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Achuthanandan, Vijayan suspended from CPI(M) Polit Bureau
New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) Sending a strong signal that it will not tolerate factionalism, the CPI(M) Polit Bureau today suspended Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan and CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan from the highest policy making body for their public spat in violation of party norms.
Days after the two CPI(M) veterans aired their criticism of each other in public recently especially after the government's demolition drive in Munnar hill resort, the Polit Bureau took serious note of the issue and decided to get its act together to set the faction-ridden state unit in order.
Both Achuthanandan and Vijayan, who are members of the Polit Bureau for several years, will however continue as Chief Minister and the state secretary respectively.
Announcing the decision, CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said the open criticism by the two senior leaders have violated the norms of the party and the clear directive of the Polit Bureau and the Central Committee that the state party leadership should not air their differences publicly. PTI
India to buy 350 main battle tanks from Russia
Moscow, May 26 (PTI) India is to buy around 350 T-90S main battle tanks (MBT) from Russia under a deal to be inked in autumn this year, according to a top military official here.
"The contract for their delivery will be signed in autumn this year, although it was initially to be signed this month," Chief of the Russian Defence Ministry's mechanised armoured department, Colonel-General Vladislav Polonsky, was quoted as saying by ITAR-TASS.
According to General Polonsky, like in the case of previously executed contract for the sale of 300 T-90S the new deal would also be completed within 3-4 years.
"As a result of the tank deals India will have two divisions fully equipped with latest Russian T-90 tanks," Gen Polonsky said. PTI
Mayawati may support UPA-Left on Presidential poll
New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) The efforts to have a combined candidate of the UPA-Left-BSP for the Presidential poll gained momentum today with UP Chief Minister Mayawati holding talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the ticklish matter.
Mayawati's luncheon meeting with Singh came close on the heels of the BSP National Executive unanimously authorising her to take a decision in the matter at a time when the party holds the key in the selection of a successor to President A P J Abdul Kalam.
"My meeting with the Prime Minister will end the situation of confrontation between the Centre and the UP," Mayawati said appreciating Singh's assurance of providing all help for the development of the state.
She said her government would adopt a "cooperative" approach with the Centre and would not allow politics to come in the development of the state.
The luncheon meeting was joined by Gandhi was indication enough that BSP was on board with the UPA-Left on the Presidential election.
The BSP supremo, on her first visit to the capital after assuming power for the fourth time, had a marathon discussion with Gandhi at her residence yesterday.
Mayawati has given enough hints that she had no intention to do business with opposition NDA in the matter and made it a point to emphasise that her party supported UPA at the Centre to keep 'communal forces' at bay.
After the meeting, Mayawati refused to say anything on the Presidential issue saying she would be able to say something only after consultations with her party MPs and MLAs in the state. She said whatever decision the party has to take, it would do so in a democratic way. PTI
Assam bomb blast kills seven, another bomb defused
Guwahati, May 26 (PTI) The ULFA today struck in a big way on the eve of Tarun Gogoi government's one year in office by exploding a powerful bomb in the heart of this city killing seven persons and injuring 30 others, as security forces also seized a time bomb in an unclaimed trunk from a train.
The powerful bomb hidden in an autorickshaw went off at around 10.45 am at Athgaon area killing five passersby and shoppers on the spot, police said.
Two injured persons succumbed to their injuries at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital.
The explosion impacted an LPG cylinder being transported at the time in a cycle rickshaw which exploded injuring 30 others and damaged two vehicles and two autorickshaws, the sources said.
The incident comes on the eve of Tarun Gogoi government's one year in office in its second term.
Utter confusion and panic followed the blasts as police moved in and cordoned off the area.
A PTI correspondent on the scene found headless bodies and body parts strewn on the road where the blast occurred.
Twentytwo of the injured were admitted to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital, one to the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Civil Hospital and others to private hospitals.
People at nearby Fancy Bazar took to the streets to protest the blast and pelted stones at the police.
