Rs. 1 crore seized: President's son, Maharashtra chief minister in a spot - India

14 feb 2012

Rs. 1 crore seized: President's son, Maharashtra chief minister in a spot

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Mumbai:  Days ahead of the Municipal Corporation polls in Maharashtra, the state Congress has been caught in an embarrassing situation over the seizure of Rs. one crore cash by the police. President Pratibha Patil's son and Congress MLA Raosaheb Shekhawat has said that the money was meant for distribution among the financially-weak candidates for the local civic polls on February 16. But the  BJP, which is in the Opposition in the Congress-NCP ruled Municipal Corporation, alleged that the Congress has put the money into circulation to influence voters before polls.

The state police on Saturday recovered Rs. one crore rupees from the Amravati district and arrested two Nagpur residents. The cash, recovered during night raids, was hidden in the bonnet of a car.

"I had sought funds from the state Congress Committee for distributing them among 87 party candidates as most of them are women and poor. Accordingly, Rs. one crore was sent to me
which was to be distributed at Rs. one lakh per candidate and the rest (of the money) was meant for the district Congress committee," Mr Shekhawat said.

The BJP has accused Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and the Congress for using cash to woo the voters.

"This money has been distributed under orders of Prithviraj Chavan, his party ministers distributed the money, also distributed it in Zila Parishad elections, crores were distributed," BJP President Nitin Gadgari said.

Although the Maharashtra Congress has claimed that the money was sent from the party fund and was not unaccounted for, the larger question which remains is - why  is so  much  money being  pumped in the civic elections?


The Congress claims that Rs. one lakh each was to be distributed to 87 financially weak candidates, contesting in the Amravati civic polls.

A claim that has not even convinced the Congress's own ally, the NCP, which says it will complain to the state Election Commission, which has already asked district collector Rahul Mahiwal and municipal commissioner N Navin Sona to inquire into the matter and file a report.

Oservers insist that money, black or white, running into tens of crores, is pumped to influence the voters, especially for the municipal elections in Mumbai.

"On the eve of the elections across Maharashtra, candidates often attempt to distribute alcohol and cash to sway voters," says Meera Sanyal, country executive, India, RBS.

Rural tourism boost for urbane Delhi - India

13 feb 2013

Rural tourism boost for urbane Delhi

If all goes as planned, cosmopolitan citizens as well as tourists will be able to get a glimpse of 'real India' in the heart of Delhi.

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The Delhi government plans to bring the Indian countryside to the Capital itself. To present the "real India" to foreign tourists, the government has selected 14 villages, each with a water body, across the Capital.

These spots will be redeveloped, restored and offered as a 'rural tourism destination' to the foreigners. The project, worth crores of rupees, has already received the necessary clearances.

Once the water bodies in these select villages are restored, the government would start developing basic infrastructure and creating a unique recreational environment with special focus on the visiting tourists.

The environment department officials say once these water bodies are restored, activities such as fishing and boating will be introduced. "At the same time, each village will have its own identity. The culture and infrastructural facilities will be developed accordingly," an official said, adding that these features would boost the state's economy and tourism infrastructure.

The prominent villages selected for the project include Goyla Khurd in south-west Delhi, Daulatpur in south Delhi, Hastsal village, Khera Dabur in south Delhi, Bamnoli village, Chhawla village, Dera Mandi village in south Delhi, Hiran Kudna village in west Delhi, Kamruddin Nagar, Doolsiras, Harshvihar and a lake in Madipur village.

Confirming the development, the environment department's Delhi Parks and Gardens Society CEO Dr S.D. Singh said: "We are hopeful of cleaning and restoring water bodies. We will be using a new process to complete the work."

"The real problem with these water bodies is that they have become dumping grounds for sewage or other pollutants. With poor oxygen content, these can't support marine life," Dr Singh said.

"We are hopeful of cleaning and restoring water bodies. We will be using a new process to complete the work."

"The real problem with these water bodies is that they have become dumping grounds for sewage or other pollutants. With poor oxygen content, these can't support marine life," Dr Singh said.

The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) will restore the water bodies and institute scientist Dr Rakesh Kumar will implement the project using the phytorid technology.

This restores the oxygen content in the water, thereby creating conditions to reintroduce marine and aquatic life.

It only involves introduction of certain categories of antipollutant and oxygen-releasing plants to the water bodies.

"It is energy-efficient, requires low maintenance and is aesthetic," Kumar told Mail Today. The technique positively impacts the nitrogen, phosphorous and other aspects affecting water quality.

