Software giant McAfee arrested in Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY: Software company founder John McAfee was arrested by police in Guatemala on Wednesday for entering the country illegally, hours after he said he would seek asylum in the Central American country.
The anti-virus guru was detained at a hotel in an upscale Guatemala City neighbourhood with the help of Interpol agents and taken to an old, three-storey building used to house migrants who enter the country illegally, said Interior Minister Mauricio Lopez Bonilla.
It was the latest twist in a bizarre tale that has seen McAfee refused to turn himself in to authorities in Belize, where he is a person of interest in the killing of a neighbour, then go on the lam, updating his progress on a blog and claiming to be hiding in plain sight, before secretly crossing the border into Guatemala.
“He will be in danger if he is returned to Belize, where he has denounced authorities,” said his lawyer in Guatemala, Telesforo Guerra. “His life is in danger.”
Guerra said he would ask that a judge look at McAfee’s case as soon as possible. “From them moment he asked for asylum he has to have the protection of the Guatemalan government.”
Earlier Wednesday, McAfee said he had formally requested asylum in Guatemala after entering the country from Belize, where he says he fears for his safety because he has sensitive information about official corruption and refused to donate to local politicians.
“Yes, we are presenting this, and I want it to be clear, because of the persecution, not because of the murder,” he told the AP about his asylum bid.
The police in Belize deny they are persecuting McAfee and say there is no warrant for his arrest. The country’s prime minister has even questioned McAfee’s mental state. Since there are no restrictions on his travels, it’s unclear why McAfee would need any special status in order to stay in Guatemala.
The 67-year-old went on the run last month after officials tried to question him about the killing of Gregory Viant Faull, who was shot to death in early November on the Belize island where both men lived.

IK Gujral, the former Prime Minister of India passed away on Friday

Govt. declares 7-day mourning on IK Gujral's death, cremation today at 3 pm

Former Prime Minister I K Gujral, who headed a rickety coalition government in the late 1990s, died on Friday after a brief illness.

Gujral, 92, breathed his last at 3.27 PM in a private hospital after a multi-organ failure. He was admitted to the hospital on November 19 with a lung infection, family sources said.
The former Prime Minister, who was ventilator support, had been unwell for sometime. He was on dialysis for over a year and suffered a serious chest infection some days ago.

He will be cremated in nearby Delhi tomorrow.

IK Gujral with Chandrashekhar and the then Delhi Chief Minister Sushma Swaraj in May 1998.

Gujral, who migrated from Pakistan after partition, rose to become the Prime Minister with a big slice of luck after he came up through the ranks - starting as Vice President in NDMC in the '50s to later become a Union Minister and then India's Ambassador to the USSR.

Gujral, an intellectual who propounded the 'Gujral Doctrine' of five principles for maintaining good neighbourly relations, left the Congress to join the Janata Dal in the late-1980s.

He became Minister of External Affairs in the V P Singh-led National Front government in 1989. As the External Affairs Minister he handled the fallout of the Kuwait crisis following Iraqi invasion that displaced thousands of Indians.

Gujral had a second stint as External Affairs Minister in the United Front government under H D Deve Gowda, whom he later replaced as Prime Minister after the Congress withdrew support in the summer of 1997.

He emerged as the consensus candidate after serious differences developed among the UF leaders including Lalu Prasad Yadav, Mulayam Singh and others as to who will become the Prime Minister.

It was another matter that his government survived only for a few months as Congress again became restive in the wake of Jain Commission report on Rajiv Gandhi's assassination.

Born on December 4, 1919 in Jhelum town now in Pakistan, Gujral belonged to a family of freedom fighters and had actively participated in the freedom struggle at a young age and was jailed in 1942 during the Quit India Movement.

Educated at DAV College, Haily College of Commerce and Forman Christian College, Lahore (now in Pakistan), Gujral took active part in student politics.

He became a member of the Rajya Sabha in April 1964 and was considered part of the 'coterie' that helped Indira Gandhi become Prime Minister in 1966.

He was the Information and Broadcasting Minister when Emergency was imposed (on June 25, 1975), which brought in arbitrary press censorship, but was soon removed.

Gujral was a Rajya Sabha Member twice between 1964 and 1976, a member of the Lok Sabha from 1989 to 1991. With Lalu Prasad's help, he became a member of Rajya Sabha in 1992 after his election from Patna Lok Sabha constituency was countermanded.

