New Delhi, Sept 26 (PTI) The month-long Bihar Assembly poll exercise, which is expected to be a triangular affair among the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U)-BJP ruling alliance, RJD-LJP combine and the Congress, will be set in motion tomorrow. This is the first Assembly election during the current year and the Election Commission is leaving nothing to chance keeping in view the fact that majority of the districts in the state were hit by Naxal menace.
State Governor Devanand Konwar will tomorrow issue the notification for the first phase of Assembly polls. Over 5.50 crore electors are eligible to exercise their franchise to elect a new 243-member House.
The term of the Assembly will end on November 27. The polls will be held in six phases on October 21, 24, 28, November one, 9 and 20 for the 243 seats.
47 of the seats are in 33 Maoist-hit districts and the EC has decided to deploy central para-military forces to ensure a free and fair polling. There are a total of 38 districts in the state.
Counting of votes will take place on November 24. The bye-elections for Banka Lok Sabha seat, which fell vacant following the death of sitting MP Digvijay Singh, will be held on November one.
The election is expected to be a triangular affair with the ruling JD(U) and BJP continuing their poll alliance and Lalu Prasad''s RJD and Ram Vilas Paswan''s LJP joining hands to oust it from power. The Congress has announced that it will go it alone in the state, unlike in the past when it played a second fiddle to RJD. RJD and LJP overcame last-minute hiccups and clinched an alliance, deciding to contest 168 and 75 seats, respectively.
Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar has already made it clear that that he would not contest the elections as he is already a member of the Legislative Council. Lalu Prasad, who is being projected as the Chief Ministerial candidate of the RJD-LJP alliance, is also not contesting the polls.
Congress has not projected anyone as its Chief Ministerial candidate. Hectic activity is on in all the three rival camps for selection of candidates.
Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi, who recently reviewed the poll preparations in the state, has expressed satisfaction over the arrangements for the conduct of the assembly elections in Bihar in a free, fair and transparent manner.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Chennai Super Kings win Champions League
Murali Vijay and Mike Hussey cracked a sparkling half-century each as Chennai Super Kings were crowned the Champions League Twenty20 winners with their eight-wicket victory over Warriors in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Vijay (58 off 53 balls), who was let off when on 34, cracked his third half century of the tournament while the other opener Hussey played sheet anchor and remained not out on 51 as Chennai chased down the small target of 129 with one over to spare.
Earlier, spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (3/16) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2/16) shared five wickets as Chennai restricted Warriors to 128 for seven after the South African champion side elected to bat at the New Wanderers Stadium.
Vijay underlined his emergence as a fine Twenty20 batsman by becoming the highest run getter of the tournament with 294 runs from six matches, eight more than Warriors captain Davy Jacobs.
Vijay's 53-ball innings was studded with six fours and two sixes while Hussey hit only three fours from 46 balls in his unbeaten knock.
Chennai were richer by $2.5 millions for winning the second edition of the tournament, their second crown in five months after their IPL triumph in April. Warriors received $1.3 million for finishing runners-up
Chennai players with the trophyThe grand finale of the multi-dollar tournament, however, turned out to be a lopsided match with the Warriors bowlers failing to make any impact on the batsmen of the opposition who have beaten them in their last Group A league fixture four days ago.
The total of 128 was too small to defend and Chennai was always in control of the run chase though it got a bit tight with Suresh Raina , who was mainly responsible for Chennai's semi-final win against Royal Challengers Bangalore with an aggressive 94, out cheaply for just two.
Hussey and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (17 n.o.), however, held on their nerves to pull off the win with a 25-run partnership for the unbroken third wicket.
Dhoni hit the winning runs -- a four off Juan Theron -- as Chennai scored 132 for two in 19 overs to lift the title.
Vijay and Hussey did not need to take too much risk as they ran mostly in singles in their 103-run opening wicket stand in front of a capacity crowd.
Vijay lived dangerously on a couple of occasions with an edge from his bat flying past wicket-kepeer Mark Boucher and Justin Kreusch for a four. He was also lucky to survive in the ninth over with wicket-keeper Mark Boucher missing a simple stumping chance off the bowling of Nicky Boje when on 34.
