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CBI willing to reconduct preliminary inquiry in Scorpene deal
New Delhi, Dec 19 (PTI) The CBI today expressed its willingness to reconduct the preliminary inquiry into allegations of kickbacks in the Scorpene submarine deal after it failed to convince the Delhi High Court that it had made an honest effort to investigate the matter earlier.
A Bench comprising Justice T S Thakur and Justice Veena Birbal allowed the Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium to take instruction from the CBI on the issue and directed him to inform it tomorrow.
At the start of the proceeding, the CBI contended that it could not find evidence of kickbacks in the deal and it was keeping the case open for further investigation.
It, however, refrained from giving details of the inquiry conducted so far on the complaint filed by advocate Prashant Bhushan alleging 4 per cent kickback involved in the submarine deal.
"It literally amounts to sitting over the complaint by by saying that you have kept the case open," the Bench said adding, the matter needed to be inquired to take the complaint to its logical conclusion and open-endedness would take it nowhere.
"If you think that some magic will happen and you would be told about the case without conducting investigation then it means you do not want to do your work," the Bench said, adding that there was a need to conduct fresh inquiry on the complaint. PTI
Russia, Lanka to join hands in fighting terrorism, drug menace
Colombo, Dec 19 (PTI) Sri Lanka and Russia have decided to join hands in fighting international terrorism, drug trafficking and other forms of organised crime.
The two sides were working on finalising a bilateral treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters during two days of bilateral negotiations which concluded yesterday.
Substantial progress has been made on the draft text of a mutual legal assistance treaty, and the two sides have agreed to meet again soon with a view to finalising the outstanding issues, according to an official statement issued here today.
Delegates of the two countries exchanged views on current developments, and emphasised on the need to cooperate at the international, regional and bilateral levels to combat international terrorism, drug trafficking and other forms of organised crime.
The nine-member Russian delegation was led by Glushchenko Vasiliy Andreevich, Deputy Director of Russia's Ministry of Justice.
The delegation also included representatives of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the General Prosecutor's Office and the Federal Service of the Russian Federation for Narcotic Traffic Control.
The Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs also took the initiative in September to convene a SAARC Meeting of Legal Advisors to negotiate a Draft SAARC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.
SAARC Foreign Ministers, who met in New Delhi this month, welcomed Sri Lanka's offer to host the next meeting of SAARC Legal Advisors in April 2008 with a view to conclude the SAARC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance. PTI
India, China hold first joint military exercise
Raghavendra
Kunming (China), Dec 19 (PTI) In an atmosphere tinged with the "Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai" spirit, Indian troops arrived here today to a warm welcome by the Chinese hosts for the first-ever Sino-Indian joint military exercise in a hilly terrain near here in South western Yunnan province.
It was bonhomie all through after the Indian Air Force (IAF)'s special transport aircraft IL-76 touched down at the airport with Chinese military officials receiving their Indian counterparts and troops drawn from the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry with cordiality and warmth.
As the men from both militaries exchanged pleasantries and were introduced to one another, the Chinese People's Liberation Army played the band followed by a ceremonial welcome later at the Kuniming Military Academy where the 103 Indian soldiers will stay.
The joint exercise will begin on December 21 with the spotlight on anti-terrorism drill, with China expected to draw upon the experience of Indian troops known for expertise gained in their counter-insurgency operations.
Largely mountainous Yunnan province on China's southwest frontier shares its border with Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.
The troops, who arrived from Guwahati after a little more than two hours flight, will familiarise themselves with the terrain tomorrow before they plunge into the full-scale drill lasting five days.
The joint exercise, which comes after signs of warming of ties in recent years between the two Asian giants, was scheduled to happen much earlier but the dates were finalised in Beijing during the first ever Annual Defence Dialogue between the two nations recently. PTI
Two killed in bomb attack on Pak election meeting
Islamabad, Dec 19 (PTI) At least two persons were killed and five others seriously injured when a bomb went off at an election meeting in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province today.
The blast, which is the first such attack since political parties launched campaigns for the upcoming general election, occurred at Bekar in Dera Bugti district when PML-Q candidate Tariq Massuri Bugti was about to address a gathering.
Police said a remote-controlled device planted at the venue of the meeting killed two cousins of the PML-Q leader, who himself had a narrow escape. The injured were taken to a hospital in Sui.
Security personnel cordoned off the site of the blast and searched for those who had carried out the attack.
No arrest has been made so far and no group claimed responsibility for the attack, reports reaching here said. PTI
Sensex ends a little higher in choppy deals
Mumbai, Dec 19 (PTI) In a highly volatile trade, the benchmark Sensex ended with a moderate gain of 12 points on the Bombay Stock Exchange today with foreign funds shuffling their portfolios before going on winter holidays.
The 30-share Sensex commenced the day higher by 318 points but tumbled later to close at 19,091.96 points, gaining a meager 12.32 points. The index moved between 19,397.76 and 18,886.40 points during the day.
