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Uddhav collects father's ashes

November 19, 2012, 1:00 am
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Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray Monday collected the ashes of his father and Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray in two urns, a day after his mortal remains were consigned to flames at Shivaji Park here.

Uddhav visited Shivaji Park, which saw the public cremation of the 86-year-old party founder Sunday in the presence of over two million supporters, and collected the ashes of his father.

A team of priests accompanied him as he collected the ashes amidst chanting of holy mantras.

"One of the urns will be kept for two days at the party headquarters - Sena Bhavan - in Dadar in central Mumbai for all those who missed attending his funeral procession. The other urn will be kept at the Thackerays' residence, Matoshri," a party official said.

After two days, Thackeray's ashes will be immersed in a holy river and last rites be conducted. The spot for the immersion is not known yet.

A day after the funeral, Mumbai crawled back to normalcy with buses and autorickshaws back on roads. However, trade unions and wholesalers chose to observe 'Shradhanjali Diwas' (a day of homage) Monday and kept their establishments closed as a mark of respect for the Shiv Sena patriarch.

Various organisations of traders and dealers affiliated to the Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM), including Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) and markets dealing in grains, sugar, dry fruits, metal, iron and steel and chemicals, remained closed.

The retail and wholesale jewellery market - the famed Zaveri Bazar - and all other jewellery units also remained shut Monday.

All educational institutes including schools and colleges also remained closed Monday owing to the call given by various bus owners' associations of the city and state.

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Ban vows peacekeepers will stay in threatened Goma

November 19, 2012, 1:04 am
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UN leader Ban Ki-moon vowed that peacekeepers will stay in the DR Congo city of Goma after UN combat helicopters and government troops failed to stop a rebel advance amid growing international alarm.

Government troops and local officials were already fleeing the city, said several sources.
The M23 rebels, army mutineers whose uprising in April has unleashed fresh unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo's chronically unstable east, are now near the airport of Goma, the main city in the mineral-rich region.

The UN warned there was a "real threat" that Goma would fall. Rebels had already warned that they would seize the city if they came under attack from the army.
But Ban said the UN troops "will remain present in Goma and will continue all efforts to robustly implement its mandate to the fullest of its capabilities with regard to the protection of civilians."

The UN chief "emphasises that any actions to undermine or target MONUSCO (the UN mission) will not be tolerated," according to a statement released by his office.
The United Nations has about 6,700 troops in Nord Kivu province, backing government forces against rebels who have moved to the edge of Goma in recent days. About 1,500 of them are in Goma.

UN attack helicopters have staged cannon and rocket strikes against the rebels but have not been able to stop the steady advance towards the capital of Nord Kivu, a key mineral producing region.

Innocent Kayina, M23 operations commander for the area, told AFP: "If the FARDC (government forces) attack us, we will take the city."

Government troops said they were trying to avoid a "bloodbath" in the area.
In New York, UN peacekeeping spokesman Kieran Dwyer told AFP that UN forces were supporting government troops in the region by firing cannon and rockets at the rebels, after similar action on Saturday.

"The situation in Goma is extremely tense. There is a real threat that the city could fall into the M23's hands," said Dwyer.

About 625 UN expatriate workers had gathered at special protection points across the city, he added. UN peacekeepers in 17 "quick reaction units" had been deployed across Goma.

After a three-month truce, fighting in the region resumed on Thursday, just two days after the United Nations and the United States imposed sanctions on the leader of the M23 group.
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Veteran actor Pran in hospital

November 19, 2012, 1:14 am
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Veteran actor Pran, 92, is in hospital but there is no cause for worry, a spokesperson of the Lilavati Hospital here said Monday.

"Pran is hospitalised here. He was admitted on Friday. He is here for just a routine check-up and is doing fine," Suhir Dagaonkar told IANS.

"I can't talk about his discharge dates right now. But he is fine," said Dagaonkar.
Pran, the quintessential villain in movies like "Brahmachari", later went on to expand his repertoire in films like "Zanjeer", "Karz" and "Don".

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IOA appoints new Election Commission chief

November 19, 2012, 1:16 am
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Indian Olympic Association today appointed Anil Dev Singh, retired Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court, as the head of a three-member Election Commission to conduct its upcoming polls, in place of S Y Quraishi who has resigned from the post.

