BCCI rejects revised Sports Bill

BCCI rejects revised Sports Bill

 BCCI on Saturday rejected the revised draft of the National Sports Development Bill that seeks to regulate the functioning of the Cricket Board, saying certain aspects of the bill are meant to “destroy the autonomy” of the board.

“While the BCCI is all for good governance and transparency in sports bodies, certain aspects of the Bill seek to destroy the autonomy of the Board and dilute the rights of its members,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale said in a statement after the Board’s Working Committee meeting in Kolkata on Saturday.

“Therefore the Board is totally opposed to this Bill and will be communicating its objections to the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports shortly.

“It has to be borne in mind that “Sports” is a State subject and the legislative competence of Central Government is limited. The bill tends to encroach upon fundamental rights of Sports bodies,” he said.

Relations between the BCCI and sports ministry have been strained over the contentious issue.

BCCI, which is an autonomous body, and some other sports organisations such as Indian Olympic Association (IOA) have opposed the legislation. The bill was revised after the cabinet did not give its approval.

The proposed bill wants to give BCCI the status of a National Sports Federation and therefore bring it under the purview of the RTI Act.

At the Working Committee meeting, the BCCI appointed Evan Speechly as the physiotherapist of the Indian team for a period of two years. He will join the team for the 3rd Test between India and West Indies.

The board also categorised IPL as list “A” match, while instituting an award for the best all-rounder in the Ranji Trophy and the best all-rounder in domestic limited-overs tournaments, in the name of Late Lala Amarnath from this season, to commemorate the birth centenary of the former India captain.

The award will comprise a trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 2.5 lakh, in each category.

The working committee approved in principle the proposal that a certain portion of the gate income of the IPL play-offs will be awarded as benefit for retired cricketers. A committee has been appointed to work out the modalities.Media agencies

Nira Radia Quits Vaishnav business

 Nira Radia, the owner of the Public relation  Vaishnavi with clientele of  Tatas  and Mukesh -RIL, has called it a day  to call quit of her communication consultancy business.Radia, Director owner and promoter of Vaishnavi Group is at the midst of a controversy," taped conversations in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation, " gave reason to quit  are “personal priorities” of family and health.
Her announcement  on Sunday said she was in the media glare when leaked tapes of her conversations appeared in the media. But there was no charge against her, she was named as a witness by the investigating agency.CBI and related investigating agencies Enforcement Directorate(ED) questioned Radia several times probing her alleged involvement in irregularities in the 2G telecom scam and her close association with political leaders and corporate honchoes.

 Radia in news for engaging renowned retired bureaucrats like former Trai chairman and Disinvestment secretary Pradip Baijal and technology and industry experts  focussing on developing a knowledge-based approach in her firms.
“To give precedence to my personal priorities of family and health, I have decided against renewing any client mandates and to exit the business of communications consultancy,” the Kenya-born and London-educated high profile lobbyist said in a statement.
“It is a painful decision, taken after much consideration and consultations,” the statement added
Also on the prevailing corporate battles in the country, Radia, in an internal mail to all her employees, said “for many years, a few with vested interests have been trying to cause harm to Vaishnavi and me personally. Till the recent past, I would fight back, survive and probably react.
“However, today, I want to give them their victory and let them savour it. If that makes them better human beings then I am happy to have brought in a positive change in them,” she said. Her  company with  200 employees are on the rolls of Vaishnavi group.
Nira Radia in her statement thanked Vaishnavi group’s key clients for their understanding and mutual agreement to bring closure to this decision.“I am also grateful to them for their support in taking my decision to its logical conclusion, offering assistance in mitigating the damages and thereby fulfilling all our existing contractual commitments,” she added.
Reacting to Radia’s decision, Tata Group​ chairman Ratan Tata said, “The Tata Group respects the personal wishes of Nira Radia in not renewing any client mandates. She has built Vaishnavi from scratch into the company it is today, often subordinating her personal and family interests in favour of her clients’ priorities.”
Vaishnavi the PR mandate of the Tata Group since 2001 during which period it contributed significantly to the building of the Tata Brand, he said. Vaishnavi’s engagement with the Group has been ethical and satisfactory, he added.
Tata Group has appointed Rediffusion, led by Arun Nanda, to manage its PR and public affairs from November 1, 2011. It may be noted that Vaishnavi Group had been handling the PR mandate for Tata Group since 2001. Vaishnavi’s contract with the Tata Group expires on October 31, 2011.A Reliance Indutries spokesman said, “We regret the decision of Nira Radia to discontinue her association with the business of communications consultancy and not renew any of her client mandates.
“We have enjoyed a professional and fulfilling relationship with Radia and her team over the last three years.”
“Radia’s commitment has been very impressive and she has always led her team in a manner that tactical developments do not lead to a de-focus on the strategic issues.
Reliance Industries spokesman in a statement issued said, “We have enjoyed a professional and fulfilling relationship with Radia and her team over the last three years.”“We do appreciate and respect her wishes for a compelling need to focus on her family and personal issues. Radia leaves behind a very capable team and an indelible mark on the communications consultancy business..Media agencies

