Saturday, August 29, 2009

How Modi's using Jaswant's book in Gujarat

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aswant Singh has already taken Naredra Modi to court for banning his book in Gujarat.

The legal trouble could be a minor headache for Modi. At stake in his state: 7 assembly seats that will vote soon. All of them packed with Patel voters. " The Sardar is a towering personality, particularly for Gujarat, and the party will try to cash in on this controversy," comments Dinesh Shukl, Political Analyst

"The Chhote Sardar" is what the BJP likes to call Modi. In the general elections, and then in the Junagadh Municipality polls, the BJP under-performed. Analysts the Patel issue, in the form of Jaswant Singh's book, is a windfall for a politician desperate for a pick-me-up.

Not true, retort all Modi's men. "Most of the seats are with the Congress. So we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. We are confident we can make inroads, but we don't want to make Sardar an issue," says Jaynarayan Vyas, Gujarat Health Minister .

Those blushing denials amount to little, given that Gujarat is the only BJP-governed state to ban Jaswant Singh's book. And now, Modi has to see if his gamble pays off.

Surreal, sex-obsessed world of not so “big” Russell Brand revealed

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ONDON - A model has revealed that British comedian Russell Brand lures women by posting Tweets and has a pretty adventurous sex life.

The television presenter apparently loves threesome and offered Brooke Adams free tickets for MTV Music awards to sleep with her via Twitter.

Some of his posts inviting her to townhouse in Hampstead, north London read: “Where do you live? Near London? And can you bring a friend?”

While another went: “Confirm your friend, darling, as I am in the mood for adventure,” reports the Sun.

Brooke narrated the events leading to the sex act with the comedian.

She said: “I got a cab to his house and the security guard opened the gates and let me in.

“Russell poked his head round the door - and when he opened it I realised he was totally naked.

“He took me through to the kitchen and offered me a drink - although he has no alcohol in the house.

“Then he asked me to perform a sex act on him - I’d had a few to drink and had always fancied him, so I did it.

“He was very complimentary, even though he was eating a plum at the time!”

However, Brand had another girl in his house at the same time and wanted to have threesome.

She added: “He took me up to his room and there was another girl - a blonde girl - already there sitting on the bed.

“I had no idea another girl would be there - I was quite surprised.

“But I think she was more shocked than me - she didn’t seem happy about it at all. He asked us if we would have a threesome and although I was up for it, she refused.

“He declared we were not allowed to leave until he had had been satisfied at least three times, so he just took it in turns with us. While he was with her, I just sat on the end of the bed, waiting.

“He was very good in bed - not as “big” as I was expecting but he still knew exactly what to do and had a lot of stamina.

“Afterwards I just got a cab home and he said he would be in touch.”

Brooke says that she spent a similar night with Russell one more time. (ANI)

Meghalaya’s data on people infected with HIV/AIDS may earn it a low prevalence tag

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eghalaya’s data on people infected with HIV/AIDS may earn it the tag as a low prevalence state. However, a surveillance study conducted by the National AIDS Control Programme-3 found out that Meghalaya falls under Group ‘C’ Category, which means although the state has low prevalence but yet vulnerable. As part of the awareness programme and building partnership with media on HIV/AIDS, a one-day media consultancy seminar was organised in Shillong. A total of 254 HIV positive cases have been detected so far in Meghalaya, which National AIDS Control Organisation described as a low prevalence rate of 0.08 per cent. At the same time, chances for it to come up to group ‘B’ or ‘A’ cannot be denied. Lack of proper information in the rural areas has made it quite impossible to detect the HIV Positive or save the infected person from Stigma and discrimination of the society. In Meghalaya, 93 percent of the people living in rural areas are still unaware of HIV positive and the reason for its occurrence. As part of the National AIDS Control programme, National Aids Control Organisation and Meghalaya AIDS control society has started eleven Integrated Counseling and Testing centres in the state, apart from eleven 247 Public Health Care centres to help infected people lead a normal life. In this seminar, Centre for Advocacy and research as well as Meghalaya Aids control society has taken up the initiative to make society aware of this with the help of Media to stop the doctrine of stigma and discrimination that is attached to HIV positive/AIDS in our society. Many resourceful persons as well as journalists also became part of this seminar. The seminar also focuses on various aspects of the life and the treatment and counseling of HIV infected person apart from the various other programmes under National AIDS Control Programme-3.

