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Heavy rains forecast for Gujarat, toll reaches 98
Ahmedabad, July 4 (PTI) With heavy rains being forecast for different parts of the state, the administration is keeping both the Army and Navy on stand-by even as the situation in Patan district of North Gujarat appeared grim and the total death toll reached 98.
According to Defence sources, the Navy has been asked to remain on stand-by. An Mi-17 helicopter of the IAF has already been positioned at Ahmedabad.
The districts of North Gujarat, including Patan received heavy rains throwing life completely out of gear. The situation here deteriorated with five of the seven talukas of the district receiving more than 380 mm rains during past 24 hours.
About 165 persons are still stranded in Morbipura and Mansa villages of the district, official sources said.
At present the national disaster relief force and Ahmedabad fire brigade are engaged in rescuing those stranded in the flood waters in the district.
Five people have died in different rain-related incidents in Patan district yesterday, sources added.
In the neighbouring Mehsana district, three people have died in rain-related incidents yesterday while three others died in Banaskantha district.
The total death-toll in rain-related incidents in Gujarat (since June 1) stands at 98.
The situation in some of the worst-affected districts of Saurashtra like Jamnagar, Junagadh, Amreli has eased with no overnight rains being recorded in these districts, sources said. PTI
Vietnam PM expects greater economic co-operation
Kolkata, July 4 (PTI) Vietnam would work closely with India for trade, science and tecnology transfer, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said here today.
Addressing a joint business meet of CII and Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry members (VCCI), Dung said that India was an active investor in Vietnam but the investments were not commensurate with the potential.
Friendship and economic co-operation would reach new heights in the years to come as both the country would work more closely, he said.
The total foreign direct investment in Vietnam was about USD 80 billion and annual investment USD 10 billion.
Dung said, "the Look East policy of your country will help in promoting frienship with Vietnam. Our people remember the support during the struggle for independence." Vietnam offered political and social stability, a growing economy for the last 20 years that had crossed eight per cent now, for investment, he said, adding that his country had a young working population. PTI
Aviva offers life insurance product for rural India
Indivjal Dhasmana
Prague, July 4 (PTI) Aiming to extend its coverage in rural India, Aviva Life Insurance today launched a low-premium insurance product for customers of BASiX, an entity engaged in micro finance activities as well as other livelihood support services in the country.
The product, Grameen Suraksha, offers a villager sum assured of at least Rs 25,000 after five years with a premium ranging as low as Rs 575 per annum for two years, according to the company's announcement here.
Aviva India Managing Director Bert Paterson said, "With the launch of Grammen Suraksha, we hope to increase our reach and provide the benefits of life insurance to maximum number of people in rural and social sector." Under the plan, the policy holder is required to pay premium for a period of just two years and then avails the term benefit for 5-10 years.
In case, the policyholder is unable to pay the second annual premium, the plan will still offer a full cover for 18 months or 48 moths from the due date of unpaid premium of 5-10 years.
Aviva, a joint venture between UK-based Aviva Plc and Dabur, has covered close to 9,00,000 lives in the social sector so far in association with Basix and other microinsurance organisations, Bert said.
Basix provides livelihood support services in the field of finance and institutional development in 10 states, including Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Madya Pradesh and Rajasthan. PTI
Petroleum Ministry seeks oil bonds to compensate refiners
New Delhi, July 4 (PTI) The Petroleum Ministry is seeking Rs 19,000 crore worth of oil bonds to partly compensate refiners who are selling fuel below the cost.
The total under-recovery on sale of petrol, diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene is expected to be above Rs 55,000 crore this fiscal, to mitigate which the ministry is seeking issuance of the bonds.
Petroleum Minister Murli Deora will meet Finance Minister P Chidambaram on July 13 to make a case for issue of oil bonds, Petroleum Secretary M S Srinivasan said today.
Public sector oil firms are losing about Rs 170 crore per day on sale of petrol, diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene as the government has not allowed them to raise fuel prices in step with rise in cost.
Indian basket of crude oil has risen more than 12 per cent since February when petrol and diesel were cut by Rs 2 a litre and Re one per litre respectively.
