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No nation, society or community can hold its head high and claim to be part of the civilized world if it condones the practice of discrimination against one half of humanity, he said.
"We are an ancient civilization and we call ourselves a modern nation. And yet, we live with the ignominy of an adverse gender balance due to social discrimination against women," he said inaugurating the National Meeting on "Save The Girl Child".
The Prime Minister noted that the last census showed a declining sex ratio. "Multiple deprivations all with roots in the oppressive structure of patriarchy has resulted in a bias against girls and women. This is a shame and we must face the challenge squarely," he stressed.
"The census figures illustrate that it is some of the richer states of the country where the problem is most acute such as Punjab, which has only 798 girls, Haryana 819, Delhi 868 and Gujarat 883 girls per 1,000 boys," he said. PTI
Beleagured Mumbai Indians hope for first win
Sirshendu Panth
Kolkata, Apr 28 (PTI) After a nightmarish start to their Indian Premier League campaign, Mumbai Indians have an uphill climb with injured skipper Sachin Tendulkar still doubtful for the game against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens here tomorrow.
The Mumbai franchise, the most expensive in the eight-team league, is in dire straits after losing the four matches they have played so far. The only team yet to open their points kitty, the Reliance Industries-owned side brings up the rear of the table.
Their stand-in skipper Harbhajan Singh slapping S Sreesanth after going down to the latter's Kings XI Punjab has given the side additional negative publicity, and the visitors badly need a win to leave behind the unsavoury episode.
While the subsequent 11-match ban on Harbhajan has taken the sting out of their spin bowling arsenal, the unavailability of icon Tendulkar is posing a lot of problems in the batting department.
None of the willowers have cracked a half-century, and the form of Sri Lankan veteran Sanath Jayasuriya and fellow opener Luke Ronchi is a major cause for concern, though young gun Robin Uthappa and Mumbai left-hander Abhishek Nayar have played a couple of decent knocks. PTI
Harbhajan banned from playing in IPL
New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI) Temperamental off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was today banned from playing in the Indian Premier League matches for slapping his Indian teammate S Sreesanth after he pleaded guilty and apologised for it.
Harbhajan Singh was also slapped with a fine of 100 per cent match fees from the third match onwards while his Mumbai Indians coach Lalchand Rajput was fined 50 per cent of the match fee for not stopping the off-spinner's attack on Sreesanth playing for Kings XI Punjab.
S Sreesanth, who was at the receiving end Harbhajan Singh's behaviour at the end of an IPL match in Mohali on Friday night, was also warned that his aggression on the field in future would be taken seriously.
"After looking into the video footage in the presence of Sreesanth, complainant Neil Maxwell (Kings XI Punjab CEO), Harbhajan and Lalchand Rajput, (Mumbai Indians coach), and managers of both sides and considering the submissions from both sides and in view of Harbhajan's admission Match Referee Farokh Engineer found him guilty of level 4.2 offence," IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi said at a press conference at the conclusion of a two-hour hearing. PTI
BCCI appoints commissioner to inquire Harbhajan slap row
New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) The BCCI today appointed advocate Sudhir Nanavati as Commissioner to conduct a preliminary inquiry into Harbhajan Singh's alleged slapping of India teammate and IPL rival S Sreesanth.
"As per the constitution, BCCI has appointed Sudhir Nanavati, Advocate, Ahmedabad as Commissioner to make preliminary inquiry and call for explanation from the concerned person(s) and submit his report within 15 days to BCCI President Sharad Pawar to look into the matter of disciplinary action against Harbhajan Singh," the Cricket Board said in a statement here.
Harbhajan allegedly slapped Sreesanth after his team Kings XI Punjab beat the Mumbai Indians in an Indian Premier League match in Mohali.
The BCCI statement issued by secretary Niranjan Shah said after Pawar goes through the report, he will refer it to the board's disciplinary committee.
"On receipt of the report, the president will refer the same to Disciplinary Committee," the statement said.
Harbhajan will appear before an IPL disciplinary hearing to be conducted by match referee Farokh Engineer here today and having already admitted to getting physical with Sreesanth, the temperamental bowler faces the risk of being banned for a few matches.
Slapping a fellow player constitutes a Level 4 offence as per the ICC Code of Conduct and could lead to a maximum punishment of a life ban or a minimum of five Tests or 10 ODIs.
