Indian Latest News

IOC fire: Flames die down in 5 of 11 tanks, toll 9

Jaipur: Two days after a massive fire broke out at the IOC fuel depot near Jaipur, the flames died down in five of the 11 storage tanks even as three more bodies were recovered from the site on Saturday, taking the toll to nine.

Chief Fire Officer Ishwarlal Jat said that the flames in four tanks died in the wee hours and in the fifth one this afternoon.

The fires in the remaining six tanks -- three each of diesel and petrol -- and the thick black smoke emanating from them would probably die down tomorrow as the fuel quantity was constantly declining, he said.

Police said the three bodies recovered from the site in Sitapura Industrial area this morning have been identified as that of IOC employees Harish Gangal, S K Saroh and Pramod Kumar, SHO Sanganer Sadar police station Subodh Sharma said.

Meanwhile, the sudden sound of a siren in the industrial area this forenoon created a flutter and panic as residents came out of their houses and security personnel of the IOC and policemen rushed to nearby stations, the police said.

Later it was detected that the sound came from a IOC-gas pipeline station due to the low pressure created, they said, adding there was no untoward incident.

Don't politicise my Arunachal visit, Dalai tells China

TOKYO: Ahead of his proposed visit to Arunachal Pradesh, the Dalai Lama today hit out at China for opposing his trip to the state saying it was"politicising too much" the issue as he was going there solely for teaching.

The Tibetan spiritual leader said he was surprised and saddened by China's criticism of his visit to Tawang monastery in Arunachal Pradesh.

"I was surprised at China's criticism. If my visit creates problem, I am very sad, that's all," the Tibetan leader, on a visit here told journalists, implying that he intends to go ahead with his visit on November 8.

"The Chinese government politicises too much wherever I go. Where I go is not political," the 74-year old Nobel Peace Prize winner said.

Contending that he was travelling to Arunachal in connection with teaching his beliefs, the Dalai Lama said Tawang held great memories for him as this was his first stop 50 years ago when he was forced to flee Tibet, Kyodo said.

India and China were recently engaged in a verbal spat over Dalai Lama's proposed visit to Arunachal over which China lays claim.

China objected to his visit, but India rejected the objection, saying the Tibetan leader was free to travel anywhere in India.

New Delhi, however, has made it clear that the Dalai Lama is not supposed to indulge in political activities or discuss India-China boundary question.

Train youths to fight terrorists: J&K 'braveheart' Rukhsana

RAJOURI (J&K): A day after militants carried out a revenge attack on her house, Rukhsana Kausar, who became a household name after she slayed a LeT ultra recently, today said youths should be imparted training in fighting terror.

"These militants are very powerful... I feel young boys and girls should be imparted proper training so that they can drive militants away," she said.

"The training will enable the youth to handle firearms if need arises," Rukhsana said.

"Yesterday, they (militants) tried to attack my house. They want to burn my house," the 21-year-old girl said voicing concern about the safety of her family.

Trying to exact revenge, militants last night hurled two grenades at Rukhsana's house in Rajouri, but none was hurt.

Militants also fired at her house at Bhatti, a remote hamlet in Shadra-Sharief belt, at around 1045 hours.

Neither Rukhsana nor any member of her family was present at the house at the time of twin strikes.

The vengeance attack came over a month after she along with her brother Aijaz, aged 18, overpowered the LeT militants who had barged into their house, snatched an AK 47 from one of them and fired at him killing him instantly.

The remarkable courage of Rukhsana, who had never picked up a gun before the September 27 incident, came in for praise from President Pratibha Patil and Home Minister P Chidambaram during their visits to Jammu and Kashmir.

No change in my leadership: Yeddyurappa

Bangalore/New Delhi: Putting up a brave face amid stepped up dissident activities against him, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa asserted that he will not be removed from the post.

"There is no dissidence in BJP. The only demand is that Assembly speaker Jagadish Shettar should be given some suitable position. He would be made a minister," he said after performing special pooja for Lord Subramanya.

Yeddyurappa claimed there would be no change in his leadership which has been amply made clear by party leader Arun Jaitley, who was rushed here for patch-up efforts but failed to broker a truce between the warring factions.

"Jaitley himself has praised my leadership and my Government's working," he said even as both the camps were engaged in the numbers game.

Legislators loyal to Yeddyruappa joined the "number game race" claiming that their camp enjoyed the support of 85 members while rebels asserted they have 80 MLAs 80 on their side. The BJP legislature party has 117 members.

"Some of the MLAs whose support the rebels are claiming are actually with Yeddyurappa," Labour Minister B N Bacchegowda told reporters after releasing a list of 85 MLAs including Yeddyurappa to counter the dissidents' claim that their numbers were swelling.

However, sources in the dissident camp, which is trying to project Shettar as an alternative to Yeddyurappa, claimed the numbers have shot up to 80 from 67. More than 60 MLAs have been shifted to Hyderabad and Goa by rebel leader and Tourism Minister Janardhana Reddy, sources said.

Indian Business News

Sensex dips below the 16K level

The 30-share benchmark Sensex plunged 10 per cent in two weeks to fall below the psychological level of 16,000 points even as the market showed signs of a further slide ahead on growing concerns of a likely interest rate hike after the RBI raised inflation projection.

Heavy losses after the market touched more than its 17-month high of 17,493.17 on Diwali `muhurat' trading on October 17 is seen by analysts as a healthy correction to the overbought market.

In the week to October 31, the Bombay Stock Exchange tumbled by 914.53 points or 5.44 per cent to end the week at an eight-week low of 15,896.28 from its last week's close, while it recorded a 10 per cent fall or that of 1,596 points from the `muhurat' trading high.

The broader 50-share Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also dropped by 285.

ATF fuel prices hiked by Rs 3,400

NEW DELHI: State-owned oil firms today hiked jet fuel prices by nine per cent to over Rs 39,000 per kilolitre following a spurt in international oil rates.

Aviation Turbine Fuel prices will be increased by an average of Rs 3,400 per kilolitre effective midnight tonight, an official of the Indian Oil Corp (IOC), the nation's largest oil firm, said.

IOC, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum had for three consecutive fortnights reduced ATF rates mostly because international oil prices had eased and rupee strengthened against US dollar.

In three cuts, jet fuel prices in Delhi came down to Rs 36,188.27 per kl from Rs 39,188 at the beginning of September.

The hike announced today would negate all the cuts and ATF prices would be back to their September levels.

The official said the new rates at the four metros were being worked out and will be announced later.

The three oil firms revise jet fuel prices on the first and the 16th day of every month based on the average global oil price in the previous fortnight.

Indian Sports News|Sports News

India restrict Australia to 229 for five

New Delhi: India contained Australia to 229 for five in the third cricket one-dayer despite Michael Hussey's rollicking unbeaten 81 and Ricky Ponting's fighting half century on a tricky pitch here on Saturday.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, The Aussies found, the runs difficult to come by on a slow Feroze Shah Kotla track.

Michael Hussey and Ricky Ponting (59) relied on their experience to score the bulk of the runs for the visitors, who have now left India to score at an asking rate of 4.40 runs per over to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

While Shane Watson (41) also chipped in with a useful contribution, none of the other Australian batsmen could hang around for long on a pitch which was not conducive for strokeplay.

Ponting, opening the innings for only the second time in his career, and Shane Watson provided a solid start to the innings with both the batsmen playing cautiously on the slow track.

Watson, however, began on an aggressive note by square cutting paceman Praveen Kumar to the point boundary in the last ball of the opening over of the day.

Both Ponting and Watson curbed their natural strokeplay and took their time to adjust to the bounce of the pitch, which had produced a number of low-scoring matches during the recent Champions League.

Praveen Kumar and Ashish Nehra bowled a tidy opening spell but never looked menacing as the two Australian batsmen negotiated them with ease, prompting Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to introduce spinner Ravindra Jadeja as early as in the 11th over.

India thrash Thailand 15-0, one win away from semis

BANGKOK: Rani Ramphal led the charge with six goals as Indian eves inched closer to the semi-final by thrashing hosts Thailand 15-0 at the Women's Asia Cup hockey tournament at the Queen Sikrit Sports Centre on Saturday.

With six points from two matches, India is now a win away from cementing their place in the knock-out stage and they have to beat either Malaysia or China in the next group outings.

India earlier steamrolled novice Singapore 13-0 in their campaign-opener on Thursday.

Ramphal won the hearts of sparse but appreciating crowd present at the ground with dazzling display and deft stick-works. After finding the back of the net twice in first half, Ramphal sounded the board four times more in the second session of the match.

Veterans Mamta Kharab and Saba Anjum accounted for three goals each, while captain Surinder Kaur, Ritu Rani and Monika Bardan also joined the party with one goal each.

Ritu first sounded the board as India surged ahead in the 11th minute, followed by another by Mamta in the first half.

