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Mumbai attacks on Pakistan to get the incomplete answers: Malik

2009-05-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

Islamabad .. Pakistan said Wednesday that the terrorist attacks in Mumbai on his behalf in the case of the 32 questions sent di incomplete answer
E are. Mumbai attacks were caught only during the live about terrorist Ajmal Khan Ksab Rehman Malik, Pakistan's home minister said a few days ago that India had sent a statement of Ksab, which is in Hindi.

Malik said, "his official translation of the statement because he is trying to be placed before the court." He said that the statement about Ksab after seeing the response will be translated, which is expected to meet on Thursday. This Act is necessary.

Gilchrist defeated first semifinal Delhi

2009-05-23T06:07:00.000-07:00

PL's first Semifainl
Hyderabad in Delhi Dekn Charjrs Deyrdavils given the tour. Delhi for 154 runs to win the Targit had a live ball 18 Hyderabad achieved.

Adam Gilchrist won the full credit of the storm was bating. 5 fours overs already told by the Gilly Gajb that he intended to have landed. The fastest fifty of the IPL, the Jamaat-e-just 17 balls put on 50 runs. Even then his terror continued. He's been out playing just 35 balls, 85 runs, but by then his bat out of had. He made 10 fours and 5 sixers. 10 th over when he was out, by then, 102 have become run and victory was just 52 runs away.

However, on the other end of Delhi Bolron tried to take the Vikets. They have 4 players out. But Gilly of the act was not an answer. Gilly for anyone behind the left was not doing anything. The rest of the big Batsmn won the match comfortably. Symonds scored a 20. Suman as 22 runs are not out.

Earlier, the Delhi Hyderabad Deyrdavils in front of 154 runs to win the challenge laid. Toss landed in Delhi to start Harkr bating is very bad. In his first two overs without a warner Opanrs serious and continue to run scored. But it came after Sehwag and Dilshan took the deluge of runs. Stratijik to break both the 10 and Jmkr bating Owars put in 83 runs. Sehwag 11th in the 39 overs out of the personal score.

But on this strong foundation as the rest Batsmn could not create a big building. However, over the last Dilshan for 65 runs of the innings played and bating. AB Divilers 26 runs. Today, just 9 runs to Karthik. Bhatia also made to run as a 4-run. Over the last wicket fell in the 3, 2 of which were run out. 8 wickets in 20 Owars made a total 153 runs.

Turkish plane crash in Amsterdam

2009-02-25T09:14:00.000-08:00

A Turkish Airlines plane has crashed on landing at Amsterdam's Schiphol international airport, killing nine people and injuring 84, six critically.

The plane, carrying 126 passengers and seven crew, crashed short of the runway near the A9 highway. It broke into three pieces, but did not catch fire.

Three of those killed are crew members. Their bodies have been left in the cockpit while investigations continue.

Officials said it was unclear why the plane, en route from Istanbul, crashed.

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft came down at 1031 local time (0931 GMT), several hundred yards (metres) short of the runway. It had left Istanbul's Ataturk Airport at 0622 GMT.

Investigators are said to have found the flight data recorders from the plane.

Emergency services spokeswoman Ineke van der Zande told a news conference that six people were in a critical condition and 25 were severely wounded.

Another 24 passengers had suffered light injuries, she said, with the injuries of another 31 still to be determined.

She said 84 people altogether had been taken using 60 ambulances to 11 hospitals in the surrounding area.

Michel Bezuijen, mayor of the Haarlemmermeer municipality under which Schiphol airport falls, said the passenger list was being studied to establish the nationalities and identities of those on board.

"As far as I know there are no more passengers in the plane," he said. "We cannot say anything about the cause at the moment. The priority... is providing help and care."

Earlier, Candan Karlitekin, head of Turkish Airlines' board of directors, told reporters in Turkey the plane had been properly maintained.

"We have checked the plane's documents and there is no problem concerning maintenance," he is quoted as saying by AP.

Turkish Transport Minister Binali Yildirim said it had been "a miracle" that there were not more casualties, AP reports.

"The fact that the plane landed on a soft surface and that there was no fire helped keep the number of fatalities low," he said.

One passenger aboard the plane, Kerem Uzel, told Turkish news channel NTV that the plane's landing had been announced when they were at an altitude of 600m (2,000ft).

"We suddenly descended a great distance as if the plane fell into turbulence. The plane's tail hit the ground... It slid from the side of the motorway into the field."

White sheets

Television footage from the scene showed rescue workers laying out white sheets on what appeared to be bodies.

Relatives of passengers who were waiting at the airport have been taken to a sports hall at a nearby village.

Airport spokeswoman Mirjam Snoerwang said Turkish Airlines had organised a special flight to Schiphol, due to arrive at 1710 GMT, for family members of those on the plane which crashed.

Tomas Friedhoff, a student who was cycling past the scene, told BBC News he had seen the plane appearing to glide through the air, having lost all propulsion, before hitting the ground.

"The plane was nose up and the tail section was at a 45-degree angle. The tail section broke down first, which broke off," he said.

"And seconds after the crash people started exiting through the tail section...

"I saw dozens of people making it out very quickly, and as I was about to dial 911 the first sirens were noticeable, and within five minutes there were 10 or 15 ambulances."

Telecom worker Nikolai van der Smagt, who was driving past the airport moments after the crash, told BBC News he saw the plane lying in three pieces in a field just 60m from the A9 motorway.

He said: "The first people were just getting off the plane and they looked confused. There was a lot of dust, but no fire."

All flights were suspended, but the airport has since re-opened. The A9 motorway remains closed.

The last crash involving a Turkish Airlines plane was in 2003, when at least 65 people died in an accident in eastern Turkey.

Schiphol airport has six runways and one major passenger terminal. In 2007, it handled 47 million passengers, ranking fifth in Europe.

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White House email system crashes

2009-01-29T20:26:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK: Barack Obama's aides, who ran the most tech-savvy US election campaign in history, were forced into a red-faced admission on Monday -- the White House email system has crashed. "Our email system is not working so well," press spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters at the start of his daily briefing. "We'll endeavor to get you information from earlier in the day, hopefully in a little bit more of a timely manner, if we can get the email to work." At one stage, Obama aides were forced to turn back the clock and hand out copies of memoranda signed by the president on cutting global warming, not via email as is normal, but by the dead tree method, on paper.

`Outsourcing faces new era of scrutiny`

`27^th January 2009`

Adding to the sector's troubles are the massive corporate fraud uncovered recently at Satyam Computer Services Ltd, India's fourth largest software services provider. The scandal has Satyam customers scrambling to find alternative providers. Other offshore services providers report stepped-up scrutiny from clients of their own corporate governance and financial viability. It has also revived questions about the trustworthiness of Indian accounts and the adequacy of corporate controls. That's a big black eye for an industry that sells risk management and corporate governance services as a major client offering. It may raise the risk premium investors require for holding these stocks. Rising competition isn't the only threat to offshore outsourcers' margins. Many of the more profitable, longer-term contracts worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars are being put on hold as companies scramble to reassess their business strategies. Customers want more control over projects and are demanding fixed-price deals that are more likely than not to limit margin growth. Infosys, Tata and others say they are doing their best to make up for price cuts by driving greater sales volumes.

`Infosys confident can meet Q4 revenue view`

`28^th January 2009`

DAVOS: Infosys Technologies Inc is confident it can meet its fourth-quarter revenue target, Chief Operating Officer S D Shibulal said on Tuesday. "Given where we are today, we are confident that we can meet Q4 guidance," Shibulal said at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Infosys said in early January that it expected to pull in revenue of $1.13 billion to $1.17 billion for the March quarter. Also on Tuesday, Shibulal said the Indian technology company does not expect it will need to tap the capital markets.

UK launches "Google for films" search engine 28^th January 2009 LONDON: Fancy checking out the classic 1960s Japanese horror flick "Onibaba", or indulging in a bit of old-fashioned British comedy with "The Lavender Hill Mob"? The UK Film Council is launching a search engine that will help British moviegoers track down their favourite films, from the mainstream to the obscure. The website is free to use and contains records of more than 30,000 films, or roughly seven years' worth of viewing, and they come in 20 genres and over 60 languages. "Like a Google for films, it is the first time anything like this has been delivered on the Internet that indexes all available films in the UK and is totally free to use," the council said in a statement.

Headstrong buys Lydian Data Services 28^th January 2009 NEW DELHI: Headstrong, the $200 million global financial services consulting firm, on Wednesday announced the acquisition of Lydian Data Services (LDS), headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. The company will be closing one more buyout this year, the company's MD Harsh Singh Lohit told ET. Headstrong has a large presence in Noida with about 1600 employees and plans to hire another 350 for its mortgage BPO services division.

Nokia outsourcers its desktop maintenance and support to HCL 29^th Jan 2009

MUMBAI: Handset maker Nokia has outsourced its desktop maintenance and support in 76 countries to IT services firm HCL Technologies in a multi-million dollar contract spread over five years, starting this April. The deal also involves transfer of employees from Nokia. The contract will be serviced from HCL's centres in India, China, Po-land, Finland and US. It involves providing multi-lingual helpdesk services in 13 languages, creating and maintaining new user accounts, and workstation management and security. The value of the contract and the number of employees being transferred to HCL Technologies was not disclosed. The contract is being moved from Nokia's existing vendors. HCL said it had won the deal against competition from global and Indian players.

