Harry Potter series to be sold as e-book

JK Rowling on Potter and the future of print and digital books
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Rowling launches 'mystery' site
The seven Harry Potter novels are to be sold as e-books for the first time in October.

Author JK Rowling announced the series will also be available as audiobooks through a new website, Pottermore.

The interactive website will also feature new material which Rowling says she has been "hoarding for years".

"This is such a great way to give something back to the fans who made Harry Potter such a huge success," the author said.

The Harry Potter novels have sold more than 450 million copies through Bloomsbury in Britain, and Scholastic in the United States.

However the e-books - which will be available in several languages - will be published through Rowling's Pottermore Publishing, rather than her print publishers which do not own the digital rights.

'New stuff'

Pottermore will go live on 31 July - Harry Potter's birthday.

Rowling told the BBC that the new material was being released online, rather than in a new book, because she did not have "a new story".

"Most of this writing is material I generated while I was writing the books initially," she said.

"It's background, and lots of details that didn't make it into the book.

"Some of it is new stuff in response to things fans have asked me over the years."

The site, which Rowling said she had been working on for two years, promises to immerse users in the boy wizard's world, offering opportunities for computer gaming, social networking and an online store.

Sections let users shop for wands in Diagon Alley, travel to Hogwarts from the imaginary platform at London's King's Cross train station and be sorted into Hogwarts' school houses using the Sorting Hat.

One million users will initially be chosen to help develop the online world, before it is open to all users from October.

Rowling told reporters at the London Pottermore launch she had no intention of writing an eighth Harry Potter book.

"I do have closure with Harry. I'm pretty sure I'm done on the novel front, but it was fun while it lasted," she said.

US 'worried over Thai succession

American diplomats have expressed concern over Thailand's royal succession, according to leaked cables.

The documents suggest Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, who is next in line to the throne, is suffering from health problems. US officials are also worried about how the Thai public regards him.

His father, 83-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, has been in hospital for much of the past two years.

Thailand has strict laws prohibiting any criticism of the monarchy.

Offences under lese majeste laws are punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The concerns of the US embassy officials were publicised by journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall in several British newspapers.

He left his job at Reuters news agency because they would not publish the claims.

He told the BBC: "The Thai people - most of them - genuinely love and respect King Bhumibol. It's not fake.

"They really do love him and they are very protective of him and that, I think, has caused people to be against anybody saying anything that appears to attack the monarchy."

But he said that the military and palace courtiers had been meddling in politics for years.

"And they have somehow allowed themselves to hide under the same umbrella of lese majeste as the king," he said.

The documents, publicised just days before Thailand's general election, were reportedly written by US diplomats over several years.

They air concerns about the prince and how he is perceived in the country, suggesting that Thailand will face "a moment of truth" when the king dies.

One embassy cable in 2009 is quoted as saying: "It is hard to overestimate the political impact of the uncertainty surrounding the inevitable succession crisis which will be touched off once King Bhumibol passes."

Many of the issues raised in the cables are known about and discussed privately in Thailand.

But there is a taboo around their public discussion in the country.

Afghan-Pakistan border like 'house without door

Who wins in the border area could win the entire Afghan war
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Taliban Conflict

Will US cut reverse Afghan gains?
Eight weeks to face the Taliban
Taliban tactics spark panic
Can the insurgents be defeated? Watch
Afghan intelligence officials in the province of Nuristan have accused the central government and Nato forces in particular of ignoring insurgents there and in other strategically important areas close to the Pakistani border.

They say that increasing violence in Nuristan - and in the provinces of Laghman, Kunar and Nangarhar - poses a significant security threat.

"Nuristan is now al-Qaeda and Taliban central," said one senior police official in the province. "They attack in hundreds, they have blocked key roads. We need to retake these areas from them."


The problem has become so acute that Gen Aminullah Amarkhel of the Afghan border police says the border with Pakistan is like a "house without a door".

The general commands Afghan forces along the 450km (280 mile) international border that cuts across Nangarhar, Kunar and Nuristan.

Poor security in this area makes it not only harder to fight insurgents - it also makes life easier for smugglers who also operate in the border areas and know its terrain only too well.


Meanwhile relations between the Afghan army and Pakistani forces remain tense on the border. Only recently Afghan officials in Kunar said close to 200 rockets landed in the province from Pakistan.

Separately, foreign and Afghan insurgents targeted a wedding party, killing 12 people - relatives of a powerful tribal elder who is also a district governor.

The police chief of Kunar, Gen Ewaz Mohammad Naziri, accused Pakistani forces of firing the rockets.

In recent months, Afghan and Pakistani border forces have clashed in the district of Goshta. Both sides exchanged heavy weapons fire.


'Enough is enough'
Like much of Afghanistan's armed forces, the border police are heavily dependent on their coalition partners.

The American military has helped them by providing armoured Humvees, heavy weapons and radios. More recently they have supplied sniper rifles.

"Since they have helped us, things have improved a lot. Their training is the most effective. But I need helicopters, I need mine-clearing machinery, I need better radios, I need more troops on the ground," says Gen Amarkhel.


Tribes in the region are helping security forces
A former Mujahideen fighter, Gen Amarkhel fought the Soviets in the 1980s for the National Islamic Front of Afghanistan and later against the Moscow-backed government of President Najibullah.

It could be that he is receiving help in his battle to control the border from some unlikely sources.

Various powerful tribes who reside in the area often help to defend it, an officer with the country's spy agency, the NDS, told the BBC.

Recently the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban killed nine members of a family on a wedding night.

"These tribes now have decided enough is enough," says the spy.

In order to get some idea of just how dangerous this part of the world is, Gen Amarkhel allowed me to accompany him as his troops launched an operation to seize illegally-held hashish.

The mission was top secret and the general had chosen not to disclose the programme even to his personal staff. Just before dawn, a heavily armed convoy of 20 vehicles was ready to move.

"There's been an exchange [of fire] last night with drug smugglers in the border district of Dehbala," Gen Amarkhel said. "We will know more on the way."

This is a mountainous region covered with dense vegetation. The tough terrain, thick forests, poor roads and non-existent communication network provides a perfect sanctuary to drug dealers, arms smugglers, the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

The government has never been in total control of this region. Nangarhar in particular is notorious for the illegal drug trade. Poppy and hashish are grown here and it is known to have several heroin processing laboratories.

Under-resourced
Like much of rural Afghanistan, Nangarhar's border districts have never had asphalted roads. There are few schools or heath clinics, making it easier for the smugglers and militants to recruit into their ranks.


The hashish discovered on the mules is estimated to be worth millions of dollars
After a two-hour drive, we arrive in the border village of Gorgoray. On the previous night, smugglers had used heavy machine guns and grenades on the border police.

But the police drove them back and the blood of the the smugglers could still clearly be seen on the ground. Although they escaped, they left behind 10 mules loaded with hashish estimated to be worth about $15m in London or New York.

"The Taliban and al-Qaeda charge a 10% tax on the smugglers," Gen Amarkhel said. "I am happy that we have denied them such huge revenue."

"In the past seven months, we have seized 7.5 tonnes of hashish and 60kg of heroin," the 46-year-old general said.

But he has his hands full. There are 5,000 soldiers under his command, mostly under-resourced and under-equipped. They have to guard one of the most treacherous areas in the country.

Back in his office, the general was trying to call in Nato air strikes to help one of his police posts, which was coming under attack from the Taliban.

''I will send you help very soon," the general said into his mobile phone. "We have asked for close air support. Keep fighting back.''

But as aides frantically tried to find the location, they realised that the insurgents were only a few hundred metres away from the district headquarters. Calling an air strike at this point could endanger civilians. The jets were ordered to turn back.

Hours later, dozens of heavily armed insurgents attacked a post not very far from the Pakistani side of the border. Border police reinforcements were again dispatched.

This is a part of the world that is literally in the line of fire - whoever wins here could win the entire Afghan war.

Afghanistan drawdown risky, US joint chiefs head says

The top US military officer has said President Barack Obama's plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is "more aggressive" than he had advised.

Adm Mike Mullen said leaving troops in place was "the safer course", but added he supported the president's decision.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Mr Obama had kept a pledge to begin withdrawals by July 2011.

On Wednesday Mr Obama announced the withdrawal of 33,000 troops from Afghanistan by September 2012.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai welcomed the move, but the Taliban dismissed it as "symbolic" and vowed to continue fighting until all foreign forces left.

In a series of interviews and congressional hearings on Thursday, senior US officials lent their support to Mr Obama's decision to remove about one-third of the US troops from Afghanistan by the end of next summer.

Defence Secretary Robert Gates acknowledged that the president had taken account of waning domestic political support when making the decision, AFP news agency reported.

Meanwhile, President Obama visited Fort Drum military base in New York state on Thursday, where he reiterated the messages conveyed in his speech on Wednesday evening.

'Broken momentum'
The newly announced US reductions are larger and faster than military commanders had advised.

