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BSNL employees go on strike; telecom services to be hit
New Delhi, Jul 11 (PTI) Telecom services across the country are expected to be hit following BSNL employees' indefinite strike from today, demanding immediate placement of equipment orders for expansion of its mobile network.
"Strike started at 0600 hours. Workers of all the associations, unions are unitedly on strike. The strike is a complete success," V A N Namboodiri, joint convener of BSNL and MTNL employees forum, said.
BSNL has 3.5 crore fixed lines and 2.4 crore mobile subscribers and is the largest telecom operator with operations in regions except Mumbai and Delhi.
The employees went ahead with their decision to go on strike following failure of its talks with the company management, Telecom Minister A Raja and Department of Telecom.
The Union wanted a written assurance from DoT that its demands of placing the contract for laying 45.5 million GSM lines should be placed to the selected vendors.
But the DoT letter did not seem to have lived up to the expectation of the union as it apparently did not mention two crucial issues -- that BSNL should go for 3G network and immediate placement of order for 45.5 million lines.
The employees are likely to hold a meeting with Raja today along with the top brass of BSNL and DoT secretary.
The problem of the PSU is expected to be compounded with this strike as it struggles to increase its GSM capacity through tenders which has been mired in controversies and delays. PTI
Bush reiterates support for Musharraf
Washington, Jul 11 (PTI) US President George W Bush has praised Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's role in checking extremism after the country's military stormed a mosque in the capital where radical Islamists were holed up, calling the general a "strong ally" in the war against terror.
"Musharraf is a strong ally in the war against these extremists. I like him and I appreciate him," Bush said.
Bush also called the uniformed President a partner in the promotion of democracy. "I'm of course, constantly working with him to make sure that democracy continues to advance in Pakistan. He's been a valuable ally in rejecting extremists. And that's important, to cultivate those allies," he said.
"...This is hard for some Americans to understand, we are at the beginning stages of a major ideological struggle that will affect the security of the United States, and it's a struggle between moderation and extremists. It's a struggle between radicals who kill and rational people who want to live in peace," Bush added.
In an effort to reach out to Muslims, Bush said he favoured people-to-people contact between America and Muslim countries to dispel any misgivings and change the peception about the US.
He also urged people to reject radicalism, and not the "great religion" of Islam.
"...Step one is to make it clear that we reject radical and extremism and murderers, not reject a great religion. Step two is to encourage people like you to go to Pakistan," Bush said in Cleveland, Ohio when a Pakistani American asked the president what the US was doing in public diplomacy to change the anti-American attitude of many Muslims around the world. PTI
Tendulkar is greatest batsman of modern era: Cairns
Dubai, Jul 11 (PTI) Sitting on piles of runs in both forms of cricket and with virtually every batting record in his pocket, Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest batsman of the modern era, according to former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns.
Enjoying every bit of his stint with the Lashings World XI after an illustrious career with the New Zealand team, Cairns was asked to name the best batsman of his era and the Kiwi picked Tendulkar.
Among the bowlers, Pakistani great Wasim Akram was Cairns' choice.
Blessed with six-hitting abilities and lively pace, Cairns was hailed as one of the few genuine all-rounders of his era. The affable Kiwi, however, rates Ian Botham, Imran Khan and Kapil Dev as the three best all-rounders of the modern era.
"In my view Ian Botham tops the list. He has won more matches and could easily turn a match with his effort," Cairns was quoted as saying by 'Gulf News'.
"Imran Khan is next as the Pakistani all-rounder could bat at number four and also used to open the bowling. PTI
Oberoi Group to invest Rs 900 cr by 2011 on new hotels
New Delhi, July 11 (PTI) Buoyed by one of its hotels - Oberoi Uday Villas - being named the world's best by Travel + Leisure magazine, the Oberoi Group today said it will invest about Rs 900 crore by 2011 to develop three properties in India besides entering into management contracts abroad.
"We are developing a lot of properties in India, some on our own while others in partnership. We are also getting into management contracts in the overseas markets," Oberoi Group Chairman P R S Oberoi told reporters here.
The group is developing one property each in Mumbai, Goa and Rajgarh in Madhya Pradesh on its own. It also has partnership projects in Bangalore and Hyderabad.
