Syria rebel infighting kills 3,300 people this year – group

Around 3,300 people have been killed in fighting between rebel factions trying to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad since the start of the year, Reuters said, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Al-Qaeda splinter group, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), has been caught up in clashes with other insurgents in Syria, including Al-Qaeda's official Syria branch, the Nusra Front, the group said Wednesday. The fighting started over power struggles and territorial disputes.

13:23

Jordan’s parliament votes to expel Israeli ambassador

Jordan’s parliament has voted unanimously to expel the Israeli ambassador and recall its own envoy to Israel, AP reported. The move came after Israeli lawmakers debated whether to take over a Jerusalem holy site administered by Jordanians. The debate, initiated Tuesday by the Likud party's Moshe Feiglin, considered a proposal for the state of Israel to wrest control of Muslim holy shrines from Jordan, but the debate ended without a vote. No action regarding the Jordanian parliament's vote is expected before the outcome of the Israeli Knesset debate, a Jordanian Cabinet official said.

12:19

Italian navy rescues 600 migrants from 6 boats

The Italian navy said on Wednesday it had rescued nearly 600 migrants crossing the Mediterranean from Africa over the past 24 hours, AFP reported. “The Navy has rescued 596 migrants on six vessels,” including three rubber dinghies, it said. Operation Mare Nostrum (Our Sea) was launched after more than 400 migrants from Eritrea and Syria perished in twin tragedies off Italian shores in October 2013.

11:24

Egypt sentences 26 people in absentia to death for plotting Suez Canal attack

An Egyptian court sentenced 26 people to death on Wednesday for plotting attacks on ships passing through the Suez Canal, Reuters said, citing judicial sources. The defendants were tried in absentia.

10:30

Turkey govt tightens grip on judiciary

Turkish President Abdullah Gul approved a law boosting government control over the appointment of judges and prosecutors on Wednesday, Reuters said. Gul said he had warned the justice minister about 15 points which he regarded as anti-constitutional. The president said these elements had been addressed in revisions to the draft. The Constitutional Court will assess “the other articles of the law which are subject to pro and con arguments,” he said. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Erdogan accused his enemies on Tuesday of hacking encrypted state communications to fake his phone conversations.

10:16

Hezbollah says it will respond to Israeli air strike

Hezbollah will respond to an Israeli air strike that hit one of its bases Monday night, the militant group said Wednesday. “The new aggression is a blatant assault on Lebanon and its sovereignty and its territory,” according to a statement on Hezbollah run Al-Manar television. Hezbollah “will choose the time and place and the proper way to respond to it,” the group said, adding that the strike hit the Lebanese-Syrian border near the Bekaa Valley village of Janta. Israel has not confirmed the strike, Reuters said.

09:20

Turkish FM Davutoglu says world has failed Syria, conflict is ‘threat to all’

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said Syria's worsening war poses a threat to the whole world. International strategy including “real intelligence cooperation” and withdrawal of all foreign fighters is needed to end the conflict, he told Reuters. Syria is becoming a risk for all European countries as well, “because of the presence of these terrorist groups based on the power vacuum and because of the totalitarian and autocratic nature of the regime,” he said.

08:49

Greek workers strike over Piraeus Port Authority privatization plans

Greek dock workers have started a 24-hour strike to protest plans to sell stakes in the Piraeus Port Authority, AP said. Wednesday's strike over the country's largest port is expected to affect ports across the country. Dock workers were also planning a protest rally and demonstration in Athens. Privatizing state-held assets is a critical part of Greece's international bailout agreement.

07:33

2 Indian Navy sailors missing, 7 hospitalized after submarine incident

Two Indian navy sailors were missing and seven others hospitalized Wednesday after being overcome by smoke on board a diesel-powered submarine, AP reported. The sailors were overcome by the smoke during a firefighting exercise off Mumbai’s coast, according to Capt. DK Sharma, a navy spokesman. A naval helicopter took seven of the sailors to a navy hospital in Mumbai, but two others were unaccounted for. The submarine did not suffer any damage and was heading back to the Mumbai dockyard.

