NEW DELHI: The Centre on Monday banned the CPI (Maoist) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, calling it a terrorist organization.
Home ministry sources said the decision was taken at a high-level meeting.
"The decision has been taken to ban CPI (Maoist) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act as a terrorist organisation," they said.
CPI (Maoist), which is the main Naxal group in the country, has been bracketed with 34 other organizations including LeT and SIMI who are in the list of banned outfits.
West Bengal's ruling Left Front on Monday said it was against banning the CPI (Maoist) and will counter such outfits politically, days after chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee stated that his government will give a serious thought to proscribing the Naxals.
"We have decided that such outfits, which follow misguided politics, cannot be countered by banning them. It is important to counter the activities of these outfits politically," Left Front chairman Biman Bose said.
Air India to cut employee costs by up to Rs 500cr a year
NEW DELHI: Air India is working on plans to reduce its expenditure on employees by Rs 500 crore per annum, with a newly formed committee re-examining wage and other agreements in consultation with the unions.
The cash-strapped airline's employee cost currently is over Rs 3,000 crore annually, a company spokesperson said, adding that the airline was now targeting a reduction in employee cost to the tune of Rs 500 crore per annum.
At present, the merged carrier has around 31,000 employees.
One of the six panels set up recently is the Cost Rationalisation Committee, comprising officials of HR and finance departments.
The committee has been directed to discuss cost rationalisation and reduction of wasteful expenditure with employees' unions and submit its report by July 15.
The spokesperson said that the committee would examine the wage agreements, including those relating to flying allowances and productivity-linked incentives.
The five other committees that have been formed are the Committee on Integration, Committee on Green Initiatives, Committee on Safety, Committee on Customer Feedback and Route Rationalisation Committee.
The management has held at least two rounds of talks with various Air India
employees unions in this regard, with the union leaders coming up with several suggestions to cut costs.
The spokesperson said the company was looking at improving productivity of employees, eliminating restrictive work practices and reducing wasteful expenditure.
He said the airline would maintain its normal schedule of flights and appealed to passengers to continue to book for their travel "as usual".
The unions are, however, sticking to their agitation plan that began today with employees on duty wearing black badges to protest the decision to delay the payment of this month's salary by a fortnight. The management has also asked the airline top brass not to take their July salary.
At his meeting with them here yesterday, AI CMD Arvind Jadhav sought the employees' cooperation in reviving the airline which was reeling under a loss of about Rs 5,000 crore.
Assuring their cooperation with the management to cut costs, leaders of Air Corporation Employees' Union (ACEU), Aviation Industry Employees' Guild (AIEG) and Indian Aviation Technicians Association (IATA) suggested that many staffers wanted to be transferred to the low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express, with lower salaries, while others were ready to accept leave without pay for two years.
The national carrier has approached the government for infusion of funds by way of equity, soft loans and a grant. The airline has started making payments on aircraft deliveries which are part of its orders for 111 planes worth about Rs 50,000 crore.
Al Qaeda threatens to use Pak N-weapons against US
Dubai:If it were in a position to do so, Al Qaeda would use Pakistan's nuclear weapons in its fight against the United States, a top leader of the group said in remarks aired on Sunday.
Pakistan has been battling al Qaeda's Taliban allies in the Swat Valley since April after their thrust into a district 100 km (60 miles) northwest of the capital raised fears the nuclear-armed country could slowly slip into militant hands.
"God willing, the nuclear weapons will not fall into the hands of the Americans and the mujahideen would take them and use them against the Americans," Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, the leader of al Qaeda's in Afghanistan, said in an interview with Al Jazeera television.
Abu al-Yazid was responding to a question about US safeguards to seize control over Pakistan's nuclear weapons in case Islamist fighters came close to doing so.
"We expect that the Pakistani army would be defeated (in Swat) ... and that would be its end everywhere, God willing."
Asked about the group's plans, the Egyptian militant leader said: "The strategy of the (al Qaeda) organisation in the coming period is the same as in the previous period: to hit the head of the snake, the head of tyranny -- the United States.
"That can be achieved through continued work on the open fronts and also by opening new fronts in a manner that achieves the interests of Islam and Muslims and by increasing military operations that drain the enemy financially."
The militant leader suggested that naming a new leader for the group's unit in the Arabian Peninsula, Abu Basir al-Wahayshi, could revive its campaign in Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter.
30 terrorists killed in Pak, rebels attack Army bases
Islamabad, June 22: Pakistani security forces have killed over 30 militants in fresh fighting in Swat and the Waziristan tribal region, where the security forces carried out retaliatory air strikes after the Taliban launched attacks on several military bases.
Reports from North and South Waziristan said about 20 militants and two women were killed in attacks by fighter jets that were carried out after the Taliban struck at four military bases overnight.
Chief military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas said 14 militants were killed during the past 24 hours in fighting in Malakand division, which includes Swat valley.
Militants fired rockets and mortar shells at an Army airport, a residential colony and a fort manned by security forces in South Waziristan last night. Ten rockets were also fired by militants at a military base in North Waziristan, TV news channels reported. There were no reports of casualties in these attacks.
