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India raises its concern with China over trade barriers
Raghavendra
Beijing, Jan 12 (PTI) India today conveyed its concerns to China about "technical" and discriminatory trade barriers, as it pitched for expanding the trade basket and reducing trade deficit ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's arrival here tomorrow.
New Delhi made it clear that a large trade deficit was "not healthy" for a sustaining trade relationship and, concurring with the view, Beijing agreed to send "buying missions" in a move that may help the sub-continent nation expand its trade basket.
Briefing reporters after a "long meeting" with his new Chinese counterpart Chen Deming, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said Beijing assured him that it was "looking at new ways" to tackle the rising trade deficit.
"He (Chen) said he will send buying missions to India. I told him to send as many buying missions as possible", Nath said and that priority should be given to fruits and vegetables.
Nath said he also raised the issue of "discriminatory treatment" by China on the issue of metallurgical coke and told the Chinese side that India would ensure supply of iron ore but the latter "must see that the metallurgical coke needs (of India) are met".
"If there is any discrimination against India, it should be removed", he quoted Chen as having told the Indian side and added that the minister assured him that the matter would be sorted out. PTI
India has taken up security concerns with China: Antony
New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) India has always taken up with China its concerns whenever there were incursions across the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Defence Minister A K Antony said here today.
"Whenever there is any issue, it is always taken up with the appropriate channels and that system is continuing," Antony told reporters when asked about the recent reports of Chinese intrusions in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Defence Minister said it would not be proper on his part to go into details as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is embarking on a visit to China.
"At this moment I do not want go into the details. Our Prime Minister is going to China. Let's hope that the visit will be successful," Antony said on the sidelines of a defence meet here.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said Chinese incursions have taken place "sometimes" across the Line of Actual Control but felt there was no need to press any "panic button".
"There is nothing to be worried of at this point of time and the mechanisms which we have are doing well," Mukherjee told Karan Thapar on 'Devil's Advocate' programme of CNN-IBN.
Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon yesterday told reporters that there are differences of perception with China over certain areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) but both countries are committed to maintaining peace and tranquility along the border.
The Prime Minister is leaving for Beijing tonight on a three-day visit. He will hold wide-ranging talks with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao and will also call on President Hu Jintao. PTI
Chinese incursions take place; no need to panic: Pranab
New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to China, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said Chinese incursions have taken place "sometimes" across the Line of Actual Control but felt there was no need to press any "panic button".
"There is nothing to be worried of at this point of time and the mechanisms which we have are doing well," Mukherjee told Karan Thapar on 'Devil's Advocate' programme of CNN-IBN.
"Sometimes incursions take place. We immediately take it up. Mechanisms have been established through which we address these type of problems," he said.
Asked whether the frequency or the number of incursions have increased, he said "it is not unusual (but) it has not suddenly increased." The Prime Minister, who leaves for Beijing tonight on a three-day visit, will hold wide-ranging talks with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao and will also call on President Hu Jintao.
Questioned about concerns expressed by senior Indian army generals on the development of infrastructure on the Chinese side of the Sino-India border in Arunachal Pradesh, Mukherjee said it was a "known fact" that their infrastructure in terms of road, electricity and availability of other facilities "is much superior to that on our side." Mukherjee, a former Defence Minister, made it clear that there was no question of India letting down its vigilance. "But at the same time, the situation that is prevailing right now on the border and along the LAC, there is no need of pressing any panic button. Peace and tranquility are being retained there." PTI
2,500 shops gutted in devastating fire in central Kolkata
Kolkata, Jan 12 (PTI) Over 2,500 shops were gutted and property worth crores destroyed in a devastating fire that broke out in Burrabazar, one of the busiest commercial hubs in the heart of the city, early this morning.
However, there were no casualties in the fire that started from a house at two am on Jamnalal Bajaj Street and soon engulfed nearby buildings and commercial establishments housing cloth and tarpulin shops in the area, Fire Minister Pratim Chatterjee told PTI.
He said that at least 40 fire tenders were pressed into service but "they're struggling to douse the flames after almost nine hours".
"We don't know how long it would take to bring the fire under control. Actually, shortage of water supply and power cut in the area have hampered the fire-fighting operation," the Minister said.
Though the actual cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, Chatterjee said that a high-level committee would soon be set up to probe the incident. PTI
Anand favourite in Corus, meets Radjabov in opener
(The Netherlands), Jan 12 (PTI) World champion and five-time winner Viswanathan Anand will start his campaign against Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan in the first round of the Corus International Chess tournament which gets underway here.
The Indian will play with black pieces in his 'A' group opener.
