Sonia's lunge helps Congress grab promotion quota bill

NEW DELHI: Sonia Gandhi restored the Congress stamp on 'promotion quota' bill just when BSP chief Mayawati had all but cornered the glory, as she took centrestage in the drama triggered by Samajwadi Party to stall the quota bill in Lok Sabha.

SP MP Yashbir Singh snatched the papers from personnel minister V Narayanasamy's hands when the government decided to initiate the discussion in the din. The "deplorable" act triggered a bout of push and shove that brought Congress and protesting SP MPs to blows.

But it was Sonia's desperate lunge at the delinquent Samajwadi MP that dominated the proceedings. Sonia, who sits at the edge of the well in the front row, in a reflex action, went for Singh's arm to retrieve the paper, in the process being caught in the melee caused by sloganeering Samajwadis. Congress MPs told TOI that the party president also seemed annoyed with Narayansamy for not keeping a second copy of the Bill.

The scene brought Congress MPs to the well, with many MPs asking her to come back but in vain. While it all happened in a jiffy, Vilasrao Muttemwar pursued Singh in a rage. It invited vocal allegations that he had punched the Samajwadi Party MP, himself a dalit from the reserved Nagina constituency. Muttemwar denied the charge while adding that he had merely gone to protect his boss. "It is my duty," he told TOI.

The melee postponed the bill for the day as a stunned Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the proceedings, pushing the drama to the last day of the session. Parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath told reporters the incident was condemnable and asserted the government would take up the bill again on Thursday.

Samajwadi chief Mulayam Singh Yadav backed his rampaging contingent and played down the outrage over snatching of papers by saying it was "not the first time such a scene had happened".

Inaction on part of Sonia and her troops on Wednesday would have marked a blow for Congress that has already come across as a reluctant player who has been forced to follow Mayawati's lead on the promotion quota bill.

Failure to clinch the bill in the Lok Sabha on Thursday- a very strong possibility, considering the reluctance of the BJP to commit its support- will again make it vulnerable to attacks from the BSP chief. Sonia's reflexes may have saved the day for Congress on Wednesday, underlining her cruciality for the party at a time when political parlours remain abuzz with speculation about the elevation of son Rahul. It also helped Congress differentiate itself from the BJP which on Wednesday appeared wracked by upper caste resentment in its ranks against the "promotion quota".

Her presence in the Lok Sabha when the bill was taken up in the post-lunch session after two adjournments forced by the protesting Samajwadis did indicate seriousness. But it was her act of taking on the hostile SP member with screams of "give it back" that underlined the eagerness of the leadership to pass the legislation crafted to restore reservation in promotions for SCs and STs.

Sonia's political smarts may mitigate the loss in the war of credits at the hands of the volatile BSP supremo who put her indelible stamp on 'promotion quota' by taking it up in the monsoon session and then pursuing it right to the end of the winter session.

In fact, the government had appeared happy to hide behind Samajwadi protests to consign the legislation to the deep freeze, until Mayawati's stunning allegation that Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari and the Centre were complicit in the disorder designed to derail the legislation led to its dramatic passage in the upper House. The success of the bill was roundly attributed to her commitment.

The scene appeared changed after Wednesday's drama as Congress surfaced with a triumphant spin to Sonia's march into the well. Personnel minister Narayanasamy said, "It shows the importance she gives to this bill."

In the Congress vs SP faceoff, BJP appeared squeezed out of the action, this time appearing to be hiding behind the Samajwadis. The saffron outfit has been in the throes of a mutiny of sorts, with upper caste members questioning the backing for quota on the ground that it would put off the party's core constituency.

While the BJP is unlikely to revise support for the bill that can have consequences for its pull among dalits and tribals, the party's silence during the drama and the active engagement of senior leaders with Samajwadis crying manhandling, projected it as indifferent, if not hostile.

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Detecting Rabid Bats Before They Bite

A picture is worth a thousand words—or in the case of bats, a rabies diagnosis. A new study reveals that rabid bats have cooler faces compared to uninfected colony-mates. And researchers are hopeful that thermal scans of bat faces could improve rabies surveillance in wild colonies, preventing outbreaks that introduce infections into other animals—including humans.

Bats are a major reservoir for the rabies virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. Previous research shows that bats can transmit their strains to other animals, potentially putting people at risk. (Popular Videos: Bats share the screen with creepy co-stars.)