State-run Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum are losing Rs 4.97 a litre on petrol and Rs 4.45 per litre on diesel. The loss on sale of kerosene through the public distribution system is Rs 14.63 per litre and on LPG is Rs 189.14 per cylinder. PTI
Indo-Pak rice traders to hold talks on July 18 over Basmati
Islamabad, July 4 (PTI) As Pakistan reportedly plans to take legal action against India over a dispute on patenting of Super Basmati rice, rice exporters of both the countries will meet in New Delhi on July 18 to discuss the prospects of joint registration and a joint export strategy.
"I have been invited by Vijay Setia, President of India Rice Exporters Association for talks in New Delhi on July 18," Rahim Janoo, a prominent rice exporter and former Chairman of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) told PTI.
Janoo, who is based in Karachi, said that REAP wants to play a role to resolve the differences between the two countries over the dispute on patenting of Super Basmati rice on method of geographical indicator.
"We will try to come to an understanding. We want both the countries to join to prevent third countries from claiming patent on Basmati. It is our common heritage and we should look for a joint strategy to market it in the world," he said.
His comments were in response to a report by a newspaper here that Pakistan plans to file a case in the Supreme Court of India to challenge India's claim on Super Basmati.
Asked whether REAPs stand on would be backed by Pakistan government, he said his association carried the prestige and influence because of its standing.
"We will try to convince our government failing which we have to follow the directives," he said. PTI
Planning Commission favours listing of CIL on bourses
New Delhi, Jul 4 (PTI) The Planning Commission has favoured the proposed listing of public sector behemoth Coal India Limited (CIL) to enable it raise additional resources to fund its ongoing expansion plans.
"It (listing) is a good idea. If the law permits then we can get CIL listed for it could help the PSU raise resources," Planning Commission Member Kirit Parikh told PTI.
Parikh's statement assumes importance in the backdrop of the government's opinion that more PSUs should get listed on the bourses to raise resources.
The Coal Ministry has already approved appointment of 40 independent directors on the board of the state-run coal giant and its seven subsidiaries, which is being considered crucial before it is listed.
CIL Chairman and Managing Director P S Bhattacharya had earlier said that divestment of CIL would be considered after receiving the report of the Shankar Committee, which was constituted to suggest steps to restructure the coal PSU.
CIL is understood to have sought the Coal Ministry's nod for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of five per cent of its total paid-up capital of about Rs 6,000 crore.
The face value of a share would be Rs 10 and the issue would be made at a premium of Rs 100 per share. The PSU was aiming to mop up about Rs 3,000 crore from the proposed IPO.
The coal giant has chalked out an ambitious Rs 15,000- crore plan for its existing and new projects during the 11th Plan period.
The CIL Board has five functional directors, two nominees from Coal Ministry and one from the Railways. PTI
Paes-Damm advance, Sania-Shahar bow out
London, July 4 (PTI) Leander Paes had a smooth passage to the men's doubles quarterfinals but Sania Mirza made her exit in the women's doubles at the Wimbledon Grand Slam here today.
Paes and Czech Republic's Martin Damm, the fifth seeds, made a quick work of Scott Lipsky and David Martin of the US to record a 6-2 6-4 6-2 victory in the third round.
The Indo-Israeli combine of Sania and Shahar Peer, however, bowed out despite a strong comeback after losing the first set to love against top seeds American Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur of Australia.
Lisa and Samantha lost the second set in tie-break, but either side of it, they won 11 out of 12 games to win 6-0 6-7 (4) 6-1 in the third round. PTI
Madugalle, Mahanama match referees for India-England series
Dubai, Jul 4 (PTI) Sri Lanka's Ranjan Madugalle and Roshan Mahanama have been appointed match referees for the upcoming Test and ODI cricket series between India and England this month.
While Madugalle will oversee the three-match Test series starting July 19 in London, Mahanama will be in-charge of the seven ODIs, the International Cricket Council said in a statement.
Australian umpire Simon Taufel and West Indian Steve Bucknor will stand in the first Test to be played from July 19 to 23 at the Lord's.
The second Test, at Trent Bridge from July 27 to 31, will be umpired by Taufel and South African Ian Howell. The third and final Test, at The Oval from August 9 to 13, will be officiated by Bucknor and Howell.
West Indian Billy Doctrove will supervise the first three ODIs on August 21, 24 and 27, while Pakistan's Aleem Dar will stand in the last four matches to be played on August 30 and September 2, 5 and 8 along with umpires selected by the host board.
