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Indian Army to check out Chinese incursion report

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:36:00 +0000

The Indian Army's Northern commander, Lt. Gen. P. C. Bhardwaj will visit the Leh-based 14 Corps headquarters over the next few days to verify reports of Chinese incursion in the Ladakh area.

Sources say the matter will also be raised at the next border meeting between Indian and Chinese officials.

Officials sources have said that Chinese troops entered nearly 1.5 kilometres into the Indian territory near Mount Gya, which is recognised as the international border by India and China, and painted the word ''China'' in Cantonese on the boulders and rocks there with red spray paint.

The incursions were reported from the area generally referred in the Chumar sector in east of Leh.

The 22,420 ft Mount Gya, also known as "fair princess of snow" by the Army is located at the tri-junction of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, and Tibet. Its boundary was marked during the British era and is regarded as International border by the two countries.

Andhra Pradesh CM dead in chopper crash

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:14:00 +0000

NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has died in an air crash, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Thursday. (
YSR Reddy

The bodies of 60-year-old Reddy, who led his Congress party to a spectacular second consecutive victory in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, and his Special Secretary P Subramanyam, chief security officer A S C Wesley, pilot Group Captain S K Bhatia and co-pilot M S Reddy were found on Rudrakonda Hill, 40 nautical miles east of here, besides the mangled remains of the helicopter. ( Watch Video )

YSR's mortal remains are being flown to Kurnool General Hospital. After a postmortem there, they will be brought to Hyderabad, state government sources said.

Big crowds have gathered outside the state secretariat and YSR's residence. As Thursday is also the day for the immersion of Ganesh idols at the end of the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations and there is a huge traffic dislocation in the city, cops are finding it difficult to manage the situation.

The central leadership of the Congress is understood to have cleared the name of Andhra Pradesh finance minister K Rosaiah as the caretaker CM of the state.

The Union Cabinet is meeting to discuss the matter.

The helicopter carrying YSR Reddy, two of his staff and two pilots went missing in pouring rain Wednesday morning over the Naxal and tiger-infested Nalamalla forests.

Nearly 24 hours after YSR's chopper went missing, it was located atop Serai Salem hill, at a distance 40 nautical miles (70 kms) east of Kurnool.

The CM left Hyderabad on a six-seater Bell chopper at 8.35am for Chittoor accompanied by his secretary and chief security officer. After 9.27am, radio contact was lost with the helicopter.

Soon after the chopper lost contact, multiple agencies of the state launched a massive hunt for possible wreckage in the desolate terrain. By evening, it expanded into the country's biggest-ever search operation with satellites in the sky joining remote sensing aircraft, fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles, troops on the ground and even barefoot deer-hunting tribals with bows and arrows.

Andhra Pradesh CM Still Missing

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:41:00 +0000

HYDERABAD: Anxiety in government and Congress circles is growing even as seven helicopters, including four from the Indian Air Force, are on
desperate search and rescue mission for the helicopter carrying Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, which has been missing since 9.27am on Wednesday. ( Watch Video )

The CM left Hyderabad on a six-seater Bell chopper at 8.35am for Chittoor accompanied by his secretary and chief security officer. After 9.27am, radio contact was lost with the helicopter. This was when the chopper entered the thickly forested, Naxalite-infested Nallamalla hill range.

The heavy rain and zero visibility in the Nalamlla forest, an extension of Eastern Ghats, is making the search operations difficult, officials said. Large parts of the forest are also flooded because of the overflowing Srisailam reservoir. Officials also said that the met department's predictions for the day included heavy rain and lightning.

Andhra Pradesh finance minister A Rosaiah said at a press conference that no contact has been established with the chief minister's chopper. Search and rescue operations are still on, he said. The state is coordinating with central agencies in Delhi to locate the CM's chopper. The PM's office is also in touch with the state government. Several helicopters have left for search operations, he added.

The state government has appealed to people for help and asked them to get in touch with the nearest police station if they have any information. Sources in the Congress, the chief minister's party, described the situation as grim.

Just a short while ago (3.10pm), Karnool SP B L Meena, had told The Times of India that the chief minister's chopper had been located and a police team was going to escort him back to Hyderabad. The chopper had landed in Pamalupudu village in Karnool district, the SP said.

However, after the Andhra government's press conference, TOI tried to contact the Kannur SP but in vain.

Minister for civil aviation Praful Patel had also said Reddy's helicopter had been located.

