HC tells Maharashtra govt to install CCTV cameras on National Highways

MUMBAI: Bombay High Court has asked the State government to consider installing close-in-circuit television cameras on all expressways and highways in Maharashtra to monitor vehicle movement and curb accidents due to rash driving.

A division bench of Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice A P Bhangale is hearing a public interest litigation by Association for Aiding Justice for providing emergency medical services on national and state highways in Maharashtra including well-equipped ambulances, paramedical staff and Golden Hour treatment for victims of accidents.

Advocate Jamshed Mistry and Dipesh Siroya argued that in January 2012 HC had directed the State government to finalise an emergency medical scheme within two months. The scheme included procurement of 987 ambulances to be stationed on the expressway and national and state highways every 100 kilometres and connected to a control room . There has been no progress,'' said Mistry.

The judges observed that CCTv cameras would be effective and questioned why they were not being use. The judges asked advocate general Darius Khambata to urgently look into the matter. They said whenever tenders are floated for road constructions on build-operate-transfer basis, the government must insist on installing of CCTv cameras. Because once you (State government ) have done it, your job becomes easy. It will reduce pressure on the police and bring down the accident numbers,'' said Justice Khanwilkar. Alongwith every lamp post have CCTV installed,'' he added.

The judges also observed tendency of driving in a zig zag manner and crossing lanes leads to accidents and due to heavy vehicles occupying fast lanes leads to overtaking from the wrong side of the road by smaller vehicles. It was also suggested to the court that overloaded trailers could be stopped at toll nakas. Once CC Tv is installed, the superior officer will be able to control the mischief happening at toll nakas,'' remarked Justice Khanwilkar. The judges have asked Khambata to consider all options and report to the court at the next hearing after two weeks.

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Australia seizes huge meth haul worth around $446 million

SYDNEY: Australian police said on Wednesday they had made their largest ever seizure of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of around Aus$438 million (US$446 million).

The operation involving federal and New South Wales state police confiscated 585 kilograms (1,287 pounds) of the drug known as "ice", the Australian Associated Press reported.

It said law enforcers were releasing few details of the operation, but had confirmed the estimated value of the seizure. Senior police and customs officials were to display the haul to the media Thursday.

In other recent major drug busts in the country, police last December said they had seized cocaine shipped from Chile worth up to Aus$77 million.

The month before, they confiscated cocaine and methamphetamine worth Aus$237 million shipped from China in a consignment of heavy machinery.

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Chidambaram's family happy to see him present his historic eighth budget

NEW DELHI: Finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti on Thursday said their family was delighted that his father would be presenting the Union Budget for a historic eighth time.

"It is not necessary to spell out expectations. But on a personal level, we are all very proud that my father has had an historic eighth opportunity to present the Union Budget. So, we are all very happy and we are all very happy to be here," he told media outside the Parliament here.

Chidambaram, who will be presenting his eights budget today, is expected to announce certain steps to contain the current account deficit.

The nation's expectations are running high on what the finance minister has in store for inflation continues to be a big challenge. The individual taxpayers will also be looking forward to some relief from today's General Budget.

The General Budget that would be presented in Parliament today would be discussed by the lawmakers over the coming months.

This budget is significant as it will be the last one before the nation faces the next Lok Sabha polls due to take place in April-May next year.

Chidambaram earlier on Wednesday tabled the Economic Survey 2012-13 in Parliament.

The Economic Survey is customarily tabled in Parliament by the finance minister a day before the General Budget for the coming fiscal year.

The document serves as an indicator of what is likely to be contained in the Budget proposals. Chidambaram's family happy to see him present his historic 8th budget

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Taliban bombs 4 schools in Mohmand tribal region of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Taliban fighters today bombed four schools in the restive Mohmand tribal region of Pakistan, the latest in a series of attacks that has destroyed hundreds of state-run educational institutions.

No one was injured in the blasts that destroyed the schools at about 2:30 am, officials said.

The Taliban have destroyed over 100 schools in Mohmand Agency, one of the seven semi-autonomous tribal districts.

The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan is opposed to co-education and the curriculum of state-run schools, which it has described as "un-Islamic".

The militants have destroyed hundreds of schools, mostly for girls, in northwest Pakistan over the past five years.

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Govt allocates Rs 532 cr for modernisation of post offices

NEW DELHI: Government has allocated Rs 532 crore for IT modernisation project of post offices which are gearing up to offfer core banking sevices.

"Post offices will become part of the core banking solution and offer real time banking services. I propose to provide Rs 532 crore for the project in 2013-14," finance minister P Chidambaram said while presenting the Budget proposals for the next fiscal in Parliament.

The total project cost approved by the government is Rs 4,909 crore.

The department of post (DoP) has started deploying modern technology solution to develop core banking capability across post offices. As part of modernisation, it has set target of March 31 to computerise all departmental post offices.

India postal network has 1,54,822 post offices in the country. Of these, 1,39,086 are in rural areas and 15,736 are in urban regions.

There are around 90,000 bank branches in the country and provision of real-time banking services through postal network is estimated to triple the current banking network.

DoP has appointed Ernst and Young to prepare detailed project roadmap for setting up of Post Banks and the report is expected to be in place by April.

Budget 2013 > Union Budget 2013 > Economic Survey 2013

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Union Budget proposes urban housing fund; luxury homes to cost more

NEW DELHI: Finance minister P Chidambaram on Thursday announced a Rs 2,000 crore urban housing fund, while making luxury homes costlier by cutting abatement on service tax on a flat with a floor area of over 2,000 sq ft, or prices exceeding Rs 1 crore.

The Budget for 2013-14 also proposed to levy a one per cent TDS on immovable properties of above Rs 50 lakh.

Besides, the finance minister raised tax deduction limit by Rs 1 lakh for the first time home buyers.

"...it is proposed to start a fund for urban housing to mitigate the huge shortage of houses in urban areas. I propose to ask National Housing Bank to set up the Urban Housing Fund and, in consultation with RBI, I propose to provide Rs 2,000 crore to the Fund in 2013-14," Chidambaram said in his Budget speech.

He also proposed to raise the allocation to the Rural Housing Fund to Rs 6,000 crore from Rs 4,000 crore.

On luxury housing, Chidambaram said: "Homes and flats with a carpet area of 2,000 sq ft or more or of a value of Rs 1 crore or more are high-end constructions, where the component of 'service' is greater. Hence, I propose to reduce the rate of abatement for this class of buildings from 75 per cent to 70 per cent."

However, the existing exemptions from service tax for low-cost housing and single residential units will continue.

Chidambaram also imposed one per cent TDS on transfer of immovable properties of values exceeding Rs 50 lakh, but exempted agricultural land.

"Transactions in immovable properties are usually undervalued and underreported. One-half of the transactions do not carry the PAN of the parties concerned.

"With a view to improve the reporting of such transactions and the taxation of capital gains, I propose to apply TDS at the rate of one percent on the value of the transfer of immovable property where the consideration exceeds Rs 50 lakh," he added.

Reacting to the proposals, leading realty consultant Jones Lang Lasalle India said the Budget for 2013-14 is tepid for the real estate sector, but was a moderately encouraging in general.

"The rate of abatement on homes and flats of above 2,000 sq ft or costing Rs 1 crore and above has been reduced from 75 per cent to 70 per cent. Effectively, this translates into an increase in service tax outflow, which means that luxury housing will now become even more expensive," Jones Lang LaSalle India Chairman & Country Head Anuj Puri said.

The setting up of the Urban Housing Fund by the NHB will infuse liquidity for urban housing, thereby boosting demand.

"The TDS of 1 per cent to be charged on the transfer of immovable property is an obvious move to curb speculation and bring about improved reporting and accountability in high-value immovable property transactions," Puri said.

Budget 2013 > Union Budget 2013 > Economic Survey 2013

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Suicide bomber attacks Afghan army bus; 10 wounded

KABUL: A Taliban suicide bomber in a black overcoat and carrying an umbrella as a shelter against the heavy snow crossed a street in Kabul Wednesday toward a bus filled with Afghan soldiers, where he laid down and slithered underneath.

A witness said the attacker then detonated his explosives, engulfing the undercarriage of the bus in flames. The bomber was killed, and at least 10 people - six soldiers and four civilians _ were wounded, according to the Kabul police chief's office.

The bombing _ the second attempted strike in the capital this week _ was a reminder of the Taliban insurgency's ability to hit the Afghan government even with about 100,000 international troops helping secure the country.

The Afghan government uses buses to ferry soldiers, police and office workers into the city center for work every day. These vehicles, which run regular routes, have been a common target for insurgents.

Soldiers were about to board the bus when the attacker slid underneath and detonated his vest, said Ahmad Shakib, who saw the attack unfold from across the street.

Shakib said the attacker did not rush but moved purposefully across the snowy street. When the man started to push himself under the bus, Shakib thought at first he was a driver's assistant trying to fix something.

"I thought to myself, 'What is this crazy man doing?' And then there was a blast and flames,'' Shakib said. "It was a very loud explosion. I still cannot really hear.''

The owner of a nearby bakery said that six people who were waiting outside his shop to buy bread were wounded. The windows of Mirza Khan's bakery also shattered.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the bombing in a text message to The Associated Press.

The attack comes three days after a would-be car bomber was shot dead by police in downtown Kabul. That assailant was driving a vehicle packed with explosives and officials said he appeared to be targeting an intelligence agency office nearby.

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Heavy snowfall shuts Jammu-Srinagar national highway again

JAMMMU: Heavy snowfall has shut the Jammu-Srinagar national highway for traffic, leaving over 150 vehicles stranded on Wednesday.

The highway has been closed following heavy snowfall in Patnitop and Jawahir tunnel areas and mudslides in other places, police said.

Due to closure of the highway, over 150 vehicles have been stranded at various places.

The men and machines of Border Road Organisation (BRO) have started clearing operation but continuous snowfall is making the task difficult.

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Himachal Pradesh HC orders status quo on land lease to Baba Ramdev

SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh high court on Wednesday directed the government to maintain status quo in respect of the land leased to Patanjali Yoga Peeth of Baba Ramdev which was taken over by the government on February 22.

