Bomb found on LK Advani's yatra route near Madurai
MADURAI, TN: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L K Advani will continue his Jan Chetna Yatra on Friday, but possibly with a minor change in the route after explosives were found under a bridge at a village near here, the party said.A pipe bomb was found in Alampatti near Madurai, around 450 km from Chennai where Advani launched the second leg of the Jan Chetna Yatra that began Friday morning.
"I am sitting in the same van with Advaniji, we are moving from Madurai in Tamil Nadu on the way to Thiruvananthapuram, we also heard some reports but we are safe and sound. The yatra is going on...we are proceeding with the yatra," Ravi Shankar Prasad, the BJP spokesperson, said.
"I have heard that some minor adjustment has been made. Police have done their duty by finding the explosives," Prasad told Times Now news channel. A police officer said: "Some people found the bomb under the bridge on which Advani was supposed to travel and informed police." "As far as Advaniji is concerned, whenever he takes a yatra, he never gets perturbed or distracted by these kind of interferences. We have already covered nearly 3,800 km and today (Friday) is the 18th day of the yatra, we are not impact by these kind of threats," Prasad added. Advani's Jan Chetna Yatra, aimed at fighting black money and corruption, started on Oct 11 and will end on Nov 20.
"I am sitting in the same van with Advaniji, we are moving from Madurai in Tamil Nadu on the way to Thiruvananthapuram, we also heard some reports but we are safe and sound. The yatra is going on...we are proceeding with the yatra," Ravi Shankar Prasad, the BJP spokesperson, said.
"I have heard that some minor adjustment has been made. Police have done their duty by finding the explosives," Prasad told Times Now news channel. A police officer said: "Some people found the bomb under the bridge on which Advani was supposed to travel and informed police." "As far as Advaniji is concerned, whenever he takes a yatra, he never gets perturbed or distracted by these kind of interferences. We have already covered nearly 3,800 km and today (Friday) is the 18th day of the yatra, we are not impact by these kind of threats," Prasad added. Advani's Jan Chetna Yatra, aimed at fighting black money and corruption, started on Oct 11 and will end on Nov 20.
IITs beef up infrastructure, offer better salaries to attract faculty
NEW DELHI: From investing in and beefing up the infrastructure in R&D, housing, helping create opportunities for the spouses of faculty members, providing lump sum grants for young faculty for research, building new state-of-the-art sports complex for new campuses, providing up to 25% higher salary through donations for new joinees to offering joining allowances for fresh recruits - institutes are leaving no stone unturned.
As a result, fresh PhDs and post doctorates have started joining the system from some of the best institutes of the world including IITs, Indian Institute of Science and universities and institutes such as University of Illinois, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, Max Planck institute, Germany, University of South California, Carnegie Mellon University, Imperial College, London, UK.
"Incentives like these do a world of good in attracting best talent. It is a concerted effort over a period of time that shows results. We are already getting ambitious and high potential candidates who want to work with us," says Prof Devang Khakhar, director of IIT-B.
PLENTY OF ACTION
In the last four years, IIT-D, for instance, hired around 107 faculty members from across the world. To retain them, the institute is investing in better infrastructure.
A new housing block of 120 flats for faculty members and their families is being built which will be ready soon. In the next 2-3 years it is planning to set up a central research facility that will house the biggest projects across domains at a cost of Rs 40-50 crore.
To retain the faculty, the institute is trying to create opportunities for teachers' spouses with requisite qualifications in incubation and entrepreneurship centres as technical staff or wherever there are vacancies, says R K Shevgaonkar, director, IIT-D. It also aims to introduce an outreach service under faculty mentorship programme, which will create a pool of talent.
"The aim is to groom world-class teachers not only for IITs, but engineering institutes in India in general. It will be a two-tier process which will train teachers for IITs and they in turn will help create a pool of faculty for engineering colleges across India," adds Shevgaonkar.
IIT-B too has investment plans on the same lines. It will invest around Rs 300 crore in the next three years to enhance and augment its current infrastructure with 180 new faculty apartments, lab space, new academic blocks for computer science, nanoelectronics technology, biotechnology and energy.
The institute has also cut down on recruitment time with hiring drives being conducted through out the year unlike once a year previously. Now positions get filled within three months of announcing a vacancy, it claims.
As a result, fresh PhDs and post doctorates have started joining the system from some of the best institutes of the world including IITs, Indian Institute of Science and universities and institutes such as University of Illinois, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, Max Planck institute, Germany, University of South California, Carnegie Mellon University, Imperial College, London, UK.
"Incentives like these do a world of good in attracting best talent. It is a concerted effort over a period of time that shows results. We are already getting ambitious and high potential candidates who want to work with us," says Prof Devang Khakhar, director of IIT-B.
PLENTY OF ACTION
In the last four years, IIT-D, for instance, hired around 107 faculty members from across the world. To retain them, the institute is investing in better infrastructure.
A new housing block of 120 flats for faculty members and their families is being built which will be ready soon. In the next 2-3 years it is planning to set up a central research facility that will house the biggest projects across domains at a cost of Rs 40-50 crore.
To retain the faculty, the institute is trying to create opportunities for teachers' spouses with requisite qualifications in incubation and entrepreneurship centres as technical staff or wherever there are vacancies, says R K Shevgaonkar, director, IIT-D. It also aims to introduce an outreach service under faculty mentorship programme, which will create a pool of talent.
"The aim is to groom world-class teachers not only for IITs, but engineering institutes in India in general. It will be a two-tier process which will train teachers for IITs and they in turn will help create a pool of faculty for engineering colleges across India," adds Shevgaonkar.
IIT-B too has investment plans on the same lines. It will invest around Rs 300 crore in the next three years to enhance and augment its current infrastructure with 180 new faculty apartments, lab space, new academic blocks for computer science, nanoelectronics technology, biotechnology and energy.
The institute has also cut down on recruitment time with hiring drives being conducted through out the year unlike once a year previously. Now positions get filled within three months of announcing a vacancy, it claims.
