Ramesh gives go-ahead to Posco steel plant, but with conditions

New Delhi: After putting the project on hold last year, Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh today granted conditional clearance for South Korean major Posco's USD 12 billion steel mill project in Orissa.
   
The Ministry, while granting conditional green clearance for steel-cum-captive-power plant and a captive minor port, however, sought Orissa Government's assurances before it can give final approval for diversion of 1253 hectares of forest land for the project, mooted as the single biggest foreign direct investment in India.
   
"Environmental clearance for the steel-cum-captive power plant is being accorded with 28 additional conditions over and above stipulated in the original environmental clearance of July 19, 2007," Ramesh said in his order.
   
"The environmental clearance for captive port is being accorded with 32 additional conditions over and above stipulated in the original environmental clearance of May 15, 2007," the order signed by the Minister said.
   
Ramesh also asked Orissa government to give a categorical assurance that those claiming to be dependent on or cultivating the land in the Posco project area do not belong to the other traditional forest dwellers (OTFD) category under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
   
This, according to him, would make it clear that there are no legally tenable claims of non-tribals wanting recognition as OTFDs under the FRA.
   
"Final approval of diversion of 1253 hectares of forest land for the Posco project would be granted as soon as this assurance of the state government is received by the MoEF," the Minister said.
   
In August last year, Environment Ministry had directed the Orissa government to stop land acquisition for Korean steel giant Posco because it violates the Forest Rights Act.
   
The step was taken on the basis of a ground report submitted by a three-member committee set up by the Environment and Tribal Affairs Ministries.
   
The state government and Pohang Steel Company (POSCO), signed an MoU on June 22, 2005 for setting up an integrated steel plant of a total capacity of 12 million tonnes per annum at Paradeep in Jagatsinghpur district.
   
The plant would be located on the northwestern bank of the Jatadharmohan river creek, 12 km south of the Paradeep Port requiring a total of 1620.496 hectares of land of which 1253.225 hectares is forest land and would affect eight villages in Erasama block of Kujang Tehsil.
   
The MoU also envisaged that the company would develop and operate a mining project in areas allocated by the government; a transportation project which includes a dedicated railway line, road and port; integrated township and water supply infrastructure.
   
But the project was delayed over green issues and protests by local residents who alleged that the setting up of plant would affect their largely agriculture and forest-based livelihoods.

PTI

Madhuri is like lady Michael Jackson: Remo D’Souza

He loves her grace, her precision and her moves. Choreographer Remo D’Souza, who worships only late King of Pop Michael Jackson after Jesus Christ, says “Madhuri (Dixit) is like lady MJ”.

“I have always been very fond of Madhuri. I love almost all of her songs and her dance is incomparable. Today’s actresses don’t come close to her dance and expressions. She is so flexible, so emotive – for me, she is completely like lady Michael Jackson,” Remo told IANS.

Just as he picked up the art of dancing by watching Jackson’s videos, Remo also tried to emulate Madhuri’s filmy steps.

“Once, very long time back, I had to train one girl for a competition…that time I learnt all of Madhuri’s steps in ‘Ek do teen’ to teach the girl. Madhuri was fabulous in it. But my favourite song featuring her is ‘Humko aajkal hai’ from the film ‘Sailaab’,” he said.

Remo vied for many years to meet Madhuri – in studios, at film shootings and screenings, but his big chance came when he was asked to share the stage with her as the judge of Sony TV’s “Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 4″.

“I was overjoyed on meeting Madhuri. She has been my favourite all through,” said the choreographer, who feels Prabhu Deva and Hrithik Roshan are the only two Indian male stars, who can dance like MJ.

Now the hip-hop specialist has a wish to make Madhuri and Hrithik dance to his tunes.

“I feel Hrithik will do complete justice to my style of dancing. There aren’t too many actors who can dance well…he is the best among the current lot,” he said.

For now, Remo is gearing up for the release of “Faltu”, his second directorial project after Bengali film “Lal Pahare’r Katha”.

The choreographer-turned-director says: “Thank god I’m not in Hollywood where if you’re once a choreographer, you’ll always be a choreographer. I am lucky I am a part of Bollywood because here a choreographer not just teaches dance steps, he is responsible for directing a complete song. So after directing a whole lot of songs during my career, I am competent enough to make a film.”

As for his choreography projects, Remo has worked on “Patiala House”, and will soon be working on four songs in Prakash Jha’s “Aarakshan”, which also features megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

‘Yeh Saali Zindagi’ about twisted tales of love

Known for making realistic and thrilling cinema with romance as an integral part, director Sudhir Mishra returns with “Yeh Saali Zindagi”, about the unpredictability of life and complexity in relationships.

What happens when you are screwed in love? Irrfan Khan, Arunoday Singh, Chitrangada Singh and Aditi Rao Hydari will show you the quirky, romantic coincidences and commotions through their characters Arun, Kuldeep, Priti and Shanti respectively in “Yeh Saali Zindagi”, which is releasing Friday.

In the film, Arun (Irrfan) has to save Priti (Chitrangada) the woman he loves, but before that he has to save the man Priti loves – Shyam who is the future son-in-law of a powerful minister.

On the other hand, time is running out for Kuldeep (Arunoday), a gangster, who is on his last job as his wife threatens to walk out on him. But he believes that she is cheating on him and wants to leave him for another man.

Kuldeep can handle dreaded gangsters, but when it comes to his wife, he is weak and soft. He is screwed when the minister’s daughter calls off her engagement with Shyam whom Kuldeep has held captive. She doesn’t care about Shyam any more; neither does the minister who Kuldeep hoped would pay the ransom.

The film shows how far these two men would go to get the women they love and how sometimes what they believe to be a goof-up can also help put things on the right track.

While Irrfan and Arunoday are working for the first time with Mishra, this is Chitrangada’s second film with the filmmaker after “Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi” in 2005.

“She gives lots of grace to rather complicated stories. There is a lot of depth in her performance. Whenever I would have a part like that, I would go for her,” the filmmaker said.

Made at a budget of about Rs.10 crore, the film is produced by Prakash Jha and was shot in Delhi. The director canned the scenes in areas like Chandni Chowk and Karol Bagh and even in a village on the outskirts of the capital.

Sitarist Nishat Khan has composed the music, while Swanand Kirkire penned lyrics.

As a director Mishra has made his mark with “Dharavi ” and “Chameli”, but his last outing “Raat Gayi Baat Gayi” was not so successful and another directorial ventureof his, “Tere Kya Hoga Johnny”, has yet to see the light of the day. Hence “Yeh Saali Zindagi” is an important film for him and he is leaving no stones unturned to promote it.

The critically acclaimed director even launched online game – Love Rescue Mission – on the official Facebook fan page of the movie and got overwhelming response. Hopefully, the movie gets same kind of response at the box office when it opens.

“It’s a relief that the film is releasing. It’s releasing well, Prakash Jha is behind the film, actors are good, people are liking the film, the promos are creating a good buzz, music is very good…finally it seems things are on track,” Mishra told IANS.

So far movies released this year enjoyed a good run at the box office. “Yeh Saali Zindagi” is the first release of the second month of the year and hopefully it continues the success story.

Duped Indian students ignored red flags

WASHINGTON: Hundreds of Indian students who have gotten scammed by a dodgy California-based university had it coming. Tri-Valley University (TVU) had a reputation as a "Diploma Mill" that offered a spurious route to employment and immigration in the US. Inquiring students and professionals knew about it, discussed it in immigration forums, and warned others about it.

