New pen-like device to repair broken bone

Doctors may soon be able to 'draw' new bone, skin and muscle on to patients, after scientists created a pen-like device that can apply human cells directly on to seriously injured people.

The device contains stem cells and growth factors and will give surgeons greater control over where the materials are deposited.

It will also reduce the time the patient is in surgery by delivering live cells and growth factors directly to the site of injury, accelerating the regeneration of functional bone and cartilage, scientists said.

The device developed at the University of Wollongong (UOW) will eliminate the need to harvest cartilage and grow it for weeks in a lab.

The Bio Pen works similar to 3D printing methods by delivering cell material inside a bio-polymer such as alginate, a seaweed extract, protected by a second, outer layer of gel material.

The two layers of gel are combined in the pen head as it is extruded onto the bone surface and the surgeon 'draws' with the ink to fill in the damaged bone section.

A low powered ultra-violet light source is fixed to the device that solidifies the inks during dispensing, providing protection for the embedded cells while they are built up layer-by-layer to construct a 3D scaffold in the wound site.

Once the cells are 'drawn' onto the surgery site they will multiply, become differentiated into nerve cells, muscle cells or bone cells and will eventually turn from individual cells into a thriving community of cells in the form of a functioning a tissue, such as nerves, or a muscle.

The device can also be seeded with growth factors or other drugs to assist regrowth and recovery, while the hand-held design allows for precision in theatre and ease of transportation.

The BioPen prototype was designed and built using the 3D printing equipment in the labs at Wollongong and was handed over to clinical partners at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, led by Professor Peter Choong, who will work on optimising the cell material for use in clinical trials.

"This type of treatment may be suitable for repairing acutely damaged bone and cartilage, for example from sporting or motor vehicle injuries," Choong, Director of Orthopaedics at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne said.

More: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/new-penlike-device-to-repair-broken-bone/1212008/0

Mike Hopkins College football helped me prepare for repairing the International Space Station

Mike Hopkins College football helped me prepare for repairing the International Space Station

Astronaut Mike Hopkins works outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk on Christmas Eve.

That evasive, poorly defined phrase “bringing your A game” gets thrown around a lot, chattered about senselessly by all kinds of emotionally chaotic athletes, only some of whom have any idea how to bring it, much less twice in a row.

Mike Hopkins knows how. Hopkins doesn’t play football in 100,000-seat stadiums anymore. He belongs to a different class of doer now, and he understands more about practical, technical, repetitive excellence than he ever did as a player. Like the kind he delivered up in space this week. If you really want to learn performance under pressure, study an astronaut.

More: http://www.prpick.com/space-23/mike-hopkins-college-football-helped-me-prepare-for-repairing-the-international-space-station-3389.html

Mars Express to fly within 'touching distance' of Phobos

The Martian moon flyby could give scientists new insights into the origins and composition of Phobos.

A European spacecraft orbiting Mars is set to make its closest flyby yet of the largest Martian moon, Phobos, on Sunday, Dec. 29.

Passing just 28 miles (45 kilometers) above the surface of Phobos, the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft will be traveling too close and too fast to take any images of the lumpy, potato-shaped moon. But the probe's flyby will help scientists understand its weak gravitational field, ESA officials say.

Phobos is small, measuring only about 16 by 14 by 11 miles (27 by 22 by 18 km), which means a 150-pound (68 kilograms) person standing on its surface would weigh just two ounces (56 grams). [Photos: Mars' Biggest Moon Phobos Up Close]

Nonetheless, Phobos' gravitational pull will tug Mars Express slightly off course during Sunday's flyby. Ground stations around the world will track the precise location of the spacecraft for 35 hours around its big moment, looking for small deviations in the orbiter's path.

These slight movements can then be translated into measurements of the mass and density structure inside the moon. New data could build on past observations from the European orbiter that indicated the Martian moon could be quite hollow inside (between a quarter and a third empty space).

"By making close flybys of Phobos with Mars Express in this way, we can help to put constraints on the origin of these mysterious moons," Olivier Witasse, ESA's Mars Express project scientist said in a statement.



New measurements of Phobos could help scientists understand the moon's origins. Leading theories suggest Phobos and the only other Martian moon Deimos are either asteroids pulled into orbit around Mars or the products of catastrophic asteroid or comet impacts in Mars' ancient past. Mars Express will also measure of how the solar wind influences the moon's surface, ESA officials say.

Michel Denis, the operations manager for Mars Express, said the spacecraft will be passing "almost within touching distance of Phobos."

"We've been carrying out maneuvers every few months to put the spacecraft on track and, together with the ground stations that will be monitoring it on its close approach, we are ready to make some extremely accurate measurements at Phobos," Denis said in a statement.

Mars Express, the first vehicle built by the European Space Agency to explore another planet, entered orbit around Mars in December 2010. Witasse said the close flyby of Phobos was "certainly an exciting way to celebrate."

Akhilesh Yadav fires IAS officer for failing to speedily sanction funds for a pool in CM’s village

A senior IAS officer has been suspended by the state government because he apparently failed to speedily sanction funds for the construction of a swimming pool in Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's native Saifai village.

Yadav was slated to inaugurate a world-class swimming pool along with the Saifai Mahotsava on Thursday. However, he came to know at the last minute that the Rs 200-crore pool that he had promised to the people soon after he became chief minister last March could not be co ..


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2013, the year that was for Indian sports

For Indian sport, 2013 was a year of controversies and low-key performances, the country's image globally taking a beating with the suspension of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) by the apex body of world sport. Amid the gloom, Pusarla Venkata Sindhu provided some cheer.

It could have been worse as the IOA came perilously close to getting expelled from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In this brinkmanship, the athletes were the biggest losers as the fight for the control of the country's top sports body heated up.

In the internecine war, Lalit Bhanot, who spent 11 months in custody on corruption charges linked to the 2010 Commonwealth Games before being released on bail, and another tainted politician, Abhay Singh Chautala, were elected IOA secretary general and president unopposed.

The IOC took exception to this and suspended the IOA for its "failure to comply with the Olympic Charter and its statures, failure to inform the IOC in a timely matter, and as a protective measure against government interference in the IOA's election process".