F1 Indian Grand Prix‘s qualifying session G. Noida

G. Noida/New Delhi

An exciting and spectacular qualifying session of the Formula one Indian Grand Prix race at Greater Noida kicked off a short while ago. AIR correspondent covering the event reports that the qualifying session of one hour duration is split into three distinct parts, each with multiple drivers on track simultaneously running as many laps as time permits. Qualifying-1 will last for 20 minutes; Second from 2-27 to 2.40 pm and last one will start at 2.50 pm and will end at 3.00 pm. For years F1 qualifying was a one-hour session with all Cars running simultaneously and the fastest driver taking pole position and the second fastest taking second position. Since there was a limit on laps and tires, the fastest cars would not go on the track at all until the last minute, and then take the top position. In 2003, the FIA made qualifying system a two hour single lap shootout, where each driver ran a single timed lap alone. That was eventually reduced to one hour, but still it failed to excite, except when the strongest driver made mistakes. In 2006, F1 came up with an exciting system. It had one flaw-the first 10 minutes or so of the last session were spent with cars doing nothing but turn laps to burn off fuel, before the real competition began in the few last minutes. That was fixed in 2008 when the last session was changed to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, Force India F1 team is pleased with its preparation for its maiden home race, but its driver Paul di Resta feels the two Drag Reduction System, DRS, zones on the newly-built Buddh International Circuit may make life a little difficult for them tomorrow. DRS is an option which enables overtaking, can only be used by the chasing driver when he is at least one second behind the front car. But in spite of the system, both the Force India drivers -- Adrian Sutil and Resta -- did well in the practice sessions on Friday, managing top-10 places. In yesterday's practice session, Felipe Massa emerged the fastest for Ferrari at the sport's newest circuit. Englishman Lewis Hamilton of McLaren-Mercedes, however, had the worst possible start, collecting a three-place grid penalty for ignoring warning flags after setting the quickest lap in the first practice session. Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel was second in both sessions. The final event will be held tomorrow.

2nd U16 FIBA Asia Basketball Championship

India’s U16 Boys’ team grew in leaps and bounds and left a positive impression on opponents and fans alike at the 2^nd U16 FIBA Asia Basketball Championship which was held in Nha Trang City, Vietnam, from October 18-28^th. Although India couldn’t improve their previous ranking of 10^th place (out of 16) at this tournament, their considerable improvement in play brought positive encourage to the players, coaches, and fans of basketball in India.

For India, the highlights of the tournament included defeating Chinese Taipei in the group stage and stretching Asian powerhouses Korea and Iraq until the final quarter. India also had posted blowout victories over Malaysia and Vietnam.

The championship was eventually won for the second successive year by China, who defeated Korea 92-52 in the final behind 43 points by Zhou Qi. Korea’s Hae Hoon had 19 points for the silver medalists. China completed the tournament with a 9-0 record.

The finalists China and Korea have both qualified for the 2^nd U17 FIBA World Championship which will be held in Kaunas, Lithuania, in 2012.

Led by coach Jai Prakash Singh, India were grouped with China, Malaysia, and Chinese Taipei. India played their first game against eventual champions China which resulted in a 64-27 bawling of the Indian side. But the tournament only improved for India after the first game: India showed considerable clout to dispose of Malaysia 93-40 behind strong performances by Karthickeyen Saminathan (18 points), Ajay Pratap Singh (17), Loveneet Singh (16), and Satnam Singh Bhamara (16). In the final group game, India pulled off one of the major upsets of the tournament, clocking a memorable 73-52 victory against Chinese Taipei in which the three-point prowess of Ajay Pratap Singh (25) and Karthickeyen Saminathan (18) saw the Indian youngsters prevail.

India thus qualified for the second round of the tournament, where they went head to head against Lebanon, Korea, and Iraq, losing all three of the games. A big third quarter pushed Lebanon past India despite a 16-point performance by Loveneet Singh. India’s other high-point of the championship came against eventual runners-up Korea, where India’s 7 foot 1 star Satnam Singh Bhamara put up 41 points, the second-highest individual score of the tournament. Satnam’s efforts kept India in the game till the fourth quarter, after which Korea finally took control of the game to put up an eight point victory. India’s game against Iraq saw a similar result, as Satnam was once again unstoppable with 32 points, but another late game collapse saw India lose a close game, 72-64.

Knocked out from reaching the Quarter-Finals stage, India defeated Vietnam by a massive 67 points and then lost in a rematch with Chinese Taipei in the last seconds 61-60 to finish the tournament at 10^th place with a 3-5 record.

India were led individually in scoring by Satnam Singh Bhamara, who averaged 19.3 points per game in the course of the championship. Ajay Pratap Singh also scored on an average of 13.1 points per game in the eight games played. Loveneet Singh, Rakesh Sangwan, and Karthickeyen Saminathan also pitched in valuable contributions for the Indian side.

                                                         

For more information, please contact:

Karan Madhok

Media Relations – Basketball Federation of India (BFI)

karanmadhok@hotmail.com

(0)   9721452007

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World Bank for eastern freight corridor

 
Indian government on Thursday signed a 975 million US dollar loan agreement with the World Bank for execution of the plan in the eastern corridor. This will give a boost to Railway's ambitious Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project.

The financing for the project will cover 1,130 km of the 1839 km corridor which will connect Ludhiana in Punjab to Dankuni in West Bengal. Railway sources reports, the funds will be provided in three phases and the agreement signed today will be for the first phase between Khurja and Kanpur covering 343 kilo metre.

DFC proposes to help faster and more efficient movement of raw materials and finished goods between the Northern and Eastern parts of India. The corridor will also allow Indian Railways to free up capacity from the existing train corridor and better-serve the large passenger market in this densely-populated region.

Railways have already tied up with Japanese government to fund its Western corridor linking Tughlakabad to Mumbai.

Crude pipe-bomb recovered from route of Advani's yatra

A crude pipe-bomb recovered from the outskirts of the city on Friday, en- route  to be taken by BJP leader L K Advani on the second leg of his yatra against corruption.

Madurai Police sources said the five-ft pipe bomb, connected with wires  recovered under a bridge at Alampatti near Tirumangalam, about 30 Kms from in Madurai.

One person identified as Nehru was detained and was being questioned, they said.

Advani, with  highest "Z-plus" category security, was on his way to Srivilliputhur via Tirumangalam, where he is scheduled to address a public meeting.media agencies

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NATO to announce withdrawal from Libya today

NATO ambassadors are meeting in Brussels today to make a formal decision on ending the alliance's air campaign over Libya. Last week, NATO made a preliminary decision to end its mission on October 31st.

