Valley celebrates return of Dussehra

WHEN 14-year-old Rishab, dressed as Lord Ram, sporting long hair and carrying a bow and arrows, walked towards the effigy of Ravana, amid cheering crowds, he became the face of a new beginning for the Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley. After a span of two decades, Kashmir Pandits celebrated Dussehra in its traditional form in Srinagar on Monday.

Amid stringent security, the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnath were burnt at Srinagar's TRC Ground with over two thousand people, including local Muslims, watching the spectacular display of fireworks.

"Today we burnt all the three effigies," said Sanjay K Tickoo, one of the organisers of the event. "This is for the first time after a gap of 21 years that we organised this event," he added.
In 2007, the community had celebrated the event with only one effigy.

The three effigies were brought to Srinagar from Jammu on Sunday. The effigy of Ravana measured 40 ft while the other two were 35 ft high. The effigies were erected at the TRC ground on Monday, where last Monday, thousands of Muslims had gathered to offer the special Eid prayers.

Rishab, who was witnessing the event for the first time in his life, said he was happy to play the part of Lord Ram. Rishab was accompanied by Shashant, 12, as Lakshman. Nine-yearold Rohan Sreen, sporting a tail, played the role of Hanuman. Sita was played by eight-year-old Sahil, who was dressed in a green sari.

For the generation that was born after the separatist violence erupted in the state in early nineties, it was for the first time they were witnessing such an event. "Today I feel good.
This is for the first time I am seeing this," said 13-yearold Varun Razdan. Varun, a student of standard IX, lives in the Shivpora locality of Srinagar. "I want this event to be organised every year. I want peace in Kashmir," he said. Razdan's father, Ravi Razdan, who represents the community's older generation, said it was a nostalgic moment for him and his friends. "It reminded us of our childhood. We were shouting like children," said the 52-year-old businessman said.

The father-son duo was accompanied by Razdan's friend Upinder Ambardar, 54, who called this event a new start. "I hope it continues and continues for good and prosperity," Ambardar said. "It has brought us back to the early times," he said.

-From IndianExpress

Rain splits India, Australia points, Pak in semis

Rain led to India's Champions Trophy game against Australia being abandoned and points shared. The result sent Pakistan into the semis; for India to go through now, they must beat the Windies, Australia must lose to Pakistan and India must be ahead of Australia in the net run rate.THE Indian players watching the water-logged Centurion field from the dressing room would have had a sinking feeling.
With thundershowers and lightning cutting their match against Australia short, they are no longer masters of their own fate. Australia had scored 234 for four in 42.3 overs when the rain came down, and with the downpour showing no signs of easing up, no further play was possible.

Having lost their opening match to Pakistan, India now need a lot of things to go in their favour on Wednesday if they are to make the semi-final. For starters, they need Pakistan to beat Australia in the first match, and then beat the West Indies by a big margin later in the evening. With an abysmal net run rate of -1.08 at present, Mahendra Singh Dhoni & Co are not in very good shape. And considering their show so far in the tournament, the challenges might prove too big.
Good start AFTER a sloppy bowling performance against Pakistan in their opening match, there was a glimmer of hope that India might take a Uturn on that front as Ashish Nehra dismissed Aussie opener Shane Watson for a duck. But as was the case against Pakistan, two old hands got involved in a stand that took the initiative away from India.

Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey didn't quite do what Mohd Yousuf and Shoaib Malik did, but their92-runstand provedequallyeffective. Both were out soon after completing their half-centuries, but by then Australia had built a platform on which a match-winning score looked practically inevitable.
Harbhajan flat THE Aussie domination with the bat was because of another dismal display by the Indian bowlers, with their spearhead proving blunt for the second successive game. In Zaheer Khan's absence, Harbhajan Singh came in to the Champions Trophy as the only trump card in Indian skipper MS Dhoni's hands. He was the pointman around which most of India's bowling plans were to be made. His five-wicket haul during the tri-series final in Sri Lanka had bailed the team out, but it hadn't managed to hide the inadequacies of the pace attack.

Pacers Ishant Sharma and RP Singh look like shadows of their former selves, and with the dependable part-timer Yuvraj Singh out due to injury, Dhoni had all his eggs in the basket that Harbhajan was holding. India went in with five bowlers, Amit Mishra replacing Yusuf Pathan and Praveen Kumar coming in for RP Singh. And while both the replacements turned out decent spells, the two games in South Africa proved that an offday for Harbhajan means nothing works for India either.