The IOA eventually gave in earlier this month when the two pulled out. It also amended its constitution as directed by the IOC, barring the charge-sheeted from contesting the elections fixed for Feb 9.

Again, the off-circuit machinations conspired in India missing the 2014 Formula One calendar after three successful outings at the Buddh International Circuit.

Though organisers Jaypee Group are confident of seeing out the five-year F1 contract from 2015, they would welcome government support needed to make things easier in organising the event for all concerned.

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has made it clear that India needs to relook its tax and bureaucratic structure if it wants to hold the race in the longer run.

This year's Indian Grand Prix was the most action-packed of the three editions, culminating with Sebastian Vettel winning his fourth world title at the age of 26.

For Indian football, it was a mixed year. India's season started with a defeat by Palestine in an international friendly in February. They even failed to qualify for the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup.

India, however, moved 24 places, jumping to 143rd position in the FIFA rankings in March. From there on it was a downhill curve for the national team. It lost to Tajikistan in an international friendly and produced one of its worst performances in the SAFF Championship, going down 0-2 to Afghanistan in the final.

The national team at least managed to end the year on a high, avenging the SAFF defeat against Nepal in the league stage with a 2-0 win in an international friendly in November.

On the domestic front, the highly touted Indian Super League faced another setback as the tournament was postponed for the second time.

There was some good news, though, as Indian football received its biggest boost with FIFA awarding the U-17 World Cup to the country. India also made an ambitious bid to bring the FIFA's Club World Cup competition to its shores.

Indian badminton had a mixed year. If Saina Nehwal struggled to maintain her form and World ranking, her younger state-mate Sindhu hit the headlines by becoming the country's first woman to win a singles medal - a bronze - at the World Championships in August.

The teenager's rise has made up for the relatively poor show by Saina, who could not replicate her fantastic 2012 performance when she also won an Olympic medal. This year though the Hyderabadi has failed to win even a single title.

In contrast, Sindhu has won two Grand Prix Gold titles -- Malaysia Open (May) and the Macau Open (December) -- and was also conferred the Arjuna Award.

It has overall been a positive year for Indian male shuttlers too. As many as eight players were listed among the top-50, with Kidambi Srikanth surprising everyone by claiming the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold in June.

Leander Paes continues to sparkle and he became the oldest man to win a Grand Slam title when he and his Czech partner won the the men's doubles crown at the US Open.

In hockey, India did well to qualify for the hockey World Cup. However, the junior team after impressing in the Sultan Johor Cup failed to carry forward their form and finished ninth in the hockey World Cup at home.

Hockey fans, however, had lots to cheer about. The inaugural Hockey India League (HIL) brought the sport back into the limelight and by all accounts a big success.

It was a remarkable year for wrestling. After facing the ignominy of being dropped from the Olympic programme in February, a stunning turnaround saw the sport voted back for both the 2020 - which is to be hosted by Tokyo - and the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Chess buffs had a disappointment when Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand relinquished his World title, losing to Norway's Magnus Carlsen, in Chennai.

More: http://sports.ndtv.com/othersports/othersports/218738-2013-the-year-that-was-for-indian-sports

Sachin Tendulkar grilled during CCL launch

When quizzed about whether he was missing the game Sachin Tendulkar said “I retired from Cricket gradually but the retirement factor has not hit me yet as it has only been a month. I cannot Imagine my life without cricket”

When the anxious audience asked about Sachin’s loyalties in CCL, he said he would support Mumbai as his cricketing journey from Mumbai and the fact that it is his hometown.

On a trickier note, Sachin Tendulkar was asked if the on field rivalries ever spilled off the pitch as well, the little master said “Because of the IPl, I got to make friends from all over the world. We have a perception about a player playing for the opposition and suddenly he is playing for your team and you want him to do well and moreover because of the hectic schedules these days, players don’t get much time to bond off the pitch.

More: http://www.cricketcountry.com/videos/sachin-tendulkar-answers-questions-during-launch-of-celebrity-cricket-league-79497

'Dhoom 3' breaks box office collections records, this time in Pakistan

Aamir Khan's latest release 'Dhoom 3' has broken box office collections records in Pakistan in the first week of its release, with multiplexes running five shows a day to capitalise on interest in the film that also stars Katrina Kaif and Abhishek Bachchan.

In Pakistan's largest city of Karachi, Dhoom 3 box office collections from 56 screens on its opening day was around Rs 20 million. This easily broke the record set by the Pakistani film 'Waar' last month for the highest box office collections on the first day of release.

"Waar grossed Rs 11.4 million on its opening day but Dhoom 3 has surpassed that by a large margin," said Nadeem Mandviwalla, one of Pakistan's leading exhibitors and distributors.

'Dhoom 3' was released at a time when the screening of Indian movies has come under a cloud because of an order from the Lahore High Court barring the exhibition of "illegally" imported films.

The 'Dhoom 3' craze in Karachi has reached such heights that multiplexes are running the film on all their screens and having five shows a day on one screen - something unheard of in the Pakistani film industry.

"There is no doubt that 'Dhoom 3' has been a massive hit and the reason for this is clearly Aamir Khan and the pre-release publicity for the film," Mandviwalla said.

Abdul Haq, manager of Capri Cinema here, said that while Waar was released during the Eid holidays, Dhoom 3 was released on a normal weekend.

"There is great interest in the film and we are getting audiences of all ages and sexes," Haq said.

Mandviwalla said, "Dhoom 3's success comes at the end of a year during which Pakistani films have done well at the box office and have also been received well.

Mandviwalla said 2013 was a great year for exhibitors and distributors and the success of Chambeli, Main Hoon Shahid Afridi, Waar, Chennai Express and Dhoom 3 showed that Pakistani and Indian films could co-exist on screens.

"It will be interesting to see by what margin Dhoom breaks the record for the highest box office collections in Pakistan, which is held by Chennai Express with grosses of Rs 100 million."

