Indian Latest News

Sex tape: Andhra Governor N D Tiwari resigns

NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh governor N D Tiwari quit on Saturday late afternoon, a little over a day after allegations about his involvement in a

It is understood that Tiwari's fate was sealed by none other than President Pratibha Patil. The President, who is to arrive in Hyderabad on her annual southern sojourn on Sunday morning, had indicated that it would be untenable for her to come to the city with such allegations being made publicly. Patil would have been received by Tiwari at the airport.

Tiwari took the cue and with continued agitations outside Raj Bhavan by vociferous women activists realised that his position was untenable.

Indications from the Congress high command were also not very favourable for him. An emergency meeting was held earlier in the day over the ‘sex tape’ issue.

Though Tiwari men had been aggressive on Friday morning soon after the tapes were telecast, by evening, their position had tempered down. This might have been with the realisation that the governor was absolutely defenceless with foolproof tapes available with the ABN Andhra Jyothi, the channel that telecast the episode. Also Tiwari and his aides realised that he had been done in by elements deep within his camp.

Times Now reported that the 86-year-old leader has cited ‘health reasons’ for quitting.

He had also lately been overcome with fading memory and other indications of senility.

The Congress party welcomed Tiwari’s resignation. "I think he has taken an appropriate decision keeping in view the high standards of public life. We welcome it," AICC media department chief Janardan Dwivedi told reporters in Delhi.

Earlier in the day, the Central government had asked for a report from the state government and knowledgeable sources had already stated that he could be asked to quit the post following severe embarrassment to the Congress party.

After the sting operation was telecast yesterday by the ABN Andhra Jyothi channel, the Raj Bhavan approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court and got a restraint order on the channel from telecasting the footage.

However, the channel's Editor-in-Chief Vemuri Radhakrishna said that they have evidence to back what they have shown. "Let them serve defamation notice. We are even ready to deal with the issue".

Sources in the Government had said the Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary has been asked to give a report on the issue and it will take a view once it is received.

Congress sources had said that the party is concerned over the issue as it has embarrassed it. They said the embarrassment was more acute because of Tiwari's long association with the party and he may have to go.

This is not the first time that Tiwari, a former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and a former Union Minister, has figured in controversies involving women.

Sometime ago, a lawyer Rohit Shekhar had filed a paternity suit in Delhi High Court against Tiwari claiming that he was born out of intimate relationship between the Congress leader and his mother Ujwala Sharma. The charge was, however, denied by the Governor.

The Delhi High Court, however, had rejected the petition on the ground that Shekhar filed it a long time after becoming a major and was time-barred.

Tiwari has taken an appropriate decision: Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress on Saturday welcomed the resignation of Andhra Pradesh Governor N D Tiwari in the wake of a sting operation that purportedly showed him in a compromising position with three women.

"I think he has taken an appropriate decision keeping in view the high standards of public life. We welcome it," AICC media department chief Janardhan Dwivedi told reporters in the national capital after Tiwari submitted his resignation to the President on "health grounds".

"I think he (Tiwari) does not want to hold on an office till it is proved that the video is true or false," Dwivedi said.

Both the party and the Central government earlier in the day dropped hints about the untenability of the continuance of the 86-year leader as Governor after the issue surfaced.

The Centre sought a report from the state chief secretary on the issue and highly-placed Congress sources said that he would have to go in view of the acute embarrassment he had brought to the organisation.

The resignation came a day after Telugu TV channel 'ABN Andhra Jyothi' aired a footage captured in a sting operation of an elderly man with three women in Raj Bhavan in a compromising position, which the channel said was of Tiwari.

The Raj Bhavan denied it and promptly approached the high court on Friday to get a restraint order on the channel from telecasting the footage.

Ruchika case: Govt threatens to strip Rathore of medal

NEW DELHI: The Centre has started the process to withdraw the police medal given to convicted former Haryana Director General of Police S P S Rathore, Union Home Secretary G K Pillai said today.

"The Home Ministry is taking steps to withdraw the police medal given to Rathore in 1985. The matter will be placed before an award committee on January 4. Thereafter the recommendation will go to the President," Pillai told reporters here.

Rathore has been sentenced by a CBI court to six months in jail for molesting 14-year-old Ruchika Girhotra 19 years ago.

"As far as other issues are concerned - reduction of pension and (his) conduct unbecoming of a police officer - show-cause notice has been initiated," Pillai said.

The Ministry has sent the notice to Rathore asking why his police medal should not be taken away and pension reduced as his conduct was unbecoming of a police officer.

The 1965-batch IPS officer, who retired in 2002, was awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious service on August 15, 1985.

Ruchika, a budding tennis player, was molested in 1990 by Rathore, the then Inspector General of Police. She committed suicide three years later by consuming poison. Her family alleges that she was forced to take the extreme step as authorities harassed her family for pursuing the case against the police officer.

Shibu Soren stakes claim to form Jharkhand government

RANCHI: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Shibu Soren on Saturday staked claim to form a new government in Jharkhand. He handed over to the governor a list of 43 legislators supporting him in the 81-member assembly.

Soren met Governor K Shankaranaryan at the governor's house at 3 p.m.

Former chief minister and BJP leader Arjun Munda said, "We have given a list of 42 legislators to the governor staking claim to form the government."

The 42 MLAs include 18 each of JMM and BJP, five of the AJSU besides the lone MLA of Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch led by Bandhu Tirkey, Munda told reporters at Raj Bhavan.

Tirkey, however, was not present among the MLAs who met the Governor.

Asked about the two MLAs of JD(U), an ally of the BJP, Munda said the JD(U) legislature party would meet after which its decision would be conveyed to the BJP.

BJP Vice-President Karuna Shukla said her party has extended support to JMM chief Shibu Soren.

Asked whether the BJP would participate in the government or give support from outside, she said, "We have just given a letter of support to JMM chief Shibu Soren. We will decide after the Governor invites Soren to form the government."

In the fractured verdict in the assembly polls for 81 seats, Cong-JVM(P) combine secured 25 seats, followed by BJP-JD(U) alliance (20), JMM (18) and AJSU (5).

Alert passengers save US Airliner from al-Qaida terror bid

Washington: A suspected Nigerian al Qaeda operative made an attempt to blow up a US Airliner in air on Saturday. Luckily he was over-powered by alert passengers who staved off what could have been a devastating Christmas Day terror attack.

The passenger Umar Farouk Abdul Mudallab, an engineering student in London, tried to ignite an incendiary device aboard the Northwest Airlines flight 253, an Airbus 330, carrying 278 passengers from Amsterdam to Detroit, in what was described as an "attempted act of terrorism" by the White House.

The man, 23, who sustained burn injuries in the failed bid, later reportedly told interrogators that explosive powder was taped to his leg and he used a syringe to inject chemicals into it to cause an explosion on the trans-Atlantic flight.

However, the device mal-functioned and as smoke and fire erupted from his seat, co-passengers pounced on him and along with the crew dragged him to the front of the plane.

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Two other passengers reported minor injuries, but the plane was able to land safely, the New York Times quoted an anti-terrorism official as saying. The incident has prompted the FBI to issue a nationwide red alert.

Muttalab, who is being questioned by FBI and other federal investigative agencies has reportedly said he had links to al Qaeda and that he had travelled to Yemen "to collect the incendiary device and instructions on how to use it," said The Washington Post.

However, an official expressed caution about the claim, saying "it may have been aspirational".

Indian Business News

World's fastest train link starts in China

Beijing: China launched the world's fastest rail link with a high-speed train connecting the cities of Guangzhou and Wuhan at an average speed of 350 kilometres an hour,substantially cutting down the travel time.

The super-high-speed train reduces the 1,069 KM journey linking Guangzhou, a business hub in southern China near Hong Kong, with Wuhan, a metropolis in central China, to a three hour ride and cuts the previous journey time by more than seven-and-a-half hours, Xinhua news agency said.

Test runs for the rail link began earlier in December during which it recorded a maximum speed of 394.2 km per hour and the operations officially began today, said Xu Fangliang, general engineer in charge of designing the link, according to Xinhua.

Gold regains Rs 17k level on fresh buying

Gold prices regained the Rs 17,000-level in the national capital on fresh buying by stockists and jewellery fabricators amid pick up in demand.

The precious metal, which dipped below Rs 17,000 level four days ago, today rose by Rs 80 to trade at Rs 17,040 per 10 gram on fresh buying for festivals like Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Marketmen said stockists and jewellery fabricators indulging in enlarging their positions on pick up in demand mainly pushed up both bullion prices.

Standard gold and ornaments rose by Rs 80 each to Rs 17,040 and Rs 16,890 per ten gram respectively while sovereign held unchanged at Rs 14,000 per piece of eight gram.

Silver ready and weekly based delivery also gained Rs 100 each at Rs 27,900 and Rs 27,500 per kg.

