''Kites' can open global doors for Indian cinema'

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Cannes, May 15 
(IANS) In a crucial step forward in mainstream Indian cinema's efforts to globalise itself, two big production houses have joined hands for the high-flying promotional blitz of Hrithik Roshan starrer 'Kites' at the 62nd Cannes Film festival.

Director Anurag Basu says if the film does well, it would throw global doors open for Indian cinema.

Basu, the maker of such successful films as 'Gangster - A Love Story' and 'Life in a Metro', says 'Kites' is unlike anything he has made in the past. It co-stars Mexican model-turned-actress Barbara Mori.

'I am really excited about the prospects of 'Kites', but I am keeping my fingers crossed. Much is riding on the film - if it does well, it would throw global doors open for Indian cinema,' Basu told IANS.

'Kites' is an ambitious international film produced by Rakesh Roshan's Film Kraft and promoted by the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group-promoted Big Pictures.

Hrithik has teamed up with Mori and both are in Cannes as part of the promotional strategy.

Basu feels Indian filmmakers have only just woken up to the international potential of their work and much more needs to be done to tap the world market in right earnest.

'When I set out to make 'Kites', I wasn't really thinking of any particular audience. I simply wanted to craft a film that would appeal to Indians as well as people around the world. It's a fine balance and not very easy to achieve,' Basu told IANS.

Although 'Kites' has action sequences designed to showcase Hrithik Roshan's on-screen charisma, Basu asserts it is first and foremost 'a love story'.

Basu reveals that the flight of 'Kites' began when Rakesh Roshan approached him to make a film with Hrithik. 'I came up with a story idea that could have been shot anywhere - Mumbai, Goa or Nepal. But we decided to give it a completely different character,' he said.

In its final form, 70 percent of 'Kites', says Basu, will be in English. Audiences will also hear Hindi and Spanish on the soundtrack.

'We are readying a single version for the whole world. We will not do anything like cutting the songs out from the international version,' he adds.

Mobile phone to verify your Indian identity: Nilekani

New Delhi, Sep 26

(IANS) Move over passport and PAN card! Identity authentication at banks, gas connection centres or while providing rural jobs will just be an SMS away, Unique Identification Authority chief Nandan Nilekani said Saturday.

'Our project will provide a unique identification (UID) number, not a card. The authentication will be made by using mobile phones,' Nilekani said.

'Once the numbers are issued, we will go for online authentication. Lets say, you are asking for a job under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). The authorities will send your UID number to the designated points through mobile phone message. A message will be returned saying 'Yes' or 'No',' Nilekani said.

'The fingerprint of the person can be sent to the central database and receive the authentication within minutes. This will verify whether you are the person you are claiming to be,' the former Infosys managing director said, delivering the Foundation Day lecture of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

'This will not require much personal details to be divulged. It will help provide portability to our farmers, labourers. When they move from state to state, this UID will help them get employment without hassles.'

He said banks, mobile service providers, LPG gas connection counters and many more partner organisations can use this UID to verify their customer. 'With the growing mobile phone network, this will become an easy process for authorities to verify people.'

He said his team will roll out the first batch of UIDs in the next 12 to 18 months. 'In five years from now, we will issue at least 600 million UIDs,' he added.

'It will cut down the fake or duplicate records. This will enhance the efficiency of flagship programmes like NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme), NRHM (National Rural Health Mission) and other such projects,' Nilekani stressed.

He said later when banks or other such organisations seek to identify their possible customers, 'they will be charged to recover the cost'.

He said the Unique Identification Project (UIP) is a 'huge challenge'.

'Providing UID to 1.2 billion people is a huge challenge. There will be security issues too. I think this project is 10 times bigger than any such ongoing task in the world.'

Water on moon brings colonisation dream nearer

Washington, Sep 25

(IANS) Discovery of water on the moon by India's maiden lunar mission Chandrayaan-1 may bolster US space agency NASA's long-held goal of setting up an outpost there, a US researcher says.

One ton of the moon's surface - in which the water's ingredients are held - could yield as much as 32 ounces of water, according to three reports from research teams who studied data from three spacecraft, including Chandrayaan.

Although that amount isn't large, geological sciences professor Jack Mustard said, the findings show 'there are ways you could convert these amounts of water into higher amounts' that could support human activity.

The water was discovered in rocky environments and in craters, Mustard said. 'It's in more places and in different places than were inferred previously,' he said.

Mustard was on a team led by Carle Pieters, principal investigator for NASA's Moon Mineralogy Mapper, or M3, carried into space on Oct 22, 2008, aboard the Indian Space Research Organisation's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft.