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“
Start Quote

Few love the plan, but I suspect a lot of this is beltway chatter, and I suspect many Americans will welcome the President refocusing on what he called 'nation building at home'”


Mark Mardell
BBC North America editor
Military grumbles over Afghan plan
At a House of Representatives committee hearing, Adm Mullen, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said Mr Obama's decisions were "more aggressive and incur more risk than I was originally prepared to accept".

"More force for more time is, without doubt, the safer course. But that does not necessarily make it the best course," he said.

"Only the president, in the end, can really determine the acceptable level of risk we must take."

Mr Mullen told lawmakers Mr Obama considered the views of senior military officials, and said the drawdown would not jeopardise the effort to quash the insurgency.

President Obama's nominee to head the Central Intelligence Agency, General David Petraeus, echoed Mr Mullen's remarks on Thursday, while testifying on his nomination before members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

"The ultimate decision was a more aggressive formulation in terms of the timeline than what we had recommended," Mr Petraeus said, adding that he would stand by the president while he remained commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan.

Separately, in a Senate committee hearing, Mrs Clinton said the 10-year-old US military effort in Afghanistan had "broken the Taliban's momentum".

"We do begin this drawdown from a position of strength," she said.

'Unnecessary risk'
At least 68,000 US troops will remain in the country after the 33,000 have been withdrawn, but they are scheduled to leave by 2013, provided that Afghan forces are ready to take over security.

Meanwhile, Republican Senator John McCain, who lost the 2008 presidential election to Mr Obama, vigorously opposed the troop withdrawal in a speech on the Senate floor.

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US troops in Afghanistan

Dec 2004: 19,200
Dec 2005: 22,400
Dec 2006: 22,200
Dec 2007: 25,700
Dec 2008: 31,400
Dec 2009: 71,000
Dec 2010: 103,700
March 2011: 111,000
Source: US defence department

Q&A: Foreign forces in Afghanistan
He said Mr Obama had opted to deny military commanders in Afghanistan the capability finally to defeat "a battered and broken enemy".

"I'm very concerned that the president's decision poses an unnecessary risk to the progress we've made thus far, to our mission, and to our men and women in uniform," he said. "Our troops are not exhausted, they are excited that after 10 years" they are finally approaching victory.


Correspondents say the enormous cost of the deployment - currently more than $2bn (£1.25bn) a week - has attracted criticism from congressional leaders, while the public is weary of a war that seems to have no end and has left at least 1,500 personnel dead and 12,000 wounded.

There have also been changes on the ground, notably the killing in May of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden by US forces in Pakistan.

On Thursday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy followed Mr Obama's lead by announcing the phased withdrawal of 4,000 French soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

Sachin Tendulkar sells his Ferrari to Surat businessman

SURAT: The '360 Modena Ferrari', which once occupied pride of place in batting icon Sachin Tendulkar's fleet of premium cars, is now a prized possession of a city businessman.

Jayesh Desai, Chairman of Raj Hans group, said he purchased the car a fortnight ago.

"I have bought the 360 Modena Ferrari car directly from Sachin Tendulkar with all legal documents," Desai said, but declined to reveal the price.

"It was my dream to drive a Ferrari and now my dream has come true," Desai, who has a passion for driving luxury cars, said.

The Ferrari, which was presented to Tendulkar by racing legend Michael Schumacher, will be the first racing car in his fleet of luxury vehicles, Desai said, adding that his latest acquisition was a prized possession as it was owned by the batting great.

"Kindly ask me only about the car and nothing about Sachin," he said when asked if he and Tendulkar were friends or had known each other.

The Ferrari had got mired in a controversy in 2003 after it was reported that Tendulkar had requested for a customs duty waiver despite getting it as a gift and not winning it as a prize in a tournament.

In August 2003, the finance ministry had exempted Tendulkar from paying around Rs 1.13 crore (approximately $245,000) towards import duty for the vehicle, valued at Rs 75 lakh (approximately $162,600).

The car was gifted to him by FIAT, which manufactures the premium Ferrari cars and endorsed by Tendulkar, after the Indian batting legend equalled Don Bradman's tally of 29 Test centuries.

Ferrari's Formula One driver Schumacher presented the car on behalf of the company to Tendulkar when the two met in 2002 at Silverstone, England.

Tendulkar has taken a break from cricket after playing in IPL and is away on a vacation in England with family.

'Confident & optimistic’ India, Pak hold talks; Advani issues threat

ISLAMABAD: Voicing "a great sense of confidence, optimism and determination," India and Pakistan on Thursday opened their two-day foreign secretary-level talks here and discussed the issue of peace and security, including confidence-building measures on Kashmir.

Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, who arrived here on Thursday morning, and her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir began the first round of their talks, which have been divided in three segments.

The first round of parleys is dealing with the issue of peace and security, including confidence-building measures on Kashmir. On Friday, two more rounds will take place on the issues of Jammu and Kashmir and promotion of friendly exchanges.

BJP, upped the ante on the Kashmir issue and warned the government against making any compromise on it. BJP leader LK Advani threatened to launch a mass demonstration if the government went in for a settlement of the Kashmir issue with Pakistan.



Advani warning of protests said, "Sometimes we realise that under pressure from some foreign nation, the Indian government thinks of compromising on Kashmir. In fact in the middle, we got information that informal compromises have already been made. I want to tell them that in the early days, the Bharatiya Jan Sangh had carried out a historical agitation, in that, our respected leader, Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee had sacrificed his life for the cause. So you should wish us well, the BJP is in great numbers across the country. If there is a compromise on Kashmir, if they talk of turning back time, we will organise a protest on a massive scale in India, a protest that no one has ever seen before."

BJP spokesperson Nirmala Seetharaman said there is no point of a dialogue till terror is discussed.

She said, "Decision to initiate composite dialogue makes us uncomfortable since it's happening after Abottabad. No confidence in our mind. We have not poushed Pakistan to do the needful. Therefore talks only for the sake of talks."

At the beginning of the talks, Bashir said they were approaching the parleys with a "great sense of confidence, optimism and determination." Agreeing with him, Rao said this was an "apt" statement.

Bashir said this is an important point in the relationship and will also help the two sides to prepare the agenda for the ministerial meeting in the near future.

Rao said "we have a clear agenda in front of us for discussions" and noted that there have been good meetings in the past few months.

"We are approaching these talks with an open and constructive mind," she said.

The two sides first held restricted talks, which were followed by the delegation-level meeting in which Rao was accompanied by joint secretary (Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran) Yash Sinha, joint secretary (nuclear disarmament) Venkatesh Verma, Indian high commissioner Sharat Sabharwal and other senior officials.

Warmly welcoming the Indian side, Bashir said "We wish to engage with you in not only walking the trajectory but also exploring new avenues further."

"This series of meetings is of great importance," he said.

Soon after her arrival in Islamabad, Rao had said she had come to Pakistan with "an open mind and a constructive spirit" in order to work towards building trust and confidence in bilateral relationship and thereby leading to an eventual normalisation of ties for the well being and prosperity of the people of the two countries.

She said "this is an important visit as it marks the penultimate leg of the resumed dialogue process before the visit of the foreign minister of Pakistan to India by July 2011" and added that they would discuss the issues that have been mandated to them by their leadership.

During the two-day talks, nuclear and conventional confidence-building measures would also be discussed.

Earlier this year, the two countries decided to resume talks on all bilateral issues under the Composite Dialogue, two years after the parleys were suspended in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.

Following the resumption of talks in February, the defence, interior and commerce secretaries have met in the last few months while Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani visited India in March to watch the India-Pakistan cricket World Cup semi-final at the invitation of his counterpart Manmohan Singh.

The foreign secretaries will also take stock of the progress made in the meetings between the interior, commerce and defence secretaries.

Ind vs WI: India beat West Indies by 63 runs to win first Test, lead series 1-0 PTI | Jun 23, 2011, 11.43pm IST

KINGSTON: India allowed the West Indies tail-enders to delay the inevitable before wrapping up the first cricket Test with a comfortable 63-run victory inside four days and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series on Thursday.

Scorecard

Chasing a victory target of 326, West Indies never recovered from the twin-blow dealt by debutant Praveen Kumar dismissing Darren Bravo (41) and Shivanarine Chanderpaul (30) as they were all out for 262 in 68.2 overs.

The final pair of Devendra Bishoo (26, 33 balls, 2x4, 1x6) and Fidel Edwards (15 not out, 54 balls, 1x4) frustrated the Indian bowlers for around 10 overs after lunch. It was Suresh Raina who effected a freak dismissal with the ball rolling onto the stumps after hitting Bishoo's thigh-pads to bring an end to the proceedings.

It was a clinical performance by the Indian bowlers with Praveen being the pick snaring three for 42 and ending with a six-wicket haul in his very first Test match.

Ishant Sharma (3/81) bowled some poor deliveries but got crucial breakthroughs. The Indians blew away the middle and lower-middle order in the morning session where the home team needing a further 195 for a victory lose six wickets with an addition of 95 runs.

This was India's second victory at the Sabina Park having clinched the series with a win during their tour of 2006. This is also their fifth overall win on Caribbean soil.

The two teams now travel to Barbados where the second Test match will be held at Kensington Oval from June 28.

