Srinagar: A resolution seeking clemency for 2001 parliament attack covict Afzal Guru could not come up for discussion in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly Wednesday as the house was adjourned for the day after a clash between Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators.

              As the present assembly session ends on October 4, the resolution tabled by independent legislator Engineer Rashid will now be taken up in the next session.

              Congress and BJP legislators on Wednesday clashed near the speaker's podium over alleged corruption by some BJP members who had voted against the party whip during the last legislative council elections. The speaker then adjourned the house till Thursday.

              The resolution will now be taken up in the next session. The present session ends on October 4.

Anna Hazare gets invitation

Ralegan Siddhi, Maharashta: A two-member delegation from Pakistan on Wednesday met social activist Anna Hazare at his native village Ralegan Siddhi and extended an invitation to visit the neighbouring country.

The delegation comprised Justice Nasir Aslam Jahid, a former judge of Pakistan's Supreme Court, and Karamat Ali, a well-known peace activist.

Sri Lankan minister cannot be arrested

Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister for Traditional Industries, Douglas Devananda, cannot be arrested during his visit to India, in connection with the criminal charges against him as he enjoys diplomatic immunity, the Centre has informed the Madras High Court.

In his counter affidavit to a writ petition seeking a direction to the Central and Stateauthorities to arrest the Minister and prosecute him, the Under Secretary (Sri Lanka) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Kaghal Matha Praphullachandra Sharma, stated that India did not have an extradition treaty with Sri Lanka. However, under sub-section (1) of Section 3 of theExtradition Act, there was an extradition arrangement between the governments with effect from September 1, 1978. As the incumbent was a Cabinet Minister of Sri Lanka, he cannot be arrested during his visit.

I'm thankful to the BCCI for extending our contract:Srikanth

NEW DELHI: Selection committee chairmanKrishnamachari Srikkanth, whose tenure has been extended by the BCCI,
feels the England tour was a "bad dream" and it is time for Indian cricket to move on. "I'm thankful to the BCCI for extending our contract and placing faith in this committee.

Senior lawyer to defend Kasab

New Delhi: Top advocate Raju Ramachandran has been appointed to defend the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Ajmal Kasab in the Supreme Court. Kasab has filed a petition in the apex court challenging the death penalty.

Yemen unrest

Anti-government activist Ahmed Al-Shawish said the action was ''cruel and aggressive''

A ceasefire has been agreed in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, after government forces shelled a protester camp there, killing seven people, reports say.

It was apparently negotiated by Yemen's vice-president and Western envoys.

Obama to meet Abbas and Netanyahu

US President Barack Obama will urge his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas to drop a bid for UN recognition of statehood later on Wednesday.

Mr Obama will also meet Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu amid frantic diplomacy aimed at averting a crisis.

The US president has vowed to veto the bid, backing Israel's view that direct talks offer the only route to peace.

India to topple Japan as world's 3rd-largest economy

NEW DELHI: India might become the world's third largest economy in 2011 by overtaking Japan in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) measured according to the domestic purchasing power of the rupee, otherwise called purchasing power parity.

India is now the fourth-largest economy behind the US, China and Japan. Numbers from 2010 show that the Japanese economy was worth $4.31 trillion, with India snapping at its heels at $4.06 trillion. But after March's devastating tsunami and earthquakes, Japan's economy is widely expected to contract while India's economy will grow between 7% and 8% this fiscal. "India should overtake Japan in 2011 to become the third-largest economy in the world at purchasing power parity," said Sunil Sinha, head of research and senior economist at Crisil.

Low-fat yoghurt during pregnancy

Pregnant women who eat low-fat yoghurt can increase the risk of their child developing asthma and hay fever, a study says.

At the European Respiratory Society conference, researchers will suggest this could be due to an absence of protective fatty acids in yoghurt.

The diets of more than 70,000 Danish women were analysed and their children followed until the age of seven.

Asthma UK says pregnant women should follow a balanced diet.'No milk link'

Pregnant women who ate low-fat yoghurt with fruit once a day were found to be 1.6 times more likely to have children who developed asthma by age seven, compared with children of women who did not eat low-fat yoghurt.

The study also found that the children of these women were more likely to have allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and current asthma symptoms.

But the results showed that milk intake during pregnancy was not linked to any increased risk of asthma.

In fact, milk was shown to protect against asthma development.

We would recommend that pregnant women discuss any drastic changes to their diet with their GP”Leanne MetcalfAsthma UK

Ekaterina Maslova, lead study author form the Harvard School of Public Health, who worked with the data at the Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, said: "It is a puzzling finding. The absence of fatty acids in low-fat yoghurt may be key to the results.

"The results suggest that fatty acids play an important role or it could be that people who ate this kind of yoghurt had similar lifestyle and dietary patterns, but we cannot make any conclusions at this stage.

"We need to replicate these results in other studies first."

Leanne Metcalf, director of research at Asthma UK, said there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the pre-natal environment can influence a child's health.

"However, the impact of a pregnant woman's diet on her child's health continues to be debated, as it is difficult to assess how particular aspects of a woman's diet during pregnancy are linked to the risk of developing asthma and allergies.

"Eating a healthy, balanced diet at any time, but especially during pregnancy is advisable and we would recommend that pregnant women discuss any drastic changes to their diet with their GP first."

Stimulating brain with electricity aids learning speed

Electrically stimulating the brain can help to speed up the process of learning, scientists have shown.

Applying a small current to specific parts of the brain can increase its activity, making learning easier.

Researchers from the University of Oxford have studied the changing structure of the brain in stroke patients and in healthy adults.

Prof Heidi Johansen-Berg presented their findings at the British Science Festival in Bradford.

The team at Oxford has been conducting research into how the structure of the brain changes in adulthood, and in particular what changes occur after a stroke.

They have used functional MRI scanners to monitor activity in the brain as stroke patients re-learn motor skills that were lost as a result of their illness.

