Team Anna members Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and Manish Sisodia and Shanti Bhushan were also taken into preventive custody by the Delhi police

Terming the detention as undemocratic and unconstitutional, Kiran bedi said Emergency has revisited the country."Team Anna members Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and Manish Sisodia and Shanti Bhushan were also taken into preventive custody by the Delhi police on Tuesday .

File photo

Hazare asked his supporters to fill up jails across the country and nationwide protests are on against the crackdown on team Anna .

Two other prominent activists Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi were also taken into preventing custody at Rajghat and around 500 supporters were with Anna at the time of his detention.

Chanting 'Bharat Mata ki jai' and 'Vande Matram,'supporters created hurdles in the way of the police which were trying to take him to a nearby police station.

Police is detaining supporters who are coimg at J P park and lot of supporters have been detained .
Kiran Bedi termed "Detention unconstitutional".While detaining Anna team members , Kiran Bedi asked police about the charges against them the police officers said that they are only following orders.

"This is exactly what happened during emergency. Emergency has revisited the country. This detention is unconstitutional and undemocratic," said Bedi.

Arvind Kejriwal said that "Protest will continue in jail as well" .

According to sources, senior police officials, including DCP (Crime) Ashok Chand, met with Hazare this morning at an east Delhi apartment where he was staying in a bid to convince him to not go ahead with his planned protest defying prohibitory orders at J P Park.

However, Hazare turn down the request following which he was detained. "We have detained him as he did not budge from his
position of defying prohibitory orders," police official said. Flaying the police move, Bedi said, "Emergency has revisited the country."

Anna in his addresses to the nation before his arrest asked his supporters not to stop the agitation. He urged the protesters to remain peaceful.

When our freedom is restricted, it is as good as being arrested," Kiran Bedi said as she courted arrest on Tuesday.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan said that "we will move court "

"I will approach the court today," he said. "There will be massive protests across the country including Delhi. The government will not be able to handle the storm now," said Bhushan.

Bhushan also said that if Government will send Anna team members to Maharashtra like they did with Baba Ramdev as he was sent to haridwar (Uttarakhand ) we will continue the fast from there .

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh slammed him for resorting to fast as a protest when Parliament was seized of the Lokpal bill, the Gandhian had said he will go to J P park despite Delhi police imposing prohibitory orders.

Anna had said on Monday "I come to understand that I will be refused permission.We will go there. If I am arrested, I will continue my hunger strike in jail. If I am released, I will go back to the venue and this circle will continue."

He said once he is arrested, people should fill up the jails in every village across the country. "Going to jail for the country is no crime...It is a decoration," he said. Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat had said that prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC has been imposed in some areas of Daryaganj and IP police stations, which include Jai Prakash Narain Park and Shaheed Park.

Hazare had also accused the Prime Minister of "speaking" the language of his ministerial colleague Kapil Sibal, saying the Lokpal bill was before Parliament which will take the call.

Click Full Post.............

The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan revived the pursuit of an ‘uninterruptible’ dialogue process on Wednesday

Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna, left, shakes hand with his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar before talks in New Delhi, India.

NEW DELHI: The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan revived the pursuit of an ‘uninterruptible’ dialogue process on Wednesday though both sides were aware of a nagging hurdle — their wavering trust.

“This is indeed a new era of bilateral cooperation between the two countries,” Pakistan’s Hina Rabbani Khar told India’s S.M. Krishna in a brief meeting with the media after their talks.

Ms Khar said she believed “that it is the desire and commitment of both the governments to make it an uninterrupted and uninterruptible process…There is no alternative to dialogue and to constructive engagement”.

Mr Krishna said he was satisfied at the progress in this round of the resumed dialogue.

“The outcomes have been as per our expectations. Above all, we have reaffirmed our commitment to resolve all outstanding issues through a comprehensive, serious and sustained dialogue,” Mr Krishna said.

