Rabu, Juli 22, 2009

Sensex falls - Mumbai

Sensex falls again on monsoon concerns

MUMBAI: The fall in the BSE benchmark Sensex continued for the third day in a row with the index losing over 253 points, recording its biggest

weekly fall of the year, as the market remained volatile on concerns over the weak monsoon.
The Sensex, which dropped nearly 1,283.39 points this week, fell further by 253.24 points at 13,504.22, after touching the day's low of 13,418.39 and a high of 13,897.19.

The 50-share National Stock Exchange index Nifty tumbled by 77.05 points at 4,003.90. It moved between 4,129.95 and a 3,976.80 points during the session.

Whopping gains in the Infosys stock failed to support the market.

Marketmen said part of the fall was due to some hedge funds taking short positions.

The market remained concerned at the rains coming late and there were doubts global economic recovery, but a rise in Infosys Technologies by 2.97% at Rs 1,726.50 after it posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings cushioned the downfall.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/Business/India-Business/Sensex-falls-again-on-monsoon-concerns/articleshow/4761388.cms

Solar eclipse Asia



Solar eclipse shrouds Asia in darkness after dawn

AP – In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, the Baily's Beads of solar eclipse is seen in southwest …

By INDRAJIT KUMAR SINGH, Associated Press Writer 19 mins ago

TAREGNA, India – The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century pitched a swath of Asia into near-darkness after dawn, as millions watched the once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon Wednesday. A woman was killed in a stampede at the Ganges river in India, where devout Hindus had gathered for the eclipse.

Millions of others, gripped by fear, shuttered themselves indoors. India abounds in superstitions and fables based on Hindu mythology, one of which says an eclipse is caused when a dragon-demon swallows the sun, while another myth is that sun rays during an eclipse can harm unborn children.

Thick cloud cover over India and China obscured the sun when the eclipse began at dawn. But the clouds parted in several Indian cities minutes before the total eclipse took place at 6:24 a.m. (0054 GMT; 8:54 p.m. EDT) before moving to Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan and China.

The eclipse — caused when the moon moves directly between the sun and the earth, covering it completely to cast a shadow on earth — lasted almost 4 minutes in India. In some parts of Asia it lasted as long as 6 minutes and 39 seconds.

In Beijing, a thick blanket of grayish smog blotted out the sky and virtually obscured all high-rises in the downtown area of the Chinese capital.

In coastal Shanghai, eclipse watchers were disappointed by a light drizzle in the morning. Dozens of people had gathered at one hotel rooftop with telescopes and special glasses.

But as the sky darkened fully for about five minutes, watchers became excited again.

Holding a big green umbrella and wearing special glasses, Song Chun Yun was prepared to celebrate the occasion in a new white dress.

"Although the rain came, I don't want to screw up the mood. I want to enjoy the special day," she said before dancing and singing in the rain with her two sisters. "I don't want to wait until the next 300 years to see this again."

In Bangladesh too, people came out in droves.

"It's a rare moment, I never thought I would see this in my life," said Abdullah Sayeed, a college student who traveled to Panchagarh town from the capital Dhaka to view it.

He said cars in the town needed to use headlights as "night darkness has fallen suddenly." People hugged each other and some blew whistles when the eclipse began, he said.

One of the best views, shown live on several television channels, appeared to be in the Indian town of Varanasi, on the banks of the Ganges river, sacred to devout Hindus.

Thousands of Hindus took a dip in keeping with the ancient belief that bathing in the river at Varanasi, especially on special occasions, cleanses one's sins. The eclipse was seen there for 3 minutes and 48 seconds.

But the gathering was marred by tragedy when a 65-year-old woman was killed and six people injured in a stampede at one of the river's banks where about 2,500 people had gathered, said police spokesman Surendra Srivastava.

He said it is not clear how the stampede started.

The eclipse — visible only in Asia — is the longest such eclipse since July 11, 1991, when a total eclipse lasting 6 minutes, 53 seconds was visible from Hawaii to South America. There will not be a longer eclipse than Wednesday's until 2132.

A 10-member team of scientists from the premier Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bangalore and the Indian air force filmed the eclipse from an aircraft.

Scientists had said the Indian village of Taregna would have the clearest view, where thousands of scientists, nature enthusiasts and students gathered a day in advance.

But thick clouds and overnight rains provided no spectacle, just a cloudy darkness.

"It was still a unique experience with morning turning into night for more than three minutes," said Amitabh Pande, a scientist with India's Science Popularization Association of Communicators and Educators, in Taregna.

Still, the rain was welcomed by many in this agricultural area which has seen scant rainfall this monsoon season.

"It would have been nice to see the solar eclipse but the rain is far more important for us," said Ram Naresh Yadav, a farmer.

Millions across India shunned the sight and stayed indoors.

Even in regions where the eclipse was not visible, pregnant women were advised to stay behind curtains over a belief that the sun's invisible rays would harm the fetus and the baby would be born with disfigurations, birthmarks or a congenital defect.