However, silver coins continued to be traded around previous levels of Rs 33,400 for buying and Rs 33,500 for selling of 100 pieces.

Latest News of India

20 Andhra ministers to quit over Telangana creation

HYDERABAD: The political backlash in Andhra Pradesh over Telangana decision took a fresh turn on Saturday with as many as 20 ministers hailing from coastal Andhra and Rayalseema regions planning to resign from their posts en masse.

The ministers, under immense pressure from their constituents to quit following the Centre's decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh, met in a hotel here this afternoon and decided to put in their papers.

"We have decided to resign from our posts. We have asked three of our colleagues -- Dharmana Prasada Rao, Gade Venkata Reddy and C Silpa Mohan Reddy -- to communicate our decision to chief minister K Rosaiah," state municipal administration minister Aanam Ramanarayana Reddy told mediapersons after the meeting.

Immediately, Dharmana, Gade and Silpa Mohan rushed to the Secretariat to meet the chief minister.

After their meeting, however, the ministers maintained that they had not taken up the resignation issue with Rosaiah yet. "We will meet him later in the evening and discuss the issue," Dharmana and Gade told reporters.

The chief minister, meanwhile, refused to speak to the media and left for home.

Battling a swell of political discontent on the Telangana decision, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday stepped in to do damage control, telling MPs from coastal Andhra and Rayalseema that "nothing will be done in haste".

Over 130 MLAs and five MPs cutting across party lines from non-Telangana areas have resigned protesting against the decision to carve out the new state.

Meanwhile, chief minister K Rosaiah ruled out tabling a resolution for creation of separate Telangana in the Assembly immediately and that he was "astonished, surprised and anguished" by Union home minister P Chidambaram's statement on initiating steps for creation of a new state.

He said he discussed with the high command the issue of Telangana but he had told them that to pass a resolution in the assembly was difficult and he had expressed his "fears".

"There was preparation but to my astonishment, to my surprise and anguish, the so-called statement issued by Chidambaram has created a sort of flutter among the youth of coastal areas of Rayalaseema starting from Srikakulam up to Tirupati to Kadapa," he said.

TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao, on the other hand, threw the ball in Centre's court on the creation of Telangana and insisted that Hyderabad will be capital of the proposed state.

Rao ruled out sharing of Hyderabad as capital with Andhra Pradesh like Chandigarh being shared by Haryana and Punjab. "Chandigarh and Hyderabad can never be compared".

"Having made the announcement, it is up to them (the Centre) to resolve the issue. I think, they are at it", Rao, recuperating at his home after a 13-day fast, said.

Telangana resolution difficult: Rosaiah

HYDERABAD: Battling the backlash against creation of Telangana, Congress appeared to backpedal the move with Andhra Pradesh CM K Rosaiah expressing his inability to take the first step -- that of moving a state Assembly resolution.

Making it clear that passage of the resolution was fraught with hurdles, he said it would be difficult to get the resolution passed by the legislature if it was moved in the current session.

"I can't assure you that the resolution will be passed because the number is most important. Cutting across party lines, the agitation will take a turn," he said.

Expressing "astonishment, surprise and anguish" over home minister P Chidambaram's Wednesday night statement on creation of Telangana, the chief minister said to move a resolution and to pass it would be difficult and he had expressed his fears to the Congress leadership.

The statement has created a sort of flutter among the youth of coastal areas and Rayalaseema starting from Srikakulam upto Tirupati and Kadap, he said.

Meanwhile, as many as 20 ministers hailing from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions are planning to resign from their posts en masse.

Hyderabad will be capital of Telangana state: TRS chief

HYDERABAD: Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao Saturday asserted that Hyderabad would be the capital of the proposed Telangana state, and rejected suggestions of making it a shared capital with Andhra Pradesh.

Rao, whose 11-day hunger strike forced the central government to agree to the demand for a Telangana state, told TV news channel that Hyderabad cannot be made a joint capital on the lines of Chandigarh.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, said: "Hyderabad can't be compared with Chandigarh. It is not a new bifurcation. Telangana state existed earlier with Hyderabad as capital while Andhra state had Kurnool as its capital."

KCR also pointed out that Hyderabad is geographically located in Telangana. "How can they (Andhra) claim Hyderabad. Does it make any sense?" he asked.

The TRS chief also assured people of other regions of Andhra Pradesh settled in Hyderabad that they could continue to live here in peace after the formation of the new state.

He also said there was no question of going back on a separate Telangana state, and added that the protests in other regions against it were stage managed and sponsored by vested interests who had invested money and acquired lands illegally in Hyderabad.
KCR said passing a resolution in the state assembly was not necessary to carve out Telangana. He said he had full faith in United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that they would take the necessary measures for formation of the state.

"I have lot of faith in Sonia Gandhi. And Manmohan Singhji, who is at the helm of affairs today, is a fairly good person. Having made an announcement on behalf of the Government of India, it is up to them to solve the problem," Rao told the channel.

Rao said he had been invited to New Delhi for talks.

"They have invited me to Delhi for talks soon after my recovery. I said that I can come only after a week or 10 days. I am not even able to come out of my residence. I with difficulty went to the balcony and waved to the people," Rao said.

"Hyderabad is such a place ... such a good society. It allows everybody, absorbs everybody," said Rao.

"In Hyderabad, not just Andhras, but Maharashtrians, Kannadigas and Kayasths from north India live."

He accused the Andhra Pradesh people of "exploiting" the employment opportunities of Telangana region.

"Ultimately our people were pushed to go to the Gulf countries. The agony of Telangana is that 35,000 Telanganas are in jails in Gulf countries," Rao said.

"Why should Telangana suffer? And Hyderabad city?" he asked.

"We used to have an airport much before the formation of AP (Andhra Pradesh). Today's all railway stations have been constructed by the Nizam. All the hospitals, educational institutions have been built by the Nizam," Rao said.

Telangana does not mean new states everywhere: Pranab

KOLKATA: With the rising clamour of statehood demands from other parts of the country, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said Saturday that the nod for Telangana did not mean that new states would be created everywhere.

Answering queries from reporters at a function in North 24 Parganas district, Mukherjee said the demand for Telangana was old and it "does not mean that everywhere new states are to be created".

He said home minister P. Chidambaram had indicated that there were several stages leading to formation of a state, and in the case of Telangana, developments were at a preliminary stage.

Mukherjee's response comes amid a flurry of statehood demands from across the country.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati Friday demanded that her state be trifurcated into Bundelkhand and Harit Pradesh for better governance. She said she has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.

The centre's decision to start the process of forming Telangana has stoked the dormant demands for statehood across the country, including Vidarbha, Gorkhaland, Bodoland, Harit Pradesh, Bundelkhand and Purvanchal.

While Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh has renewed his demand for Harit Pradesh, Congress MP Vilas Muttemwar has revived the demand for carving Vidarbha out of Maharashtra.

Faced with the growing clamour for new states, the Congress on Friday accepted that lack of development in a region could be a reason for the demand for smaller states, but stressed that the party was against demands for new states being made for "political adjustment of leaders".

Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed also admitted that the rising demand for new states had increased the difficulties for the government, but said it would respond with a cool mind.

Sonia, Manmohan will deliver on Telangana promise: KCR

New Delhi: TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao threw the ball in Centre's court on the creation of a separate Telangana state and insisted that Hyderabad will be the capital of the proposed state.

Rao ruled out sharing of Hyderabad as capital with Andhra Pradesh like Chandigarh being shared by Haryana and Punjab. "Chandigarh and Hyderabad can never be compared".

"Having made the announcement, it is upto them (the Centre) to resolve the issue. I think, they are at it", said Rao, who is recuperating at his home after a 13-day fast protest.

When asked specifically whether he would go back on the Telangana issue in view of the evolving situation in the rest of Andhra Pradesh, he said, "The question does not arise. An arrow once leaves the bow cannot be brought back".

Profusely praising Congress President Sonia Gandhi, he said that the whole burden of the people of Telangana was now on her shoulders and "I am thankful to her...because of her initiative and grace, today the dream has come true.”

Claiming that Gandhi loved him like her son, Rao said I have a "lot of faith" in her and "fairly good person" Manmohan Singh, who is at the helm of affairs.

"It is better for the leaders of Andhra Pradesh to concede to the request of Sonia Gandhi", he said dubbing the anti-Telangana agitation as an "artificial" one, "prompted, funded and with wrong motives by vested interests".

These elements have investments in Hyderabad including in benami lands, he alleged but added wise leaders of both sides will find a solution.

Justice Dinakaran’s impeachment petition by next week?

New Delhi: With more than 50 Rajya Sabha members favouring impeachment of Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P D Dinakaran, a petition in this regard is likely to be submitted to the House Chairman Md Hamid Ansari early next week.

A signature campaign is underway and more than 50 Rajya Sabha members from BJP, Left parties and Samajwadi Party, among others, are understood to have signed the petition, sources said. Congress members have reportedly refrained from signing on the document.

