Centre rejects Advani's demand for probe into lapses leading to Mumbai terror attack

Centre rejects Advani's demand for probe into lapses leading to Mumbai terror attack

New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) The Centre today rejected BJP's demand for an inquiry into alleged lapses that led to Mumbai terror strikes and pointed out that the Mumbai police was already probing the case.
"No," was the reply of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram when asked at a press conference whether the government would set up a commission to probe Mumbai terror strikes.

Senior BJP leader L K Advani had yesterday sought a probe into the "lapses" which led to the 26/11 attacks.

"Under our law, crimes are investigated by police. On the Mumbai attacks, several crimes have been registered under the CrPC. At the end of the investigation, we will file a final report before the court and then that will be translated into a chargesheet and the cases will be tried by the court.

"Who are the accused, who will be tried is premature for me to say. When the chargesheet is filed you will know who are accused and who will be tried," Chidambaram said.

On whether Pakistan had submitted a reply to the dossier of evidence provided by India, he said "this is a question you should address to the Ministry of External Affairs. But, after the dossier was given, at least for record Pakistan has said that it had constituted FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) to investigate the matter and that it will prepare a reply. It is for the record it had said so. Now what will happen I cannot say..." Asked about Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik's meeting with him and whether the Ministry of External Affairs had been kept in the loop, Chidambaram said "it was just a courtesy call. Nothing substantial was discussed." PTI

Muthalik gets bail in pub case; re-arrested in another

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Muthalik gets bail in pub case; re-arrested in another

Mangalore, Jan 31 (PTI) Hours after a local court granted him conditional bail in the pub attack case here, Srirama Sene founder Pramod Muthalik was today arrested again for allegedly delivering a provocative speech in 2003, his third detention in the last five days.
In another development, the Maharashtra ATS team grilled Muthalik for the second time since yesterday over his alleged links with the Malegaon blast prime accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt. Col. Srikant Purohit. During the interrogation, he had denied any link with Malegaon blast.

Armed with a warrant, a team of police from Kodagu district, where he had made the speech, took him into custody.

His fresh arrest was made after the jail authorities completed formalities for his release following the grant of bail in the pub attack case by the Judicial Magistrate First Class-II court.

Muthalik was first arrested on January 27 by Belgaum police on a plea by its counterpart in Davanagere district on the charge of distributing allegedly inflammatory pamphlets. He was held for the second time a day later by the Mangalore police.

Earlier today, JMFC K S Vijay granted conditional bail to Muthalik, arrested in connection with the January 24 attack on the Amnesia Pub here and also set free 28 other activists of the Sene in the same case.

The magistrate directed all the accused to furnish a bond of Rs 10,000 each, cooperate with investigating officers, besides imposing a condition on Muthalik that he should appear before the Bunder police station once in a fortnight.

"I am happy to get bail. Now I am going to Mercara (Madikeri) to attend another case", Muthalik said apparently knowing about his impending arrest in connection with a case filed against him during December 2003 for making provocative speech at Gonikoppal. PTI

India upbeat on growth, finds ally in Brown on protectionism

India upbeat on growth, finds ally in Brown on protectionism

Indivjal Dhasmana
Davos, (Switzerland), Jan 30 (PTI) Amidst an atmosphere of global gloom and doom, India today harped on its economy clocking a high growth rate even as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown spoke against protectionism, echoing New Delhi's views on the issue.

"We hope to continue at ...7-7.5 per cent next fiscal," Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said at a press conference at the World Economic Forum attended by world's powerful political leaders and CEOs.

The minister's optimism sharply contrasts the IMF's growth projections for India pegging them at 5.1 per cent for 2009 against the previous estimates of 6.3 per cent. Different official estimates suggest that after three years of nine per cent expansion, growth is set to moderate to around 7 per cent in the current fiscal ending March.

In a session on managing global risks, Nath hit out at protectionism by developed economies is a "panic response" that would hurt them as much as developing economies.

He also warned that India would be compelled to take commensurate measures against those countries which adopt protectionist strategies.

India's views on the issue drew support from the British Prime Minister who warned against reviving protectionist policies in dealing with the global crisis. PTI

Boeing signs land lease agreement for MRO in Nagpur

Boeing signs land lease agreement for MRO in Nagpur


Nagpur, Jan 31 (PTI) US aircraft manufacturer Boeing has signed the much-delayed lease agreement with Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) for setting up a USD 100- million maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility here.

The facility is a joint venture between the aerospace major and national carrier Air India, while MADC, a government agency, has provided the land.

"We have finally signed the necessary papers to live up to the promise made in 2006 that Boeing will have its world's second MRO with Air India as partner in the city," Boeing Senior Vice-President Dinesh Keskar said.

"Hopefully, the facility would be functional by end of 2010." The 99-year lease agreement is for 50 acres of land located adjacent to the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport under the prestigious Multi-modal International Passenger and Cargo Hub, Nagpur (MIHAN) project, he said.

By end of the current fiscal, Boeing will float tenders for constructing hangars which will accommodate two wide-bodied or four medium-bodied aircraft for maintenance and repairs, Keskar said.

Boeing had decided to set up the MRO in Nagpur as there is ample availability of manpower and land. Most importantly, the weather conditions in the city are excellent for aircraft maintenance and repair works, the official said.

The region (Eastern Maharashtra) has a number of engineering colleges. Therefore, required technical hands in aviation, avionics and aerospace should be available by the time the MRO is ready, Keskar added. (More) PTI JOE MR 01311231 DELHI

Tata Motors posts Rs 263-cr loss; Nano launch to take a year

Tata Motors posts Rs 263-cr loss; Nano launch to take a year


Mumbai, Jan 30 (PTI) Hit by a fall in volume and high material cost, auto major Tata Motors today posted a net loss of Rs 263.26 crore for the third quarter, even as it said its Rs 1-lakh car Nano will take at least one year before it is launched from Sanand plant in Gujarat.
On the likely timing of Nano's roll out from the Sanand plant, Tata Motors MD Ravi Kant told reporters, "It looks like that only." The company reduced the number of headcount in the third quarter following a drastic fall in demand. "We have cut manpower substantially," Kant said without giving numbers.

"We have also set a cost reduction target of Rs 1,000 crore in the next three years," Tata Motors CFO Ramakrishnan said. Tata Motors is also analysing the capacity expansion and modernisation plans announced earlier, he said, adding that the company has cut down on inventories drastically.

During the quarter under review, the total income from operations declined 34.38 per cent to Rs 4,758.62 crore from Rs 7,251.83 crore in the same period last fiscal, the company said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Fall in volumes and high material cost have significantly impacted the company's profitability in the third quarter, he said. "Availability of finance is still a problem and continues to impact demand," he said.

The company has incurred a foreign exchange loss of Rs 226.52 crore for the December quarter while it had a forex gain of Rs 27.51 crore in the same period previous year.

In the April-December period of the fiscal, TML reported a 72.54 per cent dip in net profit at Rs 409.84 crore against Rs 1,492.65 crore in the year-ago period. The total income during the nine-month period stood at Rs 18,765.91 crore, down 6.08 per cent.

The shares of the company today closed at Rs 149.65, down 0.6 per cent on the BSE. PTI

Sensex up 188 pts; realty, metal stocks gain

Sensex up 188 pts; realty, metal stocks gain

Mumbai, Jan 30 (PTI) Reversing the losing trend of early trade, the Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex today closed at three-week high of 9,424 points with realty and metal stocks leading the rally.
The bellwether index beat other Asian indices by notching up a gain of nearly 188 points on brisk buying by domestic institutional investors.

The barometer, which was down by nearly 149 points in early stages, bounced back with vengeance to settle the day at 9,424.24, a rise of 187.96 points or 2.04 per cent from its previous close.

The broader 50-share Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also recouped by 50.85 points or 1.80 per cent to 2,874.80.

Market participants attributed rally in share values to fresh buying by operators on the first day of the February derivatives contract.

Most of the Asian indices ended in the red following a steep fall on the Wall Street yesterday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index tumbled by 2.7 per cent and 3.2 per cent respectively following heightened fears of recession getting deeper.

However, European markets resumed strong helping the local bourses to regain from early losses.

Brokers said hectic buying by domestic institutional investors (DIIs) mainly boosted the sentiment. DIIs picked up shares worth Rs 580.11 crore yesterday as per provisional data while foreign institutional investors continued their selling spree and they sold shares to the tune of Rs 84.64 crore. PTI

Irresponsibility of govts, corporates landed us in crisis: US

Irresponsibility of govts, corporates landed us in crisis: US

Indivjal Dhasmana
Davos, Jan 30 (PTI) The United States attributed the current global financial crisis to "profound irresponsibility" by both governments and businesses around the world and expressed its commitment to taking "aggressive and extraordinary" action.

"The President (Barack Obama) believes that this crisis did not happen solely by happenstance or a turn in the business cycle.

Instead we arrived here because of an era of profound irresponsibility by government and businesses, both in the United States and around the globe," said Valerie B Jarrett, US Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison, at the World Economic Forum here.

The result of the actions by the governments and corporates has been a loss of trust and confidence in "our economy and our financial markets", she said.