The mapper was a 'state-of-the-art imaging spectrometer' that provided the first map of the entire lunar surface at high resolution, revealing the minerals of which it is made.

Examining data from Chandrayaan-1, Pieters' team found signs of water at the moon's frigid poles. The researchers believe it might have migrated from elsewhere on the moon's surface, attracted by the cold, they said.

Their overall findings also were confirmed by data from a high-tech spectrometer on the Cassini spacecraft - which also found evidence of water at lower latitudes away from the poles - and from infrared mapping done by the Deep Impact spacecrafts - which found trace amounts over much of the moon's surface.

Reports on those findings came from teams led by Roger Clark of the US Geological Survey and Jessica Sunshine of the University of Maryland.

This most recent information is far more precise than any previous data, Mustard said. Previous measurements were 'the size of Texas, say, and now are the size of Providence'.

'We find it (water) distributed more broadly,' he added.

In the late 1990s, scientists found pockets of hydrogen on the moon, and inferred that its molecules could bond with oxygen to make water, the professor said. He called the older information much coarser.

This time, researchers are reassured that the components are on the moon to make water because of the presence of hydroxyl - produced when hydrogen and oxygen also bond with a mineral structure.

The researchers said the results also suggest that the molecules are continually being created on the lunar surface, perhaps as a result of the solar wind - the stream of ionized particles ejected by the sun.

India look listless and disinterested: Akram

Tue, Sep 29 07:46 PM

New Delhi, Sep 29 (PTI) The Indian Team in the Champion Trophy is looking like a bunch of "disinterested" and "listless" cricketers who have their mind somewhere else, said former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram. Akram said that Mahendra Singh Dhoni''s men are looking extremely unimpressive in the ongoing eight-team tournament and they don''t look good enough to make the semifinal.

"Their (the Indian players) mind seems to be elsewhere completely," Akram told Mobile ESPN from Johannesburg after Australia scored 234 for four in 42.3 overs against India. The match was eventually called off due to downpour.

"The Indian team has been looking listless and disinterested in the proceedings at South Africa. They don''t seem to be interested in playing and seem to be going through the motions in this tournament.

I fail to understand the reason for that," Akram said. Akram was also far from amused with the performance of Indian bowlers.

"Against Pakistan, the seam bowlers bowled a bit too short with the spinners failing to curb the scoring rate or pick wickets. The story pretty much repeated itself in the game against Australia," Akram said.

Dussehra celebrated with fervour

                         

The festival of Dussehra was celebrated with enthusiasm and gaiety. The country witnessed burning of effigies of Ravana, Meghnath and Kumbhkaran. Conveying the message of victory of good over evil, the effigies were burmt during the sunset.

An effigy of demon king Ravana, is burned marking the end of Dussehra festival in Jammu, India. In northern India, the festival commemorates the victory of the Hindu god Rama over Ravana, an evil ruler who had abducted Rama's wife, Sita Devi. The burning of effigies, signifying the victory of good over evil, brings the festivities to a close.

          
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress party president Sonia Gandhi release balloons during Dussehra celebrations in New Delhi, India.

             .            
An effigy of Pakistani Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman from last year's Mumbai shooting attacks that killed 166 people is seen during Dussehra celebrations in Indore, India. Traditionally effigies of demon king Ravana, are burned during the end of the festival signifying the victory of good over evil.

                         
Youngsters shout religious slogans before burning effigies of demon king Ravana, during Dussehra festival in Jammu, India. In northern India, the festival commemorates the victory of the Hindu god Rama over Ravana, an evil ruler who had abducted Rama's wife, Sita Devi. The burning of effigies, signifying the victory of good over evil, brings the festivities to a close. 


           
An effigy of demon king Ravana, is burned marking the end of Dussehra festival in Jammu, India, Monday. In northern India, the festival commemorates the victory of the Hindu god Rama over Ravana, an evil ruler who had abducted Rama's wife, Sita Devi. The burning of effigies, signifying the victory of good over evil, brings the festivities to a close.

Nuclear programme has allowed India to "think big": PM

Tue, Sep 29 04:35 PM

Delhi, Sept 29 (PTI) Prime minister Manmohan Singh said today the country''s nuclear energy programme has allowed India to "think big" and that power from nuclear plants would reduce its over dependence on fossil fuels and combat climate change over the next decades. He also said there will be "huge opportunities for the global nuclear industry to participate" in India''s nuclear industry which is "poised for major expansion".

India sees increased power production as key to sustain its economic growth. The country currently relies on imports for about 70 per cent of its oil needs and the Planning Commission estimates that about 600 million people are not on the national grid.

