Shyam Saran : India's Sea-Based Nuclear Deterrent Soon

India's nuclear deterrent is based on a credible nuclear doctrine and is sustained by a "systematic drive to operationalize" its various delivery components, including a sea-based one by 2015-16, Shyam Saran, chairman of the National Security Advisory Board, said here Wednesday.

Countering critics of India's nuclear weapons programme that it was driven by notions of prestige rather than considerations of national security, Saran, also a former foreign secetary who was closely connected with the negotiation of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, said India's nuclear doctrine is based on the current geopolitical environment, especially with Pakistan actively building up its nuclear arsenal and keeping its aggressive actions and strategies against India in mind.

Giving a talk on "Is India's nuclear deterrent credible?", at the India Habitat Centre, Saran said: "India does have a credible theory of how its nuclear weapons may be used and that is spelt out in its nuclear doctrine."

He said India's nuclear doctrine, which was formally adopted at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in Jan 4, 2003, and the regular checks that are held have strengthened the level of confidence in India's nuclear deterrent.

While further reforms would be required "to make our deterrent more robust, it is unhelpful to peddle the impression that it is dysfunctional or worse that it is non-existent", he said at the lecture, held in collaboration with the Subbu Forum and the Society for Policy Studies (SPS).

Time For Me To Score A Big One: Dilshan

Royal Challengers' batsmen Tillakaratne Dilshan, who is yet to come out with a big one, said it is high time for him to play a big inning.

"I have been getting 20s and 30s. I want to score a big one and make it easy for the middle order batsmen," Dilshan told IPLT20.com.

On Tuesday, Dilshan was a mere spectator as Chris Gayle blasted a record 175 not out from 66 deliveries. Dilshan contributed just 33 in the 167-run opening partnership with Gayle.

Dilshan was all praise for Gayle and was happy that he was part of a special innings.

"I batted with him in the last Indian Premier League (IPL) too and he scored a couple of hundreds. But this was something special. In my career this was the first time I saw someone hit the ball so cleanly. I was just standing at the other end and enjoying every bit of it," he said.

When asked had Gayle said anything before or during the knock, Dilshan said: "We don't talk much. Both of us believe in hitting the ball and that's what we look to do. We just look to enjoy every single ball."

The Sri Lankan also said that he enjoys batting with Gayle.

"I took over the hitting in the last match but today he was completely in charge and that is mostly the case. Every bowler in the world is scared to bowl to Chris; there's no doubt about that," he added.

"He doesn't take too many chances for the first couple of overs. Once when he starts seeing the ball well, he takes the charge on. Once he reaches that stage where he knows he can clear any boundary.

"I try to give him more strike in the first six overs because I know that he can clear the 30-yard circle more cleanly than I can. Not only the circle, he can clear the ground easily," he added.

Dishan feels since the most dangerous batsmen in the world - Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and himself - are in the same team, they can go a long way in the tournament.

Hyderabad Woman Ends Life After Tiff Over TV Remote

In a shocking incident, a young woman here ended her life by taking a lethal injection after a quarrel with her brother over the TV remote.

The incident took place Tuesday at their house in Machabollaram at Alwal here Tuesday, police said.

Twenty-year-old Madhu Priya, working as a nurse in a private hospital, had a fight with her brother over the TV remote. He was reportedly watching a cricket match while she wanted to watch some other programme. When he refused to give the remote, she went inside a room and administered herself a poisonous injection.

She was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

In a similar incident in December last year in the old city of Hyderabad, an 18-year-old girl had committed suicide by hanging herself after a fight with her sister over the TV remote.

Sugary drinks can raise diabetes risk by 22 percent

Drinking just one can of sugar-laced soda drink a day increases the risk of developing diabetes by more than a fifth, according to a large European study published on Wednesday.

Using data from 350,000 people in eight European countries, researchers found that every extra 12 fluid ounce (340 ml) serving of sugar-sweetened drink raises the risk of diabetes by 22 percent compared with drinking just one can a month or less.

