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Goddess Lakshmi on swimwear: Oz firm sorry Diaspora, page 22
Bin Laden eyed new targets, big body count: Diary Osama Aftermath, Page 10
Indian Army and Air Force practiced enemy annihilation in north Rajasthan in a week-long exercise. their warfare synergy. The chief of the Indian army General V.K. Singh visited the desert area to review the training program and he was briefed by Lt General Anil Chait, general officer commanding of 2 Corps. The Indian army, the worlds fourth largest in Continued on page 2...
Galleon Group hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam after the guilty verdict. insider trading case in US history. Central to the prosecutions evidence were tapped phone calls between Rajaratnam and corporate insiders, including two Indian Americans, Intel treasury official Rajiv Goel and former McKinsey & Co partner Continued on page 2...
Analysis
Mamata takes Bengal, Jaya returns, Gogoi stays put, fight on in Kerala
The usual arrogance of many Wall Streeters, the privileged bunch playing "fast ay 11, 2011 will be remembered and loose" with other people's hard earned money, took a hit in the head as the day when much like Bin Laden did on Main Street knocked the criminal arrogance out of Law Day, May 1, 2011. Today is a new dawn for Wall Street Wall Street, thanks to USA Bharara and his elite navyFools. What struck me from Day 1 seal-like prosecutors. of this case was the continued Preet Bharara, like Thomas More of centuries past, is a arrogance by Rajaratnam. Once man for all seasons. He has his lawyers lost their motion to convicted a corrupt political suppress the wiretaps, as they should have, Raj Rajaratnam donor, the would-be Times was "toast." He should have Square Bomber, the African who aided in bombing of our Preet Bharara, US been advised to cut the best posEmbassies in Africa, and now attorney for Manhattan, sible deal with the prosecutors, Bharara has won a grand slam whose prosecutors for his 5th Amendment right, 14 out of 14 "Guilty" verdicts in brought case against usually a bedrock defense right, Rajaratnam the Raj Rajaratnam case. Continued on page 2...
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engaging in an orgy of greed that crippled Main Street and robbed every American's home equity and retirement fund balance, and devastated every state's and every city's budget. Seniors were forced to go back to work. For the Asian-American community, the result is poles apart. If you side with law enforcement and do the right thing, then we won! If you side with "get rich quick" schemes and are socially impressed with folks just because they have a lot of money, no matter how they made it, well its "time to wake up" and change your thinking, for you could be starring in the next wiretap played in a courtroom near you! For America, it means that no one is above the law, and Wall Street exists for the benefit of Main Street, and not the other way around. Wall Street better honor its fiduciary obligations rather than ripping off its ward. This neutron bomb claimed many guilty pleas along the way, and bagged the arrogant fool who dared to question the common sense of everyday New Yorkers sitting on the jury. It's not too late to cut a deal, for Rajaratnam could offer up some more "billion dollar heads." Ravi Batra likes to introduce himself as Father, American, Lawyer and Democrat, in that order. Like Thomas Becket, I too pick law over politics.
Eminent attorney Ravi Batra with New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and legendary DA Bob Morgenthau, whom Batra calls his mentor. Dream: work hard honestly, play by the rules, and win real big and get to keep it. America is a nation of laws, not dummies. America expects all to act like boy scouts or girl scouts, and when you don't your neighbors get to sit in judgment on your fate and get to decide if you are guilty. This nation was founded by everyone signing the Declaration of Independence pledging their have to be evaluated in these exercises. The exercise is being conducted to harness the skills of the troops to harness the technological advancement in military warfare, said Col SD Goswami, defense spoksesman. Col Goswami said infantry combat vehicles (ICV) 250 tanks including T90 main battle tanks (MBT) Chetak and MI-17 helicopters were deployed for this massive exercise. Military platforms developed by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) for the army such as BAGH were being put through evaluation tests during the exercise. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) also keenly watched the efficacy and robustness of the satellite downlinks for the field force. Merely equipping the forces with hi-tech weaponry and combat support systems for enhancing the fire power of troops is not enough. It is essential to train and prepare them for its actual use during war. During the exercise, combat decisions taken at various levels of command will be analyzed by the experts for their ability to synregise the application of the state-of-the art weapon platforms to achieve optimum results, Col Goswami said. "sacred honor." Acting like a greedy criminal isn't honorable or sacred, and ultimately, very un-American. I expect that the day of reckoning on "sentencing day" is going to set a standard for punishment. The arrogance of criminal greed that stands convicted today is, after the meltdown of the global economy caused by out of control Wall Streeters in 2008, arrogantly
Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano was honored by Dr Krishan Kumar, President of AAPI-QLI, at an event attended by 200 doctors at Akbar restaurant on May 11. As the two shook hands, executive committee members of the physicians body joined in for a group photograph. (Photo: Mike Tamborrino).
Rajaratnam Story Continued from page 1 Anil Kumar, both of whom testified against him. Prosecutors argued Rajratnam made as much as $63.8 million in illegal profits from 2003 to March 2009 by trading on tips from a network of highly-placed corporate insiders. The companies traded included Google, Intel and Hilton Hotels, the prosecution said. The wiretaps were particularly damning for the defense as Rajaratnam is heard discussing inside information he received from Goldman Sachs Indian American director, Rajat Gupta, about a potential acquisition the firm was expected to make. Gupta was not charged in the case. Guptas alleged involvement in the case brought Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein to the courtroom as witness for the prosecution. In his testimony in March, Blankfein told jurors that Gupta violated Goldmans confidentiality when he shared confidential information about the firm with Rajaratnam. Rajaratnam, dressed in a black suit and a khaki tie, had no expression as the verdict was read in the overflowing courtroom. His lawyer, John Dowd, said he would appeal. Preet Bharara, US attorney for Manhattan of Indian descent, whose prosecutors brought the case against Rajaratnam, said: The message today is clear - there are rules and there are laws, and they apply to everyone, no matter who you are or how much money you have.
Vijayee Bhava (Be Victorious) exercise employed 250 tanks and 1,000 artillery guns and helicopters.
Raj Rajaratnam (right) is seen during the reading of his guilty verdict in a sketch made in Manhattan Federal Court May 11. with another primary informant through his philanthropic support of the Indian School of Business, a prestigious graduate school in Hyderabad, India. Twenty-six people have been charged in the governments case against Mr. Rajaratnam; 21 have pleaded guilty. Some of those accused as co-conspirators were direct contacts, including Galleon employees and board members at publicly traded companies. He dealt with others through intermediaries: in one case, a fellow trader gave him corporate secrets provided to her by a Moodys credit analyst. Among those in Rajaratnams circle, Anil. Kumar was one of the more prominent. They
US Attorney for Manhattan Preet Bharara Charles E. Schumer of New York. He drew bipartisan praise for his role in the Senate Judiciary Committee's investigation into the 2006 firings of US attorneys around the country. It led to the resignation of US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Before that, Bharara was an assistant U.S. attorney in Manhattan for five years, where he brought criminal cases against Italian-American mobsters and Asian gangs in New York City. Born in Ferozepur, India, he was an infant when his parents immigrated to the US in 1970. He is a naturalized
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want them to talk to us directly, Gilani further added. Gilani acknowledges his abiding difference of opinion with Washington on how best to fight militancy. From day one, my policy has been the three Ds: dialogue, development and deterrence. Military solutions cannot be permanent solutions. There has to be a political solution, some kind of exit strategy. He said he didnt believe Washington was really going to cut aid. If it did, he said, Well cross that bridge when we come to it. Gilani does, however, fear that a deteriorating relationship with Washington could hurt Pakistans fight against domestic militancy.
When theres a trust deficit, he said, there will be problems in intelligence sharing. Asked about the reason for this trust deficit, Gilani replied tersely, Its not from our side. Ask them. Traditionally, the ISI worked with the CIA, he said. Now, what were seeing is that theres no level of trust. Relations have deteriorated sharply since last November when the local CIA station chief was outed, allegedly by the ISI a charge the agency denies. They hit a low point amid the standoff over Raymond Davis, a CIA contractor who killed two Pakistani men in a January incident and then claimed diplomatic immunity.