"The group has earmarked an investment of Rs 900 crore for adding 1,500 rooms in India. Already, Rs 400 crore have been invested," Vice-Chairman S S Mukherjee said.
Currently, the group has 2,950 rooms in India and the company's expansion programme will be completed between August next year to 2011, he added.
On the overseas front, the company will be entering into management contracts for properties in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Cambodia and Maldives, which together will add about 1,200 rooms. Currently, the Oberoi Group, which operates 32 hotels in five countries has 1,690 rooms overseas.
The group's property in Udaipur - the Oberoi Uday villas - has been named the best hotel in the world with an overall score of 94.36 by Travel + Leisure readers' survey.
In the same survey, Oberoi Amar Villas in Agra has been ranked as the 10th best hotel in the world, while Oberoi Raj Villas in Jaipur has been rated the 11th best. PTI
eBay adds fixed pricing format, simplifies online buying
New Delhi, July 11 (PTI) Online shopping major eBay India has now spread its wings to fixed price shopping format, after leading the online markets through auction model and has launched enhanced features to make online buying easier.
"While auctions will always be an important part of the eBay India business, we have also noticed that a large number of our sellers and buyers who trade in new items in categories of electronics, mobiles and computers prefer the fixed price format," eBay India country manager Rajan Mehra said.
Enhancing the user experience is an important area of focus and we are confident that our fixed price buying format will consolidate our market leadership in Indian online shopping, Mehra added.
The online shopping major has also launched a significant enhancement to the check-out process and new shopping cart features.
With the new features, users can buy a number of fixed price items from eBays wide universe of sellers in an easier and faster format, a company statement said.
According to a recent A C Nielsen report, eBay India has provided an income opportunity to 12,800 sellers who use the website as a primary or secondary source of income.
"We want to increase the job opportunity provided by eBay to a wider audience, this is one of the reasons we have introduced the simplified features," Mehar said.
The website already has two million registered users in over 670 Indian cities. PTI
China imported 4 million tonnes of oil through Kazak pipeline
Beijing, July 11 (PTI) China has imported four million tonnes of oil through the Kazakhstan-China pipeline in its first year of operation, the country's customs said today.
Chinese companies spent USD 1.8 billion on the import of oil, which brought customs in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, USD 276 million in tax.
The oil pipeline, extending 962 km from Atasu in Kazakhstan to the Alataw Pass in China, was completed in 2005 at a cost of USD 700 million.
The first oil deal through the pipeline, which totalled 82,000 tonnes, was transported on July 11 last year.
China has just laid a 252-km oil pipeline between Alataw Pass to Dushanzi in Karamay where the country's largest oil refinery plant will become operational in 2008 to produce 5.5 million tonnes of refined oil each year.
China and Kazakhstan began energy cooperation in 1997, including an oil pipeline between western Kazakhstan and Xinjiang.
China's CITIC Group has acquired the Kazakhstan oil assets of Canada's Nations Energy Company Ltd. For USD 1.91 billion at the end of 2006.
The acquisition allows CITIC to develop the Karazhanbas oil and gas field in Mangistau Oblast until 2020. It has proven reserves of more than 340 million barrels of oil and produces more than 50,000 barrels a day. PTI
Dabur to merge foods business with FMCG
New Delhi, July 11 (PTI) Homegrown FMCG major Dabur India Limited (DIL) today said it will merge its wholly owned subsidiary Dabur Foods Limited (DFL) with itself.
The Board of Directors of DIL approved the merger with retrospective effect from April 1, a company statement said.
"We believe this merger is a unique opportunity to combine the strengths of a foods company with those of a growing and profitable FMCG business to create an extraordinarily strong and rapidly growing global competitor in the health and wellness space," Dabur India CEO Sunil Duggal said.
He said DFL is an intrinsic part of DIL's growth strategy and has been one of the fastest growing businesses, reporting a 35 per cent CAGR for the past five years.
Through the merger, DIL is looking to extract synergies and unlock operational efficiencies for DFL sharpen focus on the high growth business of foods and beverages, and enter newer product categories in this space, it added.
"With Dabur Foods now deciding to expand its presence in the health and wellness sphere, a merger with the parent company is the logical step forward," DFL CEO Amit Burman said.
Duggal said through the merger, the company would be able to invest and expand more effectively due to the combined scale, profitability and global reach.
