No Point To Support Dow Chemicals, Says Kamal Nath
22/6/2010 New Delhi, India
In one of the major developments by the union government as far as the Bhopal gas tragedy is concerned, the center has issued orders for a mega clean up at the site of the union carbide plant. This will be done at the plant location in the city of Bhopal where this worst kind of industrial disaster took place in 1984.
The center categorically said that the total financial liability will be put on the company called Dow chemicals which purchased the plant in the year 2001. The government has made this thing very clear in the court. 
The center has further expressed that it will fund a joint exercise in association with the state government of Bhopal so that the clarification process of the carbide plant will start and end in a nice manner.
The fact is that the dow chemicals is in no mood to accept that it holds any part and parcel as far as the Bhopal legacy of the carbide plant is concerned. The company further emphasizes that the carbide interests were solely sold to the company called Eveready and Dow chemicals has no participation in it.
However, there are certain internal differences as far as the bankrolling of the cleansing process of the carbide plant is concerned. The sanitization process of the carbide plant costs an amount of 300 crores. Further, kamal said if dow has bought assets, they will have to bare consequences.
Bush Defends Legancy Before Going Out
Washington – 16.01.09 – In his farewell bid, outgoing President George W. Bush defended his troubled legacy staunchly claiming he kept America safe since the infamous September 11th attacks. 
“There is legitimate debate about many of these decisions. But there can be little debate about the results,” the Republican president said in his final televised address while preparing to handover the presidency to Democrat Barack Obama.
“America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil,” he added.
Some of Bush’s actions after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, such as establishing a detention center for terrorism suspects at Guantanamo and approving harsh interrogation methods that human rights groups said amounted to torture, severely damaged America’s image abroad. Obama has vowed to close the facility.
With the clock ticking down on a presidency many historians are already ranking among the worst ever, Bush and his aides used his last day of public events before Inauguration Day to try to put a positive spin on his two terms in office.
Even as he focused on what he sees as his administration’s successes, Bush was preparing to leave Obama with unfinished wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a bitter conflict in the Gaza Strip and a U.S. economy deep in recession.
He repeated his warning that the gravest challenge facing his successor is the threat of another terrorist attack on U.S. soil.
“Our enemies are patient, and determined to strike again,” Bush said in excerpts from a 13-minute speech to be delivered from the White House at 8 p.m. on Thursday (0100 GMT on Friday). “We must resist complacency.”
There was no reference in Bush’s prepared remarks to the battered economy, which polls show tops Americans’ concerns. Obama will inherit the worst financial crisis in 80 years, a meltdown that has sent shockwaves across the globe.
Farewell speeches are a ritual for departing U.S. leaders, but the stakes are especially high for Bush, who will step down with one of the lowest public approval ratings of any president in modern times — in the mid-20 percent range.
FOREIGN POLICY RECORD
In a final ceremony at the State Department earlier on Thursday, Bush defended his foreign policy record — from the unpopular war in Iraq to nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea. “We have made the world freer,” he said.
Bush touted security gains in Iraq as vindication for a U.S. troop buildup he ordered there at a time of rampant sectarian violence in 2007.
The Iraq war, launched without U.N. authorization in 2003, undercut U.S. credibility abroad and contributed to a resounding victory by Obama against John McCain, the nominee of Bush’s Republican Party, in the November election.
Bush also made clear he saw his failed effort to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians in his final year as not completely in vain, despite a 3-week-old Israel-Hamas war in Gaza with no end in sight.
“We outlined a vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security,” Bush said, although little concrete progress was actually made toward Palestinian statehood on his watch.
Bush also lauded his administration’s handling of Iran and North Korea, both of which have faced U.S.-led campaigns against their nuclear programs.
“We worked in a multilateral fashion to deal with issues like Iran and North Korea,” he said of his efforts to isolate two of the countries he once branded part of an “axis of evil.” Obama has said he would pursue direct diplomacy with foes.
“In Asia, we deepened our alliances with old friends, Japan and South Korea, and we strengthened ties with China,” Bush said, adding his administration had opened a new strategic partnership with India and battled AIDS in Africa.
In thanking U.S. diplomats for their work overseas, Bush also alluded to Afghanistan, where the Taliban is resurgent seven years after being ousted by U.S.-led forces. Critics say he neglected the conflict because he was distracted by Iraq.
The Sky In January 2009
New York – 16.01.09 – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are the planets for January 2009 according to the leading astrologers.
All these planets occupy interesting positions during the month, they say. “Mercury is very low in the west at sunset, and sets below the horizon by 6.30 P.M during the first week of January. It is near planet Jupiter. By mid-month, Mercury will have moved toward the Sun, and it will no longer be visible in the evening twilight”, says a report from a leading astronomical site.
The brightest star in the sky Venus would be moving higher every evening, the astrologers predict. By mid-January it will set in the southwest at approximately 9.00 P.M according to their calculations.
