New Delhi/Hyderabad: The Congress leadership at the Centre seems to be caught in a bind over the issue of statehood for Telangana. A meeting of the Congress core group led by Sonia Gandhi ended without any major decisions yesterday. Today, more talks will take place between top Telangana leaders and the Prime Minister.
The core group of the Congress - the first attended by Mrs Gandhi since she returned from an operation in the US - met for nearly two hours yesterday, referencing a report submitted to her by Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is also in charge of Andhra Pradesh for the Congress.
Mr Azad has spent the last few months touring the state, and meeting with representatives of its three regions - Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana. His report calls for more consultations. The Congress may send a team to Andhra Pradesh to gauge the situation.
The general strike called by pro-Telangana activists in the region has entered the 19th day today. Trains and buses in this part of Andhra Pradesh have been delayed or cancelled and businesses have been forced to shut down. Activists are now increasing their presence and pressure tactics both in Hyderabad and Delhi. Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhara Rao, who is the face of the pro-Telangana movement, will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj today along with a delegation of Telangana political Joint Action Committee to press for an early decision in favour of the separate statehood.
Just as leaders from Telangana are determined to win a new state, politicians from the two other regions of Andhra Pradesh are heavy-set in their opposition to a partition of Andhra Pradesh as it currently exists. The tug of war is pivoted at least partly on who would get Hyderabad - the economically-prosperous state capital that thrives on its IT industry.
Sources say the Congress may depute a small team of leaders to travel to Andhra Pradesh for another ground report. After that, a meeting of all political parties could be called by the Home Minister to discuss whether Andhra Pradesh should be divided.
Many of the leaders from Telangana have in the last few days positioned themselves in Delhi in anticipation of "a favourable report." Among them are several Congressmen, who met with the government's senior-most minister Pranab Mukherjee late on Thursday night. The Congress is in power in Andhra Pradesh. Its dilemma of whether to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh has to account for its own leaders from Telangana, who are being pressured by voters to quit if they cannot deliver a new state. In a symbolic gesture in July, nearly 100 legislators including ministers, and more than a dozen MPs quit their offices. Their resignations were not accepted on the grounds that they had been made "under duress."
But over the last few days, the tension has been inching its way towards the danger mark. Pro-Telangana activists have been surrounding the homes and office of Congress leaders, a pressure tactic bordering on intimidation.
K Chandrasekhara Rao arrived in Delhi on Friday night. "We are here to meet the honourable Prime Minister and complain regarding ill-treatment of our MLAs, and also to say that our movement is very peaceful and democratic, and today is the 18th day. For the past few weeks, police is brutally behaving and the Chief Minister is behaving like a dictator, so we wanted to see the Prime Minister and explain to him, and also to ask him to expedite the Telangana matter. We are planning to meet Leader of Opposition, Sushma Swaraj. Tomorrow we will take a call on how to go about the meeting... it's a kind of memorandum which we will give to the Prime Minister," KCR said after landing in Delhi.
In 2009, KCR's 11-day hunger-strike fuelled an aggressive campaign that resonated with students at Osmania University in Hyderabad. Violent protests that threw students into the ring with policemen became a daily feature. And in December 2009, Home Minister P Chidambaram made a surprise announcement that the Centre had agreed to a Telangana state.
However, political parties soon opposed this - leaders from Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema said they were not in favour of their state being partitioned. So the government suspended all plans and set up the Srikrishna Committee in February 2010 with the challenging agenda of determining "what all sections of society" feel about the division of their state. The committee delivered its report on the last day of 2010. The 505-page report lists six options, of which it holds the sixth as the most workable - "a united Andhra Pradesh with constitutionally-allocated regional rights to help the socio-economic development of the Telangana region."
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Friday 30 September 2011
Thursday 29 September 2011
Telangana crisis: Bandh in Hyderabad, talks in Delhi
New Delhi/Hyderabad: As the general strike in support of a separate Telangana state enters its 18th day today, Congress central leadership is meeting some of its leaders from the region to find a solution to the crisis.
Last evening, senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee met some Telangana Congress MPs who are camping in Delhi and have refused to return to Hyderabad till there is a definite word from the UPA leadership on formation of Telangana.
Mr Mukherjee is said to have assured the delegation that he will take up the issue with the Prime Minister and the Congress president on priority basis. The leaders are likely to meet the PM and President today itself. Congress in charge of Andhra Pradesh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, is expected to submit an internal report on Telangana crisis to the party in a day or two.
Meanwhile, the Telangana Joint Action Committee has called a bandh in Hyderabad today. Protesters have now shifted their focus on putting pressure on elected representatives and ministers in the Congress government to resign. For this, the protesters are gheraoing their homes and not allowing them to move around freely in the Telangana region.
Labour Minister Danam Nagender faced the ire of the protesters yesterday as the members of the Telangana Joint Action Committee sat outside his residence in Hyderabad.
"We demand that Danam Nagender must immediately resign from his post," said a protester.
"They have no right to ask for my resignation or that of any other Congress leader. Minister Komti Reddy resigned but people still threw chappals on him. What is their fate if this is how resigned MLAs and ministers are treated," said Mr Nagender.
These activists also surrounded the homes of many other Congress elected representatives in several Telangana districts.
"If our Congress leaders were good, then by now a Bill on Telangana would have been presented in Parliament and Telangana state would have been formed," said another protester.
This is being seen as an attempt by TRS-led pro-Telangana groups to pressurise the elected representatives asking them to resign and join the strike or face the ire of the people.
"It is a demand by the people of Telangana, not KCR alone. It is a popular demand that all Telangana public representatives must resign, so that the Centre is moved and the issue is solved," TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao said on Thursday.
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Last evening, senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee met some Telangana Congress MPs who are camping in Delhi and have refused to return to Hyderabad till there is a definite word from the UPA leadership on formation of Telangana.
Mr Mukherjee is said to have assured the delegation that he will take up the issue with the Prime Minister and the Congress president on priority basis. The leaders are likely to meet the PM and President today itself. Congress in charge of Andhra Pradesh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, is expected to submit an internal report on Telangana crisis to the party in a day or two.
Meanwhile, the Telangana Joint Action Committee has called a bandh in Hyderabad today. Protesters have now shifted their focus on putting pressure on elected representatives and ministers in the Congress government to resign. For this, the protesters are gheraoing their homes and not allowing them to move around freely in the Telangana region.
Labour Minister Danam Nagender faced the ire of the protesters yesterday as the members of the Telangana Joint Action Committee sat outside his residence in Hyderabad.
"We demand that Danam Nagender must immediately resign from his post," said a protester.
"They have no right to ask for my resignation or that of any other Congress leader. Minister Komti Reddy resigned but people still threw chappals on him. What is their fate if this is how resigned MLAs and ministers are treated," said Mr Nagender.
These activists also surrounded the homes of many other Congress elected representatives in several Telangana districts.
"If our Congress leaders were good, then by now a Bill on Telangana would have been presented in Parliament and Telangana state would have been formed," said another protester.
This is being seen as an attempt by TRS-led pro-Telangana groups to pressurise the elected representatives asking them to resign and join the strike or face the ire of the people.
"It is a demand by the people of Telangana, not KCR alone. It is a popular demand that all Telangana public representatives must resign, so that the Centre is moved and the issue is solved," TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao said on Thursday.
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India, Pak agree to work on simplifying visa rules
Commerce minister Anand Sharma and his Pakistani counterpart Makh-doom Muhammed Amin Fahim have agreed that there is a need for liberalising business visa regime.
The visa regime is a major irritant between businessmen from both countries as the visas are given for specific districts and not the country as practiced by most nations in the world, said Pakistan senator Haji Ghulam Ali, who is also the president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI)
“We have urged the concerned officials on both sides to expeditiously conclude the liberal business visa regime by November which will rapidly expand the vistas of bilateral commerce,” said Sharma.
His Pakistan counterpart has recognised that the grant of most favoured nation (MFN) status to India would be a key step in expanding bilateral trade relations.
Sharma informed business leaders from India and Pakistan at a session hosted by Ficci that he will visit Pakistan soon with a business delegation.
Sharma pointed out that trade in petroleum, energy and commodities would be significant steps for building long-term stake in each other’s economy.
“Strengthening the border infrastructure remains a high priority for us and I was happy to be informed that the Integrated Check Post which is being constructed at the Attari-Wagah Border at a cost of Rs 150 crore will be operational by the end of the current year," said Sharma.
Later, Sharma told reporters that central banks from both countries are likely to discuss about opening up of bank branches in each other's territory.
Early next year, Pakistan will be chairing the Safta ministerial meeting and this meeting is being touted as a key event, which may give shape a new direction to SAFTA regional framework.
According to Ficci's status paper on status of India-Pakistan economic relations, India is reducing peak tariff rates for Pakistan to 8 per cent by January 1, 2012. The rates would be further reduced to 5 per cent in 2013.
Fahim told reporters: "Let us make a short negative list and strive for a longer list of friends."
Pakistan has recently announced its intention to move over from the positive list to negative list on trade with India.
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The visa regime is a major irritant between businessmen from both countries as the visas are given for specific districts and not the country as practiced by most nations in the world, said Pakistan senator Haji Ghulam Ali, who is also the president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI)
“We have urged the concerned officials on both sides to expeditiously conclude the liberal business visa regime by November which will rapidly expand the vistas of bilateral commerce,” said Sharma.
His Pakistan counterpart has recognised that the grant of most favoured nation (MFN) status to India would be a key step in expanding bilateral trade relations.
Sharma informed business leaders from India and Pakistan at a session hosted by Ficci that he will visit Pakistan soon with a business delegation.
Sharma pointed out that trade in petroleum, energy and commodities would be significant steps for building long-term stake in each other’s economy.
“Strengthening the border infrastructure remains a high priority for us and I was happy to be informed that the Integrated Check Post which is being constructed at the Attari-Wagah Border at a cost of Rs 150 crore will be operational by the end of the current year," said Sharma.
Later, Sharma told reporters that central banks from both countries are likely to discuss about opening up of bank branches in each other's territory.
Early next year, Pakistan will be chairing the Safta ministerial meeting and this meeting is being touted as a key event, which may give shape a new direction to SAFTA regional framework.
According to Ficci's status paper on status of India-Pakistan economic relations, India is reducing peak tariff rates for Pakistan to 8 per cent by January 1, 2012. The rates would be further reduced to 5 per cent in 2013.
Fahim told reporters: "Let us make a short negative list and strive for a longer list of friends."
Pakistan has recently announced its intention to move over from the positive list to negative list on trade with India.
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Wednesday 28 September 2011
China 'shadow-boxing' US at sea
Philippine ex-president Fidel Ramos has said that China's recent assertiveness over sea disputes was motivated by a desire to challenge US power, as he predicted more tensions to come.
On a visit to Washington, Ramos described China and the United States as "shadow-boxing" over the South China Sea and East China Sea where Beijing has growing friction with countries including the Philippines, Vietnam and Japan.
"China's proximate aim, it seems to me, is to limit American freedom of access" and "erode the credibility of Washington's security guarantees to the East Asian states, including and especially the Philippines," Ramos, who was president from 1992 to 1998, said at the Heritage Foundation think-tank.
"We, where we come from, expect South China Sea tensions to continue because the root cause is really China's perceived need to break out from under the strategic dominance of the Western allies," Ramos said yesterday.
However, Ramos said he did not expect military confrontation due to the vast US military superiority over China. He called for governments to shift away spending from the military to fighting "real enemies" such as poverty.
Ramos was visiting Washington as part of 60th anniversary commemorations of the Mutual Defense Treaty between Washington and its former colony.
Elsewhere in the region, the United States also has security pacts with Australia, Japan, South Korea and Thailand.
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On a visit to Washington, Ramos described China and the United States as "shadow-boxing" over the South China Sea and East China Sea where Beijing has growing friction with countries including the Philippines, Vietnam and Japan.
"China's proximate aim, it seems to me, is to limit American freedom of access" and "erode the credibility of Washington's security guarantees to the East Asian states, including and especially the Philippines," Ramos, who was president from 1992 to 1998, said at the Heritage Foundation think-tank.
"We, where we come from, expect South China Sea tensions to continue because the root cause is really China's perceived need to break out from under the strategic dominance of the Western allies," Ramos said yesterday.
However, Ramos said he did not expect military confrontation due to the vast US military superiority over China. He called for governments to shift away spending from the military to fighting "real enemies" such as poverty.
Ramos was visiting Washington as part of 60th anniversary commemorations of the Mutual Defense Treaty between Washington and its former colony.
Elsewhere in the region, the United States also has security pacts with Australia, Japan, South Korea and Thailand.
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Pranab Clarifies on 2G Note
Amid the controversy over a finance ministry note on Home Minister P Chidambaram’s stand on 2G spectrum allocation, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stating that the March 2011 note was actually part of a background paper prepared after inter-ministerial consultations.
Mukherjee is said to have pointed out that the background paper had been prepared with the purpose of coordinating the government’s response on the 2G spectrum allocation issue. Officials of several ministries including law, finance and telecom, as also the cabinet secretariat and PMO were involved in the exercise, the finance minister’s letter is said to have noted.
Mukherjee is learnt to have informed party and ministerial colleagues at a late evening meeting that there is nothing new in his letter to the Prime Minister. He has only put in writing what he had told the PM at a meeting in New York on Sunday
A day after the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) witnessed sharp exchanges, with opposition party members accusing the government of keeping the finance ministry note from the committee, union ministers Pawan Bansal, Rajeev Shukla and V Narayanasamy, accompanied by JPC chairman P C Chacko, called on Mukherjee late in the evening to discuss the issue.
Mukherjee was said to have explained to them that the said finance ministry note was a background paper and it had “nothing new” from what was already in the public domain and, therefore, there was no need to present it in the JPC. Their meeting, however, remained inconclusive and they are likely to have another round of discussion on Thursday to finalise their stand on this issue in the JPC.