Number of Indian Haj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia crosses 1 lakh
Dubai, Oct 28 (PTI) A total of 101,072 Indian pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia so far to perform the annual Haj pilgrimage, Indian officials in the country have said. According to the Consulate General of India in the Saudi city of Jeddah, 97,405 pilgrims are presently in Makkah while 3,628 pilgrims are in Madinah. A total of 356 flights have so far ferried pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. According to the consulate, as of Wednesday, 46 pilgrims have died, out of which 39 came through Haj Committee of India and seven through private tour operators. The maximum number of Indian pilgrims, a total of 31,389, have flown from Delhi so far while Lucknow has sent 12,485 Hajis.
How birds avoid crashes 'unlocked'
Washington, Oct 28 (PTI) The secret of how birds manage to zip flawlessly through narrow spaces without crashing into obstacles has finally been unlocked by scientists, led by an Indian-origin researcher. Prof Mandyam Srinivasan from the Vision Centre and colleagues at University of Queensland have found birds weave rapidly and safely through dense forests and narrow corridors by using their eyes to sense the speed of background image flow on both sides and adjust their flight according to it. They say the discovery can be used to design bird-safe urban structures and improve versatility of pilotless planes. As animals travel forward, things that are close seem to speed by, and things that are farther away seem to travel more slowly. It's the same for birds. We found that they try to achieve a safe 'balance' by ensuring that the background images are passing at the same speed in both eyes. This means that if the bird flies closer to obstacles on one side, the near eye will see things passing by faster while those seen by its other eye will pass more slowly. This imbalance prompts the bird to veer away to even out the speed of image flow in both eyes, Prof Srinivasan said. To find out how birds navigate through narrow passages and away from danger, the research group trained budgerigars to fly along a corridor with walls lined with horizontal or vertical stripes. We found that birds fly the fastest when both walls are lined horizontal stripes, because the stripes are parallel to the bird's flight direction, and the birds don't 'see' a strong image flow in the background. But when both walls have vertical stripes, birds slow down significantly due to the strong image motion, which shows that birds also regulate their flight speed according to what they see, Dr Partha Bhagavatula, a team member, said. When the walls were set up with different orientations -- one with vertical and the other with horizontal stripes, the group found that birds flew significantly closer to the horizontal stripes. Prof Srinivasan says that flight behaviour in birds is very similar to insects such as honeybees, bumblebees and flies: This suggests that this principle of visual guidance may be shared by all day-active flying animals. Furthermore we believe these findings can contribute to the technology of guiding unmanned aerial vehicles where aircraft have to fly through obstacles in cluttered environments, or through canyons and gorges or under bridges. PTI MOT MOT 10281108
Sikh gets job, USD 295,000 in discrimination case in US
Washington, Oct 28 (PTI) Six years after he was denied prison guard's job in California as he refused to shave off his beard required by his Sikh religion, an Indian-American has finally been appointed as a correctional officer in the prison and won USD 295,000 in damages. Trilochan Singh Oberoi, 63, has reached a settlement in this regard with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) as a result of which he would start his duty as a correctional officer from November 1. Oberoi's legal battle exemplifies the challenges many Sikhs face in the US in seeking private and government employment after 9/11, as widespread ignorance, prejudice and hate pose serious challenges to equal opportunity for South Asians, and particularly Sikh Americans, who are often mistaken for Middle Eastern terrorists, said attorney Harmeet K Dhillon, who represented Oberoi. In 2005, Oberoi applied for a position as a correctional officer with the CDCR, according to a statement issued today. Oberoi advanced to the final stage of the application process, which involved being fit-tested with a particular model of tight-fitting respirator mask, and was told that he could not take the test unless he were to shave off his beard. Oberoi requested that the CDCR accommodate his religiously mandated beard, but was not granted such an accommodation and was not hired by the CDCR in any capacity. After making numerous attempts over the next year to ascertain the status of his accommodation request, in February 2007, he filed an appeal with the California State Personnel Board (SPB) concerning the CDCR's denial of his opportunity to complete the correctional officer application because of his religiously-mandated beard. PTI LKJ DDC AKJ DDC 10281654
NASA launches weather-climate satellite
Washington, Oct 28 (AFP) The US space agency today launched a first-of-its kind satellite that will send back data on weather and climate to help forecasters predict major storms and other changes in the environment. Liftoff of the Delta II with the NPP satellite, blazing the way in new technology for climate research and weather forecasting, said NASA commentator George Diller. The USD 1.5 billion National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project (NPP) took off aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 5:48 am (0948 GMT). The satellite will carry five instruments to study temperature and water in the atmosphere, how clouds and aerosols affect temperature, and how plants on land and in the ocean respond to environmental changes. It is one of 14 Earth observation missions currently being managed by NASA. Project managers said they hope it will operate for about five years.
A golden time for world sports in India
Hosting of the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 in India was a tremendous honour and joy, not only for Indians at home, but also for Indians the world over. India went from winning 1 medal to 101 medals, in 76 years and secured an overall standing of 2nd in the final medal count. The spectacular opening and closing ceremonies, embroidered with the rich heritage of India, were a testament to the world that India has arrived. The Commonwealth Games were over last year, but the "smell of the games and its success will remain on the soil of Mother India" for a long time to come.
In 2011 India, again played a major role in the world sports, by hosting 14 of the 49 World Cup Cricket matches, organized by the ICC in India, with the final match at the Wankhade Stadium in Mumbai. This time, India made history by bringing home the World Cup after 28 years. The jubilant crowds and the sea of tricolor sweeping the nation will forever remain etched in the minds of Indians all over the world.
And finally, Indian athletes did their best ever by bringing home 64 medals including 14 golds during the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou China , which is India's second best performance ever since inception of the Asian Games in 1951.
But this has not just been an amazing time for sports in India. Last year, following the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, I had the exciting privilege of visiting two figure skating silver medalist's from the Vancouver 2010 games, back stage during the Smucker's Stars On Ice show in Boston. Meryl Davis and Charlie White, two American figure skaters, for the first time in the Olympic history performed routines on Indian bollywood music at the games. They wore Indian outfits and looked so natural and perfect as they skated to the famous "mere chain-vain sab ujaraa" number from 'Bunty and Babli' movie. Meryl Davis and Charlie White are the current world champions (first in US history to ever win the world championship title in ice dancing) and 3 times US national champions.So, kudos to the Indian athletes and the Indian Olympic Committee for putting on the best show ever.
