Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Peace hopes grip Sri Lankans

The national flags are out. They are decking the streets, sold in clusters on street corners, fluttering from the auto rickshaws, waved by men in a pick-up truck.

On the streets of Colombo there is jubilation and smiling faces as the firecrackers are lit.

"I'm very very happy. After 30 years we've won… victory, I suppose!" says a young woman in Pettah, an old market area near the city centre, almost in surprise.

She says she is proud of the president and intends to go home and put out flags.

Not only Sinhalese but also Tamil, Muslim and other people tell the BBC they are relieved.

For decades they had feared boarding buses or visiting temples, some said, for fear of bombs. Now they hope there will be peace.

'Pride'

There is patriotic satisfaction, too, in website postings by Sri Lankans.

"Sri Lanka Rockz," says one.

Some take pride in the military. "Every time we all are with you, our great warriors... One nation - One flag - Sri Lanka."

The army says its operations are ended, that rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is dead and troops now hold all of the island's territory for the first time since 1983.

Such news will have been greeted almost with disbelief by Sri Lankans, many of whom were born into war or barely remember the time before it.

"We're part of history!" says another posting. "Today is the first day of my life I'm living in a Sri Lanka where there is no war."

A taxi driver expresses the view that, with the top Tamil Tiger leaders out of the picture, bomb blasts really will become a thing of the past.

But will they?

End of the road

Some commentators have predicted that, after their military defeat, the Tigers will concentrate more on their hallmark bombing tactics - saying this will be made possible by the cells they maintain.
But one expert tells the BBC he does not accept that argument.

Maybe there will be stray cases, he says, but with so many of the top LTTE [Tamil Tigers] leaders reportedly killed by the army, he does not see what Tamils would want to kill themselves for.

After all, according to Prabhakaran's biographer MR Narayan Swamy, for the Tigers he was "their brain… their heart… their god… their soul".

Indeed, asked whether they would continue the guerrilla war, the LTTE's foreign-based international relations head, S Padmanathan, told Britain's Channel 4 television on Sunday he believed in a peaceful solution for the Tamil people.

The war started by the LTTE has left humanitarian suffering on a huge scale - including in its final stages.

Dealing with the suffering of the refugees, the wounded and the bereaved will loom high on Sri Lanka's agenda in the immediate future.
Almost a month ago, the United Nations said it feared 6,500 civilians had been killed and twice the number wounded in the war zone since January - civilians who, it alleged, were forcibly held there by the LTTE (although the rebels always denied that) and were caught in heavy crossfire.

It described more recent violence in the small rebel-controlled zone in the north-east of the country as a "bloodbath".

Doctors working in the area described hundreds of deaths and injuries at their makeshift clinics, having to abandon the facilities in the last days.

The government said it doubted their information, as they might have been speaking under LTTE pressure - but the UN trusted them as an impartial source.

Even on Monday the UN refugee agency's head in Sri Lanka, Amin Awad, said he was worried civilians might have been killed within the past 48 hours.

Ongoing grievances

Hundreds of thousands of traumatised, emaciated people have poured out of the combat zone in the past few weeks and now stay in difficult conditions in government-run camps.

The UN and humanitarian agencies will be hoping for better access to them now that the war is over.

The UN has also said it is concerned about the welfare of the doctors who are believed to have escaped the fighting but have not been heard from since.

The government says political reforms will also be on its agenda, reforms that will perhaps aim to tackle some of the grievances of Tamil citizens who, as an ethnic minority, feel discriminated against or marginalised by the state.

There have also been calls, both from within and outside the country, for a process of reconciliation and healing, and for the government to be magnanimous in victory.

One Sri Lankan exile, also posting on the web, says he is concerned that a "hunt for Tigers and traitors will continue" - reflecting on the hard line the government has often taken towards dissenting voices and those it accuses of giving comfort to the rebels.

"We shouldn't be triumphalist," a Sinhala woman, who largely supported the government's campaign against the LTTE, told the BBC.

Lalu says Congress leaders humiliating him

New Delhi, May 18 (ANI): Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad on Monday complained to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh that some Congress leaders had been humiliating him and some other coalition leaders during television debates.