Ramphal then ravaged the porous Thailand defence-line to bring her overall tally in the tournament to eight, three adrift of Korea's Seul Ki Cheon.

Although a rustic India struggled midway through in the first half, Mamta showed her class with a deft drive off their fourth penalty corner to break the deadlock.

India was leading 6-0 during the break. Mamta scored a brace early in the second half also to swell the lead, which opened the floodgate for India.

India's chief coach MK Kaushik introduced fresh legs in the second half and gave chance to the young players like S Sunila Kiro, Mukta Barla, Vartika and Moika Bardan.

"Fielding youngsters is worth doing. We would have liked to score 20 goals and thus put the Chinese under pressure. But over all, I am happy with the performance," Kaushik said after the match.

India, after two days rest, will play China on Tuesday and Malaysia the next day. But Surinder's team is expected to sail through with Malaysia standing 10 rungs below in world ranking to India's 14th.

Meanwhile, defending champion Japan crushed Sri Lanka 20-0, while Korea defeated Hong Kong 10-0.

China opened their campaign in the tournament with a 13-0 facile victory over Singapore.

Saina, Jwala-Diju lose in French Super Series quarters

NEW DELHI: Indian challenge ended in the French Super Series badminton tournament after Saina Nehwal and the mixed doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju crashed out with respective quarter-final defeats in Paris.

Eighth seed Saina squandered a first-game lead to go down to top seed Chinese Wang Lin 21-15, 11-21, 15-21 in a 49-minute hard fought battle in women's singles on Friday.

The sixth seeded Indian pair of Jwala and Diju also played their heart out before going down to the Indonesian combo of Nova Widianto and Liliyana Natsir 21-6, 20-22, 10-21 in 42 minutes.

Saina played better at the nets but she couldn't negotiate the powerful smashes of her opponent, who scored 14 points compared to the Indian's nine.

In the first game, Saina opened a 5-0 lead and pushed Lin to the back foot who was left to do the catch up act till the end.

However, the Chinese bounced back in the second game and first opened a 3-0 lead and then widened it from 3-2 to 10-2 before pocketing the game.

In the decider, the Hyderabadi failed to raise her game and after being tied 2-2, Lin moved ahead as Saina's game crumbled.

Latest News India

India receives Commonwealth Games baton from the Queen

LONDON: Hit by organizational delays and controversies, the formal countdown to the 2010 Commonwealth Games began on Thursday with the launch of Commonwealth Games Queen's baton relay, which saw India's President Pratibha Patil making history by becoming the first Head of a State to attend such a ceremony.

The brief ceremony, held at the majestic Buckingham Palace showcased India's rich tradition through a cultural show before Queen Elizabeth II handed over the glittering baton to Patil amidst thunderous applause.

The Queen placed her message into the baton after receiving it from Commonwealth Games Federation Michael Fennell as a host of dignitaries watched the proceedings beamed live in India.

President Patil passed on the baton to Sports Minister of India MS Gill, who handed it over to Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi.

From Kalmadi baton reached the hands of first baton-bearer Abhinav Bindra, India's only Olympic Gold medallist.

With Indian music playing in the background air rifle shooter Bindra began the relay-run and handed over the baton to legendary middle-distance runner Lord Sebastian Coe, waiting just outside the gates of the Palace.

Coe is also Chairman of the Organising Committee of the 2012 London Olympics.

The baton passed through the hands of legendary cricketer Kapil Dev, the most successful female tennis player Sania Mirza, flying sikh Milkha Singh, Olympic bronze medal winners -- boxer Vijender Singh and wrestler Sushil Kumar -- and England's first Sikh cricketer Monty Panesar among other Indian sports personalities.

The Queen's Baton for the 2010 Commonwealth Games is a delicate mix of aesthetics and technology with an in-built location tracking system and a camera capable of sending images to the Games website.

After travelling to different member countries of the Commonwealth, the Baton will enter India through Wagah Border along Pakistan, 100 days before the start of the Games.

It will then be taken to all state capitals of the country before reaching the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi for the opening ceremony of the Games on October 3, 2010.

Earlier, dance, dresses and drums from different parts of India virtually turned the majestic Victoria Memorial into a mini-India at the start of relay.

A bunch of British students joined the celebrations chanting the Sanskrit verses from ancient Rig Veda.

As the sanskrit prayers speaking of unity and humanity of these students from St James school reverberated in the forecourt of the Buckingham Palace, the crowd joined in with encouraging cheers and claps for their effort.

The students provided perfect icing on the function by performing Indian classical dance forms Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi and folk dances like Bhangra and Dandia in front of Queen Elizabeth II and President Pratibha Patil.

Rajdhani hijack: Maoists, PCPA not named in FIR

NEW DELHI: In what is being seen as a move to shield the Maoists, there is no mention of the Maoists or even the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA)in the FIR that was lodged against the hijackers of the Rajdhani Express by the Railway authorities, in the Rajdhani hostage case.

Questions are now being raised over why Mamata Banerjee's railways ministry has not mentioned the PCPA or the Maoists' in the FIR.

This new information comes to light despite the Maoists and the PCPA claiming responsibility for the hijack of the Rajdhani.

The FIR was lodged with the Jhargram GRP.

According to "normal procedure" the railways on Thurday filed an FIR against "unknown persons" for holding up the train, "heckling passengers" and preventing staff from "discharging their duties for a long time".

Although some known faces of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities, including Santosh Patra, were among the crowd, a railway official was quoted by sources saying "Who will identify them? We do not know any of them?"

Maoists have no link with Trinamool, other parties: Ksihenji

The CPI (Maoist) on Thursday rubbished charges levelled by the CPM that Trinamool Congress was patronising Maoists, saying the Left party was trying to keep itself afloat by making such allegations.

"There is no need for us to have the CPM or the Trinamool Congress as allies," Maoist leader Kishenji said on CPM's allegations that the outfit was protected by TC.

"It is not only Sitaram Yechury, but all top CPM leaders have lost touch with the people and are trying to create a sensation," Kishneji said.

On the CPM's contention that Trinamool leader and Union minister of state Sisir Adhikari had prior knowledge of the attack on the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express on October 27 in West Midnapore district, Kishenji claimed that even he was not aware of it.

"I don't know who had prior information about the Rajdhani Express blockade. Even I didn't have any information about it. The tribals blocked the train during a bandh called by them. This is normal," he said.

"When all parties have the democratic right to protest and call bandhs, why not tribals?" he asked.

Rajdhani hostage saga: Motive still a mystery

KOLKATA: The Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express taken hostage by armed tribals at Banstala Halt Station near Jhargram on Tuesday was no mere blockade. It was rather a pre-planned move by Maoists using the People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA) at the front. The move has laid bare that PCPA’s links with Maoists, which is why Maoist squads took position amid the neighbouring Panisole forests to protect the agitators on the railway tracks.

Villagers smelt a rat when an elephant herd came out of the forests some days ago and entered the Jhargram town. The local belief is that these huge mammals can’t stay inside the forests in the event of any movement of alien creatures.

They could be right given the date and timing of the siege. Maoist leader Kishanji had scripted the strike in a bid to demoralise the security forces who were conducting raids in the villages of West Midnapore, soon after they had to give a safe passage to Kishanji and his armed squad during the release of Sankrail police officer Atindranath Datta held hostage by Maoists. Mark the timing.

The “blockade” was planned on a day when a sizeable section of the district police had fanned out along the 7km stretch from Panskura in East Midnapore to Chowringhee, the gateway to Midnapore town, to oversee the route by which chief secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti, director general of police Bhupinder Singh, and five other senior IAS officers were coming to Midnapore from Kolkata. A huge police force was also deployed to escort the convoy from Chowringhee to Midnapore town.

PCPA supporters gathered at the railway tracks minutes before the Rajdhani Express was about to arrive. Strangely, no one in the district administration had an inkling of this impromptu blockade. And more the high-profile train chugged in without any RPF inside compartments. The Maoist script was perfect till then. They got the mileage they wanted.

Confusion began after the agitators were at bay over their future course. PCPA leader Santosh Patra went on air making incoherent claims. On one occasion, he said that agitators would release the train by the next day, and then made amends to the release plan saying they would release the driver by 5pm, and finally claimed that no one was taken hostage. Later, Patra said that they wanted railway minister Mamata Banerjee to come to the spot.

Pak charges on Taliban funding far-fetched and false: PM

Srinagar:Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday strongly rejected Pakistan’s charge that India was funding Taliban, saying it was “far-fetched and far from truth” and those levelling such allegations “know it jolly well”.

Singh described as “totally false” the allegation made by Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik that India was fomenting unrest within that country through steps such as funding Taliban based along the border with Afghanistan.

“I think nothing can be far-fetched, far from truth. We are the victims of terrorism, aided and abetted from Pakistani side.