-Kumu Gupta( Kumu Gupta is on the Board of Director's of a non profit museum , whose founder took part in all Winter Olympics, since Lake Placid (1980) as part of the Nordic Ski Patrol team and often has been the only American to represent the US in an international team of ski Patrol' er's at the Olympics.Kumu Gupta is the first Indian American to sing the American National Anthem at a Giants baseball game)
Barack Obama wishes Happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak
 |
| Obama in Diwali Celebrations(file) |
"Diwali is a time for gathering with family and friends and as we experienced in India, celebrating with good food and dancing," Obama said in a statement referring to his Diwali celebration in Mumbai last year when he made his maiden trip to India."It is also a time for contemplation and prayer that serves as a reminder of our obligations to our fellow human beings, especially the less fortunate," said Obama, who became the first US president to celebrate Diwali at the White House in 2009.He was also the first American president to celebrate Diwali in India last year."Today, here in America and around the world, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists will celebrate the holiday of Diwali - the festival of lights," Obama said."Many who observe this holiday do so by lighting the diya, or lamp, which symbolises the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance," he said."I was proud to be the first President the mark Diwali and light the Diya at the White House, and last year Michelle and I were honoured to join in Diwali celebrations during our visit to India," Obama said."To all who are observing this sacred holiday here and around the world, Happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak," Obama said.
Desi companies set to feature among world's top 10 coal miners
 |
| GV K Reddy |
 |
| L.Madhusudan Rao |
Increasing Imports:
In spite of having the world's third biggest coal resources after US and China, Indian firms are aggressively acquiring coal assets overseas as most of Indian coal reserves lie in forest areas and cannot be mined for environmental concerns. Indian coal imports are, therefore, seen rising against a stagnant output and rising demand. Total coal imports in 2010 were 55 million mt, which is likely to climb to 186 million mt by 2014 because of aggressive ramp-up plans by steel and power companies. Michael Cooper, associate editor, Platts International Coal Report, has another reason. "The quality of thermal coal in India is of very low calorific value with high ash content compared to imported coal, which has comparably higher heating values and, when burned, increases power station boilers' efficiency."
Global Acquisitions:
Indian firms have already spent over $10 billion to acquire coal mines overseas and are likely to invest a similar amount in coming years. Adani acquired Linc Energy's Queensland coal tenements in a deal valued at $2.72 billion and agreed to pay another $2 billion in cash for the Abbot Point terminal near Bowen to secure coal delivery. Similarly, Reliance Power has acquired three coal mines in Indonesia with total reserves of 2 billion mt. The company plans to further invest $500 million to ramp up capacity . "With reserves in excess of 4 billion mt in India and overseas , no doubt we will be among the top 10 coal miners in the world with an annual production of 100 million mt in coming years," Jayarama Prasad Chalasani, Reliance Power CEO, told TOI. G V Krishna Reddy of GVK Group has also joined the premier league of coal barons. His latest $1.26-billion acquisition in Australia will give him access to 8 billion mt of coal reserves to fuel GVK's power projects in India. Another power company, GMR Energy, had in August agreed to buy a 30% stake in PT Golden Energy Mines for $550 million. The firm had earlier acquired an Indonesian coal company PT Barasentosa Lestari for $100 million. Others like Lanco with captive coal reserves of 2 billion mt are still scouting opportunities. "Recently, we acquired Griffin coal in Australia for $750 million. We are building a pipeline for acquisitions in Indonesia, Africaand Australia," K Naga Prasad, Lanco's CEO (business development) told TOI. Cooper believes that, going forward, Indian firms will continue to acquire overseas coal assets aggressively. "India has ambitious plans to expand it steel-making and power-generating capacity and, if its domestic production cannot match this, then it will have to source this coal from overseas or otherwise reduce its targets for steel production and electricity generation," Cooper added.
Undervalued Share Prices :
Indian infrastructure companies may secure the the top 10 global positions by chasing the black diamond overseas, but when it comes to valuations , the stocks of these companies have taken a severe blow.
The fact that shares of Lanco Infratech, Adani Power and Reliance Power are available for discounts of 33% to 75% is because the markets have taken a weak view of their overleveraged acquisitions, litigations and regulatory clearances and possible impact of carbon tax abroad.
Mysore Palace on list of 31 must-see places in world
BANGALORE: If Madame Tussauds in London attracts the maximum number of tourists from across the globe, the majestic Mysore Palace ranks a close second on the list of the most-visited places on the globe. In another affirmation of its drawing power, the New York Times recently listed it as one of the 31 must-see places on Earth for two years in a row. The palace plays host to an average 2.5 million tourists each year. Going by the growing tourist footfalls, Karnataka tourism department officials say it could well be the numero uno soon. Feedback from tourists from the UK, Spain, France and other countries suggests that the palace has mesmerized visitors. Many wonder why Buckingham Palace has been considered magnificent for so long when the Mysore Palace can boast of superior construction.
In 2010, Mysore Palace had a domestic visitor footfall of 3.1 million and another 70,000 from abroad. Other places in Mysore played host to 7 million domestic and 12,000 international visitors. The first nine months of 2011 have seen 2.4 million domestic visitors and 60,000 international visitors touring the palace.
The city, on the other hand, received a whopping 6.75 million domestic and 25,000 foreign tourists till September.
"Hardly does the Mysore Palace or the city get left out of a tour itinerary involving either Karnataka or south India," says a senior official of the tourism department.
Tours that start in Tamil Nadu and end in Bangalore enter Karnataka from Wayanad through Nagarahole, Mysore or Hassan before reaching Bangalore, for onward departures. A lot of tours enter Karnataka coming through Ooty, Bandipur and Mysore and conclude at Bangalore.
"Mysore generates a handsome revenue for the state," tourism officials said. It's evident by the fact that three new hotels are being set up to cash on the growth. Readying their infrastructure are Radisson Blu Plaza (170 rooms), Sheraton Mysore Hotel (220 rooms) and the Country Inn Suites (130 rooms), all expected to start operations in one year.
Seven-billionth baby to be born in Uttar Pradesh on October 31?