Meanwhile, another major mishap was averted with the recovery of a nine kg live programmable time device in an unclaimed trunk from a compartment of the the Delhi-Guwahati Bramhaputra Mail at Kokrajhar railway station.
The GRP found the trunk and offloaded it from the train and called in sniffer dogs and the army bomb disposal squad.
The bomb was taken away for defusing. PTI
Bowl more to survive burnout, says Srinath
K. Kumaraswamy
New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) Former Test seamer Javagal Srinath has sought to dispel the notion that fast bowlers get injured because of the excess load on them.
The 37-year-old, now an ICC Match Referee, said that actually the opposite was true.
"My theory is if you bowl less you get injured," said Srinath, who played in 67 Tests and claimed 236 wickets.
"If you bowl more and more, your muscles get strengthened. If you take the case of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and myself, we never had any problem.
"There is the odd exception but in general, about 60 per cent of the injuries bowlers suffer are due to bowling less or bowling lots of overs intermittently.
"Your body has to be tuned to bowl 35 overs in a match. You cannot do that all of a sudden." Srinath's advice to the young crop is to play lot of first-class matches and bowl a lot.
"One should bowl 1000 overs in a year, and I am talking about first-class cricket. There is an inherent training in fast bowling.
"You look at Zaheer Khan. He is well tuned now after playing in the English county. I don't think he will be ever injured again.
"Yes, there will be the odd injury, but you can't avoid those." PTI
Sania and Yung-Jan duo falter at last hurdle
New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) Top seeds Sania Mirza and her partner Yung-Jan Chan of Taiwan were upset by an unseeded Polish pair in the doubles final of the USD 200,000 Istanbul Cup women's tennis tournament in Turkey today.
Sania and Yung-Jan's 1-6 3-6 loss to Agnieszka Radwanska and Urszula Radwanska crushed the Indian star's hopes of back-to-back WTA doubles titles.
Sania had bagged her fourth WTA doubles crown at the Morocco Open at Fes, Morocco, partnering Vania King of America last week.
The Indo-Taiwanese combination were dominated by the Radwanskas in the first set right from the beginning and lost tamely.
Radwanskas broke their opponents in the sixth and eighth games of the second set to seal the matter in their own favour.
Sania will next play in the French Open, the second Grand Slam of the season, beginning tomorrow. PTI
Gangjee moves up to 28th, Ghei slips in SK Telecom
Seoul, May 26 (PTI) Rahil Gangjee brought the lone good news from the Indian camp as he moved up to tied 28th spot with an even par round of 72 on the third day of the SK Telecom Open here today.
The Kolkata professional, who won his only Asian Tour title back in 2004, improved seven places while Gaurav Ghei, SSP Chowrasia and Amandeep Johl slipped in the penultimate round at the wind swept BA Vista Country Club.
Ghei, who had a great start in first round, shot a four-over 76 and slipped to 48th, from overnight 28th, while Johl (75) also slipped to 48th from 35th.
Chowrasia (76) was tied 58th, after being 61st overnight.
Korea's Bae Sang-moon was solid at the top of the pack as he opened up a four stroke lead. Bae, who led since the opening day, cemented his position at the top of the leaderboard after a three-day total of 12-under-par 204.
He had a commanding four shot lead ahead of compatriot Kim Hyung-tae who was even-par for the day and American David Oh (70) in joint second place at the USD 600,000 event.
Gangjee had two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine and shot a straight sequence of nine pars on back nine.
Johl had two bogeys and a double on front nine, which he played in 40, and then he recovered one shot with a birdie on 15th on back nine.
Ghei had a up-and-down day. He had three birdies and three bogeys on front nine, most of the time alternating between birdie and bogeys. On the back stretch he hit a roadblock with four bogeys for a 76.
