103 dead in southern Russia floods

Intense flooding in the Black Sea region of southern Russia killed 103 people after torrential rains dropped nearly a foot of water, forcing many to scramble out of their beds for refuge in trees and on roofs, officials said Saturday.

Many people were asleep when the flooding hit overnight in the Krasnodar region, and the water rushed into the area around the hard-hit town of Krimsk with such speed and volume that rumors emerged that local officials had opened a nearby water reservoir. Muddy water coursed through streets and homes, in some cases high enough to flow over the hoods of cars and even as high as rooftops, according to witnesses.

People waded through waist-high water or maneuvered the streets in boats on Saturday. About 5,000 residences were flooded, the Krasnodar governor was quoted as telling the Interfax news agency.

"Nobody remembers such a flood in all (of the area's) history," Alexander Tkachev said.

The Interior Ministry gave the death toll as 103 on Saturday evening, according to Russian news agencies; a regional ministry spokesman said earlier that at least 67 of the deaths were around Krimsk, about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) south of Moscow. Five people were electrocuted in the Black Sea coastal city of Gelendzhik after a transformer fell into the water, state news agency RIA Novosti said.

Anna Kovalevskaya, whose parents live in the flooded area, described water inundating their home up to the roof.

"In the town, people are saying that a reservoir in the mountains above was opened," she told the Moscow-based radio station Russian News Service. "A wave came from there. There was seven meters (22 feet) of water in the town."

Tkachev reacted angrily to the speculation, saying on his Twitter account: "Stop spreading stupid rumors ... Now is the time to get through things together, not mock."

President Vladimir Putin flew to the region Saturday evening, viewing the damage from a helicopter. He will also meet with regional officials in Krimsk.

State news channel Rossiya 24 showed video of area residents rescuing people in small, inflatable boats and others slogging glumly through flooded homes.

"It came so fast!" exclaimed one woman, whose name was not given, waving an arm in frustration at the shin-deep water in her living room, where a large teddy bear sat on a sofa.

More than 28 centimeters (11 inches) of rain had fallen in Gelendzhik since the previous evening, the state meteorological service said.

Gelendzhik is on the Black Sea coast, and along with the area around it, is a popular summer vacation spot, including many children's camps. Vice-premier Olga Golodets told RIA Novosti that some 7,100 children were at holiday camps in the area, and that 459 children had to be evacuated.

The area also includes Novorossiisk, a major Black Sea port. The Transneft oil company said Saturday it has suspended loading oil onto tankers at the port because of the severe weather.

More than 1,500 Emergency Ministry officials were working to aid flood victims and clean up the damage, state TV said
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BCCI to nominate Dravid for Khel Ratna

Mumbai: The Cricket Board has decided to recommend recently retired stalwart Rahul Dravid for the  prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award and Yuvraj Singh, the player of the World Cup, for the Arjuna Award. "We will be forwarding the names of Rahul Dravid for Khel Ratna Award and Yuvraj Singh for the Arjuna Award next week (to the government)," BCCI`s CAO Prof Ratnakar Shetty told PTI today.   The Government had recently extended the deadline for the nominations till July 20. The 39-year-old Dravid retired from all forms of the game at the international level following the Test series in Australia last year after having accumulated over 23,000 runs in Tests and ODIs combined since making a spectacular debut at Lord`s in 1996.     If awarded the highest sports award in the country that was instituted in 1991-92, former India captain Dravid would follow the footsteps of his illustrious ex-teammates Sachin Tendulkar (1997-98) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2007-08) as the third cricketer to win the coveted award.   So far 20 sportspersons have been bestowed the award. Yuvraj, who has started practising at the nets at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore after his battle with a rare form of germ cell cancer between his lungs, was India`s hero in the 2011 World Cup triumph

ISI officer provided cartridges for India 26/11attacks, claims Abu Jundal

New Delhi: A day after Pakistan said it rejects any insinuation of state support for the terrorists who ravaged Mumbai in 2008, Abu Jundal has provided crucial details that suggest the opposite. The terrorist has said that an officer from Pakistan's military intelligence agency, ISI, provided two cartons of cartridges that were used during the 26/11 attacks.

Jundal is in the custody of the Delhi Police after he was deported from Saudi Arabia last month. The ISI officer he refers to is Major Sameer. Jundal is originally from Maharashtra; he has said he was in a control room in Karachi which coordinated and instructed the ten terrorists who opened fire at Mumbai landmarks, killing 166 people. Over the last few days, his interrogation has led to references to a series of ISI officers.

The terrorists who were deputed to Mumbai were trained, he has said, at camp Bait-ul-Mujahideen near Muzaffarabad. Here, he says, Major Sameer dropped in to share two cartons of AK47 cartridges that were taken by the terrorists to Mumbai.

Pakistani-American David Headley, who has been convicted in the US of scouting targets in Mumbai for the Lashkar-e-Taiba ahead of the attacks, has also identified Sameer Ali as a major in the ISI who had recruited him. 