In a similar fashion, the National Stock Exchange index, Nifty, closed higher by 8.85 points at 5,751.15 points. It touched the day's high of 5,840.80 and a low of 5,676.70 points.
Marketmen said foreign investors were booking profits and shifting their portfolios to fundamentally strong stocks.
They said the market at one stage showed a major loss of nearly 193 points on heavy selling.
While metal, consumer durables, information technology and tech segment were in better form, stocks in realty, oil and gas, healthcare and auto closed in negative territory. PTI
Refund taxes on exports: FM tells states
New Delhi, Dec 19 (PTI) The Centre today asked the state governments to help rupee-hit exporters by refunding their taxes as it has already given three packages to the sector involving around Rs 5,200 crore.
"At present, the number of taxes, including VAT, octroi, electricity duty are borne by exporters. They should be rebated or refunded, and I will urge state governments to look into this issue carefully," Finance Minister P Chidambaram said at the 54th meeting of the National Development Council.
He said any state which relieves exporters of tax burden tends to gain as more exporters oriented industry would locate there.
"Hence, it is in the long term interest of the state to rebate or refund all taxes on exports," the Finance Minister said.
He said exports are under some stress due to the rapid appreciation of the rupee against the week dollar.
"Government of India has announced major relief packages and we are hopeful that these will bring some measure of relief to exporters," Chidambaram said.
However, regardless of the exchange rate, or any other external circumstance, it is an universally accepted principle that taxes would not be exported.
"The Central government rebates or refunds every tax that is payable or paid and if attributable to goods and services that are exported. I submit that state government should do the same," Chidambaram said.
The Finance Minister said unless the Eleventh Plan target of each of infrastructure areas like roads, ports, railway line and power plants are achieved, it would be difficult to reach the goal of 10 per cent GDP growth in the terminal year of the plan. PTI
Review panel for free start-up spectrum, auctioning rest
New Delhi, Dec 19 (PTI) The official panel for reviewing spectrum allocation norms today recommended allotting minimum air waves along with the licence and favoured the auction route for distributing incremental spectrum - a move that may not find many takers in the GSM lobby.
"First, grant a minimum allotment (sic) to an operator along with the licence, and then auction the remaining spectrum, with a cap on the total spectrum that any operator can have in a circle," the committee, headed by R Bandhopadhyay, said in its 22-page report.
The panel said that a technical committee can be set up to specify the methods including auction for allotment of incremental spectrum.
While on the issue of whether to consider subscriber linked criteria as recommended by telecom regulator TRAI or the Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC), the committee has left the decision to the government due to sharp differences within the panel.
Some members felt that TRAI prescribed criteria can be considered for CDMA-based mobile services, while that of TEC for GSM operations.
The TEC report had become a bone of contention among the existing GSM players and the government, with the former challenging the report in telecom tribunal TDSAT.
The panel also said that incremental quantum of spectrum should be reduced to 1 MHz from 1.8-2.4 MHz till now for the GSM players as it was now possible to deploy an increment of 1 MHz effectively in the network. PTI
Indian cricketers to be taxed in Australia
Melbourne, Dec 19 (PTI) The gruelling tour of Australia is all set to get even more tough for the Indians as the entire team will be taxed for playing in Australia this summer.
Cricket Australia (CA) has sent in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to the BCCI, which has sent the Indian Board into a spin.
According to a change in the tax laws since India's last visit to Australia in 2003, entertainers and sports people working in the country are being taxed for the income they generate.
Indian cricketers would thus be taxed for the present tour from their match-fee which could be to the tune of nearly USD 1.5 million (Approximately Rs 6 crore).
An Indian cricketer will get around USD 6,200 and USD 4,000 for a Test and a one-dayer.
The Indian team media manager Dr MK Shridhar has confirmed that the BCCI is asking for an amendment in the law.
"The taxation issue is being handled in Mumbai. We are in touch with our tax consultants whose advice we would follow," said Shridhar.
Shridhar said Cricket Australia (CA) was extending all possible help and the two boards are working to find a solution to the problem. PTI
Hogg ready for the Indian challenge
Melbourne, Dec 19 (PTI) Unperturbed at being identified by Indian skipper Anil Kumble as a weak link in the Australian team, spinner Brad Hogg is confident of his success in the Test series.
Hogg hopes Melbourne's drop-in pitch will help earn him a Test recall after a four-year absence. The condition of the MCG surface will be crucial for selectors as they decide between four fast men or pick three quicks and Hogg.
"You have got to go in with a bit of confidence. It's great to get an opportunity against the best players of spin," Hogg was quoted in 'The Australian' "I liked it as a spin bowler," Hogg said of the ground in the Australian.
"It's always in your favour having a good performance there under your belt." The 36-year-old Hogg, who last played a Test against Zimbabwe in 2003, believes he is far better equipped to succeed in Test cricket now.