One of the major findings is that the brain is very flexible, and can restructure itself, growing new connections and reassigning tasks to different areas, when damage occurs or a specific task is practiced.

As part of this research, they investigated the possibility of using non-invasive electric brain stimulation to improve the recovery of these motor skills; the short term improvement in stroke patients had already been noted.

But an unexpected result was found when the same brain stimulation was applied to healthy adults - their speed of learning was also significantly increased.Increasing activity

To observe this effect, the team has devised an experiment, whereby volunteers must memorise a sequence of buttons to press "like playing a tune on a piano".

While they are doing this, they are fitted with a "trans-cranial current stimulation" device, where two rubber electrodes are places in a specific position on the head.

A very small, one milliamp current is passed between the electrodes in an arc through the brain and, depending on the direction of that current, will either increase or decrease the activity of that part of the brain.

Professor Johansen-Berg explained that "an increase in activity of the brain cells makes them more susceptible to the kinds of changes that occur during learning".

The results of the button-pressing experiments showed the positive effects of just 10 minutes of the brain stimulation on learning, compared to a very similar placebo set up.

"While the stimulation didn't improve the participant's best performance, the speed at which they reached their best was significantly increased", said Professor Johansen-Berg.

Targeting the area of the brain that controls motor skills allows movement tasks to be learned more quickly, and the researchers envisage the technique could be used to help in the training of sportsmen.Educational Improvements

The experiments have explicitly shown that stimulating the motor cortex of the brain can increase the speed of learning motor skills.

It is the hope of the researchers that the same method may be applied to other parts of the brain to improve educational learning, simply by positioning the electrodes in different locations so the current is focussed on the correct area.

The relative simplicity, low price (around £2,000 per unit), and portability of the technology may mean that, following further research, a device could be designed to be automated for use at home.

Looking to the future, Professor Johansen-Berg and her team plan to investigate the potential for increasing the effect, by stimulating daily over a period of weeks to months.

In the treatment of stroke patients, the technique could be used in parallel with current physiotherapy treatments, to improve on their variable success.

Ban on gays in US military ends

A policy banning open homosexuality in the US military has been repealed after nearly two decades.

The dropping of "don't ask, don't tell" means service members can now reveal they are gay without fear of investigation or discharge.

"Repeal Day" parties have been organised across the country to mark the victory for gay rights.

The US Congress voted last year to repeal the law, which was introduced in 1993 under the Clinton administration.

Under the policy, gays were permitted to serve as long as they did not openly acknowledge their sexual orientation, while commanders were not allowed to ask.Displays of affection

Pentagon press secretary George Little told reporters on Monday that the Department of Defense was fully prepared for repeal, and that 97% of military personnel had received training on the new law.

Our nation will close the door on a fundamental unfairness for gays and lesbians”Nancy PelosiHouse of Representatives Minority Speaker

DADT ends, but 'inequity' endures

The armed forces have been accepting applications from openly gay recruits for a number of weeks and will begin processing them now that the new law has taken effect.

The military has also published a revised set of regulations, without references to any ban against homosexual service members.

Pending investigations, discharges and other administrative proceedings have now been dropped under the new law.

Those who have been discharged under the don't ask, don't tell rule are entitled to re-enlist.

But existing standards of personal conduct, such as those pertaining to public displays of affection, will not change.

Nor will there be any change to the eligibility standards for military benefits.

Under current rules, service members are allowed to choose a partner as care-giver under the Wounded Warrior programme, or as a life insurance beneficiary.

"Our nation will finally close the door on a fundamental unfairness for gays and lesbians, and indeed affirm equality for all Americans," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat and leading advocate of the repeal.

Some in Congress remain opposed to repeal, arguing it could undermine efficiency and discipline in the military.

After the Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal Act was passed by Congress last December, President Barack Obama, Defence Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Admiral Mike Mullen certified that allowing openly gay service members would not undermine the military.

Flood: England have woken up

Toby Flood believes England's laboured victory over Georgiav could prove to be a watershed moment in their Rugby World Cup campaign.

England eventually ran in six tries for a 41-10 victory over the Lelos but they made hard work of it, prompting a changing-room tirade from manager Martin Johnson.

Four years ago, England held a summit meeting which turned their World Cup around and Flood hopes that another post-match review session will do something similar.

"I think it might work in our favour, it might be quite a nice kick up the arse," said Flood.

"It might be a scenario of saying 'OK, this is time for the squad to really pull together and say gone are the days of us getting away with this'.

"I think we'll have a pretty open-air review meeting and it will be interesting to really pull out some points. We'll get better and we'll learn from this. It's about time we took some of these shots on the chin.

"It's hopefully going to be a wake-up call for us."

The big difference between now and 2007 is that England remain unbeaten after two matches, whereas at this stage four years ago they had just been humbled 36-0 by South Africa.

But England recognise they got themselves out of jail against both Argentina and Georgia.

The Pumas missed six penalty shots at goal and Georgia five as they failed to punish England's woeful discipline. Scotland's sharp-shooter Chris Paterson is unlikely to be so generous.

Johnson blasted England as "sloppy" and warned they will fail to reach their stated minimum target of the semi-finals without an immediate improvement in standards.

"I'd rather be in the situation we're - two from two - than having lost the first and then chasing our tails," said Flood.

"But, yes, there is massive room for improvement and that was said by countless people (after the game).

"We're disappointed with what's happened. As a squad we've got to drive standards on and off the field and drive standards when we're training to get better.

"We are going to have to raise our game massively to get to where you want to get to in this tournament. We're all fully aware of that."

England conceded 11 penalties in the first half which led to them being unable to escape from their own territory.

By the interval, Johnson's men had graced the Georgian 22 for just 19 seconds compared to nearly nine minutes spent defending their own line.

Georgia's wayward kicking and two Shontayne Hape tries helped England lead 17-10 at the turnaround.

