Prime Minister Addresses Students and Faculty of IIT, Guwahati
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh visited TCS Centre and addressed the students and faculty members of IIT Guwahati in Assam today. Following is the text of the Prime Minister’s address on the occasion : I believe it was Sir Winston Churchill who once said that empires of the future are going to be the empires of the mind. And whenever I visit the institutions of higher level such as the I..
Country Shocked as Maoists Kill Hindu Sages in Orissa
<b>L.K. Advani:</b> I am shocked to know that Swami Laxmananda Saraswati, a revered Hindu religious leader working for the welfare of tribals in Orissa, and four others, including a woman sanyasin, were killed last night at a village in Kandmahal district. I share the outrage of the people of Orissa over this dastardly crime. Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati was a selfless Hindu seer wh..
UN calls for probe into reports of Afghan civilian casualties in military operation
23 August 2008 – The top United Nations official in Afghanistan today called for a thorough investigation of reports that large numbers of civilians were killed during an international military operation in the far west of the country. Kai Eide, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, issued a statement in which he said he had learned late last night that civilians may have been ki..
Top UN envoy concludes latest visit to Myanmar
23 August 2008 – The senior United Nations envoy to Myanmar today wrapped up his six-day visit to the Asian country by meeting with senior members of the Government and the diplomatic corps. Ibrahim Gambari, the Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Myanmar, held open and extensive meetings with Prime Minister Thein Sein, according to a statement issued in Yangon, the country's bigge..
Somalia: UN envoy condemns deadly violence in port city
23 August 2008 – The top United Nations envoy to Somalia today deplored this week's outbreak of deadly violence that has engulfed the southern port city of Kismayo and displaced thousands of people from the area. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the UN Special Representative for Somalia, said in a statement that the fighting in Kismayo – which has led to the deaths of many civilians – was aimed at c..
Deadly flooding in southern Chadian town prompts UN aid assistance
23 August 2008 – United Nations officials are working alongside local authorities in southern Chad to provide humanitarian assistance after flooding in and around the town of Sarh has left more than 10,000 people homeless. Three people are reportedly dead after their homes collapsed and an estimated 30,000 others have been affected by the floods, which followed nearly a month of torrential rain..
Top UN official calls for greater effort to end contemporary forms of slavery
Marking the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization (UNESCO) chief today appealed to Member States to renew efforts to end all forms of oppression. “While we should never forget the atrocities committed in the past, we should be equally vigilant in seeking to abolish the contemporary forms of s..
Five years after Baghdad attack, UN remembers some of its ‘best and bravest’
The United Nations today honoured those killed and injured in the terrorist attack on the world body’s headquarters in Baghdad five years ago, at a solemn ceremony in New York that included a classical music piece composed in memory of the fallen. The bombing of the Canal Hotel in Baghdad on 19 August 2003 claimed the lives of 22, including the top UN envoy in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and ..
Deadly Algerian bombing sparks outrage from Security Council
The Security Council has strongly condemned today’s suicide bombing at a gendarmerie training academy in Algeria that has left dozens of people dead and injured many more. Offering their condolences to the victims “of this heinous act of terrorism,” Council members issued a presidential statement stressing the need to bring the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of the bombing to justice. ..
Georgian peace accord must be fully implemented, Security Council hears
The full implementation of the principles enshrined in last week’s peace plan that ended fighting in Georgia remains the best way to defuse tensions, find a lasting solution to the conflict and allow humanitarian assistance to those in need, the top United Nations political official told the Security Council today. Briefing Council members at an open meeting, B. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-Gen..
Security Council lauds Timor-Leste's response to assassination attempts
The Security Council today commended Timor-Leste’s Government and public institutions for their quick and effective response in the wake of the February attempts on the lives of the leaders of the tiny nation that the United Nations helped shepherd to independence in 2002. In a statement read out by Ambassador Jan Grauls of Belgium, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, the 15..
Haiti: UN mission alarmed as another child kidnapping victim is killed
Officials with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti have voiced alarm at the continuing spate of kidnappings of children in the impoverished country, days after abductors killed a boy apparently because his family could not pay the ransom. The body of the 12-year-old boy was found in Grande Ravine on Saturday, four days after he had been kidnapped, the mission (known as MINUSTAH) re..
Arundhati Roy: "Kashmir should be free, India must be broken up"
“India needs azadi from Kashmir as much as Kashmir needs azadi from India.” were the words of an award winning author. She was admired by an entire nation, we loved her, we wished her well and we cherished her success. She was one of us, until Monday the 18th of August 2008. She went over to Srinagar. Protested and waved Pakistani flags. Supported those who butchered 15,000 Indian Kashmiri Pand..
Hypocritical Hurriyat Calls for Western Forces to Occupy Kashmir
Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman of the pro terrorists, pro jihad faction of the All Party Hurriyat Conference, on Tuesday demanded the immediate occupation of Kashmir Valley by Western Forces. Addressing a gathering of people at Srinagar's Tourists Reception Centre Grounds along with fellow leaders Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Shabbir Shah and Yasin Malik, Geelani laid down three immediate demands: ..
Wind Energy Potential in India 45000MW; Only 19.5 per cent Harnessed
The wind-power potential in the country is 45000MW. The present production is 8760MW where as the Government has decided the target for 11th plan at 10500 MW. The Government has initiated new scheme of Generation Based Initiative (GBI) scheme for wind power generation. The objective of the scheme is to attract new and large independent power producers to wind sector. The GBI would be paid only ..