“While being fully cognisant of the challenges that lie ahead, I can confidently say that our relations are on the right track. We have some distance to travel, but with an open mind and a constructive approach, which has been demonstrated in this round of dialogue, I am sure we can reach our desired destination of having a friendly and cooperative relationship between the two countries.”

Both countries had previously agreed to see their peace process as irreversible but hopes were belied after a spate of terror attacks. They had agreed to de-link the problem of terrorism with the continuation of their dialogue but again their leaders had to row back.

A joint statement said the two had agreed that terrorism posed a continuing threat to peace and security and reiterated their “firm and undiluted commitment” to fight and eliminate the scourge in all its forms and manifestations.

“We have also agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation on counter-terrorism to bring those responsible for terror crimes to justice,” Mr Krishna added.

He said on the Jammu and Kashmir issue, “we will continue discussions with a view to finding a peaceful solution by narrowing divergences and building convergences.

Meanwhile, for the welfare of the people on both sides of the LoC, we have announced additional measures on cross-LoC travel and trade”.

“The ministers affirmed the importance of carrying forward the dialogue process with a view to resolving peacefully all outstanding issues through constructive and result-oriented engagement, and to establish friendly, cooperative and good neighbourly relations between Pakistan and India,” the joint statement said.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speaks with Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar during a meeting at his residence in New Delhi

Click Full Post.............

Civic Census Results Book and additional tables are available online population has reached 1,090,936

This will be the third census in democratic South Africa and the exercise will continue until October 31. Apart from being a part of the 2010 round of African censuses whose aim it is to provide comprehensive data for improved planning and to aid developmental initiatives on the continent; the undertaking of a census informs government’s planning frameworks and advances the ethos of evidence based decision-making e.g. with respect to distribution and allocation of government funds at all tiers of government for delivery of basic services, measuring and monitoring the impact of government policies and programmes thus enabling prioritization of resources based on need e.g. location of a school or clinic.

Private sector organisations also use census data for business planning and market related purposes. It’s evident and beyond any shadow of doubt that the subsequent gains of such an exercise are vital and immense even to the ordinary man in the street; yet in other spheres of the society, the motive and process of such an exercise are often unknown, overlooked or worse still misrepresented and misunderstood resulting in people circumventing the exercise. I will address a few of such misconceptions here.

Everyone counts

Everyone inside of the country counts irrespective of legality of status. Census is conducted by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), a body of highly skilled and competent professionals who apart from retaining and processing all information collected; adhere to a code of conduct prohibitive of divulging personal details.

Census 2011 is neither meant to “flush out” those who failed to secure general work permits nor is it meant to note whether or not one is in the country legally. To be counted (or enumerated as we call it); one need not necessarily be a South African citizen or to possess a valid SA id document no, for as long as one is inside the country, they must be enumerated.

Census 2011 is not only for those in towns and suburbs but for all, including farmers and farm labourers, those in institutions, the homeless etc. So if for instance one is a domestic worker, the census is not just for the landlord and/or landlady and their family; hence the domestic worker must also actively ensure interaction with the enumerator.

If you live in a secluded place or high walled area, it is imperative that you make prior arrangements to be enumerated.

For your safety

Census enumerators (i.e. those who will be visiting your homes to count) will wear distinctive “Census 2011” regalia which will soon be advertised nationally and will carry identification cards which will display their names and contact (toll-free) numbers should you wish to crosscheck and of course, all this is meant for your safety and ensuring that no imposters deceive respondents.

The enumeration process is more than just a head count as the questionnaire will have different sections to be completed but should not however take too long.

Remember, enumerators will not be there to allocate resources such as a RDP houses / stands or asylum papers etc. Once a household has been enumerated, a sticker will be placed to mark that household as enumerated to avoid duplication, it’s not meant to identify any household as target for xenophobic or other ultra motives, no.

