World's largest telescope by China and India

China and India have catapulted to the forefront of astronomy research with their decision to join as partners in building a Hawaii telescope, which will be the world's largest. 


China and India will pay a share of the construction cost, expected to top USD 1 billion, for the telescope at the summit of Mauna Kea volcano. They will also have a share of the observation time. 


"This will represent a quantum leap for the Chinese community," Shude Mao, professor of astrophysics at National Astronomical Observatories of China, said in a telephone interview yesterday from Waikoloa on the Big Island, where he was attending a meeting of the telescope's scientific advisory committee. 

The Thirty Meter Telescope's segmented primary mirror, which will be nearly 100 feet or 30 meters long, will give it nine times the light-collecting area of the largest optical telescopes in use today. Its images will also be three times sharper. 


G C Anupama, professor at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, said the largest telescope in India has a 2-meter (6.5-feet) mirror, though India is currently building one that will be 4 meters (13 feet). 


"So it's a huge jump for us from 4-meter to 30-meter," Anupama said in a telephone interview on the sidelines of the advisory committee's meeting. "It definitely will take Indian astronomy to greater heights." 


The telescope, known as TMT, will be able to observe planets that orbit stars other than the sun and enable astronomers to watch new planets and stars being formed. 


The University of California system, the California Institute of Technology and the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy founded the telescope, which is expected to be finished by 2018. 


China joined as an observer in 2009, followed by India the next year. Both are now partners, with representatives on the TMT board. Japan, which has its own large telescope at Mauna Kea, the 8.3-meter Subaru, is also a partner. 


TMT may not hold the title of world's largest for long, however, as a partnership of European countries plans to build the European Extremely Large Telescope, which would have a 42-meter, or 138-foot, mirror.

Tulsi-based medicine by Indian scientists

From grandma's home remedies for cough, cold and other ailments, 'tulsi' ( Indian Basil) is now being tested by Indian scientists for treating people exposed to harmful radiations and initial tests have shown some positive results. 


Scientists at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have developed a tulsi-based herbal medicine for treating people exposed to radiations. The medicine is already in the second phase of trials. 


According to scientists, tulsi has anti-oxidant properties and can repair cells damaged by exposure to radiation. 


"Tulsi-based medicine is already in second phase of clinical trials. It has to undergo some more trials before it is finalised and goes for commercial production. Animal trials have also been conducted and their results were quite encouraging," DRDO's chief controller (R&D) W Selvamurthy told reporters. 


Selvamurthy was speaking at the 99th edition of the Indian Science Congress held here. 


Besides tulsi, sea-buckthorn and podophyllum hexandrum were other herbs chosen to develop medicines to not just treat those effected by nuclear radiations but also as a precaution for those going for rescue work in radiation-affected areas. 


Selvamurthy said it is for the first time in the world that tusli is being used for treating harmful effects of exposure to radiation. 


The same medicine can be used for treating humans and animals exposed to radiation. The cost of this project is around Rs 7 crore. 


"The medicines used for treating radiation-related ailments are very toxic in nature. These herbal medicines would change the way radiation treatment takes place as they would be quite safe," he added. 


Listing out other innovations by the research organisation, Selvamurthy said a special Aloe Vera based anti-frostbite cream - Alocal - has been developed for soldiers deployed at higher altitudes. The medicine prevents frostbite and five lakh jars of that cream have already been supplied to the armed forces. 


Scientists have also developed several other herbal medicines, some especially for the Indian Army. 


"We have developed a special herbal drink for army personnel posted at high altitude areas. This drink is made from 15 herbs and it will help the soldiers in acclimatising fast to those tough weather conditions," Selvamurthy said. 


While the frostbite cream is already in the market, the herbal drink is in the testing phase and will be commercialised soon.

Cyrus Mistry named Ratan Tata's chairman

Tata Sons, the holding company of over $80 billion conglomerate Tata Group, on Wednesday announced that Cyrus P Mistry, the 43-year-old managing director of Shapoorji Pallonji Group, will succeed Ratan Tata. "The Board of Directors of Tata Sons at its meeting today appointed Cyrus P 

Mistry as the deputy chairman. He will work with Ratan N Tata over the next year and take over from him when Tata retires in December 2012," Tata Sons said in a statement.

This is as per the unanimous recommendation of the selection committee, it added.

Shapoorji Pallonji Group holds 18% stake in Tata Sons.

Commenting on the appointment, Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Sons, said: "The appointment of Cyrus P Mistry as deputy chairman of Tata Sons is a good and far-sighted choice.