As per rules, a petition containing signatures of at least 50 of the 250 member Rajya Sabha, which is the first step in the impeachment process.

Under rules, the MPs' petition is sent to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat for verification of signatures. On being satisfied that appropriate procedures have been followed, a committee is set up for further consideration of the petition.

The move to impeach Dinakaran has come in the backdrop of allegations of land grabbing against him for which his elevation as a judge of the Supreme Court has been stalled.

Government has already sent back Dinakaran's file to the Supreme Court Collegium to reconsider its decision to elevate him.

A resolution, to be carried, should have the support of two-thirds majority of the members present in each House of Parliament. After this, the President will pass an order.

Indian Business News

Volkswagen rolled out its first made-in-India car 'Polo'

Pune:The German Auto major Volkswagen rolled out its first made-in-India car ‘Polo’ at its plant at Chakan, near here in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.

Chavan who welcomed the company's decision to set up Rs 3,800 crore plant at Pune with an annual capacity of manufacturing 110,000 cars, said the state government would extend support to it to achieve its full capacity utilization at the earliest.

"We have promised our voters that we will solve the energy problem in Maharashtra and put stop to load shedding in next three years," he said, adding that the government was committed to remove all difficulties relating to development of infrastructure for industrial growth.

The Chief Minister said the government was looking out for more employment generation opportunities and appealed to foreign investors to consider opening their new plants in backward regions of the state such as Vidarbha, Konkan and Marathwada.

Facebook asks users to personalize privacy

New Delhi: Setting a new standard in user control, Facebook announced that it is calling on its more than 350 million users to review and update their privacy settings�a first among major Internet services.

In addition, Facebook will be rolling out easy-to-use tools to empower people to personalize control over their information�based on what the content is, why they are sharing it, when, and the audience they seek to reach.

�Facebook is transforming the world�s ability to control its information online by empowering more than 350 million people to personalize the audience for each piece of content they share,� said Elliot Schrage, Vice President of Communications, Public Policy and Marketing. �We�ve always designed Facebook to enable people to control what information they share with whom�it�s the reason our service continues to attract such a broad and diverse group of users from around the world. We�re proud of the latest evolution we�re announcing today and we will continue to innovate to serve users� changing needs.�

The tools launching today are part of Facebook�s continuing innovation and a response to requests from both users and experts. Different versions of these suggestions were developed and tested extensively since the beginning of this year. The resulting new features include added control for each piece of content users share, simplified privacy settings, help in choosing settings, and expanded privacy education materials.

Gold slides on weak global cues

New Delhi: Gold prices fell by Rs 250 to Rs 17,110 per ten gram in the bullion market as investors resorted to heavy selling amid a weakening global trend.

The precious metal slid to 1,108.30 dollar from 1,130 dollar an ounce in New York as firming US dollar reduced demand for the metal as an alternate investment.

The dollar gained against a basket of major currencies from a report that showed US retail sales increased more than the market expectations.

The falling trend in gold prices was mirrored by the other precious metal silver too.

Silver plunged by Rs 450 to Rs 27,450 per kg.

Marketmen said retail customers remained on the sidelines and postponed their decision to purchase jewellery at the current higher level, further dampening the market sentiment.

Standard gold and ornaments registered a steep fall of Rs 250 each to Rs 17,110 and Rs 16,960 per ten gram respectively while sovereign remained steady at Rs 13,900 per piece of eight gram.

A similar weakening trend was extended to silver, with silver ready plunging by Rs 450 to Rs 27,450 per kg and weekly-based delivery by Rs 335 to Rs 27,050 per kg.

In line with a general trend, silver coins also lost Rs 100 at Rs 33,200 for buying and Rs 33,300 for selling of 100 pieces.

Indian Sports News

Repentent Woods takes 'indefinite break' from golf

Los Angeles: In a stunning decision, golf superstar Tiger Woods announced he was putting his game on the backburner to try to save his marriage as he admitted for the first time being unfaithful.

Woods said on Friday he was taking an "indefinite break" from the PGA Tour and apologized, pleading for forgiveness in a statement on his website.

"I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children," he said. "I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness."

Woods, who has not been seen in public for the past two weeks, has a two-year-old daughter and a 10-month-old son with his wife, Elin.

"After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father and person," he added.

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said Friday they would not try to rush Wood into returning to the sport. "His priorities are where they need to be, and we will continue to respect and honour his family's request for privacy," Finchem said. "We look forward to Tiger's return to the PGA Tour when he determines the time is right for him."

Ten women have been romantically linked to the billionaire golfer, whose private life has come under the glare of public scrutiny since he crashed his car in late November.

Woods was taken to hospital on November 27 after hitting a fire hydrant and a tree, two days after a tabloid reported he was having an affair with New York club hostess Rachel Uchitel.

Gambhir, team manager test negative for swine flu

Mohali: The Indian cricket team heaved a sigh of relief after opener Gautam Gambhir, manager Mayank Parekh and video analyst Dhananjay tested negative for Swine Flu in Mohali on Saturday.

After pacer S Sreesanth tested positive for the H1N1 virus, the Indian team had a scare when Parekh too was hospitalised with flu-like symptoms.

Gambhir and Dhananjay too showed mild symptoms, prompting the team management to get them tested as a precautionary measure.

"All three tests have turned out to be negative," Punjab Cricket Association's joint secretary G S Walia said in Mohali.

After Gambhir showed symptoms of flu, Virat Kohli was called in as cover for today's Twenty20 cricket match against Sri Lanka here.

"The test was not done on any medical advice. Both (Gambhir and Dhananjay) are in their hotel rooms right now," Punjab Cricket Association President IS Bindra said.

Sreesanth is still in hospital recovering from the dreaded disease and the rest of team members who came in close proximity with the pacer were screened by a team of doctors.

Director of Fortis, Mohali, Dr A R Banerjee said that the Kerala cricketer, who has been ruled out of Saturday's Twenty20 International against Sri Lanka, is doing better now.

"His condition is improving. All his vital parameters are okay. Sreesanth is likely to be under treatment at the hospital for 2-3 days. The decision to discharge him will be taken once there is a marked improvement in his condition," Banerjee said on Saturday.

Punjab's Nodal Officer for swine flu cases, Deepak Bhatia said a team of doctors has told the Indian players to report any flu like symptoms as early as possible.

Flu hits Team India: Now manager Mayank Sekar hospitalised

Mohali: Indian cricket team manager Mayank Sekhar was admitted to a local hospital in Mohali late on Friday night with flu-like symptoms, a day after pacer S Sreesanth was diagnosed with swine flu.

"The manager has been admitted to the (Fortis) hospital only as a precautionary measure after he developed cough and cold," Joint Secretary of Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) G S Walia said.

Meanwhile, the Indian cricket team has been advised to report to the team management and hotel doctors if they show flu-like symptoms.

Walia said specific tests for swine flu will only be done if the players show symptoms. "The tests for swine flu will only be done if there are any symptoms of flu. Otherwise, players can just have a routine medical check-up," Walia said.

Sreesanth was admitted to the Fortis hospital on Thursday night and the in-form speedster remains under the doctors' observation following multiple ailments.

Tests had confirmed that he is suffering from H1N1 influenza, according Joint Secretary of Punjab Cricket Association G S Walia.

Director of Fortis, Mohali, Dr A R Banerjee said that the Kerala cricketer, who has been ruled out of Saturday's Twenty20 International against Sri Lanka, is doing better now.

Latest News of India

India's 2020 target: Reduce emission by 20-25%

NEW DELHI: Four days ahead of the Copenhagen climate summit, India on Thursday announced it will reduce its emission intensity by 20-25% by 2020 from the 2005 level.

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, in an eloquent exposition of the country's stand which he said was worked out in concert with some developing countries including China, said India was reducing the emission intensity -- the level of greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP -- in its own interest.

India's announcement came a few days after China announced a 40-45 percent cut in its emissions intensity by 2020 compared to 2005, Brazil announced 38-42 percent and Indonesia 26 percent.

India's emissions intensity is already lower than other emerging economies, and the minister said it had decreased 17.6 percent between 1990 and 2005.

The minister's reply came in a 65-minute speech at the end of a debate in the Lok Sabha on what India's position will be at the Dec 7-18 climate summit in the Danish capital.

Dispelling opposition fears of a "sellout" at the summit of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Ramesh said: "India will not accept a legally binding emission reduction cut and it will not accept a peaking date on its emissions."

He said there would be another non-negotiating position. Emission reduction actions India took on its own would not be open to international scrutiny, but "depending on concessions we can get from western countries, and in consultation with China, Brazil, South Africa and other countries in G77, we can consider opening to international review all our mitigation actions supported by international finances".

