Happening News

Sachin Tendulkar, CNR Rao to be awarded Bharat Ratna

2013-11-16T03:42:00.001-08:00

NEW DELHI: In a fitting finale to what has been a glorious career, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar was on Saturday chosen for the prestigious Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award, making him the first sportsperson to be bestowed with the honour.

The 40-year-old icon, who called time on his glittering international career today, was chosen for the top award soon after his farewell Test against the West Indies ended in Mumbai.

A brief statement issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Venu Rajamony said the President has awarded the Bharat Ratna to Tendulkar, who retired from the international cricket today.

Tendulkar bows out as the most successful batsman in international cricket with 15,921 runs in 200 Tests. In his ODI career, which he ended last year, Tendulkar amassed 18,426 runs in 463 matches.

The Mumbaikar is the only batsman in international cricket to score 100 centuries. He was the first batsman to get a double hundred in one-dayers.

The award is a perfect send off gift to Tendulkar whose career spanned 24 years making him an inspiration for an entire generation of cricketers.

There have been continuous demands for him to be conferred the honour for a long time and the eligibility criteria of the award was revised last year to accommodate sportspersons as well.

Tendulkar, who became the first active sportsperson to become a Rajya Sabha member last year, is being given the honour along with Professor CNR Rao, the man behind India's maiden Mars mission. Prof CNR Rao is an eminent scientist and a well recognized international authority on solid state and materials chemistry. He has published over 1,400 research papers and 45 books.

Prof Rao's contributions have been recognized by most major scientific academies around the world through conferment of memberships and fellowships. He has been honoured with several national and international awards.

The Bharat Ratna is being conferred after a gap of years with classical vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi being the last recipient.

Source:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Sachin-Tendulkar-CNR-Rao-to-be-awarded-Bharat-Ratna/articleshow/25887414.cms

Can't believe life between 22 yards has come to an end: Sachin Tendulkar

2013-11-16T03:27:00.001-08:00

MUMBAI: A teary-eyed Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday brought the curtains down on his phenomenal career by giving a heart-warming speech to thank his family, coaches, teammates, friends and fans, saying it was hard to believe that his life between "22 yards in the last 24 years" has come to end.
Trying hard to control his emotions, Tendulkar had the Wankhede crowd spell-bound with a thanks-giving speech every word of which drew applause.
"Friends please settle down, I'll get more emotional! It's hard to believe my wonderful journey is coming to an end," Tendulkar said immediately after his 200th and final Test which India won by an innings and 126 runs.
Handed the microphone at the end of the presentation ceremony, the 40-year-old struggled to keep his composure as he took out a list of people to thank at the end of a remarkable journey.
"I have got a list of people to thank because sometimes I forget," he joked.
"The first is my father ( Ramesh Tendulkar), who passed away in 1999. Without his guidance I wouldn't be standing in front of you. He said 'chase your dreams, don't give up, the path will be difficult.' I miss him today," said Tendulkar, who always looked heavenwards after every big knock in memory of his father.
Next in the list was his mother Rajni, who came to watch him for the first time in his farewell match and the other immediate family members.
"I don't know how she managed a naughty child like me. She just prayed and prayed from the day I started playing the game. For four years I stayed with my uncle and aunt when in school, they treated me like their own son," he said.
"My eldest brother Nitin doesn't like to talk much but he said, 'whatever you do, I know you will give 100 per cent'. My first cricket bat was presented to me by my sister Savita. It was a Kashmir willow. She still continues to fast while I bat," he said.
"Ajit my brother, we have lived this dream together. He sacrificed his career for me, he took me to (Ramakant) Achrekar sir first. Even last night he called me to discuss my dismissal. Even when I'm not playing we will still be discussing technique. If that hadn't happened, I would have been a lesser cricketer," he added.
Tendulkar then thanked wife Anjali for being the best partner that life could have given him.
"The most beautiful thing happened to me when I met Anjali in 1990. I know that being a doctor there was a big career in front of her. When we had a family, she decided that I should continue playing and she took care of the children. Thanks for bearing with me for all the nonsense I've said. You are the best partnership that I had in my life," Tendulkar said as an emotionally-overwhelmed Anjali cried in the presentation area.
Tendulkar's two kids, son Arjun (14) and daughter Sara (16), were also present at the ceremony and Tendulkar promised them a lion's share of his time now as reward for being patient when he missed their special days for cricket.
"The two precious diamonds of my life Sara and Arjun. I've missed out on several birthdays, holidays, annual days. I know for 14-16 years I've not spent enough time with you. But I promise you that the next 16 and the many more after that are yours," he said.
Tendulkar also thanked his in-laws for, most importantly for letting him marry Anjali! He also did not forget to thank his friends but didn't name anyone in particular.
"My in-laws - I've discussed several things with them. The most important thing they did was to allow me to marry Anjali. So, thank you for that," he said, lightening the heavy atmosphere surrounding his farewell.
"In the last 24 years my friends have made terrific contributions. They have been with me while I was stressed. They have been with me even at 3am when I was injured. Thanks for being there for me," he said.
Not to forget his first coach Ramakant Achrekar, who came down to the stadium for the first time to watch him in action, and the BCCI for supporting him.
"My career started when I was 11. I was extremely delighted to see Achrekar sir in the stands. I used to ride on his scooter and play two matches a day. Sir took me along to make sure I played. On a lighter note, Sir never said 'well played' because he didn't want me to be complacent. You can push your luck now, Sir, since I'm not playing cricket anymore," he joked.
"The BCCI was fantastic from my debut. Thanks to the selectors. You were right with me making sure my treatment was taken care of," Tendulkar said.
Tendulkar also thanked his fellow cricketers and the support staff, especially the doctors and trainers.
"Thanks to all the senior cricketers who have played with me. We see on the screen Rahul (Dravid), VVS (Laxman), Sourav (Ganguly), Anil (Kumble) who is not here. All the coaches," he said.
"I know when MS (Dhoni) presented the 200th Test cap, I had a message to the team - I said 'we are all so proud to be representing the nation. I hope to continue to serve the nation with dignity. I have full faith that you will serve the country in the right spirit'.
"I will be failing in my duty if I didn't thank the doctors who have kept me fit. Given the injuries I have suffered. They have treated me in odd hours," he said.
"My dear friend the late Mark Mascarenhas. I miss him. My current management team WSG, for continuing what Mark has done. Someone who has worked closely with me for 14 years is my friend Vinay Nayudu," he added.
"The media has backed me a lot, since my school days. Even today. Thank you. Thanks to the photographers for capturing those moments."
In the end, Tendulkar thanked the millions of adoring fans by saying that the chants of 'Sachin, Sachin' that resonated in the stadiums would remain with him till the last moment of his life.
"I know my speech has become long. I want to thank people who have flown in from different parts of the world here. I want to thank my fans from the bottom of my heart. 'Sachin, Sachin' will reverberate in my ears till I stop breathing," he said, drawing a deafening applause from the crowd.

Source:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournament/sachin-tendulkar-hangs-his-boots/top-stories/Cant-believe-life-between-22-yards-has-come-to-an-end-Sachin-Tendulkar/articleshow/25879593.cms?

