AirAsia: Body with life jacket hints plane had time before it hit water

SURABAYA/JAKARTA: A body recovered on Wednesday from the crashed AirAsia plane was wearing a life jacket, an official with Indonesia's search and rescue agency said, raising questions about how the disaster unfolded.

Seven bodies have been recovered from the sea, some fully clothed, which could indicate the Airbus A320-200 was intact when it hit the water. That would support a theory that it suffered an aerodynamic stall.

The fact that one person put on a life jacket would appear to indicate those on board had at least some time before the aircraft hit the water, or after it hit the water and before it sank.​

AirAsia crash — 40 bodies found in sea

AirAsia jet with 159 aboard overshoots runway

My heart is filled with sadness: Air Asia boss

"The fact that the debris appears fairly contained suggests the aircraft broke up when it hit the water, rather than in the air," said Neil Hansford, a former pilot and chairman of consultancy firm Strategic Aviation Solutions.

A relative shows a photo of four members of a family who were passengers of AirAsia Flight 8501, at the crisis center at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya. (AP photo)

And yet the pilots did not issue a distress signal. The plane disappeared after it failed to get permission to fly higher to avoid bad weather because of heavy air traffic.

"This morning, we recovered a total of four bodies and one of them was wearing a life jacket," Tatang Zaenudin, an official with the search and rescue agency, told Reuters.

He declined to speculate on what the find might mean.

Members of the Indonesia marines unload their diving equipment as they arrive at Pangkalan Bun air base in Central Kalimantan on December 31, 2014, to join the operation to find the missing Malaysian air carrier AirAsia flight QZ8501. (AFP photo)

Hernanto, head of the search and rescue agency in Surabaya, said rescuers believed they had found the plane on the sea bed with a sonar scan in water about 30 to 50 metres (100 to 165 feet) deep. The black box flight data and cockpit voice recorder has yet to be found.

Authorities in Surabaya were making preparations to receive and identify bodies, including arranging 130 ambulances to take victims to a police hospital and collecting DNA from relatives.

"We are praying it is the plane so the evacuation can be done quickly," Hernanto said.

Most of the people on board were Indonesians. No survivors have been found.

Republic of Singapore Air Force personnel survey the waters during a search and locate operation for the missing AirAsia QZ8501 plane at an undisclosed search area. (Reuters photo)

Officials said waves two to three metres (six to nine feet) high and winds were hampering the hunt for wreckage and preventing divers from searching the crash zone.

"The fact that the debris appears fairly contained suggests the aircraft broke up when it hit the water, rather than in the air," said Neil Hansford, a former pilot and chairman of consultancy firm Strategic Aviation Solutions.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said his priority was retrieving the bodies.

Widodo, speaking in Surabaya on Tuesday after grim images of the scene in the Java Sea were broadcast on television, said AirAsia would pay an immediate advance of money to relatives, many of whom collapsed in grief when they saw the television pictures from the search.

A crew member of Indonesian navy's CN-235 airplane prays prior to the start of a search operation for the missing AirAsia Flight QZ8501 at the airport in Pangkal Pinang, Bangka Island, Indonesia, on December 30, 2014. (AP photo)

AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes has described the crash as his "worst nightmare".

About 30 ships and 21 aircraft from Indonesia, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and the United States have been involved in the search.

Singapore said it was sending two underwater beacon detectors to try to pick up pings from the black boxes, which contain cockpit voice and flight data recorders.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (C) addresses the media after meeting with family members of passengers onboard the missing Malaysian air carrier AirAsia flight QZ8501, at the Juanda International Airport in Surabaya on December 30, 2014. (AFP photo)

BAD WEATHER

The plane was travelling at 32,000 feet (9,753 metres) and had asked to fly at 38,000 feet. When air traffic controllers granted permission for a rise to 34,000 feet a few minutes later, they received no response.

Online discussion among pilots has centred on unconfirmed secondary radar data from Malaysia that suggested the aircraft was climbing at a speed of 353 knots, about 100 knots too slow, and that it might have stalled.

Investigators are focusing initially on whether the crew took too long to request permission to climb, or could have ascended on their own initiative earlier, said a source close to the inquiry, adding that poor weather could have played a part as well.

A Qantas pilot with 25 years of experience flying in the region said the discovery of the debris field relatively close to the last known radar plot of the plane pointed to an aerodynamic stall. One possibility is that the plane's instruments iced up, giving the pilots inaccurate readings.

The Indonesian captain, a former air force fighter pilot, had 6,100 flying hours under his belt and the plane last underwent maintenance in mid-November, said the airline, which is 49 percent owned by Malaysia-based budget carrier AirAsia.

Three airline disasters involving Malaysian-affiliated carriers in less than a year have dented confidence in the country's aviation industry and spooked travellers.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 went missing in March on a trip from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew and has not been found. On July 17, the same airline's Flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.

On board Flight QZ8501 were 155 Indonesians, three South Koreans, and one person each from Singapore, Malaysia and Britain. The co-pilot was French.

The AirAsia group, including affiliates in Thailand, the Philippines and India, had not suffered a crash since its Malaysian budget operations began in 2002.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=missing planes,Missing Airlines,AirAsia search operation,AirAsia missing,AirAsia goes missing

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Dhoni got emotional after breaking news to team'

MS Dhoni, always known as 'Captain Cool,' got a touch emotional when he announced his decision in the dressing room. His teammates hugged him and took pictures with the departing skipper.

READ ALSO: MS Dhoni takes the highway, Mahi way

BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said: "Someone who was present in the dressing room told me that he (Dhoni) was a bit emotional while announcing his decision."

READ ALSO: Dhoni's decision to quit midway surprised BCCI

Team director Ravi Shastri told a website, "When he (Dhoni) walked into the dressing room, got the team together and said what he had to, he caught us all off guard. There were no dramas, he just said, very openly, 'I can't play all formats anymore, so I'm announcing my retirement from Tests.' He has always been someone who will do what he wants to, and he stayed true to that till the last moment. To have the guts to say to his team that he could not go on playing all formats, it tells you how honest he is with himself and his mates."

Dhoni surprised the cricket world with his sudden announcement of immediate retirement from Test cricket, making way for Virat Kohli to don the mantle of captaincy.

Announcement of Dhoni's retirement after the wicketkeeper-batsman had played in 90 Test matches, 60 of them as captain, was made immediately after India lost the current Test series to Australia following a drawn third Test here.

"One of India's greatest Test Captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in the Test Rankings MS Dhoni, has decided to retire from Test Cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of Cricket," the BCCI said in a statement.

Follow TOI Sports on Twitter >>> @TOISportsNews

Read this in Hindi: ​संन्यास की घोषणा के वक्त इमोशनल हो गए थे धोनी

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Virat Kohli,Ravi Shastri,MS Dhoni,Dhoni,BCCI

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

File noting exposed UPA attempt to frame Amit Shah in Sohrabuddin Sheikh case: Arun Jaitley

NEW DELHI: BJP on Tuesday celebrated the order of a Mumbai special court discharging Amit Shah in the case concerning his alleged complicity in "encounter" of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsi Prajapati, as vindication of their stand that the CBI's chargesheet against the party chief was part of the conspiracy to implicate Prime Minister Narendra Modi while demanding an apology from Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Recalling that he "among the few" who maintained for 3 years that CBI's case against Shah was a frame-up and was based on "no evidence", finance minister Arun Jaitley said charges were filed against Amit Shah at the behest of the previous regime, emphasizing that one vital noting on CBI file gave the game away. The noting had clearly said that the framing Shah was essential for implicating Modi, then the CM of Gujarat. He also said that while CBI's own legal department had opposed the arrest, it was overruled by Ashwani Kumar.

"Shockingly, when the legal department of the CBI opined that there was no case against Shri Amit Shah, the same was responded to by the supervisory officer of CBI, putting up a "Note" by observing that the arrest of Amit Shah would enable the CBI to get some more witnesses particularly the police officers since they would then feel intimidated. He also opined that arresting Amit Shah was necessary since it was necessary to reach the eventual target of investigation of Narendra Modi. This note was approved by the Director, CBI, Shri Ashwani Kumar," Jaitley wrote on his Facebook.

Jaitley's cabinet colleague, telecom minister Ravishankar Prasad, also applauded the special court for nailing the political conspiracy against Shah. "Justice has prevailed," said Prasad, claiming that the case against Shah was based on hearsay and marked 'vendetta politics'.

READ ALSO: Sohrabuddin Shaikh fake encounter case — CBI court drops case against Amit Shah

Sohrabuddin case: Amit Shah's rollercoaster journey

BJP demanded an apology from Congress chief, with the party secretary Shrikant Sharma saying that the case against Shah was an "odious political crime".

The finance minister, who praised the judiciary for its independence and criticized the CBI for allowing itself to be misused, elaborated on his "frame-up" charge by emphasizing that Shah, then the minister of state for home in Gujarat, was sought to be falsely implicated in the case despite the fact that encounter of Sohrabuddin, a notorious gunrunner who was wanted by police in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, was directed by Intelligence Bureau(IB) which works under the Centre. He said in such cases it is the IB which develops intelligence and tracks the target. Jaitley, who protested to former PM Manmohan Singh against Shah's arrest, said police of states were brought into the picture only when the IB concluded that it was possible to arrest Sohrabuddin who was charged under TADA after Madhya Pradesh police recovered 40 AK- 56 rifles and hundreds of cartridges from his premises in Ujjain district.

