Bangalore University to hold examination adalat

BANGALORE: To clear the backlog of 4,000 cases on faculty marks cards, wrong names and non-declaration of results, Bangalore University will hold an examination adalat. BU will submit itself to the scrutiny of a retired high court judge in a bid to reduce pendency of cases and bring in transparency. The decision during the adalat will be binding on the university, students, colleges and other stakeholders. “We want all cases to be disposed of in three months,” the BU V-C said.

Book fair: BU plans to hold `World of Books 2011′, a mega book fair at Palace Grounds on August 12 to mark Librarians’ Day. The event will be open to 1 lakh students and 25,000 faculty from the university’s 600-odd affiliated colleges. One million books will be on display. Besides academic activities and literary walks, BU will give away the `best user award’ to one PG student who uses the university library the most.

No chairs now

BU’s proposal to start academic chairs in the name of Gautam Buddha, BR Ambedkar and Akka Mahadevi, among others, got a thumbs down from academic council members. Members said the university should first review the working of the existing chairs before setting aside Rs 60 lakh for new ones. BU V-C N Prabhu Dev admitted that Rs 5 lakh granted by Isro for a chair is insufficient and the Kempegowda Chair set up by BBMP is not functioning properly.

Biogas plant : To explore the possibility of generating power on its own, BU will set up a biogas plant at an estimated cost of Rs 100 lakh on Jnanabharathi campus. The city corporation will supply 25 tonnes of organic waste daily for 15 years.

Coming soon: a horror story on American Fritzl’s victim?

London, Sept 20 (ANI): Publishers and Hollywood studios have begun a multi-million dollar bidding war for the rights to sex slave Jaycee Dugard’s horrifying life story.

Fresh details of the American Fritzl’s victim have emerged, including that in the early days of her captivity, the terrified schoolgirl was so hungry she ate bugs and worms in the rambling back garden where she was held in tents and lock-up sheds, reports The Daily Express.

She had to use a garden hose to shower outside, even in winters, say detectives guarding her and her two daughters, fathered by kidnapper Phillip Garrido.

However, the public apparently is desperate for the full story of how Jaycee, now 29, survived after being snatched on her way to a school bus stop when she was only 11.

A New York literary agent, who estimates the book and film rights to be worth up to 12million dollars, said: “You couldn’t dream up a script like this. Americans can’t wait to hear the story from the girl who lived it.”

A Hollywood studio producer said: “Everyone is in the market for this story. Poor Jaycee’s life may have been hell for 18 years but she’ll never want for anything for the rest of it.”

Garrido, a registered sex offender, has been linked to six child abductions and murders stretching back years within a 400-mile radius of the ramshackle home in Antioch, California, where Jaycee was held. (ANI)

405th installation anniversary of Sri Guru Granth Sahib

Agra, Sep 19(ANI): People of all religions and communities gathered to celebrate the 405th anniversary of the installation of the Sikh holy scriptures, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, at Gurudwara Maithan in Agra.

This was a significant landmark for the Sikhs, as the 275-year-old handwritten scripture, whose front pages are written with gold, was put on display for the devotees.

“The Guru Granth Sahib has the preaching or ‘bani’ of famous poets like Kabir ji, Guru Ravidas ji and Baba Farid ji. It is symbol of humanity and so people of all the religions have gathered here to celebrate the ‘Prakash Parv’, the installation ceremony together,” said Kanwldeep Singh, President of Sri Gursikh Sabha.

Also on display was a miniature scripture of Guru Granth Sahib, which has been preserved at the Gurudwara Maithan for the past 15 years.

“We have Guru Granth sahib of 1 X 1 inches long. The British for the convenience of Sikh soldiers especially designed the holy book during the First World War, as they could not carry a normal sized book in the battlefield. The miniature Guru Granth Sahib was printed in Germany. It was kept in a silver box,” said Gyani Kashmir Singh, head Granthi of Gurudwara Maithan.

