| Next
total solar eclipse to occur after 123 years Agra/Surat/Gaya:
The longest duration solar eclipse, like the one seen in several parts of
India on Wednesday, will happen only after 123 years. However, the next solar
eclipse - an annual one - will occur next year. Enthusiasts including foreigners
converged at several parts of India to witness the longest total solar eclipse
of the 21st century. In Agra, the view was spectacular where the sun was seen
being eclipsed in the backdrop of Taj Mahal. Tourists said they had come all the
way to watch the sight. "The sight is unforgettable. It was a total solar eclipse
and we have come all the way to Agra to watch it," said Jyoti, a tourist. Weather
played a spoilsport in Surat where hundreds of enthusiasts had converged to watch
the sight but could not do so due to overcast sky. "I am sad too to see people
who came here to see solar eclipse. We cannot see solar eclipse so I am very sad,"
said Feny, a foreign tourist. Gaya also witnessed a total eclipse with a diamond
shaped formation seen in the sky. In some areas along the solar belt, however,
viewers were disappointed as rain clouds marred the eclipse. In Taregna in Bihar,
an overcast sky disappointed people who gathered here to watch the eclipse. State
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi arrived here, which
is one of the best places for viewing the eclipse. The eclipse was first seen
in Surat at sunrise in South Gujarat. The cities through which the shadow of total
eclipse passed are Surat, Ujjain, Indore, Bhopal, Sagar, Jabalpur, Varanasi, Allahabad,
Gaya, Patna, Bhagalpur, New Jalpaigudi, Guwahati and Dibrugarh. The celestial
spectacle began at 5:45 a.m. and ended at 7.24 a.m. Bhimbetka
(Madhya Pradesh): Hundreds of enthusiastic and curious people who had gathered
at Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday were dejected as bad weather played
spoilsport, blocking the view of the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century.
Astronomers had reckoned Bhimbetka as one of the best places to view and experience
the celestial spectacle. Under the guidance of Gwalior-based Science Centre, a
national camp was organised here and hundreds of school children from various
part of the country were invited to witness this rare total solar eclipse. Solar
filters, kits and books were distributed among the participants. Numerous scientists
also took part in the camp to witness the rare celestial event, however, their
hopes of witnessing the eclipse were dashed when bad weather conditions blocked
the view of the unusual spectacle. Pak
death row inmate Sarabjit Singh files fresh application Top Lahore:
A fresh application has been filed before the Pakistan Supreme Court seeking
review of its decision to dismiss the Indian death row inmate Sarabjit Singh's
petition challenging his death penalty. The apex court had dismissed Singh's petition
last month, as his lawyer failed to appear before it. Singh's lawyer, Rana Abdul
Hameed had admitted to lapses in mounting the defence in his case. Hameed said
he was not able to reach the court on time and missed the proceedings, which worked
against the case and an ex-parte order was passed by the court. Later, Pakistani
authorities arranged a new lawyer for Singh. Singh, who is currently languishing
in the Kot Lakhpat jail, is a resident of Amritsar. He was arrested near the Kasur
border in Pakistan in August 1990. Pakistan security agencies maintains Singh
had admitted that he was sent to Pakistan to carry out serial bomb blasts in Lahore,
Faislabad, and Kasur, and was trained by the Indian Army, and the Research and
Analysis Wing (RAW). Singh was awarded the death sentence by a Lahore anti-terrorism
court in October 1991. He challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court, however,
the apex court quashed his appeal in September, 2005, saying that the review petition
was not filed within the time period as mentioned in the law. In March 2006, a
two member Supreme Court bench dismissed Singh's petition against his conviction
in the Lahore's Yakki Gate bomb blast in 1990. Singh has been languishing in Pakistan
jails for the last 28 years, as Pakistan has denied setting him free, despite
continuous efforts by the Indian diplomatic channels. Pak
building new bunker at border in Jammu sector: BSF Top New
Delhi: A senior Border Security Officer (BSF) said on Wednesday that Pakistani
Rangers are increasing their movements along the international border in Jammu
division and are building defence structures which are safe hideout bunkers to
attack Indian patrols from. GK Bansal, Additional Director General of the BSF,
was quoted by a private television channel, as saying that Pakistani Rangers were
building embankments, bunkers and observation towers and said that they were just
10 to 15 meters from the international border. Bansal said that the BSF is aware
of these developments and is taking all precautions to counter them. He said that
after 26/11 there has been an increase in the construction of defence structures.
