PM meeting with Brazil President,

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh meeting the President of Brazil, Mr. Lula da Silva on the sidelines of BRIC and IBSA Summits, in Brasilia, Brazil on April 15, 2010. ( photo by PIB)

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Of six GSLV launches, only two were successes

The GSLV rocket mission that failed Thursday was the sixth launched by India. Of the six, only two were successes and one a partial success. The rest could not accomplish their missions.The two successful launches by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) were in 2003 and 2004 – and put into space GSAT-2 and Edusat, an educational satellite.The rocket’s maiden flight in 2001 could not attain success as it was not able to sling GSAT-1 into the intended orbit. The satellite could not be raised to the intended orbit.The 2006 flight was historic for a dubious reason – for the first time ISRO destroyed the rocket mid-air soon after the take-off as it started backing up.The last flight of GSLV was in 2007, which is considered a partial success.In Thursday’s mission, the main indigenous cryogenic engine ignited when it was activated 300 seconds after the rocket blasted off, but two side Verinier cryogenic engines failed to igniteThe mission, costing Rs.350-crore mission, was not insured. The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Development 3 (GSLV-D3) rocket deviated from its path minutes after the rocket blasted off around 5 p.m.ISRO chairman K.Radhakrishnan said: “The vehicle started tumbling and started losing altitude because two engines would not have ignited.”The GSLV D3 blasted off with a GSAT 4 satellite but stopped emitting signals within minutes, after the rocket attained 60-km altitude.The data from the rocket stopped coming after 505 seconds.“The cryogenic state ignition order was issued by onboard computers as planned. Indication of cryogenic engine getting ignited was also obtained.”“The cryogenic engine has two more Verinier engines, It seems they did not get ignited,” he said, adding a “detailed analysis will be done”.Radhakrishnan said the next GSLV launch with an Indian made cryogenic engine will be launched within a year.This is the first launch for Radhakrishnan after becoming ISRO chairman, (way2online) =======================================================

Hyderabad U.S Consul General address press conference,

A memorandum of understanding signed between Curves International, Inc and Q-Mart Retail Ventures Pvt. Ltd. in a press conference at Taj Deccan, Hyderabad. U.S. Consul General Hyderabad. U.S. based Curves International, Inc is the world’s largest women’s fitness club
franchisor with more than 10,000 locations in over 50 countries worldwide and has brought fitness to more than four million women.U.S.Consul General Cornelis M.Keur presided over the signing ceremony. The press conference is addressed by Curves India CEO David Ramadan and Q-Mart Retail Ventures Pvt. Ltd Director BVK Raju.  (photo by RSJ THOMAS)================================================================================

Moulana Israr Ahmed's death shocks Muslims,

Hyderabad, April 14: The demise of renowned Islamic scholar Moulana Israr Ahmed sent shock waves among Muslim community in this Indian city.Muslim organisations and leaders expressed their shock the death of Moulana Israr Ahmed,the founder of Tanzeem-e-Islami who passed away in Pakistani city of Lahore early Wednesday. Hundreds of Muslims offered 'Ghaibana Namaz-e-Janaza' (or funeral prayers in the absence of body) at Azizia Masjid, one of the biggest mosques in the city, after Maghrib prayers Wednesday evening. Sheikh Imaduddin, the imam of the mosque, led the prayers. Addressing the gathering, he termed Moulana Israr's death as the biggest loss for the Islamic world. He recalled that the 'dars-e-Quran' (or translation and interpretation of the Quran) by the scholar and his soul-stirring lectures on the message of the Quran created an awakening in the Muslim 'ummah' and reconnected people, especially the youth, to the holy book. Moulana Israr, who died at the age of 78, was a familiar face for Muslims here and in other Indian cities through his daily discourses on Peace TV and QTV. The CDs of his lectures and speeches are also popular here. Moulana Israr, who headed the Quran Academy, had also visited Hyderabad four years ago to deliver a series of lectures. He was popular in the Indian sub-continent, Middle East and North America for his thought-provoking lectures on the Quran.
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Parliament adjourned over demands for debate on Dantewada