Jundal has told Indian officials that after 26/11, the control room in Karachi was raided and those who had been based there were asked to disperse. Lashkar commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was arrested, and a handler named Muzammil, who like Jundal passed on instructions to the men in Mumbai, took over as the Lashkar chief. He allegedly took Jundal to Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir to meet an officer of the ISI who was referred to by the terrorists as Colonel Hamza. This officer allegedly ensured that Jundal was not arrested (he travelled to Saudi Arabia on a Pakistani passport in March 2011). Muzammil allegedly took Jundal to visit Lakhvi in jail - India will see this as further evidence that the masterminds of 26/11 were able to move around freely and that arrests were purely symbolic.

Euro 2012: Spain crowned Kings of Europe

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Spanish Armada rolled on as Spain blanked Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final. Not only did Spain retain their crown but also became the first ever team to lift the World Cup sandwiched between two European Championships.

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Euro 2012 Final: Italy coach not afraid of Spain

Kiev: Italy boss Cesare Prandelli insists that playing reigning champions Spain in the final of Euro 2012 holds no fear for his troops.

La Roja are bidding to become the first side to win three successive international tournaments and many pundits believe that their current era of dominance owes much to their shoot-out success over the Azzurri in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008.

However, after recording a draw against Vicente del Bosque`s side at the start of the current competition, Prandelli feels that just as Spain took their first step on the path to success against Italy, it could easily come to pass that their journey ends against the same opposition.

"We are not afraid of Spain," the 54-year-old told reporters at a press conference on Friday. "We will try to find their weakest point and work on them. 

"It won`t be easy, it`s their third final in a row and this means they have great qualities. But we have grown since the start of the tournament and now we really are a team. We were fantastic against Germany [in the semi-finals]."

Prandelli is under contract for another two years and Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Giancarlo Abete has already claimed that the former Fiorentina boss will continue until the 2014 World Cup.

However, the coach, who succeeded Marcello Lippi at the helm in 2010, has again indicated that he is seriously considering a return to the club game.

"I will think about my future after Euro 2012," he explained. "The last two months have been very tough."

Prandelli also indicated that he misses the buzz of constant competition.

Paes confirms participation at London Olympics

London, June 29 (IANS) Leander Paes has confirmed he will compete in his sixth Olympics in London, saying his job was to play sports and not politics.

Paes had threatened to opt of out the London Games after the All Indian Tennis Association (AITA) decided to pair him with the youngVishnu Pardhan following Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna's refusal to play alongside country's highest ranked player.

Paes was biding his time to speak on the issue until Thursday when he said he was ready to ignore "petty politics" in the sport and represent India at July 27-August 12 event.

"I am here to play sport and not politics," Paes said Thursday following his men's doubles first round win at the Wimbledon with Czech partner Radek Stepanek.

"Unfortunately, I see the games being played within games. Though it is very disheartening, I am looking forward to my sixth Olympics as I have played for 22 years for the people and the flag."

The Atlanta Games bronze medallist asserted he was ready to partner anyone AITA has selected.

Asked about 300th ranked singles player, Vardhan, Paes said: "I don't even know if he has a grass-court shoe. So it is a bit of a tough one. But he is a really good kid.

"Whatever the obstacles are, which I see are going to be many -- he has never been to Wimbledon before -- whatever I can do as an experienced professional athlete to help my partners out, I would do," he said.

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INDIA_Delhi & Mumbai to get missile defence shield

New Delhi: Delhi and Mumbai have been chosen for the Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) Ballistic Missile Defence system that can be put in place at short notice.

The detailed proposal is being prepared for final clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

The strategic planning has already begun to install the defence system in the two cities and the final proposal will be put before the government after detailed analysis of the entire project, sources said.


The sites for installing radars to track enemy missiles and storing counter-attack projectiles will be determined during the planning stage, they said, adding that these locations must have adequate stealth feature and protection against enemy sabotage.

To ensure maximum protection against air-borne threats, DRDO will put a mix of counter-attack missiles which will be able to shoot down enemy missiles both within earth's atmosphere (endo-atmospheric) and outside it (exo-atmospheric).

The BMD system will require minimum human intervention due to the complete automation of tracking devices and counter-measures. Human intervention will be required only to abort the mission, the sources said.

After successful implementation in Delhi and Mumbai, the system will be used to cover other major cities in the country, they added.

The shield, developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation, has undergone a series of successful tests. It can destroy an incoming ballistic missile with the range of up to 2,000 km.

During the test stage, DRDO used variants of Prithvi missiles as simulated targets and successfully intercepted them in mid-air.

All the necessary elements such as long-range radars and tracking devices, real-time datalink and mission control system required for installing the BMD missile system have been also been successfully tested by the DRDO.

The system is all set to be upgraded to the range of 5,000 km by 2016.

The system was first test-fired in November 2006, elevating India into the elite club of countries to have successfully developed an anti-ballistic missile system after the US, Russia and Israel.

Ronaldo stars as Portugal progress to semi-finals

Twitter suffers sustained outage amid hacker attack

Two service outages within the course of several hours rocked microblogging platform Twitter on Thursday, as users worldwide reported significant down-time and slow service across both Twitter's website and mobile applications.


Amid speculation that Twitter had been crippled by a hacker attack, the San Francisco-based company blamed the outage - one of its most severe episodes in recent months - on a "cascading bug" in one of its infrastructure components.