“Therefore, my simple answer that both the references to Balochistan and what has been said with regard to India funding Taliban are totally false,” he said during a press conference after his two-day visit to Kashmir.

PM said that what was alleged about India’s role in Balochistan has no basis and those who are levelling false charges “know it jolly well”.

“The same applies to the latest statement of an important minister (Malik) accusing India of financing Taliban,” the Prime Minister said.

Indian Business News

Washington: The US economy grew in the third quarter for the first time in a year, beating market expectations, as consumer spending and new home-building rebounded, signaling the end of the worst recession in 70 years.

The Commerce Department, in its first estimate of third-quarter gross domestic product on Thursday, said the economy grew at a 3.5 per cent annual rate, the fastest pace since the third quarter of 2007, after contracting 0.7 per cent in the April-June period.

The growth pace in GDP, which measures total goods and services output within US borders, was above market expectations for a 3.3 per cent rate. The economy last grew in the second quarter of 2008.

"Better than expected GDP is confirming that the Great Recession has ended," said Kevin Flanagan, fixed-income strategist for Global Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley in Purchase, New York.

"The question going forward is, is this more of a statistical recovery or are we going to get some meaningful momentum on a sustained basis."

US stock index futures prices rose after the economic data. The dollar rose against the yen, and US government debt prices extended their decline on the better-than-expected reports.

Recessions in the United States are dated by the National Bureau of Economic Research and the private-sector group often takes months to make determinations. The economy slipped into recession at the end of 2007 and has been in the worst downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

The third-quarter recovery was generally broad-based, with solid gains in consumer spending, exports and home construction.

Air India to pay salaries by Oct 31

Mumbai/New Delhi:With an impending stir threat by its pilots, Air India is likely to pay the September salaries of its employees in two days and incentives and allowances by November 10, airline sources said on Thursday.

Talks were held with banks and financial institutions for working capital loans to arrange the amount for payment of salaries, productivity-linked incentives (PLIs) and flying allowances to the employees including pilots, they said.

Sources also said the management of the cash-strapped airline was making all efforts to pay the dues of the employees very soon, including the salaries by October 31 and PLI and allowances by November 10.

Talks with the banks were initiated after negotiations between executive pilots and their other colleagues in Mumbai over the past few days.

As the negotiations failed to yield any result, the executive pilots as well as the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) threatened "industrial action" if the issue was not resolved soon.

Indian Sports News|Sports News

London: The formal countdown to next year's Delhi Commonwealth Games began today with the ceremonial Queen's Baton relay, which saw Queen Elizabeth II handing over the glittering baton to India's President Pratibha Patil in London.

Before the Queen placed her message to the baton and passed it on Patil to mark the beginning of a year-long relay, a cultural show in sync with India's rich tradition was organised at the majestic Buckingham Palace.

The message was engraved onto a miniature 18-carat gold leaf that is symbolic of the ancient Indian palm leaf patras. It is for the first time that the Head of a State attended the traditional ceremony and received the baton from the Queen.

Commonwealth Games Federation Michael Fennell presented the baton to the Queen.

President Patil passed on the baton to Indian Sports Minister M S Gill, who handed it over to Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi.

From Kalmadi baton reached the hands of first baton bearer Abhinav Bindra, India's only Olympic Gold medallist.

I am not finished yet, insists Lee

New Delhi: The wear and tear of the last 10 years have taken a toll on Brett Lee's body but the Australian pace spearhead has no plans of cutting down on any formats of the game to prolong his career.

Lee said the focus now is to get his place back in the Australian Test squad but he was not planning to sacrifice ODIs or Twenty20 to achieve that.

"To constantly bowl 150 kmph for 10-15 years will obviously result in injuries but I am not finished yet. I am feeling fresh and still have lot more years of cricket left. I still love the game and have passion for the game," Lee said here today.

"Any opportunity to play for your country is something special and as bowler I am certainly not complaining. I love to play all formats of the game. I love Twenty20, it is exciting but I am hungry as ever to get back in the Test team," he added.

The 33-year-old pacer said the injury sustained during the first ODI against India in Vadodara was unfortunate and he was hoping for a commendable performance in rest of the seven-match series to earn his place back in the Test side. He also ruled out suggestions that playing in the Champions League just before the bilateral series had anything to do with his injury.

"I don't think my injury has anything to do with Champions League. I wanted to play as much as possible, especially after bowling in the nets throughout the Ashes.

Indian latest News

Rajdhani hostage drama ends; all passengers, drivers safe

KOLKATA: The government on Tuesday stated that the driver of the New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express and his assistant, kidnapped by Maoists between Jhargram and Sarna stations of the South Eastern Railway this afternoon, have been released.

Home minister P Chidambaram today said the train and passengers on board were safe and that the Centre has rushed a relief train to bring back the passengers.

"The train is safe. All passengers are safe... good news is the train is safe," he told reporters.

"CRPF and state police have reached the spot and the area has been secured. There is no sign of any other adversary there," Chidambaram said.

He also refuted reports that there was an exchange of fire between security forces and suspected Maoists.

"There was firing and a civilian driver was injured but there was no injury to CRPF personnel and there was no exchange of fire," Chidambaram said.

He said the Centre has rushed a relief train to Orissa with doctors and relief supplies. The home minister said the train will bring back the passengers on the Rajdhani Express.

Chidambaram said railway minister Mamta Banerjee was monitoring the situation form her office.

Pro-Maoists group PCPA had claimed responsibility for the attack stating that the train drivers had defied the bandh call.

TV reports had also suggested that PCPA had set the conditions for releasing the Rajdhani drivers. The pro-Maoist group sought the release of their leader Chhatradhar Mahato from the police custody, in a swap deal.

The ministry has sought a report on the incident from the state government as well as the railway ministry, sources said.

Stop police firing if you want drivers' safe release: Maoists

KOLKATA: With firing having erupted in West Midnapore district today, Maoist leader Kishenji demanded security forces stop it as a condition for
the release of two abducted drivers of Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani.

"The joint forces are firing on the People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA). As per reports, at least two persons have died. We demand immediate cessation of the firing or we cannot guarantee the security of the drivers and the security of the passengers," Kishenji told PTI over phone.

The firing broke out at a place between Manikpara and Jhargram after the joint forces, comprising central security forces and the police, rushed to the spot.

The two drivers K Anantha Rao and K J Rao were abducted from the train at Banstala for which PCPA claimed responsibility.

Kishenji claimed PCPA supporters were angry at the firing and it would be difficult to control them.

"Bandh is a democratic right. Why have the security forces opened fire when PCPA has called a bandh? The government will have to stop the firing or else I cannot guarantee the security either of the passengers or drivers," Kishenji said.

"We are supporting the people who are agitating. They want Mamata Banerjee to come and listen to their problems," Kishenji said.

Patra also made the same demand. "If state government officials or the Railway Minister come, we will release the drivers. If they come today we will release them today.

"We have a 22-point demand. The joint forces are committing atrocities on us branding us as Maoists. Our leader Chhadradhar Mahato has been framed," he said.

The kidnap took place, days after the abduction of Sankrail police station officer-in-charge Atindranath Dutta on October 20 who was later released.

PCPA activists disrupted traffic movement in several parts of the district. They burnt down a lorry at Pitrapuli near Salboni, SDO Ulganathan said, adding PCPA men also torched a CPM local office at Hatipota village.

He said that the police also recovered a body, believed to be that of a Maoist activist, from Patasjangal area under Goaltore police station. He was suspected to have been killed in an armed clash with the CPM in the area recently.

The top brass of the state administration, including Chief Secretary Asok Mohan Chakraborty, Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen and police chief Bhupinder Singh are in the district headquarters to review Maoist activities.

BJP may need 'surgery' or even 'chemotherapy': RSS chief

JAIPUR: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who had asked the top BJP leadership to sort out problems in the wake of Lok Sabha debacle, today seemed to suggest that the party may need a "surgery" or even "chemotherapy" treatment, a view rejected by BJP chief Rajnath Singh.

"As far as BJP is concerned, whatever surgery, medicine, chemotherapy is essential for them, it has to be diagnosed by them (BJP)," he told a press conference here.

Bhagwat, who was in Delhi in August and had advised BJP leaders to resolve their internal squabbles, said, "If they (BJP) need any organisational help, if they ask for it, we will provide them help".

Asked if the party needed surgery, BJP chief Rajnath Singh said, "Not at all, who says that?"

On whether the morale of party workers is low, he shot back, "Our morale is high. Who is saying like this?"

However, senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said, "The doctor can only talk about treatment, we are patients."

Replying to questions, Bhagwat said RSS was not responsible for the sorry state of affairs in BJP.

On the defiance shown by former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, who resigned from the post of Leader of the Opposition nine weeks after being asked to step down, Bhagwat said it was for BJP and its leadership to find a solution.