Before taking on England in the one-day series, India will travel to Glasgow for an ODI against Scotland on August 16.
Madugalle will be the match referee, while Howell and Ian Gould will be the umpires for this one-off tie.
Meanwhile, Javagal Srinath has been appointed match referee for the three-match ODI series between Zimbabwe and South Africa from August 22 to 26. PTI
Broadcaster Nimbus to distribute sports content on its own
New Delhi, Jul 4 (PTI) Private sports broadcaster Nimbus, which holds telecast rights of cricket matches featuring India till 2010, today said it would launch an independent bouquet for distributing content to cable and other TV platforms.
The announcement puts to rest speculation that Nimbus was working on a distribution deal with Sony Entertainment Television, after an agreement with Star India was called off.
Nimbus' efforts to reach a distribution deal failed after the government issued an ordinance making it mandatory for the private broadcaster to share feed with public broadcaster Doordarshan, ending any exclusivity it enjoyed.
"The independent distribution route will allow us a rapid ramp up, better long term control and superior monetising. For the next 2-3 months, the focus will be on getting maximum distribution reach for Neo Sports and Neo Sports Plus," Neo Sports CEO Shashi Kalathil said in a statement.
Former Zee Turner CEO Arun Poddar has been appointed President (Sales) for Neo Sports.
Kalathil said the bouquet will be expanded on the basis of considerable interest and the best option in the Indian environment is to extract revenues from the cable TV distribution team.
Nimbus has a line up of cricket series till 2010. This year, Australia and Pakistan are scheduled to visit India and play test and one-day matches. PTI
Buoyed Indian team reaches London
London, July 4 (PTI) Buoyed by their Future Cup series victory against the formidable South Africans, the Indian cricket team arrived here from Glasgow to commence the testing tour of England that starts with a warm-up match against Sussex at Hove from July 7.
The team has been joined by senior players Anil Kumble and VVS Laxman and opener Wasim Jaffer -- all of whom arrived here on Tuesday. Ishant Sharma and Ranadeb Bose, the pace bowlers picked for the Test series, are already with the squad.
India recorded their first-ever one-day series triumph against the Proteas in the three-match series in Belfast. Their one-off tie against Pakistan in Glasgow for the Friendship Cup, however, was washed out without a ball being bowled.
Thanks to heavy rain and biting cold, the Indian experienced some extremely difficult conditions in Belfast which will come in handy during their tough tour of England.
"Our Belfast experience will help because you won't get conditions worse than that. It was absolutely freezing and the conditions were tough. I've never encountereed anything like this in my entire career. This is something we are not used to, and experiencing that just before the series against England is wonderful," remarked Sachin Tendulkar who completed his 15,000 one-day runs in the Future Cup series. PTI
Rare green crystals found in 2,500-year-old tomb in east China
Beijing, July 4 (PTI) Chinese archaeologists excavating a 2,500-year-old tomb in east China's Jiangxi province have discovered several pieces of rare green crystal lodged in the bones of 47 skeletons in the coffins, the state media reported today.
One of the diamond-shaped crystals was 8.5 centimetres long. Archaeologists said the crystals appeared to have "grown" in the bones.
The coffins also contained bronze, gold, silk, porcelain and jade items and even body tissue. They pointed out that the coffins were made from halved nanmu, a rare and extremely durable wood, and covered in white plaster and a layer of loess.
The fact that the coffins were fire-heated to make them waterproof and airtight may be a factor in the creation of the crystals. Classically, crystals are formed when rocks are heated and then cool slowly over time.
Archaeologists said there were no previous records of green-coloured crystals being found in tombs and said they would help scientists understand changes to the human body in different conditions.
Discovered in December 2006, the tomb in Lijia village in Jing'an county in Jiangxi is 16 metres long, about 11.5 metres wide and three metres deep. It is believed to date back to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-221 B.C.), Xinhua news agency reported.
This is the largest group of coffins ever discovered in a single tomb in China, prompting cultural experts to dub the excavation "the most important archeology project of the year". PTI
Filmmakers team up to deliver message on AIDS in cinema halls
Sridhar Krishnaswami
Washington, Jul 4 (PTI) Indian cinemagoers will soon see short films by India's top directors about the impact of HIV/AIDS, which will be screened ahead of Bollywood movie blockbusters.
