NASA's Mars Phoenix Lander quenched a longtime scientific thirst yesterday when it detected water in a soil sample—the first time liquid water has been touched or "tasted" on another planet.
The craft obtained water by heating an icy soil sample in its "bake and sniff" oven, called the Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer. "TEGA" identifies substances by heating them and analyzing the resulting vapors.
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"We have water," said William Boynton of the University of Arizona, lead scientist for TEGA.
"We've now finally touched it and tasted it—and from my standpoint it tastes very fine."
Search for Life-Friendly Conditions
The successful sampling completes one of the Phoenix mission's core objectives—confirming that water ice does indeed exist near the Martian north pole.
Now the mission has been extended through September 30 to allow the lander to analyze that water ice and soil for signs of organic materials and for conditions suitable for life, NASA announced.
The additional five weeks of operation will cost some two million U.S. dollars.
Principal investigator Peter Smith, of the University of Arizona, reported that all of Phoenix's instruments are healthy. A troublesome short circuit problem appears to have been resolved.
"We're going to complete the science that we set out to complete," he said of the mission's extended time. "But we have lots more to explore within reach of our robotic arm."
Surprise
Phoenix's landing site was chosen because orbital observations suggested the locale was rich in ice. The craft landed on May 25 on a solid layer of ice covered by only a few inches of sticky Martian soil.
Friday, August 1, 2008
India Seeks Region's Help to Curb Terror After Blasts (Update2)
Reeling from a spate of deadly bombings, India is poised to win support from its neighbors for an accord to share intelligence about terrorism. Its main regional rival, Pakistan, likely will sign up to the agreement, though it may struggle to comply.
Foreign ministers from India, Pakistan and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation's six other member nations yesterday approved the draft document, which calls for helping each other fight crime. The ministers endorsed a proposal, backed by India and rebel-plagued Sri Lanka, to classify terrorism as a crime.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Pakistan's Yousuf Raza Gilani and Saarc's other leaders probably will sign the deal at the group's annual two-day summit, which starts tomorrow in Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital. The agreement calls on members to give each other ``the widest possible measure'' of legal assistance in fighting crime. There are no penalties for not abiding by it.
``Pakistan might go along with a general agreement on terrorism,'' said Seema Desai, an analyst at Eurasia Group, a London-based political-risk advisory firm. ``The idea that Pakistan will hand over substantive information is unlikely.''
Cross-Border Help
Cross-border help in investigations and prosecutions will be a focus of the summit. The other Saarc members are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives and Nepal. Officials from Japan, China, South Korea, the U.S. and the European Union will attend as observers.
``For the first time a consensus emerged on including the word terrorism'' in the definition of crime, Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said after meeting his counterparts yesterday. ``This is a landmark event that will help Saarc combat terrorism.''
Bombings take a toll in South Asia with al-Qaeda active in Pakistan and Afghanistan and in Sri Lanka where the Tamil Tigers have been fighting for an independent homeland for 25 years.
Last week in India, at least 52 people died in 23 blasts in two cities. On July 7, a suicide bomber targeted India's embassy in the Afghan capital, killing at least 40 people. The Afghan and Indian governments said the attack was carried out with the assistance of Pakistan's intelligence service. Pakistan denied the claims.
Regional Security
``Saarc governments have a collective responsibility to ensure that growth and development within the region takes place in a crime-free atmosphere, where people feel secure,'' India's Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said July 24. ``The recent bomb blasts in Kabul that targeted our embassy emphasize how vulnerable South Asia continues to be on terrorism.''
Members of Pakistan's spy agency assisted militant groups in planning the bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul, the New York Times reported today, citing unidentified U.S. officials. The findings were based on intercepted communications between militants and Pakistani officers, the paper said.
While Pakistan's intelligence services are under the prime minister's office, the director is always a military officer. The current military supremo, Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, served as director until he replaced President Pervez Musharraf as army chief of staff in October.
More Accountable
An attempt to make the Inter-Services Intelligence more accountable to the elected government failed this month when a decision to place the agency under the Interior Ministry was reversed in less than 24 hours.
Pakistan is also under pressure from the U.S., which blames the new civilian government's less aggressive approach for increased Taliban and al-Qaeda attacks on American forces in neighboring Afghanistan. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization and U.S. intelligence agencies say Islamic militants use bases in Pakistan's northwestern tribal areas to train, re-arm and plan attacks against troops across the border and beyond.