"Given the increase in sweet beverage consumption in Europe, clear messages on the unhealthy effect of these drinks should be given to the population," said Dora Romaguera, who led with study with a team at Imperial College London.

A 12-fluid-ounce serving is about equivalent to a normal-sized can of Coca-Cola, Pepsi or other soft drink.

The findings echo similar conclusions from research in the United States, where several studies have shown that intake of sugar-sweetened drinks is strongly linked with higher body weight and conditions like type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is a long-term condition characterized by insulin resistance that affects around 2.9 million people in Britain and, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 310 million people worldwide.

Romaguera's team wanted to establish whether a link between sugary drinks and diabetes risk also existed in Europe.

For their study, they used data from 350,000 people from Britain, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Sweden, France, Italy, Netherlands who were questioned about their diet, including how many sugary and artificially sweetened soft drinks and juices they drank each day.

Writing in the journal Diabetologia, the researchers said their study "corroborates the association between increased incidence of Type-2 diabetes and high consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks in European adults".

Fruit juice consumption was not linked to diabetes incidence.

Patrick Wolfe, a statistics expert from University College London who was not involved in the research, said the message from its results was clear.

"The bottom line is that sugary soft drinks are not good for you - they have no nutritional value and there is evidence that drinking them every day can increase your relative risk for type 2 diabetes," he said in an emailed comment.

Rosaiah leaves for Chennai after hospitalisation

After he insisted on going back to Chennai, a special aircraft was flown to Vijayawada. Two cardiologists accompanied him

Tamil Nadu Governor Konijeti Rosaiah was hospitalised here on Tuesday after he developed suffocation and restlessness. He was attending a private function.

He was having high blood pressure (220/100) and it was medically controlled at Dr. Ramesh Hospitals in the city. Chief Cardiologist P. Ramesh Babu, attended on him. He complained of uneasiness about 12.45 p.m. and was admitted to the hospital by local MLA Vellampalli Srinivas.

A known diabetic and hypertensive, 79-year-old Rosaiah had undergone bypass surgery in 2007. After he insisted on going back to Chennai, a special aircraft was flown to Vijayawada. The Governor was discharged at 4.45 p.m. and was accompanied by two cardiologists from the hospital on the plane. At the time of discharge his ECG and BP were normal.

At the venue, which was not air-conditioned, he complained of excess heat and sweating and was seen wiping head/face repeatedly and talked about it with mediapersons sitting close to him.

Commissioner of Police N. Madhusudhana Reddy and Secondary Education Minister K. Parthasarathy along with Vijayawada Central MLA called on Mr. Rosaiah at the hospital.

Four men rape mother and daughter, three arrested

Three people have been arrested in Bihar for abducting and raping the mother and sister of a youth as a revenge for his eloping with the sister of one of the accused, police said on Wednesday.

The attack took place in Sariswa village under Majhaulia police station of West Champaran district on April 19, but came to light after a case was lodged with the police. "Three people were arrested after an FIR (first information report) was lodged on the basis of the statement of gang-raped victims," Superintendent of Police Sunil Nayak told repoters.

"The gangrape was committed by four people," Nayak said. He added that three accused identified as Subhash Yadav, Suresh Yadav and Rameekbali Yadav were arrested on Tuesday, while hunt is now on to nab the fourth attacker.

Police have recovered the torn clothes of the victims from the house of Suresh during an investigation. According to police, the victims were first kidnapped and then taken to the house of Suresh where "both were gangraped by them".

The youth, whose mother and sister were gangraped, had eloped with Suresh's sister in January 2013, a police official said.

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar turns 40

Test and one-day cricket`s greatest run-scorer approaches the game with undiminished enthusiasm and insists he has much to offer despite slipping from the dizzying heights he reached earlier in his 24-year career.

"People have been talking about my retirement since 2005, but that does not worry me at all," Tendulkar chided reporters at a promotional event in New Delhi last week.