To mark the anniversary of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib, special prayers were also held in the Gurudwara premises, which once the house of Mai jassi that was visited by Guru Sri Tegh Bahadur.he gurudwara is currently undergoing renovation and will be expanded to facilitate the large number of devotees visiting the shrine.

A total of 20 million dollars will be spent on renovation and construction of new Gurudwara, a 100-bed hospital and a community hall.

Gurudwara Maithan also upheld the tradition of Langar, which has been followed over the centuries. Guru Arjan Dev and Mata Ganga set the precedent of preparing and serving food to the hungry, in the langar hall, where all social, economic and religious barriers collapse and all – the laborer, the lord, the peasant and the prince, are treated alike and served the same food in the same manner.

This is a practice of great social significance, and it is the key to the understanding of Sikhism. By Brijesh Sharma (ANI)

Suzanne Somers says chemotherapy killed Patrick Swayze

New York, Sep 19 (ANI): Actress Suzanne Somers, who is herself a cancer survivor, thinks that chemotherapy has killed Patrick Swayze.

The ‘Three’s Company’ star gave her opinion on the ‘Ghost’ star’s death while speaking to Shinan Govani at the party for Tom Ford’s movie, ‘A Single Man’, at the Toronto Film Festival.

“They took a beautiful man” and “put poison in his body,” the New York Post quoted her as saying.

Somers, who has a book about cancer coming out next month, said: “Why couldn’t they have built him up nutritionally and gotten rid of the toxins? . . . I hate to be this controversial . . . but I have to speak out.”

Other stars present at the party included Julianne Moore, Naomi Watts, Clive Owen, and Colin Firth. (ANI)

Letters by Lawrence of Arabia discovered

London, Sept 19 (ANI): Fascinating letters written by Lawrence of Arabia have been found years after they were thought to have been burned on a fire.

In the letters, the hero of the Arab revolt in the First World War talks about his love of motorcycles, which led to his death in a road accident in 1935, reports The Telegraph.

Speaking about one of his machines, he wrote: “It’s a heavenly bike, goes like smoke and is as smooth as milk to ride.”

The correspondence – found when an envelope fell out of an old book – will be auctioned on October 1 in Dorchester, Dorset, and could fetch more than 10,000 pounds.

Dorset historian Rodney Legg, who has written numerous books on Lawrence, said: “It’s mysterious how Lawrence managed to balance his finances. He sometimes spent lavishly and at other times wrote letters to friends proclaiming poverty.

“So anything that throws light on the relationship with his banker is quite revealing.” (ANI)

Muslims in Lucknow offer ‘Alvida Namaz’ before Eid

Lucknow, Sep 18(ANI): Muslims gathered in huge numbers at several mosques of Lucknow on Friday to offer the ‘Alvida Namaz’ marking the last Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan.

“We prayed to the Lord to raise the financial status of Muslims and also eradicate all their problems. In India, Hindu and Muslims have been living together for several centuries and we want them to be like this in future,” said Moulvi Faizul Rehman, an Islamic cleric at a mosque in Lucknow.

Highlighting the significance of the ‘Alvida Namaz’, Mohammad Sayeed, a Namazi said that it is the reason why thousands of Muslim from across the city gather to offer prayers.

“During Ramadan if we participate in the ‘Alvida Namaz’ and offer our prayers, then we get a reward for it and it will usher prosperity to us,” Sayeed said.

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Hijri lunar calendar, commemorates the revelation of Quran, Islam’s holy book, and has traditionally been a time of religious fervour, settling old disputes and behaving charitably towards neighbours.

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. Considered auspicious for prayers, Muslims observe the month-long fasting named ‘Roza’.

They believe this secures them a place in heaven and also brings them face to face with Allah, the Almighty, on the day of ‘Kayamat’.

The end of Ramadan heralds the festival of Eid-ul-fitr. (ANI)

Police swoop on sellers of Jaswant Singh’s pirated book in Pak

Lahore, Sep.18 (ANI): Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh’s book on Mohammad Ali Jinnah has sent the Pakistani book piracy nexus working overtime, but it has also landed people in police custody.