``Pakistan has taken a number of measures, backed by appropriate legislation, to counter the menaces of drugs and human trafficking and terrorism,'' Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told Saarc ministers, according to a statement on the ministry's Web site. ``We welcome the finalization of the Saarc Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters.''
Three Wars
India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed, have fought three wars since they gained independence from the U.K. in 1947, two over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, which both claim as their territory. India accuses Pakistan of backing separatists fighting its rule in Jammu and Kashmir, the country's only Muslim-majority state. Pakistan denies the accusation, saying it provides only moral support for a freedom struggle. The hostility has prevented India and Pakistan from cutting military spending, reducing the money available for health and education.
India, where levels of under-nourished children are double that in Sub-Saharan Africa, increased its defense expenditures by 10 percent this year to 1.06 trillion rupees ($23 billion). Pakistan, where the World Bank says only 57 percent of children complete primary school, has raised its defense budget by 8 percent to 296 billion rupees ($4.1 billion).
``Most militants are drawn to arms because they are deprived of basic necessities of life,'' said Rajiv Kumar, director at the New Delhi-based Indian Council For Research on International Economic Relations. ``Economic development is equally important to quell terrorism.''
Hampering Ties
The nations in Saarc account for 22 percent of the world's population and 2 percent of its economic output. Regional hostility has hampered economic ties. When Saarc was established in 1985, intra-regional trade was 3.4 percent of the countries' total. After 23 years, it remains less than 5 percent, according to the Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
By comparison, trade among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, known as Asean, accounts for 30 percent of their total. Intra-European Union commerce contributes about 55 percent. While Saarc members adopted free trade for goods in 2004, the policy hasn't spurred commerce because of the rivalry between India and Pakistan. The two nations account for more than four-fifths of the $1.2 trillion South Asian economy.
Pakistan bans imports from India of 4,000 items, mainly manufactured goods such as automobiles and drugs, even though India has granted most-favored nation status to Pakistan, said Ameeta Sarkar, head of the South Asia division at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi.
WTO Collapse
The collapse of global trade talks this week at the World Trade Organization in Geneva may help increase the relevance of regional groupings like Saarc.
``With no new WTO deal, moving trade regionally becomes more important,'' said Saman Kelegama, executive director of the Institute of Policy Studies in Colombo. ``The neighbors in South Asia should see India as an opportunity, and not as a threat.''
Sri Lanka has already forged a free-trade agreement with India to take advantage of the world's second-fastest growing economy after China. India also has open borders with Bhutan and Nepal. Pakistan has a free trade accord with Sri Lanka.
Foreign ministers from India, Pakistan and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation's six other member nations yesterday approved the draft document, which calls for helping each other fight crime. The ministers endorsed a proposal, backed by India and rebel-plagued Sri Lanka, to classify terrorism as a crime.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Pakistan's Yousuf Raza Gilani and Saarc's other leaders probably will sign the deal at the group's annual two-day summit, which starts tomorrow in Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital. The agreement calls on members to give each other ``the widest possible measure'' of legal assistance in fighting crime. There are no penalties for not abiding by it.
``Pakistan might go along with a general agreement on terrorism,'' said Seema Desai, an analyst at Eurasia Group, a London-based political-risk advisory firm. ``The idea that Pakistan will hand over substantive information is unlikely.''
Cross-Border Help
Cross-border help in investigations and prosecutions will be a focus of the summit. The other Saarc members are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives and Nepal. Officials from Japan, China, South Korea, the U.S. and the European Union will attend as observers.
``For the first time a consensus emerged on including the word terrorism'' in the definition of crime, Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said after meeting his counterparts yesterday. ``This is a landmark event that will help Saarc combat terrorism.''
Bombings take a toll in South Asia with al-Qaeda active in Pakistan and Afghanistan and in Sri Lanka where the Tamil Tigers have been fighting for an independent homeland for 25 years.
Last week in India, at least 52 people died in 23 blasts in two cities. On July 7, a suicide bomber targeted India's embassy in the Afghan capital, killing at least 40 people. The Afghan and Indian governments said the attack was carried out with the assistance of Pakistan's intelligence service. Pakistan denied the claims.