"He has been on the Board of Tata Sons since August 2006 and I have been impressed with the quality and calibre of his participation, his astute observations and his humility."

Tata further said: "I will be committed to working with him over the next year to give him the exposure, the involvement and the operating experience to equip him to undertake the full responsibility of the Group on my retirement."

Mistry has been a director of Tata Sons since August 2006. A graduate in civil engineering from Imperial College, London, he also holds a management degree from the London Business School.

Dr. Swamy complaint against Sonia Gandhi

Dr. Swamy files complaint against Sonia Gandhi on Communal Violence Bill 

To:

SHO/Insp: D.P. Singh, Sector 18, Rohini, Crime Branch, New Delhi.

Re: Registering of FIR u/s 153A & B, 295A & 505 (2) of Indian Penal Code.

Dated: October 24, 2011.

1. In public interest I am sending by Courier service a complaint in my name against Chairperson Ms. Sonia Gandhi of National Advisory Council, which has its office at 2 Motilal Place, New Delhi-110011, Tel: 23062582, and also against unnamed other members of the said NAC for committing offences of propagating hate against the Hindu community of India by circulating for enacting as law a Draft Bill described as PREVENTION OF COMMUNAL AND TARGETED VIOLENCE BILL OF 2011. This Draft Bill has been posted on the NAC official website, is dated July 21, 2011 and sent for adoption by Parliament. That this 2011 Draft Bill is mischievous in content of targeting the Hindu community, malafide, unreasonable and prejudicial to public order, is apparent from the second section of Explanatory Note [Annexed herein] to the Draft Bill titled “Key Provisions of the Bill”, thereby inciting crimes against the Hindu community with impunity, and thus committing offences u/s 153A & B, 295A and 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code.

2. The UPA Government in December, 2005 had introduced earlier a Draft Bill [2005] in the Parliament described as THE COMMUNAL VIOLENCE (PREVENTION, CONTROL AND REHABILITATION OF VICTIMS) BILL (2005).

3. The Draft Bill however did not find favour with any Party. Leaders of several political parties felt that the Draft Bill provided sweeping powers to the Central Government thus undermining the authority of the State Governments. But the most vocal opposition to this draft Bill came from the Muslim, Christian and so called secular quarters. Their contention was just the opposite of what the political leaders were saying. The view of Muslim and Christian groups was that the 2005 Draft Bill was "completely toothless". They demanded that the powers of managing communal violence be vested in non-government actors and make governments and administration at all levels accountable them for communal violence.

4. The All India Christian Council was in the forefront of this campaign against the 2005 Draft Bill as being "too weak". In a letter written to the Prime Minister, Ms Sonia Gandhi, herself a Christian, through the AICC had conveyed to the PM the Christian Council concerns about the 2005 Draft Bill, and then revised the same as the 2009 Draft Bill.

5. The Muslim bodies too joined in the protest campaign against the draft as being too weak. They wanted provisions to make police and civil administration and state authorities "accountable" to public bodies. The Joint Committee of Muslim Organizations for Empowerment (JCMOE) made the demand on behalf of these organizations. JCMOE also urged the government to convene a meeting of leaders of "targeted communities" to note their views on the Bill as follows:

"The Bill does not make police or administration or state authorities accountable and provide for timely and effective intervention by the National Human Rights Commission, if the communal violence spreads or continues for weeks, or by the Central Government under Articles 355 and 356 of the Constitution, duly modified. On the other hand, ironically, the Bill grants more power to the local police and administration, which, more often than not acts in league with the rioters by declaring the area as communally disturbed area JCMOE statement said.

6. It is interesting to note that these two statements, the Muslim and the Christian, come at around the same time as though they were premeditated. They probably were.

7. From their arguments in opposition to the Draft Bill, it is clear that they wanted a Bill that would consider only the Christians and Muslims as the "generally targeted" victims of communal violence; and that the word 'communal violence' be re-defined in such a way that only the Muslims and Christians are treated as victims and Hindus as predators, and that the local police and administration, including the State administration, considered hand-in-glove with the perpetrators of violence. Hence the Bill should empower the Central Government to invoke Art. 355 and 356 of the Constitution against any state in the event of such communal violence.

8.Since the Prevention of Communal Violence Bill (2005) does not discriminate between the perpetrators and victims of communal violence on religious grounds and also it does not envisage the State administration as committed in preventing such violence, these groups wanted the Bill to be withdrawn.

