India News: October 2007

Chewing gum may help control hunger pangs

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
Washington, Oct 23 (ANI): An easy way to control those hunger pangs would be to pop a chewing gum into your mouth before an afternoon snack, say researchers. The researchers, led by Marion Hetherington, D.Phil., Professor of Biopsychology at Glasgow Caledonian University in Glasgow, found that chewing gum can help reduce cravings and control appetite. It also helps promote fullness among people who limit their overall calorie intake. What’s more, the boffins also found that chewing gum can reduce calorie intake from snacks by as much as 25 calories. Nutritionists say that even small changes in calories can have an impact in the long term. As a part of the study on the effectiveness of gum, researchers asked 60 people between the ages of 18 to 54 to consume a sweet and salty afternoon snack after chewing a sweetened gum or not chewing gum. They then checked for hunger, appetite and cravings immediately after lunch, and then hourly. Apart from reducing caloric intake by 25 calories, the researchers also found that it specifically reduced sweet snack intake by 39 calories; and salty snacks by 11 calories. Hunger and desire to eat were significantly suppressed by chewing gum at one, two and three hour intervals after lunch. Participants reported that chewing gum improved their mood by reducing anxiety and stress, and increasing contentment and relaxation. In a similar study among individuals not actively trying to manage their weight, chewing gum reduced snack intake by average of 36 calories. Data combined from both studies found that chewing gum reduced intake of the sweet snack in particular by an average of 47 calories. The research study is to be presented at the 2007 Annual Scientific Meeting of The Obesity Society. (ANI)

Pranab to attend Foreign Ministers' summit

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 23 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will leave today for Harbin in China to attend the India-Russia-China Foreign Minister level conference.Mukherjee, accompanied by senior officials of the External Affairs Ministry, will hold discussions on regional and international issues, with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.On October 24, the three Foreign Ministers are expected to discuss regional and international issues and expansion of trilateral cooperation, an External Affairs Ministry release said.This will be the third stand-alone trilateral Foreign Ministers' meeting after the last one in New Delhi on February 14, 2007 and the first one in Vladivostok on June 2, 2005.The three foreign ministers have also met on the sidelines of multilateral forums in September 2002, September 2003, October 2004 and September 2005.UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is also expected to leave for Beijing on Wednesday. (ANI)

Three-day SAARC conference begins today

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 23 (ANI): The three-day SAARC conference that begins here today will focus on curbing the menace of terrorism, organised crimes, narcotics smuggling and human trafficking.On the opening day, the Sixth SAARC Conference on Cooperation in Police Matters will be held.This will be followed by the Second Meeting of SAARC Home Secretaries and the Second Meeting of SAARC Interior/Home Ministers.These meetings will continue the exchange of apex level ideas/perspectives on issues of criticality and work towards enhancement of cooperation in security management and related issues. India, as host, will chair the meetings.Capacity building, institutional arrangements and multi-lateral agreements will be at the core of these deliberations at all the three levels. The forthcoming meetings are, thus, expected to deliberate on among others, a network of cooperation amongst police chiefs, SAARC visa exemption scheme, a Draft Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, greater strength to existing mechanisms of cooperation in drugs, terrorism and trafficking.As SAARC member States are signatories to the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism and its additional Protocol and SAARC Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, the deliberations are expected to witness increased dynamism within the existing and newly set up institutional mechanisms, namely, the SAARC Terrorism Offences Monitoring Desk (STOMD) and the SAARC Drug Offences Monitoring Desk (STOMD) flowing from these conventions.All member States will participate in these meetings. The newest member State of SAARC, Afghanistan, would be participating in the three meetings for the first time. The meeting assumes significance in the light of a series of terror attacks in India, including in Ludhiana, Ajmer and Hyderabad.At the 14th SAARC Summit held in New Delhi, the Heads of Government emphasised the importance of increased cooperation in security related areas, especially the need to combat terrorism, narcotics and psychotropic substances, trafficking in women and children and other trans-national crimes. They had also expressed their commitment to take every possible measure to prevent and suppress, in particular, financing of terrorist acts and counter trafficking of narcotic drugs and illicit arms. (ANI)

India, Pak to exchange info on terror incidents

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, October 22 (ANI): At the second meeting of the Joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism (JATM) here today, India and Pakistan agreed to exchange specific information and assist in investigations on terror incidents.The Indian delegation was led by External Affairs Ministry Additional Secretary (International Organisation) KC Singh, while Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry Additional Secretary (UN and EC) Khalid Aziz Babar lead his side."Both sides shared new information on terrorist incidents including those, which have occurred since the last meeting. They agreed to continue to work to identify measures, exchange specific information and assist in investigations," an External Affairs Ministry release said."The two sides reviewed the follow up steps taken on the information shared during the first meeting of the Joint Anti Terrorism Mechanism held in Islamabad on March 6, 2007 and in the intervening period," the release added.The next meeting of the mechanism will be held in Islamabad.Meanwhile, Pakistan today said that the internal situation in both countries would not affect the bilateral peace process."Domestic situation either in Pakistan or India has nothing to do with the composite dialogue. If the ruling alliance in New Delhi is destabilised at the moment, it does not mean that the dialogue would go slow," said Muhammad Sadiq, spokesperson of Pakistan's Foreign Office."Secondly, there is no instability in Pakistan. We are in election year. Elections campaigns have started. So it's a very active period in terms of domestic political scene," he stated. At the first meeting of the JATM, India had handed over a photo of a Pakistani national suspected to be involved in the bomb blasts on Samjhauta ExpressToday's meeting assumed significance as it was held in the backdrop of recent blasts in Hyderabad, Ajmer and Ludhiana.The JATM was constituted after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf met on September 16, 2006, on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Havana, to put in place a joint anti-terrorism institutional mechanism to identify and implement counter-terrorism initiatives and investigations. The second meeting, which should have been held in June, was held after seven months. India is of the opinion that the delay was more because of internal troubles in Pakistan. Officially, Pakistan maintains that the previous official nominated for the talks had retired and his replacement took time.India and Pakistan had agreed to exchange information about terrorism with an aim of tracking down the culprits of the past attacks and prevent incidents in future. India and Pakistan had decided to meet every three months, with the delegations having the freedom to call for more information if required. The purpose of the joint mechanism is to prevent terrorist attacks in both countries, and to assist each other through information sharing.A meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Home Ministers will also be held here on October 25 to discuss terrorism, money laundering, drug and human trafficking. Prior to this meeting, police chiefs from SAARC countries will meet on October 23. (ANI)

Pranab Mukherjee to leave for China

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 22 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will leave for Harbin in China on Tuesday to attend the India-Russia-China Foreign Minister level conference. Mukherjee, accompanied by senior officials of the External Affairs Ministry, will hold discussions on regional and international issues, with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.On October 24, the three Foreign Ministers are expected to discuss regional and international issues and expansion of trilateral cooperation, an External Affairs Ministry release said here today.This will be the third stand-alone trilateral Foreign Ministers' meeting after the last one in New Delhi on February 14, 2007 and the first one in Vladivostok on June 2, 2005. The three foreign ministers have also met on the sidelines of multilateral forums in September 2002, September 2003, October 2004 and September 2005.UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is also expected to leave for Beijing on Wednesday. (ANI)

Army to review developments in Pak , China

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 22 (ANI): The recent developments in Pakistan and rise in incidents of Islamic extremism there will be a major focus during the four-day conference of Indian Army Commanders, beginning here from Tuesday. The rise of Taliban and al-Qaida in the immediate neighbourhood would be reviewed, and a holistic assessment of the security environment and situation in Jammu and Kashmir will be part of the agenda of the conference, which will be chaired by Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor.The conference would also focus on "growing military capabilities" of China and recent reports of Chinese intrusion in Bhutan will also be discussed, a senior official of the Indian Army said. There were concerns in Indian administration over the Chinese intrusion in Bhutan that took place in the area adjoining Tibet. Bhutan and China share close to 500 kilometres long border but have no diplomatic relations between them. The delay in the planned joint military exercise with China would also come up for discussion. India and China had earlier agreed to conduct a joint exercise that was expected to be held in October, 2007.However, the exercise has been delayed, as China is yet to send their officials to New Delhi for planning the army exercise.Security experts in New Delhi have noted the recent reports of China's growing military capabilities, including more number of Jin-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines SSBNs that were spotted earlier this year.With the issue of force modernisation also topping the agenda during the conference, commanders would be also deliberating on the Army's Space Vision 2020. "The Army realizes the importance of space as a vital arena for future exploitation and has already established a 'Space Cell' in the Army Head Quarter to coordinate space based applications in a joint services operational environment," a release issued by the Indian Army stated. The deliberations during the conference will be aimed at ratifying the Army's space philosophy; concept of utilization of space at tactical, operational and strategic levels, desired operational capabilities and related ground and space assets, officials said. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will also address the Combined Commanders' Conference scheduled to be held on Wednesday.Top officials of the Indian Navy will also be engaging in a review of a wide variety of issues, including logistics, naval architecture, training and operations, in a separate three day-long conference beginning Tuesday, which will be presided over by Chief Of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta. (ANI)

Left-UPA to meet next on Nov 16 over nuke deal

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 22 (ANI): The special committee of the UPA and the Left formed to resolve disagreements between the two sides over the Indo-US civilian nuclear energy cooperation will be holding its next round of talks on November 16.The committee, which held deliberations today for the fifth time on the issue, today decided to continue the talks even as the 'unofficial' deadline for India to initiate formal negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for country-specific agreements ends in October. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is the convenor of the special committee, told reporters after the meeting that discussions were conducted in a congenial and cooperative atmosphere and that the Government had agreed to look into all concerns raised by the Left, including the Hyde Act and its implication on foreign policy. Just hours before this meeting, top leaders of the coalition government met amidst report that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has expressed his disappointment over the politics being played over the bilateral agreement Singh reportedly told his UPA partners that he was embarrassed by the prospect of retreating back on the deal, which was passed by the Union Cabinet. Reports indicated that the Prime Minister has hinted at resigning from the office, since he does not want to lead a 'lame-duck' government after succumbing to the Left's opposition to the deal. Peeved by remarks of some coalition partners like Rashtriya Janata Dal, Nationalist Congress Party and Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK), where they had stated that nuclear deal was not an important an issue to put the government's stability at stake, Singh reportedly asked the coalition partners to give their final stand on the issue.During his return from South Africa, last week, Singh had told reporters that the deal was passed by the Cabinet, where representatives of the coalition partners had already given their assent to it."This agreement (123-agreement) was approved by the Cabinet. So where is the question of the UPA going back on it?" Singh had said. However, the Congress later today dismissed reports of Manmohan Singh's resignation and also said that the UPA partners had not expressed their reservation over the deal."They (UPA leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sharad Pawar and M Karunanidhi) have never said that," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters. The Congress party also said that it wants to save the government as well as to get the civilian nuclear deal with the US materialise. "We want both," quipped Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi when asked whether the party was ready to save the coalition by sacrificing the deal.The Prime Minister, who had said that the failure of operationalising the deal would not mean the end of the day as his party was not a single-issue government and had several other agendas to fulfil, had earlier stated that he was still hopeful of the deal.On Saturday, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury had expressed his hope that today's meeting would be the last one with CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan making it clear that during Monday's meeting the UPA government should officially state that the nuclear deal has been put on hold.As the October month is coming to an end, the deadline for getting a safeguard agreement with the IAEA is drawing near and that has led to an assessment that the bilateral agreement could be difficult to operationalise with steps like amendment in the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group's charter and the passing of the 123-agreement by the Congress could be carried out only after the agreement with the UN nuclear agency.The civilian nuclear cooperation deal aims to lift a three-decade ban on sales of US nuclear fuel and reactors to India, which was imposed after it conducted a nuclear test in 1974 while staying out of non-proliferation agreements.The Left Front, which provides crucial support to the government from outside, has been opposing the deal and the situation between UPA and Left reached a nadir, sparking the prospect of snap elections. (ANI)

Kullu Dussehra begins

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
Kullu, Oct.22 (ANI): As the Dussehra festival was celebrated across the country on Sunday with the burning of the effigies of demon King Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and his son Meghnath, people in Himachal have begun celebrating the week-long Kullu Dussehra.Tens of thousands of people congregate in Kullu to participate in the event.Kullu's royal Pal family, dressed in their finest, perform the rituals associated with the festival that is marked by traditional dances and massive processions.Kullu Dussehra dates back to the 17th century when the local King Jaganand installed an idol of Raghunath (Lord Rama) on his throne as an act of penance, after which the Lord Raghunatha came to be known as the ruling deity of the valley."Ravana was vanquished on a full moon night. There used to be a time when Dussehra would finish on the full moon night. During British times, it was agreed to have a seven-day event," said Maheshwar Singh, a descendent of Kullu's erstwhile royal family.Over 250 to 300 deities are said to descend from their temples to pay obeisance to Lord Raghunatha, the presiding deity of the Kullu Dussehra. Idols of these deities are brought from different parts of Kullu and adjoining Mandi District and are kept at a camp at Dhalpur area. And, the people who carry the deities here also camp along with them.These people are then formally invited to come for the Dussehra festivities by the State Government, which pays them an incentive which range from Rs.10, 000 to Rs.70, 000.The grand festival also draws a lot of tourists."It's very different. We have rituals too but you know they are… and we have big rituals. But I think all the people here are more (involved) with the rituals than in our country. There is more distance between ritual and feelings there," said Beatrix, an Austrian tourist.In 1972, the Kullu Dussehra was declared an "international festival". Since then it has assumed a multi-lingual dimension and cultural troupes from abroad and various parts of the country also perform during the festival. The festival, which symbolises the triumph of good over evil, is marked by prayers, processions and musical programmes based on the Ramayana.The week-long Kullu Dussehra festival concludes with the sacrifice of a buffalo, a rooster, a lamb, a fish and a crab. Simultaneously, a huge pile of grass is set on fire symbolising the burning of Lanka, the kingdom of Ravana. (ANI)

Players protest against militancy in Manipur

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
Imphal, Oct 22 (ANI): Upset with the constant extortion demands, sports officials and players want to root out nefarious elements from Manipur society. When Marykom of Manipur won the gold medal in the World Women's Boxing Championship in Delhi last year, she brought laurels for the country and Manipur in particular. But the militants who claim to fight for Manipur's pride are actually killing the honour of the state by stifling the sports' authorities. These officials went on strike against the extortion demands served on them by an underground group. "We have told them that we don't have money. We are scarifying for our job only and for the achievement of our player. We are giving our effort to bring up our player to national and international level. Besides, they are demanding high amount," said, a sports official. Sport stadiums and playgrounds, were empty. At a time, when the state players are preparing for next year's Asian games and Commonwealth Game, the sudden break in practice has been a big blow not only to the players but also for the state. "We are fighting for the future. We want to do some good for our state and for the country. We are practicing day and night. We don't have any option," said one of the players. Another player added, "We have been affected a lot. Our daily playing session has been disturbed due to the demand by some groups." Last month, sports person and officials in Manipur also came out on the streets to protest against the harassment meted out by the underground groups. In the absence of large scale industries and adequate employment avenues, sports are the only area where talented youngsters find a living. For Manipuris, sports are a means to socio economic upliftment, but the act as brakes on the ambitions and growth of the young generation. "If I don't pay the demand, I am not secure. As long as I pay the demand, I am secure," a player, said. Manipur is a hub of sporting talents. Take any football club in the country and you will find five or six players who are Manipuris. The state today has the largest number of medal holders as the last two National games have proved. This strength in sports has come despite a lack of proper infrastructure. It's the sheer zest for the game and a desire to change their socio economic lives, that drive Manipuris but the underground groups want to put an end to this march to progress. (ANI)

We want both nuclear deal and UPA govt: Cong

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 22 (ANI) : The Congress party on Monday said that it wants to save the government as well as to get the civilian nuclear deal with the US materialise, and efforts are on in this regard. “We want both,” quipped Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi when asked whether the party was ready to save the coalition by sacrificing the deal.This comes amidst rising political temperatures in the national capital after UPA convened an emergency meeting where an ‘embarrassed’ Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reportedly hinted to resign from the office because of the prospects of retreating back from the Indo-US nuclear deal in the wake of Left’s opposition over the bilateral agreement.The Congress party today also criticised the Left Front Government in West Bengal over the scam in its Public Distribution Scheme (PDS) that has raised the banner of revolt in several districts of the State, as angry villagers are going on a rampage and looting the food grain warehouses. Criticising the State Government for not fulfilling the basic needs of common people in the State, the Congress spokesperson said, “Food grain availability is the paramount need of poor people.”The party today also dismissed reports of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation. Singh, who had said that the failure of operationalising the deal would not mean the end of the day as his party was not a single-issue government and had several other agendas to fulfil, had earlier stated that he was still hopeful of the deal.Meanwhile, Left leaders are also meeting ahead of their with talks with the UPA government and speculations are rife that today’s meet could be the last one.CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury had expressed his hope that the meeting would be the last one with CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan making it clear that during Monday’s meeting the UPA government should officially state that the nuclear deal has been put on hold.As the October month is coming to an end, the deadline for getting a safeguard agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is also drawing near that has led to an assessment that the bilateral agreement could be difficult to operationalise as steps like amendment in the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group’s charter and the passing of the 123-agreement by the Congress would follow only after that.The civilian nuclear cooperation deal aims to lift a three-decade ban on sales of US nuclear fuel and reactors to India, which was imposed after it conducted a nuclear test in 1974 while staying out of non-proliferation agreements.The Left Front, which provides crucial support to the government from outside, has been opposing the deal and the situation between UPA and Left reached a nadir, sparking the prospect of snap elections. (ANI)

Kamal Nath for economic ties

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.22 (ANI): Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath today called for increasing the pace of economic engagement between small and medium enterprises based in Minnesota and in India, and for establishing people-to-people contacts for achieving greater cooperation. India being a large importer and having a huge work force with an increasing manufacturing base offering vertical linkages offers an ideal platform for Minnesotan firms to establish business-to-business contacts in the country. He was speaking after welcoming Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and his business delegation.Nath highlighted the increasing opportunities for business contacts available in various Indian states, which offer tremendous potential to SMEs based in Minnesota. The increasing commercial engagements would lead to greater people to people contact, the Minister observed. The Minnesota Governor articulated the interest of Minnesota based corporates in seeking greater Indian expertise for research in different sectors of manufacturing and engineering. This is the first-ever visit by a Minnesota Governor to India. Informing that it is one of the bigger and more economically vibrant states in US, Pawlenty stated that there is tremendous potential for our bilateral, commercial and economic relations. Pawlenty left for New Delhi last Wednesday at the head of a 73-member trade delegation to bolster bilateral commercial ties with the country. The aim of the mission is to provide a means for Minnesota business leaders to explore opportunities in India and promote increased exports to India and to develop and expand strategic relationships with key India and United States organisations. The delegation will travel to New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai from October 20 to October 27, for a series of market and industry presentations, networking events, roundtable discussions and one-on-one business events with potential Indian customers, distributors and partners. In each of these cities there will be an evening networking reception in honor of the Governor that will be attended by local government and business leaders.According to Tony Lorusso, executive director of Minnesota Trade Office, "Our interest in India is multifaceted. We are interested in India because it is the fastest growing country globally. There are fewer economies that are growing at 9 per cent GDP growth in recent years and obviously that kind of growth obviously turns into many opportunities from which Minnesota can benefit."Lorusso was quoted by rediff.com as saying that "There is also a pro-western environment that favors US firms we think and then India has a such a huge young population and these are some of the reasons we are looking at India."The website quoted Pawlenty as also saying that his mission will stop in China to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Minnesota's sister-state agreement with Shaanxi Province. During the visit to Shanghai, Pawlenty will visit China's only Best Buy store, where he will present computer equipment donated by the company to a school in Minnesota's sister-province. He will participate in an opening ceremony at the Shanghai Best Buy, the company's first store in China and their largest store in the world. Asked about investment in infrastructure, one of India's top priorities, Lorusso was quoted as saying that Minnesotan companies are absolutely interested in environmental projects or airport projects. "There are several companies in the environmental sector that are going in this mission. They have a lot of interest in the infrastructure sector in India as well," he said.Minnesota sent a small delegation to India ten years ago led by a commissioner. Although since then there has been no trade mission to India, there has been good bilateral trade.Minnesota's exports to India in the last ten years or so has increased 370 per cent and that compares to a 145 per cent for US growth to India. Indian-owned companies in Minnesota include Suzlon [ Get Quote] Wind Energy Corporation in Pipestone, Patni Computer Systems [Get Quote ], Inc., Wipro Ltd [ Get Quote], and Natural Stone Inc. Suzlon has been ranked as the fifth-leading wind turbine manufacturer in the world and its wind turbines are used at 12 wind park sites in southwestern Minnesota. Minnesota Trade Office noted that India's gross domestic product grew an average 7 per cent per year between 1994 and 2004 and recently has tracked at nearly 9 per cent. U.S. manufactured exports to India reached $6.8 billion in 2005, an increase of 111 per cent since 2000. Minnesota's manufactured exports to India grew 208 per cent to $85 million over the same period. "India's middle class is 300 million people and growing by 5 per cent per year. That's a huge segment of the population that has increasingly more money to spend on consumer goods," Lorusso said.The promising sectors include computers and electronics, machinery, medical products, biotechnology, and food processing. In addition, Indian companies have ambitious plans for expanding and diversifying manufacturing activities, particularly in the automobile, auto parts, metals, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and electronics industries, creating opportunities for Minnesota suppliers. Among those who are accompanying the delegation include Senator Satveer Chaudhary and Gopal Khanna. The delegation with meet with the Confederation of Indian Industry as well as Wipro leadership.Governor Pawlenty is accompanied by Minnesota's First Lady Mary Pawlenty. In addition to participating in business events on the mission, the First Lady will also devote her time to raise awareness of humanitarian and social causes in which Minnesotans are involved. Some of the programs involve providing hope to Indian orphans, training and resources for the disabled, and advancing healthcare for children. (ANI)

Bhopal tense after vandalization of Ambedkar statue

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
Bhopal, Oct 22 (ANI): Tension has gripped Bhopal after a statue of Bhim Rao Ambedkar was vandalised in the Bagh Mughalia area.The residents of the area held one Bhola Ram Ahirawaar responsible for the damage to the statue and attacked his home and even set it on fire.They alleged that Bhola Ram attacked the statue in a drunken state of mind.Police had to resort to baton charge to stop the people from pelting stones on Bhola Ram. Eight policemen and four people were injured in the baton charge.Bhola Ram and his family were rescued by the police.Police have registered a case against 400 people, while Bhola Ram has been arrested. (ANI)

Manmohan disappointed over nuke deal politics

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 22 (ANI): Just hours before the fifth meeting of the UPA-Left committee on Indo-US nuclear deal, whose convenor is External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, top leaders of the coalition government met today amidst report that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has expressed his disappointment over the politics being played over the bilateral agreement. Singh reportedly told his UPA partners that he was embarrassed by the prospect of retreating back on the deal which was passed by the Union Cabinet. Reports indicate that the Prime Minister has hinted at resigning from the office, since he does not want to lead a ‘lame-duck’ government after succumbing to Left’s opposition to the deal. Peeved by remarks of some coalition partners like Rashtriya Janata Dal, Nationalist Congress Party and Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK), where they had stated that nuclear deal was not an important an issue to put the government’s stability at stake, Singh has reportedly asked the coalition partners to give their final stand on the issue.During his return from South Africa, last week, Singh had told reporters that the deal was passed by the Cabinet where representatives of the coalition partners had already given their assent to it."This agreement (123-agreement) was approved by the Cabinet. So where is the question of the UPA going back on it?" Singh had said. However, the Congress today dismissed reports of Manmohan Singh’s resignation and also said that the UPA partners had not expressed their reservation over the deal.“They (UPA leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sharad Pawar and M Karunanidhi) have never said that,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters. Singh, who had said that the failure of operationalising the deal would not mean the end of the day as his party was not a single-issue government and had several other agendas to fulfil, had earlier stated that he was still hopeful of the deal.Meanwhile, Left leaders are also meeting ahead of their with talks with the UPA government and speculations are rife that today’s meet could be the last one.CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury had expressed his hope that the meeting would be the last one with CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan making it clear that during Monday’s meeting the UPA government should officially state that the nuclear deal has been put on hold.As the October month is coming to an end, the deadline for getting a safeguard agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is also drawing near that has led to an assessment that the bilateral agreement could be difficult to operationalise as steps like amendment in the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group’s charter and the passing of the 123-agreement by the Congress would follow only after that.The civilian nuclear cooperation deal aims to lift a three-decade ban on sales of US nuclear fuel and reactors to India, which was imposed after it conducted a nuclear test in 1974 while staying out of non-proliferation agreements.The Left Front, which provides crucial support to the government from outside, has been opposing the deal and the situation between UPA and Left reached a nadir, sparking the prospect of snap elections. (ANI)

Over 2486 lakh telephone subscribers in India

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.22 (ANI): The expansion of the telecom sector was further consolidated with an increase of 76.52 lakh in the number of telecom subscribers during the month of September 2007. As a result, the total number of telephones in the country is more than 2486.69 lakh, as compared to 1700 lakh as on September 2006. The GSM segment has shown an increase of 59.22 lakh during the month of September 2007, the CDMA segment of 18.84 lakh while the fixed segment continued to decline, with a decrease of 1.54 lakh during the month.The overall teledensity improved further to 21.85% in September 2007 as compared to 15.12% as on September 30, 2006. In the GSM segment, Tamilnadu and Gujarat telecom circles added more than five lakh subscribers during September 2007.In the CDMA segment, Maharashtra circle added more than two lakh subscribers during the period. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu and Uttar Pradesh(East) telecom circles have added more than five lakh subscribers each. The growth of broadband connections improved further and at the end of August 2007, about 25.15 lakh broadband connections were provided and coverage of broadband connectivity by public sector service providers has reached 1077 cities. Further, the total number of existing ISP licencees is 372. Under Bharat Nirman Programme, 686 VPTs were provided in the month of September 2007. Thus, out of the targeted 66,822 villages, a total of 50,520 villages have been provided with VPTs till September 2007. A total of 3551 VPTs have been provided in this financial year. (ANI)

Mid-Day meal scheme extended to upper primary

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.22 (ANI): The Mid Day meal scheme has been extended by the Government to the Upper Primary Stage of Education (classes VI to VIII) in 3479 Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) in 2007-08 and areas across the country from 2008-09. The extension to the Upper Primary Stage in EBBs has already become effective from October 01, 2007. About 1.7 crore children at upper primary will be covered. The Government of India has released the Central assistance to the respective States for extension of Mid-Day Meal programme to upper primary stage. A sum of Rs.7324 Crores was provided in the Budget 2007-08 for the MDM Programme, representing a 37 percent increase over the budget provision for 2006-07. The Expenditure as on 30-09-2007 is Rs.2231.12 Crores (30 percent of BE) including Rs. 422.94 crores towards cooking cost for upper primary stage. In addition, 3,22,785 MTs of food grain has been allocated to States/UTs for extension of coverage to upper primary stage. The calorific value of the mid day meal has been fixed for upper primary at 700 calories and 20 grams of protein. Foodgrains @ 150 grams per child/ school day for the upper primary stage would be provided. The cooking cost of mid day meal for upper primary stage at Rs 2.50 per child/school day with the NER States contribution being a minimum of Rs 0.20 per child/school day and for all other States and UTs, the State contribution being Rs 0.50 per child/school day. Transport Subsidy has been enhanced for eleven Special Category States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand) from Rs. 100 per quintal to Rs. 125 per quintal. The Central assistance to construct kitchen-cum-store in upper primary schools would be provided @ Rs 60,000 per unit, as in the case of primary stage besides, Central assistance for kitchen devices to upper primary schools would be @ Rs 5,000 per school as in the case of primary stage.The name of Scheme has been changed from ‘National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education’ to ‘National Programme of Mid Day Meals in Schools’. (ANI)

Reward for info on Ludhiana blast accused

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
Ludhiana, October 22 (ANI): The Punjab Police has announced a reward of Rs one lakh for giving information about the person behind the Shingar Cinema blast in Ludhiana.Deputy Inspector General of Police (Ludhiana Range) Ishwar Singh said that the name of the person giving the information will be kept a secret. ‘The information should be given to SSP or SP (Detective) Ludhiana,’ Singh added. At least six people were killed and 16 others were injured in the blast that took place on October 14 in the auditorium of the cinema hall. The blast occurred when Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tiwari’s film 'Janam Janam Ka Saath' was being screened. The explosion occurred at 8.30 p.m. when close to 500 people were watching the evening show that began at 8.00 p. m. According to eyewitnesses, a loud explosion was heard near the front stall of the auditorium and that the number of toll would increase. The blast coincided with the Eid festival leading to widespread chaos. (ANI)

Rajasthan’s ‘Donkey Fair’ no longer charms

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
Kanota (Jaipur), Oct.22 (ANI): Rajasthan’s popular “Donkey Fair”, which is known to attract villagers and tourists every year, is no longer a major attraction. The number of donkeys normally sold during the fair has dropped to a hundred from thousands that were sold previously, and old-timers blame the use of modern implements for this. The fair that at Kanota, which is about 25 kilometres from Jaipur, is believed to be Asia’s biggest. "We used to come here with our old animals, sell them and buy new ones, But this time, there are very few animals, I guess, I will have to go back with my old animal and continue with it only," said Shankar Lal, a donkey owner.The sharp decline has left locals sceptical about the fair’s future. The fair used to fascinate villagers and customers from Agra, Marwah, Jaisalmer, Ladakh and Kashmir. But now, it has been reduced to a village event due to the lack of buyers.Babulal, who earlier had a donkey sold it at the fair, and today takes pride in the fact that he owns a horse. "Who uses donkeys these days? I use a horse. Nobody prefers donkeys. People feel embarrassed," claims Babulal.Locals also lament the apathy shown by the State tourism department.Earlier, donkey was regarded as the most suitable beast of burden in rural India. But with the advent of better roads and cheap transport, the donkeys have been virtually driven off the roads. Some donkey traders rue the use of tractors and motor vehicles.The decrease in the demand for donkeys in the brick-manufacturing units in the past few years has also affected the sale of donkeys at the fair. Though provisions to attract crowds are made in different ways, the craze for the fair is going. The fair also offers prizes to people who bring the largest number of donkeys or the best breed variety. This apart, donkeys and horses are made to participate in a race. The owner of the winning donkeys or horses is given a cash reward of between rupees 500 to Rs. 10,000. Normally, there are two types of donkey breeds brought to this fair ---Kathiyawadi and Marwari, of which the Marwari breed is priced higher. As the demand for the donkeys is less now, a large number of horses are also being brought here for sale.Horses are sought by the Army and the paramilitary forces. They are also in demand in farm houses. The Donkey Fair is held also as a celebration in respect of the Goddess Khalkani. According to the folklore, Chanda Meena, a brave landlord, had rescued a princess in distress. She, in turn, accepted him as her brother. The princess had a notorious son named Malay Singh. Chanda Meena wanted to teach him. He once asked Malay Singh to take a donkey laden with a bagful of gold coins for the ruler of Delhi. As he reached the temple of Goddess Khalkani, his greed got the better of him. When he opened the bag, he found stones instead of coins.A disturbed and nervous Malay Singh, thinking he would be held responsible for the disappearance of the coins, worshipped the goddess at the temple. The stones turned into gold coins. Since then, the donkey fair is organised to commemorate this miracle. (ANI)

Racism controversy hyped by media: Yuvraj

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
Mumbai, Oct 22 (ANI): Cricketer Yuvraj Singh has said that the racial controversy surrounding the recently concluded one-day series between India and Australia was unnecessarily hyped up by the media. "You (media) are the ones who built up the racial issue. You played up the controversy by spicing up whatever happened. Otherwise this would never have reached such a situation. You people have competition amongst yourselves. Now, when we go to Australia, obviously home support will be more. But I am against racial abuse. Every player is against it. This should not happen," said Singh. A racism row targeting Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds has marred the recently concluded one-day series. Cricket board brass of the two countries has condemned racism in the sport, saying there is no place for it in the game on or off the field. Andrew Symonds was reportedly racially abused by spectators during a one-day international in Baroda last week and the Australian team, especially Symonds, was booed by spectators in the seventh and final one-day match in Mumbai onOctober 17. Police in Mumbai charged four Indian cricket fans the very next day with harassment and misbehaviour. They will have to appear in a city court for making monkey gestures against Symonds. While India lost the seven match series to Australia, they won the one-off Twenty20 international on October 20. Yuvraj said the cricketers would take a much-needed break after playing consecutively for five months. "We have been playing regularly for five months now, so you can say that practice is going on. But we have got a break now. We will use it well and rest up. And then, we will assemble again in Kolkata for the Guwahati match,” he said. The team will now play with Pakistan in a five-match one-day series, starting inGuwahati on November 5. (ANI)

ONGC-Mittal JV acquires 30 pc in exploration bloc

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.22 (ANI): ONGC Mittal Energy Ltd. (OMEL), a joint venture between ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL) and Mittal Investment Sarl (MIS), has acquired 30 percent Participating Interest (PI) in an exploratory Block 11-12, Offshore Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea. Covering an area of 5663 square km, the block is located close to discovered and producing fields, and contains a number of prospects with significant reserve potential. Discoveries have been made in adjoining areas such as Ashrafi and Karabakh.The block was earlier awarded by the Government of Turkmenistan to Maersk Oil, in December, 2002. The consortium now comprises of OMEL with 30 percent Participating Interest (PI); Wintershall, a German company with 34 percent PI and Maersk Oil, a Denmark company with 36 percent PI. Earlier, Wintershall and Maersk had acquired seismic data and drilled one exploratory well in the block. The well had provided indications of hydrocarbons. Another well is planned to be drilled by the new consortium during 2008.Turkmenistan block is the fourth asset of OMEL. OMEL had earlier acquired interest in a producing asset in Syria, currently producing about 130,000 barrels per day of oil. OMEL was also awarded two highly prospective blocks in Nigerian deepwater – OPL 279, in which OMEL has 40 percent PI and OPL 285 in which OMEL has 60 percent PI; other partners being TOTAL, the French oil major and EMO, a local Nigerian company. OMEL is pursuing hydrocarbon assets in certain other countries also, some of which are in an advanced stage of negotiations. OMEL’s constituent Mittal Investment Sarl (MIS) is owned by Steel baron L.N.Mittal.Both the promoter groups expressed satisfaction at the evolving growth of OMEL and stated that the investment in Turkmenistan shall open up in new opportunities for growth of OMEL in this hydrocarbon rich country.The Chairman of ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL), R S Sharma, said that OVL is the growth vehicle of the ONGC Group and this exploration block in Turkmenistan is a significant milestone in that growth path. (ANI)

Fifth UPA-Left meet on Indo-US N-deal today

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 22 (ANI): A crucial meeting between the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the Left parties will be held here today in an attempt to end the impasse over the much-touted Indo-US civilian nuclear cooperation agreement.Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury yesterday said that concerns expressed by the Left Front needed to be met before arriving at a consensus on the contentious civilian nuclear deal."Monday's meeting may not be the last meeting," he said. "Till the meetings are over and till our concerns are taken on board, we expect the government not to proceed (in operationalisation of the deal)," he said.He also said that the Left parties expect the government to respond to issues raised by them regarding impact of the deal on India's foreign policy and security concerns, at the meeting. He said that the UPA-Left panel is expected to come out with its findings on the nuclear deal after Diwali.The UPA-Left Committee set up to look into the concerns expressed by the Communist leaders on the nuclear deal held its last meeting on October 9. CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan also asked the government to clear its stand on the deal. His remarks came in the wake of a statement made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the bilateral deal was very much alive and a consensus was needed to be built over it."We do not know what exactly the UPA representatives will tell us. But we expect them to clearly say that deal is off or that it has been put on hold," Bardhan said. (ANI)He said that the Left's stand was clear and the UPA must make its stand clear on the issue."If the government feels that it is not a one-issue government, then it should not make it (the nuclear deal) the sole issue for deciding its fate," he said. According to some Left leaders, as of now, consensus has not been made on even a single point. The Central Government has committed to take into consideration the findings of the committee.Earlier, some of the UPA coalition partners, particularly the Sharad Pawar led NCP, Lalu Yadav's RJD and M Karunanidhi led DMK had expressed their reservations about the deal after the Left's opposition to the nuclear agreement reached its zenith, leading to speculation that the Communists may withdraw their support to the Central Government.Congress party president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said recently at a rally in Haryana that those opposing the deal "were not only against the Congress, but also against the development of the country."However, at an interaction at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, she indicated that the Congress was unwilling to sacrifice the government for the deal. During the same summit, the Prime Minister also said that the failure to carry the deal through would not be "the end of life" even though it would be a disappointment.The Left has been insisting that the deal would make India subservient to US interests and asked the Centre not to go ahead with the 'operationalisation' of the deal.They have also asked the Congress-led UPA Government not to go ahead with the talks for the India-specific agreement with the IAEA that are needed for the operationalisation of the Indo-US nuclear deal. Last week, US President George Bush called up Manmohan Singh and discussed the Indo-US nuclear agreement.The Prime Minister also explained to Bush that certain difficulties have arisen with respect to the operationalisation of the bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement. (ANI)

Hearing in Dera chief's case today

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
Ambala, Oct 22 (ANI): A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court will today hear a case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, who has been accused of sexual assault and murder. Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sought cancellation of interim bail to Singh, alleging that the sect chief was threatening the witnesses. In an application filed before Special CBI Judge R K Saini, the investigating agency also demanded that no regular bail be granted to Dera Chief as he pressurise the witnesses.The defence counsel, however, said that allegations against his client were not true. The Dera chief is accused of two murders -- that of a driver and a journalist -- besides a case of sexual harassment of a woman disciple.The CBI has transferred all the three cases against the Dera chief to a session court. The CBI had filed a chargesheet on July 31, accusing him of murdering sect manager, Ranjit Singh, and a Sirsa-based journalist, Ram Chander Chatterpatti, and for the alleged rape of a Sadhavi. Two accused, Inder Sain and Avtar Singh were discharged in the Chatterpatti murder case on a defence plea that the duo had not been named as accused by the CBI in the chargesheet. Three others -- Kishan Lal, Kuldip Singh and Nirmal Singh have been facing charges of conspiracy and murder. Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh has been charged under Section 120-B (Conspiracy) in connection with the case relating to the murder of Ranjit Singh. The other accused are Kishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, Sabdil, Avtar Singh and Inder Singh, booked under Section 302 (Murder). Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh is the lone accused under Section 376 (Rape) in connection with the alleged rape of a Sadhavi. A case was also registered against him following a complaint by a Bathinda resident, who accused Ram Raheem Singh of hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs by donning the attire of the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh. (ANI)

Monday's meet on N-deal may not be the last: Yechury

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
Bangalore, Oct 21(ANI): Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury on Sunday said concerns expressed by the Left Front need to be met before arriving to a consensus on the contentious Indo-US nuclear deal.His statement comes a day before the crucial meeting between the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the Left parties on the nuclear deal."Monday's meeting may not be the last meeting," Yechury told reporters."Till the meetings are over and till our concerns are taken on board, we expect the government not to proceed (in operationalisation of the deal)," he said.The Left parties expect the government to respond to issues raised by them regarding impact of the deal on India's foreign policy and security concerns, at the meeting, Yechury said.He said that the UPA-Left panel is expected to come out with its findings on the nuclear deal after Diwali.The Left parties understand that the findings of the committee will be taken into account before the government proceeds with the operationalisation of the 123- Agreement, Yechury said.The UPA-Left Committee set up to look into the concerns expressed by the Communist leaders on the nuclear deal held its last meeting on October 9. On Saturday, Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary A B Bardhan asked the government to clear its stand on the deal. His remarks came in the wake of a statement made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the bilateral deal was very much alive and a consensus was needed to be built over it."We do not know what exactly the UPA representatives will tell us. But we expect them to clearly say that deal is off or that it has been put on hold," Bardhan said. (ANI)

Chidambaram to begin 3 day visit to Norway

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 21 (ANI): Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram will leave on a three-day visit to Norway on October 23 to hold bilateral discussions focusing on economic ties.Chidambaram, who will be accompanied by a business delegation, will hold bilateral discussions with his Norwegian counterpart Kristin Halvorsen.The two ministers are likely to discuss wide ranging issues of mutual interest particularly related to strengthening of bilateral economic ties in areas such as Information Technology, food processing, hydrocarbons, fisheries, shipping and ship building, hydro-electricity, tunneling and environment. Chidambaram is also likely to call for policy changes by the Norwegian Government in order to facilitate investments in India from the corpus of the Pension Fund-Global (PFG).The Norwegian Minister for International Development, Erik Solheim will call on Chidambaram for bilateral discussions on issues related to Bilateral Development Co-operation.Chidambaram will also meet the Governor of the Norges Bank, the Central Bank of Norway.Norway's Pension Fund-Global, which has a huge corpus of more than 350 billion dollars is being managed by the Investment Management (NBIM) division of the Norges Bank. NBIM is currently registered with SEBI in India and has started investments in India from July 2005 and as per SEBI, the purchase value of Norges Bank investments in India on October 4, 2007 was Rs. 2107 cores (533 million dollars).While GPF-G investment in India has crossed half a billion dollar mark in two years time from its registration with SEBI in June, 2005, the figure is only 0.15 percent of the total corpus of GPF-G. Chidambaram's meeting with the Norges Bank Governor is significant in this context.Chidambaram will also attend an Investment Promotion Symposium, which is being organised by business and trade associations of Norway to help promote bilateral investments.He will also visit the prestigious Noble Institute at Oslo, where he will deliver a keynote address on "India's Socio-Economic Agenda: Development with Democracy", besides he will visit the Norwegian School of Management BI at Oslo, which is Europe's largest private business school, and will deliver an address on "India's emergence as an economic power: Road traveled and the way forward".An IT outsourcing event is also being organised keeping in view India's strength in this sector, which is likely to be attended by Norwegian business houses and also representatives from the India IT industry. Chidambaram will also attend this event. (ANI)

UPA and Left leaders are Ravanas

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 21 (ANI): Activists belonging to Shiv Sena on Sunday burnt effigies of UPA and Left leaders, which were decorated as Ravanas, to register their protest against the controversial Sethusamudram Ship Canal project.They burnt effigies of the leaders of the Congress coinciding with the Dussehra festival, when effigies of demon King Ravana are burnt.Activists shouted slogans and held banners accusing the leaders of insulting Lord Ram.The Hindu groups have been upset with the Central Government's statement before the Supreme Court on the project, saying that Ramayana is no proof of the existence of Lord Ram. But the Congress party led ruling coalition backtracked on the 'affidavit' the next day and sought three months time from the apex court to file an amended one, following threats of nationwide protests by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).Pictures of the faces of Sonia Gandhi and other leaders were pasted on the effigies.Jaibhagwan Goel, chief of north India faction of Shiv Sena, demanded an apology from the leaders."We are protesting against (Congress party President) Sonia Gandhi, (Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh, (Union Law minister) Hansraj Bhardwaj, (Union Culture Minister) Ambika Soni, (Tamil Nadu Chief Minister) Karunanidhi, (Union Shipping and Transport Minister) T R Balu and (General-Secretary of Communist Party of India-Marxist) Prakash Karat," Goel said."Today we are burning their effigies in place of Ravana on the tenth day of the festival, to give the message to the people," he said.Hindu groups have been opposing the 560 million dollar project, saying it would destroy the 'holy' Ram Sethu, a 48-kilometre chain of limestone shoals that once linked Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu to Mannar in Sri Lanka.According to the Central Government, research has shown that the Ram Setu was a series of sand shoals created by sedimentation, but according to Hindus the narrow link, also known as Adam's Bridge, was built by Lord Rama. The Sethusamudram Project will dredge a channel in a narrow strip of sea between India and Sri Lanka, reducing distances and cutting costs for freight traffic for ships moving from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. Dredging for the project began in 2005, and the channel -- 12 metres deep, 300 metres wide and almost 90 km long -- will provide a crucial link between the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar once completed. (ANI)

Prayers to Sai Baba on his Mahasamadhi Day

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 21 (ANI): Thousands of devotees paid their homage today at the shrines dedicated to Sai Baba, to mark the seers' Mahasamadhi Day (the day of eternal salvation).The Sai Baba died in October 18, 1918, and his body was laid in the tomb at Shirdi.This day is celebrated with fervour in India and abroad. New Delhi being the main center of faith holds a special importance."The Mahasamadhi Day of Sai Baba is celebrated in a big way not only in Delhi but also in Shirdi, the birth place of Sai Baba, who attained samadhi (salvation) there on October 18, 1918,'' said T K Ramaswamy, President, Shri Sai Bhakta Samaj.According to legend, a nameless pauper took shelter in a mosque but never asked for food, or water and hardly spoke. Villagers took pity on the feeble and sparsely clothed man and donated fruits and clothes. But to their surprise the "Saint" shared the offerings with destitute and even animals.Soon "Sai" and "Baba", both words became synonymous with the saint's name.The saint, who is widely revered, preached his principle of love and faith irrespective of caste and creed.It is believed that no devotee visiting the shrine of Sai Baba has ever returned empty handed. (ANI)

As Ravanas burnt, Goddess Durga leaves for heavenly abode

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi/Kolkata/Agartala, Oct 21 (ANI): As sun went down, fireworks lit Delhi sky with the burning of effigies of demon King Ravana, symbolizing the victory of good over evil on Dusshera.Effigies of demon King Ravana and his brothers- Kumbhakaran and Meghnath were burnt with actors dressed as Hindu Gods Rama, Laxmana and Hanumana marching the grounds, depicting the famous mythical battle. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi were present at one such ceremony in the national capital, which was held at the historic Ramlila ground.Priyanka Gandhi was also present along with her kids at the ceremony. Dusshera marks the end of the nine-day long Navratri festival. The day signifies the victory of Lord Rama over demon king Ravana, who had kidnapped Rama's wife Goddess Sita.The day also was celebrated as Vijay Dashmi, the last day of the ten-day long Durga Puja. The festival, which is celebrated with fervour and zeal mostly in eastern part of the country, today came to an end with the immersion of idols of Goddess Durga in rivers, ponds and other water bodies. The ten-day long festival also symbolizes the victory of good over evil as the goddess kills the demon Mahisasura, according to Hindu mythology.Bengalis, for whom the celebration of the festival is part of their culture and time to meet their near and dear ones, consider that the Goddess Durga comes on earth during this time and on Vijay Dashmi she leaves for her heavenly abode.From afternoon devotees started gathering along the makeshift camps (pandals), where idols were kept for the last ten days, for the immersion ceremony.Married ladies, including mothers, wives and daughters with their faces smeared with vermilion joined together to bid adieu to the Goddess. They applied vermilion on each other, praying for the well being of their better halves, asking the Goddess for her blessings, seeking prosperity, health, wealth and peace.In Agartala, where the festival is celebrated with pomp and fervour, people danced around in the rhythm of the dhakis (drummers) playing the dhak (traditional drum) with their maximum strength bidding the Mother Goddess farewell. Vijay Dashami, as the day is known, is a mixture of joy and sadness as it marks the end of the puja but with better hope for the coming year. "We prayed that Goddess Durga should grace her earthly abode again next year. The festivities bring us closer and for this year were ending. It is a moment of happiness for all of us here and at the same time we are sad that the puja is ending," said Reba Chakraboty, a devotee.The Durga Puja rituals start with Bodhan, the invocation of goddess Durga on the first day, and ends with 'Sindoor khela,' the ritual where married women put vermilion on each other before the immersion march of the Goddess Durga begins. (ANI)

