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Naveen beats secular drum as Kandhamal violence shadows govt
Bhubaneswar, Oct 15 (PTI) Facing flak for the Kandhamal violence, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony at a meeting as his party workers used the occasion to highlight his 'secular credentials'.
"Every bone in my body is secular," were writings on the placards which were displayed at the party's 'shanti and samprati yatra' meeting here addressed by Patnaik and other senior leaders of the ruling BJD.
The state-level yatra which began on Gandhi Jayanti culminated here.
Representatives from Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Hindus were invited to the meeting where they announced their trust in Patnaik despite the communal violence in Kandhamal which claimed at least 37 lives.
"We have to work hard to strengthen communal harmony among people belonging to different religions and castes," Patnaik said as the participants cheered him.
The state would progress if people from all religions and castes live together, Patnaik said, adding Orissa had always been the pioneer in propagating the message of peace across the world.
"We need to maintain the tradition of peace in the state," Patnaik said. PTI
Jet-Kingfisher invites Air India to join alliance
Hyderabad, Oct 15 (PTI) Exuding confidence that their alliance would help them save an estimated Rs 1,500 crore, leading private carrier Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines today invited state-owned Air India to come on board for overcoming the slowdown in the crisis-ridden aviation sector.
"Everybody is welcome to join the operational alliance including Air India," said Vijay Mallya owner of Kingfisher which on Monday singed an alliance with competitor Jet Airways to share resources and routes to keep afloat. PTI
Tendulkar has special preference for hot milk with turmeric
Sanjay Ganju
Chandigarh, Oct 15 (PTI) Next time when Sachin Tendulkar sends the leather flying out of the park when India take on Australians in the second cricket Test at Mohali on Friday, the power behind his shot may well come from hot milk with a dash of turmeric mixed in it.
"Tendulkar has a special preference for hot milk for his breakfast the day he has to play a match. Last time also he had asked for it and whenever he asks for it, we give it to him with some turmeric which he mixes in the milk," Ramit Kohli, senior chef at the Taj hotel, where the two teams are currently staying, told PTI here.
He said Tendulkar, who just needs a few runs more to become the highest run-getter in the Test matches, also relishes bananas, banana shakes and eggs for breakfast.
Kohli said in routine the Taj serves the players "power breakfast" which is high in caloric values and includes lot of fibres and energy drinks.
"We give them mix of continental which contains chicken or fish, baked beans, breakfast cereals, high calories like multi grain bread muessli, choice of cheese spreads, fresh variety of cut fruits and juices," he said.
However, on specific request made by any player the hotel supplies them whatever food they order.
Today, for example the Indian team had lot of "crispy paranthas without oil" while the Aussies relished Dosas although their skipper Ricky Ponting had "poached eggs for breakfast".
Many Indian players also order south Indian food which includes Dosas, Upma, Poha and Sambar.
In routine, the Aussies are fond of lot of pastas with continental breads. PTI
Ad-hoc committee for hockey announces tight calendar
Pune, Oct 14 (PTI) The Indian Olympic Association (IOA)-appointed ad-hoc body for hockey in India is all set to revamp the national game in a big way with the support of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and has announced a packed calendar for both junior and senior sides.
Following a meeting with the FIH president Els Breda Vriesman during the ongoing Commonwealth Youth Games here today, the IOA president and ad-hoc committee Chairman, Suresh Kalmadi announced a busy schedule for Indian juniors and seniors, which begins with the Pakistan tour.
The ad-hoc body committee, in consultation with the FIH, is also looking at a person at a higher level to look into the developmental aspect of the game in the country.
"He will have the capacity of not necessarily a chief coach but a developmental manager at top level to put a structure in place," Kalmadi said, adding Indian hockey is back in priority sport after the removal of KPS Gill-led Indian Hockey Federation.
"The 2010 World Cup was going away from us... But we have retained it and is back with us. After the success in Junior Asia Cup in Hyderabad, Indian hockey is already in a revival mode. There's a packed calendar ahead," Kalmadi told reporters here today.
Vriesman said she was surprised to see countries like Pakistan and India not doing well in the international circuit. PTI
FM takes more steps to combat crisis; inject additional cash
New Delhi, Oct 15 (PTI) Continuing the fight against the ripple effects of the global financial meltdown, Finance Minister P Chidambaram today announced more steps to inject cash into the system and strengthen the banking sector, while doubling FIIs investment limit in the corporate bond market.