The security forces responded by targeting militant positions with air strikes and artillery barrages. Reports said a training camp was among the militant positions that were targeted.
Abbas told a news briefing that the military was engaged in positioning forces and preparatory manoeuvres before launching an operation in Waziristan against Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud and his network.
Indian Business News
Govt may hike petrol price by Rs 2 a litre, diesel by Re 1
NEW DELHI: Government may increase petrol price by Rs 2 a litre and diesel by Re 1 per litre unless excise duty on the two fuels is cut to neutralise the impact of firming international oil rates.
State fuel retailers Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum lost Rs 135 crore per day on sale of petrol, diesel, LPG and kerosene and their annual revenue loss for current fiscal is estimated to be at Rs 38,700 crore.
The basket of crude oil India imports has averaged $70.49 per barrel in the second fortnight of June against the May average of $58, sending alarm bells ringing, a petroleum ministry official said.
China Mobile denies deal with Reliance Communications
BEIJING: China Mobile Ltd., the leading mobile telecommunications operator in China, has clarified that it has no plans to invest in the Indian market.
It denied a report in an Indian newspaper, which was later circulated by an international agency that the company is in talks with Reliance Communications Ltd. about a strategic partnership.
"Currently, China Mobile has no plans to invest in the Indian telecom
market," the company’s spokeswoman Rainie Lei told TNN on Monday.
"I have seen the news report in India and checked. There is no deal," she said referring to a report that said the two companies had preliminary talks of 5-6% equity partnership.
"We have to act to save our PSU," he said. "The burden (of rising global oil prices) has to be shared equally between the companies, the government and consumers."
PSUs lose Rs 2.96 a litre on diesel and Rs 6.08 per litre on petrol. "One-third of this or Rs 2 per litre on petrol and Re 1 on diesel can be passed on to consumers," he said.
The rest of the losses would be covered by issue of government bonds to the retailers and subsidy sharing by upstream firms like ONGC.
"If the finance minister Pranab Mukhejree cuts excise duty on the two fuels, consumers can be spared from price hike," he said. Petrol attracts an excise duty of Rs 11.35 per litre and diesel Rs 1.60 a litre. Besides, Rs 2 a litre road cess is levied on the two fuels.
Google India not liable for material on blogger, it tells HC
Mumbai:Google India, the Indian subsidiary of US-based software giant, on Monday contended in the Bombay High Court that it does not control the publication of content on blog-hosting website 'blogger', and is not liable for the same. Blogger, popular blogging service, is owned by Google Inc.
Earlier, a single judge of High Court had restrained Google from hosting any blog containing defamatory material about Dr Aswhin Mehta, a city-based cardiologist.
Though the offensive blog-posts were removed, the Google India has now filed appeal against this order before division bench, saying that blog-hosting company can not monitor what is posted on blogs all the time.
Secondly, Google India, the Indian subsidiary, is not responsible for defamation through blogger, said its lawyer Iqbal Chhagla.
"Blogger service is provided by Google Incorporation (based in US). We (Google India) are not a party to agreement between Google Inc and those who use blogger... We have no liability or responsibility for content of blogger," he argued.
Chhagla further argued that unlike the publishers in print media, the blogging service, which facilitates publication of a blog, can not control what is being posted all the time.
"Google only provides a platform", he aruged, adding that because of single judge's order, it will be held in contempt if any fresh offensive blog about Dr Mehta is comes up. The matter will be finally heard on July 7.
Indian Sports News|Sports News
Pakistan erupts in celebration after Twenty20 triumph
Karachi:Pakistan erupted in celebration last night as Younis Khan and his men won the Twenty20 World Cup defeating Sri Lanka by eight wickets at Lords, London. The city of Karachi reverberated with fireworks as people thronged onto the streets to celebrate the national team's victory in the Twenty20 World Cup, a rare moment of joy for Pakistani citizens amid continuous blood bath.
Heavy fireworks went off as soon as the last run was scored with people chanting 'Pakistan Zindabad' and 'Pakistan cricket team zindabad' as the national team won its first World title after 1992. "It is a historic moment for all of us. Younis and his boys could not have given the Pakistani people a more appropriate gift at this time," former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif said.
The victory comes at a time when Pakistan is struggling to cope with rising militancy and terrorist attacks with a full scale military operation against the militants going in the Swat valley and some other tribal areas. "We have been waiting for two long years for this sweet moment. It was heartbreaking when we lost to India in the last final. Today our players have given us lot to celebrate about," Abdullah, a pan shop owner said here as sounds of firecrackers reverberated all around.
Youngsters attired in green T-shirts and holding posters of Shahid Afridi poured onto the streets with many of them using motorbike horns to express their delight. Since the start of the match, the streets remained deserted as people were glued to the television either at home or private clubs, parks, restaurants, elite coffee shops and tea stalls as people remained engrossed in the action with every wicket and boundary being cheered loudly. "It is a big step forward for Pakistan cricket. To win the World Cup at a time when Pakistan cricket has also been hit by security issues is a big tribute to our players. Younis Khan deserves a lot of credit for uniting the team into a fighting unit," former chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said. Cellular companies said their SMS and call services had been flooded after the final with people exchanging congratulatory calls and text messages. "Our lines are choked but we expecting this," said Shahzad a customer services officer at a cellular company.
