Author Archives: Gunjan Priya

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Shuttle Discovery Docks with Space Station for the Final Time

Shuttle Discovery Docks With Space Station for Final Time

Shuttle Discovery Docks With Space Station for Final Time

NASA reported that the space shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station successfully on Saturday. The docking was riddled with a series of problems and that has pushed the crew’s schedule.  The express logistic carrier now will be installed only on Sunday.

Hatches linking the shuttle to the station opened on Saturday at 4:16 pm and there was a welcome ceremony followed by a safety briefing. The shuttle Discovery is on a 11 day mission and will deliver a storage module, a rig and some spare parts to the six occupants of the space station.

The mission is headed by Steve Lindsey.

Interestingly the shuttle took off on Thursday afternoon from the Kennedy Space center, but not before the count down was forced to be stopped at five as there was a ‘computer problem’. The journey was not without problems. Four pieces of foam were noticed flying from the shuttle after it took off. NASA scientists didn’t foresee any problems from foams at that altitude. However, two astronauts aboard the shuttle have taken pictures of the thermal protection system for scanning for ruling out any damages.

The astronauts will move several items brought in the logistic career. A space walk is scheduled on Monday. During this, astronauts Alvin Drew and Steve Bowen will perform several operations including the installation of a power extension cable. The shuttle crew will attach a permanent module – Leonardo – to the space station.

The shuttle Discovery has so far carried crew members. It has circled the Earth 5,628 times spending 352 days in the orbit. It is sad that this will be its last mission.



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Novak Djokovic Crushes Roger Federer at the Dubai Tennis Championship

Novak Djokovic defeated Roger Federer

Novak Djokovic defeated Roger Federer

Novak Djokovic defeated Roger Federer to win the finals of the Dubai Tennis Championship title. The Serbian took a little over one hour to finish the match in straight sets 6-3, 6-3. This is Djokovic’s third victory at the tournament. The 23 year old world ranked two players denied Federer his fifth title here.

This defeat is the second one for Federer at the hands of Djokovic after the first loss taking place in the semis of the Australian Open. Federer is still ahead in their head to head matches with a tally of 13-8.

Djokovic knew that he was to be at the top of his game and give his best. He was very happy with his performance. He was very focused and served to his satisfaction.

Federer squandered a nice chance to win as he was leading 3-1 in the second set of the match, but then lost five games. Federer felt that he started bad in the match and it was finished fast before he could bounce back as it happens with many three setter matches.

He felt that he was never in the game actually. In such games even though you may get a lead but it never really works out.

Djokovic feels that he is a different player this year in comparison to last year. The serve was missing last year and this year it is there taking his game to a higher level. In contrast Federer made a number of unforced errors and lost the match.

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Cutting Back on Meat Reduces Chances of Getting Cancer

Cutting Back on Meat Reduces Chances of Getting Cancer

Cutting Back on Meat Reduces Chances of Getting Cancer

It is believed that being a vegetarian is more beneficial for health. However, those who are meat eaters should watch out how much meat they are consuming.  The Department of Health in England advises people to eat less than 70g of red or processed meat a day to reduce the risk of cancer.

Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK and every year 36,000 are diagnosed with bowel cancer. Out of them, 16,500 people die every year. Eating 100-120 grams of red and processed meat everyday increases the chances of bowel cancer by 20-30 percent.

This could be prevented if people restricted their red and processed meat consumption levels to 70g or less. This means you should not consume more meat than what is contained in three rashers of bacon or two sausages.

But critics have pointed out that iron deficiency is an issue which meat eaters could experience when they cut back on red meat. Iron deficiency could cause dizziness, anemia and result in behavioral problems. The new meat eating limit will not cause iron deficiency.

Prof. Sally Davies interim Chief Medical Officer of England favors the cutting back on meat. She is not against the consumption of an occasional steak, but recommends limiting daily consumption of red and processed meat.

Chief executive of Beating Bowel Cancer Mark Flannagan welcomed the report saying that people can eat red meat in moderation.

Dr Rachel Thompson, its deputy science head of the World Cancer Research Fund advises to keep processed meat to a bare minimum of the 70g limit. The Fund recommends on avoiding processed meat completely.