06:35

Japan may relax arms export ban – report

Japan's ruling party wants to loosen self-imposed rules banning arms exports in a bid to boost the country's defense capability, AFP said, citing a report published Wednesday. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has submitted a draft proposal for his cabinet to approve next month. The measure would allow Tokyo to supply weaponry to countries near to strategic sea lanes to help them fight piracy, Kyodo News reported. Lifting the arms export ban could mark a major shift from Japan’s traditional pacifist stance and is likely to irritate China, with whom Japan is disputing ownership of several islands in the sea between the two nations.

News around world

27022014

US prepares for total troop pullout from Afghanistan after 2014

US President Barack Obama has instructed the Pentagon to acknowledge the likelihood that there will be no US troops remaining in Afghanistan after the year is over.  According to Obama’s order, the Pentagon should “ensure that it has adequate plans in place to accomplish an orderly withdrawal by the end of the year should the United States not keep any troops in Afghanistan after 2014,” the White House said in a statement seen by Reuters. The message was also delivered to Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, who has shied away from signing a much-debated bilateral security agreement that would allow the US to keep troops in the country for training and anti-terror purposes.

Suicide car bomb in Afghanistan kills 7

Seven people have been killed and a further 42 injured in a suicide car bombing at a busy restaurant in southern Afghanistan. The blast occurred Tuesday evening, and the death toll could rise due to the severity of the casualties, Gen. Matiullah Khan, police chief of Uruzgan province, told AP. No terrorist organization or militant group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Turkey’s Erdogan calls tapes of talk with son ‘fabrication’

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused political enemies of fabricating an audiotape of him telling his son to dispose of large sums of money. After the 11-minute tape emerged on YouTube, Erdogan said his political enemies had penetrated encrypted state communications, referring to a network run by former ally, Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, Reuters reported. “The people don’t believe these lies,” Erdogan told the parliament. Opinion polls taken earlier show Erdogan’s popularity was little affected by the corruption scandal which broke on December 17 after the detention of businessmen close to him and three ministers’ sons.

Egypt’s housing minister Mahlab tapped to become new PM – reports

Egypt’s outgoing housing minister, Ibrahim Mahlab, told state-run Al-Ahram newspaper Tuesday that he had been asked to form a new government. Mahlab is a civil engineer who was an official in deposed President Hosni Mubarak’s National Democratic Party, Reuters reported. Army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is expected to run for the presidency, was the defense minister in the country’s government that resigned Monday.

Opposition activist Navalny sentenced to 7 days in prison for Moscow protest

Russian opposition activist Aleksey Navalny was sentenced Tuesday to seven days in prison after participating in a protest in Moscow. A court convicted him for resisting police orders during a protest Monday near Red Square over the trial of protesters accused of rioting on Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square on May 6, 2012. Police said 420 out of about 500 demonstrators were detained. Boris Nemtsov, a leader of the RPR-Parnas liberal party and a deputy in the Yaroslavl Region parliament, was sentenced to 10 days in prison.

Iraq attacks kill 7 security personnel

Attacks in Iraq killed seven soldiers and police Tuesday, AFP reported, citing officials. A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-rigged vehicle near the provincial council headquarters in Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province. Three soldiers were killed and at least four wounded. In a village west of Baiji, a town north of Baghdad, gunmen attacked a police checkpoint, killing four police and wounding three more. The attacks came a day after violence in the country killed 35 people.

20 grenades explode at rally stage in Bangkok’s Lumpini, 3 injured

Three people were reportedly slightly injured when the anti-government rally stage in Lumpini Park was attacked for three hours shortly after midnight. About 20 grenades were used in the area, the Bangkok Post said. The People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) guards reportedly caught a suspect.

Germany sees Iran as ‘potential threat’ to Europe – Merkel

Germany views Iran as a potential threat not just to Israel, but “as a general threat for Europe as well,” Reuters quoted Chancellor Angela Merkel as saying on Tuesday. Germany would pursue international talks with Iran on its nuclear activities, she said at a news conference with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Merkel, in Israel for joint consultations, added that that boycotts of Israeli products were not helpful for the peace process.

