IntelliBriefs

By Mark Hughes, New York 09 Oct 2012 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9597345/Afterlife-exists-says-top-brain-surgeon.html A prominent scientist who had previously dismissed the possibility of the afterlife says he has reconsidered his belief after experiencing an out of body experience which has convinced him that heaven exists. Dr Eben Alexander, a Harvard-educated neurosurgeon, fell into a coma for seven days in 2008 after contracting meningitis. During his illness Dr Alexander says that the part of his brain which controls human thought and emotion "shut down" and that he then experienced "something so profound that it gave me a scientific reason to believe in consciousness after death." In an essay for American magazine Newsweek, which he wrote to promote his book Proof of Heaven, Dr Alexander says he was met by a beautiful blue-eyed woman in a "place of clouds, big fluffy pink-white ones" and "shimmering beings"

Friday, 12 October 2012 22:05 Yoshita Singh | United Nations inShare http://www.dailypioneer.com/world/101201-advani-makes-strong-case-for-unsc-reform.html Senior BJP leader LK Advani has made a strong case for reform of the UN Security Council, emphasising that it should be expanded to include nations willing to share responsibility of combating global threats like terrorism and piracy and help in maintaining security. Advani stressed on the need for addressing the deficit in global governance, noting that the 15-nation Council with a "structure and a set of governing norms that harkens back to the realities of the late 1940s" is an "anachronism". "A reformed Council must include countries that are willing to bear additional burdens relating to the maintenance of international peace and security and be able to sustain worldwide campaigns against new and emerging global threats including terrorism and piracy," Advani told a session on 'Revitalisa

Sudesh Rani Research Associate, NMF  email: drsudeshrani@gmail.com   http://www.ipcs.org/article/us-south-asia/indo-us-relations-economic-respite-3724.html Amid domestic political opposition by various states and political parties, the Indian government issued a notification clearing the way for the implementation of economic reforms. New Delhi  announced massive set of  reforms viz. 100 percent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in  single-brand sector (earlier it was 51 per cent), 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail (prohibited so far), 49 per cent in aviation and 74 per cent in broadcast sector (except the TV news channels and FM Radio).  The move is not surprising as the proposal regarding the reforms was approved by the cabinet in November 2011. But the implementation of the proposals had been deferred because of lack of a broader consensus among the various states. Some states and union territories extended their support in written and asked for its implementation, while other

B.RAMAN The ability to read and understand the adversary's mind and message is a vital component of strategic decision-making. When decisions that could lead to military conflicts are made without such an ability, surprise and possible disaster are often the outcome. 2. The truth of this was illustrated during the Korean war of the late 1940s and the 1950s and the Sino-Indian war of 1962. 3.During the initial months of the Korean war, as the defeated North Korean Army was retreating towards the Yalu river marking North Korea's border with China, there were repeated warnings from Beijing directly and indirectly that it would not be a silent spectator of the UN troops commanded by the US reaching the river that could pose a threat to China's security and that the PLA might be forced to intervene to prevent such an eventuality. 4. Gen.Douglas MacArthur of the US Army, who then commanded the Far East Command, was so confident of final and decisive

By Joel Bowman The portmanteau monikers are not ours, though we are fast warming to them. They spring, instead, from the minds of an increasingly cognizant non-voter class. And the message from the non-voter class is clear: The presidential race is at best fertile fodder for mockery. At worst, it is a sinister distraction from all that really matters in the lives of good, honest Americans.  But the truth is, it's both. Last Wednesday night's rhetorical soft- on serves best as a reminder of the former.  The two candidates dueled with all the ferocity of a couple of sleepy-eyed puppies, rolling around on the rug before returning to their respective teams' campaign teat for a lazy afternoon feed and some overdue ego petting. The first presidential debate for 2012 was an evening of canned responses, cardboard grins and catchphrases so dull and predictable one could have used them to build the instructions for a drinking game even before the event kicked off. And indeed, many

