Saturday, February 21, 2009
Exclusive: Inspector Omar tracks his Govt - National News Updates
He's not leaving anything to chance - Meet inspector Omar Abdullah as he goes from one from one office to the other to make sure development dealines are met.
The newly elected Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, is a man on a mission. Officials clearly taken by surprise by the unexpected visitor eager to present a progress report.
First stop, construction site of migrant camp at jagti, Nagrota. Omar Abdullah asks, "By what time will the migrants come stay in these flats."
Officer replys,"June 2010."
Abdullah urges,"June 2010, it is too late."
Officer (Appeasing tone),By September 2009."
Next on Omar's list is the construction of parking lot in Jammu. Omar asserts, "How long will the road take?"
Officer, "By 15 April."
Abdullah said,"No No No it is too long."
Omar Abdullah even has time for a quick janta darbar.
Omar Abdullah has given a clear cut instruction to security officials not to block roadways while his cavalcade is on move, so that normal life on streets remains unaffected.
The next things on Omar's list is Sitlee water filtration plant, and Omar gets right on the job and asks, "When will it be completed."
Officer, "By April.
Abdullah, "Not good, that completion takes that much time, By that time you mean people will take contaminated water. Put more people and get the work done at the earlist."
The 38-year-old CM of Jammu and Kashmir inspected 28 sites within 24 hours. The state's youngest Chief Minister is keen to show that his agenda for development sticks to the deadline.
LTTE airplanes attack Colombo; 2 killed, 40 injured - National News Updates
Colombo, Feb 21: Sri Lanka's military shot down two Tamil Tiger airplanes flying a defiant air raid on the capital Colombo on Friday, and two people were killed when one plunged into a government building.
The attack is the latest proof of the Tigers' ability to strike far from the war zone, where troops have rapidly encircled them in just 87 sq km (34 sq miles) of jungle and are within reach of ending a separatist war that began in 1983.
But the military also definitively proved it could down planes from a ramshackle air squadron that had flown nine previous sorties since debuting in 2007 -- state TV showed footage of one of the downed planes and its dead pilot.
The military said that plane was gunned down by anti-aircraft fire over the international airport, while the other was shot and crashed into the Inland Revenue building in Colombo's Fort area, near the Indian Ocean island's main port. Two people were killed and at least 40 injured in the crash.
The thundering of anti-aircraft guns erupted over Colombo's streets and tracer fire and spotlights lit up the skies, darkened after authorities cut the power when one plane was spotted on radar flying down the east coast.
"We have shot one down in Katunayake and found the wreckage and the body of the pilot," Defense spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said, referring to the international airport. Later, he said plane wreckage had been found at the tax building.
Hospital officials said 40 were injured, and the military said two people were killed at the Inland Revenue building.
"I saw a fireball entering the Inland Revenue building and the building caught fire," a security guard at the neighbouring TransAsia luxury hotel said.
Wreckage Shown
State television showed the wreckage of the plane downed at the airport in a marsh right outside the airbase in the complex, its green and brown camouflaged body wrenched apart and its fuselage riddled with bullet holes.
Nearby lay the body of the mustachioed pilot, dressed in the LTTE's trademark Tiger stripe combat fatigues.
It was a fitting site for the military to prove it had downed one of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE) "Air Tigers": the first flight in March 2007 attacked the same airbase and killed three airmen and wounded 16.
Reva Bhalla, head of geopolitical analysis at US private intelligence firm Stratfor, said the LTTE likely wanted to use the planes before soldiers captured them -- and make a point.
"This kind of attack serves the Tigers well in demonstrating they're not a spent force after the beating they've gotten," she said. "The psychological value is obvious, but that doesn't mean the LTTE will be able to sustain a comeback any time soon."
Although most of LTTE's territory has been taken by the rapid military advance in the last year, troops have found seven airstrips but no planes. The military in September said it had downed a plane, but the wreckage was never found.
The fleet of propeller-driven planes is believed to be the only combat air wing operated by an insurgent group or any group on US and EU terrorism lists, on which the LTTE appears.
Sri Lanka's military has said the Tigers are flying three single-engine Zlin-143 light aircraft, believed smuggled onto the island in pieces and reassembled.
It is just one of many warfare innovations the Tigers demonstrated in a conflict that has killed 70,000 people and is Asia's longest-running. The Tigers invented the suicide jacket - a bomb-laden vest -- and used it in hundreds of bombings.
About 14,000 Tamils protested in Geneva on Friday against Sri Lanka's drive to crush the guerrillas, who say they are fighting for an independent homeland for their ethnic minority group but have increasingly been accused of turning on their own people.
Madras HC violence: Shoot-at-sight orders issued in TN - National News Updates
Chennai, Feb 21: In the backdrop of violent protests by lawyers, shoot-at-sights orders were issued on Friday night in Tamil Nadu against those trying to damage public properties and create disturbance to general public.
A release from the DGP's office said district SPs have been empowered to carry out the order.
Appropriate action would be taken against those who try to damage vehicles or involve in other illegal activities, it said.
"Some anti-social elements were using yesterday's incidents to damage public property and burn vehicles", the release said.
Strict actions would be taken against them, it said, adding security has been beefed up across the state after clashes between lawyers and the police at the High Court here on Thursday.
Earlier, police had arrested 150 lawyers in Chennai, who were leading a protest march to the Tamil Nadu Secretariat. The lawyers were protesting over the violence in the Madras HC on Thursday.
The situation outside the Madras High Court premises turned violent when a mob of protesting lawyers set a police van on fire.
The mob also attempted to set ablaze the police station inside the Madras High Court.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Bar Association president, who was also picked up by the police for leading a protest march, has threatened to continue the agitation till the state government dismisses all guilty police officers.
The Tamil Nadu DGP, who is in the eye of storm for the alleged handling of the case, has said that no action will be taken against any policemen till the probe is over.