Pakistani security agencies have arrested three people for selling pirated editions of the book ‘Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence,’ following a countrywide crackdown on publishers and sellers of counterfeit editions of the controversial yet popular book.

Several fake copies of the book have also been recovered and cases have been registered in Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi and Lahore, The Daily Times reported.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials said the action was taken on a complaint filed by Tariq Haq, regional sales head of the Oxford University Press (OUP).

Tariq said the OUP had the sole rights of publication and distribution of the book and the company is facing heavy losses due to large scale piracy of the book.

Singh’s book which has created a furor in India, has received an overwhelming response in Pakistan.

Not only intellectuals, but people from different strata of the society have also shown interest in the book, in which Singh has praised Muhammad Ali Jinnah and described him as a leader who had strong faith in united India, while blaming Sardar Patel for the partition in 1947. (ANI)

Archaeologists discover gemstone carrying portrait of Alexander the Great

Washington, September 16 (ANI): An archaeological team, during excavations in Israel, has discovered a gemstone that has a portrait of Alexander the Great engraved on it.

The excavations at Tel Dor were carried out by an archaeological team, which was directed by Dr. Ayelet Gilboa of the University of Haifa and Dr. Ilan Sharon of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

“Despite its miniature dimensions – the stone is less than a centimeter high and its width is less than half a centimeter – the engraver was able to depict the bust of Alexander on the gem without omitting any of the ruler’s characteristics,” said Dr. Gilboa, Chair of the Department of Archaeology at the University of Haifa.

“The emperor is portrayed as young and forceful, with a strong chin, straight nose and long curly hair held in place by a diadem,” he added.

The Tel Dor researchers have noted that it is surprising that a work of art such as this would be found in Israel, on the periphery of the Hellenistic world.

“It is generally assumed that the master artists – such as the one who engraved the image of Alexander on this particular gemstone – were mainly employed by the leading Hellenistic courts in the capital cities, such as those in Alexandria in Egypt and Seleucia in Syria,” according to the researchers.

“This new discovery is evidence that local elites in secondary centers, such as Tel Dor, appreciated superior objects of art and could afford ownership of such items,” they added.

The significance of the discovery at Dor is in the gemstone being uncovered in an orderly excavation, in a proper context of the Hellenistic period.

This tiny gem was unearthed by a volunteer during excavation of a public structure from the Hellenistic period in the south of Tel Dor, excavated by a team from the University of Washington at Seattle headed by Prof. Sarah Stroup.

Dr. Jessica Nitschke, professor of classical archaeology at Georgetown University in Washington DC, identified the engraved motif as a bust of Alexander the Great.

This has been confirmed by Prof. Andrew Stewart of the University of California at Berkeley, an expert on images of Alexander and author of a book on this topic.

Alexander was probably the first Greek to commission artists to depict his image – as part of a personality cult that was transformed into a propaganda tool. (ANI)

WII to host global deer conservation meet in Srinagar next month

Srinagar, Sep 16 (ANI): The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is hosting a five day global meeting of the deer experts here-from October 9 to discuss conservation plans for the Hangul, which is also known as Kashmir Stag.

The meeting is also expected to chalk out a long-term effective management plan for the conservation of Hangul habitat.

Hangul is one of the endangered species of the world and has been listed in the Red Data Book of International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

According to WII Director P.R. Sharma the experts would share their knowledge in the management and conservation of endangered deer species in general and Red deer and its subspecies such as Hangul in particular in the meeting.

Conservationists from Russia, East Tibet, Middle East, Afghanistan and China will deliberate on issues threatening the existence of the species and formulate strategies, take effective relocation and recovery plan at the meet.

The conference would help the Indian conservationists to enhance and updating scientific knowledge on globally successful species recovery, conservation programmes and aspects of deer ecology, Sinha said.

That the meet is being held in Srinagar itself mirrors the government’s concern to urgently save the Hangul, one of the four easternmost subspecies of Red deer that is endemic to Kashmir mountains in Jammu and Kashmir.

The population the Hangul, which is one of the four easternmost subspecies of Red deer, has declined from an estimated 2000 individuals in 1947 to about 170-200 individuals in recent years, due to poaching, excessive grazing of livestock, forest fires.