Libya's interim Oil and Finance Minister says the country's National Transitional Council wants NATO to maintain its mission for at least another month.

The meeting comes a day after former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was buried in a secret desert location. He was shot and killed last Thursday as provisional government forces stormed his hometown of Sirte.

Sushil Kumar wins Rs five crore on KBC

Sushil Kumar correctly answered the jackpot question worth Rs five crore asked by anchor Amitabh Bachchan during the episode shot on Tuesday, to record  win the highest prize-money awarded in Indian game shows, sources said. Kumar, who recently got married, is a computer operator and a part-time tutor in Bihar. The fourth season of KBC had seen Jharkhand contestant Rahat Taslim, winning Rs one crore, after she quit the jackpot question. The episode will be aired on Sony TV on 2nd November, channel sources said.

Diwali best for Bihar's Sushil Kumar as he is the first person to win the full prize money of Rs five crore in the fifth season of Sony popular-quiz show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati'(KBC).

Sushil Kumar last question on guess work went correctly to win the jackpot question worth Rs five crore by anchor Amitabh Bachchan during the episode shot on Tuesday, to record win the highest prize-money awarded in Indian game shows, sources said.

War crimes charges filed against Rajapaksa in Australia

During meet of Commonwealth Heads of Govt in Perth, an ethnic Tamil has filed charges of war crimes against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a court Melbourne, even as Australian premier Julia Gillard asked Colombo to address "serious" rights concerns.

Jegan Waran, a retired engineer who migrated to Australia from Sri Lanka, said before the Magistrate that he witnessed and was still haunted by what he saw in the hospitals and displaced persons camp at the end of civil war.

Waran, who returned to Sri Lanka in 2007 to volunteer in Tamil hospitals, schools and displaced persons camps, alleged that Sri Lankan forces had deliberately attacked clearly- marked civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and camps.

"Everybody who's alive today, it's a miracle that they have escaped death or injury," Waran was quoted by ABC today.

Waran is an ethnic Tamil and sympathised with the Tamil Tigers or LTTE, which fought for a Tamil nation for decades until their defeat in 2009 by Sri Lanka's military forces. Commenting on the issue, Gillard said that her government was concerned about the persistent war crimes allegations.

"Australia and like-minded countries have been urging and will continue to urge Sri Lanka to address the serious allegations that have been made of human rights violations," she said.

She, however, said the case filed against Rajapaksa cannot proceed without the federal government's consent.

"No such legal action can be taken on an issue like this without the consent of the attorney-general," Gillard was quoted as saying by Australian news agency.

"And the attorney-general hasn't received any request in relation to this matter," she said. Rajapaksa is arriving today in Australia to participate in the CHOGM to be held at Perth.

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Federal blueprint for jobs for youth in Naxal hit districts

Federal has drawn up a blueprint to provide jobs to three lakh youth in the 60 naxal affected districts in the country.Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said that the government will start a programme for placement linked jobs for unemployed youth in these districts over the next five years.

They will be trained and provided jobs. The Minister said the Centre has also decided to start major developmental initiatives in these districts in a bid to tackle the Naxal menace.

These initiatives include the Indira Awas Yojana housing for people whose homes have been destroyed and construction of concrete roads.

The Rural Development Ministry has also planned a Public Private Partnership initiative for value addition in non-timber forest produce in six districts of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh as a pilot project.

Christians attacked in Maharashtra

Christians attacked in Maharashtra

Maharashtra police registered a case against three people after they have repeatedly launched an attack against the Christians in Virla , Sirja, Dhule district , Maharashtra.

According to information reaching EFI, alleged Hindu extremist Gupsingh Raya Paurane, Dev Das and Sai Singh have launched a series of attacks against the Christians. The first incident took place on July where the extremists verbally abused the Christians for their faith in Christ, accusing them of having more money than them after they have decided to follow Christ.

Again on Sept 2, the same extremist group barged into the Christian prayer meeting, verbally abused the Christians for their faith in Christ and hit one Christian, Raju Narayan, causing severe injury to his head. A compromise was reached between the two parties after the intervention of the village head with the Christians, subsequently, not filing any complaint against the assailants.

However, on Sept 7, the village head summoned the Christians for a meeting where the Christians were forced to kneel down before the idols and worship them. They were also told in clear terms that they cannot continue to follow Christ.

"The extremists continued to attack us whenever they found opportunities", reported area Christian, Ram Balli. Again on Oct 8, at about 9:30, while the Christians were getting ready to sleep, the extremists stormed on them and started throwing stones at their houses, where one Christian woman, Meena Raju received severe injury on her head. She was admitted in a local hospital the next day.

Later that night, all the Christians in fear left the area and walked all the way to Shirpur police station which is 35 kms away from the village and filed a police complaint against the attackers.

On Oct 10, the enraged extremists, after learning that the Christians filed a police complaint against them went to houses of Balli and other Christians and started verbally abusing them. Gupsingh Paurane threatened the Christians that he will kill all of them and cut them off from the society if they continue to believe in Christ.

Balli ran to the police station for his life and other Christians family members also ran to hide themselves in the field. In the meantime, the extremists destroyed the houses of the Christians, destroying the roots, the doors and the windows.

The EFI submitted a letter of complaint to the the National Commission for Minorities, (NCM) Government of India requesting them to look into the matter. The Vice President of the NCM, Dr. H.T Sangliana requested the Special Inspector General of Police, Maharastra State Police HQs to conduct an enquiry on the complaint immediately.

Subsequently, On Oct 19, Shirpur Police in charge P.R Gulate and his team went to the spot and investigated the matter. A case has been registered against Dev Das, Gupsingh Paurane and Sai Singh under Sections 323, 504,506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The First Information Report (FIR) no. is 389/11.

An Appeal to write to Authorities

As concerned people, kindly write to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra appealing to them to safe guard the rights of the minority communities and to give protection to churches against attacks and to take immediate action against the perpetrators of violence.