DFL, after the proposed merger, would become one of the business divisions of the Rs 2,233 crore DIL, alongside Consumer Care Division (CCD) and Consumer Health Division (CHD).
DIL owns 100 per cent of the outstanding shares of DFL, so no new shares would be issued as a result of the merger, it added. PTI
City to host Indo-Pak Volleyball contest on Aug 12
Coimbatore, July 11 (PTI) Elaborate arrangements have been made here to host the third match of India-Pakistan Volleyball Test Series, the first major international volleyball match being played in the city, on August 12.
The first match would be held at Vishakhapatnam on Aug 8, followed by Chennai on Aug 10, third in Coimbatore and fourth and final at Hyderabad on Aug 14, R Govindarajulu, President, Coimbatore District Volleyball Association, told reporters here today.
The Pakistan team, comprising 12 players and five officials, would arrive at Kolkata to participate in the Commonwealth Games and before returning, they would play the Test series, Govindarajulu said.
The association is taking efforts to telecast the match live on Doordarshan, he said.
Being the major international match, the association would present a cash prize of Rs one lakh to the winners and Rs 50,000 to the runners up, Govindarajulu said. PTI
Renjith Maheshwary highest-ranked Indian in IAAF charts
New Delhi, Jul 11 (PTI) Triple-jumper Renjith Maheshwary continues to be the top-ranked Indian athlete in the IAAF charts.
Renjith, with a total of 1183 points, is at 24th spot.
For the first time, four Indian triple-jumpers have made it to the IAAF World rankings. Bibu Mathew (52), Amarjeet Singh (63), Alex Thomas (69) are the other triple-jumpers on the list.
In women's section, both Asian Grand Prix triple gold medallist Sinimol Paulose and Asian Games bronze medalist Krishna Poonia are at 28th place in 1500m and discus throw respectively.
Pinki Paramanik has slipped six places to be 63rd in the lastest list for 400m. PTI
Bhupathi signs MoU with Ansal, to set up 16 tennis academies
New Delhi, July 11 (PTI) Mahesh Bhupathi's Globosport Infrastructure and Ansal Properties and Infrastructure Ltd today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to set up tennis academies in 16 townships developed by API across the country.
Called 'Mahesh Bhupathi Tennis Academies' (MBTA), the facilities would be part of the clubs developed by API in its townships. Each club would cost between Rs 5-7 crores.
Bhupathi said the initiative was to take tennis to different parts of the country.
"Tennis is growing as a game. We want to take it to various parts of the country. There is a lot of talent and this effort is to tap that," he said.
When asked if efforts by the All India Tennis Association (AITA) were not good enough to produce more players, Bhupathi clarified that the federation was playing its role well and his was a personal initiative.
Bhupathi said one of the main features of his academies would be the presence of professional trainers. PTI
Amritraj through to 2nd round at Newport Tennis
New Delhi, July 11 (PTI) Wild card Prakash Amritraj notched up his maiden win on the ATP Tour this season, beating Serbian Ilia Bozolijac in the first round of Hall of Fame of Championships at Newport, Rhode Islands.
Amritraj rallied from a set down to come through 3-6 6-3 6-3 against Bozolijac yesterday.
With this win, the US-based Indian has set up a second round clash with wild card Scovile Jenkins of America.
Meanwhile, Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi pulled off the biggest surprise when the Pakistani Davis Cupper upstaged top seeded American Mardy Fish 6-3, 6-4. Interestingly, a top seed has never won the tournament in its 31-year history.
Amritraj, whose father Vijay was a three-time champion at the championships, has teamed up with Qureshi for the doubles and the wildcard entrants will be up against top seeds Wesley Moodie of South Africa and Fabrice Santoro of France in the first round. PTI
Israel favours early military strike against Iran
Jerusalem, Jul 11 (PTI) Warning that Iran would acquire nuclear capability by 2009, Israel has favoured an early military strike against the Persian country saying UN sanctions alone cannot work.
"The (Iran's nuclear) programme's vulnerability to a military operation is diminishing as time passes," former head of Israel's Military Intelligence (MI) Brig Gen Yossi Kuperwasser said, adding "and they are very close to the point that they will enrich uranium at an industrial level." "For significant sanctions to be effective the world needs to at the same time threaten the use of military force," media reports quoted Kuperwasser as saying.