Significantly, Jaitley also dwelt on the roles of law officers of UPA after Sohrabuddin's brother approached the Supreme Court to demand a probe into the encounter. The finance minister said the then additional solicitor general "in a pre-conceived and planned move" appeared in the case on the very first day to volunteer to take instructions for the Centre. Gopal Subramaniam went on to "designate himself" as the amicus curiae in the case even when court had not appointed him. The then Attorney General made it a point to attend each hearing even when case did not concern the Centre in a formal way.

Jaitley further said even though the SC after hearing amicus curiae Subramaniam handed over the investigation to CBI on the ground that the case had inter-state ramifications there. CBI never probed the angle concerning Andhra Pradesh which was then ruled by Congress.

The finance minister also said CBI's case against Shah was built on the fake testimony of two known land grabbers --Ramanbhai Patel and Dashrathbhai Patel-- with criminal antecedents who were later felicitated at a function presided over by Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela. Jaitley said the two witnesses against Shah had alleged that they were asked to pay Rs 75 lakh to the BJP chief in order to secure their release from preventive detention, whereas the fact was that the conduit through whom Shah allegedly collected money in three installments was not present in India on any of the three dates mentioned by them.

Sohrabuddin case: Amit Shah's rollercoaster journey

When the Gujarat HC granted Shah bail saying that there was no evidence against him, CBI challenged the order in SC which asked the BJP chief to stay out of Gujarat as a condition for bail.

Jaitley said Shah was made an accused in the case concerning the "encounter" of Tulsidas Prajapati merely because he was in telephonic contact with one of the accused police officers. Jaitley said Shah as home minister was required to be in touch with the police officer R K Pandian and yet the CBI not just arrested him but tried to drag the case despite the SC order to wrap it up in six months from November 21. CBI delayed filing the chargesheet until September 2012 so that Shah could be arrested before the assembly elections.

Also, while CBI initially told the SC that Prajapati case was an extension of one arising from the "encounter" of Sohrabuddin, it changed its stand to file a separate chargesheet merely to keep Shah in jail- a move which was thwarted by SC.

Jaitley also said CBI had also framed another senior BJP leader, Gulab Chand Kataria, former home minister of Rajasthan, in the Prajapati case. He said CBI's case was exposed when Kataria produced evidence to show that he and his wife were not present in Rajasthan on the day when he was accused of meeting Gujarat "encounter" cop D G Vanzara at a Udaipur guesthouse to plot Prajapati's "encounter".

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Sohrabuddin Sheikh case,Amit Shah,Sohrabuddin fake encounter case,BJP,Arun Jaitley

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

My heart is filled with sadness: Air Asia boss Tony Fernandes

JAKARTA/SINGAPORE: After three days of intense search, at least 40 bloated bodies and debris of the missing AirAsia aircraft carrying 162 people were found on Tuesday in the Java Sea off Indonesia but mystery remained over the cause of the crash.

The Indonesian navy reported that 40 bodies had been retrieved by one warship and rescuers were continuing to recover more bodies and were "very busy now".

The bodies were spotted along with debris floating in the Java Sea off the Indonesian part of Borneo, close to the area where contact was lost with the aircraft on Sunday morning.

Relatives of the 162 people on board the ill-fated plane hugged each other and burst into tears in Surabaya from where the plane had taken off for Singapore as they watched television footage of bodies floating in the sea.

Indonesian transportation ministry's acting director general of air transportation, Djoko Murjatmodjo, said that the wreckage was discovered in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan, and belonged to the AirAsia flight QZ8501.

"It has been confirmed that it is debris from an aircraft bearing red and white colours," Djoko said, citing that the debris was found by the ministry's rescue team.

Search and rescue operations are on in the area in coordination with Basarnas (Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency), he said.

Earlier, an Indonesian air force plane spotted a "shadow" on the seabed believed to be that of the Airbus A320-200, Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency chief Bambang Soelistyo told reporters.

"God blessed us today. At 12.50 the air force Hercules found an object described as a shadow at the bottom of the sea in the form of a plane," he said.

Live Blog: AirAsia flight QZ8501 — Continuous coverage

AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes, who is an ethnic Indian, tweeted to the families of the victims: "My heart is filled with sadness for all the families involved in QZ 8501. On behalf of AirAsia my condolences."

Search chief Soelistyo said all efforts were now being concentrated on the location where the "shadow" and debris have been found.

The plane was carrying 155 passengers — one British, one Malaysian, one Singaporean, three South Koreans, 149 Indonesians — and seven crew members — six Indonesians and a French co-pilot.

Seventeen of the passengers were children. There were no Indian nationals on board.

National Search and Rescue Agency spokesman M Yusuf Latif said that a maritime patrol aircraft from the Indonesian Air Force first discovered the debris during a search.

Ten pieces of debris were found during the search today for the ill-fated AirAsia Indonesia.

"We just searched (the location) until 11am. So, according to estimations, the debris was seen at 10.15am (local time)," Yusuf told reporters.

The location of the debris matched information from two fishermen in Pangkalan Bun who said that they heard a thud and saw explosions on Sunday morning, he was quoted as saying by the Jakarta Post.

Indonesian air force CN295 crew members look from plane windows during a search and rescue operation for missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 over waters near Pangkalan, Central Kalimantan, on December 30, 2014. (AP photo)

During a news conference by the head of the operation Soelistyo, shown live on Indonesian TV, pictures of the debris were shown including a body floating on the water. Relatives of passengers on the plane watching the pictures were visibly shocked.

All resources were now being sent to the area where the debris was found, and all objects or bodies found would be taken to Pangkalan Bun, Soelistyo said, referring to a nearby town in Central Kalimantan province.

Soelistyo said that ships with more sophisticated technology were being deployed to check whether larger parts of the plane were submerged beneath the debris.

At least 30 ships, 15 aircraft and seven helicopters had joined the search for the AirAsia flight that went missing on Sunday morning after taking off from Surabaya in eastern Java on its way to Singapore.

The multinational operation, led by Indonesia, was joined by Malaysia, Singapore and Australia, with other offers for help from countries like India, South Korea, China and France. The US destroyer USS Sampson was also on its way to the zone as the discovery was found.

Earlier, several sightings, including something that resembled oil spill east of Belitung island, turned out to be false alarms.

The search by Indonesian Air Force planes spotted two pools of possible oil slick yesterday but these were later determined to be shadows from underwater coral.

The search area, originally divided into seven sectors, was today expanded to 13, covering air, sea and land.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=AirAsia flight QZ5801,AirAsia flight missing,AirAsia flight

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Debris from AirAsia flight found, confirms Indonesia's civil aviation chief

PANGKALAN BUN, Indonesia: ​Debris spotted on Tuesday during an aerial search for AirAsia flight QZ8501 is from the missing plane, Indonesia's director general of civil aviation told AFP.

"For the time being it can be confirmed that it's the AirAsia plane and the transport minister will depart soon to Pangkalan Bun," Djoko Murjatmodjo said.

Suspected body and plane debris was spotted off west coast of Kalimantan during an aerial search for the AirAsia flight QZ5801.

A body in a life vest and some luggage was seen in the sea, according to an Indonesian air force official.

Items resembling an emergency slide, plane door and other objects were also spotted in the sea during the aerial search.

Indonesian air force official Agus Dwi Putranto told reporters: "We spotted about 10 big objects and many more small white-coloured objects which we could not photograph."

"The position is 10 kilometres (six miles) from the location the plane was last captured by radar," he said.

Putranto displayed 10 photos of objects resembling a plane door, emergency slide, and a square box-like object.

"It is not really clear... it could be the wall of the plane or the door of the plane," he said.

Photos taken from an Indonesian aircraft over the Java Sea shows possible plane debris from the missing AirAsia flight. (Courtesy: AFP/Twitter)

AirAsia flight QZ8501 disappeared Sunday morning over the Java Sea with 162 people on board.

The search was focused on waters around the islands of Bangka and Belitung in the Java Sea, across from Kalimantan.

READ ALSO: 'Papa come home', pleads pilot's daughter

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=AirAsia flight QZ5801,AirAsia flight missing,AirAsia flight

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mahendra Singh Dhoni retires from Test cricket

MELBOURNE/MUMBAI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Tuesday surprised the cricket world with his sudden announcement of immediate retirement from Test cricket, making way for Virat Kohli to don the mantle of captaincy.

READ ALSO: End of Dhoni's roller-coaster ride as Test captain

Announcement of Dhoni's retirement after the wicketkeeper-batsman had played in 90 Test matches, 60 of them as captain, was made immediately after India lost the current Test series to Australia following a drawn third Test here.

"One of India's greatest Test Captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in the Test Rankings MS Dhoni, has decided to retire from Test Cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of Cricket," the BCCI said in a statement.

READ ALSO: Dhoni's decision comes as a huge surprise: Gavaskar

"MS Dhoni has chosen to retire from Test Cricket with immediate effect in order to concentrate on ODI and T20 formats. BCCI while respecting the decision of M S Dhoni to retire from Test Cricket, wishes to thank him for his enormous contribution to Test Cricket and the laurels that he has brought to India," it added.

India, trailing 0-2 in the four-match series after today's draw, would be led by the 26-year-old Kohli in the fourth and final match in Sydney. Kohli has been India's standout performer with the bat in the ongoing series, having scored three hundreds so far.

"Virat Kohli will be the captain of the Indian Team for the Fourth and Final Test against Australia to be played in Sydney from the 6th of January 2015," the BCCI stated.

MS Dhoni stretches out to play a sweep against Australia during the third Test in Melbourne. (AP Photo)

The 33-year-old Dhoni, however, did not speak about his retirement at the post-match press conference or at the presentation ceremony. The announcement was made through a BCCI press release.

The BCCI statement was a bolt from the blue as Dhoni, despite his poor overseas track record as captain, had not given any indication that he would step down in the near future.