"At the request of government, RBI has agreed to provide a sum of Rs 25,000 crore to lending institutions immediately (against the farm debt waiver scheme)," he said in a statement minutes after the stock market closed with losses of nearly 700 points, reversing the two-day positive trend.
While maintaining that Indian banks were well capitalised with a CRAR (capital and assets banks are required to maintain against risks) of more than 10 percent, he said:"Nevertheless, the government has decided to provide the banks access to finance in order to raise CRAR that are now between 10-12 per cent to reach 12 per cent by a suitable date in future.
"The details of the capitalisation scheme are being worked out." He pointed out CRARs of Indian banks were well above the BASEL norm of 8 per cent and RBI-stipulated norm of 9 percent.
In the face of the flight of capital from the stock markets, a major factor that led to a meltdown at the bourses, Chidambaram doubled the investment limit for FIIs in corporate bond market to USD 6 billion.
"(Market regulator) SEBI has informed me that it'll address any request for relaxation in the proportion of investment in equity and debt required to be maintained by an FII under current regulation," he said.
Before the trading started this morning, Chidambaram had said in a statement that "government and RBI are agreed on the measures that are to be taken immediately," while informing reporters that RBI Governor D Subbarao had gone to Mumbai to work out the details of the measures agreed upon. PTI
Markets in red again, Sensex below 11,000 level
Mumbai, Oct 15 (PTI) Stock markets today slipped into the negative territory again after two days of gaining, with the benchmark Sensex nosediving over 670 points to close below 11,000 level on across-the-board selling by funds and general investors.
After notching up more than 950 points in the past two days, the BSE barometer today plunged to 10,809.12 points, a steep fall of 674.28 points.
The markets opened on particularly weak note and the key index never recovered from its loss of 250 points at the outset.
National Stock Exchange index Nifty also tumbled by 180.25 points at 3,338.40.
Marketmen said buying of the past two day could not be sustained today as sentiment was weak on concerns that deepening financial crisis could lead to a global recession. The fears were were mirrored in other Asian bourses as well, they noted.
Major indices like Hang Seng Index and Singapore Strait Times Index closed lower in the range of 3-5 per cent taking cues from marginal in US overnight.
On BSE selling pressure was felt across the board and there on Sensex scrip could post any gain while all sectoral indices closed in the red. Capital goods, consumer durables and metal segment recorded hefty losses and topped the list of big sectoral losers. PTI
Saif wanted to be a secret agent
New Delhi, Oct 14 (PTI) Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's childhood dream was to become a secret agent but a comment by his cricketer-father Mansoor Ali Khan seems to have changed his life.
"I wanted to be a secret agent but my dad told me I will get shot, so I became an actor," Saif told students of Ryan International School during a programme here.
Khan, the son of former cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Patoudi, said earlier he wanted to be an astronaut also as he loved reading about space.
Asked how naughty he was at school, the actor said, "a girl at my school had really long hair but she had to cut them short after I applied gum on her hair." He said his favourite subjects were Geography and English. "Geography because I was curious to know about the world but I hated Maths and Physics," he added.
Khan was interacting with students as part of oral hygiene awareness programme organised by Colgate. PTI
Amitabh Bachchan is recovering: Docs
Mumbai, Oct 14 (PTI) Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who was admitted to the Lilavati hospital on his birthday last week for treatment of abdominal pain, is on the road to recovery, a hospital spokesperson said today.
"Big B is definitely improving and the doctors are happy with this. He is in constant conversation with his family who have been besides him throughout," the spokesperson said.
The Bollywood icon has thanked his fans for their good wishes and prayers, the spokesperson added.
The hospital has, however, declined to comment on reports that Bachchan is likely to be discharged today.
The actor, who has spent the fourth day in hospital, is responding very well to the treatment administered to him, doctors in the hospital said.
Other than family members, Bollywood actress Preity Zinta paid a visit to Bachchan this morning. PTI
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Sensex: 10809.12, -674.28
The sensex closed at 10809.12, down 674.28
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______Forex_______
1 U.S. $ = 48.460 INR
1 Japanese Yen = 0.4792 INR
1 British Pound = 84.986 INR
1 Canadian $ = 41.718 INR
1 Singapore $ = 32.970 INR
1 UAE Dirham = 13.194 INR
1 Saudi Arabian Riyal = 12.905 INR
1 Euro = 66.070 INR
1 Qatar Rial = 13.315 INR
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