Nepal set for landmark vote amid fear of violence

Nepal set for landmark vote amid fear of violence
Shirish B. Pradhan
Kathmandu, Apr 9 (PTI) Amid widespread pre-poll
violence, Nepal is set to hold the landmark constituent
assembly polls tomorrow after which the Maoists hope to push
the mainstream parties to abolish the centuries-old monarchy
and shun their rebel image and capture power through the
ballot.
Nepals 17.6 million voters are eligible to vote to
decide the future political system for the Himalayan state.
Some 6,000 candidates are contesting the election
under proportionate voting system while 4,021 candidates are
in the fray under first past the post (direct voting)
electoral system.
Altogether 55 political parties are participating in
the crucial polls.
The common agenda of the ruling Seven Party Alliance
for the election is to abolish monarchy and establish
a federal democratic republic.
Meanwhile, a communist party candidate was gunned down
by unidentified men while seven Maoists were killed in police
firing following fresh clashes between workers of Left parties
and Nepali Congress.
An indefinite curfew was clamped in two villages of
the district after the incident and election countermanded in
the Surkhet -1 constituency.
Nepal has witnessed a violence-marred campaign for the
crucial elections to elect a body that will rewrite the
Constitution and decide the fate of the monarchy.
The vote is a key step towards culmination of the
peace process that started with the signing of a November 2006
deal following which the CPN-Maoist ended their decade-long
armed struggle and joined the political mainstream.

Asia growth cruising, could be torpedoed by global crisis
Sridhar Krishnaswami
Washington, Apr 9 (PTI) China and India led economic
expansion in Asia, but growth in the region could be hit if
the global financial crisis persists, the International
Monetary Fund has said in its World Economic Outlook (WEO).
"Growth in emerging Asia remained exceptionally rapid in
the first half of 2007. The regional expansion was led by
China, where real GDP grew by 11.5 per cent (year on year) in
the first half of 2007 as exports and investment accelerated,
and by India, where gains in domestic demand, particularly
investment, underpinned 9.25 per cent (year on year) growth in
the first half (of 2007)," the WEO says.
With the economies of East and South East Asia also
poised to record strong growth rates, the IMF has predicted
that the regional economy is now expected to expand by 9.2 per
cent in 2007 and 8.3 per cent in 2008.
It noted that emerging Asia, has, among other things,
successfully managed strong foreign exchange inflows, but that
China would grow by a slower 10 per cent in 2008 compared to
11.5 per cent in 2007.
The Indian economy is expected to expand by 8.4 per cent
in 2008 against 8.9 per cent in 2007, the IMF has said ahead
of the Spring Meetings of the bank and the Fund this weekend.
"Slower demand for Asian exports, and electronic goods in
particular, and the possibility of further global financial
market turbulence are particular downside concerns," the Fund
has said.

arkisyan sworn in as new Armenian President
Moscow, Apr 9 (PTI) Serzh Sarkisyan was today sworn in as
the third president of former-Soviet republic of Armenia in
the Caucasus.
Sarkisyan was earlier prime minister of Armenia.
His victory in February 19 presidential polls was
challenged by his rival, former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan,
who launched protest campaign.
On March 1 when the protests took a violent turn,
killing at least eight and injuring over 200 people in clashes
with the security forces, incumbent President Robert Kocharyan
declared a state of emergency lasting 20 days.

ancer trials stopped early, potentially risking patients
London, Apr 9 (AP) An increasing number of trials testing
cancer drugs are being stopped early, potentially putting
patients at risk, according to research published today.
European researchers looked at all cancer trials published
in three major medical journals between 1997 and 2007. They
found 25 that were stopped early, because the drugs were
working so well that experts wanted patients to get the
medicines as soon as possible.
The study was published online in the Annals of Oncology.
In the last three years, nearly 80 percent of cancer trials
for experimental drugs stopped prematurely were linked to an
application for a marketing license in Europe or the US.
"That suggests that companies have a commercial interest in
stopping these trials, which may not be good for patients,"
said Dr Giovanni Apolone, of the Mario Negri Institute for
Pharmacological Research in Milan, one of the study's authors.
"Without enough information, we don't know if patients are
really benefiting from these new drugs," Apolone said. He and
his colleagues were not paid for the study. Apolone's
institute receives grants from GlaxoSmithKline PLC and
Novartis AG.
But Apolone and colleagues had no proof that financial
considerations alone drove the trials to be stopped early.
Decisions to halt drug trials are usually made by
independent data monitoring committees, which review the trial
information and regularly assess progress. They make
recommendations to the pharmaceutical companies, which often
hire outside academics to test their drugs.

If the drugs appear to be working, trials are usually
stopped early to give those who are receiving fake pills the
chance to benefit. Trials are also stopped if drugs seem to be
harming patients.
In the European study, 19 out of the 25 trials halted
early had independent data monitoring committees.
Drugs are also continually monitored for dangerous side
effects, even after they are on the market.
The European Medicines Agency requires that
pharmaceutical companies track reports of side effects from
their drugs and submit occasional safety reports.
"At the time when marketing authorizations are granted,
we are aware that we don't know everything about the
medicine," said Monika Bernstetter a spokeswoman for the
European Medicines Agency. "In the end, this is an ongoing
process and it is an issue of risk management."
Bernstetter said the agency had not received any unusual
reports of side effects from cancer drugs in the last few
years.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical
Association in 2005 looked at drug trials in cardiology,
cancer, and AIDS. Researchers also found that trials were
often stopped early because of potential benefits, and warned
that the results could have been skewed.
"Just having preliminary promising results is not good
enough," Apolone said. It can take years to discover the
long-term benefits or side effects of new drugs, yet most
studies only lasted about two years. When tests are
interrupted at the halfway point, the smaller numbers may
exaggerate a drug's benefits.
Many cancer drugs are very toxic and come with
unpleasant side effects like hair loss, vomiting, and anemia.

hailand, US expand war games
Bangkok, Apr 9 (AFP) The US and Thailand will double the
number of troops in their annual war games in May, as
Washington restores normal military relations with the new
elected government in Bangkok.
The Cobra Gold military exercises will take place May 8-21
in northern Thailand, focusing on training for peacekeeping
missions, Thai General Songkitti Jaggabatara told reporters.
"Personnel will be trained not only in peacekeeping but
also other types of assistance, which will help Thai forces
prepare for peacekeeping missions in Sudan," Songkitti told
press conference.
About 5,250 Thai personnel and 6,075 US forces will join
the exercise, about twice as many as last year, when the
exercises were scaled down while Thailand was under a
military-backed regime.
In addition to the five main countries participating,
Australia, Bangladesh, Britain, Brunei, France, India, Italy,
Malaysia, Mogolia and Philippine are also taking part in
different roles during the event.
The United States had suspended 24 million dollars in
military aid to Thailand after the military seized power in
2006. The aid was restored in February after an elected
Government took office following polls late last year.
In addition to the Thai and US forces, Singapore will send
158 personnel, Indonesia 81, and Japan 67. A total of 14
combat ships and 96 aircraft will be involved.
The US embassy's deputy chief of mission James Entistle
said the exercises would help prepare for multinational
responses to future crises.
Thailand will spend 4,44,000 dollars, while the United
States will spend 17 million dollars on the war games.

Hillary losing support in Pennsylvania
Dharam Shourie
New York, April 9 (PTI) In more bad news for Democratic
Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, her rival Barack Obama
has cut into her lead among all groups including women in
Pennsylvania ahead of the state's presidential primary on
April 22.
A new poll released yesterday by Quinnipiac University
showed that Clinton now leads Obama by 50 to 44 per cent among
the likely primary voters her stronghold of Pennsylvania.
Hillary had a lead of 50 to 41 per cent in the poll
conducted only a week earlier on April 2.
Should Obama gain another point or two, it would become a
stiff fight between the two candidate locked in a fierce
battle for the party nomination for November Presidential
elections.
In the close Democratic race, Obama leads Clinton in the
delegate count 1,621 to 1,499. To win the party nomination,
one of them must get 2,025 delegates.
The poll showed that over the past week Clinton's margin
of support among women supporters fell to 54 to 41 per cent
from 54 to 37 per cent.
"With two weeks to go, Obama is knocking on the door of a
major political upset in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary.
Obama is not only building on his own constituencies, but is
taking away voters in Clinton's strongest areas - whites
including white women and those who say the economy is the
most important issue in the campaign," Assistant Director of
the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute Clay F Richards
said.
"The economy was supposed to be Clinton's ace in the
hole in Rust Belt states such as Pennsylvania, but Obama is
holding a good hand too," Richards said.

