Why Mayawati says history will never forgive Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow: What Mayawati can, Akhilesh Yadav can do better. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister today changed the names of eight districts in the state, which had been earlier named by his predecessor, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati.

And on expected lines, the former chief minister is crying foul. The BSP chief immediately accused the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government of changing the names "with an ill will." She claims the districts were named after saints, gurus and Dalit icons during her regime.

"New districts were created during BSP regime and named after Dalit and Other Backward Classes (OBC) icons so that they always remain a source of inspiration for the society," Mayawati in a statement.

"But the present SP government has unnecessarily changed names of the districts with new ones that do not have any serious meaning. It is an insult to icons and to the society, and history will never forgive it," she said.

Mayawati said though reports of change in the names of districts were appearing in the media, she did not believe that the Samajwadi Party government would work "with an ill will" and go to the extent of insulting Dalit and OBC icons.

"The decision of the SP government is very painful and condemnable. I think that (by doing so) SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and his Chief Minister son Akhilesh have got their names written in black letters in the pages of history," she said.

"My government never changed the name of any district, instead it created a new district and gave it an inspirational name," she added.

According to sources, while Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar, formerly known as Amethi, will now be known as Gauriganj, Rambai Nagar will be called Kanpur dehat. The names of Bheem Nagar, Prabuddha Nagar and Pancheel Nagar have been changed to Bahjoi, Shamli and Hapur respectively.

Similarly, names of Kanshiram Nagar, Mahamaya Nagar and JP Nagar have been changed to Kasganj, Hathras and Amroha respectively.

The cabinet, chaired by the chief minister, also restored the name of King George's Medical University (KGMU), which was changed to Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University in the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) regime.

38-year-old Akhilesh Yadav's role was instrumental in Samajwadi Party's massive victory during the state elections earlier this year. The Samajwadi Party win forced Mayawati into an embarrassing retreat. She left the UP Assembly to serve as a member of the Rajya Sabha.

Lakshmi Mittal and son will carry Olympic Torch

London: Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, who is the main sponsor of the giant ArcelorMittal Orbit near the Olympics Stadium, will be among the individuals who will carry the Olympics Torch a day before the Games begin.

Olympics 2012 | Schedule | Medals Tally

The Torch will be carried by various individuals from Camden to Westminster on Thursday. Mittal's son, Aditya, 36, will also carry the Torch during the day.

The Mittal Champions Trust has been supporting Indian athletes.

Mittal, 62, said: "When I think about parallels between myself and an Olympian, I believe that success in the world of business is underpinned by very similar principles of perseverance and hard work.

"The torch relay is an excellent embodiment of all that the Olympic Games have come to symbolise - a celebration of the human spirit".

He added: "Personally to me, it represents striving to be the best in whatever we do, never giving up despite the odds and a commitment to health and fitness.

"I hope that by carrying the torch I will be representing many other people who share these ideals with me". Created by Turner Prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor, the ArcelorMittal Orbit is the tallest structure in Britain.

The company, which is one of the sponsors of the Olympics, has contributed 20 million pounds towards the structure.

Located in Olympic Park in Stratford, east London, the ArcelorMittal Orbit has two observation floors, a 455-step spiral staircase, lift and restaurant.

Visitors go up in the lift and walk down the staircase and take in the views and artistic tricks designed by Kapoor.

It is made from 60 per cent scrap metal. The Mittal Champions Trust has organised a reception for Indian athletes on Tuesday.

Maruti unrest: Mahapanchayat of 200 villages calls for peaceful resolution

Manesar: Representatives of nearly 200 villages gathered at Manesar on Monday for a mahapanchayat in support of Maruti.

The village elders condemned the Manesar factory workers for the violence that took place last week in which one general manager was burnt to death.

The villagers also called for a peaceful resolution to the stand-off between the company and its workers.

The villages depend heavily on Maruti for their livelihood as 3000 residents are employed there.

They are now worried that they may lose their source of livelihood if Maruti decides to shut shop because of a series of labour unrest.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is likely to meet the Panchayat leaders and Maruti officials on Monday.

Will release proof of corruption against Pranab: Team Anna

New Delhi: Even as the UPA celebrates its nominee Pranab Mukherjee's victory in the Presidential race, anti-corruption Team Anna has claimed they have "proof" of corruption against him and would make it public on July 25 when they would launch an indefinite fast coinciding with his swearing-in as the President.

"The Prime Minister is corrupt, now we have a corrupt President as well. We will release proof of corruption against Pranab Mukherjee on July 25 during our fast," Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal was speaking at a rally in New Delhi to drum up support for Team Anna's indefinite fast in the national capital from Wednesday, saying they are ready for a "fight to finish" and will not be satisfied with mere assurances.

Led by Kejriwal, Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan, the car and bike rally began from Rajghat and reached Jantar Mantar where they spoke against the UPA Government for its alleged inaction in tackling corruption.

"We are ready for fight to finish. This time around we are not going to give up our fast on mere assurances. We will end our agitation only after we get solutions to our demand.

"We don't trust the government anymore. Either we'll get solutions or our bodies will be lifted from here," Kejriwal told the protesters.

Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai will sit on an indefinite fast in the presence of Anna Hazare from Wednesday demanding setting up of a special panel to probe corruption allegations against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Cabinet colleagues.

Kejriwal said he has been issued a notice from a district and sessions court in Bulandshahr to appear before it on July 26 for his remarks against MPs.

"The fast will start on the 25th, but I will go to Bulandshahr on July 26. I am going to tell the court that whatever we have said is the truth and nothing else. We are not going to apologise. We haven't said anything wrong. If tainted people are sitting in Parliament we'll definitely say that these people should be removed," he said.  

                                                   

Prabhu Deva to launch Virat Kohli in movies?

Mumbai, July 23 (IANS) Superstars in their respective fields, cricketer Virat Kohli and actor-director Prabhu Deva got along like a house on fire in Bangkok while they were shooting for an ad together. Chances are they might even join hands for a movie.

Kohli, who was initially reluctant to dance, was coaxed by Prabhu Deva to try out some intricate steps for an ad for a shoe brand. The results were so impressive that somewhere down the fun zone the duo established during their two-day shoot, the idea of a movie launch for the star-cricketer came up.

And if a source is to be believed, Kohli is not averse to the idea.

Once Prabhu Deva, who according to Ram Gopal Varma is one of the three most successful Bollywood directors today after Rohit Shetty and Sajid Khan, wraps ups his current commitments, he may plan a launch for Kohli.

Prabhu Deva is currently busy with the launch of Kumar Taurani's son Girish. He is working with him for a remake of his 2005 Telugu hit "Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana". The original film featured Siddharth and Trisha Krishnan.

NASA builds menu for planned Mars mission in 2030s

HOUSTON (AP) — Through a labyrinth of hallways deep inside a 1960s-era building that has housed research that dates back to the early years of U.S. space travel, a group of scientists in white coats is stirring, mixing, measuring, brushing and, most important, tasting the end result of their cooking.

Their mission: Build a menu for a planned journey to Mars in the 2030s.

The menu must sustain a group of six to eight astronauts, keep them healthy and happy and also offer a broad array of food. That's no simple feat considering it will likely take six months to get to the Red Planet, astronauts will have to stay there 18 months and then it will take another six months to return to Earth. Imagine having to shop for a family's three-year supply of groceries all at once and having enough meals planned in advance for that length of time.

"Mars is different just because it's so far away," said Maya Cooper, senior research scientist with Lockheed Martin who is leading the efforts to build the menu. "We don't have the option to send a vehicle every six months and send more food as we do forInternational Space Station."

Astronauts who travel to the space station have a wide variety of food available to them, some 100 or so different options, in fact. But it is all pre-prepared and freeze-dried with a shelf life of at least two years. And while astronauts make up a panel that tastes the food and gives it a final OK on Earth before it blasts off, the lack of gravity means smell — and taste — is impaired. So the food is bland.

On Mars though, there is a little gravity, allowing NASA to consider significant changes to the current space menu. That's where Cooper's team comes in. Travel to Mars opens the possibility that astronauts can do things like chop vegetables and do a little cooking of their own. Even though pressure levels are different than on Earth, scientists think it will be possible to boil water with a pressure cooker, too.

One option Cooper and her staff in the Johnson Space Center in Houston are considering is having the astronauts care for a "Martian greenhouse." They would have a variety of fruits and vegetables — from carrots to bell peppers — in a hydroponic solution, meaning they would be planted in mineral-laced water instead of soil. The astronauts would care for their garden and then use those ingredients, combined with others, such as nuts and spices brought from Earth, to prepare their meals.

"That menu is favorable because it allows the astronauts to actually have live plants that are growing, you have optimum nutrient delivery with fresh fruits and vegetables, and it actually allows them to have freedom of choice when they're actually cooking the menus because the food isn't already pre-prepared into a particular recipe," Cooper said.

The top priority is to ensure that the astronauts get the proper amount of nutrients, calories and minerals to maintain their physical health and performance for the life of the mission, Cooper said.

The menu must also ensure the psychological health of the astronauts, Cooper explained, noting studies have shown that eating certain foods — such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes or turkey on Thanksgiving — improve people's mood and give them satisfaction. That "link to home" will be key for astronauts on the Mars mission, and there are currently two academic studies looking further into the connection between mood and food. Lacking certain vitamins or minerals can also harm the brain, she said.

Jerry Linenger, a retired astronaut who spent 132 days on the Russian Mir space station in 1997, said food is important for morale and the monotony of eating the same thing day after day is difficult.

"You just wanted something different. I didn't care if it was something I wouldn't eat in a million years on Earth. If it was different, I would eat it," Linenger said, recalling with a laugh how he would even drink up a Russian sour milk-like concoction for breakfast or drink up some borscht because it offered variety.

Already, Cooper's team of three has come up with about 100 recipes, all vegetarian because the astronauts will not have dairy or meat products available. It isn't possible to preserve those products long enough to take to Mars — and bringing a cow on the mission is not an option, Cooper jokes.

