New American embassy in Baghdad
Posted by: karthik007 on: January 6, 2009
The US ambassador to Iraq on Monday inaugurated the new American embassy in Baghdad.
Ambassador Ryan Crocker said the inauguration is a sign of the United States’ long-term relationship and commitment to Iraq.
US Marines raised the flag over the largest US embassy in the world during a ceremony in the courtyard of the large complex that will have working space for 1,000 people.
The embassy sits on a 104-acre site in the heavily fortified Green Zone and cost more than $700 million to build.
The ceremony was attended by Iraqi president Jalal Talabani and US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, who also served as ambassador to Iraq in 2005.
Barack Obama to talk tough to Zardari?
Posted by: karthik007 on: January 6, 2009
In a major boost for India’s post 26/11 diplomacy, US President elect Barack Obama will deliver what is being described as a categoric message to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari when they meet in Washington.
According to a report in the Pakistani press, President-elect Obama is expected to convey a categorical message to President Zardari regarding Pakistans role in combating terrorism in the South Asian region.
Pakistan government sources say the reasons for such an early visit of President Zardari and Afghan President Hamid Karzai to Washington is to send a signal that Obama is serious about addressing the menace of terrorism and the new US administration wants to see its new approach to combat terrorism being implemented.
As predicted by many political strategists, terrorism and Pakistan will be among the top agenda items on the list of President Obama, when he begins his term as the US President. Presidential advisers on South Asia and terrorism are already working on various options to deal with the situation in South Asia.
The meeting incidentally comes at a time when Obama has sent the first of his messengers to Pakistan in the form of US Vice President elect Joe Biden.
Oil price rises
Posted by: karthik007 on: January 6, 2009
Oil prices rose back above USD 47 on Monday (Jan 5) as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict raged on and major crude producer Iran said OPEC would hold a special meeting next month. Brent North Sea crude for delivery in February climbed 70 cents to USD 47.61 a barrel in afternoon trade on London’s InterContinental Exchange.
New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for February, gained 70 cents to USD 47.04. Crude futures have been boosted over the past week as the conflict in Gaza stokes tensions in the key oil-producing Middle East.
The Gaza conflict has added to the “geopolitical risk premium embodied in the oil price,” said David Moore, an analyst at Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Israeli warplanes carried out intensive raids on Hamas targets today as ground troops surrounded Gaza’s main city, while Israel faced mounting diplomatic pressure for ceasefire.
Elsewhere, Iran’s OPEC representative Mohammad Ali Khatibi today said that the oil producers’ cartel would hold an extraordinary meeting in Kuwait in February. “The extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is due to be held next month in Kuwait,”.
“The exact date has not been fixed yet and no invitation has been sent to the members either,” he added in a statement posted online. OPEC, whose 12 members together produce about 40 per cent of world oil, last month agreed to cut output by 2.2 million barrels per day in a bid to shore up crude prices.
Kingfisher Airlines launches daily Mumbai-London flight
Posted by: karthik007 on: January 6, 2009
Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher Airlines today (January 5) launched its first daily non-stop Mumbai-London flight with a new Airbus 330-200 aircraft, configured in two classes.
“The flight had almost full occupancy with 28 passengers in Kingfisher First and 169 in Kingfisher Class,” company spokesperson told.The flight ‘IT 007′ left the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) at 1350 hrs and was carrying 10 chief executive officers of top travel agencies from Delhi and Mumbai, the spokerperson said.
The return flight from London ‘IT 008′ would leave at 2030 hrs and arrive at the Mumbai airport on the next day at 1100 hrs.Mumbai-London is the private carrier’s second overseas flight after the one on Bangalore-London route that was launched in September last year.
Kingfisher also plans to launch Mumbai-Hong Kong operations from January 12 and Mumbai-Singapore flight from January 16.In addition, its flights from Bangalore and Chennai to Sri Lanka capital, Colombo, will start from January 19.
“Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” races to $340 million overseas
Posted by: karthik007 on: January 6, 2009
“Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” led the foreign box office for the fourth time in five weekends as the overseas tally for the animal cartoon raced to $340 million — about $2 million more than the final total of its 2005 predecessor.
“Madagascar 2,” which began its slow international rollout in late October, earned an estimated $32.2 million from 60 territories during the weekend. It opened at No. 1 in Poland with $3.8 million. Territory totals include Germany ($4 million), France ($39.5 million), and Italy.
In its second weekend on the international circuit, “Australia” drew an estimated $21.7 million from 51 territories for an international total of $82.7 million. The period epic topped the charts in Germany, Spain, Sweden and Denmark.