Dhoni's captaincy record since June 2011

Opponents	Matches	Wins	Lost	Draw
England	5	1	3	1
Australia	3	0	3	0
South Africa	2	0	1	1
New Zealand	2	0	1	1

Dhoni, who led India to an unprecedented two World Cup titles (2007 Twenty20 World Championships and the 2011 ODI World Cup), had been drawing flak for India's poor run in overseas Tests. India have won just six away Tests out of the 30 that Dhoni has captained.

Among the most embarrassing defeats under Dhoni were the 0-4 whitewashes suffered in England (2011) and Australia (2011-12). Besides the team also suffered defeats in South Africa and New Zealand and had been beaten by England yet again this summer.

Yet the wicketkeeper-batsman remains one of the most successful captains ever for India, having led the side to the top of ICC rankings in Tests in 2009.

With the team continuing to perform badly overseas, pressure was mounting on Dhoni to quit the job with former players and critics questioning his defensive leadership in the longer format.

The criticism notwithstanding, Dhoni today became the Indian captain to score most runs in Tests, making 3454 runs, going past Sunil Gavaskar (3449), Mohammad Azharuddin (2856) and Sourav Ganguly (2561).

In 60 matches as captain, Dhoni had a decent 27 wins, 18 losses and 15 draws to show. In the 90 Tests that he was part of, Dhoni scored 4876 runs at an average of 38.09 with six hundreds and 33 50s to his credit.

Dhoni did not play the first Test in the current series against Australia because of a thumb injury. In his absence, Kohli led the team and won accolades for his attacking approach.

Many former players declared that it was time for Kohli to take over the leadership from Dhoni given that the incumbent had been struggling to present any fresh approach.

Indian captain's Test records

Captain	Matches	Won	Lost	Draw	Win %
MS Dhoni	58	27	17	14	46.55
Sourav Ganguly	49	21	13	15	42.86
Rahul Dravid	25	8	6	11	32.00
Mohd Azharuddin	47	14	14	19	26.79
MAK Pataudi	40	9	19	12	22.50
Sunil Gavaskar	47	9	8	30	19.15
Sachin Tendulkar	25	4	9	12	16.00
Kapil Dev	34	4	7	22	11.76

Dhoni's rise was nothing short of meteoric and he took over the Test captaincy from Anil Kumble in 2008 in 2013, he became the most successful Indian Test captain when he eclipsed Sourav Ganguly's record of 21 victories from 49 Tests.

His record in away Tests may be dismal, but Dhoni proved to be quite successful on home turf, leading the side to 21 wins in 30 Tests.

Indian captains' record outside Asia

Captain	Matches	Won	Lost	Draw	Win %
Rahul Dravid	10	3	2	5	30.00
BS Bedi	11	3	6	2	27.27
MAK Pataudi	13	3	10	0	23.08
Sunil Gavaskar	10	2	3	5	20.00
Kapil Dev	11	2	2	7	18.18
Wadekar	11	2	3	6	18.18
Sourav Ganguly	17	3	7	7	17.65
MS Dhoni	24	4	13	7	16.67
Azharuddin	21	0	9	12	0.00
Sachin Tendulkar	11	0	6	5	0.00

Read this in Hindi: एमएस धोनी ने टेस्ट क्रिकेट से संन्यास लिया

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Virat Kohli,test Cricket,MS Dhoni,Mahendra Singh Dhoni,BCCI

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

AirAsia Flight QZ8501: Q&A on what might have happened to plane

NEW YORK: Rescue crews are searching Indonesian waters for AirAsia Indonesia Flight 8501, which disappeared on Sunday with 162 passengers and crew on board. The plane was flying from Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, and was about halfway to its destination, Singapore, when it vanished from radar.

Q: What could have happened?

A: It is way too early to know for sure, but here are some options. The plane was in the safest part of flight: Just 10 percent of fatal crashes from 2004 through 2013 occurred while a plane was at cruise elevation, according to a safety study published by Boeing in August.

Passing through bad weather such as severe thunderstorms could have been a factor. Airbus jets have sophisticated computers that automatically adjust to wind shears or other weather disruptions. But weather — combined with pilot errors — has played a role in past air disasters that occurred at cruise elevation, including the 2009 Air France Flight 447 crash over the Atlantic Ocean.

Another possibility is some type of catastrophic metal fatigue caused by the cycle of pressurization and depressurization associated with each takeoff and landing cycle. This A320 had had 13,600 takeoffs and landings. Many occurred in humid climate, which speeds corrosion. Still, metal fatigue is unlikely because this plane is only 6 years old.

Finally, there's the possibility of terrorism or a mass murder by the pilot. There's no evidence of either action, but neither can yet be ruled out.

Q: What did the pilots say to air traffic controllers?

A: The last communication between the pilot and air traffic control was at 6:13am on Sunday when the pilot "asked to avoid clouds by turning left and going higher to 34,000 feet (10,360 meters)." The last radar contact occurred three minutes later. There was no distress call. But pilots are trained to focus first on the emergency at hand and then communicate only when free.

READ ALSO: This is what pilot said before aircraft was lost

Q: Isn't this the third Malaysian jet to crash this year?

A: Sort of. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared with 239 people aboard soon after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing on March 8. Its whereabouts and what happened remain one of the biggest mysteries in commercial aviation. Another Malaysia Airlines flight, also a Boeing 777, was shot down over rebel-controlled eastern Ukraine while en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17. All 298 people aboard were killed. AirAsia is also based in Malaysia. But Flight 8501 was operated by AirAsia Indonesia, a subsidiary that's 49 percent owned by the Malaysian parent company. So technically, it's an Indonesian airline. But the AirAsia brand is closely tied to the people of Malaysia.

Q: Is there a connection among all these crashes?

A: No. It's just a very unfortunate year for Southeast Asia. But that doesn't stop conspiracy theories from sprouting. Ideas about what happened to Flight 370 — both logical and bizarre — keep appearing. The unsolved nature of that disappearance could generate more attention for Flight 8501 and create a new batch of hypotheses.

Q: How far could the jet have flown?

A: Looking at the flight's paperwork, the plane had more than 18,000 pounds of jet fuel at takeoff, enough to fly about more than 3 hours, according to Phil Derner Jr, the founder of aviation enthusiast website NYCAviation.com and a flight dispatcher for a US airline. He notes that that's less fuel than most flights tend to carry from New York to Florida.

Q: What's next?

A: Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia are conducting a search-and-rescue operation near Belitung island in the Java Sea, the plane's last known whereabouts. Assuming that the jet didn't veer far off course, the searchers should find wreckage, which can provide clues about what happened. Investigators will also try to recover the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, which often have the most detailed information about the plane's final moments. Those so-called black boxes have homing beacons that help searchers find them.

READ ALSO: India puts 3 ships, plane on standby

Q: Is the Airbus A320 a safe jet?

A: The plane is a workhorse of modern aviation. Similar to the Boeing 737, the single-aisle, twin-engine jet is used to connect cities that are between one and five hours apart. Worldwide, 3,606 A320s are in operation, according to Airbus, which also makes nearly identical versions of the plane: The smaller A318 and A319 and the stretched A321. An additional 2,486 of those jets are flying. The A320 family has a good safety record, with just 0.14 fatal accidents per million takeoffs, according to the Boeing safety study.

Q: What about AirAsia?

A: Low-cost AirAsia has a strong presence in most of Southeast Asia, and it recently expanded into India. Though most of its flights are just a few hours long, it has tried to expand into long-distance flying through its sister airline AirAsia X. None of its subsidiaries has lost a plane before, and it has a generally good safety record. But it does fly in a part of the world where air travel has expanded faster than the number of qualified pilots, mechanics and air traffic controllers.

READ ALSO: ​AirAsia's Indian-origin CEO calls it his 'worst nightmare'

Q: What about flying in Indonesia?

A: The country has had a bumpy safety record. In 2007, the crash rate and safety standards were so bad that the European Union barred all of Indonesia's airlines from flying into any of its member countries. Than ban was lifted in 2009. But Indonesia's main airline — fast-growing Lion Air — is still banned by the EU.

Q: What's it like to fly through a thunderstorm at 34,000 feet?

A: Planes flying through thunderstorms experience severe turbulence, with the aircraft moving up, down, sideways and rolling. Anything not secured can float around in the cabin, bouncing off things and people. Overhead bins can open up, spilling contents. Airsickness is common.

Q: What do pilots do to avoid thunderstorms?

A: If at all possible, airline pilots fly around thunderstorms, even if it means going far out of their way. Airliners like the A320 typically are equipped with radar that provides highly accurate weather information. Pilots can see a thunderstorm forming from over 100 miles away, giving them time to plot a way around the storm cluster or to look for gaps to fly through. It's usually not a problem for commercial planes to go 100 or more miles out of the way.

Q: How high can an A320 safely fly? and what if it exceeds that limit?

A: The A320 is certified to fly up to 39,000 feet, its maximum altitude before its rate of climb begins to erode. The plane has an absolute flight limit of 42,000 feet. But it can begin to experience problems as low as 37,000 feet, depending on temperature and weight, including fuel, cargo and passengers. The plane's computers should reveal the maximum altitude at which the plane can fly at its current weight and temperature. Planes that exceed their maximum altitude may lose lift, causing an aerodynamic stall. Or they can experience a pressurization blowout, damaging the plane.

Q: How does a plane just fall off radar?

