Live election results: Congress overtaken in Uttarakhand, Akali leading Punjab

BJP and Congress neck and neck for third place in UP

10.44am: SP lead in 170 seats in Uttar Pradesh, while BSP leads in 102. The difference between BJP and Congress now just four seats. BSP now leading in more seats than BJP and Congress combined.

10.40am: Congress (31) leading BJP (25) by six seats in Uttarakhand, while in Goa BJP is leading in 9 seats while the Congress is leading in 3. Congress candidate says he is going home to sleep, and will only come out of his house if “a miracle happens”. In Manipur the Congress is leading in 21 seats.

10.27am: The Samajawadi Party is now leading in 165 seats in Uttar Pradesh, while the BSP seems to have cemented second place as it is now showing a lead of 90 seats to the BJP’s 57. The BJP’s Sudhir Kulkarni said that the BJP ought to have done even better, given the early trends in favour of his party. Meanwhile Rajiv Pratap Rudy, of the BJP has said, “We have decided to sit in the opposition in Uttar Pradesh. Will not support anyone.”

10.22am: The Congress has officially won seats in Manipur and Goa. However the early trends still show a lead for BJP in Goa.

10.09am: SP extends lead in UP to 148 seats. The BSP (85) has overtaken the BJP (61) to take second place, while the Congress has to be content with a fourth place position of 47 seats. Meanwhile the Congress has said the Punjab results were surprising where it is only leading in 44 seats to the Akali’s 66.

10.00am: The Congress has lost early leads in Goa, Uttarakhand and Punjab and only looks to set to win in Manipur. The BJP is leading in Goa and Uttarakhand while the SP has cemented its lead in Uttar Pradesh. The fight for second spot in UP is between BSP(73) and BJP(67).

9.47am: Experts analyzing the UP results, say that Congress is being punished for playing the Communal card. The Congress has meanwhile, admitted that it was disappointed with the early trends. Results so far show that the party is leading in 42 seats, which puts it in fourth place behind the BJP and BSP.

9.40am: The BJP has overtaken the Congress in Uttarakhand. The BJP is leading in 27 seats, while the Congress is leading in 22 seats. The BSP is leading in 6 seats. In Punjab the Akali’s have stretched their lead over the Congress, leading in 60 seats while the Congress is leading in 36. This is the first time an incumbent is coming back in Punjab.

9.37am: In UP, the SP are leading in 124 seats which is a lead of 54. The BJP is leading in 59 seats which is a gain of 18, while the BSP is at 54 seats which is a loss of 81 seats. The Congress is leading in 32 seats which is a gain of 5. The general feeling is that the Congress will be very disappointed with the result.

9.30am: In Punjab, the Akali is leading in 43 seats which is a gain of one seat, while the Congress is leading in 32 seats which is a gain of 2. The BJP is leading in 12 seats which is a loss of 5 seats over their last showing.

9.21am: The momentum of the Samajawadi Party has lost some of its early momentum, leading in 108 seats which is a gain of 48. However the BSP is covering some of the ground it lost, leading in 43 seats. The BJP is leading in 56 seats while Congress is leading in 28 seats.

9.15am: Goa results come at last. The Congress and BJP are leading in 2 seats apiece. But this is a gain of 2 seats for the BJP and a loss of 2 seats for the Congress.

9.08am: The Samajawadi Party is leading in 60 seats which is a gain of 22 seats over the last time. The BJP has gained in 21 seats, leading in 43 seats. The BSP is down in 44 seats as it is leading in only 24 constituencies, while the Congress is down 1 seat, as it is leading in 20 seats.

9.03am: In Punjab, the Akali’s are cementing their lead, leading in 27 seats while the Congress is leading in 20. Congress leading in both Uttarakhand and Manipur. In Manipur the Congress is leading in 9 seats while Independents are leading in 3 seats. Analysts from Manipur say however that while Congress may come in to power, infighting within the party means there is still a lot of uncertainty on who the Chief Minister will be.

