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Showing posts from 2009

Three Day Annual Vasanthotsavam in Sri Kalyana Venkesteswara Swamy Temple Concludes

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On the concluding day of the three-day Vasanthotsavam, Temple Priests performing a simultaneous Snapana Thirumanjanam to the processional deities of Lord Malayappaswamy along with His consorts Sri Devi and Bhudevi, Sri Rama, Sri Lakshmana, Seetha and Sri Krishna and Rukmini at the premises of Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Srinivasa Mangapuram near Tirupati on saturday.

Annual Abhideyaka Abhishekam (Jyestabhishekam)

The Annual Abhideyaka Abhishekam (Jyestabhishekam) will be conducted in Sri Vari Temple for three days from June 6 to June 8, 2009. In view of this utsavam in Sri Vari Temple, Arjitha Sevas such as Kalyanotsavam, Unjal Seva in Ayna Mahal, Brahmotsavam, and Vasanthotsavam are cancelled on June 8. However, except Vasanthotsavam, all other arjitha sevas will be performed as usual on June 6 and June 7. The devotees who intended to participate in Abhideyaka Abhishekam have to pay Rs. 2000/- and for each ticket only five persons will be permitted. Special programmes such as Visesha Vajra Kavacha samarpana and Vajrangi Utsavam on First day, Muttangi Samarpana and Muttangi Utsavam on second day and Abhideyaka Kavacha samarpana and utsavam on the concluding day will be performed to the utsava deities. Special nadaswaram will be arranged at Sri Vari Temple by Sri M.K.S.Siva and Sri M.K.S.Natarajan by special Nadaswaram Vidwans of Chennai during the programme.

Mexico, US, Canada announce swine flu deaths

CHICAGO - Authorities in Mexico announced three more swine flu deaths and the United States and Canada one more death each as the world's largest vaccine maker signed a deal with the United States to produce a swine flu vaccine. The World Health Organization says at least 46 countries have confirmed more than 12,950 swine flu cases. The Mexican death toll now stands at 83, and Canada's is two. The U.S. death is the 12th in the country. The tiny nation of Bahrain reported Tuesday that a 20-year-old student had come down with mild swine flu _ the first case in a citizen of a Gulf Arab country. Kuwait, another Gulf nation, reported Sunday that 18 U.S. soldiers who passed through were infected with swine flu but had recovered and left the country. Puerto Rico and the Czech Republic both reported their cases on Monday. Sanofi Pasteur said Monday it has won a $190 million order from the United States government to make a swine flu vaccine. Sanofi Pasteur, which operates flu vaccine p

Swine Flu Myths and Facts

Facts about swine flu and the current swine flu A (H1N1) oubreak include: The last swine flu outbreak occurred in February 1976 in Fort Dix, New Jersey, causing 4 soldiers to get sick and 1 death. A swine flu vaccine was given to people from October 1976 to December 1976 in response to the swine flu cases at Fort Dix. A swine flu pandemic never occurred though, and the swine flu vaccine was thought to cause many side effects, including Guillain-Barre syndrome. The vaccination program ended early because those side effects were thought to be worse than the risk of getting swine flu. People can be contagious with swine flu for about one day before to seven days after their swine flu symptoms began. Children may be contagious for more than seven days after their symptoms began. The median age of infection in the United States with the swine flu A (H1N1) virus is 15 years and only about 10% of confirmed cases had a travel history to Mexico. Swine Flu Myths Myths about

Deaths linked to swine flu top 100 worldwide

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A woman of the medical staff gestures wearing a mask at the Matei Bals hospital in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, May 27 2009, following the admission to the facility of the first Romanian infected with the swine flu H1N1 flu virus. A 30-year-old woman who arrived in Romania from New York who was confirmed to be infected with the swine flu virus was latter released from the hospital according to local media channels.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) NEW YORK - The world's swine flu death toll reached 100 as two more New Yorkers died while infected with a virus that has sickened more than 12,000 people. The deaths of 83 people in Mexico , 14 in the United States, two in Canada and one in Costa Rica have now been linked to swine flu. But WHO's flu chief said the virus hadn't yet reached the level of pandemic and said a global outbreak designation would change little about how governments are already responding. "We are comfortable that countries are doing the kinds of public hea

