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Sunday 8 January 2012

अन्ना टीम' नहीं, 'मतलबी टीम': ठाकरे


Balasaheb Thakre
शिव सेना प्रमुख बाल ठाकरे ने समाजसेवी अन्ना हजारे के सहयोगियों किरन बेदी, अरविंद केजरीवाल और मनीष सिसोदिया की आलोचना करते हुए इन्हें 'निर्थक एवं मतलबी लोगों के समूह' की संज्ञा दी।

ठाकरे ने कहा, ''वे मामूली कारणों से भूख हड़ताल पर चले जाते हैं। किसी की मांग करते हैं और उसे पूरा करने के लिए मजबूर करते हैं। यह 'राजनीतिक बलात्कार' के अलावा और कुछ नहीं। इस देश में यह क्या हो रहा है।''
शिव सेना प्रमुख ने अन्ना पर हमला बोलते हुए उनके बहुप्रचारित लोकपाल विधेयक के विषय में जानना चाहा। ठाकरे ने पूछा कि क्या इस देश को लोकपाल विधेयक की जरूरत है। अन्ना के सहयोगियों पर ठाकरे ने कहा कि वे सरकार के साथ धोखा कर रहे हैं और शांति भूषण प्रकरण से यह सिद्ध भी हो गया।
शिव सेना प्रमुख ने इन आंदोलनों का कारण केंद्र सरकार के मंत्रियों की शिथिलता को बताया। उन्होंने कहा, ''यह सब इसलिए हो रहा है क्योंकि केंद्र सरकार पंगु एवं कमजोर है। कौन हैं चिदम्बरम एवं एंटनी? क्या वे ऐसे उंचे पद के योग्य हैं।''
ठाकरे ने कहा कि इन दिनों भूख हड़ताल पर बैठना कुछ लोगों के लिए फैशन हो गया। यह साक्षात्कार 23 जनवरी को ठाकरे के 86वें जन्म दिन के मद्देनजर लिया गया है।

Warren Buffett to sing online in China

Billionaire Warren Buffett is giving China the old song and dance routine. Literally.
He’s recorded a video for this year’s Spring Festival gala which will be aired online for the Chinese New Year, according to a report from state news agency Xinhua.
Wang Pingjiu, a production executive from China Network Television says Buffett sings and plays the guitar in the video, but did not disclose what song is involved.
“We all know that Buffett is good at investment, but few knew he also did well in singing," Wang was quoted as saying.

In addition to his investing prowess, Buffett’s long been known for his passion for the ukulele – you can watch his 2007 performance at the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholder’s meeting here. He also showed off his musical talents inthis 2010 ad for his insurance company Geico, where he impersonated Guns N’ Roses start Axl Rose (pictured above).
The online gala is targeted at younger viewers, and will include Chinese celebrity Jackie Chan along with a number of viral videos and short films. CCTV says last year’s version got 12 million views.
Buffett’s reach will be much larger if his video makes the television version of the Spring Festival Gala. The program, a Chinese cultural staple, is one of the world’s most watched television shows. The past few years around 400 million viewers have tuned in, nearly one in three people in China. Competition for sponsorship is intense, with companies paying up to $30 million for the best time slots.

Ankita Lokhande - Biography




Actress ANKITA LOKHANDE

  • Ankita Lokhande ( Marathiअंकिता लोखंडे ) born Tanuja Lokhande in IndoreIndia is an Indian television actor best known for playing the role of Archana in Pavitra Rishta. She was born on 19 December 1984 in Indore. She was a part of Zee cine stars ki khoj and also earned many accolades from directors such as Mahesh Manjrekar, Satish Kaushik. She was supposedly to begin her TV career with "baali umar ko salaam" with Jai Soni, but that serial got dropped due to some reason. She,then, began her television career by playing the lead role in Ekta Kapoor's Pavitra Rishta on Zee TV opposite Sushant Singh Rajput now Hiten Tejwani. She then participated in the fourth season of the dancing show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, with choreographer Nishant Bhatt.