"Your job is to write, my job is to play. I will stick to my job and you stick to yours."

Tendulkar, afforded almost religious status in India, burst onto the world cricket scene as a 16-year-old in 1989 and has played a record 198 Tests and 463 one-dayers, scoring an unprecedented 100 international hundreds. 

He was singled out by Don Bradman but the Australian legend`s Test average is one of the few marks that Tendulkar has not been able to threaten, with his 15,837 runs coming at 53.86. Bradman averaged 99.94.

However, questions over his future mounted when he struggled for a year to score the ton he needed to take him to 100 centuries. He finally achieved the landmark against Bangladesh in Dhaka in March 2012.

Tendulkar, who decided not to play Twenty20 internationals after just one match in 2006, announced his retirement from one-day cricket last December in a bid to prolong his glittering Test career.

But his form in the five-day format has also dipped by his own stellar standards. He has scored just 1,145 runs in 21 Tests at an average of 31.80 since being part of India`s World Cup-winning team two years ago.

And Tendulkar has not added to his tally of 51 Test centuries since making 146 against South Africa in Cape Town in January 2011.

But despite his struggles with the bat, the veteran is refusing to follow fellow modern greats such as compatriot Rahul Dravid and Australia`s Ricky Ponting into retirement.

Sunil Gavaskar, the first man to reach the 10,000-run milestone in Tests, suggested last year that Tendulkar`s reflexes were on the slide. Former Australian captain Steve Waugh also feels he is past his best.

"He is not playing up to his standards," Waugh said last week. "But he himself has to decide (on retirement)."

When India succumbed to a Test series defeat against England at home in December, former skipper Sourav Ganguly backed calls for Tendulkar to quit.

"He is getting a long rope because of what he has achieved," Ganguly was quoted as saying by London`s Daily Telegraph newspaper. "As somebody watching it from outside, Tendulkar is not performing.

"And I think if I were Tendulkar, I would go (retire)."

But Kapil Dev, another ex-India skipper, says Tendulkar is fit and hungry for success even after so many years of gruelling cricket. "Sachin passes on both counts. He could go on for years if he wanted to," he told AFP.

Six months ago, Tendulkar admitted in a television interview that retirement had crossed his mind, but said he would take it series by series before making a final call.

"I am 39-plus and it is not abnormal for me to think of retirement," he said. "I will go by what my heart says. At this moment, my heart says I am OK."

There has been speculation in the media over whether Tendulkar will play in India`s next Test outing - a three-match away series against world number one side South Africa starting late in the year.

There is even talk of organising two home Tests against an unknown opponent before the tour of South Africa to enable Tendulkar to bow out with 200 appearances in a farewell series.

But few would be surprised if the player, described by former India coach Gary Kirsten as cricket`s "greatest role model", bats on at the top level.

As many as 102 cricketers have played Test matches after hitting 40, the oldest being Englishman Wilfred Rhodes, who was 52 when he took on the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1930.

Tendulkar, who last year accepted a government offer to take up a nominated seat in India`s upper house of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha, has never revealed what he wants to post-retirement.

"It is going to be hard because I have not experienced anything close to what I might go through when I retire," Tendulkar said in a recent television interview.

"I cannot relate this moment with any other moment in my life."

CISPA password rule gives employers permission to commit identity theft

Congress recently added an amendment to the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, more commonly known as CISPA, which would allow employers to demand social media passwords from their employees as a condition of employment. However, what your boss can do with that information is shocking.

In addition to giving a virtual stranger access to personal information, with your password, your boss can not only impersonate you on social media, they can change that password and lock you out of your own account. This could easily be considered a form of identity theft, and job-hungry workers may be powerless to stop it.

And what happens if an employee has the same password on other accounts that contain banking and credit card information? By the time the employee realizes that they just inadvertently gave a virtual stranger password access to their financial records, it might be too late to stop full-fledged identity theft.

CBS reports that employers want the passwords for Facebook and other social media accounts so they can “learn as much as they can about workers, trying to avoid costly hires.”