But eager beavers looking for a short cut to emigrating to the US through a questionable academic route ignored the red flags. After US authorities busted the scam, an estimated 1500 students, some of them gullible victims, some of them scheming immigrant hopefuls, face financial loss, loss of credits, loss of time, loss of face, and in some cases, even face deportation. 
Here's how the scam unfolded: India, from among all countries, has been sending the maximum number of students to US colleges over the past decade – some 10,000 to 15,000 each year. Most aspiring students try and get into the top 50 schools, which have stringent qualifying standards, including exams such as GRE and GMAT, besides TOEFL, an English proficiency test. The process involves gaining admission on the basis of test scores, in lieu of which the university, if it accredited and complaint with US rules, sends an I-20 document to the accepted student, which he or she presents to the embassy or consulate in the home country to get an F-1 student visa.

But in recent years, several dodgy universities have come up which waive GRE/GMAT requirements as long as students can pay thousands of dollars up front in the form of various 'fees.' More pertinently, these colleges dubiously facilitate Optional Practical Training(OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT), the two routes to employment at the end of the college degree, from the first day of enrollment.

Typically, in recognized, well-regarded universities, all students must be enrolled as full-time students for a year before receiving CPT/OPT. For the hundreds of thousands of Indian students who have eventually become US citizens, OPT and CPT are the first steps to employment--based visa (usually H1-B), Green Card, and citizenship, in that order.

TVU and similar schools had a "well-earned" reputation of shortening the process by offering OPT/CPT from day one – which meant "students" could get on the employment track even as they began "college." In fact, TVU didn't even have a campus in the traditional sense. It had a solitary, sorry-looking building, bought in April 2010, which housed everything from administrative offices to classrooms, from which random lectures were transmitted over the internet to "students" across the US, including those working other jobs. Under current US law, students cannot take only online courses while on an F-1 status, a scam TVU managed to perpetrate.

Founded by Susan Xiao-Ping Su and run mainly by Chinese Christians, with a few Indians in the "faculty," the school boasted that its mission "is to make Christian scientists, engineers, business leaders and lawyers for the glory of God, with both solid academic professionalism and Christian faith, therefore to live out Christ-like characters, value and compassion in the world, to make an impact and shine as its light."

If that wasn't enough to set off alarm bells, prospective students could have at least seen the writing on the wall – internet forums -- had they bother to trawl any. In an exchange that began in April 2010, students, both prospective, inquiring ones, and those already committed to TVU, duked it out online about the university and its practices. "Has any one got any experience with Tri-Valley University?" inquired one person on an immigration forum. He had heard they offer "hassle free admission, gre, gmat not mandatory, tofel (sic) is pretty much the only requirement low semester fee, OPT, CPT from the day the course starts. no tests, no mandatory online classes, a perfect way to bypass the visa process!"

In no time, there were red flags galore. "TVU is NOT accredited, so you can NOT get a degree from them. Any 'degree' they issue is worthless," wrote one forum member on May 19. "If you use a 'degree' from them for any immigration purpose, it would be fraud. You can also NOT use OPT or CPT from them. Any such use would be fraud." Unperturbed, the inquirer wrote back: "the degrees are worthless, but i thought that its enough to get CPT."

Other immigration forum members, some of them partisans and flaks for TVU, then argued about how if the university was not accredited, it could generate I-20, a document for prospective students that enables them to apply for and get F-1 student visa in their home country. "You are grasping at straws. Probably because you have signed up with them and now have been told that you got scammed. Scamming victims are often in denial...," wrote a user named Jo1234, warning, "I think TVU will eventually get into trouble with authorities...Their "degrees" are worthless. If you try to use them for an H1 or a GC, you would be committing fraud. Spend your money with a real university, not these fraudsters."

It took till January this year for US authorities to cotton on to the scam – or, to look at it charitably, to put together the manpower for a nationwide crackdown. Although TVU was based in Pleasanton, California, it's 'students' were scattered throughout the country, from the East Coast to Midwest to Deep South. Many of them were illegally employed. Although it was allowed only 30 foreign admissions pending accreditation, TVU had managed to work the system to enroll more than 1500 students. Apparently, there were companies across the US which used TVU's F-1 visa-based CPT/OPT to beat H1-B visa requirements, which regulate salary, insist on not replacing American workers etc.

On January 19, after raiding TVU, getting student records from the school, and shutting it down, immigration officials began knocking on the doors of TVU students across the country or serving NTAs (notice to appear) asking them to get in touch with the local office. In some cases, officials merely made preliminary inquiries. In others, students were interrogated for up to three hours. Some had their passports taken away, if they declined voluntary departure. And in rare cases, where officials found egregious violation of visa terms or questionable visas, students were shackled with electronic monitoring devices till further inquiries.

"It was terrifying," said one student who asked not to be named. "Out of the blue, all our dreams came crashing down."

But while there is the usual outrage and fire-spitting in India over the radio collar issue, it turns out that not all students are as gullible as was initially made out. Speaking on background, community leaders, attorneys, and even some students acknowledged that many people knew the whole process was questionable. One giveaway: According to representatives of the Telugu Association of North America (TANA), an estimated 95 per cent of the TVU admissions from India are from Andhra Pradesh, a fact that has prompted TANA to arrange legal representation for the students. "They are young kids whose future will be ruined. They are our people after all. We have to help them," says TANA's Jayaram Komati. According to one student, most victims paid up to $ 2800 per semester to Tri-Valley, some of them paying as much as $ 16,000 up front for a full course to obtain a shady degree.

The growing sense among officials and even the Indian community is that many students knew what they were getting into but still risked it. "They know what the rules are - problem is, some of them work within the Indian mentality that the rules are made to be avoided and that the government is a nuisance, not a power to be reckoned with," Nandita Ruchandani, a New York-area immigration attorney who has dealt with such cases, told ToI. Still, many attorneys, some of them working pro bono, are offering to help the students. Two attorneys arranged by TANA in the Bay Area are now working on several Tri-Valley cases.

On Sunday morning TANA arranged for a conference call with immigration attorneys at which more than 200 affected students called in. Among the student gripes, how could the US government undermine the process initiated by a college which it recognized enough to allow it to generate F-1 visas? And if it was a sham university as authorities were now claiming, how and why did the US consulates in India issue the visas?

Meanwhile, a steamed up Indian government, aghast at the radio tagging of a few students, has sought to free them of the ignominy even as the more gullible victims are wondering whether to return to India or keep a foot in the academic door through an appeals process. "We are in a dilemma ...Many students are afraid to go to immigration officers...they are taking away passports pending investigation, sometimes even for those going for voluntary self-departure," a Minneapolis-based student told ToI. The student, who transferred to Tri-Valley from another university, found the Pleasanton school dodgy enough to request a transfer late last year. But she says other schools declined to accept Tri-Valley credits. Stuck in the quagmire, she has gone by the advice of US authorities and phoned into the hotline they have established to provide details of her case. She hasn't heard back from them. It will be a long cold winter for many Indian students in the US. 

Hundreds of junior doctors in Bihar strike work

PATNA: Hundreds of junior doctors in Bihar went on an indefinite strike Monday, demanding action against a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislator and his bodyguard who fired at three interns of a hospital in Gaya district.

Three interns of the Anugrah Narain Magadh Medical College Hospital (ANMCH) in Gaya, about 100 km from here, were injured Sunday night when the security guard of opposition RJD legislator Surendra Prasad Yadav fired at them after a scuffle over the treatment of a woman patient.

