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COCKPIT voice recorder of the ill-fated Bell Helicopter, which crashed killing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister on September 2, 2008, clearly speaks about poor flight planning and coordination between the pilot and co pilot of the helicopter.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) submitted a comprehensive 139 pages report to the civil aviation department mentioning technical snag to be the reason for the crash of the YSR’s helicopter.

In its report – DGCA categorically mentioned that the co-pilot of the chopper was constantly asking the pilot to go around that is to indicating emergency situation that is proximity to the ground. The co pilot was repeated making the calls for go around. Meanwhile the Engine Control Unit (ECU) readout showed that during the last 14 seconds the rate of descent was in excess of ten thousand feet/minute indicating that the helicopter during this period when the co-pilot was giving callouts for go around was encountering very high rate of descent. Thereafter helicopter crashed due to loss of control resulting in high rate of descent in down draught. The helicopter impacted the ground and all occupants on board died due to crash injuries.

The cockpit voice recorder transcript says that the pilot in command was well aware of the repercussions of bad weather and instructed co-pilot to keep his hand under the collective to safe guard against exceedance of torque and up and down draughts and turbulence.

The crew got so engrossed with the emergency and lost situational awareness of extreme bad weather ahead. The worst part was the pilot and co-pilot had poor cockpit resource management any given stage of flying.

GRAPHIX
Flight Recorders

The helicopter is equipped with CVR but not DFDR (neither it is required to be equipped with DFDR). The CVR was recovered in damaged condition. It was decoded at NTSB facility at Washington D.C in presence of representative of
committee of inquiry.

Salient Points from the CVR transcript are as under:

1.The Flying Crew was well aware of inclement weather enroute as the same was discussed, visually observed and interpreted the weather Radar picture throughout the flight.

2.The Crew was in contact with Hyderabad approach on VHF frequency till they were asked to change over to Chennai control after establishing the contact with Chennai on HF frequency.

3.The Crew was not sure about Chennai frequency and was debating among themselves about the Chennai frequency given to them by Hyderabad approach which shows poor flight planning.

4.The PIC was well aware of the repercussions of bad weather and instructed the Co-Pilot to keep his hand under the collective to safe guard against exceedance of Torque and up and down draughts and turbulence.

5.The Crew noticed transmission pressure display on IIDS and failed to correlate with other indication associated with it. They wanted to refer the emergency encountered with the help of emergency checklist but could not locate the emergency either in the emergency checklist or in the Flight Manual.

6.The CVR transcript shows that they were expecting some improvement in weather conditions after crossing Krishna River which was flowing at right angle to the flight path in hilly region.

7.The Crew got so engrossed with the emergency and lost situational awareness of extreme bad weather ahead.

8.There were repeated warnings from Co-pilot to Go Around due to close proximity of ground which he may have realized either with the help of Radio altimeter or may have sighted the obstruction momentarily, the PIC failed to react to the situation.

9.The CVR transcript shows that there was poor CRM amongst the Crew at any given stage of flying.

Chronology of Jyoti Basu's life

Jyoti Basu, who died here Sunday, resigned from active politics in 2000 but continued to guide the communist movement in India.

Following is a chronology of his life:

- Born in Calcutta (now Kolkata), July 8, 1914.

- Graduated from Presidency College with honours in English. He did his Bar at Law from London where he got introduced to Marxism and politics.

- Returned to India in 1940. Joined Communist Party of India (CPI).

- In 1944 he was a functionary of Bengal railway workers' union.

- In 1946 he was elected to the Bengal legislative assembly, defeating Humayun Kabir of Congress.

- He won from Baranagar assembly constituency in 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1969 and 1971. He lost the seat in the 1972 snap polls.

- In 1964, he helped set up the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).

- In 1967, he became deputy chief minister in a coalition government in Bengal.

- Became chief minister of West Bengal June 21, 1977 and headed the Left Front government till Nov 6, 2000.

- Narrowly missed a chance to become India's prime minister in 1996 after his party's veto. He later called the party decision a "historic blunder".

