AIIMS Doctors' Strike Called Off

The resident doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) called off their strike against the delay in awarding their degrees. The decision came in the wake of Union Health Minister Ambumani Ramadoss's warning to agitating doctors. The minister threatened to hire new doctors on contract and suspend the striking doctors if they did not call off the agitation.

Ramadoss assured that doctors who want to go to abroad, will be given certificates on a priority basis and other will get the same within a month. The doctors are planning to approach the Supreme Court in order to get their certificates with immediate effect. It can be recalled that Ramadoss had refused to sign the degree certificates, as they were signed by the Registrar of AIIMS, Dr Sandeep Agarwal, whose appointment did not have the approval of AIIMS Governing Body.

The latest reports suggest that the AIIMS administration has began distributing degree certificates minus Ramadoss's signature. The soured relations between the AIIMS authorities and the Health Minister may reach a point of no return, thanks to the latest development.

UPA, Left reach Compromise Formula

Finally, both the UPA and Left called a truce and reached a compromise formula. The government has agreed to put the Nuclear Deal talk on hold until a panel submits its final report. The panel will study the Hyde Act and the 123 Agreement. The government made it clear that the nuke deal operationalisation will depend on the panel report.

The UPA-Left committee will consist of 10 members - five each from Congress and the Left Front (CPI, CPM, FB and RSP). From Congress, Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Ahmed Patel, AK Antony and Pranab Mukherjee will join the panel. The Left Front is yet to decide on its representatives. It will be interesting to see what decision the panel will take in the end. For the time being, the government is safe.

India wins Nehru Cup Football

It's a historic achievement for the Indian football team, as it won a rare international football title. India beat Syria 1-0 to the win the ONGC Nehru Cup tournament. N.P. Pradeep scored the solitary goal in the 44th minute. However, the main credit goes to goalkeeper Subrata Paul, who scored impossible chances to ward off a spirited Syrian attack.

It was heartwarming to see Indian matching the Syrians in every aspect of the game - speed, control, aggression and tactics. Syria tried their best to check Baichung Bhutia and Sunil Chetri, but in vain. Although they did not score, they contributed significantly in India's win. It is to be noted that Syria is ranked 39 places above India in FIFA rankings.

Indian team was awarded $40,000 for this victory; a similar amount was contributed by the ONGC.

Mob Fury in Agra

People from Muslim community went on rampage in Agra, after a truck crushed 4 Muslim youths to death when they were out on a religious function called Shabe-e-Baraat. The angry mob torched 13 trucks and a police vehicle. Since the mob was uncontrollable, police had to resort to lathicharge and also fired in the air to disperse the mob.

As violence spread to other areas, security has been tightened in the city and on the highway. According to reports, ADM, Agra and several police officials have been injured in stone pelting by the mob. Official have rushed to the spot to calm down the mob. Additional police forces from neighboring districts have been sent to Agra to control the situation.

Tension in Gohana after Youth got murdered

High tension prevailed in Gohana town of the Sonepat district in Haryana after a large number of Dalits took to the streets protesting the murder of a youth belonging to their community. They set a police check-post into fire and damaged several Haryana Roadways buses at the Gohana bus stand. Police had to resort to lathi charge to disperse the mob. Two people have been killed in the ongoing violence.

A Dalit youth called Rakesh alias Lara was shot dead by three unidentified youths when was going to meet one of his friends. The assailants fled from the spot after shooting him down. Rakesh was acquitted in a murder case just two days ago. He was charged with the murder of a upper caste youth. The murder of Rakesh is seen as a revenge kiling by the upper caste people. The situation is still tense in the area. Prohibitory orders have been enforced in the area and the district administration is taking all necessary steps to nab the culprits and restore peace and order.

Suspension order on the Maharashtra Cop revoked

The policeman who hugged Sanjay Dutt on his release, got a reprieve from the Maharashtra CM Bilas Rao Deshmukh. The CM revoked his suspension order and allowed him to join duty with immediate effect. The decision came in the wake of public outcry over the suspension. The CM himself found the suspension harsh and took immediate action.

