VISHU:>>>>>>>>

Falls on the first day of Malayalam month Medam (April), which is the astronomical New Year Day when the sun crosses the equator.

Through Vishu is identified with the Hindus religious beliefs, it is not in any way a religious festival. As per popular belief, the first thing people see on Vishu, the 'Vishukkani', is decisive to the year's prosperity.

Thus the 'Vishukkani' has over the years become a ritual arrangement of auspicious articles like raw rice, fresh linen, golden cucumber, betel leaves, arecanut, metal mirror, the yellow flowers 'konna' (cassia fistula), and a holy text and coins, in a bell metal vessel called 'uruli'. A lighted bell metal lamp called nilavilakku is also placed alongside.

As Vishu ushers in a New Year dawn, people wake up to behold the ritualistic arrangement. Giving off handsel (kaineettam) to the younger members of the family is part of the celebrations.

60th IndependanceDay for India

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh unfurled the tricolour at the ramparts of the Red Fort as the country celebrated its 60th Independence Day.

Singh, accompanied by wife Gursharan Kaur, arrived at the Lahore Gate of the monument in a cavalcade of steel-grey Tata Safari escorted by a posse of SPG personnel.

Singh was received by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, his deputies Rao Inderjit Singh and M M Pallam Raju and Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt.

General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, P C Bhan then escorted the Premier to the saluting base, from where he took a salute from the three services and Delhi Police Guard. He then inspected the Guard of Honour.

Arriving at the rampart where he was greeted by the Defence Minister, his deputy and the three Service Chiefs, the Prime Minister unfurled the tricolour as the national anthem was played to the accompaniment of a 21-gun salute.

Besides top political and military brass of the country, the gathering at the Red Fort included ambassadors and high commissioners of several countries and schoolchildren......

Cross-border terror

The Prime Minister sent out a strong message to Pakistan saying that the country had to take steps against cross-border terrorism or the Indo-Pak peace process would lose popular support.

"We have taken several initiatives to be successful, these initiatives need an atmosphere of peace.

"It is obvious that unless Pakistan takes concrete steps to implement the solemn assurances it has given to prevent cross-border terrorism, public opinion in India, which has supported the peace process, will be undermined," he said.

In his address to the nation, Singh said all countries in our region must recognise that terrorism anywhere is a threat to peace and prosperity everywhere.

"It must be confronted with our united efforts," he added......


Security blanket


There is high security alert across the country on the occasion of Independence Day.

All roads leading to the historic Red Fort, the venue of the main function, were highly barricaded.

Vehicles were checked and people frisked thoroughly as multi-layered security was in place at all entry and exit points in the city.

Police personnel and commandos of elite NSG formed the 10,000-strong security contingent guarding the Red Fort.

The securitymen also took positions at rooftops of buildings in and around the monument as well as other vital installations amidst the threat of suicide attacks.....

At last Italy hold their nerve to claim fourth  crown ,,

                                                  Italy won the World Cup in a penalty shootout, beating France 5-3, on Sunday, after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes.

David Trezeguet hit the crossbar with France's second spot kick to give Italy its fourth World Cup title, and Fabio Grosso made the deciding kick. Andrea Pirlo, Marco Materazzi, Daniele De Rossi and Alessandro Del Piero also scored for Italy. Sylvain Wiltord, Eric Abidal and Willy Sagnol scored for France.

It was the first penalty shootout in a final since the 1994 World Cup. Brazil beat Italy 3-2 in that match.

"This squad showed great heart," Italy midfielder Gennaro Gattuso said. "Maybe it wasn't pretty, but we were hard to beat. We played each game one at a time and with great humility."

Zinedine Zidane gave France the lead in the seventh minute with a penalty, and Materazzi equalised 12 minutes later. Zidane, playing his farewell game at 34, was sent off for savagely headbutting Materazzi in the chest in an off-the-ball incident 10 minutes from the penalty shootout. Despite playing with a man more, Italy could not make the difference. France's penalty was given when winger Florent Malouda went down after a challenge from Materazzi and Fabio Cannavaro.

Instead of blasting the ball, Zidane chipped it in off the crossbar and just across the line, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon already down. Italy quickly equalised when Materazzi rose well above France mid-fielder Patrick Vieira to head home a perfectly curled corner from Pirlo in the 19th minute. Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez's intervention was indecisive, caught between his line and the curling ball.

