Last US troops | Leave Iraq

The last convoy of US troops to leave Iraq has entered Kuwait, nearly nine years after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Tens of thousands of Iraqis and nearly 4,500 US soldiers have died since the US-led campaign began in 2003. The operation has cost Washington nearly $1 trillion (£643bn)

Pakistan's suppression | genocide

Written by Anthony Mascarenhas, a Pakistani reporter (published in UK's Sunday Times) exposed for the first time the scale of the Pakistan army's brutal campaign and genocide act in breakaway eastern province in 1971.

The Bangladesh government puts the figure at three million.

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (published in Sunday Times; told Harold Evans), that the article had shocked her so deeply it had set her "on a campaign of personal diplomacy in the European capitals and Moscow to prepare the ground for India's armed intervention," he recalled. Indians and Bengali guerrillas fought in support of East Pakistan.

To avoid suspicion, Mascarenhas had to return to Pakistan. That time Pakistanis were only allowed one foreign flight a year, he then had to sneak out of the country by himself, crossing by land into Afghanistan.

The day after the family was reunited in their new home in London, the Sunday Times published his article, under the headline "Genocide".

UK Isolated - EU agrees fiscal deal

The UK effectively used its veto to block an attempt, led by the French and Germans.

Today; European leaders say 26 out of 27 EU member states have agreed a tax and budget agreement to tackle the debt crisis of eurozone.

The 17 countries that use the euro have all agreed to the deal; nine other countries have said they will sign up.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said they could not accept the demand of Mr Cameron's (UK Prime Minister) insistence on a protocol allowing London to opt-out on proposed change on financial services.

Europe pushes ahead with fiscal union, UK isolated.

Retail Market - India (the way the Indian's going to shop)

India's decision to open up retail markets will revolutionize the shopping behavior of Indian's - some people are happy, but many fear the consequences. Definitely this move is not without opposition in parliament.

Big giants like Tesco, Walmart and Carrefour have opened in many countries across the world, including in China, Russia and Brazil. Until now, in India; they were not allowed to sell directly to shoppers - but all that is set to change.

Economist Mohan Guruswamy of the Centre for Policy says "The average Wal-Mart store will displace 11,200 people and replace them with 285 people. That's our calculation in a study that we have done" ; which will affect the poor people.

"We have a policy which is distinct and different. This policy is specific to India's complexities, social structures and needs of our people."

The policy is an executive decision and does not need parliament's approval.

Tata Group Successor | Tata - Part of Indian Life!

The 143-year-old TATA group has more than 100 companies in more than 80 countries, employing 425,000 people with a value of about $98bn, and has interests including telecoms, engineering and science.

RM Lala, (written a book on the Tata group), said he was "a little surprised" by Mr Mistry's appointment. He said "I expected a Tata name to be there. But if the new successor sticks to Ratan Tata's principles, it won't affect the group,".

Tata Steel, for example,
The first company began the eight-hour work day for employees in 1912, long before the US or Europe,
Introduced leave with pay in 1920, (it became law in India after 25 years)
Provident fund introduced for employees in 1920, (it became law in India after 32 years).

In India; when you wake up; you may drink tea of Tata Brand, you may make calls using mobile phone (of Tata's) and take a sedan (of Tata's) or take a Tata bus to work. Your home kitchen may be stuffed with goods produced by Tata or its subsidiary companies. Your house may be powered by Tata electricity. Your kids or grand children may be employed in Tata Companies or your kids may be going for higher studies at a social science or science school run by the Tata's. Also there is a big chance; you will be wearing costumes sold by Tata. Your family may be watching Tata-sky; also there are possibilities you may go-to Tata Hospital when you fall sick.

There is no other Indian business conglomerate which quite dominates the lives of Indians the way Tata Group does.

Tata Group acquired Jaguar, Land Rover, Chorus, hotels in US and plotted a coffee plant in Uganda.
Build a new undersea submarine cable linking India, the Middle East and Western Europe. Signed deal with China's software company in collaboration with the Chinese government and Microsoft.

For now, Only few companies in India or Asia can match Tata for the range of goods and services it offers.

Col. Muammar Gaddafi has been killed

Col Gaddafi and a handful of his men managed to escape on foot and sought refuge in two large drainage pipes filled with rubbish. Rebel forces then closed in.

Col Gaddafi was captured at around noon.

al-Jazeera news channel broadcast footage showing the dazed and wounded Col Gaddafi gesticulating while being man-handled by rebel fighters.

Mahmoud Jibril, the NTC prime minister, confirmed the news that Col Gaddafi was dead, saying: "We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Muammar Gaddafi has been killed."

So, eight months after the Libyan revolt began, seven months after Nato sent in the warplanes and two months after the fall of Tripoli, Muammar Gaddafi is dead.

how Libya's former leader died remains unclear?

This was always the Libyan people’s fight.
Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi of Libya died as he lived — violently!

Treasure, Padmanabhaswamy temple

Treasure, thought to be worth billions of rupees, has been unearthed from Padmanabhaswamy temple (Kerala - India)

Gold, Silver, Precious Stones are among valuables found at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple.
The temple was built in the 16th Century by the kings who ruled over the then kingdom of Travancore.