Justice (retd) Singh's appointment was made by IOA acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra. Other members of the commission are Justice (retd) V K Bali, who is also the returning officer and Justice (retd) J D Kapur.

Quraishi had resigned after International Olympic Committee rejected the IOA Election Commission's decision to apply the Sports Code of the government in the polls, scheduled to be held on November 25. He said his conscience did not allow him to continue after IOA backtracked on its commitment to follow the Sports Code.

Malhotra said he had made it known to the IOC, in reply to the world body's yet another letter, that it was in a quandary regarding which framework to apply in the elections in view of Delhi High Court order that it can apply both the Sports Code and its constitution.

He said the IOA received another letter from the IOC directing that the elections must be conducted exclusively under the IOA constitution and the rules of the Olympic charter without any other interference.

"While the IOC is insisting that its charter and IOA constitution are paramount, the Government of India has formulated a Sports Code and it wants that IOA and National Sports Federations (NSF) should follow that code," Malhotra wrote in reply to the latest letter from the IOC.
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US wants continued action from Pak to fight terror

November 19, 2012, 1:18 am
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The US would like to see continued action from Pakistan to fight the menace of terrorism that is not only a threat to India and the US but to Pakistan itself, American ambassador Nancy J Powell said here today.

Speaking on a range of issues concerning the South Asian region to women journalists here, Powell also said that the US would like to see a greater play of India's "soft power" in Afghanistan as it establishes a new democracy.

Asked to comment on Pakistan's fight against terrorism, she said more action was the need of the hour.

"I think all of us want to see continued action on terrorism. It is a threat to both India and the US and to Pakistan itself... and we want to see additional action, we want to see additional efforts," she said.

The American envoy, however, was more vocal on what she wanted from India in battle-ravaged Afghanistan and referred to President Hamid Karzai's strong emphasis on Indian investments in his country.

Asked what role the US expected from India, she said: "President Karzai was very very emphatic on one of them during his visit last week, talking about the red carpet for Indian investments to come to Afghanistan. We certainly see that as one role".

She pointed out how India had hosted an investment conference for Afghanistan last year and referred to India's strategic dialogue with Afghanistan, but she also turned to "something that doesn't get very much attention here -- India's soft power".

"(There are) a number of things by virtue of your proximity and your democracy that can be very very important for Afghanistan -- things like the role of the Election Commission in the electoral process," she said.
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FDI in retail will benefit consumers in India: Powell

November 19, 2012, 1:25 am
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Allowing FDI in India's retail market will benefit the Indian consumers and farmers, American Ambassador to India Nancy Powell said here Monday.

"We see benefits for consumers in India, a much bigger impact will come to the producers, the farmers in particular, to those who handle produce as they come out of the farms," Powell told journalists during an interaction at the Indian Women's Press Corps.

Explaining the benefits of multi-brand retail, Powell said: "An incredibly high percentage, 40 percent of food, is lost in India due to the lack of cold storage, the lack of quick transportation. This is one of the very important benefits of multi-brand retail that they have brought across the world in improving the supply chain."

"It has meant better prices for many of the producers, higher return as they do not lose as much between the farm and the store," said Powell, who is the first woman US ambassador to India.

On the controversy over foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail in India, Powell said: "Obviously it is a political issue here... how you work with the kiranas, the smaller traders but, it is also a recognition that not everybody is going to a big store, you will continue to have variety of retail outlets partially due to transportation.

This will continue to be part of your political debate but we are very very pleased to see it coming to India."

"I think multi-brand retail is something which has been very controversial in my part of the US. When Wal-Mart came, we saw some very familiar debates which I now read in the Indian newspapers," she said.

"As we worked at the impact of multi-brand retail on consumers, we found it provides consumers more selections of goods and services to choose from and at lower prices and fresher products," she added.

The Left parties want a debate and vote on FDI in the winter session of parliament starting Nov 22.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also said that the party will oppose FDI and coordinate with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituents and other opposition parties on the issue.

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Aamir took tips from night patrolling policemen

November 19, 2012, 1:41 am
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Bollywood star Aamir Khan interacted with night patrolling policemen to know more about their work after sunset so that he could give perfect shots in his forthcoming thriller "Talaash".

The 47-year-old will be seen as Inspector Surjan Singh Shekhawat in the film for which many scenes were shot after sunset.