Lalu gave the example of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh's statement that the Congress should go it alone in the Assembly elections in the state.

"It is an insult of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar," he added.

Earlier in the meeting, Lalu and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) Chief Ram Vilas Paswan complimented Manmohan Singh, saying he had done a good job in his five-year term as Prime Minister and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) would reach its pinnacle in the coming years the way it is progressing.

"The mission of the coalition is to finish the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)- led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which it has achieved in the Lok Sabha elections," Lalu added. (ANI)

Karunanidhi seeks Centre's intervention to save Lankan Tamils

Chennai, May 18 (ANI): Hours later the Sri Lankan Army claimed that it has won the final battle in a separatist conflict seen as one of the world's most intractable wars, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Monday sought Central Government's intervention to ensure the safety of those trapped in the conflict zone.

"We want the safety of the remaining Tamils and stressing this, I have spoken to Union Home minister P. Chidambaram in this regard," Karunanidhi said at a press conference here.

Prabhakaran's reported death comes shortly after soldiers stumbled upon the bodies of several key LTTE leaders, including his son Charles Anthony, who headed the group"s IT wing and was being groomed to take over his father's mantle.

The deaths sparked frenzied celebrations in the capital Colombo and large parts of the Sinhalese populated central and southern provinces as people poured out of their homes, waved national flags and distributed sweets.

Prabhakaran founded the LTTE in 1976 and built it into an awesome military machine that at one point controlled a third of Sri Lanka"s land territory and two-thirds of its coastline. (ANI)

Sri Lanka declares end of war against LTTE after killing Prabhakaran

Colombo, May 18 (ANI): Sri Lanka on Monday formally announced the end of war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam after chief V Prabhakaran was shot dead while trying to flee in an ambulance from the war zone in northern Sri Lanka.

The three-decade long fight by the LTTE for a separate homeland for Tamils came to end after the death of Tamil Tigers chief.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse told President Mahinda Rajpakse on Monday in a nationally televised ceremony that Sri Lanka's war against Tamil Tiger rebels has "ended successfully." We have successfully ended the war," he told the President, who is his brother and commander-in-chief of the Sri Lankan armed forces.

Sri Lankan military commanders also lined up and shook hands with him before starting closed-door talks.

The meeting came as state television and defence officials announced that Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and the entire rebel leadership had been killed on Monday by government troops.

According to the military, the Tamil Tigers tried to evacuate its leaders early this morning in two vehicles. Army special soldiers of 53 Division intercepted the vehicles moving north and destroyed the convoy after fierce fighting.

The military said it had found 150 bodies of LTTE cadres so far and they are in the process of identifying them.

Prabhakaran was shot dead as he tried to stage a dramatic breakout from the army encirclement, a military spokesman said.

The news of Prabhakaran's death also came along with reports of bodies of his son Charles Anthony and three other top leaders -- Pottu Amman, Soosai and Nadesan being found. (ANI)

Prabhakaran, LTTE & Ethnic Tamils; A retrospection

Here is a retrospection on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who have spend past 26 years engaged in a bitter battle for a homeland.

Colombo: It was in 1972, that 18-year-old Velupillai Prabhakaran, angered by the discrimination faced by the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka, set out to with just a revolver in hand to form a group to fight for Tamil cause. This group eventually morphed into Tamil Tigers or LTTE who was since then fighting for an independent Tamil land in the Sinhalese nation. More than 70,000 had lost their life in this battle for survival.

In its course of struggle LTTE bagged a new title of being a 'terrorist organisation' from 32 nations including India. It was the first group which used women in suicide attacks. Federal Bureau of Investigation claims that it was the Tamil Tigers who invented the suicide belt.

LTTE is the only terrorist outfit which has the infamous credit of assassinating two world leaders.

On Friday, May 15 the Tigers offered to 'silence' their guns after claiming that they were for peace and are stopping war at the cause of innocent trapped civilians. However the Sri Lankan army continued their mopping operation and later on Monday, May 18 claimed that Prabhakaran, the LTTE supremo and his son Charles Anthony and other key leaders of the rebel group are dead. A formal announcement is yet to come from the President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Will this mark the end of Tamil struggle in island nation? Only time will say!