As the game opened up in the second half, England then became too loose and infuriated Johnson and attack coach Brian Smith by forcing off-loads in a bid to make something happen.

Afterwards, James Haskell raged: "People have got to start pointing some fingers. This is not acceptable. We are letting ourselves down."

But as frank as England have been, both Haskell and Flood insisted the corrective process cannot be allowed to affect their confidence.

England tackle Romania in Dunedin next Saturday followed by Scotland in the decisive pool clash on October 1

"You don't want to go out and be frightened to make a mistake," said Haskell.

Flood added: "I wouldn't be here if I didn't think we could win it (the World Cup).

"I don't think anybody would have got on that plane if they didn't think we could win the tournament.

"We realise how difficult it would be to win it. It's a massive, massive test for us and we have a huge group to get out of.

"Romania and Scotland are two massive tests for us, especially Scotland. If they beat Argentina that could be a massive test for us.

"We realise how difficult it's going to be but if there is anybody who thinks that then they might as well join Andrew Sheridan (who is injured) and go home.

"Because that is what we're here for."

Champions league T20 KKR win thriller by two runs

Hyderabad: Kolkata Knight Riders edged out Auckland Aces in a cliffhanger here on Monday when they beat the Kiwi club off the last ball by a mere two runs in match No. 2 of the CLT20 qualifiers.

Auckland Aces Innings

20th over: Brett Lee was entrusted with the job to defend 11 runs in the last over. And the champion rose to the challenge conceding just eight as the Knight Riders won the nailbiter by mere two runs. Important points in the kitty for KKR.

19th over: Just when everyone thought Kallis has brought KKR back with a strike off his first ball, new batsman Andre Adams tonks the South African for a straight six. Match right back in balance: 11 needed off the last six balls.

16th over: The equation is slowly creeping back in favour of Auckland as they have five wickets in hand. 31 needed of 24 balls now.

13th over: Rajat Bhatia strikes off the last ball of his spell, Kallis the catcher. The Knight Riders are clawing their way back. It's 77/5, 45 needed off 42 balls with five wickets in hand.

10th over: Yusuf Pathan brought KKR well and truly back with two wickets in the over. Both caught and bowled: first Jimmy Adams and then Rob Quiney. Auckland struggling at 66/4.

9th over: A splendid bit of fielding by Manoj Tiwary gave KKR the spark they were looking for. It brought about the end of Vincent's innings after he had scored 40 off 37 balls. Auckland 60/2 after nine overs.

6th over: After losing a wicket in the first over, strokes from Lou Vincent's bat took Auckland to 48/1 at the end of six overs of powerplay.

3rd over: Lou Vincent counter-attacks, takes 11 runs off Iqbal Abdulla over, including a six and a four.

1st over: Disastrous start for the Aces as they lost the wicket on the very first ball. Martin Guptill departs courtesy of a suicidal run-out. Auckland were 2/1 at the end of the over.

Kolkata Innings

20th over: The wicket seems to have slowed down a fair bit. Anyhow, it was an outstanding last over by Bates. Just five runs off it. Auckland will be delighted with what they did in the last half of Kolkata innings, giving away just 48 runs and taking six wickets to restrict KKR to a meagre 121/6.

18th over: Another run out. Andre Adams can't be left out of the frame. Hits the bull's eye from mid-on and Shakib Al Hasan (4) is on his way. Kolkata, after being 73 for no loss at one stage, are 107/6 now.

16th over: After Auckland's resurgence with the ball, it's their fielding that causes another casualty for KKR. Ryan ten Doeschate has to walk back after Adams' direct hit turned a cheeky single into a run-out. Kolkata tottering at 101/5.

15th over: Aces seem to be on a roll now. Two more wickets in quick succession. Jacques Kallis (33 off 35), who seemed to have hit a sure-shot four, is splendidly caught at the boundary edge by Rob Quiney. That is followed by Manoj Tiwary (1) who is castled. Kyle Mills brings Auckland back by reducing KKR to 97/4.

14th over: Andre Adams checks Kolkata with Yusuf Pathan's wicket. The all-rounder's struggle comes to an end as he is bowled after scoring just 12 off 17 balls. KKR 93/2.

13th over: Slow bowlers pull Kolkata back as the Knight Riders score just 16 runs from over No. 10 to 13.

10th over: After taking a fair bit of pounding, Auckland finally strike. Bisla hits a full toss straight to mid-off to give the Aces and Michael Bates first wicket. Bisla scored 45 off 32 balls, including seven fours and one six. KKR 73/1 as Yusuf Pathan walks in.

6th over: End of powerplay. KKR still have all wickets intact and openers on fire. Bisla has blazed his way to 29 and Kallis too getting on with it at 15 in a total of 46 for no loss.

2nd over: Manvinder Bisla hits Chris Martin for three fours in an over to gets his team off to a flier.

Earlier, the second match of the double header on the opening day of Champions League Twenty20 qualifying phase began with Kolkata Knight Riders winning the toss and electing to bat first.

Jacques Kallis was asked to lead the side in the absence of regular captain Gautam Gambhir, who is still recovering from the concussion he suffered during the Test series in England.

The Auckland Aces captain Gareth Hopkins believed the track could suit their quick bowlers and hence, didn't mind to chase.

TEAMS:

Kolkata Knight Riders: Jacques Kallis (c), S Goswami (wk), Manvinder Bisla, Manoj Tiwary, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Ryan ten Doeschate, Rajat Bhatia, Brett Lee, Iqbal Abdulla, Jaidev Unadkat.

Auckland Aces: Jimmy Adams, Martin Guptill, Lou Vincent, Rob Quiney, Colin Munro, Kyle Mills, Gareth Hopkins (wk/c), Andre Adams, Michael Bates, Ronnie Hira, Chris Martin

CBI may file case against Reliance industries limited

Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is considering filing a case or multiple cases against Reliance Industries over its operations of its gas block in the Krishna Godavari (KG) basin, the Mint reported on Tuesday.

