Terror over Mumbai

November 27, 2008 at 12:11 pm (Today's Highlights)
Tags: , ,

At least 80 persons were killed and 250 injured when terrorists struck with impunity in the country’s financial capital tonight setting off coordinated multiple blasts and gunfire in a dozen areas across the metropolis including the crowded CST railway station and two five-star hotels — Oberoi and Taj. The Army was called in to assist in defusing the situation.

As indiscriminate firing and explosions at iconic landmarks showed no signs of easing since the first attack at Leopold restaurant in Colaba area at about 9.30 pm. The Army moved in while 200 NSG commandoes were rushed to Mumbai from Delhi as terrorists did not even spare hospitals like GT and Cama where gunfire was reported. The police and eyewitnesses said AK-47s, rifles and hand grenades were used at will by an unspecified number of terrorists.

Around 60 bodies and over 200 persons were injured were brought at St George’s Hospital, hospital sources said. There were reports that a foreigner and a policeman was among the killed.

Two suspected terrorists escaping in a Skoda car were gunned down after an encounter with the police in the Girgaum area. Several live bombs were also defused.

The police said terrorists were still holed up in Oberoi and Taj and commandoes entered the two luxury hotels and the encounter continued past midnight, nearly four hours after the luxury hotels were targeted. The two hotels were rocked by multiple blasts. There were at least two explosions in the dome of the Taj.

The lobby of the Oberoi hotel was ablaze. There were reports that there might be a hostage like situation. Scores of hotel guests were also evacuated. There were also reports that Marriot hotel in Juhu was also targeted.

An eyewitness said two young men dressed in jeans barged into a restaurant in the Oberoi hotel and asked for American and British passport holders. Police said in all there were seven blasts and five firing incidents as the unprecedented terror strike brought the western metropolis to its knees.

Loud blast was also heard from the terrace of the Taj hotel. Firing was also reported near the Maharashtra state Assembly building in south Mumbai.

Armed with AK-47 rifles and grenades, a couple of terrorists entered the passenger hall of CST and opened fire and threw grenades, Mumbai General Railway Police Commissioner A.K. Sharma said.

Maharashtra DGP A N Roy said tonight’s attack in “at least seven places” is a “terror strike.” The terror attack at Chhatrapathi Shivaji Terminus (CST), formerly known as the Victoria Terminus(VT), claimed 10 lives in the premises of the station alone, the police said. Three persons were killed in a bomb explosion in a taxi on Mazegaon dockyard road and an equal number were gunned down at Taj Hotel. The victims in the hotel were its employees.

The lobby of the Oberoi hotel was on fire and the hotel evacuated, eyewitnesses said. Sharma said 30 persons were injured in the CST incident

Commandoes were rushed to the CST, which wore a deserted look and train services suspended.

Some people were injured in the firing in Oberoi hotel, and taken to a nearby hospital in police vans and ambulance.

Leave a Comment

Yahoo CEO, Yang, Says to Microsoft, ‘Buy Yahoo’

November 7, 2008 at 4:30 am (Today's Highlights)
Tags: , ,

The internet portal’s co-founder and CEO Jerry Yang made the comment despite the fact Yahoo rejected a $33 (£21) a share offer from Microsoft back in May.

Mr Yang’s suggestion also came hours after Google pulled out of an internet advertising partnership with Yahoo.

“To this day the best thing for Microsoft to do is buy Yahoo,” said Mr Yang.

“I don’t think that is a bad idea at all, at the right price whatever that price is. We’re willing to sell the company,” he told a packed ballroom at the Web 2.0 summit in San Francisco.

During the on stage conversation in front of a standing-room only crowd, Mr Yang was asked why the company did not take the $33 a share offered back in the summer. The company’s share price closed Wednesday below $14 (£8.80) a share.

“They walked away from a public offering and we were ready to negotiate. We wanted to negotiate a deal. We felt we weren’t that far apart.

