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Sethusamudram project;SC grants four weeks time to Centre
New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) The Supreme Court today granted an additional four weeks time to the Centre to file its affidavit on the Sethusamudram project.
A bench headed by Justice K G Balakrishnan posted the matter for hearing in the first week of March. PTI
Mig-27 aircraft crashes in Jalpaiguri
Siliguri/New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) A MIG-27 ground attack aircraft crashed in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district today injuring a boy but the pilot ejected to safety.
The MIG-27 crashed near Chinchula tea garden at 12:40 pm, Superintendent of Police, Jalpaiguri, S Tripurari told PTI.
An IAF spokesman in Delhi said that the aircraft was on a routine training mission and crashed 10.2 km east of the Hashimara airbase.
The pilot, Jasbir Singh, parachuted to safety, Tripurari said, adding that he was extended immediate help by the Army after he reached the ground.
The boy was hit by debris of the aircraft and was injured, the SP said.
It was the first mishap of an IAF aircraft this year.
The Air Force has instituted a Court of Inquiry to ascertain the cause of the crash.
The MIG-27s, which were inducted in the late 80s, have had a comparatively safer record than other MIG variants.
This was the first crash of a MIG-27 in the last 10 years. PTI
PM asks people to speed up pace of growth in NE
Itanagar, Jan 31 (PTI) On his first visit to Arunachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asked people to speed up the pace of growth in the northeastern region where the Congress has played a major role in the all round development.
"Congress party has played a significant role in the all round development of the north east, particularly Arunachal Pradesh. Four decades ago, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had accorded Union Territory status to Arunachal Pradesh and two decades back Rajiv Gandhi had made it a state," he said.
Singh, who arrived here on a two-day visit, was addressing party workers after inaugurating the new Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, headquarters of the Pradesh Congress Committee, here.
The Prime Minister, who was accompanied by Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, said Arunachal Pradesh had a special place in Rajiv Gandhi's heart and he was happy that the new building was named after him.
He said both Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi gave special emphasis on the rapid development of the entire northeastern region, especially Arunachal Pradesh by launching various schemes.
Singh pointed out that he was a Member of Parliament from the region and said his government has been taking a number of steps for the fast progress of the northeast in all spheres.
The Prime Minister urged the people to work hard and fulfil the dreams of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and the vision of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. PTI
BCCI, players want to get on with the game: Shetty
Mumbai, Jan 31 (PTI) The Cricket Board will not rake up any more issues in the aftermath of the judgement given by ICC Appeals Commissioner John Hansen on the Harbhajan Singh case and wants the players to get on with the game.
"We, as well as the Indian players, just want to get on with the game now. Every individual will have his own view on the judgement given, but we don't want any more discussion of the report and that's the view of our players too," BCCI's Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty said today.
"We are happy with the judgement. Enough has been said and done (on the issue)," he added.
Shetty was reacting to Australian captain Ricky Ponting's sharp criticism today of the lifting of three-Test ban on Harbhajan Singh in the racial abuse case, saying it was the last thing he wanted.
Harbhajan was given the ban by match referee Mike Procter on Jaunary 6 on Andrew Symonds' complaint that the Indian player called him "monkey" but Justice John Hansen of New Zealand overturned the decision, citing lack of evidence.
"It's just that Andrew feels a little bit disappointed by the whole system really over the last few weeks. But I have been also at the fore front of the whole thing for last one month... This was the last thing either of us want," Ponting said in his first public reaction after the development.
The Australian media and other team members were also reportedly unhappy about Harbhajan being given the reprieve while Hansen also accepted that Harbhajan was "lucky" to escape a heavy punishment because ICC failed to provide him the bowler's correct past record of offences. PTI
Indians not worried about hostile reception: Dhoni
Ashish Shukla
Melbourne, Jan 31 (PTI) Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is not unduly worried about a possible hostile reception for his team in the wake of the racism row involving Harbhajan Singh as he said the players would not be affected if it was "not on the field".
"We don't care whether we receive a hostile reception or not. As long as it's not on the field, it doesn't matter," Dhoni told reporters ahead tomorrow's Twenty20 match here.
Having embroiled in a string of controversies in their Test series against Australia, Dhoni said he would hope nothing untoward happens in the remaining part of their tour Down Under.
He said his team was aware of the International Cricket Council's code of conduct guidelines and assured none would cross the line on field.
"Everyone knows what are the international guidelines to be followed. You don't need a captain to tell you so. Each players should respect it and I don't see the boys crossing the line," Dhoni said as he took over the reins of the team from Anil Kumble for the Twenty20 and ODI matches.