A: It's still unclear what traffic controllers saw on their screens when the plane disappeared from radar. Authorities haven't said whether they lost only the secondary radar target, which is created by the plane's transponder, or whether the primary radar target, created by energy reflected from the plane, was lost as well. If a plane came apart in the air or suffered a loss of electrical power, the secondary target would be lost, but the primary target is often still visible on radar. But if the plane were descending at rate of over 6,000 feet a minute — typical of a plane about to crash — the primary target might be lost as well.

Q: How vital is air travel to the region?

A: For many people, it's the only option. Indonesia is a sprawling archipelago of 250 million people. To get from one island to another, the easiest way is to fly. As the region's economy has grown, so have the number of people flying. The International Air Transport Association recently named Indonesia as one of the world's five fastest-growing air travel markets, predicting an additional 183 million passengers would take to the sky within two decades.

Routes to, from and within the Asia-Pacific region are predicted by the industry trade group to see an extra 1.8 billion annual passengers by 2034, for an overall market size of 2.9 billion. Within two decades, the region is expected to account for 42 percent of global passenger traffic.

The increase in regional airline traffic reflects rapid economic growth. The International Monetary Fund expects the Southeast Asian economies of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to grow faster this year and next than anywhere except China, India and sub-Saharan Africa.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=AirAsia flight QZ8501,AirAsia,Indonesian flight

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

AirAsia flight QZ8501: Plane likely 'at bottom of sea', Indonesia search chief says

JAKARTA: A missing AirAsia plane carrying 162 people is presumed to have crashed off the Indonesian coast, an official said on Monday, as countries in the region offered to help Jakarta in the search and recovery effort.

The Indonesia AirAsia plane, an Airbus A320-200, disappeared after its pilot failed to get permission to alter course to avoid bad weather during a flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore on Sunday.

Flight QZ8501 did not issue a distress signal and disappeared over the Java Sea five minutes after requesting a change of course.

"Based on our coordinates, we predict that the plane is on the sea, for now it could be in the bottom of the sea," Soelistyo, head of Indonesia's search and rescue agency, told reporters when asked about the missing plane's likely location.

With Indonesia AirAsia 49 percent owned by Malaysia-based budget carrier AirAsia, the incident caps a disastrous year for Malaysia-affiliated airlines.

Q&A: What might have happened to AirAsia jet

Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 went missing on March 8 on a trip from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew and has not been found. On July 17, the same airline's Flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.

Indonesian Air Force spokesman Hadi Thahjanto said two C-130 Hercules planes were focusing the search for Flight QZ8501 in areas northeast of Indonesia's Bangka island, which lies roughly halfway between Surabaya and Singapore, in the Java Sea.

READ ALSO: Search resumes for missing AirAsia passenger jet

Singapore said it had sent two naval vessels to help while Malaysia said it would send three naval vessels and a C-130. An Australian P3 Orion surveillance plane left Darwin to join the search, the Australian Defence Department said.

The United States, Britain, South Korea and India also offered help.

"We have been coordinating with parties from Singapore, Malaysia and Australia who have (expressed) a willingness to assist," Tataog Zainuddin, director of operations at the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency, told Reuters.

Onboard Flight QZ8501 were 155 Indonesians, three South Koreans, one person each from Singapore, Malaysia and Britain, while the co-pilot was French.

Bad weather

There was bad weather in the area at the time and the aircraft had been flying at 32,000 feet before asking to fly at 38,000 feet to avoid clouds, said Joko Muryo Atmodjo, air transportation director at Indonesia's transport ministry.

Permission had not yet been given due to traffic in the area, and five minutes later, at 6:17 a.m. on Sunday (2317 GMT Saturday), the plane lost contact with air traffic control, Atmodjo added.

Data from Flightradar24.com, which tracks airline flights in real time, showed several nearby aircraft were at altitudes ranging from 34,000 to 36,000 feet at the time, levels that are not unusual for cruising aircraft.

An A320 pilot from a Southeast Asian airline who has flown the Surabaya-Singapore route many times said it was not unusual to request a slight deviation or climb due to poor weather.

"It is not uncommon at this time of the year, and I have done this myself. It would not have been an unusual request and (air traffic control) will usually grant permission," said the pilot, who declined to be identified because he was not authorised to talk to the media.

The AirAsia group, including affiliates in Thailand, the Philippines and India, has not suffered a crash since its Malaysian budget operations began in 2002. The group's shares in Kuala Lumpur fell as much as 12.9 percent on Monday.

"We are cooperating with the relevant authorities to the fullest extent to determine the cause of this incident," said Indonesia AirAsia Chief Executive Sunu Widyatmoko.

The Indonesian pilot was experienced and the plane last underwent maintenance in mid-November, the airline said. The aircraft had accumulated about 23,000 flight hours in some 13,600 flights, according to Airbus.

READ ALSO: Aviation's deadly 2014, yet safety record improving

Malaysia AirAsia chief Tony Fernandes flew to Surabaya and, along with Indonesian officials, updated distraught relatives of passengers at a makeshift crisis centre at the airport in Indonesia's second-largest city.

"This is my worst nightmare," Fernandes said on Twitter. "But there's no stopping", he said of the search.

Read this in Hindi: एयर एशियाः प्लेन के समुद्र में डूबने की आशंका

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=missing AirAsia flight,AirAsia plane,AirAsia flight

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

AirAsia's missing plane QZ8501: Australian plane spots objects in sea in search area

SURABAYA, Indonesia: An Indonesian official says objects have been spotted in the sea by a search plane hunting for the missing AirAsia jet.

Searchers have found objects and oil slicks hundreds of miles apart from each other and were trying to determine whether any of them were connected to AirAsia Flight 8501.

Air Force spokesman Rear Marshal Hadi Tjahnanto told MetroTV that an Indonesian helicopter spotted two oily spots in the Java Sea east of Belitung island, not far from the point where air-traffic controllers lost contact with the plane. He said oil samples would be collected and analyzed to see if they are connected to the missing plane.
Jakarta's Air Force base commander Rear Marshal Dwi Putranto says he was informed on Monday that an Australian Orion aircraft had detected suspicious objects near Nangka island, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of Pangkalan Bun, near central Kalimantan, or 700 miles (1,120 kilometers) from the location where the plane lost contact.

READ ALSO

Family of 10 misses ill-fated AirAsia flight

Prospects bleak for missing AirAsia flight: Indonesian official

Two flights go missing, but their stories are not the same

"However, we cannot be sure whether it is part of the missing AirAsia plane,'' Putranto said adding, "We are now moving in that direction, which is in cloudy conditions.''

Key developments

The searchers

Twelve Indonesian navy ships, five planes, three helicopters and a number of warships were taking part in the search, along with ships and planes from Singapore and Malaysia, said First Adm. Sigit Setiayana, the Naval Aviation Center commander at the Surabaya air force base. The Australian Air Force sent a search plane, and fishing boats also were looking for the aircraft.

Search area

Djoko Murjatmodjo, Indonesia's acting director general of transportation, said the Airbus A320-200 is believed to have gone missing somewhere over the Java Sea between Tanjung Pandan on Belitung island and Pontianak, on Indonesia's part of Borneo island. Monday's search area extended 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the last point of contact.

Cockpit request denied

In the cockpit's last communication with air traffic control, one of the pilots asked to turn left and climb to 11,582 meters (38,000 feet) to avoid clouds. Air traffic control was not able to immediately grant the request because another plane was in airspace at 34,000 feet, said Bambang Tjahjono, director of the state-owned company in charge of air-traffic control. He said that by the time clearance could be given, Flight 8501 had disappeared.

Bad weather

Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said dense storm clouds were detected up to 13,400 meters (44,000 feet) in the same area at the time the plane was reported to have lost contact.

Families at airport

Dozens of relatives of people aboard the plane gathered in a room at Surabaya airport to await word about their loved ones. Among the passengers were three South Koreans and one each from Singapore, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. The rest were Indonesians.

CEO'S 'nightmare'

Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes, AirAsia's chief and the face of the company, tweeted, "This is my worst nightmare." He flew to Surabaya and said at a news conference that the focus should be on the search and the families. "We have no idea at the moment what went wrong. Let's not speculate at the moment," he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=missing AirAsia plane,Jakarta Air Force,AirAsia QZ8501,AirAsia

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

IIT Delhi director RK Shevgaonkar quits over demand for Subramanian Swamy's dues

NEW DELHI: IIT Delhi director Raghunath K Shevgaonkar has quit more than two years before the end of his term. A senior IIT official confirmed the news on Saturday though human resource development ministry officials claimed they were unaware of it.

Shevgaonkar has been under tremendous pressure from the ministry to reportedly release pay of nearly Rs 70 lakh to former IIT D faculty and now BJP functionary Subramanian Swamy as his "salary dues" between 1972 and 1991.

IIT Delhi has been maintaining that Swamy has not provided it with an information it first needs: the details of his earnings from the time of his termination as a professor in 1972 to March 1991, when he was reinstated following a court order.

Swamy had been demanding his salary dues during the period along with an 18% interest, which both IIT and the HRD ministry initially rejected. Swamy then went to the Delhi high court, and last year, it dismissed IIT's plea that his petition should not be entertained.

The ministry changed its stance after the Modi government assumed office this year. Recently, it sought the advice of the department of personnel & training on whether Swamy's case came under the government's general financial rules and service rules and if he could be granted 'extraordinary leave' between 1972 and 1991.

(IIT Delhi director Raghunath K Shevgaonkar has quit more than two years before the end of his term.)

The ministry even organized a meeting between Shevgaonkar and other senior IIT officials with Swamy. But Shevgaonkar, the sources said, wasn't in favour of an out-of-court settlement and wanted to pursue the legal battle. "The director was of the view that such a settlement will create a bad precedent. He also felt that the case had political overtones," the senior IIT official said.