Third was “Bedtime Stories,” the family feature with Adam Sandler, which registered $21.2 million from 22 markets for an overseas total of $44 million.
Tied for the fourth spot were the sci-fi remake “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and the Jim Carrey comedy “Yes Man,” with each drawing an estimated $12 million. “Earth,” now in 63 territories, boasts an international total of $128.6 million. “Yes Man” has pulled in $34 million from 21 markets; it opened at No. 1 in Australia with $3 million.
DD relay its signals on latest technology of High Definition
Posted by: karthik007 on: January 6, 2009
Claiming that the country’s largest public broadcaster, Doordarshan was under the process ofmodernization, Baljit Singh Lalli, Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharti, on Monday (Jan 5) revealed that during the forthcoming commonwealth games, DD would relay its signals on latest technology of High Definition.
“Process of establishing four studios in metro cities including, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai is already on and well before the coming commonwealth games it will be ready”, Lalli told.
The High Definition studios would help to relay digital signal to all the viewers of DD as it would drastically improve the quality of picture and sound of the channel, he claimed.
Lalli revealed that process of digitilisation of the transmission system was already under process and it was expected that in the years to come the process would be completed, he said adding that for the modernization of the DD, new equipments were being purchased, for which a budget of Rs 430 crore has been earmarked.
Asked as DD used to be the sole broadcaster of international cricket matches till few years ago, would it try to get back its status, CEO revealed that since the agreement with other broadcasters with Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) would end only next year, DD would definitely make its bid to get the broadcasting rights.
He admitted that the DD was facing difficulties in getting transmission in all over the country because some of the cable operators were not implementing the rules of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) under which it was mandatory for every cable operator to pub the channels of DD on prime band.
“We have taken up the matter with the concerned authority and it is expected the rule will be strictly implemented”, he added.
Lalli, who was here in the local Doordarshan Kendra, for a special function on the occasion on broadcasing of special programme “Guru Manyo Granth” revealed that as there was great demand of the broadcasting of this particular programme, it has been planned to make English, Urdu and Arabic versions of the programme very soon.
“Guru Manyo Granth is already been telecasted in Hindi from the National hook- up of Doordarshan in a prime time chunk in October” Lalli said adding that the Punjabi version of the serial is commencing from today.
Lalli revealed that bouquet of Direct to Home (DTH) of Prasar Bharati has been strengthened and as many as 59 channels were being offered under the service. He said that Doordarshan has decided to strengthen the production of in-house programme rather than outsourcing it.
Anbumani Ramadoss to crackdown on junk food, after tobacco
Posted by: karthik007 on: January 6, 2009
After banning smoking in public places and on screen, the Union Health and Family Welfare ministry is all set to make labelling of food products mandatory, informing consumers about ingredients, calories and saturated fat, in an apparent drive against junk food.
“In a month’s time, all food products in India will mandatorily have ingredients on one side (of the cover of food packets) and on the other side, nutritional value like calories and saturated fat”, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Anbumani Ramadoss said here today.
“People will know what to eat and how much to eat”, he told after attending the convocation function of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), a deemed university.
Pointing out that junk food was contributing to juvenile diabetes, childhood obesity and hypertension, he said more needs to be done to enhance awareness. His ministry has sent advisories to states to ban junk food in educational institutions, Ramadoss said.
His ministry was also bringing out a national alcoholic policy — which would be recommendatory in nature to states and not mandatory — listing among other things, fixed timings for alcohol consumption, quantity limitation, age limit and holidays (alcohol-free days).
Ramadoss said he would introduce in the coming session of Parliament a clinical establishment act by which all hospitals and labs–big or small- would have to be registered. They would be regulated and they have to follow Indian Public Health Standards in a bid to streamline quality.
He said Indian doctors, who migrated to the West, were returning to India in droves, given the current opportunities, atmosphere and investments in this country.
International Cricket Council mulls neutral venue for Aus-Pak series
Posted by: karthik007 on: January 6, 2009
The International Cricket Council is trying to convince Pakistan to host Australia at a neutral venue if the one-day series does not go ahead as planned in the strife-torn country. Though Cricket Australia and the ICC insist that the first preference would be to play in Pakistan, an alternative venue could not be ruled out either.
“The first priority is for any country to play at home, but if that can’t happen what we have to do is encourage teams to play cricket,” ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said. “If that’s at a neutral venue then so be it. Let’s get teams playing cricket,” he was quoted as saying in ‘The Australian’.
Kuala Lumpur, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi are being touted as the neutral venues for the one-day series. CA chief executive James Sutherland supported the idea of neutral venues if it was not possible to play in Pakistan.