NRIs dream of making Punjab an IT hub

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
Amritsar, Oct 21 (ANI): Jasvir Gill, co-founder of Start-up Farms International Inc. (SUFI), dreams of making Punjab as an educational and IT hub by vastly improving the situation in rural areas.Gill, a software engineer, migrated to the US from Punjab in 1988. In 1980s there was a scarcity of jobs for IT professionals in India, said Gill, adding that on the other hand, America was leading in the IT race with more employment opportunities and the placement system was also favourable. "If you are hard working and display good business ethics, success will be at your doorstep," said Gill.Jasvir was the CEO and co-founder of Virsa Systems, before its acquisition by a German Software major SAP.Gill aspires to train youths of Punjab in Information Technology."So that one day even they may be able to set up companies like Virsa and become the CEOs of software companies," he said.Besides, Gill is providing funds to a girls' college founded by his father in a Punjab village. The college provides education to girls, whose parents cannot afford the expense of sending their children to cities for higher studies.He has handpicked 20 such institutions in Punjab, which are in need of financial assistance. (ANI)

Nagas up for Feb 2008 State Assembly poll

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
Kohima, Oct 21 (ANI): Election to Nagaland Assembly is still four months away, but the people of the State are excited. They have already started assessing parties on the basis of their past performances.Nagaland, once known to be the hub of insurgency and violence, today is recognised as a success story of democracy. Political parties -- both regional and national -- vie for space to woo the people.More than 10 political parties are in the fray in the tiny State with just 60 Assembly seats. The ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) is a coalition of more than eight political parties, with Nagaland People's Front (NPF) being its major constituent.NPF State Secretary K G Kenya said: "Regionalism and regional party in Nagaland is of immense importance. We will continue to educate people. I am sure in future also it will hold importance to people."Xavier, a local journalist, said: "Nagaland is marching towards a multi-corner contest, where national parties like Congress, BJP, NCP, RJD and the local parties, including Nagaland People's Front and some Independent parties may contest in upcoming February 2008 election."Hopkheto Sumi, the President of the Pradesh Congress Committee said the grassroots preparations have already started for the poll.Besides Congress, the mainstream political parties like, the BJP and the JD(U) have made their presence felt in Nagaland.V. Victor, state BJP Secretary, said: "We will work for peace in Nagaland, so that youth and the people can live in peace."People vouch for democracy and want all the problems to be solved through dialogue and through people's participation.Vibilie Seyie, project co-coordinator of a business firm, said: "Democracy is the best form because only through it the voice of the people can be heard. For the development, peace is required and only non-violent methods can achieve it." (ANI)

Mona Suri 's assailants remain unidentified

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 21 (ANI): Mona Suri, a resident of South Delhi, has died due to multiple-organ failure in a hospital here, where she was admitted with 80 percent burns on August 12. She passed away late on Saturday night as her condition deteriorated.She was hospitalised after two unidentified men tried to burn her alive at her Greater Kailash-II residence, but police have not been able to identify her assailants till date. On August 12, the assailants came to her house on a motorbike and rang the doorbell. When Mona came out to open the door, they poured kerosene on her and threw a lighted matchstick leaving her burning. Mona, 35, had alleged that Rachna, a colleague of her husband, Naveen might be behind the attack. Mona had alleged that Rachna was having an affair with her husband and had also tried to kill her earlier.Based on the statement, police registered a case against Rachna.Mona Suri's brother Taranjeet Bawa, dissatisfied with the investigation by Delhi police into the case has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. Police had earlier questioned Rachna, but found no incriminating evidence linking her to the heinous incident. (ANI)

Ludhiana tribute to Shringar blast victims

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
Ludhiana, Oct 21 (ANI): The people of Ludhiana paid tribute to those who were killed in a blast that took place inside a cinema hall here on October 14, claiming six lives. Locals carried placards and shouted anti-terrorism slogans in a peace march on Saturday to condemn the blast. "Among us, there are Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians, and we are all like brothers. We condemn this bomb blast," said Mansoor Ansari, a demonstrator. Meanwhile, the residents here also performed a fire ritual in memory of the blast victims and for peace and harmony. The ritual was organised at the cinema hall, the site where the blast occurred, before the opening of the first show at the theatre. At least six people were killed and 16 others were injured in the blast that took place on October 14 in the auditorium of the cinema hall. Located in the heart of the city, close to 500 people were watching the evening show at the hall. The blast occurred when Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tiwari’s film 'Janam Janam Ka Saath' was being screened. Tiwari has announced that he would hand over an interim relief of Rs 25,000 to the families of those dead. “Monetary help for the injured will be decided only after I visit them and ascertain the extent of help required,'' he said. (ANI)

Durga Puja in Kashmir Valley

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
Srinagar, Oct 21 (ANI): Army personnel, who are deputed at Srinagar, celebrated Durga Puja here, and marked the festivities in a manner akin to the ten-day long festival being celebrated in Kolkata. At Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar, special arrangements were made for the Durga Puja with Army personnel of various ranks visiting the Durga Puja Pandal (makeshift temple) showcasing their devotion. This Durga Puja Pandal attracts attention for various aspects. The colourfully decorated Pandal has been illuminated with various fancy lights. A priest from Kolkata was especially brought here to conduct the rituals in praise of Goddess Durga. "I have come from West Bengal to celebrate Durga Puja, here. I was overwhelmed to see the enthusiasm of the people in the Cantonment area for the festival," said Ashu Bandan, a priest. To generate a feeling of being in Kolkata during Durga Puja, Dhakis or drummers from West Bengal have been brought here for the celebrations at Badami Bagh Cantonment. With so much to enjoy this Durga Puja, the ladies belonging Army families are elated to enjoy the festival with religious fervour and merriment. "Everybody has been celebrating Durga Puja with much fun and unity here. I am glad to be a part of the celebrations," said Ramei, one of the housewives. Hundreds of other devotees, apart from the Army personnel, have visited this Pandal in the last few days to pay their obeisance to the Goddess Durga, the deity worshipped during the festival. "Such festival celebrations boost up our morale. We get a feeling of concord and peace. I wish that the Goddess blesses all of us with the strength to work harder for the development of our nation," said Major Vinay of Indian Army. Durga festival infuses a feeling of unity among masses. Hence, it is a factor closely associated with the State's peace and prosperity. "The Puja is similar to the one I have back there in Assam. I am delighted to be a part of it. I pray for peace and prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir," said R. K. Dutta, one of the soldiers. Moreover, a variety of entertainment programmes are being organised at the venue. (ANI)

Gwalior museum offers insight into Hindu Goddesses

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
Gwalior, Oct.21 (ANI): A visit to Gujri Palace Museum around Durga Puja and Navratri festival has an unusual significance in Gwalior. Located inside the 15th century Gujri Mahal, the museum boasts of rare and ancient collection of statues of Hindu Goddesses. The treasured statutes captivate attention, especially of art lovers and scholars, due to its rich artistry. The antique idols, dating back to a period between 7th to 16th centuries, have been carved in Balua sand stones and red stones. Besides their historical and archaeological importance, the statues give an insight into the faith and mode of worshipping Goddess in the bygone age. Archaeologists discovered these idols and statues during excavation at various sites. "We can say that these ancient sculptures have been made by the people with the feeling of religious integrity. Today, the people are practising it in the society. We have no idea as to who sculpted it. But he must have had the feeling of faith in Goddess during ancient time. And, this tradition is still going on in our country and people are worshipping that Goddess as “NavaDurga”," said L. B. Singh, an archaeologist at the Gujri Mahal Museum, Gwalior. Today, hundreds of tourists and research scholars visit this museum to see the sculptures. Some of the major attractive sculptures include the idols of Mahishasur Mardhini, believed to be of 12th century, Goddess Chamundeshwari, sculpted in 8th century, Goddess Vighnantak that is made of eight metals and excavated in Nepal and others. Another remarkable statue is that of the tree Goddess Shalbhanjika from Gyraspur. It has an all absorbing values due to one of the finest applications of miniature. Though the statue has not been put on public display, one can have a close look after a special request made to the curator of the museum. Gujri Mahal is a monument that marked the love of Raja Mansingh for his Gujr queen, Mrignayani. He proved his ideals by marrying "Mrignayni" who belonged to a backward caste.The Mahal is at the base of Gwalior Fort that now houses the Archaeological Museum. (ANI)

Crucial UPA-Left meet on Indo-US nuke deal

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 21 (ANI): The crucial meeting between the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the Left parties will take place here on Monday to end the impasse over the much-touted Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation agreement.The UPA-Left Committee set up to look into the concerns expressed by the Communist leaders on the nuclear deal held its last meeting on October 9. Yesterday, Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary A B Bardhan asked the government to clear its stand on the deal. His remarks came in the wake of a statement made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the bilateral deal was very much alive and a consensus was needed to be built over it."We do not know what exactly the UPA representatives will tell us. But we expect them to clearly say that deal is off or that it has been put on hold," Bardhan said.The CPI leader also said that the Left’s stand was clear and the UPA must make its stand clear on the issue."As far as we are concerned, our stand is clear. We think the government has also to some extent realised it. The allies have also realised it. Therefore, they were compelled to say that it is not a one-issue government," Bardhan said."If the government feels that it is not a one-issue government, then it should not make it (the nuclear deal) the sole issue for deciding its fate," he added.According to some Left leaders, as of now, consensus has not been made on even a single point. The Central Government has committed to take into consideration the findings of the committee.Earlier, some of the UPA coalition partners, particularly the Sharad Pawar led NCP, Lalu Yadav's RJD and M Karunanidhi led DMK had expressed their reservations about the deal after the Left's opposition to the nuclear agreement reached its zenith, leading to speculation that the Communists may withdraw their support to the Central Government.Congress party president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said recently at a rally in Haryana that those opposing the deal "were not only against the Congress, but also against the development of the country."However, at an interaction at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, she indicated that the Congress was unwilling to sacrifice the government for the deal. During the same summit, the Prime Minister also said that the failure to carry the deal through would not be "the end of life" even though it would be a disappointment.The Left has been insisting that the deal would make India subservient to US interests and asked the Centre not to go ahead with the 'operationalisation' of the deal.They have also asked the Congress-led UPA Government not to go ahead with the talks for the India-specific agreement with the IAEA that are needed for the operationalisation of the Indo-US nuclear deal. Last week, US President George Bush called up Manmohan Singh and discussed the Indo-US nuclear agreement.The Prime Minister also explained to Bush that certain difficulties have arisen with respect to the operationalisation of the bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement. (ANI)

Ponting for “different” approach in T20 format

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
Mumbai, Oct 21 (ANI): After having failed to impress much in the shortest version of cricket, Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has said that his team needs to change its game plan in the Twenty20 format. "I think we have to all be aware of that and to make sure that in the next Twenty20 event we go into, we try a little bit different. We try more dynamic sort of stuff that you have to encounter in this game," Ponting told reporters after the seven-wicket defeat at the hands of India her at the Brabourne Stadium. Pointing out that any mistake made in T20 games can be “magnified very quickly,” Ponting said the team made too many faults giving the game to India. “As you saw tonight…getting the first ball spelled off a no ball and the next ball too I think called it a deep square leg he tried it for a six…So, little things like that you can't afford to happen in the game. Who knows had we got (Gautam) Gambhir right then it might have been a different game. But we made the mistake and we paid the price," he said. He also said that Australia looked forward to playing more matches against this younger generation of Indian cricketers. Gambhir scored a half-century to power India to a seven-wicket victory over the visiting Australian team in a one-off Twenty20 international. The left-handed opener cracked 63 and shared two useful partnerships to help the hosts, the World Champions in this form of the game, achieve the target of 167 with 11 balls to spare. Lauding the innings of Gambhir and Robin Uthappa, Indian captain Mahendra Dhoni said that the youngsters like them have matured, and they were playing sensibly. “I think in Twenty20 we are using more head than in the 50 overs game. They are batting really well and aggressive,” Dhoni said. Meanwhile, a bevy of Bollywood stars, including Shah Rukh Khan and Sunil Shetty with their wives Gauri and Mana, and actress Deepika Padukone, were present for the match to cheer on the Indian team. Padukone said the national team played excellently. "Congratulations, and I think he's (Dhoni) done a good job leading the team…I think Gambhir played well," she said. Padukone rebuffed speculations that she was specially invited to the match by the Indian skipper. "No, I am here as any spectator and I was here to cheer the team," she said. (ANI)

Advani writes to PM

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 21 (ANI): Senior BJP leader and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, LK Advani, has written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to bring his attention to the “growing unrest among the paddy growers across the country, particularly in the southern states.” Advani said in the letter dated October 20 that the paddy farmers were agitated over the new Minimum Support Price (MSP) fixed by the Centre, which has no relation to the cost of cultivation. An added cause for their unrest is the widespread feeling that the UPA government is discriminating between paddy growers vis-à-vis the wheat growers, he claimed. “It is reported that the CACP (Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices) has recommended an MSP of Rs. 1,000 per quintal for wheat in the coming season. Paddy growers, however, will get Rs.645 per quintal for the common variety and Rs.675 per quintal for the A grade. These are only slightly higher compared to the MSP of Rs.620 and Rs.650 respectively in the previous season,” Advani wrote. He said that many representatives of farmers’ organizations have approached him to say that the MSP for paddy is way below the cost of cultivation, which, according to them, is about Rs.950- Rs.1000 per quintal. This is due to the steep hike in recent years in the cost of all the inputs – power, irrigation, transportation, fertilizers, pesticides and labour. Appreciating the hike in the MSP for wheat, Advani, however, said the government must address the concerns of paddy growers. “I learn that several state governments have brought this issue to the notice of your government. I, therefore, urge you to take urgent steps to declare a hike in the MSP for paddy to Rs. 1,000 for the current procurement season,” he said. The letter also mentioned about “certain important issues” concerning sugarcane growers in Andhra Pradesh. (ANI)

Delhi Deputy Mayor Bajwa dies

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 21 (ANI): The Deputy Mayor of Delhi, S S Bajwa, who was badly injured after falling from the terrace of his house following an attack by monkeys, died in hospital on Sunday. The 52-year-old Corporator from Anand Vihar ward succumbed to the head injuries. He is survived by a wife and a son. Bajwa was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Apollo hospital on Saturday with multiple injuries, but he could not survive as his condition deteriorated on Sunday morning, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Delhi President Harsh Vardhan said. Bajwa was elected to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for the first time in April this year. In past, the Delhi High Court has on many occasions directed the civic body to contain monkey menace in the city. (ANI)

2nd Indo-Pak Anti-Terrorism Mechanism meet

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 21 (ANI): The second round of India-Pakistan talks on the Joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism (JATM) will be held here on Monday, during which Islamabad is expected to raise the issue of Samjhauta Express blast inquiry report.External Affairs Ministry Additional Secretary (International Organisation) KC Singh will lead the Indian delegation at the meeting, while Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry Additional Secretary (UN and EC) Khalid Aziz Babar will lead his side.The JATM was constituted after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf met on September 16, 2006, on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Havana, to put in place a joint anti-terrorism institutional mechanism to identify and implement counter-terrorism initiatives and investigations. India and Pakistan had agreed to exchange information about terrorism with an aim of tracking down the culprits of the past attacks and prevent incidents in future. In March this year, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had rubbished Islamabad's demand, after the first meeting of the mechanism on March 6-7, that violence in Jammu and Kashmir could not be covered under the JATM as the state was 'disputed'.Meanwhile, a meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Home Ministers will also be held here on October 25 to discuss terrorism, money laundering, drug and human trafficking. Prior to this meeting, police chiefs from SAARC countries will meet on October 23. (ANI)

Bobby Jindal first Indian-origin US Gov.

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
Washington, Oct 21 (ANI): Bobby Jindal, Republican US Representative, was on Saturday, elected as the Governor of Louisiana, in the process becoming the first Indian-American to lead a US State. Jindal, 36, the Oxford-educated son of Indian immigrants, won 53 per cent votes with his nearest competitor Democrat Walter Boasso who could procure only 18 per cent of votes. Independent John Georges received14 per cent and Democrat Foster Campbell garnered 13 per cent of the votes. Jindal has become the state’s first non-white governor since Reconstruction and the nation's youngest governor in office upon taking oath in January. “My mom and dad came to this country in pursuit of the American Dream, and guess what happened? They found the American Dream to be alive and well right here in Louisiana,” a foreign news agency quoted Jindal as saying in his victory speech. The race for the post of the Governor is said to be one of the highest spending in Louisiana’s history. Jindal alone raised 11 million dollars, and Georges poured about 10 million dollars of his personal wealth into his campaign, while Boasso spent around five million dollars. Incidentally, in 2003, Jindal garnered 48 per cent of the vote, but still lost to Democrat Kathleen Blanco. Blanco ended her re-election bid earlier this year after being sharply criticised for sluggish response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. (ANI)

Delhi to host 4th Intnl Confon Federalism

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 21 (ANI): India, which will host the fourth International Conference on Federalism in the first week of November, is all set to take and give suggestions on the issue to the participating countries. The country, being run by a coalition government, will share its experience on the Federal Government structure with other nations at the three-day conference to be held here from November 5. This conference is the fourth in a series organized in partnership between host governments and the Forum of Federations. The earlier conferences were held in Canada 1999, Switzerland 2002 and Belgium 2005. It envisages promoting dialogue on the renewal and development of federalism and greater cooperation among practitioners in pursuit of better or good governance. The participants include practitioners of federal democracy – at all levels – including those heading Federal Governments – Presidents, Prime Ministers, Chancellors; to those heading constituent units – Premiers, Chief Ministers; and those representing federal practice at the grassroots – leaders of village or town governments. Besides, scholars, experts, administrators and social activists dedicated to federalism also take part in the conference. All participants collectively engage in the process of sharing ideas, experiences and drawing inspiration from one another. The conference, titled ‘Unity in Diversity – learning from each other,’ is based on four broad themes and twelve sub-themes. Each of these is developed by a panel of Indian and international experts. These papers have been peer reviewed at a Pre-Conference from February 21 to 23, 2007, before being published as background reading for the conference. Participation confirmation has been received from Chairman, Council of Ministers, Bosnia-Herzegovina, President of Comoros, Prime Minister of Ethopia, Prime Minister of St. Kitts &and Nevis, and President of Switzerland. International invitees include Cabinet level Ministers, Provincial Heads, State level Ministers, Diplomats, Administrators, members of Judiciary, former Ministers, Civil Servants and representatives of International Organizations. National Invitees include the Vice President, Lok Sabha Speaker, Central Cabinet Ministers, Secretaries to the Government of India, Governors, Chief Ministers, Leaders of national political parties, Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries of Departments concerned in the States among others. Congress party president and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker House of Representatives, USA, Hillary Clinton and Rona Ambrose, Minister of Inter-Governmental Affairs, Canada, former US Vice president and Nobel laureate Al Gore, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and many other eminent personalities have also been invited at the conference. (ANI)

Nation celebrates Dussehra with full fervour

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 21 (ANI): Dussehra, a celebration of the triumph of good over evil, is being celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety across the country today. A tight security arrangement has been made for the festival in the wake of recent terror attacks in some parts of the country. Meanwhile, President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have greeted fellow citizens on the occasion of Dussehra. In her message, Patil said: “On the auspicious occasion of Dussehra, I send my greetings and good wishes to all my fellow citizens in India and abroad.” “May peace, goodwill and prosperity abound in the country and may we all work for the unity and well being of our nation," she added. Manmohan Singh in his message said that Vijayadashmi is a festival amass the length and breadth of the country, which signifies the triumph of good over evil. “It is an occasion to foster goodness within and to radiate peace and harmony. “May the festivals of Dussehra and Durga Puja bring health, happiness and prosperity to all,” the Prime Minister added. According to Hindu mythology, the ten-headed Ravana abducted Sita, Lord Ram's consort. Ram went to war with Ravana to release his wife from captivity and killed the demon-king, his son Meghnad and brother Kumbhkarna. Ram's victory over Ravana is described as the triumph of good over evil and is celebrated every year as Dussehra. Dussehra is also interpreted as "Dasa-Hara", which means the slaying of the ten heads of Ravana, denoting abdication of ten vices --passion, pride, anger, greed, infatuation, lust, hatred, jealousy, selfishness and crookedness. (ANI)

Sonia expresses concerns to Benazir

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 20 (ANI): Congress President Sonia Gandhi spoke to former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto over telephone, and expressed her concern over the Thursday night's suicide attack on her homecoming procession. Expressing her deep anguish over the incident that left close to 140 people dead, Sonia told Benazir, "The cult of hatred and violence has to be eradicated with unity of purpose by everyone concerned.""The Congress President felt that forces of terror and violence possess great potential threat to democracy and civilised society," Congress leader M Veerappa Moily said. Sonia said she was relieved that Bhutto and her family members had a miraculous escape in the attack and wished her well.On Friday night, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also spoken to Bhutto and wished her well. (ANI)

LexisNexis CEO denies laptop theft allegations

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 20 (ANI): Andy Prozes, CEO of LexisNexis, has denied his company's involvement in the recent theft of two laptop computers detailing personal information about commercial drivers in the US, who transport hazardous material.Two laptop computers, with detailed personal information about commercial drivers across the US who transport hazardous materials had been reported as "missing and considered stolen" recently.The laptops belonged to a contractor working for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in Washington.They contained the names, addresses, birthdays, commercial driver's license numbers and, in some cases, Social Security numbers of as many as 3,930 people, as mentioned in an October 12 letter from TSA to lawmakers.A report in the Washington Post had named LexisNexis as the main contractor for the TSA program called the Hazardous Materials Endorsement Threat Assessment. It collects information for security-clearance purposes for any driver who transports hazardous material.LexisNexis is a leading provider of information and services solutions catering to a wide range of professionals in the legal, risk management, corporate, government, law enforcement, accounting and academic markets.Speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview in New Delhi on Friday, Prozes said the newspaper in question, the Washington Post, had also carried a corrected version later. "Those were not LexisNexis computers. That's not correct. That story was corrected. It had nothing to do with LexisNexis. We were not the contractors," said Prozes.Whilst Prozes denied any involvement in the theft of these two laptops, he clarified that such 'mishaps' had occurred with LexisNexis before this."So I don't want to say that our record is absolutely without mishaps, because we have had mishaps. But on that particular occasion, I can tell you that that story in the final edition of the Washington Post was corrected. And LexisNexis is not involved in that," he added.Earlier this year, TSA lost a computer hard drive with sensitive bank and payroll data for over 100,000 employees. (ANI)

Foreigners dance to Garba tune in Indore

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
Indore (MP), Oct 20 (ANI): Dozens of foreigners performed the traditional Indian folk dance, Garba, in Indore city during the ongoing 'Navratri' festival.More than 50 foreign tourists participated in the 'dandiya dance' or the traditional dance with sticks.The colourful dance form, the beautiful costumes and foot tapping music enthralled the foreigners, who were visibly excited and happy."It is amazing. It is so nice and the costumes are the best. Like when we danced in South Africa, we did not have extravagant and colourful costumes like these and I felt like an Indian princess wearing them; it is very interesting and I have learnt a few steps," said Mary, a South African tourist.The visiting foreigners could not stay untouched by the ongoing festive fervour across the country and participated with zest in the traditional celebrations."I enjoyed it a lot. I tried my best but sometimes I got the beat wrong but it was lots of fun. I like dandiya very much and the colours, the clothes and the different culture," added James, another South African tourist.The foreigners danced till the wee hours on Friday night and wanted to come back next year for the puja celebrations again.'Dandiya' and 'Garba', traditional dance forms of India are a special attraction of the 'Durga Puja' celebrations.The dancers usually wear colourful, traditional outfits and dance the Garba to foot tapping music. And then there is the clash of 'dandiya' sticks to the beats of the music. The 'Navratri' festival, which literally means 'nine nights', is celebrated twice a year. It is believed that the festival is in honour of the nine manifestations of Hindu goddess Durga and falls in the months of April-May and September-October.According to the Hindu almanac, the commencement of 'Navratri' marks the conclusion of 'Pitr Paksha' or the fortnight of ancestors and heralds 'Devi Paksha' or the fortnight-long festival of Hindu goddess Durga. (ANI)

Thousands protest in Kashmir

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
Kupwara (J and K), Oct 20 (ANI): Thousands of locals took to streets on Saturday protesting against the killing of a teacher allegedly by army personnel in Kupwara district.Abdul Rashid Mir was allegedly shot down after he objected to army personnel's harassment of women, who were accompanying him. The incident allegedly took place when the deceased was passing through the Rawatpora forest. After the bullet-ridden body was recovered, thousands of protestors came out on to the streets shouting slogans against army personnel. They also pelted stones at the army personnel."We want accountability from the army. The guilty must be punished according to the provisions of law", said Ghulam Mohamd Mir, father of the victim.The protestors torched an army vehicle as well as a vehicle belonging to the executive magistrate in Rawatpora village in Kupwara district.Meanwhile, the Army has initiated an investigation in to the matter. Mohd. Tariq, an army personnel has been detained. Police is also conducting an independent trial into the matter. (ANI)

Hearing in Sauda chief's case extended

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
Ambala, Oct 20 (ANI): A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court today deferred the hearing in the case, in which Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh has been accused of sexual assault and murder, till October 22. Earlier, the court had extended the interim bail given to the sect chief till October 20.The Dera chief is accused of two murders -- that of a driver and a journalist -- besides a case of sexual harassment of a woman disciple.Rajan Gupta, special advocate of the CBI, said the prosecution opposed the bail plea of Guru Ram Rahim Singh on the grounds that witnesses would not be able to depose before the court fearlessly."The accused Baba Gurmeet Singh should not be given bail till the trial is going on because it is our contention that there is a threat that witnesses will not be able to depose fearlessly. So he should be confined to judicial custody during the pendancy of the trial. It is our basic intention in all the three cases - under 302, for the murder and rape as well," said Gupta.The defence counsel, however, said that allegations against his client were not true. "When we have not threatened the witnesses in five years while the CBI has been carrying out its investigations and has also filed a charge sheet, then this accusation by the CBI that we are trying to intimidate the witnesses is just a means for them to admit any kind of document in the court," said S.K. Garg Nirvana, defence counsel.The CBI has transferred all the three cases against the Dera chief to a session court. The CBI had filed a chargesheet on July 31, accusing him of murdering sect manager, Ranjit Singh, and a Sirsa-based journalist, Ram Chander Chatterpatti, and for the alleged rape of a Sadhavi. Two accused, Inder Sain and Avtar Singh were discharged in the Chatterpatti murder case on a defence plea that the duo had not been named as accused by the CBI in the chargesheet. Three others -- Kishan Lal, Kuldip Singh and Nirmal Singh have been facing charges of conspiracy and murder. Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh has been charged under Section 120-B (Conspiracy) in connection with the case relating to the murder of Ranjit Singh. The other accused are Kishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, Sabdil, Avtar Singh and Inder Singh, booked under Section 302 (Murder). Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh is the lone accused under Section 376 (Rape) in connection with the alleged rape of a Sadhavi. A case was also registered against him following a complaint by a Bathinda resident, who accused Ram Raheem Singh of hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs by donning the attire of the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh. (ANI)

Government retains EPF interest at 8.5 pc

Monday, October 22, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 20 (ANI): The Union Government on Saturday approved the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Board’s decision to retain the EPF rate of interest for the year 2006-07 as 8.5 percent.The EPF Central Board of Trustees, which met on July 23 to consider the proposal for determination of rate of interest payable to the members for the year 2006-07, had agreed to continue paying 8.5 percent interest rate.The EPF Scheme requires that the interest shall be credited to the account of each member at such a rate as determined by the Central Government in consultation with the EPF Central Board of Trustees.“All the RPFCs (Regional Provident Fund Commissioners) have been instructed to immediately give effect to the above and issue annual statement of accounts for the year 2006 at the earliest possible time,” a release from the Labour and Employment Ministry said today. (ANI)

Court to hear Dera chief case today

Saturday, October 20, 2007 | MP
Ambala, Oct 20 (ANI): A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court will today hear a case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, who is accused of sexual assault and murder. Earlier, a court had extended the bail of Singh till October 20 in two cases of murder and one count of rape. The court had refused Singh's plea for regular bail on grounds that the Dera chief was not present at the hearing on October 15. Defence lawyer, however, had stated that Singh was not needed be present. "The order of the High Court is very clear, it is not necessary for him to be present during the hearing of this bail application. As and when required the court will call him. The judge is satisfied that it wasn't necessary for him to come," said, Jasmair Chand, Defence counsel. The CBI has transferred all the three cases against the Dera chief to a session court. The CBI had filed a chargesheet on July 31, accusing him of murdering sect manager, Ranjit Singh, and a Sirsa-based journalist, Ram Chander Chatterpatti, and for the alleged rape of a Sadhavi. Two accused, Inder Sain and Avtar Singh were discharged in the Chatterpatti murder case on a defence plea that the duo had not been named as accused by the CBI in the chargesheet. Three others -- Kishan Lal, Kuldip Singh and Nirmal Singh have been facing charges of conspiracy and murder. Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh has been charged under Section 120-B (Conspiracy) in connection with the case relating to the murder of Ranjit Singh. The other accused are Kishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, Sabdil, Avtar Singh and Inder Singh, booked under Section 302 (Murder). Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh is the lone accused under Section 376 (Rape) in connection with the alleged rape of a Sadhavi. A case was also registered against him following a complaint by a Bathinda resident, who accused Ram Raheem Singh of hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs by donning the attire of the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh. (ANI)

Prez, VP greet nation on Durga Puja, Dussehra

Saturday, October 20, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 19 (ANI): President Pratibha Patil today greeted fellow citizens on the occasion of Durga Puja, which is being celebrated across the country.In her message, Patil said, "On the auspicious occasion of Durga Puja, I extend my warm wishes to everyone for their success, happiness and prosperity.""The Durga Puja celebration symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. Let this occasion inspire us to dedicate ourselves to all causes that are good and noble and work for the betterment of humanity at large," said Patil.Vice President Hamid Ansari in his greetings on the joyous occasion of Dussehra, which will be celebrated on Sunday with religious fervour and enthusiasm, said the festival celebrates the epic victory of the forces of good over evil. "The mood of jubilation is reflected in the festivities. This festival reaffirms our faith in all that is good, noble and virtuous in life and promotes the feeling of harmony in the society," Ansari said. "The festival fill our lives with peace, prosperity, and harmony and unite us all in a common brotherhood of all humanity," he said. (ANI)

Advise spokespersons to maintain mental balance: Cong

Saturday, October 20, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 19 (ANI): Reacting to the Bharatiya Janata Party's criticism of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Congress party on Friday said the BJP leadership should "advise their spokespersons and representatives to maintain their mental balance,""He is the Prime Minister of the country and at some level, the Prime Minister represents every citizen of the country, and any responsible person should think twice before using such language," AICC General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters here. Dwivedi's remarks were in response to the BJP terming the Prime Minister's critical comments about the party "desperate rattling" of a "much weakened" leader.BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad had said: "The tirade by the Prime Minister against the BJP is not only condemnable but outrageous. It is a desperate rattling of a Prime Minister who is much weakened and who does not enjoy authority in the Cabinet, backing of his party and supporting parties." Prasad said the Prime Minister has "lost his mental balance" when he terms Agra summit as a "fiasco" as the talks were unsuccessful because of the Vajpayee government's "determined stand" that there will not be any compromise on cross-border terrorism.Speaking to reporters on his way home from the IBSA Summit in South Africa on Thursday, while rejecting the BJP demand for his resignation over the setback to the Indo-US nuclear deal, Singh said that the BJP was "least qualified to talk about our moral right to govern" since it was in power when the Gujarat "holocaust" took place, when the Agra Indo-Pak summit ended in a fiasco, and was "sleeping" when the Pakistanis intruded into Kargil. (ANI)

Pay attention to girl child’s education: Prez

Saturday, October 20, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 19 (ANI): President Pratibha Devisingh Patil today urged a group of women and girls from Jammu and Kashmir to spread the message of the importance of education of the girl child. Interacting with a group of 34 women and girls at Rashtrapati Bhavan from the districts of Rajouri, Doda and Poonch who are currently on a visit to Delhi, Ajmer and Jaipur under the Indian Army's 'Operation Sadbhavana,' Patil emphasized the need to educate the girl child. "The education of the girl child is as important as the education of the boy child," she said while appealing to them to spread this message when they return to their homes after their visit to Delhi. During the interaction with the President, the group said they were very happy with the work being done by the army for them in their districts, and also are happy that the tour has given them an opportunity to travel outside their district and state, to see the development and progress that has taken place in the country. Patil was very keen to know from the group what professions they were pursuing. They told her that some of them are involved in agriculture while others have taken up tailoring and stitching for which the army has helped them. The President said the women in the group were brave, as they have been facing up to terrorism, and urged them to help the army in its efforts to fight terrorism in the state. The ladies will be felicitated by various army formations en route to instill a feeling of belongingness and unity. The women and girls are in the age group of 18 to 50 years. The group arrived in the capital today. The theme of the tour is, "Nari Shakti Shanti Path Par". Two lady officers of the army are leading the group. (ANI)

PM congratulates Pachauri

Saturday, October 20, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 19 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has congratulated the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and its Chairman Dr. R.K.Pachauri on winning the Noble Prize for Peace for the year 2007. In his message, Singh said that it is a matter of great delight and honour to know that the IPCC headed by Indian environmentalist Dr. R.K. Pachauri has won the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with former US Vice President Al Gore. “It is a historic moment for Dr. Pachauri and India. Never before has a UN body headed by an Indian been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This exceptional honour is recognition of the extraordinary work of Dr. Pachauri and his team at IPCC,” he said. “They have done yeoman service in awakening our consciousness about the dangers of global warming and the measures that need to be taken urgently to address the serious challenges posed by it,” Singh added. The Prime Minister said the award is a “big boost” to the efforts of Dr. Pachauri and his team of scientists, climate experts and economists to carry forward their work, which would eventually promote the welfare of mankind. “I have great pleasure in extending my hearty congratulations to Dr. Pachauri, his Panel and all those associated with this effort for being recognized for their efforts through the prestigious Nobel Prize. I am sure that it will encourage them to work with renewed vigour towards a more sustainable future,” he added. (ANI)

PM writes to Musharraf, Benazir

Saturday, October 20, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 19 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today wrote messages to Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf and former premier Benazir Bhutto, condemning Thursday night’s blasts that claimed close to 140 lives and injured hundreds of others. Singh conveyed his condolences on the loss of lives. He also condemned terrorism and extremism in all its forms. At least 139 people were killed, including three police officers, and over 550 were injured late on Thursday night as suspected suicide bombers tried to attack Benazir's convoy on her return to the country after eight-year self-imposed exile. Two explosions went off a minute apart shortly after midnight near Karsaz close to the vehicle Bhutto was travelling in, at the head of a procession of hundreds of thousands of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) supporters who had flooded the streets of Karachi to welcome her. The attack reportedly bore the hallmarks of al Qaeda and resembled assassination attempts by militants linked to the terrorist network on President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in recent years. A state of high alert has been declared in Karachi. Schools and colleges will remain closed in the city. A medical emergency has been declared at the Jinnah and the Civil Hospitals here. Traffic was thin on the roads of Karachi on Friday, as a majority of the people decided to remain indoors. (ANI)

Rs.250-crore Master Plan for Amritsar

Saturday, October 20, 2007 | MP
Amritsar, Oct 19 (ANI): To ensure planed and regulated growth of Amritsar, the Punjab Government has decided to prepare a Rs.250-crore comprehensive master plan for its cohesive development with class infrastructure in terms of road connectivity, drinking water, sewerage facility and uninterrupted power supply. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held here today under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal with the local MLAs and the Members of Parliament at Circuit House. Badal said the master plan would be completed within six months, adding that out of Rs. 250 crore, the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board would release a sum of Rs.100 crore within a day or two. The Chief Minister further said that the sole objective for preparing this master plan of Amritsar was to check the haphazard and unregulated growth for the want of perspective plan. He underscored the need that the development schemes and projects in the city would be executed only after the finalization of the blue print. Badal asked the Local Government department to seek the expertise of the renowned consultants from world over in the field of architectural planning to finalize the master plan in a meaningful and result-oriented manner by floating global tenders, keeping in view the long perspective of at least 100 years. Badal pointed out that Guru Nanak Dev Hospital would be developed as a world-class health care institution with ultra-modern super specialties. He said the eminent consultants in the field of hospital infrastructure had been engaged for the facelift of the hospital and soon it would emerge as one of the leading health care institutions of India. Referring to the setting up of skilled development upgrading centres to impart skilled training to the urban and semi urban youth of Amritsar, it was decided in the meeting that one crore rupees would be released out of Skilled Development Institution (SDI) fund by the Centre. He directed the local Deputy Commissioner to tie up with Department of Employment Generation for the implementation of the project expeditiously. Badal categorically said that the master plan of Rs.250 crore sanctioned for the development of the city in the today’s meeting was in addition to the city development plan approved for Rs.3150 crore under Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewable Mission (JNURM). He also asked the district administration to ensure the completion of elevated road project to Sri Darbar Sahib within the stipulated time schedule. The Chief Minister also directed the Mayor and Deputy Commissioner to find a suitable location in the city to set up a press club thereby conceding the long pending demand of journalist fraternity. Badal announced to grant of Rs.10 lakh for the construction of the press club. Cricketer-turned-politician and local MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was present at the meeting, also announced a grant of 15 lakh from MPLAD for the press club. On the master plan, Sidhu said it should be implemented in such a way that the contacts for the construction of various projects under the integrated development plan be awarded to the construction companies of repute with a proven track of experience and calibre. Prominent amongst others who attended the meeting included Health and Family Welfare Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Raminder Singh Bularia, Dr. Dalbir Singh Verka, Manjinder Singh Kang, Malkiat Singh, Anil Joshi (all MLAs), Mayor Sawet Malik and Senior Deputy Mayor Ajaybir Pal Singh Randhawa. (ANI)

India, Pak to continue nuclear CBMs talks

Saturday, October 20, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 19 (ANI): India and Pakistan on Friday agreed to meet in Islamabad next year to carry forward the dialogue and the process of confidence building in the nuclear and missile area. The decision was taken at the fifth round of India-Pakistan expert-level talks on nuclear and missiles related CBMs held here today. The day-long discussions focused on a review of the implementation of existing agreements on CBMs and on disarmament and non-proliferation related issues of mutual interest in multilateral forums as provided for in the Lahore Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of 1999. The talks, begun in June 2004 as part of the Composite Dialogue process, were held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere, an External Affairs Ministry release said. K. C. Singh, Additional Secretary (International Organizations), Ministry of External Affairs, led the Indian side at the talks, while the Pakistani delegation was led by Khalid Aziz Babar, Additional Secretary (UN&EC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Singh and Babar will also lead their respective sides at the Second Round of the Joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism (JATM) to be held here on October 22. Discussions in the Second Meeting of Joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism will follow the mandate given to the group when it was constituted after the meeting of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf in Havana on September 16, 2006, and the first meeting of the Joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism held in Islamabad in March this year. (ANI)

Ponting expects an entertaining T-20 match

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
Mumbai, Oct 19 (ANI): Having bagged the seven-match one-day series comprehensively, Australian captain Ricky Ponting said on Friday that he expects an entertaining Twenty-20 match against India here tomorrow. "It is a very beautiful ground. The wicket looks pretty good. I expect to have a good and entertaining twenty-twenty game of cricket',” Ponting said on the eve of the match to be played at the Brabourne Stadium. The Australian captain further said that the playing eleven would be finalised tomorrow morning. "We have got bowlers who can adapt and adjust to any conditions. We leave it until tomorrow to finalise our side. A few guys have got a touch of flu and they have not done trying (net practice) today. We will wait and see before we finalise our team in the morning", he said. Australia, returning after a six-month break, were beaten by the eventual winners India in the semi-finals of the Twenty-20 World Cup in South Africa last month. (ANI)

Don't break the news while breaking news: Azad

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
Srinagar, Oct 19 (ANI): Media, especially the TV channels, should not "break the news" while breaking news, says Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.Taking a dig at the media in his inaugural address at the All India Social Editors' conference on infrastructure issues here, Azad said: "In the name of breaking news one should not break the news.""Breaking news has become a fashion. If a wife does not serve tea to her husband, it suddenly becomes breaking news," Daily Excelsior quoted Azad as saying.Azad observed that the projection of only negative news was sending a wrong picture about the country across the world."If one reads a newspaper or switches on to a news channel one gets to read and see only negative news like murders, family discord and arson as if the entire country was on fire," he said, adding that positive news takes a back seat.He claimed that during the Congress-led UPA Government, an all- round progress was being attempted in rural and urban development, which does not find a mention in any television channel.Observing that media definitely is the fourth estate of the democracy and the right of expression is enshrined in the Constitution, Azad expressed the problems of the government in disseminating information about the achievements of the Government. He said: "I wonder do we need to hire an external agency to promote the good work done by the Government.""Is it not the responsibility of the media?" he asked.Azad asked the media to promote the development as well as be a critic wherever the Government does anything wrong, adding that "Negative news is not the only news."Major development projects that are directly connected with the welfare of the masses are either missed out or not adequately reported by print and electronic media, he pointed out. (ANI)

Myanmarese women seek Sonia’s support

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 19 (ANI): Myanmarese women, based in India, staged a demonstration opposite Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s house here today demanding India’s intervention to restore democracy in Myanmar.They have submitted a letter to Sonia Gandhi seeking her support for the pro-democracy movement in Myanmar.Myanmar military government had cracked down last month on the biggest pro-democracy protests seen in the last 20 years resulting in the death of 10 demonstrators, although many diplomats say the number might have been higher. 'Women's League of Burma' activists carried posters and raised slogans, as they demonstrated outside Sonia’s residence.Neng Boi, an activist of the Women's League of Burma, said their protest was against the “covert support” being extended by New Delhi to Myanmarese junta.“Indian officials can be seen shaking hands with the General (Senior General Than Shwe, who is the country's top military leader and heads the SPDC, the body of 12 senior generals that runs the country). We deplore this,” Boi said.India shares a 1,645-km (1,000-mile) border on its east with Myanmar.India and China, both bordering Myanmar are seen as having some influence over the military junta.The official media said nearly 3,000 people had been arrested since the army ended the protests earlier this month; and all but 468 were released.There has been no word yet of the secret trials conducted in Yangon, where soldiers raided more than 20 monasteries, taking most of the monks into custody, in the early stages of the crackdown.The junta's night raids continue despite United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari efforts to stop them. Gambari is now touring Asia trying to drum up support for a united front to persuade the military government to talk to the opposition and end the raids.He even made a plea on Monday, but the same day the New Light of Myanmar, the junta's main mouthpiece, declared that the Generals would not be persuaded to drop their policies.On Tuesday, relatives said five members of the detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy were jailed for up to seven-and-a-half years. (ANI)

Call for "Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award"

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
Reno (USA), Oct.19 (ANI): The claim for giving the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award of India to prominent chaplain and Indo-American leader Rajan Zed is picking up. Now, the police chief of Reno has joined various other organizations and individuals in demanding Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award for Rajan Zed, who recited the historic first prayer from ancient Indian scriptures in the US Senate a few months back. These organizations have been highlighting Zed's work for promoting ancient Indian heritage and culture abroad, interfaith dialogue, and peace; restoring a sense of belonging and self-esteem among Indians; and his services to the sick/hospitalized and other community. The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards are the highest honor for Indians settled abroad and shall be presented on January nine next by President of India in New Delhi at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the annual conclave of the Indian diaspora. Michael Poehlman, Reno's police chief, in a letter to the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, has strongly recommended Zed for the award, saying, "Mr. Rajan Zed has helped bring communities together in order to promote compassion, cooperation, community service, and partnership through interfaith dialogue. He studied and worked with different spiritual traditions from the vantage point of respect, accuracy and appreciation. He believes that by working with other people of different traditions than one's own, one gets the opportunity to refine and appreciate one's own tradition and belief. With his cooperative and positive interaction with people of different religious traditions/faiths, he derives a common ground in belief through a concentration on similarities between faiths". Talking about Rajan Zed's service for the community, Poehlman further stated, "Moreover, he helps the sick in various hospitals of northwestern Nevada and adjoining California by volunteering as a chaplain. He serves on Reno Police Chief Advisory Board and on the Board of Directors of various other prestigious organizations and never hesitates to help in social/community issues…" "It is an honor to put his name forward for your distinguished award," Poehlman added.The Nevada Clergy Association, Prayer and Peace Circle, India Heritage Panel, and various other organizations and individuals have already demanded Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award for Zed. Besides the US Senate, Rajan Zed read the historic first prayer from ancient Indian Sanskrit scriptures in California State Senate, Nevada State Senate and Nevada State Assembly in the past few months and is very active in interfaith dialogue in the region. In a remarkable interfaith gesture, Zed recently addressed the congregation of Unity Church of Today, Annual Ramadan Dialogue and Friendship Dinner of Sierra Foundation, and Unitarian Universalist church. He has been invited to address Annual Conference of Catholic Diocese in January next. (ANI)

23 foreign bikers tour Himachal

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
Dharamsala, Oct 19 (ANI): A group of 23 bikers, including participants from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, are touring Himachal Pradesh and Uttarkahand to discover the adventure potential of these two hill states.The 'Discover India' rally will cover a distance of 1000 kilometres over eight days.Navigating winding hill roads on 'Enfield Bullets', the bikers started from Amritsar in Punjab. On Thursday, they journeyed from the picturesque hill town of Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh.V K Garg, the organiser of the rally, said its objective is to promote adventure tourism in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand."They (the bikers) will see the hills and what kind of facilities are available for tourists. They will also explore potential for river rafting, water sports and paragliding," said Garg.The impression that they would carry back with them would help in promoting tourism in these states, he added.Letitia Harvey, an Australian biker, said: "When I go home I will tell people they must come here. Its an indescribable experience."Andy Reid, another participant, said: "It's been fantastic learning and seeing different cultures."The rally will culminate in Uttarakhand's Haridwar city.With their panorama of temples, rivers and barren mountain peaks, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have been pitching aggressively to tap the vast potential of adventure sports.Analysts, however, say Indian tourism suffers mainly from poor marketing and its inability to exploit the potential of the country's snow-clad Himalayas, forests, palaces and sun-soaked beaches. (ANI)

Centre announces new coal distribution policy

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 19 (ANI): The UPA Government has approved a new coal distribution policy which seeks to facilitate the supply of assured quantities of coal to various categories of consumers at pre-determined prices. The new policy takes into consideration the regulatory regimes in which various sectors of the economy are functioning for classification of consumers and prioritization of coal supplies in terms of quantities. The policy also envisages an enlarged role for state governments in the supply of coal to a large number of small and medium industries. Under it, e-auction sale of coal will be re-introduced with certain modified features to encourage emergence of proper coal market in the country.A government release said that it has been evolved based on the extensive discussions held by all stakeholders. The Committee comprised of representatives from the Ministries of Power, Steel, Law, Finance, Small Scale Industries, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Planning Commission, Coal India Limited and Coal Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited. The key features of the new Coal Distribution Policy are as under :I.Classification of consumers and supply of coal thereof :·The existing classification of coal consumers into core and non-core sectors is being dispensed with.·Presently, the core sector consists of power, steel, cement, fertilizer, paper, aluminum, defence, loco, central PSUs and exports.·Non-core sector comprises of remaining consumers in various types of industries like textiles, rubber, engineering, glass, refractory, lime, jute, copper, foundries, crockery etc. besides seasonal consumers like brick sector.·Since power and fertilizer sectors are operating in a price regulatory regime coal to the extent of 100 percent of the normative requirement of the units in these two sectors will be made by the coal companies as at present but only under Fuel Supply Agreements (FSAs).·In view of the importance of the defence sector and railways, their total requirement will continue to be met. ·For all other consumers with coal requirement of more than 4200 tons per annum 75 percent of their normative requirement of coal would be provided under FSAs.·Supply of coking coal to steel plants would be based on FSAs as is done at present.·In respect of small and medium sector consumers the existing cap of 500 tons of coal per year will be increased to 4200 tons per year.·Since Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries cannot deal with a large number of such small and medium sector consumers, state governments will be required to take up the responsibility of identifying such consumers and arranging supply of coal to them through their designated agencies. ·To begin with, a quantity of 8 million tons of coal per year will be made available to meet the requirements of the small and medium sector consumers.·State Governments will enter into Fuel Supply Agreements with public sector coal companies for sourcing coal for distribution through their designated agencies which could include National Cooperative Consumers Federation, National Small Industries Corporation, any state government agency and established industrial bodies.II.Letter of Assurance and Fuel Supply Agreements :·An innovative feature of the new policy is the concept of Letter of Assurance (LOA) to be granted by the coal companies to the project developers as against the present system of granting coal linkages.·Such LOAs will be converted into FSAs after specific milestones are achieved by the project promoters in a period of two years in case of power plants and one year in case of other consumers.·Consumers granted Letter of Assurance have to furnish a Bank Guarantee equivalent to five percent of their annual requirement of coal which will be forfeited if the suggested milestones are not achieved within the stipulated period.·Bank guarantee system is being introduced to encourage only genuine consumers and to prevent pre-emption of coal linkages without developing the end-use projects in time as has been happening currently. ·Letters of assurance in case of power (including power utilities, IPPs and captive power plants), steel (including sponge and pig iron) and cement sectors will be granted by the Standing Linkage Committee (Long Term) functioning in the Ministry of Coal.·For all other consumers, LOA will be issued by the Coal India Limited.·Under the new policy, Coal India Limited will be at liberty to import coal to meet their supply commitments to various consumers and in such case necessary price adjustments will be made by the coal companies.III.Introduction of e-auction sale of coal :E-auction sale of coal will be re-introduced with certain modifications like :i)There will be no floor price for bidding under e-auction scheme as was the case in the last phase of e-auction sale of coal.ii)Coal PSUs will, however, have the liberty of having a reserve price which is not lesser than the notified prices of coal for appropriate commercial decision making.iii)Under the new mode of e-auction there will be two platforms – one for the supply of coal for a longer period of one year or more and the other for supply of coal for shorter periods as per the frequency of offer of e-auction.iv)All the coal PSUs will be required to announce a schedule of offer of coal for sale under e-auction mode at the start of the year for proper planning both by the coal supplies and consumers.IV.Efficiency norms :To encourage economic and efficient use of coal by the consumers, norms of consumption for all the major sectors like power, steel, cement etc. will be reviewed taking into account continuous improvements in technology, manufacturing process and other developments. V.Pricing of coal supplies :Coal to be supplied under FSAs will be charged at the notified prices of CIL. For supplies to small and medium consumers, state government designated agencies would be entitled to charge actual freight and 5% as service charge over and above the basic price charged by the coal company. VI.Implementation of new policy :Various provisions of the new Coal Distribution Policy will be operationalized as per the following time schedules :a)All the existing linked consumers shall enter into FSAs with respective coal companies within a period of 6 months failing which coal supplies can be discontinued.b)State Governments shall put in place necessary institutional mechanisms for supply of coal to small and medium sector consumers as envisaged in the new policy within a period of six months.c)Provisions of the new policy applicable to the new consumers will be given immediate effect to.d)E-auction sale of coal to be introduced within one month and until such time the present scheme of sale of coal under e-booking will continue to operate. (ANI)

Advani condemns Karachi blasts

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.19 (ANI) Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and senior BJP leader L.K.Advani today expressed his shock over Thursday night's twin bomb blasts in Karachi, and said that he was relieved to know that Benazir Bhutto had escaped unhurt in the incident.In a message condemning the incident, Advani said: "I am aghast at the news of the terrorist attack last night on the convoy of Benazir Bhutto in Karachi, within hours of her return from her eight-year-long exile abroad. The reported deaths of more than 125 persons in two bomb blasts show that the perpetrators of this barbaric act wanted to inflict maximum damage on an event that held the promise of the return of democracy in Pakistan. I am relieved that Ms. Bhutto has survived this bid on her life.""It is an irony that, at a time when tall claims are being made about Pakistan’s democratization, one former Prime Minister, Mr. Nawaz Sharief, was recently prevented from returning to his own country and another former Prime Minister, Ms. Benazir Bhutto, has been ‘greeted’ by a terrorist attack on her arrival. I have always been of the view that Pakistan’s stability and progress, as also the normalization of India-Pakistan relations, are best guaranteed by the establishment of genuine democracy in that country, combined with a resolute fight against religious extremism and terrorism," he added. "Last night’s shocking incident in Karachi leaves no doubt whatsoever that the battle for democracy and the battle against terrorism are inter-related. I join fellow Indians in conveying our solidarity to the people of Pakistan in this arduous two-pronged battle," he concluded. (ANI)

The chicken tikka masala is turning 60!