Who are Ethnic Tamils?

The ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka constitute about 12 pc of the population (ie of about 12 million) and are mostly concentrated in the northern and eastern party of Lanka. Most of them follow Hinduism and speak Tamil. This separates them from the Sri Lanka's majority group, the Sinhalese, who make up 74 pc of the population. They speak Sinhala and follow Buddhism.

The internal fight between the Ethnic Tamils and Sinhalese date back to the time of colonization by the British. At the time, the country was known as Ceylon. Many Sri Lankans regarded the Tamils as British collaborators and resented the preferential treatment they received.

But when Lanka won Independence in 1948 the Sinhalese majority dominated the government. It was the Tamils then who claimed they were being discriminated against in politics, employment and education. Tamil politicians began to demand separate state for Tamils called 'Tamil Eelam' since 1970. It was this period which witnessed the rise of Velupillai Prabhakaran. He soon emerged as the leader of Tamil cause.

More on Vellupillai Prabhakaran?

Operating secretly from the north-eastern part of the Island nation, Prabhakaran, remained elusive figure for years, even to many Tigers. The LTTE chief was known for wearing a cyanide capsule around his neck, 'to swallow rather than risl capture.' Same was followed by his troops. As a result, few Tigers have been captured alive.

Though Sri Lankan government describes Prabhakaran as a war criminal with disregard for civilian casualities, he is a hero for his supporters. He is wanted by Interpol on charges including terrorism and organized crime.

In 1975, three years after forming his group, Prabhakaran was accused of fatally shooting the mayor of Jaffna, his birthplace.

Prabhakaran is also accused of masterminding the killing of then-Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 in the Tamil-dominated Indian state of Tami Nadu. Sri Lankan authorities allege that Prabhakaran was avenging Gandhi's decision to send Indian peacekeepers to Sri Lanka.

Two years later, a Tigers' suicide bomber, allegedly acting under Prabhakaran's orders, detonated explosives that killed Sri Lanka's then-president, Ranasinghe Premadasa, during a rally.

Who are Tamil Tigers?

Unemployed youth in Tamil-dominated areas are recruited to the Tiger cadre. Tigers officially began their armed struggle in July 1983 when they killed 13 Sinhalese soldiers. So far hundreds of Tamils were killed and thousands left homeless and more that 1,00,000 fled to South India, in the fierce battle between Sri Lankan army and Tamil Tigers.

The Tigers are infamous for suicide bombings, with men and women strapping on suicide vests for more than 200 attacks against Sri Lankan citizens and dozens of high-profile political leaders.

Peace Deal:

Occasionally the fighting was stopped as a result of peace accords. In 2002 the Tigers dropped their demands for a separate homeland in exchange for a power-sharing deal with the government. Norway and some other nations agreed to be the negotiators of peace deal.

However in Jan 2008, the Sri Lankan announced it was annulling the nearly six-year-old truce with the rebels, declaring that it would crush the rebels. The fighting intensified with security forces driving the rebels from their strongholds in the east and north of the country.

Rebels vowed to fight even after government ordering them to lay down arms. Thousands of civilians became homeless and were killed after being trapped in the war zone. International aid groups expressed concern that both the government and the rebels disregarded civilian safety even in no-fire zones and hospitals. Both sides blamed the other for civilian casualties and exaggerated accounts of their victories. With journalists not allowed into the battle zones, their claims could not be independently confirmed.

On Sunday, May 17 the Tamil tiger posted an 'urgent statement' on a pro-rebel website saying that the battle had reached its 'bitter end'. "We have decided to silence our guns," the statement said.

The army continued its mopping operation even after LTTE declaring 'silence'. On Monday, May 18 Sri Lanka confirmed the death of LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran. With this three decade old war came to an end in Sri Lanka

In the past, the Tigers have emerged from near-defeat. But if Prabhakaran's death is confirmed, what will be the fate of LTTE? Will the cause of Tamils be ever addressed? Or will more militant group rise from the ashes of LTTE to fight the sufferings of Tamils in Island nation or will it provide a peaceful life to the Ethnic tamils?