On the issue of 'Marathi manoos', which was a key issue during the Maharashtra polls, the RSS chief said,

"Every Indian belongs to India. There are various languages and religions which have their own identity. Hindutva for us is considering them as part of one (entity) and we do not believe in things like Marathi pride."

Russia, China join hands with India to fight terror

Bangalore: In an apparent reference to Pakistan-based terror outfit Jamaat-ud Dawa, blamed for Mumbai attacks, India, Russia and China pressed for "strict observance" of sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council against persons and entities by the countries concerned.

Foreign Ministers of the three countries, who met in Bangalore under the format of Russia-India-China (RIC), viewed with concern the situation in Afghanistan-Pakistan region and vowed to forge a closer cooperation in the fight against the global menace of terrorism.

At the two-hour-long meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov joined External Affairs S M Krishna in condemning the attack on Indian Embassy in Kabul on October 8 and pressed for bringing to justice perpetrators of all such assaults.

During the meeting, the three Foreign Ministers also discussed collaborative ways of meeting other global challenges like economic recession and climate change besides stepping up cooperation trilaterally in the areas like trade, healthcare, agriculture and disaster mitigation.

A joint communique issued after the meeting said the ministers stressed the "need for strict observance of the sanctions regime against persons and entities listed by the UNSC Committee (under resolution) 1267."

This may be seen in the context of JuD, which was proscribed by the UNSC in December last year for its involvement in the Mumbai attacks but its chief Hafiz Saeed continues to be a free man.

India has been emphasising that Pakistan should implement the UNSC resolution against JuD and Saeed in letter and spirit.

Pakistan, however, insists that Saeed has no involvement in any case of terrorism.

DoT-MoD 3G spectrum row: Raja seeks Pranab's help

NEW DELHI: After announcing that 3G spectrum would be auctioned on January 14 next year, telecom minister A Raja has sought finance minister Pranab Mukherjee's help to resolve persisting differences with the Defence Ministry.

"I would like to point out that the differences between Department of Telecom (DoT) and Ministry of Defence on the 3G spectrum available for auction still persist, and hence, we have not mentioned actual frequencies of the spectrum to be auctioned in the revised information memorandum," he informed Mukherjee in a letter, the second in the last 10 days.

The DoT issued the information memorandum last week, saying auction would start on January 14 and for this to happen, the blocks of spectrum to be auctioned must be identified latest by the first week of December.

According to Raja's letter, the government would get the revenue, pegged at Rs 25,000 crore, during February next year, provided the auction is held as per schedule.

"I understand that a fast track mechanism is being put in place to sort out the differences between DoT and MoD so that 3G auction can take place in this financial year," the minister said in the letter.

The DoT, which is currently in the eye of a storm over alleged irregularities in 2G spectrum allocation, has allowed foreign entities to participate in the auction process subject to existing FDI rules and guidelines.

Indian Business News

Sensex tumble over 387 points

Mumbai: Markets plunged by more than 380 points, its biggest single day loss in over two months, on frantic selling sparked by the Reserve Bank's quarterly monetary policy review.

The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex opened lower by more than 150 points. It came under hectic selling pressure after unveiling of the monetary policy, which asked banks to park more money in government securities and raised projections for inflation.

The barometer finally closed the day down by 387.10 points to 16,353.40, the biggest one-day fall since August 17.

Banking stocks were battered after RBI increased the statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) by 100 basis points to 25 per cent. SBI lost 4.45 per cent to Rs 2,202.95, ICICI Bank by 6.11 per cent to Rs 836.25, HDFC Bank by 1.01 per cent to Rs 1,670.85 and Housing Development Finance by 0.38 per cent to Rs 2,756.

The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty also fell sharply by 124.20 points to 4,846.70.

While 23 Sensex stocks closed with losses, seven closed higher. However, all sectoral indices ended in the negative territory.

Bluce-chops RIL, Hindalco, Tata Steel, Infosys, DLF, ICICI Bank, Sterlite Industries, RCOM and Bharti Airtel also took a severe beating.

RBI starts exit from easy policy

Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday began the first phase of its exit from expansionary policy by ending some liquidity support measures taken when the global crisis hit Asia's third-largest economy harder than expected, but left key policy rates unchanged.

Effective immediately, it ended a special repurchase facility for banks and another for the funding needs of non-bank financial companies, mutual funds and housing finance companies.

It also ended a forex swap facility for banks, and cut an export credit refinance facility to a pre-crisis level of 15 percent from 50 percent with immediate effect.

It raised the statutory liquidity ratio of commercial banks to 25 percent from 24 percent effective Nov. 7, and said the collateralised borrowing and lending obligation liabilities of banks would be subject to cash reserve ratio requirements from Nov. 21.

"The balance of judgement at the current juncture is that it may be appropriate to sequence the exit in a calibrated way so that while the recovery process is not hampered, inflation expectations remain anchored," the RBI said in its quarterly review.

"The 'exit' process can begin with closure of some special liquidity support measures," it said.

As expected, the RBI left the repo rate at 4.75 percent and the reverse repo rate at 3.25 percent. The cash reserve ratio was held steady at 5.0 percent.

Analysts polled by Reuters expected the RBI to keep key rates unchanged in its quarterly review to push growth in Asia's third-largest economy.

The RBI cut its short-term lending rate by 4.25 percentage points in six steps between October and April. The reverse repo rate, at which the RBI absorbs surplus cash, has been cut by 2.75 percentage points in four steps since December.

Indian Sports News|Sports News

Lee, Johnson, Hopes ruled out of Nagpur ODI

Nagpur: Australia suffered a huge blow ahead of Wednesday's second one-dayer against India in Nagpur as fast bowlers Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson as well as all-rounder James Hopes were ruled out of the match due to injuries.

New South Wales all-rounder Moises Henriques will join the Australian squad as a standby player and cover for Hopes who is unlikely to be fit till the third one-dayer in Delhi.

"Our medical staff have now decided that while both Brett Lee (right elbow) and Mitchell Johnson's (left ankle) injuries have responded well to treatment, they will be severe enough to rule them out of contention for tomorrow's match," National Selection Panel Chairman Andrew Hilditch said in a Cricket Australia statement.

"With James Hopes' right hamstring injury being more serious and likely keep him out for at least the next two matches it is thought adding a standby player to the squad is a necessity.

"Given the most significant injury appears to be Hopes' hamstring we have taken this opportunity to add Moises Henriques to the squad until the completion of game four in Mohali where we will again assess the situation before it is decided if he remains with the squad," he added.

Henriques will reach Delhi tomorrow and join the Australian squad when it arrives in Delhi on Thursday.

Hilditch said the injury to the players was disappointing but for Henriques it will give an opportunity to become familiar with the Australian team environment.

"While the injury situation is disappointing it does provide an opportunity for Moises to join the Australian squad and become familiar in this environment," Hilditch said.

No space for me to bat in top 4, says Dhoni

Nagpur: Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni ruled out the possibility of batting up the order, saying there is no vacant slot for him in top four positions.

"It's a difficult choice to make. We have Viru (Virender Sehwag) and Sachin (Tendulkar) opening the innings, Gauti (Gautam Gambhir) at no. 3 and Yuvraj at no 4. The next slot available is no. 5," Dhoni said ahead of the second one-dayer against Australia in Nagpur on Wednesday.

"I float at times and bat at different slots. More often than not we have a fixed batting line when it comes to these four guys playing the game. If there are more off spinners in the attack we may shift Yuvraj to no. 5 and we have done that. But to say I have to bat every time at no. 3 or 4 is difficult for me (to do)," he said.

Earlier in the day, former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist said that he would like to see Dhoni bat up the order, which would enable him to play as many overs as possible.

Dhoni also said that death bowling continues to remain a major concern for him and would like to see his bowlers conceding lesser runs in the final overs.

"It's been a worrying thing for us for the past few months. We had not been great with out death bowling. If you see the last game, the first few overs, 42nd over onwards - it was good and in the 50th we gave away one run", he said.

Indian Latest News

Pakistan detains 11 Iranian Guards on the border

QUETTA: Pakistani forces detained 11 Iranian Revolutionary Guards on Monday for crossing into Pakistan days after an Iranian commander was reported saying his men should be allowed to confront terrorists in Pakistan.

The Guards were arrested in the Mashkhel area on the border with Iran eight days after a suicide bomber killed 42 people, including six Revolutionary Guard commanders, in Iran's southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province.

A Sunni Muslim group Jundollah (God's soldiers), claimed responsibility for the blast.

Iran says the group operates from across the border in Pakistan. On Tuesday last week, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander said his force should be given permission to confront terrorists inside Pakistan, state media reported.

"It's a serious matter. We are investigating why they crossed into our territory," said a Pakistani border security official, who declined to be identified as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

Another Pakistani security official said Iranian border officials had told them that the encroachment was accidental and happened after the Guards launched an operation against Jundollah militants near the border.

The Iranians were being detained and it was not clear when they would be released, the Pakistani officials said.