Dogs on a biting spree, AMC watches

The corporation’s sterilisation project is yet to take off even as city records more than 3,000 cases of dog bites every month

Nothing can shake up Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). Every day, on an average, the city registers 121 dog-bites even as six vans of Cattle Nuisance and Control Department (CNCD) circle the city like headless chickens to catch the canines.



It would be an understatement to say that AMC has failed miserably in curbing the perilous menace. In fact, it has not tried at all to control the nuisance, claim sources.

How do you explain this? In 2010, there were 30,726 cases of dog bites. Between January and May this year, there were 18,256 dog-bite cases – the figures will be staggering by the end of the year.

But Deputy Municipal Commissioner Dilip Gor maintains there has been “no increase” in dog-bite cases. “The canine menace has been well within control uptil now. However, the cases are likely to increase after the mating season which begins in July,” he said.

According to him, the menace will “persist till September”. The city has 2.4 lakh dogs currently. After the monsoon, there will clearly be a spurt in the dog population, increasing the possibilities of canine-human conflict in the city.

The highest dog-bite cases were reported in January this year. Of the 4,255 cases, 1,000 each were reported by V S Hospital and L G Hospital. In May alone, 3,254 cases of dog-bites were reported in the city. The CNCD receives nearly 50 dog-menace complaints every day, but the AMC is “yet to finalise” contractors to kickstart its sterilisation programme.

The civic authority had contemplated a dog sterilisation facility of its own, but there has been no development in this direction as well. A proposal for such facility has to be presented before the standing committee for approval, but no such initiative has been taken by the CNCD department so far. AMC will have to shell out around Rs 12 crore to set up this facility.

Last month, Girija Jayram, a resident of Vastrapur, was mauled by a stray dog near Lad Society during the morning walk. She was bitten on her leg and hand. She said, “I walked past a stray dog lying on the road. It came running behind me and bit me on the leg. When I tried to defend myself, it bit my hand. Something needs to be done to protect people from stray dogs.”

Nisarg Sunetra, a teenager, was attacked by a dog while he was on his two-wheeler, waiting at the Jodhpur traffic signal. He said, “I was too shocked to react first. It just bit me and ran away. The pain was unbearable. Why is the AMC sitting idle?”

Health Committee Chairman Dr Suresh Patel said, “I am doing my level best to curb the nuisance. I have already asked the officials to start the sterilisation procedure as soon as possible. But they are slow in responding. I had a meeting with the officials of Animal Welfare Board of India. We have planned several things to rid the city of dog menace.” Another empty promise?

Dogs on a biting spree, AMC watches

The corporation’s sterilisation project is yet to take off even as city records more than 3,000 cases of dog bites every month

Nothing can shake up Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). Every day, on an average, the city registers 121 dog-bites even as six vans of Cattle Nuisance and Control Department (CNCD) circle the city like headless chickens to catch the canines.



It would be an understatement to say that AMC has failed miserably in curbing the perilous menace. In fact, it has not tried at all to control the nuisance, claim sources.

How do you explain this? In 2010, there were 30,726 cases of dog bites. Between January and May this year, there were 18,256 dog-bite cases – the figures will be staggering by the end of the year.

But Deputy Municipal Commissioner Dilip Gor maintains there has been “no increase” in dog-bite cases. “The canine menace has been well within control uptil now. However, the cases are likely to increase after the mating season which begins in July,” he said.

According to him, the menace will “persist till September”. The city has 2.4 lakh dogs currently. After the monsoon, there will clearly be a spurt in the dog population, increasing the possibilities of canine-human conflict in the city.

The highest dog-bite cases were reported in January this year. Of the 4,255 cases, 1,000 each were reported by V S Hospital and L G Hospital. In May alone, 3,254 cases of dog-bites were reported in the city. The CNCD receives nearly 50 dog-menace complaints every day, but the AMC is “yet to finalise” contractors to kickstart its sterilisation programme.

The civic authority had contemplated a dog sterilisation facility of its own, but there has been no development in this direction as well. A proposal for such facility has to be presented before the standing committee for approval, but no such initiative has been taken by the CNCD department so far. AMC will have to shell out around Rs 12 crore to set up this facility.

Last month, Girija Jayram, a resident of Vastrapur, was mauled by a stray dog near Lad Society during the morning walk. She was bitten on her leg and hand. She said, “I walked past a stray dog lying on the road. It came running behind me and bit me on the leg. When I tried to defend myself, it bit my hand. Something needs to be done to protect people from stray dogs.”

Nisarg Sunetra, a teenager, was attacked by a dog while he was on his two-wheeler, waiting at the Jodhpur traffic signal. He said, “I was too shocked to react first. It just bit me and ran away. The pain was unbearable. Why is the AMC sitting idle?”

Health Committee Chairman Dr Suresh Patel said, “I am doing my level best to curb the nuisance. I have already asked the officials to start the sterilisation procedure as soon as possible. But they are slow in responding. I had a meeting with the officials of Animal Welfare Board of India. We have planned several things to rid the city of dog menace.” Another empty promise?

No deduction for plots of 300 sq yds

Nearly 10,000 property owners can breathe easy as Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority has decided to impose



In a major policy decision, Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) on Wednesday decided on a zero deduction norm for plots up to 300 sq yards and 20 per deduction for those above 300 sq yards. Around 10,000 plots owners in Ghuma who were struggling to save their plots from AUDA decision of deducting land for the implementation of town planning schemes, can relax now.

AUDA had proposed flat 40 per cent deduction for all plots, subplots and open land in Ghuma for the development of three town planning (TP) schemes
AUDA had proposed flat 40 per cent deduction for all plots, subplots and open land in Ghuma for the development of three town planning (TP) schemes.

According to realty experts, this will save deduction of plots worth Rs 600 crore and the biggest beneficiaries will be middle and upper-middle class. There are around 45 plotting schemes and 9000 to 10,000 plots in these schemes.

At the board meeting, AUDA decided to submit the three town planning (TP) schemes of Ghuma to the government on June 25. Ghuma is spread over 21 lakh sq yards (ie, 700 hectares) of which 30 per cent falls under plotting schemes. The land price in Ghuma is floating between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 a sq yard. An estimated conservative figure of the worth of the property comes to around Rs 1200 crore.

AUDA Chairman Dharmendra Shah confirmed the news and added, “The open land that has no plotting scheme will see 40 per cent deduction, as per the town planning Act. However, considering the practical problem the board has decided against carrying out deduction for plots below 300 sq yard. For plots above 300 sq yard there will be 20 per cent deduction.”

Shah further said, “AUDA will also help the builder as well as plot owners in re-plotting of the scheme so that there is no grievance later.

Realty experts are happy with the decision as this will allow many small time investors to save their hard earned money that they had put in for their children.

Hitesh Shah of Space Management Ltd told Mirror, “It is a remarkable decision as deduction of 40 per cent was out of proportion for the sub-plot owners who invested in these properties when there was no rule of town planning and land deduction.”

Agreeing with Shah, Gujarat Institute of Civil Engineers and Architects (GICEA) former president Prashant Shah said, “It is a welcome step by AUDA. We also suggest that AUDA try to convert internal roads of plotting schemes into TP roads. This will help the plot owners save some land in deduction.”

AUDA can also consider common plots under deduction which can help plot-owners save some portion of their plot, he said.

The development authority had received more than 5000 applications of objections and recommendations by plot owners from Ghuma. It had made public the deduction announcement on March 4 and gave 10 days (till March 14) to residents and owners to submit their objections and recommendations.

Gujarat most preferred investment destination: ASSOCHAM study

Bangalore: Gujarat tops the list of preferred investment destination in the country with 1,455 projects worth Rs 13.35 lakh crore underway, according to Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India (ASSOCHAM). Karnataka is the next preferred investment destination in the country with 1,528 projects worth Rs 9.1 lakh crore under way it added.

The study was jointly released by ASSOCHAM president Dilip Modi, Co-chairman of ASSOCHAM southern regional chapter J Crasta and ASSOCHAM Secretary General D S Rawat on Thursday.

Nearly 44 per cent of the 1,528 projects in Karnataka are in manufacturing sector followed by 22.4 per cent in services, 15 per cent in power and about 14 per cent in real estate.

The projects are in different stages of implementation, ASSOCHAM said in its study titled ‘Karnataka - Next Growth Leader in the Making.’ Investment flows into manufacturing sector marked a 107.8 per cent jump during 2010, compared to the previous year while those in services sector registered a healthy growth of 76.5 per cent, it said.

Saree eliminated for women cops

As per a new notification issued by the top cop Chittranjan Singh, it is now mandatory for policewomen up to 45 years of age to don a khakhi shirt-trouser. Those above 45 have the option of wearing a salwar kameezYou can call it the momma of all makeovers. Women cops in the state will no longer have to wrap themselves in the six-yard wonder. A new dress code will ensure they are able to carry out their duties with ‘no pallus attached’.

As per a new directive from the office of Director General of Police, women cops up to 45 years of age will be required to don a shirt and trousers. Those above 45 years of age, however, have the option of wearing a salwar-kameez. A notification stating the same was sent to all the police stations in the state on June 8.

