Dick Clark, Ryan Seacrest, Jenny McCarthy, and a reported 1 million revelers welcomed 2011 from Times Square in New York City last night. ABC’s live broadcast of Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve boasted a classic boy-band bash, with the well-preserved Backstreet Boys and the New Kids on the Block collaborating for a medley of their greatest hits, but it was wild-child Ke$ha who stole the show. Performing her hit song, “Tik Tok,” she literally rode Santa Clause, whacked what appeared to be an Easter Bunny pinata, and urged the crowd to “make 2011 our bitch!” Later, on the ABC stage with Seacrest and the boy-band headliners, Ke$ha responded to Seacrest’s question about resolutions with a quick, “Not become a d—–bag.” Nice. (I think that’s actually in the third verse of “Auld Lang Syne.”)
Ke$ha’s irreverence was refreshing. Poor Jenny McCarthy was saddled with crowd-duty, and it was actually impressive hearing her sell lines like, “I am so excited to be down here,” and “I wish I could wake up every morning to this.” Sure you do, Jenny. Which made Seacrest’s under-his-breath line so perfect at the end of the evening, as McCarthy prepared to sign-off: “She wants a drink so badly.”
Other highlights — intentional and unintentional — of Dick Clark’s annual shindig included:
– Jennifer Hudson stalking television viewers with every Weight Watcher commercial before finally belting out a killer rendition of “Feeling Good.”
– Mayor Mike Bloomberg kicking it old-school, urging the partying kids to “Be there or be square.” Holla.
– Dick Clark snogging his wife after the ball dropped.
– McCarthy teasing a uniformed Marine — from New York, no less — that they might kiss at midnight, only to end up smooching what appeared to be her new Boston boyfriend instead.
Happy New Years, folks. (Thank you for correcting my English, Clarence Beeks.) Have a great 2011, and let Ke$ha’s high-minded goal rub off a little on all of us.
What did you think of the show? And what year do we have to wait for until cheap-glasses manufacturers will finally give up trying to shoehorn the new year’s digits on to a set of novelty frames?
More New Year’s Eve TV:
Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper ring in 2011: The Special Relationship continues
Snooki’s ball dropped: Raise your fratboy-party Dixie Cup to 2011!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Heavy snowfall in Europe hits travellers from India
CHENNAI/MUMBAI: Snowfall in UK and Europe have started to impact travel plans of holidayers in the Christmas and New Year season.
British Airways' direct flight to London on Sunday and Monday was cancelled because Heathrow airport was closed. Lufthansa also cancelled its service from Chennai to Frankfurt on Monday after weather worsened there. Air India and Kingfisher cancelled their London-bound flights and asked passengers to remain in touch with their staff for flight updates. British Airways said it was able to operate limited flights to Heathrow.
Besides London and Frankfurt other travel destinations — Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels — were also struggling to clear passengers. Airline officials in Mumbai said Indian passengers were also stuck in Belgium.
Most passengers disembarked only with their cabin baggage. They were freezing as the airport authorities did not allow them to take check-in baggage. Transit visas were arranged after a long wait, said an official from a private airline.
Travel agent Jay Bhatia said many NRIs who were planning to spend their Christmas breaks in India were also stranded. "One of my customers, a student studying in the UK, was due to join her family for a holiday in Rajasthan. While the family has already reached Udaipur, she is still in London, waiting for the snow to thaw," said Bhatia.
Airport sources said services were resuming slowly from London and that a flight had departed from London to Chennai with stranded passengers. A return service may be operated to London.
US, Venezuela face off over American ambassador (NDTV News)
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Halvorsen: Hard Work Pays Off...Big Time (rigzone.com)
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Mideast Peace: What If the Palestinians Turn to the U.N.? (TIME)
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Recommended Amount of Vitamin D is Increased (Voice Of America)
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Israeli ministers float limited West Bank pullout (The Arizona Republic)
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Nintendo 3DS news coming Jan. 19 (Gamespot)
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Sandy Morris, Massage Therapist, Announces New Location (emailwire.com)
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Ex-cop Kanth upset with Jessica film producers
MUMBAI: Former top police officer Amod Kanth's request to Censor Board chairperson Sharmila Tagore to follow only the facts of the Jessica Lall murder case in a soon-to-be-released film, he says, has not been heard. His request for a special preview for police officers involved in the case too has not been entertained by the filmmakers.
Amod Kanth, who was joint commissioner of police (southern range) when model Jessica Lall was shot dead in a night club in 1999, is considering legal action if the film is not screened for the police officers before its release. Kanth is concerned about the portrayal of Delhi police in the film.
Kanth said, "Who is Sabrina Lall (Jessica's sister) to give an NOC (no-objection certificate) to the film? She had no standing in the case. We should've been asked about it before the filmmakers decided to make a film on the Jessica Lal murder.'' Sabrina Lall, though, clarified that her NOC was sought for the portrayal of her character in the film. "Me and my family was given a bound script by its producers. Let me clarify here whatever the fears of Mr Amod Kanth, they should be directed to UTV, the producers of the film, and not me.''
Rajkumar Gupta, director of the film, refused to comment on the issue, and asked TOI to approach the producers, who were not available.
It may be recalled that during reinvestigation into the case, Sabrina Lall is said to have charged Amod Kanth for trying to influence her, but the police officer had denied it.
Kanth says he is shocked that both the producers and the Censor Board have paid no heed to the letters written to them. He said, "Six months ago when I came to know about the film, I sent a copy of the high court and supreme court judgments on the case to the producers and asked them to just stick to the facts. Also, a legal notice was sent to them but there was no reply from the producers.''
Kanth said, "I had also sent a letter to Sharmila Tagore about 15 days ago along with the copy of the SC judgement requesting her to ensure that only the facts relating to the Jessica Lall murder case are presented in the film. I am really saddened that nobody has really bothered to listen to us.''
No One Killed Jessica is slated for release on January 7.
Amod Kanth's request for a special preview for police officers involved in the case too has not been entertained by the filmmakers.
Venue move and loss of funding threaten future of food and drink festival (Scotsman)
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POLL: Is Sachin the greatest sportsperson ever?
Why this poll?
Comparisons are odious. But truth be told, there's nothing sports fanatics love more. And so, for all the disclaimers about how it's impossible and unfair to compare greats from two different eras, we insist on doing precisely that. One question that's increasingly being asked is whether Sachin Tendulkar is a greater cricketer than Sir Don Bradman. The answer, at least according to netizens who participated in a recent Sydney Morning Herald poll, is a resounding yes - by a whopping 67% to 33%.
Even as we were digesting this stunning result, along came an interview by Usain Bolt. The world's fastest man, who dominates his event as few sportspersons ever have, admitted to being a huge fan of Tendulkar. He also said that given a chance, he'd like to ask Sachin "just how he has managed to work so hard to stay at the top for so long and what advice he'd give other sportsmen".
Clearly then, Sachin is idolized not just by millions of cricket lovers, but also champions of other sports. Which raises the obvious question: Given the consistency with which he has sustained excellence at the highest competitive level for a scarcely believable 21 years - while cheerfully bearing the crushing burden of knowing that a billion hopes rest on his shoulders every time he bats - is he not just the greatest cricketer but the greatest sportsperson ever?
It's a question that's bound to stir a heated debate. So, we decided to throw it open to our readers as well. We prepared a shortlist of 12 of the greatest sportspersons, across events and eras. Sachin, naturally, figures on the list. But pinning down the other 11 names, from among hundreds of contenders, proved immensely challenging.
We decided not to have more than one player from each sport - with the exception of tennis, where we picked one man and one woman. Settling on the the greatest player from each sport itself set off passionate arguments.
Did Pele's sublime skills make him a greater footballer than the spellbinding but volatile brilliance of Diego Maradona? Rocky Marciano is the only heavyweight boxing champ in history to retire undefeated with a proud 49-0 record. But generations of fans believe the only deserving contender for the title of GOAT (Greatest of All Time) is the man who floated like a butterfly but stung like a bee, Mohammad Ali. Roger Federer may own the record of 16 Grand Slam titles but is he really greater than Rod Laver, who won all four Grand Slam championships in a year not once but twice? For that matter, is he even greater than his fierce rival, Rafael Nadal?
