October 22, 2009

Suzlon plans to buy-back or restructure $ 500 million FCCB

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Suzlon plans to buy-back or restructure $ 500 million FCCB; gives three options to bondholders; mixed reaction from brokerage houses

Suzlon plans to buy-back or restructure $ 500 million FCCB.

3 Options to bondholders:

October 7, 2009

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan: A profile

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LONDON: He may have migrated to the US long back, but Indian-American Venkatraman Ramakrishnan on Wednesday made a billion people back home proud by winning the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his pioneering work on ribosome, a cellular machine that makes proteins. 57-year-old Ramakrishnan, born in the temple town of Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu, is the seventh Indian or of Indian origin to win the prestigious award. Born in 1952, Ramakrishnan earned his B.Sc. in Physics (1971) from Baroda University in Gujarat and later migrated to the US to continue his studies where he later got settled and attained US citizenship. He earned his Ph.D in Physics from Ohio University in the US and later worked as a graduate student at the University of California from 1976-78. During his stint at the varsity, Ramakrishnan conducted a research with Dr Mauricio Montal, a membrane biochemist and later designed his own 2-year transition from physics to biology. As a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University, he worked on a neutron-scattering map of the small ribosomal subunit of E Coli. He has been studying ribosome structure ever since. Ramakrishnan, now a senior scientist at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge has authored several important papers in academic journals. In the August 26, 2000 issue of Nature, Ramakrishnan and his co-workers published the structure of the small ribosomal subunit of Thermus thermophilus, a heat-stable bacterium related to one found in the Yellowstone hot springs. With this 5.5 Angstrom-resolution structure, Ramakrishnan's group identified key portions of the RNA and, using previously determined structures, positioned seven of the subunit's proteins. In the September 21, 2000 issue of Nature, Ramakrishnan published two papers. In the first of these, he presented the 3 Angstrom structure of the 30S ribosomal subunit. His second paper revealed the structures of the 30S subunit in complex with three antibiotics that target different regions of the subunit. In this paper, Ramakrishnan discussed the structural basis for the action of each of these drugs. After his postdoctoral fellowship, Ramakrishnan joined the staff of Brookhaven National Laboratory in ther US. There, he began his collaboration with Stephen White to clone the genes for several ribosomal proteins and determine their three-dimensional structures. He was also awarded a Guggenheim fellowship during his tenure there, and he used it to make the transition to X-ray crystallography. source - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: nobel prize chemistry 2009, venkatraman ramakrishnan cambridge, nobel prize in chemistry 2009, thomas a. steitz, venkatraman ramakrishnan wiki, venkatraman ramakrishnan, nobel prize winners 2009, nobel prize, nobel prize winners 2008, nobel prize winners, nobel prize 2009, nobel prize winners from india

Nobel Prize for chemistry of life | nobel prize chemistry 2009

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The 2009 chemistry Nobel Prize has been awarded to Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Thomas Steitz and Ada Yonath. The prize is awarded for the study of the structure and function of the ribosome - the cell's protein factory. The ribosome translates genetic code into proteins - which are the building blocks of all living organisms. It is also the main target of new antibiotics, which combat bacterial strains that have developed resistance to traditional antibiotic drugs. These new drugs work by blocking the function of ribosomes in bacterial cells, preventing them from making the proteins they need to survive. The announcement was made during a press conference at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, during which the three winners were described as "warriors in the struggle of the rising tide of incurable bacterial infections". Professor Ramakrishnan is based at the Medical Research Council's Molecular Biology Laboratories in Cambridge, UK. Thomas Steitz is based at Yale University in the US, and Ada Yonath is from the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel. The prize is to be shared equally between the three scientists, who all contributed to revealing the ribosome's huge and complex molecular structure in remarkable detail. Professor David Garner, president of the Royal Society of Chemistry, described the three as "great scientists" and said their work was of "enormous significance". Working together These scientists and their colleagues have helped build a 3D structure of the ribosome. In doing so, they solved an important part of the the problem posed by Francis Crick and James Watson when they discovered the twisted double helix DNA structure - how does this code become a living thing? DNA is made available to the ribosome by "transcription" of genes into chunks of messenger RNA. In the ribosome, these are read and translated into the various amino acid sequences that make up an organism's proteins. By looking closely at its structure, scientists are able to study how this translation process works. The work is based on a technique called x-ray crystallography - where protein molecules are removed from cells, purified and made into crystals that can be examined using x-rays. Addressing the Nobel press conference by telephone, Professor Yonath said that modern techniques were allowing scientists to look at the structures on the atomic scale - individual bond after individual bond. This is the 101st chemistry Nobel to be awarded since 1901, and Professor Yonath is only the fourth woman to win. She joins an illustrious list of female chemists that includes Marie Curie, who also won the physics award. During the press conference, Professor Yonath said: "It's above and beyond my dreams and I am very thankful." President of the American Chemical Society Thomas Lane told the BBC that the award was "a wonderful example of leaders in their disciplines - people from around the world - working towards a common goal and being able to achieve it. "It shows that as scientists we don't just sit in our dark labs, we come together and share our research." He added: "With advances in analytical chemistry, computer science and imaging, we now have a valid window into these cellular structures. "This gives other scientists the knowledge to create new drugs, and new materials to combat disease." source - http://news.bbc.co.uk Tags: nobel prize chemistry 2009, venkatraman ramakrishnan cambridge, nobel prize in chemistry 2009, thomas a. steitz, venkatraman ramakrishnan wiki, venkatraman ramakrishnan, nobel prize winners 2009, nobel prize, nobel prize winners 2008, nobel prize winners, nobel prize 2009, nobel prize winners from india