"We need to rebuild that trust. It begins with committing ourselves to transparency, respect and accountability ... financial regulatory reform is one of the top legislative priorities of the Obama Administration.

A lack of oversight and accountability helped lead us to this place and the President is committed to strong, common sense 21st century rules of the road to protect investors and consumers alike," Jarrett said.

To get out of the current crisis and spur economic growth, the President is also committed to taking aggressive and extraordinary action, she said.

The US House of Representatives passed President Obama's USD 819 billion package on Wednesday. Under the previous dispensation, a USD 700 bn plan was cleared by Congress. PTI

India, Brazil jointly protest drug seizure by Netherlands

India, Brazil jointly protest drug seizure by Netherlands

Davos, Jan 30 (PTI) Furious at the seizure of a shipment of generics medicine from India to Brazil by the Dutch authorities, the Asian and the South American countries will jointly protest at the WTO against the European rules that allowed confiscating essential drugs.
The issue was discussed here by Commerce Minister Kamal Nath and Brazilian Minister for External Relations Celso Amorim, on the fringes of the World Economic Forum meeting.

"Both the ministers agreed to denounce the seizure of the generic medicines by the Dutch authorities, at the next meeting of the WTO General Council, scheduled for February 3. The ministers also agreed that both the countries will act in close coordination, not only in the WTO but in other relevant fora," a statement by the Indian Commerce Ministry said.

A ship-load of medicine, off patent both in India and Brazil, was confiscated by the Netherlands customs authorities at a Dutch port last month.

The consignment of Losartan, a drug for controlling high blood pressure, was seized on the grounds that the medicine, manufactured by Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd, was patented in the Netherlands.

India and Brazil are up in arms against the EU rules that allow the seizure of a generic drug.

India said the material seized was of strategic importance to public health and its trade was being conducted in full conformity with international rules.

"This decision (seizure) is also a serious setback for the principle of universal access to medicines, running against the spirit of resolution 2002/31 of the Commission on Human Rights on the right to enjoy the highest standards of physical and mental health," it said.

Amorim and Nath also reviewed the bottlenecks in the way of reaching a global trade deal under the Doha Round of WTO talks. PTI

Obama slams Wall Street companies for pocketing huge bonuses

Obama slams Wall Street companies for pocketing huge bonuses


Lalit K Jha
Washington, January 30 (PTI) A furious President Barack Obama slammed Wall Street's top bosses for taking 18 billion dollars in bonuses describing it as "shameful" and "height of irresponsibility" while taxpayers bailed out their industry.

Obama, who is usually calm and unflappable, said he would clearly spell out to Wall Street executives they have to act in a more responsible fashion while their financial sector was crumbling and pointed out there will be time for corporate leaders to get bonuses but "now is that time." The president's ire after meeting Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner yesterday came in response to a report which revealed that Wall Street gave out an estimated USD 18.4 billion in bonuses to its top CEOs. Last year's bonuses were the sixth-largest ever in a year, the report said.

"When I saw an article today indicating that Wall Street bankers had given themselves USD 20 billion worth of bonuses -- the same amount of bonuses as they gave themselves in 2004 -- at a time when most of these institutions were teetering on collapse and they are asking for taxpayers to help sustain them and when taxpayers find themselves in the difficult position that if they don't provide help that the entire system could come down on top of our heads, that is the height of irresponsibility," Obama said.

Speaking to White House reporters with Geithner by his side, Obama said: "It is shameful." Without mincing words, Obama asked the Wall Street, who are asking for help, to show some restraint, show some discipline, and show some sense of responsibility.

"The American people understand that we've got a big hole that we've got to dig ourselves out of, but they don't like the idea that people are digging a bigger hole even as they're being asked to fill it up," he said. PTI

Obama wants countries to act on economic crisis: White House

Obama wants countries to act on economic crisis: White House

Washington, Jan 30 (PTI) US President Barack Obama wants all nations including India, to act in unison in dealing with the current global economic crisis, the White House has said.
Obama is expected to come up with a more specific plan in this regard in the run up to the next G-20 meeting in London in April, the White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs said.

On a question that G-20 is not moving anywhere and that several countries are complaining that BRIC Brazil, Russia, India and China have not been included in the Financial Stability Forum, Gibbs said "India is a member of G-20." "Well, I think what the President talked about this when he was a mere Senator and a candidate, that if one entity takes steps and it's not followed by other countries taking steps -- be it regulation, stability or stimulus -- you're most likely to see capital flows, change all around the world. We certainly saw candidate Obama talked about that in September," Gibbs said.

"The President talked about it back in September, working together in unison, all of these countries. I think you'll hear more about some of those specific plans as we lead to and get closer to going into April to the second round of this in Europe," he said. PTI

Sensex reverses early trend, up 74 pts

Sensex reverses early trend, up 74 pts


Mumbai, Jan 30 (PTI) After falling by 149 points in opening trade, the Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex recovered by over 74 points at midsession on the emergence of buying by funds in heavy-weight stocks.
The Sensex was up 74.55 points at 9,310.83 at 1300 hrs from yesterday's close of 9,236.28.

Similarly, the 50-share National Stock Exchange index Nifty moved up by 23.25 points to 2,847.20 points after dipping to 2,774.10 in opening trade.

Stock brokers said fresh buying by domestic financial institutions and retail investors mainly wiped off initial losses.

Major gainers which supported the Sensex were Reliance Industries, Hindustan Lever, State Bank of India, Sterlite Industries, Maruti Suzuki, ONGC Corp, RCom, ITC Ltd, Larsen and Toubro, and Tata Power. PTI

India upbeat on growth, finds ally in Brown on protectionism

India upbeat on growth, finds ally in Brown on protectionism


Indivjal Dhasmana
Davos, (Switzerland), Jan 30 (PTI) Amidst an atmosphere of global gloom and doom, India today harped on its economy clocking a high growth rate even as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown spoke against protectionism, echoing New Delhi's views on the issue.

"We hope to continue at ...7-7.5 per cent next fiscal," Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said at a press conference at the World Economic Forum attended by world's powerful political leaders and CEOs.

The minister's optimism sharply contrasts the IMF's growth projections for India pegging them at 5.1 per cent for 2009 against the previous estimates of 6.3 per cent. Different official estimates suggest that after three years of nine per cent expansion, growth is set to moderate to around 7 per cent in the current fiscal ending March.

In a session on managing global risks, Nath hit out at protectionism by developed economies is a "panic response" that would hurt them as much as developing economies.

He also warned that India would be compelled to take commensurate measures against those countries which adopt protectionist strategies.

India's views on the issue drew support from the British Prime Minister who warned against reviving protectionist policies in dealing with the global crisis. PTI

Sensex spurts by 8.64 pc on hectic short-coverings

Sensex spurts by 8.64 pc on hectic short-coverings

Mumbai, Jan 31 (PTI) Hectic short-coverings ahead of the expiry of the January contract on Thursday and heavy buying by domestic funds lifted the benchmark Sensex by 8.64 per cent during the shortened week under review.
The market was closed on January 26 on the occasion of Republic Day.

According to market participants, the market started the week on a firm note on expectations of further key rate cuts by the apex bank in its third quarterly policy review meeting on January 27, but could not materialise as the Reserve Bank kept the key rates unchanged.

Despite a slew of negative factors, the Sensex notched handsome gains on frantic short-coverings ahead of expiry of derivatives contract on January 29.

Large-scale buying by Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) in the week also boosted the market sentiment and injected the much-needed confidence in the investors' mind. They picked up shares worth Rs 1,430.39 crore during the week, including provisional figures of January 30.

The recovery was so strong that the BSE 30-share barometer bounced back by 749.89 points to settle the week at 9,424.24 from its preceding weekend's close.

It had tumbled by a total 1,283.87 points, or 12.89 per cent, in the last three weeks of losing string.

The broad-based 50-issue Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also shot up by 196.25 points, or 7.33 per cent, to end the week at 2,874.80 from its last weekend's close.

Metal, realty and refinery counters led the rally. From the 30 index-based counters only Sun Pharma ended in the red while others registered sharp to moderate gains at close. PTI

Mega economic stimulus package on track: White House

Mega economic stimulus package on track: White House

Lalit K Jha
Washington, Jan 31 (PTI) The White House has said the USD 819 billion mega economic stimulus package, passed by the House of Representatives amid opposition from Republicans, is on track and exuded confidence it would be signed into law before February 16, a deadline set by President Barack Obama.

The American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which pumps USD 819 billion into the US market so as to boot up its fast sinking economy, was passed by the House early this week; with all Republicans lawmakers voting against it.

The stimulus package is now scheduled to come up before the Senate next week, wherein the opposition Republicans, though in minority, have vowed to block it. They have, in fact, brought out their own version of the bill.

Obama's presidential rival, Senator John McCain, yesterday announced that he is working on an alternative package.

White House spokesman, Robert Gibbs, hoped that it would be cleared by the Senate next week and soon it would be on the President's desk.