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
London, Oct 19 (ANI): Britain’s favourite dish-Chicken tikka masala- is all set to turn sixty this month. The dish was first made at a restaurant in New Delhi in October 1947. The owner made the first industrial version of the tandoor Indian stove and prepared a type of butter chicken that became famous as tikka masala, reports the Sun. After the dish became an instant hit in Indian eat outs, the food came to Britain in the fifties. Tikka masala was officially declared UK’s No 1 meal in 2001. Beginning on Oct 22, its mouth-watering taste will be celebrated in the National Curry Week. (ANI)

Antibiotics ‘unnecessarily prescribed’

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
London, Oct 19 (ANI): Antibiotics are unnecessarily being prescribed to reduce the risk of possible complications after upper respiratory tract infection, sore throat, or ear infection, a new study has found. However, the study insists that they do reduce the risk of pneumonia after chest infection, especially in elderly people. “On the basis of the evidence in this study, there seems to be a substantial gap between evidence based guidance and general practitioners’ prescribing behaviour,” the British medical Journal quoted the authors, as saying. Risk of serious complications in the month after analysis was recorded: mastoiditis (infection of the mastoid bone of the skull) after ear infection, quinsy (an abscess at the back of the throat) after sore throat, and pneumonia after upper respiratory tract infection and chest infection. The number of patients for treatment to put off one complication was also recorded. Only in rare cases, there are serious complications after upper respiratory tract infections, sore throat, and ear infection. Though antibiotics reduced the risk, over 4,000 courses were required to prevent one complication. However, the risk of pneumonia following chest infection was quite high, particularly in elderly people, and was significantly reduced by antibiotic use. The authors conclude that general practitioners should not base their prescribing for sore throat, ear infection, or upper respiratory tract infections, expecting serious complications. However, antibiotic prescribing to reduce the risk of pneumonia after chest infection is justifiable, particularly in elderly patients in whom the risk is highest. (ANI)

Haryana police learns etiquette

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
Gurgaon (Haryana), Oct 19 (ANI): Police in Haryana are undergoing etiquette lessons to improve the image of the state police force in the public eye.Under a private-public initiative, cops in Gurgaon are being trained in basic behaviour and code of conduct at Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) offices.Infamous for being rowdy and unfriendly, the policemen are getting a crash course in being polite to the public.Police officials, especially those who attend calls at the control room and at police stations, are being trained to respond rationally to people in distress. Mahendra Lal, Commissioner of Police, Gurgaon, said the programme is aimed at making policemen people savvy."This is basically behavioural training that we are imparting to our employees. We are targeting the officers in the control room and the police stations. This will help people in changing their attitude towards us and will help them treat us as their friends," Lal said. Ved Pal, a policeman undergoing training, said that it would help them be more efficient and to work better."This training is good and I am sure it will help us a lot. There are many basic things that we tend to forget. This training will re-acquaint us with those," he said.At present, around a 100 policemen and police women in batches of 20 are attending lessons at WNS Global Services in Gurgaon. The police force has been under an image overhaul in recent years following the introduction of fitness and attitude training programmes besides morale boosting sessions for its often overworked cardres. (ANI)

India condemns bombing of Benazir's convoy

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 19 (ANI): Indian Government today condemned the explosions that took place near former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto convoy late on Thursday night, killing 138 people.“We strongly condemn the terrorist attack in Karachi yesterday. It is reprehensible that senior political figures are targeted in this way with such loss of innocent life,” said Navtej Sarna, MEA spokesperson. “The spectre of terrorism confronting our region requires strong and determined action by all our Governments,” Sarna added. At least 138 people were killed and hundreds injured late on Thursday night as suspected suicide bombers targeted Bhutto on her return.Two explosions went off a minute apart shortly after midnight near Karsaz close to the vehicle Bhutto was travelling in, at the head of a procession of hundreds of thousands of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) supporters who had flooded the streets of Karachi to welcome her. The attack reportedly bore the hallmarks of al Qaeda and resembled assassination attempts by militants linked to the terrorist network on President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in recent years. A state of high alert has been declared in Karachi. Schools and colleges will remain closed in the city. A medical emergency has been declared at the Jinnah and the Civil Hospitals here.Traffic was thin on the roads of Karachi on Friday, as a majority of the people decided to remain indoors. (ANI)

Defence Minister meets Sergei Ivanov

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
Moscow, Oct 19 (ANI): Defence Minister A K Antony met Russian Vice Premier Sergei Ivanov and held discussions on a wide range of bilateral issues, including defence cooperation. According to sources, the two leaders might have discussed the defence projects, including the delay in the upgradation of aircraft carrier ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ at their meeting on Thursday evening. Ivanov who looks after the military-industrial complex in the government is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin. Antony will leave for home on Friday, a day after India and Russia agreed to produce and co-develop the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA). The agreement was reached at the 7th India-Russia Inter -Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation talks in Moscow, which was co-chaired by Antony and his Russian counterpart Serdyukov Anatoly. The negotiations on the joint manufacturing and development of the new generation fighter aircraft have been going on for the last five years, and the present agreement inked is similar to the successful joint project of developing Brahmos supersonic cruise missile."It's a major landmark, and I hope very soon we will be able to set the Inter- Governmental Agreement on co -development and co- production of multi role transport aircraft also," Antony said.The defence ties between India and Russia are termed 'time-tested' and close to 70 percent of India's inventory are directly or indirectly related to Russia. Moscow is keen on retaining the Indian market in the face of growing competition from the U.S., French and Israeli armaments majors. Antony's trip has set the stage for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Moscow in November for his annual summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (ANI)

Major US trade delegation to visit India

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
New York, Oct.19 (ANI): Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty left for New Delhi Wednesday at the head of a 73-member trade delegation to bolster bilateral commercial ties with the country. The aim of the mission is to provide a means for Minnesota business leaders to explore opportunities in India and promote increased exports to India and to develop and expand strategic relationships with key India and United States organisations. The delegation will travel to New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai from October 20 to October 27, for a series of market and industry presentations, networking events, roundtable discussions and one-on-one business events with potential Indian customers, distributors and partners. In each of these cities there will be an evening networking reception in honor of the Governor that will be attended by local government and business leaders.According to Tony Lorusso, executive director of Minnesota Trade Office, "Our interest in India is multifaceted. We are interested in India because it is the fastest growing country globally. There are fewer economies that are growing at 9 per cent GDP growth in recent years and obviously that kind of growth obviously turns into many opportunities from which Minnesota can benefit."Lorusso was quoted by rediff.com as saying that "There is also a pro-western environment that favors US firms we think and then India has a such a huge young population and these are some of the reasons we are looking at India."The website quoted Pawlenty as also saying that his mission will stop in China to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Minnesota's sister-state agreement with Shaanxi Province. During the visit to Shanghai, Pawlenty will visit China's only Best Buy store, where he will present computer equipment donated by the company to a school in Minnesota's sister-province. He will participate in an opening ceremony at the Shanghai Best Buy, the company's first store in China and their largest store in the world. Asked about investment in infrastructure, one of India's top priorities, Lorusso was quoted as saying that Minnesotan companies are absolutely interested in environmental projects or airport projects. "There are several companies in the environmental sector that are going in this mission. They have a lot of interest in the infrastructure sector in India as well," he said.Minnesota sent a small delegation to India ten years ago led by a commissioner. Although since then there has been no trade mission to India, there has been good bilateral trade.Minnesota's exports to India in the last ten years or so has increased 370 per cent and that compares to a 145 per cent for US growth to India. Indian-owned companies in Minnesota include Suzlon [ Get Quote] Wind Energy Corporation in Pipestone, Patni Computer Systems [Get Quote ], Inc., Wipro Ltd [ Get Quote], and Natural Stone Inc. Suzlon has been ranked as the fifth-leading wind turbine manufacturer in the world and its wind turbines are used at 12 wind park sites in southwestern Minnesota. Minnesota Trade Office noted that India's gross domestic product grew an average 7 per cent per year between 1994 and 2004 and recently has tracked at nearly 9 per cent. U.S. manufactured exports to India reached $6.8 billion in 2005, an increase of 111 per cent since 2000. Minnesota's manufactured exports to India grew 208 per cent to $85 million over the same period. "India's middle class is 300 million people and growing by 5 per cent per year. That's a huge segment of the population that has increasingly more money to spend on consumer goods," Lorusso said.The promising sectors include computers and electronics, machinery, medical products, biotechnology, and food processing. In addition, Indian companies have ambitious plans for expanding and diversifying manufacturing activities, particularly in the automobile, auto parts, metals, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and electronics industries, creating opportunities for Minnesota suppliers. Among those who are accompanying the delegation include Senator Satveer Chaudhary and Gopal Khanna. The delegation with meet with the Confederation of Indian Industry as well as Wipro leadership.Governor Pawlenty will be accompanied by First Lady Mary Pawlenty. In addition to participating in business events on the mission, the First Lady will also devote her time to raise awareness of humanitarian and social causes in which Minnesotans are involved. Some of the programs involve providing hope to Indian orphans, training and resources for the disabled, and advancing healthcare for children. (ANI)

Sunlight exposure may halve breast cancer risk

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
Washington, Oct 19 (ANI): A study has found that increased exposure to sunlight, which helps increase levels of vitamin D in the body, may halve the risk of advanced breast cancer. Esther John, Ph.D., Northern California Cancer Centre, and co-researchers Gary Schwartz, Ph.D., Comprehensive Cancer Centre at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Sue Ingles, Ph.D., University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine found that women with high sun exposure had half the risk of developing advanced breast cancer compared to women with low sun exposure. In the study, high sun exposure was defined as having dark skin on the forehead and the findings were observed only for women with naturally light skin colour. For the study, the researchers compared 1,788 breast cancer patients with a control group of 2,129 women who did not have breast cancer. The women who participated in the survey had a wide range of natural skin colour and a wide range of capacity to produce vitamin D in the body. Skin colour determines how much vitamin D is produced in the body after sun exposure. Dark-skinned individuals produce up to 10 times less vitamin D than light-skinned individuals for the same amount of time spent in the sun. People with darker skin are also more likely to be vitamin D deficient than people with lighter skin. In order to determine the actual skin colour of the participants the scientists used a portable reflectometer on the underarm, because that area is not directly exposed to sunlight. The female participants were classified as having light, medium or dark natural skin colour on the basis of the measurements. After classification the researchers compared sun exposure between women with breast cancer and those without breast cancer. Sun exposure was measured as the difference in skin colour between the underarm and the forehead. Women with naturally light skin pigmentation who were without breast cancer had significantly more sun exposure than the group with breast cancer. Since the difference occurred only in one group, the researchers suggested that the effect was due to differences in vitamin D production and not just because the women were sick and unable to go outdoors. The difference was seen only in women with advanced disease, which suggested that vitamin D may be important in slowing the growth of breast cancer cells. “We believe that sunlight helps to reduce women’s risk of breast cancer because the body manufactures the active form of vitamin D from exposure to sunlight,” John said. “It is possible that these effects were observed only among light- skinned women because sun exposure produces less vitamin D among women with naturally darker pigmentation,” he said. The researchers said that besides sunlight - multivitamins, fatty fish and fortified foods such as milk, certain cereals and fruit juices could also provide Vitamin D. Because of the risks of sun-induced skin cancer scientists said that women should not try to reduce their risk of breast cancer by sunbathing. “If future studies continue to show reductions in breast cancer risk associated with sun exposure, increasing vitamin D intake from diet and supplements may be the safest solution to achieve adequate levels of vitamin D,” Schwartz said. “Since many risk factors for breast cancer are not modifiable, our finding that a modifiable factor, vitamin D, may reduce risk is important,” Sue Ingles, Ph.D., a co-researcher from University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine said. The study is reported online in the American Journal of Epidemiology. (ANI)

Chittaranjan Park’s Puja pandal gutted by fire

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 19 (ANI): One of the most popular pandals located at Chittaranjan Park, was gutted in a fire around 3.00 a.m. on Friday. The fire took place at the Pocket 40 Navapalli puja also damaged neighbouring houses and cars. Though there are no reports of casualties, some people who were inside the pandal at the time are said to be injured. The fire took place on Saptami, which is the first day of the Durga Puja. The incident came on the eve of Ashtami which is the most important day of puja.This is victory date for Durga - killing Mahishasura. On this day, prayers will be held in the morning and people keep fast till they offer flowers to Durga and pray for her blessings. (ANI)

No negotiations with NSG

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
On Board PM's special aircraft, Oct 18 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday made it clear that India would not talk to any member nations of the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) till it resolve the domestic concerns about the deal.During his return from the five-day visit to Nigeria and South Africa, Singh said, "I think we have to resolve our problems at home ant that the process is on."On being asked whether he discussed about the nuclear deal with South Africa and Brazil- both are members of the NSG- on the sidelines of the trilateral IBSA Summit, Singh replied, "Our discussions with members of the NSG will only come after we have an India specific safeguards agreement with the IAEA. Only after that the NSG members will consider cooperation with us."He said that the government is trying all the efforts to evolve a national consensus on the issue."I hope that the process which emerges as a result of a wide ranging discussions with our coalition partners will enable us to move forward," he added.Singh admitted that if something does not go as planned then it does have an affect, and that one has to live with 'uncertainties'.However, he added that he has not given up the hope on the successful culmination of the nuclear deal.He reiterated that his government is not one-issue government and that setback on one issue does not mean the "end of life"."We have done many things and there are lots of things to be done," he added. On being asked to comment on some of his coalition partners having said that they had reservations about the nuclear deal from the very onset, Singh replied, " This agreement (123-agreement) was approved by the Cabinet. So where is the question of the UPA going back on it?""This was part and parcel of the Cabinet process," he added.Earlier, some of the coalition partners, particularly the Sharad Pawar led NCP, Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD and M Karunanidhi led DMK had expressed their reservations about the deal after the Left's opposition to the nuclear agreement reached its zenith, leading to speculation that the Communists may withdraw their support from the Government.He flayed the BJP for questioning him and his party's moral right to be in power after the UPA government agreed to halt negotiations on the nuclear deal under the pressure of the Left Front. "The BJP is least qualified to talk about the moral right to govern," Singh said. "Look at the holocaust that took place in Gujarat. It took place when (Leader of the Opposition) L K Advani was (Union) Home Minister...We all saw the massacre in Gujarat under the BJP," he added, questioning, "So they did not think of their moral right to govern on that occasion?"The Prime Minister also criticised the BJP for the 2001 "Agra fiasco" when the much -hyped talks between the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf failed.Not in a mood to spare the BJP, Singh said, "We all know why the war in Kargil took place.""The infiltrators were coming in into our country and the Government in New Delhi was sleeping," he added.He termed his visit to the African nation as 'fruitful' and said that all three countries- India South Africa and Brazil, reiterated their commitment for successful conclusion of the Doha Round.On the issue of rising prices and inflation in the country, Singh linked it to the global trend of rising prices of oil and essential commodities.He said that countries should cooperate with each other to prevent terrorist groups from investing in financial markets of countries.Terming the money laundering as a global concern, Singh said, "Countries need to cooperate so that the undesirable elements, including terrorist groups do not take advantage of the financial systems of the countries."In the wake of the Wednesday's volatile trading at the Mumbai Stock Exchange after SEBI announced its intentions of regulating Participatory Notes (PN), leading to a huge crash, Singh said that the Union Finance Minister along with the SEBI have already stated about the proposed steps. (ANI)

PM for global cooperation

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
On Board PM's special aircraft, Oct 18 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said that countries should cooperate with each other to prevent terrorist groups from investing in financial markets of countries.Terming the money laundering as a global concern, Singh said, "Countries need to cooperate so that the undesirable elements, including terrorist groups do not take advantage of the financial systems of the countries."In the wake of the Wednesday's volatile trading at the Mumbai Stock Exchange after SEBI announced its intentions of regulating Participatory Notes (PN), leading to a huge crash, Singh said that the Union Finance Minister along with the SEBI have already stated about the proposed steps. (ANI)

Manmohan on his 'reluctant politician' image

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
On Board PM's special aircraft, Oct 18 (ANI): Always being termed as a reluctant politician, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today quoted Bhagwad Gita saying that he does his duty regardless of consequences."(Bhagwad) Gita says that one must do his duty. I do whatever comes my way regardless of consequences," Singh replied when asked about his image of being a reluctant politician.Singh made these remarks while returning from South Africa where he participated in the tri-lateral IBSA Summit. (ANI)

Coalition partners had given consent to N deal: PM

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
On Board PM's special aircraft, Oct 18 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said that the Indo-US nuclear deal was passed by the Cabinet, where major coalition partners had given their consent to it.On being asked to comment on some of his coalition partners having said that they had reservations about the nuclear deal from the very onset, Singh replied, " This agreement (123-agreement) was approved by the Cabinet. So where is the question of the UPA going back on it?""This was part and parcel of the Cabinet process," he added.Earlier, some of the coalition partners, particularly the Sharad Pawar led NCP, Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD and M Karunanidhi led DMK had expressed their reservations about the deal after the Left's opposition to the nuclear agreement reached its zenith, leading to speculation that the Communists may withdraw their support from the Government. During his return from South Africa, where he participated in the tri-lateral IBSA Summit, Singh admitted that if something does not go as planned then it does have an affect and that one has to live with uncertainties.However, he added that he has not given up the hope on the successful culmination of the nuclear deal and said that there exist 'difficulties'.'We are in a coalition and we have to find a way out," he said adding, "I have not given up the hope."He reiterated that his government is not one-issue government and that setback on one issue does not mean the "end of life"."We have done many things and there are lots of things to be done," he added. (ANI)

Manmohan lambastes BJP

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
On Board PM's special aircraft, Oct 18 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for questioning him and his party's moral right to be in power after the UPA government agreed to halt negotiations on the nuclear deal under the pressure of the Left Front. During his return from South Africa, where he had participated in the tri-lateral IBSA Summit, Singh said, "The BJP is least qualified to talk about the moral right to govern.""Look at the holocaust that took place in Gujarat. It took place when (Leader of the Opposition) L K Advani was (Union) Home Minister...We all saw the massacre in Gujarat under the BJP," he added, questioning, "So they did not think of their moral right to govern on that occasion?"The Prime Minister also criticised the BJP for the 2001 "Agra fiasco" when the much -hyped talks between the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf failed.Not in a mood to spare the BJP, Singh said, "We all know why the war in Kargil took place.""The infiltrators were coming in into our country and the Government in New Delhi was sleeping," he added.Singh said that he has not given up the hope on the successful culmination of the nuclear deal and said that there are 'difficulties'.'We are in a coalition and we have to find a way out," he said adding, "I have not given up the hope."Earlier, the BJP had demanded the resignation of the government and had said that the UPA government in a bid to remain in power succumbed to the Left's pressure over the nuclear deal. (ANI)

Tradeindia.com introduces "Call Me Free" service

Friday, October 19, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI/ Business Wire India): Tradeindia.com has recently introduced an innovative "Call Me Free" service in association with eStara, the leading provider of proactive conversion solutions for enhancing online sales and support initiatives. eStara's click to call service has been chosen to power Tradeindia's "Call Me Free" customer service program. "Call Me Free" will assist online browsers, including buyers and sellers globally, to obtain real-time answers to questions by connecting them through a telephone connection without paying any cost. To utilize the "Call Me Free" program, buyers need only engage an embedded "Call Me Free" button within the Tradeindia Web site and type in their phone number."As one of India's largest B2B e-Marketplace, today tradeindia.com serves millions of buyers globally by offering them quality database of manufacturers & exporters," said Bikky Khosla, CEO, Tradeindia.com. "For buyers in order to identify a listed manufacturer/exporter as right potential supplier for their sourcing needs, it's of prime importance to understand and know few things about the supplier. Popular means of first-level communication such as emails and faxes create a vacuum where a buyer after sending a message waits for suppliers to get back which kills valuable business time," he said. "Tradeindia's "Call Me Free" service powered by eStara fills that vacuum, makes first-level communication faster and allows a buyer to speak with the vendor and get solutions to most queries on the first-level of discussions itself. "Call Me Free" helps a buyer and seller both in understanding each others' interest level towards possible business opportunity, which further helps in finalising the business in shortest time and with ease", he added. The Tradeindia partnership also heralds eStara's entry into the Indian market. The company has gained momentum internationally of late, including recently announced deals with Yves-Rocher, a leading botanical beauty care company in France, and Voyages-SNCF, an online travel agency also headquartered in France. Tradeindia is the largest online B2B e-Marketplace in India, with over 650,000 registered users, 1,298 different product categories and sub-categories and over 20.5 million hits per month."We are very pleased to see eStara's international momentum carry us into new markets," said eStara CEO John Federman. "The phone is a primary component of trade communities around the world and eStara's innovative services place businesses in line to provide a premium service to their customers," he added. (ANI)

India, Pak reiterate to uphold ceasefire

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI): India and Pakistan on Thursday reiterated their commitment to uphold the four-year old ceasefire agreement in place between the two countries during the fourth round of bilateral Expert Level Dialogue on Conventional Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) held here. A joint statement issued after the talks said that discussions were held in “a cordial and constructive atmosphere,” and the progress made in today's talks would be reported to the respective foreign secretaries. As mandated by the respective Foreign Secretaries, the two sides reviewed the implementation of the existing CBMs. “Consultations continued with the aim of strengthening the ongoing process of confidence building in the conventional field,” said the joint statement. The Indian delegation was led by T.C.A Raghavan, Joint Secretary, External Affairs Ministry, while Aizaz Ahmad Choudhary, Director General (SA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led the Pakistani delegation to the talks. The two sides will have talks on nuclear CBM's on Friday. (ANI)

ICC urges to be true to zero tolerance on racism

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Dubai, Oct 18 (ANI): International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed today urged the members countries to be true to the zero tolerance approach to racism contained in the Council’s Anti-Racism Code. Speaking in the wake of reports of racist behaviour by sections of the crowd during Wednesday’s ODI between India and Australia in Mumbai, Speed said that traditionally racism has not been a significant issue for cricket, and appealed to the nations “to enact the terms of the ICC Anti-Racism Code as firmly as possible.” “It is a sport that we are proud to say is well-known for respect, tolerance, diversity and fair play and we are keen to ensure it stays that way. “If people are seen or heard behaving in a racist way then our message to the ground authorities and host boards is clear: find the culprits, throw them out and keep them out because racism has no place in our sport.,” he said in a statement. Expressing pleasure over the arrest of some offenders in Mumbai during the match, he said: “That is the type of zero tolerance we want in relation to this despicable behaviour.” Speed confirmed the ICC had received a response from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to a previous request for information on reported incidents at the ODI between Australia and India in Vadodara on October 11. “The BCCI has undertaken to obtain reports from independent sources concerning that match and we look forward to receiving those reports as soon as possible,” he said. “In the meantime, we are pleased to see the BCCI, in concert with Cricket Australia, has publicly condemned racism as such behaviour has no place anywhere, least of all at a cricket ground,” he added. He said he had written to the BCCI again on Thursday to get its comments concerning the behaviour of sections of the crowd at the Wankhede Stadium. “I have reiterated that we are keen to ensure that all aspects of the Code are being carried out and if they are not then we will want to know why,” he said. Speed further said that he had also received a response from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to his letter asking for details of alleged racist abuse aimed at South Africa players and team officials in Lahore during the second Test match. “The PCB confirmed details of the abuse and that action was taken immediately against the offenders in keeping with the ICC Anti-Racism Code. It also confirmed its commitment to the Code and its requirements, and that is heartening,” he said. (ANI)

India, Russia ink pact for FGFA

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Moscow, Oct18 (ANI): In a 'landmark' decision, India and Russia have agreed to produce and co-develop the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA). The agreement was reached at the 7th India-Russia Inter -Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation talks in Moscow, which was co-chaired by Indian Defence Minister A K Antony and his Russian counterpart Serdyukov Anatoly. The agreement was signed by Secretary Defence Production K P Singh and Deputy Director of the Federal Service for Foreign Military Cooperation Vyacheslav Dzirkaln in presence of Antony and Serdyukov.The negotiations on the joint manufacturing and development of the new generation fighter aircraft have been going on for the last five years, and the present agreement inked is similar to the successful joint project of developing Brahmos supersonic cruise missile."It's a major landmark, and I hope very soon we will be able to set the Inter- Governmental Agreement on co -development and co- production of multi role transport aircraft also," Antony told reporters.The latest project would be equally financed by India and Russia and it is estimated to cost approximately 10 billion dollars.Antony said that issues relating to the intellectual property and specific requirement of the Indian Air Force have already been resolved.Though Antony, refused to state when the new fighter jets would be ready to fly, Russian Air Chief, General Alexander Zelin had suggested that the FGA would make its maiden flight as early as 2009. The fifth generation fighter aircraft would help India to have 'stealth' aircraft, similar to that possessed by the US.The present defence agreement signed between the two countries in 2000 comes to end in 2010, but the co-development and co-production of the new generation of fighter aircraft go beyond that. "This will mark the start of a new strategic relationship based on greater interaction at various operational levels. Greater intensity and scope of joint military to military exercises, reciprocal training and the co-development of new weapons and equipments shall lead to meaningful military and technical cooperation between India and Russia," Antony added. However, he also said that are some "issues of concern" which were discussed during the joint Intergovernmental meeting."Issues relating to life cycle support of equipment of Russian origin and the delay in the refurbishment of Admiral Gorshkov are issues that are a cause of concern for us," Antony said. "These and other issues have been discussed at the various levels, and I appreciate the efforts made by the Russian side to resolve it", he added. The defence ties between India and Russia are termed 'time-tested' and close to 70 percent of India's inventory are directly or indirectly related to Russia. Moscow is keen on retaining the Indian market in the face of growing competition from the U.S., French and Israeli armaments majors. Antony's trip has set the stage for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Moscow in November for his annual summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (ANI)

Govt rules out threat of pests entering India

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI): The Centre on Thursday clarified that there was no threat of pests entering India with the fruit being imported from the US, adding that procedures in consonance with the international convention were being followed before permitting import of apples into India. “There are no reports of interception of any quarantine pests from the imported apple consignments from USA nor any non-compliance of Indian plant quarantine regulations,” the Agriculture Ministry said in a statement here in response to media reports stating that apples being imported from America were not being quarantined properly. As per the procedure for quarantine of plant material entering India, the exporting country has to provide necessary phyto-sanitary certificate and the exporter has to meet certain conditions to ensure that no infestation enters India. Once at Indian ports of arrival, the consignments are inspected and approval is granted only after the consignment has passed through an established procedure. The import of apples is regulated under Destructive Insects and Pests Act, 1914 and Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 and its amendments. In consonance with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) is undertaken before permitting the import of the commodity into India as per the said Order, the Ministry said. Besides, the exporting country is required to mandatorily certify in the Phytosanitary Certificate that the consignment is free from specified pest and diseases listed in Schedule VI of the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003. In addition, every imported consignment of apples is also thoroughly screened on arrival for presence of any pests and diseases of quarantine significance. (ANI)

Snakes, major theme at Tripura Durga Puja Pandal

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Agartala, Oct.18 (ANI): A Durga Puja Pandal here has chosen to adopt the “Save the Snake”campaign as its main theme this year. Hundreds of snakes belonging to different species have been put on display at the Pandal in the makeshift temple in glass containers to sensitise people about them. "We have displayed snakes this time because around 60 per cent of the snakes are non-venomous and only 40 percent are poisonous. But whenever we see a snake we are tempted to kill it. So, we have decided to take snake as the theme of our Puja Pandal. Through it, we are making an attempt to save this beautiful creature," said Debasish Sil, secretary of the Santikami Sangha Club.The idea to have snakes as the theme was inspired by conservationists who want to make people aware that only a small number of snakes are venomous. The devotees and visitors have been keen to know about snakes. "I have come here to see these snakes. The Pandal has many snakes. I get to see them from a close distance," said Ankita Das, one of the visitors.Devotees are being informed about the lives of snakes. It is hoped the effort would result in clearing myths about snakes. (ANI)

Computer Literacy Excellence Awards for Schools

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI): Union Communications and Information Technology Minister A Raja today presented awards to the winners of the Fourth Computer Literacy Excellence Awards for Schools (CLEAS)-2005 here. In his address, Raja said that educational institutions are the nurseries wherein our future workforce is being imparted the necessary skills to handle the challenges that lie ahead.Raja said the focus of the Ministry is to "Catch Them Young" to inculcate IT knowledge and skills at school level itself. This, he hoped, would ensure that creativity and innovation are nurtured at a young age and in the long run would lead to the quality levels of graduates and post-graduates coming out of higher educational institutions. Emphasising the importance of awards, he said they are for giving recognition to the leading schools. This would motivate the teachers and students of the schools and maintain a healthy competition among the various schools and motivate the management of these schools to provide more incentives to the teachers and students, he added.The Computer Literacy Excellence Awards Scheme for schools is an attempt to bring the nation's children at par with young achievers of the world. (ANI)

BJP team to meet Manmohan Singh on MSP

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.18 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party will take a high-level delegation to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to demand an immediate hike in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy from Rs. 725 to Rs. 1,000 per quintal. BJP spokeperson Prakash Javadkar told mediapersons here today that the disparity between the MSP of wheat and paddy has increased phenomenally to Rs 275 per quintal after government's decision to increase MSP of wheat without a commensurate increase in the MSP of paddy. If course correction is not done at the earliest, Javadkar said paddy farmers might switch over to wheat and this could result in a crunch. Javadkar also charged the UPA Government of having biased view against paddy. In many reports and statements government has expressed its opinion against the crop on the ground of its high water intensity. He said this is true only where it is under irrigation. The major paddy crop in Andhra, Tamilnadu, Maharashtra, Orissa, West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand is rain fed Kharif crop. The government bias is also reflected through its method of calculating the cost of production, which is showing downward trend though the ground reality is different. BJP warns that if this step motherly treatment continues for the paddy, it will result in a demand supply crunch sooner than later, he added.He insisted that the UPA Government must come clean on the embarrassment faced by External Affairs Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee on his inter governmental commission visit to Russia. Reports about Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov not meeting Mukherjee and his frisking at the airport do not gel well for the country, Javadkar said. "The country must know whether this is displeasure by the host country or bad handling of an MEA visit by our government. Russia has been our trusted ally through thick and thin. The embarrassment faced by MEA is a cause of concern because of this special relationship. A curious aspect of the visit needs explanation as to whether it was not properly planned or planned in haste to postpone domestic crisis with Left," the BJP spokesperson said. (ANI)

Vice-Prez presented with traditional pankha

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.18 (ANI): Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari was presented a traditional Pankha by the members of the Anjuman Sair-e-Gul-Faroshan at a function at Vice President House here today.A number of dignitaries, including Salman Khurshid were present on the occasion. Many States send their Pankhas ahead of the three-day Phoolwalon Ki Sair festival. The festival, which promotes Hindu-Muslim brotherhood begins on October 25. This annual festival was revived by late Yogeshwar Dayal in 1961. Ansari said that the ‘Phool Walo ki Sair’ is a symbol of the composite culture of Delhi, but its message of peace unity and prosperity should be spread nation-wide. He said that this festival bring peace, prosperity and happiness in our lives. He wished this festival a great success. (ANI)

Orissa CM discusses road projects with Baalu

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.18 (ANI): Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik called on the Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, T.R. Baalu, here today and discussed progress of ongoing road projects in the State. Baalu told Patnaik that a technical sanction of Rs. 95 crore had been cleared by Central Government for the upgrading of National Highway 215 which links Panikoili to Rajamunda.It may be recalled that this 269 kms stretch of road has been included under the National Highway Development Project Phase III and preparation of the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for four-laning upgradation by the National Highway Authority of India is under way. Meanwhile, in order to improve the deteriorating condition of the National Highways in Orissa, the Ministry has said that it would allocate an additional sum of Rs 45 crore. Baalu further told Patnaik that the menace of overloaded trucks had taken its toll on NH 215. He urged the State Government to take immediate measures to control the plying of over-loaded vehicles on the highway. Baalu urged the State Government to organize a meeting with all the stakeholders in which Union Shipping and Road Transport and Highways Secretaries should also participate within a fortnight for finalizing the modalities for the strengthening of National Highway 215.Regarding the Vijayawada - Ranchi Road, Baalu told Patnaik that the Government of Orissa will have to expedite the finalization of the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for remaining 600 km of this route in Orissa. The Minister said that he required a detailed presentation on this project as it comprises of National Highways, State Highways and village roads. Regarding road connectivity to the Paradip Port (NH 5A), Baalu told Patnaik that land acquisition for the NHDP in general and Paradip Port in particular is required to be expedited by the State Goverment. He also emphasized for immediate identification of alternate service roads and parking places for easing the traffic congestion near the Port area. (ANI)

Flash floods in Manipur strand thousands

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Imphal, Oct 18 (ANI): Flash floods caused by the breaching of the Imphal River in Manipur’s Imphal West District, has inundated thousands of houses and large paddy fields.The Imphal River is flowing above the danger mark for the past four days due to unseasonal rains.Embankments were breached at Kiyangei and Irong Cheisaba, flooding several surrounding villages.Those affected by the floods are being evacuated to safer places and relief material is being provided.This is the second major flood in Manipur in the last two months.In September, a major portion of the district was inundated by waters of the Imphal, Thoubal and Iril rivers. (ANI)

Kashmir farmers take to grape cultivation

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Srinagar, Oct. 18 (ANI): Kashmir, known for its meadows, pine forests and snow-capped peaks, is popular for its fruits and dry-fruits. Apples, pears, cherries, plums, grapes, pomegranates, mulberry, peaches, apricots, walnuts and almonds, grown in Kashmir, have been popular all over the country. These fruits require a cool climate, moderate rainfall and bright sunshine. To these have been added grapes. "The USP (unique selling point) of the Kashmiri variety of grapes is that they are very sweet. There are two to four varieties of grapes grown in Kashmir with each having a different taste,” said Gul Akhtar, a grape farmer. “The grapes are in a great demand, as tourists carry them back home after a visit to the valley. The market for these grapes is growing at a rapid pace," he added. Residents of Manigam, Dharigam, Raipora and Lar of Ganderbal District are now busy harvesting grapes, fruits of their hard toil. About 61 hectares of land is under grape cultivation in Raipora alone. There are several varieties of grapes grown in these areas including “Hussani” that is green in colour, “Shahi” black in colour, “Kishmishi” and “Thomson” being the others. But the best variety grown is “Kali Saribi”. About 61 hectares of land in Raipura of Ganderbal District is known for its grape cultivation. Farmers are keen to take up grape cultivation, as they find it a better crop.Farmers are reaping rich dividends from grape cultivation with help and support from the State's horticulture department, which is actively promoting the cultivation of the exotic fruit. "Kashmiri grapes are unique in the sense that they are available only in the State and not elsewhere in India. Ten years ago, the demand for these grapes was not much. But the scenario is different now. We are unable to meet the demand today'', said Reyaz Ahmed, another grape farmer.The best thing about the grapes of Kashmir is that they get ready when there are no grapes in rest of the country. This helps the farmers to fetch good earnings. Today, several acres of grapevines are spread across the lush slopes with farmers increasingly opting for diversification of crops, breaking away from the staple crops of wheat, maize and paddy. They are replacing them with juicy grapes.The State horticulture department is taking necessary steps for promoting grape cultivation across the State in a big way."Grapes are available only in Kashmir during this season. In Maharashtra and Southern States, grapes are available only after January. Kashmiri grapes are relished by people all over India. We, therefore, have a huge market for them'' said, Manzoor Ahmed, Horticulture Development Officer, Jammu and Kashmir.Encouraging the Kashmiri farmers to adapt to grape cultivation, the State Government is actively involved in creating awareness. Farmers are being familiarized with farming techniques through various training programmes.Initiatives are being taken to convert the grape cultivation into an organised sector. Under new government schemes, incentives are being given to help the farmers set up vineyards. Ninety per cent of the total production of the grapes grown in Kashmir is exported to other States of the country and the rest is sent to the local markets within the State. (ANI)

Leadership Award for Chandigarh social activist

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Chandigarh, Oct.18 (ANI): In recognition of the work done on tobacco control at the global level by Mr. Hemant Goswami, a social activist from India, he has been selected to receive the "Young Leadership Award" in tobacco control. Hemant shall be presented the award at the "8 th Asia Pacific Conference on Tobacco or Health" presently undergoing in Taipei , Taiwan.Hemant has also been awarded young scholars award for the study done by him on "Tobacco in Movies and its Impact on Youth," conducted in association with WHO and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The awards shall be presented on October 19 at Howard Plaza, Taipei, Taiwan, a website called Third Estate, said in a release. (ANI)

Feeling sleepy may lie in your genes

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Washington, Oct 18 (ANI): Ever wonder why you just love to sleep? Well, researchers say that the answer may lie in your genes. The researchers made the suggestion after finding that the genes responsible for the 24 hour body clock influence not only the timing of sleep, but also appear to be central to the actual restorative process of sleep. "We still do not know why we benefit from sleep, or why we feel tired when we are 'lacking' sleep, but it seems likely that sleep serves some basic biological function for the brain such as energy restoration for brain cells or memory consolidation," said Dr Bruce O'Hara of the University of Kentucky, one of the neuroscientists on the study. "We have found that clock gene expression in the brain is highly correlated to the build-up of sleep debt, while previous findings have linked these genes to energy metabolism. Together, this supports the idea that one function of sleep is related to energy metabolism," he added. As a part of the study, boffins led by Dr. Paul Franken of Stanford University and Lausanne University conducted a study on a mouse model in which they utilized three inbred strains of mice with different genetic make-ups that had previously been shown to differ in their response to sleep deprivation. In this study, mice were first sleep deprived during the daytime period when mice normally sleep then allowed recovery sleep. Changes in gene expression for three clock genes were examined throughout the brain during both phases. The researchers noted that the more the mice were kept awake the clock gene expression generally increased. When sleep was allowed, the clock gene expression generally decreased. This supported the theory that these genes play a role in the regulation of the need for sleep. Generally, the expression of the clock-genes Period-1 and Period-2, increased at a faster rate in mouse strains with the poorest quality of recovery sleep suggesting that the detailed dynamic changes in expression may underlie individual differences in sleep length and sleep quality. The changes in gene expression were also shown to occur in many different brain regions supporting the idea that sleep is a global brain function. A handful of genes such as Period-1 and Period-2 have been shown previously to underlie our circadian rhythms i.e. behaviour and physiology that follow a 24 hour cycle. Circadian rhythms allow animals and plants to predict and prepare for periodic changes in the environment. The anticipatory increase in clock-gene expression may be, on a molecular level, an animal's preparation for activity. As shown in this study, the clock genes' role in direct sleep regulation may also influence sleep duration and human performance with differing amounts of sleep. The research could also help shed light on the biology of mood disorders, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or bipolar disorder, that appear linked to both sleep and circadian rhythms. The research is published online open access journal BMC Neuroscience. (ANI)

Minor earthquake shakes Delhi

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI): An earthquake, measuring 3.6 on the Richter Scale, shook the national capital and nearby areas on Thursday. The quake, struck at 11.45 a.m., and its epicentre was located in Uttar Pradesh. According to the Met department, the epicentre of the quake was in Gautam Budh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh.There was no report of any casualty or damages. (ANI)

President greets nation on Durga Puja

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI): President Pratibha Patil has extended her warm wishes to the fellow citizens on the eve of Durga Puja. In her message, Patil said, “On the auspicious occasion of Durga Puja, I extend my warm wishes to everyone for their success, happiness and prosperity.” “The Durga Puja celebration symbolises the triumph of good over evil. Let this occasion inspire us to dedicate ourselves to all causes that are good and noble and work for the betterment of humanity at large," the President added.Durga Puja is the most important festival of Bengalis. Prayers, religious processions and musical programmes mark the festival, which symbolises the triumph of good over evil. Worshipping the Goddess Durga is the main feature of this festival, which culminates in the Dussehra celebrations. The idols of Goddess Durga are immersed in the sea, rivers or lakes on the last day. Devotees believe that the Goddess makes her annual visit to the world during this time and the festivities are meant to welcome her. Durga, worshipped as the Goddess of power, is depicted as riding a raging lion, holding aloft ten weapons of war in her ten hands in these programmes. Her trident is depicted plunging into the side of a monstrous buffalo, out of whose body emerges a demon symbolising evil. (ANI)

Cleartrip launches Discover India Travel Guide

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Mumbai, Oct 18 (ANI-Business Wire India): Cleartrip.com announced the launch of the Discover India Travel Guide -- a travel guide produced in association with Lonely Planet and Jet Airways -- to be given out exclusively to customers booking Jet Airways flights on Cleartrip.com.The Discover India Travel Guide is a pocket guide that provides customers interesting information on 15 key destinations across India. The destinations that have been covered in the guide are Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Goa Guwhati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mangalore, Mumbai, Port Blair, Pune and Trivandrum All the content for the Discover India Travel Guide has been put together by Lonely Planet - the travel content specialists. The information on each of the destinations includes city highlights, information on restaurants, entertainment options in the city, shopping hubs and fast facts on getting around the city. The photographs used are unique and capture the essence of each destination. "The Discover India travel guide is another Cleartrip initiative to make travel simple and exciting for our customers. This guide equips customers with a wealth of information on destinations so that they can explore much more ", said Sandeep Murthy, CEO of Cleartrip.com."We're proud to be associated with Cleartrip. The customer and visitor profile of Cleartrip is a great fit for our brand. Cleartrip shares our philosophy of adding value to customers' travel experiences", said Gaurang Shetty, Vice President (Marketing), Jet Airways. "India is one of our priority markets. We are delighted to work with Cleartrip and Jet Airways to provide valuable travel information to customers and grow the travel market", said James Sundram, Head Asia, Lonely Planet. (ANI)

