Saturday, February 18, 2012
One third of Kingfisher flights stand cancelled -Kingfisher in Red?
Cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines has been hit by some major flight cancellations as the Vijay Mallya-led carrier struggles to continue daily operations.
According to sources, the total daily flights operated by the airline are down to 160 from 240 per day in the last two days and the airline has stopped taking bookings for Mumbai-Delhi-Mumbai flights to accommodate passengers of cancelled flights.
The source said these 80-odd cancelled flights include certain flights scheduled from/or to cities including Lucknow, Patna, Srinagar, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune and Ahmedabad. On the international routes, a source said flights to Dhaka and Bangkok have also been affected. However, these could not be immediately verified with the airline.
A detailed query mailed to a company spokesperson remained unanswered till the time of going to the press.
sources said bookings for Mumbai-Delhi-Mumbai flights were stopped to accommodate passengers from the cancelled
Delhi-Bangalore and Delhi-Pune flights, said the source.
Passengers suffered severe hardships as the beleaguered carrier cancelled several flights from some key cities and completely shut down operations from Kolkata, including international flights, for about ten days.
Kingfisher's services to Singapore were also affected as its website showed there were no flights available for the next ten days. Same was the case for Bangkok. In Hyderabad, the cash-strapped carrier has three flights to Bangalore, Chennai and Vijayawada on scheduled cancellation.
Kingfisher has been struggling to stay afloat with huge debt woes and working capital issues.Over the past few months, the airline has also seen a significant exodus by pilots. Meeting high fuel costs and servicing payments to lessors for its leased aircraft are the other challenges the airline faces.
Congress will meet same fate in Goa polls as it did in BMC
Panaji, Feb 18 (PTI) The BJP here today said that the results of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls would be replicated in the March 3 Goa Assembly elections. Leader of Opposition in State Assembly, Manohar Parrikar said the forthcoming polls will be Congress' waterloo in Goa. "Goa results will be same as that of the BMC, where Congress-NCP combine has taken a beating," he told reporters here today. In BMC, of the 227 seats, the BJP-Shiv Sena combine won 106 seats, while the Congress-NCP won 64 seats. BJP which is mid way through its campaign in the state, has said that the party's manifesto would be released on Sunday by national leader Ravi Shankar Prasad. The party has entered into seat sharing with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), state's oldest regional outfit. PTI
The crumbling infrastructure, rampant corruption and inefficiency in the civic administration Paved the way for Sena BJP Win
Mumbai: The results of the BMC elections, though not quite the subject of nail-biting anticipation, must have evoked a heaving sigh of relief for the Shiv Sena-BJP combine, whose political future was uncertain after its dismal performance in the State Assembly elections in 2009, not to mention the polls for over 190 municipal councils last December.
Despite having narrowly escaped the threat posed by the Congress-NCP combine it has been anything but a sweeping victory for the combine, as it has fallen well short of the mark by eight seats. Its victory is also dubious in the fact that the numbers of winning seats have dwindled from 85 in 2007 to 76 in 2012. With every successive civic election, the party's tally seems to be dipping inexorably. Inexplicably, its alliance partner BJP somehow managed to improve on its earlier tally going from 28 to 29.
The original assumption doing the rounds was that the Sena-BJP nexus had little to offer to Mumbai voters with their increasing penchant for following global trends.
The crumbling infrastructure, rampant corruption and inefficiency in the civic administration, and the pothole-riddled roads did little to help.
The campaign in the run-up to the elections was quite exciting and dramatic, though. CM Prithviraj Chavan, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena Executive Chief Uddhav Thackeray sparred and parried, while Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray surprised all by extending an olive branch to estranged kin Raj. In response, the MNS chief said he was ready to meet the patriarch half way, but would not budge for Uddhav and his coterie.
Cong's pain, Sena's gain
The familial drama, high-strung enough to give any K-serial a run for its money, had Sena sympathisers riveted, rapt in attention. Though the MNS did not so much as make a dent in the Shiv Sena-BJP vote bank, they did manage to woo a sizeable chunk of the Marathi vote bank that was earlier in the vice-like grip of the Congress-NCP alliance. Despite their strategic move to unite their forces, neither the Congress nor the NCP could repeat their 2007 performance -- Congress' numbers dwindled from 71 to 53, and NCP's tally from 14 to 13.
The voters who bailed out on the formidable Congress-NCP alliance proved match-winners for the saffron alliance, as Congress-NCP tally dwindled from 85 to 66, a considerable deterioration from its erstwhile 85. Their loss turned out to be MNS' gain of Sena-BJP.
