcome of the military intervention in depth, and in the end there was unanimous support for the action taken by the president.

Asked about working with the rebels, and whether the coalition knows enough about them to forge a partnership, Gates said Libyans must ultimately resolve matters themselves — though it remains to be seen what additional outside help will be provided.

Still, he added, "We certainly know a lot about Gadhafi, and that's good enough for me."

Asked if the bombings should target Gadhafi, Gates said the coalition should stick to the objectives in the U.N. Security Council resolution, and adding new ones would create a problem. "It is unwise to set as specific goals things that you may or may not be able to achieve," he added.

He said most nations want to see Libya remain a unified state.

"Having states in the region begin to break up because of internal differences, I think, is a formula for real instability in the future."

The military assault on Libya began Saturday with the launch of about 112 Tomahawk cruise missiles from U.S. and British ships, followed by a coordinated air assault by U.S. warplanes — including Air Force B-2 stealth bombers and Marine attack jets in the pre-dawn hours.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs, described the campaign's aims as "limited," saying it "isn't about seeing him (Gadhafi) go."

Gadhafi has vowed to fight on, promising a "long war," and his troops have lashed back, bombarding the rebel-held city of Misrata with artillery and tanks on Sunday, the opposition reported.

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Libya: Col Muammar Gaddafi faces second night of air attacks from British, French and American forces

Britain joined a second wave of military action against Libya last night after Col Muammar Gaddafidefied Western forces by launching fresh attacks against rebels. 

The Libyan leader tried to prevent the new air strikes by announcing another ceasefire from 7pm yesterday. But the promise was met with widespread scepticism.

Within 30 minutes anti–aircraft fire resumed in Tripoli while reports emerged of fierce clashes between rebels and pro–Gaddafitroops.

Shortly before 9pm more than 10 jets took off from RAF Marham in Norfolk while a British submarine stationed in the Mediterranean launched Tomahawk missiles.

An administrative building in Col Gaddafi's compound was destroyed little more than 50 yards from the tent where the dictator lives.

Plumes of smoke rose across the city. The Americans were said to have taken over the airwaves to warn residents not to interfere with the military operation. Yesterday, an increasingly erratic Col Gaddafiinitially refused to back down after the first round of air strikes from the United Nations–backed allies.

 

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Trinamool candidate seeks change of constituency

Barely two days after Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee announced the 228 candidates for the coming Assembly polls, signs of dissent are evident within the party regarding ticket, for at least one of the constituencies that figure in the list.

The party's nominee from the Entally constituency in the city has refused to contest from there, claiming that he had been earlier assured ticket for another seat.

“I am not contesting from Entally,” Tarak Banerjee, a three-time MLA from the subsequently re-constituted Kashipur constituency, told The Hindu here on Sunday.

He said that following the de-limitation of the seat, he had indicated his preference for the Shyampukur seat, his home constituency.

“Party chief Mamata Banerjee said that I instead contest from Jorasanko, to which I readily agreed. But then I found that I had been given ticket for a different seat,” Mr. Banerjee said.

“Ms. Banerjee is the supreme leader of our party. But one gets to wonder whether or not there is a greater leader in the Trinamool Congress who can revise even her decision,” he added.

“None of the party leaders discussed with me the matter of contesting from the Entally seat. That I refuse to do so has been communicated to the party,” Mr. Banerjee said.

Sources in the Trinamool Congress said Mr. Banerjee could be replaced as the party's candidate for Entally by Colonel (retired) Sabyasachi Bagchi, a former senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Ananya Dutta reports:

The future of the alliance between the Trinamool Congress and the Congress in West Bengal for the coming Assembly elections will be known on Monday — deadline set by Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee to the Congress for announcing its candidates for the 64 seats that she has set aside for it.

In what looks like a re-enactment of the drama that preceded the breakdown of discussions over seat-sharing for the 2010 civic elections, Ms. Banerjee went ahead and announced the list of her party candidates on Friday before the two parties reached a consensus on the number of seats.

The Railway Minister also said she would announce Trinamool candidates for the remaining 64 seats on Monday, if an electoral understanding was not reached by then. A decision is likely to be taken following the return of Congress president Sonia Gandhi to New Delhi on Sunday.

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Bangladesh need to start learning how to win, says Smith

DHAKA: After having given cricketing lessons to Bangladesh in the World Cup group game Saturday, South African skipper Graeme Smith said the South Asian team needed to be consistent and start learning how to win.