7 Foods That'll Make You Healthier - India

12  feb 2012

7 Foods That'll Make You Healthier

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Cook with Coconut Oil
The latest "it" ingredient for healthy eating: coconut oil. Almost every nutritionist I spoke to says one of the best things you can do to maintain good health is consume 1 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil every day. Michelle L. Butler, a holistic nutritionist in Redondo Beach, Calif., says eating the oil every day can "relieve stress, stabilize cholesterol levels, increase immunity, and boost your metabolism and thyroid activity."
Coconut oil includes acids that are antimicrobial and antifungal, which keep your body working at its optimum level. You can "drizzle it on food, cook with it, or eat it straight," Butler says. Certified fitness trainer and nutrition guru for DailyBurn, Kate Brown, says eating coconut oil "also stimulates fatty acid oxidization, so it helps accelerate fat loss."
And it fills you up. "Fat is satiating," Brown says. "Eating a spoonful of coconut oil can help you forget that what you were actually craving was a muffin or a cupcake."

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Add Some Pineapple to That Pork
When you think meat, you don't exactly think fruit. But having a side of pineapple with your steak (or chicken or pork) dinner helps your digestive track.
"Protein takes the most digestive work, as the foods have to be broken down into amino acids from complex chains," says Kimberly Snyder, celebrity nutritionist and author of "The Beauty Detox." Instead of canceling your cookout, Brown suggests adding some pineapple slices to your meat.
"Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, which helps to break down proteins," Brown says. "It's like a meat tenderizer in your stomach. If you are going to eat a high protein meal like steak or chicken kabobs, make sure to pineapple slices to each skewer." Apparently, my boyfriend has the right idea when he orders his pizza Hawaiian-style. Who knew?

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Spice Up Your Comfort Foods
Going cold turkey on fatty foods is a non-option for most of us. Instead, add two tablespoons of spices -- like black pepper, garlic powder, rosemary, paprika, or oregano -- to your next fatty indulgence. "The Journal of Nutrition" reports that those who incorporated spices into their fat-laden meals had 30 percent lower levels of triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood) than those who skipped the seasonings.
So, the next time you're making that macaroni and cheese, add some cayenne pepper. Or opt for the green curry instead of the pad thai at your go-to takeout place. Your belly will thank you.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Drink Pure Aloe Vera
While aloe vera is great for soothing sunburned skin, drinking the liquefied plant can also help heal your body, says Tanner Martty, fitness guru at LEAF Lifestyle. "Drinking pure aloe vera not only aids in proper digestion, it helps repair a digestive system that has been under duress from a diet high in grains, gluten, and dairy." What American doesn't need help on that front?

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Just a Spoonful of Vinegar Helps the Sugar Craving Disappear
Even after I've had the most satiating meal -- when I'm sure I can't take another bite -- I somehow always manage to find room for dessert. Even if all I crave is just one little bite, my sweet tooth wins (and I always end up eating more than one bite).
If you can relate, Aim True yoga instructor, Kathryn Budig has an effective (if a little off-putting) solution: Make a spoonful of raw apple cider vinegar your post-dinner cocktail. (Trust me, you're going to want to pound this stuff like it's a Jagermeister shot.) Raw apple cider vinegar helps stabilize blood sugar levels, says Budig, which curbs your craving for sweets. You can also take a shot of the vinegar in the morning; it revs up your metabolism and digestive system for the day, she says.
 

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Sprinkle Cinnamon into Your Coffee
Here's a little insight into my typical morning:
7 a.m.: Fill up my to-go mug with coffee and sip on my drive to work.
9 a.m.: Hit the office coffee maker for a refill (and a frozen burrito, or a bagel, or a leftover pastry from the morning board meeting).
11 a.m.: Walk to the local coffee shop with some co-workers for a double-shot latte (and, on most days, some sort of sweet treat).
You get the picture. I'm hungry almost all day, every day. But to keep my appetite in check -- and help me avoid noshing on a sugary treat every time I need a caffeine fix -- James M. Andry, MD, co-founder of MDWeightWorx in Bloomington, Ind., tells me to add some cinnamon to my diet. And sprinkling a little bit into my morning java is a great way to start.
Not only does cinnamon help curb appetite, research also shows that this spice also helps control the insulin spike that often comes after meals. Cinnamon causes your body to absorb carbohydrates much more slowly, and lowers your blood sugar levels -- both which contribute to a lower insulin level, says Andry. And remember, insulin is a hormone that converts excess sugar into fat, which ultimately contributes to weight gain.
Andry says as little as 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon a day can improve your blood sugar content by 24 percent and cholesterol levels by 18 percent. To get the benefits, sprinkle the sweet spice into your coffee, oatmeal, or cereal.