Deer are important part of woodland ecosystems and their effects are vital to the survival of plants and animals that depend on open woodlands. Their low numbers and restricted range is of great ecological concern amongst the conservationists throughout the world. (ANI)

Ancient book of Buddhism chantings found in Korean temple

Seoul, September 16 (ANI): Archaeologists have uncovered an ancient Chinese book of Buddhism chantings in a Korean temple.

According to a report in Korea Times, the Hangeul copy of an ancient Chinese book, which contains the notes of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) scholar Kim Si-seup, was discovered at Baekryunam, Haein Temple.

The book was originally written by a Buddhist master from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and dates back to the 16th century.

“We discovered the ‘shiphyeondam eonhaebon’ while we were examining the library of Ven. Seong Cheol (1912-1993) at Baekryunam, Haein Temple, in April this year,” Ven. Won Taek said at a press conference at the Jogye Order, northern Seoul.

“It’s a rare book ? perhaps even the only copy ? that is not included in the Natural Treasures list nor on the lists of national libraries and university libraries,” he said.

An eonhae copy, or eonhaebon, is a book or writing that contains the literal translation of a sentence in Chinese to Hangeul, or Korean.

It is different from the normal translation books as it features a word-for-word translation, and is far removed from the Hangeul sentences used today.

‘Shiphyeondam’ refers to the 10 songs and poems made to praise Buddha’s teachings, written by Tang Dynasty Buddhist master Dongan Sangchal of the Jodong Order of Zen Buddhism, a sect of the religion in China.

The songs are comprised of seven Chinese characters and contain the traditions and the practices of the Jodong Order.

Ven. Won Taek explained that the discovery was meaningful as the book was from the 16th century. Most of the eonhaebons known today are from the 15th century.

“We found many precious ancient books and eonhaebons while examining the library and we will apply these artifacts as Natural Treasures after examining the value of them. We will also make photo prints of the eonhaebons for ancient hangeul and writing experts to use them as research material,” he said. (ANI)

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson enter Guinness World Records book

London, September 15 (ANI): ‘Harry Potter’ stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson have entered the Guinness World Records book by becoming the highest grossing lead actors of the decade.

The young actors were ahead of their many Hollywood counterparts, the Telegraph reports.

Radcliffe’s films made massive 558 million dollars, while Watson, who appeared in The Tale of Despereaux apart from the wizard series, raised 753.7 million dollars.

Meanwhile, Miley Cyrus was ranked the highest earning child actor, making an approximate 25 million dollars last year.

Nicole Kidman was listed as the most overpaid actress in Hollywood. (ANI)

Oz speed-reader to demystify Dan Brown’s Lost Symbol 2hrs after release

Melbourne, September 14 (ANI): Publishers of Dan Brown’s much-anticipated book, ‘The Lost Symbol,’ will host speed reading competition during its launch in Australia.

The person who ends reading the book fastest will be provided with an opportunity to give its first review.

Speculations are high on the closely-guarded plot, which is believed to focus on the Freemasons.

Publisher Random House will provide a copy of the book at the State Library of NSW the moment it is released.

It is expected that the first person should complete reading in two hours.

After which the reader will give a review to public and press.

“Millions of Australians have enjoyed the pure adrenalin thrill of Dan Brown’s novels, coupled with their fascinating historical insights,” News.com.au quoted Margie Seale, managing director of Random House Australia, as saying in a statement.

The publishers anticipate that the book will match 81 million copies of The Da Vinci Code sold around the world. (ANI)

Spitzer call girl Ashley Dupre wants to make a comeback

New York, September 14 (ANI): Ashley Dupre, the former high-class call girl at the centre of the Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal, is tired of hiding and wants a comeback.

The 24-year-old was dubbed as an ‘informant’ during the scandal that saw the politician patronising a prostitution service that subsequently led to his resignation from the post of New York Governor.

And eighteen months after the storm, Dupre, who is recording pop songs and wooing a record deal, is seeking to get her life back on track.

