Water let off from Nagarjunasagar dam

GUNTUR: With huge inflows adding to the present reserves, the state government on Saturday let off water from the Nagarjunasagar dam on Saturday. (Image: REUTERS)

Major irrigation minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah arrived at Nagarjunasagar along with IT minister Komatireddy Venkata Reddy and opened the gates to let out nearly one lakh cusecs from the dam.

Fourteen crest gates were lifted to a level of five-foot to release water to the downstream. This is the first time during the current season that water is being released from from Sagar.
All the reservoirs in the state are brimming with rain waters, in which Srisailam already touched the level of 884.9 ft against the full reservoir level of 895 ft. At Nagarjunasagar, the level reached 582 ft against the FRL of 590. Curiously, it was only 504 ft last year.

Meanwhile, the authorities in Krishna district too have let out nearly 70 thousand cusecs of water from Prakasam barrage into the sea following huge inflows from the upstream due to the heavy rains in the last three days.

Google+ launch: search giant closes 10 products

Internet firm focuses on new social network Google Plus by ridding company of 'inefficiencies'

The Google closures are a sign of Larry Page’s determination to get things done Photograph: Peter Foley/EPA

Google is to shut down 10 products, including the search company Aardvark, bought for $50m last year, as the internet giant focuses on new social network Google+ ahead of its public launch.

The "fall spring clean" follows a pledge by Larry Page to rid the company of inefficiencies after he took over as chief executive in April.

The products listed for closure include Aardvark, Desktop, Fast Flip, Google Maps API for Flash, Google Pack, Google Web Security, Image Labeler, Notebook, Sidewiki and Subscribed Links.

Alan Eustace, Google's senior vice-president for engineering, announced the closures on the company's official blog.

"Technology improves, people's needs change, some bets pay off and others don't. So, as Larry previewed on our last earnings call, today we're having a fall spring clean at Google. Over the next few months we'll be shutting down a number of products and merging others into existing products as features," he said.

"This will make things much simpler for our users, improving the overall Google experience. It will also mean we can devote more resources to high-impact products – the ones that improve the lives of billions of people. All the Googlers working on these projects will be moved over to higher-impact products."

Many of the Google staff are expected to transfer to Google+, the ambitious social network launched in invitation-only beta in June. According to industry calculations, Google+ hit 20 million users within three weeks of its launch.

Google has not said when it plans to open Google+ to all internet users, but is expected to do so before the first half of next year.

Eustace added: "We've never been afraid to try big, bold things, and that won't change. We'll continue to take risks on interesting new technologies with a lot of potential. But by targeting our resources more effectively, we can focus on building world-changing products with a truly beautiful user experience."

Although Google shied away from announcing "dramatic or immediate changes" after Page took the reins from Eric Schmidt in April, the closures are a sign of Page's determination to get things done.

Product managers were asked earlier this year to pitch a 60-word explanation of their projects to the 38-year-old Google founder, with a view to slimming down the number.

In July, Google closed down its experimental feature-testing suite Google Labs.

Max Ventilla, the co-founder of Aardvark, which was bought by Google for $50m last year, suggested in a blog post on Friday that the social search product will be folded into Google+.

"We've been excited to share these lessons within Google over the past year, especially as part of the effort behind Google+. It has been gratifying to see how well this project is doing – even in these early stages, Google+ has already become a great place to share knowledge online, eclipsing the original vark.com! – and there is much more to come very soon," he said.

Do we need faith to see religious art?

How much can we appreciate a work of art when we don't share the maker's religious purpose, and how much is lost?

The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo. What is lost from religious art when we lose religious belief? Photograph: The Gallery Collection/Corbis

Art is supposed to stand independently of the artist. Bad people produce good art – sometimes – while men of otherwise flawless character can perpetrate an 11-volume fantasy series. But can the aesthetics of art be detached from its spiritual purpose?

Some of the answer seems to depend on the medium: at one end, music and sculpture appear to have a force that quite transcends words. When the atheist Jonathan Miller listens to Mozart's sacred music, he is as close as he could be to an experience that a believer would describe as being of God. The Venus de Milo is beautiful still, even though no one any longer worships, or even believes in Venus. At the other extreme, words are much more difficult to detach from the conceptual schemes in which they are put together. It can be done, otherwise no one would still read Paradise Lost, or Beowulf, or even Homer. But it's harder, and it seems that the pleasure we get is very different from that of the original readers. Painting lies somewhere in between.

What is lost from religious art when we lose religious belief? How much can we appreciate a work of art when we don't share the maker's religious purpose?