Oops. A clarification:-

IIT sources had told TOI that there was pressure on the director to give land for SachinTendulkar's cricket academy. However, Tendulkar has strongly denied that this is the case. In fact, he has said he has no plans for a cricket academy. We are sorry to have carried the news on the basis of sources which have been reliable in the past and didn't check with Tendulkar. We are sorry for this. We are also removing all mentions of this from the story.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Subramanian Swamy,IIT Delhi director RK Shevgaonkar quits,hrd ministry,Sachin Tendulkar

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Delhi student tops CAT, first girl since 2009 to score 100 percentile

NEW DELHI: Delhi girl tops Common Admission test 2014 becoming the first girl since 2009 to score a 100 percentile. Neha Manglik is also the only girl among the 16 candidates who scored 100 percentile in the entrance exam for admission to India's premier Indian Institutes of Management and 70 other top B-schools in the Country.

The CAT 2014 results for admission to 19 Indian Institute of Managements (IIMs) including six new ones and other business schools for the year 2014 was announced on Saturday. CAT 2014 convenor Dr Rohit Kapoor told TOI that 16 people including a girl had scored 100 percentile this year. "While we are still to confirm how many of those who scored 100 percentile are from IITs, atleast 3-4 must be from these institutes."

Last year eight students had managed to score 100 percentile. Also, ten people had scored in 99.99 percentile bracket, including a girl. On Neha's performance Kapoor said: "We want to congratulate her for the achievement. It's a rare distinction for girls on CAT. She has done remarkable well in both the sections of the test and we like to wish her success as we need women leaders. IIMs has in the recent years are trying to make the campuses more inclusive and in at least last three years more girls are scoring high in the test."

Neha, a student of chemical engineering from BITS, Pilani has completed her schooling from Ahlcon Public School, Mayur Vihar, Delhi before joining engineering. "I had worked hard for this but 100 percentile is something one can never be sure of."

Speaking about her preparation, Neha said: "I had been doing mathematics and logical puzzle thanks to my father since my school days and so my basic preparation has been done there. For the final test I have been preparing for a year."

An aspirant to IIM, Ahmedabad, Neha said: "Right now my aim to go to a good college and learn the management principles which will come handy in all walks of life."

Giving credit to her alma mater and the importance of co-curricular activities Neha said: "My schooling have been very good. Most important thing they taught me is the along with academics even my co-curricular activities are equally important and that has really helped me develop my personality. Similarly for BITS, they have zero attendance policy and encourage us to do well in other fields which helped me."

To fellow female aspirants Neha's advice is "Girls are as good as boys and always remember one who wins is the one who things we can. The moment they believe they can do there is no stopping them. They have to change their perception on themselves."

Even as the results were announced, the students could not log on to see their scores since the total hits crossed one lakh, crashing the site.

This year some 1.68 lakh candidates had appeared for the CAT exam, a drop from the previous year. CAT registrations have steadily declined for the last couple of years.

This year the exam was held on two days, November 16 and 22.

Read this story in Hindi: CAT — 5 साल बाद एक लड़की बनी टॉपर

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Neha Manglik,Indian Institute of Managements,Dr Rohit Kapoor,Common Admission test 2014

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

AirAsia flight QZ8501 goes missing: This is what pilot said before aircraft was lost

JAKARTA: In the third air incident connected to Malaysia this year, an AirAsia plane with 162 people on board went missing on Sunday while flying over the Java Sea after taking off from a provincial city in Indonesia for Singapore.

The pilot of missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 made last communication with air traffic control at 6.13am (2313 GMT Saturday) and there was no distress signal from the cockpit.

READ ALSO: 'Missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 did not send any distress signal'

The pilot had requested deviation due to weather before communication with the aircraft was lost.

According to officials the pilot had "asked to avoid clouds by turning left and going higher to 34,000 feet."

The aircraft was still under the control of Indonesian Air Traffic Control at that time.

Flight QZ8501 had two pilots and five cabin crew.

The captain in command of missing Airbus A320-200 had a total of 6,100 flying hours, a substantial number, and the first officer a total of 2,275 flying hours.

The contact was lost about 42 minutes after the single-aisle, twin-engine jetliner took off from Surabaya airport in Indonesia for Singapore.

READ ALSO

Missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 had asked to fly higher to avoid cloud: official

Obama briefed on missing AirAsia flight QZ8501

AirAsia statement on missing flight

Flight from Indonesia to Singapore loses contact

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=missing air asia flight,AirAsia flight QZ8501,AirAsia flight goes missing,Air Asia flight

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sanjay Kapoor: I have got everything in my life late

Sanjay Kapoor, 52, got everything late in his life, be it the release of his debut as a hero in 'Prem' at 31, his marriage to Maheep at 35, purchase of his own house at 38 or producing his first film 'Tevar' at 52, but he was born positive and was brought up to always be content, much like his father Surinder Kapoor. He is emotional and sensitive and his high self-respect forbids him from asking his high-profile friends for favours. Over an hour-long conversation in his Juhu house over a cup of coffee, he talks to Bombay Times about his values learnt from his father, his attachment to Boney Kapoor and why he will never offer a film to Anil Kapoor again. Excerpts:

ALSO READ: Sanjay Kapoor tells Alia Bhatt not to refer to him as `Sir'

Talk about your family's association with Raj Kapoor's family?
We used to live in Chembur in a two-bedroom hall. We were so connected with the Kapoors that Dabboo (Randhir Kapoor) would joke that we are related via satellite. My mom and Krishna aunty were best of friends and Chimpu (Rajiv Kapoor) and I grew up together. My father, Surinder Kapoor, used to work for Shammi Kapoor and his first wife was my dad's rakhi sister. She was the one who pushed my dad to make films and so, her picture used to come in the beginning in all his films. Even though my father had not given blockbusters, Raj Kapoor uncle used to respect him a lot due to the goodwill he enjoyed and his honesty. Chimpu had a car and would travel abroad, right from when he was a year old. But our parents brought us up in a way that we never had any complexes. I remember Chimpu became an actor very quickly. Prior to his becoming an actor, when we went out together, if he paid the bill two times, I would pay it once. But we would go to ordinary places then that both of us could afford. But after he became a star, he started going to clubs where he would have whiskey and I, beer, and the bill would come to 2000. Then I could not afford it, so I would often avoid going out with him at night. We remained great friends. But I could not tell him why, but then, we started meeting for lunch as that is all that I could afford. My father had always taught us not to pile on.

ALSO READ: Sanjay Kapoor joins the Shaandar wedding in UK

Talk about your father?
There are many things that I had learnt from our father. Chimpu would always go abroad and bring us Batmans and strawberry rubbers. So when I was in class X, I took a promise from my dad that if I came first class, he would send me abroad. I studied really hard and came first class, but coincidentally, one of my dad's films did not do well at that time. He said to me, 'If I send you abroad, people will ask me how I could send you abroad when my film had not done well.' I felt bad as I could not go, but later, I realised his honesty and what he was trying to do that time. He has done that even earlier. He had seen a flat in Samudra Mahal in Worli for himself and had done the deal. He was making a film with Bhappi Sonie, who had also seen a flat in Worli, and even though my father did not owe any money to them at that time, they requested him for an advance to buy that flat. So my father gave them the money that he was to buy his own flat with and can you imagine, they bought the same flat that my father was buying. My father would tell us, 'Never see the few people ahead of you. Look at the people behind, some of who may also be more deserving than you. Be ambitious, but also be content.' Later, Bhappi Sonie went through a bad time and had to sell his flat and shift into an even smaller place than where we were staying. My father would say, 'My children are doing so well, so we are going up.' He had a lot of goodwill. He was from Peshawar and would always go and drop any guest to the car. I am a happy guy as I think like my father. And that is why I have never been bitter or ever felt frustrated. I feel I have got a lot and thank God for it.

Your first film was released when you were 31. Why so late?
Shekhar Kapur was initially supposed to direct 'Prem'. But the problem with Shekhar is that he is a very lazy guy, which is why he has made such few films over 30 years. He never wanted to start it and that led to my frustration. We then decided on Satish Kaushik to direct it, who started the film in 1989, but then he also had to direct 'Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja' in between, that finally released in 1993 and was a disaster. With that mind, he directed 'Prem' that finally released after 6 years of starting it in 2005. Again in 'Prem', I will tell you about my father. We had signed a singer Nalin Dave and we were all convinced that since it took 6 years to make the film, his voice was not sounding young enough for me any more and we should replace it with Udit Narayan's. But my father did not change. He said, 'Just like Sanjay has waited 6 years, Nalin has also waited 6 years. Now, it is their destiny.' I was dating Tabu at that time initially, but by the end of it, we were not talking to each other. It finally released when I was 31 and would joke and say, 'I am the oldest newcomer.' But this was destiny. 'Prem' did not work, but within 4 weeks, 'Raja' released with Madhuri Dixit and that became a blockbuster. Madhuri was such a big star at that time that I did not get the credit for it. It was also the time when Sri was with her mother, who was not well in the US and Boney was with her. Had Boney been here, things would have been very different for me as there was nobody to take care of things as far as I was concerned.

Talk about your relationship with Boney?
Everyone would say that Boney was a manipulator, but the fact is that he has always done things without any harm to anybody. He chose and decided the price for both Anil and me. I had a bank account but till 12 years back, he managed all my money. In the beginning I did big shows and got a lot of money and he managed all of that. Lot of close friends would give me negative advice, but it did not matter to me. Both Anil and I had blind faith in him. He is like a father figure, but he has gone through this phase where he would overspend on his films. He tends to get carried away. He is not a manipulator. Even when my father was lavish. Boney's economics were wrong and so, he got into a role where his losses started. Because he was handling everything, it was affecting the whole family. It was not that he was using the money for his own benefit or anything, but it's just that he was putting it into his films.