Iran says the Jundollah group has bases in Pakistan and it has urged Pakistan to hand over its leader, Abdolmalik Rigi.

Pakistan condemned the Oct. 18 bombing and denied suggestions from the Iranian president that "some security agents" in Pakistan were cooperating with the bombers.

Pakistan also denied that Rigi was in Pakistan. Relations between Iran and Pakistan have been generally good in recent years and the neighbours are cooperating on plans to build a natural gas pipeline but Iran has said last week's suicide bombing would affect relations.

Pakistan has assured Iran that it would cooperate in tracking down and punishing those behind the attack.

Iran also accuses the United States and Britain of backing Jundollah.

Stephane Dudoignon, a Western expert on Sistan-Baluchestan, told Reuters in an interview last week the rise of Jundollah coincided with an explosion in drug smuggling from which it earned much of its funding.

Jundollah, Dudoignon said, drew its religious ideology from Deobandi Islam, a traditionalist Sunni school of thought which emerged in British India in the 19th century and has since spread across Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Analysts say its use of suicide bombings suggest it is increasingly influenced by the sectarian anti-Shi'ite agenda of some militant groups in Pakistan which also follow a Deobandi tradition -- as do the Afghan Taliban.

BJP calls spectrum allocation biggest scam, criticises PM

New Delhi: Describing the 2-G Spectrum allocation controversy as the biggest scam in independent India, BJP on Monday criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for defending Telecom Minister A Raja while the investigations are still on.

"Even as the investigations are going on and the accusing finger categorically points to the Telecommunication Minister A Raja, the Prime Minister has today made a statement that the allegations against him were not correct," Leader of

Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said, terming the incident as the biggest scam in Independent India.

He also took a dig at the Prime Minister for stating that "whatever the opposition says is not always correct". The BJP leader was critical of Singh's reply to a question on Raja's contention that the Prime Minister was in the loop about the decisions taken in regard to spectrum allocation. Singh had said he would not like to join issue with his cabinet colleague in public.

"Obviously, the Prime Minister is no position to agree or disagree," Jaitley said.

The senior BJP leader alleged that "rules of the game were changed" in 2007 when applications for spectrum allocation were invited.

"When applications were invited with October 1, 2007 as the deadline, an artificial cut-off date of September 25, 2007 was created and applications received between September 25 and October 1 were summarily rejected," Jaitley claimed.

Jaitley accused Raja of working hand in glove with some real estate companies who bagged the 2-G contracts.

"All friendly applicants, mostly real estate companies, had been advised to put in their applications on or before October 25, 2007. This is not the Opposition's charge as the Prime Minister has commented. It is now a judgement of the Delhi High Court," he said.

Naga girl's murder: IIT scholar is a pervert, say police

NEW DELHI: A 34-year-old PhD scholar of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, who was arrested for the murder of a Nagaland teenager,is of "pervert and maniacal" nature and suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, Delhi Police said on Monday.

"Pushpum Sinha is suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder. And some articles showing his pervert nature and maniacal obsession have been recovered from his rented room," deputy commissioner of police (south) HGS Dhaliwal told reporters here.

Sinha, who is unmarried, was arrested late on Monday after four hours of intense questioning by police. According to the police he has confessed to strangulating his 19-year-old neighbour, Ramchanphy Hongray, in her Munirka home in south Delhi. He then burnt the girl's face to mislead the police into thinking she got killed in an accidental fire.

The police have ruled out rape.

Recounting the events, the police said that on Saturday around 4.30pm., Sinha found that the girl was alone in the house. He entered the kitchen where she was and made advances towards her. When she protested, he got scared and strangled her to death.

"He feared that the girl would report about him to others and he would face police action. He then torched her face. But because of the fire, her torso also suffered 30 percent burn injuries," Dhaliwal said.

Earlier, the police thought it was a case of accidental fire. However, the post-mortem examination revealed that she did not die of burns but had been strangulated.

Dhaliwal said the girl's sister Timila, who works in a Delhi restaurant, had during the investigations raised suspicions about her next door neighbour Sinha.

"Timila said he was trying to befriend her sister but there was never any occasion when she had made any complaint about him. On Diwali they had burnt fire crackers together, so he mistakenly thought that she was attracted to him," Dhaliwal said.

He said that Sinha, a B. Tech from Allahabad University and M.Sc (Engg.) from IISc Bangalore, was suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder - a mental disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce anxiety and repetitive behaviour aimed at reducing anxiety, or by a combination of such obsessions and behaviour compulsions.

"His dairy, laptop and writing on the walls suggest that he was a pervert and suffers from maniacal obsession," he added.

A police officer said that in his dairy Sinha has scribbled that everyone should have a girlfriend and whenever he had tried, he had failed. He also wrote that he was unable to get married yet.

His parents are retired. His father was deputy director from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and mother a doctor in a government hospital in Bihar.

India is funding Taliban fighters, claims Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Interior minister Rehman Malik has once again claimed that India is fomenting unrest within Pakistan through steps such as funding Taliban fighters based along the border with Afghanistan. ( Watch Video )

Malik said he was "convinced" India is among "certain hostile agencies" that are backing the Taliban to create instability in Pakistan.

Asked during an interview to a TV news channel as to who was backing the Taliban, he said: "There are certain hostile elements against Pakistan and there are certain hostile agencies which do not want Pakistan to be (stabilised)."

In response to a question on whether India is among the hostile agencies, Malik said, "Yes, of course, I am convinced. I have no doubt about it. I was very open. I have given the full details.

"If the interior minister of India or anyone else wants to confront me, I will be very happy to confront them because I know what I am saying," he added.

Malik had said last week that Pakistan has "solid evidence" of India's alleged involvement in fomenting unrest in Balochistan province and this can be shared with Indian ministers or representatives at any forum of their choice.

"I invite their interior minister or anyone else (to come to Pakistan) and I will put on record all the material about India's interference in Balochistan. I'll prove it to the world," he had said.

Shiv Sena's loss a defeat of the people of Maharashtra: Uddhav

MUMBAI: Accepting moral responsibility for the drubbing in the recent elections, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray said on Monday that the party would function as "a responsible opposition" in the assembly.

Breaking his silence for first time since the election results five days ago, Thackeray said senior leader Subhash Desai would lead the 44-strong Shiv Sena Legislature Party.

"I accept moral responsibility," Thackeray told reporters at a press conference.

Promising to function as "a responsible opposition party", he said the party would strive for justice for all and, if required, also raise the issue of Hindutva.

Claiming that the party had raised valid issues in the Oct 13 assembly elections, he said the Shiv Sena's debacle was "a defeat of the people of the state".

He also admitted that the tally of 44 seats - with a total 90 to the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party combine in the 288-member assembly - was "way below expectations".

"We have always fought for the interests of the Maharashtrians and shall continue to do so always. Nobody can separate the Marathis of the state from the Sena and Bal Thackeray," he declared.

He also took a dig at his estranged cousin, Raj Thackeray, chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) that bagged 13 seats.

"What is the contribution of those who have won 13 seats," Thackeray asked sarcastically, without taking any names.

"We are not upset by the defeat," he said, adding that nobody should raise any "doubts over my leadership capabilities".

To a query, Thackeray said the party's main challenger in the state was the Congress. "We have no differences with our ally, BJP," he added.

He endorsed the scathing editorials penned by father Bal Thackeray in the party mouthpiece Saamna after the election results.

In the editorials, Thackeray senior first blamed the people for pushing the state into "hell" and later Maharashtrians for "betraying the party and stabbing it in the back".

Indian Business News

Inflationary pressures to escalate: RBI

Mumbai: The Reserve Bank indicated that it would continue with its accommodative policy stance as managing growth and inflation poses a big challenge for the central bank.

"Managing trade-off between supporting growth and reining in inflation expectations is a complex policy challenge," RBI said in its macro economic and monetary development report a day before the release of second quarter review of the monetary policy.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday talking to reporters in Thailand said global economy has not recovered fully and hence the time was not right for withdrawing stimulus packages provided to the industry to combat the impact of meltdown.

"Emerging inflationary pressures may also persist and escalate further on account of the fading away of the base effect, cost push pressures," the central bank said while pointing out that its professional forecasters have lowered the economic growth rate projection for the current fiscal to 6 per cent from 6.5 per cent.

The apex bank had earlier forecast 6 per cent growth rate with an upward bias. More recently, the Prime Minister Economic Council has projected 6.5 per cent expansion.

Referring to the inflationary concerns, RBI pointed out that supply side constraints in a limited number of commodities, led by food, have been driving current inflation pressures in the economy.

Draft proposal for EAI in two weeks: Nath

New Delhi: Road Transport Ministry is expediting the setting up of Expressways Authority of India and plans to put up the draft proposal in the next two weeks to invite comments for setting up the authority.