Peres to bring in top world celebs for Israel's anniversary
Jerusalem, Apr 9 (AP) Israeli President Shimon Peres is
bringing in top personalities from around the world, including
Ratan Tata, chairman of India's Tata group to celebrate the
Jewish state's 60th birthday.
US President George W Bush, Barbra Streisand, Tony Blair,
Mikhail Gorbachev and Rupert Murdoch are among those expected
to attend a May conference focusing on Jewish and Israeli
contributions to humanity.
"We are going to have probably 10 presidents from different
countries, six former presidents, ministers, prime ministers,
scientists, philosophers, artists," Peres said today in an
interview with The AP.
The conference is expected to be one of the highlights of
weeks of celebrations marking Israel's 60th, including
concerts, Holocaust remembrance events, a workshop promoting
Arab-Israeli coexistence and a 1,200-kilometre trans-Israel
bicycle trail.
The May 13-15 conference will open with a tribute to
Israel's staunchest ally, the US. It will be attended by Bush
and feature Streisand singing the Hebrew prayer Avinu Malkeinu
- Our Father Our King, which Peres described as "unbelievably
beautiful."
"After 60 years we want to stand up and say 'thank you
America,'" Peres said. He said most of the of the conference's
2,000 participants will be Jewish, but that it's open to
people of all faiths.
Peres said the subjects of the conference are "as varied as
one can think of from arts and science and philosophy and
medicine and ecology."
The list of confirmed guests includes Henry Kissinger,
Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, former Czech President Vaclev
Havel and Google founder Sergey Brinn (AP)

SGPC should move Constitution Bench on minority issue: Buta
Phagwara (Punjab), Apr 9 (PTI) Decrying its "poor
handling" of the case for minority status to Sikhs in Punjab,
National Scheduled Castes Commission chairman Buta Singh today
asked SGPC to move a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court.
"Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee should engage a
battery of constitutional experts to fight the case. It's a
travesty that its poor handling has deprived Sikhs of minority
status and the benefits accruing from it," he told reporters
here.
Singh said the shrine management body should move a
Constitution Bench (five judges or more) of the apex court to
challenge the Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling striking
down Sikh minority status in Punjab.
The High Court had on December 17 declared as ultra vires
of the Constitution, a Punjab government notification that
SGPC-run institutions be treated as minority institutions
while a Supreme Court Division Bench in February refused to
stay the order.
Singh said Article 25 of the Constitution recognised the
distinct identity of Sikhs and gave them religious freedom.
He also demanded the High Court proceedings should be
conducted in Punjabi.
"I am not against English or Hindi but one's mother
tongue should have proper place in the state. If proceedings
of the judiciary in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka can
be conducted in their regional languages, why can't it be the
same in the courts of Punjab," Singh said. PTI

Tibetan leader asks India to facilitate China-Dalai talks
Guwahati, Apr 9 (PTI) A prominent Tibetan leader today
said it was not against holding of the Olympic Games in China
and suggested India should play a 'greater role' to facilitate
negotiations between Beijing and the Dalai Lama in to resolve
the Tibet issue.
"Indian government should play a greater role for
peaceful negotiations between China and Dalai Lama as problems
on the Tibetan issue in India and South Asia will continue,"
said the Tibetan Solidarity Committee of the "Tibetan
government-in-exile".
Talking to reporters here as part of the Solidarity
Committee Tibetan leader Dawa Tshering said "we strongly
appeal them to help us resolve the Tibet issue through
peaceful negotiation."
"The world community should think why the Tibetans are
raising their voice", Tshering said and alleged "there is
torture of Tibetans and violation of human rights by China in
Tibet .. their voice for justice cannot be stopped".
Against the backdrop of disruptions by Tibetan protestors
of the Beijing Olympic torch relay in London and Paris,
another Tiberan leader Karma Karma Yeshi said "we are not
against the Olympics but this (in China) is going to be the
most controversial one in the history of the Olympics because
of oppression in Tibet". PTI

SHRC directive to J-K govt on recovery of 'unmarked graves'
Srinagar, Apr 9 (PTI) The State Human Rights Commission
(SHRC) today asked Jammu and Kashmir government to explore the
possibility of setting up a mechanism to redress the
grievances of the Association of Parents of Disappeared
Persons (APDP).
The recommendation comes following the recovery of nearly
1,000 "unmarked graves" by APDP - a NGO, in Uri sector of the
state. Amnesty International has also urged India to launch an
urgent inquiry to determine if any of the graves contain the
bodies of those listed as "missing" by local Human Rights
groups.
Habibullah Bhat, the acting Chairman of SHRC, in an order
issued here said the setting up of such a mechanism would be a
"soft-sweet healing band-aid to the bleeding wounds" of the
parents of the missing persons.
The Commission also made a request to all NGOs, public
interest bodies, human rights activists and social figures and
legal professionals to assist the proposed mechanism as
solicited to be explored by the government.
"I have examined the legal position of the case
applicable to the factual aspect brought to the indulgence of
this commission," Bhat said.
He said the SHRC is a statutory entity and has to
discharge statutory obligation as per the laws enacted by a
state legislature in 1997 with the solemn commitment for
better protection of human rights.
Quoting guiding principles laid down by the UN in 1998,
Bhat said grave sites of internally displaced persons should
be protected and respected in all circumstances. PTI

24th International Ramayana Conference in Mauritius
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) The 24th International Ramayana
Conference will be held in August in Mauritius.
The three-day conference, which will begin on August 8,
will be held under the auspices of the Ramayana Centre,
established by an Act of the Mauritius Parliament.
The first International Ramayana Conference was held in
India in November 1984 followed by Thailand, Canada, Nepal,
Mauritius, Surinam, Belgium, Indonesia, Holland, China, the US
and the UK.
"These countries represented all the three main streams
of the Ramayana -- spiritual, cultural and academic," Lallan
Prasad Vyas, chairman of the Global Series of Ramayana
Conference said in a release today. PTI ETB

AMU puts on hold admission tests at four centres
Aligarh, Apr 9 (PTI) The Aligarh Muslim University has
put on hold its move to hold admission tests for different
professional courses at four centres in the country after
questions were raised over the legality of such a step.
A decision to this effect was taken at a special
meeting of the university's Executive Council on Monday, a
varsity spokesman said here.
The decision was taken after some members of the
council viewed that the university should seek the permission
of the Supreme Court before conducting the tests at four
different centres other than the main campus.
They said the Supreme Court's permission was
"necessary" because the apex court had in January 2006
directed the university to maintain "status quo" on all issues
pertaining to its admission policy.
AMU vice chancellor Prof P K Abdul Azis would now seek
the opinion of the apex court before holding the tests, the
spokesman said.
The executive council on January 17 last had decided
to hold the admission tests at Kolkata, Pune, Bhopal, Kozikode
and the main campus here. The objective behind the move was to
give a "pan-Indian" character to the university's admission
system.
The university had taken the decision after it found
that students' intake to this institution was largely limited
to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar since the past two decades.

Tibetan students on a 24-hour-long relay hunger strike
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) Scores of Tibetan students today
began a 24-hour-long relay hunger strike in the national
capital to express solidarity with those who are protesting
the Chinese control in Tibet and the recent crackdown in
Lhasa.
About 100 students from Tibetan Children's Village in
Dharamshala and Bylakuppe in Karnataka, who have appeared for
their Class XII examinations recently, marched from Ramlila
Grounds to Jantar Mantar and began their fast.
Students have also prepared a five-point charter which
include the immediate release of the Panchen Lama, improvement
of Tibetan children's right and abolition of racial
discrimination in Tibet by Chinese government.
"We also want that the Chinese government should go in
for a dialogue with the Dalai Lama without any
pre-conditions," said T Choeden, a student leader.
"We are not asking for Tibet's independence, we only want
that Chinese authorities should stop racial discrimination in
Tibet. Tibetans should be provided with equal rights as that
of Chinese," Tenzin Choephel, another student leader told PTI.
They also said they are not against the Olympic torch
relay that is scheduled on April 17.
Youdon Aukatsang, Member of the Tibetan Parliament in
Exile, said their objective was neither Olympics nor the torch
relay. "We only want restoration of human rights in Tibet."
Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok, another Member of Tibetan
Parliament in Exile said, "Disruption of the Olympic torch
relay is not in our hand. We may or may not be, but we will
definitely gather at Jantar Mantar on April 17 to welcome the
torch with protest." PTI SCY