Shri Prithviraj Chavan
Chief Minister of Maharashtra
'Varsha' Malbar Hill, Bhausaheb Hiray Marg,
Malabar Hill, Mumbai - 400 006 
Issued By:
Rev. Dr. Richard Howell,
General Secretary
Evangelical Fellowship of India
New Delhi, India

“Avid Press Launch at AES 2011”

“Avid Press Launch at AES 2011”
New Delhi/Burlington, MA, Oct 20, 2011—Avid®  today announced the all-new

Pro Tools|HDX digital audio workstation and Pro Tools® 10 software, delivering greater performance, higher sound quality, and innovative new capabilities that set new standards for audio post and music production. Both are designed to provide the most capable, highest quality, scalable solutions to meet the evolving needs of the industry, and deliver better performance, faster workflows, and easier collaboration than ever for professional users.
Avid Unveils New Pro Tools|HDX and Pro Tools 10 Software—Industry Leading Solution Makes Big Leap in Sound and Speed-The world's fastest, best sounding, and most powerful digital audio platform delivers state-of-the-art performance through revolutionary new hardware and software.

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Capture higher resolution audio, perfect your mix with new plug-ins, and discover faster, more powerful workflows that’ll allow you to focus more time on your mix. 

Pro Tools|HD—Pro Tools|HDX. Get greater resolution, more headroom, and up to 5x more power per card to tackle even the most massive mixes with confidence.

Turkish forces cash Kurdish militants

Turkish forces have killed 32 Kurdish militants during clashes near the Iraqi border. Turkish state television TRT said, the militants were killed in the Kazan Valley region of Turkey's Hakkari province on Saturday. There was no immediate confirmation from rebels.

Turkey launched a military offensive against Kurdish PKK rebels earlier in the week after 24 of its soldiers were killed near the Iraqi border in the deadliest toll against the Turkish military since the 1990s.

TRT said the latest violence occurred near the town of Cukurca. According to reports 53 rebels have been killed since the operations began in the Kazan valley.

Ankara has said 22 battalions, or about 10,000 soldiers, have been taking part in the operation against the rebels.

Flooding in Thailand

Over the past several weeks, seasonal rains that are heavier than usual have resulted in widespread flooding in Thailand. While the flooding is having some impact on tourism, most key tourist destinations and attractions throughout Thailand have not been affected by the floods and almost all remain open. The floods are mainly affecting the provinces in central Thailand and a few provinces in the north and northeast. Flood waters in some provinces in northern Thailand has begun to subside. Provinces in the south of Thailand have not been affected by the floods.  Ayutthaya has been the only tourist destination widely affected by the floods, while other provinces where tourists generally go have been slightly impacted.

Major tourist destinations such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Sukhothai, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Pattaya, Ko Chang, Rayong, Phuket, Krabi, Trang, Ko Samui, and all provinces in southern Thailand are experiencing normal weather conditions.

All airports in Thailand, including Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, have not been affected by the floods and are operating as per usual. Suvarnabhumi Airport has considerable flood protection measures in place and officials are monitoring the situation closely.

Flood waters are being drained through parts of Bangkok in a controlled manner. Most areas of central Bangkok where tourists normally go are not flooded and fully accessible. The government has enacted measures under which military personnel will help to protect central Bangkok and key transportation facilities such as Suvarnabhumi Airport from flooding.

Tourist destinations in the north, such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Sukhothai, are best accessed by air as some roads and railways in the central provinces are closed due to the floods. Provinces in southern and eastern Thailand remain fully accessible by road and train.

Train services from Bangkok to northern destinations are suspended due to the tracks being flooded.  The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is offering full refunds on tickets for travelers who want to cancel their trips to destinations where train service is suspended.  Train services to other parts of Thailand are available as per normal.

Tourists planning to travel to the provinces affected by the floods are advised to check the latest weather forecasts for their destination and confirm arrangements with the transportation providers with which they will be travelling.  Tourists can call the TAT Information Line at 1672 to check local conditions, or visit the Thailand Meteorological Department web site at http://www.tmd.go.th/en for updated weather forecasts.

Major events going ahead as scheduled include:

·      The Royal Flora Ratchaphruek Fair 2011 opens in Chiang Mai on November 9th and runs until February 2012

·      Phimai Festival, from November 9th to 13th, at Phimai Historical Park in Nakhon Ratchasima province

·      The “5th Thailand International Balloon Festival” in Chiang Mai from November 25th to 27th.

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Italy cracks on extremists

Italian police conducted raids on Monday throughout the country against suspected anarchists and their sympathisers following riots in Rome that marred a march against Wall Street greed.
Interior Ministry Under Secretary Alfredo Mantovano told Sky TG24 TV that the crackdown targeted far-left suspects.
He gave no details because the operation, which included house searches, was still being carried out.
Italian news reports said police raided homes and youth centers where extremists are known to hang out in cities including Florence, Palermo and Ancona.
Six people were detained, along with the seizure of gas masks, ski masks and other gear used by rioters as protection from tear gas and to hide their faces, the ANSA news agency reported.
Mantovano dismissed criticism that police weren't tough enough against the several hundred rioters Saturday.
Rioters used clubs and sledgehammers to smash bank ATMs and store windows, torch police and private vehicles and hurl cobblestones and chunks of sidewalk they had ripped out.
Police battled back with tear gas, water cannon and batons.
Politicians from both the opposition and Premier Silvio Berlusconi's coalition called for a get-tough campaign against so-called "urban guerrillas."
"There was tried and true urban terrorism," Francesco Giro, a Culture Ministry undersecretary said, surveying damage near Rome's St. John Lateran Basilica.
"We need to apply anti-terrorism laws," ANSA quoted Giro as saying in a call for authorities to launch preventive crackdowns on anarchists and insurrectionist

Protest over Economic Downturn

Protest over Economic Downturn

Thousands of protesters from the 'Occupy Wall Street' movement on Sunday marched to the iconic Times Square in New York against corporate "greed" and financial industry bailouts, leading to the arrest of 74 demonstrators.