While Harbhajan is likely to be banned with cameras catching the incident, Sreesanth may also be reprimanded for allegedly provoking the off-spinner. PTI
Harbhajan replies to BCCI show-cause notice
Mumbai, Apr 28 (PTI) Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who was today banned by the Indian Premier League for 11 matches for slapping paceman S Sreesanth, has replied to the Cricket Board's show cause notice issued to him.
"He has given his reply, but I cannot reveal its contents," said BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah from Rajkot.
The temperamental bowler, who captained Mumbai Indians in their first three matches in the ongoing Twenty20 League, was asked by the BCCI for explanation for slapping Sreesanth after the IPL match against King's XI Punjab at Mohali on April 25.
Harbhajan, a BCCI-contracted player, was slapped with the show cause on April 26 and suspended for the fourth tie of his team against Deccan Chargers yesterday and given time till today to send his reply.
BCCI, under whose jurisdiction IPL is being held, has already appointed Sudhir Nanavati of the Gujarat Cricket Association as the Commissioner to inquire into the matter and his findings are to be put before its disciplinary committee headed by president Sharad Pawar for deciding the further course of action. PTI
US Inc bullish on India, but with riders
New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) Amid global uncertainties, the US Inc is bullish on India as an investment destination compared to other emerging economies, but wants the country to improve its intellectual property rights regime and infrastructure, a survey said.
The survey, which polled members and company executives of the US-India Business Council (USIBC), showed that a large number of respondents rated future economic growth in India as highly sustainable despite uncertainties in other global markets.
Further, a large section of respondents answered in the affirmative regarding their plans to invest in India in order to establish or expand their operations over the next five years, according to the survey conducted by Ernst and Young.
"India is, and will continue to be, a premier destination for investment," is the assessment of most of these respondents, it said.
Releasing the 2008 USIBC Business Perception Survey here, Utkarsh Palnitkar, Ernst & Young, Partner- Transaction Advisory Services said, "The findings demonstrate the depth of commitment of USIBC member companies to India's continued economic growth. The news is quite positive - provided that the government addresses several critical issues." While the survey pointed out that the Indian economy will continue to attract global investor interest, much needs to be done for it to become more investor-friendly, it suggested. PTI
Bharti Airtel slashes STD rates to Rs 1.50
New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) Domestic long distance mobile call tariffs dipped to a new low today, with cellular services market leader Bharti Airtel reducing STD rates to Rs 1.50 a minute from Rs 2.65.
Bharti Airtel, 30 per cent owned by Singapore's SingTel, also announced a drastic cut in roaming rates under which incoming roaming calls will be charged at Re 1 a minute compared with the existing Rs 1.75.
While roaming, the customer can make an outgoing local call at Re 1 a minute and an STD call at Rs 1.50 a minute, Bharti Airtel President Manoj Kohli told reporters here.
The initiative will benefit rural customers. PTI
Iran, Pak resolve issues related to IPI pipeline project
Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Apr 28 (PTI) Pakistan and Iran today resolved all bilateral issues related to the USD 7.5-billion gas pipeline project also involving India during talks between President Pervez Musharraf and his visiting Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The resolution of these issues paved the way for a bilateral agreement to be signed soon in Tehran on a mutually agreed date, Pakistani officials said.
Iran also agreed to provide 1,100 MW of electricity to Pakistan to help it overcome a crippling energy crisis.
During their hour-long meeting at the presidency here, Musharraf and Ahmadinejad discussed bilateral ties, issues confronting the region and the Islamic world and trilateral cooperation between Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan to usher in peace and stability in the region.
Ahmadinejad made a brief official stopover in Pakistan while on his way to Sri Lanka. He is leading a high-level delegation that includes Iran's ministers for foreign affairs, commerce and petroleum and the head of the country's EXIM Bank.
Following a meeting at which no aides were present, Musharraf and Ahmadinejad were joined by their respective delegations.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters that the talks were positive and covered all aspects of the wide ranging relationship between the two countries.