8.58am: In Uttar Pradesh the Samajawadi Party is leading in 44 seats which is a gain of 18 seats. Meanwhile the BJP is leading in 30 seats which is a gain of 12 seats, and the Congress is leading in 18 seats which is a gain of 3. The BSP however is down 32 seats from the last time as it is only leading in 16 seats. Experts say that this is more to do with the crumbling ofMayawati‘s ruling coalition rather than anti incumbency as a factor.

8.47am: Leads from Punjab show gains for Congress is leading in 11 seats, a gain of 4 seats over the last time. The Akali Dal is leading in 12 seats but is down 4 seats from the last time. In Manipur the Congress is leading in 8 seats which is a gain of 3, while independents are leading in 2 seats.

In Goa, the first trend shows a lead for independent candidates, while in Uttarakhand the Congress is leading in 12 seats which is a gain of 5, while the BJP is leading in 8 seats which is a fall of 7 seats from the last time.

8.43am: Early trends in Uttar Pradesh show that the Samajawadi Party is almost doubling the number of seats it had the last time. If these trends continue, it is almost certain that the SP will form the next government in the state. It is leading in 30 seats, which is a gain of 13 seats over the last time. The BJP is leading in 24 seats, while the Congress and BSP are leading in 10 seats apiece.

8.37am: In Punjab Congress is leading 17, which is a lead of 5. The Akali Dal has 4 seats which is a loss of 5 seats from the last election. In UP, the BSP continues with its downward spiral,down 25 seats from the last election as they are leading in only 12 seats so far.

8.31am: BJP doing extraordinarily well in UP, leading in 19 seats which is a gain of 9 seats. The party is also leading in Mayawati‘s constituency. The BSP is down 18 seats in the state. The Congress has gained one seat over the previous time, while the SP is up 7 seats. Leads have come in for 41 seats in Uttar Pradesh so far. Punjab is leading in 11 seats in Punjab, which is a gain of 6 seats over the last election. In Uttarakhand, the Congress has gained one seat, while the BJP has lost one seat.

8.28am: BJP leading in 10 seats of 29, a lead of 4, The SP leading in 10 seats which is a gain of 5. The BSP is leading in 3 seats which is a loss of 11.

8.25am: Congress leading in Ludhiana.

8.17am: Early leads show gains for BJP in Uttar Pradesh, and Congress in Punjab. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP gains 2 seats leading in 5, the BSP looks like it is down in 2 seats. The Congress is down 1 seat, but the SP is holding on to its one seat. In Punjab, the Congress are leading in 5 seats, which is a gain of 3.

8.00am:Months of campaigning and voting all come down to this moment, as counting begins across the five states that went to polls. Exit polls thus far have given the Samajawadi Party a majority in UP, and predicted Congress wins in Manipur and Uttarakhand. Punjab is apparently too close to call, while in Goa there is still a lot of uncertainty on what might happen. The exit polls have been met with the usual mixture of cautious celebration and outright derision by political parties.

In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Mayawati called for a emergency cabinet meeting late on Sunday night in which it was decided to recommend to the UP Governor to dissolve the UP assembly. The recommendation usually comes after the results of the elections and where the incumbent Chief Minister resigns and the Governor of the state invites the side with the most votes to form the government.

The decision came a day ahead of the counting and results in the UP elections, and after multiple exit polls predicted a sharp drop in results for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Punjab polls: SAD-BJP alliance ahead in early trends

Chandigarh: The ruling SAD-BJP alliance was ahead in Punjab leading in 57 seats while the Congress was leading in 33 as per early trends available in the counting of votes for 117 Assembly constituencies till 9:30 AM.

The Congress was leading in Ghanaur, Amritsar Central, Khadoor Sahab, Garh Shankar, Talwandi Sabo, Rajpura, Fatehgarh Churian, Samana and Patiala. Former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was leading in Patiala and his son Raninder Singh from Samana.

The SAD was leading in Raja Sansi, Sultanpur Lodhi, Faridkot, Nabha, Barnala, Attari, Ropar and Balachaur.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon was trailing in Fatehgarh Churian.