European Par members rap Pak for lack of democracy in PoK
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) Prominent Members of European
Parliament (MEP) have come down heavily on the Pakistan
government for "lack of democracy and development" in Gilgit
and Baltistan areas of Pak-occupied Kashmir.
While Pakistan was seeking self-determination in Jammu
and Kashmir, "it was not even prepared to allow democracy on
its side of the border," Baronness Emma Nicholson MEP said at
a two-day international conference on 'Constitutional,
Political and Socio-economic conditions of Gilgit Baltistan'
at the European Parliament in Brussels yesterday.
Nicholson, who represents the Liberal Democratic Party,
had authored a report on the "suppression of human rights" in
the Northern Areas of PoK which was adopted by the European
Parliament last year.
Participating in the conference, another MEP Geoffrey
van Orden said while there had been extensive political and
economic development in the Indian side of J and K, this was
"totally lacking" in PoK.
Charles Tannock, MEP from the UK, drew a sharp contrast
between India and Pakistan in terms of economic development
and democracy, while UNPO chief Marino Musdaschin said there
could be no progress on Kashmir "till the initiation of full
political process in PoK".
The conference was also attended by several other
MEPs, NGO representatives and leaders of the International
Kashmir Alliance (IKA).
IKA General Secretary Shaukat Ali Kashmiri wanted the
European Parliament to set up a fact-finding mission on the
ground realities in the Gilgit and Baltistan region and other
parts of the PoK. He also sought starting of a bus service
between Gilgit-Baltistan in PoK and Ladakh as part of Indo-Pak
confidence-building measures. PTI ARC
hishing racket cracked in Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) Delhi Police today claimed to have
unearthed an internet phishing racket with the arrest of three
persons, including two Nigerians, who allegedly siphoned of
about Rs 33.5 lakh from people across the country.
The arrested were identified as Ibimina Joshua (38),
Fellx Awatefe (33), both Nigerians, and Nurul Huda Khan of
Manipur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Anil
Shukla told reporters here.
The accused have allegedly hacked 23 accounts of 33
people all over India and duped Rs 33.5 lakh from their
accounts, he said.
The racket was unearthed following a complaint filed by
HDFC Bank's Risk Control Unit in February after a Delhi-based
customer informed them that Rs 1.75 lakh has been
unauthorisedly transfered to an account of one M Basumatari.
The bank also informed police that they have received
similar complaints from Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai, Shukla
said.
The gang used to allegedly send bulk e-mails carrying the
fake logo of the bank to account holders informing them that
there were "systemic errors" in their account which prevents
them from conducting transaction over internet.
To rectify the problem, Shukla said, the gang asked them
to once again provide their account details, including the IDs
and passwords. They had sent about one lakh mails to account
holders, he added.
The gang then allegedly transferred money from the
accounts of those who responded to these mails, Shukla said.
They used to transfer the money to the account of some
acquaintances for which the gang paid some commission to them,
he said.
The acquaintances withdrew the money and handed them over
to Khan who later gave it to Joshua. The money was then
transferred to Awatefe, Mike and Obruche, two other Nigerians
in the gang, Shukla said.
Awatefe, an unemployed person, was earlier arrested in
2006 in a lottery fraud case in which he allegedly duped
people of about Rs 17 lakh.
Joshua, who is married to a Manipuri woman, is working as
a mediator of an NGO 'Nig Delta Professional Asia Foundation'
in Dwarka locality here, Shukla said, adding he was
overstaying in the capital.
An ex-employee of a BPO, Khan used to get funds
transfered to his friends' accounts and collect cash from
them, he added.
On April two, Delhi Police had arrested five youngmen for
allegedly "cloning" international credit cards and using them
to draw about Rs 30 lakh from the accounts of people based in
Britain. PTI SJY

Mehta's induction in Nanavati panel sparks controversy
Ahmedabad, Apr 9 (PTI) The appointment of retired Gujarat
High Court judge Justice Akshay Mehta to the Nanavati
Commission triggered a controversy quickly with the
organisation representing the post-Godhra riots victims
deciding to boycott the proceedings besides demanding his
removal.
"Allegations were made against Justice Mehta in a sting
operation `Kalank' of Tehelka and a TV channel," advocate
Mukul Sinha, who heads the Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM)
representing a section of the riot victims told PTI here
today.
"He is the same judge whom Babu Bajrangi, the main
accused of Naroda Patia case, referred to as `apna admi' in
the Tehelka tapes," Sinha said.
"Whether the allegations are true or not is a different
matter," Sinha added.
"The government should not have appointed Justice Mehta
in the Commission," Sinha said, adding the JSM is going to
write to the state government to change its decision.
"We had also suggested name of five judges to be
appointed to the panel. The government should have appointed
anyone from this list," he added.
The state government yesterday appointed Justice Mehta in
the Commission after Justice K G Shah passed away recently.
Justice Mehta has served as a judge in the Gujarat High
Court for seven years before retiring in 2007.
The Commission is inquiring the Godhra train carnage and
the post-Godhra riot cases.
Justice Shah, who was the second member of the two-member
Commission had died last month at his residence. He was
living alone.
The Commission was constituted by the state government in
2002 after the worst ever communal riots witnessed in Gujarat.
PTI PD GSN

India, Africa to take oil prices issue to int'l fora
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) India and Africa today decided to
take up the issue of rising oil prices and the looming food
crisis at various international fora and develop a common
position on the twin issues.
The African Union also sought India's help in ushering in
a Green Revolution in the continent, which has the "capacity
to not only feed itself but also the world".
"Food security and high oil prices clearly impact on the
economy. All the gains made on the fronts of economic growth
and poverty reduction may be lost if these are not reined in,"
Jakaya Kikwete, President of Tanzania as also the Africa
Union, said in his closing remarks at the India-Africa Forum
Summit here.
He said leaders from India and African countries agreed
at the Summit that there was a need for intervention to check
these phenomena.
"We agreed there was need for intervention ...that we
should bring these two matters to the attention of the United
Nations and international financial organisations like the IMF
and World Bank," Kikwete said.
He said attempts would be made to raise the issue at the
next meeting of G-8 countries to be held in Okinawa in Japan
later this year.
On Climate Change, Kikwete said the two sides agreed to
abide by the key principle of common but differentiated
responsibilities and respective capabilities in reducing
greenhouse gas emissions.
"We emphasise the need for equitable and fair burden
sharing in mitigation which must take into account historical
emissions," the Delhi Declaration said. PTI

Laxmi says she is unable to forget the Beltola humiliation
Jamshedpur, Apr 9 (PTI) The 16-year-old Adivasi girl, who
was stripped and paraded naked during a tribal rally in
Guwahati, said the scars of the painful episode still remained
and she exhorted tribals to stand united in fighting for their
rights.
Laxmi Oraon addressing her first public meeting at Ottar
in West Singhbhum district yesterday said tribal masses will
continue to be deprived of their rights and justice unless
they launch agitations unitedly.
"It is very difficult for me to forget what had happened
with me on November 24 at Beltola in Guwahati," she said and
alleged that adivasis across the country continued to be
neglected as the government was not interested in taking up
their cause. The incident had triggered a nation-wide furore.
Laxmi said in the absence of an united agitation by them,
she apprehended a November 24-like situation in Jharkhand.
Elaborating on the tribal's absence of unity, the girl
said several adivasi leaders from Jharkhand had visited her
after the Beltola incident but nobody assured her that the
tribal cause, including enlisting of over 80 lakh adivasis
living in Assam in scheduled tribe category, would be
taken up by them.
Laxmi said she would tour West Bengal, Orissa,
Chattisgarh and Jharkhand to create awareness among the
adivasis.
The meeting was organised by Jharkhand Disom Party. PTI
ISRO's licensing role comes under US scrutiny
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) The role of India Space Research
Organisation in influencing the licensing policy for hiring
foreign satellites by telecom and broadcasting firms, has come
the scanner of the US Department of Commerce.
An annual review, completed under an American law
identifying barriers facing the US telecom and equipment
suppliers, has found a conflict of interest between ISRO's
"unofficial" role as a regulator and service provider for
renting capacity on its satellites.
The Office of the US Trade Representative has said it
would "continue to monitor all of these issues and encourage
countries to address these concerns in ongoing engagement over
the following year".
It said although India's Department of Telecommunications
and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry act as licensing
authorities for companies interested in utilising foreign
satellite capacity, ISRO seems to greatly influence the
licensing process.
ISRO "appears to exert enormous influence over the
licensing process and prevents companies from contracting
directly with foreign satellite operator," the review done
under Section 1377 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness
Act of 1988 said.
Thus, the organisation plays an "unofficial policy role"
and at the same time acts as a competitor to the foreign
satellite operators, since it owns and operates India's
domestic satellite system INSAT.
"This presents a serious conflict of interest that is
likely to put foreign satellite operators at a competitive
disadvantage and also limit the number of choices available to
Indian telecommunications and broadcast companies in need of
satellite capacity," the review said.
The US review also expressed concerns over India's
policies that "stifle" technologies that help promote
innovative services like Voice on Internet Protocol (VoIP).
"In last year's Review, USTR (US Trade Representative)
expressed concerns about policies that stifle technologies
that help promote innovative services, such as voice services
provided through VoIP technology. This year a trade
association ... submitted comments highlighting difficulties
its members face in the provision of VoIP abroad, particularly
in countries such as China, India, Oman and the UAE," it said.
However, the US was happy over the market regulator
TRAI's efforts to reduce its access deficit charge, which
cross-subsidises local telecommunications service with revenue
generated by long distance calls.
"USTR applauds TRAI's decision to eliminate the ADC as
promised," it said. PTI PC