"The two leaders said the Iran-Pakistan-India (gas pipeline) project will promote peace and friendship," Qureshi said, adding the foreign ministers of Iran and Pakistan had been asked to agree on a mutually convenient date for signing the bilateral agreement on the pipeline. PTI
Chinese authorities blame train mishap on human error
Beijing, Apr 28 (PTI) A train mishap that killed 66 people in east Chinas Shandong province in early hours today, was blamed on "human error", according to preliminary probe.
Two top railway officials were sacked following the deadly collision between two trains. Authorities have ruled out the possibility of terror act for the pre-dawn mishap, the worst in a decade.
Chinese Ministry of Public Security had earlier spoken of planned terror attacks targeting the Beijing Olympics and recently claimed to have smashed two terrorist gangs of 45 members. China said it had also foiled an attempt to crash a Beijing-bound passenger plane.
Official Xinhua news agency, citing the preliminary investigation, said the train collision was caused by human error but did not specify its nature.
Within hours after the mishap, two high-ranking officials were sacked, the agency said.
Chen Gong was axed as director of Jinan Railway Bureau and Chai Tiemin as its Party Secretary, it said, adding, both would face investigation by the Ministry of Railways.
New appointments were also made for their positions, it said.
The Qingdao-bound train had jumped off the tracks and collided with another train causing it also to derail. PTI
7 Palestinians killed in Israeli shelling in Gaza: report
Jerusalem, Apr 28 (PTI) At least seven Palestinians, including four young siblings, have been killed in Israeli shelling in the Gaza Strip today amid Egypt mediated efforts to work out a ceasefire between militant faction in the coastal strip and Israel.
Gaza-based Palestinian medics said that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) shelled a house in the northern Beit Hanoun area of the Strip where a family was having breakfast and that the mother of the young victims, critically hurt in the attack, also later succumbed to her injury. Seven others were injured in the attack.
The victims were identified as Khadra Abu Ma'tuq and her children Ahmad Abu Ma'tuq, three-year-old Hana Abu Ma'tuq, four-year-old Salih Abu Ma'tuq, and six-year-old Rudayna Abu Ma'tuq, medics said.
A 17-year-old student, Ayyub Atallah, was also killed on his way to school and his friend Mu'tasim Sweilim injured, Palestinian Ma'an News Agency reported.
Ibrahim Al-Hjuj, a member of the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, the Al-Quds Brigades, was also identified among the dead, the agency reported.
The incident can adversely affect an Egyptian effort towards bringing about a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and the militant factions.
Israel is waiting for the results of talks between Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups in Cairo on Wednesday, before it takes a position on the Egyptian initiative.
Israeli Security officials have said that if Hamas cannot restrain the smaller groups, especially 'Islamic Jihad,' there will not be much point to the agreement.
An IDF spokesman did not confirm tank fire but said that an aircraft attacked a group of armed men heading towards an army patrol in the vicinity, close to the Gaza-Israel border. PTI
Sarabjit gets second reprieve just two days before hanging
Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Apr 28 (PTI) Just two days away from being hanged, Indian national Sarabjit Singh today got a second brief reprieve after Pakistani authorities put off his execution for upto three weeks.
There was a "procedural postponement" of Sarabjit's execution by the home department of Punjab province, officials said.
Sarabjit, 42, sentenced to death for allegedly carrying out four bomb attacks in 1990 in Lahore and Multan, was due to be hanged on May 1 after the expiry of a 30-day stay of his death sentence granted by President Pervez Musharraf in March.
According to existing rules, Sarabjit's case has to be put once again before a local court for fixing a fresh date for the execution, Dawn News channel quoted the unnamed officials as saying.
Under these rules, this fresh date of execution cannot be fixed before a period of 14 days or after 21 days.
This means that the execution will be postponed for up to three weeks, the officials said. They added the decision was largely a "procedural matter".
Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Sadiq and presidential spokesman Maj Gen (retired) Rashid Qureshi told PTI that they had no word on this development.
Qureshi reiterated that Sarabjit's case was not pending with the presidency, which would act on the Prime Minister's Secretariat's recommendations in the matter.
Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur, currently in Lahore with his wife Sukhpreet Kaur and his daughters Swapandeep and Poonam, said the family was elated to hear of the postponement.
"We are all very happy," she told PTI. PTI
66 killed, 247 injured in train accident in East China
Raghavendra
Beijing, Apr 28 (PTI) At least 66 people were killed and 247 others injured when two crowded trains collided today after one of them jumped tracks in east China's Shandong province in the deadliest accident to hit the country's rail network in a decade.
