Houston, Nov 6 (PTI) A US Army psychiatrist, apparently angry over being deployed to Iraq, today went on a "horrific" shooting spree at America's largest military base near here killing 13 persons, including 10 soldiers, and injuring 30 before being shot and injured by a woman police officer.
The lone gunman responsible for the worst mass killing ever at a US defence post was identified as 39-year-old Major Nidal Malik Hasan, an American national of Jordanian descent, who was about to be deployed to Iraq, officials at sprawling Fort Hood military base in St Antonio in central Texas said.
Clad in a military uniform, Hasan fired a pair of pistols, one of them semi-automatic, at a military processing centre, where soldiers go for a last-minute medical check up before being sent on deployment.
Hasan and a policewoman also exchanged fire. Both were hit but survived, authorities said.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Sensex spurts 507 pts, RIL up 5 pc
4 November 2009
Mumbai: Markets Wednesday notched up over 500- point gain, the biggest in more than five months, to snap six days of straight losses, helped by the government's assertion that stimulus packages would continue and there would not be any curbs on capital inflow.
The benchmark Sensex shot up by more than 200 points in the opening trade and avoided any major fall during the day before ending the day at 15,912.13, an impressive gain of 507.19 points or 3.29 per cent over its previous close.
The last time Sensex had gained over 500 points was on May 27 this year when it closed higher 520.41 points. The all-around buying support came as a big solace to the markets after yesterday's fall of close to 500 points, in tune with global trends, on concerns that governments worldwide may begin exiting from stimulus packages given last year in the wake of deepening of financial downturn. The market had fallen by steep 1,406 points or 8.36 per cent in the past six days.
What sparked across-the-board buying was Finance Minister Pranab Mukhejee ruling out withdrawal of fiscal stimulus packages till economy recovers fully. His remarks that there are no plans to place curbs on the capital inflows into the country further augmented enthusiastic buying.
Marketmen said strong global cues and a weakening dollar against a basket of currencies also enlivened the sentiment. India's largest private sector firm Reliance Industries rebounded by 5.49 per cent.
The spurt in RIL followed its hammering Tuesday which saw shares plunging 5.73 per cent
Mumbai: Markets Wednesday notched up over 500- point gain, the biggest in more than five months, to snap six days of straight losses, helped by the government's assertion that stimulus packages would continue and there would not be any curbs on capital inflow.
The benchmark Sensex shot up by more than 200 points in the opening trade and avoided any major fall during the day before ending the day at 15,912.13, an impressive gain of 507.19 points or 3.29 per cent over its previous close.
The last time Sensex had gained over 500 points was on May 27 this year when it closed higher 520.41 points. The all-around buying support came as a big solace to the markets after yesterday's fall of close to 500 points, in tune with global trends, on concerns that governments worldwide may begin exiting from stimulus packages given last year in the wake of deepening of financial downturn. The market had fallen by steep 1,406 points or 8.36 per cent in the past six days.
What sparked across-the-board buying was Finance Minister Pranab Mukhejee ruling out withdrawal of fiscal stimulus packages till economy recovers fully. His remarks that there are no plans to place curbs on the capital inflows into the country further augmented enthusiastic buying.
Marketmen said strong global cues and a weakening dollar against a basket of currencies also enlivened the sentiment. India's largest private sector firm Reliance Industries rebounded by 5.49 per cent.
The spurt in RIL followed its hammering Tuesday which saw shares plunging 5.73 per cent
Gold price tops $1,090 an ounce for first time
4 Nov 2009
LONDON: The price of gold leapt to a record peak of $1,093.10 an ounce in trading here on Wednesday, a day after the International Monetary Fund announced a massive sale of the metal to India.
In India, gold futures struck a fresh record high of Rs 16,664 per 10 grams on Wednesday afternoon. At 2:16, gold futures on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) traded 0.17 percent higher at Rs 16,646 per 10 grams, off its record high.