According to police officials, some supporters of Yadav manhandled doctors at the emergency ward over the treatment of a woman patient. After doctors protested, some supporters threatened them and Yadav's security guard opened fire, injuring three interns.

Soon, relatives of other patients and locals joined the protesting doctors and torched a police jeep.

The functioning of the ANMCH was paralysed late Sunday night following the incident and the doctors struck work, demanding action against Yadav and his security guard.

Doctors of the Patna Medical College and Hospital here and Nalanda Medical College and Hospital also went on strike to protest the incident.

According to reports reaching here, medicos of Bhagalpur Medical College and Hospital have also joined the strike.

Messing in our waters will not be tolerated: Navy chief

 NEW DELHI: The Navy's sinking of a pirate 'mother vessel' off the Lakshadweep Islands will send a "strong message" to the sea brigands that India will not tolerate their nefarious designs anywhere near its waters, Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma told TOI on Sunday.

"There is no question of anybody messing in our waters or area... it's absolutely unacceptable to us," Admiral Verma said.

This comes after naval fast attack craft INS Cankarso sank Prantalay, a hijacked Thai trawler being used as a mother vessel by Somali pirates to carry out attacks for the last nine months, after a hot chase on Friday night. In the well-executed operation, the Navy apprehended 15 pirates as well as rescued 20 Thai and Myanmar nationals who had been taken hostage on board Prantalay. "The pirates are being interrogated... they are being brought to Mumbai for legal proceedings," Admiral Verma said.

Pirates have begun to operate with impunity far away from their bases in and around Somalia since last year, with some even launching attacks in the eastern Arabian Sea near the Lakshadweep Islands.

India in response has deployed some Navy and Coast Guard frigates and fast attack craft, along with patrol aircraft, helicopters and marine commandos, to "locate and disable pirate mother ships and skiffs" and "sanitise" the area.

"After our stepped-up deployment there, the trend is that the pirates have begun to move westwards, back towards the African coast," Admiral Verma said.

A committee of secretaries, headed by cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar, will meet this week to take stock of the piracy situation and the measures needed to thwart the sea brigands.

India has already proposed a five-point plan to the UN Security Council to strengthen international cooperation to tackle piracy off the coast of Somalia.

The measures range from tracking the trail of ransom money and conduct of anti-piracy operations under the UN flag to the enactment of national laws to criminalise piracy as defined in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. "India and other countries need to strengthen the legal framework to prosecute pirates," Admiral Verma said.

Both Navy and directorate-general of shipping have asked all merchant vessels to adopt "best management practices" in piracy-hit regions, including the creation of a "safe house or room" on the ship by fortifying the bridge or engine room, Admiral Verma said Incidentally, the Navy has warded off close to 30 piracy attempts since October 2008.

Ship catches fire near Mumbai, many stuck

Mumbai:  Many people are feared stuck on a ship, INS Vindhyagiri, which caught fire early on Monday morning near the Naval dockyard in Mumbai. The ship had collided with another vessel, MV Nordlake, on Sunday.

There were reports that the Naval dockyard could not control the fire and had sought help from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, which sent eight fire tenders and four jumbo tankers to douse the fire.

A tug has also been sent for rescue operations.

India will share Samjhauta Express Blast Info with Pak: PC

Davos: Home Minister P Chidambaram has said "some evidence" has emerged in the 2007 Samjhauta blast case and India will share information with Pakistan once the probe is over.

"We have not said that we will not provide evidence. These are early phases of investigation...once the investigation is complete we will share the evidence with Pakistani authorities," he said.

Chidambaram said that he had conveyed India's position to his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik.

"We had no indication (earlier) as to who may have been behind the attack. Now we have some evidence. A couple of people are suspects," he told a news channel here.


He said that right-wing Hindu group Abhinav Bharat member Swami Aseemanand has confessed his involvement in the Samjhauta case as also in the Malegoan blast case before a court.

PTI

ICC rejects BCCI appeal on Eden Gardens

New Delhi: In a major setback to the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and thousands of cricket enthusiasts of Bengal, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected the appeal of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to reconsider its earlier decision of shifting the World Cup match out of historic Eden Gardens for non-readiness of the venue.
In a press release, the BCCI has informed that the ICC today conveyed that there would be no India-England World Cup match at Eden Gardens on February 27.
The BCCI has recommended Bengaluru as the alternate venue for the match.
"The ICC has conveyed to the BCCI that it will not be able to hold the India Vs England match of the ICC CWC 2011 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on 27 February 2011.”

"The BCCI has recommended Bengaluru as the alternate venue," BCCI Secretary & President-Elect N Srinivasan said in the release.

The hectic political lobbying that was on for the past 48 hours since it was announced that Eden`s marquee match will be shifted went in vain with the BCCI announcing ICC`s verdict.

The last ditch effort by West Bengal Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee didn`t yield any results. Since morning, there were rumours in the CAB corridors that ICC might just consider the plea to extend the deadline of completion of work till February 7.

Even former BCCI president and Cricket Association of Bengal supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya who had a telephonic conversation with ICC president Sharad Pawar expressed a glimmer of hope as he was assured that ICC would send an e-mail intimating them about the list of dos.

"I have spoken to Pawar, N Srinivasan, Arun Jaitley, Ratnakar Shetty not less than five to six times.”

"Pawar is updating me about his whereabouts and in the afternoon -- around 2.30pm -- said the letter would come in half an hour. But we are yet to receive anything," an upset Dalmiya told reporters before he received the killer blow in the form of a final rejection from the ICC said.

It`s been a terrible setback for CAB that even someone as important as Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee`s intervention couldn`t tilt the scales in CAB`s favour.

So devastated was Dalmiya after hearing the news that he confined himself in his chamber at the DR B.C.Roy Club House at Eden Gardens and refused to come out.

"I have lot of things to sort out and I can`t talk to the media today," he literally ran for cover as the waiting mediapersons hounded him.

The joint secretary of the state association Biswarup Dey conceded that it`s all over for Eden Gardens as of now.

"We all thought that we have got a lifeline but now it seems that all hopes of having the match are over. I am speechless. If the best efforts from chief minister aren`t enough, what can we say? But I would definitely raise this question at the BCCI meeting that how Bangalore can get two matches when it was decided all centres will get a match each," was his feeble argument.

CBI raids in Adarsh Scam

Mumbai: In a massive search operations across the nation against three main accused in Adarsh scam, the CBI has raided at premises in Maharashtra and Bihar including a retired Army officer and a Congress leader, named in the FIR.

The searches were conducted at the residences and other places of the society`s general secretary R C Thakur, retired Brigadier M M Wanchoo and Congress leader K L Gidwani in various parts of Maharashtra and Bihar. The office of the Adarsh society located in posh Colaba here was among the places raided.

The raids come a day after the CBI filed an FIR naming 13 people, including former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and some retired senior Army officials.

"Searches are being conducted at Thakur`s residences in Bihar, Nagpur and Thane and Wanchoo`s house in Pune and Gidwani`s house in Mumbai.  

Egypt protests: Special Air India plane to bring back 300 Indians

New Delhi:  With Egypt engulfed in a wave of massive protests, India has sent a special plane to fly back its nationals from the troubled nation.

A special Air India flight has taken off to the Egyptian capital Cairo this evening to bring back 300 Indians, mainly women and children, who wanted to leave the country.

The arrangement for the special flight was made at the request of the Indian community in Egypt in view of the prevailing situation there, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement here.