Chowrasia was even for front nine and was four over for the back stretch. PTI
EPF Board meets tomorrow to decide on interest rate
New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) Amidst strong protests against any cut in the rate of EPF, its Central Board of Trustees will meet here tomorrow to take a final decision on the interest to be paid to four crore subscribers for 2006-07 and 2007-08.
With Left parties going hammer and tongs against further slashing of the interest from 8.5 per cent, the Board will weigh all options carefully before finalising the rate.
The Leftist trade unions have been suggesting that since some banks were at present giving upto 10.5 per cent interest, the EPF rates should be hiked accordingly and it was for the CBT to explore ways to do it.
However, the CBT, during its five meetings so far this year, has expressed helplessness in paying 8.5 per cent interest saying it would be left with a deficit of Rs 450 crore.
Even Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes, who is the Chairman of the EPF Board, has admitted that it was "difficult task" to hike the rate. PTI
CAG pulls up Railways for loss of Rs 34.12 cr
New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has pulled up Railways for ignoring norms laid down for the transfer of Railway land resulting in the loss of Rs 34.12 crore.
In its report for the year ended March, 2006, the CAG said while Railway Code for the Engineering Department stipulates that in all cases of disposal of railway land, the amount payable would be equivalent to the market price as on the date of transfer.
But Vijaywada Municipal Corporation (VMC) paid only a token amount of Rs 50 lakh for 25.30 acre land.
The Railway Board agreed (August 1995) in principle to remove a portion of branch line passing through Sathyanarayanpuram and to relinquish land to the extent of 25.30 acres provided suitable alternative land of equivalent value was given within the municipal limits of Vijaywada besides depositing the cost of construction of enabling works.
The Board, however, modified (in June 1996) their decision as per which VMC had to pay a token amount of Rs 50 lakh only towards cost of enabling railway works alongwith suitable alternative free hold land, the CAG said in its report presented to Parliament.
It further said that though different proposals of VMC for equitable exchange of land at Ajitsinghnagar were made, they were not accepted. PTI
Nifty closes at historic peak; Sensex at 14-week high
Mumbai, May 26 (PTI) Stocks: Fall in inflation gave a much needed impetus to stock markets to recover on the last session and the NSE Nifty closed at a new peak, while benchmark Sensex ended at 14-week high during the week under review that saw high volatility.
The S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also logged all-time trading high of 4,291.40 before ending the week at 4,248.15, a rise of 33.65 points or 0.80 per cent over last weekend's close of 4,214.50.
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) 30-share sensitive index, Sensex, fluctuated in a wide range of 14,500.64 and 14,046.06 before finishing the week up by 35.04 points or 0.24 per cent at 14,338.45 from preceding weekend's close of 14,303.41.
Capital goods and metal counters continued to be in the limelight and notched sharp gains, helping the Sensex to end the week in positive terrain for the second straight week.
The week started on a strong footing, extending last weekend's sharp gain of 507.25 points or 3.68 per cent but after mid-week it showed some signs of weakness only to rebound on the last session on hectic short-coverings.
Dealers attributed weekend's smart recovery to hectic short-coverings by operators and retail investors ahead of the expiry of May series on Thursday.
Looking at the stability in the Rupee value, IT counters attracted good buying support on last day of the week.
Fall in Inflation for the fourth consecutive week to 5.27 per cent in the week ended May 12, mainly helped the bulls to come back. PTI
M&M replaces Hero Honda in Sensex
Mumbai, May 26 (PTI) Utility vehicles manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra will replace Hero Honda in the country's benchmark index Sensex from July 9.
The Index Committee of the Exchange, in its meeting held on May 25, has decided to revise the composition of BSE indices including those in Sensex, BSE-100, BSE-200, BSE-500 and two sectoral indices, a BSE circular said.
In the BSE-100 index nine new companies have been inducted in place of the outgoing stocks. The inclusions are of -- Aban Offshore, Biocon, Cairn India, Dish TV, Tech Mahindra and Indiabulls Real Estate among others.