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Mukherjee is said to have pointed out that the background paper had been prepared with the purpose of coordinating the government’s response on the 2G spectrum allocation issue. Officials of several ministries including law, finance and telecom, as also the cabinet secretariat and PMO were involved in the exercise, the finance minister’s letter is said to have noted.
Mukherjee is learnt to have informed party and ministerial colleagues at a late evening meeting that there is nothing new in his letter to the Prime Minister. He has only put in writing what he had told the PM at a meeting in New York on Sunday
A day after the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) witnessed sharp exchanges, with opposition party members accusing the government of keeping the finance ministry note from the committee, union ministers Pawan Bansal, Rajeev Shukla and V Narayanasamy, accompanied by JPC chairman P C Chacko, called on Mukherjee late in the evening to discuss the issue.
Mukherjee was said to have explained to them that the said finance ministry note was a background paper and it had “nothing new” from what was already in the public domain and, therefore, there was no need to present it in the JPC. Their meeting, however, remained inconclusive and they are likely to have another round of discussion on Thursday to finalise their stand on this issue in the JPC.
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BJP: Govt will collapse on its own
Demanding that heads should roll in the government over corruption, BJP today said Home Minister P Chidambaram is as culpable as A Raja in the 2G spectrum scam and alleged that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was protecting “tainted ministers”.
The party rejected the Prime Minister's contention that Opposition was trying to destabilise the government, saying it did not have the numbers to do so but the “collapse” was taking place due to its own contradictions.
At a press conference held to take on the UPA government after Singh's statement yesterday, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley made a scathing attack on the Prime Minister, alleging that the files clearly show he had “full knowledge” and was not in the dark about the 2G spectrum allocation scam.
Demanding Chidambaram's resignation, the BJP leaders said “the last word has not been said on 2G” and the “2G saga is continuing”.
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The party rejected the Prime Minister's contention that Opposition was trying to destabilise the government, saying it did not have the numbers to do so but the “collapse” was taking place due to its own contradictions.
At a press conference held to take on the UPA government after Singh's statement yesterday, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley made a scathing attack on the Prime Minister, alleging that the files clearly show he had “full knowledge” and was not in the dark about the 2G spectrum allocation scam.
Demanding Chidambaram's resignation, the BJP leaders said “the last word has not been said on 2G” and the “2G saga is continuing”.
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Monday 26 September 2011
Kenya's Nobel peace laureate Wangari Maathai dies
NAIROBI: Kenya's Wangari Maathai, who won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize for her environmental work, has died of cancer, the campaigning movement she founded announced on Monday.
"It is with great sadness that the family of professor Wangari Maathai announces her passing away on 25th September 2011 at the Nairobi hospital after a prolonged and bravely borne struggle with cancer," the Green Belt Movement said in a statement.
Born in 1940, Maathai became a key figure in Kenya since founding the movement in 1977, staunchly campaigning for environmental conservation and good governance.
Since its founding, her organisation has planted some 40 million trees across Africa. In the 1970s, she also headed the Kenya Red Cross.
Maathai won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize for her environmental work and reforestation in her native Kenya.
She was the first woman in east and central Africa to earn a PhD, and also the first African woman and Kenyan to receive the Nobel Peace prize.
Aside from her conservation work, Maathai was in 2002 elected an MP then named the environment assistant minister, a position which she held between 2003 and 2005.
Outside Kenya, Maathai was involved in efforts to save central Africa's Congo basin forest, the world's second largest tropical forest.
Maathai, who was divorced, leaves behind three children and a grandchild.
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"It is with great sadness that the family of professor Wangari Maathai announces her passing away on 25th September 2011 at the Nairobi hospital after a prolonged and bravely borne struggle with cancer," the Green Belt Movement said in a statement.
Born in 1940, Maathai became a key figure in Kenya since founding the movement in 1977, staunchly campaigning for environmental conservation and good governance.
Since its founding, her organisation has planted some 40 million trees across Africa. In the 1970s, she also headed the Kenya Red Cross.
Maathai won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize for her environmental work and reforestation in her native Kenya.
She was the first woman in east and central Africa to earn a PhD, and also the first African woman and Kenyan to receive the Nobel Peace prize.
Aside from her conservation work, Maathai was in 2002 elected an MP then named the environment assistant minister, a position which she held between 2003 and 2005.
Outside Kenya, Maathai was involved in efforts to save central Africa's Congo basin forest, the world's second largest tropical forest.
Maathai, who was divorced, leaves behind three children and a grandchild.
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UPA-II has a problem
Today is an important day for the scam-hit UPA-II, especially the Congress. The finance ministry’s note questioning P Chidambaram’s role in the 2G spectrum allocation has brought to the fore differences between and ambitions of the party’s top two veteran leaders.
The war between finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and home minister Chidambaram, following Subramanian Swamy’s “expose” of a letter, purportedly written by Mukherjee to prime minister Manmohan Singh in March 2011, has placed the government in a bind. The letter suggested that Chidambaram, as the finance minister in 2008, could have prevented the 2G scam if he had insisted on auctioning the spectrum.
Matters will become clear after Singh returns to the country as both the ministers have indicated that they would speak to the media only after talking with the prime minister.
Also, the Supreme Court will resume hearing Swamy’s plea in the 2G case on Tuesday. Swamy is expected to argue his case in court around two in the afternoon. The controversial Janata Party president said late on Monday night that he was confident of a progress in the case as nobody had contested the documents, including the politically damaging finance ministry note, he had filed in court.
The note, picked up by the media and the opposition, has cast a shadow on Chidambaram and the UPA-II government.
Mukherjee who was in Washington to attend the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, met Singh in New York on Sunday while opposition parties in the country kept demanding Chidambaram’s resignation or a CBI inquiry into his role.
Though he chose not to say anything specific in the US, once he returned to the country on Monday, Mukherjee told reporters that he would hold a “full-fledged press conference” once the prime minister returns and the party has held a meeting. While the veteran crisis manager kept stressing that Chidambaram was a “valuable colleague” and “a pillar of strength”, the man in the dock, Chidambaram himself, remained tight-lipped.
On Monday evening, he met Congress president Sonia Gandhi briefly, but chose not to speak to reporters. Soon after he left 10 Janpath, Mukherjee arrived. He was in a closed door meeting with Gandhi for little over an hour. Though it is not clear what transpired at the meeting, the fact that Gandhi, who is recuperating after a surgery in the US, had to intervene in the clash of the titans speaks volumes about the current mess that the UPA II, especially the Congress, finds itself in.
Though TV news channels tried to decipher the goings-on and gauge the extent of damage, top Congress leaders came out in support of both Chidambaram and Mukherjee. Union law minister Salman Khurshid said the “matter was not so big” as it had been projected by the media. He said Mukherjee had not written the note and that a lower-level official had prepared it. Khurshid even advised the media to “look for something else” because there was nothing in the 2G note.
Party spokesperson Rashid Alvi criticised the BJP for its observation that the right place for Chidambaram was the Tihar jail. “The BJP is acting like the applicant, the prosecutor and the judge… all rolled into one,” he said.
After a couple of TV channels started flashing that Chidambaram had offered to resign when he met Sonia Gandhi, Congress leaders denied any such development. Late in the night, Chidambaram found support from unlikely quarters — the DMK. Party patriarch M Karunanidhi, who till now has dropped enough hints that he is upset with the Congress in connection with the arrests of his daughter Kanimozhi and former telecom minister A Raja in the 2G scam, came out in his support.
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The war between finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and home minister Chidambaram, following Subramanian Swamy’s “expose” of a letter, purportedly written by Mukherjee to prime minister Manmohan Singh in March 2011, has placed the government in a bind. The letter suggested that Chidambaram, as the finance minister in 2008, could have prevented the 2G scam if he had insisted on auctioning the spectrum.
Matters will become clear after Singh returns to the country as both the ministers have indicated that they would speak to the media only after talking with the prime minister.
Also, the Supreme Court will resume hearing Swamy’s plea in the 2G case on Tuesday. Swamy is expected to argue his case in court around two in the afternoon. The controversial Janata Party president said late on Monday night that he was confident of a progress in the case as nobody had contested the documents, including the politically damaging finance ministry note, he had filed in court.
The note, picked up by the media and the opposition, has cast a shadow on Chidambaram and the UPA-II government.
Mukherjee who was in Washington to attend the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, met Singh in New York on Sunday while opposition parties in the country kept demanding Chidambaram’s resignation or a CBI inquiry into his role.
Though he chose not to say anything specific in the US, once he returned to the country on Monday, Mukherjee told reporters that he would hold a “full-fledged press conference” once the prime minister returns and the party has held a meeting. While the veteran crisis manager kept stressing that Chidambaram was a “valuable colleague” and “a pillar of strength”, the man in the dock, Chidambaram himself, remained tight-lipped.
On Monday evening, he met Congress president Sonia Gandhi briefly, but chose not to speak to reporters. Soon after he left 10 Janpath, Mukherjee arrived. He was in a closed door meeting with Gandhi for little over an hour. Though it is not clear what transpired at the meeting, the fact that Gandhi, who is recuperating after a surgery in the US, had to intervene in the clash of the titans speaks volumes about the current mess that the UPA II, especially the Congress, finds itself in.
Though TV news channels tried to decipher the goings-on and gauge the extent of damage, top Congress leaders came out in support of both Chidambaram and Mukherjee. Union law minister Salman Khurshid said the “matter was not so big” as it had been projected by the media. He said Mukherjee had not written the note and that a lower-level official had prepared it. Khurshid even advised the media to “look for something else” because there was nothing in the 2G note.
Party spokesperson Rashid Alvi criticised the BJP for its observation that the right place for Chidambaram was the Tihar jail. “The BJP is acting like the applicant, the prosecutor and the judge… all rolled into one,” he said.
After a couple of TV channels started flashing that Chidambaram had offered to resign when he met Sonia Gandhi, Congress leaders denied any such development. Late in the night, Chidambaram found support from unlikely quarters — the DMK. Party patriarch M Karunanidhi, who till now has dropped enough hints that he is upset with the Congress in connection with the arrests of his daughter Kanimozhi and former telecom minister A Raja in the 2G scam, came out in his support.
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Sunday 25 September 2011
Saudi King Gives Women the Right to Vote
RIYADH—Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud gave the kingdom's women the right to participate in local elections and to become members of the country's top advisory body, a sign that the elderly monarch hasn't abandoned his program of cautious social reform despite political upheavals elsewhere in the Middle East.
Saudi King Abdullah, seated, spoke Sunday to Shura members during the opening ceremony of the assembly in Riyadh.
.In a short speech that was broadcast on Saudi television on Sunday, King Abdullah said the decision to give a bigger political say to women was taken after consulting with the kingdom's top religious clerics, who have previously knocked back government initiatives to move forward on social issues involving women.
Though the changes are relatively modest, analysts said they signal that the king intends to move ahead with the cautious social reforms he has championed since acceding to the throne in 2005.
Saudi women remain veiled and segregated and are forbidden to drive or to obtain their own identity cards. Women need written permission from a male relative in order to travel abroad.
King Abdullah announces that Saudi women will be able to vote for the first time in nationwide local elections in 2015. Saudi women will also be able to run for office. Deborah Gembara reports. Courtesy of Reuters.
.In 2009, the king opened the first co-educational university in the kingdom and appointed the kingdom's first female deputy minister.
However, since the recent wave of Arab unrest began, the king has seemed to back off from the reform process, barring political protests, keeping a lid on women's rights and criticizing pro-democracy demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt.
The clergy, meanwhile, has stood behind the ruling family by issuing fatwas, or religious edicts, barring political protests.
Some Saudi women welcomed Sunday's reforms. "This is historic brave decision.…King Abdullah gave women back their dignity which was killed decades ago," said Manal al-Sharif, a female computer technician who was detained in May for posting a video on YouTube of herself driving.
But others pointed to the limited nature of the reforms and the fact they don't take effect for several years. Saudi women will be able to vote and stand as candidates in municipal elections scheduled for 2015 but not in the current municipal polls to be held Thursday. They won't be appointed to the 150-member Shura Council, the top advisory body, until its current term ends in 2013.
And some noted that the powers of the all-male advisory council are already limited.
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Azza Al Shmasani exited from her car in Riyadh on June 22 after driving in defiance of the ban on female drivers in Saudi Arabia.
."I'm surprised that people are saying the king allowed women to take part in the political life. Did he allow men to start with?" Saudi blogger Abdul Majd Al Buluwi wrote on Twitter. "The political life [in the kingdom] is closed and has not been opened," he added.
In the summer, authorities arrested some women who broke the no-driving rule in a popular campaign. Several Saudi women, inspired by revolutions in the Middle East, got behind the wheel in June to challenge restrictions against female drivers in the ultraconservative kingdom.
The show of civil disobedience, against one of the many restrictions imposed on Saudi women, provided a test for authorities in Saudi Arabia since the Arab Spring took hold across the region this year.
It was first significant campaign for women after 1991, when Saudi women, encouraged by the sight of female American GIs driving, some 47 Saudi women drove in a convoy of 15 cars in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The campaign quickly fizzled after the women were banned from traveling, lost their jobs and were ostracized by their families and acquaintances.
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Saudi King Abdullah, seated, spoke Sunday to Shura members during the opening ceremony of the assembly in Riyadh.
.In a short speech that was broadcast on Saudi television on Sunday, King Abdullah said the decision to give a bigger political say to women was taken after consulting with the kingdom's top religious clerics, who have previously knocked back government initiatives to move forward on social issues involving women.
Though the changes are relatively modest, analysts said they signal that the king intends to move ahead with the cautious social reforms he has championed since acceding to the throne in 2005.
Saudi women remain veiled and segregated and are forbidden to drive or to obtain their own identity cards. Women need written permission from a male relative in order to travel abroad.
King Abdullah announces that Saudi women will be able to vote for the first time in nationwide local elections in 2015. Saudi women will also be able to run for office. Deborah Gembara reports. Courtesy of Reuters.