"My mother and aunts have called and told me stay in a darkened room with the curtains closed, lie in bed and chant prayers," said Krati Jain, 24, who is expecting her first child, said in New Delhi.

In the northern Indian state of Punjab, authorities ordered schools to begin an hour late to prevent children from venturing out and gazing at the sun.

Others saw a business opportunity: one travel agency in India scheduled a charter flight to watch the eclipse by air, with seats facing the sun selling at a premium.

At a Buddhist temple in the Thai capital Bangkok, dozens of monks led a mass prayer at a Buddhist temple to ward off what they said would be ill effects of a solar eclipse.

"The eclipse is bad omen for the country," said Pinyo Pongjaroen, a prominent astrologer. "We are praying to boost the fortune of the country."

___

Associated Press writers Julhas Alam in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Ambika Ahuja in Bangkok, Thailand and researcher Ji Chen in Beijing contributed to this report.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_asia_eclipse

Kamis, Juli 09, 2009

El Nino Kembali 2009

El Nino conditions return to affect weather


FACTBOX - El Nino "boy child" developing slowlyReuters – A graphic showing the SOI and El Nino since 1990. REUTERS/Graphics

WASHINGTON – El Nino is back.

Government scientists said Thursday that the periodic warming of water in the tropical Pacific Ocean, which can affect weather around the world, has returned.

The Pacific had been in what is called a neutral state, but forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say the sea surface temperature climbed to 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit above normal along a narrow band in the eastern equatorial Pacific in June.

In addition, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center said temperatures in other tropical regions are also above normal, with warmer than usual readings as much as 975 feet below the ocean surface.

In general, El Nino conditions are associated with increased rainfall across the east-central and eastern Pacific and with drier than normal conditions over northern Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

A summer El Nino can lead to wetter than normal conditions in the intermountain regions of the United States and over central Chile. In an El Nino year there tend to be more Eastern Pacific hurricanes and fewer Atlantic hurricanes.

The forecasters said they expect this El Nino to continue strengthening over the next few months and to last through the winter of 2009-2010.

"Advanced climate science allows us to alert industries, governments and emergency managers about the weather conditions El Nino may bring so these can be factored into decision-making and ultimately protect life, property and the economy," NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco said in a statement.

NOAA officials noted that not all El Nino effects are negative. For example, it can suppress Atlantic hurricanes and bring needed moisture to the arid Southwest.

But it can also steer damaging winter storms to California and increase storminess across the southern United States.

The warming of the ocean can also lead to a reduction in the seafood catch off the West Coast, and fewer fish can also impact food sources for several types of birds and marine mammals.

A recent study by researchers at Georgia Tech suggests there may actually be two forms of El Nino, depending on whether the warming is stronger in the eastern or central pacific.

While the current warming seems to be strongest in the east, the more traditional form, government forecasters did not categorize it.

If the Georgia Tech study is correct, this would be the type of El Nino that reduces hurricanes in the Atlantic and Caribbean. The other form, centered farther west, reportedly seems to promote Atlantic storms.

___

On the Net:

NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090709/ap_on_sc/us_sci_el_nino

Rabu, Juli 01, 2009

Ikatan Ilmuwan Indonesia Internasional ( I4 )

SELASA, 2009 JUNI 30

Akan Hadir, Ikatan Ilmuwan Indonesia Internasional!

Ilustrasi: Ilmuwan dan mahasiswa S1, S2 dan S3 Indonesia di luar negeri akan berkumpul di Museon, Denhaag, Belanda, pada 3 - 5 Juli 2009 mendatang untuk membentuk Ikatan Ilmuwan Indonesia Internasional (I4).

SELASA, 30 JUNI 2009 | 20:18 WIB

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Ilmuwan dan mahasiswa S1, S2 dan S3 Indonesia di luar negeri akan berkumpul di Museon, Denhaag, Belanda, pada 3 - 5 Juli 2009 mendatang untuk membentuk Ikatan Ilmuwan Indonesia Internasional (I4).

"Kami yang tergabung dalam Perhimpunan Pelajar Indonesia (PPI) mencoba menghimpun para ilmuwan Indonesia di luar dan dalam negeri itu pada Simposium Internasional, kami juga akan membentuk I4 yang mewadahi mereka," ujar Kordinator Tim Indonesia Willy Sakareza di Jakarta, Selasa (30/6).

Sekitar 100 ilmuwan Indonesia akan hadir di simposium tersebut, baik yang ada di AS, Eropa, Timur Tengah, Jepang, serta dari Indonesia sendiri. Bertema "Visi dan Misi Intelektual Indonesia di Luar Negeri: Strategi Pembangunan Indonesia Menuju 2020", simposium itu dimaksudkan juga untuk membangun kesatuan di antara kaum intelektual Indonesia di luar negeri agar semakin peduli pada upaya kemajuan bangsa.......

LTF

Sumber : Antara

http://edukasi.kompas.com/read/xml/2009/06/30/20184328/akan.hadir.ikatan.ilmuwan.indonesia.internasional

....Cek http://teknologi2050.blogspot.com