More: http://www.financialexpress.com/news/dhoom-3-breaks-box-office-collections-records-this-time-in-pakistan/1211563/0

Bigg Boss 7: Armaan sends cakes, flowers to Tanisha

Tanisha Mukherjeejumped with joy when she receivedcakes and bunch of lilies from her rumoured boyfriend Armaan Kohlion the occasion of Christmas. Tanisha hardly receives gifts from her house but her joy knew no bounds when she received gifts from Armaan who stood by her in good and bad days of the house and she too stood as a strong pillar as long as Armaan was inside the house.

Elli Avram dressed as Santa entered the house with gifts for the four finalists. Elli was warmly warmed by the contestants and before leaving she had dinner with her friends and Tanisha thanked her immensely. She handed over the bunch of lilies saying that it was sent to her by Armaan and informed her that there was nother suprise waiting for her at the bonus room and overjoyed Tanisha run to the bonus room and found a large cake which was also send by Armaan Kohli.

Apart from all this, Tanisha received a hamper full of goodies and chocolates. Sangram Singh got a memento from his girlfriend Payal Rohatgi and a card with personalised messages to each inmate.

Gauhar Khan moved into tears when she received a photo frame sent by her mother, where as Ajaz Khan jumped with joy to receive his favourite food item - nihari - prepared by his mother.

All the finalists enjoyed Christmas in Bigg Boss 7 house. The grand finale will be aired on Saturday on Colors.

More: http://www.bollywoodmantra.com/news/bigg-boss-7-armaan-sends-cakes-flowers-to-tanisha/13518/

10 things only a diehard Salman Khan fan will know

As Bollywood's Dabangg Khan celebrates his 48th birthday today, we bring you 10 things you never knew about Salman Khan.

1. Salman Khan, who is known to have a big heart is said to frequently visit sick children in hospitals and often donates blood.

2. Salman Khan loves visiting London.

3. The Dabangg Khan was an excellent swimmer in his school days and even had plans of representing the country.

4. Salman apparently always believes in giving newcomers a chance. He spares time in between shots to listen to their scripts and ideas.

5. It is said that during his struggling days before he became an actor, Salman never used his father's name to bag films. He used to visit producers on his own and audition for roles.

6. Very few know that Salman Khan is a talented painter, his mother is an artist as well.

7. At the start of his career, Salman Khan's initial aim was to earn 10 lakhs.

8. Salman Khan has vowed never to lock lips onscreen and has declined to do so in two films.

9. We hear Salman Khan has a passion for photography and his friends and family swear pictures.

10. Salman Khan is also said to be very fond of different soaps especially with fruit extracts.

More: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/10-things-only-a-diehard-salman-khan-fan-will-know/1212294/

Bollywood takes a break

Yesterday we told you the Mumbai swish set's New Year plans, now time for filmy royalty...

Shah Rukh & Gauri
From what we hear, Shah Rukh Khan is in for some blue blooded hospitality in Dubai this year. After a jaunt in Phuket with Gauri and the kids, he’ll be flying down to attend a New Year bash being thrown by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum himself. Not bad.

Abhishek & Aishwarya
Shah Rukh can expect some company from Abhishek and Aishwarya who are also scheduled to participate in the royal celebrations in Dubai with daughter Aaradhya. After all the warm bonding with the Bachchan clan recently, this should be a comfortable family getogether.

Salman Khan
However unpredictable he may be, Salman Khan’s annual birthday-cum-New Year bash at his Panvel farmhouse plays out with unerring regularity with the same set of friends joining his extended family. The celebrations began last night and will continue into the New Year.

Aamir & Kiran
Like previous years, Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao will be heading to their Panchgani farmhouse with son Azad and close friends to celebrate both the New Year as well as their marriage anniversary, which falls on December 28. He’ll be stopping over for Salman’s bash enroute to Panchgani.

Saif & Kareena
The love affair with Switzerland continues for this couple — we hear that Saif and Kareena are determined to keep their date with the snow slopes of Gstaad where they will testing their fledgling skiing skills.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-bollywood-takes-a-break-1941181

Microsoft launches new safety application

Tech major Microsoft on Thursday launched ‘Guardian,’ a new safety application (app), that enables friends and family of Windows Phone users to track them in real time.

Available exclusively for Windows Phone users, Guardian’s ‘track me’ feature allows friends and family to track them using Microsoft Windows Azure cloud services and Bing Map APIs, a statement issued by Microsoft here said.

“Guardian users can call for help through an ‘SOS’ alert button and also connect to security agencies, police and hospitals easily via this app in times of distress,” the statement said.

Guardian was developed over six months by a group of enthusiastic Microsoft employees in India, within the Microsoft Garage, a global employee innovation initiative that gives the employees an outlet to explore ideas. “Our employees wanted to do something to enable people to feel safer in our cities. So they used their spare time to develop Guardian,” Managing Director of Microsoft IT India Raj Biyani said in a statement. Guardian is a robust personal security app with more safety features and capabilities than any other comparable app available to Indian smartphone users today, he claimed.

To use Guardian effectively, users need to add the names of friends, family members and security groups to the settings. In an emergency situation, the app can be used to alert them, via the SOS button. All the user has to do is tap the SOS button. The phone then sends a distress SMS to all buddy mobiles, notifying them of the emergency along with location details, Microsoft said. “At the same time, the SOS button also sends emails to buddy email IDs and posts to private Facebook groups, if registered.”

Pointing out that Guardian uses Microsoft Windows Azure cloud services and Bing Map APIs extensively and can help the authorities and medical teams track the user, the statement said the phone can be traced even if it is broken. The application is capable of one touch video recording that can be used as evidence.

More: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/microsoft-launches-new-safety-application/article5504937.ece

Deltaprintr: College student builds low-cost 3D printer

A college student in the US has developed a simple, affordable 3D printer which costs only a third of the price of a conventional 3D printer. Shai Schechter, from Purchase College, State University of New York, developed the low-cost device called Deltaprintr.

"We have a laser- and powder-based 3D printer at school, but it costs about USD 500 for a bucket of powder and that only lasts for about one or two prints," Schechter said. "It's never used because it is so expensive and classes weren't offered that much in the curriculum," Schechter said.

He approached his sculpture professor about building a new 3D printer that uses plastic instead, and sought the help of three good friends. Schecter and his business partners launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring their low-cost design to the masses.

While a new MakerBot 3D printer costs $2,000, the Deltraprintr is significantly less: $475 unassembled or $685 assembled.