"I don't think next week we'll see any delay. I think we're on a path towards getting the President something that he can sign before President's Day (February 16) recess," he said. PTI

Centre asks states to expedite expenditure to arrest slowdown

Centre asks states to expedite expenditure to arrest slowdown


New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) The Centre today asked the states to expedite public expenditure and give special attention to the implementation of ongoing and new schemes to stave off the impact of global slowdown on the economy.
"It is very important that speed of expenditure should be increased, Chief Ministers have to play very important role to ensure that there is sufficient progress of these schemes all over the country," Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar said in a meeting with state chief secretaries on implementation of economic stimulus measures here.

The contraction of external finance as well as general loss of confidence are leading to shortage of credit and acting to dampen general economic activity, he added.

"The Prime Minister has written (in a letter to the Chief Ministers) that special attention should be paid on the implementation of various schemes in the states as the implementation and expenditure should be through the states," the Cabinet Secretary said.

"Of special interest of today's meeting would be the decision to allow states to raise additional market borrowings of 0.5 per cent of their gross states domestic product, providing additional budgetary support of Rs 20,000 crore under major programmes such as Indira Awas Yojna, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna and AIBP...," Chandrasekhar said.

He said one of the measures taken in the stimulus package was to issue advisory to Central PSUs and state PSUs to ensure prompt payment of bills of micro, small and medium enterprises.

In order to insulate vulnerable sections from adverse impact of the global slowdown, the Prime Minister in a letter had asked the states to formulate new housing schemes, especially for low- and middle-income group. PTI

'Cash at judge's door': CBI wants more time for chargesheet

'Cash at judge's door': CBI wants more time for chargesheet

Chandigarh, Jan 31 (PTI) Seeking more time, the CBI has not filed the chargesheet in the special court here against a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the 'cash at the judge's door' scandal following which the case was adjourned to February ten.
The agency did not file the chargesheet in the court of CBI judge Jagdeep Jain here yesterday against Justice Nirmal Yadav, who was allegedly sent money by a Delhi-based hotelier, and sought some more time.

Meanwhile, the defence counsel of two other persons named in the case, former Haryana Additional Advocate General Sanjiv Bansal and Parkash Ram, moved an application in the court seeking release of documents and material seized at the time of their arrest last year.

The case relates to a police complaint filed by sitting Punjab and Haryana Judge Nirmaljit Kaur after Rs 15 lakh cash was delivered at her residence allegedly routed by Bansal via Parkash at the behest of Delhi-hotelier Ravinder Singh.

Following the complaint, two separate investigations were instituted, one by a three-judge committee set up by the Chief Justice of India and another by the CBI. Both probes had reportedly concluded that the money was meant for Justice Yadav although delivered at Justice Kaur's residence.

In its investigation report submitted to the Supreme Court and the Centre on January 23, the CBI had recommended prosecution of Justice Yadav. PTI

CEC recommends removal of Navin Chawla

CEC recommends removal of Navin Chawla

New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) The battle in the Election Commission has assumed unprecedented proportions with the Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami recommending to the government removal of the other Election Commissioner Navin Chawla.
The recommendation comes about three months before Gopalaswami is to demit office on April 20 and is based on a petition by the BJP which had complained against the "partisan" functioning of Chawla.

The BJP had alleged that Chawla was close to the Congress party "I did my job. The report has been given," Gopalswami told PTI but declined to elaborate.

The Chief Election Commissioner's recommendation ahead of the general elections brings to the fore the differences among the three-member body which has often been marred by clashes over crucial decisions.

Only last year, Chawla had raised serious objections to the holding of the Karnataka assembly elections in May but was over ruled.

Similarly, he is believed to have also had reservations over the conduct of assembly elections of Uttar Pradesh in the summer of 2007. PTI

No comments, says CEC N Gopalaswami

No comments, says CEC N Gopalaswami

Mumbai, Jan 31 (PTI) Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami, whose recommendation to the Government to remove Navin Chawla has created a storm, today refused to comment on his report, saying "it is a privileged document".
"It is a privileged document. I will not take any questions. I only said the report has been sent to the President," Gopalaswami told reporters when asked about his controversial report on his colleague.

"I have no comment at all" on the issue, he said when reporters persisted with their questions on the issue.

The CEC also refused to say anything on the schedule for the General Elections. He said the Commission has not discussed the issue.

A series of meetings of leaders of political parties, poll officials, Chief Secretaries and senior police officials have been called from February three to discuss issues relating to conduct of general elections, he said. PTI

Five infants killed as incubator catches fire in Patiala

Five infants killed as incubator catches fire in Patiala

Patiala, Jan 31 (PTI) Five infants were killed as fire broke out in a nursery of a hospital early this morning here, police said.
The incident occurred when an incubator, where all the five newly born were kept, caught fire at 3:30 AM in Rajindra hospital here today, Superintendent of Police Gurmit Singh said.

The cause of the fire is suspected to be a short circuit, the SP said.

The identity of the infants was not known immediately, he said. PTI

India to sign nuke safeguards agreement with IAEA on Feb 2

India to sign nuke safeguards agreement with IAEA on Feb 2

Mumbai, Jan 30 (PTI) India will next Monday sign a key safeguards agreement with the IAEA to allow supply of atomic fuel and technology to the country moving a step closer to operationalising its international civil nuclear cooperation after the 34-year-old nuke trade embargo was lifted.
The agreement will be signed in Vienna at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA), Atomic Energy Department (DAE) sources said today.

The agreement with the UN nuclear watchdog is a pre-condition for the US-led civil nuclear deal to move forward and allow the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to supply material and technology for India's ambitious nuclear power programme, the sources said.

India's Ambassador Saurab Kumar will sign the inspection agreement which has to be later ratified by New Delhi, they said. Chief Indian negotiator Ravi Grover is already in Vienna to finalise the agreement. He is also working on mandatory additional protocol requirements.

DAE said this is an important step to place 14 reactors under IAEA safeguards. This is also the way forward in immediately utilising the already ordered uranium from French power major AREVA, they added.

The imported fuel from AREVA is proposed to be used in the unit two of Rajasthan Atomic Power Plant at Kota, already under safeguards, sources said.

On August one last year, the Board of Governors of the IAEA authorised Director General Mohammed ElBaradei to conclude with India an India-specific safeguards agreement (ISSA) and subsequently implement the ISSA. A month later, the NSG agreed to lift the ban on nuclear trade with India. PTI

Support to Advani as PM depends on BJP stand on Belgaum: Sena

Support to Advani as PM depends on BJP stand on Belgaum: Sena

New Delhi, Jan 30 (PTI) In a veiled threat to its ally BJP, Shiv Sena today said its support to L K Advani as the Prime Ministerial candidate depends on the position the NDA's lead party takes on Karnataka-Maharashtra boundary dispute over Belgaum.
This was stated by senior Shiv Sena member Manohar Joshi after meeting President Pratibha Patil as also Advani.

Joshi, a former Maharashtra Chief Minister, said the Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary dispute was one of the "very important" issues for Shiv Sena and alleged Marathi-speaking people were suffering despite a BJP government being in power in Karnataka. PTI

Pub culture must stop in India: Ramadoss

Pub culture must stop in India: Ramadoss

New Delhi, Jan 30 (PTI) Closing ranks with leaders opposing pub culture in the aftermath of the Mangalore incident, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss today said it was against Indian ethos and asserted that the proposed National Alcohol Policy would help curb it.
"We definitely condemn the incident where women were attacked, but the pub culture must stop. It is because of this that youth in the country have taken to drinking in a big way," Ramadoss said at a press conference here.

Linking youngsters visiting pubs to increased rates of accidents due to drunken driving, he said, "in India, 40 per cent of road accidents are alcohol-related".

These young people not only jeopardise their lives but are also a danger to others on the roads.

"It is not our culture. If it goes this way I don't think India will progress," Ramadoss said adding, most of the people losing their lives due to such road accidents and alcoholism were in their early twenties, which are the most productive years.

Unfortunately over the recent years, there has been a huge percentage of people taking to alcohol.

There is also a study which says that in the last five to six years there is an increase of 60 per cent among the youth who have taken to drinking, he said. PTI

India slams Pak response on Mumbai attacks

India slams Pak response on Mumbai attacks

New Delhi, Jan 30 (PTI) Agitated over confusing signals emanating from Pakistan with regard to Mumbai attacks, India today slammed it for not responding through proper channel and felt that Islamabad was doing it deliberately to hide the truth about involvement of state actors in the carnage.
India feels that Pakistan will not "come clean" on the evidence provided on the Mumbai attacks as it will involve exposing the nexus between ISI and terror groups.

While continuing to build world pressure against Pakistan, New Delhi is also preparing a list of Pakistan-based terrorists and terror groups involved in attacks in India and is planning to approach the UN Committee on Terrorism to seek a ban from the world body on them.

The list will include Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar and those behind various terror attacks in India like the serial train blasts in Mumbai in July 2006.

"We have not received any information from Pakistani authorities through proper channel. Whatever we are hearing like you is through the media. This is not the way a government can respond," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters here.

"We expect them (Pakistan) to investigate and let us know the outcome of that investigation. Till now we have not received any information from Pakistan," Mukherjee said.

Dubbing Pakistan's response so far "totally unacceptable", official sources said if such an approach continues, Islamabad will lose even the "shred of credibility" it has.