"I Lavina Varindani w/o Deepak Prakash Mulani resident of 5-3-73/B Vidhyanagar Kamareddy AP503111 India / 10440 Queens Blvd. Apt10K Forest Hills NY-11375 have changed my name to Dia Deepak Mulani. All concerned please note."
Dawood Ibrahim, behind the 93 serial blasts in Mumbai, is living in Karachi, alleged Home Minister P. Chidambaram.
The New Jersey State Assembly honored Asian-American media in Trenton on May 9. Dr Sudhir Parikh (holding citation), Padma Shri awardee and publisher of Desi Talk, and a couple of other Indian American journalists were among those honoured as part of the celebrations observing the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Assembly Deputy Speaker Upendra Chivukula is on extreme right.
Dr Samin K. Sharma, leading cardiologist working with Mount Sinai in New York, received the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor 2011 on May 7.
MetroCard to be replaced
New York: The MetroCard's days are numbered. In a couple of years, subway riders could be able to open turnstiles with the tap of a credit card - or with a new pass they're calling the MTA Card. Straphangers also will be able to establish travel accounts and transfer money via home computers or the nearest automatic bank machine. Those are some of the features the MTA envisions for the fare system that officials say will replace the MetroCard - and could save the agency millions considering it caters to 7.4 million daily subway and bus riders. "It's E-ZPass for transit," said MTA Chief Financial Officer Charles Monheim. Bus riders will still be able to plunk coins into fareboxes, but little else will remain the same. Riders will no longer swipe a MetroCard's magnetic strip through a turnstile reader or dip it into a bus farebox. Instead, they will place or tap their "contactless" credit or debit card in front of a sensor.
Islanders Owner Charles Wang, County Executive Edward P. Mangano and Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray.
Sthaniya Sambaad wins best film award at New York Film Fest
Best Director winner Aparna Sen (Iti Mrinalini) at the Closing Night red carpet premiere of the 11th Annual New York Indian Film. Credit: MichaelToolan.com
Geeta Menon, the contexts of survey methodology, advertising of health information and risk perception. Born in Cochi, Menon graduated
New York, NY: Capping off five days of Indian cinematic excellence, the 11th Annual New York Indian Film Festival came to a close in grand fashion on May 8 with the spectacular Closing Night red carpet premiere of Rituparno Ghosh's powerful film Noukadubi which was attended by Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh Kapoor, Salman Rushdie, Mira Nair, Aparna Sen, Madhur Jaffrey, Ambassador Prakash Shah, Consul General Prabhu Dayal, and many other notable celebrities. Following the premiere at Asia Society in
Manhattan was the festival's annual awards ceremony. The winners are listed below. Best Feature Film Sthaniya Sambaad (Spring in the Colony), directed by Arjun Gourisaria & Moinak Biswas; Best Director - Aparna Sen, Iti Mrinalini; Best Actor - Rishi Kapoor, Do Dooni Chaar; Best Actress - Konkona Sen Sharma, Iti Mrinalini; Best Screenplay Mohan Raghavan, T.D. Dasan Std. VI B; Best Documentary - Bhopali (Max Carlson); Best Short Film Just That Sort Of A Day (Abhay Kumar)
On Tagore's 150th birthday celebration in Times Square, Guest of Honor Aparna Sen received "The Key to Manhattan "by Boro President Scott Stringer on Saturday May 7th, 2011.
Anand Alagappan intrigued by the family culture and relationships in the US, says
Artist's illustration of new graphic novel and film , "Dominion: Dinosaurs Versus Aliens"
Islamabad: Pakistan is Mumbai attacks under the preparing to block a lawsuit in direction of an ISI case offia US court that alleges comcer, whom he identified only plicity of its spy chief Lt Gen as "Major Iqbal". Ahmed Shuja Pasha in the The lawsuit is based in audacious 2008 Mumbai ter"large part on evidence develror attacks, on the grounds oped by the FBI linking the that it will pour "gasoline on ISI to the operatives of the the fire" of Indo-Pak relations. LeT terror group who are The country's military-run charged with conducting the ISI has roped in American operation", the report said. lawyers, who are moving to According to a brief filed quash the lawsuit in a Chief of ISI, Lt Gen Ahmed last week by lawyers Kevin Shuja Pasha Brooklyn court by arguing Walsh and Allen C that if the case proceeds, it "will fuel violence Wasserman on behalf of the ISI, the Pakistan and extremism" that will threaten Pakistan government "regards any assertion of jurisdicgovernment and pour "gasoline on the fire" of tion over its high officials" by a US court "as relations between Pakistan and India, NBC an intrusion on its sovereignty, in violation of News reported. international law". The lawsuit, filed last year by relatives of The brief argues that Pakistan is a "wartime two Jewish victims of the Mumbai attacks, ally of the United States" in the fight against alleges that Pasha and his predecessor al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Nadeem Taj helped the LeT conduct the 2008 that the lawsuit will damage that alliance. Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people, The two American lawyers are with the including six Americans. Dallas-based firm of Locke Lord Bissell & It charges that the ISI provided "critical Liddell, whose lobbying arm, Locke Lord planning, material support, control and coor- Strategies, represents the Pakistan government dination" of the Mumbai attacks under the in Washington. The firm reportedly was paid leadership of Pasha and Taj. over two million dollars in fees since it signed This allegedly included providing funding a contract with the Pakistan government in to David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani- 2008. The chief of the firm's Pakistan lobbyAmerican who has pleaded guilty in a US fed- ing account is Mark Siegel, a close aide of eral court to conducting surveillance for the slain former premier Benazir Bhutto.
Volunteers preparing the meals. BAPS Charities reached out to 1500 people with freshly prepared meals. Friday, May 6, 2011. In this Walt Maddox, commented, I time frame of 5 days, BAPS would like to acknowledge Charities was able to reach BAPS Charities for their out and serve over 1,500 peo- remarkable efforts here in ple. Meals were being served Tuscaloosa, Alabama. at 4 relief centers around the They have given so much City of Tuscaloosa. time and energy to the comIn recognition and appreci- munities in need in the afteration of the effort, hard work, math of the tornadoes of kindness, and compassion April 27, 2011. I cannot shown by the volunteers of thank this organization BAPS Charities, the Mayor enough for its support and of the city of Tuscaloosa, Mr. generosity.
Vinod Khosla Warren Buffett, pledge cofounder and the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, said in an April 28 statement. 56-year-old Khosla is Silicon Valley's most prominent "green" venture capitalist and a dominant personality in the cleantech community. A co-founder of Sun
Ron Levy He soon converted his studio on Mulberry Street in Little Italy into a tandoor factory. Over the past three decades, he has built more than 2,000 for restaurants across North America, including the Bombay Club in Washington and Bukhara Grill and Dawat in Manhattan, and as far away as Mexico, Belize and Fiji. Levys first innovation was to fashion the body from a blend of earthenware and stoneware, the former chosen for its modeling and expansion properties, the latter for
r. Natubhai Shah, a well-known Jain leader and CEO of Jain Network, was invited by Her Majesty the Queen to attend the wedding of Prince William of Wales with Miss Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29. Dr. Shah was the only Jain and one of the only three Indians in England who were invited to this historic event. Dr Shah says: It was for the first time that leaders of nine major faiths, namely Christian, Bahai, Buddhist, Hindu, Islam, Jain, Jewish, Sikh and Zoroastrian were invited by to this wedding service along with the royal families, senior ministers, celebrities, etc.The invitation has brought Jain awareness to the wider world, he added.
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I've seen them, it's him: said Republican Senator James Inhofe after viewing photographs of Osama Bin Laden's bloodied corpse. eye socket. Or it went in through the eye socket and out -- then exploded," he said. "That caused the brains to hang out of the eye socket, so that was pretty gruesome." They show bin Laden's body being washed and prepared for burial and then lowered into the sea, he said. "They had taken enough blood and material off his face so it was easier to identify who it was," Inhoffe said. "Absolutely, no question about it. I've seen them. That was him. He's gone. He's history," he added.