While a new MakerBot 3D printer costs $2,000, the Deltraprintr is significantly less: $475 unassembled or $685 assembled for the large size (2 feet high).

It is also available in extra large (2.5 feet), which has a doubled printing capacity, two more inches in diameter and six more inches in height, for a price of $705, 'Mashable' reported.

The Deltaprintr uses three stepper motors, located under the acrylic platform where the objects are printed. Motors control the carriages that move the hot end and ultimately create the 3D-printed objects. Since a Deltaprintr design doesn't require as many parts as other 3D printers, the savings are passed on to consumers.

"MakerBot uses belts to move the print head, but ours uses a fishing line," Schechter said.

"With the fishing line, you can expand it to make it taller if you want by changing the aluminum rods. It allows it to go faster than the MakerBot and is more accurate," Schechter added.

More: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/deltaprintr-college-student-builds-lowcost-3d-printer/441708-11.html

Cabinet okays guidelines for interest-free loan to sugar mills

The government made it clear to sugar mill owners on Thursday that the interest-free loan of Rs 6,600 crore is meant "exclusively" to pay the cane price including arrears to farmers. The loan would be disbursed through a separate bank account to ensure the utilization of money is monitored.

A week after the Cabinet had given in-principle approval for this to help the industry and cane growers, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) cleared the guidelines for interest subvention of up to 12% for the industry under the 'Scheme for Extending Financial Assistance to Sugar Undertakings, 2013'.

The entire interest burden on a loan of about Rs 6,600 crore, estimated at Rs 2,750 crore over the next five years, will be borne by the government from the Sugar Development Fund (SDF), food minister K V Thomas said.

He added that the finance ministry will issue necessary instructions to banks to operationalize the lending process, including appointment of nodal bank for the purpose.

As per the guidelines approved by the Cabinet, the loans will be provided by banks to sugar mills exclusively for making payments to sugarcane farmers, including arrears. The loans would be equivalent to the excise duty, cess and surcharge on sugar paid by the mills in the past three years.

Mills have to repay the loans in five years and can avail of a moratorium on repayment for the first two years. "No interest subvention (is) to be provided for the period of default in the principal repayments," an official statement said.

Loans will be given to sugar mills, which have been functional during the 2013-14 crushing season. "The sugar undertakings with loans classified Non Performing Assets (NPA) by the banks will also be eligible for the loans provided the concerned state governments give guarantee for their new loans," the statement said.

All loans which are sanctioned by June 30, 2014 and disbursed by September 30, 2014 by the lending banks, pursuant to this notification, would also be covered under interest subvention facility, the minister said.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Cabinet-okays-guidelines-for-interest-free-loan-to-sugar-mills/articleshow/27991835.cms

Sahara to launch 1,900 Q Shops in Tamil Nadu

Sahara Q, the FMCG and retail business of the Sahara Group, intends to set up 1,900 'Q Shops' in Tamil Nadu by 2016.

The liquid-soap to lentils retailer, which focuses on providing unadulterated products, entered the FMCG business in 2012 and sells its range of 895 products through its Q Shops.

The company will launch its products in Tamil Nadu through retail outlets, kirana stores, home shops and through mobile vans which will stock all the products, Romie Dutt, executive director of Sahara Q Shop said. About 70% of the sales will come through the Q stores and the rest through kirana stores and other retail outlets, Dutt said. The company currently has about 130 distributors in Tamil Nadu, and will take this up to 200 in the next three months, he said.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Sahara-to-launch-1900-Q-Shops-in-Tamil-Nadu/articleshow/27995333.cms

Nine power projects hit by green norms get coal linkage extensions

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on Thursday relaxed the coal tapering linkage policy for nine power projects with investments worth Rs60,000 crore.

The decision will provide a fresh lease to these power projects that ran the risk of running out of fuel supply due to delay in development of their coal mines.

The government had approved tapering coal linkage for 24 thermal power plants for the period between March 2009 and March 2015. However, the Ministry of Power had requested the government that these power projects would need more time before they start producing their own coal as the ‘No Go’ policy, which demarcated several areas as no mining zones for environmental reasons, delayed the development of captive mines.

Considering the demand of these power plants and the power ministry, the CCEA proposed to provide additional coal supplies to these nine units for a period of three years (till September 30, 2016) or for the period they are being affected by the said policy or till production actually begins, whichever is earlier.

CCEA has also said that the position would be reviewed every year for three years by the coal and power ministries and the planning commission.

CCEA has also approved a hike in foreign investments to 62% from 49% for Axis Bank subject to the aggregate foreign institutional investors holding not exceeding 49% of the paid up equity share capital of the bank. The approval would result in foreign investment of about Rs7,250 crore in the country.

It also approved the guidelines for financial assistance to the sugar industry for payment of cane price arrears.

Meanwhile, stocks of Axis Bank touched the day’s high on the news. The stock hit the day’s high of Rs 1,319 before settling at 1,2907.05 or 1.10% higher from the previous day’s close on the National Stock Exchange.

Agencies add: The CCEA also approved Air India’s proposal to sell its five long-haul Boeing 777 aircraft to Etihad Airways. Air India had earlier this month finalised the deal with the Abu Dhabi-based carrier, which has also picked up 24% stake in Jet Airways worth over Rs2,000 crore.

Though both Air India and Etihad have remained tight- lipped about the deal size, it is estimated that Air India could get $300-350 million through the sale of five of its Boeing 777-200 LR (Long Range) planes which have an average age of six years. The money would be utilised by Air India to partly pay off its huge debt and liabilities of over Rs20,000 crore.

Other proposals cleared were the amalgamation of State Farms Corp of India with National Seeds Corp, both wholly owned public sector undertakings under the agriculture ministry and interest-free loans worth Rs6,600 crore to sugar companies.

The rate-free sugar loans would be extended on condition that mills use the money to pay cane farmers and clear off cane arrears.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-nine-power-projects-hit-by-green-norms-get-coal-linkage-extensions-1941096

Mao Zedong made mistakes, Chinese President Xi Jinping says

In a rare move, Chinese President Xi Jinping today acknowledged that Chairman Mao Zedong made "mistakes" but asked people to adopt a "correct" historical view to judge a revolutionary figure, who had changed the face of the nation.

