Asian Connections

Get 2 Audiobooks FREE from Audible

2009-04-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

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Regards,

Sandesh Kumar

Book of Fortnight - Green Hell

2009-04-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

Here is the link to buy the Book of Fortnight as on Apr 17, 2009 Green Hell by Steven Milloy from Amazon.ca, as recommended by Dr. Bikram Lamba.

Please let me know who all are interested and will make an effort to buy the book, I'll wait for your comments.

- Sandesh Kumar -

Book of Fortnight - India wins Freedom

2009-01-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

Here is the link to buy the Book of Fortnight as on Jan 15, 2009 India Wins Freedom (Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad) from Amazon.ca, as recommended by Dr. Bikram Lamba.

If you want to read it in Toronto Public Library, only one copy is available which right now is stacked. That means that you can read the book but will first have to make a request to take out from stack and then it can only be read at their Younge Street Location.

Please let me know who all are interested and will make an effort to buy the book or will want to go to the library in person. I will wait for your comments.

- Sandesh Kumar -

Recommendation for Dr. Lamba to be appointed as senator

2008-12-13T16:11:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

This is the detailed writeup of Dr. Lamba, which covers his huge experience and education, and makes him the best candidate to be selected as senator for Canada. All the listeners who have taken advantage of Dr. Lamba's advise and taken his services should definitely send letter of recommendation to Prime Minister, Stephen Harper.

You can send your recommendation by e-mail to pm@pm.gc.ca

Or write or fax the Prime Minister’s office at:

Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa
K1A 0A2

Fax: 613-941-6900

Here is my recommendation letter for Dr. Lamba

His brief profile is as under:

Profile removed as per request of Dr. Lamba

Regards,

Sandesh Kumar

Change name of News and Views Segment

2008-07-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

I have been trying to say this from a long time but I think I should today write it. I think the name of the News & Views segment should be changed and should be named something else. I think it should be named Random Questions & Dr. Lamba's answers on Air. I don't understand why do people come up again and again and ask same old stupid personal questions to Dr. Lamba on Air. Why don't they understand after so many times told by Raina Sen, not to ask personal questions on Air.

Well I think Raina has to take some strict action in this regard. I have few suggestions for her which I plan to give when I go and personally meet them at their Radio Station.

Hope to visit soon and pray that next News section is all concentrated on News and not on Random Questions.

Changes for Asian Connections Blog!!

2008-05-16T17:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

From past few weeks I am trying to write down news, covered by Dr. Lamba on Asian Connection Radio programme on 101.3 FM in Greater Toronto Area, and was trying to put news on this blog for those who miss these news. The effort put in to cover news by Dr. Lamba is really remarkable and the views given by him are really neutral and factual.

But the irony is I am not getting any visitors for this blog, so it's very hard for me to continue posting NEWS on this blog. But, this blog does not ends here. I will try to post the NEWS which is of my concern. I repeat, "THE NEWS WHICH ARE OF MY CONCERN". I will continue to run this blog. But I will not be posting news.

I would really like to thanks Raina Sen, who stood by me and always supported me with whatever help I wanted to run this blog. She never forgets to give me suggestions. I would also thank Ranbir Chauhan and Dr. Lamba for motivating me and always showing support for me.

Again, Thanks a lot to Asian Connection family. Hope to see you on the other side of the road. I think that is what I am supposed to say, but I don't know does that really make sense over here.
Anways, Good Luck to all and do check my blog for issues and views expressed on Asian Connections.

Thanks,
Sandesh Kumar
www.sandeshkumar.blogspot.com

Poll for Asian Connections Blog

2008-05-14T18:59:00.000-07:00

Canada and International News 14th May 2008 (Sandesh Kumar)

2008-05-14T16:32:00.000-07:00

Canada and International News 14th May 2008 (Sandesh Kumar)