To ensure the vegetarian diet packs the right amount of protein, the researchers are designing a variety of dishes that include tofu and nuts, including a Thai pizza that has no cheese but is covered with carrots, red peppers, mushrooms, scallions, peanuts and a homemade sauce that has a spicy kick.

To keep this menu going, and get the most out of any research about food sustainability on Mars, Cooper says it's possible NASA will choose to have one astronaut solely dedicated to preparing the food — the Emeril of the Mars mission.

Still, since it remains unclear how much time mission planners will want to spend on food preparation, Cooper is also building an alternate pre-packaged menu, similar to how things are done for crews that do six-month stints on the International Space Station. For this option, though, the food will need to have a five-year shelf life compared with the two years available now. NASA, the Department of Defense and a variety of other agencies are researching ways to make that possible, Cooper said.

The ideal, though, would be to combine the two options.

"So they would have some fresh crop and some food that we would send from Earth," Cooper said.

One of the biggest obstacles, at the moment, may be the budgetary constraints. President Barack Obama's budget proposal in February canceled a joint US-European robotic mission to Mars in 2016, and the rest of NASA's budget has also been chopped.

At the moment, Michele Perchonok, advanced food technology project scientist at NASA, said about $1 million on average is spent annually on researching and building the Mars menu. NASA's overall budget in 2012 is more than $17 billion. She is hopeful that as the mission gets closer — about 10 to 15 years before launch — that the budget will grow, allowing for more in-depth, conclusive research.

The mission is important: It will give scientists the chance for unique research on everything from looking for other life forms and for the origin of life on Earth to the effects of partial gravity on bone loss. It also will let food scientists examine the question of sustainability. "How do we sustain the crew, 100 percent recycling of everything for that two and a half years?" Perchonok said.

But first things first: None of this will happen without food.

Clinton broaches Syria, Iran during Israel visit

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Israel's president spoke Monday about the need to halt Syria's violence and Iran's potential production of nuclear weapons, underscoring American support for an ally in a difficult neighborhood.

Clinton met President Shimon Peres for about an hour as part of what is perhaps her final visit to Israel as secretary of state, bringing a message of solidarity to the Jewish state after three-and-a-half years of only stunted progress toward a Palestinian peace deal.

After their visit, they each issued a statement to reporters without taking questions. Peres spoke about the importance of maintaining Israel's three-decade peace with Egypt, and decried the violence in neighboring Syria.

He also voiced support for the Obama administration's pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear activities — which has sometimes been a point of contention between a cautious U.S. keen to give negotiations and sanctions time to work and an Israeli government that has threatened military action.

Clinton said she spoke with Peres about "Egypt and Syria, peace efforts, Iran and other regional and global issues." She said she'd speak in greater detail later Monday, after meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

She returns to Washington early Tuesday, ending a 12-day, nine-country trip that included stops in Europe and Asia.

Her visit to Israel follows a weekend visit by President Barack Obama's National Security Adviser Tom Donilon. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta is expected to visit Israel soon.

Although Monday's agenda is designed to cover the breadth of U.S.-Israeli relations, the lack of action on peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians will be in the spotlight.

Negotiations have almost been nonexistent for the duration of Obama's term in office. They resumed briefly two years ago before stumbling over the same set of problems, namely Palestinian demands for a freeze on Jewish settlements in lands they seek for their future state and an Israeli insistence on no preconditions for talks.

Asked in an interview Sunday with WJLA-TV, a Washington D.C. station, what he believed he failed at, Obama cited Arab-Israeli peace efforts.

"I have not been able to move the peace process forward in the Middle East the way I wanted," he said. "It's something we focused on very early. But the truth of the matter is that the parties, they've got to want it as well."

Clinton hasn't visited Israel since September 2010. With little to show for U.S. efforts on a two-state peace agreement and a hectic schedule before she steps down as secretary of state next year, it is unlikely she'll return. Clinton has said she would leave the post, even if Obama wins a second term.

The flurry of visits by top U.S. officials to Israel could reflect an administration attempt to shore up Obama's support among Jewish voters as the election nears. The president has pushed back forcefully against Republican claims that he is weak in defending Israel's security, and GOP candidate Mitt Romney is planning to visit Israel later this month.

Americans kidnapped in Egypt's Sinai released

The head of Egyptian security in North Sinai and the kidnapper say two Americans and their Egyptian tour guide, abducted four days ago, have been released.

Gen. Ahmed Bakr, head of security in North Sinai, says the three were now in the protection of Egyptian security officials in Sinai.

The kidnapper, Jirmy Abu-Masuh, says he freed them Monday after officials promised they would work on releasing his uncle from prison.

He told The Associated Press by telephone after releasing the Americans that he wanted to grant them mercy, because they had nothing to do with his dispute with police.

The Boston-area residents and their Egyptian tour guide were abducted along a Sinai road to a Christian monastery on Friday.

Rev. Michel Louis, a 61-year-old pastor from Boston, a 39-year-old American woman and their Egyptian guide were taken off a bus on a road between Cairo and Mount Sinai on Friday while on a church trip.

Rev. Michel Louis, who is diabetic, left his medicine on the bus and security officials will have to help with getting it, Abu-Masuh said. He said Michel was tired and was sleeping a lot. He would not allow the AP to talk with the Americans.

