Sunday, January 31, 2010

Abhinav Bindra Equals His Beijing Score At Munich

Ace shooter Abhinav Bindra matched his Olympics score at the International Shooting Competition at Munich on Sunday.
The Indian shot a series of 99, 99, 100, 99, 100 and 99 to equal his qualification score of 596 out of 600, which he had shot at Beijing to win the Olympic gold.
Bindra had also scored 596 at the RIAC Cup at Luxembourg in December. He is taking part in the international competitions in Europe as part of his training plans.
The competition at Munich is important for all the shooters who are eyeing the Olympic qualification quotas at the World Shooting Championship to be held at the same venue in July.

Abhinav Bindra Equals His Beijing Score At Munich

Ace shooter Abhinav Bindra matched his Olympics score at the International Shooting Competition at Munich on Sunday.
The Indian shot a series of 99, 99, 100, 99, 100 and 99 to equal his qualification score of 596 out of 600, which he had shot at Beijing to win the Olympic gold.
Bindra had also scored 596 at the RIAC Cup at Luxembourg in December. He is taking part in the international competitions in Europe as part of his training plans.
The competition at Munich is important for all the shooters who are eyeing the Olympic qualification quotas at the World Shooting Championship to be held at the same venue in July.

Emma Watson Designs New Range Of Sexy Outfits For People Tree


Harry Potter star Emma Watson is creating a new range of "clean, sexy" outfits for ethical clothing brand People Tree. The young actress is excited by the idea of using fashion as a tool to ‘alleviate poverty’ by using organic and imported cotton.
Watson, who already has contracts with fashion labels Burberry and Chanel, is working as creative advisor for People Tree's new range that is aiming at bringing fair trade and organic fashion to the 16-24 age group, reports guardian.co.uk.
"I was excited by the idea of using fashion as a tool to alleviate poverty and knew it was something I could help make a difference with," said Watson.
"I think young people like me are becoming increasingly aware of the humanitarian and environmental issues surrounding fast fashion and want to make good choices but there aren't many options out there," she added.
The People Tree line, comprising 26 women's styles and 15 for men, plus a small accessories range, will enter stores in late February 2010.
The collection, which includes knitwear, cotton T-shirts, jersey dresses, poplin skirts and shorts, is described by People Tree as "clean, sexy and easy to wear".
The clothes are made entirely by hand by fair trade groups using weaving, knitting and embroidery, helping to create livelihoods for disadvantaged groups in Bangladesh, India and Nepal.

Emma Watson Designs New Range Of Sexy Outfits For People Tree


Harry Potter star Emma Watson is creating a new range of "clean, sexy" outfits for ethical clothing brand People Tree. The young actress is excited by the idea of using fashion as a tool to ‘alleviate poverty’ by using organic and imported cotton.
Watson, who already has contracts with fashion labels Burberry and Chanel, is working as creative advisor for People Tree's new range that is aiming at bringing fair trade and organic fashion to the 16-24 age group, reports guardian.co.uk.
"I was excited by the idea of using fashion as a tool to alleviate poverty and knew it was something I could help make a difference with," said Watson.
"I think young people like me are becoming increasingly aware of the humanitarian and environmental issues surrounding fast fashion and want to make good choices but there aren't many options out there," she added.
The People Tree line, comprising 26 women's styles and 15 for men, plus a small accessories range, will enter stores in late February 2010.
The collection, which includes knitwear, cotton T-shirts, jersey dresses, poplin skirts and shorts, is described by People Tree as "clean, sexy and easy to wear".
The clothes are made entirely by hand by fair trade groups using weaving, knitting and embroidery, helping to create livelihoods for disadvantaged groups in Bangladesh, India and Nepal.

Pranab Mukherjee Highlights Government's Effort To Restrain Food Price Rise

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced on Sunday that the Government is trying to manage both “supply side” and “demand side” in order to control the rising food price.
Pranab Mukherjee said,"The government is taking necessary steps to contain the food price inflation. There are two ways to manage inflation - supply-side management and demand-side management,” "RBI (Reserve Bank of India) has already done the demand-side management by raising the CRR (cash reserve ratio). It will suck out Rs.40, 000 crore money from the banking system. This will ease liquidity pressure on the system,"

This statement was given by Mukherjee at a programme arranged by State Bank of India at the opening ceremony of the group’s 20,000th ATM at Barala in Murshidabad district.

Mukherjee further added, "Steps are being taken for supply of essential commodities like sugar, edible oil and pulses. Open import has been allowed and some import is already happening in these commodities".
He also said that both public and private sectors can import essential goods. The public sector has already started importing it.

Pranab Mukherjee Highlights Government's Effort To Restrain Food Price Rise

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced on Sunday that the Government is trying to manage both “supply side” and “demand side” in order to control the rising food price.
Pranab Mukherjee said,"The government is taking necessary steps to contain the food price inflation. There are two ways to manage inflation - supply-side management and demand-side management,” "RBI (Reserve Bank of India) has already done the demand-side management by raising the CRR (cash reserve ratio). It will suck out Rs.40, 000 crore money from the banking system. This will ease liquidity pressure on the system,"

This statement was given by Mukherjee at a programme arranged by State Bank of India at the opening ceremony of the group’s 20,000th ATM at Barala in Murshidabad district.

Mukherjee further added, "Steps are being taken for supply of essential commodities like sugar, edible oil and pulses. Open import has been allowed and some import is already happening in these commodities".
He also said that both public and private sectors can import essential goods. The public sector has already started importing it.

Beyonce Knowles Wins Five Grammy Awards


Pop diva Beyonce won Song of the Year and four other Grammy Awards Sunday, justifying her position as frontrunner for the top popular music prize in the US.
The 28-year-old singer-actress had 10 nominations coming into the awards show, including album of the year for "I Am ... Sasha Fierce", song of the year for "Single Ladies" and record of the year for "Halo".
"Single Ladies" won song of the year and best R&B song. Beyonce also won best contemporary R&B album, best R&B female vocal for "Single Ladies" and best traditional R&B performance for "At Last", which she performed at President Barack Obama's inauguration.
The televised show started with Lady Gaga singing her hit "Poker Face", which won the award for best dance recording, while her album "The Fame" was named best electronic/dance album.
The Kings of Leon won best rock song and best rock group performance for "Use Somebody", beating out the likes of Bruce Springsteen, U2, Pearl Jam and Green Day.

Beyonce Knowles Wins Five Grammy Awards


Pop diva Beyonce won Song of the Year and four other Grammy Awards Sunday, justifying her position as frontrunner for the top popular music prize in the US.
The 28-year-old singer-actress had 10 nominations coming into the awards show, including album of the year for "I Am ... Sasha Fierce", song of the year for "Single Ladies" and record of the year for "Halo".
"Single Ladies" won song of the year and best R&B song. Beyonce also won best contemporary R&B album, best R&B female vocal for "Single Ladies" and best traditional R&B performance for "At Last", which she performed at President Barack Obama's inauguration.
The televised show started with Lady Gaga singing her hit "Poker Face", which won the award for best dance recording, while her album "The Fame" was named best electronic/dance album.
The Kings of Leon won best rock song and best rock group performance for "Use Somebody", beating out the likes of Bruce Springsteen, U2, Pearl Jam and Green Day.