Live Bombs found in Hyderabad

The extensive operations launched by the police and intelligence agencies yielded results, as a live bomb was found in Chadarghat area in Hyderabad. It was defused by the bomb disposal squad. Two more bombs were found inside Venkatadri Theatre, which were defused by the police.

The police searched for such bombs or timer devices in 21 other places in Hyderabad. According to reports, the terrorists had planted bombs in at least 16 places, which were defused by the police later. Official death toll reached 42 now. According to sources, two police officers of Madhya Pradesh cadre were among those died in the blast.

Police Sources: HUJI behind the Hyderbad Blast

As the investigation progressed in the Hyderabad serial blast case, it has become clear that it was clearly a planned terrorist attack. The police and intelligence sources believe that Bangladesh-based HUJI (Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami) is behind the blasts. The blast was quite similar to the blast occurred at the Mecca Masjid in May 2007. High intensity RDX was used to carry out the blasts.

Unconfirmed sources said that the death toll may cross 50. The number of injured people is around 70. Although the Andhra Pradesh Home Minister suspects ISI hand in the blast, HUJI militants Bilal and Shahid are being projected as prime suspects. The first bomb exploded at 7.15 PM in Koti, and the 2nd blast occurred at 7.40 PM at Lumbini Park. Both the blasts have been executed by a timer. Death toll in Koti was higher as a gas cylinder exploded in the blast.

Delhi will send Bomb Disposal Squad and NSG to help in the investigation. President Pratibha Patil condemned the incident and requested people to maintain peace. She sent her condolence message to the bereaved people. BJP leader LK Advani and Home Minister Shivraj Patil will visit Hyderabad tomorrow.

Serial Blasts rock Hyderabad, 34 People Killed

--By Sagar Satapathy

Just a few minutes ago, three blasts occurred in Hyderabad. At least 34 people have been killed and over 22 injured. The first two blasts took place at the Lumbini Park, which is located opposite the State Secretariat. A laser show was going on when the bombs exploded.

Another blast occurred near Gokul Chat in Koti Market in Hyderabad. According to prima facie investigations, the blast occured by some powerful explosives. Police officials and rescue team have reached the spot. Injured have been taken to Gandhi Hospital, MediCity Hospital and Osmania Hospital. Further details are awaited, but the timing and nature of the blast clearly point towards the hand of terrorists.

Update: Red Alert has been issued in Hyderabad. The Prime Minister and other senior leaders have condemned the incident. The CM of Andhra Pradesh urged people to maintain calm and peace. The police has launched combing operations to nab the culprits. The death toll is expected to reach 40/45.

Salman Surrenders, Sent to Central Jail

--By BNO Correspondent

Putting all speculations about his whereabouts into rest, Bollywood actor Salman Khan finally took the Jet Airways flight from Mumbai to Jodhpur to surrender before the Rajasthan Police. He was soon produced before the CJM, who sent him to Jodhpur Central Jail.

Salman's lawyers are expected to file a bail application on Monday, which means he will have to spend at least two nights in prison until the court takes a final decision on his bail plea.

Expert's Analysis: Will the UPA Government Survive?

--By Sagar Satapathy

The question is doing round in the political and media circle in the past few days. If we look at the recent developments, the fall of the UPA government seems imminent. But the timing may not be just perfect for the Left to pull down the government. The Indo-US nuclear deal widened the rift between the Congress and Left Parties. The issue has snowballed to such an extent that both sides have reached the point of no return.

The recently concluded CPI(M) core group meeting not only rejected the Nuke Deal, but also authorized the Politburo to take all necessary steps to block the deal. On the other hand, the PM is unrelenting and even sought Japan's support to see the deal go through. For the first time, Dr. Manmohan Singh showed that he cannot be taken for granted and can take his own decision when it comes to nation's interest.

If the Left pulls out of the government, where it will go? It can't go with the BJP to pull down the government. In such a scenario, it will be forced to let a minority government continue. Also, no party will want to face the elections on a non-significant issue like Indo-US Nuclear deal. If the snap polls are held and again there is a hung parliament, the Left will lose its face and will be forced to support the UPA in order to prevent BJP from coming to the power. The UNPA holds little command and if they join the Left, the magic figure of 272 will still elude them.