Abu-Masuh also said that his imprisoned uncle is diabetic and claimed his relative was not getting the medical assistance he needs.

The Rev. Jean Louis, Michel's son, said his father was on a church trip with 23 other members of the clergy and worshippers when he was abducted.

A senior U.S. official said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton brought up the case of the two kidnapped Americans when she met with her Egyptian counterpart in Cairo on Saturday.

Need to evolve world opinion against n-weapons: A.P.J.Abdul Kalam

Shimla, 
July 14:
 Former Indian president and world renowned scientist A.P.J. Abdul Kalam today said world opinion was needed to be created against nuclear weapons of mass destruction.

"Nuclear energy is a clean source of energy but world opinion should be formed against nuclear weapons," he said at an interface with students of Shimla's schools and colleges.

Kalam said there were more than 10,000 nuclear weapons in the world. "Russia and America have signed nuclear arms reduction treaty. Attempts should be made not only to put curbs on addition of new weapons but also on their use. We are also a nuclear state. There is a need for universal pressure to free the world from nuclear weapons."

Kalam's comments came as school children asked him, "With technological advancement, how can we check the threats posed by weapons of mass destruction."

"This is really a difficult question," Kalam, who was the principal scientific advisor to the government before serving as the president from 2002 to 2007, remarked on being asked by another student about his experience with the political parties (during his presidentship).

"In politics, there are some good people. But the focus now shifted from development to politics. Normally, the development polity should be 70 percent and the politics of parties to get elected should be 30 percent. But now, the phenomenon has reversed. Development polity has reduced to 30 percent and the focus of political parties (to get elected) is 70 percent."

The missile man, who was the key player in India's 1998 nuclear test, asked students to read 'Biology of Beliefs' by Bruce Lipton to develop scientific temper.

"One should have four qualities -- great aim, upgradation of knowledge, hard work and perseverance," he told a class 4 student on being asked, "How one can become a president?"

He advised students to follow the footsteps of great personalities and get inspirations from them.

"When I was a 10-year-old boy studying in Class 5 in a small school, my teacher taught me about the bird's flight by drawing pictures on the blackboard. This developed my inclination towards science. I chose physics as one of my subjects. Thereafter, I learnt aeronautics and rocket engineering."

He said he had met 12 million youths in a decade and he could say there "is a marked change in their thinking process".

He told the students that India was going through difficult times. Despite corruption and scams, with the inner strength of the country and its strong economic base, India has the potential to become the leader of the world. "The 60 crore youth below the age of 25 give a lot of hope."

The former president was in town to deliver the keynote address at a public colloquium on fundamental duty.

His address to the select gathering of students, judiciary and government functionaries at the historic Gaiety Theatre was interactive.

Before taking questions from the children, Kalam asked the children to recite poem "I Will Fly" with him.

"I am born with potential. I am born with goodness and trust. I am born with ideas and dreams. I am born with greatness. I am born with confidence. I am born with wings. So, I am not meant for crawling, I have wings, I will fly I will fly and fly."(IANS)

India limits FDI in too many sectors: Barack Obama

WASHINGTON: Noting that India prohibited foreign investment in too many sectors such as retail, US President Barack Obama on Sunday cited concerns over deteriorating investment climate there to endorse another "wave" of economic reforms. 

Still sounding positive about Indian economy, "which continues to grow at an impressiverate," he said that to some extent, India's slower growth is a reflection of the larger slow down in the global economy. 

The US President made these observations in an interview to PTI here. 

Obama was careful not to be directly critical of the negative investment climate in India but cited the concerns of the American business community to make his points. 

Many in the American business community, "one of the great champions of the US-India partnership", have expressed concerns that the investment climate in India is deteriorating, he said. 

"They tell us it is still too hard to invest in India. In too many sectors, such as retail, India limits or prohibits the foreign investment that is necessary to create jobs in both our countries, and which is necessary for India to continue to grow," Obama said. 

Refraining from prescribing any solutions for India's economic difficulties, the president said, "it is not the place of the United States to tell other nations, including India, how to chart its economic future. That is for Indians to decide." 

Obama noted that "there appears to be a growing consensus in India that the time may be right for another wave of economic reforms to make India more competitive in the global economy." 

Obama then went on to add, "and as India makes the difficult reforms that are necessary, it will continue to have a partner in the United States." 

"It is important, though, to put this in the context of India's incredible growth and development in recent decades," he said. 

The president pointed out that India had lifted tens of millions of people out of poverty to create one of the world's largest middle classes. 

"Indian innovation is an engine of the global economy. And even with the recent challenges, the Indian economy continues to grow at an impressive rate. The Indian people have displayed aremarkable capacity to meet India's challenges," he said. 

Describing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as "my friend and partner with whom I have worked closely", Obama said he valued the insights of the Indian leader at various international fora including the recent G20 meeting in Mexico. 

He said at the G20 they agreed that one of the best things they could do to get the global economy growing faster was to renew the focus on growth and job creation in their own countries. 