These discussions could have gone on for hours, so we settled them by vote - and left quite a few colleagues muttering and grumbling. The final call, dear reader, is of course yours. Join the debate.
Special: Flashback 2010
Music: Trilling Songbirds Clip Their Wings (International Herald Tribune)
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Rhodesian Ridgeback gives birth to 17 puppies (Christian Science Monitor)
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Mourners die in India bus crash (BBC)
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Pay What You Want — a Sustainable Business Model? (Slashdot)
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Photography show 'Last Kodachrome' end of an era (SF Gate)
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Court Upholds Blizzard's Anti-Bot DMCA Claim, Denies Copyright Infringement (Slashdot)
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Tendulkar has pushed frontiers of human excellence: Pakistan daily
ISLAMABAD: Sachin Tendulkar's feat of becoming the first cricketer in history to score 50 Test centuries "needs to be seen at par with efforts in any field to push the frontiers of human excellence", a leading Pakistani daily said on Tuesday.
"Putting Sachin Tendulkar's latest feat in a strictly cricketing context would not be fair to the sportsman," an editorial in Dawn said.
"His achievements in the world of cricket need to be seen on a par with efforts in any field - science, art, literature, etc - to push the frontiers of human excellence."
Tendulkar achieved the feat when he drove South African bowler Dale Steyn through the covers for a single on the fourth day of the first Test against South Africa at Super Sport Park at Centurian on Sunday. It took him 196 balls with 12 fours and one six. India, however, lost the Test on Monday with Sachin remaining unbeaten on 111.
Sachin's achievement "speaks volumes for the cricketer's temperament and his ability to adapt to changing times in the sports world", Dawn said.
"In fact, 20 years is a long time in the international sporting arena. Surviving for that long takes courage and determination. It is, as such, also about having enough passion for the game over that long a period to keep one's fitness level at the requisite level.
"Sachin Tendulkar, needless to say, has all these attributes and more - class, for instance. It is no wonder that he has survived two decades, and has, in fact, ruled the cricketing world," the editorial maintained.
Comparing him to Australian legend Don Bradman, Dawn said: "Tendulkar has established himself as the modern era's equivalent of the iconic Don. The many feathers in his cap appear to justify this perception. He has no more points to prove to anyone."
It went on to say that for the cricketing world, "it has been a privilege to watch Sachin Tendulkar demonstrate his remarkable skills. There is hardly anyone who would disagree with this, especially as his talent on the field has been observed for several years now. Today, it is just about celebrating a cricketing giant who goes by the name of Sachin Tendulkar".
Beit Yehonatan and Arab home parallel evacuation (Jerusalem Post)
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Burmese music is fading out (Los Angeles Times)
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Loads More Bands For SXSW (RoomThirteen.com)
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A positive take on pornography
It's so disturbing to open papers and read about rape, sexual and child abuse.
These abhorrent acts scar individuals and create dysfunctional relationships. Even more disturbing are skewed sex ratios where there are approximately 800+ women for 1,000 men, because these ratios will lead to further sexual frustration and acts of violence. Once the 800+ women have committed to men, what will the balance 200 men per 1000 do for sexual satisfaction? Prostitution is illegal and so is pornography.
Activists may shout aloud that pornography objectifies and degrades women, but I think that sexism, not sex, degrades women. They may argue that pornography leads to violence and intimidation of women. But I say that such cruelty existed for thousands of years before commercial pornography. In fact, countries with no pornography, like Iran and Saudi Arabia, do not boast strong women's rights records.
What we should address is that sexism and violence arise out of economic, emotional and cultural factors.
Is pornography a friend or foe? For those that say some pornography is objectionable, I say the answer to that is good pornography, not zero pornography. The problem is not sex, it is force.
We need to severely deal with those that practice female foeticide and also consider alternative sexual outlets for the lonely men out there to keep our women and children safe. We need to wake up to their lonely, frustrated reality.
1. Hi Pooja, I'm a teenage girl studying in class 10. Recently during my summer vacations this year, I met a guy who is also my age. We first started chatting on a networking site and then he asked me for my number, after which we starting texting and talking almost everyday. He stays in Mumbai and apparently his sisters and me are classmates. He is a very caring and sweet person but not expressive and very moody. I really like him and he likes me too. The problem though is his big ego and mood and he keeps telling me that I never take him seriously. Recently when he came to Bangalore his sister told him that he irritates me a lot, which is not really true and from then he just stopped flirting with me or even talking to me properly. After 10 days, I called to ask him why he didn't tell me directly that he doesn't want to talk to me and is saying it through his sister. He just laughed it off and said he would talk to me later but its been 2 days, he has not called me. Now I don't know what to do. It's been almost 7 months since I know him and I still love him. Should I forget him and move on or what should I do?
- Chavi, Bangalore.
Relationships can be tempestuous and immature at your age. It doesn't mean the love and caring isn't real, but it's subjected to a lot of volatility and change as you develop likes, dislikes, expectations and go through your own inner personal growth processes. Think about it. You are romanticising being in a relationship with a moody, egoistical man. How sensible is that? His non-communication isn't reasonable either. It's so much easier when people are upfront about what they are experiencing, even though it may be hurtful at that time. Figure out a good time to talk to him face to face so as to ascertain your role in his life or get closure on the relationship.
2. Dear Pooja, I am a 19 year-old teenager. I met a guy five years back. We became good friends, in fact the closest friends and I soon fell in love with him. He also developed feelings for me but then he stopped himself because he didn't want to hurt my mother, he's a family friend. I told him about my feelings three years back and we remained good friends. But now he's getting married next month. I am trying to keep a distance from him, but I don't want to. I can't see him with another girl. He considers me as his best friend and doesn't want me to leave him. I miss him and my feelings are just getting stronger day by day. Sometimes I feel like committing suicide. I can't imagine my life without him. What should I do?
- Anon.
He's a good man. He hasn't let you or your family down in any way, and such goodness, integrity and friendship should be rewarded with gratitude and happiness for his future. Your jealousy and suicidal thoughts will only hurt you and the wonderful bond you share with him. You don't have to have a life without him, as he considers you his best friend. All you need to work on is altering your expectations of him. If you can't handle it, just take a friendship sabbatical to heal, move on and get your emotional balance before you reconnect as friends. It's been a five-year investment into making an amazing friend and it would be a shame to let it to go forever.
3. Dear Pooja, I am a 28-year-old married woman. My husband is a businessman and used to travel a lot. I am addicted to sex. Before my marriage, I had physical relations with my brother's friend who is eight years elder to me. After my marriage, I didn't have much physical contact with my husband. So I often, felt alone at home and addicted to the net. I have so many online friends and they satisfy me through chat and we exchange few pictures. Meanwhile, I met my cousin online and we both began sex chat and now we have physical relations too. My husband comes home once a week and spends just a night with me. So to satisfy myself I usually go to my cousin's apartment. Sometimes my ex-boyfriend (my brother's friend) comes over. My cousin is not ready to get married since he thinks of me as his wife. But that cannot be possible and I tried to convince him that even after his marriage we can have a physical relationship. But he is not ready for that. What should I do?
- Prabha
Gosh! You are confronted by multiple issues. Firstly, your sex addiction needs urgent counselling if you wish to bring loyalty and integrity back into your marriage or any future relationship. Secondly, are you sure you want to stay in an unfulfilling, lonely marriage whose vows you have clearly violated? Lastly, encouraging your cousin to marry and be adulterous with you is simply appalling. In his best interest, I suggest you cut off all ties with him, and in your best interest I suggest you focus on sorting out your own problems immediately.
4. Hi, I am 23-years-old and my boyfriend is 25. I've known him for the last three years. For the first 20 months we were friends and after that, we fell in love. He said he will not marry me as he doesn't want to go against his parents' wishes. But he wants to be in a relationship as he says all couples do not marry in the end. I am unable to detach myself, but feel I am cheating myself and my parents. Whenever I need him and call him he just says he's really busy. This relationship is only frustrating me. He texts me everyday. Should I proceed?