The "AIDS Jaago" project, a collaboration of filmmakers to raise awareness about the disease, is the brainchild of India-born film director Mira Nair and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Nair came up with the idea when a representative of the foundation contacted her and presented "the startling statistic that if we don't control what's happening in India in terms of the lack of awareness and stigma and other things associated with HIV, the magnitude of India's HIV/AIDS epidemic could equal that of Africa in a few years." "I proposed that I would get together the most cutting-edge, commercial, populist film directors from different regions of India who would each use iconic movie stars who are recognized in our country, who would each make a dramatic tale of 15 minutes in length," Nair told USINFO, a US government-run website.
One AIDS topic was assigned to each director, "and then they had the freedom to do what they needed to do," Nair said.
"I chose the directors I most admire," she said of filmmakers Vishal Bhardwaj, Santosh Sivan and Farhan Akhtar.
Bhardwaj's film Blood Brothers is about the psychological impact of the infection and "living positively with it," Nair said. PTI
Indian doctor detained from Liverpool identified: Reports
London, Jul 4 (PTI) The Indian doctor taken into custody in Liverpool last Saturday in connection with the aborted car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow has been identified as Sabeel Ahmed from Bangalore, media reports said today.
Both Ahmed and another Indian doctor detained in Australia, Mohammed Haneef, also from Bangalore, had worked together in Halton Hospital in Cheshire in 2005. Ahmed is still working there, the reports said.
However, a Metropolitan Police spokesman told PTI they had taken into custody a 26-year-old man in Liverpool on Saturday but refused to give the identity. PTI
Top militant commander inside Pak Lal Masjid: report
Islamabad, July 4 (PTI) A top Islamist militant commander with extensive fighting experience in Afghanistan has based himself with 40 fighters inside the radical Lal Masjid where at least 21 people have been killed in gunbattles between madrassa students and security forces.
The unnamed commander belonging to Mehsud tribe and having vast fighting experience in the restive Afghanistan has managed to enter Jamia Hafsa with a group of 40 fighters to support the students of Lal Masjid against the government, a source privy to the masjid said.
The jihadis who entered the masjid are well-equipped and well trained for situation like this, the source was quoted as saying by The Post daily.
One of the brothers of a Member of National Assembly from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) is also accompanying the commander to strengthen the hands of radical students.
The Lal Masjid administration would be in a better position to take on the security forces after putting the girl students holed up inside the madrassa in safe locations, sources said.
Meanwhile, the government deployed the army and imposed curfew around the Lal Masjid early today asking the clerics and militant students of the mosque to surrender along with their weapons.
"The curfew has been imposed.... Those who surrender will not be harmed. If anybody comes out with arms, he will face bullets," Minister of State for Interior Zaffar Iqbal Warraich said announcing the decision of a high-level meeting presided over by President Pervez Musharraf. PTI
The nutty industry takes another leap
Snehesh Alex Philip
New Delhi, Jul 04, (PTI) With fitness freaks stressing on fat-free healthy diet, dry fruits like cashews, almonds are in for stiff competition from the new variants popularly known as the 'healthy nuts' or 'healthy dry fruits'.
"Researchers and nutritionists across the world have proved that it is wrong to stay away from nuts because of the presumed fat and cholesterol. No, doubt, nuts indeed give you fat but then hazelnuts gives you good fat," says V N Dalmia of Dalmia Continental Private Ltd (DCPL) which is all set to market Leonardo Hazelnuts in India promoting it as a 'healthy nut'.
Exports and importers dealing with dry fruits agree that new varieties of 'healthy nuts' are giving a strong competition to what was traditionally dry fruits in India namely, cashews, almonds and raisins.
"The lifestyle trend is such that everyone wants to go in for healthy variants so why should dry fruits be any different. Now, we see that slowly traditional dry fruits like cashews are taking a backseat while new exotic dry fruits and nuts like macadamia from Australia and mulberries among other like dry cherries, dried plums and prunes gaining higher demand," says Sanjiv Obhrai, Director, Chocolatiers the Chocolate Boutique in the capital.