Making it clear that New Delhi cannot let perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage go scot-free, the sources said India is keeping its options on dealing with Pakistan open but refused to spell them out. PTI

Talks with NSCN(IM) to continue, says Chidambaram

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Talks with NSCN(IM) to continue, says Chidambaram

New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) The government today said talks with NSCN(IM) for finding a permanent political solution to the six-decade old Naga insurgency problem in the Northeast would continue with emphasis on ensuring strict enforcement of the ceasefire ground rules.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said here that he had held a comprehensive review of the talks which have been going on for the last seven-eight years.

He said the government has given its brief to Centre's interlocutor K Padmanabhaiah about the talks.

"He (Padmanabhaiah) will now continue the talks based on that brief," he said.

The talks towards a positive political solution are on, he said, adding the Government had also emphasised on ensuring that the "cease fire ground rules are strictly implemented and enforced." Asked about the time-frame in completing the talks, the Home Minister said, "it is difficult to fix a time frame for a political solution." NSCN(IM) has been negotiating with the Centre for the last seven years and over thirty rounds of talks have been held both in India and abroad. PTI

'Cash at judge's door': CBI wants more time for chargesheet

'Cash at judge's door': CBI wants more time for chargesheet


Chandigarh, Jan 31 (PTI) Seeking more time, the CBI has not filed the chargesheet in the special court here against a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the 'cash at the judge's door' scandal following which the case was adjourned to February ten.
The agency did not file the chargesheet in the court of CBI judge Jagdeep Jain here yesterday against Justice Nirmal Yadav, who was allegedly sent money by a Delhi-based hotelier, and sought some more time.

Meanwhile, the defence counsel of two other persons named in the case, former Haryana Additional Advocate General Sanjiv Bansal and Parkash Ram, moved an application in the court seeking release of documents and material seized at the time of their arrest last year.

The case relates to a police complaint filed by sitting Punjab and Haryana Judge Nirmaljit Kaur after Rs 15 lakh cash was delivered at her residence allegedly routed by Bansal via Parkash at the behest of Delhi-hotelier Ravinder Singh.

Following the complaint, two separate investigations were instituted, one by a three-judge committee set up by the Chief Justice of India and another by the CBI. Both probes had reportedly concluded that the money was meant for Justice Yadav although delivered at Justice Kaur's residence.

In its investigation report submitted to the Supreme Court and the Centre on January 23, the CBI had recommended prosecution of Justice Yadav. PTI

President should sack Chawla: BJP

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President should sack Chawla: BJP

New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) With Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami recommending the removal of his colleague Navin Chawla, the BJP today said the "credibility" of the poll panel is "at stake" and demanded that President Pratibha Patil should sack him.
"The credibility of the Election Commission is at stake with the CEC asking for the sacking of one of its members to the President," BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy told PTI.

"In the interest of the Constitution, in the interest of democracy, it is important that the President should intervene and take action for removal of Chawla," Rudy said.

"The Election Commission is now mired in controversy. In absence of a firm action, the fairness of the Commission would become a suspect, posing a threat to democracy and Constitution," he said, adding the development also poses a threat to the democratic fabric of the country.

Gopalaswami has recommended the removal of Election Commissioner Navin Chawla to the government for allegedly being "partisan".

The recommendation comes about three months before Gopalaswami is to demit office on April 20 and is based on a petition by the BJP which had complained against the "partisan" functioning of Chawla.

The BJP had alleged that Chawla was close to the Congress party. PTI

We have got no official response from Pak: Mukherjee

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We have got no official response from Pak: Mukherjee

New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) India today said Pakistan has given no official response to the dossier on Mumbai attacks, rejecting Islamabad's claim that an update has been provided on its probe into the carnage.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee contradicted claims by his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi that Pakistan's High Commissioner Shahid Malik had given the update when he met Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday.

"The Pakistani High Commissioner paid a courtesy call on the Home Minister on January 29. He did not provide any details on the results of the investigation in Pakistan into the Mumbai attacks," Mukherjee said in a statement here.

Qureshi had yesterday claimed that Malik had provided an update on the probe by Pakistan.

"We have also seen media reports about certain statements by various Pakistani officials on their ongoing investigations, including a certain reported clarification by the Pakistani Prime Minister (Yousuf Raza Gilani)," Mukherjee said.

"I would like to underline that we have so far not received any official Pakistani response to the Indian dossier or official information on the outcome of their investigations. These are awaited," he said.

Pakistan's High Commissioner to UK Wahid Shamsul Hasan yesterday claimed that Pakistani probe had concluded that the Mumbai attacks were not planned in his country but somewhere else.

Soon after, Gilani said Hasan cannot comment on the issue which is the job of Interior Ministry.

India feels Pakistan is deliberately giving out confusing signals as it wants to "hide" the truth about involvement of ISI in the attacks. PTI

CEC move has created crisis, legal experts

CEC move has created crisis, legal experts


New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) Leading Constitutional experts today attacked Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami's decision to suo motu recommend removal of Navin Chawla as Election commissioner, saying the move has created a "crisis" and its timing just ahead of the elections could make people believe there is "some motivation". Noted jurists Fali S Nariman and Shanti Bhushan said the CEC move has "badly hit" the credibility of the poll panel.
"There is a crisis created by the CEC... I am a little surprised that he did it at the time when he did it. If he had done it a year before ... It might have been considered to be a bona fide complaint because he was entitled to his views.

"But unfortunately he has done it at the time when reasonable ordinary people will believe that there is some motivation behind it," Nariman said.

Bhushan, a former law minister, said Gopalaswami should have written to the government long back and not on the eve of the elections. "At this stage to create a crisis of this kind is wholly improper and the Chief Election Commissioner ought to resign," he said. PTI

British envoy to play Sherlock Holmes in Bollywood flick

British envoy to play Sherlock Holmes in Bollywood flick
Rituraj Borthakur Shillong, Jan 29 (PTI) Career diplomat and British Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata, Simon Wilson now has a new role to play- as a detective. However, this is not in real life but in reel.Wilson, who has previously dabbled in amateur theatre is excited about donning the long coat and hat of fictional super sleuth Sherlock Holmes.The diplomat plays the cameo in the Kolkata-sourced Hindi movie "The Diamond Murders" directed by Ashoke Viswanathan."I have done some amateur theatre in my life and this cameo role seems quite charming," Wilson told PTI.Inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Sign of Four", "The Diamond Murders" is set against the colonial background of Shillong, with its heritage buildings and European ambience getting transformed into a British countryside in the murder mystery."The film is a murder mystery that explores the Indian psyche to show how women's mind work. A lady travels through time and constructs a narrative as she creates characters borrowed from fiction like Gulliver's Travels and Treasure Island before she gets kidnapped. The protagonist, Prasant Sehgal, solves the mystery," says Viswanathan.Rajat Kapoor plays Prasant Sehgal while Arvind Rao the Watson prototype is played by Priyanshu Chatterjee."Ashok Vishwanthan is a friend and when he offered me the role which was being shot in Meghalaya, I happily accepted it," says Wilson. PTI

Mumbai attacks inspire apparel

Mumbai attacks inspire apparel

Zafri Mudasser Nofil
New Delhi, Jan 30 (PTI) The audacious 26/11 attacks have invited the wrath of the art and entertainment world alike and now has become the subject of a designer's collection.

An upcoming fashionista reflected the trauma,distress, confusion and mayhem arising from the attacks in her "Rising of the Phoenix" collection.

Sakshi Mansingh named her work after the recent Mumbai attacks.

"It was only a small step in expressing my emotions. I hope that we put up a joint fight against terrorism to wipe it out from the society," she says.

Mansingh used net, patches and cotton fabrics to design her garments.

Hers and a number of other creations by graduating students of the Noida-based Design and Innovation Academy were part of a fashion show Prism 2009 as models like Tina Chatwal, Ritu Singh, Barkha Kaul and Donna Masih among others walked the ramp.

The aspiring designers drew inspiration from mystical world of snakes, bold persona of World War spy Mata Hari and the paper-folding technique origami.

Characters of snakes (striking texture, colour, movement) were brought out in "Serpentine" through layering of different fabrics, textures and embellishment. Materials like metallic satins and embossed fabrics were used to good effect in the collected inspired by the mystical world of snakes.