She has participated in Comedy Circus on Sony tv and comedy ka daily soap. Currently she is playing the role of Archana in Ekta Kapoor's Pavitra Rishta on Zee TV.

Join Nubleaks and Share Your Imformation About above Personality.

Anna may be discharged from hospital today

Social Activist Anna Hazare
Pune: Social activist Anna Hazare is expected to be discharged from a hospital here on Sunday after eight days of treatment, an aide said. 
Hazare, 74, who is suffering from a chest infection, was rushed to the Sancheti Hospital here December 31. His condition has now improved and stabilised, but he has been advised complete rest for at least a month.
In the past couple of days, Hazare was seen cycling on an exercycle in the hospital and appeared fit and healthy. 
However, a few medical test reports are awaited by Saturday evening after which the doctors will take a final decision to discharge him, the aide said.
In view of health concerns, Hazare has also decided against campaigning in the forthcoming assembly elections in five states. He is expected to leave for his Ralegan Siddhi village and take rest there, the aide said. 

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Saturday 7 January 2012

Pavitra Rishta Cast


Archana (Manav) Deshmukh (Ankita Lokhande) is the main character of Pavitra Rishta. She is not well-educated, and this acts as a barrier to her marriage. She handles all the chores of her house and makes her mother comfortable. She gets married to Manav but, owing to unfavourable circumstances, they are divorced. She leaves for Bangalore and comes back after one year, having completing her education. She has now remarried Manav, whom she loves.
Manav Deshmukh (Sushant Singh Rajput / Hiten Tejwani) is the leading male character. He works as a mechanic in a garage to earn a living for his family. He, too, is not well-educated. He has no dreams of his own. He works hard to support his family financially.
Savita (Damodar) Deshmukh (Usha Nadkarni) is Manav's mother. SShe initially hated Archana and desperately wanted Manav to divorce her and marry Shravani, but later she started loving Archana like her own daughter. Now that Manav has re-married Archana, she hates Archana again and drives them out of the house. She has gotten more selfish, as shown when she takes baby Sachin away from Shravani. Her greed for wealth makes her appear bad, but she loves her family wholeheartedly.
Damodar Deshmukh (Ajay Wadavkar) is Manav's father. He quarrels with Savita all the time. He is happy now that Archana and Manav have reunited.
Sulochana (Manhohar) Karanjkar (Savita Prabhune) is Archana's mother who loves and cares for her and her other two daughters.
Manohar Karanjkar (Kishor Govind Mahabole) is father of Archana. He loves his daughters and can go to any limit to protect their happiness. He undoubtedly is an ideal dad.
Varsha (Satish) Deshpande (Priya Marathe) is sister of Archana. She is married to Satish. She is a career woman who took time off work for two years after her marriage and is now adamant on returning. She doesn't want to have a baby, much to her mother-in-law's dismay. However, after receiving an interview call, she discovers she is pregnant. Later she has an abortion without consulting anyone, which creates problems with her in-laws, but Satish forgives her. Varsha has had medical problems after her abortion and her doctor has told Satish that she can never be pregnant again. Varsha is shattered after overhearing this in a conversation between Vaishali and Archana. She later abducts Archana's son Soham and is presumed dead when she falls into a river.
Satish Deshpande (Anurag Sharma) loves Varsha and married her. He tries to help everyone in his family who has problems. He still supports Varsha after finding out about her affair with his brother-in-law, Ashwin. After Ashwin told a lie about Varsha, Varsha's whole family went against her. Only Satish defended her, thinking she is innocent. Satish then meets one of Varsha's former friends and accomplice of Ashwin, Rashmi, and gathered evidence against his brother-in-law. He then shows the evidence to his older sister Urmilla (Ashwin's wife), and she severs ties with Ashwin. He was originally supposed to marry Varsha's older sister, Archana. He is one of the few characters who supports and understands Manav.
Vinod Karanjkar (Parag Tyagi) is Archana's brother. He is married to Manjusha. He earns very low in his house. He has two daughters. Because Manjusha's can't seem to fit in a joint family, he shifted out in a separate flat. He has returned back to his parents' home. He is often influenced by his wife and participates in humiliating Manav. Archana severs ties with him after knowing that Manjusha accused Manav of stealing money. He is naive and stupid and always supports Manjusha not knowing her hidden motives.