Andhra CM's chopper still missing, anxiety grows

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:39:00 +0000

HYDERABAD: Anxiety in government and Congress circles is growing even as seven helicopters, including four from the Indian Air Force, are on desperate search and rescue mission for the helicopter carrying Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, which has been missing since 9.27am on Wednesday.

The CM left Hyderabad on a six-seater Bell chopper at 8.35am for Chittoor accompanied by his secretary and chief security officer. After 9.27am, radio contact was lost with the helicopter. This was when the chopper entered the thickly forested, Naxalite-infested Nallamalla hill range.

The heavy rain and zero visibility in the Nalamlla forest, an extension of Eastern Ghats, is making the search operations difficult, officials said. Large parts of the forest are also flooded because of the overflowing Srisailam reservoir. Officials also said that the met department’s predictions for the day included heavy rain and lightning.

Andhra Pradesh finance minister A Rosaiah said at a press conference that no contact has been established with the chief minister’s chopper. Search and rescue operations are still on, he said. The state is coordinating with central agencies in Delhi to locate the CM’s chopper. The PM’s office is also in touch with the state government. Several helicopters have left for search operations, he added.

The state government has appealed to people for help and asked them to get in touch with the nearest police station if they have any information. Sources in the Congress, the chief minister’s party, described the situation as grim.

Just a short while ago (3.10pm), Karnool SP B L Meena, had told The Times of India that the chief minister’s chopper had been located and a police team was going to escort him back to Hyderabad. The chopper had landed in Pamalupudu village in Karnool district, the SP said.

However, after the Andhra government’s press conference, TOI tried to contact the Kannur SP but in vain.

Minister for civil aviation Praful Patel had also said Reddy’s helicopter had been located. (TOI)

PM backs Kalam on ‘successful’ Pokhran II nuclear tests

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 07:58:00 +0000
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday tried to put to rest the raging controversy over Pokhran nuclear tests of May 1998, saying former president APJ Abdul Kalam has clarified that the tests were successful.

It’s a “needless controversy over Pokhran tests… Dr Kalam has clarified that the tests were successful,” Dr Singh said days after senior nuclear scientist K Santhanam, who was the DRDO representative at Pokhran II, dropped a bombshell earlier this week, saying the tests were only partially successful and the results much below expectations.

Santhanam had also stressed that the country needs to conduct more nuclear tests to consolidate its position and improve its knowledge of nuclear weapon programme before joining the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

Santhanam, who was director for 1998 test site preparations, had stated that the yield for the thermonuclear test or hydrogen bomb in popular usage was much lower than what was claimed. As per him, the yield of Pokharan II tests can only be classified as a “fizzle” rather than big bang. In nuclear terminology, a test is classified as a fizzle when the yield is below expectation.

Reacting to Santhanam’s claims, Dr Kalam had asserted that Pokhran II nuclear tests conducted in 1998 during the NDA regime were "successful".

"Scientists know what it is. It has been a successful operation," said Kalam, who as director general of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) spearheaded the tests.

Rejecting Santhanam's claims, Kalam had said the data collated by the team had established that the design yield of the thermonuclear test had been obtained.

Soon after the tests, Indian authorities had claimed that Pokhran II test was a huge success as it yielded 45 kilotons (KT). However, this was contradicted by the western experts who said that it was not more than 20 KT.

The Defence Ministry too had reacted sharply to Santhanam’s revelation, saying India has a meaningful nuclear deterrent.

Atomic Energy Commission chief Anil Kakodkar said the tests in 1998 achieved "100 per cent desired results".

Brajesh Mishra, who was the National Security Advisor to Atal Behari Vajpayee’s NDA government, too rejected the senior scientist’s claim.

“Dr R Chidambaram, when he reported to me on the second day of the test, said we have done five (tests) and we have met all our parameters and we don’t need to do the sixth one. This is enough for us – it was clear to us that the thermonuclear tests as well as the nuclear tests were successful,” Mishra said, speaking about Dr Chidambaram, who was the chief of the Department of Atomic Energy during the nuclear tests.

“The tests were adequate. We believe whatever the scientists tell us. The scientists said the tests were enough and tested. We believe the scientists, as they provide us with nuclear capability,” said Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta.

Pakistan to host Australia in England in 2010

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 07:53:00 +0000

Lahore: Pakistan and Australia would face each other in two Twenty20 internationals and two Test matches in England in 2010.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that Pakistan will host Australia for a Test and T20 series between July 5 to July 25 next year.