The collection called "Graffiti" seemed to be a graphic expression of ideas and thoughts through images and words painted or scratched on different surfaces. Texturing and embroidery were done on Suedes and denims to give the dresses a bold look. PTI

Pak vows to flush out Taliban from Swat valley

Pak vows to flush out Taliban from Swat valley

Rezaul H Lashkar Islamabad, Jan 30 (PTI) Conceding that the Taliban militants in the country could make their way to the federal capital if they are not stopped in the Swat valley, Pakistan has vowed to flush them out from the restive region."Get out of Swat, we are after you and we will get you, as the armed forces and secret agencies are now re-energised to complete the task," Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said while winding up a debate in the Senate or upper house of parliament."If (the Taliban are) not stopped in Swat, tomorrow they would be in Hazara and then one fine morning in Islamabad," he said during the debate last night.Malik called on the militants to lay down their arms and desist from harming Pakistan and its people in the name of Islam.Pakistan is under pressure from the US to act against militants and terror groups operating on its soil.Even as Malik spoke in the Senate, troops backed by gunship helicopters and artillery launched a fresh offensive against militant positions in the Swat valley.However, members of both treasury and opposition benches accused the government of lacking seriousness in dealing with the situation in the scenic valley that was once a popular tourist destination.The Taliban will be flushed out of Swat in a few weeks as the government's new policy for the region was delivering, Malik said.He said the government had been following the new policy for the past five days, but did not spell out details. PTI

Hillary Clinton's appointment challenged in court

Hillary Clinton's appointment challenged in court
Lalit K Jha Washington, Jan 30 (PTI) Former first lady Hillary Clinton's appointment as US Secretary of State has been challenged by an American diplomat, who has filed a lawsuit terming it as "unconstitutional".The lawsuit has been filed yesterday by 'Judicial Watch' A Washington-based watchdog group on behalf of David C Rodearmel, a US diplomat working in the State Department.The lawsuit maintains that Clinton is constitutionally ineligible for the post and as such Rodearmel cannot be forced to serve under her, as it would violate the oath he took as a Foreign Service Officer in 1991, said a statement issued by the Judicial Watch.Under the "Emoluments" or "Ineligibility" clause of the US Constitution, the lawsuit argues that no member of Congress can be appointed to a civilian position within the US government if the "emoluments" of the position, such as the salary or benefits paid to whoever occupies the office, increased during the term for which the Senator or Representative was elected.The lawsuit argues that the "emoluments" of the Secretary of State increased three times during her term as the US Senator. That term, which began on January 4, 2007, does not expire until January 2013, regardless of Clinton's recent resignation.The Congress attempted to evade this clear constitutional prohibition with a so-called "Saxbe fix" last month, reducing the Secretary of State's salary to the level in effect on January 1, 2007, the lawsuit charged. PTI

Devolution package report for North Lanka soon: Govt

Devolution package report for North Lanka soon: Govt
T V Sriram Colombo, Jan 30 (PTI) With India pressing for an early political solution to the ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka, an all party committee has finalised its recommendation on the devolution package for northern areas that will offer enhanced rights and privileges to the minority Tamil community.The All Party Representative Committee (APRC), set up in 2006, has now finalised its report recommending a power devolution formula as President Mahinda Rajapaksa has indicated his desire to hold elections in the embattled North this year, officials said.Worried over the safety of civilian Tamils, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on a visit this week, asked Colombo to quickly move from military victories to the political aspect of addressing the ethnic problem.Mukherjee was assured by Rajapaksa that he intended to address the problem politically and is ready to implement and even improve upon the Devolution Package for ethnic Tamils.The committee, which is preparing the final report has wrapped up its deliberations after 104 sessions despite the 12 political parties representing it failing to arrive at a consensus on certain issues.It has reportedly recommended abolition of the concurrent list, and introduction of two lists outlining powers to be vested in provincial councils and central government.The interim report of the committee headed by senior cabinet minister Tissa Vitharna was submitted to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on January 23, 2008.The copies of the report have now been handed over to the political party representatives for their perusal and the APRC is expected to meet again on February 16 and 17 to take a final decision, officials said. PTI

Sensex reverses early trend, up 74 pts

Mumbai, Jan 30 (PTI) After falling by 149 points in opening trade, the Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex recovered by over 74 points at midsession on the emergence of buying by funds in heavy-weight stocks.
The Sensex was up 74.55 points at 9,310.83 at 1300 hrs from yesterday's close of 9,236.28.

Similarly, the 50-share National Stock Exchange index Nifty moved up by 23.25 points to 2,847.20 points after dipping to 2,774.10 in opening trade.

Stock brokers said fresh buying by domestic financial institutions and retail investors mainly wiped off initial losses.

Major gainers which supported the Sensex were Reliance Industries, Hindustan Lever, State Bank of India, Sterlite Industries, Maruti Suzuki, ONGC Corp, RCom, ITC Ltd, Larsen and Toubro, and Tata Power. PTI

Obama wants countries to act on economic crisis: White House

Obama wants countries to act on economic crisis: White House
Washington, Jan 30 (PTI) US President Barack Obama wants all nations including India, to act in unison in dealing with the current global economic crisis, the White House has said.Obama is expected to come up with a more specific plan in this regard in the run up to the next G-20 meeting in London in April, the White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs said.On a question that G-20 is not moving anywhere and that several countries are complaining that BRIC Brazil, Russia, India and China have not been included in the Financial Stability Forum, Gibbs said "India is a member of G-20." "Well, I think what the President talked about this when he was a mere Senator and a candidate, that if one entity takes steps and it's not followed by other countries taking steps -- be it regulation, stability or stimulus -- you're most likely to see capital flows, change all around the world. We certainly saw candidate Obama talked about that in September," Gibbs said."The President talked about it back in September, working together in unison, all of these countries. I think you'll hear more about some of those specific plans as we lead to and get closer to going into April to the second round of this in Europe," he said. PTI

Gold prices set a new record at Rs 14,170

New Delhi, Jan 30 (PTI) Gold prices today zoomed past all previous records to set a new peak at Rs 14,170 per 10 gram in the bullion market here on aggressive buying by stockists sparked by a firming overseas trend.
Trading sentiment turned extremely bullish after the gold in overseas markets surged to a three-month high as holdings in the world's biggest exchange-traded fund backed by bullion expanded to a record, signalling increased demand for the metal as a haven.

The gold trading volume on London's SPDR Gold Trust expanded by 1.3 per cent to a record 843.59 metric tons. The precious metal heading for a 4.6 per cent gain in January, its third monthly increase, after adding 18.13 dollar to 926.78 dollar an ounce.

The global trend which set prices in domestic markets here, pushed up standard gold and ornaments by Rs 320 each at an all-time high level of Rs 14,170 and Rs 14,020 per ten gram respectively. Sovereign rose by Rs 50 at Rs 11,050 per ten gram in brisk trading.

Silver joined the rally surging by Rs 300 at Rs 19,400 per kg and weekly-based delivery by Rs 420 at Rs 19,600 per kg. Silver coins surged by Rs 300 to Rs 27,800 for buying and Rs 19,600 for selling of 100 pieces.

A similar firmness was noticed in futures trading as gold shot up by 2.13 per cent to Rs 14,448 per ten gram on the Multi Commodity Exchange, a level never seen before. Silver for July month delivery rose by 4 per cent to Rs 20,310 per kg on the MCX. PTI

US House passes stimulus package

WASHINGTON, Jan 29 (PTI) :The US House of Representatives has passed the USD 819 billion mega stimulus package, which is aimed at reviving American economy that is reeling under the worst ever crisis since the great depression of last century. The stimulus package passed by the House of Representatives by 244-188 votes, however, failed to receive even a single vote from the opposition Republican lawmakers, marking the the first major setback to President Barack Obama in gaining bipartisan support to his major policy decisions. Obama had spent hours on Tuesday meeting Republican leaders at the Capitol Hill making his personal appeal to them. Eleven Democrats also voted against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which now moves to the Senate for vote, before it could be signed into law by Obama. In a statement, soon thereafter Obama hoped that it would receive bipartisan support in the Senate. “I hope that we can continue to strengthen this plan before it gets to my desk. But what we can’t do is drag our feet or allow the same partisan differences to get in our way. “We must move swiftly and boldly to put Americans back to work, and that is exactly what this plan begins to do,” he said. At a time when thousands of jobs are being lost every week, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is expected to create more than three million new jobs in the next few years, besides inducing massive investment into the US infrastructure sector.

Pranab to meet PSU banks executives

NEW DELHI, Jan 29 (PTI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is handling the finance portfolio, will meet top executives of PSU banks on February 2 to review loan disbursal and the impact of the stimulus packages announced by the government.

The meeting is being held in the backdrop of the third quarterly review of monetary policy by the RBI, which observed that most banks have reduced lending and deposit rates to some extent, but there are some which are yet to do so.

Therefore, it is expected that Mukherjee may ask banks to ease interest rates further.

According to the official statement, “the agenda of the meeting includes review of credit flow and status of implementation of the packages announced for stimulating the economy.”

In the last few weeks, many initiatives have been taken both by banks and the government to boost demand in the economy.

These include opening the refinance window for commercial banks and reducing interest rates for housing loans of up to Rs 20 lakh.

Besides, RBI also announced the refinance window to financial institutions like National Housing Bank of Rs 5,000 crore while Small Industries Development Bank of India was given Rs 7,000 crore.

The statement said that the meeting will also be attended by government financial institutions.

In a bid to boost the economy, the RBI since mid-September has taken a slew of measures including cutting the short-term lending (repo) rate.

Govt approves 31 FDI proposals

NEW DELHI, Jan 29 (PTI): The government has cleared 31 foreign direct investment (FDI) proposals worth Rs 1,277.23 crore of firms such as Morgan Stanley Financial Services, Keystone Realtors and Ramky Enviro Engineers.

“The proposals relate to ministries or departments of commerce, economic affairs, telecommunication, urban development, civil aviation, industrial policy and promotion, post and information and broadcasting,” an official statement said.