Nigerian militants kill 43 in boarding school attack – reports

Gunmen from Islamist group Boko Haram stormed a boarding school in northeast Nigeria overnight and killed 43 people, at least 29 kids among them. Many of whom died in flames as the school was burned to the ground, police and the military said on Tuesday. All those killed at the Federal Government college of Buni Yadi, a secondary school in Yobe state, near the state’s capital city of Damaturu, were boys, police Commissioner Sanusi Rufai said. Boko Haram’s name means “Western education is sinful” in the northern Hausa language. The sect has frequently attacked schools in the past.

4 Britons arrested, suspected of Syria terrorism offences

Police have arrested four UK nationals from the Birmingham area on Tuesday on terrorism charges related to Syria, Reuters reported. One of them, a 45-year-old man, is suspected of attending a terrorist training camp and facilitating terrorism overseas, according to the West Midlands police.

Turkish opposition party demands investigation into PM Erdogan over audio recordings

A Turkish opposition party leader on Tuesday called on the country’s prosecutors to launch an investigation into Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan over alleged corruption. The previous day, audio recordings were published, purportedly of Erdogan ordering his son to dispose of vast amounts of cash amid a graft probe, AP said. Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the far-right Nationalist Action Party, on Tuesday urged prosecutors and other judicial bodies to intervene. The main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party, at an emergency meeting late Monday called on Erdogan to resign, saying the government had lost its legitimacy.

Police fire bullets in clashes with anti-India protesters in Kashmir

Police fired bullets and tear gas as hundreds of pro-independence villagers tried to storm a police station in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Tuesday, AP reported. One protester was shot and wounded, police said. Government forces reportedly killed seven suspected rebels in the disputed region a day ago. The crowd shouted pro-independence slogans and demanded that authorities identify the suspected rebels and hand over their bodies for burial, according to officials.

Philippines summons China’s top envoy over water cannon attack in South China Sea

The Philippines government summoned China’s top envoy in Manila on Tuesday to protest what it said was the firing of a water cannon by a Chinese government vessel to drive away Filipino fishermen. The incident took place on January 27 at Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground claimed by China and the Philippines, AP reported. The shoal came under Chinese control after Philippine vessels backed off from a tense standoff with Chinese ships in the area in 2012.

UN to adopt sanctions against Yemen ‘obstructionists’

The UN Security Council is set to adopt a resolution ordering sanctions against figures seeking to undermine Yemen’s state-building drive, AFP reported, citing diplomats. Sanctions would be aimed at those who are found to be “obstructing or undermining the successful completion of the political transition” in Yemen. The measures will also concern those who commit “attacks on essential infrastructure or acts of terrorism” and who violate human rights and international humanitarian law. The draft resolution hits offenders with a travel ban and an asset freeze “for an initial period of one year.”

​N. Korean patrol ship violates sea border – S. Korea

A North Korean patrol ship has violated the Northern Limit Line (NLL), a de facto maritime border with South Korea, several times on Monday night, according to Seoul’s Defense Ministry. The vessel sailed to a location about 23.4km west of South Korea’s Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea at around 10:46pm local time (13:46 GMT). However, after repeated South Korean military warnings, the ship retreated, added the ministry. The incident comes on the same day joint annual US-South Korea military exercises began.

Monday, February 24, 2014

An adorable "focus group" Let's Move! -- First Lady Michelle Obama's initiative to end childhood obesity within a generation -- just turned 4. We're celebrating all week, and we want you to join us. The First Lady wants you to share how you're moving by using the hashtag #LetsMove on social media to share a photo of your favorite activity or healthy snack. If enough people get involved, President Obama and Vice President Biden will share how they get moving, too. To kick off this anniversary week, First Lady Michelle Obama and comedian Will Ferrell held a "focus group" with young kids to talk about how they eat healthy and get active. Frankly, it was adorable. And there's more great stuff coming all this week. Watch the video -- then make sure you're signed up for Let's Move! updates. Stay Connected     Facebook Twitter YouTube Flickr Google+

Modi, Chief Minister, Gujarat to inaugurate All India Traders Convention

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) is holding an All India Traders Convention on 27th and 28th February, 2014 at New Delhi. Trade Leaders from about 1500 Trade Associations and Federations across the Country shall be attending the Convention and will decide future strategy on various issues concerning trade including role of trading community in forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections.