Corsair Claims To Build World’s Fastest DDR3 RAM

Corsair has released the latest 2333MHz Dominator GTX1 series DDR3 memory, which it claims to be the world’s fastest memory module.
The said memory module is based on Intel P55 chipset and is also certified with Intel eXtreme Memory Profile. This new Dominator GTX1 DDR3 memory can run with 2333MHz frequency and is also pretty efficient at a voltage of 1.65V. The set is aimed at gaming enthusiasts and for those who seek heavy computing.
Dominator GTX1 modules support Corsair's patented DHX+ heatsink technology as like the otherDominator series memory modules such as Dominator GT. Apart from that, these DHX+ heatsink sets are supplied with tall cooling fins to maximize heat dissipation.
According to company, these Corsair DDR3 modules can operate on up to 2400MHz at the same 9-11-9-27 timings at 1.65V consumption. However, for best air cooling, the company has suggested to use GT Airflow fan with tall mounting brackets.
The Dominator GTX1 memory module costs Rs. 30,000 approximately.

Corsair Claims To Build World’s Fastest DDR3 RAM

Corsair has released the latest 2333MHz Dominator GTX1 series DDR3 memory, which it claims to be the world’s fastest memory module.
The said memory module is based on Intel P55 chipset and is also certified with Intel eXtreme Memory Profile. This new Dominator GTX1 DDR3 memory can run with 2333MHz frequency and is also pretty efficient at a voltage of 1.65V. The set is aimed at gaming enthusiasts and for those who seek heavy computing.
Dominator GTX1 modules support Corsair's patented DHX+ heatsink technology as like the otherDominator series memory modules such as Dominator GT. Apart from that, these DHX+ heatsink sets are supplied with tall cooling fins to maximize heat dissipation.
According to company, these Corsair DDR3 modules can operate on up to 2400MHz at the same 9-11-9-27 timings at 1.65V consumption. However, for best air cooling, the company has suggested to use GT Airflow fan with tall mounting brackets.
The Dominator GTX1 memory module costs Rs. 30,000 approximately.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Pakistan shielding 26/11 Accused, says P Chidambaram

New Delhi: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has alleged that Pakistan is shielding key players involved in the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. Pakistan had earlier admitted that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was behind 26/11 and Zaki Ur Rehman Lakhvi was responsible for the attacks.

Chidambaram categorically said that Pakistan need to do more to bring the perpetrators of 26/11 into book. Chidambaram's comments in the wake of the reports that he will be going to Pakistan to attend the SAARC Summit.

Pakistan shielding 26/11 Accused, says P Chidambaram

New Delhi: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has alleged that Pakistan is shielding key players involved in the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. Pakistan had earlier admitted that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was behind 26/11 and Zaki Ur Rehman Lakhvi was responsible for the attacks.

Chidambaram categorically said that Pakistan need to do more to bring the perpetrators of 26/11 into book. Chidambaram's comments in the wake of the reports that he will be going to Pakistan to attend the SAARC Summit.

Committee on Telangana should stick to clear time-frame: JAC

Hyderabad: The committee proposed to be appointed by the Centre to go into Telangana issue should stick to a clear time-frame, all-party Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) spearheading the agitation for the separate state said here on Saturday.

"They should commit to the December nine programme and have a clear time-frame. These are our two expectations," JAC Convener C Kodandaram said here on Saturday.

Telangana JAC chalk out agitation programme

The JAC insisted on a time-frame for the completion of the task by the proposed committee as it fears the panel may end up like the women's reservation bill, he said.

"We said some time-frame should be there. Otherwise, it would become an endless process. Like the women's reservation bill, it will never see the light of the day," Kodandaram said.

The committee should be within the framework of the two demands, he said, adding JAC has not discussed the nature of the panel.

Congress core committee discusses Telangana issue

"Within the framework of these two demands, the committee should be only for formation of Telangana. Nothing short of this will satisfy us," he said and added JAC would continue its agitation if the Centre's announcement falls short of its expectations.

Committee on Telangana should stick to clear time-frame: JAC

Hyderabad: The committee proposed to be appointed by the Centre to go into Telangana issue should stick to a clear time-frame, all-party Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) spearheading the agitation for the separate state said here on Saturday.

"They should commit to the December nine programme and have a clear time-frame. These are our two expectations," JAC Convener C Kodandaram said here on Saturday.

Telangana JAC chalk out agitation programme

The JAC insisted on a time-frame for the completion of the task by the proposed committee as it fears the panel may end up like the women's reservation bill, he said.

"We said some time-frame should be there. Otherwise, it would become an endless process. Like the women's reservation bill, it will never see the light of the day," Kodandaram said.

The committee should be within the framework of the two demands, he said, adding JAC has not discussed the nature of the panel.

Congress core committee discusses Telangana issue

"Within the framework of these two demands, the committee should be only for formation of Telangana. Nothing short of this will satisfy us," he said and added JAC would continue its agitation if the Centre's announcement falls short of its expectations.

Ten killed, 40 injured as boat capsizes in river Godavari

At least 10 persons drowned and over 40 others went missing after their boat overturned in Andhra Pradesh's Godavari river early on Saturday morning.

The incident took place at Upputeru in Narsapuram mandal of West Godavari district.

The boat that overturned was carrying around 40-50 persons, who were going to Lakshmi Narasimha Swami temple on the other side of the river.

The locals here said the boat was ferrying people more than its capacity.

However, rescue operations are on to trace the missing persons. (ANI)

Ten killed, 40 injured as boat capsizes in river Godavari

At least 10 persons drowned and over 40 others went missing after their boat overturned in Andhra Pradesh's Godavari river early on Saturday morning.

The incident took place at Upputeru in Narsapuram mandal of West Godavari district.

The boat that overturned was carrying around 40-50 persons, who were going to Lakshmi Narasimha Swami temple on the other side of the river.

The locals here said the boat was ferrying people more than its capacity.

However, rescue operations are on to trace the missing persons. (ANI)

11 killed, 19 missing as boat capsizes in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad: At least 11 people including four women and four children were killed and 19 were missing on Saturday after an overcrowded boat capsized in Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh.

Police said 11 bodies had been recovered while a search was on for the missing people. The boat was carrying 70 people, mostly pilgrims. Officials said 40 passengers either swam to safety or were rescued by local people.

The accident took place at Upputeru in Narsapuram mandal of West Godavari district, near the mouth of the river. The pilgrims were going to Lakshmi Narasimha Swami temple, also known as Antarvedi temple, in East Godavari district, on the other side of the river.

A police officer said the boat was carrying more people than its capacity, which led to the accident. It reportedly hit an empty boat before capsizing.

Authorities launched large-scale rescue and relief operations. Navy helicopters and boats were pressed into service to search for the missing people.

The state government has announced compensation of Rs.100,000 to the families of each of those killed. Agriculture Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy, who is also the in charge minister for West Godavari, announced the compensation here.

Earlier, Joint collector Ronald Ross, who visited the scene, had to face the ire of the relatives of victims. He assured that all efforts would be made to search for the missing people.

Chief Minister K. Rosaiah expressed shock and grief over the tragedy and asked Rural Development Minister Vatti Vasant Kumar to rush to the scene and monitor the rescue and relief operations.

11 killed, 19 missing as boat capsizes in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad: At least 11 people including four women and four children were killed and 19 were missing on Saturday after an overcrowded boat capsized in Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh.

Police said 11 bodies had been recovered while a search was on for the missing people. The boat was carrying 70 people, mostly pilgrims. Officials said 40 passengers either swam to safety or were rescued by local people.

The accident took place at Upputeru in Narsapuram mandal of West Godavari district, near the mouth of the river. The pilgrims were going to Lakshmi Narasimha Swami temple, also known as Antarvedi temple, in East Godavari district, on the other side of the river.