.In 2009, the king opened the first co-educational university in the kingdom and appointed the kingdom's first female deputy minister.
However, since the recent wave of Arab unrest began, the king has seemed to back off from the reform process, barring political protests, keeping a lid on women's rights and criticizing pro-democracy demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt.
The clergy, meanwhile, has stood behind the ruling family by issuing fatwas, or religious edicts, barring political protests.
Some Saudi women welcomed Sunday's reforms. "This is historic brave decision.…King Abdullah gave women back their dignity which was killed decades ago," said Manal al-Sharif, a female computer technician who was detained in May for posting a video on YouTube of herself driving.
But others pointed to the limited nature of the reforms and the fact they don't take effect for several years. Saudi women will be able to vote and stand as candidates in municipal elections scheduled for 2015 but not in the current municipal polls to be held Thursday. They won't be appointed to the 150-member Shura Council, the top advisory body, until its current term ends in 2013.
And some noted that the powers of the all-male advisory council are already limited.
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Azza Al Shmasani exited from her car in Riyadh on June 22 after driving in defiance of the ban on female drivers in Saudi Arabia.
."I'm surprised that people are saying the king allowed women to take part in the political life. Did he allow men to start with?" Saudi blogger Abdul Majd Al Buluwi wrote on Twitter. "The political life [in the kingdom] is closed and has not been opened," he added.
In the summer, authorities arrested some women who broke the no-driving rule in a popular campaign. Several Saudi women, inspired by revolutions in the Middle East, got behind the wheel in June to challenge restrictions against female drivers in the ultraconservative kingdom.
The show of civil disobedience, against one of the many restrictions imposed on Saudi women, provided a test for authorities in Saudi Arabia since the Arab Spring took hold across the region this year.
It was first significant campaign for women after 1991, when Saudi women, encouraged by the sight of female American GIs driving, some 47 Saudi women drove in a convoy of 15 cars in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The campaign quickly fizzled after the women were banned from traveling, lost their jobs and were ostracized by their families and acquaintances.
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Pranab blames PMO for leaking 2G note: sources
New Delhi: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has blamed the Prime Minister's Office for leaking the controversial 2G note, according to sources and will meet Sonia Gandhi on Monday. In his continuing damage control measures in the 2G note controversy, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will meet Sonia Gandhi on Monday after he returns from New York.
Sources have said that Pranab will brief Sonia about his meeting with the Prime Minister in New York and update about the correspondence on the 2G note.
Pranab met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York on Sunday and sources have said that he has handed all correspondence regarding 2G to the Prime Minister.
According to sources, Pranab conveyed to Manmohan Singh that the Prime Minister's Office's role in the 2G controversy, too, could come under scrutiny and hence, the need to diffuse.
Pranab conveyed that the note was released by the Prime Minister's Office and not his office.
Meanwhile, sources say Pranab will be meeting Home Minister P Chidambaram on his arrival in India. He has spoken to Chidambaram twice already from US to calm things down. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister too, is likely to be meeting the Home Minister. The strategy is how to delink the 2G note from Chidambaram directly. The government is also figuring out whether legally the note can be admitted as evidence.
Pranab also addressed the media in New York on Sunday over the 2G note mess, rubbishing all reports of any conflict between him and Chidambaram calling the Home Minister a valuable colleague.
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Sources have said that Pranab will brief Sonia about his meeting with the Prime Minister in New York and update about the correspondence on the 2G note.
Pranab met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York on Sunday and sources have said that he has handed all correspondence regarding 2G to the Prime Minister.
According to sources, Pranab conveyed to Manmohan Singh that the Prime Minister's Office's role in the 2G controversy, too, could come under scrutiny and hence, the need to diffuse.
Pranab conveyed that the note was released by the Prime Minister's Office and not his office.
Meanwhile, sources say Pranab will be meeting Home Minister P Chidambaram on his arrival in India. He has spoken to Chidambaram twice already from US to calm things down. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister too, is likely to be meeting the Home Minister. The strategy is how to delink the 2G note from Chidambaram directly. The government is also figuring out whether legally the note can be admitted as evidence.
Pranab also addressed the media in New York on Sunday over the 2G note mess, rubbishing all reports of any conflict between him and Chidambaram calling the Home Minister a valuable colleague.
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Friday 23 September 2011
Heads up! NASA satellite descends toward fiery doom
NASA's decommissioned Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, out of gas and out of control, is not descending toward re-entry as rapidly as expected, officials say, likely delaying the satellite's kamikaze plunge to Earth by a few hours, to late Friday or early Saturday.
Experts expect more than two dozen chunks of debris to survive re-entry and hit the ground in a 500-mile-long footprint somewhere along the satellite's orbital track. But given the bus-size 6.3-ton's satellite's trajectory and the vast areas of ocean and sparsely populated areas UARS passes over, experts say it is unlikely any falling debris will result in injuries or significant property damage.
Additional radar tracking is required to pinpoint when--and where--the satellite will make its final descent.
A chart showing the latest predicted entry point for the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, based on data from U.S. Strategic Command. Because of uncertainty about the satellite's behavior as it approaches the discernible atmosphere, the timing of the re-entry could change by several hours either way.
"As of 10:30 a.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 100 miles by 105 miles (160 km by 170 km)," NASA said in a brief update. "Re-entry is expected late Friday, Sept. 23, or early Saturday, Sept. 24, Eastern Daylight Time. Solar activity is no longer the major factor in the satellite's rate of descent. The satellite's orientation or configuration apparently has changed, and that is now slowing its descent
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Experts expect more than two dozen chunks of debris to survive re-entry and hit the ground in a 500-mile-long footprint somewhere along the satellite's orbital track. But given the bus-size 6.3-ton's satellite's trajectory and the vast areas of ocean and sparsely populated areas UARS passes over, experts say it is unlikely any falling debris will result in injuries or significant property damage.
Additional radar tracking is required to pinpoint when--and where--the satellite will make its final descent.
A chart showing the latest predicted entry point for the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, based on data from U.S. Strategic Command. Because of uncertainty about the satellite's behavior as it approaches the discernible atmosphere, the timing of the re-entry could change by several hours either way.
"As of 10:30 a.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 100 miles by 105 miles (160 km by 170 km)," NASA said in a brief update. "Re-entry is expected late Friday, Sept. 23, or early Saturday, Sept. 24, Eastern Daylight Time. Solar activity is no longer the major factor in the satellite's rate of descent. The satellite's orientation or configuration apparently has changed, and that is now slowing its descent
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iPhone 5 Coming to debut on Oct. 4 :ATD says
Apple will debut its iPhone 5 on October 4, with new Chief Executive Tim Cook leading the show, All Things Digital reported today.
The report, citing unnamed sources close to the situation, said the new iPhone itself would go on sale "within a few weeks" of the announcement.
Rumors have swirled for months about when exactly the new iPhone would arrive, with October looking increasingly likely.
The iPhone 5 carries tremendous significance for Apple. The company faces mounting pressure from the Android realm, with a confusing array of budget-minded and high-end models, but Apple chooses to put many its eggs in many fewer baskets. That's worked out well for the iPhone 4, though, which has attained mainstream success.
The iPhone 4 has held up well under the competitive pressure. But with the breakneck pace of the smartphone market bringing higher-speed LTE networks, larger displays, NFC payments, and other features, Apple's flagship phone is starting to look a bit long in the tooth.
The iPhone is important for many other companies besides Apple. Manufacturer Foxconn is said to be making 150,000 iPhone 5 models a day. Accessory makers, too, are champing at the bit, as exhibited by Case-Mate's premature publication of apparent iPhone 5 cases.
Purported cases for the iPhone show a possible tapered back compared to the blockier iPhone 4 design.
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The report, citing unnamed sources close to the situation, said the new iPhone itself would go on sale "within a few weeks" of the announcement.
Rumors have swirled for months about when exactly the new iPhone would arrive, with October looking increasingly likely.
The iPhone 5 carries tremendous significance for Apple. The company faces mounting pressure from the Android realm, with a confusing array of budget-minded and high-end models, but Apple chooses to put many its eggs in many fewer baskets. That's worked out well for the iPhone 4, though, which has attained mainstream success.
The iPhone 4 has held up well under the competitive pressure. But with the breakneck pace of the smartphone market bringing higher-speed LTE networks, larger displays, NFC payments, and other features, Apple's flagship phone is starting to look a bit long in the tooth.
The iPhone is important for many other companies besides Apple. Manufacturer Foxconn is said to be making 150,000 iPhone 5 models a day. Accessory makers, too, are champing at the bit, as exhibited by Case-Mate's premature publication of apparent iPhone 5 cases.
Purported cases for the iPhone show a possible tapered back compared to the blockier iPhone 4 design.
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Half the Pakistan team was into fixing :Shoaib Akhtar
Apart from making disparaging remarks about world cricket icons Sachin Tendulkar and even Rahul Dravid, Shoiab Akhtar has also revealed in his book that Pakistani bowlers, including him, indulged in ball-tampering on several occasions.
Shoaib writes: "I remember it being very hot and humid in Dambulla - it was an awfully slow track. We were playing New Zealand... we needed results. Out of desperation, I began fussing with the ball. Yes, I did tamper with the ball during that match. I know it's against the rules but I can't seem to help it; I've got to do something with the ball. I know this will make a big noise, but I won't lie about it. There are so many ways I have used my boot nails and the zip of my back pocket. Many bowlers use Vaseline or gum. Since we can't seem to stop doing it, maybe it's not a bad idea to legalize it and set rules for it. Perhaps some manipulation could be legally allowed (sigh!). I know I am going to get it in the neck for saying all this."
Asked by TOI, "aren't you apprehensive about making such a strong allegation and admission," he shrugged:" We say it's looking after the ball rather than tampering. All bowlers do. Admissions are rare."
It's not the only explosive part of Shoaib's story. Discussing the case of banned Pakistani paceman Mohd Aamer (who was banned alongwith Mohd Asif and Salman Butt), Shoaib describes the ghostly way match-fixing works: "I was about the same age when I was first accosted by these guys. This was in 1999 after a Test match in Kolkata. I didn't understand what they were talking about.
How on earth did one fix a game? They explained that I was to bowl normally till I got a pre-arranged signal for no- balls, wides and stuff like that. They would place people in the audience, dressed in a certain colour. I would be told in advance about the slots during which I was to perform badly.
"I told them I wasn't interested; they told me that half my team was doing it. They targeted all those who came from needy backgrounds. These guys had ready entry into our world and hung around us during tours. Yasir and Najeeb Malik were two of the familiar faces, as was Rajeshwar. They would offer cars and houses. When they continued to approach me, I shared my reservations with Shahid Afridi. He told me, 'Listen, don't pay any attention; keep your distance.' I guessed then that he too was being pestered."
The murkiness of match-fixing grew around the Pakistani team. When asked about perceptions of his nation overseas, Shoaib replied, "I don't know about 9/11 - but after match-fixing last year, things have changed."
Changes were taking place in the Pakistani dressing room too. Discussing Inzamam ul-Haq's captaincy, Akhtar describes the team's growing radicalization. "To force grown-ups, as thought they were children, to do the namaz or zikr seems a bit strange to me. But some people thought that this was the way to take the team forward.Roza, namaz, tabliz were to be compulsory team events. Threats were used; if you don't pray with the team, you will be thrown out.
Islam has also given us instructions on when and how to pray. When the whole team got together for namaz, the bathroom floor would become wet and filthy. It was disgusting. Islam is all about purity, cleanliness. We began praying on air-planes, if you please. I firmly believe in namaz. However, a cricketer's primary duty is to play cricket. If you feel that cricket is less important, leave it - go out into the world and preach. When religion came into our dressing room, I thought, what hypocrisy!"
When asked why his attachment to his family saint and his deep religious belief still made him so uncomfortable with Inzamam's ways, he said: "Hypocrisy makes me uncomfortable. I am against imposing something on anybody - or me."
Shoaib looked at the IPL for a change. However, this too proved a disappointment. He writes: "Shah Rukh Khan got in touch with me. I got the feeling that it was Sourav Ganguly and not Shah Rukh who wanted me on the team. I met Lalit Modi. He promised the heaven and the earth but when the bidding took place, I was disappointed. I remember Lalit Modi telling me not to join the ICL; we will eventually give you more money, he said. Meinu behlaphusla ke they got me to say yes. I should never have listened to Lalit Modi and Shah Rukh."
Clearly, the IPL wasn't a dream come true for him. Did anything save the situation?
He said: "Fans. Playing for an Indian team in the IPL was a great experience. Being loved by so many Indian fans, especially from Kolkata, was a moving moment for me, being a Pakistani. In their eyes, I was now just a cricketer. Not a Pakistani cricketer."
Yet, he'd have liked to be not just a Pakistani cricketer - but the Pakistan captain. Didn't he regret not having led his team? "I wish I had taken the baton in 2003. I'd have made changes - I'd have brought attitude. I'd have worked on characters who can change the course of the game. And most importantly, I'd have worked on removing the fear of losing."
That wasn't the only fear haunting the Pakistan team. Shoaib describes the mind games, class discrimination,bullying and cruelty that mar Pakistani cricket, eventually pushing him to retire. He contrasts this with the vibrancy of the Indian team, especially under Ganguly and MS Dhoni: "Ganguly was a superb captain, a giant of a man in a slight body. One of his greatest gifts was the very brave decision to bring in youngsters.Dhoni is a very smart man, an intelligent captain. India is blessed to have him at the helm. He knows how to lead... the Indian team were deserving winners of the 2011 World Cup."
For Shoaib, however, wins or losses didn't change the way the Pakistan Cricket Board and often, his own team behaved with him. Why was he so badly treated? "My rapid growth, my attitude towards the game was so fearsome that there was a huge element of jealousy amongst my seniors. Besides, I was never a Yes man, so the special treatment."
How did he feel when drug allegations began?