The two days Convention will be inaugurated by Shri Narendra Modi, Chief Minister, Gujarat on Thursday, the 27th February, 2014 at 10.00 am at Siri Fort Auditorium, Asiad Village Complex, Siri Fort Road, New Delhi. Senior leaders of other various prominent political parties will also be attending the Convention in different sessions during both days.

A detailed agenda of both days of the Convention is attached herewith for your kind reference.

Usha International partners with All India Cricket Association for the Deaf for the first USHA Deaf India Premier League 2014

Jalandhar, February 25, 2014: Usha International for the last 25 years has always been committed to help improve the quality of life by supporting and sponsoring sporting initiatives across the country. Taking the commitment to the next level, the company has partnered with the All India Cricket Association for the Deaf (AICAD) and Deaf Cricket Federation, Punjab for the inaugural edition of the USHA DEAF IPL.

Usha Deaf IPL will be a three day tournament and will be played in the T20 format. It is slated to kick-off on February 26^th, 2014 at the Punjab Armed Police Sports Complex, Jalandhar. A total of six teams and players from 18 states will vie for the tag of the ‘first champions of the USHA DEAF IPL’ post the final match, which will be played on February 28, 2014. The teams will assemble for a practice session a day prior to the tournament kick-off.  This is an open tournament with no age limit for the players.

Commenting on their latest initiative towards promoting the cause of health and fitness, Ms. Komal Mehra, Events Consultant at Usha International said, “Usha international is proud to be associated with such a wonderful endeavour. It is very heartening to see the differently-abled people rise above their disability and compete in such a national level tournament.”

The names of the team participating in the Usha Deaf IPL are Satluj XI (Captain: Gurdeep Singh), Raavi XI (Captain: Rohit Saini), Chenab XI (Captain: Manjeet Singh), Beas XI (Captain: Ancil Pinto), Jhelum XI (Captain: V. Rathhod) and Silent Warriors (Captain: Survjyoti Sur). Many of these players have also represented India as part of the Indian Deaf cricket team.

A total of 10 matches have been scheduled with the first day itself witnessing three matches post the inauguration ceremony, to be held on the morning of February 26^th, 2014. Day two will see a total of six matches spread over the entire day, while the final match and the prize distribution and closing ceremonies are slated for the last day of the tournament. The umpires for the tournament shall be provided by the Jalandhar District Cricket Association which is the District Association of Punjab Cricket Association. BJP Punjab disabled cell is also actively supporting this event in every possible way.

Vienna, world’s most livable city, hosts 5.8 Mn tourists in 2013
Looks to double Indian tourists by 2020

Mumbai Vienna February 25, 2014

Vienna, ranked the world’s most livable city for the fifth consecutive year, played host to record 5.8 million tourists in 2013, 4.1% more than in 2012. This represents a new all-time high for the city.

Vienna, the city of music and green parks, set yet another record with 12.7 million visitor overnight stays, a growth of 3.7% from 2012.

"The increase in overnight stays reflects Vienna attractiveness for visitors across the globe,” says Norbert Kettner, director of the Vienna Tourist Board.

The historic center of Vienna has been added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list. Vienna is home to about 2,000 coffee houses, with many of the traditional ones in the old city center. The Vienna State Opera offers over 50 operas and ballet works amounting to 300 days per season.

"The profile of the tourist arrivals in Vienna's mirrors the global economic situation, as we have seen a strong increase from emerging -- particularly Asian -- regions,” adds Kettner.

Tourists from Germany, Austria, Russia, the US and Italy visit the city in the largest numbers. The city beckons honeymooners, conference attendees and young tourists from India. The numbers of Indian tourists have doubled in the last 6 years. Vienna offers special packages for young Indian tourists through a tie up with travel company Thomas Cook.

Vienna continued to be one of the world's top congress metropolises with the International Congress and Convention Association ranking the Austrian capital as World’s No. 1 congress city for the eighth time in succession. Vienna hosts nearly 200 international conferences in a year. To meet the growing demand for accommodation Vienna city added 3,450 beds in 2013 to take the total to nearly 59,000 beds.