The women in the rank of constables, head constables and assistant sub-inspectors will be given two khakhi-coloured shirt-trousers pieces each. The cops can get them stitched and claim the tailoring charges from the department.

For a half-sleeves shirt and trousers, the cop can claim up to Rs 180 and for full-sleeves shirt and trousers up to Rs 185. The new attire will be similar to those of the women cops in state reserve police.

Savitaben Vaniya, 51, assistant sub-inspector with the women’s cell of the crime branch, lauds the decision. “It is a good decision. Carrying out duties in a saree becomes difficult during bandobasts. I prefer the salwar kameez, though,” she said.

Head constable Jashodaben Solanki, 51, said, “I’ve been wearing the saree for the past 30 years and a change is welcome. I don’t think I’ll be comfortable in trousers though, so I’ll opt for salwar-kameez.”

However, constable Sumati Parmar, 33, will switch over to “the modern attire.” “It’s nice that the department has come up with a new dress code for women. It brings in a lot of discipline. I prefer a shirt-trousers uniform because it is even more comfortable than the salwar-kameez. Also, it looks more aggressive and suits a cop’s personality.”

Inspector C N Chaudhary of the women’s cell of the crime branch said, “A decision regarding the new dress code for women cops was taken after DGP’s meeting with the dress committee on April 21. Women police personnel up to 45 years of age will have to mandatorily wear a shirt and trousers on duty. Those above 45 years of age, can wear a salwar kameez too. However, sarees will no longer exist in the police force. A notification regarding the same was sent to police stations across the state.”

Anna team laughs at Govt’s ‘Jokepal Bill’

Says the government has no intention of passing a strong anti-corruption legislation; Hazare to go on indefinite fast from Aug 16, ready to face lathis and bullets for country



New Delhi: Upset with the Government for dilly-dallying the process of drafting and passing the Lokpal Bill, anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Thursday said the Centre had no intentions of enacting a strict anti-corruption law.

Hazare said that he will go on an indefinite fast from August 16 if a diluted law is brought. RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal said the government had frittered away a huge opportunity to frame a strong bill and take credit for it. “What the Government is now bringing is not a Lokpal Bill but a Jokepal Bill,” he said.

Centre wasting time: Activists
Hazare alleged that the government had "backtracked" on its promise to accept all the suggestions forwarded by the civil society members.

The septuagenarian said that he was "surprised" that the Government wants the civil society members to submit a separate draft of the bill, while the Government drafted its own bill and brought it before the Cabinet. "If they want two drafts then why was this joint committee formed? They could have told us earlier. Our draft was known to them. Why waste so much of time? It is clear that the government has no intention to bring an effective bill,” Hazare said.

Alleging that the government had gone back on assurances given to him to persuade him to withdraw his hunger strike in April, he said, "I will resume my fast on August 16....if the government tries to suppress us like in the case of Ramdev, we are prepared for that," he said.

"We are ready to face lathis and bullets. I am ready to sacrifice my life for the sake of the country," he said. However, the Hazare camp made it clear that they will attend the meetings of June 20-21 to see what the government has to say on the issue.

Even as the civil society members of the Lokpal Bill joint drafting committee called the meetings a "drama", Home Minister P Chidambaram said the proposed legislation will be drafted by June 30.

Bill will be ready by June 30: Govt
“On behalf of the Government we want to reiterate what we have been saying. Our intention is to draft a strong and sound Lokpal Bill. We will complete it by June 30," Chidambaram said.

Differences emerged between the two sides in the seventh meeting of the committee on Wednesday with the civil society members alleging that the government was attempting to “bulldoze” its version of the bill.

Inclusion of the prime minister and judiciary within the ambit of the proposed Lokpal are among the points of main differences between the two sides.

Blood boils at event to felicitate donors

Congress MP Vikram Madam alleges politicisation of the Red Cross-health department function;Blood boiled over at a blood donation event organised by the Red Cross in association with the state health department, Gujarat State Council for Blood Transfusion and Gujarat State Aids Control Society.The function to mark World Blood Donor Day took political overtones after Madam alleged that donors, mainly from his constituency Jamnagar, were ignored
The function to mark the World Blood Donor Day at Tagore Hall on Tuesday took political overtones after Congress Member of Parliament Vikram Madam and his supporters confronted Health Minister Jaynarayan Vyas for ignoring donors and people, mainly from his constituency Jamnagar, who had organised more than 100 blood donation camps.

Madam, himself a blood donor, was called all the way from Jamnagar to be felicitated.

“Three days ago, I was invited to the event. During the telephonic conversation with the Red Cross president Mukesh Patel I made it very clear that according to the protocol I shall agree to accept the award only from the hands of Governor Kamlaji which was agreed upon. However when I came here today, the attitude was different,” Madam said.

He claimed to be the only sitting MP who has organised 418 camps and donated blood 39 times. Close to 35,000 blood units have been collected through these camps, he claimed.

100 crore real estate fraud in Kerala, NRIs seek Chief Minister's help

Thiruvananthapuram: Non-resident Keralites are seeking the help of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy after they fell prey to one of the biggest real estate frauds in the state.

A Kochi-based company 'Apple-A-Day Properties' reportedly collected over Rs. 100 crore from buyers which included 125 Indian expatriates in the Middle East. The company offered villas and apartments in the heart of the city at attractive rates. It used the goodwill of a couple of its completed projects to rope in buyers, but after it missed many deadlines for its 11 new projects, customers cried foul.

"It's for realising the dream of owning a house in one's native place that NRIs like me invested over Rs. 45 lakh each in the project. But even after 5 years, nothing has been completed," said R P Abdul Hameed, a victim.

The firm's Director and Managing Director went underground after the company allegedly went bust a few weeks ago. Soon, complaints started pouring in and over 160 FIRs have now been registered against the company.


Police say the duo, who led a lavish lifestyle, have withdrawn money from all their accounts. A look out notice has also been issued against them.

"We have received many such complaints. We are seriously exploring ways to check these fraudulent practices," said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

Police sources say 'Apple-A-Day' fraud is just a tip of the iceberg and that many companies are also under the scanner. Now with the government promising stern action against such fly-by-night real estate firms, the victims are hopeful of finally getting justice.

Tahawwur Rana acquitted of 26/11 charges, found guilty of helping LeT

Chicago:  Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Hussain Rana has been acquitted by a US court on charges of abetting Mumbai terror attacks but was convicted for providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and helping a terror plot in Denmark.

The 12-member jury announced the verdict at the end of two days of deliberations against 50-year-old Rana, a co-accused in the Mumbai attack with David Coleman Headley.

Rana faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on the two counts combined and remains in Federal custody without bond, a US Justice Department statement said. No sentencing date was set.

Verdict was announced by US District Judge Harry D Leinenweber, shortly after 4:30 pm (local time) in the court room.
Justice Department spokesman Randall Samborn said, "A Federal Court jury has convicted defendant Rana on one count of conspiracy to provide material support to the Denmark terrorism plot and one count of providing material support to LeT, and not guilty of conspiracy to provide material support to the Mumbai terrorist attacks in November 2008."

Rana, who was brought in the court from the local prison, was stunned after the verdict was pronounced.

The verdict came nearly three weeks of trial of Rana at the Chicago court.

Prosecutors alleged Rana was aware of the Mumbai terror strike and was in contact with the terrorist groups and their leaders in Pakistan. Rana's attorney, on the other hand, pleaded not guilty and said that Headley, an all time liar, had fooled him.

Pakistani-American Headley, 50, was the government's star witness during the trial.

Headley had entered into a plea bargain with US authorities to testify against other suspects in order to avoid the death penalty and being extradited to India, Pakistan and Denmark.

In its statement the Justice Department said Rana, a Pakistani native who operated a Chicago-based immigration business has been convicted of participating in conspiracy involving a terrorism plot against a Danish newspaper and providing material support to a terrorist organisation based in Pakistan.

"The defendant, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, was found guilty by a Federal jury that deliberated two days following a trial that began May 16 in US District Court. The jury acquitted Rana of conspiracy to provide material support to the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai that killed more than 160 people, including six Americans," it said.

The judge ordered the defence to file post-trial motions by August 15.

Patrick Blegan, Rana's Attorney, said, "We do not know what the jury was thinking." He said, "We are disappointed".

Blegan said this sentencing could result in a maximum of 30 years of imprisonment, 15 years for each of the two counts in which Rana was found guilty.

He said the jury decided that there was no death involved due to Rana providing material support to LeT.

"This is a split verdict. Mumbai part of the verdict is very significant as jury did not find him guilty in the terrorists attacks," he said.

Those present in the court room were US attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and assistant attorney Daniel Collins and Vicky Peters, Defense attorney Blegen, Rana's wife Samraz Rana their two daughters and mother of Samraz. Blegan and Rana family members looked tense and crestfallen.

"The message should be clear to all those who help terrorists - we will bring to justice all those who seek to facilitate violence," said Patrick J Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

"Today's verdict demonstrates our commitment to hold accountable not only terrorist operatives, but also those who facilitate their activities. As established at trial, Rana provided valuable cover and support to David Headley, knowing that Headley and others were plotting terror attacks overseas," said Todd Hinnen, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security.

