The Indian Panorama

Month: October 2015

  • NSA warns Pakistan against Covert Ops

    NSA warns Pakistan against Covert Ops

    NEW DELHI: After Pakistan’s former president General Pervez Musharraf made scathing comments on religious militancy otherwise known as ‘jihadi terrorism’. NSA Ajit Doval on Tuesday, October 27, warned Pakistan not to engage in covert action saying it was a very short-sighted strategy of the neighbouring country.

    He said Pakistan has never realised that it can be “profitable” and “most effective” for its economic growth and stability if it engages with India and rest of the South Asian countries.

    “Till that happens, what can India do. I think one is that we should continue to work hard to persuade Pakistan, to convince Pakistan, through our sincerity, whatever we can do and whatever we think is the language in which the Pakistan can understand it well. We should be able to convey and convince it,” he said.

    Delivering the first ‘Nagendra Singh memorial lecture’ on ‘Ensuring peace in South Asia: Role of India’ organised by the International Goodwill Society of India, he said most of South Asian countries’ security threats are internal.

    “There is only one threat which has got its footprint in almost all of the nations. Problem about this is that its origin, its nursery, is also the member of South Asian region. Islamic terrorism or jihadi terrorism, rather I should use the word, is one of the common threats.

    “Bangladesh is affected by it, Afghanistan is affected, India is affected, Pakistan is affected by it. Sri Lanka is affected,” the NSA said.

    This is one common threat on which there could have been much of cooperation but probably two of the countries Afghanistan and Pakistan have become epicentre of that, he said.

    “Since Pakistan is part of the problem it could not become part of the solution,” Doval said maintaining that “it is only Pakistan with which there have been problems”.

    He said after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, one of the cornerstones of the government’s policy was that “we have got to take all South Asian countries together”.

    “And that was the idea when all the heads of the governments were invited for his swearing-in ceremony. It did start well it did give us lot of dividend. Things with Pakistan have not developed as much but we are sure that some day we will able to do so,” Doval said.

    He said another important requirement will be when Pakistan shifts from its strategic position where it feels that covert action can be an effective low cost option of its security strategy because supporting terrorism or a covert action is a very low cost exercise.

     

  • BJP says Arun Shore is no longer party member

    BJP says Arun Shore is no longer party member

    Arun Shourie, who had launched a stinging attack on the Modi government on Monday, Oct 26, is no longer a member of the BJP, the party said as it sought to dismiss the criticism of its one-time influential leader who was also a minister in the previous NDA government.

    BJP general secretary Arun Singh said Shourie’s membership ceased after he did not renew it during the recent membership drive.

    All members have to renew their membership after every six years and Shourie did not do so this time round, he said.

    “Arun Shourie is no more a BJP member. He did not renew his membership,” he said.

    At a news conference in the party headquarters, Union minister Venkaiah Naidu rejected Shourie’s attack on the government, saying “his views are shared neither by the party nor by the public.”

    “I do not agree with this. This is not the opinion of party nor public,” he said in a brief response.

    Shourie, a strong supporter of Modi during the Lok Sabha election campaign last year, had said the Centre believes that managing economy means “managing the headlines” and that people had started recalling the days of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

    “The way to characterize policies of the government is — Congress scaled plus a cow,” he had said.

    Rejecting the charge, Naidu said there has been “no scam, no scandal and not even one mistake” under the government and BJP had been winning elections across the country.

    “We are a democracy, he (Shourie) has his opinion, but the country’s opinion is different,” Naidu said, adding the people were supporting the Prime Minister in all parts of the country.

  • Heaven or hospital: girl, 5, makes end-of-life decision

    Heaven or hospital: girl, 5, makes end-of-life decision

    Juliana Snow, 5, has chosen to end her life and has her the consent of her parents. The parents of a young Oregon girl faced with a terminal disease allowed their daughter to make a very grown-up decision about her future.

    Five-year-old Julianna Snow has spent much of her short life suffering from an illness called Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, an incurable neurodegenerative illness. Spinal muscular atrophy kills most patients before age two.

    Julianna could live a little bit longer, but it would mean more painful treatments. Her coughing and breathing muscles are so weak that any germ that comes her way, even the common cold virus, could kill her.

    So her parents asked her if she wants to go to the hospital for more treatments the next time she gets sick, or stay at home, even though it means “going to heaven without mommy and daddy.”

    Below is an excerpt from the end-of-life discussion between Moon and Julianna Snow
    Michelle: Julianna, if you get sick again, do you want to go to the hospital again or stay home?

    Julianna: Not the hospital

    Michelle: Even if that means that you will go to heaven if you stay home?

    Julianna: Yes… I hate NT (naso-tracheal suction, where a tube was placed down her nose into her lungs without sedation). I hate the hospital.

    Michelle: Right. So if you get sick again, you want to stay home. But you know that probably means you will go to heaven, right?

    Julianna: (nods)

    Michelle: And it probably means that you will go to heaven by yourself, and Mommy will join you later.

    Julianna: But I won’t be alone.

    Michelle: That’s right. You will not be alone.

    Julianna: Do some people go to heaven soon?

    Michelle: Yes. We just don’t know when we go to heaven. Sometimes babies go to heaven. Sometimes really old people go to heaven.

    Julianna: Will Alex (her 6-year-old brother) go to heaven with me?

    Michelle: Probably not. Sometimes people go to heaven together at the same time, but most of the time, they go alone. Does that scare you?

    Julianna: No, heaven is good. But I don’t like dying.

    Michelle: I know. That’s the hard part. We don’t have to be afraid of dying because we believe we go to heaven. But it’s sad because I will miss you so much.

    Julianna: Don’t worry, I won’t be alone.

    Michelle: I know. I love you.

    Julianna: Madly.

    Michelle: Yes, I love you madly. I’m so lucky.

    Julianna: And I’m so lucky.

    Michelle: Why?

    Julianna: Because you love me madly.


    Her parents, though heartbroken, are honoring her dying request.     “She made it clear that she doesn’t want to go through the hospital again,” Michelle told CNN. “So we had to let go of that plan [to go to the hospital] because it was selfish.”

    Five-year-old Julianna Snow has never been healthy enough to attend Sunday school at the City Bible Church in Portland, Oregon, where her family belongs, so most of what she knows about heaven, she knows from her parents.

    They tell her that heaven is where she’ll be able to run and play and eat, none of which she can do now. Heaven is where she’ll meet her great-grandmother, who shared Julianna’s love of shiny, sparkly, mismatched clothes.