Starting his speech with the observation, "India is the country most vulnerable to climate change", Ramesh said this was due to four reasons -- the country's dependence on the monsoons, the receding of the Himalayan glaciers, the presence of ecologically sensitive areas, and the fact that climate change would exacerbate the effect of mining in forest areas of Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh.

Ramesh said the problem was that India had hardly any information of its own on climate change effects, which he called "a pathetic state of affairs". Most of the information was derived from Western sources, he said, adding that there was urgent need to start research and have "our own scientific capacity" to study all aspects of climate change in India.

India should have started researching effects of climate change 20 years ago, Ramesh said, adding that the government had started a network of laboratories to research the phenomenon. "We must have our own scientific capacity to understand the impact of climate change."

Talking about India's position at Copenhagen, he said: "The prime minister's instructions to me was, India has not caused the problem of global warming, but try and make sure india is part of the solution; be constructive, be proactive.

"Then I asked myself what is India's position. I found that it only was that our per capita emissions were very low, yours (western countries) very high, therefore we won't do it, we're entitled to pollute more."

The minister felt India had to move beyond this position because it "must negotiate from a position of strength, of leadership. We're going to Copenhagen in a positive frame of mind, prepared to be flexible. We want a comprehensive and equitable agreement. We are realistic enough to know such an agreement may not materialise, but we will work with like minded countries, with China, and with others, to ensure there is a comprehensive and equitable arrangement."

He announced that India, China, Brazil and South Africa had tabled a draft to this effect to the UNFCCC Wednesday.

Reacting to criticism from the Left parties, Ramesh was at pains to reiterate that India was a part of G77 and China negotiating bloc, "but that does not mean we don't talk to anybody else; and every time we talk to America it does not mean we're selling our country down the drain".

"Having global aspirations and assuming global responsibilities are two sides of the same coin," the minister held.

He said the 20-25 percent emissions intensity cut had been worked out by the Planning Commission. "The 12th Five Year Plan which starts in 2012 will be based on a low-carbon growth strategy."

Explaining how this would be done, Ramesh outlined a five-step plan of action:

* Mandatory fuel efficiency standards for all vehicles by December 2011;

* A building code that encouraged energy conservation, with a recommendation to local governments to make this mandatory;

* Amendments to various laws to reduce energy intensity of industrial activities;

* Regular monitoring of the state of the forests, which now absorbed about 10 percent of India's greenhouse gas emissions; and

* Half of the new coal based power plants coming up to use clean coal technologies -- super critical, ultra super critical and coal gasification.

"This is our baseline," Ramesh said. "If we have a successful agreement at Copenhagen, if it's equitable, if our worries are taken care of, we are prepared to do even more."

Ramesh said: "Flexibility does not mean sellout, it only means ability to move in rapidly evolving situations; we're not living in isolation; we're going there to get the best agreement for India."

India won’t accept legally binding emission cuts: Ramesh

New Delhi: Ahead of the Copenhagen summit on climate change, India announced that it would reduce carbon emission intensity by 20-25 per cent by 2020 on the 2005 levels through a series of policy measures, including mandatory fuel efficiency standards on all vehicles.

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said if the Copenhagen Summit is successful in reaching a "comprehensive and equitable agreement", India would be willing to do more but only through voluntary measures.

"We are telling the world that India is voluntarily ready to reduce emission intensity by 20-25 per cent in 15 years from 2005," he said replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on impact of climate change.

Ramesh listed out a series of steps including introducing mandatory fuel efficiency standards on all vehicles by December 2011, model green building code and amendment of Energy Conservation Act to make it necessary for industries to have energy efficiency certificates.

Greater thrust will be given to generating electricity using clean coal technologies, he said adding that 50 per cent of all new capacity additions will be based on such source.

Lahore High Court rejects Lakhvi's plea against indictment over 26/11

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Pakistan-based LeT's operations chief and Mumbai attacks mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi on Thursday failed to get any reprieve from the Lahore High Court, which disposed of his two petitions challenging his indictment for involvement in the 26/11 strikes.

While disposing of the petitions, a Rawalpindi-based bench of the Lahore High Court only directed the anti-terrorism court, which had formally charged him along with six other suspects last month with involvement in the 26/11 strikes, to consider Lakhvi's objections against his indictment under provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Lakhvi's lawyer Khwaja Sultan Ahmed claimed during proceedings that the prosecution had no incriminating evidence against his client. He also said the statement given to Indian authorities by Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone attacker captured in Mumbai, is not admissible in the anti-terrorism court.

However, the judges told Ahmed such issues could be addressed only when the evidence, including Kasab's statement, is presented during the trial in the anti-terrorism court. It is not possible for such matters to be addressed now, they indicated.

Lakhvi's counsel filed the petitions challenging his indictment in the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court yesterday.

Lakhvi was indicted along with six other suspects for planning and helping execute the attacks that killed 166 people in India's financial hub.

In one petition, Lakhvi claimed there were no evidence and witnesses against him except Kasab and five policemen involved in a case registered in Pakistan.

The policemen cited as witnesses by the prosecution had only described Lakhvi as a commander of the LeT and accused him of training people for terrorist activities, he claimed.

Lakhvi pointed out that witnesses had not said anything about his involvement in the Mumbai attacks. He also claimed that Kasab's statement to Indian authorities is not admissible in a case registered in Islamabad.

In his second petition, Lakhvi challenged the anti-terrorism court's decision to try Kasab separately under provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code.

He said these provisions can be applied only when a co-accused cannot appear in court due to illness or other reasons.

Lakhvi claimed the prosecution has not stated any reason for Kasab's absence from the Pakistani court.
Lakhvi was formally indicted along with Zarar Shah, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Abu al Qama, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younas Anjum last month.

The next hearing of the case against them in the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi's high-security Adiala jail is scheduled for December 5.

Twenty other suspects who are at large were also accused of planning and helping carry out the attacks a year ago.

Koda affect: ED raids realtor Emaar MGF's offices

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted searches on the premises of realtor Emmar MGF in connection with the multi-crore illegal Hawala and investment case involving former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda.

The search followed the ED finding certain documents that showed Koda's associates on the board of certain Emaar group companies, ED sources said.

Emaar MGF is a joint venture between Dubai-based Emaar Properties and India's MGF Development.

Sources said one of Koda's associates, Vikash Sinha, who is in judicial custody, has now disclosed that he and some others had invested on behalf of Koda in the same companies.

When contacted, a Emaar MGF spokesperson did not offer any comments immediately.

ULFA ready for peace talks, says Rajkhowa

New Delhi:ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa has indicated that the banned militant outfit is ready for peace talks.

"I want to clear my stand that I still stand for the cause of the Assamese people. We are against the domination of Assamese community by mainstream India.

"We do not want our revolution to end but there should be a peaceful solution to it, preferably in a constitutional way. I want peace talks to restart and conclude...That is why I have come forward to carry on my agenda," he told North East TV channel.

While 53-year-old Rajkhowa claimed that reports of his "arrest" were aimed at creating confusion and "derailing" the peace process in Assam, intelligence sources had said that the on Wednesday ULFA Chairman had surrendered to Indian security forces in Agartala and brought here by a flight from the Tripura capital late last evening.

Rajkhowa said, "I am speaking to you from the same location in Bangladesh from where I normally speak from. Those who say that I have been arrested are deliberately trying to create confusion. They want to derail the peace process in Assam even before it can begin."

He said, "They (people opposing him) don't want a political and peaceful solution to the problem. Such people don't want to take the peace process to succeed. Everytime we want to take the peace process forward such people spread wrong information".

Indian Business News

Markets choppy, Sensex ends flat

Mumbai: The benchmark Sensex ended flat in a highly volatile trade which saw the index remaining range bound notwithstanding a good start, amid worries of rising food inflation.

The benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange Sensex, which had lost 28 points in previous session, recovered by 15.77 points in late trade to close the day at 17,185.68 points, after moving between 17,361.27 and 17,128.21 points.

While the positive factors like firm Asian and European markets and Goldman Sachs' forecast of a faster growth for the domestic economy kept the market in better shape during the day, a rise in food inflation capped the gains towards the last hour trade. Food inflation has touched 17.47 per cent in the third week of November.

In similar fashion, the wide-based National Stock Exchange's Nifty edged up 8.45 points to close at 5,131.70 points. It moved between 5,181.00 and 5,106.60 during the session.

Among the 30 Sensex stocks, 18 closed higher and 12 ended with losses. Major supporters to the market were the counters in the healthcare, metals, realty, oil and gas and power segments, while the auto and capital goods sectors were down on emergence of profit-selling.

A fall in heavy-weight stocks of Infosys Technologies, ICICI Bank, Tata Motors and, Reliance Infra and Jaiprakash Associates mainly pulled down the market.

Dubai crisis to slow UAE recovery: IMF

Washington: The International Monetary Fund expects to cut its 2010 growth forecast for the United Arab Emirates as economic activity slows due to the debt woes of state-owned Dubai World, a top IMF official said on Wednesday.