One of the interesting findings is that Mars would not be visible at all during the month.
“Jupiter is very low in the west at sunset, and sets below the horizon by 6:15 pm during the first week of January. Mercury is near Jupiter; Jupiter is the brighter of the two. By mid-month, Jupiter will have moved toward the Sun, and it will no longer be visible in the evening twilight”, continues the report.
In contrast, Saturn will look like pale yellow-white object. It would be rising at the eastern side of the sky at 10.00 P.M and will be standing at 45 degrees above the southwest horizon during the evening hours, according to the astrologers.
Some of the upcoming celestial events are the waning crescent color Moon that will visible to the north of the bright star Antares from January 21st. The Annual Solar Eclipse will take place on January 26th. This eclipse would be visible in Indian Ocean, Southeast India, Southeast Asia, Australia, Madagascar, South Africa, and Indonesia.
Venus will be visible at about three degrees south of the waxing crescent Moon during the early part of the evening on January 29th say the astrologers.
Leading Astrologer Predicts Major Planetary Aspects Of 2009
Washington – 15.01.09 – Leading Astrologer Carol Barbeau has listed the major planetary events up coming in 2009. 
“2009 is a number 11 year of MASTER SPIRITUAL Partnership. Dream the dream (Neptune in Aquarius) get the vision using Uranus the planet of change in Pisces bringing more dreams and visions to us all. Jupiter in Capricorn moving January 5th into Aquarius bringing major shifts in the ways we learn and believe…. Saturn in Virgo all year asking as to discipline ourselves, learn to pare down and recognize that less can sometimes be more’, says Barbeau in his predictions.
Retrograde stars or planets need not infuse the fear psychosis. Instead it should be a catalyst for rethinking and reconfiguring every aspect of your life, the astrologer says. It may not be a time for everything new and changed. But it is not also a time to hide and remain complacent to changes.
In his in depth analysis the astrologer points out that Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars are the personal planets. Sun is the light and never goes retrograde. Moon that represents past and emotions also never goes retrograde. Mercury that represents ideas retrogrades three times. Venus that is the representative of love retrogrades every year. Mars representing action also retrogrades every alternative year.
There are also transpersonal planets, points out Barbeau that shifts events happening in the outer world. All such planets and asteroids retrograde every year. These planets are Jupiter moving to Aquarius on 5th January, Saturn moves to Libra on October 29th and prior to that remain in Virgo. Neptune will be in Aquarius year round and Pluto will be transforming in Capricorn throughout the year.
According to Barbeau, the Asteroids that create “new energy of equality and healing are” Chiron moving to Aquarius on 30th October, Juno moving to Aries on August 9th and then to Pisces on 3rd November, Vesta will be direct till 3rd January, 2010 and Ceres retrogrades to Virgo on January 11th and moves directly to Virgo from April 12th.
Each of the planetary movements has their own significance on our lives and the society at large, concludes Barbeau, though the impacts would be relative to several other factors.
Obama Vows Stern Action Against Terrorism
Washington – 15.01.09 – Even as Osama Bin Laden delivers war cry asking Muslim countries to launch a JIHAD or holy war against Israel, US president elect Obama vowed to go after him to prevent further spread of terrorism across the globe. 
Obama’s vow comes in the wake of revelation that terrorists have been using the safe heavens along the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan to carry out their attacks.
“Bin Laden and Al Qaeda are our number one threat when it comes to American security,” Obama said. “We’re going to do everything in our power to make sure that they cannot create safe havens they can (use to) attack America.”
The revelation about Bin Laden calling for the Jihad came out with the purported tape surfacing on Wednesday. Laden had asked Muslim nations all over the world to engage in an offensive against Israel to stop their attack on Gaza.
Laden predicted that recession in US will reduce substantially American economic influence overseas. Global financial crisis had clearly exposed the waning US economic influence on the world; he commented and went on to say that this has also weakened its ally Israel.
“Our brothers in Palestine, you have suffered a lot…. the Muslims sympathise with you in what they see and hear. We, the mujahideen, sympathise with you also…” bin Laden said on the tape entitled “A Call for Jihad to Stop the Aggression against Gaza”, that appeared on Islamist websites.
“We are with you and we will not let you down. Our fate is tied to yours in fighting the Crusader-Zionist (Western-Israeli) coalition, in fighting until victory or martyrdom”, he added. He also went to the extent of warning the Muslim world not to rely on the Arab leaders “the great majority of whom are allied with the Crusader-Zionist coalition” according to him.
Washington’s response to the tape was that it showed how isolated bin Laden has become from the rest of the world.
“It appears this tape demonstrates his isolation and continued attempts to remain relevant at a time when al Qaeda’s ideology, mission and agenda are being questioned and challenged throughout the world,” said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe. “This also looks to be an effort to raise money as part of their ongoing propaganda campaign,” he added.