The itinerary released by the ECB has a packed summer session, with England beginning the season with a two match Test series against Bangladesh followed by a three match one-day international series.

The itinerary for 2010 international matches in England:

England v Bangladesh: May 27-June 17

England v Australia: five one-day internationals, June 22-July 3

Pakistan v Australia: two Twenty20 internationals, two Tests, July 5-25

England v Pakistan: four Tests, July 29-August 30, five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 internationals, September 5-21.

Michel Jackson's doc could be Prince, Paris' dad

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 07:42:00 +0000

Dr. Arnold Klein fuelled rumours he's the biological father of Prince,12, and Paris, 11, when he appeared on TV in the aftermath of Jackson's 25 June (09) death, and claimed he wasn't their dad "to the best of my knowledge".

Klein fuelled the rumours when he turned up unannounced at a guardianship hearing, where the 'Thriller' hitmaker's mother Katherine was awarded custody of the kids.

Although he admitted he could well be the father, Klein says he has no interest in finding out for sure.

"There was a possibility that the two older kids could be biologically linked to Dr. Klein," the Daily Express quoted Klein's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan as telling UsMagazine.com.

While talking about Klein's appearance at the custody hearing, the attorney reveals, "Dr. Klein wanted to assert a request that he had concerns.

"He had an agreement with Michael Jackson that if anything happened to Michael Jackson... Dr. Klein would do what he could to see that they were protected."

The lawyer reveals his client is refusing to undergo a DNA test, insisting Jackson was their true father, and he has no interest in challenging the court's decision to grant Katherine Jackson custody.

"It would serve no helpful purpose for the children to be distracted from believing Michael Jackson is not the father in every possibility... It is not something Dr. Klein feels he is interested to establish," said Kaplan.

"It would serve no purpose other than creating distraction or noise. It is not going to help the children, other than to solve the answered question, which is a selfish motive to see who the ultimate provider of the 13 chromosomes (is)," he added.

Michael Jackson's glittery glove up for auction

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:30:00 +0000

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LOS ANGELES – The glittery glove that Michael Jackson wore when he unveiled his moonwalk on TV in 1983 is hitting the auction block.
This one isn't like his other glittery gloves, which were made for the right hand and adorned with hand-sewn crystals. This left-handed glove, which accompanied Jackson's fedora and dance moves on Motown's 25th-anniversary TV special, is a modified, store-bought glove covered with a mesh of rhinestones.
The glove, which Darren Julien of Julien's Auctions called "the Holy Grail of Michael Jackson memorabilia," will be featured alongside other one-of-a-kind items — such as an early Madonna demo tape and unreleased Jimi Hendrix lyrics — at the Nov. 21 "Music Icons" auction at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City's Times Square.
Walter "Clyde" Orange, a founding member of the Commodores, has been holding onto the glove since Jackson gave it to him in 1983.
Orange said he got to know Jackson when the Commodores toured with the Jackson 5 in the 1970s. Orange would always ask the young entertainer for an autograph, but Jackson refused, saying Orange was the more famous of the two. The autograph request became a private joke.
They met again in March 1983 when the Motown special was taped. Jackson sang with his brothers, then took the stage alone to wow the world with his moonwalk during his solo performance of "Billie Jean."
Orange found his friend backstage and again requested an autograph. Jackson gave him the glove instead.
After Jackson's June 25 death at age 50, Orange decided the glove was too significant to keep.
"There's a hundred other gloves out there, but this is the one you want. He blew up after that (performance) with 'Billie Jean,'" Orange, 62, said in an interview. "The world should see this. This is the first. That's the song that made him shoot through the roof as a superstar."
Orange said he hopes the glove will find a permanent home at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or a similar institution. And he's happy that proceeds from the sale will benefit MusiCares, an organization that helps musicians struggling with substance abuse.
"Just for the world to see it, that means the world to me," Orange said.

