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Nine killed in Maoist attack
Gumla (Jharkhand), Apr 8 (PTI) Nine persons, including three women and a child, were today killed when Maoists fired at them and set afire their vehicle near Semra forests, about 12 km from the Gumla town.
Sub-divisional Police Officer Alban Tigga said another woman, Renu Devi, managed to escape the attack with her child even after suffering a bullet injury.
The Maoists had prior information that some members of the Shanti Sena -- a local resistance force formed in 2002 to combat Maoist activities -- including its leader Bhado Singh had set out in a vehicle for Gumla town from the district's Gumra village.
The ultras attacked the vehicle near the forests under Palkot police station. Singh and his associates retaliated the attack but they exhausted their ammunition and were numerically weaker than their opponents, Tigga said.
Later, the extremists huddled the bodies into the vehicle and set it on fire charring the bodies, some beyond recognition, he added.
The deceased were identified as Bhado Singh, Nakul Singh and his wife Phulmani Devi, Ranthu Turi and his wife Janki Devi, another woman Sumitra Devi, Ghanashyam Singh, Jharia Singh and a child, the SDPO said.
The ultras took away two rifles, two DBBL guns and a pistol, all were licensed to the Sena men.
According to Gurma villagers, the Shanti Sena, allegedly backed by the police, was formed with an aim to drive out the Maoists from the village and it 'managed' to resist Maoists to some extent. PTI
Court refuses free tickets for IPL matches at Eden
Kolkata, Apr 8 (PTI) A city court today refused to grant free tickets to the 31,000 Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) members for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) matches to be played at Eden Gardens here.
Judge Anindita Roy Saraswati of the City Civil Court did not pass any interim order on the application by Bengal Cricket Lovers' Forum for giving free tickets to the CAB members for the matches organised by Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment.
It also did not entertain their prayer for an injunction on distribution of tickets for the IPL matches to be held here from April 20.
Forum secretary Jyotipriyo Mullick said they would move the Calcutta High Court challenging this order.
The petitioners had contended that according to CAB rules, life, annual and associate members were entitled to watch all matches - except charity ties - at Eden Gardens free of cost.
Claiming that the rights and privileges of all the CAB members were being infringed upon by asking them to pay for viewing the matches, they prayed for the restoration of the members' rights.
RCE is the franchisee owner of the team 'Kolkata Knight Riders' that would organise the matches at the Eden as per IPL rules. PTI
ICC officials in Pak to question Akhtar: Sources
Karachi, Apr 8 (PTI) Pakistan Cricket Board may not confirm it, but two officers of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) are in the country to question banned pacer Shaoib Akhtar on his claims of being approached by match fixers during tours of India and South Africa.
Sources well versed with the working of the ACU confirmed to PTI today that two of its officers are in Pakistan and Akhtar himself was keen to find out who they are.
Earlier a local channel here reported that an ACU official was in Lahore to probe the claims made by Akhtar.
But, given the secrecy the ICC and its ACU maintain on match fixing, gambling and betting related issues, no one is willing to confirm or deny the report.
The report said the unnamed officer interviewed Pakistani players Younis Khan and Umar Gul yesterday although manager Talat Ali was not available to confirm or deny the story.
When contacted by PTI, PCB Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi said Colonel Nur, the ICC security officer in Pakistan, was the right man to speak on the matter.
Nur, on his part, was adamant that unless he had clearance from the ICC he would neither confirm or deny the report on the television channel.
The ICC has officially said that its officers would talk to Akhtar for his statements on a television show that he was offered money to under-perform in matches on several occasions but he turned them down.
ICC Code of Conduct states that any player who fails to report an approach to fix games or under-perform to his captain, team manager, board or ACU officers may face a minimum ban of one year and maximum of five years.
Akhtar never reported these approaches to any team official, the board or ACU officers. PTI
India, Kazakh to get into projects-specific mode in oil sector
Sunil Gatade
Astana (Kazakhstan), Apr 8 (PTI) Giving a major boost to their ties, India and Kazakhstan today agreed to get into the "projects-specific" mode in various sectors like oil and natural gas and textiles.