Kshitij is now wholly-owned subsidiary of FCH
Mumbai, Apr 9 (PTI) Kishore Biyani promoted Future
Capital Holdings today said it has acquired the 50 per cent
stake held by CapitaLand Retail India in their joint venture
firm Kshitij CapitaLand Mall Management Pvt Ltd.
The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that it
has acquired the remaining stake in Kshitij CapitaLand Mall
Management, a 50:50 JV between FCH and CapitaLand.
KCMMCL has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of FCH with
effect from today, the filing added.
Shares of Future Capital closed at Rs 563.60, up 1.43
per cent on the BSE. PTI JD
Salaries of management graduates jump 22 pc this year: Report
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) The concerns on slowdown in global
economic growth seem to have had little impact on hiring of
management graduates in the country, with the average salary
offered this year jumping 22 per cent and many offers coming
from financial sector, says a report.
"Across top 20 campuses, the average salary offered this
year is about 22 per cent more than what was offered last
year," said a report prepared by MBAUniverse.com, a management
portal.
Among the institutes surveyed, IIM-A saw the biggest
salary hike of 30 per cent while Indian School of Business
(ISB) witnessed a jump of about 19 per cent.
The average domestic salary of the IIM-A graduates stood
at Rs 18.75 lakh per annum, making it the highest. This year
IIM-A has had an average international offer of USD 109,000.
In terms of offer, banking and financial services were
the biggest recruiters across the management institutes.
The MBA Placement Report 2008 was prepared after
analysing the placement analysis of final placement trends
from Top 20 B-schools, including IIMs and ISB.
Other institutes included in the survey are Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT) Business schools, Xavier Labour
and Relations Institute, Jamshedpur (XLRI), Management
Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon and Mumbai-based S P Jain
Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR).
Financial sector accounted for about 45 per cent of the
job offers in IIM-A, 40 per cent in IIM-B and 34 per cent in
IIM-C.

Postal Services should be run like a family: Scindia
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) With e-mails making communication
impersonal and private courier inflating cost dramatically,
newly appointed Minister of State for IT and Communications
Jyotiraditya Scindia today said he would endeavour to impart a
personal touch to the postal department.
"Postal office should become a window of the world. I
will try to run the post office in the same manner like my
father tried to run the railways. I will endeavour towards
creating a family atmosphere in running the postal services,"
he said after assuming charge.
Scindia, scion of the royal family of Gwalior, is the son
of late Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia, who was once
Minister of State for Railways.
The Department of Post (DoP), which had an annual deficit
of Rs 1,250 crore as of 2006-07, has been taking various
measures to reposition itself as a one-stop shop for
communication as well as financial needs.
Department of Post (DoP) had recently, ventured into
foreign exchange market in partnership with Centurion Bank of
Punjab. With a huge network of more than 1,55,000 post
offices, DoP is also looking at tie-ups with other banks to
disburse housing loans to the rural areas.
The government is also using post offices to disburse
proceeds of the National Rural Employment Guarantee programme.
Commenting on the challenges being faced by the Indian
IT industry, Scindia said: "India needs to transcend from a
purely backoffice and software programming nation to a product
nation because that's where Intellectual Property lies."
The second time MP from Guna (Madhya Pradesh) also said
the country needs to move up the value chain and focus on
hardware as well. "There is no reason why there cannot be
semi-conductor and fab units in India," he added. PTI GK PML

Finance Ministry rules out to introduce APA in near future
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) The Finance Ministry today ruled
out introduction of Advance Pricing Agreement programme for
deciding tax liability of the companies in advance in the near
future, saying that in the absence of an institutional
mechanism such system would not be effective.
"This is an issue on which we had sought information from
Nasscom and other bodies. One can take a view only after
understanding the institutional mechanism that can be put in
place," a senior Finance Ministry official said at a meeting
of American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) today.
An Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) is a binding contract
between a taxpayer and the tax authority under which the two
parties agree on the transfer pricing policy for specified
transactions of the taxpayer over a given period of time.
APAs may be unilateral -- involving the tax authority
of one country -- or bilateral and multilateral involving tax
authorities of two or more countries.
He said the APA programme could not be implemented in the
absence of an institutional mechanism that could ensure that
such agreements are not questioned in the court of law or by
the authorities like Comptroller and Auditor General of India
(CAG) and the Central Vigilance Commission. The ministry is
still awaiting the feedback from industry bodies.
The official said that in countries like the US and
Japan, where the programme is in operation, it usually takes
up to three years for signing the agreement once the
application for APA is filed.
"The Indian situation is different as we are a democracy
and there are political changes every five years. So what will
be the institutional mechanism that is available to protect
such agreements," he said, adding that no official would
"risk" his career by signing an agreement with companies on
tax liability that could be questioned later.
The Director General of Income Tax, International
Taxation, had held a meeting with representatives of public
accounting firms in November last year to share their APA
experiences with Indian tax authorities.
Referring to the issues relating to transfer pricing, the
official said the Ministry was aware of the problems faced by
the industry and it was open to redress their specific
concerns.
The concept of transfer pricing was introduced in 2001
for curbing tax avoidance by laying down norms for "income
arising from international transactions" to be computed at
"arm's length price".
He said the Ministry is looking into the pattern of data
on transfer pricing emerging from returns filed in last three
years, and is consulting different entities in this regard.
The concerns of the industry could be addressed shortly
by taking a "holistic view", while keeping in view the double
taxation avoidance treaties signed by the country with other
nations, he said.
On the demand of a master circular on different circulars
relating to settlement of tax disputes by the ministry, he
said many issues are likely to be addressed in
the Income Tax code that would soon be made public.
Earlier, Revenue Secretary P V Bhide said the Ministry
was open to address the genuine concerns of the corporate
sector, and intend to work out solution for tax matters
related to MNCs. PTI MNJ

Tata Motors on expansion drive in Africa
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) Betting big on Africa, Tata Motors
today said the company will expand its businesses in the
continent, including starting of assembly operations of Semi
Knock Down (SKD) pick-up trucks in Senegal and similar
activities for buses in Congo.
The company is also keeping an open mind to explore the
possibilities of taking its Rs 1-lakh car 'Nano' to Africa in
the future.
"We have a long history in Africa and our buses and
vehicles are plying in the continent for many decades. We want
to take part in the development and growth of Africa," Tata
Motors Managing Director Ravi Kant told reporters on the
sidelines of an Indo-Africa summit here.
"One opportunity could be to take part in personal
transportation, in which 'Nano' can play a role," he said,
however, adding "right now this is in the thought process".
When asked about the total investments planned for its
overall expansions in Africa, Kant said it was difficult to
put definite numbers.
The company, which has supplied Complete Knock Down (CKD)
form of buses in Senegal, is now planing to start SKD
operations for pick-up trucks from this year at the Senbus
facility, he said.
The company is also conducting a feasibility study to
start SKD Assembly operations for buses in Congo. It has
already supplied 228 buses to the Congolese government for
urban transportation.
"We will also start selling passenger cars from this
financial year in Congo," Kant said.
In South Africa, which is Tata Motors' biggest market in
the continent, Kant said the company is setting up a new
manufacturing facility at Rosslyn. The company had acquired
the manufacturing facility from Nissan there.
Asked what kind of vehicles would be manufactured there,
Kant refused to comment.
"It is all in the planning stage and we cannot reveal it
now," he said.
Besides these, the company is also planning to strengthen
its CKD assembly operations in Kenya and investments have been
made to establish more robust after-sales and service
facilities in Ghana, he said.
In countries like Algeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Tata Motors
is looking to increase its sales and service networks, he
said, adding "the company is setting up a distribution network
in Angola and sale of passenger cars will start from next
year". PTI TR RKL