Some believe that this is a weak excuse to bring Big Brother into the workplace in deplorable ways.

In reality, an employer does not need social media passwords to “learn” about workers. They only need them if they have an interest in identity theft and employee impersonation.

Let’s say for example, the boss doesn’t personally like a particular employee, but doesn’t have any grounds to discipline them on the basis of their quality work. With password access, that employer can legally hack their account and add a slanderous comment against the employer on their Facebook page or Twitter account. The boss can then turn around and use the phony comment as an excuse to fire them. The potential for discrimination is endless.

In reality, most people have enough of their privacy violated on the internet these days, it only takes simple “search result” query to uncover all an employer should have any right to know about their workers.

Giving an employer the legal right to demand private passwords goes against everything American freedom is supposed to be about. Americans already have the government invading their bedrooms, they don’t need Congress to give anyone permission to commit identity theft.

The big legal question here is, do employers have the right to ‘spy’ on their employees’ personal activities, which may have nothing to do with their work? More importantly, does the government have the right to give your boss the ability to access your personal accounts and literally take control over your social media identity?

Apple profits falls for first time in nearly a decade

Apple Inc, the iphone maker, reported that its quarterly profit had dipped for the first time in nearly a decade despite a rise in revenue from the same period a year earlier.

Apple posted a profit of USD 9.5 billion on revenue of USD 43.6 billion in the first three months of this year, compared to a profit of USD 11.6 billion on USD 39.2 billion in the same quarter in 2012.

"We are pleased to report record March quarter revenue thanks to continued strong performance of iPhone and iPad," said Apple chief executive Tim Cook yesterday.

Apple also announced that its board of directors has endorsed a plan to more than double to USD 100 billion the amount of its stock it will buy back in the coming three years.

The board also approved a move to raise a coming stock dividend by 15 per cent to USD 3.05 per common share as the company worked to restore shareholder confidence.

"We are very fortunate to be in a position to more than double the size of the capital return program we announced last year," Cook said.

"We believe so strongly that repurchasing our shares represents an attractive use of our capital that we have dedicated the vast majority of the increase in our capital return program to share repurchases.

Apple shares jumped 5.5 per cent to USD 428.30 after the results were released.

BlackBerry Q10 to be available May 1 in Canada

TORONTO:BlackBerry expects a new version of the phone with a physical keyboard will be available in the US by the end of May. 

The company said on Tuesday that all four major US carriers will carry the Q10. It is available May 1 in Canada. 

A delay in selling the new keyboard BlackBerry has complicated the manufacturer's efforts to hang on to customers attracted by Apple's iPhone and devices running Google's Android system. The BlackBerry has fallen behind rivals, but many users have stayed loyal because they prefer a physical keyboard over the touch screen on the iPhone and most Android devices. Temptations to switch grow with each delay, despite favorable reviews for the new BlackBerry 10. The touchscreen Z10 launched in the US last month.

The Original Nightingale Shamshad Begum dies at 94

NEW DELHI: Legendary singer ShamshadBegum, one of the first playback singers in the Hindi film industry and voice behind hit songs like 'Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon', 'KabhiAarKabhiPaar' and 'KajraMohabbatWala', died at her Mumbai residence. She was 94.

"She was not keeping well for past few months and was admitted to the hospital. She passed away on Tuesday night. The funeral was a solemn affair with a few friends present," Begum's daughter Usha said.

Begum was born on April 14, 1919 in Amritsar, Punjab. She made her debut on Peshawar Radio in Lahore on December 16, 1947, captivating the hearts of her listeners with her enchanting voice.

The singer has been living with her daughter Usha Ratra and son-in-law in Mumbai, ever since her husband Ganpat Lal Batto died in 1955.

Her other hit tracks include 'Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishana', 'Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re', 'Saiyan Dil Mein Aana Re', 'Leke Pehla Pehla Pyar' and 'Chod Babul Ka Ghar'.