The largest investment proposals have come from Ramky Enviro Engineers and Keystone Realtors, which intend to invest Rs 320 crore and Rs 300 crore, respectively. Both plan to convert their operating companies into operating-cum-holding ones to make further downstream investment.

Mumbai-based CMS Computers will invest Rs 190 crore in converting the operating company into an operating-cum-holding company.

Besides, Morgan Stanley Financial Services has proposed Rs 100 crore investment in the Industrial Policy and Promotion sector.

Rama Cylinders’ proposal to invest about Rs 84 crore was cleared. It would issue and allot fully funded or paid warrants.

Sensex down 21 points

MUMBAI, Jan 29 (PTI): Snapping the two-day rally, the Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex today closed down nearly 21 points but auto stocks gained on anticipation of hike in sales after cut in prices of petrol and diesel. The bellwether index surrendered its initial gains after a poor opening in European bourses. A moderate rise in inflation also weighed against buying support. The BSE barometer closed the day down by 21.19 points or 0.23 per cent at 9,236.28 The broad-based 50-issue Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also fell back by 25.55 points or 0.90 per cent. Realty shares which had a promising start, however, later suffered a setback on heavy offloading while capital goods shares also attracted profit-selling. Auto stocks, led by Maruti Suzuki which today posted a 54 per cent dip in profit for the third quarter, surged on anticipation of hike in sales after cut in prices of petrol and diesel. Maruti Suzuki gained 4.67 per cent.

Indian GDP growth pegged at 5.6 per cent

Indian GDP growth pegged at 5.6 per cent
MUMBAI, Jan 29 (PTI): Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), an arm of the London-based Economist Group, has lowered India’s GDP growth forecast to 5.6 per cent for FY’09 from its earlier projection of 6.2 per cent. “We expect India’s GDP to grow only by 5.6 per cent in 2008-09, compared to 9 per cent last year,” EIU India Director (Research) Manoj Vohra told PTI here today. EIU’s forecast is much lower as compared to the Reserve Bank of India’s projection of around 7 per cent growth. Citing the global economic meltdown, domestic credit squeeze and falling demand as prime factors impacting the Indian economy, the global economic think-tank has also forecast a further easing of interest rates. “Indian monetary policy will be eased further in 2008-09 with two rate cuts of 0.25 per cent in the repo rate in the first-half of 2009,” it said. “Along with India, China too appears to be heading towards a sharp slowdown with economic growth expected to fall to around 6 per cent in 2009, which would be the slowest rate of growth since 1990,” Vohra said. In 2009, 29 countries, mostly developed well as some major emerging markets, would experience economic contractions, he said. However, India would remain an attractive emerging market in view of the developed world’s interest rates tending towards zero, Vohra said.Global deleveraging and moves to reduce risk exposure would hit India hard, especially in terms of availability of financing for investment and consumption, Vohra said, adding, “the slump in world trade growth will feed through even to India’s domestically-oriented economy.” The economic slowdown which was till recently restricted to the industrial sector is now spreading to the services sector as well, as squeeze on costs become more pervasive and demand slackens, he said. On the fiscal front, India’s budget deficit and external deficit put the government in a weak position to implement supplementary fiscal measures, he said, adding, “We estimate the budget deficit to average 4.2 per cent of GDP over 2008-09 and 2009-10.” Predicting a 0.9 per cent fall in the global economic growth at market rates, the EIU expects contractions in big economies such as the US, EU, UK and Japan in 2009.

'UN alarmed over increasing civilian casualties in Sri Lanka'

'UN alarmed over increasing civilian casualties in Sri Lanka'
Dharam Shourie New York, Jan 30 (PTI) The United Nations human rights has expressed serious concern over reports of deteriorating conditions of some 250,000 civilians trapped in war torn northern Sri Lanka, increasing civilian casualties, massive displacement and alleged human rights abuses."The perilous situation of civilians after many months of fighting, multiple displacements and heavy rains and flooding is extremely worrying," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has said.Pillay is the latest UN official, along with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other heads of UN agencies, to express her concerns directly to the Government."We are all seriously alarmed by the situation," she said, "as are many of the NGOs and other organisations operating in Sri Lanka." An estimated 250,000 civilians are trapped in areas of northern Sri Lanka where fighting continues between Government forces and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).Nearly 5,000 people have managed to cross the zones held by the group to Government-controlled areas since late November, UN said.Gordon Weiss, spokesman for the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sri Lanka, said UN international staff members yesterday accompanied a convoy of hundreds of wounded civilians, away from the front lines.UN staff, he added, witnessed the injury and deaths of dozens of people over the weekend at close quarters, while the hospitals in the area are being overwhelmed by the numbers of wounded. PTI

Mumbai attacks not planned in Pak territory: Pak diplomat

Mumbai attacks not planned in Pak territory: Pak diplomat


London, Jan 30 (PTI) In the first official word on the findings of Islamabad's probe into the information dossier provided by India on the Mumbai attacks, a senior Pakistani diplomat has said that his country's territory was not used for planning the operation.
"Pakistan's territory was not used so far as we know, so far as the investigators have made a conclusion. It could have been some other place but not the UK as well," Pakistan's envoy to Britain, Wahid Shamshul Hasan said.

To a question that people in India and some other parts of the world will not believe the findings, he told NDTV, "why are they not going to believe it if we say so and if we say that we will give the facts that it (Pakistani territory) was not used, it could be some other place".

He said, "We are not going to do any whitewashing business. We believe in going after facts and will try to satisfy India with whatever we find and our findings will be acceptable to the world because we were not addressing only Indian concerns".

The comments came as media reports in that country said that the outcome of Islamabad's probe into the Indian dossier was that Pakistani territory was not involved in planning the carnage in India's financial capital.

Pakistan's Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik yesterday said that the preliminary report will be made public in "two to three days". PTI

Asif appears before PCB committee probing Dubai detention

Asif appears before PCB committee probing Dubai detention
Karachi, Jan 30 (PTI) Dope-tainted pacer Mohammad Asif has appeared before a Pakistan Cricket Board committee probing his 19-day detention in Dubai last June for possession of opium.The three-member inquiry committee held its first meeting yesterday in Lahore in which they recorded the statement of Asif who is presently suspended from playing any cricket because of his positive dope test during the Indian Premier League last year."Asif gave his statement and produced documents indicating he had a visa to visit Dubai and negating reports he couldn't travel to Dubai again after he was deported following his detention last year," PCB chief operating officer Saleem Altaf said.He said the inquiry committee would meet again on February 6 to reach a decision and recommend it to the board Chairman Ejaz Butt.According to details, the board has already obtained a report on the incidents leading upto and during Asif's detention in Dubai from a law firm in Dubai.Asif was released from detention without the public prosecutor filing criminal charges against the pacer for possession of of 0.24 grams of opium.The prosecutor described the quantity of opium found in Asif's possession as not significant enough to warrant a criminal case.An Indian Premier League official also confirmed that the IPL drugs inquiry tribunal that is looking into the pacer bowler's failed dope test will give its verdict on February 1."They are studying the entire case and Asif's statement and defense and are likely to give a verdict by February 1," he said. PTI

Stimulus packages working; economic growth to be 7 pc: Pranab

Stimulus packages working; economic growth to be 7 pc: Pranab

New Delhi, Jan 29 (PTI) The two stimulus packages given by the government to boost the economy have started working and the economic growth in the current year is likely to be seven per cent, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is also holding the charge of the Finance Ministry, said here.
"The two stimulus packages have started working...That has been reiterated by the Reserve Bank Governor while announcing the (third-quarterly review of the) credit policy," Mukherjee said after his first meeting with Minister of State for Finance P K Bansal and senior officials of the ministry at North Block.

Mukherjee took charge of the Finance Ministry as the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was looking after the finance portfolio, is recuperating from a heart surgery at the All-Indian Institute of Medical Science.

The minister was briefed by the senior officials of the finance ministry on various issues, including preparation for interim budget which is to be presented in Parliament next month.

As regards economic growth, Mukherjee said, "though the economy will not grow at 8.9 or 8.8 per cent, it will grow around 7 per cent. There is no doubt about that ... Indian economy is sound and will bounce back ".

The RBI in its review of the credit policy projected a growth rate of 7 per cent for the current fiscal, down from 7.5 to 8 per cent estimated earlier.

On his priority as in-charge of the Finance Ministry, Mukherjee said, "My first priority is to get the vote on account passed. That is the top most priority and it is also a constitutional requirement." PTI

Indian economy to grow at 7-7.5 pc next fiscal as well: Nath

Indian economy to grow at 7-7.5 pc next fiscal as well: Nath

Indivjal Dhasmana
Davos, Jan 30 (PTI) India has exuded optimism that it would continue to maintain economic growth rate of 7-7.5 per cent next fiscal, the same level it is expected to register in the current fiscal, even as its neighbour China termed its lower growth projection of 8 per cent in 2009 as a tall order.

"We hope to continue at the same level of 7-7.5 next fiscal," Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath told a press conference at the World Economic Forum here.

Indian economy grew by 7.8 per cent in the first half of this fiscal, and there are apprehensions that the growth rate will slow down in the second half despite stimulus packages, with industrial production falling for the first time in 15 years in October last year.