Believe in Bacteria
Bacteria gets a bad rap. It's the stuff that makes us sick, the stuff we're supposed to avoid at all costs. But there is such a thing as good bacteria, and when it comes to digestion, this good bacteria is crucial.
"Beneficial bacteria [known as probiotics] keeps your gut healthy," says Stella Metsovas, a nutrition and diet expert in Los Angeles. "Having healthy, functioning intestines allows you to better digest and assimilate nutrients -- a key factor to optimal health!"
While Metsovas takes a bite of kimchi or sauerkraut every morning, any foods with live active cultures (like miso, tempeh, and kefir) fit the bill.

Vatican besieged by reports of money laundering, plot to kill the pope, at delicate time- India

11  feb 2012

VATICAN CITY - Money laundering at the Vatican bank. Corruption in the awarding of Vatican contracts. Even a purported plot to kill Pope Benedict XVI.

The Vatican is being besieged by near-daily leaks of confidential documents and tabloid-style reports of alleged financial mismanagement, political infighting and gossip about who might be the next pope — all coming out at an exceedingly delicate time for the Holy See and Benedict himself.
The frescoed halls of the Apostolic Palace have been buzzing about the leaks, which have emerged as the pontiff prepares for the ceremony next week to crown 22 new cardinals — the princes of the church who will elect his successor.
Such ceremonies always breed unseemly speculation about a future pontiff since they provide a rare chance for cardinals new and old to size one another up. But the Feb. 18 consistory has taken on greater gravitas since the 84-year-old Benedict is showing signs of slowing down.
Conspiracy theorists reading the Italian media of late might also point to another looming date as reason for why the Vatican's dirty laundry is being aired now: In June, a European commission will decide whether the Holy See has abided by tough international anti-money laundering and anti-terror finance laws.
Compliance would mark a key step in the Vatican's goal of joining the so-called "white list" of countries that share financial information — a designation the Vatican hopes will forever dispense with its reputation as a scandal-plagued, secrecy-obsessed tax haven.
The flurry of articles and television news programs seemingly seeking to reinforce that reputation — regardless of whether it's deserved — certainly can't help the Holy See's bid.
All of which explains why the Vatican has been aggressively shooting down the reports with an unprecedented array of detailed, line-by-line refutations and sarcastic jabs at the journalists reporting them in a bid to set the record straight.
Almost lost in the shuffle is that the Vatican in recent weeks has done more to come into compliance with international financial norms than perhaps at any time in its history. It has ratified three major U.N. conventions, rewritten its law on money laundering and, separately, scored a legal victory in the U.S. concerning its embattled bank, the Institute for Religious Works or IOR.
The most explosive story to hit newsstands came on Friday: reports that the Vatican had received a confidential letter last month from a top Vatican official describing how an Italian cardinal visiting China had spoken about a presumed plot to kill Benedict this year. The document also said the pontiff was grooming Milan's archbishop as his successor.
The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, dismissed that report as "so completely beyond reality and hardly serious that I don't even want to consider it."
But Lombardi has taken the other reports alleging financial mismanagement far more seriously, warning of possible legal action against the media outlets responsible.
Veteran Vatican correspondent Andrea Tornielli said the reports showed a clear power struggle is under way inside the Vatican, "the outcome of which is uncertain yet devastating," concerning both the fate of the pope's deputy, Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and any future conclave to elect the next pope.
Another Vatican commentator who has been highly critical of Bertone's leadership, Sandro Magister, put it this way in a recent column: "The secretary of state is increasingly alone, in a curia he does not govern and with a pope he does not help."
The question that has yet to be answered is why the reports are coming out now, and whether they are more related to internal power struggles over Bertone's leadership or external tensions between the Bank of Italy and Italian prosecutors on the one hand, and the IOR on the other. As the financial institution of a sovereign city state, the Vatican's IOR is outside the Italian central bank's regulatory grasp.
Some of the leaked documents have carried the processing stamp of the Vatican secretariat of state, implying an internal leak. Other reports have been based on information from Rome judicial authorities. Regardless, however, none of them appear to be so grave as to cause significant harm to the Holy See, particularly given that the Vatican has taken a remarkable steps in the past year to be more transparent in its financial dealings and co-operative with international requests for financial data.
The media campaign kicked off last month with the publication on television news program "The Untouchables" of leaked letters from the former No. 2 in the Vatican city state administration, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, to Benedict and Bertone in 2011. In one, Vigano begged not to be transferred after exposing what he said was corruption in the awarding of Vatican contracts.
Vigano was subsequently named the Vatican's ambassador to Washington — a high-ranking post that was perhaps better suited to his diplomatic background but that nevertheless sealed the impression that he had been punished for stepping on too many toes in his cost-cutting efforts.
Lombardi initially issued a lengthy statement lamenting the leak but insisting that Vigano enjoyed the "undoubtable esteem and trust of the pope." A week later, Vigano's now-retired boss and the three current top officials of the Vatican city state changed course, saying Vigano's assertions were the baseless "fruit of erroneous evaluations."
Lombardi subsequently shot down an article in the leading newspaper Corriere della Sera suggesting that a monsignor with links to the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints had lost €1.6 million by investing with a Bernard Madoff-like schemer.
Corriere identified the source of that story as Luca Tescaroli, the Rome prosecutor who has pursued a 30-year-old case concerning the worst scandal at the IOR: the death of Roberto Calvi, the Catholic banker who helped managed the Vatican's investments and was found hanging from London's Blackfriars Bridge in 1982.
Calvi headed the Banco Ambrosiano, which collapsed in 1982 after the disappearance of $1.3 billion in loans made to dummy companies in Latin America. The Vatican had provided letters of credit for the loans.
Calvi was found hanging a short time later, his pockets loaded with bricks and cash. After an initial ruling of suicide, murder charges were filed against five people, including a major Mafia figure, but all were acquitted.
While denying wrongdoing, the Vatican Bank paid $250 million to Ambrosiano's creditors.
The case remains unresolved, but Tescaroli has recently revived judicial requests to the Vatican for information about it — information the Vatican insists it has provided.
Tescaroli was the featured guest this week on "The Untouchables," which has been on a campaign of sorts against the IOR. It is hosted by Gianluigi Nuzzi, author of the 2009 book Vatican SpA about the IOR scandals that was based on a trove of leaked Vatican documents.
Separately, the IOR's president and director general remain under investigation by Rome prosecutors who allege they broke Italian law in 2010 by trying to transfer money from two IOR accounts without identifying the sender or recipient. The Vatican says the matter was the result of a misunderstanding.
Almost lost in all the noise was a victory that the Holy See scored for the IOR in the United States on Feb. 1: A federal judge in Mississippi dismissed with prejudice a fraud and racketeering lawsuit against the Holy See filed in 2002 by the insurance commissioners of five southern states alleging Vatican involvement in jailed financier Martin Frankel's scheme to buy and loot insurance companies of some $200 million.
The Vatican's lawyer called for the media to report on the "undignified" demise of the case and not just on claims of corruption.
"That inflammatory allegations against the Holy See and the IOR are easily disseminated and make good fodder for conspiracy theorists cannot be doubted," the lawyer said in a statement.