Swine flu: 13th death in Pune; nationwide toll rises to 21

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:23:00 +0000
A 37-year-old woman died of swine flu in Pune on Thursday evening, taking the casualty in the severely hit city to 13 and countrywide toll due to the infection to 21.
The swine flu pandemic has claimed its first victim in the IT hub of Bangalore when a 26-year-old woman succumbed to the virus while severely hit Pune on Thursday registered three deaths.
The woman, identified as Roopa, a teacher in a private school, had tested positive for the virus and was undergoing treatment at Bangalore's St. Philomena hospital also for respiratory disorders, health authorities said.
A mother of two children aged between six and four, Roopa was hospitalised on August seven with pneumonia, and later tested positive for swine flu, they said. She was also suffering from high blood sugar, they said.
Following her death, the health authorities have advised the school, Sudarshan Vidyalaya, where she was taking classes till last week, to declare a break and subject students and her colleagues to flu tests as a precautionary measure, they said.
An eleven-month-old boy Rutwik Kamle and a 75-year-old woman Bharti Goyal died today in Pune, taking the toll in the Maharashtra city, severely hit by the virus, to 12 and across the country to 20.
Rutwik was admitted first to a private hospital and hen shifted to government-run Sassoon Hospital last evening in a serious condition, official sources said. He died early his morning. Goyal, who was suffering from the viral infection, died in KEM Hospital in Pune, they said.

Court slaps ban on some Microsoft Word sales

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:31:00 +0000

A US federal court has ordered Microsoft Corp to stop selling some versions of its widely used Word software in the United States in two months, ruling in favor of a small Canadian firm that accused the software giant of violating its patents.

A US district court in Texas ruled in favor of i4i Ltd in its long-running patent dispute against Microsoft, slapping more than $290 million in damages on Microsoft and issuing an injunction preventing the world's top software company from selling versions of Word that contain the disputed patent technology.

The patent in question relates to the use of XML, or extensible markup language, in the 2003 and 2007 versions of Word.

The injunction, set to take effect in 60 days, is not expected to hurt Microsoft. The software giant could easily adjust its programs to comply with the court's ruling, according to industry experts, or settle with i4i.

And a new version of Word -- which does not include the disputed patent technology -- goes on sale next year with the release of Office 2010, potentially side-stepping the issue.

Shares of Microsoft ended Wednesday up 2 per cent and inched up another 0.3 per cent in after-hours trade.

Microsoft, which is involved in a number of legal battles over patents, said it plans to appeal the verdict.

"We believe the evidence clearly demonstrated that we do not infringe, and that the i4i patent is invalid," Microsoft spokesman Kevin Kutz said.

Militant issues threats over Uyghur unrest

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 03:55:00 +0000

A militant leader whose group has links to al Qaeda denounced Chinese treatment of Uyghur Muslims in western China and threatened to seek "revenge."
The leader of the Turkistan Islamic Party, in a video that appeared on Islamic Web sites, blames the Chinese for "genocide" against people in East Turkistan -- what some Uyghurs calls the region of Xinjiang province in western China where they live.

Earlier this month, Uyghurs demonstrated in Urumqi, the Xinjiang capital, to protest the killing of two Uyghur migrant workers at a toy factory in the southeast Chinese province of Guangdong in late June after a brawl between Uyghur and Han people.

The Urumqi protest turned violent, and fighting ensued in that city and elsewhere, with Uyghurs and Han attacking each other.

The remarks were delivered by Seyfullah, commander of the Turkistan Islamic Party and dated July 8. They came after the violence erupted between Uyghur Muslims and Han Chinese.

The speaker urged his people to "kill the Chinese Communists where you find them, take them and besiege them and ambush them wherever you can."

"Let them know that these Muslim people have men who will seek their revenge and they are about to do that very soon, before the horses of God will reach you, God willing, so be prepared for that moment because we are too getting prepared."