So, what's in store now. In all probability, the fight between the UPA and Left will continue, but sudden fall of the government is unlikely. If there will be an election, it might be held in February 2008 with both Left and UPA building their base and finally decide to part ways. There will be a tacit understanding to this effect. So, who will be the Biggest Loser? It is the public, who always get fooled by its politicians. No ethics, no moral values, no principles. Only power talks.

Rift widens between JD(S) and BJP in Karnataka

The rift between JD(S) and BJP has widened further in Karnataka just months before the scheduled transfer. The JD(S) seems in no mood to hand over the power to BJP and continues to avoiding its coalition partner in all important matters. The Congress is trying to take advantage of the souring relationship between JD(S) and BJP. The State BJP almost pulled out of the coalition government, but the timely intervention of the Central leadership averted a sudden crisis.

A coordination meeting of both the parties is being held today to defuse the crisis. The meeting came after a protest by the BJP ministers who threatened to boycott a Cabinet meeting. They feel that CM Kumaraswamy is acting in an autocratic manner and ignoring the BJP ministers in major policy decisions.

Kumaraswamy's reported statement that JD(S)'s secular image suffered because of its association with the BJP, had enough reasons to irk the BJP leaders. Whatever may be the results of the meeting or hectic parleys between the two parties, snap Assembly elections seems imminent in the state sooner or later.

India to take up Lahore Gurdwara issue with Pakistan

--By BNO Correspondent

India has taken strong exeception to the reports of an alleged take over of a Gurdwara in Lahore by some hooligans. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the government has sought a complete report from its high commissioner in Pakistan. The minister assured the Parliament that it would do everything possible to make sure that the shrine is released if it is actually taken over by the miscreants.

According to sources, an 18th Century Gurdwara at Naulakha Bazaar in Lahore had been taken over by hooligans who had allegedly replaced the gurdwara's religious symbols with Islamic slogans. They have also stopped the Sikhs from entering the shrine. We all hope that the matter will be sorted out with due respect to the Sikhs and their shrine.

Court sentenced Salman to Five Years in Prison

In a significant judgement, the Jodhpur Sessions Court upheld the lower court verdict on Salman Khan in the Black Buck Chinkara case. Salman will be sentenced to five years in jail. A arrest warrant will be issued against him soon and he will be arrested and sent to jail.

The Court rejected Salman's plea against the lower court verdict. However, he can still appeal in the High Court to get reprieve. It seems that the battle is far from over. Salman is expected to surrender first and then appeal in the High Court.

Update: The Jodhpur Court issued an arrest warrant against Salman Khan. A five-member police team headed for Mumbai to arrest Salman and bring back him to Jodhpur.

Pak SC allows Sharif to return Home

--By BNO Correspondent

In a major setback to the beleaguered Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled that exiled PM Nawaz Sharif can return home. Sharif has been in exile since 1999. Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry ruled that Sharif is free to live his own country and contest the poll if he wants. Nawaz Sharif's brother Shahbaz Sharif was also allowed to return to the country.

The Court also directed the Pakistan Government not to obstruct the Sharif brothers' return to the country. They are currently based in London. According to PML sources, Nawaz Sharif would meet party colleagues in London before taking a final decision on his return to Pakistan.

CPM Adamant over Nuke Deal, UPA Govt in Danger

The two-day core committee meeting of the CPM concluded in New Delhi with a strong resolution against the Indo-US Nuclear Deal. It not only rejected the Nuclear Deal outright, but also warned the government to stop all negotiation with the IAEA. CPM Politburo endorsed the Central Committee resolution that terms the Nuclear Deal as "unacceptable".

The CPM Central Committee authorized the Politburo to take all necessary measures to block the Nuclear Deal. The party is also planning to launch nationwide agitation to spread its message among the people that are unaware of the pros and cons of the Nuclear Deal. With the battles lines have been drawn, it's a matter of time when the Left Parties withdraws support to the Government. If that happens, the UPA Government will reduced to a minority and fresh elections cannot be ruled out.