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us-offers-245-stinger-missiles-to-india/1015304/ The US is offering 245 Stinger missiles to India as part of a weapons package for the Apache attack choppers being acquired by the Air Force. "245 air-to-air Stinger missiles and 56 launchers are included in the weapons package for the Apache helicopters," officials of Raytheon, which manufactures the missiles, said. "The Stinger compliments the advanced performance of the Apache by providing the IAF with the critical air-to-air defence capability," they said. India has selected the American Apache helicopter for its requirement of 22 attack helicopters which will have both air-to-ground and air-to-air roles in the service. "Yes, Apache is final now," IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne had recently told a press conference when asked if the service was procuring the American choppers. The two sides are at present negotiating the contract. The American helicopter

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012%5C10%5C12%5Cstory_12-10-2012_pg3_2 Yet all the legal quibbling cannot dissuade people from believing that Vadra's marriage into India's most powerful family facilitated his emergence as a businessman The Gandhis and the Bhuttos share  similar traits and fate in many astonishing ways. At least two generations of their families have ruled their respective countries, their members command indisputable charisma and an enviable following, and some of them have met tragically violent deaths. To this list we can now add the questionable business dealings of their sons-in-law, which have besmirched the reputation of the two families. Now ensconced in the President's House, Mr Asif Ali Zardari, you could say, has been punished to an extent because of a spell he served in jail. In contrast, Robert Vadra's problems have only just begun. Married to Priyanka, the charming daughter of Sonia Gandhi, who decidedly commands power

by Lakshmi Chaudhry Oct 9, 2012 http://www.firstpost.com/politics/the-robert-vadra-mystery-forget-property-how-did-he-acquire-priyanka-484188.html Each time Robert Vadra steps into the spotlight, the average mango folks can't help but wonder, "Really? She married him?"  Of all the men at all the Delhi A-list parties, Priyanka Gandhi picked this guy? "Vadra's sweet-heart deal with DLF raises many questions but what makes no sense whatsoever is how a petty brass trader from Moradabad, who looks more like Priyanka's chauffer than her significant other, could patao a Nehru-Gandhi scion and marry into India's most powerful political family. We demand that Vadra come clean on this," thunders a fake Arvind Kejriwal in an Unreal Times spoof of the unfolding drama. The bigger mystery, as the humour mag cheekily points out, is not how Vadra got rich, but how he got hitched. As a friend wryly observes, "It's like she married Ajay Devgn." And

B.RAMAN   After over 48 hours of panic over the allegations levelled by ShriArvindKejriwal of India Against Corruption (IAC) against Shri Robert Vadra, the husband of Ms.Priyanka Gandhi and the son-in-law of Mrs.SoniaGandi, the President of the Congress, the Congress has cooled down and worked out a strategy of tiring out   the IAC in general and ShriKejriwal in particular. 2. It is reported that the initial panic was triggered by Mrs.Sonia Gandhi herself which led to the unwise intervention of a number of senior Ministers in support of ShriVadra and the tactless remarks of ShriVadra in his FB. 3. After this initial spectacle of chicken-like panic, Ms.Priyanka Gandhi, who is concerned over the likely impact of the allegations and the subsequent crisis management on the credibility and political future of the family and the Congress, reportedly stepped in to calm down the panic. 4.A new set of crisis management advisers not haunted by memories of the

THE UGLY SCARS  OF COLONIALISM: PASHTUNS  AND  BALOCHS  STRUGGLLING FOR 172 YEARS   By Dr. Rahmat  Rabi  Zirakyar, Independent Scholar of Pashtun/Afghan Heritage, USA zirakyar1234@yahoo.com   April 2, 2011     The colonial Durand Treaty (1893) along with its imaginary Durand Line is immoral, invalid and illegal.     INTRODUCTION   This analysis will present a well argued case that the history of British Empire has been rather callous to the fate of Pashtuns and Balochs. I hope my expose will contribute to a constructive discussion in political and intellectual arena about the future of unfortunate Balochs and Pashtuns, who are ready to be part of the vision of a fair and rule-based world order but regrettably excluded from international visibility and progress. A dangerous potential for conflicts is continually arising in those developing countries whose borders and administrative nations were determined by the f