    God will be in heaven, too, they tell her, and he will love her even more than they do.

    But Michelle Moon and Steve Snow explain that they won’t be in heaven when Julianna arrives there, and neither will her big brother, Alex. She’ll go to heaven before them because she has a severe case of an incurable illness.

     

  • Musharraf equates Bal Thackeray with Hafiz Saeed, calls Osama a Hero

    Musharraf equates Bal Thackeray with Hafiz Saeed, calls Osama a Hero

    In an interview to a Pakistani channel, Pakistan’s former president General Pervez Musharraf made scathing comments about Bal Thackeray and Pakistan’s support to extremist outfits in the past. Haqqani is our hero of 1980s & Osama was our hero. Yes, CIA’s as well. (al-Qaida chief Ayman) al-Zawahiri was our hero,” he added while referring to the Pakistan introduced religious militancy from 1979.

    Comparing Hafiz Saeed with RSS and Shiv Sena, former Pakistan president Parvez Musharraf said that those demanding action against Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief in his country were toeing in the Indian line.

    He said Afghan and Kashmiri mujahideen were their heroes in the 1990s, but the situation has now changed while referring to Saeed “I do not want to discuss this (Saeed) issue,” Musharraf shot back at his interviewer on a popular Pakistani TV channel on Saturday night. “Since India is going after this, we are also following them.”

    Musharraf rantingly asked the interviewer to ascertain what RSS was doing in India. “They do not play cricket with us. You saw what happened with (Pakistan cricket board chief) Shahryar Khan,” he said. “The face of (ex-Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud) Kasuri’s book release organiser was blackened. Ghulam Ali’s concert was banned and he was thrown out.”

    “This is what is happening there. Are we catching any Sena leader? Was not Bal Thackeray a terrorist… did anybody catch him… a serving Army colonel was involved in the Samjautha blast in which 100 (sic) Pakistanis were killed. You are talking about Saeed, give us that Colonel,” he said.

    He cited PM Narendra Modi and his Cabinet’s presentations to the RSS brass to draw a link between Shiv Sena’s protests against Pakistan’s and BJP’s parent organisation.

    He cited Pakistan’s support for the US-backed Afghan war and said the atmosphere changed after 1979 when Islamabad introduced religious militancy in its favour to throw the Soviets out. “We brought mujahideen from around the world. We trained the Taliban… and sent them in. They were our heroes. (Afghan warlord Jalaluddin) Haqqani is our hero of 1980s. Osama (bin Laden) was our hero. Yes, CIA’s as well. (al-Qaida chief Ayman) al-Zawahiri was our hero,” he acknowledged.

    But he added that the atmosphere has changed now. “The hero has become a villain.”

    He said a similar thing was replicated in Kashmir in the 1990s. “A freedom struggle started there in the 1990s. They (Kashmiris) were killed badly. Indian Army killed them, they came to Pakistan. We gave them heroes’ reception.”

    Musharraf acknowledged Pakistan trained and supported Kashmiri rebels. “They were mujahideen who would fight the Indian Army for their rights. LeT was formed along with 10-12 such groups,” he said. He called these groups their heroes who were putting their lives at stake. “Now this has converted into terrorism.”

  • Processed meats including Bacon can cause cancer, experts say

    Processed meats including Bacon can cause cancer, experts say

    Yes, it may be hard to believe but eating processed meats like hot dogs, sausages or bacon can lead to bowel/colon cancer  and red meat is a likely cause of the disease, World Health Organisation expers said.

    The review by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), released on Monday, put processed meat in its group 1 list, which also includes tobacco and asbestos, for which there is “sufficient evidence” of cancer links.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) report defines processed meat as “meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavour or improve preservation.” Many processed meats may contain other red meats or meat by-products.

    Red meat was classified as probably carcinogenic in IARC’s group 2A list, to which it has also added this year glyphosate, the active ingredient in many weedkillers.

    Meat industry groups rejected the findings as simplistic, although some scientists said they may not add much to existing health recommendations to limit consumption of such meat.

    The IARC was carrying out a formal review of meat for the first time and examined some 800 studies during a meeting of 22 health experts in France earlier this month.

    “For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal (bowel) cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed,” Dr Kurt Straif of the IARC said in a statement.

    This new report looked at daily consumers of processed meat and concluded that each 50-gram portion of processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. That’s the equivalent of two pieces of bacon, two slices of ham, or one piece of smoked sausage.

    The classification for red meat – defined as all types of mammalian meat, including beef, lamb and pork – reflected “limited evidence” that it causes cancer. The IARC found links mainly with bowel cancer, but it also observed associations with pancreatic and prostate cancer.

    Inconclusive evidence of a link between processed meat and stomach cancer was also observed, it said.

    The IARC does not compare the level of cancer risk associated with different substances in a given category, so does not suggest eating meat is as dangerous as smoking, for example.

    But the bracketing of processed meat with products such as tobacco or arsenic irked industry groups, with the North American Meat Institute saying the IARC report “defies common sense”.

    Suppliers argue that meat provides essential protein, vitamins and minerals as part of a balanced diet.

    “We’ve known for some time about the probable link between red and processed meat, and bowel cancer,” Professor Tim Key of Oxford University said in a statement from charity Cancer Research UK.

    “Eating a bacon bap every once in a while isn’t going to do much harm – having a healthy diet is all about moderation.”

    The IARC, however, said such dietary advice often focused on heart disease and obesity.

    It cited an estimate from the Global Burden of Disease Project – an international consortium of more than 1,000 researchers – that 34,000 cancer deaths per year worldwide are attributable to diets high in processed meat.

    This compares with about 1 million cancer deaths per year globally due to tobacco smoking and 600,000 a year due to alcohol consumption, it said.

  • Indian Owned Jewellery Store Ransacked in the Kansas

    Indian Owned Jewellery Store Ransacked in the Kansas

    WASHINGTON:  A jewellery store owned by an Indian-origin man in the US state of Kansas has been ransacked by thieves who also stole valuable jewellery items, a media report said.

    The Karats Jewellers, owned by Akshay Andy Anand says he wants justice after thieves ripped through his business and family’s dream.

    The jewelry business has been in his family for six generations. Anand was the first in his family to bring the family business to the United States.

    The thieves used stones to smash the glass doors and took away ornaments kept in cases, fox4kc.com reported.

    “You feel cheated,” said Anand. “You feel like somebody violated you. You worked so hard for what you do, and I mean, you do it the right way, you do everything proper, and then just somebody comes in, takes it away from you.”