Campaign coup
But even a few days ago, the atmosphere at Matoshree was taut with anxiety.
A desperate and anxious Uddhav first conducted a confidential survey of all 227 wards, meticulously chalking out a list of probable winners and prospective rebels. He took pains to announce his chosen list of candidates well after the deadline, so that prospective rebels had nowhere to defect to. Thackeray Jr was so consumed and engrossed with the BMC poll calculations that he did not address a single rally for the local body elections, in 27 zilla parishads and 309 panchayat samitis spanning the state.
Bal Thackeray stepped up, addressing two public rallies, and needless to say, the effect was powerful. Uddhav's decision to release tongue-in-cheek full-page ads in different print media also did the trick. And like every year, there were Sena booth chiefs stationed at all the centres, ushering in Sena sympathisers and making sure that they didn't have to wait in long lines. The Congress-NCP's combined efforts to woo voters paled in comparison to the aggressive, no-hold-barred campaign unleashed by the Sena.
Their impending victory was clear on polling day itself, with Sena bastions like Bhandup, Goregaon and parts of the western suburbs like Lalbaug and Parel registering high percentages of polling activity.
Divided they fell
The dip in the polling percentage from 47 per cent to 44.64 per cent is shocking, given the zealous civil activism by organisations to sensitise citizens about the need to go vote. As any major shift in polling percentages is seen as an indication of an anti-incumbency wave, the repeat of last election's dismal attendance rate does not bode well for the Congress-NCP, who were eager to unseat the saffron combine.
What failed the Congress-NCP was simply the sheer absence of team spirit. The fissures and cracks in the fa ade of amiability were evident even at the first joint rally in Bandra Government Colony, where not only supporters, but also prominent leaders were conspicuous by their absence.
The NCP lacked the foundation and support that is only lent to a team by good leadership. Except for its chief Sharad Pawar, none of the stalwarts - Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Home Minister R R Patil, or City District Guardian Minister Jayant Patil - made their presence felt at the ground level, and a few road shows failed to generate enough steam. PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal was also busy at the helms for the Nashik civic polls.
Foot in the mouth?
On the eve of the elections, CM Chavan made an audacious statement, declaring confidently that after February 16, Shiv Sena would be inconsequential, and its chief Bal Thackeray would lose its clout. This statement may well have hit the nail on the coffin for the Congress-NCP this election, as it sent Sena sympathisers into a tizzy.
The insecure Marathi voter still wants Sena to maintain its presence in Mumbai.
For MNS, their tally of 28 seats, from its earlier 7, comes as little relief. The chaos in the party continued even after the exams specially conducted to finalise the candidates. Raj Thackeray appeared utterly confused when the High Court refused permission for rallies at Shivaji Park -- so much so, that the party couldn't even come out with a manifesto in time. Mumbaikars have offered him more seats but less comfort.
With this win, Sena-BJP combine can hope for a better performance in 2014 Assembly elections, despite its dismal performance as the present Opposition party.
Mid Day report
Despite having narrowly escaped the threat posed by the Congress-NCP combine it has been anything but a sweeping victory for the combine, as it has fallen well short of the mark by eight seats. Its victory is also dubious in the fact that the numbers of winning seats have dwindled from 85 in 2007 to 76 in 2012. With every successive civic election, the party's tally seems to be dipping inexorably. Inexplicably, its alliance partner BJP somehow managed to improve on its earlier tally going from 28 to 29.
The original assumption doing the rounds was that the Sena-BJP nexus had little to offer to Mumbai voters with their increasing penchant for following global trends.
The crumbling infrastructure, rampant corruption and inefficiency in the civic administration, and the pothole-riddled roads did little to help.
The campaign in the run-up to the elections was quite exciting and dramatic, though. CM Prithviraj Chavan, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena Executive Chief Uddhav Thackeray sparred and parried, while Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray surprised all by extending an olive branch to estranged kin Raj. In response, the MNS chief said he was ready to meet the patriarch half way, but would not budge for Uddhav and his coterie.
Cong's pain, Sena's gain
The familial drama, high-strung enough to give any K-serial a run for its money, had Sena sympathisers riveted, rapt in attention. Though the MNS did not so much as make a dent in the Shiv Sena-BJP vote bank, they did manage to woo a sizeable chunk of the Marathi vote bank that was earlier in the vice-like grip of the Congress-NCP alliance. Despite their strategic move to unite their forces, neither the Congress nor the NCP could repeat their 2007 performance -- Congress' numbers dwindled from 71 to 53, and NCP's tally from 14 to 13.
