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Intelligence warns about possible terror strike in Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) Security in the national capital was stepped up today after police received intelligence inputs about militant outfits planning terror strike in the city.
"We received an input that some militant outfits are planning to create terror in the national capital by targeting some prominent locations and based on that we have taken necessary security precautions," Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Karnal Singh told PTI.
The input was of general nature but police has stepped up security in Delhi so as not to take any chance, Singh said.
Following the intelligence warning, Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal has issued orders for mounting vigil at all major markets and other crowded places, including malls, railway stations, Delhi Metro and bus stands.
Police presence at these places has been increased, a senior police official said, adding patrolling has also been stepped up.
"There is nothing to panic. Personnel have been alerted. We are keeping a close watch," the official said.
Vigil has also been increased on Delhi's entry points, with Delhi Police officials maintaining a close coordination with their counterparts of neighbouring states.
A close watch is also being kept at cyber cafes and their owners have been asked to maintain a list of their customers along with server logs, the official said, adding that dealers providing mobile phone connections have been asked to maintain a list of their customers.
Last month, police had received inputs that some Kashmir- based militant outfit was planning to blow up Akshardham temple in east Delhi. PTI
Show cause notice to Manyata on residence certificate issue
Panaji, Feb 18 (PTI) South Goa district administration today issued show cause notice to Sanjay Dutt's wife Manyata seeking clarification as to why her residence certificate submitted for court marriage should not be cancelled.
The 32-year-old starlet had submitted a certificate claiming her residence at Aquem, a sub urban locality in South Goa's Margao town.
The certificate was used in the declaration of her marriage with Sanjay Dutt, 48, in the Sub Registrar's office, on February seven pending final signature which has to be executed within 90 days.
Margao 'Mamlatdar' (senior government officer) Paresh Faldesai, in his notice, has given Manyata time till tomorrow to submit her clarification.
"It has come to the notice that you have not been residing at the given address. Show cause why your residence certificate should not be cancelled," the notice, sent to Manyata's Goa address through a circle inspector, reads.
The controversy over the certificate had put a question mark on the issue of Manyata's legal union with the Bollywood actor.
"We have given her the opportunity to clarify. If she fail to reply, then her residence certificate will be cancelled," a district administration official told PTI.
The authorities have already informed the sub registrar's office about the suspension of the residence certificate based on which the legal marriage formalities of Manyata and Dutt have been kept on hold.
Manyata has to provide any valid proof to substantiate her claim that she has been staying at the Goa address, officials said.
Dutt and Manyata were married as per Hindu rites in Mumbai on February 11. PTI
11 Naxals, five CRPF men killed in separate encounters
Raipur, Feb 18 (PTI) At least 11 naxalites and five CRPF jawans were killed in two separate encounters in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, about 550km from here, today, police said.
Five jawans and three ultras were killed in a gunbattle that broke out Mirtur forest in the afternoon, a senior police official said adding three personnel of the paramilitary force were injured in the incident.
In another encounter with the state's elite Special Task Force in Easmeta jungle, eight naxals were killed.
The bodies of all the Maoists and security personnel have been recovered. PTI
Viswanathan Anand outplays Carlsen
From Our Chess Correspondent
Morelia (Mexico), Feb 18 (PTI) World Champion Viswanathan Anand bounced back with an emphatic victory over Norwegian Magnus Carlsen in the third round of the Morelia-Linares chess tournament here.
Anand, who had started off with a victory over Alexei Shirov of Spain in the opener, played his third decisive game on the trot after losing the second round game against Morelia-nemesis Levon Aronian.
The victory over Carlsen kept Anand's score with black at 100 per cent thus far as the Indian ace while it also helped Anand to elevate himself to the sole second spot on two points out of a possible three.
Former World champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria came up with an impressive preparation to down overnight joint leader Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine. The best Bulgarian player emerged as the sole leader on 2.5 points following his triumph. The third place is jointly held by Ivanchuk, Aronian and Peter Leko of Hungary who all have 1.5 points each.
Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan, Shirov and Carlsen are now joint sixth with one point each in this Category-21 event being played on a double round-robin basis between eight players.
Anand outclassed Carlsen in all departments of the game. Recently during the Corus chess tournament the Indian ace had beaten Carlsen also with black pieces but at that time Carlsen had a few drawing chances that he missed amidst wild complexities. PTI
Team not distracted by imminent IPL bidding: Pathan
Adelaide, Feb 18 (PTI) Left-arm paceman Irfan Pathan today denied the team was distracted by the imminent bidding for the Indian Premier League and promised that it would come out firing in the crucial tri-series encounter against Sri Lanka.