The Indian Embassy at Cairo has already made special arrangements to airlift all Indian nationals living in the country who wanted to return home.

The arrangements are being coordinated by the Indian Ambassador to Egypt R Swaminathan.

The Embassy officials are in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs here, which is closely monitoring the situation.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said, "The Government of India is doing everything to safeguard and we are also taking steps for those who are keen to come back to India."

Meanwhile, hundreds of Indian passengers were stranded at Cairo's airport today as flights were cancelled or delayed, leaving them unable to leave because of a government-imposed curfew in the capital.

"It is absolutely chaotic at the moment and no one knows what is going on, as there are thousands of people outside the terminal and there is no arrangement of food," said Indian national Vineet Ahuja, who is stranded with his family at the Cairo airport.

"And we cannot even blame anyone," he added.

New Delhi had earlier in the day said that all Indian nationals in Egypt, which is witnessing violent protests since last four days, are safe but advised its people against travelling to that country.

"The Embassy of India in Cairo is in touch with members of the Indian community, who are reported to be safe. There are about 3600 People of Indian Origin (PIO) in Egypt, of which some 2200 are in Cairo. In view of the prevailing situation in Egypt, Indian nationals are advised to avoid non-essential travel to Egypt for the present...," a statement by the External Affairs Ministry said.

Indian embassy has also set-up a round-the-clock Control Room for information, the statement said.

Several people have been killed in the clashes and many others injured. Over 1,000 protesters were arrested across the country since the protests broke out four days ago.

INTERVIEW - India mulls import duty cuts to curb inflation

DAVOS, Switzerland | Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:14pm IST
 

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - India will consider cutting import duties on more food products if needed to curb high food inflation gripping Asia's third-largest economy, Trade Minister Anand Sharma said.
"Yes, when there is a shortage and the inflation is high," Sharma told Reuters late on Saturday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, when asked if India would consider cutting more import duties.
"Like where there is a shortage and we don't produce enough, it is but natural (to cut import duties). Why should we import at such higher prices and then subsidise it for the public distribution system?"
Sharma said he was concerned with high oil prices, which are nearing $100 a barrel, widening India's nagging trade deficit .
(Reporting by Lee Chyen Yee)

Out of Africa via Arabia theory

Artifacts unearthed in the United Arab Emirates suggest that modern humans first left Africa as early as 125,000 years ago when low sea levels -- at the end of an ice age -- may have linked the Horn of Africa to Arabia. Graphic shows possible routes out of Africa and hominid-human timeline. KEYWORDS: Current Affairs, Science, Technology, graphic, Artifacts, stone tools, Stone Age, ice age, Horn of Africa, Arabia, Arabian peninsula, archaeologist, Jebel Faya, UAE, Persian Gulf, Out of Africa theory, flint hand axes

Early relative of Tyrannosaurus-rex interactive

Researchers have discovered a cousin of today’s birds which was also a tiny ancestor of Tyrannosaurus rex. Named Linhenykus monodactylus, it lived 84 to 75 million years ago during the Upper Cretaceous period. Interactgive graphic shows details of theropod Linhenykus described in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

This woman is disabled and still protesting for her country! #egypt #jan25

Sheila ki Jawani Killed One

Mumbai:  Sheila ki Jawani has, once again, caused a fight between two groups, leading to the death of one person in Bandra.

A woman heading towards her residence at Transit Camp, Bandra Reclamation, in the wee hours of Monday was teased by a group of drunk people singing the popular item number.

The upset woman narrated the incident to her relatives, who decided to talk about the incident with the men's relatives.

Officials from the Bandra police said the woman's relatives confronted some of the men's relatives at Bhabha hospital, following which the two groups got into a fight.

Both parties dispersed only to call for more support and nearly 450 people gathered for a fight at Transit Camp around 2 am.

Zuber Mansuri, who had come to fight on the men's behalf, fell down and died on the spot after being attacked with swords, bamboo sticks and iron rods, informed the police.

Sajid Qureshi and Amjad Sheikh were arrested for the killing yesterday while 10 others are absconding. "There is a lot of pressure on the police since political parties are involved from both sides.

Sajid is the main accused according to eyewitnesses while 10 accused are still absconding," said a senior official from the Bandra police on condition of anonymity.

"Sajid is being framed. We want the police to check his phone records to find the truth. He had gone there merely to try and solve the matter," said one of Sajid's relatives.

ACP Kishan Shingare (Zone IX) refused to divulge details of the case. "Investigations are on," was all he said.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/one-killed-over-sheila-ki-jawani-81966?pfrom=home-Cities&cp

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/one-killed-over-sheila-ki-jawani-81966?pfrom=home-Cities&cp

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/one-killed-over-sheila-ki-jawani-81966?pfrom=home-Cities&cp

Security guard shoots himself accidentally

New Delhi:  A security guard posted outside a bank ATM suffered a bullet injury when he accidentally shot himself in east Delhi on Saturday evening, police said.

Lan Je Jeen (25), who hails from the northeast, shot himself in the chest as the gun in his hand accidentally went off at Central Bank's ATM on Vikas Marg in Laxmi Nagar at round 5 pm, they said.

He was rushed to a hospital

Three member gang held for kidnapping boy

Press Trust of India, Updated: January 30, 2011 00:27 IST

Puducherry:  The police rescued an eight-year old boy who was kidnapped for ransom here and arrested a three-member gang which was allegedly involved in the abduction.

The boy, studying in the second standard, went missing since Friday evening. His mother had complained that her brother had received a call from an unidentified person that the boy would be released on payment of Rs. five lakh, police said.

The boy's father is employed abroad and the mother suspected her husband's friend, the police said.

He was taken into custody on Saturday and on interrogation confessed to having kidnapped the boy with the help of two other accomplices for ransom to be used in starting a self-employment project, the police said.

The accomplices were later arrested.

The police rescued the boy who was confined in a rented house. 

FX reserves at $299.395 bn as of Jan 21

Mumbai: India's foreign exchange reserves rose to USD 299.395 billion as on Jan 21 from USD 297.418 billion in the previous week, the Reserve Bank said in its weekly statistical supplement on Friday.

Changes in foreign currency assets, expressed in dollar terms, include the effect of appreciation or depreciation of other currencies held in its reserves like the euro, sterling and yen, the Reserve Bank said.

Foreign exchange reserves include India's Reserve Tranche position in the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Reserve Bank said.

Bureau Report

'Game Over, Mubarak!'

Cairo: Looted stores, burned out cars and the stench of blazing tires filled the streets of Cairo early on Sunday as President Hosni Mubarak sought to bargain with angry crowds and security forces struggled to contain looters.

In five days of unprecedented protests that have rocked the Arab world, more than 100 people have been killed, investors and tourists have taken fright, Mubarak has offered a first glimpse of a plan to step down and 80 million long-suffering Egyptians are caught between hope for democratic reform and fear of chaos.

The United States and European powers were busy tearing up their Middle East policies, which have supported Mubarak at the head of the most populous Arab nation for 30 years, turning a blind eye to police brutality and corruption in return for a solid bulwark against first communism and now militant Islam.

The biggest immediate fear was of looting as all public order broke down. Mobs stormed into supermarkets, banks, jewellery shops and government buildings. Thieves at the Egyptian Museum damaged two mummies from the time of the pharaohs.

"They are letting Egypt burn to the ground," said Inas Shafik, 35.