- In 2000, he announced his retirement from active politics and stepped down as chief minister on health grounds.

- In 2004, he played a key role to stitch an alliance between the Left parties and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

--Indo-Asian News Service

Jyoti Basu: Marxist who almost became India's PM Died Today

He was a Marxist to the core who was equally at home with bourgeois democracy and capitalist ideas. If destiny had been on his side, Jyoti Basu would have become India's prime minister in 1996.

But that was not to be, thanks to his dogmatic Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) which ruled that no one from its ranks could head a multi-party regime that would not be able to implement Marxist programmes.

Basu swallowed the diktat silently. But within months he questioned the wisdom of fellow Stalinists and described the party's decision not to form the centre-Left United Front government as a "historic blunder".

That perhaps was the only time the very 'bhadralok', or gentleman, Basu broke the CPI-M's strict rules of discipline. He got away with it because he was the prima donna of Indian Communism, a product of aristocracy who embraced Marx in London and became the longest serving chief minister in the country.

By the time he gave up the reins of West Bengal in 2000 citing health grounds, Basu had been the chief minister for an incredible 23 uninterrupted years. He was widely respected across the political spectrum. Many a prime minister consulted him on matters of national importance.

Of course he had his critics. But for someone married to an ideology that has had few takers in India, he was one of the most successful politicians in the world's largest democracy.

Born July 8, 1914, in Kolkata, the son of a doctor was schooled in Loreto and St. Xavier's. He graduated from the Presidency College of Kolkata with an honours in English in 1935.

He then studied law in London where he came in contact with the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB), the alma mater of many an Indian Communist.

Basu's early associates included the veteran British Communists Harry Pollitt, Rajani Palme Dutt and Ben Bradley. In London, he joined the India League and the Federation of Indian Students in Great Britain.

On returning to India, Basu joined the then undivided Communist Party of India (CPI) and in 1944, three years before the British Raj ended, started working among railway workers.

He got into electoral politics in 1946, getting elected to the Bengal Legislative Assembly.

Winning elections then became a habit for Basu. After independence, he was repeatedly elected to the West Bengal legislature, starting in 1952.

When the CPI split in 1964 parallel to the Sino-Soviet break-up, Basu became one of the nine founding politburo members of the more radical CPI-M.

West Bengal was in turmoil in the late 1960s, with a section of the CPI-M revolting in a small West Bengal village known as Naxalbari and igniting a bloody Maoist movement.

Two shaky and shortlived governments took office in West Bengal in 1967 and 1969, and Basu was the deputy chief minister -- his first stint as an administrator.

It was in June 1977 that Basu became the West Bengal chief minister heading a multi-party Left Front government, a post he himself decided to give up almost a quarter century later.

Under Basu's leadership, the CPI-M expanded its social base in villages. His government brought about sweeping agrarian reforms, devolved power to rural bodies or panchayats and undertook rapid agricultural development.

The Marxists soon developed a well-oiled election machinery that ensured victory in one election after another, stunning friends and foes alike and becoming a rarity of sorts in democratic politics around the world.

Basu led the Marxists to power five times in a row in West Bengal.

Along with his scholarly finance minister Ashok Mitra, he vigorously sought more powers for the states. He also played a key role in bringing together non-Congress state governments and parties in the 1980s.

He took an active part in the confabulations in the run up to the formation of non-Congress governments in 1989, 1996, 1997 and 2004, in the process becoming a national figure.

His tenure as chief minister was not without allegations of corruption, especially against his industrialist son. But these remained just allegations.

While the agrarian reforms in West Bengal were hailed as a model across the country, Basu was widely faulted for his poor showing in various other sectors including industry, education and health.

Even after relinquishing office as chief minister in 2000, Basu continued to play a big role in the CPI-M and Indian politics till repeated bouts of illness finally took their toll.