"That's my priority in the US. Of course, one of the most effective ways we can create jobs is to continue expanding trade and investment, including between the US and India." 

The president said they need to keep strengthening the pillars of the long-term economic vitality and competitiveness, including the education of the people of the two countries, science and technology, and the modern infrastructure that allows them to move goods and services faster. 

"We need to keep up the fight against corruption, which stifles innovation and is one of the biggest barriers to job creation and economic growth around the world. These are some of the things we can do together as global partners," he said

74 Amarnath pilgrims die in 19 days

Jammu, July 14: Seventy-four Amarnath pilgrims have died in the first 19 days of the pilgrimage. This was acknowledged officially today by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) that manages the "yatra" to the 13,500-foot altitude cave shrine devoted to Lord Shiva in the south Kashmir's Pir Panjal range.

"Between June 25-July 13, a total of 74 lives have been lost, of which six were due to accidents, including the case of drowning of a non-Yatri, and 68 due to different medical reasons. It was noted that two Yatris had died in hotels, 12 in hospitals and two on the way to hospitals outside the Yatra area. As reported by the health department, as many as 1,85,259 pilgrims received treatment at various Medical Aid Centres and hospitals," said Navin K. Choudhary, chief executive officer of the SASB.

Of the 74 who lost their lives, 53 were in the 20-60 years age group, 16 in the 61-70 years group, three were above 70 years, and in two cases ages could not be ascertained.

A release issued by the spokesperson of the shrine board, which is headed by Governor N.N. Vohra, said that these facts came to light during a review meeting of the board. It was also acknowledged that some of the pilgrims were carrying "fake health certificates", thus dodging the authorities at the entry gates.

Choudhary said that the pilgrims died as they did not adhere to the advisory of the shrine board.

The board CEO also disclosed that till date more than 4.50 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at Amarnath.(IANS)

Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation to make use of satellite imaging to determine green cover

PUNE: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), which will soon be conducting its tree census, is planning to use global positioning technology (GPS) andsatellite imaging to determine the tree cover in the city.

Prakash Kadam, additional commissioner, PCMC, said, "We are finalising the conditions of the bid for inviting agencies to conduct the census. We will invite the bids soon. By the year-end, once the census is over, we will know about the exact percentage of the tree cover."

He said, "We want to use the GPS technology for the tree census. There are some companies in Bangalore who have the expertise in the field and are able to identify trees through satellite imaging."

According to the last tree census, which was conducted in 2006, there were 18 lakh trees in the city and there was 28 percentage of tree cover.

Kadam said the civic body has planted around eight lakh trees after 2006 and there are an estimated 22 lakh trees in the city now.

Meanwhile, the PCMC will be undertaking a tree plantation programme this year, wherein around 1.5 lakh saplings will be planted in the defence areas, bordering the municipal limits, at the Aundh military camp and the College of Military Engineering, Kadam said.

"We have held discussions with the defence authorities and told them to specify the area where the saplings can be planted," he said

Pimpri-Chinchwad mayor Mohini Lande told mediapersons that another tree plantation drive, which will start on July 22, will be held the year through for conservation of environment and trees as part of the birth centenary celebrations of the state's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan.

Municipal commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi has said that the local elected representatives, citizens, reputed people, organisations, schools and housing societies be consulted in deciding the spots where the saplings will be planted and also the species that are to be grown.

While appealing that citizens participate in the tree plantation drive, Lande said the civic body will felicitate people and organisations that successfully participate in the drive.

The civic body will provide free saplings to the social and voluntary organisations, government and semi-government offices, schools and colleges that will participate in the tree plantation drive.

Unbelievable to allege Pakistani involvement in 26/11: Salman Bashir

NEW DELHI: Pakistan's new envoy to IndiaSalman Bashir said on Sunday it was "unbelievable" and "incredible" to allege his country's state institutions' involvement in the Mumbai attacks, days after New Delhi demanded further action following LeT terrorist Abu Jundal's revelations.

Stating that Pakistan was looking at a new way of conducting its ties with India, Bashir said he expects India to do its part since it takes "two to tango".

"As I said if our own army headquarters are attacked, if ISI offices are attacked, then I think it is really unbelievable, incredible to allege that Pakistani state institutions have been involved in this (Mumbai attacks). We ought to look at the situation very objectively in our own respective national interests," Bashir told Karan Thapar on CNN-IBN's Devil's Advocate programme.

Trying to clear any question marks over Islamabad's commitment to renewed peace process with India especially in the backdrop of the arrest of Jundal, who has alleged involvement of certain ISI officers in the Mumbai attacks, Bashir said Pakistan's leadership, state institutions and people have realised that it is in national interest to have best of relations.

"I would say there has been a sea change in Pakistan- India relationship scenario. I can say for Pakistan with great degree of certainty that all levels, the leadership, state institutions, people of Pakistan, we realise that it is in Pakistan's self interest, national interest to have best of relations," he said.

On the issue of terror, Bashir said Pakistan was willing to cooperate and reiterated his country's offer for a joint investigation into the Mumbai attacks. He said Pakistan is yet to hear from India on this.