"Almost all of the major scenes have been shot during the night. Since the shooting would take place after sunset, there would be cops on the sets. Aamir often chatted with them asking details about their work and inquiring about the places that they would visit often," a source said.

Directed by Reema Kagti, "Talaash", is a thriller that also stars Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukerji. Slated for a Nov 30 release, the film has been co-written by Kagti and Zoya Akhtar.

"Night seems to be a key player in the film's storyline. The idea of making this film had also stemmed from an incident involving cops that was witnessed by Zoya and Reema who then wrote this project," another source added.
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IUML questions Antony's remarks on Kerala

November 19, 2012, 1:53 am
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The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), taking issue with Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Monday published an article questioning why the minister was so harsh on the Oommen Chandy government, in a speech he made in the state capital last week.

In a special article in the party organ Monday, the IUML, the second-biggest constituent in the Congress-led coalition, said: "It's mysterious why Antony made such a remark, especially when Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is working really hard to take Kerala into new realms of development.

Of late, Antony does not dabble in state politics and hence it's all the more baffling why he did this."

The author of the article is a leader of the youth wing of the party.
At the BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Limited last week, Antony stunned his audience when he said he did not have the courage to bring more units of his department into Kerala.

He also praised the previous Left government of the state, and then industries minister Elamaram Kareem.

On Saturday, at the inauguration of the HAL unit in Kasargode, Antony clarified that he was referring to how politics overtakes everything else in Kerala. He claimed this trend did not augur well for the state. The union minister also claimed that the media had offered numerous interpretations for his statement.

Antony said he was angry and upset that there were disruptive trade union activities at a key defence unit like BrahMos.

The IUML party organ, "Chandrika", recalled a speech Antony made ahead of the April 2011 Kerala assembly polls.

"Antony was the star campaigner for the Congress-led United Democratic Front. All he had to speak of then was the poor, lacklustre performance of the Achuthanandan government...Today, how come he gives a clean chit to the Left," asked the IUML youth leader.

The president of the student's wing of the Congress, V.S. Joy, said the IUML ought to take disciplinary action against the author of the article.

"The IUML leadership is duty bound to explain why such a thing has happened because he has taken on Antony, whose credentials and seniority is known to all," Joy said.
IUML legislator Abdurehman Randathanni, however, played down the article, saying that numerous opinions are expressed in the party organ.

"See, the party has already expressed its opinion on Antony's speech. That's the end of the issue," Randathanni said.

The IUML has been disgruntled ever since the Congress leadership turned down its request to elevate its nominee, Minister of State for External Affairs E. Aahamed, to cabinet rank or hand him a portfolio with independent charge.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is expected to call on Panakkad Hyder Ali Sihab Thangal, the supreme leader of the IUML, at his residence Monday to discuss developments and soothe the ruffled feathers.

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CPI(M) may not back Trinamool's no-confidence motion: Yechury

November 19, 2012, 1:55 am
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CPI(M)may not support the no- confidence motion against the government being brought by Trinamool Congress, saying the ruling UPA-II coalition would take the defeat of the motion as an "endorsement" of all its "anti-people" policies, a top party leader said today.

"If the no-confidence motion is moved, we would want it to be carried. Otherwise, the government will take it as an endorsement of all its anti-people policies for the rest of its tenure. We don't want to give such a certificate to the government," CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury told PTI.

Noting that a no-confidence motion would "not be issue- specific", he said the Left-sponsored motion entailing voting, to oppose FDI in multi-brand retail, would be "a much better strategy to defeat the government's move."

He said many parties like Samajwadi Party, which had participated in the nationwide strike in September to protest FDI in retail, would support such a motion and not a no- confidence vote. "(SP chief) Mulayam Singh Yadav had himself courted arrest during that protest."

Yechury said CPI(M) and other Left parties would decide their stand on the basis of the "real situation in Parliament ... whether they (Trinamool) are able to muster a majority (on no-confidence). Otherwise, it will be helping the government and providing an escape route to it.

"The track record of Trinamool Congress shows that they say one thing but do something else. So, we will have to wait and see," he said.

In a similar vein, CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said earlier that Left parties would "neither protect the government in case of a voting, nor take the responsibility to garner support for admission of (no-confidence) motion. We are planning to bring an adjournment motion."