9.The National Advisory Council (NAC) was re-constituted in 2009 by the UPA Government again under the chairmanship of Ms. Sonia Gandhi. The UPA Government promptly handed over the re-drafting of the Bill to the newly constituted NAC and asked it to come up with a fresh draft.

10.The basic communally provocative premise of the re-drafted Bill is that: a) there is a non-dominant group in every State in the form of religious and linguistic minority which is always a victim of violence; b) the dominant majority (usually Hindus) in the State is always the perpetrator of violence; and c) the State administration is, as a rule, biased against the non-dominant group.

11.The object of the re-drafted Bill thus was the basic premise of the NAC that the majority community – read Hindus – are the perpetrators of communal violence in India and the minority – read Muslims and Christians – are the victims, clearly is incitement of religious strife.

12.What is more important is to conclude is that in all cases of communal and targeted violence, dominant religious and linguistic group at the State level is always the perpetrator and the other the victims. Similarly the conclusion that the State machinery is invariably and always biased against the non-dominant group is a gross misstatement of the sincerity and commitment of millions of people who form State administration in the country.

13. This dangerous premise is the incitement of communal strife in this Bill.

14. One can safely conclude that the script writers of this Bill are themselves blinded with religious biases. In India communal violence happens mostly because of politico-communal reasons. In many instances, as documented by several Commissions of Inquiry, it is the so-called minority group that triggers the trouble. We hence need laws that can prevent such violence irrespective of whoever perpetrates it. To argue that since the administration is always biased in favour of the dominant group we need acts that are biased in favour of the non-dominant group is imprudent and puerile.

15. The final Draft is available on the NAC website now. One is not sure when the same will be placed before the Parliament. However, a close scrutiny of the Draft is essential to understand the serious implications of and threats from it to our national integration, social harmony and Constitutional Federalism.

16. This Bill when it becomes an Act will apply to whole country except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Note that J&K is one of the two States in India (excluding the North East and other tiny UTs) that has Hindus as minority – the 'non-dominant group' according to this Bill. Punjab is the other State where the Sikhs constitute the majority, while in the rest of the entire country it is the Hindus who constitute 'dominant group' and by implication the perpetrators of communal violence, according to this Draft Bill.

17. The mischief in the drafting primarily lies in the 'Definitions' part contained in Art.3 of the first chapter. Art. 3 (c ) defines Communal and Targeted Violence as under:-

"Communal and targeted violence" means and includes any act or series of acts, whether spontaneous or planned, resulting in injury or harm to the person and or property knowingly directed against any person by virtue of his or her membership of any group".

18. The mischief is centered round the word 'Group'. Art 3(e) defines what constitutes a Group.

"Group" means a religious or linguistic minority, in any State in the Union of India, or Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes within the meaning of clauses of the Constitution of India;

19. Having thus established that the individual member of the Minority community is always considered a part of the Minority group the Draft Bill goes on to add several detrimental clauses subsequently. Art.3 (f) defines ‘Hostile environment against a group thus:

"Hostile environment against a group" means an intimidating or coercive environment that is created when a person belonging to any group as defined under this Act, by virtue of his or her membership of that group, is subjected to any of the following acts:

(i) Boycott of the trade or business of such person or making it otherwise difficult for him or her to earn a living; or

(ii) Publicly humilitate such person through exclusion from public services, including education, health and transportation of any act of indignity; or

(iii) Deprive or threaten to deprive such person of his or her fundamental rights;

or,

(iv) Force such person to leave his or her home or place of ordinary residence or livlihood without his or her express consent; or

(v) Any other act, whether or not it amounts to an offence under this Act, that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment."

Note the Clause (v) – Any other act, whether or not it amounts to an offence under this Act. The intention here seems to be to make anything and everything an offence, even if it doesn't come under any definition of an offence. It is clear that the entire definition of hostile environment is malafide.

Clause (k) defines who is a 'victim'. Here the draft makers are very explicit:

"victim" means any person belonging to a group as defined under this Act, who has suffered physical, mental, psychological or monetary harm or harm to his or hr property as a result of the commission of any offence under this Act, and includes his or her relatives, legal guardian and legal heirs, wherever appropriate;

"Victim" can only be belonging to a 'group' as defined under this Act. And the group as defined under this Act is the Minority – the 'non-dominant group'. That means this act will consider only the Minority as the victims. And he or she will become a victim if he or she has suffered physical, mental, psychological or monetary harm Now, physical harm is measurable, mental harm is difficult to gauge, but how on earth can anyone define psychological harm? The Bill does not define it. Then how can be so-called psychological harm be one of the reasons for victimhood?