"The market is growing for such dry fruits," he adds. Even DCPL, which recently launched packed hazelnuts in the market is very bullish with market expectations.
"We expect sales of 60 tonnes which amounts to roughly Rs 3 crores in the first year and are looking at a compounded annual growth rate of 75 per cent per annum for the next five years," DCPL added. PTI
Pressure on Zoramthanga government mounting
H C Vanlalruata
Aizawl, Jul 04 (PTI) With the election to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly only a year away, pressure had mounted against the Mizo National Front (MNF) government led by Chief Minister Zoramthanga from many fronts.
Opposition parties are launching scathing attacks against the state government by repeatedly urging the centre to impose president's rule and end the 'misrule' of Zoramthanga regime.
The three opposition combine - the Congress, the Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) and the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) are crying for the blood of the MNF government alleging nexus with insurgent groups, failure of law and order and rampant corruption.
Allegations of the government nexus with Chakma and Hmar insurgent groups had been thrown thick and fast inside the state legislature and outside while processions were taken out and bandhs imposed by the opposition combine.
The plethora of allegations leveled against the state government prompted state Home Minister Tawnluia to propose constitution of a House Inquiry Committee which was implemented by the Assembly Speaker Lalchamliana.
Saikapthianga of the Mizoram Congress Party (MCP) a breakaway group of the state PCC and junior partner of the ruling MNF was appointed as chairman of the seven-member Inquiry Committee.
Opposition parties, however, were not happy with the Speaker's decision and demanded that the Inquiry Committee should be headed by an opposition member, preferably former Chief Minister and Congress legislature party leader Lal Thanhawla. PTI
Looking through the glasses-the way the stars do
Annie Samson
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) Rajnikant in his latest Tamil flick 'Sivaji' sports a stylish pair of sunglasses, Amitabh Bacchchan plays a bespectacled 64-year-old cook in 'Cheeni Kum', and the major cast of 'Metro' Irfaan Khan, Kangana Ranaut and Konkona SenSharma all sport zero power spectacles.
"No wonder seventy five per cent of the people do not follow the optical store salesman's suggestion. They are influenced by movies and various magazines, newspapers and printed matter. Market trends keep fluctuating and things are much different than a few years ago when where one particular trend used to dominate for years. Today fashion is changing very fast and the hot designs keep changing rapidly, says Tarun Sachdeva, of Eye Essentials, which deal in vision correcting aids, spectacle frames etc.
With more and more actors wearing glasses on screen, the common man is following suit and becoming choosy about the frames and quality of glasses.
Multicoloured and broad sized frames are 'hot.' "Sunglasses and frames are available for Rs 1,000 and Rs 60,000," says Lalit Kalra, Director, Dayal Opticals.
Also, with increasing brand consciousness people are aware of the varieties of frames and sunglasses available. "They have fixed ideas about the type of brand they want," says Manoj Soni, Laurence and Mayo, Connaught Place.
He says "Earlier people might have been vaguely aware of some sunglass brands but nowadays due to huge advertisments in the media there is a growing awareness in the market about the wide variety of choice available to them." Manoj Soni adds, "While customers may demand specific brands for frames awareness about lenses is still insufficient in the market." Vogue Prada, Versace, Bovigare, Gucci are the most popular brands. The latest trend is that of titanium metal because they are very flexible and strong and almost impossible to break," he says. PTI
Philately: A forgotten hobby
Sunandita Dasgupta
New Delhi, July 2(PTI) Once considered the "king of hobbies", fit for those who seek knowledge and aesthetic pleasure, stamp collection no more holds any attraction for the techno-savvy youth of this fast-paced internet age.
Detaching the stamps delicately from envelopes, rinsing and drying them before using paper hinges or "havids" to place them in albums, exchanging them with others to enhance the collection -- all these may have an old-world charm but the young have no time for such activities, say philatelists.
At times like this, when speed is the buzzword, the prominence of telephone, e-mail and SMS is spelling doom for traditional communication modes like letter-writing, in the process also sounding the death knell for the hobby of stamp collection, or philately, they say.
"More and more people are turning to internet to communicate with friends and relatives. Though the pleasure of receiving a well-written letter cannot be compared with anything else, nowadays the emphasis is on speedy communication," says a senior official of the New Delhi-based Indian Philatelic Museum. PTI
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