Replying to queries if Pakistan was willing to probe the involvement of its state institutions in theMumbai attacks that killed 166 people, Bashir argued that his country itself was a victim of terror, which he described as a "virus". 

He also said it was wrong to say Pakistan was epicentre of terror. 

Refraining from direct comments, he said Pakistan was willing to cooperate and said it was "mindful" of its responsibilities. 

He referred to the recent foreign secretary-level talks and said there was "very good conversation, good dialogue" which also included the points raised by India pertaining to Jundal specifically and other matters related to terror. 

Pressed further on the issue of Jundal, who was deported from Saudi Arabia recently with a fake Pakistani passport, Bashir said India should share information with Pakistan. 

Asked if Jundal's statements on role of Pakistani state elements in the Mumbai attacks is a corroboration of what Pakistan-born American terrorist David Headley said, Bashir said one cannot take things reported in the media at face value. 

"Elements of Pakistan's state, that is what the media has been saying attributing it to Abu Jundal. We have taken note of all that is being said here and my answer again is the same. Let the two sides get together, work through this and I think you cannot take the word of an individual or what is being said out in the public opinion, more credence than actual conversations at official track," he said. 

Bashir also denied charges that the Mumbai terror attacks trial in Pakistan was a sham, saying Islamabad was serious about it. 

He deflected the blame to the judicial process and said the Pakistan government has done its best and "will continue to persist to ensure justice finally prevails."

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UK soccer player John Terry not guilty of racist abuse

London (CNN) -- John Terry, one of England's biggest soccer stars, was found not guilty Friday of racially abusing fellow soccer player Anton Ferdinand, ending a high-profile trial in London.

Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle said of Terry: "No one has been able to show that he is lying."

Reading his ruling, Riddle said it was a crucial fact that no one heard what Terry said.

Terry, the Chelsea captain, sat impassively in the courtroom as the verdict was read out at Westminster Magistrates' Court. It was greeted by cheers from the public gallery.

What's your reaction to the verdict? Have your say on iReport

Riddle said he accepted it was possible that Terry himself thought Ferdinand had accused him of using racial abuse.

But he also said he considered it "highly unlikely" that Ferdinand had accused Terry of calling him a "black c---."

Terry, who has received strong backing from Chelsea Football Club throughout the trial, left the court without addressing the public or media.

A statement issued on behalf of Terry by his legal team said he had been acquitted of all charges.

"He did not racially abuse Mr. Ferdinand and the court has accepted this. John would like to thank his legal team for their hard work and his family, friends and Chelsea Football Club for their support," the statement said.

Chelsea's chairman, Bruce Buck, welcomed the verdict, saying: "We at Chelsea are pleased that John Terry can now put his mind back to football."

The football club also said it respects the magistrate's decision to clear Terry.

"We are pleased that John can now focus on football and his preseason preparations with the team," it said in a statement on the official Chelsea website.

The English Football Association, which could still open its own disciplinary proceedings against Terry, said it noted the court's verdict and would "now seek to conclude its own enquiries."

Alison Saunders, chief crown prosecutor for London, defended the decision to bring the case to trial.

"The very serious allegation at the heart of this case was one of racial abuse. It was our view that this was not 'banter' on the football pitch and that the allegation should be judged by a court," she said in a prepared statement.

"The chief magistrate agreed that Mr. Terry had a case to answer, but having heard all of the evidence he acquitted Mr. Terry of a racially aggravated offense. That is justice being done and we respect the chief magistrate's decision."

The weeklong trial, during which the normally staid chambers got an earful of shockingly foul language, gripped the British press.

Terry, who was captain of the England national team at the time of the incident, was accused of calling Ferdinand, who plays for Queens Park Rangers, a "f------ black c---" as the pair traded insults during a game last October.

Terry did not deny directing a barrage of foul language at Ferdinand and referring to him as "black," but he denied engaging in racist abuse.

He told the court that he was repeating what he mistakenly thought Ferdinand had accused him of saying.

The highly unusual criminal prosecution over words uttered on a soccer field comes as English soccer officials fight to stamp racism out of the sport, with mixed results.

Lord Herman Ouseley, the chairman of UK football's anti-racism campaign, Kick It Out, said it would wait to hear the conclusions of the Football Association with regard to the Terry case.

"It will be interesting to hear from other organizations this will impact on, from governing bodies to leagues and clubs, and how they deem matters like this to be dealt with in the future," he said in a statement.

Terry was stripped of his England captaincy after a preliminary court hearing on the racism charge in February.

Obama says he and Romney don't need tax cuts

President Obama touted his tax cut plan today by citing some people who would benefit from an extension of all the George W. Bush tax cuts -- including himself and opponent Mitt Romney.

"To give me another tax break, or to give Warren Buffett another tax break, or to give Mitt Romney another tax break -- that would cost about a trillion dollars" in the federal budget, Obama told people in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

"We can't afford it," he said. "Not at a time when we're trying to bring down our deficit."

The president cited his and his opponent's wealth in again calling on Congress to extend the Bush tax rates for middle-class Americans but end them for Americans making more than $250,000 annually.

The Bush tax cuts are set to end at the end of the year.