Stalker's death triggered Muzaffarnagar conflagration

2013-09-10T01:05:00.001-07:00

By Indo Asian News Service | IANS India Private Limited – 22 hours ago

Muzaffarnagar (Uttar Pradesh), Sep 9 (IANS) Two brothers kill a man stalking their sister and the stalker's family kills both of them. It was a revenge killing that triggered sectarian violence in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district that has left 28 people dead.

On Aug 27, two brothers of a girl were beaten to death when they went to talk to the family of a stalker who was stabbed to death by them in Kawaal village.

Sources said police registered the first information report (FIR) against the parents of the girl who were not present on the spot.

The inclusion of parents' names in the FIR did not go down well with the majority community of the area, following which the sympathizers of the girl's family announced a panchayat in Kawaal Aug 31. The rival community opposed the plan.

Opposing the Kawaal panchayat, a parallel panchayat was planned in Khalapar area of the city. At this, the government representatives, including members of parliament and state legislature, and local leaders dared the Kawaal panchayat organisers to hold it at the appointed time on Aug 31.

The authorities concerned then assured the angered locals the Khalapar panchayat would be put on hold, and the civil administration after deliberations with the Bhartiya Kisan Union leaders Rakesh and Naresh Tikait announced that the scheduled panchayat had been postponed.

A huge gathering of about 40,000 people turned out but the Kawaal panchayat organizers called off the proceedings and announced the assembly again Sep 7. But when the participants of the - 'Beti Bachao Bahoo Bachao panchayat' - were returning to their homes they were attacked by swords at Basi village under Shahpur police station.

The police booked under the National Security Act (NSA) eight people, of whom seven people were from the majority community and one person was from the minority community.

The riot quickly spread to the neighbouring areas falling under Shamli and Meerut districts.

On Sunday, 48 injured people were admitted at district hospital.

The dead include two people -- one of them a photo-journalist -- who were killed in Khalapar, four killed in Bhopa, two killed in Mansurpur and one killed in Sikeda village. In addition, three people were killed in Kawaal and three people were also killed in Kutba village of the area.

"The administration has put the adjoining districts of Meerut, Baghpat, Bulandshahr on high alert...," IG (Meerut Zone) Brij Bhushan told IANS.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/stalkers-death-triggered-muzaffarnagar-conflagration-090206726.html

Meteor shower to illuminate the sky tonight

2013-08-12T05:25:00.001-07:00

By Vanita Srivastava | Hindustan Times – Sun 11 Aug, 2013

New Delhi, Aug. 11 -- Skygazers - get ready to watch one of the most spectacular meteor shower of the year - Perseid meteor shower which started in mid-July will peak from the midnight of August 12 with an average of around 100 shooting stars per hour.

Every year the Earth passes through the debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle forming the Perseids meteor shower.

The Perseids meteor shower is active every year from around mid July to late August, but for most of this period only a few meteors an hour are visible.

According to the International Meteorological Organisation (IMO), the meteor shower will peak on the intervening night of August 12 and August 13.

The peak activity will be from 11:45 pm IST on August 12 to 2:15 am IST on August 13. Even after its peak visibility, the meteor shower will continue till August 24.

" Although the shower will peak between Monday-Tuesday, the visibility will depend on sky conditions and the location of the place. This year will be a good show as the Moon sets early, so dark skies will prevail. In the absence of the moon, the falling stars will be more illuminant and visible. Next year this may not happen and they will not be as visible," N Sri Raghunandan Kumar secretary Planetary Society of India told HT.

Kumar said that that no telescopes or binoculars were required for the viewing.

"All one has to do is to look towards the north east direction to observe the constellation called Perseus from midnight to dawn. The best time is to start observing at 1 am when the constellation is sufficiently above the horizon."
Published by HT Syndication with permission from Hindustan Times.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/meteor-shower-illuminate-sky-tonight-183000991.html

Delhi Police reveal Sreesanth's wild party side

2013-05-20T04:29:00.001-07:00

Sreesanth had plans to party all night “with as many women as possible” on May 15, the Delhi Police have said.

New Delhi: Sreesanth had plans to party all night “with as many women as possible” on May 15, the Delhi Police have said. They claimed the cricketer was drunk and easily lured to Mumbai’s Trident hotel, where police had already arrested his bookie friend Jiju Janardhan.
“We nabbed Jiju first and sought his help in luring Sreesanth,” an investigating officer said Sunday. “Jiju was made to call and tell him to come to the Trident, so he could be introduced to a female friend.” Minutes later, Sreesanth arrived at the Trident with a “woman on his arm”.
Police also said that when Jiju called him, Sreesanth told him he was “resting at home”.
ALSO SEE:

But it turned out he had been at the InterContinental Hotel with his "girlfriend".
As the police moved in on him, an enraged Sreesanth warned them "not to touch" him.
"He yelled at one officer and shoved another, saying he knew the chief minister - though he didn't specify of which state," the officer said.
Police, meanwhile, arrested three more men - including a former Ranji player - for acting as go-betweens for cricketers and bookies. The number of arrested now stands at 17.
Sunil Bhatia, Kiran Dole, and Manish Gudewa were apprehended from Maharashtra's Aurangabad. Gudewa was a Ranji cricketer who played for Vidharbha between 2003 and 2005. Police are also trailing their associate Babu Ram Yadav.

Source:
http://cricket.yahoo.com/news/delhi-police-reveal-sreesanth-s-wild-party-side-044954591.html

Sreesanth, Chavan accept spot-fixing charge

2013-05-17T06:12:00.001-07:00

More trouble for Rajasthan as former player Amit Singh has been reported to be one of the bookies arrested by the police.

Police escort bookies and cricket players after they were produced in a court in New Delhi.

NEW DELHI/ CHENNAI/ BANGALORE: Rajasthan Royals bowlers S. Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan broke down under interrogation by Delhi Police on Friday and accepted their role in the spot-fixing scandal that has rocked the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
'Yes I made a mistake,' Chavan reportedly confessed to Delhi Police Special Cell. However, Chavan's family and lawyers claimed the cricketer was innocent. "It is said that small fish are easier to catch, that is what has happened here too. He is innocent, we know that. He has struggled a lot," his brother said.
Sreesanth, who until Thursday had claimed innocence said before a Delhi court that bookies 'did him in'. The Kerala medium pacer said that the bookie Jiju Janardhan had lured him into spot-fixing. This came as a huge shock to Sreesanth's family, who had maintained that he was innocent and was being framed by MS Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh (his father's claim).
Chandila in a soup: Read more

Chandila, who has not yet accepted the charges, was further implicated when it was learnt that he had approached two more IPL players to be part of spot fixing after bookies asked him to rope in more people, police sources said on Friday.
"During questioning, Chandila told police that he met bookies at Country Club in Manesar (adjoining Delhi) on April 6. In the meeting, the bookies asked him to rope in more players for spot fixing. He gave two names and the bookies asked him to bring them to a party where the deal could be discussed," police sources told IANS..
Amit Singh suspended

There was more trouble for Royals when Gujarat player Amit Singh was reported to be one of the 11 bookies arrested by the police on Thursday from New Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Singh is accused by the police of being the 'talent-spotter' for bookies. He was released by the Royals franchise in November. The BCCI suspended Amit pending inquiry. The cricket board is to meet on Sunday, and may consider after deliberation, the imposition of a life ban on the three principal accused players.
No more players

Delhi commissioner of police Neeraj Kumar said more arrests of bookies could be expected but no other cricketers were likely to be part of the racket. He also said that the nexus as discovered by the police investigation seems to be between players and bookies alone, and that there seemed to be no involvement of other individuals.
This is possibly the worst scandal to hit the perpetually controversial Indian Premier League, which attracts some of the best cricketers from around the world.
The Delhi police commissioner said while Chavan was paid Rs.60 lakhs by the bookies, Sreesanth and Chandila got Rs.40 lakhs each. Police said they had seized 55 mobile phones and laptops but needed to recover money allegedly paid to the players to give away a fixed amount of runs in one over each.
Neeraj Kumar said Sreesanth, Chavan and Chandela were involved in spot-fixing May 5, May 9 and May 15 in games against the Pune Warriors, King's Punjab XI and Mumbai Indians respectively.