But he made amends of these lapses later as he struck some fine shots, including two sixes off Nicky Boje.
Vijay fell to Boje in the 15th over after taking his side to the threshold of victory. Earlier, Muralitharan snapped three wickets as Chennai restricted Warriors to 128 for seven.
Muralitharan, who took three for 16, got able support from his spin colleague Ashwin (2/16) as Chennai restricted the Warriors to a meager total.
Pacers Dough Bollinger and Albie Morkel bagged a wicket each while Laxmipathy Balaji was unsuccessful.
Ashwin ended as tournament highest wicket taker with 13 from six matches, one more from Muralitharan. He also was named as man of the tournament.
Jacobs (34) continued with his terrific form in the tournament with some lusty strokes and his side looked like to post a big total by racing to 39 runs at the end of the fourth over before they lost way later.
Jacobs treated Chennai opening bowler Dough Bollinger with disdain hitting him for two consecutive fours and another two boundaries in the second over of the same bowler to give their innings to a flier.
Jacobs also gave the same treatment to the other bowler Albie Morkel hitting him for three fours.
The other opening batsman Ashwell Prince however, continued his struggling form as he was out to Bollinger for a mere six and Warriors score of 39 for one.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's shrewd move to introduce off-spinner Ashwin also paid dividends as he removed the dangerous-looking Jacobs in the sixth over as the IPL side put brakes on the South African champion team.
Jacobs' aggressive 34 came from 21 balls and was studded with eight fours.
Run rate slowed down with the introduction of Balaji, who got a bit of swing from the Wanderers pitch, and spin wizard Muralitharan as Warriors scored just 19 runs from the four overs from seventh to 10th.
Colin Ingram (16) fell victim to Morkel in the 11th over while trying to push up the run rate before Muralitharan put the Warriors in trouble by claiming two wickets in the 14th over.
Veteran Mark Boucher (5) was deceived by a beautiful Muralitharan delivery which got the turn to beat the batsman's bat before crashing into the stumps.
Four balls later, Justin Kreusch (17) charged out to hit a Muralitharan delivery only to chip it to Suresh Raina at mid-wicket and Warriors were 82 for five then.
In the 17th over, Craig Thyssen took 18 runs from Balaji with the help of a six and a four but any threat of death over run riot was cut short with Ashwin snapping Johan Botha's wicket.
Thyssen was the only other Warriors batsman besides Jacobs to give some resistance to the CSK bowlers with a 18-ball 25 which he made with the help of three fours and a six before being out in the last over.
Vijay (58 off 53 balls), who was let off when on 34, cracked his third half century of the tournament while the other opener Hussey played sheet anchor and remained not out on 51 as Chennai chased down the small target of 129 with one over to spare.
Earlier, spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (3/16) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2/16) shared five wickets as Chennai restricted Warriors to 128 for seven after the South African champion side elected to bat at the New Wanderers Stadium.
Vijay underlined his emergence as a fine Twenty20 batsman by becoming the highest run getter of the tournament with 294 runs from six matches, eight more than Warriors captain Davy Jacobs.
Vijay's 53-ball innings was studded with six fours and two sixes while Hussey hit only three fours from 46 balls in his unbeaten knock.
Chennai were richer by $2.5 millions for winning the second edition of the tournament, their second crown in five months after their IPL triumph in April. Warriors received $1.3 million for finishing runners-up
Chennai players with the trophyThe grand finale of the multi-dollar tournament, however, turned out to be a lopsided match with the Warriors bowlers failing to make any impact on the batsmen of the opposition who have beaten them in their last Group A league fixture four days ago.
The total of 128 was too small to defend and Chennai was always in control of the run chase though it got a bit tight with Suresh Raina , who was mainly responsible for Chennai's semi-final win against Royal Challengers Bangalore with an aggressive 94, out cheaply for just two.
Hussey and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (17 n.o.), however, held on their nerves to pull off the win with a 25-run partnership for the unbroken third wicket.
Dhoni hit the winning runs -- a four off Juan Theron -- as Chennai scored 132 for two in 19 overs to lift the title.