N-deal could trigger nuclear proliferation in S Asia: Pak

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
New York, Oct 18 (ANI): Pakistan has expressed its concern over the much-touted Indo-US civil nuclear deal, saying that it could fuel a nuclear escalation in South Asia. Islamabad is convinced that the Indo-US agreement is one-sided arrangement, Ambassador Masood Khan, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative at the UN’s European offices in Geneva, said. “This agreement has been seen by many as eroding the non-proliferation regime and introducing discrimination against states party to the NPT (Non-proliferation Treaty),” the Daily Times quoted him, as saying. “We are equally concerned by assertions of India’s right to conduct further nuclear weapons tests,” Masood Khan told the UN General Assembly’s main committee. He also said that Pakistan has the legitimate right to meet its growing energy needs by using nuclear technology. Pakistan would set up its new nuclear facility under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards and would promote legitimate and peaceful uses of nuclear energy; the Daily Times quoted the Ambassador, as saying. Khan went on to say that Pakistan would take necessary steps to ensure minimum credible deterrence, the basis of its strategic posture, the Daily Times reported. “Pakistan has persevered in its endeavour to maintain peace and stability in South Asia at the lowest level of armaments,” said Masood Khan. Pakistan’s longstanding pursuit of a nuclear-weapon-free zone was let down by India’s nuclear weapons tests in May 1998, to which Islamabad responded to maintain mutual deterrence, he said. Since 2004 Pakistan had pursued a composite dialogue with India. “Several confidence-building measures (CBMs) have been concluded, including for prior notification of missile tests and measures to prevent the accidental use of nuclear weapons,” he said. (ANI)

Creator of Rock Garden happy

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Chandigarh, Oct 18 (ANI): Nek Chand, the man credited with putting Chandigarh on the international map through his Rock Garden, is glad that his creation from the city waste fascinates crowds from across the world.Over 25 acres several thousand sculptures, made of industrial waste and thrown-away items, are set in large mosaic courtyards linked by walled paths and deep gorges. Nek Chand's creation also combines huge buildings with a series of interlinking waterfalls.“I am not conscious that I have reached such heights. The only thing that makes me glad is that visitors come in large numbers to see the Rock Garden created by me from waste material. People also feel happy to see that the waste which has been thrown away has been shaped so wonderfully,” says Chand.The Rock Garden attracts artists and connoisseurs from all over the world.Chand’s family moved to Chandigarh in 1947, during India-Pakistan Partition. At the time, the city was being redesigned as a modern utopia by the Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier.It was to be the first planned city in India, and Chand found work there as a roads inspector for the Public Works Department in 1951.Chand, a self-taught artist, in his spare time, began collecting materials from demolition sites around the city. “When I was employed with the Public Works Department, Chandigarh, I used to roam all over. I usually found waste material lying on the roads and thought I would collect all and create something out of it. To start with I collected glass bangles and created the few images that impressed me a lot. I then continued creating more images,” says Chand.Chand attended his office during the day and worked in the park by the evenings.“It was a jungle then, with snakes roaming around, but I continued my work. In the late evenings, light was required, so I used to collect used cycle tyres and set them on fire to work by its light,” says Chand.Chand was able to hide his creation for 18 years before it was discovered by the authorities in 1975. By this time, it had grown into a 12-acre complex of interlinked courtyards, each filled with hundreds of pottery-covered concrete sculptures of dancers, musicians, and animals.His work was in serious danger of being demolished, but he was able to get public opinion on his side, and in 1976, the park was inaugurated as a public space. “My work drew the attention of the government and it took over the place. It was opened to the public in 1976,” says Chand.Chand was given a salary, a title "Sub-Divisional Engineer, Rock Garden”, and a workforce of 50 labourers so that he could concentrate full-time on his work. For his unique work, Chand has received numerous awards, including the Padam Shree in 1983. He has also been honoured with the honorary citizenship of the United States and Paris. At 82, Chand remains dedicated to his Rock Garden.He says: “I have had no desires in the past. Even now, I am only dedicated to my work. After working the whole day in the garden I return home in the evenings.”The Rock Garden is now acknowledged as one of the modern wonders of the world. Over 5000 people visit this creation each day.It even appeared on an Indian stamp in 1983.The Rock Garden is still made out of recycled materials; and with the government’s help, Chand was able to set up collection centers around the city for waste, especially rags and broken ceramics.Chand's statues have found their way into museums across the world, including at the Capitol Children’s Museum in Washington, and the American Folk Art Museum in New York City.The John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Wisconsin, USA owns the largest collection of Chand's work outside Chandigarh. (ANI)

Indians search for ‘sex’ more than anything else

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Sydney, Oct 18 (ANI): ‘Sex’ is the word most often searched by Internet users on Google search engines in countries like India, Egypt and Turkey, a new survey has found. The data from the Google Trends website gave an insight into the popular searches across the world. Jihad (meaning holy war) seemed to be the most often typed key word in countries like Pakistan, Indonesia and Morocco, reports Sydney Morning Herald. Internet users from Germany, Mexico and Austria were the world's top three searchers of the word "Hitler", while "Nazi" got most hits in Chile, Australia and the UK. Chile also made it to the top spot by searching for the word ‘gay’ and weer followed by Mexico and Colombia. The top searchers for other keywords were as follows (in order from first to third place per country): "Jihad" - Morocco, Indonesia, Pakistan; "Terrorism" - Pakistan, Philippines, Australia; "Hangover" - Ireland, United Kingdom, United States; "Burrito" - United States, Argentina, Canada; "Iraq" - United States, Australia, Canada; "Taliban" - Pakistan, Australia, Canada; "Tom Cruise" - Canada, United States, Australia; "Britney Spears" - Mexico, Venezuela, Canada; "Homosexual" - Philippines, Chile, Venezuela; "Love" - Philippines, Australia, United States; "Botox" - Australia, United States, United Kingdom; "Viagra" - Italy, United Kingdom, Germany; "David Beckham" - Venezuela, United Kingdom, Mexico; "Kate Moss" - Ireland, United Kingdom, Sweden; "Dolly Buster" - Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia; "Car bomb" - Australia, United States, Canada; "Marijuana" - Canada, United States, Australia; "IAEA" - Austria, Pakistan, Iran “Sex”- India, Egypt , Turkey(ANI

India, Russia take their defence ties to a new high

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Moscow, Oct 18 (ANI): India and Russia have agreed to further strengthen their defence cooperation and aim to take it to a new high.During a meeting between Defence Minister A K Antony and his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov here, both sides agreed to reassess bilateral defence ties in the light of new global realties.From a buyer and a seller relationship, the Indo-Russian relation has evolved to be one of “mutual cooperation of joint production”, Antony said at a joint press briefing following his discussions with Serdyukov.“One of the most important projects which are underway in terms of bilateral military technical cooperation is the production of the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter, the MT 90 tanks, as well as the implementation of the Brahmos project and the implementation of the counter additional free Project 11356,” said Serdyukov.Citing instances of evolving ties with Russia, Antony said “Our joint effort in the production of the Brahmos and plan to co-develop FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) are some of the examples,” adding that “these projects could be the harbinger of the newer heights that our defence relations can achieve.”Earlier, Antony ruled out ignoring Russia at the cost of a deepening military and strategic relation with the US.“When we are improving our relations with US and other countries, it does not mean at the cost of our old friendship. Friendship with Russia will continue, and it will further increase and defence relations with Russia will further develop," said Antony ahead of the Seventh India-Russia Inter- Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation talks here on Wednesday.He said the very fact that there is joint inter-governmental Commission between India and Russia is demonstrative of the special relations between the two old friends.“Important projects such as the licenses projects of T 90 tanks, multi-road fighter aircrafts, SU 30 MKI, repair and refurbishment of aircraft carrier Abmiral Bosky, along with supply of the base fighter aircraft Mi 29k are evidence of successful implementation of the programme," said Antony.Antony is on a four-day visit to Russia. Talks relating to the development of Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft are likely to dominate the visit.The seventh meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) focussed on issues, including the further revamping of bilateral military ties, additional purchase of Russian defence hardware and cost escalation in deals that have already been inked. Antony and Serdyukov co-chaired the IRIGC-MTC meeting.India is the biggest market for Russian weaponry worldwide, with armament sales touching almost 10 billion dollars annually.Moscow is keen on retaining the Indian market in the face of growing competition from the US, French and Israeli armaments majors.Antony's trip sets the stage for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Moscow in November for his annual summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had visited Moscow last week. This is Antony's first visit to Russia and only his second abroad since assuming office a year ago. He had visited Singapore in June for a meeting of the Shangri-La Dialogue regional security grouping. (ANI)

A Raja to give Computer Literacy Award

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI): Union Information Technology and Communications Minister A. Raja will present awards to the winners of the fourth Computer Literacy Excellence Awards for schools - 2005 here today. The Computer Literacy Excellence Awards Scheme for schools in an attempt to bring the nation's children at par with young achievers of the world. While demonstrating outstanding competence, the 51 State/UT level awardees have created a benchmark or excellence in computer education for the rest of the schools across India to follow. There are two categories of awards - one for private/government aided school Category 'A' and government/municipal school as Category 'B'. The Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in 2002 has instituted an Award Scheme for Excellence in Computer Literacy and Information Technology in schools at State and National level to create IT awareness among schools and to encourage computer literacy among students in early stage of schooling. All recognized schools in India, government and private, teaching computers and information technology in their schools are eligible to compete for the award. (ANI)

BJP demands JPC probe into Sensex crash

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 17 (ANI): The opposition BJP today accused Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram of mishandling the situation that led to the Sensex crashing over 1700 points in the wake of SEBI's announcement of its intention to regulate the Participatory Notes (PN).Demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into today's volatility in the share market, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters: "The Finance Minister owes an explanation as to why he waited for the market to fall by 2000 points before coming out with a clarification.""The earlier announcement by SEBI about its intention to regulate the PN followed by a late clarification by the Finance Minister only on following day after the crash, clearly exemplifies the complete mishandling of the situation by the government and its related agencies," he added.Alleging that the extreme volatility in the capital market also points towards the existence of a nexus between various persons and institutions who stand to gain from the volatility of the capital market, Javadekar said: "The extreme volatility witnessed during the last few sessions, was not based on logical fundamentals and became a case of pure and excessive speculation."The Bombay Stock Exchange's (BSE) 30-share Sensex today opened with a huge negative gap of 1, 014 points.Following this major crash, trading was halted for an hour. This was the third such instance in the last three years.However at the end of the trading day, the Sensex recovered the loss considerably, closing at 18,715 levels, down 1.8 per cent or 336 points, after Chidmabaram ruled out any ban on investment through PN. (ANI)

PM for 8-point Social Development Strategy

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Johannesburg, Oct 17 (ANI): Pointing out that social development has both national and international dimensions, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today suggested an eight-point Social Development Strategy for India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA). In his speech during his intervention at the ‘Social Development Strategy for IBSA here, Singh said the importance of social development was recognized by the three-member group as far back as in the Brasilia Declaration of 2003. He said, “Based on our common experiences, I would like to suggest that a Social Development Strategy could emerge from the IBSA process having some of the following eight elements: Rapid Economic Growth: It is only within the framework of a rapidly expanding economy can we generate the necessary resources for investing in social development. We have to have faith in the creativity and enterprise of our people and create favourable conditions for these to have full play. Inclusivity: Economic growth cannot happen in isolation. Unless all sections of society derive benefits from such growth and develop a stake in the growth process, we will courting social and political instability. Disparities of any type – regional, gender, inter-community, inter-group – harm the growth process in the long run. However, addressing this aspect is easier said than done. All of us have diverse experiences, which we need to share and learn from. Human Resource Development: While growth processes may be favourable, it is essential that people are empowered and enabled to become active participants in these processes. The key to this is education and skill development. Adequate resources need to be committed to education and skill development at all levels. Focus on equitable infrastructure: Often, the infrastructure needs of the poor are neglected. But they are important facilitators of growth. There must be adequate investment in rural infrastructure and connectivity, clean drinking water, sanitation facilities, health care and social welfare. Short term distress mitigation: While most social development investments pay off in the medium term, the problems of unemployment and threatened livelihoods need to be addressed in the short term. Focused employment generation programmes linked to food security initiatives can provide immediate relief and succour. Grassroots Institution Building: There is a need to ensure participatory democracy and effective governance at local levels. These institutions facilitate ownership of governance processes and social and economic mobility. Civil society action must be encouraged. Environmentally sound strategies: Any growth strategy should be designed to minimize its adverse environmental effects. The world cannot sustain highly consumptive societies on the pattern of some of the developed economies. We need to search for more sustainable alternatives for the good of all. Integration into the Knowledge Economy: As the world advances into the knowledge era, education, skills and access to knowledge become key drivers of development. We need conscious efforts to ensure that all sections are in a position to participate in this transition – which takes us back to the need for human development.” (ANI)

PM calls for trilateral ventures in energy sector

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Johannesburg, Oct 17 (ANI): Asserting that energy security is a major challenge confronting India, Brazil and South Africa, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today emphasised the need for looking at how trilateral ventures in this area could be made viable business models. Interacting with the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Business Council here today, Singh said, "We should use synergies in this area to our common benefit. Brazil has comparative strengths in ethanol and bio-fuels; South Africa in Coal to Liquid and Gas to Liquid technologies. India has strengths in wind and solar energy." He further said that business also has a social responsibility, adding that within IBSA, the three members were in the process of elaborating a common Social Development strategy. "We would welcome inputs from the business community to shape an effective public-private partnership in this area," he added. He said India, Brazil and South Africa were amongst the most dynamic developing economies of the world, and these nations have "obvious complementarities and strengths that we ought to share and build upon." "We have set ourselves a modest target of 15 billion dollars by 2010 for trade among our three countries. My suggestion to our business leaders would be to aim to achieve this by 2009 and then go on to double that by 2012," Singh said, adding, "Business must be pro-active." Assuring that IBSA would endeavour to create the necessary environment for closer intra-IBSA trade and investment, Singh expressed the hope that the Business Forum would work actively to create awareness of the opportunities that "our three large markets provide."Pointing out that each of the three countries has strengths in science and technology, he urged the business leaders to look at innovative approaches to exploit these strengths, including through joint Research and Development projects, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and ICT. (ANI)

IBSA should emerge as people’s movement: PM

Thursday, October 18, 2007 | MP
Johannesburg, Oct 17 (ANI): Pointing out that the IBSA process has enabled parliamentarians, civil society, academia, mass media, women and other segments of society of India, Brazil and South Africa to engage with each other, Prime Minster Manmohan Singh today said that the cooperation should “emerge as a people’s movement.” “We greatly value their contribution in reinforcing the efforts of the three governments. Over a period of time, IBSA should emerge as a peoples' movement,” Singh said in his closing remarks at the Second India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Summit here. He said IBSA is a unique model of trans-national cooperation, as the three countries come from three different continents and yet share similar worldviews and aspirations. “If we can make a success of our model of cooperation based on collective self-reliance, it will serve as an example for all developing countries,” he added. The high level involvement of business and industry in IBSA is particularly encouraging, Singh said, adding that the three governments should leverage public-private partnerships to fill funding gaps and increase efficiency in key sectors of the cooperation. “The agreements and the declaration that we will be signing (at the second summit) will provide a new impulse to our cooperation. They reflect our emerging priorities. The implementation of the decisions we have taken should be carefully monitored, and a regular system of feedback should be put in place,” he said. The Prime Minister called for forging the “closest cooperation possible,” so that the member nations ensure a more equitable international political and economic order. He went on to say that the world was already looking upon the IBSA framework as a significant step forward in the emergence of a global partnership for development. Earlier in his opening remarks at the Plenary Session of the Summit today, Singh admitted that there is a lack of "adequate connectivity" between the IBSA, which continues to hamper its cooperation. He said the group should "reflect on how to encourage air and maritime links, which may not be commercially viable to begin with." "If the IBSA movement is to catch the imagination of our people, we should move from a declaratory phase to one of time bound action," he said. "We all recognise the immense potential of IBSA. With the necessary political will and an outcome-based approach, I have no doubt that we will be able to realise this potential," Singh added. Expressing happiness over "fruitful discussions" taken place at the Academic Seminar, the Business Seminar and the newly instituted Women's and Parliamentarians' Forums, he expressed the hope that the current Summit would have "substantive and productive" discussions on strengthening the IBSA process. Pointing out that out of the several Working Groups of the IBSA, only those on ICT and Trade and Investment have met thrice, he said that the three countries could agree that by the time of the next Summit all the groups should complete one cycle of meetings in each of the member countries. "At the next Summit, we would then be in a position to take stock of the areas we should concentrate on and where cooperation is proving useful," Singh added. "I am particularly pleased that discussions have begun on the India-SACU-Mercosur FTA. This is a bold initiative to give an impetus to our trading ties and we will work sincerely to bring it to fruition," he said. With regard to global issues, he said that India, Brazil and South Africa were increasingly consulting each other on the margins of major international meetings, adding, "We should encourage this so that we can have common IBSA positions on important international issues." Recalling that last year the IBSA had agreed that assisting other developing countries should be one of the thrust areas of the cooperation, he said: "I propose that we work on one big flagship IBSA project using the Fund for Poverty and Hunger, which will convey our commitment in this area." All developing countries face the challenge of balancing the need for more rapid growth with the need to address the problem of social inequality, the Prime Minister said, adding that each of IBSA countries has attempted innovative solutions to bring about inclusive growth. (ANI)

Durga idols made of Tulsi beads, incense sticks

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Patna, Oct.17 (ANI): This year the idol-makers in Patna are making Durga idols using Tulsi (basil) beads and incense sticks which will be on display during the ongoing Navaratri festival and Durga Puja.Each Goddess Durga idol requires at least 50,000 Tulsi beads and five kilograms of incense sticks. It takes about a month to complete a life-size idol. "Like every year, the demand for Durga idols has risen this year too. We too want to provide our customers with new and innovative Durga idols," said Shiv Kumar Pandit, an artisan .Along with conventional Durga idols generally made of clay, bamboo, straw, iron, paper-mache and sand, these artists are dexterously adorning the idols of the goddesses of beauty, and courage using Tulsi beads and incense sticks."A lot of hard work goes in when you try something new like Durga idol of Tulsi beads or Durga idol with incense sticks. People are surprised to see these idols”, says Chandan Kumar, an idol maker. In the eastern parts of the country, the Durga Puja festival commences from Wednesday (Oct.17), whereas the Navaratri festival commenced elsewhere last week on Friday (Oct.12). (ANI)

Aussies surrender before Murali Kartik

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Mumbai, Oct 17 (ANI): Playing for pride after having already lost the one-day series, India bowled out Australia for 193 runs in the final match of the seven match series at the Wankhede Stadium here on Wednesday thanks to a superb spell by spinner Murali Kartik. Opting to bat first after winning the toss this afternoon, the visiting team had a bad start when left arm pacer Zahir Khan got rid of makeshift opener Michael Clarke on the very first delivery of the innings. Other opener Adam Gilchrist and skipper Ricky Ponting did give stability to their innings after the first-ball jolt with a 60-run partnership for the second wicket. But after the fall of the swashbuckling wicketkeeper-opener in the 10th over, the World Champions never looked in a position to post a good target. None of the Australian batsmen appeared to have any idea of how to play left arm spinner Kartik, who ended up with his career best bowling figure of six for 27 in 10 overs. RP Singh scalped two wickets, while Zaheer and Irfan Pathan took one each to bundle out the visitors in 41.3 overs. India now needs 194 runs for a consolation victory. (ANI)

Lack of adequate connectivity hampering IBSA

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Johannesburg, Oct 17 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today admitted that there is a lack of “adequate connectivity” between India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA), which continues to hamper its cooperation. In his opening remarks at the Plenary Session of the 2nd IBSA Summit here, Singh said the group should “reflect on how to encourage air and maritime links, which may not be commercially viable to begin with.” “If the IBSA movement is to catch the imagination of our people, we should move from a declaratory phase to one of time bound action,” he said. “We all recognise the immense potential of IBSA. With the necessary political will and an outcome-based approach, I have no doubt that we will be able to realise this potential,” Singh added. Expressing happiness over “fruitful discussions” taken place at the Academic Seminar, the Business Seminar and the newly instituted Women’s and Parliamentarians’ Forums, he expressed the hope that the current Summit would have “substantive and productive” discussions on strengthening the IBSA process. Pointing out that out of the several Working Groups of the IBSA, only those on ICT and Trade and Investment have met thrice, he said that the three countries could agree that by the time of the next Summit all the groups should complete one cycle of meetings in each of the member countries. “At the next Summit, we would then be in a position to take stock of the areas we should concentrate on and where cooperation is proving useful,” Singh added. “I am particularly pleased that discussions have begun on the India-SACU-Mercosur FTA. This is a bold initiative to give an impetus to our trading ties and we will work sincerely to bring it to fruition,” he said. With regard to global issues, he said that India, Brazil and South Africa were increasingly consulting each other on the margins of major international meetings, adding, ”We should encourage this so that we can have common IBSA positions on important international issues.” Recalling that last year the IBSA had agreed that assisting other developing countries should be one of the thrust areas of the cooperation, he said: “I propose that we work on one big flagship IBSA project using the Fund for Poverty and Hunger, which will convey our commitment in this area.” All developing countries face the challenge of balancing the need for more rapid growth with the need to address the problem of social inequality, the Prime Minister said, adding that each of IBSA countries has attempted innovative solutions to bring about inclusive growth. (ANI)

Is Sensex surge helping aam admi: Sidhu to Cong

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Chandigarh, Oct 17 (ANI): The opposition BJP legislator from Amritsar, Navjot Singh Sidhu, today criticised the Congress party for making life more difficult for the common man (aam aadmi) with rise in prices of essential commodities. He gave away packed vegetables to housewives as Diwali gifts to lodge a symbolic protest against the rising inflation and said, “We want to make the government aware - that you talk of the Sensex, you talk of the country's economy, you keep saying that the Congress is with the poor people, then we have this price hike that we have seen in pulses last year and vegetables this year, especially onions that are the basic ingredient of any family's kitchen.”“Where is the common man benefiting from this GDP growth, how is he benefiting from the Sensex spiral and India's economic growth story?, he questioned.He said that such figures about economy looks great on paper but its benefits have not reached the common people. “This benefit that we have only on paper as yet, needs to percolate to the common man, to the masses," he added. (ANI)

Are you an Apollo or an Athena

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Sydney, Oct 17 (ANI): A leading psychotherapist has shed more light on the intriguing field of personality study, by identifying a list of distinct personality types, or "archetypes". Perth psychotherapist, author and motivational speaker Katie Altham says that an archetype is a primal, inborn and compulsive personality characteristic. In her new book, Altham has identified 34 archetypes, with examples taken from real life. Twenty two of these archetypes are named after ancient gods and goddesses. For example, Pallas Athena is the warrior queen, signifying characteristics like cleverness, logic, and good policy planners. "Apollo is the successful yuppie professional; Zeus the absolute king and dictator, Dionysus the hedonistic bohemian,” she said. "Each person will have six out of these 34 (archetypes) that they'll be able to say 'that's me,’” she added. Altham explained that sometimes, one archetype dominates, indicating the way to trouble. For example, troubled singer Britney Spears is "an Aphrodite, which is the sex goddess," Altham said. "She's a great example of when one archetype gets out of balance - nothing else gets developed in that girl,” she added. Former crocodile hunter Steve Irwin and airline entrepreneur Richard Branson are Hermes, “the messenger who can sell ice to eskimos,” while socialite Paris Hilton is a Princess for “she's wealthy, expects the best, doesn't want to have to work too hard.” However some experts have dismissed Altham's approach as lightweight pop-psychology. "It's a bit horoscopy, isn't it? Sure, it's fun but don't take this as the be-all and end-all. It's a little simplistic,” Sydney-based psychotherapist Steven Carroll said. But, according to Altham, understanding archetypes has implications for health, parenting, career choices and obviously romance and sex. "People can work out who they are, who their partner is, who their kids are, who a workmate is who's giving them trouble at work, their best friend or their mother in law,” Altham said. "When we understand where people are we're much less reactive to them ... we can also support them to be more of what they are and stop trying to change them to be like we want them to be,” she added. (ANI)

Narayanan suspects ISI’s hands

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 17 (ANI): National Security Advisor M K Narayanan has said that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is suspected to be involved in recent terror blasts in Ludhiana, Ajmer and Hyderabad. “There is no connection between the blasts in Ludhiana, Ajmer and Mecca Masjid (Hyderabad), other than the fact that the ISI’s involvement is suspected, that is the common link,” Narayanan said in an interview to The Indian Express. Narayanan did not directly blamed Pakistan, but said that “very often” such agencies develop their own momentum and are difficult to control. Commenting on the Ludhiana blasts, that claimed six lives and injured over 25 people on Sunday, Narayanan said there has been a “manifest attempt in Pakistan” to build up a radical Sikh environment. “Sporadic blasts were creating sensation, but the desired effect of sustained tension was not working. We had intelligence about four to six months back that a lot of effort was going into attempts to foment militancy. “We have tracked intelligence information, we have studied the way such attacks take place and we can read a pattern. We have also seen signs of resuscitation of militant groups in Canada, US and Germany. We had been bracing for such a move by such elements,” Narayanan added. Stating that the intelligence establishment believed that the blasts at Mecca Masjid and Ajmer Sharif were connected to the larger jehadi network, he said, “They (terrorists) have a feeling that the Kashmir issue is not able to attract the kind of attention they would want it to. We believe that some thinking has gone in, they are looking to change their style.” He went on to say that so far it has been “sporadic and soft” attacks, and the human grief is not exactly adding up to the big impact they would want to see. “Our information is that they may try high profile targets in and around Kashmir and also outside the state,” he added. He emphasised the need for “much more vigilance on ground,” saying there is no al-Qaeda on the ground in India as yet, “but we have to be wary of random groups and individuals for various reasons.” “We need many more eyes and ears on the ground,” Narayanan told the daily. Asked about the harassment caused to the minority community in areas where such incidents take place when security forces carry out their investigations, he admitted that it was “unfortunate” if people of Muslim community felt they were being “targeted unfairly” whenever a terror incident took place. “Often when such incidents take place in a Muslim majority area, like in the mosque in Hyderabad, the investigative agency’s drill is to round up people in the vicinity for questioning. Perceptions get formed that there is some kind of profiling on. Often monitoring and evaluating information takes time, and the minority community can sometimes feel victimised,” he said. (ANI)

After nosedive, crashed Sensex recovers

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Mumbai/New Delhi, Oct 17 (ANI): After opening with a huge negative gap of 1, 014 points, the Bombay Stock Exchange’s (BSE) 30-share Sensex recovered 1, 500 points, but closed 300 points below yesterday’s mark.Following this major crash, trading was halted for an hour. This was the third such instance in the last three years.Earlier in the day, Finance Minister P Chidmabaram remarks on investment in the stock markets via Participatory Notes (PN) gave the stock exchanges a momentum.Chidambaram ruled out any ban on investment via PN and gave assurance that the Securities and Exchange Board of India's (SEBI) proposal on PN’s is to moderate investment coming in from abroad.Welcoming investment via the PN route, Chidambaram said that he was surprised to see a certain section of the media raising an alarm over the performance of stock markets, adding, there was no need to raise an alarm, and that he expected the initial sense of alarm to "quieten" down by the end of the day. He went on to say that the move is a culmination of measures discussed between the SEBI, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Government.Meanwhile, SEBI Chairman M Damodaran has appealed investors not to get carried away by rumours, saying that the proposals on Offshore Derivative Instruments (ODIs) were a well-designed package. "Investors should see what period they are investing and remain within their set horizon... not be swayed by rumours," he said.The SEBI has proposed to tighten the rules for purchase of shares and bonds in Indian companies through the participatory note route. The draft guidelines say foreign institutional investors (FII) and their sub-accounts cannot issue or renew participatory notes with underlying as derivatives with immediate effect. They have to unwind their current position within 18 months.The Sensex recovered sharply from the day's low (17,308 points) and touched an intra-day high of 18,841 points - up 1,533 points (8.9 per cent) from the day's low. Reliance Energy slumped 7.5 per cent to Rs 1,762. ACC and SBI plunged five per cent each to Rs 1,203 and Rs 1,829, respectively.BHEL and NTPC tumbled over 4.5 per cent each to Rs 2,283 and Rs 221, respectively.Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Steel, HDFC and ONGC slipped around four per cent each to Rs 780, Rs 869, Rs 2,470 and Rs 1,130, respectively. ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications and HDFC Bank dropped three per cent each to Rs 1,121, Rs 1,076, Rs 737 and Rs 1,460, respectively.Cipla, Ambuja Cements and Dr.Reddy's shed around 2.5 per cent each to Rs 179, Rs 149 and Rs 606, respectively.Ranbaxy, Grasim, Bajaj Auto and Hindustan Unilever were down around two per cent each to Rs 420, Rs 3,675, Rs 2,489 and Rs 208, respectively.TCS surged 2.5 per cent to Rs 1,095. Satyam advanced 1.6 per cent to Rs 457, and Infosys added a per cent to Rs 1,890. Reliance moved up over 1.5 per cent to Rs 2,690.Reliance topped the value chart with a turnover of Rs 988.50 crore followed by Reliance Energy (Rs 794.30 crore), Power Grid (Rs 607.50 crore), Tata Power (Rs 401.20 crore) and Reliance Petroleum (Rs 398.80 crore).Power Grid led the volume chart with trades of around 4.77 crore shares followed by Reliance Natural Resources (3.68 crore), Reliance Petroleum (2.27 crore), Tata Teleservices (2.21 crore) and IFCI (1.22 crore). (ANI)

'India's ties with US not at the cost of Russia'

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Moscow, Oct.17 (ANI): Visiting Indian Defence Minister A K Antony has ruled out ignoring old friend and ally Russia at the cost of deepening military and strategic relations with the US." When we are improving our relations with US and other countries, it does not mean at the cost of our old friendship. Friendship with Russia will continue, and it will further increase and defence relations with Russia will further develop",said Antony ahead of the Seventh India-Russia Inter- Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation talks here today. Antony also expressed optimism that his visit to Russia would be a pathbreaking one, and predicted a major defence deal between the two countries could be in the offing. Talking to reporters after laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier, Antony said talks to jointly develop and produce a fifth generation fighter aircraft for the Indian and Russian Air Forces is going on, and a major breakthrouh could be expected. "Discussions are progressing well. I am sure there will be a major breakthrough on certain issues and we have already arrived on some agreement on issues.This visit will furthur enhance our relations. We will find areas of working together," Antony said.Antony is on a four day visit to Russia and talks relating to the development of a fith generation aircraft are likely to dominate proceedings.The seventh meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) is also expected to focus on other issues, including the further ramping up of bilateral military ties, additional purchases of Russian defence hardware and cost escalation in deals that have already been inked, a senior official said. Antony and his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov will co-chair the IRIGC-MTC meeting.Antony, heading a high-level official delegation that includes Defence Secretary Vijay Singh, senior DRDO officials and top brass of armed forces. India is the biggest market for Russian weaponry worldwide, with armament sales touching almost 10 billion dollars a year. Moscow is keen on retaining the Indian market in the face of growing competition from the U.S., French and Israeli armaments majors. (ANI)

Stock market revives following FM’s statement

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Mumbai/New Delhi, Oct 17 (ANI): Finance Minister P Chidmabaram remarks on investment in the stock markets via Participatory Notes (PN) has given a new momentum to them, as the Bombay Stock Exchange’s 30-share sensex and the Nifty have started reflecting positive signals. Almost an hour back, the Sensex was at 17,793.84, down 1,258 points, but up from the low of 17,308. The Nifty recovered to 5273, still down 395 points, but up from a low of 5,107. Earlier in the day, the Finance Minister has ruled out any ban on the investment via PN and had assured that the Securities and Exchange Board of India's (SEBI) proposal on the PN is to moderate investment coming from abroad. Welcoming investment via the PN, Chidambaram said that he was surprised to see that the certain section of media was raising alarm over the performance of the stock markets, adding, there is no need to raise an alarm, and that he expected that the initial sense of alarm would “quieten” by the end of the day. He went on to say that the move is the culmination of measures discussed between the SEBI, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Government. This morning, the Sensex opened with a negative gap of 1,014 points at 18,038 and the trading at BSE was stopped for an hour. The NSE Nifty opened 284 points lower to 5384. Reliance Energy slumped over 12 per cent to Rs 1,700. ICICI Bank and NTPC have plunged around 9 per cent each to Rs 1,052 and Rs 211, respectively. Bharti Airtel plunged by 8.5 per cent to Rs 1,015. SBI and Mahindra and Mahindra shed 7.7 per cent each to Rs 1,775 and Rs 753, respectively. Tata Steel, Tata Motors, HDFC, Hindalco, Reliance Communications, ONGC, Larsen and Toubro, ACC, BHEL, Maruti and Ambuja Cements have dropped 6-7 per cent each. TCS and Satyam have soared around three per cent each to Rs 1,102 and Rs 463, respectively. Infosys is the other gainer among the index stocks at Rs 1,880. According to stock market experts, the Sensex may witness an over 2, 000-point fall today and if Nifty crosses 5, 000 marks then one has to be very cautious about the bulls. However, some feel that investors should not panic because of a 10-20 per cent fall in the markets that have risen to over 80 per cent. The SEBI has proposed to tighten the rules for purchase of shares and bonds in Indian companies through the participatory note route. The draft guidelines say foreign institutional investors (FII) and their sub-accounts cannot issue or renew participatory notes with underlying as derivatives with immediate effect. They have to unwind their current position within 18 months. (ANI)

Cincom introduces configuration management s/w

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 17 (ANI- Business Wire India): Complex manufacturers using salesforce can now win more orders from customers and satisfy their demands on time. Worldwide software provider Cincom Systems presents Cincom's Sales Configurator for salesforce.com's AppExchange, available at www.salesforce.com/appxchange.com. "Cincom's Sales Configurator is a leader in flexibility and true knowledge management, and now this functionality is tightly integrated with the power of Salesforce," said Gregor Newland, Ventures Manager responsible for Cincom Manufacturing Business Solutions' partner channel in the United States. "This allows service partners to better enable their clients to improve crucial front-office processes such as product configuration, estimating and bidding, and quotation and proposal management," Newland added. Salesforce.com's more than 35,300 customers now have access to Cincom's Sales Configurator through the AppExchange, the world's first on-demand marketplace for business applications. "Salesforce.com's service partners are always on the lookout for software technologies that will benefit their clients, especially those that leverage the Force.com platform. The AppExchange is the first place they look for these technologies,” Newland added. Cincom's Sales Configurator captures the product, services, and business knowledge needed for guided selling, complex product and sales configuration, and proposal management. It enables complex manufacturers to capture and deliver critical application, product, pricing, and process knowledge to the point of sale - ensuring the optimal fit between the manufacturers' product offering and customers' needs. Manufacturers with engineer-to-order or configure-to-order products have successfully streamlined sales, design, and proposal processes by using Cincom to deliver critical product and sales knowledge to the point of sale and reduce "quote-to-cash" time significantly. (ANI)

Uranium sale billions lost as India opts out

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Washington/Sydeny, Oct 17 (ANI): Australia’s plans to sell uranium to India appear certain to be scuttled after the Indian Government announced it was unlikely to immediately sign a pact with the US on civil nuclear co-operation.According to a report in Australia’s Sunday Morning Herald, the US-India deal was a pre-condition to the planned sales of uranium because India is outside the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and Australia bans sale to non-signatories. The US-India civil nuclear agreement was considered by the Australian and US Governments to include sufficient safeguards to allow sales to India to proceed. The sales were likely to have been worth billions in export dollars because India plans to use nuclear energy to meet its burgeoning power needs, the Washington Post also reported.Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has told U.S. President, George Bush that "certain difficulties" would prevent India from moving forward on the pact for the foreseeable future.The main obstacle is not the agreement itself but rather India's internal politics, including fears from the communist parties in the ruling coalition that India is moving too close to the US, officials and experts familiar with the deal said. Besieged for two months by growing opposition to nuclear energy co-operation with the US, Singh indicated over the weekend that he would rather save his government than the pact."What we have done with the US, it is an honourable deal, it is good for India, and it is good for the world. But we are in the realm of politics, and within our coalition, there are differing perceptions," Singh said. The collapse of the deal is a blow to the Prime Minister, John Howard, who agreed to the sales in principle while in India last year, and to the Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, who had trumpeted the plans.In August a cabinet sub-committee approved the sales, and Downer dismissed concerns about sales to a non-treaty country such as India.Last night a spokesman for Downer said the Government was aware of the reports. "We'll have to speak to the Indians and ask them what the situation is," he said.It is also a serious setback for Bush, who has been pushing to improve relations with India as a part of his legacy.But even in the US the deal was controversial.Neither the US or India was eager to announce the setback. India's only official pronouncement was tucked at the bottom of a news release on the Indian embassy website outlining a telephone conversation on Monday between Singh and Bush. The White House did not announce that the conversation had taken place until it had been asked about the Indian embassy statement.A State Department spokesman said that the Administration still believed the deal was "a good one for the United States, for India and for the broader efforts at non-proliferation." (ANI)

Govt will honour court verdict on Sethusamudram

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 17 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal has said that the UPA Government will abide by the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project."There is no contradiction. The matter is in the court, and we will abide by the decision. We are true followers of Ram and have never misused his name or instigated riots," Jaiswal said. A fresh row erupted last month after the Central Government filed a statement before the Supreme Court on the project, saying that Hinduism's most important texts are not proof of the existence of Hindu gods.But the Congress party led ruling coalition backtracked on the 'affidavit' the next day and sought three months time from the apex court to file an amended one, following threats of nationwide protests by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).Hindu groups have been opposing the 560 million dollar project, saying it would destroy the 'holy' Ram Sethu, a 48-kilometre chain of limestone shoals that once linked Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu to Mannar in Sri Lanka.According to the Central Government, research has shown that the Ram Setu was a series of sand shoals created by sedimentation, but according to Hindus the narrow link, also known as Adam's Bridge, was built by Lord Rama. The Sethusamudram Project will dredge a channel in a narrow strip of sea between India and Sri Lanka, reducing distances and cutting costs for freight traffic for ships moving from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. Dredging for the project began in 2005, and the channel -- 12 metres deep, 300 metres wide and almost 90 km long -- will provide a crucial link between the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar once completed. (ANI)

Indian-Americans to lobby India on N- deal

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Washington, Oct.16 (ANI): An Indian-American delegation led by the head of the U.S. India Business Alliance will travel to India this week in a bid to build support for a troubled nuclear deal between the two countries. Sanjay Puri, the president of the business group and chairman of the influential U.S. India Political Action Committee, said Indian-American business and community leaders would meet with government and opposition leaders in India who have pressured Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to back away from the deal. "We have a viewpoint why we're for this agreement, why we think it's a win-win for both countries," Puri said in an interview on Monday.Puri believes Indian-Americans can play a unique role in building support for the deal in both countries. "We consider ourselves in many ways a bridge between the two countries. So we want to make sure the bridge's viewpoints are heard on both sides," Puri said. The visit comes days after Singh appeared to be signalling that his government may be backing away from the deal, which has drawn opposition from groups both within and outside his ruling coalition. Singh relayed this to President Bush in a telephone call over the weekend. Singh told Bush that "certain difficulties have arisen with respect to the operationalisation" of the deal, according to a release posted on the Indian Embassy's website that mostly dealt with trade issues. If the deal were stalled for some time, it would be a significant blow to the Bush administration, which has hailed it as a historic achievement. Congress, in one of its last actions under Republican leadership late last year, approved legislation allowing civilian nuclear cooperation with India after Bush asked that it be a priority. The legislation was a first step toward approval of the accord. Even after that action, however, the deal faced several hurdles, including the completion of a deal between India and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over inspections of Indian nuclear facilities. India and the U.S. also must persuade the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), an international body whose members implement guidelines on nuclear exports, to accept the agreement. Because of political opposition in India, Singh has delayed negotiations between his government and the IAEA and NSG. In the U.S., Congress must give its approval to a technical agreement with India on nuclear trade that was concluded in July. Sceptics in Congress have criticized the deal, which would allow nuclear trade with India even though that country has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which forbids members from developing nuclear weapons. Puri said officials on his delegation would argue the nuclear deal offers benefits to both countries. The deal could help India, which now imports 80 percent of its energy, deal with a pressing need, and would also lead to increased trade between both countries, particularly as India's economy continues to grow. Most importantly, Puri argues, the deal would lead to closer ties between the U.S. and India, two countries that he said share close values. "It's beneficial for the United States to have a partner like India in that part of the world politically, geopolitically, strategically but also economically," he said. While Indian-Americans might not reap particular benefits from the completion of a U.S.-India nuclear agreement, Puri said they likely would benefit from increased trade resulting from the deal, particularly in the defence sector, which he said has a healthy Indian-American workforce. (ANI)

Chidambaram to visit Norway from Oct 23

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Oslo, Oct.17 (ANI): Union Finance Minister P.Chidambaram will pay an official visit to Norway from October 23 to 25. The visit is taking place at the invitation of his Norwegian counterpart Kristin Halvorsen and assumes importance, as it would be the first by an Indian Finance Minister.It will be taking place in the wake of a great surge in the bilateral economic and commercial engagements which have crossed seven billion dollars in the last two years. On October 23, Chidambaram would have official talks with Norwegian Finance Minister. He would also meet Erik Solheim, Minister for International Development, on October 23 and Svein Gjedrem, Governor of Norges Bank on October 24.The Finance Minister's other engagements include an address at the prestigious Noble Institute on October 24 at the invitation of Norwegian Institute of Peace (NUPI) where he would be articulating India's socio-economic agenda whose main plank is development with democracy. On the same day, he would deliver a speech on India's emergence as an economic power at the Oslo Business School which would be followed by a question and answer session. Chidambaram would also attend an investment promotion symposium organized by NHO, NICCI and DNV on October 24 and inaugurate an IT outsourcing event on October 25 before departing for India, a release by the Indian Embassy in Oslo said. (ANI)

FM on market crash

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Mumbai/New Delhi, Oct 17 (ANI): Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram today ruled out any banning on the investment via Participatory Notes (PN) and said that the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI) proposal on the PN is to moderate investment coming from abroad. Welcoming investment via the PN, Chidambaram said that he was surprised to see that the certain section of media was raising alarm over the performance of the stock markets, adding, there is no need to raise alarm. The Finance Minister went on to say that the move is the culmination of the measures discussed between the SEBI, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Government. The Sensex opened with a negative gap of 1,014 points at 18,038 in the backdrop of (SEBI) discussion paper on the participatory notes (PN). The trading at BSE has been stopped for an hour. Top losers among the BSE 30 scrips include Reliance Energy (down 18 per cent), Reliance Communication (down 15.9 per cent), ICICI Bank (down 11.8 per cent), NTPC (down 11.8 per cent), BHEL (down 11.7 per cent) and Reliance Industries (down 11.3 per cent). The NSE Nifty opened 284 points lower to 5384. The index is now down 524 points at 5144. (ANI)

Central team to review law and order in Manipur

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Imphal, Oct 17 (ANI): A Central team headed by Union Home Secretary Madukar Gupta will review the law and order situation here today in the backdrop of increasing violence.The team comprises of Joint Secretary Home (Northeast) Naveen Verma, Joint Secretary (Border Management) G S Patnaik and Director of North-1 A K Goyal.The team will also fly to the border town of Moreh where it will hold discussions with the officials on the proposed fencing of the Indo-Myanmar border and the construction of an integrated check post there.The Central team will also hold talks with Governor S S Sidhu and Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh separately on the State's law and order situation. The team will return to New Delhi on October 18. (ANI)

PM's remark to Bush makes CPI (M) happy

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Guwahati, Oct 16 (ANI): The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) on Tuesday welcomed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remarks to US President George W Bush that certain 'difficulties' have arisen with respect to the operationalisation of the India-US Civil nuclear agreementCPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said that the agenda of the Left parties was not to topple the UPA government but to firmly oppose the Indo-US nuclear deal. Going by what had transpired between Singh and Bush, there seems to be a "softening of stand on implementation of the deal by the government", Yechury told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar organised by a local weekly here.Yechury further said that it would be a welcome sign if the government gives a "rethink" on operationalisation of the deal.He said that if the government's stand has changed then discussions based on that would be held in the next meeting of the UPA-Left committee on nuclear deal, which is scheduled to be held on October 22."Our agenda is not to either topple the government or protect it," Yechury said, adding that "We will oppose the deal".During his tele-conference conversation with US President George Bush on the India-US Civil nuclear agreement, Singh explained to Bush that certain difficulties have arisen with respect to the operationalisation of deal. (ANI)

Manmohan reaches Johannesburg

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
Johannesburg, Oct 16 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday arrived in Johannesburg from the Nigerian capital Abuja to participate in the tri-nation, India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Summit.India is likely to call for greater trade relations with South Africa and Brazil at the Summit, and is leading a contingent of 75 industrialists, comprising representatives from different business bodies like FICCI, CII and ASSOCHAM. IBSA was formed in 2003 to promote South-South cooperation and dialogue. Singh will also hold bilateral meetings with Presidents of South Africa and Brazil, Thabo Mbeki and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva respectively.Both South Africa and Brazil are members of the 45-member Nuclear Supplier's Group (NSG).However, with Singh already making it clear to the US President George W Bush that operationalisation of the bilateral nuclear deal would be 'difficult', there is little possibility that India would focus on nuclear subject. Meanwhile, Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma, who is accompanying the Prime Minister, told reporters on board the special aircraft that the failure to operationalise the nuke deal would hurt India, as it would remain isolated from global nuclear club.He also said that India would seek full integration with the global nuclear mainstream. (ANI)