The protesters marched from the city's financial district to Times Square, disrupting traffic on busy Manhattan streets.

The month-long Occupy Wall Street movement, which began in New York, has spread across the country and the world, with similar large scale protests being held in Asia and Europe.

New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said that after an orderly procession of hundreds of protesters from Zuccotti Park to Washington Square, a smaller group left Washington Square and entered a Citibank branch.

In a statement, Citigroup said a large amount of protesters entered its branch and were very disruptive, refusing to leave after being repeatedly asked.

The bank staff then called 911 emergency services.

As the protesters reached Times Square, they shouted slogans and banged drums.

Seventy-four protesters were arrested during the demonstration.

Most of those held were charged with criminal trespass, while one person was charged with resisting arrest, Browne said.

'Occupy Wall Street' is an ongoing series of demonstrations against alleged social and economic inequality, corporate greed and the influence of corporate money and lobbyists on government, among other concerns.

Inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement, over 1,000 protesters in London and thousands others in Rome and elsewhere across the world on Saturday protested against deep budget cuts and corporate greed.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange joined the protesters in London

Weekly Address: "Made in America"

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Yedurappa sent to Jail

Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yedurappa has surrendered to Lokayukta Court. He has been sent to judicial custody till next Saturday.

His surrender on Saturday evening follows Karnataka Lokayukta Court issuing an arrest warrant against him day on a private complaint on land denotification issue.

Rejecting the bail plea of Yeddyurappa in two cases, Justice N K Sudhindra Rao also directed judicial custody of former minister Krishnaiah Shetty, who was among the 24 accused in the complaints filed by advocate Sirajin Basha.

Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj had earlier given sanction to Basha to launch prosecution against Yeddyurappa for allegedly indulging in nepotism and corruption in the denotification of land at Geddalahalli to favour his sons and son-in-law.

Cong condemns Bhushan's assault

  Congress has condemned Prashant Bhushan's advocacy of plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir, declaring that the state was an integral part of India and there can be no second thought in the matter.

Congress party spokesman Rashid Alvi condemned the assault on Bhushan for the remarks and Shivsena supremo Bal Thackeray's praise for the attackers.

"The talk of referendum is condemnable. Jammu and Kashmir is part of India and there can be no second thought...," he said in New Delhi on Friday.

Noting that there have been regular elections in the sensitive border state, he said people have brought to power governments of different parties as per their own will.

On the attack on Bhushan, the spokesman said that it was not proper for anyone to take the law in their hand.

He said that the support of Thackeray to the attackers was not in the interest of the country and democracy.

Alvi sought to ignore Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal's contention that the government was attempting to divert attention from the core issue of Lokpal by raising the matter of Bhushan's remarks on Kashmir.

'Experiencing Tarot: The Art of Healing'

'Experiencing Tarot: The Art of Healing' comprising the launch of:

The exhibition 'The Art of Tarot: New Works by The Singh Twins' and the book 'Experiencing Tarot' by Dr Roopa Patel.

At The Queens Gallery, The British Council, Delhi on Wednesday, 19th October 2011, 7.00pm

With  Invitation:

No evidence to show Rewati’s involvement in cash-for-vote scam: Delhi Police

Delhi court today ordered sitting BJP MP Ashok Argal to appear before it on 3rd of next month in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam case. He has been called to face charges leveled by the city police against him in the case. Taking cognizance of the second supplementary charge sheet by the police in the case, the court issued summons to Argal. Earlier today, the Delhi Police today told a city court that there is no evidence till now to show Samajwadi Party leader Rewati Raman Singh's involvement in the case.

Churchill Bros to clash with Prayag United in Durand Cup finals

Former champions Churchill Brothers today outplayed Shillong Lajong FC 4-1 to set up a summit clash against Prayag United in the 124th Durand Cup football tournament in New Delhi.

Prayag United had defeated Pune FC 2-0 in the first semifinal on Thursday.

Twice champions Churchill will, however, miss their star striker Henri Arnaud in the final tomorrow as the Gabon international was sent off in the 55th minute after receiving a second yellow card.

All India Radio will broadcast live commentary of the match tomorrow, alternately in Hindi and English.

It can be heard on Rajdhani Channel and additional frequencies from 1740 hrs onwards.

PM calls Govt & Corporate sector to practice transparency

PM asks voluntary disclosure of information in public domain by government & corporate sector.
The Prime Minister has called for voluntary disclosure of information in public domain proactively for greater transparency by the government as well as corporate sectors.

Expressing concern over delay in the disclosure of information not covered by the exemption provisions of the Right to Information Act, Dr. Manmohan Singh exhorted the officials to voluntarily put information in public domain without waiting for applications from information seekers.

He said the Right to Information Act is a huge step forward to curb corruption and improving process of governance.

He was addressing the sixth convention of the Central Information Commission in New Delhi today.

The Prime Minister asserted that the government is committed to make RTI even more effective instrument for ensuring transparency and accountability in administration by its initiative to enact a legislation for protection of Whistleblowers in the next few months. He said that it would, among other things, help in prevention of violence against those who seek to expose wrongdoings.

The Prime Minister said that the RTI enables access to information even from a private body that comes under a regulatory framework. This assumes an added significance in the context of an increasing number of projects being taken up in the Public Private Partnership mode.

He expressed hope that the corporate sector would put basic information relating to their operations in public domain voluntarily.

Elaborating the need to strike a balance between request for information and limited time and resources available with public authorities, he asserted that requests for information having no bearing on public interest, is not really desirable.

Supporting a critical review of the RTI Act, he noted that Information sought through RTI, should not adversely affect delivery process in governance.

Dr. Singh maintained that putting the opinions of officials to public scrutiny can discourage them to offer their honest and full views.