BAGHPAT: The world's 7 billionth person, which the UN says will be born on October 31, will join a population more aware than ever of the challenges of sustaining life on a crowded planet but no closer to a consensus about what to do about it. Some demographers see turbulent times ahead: Nations grappling with rapid urbanization, environmental degradation and skyrocketing demand for healthcare, education, resources and jobs. Others feel a shrinking population, not overpopulation, could be the longer-term challenge as fertility rates drop. "There are parts of the world where the population is shrinking and in those parts of the world, they are worried about productivity, about being able to maintain a critical mass of people," Babatunde Osotimehin, executive director of the UN Population Fund, said. "Then there are parts of the world where the population is growing fast. " No one knows what circumstances the baby will be born into, but Uttar Pradesh, with a population that combines that of Britain, France and Germany, provides a snapshot of the challenges it could face. How do we know for sure that it will be born in UP? Well, India has the highest number of babies born every minute, at 51. So the probability of Baby 7 Billion being an Indian is highest. And UP alone has about 11 babies born every minute. Pinky Pawar, 25, is due to give birth in UP at the end of the month and is hoping her firstborn will not join the estimated 3 billion people living on less than $2 a day. "I want my child to be successful in life," she said sitting outside her mud and brick home in Sunhaida village. With the number of people on earth more than doubling over the last fifty years, resources are under more strain than ever before.Agencies
A prime worry is how to provide basic necessities to the 2-3 billion people expected to be added in the next 50 years. Nutritious food is in short supply in many parts of the globe. The World Bank says 925 million people are hungry today, partly due to rising food prices since 1995. To feed the two billion more mouths predicted by 2050, food production will have to increase by 70%, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization says.Providing basic necessities to the 2-3 billion people expected to be added in the next 50 years is going to be a challenge as water usage is set to increase by 50% between 2007 and 2025 in developing nations and 18% in developed ones. Also, nutritious food is in short supply in many parts of the globe.
A prime worry is how to provide basic necessities to the 2-3 billion people expected to be added in the next 50 years. Nutritious food is in short supply in many parts of the globe. The World Bank says 925 million people are hungry today, partly due to rising food prices since 1995. To feed the two billion more mouths predicted by 2050, food production will have to increase by 70%, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization says.Providing basic necessities to the 2-3 billion people expected to be added in the next 50 years is going to be a challenge as water usage is set to increase by 50% between 2007 and 2025 in developing nations and 18% in developed ones. Also, nutritious food is in short supply in many parts of the globe.
Diwali: Spreading sparkles of happiness
The house was inundated with aromas of delectable delicacies. It was safer to stay away from mothers, who are a tad irritable, working chores without the usual helpers. Diwali in a city like Delhi was synonymous with carefree celebrations- a lot of pomp associated with the festivities.
New clothes are brought, house is scrubbed cleaned, powdered and puffed. The frantic run to malls and shopping sprees to clench the best Diwali deal is as arduous as a rigorous exercise regime. This is in fact one of the main reasons behind pre-Diwali weight loss syndrome. Grand late night Diwali tash (card) parties, with sumptuous spread of food and drinks are the culprits of the successive post-Diwali weight gain syndrome. Each individual consciously or unconsciously sucked into the trend of trying to outshine the other -louder and high-tech crackers, expensive and grander attire, louder music, better decor, more luxurious parties. More recently campaigns to have a safe and pollution, free Diwali has made Delhi less noisy, cleaner, and less prone to respiratory problems around Diwali times.
As a child, I remember going to our ancestral village during this festival. Like most Indian villages, the rustic charm of my village completely enticed us. We would think the dense bushes lining the patched muddy roads, agna Agni banasta (name of a forest from my grandma's stories). The village temple, with its fragrance of sandalwood, flowers and incense would greet us at the entrance. We would be awed by the little half-naked boys jumping and swimming effortlessly in the green cool moss ridden waters, almost engulfed-at the shallow end- by the water lilies and lotus.
As the evening approached, the villagers would get ready for the celebrations and festivities. Handmade crackers would be tied to the apex of long poles erected earlier. An elderly gentle man holding a long pole set ablaze at one end would light the crackers. Many times, we would watch the sparks from the amateurish crackers fall on the thatched roof and set it on fire. Many villagers would rush forward to extinguish the fire. We would listen with popped eyes to the tales of the great escapes from fire or the brave rescue missions. As my worldview widened I came to realize that these were manufactured calamities and could have been averted. As Indians, we are often sentimentally attached to our culture and traditions. Undoubtedly, an individual devoid of roots is like a rolling stone, aimless, lacking any sense of association. Yet as we evolve so does our perspective. When the healthy elements of tradition are cherished, the pretense and negative aspects are discarded, hidden meanings are un-earthen or new meaning is added to our traditions and culture - a pure, refined and shimmering culture emerges.
In this quest for finer meaning for our traditions, I would like to add the interpretation of a couple who changed their viewpoint and lighted up their lives this Diwali. The names have been changed to protect their identity. Ritu and Vinod were young and dynamic career driven expatriates. At least they presented that image to the outside world. Behind the closed door, their life was a closet full of broken dreams and agonizing pain. Her facade of strength always crumbled when she faced Vinod. Last Diwali, Ritu and Vinod opened their hearts and home to a small girl (an orphan) - abandoned on the streets to die. Despite strong opposition from other members of family who ostracized them, they stuck to that one glimmer of hope they now call Diya.
Diwali, the festival of lights gained another perspective here in Dubai. The recent flood in Orissa is considered as one of the worst in the recent times, with 3,128 villages devastated across 10 districts. The number of people thrown at the mercy of nature is a stupendous statistical figure of 21.6 lakh. The Oriya community at Dubai, Odisa Samaj UAE (OSUAE), thought of bringing a gleam of light into the lives of the people devastated by nature. For these unfortunate children of god, lighting a small lamp to welcome the goddess of prosperity is a distance dream. Diwali celebrations occur in an alien world far removed from the lives of these people. Getting urgent medical help for their sick children, finding clothing and shelter, clean water and some crumbs of food for their starved stomach is all they can think of. The extent of their plight is unimaginable. Every ounce of help, however small is precious for them. Most people have the motive to help yet they flounder in finding avenues. The UAE Odisha Samaj initiated a call for donation in its Facebook page. Ever since, people have been responding to this call and a substantial sum has been collected for the purpose.