Regional Security
``Saarc governments have a collective responsibility to ensure that growth and development within the region takes place in a crime-free atmosphere, where people feel secure,'' India's Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said July 24. ``The recent bomb blasts in Kabul that targeted our embassy emphasize how vulnerable South Asia continues to be on terrorism.''
Members of Pakistan's spy agency assisted militant groups in planning the bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul, the New York Times reported today, citing unidentified U.S. officials. The findings were based on intercepted communications between militants and Pakistani officers, the paper said.
While Pakistan's intelligence services are under the prime minister's office, the director is always a military officer. The current military supremo, Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, served as director until he replaced President Pervez Musharraf as army chief of staff in October.
More Accountable
An attempt to make the Inter-Services Intelligence more accountable to the elected government failed this month when a decision to place the agency under the Interior Ministry was reversed in less than 24 hours.
Pakistan is also under pressure from the U.S., which blames the new civilian government's less aggressive approach for increased Taliban and al-Qaeda attacks on American forces in neighboring Afghanistan. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization and U.S. intelligence agencies say Islamic militants use bases in Pakistan's northwestern tribal areas to train, re-arm and plan attacks against troops across the border and beyond.
``Pakistan has taken a number of measures, backed by appropriate legislation, to counter the menaces of drugs and human trafficking and terrorism,'' Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told Saarc ministers, according to a statement on the ministry's Web site. ``We welcome the finalization of the Saarc Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters.''
Three Wars
India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed, have fought three wars since they gained independence from the U.K. in 1947, two over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, which both claim as their territory. India accuses Pakistan of backing separatists fighting its rule in Jammu and Kashmir, the country's only Muslim-majority state. Pakistan denies the accusation, saying it provides only moral support for a freedom struggle. The hostility has prevented India and Pakistan from cutting military spending, reducing the money available for health and education.
India, where levels of under-nourished children are double that in Sub-Saharan Africa, increased its defense expenditures by 10 percent this year to 1.06 trillion rupees ($23 billion). Pakistan, where the World Bank says only 57 percent of children complete primary school, has raised its defense budget by 8 percent to 296 billion rupees ($4.1 billion).
``Most militants are drawn to arms because they are deprived of basic necessities of life,'' said Rajiv Kumar, director at the New Delhi-based Indian Council For Research on International Economic Relations. ``Economic development is equally important to quell terrorism.''
Hampering Ties
The nations in Saarc account for 22 percent of the world's population and 2 percent of its economic output. Regional hostility has hampered economic ties. When Saarc was established in 1985, intra-regional trade was 3.4 percent of the countries' total. After 23 years, it remains less than 5 percent, according to the Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
By comparison, trade among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, known as Asean, accounts for 30 percent of their total. Intra-European Union commerce contributes about 55 percent. While Saarc members adopted free trade for goods in 2004, the policy hasn't spurred commerce because of the rivalry between India and Pakistan. The two nations account for more than four-fifths of the $1.2 trillion South Asian economy.
Pakistan bans imports from India of 4,000 items, mainly manufactured goods such as automobiles and drugs, even though India has granted most-favored nation status to Pakistan, said Ameeta Sarkar, head of the South Asia division at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi.
WTO Collapse
The collapse of global trade talks this week at the World Trade Organization in Geneva may help increase the relevance of regional groupings like Saarc.
``With no new WTO deal, moving trade regionally becomes more important,'' said Saman Kelegama, executive director of the Institute of Policy Studies in Colombo. ``The neighbors in South Asia should see India as an opportunity, and not as a threat.''
Sri Lanka has already forged a free-trade agreement with India to take advantage of the world's second-fastest growing economy after China. India also has open borders with Bhutan and Nepal. Pakistan has a free trade accord with Sri Lanka.
IAEA clears inspections plan
Washington must now persuade a 45-nation nuclear supply group (NSG) to grant India a waiver allowing trade with a non-NPT nation, then get US Congress ratification
India came one step closer to sealing the controversial civil nuclear agreement with the US. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors on Friday cleared the country-specific safeguards agreement by consensus. The agreement was cleared the 35-nation IAEA board unanimously. IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei told concerned agency governors that the inspections scheme met non-proliferation safeguards standards and talks had begun on a system of more intrusive, short-notice checks - which would boost confidence in India's intentions.