A division bench of the court comprising justices Deepak Gupta and Kuldeep Singh also issued notice to the government on Wednesday.

The court asked the state government to maintain "status quo" in respect of the land lease.

The Cabinet had cancelled the lease of 98 acre of land at Sadhupul near Kandaghat in Solan district on February 19 following which revenue officials had taken possession of the land along with buildings and other infrastructure.

Patanjali Yogapeeth filed a writ petition challenging the decision of the Cabinet to cancel the lease and also the follow up action to take over the possession of the land by the government.

The government had maintained that the land was given to Patanjali Yogapeeth by the then BJP government in 2010 in violation of statutory provisions of law and also thwarted the plans of the Patanjali Peth Trust to inaugurate the first phase of the mega project on Wednesday.

Challenging the action of the government, Patanjali Yogapeeth moved the high court, alleging that the decision of the government was illegal, arbitrary and violation of cannons of natural justice.

The petitioner submitted the land was given to Patanjali Yogapeeth through a valid lease and it had already incurred an expenditure of Rs 11-crore on construction of buildings and development of other infrastructure.

The land originally belonged to the erstwhile royal family of Patiala in 1956 and former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, a scion of the Royal family had also objected to the decision of the government, maintaining that the land was donated for a specific purpose and its land use cannot be changed.

The BJP gave the land to the yoga guru in 2010 for a one-time lease payment of Rs 17 lakh for 99 years at a token annual fee of Re 1.

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Ruckus in Rajya Sabha over alleged tapping of Arun Jaitley's phone

NEW DELHI: The issue of the alleged tapping of the phone of Rajya Sabha leader of opposition Arun Jaitley created a ruckus in the upper House on Wednesday morning.

Rajya Sabha chairman M Hamid Ansari was forced to adjourn the House briefly.

As soon as the House met for the day, Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal stood up and raised the issue.

"It is a matter of concern that the leader of opposition's phone is being tapped, we need an answer from the home minister," Agarwal said.

He was joined by members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Janata Dal (United) and AIADMK.

Ravishankar Prasad of BJP, Satish Chandra Misra of BSP, AIADMK's V Maitreyan, and Shivanand Tiwari of JD(U) were among those who stood up demanding a clarification from the government on the issue.

Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Rajiv Shukla then assured them that the home minister would inform the house on the issue. The agitated members, however, were not pacified by this and sought a timeframe for the government's response.

Members sought to know if the government was involved in the phone tapping, to which Shukla responded: "The government does not do such things."

This led to uproar from the opposition benches which forced the chairman to order a brief adjournment.

When the House reassembled after the five-minute adjournment, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde said he would collect information on the matter and place it before the House soon.

"Government is bound to make a statement on this," Shinde said.

With that, the proceedings of the House continued smoothly and question hour was taken up.

The Delhi Police has arrested Anurag Singh, a doctor-turned-private detective, who runs V-Detect Private Detective Agency in New Delhi. He is believed to be the brain behind the move to acquire Jaitley's phone call details.

Anurag Singh is also one of the main accused in the tapping of the phone of former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh.

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Ahmedabad BMW hit-and-run case: Car owner nabbed; another victim dies

AHMEDABAD: A 27-year-old youth was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the BMW hit-and-run case, in which two persons have died, a senior police official said.

Local police arrested Vismay Shah, the owner of the BMW car after he surrendered, the official said.

"We have arrested Vismay Shah, on whose name the BMW car was registered. Shah is the son of a local eye surgeon here. We are questioning him and will seek his remand for further custodial interrogation," joint commissioner of police (Sector-1) Ajay Tomar said.

While one of the bikers, Shivam Dave, an engineering student, was killed on the spot, his friend Rahul Patel succumbed to his injuries in a private hospital on Wednesday morning, police said.

The BMW, which was being driven at a breakneck speed, had rammed into two persons on a motorcycle in the Judges Bungalow area, flinging them off the two-wheeler on Monday night, they said.

The duo, along with their two other friends who were on another vehicle, were returning after having dinner at a roadside eatery here, they said.

The car had screeched to a halt after dragging the bike for about 35 metres before ramming into a tree, police said, adding that Shah, who was driving the car, came out of it, apologised and got into a car driven by a girl and fled from the spot, they said.

The car carried a Chandigarh registration number, they said.

Shah has been booked under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC.

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Best-selling French author Stephane Hessel dies at 95: Wife

PARIS: Best-selling French writer, veteran diplomat and concentration camp survivor Stephane Hessel has died at the age of 95, his wife announced on Wednesday.

Hessel, whose 2010 work " Time for Outrage" inspired the "Occupy Wall Street" movement which began in New York's financial district and spread worldwide, died overnight, Christiane Hessel-Chabry said.

The German-born Hessel, who became a naturalised French citizen in 1939, was a prominent Resistance figure during World War II. He was arrested by the Gestapo and later moved to the Buchenwald and Dora concentration camps.

After the end of the war, Hessel was involved in editing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He also took up the cause of illegal immigrants and championed the rights of the downtrodden.

"Time for Outrage" sold more than 4.5 million copies in 35 countries.

His best-selling work argues that the French need to again become outraged like those who participated in the Resistance under General Charles De Gaulle during World War II.

His reasons for personal outrage included the growing chasm between the haves and have-nots, France's treatment of its illegal immigrants and the abuse of the environment.

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19 dead as tourist balloon explodes at Luxor: Egypt security

CAIRO: A hot air balloon exploded as it was flying over Egypt's ancient temple city of Luxor on Tuesday, killing 19 people including tourists from Hong Kong, Japan, France and Britain, a security official said.

"Nineteen people died," the official said.

The balloon which was carrying 21 people was flying at 300 metres (yards) over Qurna, in Luxor's West Bank, when it caught fire before exploding, the official said.

The two survivors, including the balloon's pilot, have been taken to hospital, he said.

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Rail Budget: Railways may suffer Rs 24,600 crore loss in 2012-13

NEW DELHI: The Indian Railways is likely to suffer a loss of Rs 24,600 crore in fiscal year ending March 31 as compared to Rs 22,500 crore in the previous fiscal, railways minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said on Tuesday.

Presenting the railway budget in parliament, Bansal said losses had increased sharply in the past one decade due to rising input cost and near stagnant revenue due to no revision in passenger fare.

The railways posted a loss of Rs 4,955 crore in 2002-03.

This was Bansal's maiden rail budget and a first by a Congress minister in 17 years.

Budget 2013 > Rail Budget 2013 > Economic Survey 2013

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Rail Budget: Railways to get 'next generation' e-ticketing system

NEW DELHI: Indian Railways will introduce by the end of this year a "next generation" e-ticketing system that will improve the speed of online ticket booking, railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said on Tuesday.

The new system will have the capacity to book 7,200 tickets a minute as against the current capacity of 2,000, Bansal said while presenting the railway budget in the Lok Sabha.

Bansal pointed out that congestion at the IRCTC web site caused a lot of problem for passengers.

"The next generation ticketing system will significantly improve the situation," he added.

Budget 2013 > Rail Budget 2013 > Economic Survey 2013

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Rail Budget: Railway stocks under pressure, tank as much as 8 per cent

MUMBAI: Share prices of companies that cater to the railway sector were under pressure and tanked as much as 8 per cent on the bourses as railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal delivered his maiden Rail Budget in the Lok Sabha.

Kalindee Rail Nirman was the largest loser and dropped 8.10 per cent on the BSE, followed by Hind Rectifiers which dropped 6.71 per cent and Kernex Microsystems which fell by 6.42 per cent.

Among others, Stone India tanked 6.53 per cent, Titagarh Wagons was down 5.65 per cent, Texmaco Rail (down 4.87 per cent), Zicom Security (down 3.60 per cent) and BEML (down 2.17 per cent).

Meanwhile, the benchmark sensitive index Sensex was trading in the negative territory and was down 162.98 per cent at 19,168.71 points.

Commenting on the downtrend, market players said, these stocks are under pressure as concerns were rife as to whether there would be a fare hike.

They said there might be a fuel adjustment component to adjust for the recent diesel price revision.

Budget 2013 > Rail Budget 2013 > Economic Survey 2013

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Rail Budget practical, implementable: Chidambaram

NEW DELHI: Terming the Railway Budget for 2012-13 as "practical and implementable", finance minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said that his cabinet colleague Pawan Kumar Bansal has presented the finances of the railways in a very candid manner.

"The railway minister has presented a very responsible, practical and implementable budget," Chidambram told reporters outside Parliament.

Chidambaram, who will present the General Budget for fiscal 2012-13 on February 28, said, "Within the resources the railways can mobilise, I think he (Bansal) has done a remarkable job of providing new trains, new lines, extensions, capital works and production facilities."

On the financial conditions of the railways, he said, "I think after many years, he (the Minister) has candidly stated the finances of the railways... I think it is a very commendable budget.

Budget 2013 > Rail Budget 2013 > Economic Survey 2013

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Railway to introduce modern coach 'Anubhuti' in Rajdhani, Shatabdi trains

NEW DELHI: Railways on Tuesday proposed to introduce a modern coach "Anubhuti" with good ambience in the premier Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains providing higher travel comfort to passengers.

The travelling fare in such a coach will be priced separately, railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal announced in his Budget speech.

"With increased popularity of Shatabdi and Rajdhani trains, there is also a demand for higher travel comfort. Responding to this need, railways will introduce one such coach in select trains which will provide an excellent ambience and latest modern facilities and services," he said.

Such coaches will be named 'Anubhuti' with commensurate fare structure, he said.

Besides, he said a pilot project will be launched in select trains to facilitate passengers to contact on-board staff through SMS/phone calls for prompt response for coach cleanliness and provide real time feedback.

Provision of announcement facility and electronic display board in trains for disseminating information to on-board passengers about approaching stations, train running, and arrival platform will also be there, he said.

He also announced provisions of free wi-fi facility on several trains to cater to the increasing aspirations and requirement of the youth and other customers.