“We don’t have any objections to neutral venues, but we’re not anywhere near advanced enough to be making assessments of playing in Pakistan,” Sutherland said. “We haven’t played Pakistan for some time because of the postponement of tours and we want to play them. We see it as good preparation leading into the world Twenty20 championship in London (in June).
“We’ll do checks on any neutral venues if they come into play, but as far as we’re concerned we’ve got a commitment to play Pakistan in Pakistan and we’ll work through that process as we’ve done in the past,” Sutherland said. Australia have not toured Pakistan for 10 years.
Master Blaster celebrates Ranji return with a ton
Posted by: karthik007 on: January 6, 2009
After a long gap of 23 months, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar scored a 125 ball century against Saurashtra in the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy in Chennai on Monday (Jan 5). Tendulkar’s knock included five sixes and seven fours.Tendulkar along with opener Wasim Jaffer, who struck a double ton, propelled Mumbai to a mammoth 637 for six on the second day of their four-day Ranji Trophy cricket semifinal.
Tendulkar, who faced 166 balls in 178 minutes for his knock which was studded with nine fours and five huge sixes, retired perhaps not being able to withstand the heat in the middle due to running temperature. The batting maestro stitched a 226-run stand off 410 balls with Jaffer.
At close, Abhishek Nayar (29) and Ramesh Powar (8) were at the crease.
Jaffer amassed his second triple ton (301, 459b, 635m, 27×4) both against Saurashtra this season. After a fabulous innings of 635 minutes at the crease, Jaffer was out to a tired looking shot when he played Rakesh Dhruve towards on-side on the toss of the ball but gave a leading edge in offering a simple return catch.
Jaffer continued to be in his elements and in the company of Tendulkar, who showed aggression from the word go and kept the board ticking at a faster pace. It was an emotional walk to the middle for Tendulkar, who opted to assist his state in their hunt for the 38th Ranji title.
Coming on to the crease at the fall of Ajinkya Rahane (85, 193b, 288m, 4×4, 2×6), Tendulkar enthralled the sparse crowd using his bat as a magical wand and the manner in which he chose the gaps for driving was immaculate.
Earlier, resuming at the overnight score of 291 for one, Mumbai’s Rahane was shaping up well towards achieving a deserving century but his stay at the crease ended as he stepped out to drive Makwana was holed out to Kotak.
Then on, it turned out to be a fruitful innings as Jaffer in the company of Tendulkar made sure that they take the centre stage and take Mumbai to the road to achieve a final entry.
Jaffer, required to lead from the front, did a perfect job and his mates from the dressing room came out to celebrate his triple century with a push through the cover point for a single of Dhruve. But, the joy was shortlived as jaffer was out with the addition of one more run.
Amol Muzumdar, who required 42 runs to becoming the highest run-getter in the history of Ranji Trophy, failed when he fished an outside the off-stump delivery from Balakrishna Jadeja but snicked to the wicket-keeper Jogiyani.
Rohit Sharma was adjudged leg before to Balakrishna Jadeja for 28 and Ajit Agarkar also made his exit with just two runs to his credit.
Encounter rages on in J&K: Day 5
Posted by: karthik007 on: January 5, 2009
The fierce gunbattle between security forces and militants near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir entered the fifth day today and has already left three security force personnel and four ultras dead.
“The fierce gunbattle resumed this morning after a night-long break. Army and police have put a three-tier cordon and are zeroing in on the cave-type hideouts in Bhatidhar forests,” defence sources had earlier said.
Heavy fog and poor visibility are coming in the way of the security forces, they said, adding that “a major assault was launched in these strong cave-type hideouts to destroy them”.
Seven persons, including three security men – JCO subedar Rakesh Kumar, Naik P K Singh and Special Police Officer (SPO) Naresh Kumar — have lost their lives. Four militants have been killed but their bodies have not been recovered so far, northern command spokesman Col D K Kachari said.
Apart from Romeo Force’s 29th unit and 26 Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police, authorities have rushed para units of special forces to the area besides some additional troops.
Security forces have closed in on the building where 7-8 Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar militants are holed-up. Heavy gunfire is reportedly still being exchanged with the militants hurling grenades, pika and firing from assault rifles, making it only harder for security personnel to overpower them.
Also among the militants are LeT commander Abu Omar and Jaish-e-Mohammed local commander Abu Dawood.
Meanwhile, police have arrested a retired Assistant Sub-Inspector Muzaffar Shah from Bhati Dhar for helping the militants in taking shelter in the area, police said, adding that Shah had retired in 2003.
During preliminary interrogation, he revealed that militants used caves for making solide bunkers over the past four years and large number
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