Last week, CPI, CPI(M), RSP and Forward Bloc had jointly decided to move motions under voting rules in both Houses of Parliament to reject the government's decision on the matter. Rule 184 of Lok Sabha's Rules of Business and Rule 167 in Rajya Sabha entail voting after discussion on a matter.

In the 543-member Lok Sabha, CPI(M) has 16 MPs, CPI 4 and RSP and FB two each. In Rajya Sabha, which has a strength of 250 members, CPI (M) has 11 MPs, CPI 2 and FB one.
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'China to emerge world's largest N-power generator by 2020'

November 19, 2012, 2:02 am
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China is set to emerge world's largest nuclear power generator by end of 2020 even though it will continue to rely on coal to generate bulk of its electricity needs, a Rio Tinto executive has said.

"By the end of the decade, the emerging economic superpower was expected to leap to the number two position (in power generation), before overtaking the United States in the 2020s, producing 100 gigawatts of power," said Rio Tinto Energy general manager (markets and Industry analysis) Stephen Wilson.

"Their (China) vision is to produce 400 gigawatts of nuclear power by 2050. That's been publicly stated by Chinese officials," Wilson was quoted as saying by Australian Associated Press (AAP).

"That's more than the whole world has got today," he said.
However, he said both India and China would continue to rely heavily on coal for the bulk of their electricity needs and to keep up with growing demand.

He said the growth in nuclear energy in China would come from new third generation power plants that produced electricity more cheaply than coal and gas plants in coastal China.
"What we are looking at in China now is a situation where it is the very early stages of a very, very significant nuclear build programme," Wilson said.

"This is a quiet revolution." he said.
Wilson said meeting the rising energy demand of billions of people would require both improvements in energy efficiency and ways to find new resources.
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Sena wants Thackeray memorial at Shivaji Park

November 19, 2012, 2:09 am
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Senior Shiv Sena leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi put forth the party's demand that a memorial be built in honour of Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray, who passed away Saturday, at Shivaji Park.

The sprawling ground already has a memorial dedicated to Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

"We want his (Thackeray's) memorial to be built here (Shivaji Park). The party wants his memorial next to Chhattrapati Shivaji's memorial. Why won't the government permit it," Joshi asked.

Thackeray had launched the Shiv Sena from Shivaji Park 46 years ago.
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TRAI asked to check prevalence of monopolies in cable sector

November 19, 2012, 2:29 am
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As the government's digitisation drive enters its second phase, the Information and Broadcasting ministry has asked telecom regulator TRAI to come up with measures to check prevalence of monopolies in the cable TV sector.

"I have requested the ministry to make a reference to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) as to how do we ensure that monopolies do not continue to subsist in the market because monopolies are the anti-thesis of choice," Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said.

"I have requested the ministry to make a reference to the TRAI specifically as to how we can deal with this issue as we go forth into digitisation between now and 2014," he told reporters.

He was asked whether he had taken the step keeping in mind the domination by certain players in the Multi System Organisations (MSOs) category in states like Punjab.

"Essentially this is not about Punjab or about any state. I think the issue is very germane. When you are trying to create a transparent architecture which empowers the consumer, I think in the process of empowerment, it is also essential that they need to have a wider choice in terms of operators that they could choose from," he said.

"There are similar provisions with regard to sectoral caps in telecom, even when we do the radio auction, we mandate such cap," he added.

The minister said that he had asked TRAI to look into monopolies whether they existed at a local, state or regional level and also into other related gamut of issues.
Asked if he was in favour of bringing news broadcasters under the ambit of the Press Council, he said the government favoured self regulation.

"The entire effort is to try and find a golden mean between article 19, the caveat to article 19 and how the entire process will work. If at all there is extreme aberration of some extreme provocation, the inherent powers that the government has as a licensor, those powers the government always retains," Tewari said.
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No threat to UPA govt, says Beni

November 19, 2012, 2:39 am
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Amidst threat by TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to bring no-confidence motion against the UPA government in the winter session of Parliament, Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma today said, SP and BSP would continue to support it.

"Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati will continue to support the UPA...you know this and I also know this. In fact you know more than me," Beni said in a reply to a question while talking to the reporters.

"Mulayam will not withdraw support from the UPA," Beni asserted, when asked whether the SP supremo would not at all withdraw support.