TCS leads race for Sony's $100-million outsourcing deal 30^th January 2009

BANGALORE: India’s largest software exporter TCS is leading the race to win an outsourcing contract worth $60-100 million from Sony, the Japanese electronics giant struggling under huge losses and a high cost operating structure. “As part of its attempts to reduce cost of managing IT operations, Sony is discussing a contract to manage its desktops and servers over 3-5 years,” a person familiar with the discussions told ET on condition of anonymity. While ET could not independently verify the details of this contract, at least two people familiar with the development confirmed that Sony is evaluating vendors. When contacted on Thursday, a TCS spokesperson said the company would not comment on specific customer contracts yet to be awarded.

Satyam's Raju brothers surrender, arrested

2009-01-09T11:18:00.000-08:00

HYDERABAD: Former Satyam chief Ramalinga Raju and his brother Rama Raju were arrested on Friday night, after they surrendered before the state
DGP. Raju brothers have been remanded to Andhra Pradesh CID's custody. ( Watch )

Ramalinga Raju surrendered before the DG of Andhra Pradesh Police S S P Yadav, a police official said.

Ramalinga Raju was arrested along with his brother and co-founder B Rama Raju on charges of criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy, cheating, falsification of records and forgery, Andhra DGP told Reuters.

Earlier in the day, Andhra Pradesh CID filed criminal case against former Satyam chief Ramalinga Raju.

Raju, whose whereabouts were a matter of speculation ever since he made the startling disclosure on Wednesday about the Rs 7,800 crore financial fraud, had been in hiding and was summoned to appear before the SEBI on Saturday, PTI reported.

Earlier on Friday evening, the government disbanded the current board of Satyam Computer and announced that it would nominate 10 directors on its board.

Corporate affairs minister Prem Chand Gupta said in New Delhi that the names of the new members would be announced soon for the board, which would meet in the next seven days.

The existing board of the company was scheduled to meet tomorrow to discuss the crisis that has engulfed the company and its over 50,000 employees.

Founder of Satyam B Ramalinga Raju, who has been summoned by market regulator SEBI tomorrow, had resigned as Chairman after disclosing staggering financial fraud. Five other directors had also resigned leaving the strength only at three.

Announcing the decision, corporate affairs minister Prem Chand Gupta said: "The current board ceases to exist and there would not be any meeting
tomorrow... the new board will meet in the next seven days."

The government's decisive action came nearly 60 hours after the startling disclosure by Raju, presumed to have strong political friends, that put the company and its over 50,000 employees fate in limbo.
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2009 Travel Trends

2009-01-03T09:45:00.000-08:00

Travel is changing. Here, a look at the trends to expect in the coming year.

In these tumultuous times, we return to the essential pleasures of travel, rediscovering classic destinations and old-fashioned manners, seeking out comfort and serenity and quiet. What’s old is new again this year.

The shaky economy has lead to some drastic changes in the ways people travel, creating new breeds of travelers, like flashpackers. The flashier version of the backpacker values the same low-cost methods of traveling as the traditional backpacker but would rather steer clear of group accommodations in lieu of a private (but affordable) room.

Cruise lines are reinventing themselves. Take the launch of Celebrity Cruises’ Solstice, the first of five in a new class of ships, intended to change the way people feel about cruising by putting a modern spin on the glamour of ocean liners past. The luxury ship exceeds the average ship’s accommodations and level of sophistication-and even adds a touch of eco-friendliness, like its heat-absorbing half-acre lawn, where can guests picnic and play croquet.

Microsoft Releases Its First-ever IPhone Application

2008-12-19T12:00:00.000-08:00

Microsoft’s first-ever iPhone application is a slick photo viewer with a browsing capability that handles a large number of photos on a mobile device screen.

The Seadragon mobile application is free through Apple’s application store. It a product of Microsoft’s Live Labs division, which focuses on developing Web-based technology and applications.

Seadragon incorporates the Deep Zoom feature, which is also integrated into Silverlight 2, Microsoft’s multimedia tool. It allows a user to quickly magnify a particular area of a photo, regardless of its size.

Microsoft said the aim of the mobile application is to let users view even wall-sized displays on a mobile device, regardless of the amount of bandwidth on the network.

Seadragon renders documents as little thumbnails, and a double-tap brings it into focus. A reverse pinch on the iPhone’s touch screen kicks in the Deep Zoom, revealing sharp detail.

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Russian Economy Has ‘Already’ Entered a Recession

2008-12-19T11:57:00.000-08:00

Russia’s economy has “already” entered its first recession since 1998, Deputy Economy Minister Andrei Klepach said today.

“The recession has already begun and, I’m afraid, it won’t end in two quarters,” Klepach said in comments made in Moscow today that were confirmed by his press secretary.

The economy will expand less than the ministry’s forecast of 6.8 percent this year and industrial growth will slow to 1.9 percent in the year, he said.

Gross domestic product growth dropped to 6.2 percent in the third quarter, the slowest pace in three years, as the spreading global financial crisis choked investments and put the brakes on retail and construction growth. Industrial output is expected to shrink in November for the first time since the Federal Statistics Service changed its methodology almost six years ago, as demand for oil and metals plummeted amid the global slowdown.

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Iraqi journalist throws shoes at Bush - Video

2008-12-18T19:03:00.000-08:00

George Bush shoe attack

US President George W Bush is attacked by an Iraqi reporter with a shoe.

Reporters, from now on… they will be required to be barefoot in conferences. Ha Ha

Thai parliament picks new Prime Minister

2008-12-15T09:47:00.000-08:00

Thailand’s parliament chose opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as the country’s new prime minister Monday, drawing angry protests from supporters of the recently dissolved ruling party outside

Mr. Abhisit, 44 , won with 235 votes against 198 for the former national police chief, Pracha Promnok. The new prime minister assembled a coalition in which he will have to depend on some of his most powerful political opponents for support..
The ruling found the PPP guilty of electoral fraud, dissolved the party and barred Somchai from public office for five years. The PPP reorganized as the Puea Thai party, which was created by PPP supporters ahead of the court ruling. It still held the largest bloc of seats in parliament, but enough members broke ranks to give Ahbisit’s coalition a 235-198 majority.

The new government will formally take office when it receives the blessing of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

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Hala Bol - CF of Kerala Told Majaor Father not even a “dog” would visit his house

2008-12-09T05:40:00.000-08:00

He (Sandeep’s father) says that the Kerala chief minister did not come whereas the Karnataka chief minister came in the morning itself…and that Kerala has ignored him. He got all worked up over this,” Achuthanandan told ‘Times Now’ in Thiruvananthapuram

The chief miniser asked “Is there a rule that the chief ministers of Kerala and Karnataka should be there at the same time?

After a pause, the chief minister went on to say “If it had not been Sandeep’s house, not even a dog would have glanced that way.”

Its My Reques to A NSG Commonado who sacrificed her life for the shake of India and his family is insulted by the CF of Kerala who have no rights to say Any Soldiers of India..

This is Really A bad for us..We can do anything for the Major NSG..

We must raise the voice against the CM of Kerala and make a chain to give Soldiers of India …A Salute…

So Give your valuable Comment so that Each person of your a true Indian and respect to our soldiers who diew only for you.

Pacquiao pummels aging De La Hoya * Story Highlights * Pacquiao wins after De La Hoya fails to come out of his corner after eighth round

2008-12-06T22:36:00.000-08:00

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AP) -- Manny Pacquiao dominated his bigger and more famous opponent from the opening bell Saturday night, giving Oscar De La Hoya such a beating he declined to come out of his corner after the eighth round.

The fight was so lopsided and De La Hoya looked so inept that it could spell the end for boxing's richest and most marketable star.

It was only the second time in De La Hoya's 16-year pro career that he was stopped in a fight, and it was made even more shocking because it came at the hands of a fighter who fought at just 129 pounds months earlier. At the age of 35 he seemed not only well beyond his prime, but unable to offer any answer to the punches that Pacquiao was landing almost at will.

De La Hoya's left eye was closed shut as he sat on his stool after the eighth round and the ring doctor, referee and his cornermen discussed his condition. De La Hoya offered no complaints when his corner decided he had enough, getting up from his stool and walking to the center of the ring to congratulate the victor.

"You're still my idol," Pacquiao told him.

"No, you're my idol," De La Hoya said.

Two of the three ringside judges scored all eight rounds for Pacquiao, while a third gave De La Hoya only the first round. The Associated Press scored every round for the winner.

De La Hoya was taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons after the fight.

The fight was lopsided from the beginning, with Pacquiao landing punch after punch while De La Hoya chased after him, trying to catch him with a big punch. Pacquiao was winning big even before the seventh round, when he was pounding De La Hoya against the ropes in his corner and catching him with huge shots that knocked him across the ring.

De La Hoya remained upright, but with one eye closed and his reflexes seemingly gone there was no chance he was going to land the big punches he would have needed to turn the fight around. Ringside statistics showed Pacquiao landed 45 power punches in the seventh round to just four for De La Hoya.