Mao, a controversial figure in Chinese history due to some of his disastrous policies like the 'Great Leap Forward', should be appraised correctly, Xi, also general secretary of the ruling CPC Central Committee, said as China celebrated the 120th birth anniversary of the founding father. Mao still commands reverence among many Chinese but is also despised by critics who say his disastrous political and economic campaigns led to tens of millions of deaths. "Mao is a great figure who changed the face of the nation and led the Chinese people to a new destiny," Xi said at a symposium held by the CPC here.

Xi described Mao as a "great proletarian revolutionary, strategist and theorist" and underlined the need to have a correct historical view to appraise a historical figure. "Revolutionary leaders are not gods, but human beings," Xi was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency. (We) cannot worship them like gods or refuse to allow people to point out and correct their errors just because they are great; neither can we totally repudiate them and erase their historical feats just because they made mistakes," Xi said.

Apart from Xi, Premier Li Keqiang and other top leaders visited the Mao mausoleum here to pay their respects.

Thousands queued through the night near his childhood home in Shaoshan, Hunan, to see a huge fireworks display which is said to have lasted four hours. Many more made the pilgrimage to the village to mark the anniversary.

Chinese politicians rarely comment on the Great Helmsman as some of Mao's policies had disastrous consequences for the nation.

After victory over the Nationalists in 1949, Mao proclaimed the People's Republic and became its first leader.

Once in power, however, many of the policies he oversaw proved disastrous. The so-called "Great Leap Forward" of collectivised farming and rapid industrialisation led to nationwide famine which killed between 10 million and 35 million people.

The decade-long 'Cultural Revolution' from 1966, which he launched to purge political opponents, dragged on for 10 years and ruined the lives and educations of a whole generation, making Mao a controversial figure in China.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-mao-zedong-made-mistakes-chinese-president-xi-jinping-says-1940965

China media slams Japan PM for paying homage to 'devils'

Chinese newspapers blasted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday, describing his visit to Yasukuni Shrine as "paying homage to devils" and warning that China has the ability to crush "provocative militarism". Abe visited Yasukuni on Thursday, a shrine where Japanese leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal after World War Two are honoured along with those who died in battle.

The move has infuriated China and South Korea, both of which were occupied by Japanese forces until the end of the war, and prompted concern from the United States about deteriorating ties between the North Asian neighbours. In an editorial headlined "Abe's paying homage to the devils makes people outraged", the military's People's Liberation Army Daily said Abe's actions have "seriously undermined the stability of the region". "On one hand, Abe is paying homage to war criminals, and on the other hand, he talks about improving relations with China, South Korea and other countries," the newspaper said.

"It is simply a sham, a mouthful of lies. "Today, the Chinese people have the ability to defend peace and they have a greater ability to stop all provocative militarism." In a separate commentary published under the pen name "Zhong Sheng", or "voice of China", the Communist Party's People's Daily said: "History tells us that if people do not correctly understand the evils of the fascist war, cannot reflect on war crimes, a country can never (achieve) true rejuvenation."

The Global Times, an influential nationalistic tabloid owned by the People's Daily, urged China to shut its door to Abe and other Japanese officials who have visited the shrine this year. "If condemnations are China's only recourse, then the nation is giving up its international political rights easily," the newspaper said. "Ineffective countermeasures will make China be seen as a 'paper tiger' in the eyes of the rest of the world. "In the eyes of China, Abe, behaving like a political villain, is much like the terrorists and fascists on the commonly seen blacklists."

A survey on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo microblogging site on Thursday showed that almost 70 percent of respondents would support a boycott of Japanese goods, with many users expressing outrage at the shrine visit. The survey was later removed. However, the topic was not one of the most talked about on Weibo, with people being more distracted by the latest celebrity gossip and the upcoming new year.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-china-media-slams-japan-pm-for-paying-homage-to-devils-1941186

Khaleda Zia will be held for unleashing terrorism, warns Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today warned her arch-rival and BNP chief Khaleda Zia that she will be held one day for unleashing terrorism and killing people in the name of anti-government protests. "We believe in justice, the opposition leader will be charged for giving orders for killing and burning people to death in the name of movement and Inshallah (God willing), her trial would be held on Bangladesh soil to this end, and we will hold this trial," she said.

Hasina told a rally at her hometown in western Gopalganj that Zia would be held "one day in Bangladesh" for unleashing terrorism and militancy in the country.

Commenting upon an anti-government rally called by the BNP in Dhaka on December 29, the Awami League President said Zia has planned the march on her day of defeat. "Khaleda Zia has called the rally in Dhaka on the day when the people of Bangladesh had voted the Awami League to power decisively," Hasina, the Awami League President, said while addressing a rally at Faridpur.

The Awami League came to power by defeating the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the ninth parliamentary election on December 29 in 2008.

Zia has urged people to take part in the 'March for Democracy' on December 29 to mount pressure on the government to shelve its plan to hold elections on January 5, which is being boycotted by the opposition alliance.

Hasina, who launched her party's electoral campaign at the rally, said the BNP was agitating since it would not join election without the war criminals.

With the two leaders failing to mend their rift, political violence and polarisation have deepened in Bangladesh that have claimed around 130 lives since October.

The BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance escalated their anti-government campaign after Hasina turned down its demand to step down and install a neutral caretaker government to oversee the polls.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-khaleda-zia-will-be-held-for-unleashing-terrorism-warns-sheikh-hasina-1941003

US 'alarmed' by Central Africa violence: John Kerry

The United States has been "alarmed" by violence in Central African Republic, where two days of clashes left dozens dead, Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement urging authorities to move quickly to hold elections.

"The continued sectarian fighting only deepens the country's wounds and makes reconciliation more difficult," Kerry said yesterday, adding the United States was "deeply disturbed" by the discovery of 20 bodies in a mass grave in the capital yesterday.

It w ..


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At least five believed killed at Russian An-12 aircraft crash

An An-12 cargo plane crashed en route from Novosibirsk to Irkutsk in Russia's Southern Siberia, killing at least five crew members onboard, local emergency authorities said Thursday.