Osama Bin Laden reportedly believed that only a body count of thousands would shift US policies. Bin Laden envisaged attacks being staged on significant dates, such as America's 4 July Independence Day and the 10th anniversary of the attacks of 11 September 2001. He wrote that other American cities such as Los Angeles should be considered for targeting, not just New York. In his writings, US officials say that Bin Laden wondered how many American deaths it would take to lead Washington to reconsider its policies on the Middle East. The al-Qaeda leader is said to have concluded that only a body count of thousands, like that of the 9/11 attacks, would be enough.
Whether al Qaeda even need name an official new leader is uncertain, say experts.
a report by Site Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist web traffic. If al Qaeda does pick a s u c c e s s o r, a n a l y s t s s a i d Ayman al-Zawahri, 59, is the most likely choice because he was bin Ladens longtime deputy and has far more experience than younger
candidates. Others in the fray include A b u Ya h i a a l - L i b i , a l Qaedas Afghanistan commander, Saif al-Adel and A f g h a n Ta l i b a n l e a d e r Mullah Mohammed Omar. Yemen-based cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, is considered a long-shot at best.
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Inconsistent statements from Pakistan's government and army reveal that the two are not on the same page post Osama bin Laden's death.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain. He said a 17-point questionnaire dum" began Wednesday and would had been prepared. The "referen- continue for a week.
A signed message from US President Barack Obama is seen on a pamphlet during his meeting with 9/11 family members near Ground Zero in New York on May 5.
A supporter of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden shouts antiAmerican slogans, after hearing the news of his death, during a rally in Quetta.
London : The US commando raid that killed Osama bin Laden was "not an assassination", US Attorney General Eric Holder said on May 12 after the Al-Qaeda leader's sons denounced the operation. Holder told the BBC the raid on bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan on May 2 was a "kill or capture mission" and that his surrender would have been accepted if offered, but that the safety of US Navy commandos was paramount. "What happened to bin Laden was not an assassination," Holder said. "I think the action that we took against him can be seen as an act of national self-defense. You have to remember it is lawful to target
an enemy commander," he said. The top US legal official said there was no indication that bin Laden was going to surrender and it was believed he could be wearing a suicide vest. "It was a kill or capture mission. If there was a possibility of a feasible surrender that would have occurred, but their protection, that is the protection of the force that went into the compound, was uppermost in their minds," said Holder. "This is a man who swore he would never be taken alive. There were some indications that perhaps he wore a suicide vest, there's indications that perhaps there were weapons in the room."
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gence's failure to detect Osama bin Laden's presence in Abbottabad a "massive slip-up," ex-President Pervez Musharraf has admitted that "rogue" members of ISI and military may have helped the al-Qaeda chief hide in plain sight in the garrison city. Musharraf, who lives in Britain in selfexile, said the "rogue" lower-level members of the powerful ISI and military might have known about bin Laden's location during the last year of his presidency six years ago. "It's really appalling that he was there and nobody knew. I'm certainly appalled that I didn't know and that intelligence
people from that time onward didn't know for six years that he was inside. "And there is no excuse for this great, massive slip-up. And an investigation is in order and people must be punished for this big lapse," Musharraf told ABC News. As a policy, the army and ISI are fighting terrorism and extremism, including al-Qaida and Taliban, he said. "But rogue element within is a possibility," he said. According to the former president, there were three attachment commanders in Abbottabad in the past six years and he could not imagine all three knowing and harboring bin Laden. "The possibility as I said, at the lower
level, somebody following a policy of his own and violating the policy from above, is a possibility," he was quoted as saying. Regardless of who knew what, according to Musharraf, was the fact that the US raid was a possible violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and that there was never a deal struck during his tenure to allow the US to make a unilateral attack on Pakistan's soil if bin Laden was found. While calling the al-Qaida chief's sixyear residence in Abbottabad a "big blunder" on the part of Pakistani intelligence, Musharraf warned the United States that if it continues to alienate Pakistan as it did in the bin Laden raid, the US will be the "loser."
American Senator John Kerry. tions, obviously, there are some serious issues that we've just got to find a way to resolve together," he
New Delhi: Ten days after US special forces killed Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, India carried out a comprehensive review of its security architecture on May 11, Defense Ministry officials said here. Defense Minister A.K. Antony chaired a meeting that assessed the security implications of the May 2 US strike at Abbottabad killing Osama and Pakistans angry reactions to the covert operation, particularly its warning of a catastrophic response to any misadventure by its neighbors. With US and Pakistan blowing hot and cold over the SEALs operation, India is keenly watching the spat and its impact on its own security and that of Afghanistan, where a war on terror is led by the Americans, apart from putting pressure on its western neighbor to act against the terror accused on its most-wanted
Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony. list. The meeting, officials suggested, also took stock of the recent assessment of an Indian security think-tank that China could take over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir by 2020 and Beijings infrastructure build-up on the Sino-Indian border. The meeting was attended by National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon, Indian Air Force chief Air Cheif Marshal P.V. Naik, Indian Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma, Indian Army chief General V.K. Singh and Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar.
Op Ed TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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akistan is the most dangerous country in the world, but also one of the most complicated. There are basically two possible explanations for the relationship between al Qaeda and the Pakistani army: the army manipulates the jihadis or the jihadis manipulate the army. Both are terrifying. The rst is awful, the second is much more frightening. Both are true. Osama Bin Laden was killed in Abbottabad, in some ways the Pakistani equivalent of West Point. He started his career as a fund raiser for the Pakistani army's only military success in its 60plus yearsthe war against the USSR in Afghanistan. He worked side by side with the ISI, the Pakistani intelligence agency, then. He helped create the army's jihadist Frankenstein masterpiece: Lashkar-eTaibbathe army of the purewhich attacked Mumbai and which has mourned him more than any one else. Lashkar leader Hafez Saed has openly eulogized bin Laden, but Saed is also a regular feature at rallies attended by senior army ofcers. And yet al Qaeda's other ally in Pakistan, the Pakistani Taliban, was with the
The Pakistani army, the fifth largest in the world, is a maze of contradictions and complexities.
army. Together al Qaeda and the Taliban have killed hundreds of Pakistani soldiers, even attacking into their headquarters and cantonments. They have killed senior ofcers and declared their intention to kill chief of army staff General Kayani. Al Qaeda's new boss, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has written a book on why Pakistan needs an Is-
lamic revolution. Its most effective operator, Muhammad Ilyas Kashmiri, was trained by the ISI but now regularly hunts it. He has killed several senior commanders, and has even tried to eliminate former dictator Pervez Musharraf. So how is the army both at war with al Qaeda and in bed with it? The answer is the army is riddled with jihadist sympa-
thizers. For decades, the ofcer corps has been told India is the enemy, America is unreliable and rapacious, and that Islam is the answer. Even those ofcers who appreciate American support (the country has received billions in aid since 9/11) resent it too. Like all Pakistanis they also believe America is closer in values and interests to India. They are right. The Pakistani army, the fth largest in the world, is a maze of contradictions and complexities. Meanwhile it steadily builds more nuclear weapons faster than any other country in the world today. The syndicate of terror in Pakistan is not a monolith. It has no single leader. Its uidity is a strength, because it is so complex and multi-layered. Now it is clear it has put its agents deep in the Pakistani military. Obama was right not to trust it on Osama. It is easy to be confused and angry about Pakistan. But that is not a strategy. The right course calls for engagement, with tough redlines, backed by unilateral operations when needed.
(Bruce Riedel, a former long-time CIA ofcer, is a senior fellow in the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution.)