Indian mining magnates arrested over violation of laws

Gali Janardhan Reddy is brought to the Central Bureau of Investigation office in Delhi after he was arrested. Photograph: Mahesh Kumar A/AP

Indian police have detained two powerful mining magnates over allegations that they illegally created a business empire worth billions of dollars, in the first high-profile arrest since anti-corruption campaigner Anna Hazare inspired a wave of protests across the country.

Agents from the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Gali Janardhan Reddy, the owner of the Obulapuram Mining Corporation and a former minister in Karnataka state, and his brother-in-law Srinivas Reddy, the company's managing director, on Monday. The men face charges of conspiracy, forgery and violation of mining laws.

Manmohan Singh's beleaguered government has been mired in allegations of corruption since last year, but nationwide public outrage came to a boil last month when the 74-year-old Hazare held a two-week hunger strike until parliament agreed to tougher anti-corruption laws. Hazare's campaign tapped into deep-rooted anger over the country's endemic corruption, petty and large-scale, which successive governments have failed to tackle.

Singh, who appeared to underestimate support for Hazare, has come under increasing criticism for failing to deal with major corruption scandals in telecommunications, sports and mining.

"One motive for the arrests may be to show the government is acting against corruption," said lawyer Prashant Bhushan, a close aide of Hazare. "But the CBI acts only when there's political direction, and the fact is that it suits Delhi politically to arrest the Reddys now. These arrests were long overdue."

Janardhan Reddy, with his brothers Karunakara and Somasekhar, had long been accused of running an illegal iron ore extraction empire along the border of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh which had devastated the environment, repressed the local population, corrupted officials, and virtually taken control of the state government in Karnataka.

"With these arrests Delhi may be trying to give the impression that it is fighting corruption," said Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, director of the documentary film Blood and Iron. "But the arrests should have happened long ago. In many ways, Janardhan Reddy and his relatives had come to epitomise the convergence of crime, business and politics in India." As ministers, Janardhan and Karunakara Reddy were seen as the real power behind chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, recently forced to resign after a damning report on the state's illegal mining operations by the ombudsman, Santosh Hegde. He described links between Karnataka politicians and mining as a "mafia type of operation."

Due to Hegde's ground-breaking investigation, the Reddy brothers were also ousted from the state cabinet last month, but had begun to jockey for a return to power when the CBI acted. "The loot was allowed to go on with open eyes," said Hegde after the arrests. "There were irregularities at every stage of the business. But the arrests are not because of my report, since the Karnataka government has still not given the CBI permission to investigate. The arrests are due to a case filed in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh."

The distinction drawn by Hegde is loaded with political significance. Karnataka is ruled by the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), which is in the opposition at the centre. Andhra, however, is ruled by the Congress party, which is also in power in Delhi. The achievement of the Reddy brothers, from the city of Bellary in Karnataka state, was to cosy up to powerful leaders in both the BJP and the Congress.

"The loot enriched the two largest political parties in India," said Thakurta.

However, the death of an Andhra chief minister in a helicopter crash in 2009 seriously damaged the Reddys' links with the Congress party.

Uma Bharti's birthday gift for Rahul

Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Uma Bharti Sunday took a dig at the Congress party and its general secretary Rahul Gandhi, to whom she said she had sent a history book on his 41st birthday.

Addressing a gathering of partymen at the state BJP headquarters here, she said: "I will make it a point to give Rahul Gandhi a book which has an interesting mention of his great grand-father Jawaharlal Nehru inviting the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) to join a Republic Day parade."

"I wish to ensure that a copy of the book reaches him today (Sunday) itself, because he needs to know his homeland's history, which he may not get to know as his mother happens to be a Roman."

And referring herself as Rahul's 'bua' (aunt) , she quipped: "Even if his mother is from Rome, he has this aunt who belongs to Ram."

Supreme court rejects Kanimozhi's bail plea

Supreme Court today dismissed the bail pleas of DMK MP Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar in the 2G spectrum case.

Court asked Kanimozhi and Kumar to approach special court for bail after framing of charges.

Earlier

DMK MP Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, accused in the 2G spectrum case had moved the Supreme Court seeking bail.

Kanimozhi, the 43-year-old daughter of DMK chief M Karunanidhi, and Kumar have challenged the Delhi High Court verdict rejecting their bail.

"We have filed a Special Leave Petition on behalf of both Kanimozhi and Kumar challenging the High Court order," senior advocate V.G. Pargasm said.

The High Court had on June 8 dismissed the bail pleas of Kanimozhi and Kumar, saying they have strong political connections and the possibility of them influencing witnesses cannot be ruled out.

Kanimozhi and Kumar, named as accused in the second charge sheet for allegedly taking bribe of Rs 200 crore, were arrested on May 20 after the special court dismissed their bail pleas in the case.