Vice President Hamid Ansari, who is on an official visit here, had an "extremely warm and cordial" meeting with Kazakhstan's President Noorsultan Nazarbayev during which Astana also gave indications that it was ready for export of more hydro-carbons to India.
Kazakhstan is the second largest former Soviet state after Russia and has huge oil and gas reserves. It is also rich in minerals, including uranium.
During the nearly hour-long meeting, the two leaders agreed that there was mutual commonality on various issues such as terrorism and drug trafficking; and the same was needed to be brought in the field of trade and economy. The two countries already have a Joint Working Group on terrorism.
Nazarbayev also said that India and China, the two fastest developing countries, will be the drivers in Asia. PTI
Govt approves 20 FDI proposals worth Rs 1,962 cr
New Delhi, Apr 8 (PTI) The government has cleared 20 foreign direct investment proposals that will bring in Rs 1,962.05 crore, including Rs 924 crore by UTV Software Communications.
The proposals, approved by Finance Minister P Chidambaram on the recommendation of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), also included the offer from cement manufacturer Lafarge India for merger of Lafarge India Holding Pvt Ltd with Lafarge India Pvt Ltd, according to the Finance Ministry.
The Lafarge's proposal was cleared as per the order of Bombay High Court, a Finance Ministry statement said.
UTV Software Communications' proposals would bring in Rs 923.94 crore through equity purchase in UTV Software and equity shares and warrants in UTV Global.
The FIPB has, however, deferred its decision on eight FDI proposals, including that of Singapore-based Delight Investments offer to invest in a Hindi-language newspaper group.
The board has recommended a proposal by Essar Power and Axis Pvt Equity to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
PSA India Pte Ltd, Singapore's proposal for induction of foreign equity up to 49 per cent for Rs 240 crore by way of preferential allotment of compulsorily convertible preferential shares has also been approved.
Chidambaram also approved Rs 300 crore FDI proposal of Mauritius-based GS Strategic Investment Ltd to induct foreign equity up to 20 per cent in a company engaged in commodity broking, besides other activities.
However, the proposal of Kim Eng Securities to undertake stock-broking activities as a non-fund based activity was rejected apart from Meta Telecom to increase foreign equity from 40 per cent to 73.45 per cent in a company engaged in international long distance services. PTI
African nations seek more investments from India
New Delhi, Apr 8 (PTI) Ready to share their natural resources, African countries today sought greater Indian investments, particularly from the private sector, to boost economic growth in the continent.
Addressing the first-ever India-Africa Forum Summit here, leaders and Heads of State from the African continent said they were open to private investments.
"Africa needs to meet fundamental needs of its population by building schools, providing housing and generating employment," Joseph Kabila Kabange, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, said.
In an apparent reference to the international attention to the natural resources-rich continent, he said Africa needed "concrete action" and not mere assurances for developing the region.
"Words, speeches and promises have remained mere words, we need immediate visible projects," he said.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said most African countries have rectified their age-old mistake of rejecting private investments and had also learnt to put up a joint front in dealing with trade issues.
He sought Indian investments and technologies to develop the infrastructure in Africa, particularly in the field of railways and power generation.
Speaking about food security, he said while the world was facing acute shortage of foodgrains, his country has the commodity in ample quantity. PTI
Highly skilled Indian workers in UK win landmark judgement
H S Rao London, April 8 (PTI) Highly skilled Indian workers in the UK today won a landmark judgement when the High Court ruled that it was "not open" to the government altering the terms and conditions of an old scheme under which thousands of such employees came to Britain.
Upholding the revision petition filed by the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme (HSMP) Forum against retrospective changes effected to HSMP in November 2006, the High Court in its judgement said: "The old scheme constituted an integrated and entire programme." It said that it was "not open to the government to alter the terms and conditions upon which the pre-arranged stages were to be implemented." The Forum represented 49,000 highly skilled workers including doctors, engineers, technocrats - mostly from India - who had come to the UK under one of the most popular schemes introduced in January 2002 to attract "high human capital indviduals", who have the qualifications and skills required by UK businesses to compete in the global marketplace.