There must be justice for 26/11: Hillary

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 03:52:00 +0000
In her first extensive interview since landing in India, Hillary Clinton has questioned the logic of not having an immediate trial against the perpetrators of 26/11. Speaking to Times Now, Clinton said she was concerned there is no trial and no justice so far. In what was an obvious reference to Pakistan, she went on to say that she was now looking for a commitment from the countries and one that is carried forward. And mincing no words as she demanded justice for 26/11 victims, she said, There must be a reckoning of justice for those who have lost their lives. The full import of the comments of the US secretary of state will not be lost on the Pakistani government, which has so far been expressing inability to nudge the judicial process against the 26/11 accused forward. Clinton, who said she was staying at the Taj to send a message of solidarity and as a rebuke to terrorists who did not destroy the spirit of the people, said she expects Pakistan to go after groups like the LeT. We have in our dialogue with Pakistan been very clear that it is imperative Pakistan has to go after every terror group. These groups are no longer working alone, now they are part of a criminal syndicate. No terrorist group can be left alone, everyone must be acted against. The US secretary of states comments will be heartwarming to the Indian government, which has been pushing for action by Pakistan against the Jaish and the LeT, only to be repeatedly stonewalled. Clinton also made it absolutely clear that the Indo-US nuclear deal is not hostage to India signing the NPT and the CTBT. The nuke deal stands on its merits, she said. But she did add a rider that she wanted to hear from India how it could help us (the US) determine how to keep nuke material out of the hands of rogue state and non-state actors hands. Calling India not only a regional but a global power, Secretary Clinton also virtually offered India a greater role in the AFPAK (Afghanistan-Pakistan) region, but left the final decision to New Delhi. How India decides to do that is up to India. But trying to bring the understanding that India has to come to the table to deal with the extremist threat in Afghanistan is useful. When asked if she expected Pakistani resistance to that, she said that over the last six months, we have seen an evolving attitude in Pakistan. There is an attitude in Pakistan that terrorists pose a threat to them, that you cant turn a blind eye to terrorism. Importantly, Clinton also ruled out any role for the US as a broker on Kashmir. When pointed out that Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the issue, Clinton said, The decision has to be between India and Pakistan and must take into account the feelings of the people of Kashmir. Our role is not to be involved, other than to support the process that India and Pakistan may decide to enter into. Clinton also made it absolutely clear that the Indo-US nuclear deal is not hostage to India signing the NPT and the CTBT. The nuke deal stands on its merits, she said. But she did add a rider that she wanted to hear from India how it could help us (the US) determine how to keep nuke material out of the hands of rogue state and non-state actors hands. Clearly, while the deal itself is not hostage, the US is seeking a stronger commitment on non-proliferation from India. But for those following Hillary Clintons comments on her first day in India, the message from the US secretary of state is clear: Washington will not let Pakistan get away without a trial of the 26/11 accused. And thats exactly what New Delhi wanted to hear.

Woods crashes out of British Open

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 05:15:00 +0000
TURNBERRY (Scotland): Tiger Woods crashed out of the British Open at the halfway stage after a second round 74 on Friday.
An error-strewn display left the world number one on a two-round total of 145, five over par, one stroke above the cut mark and ten adrift of leaders Tom Watson and Steve Marino.

It was only the second time since he turned professional that Woods has missed the cut in a major tournament, the only precedent being the US Open in 2006 which he contested shortly after the death of his father, Earl.

There had been no hint of what was about to unfold as he followed six straight pars with a birdie at the long 7th hole to move to even par for the tournament -- a position from which he expected to mount a challenge to win.

But his round fell apart with a disastrous run of holes around the turn, with double bogeys on both the 10th and 13th ultimately proving fatal to his chances.

"There is no doubt I'm frustrated because I was playing well," Woods said afterwards. "After seven holes I was right there in the championship.

"I thought if could post level par for the round I would probably be in the top ten. But I didn't do that. I went the other way.

"I had a few really poor holes in a row. I hit a few bad shots. It just seemed to be problem after problem and I kept compounding it.

"It is very disappointing. I just did not play certain holes well enough."

Woods has won three tournaments since coming back from an eight-month lay-off for reconstructive surgery on his left knee.

But he has not been able to add to his haul of 14 majors after finishing tied for 6th in both The Masters and the US Open.

"I have just not played well enough in the majors this year," he said. "In all the majors I've won I've played cleanly in all four rounds and I just haven't done it this year.

"I was on the range yesterday and I felt good. I was hitting it well. But unfortunately it was not to be today."

After bogeys on both the 8th and 9th, Woods sent his drive at the 10th flying into the long grass. With the help of dozens of spectators two balls were found but neither was the one they were looking and he was forced to mark his card with a double bogey six.

The situation was not totally desperate at that stage with the American then only four over -- right on the projected cut mark.

But a bogey on the 12th, where his drive ended in a fairway bunker, was followed by a second double bogey on the 13th.

The best golfer on the planet watched in disbelief as his chip failed to make it up the slope on the back edge of the green and rolled all the way back down. Woods then hit a poor approach putt and was unable to hole out from 15 feet.

A good approach to the 16th set up a 25-foot birdie putt which Woods holed to give himself a fighting chance of survival.

At the 17th, he had a lucky break when his second shot took a kindly bounce over the huge bunker at the front left of the green, the ball coming to rest just off the back edge, from where he was able to get up and down to get back to five over.

That meant a birdie at the last would enable him to squeeze into the last two rounds but a slightly over-hit approach meant he had to play a good chip to salvage a par that was just not good enough

Hillary Clinton in Mumbai on 5-day visit to India

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 05:08:00 +0000
Mumbai:
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived here tonight on a five-day visit to India during which the two countries will launch a new chapter in their strategic partnership and deepen their engagement.