Vijay and Hussey did not need to take too much risk as they ran mostly in singles in their 103-run opening wicket stand in front of a capacity crowd.
Vijay lived dangerously on a couple of occasions with an edge from his bat flying past wicket-kepeer Mark Boucher and Justin Kreusch for a four. He was also lucky to survive in the ninth over with wicket-keeper Mark Boucher missing a simple stumping chance off the bowling of Nicky Boje when on 34.
But he made amends of these lapses later as he struck some fine shots, including two sixes off Nicky Boje.
Vijay fell to Boje in the 15th over after taking his side to the threshold of victory. Earlier, Muralitharan snapped three wickets as Chennai restricted Warriors to 128 for seven.
Muralitharan, who took three for 16, got able support from his spin colleague Ashwin (2/16) as Chennai restricted the Warriors to a meager total.
Pacers Dough Bollinger and Albie Morkel bagged a wicket each while Laxmipathy Balaji was unsuccessful.
Ashwin ended as tournament highest wicket taker with 13 from six matches, one more from Muralitharan. He also was named as man of the tournament.
Jacobs (34) continued with his terrific form in the tournament with some lusty strokes and his side looked like to post a big total by racing to 39 runs at the end of the fourth over before they lost way later.
Jacobs treated Chennai opening bowler Dough Bollinger with disdain hitting him for two consecutive fours and another two boundaries in the second over of the same bowler to give their innings to a flier.
Jacobs also gave the same treatment to the other bowler Albie Morkel hitting him for three fours.
The other opening batsman Ashwell Prince however, continued his struggling form as he was out to Bollinger for a mere six and Warriors score of 39 for one.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's shrewd move to introduce off-spinner Ashwin also paid dividends as he removed the dangerous-looking Jacobs in the sixth over as the IPL side put brakes on the South African champion team.
Jacobs' aggressive 34 came from 21 balls and was studded with eight fours.
Run rate slowed down with the introduction of Balaji, who got a bit of swing from the Wanderers pitch, and spin wizard Muralitharan as Warriors scored just 19 runs from the four overs from seventh to 10th.
Colin Ingram (16) fell victim to Morkel in the 11th over while trying to push up the run rate before Muralitharan put the Warriors in trouble by claiming two wickets in the 14th over.
Veteran Mark Boucher (5) was deceived by a beautiful Muralitharan delivery which got the turn to beat the batsman's bat before crashing into the stumps.
Four balls later, Justin Kreusch (17) charged out to hit a Muralitharan delivery only to chip it to Suresh Raina at mid-wicket and Warriors were 82 for five then.
In the 17th over, Craig Thyssen took 18 runs from Balaji with the help of a six and a four but any threat of death over run riot was cut short with Ashwin snapping Johan Botha's wicket.
Thyssen was the only other Warriors batsman besides Jacobs to give some resistance to the CSK bowlers with a 18-ball 25 which he made with the help of three fours and a six before being out in the last over.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The Election Commission has called an all-party meeting on October 4
ew Delhi, Sept 26 The Election Commission has called an all-party meeting on October 4 to discuss issues related to use of money and muscle power in elections and criminalisation of politics. Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi said the commission has invited leaders of all the political parties for the meeting on October 4.
The meeting will be held in two parts. In the morning, discussion will be done with leaders of national parties and in the evening, state level leaders will come for the meeting.
The meeting is likely to discuss issues related to use of money power during elections, criminalisation of politics and paid news. Matters related to use of EVMs will also be discussed.
Quraishi had said while announcing the schedule of programmes of Bihar Assembly Elections that "We are preparing to call an all party meeting.
it will be held soon.
The use of money and muscle power during elections, criminalisation of politics and paid news will be discussed among other issues. "The issue of paid news should be seen in the context of use of money power in the elections.
The commission has formed certain guidelines which will be applied in upcoming elections in Bihar." According to the survey done by Association for Democratic Reforms and National Election Watch, the cases of murder, kidnapping among others have been registered against more than 100 MLAs of Bihar Assembly.
The meeting will be held in two parts. In the morning, discussion will be done with leaders of national parties and in the evening, state level leaders will come for the meeting.