"The plane en route from Novosibirsk Yeltsovka airport (in Southern Siberia) crashed during landing in Irkutsk-2 airport," an official in the emergency service of the Siberian Federal District told the Interfax news agency.

There were at least five crew members onboard the plane which belongs to an aircraft plant. They all likely have perished in the incident which took place at about 16:38 Moscow time (1238 GMT) in the territory of an army unit near the Batareinaya station of the East Siberian Railway, the emergency authorities in Irkutsk said.

Firefighters and rescuers are on their way to the scene. The cause of the crash is yet to be determined.

More: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-12/26/c_132999109.htm

Performance check: Mamata strips Partha of industry

In a major Cabinet reshuffle, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Thursday stripped Partha Chatterjee — her confidant and one of the senior most Trinamool Congress leaders — of the commerce and industry portfolio. The portfolio has been given to the state Finance Minister Amit Mitra in addition to his existing responsibility.

The move to remove a party heavyweight over alleged non-performance was described as “bold” by many in political circles, who felt it will send a strong message to other ministers and functionaries to either perform or perish.

However, a debate continues to rage in the TMC over whether the failure to woo industry in Bengal is an individual failure or whether it should be seen as a fallout of the Tata Motors fiasco and the policy of the present government regarding land procurement for industry. Industrialists say it will take more time to gain confidence in the government before investments start rolling in.

About a week ago, Mamata had lambasted Chatterjee at a performance review meeting, saying he should move away from the industry ministry if he fails to deliver and make room for others.

On Thursday, however, she sugarcoated the decision, saying: “Partha da was overburdened with many departments and responsibilities. So the industry portfolio was divided. He will continue to look after information technology and parliamentary affairs. We need to give more attention and time to commerce and industry.”

A seemingly unhappy Chatterjee later said, “Whatever Mamata Banerjee has done, she has done it for good. People will judge what has been my contribution all these years.” Later, he resigned from the chairmanship of the Haldia Petrochemical Limited — a company in which the government has substantial stakes.

There were about a dozen changes of portfolios, including two new inductions, that Mamata described as “adjustments and readjustments”.

Sashi Panja joined as Minister for Women and Child Welfare, which was earlier looked after by Sabitri Mitra.

Hiten Barman was divested of his responsibility as Forest Minister and the portfolio was given to Binoy Barman.

Becharam Manna was given additional charge as Minister of State for Land. Swapan Debnath was elevated as a full minister for MSME.

More: http://www.financialexpress.com/news/performance-check-mamata-strips-partha-of-industry/1212193/0

Devyani Khobragade accredited to the UN before arrest: India tells US

India has informed the US that Devyani Khobragade was accredited to the UN as a member of the country's delegation to the General Assembly before her arrest in a visa fraud case.

"We have been advised by the Government of India that Ms Khobragade was notified to the United Nations as a member of India's delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in September. We are currently looking into the matter," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf told PTI on Thursday.

The assertion by the Indian government that Ms Khobragade was part of the Indian delegation to the UN beginning September, sources said, would grant her full diplomatic immunity and thus any arrest would be considered a violation of the Vienna Convention.

With the latest revelation, it has emerged that Ms Khobragade enjoyed full diplomatic immunity including from personal arrest and detention on December 12 when she was taken into custody by the US authorities in the visa fraud case.

39-year-old Khobragade, who was posted as Deputy Consul General in New York, was also accredited as an "Advisor to the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations" by the UN w.e.f. 26th August 2013 and her status as an Advisor was valid until December 31, 2013. The accreditation was for the UN General Assembly 2013, sources said in New Delhi.

Under the "Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations", Article 4 Section 11A specifies "Immunities from personal arrest or detention and from the seizure of their personal baggage" of all representatives of members to the UN and further the Article specifies that the expression "Representative" shall be deemed to include all Delegates, Deputy Delegates, Advisors, Technical Experts and Secretaries of delegations.

"Her arrest, therefore, on December 12th 2013 was contrary to her status on that date," sources said.

The 1999-batch IFS officer was arrested on December 12 on charges of making false declarations in a visa application for her maid Sangeeta Richard.

The diplomat was released on a USD 250,000 bond after being charged with visa fraud.

Subsequent revelations that she was strip-searched and held with criminals triggered a row between the two sides with India downgrading privileges of certain categories of US diplomats among other steps.

More: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/devyani-khobragade-accredited-to-the-un-before-arrest-india-tells-us-463602

SL: Indian journalist arrested for clicking photos of sensitive places

A freelance journalist Prabhakaran has been arrested for clicking pictures of sensitive installations on a tourist visa in Sri Lanka. The journalist is being questioned in Colombo. The Indian High Commission has been informed of the developments in the case.

Junior Vikatan, the magazine for which he contributes said that, "he is not an employee but contributes occasionally" and added that they he had not informed them about his visit to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan authorities say he wrote a few articles on LTTE chief Prabhakaran, and was clicking photos of an army patrol in Pooneryn, Kilinochchi when arrested.

SL: Indian journalist arrested for clicking photos of sensitive places

The authorities are being cautious ahead of March UN Human Right council vote.

More: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sl-indian-journalist-arrested-for-clicking-photos-of-sensitive-places/441809-3.html

Rahul Gandhi to meet Congress chief ministers to chalk out 2014 strategy

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will on Friday meet with Chief Ministers of 12 states where his party is in power to chalk out the strategy for 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

The meeting comes a fortnight after Congress suffered a big humiliation in the state Assembly elections held recently in four out of five major states.

The meeting is scheduled to be held at 15-Rakabganj Road, also known as Congress War Room, to work out poll strategies. The future course for the party in the wake of the passage of Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill will be discussed.

The issue of price rise and the measures required to arrest the rising prices is also likely to be discussed today.

Immediately after the results of the Assembly elections in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were out, Congress President Sonia Gandhi had listed price rise as an issue that could have led to the rout of the party in these states.

The meeting will also discuss the food security issue.

Several chief ministers from the 12 Congress-ruled states, including Haryana and Uttarakhand, were the first to launch the scheme, which UPA believed was a game changer for 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Rahul has been raising the issue of corruption frequently in his meetings at the party fora as well his interactions and public fora.