1. China quake death toll passes 13000
The search for survivors of China's earthquake is continuing in isolated mountainous areas of the country's south-west after Monday's devastating earthquake.
2. US says Iran security pledge not on table in atom row
The United States said on Wednesday six world powers had no plans to offer Iran security guarantees to encourage it to suspend nuclear activity, hours after Russia floated the idea.
3. UN warns of 'second wave of deaths' as Myanmar braces for new cyclone
Monsoon winds and rain whipped through Myanmar's Irrawaddy River delta on Wednesday, compounding the misery for at least 1.6 million survivors of this month's deadly cyclone and spawning fresh appeals from the international community for immediate access to the disaster zone.
4. One Third of Hospital Toilets Not Properly Cleaned: C. Difficile ...
The toilets and commodes were tested every weekday for six months and checked using UV light to determine how well they had been cleaned. ...
5. Judge restores custody to parents of boy, 11, who fought chemotherapy
The parents of an 11-year-old Hamilton boy who was forced to undergo chemotherapy against his wishes have agreed to respect the medical decisions ...
6. Boy tells of being bullied for 2 1/2 years
Teachers from Brock High School in Cannington, about 50 kilometres north of Oshawa, first called Durham Regional Police last month after finding the ...
7. Not told of concern over contract, Flaherty says
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says he was unaware his former chief of staff broke government rules in handing a well-connected Tory an untendered ...
8. Liberals want jury to decide merits of Harper libel lawsuit
The federal Liberals want a jury to decide if they are guilty of libelling Prime Minister Stephen Harper over the so-called Cadman Affair and whether his ...
9. PwC: Canadian business tax system complex and costly
Canada's business tax system is complex and costly, challenging the country's ability to compete internationally, a new study by PricewaterhouseCoopers ...
10. Canadian gas prices up as oil's price spikes
Canadians are paying an average of about four cents more per litre for gasoline than they did one week ago as oil prices briefly set another new record. ...
11. Canada, US acting just as bad as al-Qaida, says ex-general
To the moral equivalent of terrorists in their handling of a young Canadian held at Guantanamo Bay, says Liberal senator and ex-general Romeo Dallaire. ...
12. Asian anglers victims of racial profiling, says report
Ontario's Human Rights Commission says racial profiling played a major role in the frequency of incidents in which Asian-Canadian anglers were harassed and assaulted in communities in the southern part of the province last year.
13. Licence grey zone
The Ontario government has proposed a form of graduated licensing for senior citizens, requiring drivers deemed a high risk to ...
14. Toddler and teens help man trapped under car
Three teenagers saw the incident, which happened on Russell Rd. near Smyth and St-Laurent about 10:30 am, and lifted the car off the man's chest, ...
15. Liquor-store sales linked to violent assaults
The study may also throw water on efforts to privatise liquor sales in Ontario in the name of profits. A 2005 report argued that the government’s monopoly ...
16. Still money for GM despite layoffs, McGuinty says
Premier Dalton McGuinty says Ontario will give General Motors more money for new projects, despite thousands of layoffs announced by the automaker. GM wants ...
17. Kingston jail has only one prisoner.

Foreign Exchange:
1 CAD $ = 1.00 U.S.
1 CAD $ = 42.07INR
1 CAD $ = 68.07 PAK
Gold = $877.00/Ounce

Take Care,
Sandesh Kumar

Canada and International News 13th May 2008 (Sandesh Kumar)

2008-05-13T15:16:00.000-07:00

Canada and International News 13th May 2008 (Sandesh Kumar)

1. Iran links US, UK to deadly mosque blast
Iranian officials claim the United States and Britain are linked to a group responsible for an explosion at a mosque last month that killed 14 people. ...

2. Israel, US responsible for Mideast crisis: defense minister
The US is stirring up the crisis in order to destabilize Lebanon, Najjar said, adding that it is also seeking to help Israel increase its security. ...

3. China quake death toll soars past 12000
The number of dead in China's earthquake climbed past 12000 on Tuesday with the toll expect to soar further ...

4. Conservatives won't commit defence strategy to paper
Canada's defence strategy for the next 20 years will be based on speeches by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Defence Minister Peter Mac-Kay given ...

5. General Motors shutting 1400-employee Windsor transmission plant ...
In the latest blow to the country's struggling auto industry, General Motors said Monday it will close its transmission plant in Windsor, Ont., ...

6. Open the door on immigration policy reform
These are clauses that may well be necessary to bring Immigration Canada's notoriously stubborn bureaucracy into line. Tales of bureaucratic abuse are ...

7. Vitamin D deficiency can be fatal
Recent studies claim that vitamin D deficiency leads to chronic health problems such as cancer and heart ailments. Considering the trend, Health ...

8. Canada targets gasoline pumps amid price worries
Canada's Conservative government says it can't do anything about the high price of gasoline but on Monday it promised to make ...

9. Measles case confirmed in Peel Region
Public health officials have confirmed the first case of measles in Peel Region in nearly four years, linking the illness to the recent cluster of cases in ...

10. Gas retailers could be fined if pumps inaccurate: Prentice
"People have been ripped off at the pump. It's about time they took action." Layton called on the government to establish a gas ombudsman to protect ...

11. Two-thirds of LGBTQ students feel unsafe: report
More than two-thirds of Canadian high school students who identify themselves as homosexual, bisexual or transgendered said they felt unsafe at school, ...

12. Canada's S&P/TSX Index Rises to Record, as EnCana, RIM Advance
Research In Motion advanced 4.7 percent to a record C$139.63. The company introduced a new BlackBerry phone, getting a jump on an updated iPhone from Apple ...

13. Report says Ontario should focus on Green industry
A report, expected today, says the provincial Liberals should make Ontario a manufacturing hub for new green industries. Labour groups and an organization ...

14. U.S. paid bounty for Khadr arrest in Pakistan
A U.S. intelligence agency paid a bounty of $500,000 (U.S.) to Pakistani military officials who arrested a Canadian citizen wanted for links to al-Qaeda, according to a new Federal Court ruling.

15. Parents don't understand quality of childcare, study finds
Mothers and fathers don't necessarily know best when it comes to assessing the quality of care their children are receiving in daycare centres, according to a city-financed study that outlines the pitfalls of private-sector, for-profit childcare.