As players have been in dialogue with two members of the IPL governing body in Australia -- Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri -- it was deemed to have had an effect on their focus in yesterday's game.
Pathan said the team discussed the areas which required improvement after their 50-run defeat against Australia yesterday.
"It was a useful meeting in the sense everyone discussed the areas where the team needed to improve. It was useful and I'm sure the positives from it would be seen on the field tomorrow," Pathan told reporters.
Indians badly bungled in chasing down a meagre target of 204 against Australia, a defeat that has put in balance their chances of qualifying for the finals.
The Baroda bowler, who returned figures of 4-41, hoped the miserable show by the batsmen would not be repeated.
"In a way it is good. The team is young and the boys are going to learn from it. It's not that you immediately are going to find your feet in international cricket. It's going to take some time," he said.
But Pathan did not agree that the poor performance was the result of any let up in their commitment.
"When you write you don't think about your family and friends. Similarly when we play cricket, we only play cricket," Pathan said. PTI
Sehwag likely to play, India set to discard 5 bowler theory
Ashish Shukla
Adelaide, Feb 18 (PTI) With their campaign for a berth in the cricket tri-series final thrown into jeopardy, India may discard their five-bowler theory and recall Virender Sehwag when they take on Sri Lanka in a crucial game here tomorrow.
Stung by yesterday's debacle when the young batsmen failed to chase down a meagre target of 204 runs against Australia, India is likely to revert to its seven-batsmen format as they seek to put is across the islanders to revive their hopes of making it to the final.
It brightens up the chance of Sehwag returning to the line-up as the dashing opener, more than his fitness, was removed for tactical reason in the game against Australia on Sunday.
With hosts Australia virtually assuring a place in the final having bagged 17 points from five matches, much will depend on India's performance against the Sri Lankans in the day-night encounter. The Indians were in the second position on the points table with 8 points from five games while Sri Lanka had six points from four matches.
Sehwag has a bruise near his right shoulder but that alone was not the reason to keep him out of the playing eleven.
Faced with a choice of dropping a batsman, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni showed trust on out-of-form Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa but the plan came unstuck as the duo failed.
India are likely to once again seek deliverance from the senior pros and it puts Sehwag firmly in the picture. PTI
Musharraf says willing to work with "everyone"
Islamabad, Feb 18 (PTI) President Pervez Musharraf, who recently said he would be a "father figure" to Pakistan's new prime minister, today voiced his commitment for "political reconciliation" and willingness to work with "everyone".
Musharraf's remarks came amid the possibility of opposition PPP and PML-N sweeping today's parliamentary polls.
After casting his vote along with wife Sehba and mother Zarin at a polling station in the garrison city of Rawalpindi near here, Musharraf told reporters "we would like to work with everyone." Recent opinion polls predicted that opposition PPP and PML-N would sweep the elections with the PML-Q or the King's party which backs Musharraf trailing way behind.
Musharraf said the winner of today's polls will form the government. "I remain committed to the policy of political reconciliation in the larger interest of the country." The President had on the eve of the elections told Jemima Khan in an interview published in the British daily 'The Independent' "My role as a president is simply the checks and balances, the seatbelts... A sort of father figure to the prime minister, but I won't have to see him for weeks." The interview conducted by the ex-wife of Pakistani politician Imran Khan in Rawalpindi was described as an 'extraordinary encounter'.
During an interaction with a team from the Centre for Media and Democracy that is in the country to monitor the polls, Musharraf had also said political parties would have to decide on a prime ministerial candidate through mutual consultations in the event of a fractured verdict and insisted that he would play no role in this process.
The President said he would not interfere in the process to select a prime minister if none of the parties secured a majority in the next Parliament. PTI
Musharraf, Zardari cast their ballots
Islamabad, Feb 18 (PTI) President Pervez Musharraf, caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro and Pakistan People's Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari were among political leaders who cast their votes in the country's general election today.
Musharraf voted at a polling station in a school in the garrison city of Rawalpindi while Soomro cast his ballot at Jacobabad in the southern Sindh province.
Zardari, whose party is widely expected to emerge the single largest group in the next parliament, voted amidst tight security at Nawabshah in Sindh.
He was driven to the polling station in an armoured car and was ringed by dozens of private security personnel as he entered the boot.
Zardari, who had not exercised his franchise in almost a decade, said he was "very happy" to vote. He left the station after flashing a victory sign to his supporters.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman was among those who voted in the North West Frontier Province, where the turnout was very poor due to fears of violence.
The election campaign in northwestern Pakistan was marred by a string of suicide attacks that killed dozens.