Hafiz Saeed, the 26/11 mastermind. India now expects the West, and especially America, to put genuine pressure on Pakistan - by way of cutting off aid, for instance - to go after the terrorists in real earnest and not faking it any longer as till now. Pakistan - by way of cutting off aid, for instance - to go after the terrorists in real earnest and not faking it any longer as till now. Whether Pakistan will do so after so many years of cohabitation with the fanatics is not
known. But its plummeting prestige may make it more amenable towards addressing India's concerns instead of dismissing the charges against Haz Saeed, for instance, as "literature", as Pakistan's foreign secretary, Salman Bashir, had once done. Although Bashir has tried to retain the earlier ippant tone about the presence of terrorists on Pakistani soil by describing as "outdated" India's demand for punishing the culprits responsible for the Mumbai outrage, New Delhi has displayed a sign of maturity by saying that Bashir could not have been "serious". How the atmospherics have changed between India and Pakistan can be seen from this particular exchange. While the utterances of a rattled and shaken Islamabad are not making much sense, such as Bashir's curious observation that since "bin Laden is history, we don't want to keep ourselves mired in the past", New Delhi's emphasis is on engaging Pakistan with "head, heart and courage". Against the background of these muddled statements, India's expectation probably is that the reputation of the Pakistan Army and its notorious adjunct, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), is currently so low because of the location of Osama's house within earshot of an army camp that they will desist from any major terrorist operation in the near future. As a result, India can use this brief window of opportunity to persuade Pakistan's ha-
rassed civilian leaders to reassert themselves. The hope may not be fullled. But it is something worth trying. It is that at least a section of the Pakistan Army was aware of Operation Geronimo, which was why power supply was switched off in Abbottabad as the American helicopters arrived and that Osama's house was cordoned off by the Pakistani security forces. According to a former Indian diplomat, the helicopters took off from a Pakistani base and not from Afghanistan. Moreover, the Pakistani forces subsequently seized all the memory chips from the video cameras of those onlookers in Abbottabad who had climbed to their roofs to take pictures of the operation. No one except the Chinese news agency Xinhua, which had put out these reports, can vouch safe for their authenticity. But, if true, it can mean two things. Either a split has appeared in the Pakistan Army between those who believe that America can no longer be opposed, especially since it has found out about Osama's "secret" location, and those who think that the army cannot afford to sever its links with the terrorists, who are its "strategic assets" against India. Or that the army as a whole has decided to forsake its earlier policy of harboring terrorists and help the Americans to establish a permanent military presence in the region, but with their faces turned towards West Asia. In a situation as uncertain as this, India cannot but tread cautiously.
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
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US Affairs TheSouthAsianTimes.info
President Obama shakes hands with people in the crowd following remarks on immigration reform in El Paso, Texas, May 10. The president also used the occasion to criticize GOP leaders for setting impossible standards for border enforcement before being willing to cut a deal with their Democratic counterparts. He said people who have already entered the country illegally have to admit they broke the law, pay taxes and a fine, learn English and be willing to undergo background checks before starting the legaliza-
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver supported him in the final days of his campaign for governor after LA Times published a series of stories painting him as womanizer and groper.
Former speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich, with his wife and source of strength Callista Bisek. on writing books and staking out conservative policy positions, especially on foreign policy issues. Public-opinion polls suggest
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he Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, India was held at Chutney Mary restaurant in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey on Saturday May 7, 2011. The gathering was attended by 50 alumni from various fields of PSG College of Technology. The alumni came from Boston, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. Included were, the oldest graduate Mr. Shanmugam from 1959 batch and the youngest graduate from 2010 batch. The meeting was presided by
visiting dignitaries of PSG Management Mr. G. RangaswamyManaging Trustee, Mr. C.R. Swaminathan - the Chief Executive, Dr. R. Rudramoorthy Principal PSGCT, Dr P. Radhakrishnan - Director, PSGIAS, Dr. R. Nandagopal Director, PGSIM, Dr. G. Ranganathan - President, Alumni Association, Dr R. Nadarajan, Head/Maths & Computer Applications, PSGCT, Dr A. Kandaswamy, Head/Biomedical Engineering, PSGCT. The slide show presentation highlighted various departments in
PSG College of Technology and its growth into an University accreditation which will be honored upon PSG next year. It emphasized the importance of PSG Tech Corpus Fund, which will help in education of 200 deserving students every year. The PSG Trust already helps 250 students each year for their education. Some of the alumni honored by Mr. Rangaswamy were - Mr. Jack Poola for his donations to PSG Tech, Mr. SampathKumar, Mr. Marthuchala Moorthy, Mr. Selvam and Mr. Vijay for planning the meeting in New Jersey.
The college's Managing Trustee Mr Rangswamy presenting a plaque to Jack Poola (left) in recognition of his donation to PSG Tech.
Mr C R Swaminathan Chief Executieve (in white) and Dr Radhakrishnan Past Principal (in blue) with students
Dr Rudramurthy, Principal, speaking. Mg Trustee and Selvam are also seen in the picture.
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ikram Bhatt might have succeeded in adding the illusion of depth in every frame of Haunted with the modern 3D technology but his story remains hollow. He might have to his credit India's first stereoscopic film but unfortunately he can't evade stereotypes in his storytelling. The plot is set on the ancient premise of a haunted mansion in a secluded hill-station, which realestate broker Rehan (Mahaakshay Chakroborty a.k.a Mimoh) has come to sell off. Caretaker Ramu kaka is substituted by a ragpicker replacement, whose first words on seeing Rehan is 'Tune bahut der kar di aane mein beta '.
A still from 'Haunted.' From flickering lights, creaking doors, falling chandelier, old photo-frame, rustic piano, hanging cadaver, shrill screams to an inviting song number as the clock strikes 3, the ghost tries every trick in the trade to make its presence felt. Sadly its attempt lacks new 'spirit'. An 80-year old letter, still in crisp condition, unveils a quick
flashback. Turns out that Meera (Tia Bajpai) was brutally raped by the spirit of her piano teacher (Arif Zakaria). Ever since, she is confined within the haunted house. Despite having no personal connect with her, Rehan is still inspired enough with the mere century-old correspondence, to help Meera. To add some variety to the 'lifeless' story, Bhatt brings time-travel into picture as Rehan goes back in time and the entire flashback repeats itself. With that, memories of the recent actual horrific film Action Replayy strikes your mind, though mercifully Bhatt doesn't mess up things as badly. So Vikram takes you back to 1920 or
some such era to rekindle redundant romance. Also the director takes the timetravel theme a little too literally and brings back prehistoric horror elements when ghosts were either half-burnt rubber-masked zombies or 'blue-eyed boys' of Ramsay films. To be fair, Bhatt sets up an ominous mood and uses special effects impressively. There are some particularly well-executed scenes in which a dead caretaker character (played by Achint Kaur) wreaks much havoc like leaping out of a forest to attack the protagonists, and walking sideways down a tree to scare the living daylights out of them.
fter singing for the big screen in films like "Singh Is Kinng" and "Khatta Meetha", Bollywood hero Akshay Kumar is going to lend his voice for the title song of his upcoming action-adventure reality show "Khatron Ke Khiladi 4". "Akshay is singing a couple of opening lines," said a source from Colors channel. The title song will be turned into a music video featuring all the contestants for the fourth season of the show, which has been shot in Cape Town, South Africa. For this season, the channel has chosen 13 female celebrity participants -- each teamed up with a male partner. The celebrity participants include former Indian women's cricket captain Anjum Chopra, models Diandra Soares, Alesia Raut and Poonam Pandey, actresses Aarti Chhabria, Smita Bansal and Aashka Goradia, item girls Sambhavna Seth and Kashmera Shah, two VJs - Bani and Mia Uyeda, singer Mauli Dave and Dina Singh who is actor Vindu Dara Singh's wife. "Khatron Ke Khiladi" is the Indian version of the
Akshay Kumar. internationally hit show "Fear Factor", and involves dangerous tasks involving height and even creepy crawlies. It is expected to go on air in June.
Director Habib Faisal and actor-couple Neetu Singh Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor at NYIFF 2011. International have asked After receiving his award, Habib to make Do Dooni Rishi accompanied by his Char 2. They have realized wife Neetu Singh left for a that the film suffered main- vacation in sin city, Las ly due to a bad release. Vegas.
