Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Toyota apologizes for safety problems, says electronics not cause of stuck gas pedals

WASHINGTON — The president of Toyota’s operations apologized for the company’s handling of safety issues Tuesday while insisting that electronic problems did not contribute to sudden acceleration of its cars. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood argued that such a possibility could not be ruled out.

Toyota’s James Lentz and LaHood presented differing views in prepared testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s investigative panel, the first of three congressional panels holding hearings on Toyota’s problems.

The chairman of the House Energy and Commerce investigative subcommittee, Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Michm, set the tone for sharp questioning ofLentz at the hearing’s outset.

“Toyota all but ignored pleas from consumers to examine sudden unintended acceleration events,” he said. “They boast in a briefing of saving Toyota $100 million by negotiating a limited recall. They claim that they first became aware of sticking pedals in late October of 2009 when in fact they had received numerous complaints many months and years earlier.”

“They misled the American public,” Stupak added, “by saying that they and other independent sources had thoroughly analyzed the electronics systems and eliminated electronics as a possible cause of sudden unintendedacceleration when, in fact, the only such review was a flawed study conducted by a company retained by Toyota’s lawyers.”

Texas Republican Rep. Joe Barton cautioned his colleagues against conducting a “witch hunt.”

Sikh refugees demand Indian citizenship

AMRITSAR - Following the brutal beheading of two Sikhs by Taliban in Pakistan, refugee Sikhs, hailing from Peshawar in Pakistan living in Amritsar have demanded that they should be given citizenship so that they can live in India safely with their families.

The refugee Sikhs expressed that their families and relatives in Peshawar and other tribal areas are under severe threat from Taliban and repatriation will cost them their lives as well.

About 60 Sikh families from Pakistan have taken refuge in Amritsar for the last couple of years.

Fearing intimidation from Taliban, the minority community has asked for adequate security from the Indian Government.

“Our mother, father, brothers and sisters are still living in Peshawar. It has been almost 15-16 years that we have been living here in India. We are happy here but our relatives back home are facing a tough time,” said Sardar Singh, a refugee.

“It has been 15 years since we came to Punjab, but we haven’t got citizenship as yet. Thus we can’t even bring our relatives from Pakistan here,” he added.

A few Sikh families hailing from Pakistan, particularly from the rebel-controlled areas of Peshawar, have settled in India’s northern Punjab state and established their business here.

“People there tell our folks to leave and go to Punjab and people in Punjab say that you are foreigners. I ask which is my country. Am I a citizen of Pakistan, India or Afghanistan?” Sardar Singh questioned.

The Sikh refugees said that they approached the government several times and even sent request letters but many of them are still to get the Indian citizenship.

“We demand that the Indian government should give us citizenship so that we can bring our relatives here from Peshawar. We want them to live a safe and secure life, with their brothers here,” said Satbir Singh, another refugee.

Thousands of Sikhs living in Pakistan’s tribal belt adjoining Afghanistan have been trading in the region for generations.

In May 2009, the Sikhs joined an exodus of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the Taliban stronghold of Swat Valley, when the army launched an offensive in as a peace pact with the militants broke down. By Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)

Aircel plans USD 1.4 billion investment this year

New Delhi, Feb 24 (PTI) Telecom service provider Aircel today said it plans to invest USD 1.4 billion (over Rs 6,474 crore) this year on expanding its operations and become a pan -India GSM operator by June.

"We plan to invest USD 1.4 billion this year for expanding our networks and on existing operations. By June 2010, we plan to have operations in all 23 telecom circles in the country," Aircel Chief Operating Officer Gurdeep Singh told PTI.

Talking about the company's future investment plans, Singh said Aircel will invest another USD 2.6 billion in the next two years (2011 and 2012).

At present the telco operates in 18 telecom circles across the country. It plans to launch its service in the remaining circles of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Punjab by June, making it a pan-India operator.

13 IAS and two IFS officers face corruption charges

Raipur, Feb 23 (PTI) As many as 13 IAS and two IFS officers in Chhattisgarh have corruption-related cases registered against them in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), the State Assembly was informed today.

Of these officers, one has died, while six have retired from service.

In a written reply to a question by Devjibhai Patel (BJP), Chief Minister Raman Singh said the IAS officers are facing charges in six instances of corruption and the IFS officers in two.

They have been booked by the EOW under relevant sections of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, he said.

Goa emerging as a destination for drugs and sex: GCCI

Panaji, Feb 24 (PTI) Goa is emerging as a "drug and sex destination", the state's apex commerce body has warned.

The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) in a pre-budget memorandum submitted to chief minister Digambar Kamat yesterday asked the government to shore up its act on tourism.