Swine Flu Vaccine Swine Flu Basics

As the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is a new virus, no swine flu vaccine is available to prevent infections. And unfortunately, the seasonal flu vaccine that many of us received will not provide any protection against the swine flu virus. Experts are already working on a swine flu vaccine though. Swine Flu Vaccine It is estimated that the swine flu vaccine won't be ready until sometime around September to November 2009. In addition to the time required to actually make a new vaccine, the likely need to make seasonal flu vaccine for next year may delay things a little. Can the swine flu vaccine be combined with the seasonal flu vaccine? Probably not, as vaccine companies will be done making seasonal flu vaccine by early summer 2009, well before they can likely even get started on the swine flu vaccine. Once the swine flu is ready, who will get it? As was planned for other pandemics, swine flu vaccine will likely be given out based on specific categories and priority le

British scientists have begun work on a vaccine against the H1N1 swine flu virus

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1. It could take manufacturers up to five months to mass-produce the vaccine 2. Manufacturers are halfway through producing their normal vaccine to combat winter flu. If they are asked to stop - there will be shortages of the normal seasonal vaccine Their efforts are under way at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) in Hertfordshire. The NIBSC is one of a small group of influenza centres around the world which will create a seed vaccine strain which could then be grown in bulk by manufacturers. Its scientists need a steady hand to drill a hole in a hen's egg. For that is the first step in the creation of a vaccine against the swine flu virus. Scientists at NIBSC, which is part of the Health Protection Agency, say eggs are ideal for growing up flu viruses. "They are like virus production factories," its principal scientist Dr John Wood explained. "Eggs have been used for decades to make flu vaccines. It's an old techno

CBSE EXAM RESULTS 2009

Class X Exam Results 2009 - Announced on 26th May For more details visit http://cbseresults.nic.in/

SSC EXAM RESULTS 2009

SSC Results | 10th Class Results you can check your Results at http://www.results.manabadi.co.in/ http://results.bharatstudent.com/ssc-10th-results-2009.php http://results.andhraeducation.net/

Astronauts Declare Hubble Mission a NASA Victory

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The STS-125 crew in Atlantis' flight deck during a ship-to-ship call to the International Space Station's Expedition 19 crew, 20 May 2009 U.S. astronauts are declaring their daring repair of the Hubble Space Telescope a success. The crew says the mission proves the importance of man's continued presence in space. The astronauts aboard the shuttle Atlantis were all smiling Wednesday as they held their first news conference from space since equipping the Hubble telescope with a new camera and other enhancements this week. They had a reason for smiling. They successfully made unprecedented repairs to a telescope the size of a school bus while orbiting 560 kilometers above Earth. Astronaut John Grunsfeld says the complexity of the Hubble mission demonstrated the importance of having humans, not just machines, in space. "We showed that you can push that technology even further," said John Grunsfeld. "That people can creatively solve problems in real time, as was

Researchers Develop Novel HIV Vaccine

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HIV is a constantly moving mutating virus U.S. researchers have developed an experimental vaccine against the virus that causes AIDS using a novel technique that leapfrogs the body's natural immune system. The new vaccine, successfully tested in monkeys, is still years away from human use. But it offers new hope of preventing the spread of a disease that has already killed 20 million people and infected 33 million more around the world. Dr. Philip Johnson and a team of researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine decided to pursue their novel approach because, Johnson says, all previous efforts to get the body's natural immune system to fight off an HIV infection have failed. "I think that the time has passed and people have seen that the traditional methodologies, the traditional approaches, have not worked. And there's no evidence that they will work in the short term," Dr. Johnson said. Instead,

Obama To Speak Thursday On Guantanamo, US Security

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President Barack Obama will speak Thursday about his efforts to close the U.S. military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where some terror suspects are held. U.S. lawmakers voted Wednesday to deny Mr. Obama the money to close the prison. The Obama administration describes the address as a "major national security speech." White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says President Obama will discuss, among other things, the steps are needed to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. "He will go through some of the decisions that we have to make, regarding how to close down Guantanamo, something that Democrats and Republicans alike agree on." Pictures emerged in 2004, showing abuses of prisoners at Guantanamo," said Robert Gibbs. "Mr. Obama promised during his 2008 presidential campaign to close the prison. In his first days in office, he signed an order to do so, and appointed a task force to look into details. But the U.S. Senate voted 90 to six