"He's just a great fighter," De La Hoya said. "I have nothing bad to say about him. He prepared like a true champion."

Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 knockouts) came up two weight classes to fight for his biggest purse ever, while De La Hoya dropped down to meet him at 147 pounds. Though De La Hoya (39-6) towered over Pacquiao and had a big reach advantage over him, Pacquiao had no trouble getting inside what few jabs De La Hoya threw to land his shots.

Pacquiao was credited with landing 224 of 585 punches to just 83 of 402 for De La Hoya.

"We knew we had him after the first round," Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach said. "He had no legs, he was hesitant and he was shot."

Roach trained De La Hoya in his last big fight a year ago and said De La Hoya simply couldn't throw punches when he needed in that fight. That was magnified even more against Pacquiao, who not only was as elusive as Floyd Mayweather Jr. but threw punches back that kept De La Hoya off pace.

"Freddie, you're right," De La Hoya told the trainer after the fight. "I just don't have it anymore."

If De La Hoya's career is over, it will be the end of a remarkable story that began when he won the Olympic gold medal in Barcelona in 1992 and went on to become the biggest box office attraction in the sport. But while he sold tickets, there were whispers long before the fight that he had nothing left.

"My heart still wants to fight, that's for sure," De La Hoya said. "But when your physical doesn't respond, what can you do? I have to be smart and make sure I think about my future plans."

De La Hoya not only dropped down to fight for the first time at 147 pounds in seven years, but actually came into the ring unofficially weighing less than Pacquiao. Both fighters got on scales in their dressing rooms and De La Hoya was 147 while Pacquiao was 148 and a half.

Pacquiao earned his biggest purse ever, a guaranteed $11 million, while De La Hoya was expected to make at least twice that in a fight by the time all the pay-per-view revenues are totaled up.

Mumbai Bomb Blast

2008-11-27T22:06:00.000-08:00

At least 184 people were killed and around 714 injured, many seriously, as seven powerful blasts ripped through packed train cars and on stations during rush hour here Tuesday evening in the worst terror attack in India in over a decade.

Dazed survivors, blood on their faces, stared blankly at the explosion sites, some trying desperately to speak to their families on mobile telephones held by young men who came rushing from neighbourhood buildings. All this while it kept raining all over the city, making the situation much more grim and difficult.

Terror and mayhem struck Mumbai and Srinagar, two cities 1600 km apart in the west and north of India, killing at least 143 people, the majority of them in suburban trains in the country's financial and entertainment capital.

The targets of bombings in Mumbai during the evening rush hour were the suburban train service that is the lifeline of the city. The stations that were targeted were Khar, Mahim, Matunga, Jogeshwari, Borivili, Bhayandra (Mira Road) and the Khar-Santa Cruz subway.

Indian duo sign for US baseball team

2008-11-25T18:21:00.000-08:00

New York, Nov 25: India maybe non-existent in the baseball map but Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel, both from Uttar Pradesh, made at least a beginning by signing for five-time World Series Champions Pittsburgh Pirates as "non-drafted free agents" for the team's Minor League Spring Training next year.

Both finds of a TV reality show, the UP duo would now learn the basics of the game and scouts here believe the colts would require at least four years of minor league toil before breaking into the major league.

Announcing the signing, Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said the move was aimed at reaching out to an untapped market that is India.

"The Pirates are committed to creatively adding talent to our organisation. By adding these two young men, we are pleased to not only add two prospects to our system but also hope to open a pathway to an untapped market," he said.

"We are intrigued by Patel's arm strength and Singh's frame and potential. These young men have improved a tremendous amount in their six-month exposure to baseball, and we look forward to helping them continue to fulfill their potential," he added.

Discovered during the Indian leg of the TV reality show "Million Dollar Arm", Rinku, who won the contest, and Dinesh, the finalist, have no previous baseball experience.

Since their arrival here, both trained with University of Southern California pitching coach Tom House and in the tryout earlier this month, they hurled in the low-90s which was enough to earning a Spring Training invitation at the 'Bucs', as the Pirates are known as.

House, meanwhile, made it clear that the Indian duo are not finished products and it might take a while before they really shape up as quality pitchers.

"They still have to learn how to play the game," House said.

"Their talent is the upside, but it's going to take them a while to learn how to play. It's not going to take much to get them to sign, either. If you're looking at it as an organisation, you can really develop these kids.”

"I know they can pitch, but we have to teach them how to play the game. It's well worth the risk," House added.

Both Dinesh and Rinku were javelin throwers in schools.

Bureau Report
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Wall Street's crisis could cost 225,000 New York jobs over two years

2008-11-25T18:07:00.000-08:00

New York, Nov 25: Wall Street's painful downsizing could cost 225,000 New Yorkers their jobs over the next two years as it recent era of outsize profits may have ended and it adapts to less leverage, the state comptroller said on Monday.

employees could be axed in related fields, such as banking, insurance, and real estate, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli forecast in a new report.

Wall Street seems to have overpaid its employees in the first six months of this year, DiNapoli said adding that total compensation ate up "an unsustainable" 97 percent of net revenues. In contrast, the ratio averaged only 53 percent from 1990 to 2006.

And unlike previous cycles in this traditionally boom-and-bust industry, Wall Street might not revisit its recent mistakes, at least for awhile, because the federal bank bailout includes some new curbs while the new Democratic Obama administration views stiffer regulations as a must.

Further, the new bank holding company model adopted by Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley after rival Lehman Brothers was allowed to sink into bankruptcy, comes with regulations that did not apply to these titans when they were investment banks.

"The challenge is that we know that Wall Street is going to look different than before we went into this," DiNapoli said,

The end of the leverage generation could transform investment banking, withering mergers and acquisitions. It also might herald a era of lower but more stable profits, he said.

Wall Street likely will employ fewer people -- and reward them less generously, DiNapoli added, predicting that the past few years of "outsize" profits would not be matched again.

The securities industry lost 16,000 jobs last month on a year-over-year basis, the state Labor Department said last week. Because these workers are paid so generously, an average of almost USD 400,000 last year, these jobs spur hiring in many other sectors, from shops to advertising firms.

That intensifies the pain of Wall Street's breakdown, as each of this industry's jobs could cause two workers to be laid off in New York City and 1.3 employees to be cut in the state, the Democratic comptroller explained.

Securities company executives, moreover, should not reap bonuses because it's "inappropriate to reward poor performance," DiNapoli said, noting that broker/dealer desks of New York Stock Exchange member firms lost almost USD 21 billion in the first six months of this year.

Bonuses now could plunge in half, the way they did in the early 2000s, after the end of the Internet speculative fever and the deadly September 11 air attacks in 2001, DiNapoli said.

That might bring these payments down to USD 16 billion. This will also hurt Wall Street's lower-level employees, who just like investment bankers and top traders, often rely heavily on bonuses. "New York will feel a lot of pain from a shrunken bonus pool," DiNapoli said.

The state and city could lose USD 6.5 billion in tax revenues from Wall Street over two years. New York City gets 12 percent of its tax revenues from this industry, while the state gets 20 percent.

DiNapoli also warned that job "losses could be greater if the economic downturn is deeper and longer than currently forecast."

Wall Street's job force peaked at 200,300 in December 2000. As of last month, this sector employed 171,400 people, according to the state Labor Department.

New York City lost 232,1000 private-sector jobs in the recession that stretched from 2001 to 2003.

Bureau Report

I’ll never do ‘Bigg Boss’ again, says winner Ashutosh Kaushik

2008-11-23T06:29:00.000-08:00

New Delhi
, Nov 23 (IANS) Life for young dhaba owner Ashutosh Kaushik has taken an upward swing ever since he participated in television reality shows. But after winning Rs.10 million on “Bigg Boss”, he doesn’t wish to take part in such a programme ever again.”If I get a chance to be a part of ‘Bigg Boss’ again, I will not do it for sure. It’s not that I can’t spend time again there, but I don’t want to do it because I don’t want to snatch someone else’s chance of winning the show,” Ashutosh told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

This year has been pleasantly unpredictable for Ashutosh. He ran a roadside eatery just a year ago but then Lady Luck began to smile upon him and he got selected for adventure reality show “MTV Roadies 5.0? which he later won.

It was followed by his win at “Bigg Boss” Saturday night. He plans to buy a house for himself in Mumbai with the money he got.

“After I won ‘Roadies’, I was still living on the streets. And I had nothing to do. Now I hope that with this money, I am able to avail the basic amenities of life. I will also bring my family here,” he said.

While in the “Bigg Boss” house, Ashutosh was often accused of using foul language. But he says it was because there was nothing to do in the house.

“When we didn’t have anything to talk about, that’s what we used to do - abuse each other. And it was all in good fun. I never abused anyone on the face. If anyone can prove that I abused him or her openly, I’m ready to give the ‘Bigg Boss’ title to that person,” said Ashutosh who was also criticised for his unhealthy living habits.

Although Ashutosh shared a good relationship with almost every participant on the show, he became closer to Rahul Mahajan, son of late Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pramod Mahajan, and former Miss World Diana Hayden.

Ashutosh also won the title of Mr. Honest while in the “Bigg Boss” house.

He now has plans to join Bollywood, a dream he wanted to pursue after he won “MTV Roadies”.