- Mamta, New Delhi
Absolutely not! You are already unable to detach and feel guilty, so can you imagine how much more heightened those emotions would be if you got into a relationship with no future? He's selfishly thinking of his needs and his parents' happiness and not of yours or that of your parents. It's said that if you fill your life with clutter then there will be no space for the right man when he walks in. Realise your worth and potential and go out there and find a man who values you and thinks of a future with you.
Toyota agrees record $32.4m fine (BBC)
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'Athleisure' apparel: Hilary Swank is the latest to step into the design ring (New York Daily News)
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Great sea change is just myth (Daily Telegraph)
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Record Set For World's Youngest Chess Champion (Slashdot)
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Writers condemn children book cut (BBC)
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Huntington makes TARP repayment (Biz Journal)
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BluePay's Pay at the Pump Processing Now Accepts Major Credit Cards, Debit Cards and Fleet Cards (emailwire.com)
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Paul McCartney, HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London (Financial Times)
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I can't get over my first love (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
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What happens at exorcism school? | Susan McCarthy (Guardian)
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The best records of 2010 you probably never heard (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
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Ten kissing commandments
"Our date was extremely romantic, until I offered to seal the night with a kiss, which unexpectedly turned out to be quite awkward. While, I was gravely ashamed, she never came back," shares 23-year-old, Rishi Gulati (name changed on request), a sad victim of a kissing-faux-pas.
Well, the misfortune of a bad kiss can fall upon any of us. Consider yourself lucky if your kiss left your partner craving for more. And keep your fingers tightly crossed for no one plans a kissing blunder, it simply happens! And mind it, you are hardly left with anything to mend the embarrassment caused by a 'dud kiss.' If a perfect kiss can register success in your relationship, a kissing bummer is good enough to bring your love journey to a dead end even before it starts.
Follow our '10 commandments of perfect kissing' and you'll never be tagged as a 'poor kisser'...
1. Thou shall not be a stinking fish
Nothing can kill a kiss like foul breadth. So, the first commandment keeps you off kissing, if your mouth is stinking due to hygiene issues, food, tobacco or excessive smoking. If you don't want your partner to remember the kiss for all the wrong reasons, try to look out for solutions. Dr. Kamal Bisht, a general physician suggests, "Begin by brushing your teeth before you go out on a date, irrespective of the time. Cleaning your tongue is also important as it removes bacteria. Avoid kissing if you have just had smelly food products like garlic, onions etc. Keep a breath spray handy and use it periodically throughout the day." Last but not the least, if you are a smoker, the pleasure of smooching your partner can be your motivation to kick the butt!
2. Thou shall open your mouth with care
"My girlfriend has this habit of opening her mouth very little while kissing, which does not allow me to enjoy a passionate kiss to the fullest," avers Rajdeep Bhawmik, a Delhi-based architect.
While, there's no accurate rule for opening the mouth, it's generally seen that a deep kiss using tongue is a huge turn on. Equally terrifying are gulpers who open their mouth wide open while kissing, ready to swallow their partner. The trick is to keep one's lips lose enough to let the lips of both the partners glide smoothly over each other making it a yummy kiss. Also, "start with a lip-to-lip kiss and gradually taste the depths of pleasure," suggests sex expert, Dr. Rajan.
Dell drops ultrathin Adamo 13 to $899 (cnet)
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CBI questions Niira Radia in 2G scam case
NEW DELHI: Corporate lobbyist Niira Radia was today questioned by the CBI here in connection with the 2G spectrum scam.
Official sources said a CBI team reached Radia's farmhouse at Chhattarpur area at about 10am to question her on several issues including her alleged involvement in the spectrum allocation.
The CBI sleuths had earlier carried out searches at Radia's residence and the premises of her firm, Vaishnavi Communications, here.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also grilled her on allegations of money laundering.
Radia hit the spotlight after her taped telephonic conversations with various influential people including industrialists, politicians and journalists became public.
Supreme Court is closely monitoring the multi agency probe in the allocation of 2G spectrum to certain telecom firms.
The apex court has asked CBI and ED to submit status reports on their probe to it by February 10, when the 2G spectrum case will come up for hearing.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its report to the Parliament had said that the allocation of 2G spectrum at under valued prices had resulted in the loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer.
ArtsBeat: National Portrait Gallery Rejects Artist's Request to Remove His Work (nytimes)
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Teachers' help sought to spot mental illness (Scotsman)
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Iraq to vote on new government after 9-month gap (Reuters)
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Saturday, December 25, 2010
2 states probe use of models to lure marrow donors (The Arizona Republic)
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Mahatma Gandhi has maximum quotations on Internet
BHOPAL: Mahatma Gandhi is known for many things but he has to his name the maximum number of quotations by any Indian on the Internet.
The Internet has a large number of sites which offer quotations on a variety of topics ranging from friendship, love, destiny, life, death, peace and politics. But the net has one site which gives quotations from people from all walks of life all over the world.
The site address is http://www.quotationsbook.com and it features 106 quotations from the Mahatma.
One quotation attributed to him says "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."
Another quotation says "It is easy enough to be friendly to one's friends. But to befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of true religion. The other is mere business."
The Mahatma is also quoted as saying, "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."
He has also said "You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."
Apart from Mahatma Gandhi, there are a number of other Indians from whom quotations can be seen on the site. These people include the Nation's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, former president S Radhakrishnan, Swami Vivekanand and Indira Gandhi.
These people do not match the Mahatma as individually they do not have even 20 quotes to their credit.
One Indian whose name comes as a surprise on this site is that of Oscar award winning music composer, A R Rahman.
He has got only one quote which reads simply, "All my life I have had a choice of hate and love. I chose love and I am here."
Among world politicians, those who surpass the Mahatma are former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill with 183 quotes and former US President John F. Kennedy with 146 quotes.
Noted English writer Oscar Wilde have got 432 quotes and he is followed by William Shakespeare with 420 quotes.
Among religious texts the Bible leads with 370 quotes, The Bhagavad Gita has 45 quotes while the Quran nine quotes.
Salman Rushdie, the well-known writer of Indian origin has 34 quotes and writers who have got a large number of quotes include Goethe who has got 313 quotes.
Testimony of a merchant sealed Binayak Sen's fate
RAIPUR: The testimony of a cloth merchant appears to have sealed the case against Binayak Sen, the doctor and civil rights activist sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of criminal conspiracy and sedition. Sen had been accused of passing seditious letters from jailed Maoist ideologue Narayan Sanyal to Piyush Guha, a Kolkata businessman. Both Sanyal and Guha were handed down life terms along with Sen. A close reading of the 92-page order in Hindi shows that sessions court judge B P Varma largely relied on cloth merchant Anil Kumar Singh's testimony to prove that Sen acted as a courier of seditious letters.
Singh is the sole independent witness produced by the prosecution to corroborate Guha's arrest and subsequent seizure of three incriminating letters from his bag by the police. Laying special emphasis on his testimony, the judge observes: "As far as the question concerning the involvement of accused Binayak Sen in Naxal activities, witness Anil Kumar Singh has testified that when accused Piyush Guha was asked during the seizure where he got the letters from, he said Dr Binayak Sen used to visit Narayan Sanyal in jail, and the letters were given to him then." Singh claimed he had heard Guha confess that Sen had handed him Sanyal's letters and asked him to carry them to Kolkata.
During the trial, the defence lawyers argued that any confessional statement made by an accused in the presence of police is inadmissible under law, and so Singh's claims on Guha's confession should not be counted as evidence. But overruling the objection, the judge said Singh was "witness to the seizure and not to any (confessional) memorandum... his testimony related to the circumstances of the seizure of letters from Piyush Guha, and hence was admissible under Indian Evidence Act 1872."
The letters themselves, observed the judge, had been written by Sanyal, without any doubt, as proved by the testimony of a handwriting expert. That Sanyal was a member of the banned CPI Maoist's politburo was confirmed, he said, citing testimonies of several policemen from Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh, as well as the Maoist magazine 'People's March', seized from Guha, which mentions Sanyal alias Comrade Vijay alias Comrade Prasad as a senior leader of the organisation.