"One of the characteristics of such a bug is that it can have a significant impact on all users, worldwide, which was the case today," Mazen Rawashdeh, a Twitter vice president of engineering, wrote in a blog post on Thursday afternoon, after normal service resumed.


"We are currently conducting a comprehensive review to ensure that we can avoid this chain of events in the future," he added.


Twitter's statements came after UgNazi - an emerging hacker outfit that recently gained publicity for breaking into Cloudflare chief executive Matthew Prince's personal Google email account - claimed credit for the service disruption in an email to Reuters, saying it launched a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack against Twitter because of the company's support for the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act.


One security professional said the group probably used a DDoS-for-hire site to launch an attack against Twitter on Thursday, but downplayed the likelihood the group was solely responsible for bringing down the social media network.


"It was mere coincidence," the security professional said. "The backend of Twitter is having issues, which is unrelated to the very small attack."


North American traffic levels for Twitter.com sharply plummeted on two occasions between 8:30 a.m. PDT (1530 GMT) and 11:00 a.m. PDT (1800 GMT), according to data provided by network analytics company Sandvine.


The first outage lasted between 8:30 a.m. (1530 GMT) and 10:00 a.m. (1700 GMT), data showed.


Twitter acknowledged the disruption in a mid-morning blog post that was continually revised as the service resumed, only to fail for a second time before 11:00 a.m.


Thursday's sustained outage leaves a fresh bruise on a service that had supposedly shed its unreliable reputation long ago.


As the service resumed on Thursday, its most dedicated users quickly hopped back on to crack jokes, express relief and complain about the interruption - and, indeed, the fact that during the outage they had nowhere to complain about the interruption.


Founded in 2006, Twitter was plagued in its early days by frequent outages as its servers struggled to handle the ever-rising volume of tweets generated worldwide, leaving frustrated users with its famous "fail whale" error screen.


In recent years, Twitter, which has been under great pressure to demonstrate financial viability, has also devoted considerable resources toward improving its reliability, in an attempt to project itself as a mature, polished brand.


CEO Dick Costolo said this month that Twitter now has 140 million active monthly users who send 400 million tweets daily.


The company sounded an apologetic note on Thursday, as it conceded it had failed users who rely on the platform to connect with "heroes, causes, political movements."

Euro 2012: Portugal beat Czech Republic 1-0 to enter semi final

A header by Cristiano Ronaldo gave Portugal a place in the Euro 2012 semi-finals after they beat Czech Republic 1-0 here on Thursday in their quarter-final.


Ronaldo - who scored a double in the 2-1 win over the Dutch in the final group game - got the winner in the 79th minute in a game where but for Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech and the post - which he hit on two occasions - he could have had a hatful.


He goes joint-top of the scoring charts with three.

The Czechs didn't have a chance on target hindered by the absence of injured playmaker Tomas Rosicky.


Ronaldo showed the same kind of sparkle that saw the Portugal captain dominate play and claim a brace in his team's 2-1 defeat of the Netherlands last Sunday - goals he had dedicated to his son, who turned two the same day.


So often maligned for failing to recapture his Real Madrid form when wearing the Portugal shirt, Ronaldo's 79th-minute header took his Euro 2012 tally to three, making him joint top scorer with Germany's Mario Gomez - plus Russia's Alan Dzagoev and Croatia's Mario Mandzukic, whose teams failed to advance from the group stage.


A divisive figure around whom Portugal are often accused of creating a cult of personality, Ronaldo won the loudest cheer from his fans in Warsaw's National Stadium when the announcer reeled off each squad, but earned catcalls from Czech supporters when he stepped up to take free kicks.


The high-profile player - officially the most-tweeted at Euro 2012 according to UEFA - is often a target for his opponents' supporters.


Denmark's fans even tried to get under his skin by chanting the name of his nemesis in the Spanish league, Lionel Messi, during their country's 3-2 loss to Portugal last week.


That, coupled with repeated media criticism, has led Portugal to rally round their captain and, earlier in the tournament, to shun the press in protest - though the man himself did speak to Portuguese television.


The 27-year-old striker struggled early in the half against the Czechs in part because of the lacklustre performance of his team-mates.


The frustration showed as he and Czech defender Petr Jiracek avoided a booking from referee Howard Webb after they angrily pawed at each other in front the Czechs' goal.


He was finally to find his stride 25 minutes in, when midfielder Joao Moutinho fed him the ball, only for Czech keeper and captain Petr Cech to block his strike.


Eight minutes later his attempted bicycle kick went wide, followed almost immediately by an off-target free kick.


Seconds into stoppage time, he notched up a sublime effort while beating a cluster of defenders, chesting the ball and tapping it into the line of fire - only to blast against the post.


After the return from the dressing room, Ronaldo showed his hunger was rising, shooting a free kick wide, and setting up a string of further attacks.


Dominating play, Portugal continued to pound the Czech defence, and Moutinho's cross found an advancing Ronaldo, who leapt to take the header, beating a floundering Cech to take Portugal through.

Taliban suicide bombers attack hotel in Kabul, take hostages

Kabul: Three suicide bombers attacked a lakeside hotel north of Kabul, taking hostages and staging an hours-long gunbattle with Afghan security forces, police said Friday.