    “I have raised it like a child for 10 years, and we have put a lot of hard work into bringing this business as one of the top jewellery stores in the city,” Mr Anand said.

    He further said that police are working to identify cars and descriptions of the suspects.

  • Indian-Origin Toddler Youngest Karate Champion in South Africa

    Indian-Origin Toddler Youngest Karate Champion in South Africa

    JOHANNESBURG:  Indian-origin toddler Khiyara Seedat has become South Africa’s youngest ever national karate champion, just a day after her third birthday last week.

    Sedate Khiyara, the daughter of karate instructor Sensei Ahmed Shaheen Seedat – from Parlock in Newslands – walked away as champion of the bo kata (stick fighting) and kumite (freestyle fighting) category. She had to compete against a five-year-old because there was no one to fight against in her age category at the South African Karate and Kickboxing Championships.

    She had just turned three the day before the tournament and competed in the under-five age group.

    Seedat, who holds a third dan (rank) black belt in the sporting code after starting out when he was eight, said his daughter had shown a love for karate when she was just 16 months old.

    Watching her father and his friends kicking and punching away when he took her to karate school one day, he and his wife Laila were initially surprised to find her imitating the moves in her cot that night.

    Even though the smallest available karate outfit known as a gi was twice her size, Khiyara insisted on wearing it daily until she grew into it almost two years later.

    Noticing Khiyara’s rapid progress compared to other children older than her, Seedat’s trainer Abdul Lattief Jogi encouraged him to enter his daughter in the national championships and spent six months preparing her for it.

    Sixth dan black belt holder Jogi said Khiyara had done everyone proud, but he was particularly overjoyed that he had been able to teach both her and her father, who was like a son to him.

  • Annexures to NN Vohra committee report on politician-criminal nexus Missing?

    Annexures to NN Vohra committee report on politician-criminal nexus Missing?

    With the arrest of underworld don Chhota Rajan in Bali (Indonesia), a report from Vohra Committee which had the names of politician-underworld nexus has regained focus.

    The alleged annexure contains details of the nexus between politicians, bureaucrats and criminals, the Congress has said there is no harm in making these files public.

    The Government set up the N. N. Vohra Committee in July 1993 following the Mumbai bomb blasts in March of that year, to take stock of all available information about the activities of the crime syndicates/mafia organisations which had developed links with, and were being protected by Government functionaries and political personalities. The Vohra committee submitted its report in 1993 in the wake of the Bombay blasts taking off all the available information about “the activities of crime syndicates/mafia organizations which had developed links with and were being protected by government functionaries and political personalities.”

    But the then Congress-led Central government obtained a stay-order from the Supreme Court in the year 1996 against making annexure to NN Vohra committee report public. The Supreme Court had ruled that it would be “severely and detrimentally injurious” to public interest if annexures to the N N Vohra Committee report, containing details of the alleged nexus between politicians, bureaucrats and criminals, were disclosed.

    In 2012, RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal filed a RTI application demanding the full report of the Vohra committee. In an order passed by the then information commissioner Sushma Singh on May 10 2012, she directed the home ministry to provide the annexures to RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal within two weeks.

    On June 27, 2012 MHA under Congress Government denied any such annexure being on record.

    Now, the main question is if there was no such annexure/s, then how and why the then Central government obtained stay-order against making the said documents public?

    Congress now has switched its stand and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh told Times Now, “There is no harm in releasing this report,” while former home minister RPN Singh said “I don’t know about the report but If there is anything to suggest a link between politicians and criminals then action should be taken if any politician or bureaucrat is hand in glove with any terrorist organisation then action must be taken.”

    Meanwhile BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh said the government will look into the matter and give a structured response. “The Government is sensitive about these matters and there is zero tolerance towards tolerance,” Singh told TIMES NOW.

     

  • India’s leading Ayurveda destinations

    India’s leading Ayurveda destinations

    From being the ‘science of life’, Ayurveda has become the ‘slice of life’ for many with the advent and positive growth of rejuvenation centres and Ayurvedic resorts in the country.
    People are willing to experience a ‘healthier’ side to an otherwise indulgent holiday by touring healing resorts as an escape from the mundane, hectic everyday existence. These resorts located at the outskirts of the cityscape over sprawling and pristine forests lure tourists into its peaceful and quiet edifices.

    Let’s discover and learn about some of the best Ayurveda resorts our country has:

    Somatheeram Ayurveda Resort, Kerala: Nestled on a hillock a few kilometres south of the Kovalam beach is the world’s first Ayurvedic resort Somatheeram. Spread across a wide expanse of greenery, Kerala prides in Somatheeram as a getaway destination for those in search of an Ayurvedic haven away from the cacophony of city life. Established in 1985, Somatheeram has emerged as one of the frontrunners in encouraging a culture of Ayurvedic holidays and meditation tours among travel enthusiasts. The serenity of the resort by the sea, goodness of traditional Ayurvedic therapies and a healthy diet routine help people unwind here.

    Acute health conditions of paralysis, fluctuating levels of blood pressure, arthritis, high cholesterol and breathing problems are first examined by a team of yoga experts and doctors after which a series of corresponding healing exercises and diet regime ensue.

    Massage therapies: The massages here at Somatheeram serve more than a short-term purpose; the sessions are extensive and extend till days. ‘Pizhichil’ for instance is a special massage that uses a variety of herbal oils (lukewarm) and has been effective in curing diseases like paralysis and nervous disorders. Every session lasts 60-90 minutes over a span of 7-21 days. People with diabetes and obesity can go for the Ayurvedic ‘Abhyangam’ treatment which is again a type of oil massage for 45 minutes a day. ‘Nasyam’, ‘Snehapanam’ and ‘Kizhi’ are among the many treatments that have been proven medically capable of battling severe skin diseases, leukemia and sports injuries.

    Yoga classes and boat tours in the backwaters too are included in Ayurveda packages at Somatheeram.

    Where: Somatheeram Ayurveda Resort, South of Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram. About 21 kms from International Airport at Thiruvananthapuram and about 9 kms south of the famous Kovalam beach.