Talking to a private TV news channel, the DGP was quoted as saying, “When there is lawlessness we have to act on our own, we were protecting the High Court and we are responsible for security. I cannot comment before the CBI probe is over. It’s up to the government to decide.”
On Thursday, several persons including a judge were seriously injured when the lawyers fought a bloody battle with the police. Shaken by the violence, in which a police station was also set ablaze, the Tamil Nadu government has ordered a CBI probe into the incident.
The historic century-old building resembled a war zone as the stone-pelting lawyers and the police who also lobbed teargas shells clashed for three hours inside the premises leaving an unspecified number of police personnel and advocates including some women injured, some of them seriously.
Justice AC Arumugaperumal Adityan, one of the judges deputed by the acting Chief Justice S J Mukhopadhaya to help restore order, was injured in the stone throwing and admitted to a hospital. Several parked vehicles were also damaged.
Shortly after the incident triggered an outrage, Justice Mukhopadhaya suggested there should be a CBI probe which was agreed to by the state government, official sources said. A formal announcement about the probe will be announced in the State Assembly today.
The ACJ ordered closure of the High Court and subordinate courts in the High Court complex tomorrow.
The trouble arose when police who were in full strength anticipating trouble began arresting some 13 lawyers in connection with the attack on Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy in the court on Tuesday sparking off the protest by the advocates who resented the police action.
The ACJ has also constituted three committees to videograph and assess the damages to court buildings and vehicles among other things as a result of the violent incidents. Some media personnel were also injured in the clashes.
Directing the state DGP and city Police Commissioner to inquire into the incident and submit a report giving the names of individuals and whether any member of the Bar was involved in it, the ACJ asked them to implead themselves as respondents. He also asked the court's Registrar General to file a separate report.
He also directed the police to inform the court as to the number of police personnel on duty during the boycott of courts by advocates on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.
Stating that after getting the report from the police the court would decide whether contempt proceedings should be initiated, the ACJ posted the matter for hearing on March 11.
Four-wheelers parked inside the High Court premises were damaged while some two-wheelers and bicycles set ablaze in the clashes. A police outpost located in the premises was also targeted and set on fire.
2009 Oscar Results Leaked? - National News Updates
They were originally posted on an anonymous blog that has since been taken down, which either increases the likelihood of this being a hoax or decreases the chance, depending on how you want to look at it. Many of the picks seem pretty standard, but there are a couple of out there selections that nobody is really predicting, like Amy Adams winning for Best Supporting Actress. I guess we will find out Sunday for sure, but I wouldn’t be laying down any bets based on this leak alone.
Parties draft popular actors and cricketers - National News Updates
New Delhi: Lights, camera, elections! With the poll season about to begin, film stars seem to be coming out of the political woodwork as it were —and a few cricketers and political chameleons are joining them in the spotlight as well.
While the induction of Mohammed Azharuddin, the former captain of the Indian cricket team, into the Congress party on Thursday was the latest, the political grapevine indicates that there are more such high-profile political debuts in the offing.
Actor Sanjay Dutt announced his entry into politics by joining the Samajwadi Party (SP), Chetan Sharma, another former cricketer, has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with news that Anil Kumble, who just quit international cricket, may follow.
However, Karnataka BJP president D.V. Sadananda Gowda had denied reports that the former national team leg spinner had been offered a ticket by the party.
Ahead of the 2009 general election, which is to take place before May, the ruling Congress party has set the tone by welcoming three former BJP members of Parliament (MPs) from Karnataka, H.T. Sangliana from Bangalore North, Manorama Madhwaraj from Udupi and Manjunath Kunnur from Dharwad South, who had defied their party during the 22 July trust vote in the Lok Sabha and supported the United Progressive Alliance government, to the party on 20 January.
On Thursday, Congress proudly flaunted ex-skipper Azharuddin, who officially joined the party at its headquarters in New Delhi. Although there is no official confirmation, Congress leaders indicated that Azharuddin—who was forced to quit the game following a match-fixing scandal in 2000—would be contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Andhra Pradesh.
Although political leaders admit that the new entrants, especially popular personalities, would boost the morale of workers, political analysts maintain that most of these last-minute inclusions are unlikely to force a dramatic swing in votes towards the parties they have joined.
While Dutt and Bhojpuri actor Manoj Tiwari have announced their decision to fight the elections on the SP ticket from the politically-crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has announced that ace shooter and Asian Games gold medallist Jaspal Rana would contest from the Tehri constituency of party-ruled Uttarakhand.
The flow of leaders to the major parties had become a routine affair just ahead of the 2004 elections, in which the then ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance suffered a surprise defeat. The BJP headquarters at 11, Ashoka Road had almost every week, in the run up to the April-May parliamentary elections, witnessed film stars or other popular personalities pledging support to the party.
While Hindi film star Dharmendra, who joined the BJP on 24 March 2004, contested and won Rajasthan’s Bikaner seat, his colleagues Jeetendra, Suresh Oberoi and Poonam Dhillon, and television actors such as Gajendra Singh Chauhan, who acted as Yudhishtira in the epic mega serial Mahabharat, were recruited to add glamour to the campaign.
The hype had also inspired some of the unhappy lot in the Congress to exit. These include former Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson and a long-term Congress leader Najma Heptullah, former Union minister Arif Mohammed Khan and MP Lakshman Singh, brother of senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh.
Although political observers criticized the BJP for “overdoing” it in 2004, the process of engaging film stars for their political campaign was done earlier too. Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had persuaded his friend and film icon Amitabh Bachchan to successfully contest the Lok Sabha elections from Allahabad in 1984.
In south India, the experience has been quite different, with charismatic actors emerging as prominent politicians; they include former Tamil Nadu chief ministers M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa, and N.T. Rama Rao, former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh and founder of the Telugu Desam Party, currently the main Opposition party in the state.
“In election time, it is routine. It works both ways. While political parties are keen to create an election atmosphere and build an image as a sought-after party for the feel- good factor among its rank and file, people who have political ambitions join it,” said Congress general secretary B.K. Hariprasad.