'Sreesanth will fight it out' [Story]
Sreesanth's lawyer rubbished accusations that the paceman used a towel to signal bookies, before the start of an over that he would be giving away runs, saying that a majority of players use towels due to hot weather.
Cricket bookies raided in Chennai [Story]
Police in Tamil Nadu took into custody four cricket bookies on Friday, a day after three Rajasthan Royals players were arrested for allegedly spot fixing matches in exchange for money.
Dawood and company gets hold of T20 [Story]
Dawood Ibrahim's focus on cricket betting gained momentum again when the first edition of the T20 league was launched in India.
Royals banking on Dravid [Story]
In Rahul Dravid as skipper, the Royals have the perfect ingredient to prevent the side from falling apart. During his international tenure, Dravid has helped India stay afloat in precarious situations on countless occasions. He has the same task on hand here, albeit with a difference.

'I'm bewildered, I'm angry and I'm upset' [Story]
Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait has strongly denied any link to the arrest of three Indian team-mates allegedly involved in spot-fixing during an Indian domestic T20 tournament.

This is a developing story. More details will follow.

Source:
http://cricket.yahoo.com/news/chavan-confesses-to-fixing--sreesanth-says-he-is-innocent-061934302.html

Digvijaya slams Kejriwal for using Congress theme

2012-11-26T03:28:00.001-08:00

By Indo Asian News Service | IANS India Private Limited – 20 hours ago

Bhubaneswar, Nov 25 (IANS) Congress leader Digvijaya Singh Sunday accused Arvind Kejriwal of naming his party after the Congress' slogan of "aam aadmi" (common man).

By naming his party as Aam Admi, Kejriwal has reflected his intellectual bankruptcy, the Congress leader said.

"It reflects the intellectual bankruptcy of Mr. Kejriwal that he adopted the theme of the Congress party," he told reporters here.

Responding to a question if the Aam Admi Party will affect the prospect of the Congress in any way, Digvijaya Singh said: "Let Mr. Kejriwal first get elected as an MLA or a member of parliament or even a...municipal corporator."

Digvijaya Singh, who is also the All India Congress Committee's general secretary, also accused the Naveen Patnaik−led Odisha government of encouraging mining−related industries in the state at the cost of agriculture.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/digvijaya-slams-kejriwal-using-congress-theme-152210777.html

BSP attacks Akhilesh Govt. over law and order situation in UP

2012-11-26T03:27:00.001-08:00

By ANI | ANI – 5 hours ago

Lucknow, Nov. 26 (ANI): There was complete chaos in the Uttar Pradesh assembly on Monday when the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs protested in the Well of the House over what they called the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

The BSP MLAs, who carried placards, claimed that law and order in Uttar Pradesh had collapsed under the Samajwadi Party (SP) Government-led by Akhilesh Yadav.

The agitated BSP MLAs also raised slogans against Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. The House has been adjourned following the ruckus. (ANI)

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/bsp-attacks-akhilesh-govt-over-law-order-situation-061157987.html

Tahir creates new record for worst Test bowling

2012-11-26T03:24:00.001-08:00

By ANI | ANI – Sun 25 Nov, 2012 12:59 PM IST

South Africa leg-spinner Imran Tahir has recorded the worst bowling figures in a Test match.

His match figures of 0-260 in just 37 overs against Australia in the second Test in Adelaide has surpassed the previous worst ever by Pakistan's Khan Mohammad, who posted figures of 0-259 against the West Indies in 1958 - all from one innings.

Tahir's figures came from two innings in Adelaide, after 0-180 in Australia's first innings, he recorded 0-80 in the second dig completed on Sunday.

Adding to his insult, the Pakistan-born tweaker thought he had escaped the inglorious record by taking a wicket on Saturday when Australia opener Ed Cowan was caught at cover from his bowling.

Tahir again went wicketless and finished his nightmare with an average of 7.02 runs being scored from his 37 overs in the game. He managed just one lonely maiden.

Tahir's woes have drawn sympathy from his teammates, with former leg-spinner turned commentary doyen, Richie Benaud being blunt in his assessment.

"You have got a guy there ... who can't bowl," he said.

Source:
http://cricket.yahoo.com/news/imran-tahir-creates-worst-test-bowling-figures-record-072930825.html

Sikh Woman Balpreet Kaur Turns Cyber Bullying Incident into Inspiration

2012-10-02T01:27:00.001-07:00

After someone snapped a photo of her and posted it on online, Balpreet Kaur was ridiculed for following the tenants of her Sikh faith. But instead of hiding or lashing out, she politely posted a reply -- and turned a bullying situation into a inspiring example of tolerance, support, and inspiration.

Related: Teaching our Kids Tolerance After the Sikh Temple Shootings
The photo was taken apparently without Kaur's knowledge while she was waiting in line at the Ohio State University Library. In the photo, Kaur's hair is hidden by a large, black turban. She's wearing a T-shirt and yoga pants, glasses, and is looking down at her cell phone; her sparse facial hair is clearly visible. A Reddit user posted it to the "Funny" forum with the quip, "I'm not sure what to conclude from this."

Comments started pouring in, making fun of her appearance, asking if she was transgendered, and taking her to task for not plucking, waxing, or shaving.

Related: Lessons from "The World's Ugliest Woman': Stop Staring and Start Learning
After a friend told her about the thread, Kaur decided to respond to the taunts herself -- and take the opportunity to educate people at the same time.

"Hey, guys. This is Balpreet Kaur, the girl from the picture," she wrote. "I'm not embarrassed or even humiliated by the attention [negative and positive] that this picture is getting because, it's who I am."

As a baptized Sikh woman, Kaur -- who is from Ohio -- said that she is forbidden from altering her body, as it is considered a sacred gift from God.

"The over arching principal is this body is a tool for service," she explained. "We have to maintain and take care of it while cherishing its original form." That means that going to the hospital and taking medicine is fine, because one should be healthy in order to be of service to others. But cutting one's hair or removing one's facial hair is forbidden, even if societal norms dictate otherwise.

"My hair doesn't stop me from being normal or doing service so its not a hindrance," she said in a later post. "I've been to the doctor regarding this and its just a side effect of my hormone levels during my teenage years. The hormones have returned to normal but the hair is still there. That's fine :) I don't regret anything nor do I view it as an unfortunate thing."