Between Anil and Boney, who are you more attached to?
Boney, as we have done films together and he has always shown more concern where my life is concerned.

Your career did not pick up as well as it could have.
I did 'Auzaar', directed by Sohail Khan, that did not do as well, but I got a lot of appreciation for it. I was a hot newcomer and despite it being a negative role, I agreed to do it at once when Sohail called me. Many actors had said No. Salman was a superstar by this time and I don't know if Salman would remember this, but over a drink, he said to me at Piano Bar, 'When you become a producer, I will do your film.' They are a great family that way. When the hoardings of 'Auzaar' came up, it had a big Salman's picture and a small picture of mine, even though I had a better role. He called up our producer TIPS and said, 'If you want to have this kind of publicity, then don't put my name also. Sanjay stood by us.' Salman made sure that my picture was more than his only and not less. That is how Salman is. Anyways, I thought to myself that I would make a film with Salman and through Arbaaz, who was very close to me, I met Salim sahab, who said a yes. But to my bad luck, my films 'Sirf Tum' and 'Chhupa Rustum' did well and thus, I kept looking out for acting assignments. In the meantime, Boney was making 'No Entry' and Salman, without even reading the script, said a yes, I felt because of me, and that is how Salman came into Boney's life. For whatever, reason for a year, I did not sign any projects after this and had got married to Maheep. In 2002, I needed to buy a house for myself and that is the time to settle my family, I did TV and a host of movies just for the money.

Listen to the songs of Tevar on Gaana.com

Which was your lowest period?
There was a period when I was not doing much as an actor and was trying to become a producer. I was wanting to do a film with Anil. I spent 3-4 years discussing everything with him and even going with the director he wanted, but at the last minute, he said No. I was totally taken aback that time. I just felt that even if he felt that the film would have been a flop, he should have still done it for me. In the same period, he did 'Yuvvraaj' and 'Black and White'. I felt hurt as I had wasted so much time and gone with all his recommendations, including the director he wanted. Mentally, I was very low. I couldn't believe that despite he being my brother, he had said No. Rajat Rawail managed Anil's work and he told me, 'Sanjay, when you meet Anil with the script, you take the advance cheque also.' I found that very strange as he was my brother. I also felt hurt that Anil could even doubt that the money would not come. After that, there has never been a problem between Anil and me, but I never approached him again. Today at 52, I have finally turned producer with Arjun, who has been the closest kid to me in the family. I remember at the peak of my career, I got some money which I gave to a person to build a house on the beach for me. I later realised that the money I had got was not from a right person and I returned the money. My being positive has saved me. Whatever I am today is due to our parents, who I love the most in this world. And I do know that I get everything in my life, but I have always got it late.

Watch: Tevar Trailer

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Tevar,Sanjay Kapoor,Salman Khan

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Netaji almost got Bharat Ratna with Atal, Malaviya

NEW DELHI: An attempt to confer Bharat Ratna on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, alongside former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Hindu nationalist leader Madan Mohan Malviya, fell through because of his family's reservations.

READ ALSO: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Madan Mohan Malviya to be awarded Bharat Ratna

Sources said a fresh move to bestow the highest civilian award on the legendary leader was made, with those in favour approaching functionaries of the Modi government.

The Centre was positively inclined to accept the request, but told the proponents about the constraint involved in awarding the recognition to the freedom movement stalwart because of the continuing mystery about his "disappearance" in August 1945 on a flight from Formosa, current day Taiwan, when he was planning to take on the British in alliance with Japan.

Family still believes Netaji is alive

Although Bose has not been seen for almost 70 years now, his family as well as many of his supporters believe that he is alive and will surface one day. Periodic rumours that Netaji would appear on a particular day still generate excitement in certain parts of the country.

The passionate refusal to accept a closure on Netaji also creates complications on where to slot him: among the living or posthumous so far as the award of Bharat Ratna is concerned.

The government's prudence was justified when the family did not waver from their belief about Netaji being alive when they were sounded out by advocates of the proposal to honour the leader who fired the country's imagination with his audacious plan to take on the British militarily.
READ ALSO: Malviya gets Ratna; other lost icons to be honoured?

In August, Netaji's grandnephew Sugata Bose had reacted to speculation about the move to decorate Bose with the highest honour by saying that his stature was above the Bharat Ratna.

An award for the iconic leader would have been in line with the BJP leadership's plan to recognize leaders outside the Nehru lineage.

Read this in Hindi: वाजपेयी, मालवीय के साथ नेताजी को भी मिलने वाला था भारत रत्न

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose,Bharat Ratna

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

NC adds twist to J&K govt search, offers to back PDP

SRINAGAR: Post-poll manoeuvres over government formation and the likelihood of Jammu and Kashmir being placed under Governor's rule kept politics on the boil even as National Conference claimed it had offered unconditional support to PDP and the latter denied it vehemently.

READ ALSO: Our support is in state's interest, NC says

NC's move came just as reports of BJP's negotiations with PDP gathered momentum and speculation about terms and conditions started doing the rounds. Although negotiations eventually hit a wall over the stiff terms set by PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, they had stirred the political cauldron raising enough mist about who was talking to whom and on what conditions.

READ ALSO: Cong backs PDP to lead new govt in J&K

Sources said BJP-PDP talks got stalemated over Mufti's demands for a full-year tenure as CM, gradual withdrawal of AFSPA and an iron-clad guarantee that politicians from Jammu (read BJP) would not meddle in the affairs of Kashmir Valley and others. Sources said BJP rejected the conditionalities as unacceptable.

READ ALSO: Omar steps down, says onus on BJP-PDP to form next govt

But by then NC had stepped into the game with the claim that it had followed up outgoing CM Omar Abdullah's public statement of unconditional support to PDP with a verbal offer which was conveyed by a trusted intermediary. NC leader Devendra Rana said: "The NC has verbally offered unconditional support. It is a fractured verdict this time and for the stability of the state and smooth functioning of the government, we are offering support to the single largest party."

READ ALSO: PDP MLA filmed firing AK-47 to celebrate win

Read this story in Hindi: J&K: पीडीपी ने एनसी के सपोर्ट का ऑफर ठुकराया!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=J&K govt,J&K assembly,govt formation in J&K

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sun TV COO arrested on sexual harassment charges

CHENNAI: Sleuths of the central crime branch of the Chennai police on Friday morning arrested the chief operating officer (COO) of Sun TV, C Praveen, on sexual harassment complaints filed by a former staff of the television network.

Police teams stormed into his house in Anna Nagar at 5am and picked him up.

Preethi Sivan (name changed), a former staff of Surya TV, a sister concern of Sun TV, filed the complaint against him.

Preethi quit her job five months ago following alleged sexual harassment by him. She submitted a complaint to police against Praveen for harassing her continuously.

She submitted the WhatsApp conversation, messages and call records to police along with her complaint to substantiate her claim.

Chennai police commissioner S George forwarded the complaint to the CCB to probe further.

Preliminary inquiries confirmed that Preethi had suffered physical and mental torture.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Sun TV COO arrested,Sun TV,C Praveen

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

China challenges India's polished diamond throne

The author has posted comments on this articleReuters | Dec 26, 2014, 08.18AM IST

A supervisor checks the shape of a polished diamond inside the diamond processing unit at Surat.

NEW DELHI: India's long-held position as the world's top diamond polisher is being challenged by soaring output from China, compelling it to seek help from ally and top rough diamond supplier Russia to defend its market share.

India has traditionally relied on the middlemen in trading hubs of Antwerp, Tel Aviv and Dubai for its supply of rough diamonds, which mainly come from Russia or Africa. Most of the world's diamond output is sent to India for cutting and polishing before being retailed around the world.

But China has managed to break the established trade route by getting diamonds directly from African mines in which Chinese companies have a stake. This has boosted the value of China's net exports of polished diamonds by 72 per cent in the past five years to $8.9 billion.

While India's exports, supplied by firms such as Asian Star , Gitanjali Gems Ltd and Venus Jewel, rose 49 per cent to $14 billion over that time, shipments have seen a sharp drop this year.

"China's active procurement of rough supply from African countries was reducing the supply available to Indian manufacturers," said Sandeep Varia, an executive of Indian industry body Assocham. "Many units across the country had to lay off workers due to losses."

As a result, China's share of the global polished diamond market has tripled to 17 per cent in the past decade, according to data from the United Nations. India's share has fluctuated between 19 and 31 per cent.

Bring in Russia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who comes from Gujarat where the polishing industry is centred, has answered calls to bolster the diamond sector by convincing Russia to sell rough diamonds directly to India.

READ ALSO: From Russia, with love, the diamond connect

During Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi this month, Russia's state-run diamond monopoly Alrosa signed a dozen deals to increase direct rough diamond deliveries to India that would help reduce the cut taken by middlemen in the secretive precious gems trade.

The direct deals would also reduce risks linked to Western sanctions imposed over Russia's annexation of Crimea, while Modi is additionally seeking arrangements that would allow Russian jewellery makers to send rough diamonds to India and re-import polished stones duty-free.

But to compete effectively with China, India will also need to streamline its tax and import rules, industry sources said.

"China is not going to displace India as the leading diamond polishing hub any time soon, but India needs to reform its archaic tax rules to make the Indian diamond polishing industry more attractive for foreign miners," said Martin Rapaport, chairman of diamond and jewellery service firm Rapaport Group.

India is looking to build a special notified zone where companies can import rough diamonds on a consignment basis and re-export unsold ones, mirroring China's investor-friendly trading zones that avoid complicated export and import taxes.