"A bit of chit-chat is always going on on a cricket field but hopefully nothing controversial would happen," he said.
The Indian captain rued the absence of Yuvraj Singh for tomorrow's game and also the relentless cricket which was beginning to take toll on fast bowlers.
"Yuvraj has been a master player for us. He was the star in the Twenty20 World Cup. It's a setback for us," he said. PTI
Tendulkar set to make his T20 debut
Ashish Shukla
Melbourne, Jan 31 (PTI) Sachin Tendulkar is all set to make his Twenty20 debut when world champions India take on Australia in an one-off match here tomorrow with the visitors keen to maintain their their supremacy in the shortest format of the game.
With the Harbhajan Singh racial issue having been sorted out, the focus will be back on cricket but the Indians can expect a fierce backlash from the Australians who have been quite livid with the developments in the last two days.
But the Indians are quite prepared to counter the home team with a number of younger players joining the team for the tri-series, leaving Tendulkar to be the only veteran player in the squad.
Tendulkar, who had opted out of the last year's Twenty20 World Cup to give chance to youngsters, has been in great from since setting foot on Australian soil and will be keen to carry the momentum into Twenty20 game and the subsequent tri-series.
The other senior players like captain Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman have returned home to give way to the youngsters. The presence of the youngsters will no doubt raise the fielding standard of the team but they have to quickly acclimatise to the conditions here.
While Twenty20 star Yuvraj Singh is out of action for a couple of matches owing to his knee injury, Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik and Suresh Raina will get the opportunity to prove their worth, depending who gets the chance to be in the playing eleven. PTI
Ponting sharply criticises Harbhajan reprieve
Melbourne, Jan 31 (PTI) An angry Australia skipper Ricky Ponting today sharply criticised the lifting of three-Test ban on Harbhajan Singh in the racial abuse case, saying it was the last thing he wanted.
Harbhajan was given the ban by match referee Mike Procter on Jaunary 6 on Andrew Symonds' complaint that Harbhajan called him "monkey" but ICC appointed appeals commissioner Justice John Hansen of New Zealand overturned the decision, citing lack of evidence.
"It's just that Andrew feels a little bit disappointed by the whole system really over the last few weeks. But I have been also at the fore front of the whole thing for last one month... This was the last thing either of us want," Ponting said in his first public reaction after the development.
The Australian media and other team members were also reportedly unhappy about Harbhajan being given the reprieve while Hansen also accepted that Harbhajan was "lucky" to escape a heavy punishment because ICC failed to provide him the bowler's correct past record of offences. PTI
Bomb explodes near Pakistan Air Force bus
Islamabad, Jan 31 (PTI) A roadside bomb exploded near a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) bus in the volatile North West Frontier Province today though no one was hurt in the blast.
Suspected militants detonated the device by remote control near Nowshehra, a major city about 120 km northwest of the federal capital that has a large cantonment and several important military facilities, police said.
Three PAF personnel were in the bus when the bomb went off on the main highway between Peshawar and Islamabad.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack. Nowshera has witnessed other attacks on security forces in recent months.
On December 15, a suicide bomber killed at least five people near the gate of an army school in Nowshehra.
Last month, a suicide car bomber wounded five children going to school in a PAF truck near Kamra, about 48 km from Islamabad.
In recent weeks, several suicide attacks have occurred in regions along Pakistan's northwestern border with Afghanistan. Security forces are conducting a major operation against pro-Taliban militants in the Swat valley of the NWFP. PTI
Kanishka bombing convict Reyat may be released in two weeks
Toronto, Jan 31 (PTI) Inderjit Singh Reyat, the only man convicted in Air India bombing, who is facing perjury charges may be out of prison in two weeks when he completes his present prison term on February 9.
Reyat, yesterday, was expected to plead guilty on charges of perjury related to his testimony at Air India trial but his lawyer sought more time to prepare defence. The court adjourned the hearing till March 7.
The Crown's lawyer Geoff Gaul declined to comment if there will be any last minute motions to keep Reyat behind bars. "What happens to his parole status, his release from prison is something that lies with the federal authorities." Reyat's lawyer, Ian Donaldson, yesterday submitted before the court that he had not been able to talk to his client, who is in Matsqui prison in Abbotsford, British Columbia, which was locked down following a riot there last weekend.
Reyat pleaded guilty to manslaughter five years ago for his role in the 1985 Air India bombing that killed 329 people. He had been convicted in 1991 for building a second bomb that exploded the same day at Tokyo's Narita Airport, killing two baggage handlers.
Both bombs were checked in at Vancouver International Airport and tagged for Air India flights heading in opposite directions around the globe.