Rabies, typically transmitted in saliva, targets the brain and is almost always fatal in animals and people if left untreated. No current tests detect rabies in live animals—only brain tissue analysis is accurate.

Searching for a way to detect the virus in bats before the animals died, rabies specialist James Ellison and his colleagues at the CDC turned to a captive colony of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). Previous studies had found temperature increases in the noses of rabid raccoons, so the team expected to see similar results with bats.

Researchers established normal temperature ranges for E. fuscus—the bat species most commonly sent for rabies testing—then injected 24 individuals with the virus. The 21-day study monitored facial temperatures with infrared cameras, and 13 of the 21 bats that developed rabies showed temperature drops of more than 4ºC.

"I was surprised to find the bats' faces were cooler because rabies causes inflammation—and that creates heat," said Ellison. "No one has done this before with bats," he added, and so researchers aren't sure what's causing the temperature changes they've discovered in the mammals. (Related: "Bats Have Superfast Muscles—A Mammal First.")

Although thermal scans didn't catch every instance of rabies in the colony, this method may be a way to detect the virus in bats before symptoms appear. The team plans to fine-tune their measurements of facial temperatures, and then Ellison hopes to try surveillance in the field.

This study was published online November 9 in Zoonoses and Public Health.

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Scammers Could Profit Off Sandy Hook Tragedy

Scammers may be looking to cash in on the public's generosity following the Sandy Hook massacre, the Better Business Bureau warned.

"It is a challenge to be on guard because public sympathy and emotions are running high," said Bennett Weiner, chief operating officer of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, a group that helps charitable donors make informed decisions.

Weiner said it's difficult for scams to be detected in the first week following every national tragedy, however he suspects unscrupulous people are already out there, eager to cash in on the massacre.

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False websites or phone calls soliciting help for the victims' families are two of the easiest and most common scams Weiner said he sees.

"They're hard to identify because people don't know they've been taken and they're not going to know until down the road," he said.

Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post/Getty Images

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After the Sandy Hook massacre, countless Facebook pages for the victims, listings on crowdfunding sites and community drives have been established to solicit donations.

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While many of them may be legitimate, Weiner warns people to do their research.

"You really have to be watching out for newly created things. There may be some well-intended effort, but you have no way to look at their track record," he said. "I can tell you from experience there are some cautions associated with it."

Any fundraising effort that makes vague statements, such as "we're going to help the victims and families," is another red flag to watch out for, Weiner said.

Whether it's fundraising for the Aurora theater victims or a local terminally ill child, Weiner said the BBB sees these kinds of scams "time and time again" and actively investigates them.

"It is a challenge to be on guard after a tragedy," he said. "But you shouldn't give to any organization without checking them out first."

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EPA IG audits administrator’s private e-mail account

Combine your family dog’s name with the name of your old hometown and what do you get? In the case of Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lisa Jackson, you get in trouble with some legislators for having a less-than-obvious e-mail handle.

The EPA’s inspector general has begun auditing how Jackson has used this secondary e-mail account, “Richard Windsor,” named for her dog and the New Jersey township, East Windsor, at the request of congressional Republicans.

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Euro continues push against dollar

NEW YORK: The euro pushed higher against the dollar Tuesday, helped by improvements in Greece's financial status and a Spanish debt sale, and as Washington continued to battle over the looming fiscal cliff.

Meanwhile the yen slipped to its lowest level since April 2011 as Japan's incoming prime minister pressed the central bank for more stimulus.

The euro reached its best level since the beginning of May, ending at $1.3225 at 2300 GMT, up from $1.3161 late Monday.

The seven-month high for the euro came "on the back of successful sales of Greek and Spanish bills," said Benjamin Spier of Daily FX.

"Spain sold 3-month and 6-month bills for 3.52 billion euros, better than the maximum target of 3.5 billion euros. Greece sold 13-week treasury bills for 1.3 billion euros at a 4.11 percent yield," he said.

Shortly afterward, Greece's credit rating was upgraded by Standard & Poor's from "selective default" to B-, with a stable outlook, following Athens' debt buyback that earned it fiscal breathing space and new bailout funds releases from the eurozone.