"These are positive moves for the industry," said Mehul Shah, committee member of India's Bharat Diamond Bourse. "It will increase profit margins of the Indian diamond manufacturing industry and make it more competitive."

Despite China's upper hand in securing rough diamonds, its cutting and polishing industry is not as organised as India's and rising labour costs are a problem.

"The Chinese diamond polishing industry works on a contract-basis and through joint ventures," said Rapaport. "They are consistent at mass producing small stones, but lack the expertise required for bigger and finer stones."

Read this in Hindi: हीरा पॉलिशिंग में भारत की बादशाहत को चीन से खतरा

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pakistani forces kill key planner of Peshawar school massacre

PESHAWAR: Pakistani security forces have killed a Taliban commander who allegedly facilitated the Peshawar school massacre, which left 150 people dead in the country's worst ever terror attack, officials said on Friday.

READ ALSO: Pak Taliban target army-run school, kill 132 children in revenge attack

Named only as "Saddam", the militant was killed Thursday night in a gunfight with security forces in the restive Khyber tribal area, which borders the northwestern city of Peshawar where last week's horrific attack took place.

READ ALSO: Peshawar attack mastermind — a volleyball player, child killer

"Commander Saddam was a dreaded terrorist, who was killed in an exchange of fire with the security forces in Jamrud town of Khyber tribal region," top local administration official Shahab Ali Shah told a press conference in Peshawar.

"Six of his accomplices were injured and arrested." He added that Saddam is believed to have facilitated the school attack, although the extent or capacity of his alleged involvement was not yet known.

"Authorities are currently interrogating the injured terrorists," Shah said.

He described Saddam as an important commander in the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and said he had masterminded several bomb attacks.

Saddam and his accomplices had been involved in several recent attacks on security forces that had resulted in heavy casualties, Shah said.

READ ALSO: For Pak army, Peshawar is a game changer

The Taliban and other militants have taken refuge in Khyber from a major army offensive launched in June in North Waziristan, another restive tribal area on the Afghan border that has been a hub for al-Qaida and Taliban militants since the early 2000s.

Meanwhile, a US drone strike on a Taliban compound in North Waziristan killed at least four militants on Friday, officials said, the second such incident in a week.

Another drone strike in North Waziristan on December 20 killed at least five militants, officials said.

The area is generally off-limits to journalists, making it difficult to independently verify the number and identity of the dead.

Washington pressed Islamabad for years to wipe out militant sanctuaries in North Waziristan, which have been used to launch attacks on Nato forces in Afghanistan.

This photo released by the Taliban show 6-7 men carrying guns in front of a white banner.
The Pakistani military says it has killed more than 1,700 militants so far in its heavy offensive in the tribal zone, with 126 soldiers having lost their lives.

Pakistan has ramped up its anti-terror strategy in the wake of the December 16 slaughter at an army-run school in Peshawar, where 134 children were among the victims gunned down by heavily-armed Taliban militants.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced the establishment of military courts for terror-related cases in order to accelerate trials, and he has also lifted a six-year moratorium on the death penalty, reinstating it for terrorism-related cases.

Officials said Monday that Pakistan plans to execute around 500 militants in the coming weeks.

READ ALSO: Peshawar attack: Taliban attackers shot most students point blank in head

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan,Taliban commander,Peshawar School Massacre,Peshawar school

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Centre, state launch all-out offensive against militant group that carried out deadly Assam attack

GUWAHATI: The Army and security forces, including the state police, are launching an all-out offensive to take out the 80-odd cadres of the Songbijit faction of National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), which carried out the deadly attack on Tuesday evening.

With the recovery of more bodies the death toll climbed from the overnight figure of 48 to 65. The figure includes 21 women and 18 children.

READ ALSO: Bodo militants kill 48 adivasis in Assam

The decision for the offensive was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by home minister Rajnath Singh and attended by top officials of ministries of home, defence and paramilitary forces, sources said.

"This was an act of terror and we will deal with it accordingly... whatever action is required, we will take," Rajnath Singh told reporters after the meeting in New Delhi

Describing the attack on adivasi villagers by the Songbijit faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), as "very unfortunate and cowardly act", he said 50 companies (5000 personnel) of paramilitary forces have been rushed to Assam to assist the state government to deal with the situation arising out of the violence in Sonitpur and Kokrajhar districts.

Tribal plantation workers armed with tools for self-defence move to a safer place after ethnic clashes in Tenganala village in Sonitpur district. (Reuters Photo)

On Wednesday morning three more adivasis were killed in police firing when hundreds of them went on the rampage at Biswanath Chariali in worst-hit Sonitpur district in protest. In Kokrajhar, adivasi miscreants beheaded two Bodos.

READ ALSO: Adivasis retaliate, kill 2 Bodos, torch a village

The operations led by the Army were launched late Tuesday night immediately after telephonic discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Tarun Gogoi. Union home minister Rajnath Singh and his deputy Kiren Rijiju rushed to Guwahati on Wednesday evening to fine-tune the strategy to rein in the outfit.

BJP supporters stage a protest against the brutal killing of innocent people by NDFB militants.(PTI Photo)

Gogoi said, "We are going all out against the militants. I had a discussion with Prime Minister last night and the Centre has given directives to the Army to take out these militants. The Centre has also sent us 55 companies of central paramilitary forces and 20 of them have already arrived."

The chief minister and the Union home minister will be holding a meeting this evening shortly after the latter arrives here from New Delhi to discuss the next strategy.

"The militants have shelters in Bhutan and Myanmar and Arunachal Pradesh. We cannot act on these areas and I will be asking the home minister to take up the issues with other countries and our neighbouring states," Gogoi said.

"Something like 'Operation All Clear' is needed," he said. Operation All Clear was a military offensive conducted by Royal Bhutan Army against Assam insurgent groups like ULFA and NDFB in 2003. India provided logistic support to Bhutan, including evacuation of its injured army personnel in the operation.

"Our immediate action is to stop spillage of the violence and its transformation into an ethnic clash. We are appealing to all sections of people to remain calm and not to take law in their hands," Gogoi said after reports of retaliation by adivasis arrived. At Pabhoi area, adivasi and Bodo villagers torched each others villages but there was no human casualty reported.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi has expressed grief over the loss of lives in the militant attacks in Assam.

READ ALSO: PM sanctions Rs 2 lakh each for kin of deceased

He has sanctioned ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to seriously injured persons from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. Rs 86 lakh is being released to state government from PMNRF.

(Inputs from PTI)

Read this in Hindi: असमः उग्रवाद के सफाए के लिए बनी रणनीति

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Tarun Gogoi,NDFB,Bodos,Assam attack,Adivasis

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

For a sliding Congress, no sign of 'achhe din'

NEW DELHI: Jharkhand and Jammu & Kashmir continued the downward spiral of Congress, raising questions if the party's bad times would abate anytime soon.

After the rout in Maharashtra and Haryana barely a couple of months ago, Congress was reduced to the fourth position in J&K while it continued to grapple for relevance in Jharkhand. Only a success in forming a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir would save the day for the principal opposition which did manage to avoid humiliation with a double-figure tally in that state.

READ ALSO: It's downhill journey for Congress in Jharkhand

The fresh spate of defeats are being seen as part of a larger anti-Congress sentiment. It is likely to affect the sentiments for the coming Delhi polls. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has called a meeting of party general secretaries on Wednesday where a postmortem on the party's performance is expected.

While expectations were low in the fresh round of elections, there was a mild cheer at having retained relevance in J&K — though the party's tally dropped from 17 seats to 12. Party sources said the decision to snap ties with National Conference, ally for six years, had been vindicated.

READ ALSO: Assembly results boost NDA's reforms drive

BJP supporters wearing Narendra Modi masks beat drums in celebration of the party's election victory in Jharkhand.

The tally of eight seats in an assembly of 81 in Jharkhand, even if on expected lines, is bound to rankle as it cements the theory that Congress has not recovered politically in the state where it has slipped to the third position or below. With BJP gaining a majority of its own and JMM emerging as the main opposition, Congress has the near-impossible task at hand to reinvent itself in Jharkhand.

Fingers are being pointed at the "myopic" leadership that allowed itself to be persuaded into snapping ties with JMM. That JMM has not done all that badly only lent credence to the argument.

Congress workers are bound to look at the leadership for answers to the crisis of confi dence, a demand that would put the ball in Rahul's court. Though he carried out hectic campaigning in the states, with some success in J&K, he may have to spell out a cogent philosophy for future to instill spine in the sagging postures. Rahul avoided any comment on results while coming out of Parliament on Tuesday.

SPECIAL: J&K, Jharkhand assembly elections 2014

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Poll results,PDP,Jharkhand assembly elections,Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections,BJP

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mastermind of Delhi acid attack is a doctor and victim's batchmate

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police have arrested four men who had thrown acid on a woman doctor in Rajouri Garden area of west Delhi on Tuesday morning.

The mastermind of the acid attack is a doctor.

Joint commissioner Tajinder Luthra earlier confirmed the two arrests to TOI. According to reports, all four have now been arrested. One of them is claiming to be a minor. Police are verifying his age through his identification documents.

One of the accused was apparently in love with the doctor and decided to take revenge when the doctor did not reciprocate. He handed out the contract to two of his friends who carried out the attack. The two accused were merely hitmen, sources said.