Once again falling back on Singh's testimony, the judge concludes, "It showed the unity of mind of the accused and established facts relating to conspiracy to commit sedition. Apart from this, even before the incident, Narayan Sanyal had sent a postcard to Binayak Sen. Claiming to be a relative, Dr Sen met Sanyal several times in jail. This proves that they knew each other well, had close relations, and hatched a criminal conspiracy."
Sen had maintained in the course of the trial that he met Sanyal in his capacity as a general secretary of the People's Union of Civil Liberties and that it wasn't true that he claimed he was Sanyal's relative. But the judge relied on the testimonies of jail staff who said Dr Sen had claimed so. The judge also observed that PUCL, Rupantar (the NGO run by Binayak Sen's wife Ilina Sen) didn't appear to be registered bodies. "Naxals like Shankar Singh, Malati, etc used to work for Rupantar. This proves Binayak Sen was involved in Naxal activities, and gave them shelter and support."
Dense fog envelopes Delhi's IGI airport, 75 flights hit
NEW DELHI: Dense fog enveloped the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Sunday morning with visibility dropping to near zero affecting flight operations which led to delays, diversions and cancellations of around 75 domestic and international flights.
Passengers were harassed a lot as many airlines delayed their departure due to dense fog.
About 15 domestic flights from Delhi were cancelled and 12 international, mostly scheduled to depart late Saturday night and in the wee hours, have been rescheduled, airport authorities said.
As dense fog started to descend upon the airport late Saturday night, about 17 domestic and two international flights scheduled to arrive in New Delhi were diverted to Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.
Around seven international flights coming to the national capital were delayed by up to three to four hours, airport sources said.
Most of the morning flights were delayed by up to five hours or had be rescheduled for the latter part of the day, as Met department has said that situation is likely to improve after 9.30 when the dense fog (CAT-III A or CAT III B category) may start to lift slowly.
The general visibility at the main and the new runways were less than 50 metres. The runway visibility was below 125 metres.
Airlines also cancelled their flights to Lucknow, Jaipur, Kullu, Mumbai, Leh, Amritsar, Patna, Chandigarh, Goa and Srinagar due to dense fog.
On Saturday night, Air India rescheduled its flights to New York, Chicago and Toronto after visibility dropped below the accepted limit. The flights, which were scheduled to depart between 1.30 to 3.30 am, have been rescheduled to 11.30 am.
Flashback: Newsmakers in 2010
POLL: Is Sachin the greatest sportsperson ever?
Why this poll?
Comparisons are odious. But truth be told, there's nothing sports fanatics love more. And so, for all the disclaimers about how it's impossible and unfair to compare greats from two different eras, we insist on doing precisely that. One question that's increasingly being asked is whether Sachin Tendulkar is a greater cricketer than Sir Don Bradman. The answer, at least according to netizens who participated in a recent Sydney Morning Herald poll, is a resounding yes - by a whopping 67% to 33%.
Even as we were digesting this stunning result, along came an interview by Usain Bolt. The world's fastest man, who dominates his event as few sportspersons ever have, admitted to being a huge fan of Tendulkar. He also said that given a chance, he'd like to ask Sachin "just how he has managed to work so hard to stay at the top for so long and what advice he'd give other sportsmen".
Clearly then, Sachin is idolized not just by millions of cricket lovers, but also champions of other sports. Which raises the obvious question: Given the consistency with which he has sustained excellence at the highest competitive level for a scarcely believable 21 years - while cheerfully bearing the crushing burden of knowing that a billion hopes rest on his shoulders every time he bats - is he not just the greatest cricketer but the greatest sportsperson ever?
It's a question that's bound to stir a heated debate. So, we decided to throw it open to our readers as well. We prepared a shortlist of 12 of the greatest sportspersons, across events and eras. Sachin, naturally, figures on the list. But pinning down the other 11 names, from among hundreds of contenders, proved immensely challenging.
We decided not to have more than one player from each sport - with the exception of tennis, where we picked one man and one woman. Settling on the the greatest player from each sport itself set off passionate arguments.
Did Pele's sublime skills make him a greater footballer than the spellbinding but volatile brilliance of Diego Maradona? Rocky Marciano is the only heavyweight boxing champ in history to retire undefeated with a proud 49-0 record. But generations of fans believe the only deserving contender for the title of GOAT (Greatest of All Time) is the man who floated like a butterfly but stung like a bee, Mohammad Ali. Roger Federer may own the record of 16 Grand Slam titles but is he really greater than Rod Laver, who won all four Grand Slam championships in a year not once but twice? For that matter, is he even greater than his fierce rival, Rafael Nadal?
These discussions could have gone on for hours, so we settled them by vote - and left quite a few colleagues muttering and grumbling. The final call, dear reader, is of course yours. Join the debate.
Blast kills 42 at food aid center in Pakistan - Washington Post
PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN - A suicide bomber, possibly a woman, struck a food distribution center in Pakistan's restive tribal belt Saturday morning, killing at least 42 people and injuring dozens.
The attack occurred in the main city in the Bajaur area as hundreds of members of the Salarzai tribe, which had been displaced by fighting between militants and the Pakistani army, lined up to collect World Food Program rations at a government center, a local official said. The dead and injured included several children, according to the official, who was not authorized to speak to the media.
A day earlier, 150 militants launched a coordinated attack on military checkpoints in the neighboring Mohmand agency, leading to a battle that left 11 Pakistani soldiers and 24 militants dead.
Both attacks underscored insurgents' continued ability to strike state targets despite various Pakistani army offensives. The army declared victory over militants in Bajaur last year, but the insurgents have reorganized.
Witnesses said the bomber who struck Saturday was dressed in a head-to-toe robe known as a burqa, leading to speculation that a woman staged the attack. Officials said they could not confirm the bomber's sex. Islamist insurgents in Pakistan, based in the semiautonomous tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, have rarely deployed female bombers. Such a tactic would indicate a shift in strategy.
No group asserted responsibility for the attack. But insurgents have denounced the presence of all foreign relief organizations in Pakistan, and they have targeted aid distribution centers and refugee camps. Last year, the Pakistani Taliban bombed a World Food Program office in Islamabad, the nation's capital.
Militants have also focused attacks on pro-government tribes, which include the Salarzai. The tribe was the first in Bajaur to organize a pro-government militia to combat the Taliban.
Zahid Ali, a tribesman who witnessed the Saturday attack, said it occurred at a spot where security forces were searching people who wanted to enter the government compound to collect aid.
"A suicide bomber stormed into the gathering and detonated himself," said the local official, who works for the Bajaur political administration. Zakir Hussain, who heads the civilian administration in the area, could not be reached.
Brulliard reported from Islamabad.
Indian student shot dead in US during store robbery
HOUSTON: A 22-year-old Indian hailing from Andhra Pradesh was shot dead early on Christmas morning during a robbery at a convenience store where he was working part time as a clerk.
Jayachandra Elaprolu was shot five times and was found dead when the police arrived on to the scene.
The tragic incident occurred in Pasadena county of California state on early Christmas morning.
Police said they are now seeking at least two suspects in the shooting death, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Elaprolu was a student and was working at the convenience store part time.
Ali Kahn, a manager at the store said Elaprolu was from India and had been working at the store for less than a month.
A video of the CCTV footage obtained by the police showed a man in a ski mask entering the Conoco gas station at about 2:20 am (local time), before shooting the clerk and taking away the cash register.
Pasadena police spokesman Bud Corbett said the victim was shot five times.
Police distributed surveillance video from the store to local media outlets in an attempt to find witnesses, the paper said.
As the assailant confronted him, Elaprolu managed to get behind a door that led to a small office behind the counter, but he appears to have been shot through the door, according to police.
Media reports said Elaprolu was studying computers at college and had been working at the gas station for only three weeks.
Corbett said investigators were surprised by the ferocity of the gunman who appears to walk in with a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol in hand and starts shooting.
"To actually see the suspect enter a store and engage in gunfire is a unique circumstance... He's a very violent individual, and the sooner we apprehend him, the better," he said.
While the shooter is described as a 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall man between 220 and 250 pounds, police have named another person who was seen leaving the store seconds before the shooting incident.