"We will not rest in our efforts to identify and bring to justice those who provide support to terrorists," he said.

"Those who died in Mumbai demand justice. You (the jury) will find the truth that this man knew that his trained terrorist friend (Headley) was bent on killing people," Collins urged the jury in his final arguments.




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Maoists kill five policemen in Chhattisgarh

The rebels fired indiscriminately at the cops and escaped with weapons of those killed

Raipur: Maoists gunned down five policemen in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh on Thursday morning and made away with their weapons, police said.

The Maoists opened indiscriminate gun fire at a contingent of the 16th battalion of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) in the Jharaghati forested pocket in Narayanpur district, killing one head constable and four other constables, Additional Director General of Police Ram Niwas told IANS.

He said the CAF has a base camp near the attack site, which is about 270 km south of state capital Raipur. Policemen from the camp immediately reached the site and retaliated, but the rebels managed to disperse in the nearby forests.

A local police official, who put the number of attackers in dozens, informed that the Maoists escaped with the weapons of the killed policemen. He said police had prior information about a possible Maoist attack in and around the CAF camp which was set up recently to step up operations against the rebels.

Extra forces from various police stations have been dispatched to the site, some 30 km from the district headquarters of Narayanpur town, to cordon off the Jharaghati forested area where the rebels are believed to be holed up.

Prince Harry to teach sister-in-law to fly

London: The Duchess of Cambridge will train for a fixed wing licence in Anglesey, where her husband William is an RAF helicopter pilot.

Both he and his brother are qualified instructors but Harry offered to take the future Queen up because of William's hectic schedule.

“Wills' diary is manic and to be honest, would any wife want to be taught by their husband?” The Sun quoted a Royal source as saying.

“Harry immediately offered and the Duchess is thrilled,” the source added.

Remembering Husain ...too late

Had it been carried through, it would have been one of the greatest reconciliations in the fractious history of modern India. It would have also forced a reappraisal of Balasaheb Thackeray.
When asked to fashion the interior of Mumbai's newly made-over international airport with India’s biggest public art commission, impresario Rajeev Sethi envisioned a giant Shivaji, powerful, full of conviction, astride a black steed. Mumbai deserved nothing less, he believed.

But there was only one artist who could execute this vision. His rendition of both, mythology and horse, unparalleled.

So Sethi, used to overcoming a few logistical hurdles (he did organize the Apna Utsavs), hatched a plan. The idea was to meet Amitabh Bachchan, convince him to go meet Balasaheb Thackeray and to intercede on Mumbai’s behalf: Could Thackeray call MF Husain back from exile and give him protection from the loony fringe so that he could paint this powerful symbol of Maratha pride?

Eventually, inertia, inaction, cowardice, and unwillingness to disturb status-quo defeated the plan.

The very things Maqbool Fida had taken on headlong all his life.

On the day of his death from lung complications at London’s Brompton hospital, there’s much anger — no doubt short-fused —and guilt, about how we failed one of India’s greatest artists. There was hectic lobbying to bring his body back so that it could be buried in his homeland.

Instead, Husain will likely rest in London. It was his wish to be buried in whichever country he died. Befitting for a man who never slept in the same bed for more than few nights in a row.

Or may be, just may be, there was something more. Home is what represents the essence of us. Mumbai, that he called home for most of his life, no longer stands for the essence of Husain.

Could it be that by insisting on a burial wherever he died, he was rejecting us, rather than us shunning him?

In 2004 when certain Muslim organizations objected to a Qawwali, Noor-ul-ana, that Husain had written for his film Meenaxi:A Tale of Three Cities, calling it blasphemous, Husain refused to cut the song from the film, or censor the “offending” lines. Without demur, he just pulled out the film from theatres.

A week before this when the movie released he had stood at the entrance of Gaity-Galaxy, deep in the entrails of Bandra, elegant in his black achkan, welcoming regular filmgoers with folded hands, as if he was at some wine and cheese art opening.

This was Mumbai. He stood there among the milling uncles and aunties, the blackwallahs, the auto drivers, and the bored teenagers smiling the expectant artist's smile. He was at home.

But his space, like an unwelcome relative, was being circumscribed. You can paint the Ramayana, but not represent our goddesses in the nude. His marvelous collaboration the Ahmedabad Gufa with architect BV Doshi was vandalised.

As was his exhibition of Bharatmata: His artist's license to give offence, suspended. This was the man who had painted Indira Gandhi as Durga during the Emergency, or Sonia Gandhi as a nautch girl when she made her maiden political foray at Bellary (Admittedly, his politics was a bit uninformed).

But now frivolous cases filed across India’s mofussil courts rested on him like a swarm of locusts, darkening his sunny outlook.

The man with a large appetite for food, women, art, life, laughter was dwarfed by his troubles. None of Mumbai’s beautiful people, many of whom he counted as friends and who had benefited from his largesse (stories of him casually gifting away paintings are legion), stood up for him, except occasionally on ineffectual TV platforms.

They preferred to travel abroad and come back to raise their equity with stories of going for a spin with Husain in his Ferrari.

Husain was not necessarily our finest artist, but he embodied the best of India. The charm, the chutzpah, the syncretic energy, his philosophy as a karmyogi.

In interviews from exile, he spoke of himself as a citizen of the world, neither making any formal petition to be allowed to come back, nor creating any great art.

In his death wish, we should note his register of protest.

DOOMSDAY PLANE

The $223mn aircraft that can protect the US President from nuclear war, meteor strikesWashington: It costs an astronomical $200 million (Rs 894 crore), can stay in the air for days without refuelling, and is build to protect the US President, his Secretary of Defence, Joint Chiefs of Staff and other key personnel.

Able to launch within minutes, the ‘doomsday plane’ offers protection from the ultimate worst-case scenarios, including nuclear attacks and meteor strikes from outer space. People travelling on board can communicate with anyone on the ground and even submarines can be reached underwater when a five-mile long cable is extended from the back of the plane.

Mobilised hours after the 9/11 terror strikes, the world’s most impressive plane runs on 1,65,000 pounds of state of the art electronics and is protected by an electromagnetic pulse shield. A specially upgraded air conditioning system is needed to keep it cool – and a specially trained team of tech-whizzes stay on board to man the devices.

Baba sweetens fast with honey, water

Fasting Ramdev agrees to have lemonade but when asked about tax returns he kept mumNew Delhi: As promised Baba Ramdev and his aide Acharya Balkrishna declared their assets in Haridwar on Thursday evening. The duo claimed that all their companies are audited regularly. Balkrishna said that the capital of their oldest trust Divya Yog Mandir is Rs 249.63 crore while that of Patanjali Yogpeeth is 164.80 crore.

“The Divya Yoga Mandir Trust has a capital base of Rs 249.63 crore. The Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust has Rs 164.80 crore, the Bharat Swabhiman Trust has Rs 9.97 crore and Acharya Kulumbh Siskhshan Sansthan has a capital of Rs 1.69 crore,” Balkrishna said.

The total capital of different companies associated with Ramdev is to the tune of Rs 426 crore. The yoga guru did not disclose the assets owned by the trusts and his Income Tax returns.

Docs check Baba every 3 hours
However, after much persuasion, Ramdev, who is on an indefinite fast against corruption and black money agreed to consume lemonade and honey. “He has decided to take lemon water and honey so that his body gets glucose,” said Haridwar District Magistrate R Meenakshi Sundaram.

He added that a team was regularly monitoring Ramdev’s health. “I have told them to do checkups every three hours. We have seen formation of ketone particles in his body. Formation of ketone particles is dangerous as it may affect vital organs like kidney and liver. We have asked baba to break his fast and have something, especially glucose,” he said.

Asked whether Ramdev will be forcibly fed, the DM said, “We will do whatever is necessary to save Baba’s life.” According to Patanjali Yogpeeth, only two people – Ramdev and his close aide Acharya Balakrishna are on fast, Sundaram said.

Ramdev defends army statement
Defending his statement about building an “army” to tackle future police crackdown, Ramdev said his statement was taken in the wrong context.

“I am not training Naxals or Maoists but people who will fight for this country,” Ramdev told reporters in Haridwar. The yoga guru said that People should not take his statement in the wrong context. “Twenty youths from each region of the country will come forward for the fight against corruption,” he said.

Ramdev clarified that a force of 11,000 people he intended to build would not be an armed force but a group of “non-violent nationalist youths” capable of defending themselves and people from corruption and the evil system.

Sanjay Dutt to play real life cop in Zilla Ghaziabad

t all started with Salman Khan's Dabangg, with him playing the proverbial cop torn between duty and family. Now the latest is that Sanjay Dutt will be seen essaying the role of Thakur Pritam Singh, a zamindar-turned-cop from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, in the film Zilla Ghaziabad.


Dutt will portray character of Thakur Pritam Singh, known for his notorious unorthodox methods of dealing with criminals. He would make criminals shoot other criminals rather than doing the dirty job himself. Dutt who previously played cop in quite a few films in his career, is gearing up for the challenge to play this real life character in which he will change his entire look.