Rains drench parts of Andhra Pradesh

Rains occurred in parts of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday damaging standing paddy, mango, chilli among other crops.

Moderate to heavy rainfall with strong winds swept various places in the state.

Though the rains gave relief to the people reeling under severe heat conditions, it caused damage to mango, chilli, paddy and other crops, reports reaching here said.

France legalizes gay marriage after harsh debate

Passport office to tie up with e-governance centres

Passport mela on February 2nd and 23rdPassport offices seek online access to govt databaseNo one pays online: RPOPhantom image to check fake passportsPassport seeker pays heavy price for speaking out

To do away with the tout menace, the regional passport office has decided to collaborate with e-governance centres like Bangalore 'One' across the state. 

The tie-up is expected to take off within the next 10-14 days, said L Madana Kumar Reddy, acting passport officer, on Tuesday. Reddy, who was with the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) before taking up the assignment, took over the duties of his predecessor KJ Srinivasa on Monday. 

"By paying a fee of Rs 25, citizens who come under special categories like the aged, children and physically challenged will be able to generate their applicant reference numbers (ARN) at these centres. They can also get advice on the documents required for obtaining passports," he said. 

This facility can also be used by those who have queries regarding the police clearance certificate. "Our main aim is to reduce citizens' dependency on touts, who charge huge sums for passport-related works," Reddy said. 

CCTVs AT KENDRAS 

Live videos from passport seva kendras (PSKs) across the state, streaming seamlessly from CCTVs installed at the branches, will be a reality soon. 

The proposal to include this facility at passport offices was recently submitted to the ministry of external affairs, said Reddy. "We also hope that all the 77 PSKs in the country will be equipped with this feature soon," he said. The plan is to have a centre in New Delhi from where officials will monitor activities at PSKs across the country, Reddy said. 

However, activities across passport offices in the state will be monitored by the regional passport officer and his team in Bangalore. "This may take some time since we will have to tie-up with internet service providers and get the necessary infrastructure in place. But we intend to make it happen soon," he said.

New University for policing and internal security announced By Jayalalithaa

Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa asks partymen not to celebrate her birth...31 of 32 districts in Tamil Nadu drought-hit: J JayalalithaaIn 8th reshuffle, J Jayalalithaa drops 3 ministers, inducts new facesTamil Nadu to set up university on police, internal securityPM greets Jayalalithaa on 65th birthday

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday announced in the assembly the formation of a new university for policing and internal security. Jayalalithaa, who is also the home minister, unveiled new housing projects for the police, hiked allowances and unveiled new measures for upping security in the state. 

While 30 police deputy superintendent of police (DSPs) will be hired, at least 17,138 police constables, 1,091 sub-inspectors, 1,004 fire men and 292 jail wardens will be recruited this year, she said. As many as 4,800 police quarters will be built at a cost Rs 575 crore in the state. Her government is also likely to constitute the promised Tamil Nadu special youth brigade this year, comprising 10,500 personnel. 

Risk allowances for police personnel have been hiked from Rs 300 to Rs 400 (constables to inspectors) and Rs 350 to Rs 450 for DSPs. While the traffic constable uniform allowance has been increased from Rs 250 to 350, allowance to cover tailoring charges will go up from Rs 250 to 450. 

With special focus on coastal security in the country after the Mumbai serial blasts, the state government has decided to set up at least 30 more marine police stations this year. The government has increased the daily allocation towards food for sniffer dogs from Rs 85 to Rs 200.

Pregnant woman Murdered and Body stuffed in suitcase

The charred body of a pregnant woman was found stuffed in a suitcase at an open area in Kokapet near the outer ring road (ORR) on Tuesday morning. 

Locals found the charred body packed in a suitcase next to the service road of the ORR near exit gate 1 of Transtroy Company in the morning and alerted police. 