Adressing an international conference on peaceful uses of atomic energy here, Singh said that 470,000 megawatts of energy could come from Indian nuclear power stations by 2050. "This will sharply reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and will be a major contribution to global efforts to combat climate change.

" The prime minister told delegates at the conference that India is looking forward to the "full and effective" implementation of the agreements it signed with the international community and their reciprocal commitments. PTI TEAM MO.

Philippines floods death toll rises to 240

Tuesday September 29, 2009, Manila

The death toll from huge floods in the Philippines has risen to 240, the government said on Tuesday, up 100 from the previous day's tally.

The sharp spike came after more than 90 deaths were recorded in the nation's capital, Manila, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said in a statement.

Tropical storm Ketsana dumped the heaviest rains in more than 40 years on Manila and neighbouring parts of Luzon Island on Saturday.

Many of the victims drowned in the floods, while others were electrocuted or killed in landslides, the council said.

Thirty-seven people remained missing today while five others were injured, according to the council.

Ketsana affected 1.87 million of the country's 92 million people, with 374,890 of them now sheltering in makeshift evacuation camps, it said.

Musharraf summoned in Bhutto murder case

Ex-Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf was served another notice to appear before a court for his alleged role in the killing of former premier Benazir Bhutto.

Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Ijaz of the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court issued the notices on Monday asking Musharraf and others to respond by the second week of November. This is the second notice served on the former Pakistani strongman, who is currently living broad, for court appearances.

Musharraf has also been asked by the Balochistan High Court to depose in the case relating to the murder of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti. The petition was filed by Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam, a former protocol officer of Bhutto who was injured when she was assassinated by a suicide bomber in December 2007.

Aslam has asked the court to issue a directive for the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Musharraf, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Babar Awan, former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, former Intelligence Bureau chief Ejaz Shah and former caretaker interior minister Hamid Nawaz Khan for alleged involvement in the "murder" of Bhutto.

The court had issued similar notices to Musharraf and the others last month, asking them to appear before the judge in person or through their lawyers. Interior Minister Rehman Malik and former Interior Secretary Kamal Shah, who were also summoned, were represented at yesterday's hearing by their counsel.

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Clinton was ready to jump on plane to stop Kargil's escalation

Tuesday September 29, 2009, New York

During the Kargil war in 1999, the then US President Bill Clinton was ready to "jump on a plane" to prevent the conflict's escalation into full fledged nuclear warfare as Pakistan had almost prepared itself to nuke India fearing military defeat, a book which hit the stores on Tuesday has claimed. Pulitzer Prize-Winning author and historian Taylor Branch claimed in his book that at the peak of Kargil warfare, Clinton told him that Pakistan sneaked its soldiers across the Line of Control as part of its strategy to escalate tension with India and thus gain international attention. "Clinton surprised me about Kashmir... He said skirmishes there were much more serious than reported," Branch writes in his 700-page book titled 'The Clinton Tapes: Wrestling History with the President'. "If they (India and Pakistan) called tonight, and said I could end this thing by flying over there, I would have no choice but to jump on the plane," Clinton was quoted as saying in the book, which is based on the secret taped conversations between Clinton and Branch. "There is no greater responsibility for me than to reduce conflicts that threaten nuclear war, and this one certainly does," Clinton said. Branch says that during one of those conversations, Clinton told him that "only four months ago, the leaders of India and Pakistan had embarked on a startling peace pilgrimage, worthy of Gandhi, riding trains and buses to meet for peace talks near their border in Punjab." They pledged jointly to end the festering dispute over Kashmir, which had triggered two of their three wars since partition in 1947, the then US President told his historian. "This new crisis snatched fear from hope, showing how swiftly politics can change. Since May, said the President, Pakistan had sneaked military units across Kashmir's de facto Line of Control into mountain redoubts as high as eighteen thousand feet to shell Indian outposts in the populated valley below," Branch writes. "Euphoria vanished, and the governments seethed with intrigue. Civilians and generals disputed each other on both sides. Elements within Pakistan had engineered the covert war to attract international mediation, hoping to realise the popular demands of Kashmir's heavy Muslim majority for independence or annexation by Pakistan," the book says quoting Clinton. "Failing mediation, Pakistan's zealots prepared nuclear attacks to stave off annihilation by India's conventional forces. India's zealots prepared nuclear attacks to preempt Pakistan, or retaliate, or defy any mandate for India to weaken its legal rule over Kashmir," Branch quoted Clinton as saying. "Clinton said the current intelligence reports detailed by far the gravest alarm of his presidency. He could not say more, even on these restricted tapes, but Kashmir was far from over as a threat," the book says.