CBI is likely to name officials in the country's upstream regulator and the petroleum ministry in the case, the newspaper said, citing officials at the federal agency who declined to be named.

Earlier this month, Reliance Industries said there was no evidence to suggest that costs in development of the country's key natural gas field in the KG basin were overstated.

A Reliance Industries spokesman in Mumbai and a spokeswoman for the CBI in New Delhi declined to comment on the newspaper report, when reached by Reuters on Tuesday.

"The preliminary inquiry against RIL and others is in final stages and very soon a case will be registered," one of the officials at the investigative agency told the Mint newspaper, referring to Reliance Industries.

The federal auditor has criticised Reliance Industries and the government over development of a key natural gas field in the KG basin and called for revamping profit sharing arrangements from oil and gas blocks.

The offshore KG basin was expected to contribute up to one-quarter the gas supply for India, but lower-than-expected output has left the energy-hungry nation more dependent on expensive, imported LNG to fuel power and fertiliser plants.

78-YEAR-OLD FIRST GRADER STARTS SCHOOL

It's never too late to get a good education.

Just ask 78-year-old Apostol Stoyanov who started off the new school year on Thursday -- in first grade.

Citing the BTA news agency,  an AFP report explains that Stoyanov never had the chance to attend school when he was a child so the Bulgarian man decided it was finally time to learn reading, writing and arithmetic.

His 430 fellow classmates from the village of Popovtsi may be several decades younger, but Stoyanov, who makes little money and lives alone, doesn't plan to attend regular classes. Instead he'll attend as a private student, says the report.

Stoyanov told reporters that he's nervous about tackling math, but he's already making progress and is writing the letters of the alphabet.

8 killed in suicide attack in Karachi

Karachi: A Taliban suicide bomber on Monday rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the home of a senior police officer in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, killing at least eight persons and injuring several others.

The bomber targeted the residence of Special Superintendent of Police Chaudhry Aslam of the Crime Investigation Department in the posh Defence area at 7.30 am, reducing the house to rubbles.

Eight persons, including a woman, a child and six policemen, were killed in the attack, police officials said. The dead and injured were taken to the nearby Jinnah Hospital.

Aslam, who escaped unhurt, told reporters that several of his police guards were among the dead.

He said he had been receiving threats from the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and other militant groups. He vowed that he would not be deterred by such cowardly attacks.

The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack, Geo News channel reported.

The officer and his family were shifted to an undisclosed location soon after the attack.

Aslam was part of a special unit that conducted operations against militants and criminal gangs and he had captured several persons linked to the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

The blast, which was heard from several kilometres away, damaged several nearby houses and cars parked in the area. The explosion caused a 10-foot deep and 25-foot wide crater.

Debris from the officer's home was hurled over a large distance. Footage on television showed the wall and facade of the officer's two-storey building were destroyed by the blast. A plume of smoke was seen rising into the sky.

Several schools and educational institutions are located

near the officer's home and the blast was followed by a traffic snarl as parents rushed to the area to pick up their children.

The woman killed in the blast was a school teacher while the dead child was her 12-year-old son, officials at Jinnah Hospital said.

Karachi has witnessed several high-profile terrorist attacks, including one in May on the Mehran naval airbase that killed 10 security personnel.

Aslam himself was the target of another attack that killed two of his bodyguards.

ELECTRIC ROADS COULD POWER CARS

If you are old enough to remember slot car racing, this might look familiar: an electric car powered by the roadway itself, rather than carrying its power supply along.

Some electric trolleys, subways and trains operate this way, because the vehicle is on a track, and the circuit is completed through a contact overhead. Bumper cars operate similarly, as they are always in contact with a metal floor, which completes the circuit through a pole in the back that touches the ceiling. But road cars can't do this -- you'd need something more akin to a third rail system.

Chennai people rushed out for broadway route buses from tambaram

Mainly chennai people depends thier travelling by Metropolitian Transport Corporation buses. Today morning around 10am peoples who they are travelling from chrompet to adyar, saidapet and broadway. so, people are very frustrated of MTC buses in hot sun by waiting for a while...

People have'nt know the Proper reason and if asked to MTC Information Centre, there is no proper response. MTC doesnt arranged cut services from the places who people waiting on bus stand.

If it happens daily, people will suffer for this reason and it will create hesitation on  government.

Kindly pass the information and we people should do something for this hectic...

SOLAR ACTIVITY SPELLS DOOM FOR NASA SATELLITE

On Friday, NASA has said that their doomed 6-ton Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) will most likely crash to Earth on, or around, Sept. 23.

Earlier, there was some ambiguity as to when the satellite may reenter, but since the recent uptick in solar activity, the UARS demise has been sped up somewhat.

Obama plans taxes and spending cuts to reduce deficit

President Barack Obama is to unveil plans to cut the US deficit by $3 trillion (£1.9tn) over the next decade.

A White House official said his proposals include an overhaul of the tax code that would raise $1.5tn.

The official said the president would not agree to cuts in health care for the elderly if there were no provisions for rich Americans to pay more tax.

Republicans in Congress have already said they will not agree to any plans to increase taxes.

Mr Obama's plans include nearly $250bn in cuts on Medicare spending - the health care programme for the elderly.

"He will veto any bill that takes one dime from the Medicare benefits seniors rely on without asking the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations to pay their fair share," Reuters quoted an Obama administration official as saying.

The president is scheduled to announce his long-term deficit reduction plan at the White House at 10:30 (14:30 GMT) on Monday.Closing loopholes

Over the weekend, officials have been providing journalists with a preview of what the president's plan includes.

On Saturday, officials said Mr Obama wanted a "Buffett Rule" that would see Americans who earn more than $1m pay the same rate of tax as those who earn less.