Foreign Exchange:
1 CAD $ = 1.00 U.S.
1 CAD $ = 41.88INR
1 CAD $ = 67.25 PAK
Gold = $883.50/Ounce

Take Care,
Sandesh Kumar

MySpace can bring shy kids out of their shells (Sandesh Kumar)

2008-05-12T19:46:00.000-07:00

MySpace can bring shy kids out of their shells (Sandesh Kumar)
Making friends online can come easier and can raise self-esteem offline
By Jasmin Aline Persch
MSNBC

When Jessica Kellen was 12 years old, she met a boy on MySpace who said he was 17.
She had pretended to be 16, which allowed her to sneak past the site's rule that members have to be at least 14. Jessica, who's 14 now, describes her sixth-grade self as a "really shy kid." Conversing with a stranger on MySpace about the boy's family farm, parents and adolescent drama came easier than doing so with people she knew. And the virtual friendship helped boost her self-esteem in the real world — allowing her to make more friends at school.
“If I can do this on the Internet, why can't I do this in person?” realized Jessica, who lives in Centennial, Colo.
MySpace anxietyWhile horrifying headlines tie MySpace to teen suicide, violence — and especially sexual predators, research tells another story. Larry D. Rosen, a psychology professor at California State University, Dominguez Hills, found that only 12 percent of teenagers actually rendezvous offline with an online friend in his recent survey of 482 teens. That finding jibes with similar nationwide studies.
The kids most at risk for encountering trouble on MySpace are the ones who are looking for it, Rosen said in an interview.
“But they would be the same kids going out there looking for it offline,” he said.
In his recent parenting book “Me, MySpace and I,” Rosen says that parents’ MySpace anxiety likely arises from their lack of understanding of what teens actually do on the social-networking site. A third of parents have never glimpsed their teen’s MySpace page — and three-fourths do so less than once a month, according to his research.
And what parents might not know about MySpace is that it can actually help their kids. Bolstered by interviews of more than 1,000 parents and 2,500 teens, Rosen’s research shows that the oft-stigmatized site can foster adolescent pursuits of true identity, friendship — and validation.
“Overall, based on my extensive research, the impact of the MySpace lifestyle on child and adolescent development has been positive,” Rosen writes in his book. “It has provided a safe forum for expressing feelings and appears to enhance relationships and psychological well-being.”
MySpace eases adolescence?Rosen maintains that MySpace eases the coming-of-age process. About 80 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds log on weekly, according to Rosen's book.
Discuss on Newsvine
Can MySpace help shy kids come out of their shells?
Being social, the purpose of the site, is crucial to developing an identity. Adolescents adjust their behavior — and images — to positive and negative interactions with their peers. Rosen writes in his book that social flops, which can crush kids’ self-confidence, are easier to shrug off, and social successes are easier to achieve on MySpace. That’s especially helpful for socially challenged kids who forgo or flunk these trial-and-error personality tests in real life.
“Shy teens felt less shy and more honest online, which led to the accumulation of more MySpace friends and enhanced self-esteem,” Rosen writes.
Same goes for kids who struggle to fit in at school.
Skye Doran's MySpace page
Skye Doran, entering her "Emo" phase, found the social life she never had in the real world on MySpace.
Skye Doran from Gresham, Ore., was a self-declared nerd in elementary school. In eighth grade, Skye went Goth, a subculture associated with anger, black accoutrements and Marilyn Manson. Then, her sophomore year, she turned “Emo,” a newer subculture tied to softcore punk bands like AFI and Hawthorne Heights, skin-tight jeans and long side-swept bangs draped over much of the face.
More stories on social-networking sites
Can MySpace, Facebook make you jealous? OMG! YR still on MySpace? Loser!Private profiles are popular among teens
Today, Skye is 19 and describes herself as a Christian and a "skater chick who doesn't skate." She now mostly uses MySpace to meet people who live in Oregon and who could develop into real-life friends. But when Skye joined at 14, she made many out-of-state MySpace “friends,” who didn’t know or judge her, and who composed the social life that had never existed in Oregon.
MySpace “meant I had people to talk to,” she said. “It meant I could for sure associate with people who didn’t have a lot of friends.”

‘Disinhibition effect’Just like adults might find it easier to say something in an e-mail or on instant messenger to a friend, sweetie or stranger, kids feel more comfortable being themselves on MySpace.
Psychologists call it the “disinhibition effect”: People reveal more about themselves from behind a computer screen, especially to a virtual friend who will always be a stranger in real life. And making friends can be easier online because it requires trust, which can be built around repeated, honest online conversations, and mutual interests, which can be matched on MySpace pages.
So kids on MySpace do what they’ve always done in the real world: Try to craft an image, look cool and chat with friends, said C.J. Pascoe, a sociologist at the University of California, Berkeley, who researches how new media has become central to teen life.