    1)Ananda in the Himalayas, Uttarakhand: As the name suggests, the experience too replicates a blissful journey amid the towering and guarding Himalayas. Ananda focuses on an interesting and fruitful blend of Ayurveda and Aromatherapy with contemporary spa technology for complete wellness of the human body. Located 260 kms north of New Delhi, Ananda stands tall around Maharaja’s palace estate with the views of the Ganges on one side and the mountain peaks on the other pleasing the tourist’s eyes, mind and spirit upon waking up every morning. Yoga pavilions, landscaped gardens, terraces facing a clear sky, spas equipped with hydrotherapy services, a golf course on its Himalayan axle and Rejuvenation Cuisine are some of the many distinguishing features of the resort you can indulge in.
    Ayurveda, yoga & meditation:

    European and Thai treatments are employed in the spa boutiques here at Ananda. The Viceregal Hall is the quaint hillside garden that doubles as a refuge post an exhaustive yoga session. Marvel at the breathtaking panorama as you sip on the Himalayan tea. For couples, the Kama Suite with steam shower and exclusive massage facilities can surely add a sensual flavour to the Ayurveda tour. The Ayurvedic treatments are fashioned according to the Himalayan conditions. Use of less oil, slow and synchronised massages and regulation of a nutritious diet go into the making of customised treatments for guests under the supervision of physicians and therapists. An aftercare programme is planned for the benefit of the client at the last leg of the Ayurveda trip.

    Where: The Palace Estate, Narendra Nagar, Dist. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttarakhand

    Air: A 45-minute flight from New Delhi to Dehradun Jolly Grant airport followed by a one-hour drive.

    Train: A four-hour journey from New Delhi to Haridwar railway station followed by a one-hour drive.

    Road: The driving time between New Delhi and Narendra Nagar is approximately five and a half hours.

    1)Devaaya, The Ayurveda and Nature Cure Centre, Goa: If beaches and nightlife are the first things that come to mind upon hearing Goa, then probably it’s time to widen your horizon. As much as it is a ‘party’ destination, Goa as a city has carved an identity that appreciates art, culture and holistic living. And speaking of holistic living, the city has emerged as one of the potential tourist spots on the map of Ayurveda tourism in India. Coconut palms swinging to the rhythm of the breeze and the Mandovi River flowing alongside one of the islands in Goa complete the scenery at Devaaya Ayurveda Centre in Goa. Naturopathy becomes a way of life at this Ayurvedic paradise that brings together the essential elements of ‘Panchakarma’ treatments with yoga, meditation, music, lifestyle correction, diet planning and medicines for tourists. The centre has been designed on the science of ‘Vaastu Shastra’ that adds to the harmony of the overall rejuvenation process.

    Where: Devaaya – Ayurveda & Nature Cure Centre, Divar Island, Goa

    1)Kairali Ayurvedic Health Village, Kerala: The captivating beauty of the Western Ghats and the rich flora define the picturesque town of Palakkad in Kerala which is home to the Kairali Ayurvedic Health Resort. Ram Mohan, Vice President of the Resort is proud to declare how the Ayurveda village has travelled miles over the recent years, “Today, we have over 20 centres abroad apart from the 25 centres across India.” Ask him about the future of Ayurveda tourism in India and he has his reservations, “The Indian mindset is still not ready to embrace the culture of Ayurveda in a manner that the European market has possibly built an industry around. Patience is a virtue we have still not mastered the art of. It is believed that Ayurveda is an expensive affair but so is allopathy. If we are willing to shed a fortune on a bypass surgery then why not spend half the money on a recreational therapy that will guarantee the elimination of the ailment from its root?”, asks Ram. The system of Ayurveda he asserts is “not superficial but comes with permanent and effective results.”

    Agrees Niika Quistgard, Founder and Director Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women, Kerala and says, “People are often dissatisfied with allopathic medicines and are wary of the side-effects of drugs; natural alternatives and organic methods of healing are the preferred options. At Rasa Ayurveda we offer free consultation and treatment to women. All remedies are derived from herbal plants, a tradition that dates back to the era of our grandmothers,” adds Niika.

    The Leela, Udaipur:

    The city of lakes and palaces, The Leela’s ESPA Spa is yet another hot spot for Ayurvedic retreat. The ‘haveli’ style architecture of spas, tents done up in shades of royalty and opulence and the welcoming gardens contribute to the development of a relaxed mind and soul of the human body. Tricia Bannister, Group Spa Manager, says, “Our clientele has grown from in-house guests to both in-house and local guests requesting for a wellness experience set amidst the cultural heritage of Rajasthan.” From hot stone massages, facials, yoga and meditation, The Leela also features private yoga studio for visitors. On being asked if Ayurveda treatment is a rich man’s pastime Bannister replies, “There is a range of Ayurvedic resorts available for spa travellers, from more relaxed, to 5-star properties. Ayurveda tourism is growing dramatically in India; both for pure Ayurvedic treatments as well as Ayurvedic-inspired experiences. Travellers from all income-levels are curious to experience new wellness treatments,” adds Tricia.

    Where: The Leela Palace, Lake Pichola, Udaipur

  • Afghanistan Pakistan Earthquake – US, Iran & India offer assistance

    Afghanistan Pakistan Earthquake – US, Iran & India offer assistance

    A powerful earthquake of 7.5 magnitude centred in Afghanistan, has killed nearly 300 people, including 12 Afghan schoolgirls who were crushed in a stampede as they tried to flee their collapsing school.

    Afghani and Pakistani officials said 237 of those deaths occurred in Pakistan, while 74 have been confirmed dead in Afghanistan. The temblor was centered deep beneath the Hindu Kush mountains in a sparsely populated region of northeastern Afghanistan that borders Pakistan, Tajikistan and China.

    Tremors from the quake were also felt in northern India and Tajikistan.

    The earthquake was centred in the mountainous Hindu Kush region, 76km (45 miles) south of Faizabad, the US Geological Survey reported.

    The death toll is set to rise as the most severely affected areas are very remote and communications have been cut off.

    Thousands spent the night outdoors in near-freezing temperatures reluctant to go back inside for fear of aftershocks, Pakistani media reported on early on Tuesday.

    “Rescue work is ongoing, and tents, blankets and sleeping mats are being provided,” Latif ur Rehman, a Pakistani disaster management official, told Reuters from the northwestern city of Peshawar.

    The total death toll stood at 375 with at least 260 people killed in Pakistan and at least 115 more in Afghanistan, according to official reports from the two countries. More than 2,000 people have been injured.

    Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, cut short his visit to the United Kingdom to fly home to deal with the emergency.

    The United States offered emergency shelters and relief supply kits stored in warehouses throughout Afghanistan that could be used. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the U.S. government has been in touch with officials in Afghanistan and Pakistan and is ready to provide any additional support.