IOL Chems and Pharma posts impressive results

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 16 (ANI-Business Wire India): Punjab based IOL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Limited, a leading manufacturer of industrial chemicals and bulk drugs in the country, has posted an impressive performance for the period ended September 2007.The Profit after Tax for the quarter ended September 30, 2007, went up by 169.61 percent to Rs.3.32 crores from Rs.1.23 crores reported in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.The Operating Profit for the quarter ended September 30, 2007, went up by 117 percent to Rs.9.50 crores against Rs. 4.38 crores reported in the corresponding quarter ended September 30, 2006.The Income for the company during the quarter went up by 88.55 percent to Rs.80.69 crores in comparison to Rs.42.80 crores reported in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The cash Earning Per Share during the quarter has increased to Rs.4.95 from Rs.3.29 in the corresponding quarter.The Profit after Tax for the half year ended September 30, 2007, went up by 108.69 percent to Rs.4.59 crores from Rs.2.20 crores reported in the corresponding half-year of the previous year. The Operating Profit for the half-year ended September 30, 2007 went up by 87.48 percent to Rs.15.43 crores against Rs.8.23 crores reported in the corresponding half-year ended September 30, 2006.The Income for the company during the half-year went up by 75.02 percent to Rs.148.97 crores in comparison to Rs.85.12 crores reported in the corresponding half-year of the previous year. The cash Earning Per Share during the half year has increased to Rs.8.32 on enhanced capital from Rs.5.73 in the corresponding half-year.The company has recently approved to issue up to 13.30 lacs Equity Shares of face value of Rs.10 each at a premium of Rs. 65 per share to Indiastar (Mauritius) Limited and 14 lacs unsecured fully convertible debentures (FCDs) of Rs. 100 each aggregating to Rs. 14 crores. These FCD's would be converted in one and more trenches within a period of 18 months from the date of allotment into equity shares of face value of Rs.10 each at a premium of Rs.65 per share to Indiastar (Mauritius) Limited.The Board has also decided to issue up to 23 lacs warrants out of which 12,00,000 (twelve lacs) warrants to Mayadevi Polycot Limited, Promoter of the Company and 11 lacs (eleven lacs) warrants to Indiastar (Mauritius) Limited. Post conversion the Indiastar (Mauritius) Limited would hold close to 18.50 percent of the expanded equity of the company.IOL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Limited based at Ludhiana in Punjab is a leading manufacturers, exporters and suppliers of organic chemicals and bulk drugs like Glacial Acetic Acid, Ethyl Acetate, Acetic Anhydride and Ibuprofen.The company has completed the expansion of its capacities of acetic acid to 50,000 TPA, Ethyl Acetate to 33,000 TPA, Acetic Anhydride to 12,000 TPA and Ibuprofen to 3,600 TPA. The company has also put up a 4MW cogeneration power plant for captive consumption.The company has also undertaken further expansion of existing capacities and forward and backward integration and setting up of additional new cogeneration power plant with a Capex of Rs.180 Crores (ANI)

Ludhiana blast: Police claims getting ‘vital clues’

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Ludhiana, Oct 16 (ANI): Two days after a blast at a cinema hall here that killed six people and injured other 25, investigators investigating the case on Tuesday claimed that they have got ‘vital clues’ in the case, but did not divulge the details saying it would affect the investigation.Additional Director General of Police Chandrashekhar refused to name the explosive used in the blast and said that the nature of chemicals in the explosive is yet to be ascertained."People with complete knowledge and experts are working out on various theories to reach the conclusion and everything will be clear soon," he added.Earlier they were reports that RDX was used in the blast and the modus operandi indicated that the blast was carried out by Babbar Khalsa group- a militant group in Punjab that was active during the 1980s insurgency in the State, in association with the Pakistan backed Kashmiri militant groups.A special team under DIG (Ludhiana Range) Ishwar Singh, have been constituted to carry out the investigation in the case and probe all possible angles. The multiplex Shingar Cinema, was packed with about 600 people mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar when the bomb exploded on October 14. The blast coincided with the Eid festival leading to widespread chaos. (ANI)

SWISS daily service between Delhi and Zurich

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.16 (ANI): Switzerland’s national carrier, Swiss International Air Lines or SWISS will introduce a new daily service between Zurich and Delhi with Airbus A330 aircraft on November 25, 2007. Delhi becomes the second destination in India, along with Mumbai and passengers now have a choice of 14 weekly flights between India and Switzerland. Speaking on the occasion, Jean-Philippe Benoit, General Manager SWISS said, “We are delighted to be announcing the daily service from Delhi. It feels good be back after a gap of almost four years. The increased demand for travel to Switzerland has enabled us to add Delhi to our existing network. Combined with our partner Lufthansa, customers will now have a choice of 59 weekly departures from India to our three European hubs at Zurich, Frankfurt and Munich.” According to Federico Sommaruga, Director – India, Russia/CIS, GCC and Emerging Markets, Switzerland Tourism, “India is an important market for Switzerland. Recent trends have revealed that not only is Switzerland viewed as a top leisure destination but also a value-for-money destination with the incentive segment."“The decision to launch a daily service from Delhi will further enhance travel to Switzerland and we will now focus on developing products that will interest travelers from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan,” Sommaruga added. As part of its on-going effort to increase tourism between India and Switzerland, the Switzerland Tourism Board is hosting Switzerland Travel Experience, a comprehensive program that focusses on travel trade in Mumbai and Delhi on October 22nd and October 24th. The Switzerland Travel Experience will include representation by various tourism boards from Switzerland and will showcase latest tourism products in Switzerland, thus offering a glimpse of what tourists could expect. Switzerland Travel Experience is one of the many events that are meant to educate the travel trade through presentations and interactive workshops. This event serves as a good platform to talk about the latest Swiss tourism products and also to renew old contacts with the travel trade and media. In India, Switzerland Tourism has been doing this every year for the past 11 years. SWISS serves 43 European and 28 intercontinental destinations with a fleet of 73 aircraft. In addition to its own operations, codeshare flights between Switzerland and 15 other cities are also available with its partner airlines. As a member of Star Alliance, SWISS offers a global network that comprises 855 destinations in 155 countriesIn India, SWISS has its own office located in Mumbai with representations in major cities like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Pune and Vadodara.Headquartered in Zurich, with two offices in India in New Delhi and Mumbai, Switzerland Tourism maintains business partnerships with various local Swiss regional tourism boards, Swiss mountain peaks and other attractions in Switzerland and with tour operators and travel agents in India. Main functions of the tourism board is promotion of Switzerland through tour operators and media. (ANI)

Food security for every citizen: Pawar

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 16 (ANI): Union Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Sharad Pawar today said the country was committed to ensure food security for every citizen. Addressing the World Food Day celebrations here today, Pawar said the Right to Food Approach complements food security in terms of food availability, accessibility and utilization with human dignity and cultural acceptability. “We have been following a twin-track approach in this regard to strengthen productivity and livelihoods at one level and implementing social safety nets for those unable to provide for themselves at another level,” he added. Keeping in view the challenges of growing population and the need for food security, two major programmes have been launched recently to augment food production and availability in the country, he said. The first one is the ‘National Food Security Mission’ targeted to push both production and productivity of stable food grains such as wheat, rice and pulses on a mission mode. The other programme ‘Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna’ provides for additional assistance by the Centre as 100 percent grant to incentivise states to take up agriculture development on priority and in a comprehensive manner with definite action plans. He expressed the hope that with such major initiatives, there would be enough production to take care of the country’s food security requirements. Pawar said that towards ensuring social safety net for food and nutritional security for our citizens, the States interventions cover the Targeted Public Distribution System. Under this, subsidized food grains are being distributed to the poorest of the poor families under the Antyodaya Anna Yojna. Under various welfare schemes, more than 50 lakh tonnes of food grains were distributed last year. To ensure that there is no adverse impact on food security in the country, the government maintains the required buffer stock of food grains as per norms, procures food grains at minimum support prices from the farmers and also imports wheat when required from abroad. The Minister pointed out that the Central Issue Prices of food grains distributed under the targeted public distribution system have not been increased over last six years. Kantilal Bhuria, Minister of State for Agriculture, Dr. Daniel Gustafson, Country Director, FAO and Dr. P.K. Mishra, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Dr. Mangla Rai, DG, ICAR also addressed the gathering. World Food Day is observed every year as an International Day on October 16, the founding day of Food and Agriculture Organisation. The theme for this year is ‘The Right to Food’. (ANI)

NSG celebrate 23rd Raising Day

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 16 (ANI): The National Security Guards (NSG), in charge of anti-hijack and counter-terrorism operations in the country, today celebrated its 23rd Raising Day.The youngest of the para-military forces in the country was set up in 1985 with personnel drawn from the army and various police forces.Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil was the chief guest at the Raising Day function organised in the national capital.The highlight of the function was a display of skills by the NSG officers.They displayed martial arts, marksmanship skills, defusing of landmines and para-jumping from helicopters.The NSG commandos are popularly known as 'Black Cats' and are selected from the country's Army and Central Police Forces (CPFs).The NSG is also assigned to ensure mobile security to dignitaries at high risk, besides providing sky marshals in select domestic and international flights. (ANI)

Manmohan leaves for South Africa

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Abuja (Nigeria), Oct 16 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left the Nigerian capital on Tuesday for South Africa to attend the second IBSA Summit.Singh was given a ceremonial send off at the state house by Nigerian President Yar`adua. At the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Summit in Pretoria, Singh, South African President Thabo Mbeki and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva would be looking at ways to make the relationship among the three countries more "tangible". Besides deepening South-South cooperation through concrete projects and programmes in key areas of trilateral cooperation, the meeting is expected to provide an opportunity to the leaders to coordinate joint positions on issues of global importance. The meeting is likely to come out with a joint declaration and Memoranda of Understanding and agreements on public administration, higher education, health and medicines, social development, cultural cooperation and energy. The Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of South Africa and Brazil, both members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). This is Singh`s second visit to South Africa in a year. He had earlier visited the country for the centenary celebrations of `Satyagraha`. (ANI with inputs)

Union Minister Fatmi accused of contract killing

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Darbangha (Bihar), Oct 16 (ANI): Union Minister for State for Human Resource Development Ashraf Fatmi has been accused of conspiring to murder the Deputy Mayor of Darbhanga, Badrujama Khan. Darbhanga Police confirmed that five persons, besides the Counsellor of Darbangha Ayanullah Khan, have been arrested. Ayanullah confessed to the police about the whole plot. Fatmi and Ayanullah are from the Rashtriya Janata Dal, while Badrujama Khan belongs to the Janata Dal (United). Both Mayor Ajay Paswan and his Deputy are from the ruling BJP-JD(U) alliance. (ANI)

Connaught shootout case:10 policemen convicted

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 16 (ANI): A Sessions Court here today convicted all the 10 policemen accused in the Connaught Place shootout case, in which Delhi Police personnel had shot dead two innocent businessmen on Mach 31, 1997.The court will pronounce quantum of sentence to the convicts on October 24. Among those found guilty was former Delhi Police Assistant Commissioner of Police S S Rathi, who was suspended after the incident.The court has also ordered initiation of criminal proceedings against ballistic expert Roop Singh for giving false investigation report.Earlier, the court had reserved its verdict on October 8.On March 31, 1997, a Crime Branch team of the Delhi police, led by Rathi pumped bullets into two businessmen -- Pradeep Goyal and Jajgjit Singh--, killing the two at the spot.According to the prosecution, the team was chasing an alleged gangster. In Connaught Place, the team surrounded a Maruti Esteem car in which the alleged criminal was supposed to be going. They then resorted to indiscriminate firing, killing the two businessmen in the process. On September 8, 1998, the 10 accused policemen were charged with murder, criminal conspiracy and false evidence.All the ten policemen, including the ACP Rathi were suspended when it was found that the two killed in the encounter were not the criminals but innocent civilians.The CBI has claimed in its chargesheet in 1997 that in order to cover up their crime, the cops planted a pistol and a few cartridges inside the car to corroborate its claim that the first fire came from the businessmen. But the forensic report disproved this theory that any shot was fired from the recovered weapon.The sensational case had led to the removal of the then Delhi Police chief Nikhil Kumar, now a Congress MP. (ANI)

National conf of chief registrars of births and deaths

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.16 (ANI): The two-day national conference of chief registrars of births and deaths began here today. While inaugurating the conference, the Registrar General of India, D.K. Sikri complemented the chief registrars of different States and Union Territories on the good work done by their offices and hoped that it would be possible to achieve the target of 100 per cent registration of births and deaths by 2010 as mandated by the National Population Policy, 2000. Currently (2005) 64 per cent of the births and 58 percent of the deaths are registered. “In 2005, the level of birth registration increased significantly in Bihar (8.9 percent), Rajasthan (8.4), Chattisgarh (8.1 percent) and Orissa (5 percent). Meanwhile Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have achieved 100 per cent registration of births”, he informed.Sikri also outlined some of the reasons for a low level of registration of births and deaths such as lack of awareness among people about the need and importance of registration, low priority accorded to this work and general apathy in many states, low utility of registration certificates, etc.The participants at the two-day Conference include, Chief Registrars of States and Union Territories and the representatives from UNICEF, Plan India, health department of different States, Office of Registrar General of India and Directorates of Census Operations in the States and Union Territories. (ANI)

Digital photo searches made simpler

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Washington, Oct 16 (ANI): Penn State University (PSU) researchers have developed a software system that could make digital photo searches much more simpler. The software automatically tags images as they are uploaded and also improves those tags by “learning” from users' interactions with the system. “Tagging itself is challenging as it involves converting an image's pixels to descriptive words. But what is novel with the 'Tagging over Time' or T/T technology is that the system adapts as people's preferences for images and words change,” said James Wang, lead researcher and associate professor of information sciences and technology (IST) at PSU. Prof. Wang said the system is capable of accommodating evolving vocabulary and interpretations to images that people have uploaded and are uploading to systems such as Yahoo's Flickr. This allows the T/T system's vocabulary to grow, replacing old tags with more relevant and more specific new tags, Prof. Wang said. In tests, the T/T technology correctly annotated four out of every 10 images, which Prof. Wang said was a significant improvement over their earlier annotation system, ALIPR or Automatic Linguistic Indexing of Pictures-Real Time. That system offered users a list of 15 possible annotations or words for an image-one of which was correct for 98 percent of images tested. “The bottom line is that the system makes it easier to find photographs and is able to improve its performance by itself as time passes,” said graduate student Ritendra Datta. “The advancement means time savings for consumers as well as improved searching and referral capabilities,” Datta said. “With this system, users can more easily identify the best photographs in their collections. The system also suggests images which should be deleted from the digital cameras to make storage space for new photographs, for example,” he added. Prof. Wang said the system could also improve image search engines by prioritizing visually pleasing images among the search results. A paper describing the system was presented at the recent ACM Multimedia 2007 conference in Augsburg, Germany. (ANI)

CPI protests against soaring price

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 16 (ANI): The Communist Party of India (CPI) activists on Tuesday staged a demonstration to protest here against the soaring prices of essential commodities. Hundreds of activists, carrying red flags and armed with dozens of placards, walked through the streets of the national capital, demanding a check on the inflation. CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan warned the government of the situation that could arise in the very near future. "Price rise is a volatile issue, and will continue to be contentious. What will the government do when people come out of their homes in villages and towns to protest? We are just trying to warn the government of the impending situation," said Bardhan. Agricultural output in the country has failed to keep up with rising demand, forcing the government to import wheat last year for the first time in six years. Production of pulses has also stagnated. The government has tried to combat inflation by cutting some import duties, while the central bank has raised its short-term lending rate to its highest in four years. (ANI)

Risk rates for angioplasty, bypass surgery same

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Washington, Oct 16 (ANI): A new study has found that patients suffering from heart disease who undergo angioplasty are at an equal death and heart attack risk as those who undergo coronary bypass surgery. Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine found that survival rates for bypass surgery and angioplasty were similar for patients with diabetes, dismissing earlier reports that angioplasty was linked to a considerably higher risk of death among diabetic patients. Lead author Mark Hlatky, MD, professor of health research and policy and of cardiovascular medicine, assured that angioplasty and coronary bypass surgery were safe procedures for treating heart problems. "It is reassuring that the long-term safety of these two procedures is roughly the same. Patients and their doctors can have a more informed discussion about which procedure should be done, based on other outcomes that are important to the patient,” Hlatky said. For treating patients with coronary artery disease, two medical interventions are available - bypass surgery and angioplasty. In bypass surgery, surgeons take a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body to create a detour around the blocked part of the coronary artery. While in angioplasty, a tiny balloon is used to open a blocked artery; a mesh tube called a stent is inserted to hold open the artery after the procedure. While angioplasty is typically used for those patients with single-vessel disease, bypass surgery is the preferred treatment for patients with blockages in three arteries, However, Hlatky said that it's not always clear which is the best treatment choice, since both the treatments can be used in either of the cases. In the study, data from 23 randomised clinical trials that compared treatments for patients with mid-range coronary disease was analysed.Nearly 10,000 patients were examined; 4,944 patients were randomly assigned to surgery and 5,019 patients were randomly assigned to angioplasty. Thorough analysis showed that the procedural survival rate for the two was almost the same - 98.2 percent for bypass surgery and 98.9 percent for angioplasty. However, bypass surgery was associated with small but significantly greater risk of stroke within 30 days of the procedure. With about 90 percent of patients living five years after either procedure, as was the risk of post-procedure heart attack, the long-term survival rates were comparable. Within five years, about 12 percent of surgery patients and 10.9 percent of angioplasty patients had a heart attack. Diabetic patients were specifically looked at in the study since diabetes is a key risk factor for coronary artery disease. No difference was found in survival rates between the two procedures while taking diabetes into consideration. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. (ANI)

Aussies want to pour salt into India's gaping wounds

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Sydney, Oct.16 (ANI): Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting and his boys are determined to pour salt into the Indian side's gaping wounds during the seventh and final one-dayer to be played between the two sides at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.With a series-winning 4-1 lead, Ponting said the Australians would not be making too many changes to their squad for the final clash."I don't think there will be many changes, if we make any changes there might only be a change, we feel that we have built some really good momentum in this series," news.com.au quoted Ponting, as saying.Ponting said the decision not to rest players hadn't spelt the death of the controversial rotation policy."It doesn't mean an end to it, it won't in Australia either," he said."I think it is slightly different now because guys have come off such a long break and guys are still physically very good and very sound."Matthew Hayden is a 50-50 chance of returning after injuring his hip mid-innings last Thursday in Vadodara.The Indian team is infamous for being lions at home and lambs away, although that has changed somewhat recently following their Test series win in England and the Twenty20 world championship triumph in South Africa the past two months.There has been a move to make the Indian side more competitive overseas by bringing their pitches a little closer to those around the rest of the world.Ponting said his players had learnt to better cope with the more challenging aspects of touring India."The culture and the way that people are around you, if you let that get down over here and get to you, you won't play well," he said."Every time I address the team before coming over here I just talk about embracing the culture and accepting Indian people for the way they are and trying to do things with a smile on your face. (ANI)

Ludhiana blast spreads fear among labourers

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Ludhiana, Oct 16 (ANI): Sunday’s theatre blast in Ludhiana has left migrant labourers in the city scared, who now prefer to stay back at their homes out of fear for their lives.An estimated 600,000 migrant labourers make a living in the city. The migrant labourers are mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.Those, who have gone back to their native villages, are reluctant to resume their jobs in Ludhiana."We wonder if we are safe here? Will we get adequate protection and safety from the police in future? We are quite anxious and feeling increasingly helpless." said Hiralal, a labourer from Bihar.This has also spelt unforeseen trouble for industrialists, as they are heavily dependent on migrant labourers."We are getting phone calls from relatives of labourers seeking to know what has happened. The sole means of entertainment for these labourers are movies and fairs, and if these venues are not safe, they won't stay back here. This will have an adverse impact on the hosiery industry", says Sanjay Kapoor, owner of a hosiery house.Police claims the blast is the handiwork of the Punjab separatist group Babbar Khalsa.The multiplex Shingar Cinema, was packed with about 600 people mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar when the bomb exploded on October 14. The blast coincided with the Eid festival. (ANI)

India, China will outpace other countries by 2027

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Shanghai, Oct.16 (ANI): A senior International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) official has said that China and India will outpace other countries in the next two decades with the help of nuclear power."In China, in India, you have very definite plans for increasing the nuclear capacity six to 10 times for 20 years, this is really fast growth.The growth of the world is not so fast," said Yury Sokolov, IAEA's Deputy Director-General and the Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy."Now, nuclear power exists in 30 countries, and 30 to 40 other countries have expressed their willingness to explore nuclear power," Sokolov addedHe made the remarks on the sidelines of an IAEA symposium on nuclear power plant management, which opened here on Monday.According to The China Daily, China started nuclear power operations in 1991, when Qinshan-I, a 300-megawatt (MW) presurized-water reactor unit, independently developed by China, plugged into the grid.China has since fast-tracked development of nuclear power in recent years with a target to take its nuclear power capacity from about 9,000 MW in 2007 to 40,000 MW by 2020, according to China's long-term development plan for the nuclear power industry.The Indian Department of Atomic Energy also had plans to increase the country's installed nuclear power capacity, expected to reach 20,000 MW by 2020.Sun Libin, a scholar with the Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology of Tsinghua University, was quoted as saying that: "Other forms of new energy, such as wind power and solar power, carry energy density much lower than nuclear power, and are unable to meet the tremendous power demand in China". (ANI)

Jet Airways flight makes emergency landing

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Jaipur, Oct 16 (ANI): A Jet Airways flight, which was on its way to Udaipur from Jaipur, made an emergency landing here on Tuesday. The flight was forced to make a precautionary landing after being hit by a bird. Airport Manager Anuj Agarwal said that the Delhi-Jaipur-Udaipur flight left for Udaipur after proper check-up, and added that passengers on board were safe and there was no damage to the aircraft. Superintendent of Police (East) V K Singh said that the incident took place soon after flight took off from Sangner Airport near Jaipur. Similar kind of incident happened on Monday when a Jet Airways flight, carrying Indian and Australian cricketers, made an emergency landing in Nagpur after hitting a flock of birds. (ANI)

A. Raja to give Computer Literacy Award

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 16 (ANI): Union IT and Communications Minister A. Raja, will present awards to the winners of the Fourth Computer Literacy Excellence Awards for Schools -2005 on October 18. The Computer Literacy Excellence Awards Scheme for schools is an attempt to bring the nation’s children at par with other young achievers of the world. While demonstrating outstanding competence, the 51 State/UT level awardees have created a benchmark or excellence in computer education for the rest of the schools across India to follow. There are two categories - one for private aided school as Category ‘A’ and municipal school as Category ‘B’. The Department of Information Technology (DIT), Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) in the year 2002 have instituted an Award Scheme for Excellence in Computer Literacy and Information Technology in schools at state and national level.Its aim is to create IT awareness among schools and to encourage computer literacy among students in early stage of schooling. All recognised schools in India, Government and Private, teaching computers and information technology in their schools are eligible to compete for the award.(ANI)

Online poll for 7 architectural wonders

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Dubai, Oct 16 (ANI): A UAE-based international consultancy firm is all set to launch a global online poll competition to choose the millennium's modern seven wonders. Announcing the initiative, the organisers said that the poll would be launched later this month and would be made an annual event. “A total of 21 choices of global buildings and projects will be made available on the website, which will be announced at a later date," the Gulf news quoted Zacharias Joseph, Chief Ideations and Operations Officer at ZACH Multimedia, as saying. The competition aims to allow the people across the globe to nominate the seven architectural and structural icons built in this century. Only those monumental projects will be included in the competition that have been either announced, under construction or built since January 1, 2000. The competition will run from late October 2007 to October 2008, the daily added. (ANI)

US industry majors incensed over Left’s stance

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Washington/New Delhi, Oct 16 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement that certain difficulties have arisen with respect to the operationalisation of the India-US civil nuclear cooperation agreement has disappointed American industry majors, who are said to be annoyed with the Left parties. Michael Gadbaw, General Electric's vice president and counsel of the company that has done business in India for decades, said that “the crowning achievement,” which was hammered out between Prime Minister Singh and President George W. Bush, "hangs in a delicate balance as politics complicates consideration of the US-India nuclear agreement." “The overwhelming bipartisan support for the agreement in the United States Congress has turned our attention to the Indian side where the agreement has been taken hostage by some who will distort the nature of our common purpose,” rediff.com quoted Gadbaw as saying at a luncheon hosted by the USIBC for the visiting Indian parliamentarians who are part of the India-US Forum of Parliamentarians. The report by Aziz Haniffa said the US industry, which invested much time and energy and money hiring one of the top lobbying firms in the country to lobby Congress to approve the bilateral civilian nuclear deal, were incensed over the Communist allies of the Congress led UPA government for their opposition to the deal. Gadbaw added: "From what I can tell of the debate, the party of Jyoti Basu--whom I came to know while he was chief minister of West Bengal and who has done so much for his state -- that party has failed to appreciate the importance and significance of this agreement to the future and prosperity of our two countries." US-India Business Council President Ron Somers also expressed disappointment over the Left’s stance on the issue, but tried to be diplomatic while reacting. "Here we are on October 15, we have critical elections upcoming in the United States in about 13 months (and) in India, we are hearing and reading in the newspapers about different equations taking place in the Indian polity. "We work together now to make certain that we secure the civilian nuclear deal. The civilian nuclear deal in my mind is a lot more than just about civilian nuclear energy cooperation -- but certainly it is that also," he said. He went on to say that last month he visited the World Nuclear Association in London, “where literally, every nation in the world was looking forward to doing business in India in the civilian nuclear sector.” "And, the one thing I know about India -- and all of you here know about -- is that the tremendous need of the hour is in major, major infrastructure development," he said. "We are in the cusp of history of moving forward our two great countries," he said, adding, "I would argue that one element that hard infrastructure need to be focused on is the need for electricity capacity and in India. There is no doubt that is a need." Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is on a visit to Nigeria, told President Bush during a telephonic conversation that “certain difficulties have arisen with respect to the operationalisation of the India–US civil nuclear cooperation agreement.” He said that the government would be able to hold safeguard talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over the bilateral deal in the wake of reservations expressed by its Left allies. (ANI)

2, 500+ Hindus celebrate Dusshera in Scotland

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Edinburgh, Oct 16 (ANI): Over 2, 500 Hindus living in the United Kingdom celebrated the festival of Dussehra on Monday night. “A spectacular display of fireworks and giant flaming effigies brought thousands of people onto Calton Hill,” the Scotsman.com reported. Three giant effigies, 40 feet in height, built by Saughton Prison inmates, were set on fire. "It has been great for the prisoners to be involved again this year and while there were a few problems getting the effigies up here it has been well worth it,” the website quoted Dan Gunn, the Governor of HM Prison Edinburgh, as saying. "This is a festival about the triumph of good over evil, and hopefully some of my prisoners will realise that by helping out, they are also atoning for what they have done and helping to make a better society," he added. The Ramlila parade featured the Lothian and Borders Pipe band, besides The Sunshine on Leith Pipes and Samba Band. Tableaux with Hindu idols, horse-drawn carriages and youngsters dressed as monkeys and demons also participated in the march along Princes’ Street. Alastair Paisley set the effigies alight by launching a flaming rocket. "I was a bit nervous setting off the rocket, and I'm just glad someone else had aimed it for me!," the website quoted him, as saying. Mohindra Dhall, president of the Scottish Indian Arts Forum said he was delighted it had all gone off well. "I am really pleased, because it was a real struggle getting the effigies up here, and I was bit worried at one point,” Dhall said. "I was delighted so many people came along and I was particularly happy that the Sunshine on Leith Pipes and Samba Band agreed to take part, as every year we try to get as many youngsters as possible involved," he added. Inspector Eamonn Keane described it as a very good-natured celebration. "This has been a very traditional spiritual celebration, which has been well organised," he said. (ANI)

Tussle between Cong- BJP

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): Caught unaware by the sudden announcement of poll dates in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today met the Chief Election Commissioner N Goplaswami in the national capital and urged him to reschedule the dates.Singh, who was accompanied by Congress leader R K Dhawan, told Goplaswami that the present schedule (November 14 and December 19) was in the "midst of heavy winter", and should be postponed.The Congress leaders told the Commission that the tenure of the current assembly will expire in March 2008, but as per the new schedule a new assembly will be formed after December 28 when the votes will be counted resulting in existence of two assemblies, present and the next one, simultaneously."The term of the present Assembly is till March 9th next year. This arises a peculiar situation that there will be two Assemblies at a time. We have brought this out to the notice of the Commission," Dhawan told reporters after meeting Goplaswami.Immediately after returning from the US last week, Singh had termed the advancement of the poll dates as 'ambush' by the Election Commission, and alleged that the three-member Commission had held no consultations with the State Government on holding the polls. However, the opposition BJP has opposed any move to reschedule the poll dates.The party has urged the Election Commission to "strictly adhere to the election schedule as announced" on October 10.Welcoming the two-phase polls in the State, BJP vice president Mukthar AbbasNaqvi today said, "The schedule, which was decided by the Election Commission for the elections in the States, are perfectly fine, but the Congress wants to change the dates due to the fear of loosing the polls and we oppose any such move to postpone the elections."The party has also requested the Commission to ensure that the model code of conduct is enforced in the State properly.Meanwhile, Goplaswami will be visiting Shimla on Tuesday to review poll preparedness in the State. Two other commissioners, Navin Chawla and S Y Quraishi, will accompany him. On October 10, Gopalswami announced that the voting for the 68-member State Assembly. (ANI)

15 years of relations in Bharatanatyam style

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct. 15 (ANI): On the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of India, a special function was held in the Capital on Monday, the highlight of which was a Bharatanatyam performance by Kazakh dancers. Organised jointly by the Centre of Indian Classical Dance in Kazakhstan and the Delhi Karnataka Sangha to mark the 15th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between the two countries, the programme held at the Karanaka Sangha Auditorium at Rao Tularam Marg presented dances in authentic Bharatanayam style by the Kazakh dancers. The Ambassador of Kazakhstan, Kairat E. Umarov, who inaugurated the cultural evening spoke of the centuries old relationships between India and Kazakhstan, even though the diplomatic relations were established only a-decade-and-half ago.Umarov said that he looked forward to Indian dance becoming popular in his country in the coming years. The authentic Bharatanatyam performance was led by Ms.Akmaral Kainazarova, an alumni of Kalakshetra, who studied classical Bharatanatyam for five years at the Kalakheshtra as an ICCR scholar. She was accompanied by over a dozen Kazakh dancers from the Kalak centre of Indian Classical dance. While the main items were authentic Bharatanatyam items like Alaripu, Jatis Swaram, and Tillana, the performance also included Kazak folk songs like “Gul Dauren” (Life is a flower), “Tuyak bi”, a Kazakh dance with the hooves, and “In harmony of Kazakh” in the Indian Bharatnatyam style. Besides, many Indian forms like “Giddha” and “Bhangra” from Punjab and folk dances from Karnataka were part of the performance. The Centre for Indian Classical Dance was officially inaugurated in the Almaty (Kazakhstan) in April, 2006. A unique institution founded in the region of Central Asia aims to strengthening cultural and spiritual ties between Kazakhstan and India, promoting mutual understanding and harmony through the art of Indian classical dance. Air Astana and Nayak Aviation Services which promote travel between the two countries, were co-sponsors of the function. (ANI)

Intl Mountain biking race concludes in Manali

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Manali (Himachal Pradesh), Oct 15 (ANI): The nine-day Hercules Mountain biking championship concluded on Sunday with fanfare in Manali.The mega event saw participants from across the globe competing with vigour.Ramesh Chand Joshi of Indian army bagged the first place and was awarded a cash prize of Rs 100,000.Joseph Cruz of the United States stood second and Naresh from Indian army third in the race.While Cruz was given cash prize of Rs 50,000, Naresh was given Rs 25,000.An overwhelmed Joshi said: “The race was a good competition, in which we have to encounter many difficulties. On the second and the third day of the race there was tough competition from Joseph Cruz, but later on he got weaker and I slightly better," said Joshi.Cruz said: “This is just brilliant racing. We have been racing in mountains in America but not this high, steep, and jagged.”The race passed through some of the toughest terrains of Shilaru, Daranghati, Sarahan, Dalash, Jalari pass, Janjehli, Kullu and finally culminating at Naggar near Manali.The organisers expressed satisfaction at the turn out of the event and have pledged to put Himachal Pradesh on the radar of world adventure tourism."The aim of organising this cycling race was to promote adventure sports tourism in the State. Our State is the most beautiful in the world. We want to show this to the world," said Manish Sood, organiser of Mountain biking.“The State’s cycle rally is the third best in the world, after the Trans-Alps in Europe and the Trans-Rocky in Canada,” Sood said.The highest point in the race was the 3223 metre-high Jalleri pass in Manali District and the lowest was Pandeh at a height of 750 metres.About 41 participants from 12 countries participated in the championship. This event witnessed the highest number of foreign participants.Himachal Pradesh is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the country due to its exotic valleys, glorious slopes and snow-capped mountains. (ANI)

Joint research to tackle climate change goals

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.15 (ANI): India today sought a joint research initiative by developing and developed nations to tackle climate change goals as it felt that there was lack of technology suited to the requirements of progressing nations. New Delhi's suggestion came at the Second Ministerial Meeting of the Asia Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate, a voluntary grouping of the US, Australia, South Korea, China, Japan and India.While creating collaborative research and development, a "fairer balance" between rewards for the innovators and the need to ensure the common good of humankind should also be kept in mind, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said."We have observed that there is very little R&D effort on technologies that respond to the requirements and resource endowments of developing countries. This should be remedied," he said inaugurating the ministerial meeting.Noting that technology is recognised as a fundamental transformation agent for ensuring clean development and addressing climate change, Mukherjee said "our suggestion is for "collaborative R and D between developing and developed country R and D institutions."In this context, he said "we also need to be mindful of creating a fairer balance between rewards for the innovators and the need to ensure the common good of humankind as far as the IPA regime is concerned.""Standards and priorities should reflect the developmental context to which they apply," he added.On efforts to tackle climate change, he said while there are many initiatives to address the challenge "there is near unanimity that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the only framework for negotiations," he said. Noting that India would have to increase its energy consumption to sustain a high economic growth rate, Mukherjee said government plans to ensure that the means are sustainable and it promotes energy conservation."As we endeavour to increase our energy consumption to empower our people, we ensure, through our national policies that the means are sustainable and include use of market mechanisms and relevant technology along with promotion of energy efficiency and conservation," he said.Mukherjee, said India's per capita consumption of energy currently was only 530 kgoe of primary energy as compared to world average of 1770 kgoe."Nearly, half of our citizens do not have access to electricity," he said.Underlining the steps taken to conserve energy, he said in 2001, the Energy Conservation Act was followed by Electricity Act of 2003."This Act mandates the procurement of electricity from renewables by all distribution companies. This has provided a major fillip to the wind-energy sector in India. We now have about 7,000 MW of installed wind-power, the fourth largest wind generation electricity capacity in the world," he said.Listing the steps taken by the government for clean energy, he said CNG or green fuel was introduced for public and private transport in metropolitan areas, metro rail and a major bio-diesel program and blending of ethanol in petrol."We propose to make available Compact Fluorescent Lamps at the price of normal incandescent bulbs," he said, adding the "ultimate aim is to ensure sustainable and clean development while ensuring energy security and economic growth." He said that the world is seized today with the issue of climate change. There are many initiatives being taken to look at different and probably innovative ways to address this challenge. While all these efforts are laudable, there is near unanimity that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the only framework for negotiations. "We, the six countries, now seven, in the Asia-Pacific Partnership have achieved a lot in a very short time and can be proud of our achievement. This has been the result of strong bilateral and partnership co-operation between member countries. Our ultimate aim is to ensure sustainable and clean development while ensuring energy security and economic growth. I am sure that the APP will contribute to these goals which we all share," Mukherjee said in conclusion. (ANI)

Buy jointly built Brahmos missile:India to Russia

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): Defence Minister A K Antony’s four-day visit to Moscow, beginning tomorrow, is expected to reinvigorate defence cooperation between both countries and it is likely that New Delhi would make efforts to persuade Moscow to induct the jointly developed supersonic cruise missile Brahmos.India has been a long time buyer of military hardware from Moscow. A return gesture from Russia would go a long way in strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries. During the visit, India and Russia are expected to sign a protocol for the development of fifth generation aircraft, in addition to preparing the ground for Russia to acquire the Brahmos missiles.Presently, Russia is legally bound to induct only those weapon systems that have been indigenously developed by them and as Brahmos is a joint venture of India and Russia so they have been unable to induct them.Top officials of India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have said that Russia has been willing to induct Brahmos missiles, which are considered technically superior than US’ cruise missiles. Antony will be visiting the Tactical Missile Corporation (TMC), which is one of the largest Russian defence enterprise, and Federal State Unitary Enterprise NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) during his visit.Talks on developing a hypersonic version of the Brahmos cruise missile are also expected to take place as efforts are on to make the transition from planning stage to implementation stage. The plan is awaiting a nod from the Indian and the Russian governments.The hypersonic missiles would approximately move five times faster than the present cruise missile, sources in the DRDO said. The present supersonic Brahmos cruise missile, which can be launched from any platform, can attain the speed of Mach 2.8 (2.8 times the speed of sound) and is about three times faster than the subsonic US' Tomahawk cruise missile. Though the range of Brahmos at present is close to 300 kms, it is quite logical that hypersonic version would have longer range. The 7th India-Russia Inter Governmental Commission (IRIGC) on Military Technical Cooperation which will co-chaired by Antony and his Russian counterpart, Serdyukov Anatoliy Eduardovich, assumes significance in the wake of India agreeing to increase the escalation cost of Russian weapon systems as demanded by Russia.Last week, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved five percent escalation instead of 2.8 percent as agreed between the two countries earlier. Recently, Russia had demanded the escalation rate that had led to former Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt to visit Moscow to sort out things.The stalemate over the issue of escalation of cost had resulted in a slowdown in the defence imports from Russia and had affected Indian Air Force’s acquisition of Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft, early delivery of Gorshkov aircraft carrier and supply of T-90 tanks.However, with India acceding to some of the demands of Russia, it would help in removing the irritants that had developed between the two countries in recent months. The fifth generation fighter aircraft would help India to have air power stealth almost equivalent to the US.Recently, Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal F H Major had said that it would take at least five years from now before the first fifth generation aircraft makes its maiden flight.The defence ties between India and Russia are termed ‘time-tested’ and close to 70 percent of India’s inventory is directly or indirectly related to Russia. (ANI)

Singapore Defence Minister meets A.K.Antony

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.15 (ANI): Visiting Singapore Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean called on the Defence Minister A K Antony here today. The two sides discussed matters of mutual interest. Defence ties between the two countries have been growing recently. During the visit of Singapore’s Permanent Secretary of Defence, Chiang Chie Foo to New Delhi last week, the two countries signed an agreement on conducting joint training and exercises between the Indian Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force. The Singapore Navy participated in the five nation Malabar 2007 naval exercises, hosted by India in the Bay of Bengal off Andaman and Nicobar islands between September 4 and 9, which was also represented by the navies of the US, Japan and Australia. A contingent of over 100 soldiers from the Singapore Army will be holding a training exercise at Deolali, near Nasik in Maharashtra, this month. (ANI)

Arjun Singh to attend Unesco Gen Conf

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.15 (ANI): Union Minister of Human Resource Development Arjun Singh will lead an Indian delegation to the 34th Session of the General Conference of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organsation (UNESCO) to be held at Paris from October 16 to November 3. Singh is leaving for Paris tonight along with two Members of Parliament -- Sachin Pilot and Supriya Sadanand Sule, Secretary (Higher Education), Secretary (School Education and Literacy) and other members of the delegation. He will attend the plenary meeting and the General Policy Debate being held from October 16-20, and will address the session on October 19. He will also be addressing the Ministerial Round Table on the same day, on "The right to education and the right to development". Bilateral meetings with the Education Ministers of Afghanistan, Belgium, Brazil, France, Indonesia, Mexico, Nepal and South Africa have also been fixed. Singh would also host a reception on October 17, for the key participants of the Conference and a lunch in the honour of Koichiro Matsuura, Director General, UNESCO on October 20. The minister will return to India on October 21. (ANI)

Manmohan calls for an Indo-Nigerian partnership

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Abuja (Nigeria), Oct.15 (ANI): Addressing the joint session of the Nigerian National Assembly here today, visiting Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh called for an Indo-Nigerian partnership in the 21st Century, and added that for the partnership to flourish, "we have to encourage and promote broad based exchanges covering all facets of our relationship."He said that the partnership would be based on the fundamental principles of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit. Emphasizing that India and Africa have a shared destiny and a common future, the Prime Minister said: “I am deeply honoured by this opportunity to address you here today in this new temple of your democracy. I am also delighted to be in this beautiful city of Abuja, which symbolizes a dynamic Nigeria and a new dawn in the life of an ancient people." In the past, we have shared the pain of subjugation and the joy of freedom and liberation. We have worked shoulder to shoulder in the fight against apartheid and racial discrimination. We have worked together in the Non-Aligned Movement to promote South-South cooperation for development. Today, we need to stand ever more united to meet the challenges of the new millennium," he added. He further went on to describe India is the largest democracy in the world and Nigeria as the largest democracy in Africa. "We are multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual societies. Our societies embrace modernity while preserving their traditions. There is a natural logic in ties between our two countries. The principal challenge before us remains the socio-economic development of our people. The information revolution and higher levels of literacy have raised popular expectations. Disparities are leading to social tensions. Economic growth has to be accompanied by a better distribution of its benefits," he said. "We are approaching the fiftieth year of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. There can be no better occasion than this to launch a Strategic Partnership between India and Nigeria. It will be anchored in the past and look to the future. This is a partnership for economic growth. There are many complementarities in our rapidly growing economies. Nigeria is already India’s largest trading partner in Africa, but we need to vastly expand and diversify our trade," he added. "Our two countries can promote transfer of technologies in key areas of the knowledge economy like information technology and biotechnology. Small and medium industry can play a key role. Our partnership is for development. We need to share experiences on effective strategies for sustainable development, poverty alleviation, healthcare facilities and universal education. In this context, being largely agrarian societies, there is great potential for cooperation in agricultural research, soil and water management and food processing," Dr. Singh said. "It is a partnership for energy security. Energy security is a vital prerequisite for sustained growth. Nigeria’s rich natural resources provide the base for our mutually beneficial cooperation for energy security. India and Nigeria should also promote research and development inefficiency of energy production, clean technologies and renewable sources of energy. Ours is a partnership for peace, stability and security. Without peace, there cannot be sustained economic progress. Both India and Nigeria seek peace and stability in their neighbourhood. Nigeria’s contributions to conflict resolution in Africa are well known," he added. On the issue of terrorism, Dr. Singh described it as a grave threat to humankind, and called on the Nigerian Government to upgrade the level of cooperation on security matters to meet emerging threats and challenges to "our social fabric". In the final analysis , he said that the partnership should be used to steer the global political and economic agenda towards addressing the legitimate concerns of developing countries. He also said that the structure and functioning of the United Nations should reflect contemporary global realities."For this partnership to flourish we have to encourage and promote broad based exchanges covering all facets of our relationship. Leaders in government, parliament, industry and civil society in both our countries have to commit themselves to making this partnership work," Dr. Singh said. "I believe that India and Africa have a shared destiny and a common future. Ours is a relationship that must now be brought to full bloom. Let us work together to make this happen," he concluded. (ANI)

Shiv Sena activists stage protest in Amritsar

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Amritsar/Ludhiana Oct.15 (ANI): Shiv Sena activists burnt an effigy of terrorism on Monday, and staged a demonstration against Sunday night's bomb blast in Ludhiana.Holding placards in their hands, the activists shouted slogans against the Babar Khalsa and terrorism. The effigy was burnt at Amritsar's Putlighar Chowk. Baldev Bhardwaj, vice president of the Shiv Sena ( Bal Thackeray group), said certain elements wanted to disturb the peace in Punjab. He warned the Babar Khalsa to desist from such attempts in the future. He also claimed that Pakistan was behind the Ludhiana blast and urged the government to give befitting reply.Meanwhile, Ludhiana Range DIG Ishwar Singh told reporters in Ludhiana that the ''single'' blast was caused by a bomb and it was a terrorist attack, though no outfit had claimed responsibility.He added that the bomb, which had claimed the lives of six people and injured 32 people, was planted between the second and third seat in the third row of the second block in the cinema hall. Maximum damage was done to the ''lower class'' area of the hall, which is usually frequented by migrant labourers.The Centre has also got in touch with the Punjab Government seeking details about the explosion.Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, after talking to Punjab Chief Secretary Ramesh Inder Singh, apprised Home Minister Shivraj Patil about the situation.Punjab has been placed on a state of high alert after the bomb blasts in Ajmer and Ludhiana.Strongly condemning the incident, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said that fundamental and anti-national forces inimical to peace and communal harmony will not be allowed to succeed in their nefarious designs.Badal said that law and order in the state will be maintained at all costs and appealed to people to remain calm. (ANI)

Sachin back into top 10 ODI batsmen rankings

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Dubai, Oct 15 (ANI): Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has moved back into the top 10 of the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings for one-day international (ODI) batsmen. In the latest rankings issued today, Sachin moved up three places to sit at joint 9th, alongside Chris Gayle of the West Indies. He is the only Indian batsman in the top 10. Vice captain Yuvraj Singh is at 15th place, while captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni occupies the 16th position. On the debit side of the ledger, however, former captain Rahul Dravid has slipped seven places and is now lies in 22nd place. India’s highest-placed bowler in the relevant table is Harbhajan Singh, down in 29th position. Australia’s Andrew Symonds is within touching distance of top spot in the ODI batsmen rankings. The powerful right-hander, who bludgeoned a brutal 107 from just 88 balls against India in Nagpur on Sunday, has rocketed up six spots to second place and is now just eight rating points behind his captain and team-mate Ricky Ponting. That rise is a reflection of his outstanding form during the ongoing series as he is the leading run-scorer from either side with 365 runs at an average of 91.25 and a strike-rate of 110.94 runs per hundred balls. Symonds, who has reached a career-high tally of rating points, forms an impressive Australian 1-2-3 at the top of the batting table, behind Ponting but ahead of Matthew Hayden, the winner of the ODI Player of the Year award at the ICC Awards in September and the second highest run-getter in the current series. Three other Australians are in the top 11– Michael Hussey (5th), Michael Clarke (8th) and Adam Gilchrist (11th). The news is just as good for Ponting’s men in the bowling list with left-arm wrist spinner Brad Hogg breaking into the top 10 on the back of being joint leading wicket-taker (alongside team–mate Mitchell Johnson) in the India series with 11 victims. Hogg is one of three Australia bowlers in that top 10 with Nathan Bracken (3rd) and Brett Lee (9th) also featuring. (ANI)

Tuffey willing to join Indian Cricket League

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): New Zealand fast bowler Daryl Tuffey has hinted at joining the Indian Cricket League (ICL), saying he is open to the parallel league if its organisers come up with an “attractive offer.” "I'm leaning towards (signing). It's the money and a bit of security,” cricinfo.com quoted Tuffey as telling the Dominion Post. “Nothing's guaranteed with New Zealand Cricket, even the money you get playing domestic cricket back home. You've got to start looking after No. 1 at some point,” he added. Expressing hope about playing for four-five more years, the 29-year-old bowler said, “Who knows what happens if I go to India, but if the chance (to play for New Zealand) arose again that would be great.” “But I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket and hoping to play for New Zealand any more. I've had a great time playing international cricket but there's other opportunities outside of cricket that I'm putting first at the moment,” Tuffey added. He has not signed contracted with the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and last week turned down a provincial deal with Auckland. “Not signing with Auckland has just made me a free agent. I'm can play for match fees if Auckland choose to do that. It's a bit more relaxed for me now… I'm pretty keen to come back and play for Auckland and see what happens from there, if I'm bowling well,” he said. His team-mates Chris Cairns, Nathan Astle, Chris Harris and Hamish Marshall have already joined the ICL, and it is believed that Craig McMillan will hold talks with NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan over his potential involvement, the website reported. (ANI)