On Mamata's threat, the minister said, the government has got the required numbers and the UPA was capable of facing any challenge.

On being asked whether he felt, the UPA would come to power again despite issues like price rise, Beni said, the alliance would come to power again and again as there was no alternative before the country.

When asked as to when the Congress would declare list of its candidate for 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he said, elections would be held in May 2014.

"Some people are in a hurry they are declaring their candidates...Congress is in no hurry," he said, in an apparent dig on the SP, which declared it's candidate for Uttar Pradesh.

On whether the party would project Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate in the general elections, he said, the decision would be taken by the party high command.

"Rahul Gandhi has been made head of the coordination committee recently, what indications this gives. My personal wish is that Rahul Gandhi becomes the PM. I and many Congressmen want to see him as the PM in future," he said.

On whether he was not getting support from the state government in execution of projects, Beni said, he may have some complaints from the previous government, but Akhilesh was his nephew and he has no complaint against him.

On being asked about appreciating Akhilesh he said,"I will remain soft for Akhilesh throughout my life and hard on Mulayam... there is no concession for him," he said.
On Mulayam's statement that Congress would be reduced to two seats in Lok Sabha polls, Beni said, he himself was enough to set the SP supremo right and there no need of the Congress for that.

Regarding cap on supply of subsidised LPG cylinders, the minister said, even he was of the opinion that the numbers should be increased.

"The government is considering this," he added.
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Coal auction: Ministry hopeful of resolving issues in 15 days

November 19, 2012, 2:42 am
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The Coal Ministry today said it hopes to resolve differences within next 15 days with ministries like environment and power on the proposed bidding norms for auctioning of captive coal blocks.

The unresolved issues include whether to provide an "in principle" environment clearance to the blocks on offer, arriving at a benchmark floor price and offering discounted prices to sectors like power, Coal Secretary S K Srivastava said here today at a conference here.

Stating that an inter-ministerial group is deliberating on the issues, he added "hopefully within a period of next 10-15 days, we will be able to arrive at some common position on these issues and then come up with a final view (on bidding norms for coal blocks)".

The Coal Secretary further said that some ministries are in favour of putting up the blocks for auction with certain clearances like environment but it may not be feasible due to procedural reasons.

"We are in touch with Ministry of Environment on whether there can be a thing like conceptually providing in-principle approval which I feel may not be possible considering the processes which are to be involved. We are to still arrive at a final view but few of the ministries have said that blocks have to be given with clearances," he said, adding that this "requires lot of deliberations".

The IMG, which consists of various ministries including Steel, Coal, Power, Industries, Petroleum and Planning Commission, has so far met 3-4 times, he added.
While environment clearance is given by Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), forest clearance are provided by respective state governments.

There has not been any provision so far of according an in principle environment clearance while approving a project, a senior government official said on the condition of anonymity.

Amid alleged irregularities in allocating coal blocks to various firms for their captive consumption in the past, the government had decided to allocate such blocks through auction route only.

Later it identified 54 such blocks for auction and asked Crisil to provide a report on the methodology to determine the reserve price for bidding of the blocks.

Crisil, which submitted its report last month, has reportedly suggested preparing a robust feasibility report of all the 54 blocks and using Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) method for valuation of the blocks.

The government auditor CAG in its recent report had said government could have accrued financial gains of Rs 1.86 lakh crore had it auctioned the 57 captive coal blocks that were allocated to private firms between 2004 and 2009.
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Geetika suicide: Ex-Haryana Minister Kanda denied bail by HC

November 19, 2012, 2:56 am
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Former Haryana Minister Gopal Goyal Kanda, arrested for his alleged role in air hostess Geetika Sharma suicide case, was today denied bail by the Delhi High Court.

Justice Pratibha Rani dismissed Kanda's bail plea after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defence counsel and said she would pass a detailed order later.

Appearing for Kanda, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi argued that several months have passed since his client's arrest on August 18, while the police too has filed the charge sheet in the case and "now my client is entitled to bail."

show "it is not a case of abetment of suicide but a case of infatuation."
He further argued that his client always encouraged the deceased, Geetika, to remain with him but he had no intention to "provoke her to commit suicide."

Opposing Kanda's bail plea, Additional Solicitor General Siddharth Luthra said "we are in the process of further investigation in the case and he, being a politician and an influential person, may influence witnesses in the case."