Asked to rate Bangladesh as a side after his team handed the tournament co-hosts a 206-run drubbing, Smith said they seemed unpredictable now.

"I think the challenge for Bangladesh cricket was to create consistency. It would have brought in more confidence in the side."

"I think they need to start learning how to win. If you are constantly losing games, it does create a sense of doubt," he told mediapersons after the match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

He said the SBNCS strip was not good for free stroke making.

"It was not a wicket where you could have scored freely. Batting was easy for someone who had stayed in the wicket for some time," he said.

The South African captain said the score of 284/8 that his side got "exceeded our expectations".

"We thought 250 was a good total on this surface, but with wickets in hand in the Power Play we got to the total," he said.

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Congress slams BJP ‘doublespeak’ on n-deal

The BJP was today engulfed by WikiLeaks expose with U.S. diplomatic cables stating that the party leadership had told them that its criticism of the U.S. in public was to score “easy political points” against UPA and when in power, it would not harm the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal.

The expose, published by ‘The Hindu’, drew immediate strong reaction from ruling Congress which asked BJP to apply to itself the same standards it adopted for the government when it was needlessly disrupting Parliament for the last few days.

The BJP, however, denied there was any doublespeak and maintained that because of its strong position, the government had to come with 16 amendments to the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill.

Seshadri Chari, BJP National Executive member and RSS pointsman in the party figured in the diplomatic cables as having told an U.S. embassy official in Delhi in December 2005 “not to read too much into the foreign policy resolution especially the parts relating to the U.S.”, which had attacked the UPA’s “subservience” to Washington.

“Chari dismissed the statement (resolution) as standard practice aimed at scoring easy political points against the UPA. BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar echoed these statements, saying that the BJP was not really upset about the U.S.-India relationship, but merely wanted the Government of India and U.S. government to be more forthcoming about any deal on nuclear policy,” the cable said.

In another cable, the embassy’s then Charge d’affaires Peter Burleigh wrote after a meeting with L. K. Advani in May 2009, just before the Lok Sabha poll results were out, the BJP veteran “downplayed” any move by his party to reopen the nuclear deal noting that BJP “does not take international agreements lightly“.

Mr. Advani acknowledged that the BJP’s public position in July 2008 was that the deal constrained the country’s strategic autonomy and that the party would re-examine if it returned to power but connected that stance to “domestic political developments” then at play in India.

The BJP leader, the diplomat wrote, was clear that there would be “no imminent BJP move to reopen the (nuclear) deal. In his view, the government is a continuity, particularly in matters of foreign policy and international agreements cannot be taken lightly.”

Asked about the diplomatic cables quoting him, Mr. Chari declined to comment saying he has not seen the report. He said he did not remember if he had talked to Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Blake in December 2005.

“I don’t remember the name. I don’t remember the names. I don’t remember whom I met in 2005,” Mr. Chari said, adding the party will officially comment if required.

Mr. Javadekar said there are “no contradictions” in their stand. “We have made our position clear both in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and through are press statements that we value strategic relations with the U.S. and that all sources of energy should be tapped,” he said.

But, he said, when the government brought the Nuclear Liability Bill, the party raised certain objections and the government had to make 16 amendments to the Bill at its insistence. “We keep national interest foremost...there is no double speak,” Mr. Javadekar said.

But Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari would not buy the BJP’s defence. He said, “for the BJP, chickens have come home to roost and they have come rather soon.”

He said BJP had made WikiLeaks “the Holy Grail of their political philosophy” even when Congress had warned them not to give credence to hearsay.

“Now the shoe is on the other foot. It is for the BJP to explain to the nation whether they will apply same standards to themselves as they attempted to apply to the government by needlessly disrupting Parliament for the last few days,” Mr. Tewari said.