The off-spinner followed his figures of 10-0-71-1 in the loss to Pakistan with a 9-0-54-0 show against Australia, and India seemed all set to face another marathon chase when the match was called off.

-From IndianExpress

This 20-yr-old Kashmiri killed a militant, shot another ARUN SHARMA SHAHDRA SHARIEF (RAJOURI)

J&K With 18-yr-old brother, Rukhsana Kausar chased away militants who entered her house

DISPLAYING rare courage, a 20-year old Kashmiri woman axed to death a armed Lashkar-e-Toiba commande and then, along with her 18-year-ol brother, snatched guns and opened fir on two other militants, wounding on and forcing them to flee. The inciden took place at Shahdra Sharief in the Ra jouridistrictofJammuandKashmirlat Sunday night. Police identified the dead militant as Uzafa Shah, a Pakistani national who had been operating in the Rajouri Poonch area for the last four years. He - was said to be the only Lashkar comn mander in the area who had survived.
r Rajouri SSP Shafqat Watali said pod lice found a blood trail, suggesting that e one of the militants who fled was e wounded. One even left behind his t weapon. The family handed over an - AK-56 and an AK-47 to the police. DIG e SDS Jamwal said the family retaliated when the militants made an attempt to molest the 20-year-old.

Three militants came to the Bhatti Mohalla in Upper Shahdra Sharief around 9.30 pm Sunday and went to the house of one Waqalat Hussain. They asked him to accompany them to the adjoining house of his elder brother, Noor Hussain.

WhenNoorHussaindidnotopenthe door,themilitantsbrokeopenawindow and entered the house. By then, Noor Hussain and his wife Rashida Begum had hidden daughter Rukhsana Kausar

beneath a cot. On not finding Rukhsana, the militants started beating Rashida. Son Aijaz Ahmed tried to pick up a lathi but one of the militants hit him.

It was at this point that Rukhsana emerged from her hidingplacewithanaxeandhit the Lashkar commander on his head. One of the militants opened fire, the bullet striking Waqalat Hussain in the arm.
Other family members jumped in, joining Rukhsana who was battling the militants.

Rukhsana picked up the Lashkar commander's gun, snatched another from one of the militants and tossed it to herbrother.Boththenopened fire, wounding one of the militants and forcing them to flee.

Rukhsana and Aijaz then ledthefamilytothepolicepost at Shahdra Sharief. To ensure that the militants stayed away, Aijaz fired in the air from the two AK rifles at regular intervals till they reached the police post where they handed over the weapons.

Though there have been incidents of civilians resisting militants who forced entry into theirhouses,itisthefirstcaseof a top militant being felled by a young woman. And this happened in an area where militants killed three policemen in an ambush a fortnight ago.

The killing of the Lashkar commander by Rukhsana was the talk of town today.
"Mubarak ho, yahi jehad hai (Congratulations, this is jehad)," said Maulana Amir Mohammad Shamsi, head preacher of Alhuda Jamia Masjid, Rajouri. Shahdra Sharief shrine administrator Inayat Hussain Baba said Rukhsana had sent an example for others to emulate.

A special police post has been set up at Noor Hussain's house to protect the family.
Appreciating the courage shownbyRukhsana and Aijaz, senior police officers have even offered them jobs as Special Police Officers.

-From IndianExpress

NOT A GOOD IDEA: SEEMAN - Chennai International Half Marathon - Chennai gears up to run, for a cause

THE Chennai Marathon gets bigger this year. With professionals and people from different walks of life having already sweated it out to get fit for the event on Sunday morning. One lakh participants are expected to take part. But this year, it also comes with a theme:`To beat Diabetes get to the Road and Run'.

Fr Jegath Gasper of Tamil Maiyam, the organisers of Give life Chennai International Half Marathon, says: "I ask Chennaiites to come out of their homes and join the run. Chennai being the diabetic capital of India, there is no better way to beat it than staying fit. This will go a long way in creating a healthy Chennai."

"The whole idea is to create awareness and make people socially conscious. Participating in a run for a cause is the beginning," he said and added that funds raised through last year's event were used to help 14,800 children from broken homes. This time they plan to help 8,000 more and they hope to achieve the target of reaching out to 25,000 children who do not have the means for education.

Kanimozhi, MP, who is part of the organising committee, said: "People should participate in this marathon because this is the place we can meet old friends and have a great time."

To be flagged off at 6 am for men and 6.30 am for women from the War Memorial -- where it will also end -- the 21.09 km half marathon is open to all above 18 years. The registration fee is Rs 100.
For the 7 km Chennai Marathon, also open to all, the registration fee is Rs 30 and it will be flagged off at 7.30 am. The wheelchair run of 500 meters will start at 8.30 am. d In the half marathon, 10 internations al athletes are expected to participate.