The proposal refers to the billionaire financier Warren Buffett who has complained that he and his wealthy peers pay relatively less tax than the people who work for them.

Many high-income Americans benefit from tax loopholes that see earnings on investment taxed at lower rates than wages.

The US economy has been growing only slowly while the unemployment rate remains stubbornly high, above 9%. Facing an election next year, Mr Obama has had a battle in Congress over how to reduce the ballooning deficit while the economy remains stagnant.

A Congressional "supercommittee" of six Republicans and six Democrats has been charged with finding $1.5trn in deficit cuts by late November, when automatic cuts come into force.

Ratings agency Standard and Poor's cut the US AAA rating in August after the country went to the brink of a default over an extended battle in Congress over raising the government's debt limit.

India, China square off for sea fight

NEW DELHI: The oceans are the new theatre of India-China competition, but one with possible security implications. 

Soon after India announced its decision to go ahead with oil exploration in South China Sea with Vietnam, China on Saturday said it would expand its exploration of 10,000 sq km of seabed in southwest Indian Ocean. This was announced as part of its 2011-2015 oceanic development policy. 

Xinhua, China's state run news agency, quoted China's head of oceanic development Liu Cigui as saying, "We will expand the depths and scope of oceanic research and improve our understanding of the ocean, with special focuses on the polar regions and deep sea environments." Liu, head of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), made the comments at a meeting on oceanic technology in Beijing on Friday. 

The Chinese intent would have security implications. India's Naval Hydrography Department, one of the best in the world, has done extensive work, mapping the bottom of the Indian Ocean. Sources said Indian hydrographers, with skills developed over the years, have perhaps the best knowledge in the world of the bottom of the ocean -- which would not only help mariners, but are invaluable resources for India's defence and strategic planning. 

On July 11, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) allowed exploration for polymetallic sulphides by China Ocean Minerals Resources Research and Development Association (COMRA). The development sent shockwaves across the Indian government. The thing is, India could have done any number of such exploratory activities. India has received exploratory rights by the ISA for a large number of blocks. But Indian inaction has meant that a number of these blocks have had to be surrendered to the ISA. India still retains a number of blocks in the Indian Ocean. India cannot object to China obtaining mining rights in the Indian Ocean, particularly as India has itself neglected its concessions. 

Obviously, keeping in mind China's swift moves into the Indian Ocean, the government last month released its surveys of the sea-bed on Indian territorial waters. The surveys by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) shows the presence of heavy deposits of ilmenite, rutile, zircon, sillimanite, monazite and garnet off the east coast, as well as off Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The GSI has also conducted reconnaissance surveys to identify potential areas for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) off Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 

Meanwhile, China is getting ready to square off with India in the South China Sea. In an opinion piece in Xinhua, China asked India to wise up and "refrain" from moves in the South China Sea, where China retains "absolute sovereignty". "For countries outside the region, we hope they will respect and support countries in the region to solve this dispute through bilateral channels," the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said while responding to a question concerning ONGC's plans to explore in two offshore oil blocks in South China Sea.

28 dead in Sikkim quake

New Delhi: At least 28 people have lost their lives and over 100 injured after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Sikkim on Sunday evening. Authorities fear the toll could rise further. The exact extent of damages is yet to be assessed as relief and rescue is yet to reach affected areas.

Out of the 28 dead, 19 are from Sikkim, two from Bihar and five in West Bengal. Two Army personnel are also reported to have been killed in the quake in North Sikkim.

Army vehicles including a bus that went missing have been found and all personnel are safe. In all 50 Army columns have been deployed to help in the relief and rescue operations. Several cookhouses have been set up to provide food to those whose houses have been damaged.

The Bagdogra airbase has been made the centre of all operations.

The armed forces have deployed teams for relief and rescue activity; the Centre is also sending in emergency teams. But heavy rains, intermittent power cut, and loss of mobile phone connectivity are hampering rescue operations.

The 6.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Sikkim at 6.10 pm on Sunday. Mangan, 54 km from Gangtok, was the epicentre of the quake that left a trail of death and massive damages in its wake. The tremors were felt West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, North East and Nepal.

The quake has cut off Sikkim. The national highway has been closed after heavy rains followed by landslides and there are reports of people being trapped. Army units have been sent to all the areas that have been hit by the quake.

The Centre has also rushed in teams of the National Disaster Response Force. They have been flown in from Delhi and Kolkata to Bagdora from where they proceeded by road.

Rescue operations underway

Rescue operations began within hours of the quake striking. Army columns in small teams have been deployed across Sikkim to provide humanitarian assistance. These columns comprise medical teams with first aid kits as well as engineers. Four-hundred personnel from the National Disaster Relief Force have reached Bagdogra from where they will move by road.

Thirty columns from the 33 Corps in Siliguri are also engaged in rescue activity. Bihar has sent 160 personnel to help in the relief efforts. The BSF rescue team and the dog squad have also been pressed into service.

Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel rescued 200 civilians including 22 tourists. All of them have taken refuge at the Pegong camp. An IAF team carrying supplies is on its way.

Bihar, Gujarat offer assistance

Bihar and Bengal have sent rescue teams to Sikkim while Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has also offered assistance.

"When the earthquake happened I too felt the termor. Our departments are on the job, we are gathering information," said Bihar Chief Minis Nitish Kumar.

"On behalf of the people of Gujarat I convey my condolences. Such a situation demands cooperation from all. The Gujarat government is ready to extend support to all those who have been affected," said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Manmohan Singh unlikely to meet Obama

Washington: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Barack Obama are unlikely to meet during the UN General Assembly session in New York next week, but may meet at other international forums later this year.

"We don't have any bilateral meetings planned at this point" with South Asian leaders, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications, Ben Rhodes told reporters on Friday previewing Obama's schedule at the UN.