According to police, the mastermind of the attack is Dr Ashok Yadav. He knew the victim for ten years and studied medicine with her in Belarus. Other accused has been identified as Vaibhav. The police say that the two hitmen - seen in the CCTV footage - are claiming to be minors and hired by Vaibhav and Yadav. ​Investigations revealed that three years back, when the victim rebuffed Yadav's overtures, he got obsessed. He got in touch with Vaibhav and hatched a conspiracy. Vaibhav got in touch with two juveniles who were paid Rs 25,000. They first stole a bike and then tried to pass off the entire incident as a robbery bid.

DCP west Pushpender Kumar said that the case was cracked by the special staff team led by inspector SS Rathee who developed all the available leads and generated local intelligence.

In a horrific act caught on CCTV camera, two bike-borne men had thrown acid on a woman doctor in west Delhi's Rajouri Garden on Tuesday morning, leaving one side of her face burnt and her right eye severely damaged.

READ ALSO: Acid attack in Delhi leaves doctor with 50% facial burns

The 30-year-old senior resident doctor at ESI hospital was on her scooter, heading to work, when the unidentified attackers struck. They also snatched away her purse containing a wallet and mobile. The victim briefly told doctors that she didn't recognize the assailants.

"She suffered severe (grade IV) injuries in her eye and has 50% chemical burns on the right side of her face and neck," said an official from AIIMS, where she is being treated. A team of eye specialists was trying to restore vision in the damaged eye.

The footage shows the woman standing in the middle of the road screaming for help, but vehicles just passing by. She finally got help from a builder living in the neighbourhood, whose CCTV camera recorded the event.

READ ALSO: Acid attack on woman over 'illicit affair'

An FIR under the amended section 326 A of IPC and robbery (394 IPC) has been registered at the local police station. Under the new law, the punishment for acid throwing is 10 years imprisonment which can extend to life term.

The victim stays with her brother in Hari Nagar. Her father is a senior officer in BSF, posted in Madhya Pradesh, police said. She had completed her MBBS from Ludhiana and has been staying in Delhi for four years.

Read this in Hindi: लेडी डॉक्टर पर ऐसिड फेंकने के मामले में चारों आरोपी गिरफ्तार

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Acid attack on west Delhi doctor,acid attack,ESI Hospital

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bangladeshis must leave or turn Hindu: Bajrang Dal

MEERUT: Balraj Dungar, convenor of the Bajrang Dal for Meerut, said on Tuesday that Bangladeshis living in India must either leave the country or convert to Hinduism. "Our first demand is that they must leave the country, as they are abusing our resources. However, if they wish to live here, they must convert to Hinduism and adapt to the ways of our life," he said.

Commenting on the recent instances of 'ghar wapsi' in Uttar Pradesh, Dungar said, "We had been involved in 'ghar wapsi' campaigns even during the UPA regime. This is a continuous, ongoing process," Dungar said.

Dungar said Bangladeshis have taken refuge in India, and continue to live here even 43 years after the Bangladesh war. "They now need to go back," he said. Told that the illegality of the stay would not change with conversion, Dungar said, "At least they will add to our strength in numbers."

VHP organisational secretary Sudarshan Chakra, however, said he would not agree with the Bajrang Dal leader.

Members of Bajrang Dal take out a bike rally as part of Hindu Samajotsav. (File photo)

"Our organization's agenda does not give any respite to Bangladeshis. As per government statistics, there are around three crore Bangladeshis in India. They must all leave. There is no question of them converting to Hinduism. Because of them, unemployment and crime rates have risen. They indulge in anti-national activities. Despite all that, various governments in the past have been providing them with benefits. They have ration cards and voter IDs. Nothing will legalize their stay in India. They have to go," Chakra said.

Estimates of the number of Bangladeshis in India vary widely. The 2001 Census report, quoted by an online site, estimated that there were 30 lakh Bangladeshis in India. In 2012 Mullappally Ramachandran, then Union minister of state for home, claimed that nearly 14 lakh Bangladeshi migrants had entered India in the last decade alone. In 2007, central government statistics had said there were two crore Bangladeshis living in India illegally.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Muslims,ghar wapsi,conversions,Bangladesh,bajrang dal

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

15 things you should know about Atal Bihari Vajpayee

NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and educationist Madan Mohan Malviya were on Wednesday chosen for the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna. "The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya (posthumously) and to Atal Bihari Vajpayee," a press communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Here are 15 things you should know about Atal Bihari Vajpayee:

1. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924 in Gwalior.

2. As a teenager, Vajpayee was jailed briefly for opposing British colonial rule. He flirted with communism before choosing to support the Rashtriya Swamyamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Jan Sangh.

3. Vajpayee dropped out of law school to run an RSS magazine in the early 1950s. Later, he transcended his political roots in the RSS to emerge as the moderate voice of the BJP.

4. His involvement in politics began as a freedom-fighter during the Quit India Movement of 1942-1945. He started out as a communist but shed that for membership in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an organization propounding Hindutva, or Hindu Nationalism and considered Right-Wing in Indian politics.

5. Vajpayee became a close follower and aide to Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), BJP's predecessor.

6. Vajpayee was at Mookerjee's side when he went on a fast-unto-death in Kashmir in 1953, to protest against the system of carrying a permit for entering the state and the "inferior" treatment of Indian citizens visiting Kashmir, as also the special treatment accorded to Kashmir because it had a Muslim majority. Mookerjee's fast and protest ended the identity card requirement, and hastened the integration of Kashmir into the Indian Union. But Mookherjee died after weeks of weakness, illness and confinement in jail. These events were a watershed moment for the young Vajpayee.

7. Taking the baton from Mookerjee, Vajpayee won his first election to Parliament in 1957.

READ ALSO: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Madan Mohan Malviya to be awarded Bharat Ratna

A peek into the life Atal Bihari Vajpayee now leads

8. Vajpayee served the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, for 10 terms that began in 1957 and concluded in 2009.

9. Vajpayee was the first head of government from outside the Congress party to serve a full five-year term.

10. Vajpayee first became Prime Minister in 1996 after four decades in opposition. He lasted only 13 days as prime minister for lack of numbers.

11. The lack of a stable majority ended his second stint in power from 1998 after 13 months. His government collapsed after AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa withdrew her support from the coalition.

12. Vajpayee was reelected in 1999 at the head of a more stable coalition that lasted its full term.

13. An orator par excellence, Vajpayee had earned much fame as India's external affairs minister in Prime Minister Morarji Desai government during which tenure he delivered a widely acclaimed speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi.

14. Undeterred by party hawks who accused him of embarking on a misdirected visit to Pakistan in 1999, Vajpayee rode triumphantly into Lahore aboard a bus, on an initiative that was pursued by his successor Manmohan Singh.

15. A bachelor, Vajpayee is also a poet of some repute and he is often quoted by his party.

(With inputs from agencies)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Bharat Ratna,Atal Bihari Vajpayee,BJP

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Madan Mohan Malviya to be awarded Bharat Ratna

NEW DELHI: The Union government on Wednesday announced the prestigious Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and freedom fighter Madan Mohan Malaviya.

A meeting of the Union Cabinet was convened here on Wednesday where the decision to confer the honour on Vajpayee and Malviya was taken.

The announcement coincides with Vajpayee's birthday on December 25 which the government has already declared as the 'Good Governance Day'.

READ ALSO: 15 things you should know about AB Vajpayee

A Bharat Ratna for Madan Mohan Malaviya, freedom fighter and educationist popularly known as 'Mahamana', was one of the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his election campaigns.

"The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya (posthumously) and to Atal Bihari Vajpayee," a press communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

43 people have been honoured with the Bharat Ratna since its inception, including scientist CV Raman, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, singer Lata Mangeshkar and politicians C Rajagopalachari.

READ ALSO: Bharat Ratna for Malaviya takes BHU scholars to memory lanes

Read this in Hindi: वाजपेयी और मालवीय को मिलेगा भारत रत्न

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Madan Mohan Malaviya,Bharat Ratna,Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Election results: PDP emerging as largest party in a hung house, BJP second

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir was on Tuesday heading for a hung assembly with PDP emerging as the single largest party by bagging 14 seats and leading in 16 while BJP also made gains by winning 18 seats and was ahead on 7, all in Jammu, but it failed to make inroads in the Valley.

J&K, Jharkhand poll results: Track live updates

Outgoing chief minister Omar Abdullah won from Beerwah but lost in Sonawar while his National Conference, which was the single largest party in 2008 assembly polls with 28 seats, bagged seven seats and was leading in eight others.

Congress, which was part of the ruling coalition led by Omar, won four seats and was ahead in eight. It had won 17 seats in the last election.

Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather was among the prominent losers. Omar defeated Congress' Nazir Ahmed in Beerwah but lost to PDP candidate Mohammad Ashraf Mir from Sonawar seat while Rather was defeated by opposition party's Ghulam Nabi Lone from Charar-e-Sharief. This was Rather's first defeat in assembly elections since 1977.

Among the prominent winners were People's Democratic Party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed from Anantnag and former JK Bank chairman Haseeb Drabu from Pulawama as the party swept all four Assembly seats in Pulwama district.

Separatist turned mainstream politician Sajjad Gani Lone defeated National Conference minister Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan from Handwara.

SPECIAL: J&K, Jharkhand assembly elections 2014

Deputy chief minister Tara Chand of Congress lost to BJP's Krishan Lal from Chamb constituency by a margin of 14,790 votes.

Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami (CPIM) was trailing by 200 votes against PDP candidate Nazir Ahmad Laway from Kulgam constituency.

The lone woman minister in Omar Abdullah government, Sakina Itoo of National Conference, was trailing by over 4000 votes against PDP candidate Abdul Majid Padder.

BJP, which bagged 11 seats last time, has won 18 seats and was ahead in seven.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=PDP,J&K elections,Election results,Assembly elections

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More