A police officer said the boat was carrying more people than its capacity, which led to the accident. It reportedly hit an empty boat before capsizing.

Authorities launched large-scale rescue and relief operations. Navy helicopters and boats were pressed into service to search for the missing people.

The state government has announced compensation of Rs.100,000 to the families of each of those killed. Agriculture Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy, who is also the in charge minister for West Godavari, announced the compensation here.

Earlier, Joint collector Ronald Ross, who visited the scene, had to face the ire of the relatives of victims. He assured that all efforts would be made to search for the missing people.

Chief Minister K. Rosaiah expressed shock and grief over the tragedy and asked Rural Development Minister Vatti Vasant Kumar to rush to the scene and monitor the rescue and relief operations.

Friday, January 29, 2010

India extend their lead as No. 1 Test team


Dubai: Thanks to their 2-0 series victory in Bangladesh, world number one India gained one rating point while Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan returned to the top 10 of ICC Test Players rankings, issued on Thursday.

Winning both the Test matches in Chittagong and Mirpur put India (125) five rating points ahead of South Africa (120).

It sets up an enthralling two-Test series between the two top-ranked teams, starting in Nagpur from February 6, with India trying to defend their position at the top of the table while South Africa aiming to regain the spot they conceded on December 6.

South Africa need to win the series to become the number one team. However, they will slip behind Australia in third position if India win both the Tests.

Individually, Tendulkar returned among the top 10 batsman first time since December 2005.

Tendulkar entered the series in 14th spot and scored 105 not out and 16 in the first Test in Chittagong. He started the second Test in 13th position and jumped four places to ninth spot after hitting his 45th career century.

Besides Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid too moved up the order. Dravid, who scored 111 before being retired hurt, has jumped four places to occupy the 15th position.

However, VVS Laxman has dropped four places to 19th spot after missing out on the second Test due to injury.

Among others, top-ranked Gautam Gambhir has extended his advantage over South Africa's Graeme Smith and Virender Sehwag has consolidated his sixth position.

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal made an upward movement in the latest rankings. Tamim scored 0 and 151 in Mirpur and has vaulted 13 places to share 42nd spot with New Zealand's Brendon McCullum.

In the Test bowlers' chart, Zaheer has become India's highest-ranked bowler in sixth position.

Zaheer has jumped five places after recording his maiden 10-wicket haul in the Mirpur Test. Zaheer finished with figures of 10-149 to win the man-of-the-match award.

Team-mate Harbhajan Singh, however, has slipped two places to eighth position after managing just two wickets.

India extend their lead as No. 1 Test team


Dubai: Thanks to their 2-0 series victory in Bangladesh, world number one India gained one rating point while Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan returned to the top 10 of ICC Test Players rankings, issued on Thursday.

Winning both the Test matches in Chittagong and Mirpur put India (125) five rating points ahead of South Africa (120).

It sets up an enthralling two-Test series between the two top-ranked teams, starting in Nagpur from February 6, with India trying to defend their position at the top of the table while South Africa aiming to regain the spot they conceded on December 6.

South Africa need to win the series to become the number one team. However, they will slip behind Australia in third position if India win both the Tests.

Individually, Tendulkar returned among the top 10 batsman first time since December 2005.

Tendulkar entered the series in 14th spot and scored 105 not out and 16 in the first Test in Chittagong. He started the second Test in 13th position and jumped four places to ninth spot after hitting his 45th career century.

Besides Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid too moved up the order. Dravid, who scored 111 before being retired hurt, has jumped four places to occupy the 15th position.

However, VVS Laxman has dropped four places to 19th spot after missing out on the second Test due to injury.

Among others, top-ranked Gautam Gambhir has extended his advantage over South Africa's Graeme Smith and Virender Sehwag has consolidated his sixth position.

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal made an upward movement in the latest rankings. Tamim scored 0 and 151 in Mirpur and has vaulted 13 places to share 42nd spot with New Zealand's Brendon McCullum.

In the Test bowlers' chart, Zaheer has become India's highest-ranked bowler in sixth position.

Zaheer has jumped five places after recording his maiden 10-wicket haul in the Mirpur Test. Zaheer finished with figures of 10-149 to win the man-of-the-match award.

Team-mate Harbhajan Singh, however, has slipped two places to eighth position after managing just two wickets.

Tendulkar, Zaheer return to top 10 in ICC Rankings


Dubai:India’s iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar and fast bowler Zaheer Khan have returned to the top 10 of the Reliance Mobile ICC Test Championship after the two-Test series against Bangladesh ended in Mirpur on Wednesday.

Tendulkar, who started the second Test in 13th position, has jumped four places to ninth position after hitting his 45th career century. Tendulkar scored a well-constructed 143 to set the platform for a 10-wicket victory for India.

Tendulkar had entered the series in 14th spot but has gained six places as he also scored 105 not out and 16 in the first Test in Chittagong. This is the first time since December 2005 that Tendulkar has returned to the top 10 while the last time he headed the batting table was in August 2002 after the Leeds Test against England.

Besides Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid has also moved up the order. Dravid, who scored 111 before being retired hurt, has jumped four places to occupy 15th position.

However, VVS Laxman has lost ground and has dropped four places to 19th spot after missing out on the second Test due to injury. A player loses one per cent of his rating for every Test he misses.

While top-ranked Gautam Gambhir has extended his advantage over South Africa’s Graeme Smith and Virender Sehwag has consolidated his sixth position, Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal is the other batsman to make an upward movement in the latest rankings that were released on Tuesday.
Tamim scored nought and 151 in Mirpur and has vaulted 13 places to share 42nd spot with New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum.

In the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers, Zaheer Khan has become India’s highest-ranked bowler in sixth position. Zaheer has jumped five places after recording his maiden 10-wicket haul in the match. Zaheer finished with figures of 10-149 to win the man-of-the-match award.

Zaheer’s team-mate Harbhajan Singh, however, has slipped two places to eighth position after managing just two wickets.

In the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan has slipped one place to fifth.

Meanwhile, India has earned one ratings point for its 2-0 win over Bangladesh which puts it on 125 ratings points. Mahendra Singh’s Dhoni’s side now leads second-ranked South Africa by five ratings points.

This sets up an enthralling two-Test series between the two top-ranked teams, starting in Nagpur from 6 February with India trying to defend its position at the top of the table while South Africa aiming to regain the spot it conceded on 6 December.

To regain the top spot, South Africa needs to win the series by 1-0 or better. However, the Proteas will slip behind Australia in third position if India wins both the Tests.
ICC

Tendulkar, Zaheer return to top 10 in ICC Rankings


Dubai:India’s iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar and fast bowler Zaheer Khan have returned to the top 10 of the Reliance Mobile ICC Test Championship after the two-Test series against Bangladesh ended in Mirpur on Wednesday.

Tendulkar, who started the second Test in 13th position, has jumped four places to ninth position after hitting his 45th career century. Tendulkar scored a well-constructed 143 to set the platform for a 10-wicket victory for India.

Tendulkar had entered the series in 14th spot but has gained six places as he also scored 105 not out and 16 in the first Test in Chittagong. This is the first time since December 2005 that Tendulkar has returned to the top 10 while the last time he headed the batting table was in August 2002 after the Leeds Test against England.

Besides Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid has also moved up the order. Dravid, who scored 111 before being retired hurt, has jumped four places to occupy 15th position.

