Dog meat off the menu during Beijing Olympics

BEIJING - Canine cuisine is being sent to the doghouse during next month's Beijing Olympic Games।

Dog meat has been struck from the menus of officially designated Olympic restaurants, and Beijing tourism officials are telling other outlets to discourage consumers from ordering dishes made from dogs, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Friday।

Waiters and waitresses should "patiently" suggest other options to diners who order dog, it said, quoting city tourism bureau Vice Director Xiong Yumei।

Dog, known in Chinese as "xiangrou," or "fragrant meat," is eaten by some Chinese for its purported health-giving qualities।

Beijing isn't the first Olympic host to slap a ban on the dish।

South Korea banned dog meat during the 1988 Seoul Olympics by invoking a law prohibiting the sale of "foods deemed unsightly।" After the Olympics, the ban was not strictly enforced.

Dog meat is also eaten in some other Asian countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines and Laos.

Ratan Tata on Nano and future challenges

The year ahead will be a tough one, but the high sales volume of Nano will dramatically change the company's market position।

The Indian economy continued to register impressive GDP growth, although the rate of growth declined marginally over the previous year, reflecting inflationary trends driven by the increase in the cost of energy and raw materials।

The level of industrial activity has also begun to decline as a result of fiscal constraints imposed on money supply and the raising of interest rates।

Investment flows into India increased by 20 per cent to a record level of about Rs 1,20,000 crore (Rs 1,200 billion)। Investment and consequent growth could have been even greater but for the roadblocks to major investments arising from ideological differences, state-Centre conflicts and vested interests.

Some of these self-serving obstacles delayed major projects, depriving the country the opportunity to bridge the gap in infrastructure, energy, power generation, utilisation of the country?s vast natural resources and, finally, to improve the quality of life of its people.

Centre targeting me at SP's behest: Mayawati

Stung by a fresh CBI affidavit in a disproportionate assests case, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Saturday hit out at the Centre for "targeting" her at the behest of arch rival Samajwadi Party, but refused to divulge her strategy in the crucial trust vote on July 22।

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister also accused the Congress-led coalition of treating SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav with kidgloves despite a similar case pending against him and his family, and wondered, "What is the political pressure behind this?"

Addressing a press conference in the backdrop of the fresh move by the CBI against her, Mayawati was not at her combative best but sounded persuasive, and alleged that she was a victim of a "media trial"।

"The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance should not be under any illusion that we will be intimidated and come under their pressure," Mayawati said but sidestepped questions over her party's stand on the trial of strength of the Manmohan Singh ministry on July 22।

Inspite of questions like her reported attempts to break Samajwadi Party MPs and about her strategy in the trust vote, her refrain was that she would hold a separate press conference to announce her decision।

Singling out the CBI director for attack, she said that filing the affidavit soon after her party's withdrawal of support to the Centre and before the trust vote, brings the action of the premier investigative agency under the "needle of suspicion".

Swaminathan for N-deal; feels concerns on Hyde Act be addressed

Chennai, Jul 12 (DNS) Noted agricultural scientist M S Swaminathan has backed the Indo-US nuclear deal and IAEA Safeguards pact asserting that they were "unique" and would help India to end its nuclear isolation।However, he asked the government to resolve the deadlock by addressing Opposition parties' concerns relating to the Hyde Act with a counter legislation.

Swaminathan (83) who fondly recalls his close association with Homi Babha, the father of Indian nuclear programme, when he worked with him on radiation genetics in the 50s, said the IAEA-India Safeguards Agreement text made clear that India has the option to designate its nuclear plants for inspections।

"The text ensures that the designated plants are devoted to produce nuclear power and importantly they (IAEA) said that you can designate your own plants for use of other purposes।

"This is a real concession because after 1974 and 1998 nuclear tests, a host of countries have imposed sanctions against India," he told in an interview here today।

"Therefore this agreement is quite unique in that respect. There is no precedent. I would like our nuclear isolation to be ended and see old Nehruvian commitment of nuclear weapons free world. I would like to see the peaceful use of atomic energy. End our nuclear isolation as it is not good for a country with 1.13 billion people to remain out of the nuclear mainstream," he said.