Allow for that sticker to remain once it has been pasted. Lastly, much as our conscience bears witness when we have done right, so should we all yearn to be counted and ensure so this October – Census 2011 is here, you count.
The 2011 Civic Census reports that Calgary’s population has reached 1,090,936, which is an increase of almost 20,000 people from the April of 2010 report.

The volume of population growth, with is 1.81%, is similar to what the city experienced in 2001 AND 2003. “Good, accurate data like that included in the Calgary Civic Census is the basis for smart decision-making about the future of our community,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “City management, my City Council colleagues, and I will use the information in this report to help guide us toward creating the better Calgary we all seek.”

One area of the city is continuing to lead the way in growth. Panorama Hills has seen an increase in the last year of almost 2,000 residents while four other communities saw more than 1,000 new people move into the area. The communities with growth over 1,000 people are Panorama Hills in the northwest, Auburn Bay, New Brighton, Cranston in the southeast and Skyview Ranch, located in the northeast quadrant of the city. Four communities grew by 100% or more in the last year. They are Mahogany, a southeast community, which saw a population bump by 205%, or 530 residents. Walden, also in the southeast grew by 183%, or 384 residents. Skyview Ranch, a new community in the northeast saw an increase in 154% or 1093 new residents and Sage Hill, a community in the northwest grew by 102%, or an increase of 718 residents. “After a pattern of population decline in many established neighbourhoods over many years, it’s a good sign that many of these communities have experienced recent population growth,” said Mayor Nenshi. “If we can maintain this trend through smart policies and investments, the result will be more sustainable, vibrant, and healthy communities that Calgarians want.”

As far as net migration, which is the difference between the number of people moving into Calgary and the number moving away, almost 10,000 more people moved to Calgary than moved away. This is a significant change in the city because in 2010, the city experienced a negative net migration which saw over 4,000 people move away from Calgary than to Calgary.

The next statistic concerns housing. The number of housing units, both existing and under construction, increased to 450,952 up from 445,455. This is an increase of almost 5,500 from April 2010. The number of vacant dwelling units in Calgary decreased in 2011. The overall vacancy rate in the city is 3.69%, down from 3.93% in April 2010. There are now 422,290 occupied dwellings. Of this number, 296,020 or just over 70% are owner-occupied. In 2010, the comparable percentage was 70.65%.

If you’re looking for a mate, the numbers add up better for single women in Calgary. The total number of men slightly exceeds the number of women in the city. There are about 4,000 more men in Calgary than women.

The Civic Census Results Book and additional tables are available online at www.calgary.ca/census.

Click Full Post.............

President Barack Obama's negotiations and warnings from Wall Street that a failure to promptly raise US borrowing authority would result in economic

US debt crisis: Americans pray for a resolution

Christians, Muslims and Jews have united in America to pray for the country's budget, and teach Republicans and Democrats a lesson in compromise.

President Barack Obama speaks in a rare prime-time address to the nation Photo: EPA

7:00AM BST 26 Jul 2011

So far, nothing else has worked, including President Barack Obama's negotiations and warnings from Wall Street that a failure to promptly raise US borrowing authority would result in economic Armageddon.

As the 435 members of the House of Representatives and 100 senators do battle inside the Capitol, outside some 100 believers are trying a different approach to convert debt limit doubters - a daily prayer vigil.

But it's not just any budget deal these activists want to settle for in return for raising US borrowing authority.

The vigils are a way of lobbying against any deal that slashes too much from programs that protect the underprivileged, like nutrition programs for the poor or health care for the poor and disabled.

"I hope that it's not only effective but a model for how Democrats and Republicans, who differ on many issues, can come together on a common issue to move the country forward," said Rabbi David Saperstein, executive director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.

Click Full Post.............

PM Danny Philip: “We will maintain our all-embracing policy on Fiji

PM Philip: “We will maintain our all-embracing policy on Fiji

PRIME Minister Danny Philip has been accused by Fijian political fugitive Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara of supporting what he described as an ‘unelected, illegal and corrupt’ Fiji regime.