Authorities have ruled out the possibility of a terrorist act and human error has been blamed for the mishap that occurred on the suburbs of Zibo city, according to preliminary investigation.
The train from Beijing to Qingdao, a summer resort that will host the sailing competition for the 2008 Olympics, was derailed before it rammed into the one coming from Shandong's Yantai to Xuzhou.
Ten bogies of the Qingdao-bound train toppled into a ditch.
Fifty-seven people were killed on the spot and three others succumbed to injuries at hospitals while 51 of the 247 injured were in a critical condition.
Two high-ranking railway officials were sacked following the accident and they would face an investigation by the Ministry of Railways, Xinhua news agency said.
Chen Gong, former director and Chai Tiemin, former party secretary of the Jinan Railway Bureau faced the axe and new appointments were also made in their places, it said.
"We were still sleeping when the accident occurred," a 38-year old woman from the provincial capital of Jinan said after she came out of the train wreckage along with her teenaged daughter through a big crack in the floor.
"I suddenly woke up when I felt the train stopped with a jolt. In a minute or two, it started again, but soon toppled," she was quoted as saying. PTI
Everyone has right to express in democracy: Amitabh
Mumbai, Apr 27 (PTI) Observing that its nothing new for celebrities to be at the receiving end, superstar Amitabh Bachchan has said he is not an exception to it and people in a democratic country are free to express themselves.
He was reacting to noted script writer Salim Khan's comment on his television ads for Uttar Pradesh government saying "UP mein hai dum, kyunki jurm hai yahaan kum.
"This is a democratic country and everyone has the right to express themselves," he told reporters during a press conference on his forthcoming film "Bhoothnath".
In an article published in a daily here, Khan wrote at times actors just concentrate on the pay packets and not the content they are delivering through their advertisements.
Bachchan said its nothing new for celebrities to be at the receiving end and he is not an exception to it.
The Big B also said he is not going to work with Ramgopal Verma again due to the bitter experience he had during "Aag", the remake of "Sholey".
"Bhoothnath" has tied up with leading online children games portal zapak.Com. PTI
Pak movie featuring Nandita Das to be screened at Tribeca fest
Islamabad, Apr 26 (PTI) A movie starring Indian actress Nandita Das and based on the real-life story of a seven-year- old Pakistani Hindu boy and his father who accidentally cross the border and are jailed will be screened at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
"Ramchand Pakistani", which hopes to bring the two nations closer by showcasing the emotional turmoil that ordinary people on both sides of the border experience because of the strained political relations, has an apt tagline -- "Two nations Poised for War. One Family Torn Apart".
The film will be screened along with 79 other films from 41 countries at the festival, which began today and will be on till May 4. The film is likely to be released in India and Pakistan soon.
The movie by first-time Pakistani feature filmmaker Mehreen Jabbar stars Nandita Das as the woman whose husband and son are jailed for being "spies". Das plays Champa, the woman whose seven-year-old son Ramchand and husband disappear from their village near Nagarparkar, located along the border with India.
The film revolves around Ramchand, who grows up in an Indian prison with his father, but with no memory of his mother.
"The story is deeply rooted in the complex relationships that characterise interactions between Pakistan and India, and Muslims and Hindus," Jabbar said.
"Ramchand Pakistani" was recently awarded the Global Film Initiative Grant, an initiative to support films that promote "cross-cultural understanding". (More)
Jackie Chan keen on working with Kamal Haasan
Chennai, Apr 25 (PTI) Hollywood action hero Jackie Chan is keen on working with Indian great Kamal Haasan.
Chan, who was here at the audio release of Haasan's magnum opus "Dasavathaaram" today, said India has been one of his favourite places.
It was nothing less than a dream line-up at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor stadiun here with Chan, Amitabh Bachchan, Haasan and Mammootty coming together.
Chief Minister M Karunanidhi was also present on the occasion, which was electrified with the presence of Bollywood heartthrob Mallika Sherawat, 'Dream Girl' Hema Malini, Jayapradha and south Indian actors Asin and Vijay.