“Everyone likes an underdog story, and everyone likes a comeback. I’m the poster child for redemption,” the New York Post quoted her as saying.

Dupre, who is also working on a book she calls a “cautionary tale,” further laughed at the idea that she was after the limelight.

She added: “I didn’t ask for it, but now that I have it, it’s up to me to take advantage of this platform and do something amazing. I have a voice now.” (ANI)

Charles Dickens ‘displayed mild OCD symptoms’

London, Sept 13 (ANI): Charles Dickens developed a ritualistic routine in his domestic life, together with an obsessive approach to work, which is consistent with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and can be seen reflected in some of his characters, claims a new biography.

Dickens had a habit of rearranging furniture whenever he stayed in a hotel room and inspecting his children’s bedrooms every morning, leaving behind notes when he was not satisfied with their tidiness.

According to Michael Slater, emeritus professor of Victorian literature at Birkbeck college, London, and author of the book, Charles Dickens, the genius’ behaviour could be traced to his childhood when poverty forced his family to move home repeatedly, reports The Times.

Slater said: “The disorder of his upbringing may have had the effect on him of wanting to be in control.”

He reckons that Little Dorrit, the main character in Dickens’s novel of the same name, reflected his character.

“There she is, the epitome of neatness, in the squalid atmosphere of the Marshalsea prison making order and making her father comfortable and sweeping and cleaning and tidying all the time,” said Slater.

Slater said there were also signs of OCD in the semi-autobiographical David Copperfield.

Also, when it came to women, the author’s attitude was governed by neatness. (ANI)

South Africa Sports Minister warns of World War III over Semanya

London, Sep 12 (ANI): The South African government has threatened a “third world war” if the International Association of Athletics Federation bans champion runner Caster Semenya over a test that shows her to be a hermaphrodite, a person with both female and male sexual characteristics.

The IAAF commissioned a gender test on the teenager after her performance levels improved remarkably in the build-up to the competition.

The leaked report that a gender verification test had found the 18 year-old to be a hermaphrodite with no womb was greeted with outrage in South Africa on Friday, with politicians, sports officials and Semenya’s relatives decrying the teenager’s public humiliation.

On Friday the IAAF attempted to diffuse the controversy by refusing to confirm the medical reports, insisting that it would make official comment until after the test results had been verified by a panel of scientific experts.

But the prospect of the teenager being disqualified from future female races drew a furious response from South African Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile, The Telegraph reports.

“I think it would be the third world war. We will go to the highest levels in contesting such a decision.She’s a woman, she remains our heroine. We must protect her,” he said.

Semenya was due to run in a 4km race at the national cross-country championships in Pretoria on Saturday, but was withdrawn by her coach Michael Seme on the grounds that she was “not feeling well”.

The IAAF is expected to disqualify the South African from future events and advise her to have surgery because her condition carries grave health risks, The Daily Telegraph report claims.

A source closely involved with the IAAF tests said Semenya had internal testes-the male sexual organs, which produce testosterone.

“There certainly is evidence Semenya is a hermaphrodite. But the trouble is the IAAF now has the whole ANC and the whole of South Africa on their backs. Everything is going to have to be done absolutely by the book, no question of a challenge to the findings,” the source said. (ANI)

Phulan Rani, the ageless painter of Punjab

Amritsar, Sep.11 (ANI): Defying her age, octogenarian Phulan Rani today stands as a tall figure that inspires the youth by her love for painting and deep urge to give creative expressions to her thoughts and observations of the world around her.

A resident of Amritsar, Phulan Rani works in both oils and water colour and paints realistic landscapes and portraits of local leaders.

“I was born on Dec 12, 1923 and have seen various ups and downs during my life span. I have been inspired to paint from all good things in life and the thoughts and the preaching of the gurus that I have heard,” said Phulan Rani, the painter. She is a nature lover by heart.

“Nature is like an open book as we can see many beautiful things through it. Like honeybees collecting nectar from the flowers and then constructing hives. It inspires an artist to paint. The inspiration also comes from beautiful faces, flowers, landscapes and the teachings of the gurus,” she says.