According to the BJP’s Rajiv Pratap Rudy, it could be “strategic moves”.
“As election comes, there could be some new political combinations. The parties welcome new leaders to it on the basis of societal and geographical considerations,” Rudy said. However, he added: “It is not desirable to induct new personalities if they are joining for the purpose of a ticket. If they voluntarily support the party’s ideology, they are welcomed in parties, which have a national outlook and an organizational structure.”
Another BJP leader, who did not want to be identified, said they were keen to welcome prominent Muslim leaders and film stars to ensure a broader political appeal. “The BJP was then known as a Hindu party. We needed recognized people and leaders to appeal to the electorate. But the strategy did not work well,” admitted the leader.
N. Bhaskara Rao, political analyst and chairperson of New Delhi-based think tank Centre for Media Studies, was of the view that popular personalities joining party could help it to create a hype and boost morale. “But it does not help the parties in a big way in terms of votes. Because one instance or development does not bring votes.”
Don’t cut jobs, Pranab Mukherjee to India Inc - National News Updates
New Delhi, Feb 20, 2009: Don’t cut jobs, Pranab Mukherjee to India Inc. India’s part time finance minister and foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee has asked the industry not to cut jobs at the time of recession. Instead he asked the companies to opt to cut salaries instead.
For recession hit companies the proactive behaviour of Pranab Mukherjee must be very annoying thought. For more than a decade corporate sector in India has been spared much pressure from the government.
But as recession makes its impact felt across industries and sectors, and as election time comes, the government is sure to become more proactively involved in issues that were left to the companies themselves till just a few months ago.
For middle class families who are sure to be hit hard if companies are given a free hand to fire their employees it must be a sweet music to their ears. A number of employees in different sectors especially in realty, IT, BPO, textile and other export oriented industries are waiting with baited breath the arrival of pink slips to their tables.
A large number of companies across different sectors have experienced huge losses recently. Before the crisis erupted, there were more than 1500 software firms in the country, while the employee base of the sector had grown to 553,000 (from 415,000 in FY 06). More than 1300 IT companies were operating in Bangalore alone. This sector has been adversely affected by the global crisis-a fact acknowledged by Bangalore-based Infosys Technologies Co-Chairman, Nandan M. Nilekani. He believes that even though the tech sector would see the impact of the economic slowdown in terms of growth rate, the IT industry will continue to grow and recruit manpower.
A survey of 125 companies by the commerce department in New Delhi has revealed that Indian companies lost export orders worth Rs.1,792 crores during August-October 2008 and were forced to lay off 65,000 workers. The manufacturing sector, especially the auto industry, has also sustained a severe hit. As a result, the global credit rating agency, Standard &Poor’s (S&P) has downgraded Tata Motors rating for the foreign market. The company witnessed a 30 % drop in sales in India compared to last year.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Supreme Court reschedules RCA election by a week on March 1 - National News Updates
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday rescheduled the elections for the faction-ridden Rajasthan Cricket Association from February 22 to March 1 and paved the way for the group led by its President Lalit Modi to file their nominations.
The Modi faction succeeded in getting an order that the election to the 21-member executive committee will be held under the unamended constitution in terms of the apex court order of February 11, 2005.
The apex court did not alter with the process already undertaken for holding the elections by RCA Secretary Subhash Joshi, who recently parted ways with Modi and has the support of former Chief Kishore Rungta.
The Modi faction accepted the decision of the RCA on the appointment of Justice N M Kasliwal, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, as Observer/Chairman for conducting the election.
"We are of the view that the elections could be held on March 1, 2009 as per the steps already taken by the RCA," a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam said.
The Bench said that the nominations already filed and held valid will be taken on record and those who want to file their nominations now can do so within three days.
Lawyers, police fight pitched battles in Madras High Court - National News Updates
CHENNAI: In unprecedented violence on the Madras High Court premises, advocates protesting against the arrest of their colleagues in an assault case fought pitched battles with police personnel for several hours on Thursday. While a police station was set ablaze by the advocates, vehicles parked in the court complex were smashed by the policemen. Among those injured in the violence was a High Court judge, more than 50 lawyers and several policemen.
Police burst teargas shells to disperse the agitating lawyers. High Court judges who came to the premises to see the damage caused to advocates’ vehicles had to run when they were confronted by lathi-wielding policemen. Fire fighters who tried to put out the flames engulfing the police station were attacked by the advocates.
The chain of events was set off by the police attempt to arrest a group of advocates involved in the attack on Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy and some policemen in the court complex on Tuesday. A group of advocates demanded that Dr. Swamy be also arrested for abusing one of their colleagues on caste lines.
Heated arguments ended in violence. A group of lawyers, which was near the building housing the Family Courts, and the policemen, positioned near the High Court station, began throwing stones and bottles at each other. The policemen came out with their protective shields and began chasing away the lawyers. Several advocates, office staff and litigants ran helter-skelter, with the policemen in pursuit. The injured advocates were carried by their colleagues to a dispensary for first aid. Later, ambulances were called in to take the injured to hospital.
Even as a group of advocates kept raising slogans against the policemen, several advocates went to the chamber of the Acting Chief Justice, S.J. Mukhopadhaya, protesting against the “police excesses.” Mr. Justice Mukhopadhaya tried to pacify the advocates, but they asked him to come down and see for himself the damage caused to their vehicles, allegedly by policemen.
The judges then appealed to the advocates to maintain calm so that a solution could be found. Later, when a few judges went towards the policemen, with the slogan-raising advocates following them, the policemen resorted to lathi charge. In this melee, Justice Arumuga Perumal Adityan, was hit by a stone and he suffered a head injury. He was rushed to hospital where his condition was stated to be stable.
With reinforcements, including commandos of elite units, arriving, the police chased away all lawyers from the court premises. Following this, trouble spilled over to NSC Bose Road. A mention was made by advocate R.Vaigai before Mr. Justice Mukhopadhaya about the incident.