Analysts said a weaker dollar could push prices to $1,100 an ounce. "The recent run on gold was extremely strong," Eugen Weinberg, a commodity analyst at Commerzbank said. "Most of the action will probably be this afternoon ... today the gold price should also get some support from the weaker dollar."
Gold swept to a record high at $1,087.45 an ounce on Tuesday as the IMF's 200-tonne sale of gold to India underscored gold's increasing status as an official reserve and fuelled speculation that other governments may be ready to diversify their reserves.
The recent surge was also reflected in investment flows. The world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Trust, said its holdings rose to 1,108.399 tonnes as of Nov. 3, up 4.88 tonnes or 0.4 percent from the previous business day.
"It's not surprising that the gold price is holding at the high levels where it is trading now," said Weinberg.
On the economic calendar, markets expects the two-day US Federal Reserve meeting to leave rates unchanged but will look for clues on future rate and monetary policies.
LONDON: The price of gold leapt to a record peak of $1,093.10 an ounce in trading here on Wednesday, a day after the International Monetary Fund announced a massive sale of the metal to India.
In India, gold futures struck a fresh record high of Rs 16,664 per 10 grams on Wednesday afternoon. At 2:16, gold futures on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) traded 0.17 percent higher at Rs 16,646 per 10 grams, off its record high.
Analysts said a weaker dollar could push prices to $1,100 an ounce. "The recent run on gold was extremely strong," Eugen Weinberg, a commodity analyst at Commerzbank said. "Most of the action will probably be this afternoon ... today the gold price should also get some support from the weaker dollar."
Gold swept to a record high at $1,087.45 an ounce on Tuesday as the IMF's 200-tonne sale of gold to India underscored gold's increasing status as an official reserve and fuelled speculation that other governments may be ready to diversify their reserves.
The recent surge was also reflected in investment flows. The world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Trust, said its holdings rose to 1,108.399 tonnes as of Nov. 3, up 4.88 tonnes or 0.4 percent from the previous business day.
"It's not surprising that the gold price is holding at the high levels where it is trading now," said Weinberg.
On the economic calendar, markets expects the two-day US Federal Reserve meeting to leave rates unchanged but will look for clues on future rate and monetary policies.
India now a gold power: RBI buys 200 tonnes from IMF
In 1991, India flew out a planeload of gold to borrow foreign exchange. History changed colours on Tuesday when the Reserve Bank of India said it had bought 200 tonnes from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – from which it borrowed that year to tide over a severe balance of payments crisis.
The RBI now has the tenth largest gold reserves in the world after spending $6.7 billion (about Rs 32,000 crore) after buying nearly half of the 403.3 tonnes put on sale by IMF, which shed one-tenth of its yellow metal reserves to help lending to poor countries.
The proportion of gold as part of India’s foreign reserves of $285.5 billion had fallen over the past decades to a mere $10.3 billion. The latest purchase will lift its share of gold holdings from near 4 per cent to about 6 per cent, much less than most of the developed world but four times China’s share.
As Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee prepared to leave for a G-20 conference of elite economies, he said the gold purchase was “normal”.
“My advice to the governor of RBI would be…if you are in a position to buy gold buy it but do not put too much emphasis on it (buying),” he said.
RBI said in a statement that the deal was an off-market transaction executed between October 19 and 30 at market prices. Analysts say India could also gain more voting power in the IMF.
“Purchase of gold is RBI’s move at stabilising the currency. It is trying to shore up rupee basket with gold, similar to what China was trying to do with purchase of 400 tonnes of gold recently,” said Vijay Bhambwani, CEO of market analysis site BSPLIndia.com.
India’s purchase was among factors that boosted gold in the world market on Tuesday.
The RBI now has the tenth largest gold reserves in the world after spending $6.7 billion (about Rs 32,000 crore) after buying nearly half of the 403.3 tonnes put on sale by IMF, which shed one-tenth of its yellow metal reserves to help lending to poor countries.
The proportion of gold as part of India’s foreign reserves of $285.5 billion had fallen over the past decades to a mere $10.3 billion. The latest purchase will lift its share of gold holdings from near 4 per cent to about 6 per cent, much less than most of the developed world but four times China’s share.
As Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee prepared to leave for a G-20 conference of elite economies, he said the gold purchase was “normal”.
“My advice to the governor of RBI would be…if you are in a position to buy gold buy it but do not put too much emphasis on it (buying),” he said.
RBI said in a statement that the deal was an off-market transaction executed between October 19 and 30 at market prices. Analysts say India could also gain more voting power in the IMF.
“Purchase of gold is RBI’s move at stabilising the currency. It is trying to shore up rupee basket with gold, similar to what China was trying to do with purchase of 400 tonnes of gold recently,” said Vijay Bhambwani, CEO of market analysis site BSPLIndia.com.
India’s purchase was among factors that boosted gold in the world market on Tuesday.
'Unaware of resolution against Vande Matram'
4 November 2009
New Delhi, Nov 4: Home Minister P. Chidambaram Wednesday clarified that he was not aware that a resolution had been passed against the national song 'Vande Mataram' by Muslim clerics at a gathering at Deoband attended by him.
"The minister was at the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind conference at Deoband Nov 3 between 10 a.m. and 12 noon. No resolution was passed during that period. When he spoke, he was not aware of any resolution relating to Vande Mataram or women's reservation or cinema and television," Chidambaram's personal secretary M.A. Siddique said in a statement.
"Besides, Chidambaram was reading from a prepared text and there was no occasion to depart from that text," Siddique added.
The minister's comments followed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi's criticism of Chidambaram for not speaking against the 'Vande Mataram' resolution.
Among the 25 resolutions passed at the convention was one reiterating the clerics' opposition to reciting 'Vande Mataram' due to its religious overtones.
New Delhi, Nov 4: Home Minister P. Chidambaram Wednesday clarified that he was not aware that a resolution had been passed against the national song 'Vande Mataram' by Muslim clerics at a gathering at Deoband attended by him.
"The minister was at the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind conference at Deoband Nov 3 between 10 a.m. and 12 noon. No resolution was passed during that period. When he spoke, he was not aware of any resolution relating to Vande Mataram or women's reservation or cinema and television," Chidambaram's personal secretary M.A. Siddique said in a statement.
"Besides, Chidambaram was reading from a prepared text and there was no occasion to depart from that text," Siddique added.
The minister's comments followed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi's criticism of Chidambaram for not speaking against the 'Vande Mataram' resolution.
Among the 25 resolutions passed at the convention was one reiterating the clerics' opposition to reciting 'Vande Mataram' due to its religious overtones.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thousands throng Hadshi to see Sai Baba
31 October 2009,
PUNE: Thousands of people thronged the village of Hadshi, about 60 km from here, on Friday for a darshan' of spiritual leader Sri Sathya Sai Baba,
who has been in the village for the last three days.
The spiritual leader's appearance on the stage near the village led to loud shouts of Sai Ram'.
Chief minister Ashok Chavan's wife Amita Chavan and former Union minister Shivraj Patil were among the politicians and eminent personalities who have come to the little village on Friday to visit Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
During the three-day discourse, other politicians, including ministers Patangrao Kadam, Harshvardhan Patil and Dilip Deshmukh also sought darshan'.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba is expected to leave for Mumbai on October 31.
On Friday, people began gathering at the venue hours before the actual programme started, wherein child stars of a reality show performed a few devotional songs. There were also a number of foreigners among the crowd, who clapped and hummed bhajans along with others.
For Yamuna Deodhar, a resident of Mahad, the trip from her town about 100 km away was one she would always remember simply because she got what she wanted. "A darshan' of Swamiji was something I had never expected to take place, so this is definitely a dream come true," she said.
For Mukund Mule, a financial consultant from Sangamner, it was the social work of Sathya Sai Baba that inspired him to become his devotee. "He and his followers are working for the betterment of the society and the deprived class. I respect that," he said.