US to continue to keep pressure on Pak: Hillary

US to continue to keep pressure on Pak: Hillary

The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has reiterated that America will continue to mount heavy pressure on Pakistan for a positive role in the war on terror.

In an interview with an American news agency in Washington, Clinton said war against terrorists will persist, adding that efforts will continue to kill, arrest or dilute the influence of militants belonging to Afghan Taliban, Pakistani Taliban or Haqqani network.

She said several countries are in contact with Taliban and interfering in Afghanistan.

India wins double gold at South Asian Beach Games 3x3 Basketball in Sri Lanka

India wins double gold at South Asian Beach Games 3x3 Basketball in Sri Lanka

It was double success for India’s 3-on-3 (3x3) basketball teams at the South Asian Beach Games (SABG) in Hambantota, Sri Lanka, on Tuesday, as both the Indian Men and Women won the gold medal after defeating Sri Lanka and Maldives in their respective finals. Both of India’s basketball squads finished the three-day competition undefeated, with 4-0 records.

Although real Beach Basketball is played on sand, the competition at the SABG showcased an outdoor version of the 3x3 basketball format, a modified version of the game which is played in the half-court. Each team is allowed just three players on the court and the 10-minute game can only go up to a maximum of 21 points.

In the Men’s final, Sri Lanka took a confident start, but India quickly fought back and held on to a three point lead at halftime. Behind eight points by Jagdeep Singh, India extended their lead to clinch the win, 21-16.

Earlier, on Sunday and Monday, India’s Men’s side had won all three of their group games, defeating Maldives, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka.

India also dominated the women’s final, defeating Maldives by 17-7 on Tuesday evening. India’s Women’s side had also won all their earlier games on the previous two days, defeating Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka.

Final Standings

Men

1. India

2. Sri Lanka

3. Maldives

Women

1. India

2. Maldives

Indian Exports to reach 500 billion US dollars by 2014

Indian Exports to reach 500 billion US dollars by 2014. This was revealed by Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma in New Delhi today while making announcements on the Foreign Trade Policy for 2009 to 2014.

Mr Sharma unveiled a slew of measures to address the concerns of Exporters amidst the ongoing slowdown in European and US markets.

A new scheme to provide special assistance to engineering, pharmaceuticals and chemical sectors was launched on the occasion. Mr. Sharma also introduced a Special Market Scheme to increase the global competitiveness of exports.

Under this scheme, special assistance will be provided for exports to markets in Latin America, Africa and CIS Countries.

Government also launched the 'Niryat bandhu' scheme meant to encourage new and young entrepreneurs in export business.

Chairman of the Federation of India Export Organisation R Deora hailed the new incentives as Diwali bonanza for the exporting community.

He said that the measures will help the export industry to deal with the global crisis.

Microsoft launches windows phone in India

Microsoft along with hardware partners like Samsung, Acer, and Nokia , launched its Smartphone (Mango) in India. Smartphone is based on Windows mobile operating software, Windows Phone 7.5.Bhaskar Pramanik, chairman of Microsoft India, said ,"We are incredibly excited about unveilig,we have looked at the consumer experience in absolute fresh way further adds   promises its customers a stylish and innovative operating system in the new phone. The company is trying to take on the competition provided by Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android devices.

 With Windows Phone, we have looked at the consumer experience  in an absolutely fresh way, and the end result is an operating system that is ;innovative,  and  one that seamlessly integrates the  most sought after user experiences such as search, gaming, email and social networks across Bing, Office, Xbox LIVE, Facebook, Twitter and more.”

The conventional application icons have been replaced by Live Tiles on the Windows Phone start screen, thus boldly displaying critical information at a glance. The Live Tiles come to life with real-time updates from the Web such as news, appointments or the status of friends. New Live Tiles can be easily created from whatever content a consumer wants, for applications, websites and music.

The integrated experiences are achieved through ‘hubs’ which bring together related content into a single view to simplify common tasks. These include:

•   People. This hub delivers an engaging social experience by bringing together relevant content based on the person. It also provides a central place from which to post updates to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Windows Live in one step.

•   Pictures. This hub makes it easy to share pictures and video to a social network in one step. Windows Phone also brings together a user’s photos by integrating with the Web and PC, making the phone the ideal place to view a person’s entire picture and video collection

•   Games. This hub delivers the Xbox LIVE experience on a phone, including Xbox LIVE games, Spotlight feed and the ability to see a gamer’s avatar, Achievements and gamer profile

•   Music + Video. This hub creates an incredible media experience. The overall experience is rich and easy to navigate, and immerses the listener in the content.

•   Marketplace. With over 30,000 apps and games, this hub allows the user to easily discover and load the phone with certified applications and games.

•   Office. Windows Phone Office hub has mobile versions of Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint for working on the go. These can synchronised back to SkyDrive, Office 365 or SharePoint sites  

Every Windows Phone device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon™ mobile processor and comes with a dedicated hardware button for Bing, providing one-click access to search from anywhere on the phone.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Vikas Arora, Group Director - Operator Channel, Microsoft, said, “Windows Phone is for people who are ready for a new phone experience, one that brings together the things you care about in a way that uniquely represents who you really are –whether at work or play”.

Microsoft revealed a range of Windows Phone devices that will be available in India soon, the first being the HTC Radar. This will be followed by devices from Samsung and Acer, and subsequently Nokia.

About Microsoft India

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. Microsoft Corporation (India) Private Ltd is a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation, USA. It has had a presence in India since 1990 and currently has offices in 10 cities - Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune.

concern over shortage of coal

Union Minister of Power Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde urged that the government should import the coal to meet the power shortage in the country.While Inaugrating the three day long conference focussing on the challenges in fuel management and the regulatory reforms in power sector in New Delhi today, Minister expressed concern over the shortage of coal, fuel and natural gas in the country.Mr. Shinde said that , the government is pursuing a five-fold strategy for toning up the power distribution , which includes improving governance standards and transparency across the power value chain, technology upgrades, tariff rationalization and strategic investment. He emphasized the imperative need for a fundamental restructuring of distribution governance structures by making adequate investments to modernize and upgrade distribution infrastructure, application of IT and other modern technologies for energy auditing and accounting.He added that the Power Ministry had facilitated the formation of several new joint ventures to manufacture super-critical boilers and turbine generators for thermal plants.