NSCN-IM refutes Pillai’s comment on autonomy

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trongly refuting to the statement of Union Home secretary GK Pillai that both the NSCN-IM and the government of India have come to an understanding for an autonomy under the Constitution of India, the Naga outfit has said that the statement of the former is misleading and libelous. Union home secretary GK Pillai, during his recent Manipur visit, had commented that the Centre may likely to grant more autonomy to the Nagas as per the provisions of the Indian constitution. He said that the Centre has come up with a proposal to give some more financial powers to the state along with additional control over socio-cultural issues. The proposal enlarges the scope of Article 371A of the Constitution. Under Article 371A, Nagaland already enjoys special status which ensures that no Act of Parliament shall apply to Nagaland in relation to religious or social practices of the Nagas, Naga customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to the Naga customary law and ownership and transfer of land and its resources. However, Pillai’s comments in Manipur have not been received well in Nagaland. The NSCN-IM has strongly refuted the home secretary’s comments. Talking to NETV, the emissary to the collective leadership of NSCN-IM and former C-in-C of the outfit VS Atem has termed this as an imposition of Indian constitution on the Nagas which the outfit will never abide by. The outfit also said that no autonomy of any kind was also discussed and understanding reached.

Experts predict disastrous earthquake in Assam

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big intensity earthquake is hitting this Northeastern region shortly. An environmental scientist found in his study that a big intensity tremor is due for the region. Although there is no accurate method for predicting earthquakes, an environmental scientist claims that a big intensity tremor is likely to hit Northeaster region soon. After three decade long study on quakes in Northeast, Dr Surya Kanta Sharma a big earthquake should occur in this region within 2010. Notably, two medium intensity earthquakes shook the region in this month. The first was occurred on August 11 with 5.6 Richter scale, while the second was on August 19 with 4.9 Richter scale. A Chennai based geo-physician N Venkatanathan had also predicted an tremor in Northeast after study on plannery configurations in December 12 last. However, His prediction had turned false. This time Dr Sharma said a big intensity quake is due in this region. But how far the government and other disaster management agencies are well equipped to deal with the situation? Assam lines on Zone five. The region has witnessed many big earthquakes since pre-historic period. According to Dr Sharma’s report, Assam reported its first big quake in 1548. The next big quake was reported in between 1696 and 1714 during the regime of Ahom Swardeo Gadadhar Singha. After this there was no record os big quake till 1869. After first ever big quake of 19th century jolted the region in January 10 1869. The epicenter was somewhere in Cachar and the magnitude of the quake was 7.5 Richter scale. It caused serious damage in the region. The next big quake was taken place in June 12 1897. The epicenter was Rangjoli and the magnitude was 8.0 Richter scale. This was one of the most powerful earthquakes in south East Asian region. The quake wreaked havoc across a wide swathe of the present states of Assam and Meghalaya. Altogether 1,500 people had lost lives and hundreds more hurt in this quake. Another big intensity quake was reported in Dhubri in 1930. This had caused severe damages in Dhubri region. There was another quake reported in this region on October 23 1943. This had caused major damages in Nagaon district. The intensity of the quake was 7.2 in Richter scale. Assam had reported heavy loss and damaged in the earthquake took place on August 15 1950. The epicenter was somewhere in Sino- Indian border and the intensity was 8.6 in Richter scale. This earthquake was the 6th largest earthquake of the 20th century. Altogether 1,500 people were killed and the drainage of the region was greatly affected. The resultant floods were the cause of most of the fatalities blamed on this earthquake. The initial shock was followed by thousands of aftershocks, some of which were big earthquakes in their own rights. The state had also witnessed another big intensity quake in 1988. Assam will witness more loss of lives and property at its present stage if a quake jolts the region as predicted by Dr Sharma. Builders in the city are taking all precautions while constructing buildings as Assam falls under earthquake prone zone. The major worry among the scientists is that Assam is seated on the highly volatile seismic zone five. Among all the earthquakes that Assam has experienced, the earthquakes of 1897 and 1950 are among the ten biggest earthquakes in history. Study reveals Assam records major a earthquake every fifty years, the last being in 1950.