The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 12 noon amid noisy scenes by National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and other opposition parties demanding the suspension of question hour for a debate on Dantewada massacre.In the Lok Sabha, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders M.M. Joshi and Rajnath Singh raised the demand first and were soon joined by members from the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, and the Janata Dal-United.Parliamentary Affairs Minister P. K. Bansal tried to pacify the protesting parliamentarians and informed them that Home Minister P. Chidambaram would make a statement on the issue at 1 p.m.But the protesting MPs continued with their demand, forcing Speaker Meira Kumar to adjourn the house.The Rajya Sabha also resumed work with at least 19 members who were re-elected and elected to the upper house of the Indian parliament taking oath. All the members of the Rajya Sabha also paid tribute to the late Polish president Lech Kaczynski, who died in a plane crash last week.Soon after that, however, the house had to be adjourned following noisy demands for a debate on the massacre in the April 6 masscre of 76 security personnel in the forests of Dantewada in Chhattisgarh.
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17,842 acres of land distributed to poor in AP dist

Tirupati, Apr 14: As many as 17,842 acres of land was distributed to the poor landless beneficiaries in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh which under the fifth phase of land distribution programme held on Ambedkar 'Jayanthi' today.In Tirupati division, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Roads and Buildings Galla Arunaka Kumari launched the fifth phase of land distribution programme at Srinivasa Auditorium in S V University campus where 3,612 beneficiaries from three constituencies were given land rights. Chittoor TDP MP Siva Prasad handed over land pattas to the beneficiaries on the occasion.After participating in Dr B R Ambedkar Birth Anniversary celebrations at Chittoor district headquarters, Ms Kumari also unveiled the prestigious land distribution programme at Market Yard in Chittoor division where 3,118 landless poor were given land pattas. In Madanapalle division, State Forest Minister P Ramachandra Reddy launched the fifth phase of land distribution programme after garlanding the statue of Dr B R Ambedkar.The district administration had made elaborate arrangements for the prestigious programme.
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Pakistan minister to represent country at Sania-Shoaib reception

Pakistan Population Welfare Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan, cricketer Sohail Tanvir and singer Waris Baig have arrived here to attend the wedding reception of Shoaib Malik and Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza Thursday evening.Awan, who landed in Hyderabad Wednesday night, hoped that the marriage of the two celebrities would help strengthen the ties between India and Pakistan.“I am here to attend the wedding reception and I am confident that this marriage will help in the peace process,” she told reporters at the airport.The minister, who would represent the Pakistani government at the reception Thursday, said she would present a gold crown to Sania as a special gift from the people of Sialkot, Shoaib’s home town. The minister also comes from the same town.Awan, who is on a five-day visit to India at the invitation of union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, will also hand over gifts from Pakistan President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to the coupleThe minister reiterated that the newly-wed couple would be brand ambassadors of Pakistan population welfare ministry.“We are aware of the legal process in India and the issue of passport will be resolved very soon,” she said when asked about Shoaib’s passport, which is still with a city court.The Hyderabad Police have said it could take a week for the former Pakistan skipper to get back his passport as he would have to complete legal formalities with regard to the closure of the case filed against him by his first wife Ayesha Siddiqui.Ayesha withdrew her complaint against Shoaib after the latter divorced her. But the cricketer’s passport, seized by the police after grilling him April 5, is still with the court.The Pakistani cricketer married the Indian tennis ace Monday.Meanwhile, the stage is set for the gala wedding reception at hotel Taj Krishna in Hyderabad. Sania’s family has invited about 1,000 guests, including film personalities and sportspersonsActors Salman Khan and Shahid Kapoor, tennis stars Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati, and ace shuttler Pullela Gopichand are among some of the celebrities expected to attend the reception.(way2online)

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