Vienna has 850 parks (280 of them Imperial) and 1,730 acres of vineyards, in addition to 1,716 bridges. Vienna is the world’s only metropolis that grows a significant number of vineyards within its city limits. Homely taverns serve delicacies and wine. Vineyard tours allow a first-hand experience of vineyards and wine cellars

Vienna voted the world’s most livable city by Mercer
Vienna was named the world’s most livable city by global consulting firm Mercer in the third week of February 2014. Mercer’s annual quality of life survey that covers 223 major cities saw Vienna bag the title of the world’s most livable city for the fifth year in a row. Zurich took second place, followed by Auckland.

Munich is in fourth place, followed by Vancouver, which is also the highest-ranking city in North America. Ranking 25 globally, Singapore is the highest-ranking Asian city, whereas Dubai (73) ranks first across Middle East and Africa.

The Mercer study looked at a range of factors including the political, social and economic environment, medical services, education, and infrastructure facilities including public transportation, power and water utilities. Leisure facilities such as restaurants, theaters, cinemas, sports facilities, availability of consumer goods ranging from food to automobiles, and environmental factors including green space and air quality were also taken into consideration.

One of the best ways of enjoying a city is to experience its culture. Probably no other place exemplifies this better than Vienna.

Notwithstanding the fact that Vienna is located in the heart of Europe, it ranks among the world's safest cities. It’s against this backdrop that the place comes across as being artistically alive. The legacy of Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss lives on, as Vienna hosts over 15,000 concerts annually.

Those with nimble feet can enjoy themselves at the City of Waltzes, another name for Vienna. Each year more than 450 balls take place here, and the three-quarter rhythm is supplemented by more contemporary sounds, offering enjoyable dancing for everyone.

Notes to the Editors:
Indian visitors usually cover Vienna, Budapest and Prague, the three major cities of the former Habsburg Empire known as the ‘Golden Triangle,’ by availing a common Schengen visa.

A Schengen Visa that allows Indians to visit Vienna can be obtained through VFS Offices for Austria conveniently located in New Delhi, Jalandhar, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

An eight-hour direct flight connects Delhi with Vienna six times a week, operated by Austrian Airlines, which has a code share agreement with Air India. Mumbai and other Indian major cities are conveniently connected to Vienna by a one-stop connection on many international carriers.

Around 1,000 photos for editorial use are available for free download at www.viennaphoto.com. To register, please click New customers under the Login section of the site. Once registration has been completed you will be sent your personal access code.

About The Vienna Tourist Board
The Vienna Tourist Board, the official destination marketing agency for the tourism sector of the city, provides many service offerings, tips and information on Viennese tourist businesses. The Vienna Tourist Board set up in 1955 under public law as directed by the Vienna Tourist Support Law, is run like a private enterprise with flat hierarchies.

Mrs. Renate Brauner, Vice-Mayor of Vienna and Councilor of Finance and Economic Affairs, serves as the President of the Vienna Tourist Board since March 2007. The position of Director of Tourism is occupied by Mr. Norbert Kettner since September 2007. The Board of Directors (officially: The Tourism Commission) consists of the president, two vice presidents and 15 additional members, the latter mostly assigned by the City of Vienna. The Vienna Tourist Board is financed by local taxes on hotels in Vienna, the general city budget and its own revenues.

Further information:
Sanjiv Kataria
Strategic Communications and PR Counsel
+91 9810048095

Militants killed in air strikes in NW Pakistan

Updated on : 23-02-2014 09:12 PM

Pakistani combat jets carried out air strikes in the restive northwestern Khyber tribal region on Sunday, killing 38 terrorists, including some important commanders, days after the government called off a peace process with the Taliban.