The voters who bailed out on the formidable Congress-NCP alliance proved match-winners for the saffron alliance, as Congress-NCP tally dwindled from 85 to 66, a considerable deterioration from its erstwhile 85. Their loss turned out to be MNS' gain of Sena-BJP.
Campaign coup
But even a few days ago, the atmosphere at Matoshree was taut with anxiety.
A desperate and anxious Uddhav first conducted a confidential survey of all 227 wards, meticulously chalking out a list of probable winners and prospective rebels. He took pains to announce his chosen list of candidates well after the deadline, so that prospective rebels had nowhere to defect to. Thackeray Jr was so consumed and engrossed with the BMC poll calculations that he did not address a single rally for the local body elections, in 27 zilla parishads and 309 panchayat samitis spanning the state.
Bal Thackeray stepped up, addressing two public rallies, and needless to say, the effect was powerful. Uddhav's decision to release tongue-in-cheek full-page ads in different print media also did the trick. And like every year, there were Sena booth chiefs stationed at all the centres, ushering in Sena sympathisers and making sure that they didn't have to wait in long lines. The Congress-NCP's combined efforts to woo voters paled in comparison to the aggressive, no-hold-barred campaign unleashed by the Sena.
Their impending victory was clear on polling day itself, with Sena bastions like Bhandup, Goregaon and parts of the western suburbs like Lalbaug and Parel registering high percentages of polling activity.
Divided they fell
The dip in the polling percentage from 47 per cent to 44.64 per cent is shocking, given the zealous civil activism by organisations to sensitise citizens about the need to go vote. As any major shift in polling percentages is seen as an indication of an anti-incumbency wave, the repeat of last election's dismal attendance rate does not bode well for the Congress-NCP, who were eager to unseat the saffron combine.
What failed the Congress-NCP was simply the sheer absence of team spirit. The fissures and cracks in the fa ade of amiability were evident even at the first joint rally in Bandra Government Colony, where not only supporters, but also prominent leaders were conspicuous by their absence.
The NCP lacked the foundation and support that is only lent to a team by good leadership. Except for its chief Sharad Pawar, none of the stalwarts - Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Home Minister R R Patil, or City District Guardian Minister Jayant Patil - made their presence felt at the ground level, and a few road shows failed to generate enough steam. PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal was also busy at the helms for the Nashik civic polls.
Foot in the mouth?
On the eve of the elections, CM Chavan made an audacious statement, declaring confidently that after February 16, Shiv Sena would be inconsequential, and its chief Bal Thackeray would lose its clout. This statement may well have hit the nail on the coffin for the Congress-NCP this election, as it sent Sena sympathisers into a tizzy.
The insecure Marathi voter still wants Sena to maintain its presence in Mumbai.
For MNS, their tally of 28 seats, from its earlier 7, comes as little relief. The chaos in the party continued even after the exams specially conducted to finalise the candidates. Raj Thackeray appeared utterly confused when the High Court refused permission for rallies at Shivaji Park -- so much so, that the party couldn't even come out with a manifesto in time. Mumbaikars have offered him more seats but less comfort.
With this win, Sena-BJP combine can hope for a better performance in 2014 Assembly elections, despite its dismal performance as the present Opposition party.
Mid Day report
Congress grapples with graft, scams & rebels; regional ally boosts BJP
PANAJI: Two weeks from polling, Goa, with a 40-seat assembly, is all set for multi-cornered battles with a sudden spurt in the number of political parties contesting on March 3.
Though the main fight will be between Congress and BJP, rebels, parties in the fray for the first time and voters seeking state accountability will make it a keen battle.
Congress looks to be in trouble. Issues such as illegal mining, deeprooted corruption, the controversial Regional Plan 2021, medium of instruction , lack of development and infighting are likely to hit the party hard.
Thanks to its mismanagement , Congress will be more affected by rebels than other parties. Besides, it has given 12 tickets to sitting MLAs and their relatives. That's over one-fourth of the assembly strength.
A well-prepared BJP, waiting to capitalize on anti-Congress sentiments , has smelt power. The party's confidence rises from the fact that it has succeeded in allying with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP)-Goa's oldest regional party-in an attempt to wrest power from Congress. MGP gets eight seats while BJP contests around 28 seats.