The two other accused, Ajaib Singh Bagri and Ripudaman Singh Malik, were acquitted on all counts three years ago.
The perjury trial was supposed to start February 4th, but Reyat's lawyer said he need more time. PTI
Two Indians sentenced to life imprisonment in Dubai
Dubai, Jan 31 (PTI) Two Indians were sentenced to life imprisonment by a court here for the molestation and murder of a compatriot worker.
The Dubai Court of First Instance handed down life terms to 37-year-old MB and 40-year-old AK for molesting and murder of the victim identified as SL.
The prosecution charged MB and AK with premeditatedly strangling and beating the victim to death in a sandy area.
They were also charged with assaulting the victim with a tool and smothering him with their hands until he died, Gulf News said.
"One of the companies reported that a worker living three kilometres from the murder site was absent. Initial probe revealed that the DNA lifted from the absent worker's belongings matched the DNA which was lifted from the deceased man." As per the verdict the Indian men will have to spend 25 years in jail. PTI
It is not possible to have a perfect election in Pak: US
Washington, Jan 31 (PTI) The Bush administration has underlined the need for free and fair elections in Pakistan but recognizes that it is not possible to have a "perfect" election.
"They (Rice and Musharraf) talked about the internal situation in Pakistan. The secretary talked to President Musharraf about how he saw the situation in Pakistan, how he saw the election process and the politics playing out.
"She urged President Musharraf to conduct elections in such a way that the Pakistani people have confidence in it," US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said when asked about the meeting of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with President Musharraf in Davos Switzerland.
McCormack, while commenting to the views of Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher which he made before a Congressional sub-committee Tuesday where he held the possibility of fraud in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, said, "Pakistan, as we know, throughout its history has had various irregularities to a greater or lesser extent in their electoral process. We don't have perfect elections. I don't think there is such a thing as a perfect election." President Musharraf, in Davos, talked about the importance of having a secure atmosphere during the elections, so that people could participate in it and talked about the US-Pakistan efforts on counter-terrorism, he added.
"It's an important election for Pakistan. They have come through recently a very difficult period in their political history. And it is our hope that the Pakistani government can get back on that road that we had seen it on previously, one of increasing political and economic reforms and increasing political and economic freedoms," he said. PTI
GDP records growth of 9.6 per cent in 2006-07
New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) Economy grew by 9.6 per cent during the year 2006-07, up from 9.4 per cent in the previous year, on the back of strong showing of manufacturing sector.
"GDP at factor cost at constant prices in 2006-07 is estimated at Rs 28,64,309 crore as against Rs 26,12,847 crore in 2005-06 registering a growth of 9.6 per cent during the year as against the growth rate of 9.4 per cent during the previous year," said an official statement released here.
The per capita income at current prices is estimated at Rs 29,642 in 2006-07 as agaisnt Rs 25,956 for the previous year depicting a growth of 14.2 per cent.
The growth rate of 9.6 per cent in the GDP during 2006-07 has been acheived due to high growth in mining and quarryinh (5.7 per cent), manufacturing (12 per cent), electricity, gas and water supply (6 per cent) and construction (12 per cent). PTI
Airlines mull fuel surcharge to off-set losses
N Muraleedharan
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 31 (PTI) Hit by soaring fuel prices, the aviation industry is mulling introduction of a "differential fuel surcharge" based on VAT rates in each state to partially off-set losses suffered by the air carriers.
"Airlines would not be able to survive if the cost of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) is so high and competition brings down the fares," Air India Chairman and Managing Director V Thulasidas said.
The idea of a differential fuel surcharge was put forward during an all-India civil aviation meet attended by ministers and senior officials from various states.
"In some states, sales tax or VAT on ATF is as high as 30 or 35 per cent. I said at the meeting that airlines would be forced to go in for a differential fuel surcharge. We will have to close down if there is no matching hike in air fares," he told PTI.
Explaining the working of the surcharge, he said if a state imposed less tax, it would be less and vice-versa.
ATF in India was almost double the global rates and accounted for 40 to 45 per cent of total airlines expenditure compared to 18 to 20 per cent abroad, Thulasidas said adding that crude had gone up from 30 USD a barrel to 100 USD in four years while in India it was "higher by 80 to 90 per cent".
Thulasidas, however, allayed fears about retrenchments due to the Air India-Indian merger. "People have misgivings about what is going to happen but we are communicating with them (the airlines unions) that all jobs are protected," he said. PTI
SME exchange likely by year-end: Damodaran
Mumbai, Jan 31 (PTI) The stock-exchange exclusively for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is likely to be set up by this year-end, Sebi Chairman M Damodaran said today.