“I'm seeing the same old teenage stuff in different packaging,” she said.
MySpace can even help kindle — OMG! — teen romance. Brad Dupuie, 16, of Orange County, Calif., said the social-networking site has made it easier to hang out with girls from school. They sometimes leave their phone numbers on his MySpace page. “Half the time you call, half the time you don’t,” Brad said.
When he got into MySpace his freshman year, his social life was starting to take off. Formerly known as the chubby, funny kid, Brad had “dropped some of his baby weight” — and joined the football team at Corona del Mar High School. “I was becoming more popular in my mind and less self-conscious of myself,” he said.
Brad now mostly uses his cell phone to keep in touch. He doesn’t spend much time on MySpace, but will use the site to maintain real-life friendships. Like other teens and especially college students, Brad is turning his focus to Facebook. “Facebook becomes a brand-new start and it becomes a sign of maturity,” said Pascoe.
Brad isn’t shy about sharing his MySpace page with his parents. He’ll even show them pictures of girls he likes. Rosen said most teens — about 70 percent — don’t mind their parents seeing their profile.
“It shows most of them are using it in a fairly health way,” he said.
Discuss on Newsvine
Can MySpace help shy kids come out of their shells?
‘Where it actually counts’That can include talking to strangers. More than half of adolescents — about 55 percent — do so on the Internet, according to Rosen’s book.
Seeking online friendships on social-networking sites doesn’t raise the risk of being molested offline, according to a study published in the February/March issue of the journal American Psychologist. But the odds did increase for kids who exhibited several risque online behaviors including being rude, sending personal information to strangers — and talking about sex to strangers.
“MySpace is a means for kids to express themselves,” said Laurence Steinberg, author of "You and Your Adolescent," and a psychology professor at Temple University in Philadelphia. “Troubled kids will express themselves in ways to indicate how troubled they are.”
Jessica’s parental units eventually busted her for talking to the older boy on MySpace. She was “really mad” at first. But Jessica has since calmed down — and now uses MySpace to maintain friendships with kids from her soccer team and school. She isn’t really bothered that her parents are now on her list of 40-some MySpace “friends.”
“I don’t say bad stuff on my comments,” Jessica said. “I tell them everything.”
Her MySpace profile also allows her to express herself through blogs, pictures documenting her life and page designs that she changes about once a week. She recently transformed her profile from a “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” theme to anti-war. Jessica says that her MySpace page reflects that she has “more personality.”
“Before it was boring and now it’s really different and exciting,” she said.
More stories on social-networking sites
Can MySpace, Facebook make you jealous? OMG! YR still on MySpace? Loser!Private profiles are popular among teens
Jessica doesn’t care to meet strangers on MySpace anymore. She said a Web safety seminar at school and talks with her parents helped change her mind.
“In person is where it actually counts — not with a stranger on the Internet,” she said.
Are you concerned about what your adolescent is doing on MySpace — but you're unsure how to broach the topic?

with your burning questions about parenting a MySpacer — and I'll go to the experts for answers. Some responses could be published in another story.

Canada and International News 12 May 2008 (Sandesh Kumar)

2008-05-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

Canada and International News 12th May 2008 (Sandesh Kumar)

1. China quake kills nearly 10000 in Sichuan province
The US Geological Survey said the main quake struck at 0628 GMT at a depth of 10 km (6 miles). Its force was felt across much of China and caused buildings ...

2. Sharif’s Party Leaves Cabinet in Pakistan
In an early sign of instability in the new government in Pakistan, the junior partner in the coalition said Monday that it was withdrawing from the cabinet over the failure to reinstate the Supreme Court judges ...

3. Central US begins tornado cleanup
Survivors have begun cleaning up after a deadly blast of storms and tornadoes that killed 24 people in three central US states over the weekend.

4. Punjab school in turban row
Lawrence Public School defended its decision saying the school rules allowed turban only for Class XI and XII students and patka for the others. ...

5. 2 NATO soldiers among 10 people killed in Afghanistan attacks
An explosion in eastern Afghanistan killed two NATO soldiers and one civilian, while attacks elsewhere in the country left seven policemen dead, officials said Wednesday.

6. RCMP asked Bernier about photo with suspect
Montreal newspaper says the RCMP recently visited with Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier to ask him about a photo that shows him shaking hands with ...

7. Trial set for pair charged during election race
Two Mississauga men facing criminal charges stemming from the 2006 municipal election campaign are going to trial this fall.

8. Brampton ranks No. 1 for highest development charges
The City of Brampton makes no apologies for having the highest development charges in the GTA. "We are in step with what other ...

9. Boy, 11, can't endure chemo any more, defiant father says
Family friend Belma Diamante, who hired Ms. Edwardh, said the boy's views have not been heard by the court and child welfare agency.

10. Guns for Canada park wardens
Up to one-quarter of wardens in Canada's national parks will carry sidearms by early next year. On Friday, federal Environment Minister John Baird ...

11. Harper at 'war' with federal institutions: Dion
It may seem counterintuitive to accuse Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the head of government, of purposely undermining the state. But that is the conclusion ...

12. Girls in care of government tried to sell sex on Craigslist
Teen girls found advertising sex on Craigslist are suffering the effects of the B.C. government's ineffective approach to at-risk youth, the NDP charged.

13. Dion touts carbon tax on fuels, billions in tax cuts
Stéphane Dion is poised to unveil a carbon-tax scheme and attempt to neutralize any political damage by offering corresponding personal income tax ...