Besides, in BSE-200 index 27 firms have been included in place of same number of exclusions from the index, the BSE circular said.
Among the sectoral indices, Karnataka Bank and Yes Bank have been included in the Bankex, Moser Baer and Rolta (India) in BSE IT and BSE Teck indices.
Besides, Power Finance Corporation has been included in the BSE PSU index and 10 other stocks have been included in the BSE Teck index.
Two companies -- Sundaram Fasteners and Tube Investments of India have been removed from the BSE Auto index, while P&G Hygiene and Heathcare Ltd is dropped from BSE FMCG.
All the changes in the various indices are effective from July 9, it said.
The index committee has also made changes in the BSE-500 with 34 new inclusions replacing the excluded firms. PTI
Pakistan witness 28.01 per cent growth in mobile phone import
Karachi, May 26 (PTI) Import of mobile phones by Pakistan grew by 28.01 per cent during the first 10 months of the current financial year.
During the period between July 2006 and April 2007, mobile phones worth USD 728,283 were imported, compared to USD 568,930 the previous financial year, Geo TV reported.
Import of cell phones have increased almost six times during the last three years.
There are over 175,000 estimated mobile phone shops in the country which employs around 645,000 people. PTI
Pak oppn parties threaten civil disobedience
Islamabad, May 26 (PTI) Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has said it would consider boycotting polls if President Pervez Musharraf got himself re-elected while continuing as the Army chief even as other opposition parties threatened to launch a civil disobedience movement over the issue.
Bhutto's confidante and top PPP leader Amin Fahim was quoted by the newly-launched Dawn news as saying that his party would mull boycotting the general elections if Musharraf continued to hold the dual posts of President and Army Chief.
His reaction came as Musharraf in his recent meeting with legislators of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) said that he would get elected by the existing national and provincial assemblies between September 15 and October 15 this year after which he would hold general elections.
Yesterday, he told reporters in Karachi that he would act according to the constitution in deciding about his uniform.
Musharraf argues that constitutionally he is entitled to retain the uniform till the end of this year after which he says he would decide.
His recent remarks in an interview that uniform is his second skin and cannot be separated from him has created misgivings even to Bhutto who publicly admitted of having held talks with Musharraf to reach a deal.
The growing crisis over the suspension of Chief Justice Iftikar M Chaudhry and the May 12 violence in Karachi, the stronghold of PPP has also made Bhutto revise her strategy of having any rapprochement with him. PTI
Nawaz Sharif claims he is still Prime Minister
Islamabad, May 26 (PTI) Exiled former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted from power by President Pervez Musharraf in a military coup eight years ago, has claimed that he was "technically" and "Constitutionally" still the Prime Minister of the country.
"Well the Constitution has been subverted by Musharraf. Technically, constitutionally, legally I think I am still the Prime Minister. And former President (Rafiq) Tarar is the President of the country," Sharif, who is currently in London, told Al-Jazeera TV in an interview.
"But then of course Musharaf ... Took over the country by force. And he is still the President occupying that position unconstitutionally. It was an extra-constitutional act. He overthrew my government and forcibly became President of the country," he said.
Sharif, who heads Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) party, said he and former Premier Benazir Bhutto wanted to return to Pakistan before the general elections, scheduled for later this year, in order to launch their campaigns.
He said if Musharraf bars the leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), headed by Bhutto, and PML-N from participating in the polls, the general elections will have no sanctity.
Sharif said he believed that the forced absence of the popular leadership would amount to rigging of the polls, casting shadow over Musharraf's claims of holding fair and free elections.
He said he has not yet announced any date for his return, neither chalked out any plans. (More)
Free media must for progressive, vibrant state: Musharraf
Karachi, May 26 (PTI) Facing flak for allegedly trying to subdue the media, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has reiterated his support for a free and independent press, albeit within certain "parameters." The country is in the midst of a political crisis sparked by the suspension of the country's chief justice, and Musharraf's administration is accused by international media watchdogs, human rights activists and opposition parties of pressuring the country's media in the coverage of the turmoil.