Police then visited the spot and the examination of the crime scene revealed that the victim may have been murdered somewhere else and the body stuffed in the suitcase was dumped there by the assailants on Monday night. "After dumping the body in Kokapet, the assailants set ablaze the suitcase. The body was charred beyond recognition. The victim was wearing a silver ring on one of the left fingers. We found some inscriptions in Arabic on the ring. Apart from that, there were not many clues," the Narsingi police said. 

During the post-mortem, doctors confirmed that the body was that of a female and there were indications that she was pregnant. 

Police booked a case under sections 201 (destroying evidence) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Alcohol consumption banned on Goa’s beaches

Persons carrying liquor glass bottles and drinking on Goa's beaches will soon be history as the state tourism department has directed the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) not to allow anybody to step on the beach with alcohol or glass bottles.

During the fortnightly meeting between tourism department and IRB, the decision to ban liquor and bottles on beaches was conveyed to IRB staff.

IRB has been deployed on the Goa beaches to provide round the clock security.

"Implementation of this has begun," a senior tourism department official told TOI. The official also said the department received complaints that tourists are being injured after stepping on broken liquor bottles on the beaches.

Locals who picnic on the beaches will also be affected by this order as they will no longer be able to take alcoholic drinks with them.

Through this decision tourism department wants to stop tourists drinking on beaches and the breaking of bottles on beach by drunken tourists.

The official also said that the rise in crimes against women across the country led to this decision. "To prevent eve teasing incidents on Goan beaches we have taken this step," the official said.

People can now only drink at licensed premises where liquor is served. This includes shacks and hotels. "Domestic tourists coming to Goa, buy liquor in bulk from wholesale stores and enter beaches with snacks which is one of the reasons for littering on beaches. This will also help to keep beaches clean," the official said.

The tourism official said IRB has been instructed to first politely request people not to take liquor bottles to beaches, and consume alcohol in licensed premises. If the people refuse then IRB officers have been asked to take the bottles away from the tourists.

Royal Challengers Bangalore huge win by Chris Gayle - breaking records

It was a Chris Gayle (175 not out and 2/5) show as Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Pune Warriors in convincing fashion in Bangalore yesterday.

Seventeen huge sixes and thirteen fours were the highlights of Gayle's stint with the bat. The left-hander made mockery of the Pune Warriors' bowlers and dispatched them to all parts of the park.

Records broken/set yesterday

Fastest hundred in the history of T20 cricket. (Chris Gayle- 30 balls)

First team to cross the 250-run mark. (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Highest score by a batsman in the IPL. (Chris Gayle)

Most sixes in an innings by a batsman (Chris Gayle- 17)

Second biggest win in the history of IPL (130 runs Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Teams:

Royal Challengers Bangalore

C Gayle, T Dilshan, V Kohli (c), AB de Villiers, SS Tiwary, KB Arun Karthik (wk), R Rampaul, R Vinay Kumar, M Kartik, RP Singh, JD Unadkat

Pune Warriors

RV Uthappa (wk), AJ Finch (c), Yuvraj Singh, SPD Smith, LJ Wright, MR Marsh, M Manhas, B Kumar, IC Pandey, AG Murtaza, AB Dinda

There is a town in Nebraska with a population of 1 !

Czech immigrants looking to have their own version of the American Dream founded Monowi, Nebraska 1902. Today, what was once a robust town has dwindled down to just one person, 72-year-old Elsie Eiler.

Eiler is the last resident of Monowi. As such, she is also the mayor. And she takes her duties seriously. Ever year, she raises taxes from herself to keep Monowi’s four streetlights lit and a few other basic amenities running.

She also runs the town’s only business, the Monowi Tavern and lives in the last remaining habitable building. She grants herself a liquor license each year so she can keep the bar running and serves customers that come off the highway that runs through Monowi.

Generator Powered By Human Urine

Here is an innovative idea put forth by a group of teenage engineers from Nigeria. A new generator has been developed by four students that is powered by human urine. Hydrogen gas is separated from human urine through electrolysis process that generates power. Working of generator with the help of human urine can be considered as the cheapest and an always available energy resource.