"We will put up the draft proposal for the Expressways Authority on our website in the next two weeks," Transport Minister Kamal Nath said.

The Expressways Authority of India would look exclusively at the requirements of building expressways, which are roads that facilitate faster traffic flow between two places.

He also said the target of achieving 20 km of road construction a day would be reached by March next year. Soon after taking charge of the Ministry in May, Nath had set a target of building 20 kms of highways every day.

For constructing 20 kms of highways a day, the work in progress across the country should be at least 20,000 kms, he said.

When asked if the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided on the Ministry's proposal to vest the ownership of highways with it, Nath said, "NHAI is talking to financial institutions to see what gives them comfort".

The Ministry had sent a proposal to NHAI asking for its approval to vest with it the ownership of highways so that the authority can give highway projects to developers on long term lease who will be able to raise loans easily against the lease.

Indian Sports News

Tendulkar for increased use of technology

New Delhi: Sachin Tendulkar has suggested that on-field umpires should make only leg-before decisions and technology be allowed to have a final say on all other matters on a cricket field.

Tendulkar was all for the increased use of 'Hot Spot' technology -- which establishes the first point of contact of the ball -- for making accurate decisions and taking off the pressure from the on-field officials.

"For the caught behind and all, the Hot Spot will come. Close in catches, again the Hot Spot will come. For the bowled you don't need a machine, so only the LBW decisions is what the umpire has to concentrate on," Tendulkar said.

"It is tough for the umpires to watch the no-balls and watch what's happening in the front. For the basic line decisions you have to have to have a laser or something like that the no-ball like tennis you can call it with a machine," he said.

Tendulkar was impressed with the results of the Hot Spot technology and said it could also be used for making the bat-pad decision.

"We are still using technology for close catches. They should use the Hot Spot for the bat-pad decision so the main umpire has to only make the LBW calls. I'm quite happy with the Hot Spot because that establishes the contact," Tendulkar said.

The prolific batsman though gave a thumbs down to the umpire referral system and also suggested that in a Test match instead of two, three-umpires should do the duty session-wise.

Sports minister inspects CWG venues

New Delhi: Union Sports Minister M S Gill on Monday inspected the 2010 Commonwealth Games venues here and expressed satisfaction at the pace of preparation for the quadrennial sporting extravaganza.

Gill visited the construction sites at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where both the inauguration and closing ceremonies are scheduled, and a swimming pool complex coming up at the Talkatora Stadium.

"I came here to see preparations and also had thorough discussions with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) officials and the engineers. I can assure you that these two stadiums will be the technology and engineering marvels," Gill said after the inspection.

"Organising Committee officials, engineers and all others are fully motivated towards the timely completion of the work. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also spoken to the engineers who are fully focused on staging a world class event," he added.

The CWG OC has drawn flak from different quarters for the tardy preparations with the Commonwealth Games Federation chief Michael Fennell issuing a warning that the Games could turn out to be a "partial failure" if the pace of work was not sped up.

But a confident Gill, after inspecting the swimming pool complex at Tal Katora Stadium, assured that there would be enough time to hold the test events at the venues before the Delhi Games.

"Fennell has raised concerns about it but works are going fast. After two months you see the preparations yourself and by early next year, I think, it will be completed and then test events would also be organised here," Gill said.

Latest News In India

Congress wins Maharashtra, Arunachal; fractured verdict in Haryana

NEW DELHI: The Congress will form governments in Maharashtra and Arunachal, but appears to be heading for a fractured verdict in Haryana.

MAHARASHTRA
The Congress, along with its ally NCP, was poised to retain power in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly. Of the 269 results declared so far, the ruling combine has bagged 131, the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance 87, MNS 13, Republican Left Democratic Front 12 and others 26. ( Watch Video )

The Congress-NCP alliance, which had won 140 seats in the last elections, may end up with almost the same figure and may not have problems in forming the government with the support of rebels of both the parties and independents.

The Sena-BJP leaders are attributing their loss to the Raj Thackeray-led MNS which made its maiden foray in the 288-member House.

"We lost because MNS ate into the traditional Shiv Sena votes," BJP general secretary Gopinath Munde said.

As Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has made it clear that it will not stake claim to chief minister's post, the process of government formation is likely to get speeded up, a senior Congress leader said.

Chief minister Ashok Chavan, in race for the top job, said the ruling alliance's performance was due to the dynamic leadership of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and team work by Congress-NCP combine.

HARYANA
The Congress has fallen short of a majority in Haryana after results for all seats were declared.

The Congress emerged as the single largest party in the Haryana assembly elections but was not able to get a clear victory. The party won 40 of the 90-member assembly seats, the INLD won 31, the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) won 6, the BJP 4 and Independents 7. The BSP won one seat in the state and Shiromani Akali Dal, an alliance partner of the INLD, won one.

For a simple majority in the assembly, the Congress needs 46 seats. It had won 67 seats in the February 2005 elections. .

While INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala won the Uchana Kalan seat defeating finance minister Birender Singh by a margin of 621 votes, his son Ajay Chautala emerged victorious from Dabwali defeating his cousin K V Singh of Congress.

Haryana Congress chief Phool Chand Mullana and transport minister Mange Ram Gupta lost from Mullana and Jind to INLD.

Among other prominent winners are HJC-BL chief Kuldeep Bishnoi, who won the Adampur and Haryana BJP President Krishan Pal Gujjar, who was declared elected from Tigaon.

ARUNACHAL PRADESH
The ruling Congress party in Arunachal Pradesh will form the next government for the second straight term, having already won 38 of 60 assembly seats as counting of votes progressed Thursday.

Of the 55 results declared, the Congress party won 38 seats, Trinamool Congress won five seats, six by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), two by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and four by independents and candidates belonging to smaller regional parties.

The Congress is leading in four more seats, according to latest trends available.

"This is a victory for good governance and stability, besides all round development that we were able to bring to the state," Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu told IANS.

"We thank the people of the state for giving us a chance to rule the state for yet another term." Voting was held for 57 seats with three candidates already declared elected unopposed.

Khandu and two more ruling Congress members were declared elected unopposed - sitting MLA Tsewang Dhondup from Tawang constituency and debutant Jambey Tashi from the Lumla seat.

Khandu was elected unopposed from the Mukto constituency in Tawang district, bordering China, repeating his feat in the 1999 and 2004 assembly elections.

Voting for the 60-member assembly elections was held Oct 13 with an estimated 72 percent of the 750,000 electorate having exercised their franchise.

A total of 154 candidates were in the fray with the ruling Congress party fielding candidates in all the 60 seats.

Apart from the Congress party, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) fielded 36 candidates, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 22 -- although the surprise element was the Trinamool Congress with several candidates in the fray.

Of the Trinamool Congress nominees, five are former Congress party ministers and 10 are sitting MLAs from the ruling party who were denied tickets this time.

Fractured verdict in Haryana: INC gets 40 seats, INLD win 32

Chandigarh: Haryana threw up a fractured verdict in the assembly elections with ruling Congress falling six short of the magic figure of 46, as independents, who could play a crucial role in government formation, won seven seats.

INLD, which has made a significant comeback, won at 31 constituencies in the 90-member House.

With all the results declared, the Congress finished with a tally of 40 followed by INLD, whose ally Shiromani Akali Dal got one seat.

Of the remaining 18 seats, Haryana Janhit Congress-BL, a new entrant in assembly polls, got six seats, BJP four and BSP one.

While the Congress suffered major losses conceding 27 seats it won in 2005, the INLD, led by former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, improved its tally to 31 from nine seats it won last time.

With assembly election results throwing a hung House, the independents could play a major role in government formation. Buoyed by the improvement in INLD's tally, Chautala demanded that the Governor should invite the opposition parties first to give them an opportunity to form the government.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said Congress was all set to return to power for a second term and the party high command will take a decision on the issue of leadership of the legislature party.

Cong gets two-third majority in Arunachal Pradesh

Itanagar: The ruling Congress on Thursday stormed back to power in Arunachal Pradesh with a two-third majority winning 39 seats and leading in three others in the 60-member state Assembly.

While Congress contested all the 60 seats, Trinamool Congress, which tested its popularity for the first time in the state by putting up candidates at 26 places, has won five seats and is leading in a seat.

The NCP, which had fielded 36 candidates, emerged victorious at six places.

Of the 39 seats won by Congress, Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu and two other party candidates were elected unopposed. The results have been announced for 53 seats so far, with Congress getting 36 seats, BJP bagging two while the others winning four seats. The BJP had contested 18 seats.

Barring Public Health Engineering Lombo Tayeng, all ministers in the outgoing cabinet won. State Congress chief Nabam Tuki was among the winners.

The ministers who won are -- Jarbom Gamlin, Tanga Byalin, Kaliko Pul, Tako Dabi, C C Singpho, Chowna Mein, Nabam Tuki and Newlei Tingkhatra.