The bombers, armed with machines guns, rocket-propelled grenades and vests laden with explosives, attacked the Spozhmai hotel at Qargha Lake around 11 p.m. Thursday night and fighting continued Friday morning, said Mohammad Zahir, criminal director for Kabul police.

Eighteen people, including women and children, have been rescued from the hotel and two of the attackers are dead, said Gen. Kadam Shah Shayem, a commander with the Afghan National Army in Kabul.


Kabul police chief Mohammad Ayub Salangi said at least one policeman was killed in the attack.

Four guests jumped out of a window at the two-story hotel and crouched in the lake to hide from the attackers, Shayem said.

"Our forces have surrounded the area," Shayem said. "There is still shooting. We are being very careful because there still are people - civilians - inside the hotel."

There were civilian casualties, but details were not immediately available.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said they attacked the hotel because foreigners there were drinking and participating in other activities banned by Islam.

The U.S.-led coalition was supporting Afghan security forces who responded to the attack, the coalition said. An Associated Press photographer at the scene said coalition helicopters were circling over the site.

Aamir meets parliamentary panel to discuss medical issues

Aamir Khan is meeting a parliamentary panel right now to provide inputs on medical issues. Aamir, who exposed malpractices in the medical sector on his TV show Satyamev Jayate, was invited to do so earlier this week by Rajya Sabha MP Shanta Kumar of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who heads the parliamentary standing committee on commerce.

Aamir, 47, discussed issues like doctors taking monetary cuts and other unethical medical practices on an episode of Satyamev Jayate which prompted an umbrella body of doctors' associations to ask him for an apology. He later refused to apologise to the doctors, and said he was willing to face any legal action taken by them. 

In the episode, Aamir presented live examples of people who could have been cured with simple medicines but were advised by doctors to undergo surgeries, robbing them of precious money. Broadcast on May 27, the episode also addressed issues like overpricing of life-saving drugs.

Satyamev Jayate, which marks the actor's entry into the field of television, has so far discussed issues like female foeticide, child sex abuse and domestic violence. 

The fallout of the show has been noteworthy. Parliament has only now passed a bill on stringent action against those guilty of child sex abuse, and the Rajasthan government have promised to create fast track courts which will resolve pending female foeticide cases in the state. 

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Saina reaches second round in Indonesia Open

On a high after clinching the Thailand Open title last week, Indian ace Saina Nehwal started her campaign at the Indonesia Open Super Series Premier with a thrilling three-game victory over Japan's Sayaka Sato in the women's singles competition in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Fifth seed Saina saw off Sato 21-12, 14-21, 21-17 in a hard-fought match that lasted 57 minutes at the Istora Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. The world number five Indian will next take on qualifier Aprilla Yuswandaroi of Indonesia on Thursday.
Saina played long rallies and accumulated points with her better net play. After an initial fight till 6-6, Saina broke off to bag the first game and take a 1-0 lead in the match.

In the second game, Saina had a 12-5 lead but blew it off as Sato caught up with her at 13-13 before winning six straight points to level the match 1-1.
In the decider, Saina opened up a 8-1 lead and kept her nose ahead to seal the issue comfortably in the end. This was her fifth victory over Sato.
The other Olympic-bound Indian shuttlers had a mixed day with P Kashyap and mixed doubles pair of V Diju and Jwala Gutta making it to the second round. Jwala and Ashwini Ponnappa, however, lost their doubles opening round match.
In the men's singles, Kashyap survived a scare before prevailing 21-19, 19-21, 21-16 over Kevin Cordon of Guatemala in a match that lasted an hour and five minutes.
Diju and Jwala notched up a thrilling 14-21, 21-11, 21-16 victory over Korean combo of Yeon Seong Yoo and Ye Na Jang in a 50-minute match. The world number 14 Indians will next take on Tao Jiaming and Xia Huan, ranked 34th, in the second round on Thursday.
However, Commonwealth Games gold medallist pair of Jwala and Ashwini lost 13-21, 17-21 to second seeds Qing Tian and Yunlei Zhao of China in the women's doubles competition.
Among other Indians, Ajay Jayaram saw off Viktor Axelsen of Denmark 21-16, 21-14 in 33 minutes. He will next clash with the winner between Indonesian Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka and fourth seed Japanese Sho Sasaki.
However, it was curtains for the rest of the Indians in the tournament. Rising shuttler Sourabh Varma suffered a 18-21, 14-21 defeat to seventh seeded Indonesian Simon Santosa in the men's singles.
Mixed double pair of Tarun Kona and Ashwini lost to Indonesian combo of Riky Widianto and Puspita Richi Dili 16-21, 10-21, while Pradnya Gadre and Prajakta Sawant suffered a 21-23, 19-21, 19-21 loss to Melvira Oklamona and Khaeriah Rosmini of Indonesia in the women's doubles event.
Tarun and Arun Vishnu also couldn't cross the first hurdle, losing 14-21, 13-21 to third seed Danish pair of Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen in men's doubles competition.

Saina Nehwal started her campaign with a thrilling three-game victory over Japan's Sayaka Sato.

Presidential poll schedule to be announced shortly

NEW DELHI:

The announcement on Presidential election schedule is due shortly, new Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath on Monday said.