"We will put in place an SME exchange. This should hopefully happen in the year 2008," Damodaran said, while inaugurating the 5th Annual Conference on Capital Markets organised by FICCI here.
The Sebi Board has already given an in-principle approval for the proposal in its last meeting, he said.
"A large number of regional stock-exchanges have come up with proposals to start an exchange for SMEs. We are not too sure whether they are the right candidate -- we will look at those who are capable of putting up an exchange," he said.
Sebi, however, would not like fragmentation and hence would not want more than one SME exchange, he said.
Damodaran also said all fines and penalties imposed and received by Sebi would go into the Investor Protection and Education Fund after the Sebi Act is amended. PTI
Music album: new shaking formula of Yana
Diganta Biswas
New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) Bollywood beauty Yana Gupta, much
known as an item number girl, is all set to come out with her
first ever English music album soon.
"I am working on my first music album very seriously. It
will take some time to materialise," says cheerful Yana. "I am
quite confident about the success of my new project," the
'Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo' dancer told PTI.
Yana says she is busy with the album, for which she is
composing, writing and even singing.
"I have taken singing lesson earlier. But as English is
not my first language, it is taking some time to grasp," she
smiles.
But what has emboldened her to take up such a plan?
She says "Someone heard me singing and advised me to come
out with an album. It forced me to think about it and I made
up my mind to do so."
"I don't claim to be a great artist, but I am confident
as a woman, as a human being. I am trying my best to make this
a quality one," Yana says.
The fitness freak model-turned-actress also aspires to
work in Bollywood films and is currently looking for a "good"
role there.
"I have got a couple of offers, but not impressed with
any scripts so far. Those were not so good for me," she adds.PTI
Gandhi killing, who hatched the plot, still a mystery: book
New Delhi, Jan 29 (PTI) Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte together decided that Gandhi had to be killed. As to who of them first thought of the plot, however, remains a mystery, says a book to be released tomorrow on the 60th anniversary of the assassination of the Father of the Nation.
The 'great decision' was made by the two as they read on the teleprinter the news on Gandhi's decision to go on fast to force transfer of Rs 55 crore to Pakistan.
In Poona, the two men, Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte, sitting in their non-descript newspaper office read the news and suddenly made their decision-Gandhi had to be killed. No one, however, knows which of them first thought of murdering Gandhi because to the end they maintained that only one of them, Nathuram was responsible for the killing, says the new edition of 'The Men Who Killed Gandhi' by Manohar Malgaonkar.
Published by Roli Books, the book is due to be launched tomorrow, the 60th anniversary of Gandhi's assassination.
The author, now 94 years old, is an ex-serviceman and a civil servant. He first published 'The Men Who Killed Gandhi' in 1978. The new edition of the book carries, according to the publisher, hitherto unpublished photographs and documents including the Bombay-Delhi air tickets and bills of the hotel used by the two in Delhi while on their mission.
"Of the six men who were finally adjudged to have been implicated in the murder conspiracy, two were hanged. The other four- the approver Badge and the three who got life sentences, Karkare, Gopal and Madanlal talked to me freely and at length", says the author in his note to the first edition of the book. "All the four gave me much information that they had never revealed before hand", he claims. PTI
I want to be the Indian Oprah Winfrey: Pooja Bedi
New Delhi, Jan 29 (PTI) Model turned actor and now a talk show host, Pooja Bedi says she wants to be next award winning US talk show host, Oprah Whinfrey.
"I want host the biggest talk show in India on the largest TV network and become India's Oprah Winfrey," said Bedi who was in the city as a brand ambassador of a medical product.
Bedi would soon be seen on TV anchoring a new talk show which she promises would be 'issue based'.
Bedi who has the knack of standing out with her work, be it being the first female model for Kamasutra condoms or being open about the botox injections that she takes to stay 'beautiful', said, "When I modelled for the condoms, everyone was surprised. Nobody had expected such a move. Even when I was open about Botox usage, people were again stunned. I am open about things that I think people should use because it is safe and healthy." Bedi, who is now the brand ambassador of Botox in India said almost everyone in the profession of beauty does undergo lot of medical help to stay young and beautiful.
"This is the business of glamour and everyone here has to remain young and beautiful. A lot of celebrities have to whoop all kind of stuff on to the face to come before the camera. I want to look good and hence I go for Botox," she said.
Bedi added, "I was hosting a chat show and I had very deep lines on my forehead. Every time the bright light use to hit my forehead, the lines became too visible. The guests use to feel that something was wrong since the lines generally come when people are tense. I then decided to go for Botox and now I have been using it regularly for over three years with wonderful results." PTI
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