Raja and Zulfi play media men

2008-11-23T06:25:00.000-08:00

Raja plays the part of a journalist and Zulfi is the camera man…

They start the news by saying welcome to the Bigg Boss Bulletin, we have loads stuffs happening in the Bigg Boss House to start with:

• The chocolate task that was provided by Bigg Boss was quite exciting and the person who did'nt come to know about the trick that Bigg Boss played on the housemates was Rahul Mahajan!

• The housemates are very happy to have Monica back in the Bigg Boss House except Rahul Mahajan because Monica has changed her behaviour towards Rahul and iIf Rahul tries to come close to Monica she is 10 feet away from him… Raja then calls Monica and Rahul to the Bigg Boss studios and asks them questions regarding the same.

• Further all the housemates are very happy because they have got a good weekly budget.

• Raja says 'the most surprising thing of the Bigg Boss House' is Ahsaan not being nominated for 8 weeks at a stretch and has broken all records of the Bigg Boss House.

• Then he calls Debojit as the angry young man because Debojit got angry and upset with Bigg Boss for not sending Roshguls for Dassera.

Raja concludes the Bigg Boss Bulletin by saying, “Thanks for tuning in.”

Setting goals is critical

2008-11-11T20:49:00.000-08:00

Setting goals is critical when it comes to getting out of debt. Having a
target in mind is all-important first step. Going to work, cutting expenses and

saving now have a purpose. Providing your family with some financial security is a
worthy goal for anyone.

Now that you set the goal, it's time to figure out how to pay off your debt. The first

inclination someone may have it to file bankruptcy, but the more one
researches the clearer it will become a poor financial decision.

Bankruptcy can mar your credit for 10 years. Even if it seems like a difficult
path, getting out of debt through debt consolidation or even better self-help plan
is a better long-term choice. Speak to a debt specialist or attorney to analyze

what ways you can get out of debt fast. If you are under-employed, then perhaps
bankruptcy is a better solution. If you can afford to pay more than the minimums,
you should even avoid debt consolidation.

Kumble calls it a day

2008-11-02T23:31:00.001-08:00

India captain Anil Kumble has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect, reports BBC.

The 38-year-old decided to stand down during the final day of the drawn third Test against Australia in Delhi after sustaining a finger injury.

The leg-spinner took 619 Test wickets, including all 10 wickets in an innings against Pakistan in Delhi in 1999, in his 18-year, 132-Test career.

Kumble’s successor has not been named but is likely to be Mahendra Dhoni.

The wicketkeeper led India to an emphatic 320-run win in Mohali in the second Test after a shoulder injury had ruled Kumble out.

His replacement Amit Mishra took seven wickets at the PCA Ground, heaping further pressure on Kumble, who had been wicketless in the drawn first Test in Bangalore.

The veteran had previously suggested he would retire on his terms after he faced constant questioning on the subject from the Indian media.

But he admitted a finger injury sustained on day three attempting to catch a difficult Matthew Hayden chance proved to be the catalyst for his decision.

“It was tough, especially after 18 years when you have been so competitive, but the body gave me the decision and the injury helped,” said Kumble, who needed 11 stitches on his little finger of his left hand.

“I had already made the decision yesterday (Saturday), I knew I would not be fit (for the Nagpur Test) and I don’t want to let the team down.”

Kumble stands third in the all-time leading wicket-takers in Test cricket, behind fellow spinners Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.

He remains the only bowler to emulate Jim Laker’s feat of taking all 10 wickets in a Test innings with a match-winning 10-74 in Delhi nine years ago.

India lead the series 1-0 with one Test match to go, which starts in Nagpur on 6 November
World news

'Nature loss bigger issue than current banking crisis'

2008-10-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

LONDON: A European Union commissioned study has determined that the global economy is losing more money from the disappearance of forests than through the current banking crisis.The study puts the annual cost of forest loss at between 2 trillion dollars and 5 trillion dollars.According to a report by BBC News, the figure comes from adding the value of the various services that forests perform, such as providing clean water and absorbing carbon dioxide.The study, headed by a Deutsche Bank economist, parallels the Stern Review into the economics of climate change.Some conservationists see it as a new way of persuading policymakers to fund nature protection rather than allowing the decline in ecosystems and species.Speaking to BBC News on the fringes of the congress, study leader Pavan Sukhdev emphasised that the cost of natural decline dwarfs losses on the financial markets."It's not only greater but it's also continuous, it's been happening every year, year after year," he told BBC News."So whereas Wall Street by various calculations has to date lost, within the financial sector, 1-1.5 trillion dollars, the reality is that at today's rate, we are losing natural capital at least between 2-5 trillion dollars every year," he added.The review that Sukhdev leads, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (Teeb), was initiated by Germany under its recent EU presidency, with the European Commission providing funding.The first phase concluded in May when the team released its finding that forest decline could be costing about 7 percent of global GDP. The second phase will expand the scope to other natural systems.Key to understanding his conclusions is that as forests decline, nature stops providing services which it used to provide essentially for free.So, the human economy either has to provide them instead, perhaps through building reservoirs, building facilities to sequester carbon dioxide, or farming foods that were once naturally available.The Teeb calculations show that the cost falls disproportionately on the poor, because a greater part of their livelihood depends directly on the forest, especially in tropical regions.The greatest cost to western nations would initially come through losing a natural absorber of the most important greenhouse gas. Many in the conservation community believe the Teeb review will lay open the economic consequences of halting or not halting the slide in biodiversity."The numbers in the Stern Review enabled politicians to wake up to reality," said Andrew Mitchell, director of the Global Canopy Programme."Teeb will do the same for the value of nature, and show the risks we run by not valuing it adequately," he added.

Brit model Sophie Anderton ‘goes bankrupt’

2008-10-04T06:16:00.000-07:00

English model Sophie Anderton, who has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons, has gone bankrupt, it has emerged.

According to sources, a bankruptcy order has just been made against the former ‘It Girl’ in the High Court.

The 31-year-old model socialite has battled a string of well-documented problems in recent years, which include the likes of cocaine addiction, revelations of high-class prostitution and a failed relationships with the likes of millionaire playboy Robert Hanson and Crystal Palace FC chairman Simon Jordan.

A spokesman said at the time: “We operate a no tolerance policy towards drug use so feel we have been left with no alternative than to terminate Sophie’s contract.”

In January 2004, the stunner admitted to having sex for 5,000 pounds through a madam in Italy. She set her up on a “date” with a client who left her the money in a Christian Dior handbag, reports the Daily Express.

The model claimed that at the time she was drinking and taking a lot of cocaine and had no money but the experience had “horrified” her.

Sophie first came to fame in the Nineties as a model with lingerie giant Gossard. She was soon earning enough money to fund a lavish lifestyle and became a regular guest on the London party circuit.

During this period she developed an addiction to cocaine and entered into a stormy relationship with footballer Mark Bosnich, who was a fellow cocaine addict.

She has admitted to suffering from bipolar disorder and has been in and out of rehab.

Melissa Theuriau

2008-08-30T02:41:00.001-07:00

Melissa Theuriau ( Beautiful french TV Reporter )

गुजरात में फिर हमले की धमकी

2008-08-25T01:44:00.001-07:00

अहमदाबाद. अहमदाबाद ब्लास्ट के लिए जिम्मेदार माने जाने वाले संगठन इंडियन मुजाहिदीन के नाम से ई-मेल भेजकर गुजरात में धमाकों की फिर धमकी दी गई है। पुलिस ने इस ई-मेल को गंभीरता से लेते हुए जांच शुरू की दी है।

क्राइम ब्रांच के अधिकारी ने बताया ‘हम इसके बारे में जांच कर रहे हैं। ई-मेल में कहा गया है कि अगला हमला नाक के नीचे होगा। जो पहले से कहीं ज्यादा घातक होगा।

अहमदाबाद पहुंचा सफदर चार सरगना रिमांड पर

अहमदाबाद. शुक्रवार को इंदौर सेंट्रल जेल से लाए गए कमरूद्दीन नागौरी, शिवली अब्दुल करीम, हाफिज और आमिल परवेज को रविवार को यहां मेट्रोपालिटन मजिस्ट्रेट के समक्ष पेश किया गया। कोर्ट ने इन्हें तीन सितंबर तक के लिए पुलिस रिमांड पर सौंपा है।

बड़ौदा के पावागढ़ में सिमी कैंप में बम बनाने और धमाके करने की ट्रेनिंग ले चुके इन आरोपियों से पुलिस राज उगलवाने की कोशिश करेगी। मप्र की रीवा जेल से लाए गए सफदर नागौरी को सोमवार को पुलिस रिमांड के लिए कोर्ट में पेश किया जाएगा।

पुलिस सूत्रों के मुताबिक रविवार को मेट्रोपालिटन मजिस्ट्रेट जेपी पंड्या की कोर्ट ने चारों सरगनाओं से पूछताछ के लिए दस दिन की पुलिस रिमांड को मंजूरी दी। सूत्रों के अनुसार पुलिस ने 14 दिन की रिमांड मांगी थी।

पुलिस ने इस आधार पर रिमांड मांगी थी कि ये चारों लोग पावागढ़ के अलावा केरल में भी सिमी के कैंप में शरीक हो चुके हैं। अब गुजरात पुलिस यह उगलवाने की कोशिश करेगी की मप्र से विस्फोटक कौन और किस रास्ते से गुजरात ले गया और इनसे इंदौर सेंट्रल जेल में किन लोगों से मुलाकात की।

अहमदाबाद पहुंचा सफदर नागौरी
शनिवार की शाम रीवा सेंट्रल जेल से पूर्व सिमी प्रमुख सफदर नागौरी को ले गई गुजरात पुलिस ने रविवार को सफदर के अहमदाबाद पहुंचने की पुष्टि की है। उसे सोमवार को मेट्रोपालिटन मजिस्ट्रेट की कोर्ट में पेश भी किया जाएगा।

Get to know me, Obama says going into convention

2008-08-25T01:41:00.000-07:00

DENVER, Colorado (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama says this week's Democratic National Convention would help give voters a better "sense of who I am" -- and Obama could get some unexpected help.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, right, endorsed Sen. Barack Obama in January.