The former US first lady, Clinton, on her first visit to India as US's chief diplomat will be spending the night at the Tower Wing of the Taj Hotel in an act of solidarity with the victims of the Mumbai terror attack on November 26 last.

Clinton flew in shortly after 10 PM from Prague where her special aircraft had a refuelling halt after the flight from Washington. It is her first foreign trip since she broke an elbow.

A thick blanket of security was thrown around the Colaba area of south Mumbai where the Taj hotel is located and hundreds of security personnel were deployed to provide cover for the visiting US dignitary.

Clinton will be meeting top Indian business leaders, visiting a centre of the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) and paying tributes to martyrs' of the 26/11 attacks during her stay in the city

Doctors probed by state in Michael Jackson's death

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:12:00 +0000

California's attorney general said on Wednesday his office has run several doctors' names and several potential aliases through its prescription drug database to aid police investigating the death of Michael Jackson.
Attorney General Jerry Brown said his office was not the lead agency in probing Jackson's sudden death -- a role it took in the fatal overdose of Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith in 2007 -- but was assisting other agencies as they try to track down prescription drugs that may have killed the King of Pop.
"We've found some things, but this is early on" to provide details, Brown told Reuters.
Brown's office monitors all over-the-counter prescription transactions in California, using a database that contains the name of each doctor, patient, medication and quantity.
He said his investigators were given "dozens" of names to run through its system by police probing Jackson's sudden death, several of them doctors and others potential aliases thought to have been used in obtaining the prescription డ్రగ్స్.
The findings could be used to show that "there were drugs in quantities and character that are lethal in combination," which in conjunction with the official autopsy could lead investigators to determine exactly what killed the 50-year-old singer and dancer.

Six killed in central Jakarta hotel bombings

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:02:00 +0000
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Six people were killed and many more were wounded in nearly simultaneous bomb blasts at the JW Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton hotels in central Jakarta on Friday, Indonesian police said.
Jakarta police spokesman Chrysnanda Dwilaksana said all the dead were at the Marriott, which was badly damaged by a car bomb attack in 2003 that killed 12 people.
A Jakarta hospital official said at least 10 people had been brought in for treatment. Witnesses said foreigners were among those hurt.
There have not been any major bomb blasts in Indonesia for several years while this month's presidential elections passed off peacefully, underscoring the progress made by the world's most populous Muslim nation since the chaos and violence that surrounded the downfall of ex-autocrat Suharto in the late 1990s.
"We know there are six victims, six who died and there are several others injured and we have evacuated them to hospital," Dwilaksana said.
The Indonesian rupiah fell 0.7 percent to 10,200 per dollar after the explosions, prompting state banks to sell dollars to support the currency, traders said.
Indonesian stocks opened more than 2 percent lower, although later regained some ground and were down less than 1 percent by 0300 GMT.
Witnesses at the scene told Indonesian Metro TV that the injured, including Indonesians and foreigners, were seen being taken away in ambulances.
"Some windows of the Ritz-Carlton building have been shattered, mostly on the lower section. I'm looking at it from my office," said Myra Junor, who works at a nearby building.
Windows at the Marriott were also shattered.

'Harry Potter' rakes in record midnight magic

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:57:00 +0000
Los Angeles :-The sixth Harry Potter film raked in a staggering USD 22.2 million in its midnight premiere on Thursday, making box-office magic with the biggest such gross of all time, Variety reported. "In a massive start... 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' easily scored the biggest midnight gross of all-time in earning USD 22.2 million as it debuted in 3,003 runs at 12:01 am (local time) today," Variety reported on its web site.

The figure smashed a record of 18 million set last year by the "The Dark Knight," the latest installment in the "Batman" series and 17 million by the the film "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith," from the "Starwars" series. Late last month, Paramount's "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," celebrated a midnight opening that brought in USD 16 million, and topped its USD 200 million budget on its first five days out in the United States and Canada alone.

While J K Rowling's popular Potter series may be over on the literary front, there is more in store on the big screen. The seventh Potter book is to be made into two separate films, due for release in 2010 and 2011.

Pak gives dossier on what it's done, what it needs

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:57:00 +0000

Paris: Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon meets his Pakistani counterpart on Tuesday to lay the ground for talks between the two Prime Ministers later this week but a 36-page “dossier” handed over by Islamabad to New Delhi on the action it has taken in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai attack isn’t expected to give an immediate boost as it needs to be studied and verified by experts.