Swine Flu Cases Surge Above 10,000

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Passengers wear masks as a precaution against the swine flu in the morning rush hour in Sannomiya, Kobe, western Japan, 20 May 2009 The World Health Organization says the number of global H1N1 swine flu cases has surged beyond 10,200 and the death toll has climbed to 80. WHO reports the vast majority of deaths, 72 of them, are reported in Mexico. But the greatest number of infections, nearly 5,500, are reported in the United States. On Wednesday, U.S. health officials in the midwestern state of Missouri reported a seventh death in the United States. Authorities say the 44-year-old patient was diagnosed with the swine flu after a trip to Mexico. Taiwan reported its first swine flu case on Wednesday. Health authorities say the 52-year-old Australian man arrived in Taipei on Monday, after working as a doctor on a cruise ship in the northeastern U.S. state of New York. The World Health Organization says the virus has spread to 40 countries, not including Taiwan. The confirmed cases span th

Geithner Says US Financial System 'Starting to Heal'

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U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Capitol Hill, 20 May 2009 U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the Obama administration is making progress in calming financial markets. Testifying before the Senate Banking committee, Geithner said a program to help banks and other financial institutions get rid of bad investments will start operating in about six weeks. Treasury Secretary Geithner told members of the Senate banking committee that economic recovery efforts are beginning to take effect. "Today I am pleased to report that there are encouraging signs that the financial system is starting to heal," said Timothy Geithner. "Concern about systemic risk has diminished, and overall credit conditions have started to improve." Geithner said government and private investors will work together to purchase bad loans from banks, so-called "toxic assets", so the banks can resume lending and get the economy going again. The treasury secretary faced some

Pentagon Confirms Iran Missile Test, Calls It 'Consistent' with Concerns

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U.S. Defense Secretary R obert Gates has confirmed that Iran has tested a medium range ballistic missile that can reach Israel, southeastern Europe and U.S. bases in the Middle East. A Pentagon spokesman says the test "is consistent" with U.S. concerns about Iran's effort to develop ballistic missiles and its nuclear program. Secretary Gates confirmed the Iranian test during an appearance before a House of Representatives committee. "The information that I have read indicates that it was a successful flight test," he said. "The missile will have a range of approximately 2,000 to 2,500 kilometers. Because of some of the problems they've had with their engines, we think, at least at this stage of the testing, it's probably closer to the lower end of that range. Whether it hit the target that it was intended for, I have not seen any information on that." Earlier Wednesday, Pentagon Spokesman Bryan Whitman said the Iranian missile test tends to add

Prabhakaran’s final hours

Prabhakaran’s death is established primarily through circumstantial evidence. The remains of an individual with very similar physical structure to Prabhakaran has been discovered and tests are being performed to establish his identity beyond reasonable doubt. The Army needs no testing to establish the LTTE leader’s death. Certain sections of the media have misreported the circumstances surrounding Prabha’s death. We wish to correct these records with the following account in chronological order with certain sections left-out for obvious reasons. Only 3 LTTE leaders, other than Prabhakaran and his wife, knew of his whereabouts. Other than his son Charles Anthony, the only other LTTE leaders who knew where he was was Poddu Ammaan, the Intelligence Chief and the head of the LTTE’s Medical Unit, Reagan. The latter was taken in and detained for days until Military Intelligence got hold of him. Until then Regan had pretended he did not know Prabhakaran’s whereabouts. Thanks to Reagan’s inf

US welcomes Sri Lanka end of The quarter-century war

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Washington, 19 May, (Asiantribune.com): The quarter-century civil war in Sri Lanka has come to a dramatic end when the army wiped out the entire leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, including the leader who founded the rebel group. It is an ending all but unimaginable just a few years ago when the rebels ran a virtual Tamil state, controlling much of the north and east under their control. It took a little time for the international community to respond to the event, partially because of the weekend. The US Department of State early Monday welcomed the fact that the fighting has ended. “We are relieved that the immense loss of life and killing of innocent civilians appears to be over,” The department spokesperson Ian Kelly said, adding that this is an opportunity for Sri Lanka to turn the page on its past, and build a Sri Lanka rooted in democracy, tolerance and respect for human rights. Earlier, the European Union called for an independent investigation to determine

India to airlift another Rs. 3 crore medical aid to war ravaged Sri Lanka

New Delhi, 19 May (asiantribune.com): India will provide another Rs. 30 million worth medical aid to Sri Lanka, the foreign office announced on Monday even as a local TV channel, CNN-IBN reported that external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee spoke to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for a confirmation on Velupillai Prabhakaran’s end. An Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft carrying about 25 tons of medicines will leave Delhi for Colombo on Friday, May 22, the official statement said. This will be disbursed to the sick and wounded Internally Displaced People (IDP) in northern Sri Lanka. The Indian Armed Forces have set up a fully equipped 50-bedded hospital close to an IDP Camp at Pulmodai, a town on Sri Lanka’s northeast coast. ’The 60-member medical team comprising specialists, surgeons and pediatricians have treated over 3,000 people, mainly war wounded, trauma and fractures, in the past two months since the hospital came up. The Sri Lankan government has lauded the humanitarian work done

Has LTTE leader Prabhakaran embraced death?