During the argument, Justice Pratibha Rani also pulled up Kanda's counsel for not approaching the sessions court against denial of bail to him by the trial court.
Kanda had moved the high court on November 1 against the September 20 order of the trial court which had dismissed his bail plea on the ground for need of further probe due to a medical report that the victim was pregnant in March this year.

23-year-old Geetika was found dead on August 5 at her Ashok Vihar residence in North West Delhi. In her August 4 suicide note, Geetika had said she was ending her life due to "harassment" by Kanda and his aide Aruna Chaddah, co-accused in the case. They, however, had denied the charge.
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Obama inducts record number Indian-Americans into his admin

November 19, 2012, 3:01 am
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The small Indian-American community -- constituting just about one per cent of the US population - never had it so good as under the Obama Administration, with a record number of community members being roped in to head top administrative positions.

President Barack Obama recognising the immense talent and potential of this community numbering about 3.1 million, not only appointed a record number of Indian-Americans to his administration, but also there is hardly any major wing of the US government ranging from his own White House to departments of State, Treasury, Defence and Commerce that some of the key positions are not being held by an Indian-American.

While there is no official or unofficial figure of the number of Indian-Americans appointed by Obama in his administration in the first four years of his Administration, it is estimated that the list could easily be at least a few dozens or even touch the half a century mark.

This is a far cry from the Regan Administration when the first Indian Americans was appointed to a senior administration post to his administrations. In 1987, Regan appointed Joy Cherian to Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. He later on went on to become its Commissioner from 1990 to 1994.

And in 1990, Sambhu Banik, a Bethesda psychologist, was appointed as executive director of the President's Committee on Mental Retardation.

Indian Americans have come a long way since them and have travelled quite a distance under the Obama Administration.

Obama, who in four years ago became the first African American to have been elected as US President, appointed Raj Shah, as administrator of USAID - the highest ranking Indian American in any administration.

Vinai Thummalapally, the US Ambassador to Belize, became the first Indian-American Ambassador in the US history.

Highly talented, Vikram Singh in his capacity as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for South and Southeast Asia (SSEA) is the highest ranking Indian American official in the Pentagon.

The anti-terrorism and anti-Wall Street crusade of Preet Bharara, the US Attorney, who is another Obama appointee, is well known.

Subra Suresh in his capacity as Director of the National Science Foundation, the agency responsible for promoting science and engineering through research programs and education projects, overseas billions of dollars in scientific research.
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We want the ball to turn from the beginning: Dhoni

November 19, 2012, 3:06 am
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India might have made merry at the Motera pitch while outplaying England in the opening Test but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was still not impressed with the track here and said he wants all the wickets to turn from the first ball itself.

"I don't even want to see this wicket. There wasn't enough turn and bounce for the spinners. Hopefully in the coming matches we'll see the wicket turn, right from start, or as soon as possible so that the toss doesn't become vital," Dhoni said after the nine-wicket win over England here.

"What we want to see is two good sides competing against each other with the toss taken out of the equation," he added.

India took a 1-0 lead in the four-match series after rolling over Alastair Cook-led England for 191 in the first innings and then 406 in the second after scoring 521 for 8 declared and 80 for 1.

Dhoni said the ICC match referees cannot question turning tracks.
"I don't think the match referee can question a pitch just because it's turning. When the wicket seams right from the first delivery nobody asks questions," the India captain said.
"What you don't want is ridges in the wicket and then one ball hits your head and next your toe."

He was not worried that matches, on such turning tracks, would end in three or four days as he felt the importance of the toss would be gone.

"At times, in the subcontinent, on pitches like this, the toss becomes vital. The only way to take the toss out of the equation is to have pitches that turn right from the start. The game may end in 3.5 days, but both teams will have an equal opportunity to win the game," said Dhoni.

Dhoni said his team had to really work hard for victory here though they made England follow on 330 runs behind. The visiting team's captain Alastair Cook (176) and wicket keeper Matt Prior (91) led a splendid fight back in the second innings.
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Everyone needs to contribute, says disappointed Cook

November 19, 2012, 3:07 am
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One of the very few batsmen to emerge with his head held high in the big defeat to India in the first Test, England skipper Alastair Cook today said it was time for all the team members to chip in.