14. Workers want court to return $54B from EI
The Canadian labour movement is heading to the Supreme Court of Canada on Tuesday seeking a declaration a $54-billion surplus accumulated in the federal ...

15. Feds poised to apologize to Indo-Canadians for 1914 Komagata Maru incident
Conservative MP Jason Kenney announced on the weekend that the federal government will deliver an official apology for the 1914 Komagata Maru incident, ...

16. Mother, grandmother face smuggling charges
Canada customs officers at Pearson International Airport seized 12 kilograms of cocaine on April 26, which was hidden inside packages of instant cake mix ...

Foreign Exchange:
1 CAD $ = 0.99 U.S.
1 CAD $ = 41.32INR
1 CAD $ = 67.71PAK
Gold = $887.25/Ounce

Take Care,
Sandesh Kumar

Canada and International News 09 May 2008 (Sandesh Kumar)

2008-05-09T19:15:00.000-07:00

Canada & International News 09 May 2008 (Sandesh Kumar)

1. Lebanon Violence Reminds All Of Civil War Threat
The United States on Thursday said the Shiite group must choose the direction it is to take Lebanon. "Hezbollah needs to make a choice: Be a terrorist ...
2. New Russian Leader Talks of Reform
In February before he won the presidential election, Dmitri Medvedev said freedom in all its forms - personal, economic and expressive - is better than no freedom. He also pledged to fight corruption, which he characterized as Russia's worst disease.
3. Syariah Court Declares Siti Fatimah No Longer Muslim
According to the plaintiff's statement of claim, she was never convinced of Islamic teachings and embraced the religion on July 25, 1998 only to meet the ...
4. 1.5 million people 'severely affected' by Myanmar cyclone: UN
Some 1.5 million people have been "severely affected" by cyclone Nargis that hit Myanmar last weekend, a UN official has said.
5. Harper dismisses concern over Bernier's ex-girlfriend
Prime Minister Stephen Harper dismissed concerns Thursday pertaining to the past relationship between Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier and a woman ...
6. Bar association calls for more Ontario judges
Toronto Star - The Ontario Bar Association report says Ontario is suffering from an acute shortage of judges and many people aren't getting the help they need through the ...
7. High school stabbing
Toronto Sun - There were some tense moments for students at an east-end Toronto high school yesterday as a 16-year-old boy was critically injured.
8. Slowing job growth may spur rate cut and weaker loonie
The narrowing of the interest differential between the United States and Canada could result in a weaker loonie, Mr. Upadhyaya said.
9. Obese? Let's just blame it on our fat gene
Why are many middle-class Indians so 'healthee' (north Indian euphemism for fat)? Is it because of our fondness for fried foods, our sedentary lifestyles....
10. Scams thrive on craigslist, police warn
Cpl. Robertson said Craiglist's growing popularity – user traffic now generates more than 10 billion page views each month – and the Internet's anonymity ...
11. Auditor General names new environment commissioner
Auditor General Sheila Fraser has named Scott Vaughan the new federal environment commissioner. He replaces Ron Thompson, who was appointed acting ...
12. Harper Tories refuse to discuss international push to have Canada enrich uranium
Does Stephen Harper's Conservative government have a hidden nuclear agenda? Not if you happen to live outside Canada. The Canadian government has been campaigning internationally for months to add this country to the small, tightly circumscribed club of nuclear enrichment states.
13. Rogers to introduce cell-home phone hybrid
Rogers is hoping more Canadians cut the cord from its land line phones and pick up a cell phone with the push of a new service released on Wednesday.
14. Bloc Quebecois leader calls monarchy 'ridiculous'
Gilles Duceppe said Wednesday that Canada should no longer have a governor general and called the monarchy "ridiculous," but critics dismissed his attack as a vain attempt to regain his party's relevancy.
15. PEI parents scramble to get kids to school after fleet of buses parked
Getting students to and from school proved to be an ordeal for parents on Prince Edward Island on Thursday after the province's entire fleet ...
16. Wal-Mart to open its 300th store in the Heartland retail area of Mississauga
Wal-Mart Canada today announced its annualexpansion plans, including 25 to 27 real estate projects by the end of January 2009, the conclusion of its current fiscal year.

Foreign Exchange:
1 CAD $ = 1.00 U.S.
1 CAD $ = 40.01INR
1 CAD $ = 65.66PAK
Gold = $882.30/Ounce
Take Care,
Sandesh Kumar

Canada and International News 08 May 2008 (Sandesh Kumar)

2008-05-08T18:50:00.000-07:00

Canada & International News 08 May 2008 (Sandesh Kumar)

1. UN officials urge swift passage of aid to Sadr City

guardian.co.uk, Baghdad authorities have prepared two football stadiums to give temporary shelter to displaced families. Some feared that this heralded a major operation by ...

2. Burma deaths will top 100000: UN

Deaths in Burma are expected to top 100,000 following a category three cyclone which struck the small Asian outcast earlier this week.

3. Our jihad will continue, detainee says

Toronto Star, Canada - “We will continue our jihad and nothing’s going to stop us,” he told Brownback. “You must not oppress the people in the land. Your oppression against us and ...