The strikes were carried out early Sunday morning in which 38 terrorists are believed to have been killed while many were injured, security sources said.  "IEDs making factory and a huge quantity of explosives were destroyed in strikes," a military source said.  The attacks came a day after the air strikes in Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in which nine terrorists were killed.  The military has gone on an offensive and has carried out air strikes in North Waziristan and Khyber Agency killing over 40 suspected terrorist in last week.  The air strikes were carried out following a joint decision taken by the military and civilian leadership.  The precision bombardment was part of surgical strikes which sources said should not be taken as a full-fledged military operation.  The government has been trying to engage the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and others in peace talks to end the decade-long insurgency that has claimed about 40,000 lives.  The TTP, an umbrella grouping of numerous militant factions, has been waging a bloody battle against the Pakistani state since 2007.  However, the peace process suffered a setback after a Taliban faction beheaded 23 paramilitary personnel abducted in 2010.  Government negotiators have set a ceasefire as a precondition for another round of talks but Shahidullah Shahid, the spokesperson for the TTP, has blamed Islamabad for the deadlock and asked the state to declare a ceasefire first.  The military leadership took the civilian government into confidence, citing potential threats from terrorists holed up in their safe havens in the tribal belt.  The sources said the air strikes were aimed at protecting the people as militants were making plans to carry out attacks.  10 killed in blast in northwest Pakistan  At least ten people, including a child, were killed and 14 others injured in a bomb blast in northwest Pakistan's Kohat city on Sunday.  The blast took place in the Peshawar Chowk area near the Police Lines. Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, Nasir Khan Durrani said the blast took place near a passenger vehicle.  He said the blast appeared to have been carried out using a planted explosive device.  Durrani said that according to initial reports, five kilograms of explosives were used in the blast which were planted in a wooden crate placed on the roadside. The explosives were detonated as a passenger vehicle reached Peshawar Chowk.  The attack came hours after Pakistan Air Force jets bombed militant hideouts in the tribal area of Khyber killing at least 20 suspected terrorists.

India, China discuss boundary issues

Updated on : 24-02-2014 04:04 PM

India and China on Monday discussed boundary issues and implementation of a recently-concluded border pact during the sixth round of the Annual Defence Dialogue between the two sides.

At the talks held in South Block here, the Chinese side was headed by Deputy Chief of People's Liberation Army (PLA) Wang Guanzhong while Defence Secretary R K Mathur led the Indian delegation. The Chinese team also met Defence Minister A K Antony after the talks, Defence Ministry officials said. During the sixth round of Defence Secretary-level talks , the two countries are understood to have reviewed the implementation of the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) signed in October last year.  The issue of border transgressions by the Chinese troops is also learnt to have come up for discussion at the meeting. Incursions by the Chinese troops have taken place along the Line of Actual Control even after the two sides reached BDCA.  India has been saying that though the pact does not guarantee an end to these incursions, it has helped in resolving the border incidents at a faster pace. The proposal for setting up a hotline between the DGMO- levels officials is also understood to have been discussed at the meeting.  The two sides had in November held their third round of joint exercises in Kunming after a gap of nearly five years. At the time of the signing of BDCA, the two sides had agreed to have more exchanges between their training institutions.  India and China are also exploring the possibility of having joint exercises between the air forces and the navies. The two countries had put on hold their joint exercises after the Chinese side denied visa to the then Northern Army Commander Lt Gen BS Jaswal in 2010.

Tymoshenko walks free

Updated on : 23-02-2014 06:44 PM

Ukraine’s jailed pro-Western opposition icon Yulia Tymoshenko on Saturday walked free moments after parliament voted to oust the country’s embattled President Viktor Yanukovych and set new elections for May.

The latest developments in the ex-Soviet nation’s three-month political crisis came after protesters took control of Kiev’s charred city centre and seized Yanukovych’s lavish residence and official offices, in a day of dramatic twists and turns.  Yanukovych denounced the “coup” and branded his political foes as “bandits”, comments that won firm support from his backers in Moscow.  But the balance of power swung firmly in the opposition’s favour a day after Yanukovych and the opposition signed a Western-brokered peace pact designed to resolve Ukraine’s bloodiest conflict since its independence in 1991.  Tymoshenko, the fiery 53-year-old co-leader of the 2004 pro-democracy Orange Revolution, waved to hundreds of supporters chanting “free Yulia!”  One of her close allies said Tymoshenko was travelling directly to address the crowds on Kiev’s iconic Independence Square — occupied since Yanukovych’s decision in November to spurn an agreement with the European Union in favour of closer ties with Russia.  “The dictatorship has fallen,” Tymoshenko said in a statement released on her official website.  “It fell thanks to those people who came out to defend themselves, their families and their country.”  Ukraine’s pro-Russian regime appeared on the verge of collapse as lawmakers passed a resolution stating that Yanukovych was “removing himself (from power) because he is not fulfilling his obligations”. They set new presidential elections for 25th May.  But Yanukovych defiantly told a local television station in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv — a pro-Russian bedrock of support — that he would fight tooth and nail against the “bandits” trying to oust him.  “I am not leaving the country for anywhere. I do not intend to resign. I am the legitimately elected president,” the 63-year-old leader said in a firm voice.  Yanukovych said with a hint of outrage that “everything happening today can primarily be described as vandalism, banditry and a coup d’etat.”