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Heard about strong earthquake in Afghanistan-Pakistan region whose tremors have been felt in parts of India. I pray for everyone’s safety,” and also, “I have asked for an urgent assessment and we stand ready for assistance where required, including Afghanistan & Pakistan.”

    Pakistan has said it will not issue any appeals to the international community for help as the country has the required resources to carry out the rescue and relief work. “We will try our best to deal with this disaster using our own resources,” Nawaz Sharif said.

  • Army cautions people against Pakistan’s attempts to engineer terror

    Army cautions people against Pakistan’s attempts to engineer terror

    Asserting that attempts will be made by Pakistan to engineer terrorism in Kathua-Samba region in Jammu, a top Army commander on Monday (October 26) cautioned people and ex-servicemen to remain vigilant to foil such designs.

    “As General (Goverdhan Singh) and (former Minister) Gulchain Singh Charak have said that attempts have been made (by Pakistan) in Jammu-Kathua to create terrorism. This is being done and it will continue to do so in future as well”, GOC-in-C Western Command Lt Gen K J Singh said here today.

    “But, it is the duty every civilian & ex-servicemen living along the border line that we should remain vigilant and share any kind of information with related to such activities,” he said.

    “In this endeavor, we have honoured some people to infuse such a sense among the people living in the border areas,” the General Officer Commanding-In-Chief (GOC-in-C) said.

    In this regard, the Command has started two programmes- one Jagruk Hindustani Border Area Cricket League. Today was the final of this league, Singh said.

    Lt Gen Singh was speaking at a function organised by J&K Ex-service League to observe Martyrdom of First Maha Vir Chakra Awardee of Indian Army, Brigadier Rajinder Singh, bestowed with the sobriquet of “The Saviour of Kashmir”.

    “To make children of Jammu region aware of its warriors and brave martyr soldiers, we are organising a light and sound show at Balidan Memorial which gives description about the brave martyr soldiers. We will add a 10-minute capsule clip to it on Brigadier Rajinder Singh,” he said.

    Jammu and Kashmir Ex-service League today observed martyrdom day of Brig Rajinder Singh as large number of citizens including Army personnel and ex-servicemen from the region joined to pay homage to him.

    His daughters, Urvashi Pathania and Usha Parmar, were also present on the occasion. Brig Rajinder Singh hailed from a small village Bagoona (now re-named as Rajindera Pura) of district Samba, 30-km east of Jammu.

    After studying in his village school and at Jammu he graduated from the Prince of Wales College (now Gandhi Memorial Science College) in 1921.

    He was commissioned in the J&K State Force in June 1921. He became Brigadier in May 1942, commanded Jammu Brigade, Kashmir Brigade and took over as Chief of Staff J&K state Force from Maj Gen H L Scot on September 24, 1947.

    He died fighting Tribal raiders at Buniyar in Uri in bid to stop their advance into Kashmir valley from Pakistan.

  • Delhi Police raids Kerala government canteen over #BEEF causes outrage

    Delhi Police raids Kerala government canteen over #BEEF causes outrage

    New Delhi Oct 27: The canteen of ‘Kerala House’ which is run by Kerala Government in New Delhi was raided yesterday by police after a rightwing Hindu group called ‘Hindu Sena’ complained it had beef on its menu.

    Police said they only went to Kerala House as a “preventive measure”, not to investigate the complaint or take meat samples.

    Kerala is one of the few Indian states in which cow slaughter is legal. But most states, including Delhi, ban the slaughter of cows, considered sacred by India’s majority Hindu community.

    Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Tuesday took strong exception to Delhi Police action at state-owned Kerala House in Delhi over beef served at its canteen. Chandy told the media in Kozhikode that the police should have shown restraint. “The state guest house is not a hotel. The police should have followed certain amount of guidelines while raiding a canteen at a government guest house. We would make our protest formal by writing to the Delhi government,” the Chief Minister said.

    “I would like to inform you that the Kerala House staff canteen serves authentic vegetarian and non-vegetarian Kerala cuisine and the items in the menu are entirely within law,” the letter is reported to have said.

    It is also reported that the kitchen will continue to serve the buffalo meat.

    Following Monday evening’s incident, the police picked up the caller from the Hindu Sena group for further questioning.

    “We dealt with the matter with necessary alertness and took our position. The objective was to ensure that law and order is not disrupted,” Jatin Narwal, a senior police officer, told the NDTV news site.

  • Afghanistan Pakistan earthquake – Death Toll over 300

    Afghanistan Pakistan earthquake – Death Toll over 300

    A powerful earthquake of 7.5 magnitude centred in Afghanistan, has killed nearly 300 people, including 12 Afghan schoolgirls who were crushed in a stampede as they tried to flee their collapsing school.

    Afghani and Pakistani officials said 237 of those deaths occurred in Pakistan, while 74 have been confirmed dead in Afghanistan. The temblor was centered deep beneath the Hindu Kush mountains in a sparsely populated region of northeastern Afghanistan that borders Pakistan, Tajikistan and China.

    Tremors from the quake were also felt in northern India and Tajikistan.

    The earthquake was centred in the mountainous Hindu Kush region, 76km (45 miles) south of Faizabad, the US Geological Survey reported.

    The death toll is set to rise as the most severely affected areas are very remote and communications have been cut off.

    In Pakistan, the Swat Valley and areas around the Dir, Malakand and Shangla towns in the mountains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were also hard-hit in the quake. The Pakistani town closest to the epicenter is Chitral while on the Afghan side it is the Jurm district of Badakhshan.

    Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday visited the earthquake-hit town of Shangla in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where at least 49 people were killed and 80 were injured in the earthquake. Also Tuesday, Sharif attended a briefing in Islamabad about the damages caused by the quake.

    According to a statement, Sharif praised the country’s rescue efforts and insisted that Pakistan was “capable enough to rescue and rehabilitate those affected by the earthquake” and that every effort would be made to help those stricken. He said his government would soon announce a relief package to compensate those affected by the quake.

  • Indian American Anita Adalja among Champions of Change

    Indian American Anita Adalja among Champions of Change

    Texas – Oct 26: An Indian-American farmer has been recognised as White House Champions of Change for sustainable and climate-smart agriculture. The White House will recognize 12 individuals from across the country as White House Champions of Change for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Agriculture. These individuals were selected by the White House for their achievements and will be honored for exemplary leadership and innovation in agricultural production and education.