He was re-elected to Lok Sabha in 1998 from Jalandhar in Punjab as an independent with help from Akali Dal.

A controversial decision of his government was its recommendation for President's rule in Uttar Pradesh in 1997, which the then President K R Narayanan refused to sign and sent it back to the government for reconsideration.

His wife, Sheila, who died in 2011, was a poet and author and his brother Satish Gujral is a prominent painter and architect. He leaves behind two sons, one of whom Naresh Gujral is a Rajya Sabha MP and now an Akali Dal leader.

Aam Aadmi Party launched

New Delhi, November 26
The latest entrant on Indian political scene, Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was formally launched today in the presence of thousands of supporters amid voluntary donations and offers of premises for party offices by newly-inducted members.

Kejriwal was accorded traditional felicitations by supporters from across India, a siropa and kirpan from Punjab, a Jaapi (traditional Assamese headgear) and a folk dance from Karnataka at the first public rally at the Sansad Marg here.

The venue with an impressive turnout of people from all walks of life reverberated with slogans of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and fluttering Tricolours. Kejriwal declared the party “result of struggle against corruption”. He administered four oaths to his supporters -- I will never give or take bribe; I will never sell my vote for a liquor bottle, money or saree; I will exercise my franchise in every election and I will not vote according to my caste or religion.

As speaker after speaker forwarded support to the newly found party, Kejriwal’s colleague Kumar Vishwas kept the rally alive with references to corporate connections and Swiss bank accounts of other parties vis-à-vis AAP’s dependence of public support. Allegations were also made by some AAP members of the government’s “gag orders” on media against the coverage of the rally.

Kejriwal, Pankaj Gupta and Krishna Kanth were appointed as the national convener, the national secretary and the national treasurer of the AAP, respectively. The constitution of the new party was released by former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan, while Manish Sisodia declared the name of the party and announced the names of the other 23 members of the national executive body, which includes Sisodia along with Prashant Bhushan, Dinesh Waghela, Sanjay Singh, Gopal Rai and Vishwas.

Kejriwal said he would tour the country for the next year to "expose" the Congress and the BJP while trying to convince people why they should support his outfit.

Dehradun: Travel

DEHRADUN
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Dehradun, also known as the 'Abode of Drona' is the capital of newly created state of Uttaranchal or Uttarakhand. Set amidst the Great Indian Himalayan ranges, the charming city of Dehradun attracts thousands of tourists from Indian and abroad as well. Situated in north-west corner of the state, Dehradun is bounded on the north and north-west by Uttarkashi district, on the east by Tehri Garhwal and Pauri-Garhwal districts and in the south by Saharnpur district (Uttar Pradesh).

One of the oldest cities of India, Dehradun had been mentioned in Ashoka's inscriptions that dates back to 250 BC, which you can even today find outside the city. Dehradun remained an important centre for Garhwal rulers later the British captured the area and developed it as a hill station. Apart from a hill resort, Dehradun is also the headquarters of several National Institutes and Organizations such as ONGC, Forest Research Institute, Survey of India etc. Dehradun is home to some of India's noted educational and training institutes like Indian Military Academy, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) etc.

Whether you are an adventure seeker, a common traveller or looking for a spiritual vacation, Dehradun offers everything according to your choice. So, visit the beautiful hill station of Dehradun this vacation to surrender yourself completely to mother nature and enjoy a holiday of lifetime.

POPULAR PLACE

Tapowan
Tapowan is located 5 kms away from the city bus stand on the Dehradun - Rajpur Road. Set amidst the beautiful natural surroundings, this place has an interesting legend linked to Guru Dronacharya.

Tapkeshawar Shiv Temple
Situated in the Garhi Cantt. area, Tapkeshawar Temple is an ancient place of worship. Just 5.5. kms away from city bus stand, the temple is easily accessible by road. Large number of people visit the temple during the occasion of Shivratri to participate in the fair and pay their obeisance to the presiding deity.

Chandrabani
A famous temple, Chadrabani Temple (Gautam Kund) is situated at a distance of 7 kms from Dehradun on the Dehradun - Delhi road. Legend has it that this place was inhabited by Maharishi Gautam, his wife and daughter who are even today worshipped by the people. Every year thousands of devotees visit this temple to take a holy dip in the Kund.