Masood Ahmed, director for the IMF's Middle East and Central Asia Department, said the IMF was looking at revising down its forecast for the UAE's non-oil gross domestic product to "significantly lower" than the 3 per cent it had projected in October. That would still be higher than the close to zero forecast the IMF has forecast for the UAE in 2009.

Despite the turmoil surrounding the Dubai crisis, Ahmed said he did not anticipate the UAE would need any financial support from the IMF and could easily deal with the fallout with its own resources.

He said the crisis at Dubai World, one of the emirates's flagship holding firms, could lead to higher credit borrowing costs and may also impact other countries as the conglomerate postpones projects and disposes of assets.

Households could also be hit by lower remittances as workers, many of them from neighboring countries, are put out of jobs or unable to find work.

"Our anticipation is that there will be a significant reduction in that growth rate, down from 3 per cent, probably somewhere between 1 per cent and 3 per cent," said Ahmed following a preliminary assessment of the Dubai situation.

A Reuters poll on Monday showed that Gulf Arab states will enjoy solid growth rates next year, with UAE GDP growth up 2.9 per cent in 2010.

Gas row: RNRL raises objections on Govt affidavit

New Delhi: Anil Ambani-led RNRL on Thursday opposed the Government stand in the Supreme Court on the gas row with the Mukesh Ambani's RIL, accusing it of deliberately causing "confusion" and hurting the interests of public sector NTPC.

Government's stand in its affidavit that the arrangement for the supply and pricing of gas for NTPC cannot be equated with a private agreement between RIL and RNRL was based on the interpretation of the secondary source of information and cannot be accepted, RNRL counsel Ram Jethmalani said.

However, Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium said Government was only concerned with public interest and was not interfering in the battle between the Ambani brothers and they have to resolve their dispute by themselves.

The Government stand was in response to RNRL's contention that it was entitled to receive the gas at USD 2.34 per unit from RIL which had entered into an arrangement for supplying gas to NTPC at that rate.

"The Government affidavit is not even worth the paper on which it is written on. Affidavits can't be based on interpretation of records," Jethmalani said before a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan.

Indian Sports News

Sehwag’s double ton pulverises Lanka

Mumbai: Virender Sehwag clobbered a breath-taking unbeaten 284 as India rode on his brutal assault to take complete control of the third and final cricket Test against a hapless Sri Lanka in Mumbai’s Brabourne stadium on Thursday.

Replying to Sri Lanka's first innings total of 393, the 31-year-old Sehwag set the Brabourne stadium ablaze with a stunning display of strokeplay as the hosts raced to a record score of 443 for one at close on an extraordinary second day's play.

Sehwag plundered runs at will as he not only notched up his 17th Test ton, his sixth 200 plus total, but laid the platform for India to push for victory which would take them to the number one position in the ICC Test rankings.

With the Delhi dasher tearing the Lankan bowling attack to shreds with his unbeaten 284 coming off just 239 balls, the Indians scored at an amazing rate of 5.60 runs per over to post their highest ever single-day score on a Brabourne track which seemed to have eased out considerably.

Rahul David (62) was giving Sehwag company on stumps on a day which saw a number of batting records fall by the wayside. The day clearly belonged to the hosts as they took less than half an hour to polish off the remaining two Sri Lankan wickets and had taken a lead of 50 runs by the end of the day, scoring more than 400 runs in a day for the second consecutive Test.

The Indians got off to a rollicking start with Sehwag and Murali Vijay (87) scoring 221 for the first wicket and then Dravid played a supporting role as the hosts maintained the tempo right through the day.

'Murali has never been treated with such disdain'

Mumbai: In awe of Virender Sehwag's breath-taking batsmanship, Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews said on Thursday that he has never seen anyone treating a bowler of Muttiah Muralitharan's calibre with such disdain.

Sehwag went after Muralitharan right from the word go, often dancing down the track to unsettle the wily offie, whose 20 overs cost him 119 runs without any success.

Mathews, whose 99 was one of the highlights of the Sri Lankan innings, conceded he had not seen anything like this before. "It never happened to Murali before," Mathews said, all candour.

"The wicket was flat and the spinners did not get any turn. Besides, Virender was batting really well," he said. "We all know he's Virender Sehwag. On his day he can do what he did to us today. He bats that way. The bowlers have to be careful with line and length, a little error would be dangerous," Mathews said of the Delhi dasher who was unbeaten on 284 and remains in hunt for his third triple century.

Looking ahead, Mathews refused to panic and said his teammates would have to do something different on Friday.

"We may come out with better plan tomorrow, try new things and get him out," he said.

Overall, Mathews argued, India were ahead just by 50 runs and the islanders could bounce back on Friday with some quick wickets.

"It's not over. If two or three wickets fall quickly in the morning we can still come back tomorrow. There are still three days remaining. Anything can happen. It is only the second day and tomorrow if we take early wickets, we will be back in the game," Mathews said.

Indian Latest News

We have dispute with India on border issue: China

BEIJING: The Chinese foreign ministry on Tuesday tried to avoid a direct reply on whether China had pressurized the state government of Jammu and Kashmir in India to stop construction of a road near the border area.

"China has a dispute with India on the border issue. The two sides should work together to ensure peace and stability in the border area until the pending dispute is resolved," Qin Gang, the foreign ministry spokesman said at the regular briefing.

J&K authorities recently said they had stopped construction of an eight-km road in the remote Demchok area of Buddhist-dominated Ladakh area near the Line of Actual Control after objections from the Chinese army.

The Chinese foreign ministry on Tuesday did not confirm or deny whether the Chinese army had raised objection.

The ministry had recently taken neutral approach to the dispute over Kashmir between India and Pakistan."The Kashmir issue is an issue between India and Pakistan left over by history. We hope the two sides could properly resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiations," Qin said on November 24 when he was asked to comment on a statement by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a major political group in India-controlled Kashmir.

Farooq had said that China has a stake in the region's peace soon after China and the United States made a joint statement saying they supported efforts for improvement of relations between India and Pakistan.

China blocks India's plan for Ladakh road

NEW DELHI: Even as China objects to the construction of a road in the Ladakh region, India's external intelligence agency RAW has conveyed to the government that China is simultaneously building and repairing as many 27 airstrips in the Tibet region. According to the agency, these airstrips would be of use for China only in the case of a conflict with India as New Delhi is the only potential adversary in the region.

The J&K government on Monday confirmed that work had to be stopped on a road project meant to facilitate the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in Demchok in south-east Leh because of objections raised by the Chinese army. This when Beijing itself has aggressively gone about the task of augmenting its infrastructure along the border with India.

"Many of these 27 military strips have been newly built. Others which have been expanded too are seeing increasing Chinese activities. Like the intermediate range missiles stationed in the Delingha region, these airfields can be of strategic use for China only against India,'' said a senior official. According to the official, some of the airfields which are being upgraded continuously are Kashgar, Yarkand and Tashkurgan in the western sector, Tingri and Shigatse in the middle sector and Doonshon, Kangbo, Chamdo and Phari Dzong in the eastern sector.

The expansion of airfields follows the deployment of intermediate range missiles like DF-4 in the Delingha region. The medium-range ballistic missiles can hit targets that are almost 3,000 kilometres away. China has also built several launch pads for nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles in the same region.

Interestingly, the Chinese had complained about India upgrading its airfields in eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh in October. IAF vice-chief Air Marshal P K Barbora had then responded by saying that China had no business to talk about it because India too had not objected to the massive military build up in Tibet including expansion of airfields.

According to military experts, these military air bases give China an edge in the event of a war with India because they would allow sustained combat operations by Chinese aircraft over all of northern India and strike major cities.

Nuclear installations on terrorists' target, says Govt

New Delhi: The Government said there are reports that nuclear installations of the country are on the target of the terrorists.

"In view of the prevailing security scenario, the nuclear installations continue to remain prime target of the terrorist outfits," Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran told Lok Sabha in response to a written question.

"Central security agencies conduct security audits of vital installations in nuclear sectors every two years and also sensitise the management at these installations from time to time," the Minister said.

He said, "CISF has been mandated to undertake security arrangements for all strategically sensitive nuclear installations."

Defence forces are also deployed besides the CISF for providing air defence cover in some of the vital nuclear installations, the Minister said.

I was called terrorist lawyer in court: Kasab's ex-lawyer

MUMBAI: Abbas Kazmi, who was sacked as the lawyer of Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab by a special trial court, on Tuesday alleged that he had to face humiliation at the hands of prosecution during the trial.

"I was called a terrorist lawyer in the court. I was called Abu Abbas and it was said that Pakistan was going to reward me. Finally I was called a liar," Kazmi told reporters a day after his removal.

He alleged that on one occasion when the court was recording the testimony of FBI official, prosecutor Nikam said, "Now the terrorist lawyer will cross-examine you."

Kazmi, however, refused to comment on the court's decision.