Confirming this Dutt's spokesperson said, "Yes at this point, all I can do is say yes Sanjay will be playing that role, however I cannot reveal further details as of now."

Amrita Puri signed up as brand ambassador of Godrej No. 1 soaps?

Amrita Puri is the same girl from the Sonam Kapoor- Abhay Deol starrer Aisha, in which she played Shefali- 'the behenji from Bahadurgarh'. Just one film and she has become a famous face and is bagging quite a few brand endorsement deals.

One such brand that has roped in Amrita is Godrej No. 1 Soaps, for which she has now been signed up as the brand ambassador, so inform Bollywood Hungama's ever reliable sources.

The official confirmation of the same is being awaited.

The ugly face of ads at Civil

Civil superintendent unaware of advertisements put up at OPD building and consulting rooms, promises action

The advertisements relating to medicine OPD, ortho OPD and skin OPD are put up inside the building and even in the consulting rooms of doctors


Pharmaceutical companies have used the Civil Hospital campus to advertise their products, clearly flouting norms. While the Civil authority is unaware of any such activity, some doctors have wittingly or unwittingly allowed the companies to promote their medicines even in their consulting rooms.

The OPD building on the Civil campus has become hive of activity for medical representatives of pharma companies visiting the doctors daily and even advertising their products.

The adverts relating to medicine OPD, ortho OPD and skin OPD are put up inside the building and even in the consulting rooms of doctors. Are these averts placed with the doctors’ permission? And if so, do these doctors prescribe medicines of these companies? All these raise questions of propriety.

When asked if MRs are allowed on the campus and if they can advertise their products, Medical Superintendent of Civil Hospital M M Prabhakar said, “Medical representatives of different companies do come to our hospital for their promotional activities, but we don’t buy anything from them. No company can advertise on the campus without our permission and we haven’t given permission to anyone to do so.

When told that such ads were pasted at the OPD building and the consulting rooms, Prabhakar said, “I will inquire into it and get them removed immediately.” Civil Hospital receives all its stock from Central Medical Store in Gandhinagar.

Regarding the procurement of medicines, the Civil chief said that they received all their medicines depending on their requirement from the government. And if they needed to buy any medicines from outside, they can do so according to the rate prescribed by the government, he said.

On-the-spot fine for smoking in public

Teams of AMC officials move around city in two vans, fine those caught smoking in public anything between Rs 50 and Rs 500

It is illegal to light up in public spaces and workplaces. Everyone knows this, but few put it in practice. To ensure that smoking in public is snuffed out, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has decided to fine violators on the spot. Two teams of AMC officials have been handling this task since June 1. Moving around the city in two vans, they are penalising offenders anything between Rs 50 and Rs 500.


Hitesh Pandit and Sanjay Sanghala (right) were caught outside H K Arts College. They had come to submit admission forms Till date, the teams have visited more than eight areas and fined over 500 offenders. “After fining offenders, we educate them about the harms of smoking. We also teach them about the ill-effects of consuming tobacco in other forms like gutkha and pouches (padiki),” said an AMC official.

Mirror accompanied the team during its drive in Navrangpura on Wednesday and found that most offenders were youngsters who had come to apply for admissions to colleges. “They were trying to show off. Most youths get addicted to tobacco or pick up smoking due to peer pressure. It is important to teach them the ill-effects of smoking,” said Ashwin Upadhyay, who heads the team.

To give more teeth to the team, two policemen are likely to join the anti-tobacco team. “We have written to the Commissioner of Police for two police sub-inspectors. We expect them to join us in the next few days,” said Upadhyay.

Health committee chairman Suresh Patel said, “Our aim is not just to penalise those smoking in public. We want the offenders to learn how their addiction harms them as well as those around them.” At present, the teams have been scheduled to roam city streets for next three months.The initiative has been taken in association with the state health department.

Syria vows 'decisive' response in Jisr al-Shughour

Syria's government has vowed to deal "decisively" with the gunmen blamed for the deaths of 120 security personnel in the northern town of Jisr al-Shughour.

Interior Minister Ibrahim Shaar said the state would act "with force".


Residents later warned that there would be massive bloodshed if the authorities attempted to restore control by force.

Meanwhile, France says it is ready to ask the UN Security Council to vote on a draft resolution condemning Damascus, despite a likely Russian veto.

Speaking in Washington, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Paris believed that strong support in the 15-member Council mind persuade the Russians "to change their mind".

"We think that it will be possible to get 11 votes in favour of the resolution and we'll see what the Russians will do," he said.

The draft resolution was drawn up by France, Britain, Germany and Portugal, the AFP news agency reports. The document condemns violence at the hands of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and asks him to open Syrian cities to humanitarian teams.

Inquiry call
On Friday, in a dramatic series of urgent flashes, state television said hundreds of gunmen who taken over Jisr al-Shughour, which lies about 20km (12 miles) from the Turkish border, and had committed "a real massacre".

A report said the fighting had begun at dawn, when "armed gangs" ambushed police as they approached the town "to rescue citizens being terrorised". Twenty officers reportedly died.

Continue reading the main story
Analysis


Jim Muir
BBC News, Beirut
Jisr al-Shughour has been the scene of a continuing military crackdown since Saturday, following protest demonstrations denouncing the regime after Friday prayers.

If the government's account is true, it is by far the biggest number of security forces killed in any single incident since the uprising began in March. It implies that at least in Jisr al-Shughour, they are facing an armed insurrection rather than mass peaceful protests.

But some activist internet sites have suggested that some army elements may have defected to the revolt, another possible explanation for the sudden startling leap in the number of security forces killed. Whatever the case, it is a massive challenge to the government, and it has vowed to meet it, with determination and force.

It also said another 82 personnel were killed when the town's security headquarters was overwhelmed, and eight in a bomb attack on a post office they were guarding.

Many government buildings were attacked and burned, causing further casualties, it added. The overall death toll for security forces was put at 120.

"We will deal strongly and decisively, and according to the law, and we will not be silent about any armed attack that targets the security of the state and its citizens," said Mr Shaar in a statement read on television.

Information Minister Adnan Mahmoud said army units, which have so far stayed out of the town, would "carry out their national duty to restore security".

Later, a statement published on one of the Syrian uprising's main Facebook pages in the name of the people of Jisr al-Shughour denied that they had called for army intervention to protect them from armed gangs.

It condemned the reported deaths of dozens of security personnel in the town and called for an immediate and transparent inquiry.

The statement said the people feared a crime against humanity would be committed if Syrian army tanks moved in to regain control.

More civilians would inevitably be killed and thousands would flee their homes if the tanks come in, it warned.

An Islamist uprising in Jisr al-Shughour in 1980 against the late President Hafez al-Assad was brutally crushed with scores of deaths.

Mutiny speculation


Click to play

Alain Juppe: "Bashar has lost his legitimacy to rule the country"
The protesters continue to insist that the movement is entirely peaceful, and to scorn the government's talk of armed gangs.

But government officials, like spokeswoman Reem Haddad, are adamant that groups of gunmen are behind the killing.

"I wouldn't count them as civilians because civilians are people who carry no arms," she told the BBC World Service.

"These people are dead and we have bodies with names and dates of birth. It's not something that the Syrian government has invented. They have families, mothers and fathers, and sons and daughters."

The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut reports that protesters say some army personnel may have deserted to join the uprising.

"The soldiers were coming our way. Then they were shot in the back by some Syrian security elements," one resident told BBC Arabic.

There is even speculation of a mutiny at the security headquarters, and that personnel who refused to fire on demonstrators were executed.

Communications were cut to the area around the town on Monday and the details of the attack were impossible to verify.

But whatever the truth, the events in Jisr al-Shughour represents a massive challenge to the government, our correspondent says.

Before Monday, the government said more than 160 security forces personnel had died since the uprising began in mid-March. Human rights activists meanwhile said that more than 1,200 people had been killed.


Are you in the area? If you have any information you wish to share with the BBC, you can do so using the form below.

Syria vows 'decisive' response in Jisr al-Shughour

Syria's government has vowed to deal "decisively" with the gunmen blamed for the deaths of 120 security personnel in the northern town of Jisr al-Shughour.

Interior Minister Ibrahim Shaar said the state would act "with force".

Residents later warned that there would be massive bloodshed if the authorities attempted to restore control by force.

Meanwhile, France says it is ready to ask the UN Security Council to vote on a draft resolution condemning Damascus, despite a likely Russian veto.

Speaking in Washington, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Paris believed that strong support in the 15-member Council mind persuade the Russians "to change their mind".

"We think that it will be possible to get 11 votes in favour of the resolution and we'll see what the Russians will do," he said.

The draft resolution was drawn up by France, Britain, Germany and Portugal, the AFP news agency reports. The document condemns violence at the hands of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and asks him to open Syrian cities to humanitarian teams.

Inquiry call
On Friday, in a dramatic series of urgent flashes, state television said hundreds of gunmen who taken over Jisr al-Shughour, which lies about 20km (12 miles) from the Turkish border, and had committed "a real massacre".