Manjusha (Vinod) Karanjkar (Swati Anand) is Vinod's wife. She has a very negative approach towards her mother-in-law and Vinod’s sisters. She always gets into fights with Sulochana because of her blind trust in her mother and brother. She often makes devious plans to hurt Vinod's family and has been exposed many times. Her in-laws always forgive her and hope that she will improve. She particularly despises Manav and Archana. Manjusha is a greedy woman and ultimately wants her in-laws' assets to herself alone. She tried to frame Manav for stealing 100,000 rupees from Vinod. Later she is exposed by Archana and told to leave the house. She comes back, but everyone is still mad at her.
Vaishali (Dharmesh) Jaipurwala (Prarthana Behere / Madhumita Das) is the youngest sister of Archana. She always supports Archana and her mother just like Varsha. She is now married to Dharmesh Jaipurwala, Satish's former business partner. Vaishali finds out of Dharmesh's secret marriage and is shattered.
Dharmesh Jaipurwala (Sumit Arora) is the husband of Archana's youngest sister, Vaishaili. He is Satish's business partner. He fell in love with Vaishaili and proposed in front of her parents. He is very strict in his business principles and refuses to let his relationships or feelings get in the way. He wants his sister-in-law Archana to forget Manav and move on with her life and suggests her marriage to Jaywant. He wears glasses, is shorter and small in size ,has a paunch and is kind of a jerk. He also has another secret relationship (second wife and child) out of this marriage, who live in Pune. He can fall to any level to protect his skin.
Madhuri (Dharmesh) Jaipurwala (Divjot Sabarwal) is Dharmesh's first wife. They were married secretly long before Dharmesh got married to Vaishali. Dharmesh's parents as well as Vaishali and her family are oblivious of this prior relationship. Madhuri is aware of Dharmesh's second marriage and life in Mumbai. Madhuri lives in Pune with her son Varun. She is a simple woman, who has accepted this way of life, that she has to live alone despite having a husband. She only wants her ill child to become healthy, after which she intends to walk out of Dharmesh's life forever.
Rasika Lokhande (Smita Oak) is Manjusha's and Ajit's mother. Hates everyone apart from her children. She is a very vengeful person and wants to ruin the lives of Achana, Manav and their families. In one episode, Savita yelled at her for burning Vandita's hand.
Ajit Lokhande (Pankaj Vishnu) was an evil soul. He was the main reason for Manav and Archana's divorce. Later he molested Vandita and tricked her into marrying him, thus getting closer to Manav and Archana's famiy and ruining them for personal reasons. That was a year ago. Now he has transformed into a good being and is very supportive of Manav. He and Vandita try to help Manav to get back with Archana.
Vandita (Ajit) Lokhande (Yamini Thakur) is Manav's sister. Ajit molests her and then in public tells everyone that he raped her. She marries him because he and his mother blackmailed her into it. Ajit even beats her at times. But as time passes his attitude changes. Ajit now respects his wife and tries to be nice with her. Vandita has been instrumental in managing their family when they suffered hard times. Ajit is now supportive of Vandita and makes her complete her studies.
DK Korludsker (Naved Aslam) is Manav's boss and very close to Manav .
Ashna (DK) Korludsker (Manasi Salvi) is DK's wife and Manav's Boss and very close to Manav and Archana .
Sachin Sachin Deshmukh (Puru Chibber) is Sachin and Shravani's son. He has now been adopted by Manav and Archana .
Soham Manav Deshmukh is Manav and Archana's son.
Tejswani Manav Deshmukh (Mrinalini Tyagi) is Manav and Archana's twin daughter.
Ovi Manav Deshmukh (Shruti Kanwar) is Manav and Archana's twin daughter.
Pooni Vinod Karanjkar (Jia Mustafa) is Vinod and Manjusha's daughter.
Ruchi Vinod Karanjkar (Meghna Kinare) is Vinod and Manjusha's second daughter.
Varun Dharmesh Jaipurwala is Dharmesh and Madhuri's son.
Aniket Dharmesh Jaipurwala (Nivin Ramani) is Dharmesh and Vaishali's son.
Munni Lokhande is Vandita and Ajit's daughter.
Arjun DK Korludsker (Rithvik Dhanjani) is DK and Ashna's son.
Purvi (Asha Negi) is Archana's Adopted daughter.
Ashwin Sagar (Amit Sareen) is Varsha's old boss and ex-beau who blackmails her and sinfully loves her even though both are married.
Shravani Mahadik (Pooja Pihal) loved Sachin. After his death she learns that she's pregnant. On Savita's suggestion, she decides to marry Manav after his divorce. She falls in love with Manav and wholeheartedly tries to separate him from Archana. Because of the death of Manav's uncle on their scheduled wedding day, Manv and Shravani don't get married. After realizing that Manav will never be happy without Archana, she breaks off the marriage and sacrifices her love. She has a son named Sachin who is taken away from her by Savita. She has now moved to the US.
Jaywant Rane (Mahesh Shetty) is a villain. He gets engaged to Archana after her divorce.. He plans to marry Archana only to further his own interests and intends to kick her out of his house after one year. But Satish finds out the truth by accident and tells Archana to marry Manav instead. Archana flees to marry Manav. Jaywant is very insulted by this incident and wants to separate Manav and Archana. He is copiously making plans with Manjusha to help him.