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T Katrina
is family: Salman
Salman Khan with Katrina Kaif.
heir pairing is the talk of the town even before the film called 'Ek Tha Tiger' flags off in midJuly. Prod him on his costar with whom he had earlier done Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya (2004), Partner (2006), Yuvvraaj (2008) and Tees Maar Khan (2010), special appearance in a song and Salman Khan says, Katrina and I get along well. Shes a lovely girl and one of my closest friends. Theres nothing better than working with someone who is part of
my family. And with the film, Salman also enters the production home of another major film family this will mark his debut with Yashraj Films.Producer Aditya Chopra had earlier approached Salman with two scripts, including Chak De! India, but hed had to refuse for lack of dates. This time it happened. Im glad, Yashji (Yash Chopra) and my dad (Salim Khan) did some really good films together, including Deewar
(1975), says Salman. Director Kabir Khan insists that while the script was being developed, he was under no pressure to bring about the impossible (Salman, Katrina) casting coup. But once wed locked it, I knew that no other girl could carry off this character. Fortunately, Katrina loved this script too, says Kabir, who had earlier worked with her in the commercially successful New York (2009).
ctor Anil Kapoor has got another Hollywood project in his kitty, 'Cities' co-starring Clive Owen. He has also under his belt a part in MI-4, a part of which was shot in Mumbai. And his participation in the international tele-series '24 Hours' and Danny Boyle's 'Slumdog Millionaire' are laurels of the recent past. Anil Kapoor is enjoying his Hollywood stints. He's also one of the very few Indian actors officially earning in dollars just on the basis of pure acting. "No matter how small the roles, landing so many projects is an achievement in itself. And Anil is learning from every experience. People are now seeking him." Anil Kapoor has survived and survived well. His daughter Sonam says, "He
Anil Kapoor. has more energy than me and my sister put together. He looks so young without any external help. He's a rockstar dad. I don't know how he does it."
Hrithik Roshan. came. I am glad that it turned out a happy day," said the 37-year-old actor. Hrithik added that he was happy to become the lucky mascot for Shahrukh and Gauri that evening.
I am single: Bipasha
ts official. Bipasha Basu has successfully moved on from her relationship of nine years with actor John Abraham and is enjoying the change. Shutting off all rumors over the new man in her life, she says, Ive been in relationships since I was 15. Though Ive only dated three men in that time, she admits, adding, Im now single for the first time in 17 years. But Bipasha, who was dating Dino Morea before John, refuses to commit to how long that status quo will remain. I dont plan. It all depends on whether I find a suitable guy, she says. The actor was recently linked to Dum Maaro Dum co-star Rana Daggubatti and Josh Hartnett, who plays her on-screen lover in Singularity. She admits she didnt think of settling down even when she was with a man, and has no intention to do so now. While I was in a relationship, it was great. Some day, I will settle down with a husband and kids. But Im not interested right now, says Bipasha, who is currently shooting for Players in Russia in sub zero temperatures with Abhishek Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Bobby Deol and Neil Nitin Mukesh on the Abbas-Mustan remake of The Italian Job (2003).
Aamir Khan. age cinema genre. Even though the subject matter of the films is different, they both agreed that the films would bridge a common audience." When contacted Ekta confirmed, "Aamir is my idol. Yes, I have agreed to attach the Delhi Belly promo with Ragini MMS."
Bipasha Basu.
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A tribute to Rabindranath Tagore, Indias own renaissance man and the only Nobel Prize winner for Literature from the subcontinent who authored the national anthems of both India (Jana-Gana-Mana) and Bangaladesh (Amar Shonar Bangla). His 150th birth anniversary was celebrated May 9 in India and in many other countries.
Kolkata: Poet-philosopher Rabindranath Tagore, who churned out a huge body of songs, stories, plays, paintings and more, still inspires millions of Bengalis, who feel his presence in the smallest things of life. Be it Hindu-Muslim relations, women's emancipation, exploitation of nature, development of the village, or his contribution to modern art, Bengal's thinkers and commoners alike marvel at how the man remains relevant even today as his 150th birth anniversary was celebrated May 9. "We listen to Rabindra Sangeet throughout the day. His poems are recited. Dramas written by him are played regularly. Rabindranath is still very much alive in the minds of people," renowned Bengali writer and poet Sunil Gangopadhyay said. "The paintings, which Rabindranath created in his old age, reveal his modern mind. Many poems created by him are included in the syllabi of schools and colleges. Many of his dramas are still very relevant," said the Sahitya Akademi president. Tagore was born in 1861 and lived till the
Tagore: Polymath, Renaissance Man age of 80. He wrote nearly 3,000 songs, set up an experimental school at Santiniketan,
Tagore's creations in our moments of crisis. We still draw support from his works. Even now I can relate to his dramas. When I read Sobbhyotar Sankat (Crisis of Civilisation), I wonder why we do not think on these lines," said popular singer Shrikanta Acharya. He said Tagore created his own musical language. "He incorporated Indian classical and folk into his songs. There is classicism and universality in his songs...those are not time-bound. Social worker Basudev Bhui said the world should follow Tagore's ideals on education. "Every moment Rabindranath is a source of inspiration to us... he is like a lighthouse. We adored writer Rabindranath, poet Rabindranath and even painter Rabindranath, but we have not yet accepted his thoughts on education. "That the process of education imparted to the children should not be divorced from nature is very much relevant today," said Bhui.
Tagore style open air classroom in the lap of nature at Visva Bharati, Shantiniketan lie within our institutions. I invite existing Rabindra Bhavans and culdistinguished scholars from India tural centers set up during the centeand the world over to avail of the nary celebrations of Tagore in 1961. prestigious fellowship, he said. The government would fund 60 Several commemorative souvenirs, percent of the project cost, he said. including a compilation of the digital Describing the poet as Bengals prints of Tagores paintings, a DVD Shakespeare, Sonia Gandhi said pack of his restored movies, com- Tagores legacy is part of our commemorative stamps and special edi- mon heritage. She recalled her familys associations of the ministry of external affairs publications dedicated to tion with the Nobel laureate. Tagore were released to mark the The foundation for the joint celeoccasion. Union minister Pranab brations was laid by the prime minisMukherjee said: A new Tagore ters of India and Bangladesh in 2010. Cultural Complex Scheme would The opening was marked by a encourage the establishment of new series of cultural showcases in the cultural complexes in big and small national capital spread over the towns and the upgradation of the week.
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A self-portrait, and (right) one of Tagores paintings. dawn to pay homage and respects to the bard and watch a cultural program, where famed singers, elocutionists and dancers participated. The Rabindra Bharati Museum saw an unusually long line of visitors. The museum contains more than 700 photographs and paintings of Tagore. The union ministry of culture has organized an IndoBangladesh joint celebration in a city auditorium.