4. Pope Readies Text-Message Blitz, 'Catholic Facebook'

Wired News - "The Pope will text daily messages of inspiration and hope during the six-day Sydney event while digital prayer walls will be erected at event sites and the ...

5. US: Ex-Guantanamo prisoner carried out Iraq suicide attack

The Associated Press - "It is unknown what motivated him to leave Kuwait and go to Iraq," Rye said. "His family members reportedly were shocked to hear he had conducted a suicide ...

6. Insulin Pumps Linked To Injuries, Death In Diabetic Teenagers

eMaxHealth.com, NC - Teens with Type 1 Diabetes often use Insulin pumps as part of treating the disease but an FDA study shows the device has been linked to injuries and a few ...

7. Foreign investment in Canada hits high

Calgary Herald, Canada - Foreign direct investment in Canada in 2007 rose by the biggest amount in eight years, led by a continued wave of acquisitions by foreign investors, ...

8. Bills' tickets cost more in Toronto than Buffalo

Globe and Mail, Canada - But with 180000 individual requests for tickets and just 30000 seats available to the public, there seems little doubt Canada's first regular-season NFL ...

9. MPs target Fin. Minister Bernier over ex-girlfriend's alleged biker ties
PM accuses Dion and Duceppe of being 'gossipy old busybodies' Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier dismissed heated questions from opposition members on Thursday over reports alleging his ex-girlfriend had ties to Quebec biker gangs, insisting their relationship was a private matter.

10. Terrorism suspect tries to quit his own trial

TORONTO — An Islamic convert facing terrorism charges was re-arrested after trying to walk out of his own trial Tuesday – saying simply that “I'm outta here” – after telling the court he wouldn't recognize Canadian law.

11. Caravan of dump trucks will slow highways today

Toronto Star, Canada - It will begin about 10 am, heading west on Derry to Highway 410, south to Highway 401 and east across Toronto to the Don Valley Parkway.

12. Grand Theft Auto 4 brings in USD 500 million in first week of sales

TechWhack (press release), India - -Two Interactive Software have a major hit on their hands as their just launched gaming title Grand Theft Auto 4 has scored over $500 million in global sales

13. UN to probe Canada over lack of greenhouse-gas reporting

CBC.ca, Canada - United Nations says it will investigate Canada for failing to meet a Kyoto Protocol deadline on greenhouse gas reporting and could bar it from an ...

14. NDP says Conservative MP hid limo expenses

The New Democrats have accused Conservative MP Bev Oda of hiding thousands of dollars in limousine-ride expenses, incurred during her time as the government's heritage minister.

15. Terrorist plots keeping senior Mountie awake at night

Vancouver Sun, Canada - The RCMP's national security criminal investigation section's caseload has surged 780 per cent, with the $40-million-a-year section

16. Canada says security costs hurt domestic carmakers

Reuters - - Chinese and Indian cars will soon hit the North American market and will have a price advantage, partly because security-related ...

Foreign Exchange:

1 CAD $ = 1.00 U.S.

1 CAD $ = 41.22INR

1 CAD $ = 66.98PAK

Gold = $874.00/Ounce

Take Care,

Sandesh Kumar

Canada and International News 07 May 2008 (Sandesh Kumar)

2008-05-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

Canada & International News 07 May 2008

1. Russia's Medvedev takes power, pledges freedom
2. Take Out the Trash, Or Else...
3. Power riots erupt in Delhi, Gurgaon
4. Russia, USA sign civilian N-Pact
5. Child health care lacking for many, group says
6. Oil hits record $122 on $200 oil prediction, supply concerns
7. Canada banning all smoking in federal prisons
8. Ottawa overcharging on passport fees: auditor general
9. Auditor says 24 Sussex falling apart; Harper will stay put
10. House prices will rise, but sales expected to slide
11. Parliamentary committee told food labelling system 'awful'
12. Prepare for bigger, more frequent floods, experts warn
13. Tigers sought $3M from Canada
14. 10-year-old to tackle marathon - Mississauga News
15. 41000 illegal immigrants vanish under border agency's watch
16. Auditor says 24 Sussex falling apart; Harper will stay put
17. Breast-Feeding Found to Increase Children’s IQ
18. Former commish felt 'ambushed'

Foreign Exchange:
1 CAD $ = 1.00 U.S.
1 CAD $ = 40.68INR
1 CAD $ = 65.79PAK
Gold = $888.00/Ounce

Take Care,
Sandesh Kumar

Canada & International News 06 May 2008

2008-05-06T15:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,
These are the news coverings covered on Asian Connection Radio Programme on FM 101.3 Mhz on 5th May, 2008. Click on the news covering to read the detailed information. To listen radio online and to find out more log on to http://www.acmgc.com/