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Aarushi case: Allahabad HC rejects plea of Talwar couple

Allahabad: In a further setback to the dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, the Allahabad High Court on Friday rejected their petitions against initiation of criminal proceedings against them in the case of murder of their daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj less than three years ago.
"There is no provision for prohibiting a magistrate from summoning a person if prima facie it appears that there is sufficient evidence against the person," Justice Balakrishna Narayana said in his order on a petition filed by Nupur Talwar against a Special CBI court's order in Ghaziabad.
The judge dismissed the criminal revision petition of Nupur against the CBI court proceedings saying the petition has "failed to provide any valid reason warranting the court's intervention at this stage".
Besides, Justice Narayana observed that the CBI court order of Feb 9 was passed after a "perusal of the case diary and appears to be in order".
On February 9 the Ghaziabad court had issued bailable warrants against the couple for their failure to appear before the court and to initiate proceedings against them after it had named them accused while rejecting the closure report of the CBI. The closure report was made the chargesheet.
The court asked Nupur, who had submitted that she had been summoned despite never having been called for interrogation or having been named as an accused in the CBI's clousre report, to appear before the trial court within two weeks.
She could move a bail application there itself "which may be decided on the same day, if possible," the court observed.
Another petition filed by Rajesh Talwar challenging bailable warrants issued by the Ghaziabad court on February 28 was dismissed by Justice Ravindra Singh.
Rejecting Rajesh's contention that he was out on a regular bail and hence the lower court should not not issued bailable warrants against him without first cancelling the bail, Justice Singh remarked that Rajesh was released from jail in July, 2008 under Section 169 of the Cr. P.C. which was an interim arrangement".

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Stand by to see the Supermoon

Tonight the moon will be closer to the earth than it has been for 18 years - a spectacular sight awaits us, says James Attlee.

This weekend a new word rises over the horizon of the English language. The full Moon tonight has been designated a “supermoon” as it will be the nearest approach of the Moon to Earth for the past 18 years, bringing it some 30,000 miles closer than usual. If we have clear skies, this lunar event will be weighted with a special sense of expectation – perhaps, for some people, even dread.

The astrologer who named it a “supermoon” predicted that its arrival would coincide with chaos on Earth, and points to the earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan as evidence. The Moon’s closeness this weekend means that its usual gravitational pull on our tides will be intensified; we can expect high tides in two days. The oceans are not the only things that respond to the Moon’s approach; the Earth’s crust is not solid, but expands and contracts to a small degree in response to the Moon’s attraction, a phenomenon known as “earth tide”; a small increase in such tectonic shifts might be expected.

Those planning to watch it should be in position as the Moon rises above the horizon, at between 6.15 and 6.45pm, depending on your location; this is when the Moon looks largest, owing to the well-known “moon illusion”. (This is often thought to be caused by the fact that on the horizon, the Moon is close to objects with which we can compare it, making it seem very large, while when it is overhead it is in isolation, so that the brain reads it as smaller.) Even though the fact that the Moon is closer than usual will not make it seem any bigger, the illusion will guarantee that its ascent is suitably dramatic.

The size of the Moon as it rises may not be the only thing that is illusory. If scientists have failed to discover any data supporting a causal linkage between the fullness or nearness of the Moon and geothermal or seismic activity, the currency given to such claims is, at least, a vivid demonstration of the grip the Moon still has on the human mind. When did the Moon begin to exert this gravitational pull upon our collective imagination?

Lunar deities feature in many of the world’s first recorded religions. At a subconscious level, the lunar cycle acts as a time-trigger for the reproductive activities of many living species. Certain corals spawn triggered by the full moon; fish rise to the surface to breed summoned by its light and new research suggests that a link between women’s fertility and the lunar cycle may not be mere folklore after all. But it is the light the Moon casts that has particularly fascinated artists down the centuries, a light that is circumscribed in increasingly large areas of our country by ever present, 24 hour illumination.

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Talwars move SC for stay of prosecution in Aarushi murder case

Dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar today approached the Supreme Court seeking stay of criminal proceedings against them in the case of murder of their daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj in 2008.

The couple has challenged the order of the Allahabad High Court which has refused to stay the proceedings before a special CBI court at Ghaziabad in the sensational case.

“The appeal has been filed today in the Supreme Court seeking stay of the proceedings,” Satish Tamta, counsel for the Talwar couple, told PTI.

The Allahabad High Court had yesterday dismissed their plea seeking quashing of the proceedings initiated by the lower court which not only refused the closure report of the CBI but also summoned them as accused in the case.

The High Court had said that it cannot prohibit the magistrate from taking cognisance of a case if prima facie it appears that there is sufficient evidence against a person.

Justice Balakrishna Narayana of the Allahabad High Court had dismissed the criminal revision petition of Nupur against the CBI court proceedings, saying the petition has “failed to provide any valid reason warranting the court’s intervention at this stage”.

The High Court asked Nupur, who had submitted that she had been summoned despite never having been called for interrogation or having been named as an accused in the CBI’s closure report, to appear before the trial court within two weeks.