The PM Manmohan Singh had sent a strong message to the critics of the Nuclear Deal yesterday when he sought Japan PM's support to see the Nuclear Bill sails through. With both PM and Left taking tough stands on this issue, the marriage between the UPA and Left seems to be over. Amidst the reports of the widening rift between Left and UPA and the rumors of fresh elections doing round, the BSE Sensex reacted sharply and major stocks fell very quickly. The mood in the market is gloomy and the situation is expected to aggravate further in the days to come.

Nokia Battery Explodes: It's BL-4C now

There have been much hue and cry over the Nokia BL-5C batteries all over the world. After at least 100 instances of Nokia BL-5C battery explosion cases, Nokia had finally admitted the glitch and decided to replace the faulty batteries. The company is still in the process of despatching new batterries to the customers. Nokia has already promised to replace 46 million BL-5C batteries. However, the latest incident is bound to send shockwave among the mobile phone users and Nokia authorities.

A BL-4C Nokia battery of Nokia 2600 exploded at Sarai Pura Village in the Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh while it was being charged. The news is being flashed repeatedly on the Star News channel. The user confirmed that he never put the mobile phone near fire or any other hot stuff. Although Nokia has been informed about the latest incident, they haven't reacted yet to it. Further details are awaited. Whatever, the incident has again put the cell phone users in a dillema whether to use their phones or not.

Judicial System's Negligence Ruined Nine Years of a Youth

Pratap Naik, another victim of our injudicious judicial system, who was deprived of nine valuable years of his life because of the negligence of the court officials.

This young man is a resident of Ghimuhani village under Puruna Katak police station of Boudh district in Orissa. The cursed point of this young lad was in February of 1989 when the 13-year-old Pratap was returning home from school and unfortunately became a witness of a murder. Our hardcore legal system tightened its clutch on him and from the witness made him an associate of the accused and imprisoned him along with others for life-time. The other accused using their power got bail and appealed in the Orissa High Court but Pratap lacking such resources stayed back in the prison.

In October of 1994, the High Court passes its judgment in favor of the accused due to lack of evidence including Pratap but the court officials' irresponsible attitude and their failure to inform the jail authorities regarding Pratap's release led to nine more years of detention without any cause. It was only on January 22, 2003 that the officials woke up and Pratap was able to breathe the air of freedom. Pratap is right now getting treatment at VSS Medical College and hospital in Burla for his mental condition.

This incident would not have come into light if it was not for Pravin Kumar Das, a social activist and lawyer who when got to know of the incident in 2005 filed a PIL against the State government to pay a compensation of 10 lakhs to Pratap for the illegal detention. As a result, the judgment came in his favor.

The Orissa High Court has directed the state government to pay 8 lakhs compensation to Pratap. The Division Bench comprising of Chief justice A.K. Ganguly and justice Indrajit Mohanty has ordered State Government to prepare a draft and deposit the amount with the HC judicial registrar. The amount is to be deposited in Naik's name in a nationalized bank as fixed deposit for 10 years. According to the order, Naik would be allowed 75% of the interest earned on the amount for his personal expense on monthly basis and at the end of 10 years he will be able to withdraw the full amount.

His parents are happy with the compensation, but the question is will this amount compensate for those nine years that he spent in jail for no fault of his? The effect that the imprisonment had on a young mind and body? Who is the actual culprit, the judicial system or the lack of resources and poverty of Pratap that made him the victim of our legal system?

Sanjay Dutt Released

The long wait is finally over. Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt has been released from prison after spending 24 days in Pune's Yerawada Jail. It can be recalled that Dutt was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court three days ago, however, he could not be released earlier because of the processing of paperwork.

Sanjay Dutt was given a hearty welcome by family and friends. He is expected to hold a press conference later today.

Shibu Soren Acquitted

The Delhi High court acquitted former Jharkhand CM and JMM Chief Shibu Soren of the murder charges of his private secretary Shashinath Jha. The Court stayed the trail court judgement that convicted Shibu Soren in the murder charges. The Court observed that the CBI failed miserably to build a strong case against Shibu Soren and other accused. The CBI also could not prove that the skeleton dug out in a village in Jharkhand was of Shashinath Jha.