"I do not want to create any obstructions for the trial. I do not want to say anything that will obstruct the trial. The matter is sub judice. I have a great respect for the court," Kazmi said.

When asked whether he was going to take any legal step against his removal from the trial, he said, "I don't want to pursue this issue further."

When asked whether prosecution was trying to drag the trial, Kazmi said, "People were told that trial will be over by November 26. It was called an open and shut case. Why prosecution did not tell people it was going to bring around 700 witnesses?"

Kazmi also said that the kind of humiliation the lawyers suffered during the trial was unprecedented.

"Initially we had to remove our cell phones (when entering court), we had to remove even our shoes. I was not allowed to take my briefcase inside. We were frisked thrice every time," he said.

He said once he saw prosecutor Nikam using phone in court and requested the court that he too be allowed to bring cell phone in.

"The judge allowed it, but next day when I tried to carry cell phone inside, security misbehaved with me," he said.

"When I took up this case, I faced hostility of the entire world. And now this is the reward," he rued. Kazmi said he told Nikam that he didn't mind apologising to court, but the "liar" remark must be removed.

Judge M L Tahaliyani had Kazmi a "liar", but the remark was later expunged, following Nikam's intervention and his (Kazmi) apology.

It had seemed that after Kazmi's apology on Saturday, he would carry on as Kasab's lawyer. However, the judge sacked him yesterday for "non-cooperation".

Tahaliyani ordered Kazmi's termination after he refused to consider the court's suggestion to pick out 71 formal witnesses out of the total 340 who had filed affidavits.

Advocate K P Pawar, who was assisting Kazmi in the case, has now replaced the latter as Kasab's lawyer.

Indian soldier's medal taken off auction

LONDON
: An Indian soldier's George Cross medal for bravery was taken off the auction block in London on Tuesday pending a police probe into its "At the moment, the medal is not offered for sale," said Nimord Dix, managing director of Dix Noonan Webb, Britain's best-known dealer in coins and medals.

"There are ongoing investigations into the question of ownership, and under these circumstances we are unlikely to put the medal up for sale," he said.

The medal, Britain's highest civilian gallantry decoration, was awarded posthumously to Naik Kirpa Ram of the Frontier Force Rifles in 1946 for sacrificing his life in order to save his Army comrades from harm.

But its ownership became disputed after Ram's impoverished widow Brahmi Devi claimed the medal was stolen from her house in Bharpal village, Himachal Pradesh, in 2002.

The London auction house initially dismissed her claim, saying it had affidavits to show she had "disposed of" the medal in 2000, but climbed down on Tuesday after Himachal Pradesh authorities belatedly swung into action.

State police, who had closed a case of theft within months of registering it in 2002, last week requested Scotland Yard and Interpol to help investigate the ownership of the medal, which is sought after by collectors.

But Dix said Tuesday: "It is far from clear that the case for the medal having been stolen is good."

"In addition, there has been an acknowledgement from the Indian police that the affidavits may not be fake, as they have been claiming. The case continues."

The medal, which was to have been auctioned Wednesday, was expected to have fetched around 20,000 pounds. Brahmi Devi, who received the medal from the Viceroy of India, Field Marshal Lord Wavell at the age of 13, said she did not sell the medal. But police have confirmed that an affidavit declaring she was handing it over to one Kapil Singh "with my sweet will" in April 2000 does bear her thumb print.

The second affidavit, dated June 2000, is from Kapil Singh. It says Singh received the medal from Brahmi Devi as a gift for "services I have provided for the past years" and that he in turn was handing it over to S.L. Jain, whom Dix identified as a Delhi-based dealer.

Kapil Singh is now being questioned by police in Punjab. The auction house acquired the medal from a retired Indian Army officer and "a collector of a good number of medals", Dix said.

Naik Kirpa Ram was awarded the medal for sacrificing his life while disposing of a misfired rifle grenade at a camp in Bangalore Sep 12, 1945.

Day 4: IIM-A submits report on CAT, tests disrupted again

New Delhi: IIM Ahmedabad on Tuesday submitted a report to the government on the disruption of the Computer-based Common Admission Test (CAT) which continued to be affected for the fourth day in a row, adding to the woes of hundreds of IIM aspirants.

Scores of students complained of technical glitches at various test labs in Lucknow, Bangalore and Bhopal on Tuesday. They failed to appear in the test, being conducted by an American firm Prometric in a staggered manner over 10 days.

"I have been visiting the test centre everyday since Saturday. But I am unable to appear in the test as some or other problem continues," a student in Lucknow said.

The issue was raised in Parliament as opposition BJP criticised the way the prestigious entrance for admission into IIMs was being conducted. The government said it is concerned over the issue.

"Steps should have been taken much prior to the holding of the examination to ensure that such kind of problems should not have happened. We are very concerned about it as government," HRD Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters.

Sibal had on Monday sought a factual report from the IIMs on the issue from IIM Ahemdabad, which is the nodal institute for conduct of the test.

The report submitted by the institutes said about 18 per cent of candidates, who were scheduled to appear the test in the first three days, could not write it.

Indian Business News

Credit offtake growth slows to 9.8%

New Delhi: The Government said credit growth from banks has slowed down to 9.8 per cent till November 6 in the current fiscal against 27.7 per cent in the corresponding period a year ago.

"According to information available up to November 6, 2009, credit offtake from banks on year-on-year basis increased by 9.8 per cent as compared to 27.7 per cent during the corresponding period last year," Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena said in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha query.

As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Benchmark Prime Lending Rates (BPLR) reduction during October 2008-November 2009 was 125-275 basis points for public sector banks, while the same was in the range of 100-125 basis points for private sector banks and 125 basis points for foreign banks.

Though the credit growth was positive in most of the sectors, it was lower compared to last year.

However, Meena said, "Credit flow to agriculture and micro and small enterprises was higher in both absolute and percentage terms compared to last year."

The deceleration in credit growth during the current year was mainly due to the manufacturing sector and oil marketing companies, he said.

Iran offers 40% in SP gas field to OVL, Hindujas

New Delhi: Iran offered 40 per cent stake in a giant gas field in the Persian Gulf to India's ONGC Videsh Ltd and NRI business conglomerate Hindujas, who would split the stake equally.

At the end of second day of talks, Iran's Deputy Oil Minister and Managing Director of National Iranian Oil Co (NIOC) Seifollah Jashnsaz said 40 per cent interest in the development of Phase-12 of South Pars gas field was offered to OVL, the overseas arm of Oil and Natural Gas Corp, and the Hinduja Group.

Hinduja Group's Gopichand Hinduja said the stake in the USD 7.5 billion South Pars Phase-12 (SP-12) project would be split equally between his Group and OVL.

Naftiran Inter-Trade Company, subsidiary of National Iranian Oil Company, will own 40 per cent and the balance 20 per cent will be held by Sonangol of Angola.

Jashnsaz also said that ONGC will get 20 per cent stake in Iran LNG, which will convert the gas produced from South Pars field into LNG. In return, ONGC will get at least six million tonnes of LNG a year.

SP-12 is to produce 3 billion cubic feet per day of gas, two-thirds of which is to be converted into LNG for export.

Gas from SP-12 would go to Iran LNG, which is building a USD 4.35 billion plant at Tombak Port by 2011 to turn it into liquid state so that it can be shipped in cryogenic vessels.

The remaining gas output from SP-12 would be consumed internally. The field would also produce 120,000 barrels per day of condensate that would be exported.

Dubai says not responsible for debt crisis

Dubai: The Dubai government said on Monday it was not responsible for the debts of Dubai World, dealing a blow to creditors' assumptions that the Arab emirate would guarantee the conglomerate's liabilities.

"Creditors need to take part of the responsibility for their decision to lend to the companies," said Abdulrahman al-Saleh, director general of Dubai's Department of Finance. "They think Dubai World is part of the government, which is not correct."

In its first statement since the crisis began, Dubai World, the government-controlled holding company at the heart of the storm, said a restructuring would involve $26 billion in debt and mostly affect its property firms, Nakheel and Limitless.

Other firms, such as DP World, Jebel Ali Free Zone and Istithmar World would not be included in the restructuring because they were financially stable, it said in a statement released by e-mail late on Monday night.

The previously unreleased figure of $26 billion may help markets to grapple with the scope of the crisis following estimates that the restructuring could affect $59 billion or more in liabilities.

United Arab Emirates stocks plunged on Monday as investors waited for clarity on Dubai's request for a delay until May 2010 on repaying billions of dollars in debt issued by Dubai World and its Nakheel unit, developer of three distinctive palm-shaped islands in the emirate.

European shares fell as investors worried about sovereign financial crises, with the FTSEurofirst 300 off 1.4 per cent. But the US dollar fell against the euro after the United Arab Emirates promised liquidity, easing worries about default.