Sikhism was founded in the Punjab region of India in the 15th century; there are approximately 30 million Sikhs in the world. Followers believe in the equality of all human beings and in a single, infinitely powerful, omnipresent, genderless God. Instead of heaven or hell, the religion promotes salvation through a spiritual union with God; ego, anger, greed, attachment, and lust are considered the Five Evils. Sikhs do not believe in recruiting converts, though they welcome those who wish to join their faith. Once baptized or formally initiated into the faith, they vow to wear five religious symbols at all times, one of which is leaving their body hair uncut.

"Yes, I'm a baptized Sikh woman with facial hair. Yes, I realize that my gender is often confused and I look different than most women," wrote Kaur, who is the president of the Ohio State University's Sikh Student Association. "My attitude and thoughts and actions have more value in them than my body… by not focusing on the physical beauty, I have time to cultivate those inner virtues and hopefully, focus my life on creating change and progress for this world in any way I can."

Her words quickly inspired readers on Reddit and elsewhere to reevaluate their reactions. A cross-post on the Facebook page for Kaurista garnered more than 6,750 likes and more than 850 comments.

"I know that I don't have the courage to live that purely," Shannon Dolce commented on Facebook. "I am inspired to live MORE true to how my creator sees me though."

"I think we can agree that even the non-religious can benefit from taking a page from your book -- thank you," wrote a Redditor named anothertimearound.

"You are awesome. If you faith has made you this well-adjusted and positive and secure in your own skin and focused on the things in life that truly matter, then I am glad that there are Sikhs in this world." Reddit reader Anna_Mosity wrote. "The world could use more people like you."

Kaur says that she's happy to spend time explaining her religion and her appearance to people. "I do not think explaining myself and the way I am is a waste of energy because storytelling in itself is a way to fight the apathy in this world," she explained in a follow up post on Thursday. "By simple interactions like this, we can better understand each other and make this world more open and loving even if it is just one person or many."

Source:
http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/blogs/she/sikh-woman-balpreet-kaur-turns-cyber-bullying-incident-203500244.html

How to recognise a heart attack

2012-10-02T01:17:00.001-07:00

Unhealthy lifestyles combined with a ton of stress are making more and more people vulnerable to heart attacks. Here’s a low-down on signs and symptoms of a heart attack.

Often people expect a heart attack to be dramatic like it is in the movies. But in reality — most often — that is not the case. This article thus spells out the signs and symptoms of a heart attack.

What happens during a heart attack?

During a heart attack, the blood flow to the heart muscle is either reduced or completely stops. This typically happens because of a blood clot that is blocking an artery.
When the heart muscle does not get oxygen-rich blood, it ceases to work.

Some common heart attack symptoms:

A heart attack often causes chest pain.
There is a feeling of fullness or a clasping pain in the centre of the chest. Most victims describe the pain as akin to an elephant standing on the chest (extreme pain). It usually lasts for about 15 minutes.
One also experiences shooting pain in the shoulders, neck, arm, back and sometimes even the teeth and jaw.
One finds increasing episodes of chest pain.
Prolonged pain in the upper abdomen.
Shortness of breath.
The victim might experience heavy sweating.
Since the heart’s pumping action is severely impaired during a severe heart attack, the victim might lose his/her consciousness.
Nausea and vomiting
In rare cases, as in patients who are diabetic, the heart attack may not be very painful, and sometimes can even be entirely painless.

Other heart attack symptoms

The elderly, diabetics, people on steroids as well as women are less likely to have obvious symptoms like severe chest pain (as often seen in men). These are some symptoms they are likely to have:

Pain in the abdomen
Heart burn
Sweaty skin
Unusual tiredness
Dizziness or light-headedness
Nausea
Tightness or pain in the neck, shoulder or upper back

Heart attack symptoms are not the same for all…

Not everyone who has a heart attack has the same symptoms. Many a time, we also tend to ignore a heart attack thinking it might be mere abdominal discomfort due to gas pains or indigestion. If you have more than a few symptoms listed above, then you are likely to be having an attack. Get emergency help immediately.

What to do in case of a heart attack?

Rush to a hospital: If you recognise that you or someone around is having a heart attack, get immediate medical help.
Give Disprin (Asprin): As soon as you recognise it is an attack, crush a disprin, dissolve it in water and make the person drink it.
Emergency numbers: Every office and home must keep a list of emergency numbers like that of an ambulance service, hospital.

A heart attack is different from a cardiac arrest

Do not confuse a heart attack with cardiac arrest. In the case of a cardiac arrest, the heart suddenly stops. It occurs due to an electrical disturbance that obstructs the heart’s pumping function, which results in stopping blood flow to the rest of the body.

With inputs from Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy, consultant interventional cardiologist with Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore

Source:
http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/recognise-heart-attack-110038445.html

Kingfisher to decide on lifting partial lockout Thursday

2012-10-02T00:59:00.001-07:00

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Kingfisher Airlines Ltd said it would submit a revival plan to regulators and clear pending salary dues in the coming days, after labour unrest prompted the carrier to declare a partial lockout and cancel all flights through Thursday.

The airline cancelled the flights when some employees failed to report to work following months of unpaid salaries, dealing a fresh blow to the debt-laden airline. The carrier, which has never made a profit, had already grounded most of its fleet.

Kingfisher is in talks with employees and will make a call on lifting the partial lockout on Thursday, Chief Executive Sanjay Aggarwal told reporters on Tuesday after a meeting with the country's aviation regulator.

The regulator said Kingfisher would need its approval to restart operations.

Kingfisher, which is controlled by liquor baron Vijay Mallya and was once India's No.2 carrier by domestic market share, has struggled under its $1.4 billion debt load. Banks have refused to lend it more unless it can infuse fresh equity.

Last month, India allowed foreign airlines to buy stakes of up to 49 percent in local carriers, a long-awaited policy move lobbied for by Kingfisher and seen as providing a lifeline to the country's debt-laden operators.

Kingfisher was in talks with a couple of airlines for investment and hoped talks would conclude in three months, the aviation regulator said on Tuesday.

The regulator had warned on Monday that it would not allow Kingfisher to fly if safety rules were not followed, and that it was examining the situation at Kingfisher.

Under Indian rules, an airline needs to operate at least five planes in order to maintain its licence.

Shares in Kingfisher closed down 4.95 percent, their maximum daily limit, at 15.35 rupees on Monday. Markets are closed on Tuesday for a local holiday.

(Reporting by Anurag Kotoky; Writing by Christopher Gallagher; Editing by Ryan Woo)

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/kingfisher-decide-lifting-partial-lockout-oct-4-070812882--finance.html

Modi says Rs 1,880 crore spent on Sonia's foreign trip

2012-10-02T00:52:00.001-07:00

Modi said the state should not be questioned when the central government has itself spent Rs 1,880 crore for Sonia Gandhi's foreign trips.

Yahoo! India News – 16 hours ago

NEW DELHI: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi criticised the UPA government for questioning his government for spending money on festivities and celebrations, saying that central government has itself spent Rs 1,880 crore for UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's foreign trips and treatment abroad over three years.