Vegetable, fruit become dearer in Punjab, Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Apr 9 (PTI) Prices of most vegetables and
fruits have shot up by Rs 3-10 per kg in the past fortnight in
Punjab and Chandigarh, taking it away from common man's reach.
Vendors said rates of most vegetables have gone up by Rs
3-10. Beans and capsicum are being sold for Rs 30-35 per kg,
while peas cost anything between Rs 35-40. Cauliflower was
selling at Rs 20 per kg, cabbage Rs 15 per kg and cucumber at
Rs 20 per kg.
Potato and onion, two widely consumed vegetables in the
regions, have risen by Rs 2-5 per kg in the past 15 days and
are being sold at Rs 10-14 per kg and Rs 12-14 per kg
respectively. Tomato was selling at Rs 25 per kg
Fruit have also become costlier. Common fruit lemon which
cost Rs 40 earlier is now being sold for Rs 50 a kg. Besides,
another common fruit banana was available at Rs 35 per dozen,
up by Rs 5, while oranges are being sold at Rs 70-80 per
dozen, up by Rs 10-20. Pomegranate and papaya are available at
Rs 80 per kg and Rs 18 per kg each, costlier by Rs 5 and Rs 3
respectively.
Himachal and Kashmiri apple varieties were selling in the
range of Rs 70-90 per kg, up by Rs 10 each, grapes at Rs 45 to
Rs 60 per kg, jump of Rs 5-10.
The King of fruits Mangoes, which has just arrived in the
markets, was selling in the range of Rs 50-100 per kg. PTI SUN

Polio resurfaces in Orissa after a decade
Bhubaneswar, Apr 9 (PTI) With the detection of polio
virus in a two-year-old girl after ten years, the Orissa
government has decided to immunise all children in the coastal
region and some pockets in other districts, official sources
said today.
On March 29, health officials detected the P-I polio
virus in Sk Maroof's daughter in Shanti Nagar slum here.
It was suspected that the girl was infected when she
visited her native village in West Bengal's Midnapore
district, sources said.
"We, however, do not rule out possibility of a virus
spread in the city," Director of Health Services (DHS) Sukadev
Sethi told PTI adding that immunisation programme will begin
on April 13.
According to DHS, the additional immunisation programme
was taken up in the wake of the detection of an isolated case
of polio in the urban areas. The districts to be covered under
the mop up programme were: Ganjam, Khurda, Puri,
Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore.
Besides, six blocks from Mayurbhanj district, three
blocks each in Keonjhar and Nayagarh districts and eight
blocks in Cuttack district would be covered. A total of 109
blocks would be covered under the programme, sources said.
"We want to ensure that the polio virus is completely
eradicated from the state," Deputy Director, Health, R K Nath,
said, adding this was the second polio case detected in the
state in the last six months. The last case was detected in
October, 2007.
Nath, however, claimed that the state was polio free for
three years since 2003, when one case had been detected from
Bhadrak district.
Nath pointed out that a house-to-house survey was
conducted at three major slum areas in the city in order to
detect any further polio case. However, no second case was
detected, he said.
The officials have, meanwhile, recorded movement of the
girl's family during last six months. "We will take stool
samples from all the children in villages which were visited
by the family during the period," Nath said, adding that so
far stool samples of at least 628 slum children were collected
and sent for test.
The health officials engaged in polio immunization,
however, admitted that almost 90 per cent of children were
covered under the pulse polio programme.
"Migrating labourers from other states like West Bengal,
Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were certainly a threat," said a
senior officer adding they take a lot of pain in immunising
children since many families resist it due to religious
superstitions. PTI AAM SKN

GJM to shut state, central and DGHC offices indefinitely
Siliguri, Apr 9 (PTI) An indefinite closure of central
and state offices in the Darjeeling hills would be enforced
from tomorrow by the Gorkha Ganamukti Morcha, similar to the
shutdown it had called two months ago demanding removal of
GNLF chief Subhas Ghising from the hill council and against
the implementation of the 6th Schedule bills.
The latest provocation for the GJM was a lathicharge and
firing of teargas shells by the police today at party
supporters who wanted to take out a procession here in protest
of the attack on a meeting yesterday allegedly by the
rival GNLF.
The GJM supporters gathered at Darjeeling More and threw
brickbats at the police when they intervened, Darjeeling
Superintendent of Police Rahul Srivastav said.
The police first resorted to a lathicharge, then fired
teargas shells to disperse the mob, IGP (Law and Order) Raj
Kanojia told PTI in Kolkata.
The GJM was not given permission to take out the
procession, Kanojia said.
Ten policemen, ten GJM supporters and three media persons
were injured in the clash, Srivastav said.
GJM president Bimal Gurung said his party would close
down all central, state and DGHC offices in Darjeeling
district for indefinite period, till the West Bengal
government gave a satisfactory explanation for the police
action.
"The government has to give an answer," he said.
The GJM also called a bandh from 3.00 pm in the hills
from the afternoon and a 24-hour one in the entire district.
Tomorrow's bandh would also be supported by the Kamtapur
People's Party and Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party,
Gurung said.
While the GJM has revived the demand for a separate state
of Gorkhland, the KPP has demanded creation of Kamtapur and
GCDP of Cooch Behar.
Without naming the GJM, CPI(M) state secretary Biman Bose
said in a statement in Kolkata that some forces were trying to
destroy harmony among the people in the hills and plains on
the basis of language and religion.
Union minister and WBPCC president Priyaranjan Dasmunshi
said Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee should call an
all-party meeting to solve the problem in the Darjeeling
hills.
Ever since the trouble broke out in Darjeeling in 1988,
the Congress at the Centre and the state government had
jointly tried to solve the problem through development of the
hills and democratic decentralisation through the hill council
in Darjeeling, Dasmunshi, Minister for Information and
Broadcasting, said in a statement.
Trinamool Congress general secretary Partha Chatterjee
said, "Let the both the Centre and the state government spell
out their latest stand on the question of the sixth schedule."
PTI

Spouse of corrupt babu equally guilty: HC
Mumbai, Apr 9 (PTI) As per a recent ruling of the
Bombay High Court, the spouse of a government officer involved
in a corruption case is equally guilty, considering the fact
that both of them have benefited from the ill-gotten wealth.
This ruling was passed by Justice V R Kingaonkar of the
Aurangabad Bench of the High Court in a case where he held
Dhule resident Mangalabai Wagh guilty of abetment in a
disproportionate assets case for allowing her husband Bhaskar
Wagh to acquire several properties in her name.
The Judge observed that Mangala has shared immovable
property as well as a vehicle to her name despite zero income
of her own. "It will have to be said that she abetted the
commission of offence of criminal misconduct by her husband
(Wagh)," the ruling remarked.
The court upheld the trial court verdict sentencing
Mangalabai to three years' imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2
lakh. The court also dismissed an appeal filed by Wagh
challenging his seven years imprisonment and Rs 3 lakh fine.
Wagh, who worked as a cashier in the Minor Irrigation
Department of a zilla parishad drew a monthly salaray of Rs
1,630. Wagh however, possessed movable and immovable
properties, including a fleet of cars, worth Rs 20 lakh that
were acquired between 1984 and 1989.
Wagh could not explain disproportionate assets to the
tune of Rs 9 lakh before the trial court. Although Wagh had
claimed that the assets were acquired from agricultural
income, he could not provide proof for the same.
Justice Kingaonkar observed that since 1983 onwards, Wagh
started purchasing immovable properties one after another and
that it is highly improbable that it was within the lawful
means of the Class III government servant to acquire them. PTI

'Guide' to be screened at Cannes film festival
Mumbai, Apr 9 (PTI) Evergreen Bollywood legend Dev Anand
has been invited to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival next
month where late Vijay Anand's 'Guide' will be screened in the
classics section.
"The dates of the screening will be conveyed to me soon.
I am leaving for Scotland on April 15 where I am being
felicitated for shooting the first Indian film ever in
Scotland 'Main Solah Baras Ki'. I will also release my
autobiography in Scotland. My memoirs have got good response
all over the world," Dev Anand told PTI here today.
He said he will be launching his next film 'Chargesheet'
on police corruption soon after he returns from Scotland.
"I am in the process of finalising my cast which will be
a mix of experienced actors and new faces," he added.
SW hikes raw material surcharge, others likely to follow suit
Mumbai, Apr 9 (PTI) The rift between the Government and
steel-makers on the price of the commodity could widen further
following private sector players such as JSW Steel effecting a
Rs 5,000 per ton raw material surcharge on HR coils.
The move could push up inflation, which touched the seven
per cent-mark on week ended March 22, a 39-month high.
Though only JSW Steel has announced a hike so far,
industry sources told PTI that all private sector players have
imposed the surcharge with effect from today.
"Yes, all of them have increased (the surcharge)," a
source said.
Most steel majors were cryptic on the issue with Tata
Steel describing reports of imposing a hike as `bogus'.
An Ispat official said he had "no comments" to offer
while the Shashi Ruia-led Essar Steel was yet to take a call
on the matter.
"We are yet to take a call on the matter," an Essar Steel
official said.
JSW Steel's Director (Finance) Seshagiri Rao was the
most forthcoming of the lot, admitting to the Rs 5,000 hike.
This was done to offset the increase in raw material prices,
particularly coal, he said.
"We import our entire coal requirement. The contract
price for coal has gone up by USD 200 per ton from USD 96 last
year. We have no option but to increase the price," he said,
adding the price of coal is as high as USD 400 per ton in the
spot market.