"I think that it is our expectation that the president will be able to see in his travels later this year, including to the East Asia Summit and other forums, he'll have opportunities to engage with Prime Minister Singh," he said.

No bilateral meeting was planned with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani as he was not coming for the UN session because of flooding in Pakistan.

But "I think we anticipate opportunities later in the year to have consultations with, for instance, Prime Minister Singh and the Indians", Rhodes said.

Noting that the US "obviously have expressed our support for permanent membership for India during the president's trip", to India last November, Rhodes said: "Again, there's been no evolution in the US position."

However, in any discussion on the issue of Security Council reforms, Obama will take note of the fact that there are many aspirants to greater status at the Security Council today and "will reiterate that all nations who participate in the Security Council system have a responsibility to uphold peace and security through their actions", he said.

Obama would be meeting more than half a dozen world leaders, including those of Afghanistan, Libya, Brazil, Japan, Britain, France, Israel and Sudan during his three day trip to New York beginning Monday, Rhodes said.

The focus of his meetings and his remarks at the UN Wednesday will be pressing global issues like Libya, Palestine, global economic issues, and the Middle East, he said.

US also anticipates a lot of discussions around issues related to international waters like the South China Sea at the East Asia Summit in Indonesia later this year and some of those other venues, Rhodes he said.

"So it's not a focus of UNGA, but we see on the horizon opportunities to address those issues."

Gilani calls off US trip

Islamabad: Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani called off at the eleventh hour his planned visit to the US after President Barack Obama refused to meet him on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, a media report said on Saturday.

The Prime Minister's House announced on Friday that Gilani had called off his visit as he intended to personally supervise relief operations in flood-hit areas of Sindh, but the Dawn newspaper quoted its sources as saying that one reason for the move was the US President's 'refusal to meet' Gilani on the sidelines of the UN session in New York.

Gilani has now directed Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar to represent Pakistan at the UN General Assembly session.

There were indications that the strained relations between Pakistan and the US had led to Gilani cancelling his trip to America, where he was to address the UN General Assembly session, the daily reported.

The Pakistan embassy in Washington and the Consulate General in New York had "tried hard to arrange a meeting between Prime Minister Gilani and President Barack Obama but failed," the report said.

The visit was cancelled at the "eleventh hour" and "all arrangements related to the trip, such as issuance of tickets to members of the delegation and their hotel bookings in New York, had been finalised," the report said.

"Supervision of flood relief efforts is an excuse, because only this week the Prime Minister had a couple of days' trip to Iran," a journalist, who was to accompany Gilani to New York, was quoted as saying.

Gilani on Friday had responded to the US criticism of Pakistan's efforts in the war on terror by saying that it was "now time that they (United States) should do more" in the campaign against terrorists.

He said Pakistan had "sacrificed much in battling the menace of terrorism" and the country should not be "pressurised to do more."

Pakistan-US relations hit a new low after the covert US raid that killed al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in the garrison city of Abbottabad in May.

US officials, including Vice President Joe Biden and Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, have recently called on Pakistan to do more against terrorists.

Panetta blamed Pakistan-based militants for the latest Taliban attack on the US embassy in Kabul while Biden described Pakistan as an unreliable ally in the war on terror.

The US has renewed pressure on Pakistan to act against the Haqqani network, which has been linked to the attack on the American embassy in Kabul.

The US says the Haqqani network of Taliban has safe havens in Pakistan's tribal belt near the Afghan border.

Artificial blood vessels made on a 3D printer

Artificial blood vessels made on a 3D printer may soon be used for transplants of lab-created organs.

Until now, the stumbling block in tissue engineering has been supplying artificial tissue with nutrients that have to arrive via capillary vessels.

A team at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany has solved that problem using 3D printing and a technique called multiphoton polymerisation.

The findings will be shown at the Biotechnica Fair in Germany in October.

Out of thousands of patients in desperate need of an organ transplant there are inevitably some who do not get it in time.

In Germany, for instance, more than 11,000 people have been put on an organ transplant waiting list in 2011 alone.

To make sure more patients receive these life-saving surgeries, researchers in tissue engineering all over the globe have been working on creating artificial tissue and even entire organs in the lab.

But for a lab-made organ to function, it needs to be equipped with artificial blood vessels - tiny and extremely complex tubes that our organs naturally possess, used to carry nutrients.

The individual techniques are already functioning and they are presently working in the test phase”Dr Gunter TovarFraunhofer Institute, Germany

Numerous attempts have been made to create synthetic capillaries, and the latest one by the German team seems to be especially promising.

"The individual techniques are already functioning and they are presently working in the test phase; the prototype for the combined system is being built," said Dr Gunter Tovar, who heads the BioRap project at Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart.Elastic biomaterials

3D printing technology has been increasingly used in numerous industries, ranging from creating clothes, architectural models and even chocolate treats.

But this time, Dr Tovar's team had a much more challenging printing mission.

To print something as small and complex as a blood vessel, the scientists combined the 3D printing technology with two-photon polymerisation - shining intense laser beams onto the material to stimulate the molecules in a very small focus point.

The material then becomes an elastic solid, allowing the researchers to create highly precise and elastic structures that would be able to interact with a human body's natural tissue.

So that the synthetic tubes do not get rejected by the living organism, their walls are coated with modified biomolecules.

Such biomolecules are also present in the composition of the "inks" used for the blood vessel printer, combined with synthetic polymers.

"We are establishing a basis for applying rapid prototyping to elastic and organic biomaterials," said Dr Tovar.

"The vascular systems illustrate very dramatically what opportunities this technology has to offer, but that's definitely not the only thing possible."

International Space Station

International Space Station

The International Space Station is the centerpiece of our human spaceflight activities in low Earth orbit. The ISS is fully staffed with a crew of six, and American astronauts will continue to live and work there in space 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Part of the U.S. portion of the station has been designated as a national laboratory, and NASA is committed to using this unique resource for scientific research. 