Under the scheme points were allocated for educational qualification, age, salary and the UK Experience and UK Study. But the Government effected changes in the scheme in November 2006 under which the HSMP visa holders had to reappear for examination under the new scheme which necessitated higher annual income and had age restrictions to get their visa extended. PTI
Ansari gives pep talk on democracy to Central Asian countries
Sunil Gatade
Astana, Apr 8 (PTI) Describing Panchayati Raj as the "greatest experiment" in democracy globally, Vice President Hamid Ansari today said Central Asia's nascent democracies can ensure development through similar devolution of power.
"Our structure of local self governance called Panchayati Raj... Is the greatest experiment in democracy ever undertaken anywhere in the world or at any time in history," Ansari said delivering an address at the Academy of Public Administration in this capital city of Kazakhstan.
The Panchayati Raj, he said, has over 2,40,000 grassroots institutions with 3.6 million people elected to village and city level councils. Women account for a million or about 37 per cent of all those elected.
Speaking on "Public administration and governance in India", he said the Panchayati Raj has ensured participatory governance and broad based planning and implementation of programmes of economic development and social justice.
Detailing the Indian experiment since independence, Ansari also referred to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and the Right to Information Act.
He said that it has been lately recognised that development is not only about projects, programmes and policies, but also about politics.
Welcoming the Vice President, Academy Rector Azhimzhan Akhmetov praised the Indian democracy and spoke about challenges in public administration in the era of globalisation.
Ansari is currently on the second leg of his seven-day tour of Central Asia which he has described as "our extended neighbourhood". He held talks with Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov yesterday during which the two sides agreed to explore opportunities for cooperation in oil and gas sector. PTI
Pak moots "different" approach on Kashmir, wants more trade
Islamabad, Apr 8 (PTI) Pakistan's new government has ruled out putting the Kashmir issue on the backburner but said it will not shy away from taking a "different" approach on the problem by using trade with India as means to move from "conflict management to conflict resolution".
"The Kashmir issue is on the agenda in the composite dialogue. It's one of the top issues after peace and security and stability. It will remain so," Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said.
"On the other hand, we feel that there are areas where we need to move on to our mutual benefit and advantage. Areas like trade," the Minister said.
Noting that bilateral trade through official channels was worth over a billion dollars and there was also "informal" trade between the two countries, Qureshi told Dawn News channel that India and Pakistan should use this as a means for resolving conflicts.
"So let's call a spade a spade, and if enhanced trade can be used as an important confidence-building to create a more enabling environment for our movement from conflict management to conflict resolution, we should not shy away from that," he said in an interview.
Asked if such an approach meant putting the Kashmir issue aside for a while, Qureshi, a senior leader of the ruling Pakistan People's Party, replied, "No, there is no question of putting the Kashmir issue on the backburner. What we plan to do is we have been approaching this problem from a particular angle. Let's try a different approach.
"(We're) not forgetting Kashmir. How can we forget Kashmir? Kashmir is important for us. It's a very emotive issue within Pakistan. We will not forget it, we cannot forget it." PTI
Sanjay Dutt and Manyata say they are not married
Mumbai, Apr 8 (PTI) Actor Sanjay Dutt and his friend Manyata told a court here that they are not legally married, giving a dramatic twist to the case relating to the couple's marital status.
Challenging the allegations of bigamy levelled by Manyata's first husband Meraj Rehman, an undertrial, the couple has claimed there was no material to show the validity of their marriage in the eyes of law.
In an application filed before the Sessions Court yesterday challenging the order of issuance of process against the two, Dutt and Manyata have stated that their reported marriage in Goa is a nullity. PTI
Shreya allegedly molested in Tirumala temple
Tirupati, April 8 (PTI) Actress Shreya Sharan of Tamil blockbuster "Shivaji" fame had a harrowing experience in Tirumala temple when an enthusiastic fan allegedly molested her while she was coming out after offering prayers.
Shreya, who starred opposite superstar Rajnikant in the film, said she was taken aback when a person who was standing behind her while she was talking to newsmen misbehaved with her in the wee hours of Monday.