"It was heartbreaking and painful. I was let down by my own board. Our-then chairman Naseem Ashraf took the news to the media." His soul was hurt - and his body. Blaming Javed Miandad for physical problems, Shoaib writes: "As a coach, he never guided any of us, never cared for anyone. A similar callousness resided within almost all the senior players in our team... Our seniors set the example of going out, having a good time - girls were coming and going out of their rooms. This was the prevailing culture in the Pakistan team. I know people who were drunk and came out to play and now they call me undisciplined - it's unbelievable!
Perhaps the one person who might change Shoaib's mind is his close Indian friend, Sudesh Rajput, to whom he dedicates Controversially Yours.
When asked to reveal about this special person in his life, Sudesh, Shoaib said: "Over the last few years, she has been the strength and motivation for me to come out and play the World Cup. After my family, if I owe someone, it's her."
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Shoaib writes: "I remember it being very hot and humid in Dambulla - it was an awfully slow track. We were playing New Zealand... we needed results. Out of desperation, I began fussing with the ball. Yes, I did tamper with the ball during that match. I know it's against the rules but I can't seem to help it; I've got to do something with the ball. I know this will make a big noise, but I won't lie about it. There are so many ways I have used my boot nails and the zip of my back pocket. Many bowlers use Vaseline or gum. Since we can't seem to stop doing it, maybe it's not a bad idea to legalize it and set rules for it. Perhaps some manipulation could be legally allowed (sigh!). I know I am going to get it in the neck for saying all this."
Asked by TOI, "aren't you apprehensive about making such a strong allegation and admission," he shrugged:" We say it's looking after the ball rather than tampering. All bowlers do. Admissions are rare."
It's not the only explosive part of Shoaib's story. Discussing the case of banned Pakistani paceman Mohd Aamer (who was banned alongwith Mohd Asif and Salman Butt), Shoaib describes the ghostly way match-fixing works: "I was about the same age when I was first accosted by these guys. This was in 1999 after a Test match in Kolkata. I didn't understand what they were talking about.
How on earth did one fix a game? They explained that I was to bowl normally till I got a pre-arranged signal for no- balls, wides and stuff like that. They would place people in the audience, dressed in a certain colour. I would be told in advance about the slots during which I was to perform badly.
"I told them I wasn't interested; they told me that half my team was doing it. They targeted all those who came from needy backgrounds. These guys had ready entry into our world and hung around us during tours. Yasir and Najeeb Malik were two of the familiar faces, as was Rajeshwar. They would offer cars and houses. When they continued to approach me, I shared my reservations with Shahid Afridi. He told me, 'Listen, don't pay any attention; keep your distance.' I guessed then that he too was being pestered."
The murkiness of match-fixing grew around the Pakistani team. When asked about perceptions of his nation overseas, Shoaib replied, "I don't know about 9/11 - but after match-fixing last year, things have changed."
Changes were taking place in the Pakistani dressing room too. Discussing Inzamam ul-Haq's captaincy, Akhtar describes the team's growing radicalization. "To force grown-ups, as thought they were children, to do the namaz or zikr seems a bit strange to me. But some people thought that this was the way to take the team forward.Roza, namaz, tabliz were to be compulsory team events. Threats were used; if you don't pray with the team, you will be thrown out.
Islam has also given us instructions on when and how to pray. When the whole team got together for namaz, the bathroom floor would become wet and filthy. It was disgusting. Islam is all about purity, cleanliness. We began praying on air-planes, if you please. I firmly believe in namaz. However, a cricketer's primary duty is to play cricket. If you feel that cricket is less important, leave it - go out into the world and preach. When religion came into our dressing room, I thought, what hypocrisy!"
When asked why his attachment to his family saint and his deep religious belief still made him so uncomfortable with Inzamam's ways, he said: "Hypocrisy makes me uncomfortable. I am against imposing something on anybody - or me."
Shoaib looked at the IPL for a change. However, this too proved a disappointment. He writes: "Shah Rukh Khan got in touch with me. I got the feeling that it was Sourav Ganguly and not Shah Rukh who wanted me on the team. I met Lalit Modi. He promised the heaven and the earth but when the bidding took place, I was disappointed. I remember Lalit Modi telling me not to join the ICL; we will eventually give you more money, he said. Meinu behlaphusla ke they got me to say yes. I should never have listened to Lalit Modi and Shah Rukh."
Clearly, the IPL wasn't a dream come true for him. Did anything save the situation?
He said: "Fans. Playing for an Indian team in the IPL was a great experience. Being loved by so many Indian fans, especially from Kolkata, was a moving moment for me, being a Pakistani. In their eyes, I was now just a cricketer. Not a Pakistani cricketer."
Yet, he'd have liked to be not just a Pakistani cricketer - but the Pakistan captain. Didn't he regret not having led his team? "I wish I had taken the baton in 2003. I'd have made changes - I'd have brought attitude. I'd have worked on characters who can change the course of the game. And most importantly, I'd have worked on removing the fear of losing."
That wasn't the only fear haunting the Pakistan team. Shoaib describes the mind games, class discrimination,bullying and cruelty that mar Pakistani cricket, eventually pushing him to retire. He contrasts this with the vibrancy of the Indian team, especially under Ganguly and MS Dhoni: "Ganguly was a superb captain, a giant of a man in a slight body. One of his greatest gifts was the very brave decision to bring in youngsters.Dhoni is a very smart man, an intelligent captain. India is blessed to have him at the helm. He knows how to lead... the Indian team were deserving winners of the 2011 World Cup."
For Shoaib, however, wins or losses didn't change the way the Pakistan Cricket Board and often, his own team behaved with him. Why was he so badly treated? "My rapid growth, my attitude towards the game was so fearsome that there was a huge element of jealousy amongst my seniors. Besides, I was never a Yes man, so the special treatment."
How did he feel when drug allegations began?
"It was heartbreaking and painful. I was let down by my own board. Our-then chairman Naseem Ashraf took the news to the media." His soul was hurt - and his body. Blaming Javed Miandad for physical problems, Shoaib writes: "As a coach, he never guided any of us, never cared for anyone. A similar callousness resided within almost all the senior players in our team... Our seniors set the example of going out, having a good time - girls were coming and going out of their rooms. This was the prevailing culture in the Pakistan team. I know people who were drunk and came out to play and now they call me undisciplined - it's unbelievable!
Perhaps the one person who might change Shoaib's mind is his close Indian friend, Sudesh Rajput, to whom he dedicates Controversially Yours.
When asked to reveal about this special person in his life, Sudesh, Shoaib said: "Over the last few years, she has been the strength and motivation for me to come out and play the World Cup. After my family, if I owe someone, it's her."
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Thursday 22 September 2011
Mahesh Babu's Telugu film 'Dookudu' sets world record
A big budget multi-starrer film: Telugu movie 'Dookudu' is all set to set box office records as the only film from the industry to be released worldwide with the highest number of prints ever.
The action film is directed by Srinu Vaitla and produced under the 14 Reels Entertainment.
The film stars Mahesh Babu, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Adithya, Abhimanyu Singh, Vennela Kishore.
The music is composed by Thaman.
The buzz is around newcomer Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
The movie is set for a September 23 release with the highest number of prints ever for a Telugu movie.
Parvathi Melton's sizzling item number is said to be the talking point of the film.
The soundtrack of the film was released worldwide on August 18, 2011.
The film is directed by Srinu Vytala.
Mahesh Babu started his career as a child actor and later starred in a lead role with the film Rajakumarudu (1999).
Mahesh Babu has started shooting for another movie 'The Business Man', directed by Puri Jagannadh and is being produced by RR Movie Makers.
His Tamil film (2007) directed by Prabhu Deva was remade as Wanted (2009) in Hindi.
Abhimanyu Singh of Gulaal (2009) fame also acts in the film.
According to rumours, filmmaker Ajith of Mangha fame is set to make Dookudu in Tamil.
The story is written by Gopi Mohan.
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Top 10: World's most respected celebrities
World's most trusted celebs: Roger Federer’s reputation as a respected, admired and trusted personality is second only to that of former South African president Nelson Mandela, a new global study of more than 50,000 people in 25 countries shows.
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Chidambaram offered to resign over 2G: sources
New Delhi: In a new twist in the 2G controversy, sources have told CNN-IBN that Home Minister P Chidambaram had offered to resign when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called him. Sources say this prompted the prime minister to wholeheartedly back his home minister.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he has full faith in Chidambaram during both his stints as finance and now home minister. He also made it clear that there was no rift between his senior most ministers and that the government was in no mood to give in to pressure from the Opposition.
"I don't know what note you people are talking about, in any case the matter is before the court, it is not proper for me to comment on a matter that is subjudice. But as far as Mr Chidambaram is concerned, as finance minister he continued to enjoy my full confidence, as home minister he continues to enjoy my full confidence," said Manmohan Singh.
"I don't want to conclude that there is fight among ministers," he added.
Earlier, a letter written from the finance ministry to the PMO had said that Chidambaram could have stopped the 2G scam.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he has full faith in Chidambaram during both his stints as finance and now home minister. He also made it clear that there was no rift between his senior most ministers and that the government was in no mood to give in to pressure from the Opposition.
"I don't know what note you people are talking about, in any case the matter is before the court, it is not proper for me to comment on a matter that is subjudice. But as far as Mr Chidambaram is concerned, as finance minister he continued to enjoy my full confidence, as home minister he continues to enjoy my full confidence," said Manmohan Singh.
"I don't want to conclude that there is fight among ministers," he added.
Earlier, a letter written from the finance ministry to the PMO had said that Chidambaram could have stopped the 2G scam.
Wednesday 21 September 2011
War in UPA: Pranab suggests Chidambaram could have stopped Raja
Almost two months after the CBI arrested former telecom minister A Raja along with two officials for their alleged role in the 2G scam, the Ministry of Finance sent a 10-page note to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) saying that had the ministry — then under P Chidambaram — “stuck to the stand of auctioning the 4.4 MHz spectrum”, the DoT (Department of Telecom) could have cancelled the licences. 
The letter, sent to Vini Mahajan, joint secretary in the PMO, on March 25, 2011, is signed by the finance ministry’s deputy director (Infrastructure and Investment Division) P G S Rao. It says that “the note has been seen by the Finance Minister” (Pranab Mukherjee).
It says that in a meeting on January 30, 2008, between the then ministers of finance and telecommunications (Chidambaram and Raja), it was noted by the then finance minister that he was “for now not seeking to revisit the current regimes for entry fee or revenue share”.
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The letter, sent to Vini Mahajan, joint secretary in the PMO, on March 25, 2011, is signed by the finance ministry’s deputy director (Infrastructure and Investment Division) P G S Rao. It says that “the note has been seen by the Finance Minister” (Pranab Mukherjee).
It says that in a meeting on January 30, 2008, between the then ministers of finance and telecommunications (Chidambaram and Raja), it was noted by the then finance minister that he was “for now not seeking to revisit the current regimes for entry fee or revenue share”.
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Advani hints he's out of PM race
NAGPUR: BJP veteran L K Advani on Wednesday indicated he was not in the running as a prime ministerial hopeful, after a meeting with Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat during which he also discussed his proposed anti-corruption yatra. 
The RSS brass is understood to have made clear its unhappiness on speculation about Advani, 83, being seen as BJP's prime ministerial nominee and while the Sangh is ready to support the yatra, it feels that the veteran has had his shot at the top job in 2009.
Asked about the yatra being seen as a pitch for the PM's post, Advani said, "I became a swayamsewak at the age of 14, then a member of the Jan Sangh and then BJP. I feel that what I got from these organizations in my political career of 55 years - from my fellow workers and the country - is much more than the prime minister's post."
While the leader's response was not categorical, it was interpreted by party circles as a stepping back from the prime ministerial projection that Advani's yatra had given rise to.
LK out, choice between Sushma, Jaitley, Modi?
The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), while shooting down L K Advani's prime ministerial ambitions, has made it clear that it would like a younger leader to be projected for the top job and the decision is likely to be taken after the Uttar Pradesh assembly election next year.
The choice will lie between Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Narendra Modi. Advani could hope that if his yatra strikes a popular chord, he can still upset the seeding.
The RSS word will be seen as final, given its iron grip on the BJP after the party was reorganized with Sangh nominee Nitin Gadkari as president. There are strong indications that Advani was told of the Sangh's views during his hour-long meeting with Bhagwat on Wednesday.
It is understood that RSS bosses met at a private resort near the Tadoba Andhari tiger reserve near the city on September 15-16.Besides Bhagwat, the meeting was attended by RSS seniors like Bhayyaji Joshi, Madandas Devi, Dattatray Hosbal and Suresh Soni. They were firmly of the view that Advani should pass on the baton to younger leaders Narendra Modi, Sushma Swaraj, Nitin Gadkari and Arun Jaitley.
BJP leaders are worried that unless clarified, Advani's yatra will muddy the party's message that has focused on corruption, price rise and terrorism. The party does not want to turn the spotlight to its internal dynamics where an ill-defined pecking order has resulted in competing egos.
Feeling a lot lighter after surgery: Gadkari
Gadkari had a bariatric surgery last week in Mumbai for his weight problem. "I am already feeling lighter, better. The thick deposits are melting away," he said. "Now I am on a two-week liquid diet of only coconut water," he said after the surgery.
The RSS brass is understood to have made clear its unhappiness on speculation about Advani, 83, being seen as BJP's prime ministerial nominee and while the Sangh is ready to support the yatra, it feels that the veteran has had his shot at the top job in 2009.
Asked about the yatra being seen as a pitch for the PM's post, Advani said, "I became a swayamsewak at the age of 14, then a member of the Jan Sangh and then BJP. I feel that what I got from these organizations in my political career of 55 years - from my fellow workers and the country - is much more than the prime minister's post."
While the leader's response was not categorical, it was interpreted by party circles as a stepping back from the prime ministerial projection that Advani's yatra had given rise to.
LK out, choice between Sushma, Jaitley, Modi?
The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), while shooting down L K Advani's prime ministerial ambitions, has made it clear that it would like a younger leader to be projected for the top job and the decision is likely to be taken after the Uttar Pradesh assembly election next year.