However, VVS Laxman has lost ground and has dropped four places to 19th spot after missing out on the second Test due to injury. A player loses one per cent of his rating for every Test he misses.

While top-ranked Gautam Gambhir has extended his advantage over South Africa’s Graeme Smith and Virender Sehwag has consolidated his sixth position, Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal is the other batsman to make an upward movement in the latest rankings that were released on Tuesday.
Tamim scored nought and 151 in Mirpur and has vaulted 13 places to share 42nd spot with New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum.

In the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers, Zaheer Khan has become India’s highest-ranked bowler in sixth position. Zaheer has jumped five places after recording his maiden 10-wicket haul in the match. Zaheer finished with figures of 10-149 to win the man-of-the-match award.

Zaheer’s team-mate Harbhajan Singh, however, has slipped two places to eighth position after managing just two wickets.

In the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan has slipped one place to fifth.

Meanwhile, India has earned one ratings point for its 2-0 win over Bangladesh which puts it on 125 ratings points. Mahendra Singh’s Dhoni’s side now leads second-ranked South Africa by five ratings points.

This sets up an enthralling two-Test series between the two top-ranked teams, starting in Nagpur from 6 February with India trying to defend its position at the top of the table while South Africa aiming to regain the spot it conceded on 6 December.

To regain the top spot, South Africa needs to win the series by 1-0 or better. However, the Proteas will slip behind Australia in third position if India wins both the Tests.
ICC

Junior NTR to marry Narne Pranita

Wedding bells to ring for popular Tollywood actor Junior NTR.

The young actor, son of TDP MP Nandamuri Harikrishna would enter into wedlock with Narne Pranita, daughter of businessman Narne Srinivasa Rao and niece of Telugu Desam Party President N Chandrababu Naidu, according to family sources.

He came closer to Mr Naidu when he was campaigning for the TDP in the simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Assembly in April 2009.

The marriage of eighteen-year-old Pranita studying in intermediate in Nazar Junior College is likely to be in May next.

Twentysix-year-old Junior NTR has several box office hits to his credit including his latest film ''Adurs''.

As a child artiste he had acted in legendary thespian N T Rama Rao's ''Brahmarshi Viswamithra'(1991). He made his debut as a hero in "Ninnu Choodalani"(2001) and made a mark in the Tollywood with his performance in ''Student No 1''(2001) and went on to carve a niche for himself with his captivating role in, among other films, ''Aadi''(2002), ''Simhadri''(2003), ''Andhrawala(2004), Yamadonga(2007) and Kanthri Kanthri(2008).

Junior NTR to marry Narne Pranita

Wedding bells to ring for popular Tollywood actor Junior NTR.

The young actor, son of TDP MP Nandamuri Harikrishna would enter into wedlock with Narne Pranita, daughter of businessman Narne Srinivasa Rao and niece of Telugu Desam Party President N Chandrababu Naidu, according to family sources.

He came closer to Mr Naidu when he was campaigning for the TDP in the simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Assembly in April 2009.

The marriage of eighteen-year-old Pranita studying in intermediate in Nazar Junior College is likely to be in May next.

Twentysix-year-old Junior NTR has several box office hits to his credit including his latest film ''Adurs''.

As a child artiste he had acted in legendary thespian N T Rama Rao's ''Brahmarshi Viswamithra'(1991). He made his debut as a hero in "Ninnu Choodalani"(2001) and made a mark in the Tollywood with his performance in ''Student No 1''(2001) and went on to carve a niche for himself with his captivating role in, among other films, ''Aadi''(2002), ''Simhadri''(2003), ''Andhrawala(2004), Yamadonga(2007) and Kanthri Kanthri(2008).

Junior NTR marrying a minor?

The proposed marriage of popular Telugu film actor Junior NTR with a relative of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu has created a row with claims that the girl is minor.

Shanti Prasad, a lawyer, Friday approached Machilipatnam Legal Services Authority claiming that Narne Lakshmi Pranati was a minor and thus her marriage would be illegal.

The authority issued notices to Junior NTR, Naidu and the girl's father Narne Srinivas Rao, who owns Telugu news channel Studio N. The hearing was adjourned to Feb 24.

Pranati is the daughter of Naidu's niece Narne Mallika. Sources close to the family of the bride-to-be, however, clarified that she would turn 18 on March 26 and marriage would take place only after that.

The minimum legal age for a girl in India is 18 years.

The sources also clarified that the clippings of Pranati being shown on television channels were recorded a couple of years ago.

Former chief minister Naidu Thursday confirmed that the young actor would soon tie the knot.

Junior NTR, 27, is the grandson of thespian, TDP founder and former chief minister N.T. Rama Rao, who was popularly known as NTR. Naidu is the son-in-law of NTR.

Junior NTR, son of N. Harikrishna, is one of the leading actors of Telugu cinema and has churned several hit movies since he made his debut in 2001.

Junior NTR marrying a minor?

The proposed marriage of popular Telugu film actor Junior NTR with a relative of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu has created a row with claims that the girl is minor.

Shanti Prasad, a lawyer, Friday approached Machilipatnam Legal Services Authority claiming that Narne Lakshmi Pranati was a minor and thus her marriage would be illegal.

The authority issued notices to Junior NTR, Naidu and the girl's father Narne Srinivas Rao, who owns Telugu news channel Studio N. The hearing was adjourned to Feb 24.

Pranati is the daughter of Naidu's niece Narne Mallika. Sources close to the family of the bride-to-be, however, clarified that she would turn 18 on March 26 and marriage would take place only after that.

The minimum legal age for a girl in India is 18 years.

The sources also clarified that the clippings of Pranati being shown on television channels were recorded a couple of years ago.

Former chief minister Naidu Thursday confirmed that the young actor would soon tie the knot.

Junior NTR, 27, is the grandson of thespian, TDP founder and former chief minister N.T. Rama Rao, who was popularly known as NTR. Naidu is the son-in-law of NTR.

Junior NTR, son of N. Harikrishna, is one of the leading actors of Telugu cinema and has churned several hit movies since he made his debut in 2001.

Indian remark: Sena chief flays Mukesh Ambani

Reliance Industries boss Mukesh Ambani's comment that Mumbai belongs to all Indians has enraged Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

Thackeray gave Ambani a piece of his mind in the Sena mouthpiece Saamna.

The octogenerian Sena chief minced no words telling Ambani to respect Marathi pride.

He question while everybody says that places like Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai belong to every Indian why doesn't anybody say the same thing about other cities?

He wrote that since Reliance makes most of his money in Mumbai and Maharashtra, Ambani should learn to respect Marathi pride.

Thackeray praised Reliance founder -- the late Dhirubhai Ambani -- saying he had done much for Mumbai and Maharashtra.

The Sena chief regretted that Mukesh Ambani was deviating from his father's path.

He said while Mukesh Ambani was welcome to carry on his Mumbai, he should remember that Mumbai belongs only to Marathis.

Indian remark: Sena chief flays Mukesh Ambani

Reliance Industries boss Mukesh Ambani's comment that Mumbai belongs to all Indians has enraged Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

Thackeray gave Ambani a piece of his mind in the Sena mouthpiece Saamna.

The octogenerian Sena chief minced no words telling Ambani to respect Marathi pride.

He question while everybody says that places like Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai belong to every Indian why doesn't anybody say the same thing about other cities?

He wrote that since Reliance makes most of his money in Mumbai and Maharashtra, Ambani should learn to respect Marathi pride.

Thackeray praised Reliance founder -- the late Dhirubhai Ambani -- saying he had done much for Mumbai and Maharashtra.