Budget 2013

Rail Budget 2013

Economic Survey 2013

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Uttar Pradesh: Displaced villagers in Sitapur to stage jal satyagrah

LUCKNOW: About 800 poor families, living on roadside for the last two years on a road in Reusa block of Sitapur district in Uttar Pradesh (UP), have decided to go for Jal Satyagrah to attract the attention of ' insensitive' state government. These families were displayed after Sharda river changed its course by seven kilometres, flooding and eroding their villages in the process.

The families, while fighting for their survival, have been seeking help from the state government since long but got nothing. Now, the displaced people have decided to stage a Jal Satyagrah by getting down into the waters of the river Sharda and standing there all day long for two days from Monday onwards. And, if the action fails to move the state government, people have threatened to follow it up with an indefinite Stayagrah.

"Despite our best efforts to draw the attention of authorities towards the plight of the displaced villagers, authorities have not done anything substantial to arrest the erosion by Sharda, which threatens to engulf more villages in the coming monsoon, or to rehabilitate the people displaced over the past years. The most the administration does is distribute some relief which is pittance and the people really consider it a disgrace to their dignity," said social activist and Magsaysay awardee, Sandeep Pandey, who has been working with the villagers.

Narmada Bachao Andolan has been using Jal Satyagrah since 1993 as a means of protest wherein people facing submergence stay put in waist or sometimes neck deep rising waters of the river and endanger their lives. Last year in Ghoglagaon of Khandwa district in Madhya Pradesh people were left standing in water for 17 days and the government was not willing to talk to them until the body parts of some of the people in water started dissolving. In UP it is being staged for the first time.

"In past 50 years, Sharda river has devoured many villages in four blocks of Sitapur District - Reusa, Sakran, Rampur Mathura and Behata. Villages which have been completely erased include Kashipur, Senapur and Mallapur among others. The river becomes demonic during monsoon when water from the Banbasa dam in Sitarganj and from rivers in Nepal is released to protect the dams there. The erosion due to Sharda and Ghaghara, another river which also originates in Nepal and then joins Sharda not very far from Sitapur, affects Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Khiri, Barabanki, Bahraich, Basti and Ballia districts of UP as well," said social activist Arundhati Dhuru, who is leading the protest and was also associated with Narmada Bachao Andolan.

Thousands of farmers living on the bank of these rivers are able to cultivate only one crop a year because of the flood. People are not able to take advantage of schemes like NREGA also because of this reason and hence the farmers and labourers of this area face problem of food scarcity. A number of them have migrated to cities in search of some decent living.

In 2011, four primary and two secondary schools in Kashipur and Mallapur were submerged in water. About one thousand hectares of agricultural land was also flooded. Another primary school and community hall were lost to the waters in 2012 in Mallapur. Primary schools in Kamharia, Sheikhupur and another in Kashipur are also facing threat. The food security measures such as ICDS and MDM are almost non existent resulting into severe malnourishment among children.

"But the government doesn't seem to be worried about its own infrastructure getting immersed in water and people of the area being denied the benefits of various developmental and social welfare schemes. The gravity of the nature of emergency doesn't seem to have dawned on the ruling class. The people have been left to fend for themselves," said Dhuru.

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Pakistan hit by nationwide blackout following breakdown in major power plant

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan was hit by a nationwide blackout for more than two hours after the breakdown of a major plant caused power stations to stop working across the country, officials said Monday.

While power cuts are common in Pakistan due to chronic underinvestment in infrastructure, outages across the whole country rare.

Late Sunday's blackout occurred when the HUBCO plant in southwestern Baluchistan province, which generates 1,200 megawatts a day of electricity, developed a technical fault, said official Rai Sikandar.

That breakdown prompted a "cascading effect" which caused plants nationwide to shut down, said the water and power ministry official.

"It was a technical fault in one of our power plants and not in the national grid," he insisted, adding that electricity was gradually being restored across Pakistan after it remained off for more than two hours.

Another ministry official said power should be back on across the country within two hours.

He said that all 24 power stations in the capital Islamabad were working again and electricity was being restored in parts of all the country's four provinces.

"1,200 megawatts of electricity is back in the national grid with the restoration of different power stations," said the official.

He added an inquiry would look into the the causes of the technical fault at HUBCO. "It would be pre-mature at this stage to speculate about the nature of the fault that caused the plant to fail."

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Pakistan Taliban describes interior minister Rehman Malik as comedian

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani Taliban have mocked Interior Minister Rehman Malik by describing him as a "comedian", with a militant spokesman saying a "serious person" should replace him for any dialogue between the two sides.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan compared Malik to Pashto comedian Ismail Shahid and said the group did not take the minister's statements seriously.

"Our central shura (consultative council) believes that if Rehman Malik keeps on churning out statements about our offer (of talks), it'll indicate the government is not serious in pursuing peace talks," Ihsan told The Express Tribune.

"If the government replaces Rehman Malik with a serious person to deal with the dialogue issue, we will come up with an immediate, positive and civilised response in the best interests of Pakistan and its people," Ihsan said over phone from an undisclosed location.

Over the past few days, Malik has repeatedly ridiculed the Taliban's offer of peace talks, saying a dialogue can be held only if the banned group lays down arms and declares a month-long ceasefire.

On Saturday, Malik remarked that the Taliban raised the issue of talks whenever they were weak.

He also asked the group to name a team of "serious negotiators" if they wanted to make peace.

The Taliban spokesman said he has been stopped by his leaders from commenting on Malik's statements because the Taliban and "even many in Pakistan don't trust him".

Ihsan refused to comment on a conference of political parties convened by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman later this month to discuss ways to end the conflict in Pakistan's northwest.

He also evaded a question about the possibility of tribal elders playing a role in the peace process.

"The Taliban are fighting for the existence of the tribal people as many tribesmen have been killed and displaced (by fighting in the region) and now they should have a better life," he said.

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Teachers' recruitment scam: Delhi HC seeks CBI response on convict's plea

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court has sought response of the CBI on IAS officer Sanjiv Kumar's appeal against his conviction and 10-year jail term in the case of illegal recruitments of teachers in Haryana.

Justice Mukta Gupta issued a notice to the probe agency on Monday on the plea filed by Kumar, who was convicted and sentenced along with former Haryana chief minister OP Chautala and 53 others in the case of illegal recruitment of 3,206 junior basic teachers (JBT) in 2000.

The high court has fixed the matter for further hearing on April 8.

Kumar, the then director of primary education in Haryana, had initially exposed the scam after he filed a plea in the Supreme Court. Later, he was also found to be involved in the scam during a CBI probe.

On February, Chautala moved the high court against his conviction and sentence awarded in the JBT scam. He has also sought interim bail in the case.

The high court, on Chautala's plea, issued a notice to the CBI and sought his medical records from jail authorities.

Kumar along with OP Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala and 52 others were sentenced to varying jail terms in the case by a special CBI court on January 22.

Apart from the Chautalas and Kumar, Chautala's former officer on special duty Vidya Dhar and political advisor to the then Haryana CM Sher Singh Badshami were also given 10-year jail terms.

The others who have been given 10-year jail term are Madan Lal Kalra, Durga Dutt Pradhan, Bani Singh, Ram Singh and Daya Saini.

Apart from them, one convict has been handed five-year jail and the rest 44 were given four years of imprisonment. Among the 55 convicts, 16 were women officials.

The special CBI court, on January 16, had convicted all of the 55 accused in the case.

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Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland told to tighten border security for vote count

AGARTALA: Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland have been told to tighten security on their international and inter-state borders ahead of the vote count in the three states on February 28.

"Security along the borders will be further tightened in view of the counting of votes," an election commission official said on Monday.

The union home ministry has also directed the states to take steps to seal the international border by deploying additional Border Security Force and Assam Rifles troopers.

The BSF guards India's border with Bangladesh while Assam Rifles is posted along the Myanmar border.

Four northeastern states -- Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam -- share a 1,880-km border with Bangladesh. Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh share a 1,640-km border with Myanmar.

Most of the international border is unfenced and runs through dense forests and mountainous terrain, making it porous.

The official said the poll panel has asked the states to ensure three-tier security around the counting centres.

Central paramilitary troopers will be posted inside the counting centres, while other security forces will guard the outer areas.

Assembly elections in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland, having 60 seats each, were held on February 14 (in Tripura) and February 23.

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IT industry seeks MAT reduction to 5% in Union Budget

HYDERABAD: The IT and IT-enabled services industry has sought the reduction in minimum alternate tax (MAT) to 5% in the Budget 2013-14 for all IT companies operating in SEZs.

The finance minister is slated to announce on Thursday the budget proposals for the next fiscal.

"With the introduction of MAT for SEZ units, it has become very difficult for the IT companies in India (specifically for SME) sector to operate competitively and in a profitable manner," ITsAP (the IT and ITES Industry Association of AP) said in a statement.

"This has reduced the employment generation rate and further FDI investment in India. Hence the MAT should be rolled back or decreased to 5%," it said.

Under the present IT laws, business losses can be forwarded only for a minimum of 10 years and the same should be allowed to carry forward without any limitation.

In the current economic downturn globally, recouping the losses in 10 years may not be possible and many countries are allowing losses without any limitation to period, the IT body requested.

ITsAP also requested the FM to give an opportunity to set -off the taxes payable against refund due to the assessee which will increase the liquidity and save time in following up for the refunds.

On Service Tax issues, the ITsAP said all export companies in IT/ITES are entitled for refund paid on the input services.

"However, the same is not a reality as of today barring a very few cases. A series of meetings with Nasscom and other agencies with the Central Excise and Service Tax officers is not improving the refund process. Further, many small companies are not applying for the refund considering the hassles being created in the chain of refund claim," the industry body said.

BVR Mohan Reddy, Founder and Chairman of Infotech Enterprises Ltd, said for the software industry, withdrawing the MAT on SEZs, initiating a new SEZ policy to further improve IT exports, implementing a policy for R&D in software industry and promoting Tier II/III towns for inclusive growth will help accelerate growth in the software industry ( IT Industry).

As SME sector is the backbone for the industry and employs 59 million people, it can be a growth driver for future. And hence a special package for the SME sector will help sustainable growth, Reddy said.