kawasaki ninja 250 india | bajaj kawasaki ninja

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It's been ages since Bajaj first announced their intention of getting the Ninja 250 to India. Many a summers had passed by but there was still no sign of the baby green monster of arriving onto our roads. But the good news is that it's finally here. Bajaj has officially launched the bike in the country today and expect to find a growling 249 cc four-stroke, 32 bhp, DOHC, liquid cooled parallel twin draped in green, with a claimed fuel consumption of 42.5 kpl. The Ninja will be sold exclusively at Bajaj pro-biking showrooms across the country within the next 3 weeks. The Ninja will be imported as a CKD from Thailand, with staggered deliveries over the next 2-3 months. These showrooms will cater to the complete three S's - Sales, Service and Spares. The spares will be imported directly from Japan and Thailand. The Ninja series is renowned for their sharp handling and crisp dynamics, something we've been craving for a long time from motorcycles sold in the country and its about time that we have a slice of that pie, no matter how small! The Ninja is priced at Rs 2.69 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. Bajaj expects to sell 1,000 units of the Ninja 250 R this year and has already assembled 60 units as of now. source - http://www.bsmotoring.com Tags: bajaj, kawasaki ninja, kawasaki india, bajaj auto, bajaj india, kawasaki ninja 250 india

Iran Nuclear Site Could Pose Test to U.S., Israel Ties

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Iran's disclosure that it has been building a secret nuclear site ratchets up already simmering tensions between the Islamic Republic and Israel, raising questions about whether President Obama retains enough influence to prevent Israel from launching a preemptive military strike should Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government turn to its last resort. Polls show Obama's popularity is waning in Israel, where some say his administration is too conciliatory toward the Palestinians. He also took a beating in the Israeli press for his speech at the U.N. on Wednesday, when he warned that "America does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements," though Israeli officials continued to publicly praise him for his efforts at restarting peace talks. The president made clear Friday that he remains committed to "serious, meaningful engagement with Iran" to deal with the nuclear issue through upcoming talks among Iran, Germany and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.

G20: US China relationship

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One of the issues to be discussed at the G20 summit is the huge trade imbalance between the world's biggest economic power, the United States. and the emerging economic superpower China. China has relied for much of its economic growth on Americans buying its goods. But as US consumers feel the pinch, China is hoping its citizens will spend more to maintain demand and keep its factories open. The BBC's economics correspondent Andrew Walker in Pittsburgh has been talking to two experts, Sharon Feng, a businesswoman who's been living in the US for 25 years and Tom Buelle of Pittsburg China Center.

G20: US China relationship

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One of the issues to be discussed at the G20 summit is the huge trade imbalance between the world's biggest economic power, the United States. and the emerging economic superpower China. China has relied for much of its economic growth on Americans buying its goods. But as US consumers feel the pinch, China is hoping its citizens will spend more to maintain demand and keep its factories open. The BBC's economics correspondent Andrew Walker in Pittsburgh has been talking to two experts, Sharon Feng, a businesswoman who's been living in the US for 25 years and Tom Buelle of Pittsburg China Center.

Mass. judge rejects bid to delay Kennedy successor

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A Massachusetts judge on Friday rejected a Republican request to delay the swearing in of Edward Kennedy's temporary replacement in the Senate. The state GOP had argued that Gov. Deval Patrick — a Democrat — exceeded his constitutional authority by appointing Paul G. Kirk Jr. on Thursday. Lawmakers passed a bill this week giving Patrick the power to choose an interim senator, but laws usually take effect in 90 days. Patrick got around that delay by signing a letter that declared the bill an emergency. The appointment is critical to his fellow Democrats, who need Kirk's vote to restore their 60-vote, filibuster-proof margin in the Senate. President Barack Obama and his staff lobbied for the change as they try to win approval this year for their top legislative priority, overhauling the nation's health care system. Suffolk Superior Court Judge Thomas Connolly denied the party's request to delay Kirk's swearing in. Vice President Joe Biden was slated to do so at the U.S. Capitol two hours after the ruling was issued. Connolly also granted the state's request to dismiss the case.

U.N. condemns Brazil embassy harassment in Honduras

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The U.N. Security Council condemned "acts of intimidation" at Brazil's embassy in Honduras but did not discuss the wider issue of ousted President Manuel Zelaya's future at a meeting on Friday. Zelaya has been sheltering in the Brazilian embassy since slipping back into the country on Monday, prompting a tense standoff with security forces surrounding the mission. "We condemn acts of intimidation against the Brazilian embassy and call upon the de facto government of Honduras to cease harassing the Brazilian embassy," U.S. Ambassador and current Security Council President Susan Rice told reporters after a meeting on Honduras. She said the situation of the Brazilian embassy was the primary focus of the meeting, rather than the broader situation in Honduras.