The choice will lie between Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Narendra Modi. Advani could hope that if his yatra strikes a popular chord, he can still upset the seeding.
The RSS word will be seen as final, given its iron grip on the BJP after the party was reorganized with Sangh nominee Nitin Gadkari as president. There are strong indications that Advani was told of the Sangh's views during his hour-long meeting with Bhagwat on Wednesday.
It is understood that RSS bosses met at a private resort near the Tadoba Andhari tiger reserve near the city on September 15-16.Besides Bhagwat, the meeting was attended by RSS seniors like Bhayyaji Joshi, Madandas Devi, Dattatray Hosbal and Suresh Soni. They were firmly of the view that Advani should pass on the baton to younger leaders Narendra Modi, Sushma Swaraj, Nitin Gadkari and Arun Jaitley.
BJP leaders are worried that unless clarified, Advani's yatra will muddy the party's message that has focused on corruption, price rise and terrorism. The party does not want to turn the spotlight to its internal dynamics where an ill-defined pecking order has resulted in competing egos.
Feeling a lot lighter after surgery: Gadkari
Gadkari had a bariatric surgery last week in Mumbai for his weight problem. "I am already feeling lighter, better. The thick deposits are melting away," he said. "Now I am on a two-week liquid diet of only coconut water," he said after the surgery.
Tuesday 20 September 2011
Suicide bomber kills ex-Afghan President Rabbani
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani, who headed a government peace council set up to facilitate contacts with Taliban insurgents, was assassinated Tuesday by a suicide bomber concealing explosives in his turban, officials said. Four of Rabbani's bodyguards also died and a key presidential adviser was wounded.
President Hamid Karzai cut short a visit to the U.S. over the attack, which dealt a harsh blow to peace efforts after a decade of war.
The turban bomber entered Rabbani's house in the capital Kabul on Tuesday evening and blew himself up inside, said Mohammad Zahir, the chief of criminal investigation for the Kabul police.
Rabbani headed the country's High Peace Council, which was set up by the Afghan government to work toward a political solution to the decade-long war. However, it had made little headway since it was formed a year ago.
Rabbani was president of the Afghan government that preceded the Taliban rule. After he was driven from Kabul in 1996, he became the nominal head of the Northern Alliance, mostly minority Tajiks and Uzbeks, who swept to power in Kabul after the Taliban's fall. Rabbani is an ethnic Tajik.
His killing dampens hopes of starting peace negotiations with Taliban insurgents and also will hamper efforts to keep regional and ethnic rivalries, which feed the insurgency, in check.
As one of the wise old man of Afghan politics and the leader of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance, Rabanni's role in the attempts to reach out to the Taliban and seeking a political deal with them — with the U.S. blessing — will be hard to replicate in the near future.
His death could unleash a well of resentment building up among some senior Northern Alliance members, who accuse President Hamid Karzai of colluding with the Taliban.
Already Afghanistan's ethnic minorities have begun to re-arm in the face of negotiations with the Taliban. Rabbani's death is likely to accelerate the re-arming and lay the foundation for a bitter civil war once U.S. troops leave the country in 2014.
Karzai's adviser Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai was wounded in the attack. A relative who answered Stanekzai's phone said that the wounds did not appear to be life-threatening, but Stanekzai was in the hospital. The relative declined to give his name because of the sensitivity of the situation
Stanekzai is chief executive of the Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Program, a highly touted program funded by the U.S. and its coalition allies to bring mid- and lower-level Taliban back into Afghan society. The program has so far only managed to reintegrated about 2,000 of the estimated 25,000-40,000 insurgents in Afghanistan.
Reintegration was the other half of reconciliation, which is aims to try and broker a peace deal with the senior Taliban leadership.
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Three days after, thousands still wait for help in quake-hit Sikkim
Three days after a massive earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale struck large parts of north-east India, rescue and relief teams are still trying to reach thousands of people trapped in villages in remote areas. Meanwhile, thick fog is making it difficult for the Army choppers to land in the quake-hit areas for relief and rescue work.
Thousands are feared to be trapped with no food or water. Rescue operations remain the biggest challenge as landslides, rain and fog are severely hampering the efforts.
More than 5,000 army and paramilitary troopers and police personnel are engaged in a massive rescue and relief operation, with more than half of them in the worst-hit north Sikkim areas.
Authorities opened at least 100 relief camps to provide food and medicines to those whose homes are damaged or destroyed.
Sunday's quake rocked large parts of India, from New Delhi to Mizoram. It also shook Nepal, Tibet and Bangladesh.
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Monday 19 September 2011
Earthquake toll rises to 50 in India; rescue teams land at quake's epicentre Mangan
Gangtok: Over 50 people have died in India, most of them in Sikkim, in the devastating earthquake which measured a forceful 6.8 on the Richter scale. The quake hit parts of North India at around 6 pm on Sunday and was centred on the Sikkim-Nepal border, 64 kilometres north-west of Gangtok. Casualties have also been reported from neighbouring Bihar and West Bengal.
At least 20 people have also died in Nepal and Tibet. India's Home Secretary RK Singh has said that the death toll may rise further.
Nearly 36 hours after the region's worst earthquake in 60 years, rescue operations remain the biggest challenge - rain and landslides are severely hampering the efforts; bad weather is not allowing helicopters to land, Indian Air Force planes are air-dropping food. There was a fresh landslide in Gerkhola, located 30 kms from the Sikkim border. This landslide has now been cleared.
Meanwhile, helicopters with Quick Reaction Teams have landed in Mangan, Sikkim - the epicentre of the quake. The helicopters are carrying two medical teams with doctors and paramedics. Getting to Mangan is still a challenge, though, as many roads are closed due to the bad weather. There have so far been 10-12 landslides between Mangan and Filong.
More than 6,000 Army jawans are being used to provide assistance to those affected. Around 2,000 people have taken shelter at Army camps.
Among the toughest parts of the recovery is the operation to re-open National Highway 31A which connects Sikkim to the rest of the country. It is needed to bring in food and other supplies.
There are other challenges facing the state. Sikkim's Chief Minister Pawan Chamling cannot use his office. Water and power supply remain erratic; phone towers have been hit, making communication tough. In the capital Gangtok, more than 100,000 buildings have been severely damaged. Government offices and hospitals have been left unusable.
Mamata Banerjee was scheduled to visit Gangtok today but now her trip stands cancelled. Before her visit the West Bengal Chief Minister said her priority was to ensure that National Highways 31A and 55, damaged by landslides, were repaired urgently so that food and other supplies could be transported more easily.
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At least 20 people have also died in Nepal and Tibet. India's Home Secretary RK Singh has said that the death toll may rise further.
Nearly 36 hours after the region's worst earthquake in 60 years, rescue operations remain the biggest challenge - rain and landslides are severely hampering the efforts; bad weather is not allowing helicopters to land, Indian Air Force planes are air-dropping food. There was a fresh landslide in Gerkhola, located 30 kms from the Sikkim border. This landslide has now been cleared.
Meanwhile, helicopters with Quick Reaction Teams have landed in Mangan, Sikkim - the epicentre of the quake. The helicopters are carrying two medical teams with doctors and paramedics. Getting to Mangan is still a challenge, though, as many roads are closed due to the bad weather. There have so far been 10-12 landslides between Mangan and Filong.
More than 6,000 Army jawans are being used to provide assistance to those affected. Around 2,000 people have taken shelter at Army camps.
Among the toughest parts of the recovery is the operation to re-open National Highway 31A which connects Sikkim to the rest of the country. It is needed to bring in food and other supplies.
There are other challenges facing the state. Sikkim's Chief Minister Pawan Chamling cannot use his office. Water and power supply remain erratic; phone towers have been hit, making communication tough. In the capital Gangtok, more than 100,000 buildings have been severely damaged. Government offices and hospitals have been left unusable.
Mamata Banerjee was scheduled to visit Gangtok today but now her trip stands cancelled. Before her visit the West Bengal Chief Minister said her priority was to ensure that National Highways 31A and 55, damaged by landslides, were repaired urgently so that food and other supplies could be transported more easily.
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Sunday 18 September 2011
Deaths, destruction as strong quake hits India, Nepal
..Gangtok/New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS) At least 13 people were killed and about 100 injured Sunday as a 6.8 intensity earthquake ravaged the Sikkim-Nepal border region, jolting large parts of India, Bangladesh and Nepal and causing widespread panic.
Tens of thousands scurried out of their homes just after 6 p.m. in numerous cities, including New Delhi, following the powerful tremor that was quickly followed by two major aftershocks.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the epicentre of the quake was on the Sikkim-Nepal border.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh immediately convened a meeting of the National Disaster Management Authority. The Indian Army was put on alert for deployment in Sikkim.
In no time, the Indian Air Force flew five cargo planes with relief material and rescue personnel for deployment in Sikkim and West Bengal, which accounted for eight deaths.
Five people have been killed and around 60 injured, Sikkim Chief Secretary Karma Gyatso said, adding the toll could go up as reports from various villages were still pouring in.
One of the dead was a child, officials in Gangtok said. Another was Sandipan Banerjee, an official with a pharmaceutical company who died when a house collapsed in Rangpo, 40 km from Gangtok.
Another man died when his vehicle was trapped in a massive mudslide on the outskirts of Gangtok.
The worst, officials said, was feared in the Sikkim-Nepal border region, where mudslides had blockaded roads.
Gyatso said army and paramilitary personnel were engaged in rescue and relief efforts in the affected areas.
The quake also damaged some Indian Army bunkers in eastern Sikkim near Nathu-La pass along the India-China border and left many soldiers injured, said sources.
Helicopters were deployed to evacuate the soldiers, said sources adding that on-ground army installations were intact. The required soldier strength in the sensitive area was in place, they said.
Three people were killed, at least 46 injured and power supply was disrupted in parts of northern West Bengal. Many buildings developed cracks.
North Bengal Affairs Minister Gautam Deb said the deaths were reported from Siliguri in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri district, while police reported another death in Kalimpong hills of Darjeeling.
'One person died in Siliguri. Another died in Jalpaiguri district,' Deb told IANS over phone.
The quake triggered landslides in Kalimpong and Kurseong hill sub-divisions while several patients in a nursing home in Siliguri sub-division of Darjeeling district were injured, he said.
In New Delhi, Cabinet Secretary Ajit Kumar Seth told TimesNow: 'As time passes, we will get more information... Everyone is helping out.'
At least five people were killed in Nepal, three of them in Kathmandu alone, triggering panic and chaos all across the Himalayan kingdom, news reports said.
A wall of the British embassy in Kathmandu, located in the Lainchaur area close to the Indian embassy, collapsed after the quake, smashing a car and killing three people inside.
Dozens were injured as houses crashed across the mountainous country, snapping power supply and communication lines.
Across India, buildings shook triggering panic almost all over northern and eastern India, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Mizoram.
In Assam's major city Guwahati, people ran out of their homes.
Power supply was disrupted in parts of northern West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in Kolkata.
'In no time all the people in my neighbourhood were out of their apartments,' said Anjani Kumari, who lives on Boring Road in Patna, Bihar.
The experience was particularly frightening for those in high rises.
'I was watching TV and for a few seconds thought my head was spinning. When I realised it was an earthquake, I ran out,' said Meenakshi Sinha, who lives on the seventh floor of an apartment complex in Noida.
She said the tremors lasted 30 to 40 seconds.
Lucknow resident Vijay Dutt told IANS: 'There were strong tremors. In our building, everybody rushed out fearing the worst. The furniture shook and windows rattled. It was scary,' he added.
In Tripura, officials said the quake was also felt in neighbouring Bangladesh.
This is the fourth earthquake to hit India this month.
An earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter Scale had shaken north India Sep 7 at around with its epicentre near Sonepat in Haryana, 65 km from New Delhi.
...
Tens of thousands scurried out of their homes just after 6 p.m. in numerous cities, including New Delhi, following the powerful tremor that was quickly followed by two major aftershocks.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the epicentre of the quake was on the Sikkim-Nepal border.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh immediately convened a meeting of the National Disaster Management Authority. The Indian Army was put on alert for deployment in Sikkim.
In no time, the Indian Air Force flew five cargo planes with relief material and rescue personnel for deployment in Sikkim and West Bengal, which accounted for eight deaths.
Five people have been killed and around 60 injured, Sikkim Chief Secretary Karma Gyatso said, adding the toll could go up as reports from various villages were still pouring in.
One of the dead was a child, officials in Gangtok said. Another was Sandipan Banerjee, an official with a pharmaceutical company who died when a house collapsed in Rangpo, 40 km from Gangtok.
Another man died when his vehicle was trapped in a massive mudslide on the outskirts of Gangtok.
The worst, officials said, was feared in the Sikkim-Nepal border region, where mudslides had blockaded roads.
Gyatso said army and paramilitary personnel were engaged in rescue and relief efforts in the affected areas.
The quake also damaged some Indian Army bunkers in eastern Sikkim near Nathu-La pass along the India-China border and left many soldiers injured, said sources.
Helicopters were deployed to evacuate the soldiers, said sources adding that on-ground army installations were intact. The required soldier strength in the sensitive area was in place, they said.
Three people were killed, at least 46 injured and power supply was disrupted in parts of northern West Bengal. Many buildings developed cracks.
North Bengal Affairs Minister Gautam Deb said the deaths were reported from Siliguri in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri district, while police reported another death in Kalimpong hills of Darjeeling.
'One person died in Siliguri. Another died in Jalpaiguri district,' Deb told IANS over phone.
The quake triggered landslides in Kalimpong and Kurseong hill sub-divisions while several patients in a nursing home in Siliguri sub-division of Darjeeling district were injured, he said.
In New Delhi, Cabinet Secretary Ajit Kumar Seth told TimesNow: 'As time passes, we will get more information... Everyone is helping out.'
At least five people were killed in Nepal, three of them in Kathmandu alone, triggering panic and chaos all across the Himalayan kingdom, news reports said.