"I can't say I'm happy just to be a finalist," France coach Raymond Domenech said.

Italy came close to taking the lead when the team exposed the French defence on corners again, but the header by Luca Toni slammed against the bar, with Barthez beaten again. And again in the 60th, France struggled to stop Italy's attack. Toni had Barthez beaten but the goal was disallowed for offside.

The two goals and seesaw play were part of a spectacular first hour which had been predicted to be a dull, conservative match between two expert defences. Once fatigue hit the teams, it turned into a scrappy scramble for survival. Thierry Henry went down in the opening minute when he accidentally banged his head into the shoulder of Cannavaro. He looked dazed, walked off the field under his own power, and resumed play after a few minutes.

In the fourth minute, Gianluca Zambrotta was given a yellow card for a late tackle on Vieira just outside the area. Sagnol was given a yellow card in the 12th by referee Horacio Elizondo for entering a challenge on Grosso with his studs showing. It quickly turned into a free-flowing final, with Italy putting together the better passing combinations and in set plays. In the 35th, defender Lilian Thuram was forced into a last-ditch tackle on Toni, who had broken through on the right.

After his spectacular start, Zidane showed little in the first half of his farewell game. Italy's defence quickly regrouped after the early goal and, led by captain Cannavaro, dominated most of the time. Henry was the only Frenchman to keep the pressure going. After the disallowed header from Toni, Italy coach Marcello Lippi made two tactical changes in the 61st minute. He took off playmaker Francesco Totti and replaced him with De Rossi, who came back from a four-match suspension for elbowing an opponent in the first round. Forward Vincenzo Iaquinta took the place of mid-fielder Simone Perrotta.

Just after the changes, Buffon made a save on a 10-metre shot from Henry in the 63rd. Zidane temporarily went off in the 80th holding his right arm after a challenge from Cannavaro and needed medical attention. But his career did not end with injury as he came back on to the cheers of the French in the stands one minute later. With all players visibly tiring, Lippi took off winger Mauro Cammoranesi in the 86th to bring on veteran Del Piero, who scored the second goal in the 2-0 semifinal victory over Germany.

In the first half of extra time, France winger Franck Ribery was replaced by Trezeguet. Trezeguet scored the winner in the 200 European Championship final over Italy and immediately positioned himself as the most forward striker. In the 104th, Zidane's header off a cross from Sagnol was stopped by Buffon.

In the last half of injury time, Henry surprisingly went off for veteran forward Wiltord. Almost immediately afterward, Zidane and Materazzi got into an argument and seemingly unprovoked, the star player went fully head forward into the defender. At first it was not spotted by the referee but after consultation with the fourth official, Elizondo whipped out the red card for Zidane. Thuram made his 122nd international appearance alongside William Gallas in the centre of France's defence. Thuram also ends his international career after the final, as does mid-fielder Claude Makelele.

                                                                     Fabio Cannavaro, a player who has belied his diminutive stature with some giant performances this past month, fittingly closed the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ by holding the biggest prize in football aloft. Fireworks proclaiming a fourth FIFA World Cup for Italy exploded into the black skies above the Olympiastadion as the Azzurri party began, leaving France – and a disconsolate Zinedine Zidane – to their own thoughts.

What an occasion the 18th Final produced with excitement at the start and incredible drama at the end as Zidane, on his farewell to the game he has graced for so long with his graceful skill, was shown the red card. On it went to a penalty showdown and five unerring Italian spot-kicks delivered them the title of world champions, with David Trezeguet the luckless player to miss. With Fabio Grosso converting, his country edged one Trophy behind Brazil in the pantheon of FIFA World Cup winners.

Zidane will remember this night for as long as he lives. France had promised to repeat their success of 1998 for their retiring captain and only he will know what possessed him when he thrust his forehead into the chest of Marco Materazzi. Zidane had to go, accompanied down the tunnel by the glare of thousands and thousands of flash bulbs and the tears of the legions of French supporters.

“Allez les Blues” they had chorused again and again. The Blues came through all right but it was the blue of Italy that held sway. France were wearing white but what colour they added to the occasion with their stirring comeback after Marcello Lippi’s side had threatened to put a stranglehold on the game.

GOODLUCK for Italy ,, AnferT AntonY from India ,,,,  (AnfY)