On Elo counts, Anand starts as joint favourite with Russia's Vladimir Kramnik but given the enviable record of the Indian on the Dutch soil, his chances of winning again are certainly brighter than most of the participants according to the experts of the game.
The average rating of the field is a whopping 2742 and 10 of the world's top 13 players are here to play 13 rounds in the 14-player round robin event spread over a fortnight.
Former World champion Bulgaria's Veselin Topalov, who won last year following a three-way tie involving Armenia's Levon Aronian and Radjabov, will be among the favourites yet again in this prestigious tournament.
Norwegian Magnus Carlson, who has been steadily improving will be another player to watch out for.
For the first time, four Indians will feature in the three sections of this elite, invitational event. In the 'B' Group, P. Hari Krishna and Koneru Humpy are part of a 14-player field.
Hari is seeded fifth and Humpy is ninth amongst 14 participants here. In the 'C' group, the Indian challenge will be spearheaded by Grandmaster Parimarjan Negi who starts as the sixth seed. PTI
Need to leave Sydney furore behind, focus on cricket: Aus coach
Perth, Jan 12 (PTI) The image crisis that has hit the Australians after the ill-tempered Sydney Test against India has left coach Tim Nielsen concerned about how his world champion wards will get their focus back on cricket ahead of the Perth Test.
The Australians are just one match away from securing a record-breaking 17th straight Test win but far from being cheered before the big game, Ricky Ponting and co. Are having to deal with condemnation for their lack of sportsmanship in Sydney.
Nielsen said the Australian players, who regroup here on Monday, will have to face upto the situation before thinking about cricket.
"We'll sit down as a group and see how each bloke has been affected by it and how they perceive it and make sure we have a pretty clear idea about how we want to go about it as we go forward individually and as a group," Nielsen told reporters here.
"We won't start to do too much cricket until we get those things done," he added.
The coach felt the break between the controversy-hit Sydney match and the upcoming Perth encounter has given the players time to get over the furore but it would be "interesting to see" how the individuals have reacted to the situation.
"We've had a nice break, we've had a chance to get away and process all the stuff that has been going on individually," he said. PTI
Madugalle invites Kumble, Ponting for cool-off session
Ashish Shukla
Canberra, Jan 12 (PTI) ICC Chief Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle has requested rival captains Anil Kumble and Ricky Ponting to be present for a "cool-off" session at Perth on Monday, two days before the third Test begins there.
It is learnt that Kumble and his Australian counterpart Ponting have been asked if they could meet in Perth in order to build bridges over the fractured relationship between the two sides.
Kumble had set a conciliatory tone when he had declared on arrival here that he would have no problem in meeting with Ponting at the initiative of Madugalle.
Ponting too has softened his approach by declaring in a local newspaper that he would ask his team-mates to assemble in Perth and review a "few things they had done during the Sydney Test." Ponting had also mentioned that he was not happy with his own conduct when he stayed put at the crease in the first innings after being given out.
Madugalle has been sent by the ICC with the purpose of getting the two warring captains together and help Match Referee Mike Procter in the discharge of his duties. PTI
I may be a military man but not a dictator, says Musharraf
Islamabad, Jan 12 (PTI) Insisting that he was not a "dictator", President Pervez Musharraf has said that democracy would gradually take roots in Pakistan.
"I may be a military man, but I am not a dictator," he said in an interview to the French daily 'Le Figaro'.
Musharraf, who stepped down as Army Chief in November last year, said democracy was the path that needs to be followed and stressed that in Pakistan, it will gradually make its way, but at its own pace.
"The West cannot impose its way of thinking," he said, claiming that he did more in six years to advance democracy than his predecessors did in 50 years.
About his popularity, he acknowledged that it had dropped, but added "I am not unpopular." "I know very well what is the support that I have from the masses, the elite and the army. The day I think that I am genuinely unpopular, I will be the first to resign," he was quoted as saying by the official APP news agency.
About the war against terrorism, the President said it was not on behalf of the US, but on behalf of Pakistan "It is in the interest of Pakistan to root out terrorism and extremism. It is the wish of the people of Pakistan." Musharraf said in addition to the foreign al-Qaeda, there were "radical Taliban." He said the extremists were potential terrorists and stressed on the need for a long-term fight against it.
When asked about the threat by the US to condition their financial aid to Pakistan, Musharraf said over the past six years the country has received a total of about USD 9 billion, of which more than half was received as part of the fight against terrorism. PTI
LTTE peace overtures a joke: official
T V Sriram
Colombo, Jan 12 (PTI) Dismissing LTTE's offer on resumption of the Ceasefire Agreement as a "joke", a senior Sri Lankan official has said the the rebel chief Vellupillai Prabhakaran had resorted to such tactics whenever he was in trouble to "rearm" the outfit.