Wednesday 4 January 2012

Al-Qaida, Taliban seek Pakistani militants' help


Prominent al-Qaida and Afghan Taliban fighters asked Pakistani militants in a pair of rare meetings to set aside their differences and step up support for the battle against U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan, militant commanders said Monday.
The meetings were held in Pakistan's tribal region in November and December at the request of the Afghan Taliban's leadership council. They could indicate the militants are struggling in Afghanistan, or conversely, that they want to make sure they hit U.S. forces hard as the Americans accelerate their withdrawal this year. That could give the Taliban additional leverage in any peace negotiations.

Pakistani militants have long been split over where they should focus their fighting. The Pakistani Taliban have concentrated on toppling their own government, although they have sent some fighters to Afghanistan. Other Pakistani groups based in the tribal region have almost exclusively directed their attacks against foreign forces in Afghanistan."For God's sake, forget all your differences and give us fighters to boost the battle against America in Afghanistan," senior al-Qaida commander Abu Yahya al-Libi told Pakistani fighters at a meeting on Dec. 11, according to a militant who attended.

The group has fractured into more than 100 smaller factions, a process that some analysts have suggested would take a toll on militants fighting in Afghanistan by making it increasingly difficult for them to find recruits, as well as restricting territory in Pakistan available to them.The Pakistani Taliban, an umbrella organization set up in 2007 to represent roughly 40 insurgent groups, has also been split by infighting over turf and leadership positions after commanders were killed by the Pakistani military and U.S. drone strikes.
Other prominent Pakistani militant leaders who attended included Mehsud's deputy, Waliur Rehman, and two commanders who have focused on fighting in Afghanistan, Maulvi Nazir and Gul Bahadur, Ehsan said. Also there was Sirajuddin Haqqani, an Afghan militant based in North Waziristan who leads one of the most feared groups fighting in Afghanistan.Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud attended the two meetings on Nov. 27 in Wana, the main town in South Waziristan, and Dec. 11 in the Datta Khel area of North Waziristan, Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told The Associated Press.