Nokia releases Rabbi Shergill songs on Nseries mobiles
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) After roping in ace photographer
Raghu Rai and fashion designer Vikram Phadnis as part of
marketing initiative, Nokia today announced launching an album
of sufi singer Rabbi Shergill on its Nseries mobile phones.
The album--Avengi Ja Nahi-- will be pre-loaded on N95,
N70 music edition and N73 music edition phones of Nokia. It
will be launched on music CDs by Yash Raj Music in the first
week of May.
"The announcement breaks new grounds for mobile music and
entertainment in India, bringing people closer to their
passion for music and performers closer to listeners in ways
we would never have imagined," Nokia India Marketing Director
Devinder Kishore told reporters here.
Nokia also announced a contest in which people above 18
years of age can shoot video using their mobile phones for the
lead track of the album. Five best entries would be edited to
create three minute online music video for the song.

asmunshi urges Buddhadev to call all-party meeting
Kolkata, Apr 9 (PTI) An all-party meeting should be
called to discuss the revival of the demand for Gorkhaland by
the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha, senior Congress leader
Priyaranjan Dasmunshi said today.
Dasmunshi, who is PCC chief, said the problem could
not be solved through 'narrow and divisive measures' and
appealed to Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to call an
all party meeting.
"The West Bengal Pradesh Congress does not support narrow
and divisive efforts to solve the problem in Darjeeling to
reap political benefits," Dasmunshi said in a statement.
He said ever since trouble broke out in Darjeeling in
1988, the Congress at the Centre and the state government had
jointly tried to solve the problem through development of the
hills and democratic decentralisation through the hill council
in Darjeeling.
Dasmunshi, the Minister for Information and Broadcasting,
said the Centre would discharge its responsibilities on the
basis of the state government's advice. PTI

Satirist Jaspal Bhatti turns filmaker
Mumbai, Apr 9 (PTI) Noted satirist Jaspal Bhatti is
working on a movie which he says will be a satire on the
present day political system.
"I can only say at this juncture that I will be directing
as well as acting in it. Details of the project will be
announced soon," Bhatti told reporters here today.
The actor who was last seen on television in comedy
series like `Flop Show' and 'Ulta Pulta' returns to the small
screen as a judge of a new reality show on SAB TV "Comedy Ka
King Kaun" which begins on April 14 on weekdays at 2030 hrs.
He agreed that television has seen an overdose of daily
soaps and now reality shows. At the same time, he said an
underdose of programming is also not good.
"I could barely manage to complete ten episodes of "Flop
Show" and audience wanted more of it," he said and added that
even in films, if one comedy movie does well, makers of
serious cinema too join the comedy bandwagon.
When asked why he was not seen more on television in
recent years, Bhatti said he was busy setting up his "Mad
Arts" acting Institute in Chandigarh which taught direction,
animation and acting to students of cinema. "Now that the
Institute has taken shape, I have decided to focus myself on
Television once again," he added.
He agreed that there were several reality shows on
music, dance and comedy on different channels. But, `Comedy Ka
King Kaun' is one-of-the-kind comedy show which brings
together 12 stand-up comedians to vie for the title of 'Comedy
King'.
Bhatti said he was looking for spontaneity, originality,
performance level and timing.

Anooj Kapoor, Business Head, SAB also agreed that reality
shows have become a trend on television. "Trends are common in
television and films. We have to give the audience what they
like. Their likes and tastes are critical for our survival,"
he added.
Speaking about 'Comedy Ka King Kaun', Kapoor said the
interesting part was that it has three segments - a stand-up
comedy round, a 'Jugalbandi round' and a 'Gag round'.
The stand-up comedy round will have each participant
perform alone, in the 'Jugalbandi', the judges select two
random participants, who get together to perform on a topic
given by the judges and finally the 'gag round' where each
team will put up one performance with the help of a pool of
actors.
Actress Divya Dutta, who is the judge along with Bhatti
said uniqueness of the show was that the participants, despite
being well known stand up comedians are always on the edge
during the show in a bid to give their best.
"This makes our job of judging also very tough," said the
actress who stars along with Ajay Devgan and Kajol in 'U Me
Aur Hum' due for release this week.
Bhatti said the unique format and well known comedians
make this show hilarious, refreshing and a great relief from
the usual fare on television today. PTI MR MR KCJ VRK

Al Fayed abandoning legal bid to prove Diana was murdered
London, Apr 9 (PTI) Harrod's boss Mohamed Al Fayed, whose
son died with Princess Diana in a Paris car crash in 1997, has
said he was abandoning his legal bid to prove that the couple
was murdered in a conspiracy, drawing the curtain on the
decade-old investigation into the incident.
A day after an inquest jury returned the verdict of
unlawful killing due to "gross negligence" of the couple's
driver and the paparazzi trailing their car, the Egyptian
millionaire said he accepted the verdict but "with
reservations".
He declared that "enough is enough" and said he would
leave it to God "to get my revenge" on those who "murdered"
the Princess and his son Dodi Al Fayed.
His statement comes after British Prime minister Gordon
Brown issued a clear warning to the businessman to give up his
fight and accept the jury's verdict because any further
investigation into his allegations of murder plot masterminded
by Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, and executed
by British secret agents Mi6, could divert the resources of
the security services from anti-terrorist work.
Referring to the statement issued by Diana's sons Princes
William and Harry that they were satisfied with the verdicts,
the Premier said: "I think they have spoken for the whole
country when they say this is time to bring this to an end.
"And I believe also that our security services, who have
cooperated with the inquiry to the fullest, have or would
continue to be diverted from the important work they do if we
have another rerun."
In an interview with ITN last night, Mohammed Al Fayed
said: "Enough is enough... for the sake of the two princes,
who I know loved their mother," he said.
Al Fayed said: "I am sure they (the two Princes) are
blessing in their deep heart what I'm doing to discover the
truth. But I have had enough. I'm leaving the rest for God to
get my revenge. I'm not doing anything any more... this is the
end."
Still he was critical of the coroner, Lord Justice Scott
Baker, who he said, had failed to call Prince Philip as a
witness and had not put a series of written questions to the
Queen.
"I'm very grateful to the jury because the most important
thing in their verdict is that they mention that it is not an
accident, it's an unlawful killing. After meeting with my
lawyers this afternoon, there are still a lot of options but
I'm tired," he said.
Trevor Rees, the former bodyguard and sole survivor of
the crash in the Parish underpass in August 1997, issued a
brief statement agreeing with the verdict. "I hope this now
represents a point from which everyone involved can move on."
In a 9 to 2 majority verdict, the jury ruled that driver
Henri Paul was three times over the drink-driving limit and
travelling at twice the speed limit, and gave the verdict that
he and the pursuing photographers had unlawfully killed the
Princess and Dodi Fayed through gross negligence. The coroner
ordered that the conspiracy theory be ignored as there was no
evidence to support it.
Meanwhile, Paul Burrell, Diana's butler, will not face
perjury charges after the coroner disclosed that he would not
be making an official complaint to police, despite earlier
calling him a liar.
Lord Justice Scott Baker said he was "not minded" to
render his evidence to the Metropolitan Police. PTI HSR
Orchid shares fall as takeover speculation runs out of steam
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) Orchid Chemicals, whose shares
benefited from continued speculation of takeover by a Ranbaxy
Group company over the last many days, today fell 3.06 per
cent after the pharma major clarified it does not believe in
hostile acquisitions.
Shares of Chennai-based Orchid, which had advanced by over
30 per cent in the last two days in a generally weak market,
fell for the first time in 12 days to settle at Rs 232.60,
while Ranbaxy too closed the day in negative territory at Rs
470, down 0.07 per cent.
"As a company, we do not believe in hostile takeovers," a
Ranbaxy spokesperson said, but strangely refused to confirm or
deny whether the group owned Solrex Pharma, the company that
picked up over nine per cent stake in Orchid through open
market deals triggering takeover speculation.
Yesterday, a top Orchid Chemical official had said that
Ranbaxy has shored up stake in the company, but declined to
give any details or say whether any meeting was held between
the two companies.
"Ranbaxy has acquired around five per cent stake in the
company (but) we are not going to comment on anything that has
been speculated about the acquisition of the company," Orchid
Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Managing Director Kailasam
Raghvendra Rao had said.
A downturn in the stock market has pared the value of many
companies, triggering speculation that they may be targets of
buyouts. PTI TEAM MBH
CPI(M) extends support to SP candidates for by-elections in UP
Lucknow, Apr 9 (PTI) Community Party of India (Marxist)
today extended its support to Samajwadi Party candidates for
by-elections to two Lok Sabha and three Vidhan Sabha seats in
Uttar Pradesh.
"We have decided to extend support to SP candidates to
keep communal forces at bay. Party workers have been asked to
extend support to the SP candidates," Secretary CPI(M) S P
Kashyap told reporters here.
The elections to the two Lok Sabha constituencies --
Azamgarh and Khalilabad, and three Vidhan Sabha seats would be
held on April 12. PTI AP