On Saturday, the 82-year-old Mubarak bowed to protesters and named a vice-president for the first time, a move seen as lining up Omar Suleiman, hitherto his chief of intelligence, as an eventual successor, at least for a transition. Many also saw it as ending his son Gamal's long-surmised ambitions to take over. 

Fearful of a descent into anarchy, some Egyptians may have been reassured by signs Mubarak may be readying a handover of power within the military establishment.

But those on the streets of Cairo, a teeming megalopolis of 15 million that is the biggest city in the Middle East, have scented weakness and remain impatient for Mubarak to go now.


"This is not acceptable. Mubarak must step down. Public unrest will not stop until this is achieved," Mohammed Essawy, a 26-year-old graduate student, said of the appointments.

In Washington, State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said: "The Egyptian government can't reshuffle the deck and then stand pat."

Since protesters toppled Tunisia's leader two weeks ago, demonstrations have spread across north Africa and the Middle East in an unprecedented wave of anger at authoritarian leaders, many of them entrenched for decades and enjoying US support.

"This is the Arab world's Berlin moment," said Fawaz Gerges of the London School of Economics, comparing the events to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. "The authoritarian wall has fallen, and that's regardless of whether Mubarak survives."

As in Tunisia, Egypt's exploding young population, most of them underemployed and frustrated by oppression at the hands of a corrupt and rapacious elite, were demanding a full clear-out of the old guard, not just a reshuffle of the governing class.

Police shot dead 17 people in Bani Suef, south of Cairo, as street battles intensified in some towns, even as police seemed to leave much of Cairo to the Army, an institution generally respected by Egyptians and less associated with oppression.

According to various estimates more than 100 people have been killed during the week in Egypt's capital and other cities.

"Beginning of the end"

While clearly anxious to avoid an anarchic collapse that might destabilise a region vital to world oil supplies, Mubarak's allies in Western governments appear to share a sense that what has happened so far does not go far enough.

In Europe, the German, French and British leaders issued a joint statement thanking Mubarak for his contribution to stability in the Middle East -- Egypt led the way in agreeing to a peace with Israel -- but demanding that he now start the move to free elections, a move that would certainly end his power.

Of Suleiman's appointment, analyst Gamal Abdel Gawad Soltan said: "This is the beginning of a process of power transfer."

At the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Jon Alterman said: "I can't see how this is not the beginning of the end of Mubarak's presidency. It seems that his task now is to try and manage the transition past his leadership."

If the plan is for Mubarak to hand power to Suleiman, it remains to be seen whether the population would tolerate him.

"He is just like Mubarak, there is no change," one protester said of Suleiman, a key figure at the top of Mubarak's inner circle and hated security apparatus.

The prospect of even greater upheaval across the Middle East is prompting some investors to see risks for oil supplies that could in turn hamper global economic growth.

Many saw Mubarak's concessions as echoes of those made two weeks ago by Tunisia's Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. Just a day later, Ben Ali had fled his country, deserted by an army which preferred to back less hated figures in his government.

Like other Arab leaders, the President portrays himself as a bulwark against the West's Islamist enemies. But Egypt's banned opposition movement the Muslim Brotherhood has been only a small part of the week's events, and lays claim to moderation.

"A new era of freedom and democracy is dawning in the Middle East," Kamel El-Helbawy, a cleric from the Brotherhood said from exile in London. "Islamists would not be able to rule Egypt alone. We should and would cooperate."

Bureau Report

Pak rebuffs call for US gunman quick release

Islamabad: Pakistan on Sunday rebuffed a call from the United States for the immediate release of an American man who shot dead two men in a Lahore street, saying its legal process must be respected.

The US embassy had claimed diplomatic immunity on behalf of Raymond Davis, previously described as a consulate employee, who is under investigation on double murder charges after shooting dead the two motorcyclists this week.

"This matter is sub judice in a court of law and the legal process should be respected," Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Basit said in a statement, adding that a report was awaited from Punjab police.

Davis, who has been held at a Lahore police station since the incident, appeared before a magistrate's court on Friday and said he had fired in self-defence. He was remanded into police custody for six days.

On Saturday, two days after the deadly shooting, the US embassy in Islamabad released a statement saying he had diplomatic status and was therefore being detained unlawfully.

"When detained, the US diplomat identified himself to police as a diplomat and repeatedly requested immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," it said. 

"Local police and senior authorities failed to observe their legal obligation to verify his status with either the US consulate general in Lahore or the US embassy in Islamabad.”


"Furthermore, the diplomat was formally arrested and remanded into custody, which is a violation of international norms and the Vienna Convention, to which Pakistan is a signatory."

The statement said the man had a diplomatic passport and a visa for Pakistan valid until June 2012, and added that he had acted in self-defence when two armed men on motorcycles tried to rob him.

"The diplomat had every reason to believe that the armed men meant him bodily harm. Minutes earlier, the two men, who had criminal backgrounds, had robbed money and valuables at gunpoint from a Pakistani citizen in the same area," it said.

Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the US should respect Pakistan's courts and should raise the issue of diplomatic immunity there.

"The Punjab government respects the sentiments of the Pakistani public and wants to fulfil legal requirements," he said in Lahore.

US Ambassador Cameron Munter telephoned Pakistan Muslim League (N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Saturday and sought his help to secure Davis' release, Sharif's spokesman Pervaiz Rashid said.

Sharif, whose PML(N) rules the politically important Punjab province, also told the ambassador that the matter was to be handled by the court, he said.

Police said on Friday that two handguns had been found close to the victims' bodies, but that they so far appeared to have no previous criminal record.

Imran Haider, the elder brother of one of the motorcyclists, 22-year-old Faizan Haider, claimed his brother only carried a pistol for protection and insisted the gun was licensed.

A third Pakistani was crushed to death by a consulate car that went to help Davis following the shooting in a busy street in the eastern city.

Punjab provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah has said that American influence would not be allowed to affect the criminal proceedings.

Pakistan is a vital US ally in the American-led "war on terror".

The US embassy said it regretted that "this incident resulted in loss of life" and said: "We greatly value the cooperation and partnership between Pakistan and the United States, which is vital to the interests of both countries."

The incident sparked small protests across Pakistan on Friday, a sign of the anti-American sentiment that is already running high partly because of a covert US drone campaign in the northwest tribal areas that has provoked deadly revenge attacks by militants.

Bureau Report

Obama for true global partnership with India

Washington: US President Barack Obama has reaffirmed his commitment to building a "true global, strategic partnership" with India at a meeting with National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon.

Obama dropped in as Menon was meeting with his American counterpart Tom Donilon at the White House on Friday and stayed on for about 15 minutes reflecting his focus on strengthening the India-US relationship.

"The President joined the meeting and reaffirmed his commitment to building a true global, strategic partnership with India," the White House said in a readout released on Saturday.


"The President relayed his priorities for the coming year, including advancing our bilateral economic relationship and making progress on nuclear security efforts," it said.

"Donilon and Menon discussed ways to advance our bilateral agenda over the coming year, including the implementation of initiatives launched during the summit, as well as building new platforms for collaboration that fulfil the promise of our global strategic partnership.”
    
"The two also had candid, in-depth discussions on regional and global issues of mutual concern," the White House said.


Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also Friday hosted a lunch for Menon, who is here to review the implementation of initiatives launched during the India visit of Obama in November and discuss developments in India-US bilateral relationship in preparation for their Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi in April.

She had initially scheduled a dinner for Menon on Thursday, but it had to be postponed because Menon reached Washington late Thursday night due to a major snow storm in the region.