The four Pakistani commanders and Haqqani agreed to form a council to resolve differences, said two Pakistani Taliban commanders who attended the meetings. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.The Afghan Taliban fighters at the meetings included Zabiullah Mujahid, a well-known spokesman, and Maulvi Sangin, who claims to have custody of U.S. Army Pvt. Bowe R. Bergdahl, captured in Afghanistan in 2009.
A pamphlet handed out in North Waziristan over the past two days announced the formation of the five-member committee, saying it was established in consultation with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the name given to the country by the Taliban. It called on Pakistani militants to coordinate with each other and "avoid unwarranted killings and kidnappings for ransom."
"If any holy warrior is found involved in an unjustified murder or crime, he will be answerable to the committee and could face Islamic punishment," said the pamphlet, a copy of which was obtained by the AP.
Al-Libi, the al-Qaida commander, asked the Pakistani militants to provide additional fighters to the Afghan Taliban in March, when the snow melts from the passes connecting Pakistan and Afghanistan and the spring fighting season begins.
Ehsan, the Pakistani Taliban spokesman, said the militants agreed, but that did not mean the group would end its fight against the Pakistani government. "We will continue our jihad against Pakistani security forces," Ehsan pledged.


Monday 2 January 2012

Obama signs bill to suspend $1.1 bn aid to Pak

WASHINGTON : US president Barack Obama has signed into law a massive $662-billiondefence spending bill that also seeks to suspend a big chunk of $1.1 billion military aid to Pakistan, despite his "serious reservations" about provisions regulating detention and prosecution of suspected terrorists. 

"I have signed this bill despite having serious reservations with certain provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation and prosecution of suspected terrorists ," Obama said in a statement after signing the bill in Hawaii, where the First Family is currently on the year-end vacation. 

The $662-billion defence authorization bill for the year 2012, among other things, seeks to suspend 60% of $1.1 billion military aid to Pakistan - under the category Pakistan Counter-insurgency Fund - till secretaries of state and defence report to the Congress that Islamabad is making progress in the war on terror, particularly progress in strategies to counter manufacturing IEDs. 

IEDs, which are mostly manufactured in Pakistan in its illicit factories, are one of the largest factors responsible for the death of American troops in Afghanistan. However , Obama in in his signing statement made no reference to this provision of the bill, which had drawn widespread condemnation in Pakistan and put another strain in US-Pakistan ties. 

The Obama administration has maintained that the bill under no circumstances results in suspension of US military aid to Pakistan; as being interpreted by the Pakistani media. 

Romney leading GOP president's race 

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who is leading among all Republican presidential aspirants ahead of the key Iowa Caucus next week, has stepped up his attack on president Barack Obama, saying he would be little more than "a footnote" in the US history because of his "poor" decision-making . 

The latest opinion poll by local DeS Moines Register said that Romney was leading among all the Republican presidential hopefuls. 

