Bareilly baby boy with 34 fingers and toes sets new Guinness record

Akshat, a baby boy over the age of one, registered his name in the Guinness world records for having a total of 34 fingers and toes.

He has set the record for having the highest number of fingers and toes and hails from the Bareilly district in Uttar Pradesh.

Amrita Saxena, the mother of the child, said it was difficult for her to believe that her son broke the world record, until a family friend convinced her.

"He (family friend) read on the internet about the baby born in China with 31 fingers. Then he said that my boy has broken the record of having 34 fingers. At first, I was not convinced at all. It was hard to believe that my son has broken the record. But later, he along with my husband and my younger sister registered the data in the Internet. Then I was asked to submit certain documents after which his name was in the Guinness World Records," added Saxena.

Doctors attending to the child informed the mediapersons that it was a rare phenomenon and diagnosed it as polydactyly.

"The person who is diagnosed with it is polydactylic. It is due to certain defects in the bone development of the uterus. The reason behind this defect can be either developmental congenital formation or chromosomal anomalies, which is due to maternal infection or drugs," said Dr. Parul Gupta, a gynaecologist.

Gupta further explained that this congenital physical anomaly could be easily cured by performing a surgery.

"Yes, it is absolutely curable. Mostly people go for plastic surgery. And sometimes when polydactyly is minimal, it can be cured normally, without an operation. And if there is a major problem, then people prefer to go for a plastic surgery," added Gupta.

Meanwhile Saxena was a little worried for her son's future. She aspires for her son to lead a 'normal' life and wants him to undergo proper treatment for it.

DUAL SCREEN LAPTOP TOSHIBA LIBRETTO W100!!

WORLD's FIRST DUAL SCREEN LAPTOP TOSHIBA

LIBRETTO W100!!

This tablet has two touchscreens, each with LED backlighting and 1,024 x 600 resolution. You will note the virtual keyboard, and it is billed as “the world’s first dual touch-screen Windows mini-notebook PC”. It can be used both vertically and horizontally, thanks to a built-in accelerometer. The battery life is good for 2 or 4 hours with high-capacity battery.Other features include Intel Pentium U5400 CPU, 62GB SSD, 2GB RAM, WiMAX, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, Micro SD/SDHC slot, USB port, and Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit.

Commonwealth Games set to begin amid security lockdown

The biggest ever Commonwealth Games are set to officially start amid heavy security in Delhi.

Around 100,000 security forces have been deployed in the Indian capital, and shops and businesses are to stay closed for the day.

Prince Charles is to declare the event open during a spectacular opening ceremony in the Nehru Stadium.

The Games have been bogged down by criticism over Indian's preparations for the Games.

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Around 80,000 police on duty have been reinforced by 17,000 paramilitary troops to counter the danger of an attack by extremists.

Fighter aircraft and helicopter gunships will be on standby.

Delhi's police commissioner, YS Dadwal, promised security would be "foolproof". Every police officer in Delhi was "on the job 24/7", Mr Dadwal added. "Most are working and sleeping at the police station."

The BBC's Rahul Tandon in Delhi says there are reports that beggars and some slum dwellers have been forced to leave the city for the duration of the event, but officials have denied this.

With almost 7,000 athletes and support staff from 71 countries scheduled to participate, the 19th Commonwealth Games will be the largest sporting event in India's history.

It has also become the most expensive Commonwealth Games so far, with estimates ranging up to more than $10bn (£6.3bn).

In the run-up the competition made headlines because of construction delays, corruption scandals, the collapse of a footbridge and a suspected militant attack on two foreign tourists two weeks ago.

Some competitors pulled out of the games after the accommodation in the athletes' village was described as filthy, uninhabitable and unsafe.

Games officials and thousands of people were working around the clock to ensure that the village was habitable and that the competition could start on time.

Confusion

Last week there were reports that a row had erupted over the roles of Prince Charles and Indian President Pratibha Patil in the opening ceremony.

However, a spokesperson for Prince Charles confirmed that the Prince would read out Queen Elizabeth II's baton message and declare the Games open.

Mrs Patil will the speak and say: "Let the Games begin."

Mrs Patil and the Queen launched the Queen's Baton Relay last October in a ceremony outside Buckingham Palace.

The baton - which has travelled to Commonwealth countries around the world - will arrive in the Nehru Stadium for the opening ceremony.