"All preparatory works are in full swing and an announcement regarding the election schedule is due shortly," he said soon after assuming charge as the CEC.

Asked as to when the schedule will be announced, he said let there be some suspense.

He said the immediate task at hand for him was the conduct of elections to the offices of the President and Vice President of India.

Sampath said that an orientation workshop for the returning officer, assistant returning officers and presiding officers for the Presidential poll was held last month.

The CEC also said that the commission is already engaged in preparation for the forthcoming elections in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya, and systemic training of personnel to be engaged in these assembly polls has already commenced.

"Work relating to electoral rolls revision and polling station rationalisation has already been taken up. The Commission will start visiting these states soon," he said.

The process for Presidential poll will be set in motion soon after the Commission issues its notification in this regard.

President Pratibha Patil's term ends on July 24 and the EC notification with regard to the election is likely to be issued this week itself. The notification for the last Presidential election was issued on June 13.

The EC has already started work on the checklist of 41 tasks for the Presidential election, officials said.

The ruling Congress and the opposition BJP have so far remained silent on the candidature issue, while NCP leader and former Speaker P A Sangma has already jumped into the race. Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee is considered as being among the frontrunners for the post.

Jaya hands over Rs 2 crore to Viswanathan Anand

Chennai:
 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today presented a cheque for Rs two crore to Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand for winning the World Chess Championship crown for the fifth time. Anand, along with his wife Aruna, called on Jayalalithaa at the state secretariat where she complimented the world champion for his achievement.   The Chief Minister had earlier sent a letter to Anand saying that he had brought laurels both to Tamil Nadu and India and announced a reward of Rs two crore.   Describing his meeting with the Chief Minister as "incredibly nice",
Anand thanked her for the efforts of the state government in promoting chess among the students.   Thanking Jayalalithaa for the cash reward, Anand also backed the idea of corporate support for chess, saying it will help the sport.   Jayalalithaa had recently said that Anand deserves Bharat Ratna, the country`s highest civilian award. Anand defeated challenger Boris Gelfand of Israel in a tense rapid chess tie-breaker to win the World Championship crown for the fourth time in a row in Moscow on May 30.

Aamir Khan to pitch in for nutrition campaign

Mumbai: Actor Aamir Khan, who has been earning accolades for highlighting social issues through his TV programme, will soon be seen spreading awareness about the problem of malnutrition as part of a major publicity campaign by the government.

"The Women and Child Development (WCD) ministry has planned a major information, education and communication or IEC campaign against malnutrition with the pro-bono services of film actor Aamir Khan. The campaign will be ready in a month or two," a senior ministry official told PTI.

The campaign involving Khan, who is doing it for free, would comprise audio, visual as well as print media and also SMSes that would spread the message through mobile phone services.

Officials said the publicity campaign involving the actor was currently under production stage and it would be rolled out in three stages.

"There are people in the country who are not even aware of what constitutes malnutrition, so in the first stage Aamir Khan will be seen explaining and introducing the concept," the senior official said.

"As the campaign moves ahead, in the second and third stage the actor will convey specific messages as to what the public can do to prevent and remove the problem of malnutrition," he added.

The official added that while Khan was offering his services for the campaign without any charge, the UNICEF was also providing assistance to the ministry in meeting the production related charges.

The 47-year-old actor`s TV programme Satyamev Jayate which has highlighted issues such as female infanticide, dowry and honour killings has been appreciated by the audience.

Aamir Khan`s association with the WCD ministry`s Malnutrition programme dates back to a couple of years when he had held meeting with the minister Krishna Tirath and had agreed to be a part of the campaign.

Nutrition has been one of the priority areas for the WCD ministry especially after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called the prevalence of high levels of malnutrition a matter of "national shame".

Sachin TendulkarBeginning his inning as a Parliamentarian

NEW DELHI: Beginning his inning as a Parliamentarian, cricketer Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar took oath as Rajya Sabha member on Monday.

In Pics: Sachin sworn in as MP

Sachin was nominated by the government as Rajya Sabha MP on April 27.

Since Parliament is not in session, he took oath in the chamber of the Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari. He took oath in Hindi.

Sachin accompanied by minister of state for parliamentary affairs Rajiv Shukla reached Parliament House 15 minutes before taking the oath.

He couldn't take oath during the Budget Session due to IPL matches last month.

Besides MoS Rajiv Shukla, Samajwadi Party leader in Rajya Sabha Ram Gopal Yadav and Union ministers V Narayanasamy and Harish Rawat were also present inside the RS chairman Hamid Ansari's chamber while Sachin was taking oath.

Sachin made it clear that his focus would be cricket and hinting at concentrating on Parliament work after he stops playing the game.

However, he hastened to add that he does not want rumours to swirl that he has stopped playing cricket for Parliament.

"...I am here because of my cricketing career. I cannot take any focus away from my cricket. That is where it all started for me. I will focus on my cricket and as and when I stop playing cricket, I don't know, when I will start attending to other things.

"I don't want rumours to start that I have stopped playing cricket. I will let everyone know when I will stop playing cricket," he said when asked how he would assuage people who raise questions whether he would be able to do justice to the job in Parliament when he is still playing cricket.