Modi said the state should not be questioned when the central government has itself spent Rs 1,880 crore for Sonia Gandhi's foreign trips.

Modi alleged that the Congress president was getting all facilities like special flight, which were meant only for the prime minister and president of India.

Asking if the central government had given a special status to Sonia Gandhi, Modi said the money spent on her was being spent from the public exchequer.

The Congress reacted strongly to Modi's query as to who footed the Rs 1,880 crore bill for Sonia Gandhi's treatment abroad, terming his remark as irresponsible.

"The remark is irresponsible. It shows his frustration," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said.

Tewari hit back at Modi saying if the BJP leader wanted to talk about morality, he should first order a probe into various scams in the state worth Rs.1 lakh core in the past decade.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/modi-says-rs-1-880-crore-spent-on-sonia-s-foreign-trip.html;_ylt=AqEWY8TazIw8RK46rDoWw37EscB_;_ylu=X3oDMTNqa3MyOGRxBGNjb2RlA2N0LmMEcGtnAzBlOWI1OTU2LTYxOGUtMzRmYy04YTg3LTVhOTM0YjUwOGZlZgRwb3MDMQRzZWMDbW9zdF9wb3B1bGFyBHZlcgM5OGUwOTUwMy0wYmQ5LTExZTItYmJmZC0wZjczNjQwZmI1MWQ-;_ylg=X3oDMTM0MGc5ZmQzBGludGwDaW4EbGFuZwNlbi1pbgRwc3RhaWQDZmQ4OGFhMDgtOTI0YS0zNGY3LTg4NmItYjliZDU5MTI2NTYyBHBzdGNhdANuYXRpb25hbHxwb2xpdGljcwRwdANzdG9yeXBhZ2U-;_ylv=3

People coming together to change politics: Kejriwal

2012-10-02T00:50:00.001-07:00

New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) People were fed up of corruption and were coming together to change the politics of the country, activist Arvind Kejriwal said Tuesday shortly before launching his political party.

Donning a Gandhi cap with "Mein hoon aam admi, mujhe chahiye Janlokpal" (I am common man, I want Jan Lokpal) printed on it, Kejriwal said: "It is a big day for the common people. They are fed up of corrupt politicians and rising prices and are coming together to change the politics of the country."

Kejriwal, who split up with Anna Hazare recently, reiterated that there was no rift between them.

Discussing his political outfit, he said: "People will give us money - they will campaign, they will fight the elections."

He said the party - the name would be announced later - would contest assembly elections in Delhi next year.

Replying to a question on Hazare supporting the outfit, Kejriwal said: "It is a test for us. If we put up good candidates, Anna will support."

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed the move, saying all Indians had the right to contest elections.

"There are so many political parties and it is good they are floating a party. All citizens have the right to form a party and contest elections," said BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/people-coming-together-change-politics-kejriwal-065705777.html

PM defends reforms, says money does not grow on trees

2012-09-24T06:07:00.001-07:00

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday defended his government's fresh economic reforms, saying these were needed to boost investor confidence domestically and globally.

In a nationally televised address, the prime minister accused the opposition of misleading the people and said the time had come to embrace "hard decisions" to revive the country's economy.

"The time has come for hard decisions. For this I need your trust, your understanding and your cooperation," he said, comparing the situation with what prevailed in 1991 when India embraced sweeping economic reforms.

"We are at a point where we can reverse the slowdown in our growth. We need a revival in investor confidence domestically and globally," he said. "The decisions we have taken recently are necessary for this purpose."

The prime minister's speech came hours after the Trinamool Congress quit his government over the decisions to hike diesel prices, cap the supply of cooking gas cylinders and allow FDI in multi-brand retail trade.

In his speech, Manmohan Singh defended all three decisions.

He said that subsidy on petroleum products had grown enormously, and would have been over Rs 200,000 crore this year.

"If we had not acted, it would have meant a higher fiscal deficit, that is, an unsustainable increase in government expenditure vis-a-vis government income.
"If unchecked, this would lead to a further steep rise in prices and a loss of confidence in our economy."

He said India had faced a similar situation in 1991 when "nobody was willing to lend us even small amounts of money".

"We are not in that situation today, but we must act before people lose confidence in our economy."

On the decision to limit to six the number of cooking gas cylinders a family can get in a year, the prime minister said "almost half of our people ... actually use only six cylinders or less".

"We have ensured they are not affected. Others will still get six subsidised cylinders, but they must pay a higher price for more," adding the price of kerosene, the poor man's fuel, remained unchanged.

Manmohan Singh denied accusations that allowing foreign direct investment in retail would hurt small traders.

He said that organised and modern retailing was already present in India and growing.

In Delhi, he said, despite the increasing number of shopping centres, there was a three fold increase in the number of small shops.

"The fear that small retailers will be wiped out is completely baseless."

Diesel price hike was needed to cover losses

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Friday a Rs.17 per litre hike in diesel price was needed to cover the losses and that the government only partially passed on the burden to the common people.

"We raised the price of diesel by just Rs.5 per litre instead of the Rs.17 that was needed to cut all losses on diesel," the prime minister said in an address to the nation.

The prime minister pointed out that much of diesel is used by big cars and sports utility vehicles (SUVs) owned by the rich and by factories and businesses.

"Should the government run large fiscal deficits to subsidise them," he asked.
The prime minister said taxes on petrol were reduced by Rs.5 per litre to prevent a rise in petrol prices.

"We did this so that the crores of middle class people who drive scooters and motorcycles are not hit further."

On the cap on subsidised LGP cylinders

On the decision to put a cap of 6 subsidised cylinders per year, Singh said, "Almost half of our people, who need our help the most, actually use only 6 cylinders or less. We have ensured they are not affected."

"We did not touch the price of kerosene which is consumed by the poor," he said.
He said despite the recent increase, diesel and cooking gas prices were lower in India than neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.

"The total subsidy on petroleum products will still be Rs.160 thousand crore. This is more than what we spend on health and education together. We held back from raising prices further because I hoped that oil prices would decline," he said. (IANS)

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/pm-speaks-on-fdi-in-retail-and-other-reforms.html

No roaming charges from next year: Sibal

2012-09-24T05:29:00.001-07:00

NEW DELHI: Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal Monday said that from next year mobile phone users will not have to pay roaming charges.

When asked when does the government plan to remove roaming charges as per the National Telecom Policy 2012, Sibal said it will be free from next year.

In May this year, the cabinet approved a new telecom policy that seeks to do away with roaming charges throughout the country.

Currently, a user pays an extra amount called roaming charge while making or receiving calls in a circle outside his home network.

The new policy, approved in May, paves the way for free roaming and nationwide mobile number portability.

The minister also said the new policy would replace the older regulation, which has been in effect for more than 12 years now and provides a predictable and stable policy regime for a period of nearly 10 years.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/no-roaming-charges-from-next-year--sibal.html

FDI will help create 1 crore new jobs in retail: Government

2012-09-24T05:26:00.001-07:00

New Delhi, Sep 21 (IANS) The government Friday claimed that foreign direct investment (FDI) will help create over 1 crore (10 million) new jobs in the retail sector and benefit consumers and farmers.

In a full-page advertisement in leading newspapers, the commerce and industry ministry said it was just a myth that FDI in multi-brand retail would result in job losses.