However, party leaders including seven time MLA in a row and former chief minister Gegong Apang, and his son Omak Apang bite the dust. While Apang senior lost to NCP, his son was humbeled by BJP.

Tsering Gyurmi, a close confidante of the chief minister, also lost to People's Party of Arunachal Pradesh candidate Phurpa Tsering. The ruling party had 34 seats in the last Assembly.

Cong-NCP combine surge ahead, set to form govt in Maha

Mumbai: Maharashtra’s ruling Congress-NCP alliance is set to form its third successive government in the state as it has emerged as the largest political formation in the assembly elections held on October 13.

The Congress-NCP combine is forging ahead and has managed simple majority on its own. They have until now won 144 seats and are leading in one. The Shiv Sena-BJP on the other hand has taken a severe beating and the combined numbers of the seats won just 91 seats, 25 seats short of its tally from 2004.

Affected vastly by the presence of Raj Thackeray-led MNS, the Shiv Sena-BJP combine has managed to bag only 91 seats and leading in one, far behind its 2004 tally of 116 seats. Shiv Sena has won 45 seats, while BJP has bagged 46 seats and was leading in 1 seat.

Raj Thackeray’s MNS has emerged as the surprise package with victories in 13 seats, way beyond the 8-10 seats even party insiders had forecast. The assembly has 288 seats and the halfway mark for a simple majority is 145.

In fact, the MNS opened its account with the victory of two of its nominees: from Vikhroli, Mangesh Sangle defeated NCP’s Pallavi Sanjay Patil, wife of Lok Sabha MP Sanjay Patil and Shiv Sena’s Datta Dalvi; also, MNS nominee Ramesh Wanjale got elected from Khadakvasla.

The other winners are Chief Minister Ashok Chavan (Bhokar), Narayan Rane (Kudal), NCP minister Ajit Pawar (Baramati), Sushilkumar Shinde’s daughter Praniti (Solapur city central), NCP nominee from Kalwan, A T Pawar, Shivendraje Bhosale from Satara and while President Pratibha Patil's son Rajendra Shekhawat defeated Congress rebel Sunil Deshmukh in Amravati.

High Command will decide on Chief Ministership, says Chavan

New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Thursday said the Congress leadership will decide who will be the new Chief Minister of the state.

"I leave to the party and Congress president Sonia Gandhi to take a decision (on the issue of Chief Ministership)," Chavan said.

"Collective leadership and leadership of Sonia Gandhi" has taken the party to lead in the assembly seats in the state, he added.

To a question whether Chavan could be the next Chief Minister of Maharastra, senior Congress leader Jayanti Natarajan said that there were many eligible leaders and newly-elected MLAs with the guidelines of "high command" will decide who will be the CM.

"Senior party leaders will decide the next CM in Maharashtra," she added.

Chief Minister will be from Congress: MPCC president

With Congress-NCP on the way to retaining power in Maharashtra for the third consecutive term, Congress today made it clear that the next Chief Minister will be from the party.

"The issue (of which party's leader will become chief minister) does not arise at all. NCP chief Sharad Pawar has made it clear that next Chief Minister will be of Congress," MPCC president Manikrao Thakre said.

Asked who would be the CM, Thakre said, "the tradition in Congress is that views of legislators are taken into account and Congress president Sonia Gandhi decides the name which is then accepted by legislators. The same system will continue, there is no question of diverting from that."

Cong in touch with Bhajan Lal-led party, independents

New Delhi: With Haryana assembly polls producing a fractured mandate, Congress has opened channels of communication with Bhajan Lal-led breakaway faction for support and is wooing the seven successful Independent MLAs to help form the next government in the state.

Requiring 46 MLAs to form the government in the 90-member assembly, Congress is short of the magic figure by six.

Party sources said of the 7 Independents, four are Congress rebels while three have their loyalties to INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala.

As both Congress and INLD are in a close race to form government in the state, sources in Congress said channels of communications are open with Bhajan Lal-led Haryana Janhit Congress-BL which has six MLAs.

"Bhajan Lal is an old Congressman...Our channels of communications are open with him," a senior party leader closely associated with Haryana affairs said.

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However, the leader said the party does not know what Bhajan Lal would ask for in return for his support.

Congress had denied party ticket to Bhajan Lal's son Chander Mohan alias Chand Mohammed after his controversial conversion to Islam and then re-conversion.

Party sources were optimistic that Congress will form the government but were worried whether Chautala had some aces up in his sleeves at this point of time when so much depends on Independents and Bhajan Lal-led party.

Congress sources counted 32 MLAs in Chautala's kitty along with one of SAD. If BJP, former ally of INLD, supports it, the figure would go upto 36. Add to it the three Independents loyal to Chautala.

Maoists release kidnapped police officer

Midnapore (WB):Two days after being taken hostage, police officer Atindranath Dutta was released on Thursday unharmed by Maoists in Lalgarh after the women arrested by the security forces in anti-Maoist operations in West Midnapore district were released on bail by a court.

"As per our commitment to the Dutta family and the government, we have released Atindranth Dutta unharmed after 15 women were released on bail by a Jhargram court," top Maoist leader Kishenji, who had demanded their release, said over phone from an undisclosed location.

Asked if there was any mediation, Kishenji, who had declared that Dutta was a 'prisoner of war' and was being well treated, claimed "there was no mediator. We appealed to the government through the media and the family of the kidnapped officer."

West Bengal Chief Secretary Asok Mohan Chakraborty, however, said in Kolkata "He has not been fully released yet, but has been handed over to a team of media representatives and lawyers.”

"We are relieved. We went through a lot of tension for the last two days. A colleague of ours was abducted. We were worried about his state of health," Chakraborty told reporters at state Secretariat.

Latest News India

Manmohan-Wen meeting 'very important': China

BEIJING: China on Wednesday described the forthcoming meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese premier Wen Jiabo on the sidelines of the Asean Summit in Thailand this week as a "very important" one.

The two leaders will discuss "bilateral relations, and regional and international issues", Chinese assistant foreign minister Hu Zhengyue told reporters in Beijing.

"This meeting between the two prime ministers is a very important one," Hu said. "There has been good progress in our bilateral relationship and we hope this momentum can be sustained," he said.

Officials from both countries have been busy for over a week working out the formalities of the proposed meeting. The meeting will take place in the backdrop of some serious relationship problem with China offering to support a hydroelectricity project in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and opposing Singh’s recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh.

China regards Arunachal Pradesh as part of its own territory and is also opposing the Dalai Lama’s proposed visit to the area.

Mewar, Goa express collide near Mathura; 22 dead

MATHURA (UP): Overshooting a signal, Delhi-bound Goa Express today rammed into the last bogie of the stationary Mewar Express killing 22 people,including the guard and two pantry car staff, and injuring an equal number near here in the wee hours.

The Goa Sampark Kranti Express hit the Udaipur City- Hazrat Nizamuddin Mewar Express, which is said to have been halted on chain pulling by some passengers, between Mathura and Vrindavan at around 0430 hours after its driver apparently ignored the signal.

The guard of Mewar Express and two staff members of the pantry car of Goa Express were among those killed while 13 of the injured have received grievous wounds. Five of the seriously injured were rushed to Delhi by train for treatment.

The unreserved second class-cum-luggage rake, at the rear end of the train bore the brunt of the collision and a number of people trapped in it were recovered by personnel of the army, police and fire services.

The luggage section of the coach probably prevented heavier casualties among the women and children who were in the coach.

Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to families of each of the dead, Rs 1 lakh to those seriously injured and Rs 10,000 for those with minor injuries.

Railway officials said the driver of the Goa Express was either over-speeding or may have jumped the signal. Both the driver R K Chaturvedi and assistant driver Lakshmikant have been taken off duty and an inquiry by Commissioner of Railway Safety (North-East) has been ordered.

Banerjee said the investigation would also cover whether there was any chain pulling by passengers.

"Prima facie the driver of the Goa Express disregarded the signal...Either he did not stop the train at the signal or did not proceed on a cautious speed," Deputy Regional Manager of Railways, Agra zone, R D Tripathi told reporters.

UP Minister Laxminarain Choudhry said a compensation of Rs 10 lakh would be given to the family of the deceased and a job.

Two bogies at the rear of the Mewar Express, which was on its way to Delhi, derailed due to the impact of the accident. The pantry car of the Goa Express also suffered damage.

Several trains were temporarily diverted after the mishap and the track was cleared at around 2 PM for normal traffic with the help of a large number of railway workers. Heavy machinery was used to remove the damaged and derailed bogies.

About 150 personnel of the Army, whose help was also sought, assisted the railway staff in clearing the track.

Gas and foam cutters were used to extricate the trapped passengers, including women and children, from the mangled bogie.

The Mewar Express, from which the damaged bogie was detached, left for Delhi with the passengers about five hours after the accident. Some of the passengers were also accommodated in buses.