A holiday has been declared for the High Court for Friday.
CBI probe
The High Court has ordered a CBI enquiry and the State government has given its consent. Three committees have been formed by the High Court to assess the damage to property.
A top official said Mr. Justice Mukhopadhaya’s demand to release all those arrested on Thursday was conceded.
“This is applicable only to those advocates who were arrested on Thursday and not those arrested earlier,” he added.
Shilpa Shrtty’s wedding wishes for Goody - National News Updates
London: Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty called up her former ‘Big Brother’ house-mate Jade Goody to congratulate her ahead of her wedding with Jack Tweed this Sunday.
“Shilpa called the Royal Marsden to tell Jade she was sorry she can’t be at the ceremony as she is filming in India. It was a really warm friendly chat. Shilpa wanted Jade to know she was thinking of her and it really lifted her spirits,” a source close to Goody told Daily Mail. Goody, who is suffering from cervical cancer, was severely criticised for her alleged racist remarks against Shilpa when both were participants at U.K.’s reality show ‘Celebrity Big Brother.’ Goody had reportedly told Shilpa on the show, “Go back to your slums.” However, the 27-year-old Goody later apologised and the pair have since made up. Ironically, Goody, who is now terminally ill was diagnosed with cervical cancer when she was participating in the Indian version of the ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ which was being hosted by Shilpa.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
LokSabha Speaker Somnath slams MPs for their behaviour - National News Updates
Enraged at the Members of Parliament for their unruly behaviour, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said, "You do not deserve one paisa of public money".
Members of several political parties stormed the Well of Lok Sabha raising a spate of issues and disrupted Question Hour.
So annoyed was the Speaker with the behaviour of some members, he said that he believed Parliament should be adjourned sine die."I think Parliament should be adjourned sine die.
Public money should not be spent on useless allowances for you," he said as some members of the BSP, BJP, TDP, RPI, PMKand MDMK stormed the Well and raised slogans against the government on several issues.
BSP criticised the UPA government for "being anti-Dalit" as it had "ignored" the backward classes in a new draft legislation on universities introduced in the House.
BJP members joined them on the same issue, while members of PMK and MDMK trooped into the Well demanding that the government make efforts to "stop war" in Sri Lanka. TDP members were also seen raising the Satyam issue.
Angered by the members' behaviour, Chatterjee said "you are behaving in the most condemnable manner. I express my greatest annoyance and condemnation.
"The Speaker said he hoped that the people of the country will give a "fit verdict" in the coming elections.
Jaya 'warns' Congress against DMK, suggests tie-up - National News Updates
Chennai: Political equations are fast changing ahead of the General Elections. In Tamil Nadu, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has offered to tie-up with the Congress.
AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa said that the Congress that it must break away from its ally the Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK), if it wants to win the elections.
She said all parties who stand by the DMK stand to lose and their hopes lie in a tie-up with the AIADMK.
Jayalalithaa, who was attending the wedding of 61 of her party activists in Chennai on Thursday, told the Congress to you break away from the DMK and join the AIADMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK chief also hinted that her party had very cordial relations with the Congress when Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were in power.
"The DMK is caught in a quicksand. Nobody can help it out. Those who want to help it will also be caught in the quicksand and the Congress should come out of web of the DMK," she was quoted as saying by PTI.
Jayalalithaa has already tied up with the Communist Party of India-Marxist and Communist Party of India for the Lok Sabha elections.
"I am suggesting this because of the good relationship the AIADMK and Congress enjoyed in the past. If Congress does not listen, it will also be caught in the quicksand like the DMK," she said.
The DMK has been under fire, from even its allies, for its poor handling of the Sri Lankan Tamil issue.
In the 14th Lok Sabha all the 39 seats from Tamil Nadu are being held by the UPA. Congress is a key kingmaker in Tamil Nadu. Traditionally, a Dravida party plus Congress has been the beneficiary in the state.
A CNN-IBN-CSDS poll has already predicted that the AIADMK is ahead in the race in the general elections 2009.
Traditionally, Tamil Nadu is all about alliances. The poll shows that while there is a dead heat between the DMK and the AIADMK, 13 per cent are with the Congress.
There is also the PMK (Pattali Makkal Katchi) which is as of now with the DMK alliance. So Chief Minister M Karunanidhi maybe down, but he is not out.
‘LTTE has done much damage to Tamils’ - National News Updates
Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Tamil Nadu PWD Minister Durai Murugan at a meeting in the Parliament House on Wednesday.
NEW DELHI: The Union government on Wednesday said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had done much damage to the Tamil community in Sri Lanka and asked the Tigers to lay down arms after releasing all civilians. It, however, made it clear that it could not force a sovereign government of another country to take a particular line.
Proscribed organisation
Making a suo motu statement in the Lok Sabha, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said India continued to support a negotiated political settlement within the framework of an undivided Sri Lanka acceptable to all communities, including the Tamils. The LTTE remained a proscribed organisation in India, he pointed out.
The statement evoked a strong protest from Tamil Nadu members. They expressed their dissatisfaction and wanted it withdrawn. The MPs also wanted India to intervene to stop the war in the island nation.
“This cannot be the statement of the Indian government. It speaks the language of the Sri Lankan government,” the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) members said.
They stormed into the well and subsequently walked out to register their displeasure after forcing two adjournments.
However, Mr. Mukherjee said India had no instrumentality under which it could force a sovereign government to follow a particular line. He said he was ready to make “corrections” in the statement if there were “discrepancies.”
“Sadly, some of those escaping from the conflict have been caught in cross-fire and, in recent incidents have been stopped and even killed by LTTE cadres. As the conflict enters what may be the final phase of military operations, the LTTE would best serve the interest of the Tamils by immediately releasing all civilians and laying down arms,” Mr. Mukherjee said in the statement.