"Cricket comes first," Tendulkar told reporters as he and wife Anjali were chaperoned by Shukla to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari's chamber.

There was much excitement in the corridors of Parliament as a large number of officials gathered outside Ansari's chamber where Tendulkar took oath.

A number of Parliament staffers took out their mobile phones to capture a glimpse of the cricketer.

After taking oath, Tendulkar said it was a great honour for him to be nominated as a Rajya Sabha member by the President.

Tendulkar said the Rajya Sabha nomination has put him in better position to help not only cricket but also other sports in the country.

On apprehensions that he would not be able to devote much time to Parliament, Tendulkar made it clear that he was a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha and had not sought to be a member.

"See, I am a nominee. So, I didn't go to anyone to say that I want to become a Rajya Sabha member. It is an honour which I accept with full respect but I am here because of my cricketing career," he said.

Asked whether Tendulkar's oath was special, Ansari said, "All oaths are the same. All members are same."

Tendulkar said cricket had given him many things in life during the 22 years he has played the game and he had always dreamt of giving something back to cricket in the latter half of his life.

"Whatever I am today is because of cricket and I strongly believe that. Today, with the nomination as Rajya Sabha member, I think I am in a better position not only to help cricket but also other sports in the country which is really important and means a lot to me. And I will try my best to help other sports," he said.

"But I believe there might be few obstacles along the way and a few challenges along the way. And I need help from my fellow parliamentarians, the administrators, media and our countrymen. I think, together we can make a lot of changes," Tendulkar said.

The cricketer said he would like to be remembered as someone who contributed to all sports in the country and not just by his cricket statistics.

"I would finally like to say that I will be happy if I am remembered as someone who contributed to all sports in India rather than just my cricket statistics. That would be fantastic," Tendulkar said.

Seven Wonders of India

Since the ancient ages, India has been known all over the world for its numerous wonders. The Indian sub continent has been the cradle for some of the oldest civilizations of the world. Over a period of thousands of years, India has developed into one of the most fascinating countries of the world. The wonders of India include breathtaking natural beauty, its rich wildlife, the varied and dynamic population, and the numerous historic buildings that have been built by the erstwhile rulers of this vast land. Tourism in India has been ever growing due to the immense popularity of the wonders of India all over the world.

The rich heritage of India is best revealed in its 'Seven Wonders'. From a majestic monolith to places of worship, a mausoleum and a university - our wonderful land is a treasure trove. In discovering incredible India in all its glory, it seemed like a neverending journey! And so, in our endeavour to choose the magnificent wonders of India, here we come with YOUR verdict. Finally, it is through your eyes, through your votes, that we bring you the chosen few from around the country. Announcing the 7 wonders of India!

Sun Temple - Konark, Orrisa

The glorious Sun Temple is also known with names of Konark, Arkakshetra, and Konaditya. This beautiful monument was built by the King Narasimhadeva in the thirteenth century is one of the grandest temples of India.


Khajuraho - Madhya Pradesh

One of the most popular destinations among who want to experience the rich cultural heritage of India, Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for their erotic sculpture.


Jaisalmer Fort - Rajasthan

Jaisalmer Fort one of the well known place to experience the aesthetic ancient India. An name with which it is also known is "The Golden Fort". It was build by a rajput raja Rawal jaisal in Jaisalmer city of slightly Rajasthan in 1156 AD.

 
Red Fort - Delhi

Red Fort, Delhi was laid on the banks of the Yamuna River in the 17th century. The Red Fort also known as Lal Qil'ah or Lal Qila was the made by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.


Nalanda University - Bihar

Nalanda is the name of an ancient university in Bihar, India. The site of Nalanda is located in the Indian state of Bihar, about 55 miles south east of Patna, and was a Buddhist center of learning from 427 to 1197 CE.


Dholavira Site - Gujarat

The remains of Dholavira, a major city of the Harappan civilization, were discovered in 1967-68 by J. Joshi. Though hundreds of Harappan sites have been identified in Gujarat.

 
Meenakshi Temple - Madurai, South India

The Meenakshi Temple is nearly 2000 years old and is situated in the city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu. It is a splendid example of Dravidian style of temple architecture.

The story of India - amazing BBC documentary series part (1 of 7)

India - Incredible Asia

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                                  Welcome To India.

India is a diverse experience. The mystique of India, its history, religions, fabulous historical monuments such as the Taj Mahal, art and culture, have all attracted visitors from time immemorial, to find India's experience unforgettable. Let us take you around from Sikkim in the magnificent Himalayas to the beautiful beaches of Goa, or perhaps from the wonderful Havelis of Jaisalmer to the backwaters of Kerala. The marvelous temples of Khajuraho.                                           

                                           Agra

The Agra city is world wide famous for its Taj Mahal, which is the mausoleum of Mumtaz Mahal, wife of Emperor Shah Jahan. Agra also have many other places to see one of them is Agra Fort, build by Emperor Akbar between 1565 - 1573. The Tomb of Akbar is 12 km from Agra City.
 