1. New York oil price crosses 120 dollars for first time
2. French dislike Sarkozy but not his politics: poll
3. Myanmar cyclone death toll soars past 22000
4. Three dead infants found in freezer in Germany
5. One billion Asians need help in food crisis: development chief
6. Government tables bill to approve first free trade deal in six years
7. Canadian Forces to buy more minesweepers: report
8. Canada: Is the PM too powerful?
9. Five Suspects Arrested In Connection With Bank Machine Heists
10. Doctors decide whom to let die in pandemic
11. OMA wants province to boost efforts to recruit and keep doctors
12. Bottled water not good for teeth of children
13. Parched Parliament shuts down due to lack of water
14. Toronto to spend millions on panhandlers
15. Panel wants public to pay councillor's legal bills
16. Death from Taser very rare, stun-gun experts tell inquiry
17. Expert: Safe injection site improves 'public order'

Foreign Exchange:
1 CAD $ = 0.99 U.S.
1 CAD $ = 40.10 INR
1 CAD $ = 65.10 PAK
Gold = $874.40/Ounce

Take Care,
Sandesh Kumar

Thanks a Tonne Raina Sen !!!!

2008-05-05T19:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

I would like to thank a lottsss to Raina Sen for helping me today. I had missed all the news covered for May 5th. I called her up and told her that i missed the news, to my surprise she was very cool and read the whole news for me once again.... would you believe ...... whole news edition for me ONCE AGAIN ....

Thanks a lottsss ..... Keep up the Good Work Raina .....

I am a big fan of you ....

Sandesh Kumar

Canada News 05 May 2008

2008-05-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,
These are the news coverings covered on Asian Connection Radio Programme on FM 101.3 Mhz on 5th May, 2008. Click on the news covering to read the detailed information. To listen radio online and to find out more log on to http://www.acmgc.com/

1. Myanmar believes 10,000 dead from cyclone
2. Iran to reject incentives that violate atomic rights
3. Cuba lifts ban on home computers
4. Japan's number of children reaches record low
5. Twice as many teens seek help for mental health
6. Controversy ensues as Ottawa plans to introduce language test to skilled immigrants
7. High-fat, low-carb diet helps kids with epilepsy
8. Military 'doesn't make policy' on Taliban: McKay
9. Bad trucks could be sent to truck jail in BC plan
10. Man fatally shot at birthday party
11. Olympic duds made in China
12. E. coli warning issued for ground beef
13. Tories kill access to information database
14. Canadian pot activists light up to protest Bill C-26

Foreign Exchange:
1 CAD $ = 0.98 U.S.
1 CAD $ = 39.90
1 CAD $ = 63.98 PAK
Gold = $856.40/Ounce

Take Care,
Sandesh Kumar

NEWS covered on 02 May 2008

2008-05-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,
These are the news coverings covered on Asian Connection Radio Programme on FM 101.3 Mhz on 02nd May, 2008. Click on the news covering to read the detailed information. To listen radio online and to find out more log on to http://www.acmgc.com/

1. ACC approves chargesheet against Khaleda, Hasina
2. Russia sends more troops to Georgia conflict zone
3. 'Deal reached' on Pakistan judges
4. Bus services tout greener way to Pearson
5. Quebecor World cutting 700 jobs
6. Almost 900000 Canadian children living in poverty, StatsCan finds
7. 7 per cent of Ontario students say they've tried choking game: survey
8. Canada raises age of sexual consent to 16
9. Rich get richer, poor get poorer, middle class stays the same: census
10. $1.6B highway will link 401 with border bridge
11. Young people earning less than parents did: census
12. Kate Hudson, The Most Beautiful Person in The World
13. Calgary toddler dies after family calls 911 on internet phone
14. Canadians are cool to lawyers, journalists and politicians

Foreign Exchange:
1 CAD $ = 0.98 U.S.
1 CAD $ = 39.84INR
1 CAD $ = 63.41 PAK
Gold = $863.50/Ounce

Take Care,
Sandesh Kumar

Congratulations Dr. Laamba !!

2008-05-01T19:26:00.001-07:00

Dear Dr. Lamba,

I would like to congratulate you for successful completion of 1 year of relation with "Asian Connections" family. I really am thankful to you for being an inspiration of lots of us.

Lots and Lots of Regards,
Sandesh Kumar

NEWS covered on 01 May 2008

2008-05-01T16:46:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,
These are the news coverings covered on Asian Connection Radio Programme on FM 101.3 Mhz on 01st May, 2008. Click on the news covering to read the detailed information. To listen radio online and to find out more log on to http://www.acmgc.com/

1. Al Qaeda, cohorts remain worst terrorism threat: U.S
2. US economy limps ahead with 0.6 percent growth
3. New U.S. carrier in Gulf a "reminder" to Iran: Gates
4. US judge rejects bid to free Khadr
5. Website overload sparks income tax filing extension
6. Police make 4 arrests in meth lab raid
7. Family faces deportation after 10 years in Manitoba
8. Ontario. Two killed in Brampton stabbing
9. White Rock looks at tough smoking ban
10. Aspirin cuts breast cancer risk: Study
11. Liberals introduce car-smoking ban
12. Canada hikes food aid funding
13. Few leads to whereabouts of dangerous man
14. Ottawa the place to live in Canada: MoneySense
15. Ottawa Muslims look to Egypt for imam's replacement
16. People evacuate Maine, New Brunswick homes as river floods