Shibu Soren is presently lodged in a jail in Jharkhand. He is also facing trials in a 1975 mass murder in the State. If the CBI does not appeal against the verdict in the Supreme Court, it is most likely that Shibu Soren will be released and stake claim for a ministerial berth in the Union Cabinet again.

Japanese PM addresses Joint Session of Parliament

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe addressed the Members of Parliament in the packed Central Hall of Parliament. He is currently on a three-day official visit to India. He hailed India as a strong ally of Japan and also lauded India's spirit of tolerance as a gift to the World Community. Abe said that the world is looking towards India, as an emerging economic superpower. He expressed confidence that Indo-Japan partnership would prove beneficial to world security.

The Japanese PM focused mainly on business and environment in his 20-minute address. According to him, Japan wants to work with India to reduce greenhouse gases by 50 percent by 2030. He sought closer cooperation with India on defense, security and economic affairs. Abe pushed for an early agreement on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement or CEPA to improve economic relations and raise bilateral trade to $20 billion in the next three years.

Japan has promised to help India in the field of energy by providing advanced technology. Abe also announced that Japan would invite 500 Indian students every year. Abe is heading a 200-member business delegation. Vice President Hamid Ansari, Lok Sabha Speaker Somanth Chatterjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were present during the Japanese PM's speech.

Ronen Sen sends Apology

India's envoy to the USA, Ronen Sen apologized for his remark on the Indian politicians over the Nuke Deal. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee read his the apology sent by Ronen Sen in Lok Sabha. Sen offered an unqualified apology and said that he was misquoted by the correspondent and never intended to insult or hurt the political leaders of the country.

The alleged remarks were made by Sen in an interview given to Rediff.com. He called the politicians opposed to the Nuclear Deal as "headless chickens". The issue created a furore in the Parliament and the NDA and Left demanded his immediate recall. It is expected that the matter will die down with the apology of Sen.

Haneef's Work Visa restored

In an interesting development, Indian doctor Mohammad Haneef won his Federal Court appeal on the restoration of his Australian work visa. A Brisbane court pulled up Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews for making a jurisdictional error while cancelling Dr Haneef's visa on character grounds.

The government has applied for a 21-day stay of this decision and will appeal in the higher court against the verdict. The verdict came as a big blow for Kevin Andrew who almost launched a personal attack on Dr Haneef. It is well known that Haneef is keen to go back to Australia to continue its job. If he is allowed, then it will be slap on the face of Australian government and its policies vis-a-vis the foreigners.

ICL unveiled its Cricketers

Putting all speculations and rumors into rest, the Indian Cricket League (ICL) finally announced the name of Indian and foreign cricketers who joined its fold. The seven foreign players who joined ICL are Inzamam-ul-Haq, Brian Lara, Abdur Razaaq, Mohammad Yousuf, Imran Farhat, Lance Klusener and Nicky Boje. In a crowded press conference, ICL Chairman, Kapil Dev made this announcement.

The key Indian cricketers who were roped in by the rebel cricket league included Dinesh Mongia, Lakshmi Ratan Shukla, Deep Dasgupta, T Kumaran, Jai Prakash Yadav, S Sriram, Ambati Rayadu, Mithun Minhas, Rakesh Patel, Dheeraj Yadav, RS Sodhi and Robin Morris. The Bengal Cricket Association is worst-hit, as seven of its players joined the ICL. Details of the format and fixture of the tournaments to be organized by the ICL, are not revealed yet.

According to sources, each of the Indian cricketers will be paid Rs. 30 Lakhs per year. However, ICL authorities refused to reveal anything on the monetary benefits given to the players.