"I have always wanted to be in a rush. It's like being out in the middle; I am trying to get wickets all the time. But at Test level you've got to work on it. You've got to starve the batsman and then set him up. You've got to make sure you bowl in tandem with the bloke up the other end, and that will be my job if I am in," he said.
"Being able to play a couple of Test matches has been sensational in my career but to be able to represent Australia in a Boxing Day Test match, even if I am 12th man, it just makes me ecstatic. It's just great to be able to achieve something that you've always wanted as a child, he said. PTI
New Delhi, Dec 19 (PTI) Tenga, Pitika, thupka and Rumba along with a host of other delicacies from the northeast are now making waves across the world.
Though a piece of the pan-Indian cuisine, food from the Northeast is only recently making its presence gradually felt both in the country as well as in the global market.
"The not-so-much-talked-about Northeastern food with its pristine flavours and pure taste of nature is slowly making inroads to global palates," Bakshish Dean, executive chef at a five star hotel in the capital, told PTI.
The eight Northeastern states has a very rich culinary heritage, says Dean who in joint collaboration with Institute for Environmental Management and Social Development (IEMSD), had organised a eight-day northeast food fest here recently.
To look at the diversity of NE cuisine is sometimes an unfathomable proposition. The cooking styles and flavours of each and every state in the region is unique and differs from each other with considerable influence of Bengali, Nepali, Thai, Bhutan, Tibetan, Myanmar and Chinese cuisine, he says.
According to foodie, traveller, social scientist and filmmaker Dr Ashish Chopra, Assamese and Tripurian cuisine have adopted various nuances from Bangladesh. "The Bengali influence is strong and the ingredients and recipes are more or less similar. The only difference is that Assamese cuisine is much less spicy and less oily. The staples are rice and fish." "Bamboo is used extensively in cuisine of Tripura," says Dr Chopra who has also authored a book called 'NE Belly'. The traditional cuisine 'Mui Borok' and a key ingredient in Tripura cuisine is 'Berma', dried and fermented 'puthi' fish.
International students flock Delhi for school education
Ashwini Kumar Srivastava New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) The capital, which has been a sought after destination with students for pursuing higher education, is now increasingly seen as an equal favourite with foreign students who are seen flocking to the city's schools, say experts.
"Every year as many as 200 students of foreign origin come to Delhi and surrounding areas to pursue school education," says Nalin S Kohli, former director ISOMES (International school of media & International studies).
The capital receives students mainly from South Korea, Thailand, Nepal and Canada, said Nalin, adding that good English education, security, cultural integrity, the city's cosmopolitan culture and bilateral relations with neighbouring countries are the main reasons behind their move.
"Public schools in our country are not so good. Also, we can't learn good English there. That is the reason why I chose to fly Delhi," said Jaemocho, who has come from Seoul, South Korea, studying at the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) I at Vidya Sanskar international school.
"I enjoy being in this school. The quality and teaching pedagogy here are of international standard. I feel I should have a secure career after completing my course," said Pop, from Bangkok, pursuing International General Certificate of Secondary Education - Commerce.
There are many like these students who are now seeking admission in international schools in Delhi. These schools have also to mould themselves to provide world-class education to the students along with providing career guidance. PTI
Blasts prompt police in Puducherry to gear up
Puducherry, Dec 17 (PTI) Two successive bomb blasts here recently have stirred the police to reengineer its strategies and action plan to ensure that Puducherry's reputation of being a peaceful territory does not become a thing of the past.
The slogan 'Peaceful Puducherry, 'Give Time a Break,' brought out by the Tourism Department of this former French colony signifies the crux of the sustained plea of most political parties who call for maintaining and guarding of peace and tranquility here.
However, the crude bomb blasts in Vanrapet block almost in quick succession in Uppalam constituency close to North Bouleward here on December 1, which claimed the life of two of the four boys had caused tremors in the territory's law enforcement machinery.
The first blast occurred when certain unidentified persons allegedly hurled the bomb at the residence of a local AIADMK activist in the wee hours of December 1.
Even though nobody was injured in the blast, police was virtually taken aback by this surprise development.
Some 10 hours after the first blast, a second one claimed the life of one boy and injured three others. The explosion took place when a group of boys playing near their house happened to open a bundle containing a bomb in the shape of a coconut.
Police swung into action and combed most areas and launched door to door search operations but failed to unearth lethal weapons or bombs anywhere in the area.
Cases were registered under different sections of the IPC and Explosive Substances Act 1907. In a phased manner, 13 of the 16 persons allegedly involved in the incident have so far been arrested. PTI
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Sensex: 19091.96, +12.32
The sensex closed at 19091.96, up 12.32
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______Forex_______
1 U.S. $ = 39.575 INR
1 Japanese Yen = 0.3504 INR
1 British Pound = 79.328 INR
1 Canadian $ = 39.390 INR
1 Singapore $ = 27.093 INR
1 UAE Dirham = 10.775 INR
1 Saudi Arabian Riyal = 10.610 INR
1 Euro = 56.940 INR
1 Qatar Rial = 10.873 INR
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