The BJP was leading in Phagwara, Anandpur Sahab and Dasuya while an Independent was leading from Amritsar East.

Alberta mine worker stumbles upon rare fossil of prehistoric marine reptile

The 75-million-year-old fossil of a mosasaur, (MO-sa-sore) an extinct, flipper-bearing prehistoric marine reptile, was discovered at the Korite Mine near Lethbridge on February 16, 2012. Staff from the Royal Tyrrell Museum, led by palaeontologist Dr. Donald Henderson, are currently at the mine working on removal of the fossil.

Paleontologists in southern Alberta are digging up the fossil remains of a marine reptile that could shed light on creatures that roamed Earth as many as 75 million years ago. 

"I saw a kind of cylindrical piece fall out of the side... I went to pick it up, and it had the ridge on it that you would find on a vertebrae," says Jordan Petherbridge, a worker at the Korite Mine near Lethbridge, Alberta, which is southeast of Calgary, who stumbled upon the remains.

Petherbridge was mining for a rare Alberta gem stone last month when he dug up something even more rare. "I was like 'Holy crap!'... this is definitely a bone for sure."

Dr. Donald Henderson, an archaeologist at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta, says, "We saw the end of the tail, and we knew right away that that was a mosasaur - a type of large, sea-going lizard."

"Dinosaurs were one kind of reptile, (but) mosasaurs are another kind. These things were living in the sea, the same time dinosaurs were living on land."

This lizard is not the type you'd want to mess with. Henderson says, "These things were the top predator in the sea, at the time."

The mosasaur was "the equivalent of the Tyrannosaurus rex of the sea. It had a very big head, with very big teeth, and it was designed for attacking, tearing apart and swallowing big chunks of flesh," Henderson adds.

"Mosasaurs are found all over the world... I think they were a very successful animal."

At first, paleontologists thought they had only found a tail. But they soon discovered what they unearthed was so much more. Mark Mitchell says, "This is excellent. An absolutely beautiful specimen. We have a nice skull...and pretty much a complete skeleton."

The specimen measures six to seven metres long, but Henderson thought there would be more. "We were expecting a much bigger animal, because we saw bones...from about the base of the tail. And we thought, 'Wow, this is going to be a monster' and we thought (it would be) about eight metres long. And then just about two metres further... Oops... we bumped into the the head."

"The preservation is great. The detail on the bone with this fine material is amazing."

Not only was the skeleton nearly complete, but it was unlike any other mosasaur known to have ruled the waters, that covered southern Alberta more than 70 million years ago.

Not a bad find for Petherbridge, an accidental archaeologist. "This is my first one, so it was pretty cool."

Once the skeleton is removed from its marine shale tomb, it will be taken back to the Royal Tyrrell Museum to be studied.

Indian art works captivate at UK museum

Nainsukh’s ‘Galloping Elephant’ from Howard Hodkin’s collection; and (right) Bhadrakali (auspicious Kali) stands astride a corpse

n Include painting by legendary Pahari artist Nainsukh of Gulern Part of British artist Howard Hodkin’s private collection

A rare painting by legendary Pahari artist Nainsukh of Guler is among the 115 works of Indian art currently being exhibited at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.

Visions of Mughal India from the private collection of British artist Howard Hodkin, described as one of the finest private collections of its kind, include royal portraits, epics, myths, scenes of court life and hunting scenes from the Punjab hills, Rajasthan, the Deccan Sultanates and the Imperial Mughal court from 1550 to 1850.

The work of Nainsukh, who flourished in the mid-18th century under the patronage of Balwant Singh of Jasrota, is described as an elongated hunting scene in which Balwant Singh and other nobles on horseback surround a huge and defiant tiger (see photo).

Another later work attributed to either Naisukh or his close followers includes the 'Disrobing of Draupadi' and a study of Pahari singers singing by the wayside. One of the most outstanding works in the collection that has attracted widespread attention is a Basohli work of a bejeweled Bhadrakali (auspicious Kali) standing astride a corpse (see photo).