The royal family consider themselves to be servants of the presiding deity at the temple, Padmanabhaswamy (the Hindu God Vishnu in eternal sleep); this is why they historically entrusted their wealth to the temple.

obama & black community

African-Americans; believes that the president is not doing enough for them...

The unemployment rate among white Americans is 8.8%, while the unemployment rate among African Americans is 15.7%!

Only 44% of blacks own homes, compared to 70% whites!

Should Obama do more for black America by pushing - publicly – a black agenda?

India - Electoral Reforms - Mandatory

India - Electoral Reforms - Mandatory

158 of 543, to be precise - in the parliament face criminal charges.
74 of them face serious charges such as murder and abduction.
500 criminal cases against these lawmakers

12 of the 205 MPs of the lawmakers in the ruling Congress Party face criminal charges.
19 of 116 of BJP MPs facing other charges.
60% of the MPs belonging to two key regional parties, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party - who profess to serve the poor and the untouchables - face criminal charges.

Then there are allegations of rampant vote-buying by parties, especially in southern India.

Yes, We need to have electoral reform to safeguard our countrys democracy!

Vladimir Lenin Was Part-Jewish (KGB Files)

A recently opened histroical museum in Moscow revealed that Vladimir Lenin's maternal grandfather was born jewish.

The founding father of Soviet Russia, Vladimir Lenin identified himself as Russian in his biography.

In a letter to Stalin in 1932 — six years after Lenin's death — Anna Ulyanova, Lenin's older sister, wrote that their maternal grandfather "came from a poor Jewish family.

The information from declassified KGB files, is not a minor detail in a country where anti-Semitism was a recognized state doctrine for decades.

M.F. Husain (1915-2011)

MF Husain passes away in London!

Mf Hussain has been called the Picasso of India; a great painter!

Hussain lived in exile and accepted Qatari citizenship as he enraged Indian Hindu Groups after he painted nude pictures of Hindu Deities.

His narrative paintings, executed in a modified Cubist style, can be caustic and funny as well as serious and sombre.

http://palakkadguruvayurchathanath.blogspot.com/2010/03/mf-husessin-citizenship.html

Is India Ruled By Women

Is India ruled by Women?

Ruling Congress party chief - Woman (Sonia Gandhi)
India's President - Woman. (Pratibha Patil)
The speaker of the parliament - Woman (Meira Kumar)
Leader of the opposition - Woman (Sushma Swaraj)
Dalit Leader - Woman (Mayawati)
Chief of Major Political Force in Bengal - Woman (Mamata)
Chief of Major Political Force in Tamil Nadu - Woman (Jayalalita)
Who rules the capital Delhi - Woman (Sheila Dikshit)

Incredible India....

Bin Laden Death

Other nations sovereignty is not a concern when it comes to your own nations security. World got something to learn from American's. Surprise is that he was residing in Abbotabad, Pakistan, an affluent area with lots of retired military personnel and very close to many military establishments.  

Osama bin Laden, the face of global terrorism and architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, was killed in a firefight with elite American forces , then quickly buried at sea in a stunning finale to a furtive decade on the run. 

"Justice has been done," President Barack Obama said in a announcement at White House.

Good Job!!! Thanks to USA!

Sai Baba Farewell - 04/27

Sai Baba's brand of ecumenical spiritualism; which attracted so many, cutting through social and religious boundaries. Before burial; christian, Muslim, Budhist and Sikh priests read prayers from their scriptures before Hindu clerics took over. An honour guard brought in an Indian flag to be draped over the coffin, giving it the aura of a state funeral. It is unclear who will run the trust set up by his devotees in 1972, now believed to be worth nearly $6bn.

To a spiritual aspirant: he is the divine master
To a rationalist, greatest humanitarian on earth;
To a devotee, God in human form!

Long Live Baba!
Whoever you are, you are Mine I will not give you up. Wherever you are, you are near Me You cannot go beyond My reach........!!!

jesus bible

In a remote valley in northern Jordan somewhere between 2005 and 2007; a group of "books", each with between five and fifteen lead leaves bound by lead rings, was discovered. A flash flood had exposed two niches inside the cave, one of them marked with a menorah or candlestick, the ancient Jewish religious symbol. They could, just possibly, change our understanding of how Jesus was crucified and resurrected, and how Christianity was born. 

It appears with the image of the menorah and reads "I shall walk uprightly", a sentence that also appears in the Book of Revelation.

The director of the Jordan's Department of Antiquities, Ziad al-Saad, says  "They will really match, and perhaps be more significant than, the Dead Sea Scrolls. Maybe it will lead to further interpretation and authenticity checks of the material, but the initial information is very encouraging, and it seems that we are looking at a very important and significant discovery, maybe the most important discovery in the history of archaeology.

India Census - 1.2 Billion

India census touched 1.21 Billion.

* Current population: 1,210,193,422
* Males: 623,724,248
* Females: 586,469,174
* Increase 2001-2011: 181m
* 15th census since 1872

Indians now make up 17% of the world's population.

Some 2.7 million officials visited households (7,000 towns and 600,000 villages).
Census classified the population according to gender, education, occupation and religion.

Census 2011 exercise costs in the region of 22bn rupees.