Menon also met Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns.

"Our US-India Strategic Dialogue is premised on our strong support for India's role as an important actor on the international stage," PJ Crowley, the State Department spokesman, said ahead of the meeting.

IANS

FACEBOOK WILL END ON MARCH 15th!

PALO ALTO, CA –Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook will be shut down in March. Managing the site has become too stressful.
“Facebook has gotten out of control,” said Zuckerberg in a press conference outside his Palo Alto office, “and the stress of managing this company has ruined my life. I need to put an end to all the madness.”
Zuckerberg went on to explain that starting March 15th, users will no longer be able to access their Facebook accounts.
“After March 15th the whole website shuts down,” said Avrat Humarthi, Vice President of Technical Affairs at Facebook. “So if you ever want to see your pictures again, I recommend you take them off the internet. You won’t be able to get them back after Facebook goes out of business.”
Zuckerberg said the decision to shut down Facebook was difficult, but that he does not think people will be upset.
“I personally don’t think it’s a big deal,” he said in a private phone interview. “And to be honest, I think it’s for the better. Without Facebook, people will have to go outside and make real friends. That’s always a good thing.”
Some Facebook users were furious upon hearing the shocking news.
“What am I going to do without Facebook?” said Denise Bradshaw, a high school student from Indiana. “My life revolves around it. I’m on Facebook at least 10 hours a day. Now what am I going to do with all that free time?”
However, parents across the country have been experiencing a long anticipated sense of relief.
“I’m glad the Facebook nightmare is over,” said Jon Guttari, a single parent from Detroit. “Now my teenager’s face won’t be glued to a computer screen all day. Maybe I can even have a conversation with her.”

SIGN THE “SAVE FACEBOOK” PETITION HERE

Those in the financial industry are criticizing Zuckerberg for walking away from a multibillion dollar franchise. Facebook is currently ranked as one of the wealthiest businesses in the world, with economists estimating its value at around 7.9 billion.
But Zuckerberg remains unruffled by these accusations. He said he will stand by his decision to give Facebook the axe.
“I don’t care about the money,” said Zuckerberg. “I just want my old life back.”
The Facebook Corporation suggests that users remove all of their personal information from the website before March 15th. After that date, all photos, notes, links, and videos will be permanently erased.

!!!!CHECK OUT THE LATEST UPDATE ON THIS BREAKING STORY!!!!

Birds of a Feather' Twentieth Century Fox and Rovio Mobile Announce Unique Partnership Uniting ANGRY BIRDS with Summer Animated Feature Film RIOAngry Birds Rio (Photo: Business Wire)

HELSINKI & LOS ANGELES, BUSINESS WIRE -- 


ANGRY BIRDS, Rovio's blockbuster smart phone and tablet game that has become a global cultural sensation, and RIO, one of the year's most anticipated motion picture events, are joining forces to create a new game, ANGRY BIRDS RIO ' representing a first-of-its-kind game development partnership between Rovio and Twentieth Century Fox. The announcement was made today by Mikael Hed, CEO at Rovio Mobile, which created ANGRY BIRDS, and Peter Levinsohn, president of new media and digital distribution for Twentieth Century Fox, which releases RIO in theaters worldwide on April 15.

Angry Birds Rio (Photo: Business Wire)

FMX 2011: 16th Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Interactive Media May 3-6, 2011. Stuttgart, Germany

  

FMX 2011 – Europe's largest conference devoted to Animation, Effects, Games and Interactive Media celebrates its 16th Conference this year with another fantastic 4-days of networking, presentations, technical demonstrations, conference papers and recurring events.

FMX Program Chair, Jean-Michel Blottière comments:

"This year we would like to harness the extraordinary creativity from the digital industries to present the most exciting themes. We will focus on technical issues such as previz and editing in 3D; how open source can influence the industry; focus on lighting; interactive software and technology. We have a few special surprises in the pipeline!"

Topics for 2011

Tron and Tron: Legacy

The 1982 cult-classic Tron that inspired a generation of animators and filmmakers will feature in a special presentation by award-winning director of animation and computer graphics Bill Kroyer – one of the first animators to make the leap to computer animation as Computer Image Choreographer on Disney’s ground-breaking feature. Kroyer will present behind the scenes footage and reveal the technology used at the time.

FMX will host a special feature on Tron: Legacy including contributions by Digital Domain. At the time of going to press Tron: Legacy has just been placed on the Academy Awards shortlist and the Visual Effects Society VES Award list.

Global Production

Global Production is altering how the industry works, allowing for continuous work-flow, distributed workplaces and co-financing. Convergence is getting faster and the complexity of production is rapidly growing.

"The entertainment industry is changing so fast that you can do anything, anytime, anywhere, as long as you build both a proper pipeline and successful business model," said Eric Roth, Executive Director of the Visual Effects Society. "Our Global Production Track will highlight the truly crucial issues and trends that all serious digital artists will want to know more about," added Roth.

Eric Roth will host this track focusing on key people across all media – games, film, television and social platforms – to discuss how these changes will influence the industry; how to deal with new ways of distribution and the rapidly growing industries in Asia.

Open Source

Open Source hardware and software applications are changing the nature in which we use technology across many areas. Software executive Dan Candela, Director of Technology at Walt Disney Animation Studios will host a track on how the CG world is influenced by Open Source technology and what impact this will have on conventional approaches.

Simultaneous Events

FMX is proud to announce the continued relationship with the Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) and the Animation Production Day (APD).

Internationales Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart – Festival of Animated Film 2011

Between May 3rd and 8th, 2011 Stuttgart will once again become the centre of international animation films. For the 18th time, the ITFS invites directors, production companies, distributors and international sales companies to present their animated films. Trickfilm festival and FMX share a passion for film. Visitors will be able to enjoy the latest film releases at the Trickfilm festival after enjoying a fulfilled day at the FMX conference.

Animation Production Day (APD)

APD is a business platform for the international animation industry, aimed at feature film projects, serial projects, games and mobile content, with a focus on brand building opportunities. The Animation Production Day takes place May 3-4, 2011 in the Haus der Wirtschaft.

Ticket Information

Tickets and combi-tickets for FMX and ITFS can be purchased through www.fmx.de at the end of January.

11 lakh yuan link: Karmapa may be a Chinese plant

NEW DELHI/DHARAMSHALA/SHIMLA: The 17th Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorje, could be a Chinese "plant", suspect Indian intelligence agencies looking into the spiritual leader's affairs after raids on his transit home at Sidhbari near Dharamshala on Thursday night. Rs 8.5 crore worth foreign currency was recovered.

Intelligence agencies say the Karmapa may be part of a Chinese plan to control monasteries along the Sino-Indian border. The exact circumstances of Dorje's "escape" from Tibet in 2000 have always puzzled Indian agencies. He claimed to have hoodwinked Chinese authorities by going into exclusion and reaching Nepal.

A source said the agencies have information to suggest the Karmapa has links with China, including funding. "The huge recovery, including 11 lakh Chinese yuan, substantiates what we have always suspected. The Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax authorities have been asked to probe this," said an intelligence official. He added Dorje may be questioned.

Besides the Yuan and Rs 4 lakh, the police recovered US and Australian dollars, Japanese Yen, pound sterling and Thai Baht. "There's no account of these currencies. Questioning of a close aide of the Karmapa, Rabjaychojan alias Shakti Lama, arrested after Thursday's raid, has not revealed the source of the money," said the official. Lama's claim Rs 4 lakh was withdrawn from a bank at Majnu Ka Tila, a Tibetan market in Delhi, is being verified.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said it was for the Union home and external affairs ministries to act against the Tibetan refugees. He said his government's mandate was restricted to observing the violation of Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act.