“At the end of the day, they withdrew and they have since been clear about not wanting to buy the company,” explained Mr Yang in a rare public appearance.

Microsoft did however come back and offer to buy the search part of Yahoo, but a deal was never struck.

Again Mr Yang said the offer then was not good enough but he still remained open to persuasion.

“As far as a search deal goes, we are open-minded about it. The last time we felt the deal was not a good one for the company but that doesn’t mean we won’t do one.”

When asked if any negotiations were pending with the software giant, Mr Yang said “There is no new news.”

Microsoft declined to comment.

And when quizzed about a possible deal with AOL, Mr Yang played coy with his host John Battelle.

“Buying AOL? I can’t talk about that, John. If I told you I would have to kill you.”

‘Disappointed’

While Yahoo is still holding the door open to Microsoft, Google closed one earlier in the day on a deal the two companies had struck up over search advertising.

After four months of scrutiny from the Department of Justice, Google decided to back out of the agreement it had made to provide advertising around the internet portal’s search results.
jerry yang

It had been estimated that the venture would have been worth around $800m (£500m) a year to Yahoo.

“Pressing ahead risked not only a protracted legal battle but also damage to relationships with valued partners,” said Google’s chief counsel David Drummond.

Mr Yang said he was “disappointed that they [Google] didn’t want to defend this deal.”

But he felt that in his mind, the government scuppered it.

“I really thought the government in this case does not understand our industry. They have a market definition that I think is too narrow and I think things like this tend to have unintended consequences for our entire industry.

“So I clearly don’t agree with what the viewpoint is, but they are the government and they can decide on these things.”

Mr Yang pointed out that the Google partnership was not crucial to its bottom line and that it was “incremental” to its overall growth plans.

Leave a Comment

OBAMA NEW US PRESIDENT

November 5, 2008 at 6:50 am (Today's Highlights)
Tags:

Washington: Democrat Barack Obama wrote his name indelibly into the pages of American history on Wednesday, engineering a social and political upheaval to become the country’s first black president-elect in a runaway victory over Republican John McCain.

The 72-year-old Arizona senator quickly called his opponent to concede defeat and congratulate his rival in the longest and most costly presidential campaign in American history.

McCain spoke graciously at an outdoor rally in Arizona, commending Obama on his victory and emphasizing that he understood its special importance to African-Americans.

“The American people have spoken, and spoken clearly,” McCain told disappointed supporters in Arizona, many who booed and growled as he called for the nation to unify behind the victor and his running mate, Joe Biden.

The 47-year-old Illinois senator, son of a white mother from Kansas and an African father from Kenya, mined a deep vein of national discontent, promising Americans hope and change throughout a nearly flawless 21-month campaign for the White House.

Obama stepped through a door opened 145 years ago when Abraham Lincoln, a fellow Illinois politician, issued the Emancipation Proclamation that freed African-Americans from enslavement in the rebellious South in the midst of a wrenching civil war.

The powerful orator lays claim to the White House on Jan. 20, only 43 years after the country enacted a law that banned the disenfranchisement of blacks in many Southern states where poll taxes and literacy tests were common at the time.

With victories in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and other battleground states, Obama built a commanding lead over McCain after surging in the polls in the midst of a national financial crisis. He and his fellow Democrats sought to link McCain to the unpopular George W. Bush.

Obama soared into the national spotlight with his electrifying speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, when he was making his first run for the Senate and polishing his message of unity in a country that was mired in partisan anger.

Democrats also were expanding their majorities in both chambers of Congress.

Cheering, screaming and waving flags, an estimated 50,000-plus Obama supporters welcomed his election in a delirious victory celebration in the senator’s hometown.

They crammed into Grant Park to be a part of something that would be remembered for generations.

The downtown Chicago park, where police fought anti-war protesters during the turbulent 1968 Democratic convention, was transformed on an unseasonably balmy night by white tents and a stage lined with American flags and hung with red, white and blue bunting.