Dera chief’s interim bail extended

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Ambala, Oct 15 (ANI): A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court today extended the interim bail of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, who is accused of sexual assault and murder, till October 20.Singh’s interim bail was coming to an end today.On October 4, the court had extended the interim bail of Singh till October 15 in two cases of murder and one of rape.The Dera chief was granted interim bail on surety of three bonds of Rupees five lakh each.The Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed Singh to appear before the trial court for grant of regular bail.He was also asked to approach the district and sessions court in Ambala to seek regular bail.The court today refused Singh’s plea for regular bail on grounds that the Dera chief was not present at the hearing today.“The application is for a regular bail, so Baba should have been present today. But because it is written in the High Court order that Baba should not be arrested therefore the court has put the hearing to October 20," Umrish Gandhi, a CBI advocate said.Defence lawyer, however, stated that Singh was not needed be present.“The order of the High Court is very clear, it is not necessary for him to be present during the hearing of this bail application. As and when required the court will call him. The judge is satisfied that it wasn't necessary for him to come," said, Jasmair Chand, Defence counsel.The CBI has transferred all the three cases against the Dera chief to a session court.The CBI had filed a chargesheet on July 31, accusing him of murdering sect manager, Ranjit Singh, and a Sirsa-based journalist, Ram Chander Chatterpatti, and for the alleged rape of a Sadhavi.Two accused, Inder Sain and Avtar Singh were discharged in the Chatterpatti murder case on a defence plea that the duo had not been named as accused by the CBI in the chargesheet.Three others -- Kishan Lal, Kuldip Singh and Nirmal Singh have been facing charges of conspiracy and murder.Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh has been charged under Section 120-B (Conspiracy) in connection with the case relating to the murder of Ranjit Singh.The other accused are Kishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, Sabdil, Avtar Singh and Inder Singh, booked under Section 302 (Murder).Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh is the lone accused under Section 376 (Rape) in connection with the alleged rape of a Sadhavi.A case was also registered against him following a complaint by a Bathinda resident, who accused Ram Raheem Singh of hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs by donning the attire of the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh. (ANI)

Mukherjee launched India website in Russian

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.15 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee launched the IBEF (India Brand Equity Foundation) website on Indian economy and business in the Russian language – www.ibef.in/russia - during his recent visit to Moscow. The website aims to bridge the information gap on Indian business and economy by overcoming the language barrier, which has been often cited amongst the foremost reasons standing in the way of tapping the expected business potential between India and Russia. The IBEF website in the Russian language was launched at the India Business Association platform by the Minister for External Affairs in Moscow. The website is the first step towards connecting with the Russian business and industry. Since its inception, IBEF has engaged with business in markets of importance from India’s trade and commerce perspective. Beginning with the India Everywhere campaign launched in Davos in January 2006, IBEF has now graduated to its second stage Experience India business strategy to showcase India’s Talent, Markets, Growth and Opportunity. IBEF has been working with a network of stakeholders – domestic and international - to promote the Fastest Growing Free Market Democracy globally. Amongst the markets identified by the IBEF for a focused market campaign over the course of the next few years, Russia occupies prime position. IBEF has since also been publishing its bimonthly business magazine, India Now, a perspective, in the Russian language, which can also be accessed on the website in the Russian language. (ANI)

BJP welcomes two-phase election in Himachal

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party today welcomed the decision of the Election Commission (EC) of holding a two-phase Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh."The decision taken by the EC meets all the objections raised by different quarters earlier on this point," said a party release.The party has also urged the EC to "strictly adhere to the election schedule as announced" on October 10.Coming down heavily on the Congress party for raising hue and cry over the election dates, the party said, "This is being done, because, perhaps they have realised that they are going to lose the election and therefore why not to delay the doom's day as much as they can."The party has also requested the EC to ensure that the model code of conduct is enforced in the state properly.Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner N Goplaswami will be visiting Shimla tomorrow to review poll preparedness in the state.The voting for the 68-member State Assembly polls will take place on November 14 and December 19.The Electoral process for the 68-member State Assembly would begin from October 20, and counting will take place on December 28, he added.The term of the current State Assembly is till March 9, 2008. (ANI)

Manmohan Singh to call Bush from Nigeria

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
Abuja (Nigeria), Oct 15 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to make a telephone call to U.S. President George W Bush on Monday night, and may discuss the next steps in the U.S.-India civilian nuclear deal that was originally signed on July 18, 2005. The proposed call assumes significance in the wake of statements made by Singh and Sonia Gandhi during the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi.While Dr. Singh said last week that the nuclear deal would not be sacrificed to save the government, Sonia Gandhi said mid-term polls were not on the ruling UPA's agenda inspite of the differences surfacing over the nuclear deal. The Congress, which heads the ruling coalition, has forcefully advocated the operationalisation of the deal, while the Left, which is lending crucial external support to the government, has opposed it vocerfourously on grounds that it could lead to a compromise of national sovereignty and security.The Left has also stated that it was against the deal as US domestic law, the Hyde Act was in conflict with the 123 Agreement. And the Hyde Act according to the Left parties was not in the interest of India. There have been a number of meetings between the Left and the UPA to discuss nuke deal with the Left vehemently against formal negotiations with the IAEA to discuss safeguards. A joint panel formed by the government which also comprises the Left parties, has been confabulating on the issue. The next meeting is slated for October 22 of the panel. (ANI)

Blueline bus drivers go on indefinite strike

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): Blueline bus drivers in Delhi went on an indefinite strike on Monday in protest against the stringent stand taken by the Government of Delhi in the wake of the recent spate of accidents precipitated on Delhi roads by Blueline buses. Blueline bus drivers claimed that they were being victimised. They also warned the authorities that the strike would not be called off till their demands were met.Delhi's Chief Minister, Shiela Dixit, however, ruled it out, saying that strict action would be taken against them if they continued with their strike. The High Court had recently asked the government to explain its stand and tell the court of the measures that the government planned to take to solve the problem. The deadline given by the court is November 15. Shiela Dixit also said that at least 4000 buses would be introduced on Delhi roads in the next two years to solve the transport problem, which had hit the commuters badly. This was after a couple of recent accidents on Delhi roads by Blueline buses which claimed nine lives in three separate accidents. (ANI)

World chess champion V Anand returns home

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): Viswanathan Anand arrived here today, weeks after becoming the new World Chess Champion in Mexico. He arrived well past midnight and was given a cheering round of applause by family, friends and fans, who had gathered at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.Anand termed his reception as nothing short of "brilliant", adding that he was touched by the enthusiasm shown by his fans.“It’s good to be back and see everyone again. And, the fact that I came here two weeks afterwards, makes it even better," he said. However, the huge gathering turned Anand's arrival into a chaotic situation with media persons jostling with fans to get a view of the chess champion."I think it's more for the others. For me, both the titles are equally important. The only thing I'd say is that this year, many more things came together. I became World Number 1. I broke 2800 again," added Anand.Anand, 37, won the championship on October 6 in Mexico after defeating Vladimir Kramnik of Russia. (ANI)

Sensex crosses record 19,000-point mark

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Mumbai, Oct 15 (ANI): The Bombay Stock Exchange's benchmark 3--share Sensex crossed the 19000-point mark on Monday, just four days after touching the 18K point mark. It is the fastest ever rally of a thousand points in its own history. The push was led by five companies, which accounted for 60 percent of Monday's s growth. The companies were Reliance Industries Ltd, ICICI Bank, Rekliance Energy, Larsen and Toubro and ONGC. The Sensex gained 594 points to touch a historic high of 19000 points at 2.50 p.m. The above 19,000 barrier marked revival of funds-based buying in blue chip stocks in metal, capital goods and refinery segments.The 30-share Sensex, which snapped a long rally by losing nearly 395 points on Friday, resumed its record setting journey.The buying activity also picked up in capital goods and refinery stocks. Marketmen said the current rally was supported by metal, refinery and capital goods stocks besides a major gain in Reliance pack of stocks belonging to both Ambani brothers. They said the surge in the market was partly supported by telecom stocks such as Bharti Airtel and reliance Communications after Goldman Sachs raised its price target on the stocks, saying subscriber growth will boost profits. Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange`s Nifty added a record 150 points to touch a new peak at 5,600.90. A firm trend in Asian markets also boosted the market sentiment to some extent, in soaring to new heights. (ANI with inputs)

9 killed, 12 injured in Jaipur road accidents

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Jaipur, Oct 15 (ANI): Nine persons were killed and twelve others were injured in two separate road accidents here on Monday. Seven persons were killed and eleven others were injured when a truck collided head-on with the jeep near Chaksu, about 55 kms from here.According to police, seven persons were died on the spot. In another road mishap, two persons were killed and one was injured when two trucks collided a head-on at Hindoli in Rajasthan’s Bundi District, about 265 kms from Jaipur. The injured were admitted to near by hospital. (ANI)

20th National Photo Contest winners announced

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, 15 Oct (ANI): To commemorate the 150 years of the First War of India’s Independence and 60 years of Independence, the Photo Division recently organised the 20th National Photo Contest on the theme “Spirit of Independent India”.The jury members selected 83 prints from black and white and colour in addition to 26 award winning pictures for display at the exhibition. Vivek Desai of Ahmedabad bagged the first prize for both sections (Black and White and Colour). Anirudha Pal and Supriya Biswas of Kolkata got the second prize and Girish J. Kingar and Upendra Upadhyay of Indore got the third prizes in Black and White and Colour section respectively. Ten commendation awards for Black and White photographs have been announced for T. Srinivasa Reddy of Andhra Pradesh, Hemendra A.Shah of Ahmedabad, Prasenjit Dhar of Asansol, R.V.Shiddhaye of Mumbai, Puranjit Gangopadhyay, Chinmoy Bhattacharjee, Dines Mukherjee and Avijit Datta of Kolkata and O.P.Soni of Indore. The commendation awards in Colour section have been announced for Nitin Khatri of Indore, Subhashis Basu, Partha Pratim Das, Jayanta Shaw, Partha Samal, Supriya Biswas of Kolkata, Devendra Sharma of Ratlam, Pravin Barnale, Ashu Patel, of Indore and Ambuj Soni of Dewas, Madhya Pradesh.(ANI)A total of 1157 photographs were received from 294 participants from 16 States. The first prize carries a cash prize of Rs. 20,000, the second prize Rs. 15,000 and the third prize Rs. 10,000. The commendation prizes carry Rs. 2,000 each alongwith a citation and a memento. (ANI)

Badal condemns Ludhiana blast

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Ludhiana/New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today denounced the bomb blast in a cinema hall here, and visited injured in the hospital."This is a very tragic incident and the people of Punjab as well as the people of India have been extremely saddened by it. For people of all faiths, the biggest challenge is to maintain peace and harmony," Badal said. He also announced an ex-gratia grant of Rs two lakh each for the next of kin of those killed in the blast.Meanwhile, National Security Guard (NSG) team arrived here to begin probing into the blast. "Teams of NSG and forensic experts have reached the site and are taking into possession the material that was found inside the Shinghar cinema after the blast," said Chandershekhar, ADGP (Law and Order). He also said that the services of army experts dealing with explosives have also been taken for a "proper analysis". Ruling out the hand of terrorists, Chandershekhar said, “One thing is sure that the RDX was not used in huge quantity. There is possibility of use of RDX in mall quantity."State Minister Manoranjan Kalia, who also ruled out the revival of terrorism in the state, visited the site. "People of Punjab have already faced dark period of terrorism and they know how to give such elements a befitting reply,” Kalia said. Security has already been beefed up in Jalandhar to keep an eye on single activity. Additional police force is on duty to avoid any kind of untoward incident. "Security at sensitive areas, including railway station, bus stands and cinema halls has been beefed up, and special barriers have been erected to check every vehicle to avoid any untoward incident during the ongoing festival season," S K Kalia, Superintendent of Police said. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal criticized the State Government's intelligence agencies for failing to alert concerned people."The State Government's intelligence agencies in the districts are not working properly. There is a lapse somewhere. They are not able to inform the concerned people at the right time of where and in which place that such an incident is going to take place," he said.Jaiswal also extended the Centre's assistance to the state in the blast investigations.Six people were killed and 25 others were injured when the bomb ripped the auditorium of Sringar cinema hall, located in the heart of the city.The explosion occurred at 8.30 p.m. when close to 500 people were watching the evening show that began at 8 p. m. According to eyewitnesses, a loud explosion was heard near the front stall of the auditorium and that the number of toll would increase. The blast follows the Thursday's blast at the historic Ajmer dargah where two people were killed and 17 others were injured. (ANI)

'Incredible India should have a credible economy'

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.15 (ANI): “Incredible India should have a credible economy,” said Mani Shankar Aiyar, Minister for Panchayati Raj, Youth Affairs and Sports and Development of North Eastern Region, at the National Conference on “Rural Sector: Sourcing, Branding and Marketing – Opportunities and Challenges”, organised jointly by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here on Monday. Aiyar said that rural projects should reach about 836 million people living below the daily wage of Rs.20 as per Arjun Sengupta Committee’s report. He said that government should get involved with people who are unsuccessful to attain benefits from the double digit growth of India and provide an economic justification to the growth.The relationship of the industry with the primary producer in the rural sector should go beyond buyer-seller relationship to attain inclusive growth, said Aiyar.Industry should focus on partnering with people at large to involve them in the business process and include them in the growth of the business, said Mr. Aiyar. Fresh technology and managerial inputs to implement rural marketing will enhance the development process at the rural sector, he said. Considering primary producers as partners and not workers will make the rural India flourish along with the Industry, the Minister added.A primary producer should not be confined to the first level of value chain and should be provided extensive training, finance and a larger quantity of input to rise up the value chain, said Mr. Aiyar. Rural Business Hub (RBH) is representation of primary level at the value chain which industry can access and government is a mediator in the process, said the Minister. Good governance can make business proposition with primary producers feasible at village panchayat, block and district level, he mentioned.Anil Sinha, General Manager, SEDF, International Finance Corporation (IFC) said that IFC provides financial products, technical assistance and advisory services to different areas of interest to reach the rural sector. He said that various services are available for the industry to reach the rural sector which are providing business enabling environment, value addition to firms, environment and social sustainability, infrastructural assistance and access to finance. IFC-SEDF has collaborated with CII to map out rural clusters in the north east region to attract industry to set up RBHs, he added.Sunil Kant Munjal, Chairman, CII Mission for Inclusive Growth and Chairman, Hero Corporate Services Ltd. said that rapid development of physical infrastructure and broadening the spectrum of current growth of India are the major challenges to the country. The enormity of the existing challenges call for partnership between civil society, Industry and Government, he said. Industry has shown a keen interest to take-up this growth challenge, said Munjal.Munjal said that RBH is an institutional mechanism to join producers at rural areas and marketers. He mentioned that Government of India has come out with RBH central sector scheme to provide financial support to RBH projects. RBH has been a great learning experience for CII and many RBHs have taken off the ground new initiatives and many are in the pipeline, said Munjal. The National Conference on “Rural Sector: Sourcing, Branding and Marketing – Opportunities and Challenges” will focus on topic like Emerging Business Models, Advantage North East and Development of Clusters & Outsourcing Hubs – Scope for PPP. At the session on Sourcing, Branding and Marketing - Emerging Business Models, ITC, Pantaloon, Fabindia Overseas, Shakti Sudha and Panchchuli Weavers presented different emerging rural business models, benefiting both the industry as well as the rural producers. (ANI)

ONGC Director joins elite fellowship program

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) Director, Ashok Kumar Balyan, has been elected as a Fellow in the World Academy of Productivity Science (WAPS).The WAPS conferred the fellowship in recognition of Balyan’s significant and longlasting contributions for improvement in quality of work, quality of life and productivity.Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Ashwini Kumar handed over the fellowship at New Delhi on October 8.Ratan Tata, J J Irani, M P Narayanan, G H Singhania, Subir Raha, K L Chugh, S K Chowdhury and K G Ramachandran also have this fellowship.Balyan, a M.Tech (First Position) from IIT, Delhi and PhD in Chemistry from Germany, has been instrumental in catalyzing various human resource development interventions in the ONGC in the last three years. Apart from human resource, he has also guided the Business Development initiatives of the Oil major, expanding the frontiers of its business presence, in synergy with its inherent HR strengths. (ANI)

Visit Sanasar near Jammu for adventure tourism

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Jammu, Oct.14 (ANI): Known for its scenic beauty, Sanasar, 119 kilometres from Jammu, is being developed as a major destination for adventure tourism to draw maximum tourists from across the country and abroad. Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation is taking initiatives to strengthen the required infrastructure to promote this place for adventure sports. It is hoped that with the help of overwhelming response from the youth, the adventure sports in Jammu and Kashmir would regain its past glory.Sanasar has been viewed an ideal spot for adventure pursuits like skiing, river rafting, trekking and camping, rock climbing, rappelling, paragliding and other related sports. The location is said to ideal for paragliding, because of favourable breeze, which is said to be perfect in speed and direction-wise, giving ample thrills to the gliding enthusiast."By organising these types of sports, it gives boast to the Jammu also as more and more tourists come here. This is the first time that adventure sports is being organised here other than Gulmarg and Pahalgam. It can be a good place for adventure sports as many things can be done here like paragliding, trekking and many more things," said Amar Pal Singh, Instructor. The different disciplines in adventure sports are attracting boys and girls."These types of sports camp generate awareness about different type of sports, especially over here, which many people are unaware of," said Neha, one of the participants. "From our hectic life we should take out some time and come here to and enjoy the adventure sports. It is very nice," said R.P.Singh, another participant. Besides, good training facilities with able instructors have further boosted the prospects of even physically-handicapped enthusiasts can find Sanasar as an ideal destination for holidays. Recently, a group of students with hearing and speech disabilities from the valley tried various events at Sanasar. Tourists from other States are keen to come to Sanasar."I have come from Madhya Pradesh and I really find it amazing. I was not expecting it to be so good. Actually, it is beyond my expectation. I am enjoying here very much," said Dalveer Singh, adventure sports enthusiast from Madhya Pradesh. Sanasar is only 17 kilometres from Patnitop. It is cup-shaped meadow surrounded by gigantic conifers. A place for a quite holiday, the meadow is also a favourite of golfers. (ANI)

Shankracharya asks to respect Hindus’ feelings

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.15 (ANI): The Shankaracharya of Badrika Ashram has asked the Government of India not to hurt the feelings of the Hindu community by going ahead with the construction of the Sethusamudram Ship Canal. He said that the Central Government “should not move ahead to destroy the Ram Sethu.” He feels that judging from the Government’s current stand on the issue one feels that “There was no hope from the Centre”. Talking to Asian News International on the sidelines of a Rudrabhishek ceremony in Old Delhi on Sunday, Shankracharya Swami Madhvashram said the individuals criticising Lord Rama ‘deserved to be ousted from the country’. In particular he was referring to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s controversial remarks about Lord Rama, the Shankaracharya said: “Karunanidhi Ko Desh-Nikala dena chahiye (Karunanidhi should be ousted from the country)”. Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, however, has been put on hold. Last month, seeking three months time to examine the Sethusamudram project issue, the Centre withdrew an affidavit relating to the mythological "Ram Sethu" from the Supreme Court. A Bench headed by Chief Justice K. G. Balkrishnan allowed the withdrawal of the affidavit, and posted the matter for next hearing in the first week of January 2008. The affidavit filed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on behalf of the Centre stated that there was no evidence to prove “the existence of the characters or the occurrence of events” in the Ramayana. This invited criticism, forcing the Centre to clarify its statement. The government said that it wanted to resolve the matter in a "constructive and mutually acceptable manner". In the wake of protests by the BJP and other Hindu groups over the government's first affidavit, the Government had said that it would file a supplementary affidavit on the Sethusamundram case in the Supreme Court. Hindu groups have called on the government to stop the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, saying it will demolish the mythical bridge linking India and Sri Lanka, believed to have been built by Lord Ram. Opposing the 560 million dollars project, they say it would destroy the Ram Sethu, a 48- kilometre chain of limestone shoals that once linked Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu to Mannar in Sri Lanka. A ten-member committee, headed by University of Madras Vice-Chancellor Prof. S. Ramachandran, who is also the Chairman of Monitoring Committee on Environmental Impact Issues, has been constituted to look into the matter. The Project will dredge a channel in a narrow strip of sea between India and Sri Lanka, reducing distances and cutting costs for freight traffic. Dredging for the project began in 2005 and the channel -- 12 metres deep, 300 metres wide and almost 90 km long -- will provide a crucial link between the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar. (ANI)

Classroom chattering helps

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
London, Oct 15 (ANI): A leading academician has challenged the conventional idea of silent classroom teaching by claiming that students working against a background of chatter actually learn better and faster. According to Angeline Lillard, Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, too many schools were still holding on to a traditional “factory model” of the classroom wherein children sitting silently were thought to be blank sheets on which teachers could imprint knowledge simply by talking to them. “We were designed in nature to think about the world in relation to how we physically interact with it - it’s called embodied cognition. So it’s only natural that children learn better when they get to move,” Times Online quoted her, as saying. “If you ask children to pick out pairs of animals that might go together, they will remember the pairs that they are allowed to touch and move, rather than the ones they just look at,” she added. Prof Lillard was particularly opposed to early education in Britain, where children in preschool settings are persuaded to play and learn in groups before being transferred to more formal compulsory school settings, where they are forced to remain silent. “Children under 6 are far more interested in parallel play - often playing alongside each other without really interacting. Once they are in primary school that’s when they start being really interested in their peers and taking notice of how they react,” she said. “But that is precisely the time when we take them away from learning and playing in groups and sit them at desks in ones and twos,” she added. Prof Lillard also challenged the wisdom of forcing children to be silent in class. “Children seem to be able to work against a hum of background noise. They can’t learn from each other if they are told to be silent,” she said. She further insisted that her methods, in no way, would result in a collapse of classroom order or would suppress bright children. Instead, she said that classroom discipline should be developed by permitting children to decide the parts of the curriculum that most interest them and to work at their own pace on it. However, Robert Whelan, deputy director of the think-tank Civitas and managing director of the New Model School Company, which promotes traditional education, said that Prof Lillard’s methods were only expected to be successful with some children. “The danger of letting children wander around the classroom and talk to each other is that those from middle-class homes, which value education, might flourish. But those from homes with no books and whose parents are only vaguely aware of what it is they do at school, will suffer because they will not be motivated to work hard,” Whelan said. “To have the teacher imparting information to the whole class for at least the majority of the time has a lot of advantages,” he added. Prof Lillard presented her approach at a conference in London held by the Maria Montessori Institute to celebrate the centenary of Montessori education. (ANI)

India Telecom 2007 in December

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): The second edition of ‘India Telecom 2007 - Digital Divide to Digital Opportunities’ will be held here on December 12. It is an international conference and exhibition centering on telecom-related equipments and technologies. The main focus areas of the exhibition and conference are technology development and advancement in this sector; including equipment suppliers, component manufacturers, and hardware and software solution providers. It is the platform for interactive sessions between the Government, policy makers, industrial leaders and potential investors. It will focus on the networking opportunity for exchange of ideas leading to future business alliances, buyers-sellers meet, global experiences and showcasing state-of-the-art technologies.The conference is being jointly organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India. The four day conference will have sessions on a wide range of subjects. There will be five sessions in all. Session I will be on ‘Accelerating the Growth of Broadband’ and Session II will emphasise on ‘Delivery of Cost Effective Voice and Data Services in Rural India’. Session III will be on ‘Investments in Indian Telecom Sector’, Sector IV will cover the ‘Growth of Value Added Services (VAS) Segment’ and Session V will be on ‘Enabling Regulator Framework for Achieving the Desired Goals’. On the last day of conference, there will be an Open House Session with senior officials from DoT, TRAI and DIT on policy and regulatory issues. The valedictory session will be on the same day. A curtain raiser function will be held in New Delhi on October 16. (ANI)

NRI makes s/w to boost airport security

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
London, Oct 15 (ANI): An Indian origin researcher in the US has designed a new software based on game theory that could prove to be a valuable tool for law enforcement officials manning security check points at international airports. Guards are usually told to patrol in a random fashion, but being human, they tend to form habits that patient criminals are able to exploit easily. To help make their rounds less predictable, Praveen Paruchuri and his colleagues at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles have created software that simulates various random paths that a guard could take airports and how criminals might react. Potential rewards, such as catching more criminals, and costs, such as a terrorist explosion, are evaluated for each path, before the software suggests the best route. Presently the software is being tested at the Los Angeles International airport (LAX), reports New Scientist magazine. (ANI)

Indo-Pak talks on conventional, nuclear CBMs

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Islamabad, Oct 15 (ANI): India and Pakistan will hold talks on conventional and nuclear confidence-building measures (CBMs) on October 18 and 19 in New Delhi. During the talks, the two sides are expected to finalise agreements on inadvertent border crossers and accidents at sea, which will give a major boost to the ongoing peace dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi. Sources said that two separate teams of experts led by Foreign Affairs Ministry officials would visit New Delhi to hold talks with Indian experts. Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, the Director General for South Asia at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, will lead the first team, which will include five officials, mainly from the Foreign Office, the Daily Times reported. This team will hold talks on conventional CBMs with Indian officials led by TCA Raghvan, the Joint Secretary for Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran on October 18. The other team will be lead by Additional Secretary (United Nations) Khalid Aziz Babar. It will hold talks on nuclear CBMs with Indian officials on October 19. It will have at least five officials, including the Director General for South Asia at the Foreign Affairs Ministry and senior officials of the Strategic Planning Division (SPD). K C Singh, the Additional Secretary (International Organisations), will lead the Indian side. Two officials from the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi, including High Commissioner Shahid Malik, will also take part in the talks, the daily added. The two-day meeting, which will be the fifth round of talks on convention and nuclear CBMs, will focus on modalities to improve the level of trust between India and Pakistan in the field of non-conventional weapons. The last round was held in April 2006 in Islamabad. (ANI)

Flight carrying cricketers makes emergency landing

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Nagpur, Oct 15 (ANI): A Jet Airways flight, carrying Indian and Australian cricketers, made an emergency landing in Nagpur on Monday. According to media reports, the flight, which was on its way to Mumbai from Nagpur, was forced to make a precautionary landing after hitting a flock of birds.Both teams were proceeding to Mumbai for the seventh and final match of the ongoing ODI series. (ANI)

Manmohan Singh to meet Nigerian President

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Abuja (Nigeria), Oct 15 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is on a three-day visit to Nigeria, will hold talks with President Umaru Yar’Adua here today. The meeting is likely to be followed by a joint declaration to take forward the bilateral ties. Singh is also scheduled to address a joint session of the Nigerian National Assembly later in the day. Yesterday, Singh called for better ties with Nigeria by saying that this African country plays an important role in meeting India's quest for energy security. Interacting with the Indian community residing in Nigeria, he also said that New Delhi gives top priority to better the trade ties with Abuja. Singh said Nigeria is India's largest trade partner in Africa and is largest suppliers of crude oil, while a number of Indian companies, both public and private, have found willing homes in Nigeria. At a reception hosted by Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria HHS Viswanathan, he called upon the Indian community to contribute their enterprises in nation building during, saying India offers limitless opportunities. Singh said India was a rapidly growing economy, and expressed confidence that it would continue to sustain a growth rate of between 9-10 per cent to get rid of country's chronic poverty. He arrived here last afternoon in the first leg of his two-nation trip to Africa. Singh was received by the Nigerian Minister for Foreign Affairs Ojo Maduekew and HHS Viswanathan at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport on his arrival. A Nigerian cultural dance troupe representing three major ethnic groups welcomed the Prime Minister and his wife Gurusharan Kaur with customary tribal tradition at the airport. The dancers were attired in traditional costume from east and north Nigeria. Singh's visit assumes significance as Nigeria is India's largest trading partner in Africa and recorded trade of about 7.9 billion dollars in 2005-06. Nigeria is one of India's largest suppliers of crude oil, while a number of Indian companies both public and private have operations in the country. The Prime Minister is leading a high delegation consisting of Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma, Minister of State for Mines T Subbarami Reddy, National Security Adviser MK Narayanan, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Secretary MS Srinivasan and Commerce Secretary GK Pillai. India has had a long-standing defence relationship with Nigeria and has been involved in training of Nigerian defence personnel and setting up of military training institutions in the country. It is expected that the defence ties would get a major boost during the visit as Indian defence Secretary Vijay Singh is also accompanying the Prime Minister. Several issues of bilateral, regional and multilateral interest are expected to be discussed during the course of the visit, which will also feature a meeting with the Economic management team of Nigerian President. (ANI)

APP on Clean Development and Climate

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): The second ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Partnership (APP) on Clean Development and Climate will begin here today.External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will give the inaugural address. Namo Narayan Meena, Minister of State for Environment and Forests will read the communiqué and propose its adoption.Ministers of six nations, India, the US, China, Japan, Australia and South Korea, will attend the meeting. Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon said, “Together, these six countries represent about half of the world's economy, population and energy use. The purpose of partnerships is to advance clean development and climate objectives through voluntary cooperation among ourselves for accelerated development and the deployment of cleaner, more efficient and cost-effective technologies.”The APP is dedicated to tackling climate change through cleaner energy technologies without sacrificing economic progress.The APP has generated interest in countries like Canada.The meet comes even as the United Nations is about to hold a key meeting in Bali city, later this year to decide whether to extend or replace the 10-year-old Kyoto Protocol and look beyond post-2012 emission-cut commitments. Rich nations and major developing nations such as China, India and Brazil are under pressure to agree to targeted emission cuts, and to start talks on shaping the next phase of the Kyoto Protocol climate pact.The Kyoto Protocol is being seen as the first step to fend off projections of ever-increasing heatwaves, floods and rising seas linked to rising emissions of greenhouse gases, mainly from burning fossil fuels.It obliges 35 rich nations to cut emission of greenhouse gases by five percent below 1990 levels by 2012. Unlike the Kyoto Protocol, the APP does not include mandatory reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions, which has led to criticism from various critics around the world.Countries like China and India have been criticised by the West for refusing to commit to emissions targets, despite being amongst the world's top greenhouse gas emitters.India, whose economy has grown annually by eight to nine percent in recent years, contributes around foru percent of global greenhouse gas emissions as its consumption of fossil fuels gathers pace.New Delhi says it must use more energy to lift its population out of poverty, something rich nations -- which have burnt fossil fuels unhindered for a century -- should understand.But the United States, which is one of the biggest polluters in the world, says it will not commit to emission targets until India and China do. (ANI)

Court to hear Dera chief case today

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Ambala, Oct 15 (ANI): A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court will today hear a case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, accused of sexual assault and murder. Earlier, a court had extended the bail of Baba Gurmit till October 15 in two cases of murder and one count of rape. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed him to appear before the trial court for grant of regular bail.The dera chief was granted interim bail on surety of three bonds of Rupees five lakh each.He was also asked to approach the district and sessions court in Ambala to seek regular bail.The CBI had filed a chargesheet on July 31, accusing him of murdering sect manager, Ranjit Singh, and a Sirsa-based journalist, Ram Chander Chatterpatti, and for the alleged rape of a Sadhavi.Two accused, Inder Sain and Avtar Singh were discharged in the Chatterpatti murder case on a defence plea that the duo had not been named as accused by the CBI in the chargesheet.Three others -- Kishan Lal, Kuldip Singh and Nirmal Singh have been facing charges of conspiracy and murder.Singh has been charged under Section 120-B (Conspiracy) in connection with the case relating to the murder of Ranjit Singh.The other accused are Kishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, Sabdil, Avtar Singh and Inder Singh, booked under Section 302 (Murder).Singh is the lone accused under Section 376 (Rape) in connection with the alleged rape of a Sadhavi.Ram Raheem Singh name was in news after he reportedly wore the ensemble of Sikhs' Tenth Guru. A case was also registered against him following a complaint by a Bathinda resident, who accused Singh of hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs by donning the attire of the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh. (ANI)

4 dead, 16 injured in Ludhiana blast

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Ludhiana, Oct 14 (ANI): At least four people were killed and 16 others were injured in a blast that took place inside a cinema hall in Ludhiana in Punjab.The bomb ripped the auditorium of Sringar cinema hall, located in the heart of the city, at around 9 p.m. when close to 500 people were watching the evening show that began at 8 p. m. Police and emergency services have reached the spot and the area has been cordoned off.According to eyewitnesses, a loud explosion was heard near the front stall of the auditorium and that the number of toll would increase. The blast led to wide scale chaos and confusion in the cinema complex and in the ensuing disorder some people got injured.Ambulances took the injured people to civil hospital as firefighters carried out the rescue operations. The blast follows the Thursday's blast at the historic Ajmer dargah where two people were killed and 17 others were injured. (ANI)

Blast in Ludhiana's cinema hall, 4 feared dead

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Ludhiana, Oct 14 (ANI): At least four people are feared dead and several others injured in a blast that took place at a cinema hall in Ludhiana.Preliminary reports suggest that the blast took place at the Sringar Cinema hall in the city.Police and emergency services have reached the spot and the area has been cordoned off.The blast follows the Thursday blast at the historic Ajmer dargah where two people were killed and 17 others were injured. (ANI)

After 45 years, Indian PM reaches Nigeria

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Abuja, Oct 14 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today reached Abuja, capital of Nigeria, for a five-day visit to Nigeria and South Africa to take forward the bilateral relations with the two African countries. Singh has become the first Indian Prime Minister to land here since Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's historic visit to the African nation in 1962. He is scheduled to meet members of the Indian community residing in the African nation, later in the day.In his pre-departure speech Singh said that as two developing countries with a similar historical experience, "we face common challenges of nation-building.""Our relationship is marked by a convergence of interests and reflects our mutual commitment to South-South Cooperation. A vibrant Indian community in Nigeria contributes to the socio-economic development of Nigeria," he said. Singh said that he was looking forward to the opportunity of addressing the Joint Session of the National Assembly of Nigeria. "I regard this as a great honour to India. My journey to Nigeria signifies India's desire to reinvigorate its ties not only with our friend and brother Nigeria, but also the continent of Africa. There is much that India and Africa have to do together for the betterment of our peoples," he added. During his two-day stay in Nigeria, Singh will hold extensive discussion with President Yar'Adua in capital Abuja on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues. He will also be addressing a joint session of the Nigerian Parliament. With Nigeria being India's largest trading partner in Africa, and one of the largest crude oil suppliers, the agenda for the talks will focus on enhanced energy cooperation, as various Indian projects (both public and private) in the crucial oil sector are at different stages there.Several MoUs related to energy and defence cooperation are expected to be signed by the two countries. Public sector major National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is currently negotiating with the Nigerian government to explore new areas of energy cooperation in the country. The bilateral trade between India and Nigeria accounted for 7.9 billion dollars in 2006-07. India, which has long-standing military ties with Nigeria, has been involved in training of Nigerian defence personnel. The Indian Army has also set up military training institutions there. Singh's visit will be a delight for over 25 thousand Indian expatriates living there, who would be getting to witness the visit of Indian Prime Minister after more than four decades when the Primes Minister addresses the Indian community there. (ANI)

Post blast, Ajmer scales down Eid ul-Fitr

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Ajmer/Agra/Jammu, Oct 14(ANI): While Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated with religious fervour across the country today, it was a low-key affair in Ajmer, which is still trying to overcome the shock of Thursday's blast at the historic dargah.A blast occurred at the Sufi shrine of Khwaja Mohiuddin Chisti in Ajmer when people were readying themselves to break their daylong fast that is observed during Ramzan. Two people were killed and 17 others were injured in the blast.Muslims in Ajmer said that they would not celebrate Eid, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramzan, but would simply offer prayers."In a very simple manner, we are just offering 'namaz' (prayers) and there will be no celebrations because of the blast," said Rehmanul Chisti, spokesperson of the shrine committee in Ajmer.Meanwhile, in Agra, Muslims gathered to offer prayers at the Taj Mahal amid tight security."Today around 8-10 thousand people offered 'namaz' (prayers). Internal security of the Taj Mahal was taken care of to avoid any untoward incident," said Mukesh, District Collector of Agra.Muslims in Jammu flocked to mosques to offer prayers.Several security personnel were placed at the mosques to avoid any untoward incident during the festivities.Celebrations started after confirmation was received on the beginning of the month of Shawwal.Muslims in Delhi flocked at the popular shrine 'Jama Masjid' to offer Eid prayers.As is customary, Muslims embraced each other and exchanged Eid greetings after the prayers.The scene was no different at mosques in Mumbai and Kolkata where devotees came together to pray.Muslims in Kerala and some other parts of the country celebrated the festival on Saturday, and gathered in mosques and specially set up 'Idgahs' to offer namaz.Eid ul-Fitr is celebrated on the last day of the holy month of Ramzan during which devout Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. (ANI)

Cardiac care at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 14 (ANI/ Business Wire India): Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, the largest multi-disciplinary super-specialty medical institute in north-west Delhi, today announced that the team of India's top heart surgeon, Dr. Naresh Trehan has joined hands with the Institute to manage, Action Heart Centre, a state of the art cardiac care facility and bring the excellence in cardiac care to the people of north west Delhi. The development is a result of a joint initiative between Global Health Private Ltd. chaired by Dr Naresh Trehan and Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute. Action Heart Centre strives to provide the highest quality of comprehensive cardiac care to the patients. The Centre has state of the art medical infrastructure and facilities for the treatment of heart ailments. The Heart Centre specialized in Coronary Angiography, Bypass Surgery, Valve Replacement, Pacemaker Implantation, Cardiac Electrophysiology, Coronary Angioplasty, and Balloon Valvotomy and Pediatric Cardiology etc.The cardiac team will consist of highly qualified and well-experienced cardiac surgeons and cardiologists including Dr Amar Singhal, Dr Sanjeev Aggarwal and Dr Pradeep Rustogi."I have always believed that originations with strong social and ethical principles can play a significant role in bringing world class healthcare to a much larger population base at an affordable price. Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute has created a top-notch medical institute and I am confident that jointly we shall improve the quality of cardiac care available in the North West Delhi. My team and I feel honored to collaborate with Balaji Action in extending cardiac services to the people," said Dr. Trehan."We are happy to welcome Dr. Trehan's team on board. In addition to being the country's top surgeon, Dr. Trehan has associated himself with various initiatives in the healthcare sector, a path that Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute propagates. We are confident that we can achieve many more miles ahead together in this direction," said Lala Mange Ram Agarwal, Chairman, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute. Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute is a multi specialty hospital for all classes of people. The mission of this hospital is to provide world-class integrated healthcare facilities to all sections of the society with a humanitarian touch, whist maintaining high standard of ethical practice and professional competency with emphasis on training and education leading to research. It is the largest hospital of North West Delhi, with over 400 beds with centers of excellence in Cardiology, Cardio-thoracic surgeries, Respiratory Medicine, Oncology, Pediatric, Gynecology, Nephrology, Gastroenterology and Orthopedics. Lala Munni Lal Mange Ram Charitable Trust of Action Group is promoted the institute. (ANI)

Cal for effective implementation of farmer schemes

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Amravati, Oct 14 (ANI): President Pratibha Patil has called for an effective implementation of relief schemes, which have been announced by the government for the farmers."The government made special packages for the farmers, but the outcome has not really been encouraging. Focus needs to be made on implementation of these programmes and also some improvement needs to be made," said Patil, who was visiting her ancestral Amravati village in Maharashtra.This is Patil's first visit to her ancestral village since being elected India's President.Expressing deep concern over farmer suicides in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, Patil suggested supplementary business for them, besides effective implementation of relief packages.The spate of suicides in Maharashtra has not abated despite highly publicised efforts by New Delhi to ease the farmers' financial burden.In July, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced over 400 million dollars in one-time grant, interest waivers and debt restructuring, besides a one-year moratorium on loan repayments for farmers.But activists say the package had failed to make an impact, and farmers in Maharashtra's worst hit Vidharba region were still committing suicides at the rate of three every day.At a felicitation function, Patil also emphasised on women empowerment in order to develop the nation."If women are weak, then the country cannot progress. If they are strong then the nation will be moving towards a path of development and progress," Patil said.Later, Patil also offered prayers at a shrine of Goddess Amba Devi. (ANI)

World Games begin with splendid opening ceremony

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Hyderabad, Oct 14 (ANI): The 4th World Military Games began here today at the GMC Balayogi Stadium with a scintillating display of might and bravery associated with defence forces.The opening ceremony began in the evening with Sarangs helicopters criss-crossing the sky in unique formations. Skydiving teams descended into the stadium with the Games mascot 'Bravo' in tow, which was followed by participants entering the main venue in their official attire.The march past by the 103 countries that are participating in the game was resplendent with unique style of different armed forces of the world.President Pratibha Patil declared the Games open. India's Athens Olympic silver medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore lit the Games Flame by exploding a canon. During the eight-day long event, close to six thousand sportsmen will participate in 15 disciplines. (ANI)

Tripura witnesses large-scale police recruitment

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Agartala, Oct 14 (ANI): A total of 562 new cadres joined the Tripura police today here, the highest number of recruitment in the recent years in the wake of increasing militant activities in the State.The passing out parade on the young recruits was held here at the headquarters of the 2nd battalion of Tripura State Rifles, which was inspected by C Subramanium, ADG of Tripura Police.Subramanium praised the new cadres for their hardship, and expressed hope that the improved training and more recruitment by the State government would help in diminishing militant activities in the State. The cadres other than taking the oath of their duty also demonstrated a dare devil show of jumps through fire, techniques of counter insurgency operations and jungle warfare in front of the gathered crowd of the family members of the recruits. The batch was recruited during the month of February this year and during their nine months training they learned about the prevailing laws, human rights, use of different arms and ammunitions. The cadres also admitted about the rigorous and tiresome training regime that they had to undergo but added that it helped in boosting their confidence level.The aim behind the recruitment drive is to have adequate police even in the interior police station of the State so that law and order can be maintained even in the remotest part of the state. (ANI)

'Save Tiger' campaign

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Siliguri/Bhopal, Oct 14 (ANI): Wildlife conservationists are organising campaigns to spread awareness about the dwindling population of the tigers among kids.One such awareness campaign was held on Saturday in the northern town of West Bengal.Children of several schools attended the workshop in Siliguri under a programme called "Kids for Tigers".Navnita, the coordinator of the 'Kids for Tigers' programme, said their aim is to motivate children in doing their bit to save tigers."We want to inform students. Then we want to educate students and motivate them towards tiger conservation. We tell them that if we want to save tigers, we have to save forests first," she said.The action-based environmental education programme aims at seeking the participation of the younger generation to save the wild animals, which are dependent on the preservation of diverse natural resources.Welcoming the awareness programme, Sunita Ghatak, Divisional Forest Officer, Wild Division, Darjeeling, said: "Definitely, this sort of awareness programme is welcome. It is definitely important. But not only the town-based schools, we should also concentrate on rural schools."India has half the world's surviving tigers. But the demand for tiger skin and bone in China for making traditional medicines has severely affected the tiger population.Meanwhile, India's dwindling tiger population further declined as a white tiger died in Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal.The authorities are investigating the death of Ishu, a male white tiger.According to the preliminary reports, the three-year-old, Ishu died, on Friday, due to a liver disease. The tiger was suffering from fever and initial investigations revealed ruptures in the liver.The count of white tigers has come down to three after Ishu's death leaving the national park with only female tigers.Samples of all visceral organs of Ishu are being sent for toxicology assessment to the laboratories in the State, said Jasbeer Singh Chauhan, the Director of the Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal."We will not be able to fill the void that has been created with the death of Ishu, the only male tiger we had. Now, we have three female tigers here. Ishu was a very friendly and playful animal. The exact cause of the tiger's death is yet to be ascertained," said Chauhan.Three months ago a 20-year-old Royal Bengal tiger had died at the park after a short sickness. Also, in 2006, another white tiger died in the same park following indigestion and fever.According to official estimates, there are 3,600 tigers in India, but some wildlife experts say the figure could be less than 2,000.The Indian Tiger Welfare Society says that only 12 white tigers have been seen in the wild in India while the rest are in captivity.There are around 200 white tigers left in the world. (ANI)

Australia wins ODI series against India

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Nagpur, Oct 14 (ANI): Visiting Australian team today defeated Team India by 18 runs in the Nagpur ODI, sealing the seven-match ODI series with a 4-1 lead.The last match of the series will be played in Mumbai on Wednesday.Replying to the target of 318 runs set by Australia, India began the innings on a solid note with seniors- Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly- giving 140 runs partnership for the first wicket. Sachin made 72 runs and Ganguly 86 runs in 72 and 111 balls respectively.In spite of a steady start, the match later drifted in favour of Australia as asking run rates started piling up and India started losing wickets at regular intervals.After Sachin’s departure in the 25th over, Irfan Pathan came down to bat and made 29 runs in 29 balls before heading back to pavilion in the 33rd over. This was followed by wickets of Ganguly in 37th over, Yuvraj Singh in the 39th over and former skipper Dravid in the 41st over.Yuvraj and Dravid failed to reach a two-digit figure. They scored 6 and 7 runs respectively.Robin Uthappa and skipper Mahender Singh Dhoni tried to bring India back into the match with series of fours and sixes. Dhoni made 26 runs and Uthappa 44, and their dismissals finally sealed the hope for trying to level the series.Andrew Symonds was adjudged the Man of the Match for his unbeaten 107 runs with 9 fours and 4 sixes. Zaheer Khan took two wickets, while Sreesanth, Pathan , Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik took one wicket each. (ANI)

Army jawan commits suicide in Jammu

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Jammu, Oct 14 (ANI): A jawan of the Indian Army today allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself on a ceiling fan in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu District. According to official sources, Rifleman Devinder Singh, who is a native of Hyderabad, committed suicide in his room. They added that he was under stress due to some problems at home. On October 1, another jawan of the army had committed suicide by allegedly shooting himself with his service rifle in Nagorta. In another incident a jawan, on September 16, had also allegedly committed suicide with his service rifle in Birpur in Jammu. Concerned with the increasing number of suicides and fratricidal killings in the Indian Army, the Defence Ministry had recently accepted majority of the recommendations submitted by a special committee that looked into the issue. The committee led by Dr. Manas Kumar Mandal, Director of Defence Institute of Psychological Research, which submitted the report to Defence Ministry in January, had observed that the majority of the root causes that led to the spurt in fratricidal killing in the army belong to the discontentment over leave and 'occupational hazard'. The committee had also recommended 'realignment' of personnel once they return to the barracks after coming back from leave. The committee also recommended three different kinds of remedial measures that included immediate steps like imparting of stress-busting techniques like yoga, introduction of selection system for personnel below officer rank (PBOR), which would take into account the psychological strength of the candidates. The new selection system for PBOR will be initiated from October 31 where emphasis will be on eliminating candidates possessing 'negative psychological traits'. "Cumulative stress" on the personnel posted at hazardous area like Northern Command where low-intensity conflicts prevail and has the highest number of such incidents "is more hazardous and has its own toll," Mandal had then said. Defence Ministry has already initiated such measures to reduce stress if any among soldiers. On August 22, Defence Minister A K Antony had said that the number of suicide cases in the army was "not significantly higher if compared with the national average and also with the armies of some other countries." (ANI)