Condition of civilians
While pointing out that a serious source of concern to India was the condition of civilians and internally displaced persons, mostly Tamils, caught in the zone of conflict, Mr. Mukherjee put their number at 70,000. The LTTE was reportedly using them as human shields.
The Minister said:
“Rest assured that our strong concerns for the safety, security and welfare of civilians caught in the conflict have led us to stay actively engaged to prevent a further deterioration of humanitarian conditions.
“We have sent relief supplies to the civilians and the internally displaced persons, facilitated access by international and United Nations organisations and suggested ways for civilians and displaced persons to escape the conflict zone.”
New-look outfit for Indian ODI team - National News Updates
Mumbai: Nike India, official apparel partner of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), launched the Indian cricket team’s new ‘dry-fit technology’ kit for One-Day Internationals.
The team will be seen in action in the new kit with a tricolour design on a bold blue background during the five match series against New Zealand.
“The dry-fit fabric has excellent moisture management technology,” said Mr. Tarun Puri, Managing Director and General Manager, Nike India.
Sahara India, which has been with the BCCI for 14 years, is also pleased with the new kit. “I liked the new colour. The blue shade has been the same for many years,” said Abhijet Sarckar, Head (Corporate Communications), Sahara India Pariwar.
“It’s time for a change and it’s nice. Hopefully the Indian team will give its best shot and return with a couple of trophies from New Zealand,” said skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Dhoni, Zaheer Khan, Dinesh Karthik, Pragyan Ojha, Rohit Sharma and Yuvraj Singh walked the ramp displaying the new kit.
Former India cricketers Laxman Sivaramakrishan (1985), Venkatesh Prasad (1996), Vinod Kambli (1997) and Robin Singh (1999) appeared on the ramp wearing the blue colours of their time.
Compere Harsha Bhogle asked Dhoni about the secret behind his capacity and also keeping his calm on the field.
“Expressing frustration doesn’t contribute to the team. The player knows he has made a mistake. I do it in a personal way, talking to the player in the dressing room.”
“Ask Dhoni” was the refrain Yuvraj was asked if he’s happy and comfortable at No. 4 in batting order. “Well, as long as he performs, I am,” said Dhoni.
Azharuddin starts new innings, joins Congress - National News Updates
New Delhi: Former Indian cricket team skipper Mohammad Azharuddin formally joined the Congress on Thursday and is expected to contest the Lok Sabha elections.
Azharuddin addressed the press at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday evening and clarified that the party high command will decide from where he will contest elections.
He said he has always been a fan of the Congress and late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
"I am quite happy to be in front of a large gathering after a long time. I have been a fan on late Rajiv Gandhi. It is the only party that has made so many sacrifices," said Azharuddin.
"I want to work in the larger interest of the party. I am not the captain anymore so I can't decide on whether I will contest in polls. That is for party high command to decide," Azhar added.
Azhar will probably contest from one of the three constituencies falling in Hyderabad in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
He is expected to take on the Congress ally in Andhra Pradesh, the All India Majlis-e Ittihad al-Muslimin's (MIM) growing influence in the state and is likely to be projected as the party's new Muslim face.
Azharuddin was introduced to the press as the latest entrant to the Congress by senior party leader Veerappa Moily.
"Sonia Gandhi is very happy to have Azhar in the party. He has firm belief in the secular and forward looking policies of the party," said Moily.
Government not to bail out Satyam: Pranab - National News Updates
New Delhi: The Government does not intend to bail out the scam-hit Satyam Computer Services as the company has "adequate assets" and can bounce back if run professionally, Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday.
"Let me make it clear that the Government has no intention to bail out the company. The company has adequate assets (to survive) if run professionally," Mukherjee, who is holding the Finance portfolio while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recuperates from a bypass surgery, said during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha.
"It is in the Government's interest that an important company, with a large number of international clients and with a good name, if run professionally can be re-established," the minister maintained.
He also brushed aside suggestions that the Andhra Pradesh Government was attempting to shield the perpetrators of the Satyam scam by interfering in the multi-agency investigations into the Rs 7,800-crore scandal.
"There is no question of interfering or barring the statutory authorities from functioning. The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh (YSR Reddy) has completely assured me of full cooperation with all agencies. The chief secretary of the state has been designated as the nodal officer for the investigating agencies," he said.
Rajus’ bail applications dismissed - National Nes Updates
HYDERABAD: A court here on Wednesday again dismissed the bail applications of the former Satyam Computer Services chairman, B. Ramalinga Raju, his brother Rama Raju and the former Chief Financial Officer, Srinivas Vadlamani.
This is the second time Sixth Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate D. Ramakrishna has rejected their bail plea.
Mr. Ramakrishna permitted the Income-Tax Department to interrogate Mr. Ramalinga Raju in the Chanchalguda jail on February 21.
He also passed orders for interrogation of Mr. Srinivas Vadlamani and Price Waterhouse auditors S. Gopalakrishnan and Talluri Srinivas by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in the jail on Thursday and Friday. The SEBI earlier questioned the Raju brothers for three days in the jail.
Fresh bail plea
Mr. Ramakrishna allowed a fresh bail application on behalf of Mr. Gopalakrishnan and Mr. Talluri Srinivas, and posted it for hearing to Friday.
The Central Bureau of Investigation was working out the nitty gritty of taking over the case, its Deputy Inspector-General V.V. Laxminaryana said, adding that a special investigation team would be constituted for the purpose in a day or two.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Government to remove two Maytas firms' directors
New Delhi: The Government of India on Tuesday moved the Company Law Board to remove the board of directors of Maytas Infrastructure and Maytas Properties, the infrastructure firms promoted by disgraced Satyam founder B Ramalinga Raju's family.
Corporate Affairs Minister Prem Chand Gupta said that the government has found evidence that the two companies were involved in money laundering, fraudulent accounts and diversion of funds, reports IANS.
The government's move comes after the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) was asked to probe the links between Satyam and the two Maytas companies.
