India testfires Akash surface-to-surface missile; Stranded Sukhwinder to make another Everest attempt; `Dr.Death' being offered freebies by Queensland for return; Six more suspected Indian rebels arrested in Bangladesh; Liz Hurley caught in the battle of the bulge; Oprah Winfrey named Forbes most powerful person; If you can' get a date, just blame your genes; Jolie fuels Pitt romance rumours; Asprin benefits reiterated by experts; Anna Kournikova takes a fancy to yachting; 'Metrosexuals' are passe, 'Mirls' are in; Britney's hubby buys her an engagement ring; Tom Hanks to do 'Deep Throat'; India Travel Times, Indian News, Tourism, Hotels, Airlines, Tour, Travel, Ayurveda, Yoga, Festival, Hindu, Taj Mahal, Kathakali, Dance,

Home Contact Us Dateline New Delhi, Friday, June 17, 2005

India testfires Akash surface-to-surface missile

Balasore (Orissa): The country's surface-to-air missile, 'Akash', was test-fired from a mobile launcher from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on- sea here today. Defence sources said that the multi-target missile with a range of 25 km was test-fired at 2.30 p.m. The missile was fired at a "para-barrel target", they added.

Stranded Sukhwinder to make another Everest attempt (Go To Top)

Mukhtsar (Punjab): Sukhwinder Kaur Sukhi, daughter of a carpenter, who refused to give up when she was stranded while attempting to climb Mount Everest says she is all set to pursue her shattered dream once again and would not sit quietly till she scales the peak. "I had reached about 7,700 metres. It was very unfortunate that the weather was not on my side. If the sky had cleared for three hours then I would have definitely reached the top of Everest. I will try and climb the mountain again and will not sit quietly till I have done my family and State proud," said Sukhi. Sukhi, while trying to scale the world's highest peak, was stranded at the 7,700-metre mark for seven days because of bad weather and had to return back without summiting it. Sukhi now says that the failed attempt has steeled her determination to achieve the dream of conquering the highest peak in the world. Gursewak Singh, Secretary of International Adventure and Sports Helpline said he was proud of Sukhi's achievement. "We are very happy and proud of her great achievement and has given a fitting reply to the people who were trying to demoralise her," he said. The entire town had rallied behind Sukhi and collected huge funds for her to join the expedition Project Himalaya. Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. Its elevation of 29,035 feet (8,850 meters) was determined using GPS satellite equipment on May 5, 1999. It was previously believed to be slightly lower (29,028 feet /8,848 meters), as determined in 1954 by averaging measurements from various sites around the mountain. The new elevation has been confirmed by the National Geographic Society (See the National Geographic Society's Mount Everest site for more information).

The first seven attempts on Everest, starting with a reconnaissance in 1921, approached the mountain from Tibet, where a route to the summit via the North Col and North Ridge seemed possible. All were unsuccessful. George Mallory, who spearheaded the first three expeditions, lost his life with Andrew Irvine during a failed ascent in 1924. Unsuccessful attempts continued through 1938, then halted during World War II. By the war's end, Tibet had closed its borders, and Nepal, previously inaccessible, had done the opposite. Starting in 1951, expeditions from Nepal grew closer and closer to the summit, via the Khumbu Icefall, the Western Cwm, over the Geneva Spur to the South Col, and up the Southeast Ridge. In 1953 Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit. Since the first successful ascent, many other individuals have sought to be the first at various other accomplishments on Everest, including many alternative routes on both the north and south sides. Italy's Reinhold Messner has climbed Everest twice without oxygen, once in four days. He is also the first to solo climb Everest, which he did in 1980.

Ten years earlier, Yuichiro Miura of Japan had been the first person to descend the mountain on skis. In 1975, Junko Tabei, also of Japan, was the first woman to climb Everest. The first disabled person to attempt Everest was American Tom Whittaker, who climbed with a prosthetic leg to 24,000 feet in 1989, 28,000 feet in 1995, and finally reached the summit in 1998. The record for most ascents belongs to Sherpa Ang Rita, who has reached the summit ten times. Overall, more than 600 climbers from 20 countries have climbed to the summit by various routes from both north and south. Climbers' ages have ranged from nineteen years to sixty. At least 100 people have perished, most commonly by avalanches, falls in crevasses, cold, or the effects of thin air. Climbing on Everest is very strictly regulated by both the Nepalese and Chinese governments. Permits cost thousands of U.S. dollars ($50,000 for a seven member party in 1996), and are difficult to obtain, and waiting lists extend for years. Treks to Everest base camp, minus the summit attempt, are becoming increasingly popular on both the north and south sides of the mountain. On the north side, a Buddhist monastery stands at the foot of the Rongbuk Glacier, beneath Everest's spectacular north face. The monastery is one of two whose locations were selected specifically to allow religious contemplation of the great peak. The other is the Thyangboche Monastery in Nepal. The once-active Rongbuk monastery in Tibet has required much rejuvenation from the destruction it experienced following China's invasion of Tibet. Mount Everest is also known by the Tibetan name Chomolangma (Goddess Mother of the Snows), and by the Nepali name Sagarmatha (Mother of the Universe).