--Indo-Asian News Service

Annular Solar Eclipse 15th January, 2010

Planetary Society, India in association Andhra Pradesh State Council of Science and Technology (APCOST) and Dr.K.V.Rao Scientific Society as part of Annular Solar Campaign 2010 with a motive to create awareness among school students has undertaken state wide activities with the help of 23 District Coordinators and 5 Regional coordinators of the APCOST. Activities like Space Simulator (Students created simulations of solar eclipse as seen from 50 different countries), Media Discussions on the subject and others are already planned. Importantly at State Level Press conference Compact Disk, Poster, Presentation of Simulated Animations of Eclipse with experts like Prof. G. Yellaiah, Dept of Astronomy, O.U., N. Sri Raghunandan Kumar, General Secretary were conducted.

Brief about Solar Eclipse: A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth such a way that the Sun is wholly or partially obscured. This can only happen during a new moon, when the Sun and Moon are in conjunction as seen from the Earth.

Annular Solar Eclipse: An annular eclipse occurs when the Sun and Moon are exactly in line, but the apparent size of the Moon is smaller than that of the Sun. Hence the Sun appears as a very bright ring, or annulus, surrounding the outline of the Moon.

Antumbra: This is that part of Moon’s shadow from which Sun appears larger than the Moon which is seen in complete silhouette. An annular eclipse is seen by an observer when he is located on path of antumbraPlanetary Society, India in association Andhra Pradesh State Council of Science and Technology (APCOST) and Dr.K.V.Rao Scientific Society as part of Annular Solar Campaign 2010 with a motive to create awareness among school students has undertaken state wide activities with the help of 23 District Coordinators and 5 Regional coordinators of the APCOST. Activities like Space Simulator (Students created simulations of solar eclipse as seen from 50 different countries), Media Discussions on the subject and others are already planned. Importantly at State Level Press conference Compact Disk, Poster, Presentation of Simulated Animations of Eclipse with experts like Prof. G. Yellaiah, Dept of Astronomy, O.U., N. Sri Raghunandan Kumar, General Secretary were conducted.

Importantly as part of this campaign “Student Space Simulators” project is being carried out at Hyderabad involving school students from three regions of the state.

Annular Solar Eclipse will occur on 15th January, 2010. This eclipse is visible partially in major parts of the country. This is first Solar Eclipse of the Year and best until year 2019 Dec 26th. As the next solar eclipse in 2011 on Jan 4 is visible to people in Northern parts of the country and few places in Gujarat. Whereas the solar eclipse in 2016 though visible in India begins and lasts only for few minutes close to horizon in early hours of March 9

Path of the Eclipse : The annular path of the eclipse will pass through the region covering southern tip of Chad, the Central African Republic, the northern Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, the southern tip of India, northern Sri Lanka, the south-eastern tip of Bangladesh, Myanmer and south-eastern China. After leaving Africa, the path crosses the Indian Ocean where the maximum duration of annularity reaches 11 min 08 s.

It will be seen as annular within a narrow stretch of 333 km width covering across Central Africa, Maldives South Kerala, South Tamil Nadu, North Sri Lanka, Burma and China. Whereas this eclipse would be seen as partial from eastern Africa, south-east Europe, the Middle East, and south-east Asia

Importantly the duration of annularity which is 11 minutes 8 seconds during this annular eclipse on 15th Jan,2010 will not be exceeded for over 1000 years (3043 Dec 23).

World Wide:
Astronomically speaking the phenomena of Eclipse begins (first contact with earth) at 9.35 a.m. and ends at 3.38 p.m (last contact with earth) in the evening. In which the Central Phase of Eclipse begins at 10. 48 a.m. and Ends at 2.25 p.m. Wherein Greatest Eclipse Phase (when the eclipse is maximum occurs) at 12.36 p.m The duration of Annular Phase of Eclipse at maximum phase is 11 minutes and 4 seconds when people would witness sun as bright outline around moon disk like a ring.

Timings – Across India :
However in India people in southern part of India will be the first to see the eclipse as the path of eclipse traverses across India before entering Bangladesh, Burma. People in western and south India would see the beginning of eclipse between 11.00 to 11.30 a.m. Whereas people from central to north India would see the beginning of eclipse from 11.30 to 12 noon.