The tax on SEZ was introduced in the Union Budget 2011-12. The SEZ players said the benefits offered in the SEZ Act 2005, provided a wide range of incentives to investors in SEZs including exemption from MAT and 100 per cent income tax exemption on export income.

According to a recent survey by research firm Ipsos, companies attributed exemption from tax as the key reason for investment in SEZs, which stood nullified with the imposition of the MAT.

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World's oldest marathon runner Fauja Singh finishes his last race in Hong Kong at age 101

HONG KONG: The world's oldest marathon runner has run his last race at the age of 101.

Fauja Singh finished the Hong Kong marathon's 10-kilometer (6.25-mile) race on Sunday in a time of 1 hour, 32 minutes and 28 seconds.

Singh, a Sikh, wore a saffron turban and sported a flowing white beard.

The Indian-born runner said earlier he would hang up his sneakers after the race in the southern Chinese city.

Singh became the oldest man to run a full marathon at Toronto in 2011. But his record was not recognized by Guinness World Records because he doesn't have a birth certificate to prove his age, only a passport.

Singh, who lives in Britain, said before the race that he was happy he's retiring at the top of his game.

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Michelle Obama's dance moves go viral on YouTube

WASHINGTON: A video clip of First Lady Michelle Obama grooving with a dressed-in-drag Jimmy Fallon on his late-night comedy talk show has gone viral on YouTube Saturday.

In the video, the pair, each clad in conservative slacks and cardigans, and Fallon with a long brown-haired wig, perform a routine dubbed "Evolution of Mom Dancing," to promote Obama's "Let's Move!" youth fitness and nutrition campaign.

The dance moves — with names like "The 'Go Shopping, Get Groceries,'" and "The 'Out of Sync Electric Slide'" according to titles splashed on the bottom of the screen -- progress from a simple side-to-side step and end with Fallon stalking off set as Obama rocks a smooth "Dougie."

The clip, which has already been viewed more than 850,000 times since being posted Friday and "liked" more than 11,000 times, has prompted effusive comments about the first lady and her first family.

"For the first time... we have a first lady with soul," wrote zestydude87.

And Rina Lubit wrote, "it may be just me but i really love the presidential family. they just really seem like sincerely good and chill people."

In an interview later on the show, Obama rates her husband's dance skills a "B," saying "he's got, like, three good moves."

Obama also touts her "Let's Move!" campaign, saying it has seen progress since she launched it three years ago, but there is still work to do.

"Over the past three years, we've seen a culture shift. Now people understand that this is an issue," she said.

"We've got better lunches in the schools, we've got companies putting grocery stores in under-served communities. We've got our athletes, our Olympians, working to get our kids more active. It's really heartening to see."

Obesity is a major health problem in the United States, where one in three adults and almost one in five children is overweight.

Among other initiatives for "Let's Move," the first lady, an attorney by training, has planted the White House's first garden since World War II and written a book with healthy recipes.

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US plans $16 billion Gulf spill settlement with BP: Report

WASHINGTON: US authorities plan to propose a $16 billion settlement to British energy giant BP for civil claims related to the disastrous 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a media report said.

Citing people familiar with the discussions, The Wall Street Journal said late Friday that the settlement would cover fines BP owes under the Clean Water Act, a federal water pollution law, as well as payments under the Natural Resources Damage Assessment, an environmental evaluation.

But the Journal noted that it remained unclear whether the government had formally proposed the offer to BP.

The April 20, 2010 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, operated by BP off New Orleans, killed 11 people and spilled hundreds of millions of gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico in the four months it took to cap the well.

BP vowed Tuesday to "vigorously defend" itself in court against what it termed "excessive" fines for the incident.

The company already pleaded guilty, in November, to criminal charges — including felony manslaughter — and agreed to pay a record $4.5 billion in criminal fines.

It reached a $ 7.8 billion settlement early last year to cover the bulk of the outstanding private claims for economic loss, property damage and medical problems.

BP has paid out $10 billion to businesses, individuals and local governments impacted by the spill and spent more than $14 billion on the response and cleanup.

The oil firm also remains on the hook for billions in additional damages, including the cost of environmental rehabilitation.

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Over dozen corporates, PSUs queue up for banking licences

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Feb 24, 2013, 11.10AM IST

NEW DELHI: More than a dozen corporates, including big names such as Aditya Birla Group, M&M, L&T, as well as state-owned PFC, LIC and India Post, will apply to the Reserve Bank for licence to open banks.

While announcing comprehensive guidelines for new bank licences two days ago, the RBI said interested entities can file their applications by July 1.

Other entities keen to enter the banking space are IFCI, Shriram Group, Religare, ADA Group, Srei Infra, India Infoline Ltd and IndiaBulls Ltd, Reliance Industries Ltd and Tata Group, which are speculated to be mulling entry into the banking space, have remained tight-lipped about their plans.

Power Finance Corporation (PFC) chairman and managing director Satnam Singh has said the company would seek approval for entering into banking space in the next board meeting.

"We qualify in both the categories...either we can set up a bank or convert ourselves into a bank," he said.

Larsen & Toubro spokesperson said the group would be interested in applying for new bank licence.

Commenting on the norms, non-banking financial entity Shriram Capital Chairman Arun Duggal said RBI has come up with comprehensive guidelines.

"We remain interested in foraying into the banking space and promoting financial inclusion," Duggal said, adding that the Group has required capital to enter in the banking sector.

As per the new norms, entities with a minimum track record of 10 years would be eligible for licence after clearance from sector regulators, enforcement, investigative agencies such as I-T department, CBI and ED.

The minimum paid-up capital for setting up a bank will be Rs 500 crore. The cap on the foreign investment, including FDI/FII and NRI, has been set at 49 per cent.

An official in the Finance Ministry, which controls majority stake in term lender IFCI, said the entity would also like to be considered for new bank licence.

IFCI lost out on bagging licence in 1993 when two other term lender ICICI and IDBI were permitted to open banks.

The company will discuss about foraying into the banking sector in the board meeting, IFCI CEO and Managing Director Atul K Rai said.

Aditya Birla Group CEO Ajay Srinivasan Chief Executive of Aditya Birla Group's Financial Services said: "Our group remains committed to meeting financial needs of its target customers. We intend to apply for a banking licence."

CEO of Reliance Capital Sam Ghosh said: "We will be interested in applying for a banking licence."

When asked whether IndiaBulls will apply for a banking licence, its group director Ajit Mittal said: "We have an open mind. We will take a view. The Board will decide in due course of time."

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Low intensity earthquake in parts of Rajasthan, no reports of damage

JAIPUR: A low intensity earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter Scale was felt in parts of Rajasthan on Sunday.

The epicentre was Tonk in the eastern part of the state. The tremor was felt in Jaipur and nearby region in the morning at 6.27am.

However, there is no report of loss from anywhere, according to the state police control room.

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Veteran communist leader Baldev Bakshi passes away at 90

CHANDIGARH: A revolutionary and veteran communist leader, BaldevBakshi, 90, passed away at PGI, Chandigarh on Sunday after short illness.

Baldev Bakhshi was one among the founder leaders of communist movement in joint Punjab after Independence.

He was arrested many times for participating in the movements of peasants and agriculture tenants (mujharas) in Punjab and Haryana. Bakshi was kept in custody in Lahore's Shahi Qila for two months in the early forties.

After partition, Bakshi had moved to Sirsa in Haryana (then joint Punjab) from Sekhupura town of Pakisthan in 1947.

Here, he started focusing on building the communist movement and organizational structure of Communist Party of India (CPI). Later, he became deputy secretary of CPI's Haryana unit. He remained active member of CPI till the last.

Bakshi has left behind two sons, two daughters and his wife, Sushila.

Bakshi's elder son, Ashwani Bakshi is well known lawyer in Punjab and Haryana high court while his younger son, Manoj Bakshi stays at Sirsa.

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13 Chadian troops, 65 rebels killed in Mali clashes

N'DJAMENA: Thirteen Chadian soldiers and 65 militants were killed in a fierce battle in the mountainous Ifoghas region of northern Mali, Chad's military command announced on Friday.

"The Chadian army destroyed five vehicles and killed 65 jihadists," it said in a statement, adding that 13 of its soldiers had been killed and another five wounded.

Earlier this month, around 1,800 Chadian soldiers took control of the northern city of Kidal to secure what had been the rebels' last stronghold.

Chad promised 2,000 soldiers to the the African-led AFISMA intervention force in Mali.

France hopes this force will replace its troops after their lightning offensive that forced the militants from the northern cities into the surrounding desert wilderness and the northern mountains.

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19 killed as bus plunges into river in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: At least 19 people were killed when a bus carrying wedding guests plunged into a river near Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar, a media report said.

The bus, carrying around 45 people, fell into the river along the Charsadda road in Budhi area, Xinhua reported.

The dead include women and children. Five other people were injured.

The toll may rise as many people were still missing because water flow was on the rise at the time of the incident.

The bus was pulled out of the river with a crane and a team of divers was called in to search for the drowned people.

A witness told local media that the accident occurred when the overspeeding bus tried to overtake another vehicle.

The passengers were returning home after a wedding in Samarbagh.

One passenger who luckily remained unhurt and swam to the riverbank said that at least 45 people were on board.

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No polio cases reported in last nine years: Tamil Nadu govt

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government today said the state has not reported a single polio case in the last nine years, as it prepares for the second round of Pulse Polio Campaign in which two lakh personnel would be employed.

In the first round of the polio campaign held on January 20 last year, 70.30 lakh children under the age of five years were administered with polio drops, state public health secretary J Radhakrishnan said, adding, the second round of the immunization programme was scheduled to begin from tomorrow.

"Tamil Nadu has not reported any polio case for the past nine years. However, it is very much important to administer polio drops to all children during Pulse Polio Campaign in order to protect children from possible importation of Polio virus from other parts of the Country/World," he said in a statement.

Elaborate arrangements have been made for the second round, which involves administering drops to children covered in the first round also, he said, adding, 40,000 booths have been established across the state for this purpose.

Over 1000 transit booths will be functioning in major bus stands, railway stations and airports during the campaign days to cover children on travel. These booths would function for three days, he said.