Youth Cong National Secretary, Nyamar Karbak in trouble, wife alleges of torment

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erious allegations have been leveled against one of the national leaders of Rahul Gandhi’s brigade…the Youth Congress. The estranged wife of the Nyamar Karbak, the National Secretary of the Indian Youth Congress has finally decided to speak up against the wrongdoings of her husband. Even her attempts to get heard by the High Command has gone to deaf ears. The woman has not only alleged mental torture meted out to her, she has termed her high profile husband a womanizer and man of loose moral character. Mr. Karbak however refused to react to his wife’s allegations. Her tears have dried up looking for justice but as a young lady, still in her late twenties, Oman Jempen refuses to call it quits. Jempen’s world came crashing down when her high-profile politician husband not only betrayed her but divorced her once she took up the matter with higher ups. But unlike the other woman of her tribal community, who prefers to hush up things, she decided to raise voice against the injustice and agony meted out to her. Even at the slightest mention of her husband, who is the national secretary of Indian Youth Congress (IYC), Nyamar Karbak, her agony spills out. Jempen, herself a former lecturer of Rajiv Gandhi Polytechnic College Itanagar, had to swallow the agony silently after her husband, Karbak, divorced her two months after the marriage was solemnized in March 2006. Torn apart by the trauma, she ran from pillar to post seeking justice but to no avail. Despite knocking the door of chief minister, Dorjee Khandu, the former chairperson of Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women (APSCW), Jarjum Ete, initially and UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and chairperson of National Women’s Commission, Girija Vyas afterwards, her words fell on deaf ears. She made a sensational revelation about her husband, whom she alleged was a womanizer and a man of loose moral character. Her grief was writ large on her face following the fact that chief minister, Dorjee Khandu, also did not provide her justice even she made frequent emotional appeal to the chief minister under whom her husband Karbak is working as officer on special duty (OSD). At a time when Nymar is lobbying for a Congress ticket from Liromoba assembly constituency in Arunachal Pradesh’s West Siang district, from where Congress heavyweight and home minister and Jarbom Gamlin, is set to contest, the allegation may land him in trouble. When contacted, the National Youth Congress General Secretary Nymar Karbak refused to comment to NETV. It now remains to be seen how vibrant leader and incharge of the Youth Congress Rahul Gandhi, who has been stressing on a spotless leadership, responds to save the face of Congress’ young brigade from getting soiled.

Hindutva had negative impact in northeast: former BJP leader

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he Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Hindutva ideology had a "very negative" impact in the northeast where its relevance was almost negligible, said Kiren Rijiju, a former national secretary of the party and MP who has left to join the Congress.

Rijiju, a former MP from Arunachal Pradesh who was considered the face of the BJP in the northeast, resigned Monday to join the Congress.

"I would say the BJP's Hindutva campaign had a very negative impact in the northeast, a region with a dominant minority population. Hindutva failed to cut much ice among the people in the region," Rijiju told IANS.

"I realised that the Congress party was the best option to work for the development of the northeast. I am committed to carrying forward my agenda for overall socio-economic progress of Arunachal Pradesh and the whole of the region," the former MP from Arunachal Pradesh West constituency said.

Rijiju lost the last parliamentary elections to the Congress' Takam Sanjay.

Rijiju, 38, was made national secretary by the BJP early in his political career.

"The problems and sentiments of the people of the northeast were not understood by the BJP leadership. I tried my best to make the leadership realise the intricate problems of the region, but then they simply failed to understand," the former BJP leader said.

The Congress is jubilant after the firebrand BJP leader agreed to resign and join the ruling party.

"This is an important political development and we are happy that he is with us now," Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu said.

The development is significant for the ruling Congress as Arunachal Pradesh goes to the polls to elect a 60-member legislature sometime in October.

"I have no intention to fight the assembly elections," Rijiju said.

"I would rather work for the party and do whatever best I can for the welfare of my state and the region."

The BJP, however, had some harsh words to say about Rijiju by terming him a betrayer.

"He betrayed the very party that gave him a solid platform to launch his political career. He made himself a pawn in the hands of the Congress," BJP's general secretary in-charge of northeast, P. Chandrasekhar Rao.

AIIMS develops device to administer IV medicine

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ew Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) Researchers at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) have developed a novel device to administer intravenous drugs directly into the bone marrow in case of medical emergencies like heart attacks, trauma injuries and dehydration

The device - IntraOz - would help treat patients in whom doctors are unable to locate a vein to administer intravenous (IV) medicines

"The vein through which IV medicines are given is untraceable in patients who have suffered cardiac arrest, trauma injuries, dehydration.In such cases, using IntraOz, we can directly inject the medicine into the long bones," Jayant Karve of the Stanford India Biodesign Centre at AIIMS said

Karve along with his colleague Srinivas Kiran Jaggu were conferred the India Innovation Pioneers Challenge (IIPC) Award 2009 in the Scholar Sparks category.

Now, Maneka Gandhi terms Jaswant Singh''s expulsion as unfair

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ew Delhi, Aug.29 (ANI): BJP Member of Parliament from the Aonla constituency in Uttar Pradesh, Maneka Gandhi, on Saturday extended her support to expelled party leader Jaswant Singh, saying that the party leadership had treated him unfairly with regard to his latest book on Jinnah.

