Kargil to be a major air base by 2016

New Delhi: Learning lessons from the 1999 war with Pakistan, India is all set to develop the Kargil airfield as a fullfledged transport base by 2016, by when the Indian Air Force (IAF) aims to operate both medium and heavy-lift planes from there.

It also plans to operate combat aircraft from Kargil sometime in the future. The IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne, said at the annual press conference Monday ahead of the Air Force Day Oct 8 that the IAF will expand the 6,000-foot runway in Kargil to enable operations of all major transport aircraft such as the Soviet-origin IL-76 heavy-lift planes, the newly-ordered C-17 heavy-lift aircraft from the US, and the just-acquired C-130J Super Hercules.

Soviet-origin medium-lift AN-32 transport planes are already being operated from the Kargil airfield, in the northern part of Jammu and Kashmir, since the 1999 war with Pakistan.

Kargil was the primary theatre of battle during that conflict when Indian troops forced a retreat of Pakistani regulars who had clandestinely occupied heights that were vacated by India during winter. The Jammu and Kashmir government had activated the airfield in 1996 for civilian aircraft operations and it was under the Airports Authority of India (AAI) till the Kargil war, when the military operations began there.
Since then, the IAF has been operating the AN-32s from the airfield, apart from the Jammu and Kashmir government using it for operating tourist flights. The IAF chief said as plans for Kargil base progressed, they would like to operate fighter jets from the air field there, "but that is still a distance away".

Browne said IAF was also planning to develop the Nyoma air base close to the border with China in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir into a fighter base and the plans had been approved by Defence Minister A.K. Antony.

"The Nyoma plans will soon go to the Cabinet Committee on Security for final approval," he added. The development of these air bases are part of the IAF's plans for developing its infrastructure in northern and northeastern India.

Nyoma already has a 12,000-foot runway and the air base is at an altitude of 13,300 fleet.

News from - http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5480043&page=0

Indian Army gets its first woman jawan

Outperforming her male counterparts in the physical tests, 35-year-old Sapper Shanti Tigga joined the 969 Railway Engineer Regiment of the Territorial Army . A mother of two, she is the first woman jawan.

"Women are allowed to join the armed forces only as officers in the non-combat units. But Tigga has earned the distinction of being the first lady jawan in the 1.3 million strong defence forces," a senior army officer said.

"She performed exceedingly well in all the physical tests. She took five seconds less than her male counterparts to complete 1.5-km run. She completed the 50 meter run in 12 seconds which is rated as excellent," he said. Tigga also impressed her recruiters with her firing skills and was adjudged as the best trainee.

Employed with the railways as points-man posted in West Bengal, Tigga volunteered for the TA last year. "I joined railways in 2005 on compensatory ground after my husband passed away. Last year, I learnt about TA railways and I volunteered for it," Tigga said.

News from - http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5482105

ICC Confirms Ten-Team World Cup For 2015 And 2019

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that the 2015 World Cup will comprise the ten current full members of the ICC although for the 2019 event, the opportunity for other teams to qualify will be available.

The decision comes at the conclusion of an ICC Board meeting held in Mumbai following the conclusion of the 2011 World Cup, which was won by India in front of their home fans at the Wankhede Stadium.

In explaining the decision to rule out Associate and Affiliate countries participating in Australia and New Zealand in four years, the ICC reiterated that the ICC World Twenty20 from 2012 onwards would include 16 countries - six qualifiers joining the ten full members.

Although Ireland beat England to cause the tournament's biggest upset, the other Associate nations - Kenya, Netherlands and Canada - were unable to claim a single victory against a major nation between them and for the 2015 tournament, bet365 have made Australia 7/2 favourites to follow India's example and win on home soil.

"The Executive Board confirmed their decision made in October 2010 that the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand and the ICC Cricket World Cup in England in 2019 will be a 10-team event," an ICC statement confirmed.

"The Board agreed that the 2015 World Cup will comprise the existing 10 Full Members, however, they gave notice to all Full Members that participation in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup will be determined on the basis of qualification. It was also agreed that post the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 there will be promotion and relegation introduced in the ODI League.

"The Board had also decided in October 2010 that the ICC World Twenty20 will comprise 16 teams. This would allow six Associates or Affiliates the opportunity to participate in an ICC Global event every two years."

The board also announced that $US 1 million, from the World Cup, would be given to New Zealand Cricket to help them re-establish their offices which were destroyed by the recent Christchurch earthquake.

Elsewhere, the board is to propose changes to the ICC Constitution, designed to prevent 'undue interference' by governments in the administration of cricket in member countries.

The ICC Strategic Plan 2011-15 has been approved by the board, chief executive Haroon Lorgat commenting:

"The strategy is the product of wide ranging and constructive engagement held with the world’s leading cricket administrators and stakeholders. The plan covers a range of strategic topics from the role of the ICC, governance, promotion and protection of the three forms of the game, competition and meritocratic pathways as well as targeted investment.

"The targeted funding for Members will be used to protect the game and its integrity; provide a platform for success and also focus on growth and improvement of playing standards."

The operations of the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) are to be reviewed while Australian umpire Steve Davis has been nominated as the Umpires Representative on the ICC Cricket Committee, replacing compatriot Simon Taufel.

News from - http://www.cricketworld.com/icc-confirms-ten-team-world-cup-in-2015-2019/27404.htm

Australia to host 2015 ICC WC

The 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup will be the eleventh Cricket World Cup, and will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The location of the games will be evenly split, with the location of the final yet to be decided.

The hosting rights were awarded at the same time as those of the 2011 Cricket World Cup, which New Zealand and Australia had originally bid to host, and the 2019 Cricket World Cup. The 2011 tournament was awarded to the four Asian Test cricket playing countries India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in a 10 to 3 vote (although Pakistan has since lost its hosting rights). The International Cricket Council were sufficiently impressed with the trans-Tasman bid that it was decided to award the next world cup to them.

News from - http://www.cricketworldcup2015.in/australia-to-host-2015-icc-wc-4.html

ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Logo

Today is a great day for all Indian Cricket lovers. After 28 years of waiting India has finally bought back the World Cup home. Nothing could have been a more pleasing win for this team. Beating the current defenders and world campaign Australia in the quater-finals, heading towards the semis and beating Pakistan and then finally defeating Sri-Lanka in the finals.

With this World Cup coming to its end, ICC has unveiled the logo for the 2015 Cricket World Cup which is to be held in Australia and New Zealand. The logo is designed by the Jumbana Group/Balarinji, a graphic consultancy from Australia, which was commissioned by FutureBrand, an international agency. Even the logo for ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 was designed by a creative firm from Australia.

The ICC received applications for the design from across the world before awarding it to the international agency, FutureBrand, whose Australian arm was invited to produce the logo for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. It in turn commissioned graphic consultancy, the Jumbana Group/Balarinji to create both Australian and New Zealand cultural motifs so as to reflect the two indigenous countries’ cultural identities.

The consultancies were asked to convey the cultures of both countries in a positive and harmonious way and also to expresses a feeling of celebration and unity in the graphics. The result has been what ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat describes as “a dynamic logo which captures the cultural influences in the two host countries”.

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