Further, 771 mobile teams will serve "remote and inaccessible areas," and about two lakh personnel from various government departments besides NGOs would be involved in the "mega campaign", he said.

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Kerala electricity board failed to meet performance targets: CAG

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state-run Kerala state electricity board (KSEB) has failed in meetings its performance targets in five years ending fiscal 2011-12, a performance audit conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has revealed.

"Capacity creation of power sub-stations and lines did not meet the targets, the CAG has pointed out. Only 80 sub-stations against the target of 225 and 806 circuit km of extra high tension lines against 3,900 km were constructed in the five-year period. It said the KSEB failed to complete its projects on schedule and there were instances of time overruns ranging from three to 123 months in most projects."

Besides, a cost overrun of Rs.24.64 crore took place during the five-year period, the nation's top auditor said.

In a state with total installed power capacity of 2858 MW during 2011, the lion's share of 2041 MW of power came through 24 hydel stations, followed by thermal, which constituted 783 MW, and the rest from the central pool, while a miniscule share of electricity came through wind energy.

As per the KSEB, at the peak demand time the state requires more than 3300 MW and, hence to match the current capacity, Kerala today has an hour's power outage, with half an hour duration in the morning and in the night. At times there are unannounced blackouts as well.

The CAG report also pointed out that the existing infrastructure for transmission was not managed properly as the maintenance and monitoring wings functioned with insufficient staff and lacked modern equipment. During the period under review it was found that the annual transmission loss of five per cent exceeded the generally accepted norm, which resulted in an excess loss of Rs.299.34 crore.

A major revelation of the CAG report was that on a test check of meter readings of the 220 KV and 110 KV substations it was noticed that the incoming meter readings were less than the outgoing meter readings in respect of 20 out of the 22 sub-stations. This meant that these sub-stations distributed more power than what they received - an impossibility.

Another lacunae that surfaced during the audit was non-compliance of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) norm that electricity utilities of every state should show a return of 15.5 percent on equity.

"The accounts of KSEB for the year 2011-12 showed a profit of Rs 240.71 crore whereas the operation actually resulted in a loss of Rs 1,693.42 crore. The differential amount was shown as revenue gap/regulatory asset. This is not an asset, but only an accounting adjustment. Due to this adjustment, the real losses made by the KSEB are concealed," the audit note said.

When contacted, power minister Aryadan Mohammed told IANS that he was yet to get a copy of the CAG report.

"Certainly, all aspects pointed out by the CAG would be seriously looked into and corrective measures would be taken to see that the KSEB functions properly," Mohammed said.

The CAG has recommended that planning procedures should be streamlined with a long-term perspective/State Electricity Plan and steps should be taken to adhere to accepted practices for operations of sub-stations. Maintenance activities should be strengthened.

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North Korea warns US commander in South Korea over drills

PYONGYANG, North Korea: North Korea warned the top American commander in South Korea on Saturday of "miserable destruction" if the US military presses ahead with routine joint drills with South Korea set to begin next month.

Pak Rim Su, chief of North Korea's military delegation to the truce village of Panmunjom inside the Demilitarized Zone, sent the warning Saturday morning to Gen. James Thurman, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency said, in a rare direct message to the US commander.

The threat comes as the US and other nations discuss how to punish North Korea for conducting an underground nuclear test on Feb. 12 in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions banning Pyongyang from nuclear and missile activity.

North Korea has characterized the nuclear test, its third since 2006, as a defensive act against U.S. aggression. Pyongyang accuses Washington of "hostility" for leading the charge to punish North Korea for a December rocket launch that the US considers a covert missile test.

The US and North Korea fought on opposite sides of the three-year Korean War, which ended in a truce in 1953, not a peace treaty, and left the Korean Peninsula divided by a heavily fortified border monitored by the US-led UN Command.

Washington also stations 28,500 American troops in South Korea to protect its ally against North Korean aggression.

South Korea and the U.S. regularly conduct joint drills such as the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises slated to take place next month. North Korea calls the drills proof of US hostility, and accuses Washington of practicing for an invasion.

"You had better bear in mind that those igniting a war are destined to meet a miserable destruction," KCNA quoted Pak as saying in his message to Thurman. He called the drills "reckless."

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, meanwhile, has been making a round of visits to military units guiding troops in drills and exercises since the nuclear test, KCNA said.

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Hyderabad blasts: Political parties must unite in fight against terror, Venkaiah Naidu says

HYDERABAD: BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu today called upon political parties to come together and demonstrate a strong resolve to fight terrorism, and accused the UPA government of being "indifferent" on the issue of national security.

"The recent terror attack in Hyderabad was a reminder to us that political parties must unite and demonstrate their strong resolve to fight terrorism," he told reporters here.

"We should refrain from giving any colour to terror. Our enemy is conspiring to weaken India, subvert system and use religion as a tool to divide and instigate the people."

Slamming the UPA government over the twin blasts here that killed 16 persons, he said Manmohan Singh administration lacks political will to fight terrorism in the country.

The ruling coalition at the Centre was "incompetent" and "indifferent" when it comes to dealing with the issue of national security, the former BJP President maintained.

The BJP leader accused Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde of politicising terrorism in the hope of reaping electoral harvest.

Naidu said the Central and Andhra Pradesh governments should tell people what action they took after getting intelligence inputs with regard to the blasts in Dilsukhnagar.

He criticized chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy for terming the intelligence inputs shared by the Centre as mere "general information".

"It was an immature and irresponsible statement from the chief minister, who failed to act on the inputs and avert the February 21 terror attack," Naidu said and sought to know why the CCTV cameras were not functioning at the blast sites.

Earlier, Naidu visited the blast sites and later went to hospitals, where the persons injured in the explosions are being treated, and enquired about their condition.

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Sebi cautions investors, public against dealings with Sahara

NEW DELHI: Close on the heels of ordering attachment of bank accounts, investments and all other assets of two Sahara group firms and their promoters, including group chief Subrata Roy, market watchdog Sebi today cautioned the investors and general public against transacting with these companies and persons.

"Anyone transacting with them (Sahara India Real Estate Corp Ltd, Sahara Housing Investment Corp Ltd and their three promoters and directors) would be doing so at their own peril," the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said.

The regulator said that in furtherance to a Supreme Court order directing refund of investors' money collected by these Sahara firms, it has ordered "attachment of all moveable and immoveable properties, bank accounts and demat accounts of these two companies and that of its promoters and directors namely Subrata Roy Sahara, Vandana Bhargava, Ashok Roy Choudhary and Ravi Shankar Dubey".

"Investors and general public are advised to exercise caution and take note of the said orders before transacting with the aforesaid entities/persons in any manner whatsoever," Sebi said in a public notice.

On February 13, Sebi passed two separate orders, together running into 160 pages, directing attachment of properties and freezing of accounts.

It was after the Supreme Court said that the regulator was free to freeze the accounts and attach properties if Sahara firms were not complying with the apex court's earlier orders of August 2012 towards refund of investors' money totalling over Rs 24,000 crore.

The assets ordered to be attached included those related to the group's Aambey Valley resort town near Pune, other real estate assets in Delhi, Mumbai and at other places across the country, shares, mutual funds and various other investments.

Passing the attachment orders, Sebi said that the two companies had raised Rs 6,380 crore and Rs 19,400 crore, respectively from bondholders and "various illegalities" were committed in raising of these funds.

With regard to Subrata Roy and three other directors, namely Vandana Bhargava, Ravi Shanker Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudhary, Sebi ordered freezing of all bank and demat accounts of these four persons, as also attachment of all moveable and immoveable properties in their name with immediate effect.

Subsequently, the Sahara Group claimed that the actions taken by Sebi were based on "old facts" and the orders for attaching assets of individuals is incorrect on part of the market regulator.

It also said that it has already deposited with Sebi an amount of Rs 5,120 crore that was in excess of its total liability towards refund to investors.

Later, the group also ran a major advertisement campaign in newspapers with claims that "Sahara has nothing to pay (and) rather Sahara shall soon be eligible to take a big refund from Sebi" and it was submitting to Sebi the provisional balance sheets of two companies as on December 31, 2012 for more clarity on the matter.

The Supreme Court on August 31, 2012 had asked Sahara group firms to refund the money with 15 per cent interest and had asked Sebi to facilitate the refund.

However, the group in December, 2012 was allowed to pay the money in three instalments, including an immediate payment of Rs 5,120 crore, followed by an installment of Rs 10,000 crore in the first week of January and remainder by the first week of February 2013.

Sebi in its attachment orders, however, said that neither of the two instalments was paid and therefore it is constrained totake necessary action as per the Supreme Court orders.

The properties being attached by Sebi include the land owned by Sahara group firm Aamby Valley Ltd, which has set up a resort village near Pune, development rights of land at prime locations in Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai and various other places across the country.

Besides, Sebi has also ordered attachment of equity shares held in Aamby Valley Ltd, units of mutual funds, bank and demat accounts and investments in all the branches of all banks.

Sebi has asked all the banks to transfer the amounts lying in the accounts of these entities and persons to a specially- created Sebi-Sahara Refund Account.

Sebi has also informed RBI and Enforcement Directorate as well regarding its actions against Sahara group firms.

The assets being attached include investments of SIRECL and SHICL in group companies, special purpose vehicles and partnership firms and the necessary orders for sale of all attached properties would be passed in due course after getting their full particulars, Sebi said.

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Hyderabad bomb blast: Rajnath to meet families of blast victims

NEW DELHI: BJP president Rajnath Singh will visit Hyderabad on Friday to meet the injured and family members of those killed in the twin blasts in the city.

Rajnath, accompanied by BJP MP and spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain and party secretary Murlidhar Rao, is likely to visit the Dilsukhnagar area of Hyderabad where the two blasts took place on Thursday evening.

The BJP leaders will also visit the hospitals where the injured are being treated and later meet the kin of those killed.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Singh had condoled the death of innocent people in the blast and demanded that immediate steps be taken to provide relief to the injured.

14 people were killed and 110 injured, six of them critically when two powerful near simultaneous blasts ripped through a crowded area close to a cluster of bus stands in Dilsukhnagar area in Hyderabad on Thursday.