ElBaradei touched on diplomatic concern that parts of the draft blur divisions between civil and military atomic reactors, with a possible loophole that could allow India to transfer weapons-grade fuel separated from civilian stocks to its military programme. "These are not comprehensive or full-scope safeguards (unlike with NPT member states)...," he said. "But it satisfies India's needs while maintaining all the agency's legal requirements," he told the closed Vienna meeting. Some diplomats were concerned such language might allow India to halt inspections unilaterally if nuclear fuel imports were cut off.
Washington must now persuade a 45-nation nuclear supply group (NSG) to grant India a waiver allowing trade with a non-NPT nation, then get US Congress ratification, to sew up the deal. The initial NSG meeting on India is expected to be held on Aug. 21-22. A total of 14 Indian nuclear reactors will come under the UN nuclear watchdog safeguards by 2014. Six Indian reactors are already under IAEA supervision. IAEA expects to start implementing the agreement at new facilities in 2009.
India came one step closer to sealing the controversial civil nuclear agreement with the US. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors on Friday cleared the country-specific safeguards agreement by consensus. The agreement was cleared the 35-nation IAEA board unanimously. IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei told concerned agency governors that the inspections scheme met non-proliferation safeguards standards and talks had begun on a system of more intrusive, short-notice checks - which would boost confidence in India's intentions.
ElBaradei touched on diplomatic concern that parts of the draft blur divisions between civil and military atomic reactors, with a possible loophole that could allow India to transfer weapons-grade fuel separated from civilian stocks to its military programme. "These are not comprehensive or full-scope safeguards (unlike with NPT member states)...," he said. "But it satisfies India's needs while maintaining all the agency's legal requirements," he told the closed Vienna meeting. Some diplomats were concerned such language might allow India to halt inspections unilaterally if nuclear fuel imports were cut off.
Washington must now persuade a 45-nation nuclear supply group (NSG) to grant India a waiver allowing trade with a non-NPT nation, then get US Congress ratification, to sew up the deal. The initial NSG meeting on India is expected to be held on Aug. 21-22. A total of 14 Indian nuclear reactors will come under the UN nuclear watchdog safeguards by 2014. Six Indian reactors are already under IAEA supervision. IAEA expects to start implementing the agreement at new facilities in 2009.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Oil falls to 12-week low on demand worries
Oil fell to its lowest level in nearly three months on Tuesday, extending a steep slide since mid-July on mounting evidence high prices and a souring economy were cutting into world energy demand.
The drop coincided with a firmer U.S. dollar, which may have reduced the appeal of commodities to some investors playing the strong negative correlation between the markets in recent months, analysts said.
OPEC President Chakib Khelil said on Tuesday oil could fall further to $70 to $80 a barrel in the long term but added he did not think the producer group should consider cutting output at this point.
U.S. crude dropped $2.54 to settle at $122.19 a barrel after dipping as low as $120.42, its lowest since May 6. Brent crude fell $3.13 to $122.71.
"We still believe that crude's rallies are vulnerable and we would advise not buying into them," said Edward Meir, analyst at MF Global.
Oil has fallen from a record peak of $147.27 set on July 11, pressured by signs that high prices and an economic slowdown are curbing demand, especially in the United States, the world's largest oil consumer.
The chief executive of BP Plc, Tony Hayward, said on Tuesday he saw demand destruction of 5 percent to 10 percent for gasoline in developed OECD economies as people drive less due to high fuel prices.
The Energy Information Administration said on Monday U.S. oil demand in May was 660,000 barrels per day less than previously thought. A separate government report said motorists drove 2.4 percent less during the first five months of the year than they did in the same period of 2007.
Limiting oil's drop, Shell declared force majeure on Tuesday on its Nigerian Bonny Light oil exports for July to September following Monday's attack by militants on an oil pipeline in the Niger Delta.
Tension over Iran's nuclear program also provided support. Iran is the second-largest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
Attention on Wednesday will focus on the latest snapshot of U.S. oil supplies.
Crude oil stocks probably fell by 1.6 million barrels and gasoline rose by 200,000 barrels, analysts said in an expanded Reuters poll. Distillates inventories were expected to have risen by 1.9 million barrels.
The drop coincided with a firmer U.S. dollar, which may have reduced the appeal of commodities to some investors playing the strong negative correlation between the markets in recent months, analysts said.
OPEC President Chakib Khelil said on Tuesday oil could fall further to $70 to $80 a barrel in the long term but added he did not think the producer group should consider cutting output at this point.