Sunday 1 January 2012

World rings in 2012 and bids adieu to a tough year

Americans celebrate the new year on Times Square

Fireworks glittered and boomed as revelers in Australia, Asia and the Middle East welcomed 2012 and others around the world looked forward to bidding adieu to a year marred by hurricanes, tsunamis and economic turmoil.
In Sydney, more than 1.5 million people watched the shimmering pyrotechnic display designed around the theme “Time to Dream” a nod to the eagerness many felt in moving forward after the rough year. Big crowds gathered Saturday under twinkling holiday lights on Paris’ Champs-Elysees boulevard to pop Champagne corks at midnight and New York’s Times Square was awash in optimistic sentiments as it prepared to welcome hordes of New Year’s Eve partiers.
The mood was a bit less bright in Europe, where leaders set the tone for a continent hammered by an unprecedented economic crisis that has put the euro’s existence in question, offering New Year’s messages that 2012 will bring more financial hardship but also opportunities.
Hannah Magauer, a 26-year-old German who was visiting London for New Year’s, tried to put a hopeful spin on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s warning that 2012 would be more difficult than 2011. “When you see all of Europe, everything seems to be falling apart and it’s a bit scary,” she said. “But, at the moment we are very positive we will survive it.”
World leaders evoked 2011’s events in their New Year’s messages. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who starts his second term on New Year’s Day, said he wants to help ensure and sustain the moves toward democracy that protesters sought in the Arab Spring.
Ms. Merkel said dealing with Europe’s debt crisis would bring its countries closer. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin wished well being and prosperity to all Russians “regardless of their political persuasion” after large-scale protests against him. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who polls suggest will be defeated by his Socialist challenger in spring elections, warned Europe’s crisis is not finished and “that 2012 will be the year full of risks, but also of possibilities.”
That ambivalence echoed at the Vatican, where a gold-robed Pope Benedict XVI marked the end of 2011 with prayers of thanks and said humanity awaits the new year with apprehension but also with hope for a better future.
In New York, the crowd cheered as workers lit the crystal-paneled ball that drops at midnight Saturday and put it through a test run, 400 feet (122 meters) above the street. The sphere, now decorated with 3,000 Waterford crystal triangles, has been dropping to mark the new year since 1907, long before television made it a U.S. tradition.
“2012 is going to be a better year. It has to be,” said Fred Franke, 53, who was visiting the city with his family even after losing his job in military logistics this month at a Honeywell International division in Jacksonville, Florida.
Authorities in Berlin expected a million revelers to gather around the city’s landmark Brandenburg Gate for a massive party complete with live performances from the Scorpions and other bands, as well as a 10-minute long firework display.
In Greece, where the government has imposed especially harsh austerity measures, Prime Minister Lucas Papademos could promise no reprieve. “A very difficult year is coming- we must continue our effort decisively. So that our sacrifices will not have been in vain,” he said.
In light of the warning, Nicholas Adamopoulos, who works as a manager at a pharmaceuticals company, couldn’t muster a sunny outlook for the new year. “You want optimistic people, you go to Brazil,” he said.
Thousands of people marched through Edinburgh, some carrying torches or wearing period costumes, on Friday night in preparation for the Hogmanay street party, where around 80,000 partygoers were welcoming 2012 with a mass rendition of Auld Lang Syne.
In London, some 250,000 people are expected to gather to listen to Big Ben strike twelve at midnight during London’s scaled-back New Year’s celebrations. Fireworks are set off from the London Eye, the giant wheel on the south bank of the river.
Revelers in Spain will greet 2012 by eating 12 grapes in time with Madrid’s central Puerta del Sol clock, a national tradition observed by millions who stop parties to follow the chimes on television.
Tens of thousands of young people in the Spanish capital were expected to gather at six indoor “macro-parties” the city council had authorised in big venues such as the city’s main sports hall.
Milena Quiroga was to be among the many there happy to move on. “I am glad to see 2011 go because it was a tough year; my restaurant laid off almost half the staff,” said the 25-year-old waitress.
The mood was festive in the South Pacific island nation of Samoa, where, for once, revelers were the first in the world to welcome the new year, rather than the last.
Samoa and neighboring Tokelau hopped across the international date line at midnight on Thursday, skipping Friday and moving instantly to Saturday. The time-jump revelry that began at 12-01 a.m. on December 31 spilled into the night.
Samoa and Tokelau lie near the date line that zigzags vertically through the Pacific Ocean, and both sets of islands decided to realign themselves this year from the Americas side of the line to the Asia side, to be more in tune with key trading partners.
For Japan, 2011 was the year the nation was struck by a giant tsunami and earthquake that left an entire coastline destroyed, nearly 20,000 people dead or missing and the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in meltdown.
“For me, the biggest thing that defined this year was the disaster in March,” said Miku Sano, 28, a nursing student in Fukushima city. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to say to these people, who had to fight sickness while living in fear about ever being able to go back home. The radiation levels in the city of Fukushima, where I live, are definitely not low, and we don’t know how that is going to affect our health in the future.”
In Hong Kong, Raymond Lo, a master of feng shui the Chinese art of arranging objects and choosing dates to improve luck offered hope that things might get better. He said he wasn’t surprised that 2011 was such a tumultuous year because it was associated with the natural elements of metal and wood. The year’s natural disasters were foreshadowed, Lo said, because wood which represents trees and nature was attacked by metal.
2012 could be better because it’s associated with ocean water, which represents energy and drive and the washing away of old habits, Mr. Lo said.
“Big water also means charity, generosity,” Mr. Lo said. “Therefore that means sharing. That means maybe the big tycoons will share some of their wealth.”

