Delhi to host Formula 1 racing

"India has won the right to host its first Formula One race in 2009, officials announced on Thursday. The deal was struck to hold the event in New Delhi", said Suresh Kalmadi, president of the Indian Olympic Association, which will promote the race.


Indian cricket teams doom in 2007 cricket worldcup seems to have given some impetus to growing popularity of other sports. Cricket mad country would now be hosting a Formula 1 race. So out of no where will delhi have to come up with a world class F1 strech, so as to attract the best in business.


There has been heightened interest in F1 racing in India after Karthikeyan hit the tracks on the back of Indian sponsorship reportedly worth $10 million. The 29-year-old did not race in 2006 but is signed up with Williams as a test driver.

Millions of Indians watch Formula One on television, often with the same passion they reserve for the country’s most popular sport — cricket.

"We have received a letter in this regard from Bernie Ecclestone, CEO of Formula One,” Mr Kalmadi told reporters. Funds will be raised from the government and the private sector to build a new F1 track and stadium for the race, said Mr Kalmadi.

"We are capable enough to raise the money. We have done it in the past. We will do it again,” he said. Asked why New Delhi was chosen as the venue, Mr Kalmadi said, "The Commonwealth Games are coming up. So we will have the international airport, hotels and other infrastructure ready for this."

The major obstacle in implementing such a gorgeous plan is corruption. If that could some how be controlled (emphasis.. controlled not avoided) then we all Formula One lovers can look forward to a treat in Delhi soon. more

Space Shuttles - Are these safe ?

Lets start with - What is a space shuttle ?

Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States government's current manned launch vehicle. A total of five usable orbiters were built, of which three remain. The winged shuttle orbiter is launched vertically, usually carrying five to seven astronauts (although eight have been carried and eleven could be accommodated in an emergency) and up to 50,000 lb (22,700 kg) of payload into low earth orbit (the thermosphere). When its mission is complete, it fires its maneuvering thrusters to drop out of orbit and re-enters the Earth's atmosphere. During the descent and landing, the shuttle orbiter acts as a glider and makes a completely unpowered landing.

Evolution story(thats what it was meant to be)

The first orbiter, Enterprise, was not built for actual space flight, and was used only for testing purposes. Enterprise was followed by four operational space shuttles: Columbia, Challenger, Discovery and Atlantis. Challenger was destroyed on launch in 1986, and Endeavour was built as a replacement. Columbia was destroyed on re-entry in 2003.

Space Shuttle Columbia (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first spaceworthy space shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. Its first mission, STS-1, lasted from April 12 to April 14, 1981. On February 1, 2003, Columbia disintegrated during re-entry over Texas, on its 28th mission. All seven crew members aboard perished.

The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, shortly before concluding its 28th mission, STS-107.

The loss of the Columbia was caused by damage sustained during launch when a piece of foam insulation the size of a small briefcase broke off the main propellant tank under the aerodynamic forces of launch. The debris struck the leading edge of the left wing on the number 8 reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) tile, damaging the Shuttle's thermal protection system (TPS). While Columbia was still in orbit, some engineers suspected damage, but NASA managers limited the investigation on the grounds that little could be done even if problems were found.

Space Shuttle Challenger (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-099) was NASA's second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service. Its maiden flight was on April 4, 1983, and it completed nine missions before disintegrating 73 seconds after the launch of its tenth mission, on January 28, 1986, killing all seven crew members. Challenger was replaced by the space shuttle Endeavour which made its first flight in 1992, six years after the disaster.

The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred in the United States, above the state of Florida, at 11:39 a.m. EST (16:39 GMT) on January 28, 1986, when the Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds into its flight after an O-ring seal in its right solid rocket booster (SRB) failed. The seal failure caused a flame leak from the solid rocket booster, which impinged upon the adjacent external fuel tank. Within seconds, the flame caused structural failure of the external tank, and aerodynamic forces promptly broke up the orbiter. The shuttle was destroyed and all seven crew members were killed. The crew compartment and many other vehicle fragments were eventually recovered from the ocean floor after a lengthy search and recovery operation.

Space Shuttle Discovery (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is one of three remaining spacecraft in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), along with Atlantis and Endeavour. First flown in 1984, Discovery is the third operational Space Shuttle and the oldest shuttle in service. Discovery has performed both research and International Space Station (ISS) assembly missions.

Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-104) is one of the fleet of space shuttles belonging to the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It was the fourth operational shuttle built. Following the destruction of Challenger and Columbia, it is one of the three fully operational shuttles remaining in the fleet. The other two are Discovery and Endeavour. After it completes STS-125, the final Hubble Space Telescope service mission, Atlantis is scheduled to be the first shuttle retired from the fleet.

NASA officials have decided the Atlantis crew will need to fix a loose thermal blanket on the outside of the space shuttle, extending their 11-day mission.