Plans are in place for Sen. Edward Kennedy to make a dramatic appearance Monday on opening night -- subject to whether he is up to making the trip, a top Obama campaign official said.

The Massachusetts Democrat had surgery June 2 for a brain tumor.

Top Kennedy staffers are in the convention city, and the Obama campaign official who is helping orchestrate the program tells CNN that he has been instructed "to presume [Kennedy] is coming and make preparations on the basis of him coming."

The official program for Monday night calls for a videotaped message from Kennedy, but a Democratic source close to the senator's family said Sunday night that the 76-year-old liberal icon "is itching to go and pushing back" at those who say it is too risky a trip to make.

Also scheduled to speak Monday night is Michelle Obama, the Illinois senator's wife.

With the exception of one dramatic return to the Capitol for a crucial vote, Kennedy has been out of the public eye recuperating.

The sources said the final call would be made Monday in consultation with doctors and family members.

Kennedy endorsed Obama over Sen. Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primary season. He was an active surrogate for Obama until suffering a seizure that led to the discovery of his brain cancer.

The Obama campaign, meanwhile, is trying to win over the working-class voters who supported Clinton in larger numbers in many states during the Democratic primaries.

Obama said Sunday he hopes those voters will conclude from the four-day convention that he is "sort of like us. He [Obama] comes from a middle-class background. He went to school on scholarships; he had to pay off student loans. He and his wife had to worry about child care."

Also Sunday, a Democratic official said Clinton likely will release her delegates to Obama.

And the Democratic Party decided delegates from Michigan and Florida -- states that had been penalized for moving their 2008 presidential primaries to January -- will get full voting rights at the event. Ending the sanctions had been a goal of Clinton.

The moves answered some questions that lingered ahead of the convention, which starts Monday in Denver.

Clinton, who suspended her presidential campaign in June after Obama secured enough delegates to win the party's nomination, will meet with her delegates at a reception in Denver on Wednesday afternoon -- before that evening's delegate vote on the nominee, said a Democratic official who asked not to be identified.

Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines later gave CNN a statement on the meeting.

"[The reception is] an opportunity for Sen. Clinton to see her delegates -- many for the first time since the primaries ended -- thank them for their hard work and support and most importantly, to encourage them to support and work for Sen. Obama as strongly as she has in order to elect him in November," Reines said.

Because Clinton suspended her campaign instead of dropping out, she kept the pledged delegates she earned in the primaries and caucuses.

Earlier this month, Obama's campaign said it agreed to put Clinton's name in nomination at the convention "in recognition of the historic race she ran and the fact that she was the first woman to compete in all of our nation's primary contests." Watch a preview of the convention

Clinton already has urged the 18 million people who voted for her in the primaries to get behind Obama.

Between Monday's convention opening and Thursday night's acceptance speech by Obama at Denver's Invesco Field, delegates are expected to ratify his nomination and that of his vice presidential pick, Sen. Joseph Biden, another former primary rival.

Obama faces Republican Sen. John McCain in November in the contest for the presidency. McCain's campaign has poked at the old Obama-Clinton splits with a campaign ad claiming Clinton was passed over for the No. 2 spot because she was too honest about Obama's perceived weaknesses.

"The truth hurt, and Obama didn't like it," McCain's ad says.

But Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois, an Obama supporter, told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday: "This campaign is not about Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton."

"His campaign is about George Bush and four more years of George Bush under John McCain," Jackson said. "That message is going to echo clearly from this platform."

A new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Sunday night showed that Obama's lead over McCain has evaporated. Forty-seven percent of those questioned are backing Obama, with an equal amount supporting McCain.

Taken after Biden's selection, the poll showed that the number of Clinton Democrats who said they would vote for McCain increased 11 points since June, enough to account for most of the support McCain gained.

NDTV's BMW case expose: Anand, Khan found guilty

2008-08-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

Delhi High Court has found R K Anand and I U Khan guilty in NDTV's BMW case expose that showed the nexus between defence and prosecution lawyers and a witness in the BMW hit and run case.

Anand and Khan have been convicted in the case for obstructing administration of justice.

A Division Bench headed by Justices Manmohan Sarin and Madan B Lokur has barred R K Anand, I U Khan from appearing in High Court and all Delhi courts for four months.

However, they can practice legal consultancy.

The court has also recommended stripping the convicted lawyers of their designation as senior advocates while imposing Rs 2,000 as fine on them.

Making no bones about their displeasure the two-judge bench of Justices Manmohan Sarin and Madan B Lokur said: "R K Anand and I U Khan on account of their conduct have forfeited the right to enjoy the honour conferred on them by the court of being senior advocates. We recommend to the full court to strip them of their designation as such."

It's the first time in constitutional history that senior lawyers like this have faced such a penalty.

Here are some damning excerpts from the high court's judgement on Thursday.

Court on NDTV BMW expose:

"We are left without a shadow of doubt that Anand who was a key player, was interfering or at least tending to interfere in the due course of judicial proceedings. The unshakable truth is that Anand is guilty of criminal contempt of court. Both Anand and Khan have not tendered any apology."

The court, however, acquitted advocate Bhagwan Saini, associated with the BMW trial, of the contempt charges but cautioned him against indulging in unfair practices.

NDTV's expose caught defence lawyer RK Anand persuading a witness Sunil Kulkarni to change his testimony to save Sanjeev Nanda in collusion with public prosecutor I U Khan.

Sanjeev Nanda allegedly ran over seven people in January 1999, killing six of them. The case is still pending in the lower court and is in the final stages.

Nanda is the grandson of Admiral S M Nanda and son of arms dealer Suresh Nanda and is out on bail at present.

NDTV had submitted DVDs of all edited and unedited footage in court.

Both Anand and Khan said the tapes are doctored. However, both lawyers also contradicted themselves by acknowledging the conversation they had with Kulkarni.

Anand accused NDTV of bribing Kulkarni to frame him.

After viewing the clips, the judges said they were convinced that the tapes were not doctored.

The expose by NDTV had an immediate impact. The public prosecutor was removed the very next day and the Delhi High Court took suo motu cognizance.

The court also called the expose a serious matter, one that points to a "dangerous trend in the criminal justice system".

Later, a contempt of court was filed against Anand and Khan in the High Court. The Delhi Bar Council sent show cause notice to both the lawyers.

Even the Supreme Court turned down Anand's plea to change Justice Manmohan Sarin, one of the two judges hearing the case.

"You can't go bench hunting," the apex court told Anand.

Star Voice of India 2007 Winner, Ishmeet Singh died of drowning in Maldives

2008-07-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

Breaking News! Ishmeet Singh, winner of Star Voice of India 2007, died of drowning in Maldives. He had gone to Maldives this morning to participate in a music show on August 1. Ishmeet was from Ludhiana. According to reports, Ishmeet drowned in a swimming pool while having fun with his friends.

Ishmeet Singh won many hearts in India and abroad for his great singing skills. After being crowned the winner of Star Voice of India on November 24, 2007, he was handed over the trophy by legendary Lata Mangeshkar. The entire country plunged into grief and sadness at Ishmeet's untimely death.

Budget Bangkok: 15-cent trains, $1 meals

2008-07-28T04:02:00.000-07:00

Bangkok, July 27: From 15-cent train rides to excellent, one-dollar meals, Thailand's tropical capital is teeming with budget options for the penny-pinching traveler. Where else in the world can you get a free vasectomy?

It's easy to spend hundreds of dollars a day in Bangkok, home to some of the most luxurious hotels in the world. But following some guidelines, you can enjoy the city at a fraction of the price.

Accomodations: Most budget tourists head straight for Khao San Road, a lively, colorful area where you can pay as little as $4.50 a night for a bed in a dorm room. Despite the low price, the accommodations are perfectly decent. It's heaven for backpackers, but more recently is attracting more upmarket tourists as well.

In Bangkok's prime residential area of Sukhumvit Road, one budget option is Suk 11, a quirky guesthouse legendary among backpackers, where the halls have been remade with creaking wooden planks and hanging lanterns to look like old Bangkok alleyways. A bed in a clean, air-conditioned dorm room starts at $7.50.