Tagore's monumental English translations of Tagores works to go up on works a mouse click away the internet
New Delhi: The works of Rabindranath Tagore will soon be uploaded on the internet in an online electronic variorum by a group of scholars from Kolkata's Jadavpur University. The digital library project led by former Jadavpur University professors of translation studies and literature, Swapan Majumdar and Sukanta Chaudhuri, is overseen by noted scholar and writer Sankha Ghosh. Work has begun on Tagore's collection of poems 'Manasi', his first anthology of poetry and essays published in 1890. It marks the beginning of his journey into literary maturity. 'Manasi' contains some of his best poems, including many in verse forms new to Bengali literature, as well as some innovative satires. The manuscripts, mostly in Bengali, will first be digitised and then uploaded on the internet in a special archive with the help of a new software. 'The project is being implemented by the School of Cultural Texts, which comprises a group of scholars, noted Bengali writers and students of the university from the humanities, science and engineering departments of Jadavpur University. 'The students of the engineering department have devised the software to upload the manuscripts,' Swapna Mazumdar, former professor of Jadavpur University, one of the founders of the Tagore project, told IANS. 'We have just started work on New Delhi: A special collection of English translations of novels, poetry, essays and short stories written by Rabindranath Tagore and his biographies is on sale online as part of the Penguin Tagore Bookshelf presented by Penguin-Books India as part of his 150th birth anniversary commemoration. According to a spokesperson for the publishing house, the Tagore Bookshelf aims to rekindle interest about the Nobel laureates literary works among Gen-Next readers and English-speaking students. Tagores works include nearly 60 collections of verse, nearly a hundred short stories, several novels, plays, dance dramas, essays on religion, society and literature and over 2,500 songs. Tagore re-invented the novel with the Farewell Song, which has been translated by Radha Chakravarty. The writer has also translated
The English translation of Gitanjali with an introduction by the poet WB Yeats earned Tagore the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. Gora, one of Tagores most ambitious novels about Indias nationalist awakening. The two books are the highlights of Penguins Tagore Bookshelf, a statement issued by the publisher said. Other Tagore titles in the collection include A Grain of Sand: Choker Bali translated by Sreejeeta
Guha, Home and the World (Ghare Baire) and Classic Rabindranath Tagore, a complete and unabridged collection of Tagores most popular novels in translations. An English version of Gitanjali and a volume of Selected Poems featuring some of the best poems by Tagore translated by William Radice are among the collectors items on the shelf. The selection of short stories comprises The Postmaster: Selected Stories and Kabuliwallah translated by Radice and He (Shey), which Tagore wrote to satisfy the demands for stories by his nineyear-old granddaughter. Penguin India is also partnering with the British Council to promote Tagore works. The promotion includes a display of the complete Penguin Tagore Bookshelf across all British Council Libraries in nine cities in India.
A Tagore story Tota Kahini (Tale of Parrots) about children in scholastic jails comes alive in digital print on archival paper. Tagore's 'Manasi'. The texts will be uploaded in Bengali. We will subsequently digitise 'Gitanjali' late next year,' Mazumdar said. 'The digital archive is primarily for scholarly and referral use,' he added. Tagore received the Nobel Prize for literature for Gitanjali in 1913. Ghosh is personally working on a new collection of the complete works of Tagore for Visva Bharati University by incorporating several works which did not feature in its earlier anthologies.
Tagore met Albert Einstein in Europe in 1930. Indian National Congress. 1891: Writes first six short stories, the popular 'Post Master'. 1898: Becomes the editor of Bharati magazine, opposes British policies. 1899: Assists Sister Nivedita to organise relief for plague victims in Kolkata; delivers his first sermon in the temple at Santiniketan on its anniversary.
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Greater Noida/Lucknow: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was arrested in a dramatic late night swoop on May 11 while he was on a sit-in at Bhatta Parsaul village in Uttar Pradesh to support agitating farmers demanding more money for their land being acquired for a highway project. He was released after being held for about three hours and later returned to New Delhi. There was high drama at the Kasna police station in Greater Noida where Gandhi and other Congress leaders, who were held with him, were taken after the arrest at around 11.00 p.m. Gandhi was asked to sign a bond after which police said he would be permitted to leave. He, however, flatly refused to do so saying he had gone to the village with a purpose and would return there if he was released, Congress sources said. The police later released Gandhi on its own volition at around 2.00
Rahul Gandhi talking to villagers during his visit to Parsaul village on May 11. a.m. early May 12 and he was driven back to New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi told reporters. Gandhi was picked up from the sit-in site along with Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh and MP Raj Babbar, Gautam Budh Nagar acting district magistrate Sheetal Verma said. "Rahul Gandhi has been arrested for violating the prohibitory orders enforced under section 144 of Cr.P.C (Criminal Procedure Code). State president Rita Bahuguna
Gandhi was released on bail about two-and-a-half hours after his arrest. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Digvijay Singh and Raj Babbar were also arrested. Joshi, Digvijay Singh and Raj Babbar were also arrested along with Rahul Gandhi," she said earlier. Gandhi was in the village supporting farmers who are agitating for higher compensation for land acquired for the 156-km Yamuna Expressway, linking New Delhi with Agra. The Congress scion sneaked into the village, which was barred to politicians and outsiders, early Wednesday on a motor-bike despite heavy police presence. He spent nearly 18 hours with the villagers before his arrest.
SC lifts gag order on 'Bhopal plea 14 years too late' Amar Singh tapes
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on May 11 lifted a 2006 gag order restraining the media from publishing transcripts of phone conversations of former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh. An apex court bench of Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice A.K. Ganguly vacated the interim order while dismissing the petition by Amar Singh. The court said that it is not called upon to decided the case on merit as "no case of tapping of telephone has been made out against the statutory authorities..." The judgment also noted Amar Singh's submission that he was satisfied with the investigation into the matter. The court said it was not making any observation on the merit of the case and left it to Amar Singh if he wanted to initiate proceedings against the service provider in accordance with law. Speaking for the bench, Justice Ganguly said that the truth constituted an integral part of the justice-delivery system which has now been overtaken by materialism and quest for personal gains. "However, this court is constrained to observe that those principles (of truth) are honored more in breach than in their observance," the judgment said. he Supreme Court on May 11 refused to alter its 1996 judgment diluting the charges against the Indian accused in the Bhopal gas leak case. That ruling led to the seven men behind the worlds worst industrial disaster getting off with a two-year jail sentence, handed down to them by a Bhopal chief judicial magistrate in June last year. Dismissing the CBIs curative petition against the 1996 verdict, a five-judge SC bench headed by Chief Justice of India SH Kapadia, however, opened a window of hope for the victims by saying the mistake of the magistrate could be corrected by a sessions court hearing the CBI and Madhya Pradesh government's revision petitions. On September 13, 1996, Supreme Court brought down the charge against the accused from culpable homicide not amounting to murder - punishable with a maximum 10 years in jail to death by negligence. In its plea, the CBI contended the court committed a serious error by quashing the stringent charge. Due to that judgment, the magistrate did not appreciate the evidence placed by the CBI to show the accused had committed an offense under the stringent charge, it said. The top court lambasted the CBI for basing its petition on this "fallacious plea". Pointing out that the 1996 verdict was based on material placed before the court by the CBI till that
Bhopal Gas tragedy: Judged, not cured. stage, the bench said: No decision by any court can be read in a manner as to nullify the express provisions of an Act or the Code and the 1996 judgment never intended to do so.
Amar Singh. The court said that the fundamental principles of jurisprudence say that litigants must observe total clarity and candor in their pleadings, especially when it contains a plea for injunction. Assailing Amar Singh, the court said: "Following these principles, this court has no hesitation in holding that the instant writ petition is an attempt by the petitioner to mislead the court on the basis of frivolous allegations and by suppression of material facts." Amar Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP, had filed the petition in 2006 after some of his telephonic conversations were illegally tapped and were in circulation. The leader had moved the apex court and got a restraint order against their publication in media.
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Kolkata: Barring West Bengal, where Mamata Banerjees Trinamool Congress is predicted as the clear winner, the exit polls do not draw a conclusive picture of the election results in other places. While, two exit polls show that the AIADMK-led alliance would emerge as the winner in Tamil Nadu, another exit poll has given the DMK an edge over the Opposition in the election. Similarly, two exit polls on Kerala show different positions: CNNIBN predicts a hung house for the first time in Kerala, whereas CB News-Cvoter has found the UDF sweeping the elections. The counting for the election results of the four states (West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Tamil Nadu) and Union Territory Pondicherry is expected started on Friday, May 13. In West Bengal all the exit-polls
A life-size cut-out of Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee erected for the West Bengal assembly election campaign in Siliguri. have declared Trinamool Congress as the winner. For the 294Assembly seats, television channel CNN-IBNs exit-poll has given
Young AIADMK supporters await their party's supremo Jayalalithaa at an election campaign rally at Srirangam in Tiruchirapalli. Mamata Banerjees Trinamool Congress 222-234 seats and the Left 65-70 seats. The Star-Nielsen survey is projecting that TC may get 221 seats and Headlines Today has pegged TC at 210-220. The CVB News-Cvoter has placed TC at 227-235 seats and Left at 48-56. Interestingly, in Kerala, which has always shown the incumbent the door, CNN-IBN has projected a hung house. According to its exit-poll the Left Democratic Front is placed at
69-77 seats and the United Democratic Front is kept at 63-71 seats. However, CVB News Cvoter feels the trend of reversing the governments would continue in Kerala with the LDF getting 49-57 and the UDF at 83-91. In Tamil Nadu, CNN-IBNs exit poll has given the AIADMK alliance 120-132 seats and the DMK alliance at 102-114 seats whereas the Headlines Todays exit poll has kept DMK alliance at 115-130 and AIADMK at 105-120. In the 126-Assembly seat Assam, according to CNN-IBNs exit poll, the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government is expected to come back to power and get 64-72 seats. Meanwhile, CVB News-Cvoter projects a hung-house with the Congress getting 41-45 seats and the Assam United Development Front at 11-15 seats.