Afridi may become Pakistan's next T20 skipper
Karachi:Flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who after guiding Pakistan to the Twenty20 World Cup title in Sunday's final expressed willingness to lead the national team atleast once before calling it quit, may soon get the opportunity. The dream of Afridi, who cracked an unbeaten 40-ball 54 to help Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets at the Lord's, may come true after Younis Khan stepped down as the T20 skipper.
Having regained his sublime touch with the bat and his bowling already being a potent weapon, Afridi is now most likely to succeed Younis as the T20 skipper. "For the time being Shoaib Malik is ruled out of contention for captaincy at any level and the way Afridi has performed and handled new found responsibilities as a senior player, he is certain to become the Pakistan captain for T20 cricket," one Pakistan Cricket Board official said.
If Afridi comes at the helm of country's T20 squad, his first assignment will be the one-off match against Sri Lanka on August 12 during their tour to the island nation. And indications are that Afridi will also be taking over as Pakistan's ODI captain if Younis decides to play the Test matches only. "That might be far off as Younis has his eyes set on the 2011 World Cup," the official said.
While asked about his desire to captain the team, Afridi earlier told a leading Urdu daily, "That is my ambition because it is an honour to lead your country." Afridi also admitted that at one stage when he was not scoring runs during the last two years, was so frustrated that had seriously thought about ending his career. "But it was my bowling that kept me going because my bowling had improved and was a big plus for the team that is why I hung on. I am happy that I have finally found my batting form in this tournament," he said. "I told Younis I wanted to bat higher up because I was not getting enough time to settle down and play long innings. There was too much pressure on me to go and just start hitting out. He said if I had confidence I should bat higher up," Afridi added. Afridi is now destined to a hero's welcome back home when he returns to Karachi on Monday.
No Indian in ICC T20 squad for men
London:Reflecting their failed title defence, not a single Indian cricketer made it to International Cricket Council's special team of the Twenty20 World Cup for men announced on Monday. The ICC special women's team, however, included Indian pacer Rumeli Dhar in it. A five-member panel picked the 11-member men's team, led by Pakistan captain Younus Khan.
The team, including 12th man Lasith Maligna, contained four players from Pakistan, three each from South Africa and Sri Lanka and two from the West Indies. The women’s team, led by England skipper Charlotte Edwards, included five players from the winner, England, four from beaten finalist New Zealand and one each from Australia, India and Sri Lanka.
Both teams include the respective players of the tournament, Tillakarante Dilshan of Sri Lanka and England’s Claire Taylor. The men's team was chosen by a select group of experts, including former England pacer Jonathan Agnew, cricketer-turned-commentator Ian Bishop, Twenty20 World Cup Tournament Director Steve Elworthy, ICC Match Referee Alan Hurst and Indian journalist Sharda Ugra.
The women's team was selected by ICC Match Referee Chris Broad, former England captain Clare Connor, Steve Elworthy, commentator Alison Mitchell and journalist Jenny Roesler. Teams (in batting order): Men: 1. Chris Gayle (West Indies), 2. Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka), 3. Jacques Kallis, (South Africa), 4. AB de Villiers (South Africa), 5. Younus Khan (Pakistan, captain), 6. Dwayne Bravo (West Indies), 7. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan), 8. Kamran Akmal (Pakistan, wicketkeeper), 9. Wayne Parnell (South Africa), 10. Umar Gul (Pakistan), 11. Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka); 12th man: Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)
Co-hosts unwilling to let Pak host 2011 WC matches
Karachi:Sri Lankan cricket committee chairman, Somachandra de Silva has made it clear that co-hosts India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh doesn't want Pakistan to host any of the 2011 World Cup matches.
In an interview to the 'Jang' newspaper, De Silva said that at the meeting of the representatives of the World Cup joint host countries, this had been made clear to the Pakistan board Chairman, Ejaz Butt.
"We also don't agree to Pakistan's proposal of them hosting their share of matches at neutral venues," he added.
Silva said the host countries felt that only countries who were joint hosts of the World Cup should have the right to organise the matches and not anyone else.
"We have offered Pakistan that they would be paid the full hosting rights fees nearly USD 1.1 million even if they don't host the matches. The countries that host their (Pakistan's) share of matches would forego the hosting fees for these matches," he said.
De Silva revealed that Pakistan had first insisted on hosting the World Cup matches at home.
"Pakistan then proposed hosting their matches at neutral venues. Both proposals were rejected by the other host nations," he added.
De Silva said now the dispute over the World Cup matches would have to be resolved at the annual ICC meeting.
However, he ruled out any possibility of the host countries accepting Pakistan's proposal to shift the World Cup to Australia and New Zealand and have the 2015 tournament in south asia. "The World Cup will not be shifted out of Asia at any cost," he said.
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