Police said the second man, who did not appear to be having a weapon, could either be an accomplice of the attacker or a witness to the case.
The video showed the gunman pulling the cash register off the counter and hauling it out, snapping an attached cord as he left.
A woman who entered the store about a minute and half after the incident found the clerk hit by bullets and she called the police.
Sexy Models Allegedly Used To Lure Marrow Donors (Channel3000)
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Monday, December 20, 2010
'Cellphones to blame for pre-marital sex'
AIZAWL: India may have become the world's fastest growing mobile phone market, but a church body in Mizoram has blamed the use of cellphones for rising pre-marital sex among youngsters in the Christian-dominated northeastern state.
The Synod Social Front of the Mizoram Presbyterian Church recently carried out a survey among the residents, mostly youngsters, of Aizawl and other district headquarters and observed that invasion of the media, especially cellphones, in everyday life has "undermined the social values of the Mizos and increased pre-marital sex among the youth".
Hrithik, Salman patch up
Using his brother's birthday bash as a diplomatic platform, Sallu buried the hatchet with Duggu on Saturday. He even fixed him a drink
The highlight of Sohail's birthday bash turned out to be that big bhai Sallu and superstar Duggu, who had a rather public spat recently, patched up.
Not only did they hug (as Duggu has promised to do in his rejoinder to Sallu's digs at Guzaarish's poor box-office performance) and make up, but also spent some good time together.
Our source from the venue said, "Hrithik walked in and met Sohail at the gate. Then he entered the bash. That's when he came face to face with Salman. Salman immediately went up to Hrithik and hugged him.
After that he took Hrithik at a corner and both of them had a long chat, probably clearing the air about the comments that Salman made about Guzaarish.
After that Salman dragged Hrithik to the bar and made a drink for him. Both of them were seen smiling and hugging each other. Hrithik wanted to leave early. However Salman didn't allow him to leave and all of them were seen chilling in a group."
The source further said, 'This shows that Salman has a big heart and Hrithik was also cool about the whole thing. Both of them have immense respect for each other. They let bygones be bygones."
It can be recalled that Hrithik was extremely upset over Sallu's comments about Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Guzaarish, for which Duggu won accolades. For the first time ever an otherwise quiet Duggu reacted to Sallu's comments; Sallu also did not take to this lightly.
Apparently, as reported, Sallu even wanted his film Ready to be released on that same date as Duggu's Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara, thus starting a new chapter in their war.
Duggu remained unavailable for comments. We also sent a text message to Sohail Khan but he too chose not to reply. All must have been hungover from the happiness of a battle having ended amicably.
Check Out Hrithik Roshan's Homepage
Ladbrokes in 888 takeover talks (BBC)
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Chinese, Indian leaders call for enhanced friendship - Xinhua
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao addresses the celebration activities of the 60th anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and India, in New Delhi, India, Dec. 16, 2010. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
NEW DELHI, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday called for continuous efforts to enhance the friendly relations between the two countries.
"In the past 60 years, China and India have overcome various difficulties in making strides forward and have gained rejuvenation," said Premier Wen when attending the celebration activities of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and India and the closing ceremony of the "Festival of China 2010 in India."
Wen said that both sides have upheld the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence which they initiated together, sought good neighborliness, treated each other equally and worked for cooperation of mutual benefits, adding that these are the precious experiences obtained in the development of bilateral ties in more than half a century.
The Chinese premier called on both sides to carry on the friendship generation after generation despite changes on the world arena and difficulties that may lie ahead.
Wen stressed both China and India are in a key period of development, and that they should enhance political and strategic mutual trust, expand pragmatic cooperation in economy, trade and science and technology, strengthen coordination in regional and international affairs, upgrade the status and influence of developing nations, so as to make greater contributions to building a harmonious world featuring lasting peace and common prosperity.
The premier meanwhile expressed his gratitude to the people on both sides who have worked hard for the success of the Festival of China in India, and wished the Indian people happiness and healthiness in the coming new year.
When addressing the ceremony, Singh said China is India's biggest neighbor, and that it is a consistent diplomatic objective of India to develop ties with China.
He also hailed the China-India cooperation as a cornerstone for a century of Asia, saying it also has global and strategic significance.
China and India are friends, not rivals, and there is enough room in the world for China and India to develop at the same time, Singh said.
He added that the two countries should jointly enhance exchanges and cooperation in a bid to make new achievements in the China-India strategic and cooperative partnership.
Wen arrived here Wednesday for a three-day official visit at the invitation of Singh.
Special Report: Premier Wen Visits India, Pakistan
Homes at Risk, and No Help From Lawyers (nytimes)
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Toyota to pay $32.4 million for recalls (CNN)
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A positive take on pornography
It's so disturbing to open papers and read about rape, sexual and child abuse.
These abhorrent acts scar individuals and create dysfunctional relationships. Even more disturbing are skewed sex ratios where there are approximately 800+ women for 1,000 men, because these ratios will lead to further sexual frustration and acts of violence. Once the 800+ women have committed to men, what will the balance 200 men per 1000 do for sexual satisfaction? Prostitution is illegal and so is pornography.
Activists may shout aloud that pornography objectifies and degrades women, but I think that sexism, not sex, degrades women. They may argue that pornography leads to violence and intimidation of women. But I say that such cruelty existed for thousands of years before commercial pornography. In fact, countries with no pornography, like Iran and Saudi Arabia, do not boast strong women's rights records.
What we should address is that sexism and violence arise out of economic, emotional and cultural factors.
Is pornography a friend or foe? For those that say some pornography is objectionable, I say the answer to that is good pornography, not zero pornography. The problem is not sex, it is force.
We need to severely deal with those that practice female foeticide and also consider alternative sexual outlets for the lonely men out there to keep our women and children safe. We need to wake up to their lonely, frustrated reality.
1. Hi Pooja, I'm a teenage girl studying in class 10. Recently during my summer vacations this year, I met a guy who is also my age. We first started chatting on a networking site and then he asked me for my number, after which we starting texting and talking almost everyday. He stays in Mumbai and apparently his sisters and me are classmates. He is a very caring and sweet person but not expressive and very moody. I really like him and he likes me too. The problem though is his big ego and mood and he keeps telling me that I never take him seriously. Recently when he came to Bangalore his sister told him that he irritates me a lot, which is not really true and from then he just stopped flirting with me or even talking to me properly. After 10 days, I called to ask him why he didn't tell me directly that he doesn't want to talk to me and is saying it through his sister. He just laughed it off and said he would talk to me later but its been 2 days, he has not called me. Now I don't know what to do. It's been almost 7 months since I know him and I still love him. Should I forget him and move on or what should I do?
- Chavi, Bangalore.
Relationships can be tempestuous and immature at your age. It doesn't mean the love and caring isn't real, but it's subjected to a lot of volatility and change as you develop likes, dislikes, expectations and go through your own inner personal growth processes. Think about it. You are romanticising being in a relationship with a moody, egoistical man. How sensible is that? His non-communication isn't reasonable either. It's so much easier when people are upfront about what they are experiencing, even though it may be hurtful at that time. Figure out a good time to talk to him face to face so as to ascertain your role in his life or get closure on the relationship.
2. Dear Pooja, I am a 19 year-old teenager. I met a guy five years back. We became good friends, in fact the closest friends and I soon fell in love with him. He also developed feelings for me but then he stopped himself because he didn't want to hurt my mother, he's a family friend. I told him about my feelings three years back and we remained good friends. But now he's getting married next month. I am trying to keep a distance from him, but I don't want to. I can't see him with another girl. He considers me as his best friend and doesn't want me to leave him. I miss him and my feelings are just getting stronger day by day. Sometimes I feel like committing suicide. I can't imagine my life without him. What should I do?
- Anon.
He's a good man. He hasn't let you or your family down in any way, and such goodness, integrity and friendship should be rewarded with gratitude and happiness for his future. Your jealousy and suicidal thoughts will only hurt you and the wonderful bond you share with him. You don't have to have a life without him, as he considers you his best friend. All you need to work on is altering your expectations of him. If you can't handle it, just take a friendship sabbatical to heal, move on and get your emotional balance before you reconnect as friends. It's been a five-year investment into making an amazing friend and it would be a shame to let it to go forever.