    Anita Adalja, is social worker who merged her career with farming. Currently, she is working as a manager at the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture.

    Anita said, she is committed to food access solutions, community building and sustainable land stewardship.

    Before being called to farming, she was a social worker in Brooklyn.

    While working with formerly homeless, mentally ill adults in a supportive housing facility, Anita co-founded a rooftop farm on top of the building.

    “My commitment to food access, food justice and community building was solidified through this experience.

    From there, I threw myself into farming by attending an apprenticeship programme at the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems in Santa Cruz. I haven’t looked back since,” she said in a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) blog recently.

    The winners were selected by the White House for their achievements and will be honoured for their exemplary leadership and innovation in agricultural production and education.

    The Champions have helped implement agricultural practices that promote soil health and energy efficiency, improve water quality, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    Anita, has worked to create a more equitable and sustainable food system by increasing food access, sustainable farming, farmer training and farm-to-school education.

    Under her management, Arcadia Farm grows thousands of pounds of naturally grown produce that is sold in low-or no-food access areas in Washington, through its mobile farmers’ market programme.

    A social worker by training, Adalja has previously farmed at One Woman Farm in Gibsonia, Pa, and was the farm manager for Common Good City Farm in Washington.

    The award ceremony will be held tonight.

     

  • Indian Man Charged With Mother’s Murder in Canada

    Indian Man Charged With Mother’s Murder in Canada

    TORONTO Oct 25:  A Gujarati man from the Toronto suburb of Mississauga has been charged with the murder of his mother.

    Kunal Bhavan, 20, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder for the death of his 41-year-old mother Vaishali Patel on Sunday.

    When the cops reached the spot, they found the woman lying with life-threatening injuries. She was transported to a hospital where she succumbed to her injuries on Sunday.

    Bhavan was arrested from the scene of the crime and charged with murder. He is expected to appear in a Brampton court later today for a bail hearing.

    Mississuaga is home to a huge population of Indian and Pakistan origin.

    It is the sixth largest city in Canada.

  • Indian American Ex-Goldman Banker to Plead Guilty in Regulatory Leak Case

    Indian American Ex-Goldman Banker to Plead Guilty in Regulatory Leak Case

    NEW YORK:  In a rare criminal action on Wall Street, an Indian-origin former Goldman Sachs banker suspected of taking confidential documents from a source inside the government has agreed to plead guilty. Goldman Sachs is also facing an array of regulatory penalties over the leak.

    Rohit Bansal and his source Jason Gross, who at the time of the leak was an employee at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, will accept a plea deal from federal prosecutors under which they could go to prison for up to a year, the New York Times reported.

    Federal prosecutors are preparing to announce criminal charges against the banker this week, Rohit Bansal, and an employee of the regulator Mr Gross.

    “The outcome partly reflects their low-level rank on Wall Street. Bansal, who was 29 at the time, was an associate at Goldman,” the report said.

    The Federal Reserve is also expected to permanently bar Mr Bansal from the banking industry, the report quoted a person briefed on the matter as saying.

    The report said that it is “rare” for a Wall Street banker to face criminal charges. Not a single Wall Street chief executive was charged after the financial crisis even as bankers or traders have faced charged in a few investigations.

    Under the planned deal, Goldman would not face criminal charges but would pay a fine of as much as $50m. The settlement would also force Goldman to take the rare step of acknowledging that it failed to adequately supervise Mr Bansal “thrusting the bank back into the spotlight just as it was beginning to overcome a popular image as a firm willing to cut corners to turn a profit,” it said.

    A spokesman for Goldman said: “Upon discovering that a new junior employee had obtained confidential supervisory information from his former employer, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, we immediately began an investigation and notified the appropriate regulators, including the Federal Reserve.

    “That employee and a more senior employee who failed to escalate the issue, were terminated shortly thereafter. We have zero tolerance for improper handling of confidential information. We have reviewed our policies regarding hiring from governmental institutions and have implemented changes to make them appropriately robust,” added Goldman Sachs.

    Mr Bansal had previously spent seven years as a regulator at the New York Fed and after he joined Goldman in July 2014, he was assigned to advise one of the banks he previously regulated, a midsize bank in New York, the report said.

    It alleged that soon Mr Bansal received government information about that bank from Gross, a former colleague who was still working at the New York Fed.

    In addition to the fine and the admission that it failed to supervise Mr Bansal, Goldman will accept a three-year suspension from conducting certain consulting deals with banks in New York State.

    When Mr Bansal left the Fed to join Goldman, he was the “central point of contact” for certain banks.

    At Goldman, he joined a unit within the investment bank that advises other financial institutions on mergers and other deals, a role that presented him with a potential conflict of interest, the report said.

  • WATCH: Unarmed refugee mistaken for Palestinian shot dead and lynched by Israeli mob

    WATCH: Unarmed refugee mistaken for Palestinian shot dead and lynched by Israeli mob

    In a viral video circulating on social media, an Israeli lynch mob is filmed beating a refugee to death at the Beersheba bus station, mistaking him for a Palestinian attacker.

    On Sunday night, a Palestinian armed with a pistol and a knife killed an IDF soldier and wounded 10 others at the bus station. Even though the attacker was killed by police, Haftom Zarhum, a 29-year-old Eritrean refugee trying to get his visa, was singled out by an Israeli lynch mob. After an IDF soldier shot him, video shows the mob beating Zarhum, who lay bleeding on the floor with his arms over his head while being kicked in the head repeatedly. One Israeli picked up a bench at the bus station and dropped it on Zarhum’s head.

    According to Israeli police, the original attacker, identified as 21-year-old Muhand Alukabi, was killed around 7:30 PM local time, though they were still looking for possible accomplices several hours later. That was when a group of Israelis singled out Zarhum for lynching.

  • Disturbing video shows school cop dragging girl from desk

    Disturbing video shows school cop dragging girl from desk

    A school safety officer in South Carolina brutally manhandles a 15-year-old female student.

  • Long Island Premiere of On Golden Years

    Long Island Premiere of On Golden Years

    Grammy-nominated Indian American filmmaker Tirlok Malik’s ‘On Golden Years’ has won best feature film USA award at the International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) in New York.

    Malik was also honoured with a special outstanding achievement in the multicultural arts category for acting, filmmaking, and immigrant advocacy.

    Written and directed by Malik, ‘On Golden Years’ portrays complex emotions of the retiring immigrants. Through various characters, the film deals with the conflicts faced by the residents of an Indian retirement community such as India versus America, contentment versus regrets and of course, where to retire.