"Tourism in Goa of late is getting a bad name with Goa slowly emerging as a drug and sex destination. There is no basic tourism and entertainment infrastructure in the state.

Problems of law and order and garbage will spell doom for the state tourism," the memorandum signed by GCCI president Cesar Menezes said.

The GCCI delegation also asked the CM to encourage private participation in the development of tourism.

"There is need to encourage private participation in development of tourism infrastructure," the memorandum stated.

Highlights of Railway budget 2010-11 (Part- IV)

New Delhi, Feb 24 (ANI: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday presented the railway budget in the Parliament.

The highlights of the Railway budget 2010-11 are as follows:

New Express train between Ahmedabad-Udhampur

Extension of Kolkata Metro on priority

Railways spending seen at Rs 87100 crore in 2011

Achieve 1000 km electrification in 2011

54 new trains this year

Karmabhoomi special trains for those travelling on work

Matribhoomi special trains for women

Bharatpeeth train in the name of Rabindranath Tagore will travel to 16 destinations across India

Railways spending seen at Rs 87100 crore in 2011

Relief for cancer patients in sleeper class

1st track to connect Port Blair to Diglipur. (ANI)

Highlights of Railway budget 2010-11 (Part-III)

New Delhi, Feb 24 (ANI: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday presented the railway budget in the Parliament.

The highlights of the Railway budget 2010-11 are as follows:

Railways to set up Rabindra Museum in Howrah and Geetanjali Museum in Bolpur both in West Bengal to commemorate Rabindranath Tagore''s 125th birth anniversary

Chittaranjan Locomotive Works capacity to be augmented from 200 to 275 engines a year.

Wagon Repair Shop to be set up in Badnera near Amravati in Maharashtra

Integral Coach Factory in Chennai to be modernised and a new unit to be set up there

If land is available, Railways willing to set up a Diesel Multiple Unit factory in West Bengal

High-speed dedicated passenger corridors to be constructed; National High Speed Rail Authority to be set up.

Revenue from non-core business of Railways to go up from Rs 150 crore to Rs 1,000 crore

Allocation for construction of new lines increased from Rs 2848 crore to Rs 4411 crore

Rs 1,302 crore provided for passenger amenities in the 2010-11 railway budget against Rs 923 crore last year

Railways to develop ten automobile hubs

Funding for all metro projects raised by 55 per cent

To start rail link to Bangladesh

Kashmir role link to be extended to Sopore

Railways to have master plan for North Eastern region. (ANI)

Rajya Sabha adjourned for the second day over price rise

New Delhi, Feb 24 (ANI): The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the second consecutive day on Wednesday as the opposition continued with their uproar over price rise forcing Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari to adjourn proceedings in the House till noon.

The price rise issue rocked the House today with the entire opposition raising a hue and cry over the same.

S S Ahluwalia, the deputy Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha shouted slogans against the government along with a host of other leaders of opposition in the House.

Nothing could be heard in the House as the opposition shouted against the scourge of escalating prices. (ANI)

Highlights of Railway budget 2010-11 (Part-II)

New Delhi, Feb 24 (ANI: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday presented the railway budget in the Parliament.

The highlights of the Railway budget 2010-11 are as follows:

Railways have earned net profit of Rs 1,328 crore

To set up more freight corridors

Private operators can run special freight trains

Dividend to state exchequer Rs 6608 crore in 2011

Ten more Duranto trains announced

Share Golden Rail Corridor project announced

Share No forceful land acquisition by Railways

Railways saved Rs 2,000 crore from austerity drive

Perambur, Chittaranjan plants to be upgraded

No forcible acquisition of land for freight corridor project

To sign agreement with Japanese company for Western Freight Corridor

Freight on food grain, kerosene cut by Rs 100 per wagon. (ANI)

Railway Budget comes with Vision 2020

New Delhi, Feb 24 (ANI): Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday presented the ''Railway Budget 2010'' in the parliament even as the opposition continued with their protests, saying that her ministry has come out with ''Vision 2020'' to modernise the railway network.

"I prefer social responsibility to economic responsibility, she said.

Banerjee said, the railways need to catch up with the advanced western nations, adding that the policy guidelines would be made easier and hassle-free.

Railways will not be privatized, she said, adding that in the next five years the whiole country would be connected by rail.

Banerjee called on the India Inc to build partnership with the Railways.

The minister announced that the exams for the recruitment in Railway would be conducted in the regional languages as well, adding that English, Hindi, Urdu and other regional languages will be used for Railway entrance exams.

Banerjee said that we have kept our earlier promises and out of 120 trains that were proposed by our ministry, 107 trains were started on time.