Singer Hariharan will perform the Games official theme song "Swagatam" at the ceremony.

Oscar winner AR Rahman, who wrote the music for the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" will also perform live.

Other details of the three-hour ceremony in the renovated stadium have been kept secret, but Indian broadcaster CNN-IBN reported that it would showcase Indian cultural traditions and include a yoga performance.

The sports programme will start with swimming events on Monday.

Source:BBC News

Most Expensive Television

Most Expensive Television

PrestigeHD Supreme Rose Edition by Stuart Hughes

Price: $2.3 million*

Swiss luxury television maker PrestigeHD asked Stuart Hughes of

Goldstriker International to design a spectacular piece for the company,

says Hughes. So he took a 55-inch PrestigeHD television and covered

it in 28 kilograms of 18-carat rose gold and 72 diamonds. Alligator skin

was hand sewn into the bezel. This limited edition TV, introduced just this

year, surpasses Hughes’ £1 million television for PrestigeHD, which uses

22-carat yellow gold and 48 diamonds. PrestigeHD CEO Simon M. Troxler

says the company is close to closing its first contract for the Supreme

Rose Edition and “we are very confident that the limited edition of only three

TVs will be sold out soon.”

Cute Kids on Salwar

Nation observes first anniversary of 26/11

A year before, a few men with guns in their hands had held Mumbai at ransom, causing irreparable damage to life, property and the city’s morale.

A year later, the entire nation has come together to observe the first anniversary of the 26/11 attacks and pay homage to the 166 people who lost their lives.

Making a strong statement that they would not be deterred by terror, Mumbaikars went about doing their daily chores as any other day but also paused in their tracks to honour the memory of those who lost their lives in the devastating 60-hour terror strike last year.

There were a lot of events lined up through the day. A memorial for 18 security personnel, including National Security Guards (NSG) commander Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan is to be unveiled by Union Home Minister P.Chidambaram here.

A ''Suraksha March'' of police and various security agencies is being organized from Gateway of India to Girgaum Chowpatty.

Mumbai Police will hold a peace flag march in a show of strength from Air India building, passing Nariman Point to Girgaum Chowpatty. The march will also include Force One, the Quick Response Team and armoured vehicles.

In Mumbai, the Railway Protection Force personnel paid homage to those slaughtered inside the CST where two terrorists opened fire. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan visited the Trident-Oberoi along with his colleagues to pay homage to those who fell to the bullets fired by the terrorists in the majestic hotel.

The Force One the new crack security force of the State government launched here on Tuesday made its first public appearance by staging a parade from Nariman Point to Chowpatty on Thursday morning.

The state has also organised an all-religious prayer meeting at the Gateway of India in the evening that will be attended by prominent members of society and the masses.

There are many other moments of silence, remembering and mourning slated all over the day, but the morning rush hour showed the resilience of India’s financial and entertainment capital, with commuter trains and buses packed and roads as choked with traffic as ever.

End of the World 2012

End of the World 2012........ .!!

SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS from around the world are predicting that 3 years from now, all life on Earth could well come to an end. Some are saying it'll be humans that would set it off. Others believe that a natural phenomenon will be the cause. And the religious folks are saying it'll be God himself who would press the stop button. The following are some likely arguments as to why the world would end by the year 2012.

Reason one: Mayan calendar

The first to predict 2012 as the end of the world were the Mayans, a bloodthirsty race that were good at two things -- building highly accurate astrological equipment out of stone and sacrificing virgins.

Thousands of years ago they managed to calculate the length of the lunar moon as 329.53020 days, only 34 seconds out. The Mayan calendar predicts that the earth will end on December 21, 2012. Given that they were pretty close to the mark with the lunar cycle, it's likely they've got the end of the world right as well.

Reason two: Sun storms

Solar experts from around the world monitoring the sun have made a startling discovery. Our sun is in a bit of strife. The energy output of the sun is, like most things in nature, cyclic and it's supposed to be in the middle of a period of relative stability. However, recent solar storms have been bombarding the earth with lot of radiation energy. It's been knocking out power grids and destroying satellites. This activity is predicted to get worse and calculations suggest it'll reach its deadly peak sometime in 2012.

Reason three: The atom smasher

Scientists in Europe have been building the world's largest particle accelerator. Basically, its a 27 km tunnel designed to smash atoms together to find out what makes the universe tick. However, the mega-gadget has caused serious concern, with some scientists suggesting that it's properly even a bad idea to turn it on in the first place. They're predicting all manner of deadly results, including mini black holes. So when this machine is fired up for its first serious experiment in 2012, the world could be crushed into a super-dense blob the size of a basketball.