The actress then slapped the man who was identified as Hari, a cleaner at a nearby mutt, according to sources. The man was later pinned down to the ground by the attendants of the actress.
Shreya has reportedly not filed any complaint with the police.
"When I was coming out of the temple after my prayers a man who was standing behind me misbehaved. I think women should stand up for such misbehaviour," she said, adding that "irrespective of being an actress or not I had to stand up for myself and I think any woman who is a victim of eveteasing and molestation should stand up." PTI
First verse of Quran, in 6,000 different styles
Wasfia Jalali
New Delhi, Apr 8 (PTI) His inclination towards calligraphy was realized way back in school, when he frequently labelled the notebooks of his classmates with their names written in beautiful artistic forms.
However, for 60-year old Hashim Akhtar Naqvi, an architect by profession and calligrapher by interest, the inclination became a life-long devotion when he took upon the task of writing the first verse of the Holy Quran in as many stylised forms as possible.
At last count, the Lucknow based artist had already written the verse in over 6000 styles. What more! His innovative faculties are still as enthusiastic as they were when he started the work, ensuring that he can smoothly go on to add more to his stock.
Recognised by the Limca Book of records for his unique venture, the collection of the artist was recently displayed in the capital at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, as part of the programme, 'Aqeedat ke Rang', an exhibition of expressions of devotion in Islam.
"When I started blending the verse into artistic designs, I felt I would hardly be able to proceed beyond 8 or 10 forms. But the ideas kept coming and the verse kept repeating itself through my fingers until there was a collection of over 6000 styles, and the venture has not yet ended," says Naqvi.
The Arabic verse, "Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim", translated as, "In the Name of Allah, most beneficient, most merciful", which is recited by Muslims before performing any major or minor task is also represented by the number 786. PTI
Responsible tourism, the new buzz
Snehesh Alex Philip
New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) With India becoming a hot spot for tourists from across the world, "responsible tourism" is the new buzz that is floating around.
Even as India continues to attract lakhs of tourists because of its splendid historical architecture and rich culture along with beautiful beaches in Goa to reliving the royal experience in Rajhasthan, rural tourism or what now is called 'responsible tourism' is gaining popularity.
On offer is the skilled diversity of art, craft, cultural and natural heritage... Enabling visitor interactions with the local communitys way of life at rural sites across India.
Experts associated with this initiative say that special attention has been given to the community's understanding of visitor needs.
"There is overarching focus on sustainable practices, hygiene and sanitation, and signage, interpretation and local guides to tactfully unveil local history," says Mayura Balasubramanian, UNDP Project Support Officer, Endogenous Tourism.
She adds that packaged programmes will provide insights to rural art and craft imparted by skilled artisans and artistes, together with accommodation created using local material, local style and local skill or in home-stays providing local cuisine.
For entertainment purpose, you have the village entertainment groups who disclose history and culture, natural and oral treasures. PTI
A different club, of the differently abled
Amitava Das
Kolkata, Apr 7 (PTI) Bablu Roy travels 15 km from Panihati in the suburbs to Esplanade at the heart of Kolkata every Thursday to "gossip" with his deaf and dumb friends. He too cannot speak.
Roy and his 50 odd friends have never missed the weekly meeting at the corner of Dackers Lane at Esplanade where they share thoughts and gather information about their friends and former colleagues.
To them, keeping in touch through mobile or telephone is ruled out. "So we eagerly wait for this day to come," says Roy writing his replies to questions on a notebook.
These former employees of MMIC Limited in Khiderpore have been doing since 1988 when they were laid off after closure of the public undertaking, he maintains.
"Today, we took a decision to go to Provident Fund Commissioner's office in Salt Lake to collect forms and get our dues as soon as possible," says Roy, who worked as a driller in the company for 15 years.
He now makes ends meet by working in a pump house which earns him Rs 2000 a month. With their skills being made by automation, most of Roy's former colleagues are still unemployed.
On Thursday evenings, the sight of their feverish "chatting" by gestures and flaying arms stops any passer-by to gather what is going on.
"It seems as if a live silent-era movie is being staged before me," says Debkumar Dutta, who stopped by while returning home after work. PTI
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