The LTTE started waging war on the Indian Peace Keeping Force despite signing the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord in 1987, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative in Geneva Dayan Jayatilleka said, stressing that the outfit could not be trusted.
"The LTTE should have implemented the CFA of 2002 in 2002 and not in 2008," the ambassador said accusing the rebels of violating the ceasefire for successive years.
"The LTTE now says that it is willing to implement the 2002 CFA in its entirety without any changes. This is a joke," he said.
"How can that be? In July 1987, the LTTE chief Prabhakaran said he was willing to accept the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord. But on 10th October 1987, he started waging war against the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF)," Jayatilleka told the BBC's Sinhala unit yesterday.
"This is what Prabhakaran always does. When he is in trouble, he says that he is ready for peace negotiations. But, later the LTTE rearms itself and attacks. We place no trust in anything that the LTTE says," he said. PTI
Mush wants Bhutto probe report before Feb 18 elections
Islamabad, Jan 12 (PTI) Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has said he hoped the result of the Scotland Yard-assisted probe into Benazir Bhutto's assassination will be out before the Feb 18 polls, which, he said, will be held no matter "what happens".
Ruling out a United Nations inquiry into the killing of the former premier, as demanded by Bhutto's family and her Pakistan People's Party, Musharraf said "it is not possible. Is another country involved?" In the interview with French daily Le Figaro on Friday, Musharraf said Pakistan should not be compared to Lebanon, where the UN is investigating the murder of the former Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri.
"Pakistan is not Lebanon," he was quoted as saying by the BBC.
Musharraf said that Pakistan had its own institutions to investigate the killing and that they were being assisted by the UK.
The president said he hoped the results of the investigation would be published before February's parliamentary vote.
Musharraf said the parliamentary elections, which were were delayed following Bhutto's killing on Dec 27 and rescheduled for Feb 18, would be held, no matter "what happens".
Bhutto's son, Bilawal, has said he does not believe that a government inquiry into his mother's death has had the "necessary transparency".
Musharraf said there was a campaign by al-Qaeda to undermine Pakistan, but denied the country was about to disintegrate and descend into violence. PTI
Gold climbs to new peak of Rs 11,395
Mumbai, Jan 12 (PTI) Gold prices climbed to a new peak of Rs 11,395 on the bullion market here today on persistent stockists buying in view of marriage season triggered by rising trend in the global markets.
Gold futures breached the psychologically important $900-per-ounce benchmark on Friday in New York as participants sought a hedge against inflation and safe haven from falling equities, analysts said.
After setting a new contract high of $900.10 an ounce, most-active February gold rose by $4.10 to $897.70 on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. Nearby January gold set a fresh all-time record of $899.70.
Comex March silver rose by 9.5 cents to $16.37 an ounce.
Turning to the local market, standard gold (99.5 purity) firmed up by Rs 40 per ten grams to Rs 11,395 from Rs 11,355 yesterday.
Pure gold (99.9 purity) also moved up to Rs 11,445 from Rs 11,405 previously.
However, silver ready (.999 fineness) ruled steady at Rs Rs 20,625 previously. PTI
Corruption, fraud plagues World Bank aided health projects
New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) World Bank has discovered serious cases of fraud and corruption in the five health sector projects dealing with eradication of tuberculosis and malaria and HIV/AIDS control schemes.
The probe into the five health projects has revealed unacceptable indicators of fraud and corruption, World Bank President Robert B Zoellick said in the statement.
These projects include USD 114 million Malaria Control Project, USD 82.1 million Orissa Health Systems Development Project, USD 54 million Food and Drug Capacity Building Project, USD 193.7 million Second National HIV/AIDS Control Project USD and 124.8 million Tuberculosis Control Project, it added.
The Indian government has promised to take "exemplary" action against those found guilty, it added.
The cases of frauds and corruption were discovered during the Detailed Implementation Review (DIR), which was launched by the bank in 2006, with support from Indian government.
The five projects were implemented between 1997 and 2003 with assistance from the Bank and other donors. Four of these projects have already been completed, while the fifth USD 54-million Food and Drug Capacity Building Project is ongoing, but the funds have not been disbursed for it yet.
This project will now be reviewed to incorporate the findings of the DIR, the World Bank statement said.
In an investigation in 2005, the World Bank had found cases of corruption in Reproductive and Child Health project, prompting the multi-lateral agency to withhold aid for the project for sometime. Subsequent to the probe, two pharma companies were also debarred by the Bank.