We must wait and watch!

New Rs 20, Rs 1,000 notes soon: RBI

Mumbai, May 18: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is all set to issue new currency notes in denominations of Rs 20 and Rs 1,000.

Other than change in the inset letter, the design of these notes to be issued now is similar in all respects to those issued earlier in Mahatma Gandhi Series says the RBI statements. All notes in these denominations issued by the RBI in the past will also continue to be legal tender.

ICSE and ISC examination results on May 20

Bangalore, May 18: CISCE aka The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations based in New Delhi, will declare the results of the 2009 ICSE and ISC examinations results on May 20 at around 11:00 hrs IST.

Students can pre-register on www.cisce.org to get their results through email or SMS. Pre-registration closes at 6 am that day.

This is the first time the CISCE is hosting results on its own website and not through any service provider.

CBSE exam results b/w May 20-29

Bangalore, May 18: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) are set to announce the results of Class 10th and Class XII examinations in between May 20 and May 29.

The results will be available in CBSE official website http://www.cbse.nic.in/

Satyam to layoff 12,000 employees

Hyderabad, May 18: The fraud-hit Satyam Computer Services, which is now controlled by Tech Mahindra is planning to layoff about 12,000 to 14,000 of its employees.

A formal announcement was made by the new management before senior management personnel on Thursday, May 18 on the issue of reducing manpower by up to 14,000 people.

Satyam at present has a total staff of about 40,000 employees, of which 19,000 are 'billing employees' and about 20,000 are 'non-billing employees'. Satyam sources said that those employees who are currently on the 'bench' are in danger of losing job.

Jaya Ho! Amar Singh not to resign

The curtains fell on the 15th Lok Sabha polls after introducing to the nation the resounding victory of UPA.

It's jai ho for Manmohan Singh. Its jai ho for Sonia Gandhi. Its jai ho Rahul Gandhi, for sure.

But shifting the spotlight to Samajwadi Party, it can be said that it is 'JAYA HO' for its general secy Amar Singh.

Expressing happiness at his party’s Rampur sitting MP Jaya Prada retaining her seat, the SP leader said, “Her victory is a slap on the face of those people, who indulged in cheap tactics and those who don’t respect women. I am more happy than Jaya Prada on her victory.”

Singh was indirectly referring to his party colleague Azam Khan’s anti-Jaya Prada campaign in Rampur during the run-up to the elections to the Lok Sabha.

Amar Singh threatens to quit SP

Locked in a bitter tussle with party colleague Azam Khan, SP leader Amar Singh has said earlier promised to resign from active politics after the the Lok Sabha elections . It was Amar Singh who took Jayaprada Samajwadi and gifted Rampur seat from where she was elected in 2004 and 2009.

Amar Singh is now mum on his promise. Earlier he had sited some 'kidney problems' for his decision to retire from politics. But it seems that his 'kidney problem' is now sorted out.

There is nothing shocking in and surprising in it . The politicians in India break their promises because the public here tolerates dishonesty.

But I thought Amar Singh was little different. The only difference was that he has been a little more candid about the nature of his politics. He was frank enough enough to disclose his relationship with corporate men and bollywood. "If Amitabh and Anil Ambani are my friends, why should I hide it from the world? If I play Holi with Shilpa Shetty, why should I be ashamed of it!" he said once.

The Samajwadi party leader has few compunctions of being identified with a corporate group, but the fact is that there are many more of our politicians who are also batting for specific business interests, only they will not admit as much in public.

Forget it guys ! In the muck of Indian politics, there are no Mahatmas left any more. Politics has also become one of the best industries to make money, name and fame... and what not.

Indian stock market surges on decisive vote result

Mumbai, May 18 (ANI): India's main stock market is booming after the people gave a thumping mandate in favour of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in the Lok Sabha polls, dispelling fears of a fractured mandate.