Speculation is rife among knowledgeable circles in Colombo that Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is no more among the living. It is widely believed that the 54 year old tiger supremo who was born on November 26th 1954 has committed suicide along with more than 300 of his deputies and senior cadres in the Mullivaaikkaal area of Karaithuraipatru AGA division in Mullaitheevu district. [Velupillai Prabhakaran] Though the Defence ministry website says that the tiger leader trapped with his deputies is planning to commit mass suicide there are reports that the “Thalaivar” (leader) and “poraligal” (fighters) have already committed “Veeramaranam” (heroic death). Unconfirmed reports say that the injured LTTE leader and several of his senior deputies had embraced death voluntarily in keeping with the LTTE practice of suicide. There were also conflicting reports that the LTTE had triggered off a huge explosion in which their bodies were destroyed after ta

Prabakaran & 26 LTTE Leaders bodies recovered

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Prabakaran had not worn cyanide capsule; 475 bodies recovered with 26 leaders Are the two female bodies Prabakaran’s wife and daughter? Karuna Amman who was PrabhakaranPrabhakaranformerly second in Command of the LTTE and former LTTE spokesman Daya Master have helped the Army to identify the bodies of Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and other top leaders, Defence sources said today (20). The two were taken under heavy security to Vellamullivaikkal in Mullaitivu around 3.50 pm yesterday by 57 Division commander Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias, 53 Division commander Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunaratne and 58 Division Commander Brig. Shavendra Silva. The bodies of 30 Tiger leaders, including those of intelligence leader Pottu Amman and Sea Tiger leader Soosai have already been identified. Today was a day of closure in the LTTE’s violent saga. However, some interesting developments can be expected within the next day or two from the Eastern Province as Ram and Umaram and their teams are traced down

Japan''s swine flu cases hit 173

TOKYO, May 19 (KUNA) -- Confirmed swine flu cases in Japan reached 173 on Tuesday after 10 more people have tested positive for the H1N1 virus, while more than 4,000 schools in affected areas shut down or consider closing this week, the health ministry and local authorities said. Most of domestic infections were found among teenagers in Osaka and neighboring Hyogo prefectures, western Japan, who have no record of recent overseas travel. Meanwhile, Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Yoichi Masuzoe told reporters that the government will gradually scale down quarantine inspections aboard airplanes to detect patients, while intensify measures to handle domestic infection cases, which may be starting to spread on a full scale. Tha nation's first confirmed cases of swine flu were found earlier this month through health inspections at Tokyo's Narita International Airport among a group of Japanese students and teachers, who arrived May 8 on a flight from the US af

Japanese Health Ministry confirms 130 swine flu cases

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TOKYO, May 18 (RIA Novosti) - Japan's Health Ministry announced on Monday that a total of 130 people in the country have been infected with the A/H1N1 influenza virus, commonly known as swine flu. Most of the infections were reported at schools in western Japan's prefectures of Hyogo and Osaka. Local authorities in Osaka have ordered schools and kindergartens to be closed until May 24. "There are difficult cases at the advanced stage of the disease. However, if treatment comes at an early stage there is a complete recovery. I ask people to respond calmly," Prime Minister Taro Aso said. Mexico, where 2,895 human cases have been confirmed, including 66 deaths, handed over on Monday the strain of the swine flu virus to the World Health Organization for laboratory tests. The organization said on Sunday the global caseload of human swine flu cases had reached 8,480 in 39 countries.

Sensex creates history, vaults 2111 points

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The Bombay Stock Exchange (left) gave a thumbs up to election results with the 30-share benchmark Sensex zooming by 2111 points on Monday for the first time in history within minutes of opening. The authorities halted trading for the day after the index hit the permitted upper circuit. Picture at right shows onlookers watching the movement of the index with all smiles. MUMBAI: It was a day of surprises for the stock markets on Monday as it gave a thumbs-up to the victory of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in the general elections with a gain of 2110.79 points. The Dalal Street lost fear for the first time since the global recession hit markets with the fall of U.S.-based investment banker Lehman Brothers in August 2008. United Progressive Alliance’s near majority in parliamentary elections helped the market create history and hit the upper circuit twice in a day. The Sensex, at the opening bell, surged 1306 points to 13479 and Nifty was 532 points up at 4203 and hit the first c

