Obama explains about moon programme

US President Barack Obama has outlined his administration's new space exploration plan, vowing to increase NASA's budget by $6 billion over the next five years.

Speaking at the Kennedy Space Centre on Thursday, where America's moon missions originated decades ago, Obama said he was "100 percent committed to the mission of NASA and its future".

Obama said he wants to accelerate the development of a large, heavy-lift rocket to carry astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit. He called for a decision on the new rocket design in 2015.

He said by 2025 he expects US space exploration to reach beyond the moon and further into the solar system's reaches, aiming to send US astronauts into Mars orbit by the mid-2030s.

"By the mid-2030s, I believe we can send humans to orbit Mars and return them safely to Earth, and a landing on Mars will follow," Obama told a gathering of about 200 space scientists and members of the Congress.

The President was making a trip to the heart of the US space industry, seeking to explain why he aborted former president George W. Bush's return-to-the moon plan.

"We've been there before," Obama said. "There's a lot more of space to explore."

Polish President killed by aircraft crashed in Russia

Polish President Lech Kaczynski, was killed on April 10, 2010, with his wife Maria and 130 others including almost all his aides when their aircraft crashed in foggy weather while landing in Russia, officials said.

The disaster, which plunged Poland into grief, occurred when the Russian-built Tupolev 154-M reportedly struck some trees, caught fire and broke up as it approached the airport in Smolensk city in western Russia.

The president and his delegation, which included Polish National Bank president Slawmir Skrzpek, was going to Russia to take part in an official ceremony in Katyn, where 20,000 Poles were slaughtered by Soviet forces during World War II.

The Katyn massacre was a major irritant between Poland and Russia. Kaczynski was reluctant to go there until the last day because he was not sure of getting a proper protocol from the Russian authorities.

He was a great admirer of Indian democracy and a major critic of China. He also had a soft corner for the Dalai Lama and always met him when the Tibetan spiritual leader came to Poland.
In Poland, the speaker of parliament, Bronislaw Komorowski, hurriedly arrived here from Gdansk to take charge as president till a new election is called. Prime Minister Donald Tusk rushed to Warsaw for an emergency meeting of the cabinet.

Obama declare no to civil nuclear deal with Pakistan

Obama Administration in a blunt message told it that such a deal is not on platter of its talks with Islamabad. After then Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said that his country "qualifies" for a civilian nuclear deal with the US.

"We are focused on Pakistan's energy needs, but, as we said last week, right now that does not include civilian nuclear energy," Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P J Crowley told reporters.

A high-level Pakistani delegation led by the country's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was here last month to launch the US-Pak Strategic Dialogue.

The Pakistani delegation sought a civil nuclear deal with the US on the lines of that of India.
The Obama Administration did not give any concrete assurance to Qureshi, neither did it totally reject the request.

Pakistani terror accused Mohammed Ajmal for Terror

The admission to guilt by Pakistani American terror suspect avid Headley to terror charges against him is "a major victory for Indian investigators" and proves that Pakistani terror accused Mohammed Ajmal Amir alias Kasab was "speaking the truth", special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam heading the The Hotal Taj ( 26/110) terror attacks trial said.

"As far as the 26/11 trial is concerned, the Headley developments shall have no impact and we shall continue as usual," said Nikam, who is soon to complete the critical phase of the final arguments of the trial.

Kasab had mentioned certain aspects about Headley's involvement in the Nov 26, 2008 terror attacks and the developments in Chicago prove that "he was speaking the truth", Nikam said.
"Headley's confession and his admission to all the 12 charges against him has substantiated our claim that the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was directly behind the terror attacks," special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said.

It is also clear that there are certain state sponsors of the terror attacks in Pakistan and the entire conspiracy of the attack was hatched in that country, he said.

Among other things, Headley has confessed to working on behalf of several terror groups, including the LeT, before a Chicago court.

Nikam said that the LeT used different terror modules and sleeper cells to collect information about Mumbai, and Headley belonged to one such module.

Members of another module - Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed - have also been nabbed and are currently undergoing trial in Mumbai as co-accused with Kasab.

Earthquake hits in Ankara- Turkey

Ankara, Turkey – A strong earthquake hit eastern Turkey on Monday, killing 57 people and knocking down houses in at least six small villages. The temblor struck six villages in Elazig province, toppling stone or mud-brick homes and minarets of mosques. Bekir Yanilmaz, the mayor of the nearby town of Kovancilar, provided CNN-Turk television with the death toll. The government's crisis center put the number at 51.

The worst-hit area was the village of Okcular where some 17 people were reported killed and homes crumbled into piles of dirt. Another 13 people were killed in the village of Yukari Demirci, Gov. Muammer Erol said.

The government's crisis center said around 100 people were also injured in the quake, which occurred at 4:32 a.m. (0232 GMT, 9 p.m. EST Sunday) in Elazig province, about 550 kilometers (340 miles) east of Ankara, the capital.

The earthquake, which caught many people in their sleep, was centered near the village of Basyurt. It was followed by more than 30 aftershocks, the strongest measuring 5.5, the Kandilli seismology center said.

Emergency workers were trying to rescue four people from debris, Gov. Muammer Erol said. CNN-Turk television said the dead included four young sisters trapped in the rubble.

"Everything has been knocked down, there is not a stone in place," said Yadin Apaydin, administrator for the village of Yukari Kanatli, where he said at least three villagers died.

International sportspersons warned by HUJI CHIEF

Pakistan-occupied Kashmir-based HuJI has warned to international sportsman against visiting the country to participate in upcoming tournament like the Hockey World Cup, IPL and etc. Games.

Asia Times Online claimed Ilyas Kashmiri, a former Pakistani commando whose 313 Brigade is an operational arm of al-Qaeda, has vowed to continue attacks across India while threatening international sportspersons to face the consequences if they chose to visit the country.

"We warn the international community not to send their people to 2010 Hockey World Cup, IPL and Commonwealth Games...Nor should their people visit India - if they do, they will be responsible for the consequences," Kashmiri, the fugitive chief of PoK chapter of Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami, warned in a message delivered to the Asia Times online.