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Delhi school stampede: Mob sets bus on fire

Tuesday September 29, 2009, New Delhi

An angry mob of around 1,500 people set a bus on fire in Delhi's Khajuri Khas area.

The protesters were demanding a CBI inquiry into the death of five girls in a stampede at a school in the area.

Ten people have been detained in connection with the violence.

The tragedy took place on the September 10 when the students had gathered to appear for an exam.

Parents of the victims have alleged that they have not received the compensation money.

PTI adds: Police used mild force to control the crowd which pelted stones and blocked the highway causing huge traffic jam and inconvenience to motorists in the area.

India announces nuclear sites for US companies

Tuesday September 29, 2009, New Delhi

In a much-awaited announcement, India on Tuesday announced the two sites where American companies will be setting up their nuclear parks.

As per the announcement, America will set up plants in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

At the conference on peaceful uses of atomic energy, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced that India will be increasing its nuclear capacity by 100 times. He further announced that India was reserving the Mithi Virdi site in Gujarat and the Kovada site in Andhra Pradesh for the Americans to set up nuclear parks.

Haripur in West Bengal has been kept aside for Russians to set up a second nuclear park after Kundankulam.

Two other sites have also been set aside for new indigenous power plants. And with this development, India has entered the nuclear age in a big way.

After pilots, 4000 doctors quit jobs over pay

Tuesday September 29, 2009, Bangalore

 

In Karnataka, four thousand government doctors

resigned en masse on Monday, despite a government plea to to defer the decision till they meet the Chief Minister on October 4.

The doctors are demanding a hike in payment and regularisation of their contracts.

"We also want time bound promotions and incentive for doctors who are working in rural and academic organisations," said H K Shyla Kumar, Treasurer of the Doctors' Association.

Patients will not be affected immediately, as the protesting doctors have agreed to serve a notice period till October 14. "From October 15, we will start practicing in private," one of the doctors said.

Meanwhile Principal Health Secretary N Perumal maintained his plea, saying. "The Chief Minister wants them not to precipitate the matter, and wait until October 4."

No incentive cuts without pilots' consent: Praful

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has clarified that the controversial incentive cuts for executive pilots have not been implemented yet.

At a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, Patel also stressed that no such decision will be taken until the issue is discussed with the concerned pilots.

Regarding Air India's future, the minister said, "The government has been considerate of Air India's problems. Our new measures will ensure the airline's turnaround within 2-3 years."

Though he admitted that dialogue with the pilots on strike had been inconclusive so far, Patel said, "I urge the pilots to end their strike and resume work at the ear

Austerity will not affect security: Pranab

Saturday September 19, 2009, Bangalore

 Despite the scepticism around it, austerity continues to be the buzzword in government circles.

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday continued his defence of the Congress' austerity drive, saying that these measures along with larger plans would result in considerable government savings. He clarified however, that austerity did not mean security of top leaders would be compromised.

"Travelling economy class might be a drop in the ocean, but measures like the cut in non-Plan expenditure to the extent of 10 per cent could amount to huge savings for the government," Pranab said, adding, "But government efforts to protect the protected (those under SPG cover) should not be diluted."

Speaking at a press conference after addressing the CII at Bangalore, Pranab refused to be drawn into the Tharoor-Twitter controversy over ministers flying economy class.

His comments came in the backdrop of Congress President Sonia Gandhi travelling the economy class while flying to Mumbai and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi giving up executive class comfort and going in a chair car seat in the Shatabdi Express to Ludhiana recently.

Yet another attack on Indians in Australia

Tuesday, Sep 15, 2009 

 

There has been another attack on Indians in Melbourne's eastern suburb of Epping. A group of about 70 youths attacked four Indians with bottles on Saturday night in a car park.

Biggest bucks for Big B

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 , India

Amitabh Bachchan will be paid Rs 126 crore for Bigg Boss 3, making him the highest paid TV presenter.

Dalit man set on fire in Madhya Pradesh

Saturday September 19, 2009, Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh

In a shocking incident, a Dalit was set on fire in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district for refusing to give in to the demands of a moneylender and his supporters.

Narayan Singh Khangaar is battling for his life. The 56-year-old Dalit farmer has nearly 60 per cent burn injuries and was set ablaze, allegedly by a moneylender and some powerful members of his village.

Two years ago, Narayan had taken a loan of Rs 70,000 from the moneylender and mortgaged his land. He repaid the loan in due course and was demanding the loan papers back from the money lender

. Narayan's wife is dead and he has no heir.