Importantly people in eastern part of India would see the beginning from 12 Noon onwards. People in northern eastern states of India would see the eclipse beginning from 12.15 onwards.

In India Kavaratti island in Lakshadweep would be one of the first to see the beginning of eclipse at 10.55 a.m. Whereas Dibrugarh would be one of the last to see the beginning (at 12.29 a.m.) or ending (3.39 p.m. ) of eclipse.

Timings in Andra Pradesh - Percentage of Visibility when eclipse is maximum : In Hyderabad the solar eclipse begins at 11.29 a.m. and Ends at 3.15 p.m. At Nellore eclipse begins at 11.28a.m and ends at 3.16 p.m. Kurnool Eclipse begins at 11.25 a.m. and ends at 3.14 p.m. Rajmundry eclipse begins at 11.38 a.m. and ends at 3.20 p.m. Vijayawada eclipse begins at 11.34 a.m. and ends at 3.18 p.m. Vizag eclipse begins at 11.44 and ends at 3.22 p.m. Tirupati 11.23 a.m. to 3.14 p.m.

The Percentage of Sun’s Disk at when eclipse is maximum (around 1.32 p.m) is Rajahmundry 83%, Vijayawada at 82%, Kurnool 79%. For Hyderabad its 77 %. Whereas Nellore District in our state is best place to witness this spectacle where covering of Sun’s disc by Moon would be 85%.

Percentage of Visibility – The More one his away from the Annularity Path – Less the Percentage of Sun Disk Coverage – at Maximum Phase : However this event can be seen only partially from major parts of the country. Depending on the location of the observer one can see the sun’s disk being covered from 42 % or less as one gets away from the ant-umbral path of eclipse.

When the eclipse reaches the maximum point. For an observer in Hyderabad would see 77 % of Sun’s disk. Whereas an observer in Ahmadabad can see only 56% or 42 % in case of observer in Jammu who is far away from the path of annularity. Even closely a person observing from Chennai would see only 89 % of sun being covered, whereas one from thanjavur being in antumbral path would enjoy Moon’s entire disk silhouetted against the Sun. Which allows him to see sun as bright ring, or annulus, surrounding the outline of the Moon.

Best Places to be at : Some of the best places through watch this eclipse where path of annularity passes is Karaikal, Madurai, Nagapattinam, Nagercoil, Rameswaram, Sivaganga, Tanjore, Thiruvarur, Tirunelveli, Trivandrum. i.e. is from these places and around people would witness Moon’s entire disk silhouetted against the Sun. Rameshwaram would witness highest duration during maximum phase i.e. 10 min 8 sec followed by Kanyakumari where it will be 9 min 58 seconds.

Importance of 15 Jan,2010 Eclipse – One who misses now need to wait for 9 years - Last prominent Solar Eclipse until 2019 -:

2011 4th January: this eclipse is visible to people in north India and few places in Gujrat. This eclipse is partial.

2016 9th March : The next opportunity to observe solar eclipse which is partial will occur on 9th March 2016 covering major parts of country . However eclipse begins well before sunrise in the morning and lasts upto 6.47 a.m when sun is close to horizon. This is very difficult to appreciate.

26th December, 2019: The best next prominent opportunity covering larger parts of the country of a Solar Eclipse will only happen on 26th December, 2019 which begins late in early morning when sun is sufficiently above horizon and continuing up to noon.
This means people in major parts of India missing the opportunity to observe the eclipse on 15th January, 2010 will not have opportunity to observe the solar eclipse for next 9 years until year 2019. Importantly the duration of annularity which is 11 minutes 8 seconds during this annular eclipse on 15th Jan,2010 will not be exceeded for over 1000 years (3043 Dec 23).

Tips for Observations: Solar eclipse should not be directly with naked eye or things like x ray films etc. As it may cause injury to eye. Hence people should use certified solar filters. Or use indirect projection method i.e. people can take a white paper and make a round hole into it. While facing one’s back toward sun one should hold the paper in such a way that Sun rays pass through the hole and fall onto wall. This way one would see projected image of sun light slowly getting darken as the eclipse progresses and get clear once the eclipse is complete.