At the end of the four and a half years, Congress's Digambar Kamat Kamat has proved to be the only CM to complete the full term since Goa became a state in 1987.
All major parties, including Congress , BJP and NCP, have given tickets to the rich. Ignoring cadres' sentiments , parties have gone to the extent of loaning candidates to coalition partners. Of the 7 seats NCP is contesting, three candidates are from Congress. MGP and BJP have also swapped one or two seats to facilitate entry for 'winnable' candidates.
The richest candidate is Dinar Tarcar with stakes in mining and real estate. Recently, as chairman of Public Accounts Committee , Parrikar had named Tarcar in the illegal mining scam report.
But Tarcar knocked on BJP's doors to contest from Santa Cruz constituency . To avoid embarrassment, BJP gave the Santa Cruz seat to MGP and along with it came Tarcar.
TOI
Though the main fight will be between Congress and BJP, rebels, parties in the fray for the first time and voters seeking state accountability will make it a keen battle.
Congress looks to be in trouble. Issues such as illegal mining, deeprooted corruption, the controversial Regional Plan 2021, medium of instruction , lack of development and infighting are likely to hit the party hard.
Thanks to its mismanagement , Congress will be more affected by rebels than other parties. Besides, it has given 12 tickets to sitting MLAs and their relatives. That's over one-fourth of the assembly strength.
A well-prepared BJP, waiting to capitalize on anti-Congress sentiments , has smelt power. The party's confidence rises from the fact that it has succeeded in allying with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP)-Goa's oldest regional party-in an attempt to wrest power from Congress. MGP gets eight seats while BJP contests around 28 seats.
At the end of the four and a half years, Congress's Digambar Kamat Kamat has proved to be the only CM to complete the full term since Goa became a state in 1987.
All major parties, including Congress , BJP and NCP, have given tickets to the rich. Ignoring cadres' sentiments , parties have gone to the extent of loaning candidates to coalition partners. Of the 7 seats NCP is contesting, three candidates are from Congress. MGP and BJP have also swapped one or two seats to facilitate entry for 'winnable' candidates.
The richest candidate is Dinar Tarcar with stakes in mining and real estate. Recently, as chairman of Public Accounts Committee , Parrikar had named Tarcar in the illegal mining scam report.
But Tarcar knocked on BJP's doors to contest from Santa Cruz constituency . To avoid embarrassment, BJP gave the Santa Cruz seat to MGP and along with it came Tarcar.
TOI
Friday, February 17, 2012
'Iran, Hezbollah trying to attack Israelis, Jews abroad'
Counter-terrorism Bureau releases warning in light of information emerging after recent attacks, urges tourists to be alert; Israeli intelligence reveals Bangkok may be target for new attacks, Thai paper reports. By Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters
It appears as though Iran and Hezbollah are currently trying to carry out attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets abroad, Israel's Counter-terrorism Bureau warned Friday.
The Bureau said it drew these conclusions, "in light of the findings emerging from the questioning of detainees," arrested in relation to the recent attacks.
The warning followed an earlier report in The Bangkok Post, stating that Thailand had bolstered security at its six international airports after Israeli intelligence warned that the country may be the target for new terror attacks.
According to the report, Thai Police Chief Priewpan Damapong instructed the Transport Ministry on Thursday to put all international airports on high alert and to beef up security at subway stations as well.
On Thursday, two Iranians were charged in a Thai court over an alleged plot earlier this week to target Israeli diplomats. They were caught trying to flee Bangkok on Tuesday after one of the bombs they were assembling accidentally exploded.
Thai security authorities announced on Thursday that they had discovered a “direct connection” linking this week’s attacks against Israeli diplomats in Georgia and India with the Iranian terrorist cell apprehended in Bangkok.
The cell, which consisted of three Iranian nationals, intended to target Israeli diplomats, the Thai police chief said.
J.POST
It appears as though Iran and Hezbollah are currently trying to carry out attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets abroad, Israel's Counter-terrorism Bureau warned Friday.
The Bureau said it drew these conclusions, "in light of the findings emerging from the questioning of detainees," arrested in relation to the recent attacks.
The warning followed an earlier report in The Bangkok Post, stating that Thailand had bolstered security at its six international airports after Israeli intelligence warned that the country may be the target for new terror attacks.
According to the report, Thai Police Chief Priewpan Damapong instructed the Transport Ministry on Thursday to put all international airports on high alert and to beef up security at subway stations as well.