The upgrade "reflects our view of the strong determination of European Economic and Monetary Union (eurozone) member states to preserve Greek membership in the eurozone," S&P said.

Meanwhile, the dollar got no help from Washington politicians, who have not yet reached a deal on a long-term deficit reduction plan that would also help the country avoid crunching tax hikes and spending cuts slated for January 1.

The yen continued to fall, setting 20-month lows against the dollar and euro, two days after the Liberal Democratic Party swept to a general election victory that is returning Shinzo Abe to the premiership.

Abe met with Bank of Japan governor Masaaki Shirakawa at his party's headquarters Tuesday and told the central banker he wanted to set a two percent inflation target, in the opening salvo of his battle to kickstart the economy.

"I told him I want to reach a policy accord with the BoJ for the two percent inflation target that I promoted throughout the election campaign," Abe told reporters.

The dollar rose to 84.28 yen from 83.87 yen Monday, while the euro hit 111.47 yen from 110.40

In other currencies, the dollar slipped to 0.9134 Swiss francs, while the pound gained to $1.6247.

- AFP/fa

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India lost $123bn in black money in 10 yrs: US think tank report

BEIJING: China is listed as the leading source of global outflows of tainted money with India ranking eighth in the list compiled by a Washington-based think tank, Global Financial Integrity. China lost $2.74 trillion and India $123 billion to international outflows of illicit cash between 2001 and 2010, it said.

Some 150 developing countries lost $5.9 trillion by way of illegal outflows in those 10 years, the Global Financial Integrity said in a report, which showed that the financial crisis has not adversely affected the production and flow of corrupt money.

The report, co-authored by an economist of Indian origin, Dev Kar, said the global outflows rose from $776 billion in 2009 amid the financial crisis to $859 billion in 2010. The all-time high of $871 billion was in 2008.

Malaysia with $64 billion in illegal outflows took the second position followed by Mexico. The bulk of illegal money flows accounting for 61% came from Asia. It is followed by just over 15% from the Western hemisphere and just over 10% from West Asia-Gulf and North Africa.

Illegal money out of China was $420 billion in 2010 and exceeded $2.7 trillion for the decade ending in 2010, which was nearly half that period's total for all developing countries.

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Pictures: "Beautiful" Geminid Meteor Showers Grace Skies

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  Over the Dunes

  
  Photograph courtesy Jack Fusco

  A Geminid meteor streaks across the sky above the beach in Ocean City, New Jersey, in a picture taken December 14. The piles come from sand blown onto city streets during Hurricane Sandy.

  The annual Geminid meteor shower, which peaked last weekend, usually produces dozens of shooting stars per hour—making it one of the strongest and most reliable celestial shows around.

  (Related: "Sky-watchers Get Set for Cosmic Fireworks Show.")

  Published December 18, 2012

  
  











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  Radiant Skies

  
  Photograph by Wally Pacholka, TWAN

  Ten meteors on seven different frames combined to show the radiant—the point in the sky from which the Geminid meteors appear to originate.

  The picture was taken December 14 in Yosemite Valley, California.

  Published December 18, 2012

  
  











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  Barnstormer

  
  Photograph by Jeffrey Phelps, AP

  A Geminid meteor zooms over a barn in Saukville, Wisconsin, on December 14.

  Historically the Geminids were overlooked by most amateur astronomers simply because the annual event occurs so close to the busy holiday season and frigid winter nights—but that's beginning to change thanks to its rising intensity over the past few decades.

  Published December 18, 2012

  
  











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  Soaking It In

  
  Photograph by Abir Sultan, European Pressphoto Agency

  Israelis relax in a hot spring near the Dead Sea during the peak of the Geminid meteor shower in a long-exposure photograph taken December 14.  

  Since Geminids hit the atmosphere at about 20 miles per second (32 kilometers per second)—slower than other meteor showers—they create beautiful long arcs across the sky that can last for a second or two.

  Published December 18, 2012

  
  











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  Mountain High

  
  Photograph by Tom Cuccio, Your Shot

  Geminids slice the sky over a glittering Aspen, Colorado, in a picture taken December 14.

  Geminid meteors appear to radiate from the shower's namesake constellation, Gemini, the twins from Greek legend.

  Published December 18, 2012

  
  











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  Jersey Geminid

  
  Photograph by Jay Cassario, My Shot

  A Geminid shoots over the Hurricane Sandy-damaged remains of the 59th Street Pier in Ocean City, New Jersey, on December 14.