Esha Deol to get engaged - India

10 feb 2012

Esha Deol to get engaged

Esha Deol

Bollywood actress Esha Deol is set to exchange rings with her long-time boyfriend Mumbai-based businessman Bharat Takhtani on Feb12, 2012, two days before Valentine's Day.

"Yes, it is going to be a traditional ceremony at their Juhu residence Sunday. It will be a family affair," Esha's manager confirmed.

The time of engagement is yet to be revealed, but the family is said to be excited.

Daughter of veteran actors Hema Malini and Dharmendra, Esha began her tryst with Bollywood in 2002 with "Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe". She went on to feature in films like "Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne", "Na Tum Jaano Na Hum" and " Dhoom".

Last year, Hema relaunched her 29-year-old with " Tell Me O Kkhuda", but it failed to resurrect her career as the movie tanked at the box office.

Thousands shake a leg with Michelle Obama for 'Let's Move' - India

09 feb 2012

Thousands shake a leg with Michelle Obama for 'Let's Move'

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Des Moines, Iowa:  She did some wild arm swings, sharp robotic turns and pulsing fist pumps.

Michelle Obama busted out a few new moves on Thursday to mark the second anniversary of her campaign against childhood obesity with a few new friends - 14,000 or so, it turns out.

The first lady rocked out with thousands of sixth- to ninth-graders at a Des Moines arena on the first stop of a three-day trip to highlight her "Let's Move" campaign. It was a giant pep rally for eating right and exercising, complete with confetti, balloons and a towering birthday cake made of fruit.