Also at WEF, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao had said that his government had set a target of 8 per cent economic growth for 2009 against 9 per cent in 2008 as international financial crisis had inflicted rather big impact on the country's real economy.

Jiabao termed the target of 8 per cent as a tall order, but expressed confidence that China will attain that through hard work.

It should, however, be noted that Jiabao was talking in terms of calendar years, and Nath was referring to fiscal years, but the perspectives of the statements of both could be broadly compared.

When asked what is the source of his optimism given the global slowdown, Nath said Indian economy will not be sustained merely by exports, but by the domestic demand.

"Those economies which are heavily dependent on exports for economic growth are going to take a hit. We have only 15-16 per cent of GDP in exports," he said. PTI

Monks on mission, cycling across India for Tibet

Monks on mission, cycling across India for Tibet

: New Delhi, Jan 28: Imbued with commitment to reversing the fate of the Tibetan community-in-exile, a group of nine young monks has set out cycling through India to raise awareness about Tibet. Their journey began Jan 18 from Varanasi. The monks reached Delhi Wednesday morning. “From Varanasi they cycled through Lucknow, Kanpur, Aligarh, Karnal and Noida. At all these places they held lectures and distributed information flyers,” said Tsering Dorji, a monk hosting them in the Tibetan settlement Majnu ka Tila in north Delhi.

The monks will organise a demonstration at the Jantar Mantar Thursday, after which they will get on with their 800 km long journey. Their next destination is Agra, followed by Jhansi, Bhopal, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Vijaywada, Chennai and finally Hubli where they plan to reach by Mar 10. “At each of the places, a function is being organised by local-level Tibetan organisations to spread awareness on the Tibet issue,” Dorji explained.

Tibetan Rights and Freedom Restoration Committee, an NGO-based in Mandkot near Hubli, Karnataka, is supporting the monks in their endeavour. Ven Gangri, the leader of the nine monks, who can speak only in his native Tibetan tongue and Kannada said: “We have four main demands. Firstly, release all political prisoners in Tibet including Panchen Lama. Secondly that the Chinese stop denouncing his holiness the Dalai Lama.” The third and fourth demands are to “stop the sanitisation efforts in Tibet by withdrawing the re-education programme” and “on the reincarnation issue, withdrawing the Chinese government resolution not recognising the reincarnation of the Lama”.

Asked if cycling is strenuous, Gangri smiled and said: “Not at all - we are all young. The youngest is 21 and the oldest is 37-years-old.” A Scorpio vehicle carrying essential food and provision accompanies the bicycle-borne monks.

There are an estimated 600,000 Tibetan refugees in India, who fled their homeland in 1959 after Chinese troops crushed their uprising. Tibetans have settled in Delhi, Bangalore and several places, but their main centre is in the Himalayan resort of Dharamsala, the home of the Tibetan government-in-exile. When questioned if the monks faced any hardships or resistance on their way, Gangri said: “It is very easy and comfortable to travel in India.”(IANS)

Ever heard of a ghost fair?

Ever heard of a ghost fair?

: Malajpur (Madhya Pradesh), Jan 28: A sari clad woman with her hair wild scrambles on the floor as if trying to run away from some invisible enemy. There is a look of terror on her face as she sinks to her knees, sobbing loudly. A man also seems to be desperately trying to escape from some invisible terror, running around, screaming at the top of his voice.
They are the “possessed”. They have come to Malajpur, a village among the hills of the Satpura ranges in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district, 350 km from state capital Bhopal, for being exorcised at a shrine of Guru Maharaj Deoji, a Hindu holy man who lived in the 18th century and, devotees believe, had the power to exorcise ghosts and evil spirits. No one knows how all this began but head priest Chandra Singh says: “Deoji passed on the ‘art of exorcism’ to his successors (the priests here), and since then the month-long fair is being observed annually for about 250 years here at Malajpur during the ongoing Magh month (the Hindi month which usually falls in January-February).” As the night of Paush Purnima (full moon preceding Magh month) falls, the ‘possessed’ are taken to the shrine for being exorcised. The people who bring their relatives here feel that their bodies have been “taken over by the ghosts of the dead” and that exorcism is the only release for them.
As the temple gong sounds, priests (ghost busters) chant mantras and the posessed are brought before them, one by one, for the ritual of severe beating with brooms. In this it is the ghost that is been threatened with the beating, and not the possessed person. After being beaten by the ghost buster amid the chanting of mantras, the so-called ‘ghost’ leaves the body. The temple has two banyan trees that the priest says are home to thousands of ghosts and evil spirits that have been “expelled” from human bodies. After being “rid” of the ghost, the person encircles the temple and is declared “cured” and leaves the place with or without paying the fees.
Some people pay as per their capacity, while others offer donations of jaggery - unrefined sugar made from palm juice - at the temple. This year about 10,000 people are estimated to have arrived in Malajpur for the exorcism.
Some of the people being treated become frenzied. Women savagely toss their hair or roll on the ground. Some run wild or shriek and shout when their relatives bring them before the exorcists, who speak in loud, authoritative voices and the patients respond to their commands. Psychiatrists say exorcists have some success because they are usually people in positions of authority and people suffering from hysteria respond to authority.
Pradeep Meher, who comes to the fair regularly, claims, “No one returns disappointed. Everyone's wish is fulfilled. When your wish is fulfilled you may come here and offer only a kilogram of jaggery. Also, you are required to encircle the temple once again but in the opposite direction.”
The custom is that those who come for treatment circle the temple in one direction while those who come to offer obeisance circle it in the opposite direction. The psychologists, however, describe the ghost fair as nothing more than superstition. The fair, which started January 10, will continue till Basant Panchmi, January 30.(IANS)

Moon impactor probe pictures silenced doubting Thomases

Moon impactor probe pictures silenced doubting Thomases

: New Delhi, Jan 28: Scientists, who were reluctant to send the Impactor Probe onboard Chandrayaan-I because it was taking up too much of the allowable payload weight, have been proved wrong after it sent back never-seen-before 5 metre resolution Moon images taken from a height of only six km.

The Moon Impactor Probe (MIP), which crashed onto the lunar surface on November 14, was included as one of the 11 payloads of Chandrayaan-I at the suggestion of the then President A P J Abdul Kalam.

Some scientists were, however, reluctant to include the 28-kg MIP as part of the payload and favoured carrying a few more instruments instead, said senior scientist Narendra Bhandari, who has been involved with Chandrayaan-I since its inception. “The MIP, which would crash on the lunar surface, alone weighed 28 kg when the 10 other instruments had a total weight of only 50 kg,” Bhandari said, adding “Any given day, scientists would have preferred carrying more diverse experiments instead of one taking up the lion’s share of the allowable payload weight.” But once the MIP began to beam back to earth breathtaking pictures as it plunged towards the moon, scientists were gladdened as they had never before seen photographs of the moon clicked from an altitude of only six km, Bhandari said. The MIP, which landed very close to the South Pole near Shackleton crater, not only marked India’s physical presence on the lunar surface but also helped check out some of the technologies related to future soft landing missions, he said. (PTI)

Court directs Pepsi to compensate for condom in bottle

Court directs Pepsi to compensate for condom in bottle

New Delhi, Jan 28: Noting that “legal remedies are going beyond the reach of the common man”, a consumer court here has asked soft drink giant Pepsi to pay Rs 23,000 as compensation to a man who suffered health problems after consuming a bottle of adulterated beverage produced by the company.

Hearing a plea by Pepsi earlier this month, the Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission headed by Justice J D Kapoor said: “Legal remedies are going beyond the reach of even middle class, what to talk of the common man. Therefore, service providers and traders should be ready to shell out some amount for the agony and torture suffered by the consumer in seeking redressal of grievance.”

In 2003, Sudesh Sharma, a resident of Ujhani village in the national capital, had purchased two bottles of Pepsi from a retail shop near Kashmiri Gate.

Sharma started suffering from severe dyspepsia and headache followed by insomnia after drinking from one of the bottles. His condition worsened over a period of time and he had to seek medical help. On inspecting the bottle from which he had drunk, Sharma found dirt and other contaminants inside it. He was also shocked to find a condom inside the other Pepsi bottle, which was still sealed.

Sharma approached the District Consumer Forum, which ordered Pepsi to pay him Rs 23,000 along with punitive damages of Rs 100,000 in 2006. Staunchly denying any negligence on its part, Pepsi challenged the District Consumer Forum order in the Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

Maintaining that the bottles may have contained spurious products illegally marketed under its brand name, Pepsi argued that Sharma had not submitted any proof of purchase of the bottles.
However, the commission observed that it was not a practice among shopkeepers in the open market to issue a receipt or cash memo whenever a person purchased one or two bottles. “We have come across a few cases of identical nature wherein similar pleas are being raised by the manufacturers. In our view, howsoever foolproof may be the manufacturing process, if the end product is found to contain any foreign substance or such material that renders the drink or eatable unfit for human consumption, the inference of the goods being defective have to be necessarily drawn against the manufacturer whose name is printed on the packaged product,” Kapoor said.

The commission ordered Pepsi to pay Sharma Rs 23,000 but gave the company some relief by setting aside the punitive damages of Rs 100,000.