Similarly, Art. 4 (a) states as follows:

4. Knowledge. – A person is said to knowingly direct any act against a person belonging to a group by virtue of such person’s membership of that group where;

(a) He or she means to engage in the conduct against a person he or she knows belongs to that group;

20. Art 7 of the draft Bill defines 'sexual assault'. It is by far the most widely covered definition that is very much needed to protect women from becoming targets of sexual violence as part of communal violence. But against the problem is that this definition is applicable to the women belonging to Minority group and women of the Majority community cannot benefit from it. Secondly, it also states that in a case of communal violence sex by consent also can be construed as a crime.

21. Patriotic Indians now realize that the present draft Bill is a standing proof that neo Jinnah-ism – the belief that the minority is perpetually oppressed in India by the Hindu majority – is still poisoning our minds even today by mischievous minds.

22. The present Draft Bill will only promote disharmony. With these kind of laws the LeTs and Hujls across the border need not have to promote terrorism in our territory anymore. All that they need to do is to encourage a minor communal riot and they can achieve what they want – huge rift between the Majority and Minority communities.

23. Hence, the NAC, with Ms Sonia Gandhi as Chairperson, and other members have jointly committed offences under IPC Sections 153A & B, 295A, and 505(2).

24. It is significant that even well known persons of secular credentials have condemned this Bill as divisive. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Ms. J. Jayalalitha has in a Press Release dated July 29, 2011 [Annexed] has concluded that "the remedy sought [in the Draft Bill] to be provided against communal and targeted violence is worse than the disease itself".

25.Therefore, this complaint be taken as a basis to register an FIR and conduct investigation into the communal mentality of the NAC chairperson Ms. Sonia Gandhi and other members and take necessary action under the law to prosecute the offenders under the cited sections of the IPC.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi facts

While these days Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi can’t speak a single sentence without mentioning Gujarat, back in 1998, as party general secretary, he had taken a pledge not to utter a word about his home state. A seasoned politician, Modi was clever to sense that any comment against his rivals would undermine his stature in the organisation. Instead, he regained the party leadership’s confidence — and the reins of the state — by distancing himself from the state. The BJP headquarters at 9, Ashoka Road, was his new home from where he carried out the work assigned to him.

“Mein ek shabd nahi bolunga,” he would often say, arguing, “I will confine myself to the job given by party.” His conferences would veer around India-Pakistan relations, the Kargil war or party programmes. He always exercised caution and clarity.

There was a reason behind his tactic. In 1995, Modi, known for his organisational skills and strategies, was almost driven out of Gujarat. The party was in turmoil in state. Senior leader Shankarsinh Vaghela had openly declared war against Keshubhai Patel. The relationship between Modi and Vaghela had soured. Rivals celebrated when he made his exit from Gujarat.

It made him more determined to display his capability on the national scene. But there was very little space for Modi to prove his mettle. And he always remained a low-profile leader who operated in the background. He was a shrewd politician. He made his moves cleverly without antagonising the power centres. He was clinical and methodical The party’s central leadership was clearly dominated by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani. From 1995 to 1998, Modi was entrusted with the charge of five major states.

However, his organisational skills made the central leadership elevate him to general secretary between 1998 and 2001. 
During this time, once in a while, he would regale the media with popular jokes. Or make comments on issues related to national politics laced with sarcasm, but delivered with a straight face. As general secretary and chief spokesperson, he was often coaxed to comment on the state’s developments in vain. Endless questions asked in any form (in public or private) often ended with his favourite phrase: no comments.

In the early days, he occupied a small room in the headquarters’ backyard. Modi seated in his office penning down poems, with his assistant taking down notes was a common sight. He would spend several hours pursuing his passion for poetry and reading.

Getting any information out of him on intraparty matters was almost mission impossible. He would never deviate from his brief on the stated subject. Later when he became general secretary, he got a larger cabin that was done up with huge poster of a waterfall and greenery in the background.

He would receive individuals with a smile. But whatever the provocation, he would never disclose anything on Gujarat. “I can certainly offer you tea. But no information,” he would say.

Modi, who worked in isolation, always gave the impression of being a neutral leader. He was never tagged with the Vajpayee or Advani camps. As an organisational person, he shared an excellent rapport with Advani. At that time there was a perception that Arun Jaitley was his close friend and played a significant role in his Gujarat campaign.