Border Security Force has expressed its concern as these bunkers were constructed
within the 10metres range from the fence, which separates the both the countries.
The new bunkers along the international border might be Pakistan's new strategy
for increasing infiltration. Indian forces fear that the embankments by Pakistani
forces could become safe hideouts to attack Indian patrols. I
was not tortured to confess: Kasab Top Mumbai:
Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist involved the terror attacks in
Mumbai on November 26, 2008, on Wednesday told the court that he was under no
pressure to confess. "I was neither torture nor put under any pressure," Kasab
told the court. "Agar kisiko aitraaz hai...agar kisi ke dil mein shak hai ki main
phansi se bachne ke liye yeh kar raha hoon toh beshak phansi ki saza dijiye. (If
anyone feels that I am confessing to escape the death penalty then the court may
without doubt hang me)," Kasab said. Defence lawyer Abbas Kazmi had claimed that
his client was being tortured and that he made the confession under pressure.
On the other hand, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said: "There is need
to know reason if there's a ploy behind Kasab confession." Meanwhile, police will
verify the involvement of an Indian named Abu Jundal in the Mumbai terror attacks
conspiracy, as claimed by Kasab. Kasab had said that Jundal had taught him and
the nine other slain terrorists to speak Hindi at LeT training camps in Pakistan.
Confessing before the court, he had said that he and his slain partner Abu Ismail
were directed to start firing indiscriminately at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
(CST), take hostages and attack those policemen who tried to rescue the hostages.
Narrating the entire plot, Kasab had confessed that he came along with nine other
terrorists in a boat from Karachi. He also owned up for his involvement in the
26/11 terror attacks at the CST and at Cama Hospital. He had named Lashkar-e-Taiba
(LeT) operative and alleged mastermind Zakir-ur-Rehman Lakhvi a key conspirator,
saying he was instructed to conduct a fidayeen (suicide) attack in Mumbai. The
trial in the terror attacks case is likely to be completed before Diwali in October,
Special Judge M L Tahilyani indicated on July 16. New
whistle blower scheme to control spurious drugs Top New
Delhi: Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Aghulam Nabi Azad has announced
whistle blower policy to attract involvement of public to provide information
on any kind of unlawful activity in the manufacture of drugs. Replying to the
debate on working of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in Rajya Sabha today,
Azad also apprised the members of Government's intention to bring Drugs and Cosmetic
Amendment Bill for creating Central Drug Authority. "This will pave the way for
making the regulatory mechanism a robust one," the Health Minister said. Speaking
on the concern of inadequate public expenditure on health, Azad said that it is
only through a partnership of Central and State governments that the objective
of 2-3 percent of GDP public expenditure on health can be achieved. However, he
assured "to strive to provide even higher education for health care to provide
quality services to the poor households of our country." Azad also stressed the
need to re-engineer the universal immunization programme in a manner that every
child can be reached with quality services and through a reliable and sustainable
supply chain management. He also said that as per the President's address to the
joint session of Parliament vaccine producing units in the public sector will
be revived to support the immunization programme. Azad said that National Rural
Health Mission, in partnership with states is completely revamping the primary
health care system in India. Citing the reduction in maternal mortality rate and
infant mortality rate and improvement in institutional deliveries, Azad assured
the MPs that the efforts made under NRHM in partnership with the states would
lead to even larger reduction in IMR and MMR. Eleven
sexual harassment cases in armed force in last 5 yrs Top New
Delhi: Defence Minister A K Antony today informed the Rajya Sabha that in
the last five years 11 cases of sexual harassment have been reported in the armed
forces. Antony said: "During the last five years, 11 cases relating to sexual
harassment have been reported in the armed forces." He said that necessary investigations
have been instituted in all these cases and punishments have been awarded wherever
charges have been proved. Antony said that a Major General rank officer was also
sentenced to be dismissed from the Service after trial by an Army court on charges
of sexual harassment by a lady officer but the sentence has not been confirmed
due to directions of Rajasthan High Court. |