The Sena chief regretted that Mukesh Ambani was deviating from his father's path.

He said while Mukesh Ambani was welcome to carry on his Mumbai, he should remember that Mumbai belongs only to Marathis.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Embattled Obama says job creation top priority

Washington: US President Barack Obama pushed job creation to the top of his agenda on Wednesday and promised not to abandon his struggling healthcare overhaul after a political setback that raised doubts about his leadership.

"Jobs must be our number one focus in 2010," he said in his annual State of the Union address as US unemployment remained at a painful 10 per cent and the weak economy dominated the debate before coming congressional elections in November.

Obama admitted he had made mistakes and that his first year in office had been a difficult one, but vowed not to give up in his efforts to change the way that Washington works and push through his ambitious legislative agenda.

"I don't quit," he told the US Congress. "Let's seize this moment -- to start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union once more."

Obama pledged to slap tough new regulations on Wall Street. He said he would work to dig the country out a "massive fiscal hole" and was willing to use his presidential veto power to enforce budgetary discipline.

Still smarting from the loss by his Democratic Party of a pivotal US Senate seat in Massachusetts, Obama said he would not back down from efforts to revamp the US healthcare system and forge bipartisan consensus on climate change.

But he put the greatest emphasis on the need to fix the still-struggling US economy and bring down the punishing unemployment rate.

"People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay," he said.

Budget challenges

Obama proposed a three-year freeze on some domestic spending programs to take aim at soaring budget deficits.

He called for the creation of a bipartisan commission to tackle long-term budget challenges, such as the Social Security retirement program and Medicare health program for older Americans.

Obama took office promising to bring wholesale change to Washington, including the push for healthcare reform and a drive to set caps on carbon emissions to fight climate change.

But the healthcare reform legislation faces possible failure now that Democrats no longer hold a "supermajority" of 60 Senate votes to overcome Republican procedural hurdles.

The climate legislation has stalled and even some of its supporters believe it may be sidelined this year.

He insisted he was not giving up on health care reform.

"By the time I'm finished speaking tonight, more Americans will have lost their health insurance. Millions will lose it this year," Obama said. "I will not walk away from these Americans. And neither should the people in this chamber."

He criticized "bad behavior" and recklessness on Wall Street and demanded Congress pass robust legislation on financial regulation.

Obama promised to push back against financial industry lobbyists who are seeking to water down or kill the proposed legislation.

"We cannot let them win this fight. And if the bill that ends up on my desk does not meet the test of real reform, I will send it back," Obama said.

Many of his Democratic allies fear they will lose their seats in November's election, but Obama highlighted economic improvements and tried to deflect criticism that the healthcare push shifted his focus.

The economy was shedding hundreds of thousands of jobs each month when Obama took office but it has begun to slowly grow again.

Embattled Obama says job creation top priority

Washington: US President Barack Obama pushed job creation to the top of his agenda on Wednesday and promised not to abandon his struggling healthcare overhaul after a political setback that raised doubts about his leadership.

"Jobs must be our number one focus in 2010," he said in his annual State of the Union address as US unemployment remained at a painful 10 per cent and the weak economy dominated the debate before coming congressional elections in November.

Obama admitted he had made mistakes and that his first year in office had been a difficult one, but vowed not to give up in his efforts to change the way that Washington works and push through his ambitious legislative agenda.

"I don't quit," he told the US Congress. "Let's seize this moment -- to start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union once more."

Obama pledged to slap tough new regulations on Wall Street. He said he would work to dig the country out a "massive fiscal hole" and was willing to use his presidential veto power to enforce budgetary discipline.

Still smarting from the loss by his Democratic Party of a pivotal US Senate seat in Massachusetts, Obama said he would not back down from efforts to revamp the US healthcare system and forge bipartisan consensus on climate change.

But he put the greatest emphasis on the need to fix the still-struggling US economy and bring down the punishing unemployment rate.

"People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay," he said.

Budget challenges

Obama proposed a three-year freeze on some domestic spending programs to take aim at soaring budget deficits.

He called for the creation of a bipartisan commission to tackle long-term budget challenges, such as the Social Security retirement program and Medicare health program for older Americans.

Obama took office promising to bring wholesale change to Washington, including the push for healthcare reform and a drive to set caps on carbon emissions to fight climate change.

But the healthcare reform legislation faces possible failure now that Democrats no longer hold a "supermajority" of 60 Senate votes to overcome Republican procedural hurdles.

The climate legislation has stalled and even some of its supporters believe it may be sidelined this year.

He insisted he was not giving up on health care reform.

"By the time I'm finished speaking tonight, more Americans will have lost their health insurance. Millions will lose it this year," Obama said. "I will not walk away from these Americans. And neither should the people in this chamber."

He criticized "bad behavior" and recklessness on Wall Street and demanded Congress pass robust legislation on financial regulation.

Obama promised to push back against financial industry lobbyists who are seeking to water down or kill the proposed legislation.

"We cannot let them win this fight. And if the bill that ends up on my desk does not meet the test of real reform, I will send it back," Obama said.

Many of his Democratic allies fear they will lose their seats in November's election, but Obama highlighted economic improvements and tried to deflect criticism that the healthcare push shifted his focus.

The economy was shedding hundreds of thousands of jobs each month when Obama took office but it has begun to slowly grow again.

Monday, January 25, 2010

ISRO successfully tests world's third largest solid booster

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) conducted a successful static test of its largest 'solid booster' on Sunday.

With this, it has reached a step closer to launching four-tonne class communication satellites on its own, doubling the current payload capacity.

The solid booster (S200) will form the first stage for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III (GSLV-Mk III).

"The booster test was conducted at ISRO's spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, about 80 km north-east of Chennai," a space agency spokesperson said.

The step is significant as ISRO strengthens its foothold in the commercial satellite launch market.

At the recent Indian Science Congress, chairman K. Radhakrishnan said launcher development was a thrust area and the ISRO would like to launch six-tonne class satellites.

"The GSLV-Mk III is in an advanced stage of development," an ISRO spokesperson said. The GSLV-Mk III is shorter, fatter and stronger than the current version. The ISRO had earlier slated the launch for 2011.

The three-stage launcher will be 42.4 m tall and weigh 630 tonne at the launch. The payload fairing will be five metres wide.

The solid boosters that give it an initial 'brute force' will be strapped on to the second stage of the launcher that runs on liquid propellant.

The third stage will be cryogenic - using super-cooled liquid hydrogen as fuel and liquid oxygen as oxidiser that help it burn.

S200 is the third largest solid booster in the world, next to the reusable solid rocket motor booster of the NASA Space Shuttle and P230 solid booster of Ariane-5 of the European consortium Arianespace.

The booster containing 200 tonne of solid propellant (fuel and oxidiser) in three segments, with a height of about 22 m and diameter of three metres, was developed at ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram.

The ISRO has used the indigenous GSLV-Mk I and II for launching five satellites, weighing 1.5 to 2.5 tonne, for communication, broadcasting, weather and education between 2001 and 2007. India currently uses Ariane launchers for heavier satellites.

While Mark-III remains on the anvil, a modified version of the existing GSLV, but with a new indigenous cryogenic stage, is slated for launch later this year.

"So far, India has been dependent on Russian technology for the complex cryogenic stage in these advanced launchers. The ISRO is going slow to make it flawless," Radhakrishnan said.

"The GSLV-Mk III will enhance India's capability as a competitive player in the multi-million dollar launch market," said ISRO public relations director S. Satish.