Lighted windows in the skyscrapers lining the park added to the festive atmosphere, spelling out “USA” and “Vote 2008.”

Watching the results on a jumbo TV screen, the crowd erupted in cheers each time Obama put yet another state in his victory column.

Leave a Comment

Chocolate is good for you? Bring it on!

November 4, 2008 at 1:13 pm (What is New Today)
Tags: ,

One of the world’s greatest sweets may soon weigh down supermarket shelves following news that dark chocolate may help keep hearts purring with perfection. Researchers in Italy have found that eating half a bar each week can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The epidemiological study, one of the biggest in Europe, found that 6.7 grams of chocolate each day have the potential to keep inflammation at bay and prevent heart disease.

The Moli-Sani project researchers paid particular attention to the complex mechanism of inflammation. Most experts agree that chronic inflammation wreaks havoc on the human body, and the heart in particular. Pain, swelling and irritation could trigger a number of disorders including stroke and myocardial infarction.

According to the researchers, prevention programmes have been devised to keep the inflammation process under control and C reactive protein (CRP) is one of the most promising markers. CRP is used by scientists not only as a marker for inflammation, but it can also be used in determining the progress of disease or the effectiveness of treatments. Scientists can detect CRP via a simple blood test, they added.

For this project, the team related the protein levels in the blood of the study participants with their typical chocolate intake. Out of a random sample size of 11 000 people, 4 849 were healthy and disease risk-free. Their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, among others, were normal. Also, up to 1 317 people were not regular chocolate eaters, while 824 consumed only dark chocolate regularly.

‘We started from the hypothesis that high amounts of antioxidants contained in the cocoa seeds, in particular flavonoids and other kinds of polyphenols, might have beneficial effects on the inflammatory state,’ explained Dr Romina di Giuseppe, lead author of the study. ‘Our results have been absolutely encouraging; people having moderate amounts of dark chocolate regularly have significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein in their blood,’ she said. ‘In other words, their inflammatory state is considerably reduced.’

While some people may think the 17% average drop in inflammation is not significant, ‘it is enough to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease for one third in women and one fourth in men’, she added. ‘It is undoubtedly a remarkable outcome.’

This doesn’t mean that people should go out and buy hoards of chocolate. ‘We are talking of a moderate consumption,’ the researcher said. Best effects are brought on when people consume an average amount of 6.7 grams of chocolate each day. ‘This corresponds to a small square of chocolate twice or three times a week.’ Consumption topping this level would erase the beneficial effects of chocolate, she remarked.

Chocolate bars typically weigh in at 100 grams, so the team believes that half of this each week is good for you.

The researchers focused on dark chocolate because they found that in previous studies milk chocolate interferes in the absorption of polyphenols. ‘That is why our study considered just the dark chocolate,’ Dr di Giuseppe said.

The researchers pointed out that other factors might also be involved because people who generally adore chocolate, also consume other healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables. ‘In order to avoid this, we adjusted for all possible confounding parameters. But the beneficial effect of chocolate still remained and we do believe it is real,’ the lead author said.
28_10_08_small
Project coordinator Professor Licia Iacoviello said, ‘This study is the first scientific outcome published from the Moli-Sani project.’ The Catholic University professor said this latest finding is just the ‘beginning of a large series of data that will give us an innovative view’ on how to prevent cardiovascular disease and tumours.

Leave a Comment

Historical warship under threat

November 4, 2008 at 1:09 pm (History)

In the 17th century the kingdom of Sweden embarked on the construction of the most expensive and ornamented warship of its time. Taking three years to build, it involved the work of carpenters and sail-makers, as well as sculptures and painters to work on carving and painting the intricate woodwork motifs and decorations that adorn this ship. Unfortunately the ship sank on its maiden voyage. The king’s misfortune however turned out to be our good fortune as it has been a vital resource for historians, giving us valuable insight into the times. Now the royal warship Vasa is facing a battle for its life as it is under threat from its own iron armoury.