The main stock market leapt by nearly 15 percent on Monday, triggering a temporary trading halt, after the ruling coalition sealed a decisive election victory that calmed fears of political uncertainty.

The Indian rupee gained by moving more than two percent to four-month highs against the dollar while the benchmark bond yields fell as the win boosted hopes a strong coalition would be able to push through economic reforms that would boost the much needed foreign investment in the country.

The investors and market analysts are upbeat and believe that the Congress-led UPA government will push the reforms needed to boost the economy in times of recession and will provide a stable government.

"I am overjoyed for the simple reason that we have been facing a lot of problems for the last two years when the market was down. The government has come with a thumping majority and the government will come up with further reforms. They will come up with banking reforms, they will come up with infrastructure benefits, and they will come up with public sector divestment. So the overall trends for the long term market are bullish, because the government will rule for five years," observed Manish Debrawal, a Market Expert.

The investors are hopeful that the Congress led UPA will now fast track the process of economic reforms without any pressure, which in turn will boost the economy.

"When in 2004 the UPA government was formed with the Left Front support, then because of the Leftists, the markets had fallen by over 800 points.

The picture is completely different in today's scenario. The new government will be without the Lefts' support. So the reform bills in the insurance, foreign direct investment and banking sector which had been blocked by the Left will now be tabled and passed in the parliament, which is very good for the overall economy and from the market point of view," opined Siddharth Kuwala, an investor. (ANI)

Gelato, a fat-free ice cream in Chandigarh

Chandigarh, May 18 (ANI): It's summer time and most of us are drawn to ice creams. And, in these calorie conscious times, many are scared of gaining weight. But people in Chandigarh have found a solution.

In Chandigarh, you can enjoy a variety of ice creams without worrying. Nik Bakers in Chandigarh have launched Gelato ice creams. The term gelato is derived from the Italian world gelare, which simply means frozen.

With Nik Bakers, those who want to skip regular ice creams and want gelatos, ice-cream sandwiches and fruity mixes, now they have an alternative in Chandigarh city.

"Before customers actually buy it, they can do a sampling. They can have all the flavors of gelato. Like there is a spoon here. They will give you a flavor to taste some.

But its price is definitely expensive because all the ingredients are made of Italian ingredients like the flavors and other ingredients, the price range can be between 400 to 500 a kilogram. I am just talking about the ingredients. Then we make ice cream with these ingredients, so as compared to the market ice creams, which you get for 100 -150 rupees per liter, this one starts from 600 rupees per liter and goes up to 1200 rupees per liter. Hence, there's a huge difference. But when you try it, you come to know why it is so expensive," said Nikhil Mittal, owner of NIK bakers.

People in Chandigarh are queuing up to savor the cold dessert that is somewhat similar to ice cream, yet different. It is made of fresh fruits, natural ingredients and skimmed dairy products.

Gelato is produced daily to ensure the product is always fresh, unlike normal ice cream, which is manufactured and stored for long periods.

That's not all, Gelato has no gelatin and is without air too.

Apart from fat-free ice creams, outlets like Nik Bakers, Giletos', and Baskin Robbins in Chandigarh offer Sorbets, that are absolutely fat free and are made from fruit pulp.

"If you compare the difference between a branded ice cream and just a normal ice cream, the difference is huge. They are smoother, more aerated and definitely the taste is better," said Jasmine, an ice cream enthusiast.

"We really enjoy having ice cream in summer. Even in winter also we enjoy it. There is no as such rule that we just take ice cream in summer. We love to have it in winters. I think that kind of thing, we can have anytime. It's a pleasure to have ice cream every time," said Ritu Bhatia, another ice cream enthusiast.

After sunset and especially after dinnertime, one can notice many people heading for a quick cool bite of it. While most often it includes a stroll down to the branded ice-cream cart at the roundabout, the other option is an ice-cream parlor.