The dossier was handed over by the Pak Foreign Ministry to acting Indian High Commission Manpreet Vohra late on Saturday night and also contains some questions and additional information.Pak agencies want in connection with the Lashkar-e-Toiba men blamed for the Mumbai attack.

They are also believed to have sought copies of documents that form part of the chargesheet filed in thecase by the Mumbai police.

On the face of it, it appears like Pakistan has taken some action but what they amount to is still tobe judged and would require “professional opinion,” possibly from legal experts and investigative and intelligence agencies, sources said.

That being New Delhi’s position, Menon’s meeting with Salman Bashir soon after the former lands in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh late tomorrow evening, will see the onus remaining on Pakistan to convey to India what progress it has made not only in connection with the Mumbai attacks but also the larger question of dismantling the terror infrastructure.

Menon and National Security Advisor M K Narayanan are traveling with Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh to Paris for the French National Day celebrations tomorrow from where they move on to Sharm el-Sheikh for the 15th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Singh is due to hold talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday morning.

The talks between the two Foreign Secretaries and the Prime Ministers is yet another
step that hopes to help resume the peace process, suspended after the attack on the Indian
Embassy in Kabul last year.

However, India remains adamant about the need for concrete action from
Pakistan to address New Delhi’s concerns and the past will not be dumped for
history to repeat itself, the sources said. As a result, India is not thinking ahead
of itself and has adopted a wait-and-watch attitude, clearly not in a position to
take a stand on whether the composite dialogue should resume or not.

In fact, some sections in the establishment feel that the two countries are “far away”...

Space shuttle Endeavour grounded again

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:45:00 +0000
The space shuttle Endeavour was grounded for the fifth time on Monday with stormy weather
again causing NASA to cancel a scheduled launch.

A storm south of the Cape Canaveral, Florida launch site threatened not just the launch,
but also a landing site should the flight need to be aborted after lift-off. The decision to
scrub the launch came shortly before the planned 6.51 p.m. (2251 GMT) launch.

NASA said it would try again Wednesday at 6.03 p.m. (2203 GMT).

“When the time is right, we’ll be here and we’ll be ready,” said Commander Mark Polansky,
who had been strapped into the shuttle along with the rest of the crew when the effort was scrubbed.

The seven-member crew is to deliver an outside porch to be installed on the International
Space Station’s Japanese Kibo module to expose scientific experiments to the extremities of space.

The mission has suffered a slew of delays that kept the craft on the ground for weeks longer than planned.
A planned Sunday launch was cancelled due to storms and a Saturday launch was also scrubbed due to
lightening the night before that struck the launch pad, but sparred the shuttle itself.

NASA was forced to postponed the launch twice in just four days last month,
after technicians detected hydrogen gas leaks during fuelling, just hours before scheduled liftoff.

Delhi Metro accident

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:25:00 +0000
Five injured in second day of Delhi Metro accident
Five people were injured Monday when three huge cranes and a launching girder toppled at the same Delhi Metro site where six people died a day earlier when a part of the elevated rail track under construction came down in a heap of concrete and steel.
The latest tragedy occurred when hundreds of Delhi Metro workers and engineers were gathered at the site of the earlier accident overseeing the continuing efforts to remove tonnes of debris.
Suddenly, one after another, three cranes collapsed amid a deafening roar, apparently unable to bear the weight of the launching girder, triggering a panic run in Zamrudpur area in south Delhi.
A large number of policemen who had been deployed since Sunday also bolted following the accident.
One of the cranes, a 16-wheeled monster, fell on a row of shops.
It took a while for calm to be restored. The All India Institute Medical Sciences (AIIMS), also in south Delhi, said five people had been injured.
'Five people have been admitted and more injured are on their way,' AIIMS Trauma Centre spokesperson Nirmal Thakur told IANS.
A witness explained what happened Monday.
'There was a deafening noise and there was dust all over. I ran from there with my child and wife,' said Kishore Kumar, who runs a tea shop just 50 meters away.
Delhi Metro Rail Corp (DMRC) spokesperson Anuj Dayal said no one had been seriously injured and no one was trapped in the debris.
'There is a risk involved during relief operations. Outsiders were not allowed at the site. Now the barricades will be made stricter. We can only request public to stay away,' Dayal said.
On Sunday, the elevated stretch of the Metro track being built to connect central Delhi with Badarpur in the far south collapsed, killing six people and injuring 15 workers.
It was the worst accident in the history of Delhi Metro.
The impact of Sunday's disaster caused a huge crater in the tarred road and burst a water pipe.
And Monday's accident itself took place about two and a half hours after a portion of the launching girder fell from a great height, temporarily halting salvage operations.
The accidents found an echo in the Indian parliament Monday where Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy praised Delhi Metro's safety record and denied that the company was hurrying to complete the project ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
DMRC chairman E. Sreedharan quit after Sunday's disaster accepting moral responsibility, but the government did not accept his resignation.