New York principal's death linked to flu virus, hospital says

NEW YORK (CNN) -- An New York middle school assistant principal who was hospitalized with the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, died Sunday apparently from flu complications, a hospital spokesman said. Mitchell Weiner, 55, assistant principal at Intermediate School 238 in Queens, died at 6:17 p.m. Sunday, Flushing Hospital spokesman Andrew Rubin said. "We believe he had complications of the swine flu," Rubin told CNN Radio, adding that once Weiner was admitted to the hospital, he was listed in critical condition. However, he wouldn't say whether Rubin had any pre-existing medical conditions. "It is with great sadness tonight that we learn that New York has lost one of its residents to an illness related to H1N1," New York Gov. David Paterson said. Last week, when city and state officials announced that four students were infected and a school official in Queens was "critically ill" with the virus, Mayor Michael Bloomberg did not name the offici

Snapshots of Russia by train

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Matthew Chance undergoes cosmonaut training at Star City. (CNN) -- In a special report for CNN's Eye on Russia week, Moscow Correspondent Matthew Chance travels across the vast country from the northern port of Murmansk in the Arctic to the southern city of Sochi on the Black Sea. Here Chance recalls some highlights from his epic journey. Arctic Ambitions MURMANSK -- What an incredible, surprising place to begin a journey. At latitudes where most other Arctic states maintain little more than a few isolated scientific outposts, Russia has an entire city of 300,000. In fact, Murmansk is one of the friendlier, more pleasant cities I have ever visited in this country. The northern air is rich to breathe; the strange Arctic light lends a magical glow to the landscape. And there's a cafe culture! We sipped cappuccinos in the Arctic Circle and made friends with locals who seemed genuinely pleased to be living in their frigid metropolis. You might think Murmansk is just a freez

Obama calls for 'common ground' on abortion at Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Indiana (CNN) -- President Obama delved into the abortion debate in a controversial Notre Dame commencement address Sunday, calling for a search for common ground on one of the most divisive issues in American politics. Addressing a sharply divided audience at the storied Catholic university, Obama conceded that no matter how much Americans "may want to fudge it ... at some level the views of the two camps are irreconcilable." "Each side will continue to make its case to the public with passion and conviction," he said. "But surely we can do so without reducing those with differing views to caricature." The commencement ceremony was boycotted by a number of graduates dismayed by the university's decision both to tap Obama as its commencement speaker and to give him an honorary degree. The president is a supporter of abortion rights and federally-funded embryonic stem-cell research -- positions that are anathema to traditional Catholic te

H1N1 flu virus alert in Adilabad

ADILABAD: A influenza A (H1N1) alert has been sounded in Adilabad district on Sunday with the Director, Health, wanting a medical team to be kept ready at district level for screening of passengers who arrive in the district from other countries. Collector Ahmad Nadeem was apprised of the development by the DMHO who told The Hindu that no case has been reported in the district. –Staff Reporter

Obama to visit Ghana in July

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President Obama will travel to Ghana for two days after the G8 Summit in July. WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama will rack up plenty of frequent flyer miles this summer with planned trips in Africa, Russia and Italy. Obama, along with his wife, Michelle, will visit Accra, Ghana, on July 10 and July 11, the White House said Saturday. It will follow Obama's trip to the G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, from July 8 to July 10. Obama will address various bilateral and regional issues with Ghanaian President John Atta Mills, the White House said in a news statement. "The President and Mrs. Obama look forward to strengthening the U.S. relationship with one of our most trusted partners in sub-Saharan Africa, and to highlighting the critical role that sound governance and civil society play in promoting lasting development," according to the statement. Obama announced a week ago that he will visit Egypt on June 4 to deliver a speech on America's relationship with the Musli

Obama faces Notre Dame speech backlash

(CNN) -- University of Notre Dame senior Emily Toates, like many in the Catholic faith, is angry over her school's decision to give President Obama an honorary degree at this weekend's commencement. She's doing something about it: skipping the event. "I do not feel comfortable going and celebrating him as the university hands him an honorary degree -- in a sense honoring his policies," Toates said. On Sunday, Obama will become one of many sitting U.S. presidents to deliver the commencement address at the Catholic institution. The honor comes much to the chagrin of anti-abortion groups and Catholics protesting the president's pro-choice, pro-stem cell research views. ND Response, an anti-abortion student group that Toates is working with, will boycott the graduation ceremony in protest. Other anti-abortion groups have started petitions against Obama's appearance and have plans to protest his visit to the South Bend, Indiana, campus. "It's not a p