Men's 1500m Freestyle: Mellouli gold shatters Hackett dream
Australian Grant Hackett's bid for a record third consecutive Olympic title in the Men's 1500m Freestyle fell apart as Tunisian Oussama Mellouli proved faster than the Australian on Sunday, at the National Aquatics Center. Mellouli's time for the gold medal of 14:40.84 was an African record. Against the expectations of many, he stuck with the two fastest qualifiers, Hackett an..
Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay: Australia smashes world record for gold
The Australian Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay team made up for some disappointing performances on the last few days of competition at the National Aquatics Center to break the world record and take the gold medal on Sunday, the final day of swimming competition. As the defending Olympic champions, world champions, world record holders and fastest qualifiers for the final they proved their c..
Michael Phelps Wins 8 Gold Medals - U.S. Takes Gold in Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay
U.S. takes gold in the Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay giving Michael Phelps his 8th Gold Medal at Olympics 2008 making him undoubtedly the greatest Olympian of all time and the best swimmers in history as he broke the three decade old Spitz record. Phelps now has 14 Olympic Golds, the highest ever. Needless to say, the World Record was broken. During the relay the American team took the ea..
Olympics Day 9 Preview: Phelps goes for record gold
Day nine is the busiest day of the Beijing Olympic Games schedule, with no less than 39 medals at stake, involving some of the biggest names in sports. It also promises to be a fairly emotional day as the Olympic Movement says goodbye to some its valued friends. First up, and we make no apology for leading with him this time, we start with someone who is definitely at the top his game -- swimm..
Is Congress Serious About Fighting Terror and Protecting Indians Wonders BJP
Statement by L.K. Advani: I heartily congratulate the Government of Gujarat, and the state police in particular, for the important breakthrough they have achieved in busting a pan-India terrorist network responsible for the serial bomb blasts in Ahmedabad and other cities in the country. The arrest of 10 people, including Mufti Abu Bashir, who is described as the mastermind of the terror network, ..
Djokovic wins Men's Singles bronze medal
World No. 3 Novak Djokovic of Serbia won the second medal of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games for Serbia with a 6-3, 7-6(4) win over James Blake of the United States at the Olympic Green Tennis Center on Saturday, August 16. Djokovic, the first medalist to be decided at the Tennis venue, joins compatriot Milorad Cavic, who was just edged out of the gold medal in the 100m butterfly by Michael Phel..
Defense carries China to quarterfinals
fter an ugly but exciting fight, China secured a quarterfinal spot by beating Germany 59-55 in their group B clash on August 16. Before the match, Germany sat in fourth place in the group with four points. China had the same number of points, but ranked fifth, due to a worse record. The United States, Spain and Greece are the top three teams with six points each. The rules for group matches are..
Usain Bolt the world's fastest man ever
Usain Bolt of Jamaica has won the Men's 100m gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in a world record time of 9.69 seconds. Silver medalist Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago ran a time of 9.89 seconds, leaving American Walter Dix to take the bronze in a time of 9.91 seconds. The 21-year-old broke his own world record of 9.72 seconds, which he set in June this year. The Olymp..
Hurriyat Conference Lies to Kashmiris; Shortage Created by Pro Pakistan Hurriyat for Political Gains
For the last several days there have been reports in the media, and statements attributed to various people, particularly in J&K that on account of the alleged “economic blockade” of the Kashmir Valley, the route to Muzaffarabad, across the Line of Control (LoC), should be opened for trade. Particular emphasis has been given in this context to the transportation of fruits from the Kashmir Vall..
Iran to launch its first satellite by next weekend: Ahmadinejad
Iran will launch its first satellite in the nearest few days, the country's president said on Saturday. "The first satellite created by Iranian specialists will be orbited by an Iranian carrier rocket before the end of the next week," Iranian media quoted Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying. He added that economic sanctions imposed by the United States against the Islamic Republic had a &..
Russian troops prevent arms smuggling to South Ossetia
Russian troops detained two cars carrying ammunition via a humanitarian channel into the Georgian breakaway republic of South Ossetia, a senior Russian military official said Saturday. Col. Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of the Russian General Staff, said that on Friday afternoon Russian troops stopped two cars with civilian and military people. "A gun shot erupted during the inspec..
Russia Concerned as Ukraine seeks integration into European missile defense
Ukraine may integrate its early warning missile system with Europe or propose other countries use its missile defense capabilities, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Saturday. Earlier in the year Russia and Ukraine had withdrawn from an agreement on Moscow's renting radar sites in Ukraine. The agreement, signed in 1992, defined the main principles for using early-warning missile systems lo..
Raytheon to bid for Geosynchronous Augmented Navigation System (GAGAN) Project
U.S. defence major Raytheon would make a bid for a satellite-based navigation system for the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Raytheon along with its Indian partners would bid for the system with its Geosynchronous Augmented Navigation System (GAGAN) project, company's vice president for Airspace Management and Homeland Security Andy Zogg said i..
Ahmedabad Terror Attack Case Cracked: Mufti Abu Bashir, Nine Other SIMI Terrorists Arrested
Cracking the Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts that killed 55 persons, Gujarat police on Saturday arrested its mastermind Mufti Abu Bashir and nine others and said that the network of SIMI was behind the explosions. "We believe that the network of SIMI was behind the blasts. Indian Mujahideen, which claimed the responsibility of the blasts, is connected to SIMI," Gujarat DGP P C Pande told me..
Gay fails to qualify for 100m final
The National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, will be the scene for the biggest race of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the sprint to see who will be crowned the world's fastest man. Tonight's semifinals saw a massive upset with one of the pre-race favorites, Tyson Gay, failing to qualify by 0.02 seconds. Usain Bolt will go into tonight's final as the competitor to beat, a..