Another petition filed by Rajesh Talwar challenging bailable warrants issued by the Ghaziabad court on February 28 was dismissed by Justice Ravindra Singh.

On February 9, the Ghaziabad court had issued bailable warrants against the couple for their failure to appear before the court and to initiate proceedings against them after it had named them accused while rejecting the closure report of the CBI, which was treated as the chargesheet.

The two are expected to appear before the CBI court on Wednesday when the case has been posted for hearing.

14-year-old Aarushi was found murdered at her residence in Noida in May 16, 2008 and Hemraj’s body was recovered the following day from the same building.

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Congress-Trinamool logjam continues

The impasse over seat-sharing between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress for the West Bengal Assembly elections continued on Wednesday, a day after a meeting between Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee on the issue turned out to be “inconclusive.”

The members of both the parties had pinned hopes of a positive outcome from the meeting.

Leaders in both the camps, including Mr. Mukherjee, however, asserted that negotiations would continue.

Before leaving for New Delhi early on Wednesday along with AICC leader-in-charge of West Bengal Shakeel Ahmed and senior Congress leader B. Janardhana Poojary, Mr. Mukherjee told reporters, “I have nothing more to add to what I had said last [Tuesday] night. Talks [with the Trinamool] are on. Talks are not yet over.”

Meanwhile, Ms. Banerjee, who declined to comment on the meeting, remained cooped up in her office for most part of Wednesday and refused to talk to the media.

Tension about the future of the alliance was, however, palpable among several party supporters and leaders, who usually hang around the office everyday.

With the Left Front, which had announced its list of candidates on Sunday, releasing its election manifesto on Wednesday, both the Trinamool and the Congress leaderships are understandably under pressure to announce their candidate lists soon.

According to informed sources, the Trinamool has upped its offer of 62 seats to 64 and the Congress has climbed down from its earlier demand of 98 seats to 70. But differences remain over whether or not the Trinamool will leave for the Congress two Assembly segments within the city area as is being sought by the latter.

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Raja's close aide Batcha's suicide note found

A close aide of jailed former telecom minister A Raja, Sadiq Batcha was on Wednesday found dead in his Chennai home. Though the police and his family suspect suicide, foulplay is not being ruled out in the case.Batcha's suicide note was found by the police on Wednesday evening. In the note, Batcha says he was embarrassed by CBI raids and has blamed no one for his action. Batcha incidentally was booked on a flight to Delhi on Wednesday to appear before the CBI for questioning.
A saree seller turned right hand man of union minister A Raja, 37-year-old Sadiq Batcha's end came as suddenly as his rise from rags to riches.
Batcha's body was found hanging from the ceiling of his Chennai residence on Wednesday afternoon. When all attempts to revive him failed, Batcha's family rushed him to Apollo hospital but the doctors declared him 'brought dead'.
"At 1.20 pm he was found hanging in his room by his wife Banu who rushed him to the Apollo Hospital where we was declared brought dead. We are yet to commence investigations. His wife is yet to lodge a formal complaint. Once she does we will start our investigations. We haven't searched the house yet. The house is locked and we have kept it guarded," said Chennai Police Commissioner T Rajendran.
Batcha's family members say he went to his room at around 9 am on Wednesday and they thought he had gone for a bath. But when he did not come out of his room, they went inside and found him hanging. When all attempts to revive him failed they then took him to hospital where he was declared 'brought dead on arrival'.
Batcha was the managing director of Green House promoters - one of the companies which CBI believes was a front for A Raja - where possibly the bribe money from 2G licenses was routed. Batcha was last questioned in this regard by the CBI on February 24, two months after his premises was raided.
Batcha's wife has lodged a police complaint alleging that he was under mental pressure because of 2G investigations.
The Chennai police has sent the body for post mortem to know the exact circumstances of Batcha's death. But questions are being raised whether Batcha's death was suicide or there was foul play.
However, Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy, who is a petitioner in the 2G case, expressed doubts over Batcha committing suicide.
"Murder and suicide will be a part of this case as lots of big people are involved. Their money, career and reputation is at stake. Sadiq was not a weak heart. He was a hard boiled character. I want to be doubly sure on whether it is a suicide or not," said Swamy.
Swamy added, "Right at the outset, I knew that with so many important people involved, anyone who has any information or is willing to help would be putting his life in danger. In my opinion, the 2G scam is such a big mess, it won't be surprising if there are more murders."
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had questioned him in connection with 2G spectrum scam on February 24. Raja's wife MA Parameshwari was a director in Green House Promoters. Batcha could have provided investigating agencies with vital clues linking Raja to the scam.
Batcha was likely to be questioned by the CBI again in the case and was reportedly coming to Delhi on Wednesday afternoon.
However, CBI officials say that Batcha's death would not hamper investigation as he was just a suspect but not a key player.
Investigators suspected that Batcha floated Green House Promoters to bring in the bribe money. Batcha hailed from Raja's hometown of Peramballur and. His Chennai-based offices and residence has been raided by the CBI on December 15, 2010 in connection with the 2G scam.
While Raja's wife resigned in June 2008 but his other close relatives, RP Parameshkumar (Raja's nephew) and A Kaliyaprumal (Raja's brother) continue to be on the directors list.
Green House was setup in August 2004, just a few weeks after Raja became environment minister in UPA-1.
In 2007, as Raja became the telecom minister, Green House opened its branch in Singapore. The CBI was investigating whether Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and Reserve Bank of India guidelines were followed for setting up the foreign arm and subsequent money transfers between the company and its Singapore arm.
Investigating agencies were also looking into how a company that was formed with a capital of Rs 1 lakh in 2004 soared to revenues of over Rs 600 crore in just five years.
Even as Chennai police investigates how Batcha died, the CBI has assured that his death will not hamper investigations in the 2G case. CBI says all evidence related to Batcha were collected and recorded but real extent of damage done will only be known on March 31 when the chargesheet in the 2G case is filed.