"Contrary to this mistaken belief, FDI in multi-brand retail will generate new employment opportunities, resulting in 1 crore new jobs," it said.

In the advertisement, the government claimed that due to FDI in retail, "farmers will receive better remuneration for their product and will benefit from additional job opportunities resulting in overall improvement in their quality of life".

The government's decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail has resulted in political turmoil in the country with a key ally Trinamool Congress pulling out of the ruling United Progressive Alliance and opposition parties, both from political right and left, demanding a rollback.

Shrugging off the protests, the government Thursday notified the decision to allow up to 51 percent FDI in multi-brand retail and hiked the limit of overseas investments in single-brand retail to 100 percent.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/fdi-help-create-1-crore-jobs-retail-government-102748621--finance.html

Supreme Court upholds Kasab's death sentence

2012-08-29T00:23:00.001-07:00

New Delhi, Aug 29 (IANS) The Supreme Court Wednesday upheld the death sentence of Ajmal Kasab, the only surviving Pakistani terrorist behind the 26/11 Mumbai strike that claimed 166 lives.

"We are constrained to hold that the death penalty is the only sentence that can given in the circumstances of the case," the apex court bench of Justices Aftab Alam and C.K. Prasad said.

Kasab, one of the 10 Pakistanis who sneaked into Mumbai on the night of Nov 26, 2008 for a terror siege of the city that ended on Nov 29 afternoon, had moved the apex court challenging the death sentence by a trial court, which was later upheld by the Bombay High Court.

The court rejected Kasab's contention that the Mumbai terror attack was a war against the government of India and not against the Indian state or its people.

The court said the government of India was only the elected organ of the state and the repository of the sovereign powers.

Having said this, the court added: "Primary and foremost offence by the accused (Kasab) was waging war against India."

The high court had upheld Kasab's death penalty Feb 21, 2011.

Kasab was sent to the gallows by a Mumbai trial court May 6, 2010. Besides other charges, he was convicted for waging war against the nation.

An apex court had reserved the verdict on the conclusion of arguments that spread over nearly three months, starting Jan 31.

Kasab and his nine associates who had sailed from Karachi reached Mumbai after they hijacked private Indian ship M.B. Kuber and killed its navigator Amar Chand Solanki.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/supreme-court-upholds-kasabs-death-sentence-051934750.html

Rupee touches 56: What it means to you

2012-05-24T01:21:00.001-07:00

The rupee is in a free fall. The Indian currency touched new lifetime lows of Rs 56.38 to US dollar in early morning trade on Thursday. It is now down 24 per cent in just one year. (Read: Rupee hits new low of 56.38/$)

See full coverage of Rupee here

Here are five things to note:

1) Overseas travel expensive: If you are concerned about your upcoming overseas summer holiday, there is not much you can do to cut costs. You will have to pay more for your foreign exchange. This is not a good time to plan an overseas holiday if money is an issue. Your overseas holiday is close to 24 per cent more expensive than it was a year ago. If you have surplus US dollars or other foreign currency from your previous travel, you could save some money.

2) Overseas education costs to rise: The close to 24 per cent fall in the value of the rupee means you will have shell out more for your child’s education or for that executive MBA overseas that you plan to go for over the summer.

3) Inflation: The rupee is falling because the UPA government's finances are in disarray. There is a slowdown in gross domestic product or GDP growth. This means the government is likely to miss tax revenue targets as businesses and individuals will likely earn less profit due to slower growth. Although the government is talking about austerity, there is no cut in overall expenditure. India imports more than it exports. Hence, it has a current account deficit. This means more dollar demand, which then hurts the value of the rupee. RBI has to print more money and this adds to inflation. If oil prices fall and gold imports slow through the year, it should ease some pressure on the rupee and curb inflation. However, this makes the country vulnerable to external shocks.

4) Buy shares of export-oriented companies or local consumer companies: There is opportunity in adversity. The BSE IT sector index rose 1 per cent on Tuesday when overall share prices fell. Export-oriented companies that receive revenue in foreign currency are your best bet for now.

5) What next: The rupee is down 24 per cent since July 2011. It is likely to remain weak. This is largely because economic reforms have come to a standstill in India while others are attracting more foreign direct investment. Currencies of Australia, Indonesia and Korea are also down 8-10 per cent. However, analysts are more worried about India than others. As a percentage of the current account deficit, FDI inflows account for only 20 per cent for India. In comparison, Indonesia and Australia get FDI that is more than the current account deficit. India relies more on foreign capital flows in the stock market to finance the current account deficit. With an uncertainty over GAAR, investors are choosing to buy into other markets. This means, the Indian rupee would struggle going forward.

Source:
http://profit.ndtv.com/News/Article/rupee-fall-what-it-means-to-you-304866

Uttarakhand govt removes 25% value added tax on petrol

2012-05-24T01:18:00.001-07:00

Uttarakhand government has announced a removal of 25 per cent value added tax on petrol. This will make the fuel cheaper by Rs 1.87 in the state as compared to the rest of the country.

Oil marketing companies - Indian Oil, BPCL, HPCL on Wednesday, decided to hike prices of petrol by Rs 7.50 per litre on Wednesday evening. A ministerial committee is likely to meet on Friday to decide on a possible Rs 5 per litre hike in diesel and Rs 50 per cylinder hike in liquefied petroleum gas or LPG.

Source:
http://profit.ndtv.com/News/Article/uttarakhand-govt-removes-25-value-added-tax-on-petrol-304944

Chinese couple bury woman alive, sparking outrage

2012-05-24T00:41:00.001-07:00

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese police have arrested a young couple who buried an old woman alive believing she was dead after their car hit the 68-year-old, newspapers said on Thursday, in a case which has sparked outrage over declining public morality.

The couple had been at an all-night karaoke session when they hit the woman while driving in the early hours of the morning in the wealthy eastern province of Zhejiang last month, the official China Daily said.

"A witness said he heard someone crying and saw an elderly woman lying on the ground near (the car)," it cited a policeman as saying.

"A man and a woman got out and put the elderly woman in the car, saying they would send her to hospital."

But, worried about being arrested for drunk driving and causing the accident and believing she was no longer alive, they buried her near the side of the road, the report added.

However, when police later found the woman's body they discovered she was still alive when she was buried, and had then suffocated to death, the paper said.

The story has been widely discussed on China's popular Twitter-like service Weibo, where it has ignited uproar for what some called the immorality of modern Chinese society.

"Such things show that our society really has huge problems it is not facing," wrote one user.

"People of China, how have you come to this?" wrote another.

China's economic boom and the growing disparity between the rich and poor have made changing social values a contentious topic, with some lamenting what they see as materialism and a get-rich-quick attitude replacing public morals.

Last year, graphic video footage of a two-year-old child run over by a van and ignored by passersby in southern China sparked similar anger.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Michael Perry)

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/chinese-couple-bury-woman-alive-sparking-outrage-033640709.html

Bharat Bandh on May 31 against UPA's petrol bomb

2012-05-24T00:34:00.001-07:00

Protesting over the steepest-ever hike in the price of petrol and runaway inflation that is affecting prices of all commodities, the National Democratic Alliance has called for a nation-wide bandh on May 31.