Countdown begins for PSLV C-18 launch today

The stage is all set for the launch of PSLV C-18 which will carry the 1000 kg Indo French satellite the Megha Trophiques. After a 50 hour count down the vehicle is ready to soar into space. This is the 20th Polar satellite launch vehicle to be launched from the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre Sriharikota at 11 hours today.As the time for launch is setting in, India is ready to take another proud step forward in the field of space science. ISRO has become a pioneer in carrying out satellite launches not only from its own but also of other countries. Most notable achievement is that more satellites built by young students are injected into spaceMegha Trophique which will piggy back the other three nano satellites would be used to study climatic and atmospheric changes and will redefine prediction models. The SRM sat would be addressing the problem of global warming and pollution levels in the atmosphere by monitoring carbon dioxide and water vapour.

Jugnu sat which is fitted with indigenously developed camera system will study water cycle and energy exchanges in the tropic. The vessel sat carries automatic identification system for ships to detect signals automatically transmitted by vessels at sea in the region covered by the satellite.

Steve Jobs (1955-2011) showed what it takes to turn the smallest of ideas into life-changing products

Steve Jobs (1955-2011) showed what it takes to turn the smallest of ideas into life-changing products
Prasanto K Roy

It's a well-worn cliché to speak of the end of an era when someone well known has passed away. Today, however, it does feel like something has changed forever in the world of tech.

The brilliance and clarity of vision, the courage of conviction, the fiery intolerance for imperfection.

I really don't see another individual impacting technology in anywhere near the same way, in our era, as Steven Paul Jobs did.

He wasn't just the guy who made the world's coolest gadgets. Oh, well, that too. I don't know of any other company for whose products buyers queue up for three days, ahead of launch.

Steve Jobs created markets and product categories. He changed how we consume information and entertainment. He redefined leadership.

I can't think of another person whom I have been so proud to have merely met, once, for a few minutes, or sat through as many as two of his “oh, and one more thing” launches. When he pulled that first iPod out of his jeans pocket, we all stood up, and I didn't even notice when my new notebook slid from my lap and cracked its display. It was a small price to pay to be a part of a piece of history, to experience the famous Jobs near-field distortion. “The Force is strong with him”, an elderly, pony-tailed journo sitting next to me said, perhaps to console me.
There's so much about Steve Jobs that marks him out from the many tech visionaries that dot Silicon Valley and the rest of the world. His never-say-die reinvention of himself and the companies he started, repeatedly turning adversity into advantage, described most famously in his Stanford address. His candor about shamelessly stealing the best ideas he came across, and then turning them into life-changing gadgets. His violent intolerance for 'good enough', making life hell for his design and execution teams, but turning out extraordinary products.

Can you think of another person who would have had the vision to take his company into uncharted waters like a mobile phone with no keypad, which no market research had showed any demand for, and then change the world with that? Or who'd have the courage to bet upon and live with one, just one, model to take on the world's phone vendors... and then to edge them out, with the world's most brilliant, and most profitable smart phone? Or have the vision and execution to back great design with the amazing apps and accessories ecosystem that led to the re-invention of the tablet?
This is a eulogy from a non-fanboy, and indeed something of an Apple critic. Though my first computer was an Apple IIc and my home is today dotted with iPads and iPods, I am no fan of Apple's closed-garden approach, its secrecy and indeed its arrogance, or its historical lack of interest in India.
I know that all of these largely derive from Steve Jobs, despite his old ties with India, which famously made a big impression on him as he backpacked through it (or when he went for his meals to a Hare Krishna temple in California).

But we lived with all that that, and still bought Apple products. The secrecy and arrogance were an inseparable, even necessary part of the picture of Steve Jobs and Apple, especially if you go by results: stunning, life-changing lifestyle devices.With every chapter that ends, there is a new beginning.
Of course the world, and Apple, will produce more outstanding, life-changing products. But yes, something has changed in the world of tech today, leaving (for Star Wars fans) not just a disturbance, but also a major discontinuity, in the Force.


(Prasanto K. Roy is the chief editor of CyberMedia's ICT group, can be found at http://www.pkr.in/ or found on twitter.com/prasanto)

Sensex down

Sensex down 21 pts; fails to sustain early gains

Snapping two-day rally, the BSE Sensex on Tuesday ended 21 points down on profit selling by funds, especially in IT stock led by software exporter Infosys ahead of its quarterly earnings and a weak trend in Europe.  

The Bombay Stock Exchange's Sensex, which had gained 765 points in last two trading sessions, extended gains at the outset to climb 16,774.12, before ending 20.76 points lower at 16,536.47.

The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty fell 5.25 points to 4,974.35, after climbing to 5,045.10.

The markets opened higher on firm cues from Asia but lower openings in Europe amid uncertainty over euro-zone debt bailout plans pulled down the stocks.

Brokers said the beginning of the second quarter earnings season this week with Infosys results on Wednesday kept the investor confidence a little shaky

Press Conference-Sagar31News

Press conference Sagar31NewsP5061199_xvid.avi

New telecom policy

New telecom policy aims at doing away with roaming fees

Telecom users will be able to avail free roaming and keep their phone numbers even if they switch service providers anywhere in the country, as per the draft New Telecom Policy unveiled by the government on Monday.
The distinction between local and STD calls would vanish, as the policy aims at a 'one-nation-one-licence' regime.

Telecom operators would not require separate licences for operations in various parts of the country and a single licence would suffice.