After the 2001 Gujarat earthquake that exposed the cracks within the state BJP, leading to the exit of Keshubhai Patel, the central leadership took the decision to make Modi the chief minister. Life for Modi had come a full circle. And he broke his silence, renewing his pledge to devote himself to the people of Gujarat. And for last decade he has made Gujarat’sasmitha his mantra to ride to electoral success unchallenged in home turf.

2G note mystery Pranab offer to quit

When finance minister Pranab Mukherjee rushed down from Washington DC to New York to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on September 25, did he offer to resign?

Even as two of the senior-most cabinet ministers as well as the prime minister's office (PMO) were embroiled in the controversy surrounding a finance ministry note relating to spectrum allocation to 2G telecom operators, there is reason to believe that an exasperated Mukherjee said that he felt enough is enough and requested Singh to relieve him from the cabinet.

Official confirmation of this is unavailable.

Officially, the ministry of finance neither confirmed nor denied anything, although sources said that this was indeed the case.

Said Mukherjee: "Don't expect me to discuss with the media what transpired in my meeting with the Prime Minister." 

The finance minister is believed to have wanted to quit as he was upset over a section of the establishment's handling of the latest controversy.

However, both Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi swung into action to avoid a serious crisis that could have precipitated had events taken a different turn.

Gandhi met Mukherjee, a veteran Congressman and, by many measures, one of the most powerful and critically important ministers in the ruling UPA coalition's cabinet.

The two leaders had a 45-minute meeting during which Mukherjee is believed to have briefed Gandhi about the process behind creation of the note.

The party brass, said sources, asked Mukherjee, the leader of the ruling coalition in Lok Sabha, to concentrate on political measures to control and check any damage that could result as a consequence of the controversial 2G note.

Earlier, the finance minister had flown to New York, cutting short his stay in Washington DC, in order to specially meet the PM who was already there to attend the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

Top UPA sources claimed that Mukherjee expressed his dissatisfaction to Singh over the way a section of the top administration had dealt with the controversial background note that has now led to embarrassment for the government.

Mukherjee's meeting with the PM was followed by another meeting with national security adviser Shiv Shankar Menon, a key figure in the PMO.

After returning to New Delhi, the finance minister on Tuesday sent a letter to the PM that put on record what he verbally communicated to Singh about the process followed for preparing the background note.

The letter elaborates on how different meetings were held under the supervision of the cabinet secretariat and PMO officials.

It also points out one of Mukherjee's main area of disappointment: that the note is not a finance ministry document but a collective inter-ministerial effort.

world’s tallest building Kingdom Tower images info

Dezeen Wire: here’s the first image of the Kingdom Tower, about to begin

construction in Jeddah and set to be the world’s tallest building at over 1000 metres.

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal of the Saudi Royal Family unveiled last Tuesday plans to construct the world’s tallest building. Kingdom Tower will be built in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah.  The design was made by American architecture firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill.  It has been revealed Bin Laden Group will own around 16% of the project.

The Kingdom Tower will be built by the Bin Laden Group, the construction company formed by Osama’s father Mohammad in the 1930s, which grew into a megarich conglomerate constructing palaces and expanding religious holy sites for the Saudi Royal family over the past 80 years.

Most of Osama’s 53 brothers and sisters cut ties with the al Qaida leader (officially, anyway) in 1994 when he was stripped of his Saudi citizenship for criticizing the royal family and — oh, yeah — plotting terrorist activities.

The Kingdom Tower, which will take more than five years to build,  will be so big it’s hard to grasp the scale. To help, here’s a bit of what Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture had to say in their news release about the project:

At over 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) and a total construction area of 530,000 square meters (5.7 million square feet), Kingdom Tower will be the centerpiece and first construction phase of the Kingdom City development on a 5.3 million-square-meter site in north Jeddah. The tower’s height will be at least 173 meters (568 feet) taller than the world’s current tallest building, Dubai’s 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa, which was designed by Adrian Smith while at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Kingdom Tower will feature a Four Seasons hotel, Four Seasons serviced apartments, Class A office space, luxury condominiums and the world’s highest observatory.

Design development of the tower is under way, with construction to begin imminently. Foundation drawings are complete and the piling for the tower is currently being tendered. Kingdom Tower will cost approximately $1.2 billion to construct, while the cost of the entire Kingdom City project is anticipated to be $20 billion.