A report said the fighting had begun at dawn, when "armed gangs" ambushed police as they approached the town "to rescue citizens being terrorised". Twenty officers reportedly died.

Continue reading the main story
Analysis


Jim Muir
BBC News, Beirut
Jisr al-Shughour has been the scene of a continuing military crackdown since Saturday, following protest demonstrations denouncing the regime after Friday prayers.

If the government's account is true, it is by far the biggest number of security forces killed in any single incident since the uprising began in March. It implies that at least in Jisr al-Shughour, they are facing an armed insurrection rather than mass peaceful protests.

But some activist internet sites have suggested that some army elements may have defected to the revolt, another possible explanation for the sudden startling leap in the number of security forces killed. Whatever the case, it is a massive challenge to the government, and it has vowed to meet it, with determination and force.

It also said another 82 personnel were killed when the town's security headquarters was overwhelmed, and eight in a bomb attack on a post office they were guarding.

Many government buildings were attacked and burned, causing further casualties, it added. The overall death toll for security forces was put at 120.

"We will deal strongly and decisively, and according to the law, and we will not be silent about any armed attack that targets the security of the state and its citizens," said Mr Shaar in a statement read on television.

Information Minister Adnan Mahmoud said army units, which have so far stayed out of the town, would "carry out their national duty to restore security".

Later, a statement published on one of the Syrian uprising's main Facebook pages in the name of the people of Jisr al-Shughour denied that they had called for army intervention to protect them from armed gangs.

It condemned the reported deaths of dozens of security personnel in the town and called for an immediate and transparent inquiry.

The statement said the people feared a crime against humanity would be committed if Syrian army tanks moved in to regain control.

More civilians would inevitably be killed and thousands would flee their homes if the tanks come in, it warned.

An Islamist uprising in Jisr al-Shughour in 1980 against the late President Hafez al-Assad was brutally crushed with scores of deaths.

Mutiny speculation


Click to play

Alain Juppe: "Bashar has lost his legitimacy to rule the country"
The protesters continue to insist that the movement is entirely peaceful, and to scorn the government's talk of armed gangs.

But government officials, like spokeswoman Reem Haddad, are adamant that groups of gunmen are behind the killing.

"I wouldn't count them as civilians because civilians are people who carry no arms," she told the BBC World Service.

"These people are dead and we have bodies with names and dates of birth. It's not something that the Syrian government has invented. They have families, mothers and fathers, and sons and daughters."

The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut reports that protesters say some army personnel may have deserted to join the uprising.

"The soldiers were coming our way. Then they were shot in the back by some Syrian security elements," one resident told BBC Arabic.

There is even speculation of a mutiny at the security headquarters, and that personnel who refused to fire on demonstrators were executed.

Communications were cut to the area around the town on Monday and the details of the attack were impossible to verify.

But whatever the truth, the events in Jisr al-Shughour represents a massive challenge to the government, our correspondent says.

Before Monday, the government said more than 160 security forces personnel had died since the uprising began in mid-March. Human rights activists meanwhile said that more than 1,200 people had been killed.


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Annoyed Congress questions govt on Baba Ramdev botch-up

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday broke his silence on the Baba Ramdev controversy, calling Saturday's police action at the Ramlila Maidan unfortunate. He, however, stressed that the government was left with no alternative.

"It is unfortunate that the operation had to be conducted, but quite honestly there was no alternative," the PM said while responding to questions on the midnight police raid on Ramdev's camp. Singh's response at a media awards function came against the backdrop of the lingering unhappiness in the Congress over the handling of the Ramdev affair.

The organizational unease came through at the meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had convened on Sunday evening. Four ministers, including finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and HRD minister Kapil Sibal who were directly involved in the negotiations, participated in the deliberations where office-bearers questioned the wisdom in according a red carpet reception to Ramdev just three days before he was externed from Delhi. At one stage, Pranab Mukherjee, according to sources, almost lost his cool.

The party's annoyance became evident right at the outset when Sonia interrupted Sibal just when he had begun to detail the sequence of engagement with the yoga guru. It was not necessary, she said in a remark which was unanimously interpreted as reflecting her irritation over the "botch up".

Rahul Gandhi, who is usually reticent on these occasions, also chipped in with the suggestion that the party would be better off if it were to focus on the many welfare schemes it had launched.

The advice was seen as echoing the criticism that the government handlers ramped up the attention on talks with Baba, conferring legitimacy on the spiritual entrepreneur and creating the impression post-Ramlila Maidan raid that it had lurched from one extreme to another.

The issue has revived the perception of a government-organization disconnect that was seen earlier also—most conspicuously over the PM's peace overture towards Pakistan at Sharm el-Sheikh. Party spokesperson Janardan Dwivedi had to face a volley of questions based on the perception of divergence between the two wings. Although he doggedly stonewalled questions on the schism and launched a sharp attack on Ramdev as well as the BJP, Dwivedi kept the party at a safe distance from the unpopular police action. "Some decisions are taken by the party, some by the government. The party takes care of social agitations while legal and official decisions are taken by government," he said.

Sources, however, confirmed that the party was not kept in the loop over details of talks with Ramdev, beginning with the decision to let him pitch his tent in Delhi. The party had made plain its reservations over four Union ministers turning up at the airport. Although it grudgingly accepted the explanation offered by the government at the meeting of the core group on Thursday that there was a need to engage Ramdev, the core group was not briefed of the plan to resort to a dramatic swoop—a grievance that was, according to sources, lodged by an important party functionary at the Sunday meeting.

While the unrest is focused on the Ramdev issue, partymen are increasingly concerned about what is called the "narrow base" of the decision-making party in the government—a code for the growing role of ministers like Sibal and PMO functionaries in influencing decisions which can have a bearing on the party's prospects. No names were taken at Sunday's meeting, but many of the critical observations were seen as directed at Sibal who became the face of government's dealings with Ramdev.

For the stocktaking session called at a short notice with four key ministers—Mukherjee, P Chidambaram, A K Antony and Sibal—Sonia spoke little but let it be known that she was in the dark about key events starting from the airport diplomacy to the police action.

The home minister, it is learnt, cited a key intelligence report to show that the RSS was planning mischief. An intelligence input showed that BJP chief Nitin Gadkari was summoned to Nagpur in the middle of the Lucknow executive, which was seen as unusual, more so because the Maharashtra city is also the Sangh headquarters.

While the police action per se may be acceptable given that there was no way out, there were misgivings about how the situation was allowed to come to this pass. The crisis managers, in what sounded like a defence and helplessness at the same time, said the plan was to send the Baba away from airport if he did not call off his protest fast. However, the yoga guru, now seen as slippery, convinced them into talking further and then delaying the decision to call off the fast and going back on his commitment.

Maruti’s Dzire new plant near dholera Port?

f Maruti is able to set up plant near Dholera or Mundra, it will save around Rs 185 cr spent every year on transporting vehicles from Haryana to Kutch.The entry of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd will turn Gujarat into an automotive hub but its first choice is not likely to be Sanand. The company would prefer to set up its plant near Dholera. The second option is Santalpur in Banaskantha, then comes Mundra Port in Kutch. If nothing works out, it may consider a unit in Sanand.

Maruti exports around 1 lakh cars to Europe and Africa every year from special car export unit at Mundra Port
Maruti is already exporting around 1 lakh cars to Europe and Africa every year from the special car export unit at Mundra Port in Kutch. A plant here will boost its export potential and make the sales in west and south India more cost-effective. Currently, all the cars are made in Haryana and transported by road to Mundra Port. The transportation cost per car comes up to Rs 25,000. “If Maruti is able to set up a plant near Dholera, it will be able to save around Rs 185 crore spent on transporting vehicles every year,” say sources.

Santalpur is situated near the Rann of Kutch.

The price of land is very cheap here. This might be a point in its favour as Maruti may get little concession if it buys land at Sanand.

The company’s managing director Shinzo Nakanishi and chairman RC Bhargava had met Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday with a proposal to set up a plant in a 500-acre plot with capacity to produce 1 million cars per annum.

If finalised, Maruti will be the third car manufacturer to have units in Gujarat after General Motors, which has a production unit at Halol in Panchamahals district, and Tata Motors which had shifted its Nano car manufacturing unit from West Bengal to Sanand.

Gujarat st Volvos to implement Wi-fi

GSRTC will transform its Volvo buses into ‘WiFi cafe on wheels’ by the end of this month to attract youngsters; plans are on the anvil to get 3G connectivity too

Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) is doing its best to ensure passengers are on the move while they are ON THE MOVE. It is set to become the first public transport corporation in the country to provide wireless high-speed internet access to passengers in its Volvo buses. All the 10 buses connecting Ahmedabad to Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Surat will go WiFi by the end of this month.

ST will be the first transport corporation in the country to provide access to wireless internet
So, passengers can check and reply to their emails, socialise, book air/rail tickets, surf websites and play online games on their laptops instead of dozing off, which is usually the most popular pastime.