She announced that six-bottling points would be set for manufacture of water that will be supplied, adding that the food that is provided to the passengers has also improved over the years.

Village panchayats, hospitals and court would have a e-ticket counter proposed Banerjee, adding that a railway counter would also be set up at the office of the District Magistrate.

Railway is all determined to ensure safety measures, she claimed adding that a ''chowkidaar'' would be placed at every railway crossing in the next five years.

Cleanliness of the railway has improved over the years, claimed Banerjee adding that Rs 1302 crores would be spent for the safety of passengers.

Railways would also set up five sports academy, she said adding that it would become link partners of the Commonwealth Games. (ANI)

Highlights of Railway budget 2010-11

New Delhi, Feb 24 (ANI: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday presented the railway budget in the Parliament.

The highlights of the Railway budget 2010-11 are as follows:

Plan to raise Rs 10,000-20,000 crore in the next one year

For cheap drinking water, plan to start six bottling plants

To earn revenues, Railways need to set up a business model

Larger section of population to get connectivity over next five years

Targeting 1000 km new tracks every year

Policies to be made easy, investor-friendly

Special Task Force to clear proposals for investments in 100 days

Focus on medium term goals, planning and funds

Our objective is to unite the country through rail connectivity

Social responsibility priority in my railway budget

Time to build partnership with private players

Rail exams to be held in regional languages

Concession for women and minority communities

Ten per cent of Budget for modernisation of tracks

Ministry needs Rs 14 lakh crore for vision 2020

E-ticketing mobile vans at hospitals, universities

Share Anti-collusion devices to be added to zonal Railways

Share 100-day window for investment clearance

Share Multi-layer parking at stations

Women RPF to be raised

Housing scheme for 14 lakh Rail employees

Sports academies to be set up in five cities

No hike in railway freight rates

Special trains for Commonwealth Games

Out of 120 new trains, 117 to be launched by March 31

Ex-servicemen for railway security

Five new coach factories to be set up

Railway research center in Kharagpur

Design testing unit to be set up in Bangalore

Railways to start work on Rae Bareilly coach factory in the next one year

Service Charge on AC class cut to Rs 20 as against Rs 40 earlier

Service charge on sleeper class reduced to Rs 10

101 new suburban trains in Mumbai

Railways to set up multi-functional hospitals

Houses for all Railways employees in the next 10 years. (ANI)

Railway Budget: List of trains

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that 54 new trains will be introduced.

Here is a list of the trains with their origin and destination points:

Tanakpur - Jauljobi
Bilaspur - Leh
Amethi - Shahganj via Sultanpur
Bahadurgarh - Jhajhar
Ajmer - Kota
Vyas - Kapurthala
Guwahati - Mumbai Karambhumi train
New Jalpaiguri - Amritsar Karambhumi train
Janambhumi trains will run once a week
Ahmedabad - Udhampur Janambhumi train
16 Bharat Tirth train between Himachal - Kanyakumari
Indore - Mumbai New Duranto
Sultanpur - Mumbai
Sultanpur - Ajmer
Kolkotta - Ajmer
Hardwar - Mumbai
Sambhalpur - Hawarh
Gwalior - Pune
Ahmedabad - Jodhpur
Kolkotta - Darbhanga
Gwalior - Chindwara
Hawarh - Shirdi
Trains will be named after great leaders
First rail line in Andaman and Nicobar Islands to connect Port Blair to Diglipur, farthest town of North Andaman

How arsenic exposure triggers tumour growth

Washington, Feb 24 (ANI): Scientists have discovered the mechanism by which the environmental toxin arsenic leads to adverse health effects, including bladder cancer.

"In a collaborative investigation we found that arsenic, at environmentally relevant levels, is capable of activating the Hedgehog pathway and may represent a novel pathway of arsenic-associated diseases, such as bladder cancer," said Margaret R. Karagas, professor in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School.


"We provide important insight into the etiology of arsenic-induced disease, potentially relevant to the millions of people worldwide who are exposed to arsenic," she added.

While the correlation between exposure to arsenic resulting in human tumours such as those derived from bladder, lung and skin is well established, the molecular mechanisms driving this connection is unclear.

Karagas and colleagues examined the hypothesis that the secreted protein called Hedgehog, a key oncogenic signaling pathway, might be activated by arsenic. Activation might underlie the mechanism by which arsenic acts as a co-carcinogen.

Using experimental data from cell cultures and results of epidemiologic studies, the researchers found that arsenic activates the Hedgehog signaling by decreasing the stability of the repressor form of GLI3, which is one of the transcription factors that regulate Hedgehog activity.

Also, Karagas and colleagues found high levels of arsenic exposure associated with high levels of Hedgehog activity.

These study results are published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. (ANI)