All the trapped passengers have been extricated, Sri Prakash, Member (Traffic) Railway Board said.

Giving an account of the mishap, a passenger of the Mewar Express said, "There was a loud bang. We were suddenly thrown out of our seats. People and luggage from the upper berths fell on us and there was panic all around.

"There was almost a stampede inside the bogie. People sleeping on the upper berths fell off on those occupying lower berths," said the middle-aged passenger, who was lucky to survive the crash with no injury.

A distraught woman passenger, injured in the accident, said from her hospital bed that she was fast asleep when the unreserved compartment of the Mewar Express train was hit.

"I could not move my legs. Bags and suitcases fell on me after a loud thud," she said. Passengers said the collision occurred minutes after the Goa Express changed track.

An eye-witness, Ramesh Charan, 40, said he saw the speeding Goa Express crashing into the last coach of the stationary train and rushed to the accident site to lend a helping hand.

Govt to revisit procedure of judicial appointment: Moily

New Delhi:Government may have a fresh look at the method of appointment of judges to higher judiciary and intends to come out with a comprehensive bill to deal with complaints of corruption against judges, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, he said Government would not like to see that any "tainted" person becomes a judge.

At the same time, he refused to be drawn into a discussion on Karnataka Chief Justice P D Dinakaran whose elevation to the Supreme Court has been kept in abeyance over allegations of landgrabbing.

"Already there is a memorandum of procedure (on appointment of judges) which we are going by as of today. I am not reiterating that the same thing will continue. May be, we have to revisit the procedure. Whatever we do, we need to take the judiciary into full confidence" he said.

He was replying to a question whether the Government was contemplating making changes in the procedures for such appointments.

Moily referred to the 1993 and 1998 decisions of the apex court which led to the Memorandum of Procedures relating to Supreme Court Collegium that appoints judges to the higher judiciary.

There have been demands from political parties that the appointment of judges should revert back to the government.

Moily said the independence of judiciary without accountability has "no meaning, no significance" and there was need to resurrect its credibility.

He said the judges will have to follow the laid down standards and "respond to the ethics and become accountable to the judiciary and the nation".

Under LeT threat, Pak judge hearing 26/11 case wants to quit

Islamabad/Lahore: In a possible setback to the trial of seven suspects arrested by Pakistani police for their involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks, the judge hearing the case has said he can no longer continue with the proceedings.

Citing "unavoidable reasons", Judge Baqir Ali Rana of the anti-terrorism court, who has been conducting the trial within the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, has asked the Lahore High Court to be excused from hearing the case.

Rana sent a formal request to the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday, saying he could not continue with the proceedings because of "unavoidable reasons".

The request is currently pending with the Chief Justice's office, officials said.

However, sources said that Rana took the step as he felt he was under pressure from the government and other quarters with regard to the trial of the seven suspects, including key Lashker-e-Taiba operatives Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Zarar Shah.

The sources said Rana was also facing pressure from the lawyers of the seven suspects, who are unhappy about the trial being conducted in-camera.

The judge felt his position had been made "vulnerable" because of the move to conduct the proceedings behind closed doors. There are also reports that Rana has received threats from the LeT because the suspects were indicted in the absence of their lawyers during a hearing on October 10.

The hearing on October 10 coincided with an attacked on the Pakistan Army's headquarters in Rawalpindi by a group of terrorists.

Rana reportedly said that since the situation outside the court was uncertain, those who wanted to leave the premises could do so.

Indian Business News

SC suggests ‘arbitration’ in Ambani row

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Ambani brothers' group firms RIL and RNRL why they cannot settle their gas supply dispute through arbitration or mediation.

During hearing of the dispute over supply of gas by RIL to RNRL at USD 2.34 per mmBtu, the bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said the two parties could arrive at a "suitable arrangement" through arbitration, as the Bombay High Court that approved the Reliance empire's demerger cannot spell what is the ideal arrangement.

To this, Mukesh Ambani-run RIL, which continued its arguments for the second day today, told the court that it considered the government's gas utilisation and pricing policy as the "suitable arrangement."

Senior counsel Harish Salve also opposed RNRL's plea for dismissing RIL's petition, saying only his client's creditors or members of the Board can challenge maintainability of the petition.

Salve said RNRL was a third party and hence, cannot seek dismissal of RIL's plea. RNRL has also separately challenged the government's petition in the dispute.

The Ambani gas dispute pertains to RNRL's demand that it be supplied 28 mmscmd of gas from RIL's KG-D6 gas fields at a price of USD 2.34 per mmBtu agreed in a 2005 family MoU.

RIL, however, contends that it cannot do so in view of the government policy, which in 2007 approved USD 4.20 per mmBtu as price for gas from the KG-D6 fields.

In its arguments yesterday, Reliance Industries told the Supreme Court that the 2005 family agreement to divide the Reliance empire was a pact between the Ambani brothers and Anil should sue Mukesh if he feels aggrieved.

Sensex nosedives by over 200 pts

Mumbai: Weak global cues aggravated a dramatic selling across counters towards the end of trading on Wednesday, dragging down the benchmark Sensex by over 200 points to extend losses for the second day in succession.

The markets were bearish till late mid-session on weak Asian cues. A weak opening in European stocks fuelled heavy selling by cautious operators. Marketmen said investors ignored economic growth projection of 6.75 per cent this fiscal by the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council.

The Bombay Stock Exchange 30-share index declined sharply to trade below 17K-level at one-week low of 16,997.86. The Sensex, however, managed to settling the day at 17,009.17, a fall of 213.84 points or 1.24 per cent over its last close.

In two days, markets have lost over 300 points. Brokers said investors are concerned that the sale of shares worth over Rs 32,000 crore to institutional investors by the Indian firms in the last more than six months could suck liquidity from the secondary market.

Asian indices today finished lower by less than one per cent each on sluggish trend on Wall Street overnight. European markets such as France, Germany and UK were trading lower by about 0.5 per cent and 1.0 per cent in their afternoon trade. Auto, FMCG, banking and metal counters were hit badly and their indices closed lower in the range of 1-2 per cent.

Among Sensex stocks, Tata Steel lost close to 4 per cent followed by Jaiprakash Associates, SBI, HDFC and Heor Honda atwhich all closed down in the range of 3 per cent.

Indian Sports News|Sports News

We need to keep improving, feels all conquering Ponting

Mumbai: They have some excellent wins behind them while coming into the one-day series against India but Australian captain Ricky Ponting is not willing to underestimate the hosts and expects the seven-match contest to be an entertaining and tough affair.

"India is a very good and strong one-day team and were not underestimating them. We are the number one and two teams in the world and all points to an entertaining and good contest over the next few weeks," Ponting said at his first media conference after arriving in Mumbai on Tuesday.

"We have always enjoyed playing in India and against India. Our rivalry over the last few years has been growing and it’s good for the world game," he said.

Pointing out Australia's splendid run in the 50-over game over the last few months, that included a 6-1 thrashing of hosts England and a successful defence of their ICC Champions Trophy crown, Ponting was optimistic of carrying forward good form in India as well.

"We have played some excellent one-day cricket over the last few months beginning from the England tour and in the Champions Trophy. We need to keep improving and need to be at our best right through the series," he said.

The 34-year-old Australian captain, who has quit T20 internationals, felt that a lot of responsibility lies on his shoulders as the team's most experienced batsman.

"I have a good record in one-day cricket in India as compared to Tests. I have played some of my best one-day cricket over the last few months. A lot of responsibility is on my shoulders as the number three batsman in the team. It's really a big challenge to play against India," he said.

Gavaskar warns Australia to be wary of Tendulkar

New Delhi: Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has warned the Australians to be wary of in-form Sachin Tendulkar, saying the Indian star would come out all guns blazing against them in the upcoming seven-match ODI series, starting on October 25.

"Sachin has been out of cricket for sometime now (last played on September 28) and I think, now he is ready to go back and show that he still has all the shots in the book. I think, it (the series) will be Sachin against the Australians," Gavaskar said.

"He will be opening the batting for India. So I think they will be looking to get him out to psychologically scare the Indians," he said.

Considering the recent impressive form of the Australians, who won the Champions Trophy early this month, Gavaskar said the series would be a hard-fought one.

"Ponting has been captain of the Australia team both times during consecutive Ashes loss in England, he will be determined now to make people forget that, which can only happen with him scoring heavily and leading Australia to victories," Gavaskar said.

"That's the way he approached the seven-match ODI series against England after the Ashes; then also in the Champions Trophy. I think that's the way they are going to play till they come up against England in Australia in 2011," he added. The former captain advised Indian batsmen to be wary of Australian seam bowling attack.

"Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle are going to be a handful, make no mistakes about that. We saw in the Champions Trophy, they have not given too many runs except an odd match. And Lee has bowled brilliantly in the Champions League," Gavaskar said.