Indian Sports News

Series triumph, number one Test ranking beckon India

Mumbai: A chance to go atop the world rankings at stake, India take on a struggling Sri Lanka in the third and final cricket Test here tomorrow hoping to wrap up the series 2-0.

As Test cricket returns to the Cricket Club of India's Brabourne Stadium after more than three and a half decades, the hosts are clear favourites to wrap up the rubber with another victory following the landmark 100th win at Kanpur inside four days.

A 2-0 victory margin in the series would take India to the top of the ICC Test rankings table, two points above current number one South Africa. Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men appear to carry too big an arsenal, especially in batting, for the comfort of Kumar Sangakkara's visiting team which needs to buckle up and leave behind the morale-shattering innings defeat in Kanpur.

Dhoni has been lucky with the toss in the first two Tests, though his team faced down the barrel at 32 for four on the first morning of the series at Ahmedabad before being rescued by the tenacity of Rahul Dravid and the grit of Yuvraj Singh.

That first session and the mammoth total of 760 during which they made the Indians chase leather for over two days were the only periods of domination by Sri Lanka in the series as the hosts took an iron-like grip right through the second match before surging to a thumping victory.

India would be without in-form opener Gautam Gambhir, maker of four Test hundreds on the trot in as many matches since the March-April tour of New Zealand and seven in his last nine Tests. The Lankans would hope to drive a wedge into the home team's rock-solid top order in the Delhi left-hander's absence, who has opted out to attend his sister's wedding.

Saina leads Indian challenge in World Super Series

New Delhi: Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal will look to get over her recent dip in form and finish the year on a high at the season-ending World Super Series Final starting on Wednesday in Johar Bahru, Malaysia.

India's best mixed doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju will also look to get back to winning ways after their recent inconsistent show.

The 20-year-old Saina, who won the Indonesian Super series in June, will take on Mew Choo Wong of Malaysia in a Group A match tomorrow and national coach Pullela Gopichand is expecting the Hyderabadi to reach at least the semifinals.

"She has a very bright chance of reaching the semifinals at least. I mean looking at the draw, I will expect that from her. she didn't have a good outing in the last tournament but that is because she didn't have enough time to practice," Gopichand said.

"But we had a good week-long training and she looked in good touch. I hope she does well," he added.

The pair of Jwala and Diju, who won the Grand Prix Gold in Chinese Taipei, will also carry India's hopes when they take on the English duo of Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg on Wednesday.

"Actually we prepared well for the world super series final. We could not play well in China Open because Jwala was not well and so we had to give a walk over. But now she is fine and we hope we can do better here," Diju said.

Indian Latest News

N-plant radiation leak in Karnataka leaves 45 staffers sick

BANGALORE/KARWAR: In a nuclear accident that is bound to raise key safety concerns ahead of India’s ambitious atomic expansion programme, about 45 employees of the Kaiga atomic power plant suffered radiation poisoning when radioactive heavy water from the plant contaminated the drinking water. Kaiga is one of India’s newer nuclear reactors.

There was no official word from the usually secretive nuclear establishment. Sources said the employees were in hospital because they experienced a mildly higher level of radiation than permissible on Friday after drinking from a water cooler near an open area in one of the reactors.

Though a tiny amount of radiation is normal, scientists said the contamination was unusual because the affected employees do not go into the actual reactor area but work around it. ‘‘With no exposure to the reactor directly, it was surprising to see them with mildly higher level of radiation,’’ was the only comment Kaiga station director A M Gupta had to offer.

Heavy water molecules have two atoms of deutrium instead of the hydrogen in drinkable water H2O. It can cause fatally high levels of toxicity in humans.

The Nuclear Power Corporation, which runs Kaiga, did not respond to media queries over the nuclear accident. According to the deputy commissioner of Uttara Kannada N S Channappa Gowda, there were no casualties or injuries reported.

‘‘Investigation is on and we’ll probe how the (heavy) water got into the drinking water. For now, we have isolated the cooler and drinking water. Simultaneously, water testing is on,’’ said an NPC official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The contamination was detected when some of the affected employees felt a change in the pattern of urination.

They were rushed to the doctor and all of them were tested and found normal. The employees even got back to work.

However, tests confirmed radioactivity in the urine samples. Sources said some amount of used heavy water, used as a moderator in reactors that use natural uranium as fuel, had got into the cooler containing drinking water and contaminated it. This heavy water caused the higher radiation. NPC has not released the names of those hospitalised at NPC’s medical establishment at Malapur.

No harm to public from Kaiga N-plant leak: Official

BANGALORE: Contamination of drinking water by radiation at the state-run Kaiga atomic power plant in northwest Karnataka has been contained to avert harm to the public, health and environment, a senior official said Sunday.

"The water cooler, which was contaminated by a radioactive element (Tritium) was isolated and put out of use Nov 25. The incidence has, however, not affected public, safety, health and environment," plant director J P Gupta told IANS from Kaiga, about 500 km from here.

Admitting that the radioactive isotope of hydrogen (Tritium) had contaminated the isolated water cooler, Gupta said a thorough survey of the plant areas did not indicate any heavy water leak from the reactor systems.

The 220MW first unit-1 was shutdown Oct 20 for biennial maintenance works, while the second and third units of same capacity (220MW) are operating normally.

"Some of the radiation workers were found affected by the contaminated water in the cooler during their routine bioassay.

"As a precautionary measure, the affected people were checked and advised to consult doctors before resuming their duties," Gupta said.

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), which operates the Kaiga unit, is investigating the incident to ascertain how the water cooler got contaminated by Tritium.

Meanwhile, Karnataka education minister V H Kageri, who is the district in-charge of Uttara Kannada where Kaiga is located, allayed fears of radiation leak affecting the people and the surrounding areas.

"There have been no reports of anyone being affected by the radiation incident. It is an isolated case in the unit and precautionary measures have been taken to prevent any harm to the people or nearby areas," Kageri said.

50 CAT centres closed today after system failures disrupt exam

NEW DELHI: The computer-based Common Admission Test (CAT) in around 50 centres across the country was on Sunday rescheduled to allow necessary repairs to be completed at the labs where technical glitches disrupted the exams on the first day, PTI reported.

Prometric, the American firm which has been entrusted with the task of conducting the tests, said, while a significant majority of the candidates successfully completed their exams on Saturday, various technical issues arose at selected computers in approximately 50 labs that prevented approximately 2,000 exams from being delivered.

"Prometric technicians have been dispatched to address these isolated problems. To avoid candidate inconvenience and to allow for the necessary repairs to be completed at the impacted labs, Prometric has scheduled a closure of these labs today," an announcement on the CAT-IIM official website said.

"Candidates affected by this closure will also be notified by Prometric in the manner described above and provided with new appointments within this year's testing period," the announcement said.

It said Prometric has generated new appointments for individuals who could not take the test yesterday and they are in the process of being contacted through SMS and email messages.

The first-ever experiment of the IIMs to conduct its CAT using computers ran into trouble yesterday in many centres across the country.

Soon after the exam started, students faced problems in opening the computers at 11 centres in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Bhopal.

Among the centres that will be closed today, 11 are in Bangalore, followed by Bhopal (8), Lucknow (6), Mumbai (6), New Delhi (5), Ghaziabad (4), Varanasi (2), Hyderabad (2), Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Kolkata and Coimbatore (1 each).

Anxiety swept scores of examination centres for the Common Admission Test for India’s top business and management schools on Saturday as the exam’s first online version blocked access to candidates. Candidates reported system glitches.

From Bangalore to Delhi, there was massive confusion as students were either refused entry or simply forced to walk out because the system appeared to have collapsed and would not open up for them to answer the questions. ‘‘I was here on time but they are not allowing me to write the test. There is no one here to redress my grievance.

“I do not know what to do,” said Sakthian who was appearing for CAT for the first time. CAT is also meant for entry to the seven IIMs.

In several New Delhi centres, the first session, which was scheduled to start at 10 am, was delayed by roughly half-an-hour. When students tried to log in, computers took ages to boot up and, in many cases, rejected the password. The scene was not very different in the evening session.

‘‘When the system refused to accept the password I thought my world was crashing. I kept on trying for a long time and worse still, the Prometric people there asked me to contact the call centre,’’ said Shashank Shekhar, a candidate at Asia-Pacific Institute of Management in Sarita Vihar.

A statement from Prometric on Saturday claimed that the exam was successfully conducted at most places and the delays were meant to help more students take the test.

In Chennai, students from as far as Madurai, Tiruchi and Puducherry checked into the examination hall two hours before the exam was scheduled to start, as requested by the organizers, only to leave the hall around 11am without taking the test. Technical problems stalled the exam for more than 120 students in Pune.

‘‘To accommodate the maximum number of candidates, Prometric and IIMs delayed the start of the morning session by about half an hour. As a result of isolated technical issues some candidates are being rescheduled and provided a new appointment via email and SMS,’’ said Soumitra Roy, Managing Director, India, Prometric. However, for many like Abhinava Uttam, a 3rd year student in Bangalore, it would mean a year’s set back since he has his semester exams commencing from December 1. ‘‘This means, I will have to appear only next year,” he said.