The blasts triggered by improvised explosive devices (IED) tied to two bicycles took place at two sites 100 metres apart outside a roadside eatery near Konark and Venkatadiri theatres in the area located on the Hyderabad-Vijaywada National Highway in Cyberabad police limits.

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Hyderabad blasts rock Parliament, opposition attacks govt for alleged lapses

NEW DELHI The twin blasts in Hyderabad rocked both Houses of Parliament on Friday with opposition members attacking the government for alleged lapses in matters of internal security.

As soon as the Lok Sabha met, Speaker Meira Kumar made an obituary reference to the victims of the blasts in which several persons were killed and a large number injured.

"The House unequivocally condemns this barbaric and cowardly act of terrorism," Kumar said.

Members stood in silence for a while as a mark of respect to the departed.

Moments later the House plunged into chaos as BJP members raised slogans attacking the government for alleged lapses on matters of internal security.

Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who rushed to Hyderabad this morning, is expected to make a statement in the Lok Sabha at 2pm.

TDP members were seen waving copies of Telugu newspapers carrying reports of the Hyderabad blasts.

CPM members were protesting alleged atrocities on its activists during the two-day strike against the government's "anti-labour" policies.

DMK members were in the well waving photographs of LTTE chief V Prabhakaran's 12-year-old son who was allegedly shot dead by Sri Lankan forces.

As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon.

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AIADMK wants probe into 'irregularities' during Cong regime in Puducherry

PUDUCHERRY: Opposition AIADMK today demanded an enquiry into various 'scams' during the previous Congress regime, either in reportedly favouring rice mill owners to procure rice for PDS or in implementing welfare schemes.

Party's local unit secretary A Anbalagan MLA said chief minister N Rangasamy himself had gone on record to state that the previous Congress regime had indulged in scandalous practices in paying additional price to mill owners for procurement and also in construction of houses for the poor.

On the recent AINRC rally to demand statehood to the union territory, he said Rangasamy would do well to seek cooperation and help of AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa to persuade the Centre for grant of statehood as she had achieved success in all her moves.

Anbalagan alleged Rangasamy had not taken any steps to focus the rights of Karaikal region in the Cauvery water system and pointed out that Jayalalithaa's sustained efforts had led to the gazette notification of the final award of the Cauvery River Water dispute Tribunal's award.

Alleging that Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy was blocking flow of funds from the Centre to Puducherry as stated by Rangasamy himself, he said the Chief Minister was also at fault as he should have strongly criticised the Centre for its 'step motherly' approach towards Non Congress ruled states.

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Hyderabad bomb blasts: US condemns attack, offers assistance in probe

WASHINGTON: The US has strongly condemned the "cowardly attack" in Hyderabad that claimed many lives, saying that it stood with India in battling the "scourge of terrorism" and offered its assistance in probing the incident.

US secretary of state John Kerry personally expressed condolences at the loss of lives in the Hyderabad bomb blasts and condemned the attack on behalf of his country.

Two powerful near simultaneous blasts rocked Hyderabad on Thursday killing at least 16 people and injuring 119 others.

"Saw friend/foreign secretary Mathai- discussed importance of relationship w/ #India, expressed sympathies to brave people of #Hyderabad -JK," Kerry said in his first tweet as the top American diplomat.

Kerry used the usual state department twitter handle but signed it off with his initial JK (meaning John Kerry), which state department officials said means was his "personal tweet".

Earlier, the US state department also condemned the terrorist bombings and offered assistance in investigation if requested by the Indian government.

"We condemn the cowardly attack in Hyderabad, India, in the strongest possible terms, and we extend our deepest sympathies to those affected and to the people of India," state department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters.

"The US stands with India in combating the scourge of terrorism, and is also prepared to offer any and all assistance that Indian authorities may need," Nuland said.

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Hyderabad bomb blasts: Andhra Pradesh Police register case

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Police has registered a case on the twin blasts that ripped through a crowded market in Dilsukhnagar area of the state capital, leaving 16 dead and 120 injured.

The case was registered at Saroornagar police station under relevant sections of IPC on charges of sedition, promoting enmity between two groups on grounds of religion, voluntarily causing hurt by using dangerous weapons, conspiracy and also under Explosives Act, a senior police official said.

Some of the sections of IPC mentioned include 324, 326, 307, 302, 124-A, 153-A, 201 read with 120-B, he said.

Meanwhile, it has come to light that Hyderabad city police commissioner Anurag Sharma had offered prayers at the famous Saibaba Temple in Dilshuknagar area, which is a few hundred yards away from the blast site, minutes before two blasts took place.

"The commissioner visited the temple at 6.30pm. As a security precaution, there were more police than usual," a police official said.

The first blast took place at 6.58pm on Thursday. Devotees throng the temple on Thursdays, which is considered special for Saibaba, to offer prayers making the area highly crowded.

The famous Saibaba temple at Dilsukhnagar witnessed a blast in 2002 in which two persons were killed and several others injured.Another senior official said two CCTV cameras installed on traffic posts at Dilsukhnagar bus stand.

However, it was found that one was not functioning. When asked about the possibility of capturing blast images by the camera, he said it may not be possible as they were focused towards traffic.

He, however, said they are in the process of going through the footage.

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Railway minister likely to announce 100 new trains in Budget

NEW DELHI: Railways is planning to introduce about 100 trains, including AC double deckers, new passenger services and extension of services to cater to the demands of various states in the Rail Budget 2013-14.

As far as rolling stock programme is concerned, the announcement will be made for manufacturing of 4200 new coaches including 600 LHB coaches in the Rail Budget.

While provision for manufacturing of 670 new locomotives including 20 LNG locos will be made, the budget will also account for manufacturing of about 16,000 new wagons.

"The focus of the Rail Budget this year is on providing more amenities to passengers. Attempts have been made to cater to the demands of all regions including Northeast as there were representations for new trains from various states," sources in railway ministry said.

While services of some express trains have been extended, frequency of certain popular trains have also been increased keeping the demand of people's representatives in mind.

"About 100 new trains will be announced in the budget," the sources said.

Last year, Railways had announced launching of 175 trains including passenger services.

Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in trains and stations, providing quality linen, upgradation of fire-fighting arrangements and new facilities for differently abled persons are some of the measures likely to be announced by Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal in his maiden budget speech on February 26.

The proposal to provide braille stickers inside coaches for assisting visually impaired passengers are among the measures likely to be announced by Bansal.

A total of 543 trains have been identified for providing on board house keeping scheme (OBHS) to keep toilets and coaches clean and hygienic.

Railways have also proposed to set up about 10 mechanised laundries to improve supply of clean and quality linens on trains.

New measures for fire suppression system in AC coaches and pantry cars, which are more fire prone, are likely to be announced in the Railway Budget.

Cash-strapped railways, which has sought Rs 38,000 crore as general budgetary support (GBS) from the Finance Ministry, is likely to get about Rs 28,000 crore for the next fiscal.

Last year, it had got Rs 24,000 crore as GBS.

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PM seeks cooperation for constructive Parliament session

NEW DELHI: Seeking cooperation of all sections ahead of Parliament session, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said "credible action" is needed from all to ensure that the country is least affected by the "formidable challenges" posed by the global economic slowdown.

Singh said Parliament was meeting against the backdrop of global slowdown of economic activity which has also affected the country.

"It is now a challenge for all of us to take credible action to ensure that we are least affected by this global slowdown," he told reporters ahead of the start of the Budget Session.

"In this context, the way we conduct the financial business now before Parliament will be a crucial determinant of our country's ability to cope with the formidable challenges our country faces," Singh said.

The Prime Minister said he looked forward to cooperation of all sections of the House. His remarks came against the backdrop of Opposition parties preparing to target the government on chopper scam, price rise, crimes against women and a host of other issues.

"On our part, we wish to engage constructively, productively with all sections of the House in the expectation that there would be responsible dialogue, debate among members of Parliament," he said.

"We are looking forward for a very productive, constructive session of Parliament. That is what our country's people expect Parliament to do," Singh said.

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Chinese plane makes emergency landing after hoax bomb threat

BEIJING: A Chinese domestic passenger plane made an emergency landing early on Thursday morning following a bomb threat, which turned out to be a hoax.

The airport of Hefei, capital of eastern Anhui province, received a warning via telephone at around midnight, shortly after the flight ZH9786 bound for Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, departed from the airport, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The plane landed at the airport of Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi Province.

A strict examination of the aircraft did not find any explosives, the report said.

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DMK, AIADMK members shout slogans during President's address to Parliament

NEW DELHI: DMK and AIADMK MPs shouted slogans over Sri Lankan Tamil issue during the maiden address of President Pranab Mukherjee in Parliament on Thursday.

As soon as the President began his address to the joint sitting in the Central Hall, DMK and AIADMK members raised slogans.

The exact contents of the slogans could not be heard, but apparently they were referring to the killing of the 12-year-old son of slain LTTE chief Prabhakaran allegedly by Sri Lankan soldiers.

Shafiqur Rahman Barq (BSP) also stood up to demand minority status to Aligarh Muslim University.

Union ministers Rajiv Shukla and V Narayanasamy waved at the protesting MPs to take their seats.

An unperturbed President, however, continued reading his speech despite the commotion.

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Pakistan should desist from acts contributing to trust deficit: President

NEW DELHI: Against the backdrop of the beheading of an Indian soldier on the LoC, President Pranab Mukherjee said Pakistan should desist from acts that contribute to "trust deficit".

In his address to the joint sitting of Parliament on Thursday, he said, "With Pakistan, we have made progress towards normalisation of relations, strengthening mechanism for bilateral trade and facilitating greater people-to-people contact".

The President said while India remains committed to taking the process forward, "it is also important that Pakistan abides by its commitments and desists from acts that contribute to a trust deficit".

Pakistan Army regulars had infiltrated inside Indian territory in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir and killed and mutilated the bodies of Lance Naiks Sudhakar Singh and Hemraj on January 8.

The President prefaced his remarks by saying that India continues to seek peace, stability, cooperation and economic development in the sub-continent. "We attach the highest priority to relations with our immediate neighbours".