At the FICCI meeting on December 21, Rahul had said that corruption is the "biggest issue bleeding people dry".

Flagging the concerns over price rise, he had said beating inflation was the top priority.

Congress has lost power in Delhi and Rajasthan in recent assembly elections. It is in power in Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala and Meghalaya.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/rahul-gandhi-to-meet-congress-chief-ministers-to-chalk-out-2014-strategy_899684.html

Machil fake encounter case: Victims’ kin welcome court martial order, but live in fear

A day after the army ordered court martial proceedings against six soldiers including two officers involved in the Machil fake encounter case, families of three youth killed in the encounter welcomed it though fear still stalks them. The families claim they have to live under fear of death threats from civilians engaged by the army as informers, who are in police custody.

Mohammad Yusuf Lone, father of Riyaz Ahmad, one of the slain youth, said a few days ago he received a threat call from an unknown caller on his mobile phone. "After that call, my family members are scared to venture out during late hours. I fear for lives of my other children and have already reported it to the police.''

Lone, who deposed before the Army's Court of Inquiry in Kupwara in April, said he was ready to depose during court martial proceedings, "My only aim of life is to get justice for our innocent children.''

Lone said they will appear before court martial proceedings in police protection. "After the killings of our children in fake encounter we fear to go to any army camp. Last time when army summoned us to Kupwara camp, we first took police protection and appeared before the army's court of inquiry,'' he said.

He said on Wednesday evening, they came to know about court martial proceedings against the armymen involved in the case, from villagers. "My son, working at a local mechanic shop used to run our family. After his killing, everything changed for us," he said.

"For us, justice will be done the day soldiers and civilians involved in killings get severe punishment. We want death for them," he said.

Lone's wife Naseema said families of the slain youth are still receiving death threats. "Relatives of Bashir who took our children to army and is still in jail and are giving us threats even during court proceedings. He (Bashir) warned us of dire consequences once he gets released from jail. We have been constantly living under the shadow of threats.''

Half a kilometre from Lone's ancestral house, the family members of another slain youth, Mohammad Shafi, said, "We have been waiting for justice, but still it has taken three years to announce court martial proceedings. We have full faith that all the guilty will be punished,'' said Ghulam Nabi Lone, uncle of Shafi.

"Like our innocent children, the army men involved in killings would have killed many innocent people and dubbed them militants to earn medals and promotions, so this is a test case for army's system of justice", he said.

The family of the third youth is also waiting for justice. "With Shezad, I lost everything. After his death, I have to look after my seven-year-old son Shahid. Despite poverty, we spent money to pay for expenses of lawyers fighting our cases, only to seek justice,'' said Jabeena Akthar, wife of Shezad.

More: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/machil-fake-encounter-case-victims--kin-welcome-court-martial-order-but-live-in-fear/1212220/0

Criticism apart, Karnataka CM, MLAs say foreign tour is on

On a day the Congress government in Karnataka sought Rs 1,014 crore from the Centre for drought relief in 14 districts, a section of state legislators cutting across party lines insisted there was no reason to cancel a proposed tour of three South American countries for which they are attracting much criticism.

CM Siddaramaiah also backed the once-in-five-years opportunity. Assembly Speaker K Thimappa, who clears foreign tours, pointed out that one team of legislators was already in Australia.

The 18 MLAs of the estimates committee of the legislature, who are set to tour Brazil, Argentina and Peru, insisted they were going ahead despite criticism. "Why are you making it an issue? This is not the first time legislators are going on a tour. It is the legislature committee that decides, not the government,'' Siddaramaiah said Thursday.

Congress MLA Mallikayya Guttedar, who heads the estimates committee, said the legislators were not committing a crime by touring South America. "Are schoolchildren not sent on educational excursions? MPs and MLAs are being sent in a similar manner,'' he said. The expenditure of Rs 7 to 7.5 lakh on each MLA was not much and such tours were a part of the events for every legislature in the country, Guttedar said.

The estimates committee is planning to visit holiday destinations in South America, including Rio De Janeiro, Manaus, Iguassu, Lima, Cusco, Buenos Aires, besides Dubai in the UAE. The tour is expected to cost the state exchequer about Rs 60 lakh and is on the lines of a tour undertaken by the previous estimates committee during the BJP government in 2012.

In 2012, the legislators had defied a call by then CM Jagadish Shettar to return home after sections of the media claimed their tour had more entertainment value than educational. As many as 12 legislators accompanied by three secretariat officials visited Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru last year. The tour cost the exchequer approximately Rs 45 lakh.

In 2007, during the JDS-BJP government, 180 legislators travelled to China after the then Speaker Krishna, an active participant in the Indo-China Friendship Association, insisted MLAs get a view of how China was developing.

More: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/criticism-apart-karnataka-cm-mlas-say-foreign-tour-is-on/1212201/0

Nobody dies of cold: Top UP official on riot relief camp deaths

After former state chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, now Uttar Pradesh Principal Secretary (Home) AK Gupta has stirred a controversy by claiming no one died of cold at the riot relief camps.

Commenting on the report of a high-level panel instituted by the state government, Gupta said children died of reasons other than cold.

"Children have died of pneumonia, not of cold. Nobody can die of cold. If people died of cold, nobody would have been alive in Siberia," Gupta said.

"Most of the children who lost their lives are the ones who had been taken outside the camps for treatment by their parents or were referred to government hospitals for treatment," he added.

"The cause of the death of all these children is different with about four dying because of pneumonia while some others died because of dysentery and one due to premature birth," the official said further.

According to him, all the children had got medical attention and "it cannot be termed as medical negligence or incapability of the doctors".

The panel had found that 34 children under 12 years of age had died at the relief camps. The children perished between September 7 and December 20.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/uttar-pradesh/nobody-dies-of-cold-top-up-official-on-riot-relief-camp-deaths_899699.html

2nd Test, Day2: Dominant India will look to consolidate at Kingsmead

India were 181 for one when the day`s play was brought to a premature end eight overs after tea.

Vijay (91 not out) and Pujara (58 not out) put on 140 for the second wicket as South Africa`s bowlers toiled on an unresponsive pitch after Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss.