Rehman voted at his native village near Dera Ismail Khan in the NWFP. PTI
M&M aims USD 3 bn land systems supply to Indian military
New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) Indian auto major Mahindra & Mahindra today said it hopes to bid for an estimated USD 3 billion for land systems to the Indian military, the total value for which is estimated to be USD 5 billion.
The group plans to make the military bid through JVs with world class defence vehicle manufacturers in the next 3-5 years.
"The total Indian market for land systems stands at five billion dollars, in which we intend to have a share of around 60 per cent or three billion dollars," Mahindra Group Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Anand Mahindra told PTI.
The company hopes to fight for this share of the military market with its new stable of five specialised armoured vehicles - Mahindra Axe, Marksmen, Striker, Up Armoured Scorpio and Mine Protected Vehicle - which will roll out from the company's new factory to be located in capital's suburb of Faridabad. The company is investing Rs 40 crore on this venture.
Currently, the company with its armoured Rakshaks and Up armoured Scorpios (bullet proof) has a dominant 60 per cent share of the armed forces and paramilitary forces market compared to its rival Maruti Suzuki.
Along with this, the company also sells 1400-1500 ordinary Scorpios per annum to the army.
M&M's defence arm, Mahindra Defence System (MDS), which is primarily into land defence systems, like bulletproof vehicles among others, is aggressively looking at diversifying into other peripheries, Mahindra added.
M&M today signed an agreement for a joint venture with Italy's Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei (WASS), subsidiary of 20-billion-dollar Finmeccanica Group for developing underwater weapon systems. PTI
Market snaps 3-session rally, RPower hogs limelight
Mumbai, Feb 18 (PTI) Reversing the upward trend of the last three sessions, the benchmark Sensex ended down today with heavyweights Reliance Industries, Tata Steel and SBI yielding grounds, but Reliance Power notched up major gains on its plans to issue bonus shares.
The 30-share Sensex on the Bombay Stock Exchange settled the day at 18,048.05, a fall of 67.20 points, or 0.37 per cent from its last close.
Market observers said the key index moved in tandem with the global cues during the day. The Sensex touched a high of 18,256.82 points but only to fall to a low of 17,900.96 points after reading the narrowly mixed Asian trend.
However, the index managed to recover towards the end on firm opening in European markets, they added.
Today's decline comes after the Sensex garnering 1,507.24 points, or 9.08 per cent, in the past three straight trading sessions.
Anil Ambani's Reliance Power, which has been trading steeply below its offer price of Rs 430, recovered smartly today on its intentions to issue bonus shares to share holders, except the promoters. R-Power clocked a gain of 7.53 per cent at Rs 413.65. It touched an intra-day peak of Rs 429.60, only a shade below its offer price.
The company within a week of its listing on February 11 had yesterday announced that its board would consider issuing bonus shares to its non-promoter shareholders to compensate for the losses to the investors. The company's board has called a meeting on February 24 to consider the proposal and decide the ratio. PTI
Govt plans to extend IIUS in 11th Plan for infra devp: Nath
New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) The government proposes to extend the Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme in the 11th Plan period, incorporating modifications based on a comprehensive evaluation of the scheme.
The Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme (IIUS), launched in 2003, focuses on infrastructure upgradation of existing industrial clusters. Currently, 25 projects are being implemented under the scheme, with five nearing completion.
"We expect this scheme to continue in the 11th Plan with suitable modifications based on the outcome of the ongoing critical evaluation," an official release today quoted Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath as saying.
Nath was addressing the Parliamentary Consultative Committee Meeting on "Industrial Infrastructure Development" here last week.
He further said, "it will be our endeavour to fine tune our strategies and develop a more holistic and integrated approach toward development of infrastructure for industry".
The primary responsibility for development of infrastructure vests with the state governments, he said, adding that the Centre supplements these efforts through various schemes.
"Most state governments have set up industrial estates and the experience so far has been mixed," he said.
On the Industrial Park Scheme, he said an estimated Rs 14,000 crore have been invested for infrastructure development.
"We have also initiated a novel approach for infrastructure development along the proposed Delhi-Mumbai Rail Freight Corridor through creation of market-driven nodes such as Integrated Investment Regions (IRs) and Industrial Areas (IAs)," he said. PTI
Market consolidates near 18K in morning; RPower surges 11 pc
Mumbai, Feb 18 (PTI) The benchmark Sensex showed signs of consolidation at 18,000 level on mixed Asian cues, even as Reliance Power surged 11 per cent after the company said it is considering a bonus issue.
The Bombay Stock Exchange 30-share barometer touched a high of 18,256.82 and fell back to a low of 18,035.61 before being quoted at 18,083.48 at 1030 hours, a fall of 31.77 points over last Friday's close of 18,115.25.