Obeisance to Goddess Durga in a unique way

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Patna, Oct.14 (ANI): A devotee of Goddess Durga in Patna has placed seven “Kalash”or, earthen pots, half-filled with water on his chest to pay obeisance to Goddess Durga during the ongoing Navaratras, the nine-day festival of Hindus. Fifty-year-old Bharat Rai will remain lying on floor for all nine days of festivities here at a temple located in Patna’s Mohan Puria area. He will remain on fast, abstaining from eating and drinking. "I feel that “Durga Ma” (mother Durga) gives me the strength and confidence to place seven Kalash on my chest for nine days. Otherwise, it’s impossible for me. I keep on visualising Durga Ma. She keeps blessing me every minute," said Bharat Rai. Bharat’s unusual form of paying obeisance has drawn many people from different part of Patna city. "Everybody worships Goddess Durga, but I heard about this devotee of Goddess who would keep these Kalashas for all the nine days. It is not possible for a normal person. The ones having the blessings of Durga can perform something like this," said Archna, a devotee. Bharat is said to have been carrying on with such form of worship for past four years."Baba (Bharat) is placing such Kalash for the past few years but earlier he used to place two or three Kalash but this year he has been trying seven Kalash all together. We are blessed to see him," said Diwakar Kumar, an onlooker and devotee. Celebrated over a period of nine nights and ten days to worship Goddess Durga during Ashwin Shukla Paksha as per Hindu almanac, Navratras are a major religious festival for all Hindus, as many of them fast during these days. (ANI)

World Military Games: India among final 8 in Football

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Hyderabad, Oct 14 (ANI): Indian team today entered into the quarterfinals in the football section of 4th Military World Games. In a do-or-die encounter, India defeated Afghanistan by 1-0 with the lone goal being scored by Nguruilal in the fifth minute of beginning of the game. Apart from India, Cameroon, Korea, Egypt, Guinea, Brazil, Qatar, and Ireland have entered the quarterfinals. The women football league matches started today with Korea beating USA 4-0. In another match, Netherlands defeated Canada 4-0. (ANI)

Eid prayers at Kashmir’s Idgah after 2 decades

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
Srinagar, Oct 14 (ANI): Eid-ul-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramzan, was celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety across the Kashmir Valley on Sunday amid unilateral ceasefire called by militants. The truce call by militants ahead of the festival allowed people to offer Eid prayers at the historic Idgah here for the first time since violence erupted in the Valley about 20 years ago. Scores of Kashmiri Muslims thronged the Idgah on the occasion. The chairman of the moderate faction of separatist Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, who also came to offer Eid prayers, called upon the governments of both India and Pakistan to put forth their proposed solutions to resolve the longstanding Kashmir dispute. He said that after the two sides come out with their solutions, separatist would also put forth their proposals to solve the dispute. He went on to say that elections and economic packages were not the solutions for the disputed issue, and they would not be part of such exercise. The decision to hold Eid prayers at the Eidgah grounds in the heart of old Srinagar after 20 years had sparked tensions between the two factions of the separatist Hurriyat Conference. On September 26, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani announced during a press conference that the Eid prayers would be offered at Eidgah. A week after Geelani's announcement, Mirwaiz came out with a statement that they too would offer prayers at the Eidgah. Interestingly, both Geelani and Mirwaiz factions of the Hurriyat chose the same time of 10.30 a.m. for the Eid prayers. After this, Geelani convened a press conference on October 11 and took back his call for the Eidgah programme, saying he would offer prayer at the Hazratbal shrine. He alleged that Mirwaiz gave a call for Eid prayers at Eidgah at the behest of the Centre, and also expressed apprehensions that the AAC activists may resort to violence during the Eid congregation. (ANI)

PM condoles death of Justice Sarkaria

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 14 (ANI): Prime Minsiter Manmohan Singh today condoled the passing away of Justice R.S. Sarkaria, who died after prolonged illness in Chandigarh on Friday night. He was 91. “I am deeply grieved to hear of the sad news of the passing away of Justice R.S. Sarkaria. Justice Sarkaria was one of our tallest and most sagacious constitutional lawyers,” Singh said in his condolence message. Recalling that having started his practice in the courts of Patiala in pre-independence India, Justice Sarkaria rose to the highest levels of our judiciary, Singh said that he played a “vital role in the evolution of the Indian Republic and our Constitution.” “A student of Government College Lahore, Justice Sarkaria was a erudite legal expert who translated our Constitution into Punjabi. He Chaired the Commission that has re-inforced the foundations of our Federal Republic. His wise guidance will forever more be missed by our judiciary and constitutional experts,” Singh added. “I join the nation in paying homage to the memory of Justice Sarkaria and I convey my heartfelt condolences to his family and his many admirers and disciples,” said the Prime Minister. Justice Sarkaria, Born on January 16, 1916, practised at Patiala as Pleader and thereafter as Advocate of the Patiala High Court. He was on the two-member Committee set up by Pepsu Government to translate the Constitution of India into Punjabi. He headed the committee to study Centre-State relations in 1983 and submitted his report in 1988, which focussed on devolution of powers between the Centre and the states, and on imposition of President's rule. He was an Additional Judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court from June 13 to September 26, 1967 and puisne Judge from September 27, 1967 to September 15. He was appointed as the Judge of the Supreme Court with effect from September 17, 1973, he retired on January 15, 1981. (ANI)

Nation celebrates Eid with fervour

Monday, October 15, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 14 (ANI): Id-ul-Fitr, the most important festival of Muslims, is being celebrated with religious fervour and enthusiasm across the country today.Muslims gathered early this morning to offer namaz at mosques across the country and attended the sermon followed by a short congregational prayer. Celebrations started after confirmation was received on the beginning of the month of Shawwal.Muslims in Kerala and some other parts of the country celebrated the festival on Saturday, and gathered in mosques and specially set up 'Idgahs' to offer namaz.Id ul Fitr is celebrated on the last day of the holy month of Ramzanon during which devout Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. President Pratibha Patil, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have extended their warm wishes on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr."On the joyous occasion of Id-ul-Fitr, I convey my warm wishes to all my citizens in India and abroad," the President said in her message."The spirit of generosity and charity associated with this festival promotes the feeling of brotherhood among people and help usher in a humane society," Ansari said.United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi has also greeted Muslims on the occasion. "On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, I would like to greet all our Muslims brothers and sisters," Gandhi said in a statement on Saturday. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up at all the mosques after at the October 11 blast at the Sufi shrine of Khwaja Mohiuddin Chisti in Ajmer. (ANI)

Pachauri supports Indo-US nuke deal

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
Pachauri supports conclusion of Indo-US nuke deal New Delhi, Oct 13 (ANI): A day after the Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was announced as the joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize along with former US Vice President Al gore, the chairman of the panel Rajendra Pachauri came out strongly in support of the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal. In an interview to a foreign news agency, Pachauri said, "...I thought that the deal that we had struck with the US, which our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had sort of spent so much of time and effort in coming up with, should go through and I hope it goes through."Pachauri also said that nuclear energy is a serious option for India."I think in our country given the fact that we are going to have several problems with supply of fuels of all kinds, nuclear is a serious option and we need to look at it very carefully," he added. His statement comes a day after Manmohan Singh indicated that the government might put a pause on the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal due to the vehement opposition by the Left Front. (ANI)

'Climate change issue to get highest attention'

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 13 (ANI): The two-day National Conference on 'Climate Change and Indian Agriculture' which concluded here today made wide ranging recommendations concerning issues relating to climate change. Union Minister of Agriculture, Sharad Pawar assured that the Government would give top priority to the issue of climate change and that the recommendations of the conference would reach the highest level of policy decisions."These will be sent to the Prime Minister's Council as well as Planning Commission for further discussion and action," he added. The recommendations include, strengthening research and assessment of the impacts, increase international collaboration, evolve and implement scientific and economic based policies, and invest in infrastructure to insulate agriculture from climatic vagaries. He also urged the scientific community to explore if climate change would benefit country's agriculture system during any time period in future and anywhere in the country. His statement comes a day after Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change under the chairmanship of R K Pachauri was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with former US Vice President Al Gore. (ANI)

Manmohan greets nation on Eid-ul-Fitr

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 13 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today greeted the nation on Eid-ul-Fitr. In a message, he said that the festival is being celebrated with gaiety and fervour at the end of the pious month of Ramzan. "The festival symbolizes brotherhood, compassion, sharing and it also reflects the true spirit of our composite culture," adding that he hoped that the festival would further strengthen the bonds of the composite society of the country. "May the Eid-ul-Fitr usher in peace, prosperity and happiness for all," he added. (ANI)

Shias in Kashmir celebrate Eid

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
Srinagar, Oct 13 (ANI): Thousands of Shiite Muslims in Srinagar celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr festival on Saturday, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.The Shiite community in Kashmir valley, Kargil and Leh celebrated Eid a day ahead of the rest of the Muslim community in the state.The rest of the people will be celebrating Eid on Sunday.According to Shiite Muslims, the crescent (first day moon) for Eid-ul-Fitr was sighted in Kargil area of the State on Friday.Dressed in new clothes, they swarmed mosques across Kashmir to offer prayers.Eid, the biggest and most important holiday on the Islamic calendar, is traditionally celebrated for two days. Muslim clergy decides the date of Eid, on the basis of sighting of the moon.Hundreds of thousands of Muslims flocked at mosques and worship-grounds where they offered Eid prayers.As is customary, Muslims embraced each other and exchanged Eid greetings after the prayers."We offered namaz (prayers) today. We prayed to the almighty to help restore peace and happiness in the valley and bless us all," said Nissar Ahmed, Shiite Muslim in Budgam.Muslims believe Eid is not just a time of spiritual devotion and verbal expressions of love and brotherhood; it is also a time of religious unity when people from all religions and nationalities come together to share greetings. (ANI)

Nagpur wicket good for batsmen and bowlers

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
Nagpur, Oct 13 (ANI): Curator of the pitch of the Nagpur stadium, Rajeev Gokhale, has said that the wicket is good for both the batsmen and the bowlers ahead of the India-Australia ODI scheduled to be played here on Sunday.Gokhale is sure that both teams will score plenty of runs. In the last two matches that India played at this venue against Sri Lanka and the West Indies, they recorded 300-plus totals and won."We have given a sporting wicket for every bowler every batsman to apply their own talents and they can score runs and bowlers can take wicket," he said. Meanwhile, the home team is facing stiff challenge from Australia and is trailing the series 1-3 However, Team India pacer Zaheer Khan sounded confident and said that they will play the sixth ODI with renewed zeal, a day ahead of the match. Terming the Nagpur ODI as a "big game" since it is the last chance for Team India to level the seven-ODI series, Khan said, "Last two games they (Australians) got consistent start, first two games we were able to get the breakthrough and restrict them in the power play so power plays becomes very crucial in this and obviously giving that early breakthrough is responsibility on us the fast bowlers.""As I said every day is a new day we are looking forward to it, and hopefully we will be able to provide early breakthrough tomorrow," he added.Indian selectors have made no changes to their squad of 15 for the final two one-day internationals against Australia.The seventh and the final ODI will be played in Mumbai on Wednesday. (ANI)

CII Prez congratulates Dr. Pachauri led panel

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 13 (ANI): Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) President Sunil Bharti Mittal today congratulated the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) chaired by Dr. R.K. Pachauri for sharing this year's Nobel Peace Prize with the former US Vice President Al Gore.In a letter addressed to Dr Pachauri, Mittal said "CII acknowledges the pioneering work done by the IPCC under your leadership in the last five years.""You are a very capable institution builder and it is your vision, which has taken IPCC to this level which is evident from the institution wining the highest accolade," Mittal added."Through your work as Chairman IPCC and Director General TERI you have dedicated your life to issues of environment and climate change and its impact, particularly on the poor. Under your guidance, IPPC's findings have been recognised by the global community and have forced them to accept that climate change is a reality. The prize indeed is recognition for the institution and also for the man who has dedicated his entire life to building strong institutions," Mittal said, adding "Your achievement has made India and all Indians proud. We compliment your institutional calibre and hope that this recognition would bring the subject of climate change to the forefront."Al Gore and IPCC were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work educating the world about global warming and advocating for political action to stop it. The Norwegian Nobel Committee characterised Gore as "the single individual" responsible for convincing world governments that climate change was real, caused by human activity, and posed a threat to society. The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on October 12 that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 is to be shared, in two equal parts, between the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change. (ANI)

Muslims prepare for Eid-ul-Fitr

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
New Delhi/ Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 13 (ANI): Muslims across the country thronged markets for last minute shopping ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. Men, women and children wear new clothes, buy sweets, feast with their family and friends, and wish each other a happy Eid. They also embrace each other in a typical manner and wish.Garment and shoe shops situated in busy parts of Delhi outside 'Jama Masjid' witnessed a huge number of customers. They were purchasing new clothes and shoes as it is considered auspicious to wear new clothes on Eid."It is the grace of god that Eid is now on the 30 (day) instead of the 29 (day) as that way we will get one more day of fasting. The activities in the market are a message that people should wear new clothes, and eat sweets before leaving home. Even the poorest will buy new clothes for his children," said Mohammad Shahid, a shopkeeper.Muslim clergy decide the date of Eid, on the basis of sighting of the moon.Mufti Mohd Mukkaram Ahmed, the Shahi Imam of Delhi's Fatehpuri Masjid, after a meeting of the Ruyat-e-Hilal Committee on Friday, announced that Eid will be celebrated in the country on Sunday.Muslim clerics in Delhi were speculating that Eid-ul-Fitr would be celebrated on Saturday. Sabra Begum, a resident, said: "We have made all the preparations for Eid today itself and whatever is left we will do it tomorrow. We all are happy that our 30 days of fasting will now be complete."The three-day Eid celebration marks the end of the holy fasting, month of Ramadan.Muslims in Kerala are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr today, marking the culmination of the fasting month of Ramadan.Devotees turned up in large numbers in mosques and specially set up 'Idgahs' across the state for Eid namaz led by religious heads.The celebrations had begun since Friday evening.Imam Hamsa Moulavi Farooqi led the 'perunal namaskaram' (Id namaz) at the famous Palayam mosque in the heart of the city in Thiruvananthapuram.At many places in Kerala, food packets and garments were distributed among the poor and the needy as part of the celebrations. Special distributions were organised by Muslim charity and cultural outfits.During Ramadan, Muslims do not take food or water from dawn to dusk. They also devote their time to worship and studying of the Quran. They eat a pre-dawn meal, called Sehri and at the end of the day, called Iftar.The Muslims refrain from indecent acts and improper thoughts, nor do they make offensive gestures or unkind words during the period.Millions of Muslims across India began marking the fasting month on September 14, after the sighting of new moon.Ramadan, the ninth month of the Hijri lunar calendar, commemorates the revelation of Quran, Islam's holy book, and has traditionally been a time of religious fervour, settling old disputes and behaving charitably towards neighbours. (ANI)

Indo-Pak talks on CBMs from Oct 18

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
Islamabad, Oct 13 (ANI): India and Pakistan will hold expert-level talks on conventional and nuclear confidence building measures (CBMs) on October 18 and 19 in New Delhi.The two countries are likely to ink two agreements on speedy return of those who inadvertently cross over the border and enter the territory of each other and prevention of such incidents at sea.The two nuclear powers will hold vital talks at the level of experts on conventional and nuclear CBMs in New Delhi in the third week of October, said a senior official requesting anonymity here.He said that during the talks, it is expected that the two sides would ink the agreements on speedy return of those people crossing over both the terrestrial and sea borders inadvertently. Talking about the return of inadvertent violators of the border, the official said is a humanitarian issue. "Both governments acknowledge that presently an agreement is being negotiated, and we hope this would be signed at the earliest," he added. The official said groundwork had been completed on the second agreement about prevention of incidents at sea that could result in conflict like situation between the neighbouring countries.The official said that the talks with New Delhi on conventional CBMs would be held on October 18 and on nuclear CBMs would be held on October 19.According to official, the last round of talks on nuclear as well as conventional CBMs were held in April 2006 in Islamabad.The forthcoming talks, he added, would review the implementation of the CBMs already agreed upon. He said apart from reviewing old and already agreed upon CBMs, Pakistan and India are also expected to discuss some new proposals. He said that Islamabad and New Delhi would hold second meeting on anti- terrorism mechanism in New Delhi on October 22, a few days after the conclusion of CBMs talks, The Nation reported. (ANI)

NSA reviews security arrangements at shrines

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 13 (ANI): Close on the heels of the terror blasts at the Sufi shrine of Khwaja Mohiuddin Chisti in Ajmer, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan is reviewing the security arrangements at the Vaishno Devi Shrine and at the Tirupati Balaji shrine, a website has claimed. “All intelligence, security and defence agencies are on highest alert to thwart any terror attempt at these two temples,” the www.politicsparty.com said in its analysis. Pakistan sponsored terrorists are planning massive attack on these two temples, it claimed. The Tirumala-Tirupati Devashtanam in Andhra Pradesh is temple of Lord Venketeswara. Everyday over a lakh of devotees visit the temple. Over 20, 000 devotees visit the Vaishno Devi Shrine. Keeping in view the terror threat during the ongoing festive season, security at all the religious places across the country has been beefed up. (ANI)

'Ajmer blast probe gone as far as our borders'

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
Ajmer, Oct 13 (ANI): Union Home Minister today said that investigations into the October 11 blast at the Sufi shrine of Khwaja Mohiuddin Chisti has gone as far as the country’s borders. "I am fully aware of the progress of the investigations and how far it has reached. The investigations is going as far as our borders," Patil told reporters after visiting the Sufi shrine this morning. "We are with you in this time of sorrow. The Centre and the State Government will provide all help to those victims," Patil said after visiting the injured at the hospital where they are treated. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Sindhia on Friday promised to bring to book the culprits behind the blast that killed two people and wounded 17 others. "People of Ajmer have worked together to maintain peace and solidarity during the time of crises, and I pledge that with the grace of almighty we will nab the culprits who were behind this incident," said Sindhia. Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and local police kept a vigil across the city even as people went about their normal day-to-day routine today. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajnath Singh has criticised the Central Government for not doing enough to prevent terrorist-related events like the Ajmer blast. "I think this government has never taken terrorism as a major challenge," Singh said. (ANI)

President Patil greets nation on Id-ul-Fitr

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 13 (ANI): President Pratibha Patil today greeted the fellow citizens on the occasion of Id-ul-Fitr, which will be celebrated tomorrow.In her message, Patil said: “On the joyous occasion of Id-ul-Fitr, I convey my warm wishes to all my citizens in India and abroad.”“As we celebrate this day as a day of forgiveness, fellowship, thanksgiving and moral victory, I hope that the occasion with its tradition of giving and sharing will infuse the spirit of unity and harmony in us," Patil added. (ANI)

Students for higher studies in Kashmir varsities

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
Srinagar, Oct 13 (ANI): Gradual return of peace to Jammu and Kashmir is bringing an increasing number of students from across the country for higher education in Kashmir universities.Continuous violence for over a decade and half had badly affected the region's education sector besides also halting the development of the State. Further, limited number of courses and colleges, besides obsolete methods of teaching had dampened the spirit of students.However, with the globalisation of the education system, new avenues have been opened and new methods of teaching have been adapted to attract the youth to the Kashmir valley."Students come here to study from various states. We have people from Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttaranchal, Bangalore and Delhi. Currently, I can say that I have more students from Uttar Pradesh. I have nearly 450 applications with me this time," said Shaheena Akhtar, in-charge of Kashmir Bachelor of Education College Association.Students can be seen thronging counselling centres that have mushroomed in the region for information on various courses and colleges."People used to scare me saying that Kashmir is not a safe place and I should not go there. But I can tell you that this place is completely safe if you live your own life," said Pushpa, a student.Students are happy with the quality of education and they appreciate the efforts taken by the authorities."I feel the teachers here are more dedicated and they are keen on imparting knowledge. Even though many teachers cannot speak fluent English, they try their level best to help us out and make the learning process easier," said Manish, another student.These colleges, besides providing academic excellence to these students, also offer boarding and lodging facilities.The fee thus collected is around 500 crore rupees per annum. This adds to revenue generation and gives a boost to the economy of the valley.Due to disturbances in the Kashmir valley, education had taken a back seat and children were forced to discontinue studies. (ANI)

New biotechnology strategy

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.13 (ANI): The Government is willing to enter into a partnership with Indian Industry for the new bio-technology strategy and will announce a policy within next two weeks, said Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, at the valedictory session of ‘Life Science Conclave – 2007’, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here on Saturday. Sibal said that the Government is planning to implement a policy framework to ensure support to life science companies at the initial stage of product development, launch of the product and assist the companies to deal with intellectual property right issues.“We are willing to go into equity relationship with private companies and provide grant for research and development,” Sibal added. He mentioned that India needs to rethink its administrative setup to facilitate the global need in life science sector.Sibal said that life science is a subject beyond healthcare and can contribute largely to the challenges faced in environment, agriculture and energy sectors.“We need to reach rural India and Government has launched a programme in partnership with SPACE, private hospitals and satellite connectivity providers to reach the remote areas with healthcare solutions,” he informed.Universities should be the focus of R andD and private companies should allow students to experience the facilities, said Sibal. Companies should concentrate on product oriented research and commercialisation of the outcome to make India a global hub in bio-technology, said the Minister. He applauded the life science industry for responding positively on the drug price policy of the GovernmentIndia is among the top 15 countries in consumption value and fourth largest country in the world production volume, said Dr. Swati Piramal, Past Chairman, CII Maharashtra State Council and Member and Director, Strategic Alliance and Communications, Nicholas Piramal (India) Ltd. at the CII’s Life Science Conclave – 2007.Citing McKinsey’s report, Dr. Piramal said that India’s Pharma turnover is expected to treble to 20 billion dollars by 2015. She said that intense competition has resulted in medicine prices falling to lowest in the world, adding that the real challenge for the pharmaceutical industry is the access to the common people and Government and Industry should jointly address this issue.Dr. Piramal appealed to the Government on behalf of the industry that the pharmaceutical companies need tax incentives for pure R and D and this would help the Indian pharmaceutical sector to compete in the global market along with China.Dr. Rashmi Barbhaiya, Managing Director, Advinus Therapautics, said that India needs to generate intellectual properties and continue with innovation to counter the Chinese threat in Life Science sector. He said that patents should be converted to products for end users and must be attached to commercial value.The two day conclave provided a forum to learn new strategies and discover the latest developments in life science and related areas. Life Science Conclave – 2007 was attended by academia, researchers, Industry representatives, investment partners and participants from the different Government agencies. (ANI)

New biotechnology strategy

BJP blames Central Govt for Ajmer blast

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
Lucknow/Siliguri (West Bengal). Oct 13 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajnath Singh has criticised the Central Government for not doing enough to prevent terrorist-related events like the Ajmer blast. "The Home Minister is busy playing the role of an astrologer. Again, he comes up with warnings saying, religious places, VIP's and other sensitive areas of the country are under threat from terrorists. I think this government has never taken terrorism as a major challenge," Singh said. Meanwhile, security has been tightened in Siliguri following the Ajmer attack.The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has deployed bomb detection squads at all entry and exit points of the main railway station.Officials said they also planned to introduce explosive vapour detectors."We will be using these instruments in preventing terrorist activities in North Bengal, especially in the railways. We have alerted all government railway police personnel," said Mahender Singh Poonia, Superintendent of Police, Railways. Thursday’s bomb explosion inside the famous Ajmer Sharif shrine claimed two lives and injured 17 others.The blast occurred at around 6.15 p.m. just before the end of the Ramadan fasting month. (ANI)

India, Russia to boost bilateral trade

Sunday, October 14, 2007 | MP
Moscow, Oct 13 (ANI): Long-term allies India and Russia have pledged to increase economic and energy cooperation. Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Russian Deputy Prime MinisterAlexander Zhukhov told a joint news conference here that they have identified new areas for a quantum increase in bilateral trade and economic cooperation.Their comments came after both leaders concluded the plenary of the 13th session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission (IRIGC) on trade, economic, scientific, technological and cultural cooperation."Both Deputy Prime Minister (of Russia) and myself had substantial discussions relating to trade, commerce, investment, energy, science and technology, services, metallurgy and culture. We also identified new areas such as high technology, nanotechnology for a quantum increase in our bilateral trade and also in economic cooperation," Mukherjee said at the end of his three-day visit to Russia.Mukherjee said the historically close ties between the two countries were not completely reflected in the quantum of trade."Currently, our bilateral trade stands around four billion U.S. dollars. Although we can derive some satisfaction from the fact that this trade has been increasing steadily in the recent years. We all recognise that it is well below the potential. Accordingly, we have discussed steps for strengthening our trade and economic cooperation during this session of IRIGC, he said.The two sides aim to boost trade volumes to 10 billion dollars by 2010.The 12th Session of the Inter-Governmental Commission was held in New Delhi in December 2006. There are five Working Groups (WGs) under the Commission – on (i) Trade and Economic Cooperation; (ii) Mines and Metallurgy; (iii) Energy; (iv) Science and Technology; (v) Tourism and Culture. These WGs meet over the year to review progress since the last year in their respective fields. After the Cold War alliance between Moscow and New Delhi collapsed together with the Soviet Union, Russia has maintained a "strategic partnership" with India, supporting its Asian ally's quest for a bigger international role.The Kremlin has promised to back India's ambitions to become a permanent U.N. Security Council member, if a decision is made to expand the current five-member group that includes the United States, Russia, France, Britain andChina. (ANI)

Joint campaign against AIDS for Neast region

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 12 (ANI): National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) on Friday launched a campaign jointly with the United Nations anti-AIDS agency, UNAIDS, here for combating the fatal disease in the northeastern region.Aimed at reducing the risk and impact of HIV, the key components of the initiative, include capacity building and advocating care and support for women and children in the northeastern states.The programme also aims at developing innovative and state-specific programmes.Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Panabaka Lakshmi said that the Northeastern states are high HIV/AIDS prevalence states and therefore the government wants to take special care in the region.The programme includes reaching out to the far-flung districts by developing a network of services in partnership with state machinery, as well as other community-based services.The five-year initiative is supported with an 8.9-million-dollars grant from the Australian Government."Australia is going to commit around nine million dollars over the next five years to combat AIDS in four of the northeastern states - Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram," said John McCarthy, the Australian High Commissioner.Two of the six high HIV/AIDS prevalent states are in the Northeast, namely Manipur and Nagaland. Estimates show that 30 per cent of the country's 'injecting' drug users are in the Northeast.A latest survey, conducted by National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) of India, found a HIV prevalence rate of 0.28 percent for the population in the age group of 15-49 years.Prevalence is 60 percent higher among men than in women, at 0.36 percent and 0.22 percent respectively.NFHS-3 found HIV prevalence to be particularly high in Manipur (1.1 percent) and Andhra Pradesh (1 percent). (ANI)

Vice President greets nation on Id-Ul-Fitr

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 12 (ANI): Vice President Hamid Ansari today greeted the fellow citizens on the joyous occasion of Id-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramazan. In his greetings, the Vice President said that the festival is celebrated with traditional gaiety and piety across the country. “The spirit of generosity and charity associated with this festival promotes the feeling of brotherhood among people and help usher in a humane society.” He said that on this occasion, the noble ideals of the festival fill our lives with peace, prosperity, and harmony and unite us all in a common brotherhood of all humanity. (ANI)

President congratulates Dr. Pachauri led panel

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 12 (ANI): President Pratibha Devisingh Patil today congratulated the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) chaired by Dr. R.K. Pachauri for sharing this year's Nobel Peace Prize with the former US Vice President Al Gore. Patil said in a statement that the award is recognition for the crucial work done by Dr. Pachauri and his team members on the IPCC for the benefit of humanity and future generations. Al Gore and IPCC were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work educating the world about global warming and advocating for political action to stop it. The Norwegian Nobel Committee characterized Gore as "the single individual" responsible for convincing world governments that climate change was real, caused by human activity, and posed a threat to society. The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Friday Oct. 12, 2007 that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 is to be shared, in two equal parts, between the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change. (ANI)

Additional Judges for Punjab-Haryana, J-K HCs

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 12 (ANI): The government today appointed Additional Judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.Mohinder Pal, Harbans Lal, and Sham Sunder have been appointed as Additional Judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, in that order of seniority, for a period of two years with effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective offices.Jai Pal Singh has been appointed as the Additional Judge of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court for a period of two years with effect from October 4, 2007, a Law and Justice Ministry release said here today.Karam Chand Puri has been appointed as Additional Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court for a period of two years with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office. (ANI)

Prime Minister calls on President

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 12 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called on President Pratibha Devisingh Patil here at Rashtrapati Bhavan today. They reviewed recent national and international developments. The meeting lasted for about 25 minutes. (ANI)

Raje promises to bring blast culprits to book

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
Ajmer, Oct 12 (ANI): Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Sindhia on Friday promised to bring to book the culprits behind yesterday’s blast that killed two people and wounded 17 others here. "People of Ajmer have worked together to maintain peace and solidarity during the time of crises, and I pledge that with the grace of almighty we will nab the culprits who were behind this incident," said Sindhia. Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and local police kept a vigil across the city even as people went about their normal day-to-day routine today. A small bomb exploded just after evening prayers outside the famous Ajmer Sharif shrine on Thursday evening. The blast occurred at around 6.15 p.m. just before the end of the Ramadan fasting month. Around 200 people were in and around the shrine at the time, many breaking their fast after prayers, police said. The bomb had been placed under a tree. The shrine, which contains the tomb of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisty, is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Muslims in India and abroad. Hindus and Sikhs also visit the shrine, which lies some 350 km southwest of New Delhi, and is seen as a symbol of communal harmony. Pakistani leaders, including Pervez Musharraf, Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq and Benazir Bhutto, have also visited the shrine during their respective state visits, which has also attracted Bollywood stars like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. (ANI)

Surveillance tightened on madrassas

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
Berhni (Indo-Nepal Border), Oct 12 (ANI): Indian police and intelligence agencies have stepped up their vigil on mosques and Madrasas along the Indo-Nepal border in the wake of reports that various rebel groups have been using Nepal as a 'launching pad' for anti-India activities. The sudden growth of madrassas in the area in recent past has roused suspicion. At present, there are 158 mosques and 146 Islamic schools on the Indian side with 102 mosques and 60 madrassas in Nepal. "If such religious institutions give shelter to illegal and unconstitutional activities, then the government should ban such places and stop the activities. The authorities are also to be blamed for this. We allow new madrassas to come up in the name of religion,” said Anil Kumar, General Secretary, Indo-Nepal Border Association. “Basically, it is all a matter of vote bank politics. But why do we try to show fake concern and why do we supervise when what matters to us in the end is just vote bank politics?" he added. The rising number of these Islamic institutions in some districts of Nepal along the border that it shares with India is proving to be a menace for the Indian security forces. "We have no such information till now. The moment we get some information about such activities being conducted at any place, we shall take action," said S Bandhopadhyaya, Director in General, Sashastra Sena Bal. The madrassas are alleged to be funded by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) which is active in Nepal and whose members find it easy to traverse the largely porous 1,580 km (987 miles) India-Nepal border. However, clerics at these madrassas have denied reports of any illegal funding, saying much of the funding comes from Muslims settled in border areas in both India and Nepal. "How can we train people for terrorist activities? Training and imparting of knowledge takes place when one is aware of the art. Here, we do not know how to handle guns ourselves, how can we teach anyone else," Abdul Mannan, Principal of a madrassa along the Indo-Nepal border. (ANI)

Bentley's 2 new convertible models in India

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 12 (ANI): England-based Bentley Motors Limited launched two new convertible models-- Azure and Continental GTC-- in India on Friday. The Azure and Continental GTC are priced at (ex-showroom) 950,000 dollars (Rs. 3.80 crore) and 525,000 dollars (Rs. 2.10 crore) respectively in the Indian market. According to the company, Bentley Azure, equipped with a V-8, 6.75 litre twin turbo-charged engine having torque generating capacity of 875 Nm, is capable of accelerating at the speed from 0-100 km/hour within 5.6 seconds. "The best thing about Bentley Azure is that it has a traditional engine. These two convertibles are the best in the world and have a seating capacity of four persons very easily," said Satya Bagla, Managing Director of Exclusive Motors, the Indian partner for Bentley Motors Inc. Similarly, the Continental GTC is equipped with a 6.0 litre twin-turbo charged engine that propels the car from 0-90 km/hour within 4.8 seconds. Both cars, fitted with electro-hydraulically operated soft-top roofs, have elite interiors with standard craftsmanship utilising natural wood veneers and leather hides of finest quality. Bentley debuted in India in October 2003 and has one outlet in Delhi. It has sold close to 50 cars till now in order to maintain exclusivity. The company allocates a specific number of cars to be sold in a particular country. The company's one and only manufacturing plant in England has a capacity to produce 10,000 cars, and last year it produced close to 6,500 cars. (ANI)

Live bomb recovered at Ajmer dargah

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
Ajmer (Rajasthan), Oct 12 (ANI): Police on Friday recovered a live bomb near the main gate of the shrine of Khwaja Moinnudin Chisti in Ajmer, where a bomb blast on Thursday evening claimed two lives and injured 17 others.According to Additional Director General of Police (Crime) A K Jain, the bomb seemed to be similar to the one which exploded inside the dargah complex on Thursday.The bomb found near the main gate has been defused, Jain added.The police are still searching the dargah complex.A team of National Security Guards has also arrived at Ajmer dargah to examine the site, Jain said.Personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the police are keeping a strict vigil across the city, even as people went about their day-to-day routines.Earlier in the day, two people were reportedly arrested in connection with the Thursday’s blast.According to sources, both hail from Bangladesh.As the investigation is under progress, a bag suspected to have been holding the bomb was also recovered. Fragments of a mobile phone were found from the site.A sketch of the suspects is expected to be released by the police today.The attack came on the eve of Juma’t Al’Vida, the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramzan. The blast took place at around 6:15 p.m., when people were readying themselves to break their daylong fast that is observed during the holy month of Ramzan. (ANI)

Devotees mark Navratras

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.12 (ANI): Thousands of Hindus are visiting various temples across the capital marking the beginning of Navratras, the nine-day festival dedicated to Goddess Durga here. The festival is big occasion in all temples with a large number of devotees can be noticed waiting in queue, especially during early morning and evening hours. At the famous Jandewalan Temple, about four kilometres from Connaught Place, a large number congregated to offer prayers. "We are praying before the Goddess Vaishno, the mother of all Gods. We hope this will bring happiness and prosperity to our families with Mother’s blessings," said Ambika Prasad Pant, a devotee.Most of the Hindu families observe fasts during the nine-day festival, taking only fruits and milk."Devotees keep fasts and have only fruits during these nine days. We offer the special offerings of fruits and flowers, like lotus and roses, to the Goddess," said Pandit Yuvraj Shastri, a priest, Jhandewalan temple.Goddess Durga is worshipped in all parts of the country in different forms. The festival is celebrated as Durga Puja in the West Bengal while in the rest of the country, it is known as Navratras. In Gujarat and Maharastra, it is celebrated with Garba and Dandiya-raas or traditional dance functions. Durga stands for "Shakti" or power. She is depicted as riding a raging lion, holding weapons in her ten hands.Meanwhile, security has been tightened at the temples across the country following a bomb explosion at Ajmer Sharif dedicated to Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti on Thursday, killing at least two people and wounding 17. The Navratra commences on the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the Hindu lunar month of Ashwin. The festival is celebrated for nine nights once every year during the beginning of October, although as the dates of the festival are determined according to the Hindu lunar calendar. Navratras are segregated into sets of three days as per three different aspects of the supreme goddess and her nine forms or manifestations. During first three days, the goddess is invoked as a spiritual force called Durga in order to destroy all the impurities, vices and defects. In the next three days, the mother Goddess is adored as “Lakshmi”, the Goddess of wealth.And, the last three days of the Navratras, are devoted to Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and wisdom.Believers seek the blessings of all three aspects of the divine femininity to have all-round success in life and hence the nine nights of worship. (ANI)

ADB chief meets Manmohan Singh

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 12 (ANI): Visiting Asian Development Bank (ADB) Chairman Haruhiko Kuroda met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here today.Kurado, who is on a six-day visit to India, has also met Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.He is scheduled to meet Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath later today.On Thursday, Kuroda, during his meeting with a delegation of Indian companies led by Vinayak Chatterjee, Co-Chairman, CII Infrastructure Council and Chairman, Feedback Ventures, called on Indian industry to train their focus on infrastructure development, as he believed that this would increase the country's current rate of GDP growth from eight to nine percent to about ten to eleven percent, as was seen in the case of China. Kuroda also emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in mobilising resources for the infrastructure sector. India’s experience in designing and executing such partnerships could then become a lesson for other emerging economies. Manila-based ADB is holding talks with India about a currency swap that would help fund infrastructure projects without adding to the inflows that are complicating monetary policy.India's strong rate of economic growth and soaring stock market is attracting billions of dollars in direct and portfolio foreign investment, pushing up the rupee and causing a monetary policy headache for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).India's banking system is awash with potentially inflationary excess cash, due to central bank rupee sales for dollars, to keep the exchange rate down. Selling billions of dollars for rupees on the open market would put further upward pressure on the rupee.ADB is also discussing swaps with other countries, including the Philippines, but hoped India would be the first. While the amount would not match the total infrastructure funding needs, it would be "billions of dollars".Chidambaram has said Asia's fastest-growing economy after China needs 475 billion dollars to upgrade its road, rail and power networks; and unclog the bottlenecks, which risk fuelling inflation and hindering the pace of expansion.As the lender, the ADB would offer long-term fixed rate financing for 15-20 years, which would reduce a borrower's risk and the cost of doing business. Borrowers must be developmental, like infrastructure or power companies in the private or state sector. (ANI)

Buddhist monument in dilapidated condition

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
Kesaria (Bihar), Oct 12 (ANI): Residents and pilgrims are bemoaning the dilapidated condition of a Buddhist monument in Bihar, despite it being under control of the country's archeological department.The Buddhist stupa, located in Kesaria, about 110 kilometers Patna, is a sought after destination for tourists and pilgrims coming into the state.Considered highest in the country, the height of the stupa was originally measured to be 169 feet but after an earthquake in 1934 its height got reduced. When last measured in 1998 the height was found to be 104 feet and 10 inch.The residents say that, despite its distinction, the stupa remains neglected with the administration taking no steps to accommodate tourists."Tourists from China, Japan, Bodhgaya come here and there is no provision for food or stay. I feel very bad about it," said Bisambhar, a resident.Apart from tourists, Buddhist pilgrims also come here to seek solace but feel sorry to see the apathy of the government."We come and mediate here. We feel sorry to see the condition of the place. The government is not paying any attention to it," said Kashyap Bhante, a Buddhist monk.The authorities however say that they have taken note of the condition of the monument and had already submitted a report to the government to develop the site."We have made a project of three and half crores (dollar 885,181.68) and submitted it to the Government to develop the infrastructure around the place, and secondly to develop a four lane road leading to the place," said Nandkishore Yadav, Minister for tourism and road construction.In the early days of Buddhism, stupas were constructed to honour important events including Buddhas Enlightenment, his first Sermon, his Death and the four famous Buddhist councils.Buddha was born a prince at Lumbini in Nepal over 2,600 years ago. . He left his wife and child at the age of 29 in search of divine knowledge and enlightenment and attained it beneath a banyan tree at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, after years of meditation.There are several important Buddhist religious places - Bodh Gaya in Bihar, where Lord Buddha attained salvation, Sarnath, Kushinagar, where Lord Buddha breathed his last, Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh, an ancient seat of Buddhist learning, and several monasteries in Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.India, in the recent past, has been promoting Buddhist tourism, and particularly targeting South East Asian countries, China and Japan, which have a sizeable Buddhist population. (ANI)

PM allays fears of mid-term polls

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 12 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today allayed speculation of mid-term polls. "Elections are still far away. The Government has still one-and-a-half years to complete its term. I hope and expect we will stay the course," Singh said on the sidelines of the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit. When asked if he steps back on nuke-deal standoff, wouldn’t he be considered a weak Prime Minister, he said, “We are not a one issue government. We have made changes in various areas....but in life one has to take certain disappointments and move onto the next". He went on to say that he will take the question on the nuclear deal head-on and defended the agreement as "an honourable deal that is good for India and good for the world." "We are trying to reconcile the divergent points of view. I have not given up hope that reason and common sense will ultimately win the day," he added. While delivering his speech at the summit, the Prime Minister said: “I am particularly concerned about rural development and education. These will remain our key focus areas for a long time.” “Our farming community, and all those who live in rural areas, must be equal partners and beneficiaries of the development process. We have to improve their standard of living, offer them social security and insurance against risk,” he added. He also called for reducing the development gap between rural and urban areas, between the more and less developed regions of our country. Equally important is the empowerment of the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, women and Minorities, through education, Dr. Singh said. (ANI)

Jaipur 7th in top Asian tourist spots poll

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
Sydney, Oct 12 (ANI): ‘The Pink City’ Jaipur has made it to the top ten of Asian tourist destinations, in a poll conducted by Conde Nast Traveller magazine. The Indian city of the state of Rajasthan has conjured 76.5 percent of the total votes to rank seventh in the survey. Making it to the top spot was Bangkok, Thailand (85.8pct), followed by Hong Kong (80.4 pct) at the second place. Chiang Mai city (79.9pct) again from Thailand made it to the third position, while Singapore (78.8pct) was ranked fourth, reports Sydney Morning Herald. Kyoto, Japan (77.7 pct) rounded off the top five, at the fifth place. The top ten tourist destinations in Asia are as follows:1. Bangkok 85.82. Hong Kong 80.43. Chiang Mai, Thailand 79.94. Singapore 78.85. Kyoto 77.76. Shanghai 76.57. Jaipur, India 74.18. Tokyo 70.59. Hanoi 69.810. Beijing 67.3 (ANI)

Two held in connection with Ajmer blast

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
Ajmer, Oct 12 (ANI): Two people have reportedly been arrested in connection with Thursday’s blast at the Ajmer Dargah. According to sources, both hail from Bangladesh.As the investigation is under progress, a bag suspected to have been holding the bomb has also been recovered. Besides, fragments of a mobile phone were also been recovered from the site. A sketch of the suspects is expected to be released by the police today. Border Security Force and from police personnel have been deployed as a precautionary measure. Ajmer is limped back to normalcy a day after a blast in which two people were killed and 17 others were injured. The attack came on the eve of Juma’t Al’Vida, the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramzan. The blast took place at around 6: 15 p.m., when people were readying themselves to break their daylong fast that is observed during the holy month of Ramzan. The Rajasthan Government has announced a compensation for the blast victims. Rupees five lakh will be give to the nearest kin of the dead, and Rupees one lakh will be given to those injured in the blast. The Union Home Ministry termed the blast as a terror attack. Officials of the Ministry said that a 'general advisory' was already issued in view of the festivals that are round the corner and the Rajasthan Government had taken necessary precautions. According to eyewitnesses, the bomb was placed in a polythene bag and kept near a tree in the Dargah compound. There were approximately 5000 people inside the shrine complex at the time of blast. (ANI)

Compensation for Ajmer blasts victims

Friday, October 12, 2007 | MP
Ajmer/New Delhi, Oct 11 (ANI): Terming the blast at the shrine of the Sufi saint Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer as an attempt to divide the nation, the Rajasthan Government today announced compensation for the blast victims in which two people have been killed and 16 others have been injured.Rupees five lakh will be give to the nearest kin of the dead, and rupees one lakh will be given to those injured in the blast, according to an announcement made by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia. The blast took place at around 6: 15 pm (IST), when people were readying themselves to break their daylong fast that are observed during the holy month of Ramzan. The Union Home Ministry has termed the blast as a terror attack and have sent a team of forensic experts to the site. High alert has been sounded in Delhi and Mumbai. The ministry has also issued directions to the State governments to remain vigilant. Officials of the Ministry said that a 'general advisory' was already issued in view of the festivals that are round the corner and the Rajasthan Government had taken necessary precautions. ''However, we are alert and we have issued a countrywide alert because the festival season is near. Id is to be celebrated soon and so is Dusshera and Durga Pooja. So, we are alert,'' said Union Home Minister of State for Home, Sriprakash Jaiswal.According to eyewitnesses the bomb was placed in a polythene bag and kept near a tree in the compound of the Dargah. There were approximately 5000 people in the shrine at the time of blast.The injured have been rushed to the nearby hospital.The police have cordoned off the area. (ANI)

Reliance Retail apparel store in Gurgaon

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 11 (ANI-Business Wire India): The apparel, luggage and accessories division of Reliance Retail has announced the launch of their first apparel specialty store "Reliance Trends" in Gurgaon.Reliance Trends store at Ambi mall offers some of the best (100+) Indian and International brands in 30,000 square feet of shopping area, and has been designed and furnished by the best of breed international design agencies, to offer a high quality and lavish shopping experience to the Indian Consumer. The store layout compliments the evolving tastes and preference of fashion savvy consumers, giving them an opportunity to view /shop with ease, along with an army of well trained customer service associates, to compliment the entire shopping process. Riding on the tremendous success at Reliance Mart in Ahmedabad, the apparel division of Reliance Retail is well on track to democratise fashion and make it attainable to the masses. This is being made possible by the extraordinary design pool of Indian and International designers, integrating the international design trends and preferences of the Indian Consumers. The company is offering solutions to common maintenance problems through its state of the art innovative products like Ever White Shirts, Anti Stain Trousers, Wrinkle Free Range of garments, aromatic clothes for infants and quick- dry sports wear that ensures optimum moisture management. Product Quality has been ingrained into the DNA of Reliance Trends and is integral to its mission of "Grahak Devo Bhava". The Quality system processes are designed, implemented and monitored as per international standards by a highly competent team of professionals. To deliver the customer the best value for their money, only those products that demonstrate an exemplary safety and quality meeting both implicit and explicit needs of the customer are approved for purchase. Some of the quality standards that are being followed are American Association of Textiles, Chemists & Colorists, American Standard, ISO & BIS test methods. For the first time in organized retail, Reliance Trends is introducing a Made to Measure tailoring service, offering customised fits to all the customers buying fabrics from the store at prices comparable to their neighborhood tailors. Reliance Trends is offering a homogeneous mix of private labels and brands across men's, women's and children's categories to fulfil every customer's requirement. The Network range of garments comprises of formal office wear collection for men and women, while the Netplay range, showcases a smart casual collection for the evolving workplace. The DNMX range has been developed with a clear focus on the youth of India, offering them exclusively crafted fashion garments like Denims, T shirts etc. Sparsh range of Indian wear for women, offers the finest collection of Salwar Kurtas, Churidars and a fast evolving Mix n Match range of garments. An exclusive label, Panda, has been developed for infants and toddlers, while the Frendz range of garments would compliment the wardrobes the growing generation of boys and girls. Apart from these private labels, the store is also offering some of the most renowned brands in the country like Lee, Wrangler, Peter England , John Players, Black berry's, Gini n Jony , Liliput , Indigo Nation , Biba and designer labels like AND either directly or through their sub brands, most of these exclusively for Reliance Trends.Continuing the tradition of reaching out to the middle class of the country, the current offering from Reliance Trends is easily affordable to the Indian consumer. The specific private label called First Class, is designed to cater to a range of garments cutting across men, women, and children wear to deliver extreme value to the Indian consumers. (ANI)