U.S. crude dropped $2.54 to settle at $122.19 a barrel after dipping as low as $120.42, its lowest since May 6. Brent crude fell $3.13 to $122.71.
"We still believe that crude's rallies are vulnerable and we would advise not buying into them," said Edward Meir, analyst at MF Global.
Oil has fallen from a record peak of $147.27 set on July 11, pressured by signs that high prices and an economic slowdown are curbing demand, especially in the United States, the world's largest oil consumer.
The chief executive of BP Plc, Tony Hayward, said on Tuesday he saw demand destruction of 5 percent to 10 percent for gasoline in developed OECD economies as people drive less due to high fuel prices.
The Energy Information Administration said on Monday U.S. oil demand in May was 660,000 barrels per day less than previously thought. A separate government report said motorists drove 2.4 percent less during the first five months of the year than they did in the same period of 2007.
Limiting oil's drop, Shell declared force majeure on Tuesday on its Nigerian Bonny Light oil exports for July to September following Monday's attack by militants on an oil pipeline in the Niger Delta.
Tension over Iran's nuclear program also provided support. Iran is the second-largest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
Attention on Wednesday will focus on the latest snapshot of U.S. oil supplies.
Crude oil stocks probably fell by 1.6 million barrels and gasoline rose by 200,000 barrels, analysts said in an expanded Reuters poll. Distillates inventories were expected to have risen by 1.9 million barrels.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Islamic group claims India bombings were revenge for 2002 riots
An obscure Islamic militant group warning of "the terror of Death" took credit for synchronized bombings that killed at least 45 people in western India - the second series of blasts in India in two days.
"In the name of Allah the Indian Mujahideen strike again! Do whatever you can, within 5 minutes from now, feel the terror of Death!" said an e-mail from the group sent to several Indian television stations minutes before the blasts began.
The pair of attacks put India on alert Sunday and security was stepped up at markets, airports and hospitals across the country.
Investigators, meanwhile, scoured Ahmadabad, detaining 30 people for questioning in the ancient city that was hit by 16 bombs around dusk Saturday, said the city's police commissioner, O.P. Mathur. Police also found and defused an unexploded bomb
"In the name of Allah the Indian Mujahideen strike again! Do whatever you can, within 5 minutes from now, feel the terror of Death!" said an e-mail from the group sent to several Indian television stations minutes before the blasts began.
The pair of attacks put India on alert Sunday and security was stepped up at markets, airports and hospitals across the country.
Investigators, meanwhile, scoured Ahmadabad, detaining 30 people for questioning in the ancient city that was hit by 16 bombs around dusk Saturday, said the city's police commissioner, O.P. Mathur. Police also found and defused an unexploded bomb
'Terrorists have sent a message that the claim of security is hollow'
We expected it earlier when other cities like Hyderabad and Jaipur were hit by terrorists," says poet Chinu Modi about the Ahmedabad blasts.
The surprise element was missing when Ahmedabad was rocked by 17 bomb explosions because at the back of people's mind many knew that the Gujarat riots of 2002 may lead to such a violent reaction.
Yet, the blasts of July 26 carry something more than the element of surprise. The act is shocking and incomprehensible because of the mastery of the strategic planning, the perfection of the execution and the bloody impact in terms of the political message it has left behind.
Since the blasts, Ahmedabadis are debating three issues:
1. Experts and common people are stumped to see the selection of the locations for planting the bombs.
2. The blasts were executed when a 'red alert' was declared in Ahmedabad after the blasts in Bangalore.
3. The extent of the involvement of local people and the secrecy maintained by the perpetrators of the act has shocked the residents of the city, which is still known as an 'overgrown village.'
"The blasts are part of the pan-Indian phenomenon and it is also aimed at the Bharatiya Janata Party government," believes Ghanshyam Shah, a former professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and an authority on communal riots in Gujarat.
He argues that these blasts may not be exclusively connected to the riots of 2002 when more than 1,000 Muslims died in widespread communal riots after the Sabarmati Express was set on fire burning 59 Hindu passengers at the Godhra railway station.
Professor Shah says there was a surprise when after the violence of the majority, the minority community did not show their anger "in natural process."
He attributes it to the fact that the Muslims of Gujarat are diffident. "I see more and more diffidence in them. Muslims in Gujarat have realised that there is no solution of the issue (communal politics)."