Iran needs to be made to understand that if the sanctions won't work, the world is prepared to use military force to stop nuclear programme, he said.
MI has been identifying and pinpointing the targets for its defence forces if a strike is launched against Iran's nuclear facilities. It has recently established a new division to translate intelligence into concrete targets and information that can be used by units in the field, the 'Jerusalem Post' newspaper reported.
The new division is headed by Brig Gen Nitzan Alon, a former commander of General Staff's Reconnaissance Unit (Sayeret Matkal), the daily said, adding the Israel Air Force has its own department for processing intelligence and identifying targets.
MI believes that Iran will cross the "technological threshold" enabling it to independently manufacture nuclear weapons within six months to a year and attain nuclear capability as early as mid-2009.
Israel has identified Tehran's nuclear programme as the biggest threat the Jewish state faces at the moment. PTI
Detained Indian doctor speaks to wife: Lawyer
Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, July 11 (PTI) Detained Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef was today allowed by Australian authorities to speak to his wife in Bangalore for the first time since he was taken into custody nine days ago for suspected links to the failed UK terror plots, his lawyer said.
Haneef's counsel Peter Russo said the 27-year-old got in touch with his wife over telephone about noon local time after the Indian consulate confirmed the phone number for security purposes.
"He got a call through this afternoon," Russo said adding "he was fairly elated that he got to make the call".
Haneef, a registrar at the Gold Coast Hospital, was taken into custody at Brisbane airport on July 2 as he was about to leave Australia on a one-way ticket to India.
He has since been detained without charge on suspicion of being linked to last month's botched terror bomb plots in London and Glasgow.
Russo said Haneef was "relieved" to have spoken with his wife, Firdous, who recently gave birth to a baby.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) were this afternoon seeking to extend the time they can hold Haneef without charge.
The lawyer said he had been given extra information about the case by the police today, but would still oppose the extension of downtime.
Downtime is the period for which a person can be detained without charge before the 12 hours of questioning begins.
"We will be opposing it but we have just got to take one step at a time now, and see how it unfolds," Russo said. PTI
Restrictions at Gaza pose threat to its eco sustainability: UN
New York, Jul 11 (PTI) The United Nations today said that the restriction of border crossing and continued closure by Israel has posed a threat to the economic sustainability in Gaza Strip as most factories are either closed or operating at reduced capacity.
Three quarters of Gaza's factories are either closed or operating at 20 per cent capacity, placing the livelihoods of about 30,000 people in jeopardy and causing at least USD 500,000 of business losses each day, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
The restrictions have also stopping agricultural products from being exported, OCHA said, adding depriving the farmers of their income.
This has also led to the surplus of items within Gaza, and a drop in their price.
"We need to see all crossings at least as operational as they were before June 9, or risk facing serious social, economic and humanitarian concerns," Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes said.
Israel has closed or restricted the handful of border crossings with the Gaza Strip, where 1.4 million people live, since intra-Palestinian violence erupted early last month.
"The humanitarian imports allowed into Gaza during the week, ending last Thursday, could meet only about 70 per cent of minimum food and other supply needs," the OCHA said.
Cancellation of the Gaza customs code by Israel had left over 1,300 containers of commercial items, destined for Gaza, remain stranded at Israeli ports, and essential items such as milk powder, baby formula and vegetable oil are now in short supply.
Israel, however, opened Karni crossing for wheat import and the Nahal Oz pipeline for supply of diesel, petrol and cooking gas, the OCHA reported. PTI
UN asks intl community to tackle causes of exodus of Somalis
New York, Jul 11 (PTI) Expressing concern over Somalis fleeing across the Gulf of Aden in hazardous conditions to reach Yamen, the UN High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) has asked the international community to help tackle the causes for annual exodus by tackling poverty and conflicts.
"The flow across the Gulf of Aden to seek safety or a better life has temporarily halted because seas are too rough to make the crossing in July and August," UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told reporters yesterday.
Still, every year between September and the following June, "irregular travel to Yemen has also become increasingly difficult as a result of increased crackdowns on smugglers in Somalia's Bosaso region and heightened security patrols along the Yemen coastline," she said.