"We will seek TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) recommendations on new licences, migration to new licences and exit policy," Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said while releasing the draft policy.

In the wake of the 2G scam, the minister said spectrum allocation would be delinked from licences and radiowaves would be made available at market-determined prices.

As the market is crowded with too many players, the government would also bring an exit policy.

With regard to spectrum, Sibal said the government would provide a roadmap for additional spectrum availability every five years and also make its periodic audit mandatory to ensure that the scarce resource is used efficiently.

The draft NTP has also set an ambitious target of providing broadband services on demand by 2015 with a target of 600 million such high-speed Internet connections by 2020.

The draft NTP has went to the extent of likening the broadband connectivity to basic necessities like health and education and proposes to work towards a 'Right to Broadband' for every citizen.

The policy has also called for providing by the year 2015, the 'Broadband on Demand' services, which would enable affordable, across-the-country, round-the-clock and high-speed Internet connectivity to the users.

"The primary objective of National Telecom Policy (NTP)-2011 is maximising public good by making available affordable, reliable and secure telecommunication and broadband services across the entire country," Sibal said.

The draft NTP-2011 aims to achieve 175 million broadband connections by the year 2017 and 600 million by the year 2020.

It also aims to converge mobile telephony, multimedia and broadcast services, to offer superior experience to customers.

"We want to reposition the mobile phone from a mere communication device to an instrument of empowerment that combines communication, with proof of identity, fully secure financial and other transaction capabilities, multi-lingual services and a whole range of other capabilities that ride on them and transcend the literacy barrier," Sibal said.

Press conference Sagar31News_101_2357_x264.mp4

Press conference Sagar31News_101_2361_x264.mp4

Polish PM seeks new reform mandate in election

Polish PM seeks new reform mandate in election

Poland voted in a parliamentary election on Sunday that could give Prime Minister Donald Tusk's center-right Civic Platform four more years in power to pursue gradual economic reforms and preserve political stability.

Civic Platform, which guided Poland through the 2008-2009 financial crisis and favors closer ties with the rest of the European Union, would be the first party to hold on to power in an election in Poland since Communism collapsed in 1989.
Tusk, 54, has promised to continue cautious economic reforms if he retains power, and has made clear he will press on with efforts to ensure stable relations with Poland's large and powerful neighbors, Germany and Russia.
But some opinion polls before the election showed former premier Jaroslaw Kaczynski's conservative-nationalist Law and Justice party catching up in second place, and pollsters said it could challenge Civic Platform if the voter turnout is low.
The election commission said 23 percent of voters had cast ballots by 2.00 p.m. (1200 GMT) and commentators said this could point to a low turnout.
Kaczynski rails against Germany and Russia and his return to power after four years in opposition could threaten ties with Poland's largest neighbors, and political stability, but he would have difficulty building a stable coalition.
"Democracy is strong through participation. With a 20-30 percent turnout, democracy wilts before our very eyes. I hope the turnout will be at least middling and not dramatically lower than normal," former president Aleksander Kwasniewski said.
No party is expected to win an outright majority and another four years of coalition government are likely in the country of more than 38 million people after Civic Platform's four-year alliance with the Peasants' Party.
President Bronislaw Komorowski, who hails from Tusk's party, made clear he expected coalition talks to start quickly after the election and added: "I will begin them with the leader of the victorious party."
FATE OF REFORMS
Tusk portrays himself as a guardian of stability. A mild-mannered pragmatist with a common touch, he has eschewed radical economic reforms, avoided talk of austerity despite a large budget deficit and promised to continue cautious reforms.
"PO (Civic Platform) should continue to govern because they have done a great deal. Just look at the roads," said Maria Mlodzikowska, an 80-year-old retired physical education teacher, after voting in Warsaw.
Law and Justice has promised more state involvement in the economy, including a bank tax and higher taxes for the rich, and vowed to wind down large-scale privatization. The Law and Justice-led coalition collapsed in acrimony in 2007.
Jan Mazur, a 74-year-old retired printer, said he had voted for Law and Justice for the sake of his grandchildren.
"I don't want them to grow up in a country which owns nothing because the PO has sold everything off under the pretext of what they call privatization," he said.
Ratings agencies say they could downgrade Poland if it does not swiftly act to reduce the budget deficit, expected to reach 5.6 percent of gross domestic product this year, and the public debt, expected to reach 53.8 percent of GDP this year.
Economists doubt Law and Justice would be able to meet the challenge. The current coalition, however, has failed to deliver on promises of far-reaching liberal market reforms.   The EU's largest former communist economy has lost some of its luster since 2007, but Poland was the only EU state to maintain positive growth through the turmoil of 2008-2009 and growth is forecast to be about 4 percent this year.
FOREIGN POLICY CHALLENGES
If Tusk wins but cannot build a strong coalition with just the Peasants' Party, he could turn for support to leftist deputies or parties, or to Palikot's Movement, a new party that has criticized the powerful Catholic Church.
The party, led by Civic Platform defector Janusz Palikot, supports gay rights, abortion and legalization of soft drugs.
"I support Palikot ... at least he'll be a breath of fresh air in the stiflingly stodgy Sejm," said Krystyna Celinska, a 28-year-old graphic artist.
Tusk favors deeper EU integration for the NATO member state and has built up relations with Moscow and Berlin.
Kaczynski, 62, distrusts both -- Poland was carved up under a Nazi-Soviet pact before World War Two -- and raised eyebrows during the election campaign by repeating in a new book his view that Berlin is trying to subdue Poland.
"I back PiS (Law and Justice) because they put Poland's interests ahead of those of Brussels or Berlin," said Maria Derkacz, a translator in her early 60s.
Tusk has continued the rapprochement with Moscow, which held sway over Poland for decades after World War Two, despite strains over a plane crash last year that killed then-President Lech Kaczynski, Jaroslaw Kaczynski's twin, and 95 others