The ISS is a test bed for exploration technologies such as autonomous refueling of spacecraft, advanced life support systems and human/robotic interfaces. Commercial companies are well on their way to providing cargo and crew flights to the ISS, allowing NASA to focus its attention on the next steps into our solar system.

Air race crash three people killed

The National Championship Air Races draws thousands of people every year in September to watch various military and civilian planes race.

Three people have died and scores are injured after an airplane crashed near a grandstand at an air race near Reno, Nevada, say medical officials.

The vintage World War II-era P-51 Mustang crashed at about 1630 local time (2330 GMT) at the National Championship Air Races.

Organisers said a mechanical fault was probably to blame but were awaiting the results of an official investigation.

Eyewitnesses said debris and body parts were strewn across the airfield.'Just pulverized'

Fifty-four people were taken to hospital, some in critical condition, said Mike Houghton, head of the Reno Air Racing Association and CEO of the event.

“Start Quote


One guy was cut in half. There's arms and legs. One guy just said, 'hey, there's another foot over here'”Dr Gerald LentEyewitness


He said he did not have confirmed figures for fatalities.

The National Transportation Safety Board has taken over the airport to investigate the accident.

Mr Houghton said the Mustang had not been flying too close to the ground prior to the crash.

He said that there appeared to be a "problem with the aircraft that caused it to go out of control".

"This is a very large incident, probably one of the largest this community has seen in decades," Stephanie Kruse, a spokeswoman for the Regional Emergency Medical Service Authority, told the Associated Press.

"The community is pulling together to try to deal with the scope of it. The hospitals have certainly geared up and staffed up to deal with it."

She said 15 of the injured were in a critical condition.

Kathy Carter, a spokeswoman for Renown Medical Center in Reno, said that two people had died, not including the pilot.

Earlier unconfirmed reports said up to 12 people might have been killed.

The Mustang, named The Galloping Ghost, was flown by well-known racing pilot Jimmy Leeward, 74.
Jimmy Leeward has been racing planes since the 1970s

Mr Houghton said that Leeward, from Ocala, Florida, was a real estate developer who had been racing planes since the mid-1970s.

He said that Leeward's medical records had been "in tip-top condition".

He added that most of Leeward's family had been at Friday's event.

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval arrived at the scene and praised the emergency services for their "flawless reaction to what happened".

Leeward's website says he had flown in more than 120 races and had been a movie stunt pilot.

Ronald Sargis, who was sitting in the box-seat area, said spectators could tell the plane was in trouble before it crashed.

"About six or seven boxes down from us, it impacted into the front row," Mr Sargis told KCRA-TV in Sacramento. He added: "It appeared to be just pulverized."

Jeff Martinez, a local weatherman who was just outside the air race grounds, said he saw the plane veer to the right and then crash into the ground.'Unbelievable gore'

The Reno Gazette-Journal website had posted a witness video of the crash from YouTube, but YouTube has now withdrawn it, saying it breached its terms.


Eyewitness Dr Gerald Lent, of Reno, told the newspaper: "It's just like a massacre. It's like a bomb went off. There are people lying all over the runway."

Maureen Higgins of Alabama, who has been coming to the show for 16 years, told the Associated Press that the pilot was on his third lap when he lost control.

"I saw body parts and gore like you wouldn't believe it," Ms Higgins said.

National Guard members who were already on site helped with the response, air show spokesman Mike Draper told CNN.

Democratic Nevada Senator Harry Reid issued a statement saying he was "deeply saddened" about the tragedy.

"My thoughts are with the families of those who have lost their lives and with those who were wounded in this horrific tragedy," he said.

The National Championship Air Races are held every year in September in Reno.

There have been safety concerns in the past, with four pilots killed in 2007 and 2008.

However, organisers and aviation authorities say they spend months in preparation for the event.

Yohan Blake and Usain Bolt star in Brussels

World champions Yohan Blake and Usain Bolt were the stars of the show with superb displays at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels.

Blake, who won 100m gold in Daegu, ran the second-fastest 200m time ever with 19.26 seconds, overtaking Michael Johnson's mark of 19.32.

Bolt had earlier thrilled the crowd with the fastest time of the year in the 100m, clocking 9.76.

Britain's world champion Dai Greene was second in the 400m hurdles.

The Welshman finished behind world silver medallist Javier Culson in 48.78 but he still won the overall Diamond League crown.

Blake's time, which shaved 0.52 off his personal best, was slower only than Bolt's world record of 19.19.

Bolt back on top in Brussels 100m

The 21-year-old appeared to take it easy round the bend before powering away down the home straight to beat the 19.40 Bolt ran to win the world title in Daegu.

"Tonight I was aiming to run 19.5. I was expecting something fast but not this fast," Blake said afterwards.

"The last 40 metres was crazy. I'm like a beast. I just take it out on the track.

"When I saw him [Bolt] run 19.40 at the worlds I knew I could go fast like that.

"I am the man next to him next year. I'm looking forward to competing with him next year."

Bolt was slow out of the blocks and compatriot Nesta Carter was right alongside him until the 60m mark before Bolt pulled away.

But he admitted he was surprised by Blake's 200m performance.

Bolt to stop giving Blake race tips

"That's amazing for me. I'm shocked he did so well," Bolt said.

"I've seem him run a couple of 200m and he's run them badly. I told him to take it easy round the bend. He ran a wild time."

"Today I was really happy with myself. It's [a false start, as he did in the 100m in Daegu] not going to happen again. I made one mistake and I won't let it happen again."

Greene finished behind Culson but still landed a prize of $40,000 [£25,330] and admitted afterwards: "I've felt mentally on holiday for the past few weeks. I'm not motivated by the money but I knew I should do this race because it was in my best interest."

There was also disappointment for Australian world champion Sally Pearson who fell in the 100m hurdles.