On Thursday, two Iranians were charged in a Thai court over an alleged plot earlier this week to target Israeli diplomats. They were caught trying to flee Bangkok on Tuesday after one of the bombs they were assembling accidentally exploded.
Thai security authorities announced on Thursday that they had discovered a “direct connection” linking this week’s attacks against Israeli diplomats in Georgia and India with the Iranian terrorist cell apprehended in Bangkok.
The cell, which consisted of three Iranian nationals, intended to target Israeli diplomats, the Thai police chief said.
J.POST
Italian vessel episode: Guilty will be punished, says Antony
New Delhi/Kochi: India today said the firing by armed guards on-board an Italian merchant ship killing two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala, was 'against the laws and norms' and the guilty will be punished.
'We are taking this issue very seriously. What happened was against the laws and the norms. The guilty will have to be
punished,' Defence Minister A K Antony told reporters here. Underlining that India wanted to send 'strong signals' on
the issue, the minister said, 'This is not only for India but for all others. Everybody should follow the norms and the
laws.'
He was asked about the steps being taken by the government to book the guilty in the incident.
Antony said the Kerala police and the Indian Coast Guard were questioning all the people involved in the case and it
would be 'inappropriate' for him to comment further on the incident.
The two fishermen, native of Alappuzha, were killed on Wednesday night when armed guards on-board the Italian
merchant vessel Enrica Lexie opened fire on their fishing boat.
The vessel was brought to Kochi early today and police and Coast Guard personnel were questioning the crew. The ship
has been berthed at Kochi oil terminal, where security has been tightened.
The preliminary assessment of the marine authorities is that the armed guards aboard the ship might have fired at the
fishing boat mistaking it for a vessel belonging to pirates.
Italian Consul General in India, GiamPaolo Cutillo, was in Kochi yesterday in connection with the incident and had met
the city Police Commissioner there.
Inspector General S P S Basra, Regional Commander of Coast Guard Region (West), said in Kochi that the Italian
vessel had not reported the incident.
It was the coastal police at Neendakara in Kollam district which reported the incident to the Coast Guard and,
thereafter, search operations were launched, he told reporters.
The vessel was in the Indian Exclusive Zone when the incident occurred, he said.
'It was an error of judgement on the part of the vessel', he said but firing on unarmed fishermen could not be justified.
'They (the Italian vessel's crew) had taken some time to accept the case. An FIR has been registered and the police
were investigating the case,' he said, when asked about the reported delay in taking action against the erring ship.
On the explanation by the Italian vessel crew that the guards had opened fire suspecting the fishermen to be pirates,
he said, 'Any incident of piracy has to be immediately reported to the Coast Guard. They have not done it. They gave
the information over two-and-a-half hours later', Basra said.
The Italian ship has stated that the crew had sighted a 'suspicious' boat off Alapuzha on February 15 at about 1600
hours and that it was closing in from a distance of at 2.8 nautical miles.
The boat was 'warned' by flashing of search lights and displaying of the weapons but it continued to close in and got
up with a 100 metre range from the ship, they have said, claiming that the security team of the ship sighted six
persons and fired warning shots.
The crew informed the owners and activated the 'ship security alert system', they have claimed.
The coastal police has registered a murder case against the crew of the vessel based on the evidence of bullet
injuries found on the bodies of the dead fishermen --Valentine alias Jelestine (45) and Ajesh Binki (25)-- during
post-mortem. PTI
'We are taking this issue very seriously. What happened was against the laws and the norms. The guilty will have to be
punished,' Defence Minister A K Antony told reporters here. Underlining that India wanted to send 'strong signals' on
the issue, the minister said, 'This is not only for India but for all others. Everybody should follow the norms and the
laws.'
He was asked about the steps being taken by the government to book the guilty in the incident.
Antony said the Kerala police and the Indian Coast Guard were questioning all the people involved in the case and it
would be 'inappropriate' for him to comment further on the incident.
The two fishermen, native of Alappuzha, were killed on Wednesday night when armed guards on-board the Italian
merchant vessel Enrica Lexie opened fire on their fishing boat.
The vessel was brought to Kochi early today and police and Coast Guard personnel were questioning the crew. The ship
has been berthed at Kochi oil terminal, where security has been tightened.
The preliminary assessment of the marine authorities is that the armed guards aboard the ship might have fired at the
fishing boat mistaking it for a vessel belonging to pirates.
Italian Consul General in India, GiamPaolo Cutillo, was in Kochi yesterday in connection with the incident and had met
the city Police Commissioner there.