Image makeover Turnout makes WB Elections 2011 historic for UPA after elections
Kolkata: The confidence-building measures and unprecedented security steps taken by the Election Commission (EC) have yielded results. The voter turnout in the recently concluded West Bengal elections, the 15th in the state, was a record all-time high. An average 84% votes were cast in the six-phase polls, which began on April 18 and concluded on May 10. The highest voter turnout last recorded was in 2006. It was nearly 82%. And the pat on the back came from none other than chief election commissioner SY Quraishi, who called up the state's chief electoral officer (CEO), Sunil Gupta, on Tuesday to congratulate him. "It was at a personal level. He called me up to congratulate the voters of West Bengal, the political parties and all the officials for the high
People wait outside a polling station to cast their vote during West Bengal state assembly elections in Kolkata. voters' turnout and the manner in which the polling was conducted," Gupta said. From 75% in 2001, the turnout had increased to 78% in the Lok Sabha polls in 2004 and, subsequently, to close to 82% in 2006. The lowest percentage was recorded in 1962. It was 55.55%.
Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee being felicitated by party workers in Guwahati amidst the Assam assembly elections. New Delhi: Election results will unveil a new-look Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Regardless of the outcome in the assembly elections in five states and the Union Territory of Puducherry, the Congress has decided to become more aggressive and not give in to opposition bullying. With the party expecting the assembly elections to strengthen the UPA, the peoples court argument will be heard frequently. After facing an unremitting attack on corruption and government mismanagement for almost six months, the party brass has decided to hit back. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee maintains that the current series of assembly election will be seen by the party as a review of the performance of the UPA at the Centre, and not a touchstone of corruption. There is no common issue in the five states where elections are being held. But as a student of politics, I would like to see the elections in the light of the performance of the UPA, Mukherjee had told Business Standard during his campaign in South India recently. Party general secretary B K Hariprasad said: The election is an acid test for us (UPA) at the Centre because it will show how far the opposition campaign against us has worked. If we win, it will be a victory in the peoples court. If the results are not in our favour, then we have to revisit our strategies for the next round of assembly elections in 2012.
M.S. Shanmugam, Thanjavur District Collector, explaining the counting process in the Electronic Voting Machine to the counting officers in Thanjavur. in the state, Kumar said it was a "satisfying process," and he did his job "with advise from people, media and politicians."
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Diaspora TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Goddess Lakshmi on swimwear: Hindus outraged, Co. cancels production, PIL in Indian court
Melbourne: Australian swimsuit label Lisa Blue has cancelled production of swimwear depicting images of the Goddess, which caused uproar among Hindu community here. The Swimwear company triggered a controversy by depicting images of Goddess on a bikini bottom and front of a model who walked the ramp at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in Sydney from May 2-6. The company has already apologized to the Hindu community for hurting their sentiments. "We would like to offer an apology to anyone we may have offended and advice that the image of Goddess Lakshmi will not appear on any piece of Lisa Blue swimwear for the new season, with a halt put on all production of the new range and pieces shown on the runway removed," it said in a statement posted on its website. "This range will never be available for sale in any stockists or
retail outlets anywhere in the world. We apologize to the Hindu community and take this matter very seriously," the statement said. Meanwhile, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs will be taking up the matter with the Australian High Commission in New Delhi. The Allahabad High Court has already incorporated a suo motu PIL on the matter.
International TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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Hosni Mubarak. thrown in a popular uprising that saw power handed over to a military council. The trial of former regime members, including Mubarak, was a key demand of the protesters. Sources at the public prosecu-
Egypt's former tourism minister Zuheir Garranah, right, has been jailed for five years over corruption. tor's office said that a decision on charges of corruption. whether or not to put Mubarak on Garranah, who was sentenced trial would be announced in the along with two businessmen, was charged with misuse of public coming days. Meanwhile, former tourism min- funds totaling 51 million dollars, ister Zuheir Garranah was sen- after authorizing the sale of statetenced to five years in prison on owned land for well below the
Vaican City: Pope Benedict XVI on May 10 reshuffled his Vatican administration, appointing a new interior minister and a new head of the influential Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. The new interior minister is Giovanni Angelo Becciu and the head of the congregation, also known by its Latin name of Propaganda Fide, will be Fernando Filoni, a 65-year-old known for his wide diplomatic experience. Filoni has worked in Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. Filoni has also had a leading role in trying to reconcile the state-sanctioned Catholic Church in China and the underground church.
TRIPOLI : A NATO bombing blitz, which the alliance insisted was not aimed at Muammar Gaddafi, rocked Tripoli on May 10, as rebels in besieged Misrata claimed to be pushing back the Libyan strongman's forces. The United Nations, meanwhile, said the offensive launched by Gaddafi's forces was paralyzing the oil-rich nation and causing the population to suffer widespread shortages of essential goods. Jets screamed in low over the capital in the early hours, carrying out an unusually heavy bombardment that lasted roughly three hours. The blasts came after NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Three fuel tanks were engulfed in flames on May 10 after the attack in Misurata. said time was running out for no future for him or his regime." Witnesses said the latest bomGaddafi. He said Gaddafi "should realize bardment hit targets near sooner rather than later that there's Gaddafi's compound, but the mis-
Muammar Gaddafi. sion's chief operations officer, Brigadier General Claudio Gabellini, denied that aim had been to take out the Libyan leader.
"All NATO targets are military targets, which means that the targets we've been hitting, and it happened also last night in Tripoli, are command and control bunkers," Gabellini told reporters. "NATO is not targeting individuals," he said via videolink from his headquarters in Naples, Italy. Asked whether Gaddafi was still alive, the Italian general said: "We don't have any evidence. We don't know what Gaddafi is doing right now." He added later: "To tell you the truth, we are not really interested in what he's doing. Our mandate is to protect civilians from attacks or from the threats of attacks, so we are not looking after individuals."
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Business TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer with Skype CEO Tony Bates. "Google is way behind Skype, and getting ahead of Google in this market was certainly an incentive for Microsoft," said Leif-Olf Wallin, an analyst for Gartner in Sweden. Mr. Ballmer emphasized that Microsoft plans to expand Skype's business and inject its voice-andvideo technology across the spectrum of Microsoft products, from consumer offerings like Xbox to its Office productivity software. "There are a lot of great opportunities to optimize Skype services in Microsoft products," Mr. Ballmer said. Despite its popularity, the service has struggled to maintain profitability. Since most of its services are free, Skype makes much of its income from a small group of users who pay for long distance calls to telephone numbers. In 2010, Skype recorded $859.8 million in revenue but reported a net loss of $7 million, according to a filing. Marc Andreessen -- the cofounder of the venture capital firm
PepsiCo chief Indra Nooyi and Motorola Mobility's Sanjay Jha. $3.23 million and performance awards totalling $6.25 million. Nooyi's compensation, however, declined 0.2 percent from 2009. Saligram earned a total compensation of $12.03 million in 2010 that included a salary of $121,000, stock option grants of $9.21 million and restricted stock grants of $2.26 million. Jha's total direct compensation was $11.92 million. His 2010 salary was $900,000 dollars and he earned annual incentives of $1 million and about $10 million in stock options and restricted stock grants. Mohapatra, whose company is the leading provider of diagnostic testing and services, earned $10.39 million in total compensation that included a salary of $1.23 million and annual incentives of $1.2 million. His stock options, restricted stock grants and performance awards totaled about $8 million. Mohapatra's total compensation declined 3.7 percent from 2009. Pandit comes in last in the list as he earned no compensation in 2010, following his decision to take a $1 annual salary and no other compensation until Citi returns to "sustained profitability".