Both Kanimozhi and Kumar have 20 per cent stake each in Kalaignar TV Pvt Ltd which allegedly received
Rs 200 crore through a "circuitous" route from Shahid Balwa promoted D.B. Realty.

CBI Special Judge O.P. Saini had on May 20 rejected the bail pleas of Kanimozhi and Kumar and ordered their 'forthwith' arrest. They are currently lodged in Tihar Jail.

Kanimozhi, who sought bail in the special court on the ground of being a woman, had approached the high court seeking relief citing the need to look after her school-going child who is devoid of her care as his father is working abroad.

Justice Bharihoke had on May 23 dismissed bail pleas of five corporate honchos, including Unitech Group MD Sanjay Chandra and Reliance ADAG MD Gautam Doshi in the case, saying there was a possibility that they may influence the witnesses.

Kanna, sons left out in the cold at Manasarovar

June 19: The housing minister, Mr Kanna Lakshminarayana, his two sons and the Praja Rajyam MLA, Mr ‘Avanthi’ Srinivas, were stranded in the remote Hilsa desert area on the Tibet border on Sunday.

The minister was part of a group of 13 pilgrims returning from Kailash Manasarovar. The minister accused Southern Travels, the tour operator, of cheating them by not providing an airlift service, but the MD of the travel agency, Mr A.K. Mohan, said bad weather prevented the operation. However, the agency subsequently said the minister had not stuck to his schedule and had advanced the date of departure. The travel agency and the defence authorities also tried to send rescue helicopters but the aircraft had to turn back and the group was forced to spend a chilly night with inadequate facilities in a small house in Hilsa. It was fortunate that there was mobile network coverage and the minister could communicate with the state authorities, his family members and the media.

Lokpal Bill needs wider consultation: Sandeep Dikshit

After the outpouring of popular support for Anna Hazare in his campaign against graft, Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit has raised objections to the anti-corruption crusader's cause.

Dikshit has written a letter to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee expressing reservations over the Jan Lokpal bill. Pranab is the chairperson of Lokpal Bill drafting committee.

Speaking exclusively to Headlines Today, Dikshit has said that a few people cannot put pressure on the government to get the Lokpal bill passed and that it was important for MPs to be consulted.

Such campaigns, he said, should not undermine the responsibility of MPs and that it's important to take their opinion as well.

Maintaining that the joint drafting panel 'cannot be limited to 10 people or five activists', Dikshit said that the panel required wider consultation and that it couldn't be 'time-centric'.

India to get access to information on Swiss accounts

The Swiss Parliament on Friday gave approval to amendments to tax treaties with countries, including India, that makes it easier for them to access information about the illegal funds held by their nationals in Swiss private banks.

The upper house of the Swiss Parliament endorsed amendments to double-taxation agreements in line with internationally applicable standards.

Governments which have signed DTAAs can now secure easy legal assistance and information as well as identify an account holder from their territories by providing an IBAN number or social security number.

The new amendments to Swiss banking secrecy laws can still be challenged by a popular referendum within 100 days, analysts said.

The beneficiaries from the new amendments include India, Germany, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, Greece, Turkey, Uruguay, Kazakhstan, and Poland.

The Swiss Parliament approval comes at a time when the Indian government is facing intense pressure from the Opposition, the Supreme Court and civil society to bring back black money stashed away in tax havens.

In January this year, a Swiss Parliamentary panel has given go-ahead to revised tax treaty with India.

As per the revised taxation treaty with Switzerland, India can get information on secret bank accounts from Swiss authorities for cases dating from January 2011.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Swiss Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey signed a "protocol" to amend the double taxation agreement (DTA) in the area of taxes on income on August 30, 2010.

Lokpal bill: Govt may soon call an all-party meet

With the issue of bringing Prime Minister within the ambit of the Lokpal remaining a ticklish affair, Government is expected to soon call an all-party meeting to seek views across the political spectrum.

This became clear on Saturday after a meeting of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi had with top party leaders favouring such parleys against the backdrop of widening differences between the government and the civil society representatives led by Anna Hazare on the issue.

Grappling with the issue and other sensitive matters like Telangana, the Congress Core Group headed by Gandhi met on Saturday, the second meeting coming just after its two-hour long deliberations last night. Saturday's meeting also discussed Telangana problem.

The Hazare camp is pitching for inclusion of Prime Minister as also higher judiciary in the proposed Lokpal bill during meetings of the Joint Committee to draft the measure which will now be meeting on June 20 and 21.

Government is prima facie opposed to the inclusion of Prime Minister within the ambit of Lokpal but was open to the idea of covering him once he demits office.

HRD Minister Sibal on Saturday said, "within the government, we feel prima facie, the Prime Minister should not be covered (under the Lokpal). But at the same time we want to make sure that if he demits office, he should not be exonerated from prosecution."