Ramalinga Raju, his brother B Rama Raju, Satyam's former Chief Financial Officer Vadlamani Srinivas and two former auditors are now in prison in connection with the Rs 7,800 crore (US $1.43 billion) accounting fraud.
Following Ramalinga Raju's resignation, Maytas Infrastructure Chairman and Non-executive Director RC Sinha also tendered his resignation owing to personal reasons.
Maytas Properties Chief Executive K Thiagarajan resigned on February 15 reportedly on health grounds. Most of the Maytas Infra board had already resigned in January, with CEO PK Madhav putting in his papers January 14.
The firm's wholetime director Chander Sheel Bansal quitted on January 30. B Narasimha Rao was appointed in his place in haste the same day to avert a crisis.
Vice-chairman B Teja Raju and Independent Director RP Raju are the other members on the Maytas Infra board.
Reacting to the government's move, Deepak Parekh, a member of the government-appointed board of Satyam, said it was a "move in the right direction".
"Hope that we are not appointed to Maytas's firm. Our hands are already full," he added.
The Satyam fraud has already cast a huge shadow of doubt over the future of both Maytas Infra and Maytas Properties.
The two companies are run by Ramalinga Raju's sons. Maytas Infra is headed by B Teja Raju while Maytas Properties is run by B Rama Raju (junior). Though a listed firm, the Raju family holds 36 per cent equity stake in Maytas Infra.
The government move came amid reports that the Raju family informed the stock exchanges that its entire shareholding in Maytas Infra has been pledged to lenders.
It was the aborted bid by Ramalinga Raju to acquire these companies for US $1.6 billion which triggered a crisis in Satyam, finally leading to January 7 admission by Ramalinga Raju of Rs 7,800 crore fraud in the IT services firm.
It was on December 16 that the Satyam board decided to acquire the two companies but shareholders' outcry forced Ramalinga Raju to call off the acquisition within 24 hours.
The investigations into the Satyam fraud so far have hinted that Ramalinga Raju diverted Satyam money to Maytas and several other companies floated by him and his family members.
The government move to take over Maytas also came in the midst of mounting criticism of the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh for allegedly favouring Maytas Infra by allotting several major infrastructure projects worth Rs 3,000 crore.
The move is seen as an attempt to protect the projects.
Maytas consortium was awarded the Rs 12,000 crore Hyderabad Metro Project and Rs 1,200 crore Machilipatnam Sea Port work by the state government.
Maytas and its joint venture partners were together awarded Rs 13,000 crore worth of works, out of Rs 38,000 crore Pranahita-Chevellalift irrigation project. The company was already implementing irrigation projects at a cost of Rs 3,000 crore and has completed Rs 1,748 crore worth irrigation works.
Election Commission bans exit, opinion polls
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Tuesday banned the publication or telecast of opinion or exit polls 48 hours before the last hour of polling in single-phase balloting.
In cases of multi-phase elections or elections announced simultaneously for different states, the poll panel banned the publication of exit and opinion polls in the period starting 48 hours before the close of first day of voting till the end of last day of balloting, reports IANS.
The commission ordered the implementation of its guidelines close on the heels of the Supreme Court clarifying last month that it never prevented the poll panel from implementing its guideline on publication or telecast of exit and opinion polls.
"The Election Commission is free to frame its guidelines to regulate publication of exit polls," a bench of Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam held on Jan 19 said.
In its order banning the telecast or publication of exit or opinion polls, the commission said that they will not be disseminated or propagated in any form including through "any pamphlet, poster, placard, handbill or any other document".
The poll panel had first banned publication or telecast of exit polls during the 1998 elections. But it withdrew its guidelines regulating the publication of exit polls in 1999 following an adverse remark from the apex court.
A lawsuit pending since 2004 has sought a ban on exit polls on the ground that they impair free and fair conduct of elections by swaying the voting patterns.
The apex court had made critical observations against the poll panel's power to ban publication of exit polls saying it involved citizens' right to speech and expression guaranteed by the constitution.
Last month, the Election Commission sought clarification on the apex court's observation saying it was wrong to assume that regulation of opinion and exit polls would amount to interference with the right to information guaranteed by the constitution.
The Election Commission counsel said that banning publication of exit polls for a limited period after the announcement of election schedule and till the day of voting for the last phase of the poll will "only be a reasonable restriction in the larger interest of the democracy".
Following this submission, the apex court clarified that it had never prevented the poll panel from implementing its guidelines to regulate the publication or telecast of exit and opinion polls.
The Rajya Sabha has already amended the existing electoral laws to provide for banning publication of exit polls but the bill is yet to be ratified by the Lok Sabha..
Satyam politics: TDP chief alleges Andhra CM's role - National News Updates
New Delhi: The gloves were off in the fight between the government and opposition on who is helping Satyam. The opposition charges the congress of being hand in gloves with Rajshekhar Reddy. The UPA is hitting back.
"CBI enquiry has been ordered. Investigations are on. We will also look into the role of the NDA when they were in power," says Company Affairs Minster, PC Gupta.
"The government is trying to bail out the guilty. Wool is being pulled over our eyes," says TDP member, Mysore Reddy.
CNN IBN has learnt that the Congress could well find itself on the back foot in this crisis. The TDP has already presented a full charge sheet against the Andhra CM Rajshekhar Reddy and his son on their alleged involvement with Satyam.
Charges will now become part of the investigation.
- Jagan is charged of illegally getting almost 120 crores to start his firm Sandur Power
- A sum that was invested in 2005 by two companies -- 2iCapital and Fluri Emerging Capital
- Sandur went on to float some subsidiary companies like - Classic Reality, Caramel Asia, Bhavati Sanidhi Estates, Harish Infra
- Each of these companies were used to float separate firms including Jagan's pet Jagathi publications and Indira Television
- The overall money generated to fund these enterprises is more than 200 crores.