CBI files chargesheet against former RAW official
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) The CBI today chargesheeted a
former senior official of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for
giving out certain details in a book, which alleges corruption
in the country's external intelligence agency, in "violation"
of the Official Secrets Act.
The complaint (chargesheet) was filed against Maj Gen
(retd) V K Singh, who wrote the book, and Manas Publication
under Section three and Section five of Officials Secrets Act
in the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate after the CBI findings
were vetted by the Union Home Ministry.
The 63-year-old Singh and the publication house have
been accused of wrongful communication of information and
allegedly indulging in activities prejudicial to the safety or
interests of the nation. The CBI had filed the case in
September last year, three months after his book on alleged
corruption in the RAW had hit the stands.
Singh was on deputation from the army to RAW from 2000
till his retirement in 2004 and had written the book "India's
External Intelligence: Secrets of RAW".
The CBI is backing its chargesheet with statements from
RAW officials stating that the information used by Singh in
his book were of classified nature but has no other documents
to suggest it, the sources said.

CBI nails Delhi Police claims of fake militant arrests
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) In an embarassment to the elite
Special Cell of Delhi Police, the Delhi High Court today said
the CBI report into the case where two people were allegedly
framed as terrorists from Jammu and Kashmir went against the
anti-terror squad.
Justice S L Bhayana made this remark against the Delhi
Police while hearing a criminal writ petition in connection
with the case.
The case pertains to the arrest of Mohammed Moarif Qamar
and Irshad Ali, who were alleged to be militants of Al-Badr
and arrested by Special Cell from Mubarak Chowk on G T Karnal
Road in North Delhi on February 2006.
"The report is totally against you," the judge said.
The court gave the agency four more months to file a
conclusive report in the case.
Sufian Siddiqui has already given an undertaking before
the court that his clients would not be filing any bail plea
and would await the court's judgment.
The CBI had questioned several senior officials as the
agency had found some proof to establish that the two were
police informers.
While nailing several aspects of the probe of the Delhi
Police, the CBI, in its investigations, pointed out that
statements of special cell sleuths contradicted each other,
the sources said, adding some of the low-rung officials
in the Intelligence Bureau were also questioned.

SUCI leader goes missing
Kolkata, Apr 9 (PTI) A senior state committee member of
Leftist party Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI), Bidhan
Chatterjee, has been missing from his residence since
yesterday, party sources said today.
Chatterjee left his home at Behala in the city's southern
outskirts yesterday and has not returned since.
SUCI sources said that Chatterjee's family had anxiously
enquired of his whereabouts at the party office.
Police said that it had not received any complaint
either from Chatterjee's family or the party office. PTI

ina rules out acting in films
Nagpur, April 9 (PTI) Tina Ambani, former Bollywood
actress and wife of industrialist Anil Ambani, has
categorically ruled out any plans of a comeback into the film
industry or a foray into politics.
Interacting with the media here on Tuesday, Ambani said
that films were a past for her. "This is my present. I have a
future but films are not part of it," she said.
Ambani was in the city to inaugurate the local branch of
a pre-school chain of which she is one of the directors.
Replying to another question, Ambani said, that she had
never thought of entering politics, as several other actors
has done.
"Politics may interest others but not me," she said. She
also refused to comment on the ongoing controversy between
veteran Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan and Maharashtra
Navnirman Sena (MNS) founder Raj Thackeray. PTI

China vows to take Oly torch to Tibet
Raghavendra
Beijing, Apr 9 (PTI) China today put up a brave front in
the face of embarrassing protests that marred the Olympic
torch relay in London and Paris and vowed to carry the flame
through restive Tibet.
Tibetan and human rights activists had disrupted the
relay in London and Paris where the flame was extinguished
four times by officials following protests over Chinese
crackdown to quell Tibet unrest that has tarnished Beijing's
image ahead of Olympics in August here.
"We will fully prepare for it and the Olympic torch
relay in Tibet will be a complete success," the Tibet
Autonomous Region Chairman Qiangba Puncog said in Beijing,
where the National Olympic Committees from across the world
and the International Olympic Committee are currently holding
meetings.
Qiangba said, "I have noticed that recently some
secessionists made some activities in London and Paris,"
adding, it could not "affect the situation but only expose
their true face to the world".
China plans to take the torch to the Mount Everest
when climatic conditions are suitable next month. Tibetan
groups have given calls to disrupt it.
"Holding the Olympic Games is the 100 year expectation
of the Chinese nation and the torch relay in Tibet is an
honour and responsibility of the Tibetan people. All ethnic
groups in the Tibet Autonomous Region will support the torch
relay," he said.
The riots in Tibet and other affected areas have
left 20 people dead after the monks-led anti-government
protests, the strongest in two decades, took a violent turn.
China has blamed the Dalai Lama living in exile in
India for the unrest but the monk had denied the charge.
But, Qiangba dismissed the Nobel laureate's "appeals
and statements" made after the violence, claiming they were
aimed to trigger more unrest in Tibet.
He said 953 suspects were detained for the March 14
violence in Lhasa and 403 of them had been formally
arrested.
He said 362 people had surrendered to law enforcement
authorities but 328 of them had been set free as their
offences were minor and they agreed to "cooperate".
Police had listed 93 suspects as the "most wanted",
13 of whom had been arrested, he said.
The Tibetan groups claim that the 150 people had
been killed since the unrest broke out, but China insists
that it exercised "maximum restraint" in controlling the
situation.
China has poured a large number of troops and
security personnel into the trouble-hit Tibetan populated
areas and come under increasing pressure from Western powers
to hold the dialogue with the Dalai Lama.
The Tibet unrest has also triggered calls for boycott
of the Olympics by some political figures in the West, but
Beijing has bluntly said it would not yield to pressures or
threats on the Tibet issue. PTI RA

Monks stage protest during scribes' tour to eastern China
Raghavendra
Beijing, Apr 9 (PTI) A group of monks today embarrassed
the Chinese government by staging an emotional protest
demanding the return of the Dalai Lama in front of journalists
escorted by the government to western China, in the second
such instance of defiance since the Tibet unrest erupted.
About two dozen monks began shouting slogans in Tibetan
in front of a visiting team of 11 reporters at the monastery
of Labran in Gansu province which was hit by anti-government
riots by Tibetans after the outbreak of the most vicious
anti-China protests in two decades in Lhasa on March 14.
The monks shouted "We want human rights, we want the
Dalai Lama back" "We want to preserve our religion and
culture" during the incident that lasted 10 minutes, according
to a visiting western reporter. They later dispersed after
senior monks intervened.
The tour was "interrupted" by a group of lamas at
the Labrang Lamasery in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
but it resumed soon, official Xinhua news agency said.
It gave no other details of the incident, a broad
replication of foreign media tour disruption two weeks ago
during a government-organised tour for reporters to Lhasa for
the first time after riots broke out in the Tibetan capital.
A group of monks had made a dramatic appearance at a
media briefing, cried and complained that there was no
religious freedom and the government was "telling lies".
The Tibetan unrest has left 20 persons dead. The
Tibetan government in exile claims the toll is 150.
A top Tibetan official, meanwhile, said in Beijing that
the monks who spoke to foreign media reporters in the first
trip at Jokhang Temple were not punished.
"They are still in Jokhang temple and will be
(there) if they do not participate in any law breaking
activities," the Tibet Autonomous Region government Chairman
Qiangba Puncog said.
"I think it is natural for some lamas to have their own
opinions and talk to the media," he said, adding, "But what
they said is not true".
"China was ruled by law and would not punish anyone for
expressing opinion to the media, he said, but added, "If
they commit any crime, it is another issue".
Qiangba said foreign reporters could still visit Tibet
after fulfilling relevant procedures.
"For safety concern, foreigners and foreign media need
to follow relevant regulations of China. We neither want to
restrict media coverage nor have we anything to cover up". PTI