Reason four: The Bible says it

If having scientists warning us about the end of the world isn't bad enough, religious folks are getting in on the act as well. Interpretations of the Christian Bible reveal that the date for Armageddon, the final battle between good an evil, has been set for 2012. The I Ching, also known as the Chinese Book of Changes, says the same thing, as do various sections of the Hindu teachings.

Reason five: Super volcano

Yellowstone National Park in United States is famous for its thermal springs and old faithful geyser. The reason for this is simple -- it's sitting on top of the world's biggest volcano and geological experts are beginning to get nervous sweats. The Yellowstone volcano has a pattern of erupting every 650,000 years or so, and we're many years overdue for an explosion that will fill the atmosphere with ash, blocking the sun and plunging the earth into a frozen winter that could last up to 15,000 years. The pressure under the Yellowstone is building steadily, and geologists have set 2012 as a likely date for the big bang.

Reason six: The physicists

This one's case of bog -- simple maths mathematics. Physicists at Berkely University have been crunching the numbers.

They've determined that the earth is well overdue for a major catastrophic event. Even worse, they're claiming that their calculations prove that we're all going to die, very soon. They are also saying that their prediction comes with a certainty of 99 per cent; and 2012 just happens to be the best guess as to when it occurs.

Reason seven: Earth's magnetic field

We all know the Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field that shields us from most of the sun's radiation. What you might not know is that the magnetic poles we call North and South have a nasty habit of swapping places every 750,000 years or so -- and right now we're about 30,000 years overdue. Scientists have noted that the poles are drifting apart roughly 20-30 kms each year, much faster than ever before, which points to a pole-shift being right around the corner. While the pole shift is under way, the magnetic field is disrupted and will eventually disappear, sometimes for up to 100 years. The result is enough UV outdoors to crisp your skin in seconds, killing everything it touches.

Proposal to limit IIT entry to Class XII 80-percenters

Calling for more “weightage” for Class XII Board exams towards the Joint Entrance Examination for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said here today that the required minimum of 60 per cent marks for JEE eligibility could be raised to at least 80 per cent.

After a meeting of the IIT Council, the apex decision-making body for the institutes, here, Sibal said there was a need to ensure that IIT applicants give as much importance to their school examination as they did to the JEE and check the mushrooming JEE coaching industry.

When asked if this meant raising the cut-off from the present 60 per cent, Sibal said: “The present cut-off of 60 per cent is not enough. The minimum marks required for IIT JEE could be raised to 80 or 85 per cent. However, it is up to the IITs to decide.” He added that the IITs could also consider using percentiles to reduce the influence of multiple examination boards.

An IIT committee is already examining the issue of JEE reforms and some kind of blueprint is expected in January 2010.

IIT Directors said that an increased Class XII weightage besides other JEE reforms will roll out in full in 2011— a reform target set by the HRD ministry. While raising the cut off from 60 to 80 per cent is one formula being looked at, the IIT internal committee is also considering other ways to ensure that Class XII scores have some weightage in deciding a student’s final JEE score.

The first IIT Council meeting held under the new HRD Minister Kapil Sibal also had the ministry proposing a collegium system for appointments of IIT Boards and Chairmen next year on — just as has been proposed for IIMs last week.

In keeping with his earlier statements on IITs expanding their horizons, Sibal set up five-member committee under the chairmanship of Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar to look at making IIT a “truly global brand,” with increased emphasis on research.

“It is research that creates wealth,” he said while adding that the committee would also look at attracting more national projects as well as tapping the private sector market.

The Kakodkar committee, which is to submit its report in six months, will also look into ways to attract quality faculty and suggest ways of collaborating with the private sector in emerging sectors like biotechnology and IT. The committee will also work towards a 2020 vision document for IITs along with the internal committee of the IIT.

The HRD minister also announced his intent to relax the norms in the Foreign Currency Regulation Act to let foreign institutes invest in IITs easily instead of waiting three years as the current laws require them to.

The IIT Council also today put to rest the controversy surrounding the IIT faculty pay issue, ratifying the pay scale hike for faculty as well as the minister’s recent assurance to the latter on making exceptions from stipulated norms for deserving faculty members.