He also made it clear that as Afghanistan prepares for a political and security transition in 2014 and beyond, "we will continue to help Afghanistan evolve peacefully and fight terrorism and extremism".

On China, the President said his government intends to work with the new Chinese leadership to reinforce the positive direction of the bilateral relationship.

"My government's foreign policy continues to be driven by the objectives of creating an enabling environment for our national development, ensuring the security of the nation and fulfilling our international responsibilities", he said.

As regards to Sri Lanka, he said, "We are making efforts in our engagement with Sri Lanka, including in our efforts to resettle and rehabilitate the internally displaced persons there and to ensure a life of peace, dignity and equality for the Tamil people".

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1 killed, 10 wounded in blast in northwest Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: One person was killed and 10 others were injured today when a bomb went off in a crowded market in Peshawar city of northwest Pakistan, officials said.

The explosion occurred at around noon in a mobile phone market at Hashtnagri in Peshawar, the capital of the restive Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

Police and rescue service officials said one person was killed. Officials at a nearby hospital said they had received 10 injured people.

No group claimed responsibility for the bombing though such attacks are usually blamed on the banned Pakistani Taliban.

Hundreds of people have died in terrorist attacks across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in the past five years and the chief minister of the province recently survived an assassination bid by a Taliban suicide bomber.

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At least 14 hurt in natural gas explosion, fire in Kansas city, Missouri

KANSAS CITY: A fire triggered by a natural gas explosion that appeared to have originated underground engulfed a restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, on Tuesday, injuring more than a dozen people, authorities and witnesses said.

The gas explosion shook the Country Club Plaza, an upscale shopping area about 30 blocks south of downtown Kansas City, just after 6 p.m. CST (0000 GMT), Kansas City Fire Department spokesman James Garrett told CNN.

Garrett said 14 people were injured. Of those, nine were taken to area hospitals, including two with life-threatening injuries.

The precise cause of the explosion was not immediately known, officials said. However, an office building was under construction across the street from the fire scene.

One witness, Bryce McElroy, who lives about two blocks away, said he heard a loud boom and headed toward the noise, arriving on the scene to see flames leaping from a manhole cover and advancing on the restaurant, a popular steakhouse and fine dining venue called JJ's.

Jeff Hansen, who lives about four blocks away, said he went to the scene to offer assistance after hearing the blast and saw six to eight people visibly injured who were leaving the area.

"Obviously there were multiple injuries," he said. "The question is if there is anybody still in there."

Firefighters swarmed into the area to battle flames consuming the restaurant as police officers ordered bystanders to move two blocks back from the fire as a precaution. The smell of gas fumes permeated the air around the scene.

The University of Kansas Hospital received five patients from the blast and fire, two of whom drove themselves from the scene, hospital spokesman Bob Hallinan told Reuters. Of the three patients transported to the hospital, one was listed in critical condition and two in serious condition, he said.

He characterized those three injuries as "traumas, not burns."

Local television station KCTV-5 reported at least three people were listed in critical condition at nearby St. Luke's Medical Center, suffering from burns and lacerations.

Two JJ's employees who were away from the restaurant at the time of the blast said they were told later by fellow workers who were present that staff members were alerted to the smell of gas shortly before the blast and had begun to evacuate the building.

One of those workers who relayed that account, Talley Saey, said she was told that several employees were among those taken to the hospital.

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Blast in poll-bound Nagaland's Dimapur kills one

KOHIMA: A bomb blast close to Dimapur railway station in poll-bound Nagaland killed one person on Wednesday morning, police said.

Pradeep Thapa was going on his bike near the station when the bomb planted on the roadside suddenly went off killing him on the spot at 8am.

Police is trying to find out those behind the incident. In the meantime, the area has been cordoned off.

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Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa asks partymen not to celebrate her birthday

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday urged her party cadres to desist from celebrating her birthday, which falls on February 24, in a grand manner and instead make it a low-key affair.

In an epistle to her party cadres, she once again exhorted them to work towards winning all the 40 seats (39 in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry) in the next Lok Sabha elections and said this would be double joy for her.

The party leader appealed to partymen not to celebrate her birthday in a big way and instead concentrate on providing welfare measures to the people.

Holding that she was for simplicity on the lines of her mentor and AIADMK founder late M G Ramachandran, she insisted that her birthday celebrations should be low-key. "As I am on the path of public life guided by MGR, I never celebrated my birthday. Therefore, cadres should avoid celebrating my birthday in a grand manner", she said.

The party chief also appealed to her partymen not to try and meet her on the birthday.

In her address to partymen in the AIADMK general council in December last year, she had exhorted them to galvanize the party for a role at national level, saying it would be in a position to take a decision at the Centre.

Jayalalithaa also ruled out any alliance with national parties such as Congress and BJP in the coming Lok Sabha polls as they were working against the state on the Cauvery issue.

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Stones pelted at Sri Lankan Airlines office in Chennai, no injuries

CHENNAI: In an apparent fallout of the alleged cold blooded killing of the 12-year-old son of slain LTTE chief V Prabhakaran, some persons pelted stones at the office of Sri Lankan Airlines in Chennai, causing minor damage to property.

Police said nobody was injured in the incident which comes close on the heels of a little-known pro-Tamil group attacking the Bank of Ceylon branch here recently, injuring two persons.

Staff at the airline office confirmed the incident and said nobody was injured.

Some glass panes were damaged, police said, adding three to four persons were suspected to be behind the attack.

On Tuesday, images of 12-year-old Balachandran seen eating snack and another taken a few hours later showing his body lying on the ground, his chest pierced by bullets were featured in the Channel 4 documentary had drawn widespread criticism in the state. Sri Lankan Army had dismissed the allegation as "lies, half truths, rumours and numerous forms of speculation".

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BJP protests against Sushilkumar Shinde, senior leaders detained

NEW DELHI: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including national president Rajnath Singh, were detained by Delhi Police at the Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday during the protest against Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde over his 'saffron terror' remark.

Scores of BJP party workers and supporters gathered at the Jantar Mantar here to vent their ire against the home minister.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar earlier in the day said Shinde's remarks have created outrage over the country.

"Pakistan has welcomed Shinde's remark. So, this is exactly what he has done to serve his masters. He has given a handle to Pakistan to beat India. And to say that India is the epicentre of terror and whatever is happening in Pakistan is happening because of this Indian terror. So, he has actually given a handle to the Pakistanis and (it is) most unfortunate. In 65 years of independent India nobody has equated religion with terror, but that Shinde has done," said Javadekar.

"And more so, he has criticised BJP and RSS that they are running the training camps. We are the principle opposition party, then how he can have a meeting with us, how can he have a meeting with the terrorists those who run terrorist camps. And that is why we have said if you have proof, arrest us and take action. As you don't have proof, you have to apologise, you have to taker back your remarks and that is what we are demanding," he added.

Javadekar further accused the ruling Congress party of playing vote bank politics, and demanded an apology from the home minister.

"With a month now practically, the Congress wants to play politics over it and does not want to make a simple regret or withdrawal of remark or apology because they are into a vote bank politics now. And that is why we are taking demonstration today and we will raised this issue in Parliament also," he added.

The decision to carry out a protest march against Shinde, who had made the controversial remarks at a Congress conclave in Jaipur last month, was taken at a BJP Parliamentary Executive Committee meeting yesterday.

The BJP top brass yesterday also discussed the party's strategy for the Budget Session of Parliament, which begins tomorrow.

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Nepalese ex-prince suffers heart attack in Thailand

BANGKOK: Former Nepalese crown prince Paras Shah is in intensive care in Thailand after suffering a heart attack, the Nepalese embassy in Bangkok said Wednesday.

Shah, 42, who had been living in Thailand, was admitted to hospital late Tuesday, acting Ambassador Dornath Aryal said.

"Doctors said his condition is improving and he needs a full examination," he said.

Bangkok's Samitivej Hospital confirmed that Shah had been admitted but declined to discuss his condition.

Shah, who as crown prince was unpopular for his playboy lifestyle, was arrested for cannabis possession on the Thai resort island of Phuket in October.

He was detained again in December for smashing property at a luxury apartment in Bangkok. On both occasions he denied the charges and was released on bail.

Shah became heir to the throne in 2001 after his cousin, former crown prince Dipendra, killed nine members of his family including the king and queen in a drink-and-drugs-fuelled rampage before apparently turning his gun on himself.

Nepal abolished its monarchy in 2008.

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32 Myanmar nationals rescued at sea off Sri Lanka, 98 bodies thrown overboard

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA: Sri Lanka's navy says it has rescued 32 Myanmar nationals whose wooden vessel began sinking while making a perilous journey to Australia.

A navy statement says the rescue was made about 250 nautical miles off the island's eastern coast on Saturday. Those rescued are being treated for acute dehydration.

The group comprising 31 adult males and a boy had been at sea without food for 21 days when the navy rescued them after being informed by a local fishing boat.

Survivors have told local newspapers that there were 130 passengers at the beginning of the journey and 98 died on the way and their bodies were dumped in the sea.

They said they were planning to go to Australia after their attempt to enter Malaysia failed.

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US court to hear human rights violation case against Badal

NEW YORK: A US federal court will hold an evidentiary hearing on February 21 against Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal in an alleged human rights violation case filed against him by a Sikh rights group.

Wisconsin Judge Lynn Adelman ordered that the purpose of the hearing is to solve basic jurisdictional issues relating to service of court summons on Badal and to examine the witnesses and other evidence.

Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have filed the human rights violations case against Badal under Alien Torts Claims Act and Torture Victims Protection Act in the Federal District Court of Wisconsin.

Badal's Attorney Michelle Jacobs has sought dismissal of the case saying Badal was not served the summons in August last year when he had visited Wisconsin.

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US court to hear human rights violation case against Punjab CM

NEW YORK: A US federal court will hold an evidentiary hearing on February 21 against Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal in an alleged human rights violation case filed against him by a Sikh rights group.

Wisconsin Judge Lynn Adelman ordered that the purpose of the hearing is to solve basic jurisdictional issues relating to service of court summons on Badal and to examine the witnesses and other evidence.

Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have filed the human rights violations case against Badal under Alien Torts Claims Act and Torture Victims Protection Act in the Federal District Court of Wisconsin.

Badal's Attorney Michelle Jacobs has sought dismissal of the case saying Badal was not served the summons in August last year when he had visited Wisconsin.

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Goa bans set up of liquor, tobacco units in industrial estates

PANAJI: The Goa government has decided to put a moratorium on allowing tobacco and liquor manufacturing units in its industrial zones, a senior official said on Tuesday.

The State Investment Policy, which is also known as Industrial Policy, will ban the sale of industrial plots in its estates to units manufacturing tobacco products and liquor, FO Hashmi, Director of Industries, told reporters.

He said that there would be a complete ban on setting up of such industries in the state's industrial zones. There are 20 industrial estates developed by the state government.

The Goa Industrial Development Corporation's regulations which were notified in September last year had banned such units in its estates, he said.

The Investment Policy, which would be unveiled soon will give a proper shape to the ban, Hashmi added. The policy which is expected to be released within a couple of months has banked on Information Technology and Tourism as the economic driver of the state, which has been reeling under crisis after iron ore mining came to a sudden halt after the Supreme Court order.

Hashmi said points like 50 per cent plots for Goans in industries set up in estates, encouragement of non-polluting industries and employment generating units are focal to the policy.

The state would be on look out for investments in moderate-sized IT and ITES units, pharmaceutical firms and tourism related businesses, he added.

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Lanka dismisses documentary on Prabhakaran son's death allegedly in cold blood

COLOMBO: A British channel has come out with a documentary featuring the pictures of the alleged cold-blooded killing of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran's 12-year-old son, which was on Tuesday dismissed by Sri Lanka as "lies, half truths and numerous forms of speculation".

The Channel 4 documentary titled 'No War Zone: The killing fields of Sri Lanka' is to be aired in Geneva at the next session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in March.

The pictures have once again raised questions over the conduct of Sri Lankan armed forces during the final stages of the operation against Tamil Tiger rebels and is another blow for the government in its attempts to head off a critical resolution at the UN Human Rights Council.

One of the photos shows Balachandran Prabakaran sitting in a bunker, alive and unharmed in the custody of Sri Lankan troops.

Another picture which was taken a few hours later shows the boy's body lying on the ground, his chest pierced by bullets.

Sri Lankan army today dismissed as "lies, half truths, rumours and numerous forms of speculation" the pictures featured in the documentary.

Commenting on the pictures, military spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said, "This is not the first time such unsubstantiated allegations are leveled against the Sri Lankan forces. Interestingly, these come up as we near UNHRC meeting and die down thereafter."

"No substantive evidence have been presented for us to launch an investigation" he said.

"Unfortunately, it appears that the parties who float such baseless allegations never want these to be investigated or solved. They want to keep them as mysteries in order to tarnish the country's good image as and when it suits their agendas."

Wanigasooriya stressed that if the Channel 4 was interested in having these investigated, it should cooperate with credible evidence and the army will institute a probe.

The documentary aims to test India over its next move in the UNHRC resolution against Sri Lanka, Channel 4's documentary director Callum Macrae said.

India had voted against Sri Lanka at last year's resolution.

"The new evidence in the film is certain to increase pressure on the Indian government not only to support a resolution on Sri Lanka and accountability, but also to ensure that it is robustly worded, and that it outlines an effective plan for international action to end impunity in Sri Lanka," Macrae said.

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Nepal's major political parties agree on interim PM, new elections

KATMANDU: Nepal's major political parties have agreed to form an interim government led by the Supreme Court chief justice and hold elections in June, likely ending a deadlock that left the nation without a fully functioning government since last year.

The leaders of the four main political parties reached the agreement late Monday, said Narayan Kaji Shrestha of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal Maoist.

The agreement is expected to be formally signed at a meeting later Tuesday where the leaders also would finalize the election date and the makeup of the new council of ministers.

The parties want Supreme Court chief justice Khilraj Regmi to be the chairman of the council. The idea of appointing the chief judge as the head of the interim government to conduct elections was proposed by the ruling Maoist party last week because these parties could not agree on who would lead the new interim government.

Nepal has been without a fully functioning government and parliament since last May. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has been running a caretaker government. Bhattarai's government has been unable to hold elections, with opposition parties wanting Bhattarai's removal before a vote is held.

The Constituent Assembly was elected in 2008 with the task of writing a new constitution after Nepal's centuries-old monarchy was abolished and the country was declared a republic. The assembly failed to complete the task even after the term was renewed and finally ended in May 2012.

It was not clear how the head of the judiciary would also be given the task of executive head but the leaders said they would seek to amend the interim constitution.

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Pakistan: Blast, shooting at govt official's office in Peshawar; 4 killed

PESHAWAR: At least four persons were killed and seven others injured on Monday when militants, including suicide bombers, stormed a government complex in the restive Peshawar city of northwest Pakistan, officials said.

At least two explosions and heavy gunfire were heard after the militants barged into Khyber House, the office of the political administrator of Khyber tribal region.

The attackers were wearing uniforms of the Levies militia, several witnesses told the media.

A meeting of leaders of political parties was underway at Khyber House at the time of the attack.

Iqbal Khan, a leader of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, told the media that a suicide attacker blew himself up outside the hall where the meeting was being held.

Another attacker was reportedly gunned down by security forces. Four security personnel were killed in the attack, witnesses and officials said.

Seven injured persons, including four Levies personnel, were taken to a nearby hospital. Officials described the condition of two of them as critical.

Khyber House is located within the high-security cantonment in Peshawar.

Army soldiers and policemen surrounded the complex shortly after the attack began. All gates were shut and nearby roads were blocked.

Footage on television showed smoke rising into the sky over the complex after an explosion. After some time, security forces allowed people inside the complex to leave.

The security forces conducted a search of the complex as policemen and army commandoes took up positions in nearby buildings.

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BJP continues attack on Press Council chief Katju over Modi remarks

NEW DELHI: Launching a fresh attack on Press Council of India chairperson Markandey Katju, the BJP on Monday said the former Supreme Court judge was expressing "unsolicited, bizarre" opinions against non-Congress ruled states and demanded that he should step down.

"Mr Katju as Chairperson of the Press Council of India, holds a statutory position, yet he is seemingly floating around the country like a vagabond and giving unsolicited bizarre opinions," BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters.

He alleged that Katju is biased and demanded his resignation.

"Katju prefers slurring opposition ruled governments whether it is Mamata Banerjee ruled West Bengal, the JDU-BJP ruled government in Bihar or Narendra Modi government in Gujarat," Rudy said.

Rudy maintained that the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley had made an apt statement that Katju was carrying the "brief of the Congress party" and asked him to resign.

"Mr Modi has also supported Jaitley's statement that Katju should quit," Rudi said.

Jaitley and Katju were yesterday locked in a bitter war of words over the latter's article critical of Modi with the two asking each other to resign.

Jaitley had dubbed Katju as "more Congress than the Congress" and said his attacks on non-Congress governments whether in West Bengal, Bihar or Gujarat seem more in the nature of "thanks-giving" to those who provided him with a post-retirement job."

He also demanded that Katju resign from his post.

The Press Council of India chief hit back at Jaitley accusing him of twisting facts and asked him to quit politics. Jaitley, in a statement, said Katju's article in a newspaper against Modi read more like a personal tirade and wondered whether he was trying to hold a brief for those who have been convicted in the 2002 Godhra train burning incident.

Katju had said that "there is still a mystery of what happened in Godhra" and he found it hard to believe "that Modi had no hand in 2002", referring to the Gujarat riots.

Katju, in turn, accused Jaitley of twisting facts.

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Defamation case: Court asks Dikshit to appear on April 5

NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit was asked on Monday by a court here to appear before it in person on April 5 in a defamation case filed by her against former city BJP chief Vijender Gupta.

Metropolitan magistrate Saumya Chauhan directed the chief minister to appear before it on the next date after allowing her plea for exemption from personal appearance for a day.

"The complainant (Dikshit) has to be appear in person positively on the next date of hearing in the case... If she fails to come then the case can be dismissed," the judge said while fixing April 5, as the next date of hearing in the case.

Allowing her plea for exemption from personal appearance, the court said, "I cannot compel her to come at this stage, as the matter is at framing of notice.

"Let the matter come for complainant evidence, then also if she is not coming then the court will decide it (whether she has to appear in court or not) at that stage. It is upto the discretion of the court."

The court's direction came after Gupta's counsel, Ajay Verman and Ajay Digpaul told the judge that the arguments in the case can proceed further only if the Chief Minister, "who is deliberately avoiding the court's orders", shall remain present before the court or else her case should not be entertained.

To this, Dikshit's counsel, Mehmood Pracha informed that she is more than willing to come on every date, but due to her prior engagements at Rashtrapati Bhavan today she is seeking exemption from personal appearance for the day.

"She has moved an exemption application for today and she has to attend Indira Gandhi Peace Award function to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan," Pracha said.

The court on November 9, 2012 had asked Dikshit to appear before it on February 18, 2013.

Dikshit had filed the criminal defamation case against Gupta alleging that the BJP leader used "uncivilised" language against her before the April 15, 2012 MCD polls.

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Advani, Antony most suitable choices for PM: Govindacharya

BHOPAL: Former BJP ideologue Govindacharya has said that BJP leader LK Advani and defence minister and Congress leader AK Antony are suitable prime ministerial candidates while Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi will be a good choice for home minister.

Asked who would be the suitable prime ministerial candidates after the 2014 general elections, Govindacharya mentioned the names of Advani and Antony.

"LK Advani from NDA and defence minister AK Antony from UPA were the most suitable candidates for the post," he told reporters here on Sunday evening.

To a query, he said Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi would be an appropriate choice for heading the youth and sports ministry, if the party-led coalition retained power at the Centre.

In case BJP-led NDA came to power, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi will be a good choice for home minister, he said.

The former BJP ideologue also said that Congress general secretary and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh was a good and experienced politician.

Last week, Govindacharya had said that neither Rahul nor Modi were fit to become Prime Minister.

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