India hopes Gorshkov project will be on track
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) Though India and Russia are yet to
break the deadlock over fixing a new price for aircraft
carrier Admiral Gorshkov, the government today voiced
confidence that the key defence deal will be on track.
"The two countries are locked in intense negotiations
over the price details," Defence Secretary Vijay Singh told
reporters here.
He said the work on the carrier was in progress in a
Russian dockyard.
"Technical assessment of the work needed on the carrier
is still on," Singh said, adding final price proposal would
soon be taken to the Union Cabinet for a fresh approval.
India has already agreed to a new price revision for the
carrier at Russia's insistence. The 45,000-tonne warship was
to be delivered by August last year as per a USD 1.5 billion
contract signed in 2004 but Moscow stunned India in November
last year by demanding an additional USD 1.2 billion for
refitting and other works.
The new conditions by Russia meant a delay of upto four
years.
"It is difficult yet to put a firm figure on the price
escalation," Singh said.
The Defence Secretary had recently led a high-level team
to Moscow to inspect the aircraft carrier in a fresh bid to
break the deadlock over its purchase.
'Prabhakaran regular visitor to LTTE training camps'
T V Sriram
Jaffna, Apr 9 (PTI) LTTE supremo Prabhakaran was quite
regular in attending the training camps of the Tamil Tigers
and used to personally supervise their programmes, a
surrendered activist of the banned organisation has said.
Arumugam (named changed) told a team of visiting
journalists at a fortified building in Jaffna that houses the
former LTTE cadres that the LTTE chief was quite regular in
attending training camps and used to personally supervise
their programmes.
"I worked for the LTTE for almost six years and was
classified as a Black Sea Tiger," Arumugam told the
journalists.
The former rebel said he is still petrified by
prospects of an attack on him by the LTTE for having deserted
the organisation.
"I have already lost a portion of my leg," Arumugam
said, displaying the injury he suffered during a confrontation
with the Sri Lankan security forces.
The camp, to which the visiting journalists were taken
around earlier this week, had 54 surrendered men, many of them
former supporters and sympathisers of the outfit.
A top military official said the camp was well
protected and there were layers of cordon that one had to go
through to enter the area.
When asked whether he had seen Prabhakaran, Arumugam
hesitatingly said he had watched him from close distance
though never got an opportunity to talk to the LTTE leader.
"He (Prabhkaran) generally does not discuss with
individual LTTE fighters and prefers to address the activists
jointly," the former LTTE cadre said.
The Black Tigers are special operatives of the LTTE
who go to the extent of committing suicide if need arose to
achieve their objective.
One of the earliest LTTE Black Tiger was Vallipuram
Vasanthan, who rammed a explosives laden truck into a Sri
Lanka Army camp in Nelliady in the Jaffna peninsula in July
1987 killing himself and 18 Sri Lankan soldiers.
Another LTTE activist, who also requested anonymity,
said the LTTE supremo generally carried a gun while inspecting
training camps.
"Nobody around him (Prabhakaran) would carry any
weapon and only those guarding the camp from a distance would
be armed," he said.
"The LTTE leader once said education and other
necessities of the LTTE activists will be taken care of once
the mission is achieved," the surrendered LTTE fighter told
the mediapersons.
Though he had not attended LTTE training camps, he was
a sympathiser of the outfit carrying things and providing
shelter to them whenever required.
"I had thought why should I not provide food or other
assistance if the LTTE fighters come to me when they are
fighting for the Tamil cause," a former LTTE supporter said.
Another former LTTE fighter virtually broke down
saying he had all female members in his family and that he
needed to go abroad to work and save himself from the Tamil
Tigers. PTI TVS
Four top Hizbul militants shot dead
Jammu, Apr 9 (PTI) Three self-styled commanders of
Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were among four militants killed in
an encounter with security forces in Reasi district today.
On a tip off that some Hizbul militants were present
in Gulabgarh area of the district, police and 59 Rastriya
Rifles troops launched a cordon and search operation this
morning, Deputy Inspector General, Reasi-Udhampur range, Alok
Puri told PTI.
An encounter soon broke out between the two sides in
which four Hizbul militants, including three self-styled
commanders of the outfit were killed.
They have been identified as Mohmmad Shafi alias Gazi
alias Badshah Khan - district commander, Mohmmad Rafeeq alias
Basharat - section commander, Talib Hussain alias Bakararwal -
battalion commander and Mansoor Hussain.
Two ak rifles, a pistol, a ubgl, four magazines, three
rpg rounds and six grenades were found from the spot.
The encounter comes a day after two top self-styled
commanders of the outfit, Shameem Thool and Haq Nawaz, were
killed in Doda and Kishtwar districts.
With today's killings, a total of 18 top militants of
the outfit have been eliminated since January this year.
"With these killings, Hizb has been almost wiped out
from Reasi district, the DIG claimed. PTI AB
Kerala All-party delegation to meet PM on crop loss
Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 9 (PTI) An all-party delegation
from Kerala led by Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan will meet
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi soon and submit a
memorandum, seeking liberal relief to farmers who lost their
crops in the recent unseasonal summer rains in the state.
Announcing this, Achuthanandan told reporters after a
cabinet meeting that as per a preliminary report, 30,000
hectares of paddy corps were damaged in the rains. Out of
this, paddy crops in 20,000 hectares were lost completely.
According to official estimate, paddy crop worth Rs.393.33
crores were lost in the rains. Severe damage was reported at
Kuttanad in Alappuzha District, considered the rice bowl of
the state.
He said the Cabinet decided to write off the agriculture
loan of two farmers who committed suicide due to crop loss in
rains and two others who died in rain related incidents.Their
families would be given Rs.50,000 each as special assistance.
He criticised the Centre for not according sanction to the
Rs.1,840 cores Comprehenisve Development Project for Kuttanad
prepared by eminent agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan.
Blaming the UPA Government's "wrong" economic policies for
the spurt in prices of essential commodities, he wanted it to
correct "the mistakes" and come to the rescue of the people.
The Centre's permission to multi-national companies to
procure and store essential commodities had led to the price
rise, he said adding it should take steps to strengthen PDS in
the country. PTI JRK VS
Indian Sikhs to attend Baisakhi celebrations in Pak gurdwara
Islamabad, Apr 9 (PTI) About 3,000 Indian Sikhs are
expected to participate in religious ceremonies associated
with the annual 'Baisakhi' festival at the famous Punja Sahib
Gurdwara in Pakistan's central Punjab province.
Arrangements for the Sikh pilgrims, who will arrive by a
special train from Lahore on April 12, were reviewed at a
meeting held at Hasanabdal town, where the gurdwara is
situated.
The meeting was informed that besides the Indians, over
12,000 Sikh pilgrims from across Pakistan and other foreign
countries will participate in the Baisakhi festival on April
13. The celebrations will end on April 14.
The Sikh pilgrims from abroad will be accommodated at the
Punja Sahib Gurdwara while those from Pakistan will stay in
state-run schools.
The meeting, which was attended by officials of the
police department and Evacuee Property Trust Board, also
reviewed security arrangements for the festival.
Entry to the gurdwara has been restricted to persons who
have been issued entry permits by the Special Branch of
police. PTI RHL
Russia seeks enhanced economic ties with India
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) Expressing interest in forging
commercial cooperation with India in oil and gas, power
generation and mining, Russia has said the public-private
partnership model would hold the key to success in enhancing
engagement between the two countries.
"India and Russia have mutual complementarity and ample
opportunities for greater collaboration. The key factor to
enhancing bilateral cooperation is public-private partnership
on both sides," Russia's Ambassador to India Vyacheslav
Trubnikov said here last evening at a function, organised by
the Indian-Russian Chamber of Commerce.
Bilateral trade grew 40 per cent last year to five
billion dollars and the two emerging BRIC (Brazil, Russia,
India and China) economies have set a target of 10 billion
dollars by 2010.
Trubnikov said Russia was keen on forging a relationship
with India in a host of areas, mainly energy, transport, IT,
infrastructure, biotechnology, automobile, space exploration
and civil aviation. He said the contours of the bilateral
trade have changed in the last decade.
"Previously the leadership of both countries concentrated
on political cooperation and military and technical
interaction. However, today most endeavours and initiatives
are aimed at fostering mutually beneficial trade and economic
collaboration," he said.
While 2008 is being celebrated as 'year of Russia' in
India, 2009 would be the 'year of India' in Russia. Russian
National Exhibition is being planned concurrently with the
India International Trade Fair to be held here in November.
The Russian Ambassador said the potential of bilateral
trade and economic cooperation has not been entirely tapped
despite the fact that India and Russia were among the fastest
growing economies of the world.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary General of the
chamber P S Haer said rising incomes have led to raised
expectations and demand for high-end consumer products in
India and Russia.
"Emerging market strategies need to take this into
account. While both India and Russia are attracting large
amounts of capital inflows, bilateral level of investment
remains low," Haer said. PTI