According to the Pacific Scoop website, Ratu Mara had particularly harsh words for Prime Minister Philip, who he claimed has supported Bainimarama in resuming chairmanship of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).

“The Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands conveniently forgets that many Fijian soldiers gave their lives for that country during World War Two and now he is siding with an unelected illegal and corrupt regime,” Ratu Mara said.

“With the support of the Solomon Islands, [the regime] has resumed chairmanship of the MSG and its plan is to use it as a front against Australia and New Zealand.”

Ratu Mara accused Prime Minister Philip for playing an instrumental part in helping the Fiji interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, obtain the MSG chairmanship.

This followed the MSG traditionally ceremony hosted by the Solomon Islands in Honiara, December year.

The Solomon Star understands Prime Minister Philip has a lot of respect for Commodore Bainimarama and he doesn’t want anything to spoil the relationship between Fiji and the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

“We will maintain our all-embracing policy on Fiji, making sure that Fiji - the most important thing to Solomon Islands is to get Fiji back on track of the 2014 election, democratic elections in Fiji,” the country’s Prime Minister said recently.

Meanwhile, Ratu Mara is planning to visit the Solomon Islands as he plans to make a whirlwind tour to the US and around the Pacific over the next month to promote his “pro-democracy” cause.

However, it is still unclear whether he would be meeting the Prime Minister when he arrives in Honiara.

The former lieutenant-colonel and a key officer in the 2006 military coup accused by human rights activists of being responsible for torture in the regime – allegations he denies – expects to visit Samoa, Vanuatu, the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Ratu Mara’s number one mission is to garner support from other Pacific nations for his cause of bringing democracy back to Fiji.

Click Full Post.............

three-car crash last Thursday morning at a trail crossing on the George Washington Parkway once again highlights the need for the National Park

A three-car crash last Thursday morning at a trail crossing on the George Washington Parkway once again highlights the need for the National Park Service to take action on critical safety improvements.

A driver stopped for a cyclist crossing the parkway at a marked crosswalk, but when an approaching pickup truck did not slow down, the cyclist hesitated. It very well could have saved her life; the nasty rear-end crash resulted in two injuries. An eyewitness captured the aftermath on video:

Trail users and parkway drivers can both attest to the constant danger at these crossings.

Solutions to these problems exist that would make the George Washington Memorial Parkway safer for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers. But is the National Park Service interested in implementing them?

At least five unsignalized crossings are located near Memorial Bridge. Many of them cross two lanes, putting pedestrians in danger of a "double threat" when one lane of traffic has stopped but drivers in the other lane are unable to see the pedestrian in the crosswalk. Drivers hesitate to stop at all, as high speeds and heavy traffic on the parkway put them at risk of rear-end crashes like Thursday's.

Although the video suggests a tunnel, there is a simpler, less expensive solution that NPS can implement relatively quickly: HAWK signals, which Alexandria and the District have begun installing. HAWK signals are activated by the crosswalk user and installed at locations where a traditional stop light would not meet traffic engineering standards.

Research has shown that HAWK signals are not only more effective than other traffic signals at getting motorists to safely stop at the crosswalk, they reduce traffic delay compared to traditional signalized mid-block pedestrian signals.

Since being included in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices in 2009, HAWK signals have been installed across the nation. A news report from Providence, Rhode Island, explains how a HAWK signal works at one of that city's most dangerous crossings:

At crossings on the GW Parkway, HAWK signals could be implemented in combination with vehicle stop lines that are farther from the crosswalk. This would improve visibility for all users and reduce the likelihood of a "double threat" crash, resulting in a significant safety improvement for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists alike.

The recent Humpback Bridge construction resulted in significant improvements for Mount Vernon Trail users, and it shows NPS understands the trail is a significant reason to use the park. It's now time NPS made these critical safety changes a priority for all users of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Click Full Post.............