AS+GG is leading an interdisciplinary design team that also includes building services engineering consultants Environmental Systems Design, Inc. (ESD) and structural engineering consultants Thornton Tomasetti. The developer of Kingdom City, Jeddah Economic Company (JEC), selected the AS+GG scheme after a lengthy competition process in which SOM, Pickard Chilton, Kohn Pedersen Fox, Pelli Clarke Pelli and Foster + Partners also participated.

“Our vision for Kingdom Tower is one that represents the new spirit of Saudi Arabia,” said Smith, whose experience in supertall tower design at SOM also includes Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, Nanjing Greenland Financial Center in Nanjing, China, the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago and Pearl River Tower, now in the late stages of construction in Guangzhou, China. “This tower symbolizes the Kingdom as an important global business and cultural leader, and demonstrates the strength and creative vision of its people. It represents new growth and high-performance technology fused into one powerful iconic form. ”
The project was announced today by His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, nephew of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah and chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, which is a partner in Jeddah Economic Company along with prominent Jeddah businessmen Samaual Bakhsh and Abdulrahman Hassan Sharbatly and Saudi Binladin Group (SBG). SBG is also the contractor for Kingdom Tower.

“Prince Alwaleed, Mr. Bakhsh, Mr. Sharbatly and I were impressed by the boldness and simplicity of the AS+GG design,” said Talal Al Maiman, Executive Director, Development and Domestic Investments, a Board member of Kingdom Holding Company and a board member of JEC. “Kingdom Tower’s height is remarkable, obviously, but the building’s iconic status will not depend solely on that aspect. Its form is brilliantly sculpted, making it quite simply one of the most beautiful buildings in the world of any height.”

In addition to its status as an architectural landmark and economic symbol, Kingdom Tower will enjoy great cultural significance. “We envision Kingdom Tower as an iconic new marker of Jeddah’s historic importance as the traditional gateway to the holy city of Mecca,” Al Maiman said. He noted that the southeast leg of Kingdom Tower’s tripedal base is on a direct line with the Ka’ba in Mecca, Islam’s holiest site.

AS+GG’s design for Kingdom Tower is both highly technological and distinctly organic. “With its slender, subtly asymmetrical massing, the tower evokes a bundle of leaves shooting up from the ground—a burst of new life that heralds more growth all around it,” Smith said.

The sleek, streamlined form of the tower was inspired by the folded fronds of young desert plant growth, Gordon Gill added. “The way the fronds sprout upward from the ground as a single form, then start separating from each other at the top, is an analogy of new growth fused with technology,” he said. “We’re thrilled to be working with His Highness and Jeddah Economic Company to help define this path for the Kingdom.”

While the design is contextual to Saudi Arabia, it also represents an evolution and a refinement of an architectural continuum of skyscraper design. The three-petal footprint is ideal for residential units, and the tapering wings produce an aerodynamic shape that helps reduce structural loading due to wind vortex shedding. The Kingdom Tower design embraces its architectural pedigree, taking full advantage of the proven design strategies and technological strategies of its lineage, refining and advancing them to achieve new heights.

The result is an elegant, cost-efficient and highly constructible design that is at once grounded in built tradition and aggressively forward-looking, taking advantage of new and innovative thinking about technology, building materials, life-cycle considerations and energy conservation. For example, the project will feature a high-performance exterior wall system that will minimize energy consumption by reducing thermal loads. In addition, each of Kingdom Tower’s three sides features a series of notches that create pockets of shadow that shield areas of the building from the sun and provide outdoor terraces with stunning views of Jeddah and the Red Sea.

The great height of Kingdom Tower necessitates one of the world’s most sophisticated elevator systems. The Kingdom Tower complex will contain 59 elevators, including 54 single-deck and five double-deck elevators, along with 12 escalators. Elevators serving the observatory will travel at a rate of 10 meters per second in both directions.

Another unique feature of the design is a sky terrace, roughly 30 meters (98 feet) in diameter, at level 157. It is an outdoor amenity space intended for use by the penthouse floor.

AS+GG also designed the master plan for the 23-hectare Kingdom Tower Waterfront District, which surrounds the tower and which will include residential and commercial buildings, a shopping mall, high-quality outdoor spaces and other amenities. The Waterfront District provides a cohesive and pedestrian-friendly setting for Kingdom Tower while creating a pleasant neighborhood experience along the Kingdom City lakefront.

The district encompasses a high-end shopping mall designed by AS+GG, plus additional development parcels that accommodate commercial and high-density residential uses, offices, two luxury hotels and high-quality open spaces, including the central Tower Plaza. A serene waterfront promenade connects Kingdom Tower, the various development parcels, the open space areas and the mall together. The result is an exciting mixed-use area that offers a concentrated and comprehensive experience including vibrant shopping, entertainment and open-space amenities. The Waterfront District also provides an array of connections to other areas within Kingdom City’s overall master plan, designed by HOK Architects.