“So far as compensation to a consumer is concerned, it should also be kept in mind that the consumer has been forced by the service provider to approach a legal forum to seek redressal of his grievance. It is a tortuous process as it causes mental agony, harassment and financial pressure as legal remedy is becoming costlier by the day and it is time consuming,” Kapoor observed.(IANS)

I’ll function according to Constitution in Vijayan case: Achuthanandan

I’ll function according to Constitution in Vijayan case: Achuthanandan

: Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 28: Veteran Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) hardliner and Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, who had till now maintained silence over his colleague Pinarayi Vijayan’s alleged involvement in a multi-million rupee scam, on Wednesday said he would function according to the constitution as far as the case is concerned.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in its detailed report last week to both the Kerala High Court and the CBI court in Kochi, accused Vijayan and 10 others of having been involved in wrongly awarding the contracts to renovate two hydro-power projects to Canadian company SNC Lavalin 12 years ago. Vijayan was state electricity minister in 1997 when SNC Lavalin was given the contract in which the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) had found irregularities.
“Right now the state government has been asked to give sanction to the CBI to prosecute former power principal secretary Mohanachandran and former joint secretary in the power department Francis in the Lavalin case. Other than that we don’t have anything else. We will seek opinion from the law department and do the necessary in the matter,” Achuthanandan told reporters here after the weekly cabinet meeting. Asked if the Congress party was targeting Vijayan as pointed out by his party's Politburo, he said: “This is being looked into.” He was then faced with a volley of questions on his reactions to Vijayan’s involvement and he said: “I am one who has to function according to the constitution and I have replied to it.”
While most CPI-M leaders have openly defended Vijayan, Achuthanandan has remained silent on the controversy. Achuthanandan and Vijayan are known rivals and head the two factions of the party. Amid speculation about whether he would inaugurate a proposed Kerala March next month led by Vijayan, the Chief Minister said he had not yet decided if he would go or not.(IANS)

Amar justifies association with Kalyan

Amar justifies association with Kalyan

: New Delhi, Jan 28: With some Muslim faces within Samajwadi Party raising questions over Kalyan Singh’s growing closeness with the party, its leader Amar Singh today sought to justify the association with the former BJP leader, saying his past should not be taken into consideration.

Amar termed the opposition to Kalyan’s association with SP politically motivated as he insisted that the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister is a “weapon” to “wipe out” BJP.
“After Kalyan Singh left the BJP, he joined the jehad for the total annihilation of BJP. His jehad and the pledge of the minorities to wipe out BJP are one and the same,” the SP leader told reporters here.

His justification came after some SP Muslim leaders, including MP Shafiqur Rehman Barq and Azam Khan, protested the party’s association with Kalyan, who is alleged to have been involved in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition.

“I am here to look at the present and not the past of a person,” Amar said, while contending that Kalyan's resignation from the BJP is “a big achievement for the Samajwadi movement”.
Pointing out that Kalyan’s association with SP was not any “new experiment” in politics, Amar took on those SP leaders who are raising questions over the party’s association with Kalyan. Amar recalled that when Mulayam Singh became the Chief Minister after the fall of the BSP-BJP government in 2004, Kalyan’s son Rajveer, who recently joined SP, was appointed as a minister along with another close aide of Kalyan, Kusum Rai. “Azam Khan of the SP was also appointed a cabinet minister along with Rajveer and Kusum Rai. Nobody then had objections,” Amar said.
Last week, firebrand SP leader Khan had issued a statement questioning the party's move to get close with Kalyan. “The then Advocate General of UP S M A Kazmi has raised objections over Kalyan's proximity with SP. He was the AG in that government which had the support of Congress. He never raised questions,” said Amar.

To a question on Kalyan’s role in the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, the SP leader said “it was the Shiv Sena which played a major role in the incident.” He also took a swipe at Congress, saying its leader Arjun Singh had praised Kalyan before the demolition while some other Congress leaders had joined hands with him to topple the Mayawati government in 2004.
“In June, 1992 Arjun Singh had gone to UP as a Union minister to lead an agitation on Ayodhya. But he postponed his agitation and appreciated the Kalyan Singh government. I do not know what transpired between Kalyan Singh and Arjun Singh. Even if I knew, I would not like to disclose,” said Amar.

He said only the late Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, the then UP CM Kalyan Singh and Arjun Singh can say what had happened.

Singh said Kalyan had the support of Congress leaders when he was working to topple the previous government of Mayawati. “RLD chief Ajit Singh, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, Congress legislature Party leader in UP Pramod Tiwari and then UPCC president Jagdambika Pal used to meet Kalyan Singh at his residence (in Lucknow) when efforts were on to topple the previous government of Mayawati (in 2004),” Amar said. The SP leader said Sanjay Nirupam and Narayan Rane were earlier in Shiv Sena, which played a major role in the demolition of Babri Masjid but now are in Congress. “Now what do we do with them,” he said.
He said “even Shankersinh Vaghela (formerly with BJP) is now in Congress.” (PTI)

Why give yoga a religious connotation, says Deoband

Why give yoga a religious connotation, says Deoband

Deoband (UP), Jan 28: The Darul Uloom Deoband, an influential islamic body, said on Wednesday that there was nothing wrong with any exercise done for health reasons. Reacting to Indonesia’s top Islamic body barring Muslims from practicing yoga, its spokesperson, Akeel Siddiqui, said that Islam does not prohibit anyone from practicing yoga or any other kind of physical exercise. “Why faith in yoga is being given the connotation of religion. The broad purpose of yoga is to make health. Islam has emphasized a lot on being healthy. Islam is a scientific religion. Be it Muslim prayers (Namaaz) or fasting (Roza) all involve exercises. Islam has always given priority to the these exercises;” said S iddiqui. Indonesia’s Ulema Council also known as MUI issued a ‘fatwa’ on Saturday asking Muslims to stop practicing yoga saying it included chanting of Hindu mantras. Reports say MUI ‘fatwa’ is not legally binding on Muslims, yet Indonesians tend to defer to the rulings of the highest Islamic authority in the country for fear of committing a sin. The MUI ‘fatwa’ on yoga was inspired by a Malaysian ruling in November last year banning Muslims from practising it. Yoga is an ancient Indian discipline of exercise, diet and meditation which practiced by millions around the world. (Agencies)

'Pak probe into Indian dossier to be made public in 2-3 days'

Islamabad, Jan 29 (PTI) The preliminary report on Pakistan's probe into the information dossier on the Mumbai attacks provided by India will be made public in "two to three days", interior ministry chief Rehman Malik said today.
Without giving details of the initial findings of a three-member investigation team that examined the Indian dossier, Malik told Dawn News channel that the preliminary report will also be shared with India when it is made public in two to three days.

Malik said there was no "specific deadline" for making the report public and the investigators needed more time to complete their work. Malik had on January 17 given the investigation team 10 days to submit its preliminary findings.

Dawn News channel had yesterday quoted its sources as saying that Pakistani investigators had completed the initial investigation into the dossier provided by India on January 5 and found that the Mumbai attacks were not planned in Pakistan.

The sources also said the investigators had examined every aspect of the dossier and found that the information in it had "no connections anywhere in Pakistan".

The initial report submitted to the interior ministry also did not state where the attacks were planned, the channel reported.

The initial report was reviewed at a high-level meeting in the interior ministry today. There was no official word on this meeting. PTI

UN to make fresh bid to evacuate war-hit civilians in SL

Dharam Shourie
United Nations, Jan 29 (PTI) As concerns grew worldwide over the fate of 250,000 Tamil civilians trapped in the war zone in northern Sri Lanka, the UN today announced it would make a renewed attempt to evacuate them to safety.

Special convoys are proposed to be run to evacuate these trapped people from the jungles of Mullaittivu district in batches and the world body has sought cooperation from both the Sri Lankan army as well as the LTTE.

"The convoys will cross the frontline at midday today," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson said as time may prove critical for these hapless people.

Top priority, the UN says would be given to hundreds of people reportedly critical suffering from battle wounds and sickness.

The civilians are the residents of northern towns of Killinochchi and Mullaittivu and their outlying areas, who according to Lankan officials are being used as human shields by the Tigers. But LTTE denies this, saying that the populace is accompanying them even in battle of their own will.

Whatever be the reason, there is an international outcry to bring these people, who include thousands of women and children, wounded and sick to safety.

The relief convoys propose to ferry the injured to the government hospitals in the town of Vavuniya where they can be treated for their wounds, he added.

Convoys meant to evacuate the trapped civilians have been stranded for days near the embattled town of Puthukkudiyiruppu, which lies just across the lines of confrontation in territory controlled by the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). PTI

Early trend reversed on inflation data, Sensex down 30 pts

Mumbai, Jan 29 (PTI) After rising over 121 points at the beginning, the Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex fell more than 30 points at midsession on fresh selling sparked by reports of a mild rise in inflation.
The Sensex fell by 30.52 points at 9,226.95 at 1230 hrs from 9,257.47 at yesterday's close following reports of inflation rising to 5.64 per cent for the week ended January 17, from 5.60 per cent in the previous week.

Similarly, the broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty fell by 27.45 points at 2,822.05, after opening higher at 2,873.85 points. PTI