An IIT Director said that a Performance Related Incentive Scheme (PRIS) as promised to the faculty is also underway.

Another committee, comprising three members, has been formed to look into the IIT curriculum and give its report within three months. It has Science and Technology Secretary T. Ramaswami; Secretary, Department of Biotechnology M K Bhan; CSIR Director General Sameer K. Brahmachari as members; and will collaborate with people from multiple disciplines to formulate an up-to-date curriculum.

Sibal also announced the release of withheld non-plan grants, linking them with the number of students in a particular institute. More students in an institute would now mean more grants.

In a move to ensure that the IIT Council remains an active and vibrant set-up, it was also decided at today’s meet that the IIT Council would now meet every six months. It had last met in 2008 with Sibal’s predecessor Arjun Singh having convened the IIT Council just once through his term, in 2003.

Source: Indian Express

Obama wins 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

US President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

The Nobel Committee said he was awarded it for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples".

The committee highlighted Mr Obama's efforts to strengthen international bodies and promote nuclear disarmament.

There were a record 205 nominations for this year's prize. Zimbabwe's prime minister and a Chinese dissident had been among the favourites.

The laureate - chosen by a five-member committee - wins a gold medal, a diploma and 10m Swedish kronor ($1.4m).

"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the Norwegian committee said as the prize was announced.

"His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population."

கூடலூரில் 'அசைவ' தாவரம்

கூடலூர்: பூச்சிகளை உணவாக்கும் அரிய வகை அசைவ தாவரங்களை காக்க வேண்டிய அவசியம் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. கூடலூர் பகுதியில் உள்ள மண் மற்றும் வனவளங்கள், பல அரிய வகை தாவரங்கள், மூலிகைச் செடிகள் வளரும் தன்மை கொண்டவையாக உள்ளன.

இதில், பூச்சிகளை உண்டு வாழும் அசைவ வகை தாவரச் செடிகள் குறிப்பிடத்தக்கவை. இவ்வகை தாவரங்கள் "டொசீரா பர்மானி, டொசீரா பெல்டேட்டா, டொசிரா இன்டிகா மற்றும் குளோரிய ஸ்பெல்லாரிஸ்,' என்ற தாவரவியல் பெயர்களால் அழைக்கப்படுகின்றன. இவ்வகைச் செடிகள் தென்மேற்கு பருவ மழை காலங்களில் வனப் பகுதிகளில் ஈரமான புல்வெளி, மண் சாலைகளின் ஓரம், ஈரமான மண் கற்களில் வளரக் கூடியவை. ஆண்டுக்கு ஒரு முறை வளர்ந்து மறையும் "டொசீரா பர்மானி' என்ற அசைவ தாவரம் தற்போது, கூடலூர் பகுதியில் சில இடங்களில் காணப்படுகிறது.

ஈரம் நிறைந்த மண் கற்களின் மேல் படர்ந்து காணப்படும் வட்ட வடிவமான இத்தாவரத்தில் 4 முதல் 5 அங்குளம் உயரமுள்ள நீண்ட காம்பில் பூக்கள் காணப்படுகின்றன. தாவரத்தின் இலைகளை சுற்றிலும் காணப்படும் சிறு சிறு தூவிகளின் முனையில் பசை போன்ற திரவம் உள்ளது. செடிகளுக்கு அருகே வரும் சிறு பூச்சி இனங்கள் அந்த பசை போன்ற நீட்சிகளில் ஒட்டிக் கொள்கிறது. அந்த பூச்சிகளில் இருந்து "நைட்ரஜன்' ஊட்ட ச் சத்தை இச்செடிகள் உறிஞ்சி கொள்கின்றன. கூடலூரில் தொடரும் வன அழிவினால், இதுபோன்ற பல அரிய வகைச் செடிகள் அழிந்து வருவது அதிர்ச்சியான உண்மை. இதுபோன்ற தாவரங்களை கண்டறிந்து அதை காப்பாற்றவும், அதன் இனத்தை பெருக்கவும் வன ஆராய்ச்சி மையத்தினர் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும்

Gandhiji is my Hero - Obama

US President Barack Obama in his speech to school kids on Tuesday, Sep 8, said Mahatma Gandhi is his real hero.

Obama expressed his desire in response to a question from a student Lilly during his discussion with 9th graders at Wakefield High School in Arlington Virginia.