In her bloody lower hands she holds three-four severed heads of Brahma and the limp corpses of Vishnu and Shiva. With her upper hands she flourishes a sword while feeding corpses into her gaping mouth. Severed hands hang from her belt.

For devotees of the Tantric tradition, her supreme cosmic power is seen to absorb the powers of all other gods, transcending the bonds of Time, Karma and Death.

Other paintings that have attracted attention include a work of art from Arki near Shimla that shows two yogis making music while seated on a leopard skin.

A third painting from Kota in Rajasthan depicts the surging power of a red-eyed elephant with a blazing orange pupil fixed on the yellowing space ahead of him. Hodgkin, who is 80, started collecting pictures during his schooldays in the late 1940s. He says of his collection: "These pictures have been chosen because I thought they were beautiful, because they touched my emotions and not for any scholarly purposes."

In an earlier filmed interview he told how, "The first Indian paintings I saw astounded me because they depicted a whole world in away which was completely convincing but totally separate from the tradition of Western art which I was used to. At least it seemed so at the time. I've realised long since that it wasn't nearly as separate as I first thought, but as it was a whole world in which everything was very precise and visible and yet somewhere else. I was very excited by this."

Asked by The Tribune if the process of collecting had made him an India expert, Hodgkin replied, "No that would be very presumptuous." But he agreed that the paintings and an earlier friendship with the late Baroda-based artist Bhupen Khakhar had generated for him an interest in India and the Indian way of life.

"In the beginning when I was friendly with Bhupen Khakhar and I visited him at home and met his family, then it became something else."

Hodgkin said his own favourite paintings in the collection were from Kota in Rajasthan, including paintings of elephants, "because they are such great drawings". He also commented on two other unique paintings -- one of Aurangzeb and one of the sad-eyed last Mughal king Bahadur Shah about whom Hodgkin says, "It was very tragic, all our fault."

103 troops killed in al-Qaida assault on Yemen army base

Aden, March 5

Al-Qaida militants have overrun an army base in restive southern Yemen, capturing heavy weapons and turning them on soldiers in intense clashes that left over 100 Yemeni soldiers dead.

Yesterday's assault was one of the single deadliest against Yemeni troops, and the latest in a spate of attacks against security forces since President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi pledged to destroy the militant group in last month's inauguration speech.

A medical official at the military hospital in the southern port city of Aden, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, "The death toll has risen to at least 103 soldiers."

He said, "Many soldiers died from wounds sustained in the assault" on army posts on the outskirts of Zinjibar, Abyan's provincial capital where Qaida-linked militants are in control.

A military official, who also declined to be identified, said Qaida militants were responsible for the "surprise attack," saying, "It was a massacre." Another medic said hospital staff was overwhelmed by the number of casualties.

"We were forced to use administrative offices and waiting rooms to treat the wounded," he said, declining to be named. "The hospital was packed full with dead and injured soldiers."

Military officials had reported fierce clashes yesterday when suspected Qaida militants tried to overrun an army post in Kud, just south of Zinjibar. The violence then spread to other military positions on the outskirts of the city. 

Apple joins $500 billion club

The latest jump in the price of Apple’s shares has made the company worth a new record high of $500 billion.

Only Microsoft, Cisco, Intel, ExxonMobil and General Electric have previously passed that mark.

The share surge came as Apple announced a media event for March 7 which is expected to be the unveiling of a faster and better-equipped version of its popular iPad tablet computer.

The company’s market value has climbed steadily in past weeks, buoyed by anticipation over its latest gadget as well as by hopes that Apple will finally accede to shareholders’ demands it return some of its $98 billion (73 billion euros) war chest of cash and securities.

Apple iPad tablet sales doubled in the December quarter to 15.43 million units. The company has sold about 55 million iPads since it introduced the device in 2010.

It may be looking to “make further inroads into the general computing market” with the newest iPad, said Avi Greengart, qn analyst at Current Analysis.

Chief Executive Tim Cook has often said that he expects tablets to outsell personal computers eventually.