My Name is Khan a love story: SRK

Reuters

Mumbai: Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan says his upcoming film My Name is Khan, which pairs him with co-actor Kajol after an on-screen hiatus of eight years, does not have terrorism as its main theme and is mostly a love story.

"This film is first and foremost a love story. In fact this is one of the nicest love stories I have ever participated in – and I have participated in some of the best love stories that have been made here," Khan told reporters on Wednesday night after the first look of the film was released.

Directed by Karan Johar, My Name is Khan tells the story of an autistic man Rizwan Khan (played by Shah Rukh Khan), who is caught in the aftermath of the September 11 militant attacks in the United States.

Khan, co-actor Kajol and Johar are teaming up after more than eight years, in what has been billed as one of the biggest releases to come out of Bollywood in a while.

The film is widely anticipated by fans of Khan and Kajol, whose great on-screen chemistry have helped deliver several hits in the past.

Fox Star Studios has signed a deal to finance and distribute the film, which unconfirmed media reports have pegged at $21 million.

However, both Johar and Fox have refused to confirm the figure, which, if true would be the highest ever for a Bollywood film.

"This film will be a step towards Indian cinema reaching worldwide," Khan said. India, home to the world's most prolific movie industry, has long tried to draw wider audiences, including by forging ventures with Hollywood studios looking to offset sluggish box-office sales with new markets and cheaper production costs.

My Name is Khan releases worldwide on February 12, 2010.

Terror suspect Headley not our agent, says CIA

Press Trust Of India

Washington: America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on Thursday strongly refuted reports that Pakistani-origin US national David Coleman Headley, was its agent at any point of time.

Headley is facing criminal charges for allegedly plotting the 26/11 terror attacks.

"I can't comment on an ongoing investigation, but any suggestion that this individual worked for the CIA is flat wrong," CIA spokesperson Marie E Harf told PTI when asked about Headley’s links with CIA.

Headley, who is languishing in a Chicago prison, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on October 3 when he was planning to go to Pakistan via Philadelphia.

News reports from India, quoting unnamed officials from investigating agencies, and several news reports in the US in the past few days said that Headley may well have been a “double agent” working for the CIA and Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba.

Besides refuting any links between Headley and CIA, the spokesperson refrained from making any comment on the Headley-Rana case arguing that it is an ongoing investigation.

Chiranjeevi resigns, explains new "united Andhra" passion

Like any good politician, Chiranjeevi has decided that offense is the best form of defense. So at a press conference on Thursday morning, the actor-turned-politician quit the Andhra Assembly, accepting "moral responsibility" for his flip-flop on Telangana.

At a press conference, he explained why he has swung from supporting a new Telangana state, to firmly opposing a bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. "I am bowing to the wish of the people," he declared. "The onus is on the Congress to explain the unilateral action taken.. Andhra has never seen a crisis like this." Chiranjeevi also pointed out that he's not the only one who's changed his mind about Telangana. "Not just us, Telugu Desam, Congress and even Communist parties are having to change stances according to people's wishes."

Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) promised to fight for a separate state of Telangana during the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. And then at an all-party meeting called in Andhra a few days ago, he told the Chief Minister that the PRP supports a new state. However, when the central government sanctioned the Telangana state last week, Andhra's political parties were whiplashed. 145 MLAs have resigned from different parties, including the ruling Congress. The MLAs who've quit come from the non-Telangana regions of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. For Chiranjeevi, who to side with is obvious: he has two MLAs from the Telangana region, 16 from the two other regions of Andhra.

And suddenly, parties changed their stand overnight. Like Chiranjeevi, Chandrababu Naidu has blamed his U-turn on the fact that the Centre didn't consult other parties before announcing its ok for a new state. In fact, even Andhra Chief Minister K Rosaiah has said the Congress' central party leaders did not share their decision with him before Home Minister P Chidambaram had a surprise midnight press conference last Wednesday, greenlighting a Telangana state.