Gandhi said that the decision taken at the Chintan Baithak in Shimla last week was uncalled for. She said that the BJP leadership should have read Jaswant Singh''s book first before taking a decision to expel him on disciplinary grounds.

Gandhi''s reaction came a day after Singh filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Gujarat Government’s decision to ban his latest book – Jinnah -India, Partition, Independence.

Deploring the ban of the book, Singh has already said that books are a medium of expression in the country, and professed the right to freedom of speech and expression.

He claimed that a ban on books actually means a ban on thinking.

"I am greatly saddened by it because the other example takes you to Salman Rusdie and Satanic Verses. The day we start banning books in India, we are banning thinking," Jaswant had said while returning back from Shimla after his expulsion from the BJP last week.

The Narendra Modi-led Gujarat Government had banned the sale of Singh''''''''s book in the State last week.

The Gujarat Government blamed Jaswant''''''''s book for denigrating the image of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who was a Gujarati and held in high esteem by people across Gujarat and rest of the India for his role during India''''''''s freedom struggle against the British rulers.

Jaswant observes in his book that Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel together conceded Pakistan to Jinnah with help from the British.

Patel occupies a pride of place in BJP''''''''s historiography with the party eulogising his tough action for the integration of rebellious Hyderabad and Junagarh with the Union, and contrasting it with the Nehru''''''''s "blunder" in taking the Kashmir issue to the UN.

Last week, Singh sharpened his attack on BJP by saying that the party is like the violent white American group, Ku Klux Klan (KKK).

Replying to a question on his expulsion from the party, Singh said: "Please don''''t ask me. I am outside the magic circle of advisers or thinkers. Because, I am not from the RSS, is that why? So are we a political party? Is the BJP becoming some kind of an Indian version of Ku Klux Klan?"

Commonly known as The Klan, the KKK was the name of several hate groups in the US, whose aim was to protect and further the rights of white Americans by intimidation.

On being asked what he meant by reference to KKK, he shot back: "You know what the Klan means. You don''''t ask me about this."

On BJP senior leader’s position in the party, he said: "Does he (Advani) run a coterie or does the coterie run him."

Singh said he did not agree with BJP leader Arun Shourie''''s suggestion that RSS should take over the party, saying it will not work.

"I would like the BJP to reflect on what has happened and try to be a party of the 21st century. They (RSS) are exclusivist. Besides, they are an organisation committed to social work," he said.

Asked if his expulsion was a message to other dissidents in the party, he shot back: "Am I a dissident. I am sorry. Your question suggests I am some kind of a dissident. I feel I am one of the original-founding members of the party.”

He ruled out joining the Samajwadi Party, which has invited him to join it.

"I am happy to be an independent. I will serve the cause of GJM and the Gorkha land. That is my karma bhoomi and my janam bhoomi is the desert. I shall serve them," he said.

He also ruled out stepping down as Chairman of the prestigious Parliamentary Accounts Committee following his expulsion from the BJP. (ANI)

NASA’s space shuttle Discovery launched successfully

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ASHINGTON - NASA’s space shuttle Discovery, with its seven-member crew, launched successfully from the space agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 28.

The shuttle will deliver supplies, equipment and a new crew member to the International Space Station.

Inside the shuttle’s cargo bay is the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, a pressurized “moving van” that will be temporarily installed to the station.

The module will deliver storage racks; materials and fluids science racks; a freezer to store research samples; a new sleeping compartment; an air purification system; and a treadmill named after comedian Stephen Colbert.

The name “Colbert” received the most entries in NASA’s online poll to name the station’s Node 3. NASA named the node Tranquility.

Shortly before liftoff, Commander Rick Sturckow said, “Thanks to everyone who helped prepare for this mission. Let’s go step up the science on the International Space Station!”

The 13-day flight will include three spacewalks to replace experiments outside the European Space Agency’s Columbus laboratory, install a new ammonia storage tank and return the used one.

Ammonia is needed to move excess heat from inside the station to the radiators located outside.

Sturckow is joined on the STS-128 mission by Pilot Kevin Ford, Mission Specialists Pat Forrester, Jose Hernandez, Danny Olivas and European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang.

NASA astronaut Nicole Stott will fly to the complex aboard Discovery to begin a three-month mission as a station resident.

She replaces NASA’s Tim Kopra, who will return home on Discovery. Ford, Hernandez and Stott are first-time space fliers.

The mission marks the start of the transition from assembling the space station to using it for continuous scientific research.

Assembly and maintenance activities have dominated the available time for crew work.