Russian police break up anti-Putin rallies

Russian police are reported to have detained at least 100 people amid protests against Vladimir Putin’s election as president.

In Moscow’s Pushkin Square, where a rally had been approved by the authorities, police moved in at the end to remove people.

Elsewhere in the capital about 50 people at an unauthorised protest were held; in St Petersburg dozens were arrested at another unofficial rally.

“Many Russians, especially in Moscow, are not going to accept Vladimir Putin as a legitimate president. And even if Putin survives March and the next two months prior to the inauguration, he’s badly wounded, maybe even deadly wounded as a political leader and I have no doubt that he will not survive the next six years,” said chess champion-turned-activist Garry Kasparov.

Earlier in Pushkin Square thousands turned out, many chanting “Russia without Putin”.

Police say they arrested people who tried to break through their lines.

Some of those held include prominent opposition figures.

The demonstrators argue the election was biased towards Putin. Currently prime minister, he says his victory with almost 64 per cent of the vote was fair.

Iran’s major internal power shift

The most senior of Iran’s spritual leaders, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has emerged the de facto winner of the legislative elections which were held on Friday.

His allies won a majority of seats in parliament, reinforced by a reportedly high turnout (64 percent).

This has been interpreted as boosting the legitimacy of the country’s religious leadership.

Accusations of fraud marred the presidential elections in 2009.

Then, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed victory. This time, Iran’s president comes out the clear loser, as his allies won only seven percent of the seats in parliament, while Khamenei’s took 75 percent of them.

It appears to be a price paid by the president for his populist nationalism, in the eyes of the Iranian religious elite who see him as a threat to their supremacy in the Islamic Republic.

Moreover, it reflects deep discontent over Ahmadinejad’s economic policy, with an inflation rate, according to Tehran, of 21 percent (though unofficially it is 50 percent).

Now comes something that has never happened: the president has been summoned to appear before parliament to answer for his government’s performance and corruption allegations. If Khamenei gives his consent, Ahmadinejad might even be called on to step down.

Analyst Emad Abshenasan said the president is in a critically weakened position: “The government of Ahmadinejad will definitely try to increase its interaction with the new parliament. Government officials will try to avoid a showdown with parliament.”

The Ayatollah exercised his power by countermanding the president in April by reinstating the minister of information, whom Ahmadinejad had been sacked. With parliament firmly behind him, the Supreme Guide could now even abolish the presidency, with the support of the electorate to whom the president owes his office. In this case, the political system would change to one operating with a prime minister.

At least 37 dead in US tornado devastation

At least 37 people have now been confirmed dead after tornadoes hit several Midwest and south-eastern states in the US.

In Kentucky, many houses and buildings have been completely destroyed. Twenty people have so far been reported dead.

Although tornadoes occur throughout the year in the US, 90 alone were reported on Friday.

The states of Indiana, Ohio, Georgia and Alabama were also ravaged by twisters. President Barack Obama has offered federal assistance to help the affected areas.

In Indiana, powerful tornadoes ripped parts of the roof off a local high school. Due to a quick evacuation response, no lives were lost. Many locals however are still coming to terms with the trauma.

Dawn, a teacher at the school said: “My kids and the adults, we were in the closet but we were kind of peaking out. We saw it coming, we all just huddled together, got down on the ground and put pillows on our head.”

One person has been reported dead in Alabama and at least 40 homes were destroyed. The death toll throughout all the states is expected to rise as rescue teams and state troopers make their way through the debris.

Cody Stewart, a tornado victim said: “I think I’m going to live in an apartment for a while, just to kind of decide where I want to go because, I mean I’m not superstitious, but it just seems like there is a kind of path here and I don’t want to be in it again.”

Twisters also swept thought Missouri, Kansas, Illinois and Tennessee earlier in the week, claiming 13 lives. Weather warnings continue to be issued for Georgia, Alabama and Florida.

Canada closes embassy in Syria

OTTAWA - Canada has closed its embassy in Syria, an announcement made the same day that the federal government said it would try to further put the financial squeeze on the country's leadership.