The first lady and crowd revved up by doing the Interlude, a dance that started in a dorm room at the University of Northern Iowa and went viral from there.

Mrs Obama chose Iowa for her first stop because the state is working to become the nation's healthiest state by 2016, as measured by the Gallup organization. It ranked 19th in 2010, the most recent rankings.

She sold healthy eating to the kids as something fun, but also dangled the bait that it could help them "pass your tests and get good grades in school."

There were plenty of sports celebrities on hand to help pump up the crowd, including gymnast Shawn Johnson, figure skater Michelle Kwan, NASCAR champion Carl Edwards, Iowa State basketball coach Fred Hoiberg and former WNBA star Tamika Catchings.

The first lady took on the issue of childhood obesity because almost a third of US children are at least overweight, and about 17 percent are obese.

In the two years since Mrs Obama launched her campaign, she has brought substantial new visibility to the childhood obesity issue and has prodded schools, families, restaurants, grocery stores, doctors, local communities and others to do more to tackle the problem.

Robert Blendon, a Harvard professor who tracks public opinion on health care, said Mrs Obama has helped bring about a shift in attitude, with childhood obesity increasingly being viewed as a societal problem rather than a personal matter. She's given people tangible ideas on how to eat better and exercise more rather than talking in broad concepts that don't hit home with parents, he said.

"It's getting into people's conversations in ways that it would not have been if someone had not taken it on," Blendon said.

The first lady herself said recently she's "pretty much willing to make a complete fool out of myself" to get kids moving and eating better.

To that end, she's done push-ups with everyone from Ellen DeGeneres to South Africa's Desmond Tutu, danced the "Dougie" with school kids, done jumping jacks and swiveled a hula hoop on the South Lawn, fed veggie pizza to Jay Leno and competed in an East Room potato sack race with Jimmy Fallon.

On Thursday, she added the Interlude to her repertoire.

Later in the day, she was visiting Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas to announce a new program to improve the meals served on military bases. And she was having dinner at an Olive Garden restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas, to chat with parents about the challenges of getting kids to eat right. On Friday she travels to Florida.

Beyond the policy and health implications, the effort has contributed to an engaging image of the first lady - and, by association, has been an asset for the president's re-election effort.

The first lady's campaign hasn't been just all fluffy words, hip dances and funny jokes.

Marion Nestle, a food and nutrition professor at New York University, gives the first lady high marks for going up against powerful forces in the food and beverage industry, and getting some pushback along the way. The first lady also has attracted some "nanny state" grumbling from conservatives who think she's intruding on what should be personal matters.

"Let's give her credit," Nestle said. "She has no real power. She has no legal authority. She's a wife, and yet she has managed to take this issue and bring it to national prominence."

Nestle said it will take decades to tell whether the campaign produces reductions in childhood obesity, likening it to the gradual turnaround in attitudes about smoking.

I'm proud of my baby bump: Shilpa Shetty - India

08 feb 2012

I'm proud of my baby bump: Shilpa Shetty

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Shilpa Shetty shares with us the experience of being a first-time mother
Shilpa Shetty, currently in her fifth month of pregnancy, can't wait to begin playing the most personal role of her real life: a mother. Mankind's Prega News, one of the most trusted home pregnancy test-kit brands helped her discover the great news.


Shilpa says, "Mankind's Prega News confirmed the best news of my life. My husband Raj and I are ecstatic. We can't wait for the little one's arrival and for the new phase in our lives to begin," she says excitedly. Says the expectant mother, "It's a beautiful gift and the most lovely experience to go through. I am enjoying every moment of being a mother."


Has she reduced her workload post-pregnancy? "The work hasn't reduced. I have just changed my work destination. These days I travel less. I do go to the office - not every day but once in two weeks. I was more careful in the first three months; but now that I am my fifth month, I am being just a bit careful and have started spacing out my work. I am also reading a lot."


Shilpa being a health freak is also monitoring her diet. "I'm someone who likes to do things the right way, so I just have the right kind of food. I don't take the pre-natal vitamins but prefer natural foods like boiled beetroot and palak soup. Till my pregnancy, I could fit into my jeans from college but now I can fit into only two pairs of track pants, two tops and two skirts which keep altering. I really want to start a maternity line soon as we don't have anything here in India."


Recently, the media said she was hiding her tummy when she went for a charity event. An irritated Shilpa retorts, "I'm very proud of my baby bump. I would never think of hiding it."