Phulan Rani is full of pride when she realizes how her work has reached in different parts of the world.

“A person can be successful in any sort of work if he or she gets full support from his life partner and children. You can imagine the work done by me through the paintings hanging on the walls of my house. I have sold a number of paintings, but I had enough time to paint replicas of those sold paintings to keep at home. My paintings have reached across the world,” says Phulan.

The sixth President of India, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, had released Phulan Rani’s book of ‘Painting visions of beauty’ in 1981. By Ravinder Singh Robin(ANI)

US Army Nurse reveals ‘humane’ side of Saddam Hussein

Washington, Sep. 11 (ANI): Saddam Hussein might be remembered as a brutal international criminal by the rest of the world; but to retired U.S. Army Nurse Robert Ellis, who spent more time with the dictator than any other American, he was a patient with a humane side.

Ellis worked as the senior American medical advisor at Baghdad’s Camp Cropper, where Hussein was held for eight months until his execution in December 2006, Fox News reports.

During this period, Hussein who went by the code name “Victor” grew close to his caregiver, who was known to him by the code name “Alice.”

The report quoted Ellis as saying that when he told Hussein that he had to return to St. Louis to see his dying brother, Hussein hugged him and said: “I will be your brother.”

Ellis’ new book, “Caring for Victor,” is a record of his time with the ruthless tyrant.

For Ellis, the mission caused serious internal conflict.

“I was always conflicted throughout the whole mission. My job was to keep these people alive and healthy so they could be interrogated,” he said.

Ellis says that by remaining “non-judgmental,” he was able to see another side of a human who was considered to be a brutal killer.

“By me spending time with him, I got to see his other side, a side that you don’t hear about. They play by a different set of rules over there,” he added. (ANI)

IAAF in a fix as tests prove Semenya is a hermaphrodite

Melbourne, Sep 11 (ANI): The International Association of Athletics Federations is likely to strip champion runner Caster Semenya of the gold medal she won in Berlin last month, as a test has shown that she is a hermaphrodite – a person with both female and male sexual characteristics.

The tests, not yet publicly released, show the 18-year-old has no womb or ovaries.

The IAAF is expected to disqualify the South African from future events and advise her to have surgery because her condition carries grave health risks, The Daily Telegraph reports.

And she could be stripped of the gold medal she won in Berlin in last month, as she has three times more testosterone than a normal female.

A source closely involved with the IAAF tests said Semenya had internal testes — the male sexual organs, which produce testosterone.

“There certainly is evidence Semenya is a hermaphrodite. But the trouble is the IAAF now has the whole ANC and the whole of South Africa on their backs. Everything is going to have to be done absolutely by the book, no question of a challenge to the findings,” the source said.

It is believed that Semenya is unaware the tests has identified her as a hermaphrodite.

Only the certainty of a backlash from South Africa has so far prevented the IAAF from banning Semenya and revoking her gold medal.

South Africa embraced the feisty teenager after the storm of controversy from Berlin, declaring her “Our girl”.

African National Congress MP and National Assembly sports committee chairman Butana Komphela has already lodged a complaint with the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights, accusing the IAAF of racism and sexism.

The IAAF expects to receive the full set of results this week. (ANI)

Shekhawat says Jaswant’s expulsion wrong

New Delhi, Sep 10(ANI): Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat on Thursday said the decision to expel Jaswant Singh was wrong.

“The way Jaswant Singh has been treated, I do not approve of it,” Shekhawat said.

Shekhawat was in the national capital. Jaswant Singh called on him, but said his visit did not have any political motive.

“I had come to enquire about his health and did not come here (Bhairon Singh Shekhawat’s residence) with a political motive. As you know, I’m not a member of the BJP and Bhairon Singh was one of the founder members of the party. So, I have come to see him,” said Singh.

Jaswant Singh was expelled from the party last month for writing a controversial book that was sympathetic to Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, but critical of India’s first Home Minister Sardar Patel and first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru for their role in the partition of the Indian subcontinent. (ANI)