Uproar in Parliament over Ronen Sen's Remarks

The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed uproarious scenes over the alleged remarks of India's Envoy to the USA, Ronen Sen. Sen allegedly lashed out at the critics of Nuke Deal. His remarks are clearly aimed at the Left and NDA that vehemently oppose the Nuke Deal. The newspaper reports quoted Sen as saying "those opposed to the Nuke Deal are headless chickens". That created a furore in the political circle.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned over this issue and Lok Sabha witnessed noisy protests. Both the NDA and Left demanded that Ronen Sen be called back immediately. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee expressed regret over Sen's alleged remarks, but maintained that Sen was misquoted by the News Correspondent. He also asked Ronen Sen to issue a clarification shortly.

Sanjay Dutt gets Interim Bail

The Supreme Court today granted interim relief to Bollywood Star Sanjay Dutt in 1993 Mumbai Serial Blast case. The Apex Court, in a significant judgement, gave interim bail to Sanjay and 5 others. The interim bail will be valid untill the TADA Court provides a copy of judgement to Sanjay Dutt. The passport of Sanjay Dutt will remain with the trial court.

Sanjay dutt is currently lodged in Yerwada jail. According to the Court, Sanjay cannot leave the country without its permission. He may be released from the jail in the evening or tomorrow. The apex court's judgement came as a huge relief for Sanjay Dutt, his family, fans and the entire Bollywood.

UPA Meeting ends, Hectic Parleys to Convince Left

The all important meeting of the constituent parties of the UPA ended at the PM's residence. The allies expressed faith in the leadership of the Prime Minister and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The UPA suggested an Expert's Panel to look into the issues related to the Indo-US Nuke Deal and address the concerns raised by the Left Parties. It was also suggested that members from UPA and Left Parties must be included in the panel.

After the meeting, Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee held a press conference and assured all the all efforts will be made to clear the doubts raised by the Left Parties. The UPA leaders are hopeful of finding a middle way to get the government going. It was also announced that PM and Sonia will take a final decision on this issue. It is to be seen how the Left reacts to the UPA offer.

Turkish Plane Hijack ends Peacefully

All passengers and crew members have been released, as the Turkish plane hijack ended peacefully. The emergency landing of the plane helped the passengers escape through the rear exit. The two hijackers, who had claimed to have a bomb, wanted to take the plane to Tehran. However, the Pilot successfully convinced them that he needed to refuel to do so.

While the hijackers released the women and children through the front door of the aircraft, other passengers fled through the back door. The two hijackers were forced to surrender following some negotiation with the Turkish authorities. One of the hijackers is a Turkish national, but holds a Syrian passport. Other one is of Palestinian origin. Both the hijackers are in police custody and are being questioned now.

New Governors Appointed

With the speculations rising over the possibility of a mid-term poll in the wake of the conflict between the Left and Congress over the Nuke Deal, the UPA Government either reshuffled or appointed new governors for a few states. Rameshwar Thakur has been shifted to Karnataka from Orissa. Muralidhar Bhandare will be the new governor of Orissa.

BL Joshi has been appointed as the governor of Uttarakhand, while Sudarshan Aggarwal will be the governor of Sikkim. Senior Congress leader ND Tiwari has been appointed as the governor of Andhra Pradesh. Shailendra Kumar Singh will be the governor of Rajasthan. K Shankaranarayanan will be the new governor of Arunachal Pradesh.

Proud To be An Indian

We celebrated the 60th Independence Day on August 15th this year reviving the developments and achievements of India in the past decade and looking forward to more promising and rising India in the future. Here we bring you some facts that will really make you feel proud to be an Indian.

1. The co-founder of Sun Microsystems is Mr. Vinod Khosla.

2. The creator of Pentium chip which is used by 90% of today’s computers is Mr. Vinod Dham.

3. The founder and creator of Hotmail, world’s no. 1 web based e-mail program is Mr. Sabeer Bhatia.

4. President of AT and T-Bell Labs which is the creator of program languages such as C, C++, Unix, etc., is Mr. Arun Netravalli.

5. The GM of Hewlett Packard is Mr. Rajiv Gupta.

6. The third richest man in the world is Mr. Lakshmi Mittal.

7. The CEOs of global mobile telecommunications company Vodafone Group Plc and PepsiCo are Mr. Arun Sarin and Ms. Indra Nooyi.