- Questions are now being raised on whether the initial capital for this entire business empire came from Satyam founder Ramalinga Raju
The congress denies all these charges
"All this is baseless,” says Congress member.
Satyam Scandal has turned out to be one of the biggest instances of corporate fraud in our country. On the eve of General elections, expect some more dirt being thrown from both sides.
Another Nithari? 22 slum kids go missing - National News Updates
NEW DELHI: Is another Nithari unfolding at New Sanjay Amar colony in east Delhi? This slum cluster behind the Karkardooma courts has seen atleast 22 children go missing in past four years. And just like in the case of the Noida murders, cops seem to be in denial, saying there is no pattern to the disappearances.
The latest cases occurred less than a week ago. On February 11, as many as six teenagers went missing on the same day. "We filed a police complaint, but cops took no action," said Rajkumar Dhingane, a social worker from the area.
Police say the children of New Sanjay Amar colony, the largest JJ cluster in east Delhi housing 15,000 people, have been willingly eloping. But residents point out that barring the latest incidents, most of the missing kids are below 15 years, which makes the elopement theory unlikely.
Babulal, a rickshaw-puller whose three daughters disappeared three years ago, says the helplessness of knowing that they could be in trouble and still not being able to help them, eats him from within. "My daughters, Nisha and Ashu, twins who were seven when they went missing, and Sushila, 6, had gone out to play and never returned. I filed a police complaint and went searching for them, but all in vain. I still hope that one day, my daughters just return home and everything will be alright," he said.
Worried parents losing hope
Tansukh Lal’s daughter Poonam, 15, disappeared on January 27. "My daughter had gone out with two women my wife knew. They were from the neighbouring Bhikam Singh Colony. Neither Poonam, nor the two women, ever returned. Police say that Poonam may have eloped. Even if she has, why don’t they just find her for me?" said Tansukh. Similarly, auto-driver Satyadev’s 3-year-old daughter Lado had gone out to play sometime in December 2008 and never came back. "We filed a police complaint but no policeman ever came home to even check on her," he said.
Meanwhile, with each passing day, parents of the six teenagers who went missing on February 11 are losing hope. "We went to the cops to complaint. However, no action seems to have been taken so far," said Saroj, the mother of one of the missing girls, Pooja. Billu Singh, father of Durga, who too went missing on February 11, said that he doesn’t care if she eloped but just wants her to come back home.
DCP (east) Anand Mohan said four out of the six children missing since February 11 were in relationships and the two couples appear to have fled with their friends after planning it through. "However, considering that they were minors, we registered a case of kidnapping and are trying to trace them," he said. Another senior official added that teams were sent to neighbouring states to trace them.
According to a report compiled by Bachpan Bachao Andolan, 102 children, mostly in the age group of 6-17 year, have gone missing in the last two-and-a-half years from areas in Sangam Vihar, Madanpur Khadar, Badarpur and Nangloi in the city. As in the case in New Sanjay Amar colony children, no action was taken in most of these cases. So where have all the children gone?
The cops are not alarmed. They say Nithari was a one-off incident and there is not much evidence to suggest that the same is repeating itself in Delhi.
"There is no pattern to any of these cases. Mostly, parents of these children are daily wage workers and are barely educated. Many times, children just wander off and forget how to get back home. Sometimes, they return to their native village with the help of someone. Many minors elope by choice. Around 60% of these cases are worked out," said Delhi Police PRO Rajan Bhagat.
He said the police would get worried if some organized gang of traffickers was behind these disappearances.
"But there is no evidence to suggest that," he added. According to another senior officer, regular studies are conducted by Delhi Police to look for a pattern in the cases of missing children. "We have not observed any pattern so far," he said.
Taliban holds victory rally in Swat Valley - National News Updates
A day after the Pakistan government agreed to Taliban's demand for enforcing Islamic law in northwest Pakistan in exchange for a ceasefire, the militant outfit on Tuesday staged a rally as show of strength in the Swat region.
Both India and America are deeply worried about Taliban's growing influence in the region.
The Pakistan government agreed on Monday to impose Islamic law and suspend a military offensive across the northwest Pakistan. These concessions are believed to be aimed at pacifying a spreading Taliban insurgency in the area.
The announcement came after talks with local Islamists, including one closely linked to the Taliban.
The move will likely concern the United States, which has warned Pakistan that such peace agreements allow Al-Qaida and Taliban militants operating near the Afghan border time to rearm and regroup.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Cong not beggar, wants dignified pact: Digvijay - National News Updates
New Delhi: After being on collision course last week, the Samajwadi Party and the Congress may be closer to clinching a deal to contest the Uttar Pradesh elections together. Both parties have come some distance since last week when they locked horns over the disproportionate assets case against SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, where the regional party accused the Congress of trying to settle political scores.
The Samajwadi Party might announce the seats which it will share with the Congress in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. Indications of a possible alliance are strong, with the Congress saying it is open to what it calls a dignified alliance.
However, the war of words between Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh and Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh has not abated any.
Digvijay Singh said on Tuesday, "Congress is not that weak that we'll carry a begging bowl in front of anybody. If the alliance would be dignified we will go for it."
Meanwhile, Amar Singh has blamed Digvijay Singh for misguiding the Congress high command and causing a strain in the relations between the two parties ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
"Leaders like Digvijay Singh are misguiding the Congress. The statements emerging from the Congress party are very disheartening," Amar Singh said adding, "Digvijay Singh will be held responsible if ties between Congress and Samajwadi Party are strained further."
Amar Singh also said: "We helped the United Progressive Alliance Government when it was facing its worst crisis after the Left Front withdrew support. We came to the Congress' rescue. Instead of being grateful, the party leaders are issuing such statements."
Amar Singh said he had never said that the Congress party is a beggar but added that the Congress too should realise that even "Samajwadi Party is not a beggar".
Advani wonders what would UPA do without Pranab - National News Updates
New Delhi: Taking a subtle dig at the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), BJP's prime ministerial hopeful L K Advani on Tuesday generously praised External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and wondered aloud what the Government would have done without him.