For Chiranjeevi, good politics means bad economics. Pro-Telangana supporters have warned that they will boycott any film starring him or made by his family's production company. That threat prompted the actor to call off a hunger strike he had planned to launch in Tirupati. He later said, ""I will support the Samaikya Andhra agitation in spite of threats to the film career of my son and other family members. If they want to attack me for being an artiste and a politician, so be it."

Attempting to pacify voters in Telangana, Chiranjeevi said, " Telangana people gave me a place in their hearts for so many years... they are still backward, but becoming a smaller state, finances will go down, it won't help real progress... social justice can't happen in separate Telangana... experts' opinion supports this."

India-Lanka ODI shifted to Nagpur

CNN-IBN

Hyderabad: The Telangana versus united Andhra Pradesh stir has hit cricket too with the second One-Day International match between India and Sri Lanka scheduled to be played in Vishakapatanam on December 18 being shifted to Nagpur.

BCCI Chief Secretary Ratnakar Shetty said that the decision on an alternate venue for the second ODI will be taken soon.

"BCCI office bearers are discussing the situation. We are discussing few options. An official release will be given out soon. I am sure the match will be conducted successfully at whichever venue that will be decided," said Shetty.

Vishakapatanam administration has expressed its inability to provide enough security for the India-Sri Lanka ODI with the Commissioner citing law and order as the main reason.

"The prevailing situation is such that all city police have been deployed for maintenance of regular law & order. Almost 80 per cent of the regular force is required for the conduct of the ODI. We had conveyed to the local match organisers that it will not be possible for us to provide security," Vishakhapatanam Police Commissioner N Sambasiva Rao told CNN-IBN.

"We cannot predict the turn of event. If the scenario doesn't change we will not be able to commit security forces. The city is by and large peaceful, and student leaders are cooperative. The protest is visible but peaceful," said Rao.

The Commissioner has also spoken to Vishakapatanam Cricket Association about the security aspect.

Even though the Andhra Cricket Association has not sent any official communication to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) but some Under-16 and Under-19 games scheduled to be held in the port city have been cancelled.

Andhra Pradesh has been on the boil ever since Home Minister P Chidambaram said that the process for the formation of a separate state of Telangana would be initiated and a resolution would be moved in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

Political parties on coastal Andhra and Rayalseema are against the division of the state and have been protesting violently for the past few days.

The Home Minister's announcement came after Telangana Rashtra Samithi President K Chandrasekhar Rao went on a fast unto death demanding the creation of Telangana.

Chidambaram's announcement stoked a political furore in the state with even the ruling Congress party divided over the issue.

Italian PM Berlusconi struck in face, bloodied

Associated Press

Rome: Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was punched in the face at the end of a rally on Sunday by a man holding a small statue in his hand, leaving the 73-year-old media mogul with a bloodied mouth and looking stunned, police said.

The 42-year-old man accused of attacking Berlusconi in Milan as he signed autographs was immediately taken into custody.

TV showed the leader with blood under his nose, on his mouth and under one eye being lifted to his feet by aides after the attack. Berlusconi was hustled into the back of a car, but he immediately got out, apparently in an effort to show he was not badly injured.

After looking out into the crowd, the premier, without saying a word, was pulled back into the vehicle.

The attack occurred after Berlusconi had just finished delivering a long, vigorous speech at the rally to a crowd of applauding supporters from his Freedom People party at about 6:30 p.m.

Officials at Milan's police headquarters, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, said the premier was conscious and apparently not badly injured. They said the attacker was wielding a miniature statue of Milan's Duomo, the city's gargoyled cathedral and symbol, but couldn't say what the souvenir was made of.

Berlusconi's spokesman, speaking by telephone from the emergency room from San Raffaele hospital where the premier was taken, told Sky TG24 TV that doctors had decided to keep the premier in the hospital overnight for observation.

"We'll see what the doctors say tomorrow morning," spokesman Paolo Bonauiti told Sky.