Inspector General S P S Basra, Regional Commander of Coast Guard Region (West), said in Kochi that the Italian
vessel had not reported the incident.
It was the coastal police at Neendakara in Kollam district which reported the incident to the Coast Guard and,
thereafter, search operations were launched, he told reporters.
The vessel was in the Indian Exclusive Zone when the incident occurred, he said.
'It was an error of judgement on the part of the vessel', he said but firing on unarmed fishermen could not be justified.
'They (the Italian vessel's crew) had taken some time to accept the case. An FIR has been registered and the police
were investigating the case,' he said, when asked about the reported delay in taking action against the erring ship.
On the explanation by the Italian vessel crew that the guards had opened fire suspecting the fishermen to be pirates,
he said, 'Any incident of piracy has to be immediately reported to the Coast Guard. They have not done it. They gave
the information over two-and-a-half hours later', Basra said.
The Italian ship has stated that the crew had sighted a 'suspicious' boat off Alapuzha on February 15 at about 1600
hours and that it was closing in from a distance of at 2.8 nautical miles.
The boat was 'warned' by flashing of search lights and displaying of the weapons but it continued to close in and got
up with a 100 metre range from the ship, they have said, claiming that the security team of the ship sighted six
persons and fired warning shots.
The crew informed the owners and activated the 'ship security alert system', they have claimed.
The coastal police has registered a murder case against the crew of the vessel based on the evidence of bullet
injuries found on the bodies of the dead fishermen --Valentine alias Jelestine (45) and Ajesh Binki (25)-- during
post-mortem. PTI
Tumour is almost out of the system, tweets Yuvraj Singh
NEW DELHI: Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh on Thursday revealed that the malignant lung tumour, for which he is undergoing chemotherapy in the Unites States, is 'almost out of his system' after the first cycle of treatment.
'Got very good news from dr lawrence today! The tumor is almost way out of the system After reading my todays scan !Second cycle has started,' Yuvraj, being treated at the Boston Institute of Cancer Research, wrote on his twitter account.
The 30-year-old, who went to US last month, has gone bald during the treatment, which will go on till the last week of March before the process of rehabilitation starts in April.
The dashing batsman had earlier got a message from US cycling legend Lance Armstrong, whose own inspirational triumph over cancer is well-documented, wishing him a speedy recovery.
'Message from @lancearmstrong makes me feel better! Thank you lance means a lot hope we can meet,' tweeted Yuvraj.
A photo of the Armstrong's message, posted by Yuvraj, read: 'Yuvi, I want you to know that the entire LIVESTRONG team is here for you.
'We say it all the time, and truly believe in it: Knowledge is power, Unity is strength, and Attitude is everything. Please know that we are here to help you and your family in any way possible. Go Yuvi!! Livestrong.'
Yuvraj was named Player of the Tournament in the World Cup, scoring 362 runs and grabbing 15 wickets in nine matches.
He has so far scored 8,051 runs in 274 one-dayers and 1,775 runs in 37 Tests since making his international debut in 2000.
After being diagnosed with the illness, Yuvraj has not played competitive cricket since taking part in two of three home Tests against the West Indies in November.
'Got very good news from dr lawrence today! The tumor is almost way out of the system After reading my todays scan !Second cycle has started,' Yuvraj, being treated at the Boston Institute of Cancer Research, wrote on his twitter account.
The 30-year-old, who went to US last month, has gone bald during the treatment, which will go on till the last week of March before the process of rehabilitation starts in April.
The dashing batsman had earlier got a message from US cycling legend Lance Armstrong, whose own inspirational triumph over cancer is well-documented, wishing him a speedy recovery.
'Message from @lancearmstrong makes me feel better! Thank you lance means a lot hope we can meet,' tweeted Yuvraj.
A photo of the Armstrong's message, posted by Yuvraj, read: 'Yuvi, I want you to know that the entire LIVESTRONG team is here for you.
'We say it all the time, and truly believe in it: Knowledge is power, Unity is strength, and Attitude is everything. Please know that we are here to help you and your family in any way possible. Go Yuvi!! Livestrong.'
Yuvraj was named Player of the Tournament in the World Cup, scoring 362 runs and grabbing 15 wickets in nine matches.
He has so far scored 8,051 runs in 274 one-dayers and 1,775 runs in 37 Tests since making his international debut in 2000.
After being diagnosed with the illness, Yuvraj has not played competitive cricket since taking part in two of three home Tests against the West Indies in November.
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