Romney and other Republicans say ending the high-level tax cuts would hurt job creators, further slowing down the economy.

"At the very time the American people are seeing fewer jobs created than we need, the president announces he's going to make it harder for jobs to be created," Romney said in Colorado. "I just don't think this president understands how our economy works."

In Iowa, Obama said Republican support of tax cuts for the wealthy reflects a "top-down" approach to the economy that led to the financial meltdown of 2008.

"This election will determine our economic future for the next generation," Obama said.

Before his speech, Obama met with a Cedar Rapids family that would benefit from an extension of the middle-class tax cut.

Experts: Child hot-car deaths more common than expected

INDIANAPOLIS – The news that two parents in separate central Indiana incidents left their young child in a sweltering vehicle during a record heat wave has stirred outrage, but national child car-safety advocates say that, in reality, it happens more often than people realize and it happens to all kinds of parents.

On Saturday, a 4-month-old girl died in Greenfield and a 16-month-old girl in Fishers suffered a seizure and was in critical condition after being left locked in stifling hot cars.

Right before he left for his parents' home on Saturday afternoon, 18-year-old Joshua Stryzinski helped change his 4-month-old daughter into a one-piece outfit. It left her legs and arms exposed, a way to help keep her cool in the triple-digit heat.

He arrived to a busy home in Greenfield, Ind., his brother outside painting and the family preparing to go on vacation. He chatted with his father, Ronald, about maybe buying a car from him. About a couple of hours later, he realized it was time to pick his baby's mother up from her shift at Arby's.

When he got back to his 2002 Saturn SL1, the doors closed and the windows rolled up, he screamed when he realized what was inside — his daughter. He ripped her out and rushed her inside, still in her car seat.

She wasn't breathing. Joshua's father tried CPR as they rushed her to the hospital, only a block or two away.

But it was too late. Emergency-room doctors pronounced her dead. Her arms and legs had suffered third-degree burns.

These details emerged Monday in a 911 call and police probable-cause affidavit used to charge Stryzinski with neglect of a dependent leading to death. He has pleaded not guilty and was released from Hancock County Jail on Monday afternoon on a $50,000 cash bond.

On the same day Stryzinkski's infant daughter died, 30-year-old Meg Trueblood was shopping at a clothing store while her 16-month-old was in a locked car in the parking lot. That child suffered a seizure and was taken to the hospital but survived. Trueblood also has been charged with neglect of a dependent.

Janette Fennell tracks these cases as the president and founder of KidsAndCars.org. She says that perhaps 90% of the time, the parent is the type to put latches on their doors and padding around the coffee table.

She has met college professors, lawyers and ministers who have done it. Only a small percentage, she said, have drug problems or have had interactions with child protective services. "It's the exact opposite of the stereotype," she said.

Several who knew the Stryzinskis said they left no impression that they were anything but upstanding citizens.

"This is a good family that has lost a child they loved," said 39-year-old next-door neighbor Cherie Sirosky.

The 911 call — made by Stryzinki's brother and with audible screaming and wailing in the background — captures a family overcome with grief, desperation and panic.

Attempts to reach the Stryzinskis at their home Monday were unsuccessful.

Stryzinski had stopped at a friend's home en route to his parents' home to show the baby to the friend's parents, but apparently got confused and thought he had left the baby with the friend.

He told police he could not believe his daughter was in the car.

"The normal routine," Stryzinski told police, "is that someone is always watching my kid."

Statistically, what Stryzinski described fits what typically happens in such cases, according to the organization Safe Kids Worldwide.

The organization has been tallying fatal incidents where children have been left in cars since 1998. They count 550 cases nationwide where a child has died from hyperthermia or heat stroke while in a car. In 2010, at least 51 children died; in 2011, there were 33. The children have ranged in age from 5 days to 14 years old, though more than half of the dead are 2 years old or younger.

Of those cases, 52% of the parents didn't realize they had left the children there; 17% left the kids there knowingly. In 30% of the cases, the child managed to get into the car alone.

But how does it happen? How does a parent forget his or her child?

Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide, said so many factors can contribute to such a scenario — a change in routine, stress, lack of sleep. That might be especially true with a young, new parent.

"We can't rush to judgment," Carr said.

If Stryzinski simply forgot or became confused, less is known about the mother in the Fishers case.

Police detained Trueblood, 30, but records released to the media do not say what she told police as to why she left the child there.

According to police reports, Trueblood was shopping at Simply Chic clothing store in Fishers, leaving her 16-month-old in the back of her silver 2004 Ford Explorer.

A Simply Chic customer had noticed the child in the parking lot and returned inside to tell the store's manager. The customer and manager went outside, noticed the windows were up, tried to open the door — it was locked — and eventually called 911.

A police officer who responded tried to locate the child's mother, then smashed the window in. He carried the child, limp and unconscious, inside the store.

Employees wetted some fabric and started blotting her body with it. The police officer tried unsuccessfully to get her to drink some water. As medics arrived, she began to convulse.

At some point while the officer was caring for the baby, Trueblood identified herself as the girl's mother.