It was an inauspicious opening day for world champions South Africa after captain Graeme Smith said the team were determined to put in a good performance to mark star all-rounder Jacques Kallis` last Test.

Kallis, 38, announced on Wednesday that he would retire from Test cricket after the match, although he will continue to play one-day cricket in an effort to be selected for the 2015 Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Kallis led the South African team on to the field at the start of play to the applause of his team-mates, spectators and umpires Steve Davis and Rod Tucker.

Morne Morkel claimed South Africa`s only wicket when he had Shikhar Dhawan caught at third slip off the first ball after the mid-morning drinks break. Dhawan made 29 in an opening stand of 41 with Vijay.

Morkel suffered a sprained right ankle while fielding on the third day of the drawn first Test in Johannesburg last Friday. It was initially expected he would be put of action for between seven and ten days but he passed a fitness test on Thursday morning after intensive treatment.

It was a good toss for India to win, with Dhoni noting that the pitch looked dry and good for batting.

It also gave India`s fast bowlers a chance to recover further from their exertions in Johannesburg, where India bowled 136 overs in the last innings without being able to clinch victory.

Dhawan and Vijay both looked confident at the start of the innings and the left-handed Dhawan struck four boundaries before edging a drive to Alviro Petersen at third slip.

Vijay batted patiently to notch a half-century off 102 balls, a statistic made notable by the fact that his fifty included 11 boundaries. By the close he had faced 201 balls and added another six fours.

Pujara followed up his 153 in the second innings in Johannesburg with another impressive innings, reinforcing his reputation as the successor to Rahul Dravid in playing the anchor batting role for his team.

He reached his fifty shortly before tea off 97 balls with seven fours. He faced another 20 deliveries before the close without adding to his tally of boundaries.

The match started in bright sunshine but by tea the ground had clouded over and the floodlights were on.

The umpires had several discussions about the light before taking the players off just over half an hour after the interval.

The tall Morkel looked the most dangerous of the South African bowlers, although the pitch did not offer any significant pace and bounce.

Vernon Philander had a probing second spell during which sent down four successive maiden overs, while Dale Steyn had the composed Vijay ducking with some short-pitched bowling from around the wicket just before play was halted.

India made one change, with left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja replacing off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

South Africa also made a change of spin bowlers, with left-armer Robin Peterson coming in for leg-spinner Imran Tahir.

Today, India will look to score a good enough total to give their bowlers a chance to target the Proteas. With nine wickets still intake, MS Dhoni's men can hope to increase the run-rate a bit for a result, considering the way the series opener ended in a draw.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/sports/cricket/india-vs-south-africa-2013/2nd-test-day2-dominant-india-will-look-to-consolidate-at-kingsmead_776616.html

IGL rallies nearly 4% on CNG gas price hike by Rs 4.5/kg

Indraprasth Gas Ltd rallied as much as 3.7 per cent in trade on Friday, a day after the top natural gas distributing firm operating mainly in Delhi and its surrounding areas, has increased prices by almost 10 per cent to Rs 50.1/kg.

At 09:25 a.m.; IGL pared some of the morning gains and was trading 2.6 per cent higher at Rs 273. It has hit a low of Rs 272.25 and a high of Rs 276 in trade today.

Company executives attributed it to the Centre's decision to realign domestic gas ..


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Centre orders probe into Gujarat snooping case, Narendra Modi govt to move court

A bitter war of words ensued between country's two main political parties – Congress and the BJP - minutes after the Centre on Thursday ordered the setting up of an inquiry commission to probe allegations of snooping against the Gujarat government led by Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

While the Congress defended the Centre' move and said that the alleged spying on a woman officer by the Gujarat government was a gross violation of Indian Telegraph Act and the IT Act, the main opposition party termed it as a politically motivated move.

One by one, all top BJP central leaders slammed the UPA government's decision to set up a commission of inquiry into the alleged snooping on a young woman by the Gujarat Police and said it was "political vindictiveness" against its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

"The centre's decision to institute a fresh inquiry into the alleged snooping case is an attempt to tarnish the image of the Gujarat government. It is a step against the federal structure of our constitution. When the state government had already ordered a probe, what was the point behind setting up a new commission of inquiry," BJP chief Rajnath Singh said.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said the decision would be challenged in court.

"The Gujarat government has already set up a commission of inquiry… The setting up of a parallel commission by the central government ostensibly on the pretext of this issue covering more than one state is without basis… I am sure it can be legally challenged," he said.






The young woman, an architect who was in Karnataka capital Bangalore, was allegedly under the surveillance of Gujarat Police.

Jaitley said the setting up of the new commission was "politically motivated".

"It is an affront to the states. I hope other chief ministers also join the protest against this action," he said.

BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman told mediapersons, "Congress is trying to hit at the principal opposition party's prime ministerial candidate. It is a clear case of political vindictiveness coming into play."

The Congress leads the United Progressive Alliance government.

Sitharaman said the probe was into a matter that was a state subject. Also, an inquiry was being held under the Commission of Inquiry Act by a retired judge and another member.

She accused the Congress of a "fascist mindset" and said it was a clear case of "getting back" after a crushing defeat in assembly elections in four states.

The Gujarat government also questioned the rationale of setting up the judicial commission, when the state has already formed a similar panel to inquiry into the raging scandal which came to light last month.

"As per the Commission of Inquiry Act, it is illegal to appoint another commission, when one commission has been appointed to inquiry into a particular incident," Gujarat Government spokesperson Nitin Patel said last night.

"We will explore all legal options against the commission of inquiry constituted by the Central Government," said Patel, who is also Gujarat's Finance Minister. This is an attempt by the UPA Government to harass Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, he alleged.

In mid-November, two websites Cobrapost and Gulail.Com had released tapes of Shah and IPS officer G S Singhal revealing the alleged snooping of the woman, whose family hails from Gujarat, by state machinery.

As the issue snowballed into a major controversy, the Modi Government in late November formed a two-member inquiry commission headed by Justice (retd) Sugynaben Bhatt and asked it to submit a report in three months.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/gujarat/centre-orders-probe-into-gujarat-snooping-case-narendra-modi-govt-to-move-court_899645.html