During festivities like Diwali, the Indian heart longs for-the celebrations, ambience, friends and family-all elements associated with the occasion. It was heartening to find that Dubai opened its heart and made space for Indians to feel completely at home. Yes, there are restrictions in place, but mostly for safety reasons. Indiscriminate bursting of crackers also hampers the environment and it is best if this culture fizzles out slowly. We noticed that the police authorities were liberal when they found Indians indulging in crackers i.e. if the safety criteria's were being met. There was no dearth of friends who embraced this predominantly Hindu festival. Hindu, Muslim and Christian friends indulged in the fun-fare. The luminous Diwali at Dubai became grander with the radiance of mutual respect for disparate cultures- lighted up hearts and brought everyone closer.
-Minakhee Mishra
Minimum support price on food items up, may fan inflation
NEW DELHI: Ahead of elections in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, the government on Tuesday announced an increase of up to 39% in the support price for farm goods in what is being billed as a Diwali gift for farmers. But the move has raised fears of a further spike in food inflation, which crossed the 10% mark last week. While the smallest increase was in case of wheat, where the minimum support price has been increased by around 15%, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs was far more liberal in case of oil seeds, gram and masur. The government acknowledged that the move had the potential to fan food inflation but chose to give higher priority to farmer interest.
Higher MSP of farm goods can bloat food subsidy bill
"We can't be completely blind to the fact that there is inflationary pressure. Just like the growth versus inflation debate, this is a difficult balancing act," law minister Salman Khurshid said on Tuesday after the government announced an increase of up to 39% in the support price for farm goods. Higher MSP also comes with the risk of bloating the food subsidy bill at a time when granaries are already overflowing with excess grain. Although Khurshid said the government chose to go ahead with the recommendations of theCommission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), sources said the agency had suggested that the MSP for wheat be enhanced to Rs 1,350 a quintal instead and also get states such as Punjab to do away with the 5% duty. But CCEA chose to ignore the reform suggested by CACP and stuck to the minimum increase that was suggested.
In case of other commodities, however, the Cabinet has chosen to accept the MSP suggested by CACP. "We imported edible oil worth Rs 29,000 crore last year. So, it's time that we incentivized domestic cultivation and reduced import dependence," said an official. There are, however, fears that with prices of mustard and sunflower oil increasing due to higher MSP, palm oil prices would also go up in a similar fashion and put further pressure on households. Officials acknowledged that there was a possibility given that palm oil prices - that went up by around 45% last year - have only decreased marginally.
In recent months, the government has grappled with high food prices but has been largely ineffective in taming it. The latest round could put further pressure although UPA-2 seems to be taking cues from the 2009 general elections when a farm loan waiver on the eve of polls helped it secure a better mandate.
'Who are you?' ICC official asks Ganguly at Eden Gardens
Ganguly, who was doing his maiden commentary assignment at the Eden for the host television broadcaster during the India-England one-dayer Tuesday, was stopped by an anti-corruption unit (ACU) official of the International Cricket Council (ICC) when he was entering the ground for the pitch report before the start of the game.
The ACU official, Dharmender Singh Yadav, asked him "Who are you?" to which a startled Ganguly reportedly replied "I'm Sourav Ganguly, going for the pitch report".
However, Yadav was not impressed and asked for his identity card, which Ganguly was not carrying then as he had left it at the commentary box.
Ganguly had to walk back to the commentary box, get his card and then only Yadav allowed him into the ground.
Ganguly did not make any comment on the incident.However, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) joint secretary Biswarup Dey said he had heard that such an incident did take place. "The thing was sorted out. But I will speak to Ganguly," he said.
US H-1B visas to Indians increase by 24%
The US government on Tuesday said that it had increased H-1B visas from 54,111 issued in 2010 to 67,195 in 2011.In September this year, India had brought America's attention to the estimates by Indian industry that the uptake of H-1B visa this year had been less than half of the annual prescribed limit, and the rejection rates had gone up. India had sought an early resolution to the problems being faced by the IT industry over H-1B visas in the US.The issue was highlighted at the India-US CEO Forum.
World population to hit 10 billion, but 15 billion possible: UN
In a report ahead of ceremonies on October 31 to mark the seven billionth human alive today, theUN Population Fund (UNFPA) warned demographic pressure posed mighty challenges for easing poverty and conserving the environment.
New estimates see a global human tally of 9.3 billion at 2050, an increase over earlier figures, and more than 10 billion by century's end,UNFPA said.
But, it added, "with only a small variation in fertility, particularly in the most populous countries, the total could be higher: 10.6 billion people could be living on Earth by 2050 and more than 15 billion in 2100."
The 126-page document, "The State of the World Population 2011", highlights a surge that began with the post-World War II baby boom -- a numbers "bulge" that shows up in following generations as they in turn grow up and have children.In contrast, prosperity, better education and access to contraception have slashed the global fertility rate to the point that some rich countries have to address a looming population fall.
Over the past six decades, fertility has declined from a statistical average of 6.0 children per women to about 2.5 today, varying from 1.7 in the most advanced economies to 4.2 in the least developed nations.
Even so, 80 million people each year are added to the world's population. People under 25 comprise 43 percent of the total."Our record population can be viewed in many ways as a success for humanity -- people are living longer, healthier lives," said Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA's executive director.
"How did we become so many? How large a number can our Earth sustain?" he asked."These are important questions, but perhaps not the right ones for our times. When we look only at the big number, we risk being overwhelmed and losing sight of new opportunities to make life better for everyone in the future."
The report highlighted these challenges:Helping youth: Having large numbers of young adults offers many poor countries the hope of rising from poverty.
But, warns the UNFPA, "this opportunity of a 'demographic dividend' is a fleeting moment that must be claimed quickly or lost." Finding jobs for this swelling sea of youngsters is essential.
The report notably quotes from a report by the UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO) which suggests the 23.4-percent youth unemployment in the Arab world was a major contributor to the uprisings there.
Green worries: The report cites environmental problems that are already pressing and set to intensify as demand grows for food, energy and homes.
Referring to a yardstick of sustainability used by the environmental thinktank Global Footprint Network, the report said it now takes the Earth 18 months to regenerate the natural resources that we use in a year.