Chhattisgarh on high alert, more Maoist attacks feared

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:13:00 +0000

Raipur:
A day after Maoists struck in Chhattisgarh thrice and killed at least 29 policemen including a district police chief, the state which has been battling Maoist militancy since the 1980s, was put on high alert on Monday.

Police forces were asked to be vigilant and cautious while rushing to forested areas for patrolling, as police have received fresh inputs that the banned terror outfit, Communist Party of India-Maoist's (CPI-Maoist)military wing, People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) fighters are itching for more deadly attacks.

BlackBerry Tour 9630 Gets Launched on Bell

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:11:00 +0000

Canadian wireless carrier Bell has already launched the BlackBerry Tour 9630 on its airwaves,
although it was expected to do so only on July 17. The greatest part here is that the operator has
managed to step ahead of Sprint and Verizon with the release of the handset. While the US operators launched the device on July 12, Bell had it available starting July 11, one day before. At the same time, the carrier is the first one to release the BlackBerry world phone in the country, outpacing Telus, which is expected to launch the Tour only on July 15.

The price tag of the BlackBerry 9630 on Bell has been set at CAD $249.95 on a three-year contract agreement, though users will also be able to purchase the phone with one- or two-year agreements, as well as outright.

The full retail price for the device is of $699.95, while the one-year contract one will empty users' pockets by $649.95.

Those choosing a two-year service deal will have to pay $549.95 for the BlackBerry Tour, the same as on Telus.For this amount of money, Canadians will receive a device that sports advanced multimedia capabilities, as well as powerful email and Internet capabilities, a full QWERTY keyboard, and a 3.2-megapixel photo snapper with auto focus. Other capabilities have been included in the package as well, such as the assisted GPS functionality, support for BlackBerry Maps, support for social networking sites, Microsoft Word, and Excel file viewing and editing features, as well as support for the BlackBerry App World.

The specifications list of the phone also includes the Geotagging functionality,
Video recording, the media player, the Speakerphone, 256MB of internal memory,
a MicroSD memory card slot with support for up to 32GB of additional storage space,
an HVGA display (480 x 360-pixel resolution) and support for Quad-Band: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks, Single-Band: 2100 MHz UMTS/HSPA networks, Dual-Band: 800/1900 MHz CDMA/EVDO Rev A networks.

Jackson`s daughter writes letters to him every day

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:52:00 +0000
Washington: Michael sister La Toya has revealed that the legends eleven-year-old daughter, Paris, has been writing letters to him everyday after his death. She wears Michael T-shirts every day and the walls of her room are covered with posters and pictures of her daddy. She still writes him letters every day, sweet lovely letters about how much she loves him. Her letters are brilliant. When you read them you cry," Contact music quoted La Toya as saying. The 53-year-old sibling of Jackson also added that Paris bought a ''mood'' chain to place in her fathers coffin before he was buried. The necklace, which had a metal heart on it that changes colour when it touches someone''s skin, divides into two. And Paris kept half of it and said she will wear it "forever". La Toya said: "The heart is in two pieces. Paris told me, ''I want one half to go to daddy and I will wear the other half forever''. She carefully wrapped it around his wrist. She said, ''Daddy, this is for you''... I put one of his sequined gloves in there. And a pair of his favourite sunglasses."

We have clean waiver on nuclear trade: Pranab

noreply@blogger.com (ANANTH) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:50:00 +0000
New Delhi: India has a "clean waiver" for its civilian nuclear programme from the Nuclear
Suppliers Group (NSG) and "we are not concerned about what the G8 says", Finance Minister
Pranab Mukehrjee said here Monday.

He was speaking in the Rajya Sabha after the Group of Eight countries (G8),
at its summit in Italy last week, passed a resolution banning the transfer of
enrichment and reprocessing items to countries that have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

India is one of the prominent non-signatories of NPT.

Last year, the NSG had waived its export rules to allow the sale of nuclear equipment,
fuel and technology to India. The then administration of George W Bush played a leading
role in persuading NSG member countries to do so.