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Centre
withdraws security cover given to twenty-four VIPs
New Delhi:
As part of its comprehensive review and rationalisation
of the VIP security system, the Union Home Ministry has
withdrawn X-category security cover of over twenty-four
individuals. The Ministry also decided to reduce the number
of personal security officers (PSOs) from three to two to
be deployed for X category security. After the review former
Chief Justice of India Y. K. Sabharwal, former MP and Bollywood
Star Govinda, former MP Anwar Hussain, UP politician D.P.Yadav,
Shoaib Iqbal MLA from Matia Mahal in Delhi, and two Delhi-based
journalists and some local leaders from different northeastern
states will lose security cover from next month. Home Ministry
sources, the ministry is planning similar reviewing of the
Y and Z-category list in due course so that more police
personnel are available for actual policing in Delhi. The
ministry will soon write to states to discharge central
paramilitary force (CPMFs) personnel who were diverted for
VIP security, sources added. The ministry has also raised
concern over the state governments lacking to provide security
cover to central protectees, according to their categorisation
during their tours in the respective states. As per the
VIP security guidelines, no central protectee can retain
his/her Delhi-based PSO beyond 72 hours while on an outstation
trip. The PSO is thereafter required to report back to Delhi,
leaving the onus of protecting the VIP on the state police.
Meanwhile the Home ministry is also planning to reduce the
security cover given to former Union Home Minister Shivraj
Patil, National Commission of Scheduled Castes Chairperson
Buta Singh, former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh
and Lok Jana Shakti Party Chief Ram Vilas Paswan and others.
Teacher
strips minor girl for not paying school fees Top
Faridabad:
In a shocking incident, a school teacher allegedly stripped
a nine-year old girl of her top for not paying the tuition
fee, in Faridabad. According to sources, a third standard
student of Faridabad Model School was allegedly humiliated
by her class teacher and stripped of her top for not paying
the tuition fee on Thursday. The teacher also paraded the
victim before the entire school amidst cries of shame, shame
by other schoolmates, sources added. The victim is a nine-year-old
daughter of an auto rickshaw driver who had been sanctioned
full fee concession by the District Education Department
under a scheme for underprivileged children. She informed
the same to the class teacher many times, sources said.
"The teacher then took off her T-shirt and tried to pull
the skirt too. When she failed in her attempt, she paraded
my daughter from room to room and made the children say
shame, shame,'' said victim's mother. The victim's mother
claimed that she came to know of the incident only when
girl returned from school. School principal H.S.Malik denied
the incident relating to payment of fee, and said the teacher
has been suspended. Faridabad Police Commissioner P. K.
Aggarwal said the police have registered a case against
the teacher based on a complaint given by the victim's mother
and the investigation is underway. Faridabad 's District
Education Officer K Bala also ordered a departmental inquiry
into the incident. N. L. Jangid, the president of Parent's
Association of Faridabad, alleged that the State Government
had failed to form the school fee regulations in accordance
with the Supreme Court's judgment. Meanwhile, the National
Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has slammed
the incident and warned of stern action against the teacher
is she is found guilty.
India's
first moon mission is over, says project Director Top
Bangalore:
India 's ambitious moon project Chandrayaan-I has ended
after losing radio contact since Saturday noon, said its
project director M. Anna Durai. The Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) made the announcement about calling
off the project. ISRO Chairman G.Madhavan Nair said, the
scientists will evaluate the performance of the moon mission
for next two days. Earlier, in the day the flamboyant spacecraft
lost the radio control at around 1.30 a.m. IST, increasing
the fear of premature end of the spacecraft. According to
a press release by the ISRO, the deep Space Network at Byalalu
near Bangalore has not received any signal form the spacecraft
since midnight. "Radio contact with Chandrayaan-I spacecraft
was abruptly lost at 0130 Hrs (IST) on August 29, 2009.