Cook made a defiant 176 in the second innings but could not avert a nine-wicket defeat here.

"If we have to win this series, we need everyone to contribute. There's absolutely no doubt about that. Everyone has to stick his hands up and say that," Cook said in the post-match press conference.

"The lads have not performed as much as they would have liked in this game and they would be very disappointed. That's cricket and we have to bat strong as a team," he added.
Cook said his team will need to improve in a lot of areas.

"When you get beaten by nine wickets you have to look at a lot of areas. There will be a lot to ponder to. There was a small chance of saving the Test, but we could not take that today and that has cost us," he said after his side was beaten with more than one session to spare at the Sardar Patel Stadium.

Though happy to score his third century on the trot as captain, having got two against Bangladesh earlier when he was standing in for the now-retired Andrew Strauss, Cook acknowledged that it was not for a winning cause.

"I am very happy the way I batted, to score any hundred is special for England. To score in that situation made it even more special for me, but the result is really what matters at the end of the day.

"We were not good enough in the five days to win. We showed a lot of character towards the second half of the game. We got bowled out for 191 in the first innings and it was pretty much there we lost the game," said the England opener.
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Myanmar or Burma? Obama calls it both on visit

November 19, 2012, 3:10 am
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Officially at least, America still calls this Southeast Asian nation Burma, the favored appellation of dissidents and pro-democracy activists who opposed the former military junta's move to summarily change its name 23 years ago.

During an historic visit today, President Barack Obama called Burma what the government and many other people have been calling it for years: Myanmar.

Whether slip of the tongue or intentional remark, that single word was noted and warmly welcomed by top government officials here, who immediately imbued it with significance.

Myanmar presidential adviser Ko Ko Hlaing called the wording "very positive" and said it was an "acknowledgement of Myanmar's government," which has taken major steps toward easing repression and transitioning to democratic rule since the military stepped aside last year.

US officials could not immediately be reached for comment on whether Washington's policy would change. But that seemed unlikely to happen any time soon.

The issue is so sensitive that Obama's aides had said earlier today he would likely avoid mentioning either politically charged name. But he used both during his six-hour trip "Myanmar" during morning talks with President Thein Sein, "Burma" afterward while visiting with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Suu Kyi herself was criticised by the government for calling the nation Burma during a trip to Europe over the summer. The government said she should use the proper name, "Republic of the Union of Myanmar," as stated in the constitution. But Suu Kyi has said "it's for each individual to make his or her own choice as to which he or she uses."

The debate is almost exclusively confined to the English language.

Myanmar, comprising a vast array of ethnic groups, did not exist as a single entity until it was colonized by the British in the 19th century. The country achieved independence in 1948 and took the English-language name used by its former rulers, Burma.
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Number 13, a favourite number of Thackeray: Book

November 19, 2012, 3:19 am
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The number 13 is considered unlucky by many in the country but it was Bal Thackeray's favourite number.

86-year-old Thackeray, who died on Saturday, got married on June 13, 1948, and launched his cartoon weekly 'Marmik' on August 13, 1960.

This nugget of information finds mention in an upcoming book "Bal Thackeray: Rise of Shiv Sena" by a Mumbai journalist Vaibhav Purandare.

Though no believer in numerology, the Shiv Sena supremo liked numbers to add up to 9, the book said, adding by a coincidence, he died at 3.33 pm, a number that adds up to his lucky one.

The book also mentioned that Thackeray quit a Mumbai newspaper where he was employed as a cartoonist thrice.

The first time, because he was asked to sit next to the telephone, which buzzed all the time and disturbed his concentration.

The reason for which the firebrand leader quit the second time was because his freedom of expression was "muzzled" as he was asked to avoid drawing cartoons on "holy cows" such as S K Patil and Minoo Masani, the book said. Patil, a Congressman, was an uncrwned king of Mumbai before Thackeray himself acquired that epithet.

The third time Thackeray quit was because he and a group of journalists from the newspaper decided to get together and launch a daily.

The book mentions that Thackeray's fondness for warm beer was well-known but said he was equally fond of his cigars.

When Sharad Pawar visited him in a hospital, Thackeray told him, with trademark humour, "My girlfriend is not with me." By girlfriend, he meant the cigar. The Shiv Sena boss was forced to give up smoking for a while because of illness.
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