"Climate change and rapid population growth are among the many factors contributing to the current drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, which has affected more than 12 million people," it says.
Future concerns focus especially on water stress. "Analysis suggests that the world will face a 40-percent global shortfall (in water) between forecast demand and available supply by 2030," says the report, citing Egypt -- hugely dependent on the Nile -- as a particular example.
City Futures: The balance between rural and urban populations "has tipped irreversibly" towards cities in today's world of seven billion. The biggest urban agglomeration, as defined by the UNFPA, is Tokyo, with 36.7 million people, followed by Delhi, with 22 million, Sao Paulo, 20 million and Mumbai, with 20 million.
As the world's population expands, better urban planning, with closer involvement of residents, will be essential. Adequate housing, sanitation and green spaces should be incorporated in the shaping of cities rather than ad-hoc growth that leads to shanty towns.
Immigration: In rich countries where populations are becoming top-heavy with the elderly, the task will be to meet growing demands for labour. Immigration, one of the options, needs to be orderly and managed so that migrants are better integrated and protected.
Family planning: Dozens of countries are lagging in achieving the UN's Millennium Development Goal of providing universal access to reproductive health, said the report.
"A stable population is a sine qua non for accelerated, planned economic growth and development," said Osotimehin.
Obama honours Indian-American activist Vijaya Emani
“Breaking long-held taboos, Vijaya Emani lent her voice to protect Indian-American women from domestic violence,” Mr. Obama said while presenting the nation's second-highest civilian honour to Emani's daughters -- Sujata and Nirmala -- in the East Room of the White House on Thursday.
“She was a trailblazer who shared her personal story to help other battered women overcome abusive relationships,” Mr. Obama said of Emani, who was killed on January 15, 2009 at the age of 51 when she was hit by a truck in Ohio.
Our Hyderabad Staff Reporter writes: Vijaya Emani was born at Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh to Indu Rani and G. Venkataramana Reddy and she was a meritorious student at every level of her education. She made her way to the United States in 1986 after graduating in engineering from Osmania University in 1980 and later received her M.S. degree in Computer Science from Cleveland State University. With her marriage ending in divorce, she overcame personal struggles to bring up her daughters with the help of her mother. Vijaya came to the forefront of the Indian community, first working with the Northeast Ohio Telugu Association, then with the Federation of Indian Community Associations and with Greater Cleveland Asian Community later.
She initiated single-parent support groups and opened discussion about immigrant domestic violence. An advocate of women's empowerment and community involvement, Vijaya rose to be a civic leader to one of the largest minorities in the city of Cleveland. She worked to help set up the India Cultural Garden in 2002 and installation of Gandhiji's statue in 2006.
The news of Vijaya Emani receiving the award from Mr. Obama aroused keen interest in the elite sections of Kurnool town, Several citizen activists launched a search to trace her roots. The former Mayor S. Raghurami Reddy, social activist K. C. Kalkura and collector of antique objects Venkateshwar Reddy were in the forefront among them.
Globe-trotter Punjabi film wins honour
''The film's selection for Venice, London and Busan, Abu Dhabi and Hongkong international film festivals makes it clear that Punjabi cinema has come of age,'' declares an elated Samuel.
''The film focuses on the socially repressed and the exploited. It covers a day in the life of a family whose dreams of making better living are dashed,'' said Gurvinder.
This is Samuel's first experience with serious cinema. He has been promoting rural theatre singlehandedly for two decades.
India asks Australia to withdraw travel advisory
Minister of External Affairs S M Krishna, who is here to attend the CHOGM Foreign Ministers Meeting, held talks with his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd and raised the issue in detail, official sources said.
Krishna asked Rudd to withdraw issuance oftravel advisory for tourists travelling to India.
"The language in these advisory is rather disproportionate and contrary to the current trend of tourism to India," he told Rudd.Responding to Krishna, Rudd said such advisories were "routine" advice and "we do not have any information of any specific threat to share with India."
According to official sources, Krishna is also expected to raise the issue with his other counterparts including Canada and New Zealand.In the wake of many countries, including US and Australia, issuing travel advisories to their citizens, New Delhi has taken a serious note of the issue, maintaining such notices do not reflect the reality and have adverse affect on the tourism to the country.
India vs China: The South China sea oil rush
India's initial response to China's demarche asserting that Beijing's permission was necessary for Indian companies to explore oil and natural gas in the South China Sea was singularly inept. To recapitulate, ONGC Videsh (OVL) had signed a contract with Vietnamese authorities to explore blocks 127 and 128 off the Spratly Islands, claimed by China (both the PRC and Taiwan) and Vietnam. The PRC official spokesman, Jiang Yu, reacted on September 15, claiming indisputable sovereignty over these 'Nan Sha' islands while hoping that the South China Sea dispute would not be subjected to involvement from any foreign country.
The Global Times, a mouthpiece of the Chinese communist party, took the cue to call the Indo-Vietnam deal a serious political provocation and urged the Chinese government to "try every means possible to stop this cooperation from happening". Subsequently, the People's Daily pulled back somewhat, dubbing the claims and counter-claims as 'vague' and asking all three countries to come out with the specific location of the concession so that jurisdiction over it could be verified.
In contrast, India's official spokesman mounted a vague defence of the country's energy cooperation with Vietnam on the basis of international law. External affairs minister Krishna also gave a restrained response during his visit to Vietnam in September, reiterating India's intention to go ahead with the exploration.
It is only during the visit of Vietnamese President Troung Tan Sang that a firmer line emerged with the signing of the agreement on new investments in exploration and supply of oil and gas between OVL and its Vietnamese counterpart. And then, in perhaps the first indication of a 'forward policy' on security issues relating to the South China Sea, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also struck an uncharacteristically bold note in a statement after official talks.
The Third United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III), 1982, provides each coastal nation with an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extending 200 nautical miles from the edge of its territorial sea and a continental shelf up to 200-m depth from its continental margin. The coastal state has the sole right to exploit minerals and other non-living natural resources under the seabed of both its EEZ and continental shelf.
The rub lies in the further provision that these rights will also extend to the seas around islands under their sovereignty that are unsubmerged during high tide, regardless of whether they are small specks of land. Consequently, much larger surrounding swathes of oil and gas-rich seabeds fall under the jurisdiction of the state having sovereignty over the South China Sea islands.