As completion nears, additional facilities and the crew members to operate them will enable a measured increase in time devoted to research as a national and multinational orbiting laboratory.

Discovery’s first landing opportunity at Kennedy is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 10.

This mission is the 128th space shuttle flight, the 30th to the station, the 37th for Discovery and the fourth in 2009. (ANI)

Dharamsala releases video appeal about plight of Tibetans

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HARAMSALA - In an attempt to bring plight of the Tibetans to the notice of the international community, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) in Dharamsala has released a video appeal from a Tibetan highlighting the lack of human rights and the sufferings inside Tibet.

Kalsang Tsultrim, also known by the pseudonym of Gyitsang Takmig, is a monk of the Gyitsang Gaden Choekorling Monastery in Sangchu County. He has taken the risk of recording a detailed account of Tibetan history since the leader Dalai Lama’s flight to India in 1959.

The hour long footage has been widely distributed in many Tibetan areas in Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan Province.alsang Thamcheo, who delivered the video testimony to the TCHRD said the main purpose is to make outside world aware of the ground realties in Tibet.

“It was passed on by someone inside Tibet and trusted me with the work of disseminating it to the outside world for a better coverage. The main reason behind releasing this CD is that there are lot of violation of human rights taking place in Tibet. So, through this video CD it’s an attempt to tell the entire world the actual happenings inside Tibet under the Chinese occupation and how the Tibetan people are undergoing a massive, a hardship under the rootless regime of Communist Party in Tibet,” said Thamcheo.

The video also speaks about the recent farmers boycott in Tibet, the self-immolation bid by Lobsang Tashi alias Tapey of the Kirti Monastery, of a suicide by a monk of the Ragya Monastery, arbitrary arrests, detention of thousands of Tibetans after the 2008 March protests in Tibet.

It also appeals to the United Nations and other international farmers that they have a moral obligation to speak on behalf of the Tibetan people inside Tibet who are living in constant fear and under severe repression.

“People are actually deprived of actual information so through this video specially targeting the illiterate and uneducated Tibetan people, he is communicating with those people in rural areas and the nomadic areas, communicating actual ground realties,” said Tenzin Norgey, spokesperson of TCHRD.

Kalsang Tsultrim’s video testimony also touches on the many recent events in Tibet and the Chinese Government’s policies which allegedly led to the displacement of a large number of Tibetans in the name of development. (ANI)

Killer diseases on the prowl

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UWAHATI: Assam figures among the top five states that are highly prone to malaria and Japanese Encephalitis. According to National Vector Borne
Disease Control Programme records, 1,195 people in the state have died of the two diseases since 2005. Of them, 714 have died of malaria and 481 of Japanese Encephalitis.

In 2009, 396 cases of Acute Encephalitic Syndrome have claimed 78 lives. Of them 28 died due to Japanese Encephalitis and the remaining 50 by Acute Encephalitic Syndrome. On the other hand, malaria has afflicted 41,737 people and claimed 59 lives.

Although there is cure for malaria, there's no specific medicine for Japanese Encephalitis. This has prompted the state health department to approach the Centre to import Japanese Encephalitis vaccines for adults. These vaccines are currently administered to children up to 15 years here.

According to health officials, the Japanese Encephalitis causing Culex mosquito breeds in primarily in paddy fields and stagnant water. Conditions of piggeries located close to human habitats makes it easier for mosquitoes to transfer the virus from pigs and wild birds into humans. But the Culex mosquito bites when people are in the open and not indoors.

On the contrary, the Anopheles mosquito that causes Malaria breeds in clean water specially those of springs and water falls with dense population. Besides, this particular breed bites people in the darkness of the night and hides inside the house in the daytime.

Health officials also admit that activities such as fogging and spraying of DDT cannot totally curb these mosquitoes from multiplying. "Mosquitoes die after coming in contact with gas sprayed during fogging. But effects of fogging do not remain for long and renders ineffective in killing all the mosquitoes in a particular area. Moreover, DDT can be sprayed only on walls inside a house and not outside. This is because crops and water after coming in contact with the insecticide gets contaminated. The humid and moist climate also helps mosquitoes breed during the summers," said a senior official from the state health department.

As precaution, people should always sleep inside mosquito nets, wear long sleeves while venturing out in the evenings and keep their surroundings clean. Piggeries should be situated at a safe distance from human homes. Besides, timely medical intervention plays a pivotal role in treating these diseases.

"Anyone suffering from Japanese Encephalitis should avoid travel. The symptomatic treatment given to a patient in medical colleges for the disease is same that is available in district hospital," said A Hussain, joint director of the state health department.