The meeting is likely to discuss issues related to use of money power during elections, criminalisation of politics and paid news. Matters related to use of EVMs will also be discussed.
Quraishi had said while announcing the schedule of programmes of Bihar Assembly Elections that "We are preparing to call an all party meeting.
it will be held soon.
The use of money and muscle power during elections, criminalisation of politics and paid news will be discussed among other issues. "The issue of paid news should be seen in the context of use of money power in the elections.
The commission has formed certain guidelines which will be applied in upcoming elections in Bihar." According to the survey done by Association for Democratic Reforms and National Election Watch, the cases of murder, kidnapping among others have been registered against more than 100 MLAs of Bihar Assembly.
Varun Gandhi to get married, Maneka says Sonia will be invited
Badaun (UP), Sep 26 Rahul Gandhi may be ducking queries on his marriage plans but wedding bells are all set to ring for his cousin and BJP''s young turk Varun Gandhi. Varun''s mother and BJP MP from Aonla parliamentary constituency Maneka Gandhi today said that the 30-year-old leader will tie the nuptial knot with a Bengali girl this year itself.
"Varun will get married with Yamini, who hails from Bengal, this year," Maneka, the estranged daughter-in-law of late prime minister Indira Gandhi, told reporters in reply to a question. "All members of the Gandhi family including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul will be invited to attend the marriage function," she added.
Varun had attended the marriage of his cousin Priyanka in 1997 as a teenager despite strained ties between the families though Maneka had stayed away. Varun represents Pilibhit Lok Sabha constituency and was appointed national secretary by the BJP in March this year.
"Varun will get married with Yamini, who hails from Bengal, this year," Maneka, the estranged daughter-in-law of late prime minister Indira Gandhi, told reporters in reply to a question. "All members of the Gandhi family including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul will be invited to attend the marriage function," she added.
Varun had attended the marriage of his cousin Priyanka in 1997 as a teenager despite strained ties between the families though Maneka had stayed away. Varun represents Pilibhit Lok Sabha constituency and was appointed national secretary by the BJP in March this year.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
More than 3 million affected by Indian floodsMore than 3 million affected by Indian floods
More than 3 million people in northern India have been affected by floods that have washed away homes, swept through holy sites and damaged crops as the authorities step up efforts to contain the damage.
Heavy monsoon rains have swelled mighty Himalayan rivers, which broke their banks in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Uttarakhand.
The waters have ravaged 500,000 hectares of farmland in Uttar Pradesh, the top cane growing state, prompting the government to cut by around a tenth its sugar output projections for the harvest season beginning in October.
People waded through chest deep water, travelled on bullock carts or on boats to reach safer areas, carrying children and household belongings in their hands and on their heads. In relief camps, they complained of a lack of food and medicines.
In Uttarakhand, where the army was called in after the Hindu holy river Ganges rose to near the danger level by the sacred town of Haridwar, 500,000 people were affected by the floods, said Mahendra Negi, a disaster management centre official.
"They (army) are actively providing medicines, shifting people to safer grounds and conducting repairs of small stretches of roads," said Colonel S. Om Singh, the army spokesman.
On Tuesday Sonia Gandhi, the powerful chief of the ruling Congress party, flew over the submerged districts and asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to offer liberal financial aid to the affected states, the party said in a statement.
DOGS, SNAKES AND SCORPIONS
UNICEF said 1.7 million people have been affected in Uttar Pradesh and 1 million in Bihar. Both are poor states and Uttar Pradesh is also the most populous with 190 million citizens. More than 300,000 people were forced out of their homes.
"It is quite concerning. The number of affected people (in Uttar Pradesh) could rise to 2 million. This flood is worse than 2007 floods," Amit Mehrotra, UNICEF Emergency Programmes Officer in the state, told Reuters.
Sugar industry officials said the floods would not alter the supply scene in India, the world's top consumer and second-largest producer of the sweetener, as the production loss would be made up by other states and by stocks in warehouses.
In Bihar, where the Gandak river burst through its embankments in various places and flooded villages, houses were invaded by stray dogs, snakes and scorpions.