Deep Space Network at Byalalu near Bangalore received the
data from Chandrayaan-I during the previous orbit upto 0025
Hrs (IST),"the press release states. The ISRO has ordered
for a detailed review of the data received by the spacecraft,
"Detailed review of the Telemetry data received from the
spacecraft is in progress and health of the spacecraft subsystems
is being analysed," press release states. Earlier, on July
17, the flamboyant moon mission Chandrayaan-I, had lost
a major sensor. The scientific community then feared the
premature end of the spacecraft. The Chandrayaan-I, which
was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota
in Andhra Pradesh in October 2008, has completed over 350
days in orbit making more than 3400 orbits around the Moon
and providing large volume of data from sophisticated sensors.
The spacecraft was equipped with Terrain Mapping Camera,
Hyper-spectral Imager, Moon Mineralogy Mapper etc., The
ISRO scientists expressed confidence of attaining most of
the scientific objectives of the mission. Addressing the
Ninth convocation of the International Institute of Information
and Technology at Bangalore last month, Nair said the tracking
and detection of several factors by Chandrayaan are important
steps in mapping the mineralogical composition of moon's
surface, which in turn would enable further study in its
origin and evolution. "I think I am happy to say that Chandrayaan
has been completely successful in collecting all the data
what we wanted. First was the three dimensional of the lunar
surface, also getting the mineral content of the surface
and then trying to use the extra instruments," said Nair.
"All this went on very well and we are more or less very
happy that the mission is complete," he added. Nair also
added that the second moon mission would be launched by
2012.
Advani
meets RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat Top
New Delhi:
Leader of Opposition LK Advani’s had a nearly two-hour-long
meeting with Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan
Bhagwat on Saturday. Sources did not reveal what had been
discussed at the meeting. Advani had arrived at the RSS’s
Delhi headquarters – Keshavkunj – at around 3 p.m. for meeting
Bhagwat. The meeting took place amid reports that the RSS
has readied a succession plan for the BJP, a plan that could
facilitate an end to the internal crisis ravaging the party’s
rank and file. However, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar
told reporters at a press conference that no succession
plan has been discussed. The RSS is believed to have told
the BJP leadership to set its house in order. In a sign
that this is being given serious thought, top brass of the
BJP met at Advani’s residence this morning for about two
hours and briefed him about their discussions with Bhagwat
on Friday. Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Deputy
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj
had joined other party colleagues – Arun Jaitely, Ananth
Kumar and M.Venkaiah Naidu at the residence of Advani to
reportedly discuss a viable succession plan. It is reliably
learnt that though there are no immediate changes in the
top leadership, a succession plan is being readied after
discussions with the RSS on Friday night. Sources said that
the RSS has firmly asked BJP leaders to end infighting in
the party and reach a consensus on a new party chief. The
decision to call Jaitley and Swaraj together to a meeting
at the RSS headquarters is seen as very significant, as
they are the leading contenders for the party leadership,
sparking speculation that a power-sharing arrangement might
have been arrived at. Jaitley looks the front-runner for
the party chief''s job while Swaraj is tipped to take over
from Advani as Leader of Opposition. If implemented, the
party could see Naidu becoming Leader of Opposition in Rajya
Sabha, a post currently held by Jaitley. The RSS has felt
that if the factionalism is not quickly resolved, the issue
could prolong till the end of the year.
President
presents National Sports awards to 25 sportspersons Top
New Delhi:
President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Saturday presented
the National Sports awards to 25 sportspersons at an impressive
ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhawan here. In a unique departure
from established tradition, the coveted Rajiv Gandhi Khel
Ratna award was presented to three sportspersons - two boxers
and a wrestler - for the first time. The Rajiv Gandhi Khel
Ratna Award was presented to woman boxer M C Marykom and
Beijing bronze medalist boxer Vijender Singh, and to wrestler
Sushil Kumar. The country's best boxer and four-time World
Champion, MC Mary Kom, got the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna after
applying for it for the past three years. Vijender Kumar
got the highest national sports award a year after he won
the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics, while wrester
Sushil Kumar also got the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award
a year after winning India a bronze medal at the Beijing
Olympics. Sushil said the recognition would be a huge fillip
for wrestling in India and the country can look forward
to more medals in future. Badminton ace Saina Nehwal received
the Arjuna award for her excellent show in the last one
year, as also cricketer Gautam Gambhir. Badminton coach
Pullela Gopichand achieved the rare feat of being the only
sportsperson in the nation to have won the Khel Ratna, the
Arjuna Award and the Padma Shree and now the Dronacharya
award due to Saina Nehwal's superb performance.