Apple Lawsuit Puts Samsung Tablet on Hold

(Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. won an agreement from Samsung Electronics Co. that the South Korean company won't sell the newest version of its tablet computer in Australia until a patent lawsuit in the country is resolved.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 infringes 10 Apple patents, including the "look and feel," and touchscreen technology of the iPad, Steven Burley, a lawyer for Apple, told Federal Court Justice Annabelle Bennett in Sydney yesterday. The Cupertino, California-based company sought an Australian injunction and also wants to stop Samsung from selling the tablet in other countries, Burley said without specifying where.

Samsung, based in Suwon, South Korea, agreed to stop advertising the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia and not to sell the device until it wins court approval or the lawsuit is resolved, according to an accord reached by lawyers during a break in the hearing. Should Apple lose its patent infringement lawsuit, it agreed to pay Samsung damages, which weren't specified.

The dispute between the companies began in April when Apple sued Samsung in the U.S., claiming the Galaxy products "slavishly" imitated the designs and technologies used for its iPad and iPhone. Samsung, which supplies memory chips for Apple, retaliated with lawsuits in South Korea, Japan, Germany and the U.S.

Imminent Launch

The Australian injunction is necessary because Samsung has had "announcements of an imminent launch of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 device ongoing since July 20," Burley said before the agreement was announced.

Apple is basing yesterday's claim on a U.S. version of the Galaxy tablet, which is different from the one that will be sold in Australia, Samsung's lawyer Neil Murray said.

Samsung had no plans to sell the U.S. version of the Galaxy tablet in Australia, the company said in an e-mailed statement today.

The agreement to halt advertising and sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 doesn't affect any other Samsung tablet or smart phone available in Australia, or other countries, the company said.

Samsung agreed to provide Apple three samples of the Australian version of the computer tablet at least seven days before it planned to start distributing it so the U.S. company could review it, according to the agreement submitted in court.

Bennett scheduled a hearing for Aug. 29 to review the status of the case and set a trial date if necessary.

The case is: Apple Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co. NSD1243/2011. Federal Court of Australia (Sydney).

2G scam a raja PM singh PC guilty

Former telecom minister A Raja continued to defend his actions in the 2G scam, alleging that he sought the opinion of the three highest government authorities, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, then Finance Minister P Chidambaram and then Solicitor General Goolam E Vahanavati before awarding licences to private companies.

Raja’s lawyer Sushil Kumar put forth the argument in the court of special judge O P Saini on Tuesday to counter the CBI’s primary charge of conspiracy and cheating against Raja.

Kumar argued that if the three top government representatives were aware of Raja’s actions ahead of the award of 2G licences, then how could he be the only accused in the ‘conspiracy’?

Bringing the focus back on the Prime Minister, Kumar said Manmohan Singh did not make any suggestions to constitute a GoM to examine the spectrum allocation issue. “In such case, PM Singh could also be held guilty of conspiracy and dereliction of duty for not forming a GoM to examine the spectrum allocation issue,” he said.

Raja’s counsel claimed his client had written to the PM on his decisions, and that the latter should not have approved if he thought there was anything wrong with the minister’s actions. “I wrote to PM Singh on background of all my decisions... So if he saw anything wrong in these decisions, he could have sat over it,” he said.

Claiming that he had only done what was required of him as telecom minister, Raja said, “Conspiracy is hatched only within a close- door. Whatever I have done are recorded on files. There are documentary evidences available in the department of telecom (DoT) files.

“The maximum I could be held responsible for is misconduct because whatever  decision I took was in discha­rge of my official duties as telecom minister,” he said.

He further explained why the conspiracy charge is not maintainable with the available evidences on record.

Kumar told the court that Raja joined the telecom ministry in May 2007. The TRAI recommendation for ‘no cap’ on number of applicants in a telecom circle came in August 2007 based on a reference made by the DoT before Raja joined the ministry. Of the two telecom companies under the scanner, Swan had applied for licence in March 2007 while Unitech did so in September that year.

However, the CBI had clubbed all four points into a conspiracy, without explaining how they are linked, Kumar argued in court.

“The dates of decisions taken to hatch conspiracy are not matching up. All the decisions are not linked up,” he said. “In such circumstances all those who have got 2G licences should be made accused,” he added.