3. Dear Pooja, I am a 28-year-old married woman. My husband is a businessman and used to travel a lot. I am addicted to sex. Before my marriage, I had physical relations with my brother's friend who is eight years elder to me. After my marriage, I didn't have much physical contact with my husband. So I often, felt alone at home and addicted to the net. I have so many online friends and they satisfy me through chat and we exchange few pictures. Meanwhile, I met my cousin online and we both began sex chat and now we have physical relations too. My husband comes home once a week and spends just a night with me. So to satisfy myself I usually go to my cousin's apartment. Sometimes my ex-boyfriend (my brother's friend) comes over. My cousin is not ready to get married since he thinks of me as his wife. But that cannot be possible and I tried to convince him that even after his marriage we can have a physical relationship. But he is not ready for that. What should I do?
- Prabha
Gosh! You are confronted by multiple issues. Firstly, your sex addiction needs urgent counselling if you wish to bring loyalty and integrity back into your marriage or any future relationship. Secondly, are you sure you want to stay in an unfulfilling, lonely marriage whose vows you have clearly violated? Lastly, encouraging your cousin to marry and be adulterous with you is simply appalling. In his best interest, I suggest you cut off all ties with him, and in your best interest I suggest you focus on sorting out your own problems immediately.
4. Hi, I am 23-years-old and my boyfriend is 25. I've known him for the last three years. For the first 20 months we were friends and after that, we fell in love. He said he will not marry me as he doesn't want to go against his parents' wishes. But he wants to be in a relationship as he says all couples do not marry in the end. I am unable to detach myself, but feel I am cheating myself and my parents. Whenever I need him and call him he just says he's really busy. This relationship is only frustrating me. He texts me everyday. Should I proceed?
- Mamta, New Delhi
Absolutely not! You are already unable to detach and feel guilty, so can you imagine how much more heightened those emotions would be if you got into a relationship with no future? He's selfishly thinking of his needs and his parents' happiness and not of yours or that of your parents. It's said that if you fill your life with clutter then there will be no space for the right man when he walks in. Realise your worth and potential and go out there and find a man who values you and thinks of a future with you.
Full Episode: World News: Perfect Storm (ABC News)
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Naidu continues fast in hospital, condition turns alarming - The Hindu
The Hindu Farmers' organisations and Telugu Desam cadre in Panjagutta -Ameerpet in Hyderabad on Monday to enforce a 'bandh' following the arrest of the TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu. Photo: P.V. Sivakumar A determined Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu continued his fast for the fourth day on Monday at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), even as his condition turned alarming. Earlier, he was forcibly shifted there from the hunger strike camp by the police in the wee hours amidst high drama. Not satisfied with the relief package announced by the Government for flood-hit farmers, he began his fast on December 17 demanding a fair deal to them. Following deterioration in his condition last evening, the authorities began preparations to arrest and shift him to hospital. After getting wind of the impending arrest, scores of TDP supporters reached the venue to resist any police action. Amidst stiff resistance from MLAs and other supporters, including several women, police swooped down the on the camp and arrested Mr. Naidu. Several TDP leaders surrounded Mr. Naidu on the dais in a bid to prevent the police from arresting him, while scores of others who gathered at the site. Some of them hurled chairs at the police. As the TDP activists threw a cordon around Mr. Naidu, the police pulled out each of them and carried him into a waiting vehicle. In the melee, N. Lokesh Naidu, son of Mr.Chandrababu Naidu, and others suffered mild bruises. A defiant Mr. Naidu told the police officials that his condition was alright even as other senior TDP leaders questioned the right of the police to arrest him from new MLA quarters. Protesting against his arrest, the Telugu Desam has called for a State bandh today, which was supported by CPI(M) and CPI parties. There were widespread protests by TDP activists all over the State and RTC buses were damaged at several places Meanwhile, Health Minister D.L. Ravindra Reddy said the TDP leader’s condition was alarming and appealed to him to call off the fast. Rashtriya Lok Dal president, Ajit Singh and Panthers Party leader, Bhim Singh were among those who called on Mr. Naidu at the hospital. Condemning the arrest, Telugu Desam leader K. Yerran Naidu the attempt to foil Mr.Naidu’s fast was a conspiracy by Central and State Governments in view of the "unimaginable response" from farmers and the people.
Regulators target bankers' cash compensation: report (Reuters)
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U.S. executions fall due to cost and lack of lethal drug (Reuters)
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WikiLeaks on Rahul: Congress suspects conspiracy
NEW DELHI: Congress on Friday suspected a conspiracy behind the release of the WikiLeaks cable which says Rahul Gandhi had told US ambassador Timothy Roemer that growth of "radicalised Hindu groups" could pose a bigger threat to India than activities of groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba.
"Let us verify the truth. May be there is some conspiracy behind the pattern with which this all is being done," party general secretary Janardan Diwedi said when asked about his reaction to the WikiLeaks release.
According to a secret US diplomatic cable from New Delhi released by WikiLeaks, at a luncheon hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence in July 2009, the Congress general secretary was asked by the US ambassador about LeT's activities in the region and immediate threat to India.
"Gandhi said there was evidence of some support for the group among certain elements in India's indigenous Muslim community," the cable notes.
"However, Gandhi warned, the bigger threat may be the growth of radicalised Hindu groups, which create religious tensions and political confrontations with the Muslim community," it says.
Meanwhile the BJP condemned Rahul Gandhi's remarks and said "in one stroke", he has given a "big leverage" to the propaganda of all terror groups in Pakistan.
Strongly objecting to the remarks made to US ambassador Timothy Roemer, as claimed by a WikiLeaks cable, BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad said, "It is irresponsible. It is in the public domain and the US government has neither denied nor confirmed it. Therefore, it has sanctity."
"In one stroke, Rahul Gandhi has sought to give a big leverage to the propaganda of all terror groups operating from Pakistan and certain segments of the Pakistan establishment," he told reporters here.
Prasad said such remarks impinge upon India's strategic security and fight against terrorism.
"If he sees a fringe radical Hindu group as the biggest threat in spite of so many terrorist attacks including 26/11 in which involvement of Pakistani groups is confirmed, then it only underscores how ignorant he is about India and its problems," the BJP leader said.
The party also attacked him for making such remarks to a foreign diplomat and not before Parliament and said the opposition would take up the issue in next Parliament session and also before the people.
Prasad said the statement "underscores how little Rahul Gandhi knows about India. The PM has publicly acknowledged that Maoism and terrorist threat from across the border are the biggest challenges before India and Rahul Gandhi says certain lunatic, marginalised Hindu radical groups are the biggest threat?"
Senior opposition leader Prakash Javadekar said the statement shows "crass communalism and jaundiced world view".
HP under scanner for bribing
BANGALORE: The US authorities have been conducting a probe to find whether current and former employees of Hewlett-Packard Co paid kickbacks in certain transactions spanning several European countries, HP said in a filing.
The investigators have widened the probe by asking HP for information whether HP personnel in Russia, Germany, Austria, Serbia, the Netherlands or CIS were involved in kickbacks or other improper payments to channel partners, or state owned or private entities, the company said in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday.
HP said it was cooperating with the investigating agencies. HP had said in September that US authorities had asked for information on deals in Russia and the CIS.
The enforcement authorities had been probing the company's potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Will You Still Need Me? (CNN)
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Video: Notebook: Nutcracker Controversy (CBS News)
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Regulators target bankers' cash compensation: report (Reuters) (Yahoo!)
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Arrest in slaying of East Palo Alto drug counselor (SF Gate)
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'Dabangg' Sonakshi in a bikini!
You know you have arrived when your morphed pictures become hot searches on the web and news channels debate endlessly over your so-called dare bare act. But Sonakshi Sinha, who has nurtured the image of a traditional Indian beauty for herself, is far from amused.
Doctored photographs of Sonakshi in a bikini have been floating on the internet, superimposed on the cover of a men's magazine. The original cover has Sonakshi in one of her most sensuous photo shoots yet, but nothing like the striped bikini which caught the fancy of several media channels, including a magazine, which published an article speculating on why the demure and conservative daughter of the BJP leader chose to shed her clothes for the raunchy shoot.