ISRO successfully tests world's third largest solid booster

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) conducted a successful static test of its largest 'solid booster' on Sunday.

With this, it has reached a step closer to launching four-tonne class communication satellites on its own, doubling the current payload capacity.

The solid booster (S200) will form the first stage for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III (GSLV-Mk III).

"The booster test was conducted at ISRO's spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, about 80 km north-east of Chennai," a space agency spokesperson said.

The step is significant as ISRO strengthens its foothold in the commercial satellite launch market.

At the recent Indian Science Congress, chairman K. Radhakrishnan said launcher development was a thrust area and the ISRO would like to launch six-tonne class satellites.

"The GSLV-Mk III is in an advanced stage of development," an ISRO spokesperson said. The GSLV-Mk III is shorter, fatter and stronger than the current version. The ISRO had earlier slated the launch for 2011.

The three-stage launcher will be 42.4 m tall and weigh 630 tonne at the launch. The payload fairing will be five metres wide.

The solid boosters that give it an initial 'brute force' will be strapped on to the second stage of the launcher that runs on liquid propellant.

The third stage will be cryogenic - using super-cooled liquid hydrogen as fuel and liquid oxygen as oxidiser that help it burn.

S200 is the third largest solid booster in the world, next to the reusable solid rocket motor booster of the NASA Space Shuttle and P230 solid booster of Ariane-5 of the European consortium Arianespace.

The booster containing 200 tonne of solid propellant (fuel and oxidiser) in three segments, with a height of about 22 m and diameter of three metres, was developed at ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram.

The ISRO has used the indigenous GSLV-Mk I and II for launching five satellites, weighing 1.5 to 2.5 tonne, for communication, broadcasting, weather and education between 2001 and 2007. India currently uses Ariane launchers for heavier satellites.

While Mark-III remains on the anvil, a modified version of the existing GSLV, but with a new indigenous cryogenic stage, is slated for launch later this year.

"So far, India has been dependent on Russian technology for the complex cryogenic stage in these advanced launchers. The ISRO is going slow to make it flawless," Radhakrishnan said.

"The GSLV-Mk III will enhance India's capability as a competitive player in the multi-million dollar launch market," said ISRO public relations director S. Satish.

Supreme Court stays action on 44 deemed varsities

Nevada (USA): The Supreme Court on Monday temporarily restrained the Centre from derecognising the 44 deemed universities that are reportedly being run as family fiefdoms rather than academic institutions.
Noting that the issue involved vital public interest affecting thousands of students, the apex court asked the government to place before it the reports of the high-powered review committee and the task force on the basis of which the Centre wanted to crack the whip on these institutions.
The court will hear the arguments on March 9, including the lawsuits filed by the aggrieved institutions against the ministry of human resources development (HRD) for proposing to scrap their deemed status.
During hearings on the long-pending petitions, the government had filed a detailed affidavit saying it would scrap the recognition of 44 institutions that were considered deemed universities. At least two lakh students are studying in these institutions.

A bench of justices Dalveer Bhandari and AK Patnaik, which had earlier asked the government about the efficacy of deemed universities, issued notices to the aggrieved institutions and others.

Attorney-general Goolam E Vahanvati said that the centre would submit within two weeks the reports of the review committee and the task force that went into the functioning of 126 institutions that were granted deemed university status by the HRD ministry.

Dispelling the general apprehension that the ministry would rush to squash their deemed university status, Vahanvati assured the court that “there is no automatic derecognition.”

When lawyers representing these institutions sought a directive
that the government shouldn’t do anything to change the status of the 44 deemed universities till the matter was finally disposed of, the bench remarked: “Nothing is being done in the pending matter.”

The procedure to be adopted (for revoking the deemed university status) should satisfy the rule of natural justice. The court also said that if that wasn’t done, it would have to “step in”.

When the lawyers pointed out that there was “panic” and “frustration” among the students enrolled in these universities, the bench said “care should be taken that a situation must not arise that would put in peril the future of these students.” The judges asked: “How are you (HRD ministry) going to protect their (students) future? You have to give a road map.”

Former attorney-general K Parasaran said “there are black sheep in every walk of life, but don’t paint us (deemed universities) all in black”. The government’s decision, he said, amounted to “making (someone) a widow even before her marriage is solemnised.” He said the students enrolled in these universities were mid-way through their courses and their parents had paid for it. The judges assured them that “not a single student will be affected.”

HRD minister Kapil Sibal has already said that students would not suffer. “We are going to take care of all students. And government’s intention is not to put any student in problem. All students will get a university degree,” he said last week.

Among the institutes facing the heat are Jaypee Institute of Information, Noida, Gurukul Kangri Biswavidyalaya, Hardwar, National Museum Institute of History of Art, New Delhi, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Satara, DY Patil Medical College, Kolhapaur, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune, and several institutions in Tamil Nadu and six in Karnataka.
The aggrieved varsities took a consistent view that the review committee and the task force did not give them sufficient opportunity before taking a decision. In fact, senior counsel Rajeev Dhawan said the views of the colleges were heard barely for three to five minutes by the two committees which, he said, also lacked statutory powers to decide on such issues.

Supreme Court stays action on 44 deemed varsities

Nevada (USA): The Supreme Court on Monday temporarily restrained the Centre from derecognising the 44 deemed universities that are reportedly being run as family fiefdoms rather than academic institutions.
Noting that the issue involved vital public interest affecting thousands of students, the apex court asked the government to place before it the reports of the high-powered review committee and the task force on the basis of which the Centre wanted to crack the whip on these institutions.
The court will hear the arguments on March 9, including the lawsuits filed by the aggrieved institutions against the ministry of human resources development (HRD) for proposing to scrap their deemed status.
During hearings on the long-pending petitions, the government had filed a detailed affidavit saying it would scrap the recognition of 44 institutions that were considered deemed universities. At least two lakh students are studying in these institutions.

A bench of justices Dalveer Bhandari and AK Patnaik, which had earlier asked the government about the efficacy of deemed universities, issued notices to the aggrieved institutions and others.

Attorney-general Goolam E Vahanvati said that the centre would submit within two weeks the reports of the review committee and the task force that went into the functioning of 126 institutions that were granted deemed university status by the HRD ministry.

Dispelling the general apprehension that the ministry would rush to squash their deemed university status, Vahanvati assured the court that “there is no automatic derecognition.”

When lawyers representing these institutions sought a directive
that the government shouldn’t do anything to change the status of the 44 deemed universities till the matter was finally disposed of, the bench remarked: “Nothing is being done in the pending matter.”

The procedure to be adopted (for revoking the deemed university status) should satisfy the rule of natural justice. The court also said that if that wasn’t done, it would have to “step in”.

When the lawyers pointed out that there was “panic” and “frustration” among the students enrolled in these universities, the bench said “care should be taken that a situation must not arise that would put in peril the future of these students.” The judges asked: “How are you (HRD ministry) going to protect their (students) future? You have to give a road map.”

Former attorney-general K Parasaran said “there are black sheep in every walk of life, but don’t paint us (deemed universities) all in black”. The government’s decision, he said, amounted to “making (someone) a widow even before her marriage is solemnised.” He said the students enrolled in these universities were mid-way through their courses and their parents had paid for it. The judges assured them that “not a single student will be affected.”

HRD minister Kapil Sibal has already said that students would not suffer. “We are going to take care of all students. And government’s intention is not to put any student in problem. All students will get a university degree,” he said last week.