Foreign Exchange:
1 CAD $ = 1.00 U.S.
1 CAD $ = 40.08 INR
1 CAD $ = 64.10 PAK
Gold = 878.30/Ounce

Take Care,
Sandesh Kumar

News of my concern for 30th April 2008 (iPhone)

2008-04-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

iPhone is Coming to Canada After All (But It's Expensive)

First, the good news. After countless rumors that have flip-flopped in both directions, it now appears the Apple iPhone will indeed be heading to Canada via Rogers Wireless. The bad news is that Rogers will be charging twice as much as AT&T for the touchscreen-equipped cell phone, slapping on a price tag of $799.But wait, it gets worse. Whereas AT&T subscribers in the United States can sign up for an iPhone plan that provides unlimited data, no such wireless data plan currently exists for Canucks with Rogers Wireless. Instead, you can do a pay-as-you-go data plan for $0.05 per KB. Alternatively, there is a $5/month and a $10/month plan for 5MB and 10MB respectively with additional kilobytes coming in at 3 cents each. A web search here and a YouTube video there, and you've got yourself one massive data bill. And that's before you get any minutes, text messages, or caller ID. Ouch.Now that the iPhone has been unlocked -- even firmware 1.1.1 has tentatively been cracked -- it makes more sense for Canadians to cross the border and buy an iPhone for $399 from an Apple Store than it does to purchase the same device from Rogers Wireless. Bear in mind that the $799 price point is still little more than a rumor.

Happy iphoning,
Sandesh Kumar

Gold prices going down !!!

2008-04-30T18:22:00.001-07:00

Hey All,

Has anyone noticed, Gold prices are going down. Why is not anyone calling and bringing this to Asian Connections Radio Programme at FM 101.3 MHz. Well, for the people who don't know the number to call, here it is - 416-910-2000 or 416-593-0055.

Keep Calling,
Sandesh Kumar

NEWS covered on 30 April 2008

2008-04-30T17:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,
These are the news coverings covered on Asian Connection Radio Programme on FM 101.3 Mhz on 30th April, 2008. Click on the news covering to read the detailed information. To listen radio online worldwide log in to http://www.acmgc.com/

1. UN, World Bank pledge action on food crisis
2. Pro-Tibetans Arrested In Protest At Chinese Embassy In Nepal ...
3. Trial begins for Iraq ex-deputy prime minister PM Tariq Aziz ...
4. Georgia 'plans war in Abkhazia'
5. Israeli general warns militants aim for holiday attack - Yahoo! News
6. Pakistan Coalition in Talks on Judges
7. Living Buddha condemns Dalai Lama
8. Tories vote against Elections Canada confidence motion
9. McGuinty promises Ontario will get a new auto assembly plant ...
10. Rogers says iPhone coming before year-end
11. Canada 'risk averse' on spies, ex-MI-6 head says
12. Iran blocks Canada IPU hosting
13. Almost 11,000 drivers charged in seatbelt blitz
14. Canadian movie "Blind Men" to be inaugral movie at France.
15. An aspirin a day could keep diabetes at bay: study
16. City council to debate making TTC essential service
17. 2 Canadians deported from Hong Kong ahead of torch relay

Foreign Exchange:
1 CAD $ = 0.99 U.S.
1 CAD $ = 39.86 INR
1 CAD $ = 63.65 PAK
Gold = 886.00/Ounce

Take Care,
Sandesh Kumar

Famous Quotes of Dr. Laamba

2008-04-30T03:58:00.000-07:00

Famous Quotes of Dr. Laamba

1. One should not only be honest, one should also appear to be honest.

2. We get the government we deserve.

3. Pen is mightier then sword.

4. We don't want to put words in their mouth.

5. More blood has been shed for religion then any other cause.

6. As civilized human being we all have right to disagree.

7. Two wrongs do not make one right.

Take Care,

Sandesh Kumar

NEWS covered on 29 April 2008

2008-04-29T16:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,
These are the news coverings covered on Asian Connection Radio Programme on FM 101.3 Mhz on 29th April, 2008. Click on the news covering to read the detailed information. To listen radio online worldwide log in to http://www.acmgc.com/

1. Congo spotlight on India and Pakistan
2. U.S. troops kill 45 in Sadr City clashes in Iraq
3. Baitullah abandons peace negotiations
4. Taliban suicide attack kills 15, wounds 25
5. Alberta government report opposes banning cell phone use while driving
6. High food prices to come to Canada in a matter of months: report
7. Feds to spend $3.2M on anti-drug ads
8. Ford Canada and Union Reach Deal
9. Peel Police promotes two to deputy
10. Police warn of counterfeit $100 bills
11. Gene therapy restores vision in nearly blind patients
12. More than half of teen girls taken from polygamist sect are pregnant or had baby
13. Ottawa the place to live in Canada: MoneySense
14. Former Derbys owner charged with fraud

Foreign Exchange:
1 CAD $ = 0.98 U.S.
1 CAD $ = 39.57 INR
1 CAD $ = 63.53 PAK
Gold = 894.00/Ounce

Take Care,
Sandesh Kumar