Obama went to give a national speech welcoming students back to school. He called for students to take responsibility and to learn from their failures so that they succeed in the end.

"Hi. I'm Lilly. And if you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?," Obama was asked by one of the students.

"Dinner with anyone dead or alive? Well, you know, dead or alive, that's a pretty big list," Obama responded amidst laughter. The next moment he was serious.

"You know, I think that it might be Gandhi, who is a real hero of mine," Obama said. "Now, it would probably be a really small meal because he didn't eat a lot," he said amidst laughter.

But Mahatma Gandhi is someone who has inspired people across the world for the past several generations, he said.

Terming the iconic figure as the source of inspiration for many, Obama said "He (Mahatma Gandhi) is somebody whom I find a lot of inspiration in."

"He inspired Dr King (Martin Luther), so if it hadn't been for the non-violent movement in India, you might not have seen the same non-violent movement for civil rights here in the United States." he said.

"I am always interested in people who are able to bring about change, not through violence, not through money, but through the force of their personality and their ethical and moral stances. That is somebody that I would love to sit down and talk to," said Obama.

Mumbai, Chennai to get Rs.2,200 crore for water projects

The government said it will set up two major water projects in Mumbai and Chennai at a cost of Rs.2,200 crore aimed at finding a permanent solution to the acute water scarcity in these two metros.

"Two mega projects have been sanctioned for two major cities. Mumbai will get Rs.1,200 crore for the Brihanmumbai storm water drainage project, while the seawater reverse osmosis desalination project would come up in Chennai at a cost of about Rs.1,000 crore," Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy said.

He was speaking at the Urban Water Awards-2009 presentation ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan here.

"Once these projects are implemented fully, it is expected that the citizens of these two cities will get a much needed respite from the problems of flooding and acute water scarcity which they have been suffering for too long," Reddy said.

He said proper water supply and sanitation were on the priority list of the ministry.

"Out of a total of 969 projects under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT), the water and sanitation sector accounts for 828 projects," he added.

Besides, the government has also sanctioned Rs.116 crore for the preservation of water bodies.

Speaking on the occasion, President Pratibha Patil said the 11th Plan aims to provide drinking water to everybody.

"To make this happen, it is estimated that investment to the tune of Rs.54,000 crore would be required," she said.

"There are still many cities which have not been able to meet the preferred norm of 135 litres per capita per day of water supply," the president said.

No board exam for Class X in CBSE from 2011

Beginning 2011, Class X board examinations will become a thing of the past. Instead, students will be promoted to senior secondary through an internal assessment. This was announced here on Monday by Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal as a major stress buster for students.

Grading for 2010 boardsSince the decision has been taken in the middle of the academic year, students in Class X this year will have to appear for the board examination as scheduled, but will be graded instead, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) chairman Vineet Joshi said. Students will be graded into nine categories, from exceptional to unsatisfactory.

The new system will be based on nine-point scale,starting from A1 (exceptional) up to E2 (unsatisfactory).
Grading procedure, which was finalised by a high-level committee headed by CBSE chairman Veenith Joshi, will warrant students to secure more than 33 per cent marks to get a certificate.

The nine-point scale will start from

A1(with 91-100 marks, exceptional),

A2(81-90, excellent),

B1(71-80, very good),

B2(61-70, good),

C1(51-60, fair), C2(41-50, average),

D(33-40, below average),

E1(21-32, needs improvement)

and

E2(00-20, unsatisfactory).

Though initially there were indications that students changing schools after Class X would have to appear for the board examination, Mr. Joshi said that instead they would appear for an online/offline/on-demand assessment and would be issued certificates on pre-printed stationery supplied by the CBSE and attested by the regional offices of the Board.
Students who may need certification of the Board at a later stage to change schools can also appear for same assessment.

It will also be available to students who want an independent assessment of their academic skills.

Magnitude-6.8 quake strikes off Japan

A magnitude-6.8 earthquake hit off Japan's southern coast on Monday, prompting the Meteorological Agency to issue a tsunami warning.

The quake struck off the coast of Ishigaki island, near Japan's southern island of Okinawa, around 1,600 kms south of Tokyo. It struck at a depth of about 10 kms, the agency said.

Naoto Ohtake, a police official on Ishigaki, said there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties on the island, a popular resort destination with a population of 40,000.

"Nothing fell off during the quake. Electricity, water and gas are all working," Ohtake said.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. The most recent major quake in Japan killed more than 6,400 people in the western port city of Kobe in January 1995.