  Most annual meteor showers happen when Earth passes through clouds of debris left behind by passing comets, causing tons of dust to rain down on the planet in short periods of time.

  The Geminids are unusual, though, because they're thought to be the only annual meteor shower created by an asteroid-like object: 3200 Phaethon.

  Published December 18, 2012

  
  











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  Night Lights

  
  Photograph by Sunna Gautadottir, Your Shot

  Geminid meteors light the sky over Borgarnes, Iceland, on December 15.

  "There were so many of them," said photographer Sunna Gautadottir, "and it was just way too beautiful to describe in words."

  Published December 18, 2012

  
  











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  Photograph courtesy Dennis di Cicco, Sky & Telescope

  Published December 18, 2012

  
  

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Can Cops Read Shooter's Sabotaged Computer?

Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter Adam Lanza may have tried to sabotage his own computer before going on a murderous rampage that claimed the lives of 20 children, but experienced investigators said today that law enforcement forensic experts could still recover critical evidence from the damaged drives.

Connecticut State Police Lt. Paul Vance revealed Monday that a computer crimes unit was working in conjunction with a forensics laboratory to "dissect" any evidence relevant to the case, but he declined to comment further on what type of evidence was involved and in what condition it was in. Later that day, law enforcement officials told ABC News that police recovered a badly damaged computer from Lanza's home that appeared to have been attacked by a hammer or screwdriver.

Sources said if they can still read the computer's hard drive, they hope to find critical clues that may help explain Lanza's motives in the killing.

Former FBI forensic experts told ABC News that in cases similar to this one, damage to the computer does not necessarily mean the computer files cannot be accessed.

"If he took a hammer to the outside, smashed the screen, dented the box, it's more than likely the hard drive is still intact," said Al Johnson, a retired FBI special agent who now works privately examining digital evidence and computer data. "And even if the hard drive itself is damaged, there are still steps that can be taken to recover everything."

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Brett Harrison, a former FBI computer forensics expert who now works with a D.C. consulting firm, said that authorities have a great deal of technology at their disposal to retrieve that data. How much is recovered, he said, will depend entirely on how much damage was done to the well-insulated "platters" -- discs lodged deep inside the machine -- where Lanza's every digital footstep was recorded.

It is likely, he said, that Lanza's computer has been moved to a "clean room" where, if the discs are intact, they could be removed and then carefully re-inserted in a fresh hard drive. If the calibrations are done correctly, investigators would still be able to unlock the clues on the discs.

If the discs aren't in perfect condition, Harrison said, "There is equipment they can use to read the data off a record even if a portion of it is damaged."

Johnson said it is tedious work done in a clean environment because the tolerances of the discs is so precise – even a particle of dust could destroy crucial evidence.

"We're talking about a tolerance of less than a human hair," said Johnson, who now does computer forensics for a South Carolina-based investigative firm.

Police have not said exactly what they expect to find on the computer's hard drive, but the former FBI experts said typically there could be record of visits to violent web sites, or to online stores that sell ammunition, or to email that might reveal if Lanza shared any hints of his plans with others.

"I'm not big on speculation," Harrison said, "but you're talking about potentially finding all the normal things that people do with their computer – Facebook pages, internet activity, email, you name it."

For now, the FBI is keeping mum on what kind of computer forensic help it could be offering in the case.

"At this time, in deference to the ongoing investigation being conducted by the CSP, the FBI is not releasing information regarding operational or forensic assistance provided in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting," an FBI spokesperson said.

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Egypt referendum dispute triggers protest call

CAIRO: Egypt's opposition is calling for mass protests on Tuesday over alleged polling violations after Islamists backing President Mohamed Morsi claimed victory in the first round of a referendum on a new charter.

A group of top judges, meanwhile, announced on Monday it would boycott supervision of the second round, and Germany said it has postponed debt relief for Egypt because of concerns over the country's commitment to democracy.

Adding to the complications for Morsi, the prosecutor general named by the president as he temporarily assumed sweeping powers last month handed in his resignation, a judicial source told AFP.

"The prosecutor general has submitted his resignation under pressure from protesters," said the source, referring to magistrates who have been clamouring for his immediate departure.