`Dr Death' being offered freebies by Queensland for return (Go To Top)

Sydney: India-born `Dr.Death' a.ka.Dr. Jayant Patel has reportedly received a letter from the Queensland government to return from Portland, Oregon to face an inquiry investigating up to 87 deaths during his stint as a surgeon at the Bundaberg Hospital. So keen is Queensland Premier Peter Beattie to have Dr.Patel back that he has offered the latter free airfare and accommodation. Beattie, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, has sent his Minister for State Development and Innovation, Tony McGrady, to Portland to deliver the letter to Dr Patel's lawyer. McGrady said he would deliver the letter, from the Queensland Attorney-General, Rod Welford, to Stephen Houze, an Oregon lawyer whom Dr Patel has retained. The paper quoted McGrady as saying that the Government was offering Dr Patel a one-way airfare and accommodation to return to Australia, believing it would be much better all round if he returned to answer the allegations against him. Asked why Dr Patel would return when he could be charged with murder, McGrady said it would be preferable to return voluntarily than "what could happen". McGrady said extradition proceedings could not begin until a warrant for Patel's arrest had been issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Beattie has said Patel's extradition could be difficult as he is an American citizen. Dr Patel lost his licence to practise medicine in Oregon after revelations about his conduct in Bundaberg. But his wife continues to work in a Portland hospital and he owns a house in the city.

Six more suspected Indian rebels arrested in Bangladesh (Go To Top)
by Nazrul Islam

Dhaka: Bangladesh security forces, in a pre-down raid today, arrested 10 people, including six suspected Indian criminals, from dense forest in the south-eastern hill district of Bandarban. Acting on a tip-off, police and Army personnel launched the drive in Kalghata area of the district. 'These people had gone into hiding after last month's operation against suspected insurgents in the north-eastern Moulovibazar area,' said an army officer who conducted the raid. On May 27, members of the elite anti-crime force Rapid Action Battalion and Bangladesh Rifles had busted a criminal den in Moulvibazar district, bordering with India, and had shot down six suspected Indian insurgents there. Bandarban police said the members of the army and the police cordoned off the village overnight on Thursday and launched a house-to-house search in the area. They arrested six Indian nationals identified as Monipui and the rest thee were Bangladeshi. According to police the detainees identified them as Khagendu, 26, Ramesh, 24, Tom, 29, Dutta Singh, 41, Babu Singh, 45, Hossain, 20, from India and Sumon , 30, Anwar, 20, and Shahjaha, 20, of Bangladesh. The detainees are in the army custody as of Friday evening.

References: Naxalite strategy, doctors strike Patna, Muivah Delhi, Advani debate Jinnah, Pataudi's bail, Akash missile testfire, Sukhwinder Everest attempt, Dr.Death freebies Queensland, Indian rebels arrested Bangladesh, Liz Hurley bulge, Oprah Winfrey Forbes, date genes, Jolie fuels Pitt romance rumours, asprin benefits, Anna Kournikova yatching; metrosexuals are passe 'mirls' are in, Britney's hubby buys her an engagement ring; Tom Hanks 'Deep Throat', India, India News, Newspaper, Indian, News, Travel News, India Travel Times, Travel,Tourism, Tour, Tourist, India, Times, News, Hotels, Airlines, Ayurveda, Yoga, Hindu, Taj Mahal, Cuisine, Festival, Temple, Trekking, Hindu, Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Odissi, Dance, Shimla,Varanasi, Kullu, Manali, Dehra Dun, Mussourie, Mussoorie, Haridwar, Hardwar, Rishikesh, Nainital, Delhi, Goa, Kovalam, Darjeeling, Bodh Gaya, Kancheepuram, Kanchipuram, Thekkady, Badrinath, Amar Nath,Vaishno Devi, Tirupati, Sabarimala, Guruvayoor, Kanyakumari, Kodaikanal, Ooty, Chennai,

Previous File Go To Top