Sethusamudram project committee meets

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 11 (ANI): The committee of eminent persons constituted by the Centre to look into the Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project held its first meeting here today.All the members of the committee were present in today’s meeting.The Government has sought three months time from the Supreme Court to examine the Sethusamudram project.The Committee has invited objections and suggestions, including from the writ petitioners in the cases in the Supreme Court, on the project.It will then consider suggestions, proposals and documents after giving them a personal hearing. The 560 million dollars project that will dredge a channel in a narrow strip of sea between India and Sri Lanka, reducing distances and cutting costs for freight traffic, has been opposed by the conservationists and the Hindu organisations.Opposing the project, while conservationists and local fishermen say the increased freight traffic will harm marine life and threaten the livelihood of thousands of fishermen in both countries; the Hindu organisations say the project would destroy the mythical Ram Sethu, a 48- kilometre chain of limestone shoals that once linked Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu to Mannar in Sri Lanka.The ten-member committee constituted to look into the matter is headed by University of Madras Vice-Chancellor Prof. S. Ramachandran, who is also the Chairman of Monitoring Committee on Environmental Impact Issues.The committee comprises of former Professor of History at the Delhi University Prof. R S Sharma; Aqua Culture Foundation of India President Dr. M. Sakthivel; former Chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board Prof. Dilip K. Biswas; former Director of Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, Dr. J.R.B. Alfred; Deputy Director of the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur, Dr. S.R. Wate; former Vice-Chancellor of the Bharatidasan University, Tamil Nadu, Prof. P. Jagadeesan; former Vice-Chancellor of the Kakatiya University, Andhra Pradesh, Prof. Y. Vaikuntham; Director of the Deccan College, Pune Dr. K. Paddayya; and Managing Director of the Indian Ports Association, R K Jain.The committee held detailed deliberation on the matter today. It has decided to invite objections and suggestions by 5 p.m. on October 31 addressed to Dr. Ambedkar Law University, Post Graduate and Research Development Block, "Poompozhil", 5, Greenways Road, Chennai - 600 028.The committee will give a personal hearing from October 29 to November 6 (on all days including holidays).The period from November 4-6 has been kept for giving personal hearing to the petitioners. (ANI)

Delhi Govt to phase out Blueline buses

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 11 (ANI): The Delhi government today told Delhi high Court that it would phase out the 'killer' Blueline buses from the national capital roads by November 15.Appearing for the Delhi Government, counsel Mukta Gupta told the two-member bench of the court that 826 buses were running with tampered speed governors from January 1 to October 9 this year.The State Government's submission comes in the wake of Sunday's incident in which eight people were mowed down by an over speeding Blueline bus that are run by private operators. Another 16 people were severely injured in the accident. Till date, these buses have killed 96 people since January, and have earned the notoriety of 'killer' buses.The bench, comprising Justices Mukul Mudgal and Reva Khetrapal, expressed shock over Government's statement that most of the buses plied on the roads in spite of having tampered speed governors."It means almost all the buses.... What kind of certificates are issued by you to them?" questioned the bench.The bench also said that any bus involved in accident would not be released without the permission of the High Court, and added that hefty fine would be imposed on the owners of those buses to secure release. (ANI)

Major General raided

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.11 (ANI): A Major General was raided by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday for posessing assets beyond his known sources of income.The CBI raided 12 places in five states belonging to Major General Anand Kumar Kapoor and his wife. The couple has been accused of amassing nearly Rs.5 crore. The CBI, which had been following the case over a period of time, filed an FIR in a local court in New Delhi against Major General Kapoor and his wife.Kapoor is attached with the Army Ordnance Corps and posted with the South Western Command at Jaipur.During the searches, the agency claimed to have recovered documents showing investment of Rs 1.3 crore in fixed deposits and seized Rs six lakh in cash from his Sainik Farms House.Twelve credit cards were also recovered, it said. The aggregate disproportionate assets have been assessed at Rs 4.78 crore, the CBI alleged.The CBI said that it was questioning Major General Kapoor in Jaipur while his wife was being interrogated at their Sanik Farms house.The CBI had already sought sanction to register a case and carry out searches against him from the Defence Ministry after apprising them about the findings of the CBI's preliminary enquiry.Defence Minister A K Antony, while reacting to the CBI raid on a senior Army official, said "the armed forces are a disciplined force and any aberration would be dealt with sternly."While making it clear that wrong doings will not go unpunished in the forces, he said "we will not tolerate corruption."The CBI's FIR claimed that Major General Kapoor and his family members had six immovable properties worth a total Rs 5.33 crore in Delhi, Shimla and Gurgaon.The accused and his family members also had bank balances and fixed deposits to the tune of Rs 57.86 lakh and various other investments totalling Rs 1.21 crore, the CBI said.During the searches so far, the CBI claimed to have recovered fixed deposit receipts worth Rs 1.3 crore and four bank locker keys, the sources said.The CBI alleged that the Army official had purchased the properties in his own name, his wife's name and also in the joint name.It claimed that during the searches, sleuths also recovered documents showing commercial property in Gurgaon (Haryana), agriculture land of 2.2 acres in Bijwasan, a flat in HUDA . Fifty bottles of whisky were also recovered.The earnings of the Major General was being compueted for his entire service in the army which started from 1971 till 2006. Ahead of his posting in Jaipur, Major General Kapoor was posted at the Army Ordnance Corps at the Army headquarters in New Delhi. (ANI)

CII Indian Cities delegation leaves for Europe

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.11 (ANI): The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) delegation led by Joaquim Alemao, Minister, State Urban Development, Goa is on a visit to Europe from 10 – 17 October, 2007. This delegation will visit Europe as a follow up to the first EuroIndia Forum held in Goa earlier this year. The CII delegation consists of representatives from Ahmedabad, Goa and Kolkata.The focus of the mission will be Water Supply, Waste Water Treatment and sanitation, Urban Development, City Heritage Conservation and Urban transportation. The programme is being organised in cooperation with the EuroIndia Centre. The EuroIndia Centre was founded in 2001 as a not-for-profit association by two co-Presidents, Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, and Raymond Barre, former French Prime Minister. It aims to bring Europeans and Indians together to join hands for a shared future by seizing the historical opportunity of the resurgence of India on the international scene through events, such as its yearly EuroIndia Forum of Goa, which aims to bring cities from both sides on a common platform. The objective of the forum is to discuss ways and means of a cooperation to solve problems that they face everyday, while keeping in mind cultural affinities and a humanistic approach.The other members of the Indian delegation are: Mr. I.P. Gautam, Municipal Commissioner, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation; Mr. D. Hawaldar, Director – Urban Development, Goa State Urban Development Agency; Mr. Gorachand Mandal, Director General – Buildings, The Kolkata Municipal Corporation; Mr. Sushil Kumar Sharma, Member – Mayor-in-Council, The Kolkata Municipal Corporation; Mr. Michel Sabatier, Secretary General, The EuroIndia Centre; Mr. B S Murty, Executive Officer, CII.During the visit the CII delegation would visit Frankfurt, Lyon, Paris and La Rochelle. (ANI)

Delhi awaits Building Technologies Summit

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
Mumbai, Oct 11: (ANI-Business Wire India): Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, presents the Building Technologies Summit 2007 on October 16, at Le Meridien, New Delhi. This summit heralds the arrival of the most important event for the building technologies industry ever held in India.It will serve as a platform to bring together industry experts, leaders and decision makers from various end-user sectors, to identify emerging trends, technologies, growing market needs and preferences. The summit will cover the entire spectrum of products and services from the industry, such as, Building Management Systems, Energy Management Services, HVAC Controls, System Integration, Fire Detection and Alarm, Electronic Access Control, Intrusion Detection, Video Surveillance (CCTV), Perimeter Protection and Security Guarding. It will also include relatively new areas such as Remote Monitoring Services (IP) and Video Analytics. Mushtaq Md. Khan, Industry Manager, Environment and Building Technologies Practice, South Asia and Middle East, Frost & Sullivan, will be speaking on "Growth Opportunities and Challenges for the Indian Building Technologies Industry." The presentation examines forces that drive or restrain market growth, challenges confronting the industry and the role of various entities of the ecosystem in industry's growth, and offers insights into options for growth. According to Mushtaq Md. Khan, "The exceptional performance of the industrial sector and the phenomenal growth in the construction of commercial and residential properties in India bodes well for the future of the Building Technologies industry. Changing attitude and perceptions about safety, security, comfort and energy savings and preference for state-of-the-art building technologies have increased the demand for fire, safety, security and building automation systems substantially. This growth has surpassed even the most optimistic expectations of many in the industry. Frost & Sullivan expects the market demand to grow at 30 percent per annum over the next 3 to 5 years. India has come under the focus of international market players who are keen to exploit the growth opportunities." The discussion topics for the summit have been finalised after considerable analysis and suggestions received from key industry participants across the globe. These include topics such as convergence and global trends in airport security technology; benefits of network video surveillance; remote and central monitoring of facilities; open building systems and many more. Panel discussions on 'How secure are corporate facilities in India?' and 'Moving towards intelligent green buildings' promise to be thought provoking and extremely insightful for delegates present. With eminent luminaries such as Dr. Prem C Jain, Chairman, Indian Green Building Council; Kamal Meattle, Chief Executive Officer, Paharpur Business Centre & Software Technology Incubator Park; James McGuire, Senior Vice President, Transecure International, Inc.; Arun Khazanchi, President, Fire Safety Association of India; Ajay Gupta, Managing Director, G4S Security Services (India) Pvt. Ltd. and Dr. Diwan Rahul Nanda, Chairman and Managing Director, Tops Security Limited marking their presence, this summit is expected to be one of the most insightful Frost & Sullivan mind exchanges. This one-day conference will culminate with the Building Technologies Excellence Awards 2007, another first from Frost & Sullivan. The key partners for this event are Firepro Systems, Cisco, Infinova, Secutech Automation, Larsen & Toubro, Fire Safety Association of India and IndiaSafe. Industrial Safety, Electronics Today, Electronics Maker, Construction World and Infrastructure Today are the official media partners. (ANI)

ADB chief meets captains of Indian industry

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.11 (ANI): Asian Development Bank President Haruhiko Kuroda today called on Indian industry to train their focus on infrastructure development, as he believed that this would increase the country's current rate of GDP growth from eight to nine percent to about ten to eleven percent, as was seen in the case of China. Kuroda also emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in mobilizing resources for the infrastructure sector. India’s experience in designing and executing such partnerships could then become a lesson for other emerging economies. The delegation of Indian companies was led by Vinayak Chatterjee, Co-Chairman, CII Infrastructure Council and Chairman, Feedback Ventures. He welcomed the role being played by ADB in making resources available to the Indian infrastructure sector. In particular, he welcomed their involvement in state level projects. He urged them to be more involved in financing projects undertaken by the private sector as well. Arvind Mayaram, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance, also present at the meeting, said that the involvement of ADB in financing private sector projects in infrastructure would deepen the appraisal capacity of Indian financial institutions. According to others present at the meeting, the presence of ADB would enhance the credibility of a project. Other critical roles that the ADB can play include the provision of guarantees and take-out finance. Other issues discussed at the meeting include the issue of slow implementation of projects and how rapid urbanization will make it imperative to provide adequate infrastructure including low-cost housing. Other CII members present at the meeting included Dr. K C Chakrabarty, Chairman, CII Banking Committee and CMD, Punjab National Bank, S Sridhar, Chairman, National Housing Bank, Ash Gupta, Chairman, CII MNC Committee and Managing Director, Honeywell International, R V Kanoria, Chairman CII WTO and Trade Agreements and Chairman and MD Kanoria Chemicals and Industries, Suneet K Maheshwari, Chief Executive, L and T Infrastructure Finance, S Sandilya, Chairman CII Environment Committee and Chairman, Eicher Group. Ashok Lahiri, Executive Director, ADB, Lee Howell, Senior Director, World Economic Forum and Ajay Khanna, Deputy Director General, CII were also present at the meeting. (ANI)

Productivity-linked bonus for rail employees

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 11 (ANI): The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for payment of Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) equivalent to 70 days wages to eligible non-gazetted railway employees. However, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and RPSF personnel would not get the bonus for the financial year 2006-07. This announcement was made on the basis of the formula approved by the Cabinet in their meeting held on September 23, 2000, a government release said. (ANI)

BYNL wind up approved

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 11 (ANI): The Union Cabinet today gave its approval to various proposals for winding up of Messers (M/s) Bharat Yantra Nigam Limited (BYNL), Allahabad, a public sector holding company. The Cabinet gave clearance to waiver of the Government of India’s (GOI) loan of 1.10 crore rupees as on March 3, 2007, waiver of interest of 4.14 crore rupees accrued on GOI loan as on March 3, 2007, and any addition upto the date of closure. It also gave clearance to writing down of the share capital of the BYNL to the tune of 2.31 crore rupees, opening of Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) to enable the employee desirous of opting for an early separation before closure of the company, budgetary support for the cost of closure of the company to the extent of 3.82 crore rupees. The Cabinet also gave its nod to proposals of transfer of the assets and liabilities as on a cut off date of March 3, 2007 of the company among the subsidiaries, transfer of shares held by the BYNL in subsidiaries to the GOI, cosure and winding up of the BYNL, the holding company under the relevant provisions of Companies Act, 1956 after transfer of assets and liabilities to the subsidiary companies and transfer of shares of the Subsidiary held by BYNL to the GOI. Each Subsidiary will become separate Central Public Sector Enterprise. BYNL is a holding company of six subsidiary companies namely, M/s Bharat Heavy Plate and Vessels Limited (BHPV), Visakhapatnam; M/s Bharat Pumps and Compressors Limited (BPCL), Naini; M/s Bridge and Roof Company India Limited (B and R), Kolkata; M/s. Richardson and Cruddas (1972) Limited (R and C), Mumbai; M/s. Triveni Structurals Limited (TSL), Naini; and M/s Tungabhadra Steel Products Limited (TSPL), Karnataka. The decision for winding up of BYNL will enable its subsidiaries to have an independent status, which will improve their performance and profitability, a government release said. (ANI)

Approval to outstanding dues of PSUs

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 11 (ANI): The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for budgetary support of 63.20 crore rupees to 12 Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE) towards liquidating outstanding statutory dues, salary and wages for the period upto June30, 2007. The names of the 12 Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) are Andrew Yule and Company Limited, Bharat Wagon Engineering Company Limited, Hindustan Cables Limited, HMT Limited, HMT (Watches) Limited, HMT (CW) Limited, Hindustan Photo Films Limited, Instrumentation Limited, National Instruments Limited, NEPA Limited, Triveni Structurals Limited, Tunghbadra Steeel Products Limited. The decision for budgetary support to 12 CPSEs will mitigate the hardships of the employees thereby motivating them for better output, and prepare them to achieve the goal of revival and restructuring for the companies, a government release said. (ANI)

Subsidy schemes of oil mktg firms extended

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 11 (ANI): The Union Cabinet today gave its approval to the extension of existing subsidy schemes of oil marketing companies (OMC) for a period of three more years from April 1,2007. The government will also bear the 42.7 per cent of the total under-recoveries for the current year (2007-08) in the form of oil bonds. The upstream companies may share about one-third of the total under recoveries of the OMCs. This decision will enable for continuing of subsidies on public distribution system (PDS) kerosene and (dom) LPG; and sharing the burden of OMCs’ under-recoveries on account of sale of sensitive petroleum products. (ANI)

India-Australia extradition treaty approved

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 11 (ANI): The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for signing of Extradition Treaty between India and Australia. The salient features of the Treaty are obligation to extradite, extraditable offences, composite offences, grounds of refusal, extradition of nationals, extradition procedures, provisional arrest and rule of specialty. The Treaty would provide a legal framework for seeking extradition of terrorists, economic offenders, and other criminals from and to the Australia. The cabinet also approved signing of agreement between India and Poland in the field of Health and Medicine.The agreement intends to cover the several areas of cooperation. They are mother and child health, family planning, public health, nursing, communicable diseases, medicine research, medical devices and medicinal products, hospital management and nature and traditional medicine. This agreement will facilitate cooperation between India and Poland in the field of health and medicine on the basis of equality, reciprocity and mutual benefit. The cabinet gave its ex-post facto approval for amending the agreement between India and Bulgaria for the promotion and protection of investments, signed in New Delhi on September 12, 2007. The decision will enable Bulgaria to comply with its obligations as a Member State of the European Union. (ANI)

Australia canters to a win in Vadodara ODI

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
Vadodara (Gujarat), Oct.11 (ANI): Sachin Tendulkar's record 400th ODI appearance at the IPCL Ground here on Thursday turned out to be an event that he would like to erase from his memory very soon, as Australia cantered to a nine-wicket win against India in the fifth of seven one-dayers between the two sides.Adam Gilchrist, who pocketed six catches and played a leading role in effecting Saurav Ganguly's run out at the start of the Indian innings, got into some form with an unbeaten 79 from 77 deliveries. He was ably assisted by captain Ricky Ponting, who scored an unbeaten 39 to take the Aussies hope to their victory target of 149. For the record, India scored a paltry and disappointing 148.India were under the gun from the first over of the match when some classically indecisive running between Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar gave Australia the initiative, and Rahul Dravid's first-ball dismissal hurt them hard. It was a tricky pitch initially with the ball staying low and stopping on the batsmen, but India just couldnt cope with Australia's attack. An efficient spell of left-arm pace, outstanding wicketkeeping and injudicious shot selection on a pitch lacking bounce combined to restrict India to a modest 148. This was India's lowest home total against Australia, who set up a platform to storm to a position from where they cannot lose this series. The bowling hero was Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson, who scalped a fiver. On a ground where the average total hovers around 280, it soon emerged that the pitch wasn't the subcontinental shirtfront that everyone expected. Tendulkar, honoured before the game for reaching 400 ODIs, briefly promised a classic but he didn't have much of an answer against a ferocious away-cutter from Brett Lee, a candidate for the ball of the series, that breached his defences. India paid for some indiscreet strokeplay. Pre-match talk might have pointed to a 300-plus score but they failed to read the surface. Sourav Ganguly's early run out, when Tendulkar didn't respond to a risky single, started the slide and there was hardly any time to recover. Rahul Dravid's struggles continued with a first-ball duck, rooted to the crease and beaten by a Lee inswinger, while Robin Uthappa, confidently punching during his brief stay, was unlucky to be adjudged leg before to a ball striking him outside off and heading past the off stump. Pathan joined Tendulkar with India on 43 for 5 in the tenth over. Tendulkar played a few sublime strokes, caressing through covers and driving down the ground, but the string of early wickets forced the pair to bide their time. Lee produced the killer blow when he returned for his second spell in the 26th over. The good-length ball moved away just enough to beat Tendulkar and had him edge a simple catch to Gilchrist behind the stumps. It was a moment when the ground fell silent, probably realising that the series had all but slipped away. The sight of several spectators leaving the ground didn't deter RP Singh and Zaheer Khan. Both handled the lack of pace sensibly; Zaheer, till recently a Baroda boy, even swatted two big sixes to provide some cheer. It was the second-highest partnership of the game and proved that runs could be scored if one waited for the right ball. A score of 220 might have been competitive on this surface.A win at Nagpur will wrap up the series for Australia. (ANI with inputs)

Cabinet nod for amendments in air services

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 11 (ANI): The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for several amendments of the new Articles in the existing air services agreement between Government of India and Governments of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.Article 9 (Capacity Provisions) has been amended by removing subsection 4 thereof which required advance agreement between the designated airlines of the contracting parties about their operational details. Article 10 (Tariffs) has been amended. As per this amended article, the designated airlines of the respective parties are free to decide the fares based on commercial considerations and are not required to file tariffs for international air services between the territories of the parties.Article 15 (Aviation Security) has been re-drafted as per our model standard clause.Besides, a new Article has been introduced with regard to safety provision. This is as per our model standard clause. A new Article has been introduced with regard to Co-operative Marketing arrangements, which would enable the designated airlines of both sides to operate code-share flights including third country code share.The amendments have the potential to spur greater trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchanges between the two countries, besides bringing it in line with the developments in International Civil Aviation. (ANI)

Centre's nod to new NPRR

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 11 (ANI): The Union Cabinet today gave approval to the National Policy on Rehabilitation and Resettlement (NPRR), 2007, to replace the National Policy on Resettlement and Rehabilitation 2003. A Gazette Notification will be issued shortly to bring into effect the new Policy. “The new policy and the associated legislative measures aim at striking a balance between the need for land for developmental activities and, at the same time, protecting the interests of the land owners, and others, such as the tenants, the landless, the agricultural and non-agricultural labourers, artisans, and others whose livelihood depends on the land involved, “ a government release said. The benefits under the new Policy shall be available to all affected persons and families whose land, property or livelihood is adversely affected by land acquisition or by involuntary displacement of a permanent nature due to any other reason, such as natural calamities, it added. The Cabinet has also decided to bring legislation on the lines of the new Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, and to suitably amend the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The benefits to be offered under the new policy to the affected families include; land-for-land, preference for employment in the project to at least one person from each nuclear family, subject to the availability of vacancies and suitability of the affected person; training and capacity building for taking up suitable jobs and for self-employment; scholarships for education of the eligible persons from the affected families; preference to groups of cooperatives of the affected persons in the allotment of contracts and other economic opportunities in or around the project site; wage employment to the willing affected persons in the construction work in the project; housing benefits including houses to the landless affected families in both rural and urban areas; and other benefits. Adequate provisions have also been made for financial support to the affected families for construction of cattle sheds, shops, and working sheds; transportation costs, temporary and transitional accommodation, and comprehensive infrastructural facilities and amenities in the resettlement area including education, health care, drinking water, roads, electricity, sanitation, religious activities, cattle grazing, and other community resources. The benefits expressed in monetary terms have been linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), and the same shall also be revised suitably at appropriate intervals. A special provision has been made for providing lifetime monthly pension to the vulnerable persons, such as the disabled, destitute, orphans, widows, unmarried girls, abandoned women, or persons above 50 years of age. Special provision for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC) include preference in land-for-land for STs followed by SCs; a Tribal Development Plan which will also include a programme for development for alternate fuel which will also include a programme for development for alternate fuel and non-timber forest produce resources, consultations with the Gram Sabhas and the Tribal Advisory Councils, protection of fishing rights, land free-of-cost for community and religious gatherings, and continuation of reservation benefits in resettlement areas, among others. A strong grievance redressal mechanism has been prescribed, which includes standing rehabilitation and resettlement (R and R) Committees at the district level, R and R Committees at the project level, and an Ombudsman duly empowered in this regard. The R and R Committees shall have representatives from the affected families including women, voluntary organisations, Panchayats, local elected representatives and others. Provision has also been made for post-implementation social audits of the rehabilitation and resettlement schemes and plans. For effective monitoring of the progress of implementation of R and R plans, provisions have been made for a National Monitoring Committee, a National Monitoring Cell, mandatory information sharing by the States and Union Territories (UT) with the National Monitoring Cell, and Oversight Committees in the Ministries and Departments concerned for each major project. For ensuring transparency, provision has been made for mandatory dissemination of information on displacement, rehabilitation and resettlement, with names of the affected persons and details of the rehabilitation packages. Such information shall be placed in the public domain on the Internet as well as shared with the concerned Gram Sabhas and Panchayats by the project authorities. A National Rehabilitation Commission shall be set up by the Central Government, which will be duly empowered to exercise independent oversight over the rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected families. Under the new Policy, no project involving displacement of families beyond defined thresholds can be undertaken without a detailed Social Impact Assessment (SIA), which among other things, shall also take into account the impact that the project will have on public and community properties, assets and infrastructure; and the concerned Government shall have to specify that the ameliorative measures for addressing the said impact, may not be less than what is provided under any scheme or programme of the Central or State Government in operation in the area. The SIA report shall be examined by an independent multi-disciplinary expert group, which will also include social science and rehabilitation experts. Following the conditions of the SIA clearance shall be mandatory for all projects displacing people beyond the defined thresholds. (ANI)

“An American's account of India’s Partition”

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.11 (ANI): Very few in get an opportunity to see history in the making. Not many become a part of history, and just a few have the privilege of witnessing it.Phillips Talbot is one of them.At the age of twenty three in 1939, Phillips was sent by the Institute of Current World Affairs in New York to India to “observe and report on the dynamics of contemporary India”. For young Phillips, who was working as a local reporter with the Chicago Daily News and was aspiring to “be a foreign correspondent in a European capitals such as London, Rome or Berlin”, the fellowship given by the institute, he thought, was an “exposure” and would “set him on the road to becoming a foreign correspondent”. This accidental break in the career turned out to be a historical opportunity for the young reporter, who was selected by the Institute director, Walter S Rogers for his “enthusiasm”.Since 1939, when Phillips landed in India and till he left the country in 1950s, a new history of the Indian subcontinent came to be written. He saw not only the demise of British imperialism, but also the rise of two nations - India and Pakistan.What he observed and wrote to the Institute of Current World Affairs in the form of diary has now been compiled and brought into a book, titled “An American Witness to India’s Partition”.Essentially, the book is not a reporter’s account, but a narration of a scholar-observer who was able to “deftly combine the roles of scholar, diarist and journalist”, writes the eminent historian B R Nanda in a foreword to the book.Nanda described the book as "unique and useful" for policy makers and for those who watch events.The interesting parts of the book are Talbot’s perceptive profiles of Indian leaders - Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Jinnah and others whom he met. He had his first glimpse of Gandhi at the Ramgarh Congress in March 1940 and was amazed at the spell he cast on an audience, which Talbot estimated at between 50,000 and 100,000.Talbot came to India at a time when there was no American contact with the country.“The decision at age 23 to take that fellowship transformed my life. Through all these succeeding decades, South Asia has been at the centre of my interest “writes the author in the book's preface.Perhaps it is this interest that brought ninety year old Talbot to India to release the book “An American Witness to India’s Partition” published by SAGE.At a book release function here this week, more than the book Talbot was the object of curiosity of the intelligentsia. Here was a man who had interacted directly with Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose and seen Jinnah working.The question answer session reflected the sense of historical curiosity by the audience.“Did you realize India and Pakistan of today in 1947”? What was Gandhi and Subhas Chandra Bose relationship, what type of leader was he? Who is to be blamed for the partition - the Muslim League or the Congress? - These were the kind of questions that kept coming up.Talbot said that the concept of partition was not something unknown in forties, Burma was carved out of India during that time, and boundaries in Europe were being drawn “so partition was in the air”.He, however, blames the failure of the Cripps Mission as one of the reasons for the partition of the Indian subcontinent.The book “An American Witness to India’s Partition”, touches all these aspects in the form of a diary devoid of any subjective emotion.Ralph Buultjens, former Nehru Professor,University of Cambridge and Professor,New York University termed the book a “magnificent work” that “brings alive India’s greatest generation and their achievements. Rare is the book on India in which the past illumines the present”. (ANI)

IAEA chief backs nuclear deal

Thursday, October 11, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 10 (ANI): Visiting International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohammed ElBaradei today came out in strong support of the Indo-US nuclear deal and said that he would like to see New Delhi managing to come out from the restrictions imposed by the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).After meeting External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, ElBaradei said, "I would like to see India have access to the state of the art, modern nuclear technology and make full use of it.""India cannot continue to be sidelined. I would like to see India as a full partner," he added. He termed his talks with Mukherjee as fruitful, and said that the talks centred on various developments taking place globally. ElBaradei's visit to New Delhi gains significance in the wake of the UPA Government acceding to the Left Front's demand of not initiating formal talks with the international agency on India-specific safeguard agreement till October 22. ElBaradei, who reached here from Mumbai this afternoon said he was happy to move ahead on the safeguards agreement once the Indian government decides on the issue.He also said that there was no time frame for discussions to begin. "There is no time limit, as and when the government takes a decision we will be ready," he said. ElBaradei is scheduled to meet Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon on Thursday and would also meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh later.The 2005 Nobel Peace Prize winner is on a five-day visit to India. (ANI)

Tendulkar's 400th ODI

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | AA
Vadodara, Oct 10 (PTI) After breaking several records in his 18-year-old career, Sachin Tendulkar will achieve another milestone when he plays his 400th one-day international at the Reliance Cricket Stadium here tomorrow. When he turns out against the Australians in the fifth ODI, Tendulkar will become only the second player after Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya to reach the landmark. In fact, the two veterans have been progressing neck-and-neck with the left-hander pipping the Mumbaikar when he took the field against England at Dambulla in the ongoing one-day series. Tendulkar is the most prolific one-day batsman in the history of the game with 15,563 runs in his 399 ODIs to date. He has a world record of 41 centuries in the format at an average of 44.21. He has been also useful with the ball taking 152 wickets at an average of 44. In comparison, Jayasuriya has 12,178 runs in 401 ODIs at an average of 32.73 with 25 hundreds.

Antony calls for reducing human failures

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct 10 (ANI): Defence Minister A K Antony today said that minimising human failures remains the greatest challenge in the aviation sector to reduce accidents in air.Stating that number of accidents in the Indian Air Force has gone down in last three years, Antony said, "The emphasis will increasingly be on the ability of the personnel to handle multi-tasking effectively."He made these remarks at the International Flight Safety Conference here today.Antony said that the expansion of civil aviation activities has led to new challenges in ground and air space management, including the commonality of languages and procedures."Aviation safety is today being treated as a management function, concentrating more on humans than on machines. Aviation organisations are accepting new programmes and fine-tuning them to meet their requirements," he added. (ANI)

NIIT IFBI and HDFC announce strategic alliance

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.10 (ANI): The Institute of Finance, Banking and Insurance (IFBI) and HDFC Bank have entered into a partnership to develop and train students in the field of banking. Selected students of IFBI would join HDFC Bank as 'Trainees' immediately upon completion of the institute's six-month Post-Graduate Diploma in Banking Operations (PGDBO) program.Under the terms of the partnership, HDFC Bank would make an offer of employment to identified students of IFBI at the time of their admission to the PGDBO program. Such students would complete the internship component of their PGDBO program at HDFC Bank, and get employed, post successful completion of the requirements.The Institute of Finance, Banking and Insurance is an initiative of NIIT Ltd, Asia's No. 1 trainer and leading Global Talent Development Corporation, to develop talent for the burgeoning Financial Services sector."As a bank we have always believed in investing in the development of young talent, thereby creating a pool of trained resources which would benefit the banking industry and community as a whole. I am delighted about this partnership with NIIT's IFBI which is a step towards the bank's commitment to this cause," said Mandeep Maitra, Country Head-HR, HDFC Bank."We are delighted to have HDFC Bank as IFBI's strategic partner. This partnership reflects the universal acceptance that IFBI's programs have received. With the participation of both HDFC and ICICI Banks in IFBI's academic programs, our efforts to develop talent for the industry are strengthened, and we continue to provide our students a broader and richer experience," said Dr. Smarajit Dey, President-Strategic Initiatives, NIIT.Students desirous of building a career in one of the leading banks in India, the HDFC Bank, need to meet the eligibility criteria of at least 55 percent marks, consistently, up to graduation, and successfully undertake IFBI's PGDBO selection process, consisting of an aptitude test (IFBI's Common Entrance Test, I-CET), and an interview, jointly conducted by IFBI and HDFC Bank. Successful candidates will be offered admission to the six-month full-time PGDBO program, along with an offer letter from HDFC Bank.IFBI already has a tie-up with ICICI Bank for recruitment of its PGDBO students selected at the time of admission, and more than 1000 graduates have already joined under this scheme, while another 1000 are currently completing their training prior to employment.With India's banking industry estimated to add six lakh more professionals in the next four to five years, and equally large manpower requirements in the Insurance industry, IFBI is currently rapidly expanding its reach and portfolio to cater to these talent-development needs.Within one year of its operations, IFBI is already addressing the training needs of four large financial institutions in the country. The institute has expanded operations by starting new centres in Ahmedabad, Pune, Gurgaon, Bhubaneswar and Nagpur, in addition to its existing centres at Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata, taking the total tally to twelve centres, across the country. (ANI)

Protest against entry of WalMart

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | MP
Mumbai, Oct.10 (ANI): Over 20,000 traders, farmers and shopkeepers staged a demonstration here on Wednesday against the entry of private retail giants like Wal-Mart into India.The protests were the biggest yet against the ambitions of foreign and local companies to introduce Western-style supermarkets into a fragmented 350 billion dollar market expected to double in size by 2015.The protests reflect wider social tensions in India, where traders are attempting to fight off new retail competition by frequently oppose privateinvestment. Villagers are said to be extremely worried about their land being taken away from them for the purpose of building multinationalfactories.Farmers wearing traditional long white shirts and white caps marched in long processions waving posters with slogans like "It's now or never.Wal-Mart quit India." "The Government is contemplating opening FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in the retail trade and is also opening the economy to a great extent. Large companies are going to enter the retail sector. Small retailers would be out of business. To protest this, we are out here" said Banwari Lal Kanchan, the President, Vyapari Mandal (Traders Association), Maharashtra.Past demonstrations had failed to attract large numbers, but retail opponents have managed to force Reliance Industries, India's biggest listedcompany, to lay off 1,000 staff and close stores after protests in north and east India.Reliance Retail, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, plans to invest over 5.5 billion dollars in its venture.Protesters also fear that Wal-Mart is trying to enter the Indian retail sector through the back door after it signed a wholesale venture with India'sBharti Enterprises. Currently foreign multi brand retail stores are not allowed in India.Protesters said they hope the government will take their concerns intoconsideration."On January 10 or 11, we are planning a nation wide protest against this decision of the government to allow FDI in retail business. We are sure that the government will cooperate and will come up with a Shopping Mall Regulation Act as soon as possible," said Mohan Gurnani, the President Federation of Association of Maharastra.Foreign retail giants Carrefour and Tesco have also shelved investment plans due to the prevailing uncertainty.Large companies still account for only three percent of India's retail market.Protests have focused on Reliance partly because its size and brand name in India make it an easy target. Some other local retailers, such as Spencers,operate dozens of stores in India without facing so many protests."The government should understand our plight and pay attention. A lot of workers have been displaced and more will be displaced if action is nottaken at the earliest. Government should make arrangements to get all of them back," said Gulab Patil, Director, Agriculture Produce MarketingCommittee (APMC) in Pune.Retailers fear protests could snowball in India as politicians feel it could win them votes, especially with talk of a snap general election nextyear.Those against private retail say 40 million jobs will be lost, against the two million that modern retail promises to create. (ANI)

Italian Deputy PM arrives in India

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.10 (ANI):Italian Deputy Prime Minister Massimo d'Alema has arrived here on a four-day visit to India to boost bilateral relations between the two countries.Massimo d'Alema met Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday and is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.He is expected to discuss bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.After talks in New Delhi, Massimo will head towards the Taj Mahal in Agra and then move to Mumbai to address captains of industry.In February this year, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi visited India. Italy is India's fourth largest trading partner in the European Union. (ANI)

Mukherjee for 3 day visit to Moscow from Oct 11

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.10 (ANI):External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will visit Moscow from October 11 to 13 to attend the 13th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on trade, economic, scientific, technological and cultural cooperation. He will be accompanied by senior officials from the Ministries of External Affairs, Finance, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Steel, Science and Technology and Culture. The Inter-Governmental Commission meeting will be co-chaired by Mukherjee on the Indian side and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander D. Zhukov on the Russian side. The Commission will review progress in various fields since the 12th Session of the Inter-Governmental Commission, which took place in New Delhi in December 2006, a government spokesman said. There are five Working Groups (WGs) under the Commission – on (i) Trade and Economic Cooperation; (ii) Mines and Metallurgy; (iii) Energy; (iv) Science and Technology; (v) Tourism and Culture. These WGs meet over the year to review progress since the last year in their respective fields. On October 10 and 11, a Joint Task Force on Mutual Financial Obligations will discuss settlement of financial issues between the two countries. A sub-Group on banking had separately met from October 4 to 6, 2007 to deliberate on cooperation in the banking sector. A protocol on the 13th Session of the Inter-Governmental Commission is to be signed at the conclusion of the meeting. During the visit, Mr. Mukherjee is expected to meet Russian dignitaries, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. (ANI)

Saran in Kathmandu

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | MP
Kathmandu, Oct.10 (ANI): Former Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday afternoon to discuss possibilities of ending the current political deadlock in Nepal.On his arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, Saran told reporters that his two-day visit is aimed at discussing the support India could extend in finding a consensus among the parties and keeping the peace process on track . He said he would meet the key leaders of the seven parties.Saran will meet Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal this evening.He is visiting Kathmandu amid controversy triggered by the remarks of Major General (retired) Ashok Mehta in an interview with the BBC Nepali Service that the Indian Army would help the Nepal Army if the Maoists launch an armed attack in Kathmandu.The Indian External Affairs Ministry was quick to disown Major General (retired) Mehta's views, saying they were his personal views and didn’t represent the position of the Government of India."They do not in any shape or form represent views of the Government of India. He [Mehta] speaks purely for himself," Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon told reporters in New Delhi yesterday.Like every other member of the international community, India said it was disappointed at the suspension of Constituent Assembly elections and hoped that the upcoming special session of the interim parliament would be helpful in resolving the political deadlock. (ANI)

CII - PCRA MoU to make SMEs energy efficient

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.10 (ANI): The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) on “Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development in Energy Intensive Industrial Sector,” here on Wednesday. This is a first of its kind initiative that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has taken up in the field of energy conservation in association with CII. The MoU was signed by Ravi Capoor, Executive Director, PCRA, and Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Lt Gen (Retd) S S Mehta, Director General, CII.The objective of the MoU was to make the country’s small and medium industrial units energy efficient. The three industrial clusters identified for the initiative are: Handtool units in Jalandhar, Mini-steel plants in Govindgarh (Himachal Pradesh) and Auto Component units in Gurgaon. As per the MoU, four units in each of these clusters would be identified and taken up in the first phase, where detailed energy audit will be carried out to estimate the saving potential. The project tentatively targets to achieve an adequate saving level by February, 2008, the CII release said.Speaking on the occasion, Capoor said: “We must work towards making these energy -intensive Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), operating in clusters all over the country, energy-efficient and bring them at par with world standards.” Calling it a bold move, he further said, both PCRA and CII can leverage on each other’s strength.Lt Gen Mehta said CII will use all its resources to deliver to make this initiative a success. (ANI)

Fresh probe in Kashmir sex racket case

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | MP
New Delhi, Oct.10 (ANI): Acting on the directions of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, a CBI team will arrive in Srinagar on Thursday to probe against individuals named in the sex racket case. An eight-member team of the agency headed by SSP R S Dhankar will be assisted by a group of state police officials in the investigations. Expressing surprise over the way CBI had conducted the probe with regard to certain persons named by the victims, the High Court on Monday said the agency should investigate the two cases registered at police station Magam (2005) in Budgam district and Maharaj Gunj (2004) in Jammu.The CBI team will investigate both the FIRs during their visit to the city. The team is expected to question Transport Minister Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen besides Congress and PDP MLAs, Hassan Khan and Yogesh Sawhney, Director General Prisons Rajinder Tickoo, DIG Niyaz Mehmood, SSPs Ashkoor Wani and Sheikh Mehmood, former J and K Bank Chairman and Yes Bank vice president M Y Khan, besides Nissar Ahmed Sheikh, a close kin of an NC leader. The sex racket, which came to surface in March last year, rocked the state after the victims named some high profile politicians, security officials, bureaucrats and businessmen as exploiters.In Srinagar, Transport Minister Hakeem Mohammad Yasin, whose name figures among a list of persons named in the sex racket case, claimed innocence.Without naming the PDP which roped the minister's brother into its fold last year, Yasin said "these people have been running a malicious campaign for the past several years to tarnish my image". (ANI)

Timing to conclude N-deal is up to N Delhi: US

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | MP
Washington, Oct 10 (ANI): The United States has said that there are different steps required for concluding all aspects of the Indo-US civilian nuclear energy cooperation agreement, but it is up to New Delhi to choose the timing to start working in this direction. "Of course, we support them (India) in those efforts steps (remaining steps for operationalisation of the Indo-US nuclear deal). The timing of that is going to be up to them, though," Sean McCormack, Spokesman of the US State Department said on Tuesday, when asked about the status of the nuclear deal.He said it was up to New Delhi to go on their own to conclude those required steps, where the US too would support India. On being asked about the resolution moved in the US Congress over strict restrictions on nuclear trade with India, McCormack said that those opinions were 'important'."We want to engage them to be able to reassure them of the importance of this deal, not only for the U.S. Government, but also for our non-proliferation efforts worldwide," he added.There are three more steps involved in operationalising the nuclear deal that include, India signing a country specific agreement with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), amendment in the charter of the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) that would facilitate international trade of nuclear fuel supply with India and the ratification of the 123-agreement by the US Congress. (ANI)

'No one has any business to patent yoga'

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | MP
Gurgaon (Haryana), Oct.10 (ANI): Mystic master and spiritual guru Anandmurti Gurumaa on Wednesday described the practice of yoga as an ancient all-encompassing discipline to be enjoyed by people from various walks of life, and said no person or country had any business to patent it.Interacting with select media persons here ahead of a five-day-long camp on ways to promote the management of stress on a day-to-day basis, Gurumaa, who originally hails from Amritsar, and now functions from hermitages in Rishikesh and Sonepat, criticised moves in the United States to patent yoga.“Knowledge is not anyone’s property or right. Everyone has a right to it. Yoga is a discipline that has been handed down through the ages, through time, and it has taken generations of people to understand it, propagate it and derive individual benefit from it,” she said.She apparently was reacting to Bikram Yoga founder and US-based Bikram Choudhary's move in May this year to get a copyright for his method of teaching yoga, which has shocked yoga enthusiasts and experts in India.There is a unanimous feeling in India that the idea of patenting knowledge like yoga is absurd and violates the ancient Indian art.Anandmurti Gurumaa is the latest to join a bandwagon of critics against this move to patent yoga, even as the U.S. Patent Office has officially issued 150 yoga-related copyrights, 134 trademarks on yoga accessories and 2,315 yoga trademarks. Popular yoga guru Swami Ramdev said in Shimla recently that the Indian Government should intervene strongly to prevent Choudhary from going ahead with his plans. "Yoga can't be owned and run like a company. Since there are attempts to patent this tradition (of yoga) in America, the Centre and yoga organisations should take measures to prevent it," Ramdev said.Elaborating on her stress management discourse between October 10 and 14, Gurumaa described stress as largely being the “illness of the literate”, adding that more people die of it than of heart disease.She also said that a majority of the people lacked awareness about what caused stress and how the onset of stress affected the endocrinal, muscular and glandular system in humans.Stress, she said, is also a contributing factor in human diseases, especially depression, cardiovascular diseases and HIV/AIDS.According to some other authors, the strongest evidence that stress contributes to disease comes from research on depression.The biggest culprits in depression are “social stressors, which could prevail at home, in the work-place or, even due to a divorce and the death of a loved one.There are two likely pathways that lead to stress. One is behavioural -- people under stress sleep poorly and are less likely to exercise; they adopt poor eating habits, smoke more and don’t comply with medical treatment. Stress also triggers a response by the body’s endocrine systems, which release hormones that influence multiple other biological systems, including the immune system.“Effects of stress on regulation of immune and inflammatory processes have the potential to influence depression, infectious, autoimmune, and coronary artery disease, and at least some (e.g., viral) cancers,” some experts have opined.While accepting that “Prayanam” was one way to reduce stress, the other way was through the application of ‘Yoga Nidra”, she said.Describing it as a “power tool” available to each and every individual who wanted a happy, tranquil and healthy life, Gurumaa said that all it required was for a person to remain in a reclining position for 30-minutes and to follow its application step-by-step.Stating that humans were only using their minds to the extent of six percent, the spiritual guru said that the Yoga Nidra process is an “effortless effort” to change the way we think and act. It involved a three-step process of moving from the consciousness to the unconsciousness, and to being between the two.Yoga Nidra, she said, is a process that was quicker than other systems in facilitating external bliss, adding that it is the most powerful method for the reshaping of one’s personality. (ANI)

Scientists train Himachal farmers

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | MP
Palampur, Oct.10 (ANI): Over two hundred farmers, buyers and environmentalists from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and other States attended a non-governmental workshop on organic farming here last week. The two-day workshop was conducted by nearly a dozen scientists from CSK Himachal Agriculture University and the Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology (IHBT). Senior officials from the Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology said that it was possible to increase productivity by practicing and developing organic farming cycle. "The farmers are not familiar with what is organic, where is it sold and how do they get certification for organic products. This is a meeting to get the people together, the buyers, the people who give certification, the kind of norms and regularity issues around organics, the markets where they are," said Dr. P. S. Ahuja, the Director of Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology in Palampur. Experts from Europe and America were also present on the occasion to promote organic modes of farming.During the workshop the participants were informed about various methods of producing and marketing the organic produce. Besides, the information about the usage of organic products in place of inorganic chemical items that harm soil and the environment apart from affecting the ecological system was also provided. Dr. Right Harmon, the German Agriculture Scientist noted that such a workshop was ideal as it would reach from production to internal control system and also educate the farmers on formation of local groups to follow certification procedures. "Organic is the way to go if it concerns economics because many of the farmers are any way working in rain-fed areas. By using pesticides and mineral fertilisers, it might not be a right choice for them because they have spent a lot of money and finally,” said Dr. G. Right Harmon, Agriculture scientist from Germany. “They also have to compete with the low price in the commercial market. So organic is the definite chance to reduce cost, increase yields at a higher price," said Harmon.The farmers attending the workshop said such workshops were a tremendous help not only for the small farmers but also entrepreneurs. "This is one of the best things that have happened here for creating awareness about the requirement to switching over to organic farming. It is something which is absolutely of paramount importance and the first thing which has been taken at a non-governmental level. It is laudable," said Pubby Sarin, President Western Himalayan Society for Awareness and Upliftment. The farmers hoped that learning organic farming production, certification and marketing will benefit them and other farmers in the State. "The seminar will benefit us a lot and the farmers of Himachal are very enthusiastic. They are willing to produce their own produce. At the workshop, we received comprehensive information about the certification which will benefit farmers," said T. D. Singh Negi, a Kullu farmer. Scientists and experts believe that organic farming will help in soil conservation by protecting the human health and ecosystem. Organic farming, a form of agriculture, avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, plant growth regulators, and livestock feed additives. Organic farmers, as far as possible, rely on crop rotation, crop residues, animal manures and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity to supply plant nutrients, and to control weeds, insects and other pests. (ANI)

Samjhauta train inquiry report in Indo-Pak meet

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | MP
Islamabad, Oct 10 (ANI): Islamabad will raise the issue of Samjhauta Express blast inquiry report at the second meeting of the Joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism between with New Delhi, to be held on October 22 in the Indian capital. Interior Ministry spokesman Brig (retd) Javed Iqbal Cheema said this in response to a query about a Foreign Office statement that India was involved in terrorist activities inside Pakistan. “Yes, we have some reservations and we will discuss them at the meeting,” the Dawn quoted him, as saying. He said the Anti-Terrorism Mechanism (ATM) would provide an opportunity to excha