NDA convenor and JDU chief Sharad Yadav informed that all the NDA partners are in agreement with this proposal and will support the bandh. He also said that the NDA will approach other political parties too for their support to proposed Bharat Bandh on May 31.

The Indian government hiked petrol prices by an unprecedented over Rs 7.50 a litre, triggering protests from the opposition and even government allies. But the industry hailed it.

Just a day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh warned of taking "difficult decisions" to mobilise revenue, state-controlled refiners hiked the fuel price by Rs.6.28 a litre exclusive of taxes effective midnight Wednesday.

This, an official said, was meant to compensate losses incurred by the companies for selling petrol at subsidised rates.

The hike will range between Rs.7.54 and Rs.7.98 in the four metros and would be higher or lower in other cities depending on the extent of taxes.

India Inc said the increase had become inevitable with the continued slide of the rupee's exchange rate.

"The inflationary impact of such an increase is ... transitory. It can be mitigated by reduction in taxes by the central and state governments," the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry said.

Indian Oil Corporation said given the losses being incurred, it was forced to hike the price of petrol. "This excludes losses already suffered till date during current financial year 2012-13, which would require an additional increase of around Rs.1.50 a litre in selling price of motor spirit for balance part of the year," it said.
Petrol in Delhi will cost Rs.73.18 a litre, in Mumbai Rs.78.57, in Kolkata Rs.77.88 and in Chennai Rs.77.53 a litre.

A defensive Congress took refuge in the high global prices of oil. "Global prices are up and the oil companies take their own decisions after the deregulation of petrol prices. India is part of the world and so it is affected too," said Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi.

The middle class reacted with predictable anger. The opposition tore through the official justification of the price rise while allies DMK and Trinamool Congress too flayed the Congress-led government.

But even as she attacked the Congress for not consulting the allies over the issue and expressed her opposition to the price rise, Trinamool leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to quit the UPA.

Both DMK chief M. Karunanidhi and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal demanded an immediate rollback, saying the hike would badly hurt the common man.

The CPI-M and other Left parties were the most critical. D. Raja of the Communist Party of India said: "It is just a prelude. It will burden the common people and we will protest on the streets and the government will have to rollback the hike."|
Corporate Affairs Minister M. Veerappa Moily justified the decision, pointing out at the fiscal deficit and an economic situation "going out of hand". He said the price rise was "most minimal".

The Bharatiya Janata Party blamed fiscal mismanagement for the decision. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha mockingly called it a "gift" from the UPA-II government on its third anniversary.

Indian states levy sales tax of 15-33 percent. Among the other levies are VAT and additional sales tax.

India deregulated petrol prices in June 2010 but continues to subsidise kerosene, diesel and cooking gas to protect the poor from inflationary pressures.

Petrol prices were last revised Nov 4, 2011.

The oil companies have been losing Rs.8,000 crore per annum as they were being forced to sell petrol at subsidised rates.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister S. Jaipal Reddy had said Tuesday the depreciation of the rupee had necessitated an immediate increase in fuel prices.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/bharat-bandh-on-may-31-against-upa-s-petrol-bomb.html

NASA Envisions Alien Worlds

2012-05-23T22:07:00.001-07:00

For decades, NASA has delighted stargazers with pictures taken by astronauts, telescopes, and rovers across the galaxy -- photographic glimpses of real planets, moons, stars, and other heavenly bodies. When illustrators, meanwhile, stretch their imaginations -- giving shape and color to what, say, a sunrise on another world -- their work offers brilliant notions of what vistas beyond our tiny corner of space might look like. Captured by a camera or, as in this gallery, envisioned by artists, the far reaches of space continue to humble and amaze.

Out of the Dust, a Planet is Born

In this artist's conception, a possible newfound planet spins through a clearing, detected around the star CoKu Tau 4 by the Spitzer Space Telescope, in a nearby star's dusty, planet-forming disc. The possible planet is theorized to be at least as massive as Jupiter, and may have a similar appearance to what the giant planets in our own solar system looked like billions of years ago. NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC-Caltech)

Hubble Spots Possible New Moons Around Pluto

The artist's concept above shows the Pluto system from the surface of one of the candidate moons. The other members of the Pluto system are just above the moon's surface. Pluto is the large disk at center, right. Charon, the system's only confirmed moon, is the smaller disk to the right of Pluto. The other candidate moon is the bright dot on Pluto's far left. Click image for full resolution.

NASA/ESA/G. Bacon (STScI)

Steaming Hot Planet

This artist's impression shows a gas-giant exoplanet transiting across the face of its star. Infrared analysis by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope of this type of system provided the breakthrough.The planet, HD 189733b, lies 63 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. It was discovered in 2005 as it transited its parent star, dimming the star's light by some three percent.

ESA/C.Carreau

Fantastic Four Galaxies with Planet

This artist's concept shows what the night sky might look like from a hypothetical planet around a star tossed out of an ongoing four-way collision between big galaxies (yellow blobs). NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope spotted this "quadruple merger" of galaxies within a larger cluster of galaxies located nearly 5 billion light-years away.Though the galaxies appear intact, gravitational disturbances have caused them to stretch and twist, flinging billions of stars into space, nearly three times as many stars as are in our Milky Way galaxy. The tossed stars are visible in the large plume emanating from the central, largest galaxy. If any of these stars have planets, their night skies would be filled with the monstrous merger, along with other galaxies in the cluster (smaller, bluish blobs).This cosmic smash-up is the largest known merger between galaxies of a similar size. While three of the galaxies are about the size of our Milky Way galaxy, the fourth (center of image) is three times as big. All four of the galaxies, as well as most other galaxies in the huge cluster, are blob-shaped ellipticals instead of spirals like the Milky Way.Ultimately, in about one hundred million years or so, the four galaxies will unite into one. About half of the stars kicked out during the merger will fall back and join the new galaxy, making it one of the biggest galaxies in the universe.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/Harvard-Smithsonian CfA

Exoplanet HR 8799b

This is an artistic illustration of the giant planet HR 8799b.The planet was first discovered in 2007 at the Gemini North observatory. It was identified in the NICMOS archival data in a follow-up search of NICMOS archival data to see if Hubble had also serendipitously imaged it.The planet is young and hot, at a temperature of 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. It is slightly larger than Jupiter and may be at least seven times more massive. Analysis of the NICMOS data suggests the planet has water vapor in its atmosphere and is only partially cloud covered. It is not known if the planet has rings or moons, but circumplanetary debris is common among the outer planets of our solar system.

NASA/ESA/G.Bacon(STScI)

Chemical Soups Around Cool Stars

This artist's conception shows a young, hypothetical planet around a cool star. A soupy mix of potentially life-forming chemicals can be seen pooling around the base of the jagged rocks. Observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope hint that planets around cool stars - the so-called M-dwarfs and brown dwarfs that are widespread throughout our galaxy - might possess a different mix of life-forming, or prebiotic, chemicals than our young Earth.