Gilani
says minimum nuclear deterrence will be maintained at all
costs Top
Islamabad:
Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has expressed
optimism over the capability of the country's military thwarting
any challenge to its security and sovereignty, and urged
minimum nuclear deterrence to be maintained at all costs.
Gilani said that Pakistan didn't harbour any aggressive
designs against any country. He expressed these views during
a meeting with the Chairman, Joint Chief of Staff Committee,
General Tariq Majeed, on Friday. According to sources, a
host of issues came up for discussion regarding the overall
security situation, Development plan of the Armed Forces
2025, war against terrorism, Pak-Afghan border situation,
defense needs etc.. Gilani assured that all defense needs
of the Armed Forces wouldl be fulfilled under Development
Plan of the Armed Forces 2025, the Dawn reports. General
Majeed also briefed Gilani about his visit to Brunei and
Vietnam.
NASA's
space shuttle Discovery launched successfully Top
Washington:
NASA's space shuttle Discovery, with its seven-member crew,
launched successfully from the space agency's Kennedy Space
Center in Florida on August 28. The shuttle will deliver
supplies, equipment and a new crew member to the International
Space Station. Inside the shuttle's cargo bay is the Leonardo
Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, a pressurized "moving van"
that will be temporarily installed to the station. The module
will deliver storage racks; materials and fluids science
racks; a freezer to store research samples; a new sleeping
compartment; an air purification system; and a treadmill
named after comedian Stephen Colbert. The name "Colbert"
received the most entries in NASA's online poll to name
the station's Node 3. NASA named the node Tranquility. Shortly
before liftoff, Commander Rick Sturckow said, "Thanks to
everyone who helped prepare for this mission. Let's go step
up the science on the International Space Station!" The
13-day flight will include three spacewalks to replace experiments
outside the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory,
install a new ammonia storage tank and return the used one.
Ammonia is needed to move excess heat from inside the station
to the radiators located outside. Sturckow is joined on
the STS-128 mission by Pilot Kevin Ford, Mission Specialists
Pat Forrester, Jose Hernandez, Danny Olivas and European
Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang. NASA astronaut
Nicole Stott will fly to the complex aboard Discovery to
begin a three-month mission as a station resident. She replaces
NASA's Tim Kopra, who will return home on Discovery. Ford,
Hernandez and Stott are first-time space fliers. The mission
marks the start of the transition from assembling the space
station to using it for continuous scientific research.
Assembly and maintenance activities have dominated the available
time for crew work. As completion nears, additional facilities
and the crew members to operate them will enable a measured
increase in time devoted to research as a national and multinational
orbiting laboratory. Discovery's first landing opportunity
at Kennedy is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 10. This mission
is the 128th space shuttle flight, the 30th to the station,
the 37th for Discovery and the fourth in 2009.
Barack
Obama's helmetless bike ride sparks controversy Top
Washington:
US President Barack Obama has sparked a controversy after
being pictured helmetless during a bike ride on Martha's
Vineyard. The move, which took place on August 27, has been
seen as a bad example by most. "Yes, I know, President Obama
is on a vacation, riding a bike, at a slow cadence, so what
if he is not wearing a helmet, right?" Politico.com quoted
Martha Castro, a California doctor, as having written on
her website. While Josh Loposer, wrote on Babble.com, a
website for parents, "Truly despicable isn't it? What kind
of example is he setting for the nation's youth?" "Most
bike accidents just happen. Bicycles up and turn over by
themselves, and head injuries are a possible consequence
of that. ... It would be great if the president set an example,"
David Mozer, director of the International Bicycle Fund,
told the New York Daily News. With all the attention the
incident was receiving, the White House decided on issuing
an explanation. "I know that he generally does wear a helmet
when he rides a bicycle. He supports the wearing of bicycle
helmets," White House spokesman Bill Burton said.
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