Getting abroad: Buses in Bangkok charge only 15 cents for non-air-conditioned service, and up to 50 cents for AC vehicles.

Traveling in Bangkok during rush hour is an exercise in Zen patience, so tourists in a hurry would do best to use the excellent BTS Skytrain and underground Metro, with trips starting at 45 cents.

Trains in Bangkok are cheap. A third-class trip from some suburban areas to the heart of town cost as little as 15 cents. Or hop aboard one of the public ferries along the Chao Phraya River for some spectacular views from the water for 27 cents.

Food: You can pay as little as a dollar per meal at a neighborhood street stand. Follow the crowds. Any place packed with customers is bound to offer tasty, fresh fare.

Try the stalls at the Banana Family Park, near the Ari Road Skytrain stop, for tasty vegetarian options. Two meatless dishes cost 75 cents.

Massage: For a cheap and novel Thai massage, head to the Skills Development Center for the Blind, where sightless trainees charge just $3 per hour. The center is located just north of the city in Pak Kret.

Madame Joe's, staffed by graduates of the famous Wat Po Massage School, offers affordable massage in the Khao San area, at about $5.40 for one hour.

Bars: Cheap Charlie's, a ramshackle but atmospheric outdoor bar in the Sukhumvit area, has been popular with frugal ex-pats for years. Just $1.80 for small bottle of local brew.

Some bars have ladies night specials. Try Coyote on Convent Road where waiters will keep your margarita glass overflowing for free 6-8 pm on Wednesdays. The trendy Q Bar, in Sukhumvit, allows women to forgo the $15 cover on Wednesday nights.

Attractions and events: Museums and the more notable Buddhist temples in Bangkok are cheap, generally charging a dollar or two for entry, while parks, art galleries, less famous temples and outdoor shrines are free.

In the wee hours of the morning, the centrally located Lumpini Park fills up with fitness buffs. Look out for groups practicing yoga or tai chi. Instruction is in Thai, but most classes will allow you to join in for free. The fun ends at 8 am when the National Anthem is played, but crowds return at sundown for more exercise, including aerobics classes.

The Lingam Shrine, filled with phallic symbols, is a must-see among Bangkok's free oddities. Traditional dances are performed without charge at the Erawan Shrine, near the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel.

At Siam Square, a popular hangout for the younger crowd, free break dancing competitions and concerts take place in the shadows of chichi malls and high-end apartment complexes.

Check out BK Magazine http://www.bkmagazine.com/ or the "Real Time" section of Friday's Bangkok Post for up-to-date schedules of free performances and other events in the city.

Inside info: Just saying "hello" ("sawadee kha" if you are a woman; "sawadee krap" if you are a man) and "thank you" ("khopkhun kha/krap") may well get you a lower price, especially when bargaining in markets.

Never throw the grown-up version of temper tantrums. Thais abhor them -- and may add on some baht to your bill in revenge.

As for those free vasectomies? The Population and Community Development Association offers them to any man, any nationality, who has fathered two children already. How's that for a good deal?

Sleeper cells make all the difference to terror strikes

2008-07-28T03:54:00.000-07:00

Friday's serial blasts in Bengaluru and a day later in Ahmedabad are an indication that terror outfits are able to strike at will. And providing this capability, is a network of sleeper cells, say agencies involved with the probe.

The Intelligence Bureau says all terror strikes are executed through sleeper cells, with the latter either directly involved in the attacks or, two, by providing logistical support to those who carry out the attacks.

The IB provides the example of Afsar Pasha, a terror suspect arrested in Karnataka who disclosed a plan to blast the Vidhan Soudha and other key installations in Karnataka, to explain how the network operates.

Pasha was the member of a sleeper cell in Karwar, coastal Karnataka, and worked as a mechanic. The IB says most sleeper cell operatives hold a regular job for most part of the year. Arrests across the country show that most of the youth who are part of sleeper cells work as mechanics, STD booth operators and, in some cases, insurance agents.

The IB points out that these jobs involve meeting a lot of people which in turn helps them gather data. Of late, there is also an increasing trend to recruit educated youth. However, their role is largely restricted to data collection and improvising techniques during terror strikes, says IB.

Mechanic Afsar Pasha revealed during his interrogation that his initial job was largely confined to gathering data and providing logistical support. However, as he gained more experience, he was directed to take part in field activities, meaning he had to actively take part in terror strikes.

The IB says based on the interrogation of several terrorists they have gathered considerable information regarding the working of sleeper cells. For the most part they remain inactive, apart from collecting data, training cadres and doing recruitments. The data is passed on to their supervisors through e-mail and/or on the telephone.

Once the decision is taken to strike, a couple of members from the sleeper cells are chosen to carry out the attack. The persons undertaking the attack are known as foot soldiers, the IB says.

A set pattern is that members of local sleeper cells are usually not the ones who carry out an attack in their jurisdiction. A person from another sleeper cell is sent in for this, with the local member only providing logistical support.

The IB also says members of sleeper cells work as a close-knit group. Normally, in a serial terror strike, nearly 10 people are involved. While a team of five would plant the bombs, two work as a back-up and the rest would provide data.

The IB says there is a general belief that the sleeper cells are housed away from the main city or town area, and in busy market areas so that the members can blend in with the crowds. An IB document states, 'It is not necessary for visiting terrorists to make a beeline to the... (local rendezvous points). The handlers from their intelligence agencies provide them with a blueprint of hubs or cells.'

The IB further states that the sleeper cells which are patronised by Pakistan are mainly involved in collection of geographical and geo-strategic information. Until a few years back these cells only undertook intelligence-related work, but with the Indianisation of jihad gaining ground, sleeper cells have been directed to carry out the attacks.

The IB says the functioning of sleeper cells could be summed up as:

Evaluation of intelligence input

Selection of target

Selection of volunteers

Preparation of bomb squads, usually three of them

Identification of targets in India

In case outsiders are doing the strike, their transportation

Providing safe houses

Putting together the explosives

Identifying talent within the cell to plant the device

Dispersal and evacuation

Hole forces Qantas plane to land

2008-07-25T06:25:00.000-07:00

Airport staff inspect damage under the aircraft

A passenger plane en route from London to Melbourne has made an emergency landing in the Philippines after a large hole appeared in its fuselage.

Qantas Airways said its Boeing 747-400, with 346 passengers and 19 crew, diverted to Manila shortly after leaving Hong Kong and landed safely.

Engineers are investigating what caused the hole - about 2.5m to 3m in diameter - that led to cabin pressure problems.

An airport official said passengers looked scared and some were sick.

Airport authority spokesman Octavio Lina said part of the flooring near the affected section gave way, exposing some of the cargo below, and part of the ceiling also collapsed.

"Upon disembarkation, there were some passengers who vomited. You can see in their faces that they were really scared," he said.

'Gust of wind'

Passengers described hearing a large bang and feeling a rush of wind and debris through the cabin about an hour after Flight QF30 left Hong Kong at 0900 local time (0100 GMT).

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said the aircraft made an emergency descent from 29,000ft to 10,000ft. It said initial information indicated that a section of the fuselage had separated in the area of the forward cargo compartment.

A passenger films the Qantas forced landing from inside the plane

Passenger Olivia Lucas told the BBC everyone was "pretty scared for a few moments".

"Then everyone focused on getting their oxygen masks on," she said. "Everyone was calm and quiet and there was notable relief when we landed. Everyone applauded the pilot."

"We are very lucky we landed safely and no-one was hurt."

Phill Restall, from the UK, was woken "with a jolt" by the loud bang before the plane descended rapidly.

"No-one panicked, there was no screaming. It wasn't your typical television movie," he told the BBC News website.

"Everyone listened to the cabin staff."

He said other passengers had told him young children in the main cabin were crying.

Delayed shock

Mr Restall, who was reassured to see the engines "still spinning", said they wore the oxygen masks for about 15 minutes, until the plane levelled out.

WHY QF30 DESCENDED 20,000FT

Planes are pressurised as cruising altitudes are freezing and lack sufficient oxygen to breathe

Hole causes decompression, rapidly reducing air pressure and risking exposure

Oxygen masks are deployed and pilot makes emergency descent to breathable altitude

The pilot then told passengers they were going to land in Manila to have a look at the damage.

"Everyone was fairly calm, partly because they didn't realise the extent of it," he said.

"After we disembarked it started to dawn on people that this was a major incident. There were 350 people up there who were very lucky.

"Seeing the hole caused a lot of emotion. People were physically shaking. Many realised how close they were to their own mortality."

Other passengers reported seeing items flying out of the aircraft.

Dr David Newman, of Flight Medicine Systems, says forcing the plane into a rapid descent after a sudden loss of pressure is a standard emergency procedure.

He says that when cruising, the internal cabin is pressurised to a much lower altitude than outside the aircraft, which is also extremely cold.

"When you've lost pressure, all that high pressure air in the cabin leaves the airplane and from a medical point of view you've got the risk of lack of oxygen - which is compensated for by the oxygen masks," he said.

"The descent is designed to limit how much time you spend up there and of course one of the other issues is that the mass flow of air leaving the airplane - if it's an explosive decompression - will take a lot of loose objects and articles around the cabin and basically try and leave the aircraft via the hole."