New Delhi: Trade between India and the US is expected to grow to $100 billion within two to three years while Indian companies are strengthening their presence in the US across various sectors, a senior Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) official said. "I expect the trade between both the sides to reach around $100 billion within two-three years time," IACC president Gautam Mahajan said, adding that the trade volumes would increase due to the growth of several sectors like food processing, education and infrastructure. According to Mahajan, corporate India, which is strengthening its presence in the US, is also expected to invest around $10 billion in the next five years to start greenfield projects in sectors such as manufacturing and services. "Apart from trade, the other rising sector in the bilateral business is that of Indian investments going to the US, which could be around $8 bil-
lion to $10 billion in the next five years. This is a new trend altogether because earlier Indian corporates used to buy established companies and now they are going for greenfield projects," he added. Mahajan was also upbeat about the IACC's upcoming chapter in New York, set to be inaugurated on May 25. "This new chapter will add impetus to business and trade between both sides," he said. The start of the new chapter will be followed by a seminar which would focus on emerging sectors like education, infrastructure and small and medium enterprises (SME). "Around 75 representatives of various companies across sectors would participate in the Summit for US-India Trade and Economics (SUITE) 2011 from the Indian side," he said. IACC was established in 1968 and currently has 11 chapters across India with 2,600 Indian and American companies as members.
Sports TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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Bhargav Bhatt cashed in with four lower order wickets to ensure Punjab got to a 76-run win.
Cricketers 'crass, loose': Dada impresses as Warriors beat Chargers Hyderabad: Sourav Ganguly made an impressive conCheerleader tribution in Pune Warriors' six wicket victory over
Deccan Chargers in a clash of the bottom-placed teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) here on May 10. The Warriors restricted the Chargers to 136 for eight and with the help of their top three batsmen - Jesse Ryder (35), Manish Pandey (49) and Ganguly (32) chased down the target in 18.2 overs. Australian Mitchell Marsh (4-25) was the most effective in the bowling department. It was Pune Warriors' second successive win. They are now at seventh place in the table with eight points from 11 matches while Deccan Chargers are ninth with six points in as many games. The two teams were already out of contention for a place in the play-off and in fact, it was Ganguly's return that added interest in the dead rubber. The former India captain was roped in by Pune Warriors last week as a late replacement for Ashish Nehra.
MC Mary Kom. New Delhi: India's MC Mary Kom defeated Asian champion Kim Myong Sim 4-3 to win the gold in the 48 kg category at the ASBC Women's Boxing Asian Cup in Haikou, China. Mary Kom had to work hard as her North Korean opponent put up a stiff challenge in the final. In the end though, it was the skill and experience of the five-time World champion that came through as she went on to clinch the issue. It was Mary Kom's first victory of the year since the bronze medal winning performance at the Asian Games in Guangzhou last year. The Manipuri boxer got the better of Filipino Kate Appari in the semifinals.
Saina Nehwal. advantage. Xin came back strongly in the second game and reeled off seven points from 9-7 to take it beyond Saina. The decider was fiercely contested with both players breathing down on each other's necks. Xin had the initial advantage when she led 5-2 and then consolidated it to 12-8, but Saina crawled back in the match. The Indian drew level at 13-13, before Xin stepped up and logged seven straight points from 14-14 to win the title.
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Features TheSouthAsianTimes.info
overseas travel industry professionals engaged in B2B meetings with 220 sellers of the Indian tourism product negotiating business in the Free Independent Traveler (FIT) group and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) segments of the travel trade. GITB 2011 witnessed foreign buyers from 55 countries doing business at 7000 pre-fixed meetings. This marks a huge increase compared with 2010 event which saw the participation of FTOs from 49 countries, 176 Indian sellers and 5000 B2B
Dr Syed Muhammed Khalil Chisti We sincerely thank both the governments for releasing a number of prisoners from each others prisons, said the letter signed from Pakistani side by Syed Iqbal Haider, former law minister, Attorney General of Pakistan and others. From Indian side the letter was signed by Mahesh Bhatt, film maker; Kamla Bhasin, social activist, Shahid Siddiqui, former MP; Jatin Desai, Lawyer and Activist of South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR); and Mazher Hussain, Executive Director, COVA. The letter requested the Joint Judicial Committee to make
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Humor TheSouthAsianTimes.info
sama blacked out and found himself at the bottom of a deep shaft, with a single tunnel leading out of it. He crawled through the tunnel and was pleased to see that it got wider and wider until he was able to walk upright. He walked for a mile or two and came to a large iron door. He knocked on the door. No answer. Hello! he called out. Is this where I get my 72 virgins? The door opened slightly and a gust of heat shot through it, scorching Osamas eyebrows. He fell back against the wall of the tunnel. A redfaced creature with two horns peered through the gap, smoke spiraling from his ears. He pointed at Osama and laughed hysterically, his forked tongue swishing over his lips. 72 virgins? Ha ha ha! Thats a good one! He turned away from Osama and yelled into the fiery abyss behind him. Is anyone a virgin in here? A wave of laughter, more powerful than the heat, rumbled through the door, causing the tunnel to shake. Sorry, buddy, the creature said. Youre out of luck! No virgins here. But we do have a guy named Virgil. But I was promised 72 virgins in
You think that might happen with me? Well, you have a snowballs chance in Enron Hot House. But I just want to be certain. You know what would happen if I let you in and you dont stay? All Enron Hot House would break loose.
So you want me to wait out here alone? Not alone. Ill be sending out the vermin to keep you company. Theyve been waiting anxiously to welcome you. Vermin? Yes, 72 of them.
heaven. The creature laughed hysterically again. Heaven? Sorry, buddy, youve come to the wrong place. Did you use Google Maps or Yahoo? I didnt have time to use either. What place is this anyway? Well, it used to be called hell. But we sold the naming rights a year ago. Its now called the Enron Corporation Hot House. But there must be a mistake. I was supposed to go to heaven. The creature laughed. Thats what they all say. Even Adolf believes that he belongs in heaven. But I killed more than 3,000 infidels. Yes, I know. Thats why you
by Mahendra Shah
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and humorist, cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording the plight of the immigrant Indians for the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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Free Consultation Learn about the fair value of diamonds & precious stones. To the readers of The South Asian Times by an expert gems dealer.
For appointment, please call 516 390 7847 or email consult.gems@gmail.com
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Through meditation we can separate our soul from the body and voyage into the regions within
long as our attention is identified with the world outside, we are faced with the problems and miseries that are inherent in physical existence. By inverting our attention and rising above the physical body through a process of meditation on the inner Light, we will find regions within which give us lasting peace. Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, an international spiritual leader and Master of meditation, affirms the transcendent oneness at the heart of all religions, emphasizing prayer and meditation as building blocks for achieving peace.www.jyotimeditation.org
e all know about Isaac Newton and that many scientific developments are based on his insight. Once, when someone talked to him about his knowledge which was helping many people all over the globe, he said that his knowledge was just like a pebble on the shore of an ocean. Whatever heights we might attain in the physical, mental, or emotional arena, we have no real knowledge of the truth, and unless we are enlightened spiritually, there will be no unity between humans in the true sense. What we first need to understand is that we, ourselves, are love. We are love because we are each a part of God, who is an ocean of all love. The second thing that we need is to accept that love in others. They might look different from us, belong to different faiths or speak different languages, but if we would learn the language of love then we would be able to communicate with others. If we love someone, we will care for them. We will never do anything to hurt them. So when we truly, truly love anyone, then we will take care of them, share in their problems and make sure that the quality of their life is better. As we help each other, unity will definitely be a part of our existence. As we look at our life, how do we really live? Most of us spend time during the day in pursuit of this materialistic world. We search for happiness, we search for truth, and we