  • Chhota Rajan arrested in Indonesia, likely to be deported to India

    Chhota Rajan arrested in Indonesia, likely to be deported to India

    n-CHHOTA-RAJAN-large570-2Indonesian police officials said that they have arrested a wanted criminal from India in Bali who had been on the run for two decades, with Interpol flagging him as a wanted man back in 1995.

    Acting on a tip-off from Australian police, Indonesian authorities detained Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, alias ‘Chhota Rajan’ yesterday as he arrived in the popular resort island of Bali from Sydney, Bali police spokesman Heri Wiyanto told AFP.

    n-CHHOTA-RAJAN-large570“We received information from police in Canberra yesterday (Sunday) about the red notice for a murderer,” he told AFP.

    “We arrested the man at the airport yesterday. What we know is that this man was suspected to have carried out 15 to 20 murders in India.”

    “Bali Police arrested Chhota Rajan yesterday at CBI’s request made through Interpol,” CBI Director Anil Sinha said as he confirmed the arrest.

    Bali police were coordinating with Interpol and Indian authorities, Wiyanto said, adding it was likely Nikalje would be deported to India.

    A spokesperson for Australian Federal Police said Interpol in Canberra had alerted Indonesian authorities “who apprehended Nikalje at the request of Indian authorities”.

    The federal police confirmed last month that Nikalje was living in Australia under another identity and had been in discussions with Indian authorities, the spokesperson said, but would not provide further details.

  • Geeta arrives in India, after 15 years

    Geeta arrives in India, after 15 years

    A deaf-mute woman who lost her family when she wandered over one of the world’s most militarized borders as a child made an emotional return to India on Monday, Oct 26, to be reunited with the family she has identified from a photograph.

    Developing Story : Live Updates

    Oct 26 3:42 pm IST : After meeting the family which she had earlier recognized in the photo, Geeta has refused to recognize them.

    Oct 26 3:44 pm IST:  We will still get a DNA test done to rule out all possibilities, says EAM Sushma Swaraj.

    Oct 26 3:46 pm IST: No matter if we find her parents or not, Geeta is a daughter of India & we will take care of her, says EAM Sushma Swaraj.

    Some 15 years have passed since speech and hearing impaired Geeta strayed across the border into Pakistan.

    Geeta flew into the international airport in Delhi on a Pakistan International Airlines flight from Karachi at 10.20am, accompanied by five representatives of the Edhi Foundation, including Bilqees Edhi, the Pakistani woman who cared for her and led a campaign for her return to India.

    External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj greeted the profoundly hearing and speech impaired woman with a tweet: “Geeta – welcome home our daughter.” As she emerged from the airport, Geeta shyly waved to TV camera crews and smiled before being driven away.

    pakistan-india-reunion_5aa52122-7ba0-11e5-ba56-8cfa9414553dSwaraj later met Geeta, clad in a red and white salwar-kameez, and the team from Edhi Foundation. Photos tweeted by the external affairs ministry spokesperson showed Swaraj embracing Geeta, whose story captivated people on both sides of the border after the recent success of Bajrangi Bhaijaan, a film with a similar storyline.

    Though Geeta, believed to be 23, has identified a family in Bihar from a photograph provided by the Indian high commission in Islamabad, she will be reunited with them only after DNA tests. If the tests turn out negative, she will be placed in a home either in Delhi or Indore.

     

  • Steve Jobs movie Flops at Box Office

    Steve Jobs movie Flops at Box Office

    “Steve Jobs,” the new biography of the Apple cofounder produced by Aaron Sorkin, had a disappointing debut. After a successful limited release, the biopic expanded to over 2,400 theaters this weekend, but only made $7.3 million. Many Hollywood analysts had predicted an opening in the range of $15 million to $20 million.

    “Steve Jobs” was expected to lead the pack this weekend after opening on a small number of screens last weekend.

    The biopic, which was budgeted at $30 million, got an “A-” from moviegoers on CinemaScore.

    “Often sophisticated, intellectually charged movies like ‘Steve Jobs’ have a tough time gaining huge acceptance by a general audience,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Rentrak(RENT). “‘Steve Jobs’ is still undeniably an excellent film and will still have solid playability though at more of a marathoners pace.”

    Sorkin’s last tech movie, “The Social Network,” about the founding of Facebook, earned more than $22 million on its debut.

    Despite its lackluster opening weekend, “Jobs” still holds much acclaim from critics.

    Critics’ reviews were 85% “fresh,” according to Rotten Tomatoes, and the film has the touch of two Academy Award winners: director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin.

  • Snub week for Nawaz Sharif

    Snub week for Nawaz Sharif

    The Pakistan Army and the Government must be in a state of shock by the way their country’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was snubbed by the US.

    Successive heads of state of Pakistan loved to rake-up the issue of Kashmir with the US and declare to the world the “backing” of the US. However, this time, Washington has cold-shouldered every move of Mr Sharif.

    Kashmir and violence along the LoC on Thursday (October 22) figured in a joint statement issued by US President Barack Obama and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, both of whom called for a “sustained and resilient” Indo-Pak dialogue process to resolve all outstanding issues.

    Obama and Sharif underlined that improvement in Pakistan-India bilateral relations would “greatly enhance” prospects for lasting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region, according to the statement.

    The two leaders also expressed concern over violence along the Line of Control, and pledged their support for confidence-building measures and “effective mechanisms” that are acceptable to both parties, it said.

    “The leaders emphasised the importance of a sustained and resilient dialogue process between the two neighbours aimed at resolving all outstanding territorial and other disputes, including Kashmir, through peaceful means and working together to address mutual concerns of India and Pakistan regarding terrorism,” the statement said.

    Sharif apprised Obama about Pakistan’s resolve to take “effective action” against United Nations-designated terrorist individuals and entities, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its affiliates, as per its international commitments and obligations under UN Security Council resolutions.

    The statement was released soon after Sharif and Obama held their bilateral talks at the White Office’s Oval Office.

    Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was on Friday (October 23) heckled by a protester who demanded to free the restive Balochistan province where activists say army is engaged in abductions, torture and killings.

    free-bluchistan-protest-against-pak-sharif-nawaz_ae400550-79a6-11e5-9d61-41ab8e878eddAs Sharif began delivering his address at the US Institute of Peace, a prominent independent think-tank here, a protester raised slogans including “Free Balochistan” besides calling him a “friend of (Osama) Bin Laden”.