8. The inventor of 901® Direct/Reflecting ® Speaker system the first stereo loudspeaker is Mr. Amar Bose.

This is just a piece of the iceberg. There are a lot of people that follow the list who made India proud in different arenas.

Indians are the wealthiest among all ethnic groups in America fairing better than whites and natives. There are 3.22 million Indians in USA that comes around only 1.5 % of population yet 38% of doctors in USA are Indians, 12% scientists in USA are Indians, 36% of NASA scientists are Indians, 34% of Microsoft employees are Indians, 28% of IBM employees are Indians, 17% of Intel scientists are Indians, and 13% of Xerox employees are Indians.

Some Historical Facts about India:

- India never invaded any country in her last 1000 years of history.

- India invented the number system, Aryabhatta invented zero.

- The world’s first university was established in Takshila in 700 BC. More than 10500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects.

- The University of Nalanda built in 4th century BC was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in field of education.

- According to Forbes Magazine, Sanskrit is the most suitable language for computer software.

- Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans.

- The art of navigation was born in river Sindh 5000 years ago. The word navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word Navgatih.

- Budhayana first calculated the value of pi, and explained the concept of Pythagorean Theorem. According to British scholars Budhayana’s works dates to the 6th century which is long before European mathematicians.

- Algebra, trigonometry, and calculus came from India and quadratic equations were by Sridharacharya in 11th century.

- Largest numbers used by Greeks and Romans were 106 whereas Indians used numbers as big as 1053.

- According to the Gemological Institute of America, up until 1986, India was the only source of diamonds to the world.

- USA based IEEE has proved that pioneer of wireless communication was Professor Jagdish Bose.

- The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra.

- Chess was invented in India.

- Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he conducted surgeries like cesareans, cataract, fractures, and urinary stones.

- Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India.

- The decimal system was developed in India in 100 BC.

This is our Great India that left its mark on the whole world, the India that is the mother of many sciences, explained the basics of calculation, and gave new dimensions to development of people and world as a whole. It is so true what Mark Twain has said about India - "India is the cradle of human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grandmother of tradition."

Now it is the duty of us Indians to maintain this prestigious glory and work up to our potential to make Our India the ever shining and inspiring country setting a bright path for the rest of the world to follow.

Delaying Cord Cutting Beneficial for Babies

Delaying the clamping or cutting the umbilical cord by a few minutes can turn beneficial for the newborn according to some doctors. In the normal scenario, doctors usually clamp and then cut the cord soon after the baby is delivered which may result in some blood disorders or iron deficiency resulting in anemia in the baby, which happens in most cases.

According to Andrew Weeks, a lecturer in Obstetrics at University of Liverpool, leaving the cord intact for sometime may increase the blood supply as well as the iron levels in the newborn. As per Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, there are no guidelines on when exactly the cord should be cut.

Philippine Sepat affects 400,000 people

Around 400,000 people in Philippines are affected by the typhoon Sepat and southwest monsoon as per National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) on Saturday. The Sepat effect was most apparent in the Metro Manila and southern Luzon area affecting about 80,000 families.

According to the Philippine Weather Agency PAGASA, the Sepat monsoon may continue in the coming days too in the Luzon and Visavas areas. All people residing in the low-lying areas and along coastal areas have been put on guard against the typhoon generated floods and landslides.

New Hindi Recognition Software Launched by IBM

IBM in collaboration with Center for Development of Advanced Computing, has developed a new technology called The Desktop Hindi Recognition Technology which converts Hindi speech into text format.

This system can recognize more than 75,000 Hindi words with dialectical variations giving 90-95% accuracy. There is also spellchecker facility, which corrects the spoken-word errors. Along with this, it is a very user friendly system and has the facility to convert text into digit and decimals, date and currency format, and fonts which is compatible with any window-based application.

This new technology can be used in voice enabled ATMs, car navigation systems, banking, telecom, railways and airlines. It can also serve to ensure high accuracy Hindi translation in various domains including administration, finance, agriculture, and small scale industry.