"They are perched atop almirahs, in closets, in the kitchens and even in mud utensils. It's hell," 45-year-old Rupdeo Mahto told reporters in the flood-hit Gopalganj district.
Floods in India affect more than 40 million people each year on average, causing losses of $575 million and damaging crops in 3.7 million hectares. But the June-September monsoon is also vital to the country's farm output and economic growth.
The Ganges, a dip in which Hindus believe washes away sins, and its tributary rivers have risen to close to their record-high levels and weather officials have forecast more heavy rain.
As floods remain a matter of concern in Bihar, which goes to the polls next month to elect a new assembly, the election commission of India is considering relocating some polling stations or setting up mobile ones for voters.
Monsoon may not start withdrawing this week and with the weather department predicting more rain, state governments have been asked to gear up to cope with risk of heavy flooding.
Heavy monsoon rains have swelled mighty Himalayan rivers, which broke their banks in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Uttarakhand.
The waters have ravaged 500,000 hectares of farmland in Uttar Pradesh, the top cane growing state, prompting the government to cut by around a tenth its sugar output projections for the harvest season beginning in October.
People waded through chest deep water, travelled on bullock carts or on boats to reach safer areas, carrying children and household belongings in their hands and on their heads. In relief camps, they complained of a lack of food and medicines.
In Uttarakhand, where the army was called in after the Hindu holy river Ganges rose to near the danger level by the sacred town of Haridwar, 500,000 people were affected by the floods, said Mahendra Negi, a disaster management centre official.
"They (army) are actively providing medicines, shifting people to safer grounds and conducting repairs of small stretches of roads," said Colonel S. Om Singh, the army spokesman.
On Tuesday Sonia Gandhi, the powerful chief of the ruling Congress party, flew over the submerged districts and asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to offer liberal financial aid to the affected states, the party said in a statement.
DOGS, SNAKES AND SCORPIONS
UNICEF said 1.7 million people have been affected in Uttar Pradesh and 1 million in Bihar. Both are poor states and Uttar Pradesh is also the most populous with 190 million citizens. More than 300,000 people were forced out of their homes.
"It is quite concerning. The number of affected people (in Uttar Pradesh) could rise to 2 million. This flood is worse than 2007 floods," Amit Mehrotra, UNICEF Emergency Programmes Officer in the state, told Reuters.
Sugar industry officials said the floods would not alter the supply scene in India, the world's top consumer and second-largest producer of the sweetener, as the production loss would be made up by other states and by stocks in warehouses.
In Bihar, where the Gandak river burst through its embankments in various places and flooded villages, houses were invaded by stray dogs, snakes and scorpions.
"They are perched atop almirahs, in closets, in the kitchens and even in mud utensils. It's hell," 45-year-old Rupdeo Mahto told reporters in the flood-hit Gopalganj district.
Floods in India affect more than 40 million people each year on average, causing losses of $575 million and damaging crops in 3.7 million hectares. But the June-September monsoon is also vital to the country's farm output and economic growth.
The Ganges, a dip in which Hindus believe washes away sins, and its tributary rivers have risen to close to their record-high levels and weather officials have forecast more heavy rain.
As floods remain a matter of concern in Bihar, which goes to the polls next month to elect a new assembly, the election commission of India is considering relocating some polling stations or setting up mobile ones for voters.
Monsoon may not start withdrawing this week and with the weather department predicting more rain, state governments have been asked to gear up to cope with risk of heavy flooding.
White coffee: Malaysia starts new trend in beverages
poh, Sep 25 (IANS) Coffee drinkers from across the world are now flocking to Malaysia's Ipoh city to taste a beverage created there for the first time - white coffee.
Ipoh, the capital city of Perak state, has been one of the pioneers of white coffee in the world. It is more than just coffee to the locals; it is a part of Ipoh's history. In the 19th and early 20th century during the British colonial era, Perak was a booming tin-mining state. Many British tin-mining companies set up bases in Ipoh, making it a prominent city in the country.
The Ipoh Old Town area is where white coffee originated. The town used to be a meeting hub for Chinese migrants, whose special preference inspired the making of white coffee.