The famous ship Vasa was the most extravagantly furbished ship of its time

Since early 2000, scientists have noticed certain changes taking place in the wood of the ship: changes that threaten the very stability and life of the ship. Now a team of experts working on Vasa have been able to identify the culprit that was threatening the ship: iron.

On August 10, 1628, Vasa, built for King Gustav Adolphus of Sweden set sail on her maiden voyage. At the time of her construction she was a feat of military engineering; while not the largest ship ever built she was the most powerful, boasting the capability of firing the most destructive broadside ever. However, her guns were never fired as she sank less than one nautical mile into her maiden voyage, after encountering her first gust of wind in the open sea. Early attempts to raise the ship floundered, after which the ship’s location was forgotten.

It wasn’t until the 1950s that the ship was once again relocated and eventually raised to the surface in 1959. At the time it was a major challenge for archaeologists to preserve the ship. Experts recognise that the wooden hull of the Vasa had been seriously affected during its exposure to the biological and chemical processes under water, from the time of its sinking in 1628 to 1961 when it was raised. Again there were some adverse affects noticed during its conservation period between 1962 and 1989, and subsequently in its modern museum setting.

Scientists first noticed something going wrong during a particularly humid summer back in 2000. It was during this season that white and yellow precipitates were discovered on the ship. These deposits turned out to be acidic sulphur and iron compounds, and it was concluded that sulphur in the wood had been converted into sulphuric acid. This spurred further investigation into the cause of the deterioration.

At first scientists thought that the conversion of sulphur to sulphuric acid was causing the deterioration of the wood. Now however, the most likely culprit is the iron from the ship’s rusted bolts and cannonballs.

A source of sulphur comes from the degradation of Stockholm’s un-purified sewage on the oxygen-free bottom, while the iron primarily comes from the bolts that held together the hull and other iron objects onboard, such as cannonballs. This is the conclusion of research conducted by Gunnar Almkvist and his colleagues. Together they completed a thorough examination of the chemical degradation processes in the wood.

Currently the most serious problem is that the level of degradation in the wood has also affected the conservation agent that protects the ship. During its long history, Vasa has also suffered at the hands of humans.

Leave a Comment

4 November United States presidential election

November 4, 2008 at 12:58 pm (Today's Highlights)
Tags: , ,

The United States presidential election of 2008, scheduled for Tuesday November 4, 2008, is the 56th consecutive quadrennial United States presidential election and will select the President and the Vice President of the United States.

The Republican Party have nominated John McCain, the senior United States Senator from Arizona as its nominee; the Democratic Party have nominated Barack Obama, the junior United States Senator from Illinois, as its nominee. The Libertarian Party had nominated former Congressman Bob Barr, the Constitution Party has nominated pastor and radio talk show host Chuck Baldwin, and the Green Party has nominated former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. Ralph Nader declined to seek the Green Party nomination and is running as an independent candidate.

The 2008 election is the first time in U.S. history that two sitting senators are running against each other for president and the first time an African American is a presidential nominee for a major party, as well as the first time both major candidates were born outside the continental United States—Hawaii for Obama and the Panama Canal Zone for McCain. Since the Republican nominee for vice-president is a woman, Governor Sarah Heath Palin, the eventual winning ticket is very likely to be historic, as neither an African American nor a female has achieved either office. In addition, the Republican presidential candidate, John McCain, would be the oldest first-term president and the Democratic nominee for vice-president, Senator Joseph Biden, would be the first Roman Catholic vice president.

Barack Obama

John McCain

The election will coincide with the 2008 Senate elections in thirty-three states, House of Representatives elections in all states, and gubernatorial elections in eleven states, as well as various state referenda and local elections. As in the 2004 presidential election, the allocation of electoral votes to each state will be based partly on the 2000 Census. The president-elect and vice president-elect are scheduled to be inaugurated on January 20, 2009.

Leave a Comment