India completes design of Chandrayaan-2

India has completed the design of Chandrayaan-2, its next mission to the moon -- this time in collaboration with Russia -- that would have a lander and rover which can collect samples of the lunar soil and analyse them and send back the data.

"Right now, the design has been completed. We had a joint review with Russian scientists here," Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation, G Madhavan Nair, told PTI.

According to the Bangalore-headquartered space agency, the Chandrayaan-2 mission would have an orbital flight vehicle constituting an Orbital Craft (OC) and a Lunar Craft (LC) that would carry a soft landing system up to Lunar Transfer Trajectory (LTT).

The target location for the lander-rover would be identified using data from instruments of Chandrayaan-1, India's own and first unmanned mission to the Moon launched on October 22 last year.

While ISRO will be developing the orbiter, it will be Russia's job to make the lander and rover. Additional scientific payloads would be acquired from international scientific community.

"Next (now that design has been completed) we will go towards prototype building, which will be taken up next year," Mr. Nair, also secretary in the Department of Space, said.

Mr. Nair said ISRO has learnt plenty of lessons from Chandrayaan-1 mission, particularly on the thermal and redundancy management fronts and would seek to improve systems in Chandrayaan-2, slated towards the end of 2012.

"I think we have got very valuable inputs on the heat radiation from the moon's surface and so on. Accordingly, the thermal design of the future aircraft can be addressed," he said. "Radiation is much beyond our expectations, so we will have to see how the radiation hardening has to be strengthened."

"Then, in redundancy management also, there are some inputs which are available from this (Chandrayaan-1), which we will try to incorporate in Chandrayaan-2."

The ISRO Chairman said contingency operations undertaken by the organisation following the failure of Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft's onboard star sensor earlier this year have worked well and "this is (now) as precise as it was earlier."

"We are able to locate the cameras at specific locations," he said noting some of the stereo images that have come recently. "The fact that we were able to point the spacecraft towards the Earth and capture the (recent) solar eclipse, shows the accuracy of the system."

Mr. Nair said 95 per cent of the scientific objectives of Chandrayaan-1 mission have been achieved. "Another five per cent, what's left out, we will try to take up in the next season which is starting in October so that we can complete all the observations."

Mr. Nair said India's ground station at Byalalu on the city outskirts has given precision as good as the NASA station. "We are comparing both the tracking results."

On how the US and Europe, which have flown instruments on board Chandrayaan-1, have taken to the failure of star sensor, Mr. Nair said, "They have got more than sufficient data with them and are extremely happy. Now, Indian and foreign scientists are working together to analyse the data and they have promised some results before the year end." Three-dimensional pictures of the moon would be available soon, he said.

On the agenda for scientists' meet to discuss the Chandrayaan-1 project next month, Mr. Nair said ISRO wants to ensure that it has not "left out anything".

"Today, we know that there is no redundancy on board. So, if further failure...if it happens, then we will be crippled.

"So, all the scientific objectives have to be completed in the remaining time. We will discuss with them what is pending and what needs to be done. Secondly, if some of them have got preliminary findings then we will try to make an assessment."

New Nanolaser called ‘spaser’

The world’s smallest laser that is 10 times smaller than the wavelength of light has been produced. Scientists have called it a ‘spaser.’

Spaser stands for Surface Plasmon Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. This comes nearly 50 years since lasers were first created.

Spaser are capable of producing laser-like light.

But the way the laser and spaser produce light is totally different. While the conventional laser amplifies light, a spaser amplifies only the surface plasmons — tiny oscillations in the density of free electrons on the surface of metals.

Scientists had first proposed the spaser concept six years ago. A spaser is the smallest possible quantum amplifier and generator of optical fields on the nanoscale.

Writing in the Nature, Mikhail Noginov from the Norfolk State University in Virginia and his team state that they were able to produce laser-like light by stimulating the emission of surface plasmons on a gold nanoparticle and amplifing them.

The success opens up great opportunities and possibilities. It represents a critical component for possible future technologies based on ‘nanophotonic’ circuitry.

A Purdue University release states: nanophotonics may usher in a host of radical advances, including powerful "hyperlenses" resulting in sensors and microscopes 10 times more powerful than today's and able to see objects as small as DNA; computers and consumer electronics that use light instead of electronic signals to process information; and more efficient solar collectors.