Each summer, ice-cream manufacturers are coming up with new flavors and varieties. And to woo the customers they even organize ice-cream festivals. By Sunil Sharma (ANI)

Obama linking auto emissions and mileage standards

WASHINGTON -President Barack Obama, seeking to end a stand-off between states and the auto industry, plans to issue new national emission limits and mileage requirements for cars and trucks.
Obama plans to announce on Tuesday that he will couple pollution reduction from vehicle tailpipes with increased efficiency on the road. It would be the first time that limits on greenhouse gases were linked with federal standards for passenger cars and light trucks.
New vehicles would be 30 percent cleaner and more fuel efficient by 2016, according to officials familiar with the administration's discussions. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the formal announcement had not been made.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs would not release details of the announcement on Monday, although he said the administration has been working with states, businesses and environmental groups on a deal.
California, 13 other states and the District of Columbia have urged the federal government to let them enact more stringent standards than the federal government's requirements. The states' regulations would cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent in new cars and trucks by 2016 — the benchmark Obama planned to unveil at the White House for vehicles built in model years 2011 and beyond.
The proposal is expected to coordinate two separate standards for fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, aiming for cars that achieve higher miles per gallon and have lower polluting air conditioning systems, said Roland Hwang, the vehicles policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. The environmental group has discussed the upcoming changes with the White House in recent weeks, he said.
Hwang said he expected the greenhouse gas standard would be set to an equivalent of nearly 35 miles per gallon for the vehicle fleet by 2016.
A 2007 energy law requires car makers to meet at least 35 mpg by 2020, a 40 percent increase over the current standard of about 25 mpg. Passenger car requirements have remained unchanged at 27.5 mpg since 1985, drawing complaints from environmental groups that the government has been slow to push automakers to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Obama's move also would effectively end litigation between states and automakers, who sought to block state-specific rules. The new federal rules would prompt automakers to drop their lawsuit. Two car companies who have been part of the litigation, General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC, have received billions in government loans during a dramatic downturn in car sales and weakened economy.
Auto industry executives, including GM CEO Fritz Henderson, were expected to participate in the announcement along with United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger, industry officials said.
Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat who is being considered for the Supreme Court vacancy, will be at the White House for the event, said an administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the event had not been announced.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, will be in Washington for the announcement, spokesman Aaron McLear said. Schwarzenegger issued a statement Monday describing the agreement as historic and one that would lead to cleaner air and greater economic security.
"California's relentless push for greenhouse gas reductions from automobiles is paying off not just for our state, but for all Americans, for our environment, for automakers and our economy," Schwarzenegger said.
A March 2008 decision prevents states from setting their own limits on greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles, but Obama has ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider the ruling. California officials expect the EPA to grant the state's waiver from federal rules, which would allow it to set its own emission standards.
If it is granted, California regulators have agreed to modify their standards to comply with the new federal fuel-efficiency and greenhouse gas rules, according to sources at the California Environmental Protection Agency who are familiar with the agreement.
California would begin to implement its standards this year, but they wouldn't be as tough in the initial years. The proposed federal program would meet California's target of a 30 percent emissions reduction by 2016.
The EPA was already working toward establishing federal greenhouse gas emissions standards for new motor vehicles when it made a preliminary determination in April that six greenhouse gases — four of which are released from automobiles — endanger human health and welfare.
The White House announcement will make sure efforts by states, the EPA and the Transportation Department will occur in unison, said David Bookbinder, the Sierra Club's chief climate lawyer.