The flight, which had been due to arrive in Melbourne at 1145 GMT, landed in Manila just after 0300 GMT (1100 local time ).

Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said engineers were investigating what might have caused the hole in the fuselage.

He said Qantas had provided all passengers with accommodation and a replacement aircraft had been arranged.

Top 9 Funniest News paper Classifieds

2008-07-22T00:29:00.000-07:00

1. Illiterate? Write today for free help.

(man....if only I knew A B C....) :d

2. Auto Repair Service. Free pick-up and delivery. Try us once; you'll never go anywhere again.

(sure...thanx for the warning!) :d

3. 3-year old teacher needed for pre-school. Experience preferred.

(in months or years?) :d

4. Used Cars: Why go elsewhere to be cheated. Come here first.

(check it out) :d

5. Dog for sale: eats anything and is fond of children.

(howwww sweeeet) :d

6. Man wanted to work in dynamite factory. Must be willing to travel.

(wow! A free trip to heaven?) :d

7. Tired of cleaning yourself. Let me do it.

(uh...huh!) :d

8. Wanted. Man to take care of cow that does not smoke or drink.

(hey....who taught cows the bad habit??)

9. We do not tear your clothing with machinery. We do it carefully by hand.

Skin cancer fear 'may harm bones'

2008-07-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

Campaigns on the dangers of too much sun have been very successful

Worries over skin cancer mean that some people are shunning the sun altogether - which could endanger their health, a poll has found.

The National Osteoporosis Society (NOS) says lack of vitamin D - part-made by being in the sun - could raise the chances of brittle bone disease.

It advised having lunch outside, gardening or hanging out the washing.

A Cancer Research UK spokesman agreed, but said enough vitamin D could be made long before the first signs of sunburn.

Lying on the beach for two weeks will not top up levels for the rest of the year

Professor Roger Francis
National Osteoporosis Society

Skin cancer rates have soared in recent years, and health campaigners increasingly urge people to limit the amount of time they spend in direct sunlight without the protection of sunscreen or clothing.

However, the NOS said its survey of more than 2,600 people in June revealed that many believe there is no such thing as safe sun exposure.

Three-quarters of those questioned said that sunscreen should always be applied before going out in the sun.

However, the NOS said that not getting at least 15 to 20 minutes of sunlight on the skin every day could be harmful.

Light falling on the skin produces vitamin D, which is important for bone strength, and studies suggest that low levels of this could raise the risk of osteoporosis, which affects half of all women and a fifth of men over the age of 50.

Outdoors only

Professor Roger Francis, from the NOS Medical Board, said its finding showed the success of public health messages on skin cancer.

"We are not advocating spending lengthy periods in the sun, as too much sun causes skin ageing and melanoma.

"Furthermore, staying in the sun too long means that the body breaks down surplus vitamin D shortly after it is produced.

"Lying on the beach for two weeks will not top up levels for the rest of the year."

He urged people to get out into the light every day - even during cloudy days - to get enough vitamin D to last through the winter.

Simply sitting by a closed window or in a conservatory was not enough, he said, as this did not produce vitamin D.

Caroline Cerny, from Cancer Research UK, which runs its SunSmart campaign to warn people about skin cancer, said the key was a sensible approach.

"The amount of time in the sun required to make enough vitamin D changes from person to person and depends on things like skin type, time of day, time of year, and where you are in the world .

"We all need a bit of sunshine in our lives, but it's important to remember that the amount of sun needed to make enough vitamin D is always less than the amounts that cause reddening of the skin or sunburn."

Sarkozy denies pressurising Irish

2008-07-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

Both leaders said they were working jointly to find a "solution"

French President Nicolas Sarkozy insists that no EU "solution" will be imposed on the Republic of Ireland to break the Lisbon Treaty impasse.

Speaking after talks in Dublin, he said there was "no misunderstanding" about a possible second Irish referendum.

Irish voters rejected the EU reform treaty in a referendum on 12 June.

Mr Sarkozy denied having suggested that Ireland hold a new referendum. "I said at some point or other the Irish must give their opinion," he told reporters.

"I never said Ireland had to organise a new referendum... I understand it's the Irish who must decide," he said, but added that "we're a Europe of 27". He noted that 23 member states had already ratified the treaty.

He was addressing a joint news conference with Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen, after their talks.

Election timetable

Both leaders pointed to the European Parliament elections in June 2009, which they said would have to be held either under the Lisbon Treaty or the current Nice Treaty, which was designed for no more than 27 member states.

Protesters asked: "So what does democracy in Europe mean?"

Earlier this month, Mr Sarkozy was quoted as saying the Republic of Ireland would have to hold a second referendum on the EU treaty. The BBC's Jonny Dymond in Dublin says that reported remark annoyed many Irish politicians.

Several hundred anti-treaty protesters rallied outside the government building in Dublin during Mr Sarkozy's brief visit.

The French president met not only Irish politicians but also business leaders and campaigners from the Yes and No camps in the Lisbon Treaty debate.

Ireland was the only one of 27 EU member states to hold a referendum on the treaty, which is aimed at streamlining EU institutions to improve decision-making in the enlarged bloc.

Critics see the treaty as further evidence of a federalist, pro-integration agenda at work in the EU.

After the Irish No vote, Mr Cowen's government said it would analyse the reasons for the result and present its ideas at an EU summit in October. France took over the EU's six-month rotating presidency on 1 July.

"We'll work together on this, there are no ready-made solutions," Mr Cowen told reporters on Monday.

He plans to visit Paris in September for further talks with Mr Sarkozy on resolving the treaty impasse.

Mandela celebrates 90th birthday

2008-07-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

Nelson Mandela, the man credited with ending apartheid in South Africa, has marked his 90th birthday by calling for the rich to do more for the poor.

"If you are poor, you are not likely to live long," he said at his village house in Eastern Cape province for a birthday interview.

He is expected to spend the day at home with his family.

His predecessor as president, FW de Klerk, described him as one of the greatest figures of the last century.

Mr Mandela was jailed for 27 years for his ANC activities but went on to become the country's first black president in 1994.

Since stepping down in 1999, he has become South Africa's highest-profile ambassador, campaigning against HIV/Aids and helping to secure his country's right to host the 2010 football World Cup.

Nelson Mandela used his personal charm... to mould our widely diverse communities into an emerging multicultural nation

FW de Klerk
former South African president

Key figures in Mandela's life

World leaders' tributes

Your stories: Meeting Mandela

In 2004, at the age of 85, Mr Mandela retired from public life to spend more time with his family and friends and engage in "quiet reflection".

On Friday, he appeared before reporters to say: "There are many people in South Africa who are rich and who can share those riches with those not so fortunate who have not been able to conquer poverty".

The fight against poverty is one of the causes taken up by Mr Mandela, the BBC's Peter Biles reports from Johannesburg.

Three years ago, the former president attended a huge rally in London as part of the Make Poverty History campaign.

Party mood

Mr de Klerk, who was awarded the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize along with Mr Mandela, said the former president was a born leader with the "assurance, the humility and the grace of a true natural aristocrat".

LANDMARKS

1918 - Born in the Eastern Cape

1964 - Sentenced to life for high treason

1990 - Freed from prison

1993 - Wins Nobel Peace Prize

1994 - Elected first black president

2004 - Retires from public life

2005 - Announces his son has died of an HIV/Aids-related illness

Mandela's life and times

Audio slideshow: Mandela's life

Mandela: A nation's icon

As president, he added, Mr Mandela had "used his personal charm to... mould our widely diverse communities into an emerging multicultural nation".

Friday also marks 10 years since Mr Mandela married his third wife, Graca Machel.

"He is simply a wonderful husband... and we enjoy every single day as if it is the last day," she told CNN.

The official birthday party is due to be held on Saturday in a gigantic white marquee erected in Qunu village.

Three cows are to be slaughtered for the festivities, with the banquet menu featuring traditional food such as tripe and sheep's heads, AFP news agency reports.

Birthday celebrations abroad have been going on for several weeks, including a concert in June in London's Hyde Park.

In other birthday events, reported by the South African Press Association:

The Eastern Cape agricultural department gives at least 150 goats to poor communities
The ANC unfurls two huge banners of Mr Mandela on the side of its headquarters, Luthuli House

'True icon'

Many of those who have worked with Nelson Mandela and had a close friendship with him over the years say that behind the adulation he inspires there is a very human and often extremely private figure, the BBC's Mike Wooldridge reports.

Three generations reflect on Mandela

Fellow Robben Island prisoner Mac Maharaj told our correspondent Mr Mandela was truly an icon.

He reduced a veteran white police officer to tears on his inauguration day when he walked over to him, shook his hand and told him "today you have become our police".

But Mr Maharaj argues that the event that sheds most light on Nelson Mandela's character was the killing of the popular ANC leader Chris Hani in 1993.

Mr Maharaj believes that if Nelson Mandela had called for an insurrection in response it would have been unstoppable but, instead, he went on television to call for calm and commitment to democracy.

Malaysia's Anwar released on bail

2008-07-17T00:20:00.000-07:00

Malaysian police have released opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on bail after he was arrested in connection with allegations of sodomy.

He was held for questioning over the allegations just hours before he had been due to make a police statement.