A wall of the British embassy in Kathmandu, located in the Lainchaur area close to the Indian embassy, collapsed after the quake, smashing a car and killing three people inside.
Dozens were injured as houses crashed across the mountainous country, snapping power supply and communication lines.
Across India, buildings shook triggering panic almost all over northern and eastern India, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Mizoram.
In Assam's major city Guwahati, people ran out of their homes.
Power supply was disrupted in parts of northern West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in Kolkata.
'In no time all the people in my neighbourhood were out of their apartments,' said Anjani Kumari, who lives on Boring Road in Patna, Bihar.
The experience was particularly frightening for those in high rises.
'I was watching TV and for a few seconds thought my head was spinning. When I realised it was an earthquake, I ran out,' said Meenakshi Sinha, who lives on the seventh floor of an apartment complex in Noida.
She said the tremors lasted 30 to 40 seconds.
Lucknow resident Vijay Dutt told IANS: 'There were strong tremors. In our building, everybody rushed out fearing the worst. The furniture shook and windows rattled. It was scary,' he added.
In Tripura, officials said the quake was also felt in neighbouring Bangladesh.
This is the fourth earthquake to hit India this month.
An earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter Scale had shaken north India Sep 7 at around with its epicentre near Sonepat in Haryana, 65 km from New Delhi.
...
18 dead in Sikkim quake; 200 rescued, many trapped
New Delhi: 18 people lost their lives as a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit sikkim on Sunday evening. The death toll is at 18 which includes 7 in Sikkim, 4 in West Bengal 2 in Bihar and 5 in Nepal.
The armed forces have deployed teams for relief and rescue activity, the Centre is also sending emergency teams in. But heavy rains, intermittent power cut, and loss of mobile phone connectivity did hamper rescue operations in the initial hours.
At 6.10 pm on Sunday evening, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Sikkim. Mangan, 54 km from Gangtok, was the epicentre of that quake that left a trail of death and massive damages in its wake. It was not just Sikkim that was shaken, the tremors were felt in Delhi, West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, North East and Nepal.
The quake has cut off Sikkim. Mobile connectivity has been hit. The national highway is closed after heavy rains followed by landslides and there are reports of people being trapped. The Army has already reached out to the affected.
The Centre has rushed in teams of the National Disaster Response Force. They have been flown in from Delhi and Kolkata till Bagdora from where they proceed by road. But the bad weather and landslides are posing huge challenges.
The quake has given a rude jolt to Sikkim and many parts of northern and eastern India. Several homes and properties have been damaged but a clearer picture of the extent of damages is yet to come out.
Rescue operations underway
Rescue operations began within hours of the quake striking. Army columns in small teams have been deployed across Sikkim to provide humanitarian assistance. These columns comprise medical teams with first aid kits as well as engineers. 400 personnel from the National Disaster Relief Force have reached Bagdogra from where they will move by road.
30 columns from the 33 Cors in Siliguri are also engaged in rescue activity. Bihar is sending 160 personnel in. The BSF rescue team and the dog squad are there too. The DGP of Sikkim who was in Delhi when the disaster occured will set out for Gangtok on Monday.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel rescued 200 civilians including 22 tourists, they've taken refuge at the Pegong camp. An IAF team carrying supplies is on its way.
Bihar, Gujarat offer assistance
States like Bihar and Bengal are also sending rescue teams to Sikkim. Others too have offered assistance.
"When the earthquake happened I too felt the termor. Our departments are on the job, we are gathering information," said Bihar Chief Minis Nitish Kumar.
"On behalf of the people of Gujarat I convey my condolences. Such a situation demands cooperation from all. The Gujarat government is ready to extend support to all those who have been affected," said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
The armed forces have deployed teams for relief and rescue activity, the Centre is also sending emergency teams in. But heavy rains, intermittent power cut, and loss of mobile phone connectivity did hamper rescue operations in the initial hours.
At 6.10 pm on Sunday evening, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Sikkim. Mangan, 54 km from Gangtok, was the epicentre of that quake that left a trail of death and massive damages in its wake. It was not just Sikkim that was shaken, the tremors were felt in Delhi, West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, North East and Nepal.
The quake has cut off Sikkim. Mobile connectivity has been hit. The national highway is closed after heavy rains followed by landslides and there are reports of people being trapped. The Army has already reached out to the affected.
The Centre has rushed in teams of the National Disaster Response Force. They have been flown in from Delhi and Kolkata till Bagdora from where they proceed by road. But the bad weather and landslides are posing huge challenges.
The quake has given a rude jolt to Sikkim and many parts of northern and eastern India. Several homes and properties have been damaged but a clearer picture of the extent of damages is yet to come out.
Rescue operations underway
Rescue operations began within hours of the quake striking. Army columns in small teams have been deployed across Sikkim to provide humanitarian assistance. These columns comprise medical teams with first aid kits as well as engineers. 400 personnel from the National Disaster Relief Force have reached Bagdogra from where they will move by road.
30 columns from the 33 Cors in Siliguri are also engaged in rescue activity. Bihar is sending 160 personnel in. The BSF rescue team and the dog squad are there too. The DGP of Sikkim who was in Delhi when the disaster occured will set out for Gangtok on Monday.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel rescued 200 civilians including 22 tourists, they've taken refuge at the Pegong camp. An IAF team carrying supplies is on its way.
Bihar, Gujarat offer assistance
States like Bihar and Bengal are also sending rescue teams to Sikkim. Others too have offered assistance.
"When the earthquake happened I too felt the termor. Our departments are on the job, we are gathering information," said Bihar Chief Minis Nitish Kumar.
"On behalf of the people of Gujarat I convey my condolences. Such a situation demands cooperation from all. The Gujarat government is ready to extend support to all those who have been affected," said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Friday 16 September 2011
Modi recounts Gujarat's success as he begins fast
Ahmedabad, Sep 17 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi began his three-day 'sadbhavana' fast Saturday saying the day is not far when the country, and indeed the world, will discuss the state as a model one.
'My fast is not against anyone... that was, is and will never be my agenda. Just like the world praises Gujarat's model for development and governance, that day is not far when people will discuss our model for inclusive growth and communal harmony,' Modi said to a cheering crowd at Gujarat University's plush convention hall here.
'I can say with pride that we want to move ahead and give something back to the nation. A state like Gujarat can pull another state which is not so developed. We have the strength and the capability,' he added.
Recounting the Gujarat earthquake of 2001, the communal violence of 2002 and the serial blasts of 2008, Modi said that each time the people have emerged stronger and have touched new heights of development.
'We have to move ahead taking everyone along and for that secularism and communal harmony is very important,' he said.
A large number of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders like L.K. Advai and Arun Jaitley were present at the event.
'My fast is not against anyone... that was, is and will never be my agenda. Just like the world praises Gujarat's model for development and governance, that day is not far when people will discuss our model for inclusive growth and communal harmony,' Modi said to a cheering crowd at Gujarat University's plush convention hall here.
'I can say with pride that we want to move ahead and give something back to the nation. A state like Gujarat can pull another state which is not so developed. We have the strength and the capability,' he added.
Recounting the Gujarat earthquake of 2001, the communal violence of 2002 and the serial blasts of 2008, Modi said that each time the people have emerged stronger and have touched new heights of development.
'We have to move ahead taking everyone along and for that secularism and communal harmony is very important,' he said.
A large number of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders like L.K. Advai and Arun Jaitley were present at the event.
Manmohan Singh unlikely to meet Obama at UN
Washington, Sep 17 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Barack Obama are unlikely to meet during the UN General Assembly session in New York next week, but may meet at other international forums later this year.
'We don't have any bilateral meetings planned at this point' with South Asian leaders, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications, Ben Rhodes told reporters Friday previewing Obama's schedule at the UN.
'I think that it is our expectation that the president will be able to see in his travels later this year, including to the East Asia Summit and other forums, he'll have opportunities to engage with Prime Minister Singh,' he said.
No bilateral meeting was planned with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani as he was not coming for the UN session because of flooding in Pakistan.
But 'I think we anticipate opportunities later in the year to have consultations with, for instance, Prime Minister Singh and the Indians', Rhodes said.
Noting that the US 'obviously have expressed our support for permanent membership for India during the president's trip', to India last November, Rhodes said: 'Again, there's been no evolution in the US position.'
However, in any discussion on the issue of Security Council reforms, Obama will take note of the fact that there are many aspirants to greater status at the Security Council today and 'will reiterate that all nations who participate in the Security Council system have a responsibility to uphold peace and security through their actions', he said.
Obama would be meeting more than half a dozen world leaders, including those of Afghanistan, Libya, Brazil, Japan, Britain, France, Israel and Sudan during his three day trip to New York beginning Monday, Rhodes said.
The focus of his meetings and his remarks at the UN Wednesday will be pressing global issues like Libya, Palestine, global economic issues, and the Middle East, he said.
US also anticipates a lot of discussions around issues related to international waters like the South China Sea at the East Asia Summit in Indonesia later this year and some of those other venues, Rhodes he said.
'So it's not a focus of UNGA, but we see on the horizon opportunities to address those issues.'
'We don't have any bilateral meetings planned at this point' with South Asian leaders, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications, Ben Rhodes told reporters Friday previewing Obama's schedule at the UN.
'I think that it is our expectation that the president will be able to see in his travels later this year, including to the East Asia Summit and other forums, he'll have opportunities to engage with Prime Minister Singh,' he said.
No bilateral meeting was planned with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani as he was not coming for the UN session because of flooding in Pakistan.
But 'I think we anticipate opportunities later in the year to have consultations with, for instance, Prime Minister Singh and the Indians', Rhodes said.
Noting that the US 'obviously have expressed our support for permanent membership for India during the president's trip', to India last November, Rhodes said: 'Again, there's been no evolution in the US position.'
However, in any discussion on the issue of Security Council reforms, Obama will take note of the fact that there are many aspirants to greater status at the Security Council today and 'will reiterate that all nations who participate in the Security Council system have a responsibility to uphold peace and security through their actions', he said.
Obama would be meeting more than half a dozen world leaders, including those of Afghanistan, Libya, Brazil, Japan, Britain, France, Israel and Sudan during his three day trip to New York beginning Monday, Rhodes said.
The focus of his meetings and his remarks at the UN Wednesday will be pressing global issues like Libya, Palestine, global economic issues, and the Middle East, he said.
US also anticipates a lot of discussions around issues related to international waters like the South China Sea at the East Asia Summit in Indonesia later this year and some of those other venues, Rhodes he said.
'So it's not a focus of UNGA, but we see on the horizon opportunities to address those issues.'
After petrol, a price hike in LPG?
After petrol, a price hike in LPG?
Tempers rise after petrol price hike, protests today
The government's decision to hike petrol prices by Rs 3.14 per litre has drawn criticism from both the opposition and the allies. While opposition BJP has demanded a rollback of the increase in price of petrol, the Left parties have termed the Congress-led UPA as callous. "BJP condemns this hike in petrol prices by Rs 3 per litre. We demand a rollback as this measure is against the common man. The UPA allies of Congress should also oppose this hike," party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.
CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat said that the repeated increase in petrol prices shows how callous the UPA government has become. The current inflation rate has nearly touched double digit. At such a time this hike will only add to the burdens of the people, he added.
Slamming the Centre decision, Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa has also demanded its immediate rollback as it would badly hit the common man.
UPA partner in government the Trinamool Congress has also expressed its angish over the rise alleging that it was kept in the dark about the decision.
Trinamool general secretary and union minister of state for shipping Mukul Roy on Thursday called up finance minister Pranab Mukherjee to express the party's annoyance over the matter. "We are unhappy over the way the petrol prices were raised. Despite being a partner in the central government, we were not consulted. We don't know anything about the decision," Roy told reporters.
However, the Congress has termed the hike as "inevitable". "It is obviously something, which we all have to bear with a heavy heart but it appears that it is inevitable," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh unit of BJP has called for statewide agitation today in protest against the hike of price of petrol. State BJP president Surya Pratap Sahi condemning the decision of the petroleum companies to hike the price of petrol by Rs three per litre has called for agitation at all district headquarters today.
The party workers would burn the effigy of the Centre and demonstrate to demand immediate withdrawal of the hike. Mr Sahi said the youths would be most affected due to this hike and it would certainly have a bad impact on the middle class families of the country.
New Delhi An Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM), headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, is likely to consider today on limiting supply of subsidised LPG cylinders to 4-6 per household in a year.
With a view to limit government's fuel subsidy bill, the EGoM is likely to consider giving every household only 4-6 LPG cylinders at subsidised price of Rs 395.35 in Delhi and asking them to pay market price of Rs 666 per bottle for any requirement beyond that.
Limiting supply of subsidised LPG cylinder is likely to save the government about Rs 20,000 crore in subsidy outgo annually.
The limited supply of subsidised LPG would be for those who own a car, two-wheeler, house or figure in the income-tax list, the official said.
Each 14.2-kg bottle of LPG normally lasts a household 45-60 days and based on this calculation a maximum of six cylinders are considered enough to see a family through the year.
At present, records of LPG distributors of public sector companies shows that a vast number of households are taking as many as 20 to 30 cylinders per household each year.
This suggests that large-scale diversion of subsidised cooking gas is taking place for use in commercial establishments, such as restaurants and dhabas and as auto fuel.
LPG for commercial use is sold at the market price and packed in different cylinders. Sources said limiting supply of subsidised LPG cylinders would help cut down losses that state-owned oil firms incur now on selling the fuel at government controlled rates.
Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum lose about Rs 63 crore per day on selling domestic LPG below cost.
The EGoM may also consider the revenue loss that state firms incur on selling not just LPG but also diesel and kerosene.
The three firms lose Rs 5.14 a litre on diesel and Rs 24.42 per litre on kerosene. At current rate, they are projected to post a combined revenue loss of Rs 108,746 crore in the current fiscal.
The EGoM, sources said, may decide on how this loss would be bridged.
The government oil companies on Thursday hiked petrol price by Rs 3.14-3.32 per litre after decline in rupee's exchange value increased the cost of buying crude oil and widened losses from fuel sales.