Astronauts finish repairs on Hubble space telescope

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -Spacewalking astronauts completed repairs to the Hubble Space Telescope on Monday, leaving it more powerful than ever and able to peer even deeper into the cosmos — almost to the brink of creation. The last humans to lay hands on Hubble outfitted the observatory with another set of fresh batteries, a new sensor for precise pointing and protective covers.
That equipment, along with other improvements made over the last five days, should allow the telescope to provide dazzling views of the universe for another five to 10 years.
"This is a very important moment in human history," Hubble senior project scientist David Leckrone said in Houston. "We will rewrite the textbooks at least one more time."
It was the fifth and final spacewalk for the shuttle Atlantis crew, and the final visit by astronauts ever to Hubble.
As the spacewalk drew to a close, Hubble's chief mechanic, John Grunsfeld, accidentally bumped one of the telescope's antennas and knocked off its cap with his backpack.
"Oh, I feel terrible," he groaned.
Mission Control quickly assured the astronauts the antenna was fine.
"Sorry, Mr. Hubble, have a good voyage," Grunsfeld said after he covered up the tip.
"Consider it a goodbye kiss, John," one of his crewmates said.
The astronauts planned to set Hubble free from the shutte's cargo bay on Tuesday.
During this emotional last house call, astronauts gave Hubble two state-of-the-art science instruments and fixed two others.
The $220 million worth of new instruments should allow the telescope to gaze farther back into time — within 500 million or 600 million years of the first moments of the universe.
Prior to the repairs, Hubble was able to look back to within 800 million years.
Hubble program manager Preston Burch acknowledged that the telescope still has some original parts, but noted "in many ways it is a brand-new observatory and far, far more capable than the Hubble of 1990."
Mission Control congratulated the astronauts for successfully completing "electronic brain surgery" Monday during a spacewalk that lasted more than seven hours.
In addition to the batteries and the sensor, Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel installed steel foil sheets to protect against radiation and the extreme temperature changes of space.
It was messy work. Pieces of the old insulation broke off and floated harmlessly away.
"I was hoping to retrieve those for memories," said Grunsfeld, an astrophysicist who has spent more time working on the orbiting Hubble than anyone. He's visited Hubble twice before, and plans to use the telescope once he's back on Earth to study the moon.
As he applied the new insulation with a roller, a voice from space sang "rollin', rollin', rollin'" to the theme song from the TV show "Rawhide."
But the total 37 hours of spacewalks were by no means routine. The astronauts had some trouble removing an old camera and had to install a refurbished pair of gyroscopes after a brand-new set refused to go in.
Sunday's spacewalk was particularly exasperating: a stuck bolt almost prevented astronauts from fixing a burned-out science instrument. Brute force saved the day.
During the mission, the four spacewalkers, two per team, managed to fix two science instruments that had broken down years ago and were never meant to be tinkered with in orbit.
They also replaced a faltering science data-handling device and installed a docking ring so a robotic craft can latch on and steer the telescope into the Pacific sometime in the early 2020s.
"We pulled it off," an ecstatic Feustel said after the final spacewalk.
All told, this visit to Hubble cost more than $1 billion.
"We have a saying ... 'Science never sleeps,' and our work is just beginning,'" said Jon Morse, NASA's director of astrophysics. "And we can't wait to get out there and use Hubble for its intended purposes."
NASA hopes to crank Hubble back up by summer's end, following extensive testing of its new parts.
But already scientists have gotten more than they expected out of Hubble when it was launched in 1990 with a projected lifetime of 15 years.
Once its blurred vision was corrected in 1993 and NASA's reputation was restored, the telescope began churning out breathtaking images: among other things, stars in the throes of birth and death.
Back at the launch site, NASA maintained its vigil in case another shuttle needed to rush to the rescue. Atlantis escaped serious launch damage a week ago, but was susceptible to all the space junk in Hubble's 350-mile-high orbit. The astronauts will perform one last survey of their ship after releasing the telescope.
NASA took unprecedented steps to have Endeavour on the pad as a rescue ship, because the Atlantis astronauts have nowhere to seek shelter if they cannot return to Earth because of shuttle damage. The space station is in another, unreachable orbit.
The increased risk prompted NASA to cancel the mission five years ago in the wake of the Columbia accident. It was reinstated two years later.
With NASA's three remaining space shuttles set for retirement next year, there will no way for astronauts to return to Hubble. The new spacecraft under development will be much smaller and less of a workhorse than the shuttle, and lack a big robot arm for grabbing the telescope.
Hubble's replacement, the James Webb Space Telescope, will be launched in 2014 by an unmanned rocket and placed in an orbit inaccessible to astronauts.
NASA officials said the farewell to Hubble would be bittersweet.
"We all recognize we've gotten almost 20 years of service out of it. And it will be cranking along there for another five years," said Burch, the program manager. "Maybe it is time to move on."