Complaints of log in, booting and system crashing mid-way came from across centres and according to coaching centres. And there are unique complaints as well such as unavailability of images that are supposed to come with the questions.

Students walked out, some furious others dejected, as the test administrators in the college told them that they would not be able to take the test that day. G Saravanan, a BCom student of Chennai’s Acharya Institute of Arts and Science, who had travelled from Puducherry with five of his friends said, “We started at 4am to get to the centre on time and this is what we got. Why wasn’t a backup prepared?’’

TRS chief arrested ahead of 'fast unto death' for separate statehood for Telangana

HYDERABAD: Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) president K. Chandrasekhara Rao was arrested on Sunday in Andhra Pradesh's Karimnagar district when he was heading to Medak district to launch a 'fast unto death' to demand separate statehood for Telangana region, police said. ( Watch Video )

Chandrasekhara Rao was first taken to Warangal. But in view of the tense situation, he was later taken to Khammam district, a police official said.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, was going to Siddipet town in Medak, about 100 km from here, when he was taken into custody by the police on the outskirts of Karimnagar town amid high drama.

The Mahabubnagar MP had vowed a fight to the finish by sitting on a fast unto death from 11am near the Martyrs Memorial at Siddipet.

TRS ideologue Jayashankar, TRS floor leader in assembly E Rajender and party legislator and KCR's son Tarakarama Rao were also arrested.

Police personnel, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF), used force to disperse and arrest dozens of KCR's supporters who had squatted on the road to prevent his arrest. Two workers also doused themselves with petrol in an attempt to immolate themselves.

Police held hundreds of party leaders and workers in different districts of Telangana when they were heading towards Siddipet.

Tension prevailed in Karimnagar, Warangal, Medak and other districts of Telangana as TRS workers took to the streets, damaging buses to protest KCR's arrest.

Fearing more violence, police have sounded an alert in Telangana region, comprising 10 districts including Hyderabad. Personnel of the elite anti-Maoist force, Greyhounds, have also been deployed to deal with the situation.

In Siddipet, TRS legislator Harish Rao and other leaders launched a fast unto death after hearing about the arrest of the party chief.

"The arrest of KCR will not stop the movement. He will continue his fast even in jail and we will continue our fast here," Harish Rao told reporters.

TRS, which was floated by KCR in 2000 to revive the movement for separate statehood to Telangana, has given a call for the shutdown in the region on Monday.

In Hyderabad, KCR supporters damaged the statue of former chief minister Kasu Brahmanand Reddy, who is blamed by Telangana protagonists for suppressing the violent Telangana movement in 1969.

Tension also prevailed in Osmania University here on Saturday night as students supporting the demand for separate Telangana tried to take out a rally. Police used force to arrest several students.

India-Canada clinch civil nuclear deal

Port of Spain: India and Canada have reached a landmark agreement on civil nuclear cooperation after months of hectic negotiations, paving the way for supply of Canadian atomic technology, equipment and uranium to New Delhi after a gap of 34 years.

The negotiations on the nuclear deal were concluded at a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper here on the margins of Commonwealth Summit, with the two leaders describing the development as a "milestone" opening up "tremendous opportunity" for their countries.

"The civil nuclear agreement is a very important step forward, a milestone for the development of our relationship," Singh said.

Canada, which is the world's largest producer of uranium, has become the eighth country with which India has reached a civil nuclear agreement since the NSG lifted a 34-year-old ban on New Delhi to join global nuclear trade in September last year.

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The other countries with which India has already signed the civil nuclear deal are the US, France, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Argentina and Namibia.

"We have now got an agreement which means this is a tremendous opportunity for both countries," Harper said after the negotiations were firmed up.

The Canadian Prime Minister was in New Delhi on November 17 when the two countries had announced that they were working to complete the civil nuclear deal.

Pointing out that the civil nuclear agreement with Canada was hanging fire for sometime, Singh said Harper "proved to be absolutely true to his words" as he had said the negotiations should be completed in a short period of eight to ten days.

Indian Business News

Dubai crisis not a threat: PMEAC

New Delhi: The Prime Minister's economic panel does not expect the Dubai debt crisis to trigger another meltdown in the world and has retained its forecast of Indian economic growth rate to 6.5 per cent for the current fiscal.

"I don't expect really a slip back as far as the economic recovery is concerned. Most countries in the West have shown positive growth in the third quarter of 2009 and this trend will continue. But as we all know recovery is going to be slow and modest," Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) Chairman C Rangarajan said.

Rangarajan said probably the West Asian countries would come to the rescue of Dubai, which may not plunge the world into another financial meltdown.

Dubai's $80 billion debt woes have sent shock waves around the world, showing how fragile the economic recovery is.

Asked whether the crisis in Dubai would lead his council to revise its forecast for India's economic growth this fiscal, he said, "I do not think so, because Indian economy is driven primarily by the domestic demand."

The council pegged Indian economy to grow by 6.5 per cent this fiscal against 6.7 per cent a year ago.

Rangarajan attributed the expected slow down to adverse weather conditions. "Otherwise, growth rate could have been around seven per cent," he said.

Last year, the economy slowed down from nine per cent growth rate in the preceding three years.

The Dubai government has promised to pump in resources to ensure long-term success of Dubai World, whose 59 billion dollar debt pile-ups led to the fear of the crisis.

Key WTO ministerial begins on Monday

Geneva:The Doha trade talks are likely to dominate the three-day WTO conference of 153 trade ministers beginning here tomorrow, though hardcore negotiations are not part of the official agenda.

"This 7th Ministerial Conference will not be a negotiating session but the issues that will be taken up including the Doha Round and how best to advance it comprise all of the elements that are central to our mission," World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General Pascal Lamy said in his letter to the global media.

The ministers of all WTO member nations, who will be meeting for the first time since the breakout of the global economic crisis in September 2008, will review the recovery and also scrutinies the working of the multilateral trade referee.

The Indian delegation is led by Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, who is accompanied by senior officials of his ministry. Representatives of the Indian industry, including FICCI, are also here to assist the government in pushing for a deal for opening the world trade.

Sharma, who had said early conclusion of the Doha negotiations were in the interest of the developing countries, would have a series of bilateral meetings with his counterpart from rich and the emerging economies.

Among others, he would be meeting US Trade Representative Ron Kirk and EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton.

Indian Sports News

Bolt to particiapate in Commonwealth Games: Kalmadi

Port of Spain: Triple Olympic gold medalist sprinter Usain Bolt will take part in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi said here.

Addressing a Sports Breakfast on the sidelines of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) here, Kalmadi said Bolt will be the start attraction in the October 3-14 muliti-sport event being hosted by India for the first time.

Kalmadi said the preparations for the Games are on track and the the process to hand over stadia will start in January and everything will be in place by May, five months ahead of the multi-sport event. He also reaffirmed the commitment to hold the best ever Commonwealth Games that will have focus on environment.

"These will be the first ever green Games ... become the benchmark for all multi-disciplinary games in future. These will be the best ever Games," said Kalmadi who outlined the preparations along with Sports Secretary Sindushree Khullar.

The first stadium to be handed over to the Organising Committee will be Dhyan Chand Stadium, which will host hockey competitions.

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games on October 3 and October 14 respectively, besides the track and field events will be handed over by May.

With regard to traffic problems, Khullar said elaborate and meticulous plans are being worked out by the Delhi Traffic Police and athletes will be ferried in a dedicated lane. Also, the Delhi government will declare a holiday on October 14, for the closing ceremony, to reduce traffic on roads, said Khullar, who gave a detailed presentation outlining the progress made on various aspects of the Games.

Woods escapes with minor injuries after car crash

Washington:Tiger Woods had a narrow escape on Saturday when his car smashed outside his Florida mansion with the superstar golfer sustaining minor injuries before being released from a city hospital.

The 33-year-old golfer, one of the world's richest sportsperson with an estimated earning of over USD 1 billion, suffered cuts and bruises to his face and nose and was treated in the North Central Hospital in Ococee before being released in good health condition.

"Tiger Woods was in a minor car accident outside his home last night. He was admitted, treated and released today in good condition," the hospital in Florida said in a statement.

The statement which was also posted on the golf star's official website added : "We appreciate very much everyone's thoughts and well wishes."

Wood crashed into a fire hydrant and then hit a nearby tree after leaving his property in the Isleworth community near Windermere, a suburb of Orlando, according to Florida Highway Patrol.

Hearing the collision from inside the house, his wife, Elin, rushed out and had to use a golf club to break the back window of their SUV to rescue him.

Woods was found outside his vehicle in a semi-conscious state when police arrived on the scene. Woods reportedly had facial injuries as he was bleeding from the nose and cuts to both lips.