The work is expected to delay the crew's return flight by two days. But managers have not said whether the repair work will require an extra spacewalk. more


None other than an experienced former Nasa space shuttle astronaut, Mike Mullane, has seriously questioned the safety levels of the shuttle. In his fascinating book, Riding Rockets which was published last year, Mullane has stated that the "space shuttle is significantly more dangerous to fly than anything that had preceded it." Mullane himself has flown three space shuttle missions, and has logged a total of 356 hours.
The reason: the space shuttle did not have an in-flight escape system. Says Mullane: "The shuttle design did accommodate two ejection seats for the commander and pilot positions, but this was a temporary feature intended to to protect only the two-man crews that would fly the first four shake down missions." Subsequently, he said, the ejection seats were removed, and 10 crew members were booked for each flight. "We would have no hope of surviving a catastrophic rocket failure," he said.
more

Britans new Highly-Skilled Migrants Programme (HSMP) program

THE NEW RULE :
The new rules disenfranchise potential non-European migrants over 28 years old and earning UK salaries less than £ 35,000. The Indians(constitute 80% of non europeans in UK) insist that their temporary visas make it impossible to get high-earning jobs and the changed rules make it impossible for them to stay on in Britain as previously promised by the government.

Disenfranchised Indians take to streets in London

The Indians, bearing banners that urged "Home Office, Keep your promise" and "Stop injustice to Highly-Skilled Migrants", claim the British government has unfairly changed the HSMP rules to disenfranchise economic migrants from non-European Economic Area countries.

UK Immigration minister Liam Byrne. Defending his government's right to change immigration rules, the minister said on Thursday, "No one wants this country to be a soft touch on immigration". But he added, "...nor do we want a barricade in place of a border".

Byrne admitted, "Yes we are asking people to prove they've made a contribution to Britain before we extend permission to stay. And yes, we're going to use objective tests of what people can offer. That's because we want the best to come to Britain".



Brown in India, faces NRIs' flak back home-Rest of World-World-The Times of India:
Brown in India, faces NRIs' flak back home

Amit Kapadia of the HSMP Forum told TOI, "Mr Gordon Brown before expecting new Indian investments in UK should first make sure that those same Indians who already contributed and made life saving investments in UK are treated with respect by the UK Home Office and the UK Home Office sticks to the initial promises made to us."

On Wednesday, exactly one week after a demonstration outside the British parliament, which was attended by hundreds of affected Indians, several MPs of the governing Labour Party and main opposition Conservatives and some peers, Kapadia said: "The recent new retrospective changes imposed by UK Home Office on Highly Skilled Migrants disregards the very sacrifices and investments we made in UK."


India warns Britain over 'unfair' worker immigration laws
India has cautioned Britain that it would be the "loser" if its immigration laws are not liberalised to allow freer movement of workers from the sub-continent nation.

Chidambaram's view( Indian Finance Minister ) :

Short of permanent immigration, we are asking for freer movement of personnel who can render services abroad P Chidambaram
Many knowledge workers could go abroad for three months, six months or a year and add to our exports, but they are constrained by a very restrictive visa regime and local tax laws.
If a qualified professional from India is denied entry and that place is taken by a less qualified person from, say, Eastern Europe, surely the UK is the loser

Pledged that India would "play more than our part" in the revival of the stalled Doha round of WTO talks.

We believe that the opening up of trade has helped India considerably. In fact, a significant proportion of our growth is coming from external trade. Exports last year were 103 billion dollars. We wish to remain engaged with the rest of the world and take advantage of a rule-based multilateral trade system


Many UK Indians face deportation
Britain has issued deportation orders to Indian IIM alumni and engineers working here on visas obtained under the Highly-Skilled Migrants Programme (HSMP).
Dr S Ghosh (PhD), an engineer who was the assistant professor at Bahrain University, said: “What a situation to be in! On the verge of being kicked out of the country after being made to sign a declaration that Britain would be my new home and after taking all reasonable steps to fulfill my commitment to do so. There is no way of getting back my job in Bahrain, no hope of finding a job in India. My child’s future is in shambles considering the difficulties of adapting to a new system after studying under the national curriculum of England all through. All this because I trusted that the UK Government would follow the well-renowned British values of honesty, fair play and justice”

Debansu Das, an IIM MBA, said: “It’s not easy for Asians to get high-profile jobs in the UK with higher salaries. I don’t qualify for further extension (of the HSMP visa) due to this retrospective change in rules because of which me and my family are in line for a possible refusal of extension and hence deportation.”

Dr George Joseph, who received his deportation order 14 months after arriving in Britain under the HSMP, added: “I was very attracted by the HSMP programme posted by the Home Office on the website. As per the rules that time there wasn’t much problem in getting the renewal after one year as I had to prove that I have been economically active. I have a Ph.D. in chemistry and many years of work experience and had heard that there was a shortage of science graduates in the UK.Now, says Joseph, Our lives have been turned upside down. We never imagined that the Home Office would unfairly implement HSMP changes with retrospective effect.”


Keith Vaz, MP of the governing Labour Party says

The rule change and application, with retrospective effect, is a slap on the face of those who had gone through the proper process and complied with the regulations only to be left in the limbo regarding their future. We request the home secretary to change the rules

Damien Green, shadow immigration minister of the main opposition’s Conservative Party says

Everyone agrees that Britain benefits from highly-skilled migrants. The government’s decision to change the rules so that people who are already here and want to stay are now disqualified is both unfair and wrong-headed. It is unfair because the people involved have made a commitment to this country which is being flung back in their faces. It is wrong-headed because it sends a signal to highly-skilled people around the world that Britain is an unreliable place to work

An academic and a member of the House of Lords, Bhikhu Parekh, said:

“A lot of these very talented people came to this country after borrowing money or giving up their jobs on a certain promise made by the government. This kind of change in rules mid-stream will only damage Britain’s reputation outside.”