Writing in the journal Nature, Mikhail Noginov from the Norfolk State University in Virginia notes: “now [that] it has been realised experimentally, the spaser will advance our fundamental understanding of nanoplasmonics and the development of practical applications.”

Rakhi 0r Raksha Bhandhan in India

This year Rakhi is celebrate on 5th August.

Rakhi is one of the very important festivals celebrated in India. Eagerly awaited by the Hindu community in India and abroad, it surely marks an auspicious occasion. Rakhi comes in the month of Shravan, which falls between July and August, and is celebrated with much eagerness and joy all across the world. The festival of Rakhi communicates the message of brotherhood, as it is the day on which a sister ties a rakhi thread on the wrist of her brother and he, in return, vows to protect her from all troubles. The festival is of great importance in the Hindu culture and is celebrated all over the country, though the ways of celebration vary from one region to the other. The name of this festival also changes as soon as one enters into a new region. Let use know about celebrating Rakhi in different parts of India.

Raksha Bandhan In India

North India

Rakhi festival is popularly called 'Raksha-Bandhan' all over the country. However, it is known by one more name in some parts of North India and that is 'Kajri-Poornima'. In northern parts of the country, this day is propitious because marks the day farmers start sowing the grain seeds, in their farms. Since a new beginning is there, people worship 'Goddess Bhagwati' on this day.

East India

In the eastern part of the country, the significance of Raksha Bandhan is indicated by the cultural richness of famous institute 'Shanti-Niketan.' The founder of this institute was the great Nobel Laureate Rabindro Nath Thhakur. He initiated the 'Rakhi Utsava' (Rakhi tying ceremony) there long back. But the custom is continued till date by the pupils of the 'Shanti-Niketan'.

South India

In some parts of the South India, Rakhi is celebrated by the name of 'Avanee-Avittum', whereas in other parts, it is known as 'Opakramam'. This day has special significance for the Brahmins, as they tie the sacred string on their patron's wrist and in turn, the patrons offer them gifts in cash or kind. 'Shravan Poornima' is yet another name of Rakhi in this part of the country.

West India

In the western region of India, Raksha Bandhan is popularly known by the name of 'Naariyal Poornima' (the 'Coconut Full Moon Day'). Since ancient times, it has been believed that people worship Lord Varuna (the God of Sea) on this day. They offer the 'Naariyals' (coconuts) to the Lord, by proffering them into the sea.

Independence Day Celebrations

This year, India celebrates the 62nd Anniversary of our freedom from colonial rule. Independence Day is a day when we pay homage to our great national leaders and heroic freedom fighters - who made many sacrifices, including giving up their lives to liberate India from foreign control.

We remember that our freedom struggle was fought and won, not by force or bloodshed but through the noble principles of truth and non-violence. It was a unique movement in the history of freedom struggles that won us the admiration of the whole world.

Road To Independence

The struggle for India's Independence began in 1857 with the Sepoy Mutiny - External website that opens in a new window in the town of Meerut. Later, in the 20th century, a countrywide movement for Independence was launched by the Indian National Congress and other political organizations, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji strongly advocated non violent civil disobedience in opposition to violent struggles as observed in most resistance movements of the time. Some of the methods of resistance advocated by him were protest marches, prayer meetings, boycott of foreign products and promotion of Indian goods.

The simplicity of these methods of dissent found favour with the Indian public and local campaigns soon became national movements. Some of the main events in the Indian Freedom Struggle were the Non Cooperation Movement, Dandi March, Civil Disobedience Movement and the Quit India Movement. It soon became clear that India could no longer be controlled by colonial powers and the British gave in to the demands of Indian leaders. It was decided to transfer power to India on the 15th of August, 1947.

At 11.00 pm on the 14th of August, 1947, the Constituent Assembly, to whom power was to be transferred, began a meeting to celebrate India's Independence. As the clock struck midnight, India gained her liberty and became a free country. It was then that the first Prime Minister of Free India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru gave his famous 'Tryst With Destiny - External website that opens in a new window' speech -

"At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new.....are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?"

This was followed by the unfurling of the tricolour and the singing of the National Anthem from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

Immigrating to UK

The laws just got tougher to get Immigrating to UK

New rules are being introduced for immigration to the United Kingdom and it could now take up to 10 years of residence in that country to obtain a citizenship.

Until now, immigrants could apply for a British passport after five years of residence in that country and after passing a citizenship test.