Five Killed in Mumbai Building Collapse

Another building collapsed in Mumbai last night. This incident occurred at Mumbai’s Grant Road where a portion of 50-year-old five storeyed Giridhar Bhawan collapsed and fell on Chaddha Mansion just adjacent to it on Lamington Road. Five casualties are reported so far. They have been admitted to BYL Nair Hospital.

As per Shubha Raul, Mumbai mayor, notice had already been given to the residents of the building to vacate after the Borivali tragedy and the building was declared as a “dangerous structure.” Repair works are to begin shortly.

Turkish Plane Hijacked

According to latest reports, a Turkish Plane carrying 142 people on board, has been hijacked. The plane was flying from Northern Cyprus to Istanbul, the capital of Turkey. The plane also has six Cabin Crew. The exact number of the hijackers is not immediately known.

The hijackers wanted to take the plane to Tehran, the capital of Iran. However, the plane was force-landed in Antalya due to the shortage of fuel. A TV Channel reported that all pasengers have been released or escaped through the back door. However, the crew members are still remained hostage. Efforts are on to reach the hijackers. It is speculated that the hijackers may be part of Al-Qaeda group. However, it's too early to say anything at this juncture. Further details are awaited.

Fatwa issued against Taslima in Kolkata

The Shahi Imam of Tipu Sultan Mosque in Kolkata, issued a "FATWA" against eminent Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen. The Imam asked Taslima to leave India or face serious repercussions. He also announced rewards for people who kill or attack Taslima. It could be recalled that three MIM MLAs supported by their partymen attacked Taslima at Hyderabad Press Club a few days ago. It is to be seen how the State and Union government respond to the "FATWA" call.

Peru Quake Toll reaches 510

The massive earthquake that rattled Peru continues to claim its victims. According to latest reports, the death toll reached 510. Rescue teams and volunteers are still trying their level best to find the survivors. Even the aftershocks inflicted damages on several houses in the region of Huancavelica, which lies south of the capital Lima. Wednesday's quake impact was measured at 8.0 on the Richter scale.

There are chaos all around. Hospitals and morgues were overwhelmed, forcing residents to lay bodies out on city streets. In addition to the dead, 1,000 people have been wounded and they are being treated by the medical teams and volunteers. Peruvian President Alan Garcia visited the quake-hit areas and promised adequate supplies for victims.

Budhia, A Victim of Political Conspiracy

Budhia Singh, the wonder kid from Orissa became a scapegoat in a battle between his Coach Biranchi Das and the State Women & Child Welfare Minister Pramila Mallick. The kid shot into fame with his marathon running skills at a teen age. And, his coach and mentor Biranchi Das was given all credit for his achievement. Biranchi was the one, who discovered Budhia in a slum and later bought him from his poor mother. He provided all facilities and training to Budhia and groomed him as a running prospect. The rest is history.

However, life took a different turn for Budhia with the some political bigwigs in the State Government turning against his coach. Prominent among them was State Women & Child Welfare Minister Pramila Mallick. She and her administration was completely against Budhia's marathon stint and made all efforts to prevent him from running further. They accused the coach of using Budhia to nurture his personal ambition. Finally, came the shocking news that Budhia parted ways with his Coach and accused him of torture. Since Budhia is a kid, there is little doubt that he is telling what he is told to say.

A conspiracy angle in this entire episode looks obvious because of the series of events taking place in the past few days. Speculations are doing round that Biranchi Das is being targeted for his fight against the State machinery. Budhia and his mother accused the coach of torture and showed the scars on the kid's body. However, medical reports categorically denied the presence of any torture marks on Budhia's body and revealed that they were old scars when Budhia was below one year old. That clearly suggests that Biranchi Das was framed for doing no wrong.

Although Biranchi was released on bail, he could not be released from jail because of his alleged involvement in another case. It seems that the state administration and the police are in no mood to let him go so easily. Whatever, the wonderkid is the worst sufferer in the battle between his coach and politicians. He returned to Slum where he was born and was seen playing with the slum kids rather than practising in a training center. His future is in complete jeopardy. His mother Sukanti fe