However, he is not denying the involvement of Gujarati Muslims in the serial blasts. "The large terrorist group must have taken the support of local people. But I don't see the widespread support of Gujarati Muslims to such violence at all," he says.
To further support his argument that Gujarati Muslims by and large do not support the blasts to avenge the riots of 2002, he says, "In 1992, Surat witnessed communal riots (some Muslims were then burnt alive). Soon after, the plague spread in the city. At that time, Surti Muslims in the city were heard saying, 'Khuda e sajha kari' (God has punished them). But after the 2002 riots, I see an unusually high level of diffidence in them and we don't hear such remarks."
Professor Shah argues that when the Muslim community lives in isolation and in ghettos, it is easier for outsiders to get a handful of people to support their activity.
One of the surprises of Saturday's blasts was that except one blast in Sarkhej, all the blasts were executed in East Ahmedabad, which includes the highly communally sensitive walled city area. The accuracy of the planning suggests that a person with a complete grip on the social-political mindset of the city and its communal geography must be behind the blasts.
No one in this shaken city doubts that these blasts were planned by someone who has a thorough knowledge of the past 25 years history of communally sensitive areas and the Sangh Parivar's role in it.
The terrorists have targeted the constituencies of four veteran leaders belonging to the saffron brigade. Chief Minister Narendra Modi [Images], Home Minister Amit Shah, Ashok Bhatt, one of the oldest faces of the communal friction in the city, and Dr Pravin Togadia, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader.
Four blasts occurred in Modi's constituency -- Maninagar. Sarkhej is in Shah's constituency while the Dhanvantri hospital in Bapunagar has been run by Dr Togadia for many decades. The blast in Raipur was right at the spot where Bhatt has held daily meetings with his supporters for the last 40 years.
"The planners knew where the victims would go for emergency treatment and they hit those hospitals. L G hospital was targeted because victims from the Maninagar blasts would obviously go there because it is close by. They knew the social geography very well," says Achyut Yagnik, the Ahmedabad-based socio-political thinker.
Dr Yagnik is writing a book on Ahmedabad -- which will complete 600 years in 2011 -- along with fellow writer Suchitra Sheth. He points out that blasts were carried out in BJP-dominated areas of the working class and not in posh or middle class areas.
Secondly, the bombs were planted in places where Dalit and Muslims live side by side. Those well-versed with the communal history of Ahmedabad know how the Dalits and Muslims have been at loggerheads in these areas.
Bapunagar, Raipur, Sarangpur are areas that have seen communal tension in 1985, 1990-1992 and also during the 2002 riots.
"There is no doubt that Hindu-Muslim neighbourhoods have been targeted in these serial blasts," says Dr Yagnik.
In Ahmedabad, the political movement to capture Hindu and Muslim minds is carried on by political parties inside these areas where Dalits and Muslims co-exist side by side. It is not difficult to decipher why these areas and hospitals have been hit by the terrorists.
"The terrorists have served twin goals. By hitting BJP-dominated areas, they have sent the message to the chief minister that his claim of security is hollow. In spite of a red alert in the city, they have shown their capacity to strike at places they want. Second, by hitting hospitals in a cruel and dastardly manner they have caused the maximum damage."
The surprise element was missing when Ahmedabad was rocked by 17 bomb explosions because at the back of people's mind many knew that the Gujarat riots of 2002 may lead to such a violent reaction.
Yet, the blasts of July 26 carry something more than the element of surprise. The act is shocking and incomprehensible because of the mastery of the strategic planning, the perfection of the execution and the bloody impact in terms of the political message it has left behind.
Since the blasts, Ahmedabadis are debating three issues:
1. Experts and common people are stumped to see the selection of the locations for planting the bombs.
2. The blasts were executed when a 'red alert' was declared in Ahmedabad after the blasts in Bangalore.
3. The extent of the involvement of local people and the secrecy maintained by the perpetrators of the act has shocked the residents of the city, which is still known as an 'overgrown village.'
"The blasts are part of the pan-Indian phenomenon and it is also aimed at the Bharatiya Janata Party government," believes Ghanshyam Shah, a former professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and an authority on communal riots in Gujarat.
He argues that these blasts may not be exclusively connected to the riots of 2002 when more than 1,000 Muslims died in widespread communal riots after the Sabarmati Express was set on fire burning 59 Hindu passengers at the Godhra railway station.