The Supreme Judicial Council will examine prosecutor general Talaat Ibrahim Abdallah's resignation next Sunday, a day after the second and final round of voting in the referendum, the source said.

The opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front, urged Egyptians to "take to the streets on Tuesday to defend their freedoms, prevent fraud and reject the draft constitution" ahead of the second round.

It claimed "irregularities and violations" marred the initial stage of the referendum last weekend across half of Egypt that Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood said resulted in a 57 percent "yes" vote, according to its unofficial tally.

On the legal front, the State Council Judges Club, whose members took part in overseeing the first round as required by law, said it would boycott next Saturday's vote because the authorities had failed to live up to their promises.

The association has demanded that a "siege" of the Supreme Constitutional Court by Brotherhood supporters be lifted. But the action has continued without any intervention by the authorities, it said.

In Germany, a spokesman for the overseas development ministry said a plan to forgive up to 240 million euros ($316 million) of Cairo's debt had been delayed indefinitely.

Germany's Development Minister Dirk Niebel said earlier he had serious reservations. "There is the danger that the dictatorial system of ousted president (Hosni) Mubarak is returning," he told the daily Berliner Zeitung.

Niebel said Berlin had cancelled talks on development aid scheduled for mid-December and that future assistance was dependent on Egypt's progress toward democracy and the rule of law.

Also increasing the pressure, Mohamed ElBaradei, the Salvation Front's coordinator and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, renewed his call for Morsi to cancel the referendum altogether and enter talks with the opposition.

"Last chance: cancel the ill-reputed referendum and begin a dialogue to close the rift," he wrote on Twitter, although a spokesman for ElBaradei's group said the comment was not a call to boycott the second round.

Large protests both for and against the proposed constitution have been staged during the past three weeks, sparking violent clashes and revealing deep divisions in society over Morsi's rule.

Early this month, eight people were killed and more than 600 hurt when rival protesters fought outside the presidential palace in Cairo.

The opposition says the constitution weakens human rights, especially those of women, and undermines the independence of judges while strengthening the military.

It fears Islamists propelled into power after a revolution last year that toppled Mubarak's 30-year regime want to establish sharia-style laws.

Morsi, though, argues the slender majority he won in June presidential elections gives him a mandate for change and that the draft constitution is a key step to securing stability.

The opposition claims Saturday's first round of the referendum, which took place in the biggest cities of Cairo and Alexandria and in eight other regions, had numerous violations.

Those included monitors not being allowed into some polling stations, judges not present in all as required and some fake judges employed, and women prevented in some cases from casting their ballot.

- AFP/fa

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Time for mutton feasts in Himachal Pradesh

SHIMLA: No election victory, and sometimes even a loss, is complete without big mutton feasts in Himachal Pradesh. The forthcoming election results of the HP assembly will be no exception as with only two days left for the D-Day, the contestants of both BJP and Congress have started making arrangements for the mutton feasts in anticipation.

In the older days purely vegetarian 'dham' or community feasts was served but now non-vegetarian delicacies too are finding a prominent place in the menu fueling the demand for mutton and chicken for post victory celebrations. As sacrificing goats to local deities on the fulfillment of wishes is a common practice in many parts of the state, supporters of many candidates have already purchased goats from shepherds.

The tradition of sacrificing a goat is common in the districts of Lahaul-Spiti, Kullu, Mandi, Kinnaur, Chamba and Sirmaur district. "We had promised to offer goats on winning the election. All arrangements have been made for a grand feast but we are not disclosing it before the results," said the supporter of a candidate from Kullu district.

According to sources in Sirmaur district, order for mutton and chicken has already been placed with meat sellers by the supporters of candidates while in some pockets goats have been kept in the stock. Many of the candidates said that as reaching out to individual voters is not possible after the results, so a good community meal is the best option to thank the voters.

"Earlier we had the restriction of Election Commission but now we would serve the community lunch," a leader from Mandi district said. During this assembly election campaign, candidates stayed away from serving meals as the EC kept a hawk's eye on which nominee or his kin holds or attends a large community feast, and had threatened to include it in their poll expenditure.

The EC had decided that if a candidate is present at a marriage function with many guests, then the district electoral officer would serve him a show-cause notice, asking why the entire cost of the function should not be added to his election expenditure. The results are to be announced on December 20.

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