The name white coffee has nothing to do with the colour of the coffee. The word actually means 'without' and 'nothing added' in the roasting process.
Regular coffee is normally made by roasting the beans with sugar, margarine and wheat, but white coffee is produced with only margarine - without sugar, giving it a lighter shade.
'You will taste the different layers of flavour in the (white) coffee. It is thick and aromatic,' Ho Seong Hoey, a producer of white coffee, told Xinhua news agency. Ho is managing director of Home's Cafe, one of the oldest white coffee makers in Ipoh.
Ho said what made Ipoh's white coffee stand out among the rest are the low temperature, slow-roasting formulas that were created and perfected in the city.
According to him, the coffee makers in Ipoh do not use the high-heat, quick-roast methods that most roasters adopt, which usually give coffee the burnt and bitter taste.
As the coffee drinking trend changes across the world, with more fashionable flavours being introduced in cafes, Ipoh's coffee producers are still maintaining the old tradition, serving their signature white coffee like the old times.
Ipoh, the capital city of Perak state, has been one of the pioneers of white coffee in the world. It is more than just coffee to the locals; it is a part of Ipoh's history. In the 19th and early 20th century during the British colonial era, Perak was a booming tin-mining state. Many British tin-mining companies set up bases in Ipoh, making it a prominent city in the country.
The Ipoh Old Town area is where white coffee originated. The town used to be a meeting hub for Chinese migrants, whose special preference inspired the making of white coffee.
The name white coffee has nothing to do with the colour of the coffee. The word actually means 'without' and 'nothing added' in the roasting process.
Regular coffee is normally made by roasting the beans with sugar, margarine and wheat, but white coffee is produced with only margarine - without sugar, giving it a lighter shade.
'You will taste the different layers of flavour in the (white) coffee. It is thick and aromatic,' Ho Seong Hoey, a producer of white coffee, told Xinhua news agency. Ho is managing director of Home's Cafe, one of the oldest white coffee makers in Ipoh.
Ho said what made Ipoh's white coffee stand out among the rest are the low temperature, slow-roasting formulas that were created and perfected in the city.
According to him, the coffee makers in Ipoh do not use the high-heat, quick-roast methods that most roasters adopt, which usually give coffee the burnt and bitter taste.
As the coffee drinking trend changes across the world, with more fashionable flavours being introduced in cafes, Ipoh's coffee producers are still maintaining the old tradition, serving their signature white coffee like the old times.
Shootout in Mexican city leaves 7 dead
Sat, Sep 25 10:11 AM
Chilpancingo (Mexico), Sep 25 (IANS/EFE) Seven suspected cartel gunmen were killed in a shootout between rival gangs in the Pacific resort city of Acapulco, Mexican officials said.
Spokespersons for the Attorney General's Office in Guerrero state, where Acapulco is located, said the clash occurred Thursday on the outskirts of that tourist hub.
According to the report, several assailants riding in an SUV engaged in a 30-minute clash with another group of gunmen inside a house. Four people died inside the house and three others perished in the street, the spokespersons said.
Soldiers deployed to the site of the clash took control of the situation and arrested five municipal police who apparently were accompanying the aggressors in the SUV.
Authorities have not determined the cause of the clash but they say it may have been sparked by a battle for a lucrative drug-smuggling corridor.
Chilpancingo (Mexico), Sep 25 (IANS/EFE) Seven suspected cartel gunmen were killed in a shootout between rival gangs in the Pacific resort city of Acapulco, Mexican officials said.
Spokespersons for the Attorney General's Office in Guerrero state, where Acapulco is located, said the clash occurred Thursday on the outskirts of that tourist hub.
According to the report, several assailants riding in an SUV engaged in a 30-minute clash with another group of gunmen inside a house. Four people died inside the house and three others perished in the street, the spokespersons said.
Soldiers deployed to the site of the clash took control of the situation and arrested five municipal police who apparently were accompanying the aggressors in the SUV.
Authorities have not determined the cause of the clash but they say it may have been sparked by a battle for a lucrative drug-smuggling corridor.
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