The Global Times, a mouthpiece of the Chinese communist party, took the cue to call the Indo-Vietnam deal a serious political provocation and urged the Chinese government to "try every means possible to stop this cooperation from happening". Subsequently, the People's Daily pulled back somewhat, dubbing the claims and counter-claims as 'vague' and asking all three countries to come out with the specific location of the concession so that jurisdiction over it could be verified.
In contrast, India's official spokesman mounted a vague defence of the country's energy cooperation with Vietnam on the basis of international law. External affairs minister Krishna also gave a restrained response during his visit to Vietnam in September, reiterating India's intention to go ahead with the exploration.
It is only during the visit of Vietnamese President Troung Tan Sang that a firmer line emerged with the signing of the agreement on new investments in exploration and supply of oil and gas between OVL and its Vietnamese counterpart. And then, in perhaps the first indication of a 'forward policy' on security issues relating to the South China Sea, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also struck an uncharacteristically bold note in a statement after official talks.
The Third United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III), 1982, provides each coastal nation with an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extending 200 nautical miles from the edge of its territorial sea and a continental shelf up to 200-m depth from its continental margin. The coastal state has the sole right to exploit minerals and other non-living natural resources under the seabed of both its EEZ and continental shelf.
The rub lies in the further provision that these rights will also extend to the seas around islands under their sovereignty that are unsubmerged during high tide, regardless of whether they are small specks of land. Consequently, much larger surrounding swathes of oil and gas-rich seabeds fall under the jurisdiction of the state having sovereignty over the South China Sea islands.
India's telecom story over? Six top executives of mobile companies including Bharti, Tata Teleservices, R-Comm hunting new jobs
"India's telecom story is over. Industry revenues have not gone up in two years," admitted the promoter of one of the largest mobile phone companies.
Funds have dried up, expansion is on hold, profits and customer additions have slowed even as the 14-player industry battles to recover from the fallout of the 2G spectrum scam.
"Most companies are battling high debt and stagnant revenues. Banks have refused to lend. 3G is making very slow progress. Many top executives are looking at changing sectors," a chief executive of the mobile phone company told to ET.
Three independent sources, including two of the six officials mentioned above, confirmed their intention to move out of the respective companies if alternatives became available.
A leading headhunter, who is aware of three CEOs heading telecom companies looking for new jobs, said these officials now faced new challenges as the focus of their companies had shifted to cutting costs and increasing efficiencies, triggering job culls across the board.
"Instead of managing growth, expansion and rolling out new service offerings, most chief executives are confronted with reducing head count, restructuring exercises, merging verticals and businesses," this headhunter added. He declined to be named as he is working with some of these CEOs who are looking for greener pastures.
The two officials looking for new jobs who head new entrants face an additional complication because these firms bagged mobile permits in 2008 under controversial circumstances. Most of the companies that received their licences during the tenure of the former telecom minister A Raja have put their expansion plans on hold as they are battling high debt and also face the possibility of the Supreme Court cancelling their permits.
Indian IT firms like TCS, Infosys & Wipro can withstand uncertain demand: S&P
"The largest Indian IT companies have strong margins, are cost-competitive, and have proven delivery models. These attributes will help them to weather uncertain and volatile demand," said Standard & Poor's credit analyst Abhishek Dangra.
The report suggests that the three leading Indian IT companies will be able to grow at a faster pace than the global industry, at least over the next few years. Standard & Poor's expect these companies to maintain industry-leading EBITDA margins and grow in double digits in the next 12 months.
Bigger challenges for the Indian IT companies will occur in the longer term. We expect the cost advantages of these companies to diminish as foreign competitors increase their already-large employee bases in India. Moreover, business and reputation risk is rising due to increasing protectionism. But we expect the three largest Indian IT companies to adapt to the challenges, as they have in the past.
The report says that companies also face issues such as dependence on the slowing economies of the U.S. and Europe, visa issues, rising wages in India, and foreign exchange volatility. The sovereign budget cuts across the U.S. and Europe could hurt business sentiment and lower private-sector IT spending. Though deal cancellations are not as significant as they were in 2008-2009, the time it takes to close deals has lengthened.
"High unemployment rates, slowing growth, and political activism in many countries are generating opposition to outsourcing," said Mr. Dangra. "Still, we expect focus on cutting costs in a slowing global economy to support demand for outsourcing to India. Such a practice results in significant cost savings."
How is foreign income taxed?
In fact, his yearly foreign earnings occasionally exceed his regular salary. Chances are that you have met or heard of someone like Nayak, who is engaged in a skill-based profession and burns the midnight oil to tap overseas opportunities while going about his day job. There are enough and more such avenues available today, with newer ones opening up every year. "Typically, such opportunities are available in skilloriented professions. It could be software development, technical consultancy (architectural or engineering designs), gaming application designing, and so on," says Rajesh Srinivasan, leader, global employment services, Deloitte India.
Army to set up 72 ranges to train sharpshooters
US embassy issues over 4.9 lakh non-immigrant visas
 |
| Sample Visa |
NEW DELHI: The US mission here has issued more than 4,90,000 non-immigrant visas during its fiscal year 2011 ending September 30, an increase of 4.3 per cent from last fiscal.
The non-immigrant visa category includes business, tourist, student and related visas, a release from the US embassy said today.
Responding to the booming growth in Indian visa applications in recent years, the US Mission to India, including the embassy here and Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata, has greatly expanded its consular staffing, infrastructure and outreach, it said.
While the Consular staffing has increased 60 per cent in the past five years, the mission has recently invested more than USD 100 million in updating and expanding its consular facilities, it said, adding applicants may now choose to have their visa interview in languages like Bengali, Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, Tamil, and Telugu.
It also said that the Consulate General in Hyderabad opened in 2009 and in the very near future, the new consulate facilities in Mumbai will open their doors.
The non-immigrant visa category includes business, tourist, student and related visas, a release from the US embassy said today.
Responding to the booming growth in Indian visa applications in recent years, the US Mission to India, including the embassy here and Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata, has greatly expanded its consular staffing, infrastructure and outreach, it said.