The ‘WiFi cafe on wheels’ aims to attract more youngsters and transform an otherwise drab journey to a productive and entertaining one. Meanwhile, GSRTC is also in talks with two telecom companies for 3G connectivity too, sources said. “Trial runs for the same are on,” a source said.

The 2x2 type air-conditioned buses have 45 push-back seats and each passenger is given one Gujarati and one English newspaper and a magazine to read on the way. Also, with competitive pricing, these buses have been very successful in attracting the youth.

Tejas Popat, incharge for GSRTC’s Volvo projects, said: “A majority of our passengers are young, educated and tech-savvy. So, it was apt for us to consider introducing WiFi. The move will also attract more students who prefer taking the train.”

A majority of Volvo passengers — more than 900 — ply between Ahmedabad and Vadodara every day.

More ST-eem for Nehrunagar, Bopal passengers
ST is all set to start intercity services for passengers staying in the western part of the city. It will be plying buses from Bopal to Surat and Nehrunagar to Vadodara, beginning this week. So far, there were only local buses plying in the area.

With competitive pricing, these buses have been very successful in attracting youth
There will be one bus every hour to Vadodara (from 6 am to 9.30 pm) and two buses in a day to Surat.

So far, intercity buses for Vadodara and Surat were available from Geeta Mandir and airport only. With the option of private buses available, people in the western part of the city preferred that instead of paying the rickshaw fare to Geeta Mandir and taking the bus from there.

GSRTC secretary P D Patel said, “We are expecting good response for the new services as many people residing in the western part commute to Vadodara every day. It will also save them autorickshaw fare to ST terminus at Geeta Mandir.”

The corporation will be providing on-the-spot booking, conventional in-bus booking and on-line booking for the proposed intercity services.

Govt has cheated us, will not give up fast: Baba Ramdev

NEW DELHI: Baba Ramdev on Saturday began an indefinite fast against black money but by the end of the day he was in a tight corner after government released a letter from his aide that he would call off the agitation by mid-day.

As talks failed, the two sides blamed each other of having gone back on their commitments and Ramdev accused the government of "betrayal and cheating".

Union minister Kapil Sibal's release of the letter by Acharya Balkrishan, Ramdev's key aide, led to attack by the yoga guru that government was indulging in "betrayal and cheating" and that he would now only go by any word from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whom he still respects.

The dramatic development came as Ramdev first announced that he would be giving the "good news" of ending the agitation but quickly went back on it after Sibal made public the letter at a press conference also attended by another Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay.

In a stick-and-carrot message, Sibal said that the government has honoured all its commitments and that Ramdev had a mis-apprehension when he questioned the setting up of a committee on making a law to deal with black money menace.

Ruling out issuing an ordinance on the issue, the minister, who held negotiations with Ramdev on Friday, made a veiled threat that the government that has "always reached out can also rein in".

"If we are accommodative, we can also be firm," he said adding that negotiations cannot be taken as a sign of weakness.

Taken aback by government's aggression, Ramdev threatened to continue his fast till his three demands -- declaring black money as national asset, enacting a law to confiscate black money along with stringent punishment and surveillance on those visiting tax havens abroad.

Ramdev came under severe questioning by media as to why he did not disclose since Friday that there was an understanding to this effect that he would call off the fast after government's written assurance on three of his demands.

"You kept the faithful, media and the nation in the dark," was one of the several questions hurled at an uneasy Ramdev who at one point conceded that the reason that he did not announce the understanding on Friday was because people would have left.

However, he quickly hastened to add that government would show its "thumb" to his movement and do nothing about his demands.

" Kapil Sibal is a liar. I will never talk to him in my life-time," Ramdev said adding that he still reposed faith in the Prime Minister and would go by his decision.

The sudden turn of events started with Sibal releasing Balkrishan's letter which gave Ramdev's "consent" to call off the agitation once the government gave a written assurance of fulfilling his demands within a time frame.

Replying to a barrage of questions, Ramdev said the letter was given after the ministers "pleaded" that this letter was only meant for Prime Minister to show that his fast was not going to be indefinite and that he was not aiming at destabilising the government.

Ramdev claimed the ministers had sought the letter as the government had suffered a huge embarrassment after its decision to send four senior ministers to meet him at the airport on June 1 for discussions.

However, he did not appear convincing in his replies as media grilled him on the letter and its non-disclosure. At one point, he cautioned a reporter to remain within "limits" when the scribe asked him about the funding of his agitation.

Sibal told the press conference that he talked to Ramdev over phone to assure him that government was committed to framing a law and the setting up of a committee is a process towards it.

He however made it clear that there was no possibility of issuing an ordinance in this regard.

Sibal said the government will send to Ramdev in writing that its assurance of setting up of a committee is a commitment towards framing of a law.

Defending the decision to make public the communication, government sources said Ramdev was frequently changing positions and they had to "call the bluff".

Sources said Ramdev's camp had made a commitment to call off the strike by 4pm and when it did not happen, then they had to categorically tell him that they were going to release the letter.

Talks fail, Baba will be on fast in hi-fi AC pandal from today

Union ministers unable to convince Baba Ramdev to stop his indefinite hunger strike; thousands pour in at the fancy pandal at Ramlila Ground, which is equipped with fans, LCD screens, CCTVs and water coolers among other things
New Delhi: Talks between Union ministers Kapil Sibal and Subodh Kant Sahay with Baba Ramdev over the yoga guru’s proposed fast against corruption from Saturday, failed to achieve a breakthrough on Friday.

Sources said that no compromise could be reached as Ramdev insisted on going ahead with his fast at Ramlila Ground from today.

After the six-hour meeting with Ramdev at a five-star hotel here, Sibal said, “Though the government gave written answers to the issues raised by him (Ramdev), an agreement could not be reached. I have no idea about his plans.” While a spokesman for Ramdev said the answers given by the government were unsatisfactory.

Baba firm on hunger strike
Thanking people who had come from across India to support his movement, Ramdev said, “We are fasting for those crores of Indians who sleep hungry every night. It is not an easy fight as we are fighting against people who are very strong. They won’t sit quiet. The whole country is joining the fight for corruption.”

He added that his campaign against corruption was not inclined to any political party or has any communal agenda.

“Our agenda is to bring back the money which is in foreign banks and save the country. Corrupt people have no religion, they are demons. All corrupt ministers should be given the death sentence,” he said.

Ramdev said the slogan of his campaign against corruption was: “Remove corruption, bring back black money.”

Fasting in luxury
Meanwhile, thousands of people from across the country started to assemble at the decked-up pandal in Ramlila Ground on Thursday. Unlike social activist Anna Hazare’s indefinite hunger strike, which was more spontaneous at Jantar Mantar, Baba Ramdev’s fast is extremely well-organised.

With temperatures touching 40 degrees in the national capital, air conditioners, coolers, ceiling fans, LCD screens and hi-fi sound systems are being installed inside the massive pandal at Ramlila Ground. To avoid any untoward incident, hundreds of security personnel and CCTVs are being installed too.

Enjoy True Beauty of Nature

These birds do not have anything to do with anyone they are just happy in their own world ! Try to get the nature of birds and spread peace to the world.

Brave canal guards rescue girls being drowned by mother

ing fought with sister-in-law, an upset Kusum arrived at Sughad with her daughters aged 6 and 2. She pushed her kids under water and tried to drown herself when three guards saved their lives

Mare nathi marvu, Mummy. Mare paani maan doobvu nathi.” Her tearful cry for help is what saved Ayushi, her sister Shivanshu and her mother Kusum from certain death in the Narmada canal. Her shouts were heard by three security guards manning the canal at Sughad bridge in Gandhinagar. They rushed to the spot, pushed aside Kusum and saved the two children.

to R: Harisinh Thakur, Santoshsinh Chauhan and Rahulsinh Chauhan rushed to the rescue in the nick of time
The incident occurred at 4.30 pm on Wednesday. Kusum (27), Ayushi (6) and Shivanshu (2) arrived at Sughad bridge in a shuttle jeep. The woman looked around. Seeing no one, she slipped down the canal embankment and entered the water with the kids. Kusum held their heads, pushed them into the water and began dragging them to the middle of the channel. Sputtering and fighting for breath, Ayushi pleaded for her life. “Mummy maare marvu nathi. Maare doobvu nathi (I do not want to die, Mummy. I do not want to drown),” she cried even as she saw her mother thrust her sister below the water’s surface.

In the nick of time


Kusum hugs her daughters Ayushi and Shivanshu A few metres beyond the bridge, security guards Santoshsinh Chauhan, Harisinh Thakur and Rahulsinh Chauhan were cleaning algae stuck to the canal walls. Hearing a girl cry, Santosh looked around and saw Kusum trying to drown the kids at the opposite side of the canal. He directed Rahul to bring a rope to the other end and swam across to help the children. Harisinh followed him.

Santosh pushed Kusum towards the bank and dived deeper into the water to look for the girls. The guards found the children even as Rahul arrived there with a rope. He used it to pull his colleagues and the kids out of the canal.

Meanwhile, a passer-by called 108 emergency service and Adalaj police. Since Kusum and the girls had not ingested much water, they were taken to the police station where the incident was noted in the police diary.

Domestic squabble