The former deputy prime minister, who could still face charges, has accused the government of orchestrating the allegations to discredit him.

"They have no case against me," Mr Anwar told reporters after his release.

The 60-year-old has been in a tense stand-off with police since a former male aide accused him of sodomy two weeks ago.

Sodomy, even between consenting adults, is a crime in Malaysia and is punishable by 20 years' imprisonment in the Muslim-majority country.

His arrest is likely to exacerbate the political tensions that have emerged since the opposition's unprecedented gains in the general election of March 2008.

Intense pressure

Speaking to reporters outside police headquarters, the former lawyer said he had left the building.

"He was driven off in his wife's car through the back exit," said Sivarasa Rasiah.

Anwar's supporters have not so far held large demonstrations

Mr Anwar's arrest will have been seen as provocative by Malaysian opposition groups, says the BBC's Robin Brant in Kuala Lumpur.

When he was arrested on similar charges 10 years ago, his supporters staged large demonstrations.

They had promised to do the same this time but, so far, no big protests have taken place, our correspondent says.

Only a handful of supporters gathered outside the police headquarters, despite calls by the opposition for a show of support.

Mr Anwar has given a statement to police but refused to provide a DNA sample, AFP news agency quoted his lawyers as saying.

Under the bail conditions, he is required to report back to police on 18 August.

Mr Anwar has said the allegations are part of a conspiracy to try to derail his efforts to bring down the government after his significant gains in the general election.

The sodomy accusations came only weeks after Mr Anwar said he was in a position to launch a challenge to the ruling coalition, with the help of government defectors.

The opposition leader made his claim at a time when Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is already under intense pressure to resign over poor election results and high fuel prices.

Mr Abdullah has said he will leave office in 2010, defying pressure to step down this December.

Aarushi murder: Dr Talwar released from jail

2008-07-12T05:52:00.000-07:00

Dr Rajesh Talwar, accused of murdering his own daughter Aarushi and his domestic help Hemraj, was released on Saturday after spending 50 days in jail.

On Friday, the CBI said that they have no evidence against him.

It was an emotional reunion for the Talwar family as Dr Talwar walked out of the jail. He was received by his wife Nupur Talwar and his brother Dinesh Talwar.

Dr Talwar visited a temple on their way home after coming out of the jail. He spoke very briefly to the media saying that he planned no action against Noida police. His brother Dinesh Talwar asked mediapersons, who were available in full strength, to give them some time.

''Give us some time. Don't you understand our situation? Please bear with us,'' said Dinesh.

Speaking about Dr Talwar's life in the Dasna Jail, jailor Ramji Singh said, ''He used to lead a very simple life. He was fond of drinking tea and reading newspapers. Everyday he would do yoga for 15 to 20 minutes. He wanted to put his expertise as a dentist to proper use in the jail. There was a dentist's chair that we got repaired so that he could use it. We are very happy that he is released. When asked about Aarushi, he used to break down and cry.''

In jail he underwent not only rigorous interrogation by the UP police and the CBI but also a trial by the media.

He lost everything, his job, his reputation and worst of all, he did not even get a chance to grieve for his daughter because he was thrown into jail, just days after her brutal murder.

The Aarushi-Hemraj double murder case took a new turn on Friday with a court giving bail to Dr Talwar after the CBI told the court there was no evidence against him.

The CBI also pointed out that the UP police, which had first arrested him also had no evidence against him. The UP police had made several innuendos about the character of Dr Talwar and Aarushi Talwar.

Exhaustion never forced me out of Test series:Ganguly

2008-07-10T22:15:00.000-07:00

Indirectly taking a dig at India Twenty20 and one-day skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni skipping the upcoming Sri Lanka series citing exhaustion, former captain Sourav Ganguly on Thursday said during his captaincy days he could not have `afforded` pulling out of a Test series.

I don`t remember missing out on a Test or a series when I was the captain. Perhaps I could not afford that. For captain Dhoni, who is also the wicketkeeper and the batsman of the team, I think he must have felt fatigued," Ganguly said.

"It also depends on your position in the side; I`m sure not many players, with a place in the side not guaranteed, will be able to do that. It depends how much threat for the place you have in the team. I know only one player who has been able to do it successfully --- Sachin Tendulkar."

Ganguly was quick to add that it was the Ranchi wicketkeeper-batsman`s personal decision.

Asked whether the Indian Premier League extravaganza was to be blamed for the player fatigue, Ganguly said, "I don`t think it opens up the IPL vs country debate."

Disappointed that he was not among the 30 best one-day cricketers of the country as announced while picking the Champions Trophy probables, Ganguly said it was high time that he stopped looking forward to the 50-over version.

"I was not part of the side for seven months, and, having been ignored for the Champions Trophy probables, for the next three months also I won`t be part of one-day cricket. So obviously I don`t look forward to that. You may call it I was pushed out or was asked to go out ... what I look forward to is to do well in the Sri Lanka tour," Ganguly said.

The 36-year-old left hander, however, said he was not mulling on retirement from one-day cricket. On India`s final match jinx, especially after losing back-to-back finals, first in Bangladesh tri-series and then in the Asia Cup, Ganguly said, "It will be difficult for me to comment on the side."

"I`m not part of the side for many days and I don`t know about the new team. However, it will be harsh to judge them so early. Give them some time before we make a judgement."

Asked whether Twenty20 had robbed one-day of some lustre, Ganguly said, "I don`t think there is any lack of interest in ODIs after the advent of Twenty20."

"While I was in England, I went to watch an ODI at a venue there and I saw a packed house. I`m sure when the ODI format returns to India, we`ll see the same packed house as it was earlier. All the three formats will have the same public interest."

PM meets President, says ready for trust vote

2008-07-10T21:58:00.000-07:00

New Delhi, July 10, 2008: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met President Pratibha Patil on Thursday evening, and sought a trust vote in Parliament. He has reportedly told the President that a special session of Parliament would be convened for a floor test on July 17 or 18. The PM-President meeting lasted for 30 minutes.

Since PM believes he has the numbers to ensure the government does not fall. He is willing to face a trust vote before the board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency. He believes his position as far as going to the IAEA has been consistent, as he never ruled out beginning the process with the IAEA.

The government will convene a special session of Parliament for a floor test either on July 17 or 18, said the sources adding the government would withdraw the IAEA and NSG texts if the government fails to win the confidence vote.

The President had on Wednesday night asked Singh to meet her today after the Left parties withdrew support to the Congress-led coalition.

The President may follow the precedence set by one of her predecessors K R Narayanan of not calling for a confidence vote if she is convinced that the UPA government has the requisite number of Parliamentarians.

The Prime Minister also met External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee this morning, prior to his audience with the President.

Mukherjee is understood to have briefed Singh on the developments in the wake of government's decision to go ahead on the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

Further, the Congress party is believed to have asked its MPs to remain in the country till July 22, which suggests that the government might convene the special Parliament session and seek trust vote before that date.

Singh returned from Japan after the G-8 summit well past midnight Wednesday.

The Left parties had yesterday submitted letters announcing the snapping of ties with the UPA government and also submitted a list of 60 MPs and a joint letter signed by leaders of – CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc – asking the President to direct the Prime Minister to seek a vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha immediately.

Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh and its Parliamentary Party leader Ramgopal Yadav also met the President and gave a fresh letter of support of 39 of its MPs to the government.

Abu Dhabi buys into NY landmark

2008-07-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

The iconic Chrysler Building dominates the New York skyline

The controlling stake in one of New York's most famous landmarks, the Chrysler Building, has been sold to the Abu Dhabi government's commercial arm.

Prudential Financial confirmed it had sold its 75% stake in the Manhattan Art Deco skyscraper to the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC).

The council, which has not commented on the deal, was reported to have paid about $800m (£400m) for the stake.

The remaining 25% of the building is owned by property firm Tishman Speyer.

Prudential spokeswoman Theresa Miller confirmed that ADIC had bought its share of the skyscraper, according to the Associated Press.

Sovereign investments

In recent months, a number of iconic buildings on Manhattan's skyline have been the target of Middle Eastern investors.

The investment has often come from sovereign wealth funds, which are established by governments who have large surpluses of money - typically earned from oil and gas revenues - which they wish to invest abroad.

In June, a Dubai fund, Boston Properties and Goldman Sachs paid $2.8bn for the General Motors Building.

The ADIC is one of the world's richest sovereign funds, with an estimated $800bn of assets under management.

Last November, it made a $7.5bn investment in US banking giant Citigroup.

But governments in France, Germany, and the US have raised concerns that these funds could use their wealth to buy up key strategic assets or exert political leverage on Western companies and governments.

The International Monetary Fund's working group on sovereign wealth funds met in Singapore on Wednesday to try and address those concerns and to draw up a voluntary code of conduct for the industry.

Analysts say energy-rich governments in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and other Gulf countries are taking advantage of falling prices to invest in property and financial firms around the world.

Middle Eastern investors have spent $1.8bn this year on commercial US property, according to research firm Real Capital Analytics.

The Chrysler Building at 405 Lexington Avenue was designed by William Van Alen and completed in 1930 for car maker Chrysler.

At 319m (1,046ft) high, the building was the world's tallest skyscraper before it was surpassed by the Empire State Building a year later.