Earth to be closest to Sun tomorrow

Earth to be closest to Sun tomorrow

 Stargazers will get a celestial

treat on New Year with Sun coming nearest to our planet

tomorrow.

  The Earth will be at its nearest point from the Sun

at 10:10 AM tomorrow at a distance of 147 million km,

Planetary Society of India General Secretary N Sri Raghunandan

Kumar said today.

            Every January, the Earth is at perihelion, the closest

from the Sun for the year, and in July it is at aphelion, the

farthest to the Sun for the year, he said.

            This year the earth will be at aphelion on July 5.

            The word perihelion comes from the Greek words "peri"

(meaning "near") and "helios" (meaning "sun").

            All planets, comets and asteroids in our solar system have

elliptical orbits. Thus, they all have a closest and a

farthest point from the Sun -- a perihelion and an aphelion,

he said.

            Explaining the reason why the temperature does not rise on

Perihelion Day even when the sunlight is more, Kumar said,

"There are many reasons for it. Blame it on the tilt of the

Earth's axis. Actually, our seasons are determined by the

tilt of the Earth and not by how close the Earth is to the

Sun." 

Raj police to submit charge-sheet in rape case within a week

Raj police to submit charge-sheet in rape case within a week

 Rajasthan's Barmer police would be

setting an example by submitting the charge-sheet in a gang

rape case within a week's time.

          The police have also invoked 'Protection of children

from sexual offences act', implemented in November 2012, as

the victim is a minor.

          The 13-year old girl was gang-raped by three men in

Rawatsar area when she was returning home with her aunt on the

night of December 27.

            "We have prepared the charge-sheet and would submit it

on January 3 in a lower court. The government has also

announced fast track court for rape cases and when the courts

are notified, the case would be transferred," SP Barmer Rahul

Barhat told PTI today.

            "Acting swiftly, we nabbed two accused Manohar and

Narendra within a few hours of the incident while the third

identified as Shera Ram was arrested after some time," he

said.

            "It is the first case here when the charge sheet in

rape case case will be submitted in such a short time," the

officer claimed.

            Deputy SP Najim Ali, Investigating officer, said that

they have included appropriate section of 'Protection of

children from sexual offences act which has the provision of

rigorous imprisonment for life for the accused.

            "We have prepared a strong charge-sheet and believe

that this will set an example," Ali said.

            The accused are in police custody at present. 

Despite last minute deal, US misses fiscal cliff deadline

Despite last minute deal, US misses fiscal cliff deadline

 Despite a last minute deal reached
between the White House, Democrats and the Republicans
brokered by the US Vice President, Joe Biden, the US missed
the Monday midnight "fiscal cliff" deadline to avert sweeping
tax hikes.
 While the Senate was moving ahead with its plan to vote on
the deal, the Republican-majority House of Representatives
was unlikely to meet before Tuesday noon local time (late
Tuesday night IST) to vote on the "fiscal cliff" deal that
would extend tax rates on annual income under USD 450,000,
delay for two months part of the USD 110 billion in spending
cuts.
 In total, USD 600 billion in tax hikes and spending cuts
are scheduled to hit in the New Year.
 In theory, the fiscal cliff has hit the US, which among
other things, means across the board hike in income tax rates.
 But the Congressional leaders and White House hope that
they can neutralise it by passing the Bill before it can have
an adverse effect on the country's economy.
 The House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi, said she would
present the Bill to the House Democratic caucus once it is
passed by the Senate.
 "By waiting until the last minute, and reaching a deal on
a much smaller scale than either side once envisioned,
Washington also deferred many of its thorniest questions for
perhaps as little as a few weeks," 'The Wall Street Journal'
said.
 Earlier in the day both the Republican Leaders and US
President Barack Obama said they were very close to reaching a
deal.
 The Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said both sides
were "very, very close" to an agreement.

US supports India's key role in maintaining regional stability

US supports India's key role in maintaining regional stability

 The US has said it supports India's "critical" role
as a leader in maintaining regional stability and both have
 a common interest in promoting global
security and the free flow of global trade and commerce.
 "We have a shared interest in promoting global security,
stability, and economic prosperity through trade, investment,
and connectivity," the State Department said in a background
note on India released yesterday.
 "The United States and India have a common interest in
the free flow of global trade and commerce, including through
the vital sea lanes of the Indian Ocean," it said.
 "The US supports India's critical role as a leader in
maintaining regional stability. Security ties are robust and
growing with bilateral defence and counter-terrorism
cooperation reaching unprecedented levels," it said.
 The two countries also look continue to develop their
defense partnership through military sales and joint research,
co-production and co-development efforts, it added.
 The State Department said the US-India Strategic
Dialogue, launched in 2009, provides opportunities to
strengthen collaboration in areas including energy, climate
change, trade, education, and counter-terrorism.
 The third annual meeting was held in June 2012.
 In 2012 alone, seven Cabinet-level officials made visits
to India to deepen bilateral ties, it added.
 Noting that the strength of people to people linkages
between the US and India has come to define the indispensable
relationship between the two countries, the State Department
said the increased cooperation of state and local officials to
create ties has enhanced engagement in education.

Darul Uloom Deoband bans students from using camera phones

Darul Uloom Deoband bans students from using camera phones

Leading Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband has issued an order banning its students from using mobile phones with cameras and seized 14 such devices from the hostel.

According to deputy Vice-Chancellor Maulana Abdul Khalik, from now on, students may only use simple cellular phone handsets without camera or video features since these are seen as having an adverse effect on their studies. Students at the seminary have been warned that disciplinary action would be taken against anyone found using camera phones.

Sonia not to celebrate New Year in view of gangrape incident

Sonia not to celebrate New Year in view of gangrape incident

 Congress President Sonia Gandhi will not be celebrating the New Year in view of the gangrape incident in the national capital. "Sonia Gandhi has appealed to partymen and well-wishers against coming to her to extend New Year greetings in the wake of gangrape incident," party General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi said here today.

Gang-rape victim's death: Army no to new year bash by units

Gang-rape victim's death: Army no to new year bash by units

Against the backdrop of the death of the Delhi gang-rape victim, the Army has issued advisories to all its formations across the country against holding new year parties. Advisory has been issued to all formations that they should not organise new year parties, Army officials said here.

Army chief Gen Bikaram Singh and his wife Bubbles Singh will visit patients in Army Research and Referra  Hospital here and Base Hospital on the first day of the new year and distribute sweets

Congress president Sonia Gandhi too has announced that the party will not be celebrating the new year following the incident.

Amid outpouring of anger and grief in the country, the body of the 23-year-old victim was flown here from Singapore early yesterday morning and cremated within hours.