The exams of his jaw area included a CT scan, Bonaiuti said.

Police identified the man they were questioning as Massimo Tartaglia, 42. They said Tartaglia didn't have any criminal record.

The attack occurred at a difficult political time for Berlusconi, who has been plagued by scandals.

On December 5, tens of thousands of Italians fed up with the premier marched peacefully through Rome to demand his resignation.

The demonstrators expressed dismay over what they see as the businessman's conflict of interests, citing repeated government-backed laws they contend were tailored to help shield Berlusconi from prosecution in cases involving his media, real estate and sports empire. Berlusconi claims the laws benefit all citizens.

Other critics cite Berlusconi's sex scandals.

Berlusconi's wife is divorcing him after complaining about his infatuation with young women. A southern Italian businessman has told investigators he procured some 30 attractive young women for parties and dinners at the premier's Rome residence and Sardinian villa. Among the guests was a high-end prostitute who claimed she slept with Berlusconi. The premier has denied ever paying for sex.

Berlusconi has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing and blames his judicial woes on prosecutors he claims sympathize with the opposition left. Several of the cases either ended in acquittal or were dropped when limitation statutes expired. Others are pending.

Telangana: Govt gives in, KCR ends fast

The process of forming a separate Telangana state will begin soon, the government announced late on Wednesday.

Home minister P. Chidambaram told reporters outside the Prime Minister's house that the Andhra Pradesh assembly would soon pass a resolution seeking to create a Telangana state.

All cases against those who have been protesting would also be withdrawn, he added.

Following the announcement, Telangana Rashtra Samithi ( TRS) leader K. Chandrashekar Rao ( KCR) ended his fast past midnight on Wednesday.

The decision to set the ball rolling on a separate state came after a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, defence minister A. K. Antony, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and Andhra Pradesh chief minister K. Rosaiah, besides Chidambaram.

Earlier in the day, a core group comprising Singh, Sonia Gandhi, Pranab, Chidambaram, Antony, and law minister Veerappa Moily discussed the issue.

After this meeting, Chidambaram spoke to KCR over the phone, informing him of the minutes of the meeting. Rosaiah also spoke to the TRS leader.

But KCR reacted to the developments with scepticism. KCR apparently made it clear to Chidambaram that he would call off his fast only if the assembly adopted a resolution.

Rosaiah was summoned to Delhi for consultations. After two rounds of the core group meeting, the Congress president and home minister had a separate meeting with Rosaiah, where he was told to move the Telangana resolution. Late at night, Rosaiah called on the PM. All MPs from the state also briefed Singh.

Earlier in the day, concern over the sinking health of KCR, a member of the Lok Sabha, led to an uproar in both Houses of Parliament.

In the Lok Sabha, Speaker Meira Kumar herself wished him speedy recovery.

Several members, including Opposition leader L. K. Advani, urban development minister and Telangana MP S. Jaipal Reddy, appealed to KCR to end his fast.

The Telangana issue, coming soon after the tragic death of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and the subsequent leadership crisis in the state, has caught the Congress off guard.

While the party is under pressure from its Telangana leaders, others from coastal Andhra and Rayalseema are opposed to the bifurcation of the state.

The Congress brass is worried about the lack of a strong leader from Telangana. Jaipal Reddy and Renuka Chowdhury ( who lost the Lok Sabha polls this time around) are the only two prominent leaders from the region. But both lack mass appeal.

The untimely death of YSR has compounded the problem. YSR was strongly opposed to dividing the state.

The only saving grace for the party is that there is no election at least for four years and it could leverage gains in both Telangana and the remaining regions.

There is speculation in the party that the TRS may be asked to merge itself with the Congress with the chief minister's post being given to the Telangana party. The TRS has only two MPs - KCR and Vijayashanti, who has been planning to cross over to the Congress.

A Union minister said if the party concedes Telangana, it would have to take a view on the demands for other states - from Vidarbha, Harit Pradesh, Bundelkhand, Gorkhaland, etc.