It's going to get hotter and wetter in India

Don't let the cold winter this year blindside you to a contrary phenomenon that is creeping up upon us. Temperatures in India are set to get higher—higher than what the country has recorded in the past 130 years. The monsoon too is going to change; it will rain as much, perhaps higher, but in short, intense bursts, heightening the risk of floods and crop failure.

These are some of the grim findings of prominent meteorologists at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, a government-funded research centre at Pune. IITM scientists K Krishna Kumar, S K Patwardhan and B N Goswami, along with scientists from France, USA and Thailand, have concluded that higher temperatures have a strong probability of coming true.

Day temperatures will be higher and there will be less respite from the heat at night, says their research paper. The band of high-temperature days will get longer than now. In turn, these changes could result in higher heat-wave deaths, apart from impacting crops.

The average annual temperatures across the country could rise by 2 degree celsius by the middle of this century and by 3.5 degree celsius by its end, the scientists have said on the basis of several scientific and mathematical formulas that were used in tandem to predict the future. One such model suggested that temperatures could rise by as much as 6 degree celsius by the end of the century.

If green-house gas emissions are not reduced or controlled, the average daily maximum temperatures before the onset of monsoons would routinely stay above 45 degree celsius. And rains across the country could increase by 8-10% by the end of the century and come down with higher intensity, increasing the risk of floods and bad crops.

According to the scientists, rain in the May-October period could rise by 20%. This, they say, means the monsoon period could get extended.

The impact of these changes in the climate could be disastrous unless government pushes adaptation policies. Even adapting, such as introducing heat-resistant seeds, would not be able to completely counter the impact of the changes, the scientists warn.

The scientists found that in a pocket near Delhi—a good sample area for the Indo-Gangetic plain—the daily minimum temperatures could rise by as much as 5 degree celsius. Some studies show that a one-degree change can hit crop yields by 10%.

The authors of the research suggest that even if they were to take a conservative view, a 20% reduction in crop yields due to such increases in temperatures would be sufficient to badly hit the economy. "Such a situation of decreasing yields coupled with increasing population could be a major socio-economic issue," they warn.

Their conclusion is dire: "The changes are likely to have a large impact on agriculture and public health and a pervasive negative effect throughout the entire economy, unless, the government acts."

Case against Facebook for hosting ‘I hate Gandhi’ group

A case was registered here against social networking site Facebook and others for hosting a group called ‘I hate Gandhi’ and posting offensive remarks against Mahatma Gandhi, police said.
The first information report (FIR) was filed by Indian Police Service officer Amitabh Thakur at Gomti Nagar police station Monday.
The complaint also names many members of the group Thakur contacted to get the offensive comments against the Father of the Nation removed. The users ignored his request.
Thakur said he also contacted the social networking site, headquartered at Palo Alto, in California, US.
“I sent a mail to Facebook, which they responded to, but their reply was not satisfactory,” Thakur told IANS.
The case has been filed under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including public nuisance (section 290), intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace (section 504), criminal intimidation (section 506) and using information technology for these purposes (section 66A of the IT Act).

Thakur, the IPS officer of UP Cadre, is currently on a study leave at the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (IIM-L).

Apple iPad available for Rs.27,900 in India

After almost an year of its launch in the US, Apple Inc Friday introduced its iPad in the Indian market at a starting price of Rs.27,900. While the 16 GB model wi-fi will be available at this price, the 32GB and 64GB models will be available for Rs.32,900 and Rs.37,900, respectively, the company said on its official website.
The other models with wi-fi and third generation (3G) services will be available at a starting range of Rs.34,900, it added.
Thinner and lighter than any laptop or notebook, iPad allows users to browse web, read and send email, watch videos, listen to music, play games and read e-books.
So far Olive, Dell and Samsung had launched their iPads in the country. Apple currently offers products such as iPod and iPhone in the Indian market.

Corruption a serious issue; system overhaul needed: Rahul

 

Aurangabad: Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Saturday linked the fight against corruption with youth’s entry into politics.

Rahul, who is on a three-day visit to Maharashtra, said corruption is a serious issue because it steals from the poor people. He added that the youth needed to step into politics to tackle the growing menace.

Rahul’s remarks come at a time when the UPA government has been under attack from all sides on the issue of corruption – be it on the CWG, 2G spectrum allocation, black money or tainted CVC Thomas’ appointment.

The Congress general secretary, who was addressing a press conference along with state Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan in Aurangabad, said, “Corruption is a problem because it steals from the poor people… Huge amounts of money are being generated in India through economic growth. It belongs to the poor.”

He added that “this money” needs to reach the poor in the form of education, healthcare etc.


He, however, rued that everyone points fingers at corruption but only few make effort to bring in the change.


Rahul also suggested two ways to fight corruption in the society: one, swift action against the corrupt, and second, opening the door of politics to the young.

Asked about his reaction to Malegaon’s Additional District Collector Yashwant Sonawane’s murder, who was recently burnt alive in broad daylight by the oil mafia in Nashik, Rahul said “we need to look into the incident”, adding it cannot be allowed to happen again.

On the issue of black money stashed abroad, Rahul said, "We should put in as much effort as possible to ensure that what is India's money, what is people's money, comes back.”

Rahul further said that coalition politics makes things more complicated but it is manageable for a long-term change.


His remarks on coalition politics earlier had created a tiff between the Congress and its ally NCP, which took offence to Rahul indirectly blaming Sharad Pawar for price rise.

Rahul, however, today clarified that he had never sought to link price rise and coalition politics.

The Congress leader also made scathing remarks about the country’s political system, saying parties here lack democracy and their doors are closed for the youth.

He stressed that the flaw needed to be corrected as the system was not allowing the youth to join politics.

“Until we change the way political organisations are designed, we will only talk (about bringing in the change), talk for the next 100 years,” he warned.

Talking about the Youth Congress, Rahul said youngsters don’t need their last name to join the organisation.

“Youth need to step forward and change the political system,” he said.

Amid massive protests, Egypt leader fires Cabinet

Facing a popular uprising, Egypt's president fired his Cabinet early Saturday after protesters engulfed his country in chaos -- battling police with stones and firebombs, burning down the ruling party headquarters and defying a night curfew enforced by the army.

In a nationally televised address at midnight, President Hosni Mubarak made vague promises of social reform but did not offer to step down himself. He also defended his security forces -- outraging protesters calling for an end to his nearly 30-year regime.

"We want Mubarak to go and instead he is digging in further," protester Kamal Mohammad said. "He thinks it is calming down the situation but he is just angering people more."

Pouring onto the streets after Friday noon prayers, protesters ignored extreme government measures that included cutting off the Internet and mobile-phone services in Cairo and other areas, calling the army into the streets and imposing a nationwide nighttime curfew.

Egypt's crackdown on demonstrators drew harsh criticism from the Obama administration and even a threat Friday to reduce a $1.5 billion foreign aid program if Washington's most important Arab ally escalates the use of force.

Stepping up the pressure, President Barack Obama told a news conference he called Mubarak immediately after his TV address and urged the Egyptian leader to take "concrete steps" to expand rights and refrain from violence against protesters.

"The United States will continue to stand up for the rights of the Egyptian people and work with their government in pursuit of a future that is more just, more free and more hopeful," Obama said.