The half marathon has three categories for both men and women: international, o national and State (Tamil Nadu).
o "The first three places in each categoe ry has a prize money . In the internation al category the prize money for the first e place is Rs 5 lakh, followed by Rs 3 lakh e for second and Rs 2 lakh for third. For - the national and State winners for both d genders, the prize money for the first, second and third places are Rs 1 lakh, Rs d 75,000 and Rs 50,000, respectively .

- As a prologue to this marathon, the 9 Tamil Maiyam had few token runs by e joining hands with the students; Neth . rodaya, the organisation for the visually o challenged; SICA (South India Culinary 0 Association); and the IPS officer's Wives e Association.
t For registration, and more details log on to www.givelife-chennaimarathon.com Film director Seeman on Friday demanded that the Chennai half marathon be scrapped as a sponsor to the event, Idea Cellular, has `links' with a Sri Lankan telecommunication operator that was supporting its armed forces Malaysia-based Axiata holds a major stake in Idea Cellular, he claimed. "In fact, KP or Kumaran Pathmanathan of the LTTE was arrested while he was in the guest house of Axiata in Malaysia," he alleged As quid pro quo, Axiata got contracts for its mobile operations in Lanka's Vanni region, Seeman said "Either scrap the marathon or throw out Idea from your list of sponsors. Else, Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam and the PDK will organise protest demonstrations," he warned

-Source From Expressbuzz

G-20 To replace G-8 as top global economic forum

IN a recognition of the growing clout of India, China and other emerging economies, the Group of 20 leaders has agreed to put the G-20 at the centre of efforts to fashion a durable global recovery while avoiding the financial fragilities that led to the current economic crisis.

The G-20 will now replace G-8 (founded in 1975) as the premier world economic grouping.

The change, signifying a shift of the world's balance of economic power, was pushed by US President Barack Obama.

As the G-20 plenary sessions began on Friday on how best to ensure and sustain the economic recovery, the summit's draft communiqué indicated that the member-countries should keep their stimulus packages in place.

Negotiators were also cited as saying that the G-20 was close to an agreement that would require members to subject their economic policies to a peer review of sorts.

For some years now, there has been a view that India and China should be included in an expanded G-8. The decision to make G-20 the top economic forum brings the two Asian giants to the high table along with Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Australia, Indonesia, Argentina, South Africa, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

The G-20 accounts for roughly two-thirds of the world economy (60 per cent of world population and 85 per cent of output).

The G-8 would continue to meet on matters important to the developed economies.

-From Expressbuzz

New Delhi: The full meeting of UGC on Friday witnessed an open confrontation between the top officials and employees with the latter threatening to go

New Delhi: The full meeting of UGC on Friday witnessed an open confrontation between the top officials and employees with the latter threatening to go on strike from Tuesday if there is no assurance on their future when the National Commission for Higher Education and Research replaces the commission.
The matter came to a head when the employees association found that the assurance given by UGC chairman Sukhdeo Thorat during the last meeting of the commission on September 10 had not been mentioned in the minutes of the meeting.
After a presentation by the employees association about their future, Thorat had assured them that he would get an authentic reply from the ministry. However, his assurance was not recorded in the minutes.
The employees association alleges that Thorat, as a member of the Yashpal Committee that recommended the setting up of NCHER, should not have signed the report. The Yashpal Committee never discussed the matter with UGC employees before deciding to have a new regulatory body, one association leader said.
As for the review of deemed universities by the UGC committee, the full commission was informed that the government has given it time till October 5 to finalise its report. The HRD ministry has also told UGC not to send review reports of deemed universities in bits and pieces. So far UGCs review committee has not found fault with a single deemed university. It has prepared reports on nearly 90 deemed universities and recommended continuance of their deemed status.
On Friday, when the meeting began, UGC employees were up in arms demanding how the assurance made by Thorat has not been mentioned in the minutes of the meeting. Ramamurthy Naidu, a member of the commission, agreed with the demand of the employees. Thorat promised that a correction would be made by the evening.
Meanwhile, the association held an emergency meeting and passed a resolution that in case UGC takes no action , the employees will resort to some form of strike from Tuesday.

-From Time of India

Jet Airways impasse continues

New Delhi:Marathon talks to break the impasse between Jet Airways management and its pilots before the Chief LabourCommissioner remained inconclusive on Friday.The talks between the two sides will continue in Mumbai on Saturday.
-From The Hindu news