UNSC imposes sanctions on 2 Pakistan based al-Qaida leaders

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council has imposed sanctions on two al- Qaida leaders based in Pakistan, including the terror group's top strategist and propaganda chief Abu Yahya al-Libi.

Sanctions were also imposed on a senior al-Qaida leader Younis al-Mauritani, who was in charge of the group's external operations and had planned attacks on European economic targets.

The sanctions put into effect an assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo against the two, who participated in the "financing, planning, facilitating and perpetrating" of terror acts for al-Qaida.

An al-Qaida commander in Pakistan, al-Libi provided financial assistance to the terror group's fighters in Afghanistan.

The Libya-born has also been a top al-Qaida strategist, field commander in Afghanistan and an instructor at training camps for the group.

A prominent figure in al-Qaida's media operations, he has been referred to as its ''propaganda chief'', being second in visibility only to top leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

As of April 2010, Al-Libi had released 68 messages on behalf of al-Qaida and had urged Pakistanis to attack their government.

Al-Mauritani was in charge of al-Qaida's external operations as of mid-2010.

He was planning an attack on European economic targets and had the support of Osama bin Laden, who had at the time devoted most of the organisation's funds to support Al-Mauritani's plan.

Al-Mauritani was wanted in Mauritania for planning an attack in 2005 against the Mauritanian military.

He was arrested in the suburbs of Quetta in Pakistan early last week.

Narendra Modi begins fast

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi began his three-day 'sadbhavna' fast on Saturday saying the day is not far when the country, and indeed the world, will discuss the state as a model one. 

"My fast is not against anyone... that was, is and will never be my agenda. Just like the world praises Gujarat's model for development and governance, that day is not far when people will discuss our model for inclusive growth and communal harmony," Modi said to a cheering crowd at Gujarat University's plush convention hall here. 

"I can say with pride that we want to move ahead and give something back to the nation. A state like Gujarat can pull another state which is not so developed. We have the strength and the capability," he added. 

Recounting the Gujarat earthquake of 2001, the communal violence of 2002 and the serial blasts of 2008, Modi said that each time the people have emerged stronger and have touched new heights of development. 

"We have to move ahead taking everyone along and for that secularism and communal harmony is very important," he said. 

The BJP stalwart's 72-hour fast under 'Sadbhavna Mission' coincides with his 62nd birthday. 

On Friday, Modi had issued a statement that was interpreted as his first sign of regret over the 2002 post-Godhra communal violence. 

"Constitution of India is supreme for us. As a chief minister of the state, pain of anybody in the state is my pain. (Delivering) Justice to everyone is the duty of the state," Modi had said on Friday. 

Modi, in an attempt to reach out to the minority community, had said the state has realised that communal frenzy and casteism never helped anybody grow in the country and expressed "gratitude" to those who pointed out his mistakes in the last 10 years. 

BJP leaders like L K Advani, Arun Jaitely, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Sahanawaz Hussain, Smriti Irani and chief minister of Himachal Pradesh Prem Kumar Dhumal, among others, were present when Modi began his fast. 

Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, whose party Shiromani Akali Dal is a key member of the BJP-led NDA, was also present. 

Leaders of Shiv Sena, BJP's ally for over two decades, and emissaries of Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha of AIADMK are also expected to come here to in support of Modi. 

In response to Modi's move, Gujarat Congress leaders Shankarsinh Vaghela and Arjun Modhvadia also started their fast on a footpath in front of Sabarmati Ashram. 

NRI girl sweet-talked into marriage

NRI girl sweet-talked into marriage, deserted
Ghaziabad: A young NRI woman from Muscat was enticed over the internet by the owner of a professional studies college to come to India, given a job in the college, got married to him and was deserted after 20 days. Police have registered a criminal case against the man who along with his family is absconding.

The police said they have registered a criminal case against the culprits under stringent sections of the Indian Penal Code - for rape and demanding dowry.

The family is untraceable although the father of the man claimed that his son is responsible for the crime. "But why have the parents deserted their home and are not accepting her as their daughter in law," the Station Officer (SO) Alka Agrawal told the IANS correspondent. Agarwal had asked the boy's parents the same question.



The 22-year-old graduate from Muscat said, "I trusted his false statement that he can't afford to lose me." The man hid her in a hotel for 20 days after their formal and legal marriage that was solemnized on August 16 this year.

When she insisted on visiting his house, the man - the son of a steel trader who runs a professional institute - told her to wait for 10 minutes at the hotel Krishna Sagar after checking out from their room on September 9. He told her to wait so that he could convince his parents to accept her as the bride, but he never returned, the woman told this IANS correspondent in the police station.

When the man did not return after the promised 10 minutes on September 9, she went to his residence where she had to wait outside the main gate of their residence at RDC-23. The entire family had deserted the house. The maid did not allow her to come inside but reluctantly gave her a glass of water through the closed gate on her request.

The next day she approached the Kavi Nagar police station. The mobile number of the man was found switched off when police sub inspector Deepak Shukla tried to call him while his father, who was contacted on the phone, promised to come to the police station to resolve the issue - but he too has not shown up so far. The police also have not located the place from where he spoke, the woman said.

Giving details of her meeting with the man, the woman said she was trapped by his sweet talk on phone. He insisted that she come to India, offered a job of Manager HR in his institute - Virtuosic Institute of Professional Studies at B-4 RDC Raj Nagar Ghaziabad. He provided her accommodation in a hotel and then deserted her.

She braved opposition from her family to come to India. Her mother was against the boy, she said, but she decided to go ahead. "Now, I have nowhere to complain," she said.

The police registered the case after all efforts to call the man and his family failed. Although the family is in close touch with the police through phone calls but they are not showing up. The woman is keen for the issue to be settled through the police's initiative, but has to wait till the police arrest him.

Alka Agrawal said, "We have initiated legal action in the case and hope to arrest the culprit soon. His father has promised to come shortly to us."