Throughout Friday, flames rose in cities across Egypt, including Alexandria, Suez, Assiut and Port Said, and security officials said there were protests in 11 of the country's 28 provinces.

Calling the anti-government protests "part of a bigger plot to shake the stability and destroy legitimacy" of Egypt's political system, a somber-look Mubarak said: "We aspire for more democracy, more effort to combat unemployment and poverty and combat corruption."

Still, his words were likely to be interpreted as an attempt to cling to power rather than a pledge to take concrete steps to solve Egypt's pressing problems -- poverty, unemployment and rising food prices.

"Out, out, out!" protesters chanted in violent, chaotic scenes of battles with riot police and the army -- which was sent onto the streets for the first time Friday during the crisis.

Protesters seized the streets of Cairo, battling police with stones and firebombs and burning down the ruling party headquarters. Many defied a 6 p.m. curfew and crowds remained on the streets long after midnight, where buildings and tires were still burning and there was widespread looting.

At least one protester was killed Friday, bringing the toll for the week to eight. Demonstrators were seen dragging bloodied, unconsciousness protesters to waiting cars and on to hospitals, but no official number of wounded was announced.

Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, a leading pro-democracy advocate, was soaked with a water cannon and briefly trapped inside a mosque after joining the protests. He was later placed under house arrest.

In the capital, hundreds of young men carted away televisions, fans and stereo equipment looted from the National Democratic Party, near the Egyptian Museum, home of King Tutankhamun's treasures. Young men formed a human barricade in front of the museum to protect one of Egypt's most important tourist attractions.

Others around the city looted banks, smashed cars, tore down street signs and pelted armored riot police vehicles with paving stones torn from roadways.

"We are the ones who will bring change," declared 21-year-old Ahmed Sharif. "If we do nothing, things will get worse. Change must come!" he screamed through a surgical mask he wore to ward off the tear gas.

Egypt's national airline halted flights for at least 12 hours and a Cairo Airport official said some international airlines had canceled flights to the capital, at least overnight. There were long lines at many supermarkets and employees limited bread sales to 10 rolls per person.

Options appeared to be dwindling for Mubarak, an 82-year-old former air force commander who until this week maintained what looked like rock-solid control of the most populous Arab nation and the cultural heart of the region.

The scenes of anarchy along the Nile played out on television and computer screens from Algiers to Riyadh, two weeks to the day after protesters in Tunisia drove out their autocratic president. Images of the protests in Tunisia emboldened Egyptians to take to the streets in demonstrations organized over mobile phone, Facebook and Twitter.

The government cut off the Internet and mobile-phone services, but that did not keep tens of thousands of protesters from all walks of life from joining in rallies after Friday prayers. The demonstrators were united in rage against a regime seen as corrupt, abusive and uncaring toward the nearly half of Egypt's 80 million people who live below the poverty line.

"All these people want to bring down the government. That's our basic desire," said protester Wagdy Syed, 30. "They have no morals, no respect, and no good economic sense."

Egypt has been one of the United States' closest allies in the region since President Anwar Sadat made peace with Israel at Camp David in 1977.

Mubarak kept that deal after Sadat's assassination and has been a close partner of every U.S. president since Jimmy Carter, helping Washington on issues that range from suppressing Islamist violence to counterbalancing the rise of Iran's anti-American Shiite theocracy.

The Mubarak government boasts about economic achievements: rising GDP and a surging private sector led by a construction boom and vibrant, seemingly recession-proof banks.

But many say the fruits of growth have been funneled almost entirely to a politically connected elite, leaving average Egyptians surrounded by unattainable symbols of wealth as they struggle to find jobs, pay daily bills and find affordable housing.

Friday's unrest began when tens of thousands poured into the streets after noon prayers, stoning and confronting police who fired back with rubber bullets and tear gas. Demonstrators wielding rocks, glass and sticks chased hundreds of riot police away from the main square in downtown Cairo and several of the policemen stripped off their uniforms and badges and joined the demonstrators.

The uprising united the economically struggling and the prosperous, the secular and the religious. But the country's most popular opposition group, the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, had little overt presence on the streets despite a call for its members to turn out.

Young men in one downtown square clambered onto a statue of Talat Harb, a pioneering Egyptian economist, and unfurled a large green banner that proclaimed "The Middle Class" in white Arabic lettering.

Women dressed in black veils and wide, flowing robes followed women with expensive hairdos, tight jeans and American sneakers.

The crowd included Christian men with key rings with crosses swinging from their pockets and young men dressed in fast-food restaurant uniforms.

When a man sporting a long beard and a white robe began chanting an Islamist slogan, he was grabbed and shaken by another protester telling him to keep the slogans patriotic and not religious.

In downtown Cairo, people on balconies tossed cans of Pepsi and bottles of water to protesters on the streets below to douse their eyes, as well as onions and lemons to sniff, to cut the sting of the tear gas.

Junior lawmakers in the ruling party called in to national Egyptian TV calling on calm in the city.

Some of the most serious violence Friday was in Suez, where protesters seized weapons stored in a police station and asked the policemen inside to leave the building before they burned it down. They also set ablaze about 20 police trucks parked nearby. Demonstrators exchanged fire with policemen trying to stop them from storming another police station and one protester was killed in the gun battle.

In Assiut in southern Egypt, several thousand demonstrators clashed with police that set upon them with batons and sticks, chasing them through side streets.

Mubarak has not said yet whether he will stand for another six-year term as president in elections this year. He has never appointed a deputy and is thought to be grooming his son Gamal to succeed him despite popular opposition. According to leaked U.S. memos, hereditary succession also does not meet with the approval of the powerful military.

China dances to Bollywood tunes

KJM Varma

Beijing: Bollywood dance numbers, popular around the globe, have now started making inroads in the cultural milieu of China with a new centre devoted to train beginners to shake a leg on the beats of Hindi film music.

Initially it was Yoga, followed by Indian classical dances and cuisine that fired Chinese fascination for Indian culture but off late Bollywood beats are taking centrestage. Though classical Indian dances are popular there, film music too is making its presence felt and riding on the popularity of such songs, an Israeli expat has opened a new dance centre devoted to train local people on Bollywood numbers.

"As far as I can tell this is the first regular, ongoing Bollywood dance class for beginners in Beijing. Its popularity simply spread through word-of-mouth once people realised what an incredibly fun and interesting activity it is," said Namatinia, who became fascinated with Bollywood while her stay in Delhi.

She is now teaching 17 students, mostly expats, to jive on tunes from Hindi films like `Jodha Akhbar` and `Barsaat` at her home in Shunyi, Global Times reported. Namatinia says her dance group has already started getting offers from different hotels to perform. The dancer says she discovered the magic of Bollywood only four years ago, while she was stationed in Delhi with her husband.

"It just became my calling. I`m an okay dancer but a great teacher. We`ve had five performances so far and we`ll keep doing it as long as there`s demand," she said. Namatinia moonlights as the manager of a Bollywood performing arts group in Delhi and makes frequent trips back and forth. "I`m there at least once or twice a month. They`re true professional dancers - all Indian, both men and women," she said.

"You`ve got elements of hip-hop, salsa, belly dancing - a real vibrant combination of tradition and modernity. It`s incredible fitness, great fun and a wonderful social outlet as well," said Israeli Vered Manos, one of Namatinia`s students. Those contributions include securing performance venues and gathering the materials for often-elaborate costumes. ( PTI )

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