The current DIR was prompted by that investigation, the World Bank said. PTI
Tata Nano to result in 65 pc increase in target households
Mumbai, Jan 11 (PTI) The cheapest car in the world, Nano, unveiled by the Tatas yesterday, could translate into a 65 per cent increase in the number of families that can afford a car, as per the estimates by Crisil Research.
The agency, in an analysis said today the expected consumer price of the car would be around Rs 1.3 lakh.
"This brings down the cost of ownership of an entry level car in India by 30 per cent, making a new car affordable to families with income level of Rs 2 lakh", the agency said.
CRISIL Research said this launch will prompt product developments in the mini car category by other players in the passenger vehicle segment over the next few years. These launches will attract a section of existing two-wheeler owners, currently estimated at about 50 million, to upgrade to a car.
"Given the shape of the income distribution in India, the new price point translates into a 65 per cent increase in the number of families that can afford a car", it said. While annual car sales in India have the potential to increase by 20 per cent, over the annual sales expected in 2007-08, it added. PTI
Gold spurts to a new closing peak of Rs 11,355
Mumbai, Jan 11 (PTI) On the back of strong global cues and hectic good stockists buying, gold prices spurted by Rs 215 per ten grams to an all-time closing peak of Rs 11,355 on the bullion market here today.
Silver also shot up smartly in line with gold prices.
Dealers attributed smart rally in both the precious metals to firm overseas advices on dollar weakness exacerbated by US and European central bank comments.
US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday indicated aggressive interest-rate reductions, and "his comments inadvertently helped gold to continue on its march to $900 per ounce." On the Comex division of New York Mercantile Exchange, February gold rose USD 11.90 an ounce to settle at $893.60 The contract hit a fresh high of USD 897.30.
Comex March silver settled at $16.275 an ounce, up 43.5 cents an ounce.
In Hong Kong, gold also ended higher at USD 892.80/893.50 per ounce as against USD 876.70/877.40 previously.
Turning to local market, standard gold (99.5 purity) shot up to a historic high of Rs 11,355 up by a whopping Rs 215 per ten grams, from yesterday's close of Rs 11,140.
Pure gold (99.9 purity) also ended higher by Rs 210 per ten grams to Rs 11,405 from Rs 11,195.
Silver ready (.999 fineness) too flared up by Rs 390 to finish at Rs 20,625 per kilo from Rs 20,235 previously. PTI
Digest of domestic stories for the Week Jan 5-11, 2008
Saturday
New Delhi: The Election Commission holds Congress MP Rajeev Shukla guilty of violation of model code of conduct for his remarks against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi during the Assembly polls in the state and advised him to be more cautious in future.
Bhubaneswar: Orissa government see Maoist hand in the riots in Kandhamal district and claimed the arson and violence was not due to religious conversion.
Sunday
New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi is discharged from Sir Gangaram Hospital here where she was under treatment for chest infection for the last five days.
New Delhi: While deciding an appeal, a High Court should give sufficient reasons for arriving at a particular conclusion as absence of reasons renders an order "not sustainable", the Supreme Court rules.
Kollam (Ker)/Malda(WB): CPI-M veteran Jyoti Basu's remarks warming up to capitalism triggers a sharp reaction from ally RSP which said no marxist text spoke about the inevitability of capitalism while it generated interest across the political spectrum.
Amritsar: In a controversial action, the highest Sikh temporal seat declares the assassins of former prime minister Indira Gandhi as martyrs of the community.
Monday
New Delhi: Congress remains unfazed over BSP supremo Mayawati's threat to withdraw support to the government at the Centre and dismissed as "absolutely not acceptable" her charge that certain Congress leaders were conspiring to eliminate her.
New Delhi: President Pratibha Patil gives assent to the Armed forces Tribunal Bill, paving the way for setting up of the country's first ever rederessal forum to adjudicate on litigation of cases pertaining to men in arms.
Jalandhar: Apparently irked by the indifferent attitude of the authorities, nearly 1,500 inmates of the central jail go on rampage, setting afire prison properties and pelting stones on the staff.
Tuesday
New Delhi: With a view to tap the vast potential of Indians settled abroad, government decides to set up a 'Prime Minister's Global Advisory Council of People of Indian Origin' to draw upon the experience and knowledge of the "best Indian minds".
New Delhi: The country's prestigious business schools, Indian Institutes of Management, declares the results of the written exam of the Common Admission Test, with close to 3,500 students getting through it.
Madurai: The CPI(M) wants the Left parties and "secular forces" to work for a "third alternative" though it may not emerge overnight as the Congress and BJP had "failed" in finding a solution to people's problems.