Tickets being denied on secret survey basis: BSP


LUCKNOW : The ruling BSP on Saturday disclosed that the tickets of several ministers and number of sitting MLAs have been cancelled for the upcoming assembly elections on the basis of a 'secrete survey' carried out in the constituencies for feedback on the performance of ministers and legislators. 

It was revealed in the meeting of party coordinators addressed by chief minister Mayawati in which she also discussed the poll strategy in detail and gave instructions on how to campaign in the assembly elections and inform people about the achievements of the state government. 

According to those present in the meeting, Mayawati also hinted that she may declare the list of BSP candidates for the elections within next seven days. Mayawati has denied ticket to as many as 70 sitting MLAs, including over a dozen ministers. The party had prepared a tentative list of candidates around six months back. 

However, adverse reports from many places about the candidates made Mayawati to review the list. She reportedly ordered to conduct a survey and on the basis on findings, she is replacing the candidates before declaring the final list. 

Sources said that coordinators informed Mayawati that her decision to sack ministers whose names have figured in criminal and corruption cases has gone down well among her voters. The BSP supremo directed coordinators to ensure that election campaign is carried out strictly as per the code of conduct laid by the Election Commission, so that the rival parties do not get any opportunity to create hurdles in filing of nominations. 

However, party MLAs, particularly those whose tickets have been reportedly cancelled, said that decision has been taken on the feedback of coordinators who, they claimed, are more powerful in BSP than ministers. 

They also disclosed that changes have been also made in view of changes in geography and demography of constituencies after delimitation. Over 15 MLAs have already defected to other parties after being denied ticket. 

Ministers whose tickets have been cancelled include Fateh Bahadur Singh, Sadal Prasad, Anees Ahmad, Akbar Hussain, Yashpal Singh, Rakeshdhar Tripathi, Rajpal Tyagi, Awdesh Kumar Verma, Hari Om, Badshah Singh, Daddan Mishra among others.

Pakistan, India to exchange nuclear data today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India will exchange lists of nuclear installations and facilities on Sunday, officials said on Saturday.

The annual exchange takes place on January 1 every year under an agreement signed in 1988, when the nuclear neighbours undertook not to attack each other’s nuclear facilities. Under the agreement, they are required to exchange lists of their installations on the first working day of each year. The sources said the lists would be exchanged despite weekly holiday on Sunday. 

India and Pakistan both conducted nuclear tests in 1998. The “Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack Against Nuclear Installations and Facilities” came into force in January 1991. The lists will be handed over to the officers of the Pakistani and Indian high commissions in Islamabad and New Delhi. The first exchange took place on Jan 1, 1992, and the 2012 exchange will be the 21st consecutive list exchange between the two countries.

Pakistan and India conducted tit for tat nuclear tests in 1998. Both countries are de-facto nuclear powers. India conducted its first nuclear test in 1974, followed by five more in 1998. Pakistan conducted its six nuclear tests in 1998. Neither India nor Pakistan is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). India considers the NPT discriminatory, while Pakistan has indicated that it won’t join the international agreement till its neighbour does so.

A peace process was launched in 2004, but that is now on hold following the Mumbai attacks, with New Delhi pressuring Islamabad to do more to punish those responsible for the carnage and to crack down on anti-India groups. On Tuesday, senior Pakistani and Indian officials concluded two-day talks on conventional and nuclear confidence-building measures (CBMs) in Islamabad. This was the first meeting of the Joint Working Group on nuclear and conventional CBMs in over four year, which was held in ‘cordial and constructive atmosphere’.

The two sides had agreed to recommend to their foreign secretaries to extend the validity of the Agreement on Reducing the Risk from Accidents Relating to Nuclear Weapons for another five years. The foreign secretaries of the two countries met in Islamabad in June 2011, where both sides agreed to reconvene the two expert groups that last met in New Delhi in October 2007. online