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Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour 2014

Smriti Mehra triumphant at the third leg of HWPGT 2014

Mumbai, February 21, 2014: Veteran golfer Smriti Mehra kept a resurgent Vani Kapoor at bay to win the third leg of the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour 2014 which concluded today at the Willingdon Sports Club in the city. Vani Kapoor, who had slipped to fourth position after the second round, came back strongly today giving Smriti a run for her money. However, it was the veteran golfer who came out victorious as she edged past Vani by a single shot to win her first title this season.

Smriti played a steady round today and returned with a final round score of two over 67 and a total score of 195, edging past Vani who returned with a round three score of one under 64 and a total score of 196. Smriti carded four birdies on the fourth, fifth, seventh and 16^th holes against six bogeys on the sixth, eight, ninth, 11^th, 13^th and 18^th holes. Vani once again proved why she has been touted as one of Indian’s finest young talents. She came back superbly today to reach within striking distance of her third consecutive title in the HWPGT 2014, however a bad back nine didn’t help her cause. She carded five birdies on the third, fourth, fifth, seventh and 15^th holes and had bogeys on the first, 11^th, 13^th and 16^th holes.

Pallavi Jain retained her third position with a final round score of three over 68 and a total of 199. She carded three birdies as opposed to six bogeys. Sharmila Nicollet once again disappointed and returned with a final round score of five over 70 and a total score of 200. She managed to card just a single birdie and conceded four bogeys and a double bogey to finish fourth. Neha Tripahi finished fifth with a final round score of three over 68 and a total of 205, while Vaishavi Sinha with a round three score of five over 70 and total of 207 finished sixth.

Meghna Bal and Ankita Tiwana finished tied seventh with identical total scores of 208. Shweta Galande (211) finished ninth and Vandana Agarwal (212) finished tenth.

The Rs. 5,00,000 event is the third in the series of 14 this year.

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India is a shining example of progress in global effort to end polio worldwide

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International Members of Rotary International – a principal partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative – led the polio eradication effort during another round of the National Immunization Day (NID) to be held on 23^rd February, 2014 across India. On the day, vaccines will be reached to nearly 170 million children at approx. 709,000 vaccination booths set up for the purpose across country. The members will be spread across Delhi NCR and volunteer help to vaccinators in reaching the vaccine. They have volunteered their time and paid for their travel to be part of this extraordinary campaign in India that has successfully eradicated Polio in the country.

Rotary members from different parts of the world are travelling to India, where they immunize children against polio – a crippling disease that still paralyzes children in parts of the world. These volunteers are members of Rotary, a worldwide humanitarian service organization that has polio eradication as its main philanthropic goal.  The Rotary members will join health workers and other volunteers to administer drops of oral polio vaccine during an immunization campaign that will target millions of children under age five.

The Rotary group will work with teams of volunteers to administer the drops of oral polio vaccine to every child under the age of five.

43 Rotarian from Japan and the team led by Mr. Yoshi Sekiba will visit Madipur, Punjabi Bagh for Polio booth and door-to-door activity.

11 Rotarian from UK and the team led by Mr. Mike Yates will visit Mukundpur area in North-East Delhi for booth and door-to-door activity. 

8 Rotarian from Belgium and the team led by Ms. Emma Gronen will visit Shadipur, West Delhi for booth and door-to-door activity.