An upset Sonakshi, who has been vocal about not acting in any steamy scenes in Race 2 (Mumbai Mirror, December 7), tweeted her disapproval of the article, forcing the magazine to publish an apology, but it was too late.
The fake magazine cover had already become one of the most sought-after links on the web and TV channels were having a field day flashing it.
Sonakshi's mother Punam Sinha blames her daughter's detractors for the fiasco, "We're shocked by the levels to which our detractors are willing to fall. The face is Sonakshi's from Dabangg. But the body certainly doesn't match. This is an attempt to belittle our family."
While she has nothing against anyone posing in a bikini, the harried mother, wife of BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha says there were certain preconditions for Sonakshi's Bollywood foray and sticking to certain dress codes was part of it. She says angrily, "Sonakshi is a young girl who can carry off anything if she wants to.
But if she doesn't want to dress in a particular way, please understand that and leave her alone." In several of her interviews Sonakshi has said she would never pose in a bikini.
Subi Samuel, who shot the young actress in a couple of revealing outfits for the magazine, says, "We shot in a studio, but the truth is she is not the kind of girl who would wear bikinis.
Sonakshi is an extremely sweet and conservative girl who holds on to certain traditional principles. I don't think she needs to wear a bikini to seek attention, especially after being a part of the biggest hit of the year."
When contacted, Vivek Pareek, editor of the magazine said, "We work with top photographers and everyone is aware that we don't morph our pictures except tweaking background sometimes."
The magazine is not contemplating any legal action against the unknown person behind the fake cover.
Meanwhile, other than the angry tweets, the Sinha girl has not made any comments on the issue yet.
Check out Sonakshi Sinha's pics
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UK police swoop for 12 terror suspects (CNN)
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Metro may link Santa Cruz, Navi Mumbai airport
MUMBAI: The connectivity between the old airport in Santa Cruz and the proposed airport in Navi Mumbai is set to be boosted by metro rail. The metro will be a joint project by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco). The MMRDA is firming up plans for connectivity and has held talks with Cidco on the issue. Several routes are being discussed.
One of the routes being mentioned is the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar line; another is the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd route. There will also be an underground metro link from the Bandra Kurla Complex to the Eastern Express Highway, and an elevated metro from the highway to the Navi Mumbai airport.
MMRDA commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad said the MMRDA is the planning authority for the Mumbai area, while Cidco is the planning authority for the Navi Mumbai area. "We have had discussions on the issue and will be working on a joint project,'' said Gaikwad.
He added that Lea & Associates, the Canadian consulting firm which is conducting the transport studies for the region, will carry out a feasibility report for the project. "We are looking at a system under which commuters can step into the metro at Colaba, go to the Santa Cruz airport and also travel to the Navi Mumbai airport if they wish,'' said Gaikwad.
There are also plans for connecting the proposed Navi Mumbai airport with the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link. MMRDA officials said funds for the airport link can be made available from either the World Bank or the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation. The metro rail project will have nine lines in the Mumbai region and will link all the vital points for faster transport.
No Signs of North Korean Retaliation After South Korean Firing Drills (ABC News)
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San Bruno disaster may be focus of federal hearing (SF Gate)
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India declines to affirm 'One China' policy
NEW DELHI: The promise of $100-billion trade between India and China failed to obscure the reality: the two Asian giants remain far apart on fundamental issues, including Kashmir and terror strikes on India from Pakistan territory.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, on a charm offensive here, said the two countries would strive for a ''strategic consensus'' on issues, while PM Manmohan Singh responded with his own brand of optimism: ''A strong partnership between India and China will contribute to long-term peace, stability, prosperity and development in Asia and the world.''
The verbal warmth was buttressed by signing six bilateral agreements — on culture, green technology, media exchanges, river data and banking, possibly indicating the breadth of issues on which India-China ties have grown.
But behind the warm, fuzzy public atmospherics was a lot of candid, tough talking by India on its core concerns. Maintaining S M Krishna's line that Jammu & Kashmir was integral to India just as Tibet was to China, the China-India joint statement failed to mention India's affirmation of a 'one China' policy — which states that Taiwan and Tibet are part of China. This was a significant first in Indo-Sino ties.
India has been asking China to affirm a one-India policy. Considering China was questioning Kashmir's accession to India, it appears India too has held its hand on a 'one China' policy.
On stapled Chinese visas for Kashmiris — something that has become a clear provocation for India — foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said that Wen raised the issue of stapled visas even before the Indians could. But in typical Chinese style, Wen only agreed to official discussions on it, instead of addressing the irritant. Sources said proof that China might walk back from its current policy would be evident only over time.
India pushed hard on several other issues of concern. Refusing to accept China's demand for a regional trade agreement, India pushed for greater market access for Indian products and services in China. The joint statement promises ''measures to promote greater Indian exports to China with a view to reduce India's trade deficit.''
China remained non-committal on both terrorism from Pakistan and India's bid for a permanent seat at UNSC. Addressing the Indian Council for World Affairs, Wen said both countries had similar views on UNSC reform. In joint statement, China stuck to its old line, ''China attaches great importance to India's status in international affairs as a large developing country, understands and supports India's aspiration to play a greater role in United Nations, including in the Security Council.''
Top 9 sex-related myths busted
Do you know everything about sex? Think again for the more someone claims to know, the less they generally do know.
Alicia Stanton, a board-certified OB/GYN and the author of ''Hormone Harmony,'' who specializes in treating men and women suffering hormone imbalances, has listed top nine sex-related myths and what the real scoop is about sex, desire, and making it all work, reports the Fox News.
Myth: Interest in sex decreases with menopause.
Reality: Many women maintain hormonal balance and interest in sex through menopause. And, pregnancy and menstruation are no longer a concern, spontaneity can reign. Also, they are typically more confident and knowledgeable about what they want, so sex has the potential to be better than ever.
Myth: The only hormone important for libido is testosterone.
Reality: Although testosterone is very important for libido and sexual function in men and women, other hormones play a part as well. Estrogen is actually very important for desire in both men and women. Also, a high level of cortisol, our "fight or flight hormone," works against libido. If your body thinks that you're running for your life, literally or figuratively, it is not going to be very interested in sex.
Myth: If you're truly in love, desire for sex and high libido should come easily.
Reality: Relationships and making a real connection with someone takes time and energy. Relationships require as much attention as anything about which you are passionate. Focus on keeping your partner and his or her interests high on your priority list and you will find yourself discovering new ways to connect and keep the passion alive.
Myth: If you're healthy, you should want sex all of the time.
Reality: A wide variety in sexual appetite or level of libido exists. The way you know if you're having the "right" amount of sex is if you and your partner are both happy with your level of activity. There's no need to compare yourself to others.
Myth: If you're connected with your partner, you shouldn't have to ask for what you need.
Reality : Even if you and your partner haven't previously spoken much about your sexual relationship, it might be good to start talking. This is especially true if you're entering a new phase of life, including childbirth, menopause, or andropause, often called male menopause. If you begin to notice changes in your body or sexual desire, be sure to let your partner know what's going on. And, remember, communicating about what feels good enhances the experience for both of you.
Myth: Your most important sex organs are "south of the border."
Reality: Although those places are lots of fun, remember that your brain is the biggest sex organ in your body. You always have the ability to choose how you feel and think about sex and your sexuality. The desirability a man or woman feels about himself or herself is a very potent aphrodisiac. If you feel irresistible, your partner will find you irresistible. Passion is contagious!
Myth: If you don't have a partner, there is no sense in having a libido.
Reality: Having a loving relationship with yourself is essential. Even if you don't currently have a partner, feeling sensual and desirable will add passion to many aspects of your life. It takes practice to learn what arouses you and what a potential partner finds arousing. Learning to pleasure yourself is an important skill that you can continue to enjoy on your own, or that you can teach to a partner one day.
Myth: Women are the only ones who have problems with low libido.