Cheering up the audience, who had turned up in large numbers to see their favourite stars, Chan said "I have seen some scenes of the movie ('Dasavathaaram'). The acting is excellent. I do not act but do action in the movie," he said.
Bachchan said he has a deep emotional connection with the city as he received his first award from Karunanidhi here years ago. PTI
No kissing scene for me: Neha Oberoi
New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) Bollywood's new entrant Neha Oberoi, who started with the 'lovebuds' story in the film 'Dus Kahaniya', says she is happy with a glamorous image but will not be comfortable doing bold scenes.
"I am a glamorous girl but I am not open to doing bold scenes. I am not comfortable doing kissing scenes or shedding clothes on screen," says Neha, who has acted in Sanjay Gupta's film 'Woodstock villa', releasing next month.
Oberoi, who play 'Reshma' in the film, is happy with the way her character has shaped. "I consider it as my debut film because this was the first Hindi film that I signed." "I play a ambitious small town girl who comes to Mumbai to become a model and an actor. It is a suspense thriller also starring Sikander Kher (Anupam Kher's son)," she says.
Neha, who debuted with a very small role in 'Dus Kahaniya', however, is not worried about her unconventional launch but finds herself lucky to work with some great actors.
"I am happy with the way my career is shaping up. Though I started with a small role but I can't be more thankful to God because during this film I got the chance to work in the company of actors like Naseerji, Shabanaji, Nana Patekar," she says.
Even as Neha's film 'Woodstock villa' is all set to hit the theaters next month, the actress is not sitting idle. She has already bagged an important role in a film starring Sanjay Dutt. PTI
Rape: Low convictions, a major worry
Anurag Sharma
New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI) Rape, molestation and abductions, the crimes are numerous but low conviction rates for the same is one of the major reason for the growing number of offences against women, point out experts.
"Apart from other factors, the low conviction rate in the cases of rape or molestation is the biggest worry we have today. There is hardly any deterrence. Law should provide fast track courts to deal with such cases," says Girija Vyas, Chairperson, National Commission for Women (NCW).
While there were 37,000 cases of molestation and eve-teasing in 2006-07, the conviction rate for such crimes, is below 30 per cent. For rape it is just a dismal 27 per cent.
Brinda Karat, All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), member says, "I have raised the issue in the Parliament several times that there is a need to step up conviction rate in rape cases drastically. Poor legal system, wrong understanding of policemen in these cases and lengthy procedures especially in child rape where after horrifying rounds of investigation the victim starts feeling that she is an accused and should not have registered the case, are few reasons for low conviction rate."
"In every 10 hours, a girl of the age of 1-10 is being raped in India. We are raising this issue and have demanded enforcement of stringent laws by government," she adds.
Reacting to a recent incident in which a minor was raped by a constable and his accomplice in a moving car in the national capital, Vyas says, "This is a special case and it should be dealt with a fast track court. On many occasions, complains do not get registered on time and then it is very difficult to prove that rape actually happened. It should be registered within 24 hours of the incident." PTI
Indians still skeptical about yoga as cure: B K S Iyengar
Annie Samson
New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI) Despite a host of celebrity gurus plus a wide variety of instructional videos and CDs on yoga, Indians are still not ready to embrace the ancient practice, relying instead more on medicines for cures to various ailments, says noted yoga exponent B K S Iyengar.
At a time when various exponents from Baba Ramdev to Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty are propagating their own styles of the art of breathing right people here are not paying heed to the ancient practice, feels Iyengar, also known as 'Guruji.' India, considered to be the birthplace of the ancient art of yoga, is still lagging behind in the practice claims the guru who has made Iyengar yoga a celebrated name worldwide.
The 90-plus Padma Vibushan awardee says, "In India, there are more people who are drug addicts, I mean those addicted to medicines. Everybody wants to take medicines for their ailments. This is not so when compared to those in western countries where they have taken to yoga." He claims that the regular practice of Iyengar Yoga can cure even those afflicted with extremely serious medical conditions and is known to use various props such as belts, ropes and wooden gadgets to make the performance of 'asanas' easy for physical handicapped patients.
When asked about various controversies that is currently plaguing the ancient practice. "There is no controversy about my form of yoga, 20 million students across the world who are my students. There may be many practitioners today but yoga is one. The trunk of the tree is one there may be many branches," says Iyengar. PTI
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