Among the institutes facing the heat are Jaypee Institute of Information, Noida, Gurukul Kangri Biswavidyalaya, Hardwar, National Museum Institute of History of Art, New Delhi, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Satara, DY Patil Medical College, Kolhapaur, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune, and several institutions in Tamil Nadu and six in Karnataka.
The aggrieved varsities took a consistent view that the review committee and the task force did not give them sufficient opportunity before taking a decision. In fact, senior counsel Rajeev Dhawan said the views of the colleges were heard barely for three to five minutes by the two committees which, he said, also lacked statutory powers to decide on such issues.

Nation celebrates 61st Republic Day amid tight security

Amid heavy security cover to thwart any possible terror attacks, the 61st Republic Day celebrations began in the national capital with full grandeur braving dense fog and unpleasant weather on Tuesday.

A thick blanket of fog that engulfed the national capital in the wee hours could not deter eminent dignitaries, diplomats and the curious onlookers who locked themselves into the India Gate lawns to watch the 61st Republic Day parade notwithstanding the extremities of the weather.

Before the official start of the parade, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paid tribute at the Amar Jawan Jyoti to soldiers who had laid down their lives in the defence of the country. Defence Minister AK Antony and the three service chiefs were with him for the ceremony to mark India's 61st Republic Day.

Nation celebrates 61st Republic Day amid tight security

Amid heavy security cover to thwart any possible terror attacks, the 61st Republic Day celebrations began in the national capital with full grandeur braving dense fog and unpleasant weather on Tuesday.

A thick blanket of fog that engulfed the national capital in the wee hours could not deter eminent dignitaries, diplomats and the curious onlookers who locked themselves into the India Gate lawns to watch the 61st Republic Day parade notwithstanding the extremities of the weather.

Before the official start of the parade, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paid tribute at the Amar Jawan Jyoti to soldiers who had laid down their lives in the defence of the country. Defence Minister AK Antony and the three service chiefs were with him for the ceremony to mark India's 61st Republic Day.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Asking students not to go to Australia a possibility: Krishna


External Affairs Minister S M Krishna tonight spoke of the possibility of Government advising Indian students not to go to Australia if the attacks on them which has claimed one life so far continued.

Krishna said different kinds of action can be taken by the Government in the wake of the attacks like issuing an advisory for Indian students not to go to Australia.

"But, I think that(the advisory) would not be in the interest of our bilateral relatiaons. So I am not thinking on those lines," he told NDTV.

Krishna however kept the option of asking Indian students not to travel to Australia open saying it could possibly be one of the actions that the government can take if the "present trend"(rise in attacks) continued.

Krishna said he was sure Australian authorities would take cognisance of the fact that India talks "softly" but certainly when the decisive moment comes the country can also act which, he said, will not be in the interest of either of

the two countries.

He feared that if the string of attacks continued the way it has been in the last few days the flow of Indian students to Australia might slow down and could unfortunately taper off also.

"This will have to be kept in mind by the Australian authorities and also the provincial governments," he said.

The Minister said it was unfortunate that though there were students from several countries studying in Australia it is only a section of foreign students, mainly from India, that are being attacked.

Asking students not to go to Australia a possibility: Krishna


External Affairs Minister S M Krishna tonight spoke of the possibility of Government advising Indian students not to go to Australia if the attacks on them which has claimed one life so far continued.

Krishna said different kinds of action can be taken by the Government in the wake of the attacks like issuing an advisory for Indian students not to go to Australia.

"But, I think that(the advisory) would not be in the interest of our bilateral relatiaons. So I am not thinking on those lines," he told NDTV.

Krishna however kept the option of asking Indian students not to travel to Australia open saying it could possibly be one of the actions that the government can take if the "present trend"(rise in attacks) continued.

Krishna said he was sure Australian authorities would take cognisance of the fact that India talks "softly" but certainly when the decisive moment comes the country can also act which, he said, will not be in the interest of either of

the two countries.

He feared that if the string of attacks continued the way it has been in the last few days the flow of Indian students to Australia might slow down and could unfortunately taper off also.

"This will have to be kept in mind by the Australian authorities and also the provincial governments," he said.

The Minister said it was unfortunate that though there were students from several countries studying in Australia it is only a section of foreign students, mainly from India, that are being attacked.

We're not hackers but victims: China

Beijing: China on Tuesday dismissed as "groundless" India's charge that Chinese hackers had attempted to break into sensitive Indian government computers, a week after American internet giant Google levelled a similar allegation against it.

"I can say that these accusations are groundless," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told reporters when asked to comment on National Security Adviser M K Narayanan's reported comments that Chinese hackers may be involved in a December 15 attempt to penetrate Indian government computers, including that of his office.

"The Chinese government is firmly against hacking activities and will deal with relevant cases in accordance with the law," Ma said.

He also claimed that China itself was the "biggest victim" of hacking activities.

Narayanan has told London The Times that his office and other government departments were targeted on December 15, the same date when Google reported cyber attacks originating from China.

We're not hackers but victims: China

Beijing: China on Tuesday dismissed as "groundless" India's charge that Chinese hackers had attempted to break into sensitive Indian government computers, a week after American internet giant Google levelled a similar allegation against it.

"I can say that these accusations are groundless," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told reporters when asked to comment on National Security Adviser M K Narayanan's reported comments that Chinese hackers may be involved in a December 15 attempt to penetrate Indian government computers, including that of his office.

"The Chinese government is firmly against hacking activities and will deal with relevant cases in accordance with the law," Ma said.

He also claimed that China itself was the "biggest victim" of hacking activities.

Narayanan has told London The Times that his office and other government departments were targeted on December 15, the same date when Google reported cyber attacks originating from China.

Rahman back on Oscar trail with ‘Na Na’

New Delhi: Even as the world is grooving to his winning anthem ‘Jai Ho’, AR Rahman has emerged a top contender to bag yet another Oscar this year.
Yes, the Mozart of Madras has done it again as his debut Hollywood score in blockbuster movie ‘Couple's Retreat’ has caught the fancy of the Academy Awards. The taskmaster’s Tamil number ‘Na Na’ in the album is among the 63 songs shortlisted for nomination for the Best Song category for the 82nd Academy Awards this year.

Confirming the news, Rahman told a daily, ‘The nominations are expected to be announced on February 2’. Talking about the film Rahman said, "I like comedy. Lots of movies were offered but I felt this one wanted to use me genuinely as a composer. And I wanted to do something to experience Hollywood first and this helped a great deal".

What makes this nomination all the more special for Rahman is the fact that parts of the song has been sung by his son. "Yes, he has sung just a few bits. It's a great start for him," said Rahman.

With a good mix of English, African, Hindi, Spanish and Sanskrit tracks, the album is likely to be a hit back home in India. And here’s hoping ‘Na Na’ gets us saying ‘Jai ho’ again!

Rahman back on Oscar trail with ‘Na Na’

New Delhi: Even as the world is grooving to his winning anthem ‘Jai Ho’, AR Rahman has emerged a top contender to bag yet another Oscar this year.
Yes, the Mozart of Madras has done it again as his debut Hollywood score in blockbuster movie ‘Couple's Retreat’ has caught the fancy of the Academy Awards. The taskmaster’s Tamil number ‘Na Na’ in the album is among the 63 songs shortlisted for nomination for the Best Song category for the 82nd Academy Awards this year.