Petrol price in Delhi has been hiked by Rs 3.14 a litre to Rs 66.84 per litre with effect from midnight tonight, a press statement issued by Indian Oil Corp, the nation's largest fuel retailer, said.
Tempers rise after petrol price hike, protests today
The government's decision to hike petrol prices by Rs 3.14 per litre has drawn criticism from both the opposition and the allies. While opposition BJP has demanded a rollback of the increase in price of petrol, the Left parties have termed the Congress-led UPA as callous. "BJP condemns this hike in petrol prices by Rs 3 per litre. We demand a rollback as this measure is against the common man. The UPA allies of Congress should also oppose this hike," party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.
CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat said that the repeated increase in petrol prices shows how callous the UPA government has become. The current inflation rate has nearly touched double digit. At such a time this hike will only add to the burdens of the people, he added.
Slamming the Centre decision, Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa has also demanded its immediate rollback as it would badly hit the common man.
UPA partner in government the Trinamool Congress has also expressed its angish over the rise alleging that it was kept in the dark about the decision.
Trinamool general secretary and union minister of state for shipping Mukul Roy on Thursday called up finance minister Pranab Mukherjee to express the party's annoyance over the matter. "We are unhappy over the way the petrol prices were raised. Despite being a partner in the central government, we were not consulted. We don't know anything about the decision," Roy told reporters.
However, the Congress has termed the hike as "inevitable". "It is obviously something, which we all have to bear with a heavy heart but it appears that it is inevitable," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh unit of BJP has called for statewide agitation today in protest against the hike of price of petrol. State BJP president Surya Pratap Sahi condemning the decision of the petroleum companies to hike the price of petrol by Rs three per litre has called for agitation at all district headquarters today.
The party workers would burn the effigy of the Centre and demonstrate to demand immediate withdrawal of the hike. Mr Sahi said the youths would be most affected due to this hike and it would certainly have a bad impact on the middle class families of the country.
New Delhi An Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM), headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, is likely to consider today on limiting supply of subsidised LPG cylinders to 4-6 per household in a year.
With a view to limit government's fuel subsidy bill, the EGoM is likely to consider giving every household only 4-6 LPG cylinders at subsidised price of Rs 395.35 in Delhi and asking them to pay market price of Rs 666 per bottle for any requirement beyond that.
Limiting supply of subsidised LPG cylinder is likely to save the government about Rs 20,000 crore in subsidy outgo annually.
The limited supply of subsidised LPG would be for those who own a car, two-wheeler, house or figure in the income-tax list, the official said.
Each 14.2-kg bottle of LPG normally lasts a household 45-60 days and based on this calculation a maximum of six cylinders are considered enough to see a family through the year.
At present, records of LPG distributors of public sector companies shows that a vast number of households are taking as many as 20 to 30 cylinders per household each year.
This suggests that large-scale diversion of subsidised cooking gas is taking place for use in commercial establishments, such as restaurants and dhabas and as auto fuel.
LPG for commercial use is sold at the market price and packed in different cylinders. Sources said limiting supply of subsidised LPG cylinders would help cut down losses that state-owned oil firms incur now on selling the fuel at government controlled rates.
Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum lose about Rs 63 crore per day on selling domestic LPG below cost.
The EGoM may also consider the revenue loss that state firms incur on selling not just LPG but also diesel and kerosene.
The three firms lose Rs 5.14 a litre on diesel and Rs 24.42 per litre on kerosene. At current rate, they are projected to post a combined revenue loss of Rs 108,746 crore in the current fiscal.
The EGoM, sources said, may decide on how this loss would be bridged.
The government oil companies on Thursday hiked petrol price by Rs 3.14-3.32 per litre after decline in rupee's exchange value increased the cost of buying crude oil and widened losses from fuel sales.
Petrol price in Delhi has been hiked by Rs 3.14 a litre to Rs 66.84 per litre with effect from midnight tonight, a press statement issued by Indian Oil Corp, the nation's largest fuel retailer, said.
Cameron, Sarkozy salute 'free Libya', warn against Gaddafi
Cameron, Sarkozy salute 'free Libya', warn against Gaddafi
David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy saluted a "free Libya" Thursday but warned that Muammar Gaddafi remained a danger, on the first visit by foreign leaders to the North African nation since the despot was toppled. The British premier and French president arrived in Tripoli to a heroes' welcome and were mobbed when they later flew into Benghazi, bastion of the rebel movement that overthrew Gaddafi, with Sarkozy earning the loudest cheers.
The diplomatic visit came even as forces of the National Transitional Council (NTC) moved to gates of the fallen dictator's hometown of Sirte.
"It is great to be in a free Benghazi and in a free Libya," Cameron said as jubilant crowds cheered them, flashing V-for-victory signs. "The people of Britain salute your courage."
Britain's special representative to Libya Dominic Asquith (L) receives a Union Flag from British Prime Minister David Cameron.Sarkozy said: "Friends in Benghazi we ask one thing. We believe in a united Libya, not a divided Libya." "You wanted peace, you wanted liberty, you want economic progress. France, Great Britain and Europe will be on the side of the Libyan people."
Before flying to Benghazi, they gave a news conference in Tripoli, and Cameron pledged help to bring the fugitive former strongman to book.
"We must keep on with the Nato mission until civilians are all protected and until this work is finished," Cameron said. "We will help you to find Gaddafi and to bring him to justice."
Cameron and Sarkozy are immensely popular among ordinary Libyans for their role in ending the fugitive strongman's 42 years of iron-fisted rule.
David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy saluted a "free Libya" Thursday but warned that Muammar Gaddafi remained a danger, on the first visit by foreign leaders to the North African nation since the despot was toppled. The British premier and French president arrived in Tripoli to a heroes' welcome and were mobbed when they later flew into Benghazi, bastion of the rebel movement that overthrew Gaddafi, with Sarkozy earning the loudest cheers.
The diplomatic visit came even as forces of the National Transitional Council (NTC) moved to gates of the fallen dictator's hometown of Sirte.
"It is great to be in a free Benghazi and in a free Libya," Cameron said as jubilant crowds cheered them, flashing V-for-victory signs. "The people of Britain salute your courage."
Britain's special representative to Libya Dominic Asquith (L) receives a Union Flag from British Prime Minister David Cameron.Sarkozy said: "Friends in Benghazi we ask one thing. We believe in a united Libya, not a divided Libya." "You wanted peace, you wanted liberty, you want economic progress. France, Great Britain and Europe will be on the side of the Libyan people."
Before flying to Benghazi, they gave a news conference in Tripoli, and Cameron pledged help to bring the fugitive former strongman to book.
"We must keep on with the Nato mission until civilians are all protected and until this work is finished," Cameron said. "We will help you to find Gaddafi and to bring him to justice."
Cameron and Sarkozy are immensely popular among ordinary Libyans for their role in ending the fugitive strongman's 42 years of iron-fisted rule.
A month's rain in 3 hours for Delhi, T3 flooded
A month's rain in 3 hours for Delhi, T3 flooded
New Delhi: This afternoon, Delhi turned dark and cars used their headlights as an overcast sky pummeled the city with rain.
In just one hour, the capital recorded 117 mm of rain - in the entire month of September, usually, Delhi receives 128 mm of rain - a record since 1959. (See pics) This effectively saw the national capital receiving a month's rain in just three hours.
Flooding was reported at Delhi's T3 airport. At least one flight was diverted to Jaipur and four others scheduled to land between 2.15 and 3.15 pm were asked to make a "go-around."
The rain led to clogging and overflowing of the drains near the Arrivals area of Terminal 3; excess water spilled into the domestic arrivals area.
Water-logging on the arrival side of the airport inconvenienced passengers which led the airport operator to arrange the delivery of their baggage on the conveyor belts at the international side as a precautionary measure, a spokesperson of the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said.
Traffic was affected by water-logging in areas like Saket, Dhaula Kuan, and the Palam flyover from Dwarka to the domestic airport side.
The city was, however, spared the nightmare that unfolded last Friday, when non-stop rain in the morning made commuting impossible till 12 pm.
Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/a-months-rain-in-3-hours-for-delhi-t3-flooded-133999&cp
New Delhi: This afternoon, Delhi turned dark and cars used their headlights as an overcast sky pummeled the city with rain.
In just one hour, the capital recorded 117 mm of rain - in the entire month of September, usually, Delhi receives 128 mm of rain - a record since 1959. (See pics) This effectively saw the national capital receiving a month's rain in just three hours.
Flooding was reported at Delhi's T3 airport. At least one flight was diverted to Jaipur and four others scheduled to land between 2.15 and 3.15 pm were asked to make a "go-around."
The rain led to clogging and overflowing of the drains near the Arrivals area of Terminal 3; excess water spilled into the domestic arrivals area.
Water-logging on the arrival side of the airport inconvenienced passengers which led the airport operator to arrange the delivery of their baggage on the conveyor belts at the international side as a precautionary measure, a spokesperson of the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said.
Traffic was affected by water-logging in areas like Saket, Dhaula Kuan, and the Palam flyover from Dwarka to the domestic airport side.
The city was, however, spared the nightmare that unfolded last Friday, when non-stop rain in the morning made commuting impossible till 12 pm.
Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/a-months-rain-in-3-hours-for-delhi-t3-flooded-133999&cp
Wednesday 14 September 2011
Muslims next on Modi agenda?
Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's three-day fast from September 17 — his 61st birthday — could well be the beginning of new approach to reach out to the Muslims in the state, said BJP officials.
As Arun Jaitley, leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha, and one of Modi's closest advisers, defended Modi's right to launch the “Sadhbhavna Mission,” sources in the party point to Modi's two blogs — on September 1 and 2 — which signal a change ahead of the 2012 assembly elections.
In his first blog, Modi specifically referred to the Jain community's custom to say “Michhami Dukkadam” during the Paryushan festival. “Michhami Dukkadam,” as Modi explained in his blog, “means I ask forgiveness for any hurt I may have caused you by thoughts, words or actions, knowingly or unknowingly. Michhami Dukkadam.” He ended by saying, “Michhami Dukkadam to you all.”
In other blog, he dwelt on the issue of education of Muslims and how no section can be kept out of development. He wrote: “I had the privilege of felicitating bright, meritorious students of Muslim community in Ahmedabad last week... It was extremely encouraging to see enthusiasm and exuberance for education on display... girls in particular.”
He noted that “the girls had outperformed boys that evening, securing 65% of the awards and recognitions... Gujarat has managed to rise above this trap of minority-majority considerations, to focus on all six crore Gujaratis as one. We have always maintained and aimed for universal objectives, without any discrimination — all students should get education; all kids should be healthy; and all poor should benefit from welfare schemes.”
Significantly, Modi added: “Just as even if one organ of a body is weak, the body cannot be considered healthy; I have always believed that my Gujarat cannot be considered developed if even one section of its society is left behind. True development has to be all-round, inclusive, comprehensive and sustainable.”
He has so far avoided responding to questions whether he'd express an apology for the riots.
As Arun Jaitley, leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha, and one of Modi's closest advisers, defended Modi's right to launch the “Sadhbhavna Mission,” sources in the party point to Modi's two blogs — on September 1 and 2 — which signal a change ahead of the 2012 assembly elections.
In his first blog, Modi specifically referred to the Jain community's custom to say “Michhami Dukkadam” during the Paryushan festival. “Michhami Dukkadam,” as Modi explained in his blog, “means I ask forgiveness for any hurt I may have caused you by thoughts, words or actions, knowingly or unknowingly. Michhami Dukkadam.” He ended by saying, “Michhami Dukkadam to you all.”
In other blog, he dwelt on the issue of education of Muslims and how no section can be kept out of development. He wrote: “I had the privilege of felicitating bright, meritorious students of Muslim community in Ahmedabad last week... It was extremely encouraging to see enthusiasm and exuberance for education on display... girls in particular.”
He noted that “the girls had outperformed boys that evening, securing 65% of the awards and recognitions... Gujarat has managed to rise above this trap of minority-majority considerations, to focus on all six crore Gujaratis as one. We have always maintained and aimed for universal objectives, without any discrimination — all students should get education; all kids should be healthy; and all poor should benefit from welfare schemes.”
Significantly, Modi added: “Just as even if one organ of a body is weak, the body cannot be considered healthy; I have always believed that my Gujarat cannot be considered developed if even one section of its society is left behind. True development has to be all-round, inclusive, comprehensive and sustainable.”
He has so far avoided responding to questions whether he'd express an apology for the riots.
U.S. warns Pakistan after suspected Haqqani attack
By Phil Stewart
SAN FRANCISCO | Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:15am IST
Afghan police watch as a NATO helicopter flies overhead during a battle with Taliban insurgents who took over a building near the U.S. embassy in Kabul September 14, 2011.
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta warned Pakistan on Wednesday the United States would "do everything we can" to defend U.S. forces from Pakistan-based militants staging attacks in Afghanistan.
U.S. officials, including Panetta, suspect militants from the Haqqani network were behind Tuesday's rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy compound in Kabul, as well as a truck bomb last Saturday that wounded 77 American forces.
"Time and again we've urged the Pakistanis to exercise their influence over these kinds of attacks from the Haqqanis. And we have made very little progress in that area," Panetta told reporters flying with him to San Francisco.
He added, "I think the message they (the Pakistanis) need to know is: we're going to do everything we can to defend our forces."
Panetta, who was CIA director until July, has long pressed Islamabad to go after the Haqqanis, perhaps the most feared of the Taliban-allied insurgent factions fighting U.S.-led NATO and Afghan troops in Afghanistan.
He declined to answer questions about what steps the United States might take to defend U.S. forces. But Panetta said he was concerned about the Haqqanis' ability to attack American troops and then "escape back into what is a safe haven in Pakistan."
"And that's unacceptable," Panetta said.
The CIA has had success targeting militants in Pakistan using pilotless drones, and Navy SEALs killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in May during a covert raid in Pakistan. Last month, Admiral Mike Mullen, the top U.S. military officer, cited progress curtailing Haqqani movements within Afghanistan.