For those refugees who do secure a trip, the risks of death or sickness have increased. Because of a need to find new routes, trips are more indirect and take around three days rather than the regular two, she said.
The treatment of the refugees by smugglers who have managed to remain active despite the crackdown is increasingly horrendous, Pagonis noted.
After paying USD 50, many refugees are forced to disembark while still in deep water, where most are then beaten with clubs, drown or are attacked by sharks.
The solution lies not only in cracking down on smugglers, but on tackling the root causes of persecution, poverty and conflict that drive so many people to leave their homes and risk such perilous sea journeys, Pagonis said.
Emraan Hashmi now wants to explore horror, fantasy
New Delhi, Jul 11 (PTI) With the release of 'Awaarapan,' Emraan Hashmi has apparently broken out of his typecast playboy, lover image and is now looking out for roles that are somewhat different ranging from horror, to fantasy and the realm of magic.
"I love horror and apparently it is a genre that has not been explored much in India. Maybe it is a risky thing to do, perhaps, that is why, I do not know," says the actor.
The 27-year-old, who began his career with the film 'Footpath', had become known in the industry for his roles involving kissing scenes, particularly in the movie 'Murder' with co-star Mallika Sherawat.
One of the upcoming movies of this Mumbai-based actor is a thriller the sequel to the Bhatt movie 'Raaz,' starring Dino Morea and Bipasha Basu.
"People want to see something new and something more," says Hashmi. Typecast as a serial kisser and a playboy the actor seems to have finally come of age with his latest Mahesh Bhatt flick "Awarapan," where he plays a gangster who helps free a Pakistani girl from the clutches of human trafficking.
Sporting straggly hair and an unshaven look the film also sees the actor depart from his earlier clean shaven and a chocolate boy image.
Hashmi plays the role of a bookie in the upcoming movie 'Jannat,' whose script revolves around the sudden and mystery-filled death of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer during the World Cup. Another film that Emraan is working on is a yet to be untitiled comedy by Feroz Nadiawala. PTI
New Arunachal CM actively pursuing central schemes
Parasar Ghosh Dastitar
Itanagar, Jul 10 (PTI) After many years things appear to be moving in Arunachal Pradesh with the new Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu vigorously pursuing implementation of different central schemes.
Within just three months of his taking the reins of the state from Gegong Apang in a silent coup on April 9 last, Khandu forced the central leaders to fix the transportation charge for carrying PDS items in the state.
Khandu felt without a reasonable rate of transportation charge, it is not possible to streamline PDS which had almost collapsed in the state and thousands of people in remote inaccessible border areas had to go without rice and other essential items for the past several years.
The Chief Minister disclosed at a recent function that when he threatened to stage a dharna at the India Gate, the central leaders relented and agreed to fix the rate at Rs.2.25 per quintal per km.
Buoyed at the success Khandu placed his second demand to the centre to give him Rs.500 crore as advance against power projects being developed in the state.
On June 24 the National Hydro Power Corporation Chairman-cum managing director S K Garge came down to Itanagar and handed over a cheque for Rs.225 crore as advance and signed a revised MoU for three of their mega projects in the state.
Garge told a gathering on the occasion that this is the first advance being paid by any organisation to a state government in the country and the amount will be used for revival of state owned apex cooperative bank lying non functional for the past two years. PTI
Business of coaching
Anurag Sharma
New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) Charmed by the power of being driven around in a beacon ambassador car or attracted to fat paycheques drawn by engineers and doctors, the growing demand by students for professional courses like engineering, medicine and civil service has led to private coaching industry flourishing like never before.
Educationists however, consider this as a grim reflection of the country's education system.
"We have yet not done any survey about how big the coaching industry is but definitely it is mushrooming across the country because of the lack of proper education system", says a senior official in the Education Department, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
The public perception now is that private tuition is a necessity to succeed in entrance tests and board exams, she adds. "The main problems that plague our education system today are lack of infrastructure and the environment to prepare students for competitive exams," she says.
Coaching centres all over the country thrive on the ever-growing demand of students who are keen on getting a professional education. Some of these centres have grown to become big business houses by providing their services all around the country, and reaping profits.
The average private institute that trains students for IIT-JEE demands anything between Rs 40,000 and 50,000. And this doesn't include the cost of study material. The fees maybe higher for 'crash' course. PTI
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