NASA/JPL

Huygens on Titan

In 2005 the robotic Huygens probe landed on Titan, Saturn's enigmatic moon, and sent back the first ever images from beneath Titan's thick cloud layers. This artist's impression is based on those images. In the foreground, sits the car-sized lander that sent back images for more than 90 minutes before running out of battery power. The parachute that slowed Huygen's re-entry is seen in the background, still attached to the lander. Smooth stones, possibly containing water-ice, are strewn about the landscape. Analyses of Huygen's images and data show that Titan's surface today has intriguing similarities to the surface of the early Earth.

ESA

Flaring Red Dwarf Star

This is an artist's concept of a red dwarf star undergoing a powerful eruption, called a stellar flare. A hypothetical planet is in the foreground. Flares are sudden eruptions of heated plasma that occur when the field lines of powerful magnetic fields in a star's atmosphere "reconnect," snapping like a rubber band and releasing vast amounts of energy equivalent to the power of 100 million atomic bombs exploding simultaneously.Studying the light from 215,000 older red dwarfs collected in observations by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers found 100 stellar flares popping off over the course of a week.

NASA/ESA/G. Bacon(STScI)

Super-Hot Planet with Unique Comet-Like Tail

Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have confirmed the existence of a baked object that could be called a "cometary planet." The gas giant planet, named HD 209458b, is orbiting so close to its star that its heated atmosphere is escaping into space.Observations taken with Hubble's Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) suggest powerful stellar winds are sweeping the cast-off atmospheric material behind the scorched planet and shaping it into a comet-like tail.

NASA/ESA/G. Bacon (STScI)

This Planet Smells Funny

Giant planet GJ 436b in the constellation Leo is missing something--and that something is swamp gas. To the surprise of astronomers who have been studying the Neptune-sized planet using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, GJ 436b has very little methane--an ingredient common to many planets in our own solar system. This artist's concept shows the unusual, methane-free world partially eclipsed by its star.Models of planetary atmospheres indicate that any world with the common mix of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen, and a temperature up to 1,000 Kelvin (1,340 degrees Fahrenheit) should have a large amount of methane and a small amount of carbon monoxide. But at about 800 Kelvin (or 980 degrees Fahrenheit), GJ 436b it does not. The finding demonstrates the diversity of exoplanets and the need for further study.

NASA/JPL-Caltech

An Imagined Canyon on Planet Kepler 10-B

The daytime temperature is expected to be more than 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than lava flows here on Earth, hot enough to melt iron! Many years ago, before Kepler launched, members of what became the Kepler team built a robotic telescope at Lick Observatory to learn to do transit photometry-- detecting drops in brightness of stars when planets pass in front of them. We called it the Vulcan Telescope, named after the hypothetical planet that scientists in the 1800's thought might exist between the Sun and Mercury. A planet that might explain the small deviations in Mercury's orbit that were later explained with Einsteins theory of general relativity.Vulcan is the god of fire in Roman mythology, a name befitting of a world so close to the Sun. The artists rendering of Kepler-10b is reminiscent of that hypothetical planet Vulcan. The Kepler team came full circle in its quest. We know that we've only begun to imagine the possibilities.

NASA/Kepler Mission/Dana Berry

Imagined View from Planet Kepler 10-B

Kepler-10b orbits one of the 150,000 stars that the Kepler spacecraft is monitoring, a star that is very similar to our own Sun in temperature, mass and size, but older with an age of over 8 billion years, compared to the 4-and-1/2 billion years of our own Sun. It is one of the brighter stars that Kepler is monitoring and about 560 light years from our solar system, which means when the light from this star began its journey toward Earth, European navigators were crossing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in search of new horizons. Today, we are still exploring and our crow's nest is a space telescope called Kepler. One day, the oceans we cross will be the galaxy itself, but for now, we imagine the worlds we discover by putting all that we have learned from our observations and analyses into the fingers of artists.Kepler-10b must be a scorched world, orbiting at a distance that is more than 20 times closer to its star than Mercury is to our own Sun, with a daytime temperature expected to be more than 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit.The Kepler team has determined that Kepler-10b is a rocky planet, with a surface you could stand on, a mass 4.6 times that of Earth, anda diameter 1.4 times that of Earth.

NASA/Kepler Mission/Dana Berry

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/photos/nasa-envisions-alien-worlds-slideshow/nasa-envisions-alien-worlds-photo-1337334610.html

Maruti to launch Cervo this Diwali

2012-05-21T05:02:00.001-07:00

Maruti (in fact, media) has been tantalizing us for quite a while with the prospect of launching the ultra small car Cervo. Now, credible media reports have it that the Cervo is all set to be launched this Diwali, replacing the iconic Maruti 800. According to a report by Economic Times, Cervo will be launched this Diwali, priced between 2-2.5 lakh. Although a senior official from Maruti Suzuki has confirmed that “the work on the car is going on and the company is planning to launch it before Diwali,” there is no guarantee that the new car is going to be in the same shape that you see in these pictures. However, we can assure you that there is something brewing in the Maruti plant and the cat will be out of the bag during the upcoming festive season.

The Cervo looks like a smaller Chevrolet Beat with cues from Honda Jazz's design. The phenomenal fuel efficiency is one of the USPs of this car. Powered by Suzuki's 660cc engine — as against Nano's 623cc — the Cervo could be priced a little higher than Nano.

According to a report by Economic Times, Cervo will be launched this Diwali, priced between 2-2.5 lakh.

Inside, the dashboard of the Cervo looks almost like the Swift, with the rectangular air vents in the centre and the circular ones on the sides.

Power windows and airbags are available in the international markets but chances are that Indians will have to compromise on that.

Although a senior official from Maruti Suzuki has confirmed that “the work on the car is going on and the company is planning to launch it before Diwali,” there is no guarantee that the new car is going to be in the same shape that you see in these pictures.

However, we can assure you that there is something brewing in the Maruti plant and the cat will be out of the bag during the upcoming festive season.

“The work on the car is going on and the company is planning to launch it before Diwali. The car will be priced below Alto and above that of the Maruti 800. This will be a big booster for the company. At present,¬ the company is working on the pricing of the diesel variant,” a senior official from Maruti Suzuki India Ltd told one of our sources on the condition of anonymity.

However, the company refused to comment on the upcoming car officially and said they do not comment on their future models.

The parent Suzuki Motor Company already markets a mini- compact car in Japan with an engine capacity of less than 800 cc.

Maruti Cervo

Maruri Cervo

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/photos/maruti-to-launch-cervo-this-diwali-slideshow/cervo-photo-1335977966.html

Indian govt websites hacked by Anonymous over 'internet censorship'

2012-05-19T04:41:00.001-07:00

New Delhi, May 19 (ANI): Notorious Internet hacking group Anonymous has claimed responsibility for cyber-attacks on a host of Indian government websites, in retaliation to the country's web censorship plans.

Websites of government departments, the Supreme Court and, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress came under the attack.

The Indian anti-piracy firm behind the blocking of Vimeo, DailyMotion and The Pirate Bay was also attacked, the BBC reports.

The website of Copyrightlabs was also 'down for maintenance' during the attacks.

In tweets documenting its ongoing hack attacks, Anonymous said they were being carried out in retaliation for 'internet censorship' in India.

Anonymous brought down the websites by a tactic known as a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. (ANI)

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/indian-govt-websites-hacked-anonymous-over-internet-censorship-045908252.html