"I'm not going to talk about how we're going to respond. I'll just let you know that we are not going to allow these kinds of attacks to go on," Panetta said.
Pakistan's Directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, has long been suspected of maintaining ties to the Haqqani network, cultivated during the 1980s when Jalaluddin Haqqani was a feared battlefield commander against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
While based in Pakistan's North Waziristan area on the Afghan border, Haqqani refrains from attacking the Pakistani state and is seen as a way to maintain Pakistani influence in any future political settlement in Afghanistan.
U.S. officials including Panetta have played down the significance of Tuesday's attack on Kabul's diplomatic enclave, which showered rockets on Western embassies in a dramatic show of insurgent strength.
It was the longest and most audacious militant attack on the Afghan capital in the decade since the Taliban was ousted from power and a stark reminder of insurgents' resources and reach as Western forces start to return home.
Panetta stressed the attacks themselves were repelled by Afghan forces and inflicted a limited number of casualties. The U.S. military has cited gains against the Taliban in the past year, particularly in southern Afghanistan.
"These kinds of attacks -- sporadic attacks and assassination attempts -- are more a reflection of the fact that they're losing their ability to be able to attack our forces on a broader scale," Panetta said.
SAN FRANCISCO | Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:15am IST
Afghan police watch as a NATO helicopter flies overhead during a battle with Taliban insurgents who took over a building near the U.S. embassy in Kabul September 14, 2011.
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta warned Pakistan on Wednesday the United States would "do everything we can" to defend U.S. forces from Pakistan-based militants staging attacks in Afghanistan.
U.S. officials, including Panetta, suspect militants from the Haqqani network were behind Tuesday's rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy compound in Kabul, as well as a truck bomb last Saturday that wounded 77 American forces.
"Time and again we've urged the Pakistanis to exercise their influence over these kinds of attacks from the Haqqanis. And we have made very little progress in that area," Panetta told reporters flying with him to San Francisco.
He added, "I think the message they (the Pakistanis) need to know is: we're going to do everything we can to defend our forces."
Panetta, who was CIA director until July, has long pressed Islamabad to go after the Haqqanis, perhaps the most feared of the Taliban-allied insurgent factions fighting U.S.-led NATO and Afghan troops in Afghanistan.
He declined to answer questions about what steps the United States might take to defend U.S. forces. But Panetta said he was concerned about the Haqqanis' ability to attack American troops and then "escape back into what is a safe haven in Pakistan."
"And that's unacceptable," Panetta said.
The CIA has had success targeting militants in Pakistan using pilotless drones, and Navy SEALs killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in May during a covert raid in Pakistan. Last month, Admiral Mike Mullen, the top U.S. military officer, cited progress curtailing Haqqani movements within Afghanistan.
"I'm not going to talk about how we're going to respond. I'll just let you know that we are not going to allow these kinds of attacks to go on," Panetta said.
Pakistan's Directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, has long been suspected of maintaining ties to the Haqqani network, cultivated during the 1980s when Jalaluddin Haqqani was a feared battlefield commander against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
While based in Pakistan's North Waziristan area on the Afghan border, Haqqani refrains from attacking the Pakistani state and is seen as a way to maintain Pakistani influence in any future political settlement in Afghanistan.
U.S. officials including Panetta have played down the significance of Tuesday's attack on Kabul's diplomatic enclave, which showered rockets on Western embassies in a dramatic show of insurgent strength.
It was the longest and most audacious militant attack on the Afghan capital in the decade since the Taliban was ousted from power and a stark reminder of insurgents' resources and reach as Western forces start to return home.
Panetta stressed the attacks themselves were repelled by Afghan forces and inflicted a limited number of casualties. The U.S. military has cited gains against the Taliban in the past year, particularly in southern Afghanistan.
"These kinds of attacks -- sporadic attacks and assassination attempts -- are more a reflection of the fact that they're losing their ability to be able to attack our forces on a broader scale," Panetta said.
Tuesday 13 September 2011
International alarm over euro zone crisis grows
(Reuters) - International alarm over Europe's debt crisis hit new heights on Tuesday, with U.S. President Barack Obama pressing the bloc's big countries to show leadership as talk of a Greek default escalated and markets heaped pressure on Italy.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel sought to quash talk of an imminent Greek default or exit from the euro zone, but confusion over whether she would issue a joint statement on Greece with French President Sarkozy sent markets gyrating up and then down.
Confidence in the 17-nation currency area was further dented when Italy was forced to pay the highest interest rates since joining the euro in 1999 to sell 5-year bonds.
"I think there is a possibility, if the wrong steps are taken, that the system goes off the rails," Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of Italian carmaker Fiat, told reporters in Frankfurt when asked if the euro's survival was at risk.
Merkel said in a radio interview that Europe was doing everything in its power to avoid a Greek default and urged politicians in her own coalition to weigh their words carefully to avoid creating turmoil on financial markets.
Her economy minister said earlier this week that there should be no taboos in stabilizing the euro, including an orderly bankruptcy of Greece. And lawmakers from her coalition have said in recent days that Greece may have to leave the euro zone -- a move Citigroup's chief economist warned would lead to "financial and economic disaster."
"As soon as Greece has exited, we expect the markets will focus on the country or countries most likely to exit next from the euro area," Willem Buiter said in a note published on Tuesday.
Merkel, in an interview with RBB inforadio, said Europe would use all the tools at its disposal to prevent a Greek default and warned that an exit from the bloc would immediately lead to "domino effects."
In financial markets, stocks and the euro rose on Tuesday on hopes Europe's top powers will supply fresh support for Greece.
MSCI's all-country world equity index rose 0.9 percent and Wall Street rebounded. The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 44.73 points, or 0.40 percent, at
11,105.85. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 37.06 points, or 1.49 percent, at 2,532.15.
BERLIN-PARIS CONFUSION
Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy conferred by telephone on the crisis at the start of the week, and senior French sources told Reuters they would issue a joint statement on Greece, sending the euro and Greek bank stocks higher.
Less than an hour later, a spokesman for Sarkozy changed course and denied a statement was planned, sending markets into reverse.
The mixed signals reinforced the sense in the markets that European countries are unable to unite behind a common approach.
U.S. President Barack Obama told Spanish journalists in a group interview published on Tuesday that euro zone leaders needed to show markets they were taking responsibility for the debt crisis. Weakness in the global economy would persist so long as it is not resolved, he said.
The Institute of International Finance, a bank lobbying group, warned in a report that prolonged inability to deal with Europe's debt issues put its banking system at severe risk.
"In a pattern echoing that of the 2007-2009 financial crisis, there is a growing risk of the real economy and financial conditions being locked into a mutually reinforcing downward spiral," the IIF warned.
In a measure of the alarm in Washington, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will take the unprecedented step of attending a meeting of EU finance ministers in Poland on Friday. It will be his second trip to Europe in a week after he met his main EU counterparts at a G7 meeting last weekend.
Obama said that while Greece is the immediate concern, an even bigger problem is what may happen should markets keep attacking the larger economies of Spain and Italy.
"In the end the big countries in Europe, the leaders in Europe must meet and take a decision on how to coordinate monetary integration with more effective coordinated fiscal policy," the news agency EFE quoted him as saying.
Geithner is likely to urge euro zone finance ministers on Friday to speed up ratification of changes to their bailout fund, but a U.S. official said he would not push for an increase in the fund's size.
ITALY YIELDS SOAR
Markets have already priced in the near certainty of a Greek debt default. Credit default swap prices suggest a 90 percent probability of default in the next five years, according to CDS pricing data provider Markit.
Greece has said it only has a few weeks' cash and needs the 8 billion euro tranche in October to pay salaries and pensions.
Domenico Lombardi, president of the Oxford Institute for Economic Policy and a senior fellow at Washington's Brookings Institution, said European policymakers must act fast to ward off a full-blown market attack on Italy.
"Italy is the key to contain this crisis. It is the last window of opportunity before a serious prospect of a meltdown of the euro," Lombardi said.
Pressure on Italy mounted on Tuesday at a bond auction that showed the limits of European Central Bank efforts to hold down Rome's borrowing costs by buying government bonds in return for austerity measures to cut its budget deficit.
The five-year bond yield hit a euro lifetime high of 5.60 percent despite ECB purchases in the secondary market that led to the resignation of the central bank's German chief economist, Juergen Stark, last Friday.
"Nothing that we've had, be it at a domestic level in Italy, be it at a pan-euro zone level, or above all from Germany, indicates that anyone really is getting to grips with presenting euro zone policy with one voice," said Marc Ostwald, an analyst at Monument Securities in London.
A Financial Times report that Rome had asked China to buy "significant" quantities of its bonds in recent talks provided little support.
A Brazilian government official told Reuters that BRICS major emerging markets were in initial talks about increasing their holdings of euro-denominated bonds in an effort to help ease the euro zone crisis.
A Treasury spokesman said Italian Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti met Chinese officials last week including the head of its sovereign wealth fund. But an Italian ministerial source told Reuters the talks had centered on possible Chinese investments in Italy's industrial sector, not its bonds.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel sought to quash talk of an imminent Greek default or exit from the euro zone, but confusion over whether she would issue a joint statement on Greece with French President Sarkozy sent markets gyrating up and then down.
Confidence in the 17-nation currency area was further dented when Italy was forced to pay the highest interest rates since joining the euro in 1999 to sell 5-year bonds.
"I think there is a possibility, if the wrong steps are taken, that the system goes off the rails," Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of Italian carmaker Fiat, told reporters in Frankfurt when asked if the euro's survival was at risk.
Merkel said in a radio interview that Europe was doing everything in its power to avoid a Greek default and urged politicians in her own coalition to weigh their words carefully to avoid creating turmoil on financial markets.
Her economy minister said earlier this week that there should be no taboos in stabilizing the euro, including an orderly bankruptcy of Greece. And lawmakers from her coalition have said in recent days that Greece may have to leave the euro zone -- a move Citigroup's chief economist warned would lead to "financial and economic disaster."
"As soon as Greece has exited, we expect the markets will focus on the country or countries most likely to exit next from the euro area," Willem Buiter said in a note published on Tuesday.
Merkel, in an interview with RBB inforadio, said Europe would use all the tools at its disposal to prevent a Greek default and warned that an exit from the bloc would immediately lead to "domino effects."
In financial markets, stocks and the euro rose on Tuesday on hopes Europe's top powers will supply fresh support for Greece.
MSCI's all-country world equity index rose 0.9 percent and Wall Street rebounded. The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 44.73 points, or 0.40 percent, at
11,105.85. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 37.06 points, or 1.49 percent, at 2,532.15.
BERLIN-PARIS CONFUSION
Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy conferred by telephone on the crisis at the start of the week, and senior French sources told Reuters they would issue a joint statement on Greece, sending the euro and Greek bank stocks higher.
Less than an hour later, a spokesman for Sarkozy changed course and denied a statement was planned, sending markets into reverse.
The mixed signals reinforced the sense in the markets that European countries are unable to unite behind a common approach.
U.S. President Barack Obama told Spanish journalists in a group interview published on Tuesday that euro zone leaders needed to show markets they were taking responsibility for the debt crisis. Weakness in the global economy would persist so long as it is not resolved, he said.
The Institute of International Finance, a bank lobbying group, warned in a report that prolonged inability to deal with Europe's debt issues put its banking system at severe risk.
"In a pattern echoing that of the 2007-2009 financial crisis, there is a growing risk of the real economy and financial conditions being locked into a mutually reinforcing downward spiral," the IIF warned.
In a measure of the alarm in Washington, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will take the unprecedented step of attending a meeting of EU finance ministers in Poland on Friday. It will be his second trip to Europe in a week after he met his main EU counterparts at a G7 meeting last weekend.
Obama said that while Greece is the immediate concern, an even bigger problem is what may happen should markets keep attacking the larger economies of Spain and Italy.
"In the end the big countries in Europe, the leaders in Europe must meet and take a decision on how to coordinate monetary integration with more effective coordinated fiscal policy," the news agency EFE quoted him as saying.
Geithner is likely to urge euro zone finance ministers on Friday to speed up ratification of changes to their bailout fund, but a U.S. official said he would not push for an increase in the fund's size.
ITALY YIELDS SOAR
Markets have already priced in the near certainty of a Greek debt default. Credit default swap prices suggest a 90 percent probability of default in the next five years, according to CDS pricing data provider Markit.
Greece has said it only has a few weeks' cash and needs the 8 billion euro tranche in October to pay salaries and pensions.
Domenico Lombardi, president of the Oxford Institute for Economic Policy and a senior fellow at Washington's Brookings Institution, said European policymakers must act fast to ward off a full-blown market attack on Italy.
"Italy is the key to contain this crisis. It is the last window of opportunity before a serious prospect of a meltdown of the euro," Lombardi said.
Pressure on Italy mounted on Tuesday at a bond auction that showed the limits of European Central Bank efforts to hold down Rome's borrowing costs by buying government bonds in return for austerity measures to cut its budget deficit.
The five-year bond yield hit a euro lifetime high of 5.60 percent despite ECB purchases in the secondary market that led to the resignation of the central bank's German chief economist, Juergen Stark, last Friday.
"Nothing that we've had, be it at a domestic level in Italy, be it at a pan-euro zone level, or above all from Germany, indicates that anyone really is getting to grips with presenting euro zone policy with one voice," said Marc Ostwald, an analyst at Monument Securities in London.
A Financial Times report that Rome had asked China to buy "significant" quantities of its bonds in recent talks provided little support.
A Brazilian government official told Reuters that BRICS major emerging markets were in initial talks about increasing their holdings of euro-denominated bonds in an effort to help ease the euro zone crisis.
A Treasury spokesman said Italian Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti met Chinese officials last week including the head of its sovereign wealth fund. But an Italian ministerial source told Reuters the talks had centered on possible Chinese investments in Italy's industrial sector, not its bonds.
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