Indian Military Academy
Indian Military Academy is situated at a distance of 8 kms from the city centre on Dehradun-Chakrata Road. A premier training institute for Army Officer, the Indian Military Academy is functional from 1st October 1932. Main tourist attractions include War Memorial, Museum, Library. Shooting Demonstration Room, 18 holes Golf Course and Arms and ammunition.

Tibetan Temple (Buddha Temple)
Just adjacent to the Sai Darbar Temple is the Tibetan Temple. Dedicated to Lord Buddha this temple is also visited by tourists and locals in large number.

Robber's Cave (Guchhupani)
Located 8 kms away from the bus terminal, the Robber's Cave is a perfect picnic spot. To visit this place you have to take local bus up to Anarwala village, from where a trek of one kilometre will take you to this spot.

Malsi Deer Park
Just 10 kms away from Dehradun, Malsi Deer Park is a beautifully developed mini-zoological park. Set at the foothills of the Shivalik range, Malsi Deer Park also has a children's park flanked by splendid natural surroundings.

Sai Darbar Temple
Sai Darbar Temple is located 8 kms away from the town along the Clock Tower on Rajpur Road. Due to high cultural and spiritual importance, Sai Darbar attracts large number of tourists from India and the world as well.

Sahastradhara
A major tourist attraction, Sahastradhara is located 11 kms away from Dehradun. Sahastradhara is an ideal picnic spot and it is thronged by people in large number. The waterfall at Sahastradhara is 9 mts high, the river Baldi and caves provide it a spectacular view. The Sulphur spring is another attraction here, people believe that the water of the spring possess medicinal properties and cure skin infections.

Laxman Siddh
Laxman Siddh is a popular temple which lies 12 kms away from Dehradun. According to a legend a sage underwent penance over the temple site. Large number of people visit this temple, especially on Sundays.

Santala Devi Temple
A popular tourist destination, Santala Devi Temple is situated at a distance of 15 kms from Dehradun. You can take a bus till Jaitunwala, then take a jeep drive to Punjabiwala, from where you have to take a trek of 2 kms to reach the temple. Santala Devi Temple is a place of religious and cultural significance and it draws people from far and near.

Forest Research Institute
One of the biggest forest based training institute in India, Forest Research Institute is located 7 kms away from Clock Tower on the Dehradun-Chakrata road. Established in the year 1906, the Forest Research Institute is one of the oldest institute of its kind and highly acclaimed all over the world. Situated in a lush green estate of over 450 hactres, the Forest Research Institute houses a Botanical Museum for the tourists.

How to Reach

By Air
Dehradun has its own domestic airport, Jolly Grant Airport which is 25 kms away from the city centre. Flights are available to and from Delhi airport, which is the nearest international airport. Delhi airport has flights from major Indian cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai etc and foreign countries.

By Train
Dehradun railway station in the main railhead which has trains from Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. A number of important trains also connect Dehradun with Varanasi, Lucknow and Mussoorie. If you are visiting Dehradun from Delhi then Shatabdi Express is the best option for you, other good option is the Mussorie Express.

By Bus
National Highways, State Highways and good motorable roads connect Dehradun with rest of the country. Regular buses ply to Dehradun from Delhi and other important cities of Uttaranchal. Distances of few major cities from Dehradun are Delhi (235 km), Agra (381 km), Jaipur (493 km) and Lucknow (582 km).

Kasab executed at Pune's Yerwada jail after President rejects mercy petition

Pune 21 November, 2012 - Ajmal Kasab was hanged at Yerwada jail in Pune at 7.30am on Wednesday after President Pranab Mukherjee rejected his mercy petition, according to reports. President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday rejected the mercy petition filed by the Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist Ajmal Kasab, sentenced to death for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, according  to reports.

The decision came two months after the Home ministry rejected Kasab's mercy petition addressed to the President. Venu Rajamony, press secretary of the president confirmed the decision.

Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde's recommendation to the President was in line with the recommendation of Maharashtra governor K Sankaranarayan and the no-mercy-for-terrorists principle laid down by his predecessor P Chidambaram.
Ajmal Kasab and nine fellow Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists had sailed into Mumbai on November 26, 2008 from Karachi and gone on a shooting spree that killed 166 people. Kasab was the only one captured alive by security forces.