Wednesday
New Delhi: Amidst conflicting reports over the ban on recruitment of workers from India, Malaysia conveys to New Delhi that it wants an early agreement to regulate such employment in that country.
New Delhi: L K Advani, who was recently anointed BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate, proposes that former premier and party stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee be awarded Bharat Ratna for his contribution to the national polity and for his statesmanship.
Thursday
New Delhi: With India and China breaking new ground in their ties by holding first-ever joint military exercises, Beijing favours more such endeavours, saying these would enhance "confidence and trust" necessary for tranquility along the border and stability in the region.
New Delhi: Tata Motors unveils its people's car, Nano, that meets Euro 4 emission and safety norms. The car, popularly called the Rs one lakh car, will cost Rs 100,000 at the dealer end but would attract VAT and transportation cost.
Friday
New Delhi: The Supreme Court refuses to permit the traditional 'Jallikattu' or bull fight during the harvest festival of Pongal in Tamil Nadu saying it is "barbaric" and "inhumane".
New Delhi: Jasbir Singh, a key witness in the anti-Sikh riots case against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, says the CBI should approach him in the US to record his statement as he feared for his life in India. PTI
Film Review- My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves...who cares!
Shambhu Sahu
Film: My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves
Director: E Niwas
Cast: Nikhil Dwivedi, Amrita Rao, Lillete Dubey, Anupam Kher, Pavan Malhotra, others.
'My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves' is about a struggling hero Anthony Gonsalves (Nikhil Dwivedi), an orphan, who dreams of stardom all the time and sings duets with his girlfriend in his spare time. But besides dreaming and serving liquor at a bar, there should be something that the debutante actor should do in order to be projected as the hero in the film?
So this tapori wannabe's life is woven around an underworld gang (quite clichéd) which provides score for truth, conscience and of course some 'dishum dishum' (action).
As he thinks his life is set, there comes a twist. The actor is caught in a situation where he has to defend an underworld don (Pawan Malhotra ) who brought this orphan and made him a good human being despite being a criminal himself.
Thanks to the trouble-at-home, his much-awaited debut in Hollywood-produced Hindi film stalled, for the time being. The second half is all about how he gets over the odds and emerges as a winner in the end.
The film, made in a comedy/romance genre has a very slow narration especially in the first half, which basically deals with the hero's bindaas and dreamy tapori life. But Arshad Warsi - since his maiden film 'Tere Mere Sapne' to the latest 'Munnabhai MBBS' and 'Lage Raho Munnabhai' - has entertained us through his 'taporigiri' so much that Anthony seems to be lacking somewhere.
Amrita Rao looks hot in the film but is almost wasted, as there isn't much for her to do considering her role. Actors like Anupam Kher and Vidya Shankar Paandey's potential remains unused while Pakistani actor Javed Sheikh and Pawan Malhotra are comparatively better.
Though even Mithun Chakravorty, who plays a pop (Father) of a local church, is controlled throughout the film but steals the show in a few scenes.
As far as director E Niwas is concerned, all those who know that he directed 'Shool' (and many actually do), keep waiting for the narration and story to get better since it starts. But the film fails in entertaining, primarily because of its script, which offers nothing new.
But there are a few impressive moments like top don Anupam Kher singing songs as per the situation or one where Pavan tells his mentor Anupam that he brought Anthony to make him a 'achcha insaan' (good human being). As far as his attempting comedy and romance genre is concerned, Niwas's 'Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega' was comparatively better.
Watch if for: Mithun's last five minutes show stealing act, and...! PTI
Take your pick: Rs one lakh car or Rs one lakh cocktail
New Delhi, Jan 10 (PTI) With valentines season just round the corner, youngsters are saving up to woo their better halves this winter. But for all those with extra cash, the season offers an alternative. Either one can now go in for newly launched 'People's car' costing just Rs one lakh or buy a drink for your lady for the same amount.
Yes, a drink worth Rs one lakh. Called the "Cupid's Love Punch", it is probably the most exclusive and expensive wine cocktail available for the Delhiites launched by a leading Indian wine maker.
The speciality of this drink apart from its key ingredient, Sauvignon Blanc and Peach Schnapps(Italian sweet liquor) along with orange juice and aerated drink is a diamond ring at the bottom of the drink served in an Italian crystal glass.
According to ND Wines who have launched the cocktail, it is solely made for the people who are deeply in love and wants to propose to their better half in a unique way.
Eyeing the Valentines season, the wine maker has also come out with cheaper alternatives like 'Soothing swig" for the 'flirtatious types' costing a handsome Rs. 20,000. If you think that was enough, there is 'Love in your prime" cocktail which cost Rs 15, 000. PTI
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