Reality: Although the sexual desire disorder known as low libido is more common in women, it occurs in men as well. Some physical causes include alcohol, various medications, stress, hormone imbalances (such as low testosterone), cocaine use, brain tumors that produce the hormone prolactin, diabetes, and other major diseases such as cancer.
Myth: Hormonal issues are the only cause of low libido in women.
Reality: There are hormone imbalances such as low estrogen, low testosterone, hypothyroidism, and high cortisol from stress, but there are many other potential causes as well. Physical problems such as vulvar or vaginal pain or dryness may cause an increase in frustration and reduced libido. Surgery or other major health conditions like cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure or arthritis can also reduce libido.
Also, relationship issues, psychological issues (including depression), alcohol, tobacco use, and weight issues may also contribute to low libido.
Metro may link Santa Cruz, Navi Mumbai airport
MUMBAI: The connectivity between the old airport in Santa Cruz and the proposed airport in Navi Mumbai is set to be boosted by metro rail. The metro will be a joint project by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco). The MMRDA is firming up plans for connectivity and has held talks with Cidco on the issue. Several routes are being discussed.
One of the routes being mentioned is the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar line; another is the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd route. There will also be an underground metro link from the Bandra Kurla Complex to the Eastern Express Highway, and an elevated metro from the highway to the Navi Mumbai airport.
MMRDA commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad said the MMRDA is the planning authority for the Mumbai area, while Cidco is the planning authority for the Navi Mumbai area. "We have had discussions on the issue and will be working on a joint project,'' said Gaikwad.
He added that Lea & Associates, the Canadian consulting firm which is conducting the transport studies for the region, will carry out a feasibility report for the project. "We are looking at a system under which commuters can step into the metro at Colaba, go to the Santa Cruz airport and also travel to the Navi Mumbai airport if they wish,'' said Gaikwad.
There are also plans for connecting the proposed Navi Mumbai airport with the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link. MMRDA officials said funds for the airport link can be made available from either the World Bank or the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation. The metro rail project will have nine lines in the Mumbai region and will link all the vital points for faster transport.
Expect fatter pay packet, 20% jump in hiring in New Year
NEW DELHI: Bountiful days are in store on job street in the New Year, as in-bloom-again industry is expected to accelerate hiring by as much as 20 per cent and reward employees with an identical hike in salaries.
Notwithstanding a cautious start, hiring activities gathered momentum in the second half of 2010 and companies are estimated to have created over a million jobs in the organised sector alone.
Led by fast-growing sectors such as telecom, consumer durables and real estate, HR experts feel that hiring is most likely to jump 20 per cent in 2011. With escalation of the talent war between companies, pay packets too are expected to climb at a rate of about 20 per cent, they opined.
"There would at least be 20 per cent more hiring at the starting level and may be 10 per cent more at mid-management level as compared to second half of 2010. Almost all sectors of Indian economy would hire (in 2011)," staffing services firm Futurestep's Country Manager Asim Handa said.
Futurestep is part of global HR firm Korn/Ferry International.
Improving economic conditions, coupled with many companies' aggressive expansion plans, are expected to further fuel hiring activities, especially in the first half of 2010.
Recruitment firm TeamLease Services' Vice President, Rituparna Chakraborty, said the average hiring increase would be "anywhere between 10 to 18 per cent across sectors next year".
Global consultancy firm Deloitte India's Leader (Human Capital Advisory Services) P Thiruvengadam said recruitment levels have significantly improved in all sectors this year.
The sectors definitely creating jobs (next year) would be healthcare, life sciences, retail, infrastructure and manufacturing, among others, he added.
Online job portal Monster.com's Managing Director (India/ Middle East/South East Asia), Sanjay Modi, said India is going to emerge as a huge sourcing ground for global jobs across segments, positions and profiles.
Meanwhile, compensation is also likely to sail northward in 2011, as entities would mainly look to retain talent.
"I do not anticipate huge increases in salaries (in 2011), but performance would be rewarded and the levels of increase could be of the order of 11 to 18 per cent," Deloitte India's Thiruvengadam said.
TeamLease Services' Chakraborty said the hiring sentiment would be positive, especially for sectors such as consumer durables, FMCG, real estate and telecom.
"Salary growth will range anywhere from 10 to 20 per cent across these sectors next year," she noted.
According to Monster.com's Modi, organisations would have to look at new ways of structuring compensation — by considering a bonus, incentives and stock options, among other steps — to motivate and retain talent.
The country's organised sector is estimated to have generated more than 1.1 million jobs this year, a recent survey by staffing services firm Ma Foi Randstad showed.
Mirroring the improved labour market situation, TeamLease Services' net employment outlook — a measure of hiring prospects — surged to 68 per cent in the December quarter from 47 per cent in March quarter.
BBC's Brian Hanrahan dies at 61 (BBC)
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Times Crest: Sex and the Maximum City
Women in Mumbai traditionally occupied public spaces with far greater ease than most other Indian cities, owing to two distinct historical phenomena. The combination of social reform movements, around freedom, education and the abolition of caste, alongside the development of public transport systems made Mumbai comfortable for women. The recent breakdown of Mumbai's public transport, at a time when its social fabric is unravelling, is fast turning the city into an urban nightmare.
"Women were at the forefront of important reform movements in Maharashtra, resulting in their taking to the streets in large numbers, " says Sameera Khan, co-author of Why Loiter?, a forthcoming book on public spaces in Mumbai. Khan indicates the ladies' compartments in Mumbai local trains, which made it possible for women to travel across the city. But Mumbai's burgeoning population has put immense strain on transport.
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Expect fatter pay packet, 20% jump in hiring in New Year
NEW DELHI: Bountiful days are in store on job street in the New Year, as in-bloom-again industry is expected to accelerate hiring by as much as 20 per cent and reward employees with an identical hike in salaries.
Notwithstanding a cautious start, hiring activities gathered momentum in the second half of 2010 and companies are estimated to have created over a million jobs in the organised sector alone.
Led by fast-growing sectors such as telecom, consumer durables and real estate, HR experts feel that hiring is most likely to jump 20 per cent in 2011. With escalation of the talent war between companies, pay packets too are expected to climb at a rate of about 20 per cent, they opined.
"There would at least be 20 per cent more hiring at the starting level and may be 10 per cent more at mid-management level as compared to second half of 2010. Almost all sectors of Indian economy would hire (in 2011)," staffing services firm Futurestep's Country Manager Asim Handa said.
Futurestep is part of global HR firm Korn/Ferry International.
Improving economic conditions, coupled with many companies' aggressive expansion plans, are expected to further fuel hiring activities, especially in the first half of 2010.
Recruitment firm TeamLease Services' Vice President, Rituparna Chakraborty, said the average hiring increase would be "anywhere between 10 to 18 per cent across sectors next year".
Global consultancy firm Deloitte India's Leader (Human Capital Advisory Services) P Thiruvengadam said recruitment levels have significantly improved in all sectors this year.
The sectors definitely creating jobs (next year) would be healthcare, life sciences, retail, infrastructure and manufacturing, among others, he added.
Online job portal Monster.com's Managing Director (India/ Middle East/South East Asia), Sanjay Modi, said India is going to emerge as a huge sourcing ground for global jobs across segments, positions and profiles.
Meanwhile, compensation is also likely to sail northward in 2011, as entities would mainly look to retain talent.
"I do not anticipate huge increases in salaries (in 2011), but performance would be rewarded and the levels of increase could be of the order of 11 to 18 per cent," Deloitte India's Thiruvengadam said.
TeamLease Services' Chakraborty said the hiring sentiment would be positive, especially for sectors such as consumer durables, FMCG, real estate and telecom.
"Salary growth will range anywhere from 10 to 20 per cent across these sectors next year," she noted.
According to Monster.com's Modi, organisations would have to look at new ways of structuring compensation — by considering a bonus, incentives and stock options, among other steps — to motivate and retain talent.
The country's organised sector is estimated to have generated more than 1.1 million jobs this year, a recent survey by staffing services firm Ma Foi Randstad showed.
Mirroring the improved labour market situation, TeamLease Services' net employment outlook — a measure of hiring prospects — surged to 68 per cent in the December quarter from 47 per cent in March quarter.
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