Speaking at the launch of Pakistan's first English news channel "DawnNews" here last night, Musharraf said a vibrant, independent and free media is necessary for a country to be ranked as a progressive, dynamic state.
Claiming that his government had pursued a policy of giving more freedom to the media, the president said he always believed that a free press is imperative to promote democracy.
Musharraf also pointed out that there were 50 television channels and about 100 radio stations broadcasting in the country presently, compared to only one television channel - PTV - in 2000.
"We took the decision to grant freedom to the media so that everyone can be held accountable and there is more transparency in running of government affairs," Musharraf said, while recalling that initially there had been opposition against granting licenses for private channels.
Reminding the audience that freedom and the responsibility must go together, Musharraf said while the media should criticise any wrong policies and decisions of the government, "this should be within certain parameters which could be defined through a broad government policy or through self-imposed code of conduct and ethics."
China begins real-time monitoring of nuke power plants
Beijing, May 26 (PTI) China has begin trial operations of a nuclear emergency response system that allows for real-time monitoring of the country's three nuclear power bases, an official said.
The new system, headquartered in the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, will provide information about radiation levels in nuclear power plants, and automatically detect alarms and report emergencies to the plants and the provinces, Chao Zhexiong, an official of the national nuclear accident emergency management office said.
The system can also be extended to overseas organisations and public web sites in case of emergencies.
He said the system has been linked with the emergency response systems of China's three major nuclear power bases, which are in Qinshan of Zhejiang Province, Daya Bay of Guangdong Province and Tianwan of Jiangsu Province, and the provincial nuclear emergency offices.
The second phase of the system, which is still under construction, will connect the provincial emergency offices with that of the central government, Chao said.
China has maintained a good safety record at its 11 nuclear power generating units, three of which are at Qinshan nuclear power plant, two at Daya Bay, four at Tianwan and two at Ling'ao nuclear power plant near Daya Bay.
China's present installed capacity of nuclear power plants is less than nine million kilowatts, about one per cent of all its power generating capacity. It will be increased to 40 million kilowatts by 2020. PTI
Radical clerics renew threats of imposing moral code in Pak
Islamabad, May 26 (PTI) Radical clerics of a mosque here have renewed their threats to attack music shops and brothels in the city even as the government withdrew the 10,000-strong police force mobilised to raid its premises.
The special force mobilised to conduct operations against the mosque and madrasa has been withdrawn and the bulk of the forces assembled from different places in Punjab have been sent back, local network Aaj TV reported today.
The clerics have been in news for the abduction of five policemen demanding imposition of Sharia law in the country.
The demobilisation of the forces came as the two clerics issued fresh threats of raids on music and video shops as well as massage parlours by their students numbering over 7,000.
"Our students can attack these outlets anytime because the deadline given to their owners had already passed," Lal Masjid main cleric Abdul Aziz said in his Friday prayer speech yesterday. The deadline ended last month.
"We are insecure and need government protection," local daily Dawn quoted a CD shop owner in Abpara market as saying.
The music shopowner said that a group of 40 to 50 baton-wielding people, some of them covering their faces, had visited different markets two months ago and asked owners of CD, audio and video shops to switch over to other business.
Several foreigners living in posh E-7 and F-7 sectors have also complained that boys studying in Jamia Faridia, a madrasa run by Lal Masjid clerics have begun imposing their moral code. PTI
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Sensex: 14338.45, +120.34
The sensex closed at 14338.45, up 120.34
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1 U.S. $ = 40.275 INR
1 Japanese Yen = 0.3307 INR
1 British Pound = 79.918 INR
1 Canadian $ = 37.271 INR
1 Singapore $ = 26.368 INR
1 UAE Dirham = 10.970 INR
1 Saudi Arabian Riyal = 10.741 INR
1 Euro = 54.148 INR
1 Qatar Rial = 11.066 INR
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