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Roger Federer Gets a Chance to Avenge Defeat against Djokovic

Roger Federer Gets a Chance to Avenge Defeat against Djokovic

Roger Federer Gets a Chance to Avenge Defeat against Djokovic

The turf is going to be the finals of the Dubai Tennis Championship, which both the players have entered on Friday. Djokovic defeated world number 7 Thomas Berdych on Friday. The Swiss world number 2 defeated Richard Gasquet of France to reach the finals.

Federer will be gunning for the fifth Dubai Tennis Championship title. He has won the tournament from 2003-2007. Djokovic, 23, will be aiming for his third straight title here.

Despite the victory over Berdych, Djokovic described the win as a “catastrophe”. According to him this was the worst game for him in 2011. But he was relieved that ultimately he won the game as that is what counts. Both the players were level at one set all and Berdych was trailing 3-4 when he had to pull out due to thing injury handing over victory to Djokovic.

Federer feels that it is not a rematch exactly as this is a final match and they met in the semi finals of the Australian Open. But the 28 year old Federer was all praise for his opponent. The fact that Djokovic hasn’t lost a single match this season and he has won the last two tournaments here, point to the fact that he is a strong contender. Federer hopes to stop Djokovic from winning the tournament for the third time and winning it for the fifth time.

The Swiss champion, however, is happy with his semi final game. He looks forward to playing Djokovic, who he feels could be dangerous towards the end of a tournament where he could have found a groove.

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Obama’s Ex-Staff Rahm Emanuel Wins Chicago Mayoral Vote

Rahm Emanuel

Rahm Emanuel, President Barack Obama’s ex chief of staff has grabbedChicago mayoral seat on clearing a threshold of 50% vote.

Emanuel had won almost 55% of the vote with this he has left his rivals far behind.

Gery Chico, who headed Former Chicago School Board, stood second in the elections with 25% votes followed by City Clerk Miguel del Valle and ex-senator Carol Moseley Braun.

Tuesday’s vote was dominated by the Democrats in absence of any Republican candidate. Emanuel will replace Richard M. Daley for the post o Chicago mayor.

Daley became a mayor of Chicago in1989. His father also held the same post from 1955-76. The two Daleys have been longest serving mayors in Chicago so far.

Emanuel showed his capability to win the elections from the very beginning of his poll campaign in November as he has been a key aide to Obama. However it is true that he was not well known in his native city Chicago despite serving three terms in the Congress.

His intense campaigns including speeches at 357 stops and 229 community locations, schools, churches and subway stations brought fruitful results in making a place in the heart of Chicago people.

Emanuel also used his connections with the President Obama and Clinton to advertise himself and attack his rivals.

Emanuel also defended himself against the charges of not being a legal resident of Chicago that would defy his candidacy for the mayor’s run. Key issues on which he defeated his opponents were ways to tackle with city’s $654 million deficit and reforms in pension system and administration to curb crimes.

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Rescue personnel team up to save earthquake survivors in New Zealand

The earthquake of 6.3 magnitude at Richter Scale completely devastated Christchurch, killing approximately 75 people as per record whereas more than 300 people are still missing.

This is being considered as country’s most devastating earthquake in last 80 years of seismic phenomena.

Christchurch was the nearest point to the epicenter of the earthquake that occurred on Wednesday, and hence is the worst affected area. People are trapped in the high hills of debris and messaging through their cell phones for help.

The earthquake occurred in the middle of drizzling rain and left no choice for people who left their shelters after the tremor.

John Key, New Zealand’s prime minister revealed during a press conference that around 55 people were identified so far among those killed in the quake. He declared emergency and called on government officials to respond quickly to the national crisis.

The rescue team worked hard with floodlights to locate survivors and dead people trapped in the debris of buildings with the help of dogs and sent the injured people to hospitals

There were still many of people trapped under dozens of buildings, suspected a police official.

Pyne Gould Guinness Building alone had more than 22 people suspected to be trapped under its rubble Authorities said 22 people had been rescued from the Eight people were rescued from the debris of the Canterbury television building while many were still trapped.

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Mass Protests continue in Libya to bring down President Col Gaddafi

Mass protests in Libya agaisnt Gaddafi

Col Muammar Gaddafi’s regime is trembling due to unprecedented public unrest in Libya. To worsen the situation even senior diplomats have defected from the government to support the protestors’ demand and ask Gaddafi to resign.