"I have great admiration for his (Mukherjee's) abilities and sometimes think what would the Government have done without him," Advani said in the Lok Sabha during the motion of thanks to President Pratibha Patil's speech.
Besides External Affairs Minister, Mukherjee is Acting Finance Minister and is standing in for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is convalescing after a bypass surgery.
Several members, including the External Affairs Minister, broke out into laughter as Advani praised him.
2 senior managers out; Satyam may dump more - National News Updates
Mumbai: Fraud-hit Satyam Computer Services is looking to trim the number of its senior managers, a company spokeswoman said on Tuesday, as the cash-starved outsourcer plans to find a suitor."Two managers have gone. We do not have a number but it is likely more will go," Archana Muthappa, head of media relations in India said over telephone. "It is part of a rationalisation of the organisation structure." She declined to put a time frame for the process but said the government appointed board was discussing it.
The two officials who have quit are Subu D Subramanian, global head of manufacturing and automotives division, and Anil Kumar, a senior vice-president at Satyam's financial services division, she said.
Satyam, the country’s fourth-largest outsourcer, is battling for survival since Jan. 7 when its founder Ramalinga Raju quit as chairman revealing profits have been falsified for years and $1 billion of cash and bank balances did not exist in the country's biggest corporate scandal.
The Government dissolved Satyam's board and appointed six directors to save Satyam and its 50,000 employees. The new board has appointed Goldman Sachs and Avendus, an Indian investment bank, to help find potential investors.
11 Sabarimala pilgrims die as bus falls into gorge - National News Updates
Kottayam: Eleven pilgrims travelling to the Sabarimala hill shrine were killed and 40 others injured, 20 of them seriously, when their bus fell into a gorge near Erumeli town in Kottayam district early on Tuesday morning.
The bus, carrying 60 pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district, slipped into a 50-foot gorge while it was passing the narrow Pampa Valley road.
As soon as news of the mishap spread, locals rushed to the spot and took the injured persons to the Medical College Hospital in Kottayam and Taluk Hospital in Kanjirapally. Kerala Government has announced a solatium to the kins of the pilgrims.
The Sabarimala shrine is located in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala.
Jamaat leader arrested for Mumbai attack links - National News Updates
Lahore: Pakistani media reports claim that chief of the Jamaat-ud Dawa Rawalpindi wing, Nazeer Ahmed, has been formally arrested by investigative agencies in Pakistan connection with in November 26 Mumbai terror attacks.
Ahmed has already been under house arrest for nearly a month and has now been shifted to an undisclosed location in Lahore.
According to Geo TV reports, Ahmed is a former Pakistani Army Colonel.
Sources have said that Ahmed's detention is a part of the Pakistani government's move to detain all active leaders of the banned Jamaat-ud Dawa across the country.
The offices of Jamaat-ud-Dawa were closed and most of its leaders were detained after it was black-listed by the United Nations Security Council in December 2008.
The organisation has been accused of serving as a front for the outlawed teror group Lashkar-i-Toiba.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Nuclear disaster averted as submarines collide - National News Updates
HMS Vanguard, Royal Navy nuclear submarine Two nuclear-armed submarines, one British and one French, have collided while on separate exercises in the Atlantic Ocean, newspaper reports said on Monday (February 16). The nuclear-powered submarines were badly damaged in the underwater collision earlier this month, the Daily Telegraph said.
No one was injured in the accident and there was no damage to the vessels' weapons, the Daily Mirror added. The defence ministry in London said it did not comment on submarine operations and would not confirm the reports.
However, in a brief statement, it added: “We can confirm that the UK's deterrent capability has remained unaffected at all times and there has been no compromise to nuclear safety.” A spokesman for France's defence ministry declined to comment. The Sun newspaper said modern anti-sonar technology is so good that it is possible that neither submarine detected the other in time.
After the accident in the mid-Atlantic, the Royal Navy's HMS Vanguard returned to base in Faslane, western Scotland, with dents and scrapes visible on its hull, the Sun reported. France's Le Triomphant limped back to Brest, northwest France, with extensive damage to its sonar dome, which houses navigation and communication equipment, the report added.
Launched in 1992, Vanguard is one of four British submarines that carries the Trident nuclear missile, the country's nuclear defence system. At least one of the submarines is on patrol at all times. Le Triomphant, which entered service in 1997, carries 16 nuclear missiles and is one of four nuclear-armed submarines in the French fleet.
Exclusive: The seven 'missing' terrorists - National News Updates
Pakistan may have put the ball in India's court as far as the 26/11 probe is concerned, but TIMES NOW has stumbled upon a missing link that could be the key to the investigations, the seven terrorists, who plotted the attack are missing and are on the loose in Pakistan. 26/11 mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and six terror suspects are finally on trial in Pakistan. But Pakistani media feels that there is a missing link. “Investigative authorities have informed us that 17 men had set out for carrying out this attack in three launches. Out of the 17 who went, only seven came back. The other ten reached Mumbai,” Fahim Siddiqui, Karachi correspondent of Pakistan's Geo News told TIMES NOW. These seven terrorists had their task cut out. First they provided cover for the ten-man terror squad who left for Mumbai. They also provided the logistical support for the launch of operation and charted out the safest sea route for the terror mission. Siddiqui said, “When only seven returned to port, they must have been interrogated. And they must have said that the other ten drowned in the boat that sank. That is how they tackled the question of answering the absence of the other ten.” The missing seven men could hold the key to the entire investigation, feels Siddiqui. “The seven are very important even for Pakistan - as important as Kasav. Just as Pakistan wants access to Kasav so as to fill in the missing links, so also it needs these seven to explain as to how the events occurred.” This explosive revelation came even as the Pakistan’s Foreign Minister asked India to co-operate on investigations. As Pakistan grapples with the intense international pressure on the 26/11 probe, the crackdown will only be complete once this missing link is probed.
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