Echoing the same sentiments Sunil Ahire said that he has come for the spiritual discourse after hearing about the work carried out by Sai Baba's various organisations. "I have come to this spiritual discourse for the first time. I wanted to listen to the thoughts of Baba and this was a good opportunity for me since the programme is taking place very close to my village," said Ahire, a resident of Paud village.
Some politicians had come along with their families and were staying near the venue for the last three days. "I had heard his spiritual discourse in the late eighties for the first time. Since then I have been following Baba's discourses for more than 20 years. I regularly visit his ashram in Puttaparthi," said Dayanand Londhe, sarpanch of Malad, Baramati, and a former member of zilla parishad.
PUNE: Thousands of people thronged the village of Hadshi, about 60 km from here, on Friday for a darshan' of spiritual leader Sri Sathya Sai Baba,
who has been in the village for the last three days.
The spiritual leader's appearance on the stage near the village led to loud shouts of Sai Ram'.
Chief minister Ashok Chavan's wife Amita Chavan and former Union minister Shivraj Patil were among the politicians and eminent personalities who have come to the little village on Friday to visit Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
During the three-day discourse, other politicians, including ministers Patangrao Kadam, Harshvardhan Patil and Dilip Deshmukh also sought darshan'.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba is expected to leave for Mumbai on October 31.
On Friday, people began gathering at the venue hours before the actual programme started, wherein child stars of a reality show performed a few devotional songs. There were also a number of foreigners among the crowd, who clapped and hummed bhajans along with others.
For Yamuna Deodhar, a resident of Mahad, the trip from her town about 100 km away was one she would always remember simply because she got what she wanted. "A darshan' of Swamiji was something I had never expected to take place, so this is definitely a dream come true," she said.
For Mukund Mule, a financial consultant from Sangamner, it was the social work of Sathya Sai Baba that inspired him to become his devotee. "He and his followers are working for the betterment of the society and the deprived class. I respect that," he said.
Echoing the same sentiments Sunil Ahire said that he has come for the spiritual discourse after hearing about the work carried out by Sai Baba's various organisations. "I have come to this spiritual discourse for the first time. I wanted to listen to the thoughts of Baba and this was a good opportunity for me since the programme is taking place very close to my village," said Ahire, a resident of Paud village.
Some politicians had come along with their families and were staying near the venue for the last three days. "I had heard his spiritual discourse in the late eighties for the first time. Since then I have been following Baba's discourses for more than 20 years. I regularly visit his ashram in Puttaparthi," said Dayanand Londhe, sarpanch of Malad, Baramati, and a former member of zilla parishad.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba to visit city tomorrow
30 October 2009
MUMBAI: Spiritual leader Sri Sathya Sai Baba will bless his devotees in the city on a visit scheduled from October 31 to November 2. Sri Sathya Sai Baba will be staying at his divine adobe `Dharmakshetra' in Andheri (E).
The schedule for the Mumbai trip includes bhajan and darshan at these locations: Bombay Exhibition Centre in Goregaon (E) on October 31 at 4 pm ; Jamboori Maidan in Worli on November 1 at 10 am and Brabourne Stadium in Churchgate on November 1 at 5 pm.
He visited Mumbai for the first time in 1967 and laid the foundation for Dharmakshetra, which was inaugurated in 1968. Dharmakshetra is an initiative involved in many social activities like education and medical care among other things.
MUMBAI: Spiritual leader Sri Sathya Sai Baba will bless his devotees in the city on a visit scheduled from October 31 to November 2. Sri Sathya Sai Baba will be staying at his divine adobe `Dharmakshetra' in Andheri (E).
The schedule for the Mumbai trip includes bhajan and darshan at these locations: Bombay Exhibition Centre in Goregaon (E) on October 31 at 4 pm ; Jamboori Maidan in Worli on November 1 at 10 am and Brabourne Stadium in Churchgate on November 1 at 5 pm.
He visited Mumbai for the first time in 1967 and laid the foundation for Dharmakshetra, which was inaugurated in 1968. Dharmakshetra is an initiative involved in many social activities like education and medical care among other things.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)