Protesters flooded Tripoli   slogans and the security forces tried to suppress them by using tear gas and live ammunition.

Another Libyan city– Benghazi has totally been overtaken by the protesters.

Saif al-Islam warned against the probability of a civil war in the wake of continuous mass protests. Saif al-Islam is the son of Col Gaddafi.

Saif al-Islam pledged to make political reforms however stressed that the government would do anything to avoid unrest in the country and take action against the extremists.

The Libya government is taking stern action against the protesters and according to the witnesses it was rather a massacre organized by security forces in the Green Square in Tripoli.

Meanwhile the protesters set a government building People’s Hall into fire.

Abdel Moneim al-Honi, Libyan envoy to the Arab League also declared joining the protesters and, Ali al-Essawi, country’s ambassador to India stated that he would be resigning to express his protest against government’s violent suppression.

Ex-chief spokesman for the Libyan government– Mohamed Bayou also admitted that the current government had failed to tackle with the political crisis and flayed the leaders for threatening protesters with violent actions.

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Protesters demand conciliation from Wisconsin Governor

The public unrest does not seem to settle down in Wisconsin. People take on streets demonstrating in the city despite the administrative system coming to a halt. The protests have been continued for last 7 days against Gov. Scott Walker’s plan for raising public employee’s contributions to healthcare and pension. The plan also includes removal of their bargaining rights.

Democrat senators escaped the protests while continuing the legislative procedure to stop voting over the controversial bill.

Bad weather and snowfall forced most of the protestors to remain under shades however; hundreds of them remained unaffected and continues to protest ar at the Capitol rotunda.

People jam-packed themselves the rails to sought slogans against Gov. Walker and his bill for budget-repairing.

The government employees– healthcare workers, the state’s teachers, and others stated that they were ready to provide the financial concessions to the governor but were against the so called union busting proposals, which they loathed.

The strikes are affecting day to day life in the state as teachers and health workers are not returning to work taking medical leaves. Parents of school going children are very worried for students’ studies and said that the Governor’s plan will do no good for any one.

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Obama Pitches for Education and High-tech concepts

Despite the thrust on deficit reduction President Obama is keen on investment on research and technology. To forward his high-tech and education agenda he made quick tour of the West Coast. He toured a semiconductor plant at Oregon and before that dined with head honchos of the Silicon Valley.

While Republicans have asked for budget cuts, Obama has championed for more investment in education, high speed Internet, green technologies and other high tech concepts. He feels that investment on future cannot be sacrificed for anything. According to him, “If we want the next technological breakthrough that leads to the next Intel to happen here in the United States, not in China, not in Germany, then we have to invest in America’s research and technology, in the work of our scientists and engineers.”

A proof of Obama’s eagerness in this direction is the fact that his Democratic government now has extended research and development tax credit to tech firms. Intel and many tech companies benefit from this legislative move. Intel’s CEO Paul Otellini has reciprocated by announcing the setting up of a $5 billion manufacturing facility in Phoenix, a suburb of Chandler.

The highlight of this type effort is that on crucial matters Obama tries to rope in not only supporters but also those who disagree with him on other issues. Otellini of Intel funded Republican John McCain’s 2008 election campaign and has been a critic of many of Obama’s policies. But Obama managed to rope him in for his investment efforts in education and high technology agenda.

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Amnesty accuses Libyan security forces of gunning down 46 People

Human rights group Amnesty International has alleged that the Libyan security forces have gunned down 46 people in the past three days. It reported that 28 people were shot dead and 110 injured when security forces cracked down on protestors in Benghazi city.

Malcom Smart, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North America regions said, “This alarming rise in the death toll, and the reported nature of the victims’ injuries, strongly suggests that security forces are permitted to use lethal force against unarmed protesters calling for political change.”

Victims were shot in the chest, neck and head. The BBC reports that protestors were shot at when they reached a residential compound used by Gaddafi when he visits Benghazi.

Smart demanded that the people who are responsible for these killings should be reined in immediately. Those who are carrying out the shootings and those ordering them should be brought to justice.

The unrest was taking place in Benghazi city in Libya. It is the second biggest city after Tripoli and people were protesting there unarmed against the Muammar Gaddafi government. A section of the press had reported strong action by the government on protestors. Websites have been blocked and electricity supply has been cut off to some areas.