Professor Shah says there was a surprise when after the violence of the majority, the minority community did not show their anger "in natural process."
He attributes it to the fact that the Muslims of Gujarat are diffident. "I see more and more diffidence in them. Muslims in Gujarat have realised that there is no solution of the issue (communal politics)."
However, he is not denying the involvement of Gujarati Muslims in the serial blasts. "The large terrorist group must have taken the support of local people. But I don't see the widespread support of Gujarati Muslims to such violence at all," he says.
To further support his argument that Gujarati Muslims by and large do not support the blasts to avenge the riots of 2002, he says, "In 1992, Surat witnessed communal riots (some Muslims were then burnt alive). Soon after, the plague spread in the city. At that time, Surti Muslims in the city were heard saying, 'Khuda e sajha kari' (God has punished them). But after the 2002 riots, I see an unusually high level of diffidence in them and we don't hear such remarks."
Professor Shah argues that when the Muslim community lives in isolation and in ghettos, it is easier for outsiders to get a handful of people to support their activity.
One of the surprises of Saturday's blasts was that except one blast in Sarkhej, all the blasts were executed in East Ahmedabad, which includes the highly communally sensitive walled city area. The accuracy of the planning suggests that a person with a complete grip on the social-political mindset of the city and its communal geography must be behind the blasts.
No one in this shaken city doubts that these blasts were planned by someone who has a thorough knowledge of the past 25 years history of communally sensitive areas and the Sangh Parivar's role in it.
The terrorists have targeted the constituencies of four veteran leaders belonging to the saffron brigade. Chief Minister Narendra Modi [Images], Home Minister Amit Shah, Ashok Bhatt, one of the oldest faces of the communal friction in the city, and Dr Pravin Togadia, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader.
Four blasts occurred in Modi's constituency -- Maninagar. Sarkhej is in Shah's constituency while the Dhanvantri hospital in Bapunagar has been run by Dr Togadia for many decades. The blast in Raipur was right at the spot where Bhatt has held daily meetings with his supporters for the last 40 years.
"The planners knew where the victims would go for emergency treatment and they hit those hospitals. L G hospital was targeted because victims from the Maninagar blasts would obviously go there because it is close by. They knew the social geography very well," says Achyut Yagnik, the Ahmedabad-based socio-political thinker.
Dr Yagnik is writing a book on Ahmedabad -- which will complete 600 years in 2011 -- along with fellow writer Suchitra Sheth. He points out that blasts were carried out in BJP-dominated areas of the working class and not in posh or middle class areas.
Secondly, the bombs were planted in places where Dalit and Muslims live side by side. Those well-versed with the communal history of Ahmedabad know how the Dalits and Muslims have been at loggerheads in these areas.
Bapunagar, Raipur, Sarangpur are areas that have seen communal tension in 1985, 1990-1992 and also during the 2002 riots.
"There is no doubt that Hindu-Muslim neighbourhoods have been targeted in these serial blasts," says Dr Yagnik.
In Ahmedabad, the political movement to capture Hindu and Muslim minds is carried on by political parties inside these areas where Dalits and Muslims co-exist side by side. It is not difficult to decipher why these areas and hospitals have been hit by the terrorists.
"The terrorists have served twin goals. By hitting BJP-dominated areas, they have sent the message to the chief minister that his claim of security is hollow. In spite of a red alert in the city, they have shown their capacity to strike at places they want. Second, by hitting hospitals in a cruel and dastardly manner they have caused the maximum damage."
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Oil falls $5 for the week
Oil prices sank Friday, settling down more than $5 for the week, after two stronger-than-expected economic reports calmed nervous investors. Lingering concerns over a drop in demand also pressured prices lower.
Light, sweet crude for September delivery fell $2.23 to settle at $123.26 a barrel, the lowest closing price since June 4. For the week, prices fell $5.62.
Earlier in the session prices reached as low as $122.50 a barrel, the lowest intraday level since June 5, when prices touched $121.61.
Prices fell after a government report showed new home sales were stronger than expected last month, and a survey from the University of Michigan revealed that the government's economic stimulus package had boosted consumer sentiment.
Both reports, on top of an unexpected increase in orders for durable goods, drove investors away from oil which has been used as a hedge against economic downturn.