  Area : 120.57 sq km
  Access : flights from Delhi,Khajuraho,Varanasi.Train from Delhi,Jaipur,Varanasi
  Distance (in kms) :Delhi 200 , Jaipur - 250 ,Bhartpur-56,Varanasi- 607,Ranthambore- 294 km,Sariska-189 ,Nanital - 376, Bundi - 438, Pushkar- 374, lucknow - 363, Kanpur - 285
  Hotels : 5 Star-Mughal Sherton,Taj View,Clarks Shiraz. 4 star - Howard Park Plaza, Mansingh, Utkarsh Vilas. 3 Star - Amar, Royal Residency.
  Special day trip to Agra - by luxury train

                                                      Bikaner

Founded in 1488. A timeless desert city.ringed by 7Km. long walland famed for its sandstone architechture which stands in stark contrast to the surrounding desert wilderness.
Sights:
Junagarh Fort, 1588, with saveral places and temples, Lallgarh Palace cavered from red sandstone, Ganga Golden Jublee Museum and a Camel Breeding Farm.
 
  Area : 38.10 sq km
  Access : Well connected to air,Rail and Road network.
  Distances : Bundi-396 km, Delhi-550 km, Jaisalmer-333 km, Jodhpur-243 km, Mandawa-200 km.
  Hotels; Gajner Palace, Lalgarh Palace, Karni Bhawan Palace, Laxmi Vilas Palace.
  Attraction to visit in Bikaner: Junagarh Fort, Camel Breeding Farm, Lalgarh Palace.
  Delhi
 
The Capital Of India, Delhi is divided into two main divisions, Old Delhi and New Delhi. Delhi have all the world class facilities which one can avail.
Sights:
Red Fort - Build by Shah Jahan in 1648.
Purana Quila - Light and Sound Shows at evening.
Humayun's Tomb - The old fort of Humanyun.
India Gate - Which was build in the honour of Indian Soldiers.
Rashtrapati Bhawan - Former residence of Viceroy, now the residence of President of India.
Parliament House ,Qutab Minar - Build in 1199, Connaught Place, Chandni Chowk and much more.
 
  Area : 1483 sq.km
  Access Well connected to air, rail, road network
  Distances : Agra 203 km, Bikaner 471 km,Bhartpur 205 km, chandigarh 238 km,Corbett Park 296 km,Jaipur 258 km, Jodhpur 610 km,Nanital 302,Neemrana 120 km,Rishikesh 224 km,Udaipur 670 km,Varanasi 670 km
  Hotels 5 Star : Ashoka,Le Merdien,Maurya Sherton,Taj Palace,Taj Mansingh,The Oberoi,Grand Intercontinental,
  Book hotel in Delhi/Book tour to Delhi

                                                           Jodhpur 

Founded 1459.A startling fortress-city and shopper's paradise for rare artifacts not found elsewhere. Apart from the grandeur of the imposing palace and fort, the city itself is a piece of remarkable history.
Sights:
Mehrangarh Fort - One of the most imposing sights of India with it's intricately carved sandstone edifice sitting ,seemingly impregnable, atop a 400 ft high rock. Inc Museum of colourful, historical artefacts. Also: Mandore (8kms) - former capital. Landscaped gardens, ancient temples, cenotaphs; Hall of Heroes - 16 larger than life sculptures, carved from one rock, of Hindu & folk deities.
 
  Area : 75.50 sq km
  Access ; By Air- Flight from mumbai,Delhi,Jaipur,Udaipur,By Train-direct train from Mumbai,Ahemdabad,Delhi,Jaipur etc.
  Distances : Mandore 10 km,Mt Abu 264 km,Pokaran 196 km,Udaipur 280 km.
  Hotels: Ajit Bhawan, Balsmand Palace, Ranbanka, Taj Hari Mahal, Abhay Days, Chandra Inn
  Book hotel in Jodhpur/Book tour to Jodhpur.
  Udaipur
 

Founded 1599, the glory, the chivalry and valour of the rajputs is displayed at it's finest by the grandeur of this lovely, lake side city. The city is a constant procession of places,temples, lakes and cenotaphs, each out doing the other in it's beauty. The bazaars offer fine crafts especially vividly coloured paintings. Places to visit: City Palace, Lake Palace, Shivniwas Palace, Shaliyon ki Badi, Jagdish Temple, Lake Fateh Sagar.

 
  Area: 17.239kms
  Access: Airport - 20kms, Daily flights from Jaipur, Jodhpur, Mumbai and Delhi.
  Distances: Delhi - 645kms, Agra - 630kms, Jaipur - 375kms, Jodhpur - 300kms
  Places to stay: Shiv Niwas Palace, Taj Lake Palace, Shikarbadi, Udai Kothi, Rangniwas, Laxmi Vilas Palace.
  Book hotels in udaipur/Book tour to udaipur

                                                                  khajuraho 

The remoteness & isolation of Khajuraho.has ensured the survival of one the India's greatest treasures. Built 950-1050AD. 85 temples of which 22 survive, covered in friezes & sculptures claimed to be the most perfect depiction of human form in stone. More famed for thier erotic sculptures, they in fact, depict, inexquisite detail, the everyday life of people,both rich & poor of the 11th century. Places to visit: Erotic Khajuraho Temples.