The closure of the embassy follows similar moves by other countries, including the United States, Britain and, most recently, France, which made the announcement after the death of two French journalists in the city of Homs last week.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Monday that services at the embassy and consulate in Syria are being suspended ``effective immediately.''

``Canada has maintained its diplomatic presence in Syria - despite the risks - to monitor developments on the ground and to deliver tough and frank messages to the Syrian authorities,'' Baird said in a statement.

``We continue to reiterate: Assad must go. Change will happen. Syrians will have their day - and Canada stands with the Syrian people in their push for a better, brighter future.''

Baird made the announcements following another bloody weekend in the country where humanitarian aid has been blocked from reaching civilians in Homs.

Earlier Monday, Baird said Canada would widen its economic sanctions against Syria, freezing the assets of seven government ministers. Baird said the sanctions wouldn't be lifted until the president handed over power.

The sanctions now cover 115 individuals and 39 entities, including, as of Monday, the Central Bank of Syria.

``The continuing, appalling violence perpetrated by the Assad regime on the people of Syria compels us to again tighten the vice on those responsible,'' Baird said in a statement.

``These additional measures include a complete ban on the provision or acquisition of financial or other related services, as well as sanctions on the Syrian central bank and seven high-ranking Syrian officials implicated in the violence.''

No one at the Syrian embassy in Ottawa could be reached for comment Monday.

Canada had already cut down its embassy staff in late January, leaving only core personnel to help Canadians in the country.

While Canadians have been encouraged to leave Syria, anyone in need of emergency consular services will still be able to access them through the Canadian embassy in Beirut or the Hungarian embassy in Damascus.

Those still in Syria wishing to submit an application for temporary resident status in Canada should apply through the Canadian visa office in Beirut (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/offices/missions/beirut.as p) or Amman (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/offices/missions/amman.asp ).

Punjab Assembly Elections 2012 Results (6 March 2012)

Assembly Election 2012: Find Punjab Assembly Election (Polls) results 2012 Latest News, heavy weight candidates, Punjab Polls results News,Live counting of votes, winning candidates, Constituency Name, Winning Candidates.

ALL ELECTION RESULTS WILL UPDATE LIVE HERE. COUNTING WILL START AT 8:00am (India Time). ALL NEWS UPDATES FOR CANDIDATES, PARTIES POSITION,  

Assembly Election Result on 27th February 2007
Information Available: 116/117 

Party	Lead	Won	L+W
SAD+	-	67	-
INC	-	44	-
IND	0	5	-
OTHERS	-	-	-

BIG heavy weights from Parties: 
SAD (Shiromani Akali Dal Badal)

Constituency -       Candidates

 

Lambi  -                Parkash Singh Badal

Jalalabad  -           Sukhbir Singh Badal

Fatehgarh Sahib -  Prem Singh Chandumajra

Bhulath –              Bibi Jagir Kaur

Patti –                  Adesh Pratap Singh Kairon

Sunam –              Parminder Singh Dhindsa

Atam Nagar –       Hira Singh Gabaria

Rampura Phool – Sikander Singh Maluka

Patiala Rural –     Kuldeep Kaur Tohra

Maur –                Janmeja Singh Sekhon

Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee 

Constituency -       Candidates

Patiala  -             Capt. Amarinder Singh

Samana -            Raninder Singh

Lehra -                Rajinder Kaur Bhattal

Fatehgarh Churian -  Tript Rajinder Bajwa

Amritsar Central -   O.P. Soni

Amritsar South -     Jasbir Singh (Dimpa)

Jalandhar North -   Avtar Henry

Sanjha Morcha (People's Party of Punjab)

Lambi -                   Gurdas Singh Badal

Gidderbaha -           Manpreet Singh Badal

Maur -                    Manpreet Singh Badal

Khanna -                Gurpreet Singh Bhatti

Lehra -                   Bhagwant Mann

Fatehgarh Sahib -   Dedar Singh Bhatti