A store employee told police, though, she had arrived at the store about an hour before the police did, saying she wanted to find a dress because she was about to go and meet a guy. The employee said she was sure Trueblood had never left the store.

A Fisher's police spokesman told The Star on Saturday that it didn't appear the woman was coherent, but there was no mention of that in the police report.

When investigators measured the temperature inside the Ford Explorer it was 120 degrees.

Trueblood was charged with neglect resulting in serious bodily injury and taken to Hamilton County Jail, where she was released on bond.

Stryzinski also faces a neglect charge, though if convicted, he perhaps faces a worse sentence. In Indiana, the neglect charges make for a Class B felony if the child is seriously harmed and a Class A felony if the child dies.

10 years after hormone therapy study: What doctors know now

It's been 10 years since researchers of the Women's Health Initiative, a large randomized, controlled trial on hormone therapy sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, announced their first findings: that the health risks outweighed the benefits of estrogen plus progestin hormone therapy (HT) in postmenopausal women. Since then, additional research has advanced the understanding of the benefits and risks. JoAnn Manson, one of the study's lead investigators and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, is the president of the North American Menopause Society. She spoke with USA TODAY'sJanice Lloyd about what women need to know to get through the challenging time and to protect their health.

Q: Millions of women stopped taking hormone therapy as a result of the study 10 years ago. Was that a good thing?

A: Although the pendulum may have swung too far, it was a good thing that many women who were inappropriate candidates for HT stopped taking the medications. For example, it was fortunate that many women at high risk of heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer stopped taking HT. However, even young, newly menopausal, and healthy women with significant hot flashes and other symptoms became afraid to seek treatment. Also, many, many clinicians no longer prescribe, or know how to prescribe. This isn't a good situation for young women who are having severe menopausal symptoms. They're going to have trouble finding clinicians who will help them make the most informed decision.

Q: Critics fault the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) for using mostly older women who wouldn't benefit from hormone therapy. But what do you think was one of the biggest takeaways from that study?

A: WHI deserves credit for stopping what was becoming common practice of starting hormone therapy in older women who were at high risk for heart disease because we found it failed to protect them from heart disease, stroke or dementia, and actually increased their risk. We also learned there are major differences in the benefit-risk profile of estrogen alone — used by women who have had a hysterectomy — and estrogen plus progestin, used by women who have an intact uterus. The balance of benefits and risk was more favorable with estrogen alone.

Q: Was the study flawed in any way?

A: It's fortunate there was a broad range of age groups so we could assess differences by age, but unfortunate there were not more women in the younger age group so we'd have a clearer understanding of the results for younger women seeking relief from menopausal symptoms.

Q: What has been learned since 2002 about who is most likely to benefit from hormone replacement therapy?

A: It's become very clear that a "one size fits all" approach is not appropriate. The WHI has pointed the way to more individualized decision making and health care.

Q: Can you describe a woman likely to get the most benefit?

A She is newly menopausal, within five years of onset of menopause, and in generally good health and with few risk factors for heart disease or breast cancer. For example, she would be a nonsmoker, not obese and does not have diabetes or poorly controlled blood pressure. That is the optimal candidate. But an optimal candidate would also have moderate or severe hot flashes or other menopausal symptoms, so she'd have a clear indication for treatment. From a breast cancer standpoint, she would not have first-degree relatives (mother, sister) with breast cancer and would not be known to have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. (Women who have inherited mutations in these genes have a higher risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.) Even though that's the optimal candidate, I don't want to suggest that these are the only women who would benefit from HT or be considered for treatment.

Q: What length of time is safe for HT?

A: We usually advise women and their clinicians to avoid more than five years of estrogen plus progestin because of the risk of breast cancer. Estrogen alone did not increase the risk of breast cancer in the WHI over seven years and may be used for that time period, or even longer if needed.

Q: What if a woman has mild menopause symptoms but wants to also take it for bone protection?

A: We don't generally recommend a woman start or continue on HT just for bone protection. The reason is, once you discontinue estrogen there is accelerated bone loss. If a woman is taking estrogen in her 50s by the time she gets to her 70s or 80s, when risk of osteoporotic fracture is greatest, she'll retain only a limited benefit (from HT). And we wouldn't recommend using estrogen plus progestin for 20-30 years for bone benefit because that would put women at increased risk for breast cancer and stroke. Other strategies are available for bone protection.

Q: If a woman wants to re-evaluate her decision about HT, how does she get started?

A: The website for the North American Menopause Society provides a great deal of information for patients and their clinicians. Finding a good clinician who is up to date on HT research and has experience prescribing these medications can be a challenge. The NAMS website (menopause.org) lets people know which clinicians in their zip code area have extra training and interest in menopausal issues and are NAMS certified menopause practitioners (NCMPS).

Q: What important research is in the pipeline?

A: We need more information on different formulations and doses of HT. The results of the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study will be presented at the North American Menopause Society meeting in October. KEEPS is a study of 727 women who were within three years of the onset of menopause (42 to 58 years old) when they enrolled in the HT trial. KEEPS is looking at a number of outcomes, including whether early estrogen prevents or delays atherosclerosis and improves cognitive function or quality of life. It's also comparing different formulations of treatment.