While the Consular staffing has increased 60 per cent in the past five years, the mission has recently invested more than USD 100 million in updating and expanding its consular facilities, it said, adding applicants may now choose to have their visa interview in languages like Bengali, Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, Tamil, and Telugu.
It also said that the Consulate General in Hyderabad opened in 2009 and in the very near future, the new consulate facilities in Mumbai will open their doors.
Five Indians Killed in Wrong-Way Car Accident Near Detroit
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Five people died Sunday in a fiery accident when a car driving on the wrong side of a suburban Detroit freeway collided with another vehicle, the Detroit Free Press reported. Michigan State Police said the two cars caught fire after one driving illegally against traffic slammed into the other in Southfield, about 15 miles northwest of Detroit. The accident between a car driven by a 23-year-old and an SUV carrying four individuals occurred around 4:15am local time Sunday on the M-10, a road commonly known as The Lodge Freeway. Police said they had not yet determined which of the cars was headed in the wrong direction. "Given the time of day, alcohol is a possibility, speed is a possibility," Michigan State Police Sgt. Nathaniel McQueen told the Free Press.
REUTERS Report: A driver going the wrong way on a suburban Detroit freeway early Sunday slammed into another vehicle, and both burst into flames killing all five people involved, Michigan state police said.The crash on the M-10, also known as The Lodge Freeway, left the northbound lanes shut down for about six hours while police investigated, Michigan State Police Sergeant Nathaniel McQueen said.One man driving alone in a passenger car was killed as were four people in an SUV, McQueen said.Authorities had not yet determined which vehicle was traveling the wrong way on the freeway in Southfield, Michigan, McQueen said."We don't know at this time if speed or alcohol played a factor," McQueen said, adding that the crash happened at about 4 a.m.Authorities were waiting for toxicology tests to be completed.The five people killed were taken to the Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office. Autopsies were scheduled for Monday
Pakistan frees four Indian armymen as helicopter crisis ends
The low-key wedding was attended by a few members of the close-knit Piramal family, who flew down to bless the couple, and feast on a lavish spread by a Delhi-based celebrity chef, who is very close to the Piramals.
The immensely talented Radhika is a Harvard MBA and has worked in New York and London before joining the family business in 2010. She will now divide her time between London and Mumbai, much like her business-historian mother.As much as this 'VIP' wedding serves as a precedent to most eminent families across India, let's hope Radhika's marriage remains a happy one unlike her parents who divorced in 2005!
Woman jumps from Mumbai sea link, saved
According to Worli police, Shenaz Sharafat Khan alias Rajni left her house at around 1.30am after informing her mother that she would be back in ten minutes. Rajni also locked her house from outside and went to the sea link at around 2.15am and jumped into the waters. The control room received a call at around 2.20am, after which the police and fire brigade reached the spot. However, the local fishermen had already rescued her by then, police said. Rajni was discharged and sent home few hours after she was admitted to Poddar hospital.
She lived with her mother and brother and had even worked in a bar for sometime, police said, adding Rajni's mother told them that she was mentally disturbed. As of now no case of attempt to suicide has been registered against her, they added.
Strong earthquake rocks Turkey, 1000 feared killed
VAN, TURKEY: As many as 1,000 people were feared killed on Sunday when a powerful earthquaketruck Turkey, collapsing dozens of buildings and pulling down phone and power lines in the southeast of the country, officials and witnesses said. Emergency workers battled to rescue people trapped in buildings in the city of Van and surrounding districts on the banks of Lake Van, near Turkey's border with Iran. "We heard cries and groaning from underneath the debris, we are waiting for the rescue teams to arrive," Halil Celik, a young man who lived in the centre of the city, told Reuters as he stood beside the ruins of building that had collapsed before his eyes. "All of a sudden, a quake tore down the building in front of me. All the bystanders, we all ran to the building and rescued two injured people from the ruins."
Turkey's Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute said the magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck at 10.41 GMT and was five kilometres (three miles) deep. Around 10 buildings collapsed in Van city and about 25-30 buildings were brought to the ground in the nearby district of Ercis, Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay told reporters. "We estimate around 1,000 buildings are damaged and our estimate is for hundreds of lives lost. It could be 500 or 1,000," Kandilli Observatory general manager Mustafa Erdik told a news conference.
Cihan news agency reported that there were more than 50 dead bodies at a hospital in Ercis, a town near Van, near the quake's epicentre.
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was travelling to Van and the cabinet was expected to discuss the quake at a meeting called for Monday morning.
"A lot of buildings collapsed, many people were killed, but we don't know the number. We are waiting for emergency help, it's very urgent," Zulfukar Arapoglu, the mayor of Ercis, told news broadcaster NTV. Cihan news agency said that of the dead, 30 had been killed in Ercis district where some 80 buildings had collapsed.
"We need tents urgently and rescue teams. We don't have any ambulances, and we only have one hospital. We have many killed and injured," Arapoglu said.
Turkey's Red Crescent said one of its local teams was helping to rescue people from a student residence in Ercis. It said it was sending tents, blankets and food to the region.
More than 20 aftershocks shook the area, further unsettling residents who ran out on the streets when the initial strong quake struck. Television pictures showed rooms shaking and furniture falling to the ground as people ran from one building. Dozens of emergency workers and residents crawled over a multi-storey building in Van as they searched for any people trapped in side. Elsewhere, vehicles were crushed in the street by falling masonry while dazed-looking people wandered past.
Some 50 injured people were taken to hospital in Van, state-run Anatolian news agency reported, but it did not give details on how serious their injuries were. Turkish media said phone lines and electricity had been cut off. The quake's epicentre was at the village of Tabanli, 20 km north of Van city, Kandilli said.
In Hakkari, about 100 km (60 miles) south of Van, a Reuters correspondent said the building he was in swayed for about 10 seconds during the quake. But there was no immediate sign of casualties or damage in the town, which is about two and a half hours drive through the mountains from Van. Major geological fault lines cross Turkey and small earthquakes are a near daily occurrence. Two large quakes in 1999 killed more than 20,000 people in northwest Turkey. An earthquake struck Van province in November 1976 with 5,291 confirmed dead. Two people were killed and 79 injured in May when an earthquake shook Simav in northwest Turkey.
Largest airplane makes emergency landing near Hyderabad
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)