Confirming the news, Rahman told a daily, ‘The nominations are expected to be announced on February 2’. Talking about the film Rahman said, "I like comedy. Lots of movies were offered but I felt this one wanted to use me genuinely as a composer. And I wanted to do something to experience Hollywood first and this helped a great deal".

What makes this nomination all the more special for Rahman is the fact that parts of the song has been sung by his son. "Yes, he has sung just a few bits. It's a great start for him," said Rahman.

With a good mix of English, African, Hindi, Spanish and Sanskrit tracks, the album is likely to be a hit back home in India. And here’s hoping ‘Na Na’ gets us saying ‘Jai ho’ again!

Lakhs gather to say goodbye to Jyoti Basu

Kolkata: Jyoti Basu was known for his connect with the masses in his lifetime, in death too he drew lakhs. Thousands converged at the state assembly on Tuesday to pay their last respects, creating a near-stampede situation that left some people, particularly the elderly, fainting.

A sea of people thronged the assembly, where Basu's body lay in state. The crowd grew impatient after having to wait for hours for a last glimpse of the leader.

Around 2 p.m., hundreds of people tried to force their way through the assembly's southwest gate, designated for the commoners' entry.

There was a near-stampede situation, and some people were taken ill.

Inside, the crowd turned into a deluge, and for some time there were fears of the order collapsing.

Some people were seen throwing wreaths and flowers towards the podium where the body was placed while some others refused to move as they seemed more intent on capturing Basu's image on their mobile cameras.

There were repeated requests from top CPI-M leaders, including state party secretary Biman Bose, for the crowds to move on, but nobody seemed to be listening.

People also pushed their way into the press enclosure.

The body of Basu, who died Sunday at age 95, will be donated to a hospital in the evening for medical research in keeping with his wish.

in.com

Lakhs gather to say goodbye to Jyoti Basu

Kolkata: Jyoti Basu was known for his connect with the masses in his lifetime, in death too he drew lakhs. Thousands converged at the state assembly on Tuesday to pay their last respects, creating a near-stampede situation that left some people, particularly the elderly, fainting.

A sea of people thronged the assembly, where Basu's body lay in state. The crowd grew impatient after having to wait for hours for a last glimpse of the leader.

Around 2 p.m., hundreds of people tried to force their way through the assembly's southwest gate, designated for the commoners' entry.

There was a near-stampede situation, and some people were taken ill.

Inside, the crowd turned into a deluge, and for some time there were fears of the order collapsing.

Some people were seen throwing wreaths and flowers towards the podium where the body was placed while some others refused to move as they seemed more intent on capturing Basu's image on their mobile cameras.

There were repeated requests from top CPI-M leaders, including state party secretary Biman Bose, for the crowds to move on, but nobody seemed to be listening.

People also pushed their way into the press enclosure.

The body of Basu, who died Sunday at age 95, will be donated to a hospital in the evening for medical research in keeping with his wish.

in.com

Sunday, January 17, 2010

SP Tulsian's sub Rs 50 stocks to power your portfolio


Donear Industries is into textile and they have a very strong brand Donear Suitings for which Yuvraj Singh is the brand ambassador. The company has set up a new textile plant in Surat with an investment outlay of about Rs 220 crore for which they have gone for a borrowing of about Rs 120 crore. Prior to that it was a debt-free company and it has been doing quite. It had given bonuses in last five-years with a very high promoter stake of 90%, which the stock exchanges has asked them to reduce to 75%.

But since the Surat project of Rs 220 crore, which had gone onstream just six-months back, the company have been providing depreciation on the written down value method while all the listed companies are providing depreciation on the straight-line method. This is was because of the policy having adopted for written down value method. The depreciation burden has been quite high and that has resulted into the net loss.

If the company would have opted to provide depreciation on the straight-line method, there would have been net profit. If you see their H1 performance, they had a topline of close to Rs 115 crore in which Surat project has not contributed much – with a net loss of about Rs 5.80 crore and in this Rs 5.80 crore the depreciation element was at about Rs 17.5 crore. So if I take the cash profit element, the company had posted a cash profit of about Rs 11 crore for six-months on a equity of close to about Rs 10.40 crore.

The share has a face value of Rs 2 and now this Surat project will start contributing to the topline as well as to the bottomline. Maybe, I don’t know what would the logic will be, it may prevail upon the management to opt for the change in the depreciation policy and if they opt to do that – there would be a reversal of depreciation, which can result in a huge write back of the depreciation which can improve the bottomline.

But even if you take on a fundamental basis with a market cap of the company at about Rs 165 crore, as I said the debt is only to the extent of Rs120 crore – this company with an enterprise value of Rs 300 crore is ruling at a very low valuation. Their brand itself has been estimated in the past at about close to Rs 130-140 crore.

There is good upside. We have been seeing renewed interest coming in the textile stocks. I think if someone can take a call on this stock with six months view, one can expect at least 60% return from hereon.

The company is into providing finance to tourism related projects. It has been giving a consistent performance. In fact this has not been in the news. If you look at FY09, they had an EPS of about Rs 3.6 which is likely to be maintained for FY10 as well.

The book value of this share at present is about Rs 37 and I think it is ruling at a price to book of 70% with a price of about Rs 26. We have seen all – whether it is small PSU banks or maybe financing or lending institutions to the power sector – have appreciated in the last six months by about 50-70%.

But I do not think that this has come into focus of analysts or maybe even investors. If somebody can take a call, I don’t think that there is any downside. The way we have seen a run up especially in stocks like LIC Housing and GIC Housing, this can also come on the radar.

IFCI holds a 32% stake and since IFCI is also regaining its health and again loaded with news, this could also be tagged along with the company or we may see a good restructuring or maybe even infusion of fresh funds to enlarge the level of activity.

If all those things can happen, I won’t be surprised if the company surpasses Rs 5 EPS for FY11. As I said, the book value is close to Rs 38 now which could rise to about Rs 42-43 by then. The stock has very good potential to appreciate by about 50-60% in the next six months.

On Ugar Sugar

Ugar Sugar has not participated in the run up for a simple reason that for September 2009, the company had posted a net loss. This has been scaring investors and keeping them away. The state with the most advantage in the sugar sector is Karnataka because there you have a recovery of 11.5-12% plus you are not seeing such a hue and cry for the sugarcane price as well.


All the mills, whether it is Ugar or Renuka Sugar are paying a price of about Rs 240-250 for a recovery of 11.5% which translates to an equivalent price with 10% recovery to about Rs 220.

Now this company has recently commissioned a new mill of 2,500 tonne in this season. The old mill at Ugar had a capacity of about 10,000 tcd. If you take any sugar mill in the country, I do not think that anyone will be able to exceed the production what they have done in the previous years because of the overall low production of sugar expected in the country.

However, this company is likely produce about 17 lakh bags of sugar for this season against 15.5 lakh in the previous year.

Apart from that they have 56 megawatt (MW) cogeneration capacity. Even the debt portion of the company is not very stiff. It is at about Rs 130-140 crore which has largely realized to finance the working capital. The December quarter results are likely to be quite good. The company should be able to post a profit after tax (PAT) of about Rs 36-40 crore on an equity of about Rs 11.25 crore, which is at present.

So once the results are out for the December quarter, we all know that even in the March quarter there will be more sweeteners because of the increase in prices and operation of the cogeneration plant. These two quarters can drastically change the view on the stock. I won’t be surprised if this stock reaches about Rs 35 maybe by April end in this year.


Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More

 
Design by Free WordPress Themes | Bloggerized by Lasantha - Premium Blogger Themes | Dcreators