"[Investors] bought oil because they were worried about the economy," said Phil Flynn, senior market analyst with Alaron Trading in Chicago.
The Dow industrials gained nearly 100 points in Friday morning trading and were still up about 40 points midday, following a sharp selloff the previous day, as investors poured money into stocks. These reports have given investors "a little more confidence that the world isn't coming to an end," added Flynn.
Demand: Oil prices have slipped in recent days as reports have confirmed that demand has indeed declined, largely due to high fuel prices.
An Energy Department report released Wednesday showed that gasoline demand in the United States last week had fallen 2.4% from the same period last year. And a weekly survey of filling station credit card swipes from MasterCard recorded declining demand for the 13th week in a row.
Worries about falling demand have helped push prices down $24 a barrel from a record trading high of $147.27 set July 11.
The fall in July demand has been of particular concern to investors because Americans have traditionally used more fuel in the summer.
"This is when we should be struggling with demand, but the demand isn't there," said Flynn.
Gas responds: Average gasoline prices have dropped in response to oil's decline, even though they remain above $4 a gallon at the pump, according to surveys by motorist group AAA.
And some investors fear that the U.S. demand decline may spread to other countries as well.
"The ever-deteriorating demand picture in the U.S. only seems to be getting from bad to worse and this contagion may even be spreading to China," wrote Nauman Barakat, energy trader at Macquarie Futures in a report Thursday.
Fragile market: Despite the trend, "there's always the possibility that something could happen in this market to turn it around," said Peter Beutel, oil analyst at Cameron Hanover.
International oil supplies remain tight. Tensions between the West and Iran, the second-largest producing member of the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries, and militant attacks in Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer, have been one of the main concerns that drove oil prices to their record highs.
Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico have also been a traditional worry this time of year. Hurricane Dolly drove prices up briefly this week before it was clear the storm would miss vital oil facilities.
First Published: July 25, 2008: 9:43 AM EDT
Light, sweet crude for September delivery fell $2.23 to settle at $123.26 a barrel, the lowest closing price since June 4. For the week, prices fell $5.62.
Earlier in the session prices reached as low as $122.50 a barrel, the lowest intraday level since June 5, when prices touched $121.61.
Prices fell after a government report showed new home sales were stronger than expected last month, and a survey from the University of Michigan revealed that the government's economic stimulus package had boosted consumer sentiment.
Both reports, on top of an unexpected increase in orders for durable goods, drove investors away from oil which has been used as a hedge against economic downturn.
"[Investors] bought oil because they were worried about the economy," said Phil Flynn, senior market analyst with Alaron Trading in Chicago.
The Dow industrials gained nearly 100 points in Friday morning trading and were still up about 40 points midday, following a sharp selloff the previous day, as investors poured money into stocks. These reports have given investors "a little more confidence that the world isn't coming to an end," added Flynn.
Demand: Oil prices have slipped in recent days as reports have confirmed that demand has indeed declined, largely due to high fuel prices.
An Energy Department report released Wednesday showed that gasoline demand in the United States last week had fallen 2.4% from the same period last year. And a weekly survey of filling station credit card swipes from MasterCard recorded declining demand for the 13th week in a row.
Worries about falling demand have helped push prices down $24 a barrel from a record trading high of $147.27 set July 11.
The fall in July demand has been of particular concern to investors because Americans have traditionally used more fuel in the summer.
"This is when we should be struggling with demand, but the demand isn't there," said Flynn.
Gas responds: Average gasoline prices have dropped in response to oil's decline, even though they remain above $4 a gallon at the pump, according to surveys by motorist group AAA.
And some investors fear that the U.S. demand decline may spread to other countries as well.
"The ever-deteriorating demand picture in the U.S. only seems to be getting from bad to worse and this contagion may even be spreading to China," wrote Nauman Barakat, energy trader at Macquarie Futures in a report Thursday.
Fragile market: Despite the trend, "there's always the possibility that something could happen in this market to turn it around," said Peter Beutel, oil analyst at Cameron Hanover.
International oil supplies remain tight. Tensions between the West and Iran, the second-largest producing member of the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries, and militant attacks in Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer, have been one of the main concerns that drove oil prices to their record highs.
Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico have also been a traditional worry this time of year. Hurricane Dolly drove prices up briefly this week before it was clear the storm would miss vital oil facilities.
First Published: July 25, 2008: 9:43 AM EDT
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