The Sensex had garnered 1,507.24 points or 9.08 per cent in the last three straight trading sessions.
The broad-based S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also declined by 16.40 points to 5,286.50 from previous close of 5,302.90.
Anil Ambani's Reliance Power yesterday, within a week of its listing, said its board would consider issuing bonus shares to its non-promoter shareholders to compensate for losses to the investors on its maiden trade.
The company's board has called a meeting on February 24 to consider the proposal and decide the ratio. Reliance Power was up 11 per cent to 427 at 1030 hours.
Some realty and metal counters attracted profit-selling while small-cap and mid-cap displayed strength on good buying by retail investors.
Asian markets were showing a mixed trend this morning. PTI
Political parties in Haryana step up campaign to woo voters
Chandigarh, Feb 18 (PTI) With an eye on the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, political parties in Haryana have already accelerated their campaign to woo the voters, with farmers' issue dominating the centrestage.
Ruling Congress has been going to the masses highlighting the achievements of the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led government during the past three years versus "non-performances" of the previous regimes.
The main opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) held an impressive rally in Rohtak district a few days back, with top UNPA leaders including Mulayam Singh Yadav and Chandrababu Naidu, besides Farooq Abdullah and other leaders in attendance.
INLD president and former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala has been touring various towns raising the issue of "miserable plight of farmers" and "forcible acquisition of land from peasants for setting up SEZs" by the Congress regime and other issues like power shortage, deteoriorating law and order and SYL canal issue.
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has been criss-crossing the state telling people how his government waived off power arrears of ruralites worth over Rs 1600 crore at one go when his government took over in March 2005, besides making unprecedented development in the state, be it ensuring equitable distribution of water, bringing in thousands of crores worth foreign investment or paying the highest price to the farmers for their produce and land acquired. PTI
Karnataka, on the terrorist radar
Jacinta D'Souza and Bharathi Raghunath
Bangalore, Feb 17 (PTI) Karnataka, fast emerging as the economic hub of the country, seems to have zoomed up on the radar of international terrorist groups too if the unearthing of terror training camps and explosives stashed away in its forests and recovery of documents revealing sinister designs of terrorist groups is any indication.
According to Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) officials, it is not just the forests in the state that provide a refuge to the terror groups but also the cosmopolitan nature of cities like Bangalore where the terrorists "can merge with the locals without being noticed".
Infact, in many places "it is the locals who wittingly or unwittingly give them all support, they said.
The recent arrest of two SIMI activists, Abdul Ghouse, alias Riyauzuddin and Asafdullah Abbubaker at Davangere and their associate Asif from Hubli, revealed that it was just the tip of the iceberg.
The terror suspects handed over to the police by the locals due to their suspicious activities were earlier taken to be mere vehicle lifters. However, a thorough search of their hideouts, threw open the pandora's box.
The maps of Hubli airport, passports of different countries, documents all appeared to point to the fact that there is more than meets the eye.
In fast developments, police unearthed several plans that the accused claimed to have hatched, including targeting ensitive areas of many states, even beaches of Goa. Ghouse also claimed to have undergone training in Pakistan and to have known those responsible for the attack on the IISc. PTI
Film Review: Grand epic bordering on boredom
Cast and Crew: Hrithik Roshan: Emperor Akbar
Aishwarya Rai: Jodha Bhai
Director: Ashutosh Gowariker
Screenplay: Ashutosh Gowariker
Producer: Ashutosh Gowariker
Music: A. R. Rahman
It's been a while since a period film actually made a mark in Indian cinema and Ashutosh Gowariker's 'Jodha Akbar' is not likely going to make one either. The film is watchable but only just so, thanks to the sloppy editing and rather slipshod direction. Fact is, that at three hours and twenty minutes, it is a tedious watch and could have been a better film, if it was condensed to about two-and-a-half-hours.
While Aishwarya Rai as the spirited Rajput princess Jodha Bai looks beautiful but a bit older, Hrithik Roshan as Emperor Akbar seems terribly miscast. Even though he is playing the role of young Akbar, his boyish image goes against the royalty of being the king of Hindustan.
But the film does have its moments. The cinematography is very appealing and the costumes are beautiful. And while everyone actually knows the story, Gowariker has infact managed to capture the hospitality of the Rajputs and the grandeur of the Mughal Empire to quite a degree. The marriage of convenience between Jodha and Akbar turns out to be a full-fledged love story with an old world charm. PTI
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Sensex: 18048.05, -67.20
The sensex closed at 18048.05, down 67.20
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1 Euro = 58.147 INR
1 Qatar Rial = 10.917 INR
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