Immigrants will need to earn points to earn a British passport and these will be based on their skills, jobs, qualifications, their language ability as well as behaviour.

The UK government says that 'bad behaviour', or any 'un-British' activity - like for example protesting against British troops - will result in deduction of points.

British citizenship

If you are planning to apply for British citizenship, things may become a little more difficult now. The British government plans to introduce a point-based system by which migrants would have to earn their citizenship.

The new system has been proposed by Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne.

Under the new proposal, credits or points would be awarded for contributions made by the immigrant to the British society.

This could be the amount of money they bring with them, their employment record and any voluntary work done for the community.

Points could be deducted from an applicant if he or she is convicted for an offence.

Indians make up one of the largest immigrant communities in UK. Nearly 30,000 Indian workers have been left in the lurch, after the British government decided to amend the rules for the Highly Skilled Migrant Visa Programme (HSMP). And the latest proposal means further bad news.

Britain’s Immigration Minister Liam Byrne in March had promised the HSMP Forum, the Indian-led organisation representing HSMP visa-holders, to "review and reflect on" the changes in the new HSMP visa rules.

The HSMP forum claims that up to 40,000 migrants from India who entered under the previous programme could be forced out of the country because they have to reapply for their visas after one year. Employment success is crucial to gaining an extension.

In a significant indication Britain is keen to re-assess the economic argument for large-scale immigration; Byrne said this could no longer justify the current record number of arrivals to Britain.

Byrne's comments are seen to be the first time a senior minister in the 10-year-old Labour administration has admitted Britain's open-door immigration policy may have gone too far.

Last month, Byrne publicly admitted high levels of immigration had "deeply unsettled" Britain, but now, he has gone even further by describing it as "shocks to the system".

A few years ago, former home secretary David Blunkett had said there was "no obvious upper limit" to the numbers that could come legally to Britain to settle. Britain subsequently introduced the Highly-Skilled Migrants Programme (HSMP), under which an estimated 30,000 Indians arrived here to work and eventually to settle.

But last December, Britain was accused by Indian HSMP visa-holders of moving the goal posts and suddenly changing immigration rules to "disenfranchise" in a "racist, Idi Amin-style" policy.

WHAT IS EARNED CITIZENSHIP

• Britain to introduce new 'Australian-style points system' next year.
• Those aspiring to settle and then go on to become full British citizens would need to accrue credits.
• Passing a basic English test will not do, migrants will need to learn more and faster
• Migrants will have to 'earn' British citizenship under a points-based system.
• Credit would be given to migrants doing voluntary work. Credit would be lost for breaking the law.
• Even offences like dangerous driving, anti-social behaviour and fly tipping will mean losing points.
• Britain will also observe a national day to celebrate British values and achievements.

Century's longest Solar eclipse on 22nd July

Sky gazers await for the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century on 22nd July as it will provide a rare opportunity to witness the grand event for the people in west, central, east and north-east India.

A total eclipse occurs when the Sun is completely obscured by the Moon.

The intensely bright disk of the Sun is

replaced by the dark silhouette of the Moon, SPACE President C B Devgun said.

During the total eclipse, totality is visible only from a narrow track on the surface of the Earth.

The countries to witness the path of the Moon's umbral shadow are India and Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and China.

In India, the shadow sweeps over the cities of Surat, Indore, Bhopal, Varanasi and Patna. Travelling across Bhutan, the eclipse will be visible in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Burma(Myanmar), before reaching China at 06:35 IST, he said.

China's largest city Shanghai will experience the total solar eclipse for five minutes, he said, adding across the East China Sea, the eclipse will sweep over Japan's Ryukyu Islands and Iwo Jima.

After leaving mainland Asia, the path crosses Japan's Ryukyu Islands and curves southeast through the Pacific Ocean where the maximum duration of totality will be 6 min 38 sec.

A partial eclipse is seen within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes most of eastern Asia, Indonesia, and the Pacific Ocean, Devgun said.

Greatest eclipse occurs in the South Pacific at 08:05:19 IST. At this instant, the axis of the Moon's shadow passes closest to Earth's center.

The magnitude of total solar eclipse will be approximately 1.080.

This solar eclipse is the longest total solar eclipse that will occur in the 21st century and will not be surpassed in duration until 13th June, 2132.

The next total solar eclipse will be on 11th July, 2010 which will be seen in South pacific, Chile and Argentina