    The man was also holding a poster that read “Free Baluchistan”. He was taken out of the auditorium by the security forces following the incident that forced the visiting premier, Sharif, to pause briefly and then resume his address.

    The army has fought separatist Baloch militants on several occasions during much of Pakistan’s existence. The latest wave of insurgency was triggered after the Pakistan Army, under the direction of the then President General Parvez Musharraf, bombed and killed elderly Baloch tribal chief Nawab Akbar Bugti in 2006.

  • RAMESHWARAM: THE TEMPLE CITY

    RAMESHWARAM: THE TEMPLE CITY

    Rameshwaram is called the temple city of Tamilnadu. Located at the South-Eastern corner of the state this city is the is the foremost religious city for both Vaishnavaites and Shaivites pilgrims.

    Rameshvaram is one city that has a brief mention in the ancient Hindu mythology. According to Ramayana, before going to Lanka Lord Rama performed Shiv puja here for victory. And it was later that at the same place Rameshwaram temple was built.

    Know an interesting mystical tale associated with Rameswaram Tamil Nadu with Rameshwaram tourism. The pious land has witnessed a significant event related to Lord Rama. Legend says that after Lord Rama’s triumph over the demon king Ravana in the war at Sri Lanka, he performed a thank giving rituals to Lord Shiva on this very majestic land of Rameswaram Tamil Nadu.

    RAMESHWARAMPLACES TO VISIT

    Dotted with some really nice travel destinations, Rameshwaram tourism is a real treat for the travelers to see. Lets have a look at the famous travel places to see here.

    Ramanathaswamy Temple 

    Ramanathaswamy Temple – was built in the 12 century AD and is a fine specimen of late Dravidian architecture

    World over it is know for its amazing sculpted pillars and corridors with elaborative design, carving and style.

    According to legends Lord Rama sanctified this place by offering prayers to Lord Shiva after his victory over demon ruler Ravana.

    Only Hindu pilgrims have permission to enter the Ramanathaswamy temple premises.

    Kothandaramaswamy temple

    Located just 8 km away from Rameshwaram temple, Dhanushkodi the place got its name after Lord Rama’s bow ‘Dhanush’.

    Kothandaramaswamy is home to Kothandaramaswamy temple which was completely destroyed in 1964 by the terrible cyclones.

    The temple has many beautiful statues of Lord Rama, Sita, Hanuman, Lakshmana and Vibhishana.

    Adam’s Bridge 

    Adam bridge is a chain of natural reefs, islets and sandbanks, that connects India with Sri Lanka.

    According to legends, this series of steeping stones was used by Hanuman when he was chasing Ravana while resuing Sita.

    Gandhamadana Parvatam 

    Gandhamadana Parvatam is an ideal location to enjoy the natural view of the island along with Ramanathaswamy temple.

    The footprint that are seen here are believed to be of Lord Rama.

    Beach Attractions

    Being an island city (and a famous attraction of Tamilnadu tourism), Rameshwaram is surrounded by the Arabian sea giving this place its pristine beauty. The picture perfect beaches and the colorful sandy beaches make this place one of its kind and ideal for water sports. Try out scuba diving here or just relax under the sun sipping coconut water.

    Rameshwaram tourism offers info on best nearby destination to the pious city. Several fascinating excursion destinations can be explored on your tour to Rameshwaram. Erwadi tucked 24 km from the city, is popular for the tomb of saint Ibrahim Syed Aulia. Another worth visiting nearby place id Ramanathapuram, renowned for its magnificent Ram Vilas Palace of Sethupati Rajas. Also Take a tour to Uthirakosamangai, known for the ancient Shiva temple.

    How To Reach 

    BY AIR: Madurai is the nearest airport at a distance of 163 km

    RAMESHWARAM BridgeBY TRAIN: The rail network connects the city to and from Madurai, Chennai, Thanjavur and Trichy. Island of Rameshvaram is connected with mainland of Mandapam with 2 km long Indira Gandhi bridge
    BY ROAD: The city is well connected by road to main cities like Chennai, Trichy, Thiruvallur, Tanjore, Kanyakumari and Pondicherry. Tourists can also hire jeeps, auto rickshaws and even cycle rickshaws for sightseeing tour of the city.

  • MOST EARTH-LIKE PLANETS YET TO BE BORN

    MOST EARTH-LIKE PLANETS YET TO BE BORN

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Bulk of potentially habitable planets – 92 per cent – are yet to be born in the universe, according to a new study that suggests there should at least be one billion Earth-sized worlds in the Milky Way at present.

    When our solar system was born 4.6 billion years ago only eight per cent of the potentially habitable planets that will ever form in the universe existed, researchers said.

    The bulk of those planets – 92 per cent – are yet to be born, according to the assessment of data collected by Nasa’s Hubble Space Telescope and the prolific planet-hunting Kepler space observatory.

    “Our main motivation was understanding the Earth’s place in the context of the rest of the universe,” said study author Peter Behroozi of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland.

    “Compared to all the planets that will ever form in the universe, the Earth is actually quite early,” said Behroozi.

    Looking far away and far back in time, Hubble has given astronomers a “family album” of galaxy observations that chronicle the universe’s star formation history as galaxies grew.

    The data show that the universe was making stars at a fast rate 10 billion years ago, but the fraction of the universe’s hydrogen and helium gas that was involved was very low.

    Today, star birth is happening at a much slower rate than long ago, but there is so much leftover gas available that the universe will keep cooking up stars and planets for a very long time to come.

    “There is enough remaining material [after the big bang] to produce even more planets in the future, in the Milky Way and beyond,” added co-investigator Molly Peeples of STScI.

    Kepler’s planet survey indicates that Earth-sized planets in a star’s habitable zone, the perfect distance that could allow water to pool on the surface, are ubiquitous in our galaxy.

    Based on the survey, scientists predict that there should be one billion Earth-sized worlds in the Milky Way galaxy at present, a good portion of them presumed to be rocky. That estimate skyrockets when you include the other 100 billion galaxies in the observable universe.

    This leaves plenty of opportunity for untold more Earth-sized planets in the habitable zone to arise in the future.

    The last star isn’t expected to burn out until 100 trillion years from now. That’s plenty of time for literally anything to happen on the planet landscape.

    The researchers say that future Earths are more likely to appear inside giant galaxy clusters and also in dwarf galaxies, which have yet to use up all their gas for building stars and accompanying planetary systems.

    By contrast, our Milky Way galaxy has used up much more of the gas available for future star formation.