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Monetary policy preview: GEPL Capital

GEPL Capital has come out with a report on Monetary policy preview.
Economic Indicators:

• The wholesale price index (WPI), rose 8.31 percent in the year to February, well above the RBI's comfort zone of 6.5 percent.
• Indian overnight indexed swaps (OIS) were lower on Tuesday tracking U.S. yields as well as a drop in oil prices.
• The benchmark five-year swap rate was down 6 basis points on the day at 7.84 percent, after touching a low of 7.82 percent in early deals.
• The one-year swap rate was down 6 basis points at 7.32 percent, after falling to 7.30 percent, it’s lowest since Jan. 14.
• Safe-haven U.S. Treasury yields fell on reports that the explosions at the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan were leading to
  higher levels of radiation near Tokyo.
• Brent crude fell by as much as 1.9 percent to below $112 after explosions rocked an earthquake-stricken Japanese nuclear plant on
  Tuesday after touching a high of $118.
• The spread between the 1-year and the 5- year OIS has narrowed to 52 basis points from 66 basis points at the start of the year, bearflattening
  the OIS curve as tight cash conditions as well as rate hike expectations kept the shorter-end elevated. The market is factoring a
  higher probability of a 25 basis points rate hike and therefore the curve is flattening.

RBI Steps So Far:

• The RBI raised its main lending rate or the Repo rate by 175 bps to 6.50 percent and its main borrowing rate (Reverse Repo Rate) by 225
  bps to 5.50 percent through seven rate increases since 2010.

REPO RATE	REVERSE REPO RATE	CASH RESERVE RATIO (CRR)	SLR
6.50	5.50	6.00	24.00

• Eased SLR by 1% in the last Monetary Policy Review.
• Purchased Government Securities worth Rs.37,067.959 Crore against an amount of Rs.48,000 crore through an Open Market Operations
  (OMO) to ease liquidity in the system till December 2010.

Expectations From January Policy Review:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) can hike Repo Rate by 50 bps & Reverse Repo Rate by 25 bps to contain price pressures. The
  corridor can be widen from 100bps to 125bps.
• Can revise Inflation forecast from 6.5 – 7 to 7 to 7.5 per cent by March end.

Impact:
Economy:

• The central government will not oppose this move as spiraling food and fuel prices have damaged voter confidence in the government,
  causing a headache for the multi-party ruling coalition ahead of key state elections
• Inflation (WPI) may fall to 7.50 levels by March end.

Markets:

• 25bps hike is being priced in by Bond Market / Money Market / Equity Market. If Repo Rate goes up by 50bps, the Yield will be under
  pressure and 11 Year G-Sec can climb to 8.17 level.
• Equity Market may see some sell – off, if rate goes up by 50bps.

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management.Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

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