 
  Area
  Access By Air-Links with Delhi,Varanasi,Kathmandu.By Train -Delhi,Mumbai Kolkatta and Varanasi.Bus Service : Chhatarpur Satna,Jhansi,Gwalior,Agra Jabalpur,,Indore, Bhopal,Varanasi.
  Distances : Bandhavgarh 189 km,Chattarpur 48 km, Jabalpur 233 km, Jhansi 181 km,Orcha 178 km, Varanasi 399 km
  Hotels: Chandela, Usha Bandela, Ramada Hotel, Grand Temple View, Greenwood, Radisson.
 
Book hotels in Khajuraho/Book tour to Khajuraho

                                                                Leh

The city is a constant procession of places,temples, lakes and cenotaphs, each out doing the other in it's beauty. The bazaars offer fine crafts especially vividly coloured paintings.A remote outpost of mankind untouched by the modern age. In the Indus Valley beneath the shadow of the Himalyan & Karakoram Mountains.
Sights:
Leh Palace, a mini Tibetan Potala; Shey, Thikse, Hemis, Alchi, & many other monasteries of great antiquity and charm.

Area: 96.701 Sq.kms
Access: Flights from Delhi, Chandigarh, Srinagar, Jammu
Distances: Dehli - 1047kms, Srinagar - 434kms, Manali - 434, Kargil - 234kms, Zhanskar.
Hotels: De-Wa-Chan Continental, Hotel Shamba La, Yossum Retreat in the Himalaya.
Book hotels in leh/Book tour to leh
Chennai
The relaxed Tamil nature and pleasant location on the Bay of Bengal makes this, possibly, the nicest of India's large cities (4th Largest). Many buildings are coated in chunam, a mix of limestone & seashell making the walls shimmer.
Sights:
Kapaleshwar Temple, the pyramidal gateway tower soars to 37m .& has intricate carvings; San Thome Cathedral 16th C.Fort St. George, built by East India Co.in 1460; St Mary's church, 1679, the oldest Anglican church in Asia, & oldest, intact English building in India; Museum and Gallery.

Area : 174 sq km,Coastal line 22 sq km
Access
Distances : Chidambaram 232 km Kanchipuram 76 km, Madurai 444 km,Ponidcherry 162 km, Rameshwaram 596,Trupati 152 km
Hotels
Book hotels in chennai/Book tours to Chennai.

                                                               Jaisalmer

Lies in the hear of the Thar Desert and has a population, 0f about 78000. City also know as "GOLDEN CITY".Jaisalmer founded by Rawal Jaisal in 1156 A.D. Jaisalmer was the last to sign the instuement of agreement with British. Jaisalmer city used to be major trade centre of Western countries to India. Places to visit in Jaisalmer - Gadi Sagar Lake, Golden Fort, Golden Havlie.

                                                       Mysore  

 
"Sandalwood City", the centre for incense stick making. A great place to shop for arts and crafts, esp inlaid wood.
Sights : Maharaja's Palace; Chamundi Hill with spectacular views from Shiva Temple and the 5m high Nandi Bull( Lord Shiva's mount) sculptures of India's great epics. Also, Somnathpur, Srirangapatnam-nearby towns witha wealth of historical significance.

 
  Area :129KM2
  Access : Railway line connected to Bangalore, Hassan, Regular service from Superfast trains. Smooth & well maintain highways no. 33 & 88
  Distances : Bangalore - 140kms, Ooty - 159Kms, Cochin - 451kms, Madras - 470kms. Nearest airport - Bangalore
  Hotels : Luxury - Lalita Mahal Palace, Budget - Siddharth, Resort - Indus Valley, Wildlife Resort - Jungle Lodge.
  Book hotel at Mysore/Book Tour in Mysore

                                                    Neemrana  

 
Midway between Delhi and Jaipur, the seldom visited Neemrana Palace was built in 1464 and is the oldest palace to have been converted for hotel use. Little has changed within the palace and the rooms are full of antiques & offer superb vistas of the surrounding countryside. An oppurtunity to escape to another era.

 
  Area :
  Access : National highway 08, 1.5hrs drive from Delhi.
  Distances: 122kms from Delhi, 150kms from Jaipur
  Hotels : Neemrana Palace
  Book hotel at Neemrana/Book tour Neemrana

                                                   Orchha  

 
Orchha Once the capital of a powerful 17th C. state.The old fort ,palace,temples & riverside cenotaphs remain on an island in the River Bekwa.This is oNEof the most attractive seetings one could ask for, and the town itself,little more than a village now, has changed from it's medieval hay day.
Sights :
Jahangir Mahal; Raja mahal.

 
  Best Places to visit in Orchha, India: The Forts, Jehangir Mahal, Raj Mahal, Laxmi Naryan Temple, Chaturbhuj Temple, Flower Garden :
  Access: Airport - Khajuraho (4hrs), Train - Jhansi Railway station, 45 miniutes
  Distances: Delhi to Orchha 435 KMS Agra to Orchha 225 KMS, Jhansi to Orchha 18 KMS
  Hotels: Sheesh Mahal, Orchha Resort, Rang Mahal
  Best Season: October to March.
  Book hotel in Orchha/Book tours to Orchha

Mother's Chicken Curry

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

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