Salman on bollywood Rajinikanth

With action films like `Wanted`, `Dabangg` and now `Bodyguard`, Salman Khan seems to be fast becoming the Raijinikanth of Bollywood, but the actor is frank enough to admit that it will take him 20 years to be anywhere near the South superstar.

Like Rajinikanth, Salman has done it all – fought several bad guys at once, managed to tear his shirt apart without even touching it, throw punches that unrealistically fell dozen of goons and dodged bullets.

Interestingly, all his recent movies have been south remakes. Even his latest venture, `Bodyguard`, is a remake of 2010 Malayalam movie of the same name.

Asked if he is following in the footsteps of Rajinikanth, Salman was quickly said, “No... please no. He is on a different level altogether. I need that extra 20 years to be Rajinikanth. But I don`t want to go into that direction as it is too hard to be there. I am good with my stuff here.”

Prabhudeva-helmed `Wanted`, one of the biggest hits of 2009, was a remake of Telugu blockbuster `Pokiri`. The film had Salman as the wisecracking thug later revealed as a cop.

In Abhinav Kashyap`s 2010 blockbuster `Dabangg`, the 45-year-old played a corrupt cop. And now, in `Bodyguard` he essays the role of a bodyguard to Kareena.

For the past few years, Salman is having a dream run in the Hindi filmdom, delivering two mega hits `Wanted` and `Dabangg`, and hopes `Bodyguard` will continue with it at the box-office. Produced by brother-in-law Atul Agnihotri, `Bodyguard` is schedule to release on August 31.

PTI

Dayanidhi Maran resigns Union Cabinet

Union Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran, who was in the eye of a storm in the wake of the CBI's report to Supreme Court implicating him in the 2G spectrum scam, when he was the Telecom Minister, resigned from the Union Cabinet today. Maran met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after a Cabinet meeting and submitted his resignation.

Sun TV Network , which operates 20 television channels reaching 95 million households, saw its stock price plunge 6.62% to Rs 311 per share, while the SpiceJet stock fell 3.13% to Rs 30.95 per share on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). The companies are run by his brother Kalanithi Maran.

Maran is said to have persuaded former Aircel owner C Sivasankaran to sell his stake to Maxis. Malayasia-based Maxis Group is alleged to have invested over Rs 600 crore in Sun TV in exchange for awarding 14 telecom licences to Aircel.

Yesterday, the CBI placed a status report on the 2G scam probe in the Supreme Court in which it alleged that Maran had "forced" Aircel owner to sell its stakes in favour of a Malayasian firm which was granted spectrum licence.

Later, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters that Maran was present "like all of us were."

"There was no discussion about him or from his side," she said in reply to questions, adding that the press briefing was meant only to give out decisions taken at the cabinet meeting.

(With inputs from PTI)

2050 Airbus see through transparent plane

Airline passengers in 2050 will be able to read their children a bedtime story at home or attend virtual business meetings at 35,000 feet thanks to the creation of an “intelligent cabin interior”.

Airbus, who unveiled its vision of the future ahead of next week’s Paris Air show, painted a picture in which everyone on board would be pampered irrespective of how much they paid for a ticket.

In fact cabin classes will be consigned to history. Instead there will be personalised zones, tailored to individual passengers.

No longer will they feel trapped in a darkened tube, instead they will enjoy panoramic views of the skies above and the world below.

Flying fatigue will be a thing of the past, instead a “vitalising zone” will enable people to recharge their batteries so they arrive refreshed rather than exhausted at their destination.

The sense of well being will be enhanced by the use of aromatherapy, with stale cabin air being replaced by aromatherapy scents complete with antioxidants and vitamins being wafted across the plane.

Mood lighting will be used to make passengers feel better and instead of being squeezed into a one-size fits all seat, they will be enveloped in one which moulds to their body.

The seat will not only apply acupuncture but use the heat generated by the passenger to provide some of the power needed to fly the aircraft.

Airbus also believes that the plane of the future will no longer be isolated from the ground below, instead an interactive zone will use holograms to make it possible to play a game of virtual golf or even try on clothes in a virtual changing room.

The plane will, thanks to the use of new materials, be lighter, consume less fuel and have a far lower carbon footprint than aircraft in the skies today.

“Our research shows that passengers of 2050 will expect a seamless travel experience while also caring for the environment,” said Charles Champion, Airbus Executive Vice President Engineering,

“The Airbus Concept Cabin is designed with that in mind, and shows that the journey can be as much a voyage of discovery as the destination.”