The moneylender wanted to grab Narayan's two acres of land, as villagers allege.

"Narayan had mortgaged his land and taken a loan from the money lender. Meanwhile, the moneylender refused to give back the land and got it registered in his own wife's name when Narayan reiterated his demand for getting his land back. They burnt him alive," said Govind, a village guard.

A case of attempt to murder has been registered against four people, including the moneylender; all of them are on the run. The administration

says the guilty will not get away.

Shivpuri has a notorious record of crime against Dalits. This is the third such incident in the last year, and many fear this may not be the last.

'26/11 evidence not enough for Pak courts'

Saturday September 19, 2009, Islamabad, New Delhi

 

A day after reports came in that Pakistan would arrest Hafiz Saeed, the man India believes is responsible for the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, there's a reality check.

Pakistan on Saturday reiterated that any arrest of Saeed had nothing to do with the 26/11 attacks. What's more? The evidence supplied by India linking Hafiz Saeed to the attacks is not enough.

As an example, the statement of Ajmal Kasab, the terrorist caught in Mumbai, is apparently not enough for courts in Pakistan since he cannot be cross examined in the country.

Is this Pakistan's attempt to break the current deadlock a week before the next major India-Pakistan meeting?

First, on Friday, Pakistan charged Saeed under anti-terror laws for inciting jihad domestically. And now,  in the latest response to India's latest dossier on the Mumbai attack investigations, there is no mention of charging Saeed.

"We have arrested two people after Sharm al Sheikh. And we are committed to fighting terror," said Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik.

Neither the charging of Saeed nor the reply to the dossier address India's key demand of prosecuting Saeed for his role in the Mumbai attacks.

In fact, even though Saeed can be jailed under the domestic terrorism charges, his lawyer is confident they won't stick.

And India is likely to press ahead with its demand to convict Saeed, who is believed to have masterminded the 26/11 attacks.

"We are concerned immediately with the terror attacks on Mumbai. As long as that doesn't find any place in the FIR (police case filed by Pakistan against Hafiz Mohammad Saeed), well, India certainly would request upon Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of attacks on Mumbai," said External Affairs Minister S M Krishna.

Indian and Pakistani foreign secretaries are scheduled to meet in New York next week ahead of talks between Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmud Qureshi, on the sidelines of the UN general assembly.

"Expectations are that Pakistan should focus in a meaningful manner on issue of terrorism. Been consistently stated to Pakistan side with sincerity by government of India, our expectation and hope that Pakistan will address concerns with full seriousness and full commitment so that desired outcome can be reached," said Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.

But as India insists, the dialogue process can only move forward in a violence-free atmosphere. The question is whether Pakistan's latest moves will make the difference.

FACTBOX - Biggest killers of young people worldwide

Fri, Sep 11 10:09 AM

REUTERS - The first study to look at death rates across the world for young people aged 10 to 24 years was published on Friday.

The research, conducted by an international group of experts in adolescent health and backed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), included the following key findings:

* The top ten causes of death in all 10-24 year olds, male and female combined, globally were

1) Road traffic accidents (10 percent);

2) Suicide (6.3 percent);

3) Violence (6 percent);

4) Lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia (5.9 percent);

5) Tuberculosis (5.5 percent);

6) AIDS (5.5 percent);

7) Drowning (4.1 percent);

8) Fire-related deaths (2.6 percent);

9) Meningitis (2 percent);

10) War (1.8 percent)

* For males aged 10-24 worldwide, the top five causes of death were

1) Road traffic accidents (13.9 percent);

2) Violence (9.2 percent);

3) Suicide (6.4 percent);

4) Drowning (5.3 percent);

5) Tuberculosis (5.2 percent)

* For females, aged 10-24 worldwide, the top five causes of death were

1) Lower respiratory tract infections (6.7 percent);

2) Suicide (6.2 percent);

3) AIDS (6.1 percent);

4) Tuberculosis (5.8 percent);

5) Road traffic accidents (5 percent) **

** (Note- Maternal deaths from all causes represented 15 percent of deaths, however they were divided into a number of different categories meaning that no individual maternal death category featured in the top five)

* In higher-income countries, traffic accidents caused 32 percent of deaths in males aged 10-24 years. Violence accounted for 10 percent of male mortality and suicide 15 percent.

* Relative risks for death in Africa were higher than in any other region, and nearly seven times higher than in high-income countries. (305 vs 45 deaths per 100,000)

* Males died at higher rates than females in all age groups and regions apart from Africa and southeast Asia, where the increased number of female deaths was largely from maternal mortality, with deaths from suicide, fire, AIDS, and tuberculosis also contributing.