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Ikumi Yoshimatsu

To Nksagar_1@yahoo.com

 

Feb 21 at 8:34 AM

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe can help end stalking and violence against women in Japan. Ask him to set up a taskforce to investigate. Sign My Petition Dear Naresh - I won the Miss International beauty pageant in December 2012. Ever since then, I have been stalked, intimidated, and blackmailed.  My stalker even tried to abduct me from a TV studio, made threatening calls to my family and told my parents that I could wind-up dead.  He even hired private investigators to stalk me. I fear for my life and now have 24-hour security.  I went to the Japanese police with 30 pieces of evidence. They did nothing.  I went to the Japanese courts to ask for a restraining order. They, too, did nothing.  What’s worse is that I’m not alone. Many women suffer because for centuries Japan has been plagued by a “culture of silence” toward crimes against women.  However, there is hope. The current Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is a strong and vocal supporter of women’s rights.  Mr. Abe’s leadership on this issue would be a game-changer — and that’s why I’m asking him to establish a taskforce to investigate stalking and violence against women in Japan.  My petition already has more than 1 lakh signatures and the endorsement of Mr. Abe’s wife, Akie. Sign my petition. Japan is very sensitive to its reputation overseas — if we raise our voices together in a global outcry, I know Mr. Abe won’t be able to ignore it.  Please help me change my country so that women can start enjoying the economic and moral benefits of a truly equal society.  Sign my petition and forward my mail to your friends.  Thank you for taking action, Ikumi Yoshimatsu via Change.org Sign My Petition This email was sent by Change.org to Nksagar_1@yahoo.com. You can edit your email preferences orunsubscribe from Change.org emails.

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FIREFOX hosted its 3rd Edition of Mountain Biking Race, FIRESTORM

23022014

FIREFOX hosted its 3^rd Edition of Mountain Biking Race, FIRESTORM

Gurgaon, 23 February 2014: In a bid to promote adventure biking in India, Firefox Bikes, leading leisure biking company organized a mountain biking event, Firestorm in the outskirts of Delhi on Sunday. In, extravaganza event more than 150 biking passionate, both experts and enthusiasts participated to claim the ultimate biker tag. Bikers had ultimate adventure by biking in the trails of uneven off road elevations and narrow dirt paths. The race was flagged off from the trail near Golf Course Road, Gurgaon.

Firestorm is an initiative by Firefox to test the biking skills, endurance and Physical strength of the bikers in India. Biking in the trails of uneven off road elevations and narrow dirt paths was ultimate adventure for the bikers. The mountain biking race was set in the broken and craggy terrain of Gurgaon Sector-60 and around 150-200 bikers went head to head to claim gift and cash prizes of over 3 Lacs.

Mr. Shiv Inder Singh, Managing Director Firefox Bikes said, “Mountain biking is quite young adventure sport in India.FIRESTORM is a golden opportunity for the adventure passionate to enjoy the thrills. This is our third edition and we are proud to hold events like these to encourage biking in India. We want to promote cycling as an adventure sport in India. We have always succeeded in providing world class biking experience here in India to valuable customers. It’s our constant endeavor to further enhance the biking experience of our customers. We are associating and bringing the best to India in each category.”

The event had two categories: the first one was for the experts (35.5 k.m. for men and 29 km for women) and another one was for the enthusiasts (29 k.m.) for both men and women. In the expert’s category, Mr. Barrett Paul Matt was the first to finish the race, followed by Mr. K.Kiran Kumar Raju from Bangalore and Mr. Douglas Smith and they were awarded with the cash prizes of Rs. 50,000, Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 20,000 respectively while in the women category Ms. Monika was the first women to cross the finishing line followed by Ms. Anita Groser. They were awarded with Rs.30,000 and Rs. 20,000 respectively.

While in the enthusiasts category, Mr. Jitender Kumar was first to finish the race followed by Mr Yameen Mir and Mr. Sushil Huda were awarded with gift vouchers of Oakley, Woodland and Dabur. Ms. Reena Katyal was given a gift vouchers of Oakley, Woodland and Dabur as the first prize in women category followed by Ms. Becky.

Emphasizing on the significance of bike racing in India, Mr. Shiv Inder Singh further said, “These biking competitions will change the overall scenario for cycling in India. Such, competitive sports and adventure gaming will make people more passionate towards cycling. We are aimed to organize such competitions every year in different parts of the country and create awareness for cycling, an eco-friendly and health friendly habits among the masses”.

For the safety purpose, the Firefox Bikes made it compulsory for riders to wear cycling helmets and closed sports shoes. The company also asked all the participants to be in right clothing (cycling gloves and shorts) to experience biking in a better way. Trauma kits and a fleet of ambulances were also present at the event to handle the emergency situations.